History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 17

Author: Edwards, Lewis C
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1742

USA > Nebraska > Richardson County > History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions > Part 17

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

C. W. Troy, [6] John Payton, O. W. Dunning John Payton, O. W. Dunning, W. R. Cain O. W. Dunning, W. R. Cain, H. E. Moritz William R. Cain, H. E. Moritz, Geo. Gird H. E. Moritz, George Gird, Jacob Shaff

Geo. Gird, Jacob Shaff, Morgan H. Van Deventer Jacob Shaff, Morgan H. Van Deventer, W. C. Kern M. H. Van Deventer, Wm. C. Kern, Ralph Anderson

D. L. Wyman

1871 L. Van Duesen

W. W. Abbey

1872 Wm. Mast

W. C. Kern, Ralph Anderson, H. E. Moritz Ralph Anderson, H. E. Moritz, Alf. Page

W. W. Abbey

1873 1874 S. A. Fulton

F. M. Williams

1875 S. A. Fulton

F. M. Williams

1876 S. A. Fulton

F. M. Williams

1877

S. A. Fulton

F. M. Williams

1878

Frank Martin

Stephen S. Jones

Jacob Bailey Jacob Bailey

1881 J. R. Wilhite

1882 J. R. Wilhite

1883 J. R. Wilhite

1884 Jos. Coupe

1885 J. B. Coupe

Geo. Smith, J. T. Kinzer, John M. Brockman 1

David D. Houtz

18E

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

W. W. Abbey

Wm. Mast

Chas. S. Cornell, Levi Forbes, C. W. Troy Levi Forbes, C. W. Troy, John Payton

1 867

Chas. F. Walther

1 868 Wm. Van Lue

1869 Wm. Van Lue

1870 L. Van Duesen

H. E. Moritz, Alf. Page, G. W. Peck Alf. Page, G. W. Peck, H. E. Moritz Geo. W. Peck, H. E. Moritz, Alf. Page H. E. Moritz, Alf. Page, Gust. Duerfeldt Alf. Page, Gust. Duerfeldt, Jas. Wickham Gust. Duerfeldt. Jas. Wickham, Alf. Page Jas. Wickham, Alf. Page, Geo. W. Carpenter .Alf. Page, G. W. Carpenter, H. W. Wolf G. W. Carpenter, H. W. Wolf, Geo. Smith H. W. Wolf, Geo. Smith, Jas. T. Kinzer Geo. Smith, Jas. T. Kinzer, John Brockman

Frank Martin

1879 1880 J. R. Wilhite

David D. Houtz

Supt. Pub. Inst.

Thos. McIntire, [5] Chas. S. Cornell, Levi Forbes

County Commissioners.

Jas. T. Kinzer, John M. Brockman, George Smith

In 1886 the form of county government was changed from that of a board of three commissioners to that of town supervisors, making a board composed of a membership of one representative from each precinct in the county. This board had sixteen to seventeen mem- bers.

CHANGE OF FORM OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT. November 18, 1886.

The Board of Commissioners together with the Board of Supervisors met in the county clerk's office at 9 o'clock A. M.

And after discussing the legality of the change of administration at this time the following order was made : To the County Clerk of Richardson County, Nebraska :

J. A. Kuhlman J. A. Kuhlman C. W. Whitehead C. W. Whitehead George Crocker George Crocker

1898 John Gagnon

1899 John Gagnon

John Gagnon

1900 1902 J. R. Wilhite 1903 J. R. Wilhite

George Crocker

1904 J. R. Wilhite

George Crocker

1905 J. R. Wilhite

Thomas J. Oliver

1907 John Gagnon

1908 John Gagnon

1909 John Gagnon

Dated November 18, 1886.

(Signed) JOHN M. BROCKMAN, GEORGE SMITH, JAS. T. KINZER.

Thomas J. Oliver

1913 John Gagnon

Thomas J. Oliver Thomas J. Oliver

1914 John Gagnon

1915 John Wiltse

Dan W. Webber

1916 John Wiltse

Dan W. Webber

1917 John Wiltse

Dan W. Webber

182

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

( 3 ) October, 1858. J. C. Adams was elected at the special county seat election to fill vacancy caused by removal of William Trammel from the county.

Year. County Judge. 1886 J. B. Coupe J. B. Coupe 1887 1888 A. R. Scott

A. R. Scott

1 889 1890 A. R. Scott A. R. Scott 1891 1892 J. R. Wilhite

1893 J. R. Wilhite

1894 J. R. Wilhite

J. R. Wilhite

1895 1896 1897

A. R. Keim

Believing that the Board of Supervisors of this county have no legal right to take charge of the respective offices until in January as provided by statute, yet believ- ing that it will save trouble and expense to the county by not asserting our rights as a Board of Commissioners at this time, we therefore relinquish our title to said office of county commissioners, under solemn protest.

1906 John Gagnon

Thomas J. Oliver Thomas J. Oliver Thomas J. Oliver

1910 John Gagnon

Thomas J. Oliver Thomas J. Oliver Thomas J. Oliver

IQII John Gagnon

1912 John Gagnon

Above minutes read and approved. JOHN M. BROCKMAN, GEORGE SMITH, JAS. T. KINZER, M. W. MUSSELMAN, County Clerk.

' Supt. Pub. Inst. John J. Faulkner John J. Faulkner

Miles G. Jones Miles G. Jones C. C. Pool C. C. Pool C. C. Pool C. C. Pool

J. A. Kuhlman J. A. Kuhlman

183

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Year. County Surveyor. Coroner. Register of Deeds.

1854- 1855- 1856- 1857-J. J. Lebo [2] 1858-MI. McManus [2] 1859-A. J. Currance 1860-A. J. Currance

1861-Joseph Broady

1862-Joseph Broady 1863-John Gray 1864-John Gray 1865-John Gray 1866-M. Adam

G. W. Parker S. S. Keiffer

S. S. Keiffer

W. M. Maddox Henry C. Burnam

Russell Peery

B. M. Nelson

G. R. Summers

N. B. McPherson

N. B. McPherson John Schulenberg

John Schulenberg WVm. Van Lue

Wm. Van Lue

A. Miller [12] A. Miller

B. F. Leechman

M. C. Ryan

M. C. Ryan Chas. Loree

M. C. Ryan

Chas. Loree

H. H. Pierce

Chas. Loree

H. H. Pierce

1882-J. L. McElroy 1883-J. L. McElroy 1884-Creighton Morris 1885-Creighton Morris 1886-Creighton Morris 1887 --- 1888- - 1 889- 1890- 1891- 1892-F. W. Miller 1893 -- F. W. Miller 1894-R. E. Grinstead 1895-R. E. Grinstead

1896-R. E. Grinstead 1897-R. E. Grinstead 1898-R. E. Grinstead

H. O. Staver

H. Q. Staver

1867-M. Adam 1868-Allen J. Currance 1869-Allen J. Currance

1870-Allen J. Currance 1871-Allen J. Currance 1872-Ira Beckwith 1873-Ira Beckwith

1874-Thomas V. Wilson 1875-Thomas V. Wilson 1876-P. A. Tisdell 1877-P. A. Tisdell 1878-Thos. W. Moore 1879-Thos. W. Moore 1880-S. C. McElroy

1881-S. C. McElroy

184

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Year. County Surveyor. Coroner. Register of Deeds.

1899-R. E. Grinstead

1900-

Rantzma

Wm. J. Wells

1901-

Rantzma

Wm. J. Wells

1902-

Rantzma

William Rieger William Rieger

1903- 1904-

J. A. Waggoner

William Rieger

1905-R. E. Grinstead

J. A. Waggoner

William Rieger L. C. Edwards

1906-R. E. Grinstead

J. A. Waggoner

1907-R. E. Grinstead

J. A. Waggoner

L. C. Edwards

1908-R. E. Grinstead

Dr. M. L. Wilson

L. C. Edwards

1909-R. E. Grinstead 1910-R. E. Grinstead

W. R. Waggoner

L. C. Edwards

19II-R. E. Grinstead

W. R. Waggoner

L. C. Edwards

1912-R. E. Grinstead

W. R. Waggoner

L. C. Edwards

1913-R. E. Grinstead

George W. Reneker

L. C. Edwards

1914-R. E. Grinstead

George W. Reneker

L. C. Edwards

1915-J. F. Relf

George W. Reneker N. B. Judd

1916-J. F. Relf

George W. Reneker

N. B. Judd

1917-J. F. Relf

George W. Reneker

N. B. Judd

( 2) J. J. Lebo resigned and Michael McManus was appointed to fill out the term.

(12) A. Miller, who was regularly elected, did not qualify. Alex Kerr was appointed.

The act creating this office was passed by the Territorial Legislature and approved February 21, 1855, and Neal J. Sharp was appointed as the first register of deeds of the county. The office was later combined with that of county clerk and so remained until 1885, when the population had increased to such an extent that the business was changed to a separate and distinct office as it had been originally.

SUPERVISORS.

The board of supervisors organized according to law and elected W. W. Abbey, of Falls City, as permanent chairman, the board of county commis- sioners having surrendered their offices as previously stated.

1886: Members-W. W. Abbey. Samuel Lichty. Falls City; Charles E. Nims. G. R. Grinstead. Humboldt township and precinct; Leopold Porr, Speiser : James Johnson, Porter: Joseph McGinnis, Nemaha : Philander Hall, Salem: John F. Cornell, Liberty; George Watkins, Muddy; R. Ankrom, Barada: Francis Shaffer, Ohio: Jerry Kanaly, Jefferson: James T. Kinzer, Arago: W. H. Rowell. St. Stephens, and Charles Cole, Franklin.

Dr. M. L. Wilson

L. C. Edwards

COUNTY OFFICERS RICHARDSON COUNTY, 1913.

185

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

The first work of the new organization was to make inquiry into the matter of delinquent taxes, which state of affairs at that time in the county was a pressing question, and the adoption of a new set of rules.

Samuel Lichty, of the new board, offered the following resolution, which was intended as a matter of economy, no doubt :

"Whereas: $300.00 a year has heretofore been paid for the services of the court house janitor, Resolved, This Board of Supervisors will not allow any bills for sweeping, attending fires (stoves then being used for heating purpose in each of the county offices), or furnishing water for any of the county offices."

Be it said for the good sense of a Richardson county board of super- visors that the above resolution did not carry, the vote of the members present standing, three for, and nine against.

1888: Hugh Boyd, Rulo; C. C. Sloan, Ohio; W. H. Logan, Falls City; Leopold Porr, Speiser : Charles B. Gridley, Franklin; Jos. Johnson, Porter ; Felix Kitch, Jefferson; D. M. Neher, Humboldt; J. G. McGinnis, Nemaha ; I. G. Burr, Grant ; Philander Hall, Salem; J. F. Cornell, Liberty; W. H. Crook, Falls City : Henry Fisher, Arago; Henry D. Weller, Muddy.

1889: Felix Kitch, C. E. Nims, R. Coupe, Thomas F. Brown, P. A. Smith, Robert Lord, Charles Cole, Cyrus Jones; W. H. Crook, Francis Shaffer, John Cornell. August Buchholz, Henry Fisher, T. R. Jones, J. W. Jones, B. F. Miles.

1890: James Tangney, August Buchholz, Thomas Lynch, B. F. Miles, Thomas F. Brown, August Neitzel. J. F. Cornell, W. H. Crook, C. W. Hedges, J. A. Boyd, Charles Cole, Cyrus Jones, Francis Shaffer, Robert. Lord, Richard Coupe. P.A. Smith, David Neher. J. W. Jones.

1891: C. A. Hedge, C. B. Gridley, S. C. Stump, J. H. Smith, of Hun- boldt ; J. W. Jones, Isaac Fisher, B. F. Miles. C. Fred Cain, Falls City ; John Gagnon, Rulo.

1892: William Stephenson, Speiser; Joseph Boyd, Arago; W. J. McCray, Porter ; Oliver Fuller, Liberty; J. W. Spicler, Barada ; J. H. Smith, Humboldt ; T. P. Jones, Falls City ; James Tangney, Jefferson : Isaac Fisher, Nemaha; John Gagnon, Rulo; C. B. Gridley, Franklin ; C. . \. Hedges. Falls City ; J. W. Jones, Muddy; B. F. Miles, Grant ; Sol C. Stump, Ohio.

1893: R. K. Davis, Humboldt ; T. P. Jones, Falls City : Alex McGehie. Muddy ; George Smith, Grant; W. R. Smith, Ohio; C. A. Hedges. Falls City : G. E. Schneider, Nemaha; C. B. Gridley, Franklin; John Gagnon, Rulo.

1894: J. H. Smith, Humboldt: Joseph Frederick, Arago; C. ... Stewart, Salem: W. H. Sailors, Barada: Henry Ebel, Jefferson: G. R. Grin-

186

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

stead, Humboldt ; William Stephenson, Speiser; Oliver Fuelo, Liberty; T. P. Jones, Falls City ; W. J. McCray, Porter ; John Gagnon, Rulo; C. B. Gridley, Franklin; C. A. Hedges, Falls City; G. E. Schneider, Nemaha; A. H. McGehie, W. R. Smith, George Smith, Grant.

1895: Joseph Johnson, William Cade, M. M. Stearns; M. B. Miller, C. A. Hedges, S. D. Hoffnel, George E. Schneider; Charles Bright, C. E. Nims, W. R. Smith.

SUPERVISOR DISTRICTS REDUCED TO SEVEN.

Special meeting of the county board of supervisors :

To Ellis O. Lewis, clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Richardson county, Nebraska.

We, the undersigned members of the Board of Supervisors, in and for Richardson county, Nebraska, request you to notify each member of the said board and publish notice in some newspaper in said county that a meet- ing of said board will be had at the court house in Falls City in said county and that on the 13th day of August, 1895, at 10 o'clock P. M. for the trans- action of the following business: "To divide the said county into seven districts, such districts to be known as supervisor districts, the same to be numbered from one to seven, to assign one member to each district. To organize the board, elect a chairman and appoint the different committees."

Joseph Frederick. C. A. Hedges.

Henry Ebel. William Cade.

C. A. Stewart.

George R. Grinstead.

M. B. Miller. George E. Schneider.

In compliance with the above request I have hereby called a special meeting of the county board, August 13, 1895, at 10 o'clock P. M.

E. O. LEWIS, County Clerk.

1896: Joseph Frederick (1); Jason Timmerman (2) ; C. E. Nims (3); H. S. Belden (4) : Charles Hedges (5); R. A. Wherry (6) ; Frederick Witt- wer (7).

1897: H. S. Belden, Jacob Daeschner, Joseph Frederick. Joseph Glasser. G. E. Schneider, Jason Timmerman, R. A. Wherry.

1898: W. J. McCray. E. E. Auxier, R. A. Wherry, Jacob Daeschner, Joseph Frederick, Joseph Glasser, Fred. Wittwer.

1899: John Ramsey, W. J. McCray. Joseph Glasser, E. E. Auxier, Jacob Daeschner, W. W. Jenne, Ernest Wickham.

187

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

1900: John Ramsey, E. Wickham, J."Daeschner, Joseph Glasser. J. J. Tanner, E. E. Auxier, J. W. Spickler.

1901: Chris. Madowse, Joseph Glasser, John Mooney, William Stephenson.

1902 : Chris. Madowse, Joseph Spickler, Joseph Glasser. W. G. Hum- mel, J. W. Mooney, John Hinton, William Stephen.

1903: G. J. Santo, J. W. Spickler, W. G. Hummel, Joseph Glasser, John H. Hutchings, John Hinton, C. B. Snyder.

1904: Charles Santo, Charles Snyder, John H. Hutchings, Joseph Glasser, John Hinton, W. J. McCray, J. J. Bauer.

1905: John Hinton. W. J. McCray, J. J. Bauer, C. J. Santo, C. F. Zoeller, Charles Atwood, J. O. Stalder.

1906: John Hinton, W. J. McCray, Joseph Bauer, C. J. Santo, C. F. Zoeller, Charles Atwood, J. O. Stalder.

1907: Henry Stemmering, W. J. McCray, Joseph Glasser, J. J. Bauer, C. F. Zoeller, John Hinton, J. O. Stalder.

1908: John Hinton, William McCray, H. H. Fritz, J. O. Stalder, H. Siemmering, Henry Zoellers.

1909: Harmon Loennig, R. A. Coupe, H. Siemmering, Henry Stitzer, H. H. Fritz, W. J. McCray, John Hinton.

1910: R. A. Coupe, Henry Fritz, H. Stitzer, Harmon Loennig, John Hinton, H. Siemmering, L. M. Weddle.

III : N. C. Campbell, R. A. Coupe, H. Nutzinan, M. McHouver, John Hinton, L. M. Weddle, H. Fritz.

1912: M. Sheehan, J. A. Weaver, T. R. Edwards, M. McHouver, N. C. Campbell, H. Nutzman, R. A. Coupe.

1913: N. C. Campbell, H. Zoeller, Chris. Madowse, H. Stitzer, T. R. Edwards, M. Sheehan, J. A. Weaver.

1914: C. Madowse. N. C. Campbell, H. Stitzer, H. Zoeller, T. R. Edwards, M. Sheehan, J. A. Weaver. 1915: N. C. Campbell, H. W. Wyatt. E. J. Duryea. C. Madowse. T. R. Edwards, M. Sheehan, J. A. Weaver.

1916: The following members were elected but were not allowed to take their office on account of change to county commissioner system : N. C. Campbell. H. Wyatt. J. A. Weaver, A. Louchs, E. J. Duryea. Chris. Madowse, Morris Shellenberger. No organization.

188

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

COMMISSIONER SYSTEM ADOPTED.

During the fall of 1916 a petition having the requisite number of signa- tories (resident voters of the county), as required by statute, a proposition was submitted to the voters at the general election held in the month of November, giving opportunity to affirm or negative a change in the form of county government.

The supervisor system, with seven districts. had been in vogue since August 13, 1895, and it was proposed to return to the original commissioner system of three members, as had obtained in the very early days of the county.

. No proposition ever submitted to the voters of the county had been so little agitated, nor one where there seemed so little sentiment expressed one way or the other, among the voters of the county.

It being a national election, the largest vote ever polled was recorded :

The total official vote polled in the county that year (November, 1916) was 5.074 Those voting in favor of change to commissioner system 1,498

Those voting for continuance of supervisor system 1,444

Total of those voters-voting on the proposition 2,942 Total of those not voting on the proposition 2.132

Majority in favor of the change 54

MEMBERS OF NEW BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED.

Under the law the county judge, county clerk and treasurer are con- stituted a board to appoint members of the board of county commissioners, the latter to serve until the next regular election, when their successors will be chosen by the voters of the county.

The following from the official records in the county clerk's office tells its own story :

"Whereas, at the general election held in Richardson county, Nebraska, on the 7th day of November, 1916, the question of continuance of township organization form of county government was lawfully submitted to the voters 'of the county and a canvass of the votes cast at said election, it was found and declared that a majority of the votes cast on said question were against the continuance of township organization in said county.

189

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

"On January 6, 1917, O. O. Marsh, county clerk; George W. Morris, county treasurer; and John Wiltse, county judge, met in the county clerk's office at Falls City, Nebraska. pursuant to law for the purpose of appointing three commissioners for Richardson county, Nebraska.

"The availability of the various candidates for said appointment in the various districts was considered and discussed by the appointive board, and the following were appointed :"

1917: Hugh E. Boyd, Humboldt; Aaron Louchs, Falls City; N. D. Auxier, Verdon.

COUNTY ATTORNEYS.

E. A. Tucker, Edwin Falloon, Jule Schoenheit, Frank Martin, Amos Gantt, James E. Leyda. Richard C. James, 1916-8.

DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.

John P. Maule, Dan J. Osgood, A. J. Weaver, Isham Reavis.

ROSTER OF PRESENT COUNTY OFFICERS.

Clerk of the district court, Charles Loree.

Deputy clerk of the district court, L. C. Edwards.

Sheriff, Dan B. Ratekin.

Deputy sheriff, Rice McNulty.

County superintendent, Daniel Webber.

County treasurer, George W. Morris.

Deputy county treasurer, Frank Smith.

County clerk, Ora Marsh.

Deputy county clerk, Ray Daggett.

County judge, Virgil· Falloon.

Clerk county judges office, Mrs. Lorena Humbarger.

Recorder of deeds, Norman B. Judd.

.Assistant recorder of deeds, Charleotta Blanding.

Surveyor, J. F. Relf.

County attorney, Richard C. James.

District judge, Jolın B. Raper.

County commissioners -- (Appointed on the adoption of the commission system or county government at the 1916 election)-Aaron Louchs. Falls City; N. D. Auxier, Verdon : Hugh E. Boyd. Humboldt.

CHAPTER VIII.

ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS AND PRECINCTS.

BARADA TOWNSHIP.

Barada precinct, as now constituted, lies in the northeast corner of the county, and is one of the very first parts of the county to be settled. It con- tains an abundant supply of excellent water and is well timbered. The soil is very fertile, producing heavy crops of all kinds of grain, grown in this latitude. For the most part the land lies well.

As in its earliest days, its soil has in the driest years stood the drought better than any part of the county. At times when other parts of the county and the lands on the opposite side of the river have been hard hit from this cause, old Barada has produced a crop. This was particularly true a few years ago, when there was but little corn grown on account of drought-at that time Barada produced almost a normal yield.

This township lies mostly in what was formerly known as the Half- Breed Tract or Reservation, and was first settled by the French and half- breed Indians, to whom the land was allotted in tracts of three hundred and twenty acres to each individual who was fortunate enough to have his or her name on the list.

ANTOINE BARADA.

Antoine Barada, for whom the precinct and village of Barada was named was among the first white settlers in this part of the county, Firmin Douville and Zephyr Recontre, the latter of whom lived to be over one hundred years of age and in the latter part of his life resided in South Dakota and who accom- panied the famous Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804 on its journey up the Missouri and west over the Rocky mountains to the mouth of the Columbia river, near Astoria, Oregon, being the first, with Stephen Story and John B. Didier, to settle in Barada precinct.

Mr. Barada was a most remarkable man in his day and time and was born at St. Mary's, near Ft. Calhoun, across the Missouri river from Omaha,

I9I

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

in 1807, the son of a Frenchman from France, Michael Barada, and his mother, a full-blood member of the Omaha tribe of Indians. His father, Michael Barada, was an educated Frenchman, and was employed by the United States government as an interpreter and served in that capacity in the making of the famous Prairie du Chien treaty, which was negotiated at a town in Wisconsin bearing that name and the treaty is known as the Treaty of Prairie du Chien.

The elder Barada and his wife and young Antoine were stationed at Ft. Liasr on the Missouri, about two hundred miles north of St. Mary's (above Omaha). It was here that the lad was stolen from his parents at the fort by a band of Sioux warriors and held in captivity at a point some distance farther west, and a ransom demanded. The lad was recovered some six months later by his father upon the payment of "two ponies" as a ransom. Upon his re- turn to the fort with the lad, the father, fearful of repeated abductions, gave the boy to some soldiers who had promised to take him East, where he would be educated at the West Point Military Academy. The boy was, accordingly, taken down the river to Carondolet, south of the City of St. Louis by the sol- diers, who, however, upon their arrival there and after imbibing freely in spirits, immediately forgot their high resolves in his behalf and abandoned hin1 in the streets where, after their departure, he was found stranded and restored to his aunt, Mrs. Moosac. Later, he was employed in a stone quarry owned by Coates & Whitnell, an English concern. He resided for some time in St. Louis and was perfectly familiar with the mountain and plain from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast.

Barada visited this county with a party of Indians in the year 1816 and in later years when the first of the pioneers came, they found him here where he spent the remainder of his life. On his first trip here with the Indians in 1816 they found a drove of elk and deer stranded in the frozen mud on the banks of the Missouri, near the mouth of the Nemaha, south of Rulo, and which they slaughtered for meat. He made many trips across the plains and over the mountains. On one occasion he was met by his mother in the Blackbird hills north of Omaha and she tried in vain to dissuade him from such travel, but being under contract he continued in service for one year be- fore returning to her. He was a thick, heavy-set man of broad shoulders and of prodigious strength and is remembered by Richardson county people particularly for this trait. Many stories are told among those who knew him best of instances where he lifted great weights and performed feats demonstrating his great physical prowess. At the government arsenal in St.

192

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Louis there remains unto this day a great stone fashioned for a doorsill which he lifted "clear of the ground." It bears carved on its sides the following witness : "1700 pounds" and his name and date inscribed thereon.

Barada died in this county in 1887 and was buried in the Catholic ceme- tery about a half mile east of the village of Barada, which bears his name. His sister, Euphraisia, was the wife of Fulton Peters, another pioneer of Barada township. He left a number of descendants, the result of his mar- riage to a French woman, Josephine Vierhen, who was familiarly known as "Marcelite". He had nine children of whom three are living: Julia ( Provo), at Walthill, Nebraska; Celistia (Kuhn), Rosalia, Nebraska, and Thomas Barada, also of the Blackbird reservation, north of Omaha.

The French Indians to whom these lands were allotted originally, soon sold out their holdings to immigrate to points further West, where they figured for a time in some capacity or another on the very verge of civiliza- tion.

OTHER OLD SETTLERS.

Among the oldest settlers of the township was J. L. Stephens, familiarly known and hailed throughout that portion of the county as "Stephens." Jack was "a fellow of infinite jest" and his description of the difficulties of swine culture in those early days, must have been heard to be rightly appre- ciated.

John May was another of the early pioneers who by a strict attention to business, early secured a competence. In the eastern part of the town- ship was a settlement of Germans who largely predominate to this day. This part of the township early had a very neat and substantial Catholic church erected by the enterprise of Buchholz, Spadth, the Kelleys and other Cath- olics. In the northern part of the township there was an abundance of saw timber, consisting of oak and walnut. There was located a steam saw-mill by Hiram Browning, who supplied the people of the surrounding country with a large amount of fencing and frame timber for houses. In the north- west corner of the township was what was known as the King settlement, so called from the fact that Squire J. P. King was the first to commence in this corner. Here Henry and Milton Shubert produced ten thousand bushels of corn in one season, about 1870, and in the same season Slocum produced five thousand bushels. This township has good schools and a progressive people who are always in the forefront.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 17

Author: Edwards, Lewis C Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1742

Author: Edwards, Lewis C
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1742