History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 41

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 41

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).

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leaving the Army of the Potomac in possession of the battle ground and a large number of killed and wounded rebels.

New York, May 9, 1864 .- The Tribune says that he cannot undertake to say from any information yet received that Grant has won a decisive victory on the Rapidan. but nevertheless, as a part of the campaign, the result of the battle of last week is an assur- ance of final success.

The Herald says: From all that is known of the operations of our armies, it seems safe to believe that we have been successful.

Everywhere south of Richmond, Butler's operations go on admirably.

Washington, D. C., May Sth, 1864 .- A midnight special correspondent writing from Headquarters, Wilderness Tavern, Friday evening, gives the following intelligence in regard to the great battle of Friday :

Day has closed upon a terribly fought battlefield, and the Army of the Potomac has added another to its list of murderous conflicts. Lee's tactics, so energetically employed at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, of throwing his whole army first upon one wing, then upon the other, has again been brought to bear; but the Army of the Potomac has repulsed his tremendous onslaughts, and stands tonight solidly in the position it assumed this morning.

The first attempt was made upon Hancock's division on the right, which had been somewhat weakened in numbers by the battle of yesterday, but the old Second Corps nobly stood its ground.

The enemy then hurled a superior force upon Sedgwick, and once or twice gained a temporary advantage, but the little old veterans of this corps nobly rallied and repulsed the rebels with fearful slaughter.

About half past four Lee made a feint upon our whole line and then suddenly fell with his whole force upon Sedgwick, driving him back temporarily; the advantage was soon regained, and the rebels hurled back with great loss.

Although he had been signally reputsed in all his attacks, nothing but the nature of the battlefield prevented it from being a crushing defeat.

Washington, May 10th, 1864 .- A dispatch of the 9th from Butter to Stanton, says our operations can be summed up in a few words: With 1.700 cavalry, I have advanced up the Peninsula. forced the Chickahominy and safely brought them to our present posi- tion. They were colored cavalry and are now holding position as our advance toward Richmond.

Gen. Kautz, with 3,000 cavalry from Suffolk, on the same day with our movement up James River, forced Blackwater, burning the railroad bridge over Stony Creek, below Petersburg and cutting in two Beauregard's forces at that point. We have landed here. entrenching ourselves, destroying many miles of railroad, and got a position, which with proper supplies, we can holdl against the whole of Lec's army.

Beauregard with the main portion of his command. was left south of the cutting of the railroad by Kautz. I today' whipped that portion which reached Petersburg under Hill, killing, wounding and capturing many.

Grant will not be troubled with any further re-enforcements to Lee from Beaure- ganl's forces.

Washington, May 10th, 1864 .- The Army of the Potomac had a portion of the day to recuperate. Burnside on Monday began an attack on the left with great fury. and

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with an encouraging degree of success. He bad a fight the day before in which, to use his own words:

"WE WHIPPED OLD LONGSTREET. OUR ARMY COULDN'T BE IN MORE CHEERFUL CONDITION; ALL THE MEN ARE SANGUINE OF SUCCESS, AND COUNT ON THE DAY WHEN WE SHALL IN TRIUMPH ENTER THE REBEL CAPITAL."

Lee lately issued an order in relation to supplies, in which he said : communication with Richmond having been cut off, it was impossible to furnish his men with their regular supplies.

Hill has issued no rations for three days.

Lee enjoins upon his men the necessity of capturing supplies from the Yankees, but up to this moment they have failed to capture a single wagon.

All the battles thus for have been a series of attacks and repulses and muskets have been almost entirely used an the unevenness of the ground has rendered artillery impracticable.

Lee very absurdly claims a victory when he withdrew from our front and retired loward Richmond.

Generals Tarbett and Robinson are both wounded.

General Sedgwick was shot through the heart by a sharpshooter.

Philadelphia Peun .. May 10th, 1864 .- A special dated last night, says that Meade has again moved on the enemy and had a brisk fight at Todd's Tavern.

At night the rebels wore retreating on three roads toward Richmond.

On Sunday the rebels attempted to make another stand, but Meade attacked and routed them.

Dispatches tonight confirm their retreat to North Am River.

Our colored troops were not put into the fight, but held as a reserve with Burnside.

The Bulletin has the following special from Washington: Generals Warren and Hancock are in close pursuit of the enemy.

The rebels have been driven from Spottsvylvania Court House, and are retreating toward Cane River.

New York, May 11th, 1864 .- A Dallon correspondent of the Atlanta Register avers that there has been a greater concentration of Union forces in the direction of Chat- tanooga than on the Potomac.

The Raleigh Progress confirms the statement adding that Grant's movement on to Richmond was but a feint, while on to Atlanta was a reality.

A correspondent writing from Newberne under date of May 6th, says: Yesterday afternoon the rebel ram "Albemarle,". accompanied by a satellite, "Cotton Plant." and the army gunboat. "Bombshell," captured by them at Plymouth, appeared in the mouth of the Roanoke river. Our gunboats made off, as if fearful of an encounter, but their only object was to draw the ram out into the Sound. The ram followed them about twelve miles, when the gunboats, about seven in number. immediately opened fire. : md a terrific engagement ensued, lasting from 6 till 8 o'clock.

During the early part of the night, the "Cotton Plant" succeeded in making her escape.

The ram, firing rapidly, slowly retreated up the Sound.

The "Bombshell" was captured with all on board.

"Sassacus," having an iron prow, steamed up to full speed and ran into the ram, striking abaft the center, but apparently without inflicting injury. "Sassacus," how- over, was compelled to retire, having her forward rudder knocked off, and a hundred

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pound parrott shot fired by the ram, went through her boiler. Night now settled in aud the movement of the ram could not be accurately discovered. She was closely pur- sued by gunboats, but under cover of darkness succeeded in gaining entrance into Roan- oke river, where the gunboats could not venture to follow. She has not been seen since, but active measures have been taken to capture and destroy her. Reliable reports from Kingston report the rebel ram "Neuse" high aground. She draws 71% feet of water and the river is only 41% feet in depth. The rebels have for the present aban- cloned it and taken the engine out.

THE UNSEEN GOD. By Annie M. Burbank.

I do not know or cannot tell, The depths of hearts most near to me, Some flowers' sweets may not be reached By every fluttering summer bee.

I see the red cheek of the rose I hear the gurgling of the stream- But what lies nested out of sight I may not even feel or dream.

God holds Ilis secrets to our eyes- Presses their beauty to our lips; And yet we look forth wonderingly. Nor know the depths of our eclipse.

Because we cannot see. we say That everywhere 'tis blackest night- God help us that we do not cast The ponderous beams from out our sight.

(id help us that within our souls We have no bright and piercing star. To show us by its chastened rays The embryo, good fate cannot mar.

And help us that our hands are weak And that they fall so nerveless down- While flowers unplucked lie at our feet, And our poor brows await their crown

No storm that does not hide the light. No snows that do not shelter spring: No uest of vice but what may bold Some little bird to soar and sing ! -Boston True Flag.

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FARMING :- Ik Marvel says in his new book, entitled "My Farms": "If a man would enter upon the country life in earnest, and test thoroughly its aptitudes and royalties, he must not toy with it at a town distance; he must brush the dews away with his own feet. He must bring the front of his head to the business, and not the back side of it.

SALE OF ESTRAYS.

NOTICE is hereby given, that on the 30th day of April next [1864], 1 will sell to the highest bidder for cash in hand, at my residence in Winnebago, Richardson County, Nebraska Territory, the following described property taken up as estrays. to-wit: one cow and one steer.

RUSSELL R. DURFEE.

February 17th, 1864. (Printer's Fee $1.50.)

NEW GOODS, just received, and for sale by D. R. HOET & CO.

Isham Reavis and Edwin S. Towle were the only attorneys-at-law ad- vertising their services in the county at the time.

The only business firms in the city advertising in the Broad Are were : Daniel Reavis, who had a general merchandise and grocery store, which was known as the "Postoffice Store" and was located on the west side of Stone street, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, and D. R. Holt & Company.

The Broad Are was published in a log cabin which stood on the present site of the Falls City State Bank at Sixteenth and Stone streets.

CHAPTER XVI.

PHYSICIANS OF RICHARDSON COUNTY.

MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY. By Dr. C. T. Burchard, of Falls City.

Memory harks back to the middle sixties, or the closing days of the Civil War, when Nebraska was yet a territory and the only means of trans- portation were navigation on the Missouri river, the stage coach, and the ox-train leading to Pikes Peak and Denver. My father was one of the original "fifty-niners," who organized a colony in Buffalo, New York, and finally located in Richardson county. He tarried on his Western migration for five years at Detroit, resuming his journey in 1864.

THE JOURNEY TO TIIE WEST.

The first lap of the journey was to Chicago without incident; then from Chicago to St. Joseph, Missouri. On that part of the journey, which occurred during the Civil War, probably at Hannibal or Quincy, the rail- road company deemed it expedient to place a military guard upon the train. Then the women and children were removed to the rear cars and the male passengers and the military guard occupied the forward end of the train. An accident happened somewhere on the Missouri prairies, which made in necessary to hold our train for repairs. We were laid up for several hours, during which time an old negro woman brought us food which, as I remen- ber, was a heaping platter of fried chicken that tasted mighty good. Arriv- ing at St. Joseph, I saw the first example of a well of the "old oaken bucket" variety, which was a marvel to me.

The last lap of our journey was made on, what I considered at that time, a palatial steamboat on the Missouri river from St. Joseph to Arago. We landed at Arago on a bright October forenoon, when I was a lad of eight years, and we and our baggage were hanled by Frederick Lutz to the hostelry or tavern of Nicholas Lippold. Inquiry on the part of my

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father revealed the fact that there was no vacant house to be had in the town, but through the kindness of Gust Duerfeldt we were provided shelter at his farm house, seven miles in the country, where we remained for six weeks.

AN EARLY PIONEER FUNERAL.

During this period of six weeks, I received an impression which has remained with me. Mr. Duerfeldt was the cabinet- and coffin-maker for the immediate vicinity. I witnessed his making of a coffin for a child from the planing of the rough walnut boards to the finished lining of the burial case. I also attended the funeral, and was shocked to see an ordinary, mud-covered farm wagon serve as an improvised hearse.

EARLY ARAGO.

Returning to Arago, after a sojourn of six weeks in the country. we found shelter in Arago. Arago was then the metropolis of Richardson county and southeastern Nebraska, boasting at the zenith of its prosperity a population of some fifteen hundred souls. Arago at that time had a steam saw and grist mill, a brewery, a distillery, a porkpacking house, sec- ond largest in the state; two hotels, a shingle manufacturing concern, a tin shop, operated by J. O. Wirth, father of the present president of the Falls City State bank; two harness shops, a shoe shop, three blacksmith shops, operated by August Neitzel, Sr., Valentine Schmidt and William Boellert ; two wagon-making shops, the one operated by Theodore Hoos and the other by William Boellert: a furniture factory, general merchandise stores, conducted respectively by F. D. Moelman, Louis Allgewahr, Charles F. Walther, Peter Frederick, Sr., N. J. Dickson & Co., Patterson, Metz & Co .. Metz Bros., F. W. Burchard, P. B. Miller, William F. Neitzel and Weixel & Westheimer; a newspaper called the Southern Nebraskan, whose editor at one time was N. O. Pierce; also school houses and churches. Houses were built largely of native lumber, the siding being planed by hand and the sashes and doors hand-made. It was not an uncommon thing at this time to see oxen being shod at the blacksmith shops.

TRADE AT EARLY ARAGO.

So extensive was the commerce of this little trading mart that the arrival and departure of steamboats was almost a daily occurrence, and

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it was no uncommon thing to see some four or five steamboats tied to its wharf at one time. It is noteworthy that the ox-teams heretofore mentioned. the wagons of which were manufactured in Arago (immense freight wagons with a capacity of nearly half a carload), were loaded at Arago with grain, meats and other produce. They formed caravans, comprising a dozen or more wagons, which took their Western way and connected with caravans within the semi-civilized zone in and about Beatrice, for it must be remem- bered that this was during the days of frequent Indiana raids and these ox-trains were obliged to go in numbers as a protection from the Indians. Charles Pribbeno, Sr., was an old freighter and won the soubriquet of "Pikes Peak Charlie." He had for drivers, Fred W. Miller, Henry Miller. Charlie Nitzsche, and others, residents of Arago. Usually two round trips were made during the year.

My father soon obtained employment in the general merchandise store of Frederick Zimmerman. After some months, he was appointed general manager of the Farmers and Mechanics Store at Rulo, but finding the busi- ness insolvent, he wound up affairs there and returned to Arago, where soon after he opened Arago's first drug store. I thus became identified with the drug business at the early age of ten years, and continued in that capacity with some few interruptions until I was twenty. In this capacity I came in close touch with the physicians of this county, and on this account I have been requested to make this report.

PHYSICIANS OF ARAGO.

Before our arrival at Arago there had been a resident doctor with a French name which I cannot remember, for he remained but a short time. St. Stephens, a mile to the north, supplied the medical wants of Arago for a time in the persons of Doctors Whitmire and Shepard. Dr. David Whit- mire came to St. Stephens in 1855 and removed to Rockport, Missouri. in 1866. where he died. Dr. J. T. Shepard came to St. Stephens about 1865 and married Sarah Dixon, sister of N. J. Dixon, who was a merchant in Arago and who built the west brick building now standing there. He re- moved to Arkansas City, Kansas, about 1875 and was last heard of in that place. To the best of my knowledge, these were graduated physicians.

Dr. Russell Peery came from Peru, Nebraska, in a covered wagon. He soon associated himself with my father, F. W. Burchard, in the drug business, under the firm name of Burchard & Peery. After a few months. my father purchased his interest and Doctor Peery departed. The only

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trace the writer has of his subsequent movements is that one of his sons, Matt Peery, became a doctor and was located at Elk Creek, Nebraska.

The next physician to arrive was Dr. C. F. Luja, who came in 1866 and, who was a German physician of high class, educated in Europe. He was young and fully abreast of the times at that date, and he did a valu- able service to the people of Arago and vicinity, having a widely extended practice there for many years. He removed to Rockport, Missouri, in 1875. and returned to Falls City about 1899, where he died in September, 1900, and was buried beside his wife, Nancy Luja, in Rockport, Missouri. He had married Nancy Story about 1867, who was a daughter of Stephen Story, of St. Stephens.

Dr. F. P. Seclor arrived in about the year 1868. I believe that he was a graduate of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and came to Arago from Detroit. At any rate he was a high class physician and gentleman, and has done service in the Civil War as an army surgeon. He removed from Arago to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was reassigned to military service at the army post of that place, and afterwards moved to Tampa, Florida. He was a Mason of high degree.

The next to locate in Arago was Dr. W. F. Conwell, who practiced there from 1873 to 1879, when he went to the northern part of the state, finally locating at Neligh, Nebraska, where he now resides.

Doctor Meinhardt was a resident doctor during the fall of 1876 and the spring of 1877. At that time Dr. George Koenig located in Arago, and resided there for two years when he retired to a farin about two miles out of Arago, which he worked, continuing a more or less intermittent practice, up to the time of his death, about 1912. .

Dr. J. D. Hunter came to Arago from Highland, Kansas, in the summer of 1875, an undergraduate, practiced for a short time, and then went to Keokuk, Iowa, where he graduated in 1876. He then returned to this . county, locating in Falls City, where he practiced until the time of his death, which occurred in 1883. He married Minnie Myers, daughter of W. H. H. Myers, of Falls City.

Dr. C. T. Burchard went to Chicago, matriculating in Rush Medical College in October, 1876. After taking a winter course in 1876-7, and a spring course in 1877, he returned to Arago on July 4, 1877, for the pur- pose of spending his vacation. A wide-spread and malignant diphtheria epidemic springing up in AArago and vicinity, he was prematurely pressed into service on account of a shortage of doctors, and he continued there in general practice until October, 1878, when he returned to Rush Medical

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College for the winter term, graduating February 25, 1879. He returned to Arago, where he remained until December of the same year, when he located in Buchanan county, Missouri. In December, 1881, he again re- turned to Arago, bringing with him his wife, and remained there until March 1, 1884, when he removed to Falls City and has since permanently resided there. Doctor Burchard bears the distinction of having bronght the first fever thermometer. the first hypodermic syringe and the first obstetric forceps to Arago, also having done the first tracheotomy in that section of- the county.

PHYSICIANS AT FALLS CITY.

Prior to my coming to Falls City in 1884, there resided in Falls City, Dr. H. O. Hanna. Dr. W. W. Shaw, Dr. J. D. Hunter, Dr. A. B. Newkirk. Sr., all of whom had died, and Doctor Wing, Doctor Wood, Doctor Woods and Dr. W. W. Campbell, all of whom had recently removed. On my arrival, the resident doctors were Dr. A. B. Newkirk, Dr. E. M. Wilson, Dr. J. B. McConnell. Dr. D. W. Campbell, Dr. H. L. Randall, Dr. George H. Neal, Doctor McCoy, Dr. C. W. Bryson and Doctor Wesselowsky. Al- most simultaneously with my arrival came Dr. A. Kellar and Dr. W. H. Kerr, completing an even dozen resident physicians here about the Ist of March, 1884. All except myself have since removed or died.

Since that time many have come and gone: Dr. I. M. Houston, Dr. F. C. Wiser, Dr. Hannah C. Fleming, Dr. G. W. Parcell. Dr. C. L. Kerr. Dr. C. C. Keeler, Dr. D. G. Griffiths, Dr. W. S. Fast, Dr. P. W. Hays. Dr. Emma Lawrence, Dr. C. H. Rush, Dr. W. M. Trotter, Doctor Hazard. Doctor Hershey, Dr. William J. Wells, Dr. G. C. Paxton, Dr. J. V. Hinch- man, Dr. Chester Brink, Doctor Johnson and Dr. Mrs. Johnson. Among the above mentioned as having died, the following are also known as having passed to the great beyond: W. W. Campbell. E. M. Wilson. George H. Neal. W. H. Kerr, I. M. Houston, P. W. Hays and A. Kellar. Doctors Camp- bell, George H. Neal. A. Kellar, W. H. Kerr and P. W. Hays left com- fortable competencies to their dependents. Dr. H. O. Hanna and Dr. E. M. Wilson were regimental surgeons during the Civil War, the former in the Second Nebraska and the latter in the Seventy-fourth Ohio.

Among those who have moved away and are known to have achieved success professionally or otherwise are Drs. A. B. Newkirk and C. W. Bry- son, who both went to Los Angeles and have there built up substantial practices. Dr. D. W. Campbell removed to Atchison, Kansas, about the year 1886, where he married in Atchison and built up a substantial practice

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and is in very comfortable circumstances. He has been a Burlington surgeon there for some considerable time. Dr. H. L. Randall, some years ago, was appointed to the position of surgeon in the Soldier's and Sailor's Home at Grand Island, and he filled this position with satisfaction until he was forced to retire by reason of failing health and vision. His wife was matron of the institution. Dr. G. C. Paxton moved to Idaho some years ago, where he has attained remarkable professional and financial success. Dr. G. W. Griffiths left Falls City, receiving an appointment to the asylum at Lincoln, where he occupied the position of third assistant. Succeeding in this, he was appointed superintendent of the Institution for the Feeble-Minded at Beatrice, which position he has satisfactorily filled to the present time. Dr. WV. S. Fast was appointed superintendent of the Institution for the Feeble- Minded at Beatrice, in 1913, by Governor Morehead. This place he filled so satisfactorily that the state board of control deemed him eligible for promotion, and placed him in charge of the Ingleside Hospital for the In- sane, located near Hastings, in 1916. This institution is the largest of its kind in the state, and under Doctor Fast, its present management is per- fectly satisfactory. It was his removal from Beatrice which created the vacancy which was filled by Doctor Griffiths.

Those practicing medicine in Falls City at the present time are as follow: Drs. C. T. Burchard, H. R. Miner, M. B. Wilson G. W. Reneker, W. R. Boose, J. M. Greene, H. D. Burchard, E. R. Hays, Sadie Doran, C. L. Hustead, O. F. Lang, C. P. Fordyce, S. D. & Lee Cowan and H. M. Harvey.

PHYSICIANS IN OTHER TOWNS OF EASTERN RICHARDSON COUNTY.

Those known to have practiced in Rulo are the following: Drs. Moses Jeffries, John S. Jones, J. B. Samuels, Neal, Knic, J. G. Walker, J. C. Shepard, F. C. Wiser and R. G. Henderson. Doctor Shepard and Doctor Henderson are located there at the present.

Those known to have practiced medicine in Barada are as follow : Drs. I. N. Williamson, G. C. Paxton, W. S. Fast, G. W. Reneker, S. A. Van Osdel, Wiltse, D. D. Leeper, Maust, J. F. Stone and J. H. Blomen- kamp. Doctor Blomenkamp is the only representative of the profession in Barada at the present.

Physicians known to have resided in Shubert are the following: Drs. A. D. Cloyd, I. C. Sutton, J. F. Stong, W. E. Shook and J. M. Willis.

Doctor Cloyd achieved distinction after leaving Shubert by being chosen medical director of the Woodmen of the World, with offices in Omaha, (28)

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which position he has occupied for several years. Doctor Sutton was very successful in a professional and financial way and his friends were legion. After leaving Shubert, he went to Scotland and England, doing post-gradu- ate work, and then came back to this country, located a while in St. Joseph, and later somewhere in California, where he died a couple of years ago. Dr. W. E. Shook is the present medical representative in Shubert. He succeeded Doctor Sutton, purchasing his practice. Doctor Shook has been very successful professionally and is universally loved and respected.

Cottage Grove is a rural cross-roads lying about four miles north and east of Verdon. Besides being known as Cottage Grove, it has been known by the Flowerdale in the long, long ago, so named by the Doctors Baker. The doctors known to have been in practice there are the Drs. Baker, father and son, C. R. Baker and Ira Baker; Doctor Rockell, who resided there in 1867, and Dr. H. L. Randall. There are no medical representatives in Cottage Grove at present.

MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE WEST END OF RICHARDSON COUNTY.

By Dr. J. A. Waggener.

One of the most interesting women of the early days of the west end of the county was Mrs. Mary E. (Russell) Quick, who for more than twen- ty-five years ministered to the sick as a physician and nurse. She was one of the first physicians in that part of the county. Mrs. Quick was born near Brooklyn, New York, April 12, 1817, and was married to Simon Quick, later the first merchant at Elgin, Illinois, September 27, 1837, at Hamson- port. Steuben county, New York, and in the spring of 1838 they moved to Elgin, Illinois. . In 1854 the family, now increased by five sons, moved to Stanberry Point, Iowa, where they resided until 1867, when they re- moved to Humboldt, in this county. She died, April 7, 1895, at the age of seventy-seven years, eleven months and twenty-five days. She was a most lovable character and, because of her superior ability and wonderful strength, rendered a wonderful service to the pioneers of the west end of the county. She was the most noted of those of her sex who have ever attempted the practice of medicine in Richardson county and the men- ory of her great service lingers still with those residing in that section.

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 41

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