USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward County, Nebraska, and reminiscenses of territorial history > Part 20
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The first term of school was taught by F. M. Timblin, and was paid for by subscription. The house was small. poorly furnished and lighted, but I doubt very much if the people ever enjoyed themselves any better, spent their even- ings more profitably, or formed ties of friendship which will be more true or lasting than when they met in the little old sod school-house.
The election which decided the county seat contest was held for this precinct in a house on the hill just east of the Blue river. The river happened to be very high at that time, and the only bridges were one at Seward and one at Ulysses. In order, therefore, to get the voters out, it was necessary to have a crossing near the place of voting. For this purpose ropes were procured and logs float to a narrow place in the river, and a "drift" or "gorge" formed on each side of the stream, and connected by boards or poles laid from one to other; and men stayed there all day to help the timid across, while wagons ran regularly between this "cross- ing" and the place of voting, thus taking voters to the polls and returning them to their own conveyances on the other side of the river. Elections in those days were fully as in- teresting and exciting as at present. At the election to vote bonds in aid of the Midland Pacific railroad every vote in "B"
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precinct was polled except five, and these five men were not in the precinct on that day. Men drove over the precinct with two or three men in a wagon, and when they found a man who was in favor of the bonds (and they all were, but had not time to go to election), some one of the party stayed and worked in his place while the balance took him to the polls, let him vote, and returned with him. They called this "working the railroad," but they never got any pay for it, except the benefits derived from the building of the road.
The foregoing may assist you some in your work, and I might have added that it was in the sod school-house that the Hon. T. Y. Darnell made his maiden speech. If there is anything further, please let me know, and I will do what I can to accommodate you.
Your respectfully, F. M. Timblin.
We have told some pretty big yarns in these reminis- cences, but we believe Bro. Timblin has taken the rag off the bush in the wood and stove story; just think of nine big loads of wood only paying for a second-hand stove. As we remember wood at the time was worth from eight to ten dollars per cord, but we don't know how second-hand stoves were quoted .
AUTHOR.
HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS OF PIONEERS
MISS INEZ FRINK
My father, D. R. Fink and family, of wife and four chil- dren removed from Clark county, Iowa, to the present home in "L" precinct in September, 1877.
In the first years the family shared the hardships and privations of most of the pioneer settlers. The family home is 23 miles southwest of Goehner. When the family arrived in the prairie schooner, the county presented a deso- late appearance and looked rather discouraging. The farm was almost covered with tickle grass. The little land broken by the former occupant, had sort of gone back. 3 Our first
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house was 12x14 and it served as kitchen, dining room, sit- ting room, parlor and bed room In the ensuing spring a sod addition for a kitchen and then we had plenty of room. Most of our neighbors were living in soddies. Among them we remember John Hood, Cline Rhodes, E. W. S. Wingfield, John Perkins, Chas. Emerson, John Burkett, John Florin, Geo. Purvis, James Robertson, N. E. A. Hawley, Barney Bonham, John Knerr, Ransom Walker, old Father Wheeler, R. S. Piper, Joshua Griffin. L. J. Graul, T. J. Foster and Peter Ogilvie. Most of these were homesteaders. A few of these had small frame houses and the balance lived in soddies.
The first neighbor to visit the new comers was Chas. Emerson, a very pleasant man and a good talker. He told them all about the country. He tried to make them welcome but the old man rather overdid the thing. He told them too much. He introduced the grasshopper question and that made the family have the blues. Then the wind was on its bad be- havior that day; it blew a gale and the old man expatiated on the wind and said it was so common in Nebraska that people had learned to like it. Mr. Todd's people were our nearest neighbors. They soon sold to Mr. Cromwell. They proved excellent neighbers. They were always ready and willing to lend a helping hand in time of trouble or sickness. Mr. Cromwell took leave of us in 1901 and passed to the great beyond and left his good wife to mourn his loss. Our post office and trading place was at Seward. They attended church at the Mound Prairie school house a mile north west of the present town of Goehner. Jerome Aldreck bought the building, tore it down and moved it to Beaver City. When the family went to church they hitched to the lumber wagon and loaded up with the neighbors and children. Rev. Chas. Bradley, Rev. C. E. Phinney, Rev. Winn, Rey. A. E. Beggs and Rev. E. W. Johnson served the people as preachers. Most of the old neighbors and friends are gone, some to other fields and many to their long home. The memory of the old times and friends are dear to us and are kept green in our memories.
[We take it that Miss Inez was a later comer to the Frink home. - Author. ]
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GRASSES
CALVIN J. WRIGH 1
Your requisition of a contribution relating to the various grasses grown in Seward county received, and replying I will say you have chosen a poor subject to discuss the matter as I have done no farming for ten years past.
Twenty-five years ago there was scarcely an attempt made to grow other than native grasses in this county ex- cept a little blue-grass and white clover, as lawn grass. The first trial for feeding purposes was to grow millet of various varieties all of which produced well but was not sat- isfactory as it had to be sown every year and is rather rough feed for stock. Then came clover, timothy and blue-grass and in later years alfalfa and brome grass. The latter is being introduced quite extensively and is thought to be su- perior to any yet tried in this county for pasture and makes hay that stock prefer to timothy and clover. Alfalfa does well here also but many think it a rather course feed, espe- cially for horses. Blue-grass makes fine early and late pas- ture but is comparatively worthless during July and August and is practically worthless for hay. On my farm we keep about two hundred acres of timothy and clover mixed for pasturage and hay and so far have considered it the best all around crop for summer and winter feeding.
Our Seward county soil is very rich loam but becomes dry on the surface within twenty-four hours after a rain, therefore it takes more care and more seed to obtain a good stand of grass than it does in the eastern states. The best method we have found is to use one fourth clover and three fourths timothy seed and sow it in the fall on land prepared for drilling in rye or wheat and do so just before drilling in the grain. We sow one bushel of the mixed seed to four acres of land and have not failed yet in securing a good stand of grass. The same result follows if the grass and grain are sown between corn rows. I would recommend every farmer to keep one third of his land seeded down in this way and change the land to grain crops every three to five years. Good grass and hay can be raised in Seward county as in any
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other place on earth. I had one thirty-tive acre field in tim- othy and clover and cut it for hay fourteen years in succes- sion obtaining an average of nearly two tons per acre yearly. If the above rule for seeding, etc. were followed our land would never wear out but would constantly increase in pro- duction and value.
SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT E. KOCH
Seward county is divided into ninety-one and one-half school districts; No. 1, known as the Camden school in the south west corner of "P" precinct was the first one organ- ized; No. 93 or the Bee school being the last district formed; No. 80, north of Utica, was discontinued a few years ago and the territory added to Nos. 36 and 54.
Seward county has 94 school houses, three of which are brick, two in Seward and one in Milford, and the rest con- structed of frame. The school rooms in general are in good repair and the interior of the rooms in most school houses is bright and cheerful. Many of the interiors of our rural school houses are papered, have pictures on the walls, and in general appear clean and cheerful.
A school board association, organized three years ago, has done much to better the condition of our rural schools. The school boards have come to realize that the best teacher is always the cheapest when the real worth of the teacher to the pupils is taken into consideration. The result is, higher wages are being paid and teachers are thereby encouraged to better prepare themselves for the noble work before them. As high as $50 per month is being paid to women teaching in the rural schools this year, while the average monthly salary for women in the county last year was $38.43 and the average salary for men was $59.40.
For self improvement and to keep in touch with the work neighboring teachers are doing, the county is divided into eleven teachers' reading circle sections. These circles meet regularly once every two weeks and pursue the state
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
teachers' reading circle course. In this way younger and more inexperienced teachers meet regularly with the older teachers and town principals, and thus besides studying good books on teaching, receive many valuable suggestions from their more experienced fellow-workers. Besides these circle meetings. the teachers meet in county associations three or four times each year.
The total expenditures for the public schools for the year ending the second Monday in July, 1904, was $65634.13. Of this sum, $42276.26 was paid to the 125 teachers employed in the county, $34033.61 was paid to the 108 lady teachers and $8242.65 to the 17 men teachers engaged. This $65634.13 was spent on a total enrollment of 3947 pupils, or an average cost of $16.63 per year to educate one pupil per enrollment. An enrollment of 3947 out of a school census of 5544 in the county would show that 1597 children between the ages of five and twenty-one years did not attend school at all. This however is not the case, since we have twelve German Paro- chial schools, some of which have as high as seventy or more on roll. Eight of these private schools employ well trained teachers and some excellent work is done. In the other private schools, the local minister is the instructor Where a congregation employs a teacher, ten months school is taught. The forenoon is given exclusively to German and religion and the afternoons are given to instruction in Eng- lish exclusively. The attendance in these private schools is usually very regular.
The average length of school term in the ninety-one and one-half districts was eight and one-fifth months, with no district with less than six months, and but two or three of that length. The public schools of course are free to all who wish to attend. Even the text books and all other school supplies are furnished, and it seems to us that with these splendid school advantages no boy or girl should be deprived of a good liberal education, for after all, this is the best heritage we can give our boys and girls for the duties of life.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ORLANDO CASSLER MURDER CASE
In the forepart of July, 1878, a stranger from the state of Kansas, by the name of G. L. Monroe, was traveling through this neighborhood, and happened to fall into the company of Orlando J. Cassler, a resident of the southwest- ern portion of the county. The two camped just west of the city on the river bank, on the afternoon of July 7th, and dur- ing the night, while a violent thunder storm was raging, Cassler murdered his comrade and new-made friend, sunk the body in the river, and took possession of the team, telling his neighbors that he had bought the team. Some of the citizens of the city happened to be fishing a day or two after the occurrence, and found the body floating in the water. The coroner's jury soon found a clue to the murder, and Orlando was arrested, tried, and convicted, and sentenced to be hanged on the 20th of May, 1879. The black Friday ar- rived, and a great host of people gathered into the city from all the surrounding country, as word had gone out that the barracks would probably be torn down. The sheriff had taken what he supposed to be ample precautions for the pro- tection of the barracks. He had placed quite a large number of deputies and policemen, properly armed with billies, around the barracks, and had constructed a barb-wire fence around a space surrounding the building, which was denom- inated a deed line, and all the people were warned not to step over that line; but little did they heed the mandate. There seemed to be an inordinate desire to see the wretched man hung, and five or six thousand men, women, and chil- dren surged back and forth with an irresistible force, and just before noon some reckless fellows gave a whoop and a hurrah, and those barracks were scattered as if a cyclone had struck them in far less time than it takes to write a line of this paragraph. The sheriff saw in a moment that he was in the hands of the mob, to do the will of their good pleasure; their pleasure was to see Orlando hung, and if the sheriff was unwilling to transact the business in their presence they would do the work for him in his presence, and that right soon. So he assured the mob that the execution should occur in proper time, and that he did not need their help. The
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
drop fell in due time, and Orlando J. Cassler paid in full, as far as possible, the penalty of his crime, but the demoral- izing spectacle of a public execution produced a bad effect upon our people, and brought out a spirit of lawlessness that barely missed producing another murder before the day closed.
We do not wish to mince matters, or in any way excuse the lawless spirit of many people on that occasion in tearing down the enclosure, but we would say that the governor was short-sighted, that provisions to maintain the dignity of the law were not made, and especially so when a like occurrence had happened at Minden only a short time previous. If the law is worth a place on our statute books, then when neces- sary use all the powers of the state to enforce it, and not allow lawless ruffianism to control.
We quote for the curious the last words of the doomed man: "Well, now this will finish Orlando Cassler's life. Be- hold the scaffold with Orlando Cassler standing on it here. This is the last of trouble and sorrow. I am sorry, gentle- man, that I have to die here, but there is a world above, where there is no trouble and no sorrow. Goodbye, gentle- man." His spiritual advisor was Rev. Shank, of the M. E. Church, who delivered an eloquent and fervent prayer.
CHAPTER XIV.
PRECINCT HISTORIES
It will be noted that up to a recent date, each geographical town- ship was a precinct. In later years the city of Seward was made into a separate precinct or town. It may also be noted that "N" and "O" precincts were each divided into two voting precincts. These towns or precincts, except Seward, are named for the first sixteen letters of the alphabet from A. to P. The city is dealt with in a separate chapter and also are the principal villages.
A PRECINCT
"A" precinct or town is the northeast corner of the county, and was originally known as town 12, range 4, east of 6th P. M.
The land is a succession of rolling hills. It is watered by Oak creek and its branches. The narrow valleys are very fertile. There are some excellent springs. There are quar- ries of excellent limestone. Some of the hills have gravelly points, and in many places large boulders crop out. The farms are well adapted to dairying and stock growing. Eggs and poultry are considered very profitable. At present they have no postoffice, but the people are well supplied by rural routes. Good markets are within easy distance at German- town, Bee, Raymond, and Valparaiso. They have five good frame school houses with two hundred and nine pupils en- rolled. There are two hundred and twenty-four farms or sub-divisions of land as shown by the records. There is a population of about one thousand.
The reader is referred to the valuable historic letter of E. W. Olney for information in regard to the first settlement. Very few of the first settlers yet remain. Great numbers of those who blazed the way are gone to their rest, among whom we may mention Milton Langdon and wife, John Scott,
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
J. D. Maine and wife, Warren Brown, Mr. Hawkins, John Owens, Asa Munn, and Royal Dart.
The present people seem to be quite prosperous, and many of them have beautiful homes. While the general sur- face of the land is not so desirable as in other parts, yet the people have made great headway and are doing well.
B PRECINCT
This precinct is town 12, range 3, east of the sixth P. M. It is mostly a great plain of table land reaching from the Blue Valley at the southwest corner almost to the breaks or rough land to the eastward. It comprises thirty-six sections of most excellent and valuable land, which is divided into one hundred and ninety-one farms and sub-divisions.
Plum creek cuts the eastern half of the township. The land is mostly smooth prairie, but it is well drained. There is no swampy land, and none that can not be cultivated. It is covered with beautiful farms. It has between six and sev- en miles of railroad with one good shipping point. Much of it is near Staplehurst, and all parts of it are very handy to the city. It has six school houses with two hundred thirty- eight pupils enrolled. It has about twelve hundred people. The reader is referred to the excellent historic letter of F. M. Timblin in regard to the early settlement. There are a great many orchards; the farmers are all in a very prosper- ous condition and are making their homes beautiful.
The litttle village of Bee is a good shipping point with two elevators, a bank, a good school, and several business houses, including a hotel and churchs.
C PRECINCT
"C" precinct is located in town 12, range 2 east of 6th P. M. Was first settled by Frank Shields in the winter of 1863 and 1864, on what is known as the "Casey Place." His settlement was not very permanent. Among the first to make permanent settlement were Win. Reed, Judge John W. Shields, Geo. Reed, John A. Durland, and Frank E. Pitt. These all settled in 1864 and 1865, and were soon followed
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
by Moses Mitchell, Walter Hoops, and two or three others whose names have escaped our memory. These early set- tlers all located by the river, for the sake of the timber and water. Settlements did not penetrate the high prairie much until 1868, when people came like a flock of pigeons.
"C" precinct is cut in two un-equal parts by Blue river, and has excellent water powers that are yet undeveloped. Lincoln creek also cuts the southwest corner of the precinct, and furnishes a splendid water power, which has a fine mill at Marysville. This mill was built by Luke Agur in 1870, and has been lately rebuilt, enlarged, and much improved. It is now a first class flouring mill with all modern improve- ments.
Marysville is the nucleus of a large German settlement that extends far up and down the creek, and overreaches the boundaries of the precinct. They had located a store and church, with a school house, soon after the founding of Seward. Wm. Hornburg, John Schoepp, and old Mr. Hart- man's family were among the first to settle there. George C. McKay, John Gladwish, Father Archer and his family, and some others settled on the prairie between the river and Lincoln creek, and further up the river Thos. Corr and John Gillbanks settled in 1868. Marysville remains a trading point; was a post office many years supplied by a star route, and the Lutheran church makes it a prominent gathering place for the people.
Staplehurst was founded by George C. McKay in the autumn of 1879, immediately after the completion of the A. & N. R. R. Mr. Mckay erected the first dwelling. T. W. Lowrey opened a grain house the same fall. Staplehurst grew slowly at first, but in 1882-83 it began to assume im- portance as a shipping and trading point. Messrs. Goehner & Co. laid out a large addition to the town, and many busi- ness houses sprang up immediately, including two first class elevators, a good hotel, a fine church, and a host of dwell- ings. They have a school house, and maintain a graded school. The place contains near three hundred inhabitants, and is organized as a village; enjoys a good trade, and is prosperous.
The precinct contains two hundred and fifty-one farms
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
or sub-divisions of land. It has five school districts includ- ing one graded school at Staplehurst. Each supplied with good buildings with an enrollment of 368 scholars.
Staplehurst has grown to be a trading point of much importance and is improving from year to year. It has a good strong bank, large and well filled merchantile houses. It has a good lumber yard, a great livery barn, two good elevators, good churches, a hotel and many pretty dwellings. It is only a few minutes ride to the county seat. The town- ship has six miles of rail road and a creditable depot.
T. C. Allen is responsible for the following story: Prob- ably the first time a religious meeting was held, old Father Worley, of Ulysses, was preaching in a sod school houses, and was talking of hell and heaven in an old fashioned way, and had the congregation pretty well excited, when a serpent fell into the lap of one of the ladies, from the brush covering of the house. The audience were worse scared at the snake than at the preacher's hell, which he was so ably describing. For further particulars the reader is referred to the Rev. Father Worley, but guess he can't as he is in Heaven.
D PRECINCT
Town 12, range 1, east of the 6th P. M. is our north- western precinct located upon the great plateau between the Blue river and Lincoln creek and its small tributaries. This is a most magnificent tract of farming land and is thoroughly well improved. It was settled by a very enterprising class of people who knew how to make the best of their opportu- nities. There is no village within its borders and only just a little corner of the precinct is cut by the Hastings branch of the Northwestern railroad. There is no postoffice, but the rural routes help the people to their daily mails.
Settlement began in 1867, when Win. Jackman and Jesse Horton located on Lincoln Creek. Mr. Horton moved to the county with a pair of oxen harnessed like horses, only a lit- tle differently arranged. This was a novel sight to see oxen in harness. In the long ago they had a postoffice named Or- ton, kept at a farm house and supplied by a star route with
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mails semi-occasionally. We believe that Stephen Phillips was the honorable postmaster.
Wm. Reynolds settled on the creek in 1868. He it was who hanged himself at Utica some years later while laboring under a fit of temporary insanity. Mr. Johnson, who took the first harvester to the county, and O. C. Ragan of the hawk-pie story, settled in 1870, also A. D. Hornburg; then in 1871 A. D. Richie and his sons, Hon. W. E. and brother T. C. Allen and E. B. Hatch and others made settlement on the high prairie. Mr. Hatch taught the first school in 1872 in the Jackman dugout.
The lands of the precinct are all well drained and en- tirely free from marshes, and there is scarcely an acre but what may be plowed. A large German settlement occupies the southern portion; they have become wealthy and have elegant homes.
The precinct has two hundred and thirty-one farms and sub-divisions of land. It has four school districts with good buildings and two hundred and thirteen pupils. The precinct has five market towns within easy reach: Surprise, Gresham, Utica, Staplehurst and Ulysses, so that every family is with- in easy reach of a good market. "D" precinct is pre-emi- nently a good farming country.
E PRECINCT
This is town 11, range 1, east of the 6th P. M .; this is one of the western precincts and is situated on the great up- land plain between Lincoln creek and the South Blue. There are no running streams within its borders. It is a vast level tract of land with here and there a swampy tract that needs draining. It is nearly all excellent farming iand under a high state of cultivation. It was first settled in 1871 when Hon. Geo. A. Derby, Joseph Jones, M C. Wright, Samuel Gleason, H. M. Coleman and old Father Greenwood made homes upon the great wilderness of prairie. About this time the state road was located from Seward to the westward, and passed through the precinct. Great numbers of people came and took homesteads in 1872. In its early history there were no such thrilling incidents as occurred on
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