USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward County, Nebraska, and reminiscenses of territorial history > Part 28
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Young friends, children of the pioneers, we would ask you to bear in kind remembrance the hardships and strug- gles that these gray-headed fathers and mothers have en- dured in other years to provide homes of comfort and luxury for you. Their heads are fast becoming silvered with age. Their steps are not so elastic as in other years. The great duties with which they so manfully grappled in the prime of their manhood's strength must now be accepted by you. Will you accept them like men and women worthy of the honored names you bear?
The improvements on these prairies, these houses and barns, these groves and orchards, these smiling fields, these churches and school-houses, these thrifty towns and cities, that, like jewels of a crown, are scattered over the plain, all
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attest that the pioneers have not lived in vain. They have laid well and firmly these foundations. You must go on with the superstructure.
There is yet plenty of work for you. These beneficent institutions are to be guarded, and great undertakings are yet to develop into achievements that will bless mankind. This vast empire must in the near future teem with its mil- lions of people, and it will require great wisdom to guide them to a proper destiny; and upon you, our sons and daughters, must devolve the duty of going forward wisely and energetically to complete the task we have so well be- gun. Oh, for the glory of the future of our native land!
May you, fathers and mothers, spend your declining years amidst peace and plenty, surrounded by earnest, lov- ing, and intelligent children, carrying forward with master hands the enterprises that are so dear to your hearts; and may he who shall stand here in the far off years to come, to tell the stories of our first settlement, of our joys and sor- sows, of our labors, trials, and discouragements, and the fi- nal triumphs, "be able to still look around upon a great, in- telligent, free, and happy people." May he with all the en- thusiasm of poetry exclaim:
"Here is still my country, Zealous yet modest, Innocent though free, Patient of toil, Serene amidst alarms, Inflexible in faith, Invincible in arms."
FIRST DISTRICT COURT
The first term of the district court in Seward county, was held at Milford, November 15, 1869, Judge George B. Lake presiding. Frank M. Elsworth was appointed dis- trict attorney. The first case on the docket was John W. Shields vs. J. L. Bandy. The only state case was against W. H. Tuttle, for an assault on Jonathan Gordon. Mr. Tut- tle got clear of the charge, but the prevalent opinion was that he ought to be fined for not doing a more thorough job. J. C. Cowin, of Omaha, was the first district attorney of
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the district who attended our court, which was held in the year 1870, at Milford.
The first term held at Seward was in the spring of 1872, Judge Lake on the bench. 'T. L. Norval was appointed dis- trict attorney. At that term the famous Courtwright in- junction case came up, in which Judge Lake made the in- junction against the Midland R. R. and the county commis- sioners perpetual.
Judge Lake held the office of judge of this judicial dis- trict until the year 1876, when the districts were changed and the sixth district was formed. Geo. W. Post was elect- ed and he was re-elected and served until the spring of 1883, when he resigned, and T. L. Norval was appointed by Gov. Dawes to fill the vacancy. Judge Norval was elected in the fall of 1883, and held the office from that date until 1890. M. B. Reese was elected district attorney, and held the office until 1882. Thos. Darnall was elected to the place in the fall of 1882, and held the place until January, 1887, when the law took effect providing for county attorney, at which time R. P. Anderson was elected to the office of county attorney.
Prior to 1879, the county clerk performed the duties of district clerk. H. P. Lewis was appointed in 1879, and elected in 1880 and re-elected in 1882, after which Geo. A. Merriam was elected, and re-elected in November, 1887.
We glean from the probate court records that the first letters of guardianship were issued by Judge Henry Wor- tendyke, on the 29th of January, 1870, to Sarah C. Wilcox, in matters of guardianship of the minor heirs of Syrel Tift.
FIRST MARRIAGES
The first marriage in the county, as shown by the rec- ords, was that of John W. Pitt and Miss Eva Long, at the residence of Samuel Long, on the 12th of November, 1866. The ceremony was performed by C. J. Neihardt, J. P.
The first marriage in "G" precinct and city of Seward was at the house of Lewis Moffitt, on the 20th day of March, 1867. The contracting parties were David P. Imlay and Miss Mary Moffitt, W. W. Cox, justice of the peace, officiat- ing. On the 20th of April, 1867, the second wedding in "G"
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precinct was that of James A. Brown and Miss Sarah A. Imlay, at the residence of the bride's father, one and one- half miles northwest of the present city. We had the honor of officiating on that occasion.
SNOW STORMS
Since the stormy winter of 1866 and 1867, we have had only occasional storms of great severity. April 13, 1873, a rain commenced in the early morning, which turned to sleet during the day, and raged so fiercely that man or beast could hardly withstand it. As night approached it turned to snow, and the night and following day were appalling. The whirl- ing and drifting snow drove the unsheltered stock before it to destruction. Mr. A. D. Ritchie had a large herd of sheep drift with the storm until they rushed over the bank into Lincoln creek, where they perished. Peter Henegen, of Butler county, lost a herd of cattle in the same way. They took shelter under a high bank on the upper Blue, and the snow drifted entirely over then.
The worst snow storm of this generation struck this county a little after 3:00 p. m. on the 12th day of January, 1888. A damp snow had been falling from near the previous midnight. The weather was quite warm and pleasant, and up to 3:00 o'clock the snow fell in great feathery flakes, such as school children rejoice to see, with no breath of wind; and while we were all watching the beautiful snow coming so gently, little thinking of the terrors of the night, when all at once, as if some demon had been turned loose on the world, there came a blast from the northwest, such as was never seen before in this fair land. All hearts were terror- stricken at the fury of the storm. The atmosphere was so thick with drifting snow that nothing could be seen, and the mercury immediately fell near fifty degrees, and it seemed for a time that no mortal exposed to its terrors could survive its fearful ravages. This continued till near midnight.
There was no loss of life recorded in Seward county, but there were numerous hair-breadth escapes. We have two victims in this county who suffered more than death: Lena Webbeke, of "I" precinct, a girl of eleven years, under-
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took to reach her home from the school-house, and became bewildered and remained out in an open field, partially drift- ed under the snow, and was rescued in the morning. This is one of the most remarkable incidents on record. That she should survive seems a miracle. One of her legs was ampu- tated and she bid fair to recover. Miss Etta Shattuck, who was away in Holt county, teaching, was caught in the storm, and by chance ran to a haystack and burrowed into it, re- maining there seventy-two hours, and was accidentally found. She was brought to her home in Seward, and it was found necessary to have both feet amputated. She seemed to be recovering. She remained cheerful under the terrible ordeal. Her case created wide-spread sympathy, and large amounts of money were raised at Seward, Omaha, Fremont, Nebraska City, among the traveling men on trains, and at many other places in the state. Poor Ettie died February 6,1888.
The State Journal started a subscription also for the Webbeke girl, which was caught up at Seward and other places and resulted in ample funds for her care and educa- tion. All that willing hands and loving hearts could do was done for her relief and tender care.
The storm was of such short duration that the stock stood it through with scarcely no loss in this county; but in the great northland it swept men and beasts to destruction by thousands. The people of our county were very grateful for the generous contributions from all parts of the state.
Since that memorable storm to this writing, the winters have been pretty well behaved. We have not had a regular blizzard since that date. There has been but a moderate amount of snow at any time. In the winter of 1903-4, there was but little, so sleigh rides were at a premium. On the 20th of January, 1905, we had what may be called a "beauti- ful snow," and a well behaved one. About ten inches fell, and it is yet (two weeks later) just lying perfectly quiet, and sleighing is good.
In the last seventeen years, the thermometer has rarely gotten down to twenty below zero, and the winds since that horrible night of Jan. 12, 1888, have been on their good be- havior. Of course it blows sometimes, but to say the least,
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there has in seventeen years been no destructive storm in winter.
We have an occasional hail storm that plays havoc in narrow belts; however they are generally in the other coun- ty, but sometimes we get a taste of hail. In the summer of 1904, one swooped down near Tamora and swept a district from two to three miles wide running in a southeasterly di- rection, crossing the Blue river north of Ruby station, and losing its force in the Middle creek hills. It did a pretty good job and marketed about all the corn in its swath.
Destructive floods in summer time we never have. Our drainage system is so perfect that it may rain all that it has a mind to, and the land cannot overflow to do great damage as it does in many less favored places. Within the forty years that we have been familiar with the Blue river, we have seen but three floods that covered any considerable part of the valley : one in Feb., 1865; one in April, 1867; one in Aug., 1881. On the subject of water courses and drainage the reader is kindly referred to another page.
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Exaction
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CHAPTER XVIII.
Agricultural Society-Assessments and Financial Conditions-Value of Property-Census Tables Court House and Struggles to Get it -- Eggs and Poultry-Telephone Companies -- A Little Story.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, ITS HISTORY
Seward County Agricultural Society was organized August 7, 1871, by the adoption of a constitution and set of by-laws, and the election of the following officers: Milton Langdon, president; F. M. Ellsworth, vice-president; T. F. Hardenburg, secretary; Geo. W. Standard, treasurer. The first fair was held from the 21st to 23d of September, in the grove southwest of Seward. By referring to the Nebraska Atlas of Sept. 29, 1871, we find that the fair was a success, and that there were over a thousand people in attendance. We have our memory refreshed also by finding in another issue of the same sheet that our secretary got away with some of our funds. We have no means of learning just how much.
At the regular annual meeting in October, 1871, we find that W. W. Cox was elected president. There is no record of who were the other officers, but we remember that James A. Brown was chosen secretary, and Hon. T. L. Norval, clerk; that we held the second annual fair at the same place as the first, and that it was quite successful. We arranged a very creditable premium list, and were able to pay all the in- debtedness caused by the default of the former secretary, and every expense of the fair, including the premiums, and turned over sixty dollars to our successors in office. The exhibits were good, especially in farm products and in the fine arts. The trees of the beautiful grove fairly blossom d with the handiwork of our women. The editor of the Ne- braska Farmer delivered the annual address.
It is most unfortunate that the records of the society from the date of its formation until 1881 have been lost or
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destroyed; and what is more surprising, the most diligent search through the files of the newspapers of those years discloses nothing from which we can learn anything of im- portance, except the first organization in the summer of 1871, in the Nebraska Atlas. We remember, however, that . Mr. Campbell was elected president in the fall of 1872, and Joseph Lossee was secretary, and that they held a fair in the fall of 1873.
J. A. Brown was elected in the year of 1873, and a fair was held in the year of 1874. If we remember correctly, Mr. Brown was re-elected, but of this we have no means of being certain. They held a fair in the year of 1875 and Mr. Brown delivered an address, which we find in the Nebraska Reporter in full, but not another word about the fair. The speech was a good one, and full of good hints and sugges- tions.
If memory serves us correctly, (and we have searched diligently and taxed the memory of all who would be most likely to remember,) Ed. McIntyre was elected president, and re-elected in the fall of 1876, or held over on account of there being no election in 1876. There was no fair held that year. In the fall of 1877 a fair was held, and was quite a success.
During the summer of 1877 an association was formed, known as the Seward Trotting Park Association. This as- sociation bought forty acres of land of the B. & M. R. R. Co. at ten dollars an acre, and raised the money by selling stock in five-dollar shares. Arrangements were made with the Agricultural Society to hold the fairs on these grounds for a certain consideration, and our fairs were held there for a time.
There is much unwritten history connected with this Trotting Park Association. In the first place the rail road folks were induced to part with the land at half price, be- cause it was apparently for a public benefit. Men sub- scribed for stock in small quantities, just to help the enter- prise, and had no thought of realizing any income from the investment. The stock was transferable, and it was but a short time until it was discovered that one man had a majority of the stock, and enjoyed complete control of the whole con-
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cern; so the association largely consisted of one man. The com- munity did not take kindly to the matter in that shape, and it was a source of continual trouble and annoyance until the citizens made up funds the second time and purchased the property outright for the Agricultural Society. in 1886. when the county commissioners made a liberal appropria- tion for improvements.
Claudius Jones was president in the fall of 1877, and a fair was held in the fall of 1878, when William Gill was elected, and held the fair in the fall of 1879. In that year John Henderson was elected, and held the fair of 1880, when Wm. Redford was elected president. In that year we find a record (the first) of their proceedings.
The fairs were measurably successful as exhibitions, but the society was generally hard pressed for means, and frequently the more enterprising members were taxed be- yond endurance to keep life in the society. Among the more notable persons who always had a shoulder to the wheel were James A. Brown, Ed. McIntyre, Wm. E. Gill, E. M. Hickman and Clandius Jones. These men, and perhaps a few others, are entitled to much credit for untiring energy and a free use of their money in keeping the society alive through many years of adversity.
We see by a record of a meeting held August 6, 1881, that Ed. McIntyre was elected secretary pro tem. We notice that J. A. Brown offered a resolution that the offices of secretary, treasurer, vice president and three of the directors be declared vacant, on account of the negligence of these officers in performing their duties. Resolution adopted. Whereupon Geo.C. McKay was elected vice pres- ident, Ed. McIntyre, secretary, J. A. Brown, treasurer, and Wm. Gill, J. B. Courtwright and Allen Price, directors, to fill vacancies. The fair was held Sept. 29th, 30th and Oct. 1st of that year.
We notice in the report of their October meeting that the receipts were as follows: Total receipts, including $300 from county, were $1,135.10; total expenditures, $1,016.36; leaving a balance of $118.74.
At their December meeting Wm. Redford was re- elected president, and Ed. McIntyre was re-elected secretary, and
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R. S. Norval was elected treasurer. The time fixed for the fair of 1882 was Sept. 27th to 30th. J. S. Henderson was chosen superintendent. Wm. Gill was elected delegate to State Board of Agriculture It was resolved at this meeting to hold a farmers' institute in February, and the secretary was instructed to correspond with Gov. Furnas and Prof. Thompson, and they voted to tax themselves fifty cents each to defray the expenses.
At a meeting of the board in August, 1882, $40 was ap- propriated to pay expenses of a county exhibit at state fair.
Records of the meeting in July, 1883, show that there was received at last fair $1,407.50, and expended $1,374.10, leaving a balance of $32.67. Wmn. Redford was re-elected , president; also, Mr. Mclntyre was re-elected secretary by acclamation, and Wm. Gill was re-elected delegate to state board.
At the August meeting, 1883, Wm. Gill was employed to take charge of exhibit at state fair.
At the annual meeting of January 5, 1884, the report showed $1,849.45 received from all sources, and $1,744.20 paid out. E. M. Hickman was elected president, and C. S. Alling was elected secretary and treasurer. Wm. Gill was again elected delegate to state board.
At a called meeting in April the time for holding the an- nual fair was fixed at Oct. 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th.
At a meeting in August the president was instructed to conclude a contract with C. Jones for sixty shares of the Driving Park Association stock at $1,000, and authorized to draw on the treasurer for $50 to bind the bargain.
At a meeting in October an order was voted to Ed. McIntyre of $50, to help pay expenses of exhibit at World's Fair at New Orleans.
At the annual meeting in January, 1885, Geo. Pickerel was elected president, and C. S. Alling was re-elected secre- tary and treasurer: Ed. McIntyre was elected superinten- dent, and J. H. Culver was elected delegate to state board and instructed to cast his vote to re-elect Gov. Furnas as secretary of said board. Dates fixed for the fair of 1885 were Sept. 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th. We find no report of treas- urer, although it is recorded that report was approved,
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At a special meeting, February 6, 1886, Claudius Jones was elected president, C. S. Alling, secretary, and H. T. Jones, treasurer. Here again we find no report of treasurer, but a record that his report was approved.
At a special meeting held in July, a resolution is passed accepting a donation of $2,000, secured by the Board of Trade of Seward, by its president, G. Babson, for the pur- chase of the Driving Park Association's grounds.
A general meeting of the society was authorized to be called by the secretary for July 23d, we suppose to finish the purchase of the grounds, but the secretary is silent about that, and we find no record of said meeting.
At the annual meeting in January, Mr. Wm. Redford was elected president, and the secretary's office was left vacant, which was filled by the Board -- H. T. Jones. J. N. Edwards was elected treasurer. Again we have no record of treasur- er's report. An invitation was voted to the citizens to plant trees on the fair grounds on Arbor Day. The fair was held in October, 1887, and was a very successful show. It was without doubt one of the best stock exhibits at any county fair in the West.
The society met and overcame grave obstacles within the two previous years. First, a vast amount of money was raised to pay for the grounds and improve them, and during the last summer a heavy wind wrecked all the build- ings, which were rebuilt at great expense, but now the so- ciety has the grounds and they are fairly improved and meas- urably free from debt, and with bright prospects for the future.
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At the annual meeting in 1887, J. B. Courtwright was elected president, H. T. Jones was elected secretary, and George Dickman was elected treasurer. Treasurer's report showed: Total receipts of $3,200; total expenditures, $3, 400.
Considering the valuable property and improvements, it is fair to say that the society is in a very prosperous condition.
At the annual meeting Oct. 31. 1897, the following named persons were elected to fill the various offices: Pres- ident, H. F. Slonecker; vice-president, J. N. Anstine; treasurer, L. F. Shultz; secretary. Thos. H. Wake. Di- rectors appointed : John Zimmerer, John Dalton, E. C.
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Gerkee, Wm. Hartman and Wm. E. Ritchie. Treasurer's report for 1895 and 1896 shows total receipts of $2,334.66, total expenditures, 2.370.27; deficit. $35.61.
At the annual meeting held Oct. 29, 1898, the following persons were elected to fill the offices: President, D. Zim- merman; vice-president, W. C. Hartman; treasurer, L. F. Shultz; secretary, A. E Baker. The president appoint- ed as directors for the coming year; W. S. Williams, chairman; H. F. Slonecker, W. E. Ritchie, August Meyers and John Cowperwaite. The secretary's books show re- ceipts of $1509.82. There does not appear on the minutes the amounts of expenditures, but the auditing committee finds a balance in the treasury of $117.33. There was . no fair that year. The records do not show what the expendi- tures were for.
At the annual meeting held Oct. 23, 1899, Philip Unitt was elected president: Wm. Smiley, vice-president; W. E. Langworthy, treasurer; and E. C. Holland, secretary. The president appointed W. C. Hartman, F. A. Lamdin, D. Zim- merman, Geo. Foster and Wm. Smiley as board of directors. At this meeting a most important move was made that re- sulted in selling the old fair grounds and purchasing the new location. It was moved by G. Babson and C. E. Holland that the officers of the association sell the old fair grounds and buy a new one. Amended to read thus, "That the officers are instructed to see what a new location would cost and also to learn what the old one could be sold for, and that the meeting adjourn to the third Saturday in January, 1900 for a report." This motion carried.
At the appointed time January 20, 1900, there being no quorum, the meeting adjourned to January 29. At this meet- ing a new committee of three, viz: John Zimmerer, W. O. Dickenson and E. McIntyre were appointed to assist the of- ficers in learning what the old grounds could be sold for and what the new one could be bought for. The committee was instructed to make a report to an adjourned meeting to be held March 17, 1900. In due time the committee reported that the old grounds could be sold for $2500, and that the new grounds in the vicinity, including the Roberts grove, would cost $3500. This meeting appointed a committee
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to secure subscriptions and were required to report at the meeting to be held March 24, 1900.
At said meeting report was favorably received and the president and secretary were instructed to sell the old ground, viz: nel of set of section 29, town 11, range 3 east, and purchase the new, consisting of the Roberts Grove and grounds adjacent in section 20, town 11. range 3 east. Amount of ground not stated. At the annual meeting held October 27, 1900, Phil Unitt was re-elected president; E. C. Hollond was elected secretary, and W. E. Langworthy, treasurer. The old board of Directors held over. Decem- ber 1, 1900, the society authorized the officers to borrow money to pay balance on the grounds.
We note amount cash on hand October 27, 1900, was $183.85 and October 26, 1901, there had been received from all sources $3,594.60 and paid out all but $88.01.
In 1901 the following officers were elected, viz: J. F. Goehner, president; Geo. Dickman, secretary; Dr. Diers, treasurer. February 10, 1902, we find the finances of the society in bad shape with many judgments hanging over it and a foreclosure threatened. However, there was a stipu- lation between all judgment creditors that all proceedings should be stayed until October 3, 1903. There was no fair in 1902. At an adjournment meeting held, January 13th, 1903, W. E. Ritchie, was elected president; H. Wolvin, vice president; Ed McIntyre, secretary and J. L. Jergensen, treasurer
We note that secretary's report, May 27, 1903, shows total receipts of $5452.29 and expenditures of $5439.86. A successful fair was held in September, 1903. Report of re- ceipts for the year 1903, ending December 4th, was $13243.38 and expenditures $12760.08 leaving a balance of $1483.90 but somehow the treasurer's report shows on hand a balance of $1568.44. October 31st, 1903, W. E. Ritchie was made presi- dent; E. McIntyre, vice president and Thos. Wake, treasurer. Report of July 4th, 1904, B. & M. picnic, showed receipts of $1438.45. A successful fair was held in the autumn of 1904. Reports of receipts, for the year is $16020.04, expenditures, $15737.82, balance on hand December 19th, 1904, is $1282.20.
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