USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward County, Nebraska, and reminiscenses of territorial history > Part 4
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On May 1, 1862, we took our abode at the Basin with the good wife and two babes. That same day a county con- vention was held at the Basin but we were so busy putting our house in order that we paid no attention to the proceed- ings. We remember, however, that about every man in the county was there. Two or three days later Milton Langdon and family arrived and located at the smaller Basin, a mile or so north and east of us. We had gotten a pretty good floor laid in our cabin and a nice coat of whitewash, both inside and outside, before Sunday came.
It was a most beautiful spring Sabbath morning with
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the green grass springing up, the merry twittering of the birds. We were resting and enjoying ourselves in a lonely sort of a way when we caught sight of a gentleman and lady coming up the trail from the eastward. They were well dressed. We could hardly believe our eyes. Who on earth are they? we said to each other. Well it proved to be Mr. Milton Langdon and his excellent wife. They had heard of us and had crossed Oak Creek on a foot log and come to form our acquaintance. It was like an angel visit. Mrs. Langdon and wife were fast friends from that day until death separated them twenty-five years later.
The year 1862 was a time of wonderful prosperity at the Basin. Throngs of people were coming and going constantly and the Basin was a hive of industry. Other parties started salt works and many sod houses were built, and some made dugouts. It was like a great bee hive. Now we must indulge in a little story. There was an old fel low named Benj. Vanthusen camping alone and making salt. He was sort of a recluse. No body knew where he came from or where he went. One day,.in the winter of 1862-63, a lot of Indians were camped not far away, and one young buck was strolling around and came to Ben's furnace. He was carry- ing a cane in his hand. Ben had become somewhat tired of the Indians bothering him in one way and another so he was a little ill-natured. The young stalwart approached with the usual salutation of "how" and reached out his cane to Ben. Ben reached out to take it when the Indian struck him a sharp blow across the knuckles. Ben, quick as thought, gave Mr. Injun a blow with the tist under the ear that landed him backward and he fell on his back into a pan of boiling salt. The chap gave a sharp shriek, jumped and ran into the swamp yelling all sorts of bloody murder in the Indian tongue. He was thoroughly well cooked and salted to keep. Other braves came to his rescue and carried him to camp. The little settlement became suddenly alarmed, fear- ing that the Indians would be enraged and seek vengeance. A hurried consultation was had and a committee of citizens appointed to visit the camp and learn the temper of the red skins. The man was found scalded nigh unto death and while the poor creature was writhing with agony the other
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Indians were poking fun at him and calling him "squaw man" and pointing their fingers scornfully at him. Finally Ben Vanthusen appeared on the scene and the Indians at once began lionizing him as if to further tantalize the poor unfortunate. Finally they made a litter out of a buffalo robe and carried him away, whether to die or live we know not.
Now comes the important epoch in the history of Lan- caster county, one frought with far reaching results as the sequel proves, the founding of Lancaster.
On the morning of July Fourth, 1862, wife suggested that we celebrate by gathering a lot of gooseberries, of which there were great quantities. Just as we had filled our buck- ets, we heard some one hallooing, and as we emerged from the brush, who should we see but Elder Young and party, consisting of Rev. Peter Schamp, Dr. Mckesson, Mr. Warnes. Luke Lavender, and Jacob Dawson. They were in search of a suitable location for a colony. They were patriotic, and had not forgotten the flag. Dinner was quickly provided and disposed of, the neighbors called in, and we had a cele- bration that was a feast to the soul. As the dear old elder talked to us of our blessed flag, and how it had been trailed in the dust by recreant hands, and the mighty struggle that was going on to maintain its supremacy, how our hearts swelled with emotion as we realized that our country and our all was at the moment trembling in the balance. This was probably the first time our national flag ever kissed the breezes of Lancaster county, and it was an occasion long to be remembered by all the participants.
Some, we know not how many, of that little group have gone to their long home. Uncle Jacob Dawson lived just long enough to see the foundations of Lincoln well laid, and was called away. Our dear old friend, Elder Young, lived to see the city of his founding great and strong, and march- ing forward to greater achievements, and "he was gathered to his fathers full of years and full of honory."
In the second week in July, and after making a thorough examination of the surrounding country, the party made the settlement on the land where Lincoln now stands, and dedi- cated a portion of section twenty-two for a town site, and christened it "Lancaster."
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Lancaster did not grow as more modern towns do. A few settlers began to arrive, and settled on the beautiful lands in the vicinity, but not many cared to try their hands at building a city just then. Town building was a slow process in those days so far inland.
It must be remembered that the bill providing for the Union Pacific railroad had passed but the previous winter, and the eastern terminus had not been fixed by the president. Our nearest railroad was at St. Joseph, Mo., and Ottumwa, Iowa. And further it was yet very questionable as to wheth- er our upland prairie was of any value for agricultural pur- poses. The farms were all yet confined to the creek bottoms. Prairie fires would sweep the prairies just as soon as the grass was dry in the fall and leave the roots exposed to the scorching rays of the autumn sun and then to the frosts of winter. The snow would gather into huge drifts, there be- ing nothing to hold it except the ravines. This resulted in very short grass crops on the upland, and frequently there was scarcely grass enough to hide a garter snake in mid- summer. People saw the fact that the prairie produced but little grass, but were slow to discover the causes, and were ready to condemn the land as worthless for cultivation. Some are led to believed that great changes have taken place in the general character of the soil, as well as in the climate. We have frequently been asked if this land was not all cov- ered with buffalo grass. To this question we answer most emphatically, nc. It might have been at some remote period, but never since white men have known it. Many are of the opinion that it scarcely ever rained in those early days. That is certainly a mistake. The summer of 1860 produced scarcely any rain (we well remember the year of the Kansas famine; we resided at Nebraska City at the time), and to help matters along there were sixteen days and nights of continuous hot south wind. It was almost insufferably hot, so stifling it was that people could not bear to sit in the winds, even late in the evenings, but would be compelled to seek a wind-brake. Except that memorable year, rains were just as plentiful and as well distributed through the growing seasons in those years as now, and vegetation, where it had a fair show, made the same luxuriant growth. But we do
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
not wonder that the overland immigrant who passed through this country in the early spring or late in the fall pro- nounced this a desert land, for as far as the eye could reach, in all directions, nothing could be seen but black prairie. Most dreary indeed was the spectacle. There being nothing to retain the moisture, and the sun bearing down on the de- fenseless head, and the mirage playing in the distance like some specter, it did not seem that it ever could be a fit abode for civilized man. It took men and women of strong nerve and great faith to attempt to build a home in this wilderness then, but there were some brave souls that were equal to the hour, and such were the men who founded Lancaster.
The story of the founding of the embryo city, and the struggle over the location of the county-seat, is an inter- esting theme. The settlement of Yankee Hill (where the insane hospital now stands), under the leadership of John Cadman and Win. Fields, made an interesting and energetic fight for the prize. These men looked with jealously upon the Lancaster colony. Our friend Cadman was wide awake, and with a fertile brain was ready for almost any emergency. It will be remembered that the boundaries of the county were materially changed in the winter of 1862-63. Friend Cadman secured an election to the legislature from old Clay county, John S. Gregory was by some trick of legerdemain elected to represent Lancaster, and Hon. H. W. Parker was sent from Gage. The trio each had an axe to grind. Parker wanted to make the county-seat secure for Beatrice, and Cadman wanted to spoil Elder Young's little game and make a new town and clothe it with the honors of the county-seat. So they arranged and carried through the scheme to eliminate Clay county from the map of Nebraska, and give to Gage the south twelve miles, and the north twelve miles to Lancaster, in the interest of Cadman and his friends. Thus it came that Gage and Lancaster are each thirty-six miles long, and that Clay county was buried out of sight to be resurrected at a later day farther to the west. We have never been able to learn just what interest our friend Gregory was to have, but suppose he was to be endorsed for the post office at a salary of one dollar per month, and also to have his name perpetuated by re-naming
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the great salt basin "Gregory Basin," both of which he secured; but the honors of his office and the name were very much like a soap bubble-they got away in a very short time. Cadman and his friends lost no time in fixing upon a point for their new town at Yankee Hill, and then came the tug of war. About this time, what was known as the steam wagon road, was located from Nebraska City to the west, and cross- ing the Salt creek fixed at Yankee Hill. An appropriation of five hundred dollars was secured by the legislature for a bridge on Salt creek in Lancaster county, to be located by territorial commissioners. When these gentlemen came to fix the location of the bridge, the Lancaster party, headed by Elder Young, and the Yankee Hill folks, led by Cadman, each made an earnest showing why they should have the bridge, and we take it for granted that each succeeded in convincing the commissioners that their claim was the best, for they divided the money between the two points, and thus with the aid of private help, two good bridges were secured.
Each place made slow progress; a little store and a blacksmith shop were secured by each. Lancaster had the help of the salt interest to assist it, while its rival had the freight road. Each had energetic men as leaders, and they were equally as well situated, but Lancaster had the sym- pathy of the greater number of the people of the county. Friend Chadman had aroused the ire of all his old neighbors on the head of Salt creek .. They were very sore over hav- ing all of their pleasant dreams of a county seat at Olathe suddenly vanish, and their county disappear, or torn in two and swallowed up by her greedy sisters. When the county seat problem came before people for settlement, the Lan- caster folks had a walk away, and secured a grand triumph at the polls.
This county seat election occured in the autum of 1864 and was held at the house of the writer, just south of the Great Basin.
Notwithstanding his defeat in his pet project of found- ing a county seat, Cadman secured a return to the legisla- ture for several terms and had an honorable part in mould- ing the destiny of the county, in helping to secure the cap- ital removal bill. and securing the location of it within her
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
borders; and while Elder J. M. Young may justly be honored as the founder of Lincoln, to John Cadman belongs the hon- or of doing splendid work in securing a grand triumph in removing the capital and securing the principal benefits to his county; and while he did not realize the full fruition of his hopes in getting it at Yankee Hill, we are glad to know that he has been duly rewarded, and that in his green old age he was blessed with plenty of this world's goods, and friends innumerable to brighten his pathway. Long live the memory of Hon. John Cadman!
In the early summer of 1862, we had the pleasure of helping to raise a log house for Charlie Calkins, on Middle Creek, on what was afterwards known as the Horton farm, and about five miles west of the city. This was the first log cabin between the Basin and the Grand Island settlement.
In the beautiful month of June our good wife made a visit to Nebraska City, and left us alone "with our glory" for a little season. One afternoon a throng of Omahas camped at the head of the Basin, but we thought nothing of it as it was a common thing to see a great number of Indians on their way to the summer hunting grounds on the Republican river. John Chambers' family lived a little way from our cabin. We went to bed as usual that night, with our bright saber under our pillow, and a rifle standing within easy reach. Near midnight we heard a (not very) "gentle tap- ping, as of some one rapping at om cabin door." "What's the matter?" we cried, "Matter enough," says poor tremb- ling John, his wife clinging to him like grim death, and crazed with fear, "the Indians are upon us. For God's sake what shall we do?" Whether we dressed or not, you may guess. We forgot that we ever had a saber or a gun. When we awoke our ears were greeted with the most unearthly sounds, as if ten thousand devils were turned loose. We all run, as most folks do when badly scared, and we hid as best we could among the hills and awaited the coming of events, which we expected every minute. The pandemonium con-
tinued, but came no nearer. We waited patiently for the enemy, but they did not come. We were disappointed. The Indians were expecting to meet their mortal foes (the Sioux)
.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
on their hunting grounds, and were having a war dance. "Only this, and nothing more."
Salt creek and its principal tributary, Oak creek, were wonderfully well supplied with fish. Black suckers and buf- falo were the leading varieties. The settlers had plenty of sport and much profit in fishing. We all had plenty of fish. Great numbers were caught that would weigh ten to fifteen pounds, and we have seen them that tipped the beam at thir- ty-five pounds.
Elk and antelope were plentiful, and the nimrods of that day had great and exciting sport in the chase. Some of the settlers spent a great portion of their time roaming the prai- ries in search of game. Many of them never came home without a supply of meat. If elk could not be found or capt- ured, some luckless freighter's steer had to suffer the ordeal of being converted into elk meat. Many a steer has under- gone the change in short order. and Mr. Steer's only safety was in staying close to camp. The Basin was a great place for wild water fowls to congregate. Geése, brant, swan, ducks, and pelicans were there by the thousands, and it was the hunter's paradise. Wild fruits, such as grapes. plums, gooseberries, and alderberries, were abundant along the streams, and were gathered by the bushel.
As the Union armies regained the rebel strongholds of Missouri, great numbers of rebels found it convenient to find other quarters, and many of them seemed to have the idea that salt would save their bacon, consequently hordes of them would congregate at the Basin, and frequently they would show their rebellious spirit in acts and words that it was very unpleasant for Union men to endure. At one time they be- came so insolent and threatening that the Union men of the valley thought it necessary to organize for self-defense. Our Missouri friends came to the wise conclusion that "discretion was the better part of valor," so nothing very serious oc- curred.
Elder Young preached the first sermon of the locality at our house, on the Sabbath following the 4th of July, 1862, to a fair-sized congregation. A Sabbath-school was organ- ized very soon afterwards. and was of great value to the youth of the little community. This was the first Sunday school
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
between the Missouri river and the mountains. Religious services were held quite frequently under the leadership of Elder Young. Rev. Dr. Mckesson, and Rev. Peter Schamp, and other ministers that chanced to stray so far into the wild- erness.
As a general rule the settlers enjoyed themselves very well, and were reasonably prosperous, but it was not always so. Sometimes winter storms would shut us off from com- munication with the world at large, and provisions would get short, and we would be driven to desperate straits. We have known families to live on boiled corn or wheat for a week at a time with no seasoning but salt. The winter of 1863-4 was a most desperate one. The cold was extreme. The last day of December, 1863, was a memorable day for the intensity of the cold. We had no thermometer except our own blood, and that told us that it was the most bitterly cold of any day of our life. We afterwards learned that at Burlington, lowa, the thermometer indicated thirty degrees below zero.
That winter was one of much suffering. Salt had de- clined materially in price, and the demand had fallen off; while wood for boiling it had become scarce, and the weath- er was so severe that it seemed as if all things conspired against the people, and for a time the whole settlement was on the verge of starvation. The spring of 1864 found the settlement in rather a dilapidated and impoverished condition, but hope soon revived. Immigrants began to arrive in good- ly numbers and began opening up farms, and that gave new life and hope to all. Settlements began to extend westward, and all the people began to have more faith in Nebraska. It may be well here to relate a common saying of those days, just to show how absurd the expressed views of many people were in regard to this country.
If an incoming immigrant talked of going over to the Blue valley to look for a location, he was told at once that it was of no use to look at that country. for it never rains west of Salt creek. That fool notion had become so thoroughly embed- ded in the minds of many of the early settlers that we expect some of them firmly believe it to this day.
It has been claimed that F. Morton Donovan was the first white child born in this locality, but this locality was rather
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
large, for the fact is he was born on Stevens creek, ten miles distant. The first white child born at the Basin, or in the im- mediate vicinity of the present city, was a son born to Joseph Chambers in the winter of 1862-3. He died in infancy. Our son, Elmer Ellsworth Cox, was born March 3, 1863, and was the first white child born in the immediate vicinity who lived to become a man.
There were some exciting and almost ludicrous scenes in the courts at the Basins. Milton Langdon and J. S. Greg- ory were the two prominent attorneys, and in all matters of a judicial nature they were arrayed against each other. They were both keen and tricky, ever on the alert to catch the enemy napping, and they had some high old times. Occa- sionally a case would arise that tried the mettle of the court, attorneys, and officers. A rough customer, who it was said had graduated in the rebel army, put in an appearance, and made some violent threats, in which he promised to kill some citizen. An information was filed, and a warrant was issued and placed in the hands of the sheriff. A crowd gathered at the court-room, and it soon became known that the culprit refused to surrender to the sheriff. All became excited, and while the court was giving some directions to the citizens about assisting the sheriff, the fellow came stalking into the court-room, carrying his rifle in a position for immediate use. The sheriff followed at a convenient distance of prob- ably ten rods. The court invited the man to take a seat, which was promptly declined, but he took a careful survey of the court and all the surroundings, and with the rifle ready cocked and finger on the trigger, he began a retreat, and all hands seemed ready to stand out of his way. The justice remarked to the sheriff and posse, "You will be justified in taking that man, if you have to kill him to do it," but they didn't take him; he backed off with drawn weapon, and bid defiance, and no one was willing to take the risk of his capt- ure. He was bent on vengeance, and had no intention of leaving until he had wreaked it on somebody. He became angry at the justice for saying take him dead or alive, and during the next morning, while his honor was busy at his salt furnace, he happened to observe the sneaking scoundrel creeping up a small ravine in the rear, with a view of getting
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
a sure shot at him, but finding that his victim had observed him, he started off at a rapid pace across the basin. His honor quickly halted him. He instantly cocked his rifle, but sternly and most emphatically his honor commanded a truce, and marched straight up to the fellow, who curled down like a whipped cur, received a court blessing in the open air, and then took his final departure to parts unknown. Had it not been for a good degree of firmness on that occasion, it is quite probable that some other writer would have had the honors of writing this book.
On the morning of August 20, 1862, there was a heavy frost, which killed all the corn on the lowlands throughout Nebraska.
During the spring of 1863, J. S. Gregory built the first frame house in the locality of the Basin, and made quite ex- tensive improvements. Mr. Eaton, of Plattsmouth, an uncle of our friend Gregory, became quite well acquainted with him during these years, and their fraternal relations are spread upon the court records of Lancaster county for many years.
Settlements increased rapidly during the spring and early summer of 1864, but took a serious set-back later in the season, on account of the Indian troubles, so that the num- ber wintering here in the winter of 1864-5 was hardly greater than in the winter previous.
That memorable day, November 8, 1864, when Lincoln was elected the second time, the good people of Nebraska could take no hand in the game, but the people of Lancaster had to do something, and if they could not vote, they could, and did hold district court. We do not forget that we had that day a genuine old-time blizzard of drifting snow. There was no discount on that blizzard. It was cold enough for the Klondike, and the whirling snow was terrific. It will be remembered that the county seat was located at the October election, and at the same time Jacob Dawson was elected county clerk, and that meant district clerk as well. Uncle Jake, as we called him, wanted something to do as clerk. So he set to work to have a term of court at the new county seat. They did not yet have that big stone court house but Uncle Jake was a man ready for any emergency.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
He had a double log house, that would do for a hotel, family residence and court house combined.
Uncle Jake got into correspondence with Hon. Judge Elmer S. Dundy and gave the judge some pointers. He made the judge understand that there was an emergency case on docket and that a court must be held. One Pem- berton, a sojourner at the Basin, had gotten in trouble with old man Burd about the depredation of some unruly chickens. The families had quarreled. At a very early hour one morn- ing Pemberton appeared at the cabin of Mr. Burd with a re- volver, ready for business. Some hot words passed, when Pemberton struck the old man on the head with the revolver then fired the revolver, the ball passing through the thin door, lodging in the wall of the room just over the bed where the young Burds were sleeping. A few minutes later, when the justice of the peace (who lived only a few rods distant) was being seated at the breakfast table with his little family, Mr. Burd appeared with blood streaming down over his face and a little panic occured just then and the break- fast lost its flavor. A warrant was hastily issued and put into sheriff Chambers' hands, and the culprit was arraigned. An exciting examination resulted in Pemberton being bound over to court on charge of malicious assault with in- tent to commit great bodily injury. In preparation for the court a grand jury and also a petit jury had been summoned and it took about every eligible citizen in Lancaster county. Two distinguished barristers had accompanied the judge from Plattsmouth. Neither judge or lawyers rode on passes then, but were content with an opportunity to ride on asses -that is, if the asses were to be had. The Hon. T. M. Marquet and Judge Pottenger were the gentlemen that helped the august judge in giving dignity to the court. Pott, as we called him, got the whiprow of Marquet and secured the appointment as prosecuting attorney, but Pemberton was ready to give Marquet a job, but was rather short. A ten-dollar greenback was the sum total of his cash and Mar- quet had to take that or go without a job. He took the greenback, of course.
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