USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward county, Nebraska, together with a chapter of reminiscenses of the early settlement of Lancaster county > Part 11
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"G" PRECINCT.
So far as is definitely known, William Wymore and a brother-in- law of the name of Olmstead made the first settlement, in the fall of 1863-Mr. Wymore on Sec. 8, what is now part of W. W. Cox's farm, Mr. Olmstead on Sec. 17, Mr. John Roberts' north farm. These parties were deserters from the Union army and the provost marshal (Hon. O. P. Mason) had discovered their whereabouts, and they having learned this, hurriedly made their escape early in March, 1864. Mr. Cox purchased Mr. Wymore's claim for seventy-five dollars, and Mr. O. abandoned his, and the land was entered by John Roberts in 1865.
In the first half of April, 1864, Hon. Wm. Imlay and his father's family moved to their claims, and Mr. R. T. Gale moved to his at about the same time. Father Dunaway settled in July, and W. W. Cox on the first day of December. In April, 1865, Thomas Dun- away and wife made settlement, and were followed in May by Richard Sampson and J. N. Roberts. Lewis Moffitt came in July, and built a log house on the future site of the city, and Rev. E. L. Clark came in October. This completed the settlements of 1865. In the early
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
spring of 1866 the settlement was increased by the addition of E. L. Ellis, John Roberts, Sen., Joseph Sampson, and, later in the season, James A. Brown on Sec. 20, J. F. Duncan who settled on Sec. 8, Stites Wooley on Sec. 15, and Roger Cooper on Sec. 12. E. B. Shafer settled just south of the present city, and Wm. Cooper just north-east of the city.
The first homestead entry was that of Mr. Gale, of January 2, 1863 ; Stites Wooley (lately deceased) was the second; W. W. Cox, third, dated March 27, 1864; Father Dunaway, fourth; David P. Imlay, fifth; Wm. Imlay, sixth; David Imlay (Grandpa), seventh ; Richard Sampson and J. N. Roberts, eighth and ninth ; Thomas Dunaway and Joseph Imlay, tenth and eleventh.
During the summer of 1864, there were broken thirty acres of land on three farms, viz., Wm. Imlay's, D. P. Imlay's, and Mr. Gale's. The following summer there were broken about one hundred and fifty acres, on seven farms. It may be a matter of surprise that no more land was broken, but it is equally surprising, to us that under- stand fully all the conditions, that so much was accomplished. In the first place, we were all as poor as church mice. We had but few and very poor teams, and very few and miserably poor breaking plows. Had the reader seen the writer with a pair of plowshares, wending his way on foot to old man Morgan's to get them sharpened by a corn-cob fire, then seen the vexation and delays in adjusting them to the work on our return, then followed us in our perambula- tions hunting for the lost oxen, and then accompanied us with our old ox team seventy-five miles to mill, and watched all our struggles to keep soul and body together, menaced by Indians on the one side, begging us out of countenance, and frequently showing a spirit of arrogance and impudence, so that we hardly dare leave our families any length of time. Frequently we were compelled to scour distant set- tlements of Lancaster, Otoe, and Cass counties for meager supplies of provisions, fording streams and camping out nights. With very little or no money, no credit (there was no one in reach to credit ns), a scanty supply of provisions, and still more scanty supply of clothing, we struggled against wind and tide through the weary years of our first settlement. In many instances we had to make " bricks without straw." Houses were to be built without proper tools, also bridges, and every class of work was accomplished under the most discourag-
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ing circumstances. The wonder is that we did not all become so much discouraged as to pull up stakes and go back to our wife's relations, as some of the more weak-kneed folks did.
During August, 1864, the little settlement of four families became seriously alarmed on account of the Indian panic, at the same time of the exodus from Salt creek. Mr. Gale was away from home at Salt basin. The families had all gathered on Plum creek, at Grandpa Imlay's house, and were hurriedly preparing for flight, when suddenly Wm. Imlay's wagon tire burst, and while they were all dismayed at the catastrophe it proved a blessing in disguise, for the rest of the company could not leave him and family to perish alone, and before they succeeded in getting the old wagon in shape to travel the scare was over, and all were ready to return to their homes. Thus the in- fant settlement was saved from abandonment by this lucky accident.
A few days after our arrival with our family at the new home, about the night of the 8th of December-a very cold winter night- the gentle rapping of Joseph Imlay was heard in the small hours of the night, with the refreshing news that a child was about to be born at the house of Mr. Gale. Wife hurriedly dressed, and Joseph hitched our old "Nig" and "Darb" to the wagon, and away they went down the bottom and across the present city to the bank of Plum creek, just to the east of Mr. Bemis' home, where a huge snow drift was encountered. The oxen were chained to the wagon, and Our good wife was compelled to slide down the steep bank over the great drift of snow to reach the creek. When she reached the house she found that Miss Clara Gale had come to life and light to bless the home of her parents. We are happy to say that the young lady is yet living, and is highly accomplished and a resident of East Portland, Oregon.
During 1867 and 1868 settlement increased quite rapidly. The latter year witnessed the birth of the future city, and the history of the precinct from that time is so blended with that of the city that we couple them in a future chapter. This, in connection with the earlier chapters of "reminiscenses," we deem a sufficient history of the early times of this immediate locality. However, there are many incidents of those days that it would be gratifying to the author to see in print, but it is not our aim to bore the reader with details unnecessarily.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
" H" PRECINCT OR TOWN,
Or town eleven, range four east, is one of the eastern townships, and situated on the head of the north fork of Middle creek. It is roll- ing land, with numerous springs and bright running streams, many of them fringed with nice young timber. The settlement is largely German. The first settler was Lewis Leibrock, on his present farm near the stone church. Conrad Grant and Deidrick Brant settled soon afterwards. Wm. Luber, Gillman Garland, B. W. Walker, Fritz Ropke, and Wm. Leppe made settlement in 1868, and in 1869 Chris. Thomas and Jacob Thomas, John Westerhoff, and C. C. Davis; also Chas. Ruchtassel made settlement just at the edge of the plain on the west side of the precinct ; also Henry Petrie and John Olwiler.
The first school was organized in 1869, with Wolsey Wyant, L. Leibrock, and Conrad Grant as school officers. . They erected a school- house on section 28, and Thos. Cowen taught the first term. The second school-house was built in 1873, in district No. 32, and Mrs. J. P. Loose, then Miss Kate Miller, taught the first term. The stone church, ot which we give elsewhere a history, was built under the pastorate of Rev. Theo. Gruber, in 1872, valued at $3,000. The Lutheran society laid out a cemetery in 1868, on the farm of Mr. Leibrock. July 14, 1869, the two sons of Conrad Grant were killed by lightning, and these were the first deaths in the precinct.
Charles Grant was the first child born in the settlement, in 1868.
The Midland railroad was built through the precinct in 1873, and Germantown was laid into lots in 1874, by Hiland Frazier. F. Bick opened the first store. John Westerhoff was appointed postmaster. Charles Howland opened the second store in 1878. The first frame house was built in the precinct by Conrad Grant, in 1870. The precinct now has 1,095 inhabitants and 155 farms, with seven school- houses, all frame.
The village of Germantown now has near two hundred inhabitants, They have just erected a fine two-story school-house. They have two large grain elevators, two general stores, one drug store, a blacksmith shop, and numerous good dwellings. The town is in a prosperous condition. The precinct has near seven miles of railroad track.
"I" PRECINCT,
Town ten, range four east, is one of the eastern precincts of the county.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
The north fork of Middle creek cuts it in two unequal parts, and the south branch cuts the south-east corner.
These streams furnish ample water supply and drainage. The north-western portion is a wavy plain, and is well adapted for farm- ing purposes ; and also the valleys are very rich, producing corn and grass to perfection. The eastern portion is somewhat broken, and is well adapted for stock growing. The creeks are bright and pure water, and the banks are lined with a growth of young timber, adding a charm to the scenery.
This precinct has but two and one-half miles of railroad, but has a station at Pleasant Dale. The eastern part is only twelve miles distant from the capital, and the western part is in close proximity to Seward and Milford. They have four schools, with good frame buildings. The population is 690, with 131 farms.
Deloss Brown and old Mr. Bird, now deceased, were the first set- tlers of whom we have record. They each settled as early as 1863, on the south branch of Middle creek. Joseph Forest settled in 1864, and James Iler about the same time ; also one or two others. Abram Courtright settled on the farm near the railroad, where the stone house stands, in 1866.
"J" PRECINCT.
A Mr. Horton, Daniel Morgan, and his two sons, Louis and Thomas, were the first to make permanent settlement near where Ruby station now stands. They claim to have located in 1858, but of the correctness of this there is doubt. Evidently they were the first that made permanent homes on the North Blue in this county. Job T. Reynolds, J. C. Neihardt, Thomas L. Rogers, and Samuel Long settled in 1863. Mr. Rogers and wife have been dead many years. Mr. Long died in the early part of last year.
Blue river runs centrally through the precinct, and furnishes ex- cellent water-powers, but there are none of them improved at this time.
According to the census reports there are 776 inhabitants, with 149 farms. They have no village, but a railroad station with a store, two elevators, and a post-office, Ruby. They have six miles of rail- road and five good school-houses. They have excellent land and good farms, and are very handy to the city. They rank third in
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
number of farms in the county. An excellent precinct with many advantages, although no thriving village. It seems impracticable to make a town in a precinct that nearly reaches both the city and Mil- ford, and where thirty minutes drive will reach either of them.
"K" PRECINCT.
This beautiful township has 130 farms, 672 population, six miles of railroad, and one station (Goehner). It has five school-houses, with the same number of schools, all in a prosperous condition.
This precinct is nearly all level land, and it has many of our most beautiful and valuable farms. There is but very little running water within its borders.
Goehner, its station, was platted in the fall of 1887, upon the com- pletion of the railroad, and now it contains several business houses and several dwellings, including a depot, elevator, two general stores, two grocery stores, one hardware, and one drug store.
Abram Windsor built the first house in the precinct, in the spring of 1869. Wm., George, and Alfred Livesey made settlement the following summer. L. Allison, Martin and Edward Jensen, S. S. H. Williams, Martin Madson, C. Tunecliff, and Peter Oglesby made settlement in 1870; also some others whose names we have failed to obtain.
The progress of " K " precinct has been rapid, both in settlement and improvement. There are many very fine farm houses and good substantial barns; many excellent orchards, and over a hundred fine groves of planted timber.
This precinct can boast of the only regular cheese dairy in the county. Jerome Aldrich, near Goebner, has in successful operation a cheese dairy, in which he made and sold forty thousand pounds of excellent cheese during 1887, and he proposes to enlarge the capacity to 140,000 pounds in the near future. Mr. Aldrich finds a ready sale for his product, which is accounted number one among the dealers.
" L " PRECINCT.
Town ten, range one east, was first settled by John E. Fouse, at the crossing of Beaver creek, in 1862, where he opened a ranch on the old freight road. Mr. Fouse lived here many years in a sort of a rough-and-tumble way, trading with travelers and Indians. The
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
writer was at his place in 1864, and at the time the ranch was kept in an immense dug-out on the bank of the creek. There were a great many tough stories told in connection with this ranch in the pioneer days, but we will not reiterate them, as we are hardly able to vouch for their truthfulness. Mr. Fouse was a peculiar character, and his place became somewhat famous for the many tragic events there en- acted. Whiskey was an important article of trade at the ranch.
Thos. Tisdale opened his little store and the post-office in 1869, and a Mr. Donovan also settled in the neighborhood about the same time. The real substantial settlement began in 1870, when the prairies began to be homesteaded. Thomas Foster built the first frame house in April. His mother, Widow Foster, and family, and F. M. Hor- ton made settlement shortly afterwards. In 1871 there were great numbers who made settlement. The first school of which we can learn was taught by John Turner, on what is known as the Norman Cassler farm, in the summer of 1873. While "L" is one of our fore- most farming precincts, it has no railroad and no village within its borders. but is happily situated convenient to four stations on two different railroads, and has a choice of markets within an hour's drive from any point. The south-western portion is somewhat rough, but the lands are good. The other and larger portion is as fine farm- ing land as can be found anywhere. It contains 139 farms and 843 people, with five schools. The precinct has the choice of Utica, Tamora, Goehner, and Beaver Crossing for market places, and the farthest farm from a station does not exceed six miles.
" M" PRECINCT
Is the south-western geographical township of the county. Daniel Millspaw settled in 1862, just west of Beaver Crossing, on what is now J. W. Thompson's land, and opened a ranch. In 1863 John Leonard made settlement a short distance further west. In 1865 a Mr. Buzzard settled north-east of town, and Mr. G. Clark and Col- umbus Clark settled just to the south-east of Ross Nichols' farm, and about the same time Isaiah and Phillip Michael located on the Migatt farm, east of town. Ross Nichols came in 1869, and located on the present town site, and had a small portion of his land surveyed into a town site in 1871, its first name being Nicholsville. Smith and Ingalls opened a store, and Mr. Smith built the flouring mill the
IE 9N
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HISTORY OF . SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
same season. Thomas Tisdale had a little store at John E. Fouse's ranch, and was postmaster, and the store and post-office were moved to the town in the fall of 1871. They had a weekly, or weakly, mail carried on horseback.
Beaver Crossing was a rather dull and sleepy cross-roads trading point, where a few families have resided-two little stores, a black- smith shop, a small hotel, and a doctor's office, with the grist-mill, and so it remained until the spring of 1887, when the building of the F., E. & M. V. R. R. was assured, then it awoke to a new life, and now all is vigor and activity. Beaver Crossing now supports a newspaper, The Bugle, a bank, presided over by T. E. Sanders, eight or more mercantile houses, and some pretty good ones, two large ele- vators, two lumber yards, two smith shops, a hotel, and two livery barns, and is growing in earnest, bidding fair to become one of the important towns of the county. A church and school-house adorn the place.
" M" precinct is abundantly supplied with water-courses, and the drainage is most thorough. The West Blue and its tributaries, John- son creek, Indian creek, and the Beaver, furnish ample water and drainage. There is quite an amount of natural timber along these streams. The south-western portion of the precinct is a broad plain, and contains very many beautiful farms. The northern portion is somewhat broken. The population is 750, and there are 91 farms, according to the last census, but the population has increased greatly within the last year. There are six school-houses, each good frame buildings. The precinct, so long isolated and kept back by circum- Stances, will now take a forward step, and become from this time one of our most important possessions. The precinct has seven miles of railroad. The new town of Hunkins, named for Benj. Hunkins, is situate near the extreme south-west corner of the county in the midst of a splendid farming country, and will be an important shipping point.
"N" PRECINCT,
Part of the old historic ground of the county, is largely noticed in the valuable and instructive letter of Mr. Johnson, but there are some points that should be mentioned.
This precinct at an early day was part of Walnut Creek precinct. W. J. Thompson was the first to settle and open a ranch on Walnut
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
creek, in the fall of 1862. The Johnson family came in 1864, also David Barton and Samuel Englehoupt; and in 1865 the Campbells, the Wilsons, and McCrackens; and in 1869 and 1870 large numbers came-Irwin Stall, George Foster, S. C. Tremper, J. D. Black- burn, the Richardson family, and many others. The first school was taught by Miss Agnes Baily, now Mrs. C. West, at the school- house on David Bartin's farm in 1863, in what is district No. 3. The precinct has no village or post-office at present, but in the early days it had one at Walnut creek, called Welden, with S. G. Keen as postmaster, and at a later date one at Pittsburg. There was a town surveyed at Pittsburg in 1873, by Chris Lezenby, where a peat deposit had been discovered, which for a time was thought to be of great importance, but its life was ephemeral.
" N" precinct is well situated so far as markets are concerned. The southern portion is very near and handy to Friend and Dor- chester, the castern part to Milford, the western portion to Beaver Crossing, and the northern portion is within easy reach of Goehner, and it is only from ten to twelve miles to the county seat.
The 1885 census gives the precinct 748 inhabitants and 134 farms, with five frame school-houses. There is splendid water-power, but as yet it remains unimproved. There are great numbers of very superior farms and orchards.
"O" TOWN
Is happily situated, so that it takes in a long stretch of our two largest streams. The North Blue cuts the north-east corner, and the South Blne cuts the south-west corner, each stream furnishing very superior water-powers of immense capacity, and they are improved at Milford and at West's mills, yet there is ample room for more ex- tended improvement. Had a population of 1,462 at the last census, and 146 farms, with fifteen manufacturing establishments. Has three post-offices, two flouring mills, at present only two miles of rail- road, but has the track graded for about three miles additional on the Crete line down the valley. Has five schools, including one graded school, each with a good building. There are many very beautiful and tastefully arranged farms, with good buildings and orchards.
The historic town of Milford is its principal place of trade. Mil-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
ford was one of the first settled portions of the county, and was for many years the leading town of the county. Held the county seat from 1867 to the fall of 1871, and was the only town in fact until the summer of 1868. Was established as a ranch and trading point in 1864. Built the bridge in the spring of 1866, and the first mill the following summer. Now has a population of near 800 souls, a central trading point with many mercantile houses ; a station on the A. & N. division of the B. & M., with two very large elevators. The largest flouring mill in the state, with elevator attached, with a capacity of ninety-five thousand bushels of wheat, several fine brick blocks, the sanitarium, and the assurance of the State Industrial Home. Milford has become noted for a pleasant summer resort for tourists, where parties can fish, bathe, or take pleasure rides on the great pond, or ramble to their heart's content in the beautiful groves. Hotel accommodations are good. The surrounding scenery is very pleasant to look upon. The village is situated on a commanding hill, where the eye can feast on the beauteous landscape either northward or southward. There are very many pleasant and commodious dwellings, with several very tastefully built churches, a commodious graded school-house ; maintains two banks, and many shops of differ- ent kinds, among which are two large livery barns and several im- plement houses. We can see many reasons why Milford should, in years to come, be a very important town, and enjoy wonderful pros- perity. If she will grasp the opportunities that present themselves, she will become a fine city ere another decade.
"p" TOWN
Is old historic ground. Camden neighborhood was one among the earliest settlements. J. L. Davison located a ranch one mile west of the old bridge in 1862, and A. J. Wallingford opened one at the bridge shortly afterwards. James Johnson settled near the bridge in the spring of 1863, and also old Mr. Bingaman. The great freight trains and thousands of movers across the plains made Camden bridge a noted place, as it was a favorite camping ground. Gen. Vifquain lived just across the county line; also Mr. Stanton and James West lived a couple of miles or so west of Camden. It was a common sight to see a hundred camps in the vicinity of the bridge. All classes of people were among the throngs of passengers, some
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
very rich and some miserably poor. They were with all sorts of ve- hicles ,with gilded carriages, with finely caparisoned horses, and others with an ox and a cow yoked together, with old rickety wagons; sometimes from thirty to sixty great freight wagons, with six yokes of steers to each, loaded with meat, flour, machinery, and merchan- dise ; great droves of cattle, and once we saw an immense drove of turkeys, several thousand, wending their way to the mountains. Some of these pilgrims were of the best of people and some were of the worst. Many of them were refugees from Missouri, fleeing from the wrath that their crimes had engendered in the bloody work of that state in the early years of the war. Some of these fel- lows were blood-thirsty and vicious in the extreme. All classes of men carried weapons for defensive and offensive purposes, and occa- sionally fearful crimes were committed. Grain and hay were in great demand and brought extremely high prices. We have known corn to sell at $2.50 per bushel, and hay to bring six cents per pound. The traffic on the road was immense, and continued to increase in volume until the U. P. railroad reached Grand Island. Then this. business all ceased.
H. W. Parker and Ford Roper, of Beatrice, commenced the erec- tion of the Camden mills and founded the village of Camden in 1866. For a time Camden seemed to be a very important point, and bid fair to be the great city of this valley, but the change in the route of the main line of the B. & M. railroad changed the whole face of matters, and killed Camden as dead as a mackerel. Mr. Parker did much to build Camden, and his mill was of incalculable benefit to the early settlers.
At the old bridge was the first post-office of the county established, and for several years Camden was the distributing point for a vast area of country. James Johnson was the first postmaster. Wm. Buchanan was the first regular merchant of the county. Thomas. Graham taught Camden's first school in the winter of 1866 and 1867.
" P" precinct has much rough land, and consequently has fallen behind many other precincts in population. The census gives her 536 population and ninety-three farms. The mill was sold to Lord Jones and moved off, and now one of the finest water-powers of our state lies idle, but we trust that when the track is laid from Milford to Crete that that splendid power may attract attention. The pre- cinct has six school-houses and one church edifice.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
HISTORIC LETTER FROM THE PEN OF JAMES A. BROWN, FORMERLY OF SEWARD, BUT NOW OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
Los ANGELES, CAL., Dec. 12, 1887.
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