USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward county, Nebraska, together with a chapter of reminiscenses of the early settlement of Lancaster county > Part 12
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W. W. Cox:
DEAR SIR-Yours of Dec. 5th came to hand a few days ago. When I declined to write you a historical letter upon the early his- tory of Seward county, I then hoped that you would not further insist upon my writing, as at present I have but little inclination in that way. But as you still insist that I must do it, I will attempt to record some of my first experiences connected with my making a home in Seward county. In February, 1866, as I was on my way from Leavenworth, Kan., to Denver, Colo., and while waiting at Fort Kearney for teams enough to get together to make a train large enough to defend ourselves from the Indians, who were very bad at that time, I became acquainted with Ramsey Grant, who lived on the south side of the Platte, opposite Columbus, and who was after- wards killed by the Indians. He described to me in glowing terms the country, to such an extent that I promised to visit him on my return from Denver, and take a look at his country. In the month of April, 1866, I came down and spent a few days with him, and spent the time in looking at the country. While there I heard that a settlement had been started on the Blue River to the south of them, and that there was considerable timber there, which was a main con- sideration, as the soil was good everywhere in the country. I resolved to go and see it, and when I saw it considered it good, and resolved to remain and help develop it.
I found in the north half of the county the following families, at the time of my visit : David Imlay, Sen., and two unmarried sons and a daughter, and being a bachelor, I " corralled" the danghter, and . whether it was for my everlasting happiness or eternal misery is none of your business ;* Wm. Imlay, W. W. Cox, R. T. Gale, E. L. Clark, Sen., Thomas Dunaway and Mother, Richard Sampson, Lewis Moffitt, J. N. Roberts, Thomas Skillman, John Durland, and F. E. Pitt. A number of other families came in that spring, among whom were the Hagamans, E. L. Ellis, John Roberts, Sen., J. C. Sampson; and in the fall a few more families arrived-Roger Cooper, Wm.
* The author happens to know that Mr. Brown made no mistake in choice of a wife.
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Cooper, E. B. Shafer, and Geo. W. Rogers. There were also a few people at the Oak Groves, among whom were J. D. Main, Mr. John A. Scott, and a few others, I think, but am not positive about it, as I did not become acquainted over there the first year. After that year it would be difficult to keep track of all that came.
In April, 1867, the river was higher than I ever saw it afterwards, caused by the heavy snows of the previous winter, which was the coldest winter that I ever saw there or anywhere else. In fact it was terrible, and as the people had poor houses, I was glad there were no more of them at the time. In 1867 there was a good crop of wheat and some corn and vegetables, but the grasshoppers got most of the corn. With the experience of the winter before, and with the time to prepare for it, the people were in better condition for the next winter, which being a mild one in comparison with the preceding one, but little suffering was experienced.
In the summer of 1868 the first buildings were erected on the town site of Seward. I think there were five that year, and on the Fourth of July a few of the people congregated on the public square and elevated a pole that was used as a flag staff for a number of years. Yearly additions were made to the town by buildings and people, till at present it has become as fine an inland town as can be found in Nebraska, Lincoln excepted. As I notice that you have described the county seat troubles I will not mention them.
In August, 1869, Mr. S. G. Mathewas and T. L. Norval first made a visit to Seward. At that time "Op," now the honorable judge of the sixth judicial district of Nebraska, looked like a school boy just out of school, but since that time he has acquired enormous proportions. The Norval Bros. were among the first attorneys who located in Seward, though F. M. Elsworth was there about a year before, but we had but little use for lawyers, as it took all we could make to feed ourselves, and as to clothing, we will not mention the " old rags " that we covered our nakedness with, for we were truly what the people of Colorado called the Nebraskans when meeting them on the plains, " ragged Nebraskans." In fact the name was applicable to us for a number of years after I went there, and I do not think I should feel at home in Nebraska now unless I could be allowed to let my rags float in the breezes as of yore.
I omitted to chronicle the advent of H. L. Boyes and family in the
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fall of 1867, who started a saw-mill, I think in the following sum- mer, which was a great convenience to the people in getting lumber to make themselves and stock more comfortable. Said saw-mill after- wards gave place to a flouring mill, which enabled the people to feed themselves better. All the people owe Father Boyes a debt of grat- itude for first providing them with means to erect houses and then with bread, and may he and his estimable lady long live to sit upon their porch and listen to the whir of the old mill wheel, and enjoy the society of their hosts of friends. While the people had grass- hoppers to contend with, Mr. Boyes had the Blue river to watch dur- ing freshets. His first grist-mill was so ruined as to be comparatively worthless, but the old man had the " sand " in his crop, and went to work with energy and rebuilt the structure, which he has again replaced with the present splendid structure to take the place of the old saw-mill. In the freshets above mentioned the people were frequently put to straits by the bridges on the streams washing out, when they would often have to travel many miles to cross the river, or swim it. A little cottonwood skiff that I made in the spring of 1867 aided a great many people to cross the river, which they other- wise could not have done.
Although we were all poor, and at times had hard work to make ourselves comfortable, yet I think we enjoyed ourselves as well as Claudius Jones does to-day with his fine houses and barns and pre- mium Short-horns and untold treasures. This teaches us that wealth is not indispensable to happiness.
In the year 1874 the whole country west of the Missouri river suffered severely with drouth, which nearly annihilated the corn and vegetable crop, but the grasshoppers came in August and took what the drouth had not already destroyed, and unjustly the loss of the whole crop was charged to them.
Since 1876 the grasshoppers have not visited the state, and from that time Nebraska can date the dawning of her prosperity. With her fine soil, even if the climate is at times severe, it must soon rank as an agricultural state second to none. But as Hon. Geo. Geddes remarked some years ago, in a communication to the New York Tribune : " Any country that will produce grass will sustain a popu- lation," and Nebraska has become a better grass producing country, especially for the tame grasses, than the most sanguine dared hope
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for fifteen years ago. With the surety of producing cheap food for stock, Nebraska must ever take rank among the first as a stock pro- ducing state, and the people of all stock countries may at least become independent.
I have written more than I first intended. I mean more words, but I fear that when you come to use the critic's eye of a historian you will find but little that you can use in your book. I hope you will thus treat it, for this is not intended for publication without such treatment, as I hardly know what to write, my not knowing what you have written, but if I have even furnished you with some ideas and expressions I shall be pleased.
I hope some day to visit Nebraska again, as, "with all her faults, I love her still," even if I do like the winters of Southern California better. With my best wishes for the success of your efforts, and for the future of that fair land and her prosperity,
I am yours, JAMES A. BROWN.
LETTER FROM E. W. OLNEY, OF " A " TOWN.
December 18th, 1887. W. W. Cox:
DEAR SIR-John A. Scott located on his claim on section twenty, township twelve, range four east, in the spring of 1864, and John Owens settled on section twenty-eight in the summer of 1864. Asa Munn made settlement on section two in 1866; John Royce on sec- tion twenty-eight, J. D. Maine and J. D. Olney on section twenty- two, Warren Brown on section twenty-three. Royal Dart settled on section thirty-two in 1867; S. M. Darnall on section twenty-two, and John Darnall on section twelve, the same year.
The first school was taught by Miss Sarah A. Scott, on the Jack Royce place, in a log school-house, in 1867. Rev. George Clapp preached the first sermon in the old log school-house, in the same year. Rev. Robert Rowbottom organized the first church (M. E.) in 1875.
Until 1869 we had to go to Lincoln for our mail. At that time an office was established. G. B. Hardenburg was our first postmaster, and held his office in the old house of Milton Langdon, on section twenty-one. A steam saw-mill was established in 1868, by Kirkam
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and Hughes, and proved of great help to the people. Our mail was carried by a buckboard first, and later by a stage.
Our growth and progress have been slow but sure. Our growth has been steady. Quite a number of the first settlers have passed off the stage of action, among whom were Milton Langdon and wife, Mrs. Gillman Garland, David Hawkins, J. D. Maine and wife, and Simeon Munn.
This region has always been known as the Oak Groves, and it is quite historic ground. It is unlike any other portion of the county. The land is what we term rough or broken, has many quite deep cañons, and each of these has a beautiful rippling brook of clear spring water. Excellent springs are numerous. When the settle- ment began in 1864, these canons were all thickly set to oak timber. This timber was hauled to the salt works for fuel, and to the table- land for all purposes, and finally, when the capital was located at Lancaster (Lincoln), scores of teams were kept busy hauling wood, and before the cars had reached the new city, these fine groves were all, or nearly all destroyed. There was a vast amount of valuable timber all through this section of country, and it seems sad that it should have been so ruthlessly destroyed. Many of these hills are full of a very superior quality of limestone Many kilns of lime were burned, and the lime found a market at Lincoln, Seward, and throughout the farming region roundabout. While this is not deemed as desirable for farming purposes as the level plain to the westward, yet we have very many excellent farms in the valleys, and for stock purposes our advantages are unsurpassed.
We have three railroad stations within easy reach-Germantown, on the B. & M., Raymond, on the U. P., and " B," on the North- western.
Our soil is excellent, our water is of the very best, and abundant, and we generally have happy and comfortable homes. How we got our start of hogs was related by Mr. Cox, the author of this book. There was an old Missourian, we forget his name, wanted to get his hogs out of reach of the soldier boys in war time, so in about the spring of 1863, he drove forty or fifty shoats up to the Groves, moved his family along with them, and sojourned there while the war clouds hung heavily over Missouri. The hogs, like the family ran wild, and were rather more untractable, and when the old man
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found it convenient to move again the hogs were faring so well in the timber and tall weeds that they concluded not to move on uncertainties ; they would rather stay, and they did stay. So the early settlers found the timber full of fat hogs, and they did not suffer for meat ; and frequently an old sow with a fine litter of pigs was captured, and a start of hogs was secured.
LETTER FROM MRS. H. W. PARKER.
BEATRICE, Nov. 28, 1887.
Mr. W. W. Cox:
DEAR SIR AND FRIEND-Mr. Parker received your letter, and being very much engaged in a public way, as city councilman, etc., and just on the eve of his departure for California on a visit, he has- delegated me to answer yours.
I am truly interested in your letters of " Then and Now," and am very willing to contribute my remembrances if they will add interest to your work, but I have forgotten exact dates and have not the faculty of condensing and making brief my letters, so as to be suit- able for publication, but I will do the best I can.
At one time (perhaps you remember), the Camden Mills was a popular resort for social and Christmas parties, dances and New Year's gatherings, etc. One time at a large dance, when there were over a hundred and fifty people present, after the dance Major Strunk read a beautiful poem, after which he read a notice which a Methodist circuit preacher had handed me, giving notice that there would be preaching at the Mill two weeks from the following Sunday, and re- questing as large a turn out as was there on the present occasion. The result was we had a large congregation, but it was hard to get a second audience, for in those days they came from ten miles distant and seemed to be attracted by amusement and recreation, rather than stale would-be preaching ; but we were all interested in having good singing and enjoyed that part immensely. In those days there were no paid chorister or select singers, but all the audience joined whether they could sing or not. Ha! Ha!
The raising the mill, the washout, the high water, the losing of all our lumber, so that we had to live in a dugout two years more, made a deep and feeling impression on my mind. Propping up the
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roof of our dugout with six or eight posts inside, to keep the roof from falling in, and burying us up with the wagon loads of sod and soil that formed the roof.
FLEAS.
For six months I know I suffered torture enough to atone for the sins of a life-time. Did I believe in eternal punishment I should say fleas had filled the bill.
The venison, elk, and antelope meat were pleasant attractions with our Indian friends, who camped one winter for about three months near Camden. The squaws used to come over and cut wood for us. At one time I had two chopping wood at the door, and I had the papooses strapped on their boards and kept inside for me to watch. When they cried, the squaws would motion me to tilt the board, and the little fellows would go to sleep.
There were many little incidents of interest, but 'twas so long ago that I cannot remember them well enough to fix them up in shape to put them into print. I forget their proper connections.
It was not me that Lawyer P. pulled the bed clothes from, but my hired girl, Miss Anna Bingaman, now Mrs. Dan Harris. I had not yet retired, but I was terribly frightened that night, and I have had a dislike for some of those folks ever since.
Fordyce Roper and my husband (Hiram W. Parker) built the first saw and grist-mill in the county, in 1865 and 1866, at a cost of $15,- 000. High water delayed the completion of the grist-mill by wash- ing out the dam and cutting out a perfect race around the mill, sub- merging their lumber yard, carrying down the river $2,000 worth of lumber. But with indomitable energy and will to overcome obsta- cles, such as losses and high prices of machinery, etc., the mill was finally completed and in successful operation, turning out good flour, which caused general rejoicing of all the settlers for many miles around, who had been compelled to go from fifty to sixty miles to mill. We had to board mill-wright, carpenters, and other hands more than a full year, instead of two or three months as we had ex- pected, produce being extremely high. For potatoes we had to pay $3 per bushel, 40 cents for butter, and I remember we paid Uncle Billy Stanton 27 cents per pound for bacon; coffee, sugar, flour, and all other provisions in proportion. We paid the commonest carpen- ter $2 per day and board, and the mill-wright much more, and this
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was what swelled the expense of the mill. We paid $3 per day for our sawyer, $3 per week for kitchen girl, and we had no spacious mansion, our home being a dug-out. I do not remember the date they got to making flour. I know they had just succeeded in getting the three-story frame up the day before the ice went out of the river, which was in March, 1866. I know they felt safe, as the river was clear of ice, but the water kept rising for three days, which we could not account for, but when weeks had elapsed news reached Camden that there had been continuous rains on the heads of the river. This was explained too late for us to remedy the destruction of the prop- erty by the flood.
FROM THE PEN OF I. M. K. JOHNSON.
Thomas West and family, consisting of his wife, Catharine, and sons, Cornelius, Thomas, John, Charles, and James, and daughter, Isabella, settled at West Mills on the West Blue, in the spring of 1860. They had many hardships to endure in 1861; their log cabin, together with about all their worldly goods except a few cattle, were burned by the Indians, supposed to be Omahas disguised as Sioux. This was in the fall, and the family suffered great hardships during the following winter. The Indians were very troublesome, and stole much of Uncle Tommy's crops of that year. With the exception of the families of Orin Johnson and James West, who lived near, there was no settlement nearer than Victor Vifquain, near the forks of the Blue, and the Morgans on the North Blue, from eight to ten miles distant.
Their place of trade was Nebraska City, eighty-two miles distant. Uncle Tommy started a supply store (this was in 1862, according to the best information attainable), and once a month sent a team for sup- plies of such goods as were in demand by frontiersmen. An invoice of a load of goods would read about as follows: Powder, two kegs; lead, from one to two hundred lbs. ; percussion caps, from one to two hundred boxes; one bbl. whiskey, flour, bacon, one hundred lbs. to- bacco, fifty or a hundred traps, and some miscellaneous articles. When roads were good a trip could be made in five days. Although the Indians committed many atrocities on the Platte and the Little Blue, and were very threatening, Uncle Tommy's family never de- serted their home nor abandoned it during the darkest hours, but in
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times of great danger guarded their stock and goods as best they could, and at last got on such good terms that they were able to do a thriving trade with the Indians. They buried their son John in 1862. This was a sad affliction. This was probably the first white person buried in the county. John was buried in what is now West Mills cemetery.
Mr. West built a saw-mill, and put in a small burr and ground corn as early as the summer of 1864.
He is remembered by all the old settlers as a genial, kind-hearted man. The latch string of his cabin door was always out, and no one in want ever called on him in vain. By his energy a post-office was established in 1865 at the mill and store. He was elected county clerk at the first organization in 1865. He died in 1879, and was buried beside his son, being followed to the grave by all his old neigh- bors as mourners of one they had known to love and respect. His widow followed him to the tomb in the winter of 1885. These dear old people have gone to the better world, leaving very many sad hearts at their departure. Unele Tommy acted well his part in the development of this new land, and for the many acts of kindness shown he will ever be remembered by all the earlier settlers.
(The author of this little book has a very warm place in his heart for the memory of the kind old people.)
UncleTommy and family came from Maryland to Missouri, thence to Nebraska. They started for California to seek gold, but became disgusted with the company that they started with, and left it, and made their home in this wilderness. His son Charles lives now on the old farm, and James and Thomas live within a mile. Isabella, now Mrs. Orin Johnson, still lives on a homestead which her husband settled upon in 1861. Her husband went to Oregon many years ago, and has not been heard from since he left, and it is supposed that he is dead. Cornelius lives in Missouri. Orin Johnson's family lost several children in an early day-1867-with the measles. Only two of the children yet live, and they, Fanny and Ida, are living with their mother. There was no doctor nearer than Salt Basin. A messenger was sent, and made the round trip, fifty-six miles, in eight hours, bringing back a Frenchman who claimed to be a doctor, and the people expected that he knew his business. He proved to be a frand in all but his charges. All the children whom he doctored died.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
In the years 1864 and 1865 settlers began to locate all along the West Blue valley. At that time the idea prevailed that the uplands were worthless for cultivation. It was thought that the showers only followed the valleys of the streams, and that the high prairies could not be made to produce grain. The carly settlers on Salt creek used to say that it never rained twenty miles west of Salt creek.
William J. Clark moved to his homestead just below West's mill in 1862. Mr. Clark came from New York state to Illinois, when Chi- eago was about the size of Seward. He run a fishing boat on the lake until he moved to Seward county. He had buried his wife at Chicago, and was accompanied to this county by his three daughters. Mr. Clark proved to be a thrifty and successful farmer. He raised a large amount of vegetables and supplied the travel on the great road. He was a model frontiersman. He had had the misfortune to have his right hand erippled, yet he could do and did about as much work as other men. Mr. Clark died in 1886, leaving quite a handsome property and some money in the bank for his daughters. He was highly respected by all his neighbors, and mourned by a host of friends.
Samuel Englehouft and wife (Amanda) and their five children, Ellen, Mary Anne, George, Daniel, and Albert, moved to this county in the spring of 1865. Alice, their younger daughter, was born here in 1865. Albert died in October, 1882. When they arrived in Seward county they had only a team and wagon, a few sacks of corn meal, and not a dollar in money. He bravely went to work and raised a patch of sod corn, and worked in Mr. West's mill, and in a few years became well to do. He was very fond of hunt- ing; was an excellent neighbor and well respected. He died September 16, 1885, and was buried in the cemetery bearing his own name, leaving his aged widow, who, with her son George, still lives on the old homestead. The other children are all married and doing well. The family originally came from Pennsylvania to Manona, Illinois ; from there to Vinton, Iowa, thence to Nebraska. It is said to the credit of the family that no one was ever permitted to leave their house hungry.
Jesse R. Johnson and wife, Rachel, with family, William P. and Clara B., came to their present home, two and a half miles above West's mills, in 1864. Mr. Johnson came from Cincinnati in an
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early day to Illinois. At the time they settled in Seward county, provisions were scarce and high in price, and times were very hard, but by great energy the family lived it through until brighter days dawned, and now they are the happy possessors of a goodly heritage, having a fine farm and a magnificent orchard that has been bearing fruit for many years. He was the first (we believe) to plant an or- chard in the county. Fruit was a hobby with him, and he always insisted that this would prove to be a splendid fruit county. Others watched his success, and now this county compares very favorably with any portion of Nebraska or the West. Mr. J. served several terms as justice of the peace, and was the first elected in the south part of the county. He was a good hunter and trapper and his table never was without meat. The furs and pelts secured were a source of profit. Through his energy school district No. 3 was formed, and a log school-house, which still stands as a landmark, was built mostly by himself. This old school-house stands on the farm of David Barton. His daughter Clara is now Mrs. A. C. Smith, and lives in the same neighborhood.
James West, brother of Thomas West, and his wife, Margaret, set- tled on a nice farm in the vicinity of his brother's farm in the spring of 1860. They then had two daughters, Eliza and Kate. Alexan- der, their oldest son, was born November 7, 1860, and was the first white child born in the county. Alexander continued his res- idence in the county until the fall of 1887, or about twenty- seven years. The father and all the family, consisting at present of eight children, moved to Kansas, whither they were followed by the kindly wishes of all the neighbors. Mr. West was a very generous man, and any weary stranger found a hearty welcome under his roof. The family had their full share of privations and hardships of a frontier life.
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