USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Washington County, Nebraska; its early settlement and present status, resources, advantages and future prospects > Part 5
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The first sermon preached in the town, was in the fall of 1855, by a strange old character who wandered in one day, announced himself as a minister and asked for a room in which to hold religious services. A room was 'furnished him by Harrison Critz, proprietor of a boarding house, and it is remembered to this day, that the old man prayed that "this people may not become as barbarous as other heathen," to which the crowd present responded, " Amen !" Another wandering preacher was preaching there somewhat later to a congregation which filled the room full to overflowing, when a party of rowdys vented their disappointment at not being able to gain admittance by knocking the minister over his improvised pulpit, by throwing a dead dog at him.
In the fall of 1859, a young man was arrested on suspicion of being a member of a band of horse-thieves, which operated extensively in the vi- cinity, and was known to have its headquarters in or about the town. The young fellow " squealed" on condition he be released, aud disclosed the whereabouts-in an old cave-of regularly drawn articles of organiza- tion, signed by the band, together with other valuable documents. The names of men standing high in the settlement and never before suspected, were found attached to these papers, and in consequence of their discov- ery, quite number of De Soto's leading citizens immediately decamped, and the band of horse-thieves was effectually broken up, though not until several arrests had been made.
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
A mile or two below De Soto, the Mormons made a settlement in 1846, after having been driven out of Nauvoo, Ill., and remained several years. Here were found well burned brick, in considerable quantities, by the first settlers of De Soto, which brick were used in walling up wells. Brigham Young occupied quarters one winter on the ground on which the De Soto flouring mill was built a few years ago.
Among the early settlers of the town, were the following : Judge Jes- sie T. Davis and family, Harrison Critz and family, Hugh McNeeley and family, Geo. Mckinney and family, Sam Lewis, Z. Jackson, Potter C. Sullivan and family, Ephriam Sullivan and family, David McDonald and family, Porter S. Walker, Stephen Cass and family, James E. Smith and family, Z. Meekam and family, George W, Marlin and family, Z. S. Mar- tin and family, Jeremiah Barnhart, Michael Tobey, T. M. Carter, (for whom Carter's Creek was named), Aleck Carter, Jr., Elisha P. Stout, Ed- ward and Edwin Hayes, J. Bliss, Jacob Hill, J. T. McGiddagan, A. Phin- ney, Henry Way, Wm. Clancy, Jerry Sullivan, Charles Seltz, Roger T. Beall, E. N. Grennell, Geo. E. Scott and family, Samuel Francis and family, E. A. Allen, (now of Omaha,) Leroy and Lewis Tucker, with their families, Frank Goodwill and family, P. H. Knapp and family, Charles Powell, (now a member of the Board of Education at Omaha, ) and family, Dr. Cutts and family, Con Orem, (who afterward became a noted pugalist in Colorado), A. Castetter and family, J. Tucker, J. W. Damon, Thos. R. Wilson, G W. Wilson, M. V. Wilson, Soloman Hime- line, George Obhurst, J. P. Ames, Constant Cacheline and family, Louis Bouvier and family. Dr. John Glover and family, W. H. B Stout, (now of Lincoln,) David Stout, Ferdinand Bujon and family, Joseph Buga and family, Geo. McKenzie and family, and John Carrigan and family.
The first district school house was built in 1860, and was 22x40 feet. There had been schools taught in the town previous to this date; however.
The lawyers who have located at De Soto and flung their shingles to the breeze, up to date, are : P. C. Sullivan, Charles D. Davis, Thomas P. Kennard, Roger T. Beall, Jessie T. Davis, John Carrigan and W. W Foote. The doctors are : Dr. - Cutts, Dr. - MeLaughlin, Dr. John Glo- ver, Dr. - Cannon, Dr. Charles Emerson Tennent, Dr. F. H. Longey, and Dr. S. H. Fawcett.
In 1856, Isaac Parrish, an ex-Congressman from Ohio, came to De Soto and "jumped" the western portion of the town site, building and occupying a claim shanty. The claim club called upon him and asked for an explanation, whereupon he agreed to give up his claim, provided he was allowed to put in a ferry across the Missouri opposite the town, which proposition was agreed to. Parish then jumped a portion of a town site called Cincinnati, on the opposite side of the river, at Shingle Point.
The first child born in De Soto, and probably the first in the county, was John Critz, born in June 1855. The first marriage was that of Thos. M. Carter and Miss Sullivan, sister of Poter C. Sullivan, the bride being but fourteen years of age at the time.
40
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
BLAIR.
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A FLOURISHING LITTLE CITY .- FACTS AND FIGURES SHOWING ITS PROGRESS.
Blair can very properly be referred to as a " magic city." It was laid out in 1869, the first lots being sold on the 10th of March of that year, at auction. The town was locatel by John I. Blair and associates, members of the Sioux City and Pacific railroad company. The deeds to purchas- ers of lots came from John I. Blair and wife through W. W. Walker "at- torney-in-fact" until about two years ago, since which they have been signed by " The Nebraska Town Company." At the first sale lots to the amount of over $100,000 were disposed of, and the town built up during the summer and fall of 1869 with remarkable rapidity. Its growth since has not been so rapid, but its prosperity has been unchecked, and the in- crease in population has been steady and continuous. The residents of the place have shown rare judgment and forethought in the planting of trees along the streets and about their grounds, and five years from this time Blair will be one of the most attractive towns in the State. The railroad company set a good example in the matter of tree planting, having, in the first settlement of the place, themselves planted out a handsonie little park directly in front of their depot. These trees are now so large that the park was used last Fourth of July for the ceremonies of the day, which were attended by hundreds from all parts of the country. The Fourth of July, 1870. was also generally celebrated at Blair by the residents of the county. Then the public exercises were held in the pavillion of a circus which happened to be in the town. The oration was delivered by Judge John S. Bowen, and the celebration was a very pleasant affair indeed.
The first business house established in Blair was that of Herman Bros., dry goods, and the next that of Clark & Donovan, dealers in gro- ceries and hardware, who afterwards sold out to John J. Adams. Among ocher business men who located at Blair at an early day, and are now doing business there, are West & Lewis, dry goods ; Rosa & McBride, dry goods; J. H. Post, drugs; Haller & Lane, drugs; John Zerung-afterwards Peterson & Zerung-drugs; Smith & Dexter, dry goods; Martin Gallagher, furniture; Mathewson & Logan, dry goods and groceries ; Palmer & Co., dry goods and groceries ; M. C. Huyett, clothing ; H. McBride, dry goods and groceries ; Haller Bros.,
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
dry goods and groceries ; William Maher, dry goodsand groceries ; R. W. Dawson, groceries ; Wm. McCormick, groceries ; E. Frederick, dry goods and groceries ; H. C. Riordan-then Riordan & Kenney, and now Kenney & Stewart, hardware ; Gus. Lunt, hardware; Graves & Freder- ick, agricultural implements ; Chas. Shesrig, bakery, J. Nestal, bakery ; A. Casper, bakery ; M. Johnson, R. Waldo & Son, John Miller, -Lewis, Valentine Ganz, boots and shoes ; M. C. Huyett & Co., Denney & Wild, Elam Clark & Son, James Foley, Kenney & Stewart, A. M. Crowdy, C. H. Eggleson, Foley & Lippincott, and E. M. Demmy, agricultural im- plements ; Miss Lantry, Miss W. C. Walton, Mrs. McKay, Mrs. Hiiton, Mrs. Sarah E. Hidley, and Mrs. R. W. Dawson, millinery, Hotels have been established and kept by the following named persons ; Keiley Bros., Martin Kloos, Wm. Maher; Wm. Carson, Mrs. A. M. Quimby, Mrs. E. E. Sketchley, George Seik, and Henry Seurt. Levy & Chapman, -Hammersling, and John Connell have been or are now en- gaged in dealing in harness. Butcher shops have been kept or are still kept by Sheeley & Irvy, Wm. O'Hara, Wm, Miller, J. C. Hart, M. V. Wilson, John Connell, Bowen & Parks, J. G. Smith, and John Parks. Grain dealers, Elam Clark & Son, C. C. Crowell, and the Blair City Mill Co. Blacksmiths, John Tew, Frank Stanford, Ed. Cochrane, and John H. Smith. Physicians, F. H. Longley, S. B. Taylor, S. H. Fawcett, C. Emerson Tennant, -- McLean, D. H. O'Linn, Wm. H. Palmer. Lawyers, Davis & Carrigan-now Carrigan and Osborne-W. C. Walton, B. F. Hilton, J. S. Bowen, M. Ballard, A. D. Brainard, and S. H. Tucker. Real estate agents, Alex. Reed, Alonzo Perkins, A. Castetter. Banker, A. Castetter.
The Blair City mill, which was completed recently, is doing a fine bus- iness. It is owned by H. B. Dexter, Eli H. Turton, V. G. Lantry, T. M. Carter, and Mr. Wortendyke.
Dr. S. H. Fawcett is postmaster, with Harry M. Bowen as assistant.
The asessed valuation of real estate, for taxable purposes was, last year $116,005; personal property $60,390. The amount received from taxes and licenses for 1875 was 83,555.62. The liquor license is $500 per annum, and the result is the town is not overrun with low droggeries. The license on theatrical exhibitions, circuses, etc., is from three to twenty-five dollars.
The newspapers of Blair are referred to in preceeding pages.
The town of Blair was first under control of a board of trustees ap- pointed by the county commissioners, and consisted of the following named :
1869-J. H. Post, chairman, Alex Reed, Dr. F. H. Longley, C. B. Herman, M. V. Wilson.
1870-Dr. S. W. Fawcett, chairman, J. D. Kieley, A. T. Chapin, John Ayer, Dr. S. B. Taylor, Alex Reed, John Carrigan, attorney.
1871-J. H. Hungate chairman, A. F. Chapin, J. H. Kimball, Peter Seih, Dr. S, B. Taylor.
42
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
1872-L. W. Osborne chairman. J. H. Hungate, Peter Seih, J. H. Kimball, W. C. Walton.
In September, 1872, the town was organized as a city of the second- class, and the following named were elected :
J. H. Hungate mayor, Wm. Maher, E. M. Denny, John W. Tew, Mike Gallagher, councilmen ; Jno. S. Bowen, police judge ; Rice Arnold, city marshal.
1873-C. C. Crowell, mayor ; E. M. Denny, Mike Gallagher. W. Maher, W. C. Walton, councilmen ; Jesse T. Davis, police judge ; Thomas S. Heck, clerk, Joe Fox, city marshal.
1874-Dr. W. H. Palmer, mayor; E. M. Denny, F. H. Matthisen, Dr. D. H. O'Linn, W. D. Gross, councilmen ; Jesse T. Davis, police judge; Thomas Heck, clerk ; Joe Fox, marshal.
1875-J. H. Hungate, mayor ; Dr. D. H. O'Linn, W. D. Gross, Dr. W. H. Palmer, Henry Collins, councilmen ; A. Rockwell, clerk and po- lice judge; Alex Reed, treasurer, Joe Fox, city marshal.
1876-F. W. Kenny, mayor; O. V. Palmer, W. D. Gross, H. C. Graves, E. Cacheline, councilmen ; A. Rockwell, police judge; E. M. Denny, clerk ; Alex Reed, treasurer; H. L. Fisher, marshal.
The Blair High School building, erected in 1872 at a cost of $15.000, is one of the finest in the state; and with its efficient corps of teacher is fast acquiring reputation as a first-class institution of learning.
Last year over $300,00 was used in shipping hogs and cattle front Blair by regular dealers, distributed about as follows :
James Foley, $100,000; W. W. Mckinney, $50,000 ; Herman Bros., $60,000; J. P. & W. W. Latta, $50,000; Iowa parties, $25,000 ; O. Dodson, $20,000 ; G. W. Wilson, $15,000. In addition to this, A. S. Warrick, Charles Blackstone, R. Blasco, Joseph Johnson, Wm. Hilgenkamp, and other farmers shipped stock extensively on their own account, which would make the total amount of money used in this business during the season, probably $400,000.
'The building used for a court house was erected for school purposes by a firm of contractors in Blair, as a private speculation. The school au- thorities did not conclude to purchase the building, however, and it was sold to the county. In it are located the offices of the county treasurer and clerk, a hall on the second floor being used for court purposes. The finances of the county have been ably managed, as a general thing, and, as it is one of the wealthiest and most prosperous counties in the State, a suitable and commodious court house is doubtless a thing of the near future. One bill of expense, to which the county has been subjected, has arisen from three or four protracted murder trials, in each of which cases there has been disagreements by the jury, necessitating a second hearing. The expense of the Randall trial alone was about $5,000-a sum sufficient to pay court expenses for two years, under ordinary circumstances.
The county jail is located several squares from the court house, and is, perhaps, less suited for jail purposes than any similar structure on the face of the earth, being small, inconveniently arranged, and the cells damp and unhealthly. It was built soon after the county seat was loca- ted at Blair, and cost some $8,000. For this sum an excellent jail building, large enough to supply the wants of the county for half a century, could now be built. It seems to be an absolute necessity, however, that coun- ties in the west should pay for some very expensive lessons, and Wash- ington county in comparison with some of her neighbors, has passed through this experience at a moderate outlay.
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
CUMING CITY.
ONE OF THE OLDEST TOWNS IN THE STATE-A COLLEGE WHICH HAS NO GRADUATES-A BRACE OF ANCIENT NEWSPAPERS-A TERRIBLE SCARE.
The following sketch of Cuming City, is taken from the the very in- teresting historical address of Mr. Perry Selden, delivered at Blair, July 4th, of the present year :
"Cuming City, one of the ancient cities of Washington county, was. " claimed" by P. G. Cooper and two others, in September, 1854. No set- tlement was made, however, until the spring of 1855. when actual settlers early made their appearance, in sufficient numbers to justify the project- of a city. Accordingly a "site" was located, mapped, surveyed, and named in honor of the Acting Governor, T. B. Cuming. It is claimed that the election for Burt county, in December, 1854, was held near Cum- ing City, on South creek ; while others claim for that honor, a position in the willows, on the bank of the Missouri River, near De Soto. The later is, no doubt, the most valid claim, as the parties to that election came up from Omaha on the day of voting, and were not likely, under the circum- stances, to go farther than across the imaginary line, which was at that time between De Soto and Fort Calhoun. Be this as it may, certain it is, that the regular election at Cuming City, in November, 1855, was held under a cottonwood tree, near the present bridge on South creek.
"Flattered and encouraged with the patronage of territorial officials Cuming City soon became a place of importance and great future pros- pects. The inevitable ferry charter was granted to P. G. Cooper in Janu- ary, 1856, by the legislature, and the same month " Washington College" was incorporated and located at Cuming City, and the same act appointed a board of Trustees consisting of the following distinguished persons, viz : R. R. Folsom, James Mitchell, T. B. Cuming, Mark W. Izard, P. G. Cooper, William B. Hall, John C. Campbell and J. B. Radford.
" In 1857 the Nebraska Pioneer, a weekly newspaper was started under the management of a man named Dimmick. At the election in Novelli- ber, 1856, one of the representative men of Cuming City and an early set- tler, Mr. James S. Stewart, was chosen as a representative, together with E. P. Stout and William Connor; while William Claucy was elected councilman.
" In 1857 there was in Cuming City, fifty-three dweeling houses, three stores, three hotels, besides several boarding houses and a number of saloons. At the election this year Cuming City was again honored by the selection of two of its prominent citizens as representatives : Mr. James
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
S. Stewart was re-elected with P. G. Cooper of Cuming City, and Alonzo Perkins, of De Soto, as colleagues.
"In 1858 came into existence, and flourished for a while, the Cuming City Star, a weekly newspaper conducted by L. M. Kline. In November 1858, by act of the legislature, the "Cuming City Ferry Company" was incorporated, and by the same act the former charter granted to P. G. Cooper, was revoked. This ferry company consisted of P. G. Cooper, L. M. Kline. George A. Brigham, and others.
"The first general fourth of July celebration in Washington county occurred at the grove on North Creek, near Cuming City, in 1860. Almost the entire population of the county was in attendance. Judge John S. Bowen was the orator of the day, and the Declaration of Independence was read by Alman Bender. A band from Tekamah was in attendance, and altogether the affair was a grand success without precedent or paral- lel in the history of the county. Cuming City at this time was more flourishing and populous than at any more recent date Although it con- tinued a place of some importance, yet the zenith of its glory had been reached and for the ensuing nine years there was no perceptible change."
It was at this celebration that a newly wedded wife came near being abandonded by her husband. Among those present was a Methodist preacher by the name of Turman, who was stationed at Fontenelle that year, and was known far and near for his eccentricities. He had mar- ried recently to the astonishment of all his acquaintances and to his own also, no doubt, and he and Mrs. Turman both attended this fourth of July celebration. As the people were leaving the grove in the evening, after the festivities of the day, some one in the wagon in which Furman was riding, suddenly turned to him with the inquiry: "Why, Mr. Tur- man, where's your wife ?" "Sure enough," exclaimed the absent-minded preacher, as he jumped from the wagon to return to the grove, "I knew I had forgotten something," and he ran back in search of his missing rib.
Among the first setttlers of Cuming City may be mentioned Jacob Pate, Lorenzo Pate, J. Zimmerman, J. Gall, E. Pilcher, P. G. Cooper, J. S. Stewart, L. M. Kline, T. C. Hungate, O. W. Thomas, Geo. A. Brigham, A. W. Merrick, L. R. Fletcher, Giles Mead, J. C. Lippincott, J. Boice, J. Johnson.
In the fall of 1876 the Cuming City timber claim was jumped by some Irishmen. A large party, armed with guns, ropes and all the " necessaries" went down to the shanty occupied by the intruders for the purpose of forcing them to terms. They tore down the shanty and, not finding the larger "game" they expected, began shooting birds for pas- time. Some of the party had been left in the rear to take care of the teams and tney hearing the firing, supposed hostilities on a scale of unex- pected magnitude had commenced,and so fled to town in hot haste, taking the teams with them and giving the women folks who had assembled on Fish creek a terrible fright. An hour later their anxiety was relieved by the remainder of the party straggling in afoot and reporting nobody hurt. In the following spring the Irishmen were drowned in the big flood, and Cuming City secured her timber claim.
45
COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
HERMAN.
A FIVE YEAR OLD TOWN THAT HAS BUILT UP RAPIDLY.
The town of Herman was laid out in 1871, on a tract of land owned by the Omaha and Northwestern railroad company, James G. Megcath, and T. W. T. Richards, and named in honor of Samuel Herman, who has occu- pied the position of conductor on the Omaha and Northwestern since it was put in operation. The new town soon became an important shipping point for stock and grain as it has been the terminus of the railroad up to this time, though at the present writing, July 28, 1876, it Is being rapidly pushed throngh to Tekamah, the county seat of Burt county.
Dock Kimball was the first agent of the railroad at Herman, and was the first to engage in mercantile business there, in which he was quite succesful. At this time the grangers own and operate a grain elevator at Herman, as do also Elam Clark & son. J. J. Stubbs, formerly assistant engineer on the Omaha and Northwestern, is an extensive grain dealer and so is W. W. Darrell, who is also engaged in general merchandizing. W. S. hichards is the postmaster and he, too keeps a large stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, etc. John Bradford sells groceries, dry goods and hardware; W. R. Fitch does the blacksmitning for the resi- dents of that section of the country, and L. Davis supplies the travelling public with livery and buys and sells stock.
The town is surrounded by a splendid country for farming and stock raising, and is being rapidly settled up. It is the only town between Blair and Tekamah, and is destined to become an important point. Lots now sell at prices varying from twenty-five to one hundred and fitty dol- lars.
46
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
HUDSON.
A PAPER TOWN, BETTER KNOWN IN THE EAST THAN TO ITS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS.
There are a great many residents of Washington county who never knew-and probably would have gone down to the silent tomb without the knowledge, but for this veracious chronicle of the past-that in 1856 a very enterprising citizen of the wooden nutmeg State, one W. E. Walker, was the sole owner and proprietor of a town site in a swamp in the ex- treme northeast corner of the county, which town site he christened Hud- son. More than this: He platted another town site in a like eligible locality immediately opposite, on the Iowa side of the Missouri, called it Melrose, published beautiful lithograps by the hundreds, representing the two towns, with busy steamers plying between them endeavoring to supply transportation for the enormous traffic constantly carried on between the two towns. Armed with these, aided and abetted by a tongue remarkable for the oily rapidity with which it could be manipulated, Walker mean- dered up and down the eastern states, engaged in lecturing, and, at the close of each lecture, would sell off lots in Hudson and Melrose, at the rate of one dollar each, with astonishing rapidity. A plat of Hudson can be seen at the office of County Clerk Jackson, and this plat shows that the town was comprised of 8, 720 lots, consisting of fifty blocks, 2,000 feet long by 200 wide, four blocks of the same length, 100 feet wide, ten blocks 2,250 feet long by 200 in width, and one block of the length last given by 100 feet in width. The streets were fron: 45 to 60 feet wide, and there was not an alley in the town. The sale of lots in Hudson was so great for the first few years after its location, that the county clerks accumu- lated considerable weath by recording the deeds therefor at the rate of one dollar each. The deeds were printed, the name of Walker being also printed, so that when lots were sold all he had to do was to insert the name of the purchaser and number of lots purchased. The deeds poured into the county clerk's office from all over the east, and it is estimated that Walker made at least $5,000 by his scheme. To this day county officials are bothered with letters from eastern suckers inquiring as to the present price of lots in Hudson, and the writer was shown recent- ly a batch of thirteen deeds, which had been sent in one envelope from Chicago, to be recorded.
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
GRANT, SHERIDAN AND LINCOLN PRECINCTS.
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SOME FACTS CONCERNING THE MORE RECENT SETTLED PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY.
The above named precincts are of comparatively recent settlement ; but wonderful changes have been wrought within their boundaries during the past half dozen years.
Grant precinct is in the northern part of the county, west of Herman. Among its first settlers were L. H. Thone, Martin Peterson, Gilbert Thone, Wm. Ravers, L. D. Cameron, Foxwell Fletcher, Edward Fletcher, S. C. Rose, Perry Selden, Frank Whizinand, Mr. Crane, Josiah Pace, Alfred Van Valen, Samuel Spiker, Thomas Wilson, M. P. Preston, Mr. Geary. Most of these men have now splendid farms, and are more or less engaged in stock raising. The precinct is well watered by New York creek and its tributaries, along which are beautiful valleys specially adapted to grazing, the grass growing rich and luxuriant.
Sheridan precinct extends to the western border of the county, on the horth. Its first settlements were made along Clark creek in 1856-'7, when that portion of the county belonged to Dodge county, though the interior and eastern portions of the precinct were not settled until many years later. Among the Clark and Logan creek settlers were Chris. Leiser, Charles and Fred Eisley, Uriah Thomas, Harvey J. Robinson, (who built the first grist mill on the fine water power now owned and occupied by A. C. Briggs & Son,) John and Silas Seeley, Sam'l Williams, Tom and Sam. Parks, Sullivan Gaylord, J. B. Robinson, John and Dick Shur ; (the former was accidently shot and killed by Tom Parks during the Indian scare of 1859) ; John Cayton and his father in-law Mr. Clark, Chris. Hinneman and Mr. McBroon. At one time there was a postoffice on Clark creek called Lewisburg, but it was sacked by the Pawnees in June 1859, and discontinued soon after. The following named have located in the precinct within the past ten years : W. A. Johnson, Phillip Gozzard, David Clark and his son, Hiram G. Clark, (who have this year nearly 600 head of sheep, quite a number of cattle and hogs, barns costing $2,000, and a farmof 720 acres, on which they are raising 250 acres of corn in one field,) Archie Bouver, O. H. Hatch, Robert Adams, John Adams, Auson Hewitt, C. B. Sprague, Robert Schenk, Frank Hancock, J. M. Jackson,
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