USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Washington County, Nebraska; its early settlement and present status, resources, advantages and future prospects > Part 6
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48
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
Joseph Cook, Henry E. Meservey, Mr. Arnold, Mathew Maloney, Thomas Dunn.
Lincoln precinct was organized about ten years ago. The first move- ment towards obtaining proprietory possession of land in this precinct was made in the year 1856, by Pomery Searle on a portion of the farm now owned and occupied by E. G. Gaylord, (our present State representa- tive.) The following year Searle broke about 20 acres and set a portion in fruit and forest trees. In 1858 he went to California, and the first per- manent improvement was made in 1868 by the present occupant. Eight years ago there were but two families living on the route from Cuming City to Fontenelle, viz: A. Southerland and Benjamin Taylor. F. Curtis had his cabin up, but it was unoccupied. On the north, to the line of Burt county, there were only four settlers. There were a few settlements on the southern border of the precinct.
In the year 1857, John Mattes pre-empted the place now owned by William Hilgenkamp, and the following year a Mr. Coyle settled on the adjoining place north, now owned by William's father. With the excep- tion of Mr. Parker, who settled on the place now owned by Herman Stork, there was no new settlements made in the precinct until about 1862. Wm. Hilgenkamp bought of John Mattes, has added to and improved until he has a farm ranked among the best in the county. James R. Thorp bought the land he now owns among the early purchases, but went I think, to California and China, returning to his old home in the State of New York in time to enlist and go through the war of the Rebellion, af- ter which, he returned and located on his place in the year 1868.
In 1865 or 1866, the influx of Homesteaders commenced, and settle- ments were made by Geo. Morley, Frank Curtis and John B. Young and sons, followed soon after by H. N. Mattison, his son George, Mr. Ostran- der, Mr. Jenson, Henry Hilgenkamp, Peter Hilgenkamp, and others who have secured good farms and are making the wild prairies teem with fields of grain, fruit and forest trees.
In 1857, Wm. R. Hamilton, (county commissioner for six years past), and W. M. Saint, settled on the west side of Bell creek. In the fall of the same year, a party of nine Indians made a raid upon Saint's cabin, (he being absent at the time), robbed it of all the provisions, cut open the feather bed, gave its contents to the wind, replaced the same with the stolen property, secured it upon a pony, and then mounting, raised a whoop, and charged upon Mr. Hamilton and his brother-in-law, who were building a sod stable at his place, and who stood upon the defensive, arms in hand. After circling around them awhile in a menancing man- ner, and finding they "didn't scare worth a cent," the red skins came to a parly, and wanted something to eat. Upon being refused, they made a break for the house, but were beaten in the race by Mr. Hamilton who finally drove them off. On the following day, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Saint went to the Indian camp, on the west side of the Elkhorn river, to try to recover the stolen property, but were unsuccessful.
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
The spring of 1858 opened with a scarcity of provisions among the pioneers, and Mr. Hamilton with a team of three yoke of oxen, started in search of supplies, and in the course of his travels found him self at Mag- nolia, Harrison county, Iowa, having crossed the Missouri river on the ice. After obtaining the needed supplies and starting for home, he was told that the crossing was unsafe, but there was no alternative. The fam - ily at home were in need and the stream must be crossed at all hazards, so locking the wheel of his wagon, drove down the bank upon the ice. While trying to undo the lock, the ice sank about eighteen inches; he not wishing to travel in that direction, whipped up his team and came over in safety.
4
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
FONTENELLE. Theona, halley was Elected president sound interes The town Rite. [J. wallen]
ONE OF THE OLDEST TOWNS IN THE STATE-THE CATFISH WAR - SINKING OF THE STEAMER MARY COLE-CHURCH ORGANIZATION - DEATH OF LOGAN FONTENELLE.
In the year 1854, a company was organized at Quincy, Illinois, for the purpose of securing to its members and their families homes in the new Territory of Nebraska. The company was called " The Nebraska Colini- zation Company," though as to whether or not it proposed " colonizing" the entire area of Nebraska, tradition is silent. Certain it is, however, that in July of that year, Rev. W. W. Keep, Jonathan Smith, J. W. Richardson, Jared Blanset, C. Bernard, William Flach and James A. Bell, (father of the writer), came to Nebraska in order to " view the land," and locate the colony on behalf of the company. They crossed Iowa in wag- ons-as there was not then a foot of railroad track west of the Mississip- pi-camping out on the way, and in due time reached the embryo city of Omaha, which had just been laid out by the Nebraska & Council Bluffs Steam Ferry Company. There is a legend to the effect that this latter company, becoming alarnied at the advent of tlie Quincy chaps and their contemplated rival town, offered them a one-third interest in the town- site of Omaha, if they would stop there and not locate a rival city. This offer was rejected -- promptly and unanimously rejected-as our company from the Sucker State desired an entire town of their own, and were not to be turned aside from their purpose by the offer of one-third of a town- site which, at that time, had no advantages over a score of other localities.
Passing out beyond the bluffs of the Missouri and the tributaries to that stream, these Quincy pilgrims found a section of country which, for agricultural and grazing purposes, has no superior on this continent-or any other. Arriving in the vicinity of the Elkhorn, in their northwest- erly course, they came to a stream of considerable size, over which it was necessary to throw a temporary bridge, in order to cross it. To do this, some one had to "coon it" across the streani on a log, and this task was undertaken by Mr. James A. Bell. Before reaching the other bank, how- ever, he " heard something drop" into the stream below, and was sur-
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
prised to find that it was hinself. He was at once fished out and spread out on the grass to dry. In consequence of this little episode the party immediately christened the stream "Bell creek," which name it still bears. Crossing this stream, the colonizers pursued their way to the banks of the Elkhorn, and were so pleased with the surrounding country that they decided to locate there, and the town site of Fontenelle was laid out, claims made, etc., by the party, who then proceeded to the camp of the Omaha Indians-in honor of whose chief, Logan Fontenelle, the town was named-and held a grand pow-wow with the tribe for the purpose of securing itsgood will. They also paid Fontenelle the sum of ten dollars each, with the understanding that he was to protect their interests until members of the company could be sent out and established in their new town, and then returned to Quiney.
I am not able to give the names of the entire membership of the con- pany, as it was organized in Quincy, but it included Jonathan Smith, President, Rev. W. W. Keep, Secretary, J. W. Richardson, J. C. Ber- nard, Treasurer ; O. C. Bernard, H. Metz, John Evans, (now of Evans & Durnall, Omaha), J. Armor, H. G. Mauzey, E. M. Davis, W. H. Davis, Jared Blansett, G. Williamsons, J. McIntosh, Rufus Brown, -- Root and James A. Bell.
In the fall of 1854, the company sent out Judge J. W. Richardson as their agent, to occupy the town site, on behalf of the company. Judge Richardson was accompanied by his wife-now Mrs. Wm. Kline, and still a resident of Fontenelle. At Council Bluffs they were joined by Col. Win. Kline and Col. Doyle, of South Carolina, who had recently been ap- pointed Marshal for the new Territory. In November, Dr. M. H. Clark, was elected councilman, and Col. Doyle and Judge Richardson, represen- tatives to the Territorial Legislature, from Dodge county, in which Fon- tenelle was then the only settlement. £ The colonization company at Quincy instructed their agent, Judge Richardson, to use every effort to secure the location of the Territorial capital at Fontenelle, and also dis- patched two of their number-Smith and Bernard-to Omaha, to lobby in that interest during the session of the Legislature. Their efforts were in vain, however, and Omaha secured the prize. They succeeded, though, in securing a charter for a college to be located at Fontenelle ; and to be run under Baptist auspices, a town charter and a ferry charter, the latter in favor of Col. Kline. The county of Dodge was organized and Fontenelle designated as the county seat thereof. During the session, a bill was introduced, chartering the Platte Valley and Pacific railroad con- pany, and on the 16th of February, 1855, Dr. Clark, as chairman of the committee on corporations, submitted thereon a report of masterly ability, showing a clear understanding of existing facts and far-sighted grasp of the future of this great enterprise, from which report, I quote the following prediction. "In view of the wonderful changes that will re- sult, your committee cannot believe the period remote when this work will be accomplished, and with liberal encouragement to capital whiel your committee are disposed to grant, it is their belief that before fifteen
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
years have transpired, the route to India will be opened and the way across this continent will be the common highway of the world." Four- teen years and three months from that date, was driven the golden spike which completed this world's highway.
The erroneous idea prevailed among the founders of Fontenelle, that the Platte and Elkhorn rivere could be used for purposes of navigation, and that water communication could be established between Plattsmouth and Fontenelle. With this object in view, the company at Quincy se- cured a small steamer, of the ferry boat style, and a'portion of them, with their families, embarked at Quincy on the steamer "Mary Cole," bound for Fontenelle. The trip was made safely, until near the mouth of the Platte river, where she was snagged and completely wrecked. The lives of the passengers were saved with difficulty, but the cargo was almost en - tirely lost. Among the passengers on board the boat, were Samuel Whit- tier, (now of Fremont), wife and daughter Mary; W. H. Davis and fam- ily ; Henry Peters and family; J. McIntosh and family; Miss Henrietta Redner, now Mrs. John W. Pattison of Sedalia, Mo .; Miss Phoebe Bar- tup, afterwards Mrs. H. C. Lemon and Mike McDonald.
The first death in Fontenelle was that of two men who were killed by Indians, supposed to be a straggling party of Santee Sioux. One Satur- day evening in July, 1855, a Mr. and Mrs. Porter, and young man named Demaree-the latter the son of a wealthy farmer living near Quincy, Illi- nois-came up from Bell Creek where they had been breaking prairie and encamped on Sam Francis' lake, a mile south of Fontenelle, intend- ing to go up into the settlement Sunday morning. As they were about to leave camp Sunday, a party of Indians rode out of the willows and approached Porter's wagon. One of them snatched Demaree's hat off his head and was riding off with it, when the owner called to him to stop or he would shoot him, picking up his rifle as he spoke. The Indian turned, saw this demonstration on the part of Demaree called out " Pawnee!" and shot him instantly, the ball passing through Porter also, killing both men. The Indians then rode off, leaving Mrs. Porter alone with the dead. The horrified woman raised the head of her husband and vainly strove to restore him to consciousness. Failing in this effort she started for Fontenelle, perfectly frantic with fear and excitement, and the story she told upon her arrival led the settlers to believe they were in danger of being attacked by an overwhelming force of Indians at any moment. At that time the nearest white settlement was that of Omaha -forty miles distant-hence no outside assistance could be expected. Ar- rangements were hastily made to repulse the expected attack, but fortun- ately, none was made. The Indians who had caused the alarm returned to their own " range," many miles to the westward and were never again seen in that section.
In consequence of this double murder, many long and weary months were passed before the settlers considered themselves safe from assault and massacre by their red skin neighbors. The Governor of the Terri- tory was implored to send out troops, and a militia company was sent out
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
by him to Fontenelle and stationed there during the fall and winter. T entire organization was called Beal's Rangers. The company from Omaha was under command of Captain William Moore as captain, with John Y. Clopper as first, and - Hepburn as second lieutenant. The Fontenelle company was commanded by Captain Kline, Russell Mc- Neally being first lieutenant, and John W. Pattison second. The ladies of the colony having been deprived of religious services on Sunday for many months, after consultation, called at the camp of these warriors from abroad Sunday morning in order to see if some one of their number would not consent to lead in religious exercises ; but, upon arriving at the building in which they were quartered, were completely discouraged upon discovering the invidual, whom they had all agreed was most likely to be the person to assume these duties, lying flat on his back, with his feet perched in the air, singing "Oh darkies, how my heart grows weary." The ladies backed out at once, without making known their mission.
In the fall of 1855 Thomas Gibson-now of the real estate firm of Schaller & Gibson, Omaha,-was elected at Fontenelle to represent Dodge county in the legislature. Und Thomastaller [J.w.
In May, 1856, Rev. Reuben Gaylord, of Omaha,organized a Con- gregational church at Fontenelle, consisting of the following named : Samuel Strickland, Mrs. Emily K. Strickland, Miss Emily F. Strickland, Thomas Gibson, Mrs. Sarah Gibson, James H. Peters, Mrs. Jane Peters, Rev. Thomas Waller, Lucien Kennedy, Rufus Brown, Mrs. Nancy Brown, James A. Bell, Miss Mary Bell, Edward Corless, Miss Mary Cor- less, John Francis, Mrs. Maria Francis, Silas J. Francis, Mrs. Celestia Francis, Cyrus Howell, Edward Holmes, Mrs. Elvina Holmes, Wm. G. Bingham and Mrs. Lucy C."Bingham. Thomas Gibson and James A.Bell were elected deacons, and Rev. Thomas Waller was appointed the first pastor. The new church was presented with a handsome silver com- munion service by the First Congregational church of Quincy, Illinois. Since that time the following named have served as pastors of the church : Rev. E. B. Hurlbut, Rev. Wm. McCandlish, Rev. L. H. Jones, Rev. C. E. Bisbee, Rev. Isiah Smith, Rev. Thomas Douglas, Rev. Reuben Gay- lord. A Sunday school was organized at the same time the church was.
In addition to those named above as joining the Congregational church, there were living at Fontenelle and in the vicinity, at that time or came in during the summer of 1856, the following : Judge and Mrs. Richardson, John W. Pattison, Chris. Leiser and family, Col. Kline, Samuel Whittier and family, Rev. J. M. Taggart-now of Palmyra, Neb .-- and family, Miss Ellen Griffeth, Willis Carr, Eli, Harlow and Edward Carpenter, Isaac Underwood and family, Mrs. Denslow and family, B. L. Keyes and family, Wm. M. Saint, John Baty and family, John Evans and family, Rufus Brown and family, Henry Sprick, John K. Cramer and family, Ab. Yost, Wm. and Theodore Keep, Miss Caroline Davis, Wm, H. Davis and family, Christy Archilles and family, Morris Wogan and family, Arthur Bloonier, John Bloomer, David Bloomer,
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
Thomas Fitzsimmons and family, Sam. Francis and family, Wm. H. Johnson, Henry C. Lemon and family, George Hindley, Jared Blansett, Wm. Flach and family, Mr. Osterman and family, J. M. Hancock and family, Jacob Canaya and family, John Ray and family, Deacon Searle and family, John and Silas Seeley, Pomeroy Searle, Sam. Williams and family, Hiram Ladd and family, Sumner D. Prescott, Wm. R. Hamilton and family, Henry Brinkman and family, Wm. Hecker Sr., Orlando and Pierce Himebaugh, Wm. C. Hecker, Julius Brainard and family-now of Blair.
In 1856 a college building was erected by the Congregationalists, to whom the Baptists has assigned their charter. A flourishing school was kept up for a number of years, Prof. Burt being the first teacher. and the building was used for lyceums and all kinds of public meetings, the first settlers of Fontenelle being an eminently sociable people. Annual fes- tivals, with bounteous suppers, were held in the college building about New Year's day, until about the close of the war, to which festivals the settlers, for many miles around, came regularly, bringing well laden baskets, and when the contents of these baskets were distributed and ar- . ranged on the long tables, the only reason the latter didn't groan was because they were not of the groaning kind.
In the summer of 1856, a Methodist church was organized by Rev. Jerome Spillman-now of Atlanta, Georgia,-and, in 1863, a Presbyterian church was organized by Rev. Wm. McCandlisb, who settled in Fonte- nelle in 1858, and is now agent for the American Bible Society for Nebras- ka, Wyoming and Colorado. The Lutherans organized a church about the same time, with Rev. J. F. Kuhlman,-now residing at Ponca City, Neb.,-as their first pastor.
The Pawnee war of 1859, described at length in preceding pages, was a serious detriment to the settlers of Fontenelle. When the Indians first came over from their villages on the Platte, they pillaged extensively from the citizens. While thus engaged, parties of a dozen or more were driven from their respective premises, by Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Hiram Ladd. In coming down from West Point, after the killing of the Indians there, Wm. H. Johnson, Henry Sprick, Win. C. Hecker and Mr. Artman be- came detached from the rest of the party, and were compelled to foot it to Fontenelle, distant some thirty miles. They avoided the road, and, as they traveled cautiously over the wild prairie, thought they saw a party of savages in the distance, and at once took refuge in a slough, where they remained in the water and grass until dark. Upon reaching Fonte- nelle, they learned that the party they had mistaken for Indians were white men.
In March, 1857, a Mr. Martin, of Fremont, was drowned in attempt- ing to ford the Elkhorn at Fontenelle, and on the 5th of July, 1867, a ter rible accident befell the families of Rev. O. C. Dake and John Ray, of Fremont. They were returning home from Fontenelle, where they had been spending the Fourth, when, in crossing the Elkhorn in the flat boat ferry, their wagon was backed off into the river by the restive horses.
1857 waller
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
The water proved to be only waist deep, but in consequence of a belief that it was much deeper-Messes Dake and Ray being unable to swim- two of Mr. Dake's and three of Mr. Ray's children were drowned.
In the winter of 1858-'9 Fontenelle became a part of Washington county in consequence of a reorganization of the county lines.
The first school was taught in the winter of 1855-6 by Miss Emily Strickland, the next by Wm. M. Saint, and the third by Pomeroy Searle.
The first stock of goods was brought to the new settlement in 1555 by Wmn. H. Davis, who also kept the first hotel-a double log house called the Fontenelle House. He was bought out by J. M. Hancock, in 1856.
The first child born in the town was Mattie Francis, daughter of Sam- uel Francis-October 2d, 1855. A few hours later, the same night, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. Davis, and named Fontenel- la. The town company had promised a town lot to the parents of the first child born in the town, and consequently the first birth was a mat- ter of general interest. It is said that one good lady, who had a child born a day or two after those mentioned above, consoled her somewhat disappointed family with the remark: "Well, never mind, papa is, able to buy town lots for his children." By Thomas Waller
The first marriage that occurred at Fontenelle was that of Henry Whittier and Miss Emily Strickland, in the fall of 1856. Harlow Carpen- ter and Miss Ellen Griffith were married during the following winter. Also that fall there were a couple of runaway matches, the parties being married under a cedar tree on the banks of the Elkhorn in a driving rain, by Rev. Silas J. Francis. The parties were Frank Fox, and Miss Har- riet Whittier, and John W. Pattison and Miss Henrietta Redner.
In the summer of 1855, Harlow Carpenter, John Cramer, Isaac Un- derwood, and others, commenced the manufacture of brick, but their la- bors were suspended by the " catfish war," of that summer, after they had about ten thousand brick ready for the kiln. The next summer John Ray burned a large kiln.
The first saw mill was erected by Samuel and Silas Francis, in the summer of 1856. They sold it that fall to Wm. H. Johnson and Henry C. Lemon.
Perhaps I cannot close my sketch of the first settlement of Fontenelle better than by giving the following interesting account of the death and burial of the man after whom it is named, which account I take from S. T. Bangs' centennial history of Sarpy county:
" Logan Fontenelle was a half breed, his father being French. He was educated in St. Louis; spoke English fluently, and was at this time about thirty years of age, of medium height, swarthy complexion, black hair and dark piercing eyes. In the middle of the summer of 1855 a process- sion might have been seen wending its way towards the old home of Lo- gan Fontenelle on the bluff's overlooking the Missouri river and above the stone quarries at Bellvue. It moved slowly along led by Louis San- so-see, who was driving a team with a wagon in which, wrapped in blankets and buffalo robes, was all that was mortal of Logan Fontenelle, the chief of the Omalias. On either side the Indian chiefs and braves
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
mounted on ponies, with the squaws and relatives of the deceased, ex- pressed their grief in mournful outcries. His remains were taken to the house which he had left a short time before, and now, desolate and afflicted, they related the incidents of his death. He had been killed by the Sioux on the Loup Fork thirteen days before, while on a hunt with the Oma- has. Having left the main body with San-so-see in pursuit of game, and while in a ravine that hid them from the sight of the Omahas, they came in contact with a band of Sioux on the war-path, who attacked them. San-so-see escaped in some thick underbrush while Fontenelle stood his ground, fighting desperately and killing three of his adversaries, when he fell, pierced with fourteen arrows, and the prized scalp-lock was taked by his enemies. The Omahas did not recover his body until the next day.
" It was the wish of Col. Sarpy to have him interred on the bluffs, front . ing the house in which he had lived, and a coffin was made which proved too small without unfolding the blankets which enveloped him, and as he had been dead so long, this was a disagreeabe task. After putting hin in the coffin, his wives who witnessed the scene uttered the most piteous cries, cutting their ankles until the blood ran in streams. An old Indian woman who looked like the witch of Endor, standing between the house and the grave, lifted her arms to Heaven and shrieked her maledictions upon the heads of his murderers. Colonel Sarpy, Stephen Decatur, Mrs. Sloan, an Otoe half breed and others stood over the grave where his body was being lowered, and while Decatur was reading the impressive funeral service of the Episcopal church, he was interrupted by Mrs. Sloan, who stood by his side and in a loud tone told him that 'a nian of his charac- ter ought to be ashamed of himself to make a mockery of the Christian religion by reading the solemn services of the church.' He proceeded, however, until the end. After the whites, headed by Col. Sarpy, had paid their last respects, the Indians filed around the grave, and made a few demonstrations of sorrow ; the whites dispersing to their homes, and the Indians to relate their own exploits and the daring of their dead chief."
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COUNTY, NEBRASKA,
BELL CREEK.
AN ENTERPRISING TOWN ON THE SIOUX CITY & PACIFIC-A GRATIFY- IING EXHIBIT OF WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN SIX YEARS.
One of the most enterprising railroad towns in the county, is that of Bell Creek, situared on the Sioux City & Pacific railroad, on a beautiful stretch of table land, between the Elkhorn river and the creek after which the town was named. It was laid out by the railroad company in 1869, the company having purchased 120 acres from a Mr. Carter, 160 from John Gannon, and 160 from another party, for town purposes. Only a portion of this land was platted, however, the remainder being held as a "reserve" for further use. The lots are 60 by 140 feet, divided at right angles by streets eighty and alleys twenty feet wide, and are now selling at from $40 to $150. The place now has a population of near three hun- dred of as enterprising, energetic citizens as can be found anywhere, all of whom realize the advantages possessed by their town, and have a well- grounded faith in her future, as is evidenced by the efforts they are mak- ing to build up the place, and the additional fact that none are willing to sell out.
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