USA > Nebraska > Nebraska history and record of pioneer days, Vol. III > Part 6
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Letter from Captain Lute North
Captain Lute M. North of Columbus, is one of the few survivors of the old battle days on the Nebraska plains. He is one of the still fewer pioneers having close acquaintance with that most picturesque and in- teresting figure in carly Nebraska history-the Pawnee Indian. Quiet- ly living in his pleasant home at Columbus, Captain North reads with eager interest everything relating to that early period so familiar to him. A recent correspondence with him refers to a matter of great importance in western history-what is called the Great Sioux Treaty of 1868:
Columbus, Nebr., June 30th, 1921. Dear Mr. Sheldon:
I am enclosing a clipping from our paper the Daily News and would like to ask you what treaty was made with the Indians in April, 1867, and where.
I was camped at the end of the track (the U. P.) which was about where Ogallala is now the latter part of April or the fore part of May with my company of Pawnee Scouts. At that time Spotted Tail with his band ( the Brule Sioux) was camped on the North Platte a few miles above where North Platte city now stands, but I don't remember of any treaty with them at that time. But later in the summer, perhaps in August or September there was a commission appointed composed of Generals Sherman, Harney, Terry, Augur and Sanborn, N. B. Taylor, commissioner of Indian affairs, Colonel Tappan and Senator Henderson. The chiefs at the council were Spotted Tail, Man-afraid-of-his-horses, Man-that-walks-under-the-ground, Pawnee Killer, Standing Elk, Spotted Bear, Black Deer, Turkey Leg, Cut Nosc, Whistler, Big Mouth, Cold Feet, Cold Face, Crazy Lodge, and others. My brother, Major Frank North, was at the council and met Turkey Leg, the Cheyenne Chief and made arrangements with him to exchange a Cheyenne woman and boy that we had taken prisoners in a fight at Plum Creek a short time before. Turkey Leg had six prisoners, three girls, two boys and a baby. The exchange was made in the R. R. eating house. I don't remember, but my impression is that there was no treaty signed at this time butthat they had another meeting later. I have gotten off what I wanted to ask you, that is, where was the treaty signed that the clipping refers to and when.
Yours truly,
LUTE M. NORTII.
(Extract from reply.)
The Sionx Indian treaty referred to is dated April 29, 1868, at Fort Laramie, in government documents.
The report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the year 1867, on page 269, contains the following:
"In February, 1867, the President appointed a commission, composed of two officers of the army and four civilians, to visit the Indian coun- try in the vicinity of Fort Phil Kearny, and learn all the facts relative to the massacre of Colonel Fetterman and his command, and to do all in their power to separate the friendly from the hostile Indians.
On the 19th of April they met a large delegation headed by Spotted Tail and Swift Bear. These Indians had faithfully adhered to the stipulations of the treaty signed by the chiefs at Laramic in July, 1866, and had not molested or disturbed whites. After a satisfactory council, they distributed among them $4,000 worth of presents, and assigned to them as a hunting ground the country lying between the Platte and the Smoky Hill river.
On the 12th of June, 1867 two of the commissioners, General Sanborn and Colonel Beauvais held a council at Laramie with chiefs and headmen claiming to represent 200 lodges of the hostile Ogallala and Brule Sioux among whom was The Man Afraid of his Horses (a brave and influ- ential chief.) They told the commissioners that the northern Indians had abandoned war and that they would come in and join the friendly Indians under Spotted Tail."
Photo stat copies of the weather reports taken at Fort Atkinson in 1819-1820 and much other material relative to the history of the fort have recently been added to our collection.
Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days
GOOD TEMPLARS IN NEBRASKA
Old Records of the First State Wide Temperance Organization Recently Acquired by the His Society .--- What They Show of the Beginnings of the Dry Movement.
Within the past few weeks the Historical Society has come in pos- session of nearly complete files of the printed reports of the grand lodge of Good Templars in Nebraska.
The adoption of the state prohibition amendment in 1916 and the subsequent ratification by Nebraska as the thirty-sixth state of the prohibition amendment to the federal constitution ends an era of fierce controversy over the use of alcoholic jifuor. The history of that con- troversy in Nebraska is yet to be written. It is full of dramatic inei- dent and human interest stories.
The printed records of the grand leage of Good Templars just re- ceived by the Historical society library are a most valuable and im- portant addition to our knowledge of the temperance struggle. From them the following items are taken:
The Good Templars were organized in Nebraska July 9, 1867, at Nebraska City. Seventeen local lodges were reported in the state. Among the well known persons in Nebraska history present were: Rev. J. M. Taggart, A. F. Harvey of Nebraska City; W. A. Presson, S. S. Alley and Wesley Dundas.
The second annual meeting was held at Omaha June 17 1868, at the hall of the Hope of the West Lodge a truly significant name for an Omaha organization. From the official reports it appears there were then 1647 members in good standing and thirty-one local lodges.
The chief templar's address announces that the Good Templars is not a political organization. It is the duty of its members to use all their influence in all parties for the election of sober and temperance men to office.
A year later the grand lodge met i= Lincoln. The annual address of its head contains this new note:
"The subject of political action demands our attention. We talk and discuss temperanee, should we be afraid to vote as we talk? We must make our power felt in political circles, for the politicians will listen to logie of votes. It is our duty, as temperance men, to attend the caucuses and conventions of our respective parties, and oppose every nominee who bows to the whisky power."
The name of John M. Thurston, afterward United States senator.for Nebraska and still later attorney at Washington for the liquor dealers' association, appears as one of the delegates at this mecting. A year later, at the grand lodge held in 1871, Mr. Thurston was elected grand worthy chief templar, and presented a memorial to the Nebraska eon-
stitutional convention which met that year, reading as follo
Whereas, The use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage ea possible benefit to mankind and has already inflicted unto degradation and erime; and
Whereas, The sale of said liquors as a beverage is detrimc efficient eivil government of the people of the state of Nebra:
Whereas, The prohibition of the sale of said liquors as a ] a measure of true political economy; and
Whereas, A large portion of the citizens of the state of Ne sire to have the sale of said liquors prohibited in their resp tions of said state;
Now, therefore, We most earnestly petition your honorab incorporate in the new constitution of the state of Nebraska providing that a majority of the legal voters in each county the power, by vote, within their respective counties, to ro prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
The constitutional convention of 1871, did submit the quest hibition to the voters as a separate proposal, and it was vote 6,071 for and 10,160 against.
At the grand lodge meeting in 1875 the reports showed 01 twenty local lodges and four thousand members in the : grand lodge voted that prohibition was the only proper legis the temperance people should give their votes and influenc temperance candidates. There was a juvenile templars' 01 with over six hundred members and seventeen local temples
At the annual meeting in 1878 the question of the third par the cause of prohibition was discussed, diselosing consider: ence of opinion on the subject. Already radieal mombers wi forward more rapidly, while conservative ones were conten old methods. The remarkable lecture work of John B. increased the membership to more than six thousand and hundred local lodges. By 1881 the membership had increas seven thousand. The Slocumb law was enacted by the Nel islature of 1881 and supported by the Good Templars. Johi then head of the grand lodge in the state, reported that t people had supported the Slocumb law because it contained hibitory features than the old law.
Among the names familiar in Nebraska history which these printed reports are those of R. B. Windham, J. H. C Ada VanPelt, F. G. Keens, B. D. Slaughter, Miss Anna Saund
Passing of the Nebraska Pieneer (These items are for the year 1920.)
Benjamin Seward Mothersead died at Talmage July 3rd; settled upon a farm near Nebraska City in 18:5.
Mrs. Jane Maria Artist Baker dieo July 4th at DeWitt; came with her parents to Nebraska in 1863; married Frank P. Baker in Beatrice, Aug. 21, 1864.
Jonathan Wisc, pioneer resident of Plattsmouth, dicd July 10th; elected in 1857 to the office of county derk of Cass county, serving two years; was a prominent Mason.
Mrs. Anna Schlecht, pioneer of Cumtug county died July 11th at the home of her son near West Point; case with her husband to Nebraska in 1866 and cheerfully endured the discomforts of life on the frontier.
Augustus T. Haas, a continuous resident of Dakota City for sixty- two years, dicd August 27th; bor :. in Hanover, Germany, May 5th, 1835; came to Amcriea in 1848, to Dakota City on June 26th 185S; was identi- fied with every movement for the advancement of community interests.
Dr. George L. Miller, pioneer physician, resident of Omaha for sixty- five years, died August 30th; born in Booneville, N. Y. Aug. 18th, 1830; graduated in 1852 from the New York College of Physicians and Sur- geons and practiced for two years in Syracuse. Dr. Miller settled in Omaha on Oct. 19, 1854 and began the practice of medicine, but after two years gave it up for wider activities. Dr. Miller founded the Omaha Daily Herald which he published for twenty years and which later became the World-Herald. The late J. Sterling Morton in speak- ing of Dr. Miller said, "No other maz. either by the power of money, or by the power of brawn, or by the strength of brain, did as much to make Omaha city as this one maz accomplished."
Eugene Hilton, pioncer Central City. died Sept. Sth; in 1859 eame with his father to the Lone Tree Station, located on the Platte river three miles southwest of what is now Central City; in his sixteenth year was a mail carrier for the stage company between Wood River and Eagle Island.
J. J. MeCafferty, pioncer O'Neill died Sept. 21st; was a writer in the cause of Irish freedom and known as a scholar before coming to this country.
John K. Hazzard, pioneer of Omaha in the early fifties, died Sept. 27.
Mrs. Miko Brorkins, born in Nebraska City in 1863, dice mage, Sept. 24th.
Mrs. Elma E. Diekerson Dodge, resident of Nebraska since in Fremont, Oct. 10th.
Mrs. Mary Gilmore, pioncer of 1866, died in Milford, Oct. Patrick J. Langdon, resident of Nebraska since 1856, c and influential citizen of Gretna, dicd Oct. 22nd.
Frederick E. Allen, resident of Nemaha county for sixty dicd Oct. 23rd; was a successful farmer, banker and influen until his death.
Mrs. Mary George Miller, wife of T. H. Miller, Crete, dicd came with her parents to Crete in 1867.
Mrs. Helen M. Bisbec, resident of Nebraska sinee 1S66. 12th; came with her husband, the late Rev. Charles G. Bish tanelle and took charge of the Congregational Church ther Mrs. Bisbee wero the first teachers in the Fontanelle acad was the forerunner of Doane college, Cretc.
Robert McCray, resident of Columbus since 1867, died Nov Martha Fischer, resident of Nebraska since 1855, died it Nov. 26th.
William W. Lawrence, resident of Nemaha county : died in Peru May 28th.
Ephriam Oliver, resident of Shelton since 1860, died was a farmer and stock raiser; received his education in schools of Buffalo county ,
Mrs. Sarah E. Wilhite who came with her father, J. to Richardson county in April 1855, died June 20th; fil Augustus Sehoenheit, a lawyer of Falls City; in 1898 si Judge James R. Wilhite, a pioneer of Richardson county
Among the interesting adventures of historical society . discovery of new truth-or of the records thercof. It ma of flints cached away in some ancient Indian village site. somo weather stained diary of an explorer or pioneer. It n unexpected printed document giving exaet information le A set ef documents with maps and detailed information npo the fateful frontier years 1864-76 is among the recent valik in our library. These include original material on Fort K Phil Kearny, events on the Platte river, the extinction of the and Arapahoe title in western Nebraska, Sitting Bull's ex1 the coming of the Indian Messiah.
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DEC 94 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA ARQAO
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