USA > Nebraska > Nebraska history and record of pioneer days, Vol. V > Part 7
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John N. Anderson of Leland, Illinois, writes that he ownes a quarter section of land in Nebraska and desires the publications of the His- torical Society.
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NEBRASKA HISTORY
Tom Powers, one of the old time cattle men of the North Platte Val- ley, was recently telling stories of the old time which are printed in the Scottsbluff Star-Herald of November 7, 1922. His stories relate to both Nebraska and Wyoming and belong to a period when the state line cut little figure for the frontiersmen. Among other stories of Mr. Powers were these:
"We killed buffalo on the Cheyenne river as late as 1888. I saw as many as five thousand antelope in one drove in those years. Herman Lippold and myself killed seventeen gray wolves by poisoning them with strychnine one night. We put the poison in the carcass of an antelope and received $37.50 bounty for each wolf scalp.
' The coldest day I ever saw in Wyoming or western Nebraska was in January, 1898. I drove a team from Rawhide to Mitchell, on account of a jumping toothache, and the thermometer registered fifty-six below at five p. m.
"Wild geese were in abundance along the Platte river all the time and their music could be heard for miles. The Sioux Indians came down here frequently and some of the cowboys used to get stuck on the good- looking squaws. I never did myself, for they didn't like the Irish very well and we didn't get along. They seldom caused us trouble as they were afraid of the cowpunchers who were quick to draw their guns, but they dealt out misery to the emigrants by running off their horses and cattle. We had a great many dances in the country. People went more than a hundred miles to dance, at a ranch. They did not dance just one night, but took pack horses and their beds, stayed three or four nights and had a good time.
"In the spring of the year there were always many cattle in the valley that had drifted in during the winter. In the spring of 1887 on the gen- eral round-up there were twenty-seven round-up wagons and each wagon represented a different outfit and averaged at least fifteen men to the wagon. Each man had a string of at least nine horses, so you can imag- ine how many saddle horses there would be in one round-up, more horses perhaps, than many of the residents of the valley will ever see. The larg- est round-up I ever saw was in the spring of '87 on what was known as below the sinks of Sheep creek on what is now Pete Vomberg's place, about two miles west of Morrill. On the drive it was estimated that there were over 40,000 head of cattle. They had to be cut up in 17 bunches and it took two days to work the drive. Every outfit of any size for over three hundred miles from the north and west had cattle in that round- up."
The Union Pacific magazine has an interesting story of James E. Newsome, the oldest porter in the employ of the Pullman Company, who finished fifty-two years of actual service for the company on September 10, 1922. Mr. Newsome might be regarded as a Nebraska pioneer on wheels since he has been running on trains between Chicago and Denver for forty-five years. He knew by name nearly all the distinguished men of the Trans-Missouri region-General Nelson A. Miles, Col. Wm. F. Cody, J. Sterling Morton, James E. Boyd, Edward Rosewater, not to men- tion Jesse and Frank James, Wild Bill Hickok and "Canada Bill," the fa- mous three-card monte shark who used to fleece passengers on the over- land trains by playing the part of a green cattleman who was learning to play cards. Besides the history of the homesteader, the pioneer business- man, the mechanics, who founded and built the great empire of the plains . and prairies, there is to be reckoned the pioneer railroader who kept up transportation service with the rest of the world.
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A PIONEER'S EXPERIENCE IN BUTLER COUNTY
J. P. Dunlap of Dwight Relates His Farm and Orchard Adven- tures of the Early Years
In 1869 I settled on this place in Butler County, Nebraska, on the west line of Richardson Township, adjoining the east line of Plumcreek township. Not far to the east in Richard- son township the table land broke off into hilly land of small creeks and small patches of timber along the creeks. In Richardson township there were then five settlers. To the west, Plumcreek township was a tall, grass covered plain, where no white man had ever made his home.
What tame crops could be grown here was then only a conjecture and people's opinions differed on that, so try was the only way to know. I did not have much money, but good ability and will to work. Days those times were from dawn to dark, so a strife for a home began.
At the end of the first summer, I had a well, a small log house, a shed for stock, guards to protect against wild fires that burned off the dead grass of the plains once a year. About ten acres of the wild sod was broken out and most of it planted to vine crops, such as squash, melons and beans. A hole was chopped in the new-turned sod, the seed dropped in and the hole tramped shut was all that was needed until har- vest, as no weeds grew on sod the first year. Turnips were sowed and harrowed well on the new broke sod. They all did well. I had never seen such do better than they did. I also planted corn, but it did not make a very good crop on such new land. Fuel was gathered from creeks. Wild hay was plenty everywhere just for the cutting. The winter was a little harder than an average Nebraska winter, but we got through it passably fair for such a new country.
In the spring of 1870 I began planting trees. Osage orange seed was planted. Plants grew well, those not needed for myself were sold to neighbors. People twenty miles away were called neighbors in those days. Fence rows of osage died in places. Honey locust for fence proved hardy, but when barb wire came into use demand for hedge plants ceased. I planted a few apple trees, a few currants, peach seeds and wild fruits from the creeks. Of the wild fruits the rasp- berry and plum were the most worthy. The rest of the plow- ed land was put to wheat, corn and potatoes. All made fair crops. More sod was broken and as many vines and beans as could be used planted on the new sod. More new settlers mov-
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ed in. I would break sod for them when needed. When the plow got dull there was a blacksmith shop and store where Seward is now and an angling road there. We called it thir- teen miles. I would let the team rest and take the shares on my back and walk. If I did not have to wait long I would get home by noon. If I did have to wait it only made dinner that much later. Early June when I was at the blacksmith shop the seeds were ripe on the wild maple trees on the Blue river. I got two sacks and some boys to help me to gather seeds, car- ried them home and planted them. They grew well. The young trees were in good demand.
In 1872 I went to Missouri and got plants of fruit and flowers such as I thought would be most desirable. There was a nursery started east of Seward. I got some stock of them. I planted wind breaks, mostly of cottonwood, gray willows, elm and maple about the house. I got more new sod broke. New settlers were still coming, which made a market for surplus crops and kept money in circulation. Everybody worked with a will, filled with elation and hope of having a home in so fertile and healthful a country.
In 1873 the Midland Pacific, now the Burlington, railroad, was built to Seward. Two brothers, named Spears, each start- ed a nursery. I got stock of each of them. Both died within a few years. The first nursery there had quit. There were hardly enough sales of the nursery stock for a man to live on that alone, but so many new farms were being opened that the prospects for the business in the near future looked good. Mr. Jobes, near Seward, started a nursery. I got stock of him. He quit the business a few years later. The spring of 1874 opened with all good prospects of the past seasons. July 31 was a calm, clear, hot day. I was going with a crew heading wheat when a dark cloud came. We did not know what it was or could be until it hit us. It was grasshoppers that darkened the sun, that made the light look like moonlight. They were eating all green vegetation, except the wild grass. We kept on working, the hoppers going with the heads of grain into the stacks. The next day was Saturday. My turn to get my wheat headed would not come until the middle of the next week. The crew said if I would have my grain cut on Sunday (that was the next day) they would help. I told them I would ' rather take chances of some being left. When my regular turn did come the hoppers had gone to hunt new pasture. All my oats and smooth wheat were entirely ruined. Ten acres of barbed wheat that was dead ripe and dry was not harmed. It was enough for our bread and seed and some to sell, and to this day when I think of it I feel glad that I did not harvest it on Sunday. But I hold a kindly feeling to those that kindly made the offer. All other crops were gone.
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All leaves were eaten from the trees and plants, except a few plants that I covered with dirt. The larger trees leaved again and most of them survived the winter, but were in a weak condition. European larch never leaved again. William Griffin, who was helping me Saturday, told me after he had thrashed his wheat that the upper joints of the hoppers legs, when broke off, were small enough to go through the riddle and too heavy for the fan to blow them out, so they went in with the thrashed grain and as near as he could tell by look- ing at it it was half grasshoppers' legs.
The grasshoppers were a burden for a few years, but never again were they so bad as in 1874. If the hoppers had only eaten our crops and if that had been all it would not have been so bad, but they gave the country a bad name. Immigration here ceased. Many settlers sold such property as they could not take with them for what they could get and went away. Those that remained, with great economy and hard work, man- aged to live until prosperity returned. I raised garden truck and sold it in the new towns that had been started to help me keep up expenses. . The grasshopper damage got less each year. We raised fair crops each year, but the prices were so low for what we had to sell. 3 In 1877 the U. P. railroad was built through where Brainard is now and immigration began again.
Those that moved away began to return and prosperity was again in the country. Some years were better than others, but it has been onward and upward all the time. 1 put in more trees and plants each year, trying to keep even with the demand. At first the demand was greater for forest than for fruit trees and after the tree claim act passed the de- mand for forest tree plants was great. We could sell native ash and boxelder plants boxed for less than one dollar a thous- and as they were taken in such large quantities. Mulberries, locust, catalpa, walnut and oak were higher prices. Several large nurseries were established in the state to supply the demand. This great demand lasted only a few years until the tree claimers were all supplied. After that there was only lo- cal demand for forest trees.
In 1887 the Northwestern railroad was built through where Dwight is and part of the old homestead was taken in the townsite of Dwight. This made it more convenient for all kinds of business. The demand for fruit trees and plants, or- namental plants, shrubbery and evergreen trees, both for or- namental use and windbreaks, has greatly increased. The country has gradually settled until all the lands are occupied by good homes, sheltered by trees and supplied by fruits from their own orchards. In planting trees I wanted to plant enough of all kinds that was needed, but if I planted more of
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one kind than I could sell the surplus was a loss and if I did not plant enough of any one kind there would be a shortage and I would have to buy to fill the deficiency. There were in- sects and dry spells in summer and snow drifts and rabbits in winter and all plants did not do well alike. So as long as I was in the business I was not able to make very good guesses as to the proportion and amounts to plant. Our children grew up and went to homes of their own, and I got so that I could not work very much, so I closed out my nursery business in 1912.
I will give name, age and size in circumference (in feet and inches three feet above the ground) of the biggest trees of their kind of a few kinds that I have grown on this, the old place, on the table land by Dwight. All of the trees had a fair amount of space except the bur oak. It was crowded on one side. Perhaps it is the best native timber tree to plant on the high land here. In the grove all are much smaller of their kind and age than those given here. The Minkler apple tree is nearly dead. The cottonwood is forked and one fork was struck by lightning ten years ago. The Wisconsin weeping willow is showing age. All of the others are healthy. The native maple grew by a slough. The Burkett pear produced twenty-two bushels of pears last year. The other trees stand near the house.
Pear, 6 feet 3 inches, 45 years old.
Apple, 6 feet 6 inches, 49 years old.
Pine, 4 feet 3 inches, 49 years old.
Scotch Pine, 4 feet 10 inches, 29 years old. Silver Spruce, Picen Pungen, 3 feet 8 inches, 32 years old. Willow, 7 feet, 5 inches, 45 years old.
Elm, 8 feet, 49 years old.
Walnut, 5 feet, 8 inches, 35 years old.
Oak, 5 feet, 2 inches, 35 years old. Cottonwood, 13 feet, 6 inches, 52 years old. Maple, 13 feet, 4 inches, 49 years old. Russian Olive, 4 feet, 2 inches, 30 years old.
Boxelder, 7 feet, 7 inches, 49 years old.
Prussian Lilac, 12 feet high, 25 foot spread of branches, about 40 years old.
All these measured in March, 1923.
James P. Dunlap.
E. T. Long of St. Edward finished husking a sixty acre field of corn February 7,1923. He was fifty-nine days in the field doing it, not be- cause he was compelled to, but to show what a pioneer settler could do in the present day. Mr. Long homesteaded in Boone county in May, 1871, and has been there ever since, being the second settler in that county.
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NEBRASKA HISTORY
LEGEND OF WEEPING WATER
The Story as Put in Literary Form by J. C. Lindberg, a Gradu- ate of Doane College, now Teacher at the Aberdeen Normal School, South Dakota
Many requests reach the Historical Society for the legend of Weeping Water. There is no established form for this legend. It is, in fact, difficult to determine how far the legend is a real Indian creation and how far the product of the white man's imagination. Prof. O. C. Dake, early teacher of liter- ature in the Nebraska University, and author of the first vol- ume of Nebraska poetry, has a poem upon this legend. His book was printed in 1871. He doubtless gathered the material for the story from people at Weeping Water, Cass County, some of whom settled there in 1856.
Professor Lindberg sought information upon this legend from the editor of this magazine twenty years ago. Subse- quently he wrote the story. A recent published version of his story, printed in South Dakota, follows:
"Nebraska has but few legends to lend spice to the or- dinary prosaic routine of her busy life. The following, the legend of Weeping Water, is an interesting one, and is well worth a hearing, as well as preservation. Doubtless there are many people in the state who have perhaps not heard it, and. some of these perhaps not far from the scene of action. The Weeping Water is a beautiful little stream in the southeastern part of Nebraska, too large to be called a creek, but scarcely large or dignified enough to be called a river. Be that as it may, those who live within easy reach, and are able to enjoy its scenery wish it none other than it is.
But it is with the origin of the stream and not its beauty, that we are concerned, and here it is that the legend becomes of interest. Many years, perhaps centuries ago, two Indian tribes roamed the plains of what is now eastern Nebraska. They were very hostile toward each other, for each claimed this particular territory as its ancestral hunting ground. As years passed on this hostile feeling became more and more strained. These were not the days of arbitration, compulsory or otherwise, and it soon became evident that the only means of settlement lay through an appeal to the god of war. It al- so chanced that upon the same night each tribe planned to sur- prise and overawe the other, with the result that at early dawn each found itself face to face with its dreaded enemy. The bat- tle was fierce. Upon the result hung the fate of the whole tribe, and of all that is dear to the heart of an Indian. Each warrior burned with the desire for revenge. All day the bat-
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tle lasted with varying successes and defeats on both sides. Now one of the tribes seemed to be the complete master of the field, when suddenly from an ambush would rally forth a swarm of men and overawe the victors with a shower of ar- rows. No point of the compass pointed out safety of escape. Every tree, every bush, every bank hurled forth its deadly weapons. The result was the total annihilation of one of the tribes and only a handful of the other was left to tell the story.
As the days passed on and no tidings came to those of the vanquished tribe who were left in the camp, they became uneasy. They knew only too well the meaning of no news. A council was held and it was decided to go en masse to bury their dead. It was indeed a sad sight that greeted them when they arrived upon the scene. There were tears, many tears. After they had buried their dead another council was held at which it was decided that each year upon the anniversary of the battle the whole tribe should journey to the scene of the slaughter and there lament their dead heroes. This custom was dutifully kept up until the white man appeared upon the scene and pushed the Indians farther west. But meanwhile a great many tears had been poured out, so many, indeed that a little stream was formed and made its way down the valley. The bed of the stream is very uneven and broken by many little falls and because of this (as well as from the origin of the stream) there is a constant murmuring and complaining and so it was christened the Weeping Water. It was in these complaints that the water heard the following voice :
Though all nature around us is smiling There's a note of despair in the song. Come tell me, no longer beguiling, Come tell me the tale of thy wrong. Then a murmur as soft as the breeze, Yet wierd as the sighing of waves- "I'm grieving the death of my kinsmen, I'm grieving the death of my braves."
There's joy in the bobolink's singing There is music in every nook; But deep in my heart keeps ringing, The longing lament of the brook. 'Tis the wail of an Indian maiden, Like the moaning of far distant waves; "Return me, return me my lover,
Return me, return me my braves."
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Now the sun in its glory is setting, And the shadows of evening unfold, No breeze the tree-tops are fretting And the cloud-land is purple and gold ; Still the soul-rending wail of the mourner, An echo from countless graves ; "Revenge me, revenge me, my kinsmen; Revenge me, revenge me, my braves."
(Editor's Note: Upon the early French maps of the Ne- braska region appears the stream of the legend with the name "L'eau qui Pleure"-whose English equivalent is "water which weeps.")
A letter from D. A. Young, Plattsmouth, one of the early time pioneers of Cass county, tells the story of the Rock Bluff precinct elec- tion in 1866. The story is familiar to all old-timers and is one of the fifty stories in the book, "History and Stories of Nebraska." In brief it is the story of the election board which went to dinner at noon taking the ballot box with them. The precinct voted 2 to 1 Democratic. The Republican canvassing board at Plattsmouth threw out the vote of the precinct, thereby changing the result of the election for legislature. In consequence two republicans were sent to the United States senate in- stead of two democrats. Throwing out Rock Bluff precinct however did not change the result of the vote upon statehood nor was it in any way responsible for President Andrew Johnson's veto.
The G. A. R. memorial shaft on the court house square at Hastings, now under construction, is to be thirty-five feet high, surmounted by a Union soldier in private's uniform standing at attention. Its foundation is an eight foot cube of solid cement in which is imbedded a copper box nine by eleven by five inches containing historical records. The monu- ment is to be of the finest grade of Barre granite and will cost $9,975.
Harold Cook of Agate Springs ranch in Sioux county, was a Lincoln visitor during the holidays. The Agate Springs ranch has become a center of interest in every museum of the United States. Wonderful discoveries of prehistoric animals continue at that place. Last year over five thousand visitors were received, although the ranch is from twenty to fifty miles from the railroads of that region. A museum building to hold the remarkable collections now at the ranch and others yet to be dis- covered is contemplated.
The North Platte Women's Club has done a fine patriotic piece of work by securing for permanent preservation a cedar log cabin now stand- ing in the south part of that city and one of the first buildings erected in North Platte. £ The cabin will be moved to a convenient spot near the court house, fitted up as a museum and memorial building in coopera- tion with the Daughters of the American Revolution. A good photo- graph of this cabin taken by the writer a few years ago is in the His- torical photograph collections.
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NEBRASKA HISTORY OTOE INDIAN LORE
Richard Shunatona, Keeper of Peace Pipe and Chief of the Buffalo Clan, Furnishes Important Information Upon the Present Chiefs, Customs and Tradi- tions of the Tribe
Otoe Names for Months and Seasons
From Richard Shunatona, member of the Nebraska State Historical Society and representative of the society to the Otoe tribe in Oklahoma, we have received most interesting and valuable unpublished material relating to that tribe which fol- lows :
1. The names and addresses of the living chiefs of the Otoe and Missouria Indians are :- Name Address
Remarks
Hoke S. Dent, Red Rock, Okla., descendant of Shumonecahthee, 1817 R. Shunatona, Pawnee, Oklahoma, descendant, of Chongatonga, 1817
Sam Black Red Rock, Okla., descendant of Woronesane, 1825
S. B. Lincoln, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Walonithau, 1833
Wm. Fawfaw, Red Rock, Oklahoma, appointed chief by Interior Dept. Felix Robedioux, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Medicine Horse, 1854 W'm. Green, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Lanuwahhah, 1825 Sam Ellis, Red Rock Oklahoma, descendant of Hahchegesuga, 1830 Moses Harragarra, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Big Soldier, 1854 John Pipestem, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Mawthratine, 1854 Robert MeGlaslin, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Mawthratine, 1854 Iowa Coonskin, Red Rock, Oklahoma, descendant of Bahtheecuja, 1825 David Pettit, Red Rock, Oklahoma
2. The names of the old and distinguished Indians are :- Charles Watson, retired chief and historian of the tribe. Far- rar Robedioux, a Civil War Veteran and the oldest member liv- ing.
2. The names of the old and distinguished Indians are :-
James Arkeketa, Sr., or Standing Buffalo, died July 24, 1912. His distinguished deed was in recovering some stolen cavalry horses for the government. He was the last priest of the tribe and head of the Buffalo Clan.
Richard Whitehorse, died 1922, was a friend of the gov- ernment and friendly to everybody.
Josiah Headman, died , was the head of the Bear Clan.
Albert Green, died Jan. 17, 1921, was a teacher and orator. He was really the principal chief when he died.
Henry Jones, died Sept. 22, 1918. He succeeded his uncle, Whitehorse, as one of the chiefs. He was loved by his tribe. In conclusion, permit me to add the following :-
The Otoe and Missouria Tribes were known by the French explorers as early as 1673, under the name of Otantata, or Wah-doe dah-dah.
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In olden times there were only seven chiefs of the tribes. Each chief was a keeper of a Peace pipe which was their sym- bol or insignia. To become a chief of the tribes was no easy matter, for it required something more than a member of the family to be one. In order to be initiated into the secret order of the Chief's lodge one must be a student of the great school- room of Nature, for really a chief must be able to teach the tribes. They derived the figure seven from the Pleiades, and each chief puts his trust in these heavenly stars, because each one represented one of the Pleiades.
As God gave Moses by word of mouth, on Mount Sinai, the laws which he delivered unto his people, who repeated it until fixed in their minds, so it is with the Indians. The Great Spirit taught them in their own primitive way and since then their laws have been handed down to each generation.
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