USA > Nebraska > Platte County > Past and present of Platte County, Nebraska : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 3
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In 1842, Col. Peter A. Sarpy became agent of the American Fur Company at Bellevue, and for thirty years was the leading spirit of the region. To this place the Indians for hundreds of miles around brought their furs and exchanged them for such luxuries as the white man had acquainted them with.
One year previous to Colonel Sarpy's arrival, the United States Government transferred the agency, formerly at Fort Calhoun, or Old Council Bluffs, to Bellevue.
In the fall of 1846, the Presbyterian Board of Missions sent Rev. Edward McKinney to select a suitable place for the founding of a Vol. 1-2
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mission school in the vicinity of the Platte. After a careful exam- ination of the locality, he chose Bellevue, and erected a log house for his residence. In the spring of 1847, Walter Lowrie, secretary of the board, visited Bellevue and confirmed the selection, at the same time ordering the construction of necessary buildings on the plateau. These were finished in 1848.
A school had been opened by Messrs. Dunbar and Ellis, on Coun- cil Creek, up the Platte, before the formal opening of the Bellevue school; but Indian hostility to the effort had resulted in its abandon- ment. Thus it is that the Bellevue mission was the second school be- gun in the territory afterward called Nebraska. R. E. Reed was the first superintendent, and the mission force consisted of Rev. Mr. Mckinney and family and Mr. Reed.
THE MORMON EXODUS
During the half century which elapsed between the visit of the military expedition of Captains Lewis and Clark and the formal settlement of a white man (other than missionary or trader) on the soil of Nebraska, circumstances conspired to send thousands of white men into this region, for a longer or shorter period. First, in point of time and numbers, among the migratory bands, were the Mormons. Broken up in their home at Nauvoo, Illinois, the greater portion of believers in that faith journeyed slowly, with much suffering and loss of life, across Iowa, by several routes, and finally, with slight excep- tions, crossed the Missouri River during the years 1845 and 1846, locating about six miles north of Omaha, at what is now known as Florence, but was then termed by the Mormons "Winter Quarters." Here about fifteen thousand people congregated. The devastation wrought upon wild lands by such an army of non-producers naturally excited the anger of the Indians, to whom the lands belonged. It was asserted that the Mormons were cutting too much timber. The com- plaint was effective in causing the removal of the invaders. Many of them found temporary shelter among the bluffs on the Iowa side of the river. Soon an expedition of eighty wagons was sent out in search of a permament home for the Latter Day Saints, which re- sulted in the selection of the Salt Lake Valley-then far beyond the reach of government law, and where they could enjoy their peculiar observances untouched by the power of those who deemed their faith a fraud and their practices pernicious. The presence of these fami- lies had no decisive influence upon the future of Nebraska. There
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are those still living within the state who entertain the Mormon faith, without the practice of polygamy, of course; but the transitory resi- dence here of the main band was not destined to become a factor in the future history of this commonwealth. Brigham Young led a part of his followers westward in 1847, crossing from St. Mary to Bellevue in a ferry owned by Colonel Sarpy, who was a warm friend of the Mormon Moses.
THE GOLD HUNTERS
Next after the Mormons came the flood of emigrants to Califor- nia, in search of that most seductive, that most powerful metal known to man. The fever of 1849 swept over all the land and thousands found their way to the Pacific along the Valley of the Platte. The moving host left here and there a permanent impress on the land. Nor was this all; the land in turn so charmed the eye and created so abiding an impression on the mind of many a beholder that, wearied with the unequal contest of the camp, they abandoned the pick and spade for the surer implements of husbandry; and remembering the beautiful valley of the Platte, sought its peaceful hills and plains, wherein to erect homes for their declining years. Another effect of the emigration was the establishment of a ferry between what is now Omaha and Council Bluffs, by William D. Brown, in 1851 or 1852. In 1853 he made claim to the site of Omaha. The western travel, which in the first months of the excitement, had crossed the Missouri at Winter Quarters (Florence), Bellevue and other points, was largely diverted to "Lone Tree," as the site of Omaha was then called, and the seeds of a great metropolis were implanted in a most nutritious soil.
Life on the plains! What memories are awakened within the breast of many a resident of Nebraska at the sight and sound of those words! When the golden spike was driven which bound together the iron links in the great national highway, the knell of that wild period in the history of the West was struck. The whistle of the first loco- motive in its fierce rush across the hitherto trackless expanse ended forever that scene in the drama of progress, which was alike comedy and tragedy. "I crossed the plains," are words, when spoken by the bronzed and hardy pioneer, which signify more than men of later generation can conceive of. The toiling caravan of emigrants to the El Dorado of the Pacific Slope; the venturesome cavalcade of daring huntsmen; the solitary group of mountaineers-a class peculiar to
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the "Rockies"-have passed beyond the view, and all that now remain of them are scattered traces of forgotten graves, a few survivors of those scenes, busied with other tasks, and vague traditions of the times, which horrify or charm, as deeds of murder, robbery or love perchance to give the coloring to the tale.
Nebraska was the highway of the West when lumbering wagons furnished the only means of transport, as now, when steam and palace cars augment the speed and comfort of the journey. Imagine, if you can, and you, survivor of the olden time, conjure up a vision of modern methods, as in fancy you live once more those days of hardship. You lift your head from the damp earth, and by the flickering light of waning camp fire, see the mighty engine dashing by, with train of sleeping coaches, freighted with slumbering voyag- ers. And, as you gather about the morning fire, with scanty meal, behold the men who look disgusted at their morning bill of fare within the dining coach and sigh because their journey is a wearying one. They will reach their destination within the week, while you can count the time by months since you stood looking eastward, as night shut down upon you and blotted out the last rude traces of the "States." And still long months of deprivation must ensue before you gain the end of that slow march.
Let us give place to mention of those events which were, if not direct, at least subsidiary, agencies in the original settlement of Ne- braska, and which demonstrated the fact that the Valley of the Platte was the only route of travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific within the limits of the more temperate latitudes. In remote times-remote for the West-the beginning of "the West" was at the Mississippi. Western Illinois and Wisconsin and Western Iowa were accessible by water by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The region beyond was known only to the courageous few who had braved the perils of a wilderness inhabited by hostile tribes. But, in 1850, when the fever for gold had spread throughout the East, the limits of civilization had extended so far that supplies of horses, mules, cattle, wagons, coffee, flour, bacon, sugar and the indispensables of a trip across the plains were obtainable at points on the Missouri River, in the State of Mis- souri. Parties endeavored to reach that stream early in the spring, that they might take advantage of the growth of vegetation as food for their teams. While some caravans followed the Arkansas, many more chose to come up the Missouri and travel thence westward along the rich valley of the Platte. Thus was first opened up to observant pioneers the beauties of this region. Hundreds of improvident but
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eager men set out so late in the season as to encounter the rigor of winter in the mountains, and many perished miserably from exposure and starvation. Others started early enough to safely pass the Rocky Mountains, only to meet their fate in the inhospitable fastnesses of the Sierra Nevadas, where snow frequently piles to the depths of thirty or forty feet in localities. Among the very early trials were the dangers incident to crossing a country inhabited by fierce Indians. If the truth could be known, probably every mile from the Missouri to the Pacific would demand at least one headstone to mark a victim's grave. The stages of life, from birth to the closing of the drama, were here exemplified. Many a poor mother hushed her new born babe amid the rough scenes of a comp, while she herself was suffering from lack of those comforts so essential to maternity. Along the trackless plain many a maiden awoke to the revelation of love, and many a troth was plighted. Even the marriage rite was sometimes celebrated amid the crude but earnest congratulations of the sturdy groups which formed the caravan. And death, in every form, paid frequent court to those lone wanderers. The novelist of the future will here find ample materials for plot and story.
At the time referred to, the whole region, from the Missouri to the Pacific, was vaguely known as "the plains," though it embraced al- most every variety of country. First, the emigrant crossed the rich, rolling prairies of Nebraska. The soil grew thinner and thinner until it merged into dreary sand deserts. Upon these he found myriads of prairie dogs, sometimes living in towns twenty miles square; herds of graceful antelopes bounded over the hills, and huge, ungainly buf- faloes, which numbered millions then, blackened parts of the land- scape. A day's journey was from ten to twenty miles. When the company halted for the night, they turned their animals out to graze, with such precautions as served to prevent their escape; lighted a fire on the prairies of buffalo chips, and supped upon pork, hot bread or "flap-jacks," and washed the frugal repast down with the inevitable tin cup of coffee. Their trusty guns were kept within easy reach, and the whitened skull of a buffalo, perhaps killed by some emigrant long before in wanton sport, served as a seat. At night, the travelers slept soundly, with the blue of heaven for a canopy. The wagons were covered with stout canvas, and afforded protection to the few women and children during the later years of the excitement. All became inured to the conditions of outdoor life. When large streams were reached, the heavy wagons were floated or hauled, and where it was convenient to do so, rude bridges were constructed over smaller
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streams. Every source of ingenuity was developed. If a wheel gave way, and the mechanical productiveness of the party could not replace it, a cottonwood log, with one end dragging on the ground, was made to serve instead. If a pole broke, another was extemporized from the nearest timber. If an ox died, some luckless cow was yoked in his place. Sometimes one family, or one party of half a dozen men, journeyed alone, and sometimes there were a hundred or more wagons in a single "train," with their white covers enveloped in an increasing cloud of dust. During the seasons when emigration was very heavy, caravans could, from an eminence, be seen stretching out for miles and miles, and at night every pleasant camping ground was a popu- lous village. The journey was not without its enjoyments, though one's philosophy was sorely tried at times. There were often long delays for hunting lost cattle, waiting for swollen streams to subside, or in climbing the mountains. Storms and mishaps frequently taxed the patience of all, and sickness came to feeble frame and hardy men alike. The first of a long line of trains often climbed steep hills, in- stead of going the longer and easier way through ravines, and the followers along the new roads were forced to desert the beaten track, and risk untried courses, or labor on in their wake. It was not un- common to see from ten to thirty yoke of cattle hitched to a single wagon, working slowly up the mountain. The summit reached at last, the wagon would be emptied, and with a huge log trailing behind as a brake, the teams would descend to repeat their experience in ascending with other loads. The wild, majestic scenery along the way may have been a partial compensation to some for the hardships they endured, but it is reasonable to believe that few would have refused to forego those delights if thereby they might have gained easier transit. The tragedies of those days were numerous. The very nature of the journey and the chances of sudden wealth, combined with the freedom of the manner of living, gathered many a desperate character into the civil army. The baser passions were too often al- lowed full scope and hence it must be recorded that many a villain found his end at the hands of outraged companions. The travelers were a law unto themselves, and greed or lust were summarily avenged.
NEBRASKA AS SEEN IN 1856
From the diary of an early settler is quoted the following vivid description of the appearance of Nebraska in 1856:
"I first came to Nebraska in 1856, and the rolling prairies existing
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between the Big Sandy and Fort Kearney had been burnt off, so that as the caravan with which I was traveling passed along, a wide waste of desolation met the eye. The surface of the earth was black as charcoal, and here and there was spotted with the bleached bones of buffalo, oxen and wolves. It seemed as though nothing could live in that forsaken looking country, and yet I thought then that where that black, charred surface was, there must have been long blades of brown and yellow grass, before the fire swept them out of existence. And I thought, too, the grass must have been beautifully green in the spring and summer time; and I hoped to see the summer bloom for me again. When I approached the Platte Valley from the hills which skirt it, my eyes were delighted with the sight that met my view. Near by, lay that beautiful country, its land as level as a floor, the dense groves of trees stretching out as far as the eye could see. It was a gorgeous spectacle, and it seemed to me no valley on the earth could surpass it in agricultural possibilities. During the winter of 1856-7, I journeyed on to Fort Laramie. The point at which I struck the Platte must have been two hundred and fifty miles from its mouth. From there to Fort Laramie was about three hundred and seventy-five miles. I therefore traveled fully three hundred and seventy-five miles, so that my opportunity for judging of its extent and general features was of the best, although it was seen under most disparaging circumstances. That was a terrible winter. From Octo- ber to May snow was on the ground. On the last day of November our party arrived at Ash Hollow, returning from Fort Laramie. The snow was a foot deep at the former place. That night, another storm came on and continued for several days and nights. When it was over, we were snow bound. We remained there two weeks and then moved on to a village of Ogallala Sioux Indians, where we re- mained more than a month, and were kept from starving by the kind- ness of the Indians, who gave us all the buffalo meat we needed for our food. From this village to Fort Kearney, we journeyed on the ice of the Platte. On the land, the snow lay two feet deep, while the valleys were filled full with drifting snow. For months there was nothing to be seen but the dazzling whiteness of the snow. We were sixteen days in going from Ash Hollow to Fort Kearney-a distance of 150 miles, and necessarily encountered many hardships and priva- tions on the way. A few days after our arrival at the fort, another severe storm came on, with strong winds. This lasted several days and completely buried the one-story houses of the fort in the drifts. Barracks, officers' quarters, stables-all were covered, and trenches
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had to be dug around haystacks to prevent the cattle from walking on top of them. Cuttings were made from door to door of the houses, to allow the inmates to go in and out. The season was terrible, but it was general throughout the Northwest. It was an unfavorable time to form an opinion of the region, but I nevertheless resolved to make it my future home. I knew that the snow would finally disappear, and so it did. In June, the Valley of the Platte was decked with liv- ing green; the trees were rich with foliage, and the birds chirped forth their songs of joy."
ERECTION OF NEBRASKA
The bringing into favorable notice of the rich "Platte Country" -as the region from the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains, along the Valley of the Platte and beyond, was vaguely known- through the mediumship of emigration to the golden coast, was the preliminary step toward the erection of another territory in the arch of the Union. The political forces in power looked with concern at the prospect of the irrepressible struggle then imminent. The development of a new section of the continent did not, to the powers that were, suggest merely the increase of national and personal wealth; it presaged the rise or fall of the great dynasty which had for its foundation the institution of human slavery. To enter into an elaborate review of the situation of parties and party leaders would require more space than the limits of this chapter permit; but the conditions of the contending factions, at the beginning of 1850, must be summarized, that subsequent events, pointing to the struggle of 1853 and 1854, may rest upon logical basis.
The dominant political party of the country, swaying state, church, commerce and society in general, was the advocate and sup- porter of slavery. The opposing party, made up of dissenting fac- tions, as always the opposition is, held to the abstract idea of the error of slavery; but the degree of error and the methods by which it should be remedied, varied from mild conservatism-which would permit its existence, but prevent too rapid encroachments on free soil-to rabid abolitionism, which was for exterminating at once and by force, if need be, the iniquity of all iniquities. With such dis- cordant and unstable materials, the fight was carried on for years. The admission of new territory, from time to time, gave sudden heat to "the cause," and vigor to the opponents thereof. The fierce strug- gle over the admission of Missouri had ended without open disrup-
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tion of the Union, but the breach between the pro-slavery and anti- slavery factions had grown with rapidity since the memorable days of 1820. Three decades had passed and each succeeding year wit- nessed a stronger gripping of official and social power by the pro- slavery advocates. Quietly, insidiously, the forces were at work. Sixteen years after the Missouri Compromise was adopted by Congress and the state admitted to the Union on the strength thereof, the western boundary of the state was extended, without attracting public attention. The original west line was drawn dne north and south from a point where the Kansas enters the Missouri; but in 1836, a tract lying west of that line, between it and the Missouri, was taken from the unorganized region and given to Missouri. This was a flagrant violation of the spirit and letter of the compromise.
It was in the midst of a series of political athleticism seldom sur- passed that the time for the creation of the Platte country into terri- tories was reached. The submission of the whig party to pro-slavery compromises; the nomination and defeat of General Scott and the triumphant election of Franklin Pierce to the presidency of the United States; the voluntary acceptance of the Fugitive Slave Law and other "compromise" acts by the nominal leaders of the opposi- tion to slavery, and the apparent growth of the slave power in this country, all conspired to embolden the lawmakers in their belief that the time had come for the spread of slavery throughout the new West, and the ultimate increase of its political strength in Congress. It was held by the southern statesmen and their allies in the North that this region, as a part of the Louisiana Purchase, was territory into which the owners of slaves might carry their chattels and hold them in bondage, through the operation of the original treaty-guar- antee of their right to retain unrestricted freedom in religious and property affairs.
The first effort to erect a territory west of Missouri and Iowa was abortive. This was made in 1851 and 1852. The matter did not reach a vote. At the next session (1852-53), Willard P. IIall, of Missouri, on December 13, 1852, offered a bill in the House of Representatives organizing the Territory of "Platte," which included in its area what is now a greater portion of this state. The bill was referred to the committee on territories. From that committee, William A. Richardson, of Illinois, reported a bill organizing the Territory of Nebraska, covering the same area. This report did not meet with the approval of the southern members, and so warm was the discussion that ensued in the committee, that the report presented
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recommended the rejection of the bill. John Letcher, of Virginia, moved to lay the bill on the table, which motion was defeated, and, in spite of opposition, the bill passed the House by a vote of 98 veas to 43 nays, February 10, 1853. Now began the contest which became famous in the history of the nation. The bill went to the Senate, heralded by pro-slavery blasts of warning. Secretly. there was organized a system to prevent free soil from becoming a new territory, unless a similar traet of slave soil should be set off, as a counter-poise in the National Legislature; for to admit a free territory without one dedicated to slavery was to give the anti-slavery faction a political lever that might become Archimedean in its strength against the South. It must be remembered that John Quincy Adams' idea of the property rights guaranteed under the treaty on which this region became a part of the United States was disputed by able men, and strong diversity of opinion existed. The bill reached the Senate on the 11th, and on the 17th Stephen A. Douglas reported it from the committee to which it was referred, without amendment. On March 2d, the last day but one of the session, Mr. Douglas moved that it be taken up. The southern mem- bers opposed this, and on the following day he renewed his motion. Then it was that Solon Borland, of Arkansas, moved that the bill be allowed to lie on the table. This amendment prevailed by a vote of 23 to 17. With the exception of the senators from Missouri, the slave states were solidly opposed to the organization of the new territory. Senator Atchison spoke briefly, but suggestively, on the subject, but his wishes were disregarded and the session closed with- out completing the work of the so-called Territory of Nebraska. The northern limit of the region embraced in these bills was gen- erally mentioned as "the Platte River."
The Thirty-third Congress began its session December 5, 1853, with a large democratic majority in both branches. During the time between the presentation of the bill alluded to and the opening of this session, the people of Iowa had manifested their disapproval of the lines described in the bill, and expressed a wish to have the country west of that state opened to settlement. Thousands of emigrants were impatiently awaiting the extinguishment of the Indian title to the lands, and were clamoring for the right to locate west of the Missouri. In the fall of 1853, a number of men assembled at Belle- vue, in Sarpy County, and chose Hadley D. Johnson, a prominent eitizen of Council Bluffs, Iowa, as their representative, delegating powers to him in the interest of a reformation of territorial lines.
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On the 14th of December, 1853, Augustus C. Dodge, senator from Iowa, introduced a bill in the Senate "to organize the Territory of Nebraska." This measure adhered to the former boundaries and it was referred to the committee on territories. The bill contained no clause interfering with the interdict on slavery in this region laid down by the Missouri Compromise. From the report then submitted is hereafter quoted so much as expresses the animus of the orig- inators:
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