USA > Nebraska > Platte County > Past and present of Platte County, Nebraska : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 5
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
The momentous day above referred to was April 27, 1856, and then it was that the first actual settlers of Platte County, Isaac Albert- son and E. N. Toncray, entered this domain and halted for the time being on the east bank of Shell Creek, a little above the entrance into the Platte. The hardy adventurers not only "looked the country over," but set their stakes for new homes. They founded the town of Buchanan, in Colfax County, and eventually became men of high standing and influence in the County of Platte.
At about this time a certain coterie of men, deeply imbued with the western fever, met together in Omaha. Most of them came from the capital city of Ohio and had unbounded fiath in the possibilities of Nebraska. Their object was to found and establish a town on the logical route of the much talked of transcontinental line of railroad, which one day certainly would be built. The Columbus Town Com- pany was organized and Frederick Gottschalk, Jacob Louis and George Rousch were sent ahead, as an expeditionary force, to locate a site for the proposed town. Before the month of May, 1856, had expired the party passed the stopping place of Toncray and Albert-
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FOUNDERS OF COLUMBUS
Top Row, Left to Right: John P. Becker; John C. Wolfel; Mrs. John C. Woltel; Charles Bremer; John Browner
Second Row, Left to Right: Jacob Guter; Jacob Louis; Anthony Voll; Michael Smith
Third Row, Left to Right : Fred Gottschalk ; John Rickly; Vincent Kummer; Henry Lusche; Carl Reinke
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
son and, arriving at a spot, striking their fancy, determined they had reached their destination and found the Mecca sought. The object of the expedition having been accomplished, the trio returned to Omaha and reported to the company. Thereupon, under their chosen captain, Vincent Kummer, the Columbus Company, consist- ing of the three members of the advance guard just mentioned, and Charles Turner, surveyor; John C. Wolfel, carpenter; Jacob Guter, Carl Reinke, Henry Lusche, Michael Smith, Adam Denk and John Held, came into the land of promise. How the site of Columbus was selected and the founding of the town was consummated can best be told in the words of Mr. Taylor:
"Our Columbus party passed this spot a month later and pressed on to their destination on the Loup. Of course, Gottschalk and Louis could point out this spot, for they had been there. The others, too, would readily recognize it, for the river had been described as a clear and placid stream, deep but narrow, and abounding with fish. They halted at noon on the enchanting shore and gazed with delight at the great fish lying far down in the quiet water. Wolfel, as boss carpenter, was enthusiastic and could scarcely wait until din- ner was finished before commencing the Loup bridge and thus seal- ing the destiny of the new city against all rivals. Only Kummer was somewhat incredulous about 'that thing' being a river, and he strayed away along the bank. Having rounded one end of the river, legend saith not which end, suddenly he confronted the camp from the opposite bank, at which surprising event the original explorers subsided and the bridge builder withdrew his proposition; and what is now known as 'McAllister's slough' was left alone in its glory. Proceeding westward eight or nine miles they came upon the ver- itable Loup whose rushing tide and boiling quicksand put to shame the pretensions of McAllister's pond. Here they wisely located, neither too far east nor too far west as the whole sequel has proved, for the true crossing of the river on the permanent line of trans- portation over the plains.
"A letter of Mr. Kummer to his old home, Columbus, Ohio, describing the new world, aroused the spirit of adventure in many, among them John Rickly, who immediately dropped all and left for the West, with Michael Weaver and others. Meantime, the pre- liminary work went on here. On the 28th day of May, 1856, the outlines of the town were determined and the whole was soon blocked out. A rough log building was extemporized and roofed with grass.
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It answered all their purposes of dwelling, storage and fortification and was long known as the 'Old Company House.'"
On the 27th day of October, 1856, the little settlement was highly elated over the increase in its numbers, by the arrival of J. C. and Mrs. Wolfel, J. Rickly, John P. Becker, John Browner, Anthony Voll, Charles Bremer, John H. Green, William Distlehorst, Jedediah Mills, George Berni, Martin Heintz, the Quinns and Haneys. To Mrs. Wolfel, in distinction of her being the first woman of the set- tlement, was presented by the Columbus Company a share of stock, which meant ten lots in the town. In December, J. M. Becker was added to the colony and all told, the population of Platte County in 1856 numbered thirty-five.
CONSOLIDATION OF TWO TOWN SITE COMPANIES
The Elkhorn & Loup Fork Bridge & Ferry Company, com- posed of A. J. Smith, S. N. Fifield and others, had established a ferry on the Loup River and laid out the Town of Pawnee City, which extended from the ferry toward the new Town of Columbus and was likely, not only to interfere with the progress and pros- perity of its rival, but also be retarded in its own growth by too close proximity to that town. Hence, a compromise was established between the two corporations, by which the Town of Pawnee was abandoned, the Columbus and Pawnee City companies consolidated and of the two hundred shares issued by the reformed Columbus Company, each of the several interests was allotted one hundred shares; this consummation was of date July 14, 1856. A. B. Malcom was made president ; James C. Mitchell, secretary; V. Burkley, treas- urer; A. D. Jones, V. Burkley, Vincent Kummer, James C. Mitchell, with the ones mentioned, made up the board of directors. A. D. Jones was authorized to enter into a contract for the resurveying of the town and laying out therein one hundred and fifty-five blocks, of eight lots each, 66x132 feet.
THE PIONEER MILL
At the first meeting of the consolidated town company a reso- lution was passed authorizing the company to donate a certain number of shares of the company's stock to any one who should erect a steam sawmill within a reasonable length of time. In pursuance of the resolution the company entered into an agreement on the 25th
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
day of Angust, 1856, with John Rickly, at Omaha, by which he was to build a sawmill and also a shingle mill, in consideration of eighteen shares of Columbus Company stock. The sawmill to be of not less than thirty-two horse power and ready for operation within a year from the date of the contract. Agreeably to all which, the mill was constructed and in operation August 1, 1857. According to his diary, John Rickly "picked out the lot nearest the ferry for the saw- mill, and put a stake there." The next day, after staking out the mill, Rickly, Green and Mills returned to Omaha, having made a contract with J. P. Becker and J. H. Green for a thousand logs at $5.50 per thousand feet. Arrangements were then made in Omaha for equipping the mill, which was in operation by Angust 1, 1857, as stated above.
WINTER OF DEEP SNOW
The winter of 1856-7 was memorable for deep snow. The plains were covered the whole season to an average depth of three feet, while the drifts in low ground varied from ten to thirty feet. The situation of the Columbus settlement was serions if not perilous. Those who remained in the colony that winter were J. C. Wolfel and his brave wife; A. Voll, J. P. Becker, J. Browner and C. Bremer, who boarded at the Company's house; Jacob Guter, John Held, M. Smith, Jacob Louis, A. Denk, F. Gottschalk, H. Lusche and C. Reinke, whose houses were of logs and but indifferent protection from the snow and wild prairie winds. In December certain of the brave of heart faced the dangers of the unbroken prairies and went to Omaha, over ninety miles away, where they purchased ox teams and provisions for their besieged friends and loved ones. On their return the high-banked snow at the Elkhorn made further progress almost impossible; as a matter of fact, they could not go on with the teams. It was a question, however, of life or death for those at Columbus. They were out of food and hungry; their anxiety for the success of the relief party can well be imagined. Undaunted by the obstacles ahead and the treacherous snow, the saviours, although seventy-five miles away from their objective, equipped themselves with snow shoes, piled a portion of the food on a hand sled and hauled it the entire distance, bringing needed succor to the hungry and dis- traught settlers none too soon. J. C. Wolfel, C. Bremer and the elder Hashberger, who, with his son, D. Hashberger, had joined the colonists in the fall, made the second trip to Omaha, which was neces-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
sary, taking a hand sled, on which they hauled back to Columbus a load of provisions, covering the distance of almost two hundred miles, to and fro, in ten days. By following the frozen channel of the Platte River these sturdy frontiersmen were enabled to save valuable time in making this dangerous, but necessary journey.
SOME WHO CAME IN 1857
The first persons to join the colony in the opening of the year 1857 were Dr. Charles B. Stillman and George W. Hewitt, both of whom were later to figure quite largely in the affairs of Platte County. They trudged afoot from Omaha, through snow three feet deep, arriving at Columbus in March. Patrick Murray and Hugh McDonough also walked in, coming from Iowa City in April. It was but a short time thereafter when Murray sent back to Pennsyl- vania for his sisters, Kate and Maggie Murray, who joined him at his Loup farm and later became the wives of pioneers.
In the spring of 1857, John Rickly returned to Columbus, bring- ing with him his son, John, and daughter, Caroline. The young lady presided over her father's household for some time and then entered the home of William B. Dale as his wife. Mr. Dale was one of Columbus' prominent merchants and served the city faith- fully and well as its chief executive.
Early in this memorable year of 1857, came Michael Kelly, Thomas Lynch, Patrick Gleason and John Deneen. They breasted the almost impenetrable snow, making their way from Omaha with difficulty and no little distress. This group of pioneers settled in Shell Creek Township, west of the meridian line.
On the 1st day of May, 1857, Leander Gerrard "stuck his stakes on the Looking Glass, near the center of Monroe County (now part of Platte), having a sharp eye, no doubt financially and politically speaking, to county seat, if not state capital considerations. Gerrard made quick tracks back towards the United States land office. While on his way down, his claims were jumped by Whaley, Pierce and Baty-a party from New York- then by Ray, Swicker and Hen- derson. Then came the Mormons and jumped them all. But Ger- rard, Whaley and Ray ousted the Mormons, establishing their claims by the tenth of the month. The Mormons moved higher up and commenced settlement at Genoa, on the Beaver. These disciples of the latter day apostle, Joseph, inclosed 2,000 acres of the richest land in Nebraska, and broke and planted 1,200 acres. Such a crop
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
never grew before nor since on the Nebraska plains. Many a single potato was as large as a common man's foot, solid and good, and was a full meal for one. But in the year 1857, the United States Gov- ernment surveyed and confirmed, by treaty to the Pawnee Indians, a reservation five by thirty miles area, commencing at the mouth of the Beaver and extending westward along the Loup. This, of course, displaced the colonists, who left in the fall of 1859, not being permitted to even gather their crops. A few remained in the country; of these were Henry J. Hudson, Charles Brindley, James Warner, Moses Welsh, children of Peter Murie, Mrs. Carl Reinke and Mrs. Freston, whose husband was killed in Columbus, by timbers from William B. Dale's new building falling on him. The families of all the men came with them."
Before the expiration of 1857 and during the years 1858 and 1859, many accessions were made to the settlements of Platte County, mostly by Germans. Among these were the Helds, Erbs, Marohns, Wills, Wetterers, Rickerts, Ahrens, Hengellers, Matthis and the Losekes. To the Irish settlements came the Hays, Doodys and Carrigs. In the eastern part of the county settled Nelson Toncray, William Davis, Robert Corson, and farther up, the Rolfers, Russells, Skinners, Kemps, Cloughs, Spauldings and Fayls. In 1859 the Gal- leys, James, the elder, and his three sons, George W., James H. and Samuel; and his two sons-in-law, William Draper and John Bar- row. The McAllisters and Andersons came some time later. About this time, what may be termed the Yankee contingent, settled beyond the Loup River, among which were the Guy C. Barnums, the Cloth- ers, L. M. and J. B. Beebe, George W. Stevens, the pioneer school teacher of the county; the Morses, Perrys, Clarks, Cushings and Witchies. Some of these remained on farms they opened and im- proved; others became citizens of the county seat.
Three years after the initial settlement took place in Platte County, its census was taken by the Federal Government. In 1856, the num- ber of people in the county was thirty-five, but in the comparatively short space of something over three years' time the figures had grown to 782. After the Civil war, immigration to the county increased, and in 1870 the population was numbered at 1,899.
The manner in which the county grew; the salient causes and the character and nationality of the settlers, is clearly indicated in the pamphlet history of Platte County, written by I. N. Taylor in 1876:
"It is remarkable that even so powerful an incentive as the free homestead law, which took effect January 1, 1863, gave so slight an
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
impulse to our immigration. But the true reasons have been given. Not until the rebellion had collapsed and the fear of a general Indian war had subsided and Nebraska had become connected by rail with the East and South, and not until the Platte Valley was made to tremble beneath the rattling heels of the Union Pacific iron horse, did the homestead law have any meaning to persons at a distance. But thenceforth free homesteads, preemptions and even railroad lands at $5 per acre were as the hot cakes of the griddle on a winter morn- ing, and now scarcely a homestead is left unclaimed in Platte County. In the month of May, 1866, the construction trains of the Casement Brothers entered our eastern borders, and on the first day of June the track was laid through the Town of Columbus. The whole city- men, women and children-went out to witness the wonderful spec- tacle of a live engine slowly creeping along as the rails were laid, a pair at a time, by a gang of disciplined workmen, all moving with the harmony of a clock, and completing the track-laying at the rate of ten feet per minute. This event was to Columbus and Platte County the beginning of a new life, and we are therefore today just ten years, one month and four days old.
"To trace the rapid steps of our progress in all the paths of phys- ical, social, political and moral development, with names, dates and events in detail, is manifestly impracticable in this brief paper. It must suffice to say that in the settlement of our county, 'the birds of a feather have flocked together.' 'There are some exceptions: it would be better perhaps if there were more: but as a rule we see on swing- ing around the circle from southeast to southwest, that the sons of Johnny Bull, whether English or Scotch, have the lower Platte Val- ley and the Mormons lead. The Germans possess the lower Shell Creek Valley, with all its tributaries, and are mostly Lutherans. The northeast and Tracy Valley are Yankees and are largely Presby- terians. The Irish have got the upper Shell Creek Valley and the lower north shore of the Loup, and are Catholics. The Scandinavians possess the upper Looking Glass and Lost Creek and are mostly Lutheran. The Indian policy of President Grant has resulted in giving us in the upper north shore Loup Valley a planting of the seed of William Penn, who we hope are be-Trothed to the county and will live and be-Coffined Truemen. In our Mesopotamia-that gar- den of beauty-the Germans have gradually squeezed out the Yankees; they are mostly Lutheran. Stearns Prairie, in the center, like Columbus, is a mixture of everything under the sun, Jew and Gentile, Catholic and Protestant, Christian and Skeptic. But the
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whole county is at length dotted over with human abodes and every- where, on this glad day, the dark green corn blade, the darker grove bough and the golden wheat stem are nodding on the breeze to the flag of our Union."
CHAPTER III WHAT MANNER OF MEN THEY WERE
At the beginning of this chapter the distinction of being the first settlers in Platte County was conferred on Isaac Albertson and E. N. Toncray. This, however, should be qualified by the explanation that when these men went into camp at the spot designated, they were in Colfax County, which was a part of Platte County. Isaac Albertson removed from Michigan in 1856 and first stopped at Omaha in April of that year, where a company was formed with the idea of founding a city at some point on the Platte River, west of North Bend. Among the prominent members of this company were Experience Estabrook, Lorin Miller, Isaac Albertson and his brother-in-law, E. N. Toncray. The latter two were sent out to determine upon a site. After a hard journey and a perilous crossing of the Elkhorn, they finally arrived on the east bank of Shell Creek, near where it enters the Platte River, and proceeded to found the Town of Buchanan, now known as Rogers. Just one month later the founders of Columbus passed through Buchanan. A log house, known as the "Town House," was soon erected on the site of Buchanan and Albertson was appointed postmaster, a position which he held several years. Isaac Albertson became prominent in the affairs of the territory. He was elected a member of the council of the Territorial Legislature in the fall of 1864, representing Monroe, Merrick, Hall, Buffalo, Kearney and Lincoln counties. His district was the largest in area of that of any member during his term. He served as county judge of Platte County from 1863-69, and after the organization of Colfax County, out of a part of Platte County, he served as county judge one term. He was also treasurer of Colfax County. Judge Albertson married a sister of E. N. Toncray and a daughter, Clara Albertson Young, became prominent in school and church work, and in 1891 was elected president of the National American Woman's Suffrage Association.
Carl Reinke was one of the pioneers. He was born near Berlin, Germany, in 1828, and acquired a rather limited education in a Luth-
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eran school at his native place. Upon coming to the United States in 1854, he settled in Illinois, and was employed for two years in a stone quarry. He removed to Nebraska in 1856 and after stopping for about six weeks in Omaha started with the Columbus party as one of its members and settled on what is now the site of Columbus. Leaving Columbus soon afterward, he went to Shell Creek, having upon his arrival there about one hundred and sixty dollars, which was expended in the purchase of a wagon, two cows and a yoke of cattle. He took up a preemption claim of 160 acres, later bought eighty acres and from time to time during his residence there, purchased addi- tional holdings until he had about seven hundred acres of land. In 1891 Mr. Reinke retired from farm life and took up his residence in Columbus.
Vincent Kummer was born in Switzerland in 1820. He attended school in his native village, where he became a locksmith, and in 1850 immigrated to the United States. Kummer was a member of the Columbus Company, and came with the town builders in 1856. He was elected the first treasurer of Platte County and held the position twenty-one successive years. Rosena Gerber became his second wife in 1870, and after becoming a widow, she married H. T. Spoerry. Throughout his life Vincent Kummer was noted for his honesty and hospitality. On all occasions he displayed a natural goodness of heart and a generous welcome, attributes of the genuine pioneer. He was a man of strong will and of very decided principles. The death of this valued pioneer occurred March 21, 1880. His request just be- fore death, that the pioneers carry his body to the grave, and H. J. Hudson conduct the services, was complied with. The Kummer Guards attended the funeral in a body.
John Browner was a native of Ireland, born June 24, 1820. He arrived in this country in 1852, found his way to Illinois, and thence to Omaha in the summer of 1856. On the 5th day of November of the same year he arrived in Columbus and took a preemption on Shell Creek two days thereafter, where he built a log shanty and returned to the settlement. In the summer of 1857 Browner worked at Omaha and that fall found him as a clerk in the American Hotel, then pre- sided over by Mrs. Baker. He was in the employ of the Government in 1859 and before the end of that year took an active part in the Indian war. This pioneer was elected sheriff of Platte County in 1865, and gained a record for integrity and usefulness as a citizen and public official. In 1869 Mr. Browner purchased 160 acres of school
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land in Columbus Township, two miles northeast of the county seat, which he increased in acreage as the years went by.
Charles Bremer was one of the pioneers of the county, coming to Columbus in October, 1856, within a few weeks after the town had been laid out and platted. He was a native of Germany and arrived in the United States in 1849. Mr. Bremer was one of the first brewers of the state, having built an establishment for the manufac- ture of beer at Columbus, in 1864, continuing the business until his death in 1875.
John Rickley was a member of the Columbus Company. He as- sisted in making a survey of the town site and built the first sawmill in Platte County, having it in operation on the first day of August, 1857, and managed the utility until 1872. Mr. Rickly took an active part in the early settlement and organization of the county and was largely influential in the merger of Monroe County into Platte. The old ferry, charging the exorbitant price of $3 for transporting each immigrant across the river, led Mr. Rickly to obtain a charter for another ferry and when in operation he reduced the fare to $1. He was captain of a company raised to fight the Pawnees, represented the county in the Legislature, served as sheriff, was a member of the Columbus council and mayor of the city.
John P. (Pete) Becker was born in Germany in 1833, immi- grated with his parents to America and settled at Columbus, Ohio. When twenty-seven years of age he helped organize a party "to go west," which, in the fall of 1856, settled on the site of Columbus, Nebraska. He was a carpenter and the pioneer in that field of en- deavor in the new town. In 1863 he embarked in the grocery trade and in 1867, with Jonas Welch, built the first grist mill in Platte County and in the central part of the state. This mill was a "God send" to the settlers and was patronized throughout a territory over fifty miles in every direction. Mr. Becker was prominent in govern- mental affairs. He served in the State Legislature, was appointed by President Johnson agent for the Pawnee Indians; was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1875; first recorder of deeds of Platte County, being elected in 1858, and mayor of the town he helped to found. Mr. Becker died January 14, 1892.
Jacob Ernst, who lived on section 8, Columbus Township, was a native of Switzerland, immigrated to the United States in 1875 and to Columbus, Ohio, where he remained until 1857, in the spring of which year he settled in Columbus, Nebraska. Ernst was a black- smith and plied his trade in the new prairie home he had selected, thus
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
becoming the pioneer of the county in that line of industry. In the fall of 1868 Ernst moved to a farm on section 8, Columbus Town- ship. He became one of the opulent farmers of the county and his wife was the fourth woman to settle here.
Leander Gerrard was one of the foremost men in Platte County and had a state-wide reputation. He helped organize Monroe County, which subsequently became a part of Platte, and while a citizen of the Town of Monroe, from 1857 to 1866, among other activities largely engaged in the cattle business, overland freighting and trad- ing with the Indians. In 1866 Mr. Gerrard moved to Columbus, where he formed a law partnership with Col. M. Whitmoyer and Judge A. M. Post, the firm name of which was Whitmoyer, Gerrard & Post. He organized the Columbus State Bank in 1871, the oldest bank, incorporated under the state laws, in Nebraska. Mr. Gerrard served in the upper branch of the State Legislature in the early '70s, was chairman of the first republican state convention, held at Platts- mouth in 1868. His wife was Betty C., daughter of Michael Weaver. who came to Columbus in the spring of 1857. This pioneer settler, banker, legislator and politician, was called to his long account about three years ago.
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