USA > Nebraska > Furnas County > Pioneer stories of Furnas County, Nebraska > Part 15
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After the Indian scare was over and all had returned to their homes, beginning work where they had left it three or four days previous.
Following the scare came the disastrous prairie fire of Octo- ber 15, claimed to have been set by the Indians as they made their run across country. The fire, accompanied by a high wind, burst upon the settlers like a cyclone, sweeping all before it. Many lost stock, feed. some even their home, and the country was left looking desolate indeed. Those who had any amount of stock had to move it to where they could find feed. The winter proved to be the most severe we had experienced since coming west. Many lost half, and some nearly all the stock they had. Father's loss was 100 head of cattle and 400 head of sheep.
I could tell of the social gatherings at the various homes and also of the rattlesnake, wild cat. porcupine and wood rat battles that were fought in those early days, but I must bring my story to a close lest I weary you with too much of pioneer life.
I. B. MeCOMB, Shiper, Nobr.
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CHAPTER XXVII
Mrs. E. J. McDonald, Wife of a Pioneer Who Homesteaded Near Wilsonville, Writes of Stirring Incidents In Early Days
Editor Times-Tribune .- I have read many of the pioneer stories with interest and feel that I would like to add my pioneer experiences to the series.
My husband, Marion MeDonald, in company with L. Scribner and R. Van Steinberg. started from Marcellon, Columbia county, Wisconsin, the last day of October, 1872, to find homes in the west. Having only a yoke of oxen for a team, he loaded our household goods in a wagon and started out. The family, con- sisting of two children and myself, was left behind until he had a home prepared for us. He was not out of the county when his oxen became footsore. Hle traded them for a horse and with an extra horse belonging to one of the other men he was again able to move on. After six weeks of traveling and camping they reached Gibbon, where the other men took homesteads. But this was not the home my husband was looking for. He wanted a piece of land with natural timber and water on it, so he followed Horace Greeley's saying, "keep going farther west," and after a few days more travel he found what suited him, lying 12 miles west of Beaver City and 4 miles east of Wilson- ville on Beaver Creek. There he used his homestead rights on a quarter of section 28, township 2, range 24 west. He had to go to Lowell to take out his homestead papers, as that was the nearest land office at that time. This was in December, 1872.
Ile then started to building a home for us. It was built of logs, 12x26 feet, with a dirt roof. We had our sleeping rooms upstairs and one large room downstairs for a living room. The stairway consisted of a ladder.
After the house was completed in April, 1873, he sent word for us to come. We started the 21st of April, the week after Easter and the great blizzard that so many will remember. We came by rail as far at Lowell, where my husband met us with a team. While at Lowell we met Al Crawford and his mother, who wanted to go to Beaver Creek also, as he had located there
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near the Gill place. So we took them on the load with us. We were three days making the trip. At Melrose, near Orleans, we had to ford the Repubnean river. The third night we reached I. S. Meyers,' where we stopped for two nights and a day to rest up after such a tiresome journey.
We then went to our new home. No place will ever look as good to me agam as that humble home did then.
At this time the settlers were breaking sod and planting seed corn and beans and making garden. We soon found out that it was not the place to raise beans. My thoughts were, "Oh, such a country, where beans won't even grow." Buffalo, ante- lope and wild turkey's were numerous. We always had plenty of wild meat, as our neighbors hunted and then divided with us. We were all on an equal then, financially and socially.
The next year after our arrival a drove of Pawnee Indians, 300 in number, came to our locality and camped on the south- east corner of our homestead. They were hunting buffalo and while here killed a great many, 150 in one forenoon They were a great curiosity and I was very anxious to visit them in camp. So I went to their camp in company with Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher. We found them very kind and friendly. They were staking down the hides, entting the meat and placing it on the hides, and then Indians dancing on it preparing it to eat. After four days they pulled up eamp for Arapahoe. Nothing would grow on the land where they had camped for more than a year after- ward, not even grass.
Everything looked favorable for a good crop the next two years until just before harvest when the drouth came, then the grasshoppers, which devoured everything in the shape of vegeta- tion. The last year the hoppers stayed four days as the wind was not favorable for them to raise and leave. Whenever they raised or settled it put one in mind of a snow storm when the flakes are large. The next spring millions of little white hoppers hatched out, taking every spear of grass or wheat as soon as it was up. But about the 19th of April came a cold, sleety storm which froze the ground and the young hoppers with it. So that year we had a bountiful erop and no hoppers. We had plenty of rain. Several times the creek raised out of its banks, wash- ing our temporary bridges away. At such times it was necess- ary to call on Mr. Remington to milk our cows and we milked theirs, as they were on opposite sides of the creek.
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In 1877 we took more land so had to move onto the new land north of the half section line. We lived in a dugout on one of the quarters.
About this time came the Indian scare. We had to go east for safety as far as Jake Downing's. Henry Remington and my
Sod House Where 300 Whites Gathered During Indian Scare, One-half Mile West of Wilsonville
husband stayed to look after the stock and fight the Indians if necessary. The next day we got word that there were no In- dians in sight, so returned home feeling perfectly safe.
We were not safe long, however, for only a few days after the Indian scare came the big prairie fire supposed to have been set by the redskins. It burned everything within reach, jumping the Republican river in many places. Many a family was left homeless and without feed for their stock. My husband had gone to Beaver City that day, so I was alone with the three chil- dren. Realizing the danger that was coming, I took the children to a piece of plowing south of the dugout for safety. When I returned to the dugout everything was in flames as the fire had caught under the roof. There was no chance to save anything. Among other things were several loaded guns that the men had left when going to fight the Indians. When my husband re- turned he found his family safe but in no home to welcome him. We were forced to find a place of refuge for the night, and until
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arrangements for a home could be made. We were welcomed at I. S. Meyers,' with whom we were compelled to stay almost a month. We shall never forget the Meyers for their kindness and hospitality at this needful time.
My husband fixed up a log house again for us, and with a box for a table and a pile of straw with a quilt on top for a bed. we managed to survive until we could get supplies from Kear- ney. We used the old stove, which we dng out of the ashes, to cook on, and the burned knives, forks and plates until we could get more. It was certainly real hardship.
About this time our school district was organized as dis- triet No. 5, by county superintendent T. K. Clark. The first school was taught by Mrs. Anna Jenkins. She took the pupils to her home, teaching for $1.50 a week, and boarding herself. A school house was built soon after the district was organized.
The schoolhouse was converted into a place to worship not long after it was finished, as a Baptist preacher came to our vicinity to conduct a revival. We had some grand meetings and many came out taking a stand for Christ. After the meci- ings closed he continued to come once a month to preach to us. A church was organized under the name of Beaver Valley Bap- tist church. After the church was organized the pastor bap- Tized several by immersion. That night he preached a powerful sermon to a packed house He stayed with us that night. and the next morning he was all broken out with the measles. Every- one who had never had them took them, so there was not enough well ones in the neighborhood to take care of the sick. Later on he brought whooping cough to our family, and still later he brought crawlers, which it took a fine comb to catch. The fol- lowing month he came again, asking if he might come in. We said, "Yes, if you haven't the smallpox or the itch." Of course we welcomed him for he was a fine man.
Our neighbors within a radius of four miles were Remingtons. Rowleys, Whitneys, Thatchers, Trowbridges and Jenkins. Grand- ma Jenkins will be remembered by all as a ready and willing servant in time of need, in sickness or death. Those who knew her longest, knew her best.
A half has never been told of the experiences of the pioneers. but not wishing to tire you with too long a story. I will close.
MRS. E. J. MeDONALD. Lincoln. Nebr.
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CHAPTER XXVIII
INDIAN STORY
Mrs. McComb Tells of a Visit From a Pawnee Hunting Party
One quiet afternoon in the month of June, 1873, the mono- tony of a pioneer life at our home was broken by the appearance of an Indian who came riding up to our very door. As mother appeared at the door she was saluted with, "Where is your In- dian?" Mother understood that he had reference to father so she replied. "A short distance from the house chopping wood. Do you want to see him ?" Their conversation ran as follows: "No, I want some bread." Do you want to buy it?" "Yes." Mother went into the house and returned with a loaf of bread which she told him he could have for 10 eents. Said he. "Give it to me," to which she replied, "No, I won't. You told me you wanted to buy it and that is all the way you can get it." "Give it to me, " he repeated with emphasis. She left him and went into the house. He rode away but soon returned with company. for it proved that he was one of a company of 300. who were out from the reservation for a buffalo hunt, and were camped about one- half mile from our house.
When they returned father was there to meet them, so they were not quite so much on the bluff. They came into the house, looked around and then took a general survey of everything sur- rounding the house. That which seemed to attraet their attention more than anything else was a new grindstone. They must have gone straight to camp and reported that it was there, for before the close of the day scores of Indians came to sharpen their knives ready for dressing buffalo. All moved along nicely until they got too lazy to turn the grind stone, when one of them fixed a treadle to work it with their feet. Father had told my brother to stay around where they were to keep things straight, and see that they did not pick up what did not belong to them He soon saw that it would not be long before they would have the crank of the grind stone worn off, and showed them what they were do- ing, and that they must return to hand power. All willingly
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gave up the treadle plan except one old fellow whom I will call Bluffer, who told Charlie if he took the treadle off they would put it on again. They had some words, but brother won out, at the cost of that one Indian's friendship.
No more trouble occurred until the third day of their so- journ with us. when Bluffer came to the store with a riding bridle to sell or trade for groceries. Seventy-five cents was to be the price of the bridle, and he wanted coffee, sugar, flour ammunition, ete., for it. He wanted so many different things that each par- cel, of course, would be small. Father commenced weighing out the different articles for him, and each time he would see the seales balance he would say. "little more. little more." Brother sat watching the whole transaction with not a very amiable feeling toward the Indian. Finally he remarked. "If he can't be satisfied I would tell him to take his bridle and go." The words were hardly said when the Indian put his whip to brother's month as much as to say. "Keep your mouth shut." Charlie took hold of the whip, then the Indian dropped it. drew his bow and reached for an arrow. Then brother took hold of both his arms and held him. Father stepped up between them and said to the Indian. "No more of this." The Indian replied. "All right, I'll tell you what I will do. I'll go to camp and get my chief and a heap of Indians and come back and settle it." "All right," said father. " I would like to see your chief." When he saw he could not bluff father, he calmed down, accepted what had been weighed out to him, and seemed satisfied with the trade. When he left he shook hands with all but brother. As he bid mother goodbye he said, "I don't like your boy .. I have been here heap days. heap talk. I don't like him.
The next day the government agent who was with the In- dians came to the house and when father related to him the ad- venture we bad with Bluffer, and his threat to go and get his chief, he said he was the most troublesome Indian in the company. but that his chief was a good man, and said it would have been the last thing he would have told the chief, for had he known it. Bluffer would have gotten a whipping. We had been informed by those who had had previous experience with the Indians that if we did not want to be run over by them to stand up for our rights from the start in dealing with them, and that was what my brother tried to do. but he being a young boy only
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eighteen years old at the time, it seemed that the Indian did not care to accept his decision in business transactions.
They would bluff every time they could One incident I re- member of was that they went to one of the settlers to borrow a tub and washboard. The man told them that they could take the tub but not the washboard. They said to him. "Don't you know that all the land on these hills and prairies belongs to us?" Mr. Ilaak did not take the bluff, but replied, "That may all be, but the washboard is mine." The Indians accepted the decision of Mr. Haak, took the tub, used it and returned it, and seemed sat- isfied.
We were not surprised when the Indians eame for we had heard that they had been given permission from the government to go out for a hunt, their territory being all land in Nebraska south of the Republican river. At the same time a band of the Sioux tribe were ont for the same purpose, their territory being north of the Republican river. From here the Pawnees seemed determined to go northwest. The settlers told them they had better turn back, that the Sioux were up west waiting to fight them if they went over the boundary line. Their reply to the warning given was. "White man heap lie, white man want buf- falo," but they found to their sorrow that white man did not "heap lie," for one morning early, while they camped in a can- von near the Frenchman river, the Sioux stationed themselves at the head of the canyon in a way that they had the appearance of a herd of buffalo lying down. When the Pawnees saw them they went out in high glee to capture the supposed herd. As they came close to them, the Sioux threw off their disguise and rushed upon the Pawnees and through their camps, massacring nearly the whole company. Thus their bluffing disposition proved a sad defeat for them. I expect brother's Indian friend went with the rest of them to their happy hunting ground. The wail of the few who did escape with their lives, as they wandered back to the reservation was, "Heap Sioux kill Pawnee, heap Sioux kill Paw- nee."
LOLA B. MeCOMB, Shipee, Nebr.
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CHAPTER XXIX
Another Early Day Settler Takes His Pen in Hand
Editor Times-Tribune .- I have taken so much interest in all the old time stories, that I thought I might add a mite to what has already been said. I am well aware that my memory will not serve me as it has some of the writers, but nevertheless I was right there among the beginners.
I will start out by saying that we, our family, consisting of father, mother, two sisters, and four of us boys, left Winterset, Madison county, Towa, in the fall of 1872, for the wild and wooly west. We came as far as Plattsmouth, Nebr .. and there wintered over to the spring of 1873, when we loaded all of our belongings into two wagons and hit the trail for Furnas county. Nebr. We did not find the wagon roads as good as they are today.
Well do I remember the day we put in getting across the Republican river at Melrose, near where Orleans is now located. The only possible way of getting across was a small hand ferry boat which would hold only about three or four hundred pounds at a time. We unloaded all of our fine furniture, took the wa- gons all apart, and put in the whole day in getting over onto the west side of that old measly river. I think the same stream is there yet, but I think they have better accomodations now. I did not appreciate the way they handled the passengers, hut I think mother was a little the worst. She did not expect to land on the other side alive, but she did, and stayed with us just as a good mother always does. We went into camp again on the opposite side of the river, almost in sight of where we camped the night before, rising with the sun the next morning. Father said we would see our homestead, the place we were longing to see, be- fore night, and sure enough we did, on the 12th day of May, 1873. forty-one long years ago.
There is where I have spent the most and hest of my days. I lived on this old homestead continuously for thirty-seven years. and was never off the place for more than thirty days at a time.
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We went through hot and cold, thick and thin, wet and dry, good and bad, we took things coming and going. It certainly was wild for miles and miles around. We had buffalo, deer, elks, antelopes, wild turkey, wild cats, coyotes, some lions, and no limit to rattle- snakes. Some of the other writers have mentioned snakes, for we sure did have an abundance of them. In fact I guess we had nearly everything, from a buffalo down to a chintz bug.
I well remember the first buffalo hunt I had. I was only about 12 or 14 years old, and my brother George and I got the no- tion that we could kill buffalo, so we loaded up our old army musket and out for a hunt we went. We did not travel over a mile from the house until we saw our game coming right toward us. We found a hiding place which happened to be a buffalo wallow and a big old ragged buffalo nearly ran over us. How we did wish for our hiding place to sink just a little! The way we did hug the earth was no small thing to think about. Did we kill any buffalo? No, we didn't know we had a gun until we got back home. I'm not sure but what it was a part of the herd from which Elder Mayo got his buffalo calf which he baptized in Beaver Creek so as to increase the number in his Sunday school class.
In those days we used to go from three to five miles to Sun- day schools, but now it seems that we can hardly get across the street to a fine mansion costing thousands of dollars. with fine seats, pipe organs, and nearly everything that heart can wish. Just look back, dear old friends, 40 years ago. An old sod house was shingled with buffalo sod, a fire place in one end, windows with glass 10x12, long slabs 10 to 16 feet long with four legs in for seats a sawed elm or cottonwood block for a teacher's desk, one book for three or four scholars, blackboard four feet square, and an old married woman for a teacher. Good enough, the boys were not all after her. I well remember one day at school in the above described fine schoolhouse that the old lady seemed to have been out late the night before and was somewhat sleepy, so she crowded the scholars up a little closer together on the patent benches and she occupied about seven feet of one end and took an old fashioned Furnas county nap. While she was enjoying her end of the slab, we kids had a few games of ball, had a fight or two, went down to the creek and had a bath, and then decided to go in and get our lessons. My brother finally ran up against a word in his book that none of us knew how to pro-
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nounce. He went to the teacher for instructions. "Wake up. What is this word? I can't pronounce it." After clawing her eyes awhile, she rolled over on the side, raised a small grunt, and her reply was, "Oh. call it something and let it go." Talk about education ! We had nearly all kinds in our little sod schoolhouse in Lincoln precinct.
Schoolma'ams were not so plentiful in those days as fleas and grasshoppers. Some years we had more grasshoppers than rain, and other years we had more rain than hoppers. but I re- member only one summer that we had hoppers, rain and hail. I cannot remember the exact date, but perhaps some of the old timers will bear me out in the assertion which I am about to make. The grasshoppers were on the ground first and they did not wait for an invitation either. They were devouring our erops that we had worked so hard for faster than a Jersey hog could eat corn, and by all appearances they had come to stay while crops lasted, but there came that night one of the worst rain and hail storms we ever had. All the streams and small creeks were out of their banks, and there were not enough life boats to save the hoppers. They were washed down from the high lands into the creeks and lodger in the timber in drifts four feet deep. One can imagine the smell we had to endure for months. Now this is no fish story, but a small hopper story.
Chintz bugs were another pest which certainly tried the pa- tienee of the early settlers. Maybe you later settlers don't think we old ones had some patience to stay with and undergo what we did. Grasshoppers one year, then for a change next year chintz bugs, then swap off to hot winds and no rain, then drowned out. and so on. To live on hopes from one year's end to another is not what most people now days call high cost of living.
I could write much more, but for fear of tiring the readers I will close, hoping to see letters from others, which will help in- crease the number of pages in the book which is to be printed. I wish to say that the happiest days of my life were spent in the old dugout and sod house in Furnas county, and it is the most sacred spot on earth.
I. T. TURNER. Montrose, Colo.
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CHAPTER XXX
Mrs. Philip French, Wife of a Pioneer Who has Been Called to the Great Beyond, Adds Some Interesting Incidents to the Collection of Reminisences
Forest Grove, Ore., June 19, 1914 .- Editor Times-Tribune .- The last week in April, 1872, my husband and myself. in company with C. A. Danforth. my brother Will Haney, and Felix Lester, a cousin of my husband, Philip French, whom all pioneers will remember, started from Seward county, Nebraska, for the Re- publican river country. where we could homestead 160 acres of land and get timber and water. We drove across the country to Fairmont. then followed the Union Pacific railroad to where Hastings is now located. At that time the country was sparsely settled. The St. Joe and Denver Railroad Company had just laid their rails aeross the Union Pacific tracks. There were two sod houses near there and a little board shack put up temporarily for an office. We drove around the end of the grade and up to one of the sod houses, as it was time to camp for dinner and we we could get water for the stoek while we were getting dinner and looking over the country, which is prairie as far as eve ean see. I thought it was a very pretty country, and said to the men. "T think that we had better stop here, this will be a big town some day." Then Dan, as we ealled him, laughed and said, "No. don't you get tender feet and want to stay here. We must have timber and water and 160 aeres of land before we stop." I think T was beginning to get a little tired and blue for we traveled slowly and we had a cow behind our wagon and Lester had an ox team, so you see we did not go quite as fast as the automobile of nowadays. We went from Hastings to Spring Ranch on the Little Blue and erossed it near Wild Bill's raneh, and after pass- ing there we headed southwest toward the Republican river. We were all glad when we came in sight of the timber on the river. We came down to the mouth of Elm ereek. late in the evening and went into eamp for the night, near where Amboy now is. We began to hunt for a place to get water with which to
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cook. We did not like to use the water in the creek, as the country was strewn with carcasses of dead cattle. Texas cattle had starved to death, as there had been a heavy snow and sleet. We found there was a house up the creek a short distance and they had a well where we could get water which was greatly ap- preciated by us, as we were all tired and thirsty, not having had water to drink at noon.
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