USA > Nebraska > Furnas County > Pioneer stories of Furnas County, Nebraska > Part 3
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I enjoyed very much the articles of my old pioneer friends. W. E. Crutcher. J. H. McKee. and C. A. Danforth. and hope to read many more in your good paper, which we receive and all read every week.
JESSE N. HADLEY.
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PIONEER STORIES
CHAPTER VI
Mrs. N. M. Ayers Relates Interesting Incidents in the Life of a Woman Pioneer of Nebraska
Words fail to express my thoughts as I gazed for the first time upon the beautiful valley of the Beaver, thirty-nine years ago. The following news item printed in the Nebraska State Journal. JJuly 13, 1873. explains the reason of our being so far from home.
"We are most happy to chronicle in another place the wedding of our friend, N. M. Ayers, clerk of Furnas county. Mr. Ayers, being a rising young man of the new country, has done well in taking to his homestead, in the great Republican valley, a bride to walk the prairie pathways with him. We be- speak long life and happi- ness to the fortunate cou- ple."
West seemed farther away, thirty-nine years ago than it does at the present time. and eastern people thought of it to be the home of the Indian and buffalo. MRS. N. M. AYERS A neighbor came in to say "good bye,' 'and remarked, "I'd not give up $50 a month, and go and live among the Indians for any man." But that didn't discourage our going to the Great West to build a home and seek our fortune.
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Our nearest railroad point was Lowell, 80 miles from Beaver City, and from that point we proceeded overland on our jour- ney. We camped at noon for dinner. My husband did the cook- ing, for I was not yet accustomed to camp life, and we ate our first meal in the shade of the covered wagon. We traveled all day over the vast prairies without seeing a tree or shrub, not even a sage brush. I never longed to see a tree as I did that day. The monotony was broken to some extent by seeing the beautiful wild flowers, a variety that I had not seen in Towa. and Nat had to stop the team many times for me to gather some. There was but one house, and that was at Walker's ranch, he- tween Lowell and Turkey Creek, a distance of 45 miles.
When the boys came out the year before to take their claims. they could have had their choice of land in this part of the country. Not even a house was on the present site of Holdrege or Minden, but they wanted claims with timber and water.
Our second day's drive brought us to Turkey Creek at noon, and there for the first time since leaving Lowell we beheld the beautiful native trees for which we had been long- ing. A few hours' drive brought us to the great Republican val- jey, and then on to Melrose, a small town one mile west of the present town of Orleans, and at that point we looked upon the Beaver for the first time. I shall not attempt to describe the pie- turesque valley. We were two and one-half days going from Lowell to Beaver City. I had heard much about the place. most- ly prospective. And then for the first time I saw the town-one small frame building occupied by MeKee & Denham as a store and post office, and a log cabin, the home of the bachelors, MeKee & Denham. These were the only buildings on the present town- site of Beaver City.
My husband had prepared a home before coming after me. and of course I was anxions to see it. I knew that it was a log house and stood on the farm now owned by Mr. Aldrieh. This was our homestead, and we lived there for seven years. I took as much pride "keeping house" in that log cabin as I have in any house in which we have ever lived. I remember one even- ing. W. Z. Taylor, now of Culbertson, called at the door and asked the distance to Beaver City. He said "excuse me." and looked around the little room and remarked. "how nice this looks." I had just finished papering with newspapers, hung up some pictures and other bric-a-brac, and really it did look home-
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Beaver City High School Building as it appeared in 1888.
It is now the home of the Times-Tribune.
FURNAS COUNTY
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like and cosy. Many were the happy days spent in that little log cabin. We hear much about the high cost of living now, but if people would economize as we did in those days-yes. for many years-in living, dress and means of conveyance. there would be no occasion for talking that way. We would look at the sugar many times before using it to bake a cake or a batch of cookies, wondering whether we had better keep it to sweeten our coffee, which consisted of parched eorn and rye with a few grains of coffee to flavor it. Two calico dresses a year replen- ished our wardrobe, and many had but one. Many of the women carried their shoes and stockings in their hands until they came near to Beaver City and then put them on. A top buggy in those days was as much of a curiosity as an auto was in Beaver City twelve years ago. A. E. Harvey and Mr. Blackmer were the first ones to come to Beaver City with a top buggy and everybody went to the door to see it.
We had been "at home" only a few weeks, when one day a very unwelcome visitor came unbidden and found his way into the house before I was aware of it. Nat had made some large wooden pegs, for nails were scarce, and driven them into the logs. to serve as wardrobe hooks. I chanced to look in that direction, and there on two of those pegs hung a big snake. It took me only a few seconds to go to J. R. Downing's, our nearest neigh- hor at home that day, and got him to go and oust the monster. Mr. Downing's brother, Charlie, was there too, and they both came and found the reptile had secreted himself behind a enp- board. but it took only a few minutes to get him out and end his life. I don't know whether the Downing brothers remember this incident, but it is as fresh in my memory as though it had hap- pened but yesterday. Governor Furnas was on his way to Beaver City that same day, and stopped with us for supper. We was very much interested in the snake story, and after supper took its measure, which was five feet and seven inches. Several years after the governor told my husband that he had related that snake story many times as an incident of pioneer life.
In the spring. Nat broke some strips of ground, and planted watermelons and corn. I never saw such melons. for size and flavor, as grew on the virgin soil. The corn was good too. In writing home one day I had much to say in praise of the water- melons, but did not mention anything else. When an answer came the folks said they did not care to live in a country where
PIONEER STORIES
they grew nothing but watermelons. I was more interested in the melon patch, as that was about the only source of revenue we had at that time. Large herds of Texas cattle were often driven through, and it required several cowboys to do this, and they paid us very liberally for the melons and did not try to steal them.
Our principle amusements were quiltings and all were invit- ed. We had no cliques and clans, but were like a large family. It was a novel way for me to pass the time, as I had spent the great- er part of my life in the school room. Many were the pleasant days spent in the home of "Tommy and Anna." That home is now the dining room of Mrs. G M Warner The bed would be taken down, the quilt put in the frames, and we quilted until din- ner was ready to serve, then the quilt was hung up, the table set, and all did ample justice to the good dinner that Anna had prepared. One seldom heard, "Mr. and Mrs." It was "Tommy and Anna," "Nat and Hattie." etc.
In 1874, Nat took as a timber claim the farm now owned by J. H. Wischmeier. He broke the required number of acres, went to the Republican river, secured trees, set them out, and watched and waited for rain which failed to come. The trees died, and he did not think it advisable to reset. A man by the name of Snodgrass came to Beaver looking for a claim, and went out to see the land. He knew that he could take it as a home- stead, but before doing so said that he would give us a cow for the land. We took the cow, and she was blind in one eye. Some -! time after. Rey. Bushnell bought the cow, fattened, killed, and sold her for beef, and we had a piece of the meat to eat. Just ! think of selling a 160 acre farm for a blind cow. That was 38: years ago.
Every day we looked for covered wagons. We were anx- ious to have the country settle up and we were glad when we learned that a large family had settled. Almost the first question asked when we heard of a "new comer," was, "How much of a family have they ?" How well do I remember when Capt. J. H. Freas came with his family. It was the topic of conversation for several weeks, and we were so glad to have them with us. Later when Mr. and Mrs. Yoe came with their nine lambs we were delighted.
Late in the fall of 1873, Cluster & Brown opened a small store in Beaver City, which was sold the following year to Cruteh-
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er & Jones. The Cluster family was small, there being but two children, but well do we remember the name of the eldest, the initials of whom would exceed those of C. E. V. Smith. The full name was Latino Casabianca Harry Fulton Cluster. It took some time to remember the order in which the names came, but it was indelibily stamped on our memories.
Our first Sabbath School was organized in 1874, with T. MI .. Williams as superintendent. Soon after a singing school was organized with Mrs. Garlinghouse as teacher. She is now Mrs. L. H. Rust, of Red Cloud. The first school in Beaver City was taught by a lady living on the Sappa, by the name of Dunham. I had the pleasure of teaching the second school, which was held in the Jake Young hotel. No doubt but the Freas boys, Fred Down- ing and others remember those school days. T. K. Clark was county superintendent.
It is needless to tell how our hopes were blasted when crops were destroyed by hot winds. grasshoppers, bugs, drouths. The time that "aid" was sent to those who could not get away to their "wife's folks." The prairie fires that threatened our homes. The scourge of diphtheria that came and took so many of our little ones. Let me say that the day that our little daugh- ter was buried was the nearest I ever came to seeing the Indians that my friend had told me that we were going to live among. As we were on the way to the cemetery, as far as the eye could see the road was lined with teams coming to Beaver City for pro- teetion from the Indians. That was the time of the Indian mas- acre on the Sappa in 1878.
I might add more but for fear of trying your patience I will close, with best wishes to all of the friends in Beaver City and those in distant places who are reading these pioneer stories.
Sincerely yours.
MRS. N. M. AYERS.
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i PIONEER STORIES
CHAPTER VII
Mrs. M. A. Freas Relates Incidents of Early Days When Snake, Prairie Fire and Indian Scares Abounded
I have been reading the letters in the Times-Tribune written by the pioneers of Beaver City and Furnas county, and have en- joyed them very much, as they bring back to memory a few of the scenes we have passed through, and know that it is all true. Talk about snakes! Here in an early day they had taken possession of all the homesteads, pre-emption, and timber claims, leaving little room for the pioneers. But we had come to stay, we commenced battle against our enemies with poles, pitchforks, and other weapons that we could strike with. We fought brave- ly to hold the fort and came off victorious and held our claims, afterward our happy homes. The first rattlesnake that I killed was in the fall we came west, September, 1875. This rattler was a very large one. I was getting dinner and just stepped outside to get some wood, when I almost trod on it. I jumped baek and looked around to get something to kill it with. There was nothing very near but a ridge pole, which was about twenty feet long. I picked this up with the strength of a Sampson, and killed the snake with some mighty blows. The snake was a furious fighter, and my arm was so badly sprained that I could not finish getting dinner, but waited until my husband came home to dinner, which he finished getting. He scarcely believed that I killed the snake with the ridge pole but I did not tell a lie. This is part of a snake story, but I am not through yet. That same fall I was across the prairie and near where F. G. Downing lives now, which was all unbroken prairie then, I saw a big snake. I had been up to Mrs. Trent's, who lived where Turners used to live, and I thought I would come right across to the bridge west of our shanty on the elaim. I happened to look around and there was a large snake standing up running after me. You better believe that I ran, too. I could run fast those days. I kept on running, trying to look back to find out if I was gaining any headway. I surely
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thought that my time had come. Finally I reached the bridge, and then I missed the snake or it missed me, for which I was very thankful. I then went up to the house and rested, and never since have I raced with a snake of that kind. The snake story is finished, and it is all true.
But Indian scares! They were something I thought at the time were worse than anything I had experienced. I looked for them night and day, and in September 1878 it was trying times for all of us, more especially the women, who had to stay at home and look out for their families. The people west of us were fleeing from their claims to escape from the Indians, which were a sad reality, in
MRS. M. A. FREAS
some cases taking their stock and whatever they could. I remember one Sun- day I baked bread all day, and packed what clothing I thought that we could take, if we had any chance of get- ting away. L. Kinsman came over in the afternoon to see my husband, who was very sick at the time, being the same fall that he died, November 6. Mr. Kinsman told us not to worry. If the Indians came nearer he would send and take us far- ther east, as they had horses and wagons. I felt greatly relieved to know that we had a good true friend who
would look out for our safety.
I gave bread and butter and what I could to the family who were going east with five small children. They camped near the bridge west of our place. The woman told me that the Indians had murdered her husband and eldest son, 18 years old, who were herding their stock, and wounded her in the shoulder, and took all her money. $500. She said that they had a span of mules hitehed to a wagon and she thought they could get away,
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but the Indians cut them loose from the wagon. She then es- caped with the children to the timber on the Beaver and went about 2 miles to a brother-in-law's, and he was taking them back to near Omaha, where they had lived before coming west. They had an ox team. I felt sorry for them and did what I could, which was little. The children needed clothing.
And the grasshoppers! They were very hungry at times, settling down and eating everything green. (Some of you will perhaps say that it is a wonder that any of us were left.) They were too numerous to count or say much about; but we knew after they had eaten everything in sight that they would go on and we would stay on our claims. We wanted homes in the live- ly west even though we had to fight for them.
The prairie fires too! They were something to contend with. The worst one which I remember coming was in 1879. We had very high winds coming from the north. A perfect hurri- cane. The fire started up north of the Republican river. At times it appeared as if the very heavens were on fire. At that time we had very little breaking done or plowed ground. The Hames came rolling up so high and so swiftly we thought best to try to get to some breaking about eighty rods from our shanty. We all ran for our lives and arrived safely on the plowed ground, the flames rolling on around us, and left us safe on the ground that had been plowed I said let us pray God in is goodness and mercy to save our little home. We did pray. Some will say that God had nothing to do with it, but I shall al- ways believe that He did. And when the flames and dense smoke cleared away somewhat, and the burned grass had cooled off so that we could get back where our shanty, as we thought had burned, (some of us were in our bare feet) to our surprise and happiness our little home was standing, but all burned black around it. I for one felt like shouting for God's merey and good- ness to my family. As soon as some of the men could get across from Beaver City they came to see what had become of us. Among the number were W. E. Crutcher, E. D. Jones, A. E. Har- vey, A. D. Allen, J. HI. McKee, and others. They supposed we had been burned and asked me what I thought when I came baek to the house about 1 o'clock at night and found all safe. My answer was, "It looked to me like a golden eastle filled with
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priceless attire." We always had a great deal to be thankful for.
As for furniture ! We had plenty to suit the houses. Tables and chairs made of pine boards. Charles Clark made our table. I think that he lives at Fairbury now. The table was very nice. Most of us women were our own carpenters. I thought that I could make a very nice cupboard and chairs to match. I liked matched furniture ; it was so stylish. I had almost forgotten that Mr. McKee gave us one real chair, made "back east."
As for dress! We had plenty, not caring to display any finery or diamonds at that time, our aim being to get homes in this garden spot, the "lovely west," and more, we succeeded ! Now we sing, "Home, Sweet Home. Nothing great is light- ly won; nothing won is lost."
CAPT. J. H. FREAS
As the women would up- hold me in what I say if I could but see them. Some have moved away, some are still here, and many are sleeping their last sleep. But they were all true, good women. Among the number were Mrs. J. R. Downing, Mrs. N. M. Ayers. Mrs. Ed Ayers, Mrs. T. M. Wil- liams, Mrs. J. T. Sumney, Mrs. H. C. Fletcher, Mrs. C. A. Dan- forth, Mrs. Charles Clark, Mrs. J. N. IIadley, Mrs. M. R. Hlad- ley, Mrs. Cyrus Trent, Mrs. James Lawson, Mrs. C. . Laver- aek, Mrs. A D. Allen and her mother, and others who were always kind and good to us when in need or sickness.
I could write many more pages about those early days, our trials, joys, disappointments, and accomplishments, but will close with my best wishes to all those who have written these pio- , neer stories, and to the many more whom I hope will follow.
MRS. M. A. FREAS.
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PIONEER STORIES
CHAPTER VIII
Judge J. T. Sumny Taught School, Hunted Buffalo, Broke Prairie Ran for Office-All in the Early Days.
I left my home and wife in Washington County, Penn., in October, 1872, to go to what was then termed the far west. A neighbor and his family had preceded me, and I had corresponded with his sons, one of whom served in the same company with me in the war. Ile gave a glowing account of Nebraska. I arrived in Plattsmouth by train and was soon with my friends 7 miles south of that place. About the first thing I did was to cast about and get employment, and being a school teacher my friends told me of a school director who was formerly a resident of Washing- ton County, Penn., who had been looking for a teacher. I soon met him and secured the school at $40 per month and board. I had been teaching in Pennsylvania for from $25 to $35 and board- ing myself. I had nearly two months to look around before school was to commence.
I went west as far as Crete, and looked over the southwest part of Clay county but I could find no good claims that had not filings of some kind on them, and fearing a blizzard, I gave up finding a claim at that time. I taught one term of school and another in an adjoining district, which occupied my time until nearly harvest in 1873. In the meantime Mrs. Sumny had come on from Pennsylvania and we had rented a house in Rock Bluffs, Cass County. I worked during harvest, and then made arrange- ments to go farther west in search of claims. S. E. Clemmons, whose mother-in-law and her family were living on the Sappa, agreed to drive his team and take three young men, former neighbors, and myself to the Sappa valley. But one of the young men and I being anxious to see the Republican valley first, went by rail to Crete, then afoot, except when a team overtook us and gave us a lift.
We had our grips, a Colt's revolver and a double barreled, muzzle-loading shotgun. On our way, Mr. Graham, my compan-
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ion, was carrying the gun when a jackrabbit jumped up, the first one we had ever seen. I told him to shoot it, but he said that it was crippled and that he would catch it. And so after it he ran, and when it got down to running it was out of reach of shot.
We journeyed along until we came to the Republican river below Red Cloud, where a brother-in-law of S. E. Clemmons lived, with whom we stopped part of a day and night. We had a niee trip to Melrose, near Orleans, where we learned that Frank Gapen, brother-in-law of Mr. Clemmons, was mowing on the Sappa and we were soon with him. When his day's work was done he took us in his wagon to his mother's-and we soon learned that she was a mother indeed, and that she and her daughter, now Mrs. John Rea, were as much our friends as though they had known us all their lives. We also found that the sons, John, Joseph, Daniel and Frank, were kind hearted and accommodating young men. They had been here some time and were ready to give us much information about the country.
Frank said that he was glad that we had a shot gun. JUDGE J. T. SUMNY as he wanted to shoot some wild turkeys. Hle and Mr. Graham started out and soon returned loaded down with turkeys. and though it was a little early we had Thanksgiving for some time.
They told us that the county seat would be located at Beaver City and gave me the directions. I could not wait for those com- ing in the wagon, but started to tramp across the divide, and soon found my way to the future capital of Furnas county. I was desirons of getting elaims as near Beaver City as possible. T. M. Williams told me of one west of the mill on the south side
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PIONEER STORIES
of the ereek, but it did not suit me. I was advised to go to Wm. Bishop, who was living on the land owned now by Mr. Holmes and his son was living on the land afterward owned by O. W. Clark. Mr Bishop showed me some nice land there, and I de- eided that I would take some of it. I went back to Gapen's and found that Mr. Clemmons had arrived. Mr. Clemmons and Mr. Graham picked out claims near Gapen's, and my two other friends took claims, one that was afterward owned by Geo. Dus- enberry. Then we made up our minds to take a little hunt.
We went west up the Beaver to Cedar Bluffs, then across to the Driftwood and the Republican river and down to Arapahoe. When we arrived at the latter place they wanted us to vote on the county seat question, but we did not as we were Beaver City- ites. Upon our arrival at Beaver City they wanted us to vote there.
We met several persons who were after us to locate, but I told them that I was not fully satisfied. Joe Armstrong told me of a claim that had been filed on by a young man who was but 18 years old, and who could not possibly hold it until he was 21 years of age, and that Ed. Ayers would show me the corners. Mr. Ayers old me that he was friendly with the young man and his parents and would do nothing, but for me to see Al. Kins- man and make satisfactory settlement with him, as he was the young man who had filed. I told him that I would do so and then he showed me the corners. I then saw Mr. Kinsman and bought his improvements and good will. Soon after I went to Lowell and filed on my several claims, and then returned home.
My time to make settlement on my claims was April 6, 1874, and on the afternoon of that day we pulled into Beaver City in a prairie schooner drawn by a pair of mules with most of our personal effects. When I had seen the land the fall previous it was covered with a coat of buffalo grass and an occasional patch of blue stem, but during my absence it had been burned off, and only the bare and blackened soil could be seen, and on it was the crude dugout which Al Kinsman had constructed. When I viewed our future home and realized how it would look to Mrs. Sumny, who had never seen a sod or a dugout until we had come into the western counties of the state, I asked her if we should turn around and go back to civilization. She bravely answered that we would stay.
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During my absence the wood rats had collected all kinds of stieks, weeds, and grass for a nest, and weeds and thrash that the wind had blown into the dugout, were all there, so it was partly filled up. Then there were no windows or doors, and none near- er than Lowell, 75 miles away. There was no barn or shed or well or spring nearer than one-half mile. The dugout was 12x14, covered with willows and coarse grass, sod, and dirt. The floor was also made of dirt. The first thing that I did was to unload our effects, which were not many, and go and get some hay, which I obtained from J. G. Armstrong, on the Beaver Creek. north of our claim. As soon as I could get ready I went to Lowell for some household goods, which I had shipped there, and to get lumber for a door and sash for windows. I had to dig a hole in the bank and put a roof over it for a shelter for the mules. I al- so dug a well, but not knowing the high water mark in the draw where our improvements were, I dug it too low down, and when the floods came it was filled up and made useless. I soon went to farming, and by the last of June had some corn growing fine and Mrs. Sumny had a nice garden. As our money was running short. 7 struek out for Cass county to find work during harvest and left Mrs. Sumny to look after the crop. She had to fight prairie dogs to save the corn. Everything went along pretty well until the grasshoppers came in great swarms. Mrs. S. thought to save à bed of onions and covered it with bed clothing, but as the grass- hoppers ate off the clothing too, she let them have their way and everything green soon disappeared. When I returned there wasn't enough left to make one feed for the team.
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