USA > Nebraska > Furnas County > Pioneer stories of Furnas County, Nebraska > Part 8
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In the latter part of winter the government sent an army
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officer to investigate and report the amount and kind of seeds the country would need to replant in the spring. We received most of our seeds the ensuing spring from Washington. Brigham Young, the Mormon leader at that time, also contributed liber- ally to the needs of the settlers. The government also sent in army clothing and shoes for the settlers and many received gifts from relatives and friends in the east, and thus the vast majority of us subsisted on the charities of our countrymen until we could once more demonstrate or try to demonstrate whether we could wring a subsistence from the delectable land of false pro- mises, and thus we began again the campaign of 1875.
During the winter of 1874-'75, I taught the district school in our home district, and by this circumstance was more fortunate than many others. It is not always an agreeable reflection to realize in such times of mutual distress, the selfishness of human- ity, as was sometimes manifested, and yet such reflections are often enlivened by recollections of generous deeds of self-denial and kindly acts. But it is not surprising that envy. jealousy and false views should become visible, and undoubtedly many accusa- tions of partiality and preference should be made, and perhaps in some few instances be well founded. But in a general way many of the noblest attributes of the human heart were revealed among the earliest settlers of Furnas county and will ever abide in my heart as refreshing fountains of water in a desert. Many deeds of mutual kindness, as well as many of the basest ingrati- tude and despicable selfishness could be related. But thanks to Fortune, fickle as she may be, or to Providence, whose charity never fails, those days are past. and though in turning memory's tablets. they again reveal some things sad and lamentably wrong. it is but to remember that they are past, and in the dead past to let them remain.
I hope in reeiting incidents of the following year, 1875, to be able to present brighter colors to the reader.
I believe my former chapter ended in the year 1875. In the spring 1876. I rented part of my land to Silas Clemons, to plant in corn, and planted the balance myself. As during all the pre- ceding years the corn made a vigorous and promising growth. but in the latter part of June and early July. the "hoppers" again made their appearance, bespangling the sky with their shining wings and we waited with anxiety whether they would again repeat their ravages. But the wind was propitious and they re-
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mained in the air, and the corn grew, tasseled and gave good pro- mise of yielding a fair erop. I am a member of the Masonic order and at the time was an officer in the lodge at Melrose, and at one of our regular meetings in August, the brethren deferred the opening of the lodge, awaiting the arrival of several of the breth- ren from Beaver City. Myself and several others were in the lodge room passing the time in conversation, when a brother en- tered the room and announced, "The boys from Beaver City have arrived and report that the grasshoppers have alighted." On my way home that night I rode with Brother A. C. Robins as far at his home and refused his invitation to tarry with him until morning, but walked on in the moonlight toward my own cabin. Coming to Brother Robins' cornfield adjoining the road, I walked into it a few paces and heard the roar of the hoppers' wings as my presence disturbed them, and they flew blindly among the corn stalks. The next day was Sunday and early I began to carry old hay, chunks of wood, and place them on the eastern side of my corn field, and set fire to them, and as the wind bore the smoke among the corn, the insects arose in elouds from off the corn and for a short time I thought the victory was mine. But I was soon undeceived. I noticed that the smoke soon arose entirely above the corn and underneath that the hop- pers remained undisturbed, and that those who had been first dis- turbed, immediately settled down again on the eorn, as soon as they were out of the cloud of smoke. It was a vain attempt. I gave it up, and turned my attention to fighting fire on the dry grass hat had carried it into the timber of my neighbor, but I did not even succeed in saving much of his timber. Afterwards i called on him and asked him how much I owed him for the dam- age the fire had done to him. He replied, "I don't think it would have done any damage if it had burned the whole d-d country up." I felt very much the same way myself, and besides some relief that I would not be called on to pay for it. I remember talking to Elder Mayo shortly after the last visitation of the grasshoppers. Ile insisted with much vehemence and earnest- ness that it was a judgment of God upon the people for their many sins. I referred him to my belief that the sins of the people in other localities were, in my opinion, as great as ours, and yet they escaped, while we suffered, and that he himself, as righteous man, leader and teacher of holiness, had been included in the condemnation, as well as the rest of us, but my words failed to
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change his attitude as my efforts had failed to save my corn. Many people left the country. thoroughly disgusted. and never returned. I remained because I had to, but I told my wife ] would never put in another crop in that country, and I did not. I struggled on the best I could, and during the next year succeed- ed in living as well as I had during the preceding ones, and made final proof and received certificate of same, and sold the homestead with the intention of permanently leaving the country.
I had now made arrangements to emigrate to the western coast, even to an agreement with John Keiser to move my family and goods to Kearney, where I was to take the train to San Fran- cisco. As I have stated before. Mrs. Whitney had long been in poor health. although she had apparently improved during the two first seasons after coming to Nebraska, but at this time. Just prior to our intended departure. she took a severe cold and was attacked with lung fever, and could not be moved. I was under obligation to give possession of my house to the pur- chaser, and as soon as the physician would allow us, I obtained another and we moved, but the cold season was far advanced and my wife was not in a condition to endure so long a journey, so we concluded to wait until the following spring.
I taught school in our home district thinking thus to pay our expenses during the winter. During the winter my two youngest children were for a time under the care of the doctor. and also my eldest daughter. In the spring. after paying my doctor bills, I had just enough money to pay our fare to Port- land. Oregon. I dared not attempt, with an invalid wife and five small children to land in a country of strangers, without money. I moved into a sod house in the neighborhood of Wmn. Harman. bought some cows and worked with my tools in Beaver City. and lived in more comfort than ever previously in that country. But in the summer of that year. an epidemic of that dread disease, diphtheria. prevailed, and my children were at- tacked with hundreds of others. I can not remember of scarcely a family who escaped. Some lost every child in the household. It was indeed a time of mourning. My children all recovered. We were one among the very few who escaped without a death in the family. Any of the early settlers who may still remain in that vicinity surely can recall this sad calamity that left so many hearths desolate. During this time I had filed on another claim as a pre-emption, and had partly completed a dug-out, but
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during the sickness I was detained from completing it and the time elapsed allowed for having a residence upon it, and ere ! could arrange to move on it, a former trusted friend filed a contest on my claim, and proceeded to build a sod house and moved his family on it. This occurrence caused a wave of indig- ration among the neighbors, who knew all the circumstances and after much consideration I consented to defend my claim before the land department. It resulted in the department's de- cision in my favor and confirming my prior right.
During the fall and before the epidemic had ceased, there occurred another Indian scare, and the greatest of any. Wild accounts reached us of the number of Indians and of murders they committed. And some of these stories were afterwards con- firmed. Some settlers were killed on the headwaters of the Bea- ver. The settlers became frightened. Many moved into Beaver City, camping on the publie square. One evening when I came in from work my family were much excited over reports they had heard of the Indians. I had but little faith in the stories, but to satisfy myself and them, I went to the house of Frank Matthew, which was situated on the traveled road, to make inquiries. found no one there except the women and Will Mayo. Both Matthew and his father-in-law, Elder Mayo, had gone to Beaver City to learn the news. I returned home and found my own house deserted, the beds robbed of everything; dishes gone; and the lamp left burning on the table. I soon discovered that my carbine had been left. I took it and stepped outside the door. wondering where my people were and what had happened during the brief hour of my absence. I heard a confused noise of voices on the opposite side of the creek in the direction of a neighbor's house, Patrick Kennedy. I went there and found several wa- gon loads of women. children, beds, blankets and excited men, and all talking and urging each other to hurry. I asked the reason, and was told they were running from the Indians and were going to cross the river and camp on the opposite side, and I heard my wife calling me. I told her that she must not go to the river and made them all promise to leave her and our child- ren at John Keiser's if Keiser had not left when they got there, and I returned home with my carbine to look after our cattle. While engaged in this work, Henry Keiser came to me on horse- back telling me that my people were at his brother's and wanted me to come there. So, I went. I asked Henry if his brother in- I
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tended to leave. Ile said "No." I asked him if they had any ammunition. He said "No." I had none either. I wondered how we would fight without, but at the same time I did not think we would have the chance to fight. And I am confident that if the Indians had been in such numbers as reported. and had been inclined to do so, they could at this time have scalped every set- tler in the county, with slight loss to themselves. And I believe this to be true at all times during the early days of that settle- ment. Few of the men ever had but a seant supply of ammuni- tion. and much of what they had was wasted in wanton and reck- less shooting. However, I went to Mr. Keiser's and we all sat awake all night. except the children, waiting to hear the war whoop of the savages. and surrender our scalps gracefully, after making as huge a bluff as possible with our empty rifles. It is true that the state did supply several cases of rifles and a sup- ply of ammunition, but I believe the guns were ruined by neglect. and most of the cartridges used to kill buffalo.
This was the worst and the last Indian fright. On June 18th. 1880, in company with Daniel Kimes. I started for the castern part of the state to obtain work if possible. At that tue, June 18, 1880, the plowed and seeded fields in Furnas county were as bare and void of vegetation as they were when the farmers drove their harrows off of them at seeding time. and the unbroken prairie as brown and gray as in the middle of December. No verdure or green thing except along the borders of the creeks, and the wild cactus plants of the prairie. 1 w., absent during the summer until called home by the illness of my wife. No rain to any amount fell in the vicinity of our home until some time in July. Many sowed millet and that was all the crop worth mentioning that year. I again taught school the winter of 1880-1881. During the winter, which was very severe. we lost our youngest child, and the following May. Mrs. Whitney lied.
I took my tool chest and went to North Platte to obtain work, leaving my children in care of a sister-in-law, who pro- mised to remain with them until the following August. I came home in the fall. settled my children in the eare of another and for some time was employed by L. Kinsman, then county clerk. to assist his deputy in keeping the records of the office. My work comprised the copying of the transfers of real estate and the mortgage. records-mostly mortgages-and mostly in favor of
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eastern loaning companies. The amounts usually loaned on 160 acres was in the neighborhood of $300.00. The fact is simply this, these mortgagors had obtained papers on their land, and thus could mortgage them, and they did it with the intention of obtaining sufficient funds wherewith to leave the country, and many of them did thus leave and are still away. And I believe many of these mortgaged lands were forfeited to the mortgagees.
I sold my preemption to the man who wanted it, and again endeavored to go west, but again was held back by the sickness of the children, and finally returned to the eastern part of the state, where I still remain, without a regret for leaving Furnas county, and have never since revisited the place but twice. I have heard much of the prosperity that now abounds there. If it is true, no one rejoiced more over it than I, but I am content that the residents there shall enjoy all of it.
I have hastily drawn these chapters to a close. Many in- cidents of a thrilling nature I have left out, and many a tearful one, and some of the most hidierons character. I can truthfully say that during my sojourn there I came in contact with as noble characters as I have ever met, and some of the most base. Hu- manity in all its phases was revealed. While the recollection of some is ever accompanied with a feeling of pleasure, I am sorry that it is not true of all.
BYRON F. WHITNEY.
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CHAPTER XIII
Rufus Trowbridge Lost Everything Coming West in 1873, So Traded Buffalo Meat for His Filing Papers
Grand Junction, Colo., February 21 .- Editor Times-Tribune. -- The spring that I was twenty-one, I crossed the plains with a company of thirty-five. We all had ox teams. When our com- pany got within 3 miles of Fort Laramie, we camped, and some of us heard that Horace Greeley had been there and made a speech, and some of our company wanted to join the exodus for California. This divided the company and seventeen of us went to Boulder, Colo., which was the starting of that place. Eighteen started for California. Horace Greeley was honest but of course he was deceived about finding gold.
We had trouble with Sioux Indians. They came upon us and demanded our grub, but we were brave and would not give it up, and finally bluffed them out. But it did look scary for a while, as they had fresh scalps attached to their saddles, and it looked as though our time had come, especially when they sur- rounded us.
I returned to Iowa, and in 1873, with my wife and four children, started from Black Hawk, Iowa, for Furnas county. When we reached the Republican river I had the worst time in my travels. I had had bad luck all the way, and only had fifty cents left to help get us across the river. The river was coming up but it was told us that the crossing was safe, and so in we went, team, wagon and load. I saw that I would have to jump out and swim, which I did, hanging on to the lines. My team, the front wheels, and myself got ashore, but the rest of my new wagon had gone down the river and settled in quick- sand. I and the ferryman got that out piece by piece all but the king bolt. Of course the wagon box tipped over and all of my goods had gone down the river and were never recovered by me. In this were my tools, worth $100. besides my other goods. We got rigged up and reached my claim in Furnas county, December
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18, 1873, which was section 27, range 24, town 2, east of Wilson- ville. I went to the land office without a cent of money, but took 105 pounds of dried buffalo meat. I must tell you how we got this meat. There were nine of us in the company who went on a hunt and were gone three weeks. We killed twenty-five buffalo, dried the meat and took care of the hides to sell. When I went to the land office with my meat I went to several stores and finally got 5 cents a pound for it. I told the register of the land office that I had come to file and on account of hard Inek and sickness that I had no money, but could get him a due bill from one of the stores on account of the buffalo meat. After studying a while he said that he would make out the papers for $3.25. So I went and got a due bill for that amount.
I hauled back a load of salt and lumber to Orleans and got $12 for that and had $2 left from the meat, which I traded out for gro- ceries as we were so far from a trading point, and we had to watch out for provisions in those days. I have seen the time in my house that we would have cooked bran to eat if we had had it. But something would turn up be- fore night and we got some- thing to eat.
About July 4th, '400 Pawnees came and camped on my claim four days. I talked with the guide and he told me that the first day 300 warriors in a çirele of RUFUS TROWBRIDGE ten miles had killed 150 buf- falo. People always had better luck hunting buffalo on the Beaver than anywhere else.
Millie Trowbridge, now Mrs. De Witt of Omaha, was the sec- ond white girl born in Furnas county.
Now for a snake story. I had made a Lincoln bed for the boys. My wife went to make up the bed, and there was a big
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rattler in the bed, and by the time she could get a stick it had crawled out through the cracks in the log house. Another time Baby Millie was just so she could toddle, and we found her out playing peek-a-boo with a big rattler over a log. This one was curled ready to strike, and we got him in time. Another time my wife and a neighbor woman killed a big rattler with an ax.
Well, one thing I can say and that is that my children never had to cry for bread, and I would rather face Indians and snakes than to hear children crying for bread.
I will wind up by saying that I am well and can use myself pretty well after having such a siege of rheumatism.
RUFUS TROWBRIDGE.
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CHAPTER XIV
William T. McGuire Was a Boy When He Sailed Into the Beaver Aboard a Prairie Schooner
William T. McGuire grew from early childhood to sturdy manhood in Furnas county He passed through all the stirring times of the early days. He also was a stalwart among stalwarts in political activities after he arrived at manhood's estate. The Times-Tribune requested him to write the political history of the county, but instead he gave us a most vivid and interesting ac- count of his earlier years, touching upon the settlement of a seetion of the country not hitherto described by our intelligent and truthful historians. We are glad to get it and print it. But we shall be pleased to receive another article from his pen relating
Looking Southeast from the Court House Cupola in 1888. Present Home of Postmaster Boyd in the foreground
some of those other victories-no less renowned than war-when the activities of the pioneers turned from the plow to that no less honorable profession of "saving the country" at the county con- vention.
Editor Times-Tribune .- I have been reading with interest and profit the Pioneer stories written by the boys and girls who first resolved to change the buffalo trail into the plow furrow
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and the paradise of the hunter and his game into productive fields and herds of thoroughbreds fed on alfalfa. "Though miles separate and high mountains divide many of us now, those letters bring back to memory thoughts of the strenuous days when we were satisfied with little and endured much. Your request to write about my early days reminds me that I was 11 years old when I first set eyes on Beaver City.
When the summer be- gan to fade into fall with its murky days and starlight nights there were some that viewed with alarm the near approach of a long, dreary winter, with perhaps no mail at all, and 80 miles to the nearest railroad. But there was a large number of live, Looking east along the North Side in 1888 social wires who did not en- tertain one gloomy thought. Their presence was like a ray of sunshine and their hospitality knew no bounds. There were no elans in those days. All were on equal footing. The purpose of one was the purpose of all-to make a permanent home, the woof and warp of the fabrics of civilization. The reader may be interested to know who our neighbors were the first winter. On either side along the creek for a distance of 6 miles from mem- ory's roster I will supply the list : John O'Brien and family, JJohn Huff and family, Billy DeForest, JJohn Wines, Edgar and Billy Page, Mr. Severn and family, John DeMotte, who homesteaded the land on which old Lynden mills were located and Devizes now stands, Mr. Coleman and family. John P. Dopps and family. John Stevenson, a sturdy young Scotchman who developed stay- ing qualities, Mr. Brightman who homesteaded what was Chas. Crommett's old place, Stukey Harding and family, and his fath- er's family, the MeKaster family. John and W. T. Me Kinny and families, the latter has made good and is still on the job.
In the spring of 1874 there was much sickness among the settlers The seurvy was the most prevalent, caused by a lack of vegetable food, but wild onions, which grew in abundance over the prairies, proved to be a panacea for this ill. About this time, Mrs. John O'Brien, one of the first settlers, after a short illness
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died, which cast a gloom over the settlement. In sickness and need she was a ministering angel. The darkest shadow cast by clouds of grasshoppers could not change the lustre of her cheery smile. The community followed all that was mortal of their friend to a point on the prairie where they laid her to rest beneath the earth of the bullside. This was the first grave of what is now the Devizes cemetery.
One and a half mile east of our house the Texas cattle trail crosses the Sappa over which many thousands of horses and hun- direds of thousands of those long horns wended their way to the Indian agencies and the big ranches of the northwest. It seemed to me that the horns and the head would weigh more than the body. This specie of cattle is now almost extinct. Such noted cattle kings of the south as the Olives, Holliday, Richard King, Joel Collins, Sam Bass, and many others followed this trail. The latter two named sold their herd at Custer City. After a gam- bling, drunken debanch, they squandered the price of the herd. On their return they robbed a Union Pacific Express at Big Springs, east of Ogalal- FEEDSSILF STABLE. la. The unique way in which a part of the plunder was recovered and two of the party captured I speak of later.
Cowboys, scouts and plainsmen in passing often stopped for refreshments. Livery Stable at Northwest Corner of Square, burned in the winter of 1889 buttermilk, notably Buffalo Bill who would empty his glass with a relish and ask for another. Many troops of cavalry passed close to our place. Aside from being pleasing to look at. they had a very salutary effect in impressing the set- tlers with confidence that Uncle Sam was looking after their safety.
During the early settlement of the Sappa a farm had no more of a cash value than a barrel of water on the bank of the Platte river during a flood. When some people became discouraged and could stand it no longer, they would load their personal effects and hike out to their wife's folks, and in time new settlers would
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take their place. You ask how they could do this and avoid a contest ? For the reason they did not file, but held their claims by the right of squatter's sovereignty. They could file at a more convenient time, which they never did. I have in mind a settler who traded his right, improvements, and good will for a $20 Texas pony. The new man got the blues and moved away, only to be laughed at for being shy a small horse. But I am sure you would make the present owner of the farm very angry if you of- fered him. less than $6,000 for it.
A view of the settlement of the tributaries and divides is too lengthy for a newspaper article, however, it is amusing to re- call how the first settlers talked about the valleys might be set- tled by stockmen, but that the divides never would be. West- ward the tide of home hunters wended their way and long since the government has issued letters patent to every foot of it.
Much excitement was caused when it was reported that a young man who had just settled on one of the tributaries of the Sappa had been found dead under his wagon. After reviewing the remains it was decided that an inquest would be un- necessary, for it was plain that during the night, when a rain had come up, he had reached out for his gun and pulling it toward him it had been discharged with fatal effect. Out of his wagon box a rough casket was made, and then strange but kind hands buried him on his claim he had chosen for his home. The creek is known to this day as ( Will) Jones' branch.
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