USA > Nebraska > Fillmore County > Pioneer stories of the pioneers of Fillmore and adjoining counties > Part 4
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During those early days Mr. Rice would go to Hebron, on the Little Blue, and work in the stone and lime quarries. The sections west, No. 15, and a School Section, remained open prairie for some time after he located, and several antelopes grazed around there in the summer time. Mr. Rice remembers distinctly the incoming of Mr. James Alexander. "The canny Scot, brand-new fra the land o' heather," he had failed to locate his land, and Mr. Rice had to help him do it. The corn growing in the field on the Rice farm was a source of great wonder to the stranger, it was so unlike anything he had seen growing in the old country; where its cultivation is impossible. He might have asked the question, "When is corn not corn?" remembering that Robby Burns, sang :-
Upon a simmer Sunday morn, When nature's face is fair,
I walked forth to view the corn An' snuff the caller air.
Palmer Rice, brother to Alonzo, worked for five and a half years as a day laborer in the lumber woods of Pennsylvania, and in 1869 became a renter in Allegheny County, N. Y., his native State, where with his wife he had a dairy farm. They both felt that their chances for success were too limited, so they decided to strike out West. For the journey they secured a three horse team and a covered wagon. (He never had seen a covered wagon till then). They set out on April 25, 1870, in spite of the snow that had fallen in the forenoon, and made their way to Nebraska. For many miles along the road, as they passed through the villages; the covered wagon was such an unusual sight, that the youngsters called them Gypsies, and in some places they were not allowed to camp. The journey to La Platte was accomplished in seven weeks.
After staying a few days with his brother at La Platte, Mr. Rice took ferry across the Platte river, and then traveled on a construction train to within seven miles of Lincoln, and then on foot to the city. While there he inquired about homesteads, and found many people quite ready to give the
Mr. and Mrs. Palmer Rice, Who Located on a Homestead in North-East Fillmore County, in July, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Rice Celebrated Their Golden Wedding Anniversary, August 7, 1914.
desired information, and especially willing to help them locate in their par- ticular county. He heard their reports and concluded that the descriptions given about this district were especially favorable, he returned with the information to La Platte, when it was soon decided that the brothers would come out and secure homesteads.
They made their way to Camden, an old freighting town; where they inet Mr. Fred Roper, a land agent, who brought them into the country to see the land, and liking the land of this neighborhood, they decided to locate here, selecting the South half of Section 14, as being the best to meet their purpose. They stayed over night with the Miner brothers, who at that time lived in a tent. The following day they had dinner with Schyler "Elk- horn" Jones. They were able to locate the land with the help of Mr. Roper, he counting the horse's steps from Miner's corner, and then looking for the next stake, which at once gave them the situation of the land. It was de- cided that Palmer would take the South half of the South-west quarter, the brother-in-law, J. Tanner, the North half of the South-west quarter, brother Alonzo the South half of the South-east quarter and their mother the North half of the South-east quarter.
They returned to La Platte, and they returned again to the claims in the fall and put up a sod house, and made some hay, and again returned to La Platte for the winter. In January, 1871, Mr. Rice helped to move Mr. Tanner onto his claim, and on the return trip had his first experience of Ne- braska's cold weather, he was not prepared for such an experience, it was with difficulty he kept himself going, and had he in the least missed his way, he would have been frozen to death.
He made another trip in March, bringing Mrs. Rice and part of his goods. The sod house in the meantime had shrunken so much that the winds had no difficulty in finding their way into the house, especially at the eaves, and as a result of the cold condition of the house, Mrs. Rice was sick for sonie time afterwards.
Mr. Rice made another trip to La Platte in April to help in the removal of the other relatives to their homesteads, and on reaching Camden, saw Dr. Smith with a load of lumber, nails, etc., stuck fast in the Blue river. He went at once to the doctor's assistance, and having secured some chains and ropes, they braced the wayon so as to bear the strain, and then hitched the extra horses and soon had the wagon on dry land.
Because of the loss of the corn crops by the grasshoppers in 1874, many people were returning East, but the Rices decided to remain; fuel would be scarce that winter, so they had the stove fixed down the cellar, and lived there, using corn stalks for cooking and heating purposes. One day when Mr. Rice was in the field cutting corn stalks, some Indians made their way to the house. Mrs. Rice was alone, but she knew the dog was able to keep Indians at bay, they looked around the house, but when they knew of the dog they soon went away.
Many of the farmers in the district were afraid to sow their wheat the spring after the visit of the grasshoppers, it was thought that owing to the large number of their eggs left in the land a wheat crop would be im- possible that year, but Mr. Rice believing that there was no great risk, he secured extra land, the farmers supplying the wheat and accepting his note. The average yield of wheat was 12 bushels an acre, the first sales bringing 55 cents a bushel, but the price went up to $1.30 a bushel, so that Mr. Rice had made a good speculation. He helped his living for sixteen years by working the taxes for the railroad.
During the first year of his residence, this district was under the juris- diction of Saline County, and settlers paid the taxes there. Then Fillmore County was organized on the 21st day of April, 1871, and he sat on the first election board for four townships, the meeting being held in "Jim" Horne's
yard; Mr. Horne was away buffalo hunting at the time.
The first trail across the prairie was made by Schyler Jones from Johnson creek to his own place, MI. Rice made the trail irom Jones' to nis place, and "Boss" Woodard continued the trail to where ne lived, this remain- ed the chief road to Exeter for some time.
The Tanners had the misfortune to lose, by death, in the early days, a little boy named Alonzo, aged four years. His body still lies buried on the Palmer Rice farm.
inomas rawards, a brother-in-law, (an Englishman) died at Hebron; he had no blood relatives in this country, and nis last request was, that ne inight be buried with the Rice family. He was buried near the little boy on the farm, but was afterwards removed to the new Cemetery and now les under a lilac busn.
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PATRICK MURPHY
Patrick Murphy came to this country from Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, in 1866, landing at Castle Gardens, New York. For four years ne lived near Rochester, N. Y., and learned the nursery business. in April 1870, he came to Omana, and worked for a time on the Telegraph lines, later in the year, he, in company with three other young men bought an ox team, covered wagon, and pacning outfit; and having secured some tools they sec out to look for homesteads. Tney journeyed on to Lincoln, then to Beatrice, and along the Little Blue to Spring Ranch and Red Cloud on the Republi- can kiver, but not being satisfied with the country in those parts, they re- turned to the edge of Saline County and camped near the Turkey Creek.
'Two were then appointed to stay by the goods, while two went and sought out claims. Having secured the numbers of vacant claims, they then went to Beatrice after their mail. The other three young men received letters from their railroad employers, saying, their jobs were still open to them if they would return. 'Inis temptation proved sufficient, for they de- cided they had seen enough of land and returned.
Mr. Murphy had sufficient money to buy their interests in the outfit; so he bought them out, but drove them to Lincoln, where they said, goodby, and have not since met.
Mr. Murphy was now on his own, and having fixed himself up with a supply of flour, lard, and lumber, he started out for his homestead, reaching his destination on December, first, 1870.
Within a week he had a dugout ready for occupation, the roof was made of poles from Turkey Creek, slough grass and dirt, with an upper layer of sod. During those early days he went sixteen miles for a load of hay, and had to ford the creek twice to bring it home-there were no bridges then west of Crete. He would also go to Beaver Crossing on horseback, a distance of sixteen miles, carrying a sack of meal and securing flour; he worked on the railroad at Fairmont, and on to Hastings before it was a town, and saw the erecting of the first house.
During the winter of 1870 the Indians were camped along the Little Blue, and many were scared because of their presence. There was no stove in the Murphy dugout, the cooking being done on a fireplace, and the baking in a dutch oven. One night during the visit of these Indians, Mr. Murphy was lying in bed; when he heard the sods of his chimney falling into the fire- place; he was soon up and dressed, secured his loaded rifle, and stealtily opening the door he peeked towards the chimney for the enemy, wondering what might happen next, when to his surprise and relief, he found it was his ox mounted on the bank side just within reach of the chimney, and deliber-
ately hooking away with his horns, causing the sods to fall into the house. This was very unkind of the ox to play such nerve straining pranks at such a time, but what a relief! No doubt as some people say; "his heart was in his mouth," but it would now find a more normal condition seeing there were no Indians.
There was a neighbor named Elias Peterman, a harness maker by trade, who, with his wife and family was trying to make his way in the world, so they would take in boarders and he would go and work at his trade in neigh- boring towns. They had an Englishman named "Bill Haimes" boarding with them at the time, and "Elias" was away from home, all went well until one midnight a heifer managed to get onto the roof of the house, and soon had its front feet and horns sticking through the ceiling. Bill Haimes made his way in the dark to where the ceiling was falling in, and groping around with his hands, caught hold of those feet and horns, "Why," said Bill, when telling the story. "I thought I had caught hold of the devil." The mother and children had just got out of their bed when the heifer fell through, break- ing the bed to pieces.
Such were the experiences in the days when generally speaking people had not $10 in cash. Rye was roasted for coffee, and luxuries were as George Eliot would have said, "superlatively middling, and the quintessence of extreme mediocrity."
In speaking of the change of the physical aspect of the country, Mr. Murphy was bold enough to suggest that it had been spoiled rather than otherwise; Nebraska, locally speaking, had lost its romantic beauty by the planting of too many trees-and he is a professional nurseryman. He thought of the beautiful and almost unlimited views that have been lost by these modern improvements, as we call them.
He spoke of a beauiful view formerly seen from a rise near the Turkey creek, when in the early spring he would look with delight along the valley with its opening leaf and springing grass, the water glistening in the sun- light, as it moved along serpentine fashion; winding and wending its way across a mighty continent to the mighty deep "Beautiful for situation and every prospect pleasing."
I began to think there was some truth in the old saying, "I cannot see wood for trees." Mrs. Keller, a neighbor would run onto the roof of her house when dinner was ready to see if her husband was coming, then, away in the distance she would see him making his way to partake of that which was the evidence of her wifely care and forethought; and surely nothing pleases a woman more, than, to see the man on time when the meal is ready. But now, she could not see beyond the house yard or the home pasture at most. Another question which might be asked, is, "have we gained anything by the loss of the 'Mirage' as seen in the pioneer days ?"
Mr. Murphy grafted the first trees at the Crete Nursery, and planted most of the trees in the Exeter Cemetery; he has handled and raised trees for years. Ten years after homesteading he took a partner, not for the business but for the home. They have had ten children, and have the joy of knowing they are all doing well.
The last, and not by any means the least of the things we mention re- garding this worthy pioneer from the "Emerald Isle," is, his having repres- ented Fillmore County in the State Legislature during two terms 1907-1911, {on the Democratic Ticket.)
America has given a home to many Irishmen, but in their accepting of Fer homes, we may also see how America owes a great debt of gratitude to "O'd Oirland" for giving her so many noble sons.
PARKER RYAN.
Parker Ryan was born at Waterloo, New York State, and afterwards lived in Peoria County, Ill. He came to Nebraska in company with Law- rence Ryan, his brother, Pat Drummond, Michael Sweeley and Henry Ham- mond in 1870. They filed for homesteads in that year, Parker Ryan taking the N. E. quarter of section 8, town 8, Range 1, Lawrence Ryan taking the S. E. quarter, and Pat Drummond the N. W. quarter of the same section. Michael Sweeey settled on the S. W. quarter of Section 4, and Henry Ham- mond on the N. W. quarter of that section. Mrs. Ryan and the children left Peoria, Ill., in March 1871, and on the way spent a week at Afton, Iowa, where they were met by Mr. Ryan and then came on to Lincoln, from whence they completed the journey in wagons, arriving at the homestead on April 6. For some time after they arrived they camped, using the wagon beds for sleeping. Five days after their arrival the two Ryans, Drummond, and Sweeley had set out for Lincoln to obtain goods and machinery. On the Sunday morning the sun was shining brightly and gave promise for a pleas- ant day, but ere long the clouds began to gather; rain began to fall, followed by a snow storm which developed into a blizzard. Mrs. Ryan with her little girl and baby sought shelter about 10 o'clock Sunday morning, in the wagon where she could keep the children warm. The brother-in-law, Oliver Johns, nailing some carpet over the wagon front to help matters; then he with his wife and the mother of the two women went into the other wagon, they fortunately had a barrel of crackers with them, while there was nothing eatable in the wagon with Mrs. Ryan and the two children. The storm in- creased in fury and continued incessantly until 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, during which time the mother and little girl had nothing to eat or drink, and the baby just what was possible from a mother receiving no support. Mr. Johns had come near them a time or two to ask after them but was un- able in the storm to render any help, and when the storm abated and he speedily sought to relieve them, everything was frozen so hard that an axe was necessary to cut a way into the wagon. Soon after they had been lib- erated and a fire started the other men returned, they had gone no further than Walnut creek where they stopped owing to the storm, and now, with- out going to Lincoln, had returned to see if their people were still alive.
Their cattle were lost in this storm, but were afterwards found near the Turkey creek; a homesteader down there had taken them in and fed them.
The Sweeley house was built first, then P. Ryan's was erected, and dugout was made for Drummond; after which they all helped to erect houses for Hammond and L. Ryan; most of them lived in the wagons till June.
Shortly after the Ryans went into their new home; a house of one room, 14 by 16 feet, they had to entertain three Gentlemen who were traveling through the country, these were a Judge and two Lawyers from Omaha. The accommodation possible was very scanty, but they were determined to stay, so the Judge and one Lawyer slept on the table, while the other Law- yer slept on a piece of carpet under the table. Matters would not have been so bad considering these limitations had not the Judge fallen off the table onto the Lawyer, who happened to be lying at the time partly from be- neath owing to his unconscious search for a softer place.
As is well known, the homesteaders had to live very close to their lands in those days, or someone was sure to jump their claim. The Ryans were away for one week visiting friends in the East, and on the return journey they met several men with two wagons, and having entered into conversa- tion with them; the men told them they were on their way to jump a claim, giving number and location of the land; which as it happened was Ryan's
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homestead. Here was an opportunity to show tact and wisdom, and to prove that "a closed mouth makes a wise head." They journeyed on, but when near their homestead the Ryans managed to get ahead of the other wagons, and had their wagon full length on the claim in time to retain it be- fore the men realized what had happened.
The south West quarter on section 10 was jumped 5 times, three men losing their lives as a result. Two were killed outright, and the third died of his wounds. Two of these men fought and killed each other, one being shot dead just as he ran his pitchfork through the other; so that each lost his life as well as the claim. Two of the three killed had been soldiers in the Civil War.
A large herd of Texas cattle had passed over the prairies and one of the drovers was returning on horseback alone, and well armed. He called at the Ryan home and demanded to know if any of the men were at home. It happened that though Mrs. Ryan was alone at the time she saw Law- rence Ryan coming in the distance; so she said "No, the men are not at home, but one is coming." It was evident the man meant to be mean, for he became insolent and abusive. When the brother came up he demanded to know his business, and soon would there have been serious trouble had not the husband put in an appearance and seperated the two men.
One day two men rode up to the house and were asking particulars re- garding the country when they noticed the well marked trails of the Texas Cattle, and one asked the women if they were Indian trails? And one ans- wering in fun, said they were. It was noticed that they looked rather frightened, so when they next asked; "If the women ever saw Indians?" One of them put on a bold front and said, "Yes! lots of them; we saw 20 Indians not long ago,,"-but did not have time to say they were with the
Government agent.) That proved sufficient for these men, for they in- stantly turned their horses and fled back East, and though the hat of one of them blew off they did not stop to pick it up.
The men were digging a well at Mr. Drummond's, and one morning Mrs. Ryan said to her husband, "I would like to go and spend the day there," so they started at daybreak, returning late in the evening, and left the screen door open overnight. The second night they reached home about 11 o'clock, and as she laid the baby in bed she heard an unusual noise, and wondered what it could be, the husband said he could not hear anything, so she got into bed, but soon jumped out again declaring that there was something that made a noise like a muffled rattle, at which the husband re- plied, "Get into bed, there is nothing! that is just like a woman, scared at the noise of a cricket." The next morning they were up early Mr. Ryan returning to the well digging, and Mrs. Ryan made ready for the washing. When she was busy about the boiler and stove the little girl came running out of the house screaming and shouting, "A Snake! a snake!" On going into the house, Mrs. Ryan saw the snake sitting upon the bed "rattling to beat the band." It had been lying between some comforters that were be- tween the bed and mattress, and right in the place where she had slept all night. In pulling off the bedclothes for the washing, the snake had been liberated and so made its way onto the top of the bed. A hoe was secured with which Mrs. Ryan attacked the snake. It would stand on its tail and strike at her, then coil and strike again, she managing to keep clear of its blows, after great difficulty and determination she succeeded in laying the reptile low. Needless to say there was no washing done that day, she be- ing completely overcome with fright and exertion. When Mr. Ryan re- turned he found his wife in a sad state, she could not speak, and he was at a loss to know what had happened, and there was nothing that seemed pos- sible for him to do to help her seeing she could not talk, and no doubt his
patience was tested. At last she struggled to the door and out to where the dead snake lay, and with one desperae effort, she said, "There's your cricket!" There was no going to bed that night, everything in the house was turned out to make sure there were no more snakes around, for even the brave man had become weak at the thought of having slept in the bed with a rattle snake. It had 8 rattles and a button, (nearly 9 years old) and measured nearly 3 feet long.
When visiting the little town of Exeter, in the days when there were no drinking fountains with flowing sparkling water in the street, ( as now), they had to quench their thirst by drinking the water from the "draws," covering the cup with a handkerchief that it might act as a filter. The water for home purposes was brought from the Blue, until it was possible for them to have a well.
A church and Sunday School were organized in the district School- house, the preacher being Rev. Simson of the U. B. church, but as a result of the changed conditions, neither church or Sunday School is now held.
The first crop upon the Ryan farm was a 5 acre field of oats, which seemed in every way satisfactory. This being the first to be thrashed in the neighborhood, everyone was desirous to know how it would turn out; so they all came to the thrashing. From far and near the homesteaders gathered that day at the Ryan home, bringing not only their horses to pull their wagons, but other stock as well, seeing there would be no one home to feed them. The house, as already mentioned, was only of one room, but 60 men, women, and children were provided with dinner and every horse a feed of oats. The horses were tied up wherever possible around the place and for each group a bushel basket of oats was thrown on the ground, which necessarily meant some amount of waste. When the thrashing was over, there being no money, the thrashers had their share of oats, probably 10 or 12 bushels for doing the work. Then, when Mr. Ryan came into the house, Mrs. Ryan wanted to know how he would take care of his oats see- ing he had no granery. "O! I think I can manage to take care of my share of the oats all right," said Mr. Ryan, and undoubtedly he could do so for the quantity of oats that fell to his lot after his wholesale feeding of his neighbors horses measured half a bushel.
Mrs. Ryan is now Mrs. Wolstenholm and still lives in Exeter.
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WALTER HOWARTH.
Mr. Walter Howarth came to this district on April 1st 1872 and home- steaded half a nile north of Turkey creek on the county line. He is a native of Bolton, Lancashire, England, coming from a densely populated, and an immense manufacturing community to live on the lonely prairie, thus leav- ing the possibilities of muslins, calicos, and woolen goods for those of the corn cob silk.
When he landed there was no depot at Exeter or Friend, they were merely flag stations; the train never stopped, it just slackened speed a little, and he had to throw off his grips and jump. How different the country looked; very few trees, nearly all the settlers lived in dug-outs or sod houses, and very rarely was a frame house to be seen.
In those days the Indians came up the creek every winter trapping, and ofien he went in company with other young fellows and would sit in one of their tents in the evening to see their mode of life, but not to be edified by their conversation. Only some of their younger boys could speak a little English, and they never spoke unless spoken to, but they made them wel-
come, and gave them a seat by the fire more especially if they came with a Lttle gift of tobacco. Nearly every evening they were there their medi- cine man, a tall intelligent looking Indian was orating to them, of course they could not understand the story, but it seemed to greatly interest the Indians for tney listened with rapt attention occasionally breaking into a ripple of smiles, provably, when he was telling of some particularly brave deed done by a member of the tribe. For an hour at a time he would talk on and on never stopping except to fill the pipe, for he seemed to have charge of the tobacco, and always had the first pull at the pipe before pas- sing it around the circle.
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