USA > Nebraska > Sherman County > Loup City > The trail of the Loup; being a history of the Loup River region > Part 9
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
97
COMING OF THE PIONEERS
exceptional ability has not alone become one of the largest land owners and stock raisers in the Valley, having at the present under cultivation fully 2000 acres, but he is also prominent in public life, having filled sev- eral places of trust in his county, such as chairman of the Board of Super- visors for fourteen years.
Shortly after the arrival of the Dowhowers and the Mollers, a second large contingent arrived in search of new homes. They were A. G. Post and his son, Frank; William E. Post and his four sons. David, Charles, Calvin and Louis; John Case, a brother-in-law of the Posts; Doctor E. D. McKenney, and Frank E. Curtis, William E. Post, or "Uncle Billy" as he was familiarly called. made the original entry on the farm now owned by J. W. Gregory; A. G. Post on the Dick Rea farm now owned by the Garrisons; David Post on the Tully farm; Charles on the Elyria townsite; Calvin on the farm just west of the Gregory place ; "Uncle" John on a tract across the river and in the same section with the Gregory place; Frank E. Curtis on the Ervin Dodge farm; Doctor McKenney on part of section 22, just above Elyria. "The Post clan." savs Mr. Mortensen, "were regular fron- tiersmen, having been in the advance guard of civilization in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota. They came to Valley County, I believe, from near Logan, Harrison County, Iowa, brought and with them a large number of horses, mules, oxen, cattle, utensils and machinery, and very soon had a considerable portion of their claim broken, and substantial cedar log houses and stables erected.
"A. G. Post constructed buildings of his own, and with his young wife and son Frank, lived at some distance from the others, on the Garrison farm: but Uncle Billy with his wife and sons, who were all single men, Doctor McKenney and wife, and Uncle John Case, all lived with Mr. Curtis on the Dodge farm, where they occupied a large two room combination log house and dug-out, with large corrals, sheds and stables for their horses and cattle. From these quarters the men would scatter in the morning for their several occupations, improving their homesteads or jointly getting out the heavy cedar logs from the cedar canyons near by, while Mrs. Post and Mrs. McKenney remained at home to prepare the roast venison and cornbread, which comprised the bill of fare for our table at that time. After their day's work the whole company would gather around a common table and enjoy the frugal meal prepared by these good ladies; and later the men would circle around the fire place with its blaz- ing cedar log fire, on their three-legged stools, to talk over their past ex- periences of frontier life and to lay plans for the development and upbuild- ing of the new country and to consider plans of defense in case of sud- den attact by the Indians who at that time were roaming over the entire state. They were a brave and light-hearted set, these men, generous and accommodating and would divide their last morsel with anyone in need."
Here let us leave them, pathfinders that they were, to further trace out the fortunes of Melville Goodenow, whom we left, some pages above, in the hospitable care of George Miller at the dug-out hostelry. "Mell"
98
THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
had left his family and most of his worldly goods near Sioux City, Iowa, and in his covered wagon, with an extra saddle-horse, "Billy," tied behind, struck out westward to find a home for his family. Failing to find what he was seeking in the Elkhorn Valley, he left his heavily loaded wagon there, saddled "Billy" and boldly struck out westward. In this way it came about that he came to Valley county and found the Danish colony in possession. After but little delay he selected a claim some miles beyond the first colony, near what was later called "Happy Jack's Gulch" and now in his turn became the extreme outpost to the north. Mr. Goode- now's privations and hardships, endured this summer, picture in a graphic way what so many of the first settlers had to go through. He broke his first twenty acres of prairie, carrying an old army musket; for Indians were getting troublesome, and the only safety lay'in eternal vigilance.
During this period of preparatory toil his chief diet was mush and milk, the latter coming from a cow borrowed from Nels Anderson. But he was in a worse plight when we come to consider wearing apparel. He tells us that in the course of some months his clothes became entirely worn out, and in lieu of anything better he braided a hat out of grass, and fashioned pads of the same material, which he lined with soft buf. falo grass and tied with buckskin thongs to the swollen and festering feet. Grain sacks patterned into trous- ers then completed this grotesque Marilla Flynn: First White Woman on the Upper Loup. toilet. He must have presented a startling appearance indeed when, in the early fall, he appeared at the Mortensen dug-out, on his way home to Iowa after his family.
Before being allowed to continue on his way Mr. Mortensen thrust upon this Nebraska Robinson Crusoe a ten dollar bill from his own scant store, with which to procure civilized garb before leaving Grand Island.
It is interesting to remember that this kindly act was never lost upon the receiver. When in the spring of '73 he returned from the East with his entire household, including family, cattle, horses and smaller stock, he proceeded straightway to even up scores. Mr. Mortensen tells us that among Mr. Goodenow's provisions was a large barrel of pork, which Mrs. Goodenow divided evenly among all present.
"But, better still, he brought me," continues Mr. Mortensen, "a young Chester White pig which was intended as a starter, or a foundation for building a fortune. Having no pen, I lariated the animal close to iny dug-out, but fate was against me. Either the grass was too
99
COMING OF THE PIONEERS
rich a diet for the animal or the sun too hot on the open prairie. In a few weeks the pig died and it took years before I was able to get another start in the industry which has done so much to develop our country and state."
In order to complete our list of settlers of '72 we must not forget to count the families who during the summer and fall took possession of land east of the river, immediately across from and below the Danish settlement. At Springdale "Doc" Elias S. Harter opened a small general store which sold among many other commodities medicines, tinctures and liquors. The grand old man, D. C. Bailey, came across Greeley County, having driven all the way from Waupaca, Wisconsin, and with his three sons, George, Harry and Frank, filed on land still held by him. W. D. Long, for years a leader in politics and now a highly respected land owner and farmer, took land close to the Baileys. About the same time too, O. S. Haskell and his cultured wife who had the honor of being the first to teach school in the upper half of the county, arrived from Illinois and settled in the same neighborhood. That same fall and early next spring other families came, among them Frank M. Cushing, Frank Chubbuck, Johnson Gerry and Van Gorden, while Leslie Scott homesteaded a claim further down the river.
On the north Melville Goodenow was not long to remain the outpost ; for in November of '72 the beginnings were already laid to Garfield county. The first settler was Charles H. Jones who came from Allegan, Michigan. He left his native state in 1870 and after two years of "roughing it" became the pioneer of the above mentioned county. As Mr. Jones became the founder of the important Willow Springs settlement, and was for many years the center of Garfield county civil and political life, we will let him tell his own story :
"On the 22nd of Feb., 1870, with $50 in my pocket I started west. With no definite idea of destination I entered a ticket office in Chicago and called for $30 worth of transportation in the direction of Colorado, and got a ticket to Kearney, Nebraska.
"Learning from passengers that the country about Kearney was quite sandy, I got off the train at Columbus (Feb. 24, 1870) and went to work choring around a hotel at $10 a month and board. My possessions when I landed at Columbus were $5.20, the ticket to Kearny and a big revolver. In the spring of 1870 I squatted on a claim and made some improve- ments thereon and in the spring of 1871 sold the right for $150. I then sent for my wife and boy and in February of that year in company with thirteen others in wagons made a trip up the Loup to look at the country, going up to where Elba now is, then turning back. On this trip 1 captured a pony from the Sioux Indians. The party returned to Columbus on the 8th of March. The surveyors went out the first of April to run the town- ship and section lines in Nance, Greeley, Howard and Sherman counties. Mrs. Jones and son (Will) having arrived in June, I hired "Jim" North to take us up the Loup to Howard county where I located a claim nearly opposite the present townsite of Elba. At that time there were few set- tlers in Howard county- the first of them being four months in advance of
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
us. The life of our family at this time was quite strenuous-for six weeks after settlement we lived on potatoes and salt alone.
"I was a member of a party that made a trip to the cedar canyons in what is now Garfield county in the spring of 1872, after piling for a bridge at St. Paul. At that time the surveyors were at work in Valley, Wheeler, Loup and Custer counties. The nearest settler to the cedar canyons was Mr. Scott, who resided just above the present townsite of Scotia. In the fall of 1872 I sold my claim, hired a couple of teams and six men and pulled out for the canyons. After a strenuous trip during which it was demostrated that barefooted horses could cross ice by using woolen blankets for foot gear, the party arrived (Nov. 10, 1872) at what was after- wards known as "Jones' Canyon." The men helped erect a log house, cut wood and haul water and then left for their homes, leaving the Jones family established twenty-two miles beyond the nearest settler. During the winter Messrs. Messenger, McClimans, T. Freeland and others arrived, and in the spring of 1873 several others located here. Deer and elk were numerous and the settlers had plenty of meat."
The above data was taken from Mr. Jones' "Early Events" as set forth in the"Burwell Tribune" of Dec. 31, 1903. The writer, who is now an old man, is evidently mistaken about some of the details mentioned. For the sake of accuracy it is but just to state that the second settler was Trueman Freeland who arrived very soon after Jones had squatted at the mouth of the cedar canyons. With him came Thomas McClimans. The latter there- fore may be considered the third settler. William Pierson and A. R. Harper arrived in February of 1873, and may claim rank as fourth and fifth settlers. Richard McClimans caine in the early part of 1873, and about the same time came the Messengers, William Draver, William Smith, Mrs. Bumpus, George Leffingwell, Captain Alger, Frank Webster, I. W. White, George McAnulty, Ike Bartholomew, George Horton, Stephen Chase, William Wertz, A. A. Alderman, and Ross and William Woods.
Organization of Valley County --- Early Politics.
CHAPTER VII.
From age to age man's still aspiring spirit Finds wider scope and sees with clearer eyes. And those in larger measure dost inherit What made thy great forerunners free and wise. -James Russell Lowell. Ode.
W HEREVER in the history of our country a handful of American citizens have settled down to set up for themselves civil govern-
ment their first and chief aim has been to become a loyal part of the general commonwealth. During the winter of 1872-'73 our colonists on the North Loup took active steps towards such an organization. The state legislature had already, March 1, 1871, provided for the organization of a congressional county to comprise townships 17, 18, 19, and 20 North, Ranges 13, 14, 15 and 16 west-this was Valley county. Governor Robert W. Furnas was petitioned to take the necessary steps for further organiza- tion, and accordingly he issued a proclamation ordering an election to be held at the residence of George Larkin on the 18th day of March, 1873. This was a memorable day in the history of Valley county. It meant much more than an election usually means. Upon this day was settled for good and always the question of county seat location.
George Larkin's residence was a small dug-out, built in a hillside just north of the present flag station Olean, and was thus a sort of half way point between the upper and lower settlements. On the day set the entire countryside, counting some 50 odd voters, assembled bright and early. Heman A. Babcock, George Larkin and Ash G. Post were appoint- ed judges and A. L. Clark and H. Collins clerks of election. As the day progressed a spirited though, upon the whole, friendly contest developed. All said, the great question upon which all else hinged was. shall the upper colony become predominant in the county's politics or shall it be the lower? This naturally involved the matter of countyseat loca- tion. The notice of election was strangely enough silent upon this matter ; indeed some members of the North Loup colony aver to this day that there existed a tacit understanding to the effect that the county seat question should be left open till the first regular fall election. However this may have been, some misunderstanding ensued; many of the North Loupers
102
THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
neglected to vote on the question and departed early for their several homes, not learning till too late that the matter was being settled then and there. Some people have even hinted that our sturdy fathers from the upper color y "worked " the North Loupers by letting these vote first, and then later in the day when the coast was clear and a majority assured, cast an almost solid vote for the location of the county seat on Section 21, town-
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ship 19, its present location. Thus the day was won and the prize was gained for the time being, at least, for the upper colony. But right here originated a struggle between the two halves of the county for the final disposition of this plum. Let no one for a moment think that this first defeat discouraged North Loup. This was only the first chapter in an interesting struggle which it took several years to terminate. "The bridge incident" told below formed its climax and virtually closed the
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103
ORGANIZATION OF VALLEY COUNTY-EARLY POLITICS
matter. The March election, aside from this contest was very satisfactory to all concerned and resulted in the electon of John Case, D. C. Bailey and L. C. Jacobs, Commissioners; W. D. Long, clerk; E. D. McKenney, treasurer; Oscar Babcock, judge; H. A. Babcock, sheriff; Thomas Mc- Dowell, surveyor; and Charles Badger, superintendent of schools.
On page 22, of "Miscellaneous Records No. 1," now preserved in the archives of the county, the following interesting resolution appears :
RESOLVED, That the Co Clerk shall make the following resolution a part of the Co. Commissioners records:
To-Wit: Whereas, the legal voters of Valley Co., Neb., did by a large majority, at the election held March, 18, 1873, for the organization of said county, declare the county seat of said County of Valley to be located on'Section Twenty-one (21) Town Nineteen (19), Range Fourteen (14); and whereas, the Secretary of State did send a certificate of said location to the Co. Clerk of said Valley County, Neb., and whereas, thie Statutes of Nebraska make it necessary for said certificate to be placed on record in the Book of Miscellaneous Record; and whereas, the County of Valley has had no Book of Miscellaneous Record up to this date -- Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Co. Commissioners of said county, that they do hereby order the county clerk to place said certificate of location on record immediately after said book comes to hand of said Co. Clerk of said Co. of Valley, together with this resolution.
July 16th, '74.
R. W. Bancroft, Chm., Com's. Present. L. C. Jacobs, John Case, Members Attest: W. D. Long, Clerk.
Here follows the "Certificate of Location" mentioned in above resolu- tion, with date of record, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, etc., exactly as given in the orginal.
CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION: Dept. Secy of state, Lincoln Neb. Apl, 21st 1873.
This is to certify that at an election held in the County Co of Valley and State of Ne- braska on the 18th day of March 1873, the legal electors therein by a clear majority of their Votes declared that Sec. Twenty-one (21) Town nineteen (19) range fourteen (14), shall bee the County Seat of Said County of Valley. (SEAL)
Recorded July 17th 1874.
John J. Gaskon, Secy. of State. W. D. Long, Co. Clerk. A. T. Stacy, Dep'ty.
It will be noticed that the above commissioner's resolution was made by a new board elected at the first regular fall election, the name of R. W. Bancroft appearing here in place of that of D. C. Bailey, and that for more than a year no record had been kept of the certificate of election. We must not from this get the impression though that the first board did not do its work well. Far from it, they took hold of their duties with creditable energy and considering what they had to work with, did remark- ably well. To give the reader some appreciation of early county affairs some of the first meetings of the board are here introduced. Before the erection of a court house these meetings were "held around" at the most convenient place. The matter of taxation came before the commissioners at their first meeting, the minutes of which read as follows:
June 23, '73. Present L. C. Jacobs, ('h'm., John Case, and D. C. Bailey. Attest E. D. McKenney. Co. Clerk.
First assessors appointed-Geo. B. Rood for south side and O. S. Haskell for north side. Horses $5.00-$70.00-Oxen $25.00-870.00 per yoke.
.
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
This in brief tells the story of the first steps taken to defray the ex- penses of the new county government. The following list gives in full the first ten warrants paid with the money thus collected :
No. Amt. 1 $131 90
Date
Services
To Whom Issued.
2
2 00
Clerk of Election
D. A. Post
3
7 00
6.
Road Commissioner
D. A. Post
4
21 90
66
66
County Commissioner
John Case
5
10 85
66
46
County Commissioner
John Case
6
48 00
66
County Commissioner, etc.
L. C. Jacobs
7
7 00
66
Sundries
Charles Badger
8
46 55
6.
County Clerk, etc.
E. D. McKenDey
9
98 45
66
66
Making out tax list of 1873
W. D. Long
10
2 00
66
66
Clerk of Election
J. H. Collins
The minutes of February 23, 1874, are rather amusing. As will appear later in our story the settlers found it "desirable and expedient" to organize a militia company for protection against the Indians. Of this company O. S. Haskell was elected captain and M. B. Goodenow lieuten- ant. It further appears that there developed considerable feeling over the matter of guns furnished by the government. Some of the "boys" brought their grievances before the county commissioners who made the following rulings :
Resolved: That O. S. Haskell be ordered to restore to Wm. Hobson the govt. gun and ammunition and accountrements that he has taken from said Hobson, and now in possession of said Haskell.
Resolved: That M. B. Goodenow be ordered to restore to Mr. Wood the govt gun issued to said Wood together with ammunition belonging thereto; also that said Goodenow be ordered to deliver the govt. gun that D. A. Post left in his care, to C. C. Post or his order.
Resolved: That the needle-gun taken from Wm. Cronk and given to Herbert Thurs- ton shall remain in possession of said Thurston subject to the order of the ('o. Comm's.
We read too how early blizzards raging unchecked across the virgin prairie, and river torrents unspanned by bridges on occasion kept the county fathers from their regular board meeting. Of this the following minutes are illustrative :
County Clerk's Office, Valley Co., Neb., Apl, 21st, 1874
The County Commissioners met at the office of the Co. Clerk. When meeting was ad- journed for want of a quorum caused by a heavy snowstorm. Present R. W. Bancroft :
Attest, W. D. Long, Clerk.
County Clerk's Office, Valley Co Neb. Dec 7, 1874.
No session of the County Commissioners held by reason of the North Loup being in an uncrossable condition.
Attest, W. I). Long, Clerk.
Now to revert to the county seat controversy hinted at in the first part of this chapter. The North Loup party though defeated in the first test of strength did not lose courage, and hoped against hope sooner or later to be able to wrest the countyseat from the upper settlements. The matter which ultimately settled the sorry affair was the so-called "bridge inci- dent." The story of this matter is in brief as follows: Settlements were rapidly springing up on both sides of the river and the demands for a river bridge were becoming imperative. For many months of the year it was
Jan. 19, 1874 66 66
Books, blanks, etc.
Acres & Blackmar
105
ORGANIZATION OF VALLEY COUNTY-EARLY POLITICS
impossible to cross from one side to the other. Now in case a bridge was to be built, the all important question would be where to build it. The strongest settlement on the north side of the river was the Springdale settlement immediately across from the BURLINGTON ROUTE Dane Creek settlement. Both these settle EUREKA ELYRIA NOBLE ments, and indeed all the people in the Sedlor- Elyria upper half of the county, would favor a LONI. bridge as near as practical to the newly GERANIUM, MICHIGAN ORD SPRINGDALE Geranium voted county seat. North Loup naturally BURLINGTON ORD enough advocated some point on the river UN .. PAG near their own settlement; or, for sake of LIBERTY VINTON Oleat: ENTERPRISE NORTH DAUP compromise, a location midway between Yale Mira Creek North I.oup, the upper and lower settlements. 1
Mid As affairs stood in the summer of 1874, ARCADIA YALE DAVIS CREEK INDEPENDENT two of the county commissioners, Case Loun Lee's Arcadia BUR Park + and Bancroft, not alone favored building Township Map of Valley County. the bridge, but were determined to see it built where it was needed the most-and that with them meant near the new county seat, Ord. The third member was Jacobs of North Loup, who would build the bridge at his home town or not at all. If the people should vote to issue bonds for a bridge the building of the same would be in the hands of the commissioners, and this would under present conditions mean a victory for Ord.
It came to a test, and an election to vote bonds was called for August 25, 1874. When the vote was counted the bond issue was found to have carried by a good majority. Even yet the North Loupers did not lose hope. There was some question as to the legal- ity of the election, just what it was the author has never been able to ascertain. At any rate the contesting faction sent the sheriff, who was a North Loup man, all the way overland to West Point, to apply to the District Court for an injunc- tion to stop the issuing of the bond. Time was now precious. A commission- ers' meeting must be held. the bonds must be issued and sold, all in a legal manner and before the injunction could be returned and served. We may rest assured that the up-river men did not let the grass grow under their feet! A purchaser for the bonds was already at Grandpa Daniel Cooley Bailey at the Age of 85 hand in the person of John Means, the Grand Island contractor and bridge-builder. The required three days' notice was given and the Board of County Commissioners met bright and early on September the 9th,
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
1874, at the residence of Chairman Bancroft-that is, all with the excep- tion of Mr. Jacobs, who flatly refused to have anything to do with the pro- ceedings.
The meeting although hurriediy called, was nevertheless held in absolute conformity with the law, as the clerk's minutes show. They read :
Commissioners' meeting, Sept. 9th, '74
"The Co. Clerk being ordered by the Comm's., brought forth the abstract of votes cast at an election held in and for said Valley county, Neb., on the 25th day of August, 1874, wherein the proposition of issuing the bouds of said county to build a bridge across the North Loup river was duly submitted to the qualified votera of said county, and upon examination of the same it was found that said proposition had carried in the affirmative. Whereupon the commissioners resolved to issue the said bonds and let the construction of said bridge to private parties."
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