Warner's history of Dakota County, Nebraska, from the days of the pioneers and first settlers to the present time, with biographical sketches, and anecdotes of ye olden times, Part 2

Author: Warner, M. M
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Lyons [Neb.] Mirror Job Office
Number of Pages: 394


USA > Nebraska > Dakota County > Warner's history of Dakota County, Nebraska, from the days of the pioneers and first settlers to the present time, with biographical sketches, and anecdotes of ye olden times > Part 2


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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On the morning of August 21st they sailed by the site of Sioux City and at three miles from the Floyd came to the month of the Big Sioux, which then flowed into what is now Crystal lake, opposite South Sioux City. After passing through that lake they came to the site of old St John's, where they killed their first buffalo, also a deer and beaver were killed, and they saw two elk as they scampered over the hills to where Jackson now stands.


Lewis and Clarke, after reaching the headwaters of the Missouri, passed over the mountains and thence


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LEWIS AND CLARKE EXPEDITION.


down the Columbia river to the Pacific Ocean,


On their return trip they reached Floyd's Bluff at noon, September 4, 1806, and found the grave of Floyd had been opened and was half uncovered. They filled it up and proceeded down to their old camping place, near Parker's house, and remained there over night, where they dried all their baggage, which had been wet by rain on the previous evening.


They landed in St. Louis September 23. 1806, having traveled about eight thousand miles, the time consumed in making the journey being two years, four months and ten days.


In the spring of 1857 Floyd's grave was partially washed away by the Missouri, and the skull and other bones were taken to Sioux City, where they remained in the office of Moore & Clapp until Enly of the same year, when the grateful citizens of that place re-interred them on a bluff two hundred yards east of the old grave. The grave of this daring adventurer may still be seen. marked as it is, by a small cedar post, instead of a fit- ting monument in memory of the first person to die in that world-renowned expedition.


William Clarke was born in Virginia in 1770, and died in 1838. Was the last territorial governor of Mis- souri and also Superintendent of Indian Affairs.


Merriweather Lewis was born in Virginia in 1774 and died in 1809. Was President Jefferson's private secretary.


CHAPTER II.


TERRITORY OF LOUISIANA AND MISSOURI -- FIRST STEAMER TO REACH THIS POINT -- OTHER ADVENTURERS TREATY WITH THE OMAHAS.


By an act of congress, passed March 3, 1805, the District of Louisiana became the "Territory of Louis- iana;" what is now Dakota county being included in the new territory. St. Louis was made the capital aud President Jefferson appointed James Wilkinson govern- and Frederick Bates secretary. On the 4th of June, 1812, the "Territory of Missouri" was organized, within the bounds of which was the present area of Dakota common law of England for the regulation of its affairs. connty. The legislature of this territory adopted the


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Prior to this, however, in 1808, the Missouri Fur Company was established with Pierre Choteau, William Clarke, Sylvester Labodie, Manuel Lista, Anguste Chotean and Pierre Menard as principal managers. Their first expedition, under Maj. A. Henry, passed up the Missouri along the boundary of what is now Dakota county and established a trading post on the headwaters of the river. There is no record of what they saw in our county or what was their opinion of it.


THE FIRST STEAMER TO REACH THIS POINT.


The Western Engineer, a government steamer, started from Pittsburg on the 3rd of May, 1819, having on board an exploring expedition sent out by order


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OTHER ADVENTURERS.


of the president to explore the Missouri river and the country west of it to the Rocky Mountains. The expedi- tion was under the command of Maj. Stephen H. Long. and arrived at St. Louis on the 20th of June and reach- ed a point five miles below Council Bluffs September 19th, where they remained that winter. The following spring they received orders from John C. Calhoun. secretary of war, to proceed overland to the headwater. of the Arkansas and Red rivers. The Western Engi- neer then received a new commander and was used for the transportation of government supplies to the forts and trading posts along the Missouri which was the first steamer that ever passed along the borders of Da, kota county.


The second steamer to find her way up the Missou- ri was the Yellowstone, belonging to the American Fur Company, landing here in the summer of 1831 and commanded by Capt. Bennett. The men who man. aged the boat ofttimes commented upon the beauty of this land and wondered if it would ever be peopled by white men.


OTHER ADVENTURERS.


From time to time other adventurers and traders are known to have crossed over the beautiful land that forms our county, but as they have left no trace of their sojourn here we pass them by.


In 1822 William H. Ashley, in the interest of the Rocky Mountain Far Company, of St. Louis, equipped two boats to ascend the Missouri to the mouth of the Yellowstone, and thus again white men gazed upon the land of Dakota county.


In 1847 the Mormons, on their way to Salt Lake. crossed the Missouri at Bellevue and traveled along the divide between the Logan and Missouri rivers, which brought them across the south-western portion of Dakota county, and to this day can be seen the oid "Mormon


WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


Trail" made by this expedition.


Another large expedition of the Mormons crossed the plains to Salt Lake during the summer of 1853, and a portion of them, who were late in the fall getting started were overtaken by cold weather, went into winter quarters near the site of old St. Johns, where they re- mained until spring.


In 1848 William Thompson built a log cabin on the east side of the Missouri, at Floyd's Bluff, abont three miles below where Sioux City was afterwards lo- cated, and the following year Theophili Brughier, a Canadian Frenchman, settled at the month of the Big Sioux river, who is now living near Salix, Iowa. The


same year, (1849) Robert Perry located on Perry creek and in 1850 Paul Pacgnette made his home near the month of the Big Sionx. In 1851 Joseph Lionias, who had previously been employed on the upper river by a fur company, settled within the present limits of Sioux City, Iowa. These facts concerning Sioux City and vicinity are given so as to form a more perfect his- tory of Dakota county from the earliest times, and in this connection might be mentioned Dr. John K. Cook, the founder of Sioux City, who surveyed that town in 1854.


TREATY WITH THE OMAHAS.


By a treaty made with the Omaha Indians and proclaimed June 21, 1854, all their land west of the Missouri river except the "Omaha Reservation," con- taining 310,000 acres, was ceded to the United States. and thus the land that constitutes . Dakota county was opened for settlement. Prior to this, although it was an "Indian country," several of our pioneers crossed over here to get a glimpse of this country, among whom were: John B. Arteaux. June 6, 1851: Thos. L Grif- fey, in the fall of 1851; Gustave Pecant, in 1852; Wm. HI. James, Leonard Bates and Win. L. Madden, in 1853.


CHAPTER III.


TERRITORY OF NEBRASKA ---- DAKOTA COUNTY ORGANIZED -- ADVENT OF THE PIONEERS.


For more than thirty-two years after the admis- sion of Missoni as a state into the Uuion, Nebraska was practically without a government, although it was included in what was known as the "Northwestern Ter- ritory," but as it was "an Indian country," there was very little except Indians to be governed. Nebraska Territory was organized by an Act of Congress passed March 4, 1854, and indorsed by the president on the 30th of the following May, and at that time included besides the present state of Nebraska, a portion of Colorado, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyom -. ing, and part of Idaho. Francis Burt was appointed by President Pierce as first governor.


DAKOTA COUNTY ORGANIZED.


Dakota county was organized by an act of the first territorial legislature, March 7, 1855, in response to a petition presented January 22, 1855, signed by J. D. M. Crockwell and thirty-one others. Its boundaries were as follows: From north-east corner of Blackbird county, np main channel of Missouri to line between ranges six and seven east, thence south to north line of Blackbird, thence to place of beginning. County seat, Dakota.


In 1858 a bill was passed by the legislature annex


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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


ing to Dixon county one-half of townships 27, 28 and 29, and all of townships 30 and 31, making it the small- est county in the state except Sarpy . In 1879 its southern boundary was removed downward to the middle line of township 25, thus including for "elect- ive, judicial and revenue purposes" a portion of the Winnebago and Omaha Reservations.


In 1889 Thurston county was organized, with the northern border of the Winnebago Reservation for its north boundary, leaving Dakota county boundaries as follows: Bounded on the north by the Missouri river and Dixon county; on the west by Dixon county; on the south by Winnebago Reserve or Thurston county; and on the east by Missouri river-containing about two hundred and twenty-five square miles, or nearly one hundred and twenty-nine thousand acres. The county was surveyed by Samnel F. Watts, employed by the government contractor, Dr. John K. Cook, of Sionx City, Iowa, in 1857.


ADVENT OF THE PIONEERS.


Early in the year of 1355 the advance picket of that remarkable army of pioneers, who invaded this then wild, primeval land and in a few fleeting years trans- formed it into beantitul homes, dotted here and there with stirring towns and villages, arrived upon the east- ern shore of the mighty Missouri, proclaiming to the woods and the prairies, to the hills and vales, and to the beasts and birds thereof, that they had "come to stay." Some of them settled on that side of the river, in Sioux City and Woodbury, while others casting their advent- urous eyes beyond the turbulent waters of the Missouri. beheld the fairy-like land of Dakota county. Among these were Henry Ream, who on the 15th of May, 1855, crossed the river and after penetrating the rank grass and weeds and jungles, stood upon the bluffs near where Col. H. Baird afterward located. Soon after


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ADVENT OF THE PIONEERS.


this Adam Benner and Charles Rouleaux explored the county, Benner settling, as it is claimed by some, in what is now Dixon county.


Father Jermiah Trecy and his brother John J. Trecy arrived from Dubuque, Iowa., June 25, 1855, in search of a location to establish a colony. After ex- ploring the country they selected the land where, the following spring, old St. Johns was founded, by a colony of Irish from near Dubuque, Iowa.


On the first day of July of the same year, George T. Woods, in company with a frenchman (Armell,) and two Blackfeet Indians, crossed the river and went afoot to the Col. H. Baird bluffs, thence south to the Tim Murphy place, and here on the afternoon of July 1, 1855, he drove down the first claim stake ever driven in- to Dakota county soil. There were no impressive cere- monies or eloquent "corner stone" speeches on the occasion, although it will ever stand ont as a very im- portant step in the history of Dakota county.


One or two days later a party was made up in Woodbury of the following, as near as can be ascer- tained: Jacob II. Hallock, George T. Woods, Charles Rouleaux, Ray Harvey, John Samuels, John Bay and Robert G. Alexander, who crossed the river, going west to where St. John's was located-here they found the Trecys cutting grass-then to where Ponca now stands, and back to the Col Baird place. The party took claims at different points along their journey.


On the 4th of July, 1855, nearly the same party crossed over to the subsequent town site of Omadi in the way of celebrating the national holiday. Within a few days Chauncey A. Horr joined the party.


On the 19th of August of this year Jesse Wigle and party, consisting of Spencer Moore, Robert and William Pilgrim, and others, crossed over to Dakota county. Mr. Wigle, who was the first white man to settle here with his family, had visited the county prior


WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


to this time-in June of the same year. This party had "come to stay."and brought with them their house. hold effects.


During the fall of 1855 a number of settlers ar- rived, among whom might be mentioned: Harlon Baird, Abraham Hirsch, Benjamin Hicks, Moses Kreps. Joseph Brannan. A. II. Baker. William Cheney. Horace Dutton. Squire Dutton, William B. Taylor, Henry Young, Gustave Pecant and George L. Boals.


The county, it might be said, was now fairly start- ed on its prosperous career


For further particulars about the early settlement of the county, the reader is referred to the biographies of the pioneers,


CHAPTER IV.


GEOLOGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES.


-


Prof. Samuel Aughey, in his essay on geology says:


"As now understood from its rocks memorial. there have been five great eras in geological history. viz: Archæan. Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic and Pscy- chozoic. During the early part of the first or Archæan era, our globe was companion star to the sun, and glowed by a heat and shown by a light of its own."


Dakota county has been visited by a number of eminent geologists, because of its peculiar geological formation, and the "Dakota Group" was so named from the fact that these stratuins of different grades of sand- stone were first discovered in this county along the bluffs east of Homer which was once the bed of a sea. and this group was formed by sedimentary deposits.


The county is well supplied with good building stone and there is plenty of sand for plastering purpo- ses on the Missouri bottom, also in the aplands, where it crops ont on high bluffs. An excellent quality of clay is found here for making brick. The soil of Dako- ta county is the very best in the state, the loam or loess formation is here about two hundred feet in depth. One half the county is Missouri bottom land and the other portion upland and valleys.


NATURAL RESOURCES.


When the pioneers first came here they found large forests which in later years succumbed to the wood-


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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


man's ax.


"In 1851," said Thos. L. Griffey, "the land along the river between Dakota City and Covington was cov- ered with the largest and most dense timber ever seen in the west."


But notwithstanding the vast amount of timber that has been consumed and sent to market, Dakota county still has a supply to last her people for many years to come. On the Missouri bottom, generally bor- dering the river, are groves of cottonwood, white, yel- low, prairie and red or diamond willow, boxelder, ash and white elm, also some soft maple. Along the small- er streams and on the high bluff lands interspersed with deep ravines, is to be found exeellent timber, snch as walnut, red and burr oak, red, white and roek elm. ironwood, boxelder, cottonwood, hickory, coffeebean. mulberry, hackberry, dogwood, haw-thorn and bass- wood. Some of the cottonwood trees are over three hundred years old and black walnut trees have been cut down which have withstood the storms of three hundred and eighty years. In 1865 and '66, 500,000 feet of walnut Inmber were shipped to Omaha.


Among the wild fruits, berries and nuts are to be found: Plum, grape, strawberry, raspberry, mulberry. gooseberry, haw-thorn, chokecherry, hazelunt and wal- nut.


The county is abundantly supplied with water. Besides being bounded on the north and east by the Missouri river, it is drained by a number of creeks and contains hundreds of springs of pure water, principally on the nplands. Omaha the largest creek of the eonnty. enters it from the sonth, and after receiving the waters of Wigle, Fiddler and Elk ereeks from the west and northwest, it flows into the Missonri river, abont five miles sonth of Dakota City.


The native grasses yet generally prevail -- a few farmers raising timothy, clover and blue grass-slough grass on the bottoms and blue joint on the nplands.


CHAPTER V.


EXTINCT TOWNS.


OMADI -- LOGAN-ST. JOHNS -- PACIFIC CITY-FRANKLIN CITY-BLYBURG-VERONA-RANDOLPH-LODI.


The pioneers had one weakness, at least, and that was a bad one, in other words, to use the modern phrase. "they had it bad" -a mania for laying out town sites. At one time ten towns along the river from Blyburg to Ponca, with their additions included, contained over ten thousand acres. Of these towns but two are now existing -- only in the memory of the early settlers, ex- cept Ponca, which by a change in the boundary line is now in Dixon county. The two surviving towns are Dakota City and Covington.


OMADI --- The first of the extinct towns to be laid ont was Omadi. This town, with five additions. was situated on the west bank of the Missouri river, near the line between townships 27 and 28, range 9, abont five miles south of Dakota City, on a claim taken by Charles Rouleaux. The first settlers were Geo. T. Woods, Chauncey A. Horr and Moses Kreps, who crossed the river September 1, 1855, and began building a log cabin, which was one of the first constructed by white men in the county (except possibly a cabin built on the present site of Covington by Gustave Pecaut,) to live in, while they were building a saw mill. Mr. Woods, foreseeing the coming of future events, reasoned that a human tide would soon roll across the rich and


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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


fertile prairies of Nebraska, and that a large quantity of lumber would be required to satisfy the demand. A. H. Baker and Jacob II. Hallock soon joined them in the work, which they kept up all 'winter and the saw mill was put into operation April 1. 1856. They sold Inmber at $30 per thousand foet, and the first purchased by the settlers was used in the construction of the old Gideon Warner house, now standing on his farm in that. vicinity. While the mill was in course of construction others settled in the town. Charles Rouleaux erected the second cabin and John Bay put together a log store building, which constituted the entire village for the winter of '55 and '56, and besides the above mentioned settlers its inhabitants were: Wm. Cheney, Benjamin Ilicks, John Gallagher, Robert Alexander and a few others, all of whom crowded into the three lonely cab- ins.


In the spring of 1856 new settlers began to arrive, the town was properly laid ont, William C. MeBeath opened up a store, Stephen Draper brought in a steam saw mill, and before fall it had grown to be considerable of a town. It flourished until '57 and '58, when it had reached the zenith of its glory. A good frame school building was erected, which was afterwards moved down just north of Thomas Smith's place where it was used as a school house for that distriet. and the town con- tained a population of abont four hundred inhabitants. Abraham Ilirsch opened up the first hotel in 1856 and Henry Rewo soon afterwards engaged in the same busi- ness. William Young also kept a boarding house. Miss Putnam, of Sioux City, taught the first school in Omadi, commencing abont the middle of April, '57, winch was also the first in the county, and Maria Par- sons and Julia Nash were the next teachers. Dr. G. W. Wilkinson taught school here in 1858 in what is now Win. Cheney's old log barn, which was moved to Dakota City by C. F. Elkhart. Among his scholars were Charley Ford, Michael Kennelly, Marcellus and


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EXTINCT TOWNS.


Charles Ream and Mary Ream now Mrs. W. O. Mc- Beath.


The first newspaper. which was also the first in the county, called the Omadi Enterprise, was established here in July, 1857, and was edited by George W. Rust, afterwards editor of the Stock Journal, at Chicago The paper was sold to Griffin and Taffe, in 1858, and expired in the same year. A shingle mill was operated by Shull & Hartman.


The first city election of which there is any record was held on Monday, March 22, 1958, the following officers being elected for a term of one year: M. G. Wilkinson, mayor; Wm. D. Smith, recorder; Wm. Cheney, assessor; W'm. C. McDeath, treasurer; J. B. Dickey, marshal; Geo. T. Woods, G. W. Burks and S. G. Cochran, aldermen. At a special election held June 27, 1859, the following officers were elected: John Taffe, mayor; Geo. W. Williamson, recorder; A. H. Baker, marshal; Alexander Ford, assessor: Wm. C. McBeath, treasurer, S. G Cochran, M. Kennelly, Henry Ream, E. R. Nash and Domonic Bcilinski, aldermen.


Omadi post office was established in 1857 with Henry Ream as postmaster, succeeded by A. U. Baker and Asa Rathbun. It was then turned over to J. W. Davis, on Omaba creek. and was afterwards moved to Charles II. Potter's place; was discontinued in 1872 and Ilomer post office established.


Rev. Wm. M. Smith, a Methodist minister, held religious services in the Omadi school house.


About this time Wm. Ashburn came to the town and began preparations for the building of a large hotel. Thos. Ashford burned the brick, the cellar was dug while Ashburn was busily engaged collecting a large sum of "bonus money," which he took with him as he fled the country, and the hotel scheme was a fail- ure. This was a forerunner of more and greater disas- ter. as the village began to deelme, the treacherous Mis- sonri washed away a portion of the town, and thus the


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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


march of decay went on until 1865, when every house had been removed, some to Dakota City and others np- on farms. Thus the site of a once prosperous and buoy- ant town was turned over to the merciless ravage of a relentless river and Omadi sleeps to-day in the broad bosom of the Missouri river.


LOGAN .-- Was situated on the Missouri river, now Crystal lake, the Meridian line between townships 28 and 29, forming its main street. It was surveyed in June, 1856, by Samuel F. Watts, and filed for record July 16th of the same year, several additions being made to the town afterwards. The town grew very rapidly and soon became the rival of Omadi and other towns of the county. Among its early settlers were Horace Dutton, John Pierce, Samuel Whitehorn, Leon- ard Bates, James Westcott, Jesse F. Warner, Harry Lyons. W. W. Marsh, Robert Carnihan. James Ashley, G. McFall, (founder of the town), John Joyce, Charles T. Parker, D. B. Dodson, Caleb Leg, Wm. Carnihan, Jolin, Thomas, Daniel and Frank Virden and Alfred Elam. Two stores were kept by Harry Lyons and Wm. Carnihan. The Virden Bros. opened up a large hotel (now known as the old T. L. Griffey house at Dakota City, which was afterwards moved there); James Aslily conducted a blacksmith shop and Dr. M. Saville was physician. In the summer of 1858 a subscription school was opened with Ottie Marsh as first teacher. and among her scholars were Mrs. E. J. DeBell nee Nellie Warner, Mrs. Clark Ellis nee Mary Willis, Mrs. John MeQuilken nee Alice Rush, Mrs. Wm. Armour nee Jane Garner, William Rush and James Willis. During this year Logan had reached the height of its prosperity, containing at that time more than twenty- five houses, when the Missouri began to gnaw away its northern portion and its inhabitants commenced to move their houses to Dakota City and adjacent farms. By 1860 the town was entirely deserted, the Virdens being the last to leave.


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EXTINCT TOWNS.


ST. JOHNS -- Was also called ST. PATRICK'S COLONY, located on the Missouri river, abont one mile north of Jackson, in township 29, range 8; surveyed and plotted by John J. Trecy, in June, 1856, and incorporated by the county commissioners in January, 1857


On the second day of June, 1856, a Catholic colo- by from near Dubugne, Iowa, arrived on the town site. consisting of eighteen wagons and abont sixty persons. some of whom remained in the village, others selecting claims in what is now St. Johns and Sminmit townships. This colony was under the charge of father Jeremiah Trecy and its members were, as near as can be learned: Father Trecy's mother and father and widowed sister Mrs. Coyle, Daniel Duggan, James Kellehan, George Portiss, Michael McKivergan, James Jones, Michael McCormick, Charles Boyle, John, James , Patrick and Nicholas Ryan, William Hogan, Simon Magen, Patrick Twohig, Arthur Short, John Trecy and Edward Jones. all but the last four having families. Thomas Curren and Joseph Brannan kept the first stores. Drs. En- right and Matthews were the first physicians. In 1857 a steam saw mill was built; a log school house was erected and Miss Rosana Clark taught the first school. which was the second school in the county, commencing about the third week in April of that year. The year 1858 witnessed the town's palmiest days, when its pop- nlation numbered nearly two hundred.


At a special town election, the first of which there is any record, held at the house of John J. Tiecy, Feb- ruary 15. 1858, the following officers were elected : John J. Treey, mayor; Gerald Dillon, recorder; Cornelius O'Connor, assessor; Arthur Short, marshal; Thomas Curren, John Williamson and Duncan McDonald, al- dermen. The ballot box used at this election is now in the possession of Mrs. Capt. C. O'Connor.


The people became dissatisfied with the location of St. Johns and its gradual depopulation began, until every resident had moved away. The town site was


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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.


vacated in accordance with a petition presented to the county commissioners by James A. Trecy, owner of the land, December 3, 1866, and thus St. Johns was oblit- erated from the face of the earth.




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