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 22
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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.
bluffs came up for consideration and before you could! say "jack-rabbit" the Honorable county commissioners attached their immortal names to the important docu- ment. which runs something similar to this:
"Commencing in the centre of St. Peters and 14th streets. of St. Johns; thence south along 14th street to the place where Gerald Dillon upset with a load of hay: thence south to the right bank of Elk Creek, in a bend where Jos. Brannan shot three dueks; thence sonth to foot of bluffs where Mike Beacom got stuck in the mud with a load of sand; thence to a stake: thenee south along section lines between sections 13 and 14. township 28, range 7 east, to one-fourth corner; thence sonth to Pigeon Creek to stake on right bank where there is a big bunch of grass; thence south to a line stone 18x14 inches, op- posite E. G. Lampson's house; thence south along the bluffs till you come to a cottonwood tree twenty inches in diameter, on right bank of ereek where Col. Bates killed a crow; thence southeast along Wm. Silence's corn field till it strikes Ziber Millage's lower pig pen and rebounds a trifle to the east when in strikes the corner of Col. Baird's garden, where he used to throw all of his empty bottles; thence along the bluffs to Omaha Creek; (where Homer now stands) thenee east across said creek to the spot where Thomas Smith camped; thence in a southeasterly direction up a long ridge back of Henry Ream's place, to a high point on the bluffs; (the identical bluff on which the flomer celebration floated its flag pole so many years afterward:) thenee directly east down a sharp pitch and then whoop 'em up a rugged point to the southward; thence in a winding southeast direction up hill and down hill and then up hill and down hill again until your horses are about tugged out, when you come to a stake on Platte River and Running Water military road, on bluff's south of Henry Pil- grim's house, from which a burr oak tree fifteen inches in di- ameter bears S, 81; E, 1; 37, and containing three notches on west
Surveyed October 21, 22 and 24, A. D., 1859, by M. D. Jeffers, surveyor. Chainmen, Wm. Nixon, A. Prichard.
JAMES W. VIRTUE, County Clerk.
This road is now known as the road from Jackson
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STORIES OF YE OLDEN TIMES.
to Homer rie Col. Baird's and from Homer it run along the high ridge of the bluffs back of Henry Ream's, Thos. Ashford's and Capt. O'Connor's farms, to military road. on bluffs south of the old Col Warner place. The bunch of grass, stumps, bottles, trees, corn fields and pig pens have long since passed away but the road is "still there."
GEORGE L. BOALS, JR., TELLS A STORY.
It was the 22nd day of April, 1856, when George L. Boals, jr., plodded along through the mud and brush from the river to Dakota City, with his parents. They reached Dakota City and to their astonishment it con- tained all of one solitary honse -- and that was a bach- elor's hall with Ben. F. Chambers, John McQuilkin and Wm. Adair as chief cooks. Here they remained that night and George had always been used to a good warm bed. "bnt" he says, "their beds consisted of poles laid around a fire and back of this was thrown on the ground some slough grass." The next morning he was awakened by the clash of frying pans, etc., and for the first time in his life he saw men doing the cooking. Hle started with his parents for his Uncle George's claim, and when they got there a man was sitting by the fire drying his socks. As Mrs. Hannah J. Boals stepped into the log cabin the man was struck with terror and ran out of the house and disappeared in Boals" grove. She was the first white woman he had seen in the county, and in fact, the only woman in the north- ern part of the county at that time. That winter all the Boals' of Dakota county crowded into that log cab- in (they couldn't do it now), and one morning, after a cold and stormy night. they thought the king of day was a long time getting around with his light. Final- ly, they saw a ray of light coming through a nail hole in the roof and on further examination it was discovered that the entire cabin was enveloped in a great mass of
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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.
snow. A hole was ent through the roof and a man was sent ont to dig a tunnel through the snow to the door. This is one thing that George will never forget.
HENRY SHULL'S STORY.
After the "break up" in the spring following the cold and stormy winter of '56 and '57, all streams were flood- ed, including the Missouri river, which broke over the banks near old St. Johns and rushed down along the bluffs. The Shull Brothers spent the winter on Fid- dlers creek, and hauled their provisions most of the time on a hand sled from old Omadi. They lived on the old David Shull place. One spring morning Ilen- ry and Samuel Shull left their home to go to Omadi for a load of lumber and provisions, and just as they had crossed the bridge over "the lake," which stood somewhere in the vicinity of the tork of Elk and Pigeon creeks, it went down the stream, they narrowly escaping a watery grave. Samuel got on a log and recrossed the flooded stream, and returned to help his friends over there. They at once commenced to build boats so as to be prepared to escape should the water continue to rise. In the mean time Henry. a boy of only fifteen years of age, proceeded on up Fiddlers creek with his load. It was, indeed, a lonesome journey for a young man. He had taken his boots off while wading in the water to get across the creeks, and now they had shrank np so he could not get them on again. Then he had to wade on through the snow and ice in his stocking feet. when he got to the north fork of Fiddlers creek, near the farm now owned by B. Gribble he got stuck in the innd and had to carry the entire load of goods to the other side of the ereek. By this time it was getting dark and he was nearly chilled to death. When he finally drove up to his home be was so cold that he could not unhitch the team and barely managed to be
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able to walk into the house. Fortunately there was some fire in the "fire place" and he rolled on some wood and thus saved himself from perishing. The next day he went down to the hill tops on the Lonis Blessing place to see if he could discover any of his friends, but all he could see was a great sea of water over the Missouri bottom. For a whole week he re- mained at his lonely home on Fiddlers creek, the sole inhabitant from there to the Rocky mountains. Every day he would go down to the Blessing place to see if any one was coming, but each time he was disap- pointed, until the next Sunday morning, when to his joy and delight his brothers, Samuel and Solomon, suc- ceeded in crossing the raging waters, and found him in his solitary quarters.
HAT STORY.
In early times Wm. Cheney, Dr. G. W. Wilkinson. A. Il. Baker and others lived in Omadi. One day John Snyder came up from his brush home in Blyburg and these gentlemen and others played a good joke on him. The men all circled around a table on which was placed a hat. At a given signal all were to dive their fore fingers into the hat, and the last one in was to treat the crowd. John got right close to the hat and was positive that he would not have to do the treating. The signal was given and down went John's finger into the hat. while the others jumped back the other way and won the treat on him, as he was the first and last to put his finger in the hat.
HEADLESS INDIAN.
When Father Jermiah Trecy came to the county he was accompanied by Adam Benners. They camped
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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.
one night near where Ida Grove, Iowa, is now located. Father Trecy was building the camp-fire while Benners went upon the hillside to gather up some wood. Ile had not gone far when he discovered an Indian sitting up by a large tree. He hailed the Indian and called in vam to attract his attention. Finally he mustered up courage to go and touch him, when his head rolled off and down the hill. The Indian was probably killed by some hunters and after cutting his head off had set it on again in this manner. Benners was so frightened that he rushed down the hill and right into Father Trecy's camp-fire and litterally stamped it ont. "Hey! Hey!" cried Father Trecy, "what is the matter?" "We will all be killed," he replied. "I found an Indian up there and his head came off." "Well," retorted Father Trecy, "How can headless Indians harm us-get out of my camp-fire!"
HUNTING FOR PONCA.
In pioneer times Rev. II. W. Kuhns, of Omaha, was sent to preach the gospel to the inhabitants of Ponca, word having been sent out that it was a flourishing town. In those days ministers traveled horseback and carried their blankets with them and hanled up on the wild prairies wherever night over- took them. He was told that Ponca was abont twenty miles north-west of Dakota City and he expected to make it before night. But he traveled ou, darkness overtook him. There was no one to be found to in- quire as to the whereabouts of the town, so he tied his horse to a post that stood by the roadside. He spread his blankets on the ground and went into "quarters for the night. The next morning he noticed a sign board on the top of the post, and got up and read : "This is PONCA."
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STORIES OF YE OLDEN TIMES.
TAKING THE CENSUS.
It will be remembered that Elbridge G. Lampson was appointed to take the first census of Dakota county. but he died before the work was completed. James W. Virtne and others proceeded to finish it by going down to the old Bates House in Dakota City and copied all the names that had ever been written in the hotel regis- ter, including visitors, steamboat men and negro deck hands. They believed in making a big showing in population .
TOO MUCH WHISKEY.
Years ago there was an old building on the lot now occupied by Marcellus Ream,in Dakota City, where a crowd of pioneer bachelors lived. One morning Col. Bates happened over there and they invited him to breakfast, which consisted of a large dish pan full of whiskey with a few doughnuts swimming around in it. He saw a storebill from one of the merchants which read about like this: "Five pounds of bacon, one gallon of whiskey, one sack corn meal, one gallon of whiskey. salt, one gallon of whiskey, pepper, one gallon of whiskey. three jugs of whiskey."
NEGRO STORY.
A M. Holman, of Sergeants Bluff, Iowa, being requested told the following comical story, which is a sample of how our pioneers used to "boom" their towns and surrounding country : "The history of the ‘Negro Story' I consider one of considerable importance to the early history of Dakota City. The importance of the .scheme in stealing the negro bore the same relation to a "boom" in those days that the more modern means does in these times, and it shows to me that such men
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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.
as Col. Bates, Col. Mason, Dr. Crockwell. W. P. HIo]- man, Mr. Lockwood, Col. Warner and a few others of our early pioneers had advanced ideas of which this conntry had in its possibilities, and foresaw the future. And really they were 30 years in advance of the times. To bear me out in this, note the formation of an organ- ization of the Sioux City and Columbus Ry. by these same men nearly 30 years ago, I think. The time was not ripe for it then, but the same scheme was taken up in later years by others and successfully carried through. When Kountz put his steam ferry boat into play between Dakota City and Sergeants Bluff before they had one at Sioux City, these two towns were the leading towns in the Northwest. When on the wane, these men I have mentioned, rallied their energies to keep alive the in- terests of the two towns, as so went one, went the other. SiouxCity was going ahead slowly . In antislavery times, in the winter of 1860, I believe, after several conferencer and the last of which was held in father's hotel at Ser- geants Bluff, I remember the circumstance from the fact as a boy I came into the room during the confer- ence, and was at once ejected and my curiosity was very much aroused. I think there were eight men from Da- kota City, those mentioned being a part, closeted with my father nearly one whole afternoon. The Slavery question and the Fugitive Slave Law engrossed and was the leading topic of all newspapers. To get any notoriety from the public press a scheme having an ontrage perpetrated, involving a negro was the only way to make Dakota City and Sergeants Bluff take a prominent, place in the newspapers. Uncle Bill, a negro who had been the servant of Gen. Harney for years, and with him in his Indian campaign, and whom my father hired in 1856; and being the only negro in this part of the country, had to be the victim. This negro was known by all the people in this as well as Dakota county, and being so well known and known to have lived in our family for nearly four years, to have a
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slave owner come and claim him as a "nigger" who had "recently" run away from his home in Alabama was too transparent a frand, and evidently an attempt to take a free negro into slavery. Following the interview men- tioned, just how long I do not remember. my father. Unele Bill (Wm. Phillips) and myself were hanling wood from the sand bar between Dakota City and Ser- geants Bluff. On the return for the last load in the afternoon father told me that Uncle Bill and himself would go after that load and I should have the "chores" done np. While on the bar, Dr.Crockwell and a stranger came up to them. Dr. Crockwell asked the stranger if that was the "Nigger." Ile said it was. Then Dr. Crockwe !! , as constable, took ont a warrant and read it. describing Uncle Bill perfectly, claiming him as a run- away and arrested him. My father objeced to the pro- ceedure, claiming him to be on Iowa soil and his war- rant not good, being issued in Nebraska. etc., etc. Father gave Uncle Bill assurance that our people would be over and bring him safely away. Father ran his team home. Men were dispatched in all directions. and in a short time about 100 men with guns and revolvers were on their way to Dakota City. Meanwhile the news had gone out over there and by the time our people reached the Bates' house, crowds had congregated from that side as indignant as our folks. Speeches were made, etc. Dr. Crockwell representing the majesty of the law. claimed his prisoner must have trial etc. Cries were made for the man from Alabama: but he, one of the citizens, had taken off his false whiskers and was mingling with the crowd. Violence would have been done him could he have been found. Several deputy constables were gnarding Uncle Bill upstairs in the Bates' house. The demand for Uncle Bill being re- fused, a rush was made for the stairs and in a few mo- ments men appeared with Uncle Bill and he was seized and borne on the shoulders of his friends to the hotel in
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Sergeants Bluff, where amid rejoicing he was the hero of the hour, and a mighty happy negro. The paper in Dakota City came ont in glaring headlines and devoted a great deal of space and hundreds of copies were sent all over the north. The New York Tribune copied with copious comments as did other papers. The feeling was so strong that the inside facts of the scheme were not known for years. The man from "Alabama" was a young man in Dakota City. He went to Omaha, doned false beared, put up and registered from Alabama; told he was looking for a valuable runaway "Nigger," gave the description of Uncle Bill, and was told that such a negro was in Sergeants Bluff. He then got out his warrant and started for Sergeants Bluff."
THAT SNOW BALL.
In early times Gerald Dillon was the Jackson school teacher, and on one occasion he severely chastis- ed William Mann, who is living at Lyons, Nebraska. Mr. Mann, like all the boys, was full of mischief, in those days, but he did not think he was exactly en - titled to a flogging, so after the close of school. he "laid" for Gerald Dillon with a large icy snow ball, and as he came along. let him have it right on the side of the head. Mr. Dillon dropped to the ground and after "coming to" rose to his feet and gazed around to see who threw the ball. But he never found out and he is wandering to this day "who in thunder threw that snow ball ?"
CRADLE STORY.
A certain prominent gentleman, who lived in Da- kota City in pioneer times, and who afterwards became a state officer, came home one night "full" as usual. His wife had left the cradle in front of the door and of
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course he stumbled over it, and when he got up he started right back the opposite way, (just like a drunk man) and went over the cradle agam. He kept this up until he had tumbled over the cradle four times, when he lit a match, and exclaimed to his better half: "wife. what in the world are you doing with all these eradles in the house? I have tumbled over four of them an l here is another one of them right in front of me!"'
KNITTING NEEDLE STORY.
A number of years ago one of Jackson's leading lights had occasion to visit Dakota City, and his wife told him to be sure to get some knitting needles --- and not to forget it." The first thing he did when he got to Dakota City was to "fill up" on whiskey, and every time through the day. when he would sober up a little he would remember his wife's order, not to forget the needles, and wonld call at one of the stores and bny a supply of knitting needles, until he had all his pockets full of packages of needles. Thus loaded down he went home, to astonish his wife with several hundred knitting needles.
CABBAGE AND STARCH.
Years ago there was a prominent politician living in the south-eastern part of Dakota City, and one time his wife told him that she was going to have cabbage for dinner, as he was very fond of it. Well, long be. fore 12 o'clock had arrived he was so drunk he could not go home for dinner. Ile sobered up sometime during that night and staggered down home, still re- membering something about the cabbage, and when he entered the house, he went to the cupboard and got what he supposed was the cabbage, and proceeded to sample it. Ilis wife had retired for the night but she
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WARNER'S HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY.
heard him chewing very hard and asked him how he liked the cabbage. "The gravy is pretty good, but the cabbage is awful tough!" was his reply. His wife now came out to where he was and in amazement exclaimed : .. William, you are chewing my collars and cuffs that I put in a bowl of starch!"
LARGE AND INTELLIGENT AUDIENCE.
Rev. W. H. Kuhns the pioneer Lutheran minister of Dakota county was caught in a great blizzard at Da- kota City many years ago. It was Sunday and he felt that he must fill his appointment storm or no storm. When he got to the church he found C. F. Eckhart and J. B. Zeigler there, which constituted his congregation for that day, but he went on and delivered a very im- pressive sermon, just as though the house was full. After his return to Omaha he was asked how he got along at Dakota City. "Well," replied Mr. Kuhns. "I had a very large and intelligent andience." Mr. Zeigler being a very large man and Mr. Eckhart a very intelligent man corroborated him in his assertion.
CHAPTER XX.
DAKOTA COUNTY INVENTIONS AND PATENTS.
WILD WEST WIRE STRETCHER.
HIS wire stretcher was in- vented by Col. J. F. War- ner, and patented October 2. 1888. A large number of them have been finished up, at Dakota City under the management of Frank Ayres. In this tool there is a perfect stretcher, staple ex- tractor, and bar to run spools of wire off on; also, a good tamp- ing stick. There is no wear to
this tool.
It will out last a gen-
eration. It draws the wire around corner posts just where it is wanted. A man can stretch enough more wire in a day with this than any other stretcher in use to pay the cost of it. In fact the labor of stretching wire is nothing with this implement. This invention is the result of actual work in the field and the unsatisfactory use of various oth- er stretchers.
J. F. Warner also invented and received a patent for a port- able fence, but on account of high winds in this section it was not a success here.
ADAM WENZEL'S CORN PLANTER.
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INVENTIONS AND PATENTS.
Adam Wenzel invented a corn planter, the picture of which will be seen on another page. It is said to be a first-class invention and he has already been offered a large sum of money for it. Had Mr. Wenzel been a man of capital he could have handled his patent to better advantage. As he is comparatively a poor man it has been slow work for him to introduce it to the publ e sufficiently to create a demand for the planter.
Samuel Shull received a patent in 1887 for a "Self Car Coupler," which is said to be one of the best in
Luzerne King, son of Thomas J. King, of South Sioux City, on January 17. 1893 received a patent for a "Cutting Machine for Mowers and Reapers." This is a radically new and superior device. It is well known that sickle sections are usually riveted to the sickle bar permanently, and this fact makes the grinding a task of great labor and uncertainty, requiring considerable care and skill. Should a section be broken by accident. the rivets must be removed by a blacksmith. In the present case, no riveting whatever is required, and the entire series of sections can be removed by the simple removal of some nuts and a bar. The sickle bar is formed with a vertical front lip, ent ont at intervals corresponding to the sections. Each section is formed with side recesses at a point between the shank and the cutting edges, making somewhat a dart shape. In place- ing these sections, therefore, the recesses engage the vertical projections of the bar, and it only remains to lay on the top bar and bolt it down flat on the shanks to secure the sections. By this arrangement each sec- tion em be removed and separately ground, insuring a better edge at far less tronble and time. This is an eminently practical invention that presents decided ad- vantages.
George Maxwell invented a mowing machine, but he
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did not have the means to get it properly before the people and thus far he has not realized anything from it, although mechanics claim it is a first class machine.
There have been numerous other inventions by Da- kota county people, but we have been unable to learn enough facts in regard to them to give them further notice.
CHAPTER XXI
MISCELLANEOUS -- COUNTY SEAT FIGHT-ELECTION OF 1893, ETC.
COUNTY SEAT FIGHT.
During the summer of 1891 a petition was ciren- lated asking that an election be called to vote npon the question of the removal of the county seat from Dakota City. After receiving the required nminber of siguers the election was called and held on September 10.
1891. The vote on the question stood as
follows:
Total vote 1202. South Sioux City, 600; Dakota
City 250: Jackson, 327: Hubbard, 21; Homer 4. The vote exhibited in a most favorable manner, Sonth Sionx City's strength in the fight, but it was necessary for her to receive three-fifths of all the votes cast, and according to law another election was called. The second election was held on the 15th day of October of the same year, with the following result. Total vote
1220; South Sioux City, 822; Dakota City, 398. This vote was sufficient to declare South Sioux City the county seat, but previons to this the Dakota City people commenced a suit in the district court attacking the validity of the original petition on which the election was called. As soon as it was made known that South Sioux City had the requisite number of votes, an injunction was secured restraining the re- moval of the records during the pendency of the suit. On December 2, Judge Norris rendered his decision sustaining the validity of the petition Bet Dakota City was desperate in her efforts to retain
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the seat of government and as soon as Judge Norris decision was rendered they had seenred a restraining order from the supreme court and the records remained at Dakota City. On the 17th of March, 1893. the su- preme court delierved a decision, reversing the decision of the district court on the validity of the county seat petition. In the mean time South Sionx City had kept faith and delivered every promise in the fight. A handsome new court house had been constructed at a cost of $18.000, which, but for the ruling of a court of last resort, would now be the property of the county, free of any cost to the tax pavers outside of South Sioux City. This ended the fight. During the latter part of 1892 another petition was circulated, but for prudent reasons it was never presented for action.
GENERAL ELECTION OF 1893.
At the general election held in Dakota county. on Tuesday, November 7, 1893. the following county officers were elected: Frank Davey, treasurer; D. C. Ileffernan, Judge; T. V. Brannan, clerk; W. E. Kelley, sheriff; J. G. Haupt, Superintendent; B. I ..
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