USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. I > Part 44
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1,314
1,224
1,149
Leroy township
663
:19
690
Lockridge township
493
609
721
Mc Fadden township, including part of McCool Junction village .
6:3
848
869
Morton township, including Benedict village
857
889
New York township
Stewart township,
including
Gresham village
1,028
1,080
992
Thayer township, including Thayer village
220
746
Waco township. including Waco vil- lage
830
903
952
West Blue township
578
639
702
York city
5,388
6,235
5,132
Incorporated place
1920 1910 1900 1890 1880
Benedict village
522
336
292
Bradshaw village
391
359
365
Gresham village
492
344
297
Henderson village
485
391
208
.
Lushton village
186
206
. ..
.
McCool Junction village
338
369
216
204
.. .
...
. . .
.. .
Waco village
291
293
310
278
173
5,388 6,235 5,132 3,405 1,259
.
Thayer village
168
York city
621
601
672
Bradshaw village
350
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
York City by Wards 1920
York city
5,388
Ward 1
1,580
Ward ?
1,522
Ward 3
911
Ward 4
1,345
CHAPTER H
EARLY SETTLEMENTS THROUGH THE COUNTY
EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTHERN YORK COUNTY-ON THE WEST BLUE -- TIIE MYSTERIOUS GUEST ( BY ARMINDA GILMORE ) -EARLY SETTLERS-A PIONEER HOME -SOCIAL LIFE-ELIAS GILMORE-J. W. GILMORE-JERRY STANTON-ISAAC ONG -S. S. DEFFENBAUGHI-H. C. KLEINSCHMIDT-EZEKIEL EVANS-MARY AA. GH.MORE -J. W. RUSH-HIRAM SCHNEBLEY-W. H. TAYLOR-LEVI DEAN-W. D. PURCELL.
EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS
No settlements were made in York County until the location of the territorial road, in 1861, from Nebraska ('ity to a point on the line of the "Old Government" or "California Trail," forty miles due east of the present city of Kearney, familiarly called the "Old Freight Road," and more definitely known to early freighters and travelers as the Nebraska City Cut-Off.
It followed the natural "divides" of the county, running near enough to the ereeks and rivers to obtain water for the ox and mule teams of the freighters.
This historic "trail" entered York in the southeast corner, passing through West Blue, York and Baker precincts on one of the continuous "divides" that cross the county, running in a general course east and west and three miles south of the city of York. Along the line of this trail, at convenient points for obtain- ing water and fuel, numerons ranches were established. Five of these pioneer hotels were located in York County, the oldest being Porcupine Ranch, situated at Porcupine Bluffs, near the west line of the county. It was inaugurated in the year 1863, by Benjamin F. Lushbaugh, United States Indian agent of the Pawnees, and was conducted by Samuel Kearney. It was also a relay station of the overland stage coach, and twenty-seven miles west of Fouse's Ranch, located at Beaver Crossing in Seward County.
The following year, 1864, Mr. Lushbaugh also established the Jack Smith Ranch, and placed in charge a Mr. Chapin, who kept it for a period of six months, when it passed into the hands of Mr. Smith, who remained proprietor until the freight wagons disappeared, and its mission was ended.
The MeDonald Ranch was also established in 1864, and is named in honor of its original proprietor. This ranch was purchased by a Mr. Baker, in the fall of 1865, and operated by him until the close of the freighting business. It. was located just east of Porcupine Ranch.
Antelope Ranch was situated only a few miles cast of the MeDonald Ranch, and was established in the month of November, 1865, by James T. Mathewson.
Next to the Jack Smith Ranch west was the ranch known as Jack Stone's Ranch, established in August, 1865, by George Chapman, but operated by him
351
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
for only six months, at which time he transferred it to John McClellan, alias Jack Stone, and maintained by him until the business of freighting was abandoned.
Near the site of Mr. Smith's old ranch, on the bluffs, a few rods south of Beaver Creek, may be seen the grave of the first white man interred in York County. His death was tragie and brought on by his own evil intentions.
The victim was a driver in charge of the overland stage coach, and in passing over the road stopped at Smith's Ranch. Hle was under the influence of "pioneer whisky," very abusive, and finally declared his intention to shoot Mr. Smith.
With this purpose in view, he went to the stage. secured his revolvers, returned to the ranch and drew a bead on Mr. Smith, just as he was abont to enter the ranch.
Mr. Smith shot first, the ball entering the forehead, and produeing instant death. This was the first death occurring in the county, and although assuming the form of a tragedy, Mr. Smith was justified in the course he pursued.
IN SOUTHIERN YORK COUNTY
The first settlements were made in the valley of the West Blue, in the territory now embraced by West BIne precinct. The early pioneers in this portion of the county are: Nerva Fouse, Elias Gilmore, George Stubblefield, Henry Chatterton, William J. Taylor and David Bussard. In the northwest part J. W. Kingston and Philander Church settled upon the Blue River in 1870, and in the north and northeast, upon Lincoln Creek, David Doan, James II. Stewart, Newton Hlyett, and John A. Mercer made settlement in 1868, and C. C. Smith and a Mr. Coon, in 1867.
In the more central part along the valley of Beaver Creek the pioneers are John Kora, Julius Frost, Henry Nichols, William Sweet and Christian Bristol, the date of their settlements being 1870.
A little farther west on the creek David Baker settled in 1869. and the follow- ing year Thomas Bassett and Marion Shackleford.
In the south and west parts, Fernando MeFadden made settlement in 1866 on the West Blue, and Levi Woodruff in 1868, and also the Hendersons at an early period.
In 1870, during the month of April, the organization of the county took place. The United States census, which was made during this year, disclosed a total population of 640, one half of whom had made settlement in the spring and summer.
There was but one frame house in the entire county, the residence of Unele Elias Gilmore, situated on the West Blue, and but one schoolhouse, a sod structure, also located upon this stream.
One post-office comprised the entire mail facilities, which was located upon the West Blue on the road between Fairmont and York. at the residence of Fer- nando McFadden, established in the month of July, 1867. Mr. McFadden -has the honor of being the first postmaster appointed in York County. and his euphonious name was also given to the postoffice. At this office they were supposed to have a weekly mail, but high water, a sick horse, or some other incident often delayed it, and not infrequently two weeks passed without any mail coming into York Connty.
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Large numbers of buffalo invaded the county in August, 1868, which was the last appearance of these animals in any considerable numbers. Their advent was a godsend to the almost destitute pioneers, who found themselves in a position to lay in a winter's supply of meat, and it is needless to add they were not baek- ward in taking advantage of their good fortune. During this year (1868) the Pawnees, Otoes, Omahas and Poncas were united in a war against their common enemy, the powerful Sioux, and invaded York County on the warpath. The line of battle was on the south side of the West Blue abont eight miles south of the city of York. No white settlers were molested. but the Indians skirmished here and there over the southern part of the county, according to their usual mode of warfare.
In the '70s and '80s there were but two or three houses between the residence of J. W. Kingston and the City of York, and settlements were scattered and many miles apart. Yet those were grand old days, and the first settlers are unanimous in pronouncing them as such. They were obliged to make long journeys for their social amusements, but always enjoyed them. A trip of twenty-five miles for the purpose of visiting a neighbor was no uncommon occurrence, and you may rest assured those visits were always pleasant and agreeable. All were united in one common bond of friendship and hearty good will toward each other. A new settler was hailed with delight, and the neighbors (all were neighbors) would go fifteen or twenty miles to assist him in erecting his sod house, and giving him an honest welcome. The stranger became one of them and without the least formality. Such hearty good will is contagious, and no sooner did the new settler see it mani- fested than he took the disease, and was as jolly free and friendly as the rest. Long trips across the country were not nnfrequent, and little dreaded.
The nearest mill was located at Milford, Seward County, a distance of thirty- five miles from York, and with their little grists they made the journey in three days and often in two. The bulk of the trading was done at Lincoln, except lumber, which was purchased at Plattsmouth or Nebraska City, on the Missouri River. The many trials and hardships of pioneer life, interspersed with the numerous pleasures incident to it, form a volume that can never be fully written.
ON THE WEST BLUE
The following rather personal reminiscences of the early settlers along the West Blue in the late '60s and early '70s, will afford the modern generation the most intimate glimpse into the life of the brave pioneers of York County that can be afforded. To Miss Arminda Gilmore is the present generation most deeply indebted for the preservation of these valuable word pictures of days gone by never to return.
"A Mysterious Guest"
Hospitality was everywhere in evidence in the days of which we write. Doors were never locked : white men and Indians could alike walk in unannounced, the latter oftening frightening women and children very much. In the carly '70s a man riding a beautiful thoroughbred horse stopped at Elias Gilmore's and asked for entertainment over night, which was of course granted. He was a well dressed inan, keen and alert, differing in many ways from the travelers of that time.
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
It was noticed that his right hand was usually held under the left side of his coat and though he was a good talker and well informed on current events he was reticent regarding himself.
The sleeping apartment in the house consisted of one large room for the men, containing several beds. The late S. N. Creech and other boarders occupied beds in this room and were startled when the stranger upon retiring unbuckled a belt containing several revolvers, one of which he calmly placed under his pillow and laid the belt on the table near his bed. The unarmed men in the room made no remarks, but passed a sleepless night. The stranger was up early and after pay- ing liberally for his entertainment, rode swiftly away. Mr. Gilmore remarked, "Boys. there's something wrong with that man," a fact which became evident when they learned later that they had entertained the noted Jesse James.
Fish and game were abundant in the early days, many deer being killed during the winter of '66-7 and also during that of '68. After that they became seareer and only a glimpse of antelope could be seen. Elias Gilmore brought to Nebraska what was perhaps one of the largest breaking plows in the state, being a twenty- six-inch lay. To this plow he drove from four to six yoke of oxen with one or more drivers. Mr. Gilmore broke prairie from near Camden, -Neb., west for many miles, for which he got from three to five dollars per aere. The first threshing outfit that came into York County was owned by M. Brown of Middle Creek, Neb. He bought the machine in Nebraska City and threshed along the westward road as far as Hamilton County.
ELIAS GILMORE
Interesting Reminiscences of Time When Redskins Were Many and White Men Few
EARLY SETTLERS
"David Bussard was one of the first county commissioners and A. J. Gil- more was for some years blacksmith for the entire county. November 3, 1866, Elias Gilmore with his family arrived, having brought fourteen head of cattle and six head of horses. Afterwards he bought two small hogs from a ranchman on Salt Creek southeast of the present city of Lineoln. This was the beginning of a stock industry that has yielded an abundant harvest. The winter of '66-7 was a very severe one with an immense fall of snow. Food had to be hauled from Nebraska City. Prairie fires had destroyed the already limited supply of hay. Those who remained on their farms during the winter had a hard time, but crops were exceedingly good the following year, thus giving encouragement to the somewhat discouraged ones."
PIONEER HOME
A description of the dugout in which the Gilmore family lived a few years will not be amiss, as it is only from the pages of history that this kind of a house will be known to this and coming generations. Dug into a sidehill near the river with a front built of logs, the bank growing deeper towards the back until it was about seven feet. Upon this a few more logs were placed.
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IHISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
The floor was made of hewn slabs somewhat smoothed, known as puncheons. The roof was covered with the same over which a few inches of dirt was thrown. A huge fireplace in the end had a chimney built of sod plastered with mud. Rough boards overhead made a low sleeping room for the men. This house was twenty- four by ten feet in size and was indeed a home for many land seekers at that time. The year '69 found many settling along the river and the prairie lands were also being taken. The timber was used for fuel and sometimes corn stalks were utilized for the same purpose. This was a very wet summer and as the dirt roof failed to keep out the rain, a new house became necessary. Mr. Gilmore had raised an abundant erop of both barley and buckwheat. The latter was first taken to the Camden mills, converted into tlour, then hauled to Nebraska City and sold for eleven dollars per hundred. The barley also taken to Nebraska ('ity brought one dollar and seventy-five eents per bushel. The wagons were then loaded with lumber for the new house, this being, we think, the first frame house in the county. Native trees taken to Milford and sawed into rough lumber were used for the framework. The price lumber brought in Nebraska City cost there $90 per thousand feet. The building consisting of an upright part 24 by 14 with a 16 foot ell is yet in fair condition on the farm now owned by Boss Gilmore.
Shingles for the school house in district No. 1, were brought from Nebraska City and the first sehool opened in April, 1870, with Lizzie Lowery as teacher. This distriet was in later years annexed to district No. 7 and thus lost its identity to some extent. During the summer of 1868 a post-office was located at McFadden and a year later the Old Blue Valley post-office opened with J. R. Gilmore as postmaster. Mr. Gilmore also ran a general store until 1873, when he sold out to the firm of Creech & Armstrong, who in 1874, built the old storehouse vet standing, having then to haul lumber from Lincoln only.
SOCIAL LIFE
"Social and religious life was not neglected in those days. The young people from the Fouse Ranch to Mr. Waddel's ranch in Hamilton County were well known to each other and frequently met to enjoy a country dance with a zeal unknown today. Perry Caldwell, a United Brethren preacher, living on a homestead in Saline County, rode horseback to his appointments and in 1868 organ- ized a class in the home of David Bussard. This class has had an nninterrupted history and yet meets in Bethel church, which was built in 1870. R. S. Manney, Ezekiel Evans and Elder Kilroe organized the Christian church in a school house until 1883, when the present church house was built."
J. W. Rush, who we think is now the oldest homesteader living in York County, drove through from Illinois in 1872, locating on section 12, range 1. Mr. Rush is a veteran of the Civil war and has lately celebrated his ninetieth birthday (1912).
THE SOD-HOUSE
There is one other thing that the early settler can never forget and that is the sod house. It was a strong factor in helping to settle this country and if it had not been for the sod honse it would have been almost impossible for some of the homesteaders to have lived on their land. The settlers along
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
the streams were anxious to see the prairie settled and when they saw a new black spot on the prairie, they knew there was another homesteader. Yes, the sod house was the dwelling, the barn, the church, the school house and dance hall. I have often thought Nebraska should build a monument in honor of the sod honse.
"In 1865 Elias Gilmore, in company with his eldest son, JJacob Rush Gilmore, and Wm. Taylor, left Livingston County, Ill., for Nebraska, traveling overland with team and wagon. They were delayed at Sidney, lowa, for some weeks while waiting for the ice on the Missouri River to become sulliciently strong to drive over, consequently did not arrive in York County until the latter part of December. Leaving the old freight road at the Fouse Ranch they followed a dim wagon track westward along the Blue, finding John Anderson with his family already located near the eastern line of the county. Coming west they ate Christmas dinner in camp on section 6, range 1, just north of the river from where the K. P. camp is now located. After locating their land they returned to Nebraska City, homestead- ing the same January 1, 1866, then once again driving across the country to the new homes, began the work of improving them. The nearest post-office was Camden, twenty-five miles away. They spent the winter in a small dugout near the river, surrounded by Indians: Mrs. Taylor remaining there alone at one time while J. R. Gilmore made the trip to Nebraska City from which place Elias Gil- more returned to Illinois. The winter proved to be very fine until about the fourteenth of February, when they were visited by a regular blizzard, the snow completely covering both house and barn. In April, J. R. Gilmore, wife and little daughter, Ella, now Mrs. S. J. Dutton, of Davis Creek California, arrived and to them was born June 3, 1866, their second eldest daughter, Lily M., now Mrs. J. E. llunt, of Bayard, Nebraska. Elias Gilmore had shipped to Nebraska City meat, flour and such farming implements as were needed in the new country, During the summer of 1866 David Bussard, A. J. Gilmore, Chris Holoch. A. Deens. Fer- nando McFadden and Jerry Stanton came from Illinois and located along the river, Jerry Stanton having homesteaded the land upon which McCool is now located.
"GLIMPSES OF OTHER DAYS"-By J. W. Gilmore
"The people who came to Nebraska in the years '65 and '66 and later can look back and see that since that time the hand of evolution has been busy changing the vast prairies that were at one time considered part of the Great American Desert to a fertile farming country and homes for thousands. The prairies in those days had a different appearance and one looking over them could see as far as the vision of the eye could reach. The monotony was only broken sometimes by a herd of deer or antelope or elk and sometimes buffalo. The grass on the prairie at that time was short and in bunches and where now plenty of hay can be made, then it took a hundred acres to make a ton. The streams were visited by friendly bands of Indians trapping the beaver and other game which was to be found in abundance. The first Indians the writer ever saw were camped in a grove where now the K. P. park is located and there were about one hundred in the band. An Indian squaw came to our home: she could talk English very plainly and told us where they camped farther up the river. The band had lost a child which was never found. They thought it had fallen in the river and gotten under the ice. "The Pawnees and Omaha Indians always had their annual buffalo hunt in the
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
latter part of the summer. They formed an alliance and hunted together so they would be strong enough to fix the Sioux. Their custom was to go west and get around the buffalo and draw them east from the Sioux. This would cause trouble and sometimes there would be fighting. Sometimes the buffalo would be driven as far east as York County and that is the reason some of the first settlers here saw the Indians hunting buffalo on these prairies.
"The first buffalo 1 ever saw was in 1868 when I was but a boy, I got on my pony to visit friends near where the Fillmore mill now stands; and when I had gone as far west as the present location of the town of MeCool, I saw on the opposite side of the river what I thought to be black cattle, but later learned were buffalo. There were thousands of them and as they ran the vibrations of their hoofs sounded like distant thunder."
"JERRY STANTON"-By Arminda Gilmore
The long cold winter of 1866-2 with the deep snow, leveling the entire country into a white unbroken plain, was a lonely one to the two homesteaders in what is now MeFadden Township. Jerry Stanton and his son-in-law, Fernando MeFadden, had located near the present location of MeCool during the preceding summer.
Mr. Stanton was so commonly called "Unele Jerry" that we can hardly recog- nize him by any other name. His dugont (house and stable) were dug into the bank just north of the road that now comes into MeCool from the east, probably near where Mr. Wright's poultry yards are located. Mr. W. H. Taylor was visiting Unele Jerry when the snow began to melt. One night they were awakened by the sound of rushing water, and soon discovered that the river had risen to such a height as to make it impossible to remain in the dugout. Uncle Jerry's furniture was not of the kind that would be greatly injured by the flood. His bedding and provisions could easily be carried on to a higher plain. but he had something more valuable than furniture stacked in the corner of his home, and that was several bushels of red wheat, which he had recently purchased at the Mills Ranch near the present town of Row, Neb., paying two dollars per bushel for it and hanling it about sixty miles. That wheat must be saved, it represented money and labor and spoke prophetically of coming wealth. The river ran rapidly but the men worked heroically. The wheat was loaded into the wagon, provisions and bedding were piled on top. Daylight did not reveal a promising landscape. Every creek and ravine had become a rushing torrent-to eross the river to McFadden's was impos- sible, and to go east to Gilmore's was dangerous, as the swollen creek could not be erossed with a wagon.
They started north after reaching the divide. Mr. Taylor went east, reaching Gilmore's in safety, while Unele Jerry with the precious burden landed at the old Millspaugh Ranch, near sundown, where Mr. John Harris was at that time living alone, selling a few supplies to the travelers along the old road.
A bountiful yield of wheat richly repaid Unele Jerry for his trouble, but the old dugout was so nearly destroyed that he soon built a nice little log house. Unele Jerry was a true nobleman ; he loved company, and his mind was a storehouse from which he could draw many an interesting tale of his trip across the plains to California in the '50s, and the days when he was a "wagoner on the Old Pike" in Pennsylvania. Truly a country should become great whose pioneer age
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
was developed by characters like this, and the best monument the present York County could erect in honor of the past deeds worthy of the memory of such men as Unele Jerry Stanton and his companions would only be a fitting tribute to them.
Death came even in the pioneer age and we think that perhaps the first white woman buried in York County was Mrs. Eliza McFadden, youngest daughter of Unele Jerry Stanton, and sister of Mrs. Kate Stark, who now resides in MeCool. ( 1912) a sweet, delieate young woman who was beloved by many. Her death occurred in November, 1868, having been sick many months with tuberculosis of the lings.
The kindly interest of the early settlers in each other was evident from the faet that often during her long illness many went from Beaver Crossing to Mrs. MeFadden's home to help care for her. Neighbors were few, doctors and nurses far away but those kind-hearted pioneers were so incessant in their care that the sjek one wanted for nothing. On a bright November afternoon the funeral services were held. The pine casket had been made lovely by sympathetic hands. and as the November sun was sinking in the west. friends carried her tenderly from the home she had helped to rear and laid her to rest. The old house has long since become a thing of the past, but the traveler who crosses the river on the old McFadden bridge can see a little grave on Mr. Kuntz's farm, just south of the river. This marks the resting place of Mrs. Eliza Stanton McFadden, the first among a great number to pass away-women, of whom we think with a becoming reverence, for their sacrifice and toil have given to us the beautiful country of which we are so proud.
Sometimes in thought we erect a granite monment on which in letters of gold we ean behold the names of the women of that age. The Mesdames Henderson, George. Dixon, McFadden, Bussard, Hollock, Deems, Gilmore and Anderson ; but the monument is not needed, their names cannot be forgotten. for they did their part so well that their lives are inseparably woven into the history and character of York County.
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