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HISTORY
OF
SEWARD COUNTY
NEBRASKA
AND
REMINISCENSES OF TERRITORIAL HISTORY
BY
w, w. cox
Author of " Northern Eyes in Dixie," " Pape>-s on Labor and Caphal," " History
and Resources of the United States of Venzuela," "Glimpses of
the Rockies and California as seen in 1902."
SECOND EDITION
Jason L. Claflin
University Place, Nebraska
1905
DEDICATION
To the ever kind and loving companion that walked
hand in hand with me nearly forty -four years of life's
journey, sharing all the privations of frontier life, and lend-
ing cheer in all the dark hours and performing so nobly all
the duties incumbent on her as w^ife and mother, as neigh-
bor and friend, ever ready to lend a helping hand in matters
of charity or public enterprise — she that walked so faith-
fully in the service of her Divine Master over half a century
and when her work was all well done passed over the dark
river to dwell in the heavenly home — is this book lovingly
dedicated as a memorial, to Rebecca Sampson Cox.
; The Author.
12GG0G3
PREFACE
The author kindly asks the reader of this volume to be
considerate in measuring the value of the work.
All historical works are subject to criticism, and we are
sure this can not hope to be an exception. Many incidents
herein related were obtained from people now living and
memory at best is defective.
In many instances authorities conflict and the worst
thing the author has had to contend with was, so many of
the early records are lost or destroyed. We have searched
diligently through the vaults of the county clerk's office for
old records that should be there but seem to be lost in the
shuffle, also in the county judge's office, where valuable rec-
ords of the early days should be found, but they are
wanting.
But with material at command, with the help of many
old time citizens and a personal knowledge, coming of forty
years residence, we have measureably succeeded in giving
the reader the essential facts of county history and trust we
have been able to give a true pen picture of frontier life and
also of our achievements through the passing years.
We cannot say that we are entirely satisfied and yet we
feel a degree of pride in having established many landmarks
of history for the future historian, and being able to give
the reader an intelligent idea of the country as it existed in
its primeval state and the growth and progress to the pres-
ent time.
We cheerfully acknowledge our obligations to the good
people who have assisted by valuable historic letters, and to
8 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
editors for the use of their files, etc., and last but not least
to the host of patrons who have met us so cheerfully and
been so very liberal with us.
We must say in all parts of the county we have met
the most cordial welcome, and our labor among the people
has been like a friendly visit.
PART ONE
TERRITORIAL HISTORY
CHAPTER I.
Nebraska Territory — Date Organio Act— Boundaries— Area— Possibilities
-A Great Epoch in History— Slave Clause— Political Storm— Strife
in Kansas— Nebraska Dominated by Southern Office Holders— First
Newspapers — Squatter Claims— Mormon Exodus — California Trail
— Mormon War^Freighting— First Settlement — Old Block-House
and Ferry — Elections and Candidates — No Money to Get Back —
Wouldn't Raise White Beans— Villages— Legislature of 1854-1855 —
Panic — Gold Discovered at Cherry Creek — A Little Story.
May 30th, 1854, the organic act creating the Territory
of Nebraska was approved by President Frankhn Pierce.
It comprised the land within the following limits: com-
mencing at the center of the channel of the Missouri river
on the fortieth parallel of North Latitude and thence run-
ning west along said parallel to the summit of the Rocky
mountains to the eastern border of Utah Territory, thence
north to the forty-ninth parallel of North Latitude to the
British possession, thence east to the west line of the terri-
tory of Minnesota, thence southward on said boundry to the
channel of the Missouri river, thence down the said main
channel to the place of beginning.
If the reader will turn to a map of the United States and
trace these lines and note that this vast domain includes the
present state of Nebraska, North and South Dakotas, one-
fourth of Colorado, nearly all of both Wyoming and Mon-
tana, making in the aggregate nearly one-half million square
miles of territory or about the same area as England, Scot-
land, France and all Germany combined. In regard to the
vast possibilities of this empire, we note that the present
10 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
population of these countries at this time reaches one hun
dred and twenty miUions. According to that reckoning,
when Nebraska, with the present area, becomes as well set-
tled as these countries in Europe, it will contain eighteen
and one-half millions and should it bear the same population
that England now contains per square mile; it will reach the
stupenduous number of thirty-eight and one-half millions of
people. Should it ever bear as dense a population as Rhode
Island with all her rocky hills, it will have over twenty-six
millions and Rhode Island is yet increasing rapidly.
The younger readers may not have noticed that this or-
ganic act was a most peculiar and we might say the most,
important epoch since the revolutionary war up to the war
of the rebellion. The magnitude of the territories of Ne-
braska and Kansas was lost sight of, but all interest cen-
tered in one part of a sentence in the organic act, which we
quote as follows: "And when admitted as a state, or states,
the said territory, or any portion of the same, shall be re-
ceived into the Union with or without slavery." Senator
Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois championed the measure in
the Congress. It raised a storm in political circles such as
had never been seen before. The whole country was agi-
tated from center to circumference. It caused the total dis-
ruption of the great Whig party and it rent the great Dem-
ocratic party in twain.. The people south of what is known
as Mason and Dixon's line were favorably to the act, while
the people of the North were appalled at the attempt to
fasten slavery upon the virgin soil that had been by solemn
compact dedicated to freedom. The people became aroused
as never before on the slavery question. Under the admin-
istration of Pierce the territories were furnished with a full
complement of officers in close sympathy with Southern sen-
timent.
The Southern people w^ere determined to grasp the prize
in sight and urged the occupation at once and many took
their human chattels to Kansas and a few of them had the
hardihood to invade Nebraska. The northern people or-
ganized for resistance and urged emigrants to the territories
and were equally determined to save this new land to free-
dom. On the great plains of Kansas there was bloody war
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 11
to the knife and knife to the hilt. There were many scenes
of ravage and plunder that were sickening. The struggle
was desperate and bloody. Kansas was so situated beside
slave territory of Missouri and Arkansas that the friends of
slavery had great advantage but the free state men swarmed
to the territories in great numbers and were led by men of
tact and courage that they were enabled to defy all attempts
to fasten slavery there. Nebraska, just beside loyal Iowa,
gave the free state men a greater advantage, and the south-
ern men soon gave up the idea of ever making it a slave
state, and our people were comparatively free from the
bloody struggles of that eventful period prior to the Rebell-
ion. Our emigrants were mostly from the northern states
and although dominated for seven years by pro-slavery dem-
ocratic territorial officers it was seen from the first that Ne-
braska could never be made a slave state. There was not
the rush to Nebraska from either south or north for th^e
simple reason that the South could entertain no hope here,
and that Kansas must be the battle grounds and where the
bone of contention was, there the mass of emigrants came to
take a hand in the settlement of the matter. The simple
fact that Kansas was the scene of the principal strife, we
attribute the fact that she secured the larger share of emi-
grants that were seeking homes in the new land.
Nebraska had been traversed by tens of thousands of
people long before the organic act. The Morman exodus
had been across this land and many of the Pilgrims seeking
a home in the desert wilds of Utah had crossed these fertile
fields, but their eyes were fixed upon that far off desert
home by the dead sea. They could not see the beauties
of this land of transcendent natural wealth. Then great
swarms of men and women of good sense, too passed up
the Platte valley on their way to far off Oregon and could
not see ought but miriage and desert wastes in this land of
corn and wine. And again thousands more crossed this
wilderness on their way to the gold fields of California. It
is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of white people
traversed this goodly land from the river to our western
boundary without any of them making the discovery that
this was naturally one of the richest and grandest por-
12 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
tions of God's green earth. It was a true demonstration of
the ringing words of the Master when He said, "Having eyes
they see not." Of course there was no opportunity to make
permanent settlement here until the organic act had become
a law, and until the Indian titles had been secured by the
Government for some of the lands.
A few Indian traders and a few ferrymen were about all
the white settlers of the Territory at the beginning of 1854.
There had been a government fort at Calhoun as early as 1819
under the name of Port Atkinson. This old fort, now long
since in ruins, was sixteen miles north of Omaha. A man
named Cabanne had a trading post ten miles north of Omaha
and Manual Kisa also had a trading post one mile north of
Cabanne's. The fort was built on the spot where Lewis
and Clark held the council at the time of their visit to the
northwest in 1804.
In about 1827 this fort was abandoned and the garrison
moved down the river and took up quarters on Caro Island
which later received the name of Port Cragan. About the
spring of 1828, after being flooded out, the garrison moved
down the river and established Port Leavenworth.
There was an Indian trader by name of T. B. Range on
the site of Omaha as early as 1825. Peter A. Sarpie located
a trading post at Belevue in 1822 and was a familiar figure at
the time settlement began in 1854.
Old Port Kearney at Nebraska City was established
about 1847 and about the same time Port Laramie was es-
tablished on the North Platte river just near the eastern
boundary of Wyoming. About the same time John Bolware
established a ferry at Nebraska City. The exact dates of
the fort and ferry yre unattainable. We are indebted for
what we learn of the dates of old Port Kearney and the ferry
to the diligent researches of Prof. Geo. E. Howard of our
State University.
In the conversation with Col. Bolware in the winter of
1859 and 1860, at Nebraska City, he told the writer that he
established the ferry twelve years previous and that corres-
ponds well with Prof. Howard's researches. We have many
times had the pleasure of seeing the old block house of old
Fort Kearney. Col. Bolware claims that he first settled at
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 13
Fort Atkinson and that next to Sarpie he was the first man to
make permanent settlement in Nebraska. When we saw the
okl man last in 1865 he looked as if he had been here a long
time. In the early summer of 1854 settlements began in
earnest at Omaha, Plattsmouth, Nebraska City, Brownville,
Rulo and Belevue, and some other points.
It is a mere matter of conjecture or guess work as to liow
many people made settlements in 1H54. There were quite a
number that came as adventurers, without any intention of
making it their permament home. The towns were purely
speculative. Scores of paper towns were boomed for "all
there was in it. " The agricultural possibilities of the country
were scarcely thought of. Of course claims were located
near the towns by what was known as squatters right, wliich
by a "law all their own" were permitted to consist of a half
section of land. Very few, indeed, thought of cultivating
the soil, or trying to make permament homes.
Every fellow was on the speculate, designing to make
their pile, then go home to '"America," as they used to say.
Many of such went home to "America" but they went dead
broke. Some got so desperately hard up that they were
forced to stay, as their "wife's relation" could not or would
not send them money to pay their way back. To some this
was a "God-send." They just had to stay and they began to
stir themselves and accomplish something, and such can
usually get a foothold. A few came for business from the
start. They got a claim and went to work in dead earnest
and although these had much to contend with and oftimes
had a desperate struggle to "keep the wolf from the door,"
they finally made it win and in time secured a competency.
In this eventful year, 1S54, Wednesday, November loth,
the newspaper had invaded the wilderness and at Belevue the
Palladium was issued. That day the first stick of type was
set, at the McKinney house (a log cabin). Three printers
from three states, Thos. Morton from Columbus, Ohio, fore-
man; A. D. Long, compositor, from Virginia, and Henry M.
Reed, from Massachusetts, an apprentice. The paper had
been born at St. Mary, in Mills County, Iowa.
The first words of this issue reads as follows: "Owing
14 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to our removal of the office we hope our readers will excuse
the late appearance of this number. " This number notes the
arrival to the Territory of J. Sterling Morton on the 13th
inst. , from Michigan.
One prominent paragraph of this issue is under the head-
ing "Agriculture," as follows:
"He that by the plow would thrive
Himself must either hold or drive. "
On the 6th of December the Palladium contains a list of
the voting precincts of the Territory, viz : Richardson county,
two; Nemaha county, one. This was then known as Forney
county. Pierce (now Otoe), one; Cass, two; Washington,
one; Burt, two; Dodge, one. Douglas is omitted. One
voting place, Nebraska City, was at the house of Major H.
p. Downs. He, who being asked by a stranger of Nebraska's
possibilities as an agricultural country tersely remarked with
his stentorian voice: "Ten miles west of the valley they
can't raise white beans," yet that old soldier had resided here
since 1847, as commander of the post.
The Palladium did not winter kill because it lived till
April 11, 1855, when it passed into history and gave up the
ghost. The paper that came to stay was the Nebraska City
News. It also had its birth place on Iowa soil, at Sydney,
and was issued there first November 14th, 1854, with Henry
Bradford as editor, but in the spring of 1855 the Nebraska City
Town Site Co. employed J. Sterling Morton to take the sole
management of the office and it was moved over home and
was printed in the old block house April 12th, 1855. So on
the twelfth of April, 1905, it will have rounded out a full
half century, being, we believe, the oldest newspaper between
the Missouri river and California.
In 1856 the Brownville Advertiser was started at Brown-
ville. It was founded by Dr. John McPherson, but soon fell
into the hands of R. W. Furnas and Lyanna. This paper
was quite prominent for a number of years as a republican
advocate and was wide awake in arousing Nebraska people
to push forward development.
The Nebraska City Press under the name of "People's
Press" was established by Hon. O. H. Irish and Matthias in
the spring of 1859, and it came to stay, and next to its con-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 15
temporary the oldest living paper of the Trans- Missouri
country. It has always been strongly republican, while the
News has always held aloft the democratic standard.
The Nebraska Republican was first issued in 1858 and
lived up to 1889.
The Omaha Times came to light under the management
of Geo. W. Hepburn in 1857 and expired about 1870.
The Wyoming Telescope was started by Jacob Dawson
at Wyoming, Nebraska, in 1857, but only survived two vears,
The Omaha Nebraskan, edited byT. H. Robertson, the
rankest copperhead of his days, in 1854, and expired in the
sixties, just in time for Dr. Geo. L. Miller to start the ablest
democratic paper that Nebraska ever contained, in 1865,
which continued to do battle for Nebraska and the democra-
tic party for twenty three years, when it was consolidated
with the World, and is now known as the World -Herald.
There were many other papers started in various localit-
ies, generally for the purpose of booming paper towns.
Many of them were like the "rose of the wilderness, born
to blush unseen." The number of the inhabitants that win-
tered in Nebraska in the winter of 1854 and 1855 can never
be known. It is safe to say they were few. There being
but ten voting precincts as the story goes, people had to be
imported from Iowa to hold elections in several instances.
The settlements were confined to a narrow strip along the
river, mostly. Should we attempt to estimate the population
it would be guess work. As yet we are not aware that there
was any incorporated village although there were many
names of cities of great promise. The only means of com-
munication was a stageline to Council Bluffs, known as Kan-
esville, an old Mormon settlement, and an ocasional river
steamer.
The first session of the Territorial Assembly met in the
winter of 1854, which had largely been elected by Iowa citi-
zens, who in some instances brought along their candidates.
(See Dr. Geo. L. Miller's paper.) It is needless to tell the
readers that acting Governor Cummins winked at these slight
irregularities. By his proclamation forming election districts
there were whole counties where there was not a white set-
tler and assembly men were accredited them and they must
16 HISTORY OF SEyV^ARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
be represented "you know." One of the principal labors of
that legislature was to bring forth a whole litter of wild cat
banks, the story of which is told in another chapter of this
book. In March, 1855, this farce of a legislature granted a
charter to the first insurance company, known as the "West-
ern Fire and Marine Insurance Campany," with full powers
to do a general banking and exchange business, and thus
was born the Farmers Western Exchange Bank of Omaha.
During the first four years of occupation, settlements
made but little progress. New immigrants were constantly
arriving at the different points and others tired and were
leaving. No lands were yet in market and the only title
obtainable was by the squatter's right and this was not very
satisfactory. Of course a pre-empt or's title was all right
until the lands were thrown into market, but it happened as
noted in another chapter that the lands were thrown into
market just exactly in the wrong time and it played havoc
with the pre- emptors.
Population increased slowly, but in 1858 there was a new-
development, or rather two new developments. The Mor-
mons of Utah were in rebellion against the government and
an army was sent there and had to be supplied from Missouri
river points, and the great firm of Majors, Russel & Wadell
got a contract to haul army supplies to Utah and other west-
ern forts. That year four thousand men with thirty thous-
and oxen with great wagons, were sent across the plains.
The outfitting point for the Utah traffic was Nebraska City.
This gave a new impetus to business and the growth of the
village for a time was phenomenal. Large brick business
houses were erected and people flocked in by the hundreds.
Speculation ran high, and just about this time gold was dis-
covered at Cherry Creek, at the site of the coming Denver.
The wildest stories of the fabulous wealth of the mines were
circulated all over the states and great droves of people
gathered at all the Missouri river towns and made prepara-
tions to cross the plains to the gold fields. This gave life
and push to every hamlet on the river. Tens of thousands
of infatuated people swarmed through Nebraska headed for
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 17
the mountains, knowing nothing of the suffering and disap-
pointment that was in store for them. Trade in all the towns
was simply enormous. Everything was on a wild boom.
Values of. property increased fabulously. The wildcat banks
issued money by the cart load and it was no uncommon sight
to see boys with their pockets full of money, but soon this
bubble burst. Thousands of disgusted Pikes peakers began
their homeward journey, careworn and weary, and were
ready to wreak vengeance on the towns of Nebraska that had
started the wild stories that induced them to embark on the
foolhardy venture. In the mad rush to get back to the states
it is safe to say that along the great trials between the river
and the mountains there was a million dollars worth of prop-
erty thrown away and abandoned. Tired out animals,
wagons, machinery, tools, groceries and provisions. Then
who can tell of the numbers that perished and that sleep in
unknown graves, or left to be eaten by the wolves on the
plains?
Just about this time the tidal wave of destruction, caused
by the panic of 1857, had reached the western borders and
there was a general collapse. The story of the situation in
1K59 and 1860 is dealt with more fully in another chapter in
which is related the money condition, the land sales and con-
ditions of the people; how they had to "snuff ashes and drink
pond water" for a living. Perhaps we may be excused for
relating a story of our personal experience in the summer of
1860, just after the great tire at Nebraska City. We desired
to work at carpenter work and we were anxiously looking for
a job and it came to the point where we were very willing to
saw wood, or dig, just any old thing for bread and butter.
We called at a place where we understood there was help
wanted. Yes, they wanted a man. What do you want per
day, was the first question. Seventy-five cents and board
myself, The terse reply was: "Pshaw! Can hire plenty of
good men at twenty-five cents per day." My first job of
work was sawing up a big rick of cord wood for a dollar and
fifty cents, store pay. Store pay was good "you know,"
but the work was faithfully done and we went to hunt up the
18 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
store. How our heart leaped for joy as we looked upon the
stock of merchandise. It consisted of a few remnants of an
old busted up hardware stock. There were a few old log
chains and two or three ox yokes, a few horse shoes and a
little brown stoneware. Splendid stuff to feed a hungry
family!
CHAPTER II.
Visit to Nebraska— Scenes and Incidents— First bight of the Promised
Land— First Dinner— Nebraska City— Looking up Land— Land Sale
—First Entry— Floating Ice— General Appearance of the Territory-
Wild Cat Banks— Paper Cities— Wild Speculation— Panic of 1857—
All Good Money Gone— Morman Trade— Pike's Peak— Great Throngs
of Emigrants— Majors. Russell and Waddell— (^reat Freight Trains
— Galusha A. Grow — Homestead Law Vetoed— ''Gave them a Stone"
—Land Sharks— Great Fire— Mob— Disastrous Results— Great Drouth
of 1860 — Hard Characters — Whipping Post— Governor Black — Indian
Trouble and Default of Major Denisten— A Land of Slavery— John
Brown — Underground Rail Road Depot — Rebel Flag — War Meeting
in 1861 — Alex Majors— River Steamers— First Apple Tree— Profes-
sional ^len — Noble Women — Letter from Morton.
In the early autumn of 1859 we had the first opportunity
to gratify our curiosity to visit Nebraska.
At this time we resided in Page county, Iowa, at the
little town of College Springs. A little company of us, in-
cluding Abner Munger, David Haskins and Robert Hopps,
who resided in Nebraska City over forty years, but now de-
ceased, started with the determination of seeing the new
promised land of Nebraska.
Passing over vast stretches of undulating prairie, wil-
derness, watered by the east and west Tarkio's and the two
Nishanahotina, we reached the village of Sydney (a city
set upon a hill), the county seat of Fremont county, the
second day about noon. We were taking matters leisurely,
as we wished to see as much as possible of the country. At
Sydney we were permitted to hear an animated political
debate between the opposing candidates for governor of Iowa,
on the important and exciting issues of that interesting
period of our history. Gov. Kirkwood, known as the war
governor of Iowa, and General Dodge, were the contestants
for the people's votes. Just after leaving the little town
our eyes rested upon a grander sight than Moses saw from
20 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the top of Nebo's mountain. The valley of the Missouri
with the great river sweeping by the long hne of bluffs, of
beautiful Nebraska, presented to us a panorama at once im-
pressive and inspiring. About the dinner hour of the next
day we crossed the great river and first set foot on Nebraska
soil. Passing through the bright little city we camped for
dinner at a great spring just west of Arbor Lodge and had a
bounteous repast from Nebraska grown potatoes and a young
prairie chicken, captured for the occasion. This was our
first meal on this new soil and it was a good one as we cook-
ed it ourselves over a camp fire. Like everybody, we were
crazy to get land. By virtue of the president's proclama-
tion the lands of Nebraska were to be opened to the markets
of the world within a few days. The weather was delightful.
The little city looked bright and cheerful, most inviting,
indeed. The lands were smiling with the tall prairie grass
waving and flickering with changing shades presented a sight
at once bewitching, and to cut this matter short, we were
captured body and soul. We were excited. We all wanted
some of that rich and beautiful land. We spent a day or two
looking over the country as far west as Wilson's Creek, and
made choice of quarters about eight miles west of the ferry.
The Major's farm four miles west of the city was the last
sign of civilization w^hich met our eyes. All to the westward
seemed an unbroken wilderness.
We returned to the city to be in readiness for the open-
ing of hhe land office. A great crowd of people from every-
where were awaiting to get a first chance. The office had
been open for some days to accommodate pre-emptors, but
this was the first public sale day. E. A. Desland was the
receiver and Andy Hopkins was registrar.
That all might have a fair show, tickets were numbered
and placed in a hat and shook up, when one of the agents
held the hat up about as high as his head, and the people
reached up over and picked a ticket from the hat, and just
then it came our turn to get from that hat ticket No. 1, which
gave us the privilege of entering the first section of land at
a public land sale ever entered in South Nebraska.
We were freely offered a larg*e sum of money for our chance
but we had made arrangments with our company that the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 21
one receiving the best number should use their number for
all our party, so we had to turn down all offers.
In this glad hour we had determined to make Nebraska
our home. In the last days of February, 1860, we gathered
up what little of the world's goods we had, and with the good
wife and one nine months old babe (now Mrs. J. A. Ruby of
Seward), we bade adieu to the old home and turned our
faces toward Nebraska and on the last day of February, 1860,
just as the sun was sinking behind the western hills. Captain
Beabout shoved his little steam ferry boat from the Iowa
shore amidst the fields of floating ice.
Oh I how we watched with bated breath those ugly cakes
of ice crash against our frail craft where all our earthly trea-
sures were, and then how lightly and how joyfully we first
trod the firm soil of Nebraska. Nebraska then, as now, was
"fair to look upon." But how little did we realize what was
in store for us, else the heart had fainted!
Two brave young hearts, with two pair of willing hands
was our capital. We will now tell you of Nebraska as it
proved to be when we became somewhat acquainted with it in
1H60. The first legislature of the territory chartered a lot of
what is now known as wild cat banks. There were the Platte
Valley bank. Western Exchange, Nemaha Valley bank,
Florence bank, the DeSoto bank and we don't know how
many more. They all issued money and plenty of it. The
bills were handsome then. They all bore upon the face these
precious promises: First, That they were redeemable in
currency and again that the stockholders were personally
liable. Now let us illustrate. You hold a hundred dollars
of Platte Valley bills, and as you desire to send some money
east, -you step into the Platte Valley bank and say, "Mr.
Nuckols, please, sir, would like to get some money" current
with the merchant, "to send east." "Certainly sir," says the
bland cashier, and throws out a hundred dollars in new, crisp
Nemaha Valley bills. "Yes, yes, that is currency. " You
take it, look at it. It looks all right; it is handsome as any
picture, but somehow you are hardly satisfied. So you go
twenty miles down to Brownville and ask the bank there to
help you out of the trouble. "Oh, yes, we can fix you ou*,''
says the smooth fellow. "We can give you in exchange the
22 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
best money in the world," and throws down one hundred
dollars of Platte Valley money. "But hold," you exclaim,
"I had that same kind of money and I exchanged it for
yours at Nebraska City and now I have walked down here
twenty miles to get something I can use."
"Oh, well, then I can accommodate you," and throws
down one hundred dollars of Florence money. "That's all
right, sir, they have a gold sign." You are at the end of
the rope. There is no other kind of money. All good money,
gold, silver or good paper, had taken wings. Still money
was plenty, such as it was, and speculation ran rampant.
Paper cities sprang up here, there, everywhere. Thousands
of claims were held by what was known as squatters' rights —
by a right known only to themselves. Everybody was work-
ing the "get rich quick" game.
Nebraska City contained at the time eight or nine hun-
dred people and was a supply depot for incoming immigrants
and it had other and greater advantages. It was a trading
point for the Mormons as they were journeying to Salt Lake.
It was a great outfitting place for the gold seekers going to
Colorado, but greater than either or both these, it was the
great starting point for the overland freight that was to sup-
ply the government forts and to supply the army in Utah
during the Mormon war. Majors, Russell and Wadell had a
contract with the government to haul thousands of tons of
army supplies. Everything about the city was on the boom.
It was a time of wild speculation and excitement. Now begins
the trouble. In 1857 the great panic started on the eastern
seaboard and gradually started westward like a great tidal
wave, crushing and carrying everything before it.
It came westward slowly but surely, leaving devastation
and ruin in its onward march.
Now appears one of the great men of history, Galusha
A. Grow of Pennsylvania, who has been honored by his
people with a seat in congress so long that the mind runneth
not back to the beginning of his great career.
This great soul as if by inspiration saw the impending
storm that was to overtake and overwhelm the western
pioneers and with an energy born of desperation he urged,
and successfully, the passage of a homestead law. All the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 23
people of the great west said amen ! and amen ! for it meant a
free liome to the advance guard of civilization on these
prairies secure beyond a peradventure.
But alas! it must be recorded to the everlasting shame of
President James Buchannan that he vetoed the bill which
had become the hope of our brave pioneers.
These people that had the courage to brave all the hard-
ships and danger of the wilderness, to plant foundations of
a great commonwealth, asked of the president a fish and he
gave them a "stone."
Just as the surging waves of that terrible flood of woes
had reached this fair land, all interests were paralyzed
and destroyed by the panic without previous warning just
like a sharp thunder clap from a clear sky. The same heart-
less i^resident issued a proclamation putting the lands of
Nebraska on the market.
Great God! what a staggering blow to the helpless settlers.
The wild cat banks had gone to their holes and had pulled
the holes in after them. The people were absolutely without
a currency of any kind. The settlers on the lands were
helpless and at the mercy of the sharks that came from the
east in great numbers as soon as the news of the proclamation
was sounded through the land. For a settler to get, by any
legitimate means, money, to pay for a quarter of land was
impossible. The shark would come to his rescue however,
in manner following: Land warrants were worth one dollar
per acre or $160 for a quarter of land. The shark would
charge two hundred dollars and would also charge forty per
cent for the use of it oije year.
He would enter the land in his own name and give the
settler a bond for a deed u]ion payment of two hundred and
eighty dollars at the end of the year. There was inserted
this innocent little phrase "Time is the essence of this con-
tract. " Many did not understand what it meant but they
found out its full meaning one year later.
In 1860 when these contracts became due the people
were worse off than ever and thousands gave up in despair.
Had it not been for the dawning of a better day in 1863,
when a nobler man occupied the presidential chair, and a
blessed homestead law had been given them so that they
24 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
could settle upon other lands, their lives would have become
miserable indeed.
In the spring of 1860, Nebraska City was a bright, promis-
ing little city, although business was dull in the extreme and
many were leaving, yet it had promise of a bright future,
when these dark clouds should roll by, but the "hour when
we thought not" came upon us on the memorable 12th of
May, I860, a dreadful day in a dreadful year!
With a heavy gale from the south and everything as
dry as tinder, the devouring tlames came upon us and it
seemed as if in less minutes than it takes to pen this para-
graph, the whole business part of the city was enveloped
in flames. There was no possible means of combatting the
lire monster.
Forty-six of the best business houses were consumed with
almost an incalculable amount of merchandise as well as a vast
amount of household goods and other property. The post-
ofHce,the best hotel, "The Nuckols House," stores, shops and
other buildings went up in smoke. The loss was immense, as
most of the buildings were costly brick structures and there
was but slight insurance. On that frightful day with that
hot flame and smoke ascended such a wail of horror as we
pray God we may never hear again.
When the fire fiend had spent its force, another flame
arouse. This time it was a flame of passion from maddened
men. Some slight suspicion had been attached to a poor
wretch for having set the fire.
An old lady had seen a fellow leaning up against the
building where the fire started, lighting a pipe and some one
thought it might have been this man who started the fire.
Crazy men rushed upon him with the fury of a cyclone
while he was in the hands of the ofiicers. The mob was
led by S. F. Nuckols who had lost heavily by the fire. The
officers by dint of perseverence got the fellow away from the
mob and into the jail (the old block house). For a time it
seemed as if the officers would be overpowered, the man
torn to pieces and sent up in a chariot of fire. On trial
there was not a vestige of evidence against the fellow, only
general bad character.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 25
The city was virtually destroyed even worse than Chic-
ago eleven years later. All interests were paralyzed.
Property depreciated until it had no selling value. It
seemed for a time that hope and "energy had gone up in
smoke with the property. Scores of men and women fled
from the city as if it was a plague spot. Only three months
had elapsed when we learned that our cup of bitterness was
not yet full.
Hot mon.soons from southern shores swept this fair land
as if breath from out the mouth of hell had been turned loose
upon the world. Sixteen days and nights without a lull
these scorching, blighting winds prevailed. Our Kansas
neighbors were just a little nearer the gates of hell than we
were and got the worst of it, but we were too near for com-
fort, or profit.
Our people secured a very little small grain. Wheat
straw was not much longer than a pen stock, but the few
grains in the little short heads were plump. So far as we
heard there were no cases of starvation in Nebraska, but God
only know how some of the people managed to live through
the terrible ordeal. Those who pine and cry over hard times
in these blessed days of plenty know little of what they are
talking about, and if they could really know what the people
went through in those dark days, just as the war clouds
were gathering, they would hide their faces for very shame.
Nebraska City, like all frontier towns, had some hard
characters to deal with, and when the courts seemed lax and
slow in executing the laws the people were ready and will-
ing to lend a helping hand.
In the winter of 1860 and 1861, a couple of worthless
fellows were strongly suspected of being horse thieves and
with "I guess so" evidence, an angry mob gathered and de-
termined to tie the fellows to a post and give each of them
forty lashes on the bare back.
The mob was led by one Nick Labou, (a rather tough
character himself.) The inferior one of the two was led out
first, stripped and tied and received his forty stripes and meek-
ly received the warning to take his departure immediately.
The second fellow, much the greater rascal without doubt,
but was smarter and was plucky to the last, proposed
26 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to argue the case. He defied the mob and hurled anathemas
and maramathas at them without stint, and he finally awak-
ened the sympathy of a man of wealth and standing by the
name of Isaac Coe. He undertook to talk to the mob, and at
first they hooted him, but Coe was made of stern stuff and he
fairly brow beat that angry mob out of countenance. They
finally untied the man and sneaked off like whipped curs. In
these early years Nebraska City was largely dominated by
southern influence. Some of the government appointees were
Southern gentlemen, or at least in sympathy with Southern
sentiment. This was also the home of several Territorial
officers. Among the resident officers was Gov. Samuel Black,
a Pennsylvanian. but a pro-slavery democrat, and a most
bitter partisan. However, when the supreme hour of trial
came, he proved loyal to the old flag and gave his young
life in defense of its honor. The governor was a bright ap-
pearing young man, with jet black hair and black eyes, nice-
ly trimmed beard, tall, slender and stiaight as an arrow.
It was generally understood that he was rather lax in
his morals, but so far as we were able to judge with only
partial acquaintance, he was a good officer. Hon. J. Ster-
ling Morton was Secretary of the Territory. Mr. Morton
was twice called upon during his encumbency to perform
the duties of Governor.
Major Denisten, Indian agent of the Otoe tribe, was the
only one in government employ of whom we remember that
proved a traitor. He was a traitor and a thief as well.
The government had sent money (about fourteen thousand
dollars) to pay the Indian annuities, and under some pretense
he withheld the money until the Indians became impatient
then exasperated. Finally the whole tribe headed by Chief
Artaketa came from their reservation in Gage County to the
city and demanded of the major their money. The business
men of the city were in full sympathy with the Indians, not
for their love for the red men, but they were anxious for
their trade. Many of the people were anxious that the
money should be paid because they feared an Indian outbreak
if the Indians should not receive their dues.
The major was obstinate and while he admitted having
the money he did not propose to be dictated to by a lot of
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 27
red skins. He would not pay out the money till he got a
good ready.
The Indians were in no mood to be trifled with. At a
critical moment the Indians made a rush for him and bound
him with ropes and dragged him through the streets from
the east end of the city to his residence in the west end.
Wild excitement ruled the hour and the people rushed to the
scene of trouble. When we reached the major's house the
yard was filled with Indians and white people all in a state
of terrible excitement. Many of the Territorial officers were
present including Gov. Black. Nearly all the business men
of the city were in the crowd.
The cooler heads among the officers and people exerted
themselves in allaying the excitement and in some way af-
fect a satisfactory compromise.
By the help of an interpreter Chief Artaketa addressed
the people setting forth in strong and forceful language the
wrongs his people had suffered, how many of them had gone
hungry and cold through the dreary winter by the perfidy of
the agent when the Great Father had made ample provision
for feeding and clothing his red children.
The old chief had the full sympathy of the people. This
was our one opportunity to listen to true Indian eloquence.
His great soul was all on fire, his tongue was loosened and
his every motion was eloquent while we could not understand
a word spoken. Yet we stood entranced as his burning
words came forth like a stream of fire from a volcano.
Under pressure, the major finally agreed to go over to
the agency in a few days and pay over the money, but the
Indians would not take his word until Gov. Black pledged
his honor as a gentleman and as Governor that the
money should be locked up in Ware's bank safe and there re-
, main until the time set to go over to the reservation and
I the governor promised that he would go with the major and
see that the money was properly paid out. This satisfied
the people and the Indians acquiesced.
We believe that the governor acted in good faith and
fully intended that the agreement w^ould be carried out to
the letter. But it was the major's heart to steal the money
and carry it over to the enemy of the country. He succeeded
28 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in deceiving his friend, the govenor, and while he was sleep-
ing one dark stormy night, the major, with the help of per-
sons unknown to us, got hold of the money somehow and
started for Dixie's land, and they got there. If the money
had been in Ware's safe, the question remains a puzzle, how
they got it out. Efforts were made for his capture but they
were unavailing and the next we heard of him, he was in
South Carolina in the employ of the rebel government.
It may sound strange to the younger readers to hear
that Nebraska, in ante-bellum days, was a land of slavery.
In 1860 there were a number of slaves at Nebraska City.
Alexander Majors had two or three. S. F. Nuckols had
two and there were some others. One government official,
Mr. Harden, brought some slaves to the territory. Wheth-
er these slaves were brought merely as servants or to serve
a political purpose we knew not. But this much we do know
that the Northern people looked npon the matter with deep
concern, and with a grave suspicion that it was an attempt
to fasten slavery with all its hateful consequences on this
sacred soil. Slavery however was out of place here, and
when a slave desired to go free, it was easy to secure a ticket
over the "Underground Rail- Road" with safe conduct to
Canada.
Nebraska City was one of the stations on the system of
which old John Brown was general superintendent. Here
were rested, fed and cared for, scores of weary and hungry
fugitives.
In a deep ravine just north of the cemetery was a cave
which was undoubtedly a resting and hiding place for the
poor creatures. This cave was on the property of a Mr.
Mayhew whose wife was a sister of Kagie, one of Brown's
trusted followers. We visited the cave in the summer of 1860.
It was about sixteen feet deep and the entrance was from a
deep ravine and well hidden by the brush, so that the casu-
al observer would not discover it. A hollow log was used
as a ventilator and reached the surface of the ground. The
owner always claimed to be a rank democrat, but we could
not get him to explain the use of that cave.
It may aleo sound strange to young Nebraskans that the
rebel Hag once floated over our Nebraska, Some prominent
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 29
men of that day are inclined to dispute this episode, but we
know of what we write, for we saw the hateful thing- with
our own eyes. It will be remembered that South Carolina,
the leader in the secession movement, adopted a flag that
fairly represented the venom that rankled in the bosom of the
deluded people, "The rattle-snake flag." This most hateful
emblem of treason embellished with huge and most vicious
looking reptile, was found waving over the old block house
one bright morning in the winter of IHBO and 1861, but Ne-
braska had not seceded neither had she any intentions in
that line. Just who was the guilty party was never quite
plain, but grave suspicions rested on one Augustas F.
Harvey, better known as "Ajax. Mr. Harvey was a strong
pro-slavery democrat with secession proclivities. He was a
man of marked abilities as a writer and was shortly after
this editor of the Nebraska City News and later editor and
publisher of a paper in Lincoln. He was a rank partisan and
appeared to have no love for the government.
That rattle-snake flag could not long float m the breezes
of Nebraska. As soon as the good people of the city had
awakened to what was going on that reptile flag came down
in a hurry and the Star Spangled banner again waved over
the land of free Nebraska.
In the early spring of 1861 when President Lincoln called
for troops, a war meeting of the citizens was held. Many
prominent citizens were present. We well remember a young
lawyer with a large, bushy head of long, raven hair, a man
of grit and enthusiasm. This was O. P. Mason, later one of
our most distinguished lawyers and once our chief justice.
J. L. Boydston was present and lent all his force in
awakening the war spirit and in organizing the Nebraska
1st regiment.
General W.B. Burnett, surveyor general of the Territory,
a man that had distinguished himself on many bloody fields
in Mexico, made a little speech that thrilled our young heart
as never before. He loved the old flag under whose folds he
had carried victory on many a hard fought battle-field, and
now when recreant hands would trail it in the dust his whole
soul rebelled against the thought. He was ready to sink the
partisan in the patriot. We will never forget his eloquent
30 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
peroration wherein he quoted words of pathos, born of love
for his country, the immortal words of Drake:
"Flag of the true hearts only hope and home
By Angel hands to valor given,
Thy stars hath lit the welkin dome
And all thy hues were born in Heaven."
A most prominent character of that day was Alexander
Majors, who was at the head and was general manager of
the great freighting establishment of Majors, Russell and
Wadell. The business of the concern was of immense pro-
portions, employing in a single season four thousand men
and thirty thousand oxen with thousands of great prairie
schooners that would carry ten thousand pounds of freight
each and which required six yoke of strong oxen to haul.
Twenty-six of these great wagons were required to make
one train and three hundred and twelve oxen to furnish the
motive power. Tlie drivers were known by the euphonias
name of "bull whackers." Each train had its wagon master
and assistant. These were shrewd wirey frontiersman, who
were thoroughly schooled in all matter pertaining to the
"wild and wooly west." They were mounted on broncho
ponies. Each train was provided with two or three extra
drivers. Every man in the train (about thirty) was furnished
a pocket bible as a protection against moral contamination,
two Colt's revolvers and a huge butcher knife as protection
against Indians.
Each man wore a broad brimmed hat which many times
bore some strange device. The driver carried a great whi>p,
the snap of which was a terror to the poor brutes under his
control. Every wagon would had straped to the gear" an
extra pole, one or two yokes and an ingenious contrivance
for greasing the wagon.
There was a chip sack hung to each wagon box in which
dry cow chips were saved and carried to do the cooking and
were filled during the day by the drivers. There was scarce-
ly any timber along the road this side of the mountain. At
night these wagons would be placed in a circle with but one
opening through which the cattle could be hurried in times of
danger or sudden attack. Vigilant guards were maintained
every night. The camp must be continually on a war foot-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 31
ing, as prowling bands of Indians were constantly on the
watch for opportunities to plunder, and with all these pre-
cautions there were many trains pillaged, the wagons burned
and cattle stolen and frequently many brave men perished.
The ' 'bull whackers" were a tough looking crew, but for all
that the mass of them were noble men, in disguise. Many
of them were finely educated and some of them graduates of
eastern colleges and generally their hearts were as large as
the hearts of the oxen they drove. They were generous to
a fault, but ready to resent an insult at the drop of the hat.
They would go all lengths to assist a comrade or other person
in distress. While they were schooled to hardships and
danger, in caring for the sick of their number they" were as
gentle and kind as a woman.
Mr. Majors was a most remarkable man. He was illiter-
ate so far as school education was concerned, but in a
business sense he was wise beyond most men. A man of
sterling integrity, of wide experience and a most ardent pro-
fessor of the Christian faith, a preacher of the gospel of
Christ. Wherever the Sabbath overtook him, in the mount-
ain fastesnesses, on plains or at the city, he would gather his
men about him and preach the Word of Life to them, and
impress upon their minds the necessity of purity of life, of
honest purposes, of high aspirations and a remembrance of
their mother's teaching at the old home. In his contracts
with the men it was required that they should abstain from
profanity, and all kinds of immoral conduct. This had a
very beneficial effect upon the boys. It was the aim of Mr.
Majors to send the boys home to their parents better, rather
there worse than when they had left the parential roof. He
paid liberal wages for the round trip sick or well unless dis
missed for misconduct or neglect of duty.
Many of the boys saved handsome sums or money.
Merchants, and especially clothiers, wore broad smiles upon
their faces, when they heard of one of the trains approach-
ing the city, for it meant a harvest to them. Sometimes as
many as thirty suits of clothes were sold over one counter
in an evening. After the long tramp to Salt Lake and re-
turned, the boys wanted new clothes to wear home. At the
outfitting station in the northwestern part of the city were
32 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
several large warehouses, one outfitting store, shops and
several cozy dwellings and a nice little park which was pro-
vided with seats, a speaker's stand where, during the sum-
mer and fall there were held religious services every Sun-
day. Most pictures have their shady side. Strange as it
may seem to us such a good man, of such sterling qualities,
Mr. Majors was a slave holder and actually brought slaves in-
to the territory some of which we saw in the summer of 1860.
If we remember correctly the last of them took passage on
the underground railroad in the fall of 1860, about election
time. It is safe to conclude that no slave ever suffered from
cruel treatment at the hands of Mr. Majors.
All the freight and most of the immigrants of that day
came by steamers. The arrival of a steamer was a matter
of great interest, for it brought supplies of all kinds also the
mails and many passengers. Whenever the whistle of an
incoming boat was heard there would be a general rush to
the levee. Some went through curiosity, some on business,
others to meet wife, mother or some friend. The river
steamer was a thing of beauty and a joy to all beholders.
One of the first things of importance, that many of our
pioneers thought of, was the planting of orchards. Early
as the fall of 1860 there were several orchards in bearing-
We remember Joel Draper, J. H. Masters and a Mr. Gregg,
each had bearing trees. It was my pleasant privilege in
1892 to visit J. H. Masters and was shown the first apple
tree planted in the territory, planted by his own hands the
day he first arrived, March 16, 1855. Its name is "Williams
Favorite. " It began bearing in 1859 and bore fruit up to that
date, 1892. Mr. Masters brought seven trees from Illinois
with him and the planting of them was the first work of his
long and noble career in Nebraska. We rejoice that the
good old people yet live to enjoy the fruits of a well spent
hfe.
There were many we would be glad to mention in these
reminiscences, who helped nobly in laying deep and broad
foundations for this great and prosperous common wealth. A
few are yet living and are residents of the beautiful city,
some in other places, but the great mass of them are sleep-
ing, resting from their labors. We must mention some of
I
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 38
tlie brave souls whom it was our pleasure to know. Rev. J.
M. Young, Bishop Talbot, Dr. Lemon, Rev. Tagert, all
gone to their, re ward. The Master said in each case, "Well
done my good and faithful servants, come up higher." Then
there was good old father Rev. Giltner, who mixed the
mortor with his o^m hands for the first Presbyterian church
in Nebraska, and through all the years up to 1903, (when
he was told, "it is enough,") he had proclaimed the gospel of
his Lord and Master on tlie western border. He died at
Aurora, "full of years and full of honors." Then there
was H. K. Raymond who did so much to develop educational
interests in the city. In the legal profession were Judge
O. P. Ma.son, W. H. Taylor, W. L. Boydston, Judge Kinney,
and John Croxton. In the medical profession were Dr.
Bowen, the oldest physician in the territory. Dr. P. Renner,
and Dr. Mathews. In the art preservative was Thomas
Morton, who set the first type and printed the first paper in
Nebraska, The Palandium of Belevue, dated November 14,
1854. Shortly after this Mr. Morton moved into the upper
story of the old Block house and established the Nebraska
City News. He owned and controlled the News as long as
he lived. Hon. J. Sterling Morton was its first editor, be-
ginning in 1855.
O. H. Irish founded the Peoples Press in 1859. Milton
M'. Reynolds edited the News in 1860. Hathaway and Ma-
thias (Mr. Hathaway died at Staplehurst recently) edited
the Press just at the time of the tire. These were all faith-
ful friends of Nebraska.
Among the noble band of mothers that have gone to
their reward was Mrs. Caroline Joy Morton, Mrs. Mary T.
Mason, Mrs. Joel Draper and many others that we would
like to name.
Of the few faithful servants that still remain are J. J.
Hostetler,*N. S.Harding, E. G. Hawley, Mrs. Darvin Peck-
ham, Mrs. Robert Hopps and J. J. Imhoff. Among those
who are gone we must not forget, our ancient and Squatter
Governor Wallace Pearham. He was county treasurer in
*Mr. Hostetler has died since the above was written.
34 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
1861 and 1862. Also sheriff Shroat and Hon. Jacob Dawson
who afterwards helped so much in founding Lincoln. Then
there was Col. Hiram P. Downs, who fought hke a tiger in
the war and was promoted to a brigadier generalship.
One remarkable feature of the Nebraska pioneers was
their marked individuality. There was scarcely one that
if you chance to meet, whom it would be possible to ever
forget. Every man was here for a purpose and every one
was a host. They were here laying foundations upon which
to rear this great and beautiful Nebraska. How well they
did their work is fully attested by the glorious common-
wealth that is rising in symmetry and beauty on the founda-
tions which were laid by their hands.
As an appendix to the above, we are able to give an
extract from a private letter received from Hon. J. Sterling
Morton date of January 25, 1893. It seems to be such a clear
statement of historical facts as will forever settle some
questions that hitherto have been in doubt, that we are glad
to give it a place in these pages:
Dear W. W. Cox:—
The Nebraska City News was lirst published at Sydney,
Iowa, and dated at Nebraska City in the autumn of 1854 and
really moved to the city in December 1854. Then it was
the property of the Nebraska City Townsite Company. In
1855 that company hired the writer to edit the paper at
the princely sum of fifty dollars per month and was em-
ployed for one year. I was authorized to hire printers and
discharge them at will. At about this time I formed the ac-
quaintance of Thomas Morton at Belevue, who set for' the
Palandium the first stick of type ever set in Nebraska. I
called him to act as foreman for the News, and with his
help we issued the first number of the News ever issued in
Nebraska April 12, 1855, from the original old Blockhouse
of old Port Kearney, which had been built by the govern-
ment in 1847. In 1860, when the city was about wiped out
by fire, the News office, among other things, was destroyed.
Then the Mortons bought of Jacob Dawson the Wyoming
Telescope office and all it contained in papers and printing
material and besides they purchased all the material of a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 35
large establishment at Otoe City eight miles south of the
city on the Missouri river. The old files show that the
News for a long time had quite a successful career under
the two Mortons. After the fire the owners of the Press
(it also being destroyed) went to Omaha and purchased of
Dr. G. C. Monell, brought it to the city, thence took it to
Lincoln, and on it was printed the first number of the com-
monwealth which was "John, the Baptist" of the State
Journal. W. W. Carder was editor and publisher. But the
first number of the Press was run off on the press of the
Wyoming Telescope as stated by the first number of the
paper after the fire. This was by the courtesy of Jacob Daw-
son. Then the Press was owned by Hon. O. H. Irish but
subsequently sold to Mathias and Hathaway and Joseph E.
Lamaster was financially interested in the concern.
The rattlesnake flag episode, I never heard of it until I
heard of it in your paper. It is strange that the papers of
that day made no note of such an episode, and I think that
Dr. Renner is right when he declares that it was a joke of his
own, that he personally put it up and took it down, the
aforesaid rattlesnake emblem of secession and war.
Signed,
J. Sterling Morton.
Circumstantial evidence is all against Mr. Morton's the-
ory. There were plenty beside the strong republican like
Dr. Renner that would like to see that flag float.
120C063
CHAPTER III.
Salt Basin— The dreat Wilderness— First Frame House West of Neb-
raska City — Wm. T. Donovan's Home— Antelope on Gov. Square
— Appearance of the Basin— Exciting Ride — Early Settlers of Lan-
caster County — Salt Business -Darwin Peckham — First Men Met at
Basin — Salt in Great Demand — A Corner on Salt— Visits of Distin-
guished Men — Men Engaged in Salt Trade — First Frame House in
Lancaster County — Making a Coffin — Some Well-Dressed People —
1862 Prosperous — Indian Story, Cooked and Well Salted — Fourth of
July, 1862— The First Flag— Visit of Rev. Young and Party— Found-
ing of Lancaster — Yankee Hill— Old Clay County — John Cadman —
H. W. Parker and J. S. (Gregory — County Seat Election in 1864—
Indian War Dance — Great Fish Story — Game — Missouri Rebels —
First Births — Court Scenes — First District Court — Indian Scare —
One Sad Feature— Wonderful Transformation — Is it a Dream-land V
While we were yet a citizen of Nebraska City in the early
summer of 1S61, work being so scarce and hard to command,
we were constantly on the look out for something better.
We had heard something about the Salt Basin away off west,
and of its richness. We also knew that salt was scarce in
the market, and very high and we had an inordinate desire
to^see for ourself. One day about the last of June we hap-
pened to form the acquaintance of Wm. T. Donovan, a resi-
dent of Lancaster County near the Basin.
He gave a glowing account of the country and of the
great possibilities of the salt interests there. So we arranged
our affairs and accompanied him home. The usual mode of
travel in those good old days was first, provide some "grub"
to take along and a crude camping outfit. Wife fitted us out
with a basket of lunch and a blanket or two and friend Dono-
van had the coffee pot and frying pan.
Our conveyance was an ox team and an old lumber wag-
on. We set sail on the boundless ])rairie just afternoon and
made our first camp fire on Wilson Creek about eight miles
from home. After passing the Major's farm four miles out,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 37
we entered upon an ocean of wild prairie. For some miles,
or until we reached Wilson Creek, the only sign of civiliza-
tion was the trail and the surveyors' stakes and mounds.
Near our camping ground at the little rocky ford Hon. Wm. J.
Thompson had a claim. He it was that became one of Sew-
ard county pioneers a year later.
A short distance away Mr. Wilson lived. He was the
man for whom the creek was named. The next day's jour-
ney over the rolling hills led us by the McKee settlement
twenty miles further out. That was on the Nemaha, near
the site of the present'town of Syracuse, but Syracuse had not
got there yet.
James Her, that later became a citizen of the Pleasant
Dale settlement, also lived just by the McKee ranch,* as we
called it. McKee's folks (a widow and two sons) had a very
comfortable frame dwelling, the only one between the Major's
farm and the sundown, so far as we ever heard.
It is quite certain there was not a frame house in Ne-
braska west of that point and probably not in Colorado or
Utah, as we have observed all the older buildings in the
entire west were of adobe. We have noticed that all the old-
er buildings at Denver and Salt Lake City were something
beside frame.
So we believe that the city of Sacramento was the near-
est frame house to the westward. The next improvement
we met was that of John Roberts on the west of Nemaha,
near where Palmyra now stands. Some few miles westward,
from this Mr. Meecham had settled on a claim. Mr.Meecham
was a unique character that started to Salt Lake with the
other Mormons, but somehow he fell out of the ranks or they
put him out, we are not certain which. He made us welcome
and we remained over night with him. Right here we must
tell a little story. Mr. Meecham, some years later, thought
he was well fitted to be a county commissioner of Lan-
caster County. He managed somehow to get a nomina-
tion and made the canvass and got scarcely no votes, and
upon hearing the election news he remarked that he ran to
find out what people thought of him. and he had found out.
His claim was not far from where Bennett station now stands.
From this point it was an unbroken wilderness until we
38 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
reached the Salt Creek settlement at Richard Wallingford's
farm, which is located about seven miles south of O Street
Lincoln on or near the 14th street road leading to Cortland
and Beatrice. Mr. Donovan lived at the time on what was
known as the Cardwell farm, on the Creek just a little south
of the Rock Island bridge.
Please don't think the Rock Island bridge was there
then. We reached Mr. Donovan's house just as the sun was
sinking behind the western hills. The sight of the long line
of timber and the beautiful valley of Salt Creek was enough
to inspire a "M^ooden man" and put some life into it. Then
you may imagine the feelings of one usually enthusiastic
when something grandly beautiful comes his way. Three
days were occupied in making this trip, that less ambitious
people can now make in ninety minutes. Something good to
eat and a night of rest put us in good plight to visit the
Basin and see its wonders. July 2nd, 1861, Joseph, the elder
son of Captain Donovan, was to be our companion and guide.
The hinder part of an ox wagon with a stiff tongue, a
couple of tough ash poles fastened to the axle with a short
board fastened across the ends of them served for a spring
seat.
Our carriage was complete. Buck and Bright were hitched
to this unique vehicle and we started down to Lincoln,
no! to Lancaster, no, but down Salt Creek (we hardly ever
go up Salt Creek). We did not land in the Pen as we went
by. Neither in the Insane Asylum although folks perhaps
would think us good subjects for an asylum had they seen
us that morning. The big Hies that invested the low bottom
land acted as persuaders for our oxen and at times our ride
was most exciting as the oxen would dodge into the brush
or tall weeds to brush the ugly Hies off their bodies. The
trail led down the bottom and crossed O st. , (to be), about
where the U.P. palatial depot now graces the valley, and we
found a ford just by the mouth of Oak Creek. Here was an
old trail made by Salt Pilgrims in former years, but it was
nearly overgrown by tall sunflowers. At this time the only
sign of civilization on the land now covered by fifty thousand
busy people was two dim trails, one that we were traveling
which led down the valley to the Morand and Loder settle-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 39
ments at and below Stevens Creek and one leading eastward
to Weeping Water.
Just as we were crossing the western part of the site of
the future grand city, we had the exciting pleasure of see-
ing for the first time in life a drove (perhaps thirty or forty)
of beautiful antelojDe that were cantering across the prairie
about where Government Square now is. Their white cotton
tails shining in the bright sunlight with their curious antics
were most bewitchingly beautiful.
One noticeable feature was the splendid grove of majestic
elms, entersperced with cotton woods and honey locusts.
Could that grove have been saved, it would now be of ines-
timable value as a park for the city.
It brings strange thoughts to mind now after a lapse of
nearly forty-four years as we heboid the transformation
wrought by the hand of man. Of the surging throngs that
gather in those streets, but few can realize what one genera-
tion of people have accomplished. As we were on the way
to the Salt Basin we crossed the Creek at the ford and had
a struggle in making our way through the tall sunflowers
between the ford and the Basin. But when in full view^ of
this wonderland the sight that met our vision was enchant-
ing. There was a fresh summer breeze that reminded us
of the breezes along the ocean beach. The great Basin cov-
ering three or four hundred acres was as smooth as a pane of
glass and looked just like a vast slab of highly polished
clouded marble. Theie were two deserted log cabins, one
with a roof and some one had borrowed the roof of the other.
They were covered with shakes. Now in this generation
who knows what shakes areV Well we will tell you, they
are boards split out of logs from two and one half to three feet
long. They w^ere sometimes nailed on cross beams and some-
times weighed down by heavy poles. There were the wrecks
of some abandoned salt furnaces. Later one of these cabins
was tenanted by the writer. All was wild and solitary, but
our soul was filled with rapturous delight. The bracing air
tilled with ozone or salt, we hardly know which.
The shrill notes of the sw^arms of wild geese, brant and
pellicans all lent a charm. The nearest family w^as my friend
Donovan five miles away.
40 HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
We remember the following named families that were
living in old Lancaster County, viz: Wm. T. Donovan, Joel
Mason, Richard and Jackson Wallingford, Festus Reed, Dr.
Maxwell, James Morand and brother, Wm. Shirley, John
Wedencamp, Chas. Retslaff, J. D. Maine, Aaron Wood, Mr.
Meecham and Joseph Forest, a bachelor.
In the south half of Old Clay we found John Cadman,
Mr. Etherton, J. L. Davison, the Prey families, three fami-
lies we believe, the old people, John and brother, and Elmer
Keys. This is all we remember. Then John and Lewis
Loder lived just across the north line of Lancaster on Salt
Creek.
We returned to our home in Nebraska City and made
preparation to embark in the salt busines to ' 'save our bacon, "
however we did not have much bacon to save, but we had to
do something to feed the wife and babies.
We formed a partnership with Darwin Peckham, after-
wards a prominent citizen of Lincoln for many years where
his handy-work was manifest in the construction of many
important buildings, such as the old stone structure on the
corner of O and tenth street, where Sweet's bank was located.
On the 20th of August we landed at the Basin just as a
rain storm came up to greet us and make it pleasant "you
know." We camped in the old log cabin and took formal pos-
session. At this time there were many pilgrims arriving
and departing. That night we were not sole tenants of the
cabin. Milton Langdon and another man from Cass County
, happened there. They were on a hunting expedition.
Old uncle Dan Morgan from the Blue river country was
*" there after salt and right there that stormy night we formed
two new acquaintances that continued all the remainder of
their lives. When the morning dawned our company all left
us and "we were monarch of all we surveyed." The first
thing in order was to put the cabin in order, so that we could
batch it there with some comfort.
We hurriedly made us a salt pan out of sheet iron and
planks which we brought along and set up a furnace con-
structed of sod, went to the timber, chopped and hauled a few
loads of wood and were ready for business. The weather
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 41
cleared and soon the water became strong, we soon were
ready to try our hands as manufacturers of salt.
Manufacturing salt so far away from the markets would
naturally look like a strange venture. So we will ex-
plain:
Salt was scarce and very high all through the west in
war time. It was gladly taken at. the basin by pilgrims at
two dollars per hundred pounds. Our customers came from
afar. The people came by the hundreds all the balance of
the summer and fall from the river counties, from northwest
Missouri from Kansas and Iowa. It was the only show to
get salt. At this time the roads we're well broken for there
was a constant stream of peo]:)le coming and going. When
the weather was dry salt would rise to the surface of the
smooth plain and people could scrape it and gather vast
amounts of it, sometimes a wagon load or mor.^ in a day, but
just a sprinkle of rain and all was spoiled. Going for salt
was like going fishing, it was all in luck. Some would
make a long trip of from one to two hundred miles and just
get there in time to see a showei- ruin all their hopes of salt.
We "soon caught on," as the saying was, and concluded to
help these people out and get pay for it. We kept our fur-
nace running day and night and soon accumulattKl a little
stock of salt. Now would come a drove of people, when the
scraping was good, and they would get a vast amount, more
crude salt than they could haul. So we would trade them
tine manufactured salt at $2 per hundred and take their
scrapings at twenty-five cents per hundred. They would
go home happy with plenty of scraped salt for the stock and
plenty of nice salt for their meat and table use. They left
us happy for we knew^ it would rain some day when the
other crowd would come and our scraped salt would sudden-
ly rise to a dollar per hundred. Human nature "you know,"
we had a little corner on salt, that's all. When people came
and there w^as no salt to scrape we accommodated people in
more ways than one. They must have salt and w^e wanted
wood so we would hire them to cut and haul and chop wood
and pay in salt. Salt was "legal tender." Sometimes peo-
ple w^ould bring their molasses pans, build a furnaee and
boil their own salt, and when they would get tired we would
42 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
trade them out of their furnace and pans and what wood they
had on hand, and if any provisions to spare, we would trade
for that also. We run a regular exchange business. Some
would bring apples, butter, chickens, a dressed pig, potatoes
etc., all to trade for salt. Everything that the farm would
produce was hauled and exchanged for salt. Soon, however,
we had help. Others came and started business, but the
crowds increased and we all had plenty to do. Some people
would make arrangements to rent a furnace of us during a
uight. They would spend the day hauling wood and at
night woukl boil salt and get a supply. Any way and every
way to get some salt. It is amusing at this time to think
over the trades we made. One fellow brought a great tent
for camping purposes and we traded him out of it. Another
fellow brought a fine suit of clothes and we took them
in. One company came from Winterset, Iowa, with two four
horse teams with five thousand pounds of good flour, and we
took it in and gave them pound for pound, or five thousand
pounds of salt. We were ready to trade for anything but
yellow dogs. We drew the line on yellow dogs.
We had some distinguished visitors that fall while we
were batching. One rainy night Hon. O. P. Mason and
Hon. J. Sterling Morton were our guests. We gave them
quarters in our tent and as we were chief cooks of the occa-
sion we put in our best licks at baking slapjacks for onr
company. Somehow friend "Morton was not partial to slap-
jacks but the distinguished judge ate as if he had been hun-
gry for a month. The evening was spent in telling spicy
yarns. We also had a pleasant visit from his excellency,
Governor Saunders and Hon. P. W. Hitchcock, afterwards
our United States Senators. In our rough garb as a fron-
tier salt maker, we seemed in poor plight to properly enter-
tain such distinguished guests, but we put the best foot for-
w^ard. One thing that gives us great satisfaction, the ac-
quaintances there formed ripened into friendships that
lasted as long as life remained with these good people.
Among the many that we met first that fall were the Hon.
Wm. R. Davis and J. N. Beaty. They, like other pilgrims,
were hungry for salt. They came and camped perhaps two
weeks. Little then did we think that our lives for many
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 43
years would be so closely knit together in building up
Seward and Seward county. They were then citizens of
Cass county.
Late in the fall we moved the family to Salt Creek and
occupied part of the Donovan mansion on the Cardwell place,
it being a double log house Of course the salt business
came to a dead stand-still during the winter and there was
not much to do, only to prepare wood for fuel. Uncle Dick
Wallingford somehow learned that we had graduated as
carpenter and he made an offer to trade a cow for carpenter
work. So we put in all the good weather buikling him a
frame house, and thus it came about that we built for him
the first frame house in Lancaster county in the winter of
1861 and Ls(i2,
We made the doors of black walnut lumber that was
about as hard as glass. We dressed, tongued and grooved
hard white ash flooring. The building was sided with black
walnut lumber and shingled with split and shaved walnut
shingles. We also call to mind that one dark night. Uncle
Dick coming to our house at the Basin and routing us out
with the sad news that his mother (Grandma Wallingford)
was dead and requested that we go with him and help make
a coffin. W^e had the long tramp in the dark seven miles,
gathered up the necessary tools, ground them up, and when
daylight came we went to a pile of this hard walnut lumber,
made our selections and after breakfast went to work with
a will and at two p. m. we had a better casket, save the trim-
mings, than can be purchased of the undertakers now-a-days
for seventy-five dollars.
On May 1, 1862, we took our abode at the Basin with
the good wife and two babes. That same day a county con-
vention was held at the Basin but we were so busy putting
our house in order that we paid no attention to the proceed-
ings. We remember, however, that about every man in the
county was there. Two or three days later Milton Langdon
and family arrived and located at the smaller Basin, a mile
or so north and east of us. We had gotten a pretty good
floor laid in our cabin and a nice coat of whitewash, both
inside and outside, before Sunday came.
It was a most beautiful spring Sabbath morning with
44 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the green grass springing up, the merry twittering of the
birds. We were resting and enjoying ourselves in a lonely
sort of a way when we caught sight of a gentleman and
lady coming up the trail from the eastward. They were
well dressed. We could hardly believe our eyes. Who on
earth are theyV we said to each other. Well it proved to be
Mr. Milton Langdon and his excellent wife. They had heard
of us and had crossed Oak Creek on a foot log and come to
form our acquaintance. It was like an angel visit. Mrs.
Langdon and wife were fast friends from that day until
death separated them twenty-five years later.
The year 1862 was a time of wonderful prosperity at
the Basin. Throngs of people were coming and going
constantly and the Basin was a hive of industry. Other
parties started salt works and many sod houses were built,
and some made dugouts. It was like a great bee hive.
Now we inust indulge in a little story. There was an old fel
low named Benj. Vanthusen camping alone and making salt.
He was sort of a recluse. No body knew where he came from
or where he went. One day, in the winter of 1862-63, a lot of
Indians were camped not far away, and one young buck was
strolling around and came to Ben's furnace. He was carry-
ing a cane in his hand. Ben had become somewhat tired of
the Indians bothering him in one way and another so he was
a little ill-natured. The young stalwart approached with
the usual salutation of "how'' and reached out his cane to
Ben. Ben reached out to take it when the Indian struck
him a sharp blow across the knuckles. Ben, quick as thought,
gave Mr. Injun a blow with 'the fist under the ear that
landed him backward and he fell on his back into a pan of
boiling salt. The chap gave a sharp shriek, jumped and
ran into the swamp yelling all .sorts of bloody murder in the
Indian tongue. He was thoroughly well cooked and salted
to kci^ij. Other braves came to his rescue and carried him to
camp. The little settlement became suddenly alarmed, fear-
ing that the Indians would be enraged and seek vengeance.
A hurried consultation was had and a committee of citizens
appointed to visit the camp and learn the temper of the red
skins. The man was found scalded nigh unto death and
while the poor creature was writhing with agony the other
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 45
Indians were poking fun at him and calling him "squaw
man" and pointing their fingers scornfully at him. Finally
Ben Vanthusen appeared on the scene and the Indians at
once began lionizing him as if to further tantalize the poor
unfortunate. Finally they made a litter out of a buffalo robe
and carried him away, whether to die or live we know not.
Now comes the important epoch in the history of Lan-
caster county, one frought with far reaching results as the
sequel proves, the founding of Lancaster.
On the morning of July Fourth, 18H2, wife suggested
that we celebrate by gathering a lot of gooseberries, of wliicli
there were great quantities. Just as we had filled our buck-
ets, we heard some one hallooing, and as we emerged from
the brush, who should we see but Elder Young and party,
consisting of Rev. Peter Schamp, Dr. McKesson, Mr. Warnes,
Luke Lavender, and Jacob Dawson. They were in soarcli
of a suitable location for a colony. They were patriotic, and
had not forgotten the liag. Dinner was quickly provided
and disposed of. the neighbors called in, and we had a cele
bration that was a feast to the soul. As the dear old elder
talked to us of our blessed flag, and how it had been trailed
in the dust by recreant hands, and the mighty struggle that
was going on to mamtain its supremacy, how our hearts
swelled with emotion as we realized that our count i-y and our
all was at the moment trembling in the balance. Tiiis was
probably the first time our national flag ever Icissed the
breezes of Lancaster county, and it was an occasion long to
be remembered by all the ijarticipants.
Some, we know not how many, of that little grou]) have
gone to their long home. Uncle Jacob Dawson lived jusl
long enough to see the foundations of Lincoln well laid, and
was called away. Our dear old friend. Elder Young, lived
to see the city of his founding great and strong, and ma idl-
ing forward to greater achievements, and "he was gathered
to his fathers full of years and full of honor^^"
In the second week in July, and after malcing a thoi-ough
examination of the surrounding country, the party made the
settlement on the land where Lincoln now stands, and dedi-
cated a portion of section twenty-two for a town site, and
christened it "Lancaster."
46 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Lancaster did not grow as more modern towns do. A
few settlers began to arrive, and settled on the beautiful
lands in the vicinity, but not many cared to try their hands
at building a city just then. Town building was a slow
process in those days so far inland.
It must be remembered that the bill providing for the
Union Pacific railroad had passed but the previous winter,
and the eastern terminus had not been fixed by the president.
Our nearest railroad was at St. Joseph, Mo., and Ottumwa,
Iowa. And further it was yet very questionable as to wheth-
er our upland prairie was of any value for agricultural pur-
poses. The farms were all yet confined to the creek bottoms.
Prairie fires would sweep the prairies just as soon as the
grass was dry in the fall and leave the roots exposed to the
scorching rays of the autumn sun and then to the frosts of
winter. The snow would gather into huge drifts, there be-
ing nothing to hold it except the ravines. This resulted in
very short grass crops on the upland, and frequently there
was scarcely grass eaough to hide a garter snake in mid-
summer. People saw the fact that the prairie produced but
little grass, but were slow to discover the causes, and were
ready to condemn the land as worthless for cultivation.
Some are led to believed that great changes have taken place
in the general character of the soil, as well as in the climate.
We have frequently been asked if this land was not all cov-
ered with buffalo grass. To this question we answer most
emphatically, nc . It might hav^e been at some remote period,
but never since white men have known it. Many are of the
opinion that it scarcely ever rained in those early days.
That is certainly a mistake. The summer of 1860 produced
scarcely any rain (we well remember the year of the Kansas
famine; we resided at Nebraska City at the time), and to
help matters along there were sixteen days and nights of
continuous hot south wind. It was almost insufferably hot,
so stilling it was that people could not bear to sit in the winds,
even late in the evenings, but would be compelled to seek a
wind- brake. Except that memorable year, rains were just
as plentiful and as well distributed through the growing
seasons in those years as now, and vegetation, where it had
a fair show, made the same luxuriant growth. But we do
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 47
not wonder that the overland immigrant who passed through
this country in the early spring or late in the fall pro-
nounced this a desert land, for as far as the eye could reach,
in all directions, nothing could be seen but black prairie.
Most dreary indeed was the spectacle. There being nothing
to retain the moisture, and the sun bearing down on the de-
fenseless head, and the mirage playing in the distance like
some specter, it did not seem that it ever could be a lit abode
for civilized man. It took men and women of strong nerve
and great faith to attempt to build a home in this wilderness
then, but there were some brave souls that were equal to
the hour, and such were the men who founded Lancaster.
The story of the founding of the embryo city, and the
struggle over the location of the county-seat, is an inter-
esting theme. The settlement of Yankee Hill (where the
insane hospital now stands), under the leadership of John
Cadman and Wm. Fields, made an interesting and energetic
fight for the prize. These men looked with jealously upon
the Lancaster colony. Our friend Cadman was wide awake,
and with a fertile brain was ready for almost any emergency.
It will be remembered that the boundaries of the county
were materially" changed in the winter of 1H62-63. Friend
Cadman secured an election to the legislature from old Clay
county, John S. Gregory was by some trick of legerdemain
elected to represent Lancaster, and Hon. H. W. Parker was
sent from Gage. The trio each had an axe to grind.
Parker wanted to make the county-seat secure for Beatrice,
and Cadman wanted to spoil Elder Young's little game and
make a new town and clothe it with the honors of the
county-seat. So they arranged and carried through the
scheme to eliminate Clay county from the map of Nebraska,
and give to Gage the south twelve miles, and the north
twelve miles to Lancaster, in the interest of Cadman and
his friends. Thus it came that Gage and Lancaster are
each thirty-six miles long, and that Clay county was buried
out of sight to be resurrected at a later day farther to the
west. We have never been able to learn just what interest
our friend Gregory was to have, but suppose he was to be
endorsed for the post office at a salary of one dollar per
month, and also to have his name perpetuated by re-naming
48 HISTORY OF SKWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the great salt basin "Gregory Basin," both of which he
secured; but the honors of his' office and the name were very
much hke a soap bubble — they got away in a very short time.
Cadman and his friends lost no time in fixing upon a point ;
for their new town at Yankee Hill, and then came the tug of
war. About this time, what was known as the steam w^agon
road, was located from Nebraska City to the west, and cross-
ing the Salt creek fixed at Yankee Hill. An appropriation
of five hundred dollars was secured by the legislature for a :
bridge on Salt creek in Lancaster county, to be located by
territorial commissioners. When these gentlemen came to
fix the location of the bridge, the Lancaster party, headed
by Elder Young, and the Yankee Hill folks, led by Cadman,
each made an earnest showing why they should have the
bridge, and we take it for granted that each succeeded in
convincing the commissioners that their claim was the besh,
for they divided the money between the two points, and thus
with the aid of private help, two good bridges were secured.
Each place made slow progress; a little store and a
blacksmith shop were secured by each. Lancaster had the
help of the salt interest to assist it, while its rival had the
freight road. Each had energetic men as leaders, and they
were equally as well situated, but Lancaster had the sym-
pathy of the greater number of the jieople of the county.
Friend Chadman had aroused the ire of all his old neighbors
on the head of Salt creek. They were very sore over hav-
ing all of their pleasant dreams of a county seat at Olathe
suddenly vanish, and their county disappear, or torn in two
and swallowed up by her greedy sisters. When the county
seat problem came before people for settlement, the Lan-
caster folks had a walk-away, and secured a grand triumph
at the polls.
This county seat election occured in the autum of 1H(54
and was held at the house of the writer, just south of the
Great Basin.
Notwithstanding his defeat in his pet project of found-
ing a county seat, Cadman secured a return to the legisla-
ture for several terms and had an honorable part in mould-
ing the destiny of the county, in helping to secure the cap-
ital removal bill, and securing the location of it within her
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 49
borders; and while Elder J. M. Young may justly be honored
as the founder of Lincoln, to John Cadman belongs the hon-
or of doing splendid work in securing a grand triumph in
removing the capital and securing the principal benefits to
his county; and while he did not realize the full fruition of
his hopes in getting it at Yankee Hill, we are glad to know
that he has been duly rewarded, and that in his green old
age he was blessed with plenty of this world's goods, and
friends innumerable to brighten his pathway. Long live
the memory of Hon. John Cadman!
In the early summer of 1862, we had the pleasure of
helping to raise a log house for Charlie Calkins, on Middle
Creek, on what was afterwards known as the Horton farm,
and about five miles west of the city. This was the first log
cabin between the Basin and the Grand Island settlement.
In the beautiful month of June our good wife made a
visit to Nebraska City, and left us alone "with our glory"
for a little season. One afternoon a throng of Omahas camped
at the head of the Basin, but we thought nothing of it as it
was a common thing to see a great number of Indians on their
way to the summer hunting grounds on the Republican
river. John Chambers' family lived a little way from our
cabin. We went to bed as usual that night, with our bright
saber under our pillow, and • a rifle standing within easy
reach. Near midnight we heard a (not very) "gentle tap-
ping, as of some one rapping at our cabin dooi"." ' Wliat's
the mattery" we cried, "Matter enough," says poor tremb-
ling John, his wife clinging to him like grim death, and
crazed with fear, "the Indians are upon us. For God's sake
what shall we do"?" Whether we dressed or not, you may
guess. We forgot that we ever had a saber or a gun. When
we awoke our ears were greeted with the most unearthly
sounds, as if ten thousand devils were turned loose. We all
run, as most folks do when badly scared, and we hid as best
we could among the hills and awaited the coming of events,
which we expected every minute. The pandemonium con-
tinued, but came no nearer. We waited patiently for the
enemy, but they did not come. We were disappointed. The
Indians were expecting to meet their mortal foes (the Sioux)
50 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
on their hunting grounds, and were having a war dance.
"Only this, and nothing more." •
Salt creek and its principal tributary, Oak creek, were
wonderfully well supplied with fish. Black suckers and buf-
falo were the leading varieties. The settlers had plenty of
sport and much profit in fishing. We all had plenty of fish.
Great numbers were caught that would weigh ten to fifteen
pounds, and we have seen them that tipped the beam at thir-
ty-five pounds.
Elk and antelope were plentiful, and the nimrods of that
day had great and exciting sport in the chase. Some of the
settlers spent a great portion of their time roaming the prai-
ries in search of game. Many of them never came home
without a supply of meat. If elk could not be found or capt-
ured, some luckless freighter's steer had to suffer the ordeal
of being converted into elk meat. Many a steer has under-
gone the change in short order, and Mr. Steer's only safety
was in staying close to camp. The Basin was a great place
for wild water fowls to congregate. Geese, brant, swan,
ducks, and pelicans were there by the thousands, and it was
the hunter's paradise. Wild fruits, such as grapes, plums,
gooseberries, and alderberries, were abundant along the
streams, and were gathered by the bushel.
As the Union armies regained the rebel strongholds of
Missouri, great numbers of rebels found it convenient to find
other quarters, and many of them seemed to have the idea
that salt would save their bacon, consequently hordes of them
would congregate at the Basin, and frequently they would
show their rebellious spirit in acts and words that it was very
unpleasant for Union men to endure. At one time they be-
came so insolent and threatening that the Union men of the
valley thought it necessary to organize for self-defense. Our
Missouri friends came to the wise conclusion that "discretion
was the better part of valor," so nothing very serious oc-
curred.
Elder Young preached the first sermon of the locality at
our house, on the Sabbath following the 4th of July, 1862,
to a fair-sized congregation. A Sabbath -school was organ-
ized very soon afterwards, and was of great value to the youth
of the little community. This was the first Sunday school
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 51
between the Missouri river and the mountains. Religious
services were held quite frequently under the leadership of
Elder Young, Rev. Dr. McKesson, and Rev. Peter Schamp,
and other ministers that chanced to stray so far into the wild-
erness.
As a general rule the settlers enjoyed themselves very
well, and were reasonably prosperous, but it was not always
so. Sometimes winter storms would shut us off from com-
munication with the world at large, and provisions would get
short, and we would be driven to desperate straits. We have
known families to live on boiled corn or wheat for a week at
a time with no seasoning but salt. The winter of 1863-4 was
a most desperate one. The cold was extreme. The last
day of December, 1863, was a memorable day for the intensity
of the cold. We had no thermometer except our own blood,
and that told us that it was the most bitterly cold of any day
of our life. We afterwards learned that at Burlington, Iowa,
the thermometer indicated thirty degrees below zero.
That winter was one of much suffering. Salt had de-
clined materially in price, and the demand had fallen off;
while wood for boiling it had become scarce, and the weath-
er was so severe that it seemed as if all things conspired
against the people, and for a time the whole settlement was
on the verge of starvation. The spring of 1864 found the
settlement in rather a dilapidated and impoverished condition,
but hope soon revived. Immigrants began to arrive in good-
ly numbers and began opening up farms, and that gave new
life and hope to all. Settlements began to extend westward,
and all the people began to have more faith in Nebraska. It
may be well here to relate a common saying of those days,
just to show how absurd the expressed viewsof many people
were in regard to this country.
If an incoming immigrant talked of going over to the Blue
valley to look for a location, he was told at once that it was of
no use to look at that country, for it never rains west of Salt
creek. That fool notion had become so thoroughly embed-
ded in the minds of many of the early settlers that we expect
some of them firmly believe it to this day.
It has been claimed that F. MortonDonovan was the tirst
white child born in this locality, but this locality was rather
52 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
large, for the fact is he was born on Stevens creek, ten miles
distant. The first white child born at the Basin, or in the im-
mediate vicinity of the present city, was a son born to Joseph
Chambers in the winter of 1862-3. He died in infancy. Our
son, Elmer Ellsworth Cox, was born March 3, 1863, and was
the first white child born in the immediate vicinity who
lived to become a man.
There were some exciting and almost ludicrous scenes in
the courts at the Basins. Milton Langdon and J. S. Greg-
ory were the two iirominent attorneys, and in all matters of
a judicial nature they were arrayed against each other. They
were both keen and tricky, ever on the alert to catch the
enemy napping, and they had some high old times. Occa-
sionally a case would arise that tried the mettle of the court,
attorneys, and officers. A rough customer, who it was said
had graduated in the rebel army, put in an appearance, and
made some violent threats, in which he promised to kill some
citizen. An information was filed, and a warrant was issued
and placed in the hands of the sheriff. A crowd gathered at
the court-room, and it soon became Ivnown that the culprit
refused to surrender to the sheriff. All became excited, and
while the court was giving some directions to the citizens
about assisting the sheriff, the fellow came stalking into
the court-room, carrying his rifle in a position for immediate
use. The sheriif followed at a convenient distance of prob-
ably ten rods. The court invited the man to take a seat,
which was promptly declined, but he took a careful survey
of the court and all the surroundings, and with the rifle ready
cocked and finger on the trigger, he began a retreat, and all
hands seemed ready to stand out of his way. The justice
remarked to the sherift" and posse, "You will be justified in
taking that man, if you have to kill him to do it," but they
didn't take him; he backed off with drawn weapon, and bid
defiance, and no one was willing to take the risk of his capt-
ure. He was bent on vengeance, and had no intention of
leaving until he had wreaked it on somebody. He became
angry at the justice for saying take him dead or ahve, and
during the next morning, while his honor was busy at his
salt furnace, he happened to observe the sneaking scoundrel
creeping up a small ravine in the rear, with a view of getting
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 53
a sure shot at him, but finding that his victim had observed
him, he started off at a rapid pace across the basin. His
honor quickly halted him. He instantly cocked his rifle, but
sternly and most em])hatically his honor commanded a truce,
and marched straight up to the fellow, who curled down like
a whipped cur, received a court blessing in the open air, and
then took his final departure to parts unknown. Had it not
been for a good degree of firmness on that occasi6n, it is
quite probable that some other writer would have had the
honors of writing this book.
On the morning of August 20, 1862, there was a heavy
frost, which killed all the corn on the lowlands throughout
Nebraska.
During the spring of 1863, J. S. Gregory built the first
frame house in the locality of the Basin, and made quite ex-
tensive improvetnents. Mr. Eaton, of Plattsmouth, an uncle
of our friend Gregory, became quite well acquainted with
him during these years, and their fraternal relations are
spread upon the court records of Lancaster county for many
years.
Settlements increased rapidly during the spring and
early summer of 1864, but took a serious set-back later in the
season, on account of the Indian troubles, so that the num-
ber wintering here in the winter of 1864-5 was hardly greater
than in the winter previous.
That memorable day, November 8, 1864, when Lincoln
was elected the second time, the good people of Nebraska
could take no hand in the game, but the people of Lancaster
had to do something, and if they could not vote, they could,
and did hold district court. We do not forget that we had
that day a genuine old-time blizzard of drifting snow.
There was no discount on that blizzard. It was cold enough
for the Klondike, and the whirling snow was terrific. It
will be remembered that the county seat was located at the
October election, and at the same time Jacob Dawson was
elected county clerk, and that meant district clerk as well.
Uncle Jake, as we called him, wanted something to do as
clerk. So he set to work to have a term of court at the new
county seat. They did not yet have that big stone court
house but Uncle Jake was a man ready for any emergency.
54 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
He had a double log house, that would do for a hotel, family
residence and court house combined.
Uncle Jake goi into correspondence with Hon. Judge
Elmer S. Dundy and gave the judge some pointers. He
made the judge understand that there was an emergency
case on docket and that a court must be held. One Pem-
berton, a sojourner at the Basin, had gotten in trouble with
old man Burd about the depredation of some unruly chickens.
The families had quarreled. At a very early hour one morn-
ing Pemberton appeared at the cabin of Mr. Burd with a re-
volver, ready for business. Some hot words passed, when
Pemberton struck the old man on the head with the revolver
then fired the revolver, the ball passing through the thin
door, lodging in the wall of the room just over the bed where
the young Burds were sleeping. A few minutes later, when
the justice of the peace (who lived only a few rods distant)
was being seated at the breakfast table with his little
. family, Mr. Burd appeared with blood streaming down over
his face and a little panic occured just then and the break-
fast lost its flavor. A warrant was hastily issued and put
into sheriff Chambers' hands, and the culprit was arraigned.
An exciting examination resulted in Pemberton being
bound over to court on charge of malicious assault with in-
tent to commit great bodily injury. In preparation for the
court a grand jury and also a petit jury had been summoned
and it took about every eligible citizen in Lancaster county.
Two distinguished barristers had accompanied the judge
from Plattsmouth. Neither judge or lawyers rode on passes
then, but were content with an opportunity to ride on asses
— that is, if the asses were to be had. The Hon. T. M.
Marquet and Judge Pottenger were the gentlemen that
helped the august judge in giving dignity to the court. Pott,
as we called him, got the whiprow of Marquet and secured
the appointment as prosecuting attorney, but Pemberton
was ready to give Marquet a job, but was lather short. A
ten-dollar greenback was the sum total of his cash and Mar-
quet had to take that or go without a job. He took the
greenback, of course.
The grand jury was duly sworn and after examining
the justice docket and interviewing several witnesses, they
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 55
presented a true bill against defendant, and Pott framed the
indictment in his strongest language. It sounded like a form-
idable document, but Marquet got hold of it and after reading
it over from left to right and from right to left a few times
there didn't seem much left of it, and the judge very reluct-
antly pronounced it a failure and before the court had time
to give any further orders, Mr. Pemberton disappeared in
the storm and has not been heard of since that memorable
day.
The court allowed Lancaster county to draw its first
warrant to Judge Pottenger for |75 and adjourned until
warm weather. Thus ended the first term of the district
court of Lancaster county, November «, lb«64.
In the summer of 1H64, the whole West was very easily
excited after the horrible massacre in Minnesota. Wild
rumors were afloat continually, and the scattered settlements
were harassed with fears throughout the whole summer and
fall. The most trifling circumstances were magnified as
they were related by the panic stricken j)eople into general
massacres, or wholesale slaughtering of some neighboring
settlement. The impression prevaled that the rebel govern-
ment at Richmond was inciting the red-skins to a merciless
warfare all along the frontier. Tomahawks and scalping
knives of the red devils were vividly pictured in all our
dreams. We knew this much, that the dark hours of the
war presented a grand opportunity for them to cleau us
out, root and branch. We also knew that they were in no
friendly mood; or, in other words, we were quite sure they
were thirsting for our blood, all that kept them bade was
their fear of a terrible retribution, and further, the fire we
saw was not all fox fire. There were people murdered by
them in Nebraska, and not a few, At Plum creek of the
west, on Turkey creek, on the Little Blue, there were mur-
ders and kidnapping, such as make our blood boil to this
day as we think of them. We had just cause to tear, and it
would have been foolhardiness to be otherwise than on the
alert.
On one occasion, when the writer was at Nebraska City
with a load of salt, we had arranged to help Jacob Dawson
haul a steam saw-mill out from Little Wyoming, which was
56 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
a few miles north of the city. While we were yet loading the
boiler, word was current that there had been murders at
Plum creek. Now there were two Plum creeks, and we all
feared it might be the Plum creek in Seward county. How-
ever, it proved to be the other. But it answered the purpose
of getting up a big scare. We were uneasy and hurried up
all we could with loads. We reached Stove creek ranch,
thirty miles east of salt basin, that night at about eleven
o'clock, and had it not been that we dare not attempt the
crossing in the night we probably would have traveled all
night. In. the morning it was raining and we could not
cross until about noon. We were eating dinner when we
saw a long train of teams coming over the hills from the
west. We knew mischief was to pay. We hailed the first
to a])proach us to learn what we could.
"Oh, all the people on Blue river are killed, and all the
settlements of Salt creek have iled from their homes and
are at Shirley's ranch on Steven's creek." "Do you know
anything about my family," asked the writer hurriedly,
"Yes, they are at Shirley's ranch with the rest." Hurrah,
boys, now for the Shirley ranch on a double quick.
We tumbled the engine out of one wagon, unhitched
from the boiler and jDut four yoke of oxen on an empty wag-
on, and if ever oxen traveled it was there and then.
There were four of us, and we took turns whipping ,and
the wonder is that we did not kill the oxen, for it was ex-
tremely hot. We reached the ranch just after dark, and a
motley crew we found; at least a hundred people were there,
men, women, and children. They were well over their scare
but were well along in the mad state. Everybody was cross
almost to ugliness. Shirley had built a new house but had not
moved into it. This was stowed full both above and below.
His old house was full and his yard was full. The clothing
was all wet and also the bedding. Many were suffering with
hunger. We found wife and babes stowed away up-stairs
in a bed that was wet as wet could be. The story of their
panic was told, and was as follows: The night before, word
came to the neighborhood that the settlement on the Blue
were all murdered, and to all appearances the red-skins
would bounce on the Salt creek settlers that night; it was
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 57
3hen nearly dark; wife and children were at the mercy of
5ome good neighbor, as they had no team. Uncle Peter
Bellows came nobly to the rescue. With his broad German
iccent he said, "Mrs. Coax, you shall go wid us." Blessed
36 the name of Uncle Peter forever! But Uncle Peter had
lis peculiarities. He was a great hand to gather up things,
5uch as old log chains, old plow shares, broken pitchforks,
lorseshoes (he hadn't a hoi'se in the world), ox yokes and
ill sorts of old irons; he was rich in old irons. Well, in
Dacking up to go, Uncle Peter had to take the last ' one of
lis old irons, but in his hurry he forgot to take any provi-
dons for his family. When he comes for wife, he says,
'Mrs. Coax, ve takes you and de childerns, but vo can't take
loting else; vel dot is so, huri-y up. Mine Cot, the Ingins is
•oming shure enough."
Wife protested that she must take something to eat and
>ome bedding, and finally persuaded him to take a sack (50
bs.) of Hour and a ham of meat and a bed, if she would
valk herself. We then had three children, aged respective--
y, a girl five years, a girl three years, and a boy sixteen
nonths old.
The oldest girl walked, the second one was perched up
m the load of goods; wife carried the babe on her right arm
md with the left she carried one end of a trunk a mile
md a half. The babe, she carried the full ten miles that
lark, stormy night. Wild with fright they went pell-mell,
imagine, if you can, the terrors of that awful night —the
•oiling thunder, the lurid lightning, with a mortal dread of
ihe savage foe. Weary and fainting, they arrived at the
•anch late in the night. In the morning it developed that
ihat sack of flour and ham of meat were all the provisions
n camp for a hundred hungry souls, except some green corn
lurchased of Shirley. But they had plenty of old irons.
It further developed that there were no hostile Indians
vithin less than a hundred miles. By the morning after we
irrived in camp the panic had entirely subsided and all were
•eady to return to their homes.
Within the following two weeks things were quiet. The
\^'iter had a quantity of salt that it was necessary to haul to
narket. Our bread and butter for the coming winter de-
58 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
pened on it. It was perilous to leave. It was certain starva-
tion to stay at home. We must go and take our chances.
One bi'ip:ht summer afternoon we made ready with a big
load oi salt and started for Nebraska City, arrived at Wood's
ranch at night, turned the oxen out to grass, ate supper and
went to bed. Near midnight, Dr. Crimm, wife, and her sis-
ter, came as if Satan was after them. "The Indians are upon
us sure enough this time," they shouted. "You must go
for your wife and little ones or they will all be slaughtered."
All was wild excitement. The writer was somewhat in-
credulous, but standing between doubt and fear, there was
only one course to take. We must Hy to the rescue. We
hastily hitched up old "Nig" and "Darb," and went on the
dead run for home. Just as the morning light was breaking
we passed Uncle Jake Dawson's cabins, standing on the
ground now occupied by Commercial block. There was a
slee])-and-go-easy sort of fellow by the name of John Giles
in the neighborhood at the time. John was standing sentinel
at the west end of the cabin. We hailed him and asked what_
was the matter, rather derisively. We were somewhat pro-
voked at what we thought to be a useless scare. He sharply
retorted, "You'll find out before you get to the Basin." We
went on feeling that it was another sell out. When we reach-
ed home we found everything in dire confusion. Many had
left and all the balance w^ere hurriedly preparing for flight.
In the anguish of despair w^e said, "Wife, what shall we do?"
She answered, "I will stay if others would stay, but we can't
stay if the place is deserted by all the neighbors." A hur-
ried consultation resulted in this, that we would all go to the
river with the salt and remain there until matters had be-
come settled.
Uncle Pete here ap])ears on the scene again. Wife had
gone over the hill to drive up the cow that we might take
her, while we were busy loading up our bed clothing and
provisions. We were talking over the situation, wiien all of
a sudden several Indians put in an appearance. They were
some twenty rods distant when first discovered. We w^ere
just tlien sorry for our incredulity. The dread moment had
come, we said to ourselves. Uncle Pete started on the double
quick, but we commanded him to face about and dance to
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 59
whatever music might come. ''It's too late to run," we said,
aiul at the same moment we jumped into the road ahead of
the red-skins, and commanded a halt.
The leader pulled out a dirty white rag and began swing-
ing it and hallooing that, "Me good Ingin," "me good Omaha,"
"me no Sioux. " Oh, how our hearts fluttered just then. The
Indians were about as much frightened as we were; they
knew the people were wonderfully excited. ' 'Me good Omaha"
was sweet music in our ears just then. We loaded up our
httle stuff, tied the old cow behind the wagon, loaded on the
children, and pushed out for the river, leading almost a for-
lorn hope. The load of salt was left at Wood's ranch.
When we had piled our beds, i)rovisions, and children on top
of a huge load of salt we must have presented a grotesque
spectacle. It was no laughing matter then, but now it's no
matter if you laugh. Suffice it to say we were welcomed by
our friends in Nebraska City just as cordially as if we had
ridden in a gilded carriage to their door.
When it became certain that the Union would triumph
over the rebellion and there would be ample security here as
elsewhere for life and property, then great numbers came.
Also a further stimulus to settlement was tiie certainty of the
building of the Union Pacific R. R. Its eastern terminus
had been fixed in the fall of l^^(^4, and the first ground was
broken, and it may fairly be said that Nebraska had awaken-
ed to a new and vigorous life. During the spring of lHr)4,
having become convinced that it occasionally rained on Blue
river, we made up our mind to cast our lot with the little
settlement in the neighborhood where now stands the beau-
tiful litde city of Seward, and made preparation during the
summer, accomplished our object, and made the removal
December 1st.
Thus ends our immediate connection with the struggling
pioneers of Lancaster county, and there it begins with these
of Seward county.
Of those good old days of pioneer life we have many,
yea very many, pleasant recollections. There were some
dark clouds overspreading our skies at times, but every cloud,
let it be never so dark, "had its silver lining."
Friendships there sprang up that will remain true so
60 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
long as life shall last. To have been a pioneer in Nebraska
in helping to open .the way of civilization, we consider an
honor, and looking back through the years — years of pleas-
ant sunshine and prosperity, years of dark clouds, of danger
and adversity, we rejoice that we came to Nebraska and
helped to lay the foundations of the mighty commonwealth —
"our own, our loved Nebraska."
There were quite a number of the early settlers that
should have honorable mention in these reminiscences, and
we can hard ly forego the pleasure of mentioning some of them.
J. N. Beaty and Wm. R. Davis spent part of the autumn
of lH6i making salt. These gentlemen had the honor of
opening the first store at Seward as is especially noted in
another chapter. For many years they were quite promi-
nent in business circles in this county. Mr. Beaty removed
many years ago to Osage, Kansas, and later to Oklahoma
City and was engaged in the hardware business. He has
now gone to his long home. Mr. Davis remained in active
life in Seward until he was summoned home in the summer
of 18Uy, full of years and full of honors.
Hon. Wm. Imlay conducted the salt business at the lit-
tle Basin near the point where the B. & M. track crosses the
U. P. track north of Oak creek He became one of the very
tirst to make a settlement at the Seward settlement in the
spring of 1864. Here he remained on the old homestead un-
til his work was finished and he was called home in the sum-
mer of 1896. John S. Gregory located on the north side of
the basin in the fall of 1862, and for a time cut quite a figure
both in business and political affairs. He was naturally a
hustler and a schemer, and' we believe he had a little more
"brass" in his face than any other character on the frontier.
He had formed a partnership with an old uncle by the
name of Eaton who had some money which he exchanged
for experience in the salt business. Gregory & Co. put up
quite exi)ensive works, built quite a large frame house (the
first at the basin) and with all cut quite a figure as long as
Eaton's money lasted. Mr. G. secured a post office and had
it named Gregory Basin, and so pulled the wires that he
was nominated for the legislative honors and was elected.
He told some awiui wolf stories which the wolves had no
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 61
part in. Mr. G. took a hand in despoiling old Clay county.
His name did not stick to the Basin worth a cent, and his
post office was of short duration. Mr. Gregory, we under-
stand, is now a resident of Galveston, Texas.
Milton Langdon, known in his days as our walking en-
cyclopedia, was in the salt business from 1862 to 1864, when
he became treasurer of Lancaster county. Some years
later he took up his residence in the northeast part of Sew-
ard county and engaged in the lime business. Both he and
his noble wife have passed over the dark river.
Dr. John Crimm and his wife's 43rother, Mr. Diers of
Brownville, conducted quite extensive works in 1864, and
tried the manufacture with solar heat, but somehow it
proved a failure.
There are many more men that were interested in these
early developments whom we would like to mention. One
sad feature about these little stories of our frontier life and
experiences is, nearly all the actors have gone to their long
home. In counting over the long list of names mentioned
in this long chapter, from start to finish, we know of but
three, besides myself, that remain on this mundane sphere,
viz: Peter Schamp of Lincoln, A. J. Wallingford in north-
west Nebraska, and J. S. Gregory. It seems that we are
almost alone to tell the story of our ventures, of our mis-
takes and our triumphs. It seems but yesterday as we look
back across the vista of years since the scenes herein related
occurred. But when we happen to look into the glass and
behold the individual, who was then in the prime of young
manhood with the little children around our knees now an
old man carrying a load of three score and twelve years,
with one child that is a grandparent, with a new generation
of people all around; then again as we view the wonderful
transformation that has been wrought in converting the des-
ert wastes of wildei-ness into fruitful farms and the building
of a thousand cities on the land of the Indian and buffalo,
with a thousand iron steeds hauling the commerce of two
continents past our door, with the news of the day riding on
the wings of the lightning, with a telephone in every well
ordered household and a mail box at every door, with the
darkness of the night lighted by the heavenly torch harnessed
62 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
by the hand of man; as we stand dazed by the darting
of the swift winged chariots hither and thither witli nothing
to pusli or pull, but going "all the same;" as the bicycle
whirls past bearing its burden of human freight, and as the
automobile goes thundering through the street, we are
sometimes led to wonder if we are really in a dream land, in
another and grander world, or is it for a fact that these
things have all come to pass in our short life time. Prom
the fullness of heart we may exclaim with prophet of old,
"Our light has come and the glory of God has risen upon
our land. " »
CHAPTER IV.
Historic letters — Hon. Paul Morton's early freighting — Extracts from
Kev. Byron Beall's Scrap book- -Dr. G. L. Miller's "Fifty Years
Ago" — Letter from Moses — Father of Arbor Day, and tablet with
memorial address — Historic Sketches of (Tovernors John M. Thayer
and R. W. Furnas, also of Rev. J. M. Young.
EARLY FREIGHTING ACROSS THE PLAINS
BY HON, PAUL MORTON
NOW SECRETARY OF THE U, S. NAVY. WASHINGTON, D, C
Washington, D. C, Nov. 28, 1904.
Dear Mr. Cox:—
I happen to be one of the young men who did not take
Horace Greeley's advice and go west. I arrived there ahead
of his advice, and long before the steel rail. I was brought
up on the west bank of the Missouri river in the Territory of
Nebraska. My earliest recollections of transportation is in
the days before the Union Pacific was built, when I saw
trains of from twenty to sixty wagons each drawn by six
yoke of oxen, leaving Nebraska City, headed for Denver,
Salt Lake City, or "Pike's Peak or bust." Not a few of
them reached the last destination. Those were the good old
days of the overland stage and the bull team. A wagon load
was about three tons. The rates of freight for short hauls
were generally computed at one cent per pound per hundred
miles; but at variance with modern practice, for longer dis-
tances the rates were increased. Any sliipper could under-
stand the tariff. The rates were as follows from the river
to Denver:
Flour, 9 cts. per pound.
Tobacco, 122 cts. per pound.
Sugar, Idi cts. per pound.
Bacon, 15 cts. per pound.
Crackers, 17 cts. per pound. ,
Whiskey, IS cts. per pound.
Trunks, 25 cts. per pound.
Furniture, 31 cts. per pound.
64 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
These were bull train rates, and by mule train rates
they were doubled. It is remarkable how the Rocky Moun-
tain country could afford to pay such rates; but the vast
mineral wealth of the country enabled it to do so. I think
they were fully as well satisfied with those rates as they are
now with rates approximating less than one-fiftieth of what
they were.
There ox teams would swino- along the old California
trail which passed by my father's house under the direct
charge of the boss who generally rode a fine horse and who
was the division superintendent of that period.
The drivers, or "bull whackers" as they were called,
seemed to enjoy themselves mightily, and were generally
yelling or singing. As a rule they enjoyed the best of
health. They walked by the side of their teams, for it was
impossible to ride and keep the teams moving regularly.
The average speed of these trains of prairie schooners load-
ed and under full sail, was nearly fifteen miles per day, al-
though in fine weather and with excellent roads twenty miles
was occasionally made.
I remember distinctly the great steam wagon which
was brought west to revolutionize the freighting business
and to take the place of oxen. It was regarded by all the
nations with even more curiosity than the modern gasoline
racer now creates where it has never before been seen. The
steam wagon resembled somewhat the modern traction en-
gme only it was much larger. Had it been preserved instead
of dismantled and sold for scrap iron, it would have been an
interesting curio for exhibition. The family of the owner of
the machine was massacred by the Indians and he left the f
machine standing on my father's farm for a number of
years. It started west in about 1864 with about ten wagon
loads of freight. You will notice it wae one hundred and
twenty ox power. It did fairly well for about five miles and
then failed. The failure was due to too much weight per ox
power, and also too much weight for the small bridges on the
trail. It was the first real engine failure of western trans-
portation, and the failure was complete. The failure of that
steam wagon to do its work over prairie roads emphasized
the necessity of steel rails.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 65
An old time song of the plains, which became very pop-
ular was, "Root Hog or Die." The boys used to make the
welkin ring with old songs. Here it is:
ROOT HOG OR DIE
I'll tell you how it is when you first get on the r<>:id:
You've trot ;in awkward team and a very heavy load!
You've yrot to whip and holler, if you swear it's on the sly—
So punch your team alonji- boys and root hog- or die.
Oh it's every day at noon there's something to do;
And if there is nothing else, there'll be an ox to shoe.
So with a rope you throw him, and there you make him lie,
■ rill you tack on the shoes, boys, root hog or die.
Oh there's many strange sights to be seen along the road.
The antelope, the deer, the great big sandy toad.
The buffalo, the elk. the rabbits jump so high.
With all the bloody Indians too— root hog or 'die.
Times on Bitter Creek, they never can be beat:
Root hog or die is on every wagon sheet—
The sand within your throat, the dust within your eyes;
We are tough and we can stand it too— root hog or die.
We arrived in Denver on the 2.5th of June.
The people were surprised to see us come so soon!
But we are brave bull whacliers on whom .vou can rely,
To bend our backs and stand it too— root hog or die.
These stalwart men of the plains were a good natured
crowd. They went forth to their work and adventures as if
they were going to a picnic, and many of them met a fate
never to return. They had all kinds of trouble to overcome.
The question of feed and water for the stock was a most
difficult one. They could not take supplies with them, so
they had to select a route where the grass and water were
good.
The firm of Majors, Russell & Waddell, j5robably the
largest single firm of overland, freighters, owned at one time
six thousand wagons and seventy-five thousand oxen. It
,was no small job to look after such a caravan as that, as in
one train their outfit was estimated to reach forty miles in
length.
. Wood was scarce and hard to get. At certain points on
the Platte river it was sold at fifty dollars per cord. Had it
not been for buffalo chips for cooking purj)Oses, the wood
supply would have been still more of a problem.
Then there was the gentle savage abroad in the land,
the original scalpers in the transportation business. They
66 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
had to be reckoned with, and rates fluctuated more or less
with their behavior. Besides the Indians, there were vast
herds of buifalo, the bad weather, and an occasional rattle
snake bite to kill a man or a steer. Those men of our early
transportation had their difficulties just as we have now.
They had the Pawnee instead of the Populist; the Sioux in-
stead of the walking delegate: and the rattlesnake in place
of the demagogue. I am not sure but they had the best of
us.
In those days they had their fast and slow trains. Six
horse or mule stages was the rapid transit a generation ago,
and without any baggage except hand baggage. They were
glad to accommodate you or your friends at the rate of twenty-
five cents per mile per passenger — owner's risk of scalp.
The pony express was the fast mail, and the six horse stage
was the limited with no rebate for delays. The stage ride
and driver were more popular than the stage eating house.
The facilities for marketing and the high freight rates made
a limited bill of fare. Dried apple pie was a continuous jjer-
formance. As one of the stage drivers expressed it, "it was
dried apple pie from Genesis to Revelations." The following
lyric poem written by a regular passenger and scattered
broadcast along the line changed the bill of fare so that for
a while they only served the pie Sundays and holidays.
DRIED APPLE PIE,
I loathe, abhor, detest. desiMse,
Abominate diiecl ajiple pies.
I like sood bread, fi'ood meat
Or anything that's good to eat.
But of all poor grub beneath the skies
The poorest is dried apple pies.
Give me a toothache or sore eyes
In preference to such kinds of pies.
The farmer takes his earliest fruit.
'Tis wormy, bitter, and hard to boot.
They leave the cores to make us cough.
And don't take half the peelings off;
Then on a dirty cord are strung.
And from some chamber window hung;
And there they serve a roost for flies,
Until they're ready to make pies!
Tread on my coi-n.s or tell me hes.
But don't pass to me dried apple pies,
A story is told of a Pittsburg man who dined at one of
these eating houses and was served with a slice of fat pork.
TTTRTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 67
He remarked, "I never eat pork." "Very well," said the
bland waiter, "help yourself to the mustard. " Pork, mus-
tard and dried apple pie was the bill of fare at that house.
I am glad that I am owner of one of those old coaches.
My brother and I have the *one that Mark Twain, Generals
Sherman and Sheridan rode in part way across the plains.
It is the identical coach that was attacked in the Blue valley
during the last Indian raid in that region. It was formerly
known as Ben Holliday's private coach, and was the pala-
tial private car of that era. Mr. Holliday was the owner of
the stage line.
Have you ever thought how in one generation of man
the abridgment of distance has been accomplished? Today
with great luxury and ease and at a rate of less than three
cents a mile you may achieve in le§s than an hour what forty
years ago was a hard day's journey.
As we look back forty years and note the improvement
in transportation, we cannot but antir-ipate what the prog-
ress will be in the forty years to come. No one can tell
what is before us. We all know that some of the most re-
markable men of the last century have been identified with
this great problem of transportation; and the names of such
public benefactors as Stevenson, Bessemer, Morse, Pullman,
Westinghouse and Thos. A. Scott will always appear promi-
nent among tliose who have done much in extending civili-
zation and making traveling a luxury. Look at the great
plains of those days and behold the change. Civilization
with its railroads, its schools and churches, and millions of
fruitful farms has taken the place of the bullwhacker, the
buffalo and the Indian.
Nebraska and Kansas are now two of our very best ag-
ricultural states, and never in their history have the people
owned outright as much and owed as little as they do now.
Nature has done much for them, and now intelligent irriga-
tion is developing the arid plains on their western borders
and of the states beyond into farms and orchards that are
now and will continue to attract thousands who are seeking
new homes.
*It has been the pleasure of the aiithor of this book to see and ex-
amine the old coach at Arbor Lodge.
68 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
EXTRACTS FROM THE SCRAP BOOK
OF REV. BYRON BEAL
Rev. Byron Beal came to Nebraska with his parents in
the autumn of 1860 and settled ei^ht miles west of the site of
Grand Island at the mouth of Wood river. The author feels
that he has struck a mine of wealth in being permitted the
free use of the reverend's scrap book. From a series of most
interesting communications to the state papers we freely
quote.
Doctor Beal commences his papers with the grand old
poem, "Breaths there a soul so dead." Later the doctor
says, "If you will follow me I will draw aside the curtain
and permit you to look in u])on the life of the pioneer homes
of this state."
My father, Enos Beal, came from Wisconsin in the fall
of 1860 and took a claim and made settlement at the mouth
of Wood river. Grand Island city was not yet in existance.
Here he took a claim beside a man by the name of David
Crocker, who soon sold out to Fred Evans, the millionaire
owner of the health resort of Hot Springs, South Dakota,
who was at the time a poor man, a dashing dare devil plains-
man. A man of exploits as Indian fighter and buffalo hunter
and will be noticed later.
At this time I do not think there was a foot of rail-road
in the state. There was a telegraph (built that year) beside
which ran the four horse overland stages. Father had been
a man of wealth, but business reverses had swept it away
and here we were to build a new home.
Mr. Townsley put in a saw mill on Wood river and fa
ther built the first frame house in that country. To the
north or south there were no settlements for hundreds of
miles. West of us there were a few straggling settlers for
thirty miles until Ft. Kearney was reached.
Among these was Hon. 'James E. Boyd, later our gov-
ernor. He lived on Wood river twelve miles from the fort.
When a boy I worked for him a few weeks putting up hay
for the government. It seemed like old times and as if I
was a boy again as I met the governor a short time ago in
the city of Lincoln when he took me by the hand and called
me ' 'Byron, " and reminded me that I was getting gray. I said.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 69
"Governor you must remember that forty years have pass
ed since we were neighbors on Wood river."
I well remember some furious debates the governor used
to have with his father-in-law, a radical republican. No
man in that day doubted Mr. Boyd's democracy.
To the eastward eight miles awa.y was the German
settlement. Among the leading men of th^it day who yet
remain are Fred Hedde, Wm. Stalley and H. Koenig.
The little village of Columbus seventy miles to the east-
ward with but few scattering settlers between us and them.
There were less than thirty thousand people in the whole
territory. But mark you there was a sociability and hearti-
ness of welcome among the ])eople of that day never excelled
since, if indeed equaled. If any one had a little wheat
he went seventy- live miles to mill, somewhere north of Co-
lumbus. Potatoes were four dollars per bushel. 1 have
sold corn at $3. per bushel in ear and $3.50 shelled.
Our markets were at our doors; the vast trains of cover-
ed wagons that passed along on their way to Pike's Peak and
California with the soldiers at Ft. Kearney bought all we
had to sell.
The climate was much different than at present. Fear-
ful winds came in summer and downed trees, unroofed houses
and often hot winds came and withered the crops, and such
blizzards in winter and long droughts in summer. There
has not been anything like it of late years.
The thunder seemed to roll on the very ground and the
lightning was terrific, something fearful.
We lived here in peace for a while, but on the 5th of
Feb., 1862, our little settlement was thrown into a fever of
excitement, when two families were clothed in mourning.
On that day Captain J. P. Smith and two sons, Charles and
Willie, aged nine and twelve years with a four horse sled
and Alex Anderson, a fourteen year old neighbor boy with a
two horse sled, went to the Platte four miles away for loads
of wood and were all murdered by the Sioux Indians. It
was a small party of them out on a horse stealing expedition.
Mr. Anderson followed the boys to the river where he saw
Mr. Smith and a boy on each side of him fall down on the
ice shot to death with arrows. Little Willie was not quite
70 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
dead. They had started to run when shot. With agony in
his heart, Mr. Anderson wheeled his team around and drove
home and gave the alarm. Swift riders went up and down
the road and Mr. Wm. Eldige found the Anderson boy about
a hundred yards up the channel where he had run and was
killed. The parties put the four bodies on a sled and re-
turned home then pushed on after the Indians. A light
snow was falling and it obscured the trail and as there were
but few of them and they poorly armed they turned back.
I saw the horrid sight of Mr. Smith and three boys after
they were prepared for burial. I shall never forget that
sight, but certainly do not desire to see such another. Sadly
we lowered the coffins into one grave under an elm tree on
the banks of Wood river.
In following papers we will tell of the fate of those
murderous Indians that will fill you with sadness or glad-
ness as to whether you are a reformer or an old settler.
Trapping beaver, mink and otter in ls60 was quite prof-
itable. I have sold beaver skins from two to three dollars
per pound and they weighed from two to three pounds each.
One trip up the Platte, near Boyd's ranch and down the
river, I caught enough so I sold forty skins.
I think it was in 18(33 that three of us boys were camped
on the South Loup about ten miles above where Loup City
now stands. We went hunting and trapping when a band of
Sioux warriors passed one night with a dozen stolen horses
taken from the Pawnees. They passed within a few feet of
our wolf traps. We trailed them far away, but concluded
that we did not want to meet that crowd and we pulled for
home twenty-five miles away.
(Like the boy in the bear story the track was too fresh).
When we got home the whole county was in an uproar.
The Pawnees were out in full force after the Sioux and it was
thought that likely we were kilJed. Hunting butfalo was
the way the people got their meat. I once went out with a
party and got back with eleven quarters of meat for my
share and some hides.
I dropped a fine young bull at first shot. This is fine
sport as long as you are the hunter, but when an old bull
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 71
turns hunter and you are on foot then comes a time when
the bull has the fun.
I was out on Elm Creek west of Kearney in company
with an old hunter (Mr. Hiller). We slipped down a ravine
close to a herd and Hiller resting his gun over my back and
shot a cow. This performance was repeated several times,
we would lie down in the tall grass. We had three dead
cows within a hundred feet. By this time the herd was
thirty rods away and just on top of the hill. When his dead-
ly gun was turned on another cow she was hit. She whirled
and down the hill she came, striking a bee-line for us,
striking her front feet in a vicious way. She came like a
cyclone. I said to Hiller, "great guns; old man let's get out
of this." He said, "lie low and keep still." We did so and
the result proved just what Hiller predicted. She had not
seen us at all for she turned aside, ran down the gulch and
fell. Had we run she might have caught us.
Of course in those early days we had some bad men in Ne-
braska. Every body carried a pistol even to church. I car-
ried a navy then far more regularly than I now carry a pen-
knife.
It was a bad practice and is apt to breed a murderous
spirit.
There was a man named Slade near Laramie that was a
terror to the whole country; he was killed by the vigilantes.
The vigilantes were an excusable force in a new country.
Tom Keeler and two brothers were a hard lot. One of
these fellows was in constant dread as he carried a cocked
revolver in his belt.
I had to sleep with him one night and I objected to his
putting a cocked revolver under his pillow. So he hung it
up on a nail. Hank killed a man on the Platte with a double
barrel gun and my father defended him at his preliminary
trial. He was sent to the penitentiary at Lincoln and I be-
lieve he was burned to death at time of fire in the prison.
Tom was a small but desperate man. I was with an Omaha
wagon train once. The train was in charge of a big burly
ruffian named or known as "Big Burns," a gambler and gen-
eral bad man.
We camped on the Elkhorn when Burns and a lot of
72 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
drivers went over to Tom Keeler's two miles away and got to
gambling and in the midst of the game Tom blew out the
lights, drew his gun, knocked Burns down and coolly rob-
bed him of several hundred dollars with the house full of
men. I saw Burns next morning; he looked bad. Tom got
into trouble with a neighbor and they had sworn to kill on
sight and Tom was the victim. He went dead the first round.
Horse stealing was considered the crime of crimes to be
punished with death. A little Frenchman stole an Arabian
horse at Lone tree (now Central City). He crossed the Platte
and joined a train for the west. John Rise and Ben
Johnson (men that I knew) followed and captured him, hung
him on an island and threw the body into the river.
I am heartily glad to say the neighbors did not justify
this murder. But in some cases linch law did seem neces-
sary else the whole country would have been given up to
thieves and murders.
Grasshoppers came, time and again destroyed our crops.
Our political meetings of that day were held in our
log school houses. Governor Thayer, Senator Tipton and
Governor Butler were among our first political speakers in
Hall county. These men were then young and in their prime
and made speeches that I have never heard excelled. In
gratitude I mention my adopted father Hon. Enos Beal. He
was Probate judge two terms in Hall county and a member
of the Legislature. He was a man of remarkable powers of
mind, a genial whole souled Christian gentleman whom I
loved as I loved no other man on earth and "our Nebraska"
is dearer to me because it holds his ashes.
The doctor here pays a very high tribute to our '.'grand
old man," Colonel, General, Senator and Governor Thayer,
but as these pages contain another sketch of him we omit
this.
(The religious meetings on the frontier has never been
excelled to our knowledge. They were held sometimes in a
mill, sometimes in the loft of a barn or in a log cabin.)
Rev. Thos B. Lemon was about the first to visit us. We
all loved that great hearted brainy man of God, an honor to
humanity and the Christian ministry.
I cannot forget how Rev. John L. Martin, on bended
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 73
knees and with streaming eyes, besought the people to be-
come Christians. Then Rev. Jenny and Rev. Marquette
that did grand work for the master in the wilderness. Many
times we were long times without churches and ministers,
Ijut we were not without God.
Some of the grandest thoughts of God and our own lit-
tlenesfj comes to us when alone viewing his wonderful woi'ks.
The man only, is educated who studies nature, men, and
books and God. And although without churches we were
not without religious instruction.
We had many terrific prairie fires in 18ii0 however, little
destruction was wrought because there were few houses and
no cattle to burn. The sight of a prairie tire at night wlien
the long line extended for miles was a grand one and most
beautiful. Sometimes, however, it lost its charming features
where it was headed our way. One night a great tire swept in
from the north, le^s^ped the tire guard and burned father's
stable with two fine work horses and also my nice colt that
I had just bought. This was my first horse that Iliad saved
my money and paid for. My boyish grief was unbounded.
The coming of the U. P. railroad wrought mighty
changes. Before this lands had little value, but with it
came a mighty tide of people. Cities sprang up along the
line as if by magic, and almost before we w^ere aware of it,
we were surrounded on every side by the forces of Chris-
tain civilization.
I remember the event in 1867 of a young lawyer, the
forerunner of a new intellectual life as the railroad marked a
new era in material progress. Word spread far and wide
that a lawyer had come. I had seen Indians, buffalo, f i-eight-
ers and Mormon trains. I new how to drive oxen, I could
ride a broncho, had traversed the plains. I was indeed quite
a traveler, but in all my rounds had not seen a live lawyer.
So I saddled my broncho and straped on my Colt revolvers
and rode down to Grand Island to see the new and strange
sight, a lawyer. It was our O. A. Abbott.
The first editor of our community was the irrepressable
Seth P. Mobley and his superior half, Mrs. Mobley. She
was the best writer of the two. My '"first ride on the rail"
was from Grand Island to Omaha, fare $15. It was in spring
74 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
time when the valley was largely under water. We had rid-
den ten miles when we came to a dead stand still and the
conductor stuck his head into our car and yelled out, "You
folks who want to go to Omaha, come out and help get the
tender on the track." Out we went and helped pry it on,
then run the train by hand around a bend. We walked part
of the way and pushed. We boated it across the Elkliorn.
After a night and day of labor of this sort we reached Omaha.
Here the Rev. indulges in a little moral lesson. He says:
I have been in almost every town in the state before the ad-
vent of a railroad to their i^lace and heard the fervent pray-
ers of the people for the coming of a railroad, but no sooner
do they come than "Hades, is to pay and the company is
charged as robbers without mercy." Tj an old fogy this
looks funny.
In closing the doctor says, 'Young men and young wo-
men of Nebraska, Yours is a goodly parentage, yours were
noble sires, prove yourselves worthy to live in this grand
state. It is a grand heritage to be decendants of the first
settlers of this commonwealth. They were educated in the
great university of trial and conflict with the untamed forces
of a new land. You are enjoying the fruit of their labors. '
I teach my children to be especially reverent to the
old settlers and the old soldiers.
For myself I feel like saying of Nebraska and her people
as Ruth said to Naomi, "Thy people shah be my people and
thy God shall be God, where thou diest there will I die and
there will I be buried."
Our state has a grand future. We live in a wonderful
century. Our country is moving forward and upward to-
ward the sun kissed mountain peaks where righteousness
reigns. Up where the fatherhood of God and the brother-
hood of man will not only be beautiful in sentiment, but in
Uving principles observed by all.
God grant that in this ujiward march of our race to bet-
ter things our state may keep well to the front.
I close in the language of the immortal Grady. "The
trend of the times is with us. The world moves steadily
from gloom to brightness and bending down humbly as
Elisha did and praying that my eyes may be made to see,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 75
I catch the vision of this republic, its mighty forces in bal-
ance, and its unspeakable glory falling on all its children,
plenty streaming from its borders and lights from its moun-
tain tops, working out its mission under God's approving
eye until the dark continents are opened, and the highways
are established and the shadows lifted and under one lan-
guage, one liberty and one God, all the nations of the
world harken to the American drum beat in which favored
land, Nebraska I ("our beloved Nebraska") shall be one of the
chief est states and shall march amid the breaking of the
millenial dawn into the paths of righteousness and peace."
In looking through the doctor's scrap book, we find
some thrilling events related which we must give on the
subject of "Hunting for scalps."
The avenging of the murder of Smith and the three
boys at Wood River.
Upon the death of Smith and the boys, Fred Evans
mounted his swiftest horse, (he had good ones) and he was
noted as being the hardest rider in Central Nebraska, well
armed with six-shooters, rode in hot haste to Kearney to in-
form the commander that he might at once get his soldiers
on the trail. But that coward did not propose to risk his
worthless carcass on so perilious a mission and so informed
Evans. This caused the brave plainsman to boil over with
wrath and he denounced the captain as a coward and a
fraud.
Evan's work was not entirely lost. A company was
sent a little way up Wood River but soon returned. Mean
time John Talbot of Doby Town, with a small company of
settlers captured fourteen Sioux a little w^ay east of the Fort
and thinking them to be the murders, took them to the Fort
and gave them over to the military. The captain turned
two of them loose and told them to go to their camp and in-
form the chiefs that unless the murderers were given up
the twelve w^ould be shot or hanged. The Indians soon re-
turned with the news that if the twelve Indians were not
turned loose immediately there would be, ere long, some
more dead white men in that section. The coward turned
the cut throats free. From, this hour hostilities were on.
Soon another band of fifteen Sioux came from the north and
76 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
stopped about six miles west of the scene of tragedy and
killed some oxen of a settler who locked himself up in his
house, then the Indians struck north, when seventeen set-
tlers pursued in haste, and as they remembered the perfidy
of the captain at the Fort, resolved to take no prisoners.
The trail was lost in the sand hills and the Indians escaped.
But now a new party appears as crafty and cunning as the
Sioux and as rapid riders as the best, the Pawnees, overtook
a band of Sioux on Wood River and in the midst of a winter
blizzard entered their camp and killed all but one of the
band. They returned and came to the widow Smith's home
with the bloody scalps to show the poor woman how^ that
they had avenged the murder of her husband and children.
There w^as apparently peace now for a while. In May, 1861,
I was camped with three teams on the Platte for two months.
There were five of us including two young w^omen. All of a
sudden we were surrounded by a war i^arty of Cheyennes,
numbering about one hundred and fifty. They had just
come from a tight with the Pawnees where they had the
worst of it and were not in good humor. They pulled out
papers, however, to prove that they were good ingins.
They wanted Hour, meat and everything else in the eating
line. Just then we had nothing too good for them, although
we did not feel so very generous in our hearts. The scoun-
drels stole two blankets while they were parading as "good
Indians. ''
(Here the doctor reads a little lecture to Dr. Geo L. Mil-
ler that was sensible but space forbids it a space here.)
In 1864 the Sioux attacked Martin's ranch on the Platte
and shot two boys, Nathan and Robert, who were riding a
stallion. These boys were pinned together and fell off the
horse and were passed by. They both recovered. Later
came the massacre of a train at Plum Creek. These were
immigrants followed by the stampede of settlers, beginning
at Boyd's ranch and extended to every part of Nebraska
west of the Missouri river settlements, and even the resi-
dents of Omaha and Nebraska City trembled. It was a ter-
rible panic stricken stampede from the mountains to the
river. We went that night to the German settlement, eight
miles, where Wm. Stally built a fort of logs 24x24 and others
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 77
put up sod forts around Koenigs and Wiches store. The
ci'owd went on to Columbus and there halted. It was a
motley crowd of wagons, cattle, horses, men, women and
children. It was a solid mass of confusion.. At Columbus
Fred Evans organized a small party on swift horses well
armed and went back to learn of the true situation. The
danger did not prove so great as feared and soon most of us
returned to our homes.
About this time Mr. Storey, a blacksmith near Boyd's
ranch was killed while away on a hunt. Soon eight Indians
came to the ranch and were taken by a squad of soldiers who
set out for Fort Kearney and camped on an island and later
reported that the Indians escaped, but later confessed that
they killed them. (There were more interesting incidents
related in these reminiscences but space forbids and we close
their recital reluctantly.)
Am glad for my readers that I got hold of the doctor's
scrap book.
HISTORICAL LETTER OF DR. GEO. MILLER
I arrived in Council Bluffs on the night of the 18th of
October, 1854, after an overland journey of five days and
four nights in a Concord coach of the Western Stage Com-
pany from Keokuk, Iowa. I had come from my home in
Syracuse, N. Y., by way of St. Louis and steamer to Keokuk
by appointment to meet my father, the late L. Miller, by
whose influence I was persuaded to become a citizen of the
new territory which was born into the Union in the earlier
months of that year. I accompanied him in the wild venture
to the new land on that delightful journey. On the morning
of the 20th of October we crossed the Missouri, planted foot
on Nebraska soil, and took our first view of the untamed re-
gion from what is now the chief town in one of the youngest
and greatest agricultural states of the national sisterhood.
My age was twenty -four, I was by profession a physician,
and I claim whatever distinction may attach to the fact that
I was the first medical practicioneer bearing proper creden-
tials who located in Nebraska. My wife, the bride of a year,
was left to the hospitality of kindred in Ann Arbor, Michi-
78 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA
gan while I came on to spy out the land and select our future
home. "Omaha City" was the name of the place which had
been playing havoc with my imagination for several months,
from pictures of its importance and glowing promises that
had come to me from my father who had the disadvantage
of never having seen it himself. When I say that the ter-
ritory did not contain a single white tiller of the soil at that
day, and that Omaha consisted of a map of three hundred
twenty acres subdivided into town lots, numerous wdiite
stakes, not more than a dozen white people w^ho could truth-
fully say they were residents, and noD a house that would
not disgrace the name, some idea may be had of the scene
that first impressed the immigrant from imperial New York.
The great motionless ocean of prairie land was spread out
in the attractive contrasts of rolling upland and valley with
the familiar browns of autumnal vegetation lighted up by
warm sunshine which descended from beautiful cloudless
skies through a hazy atmosphere in a way that no other
country dare attempt for a comparison. Apart from these
natural charms of scene, wildness and chaos was on every
hand, and confronting all was the discouraging legend of
the great "American Desert." But aboriginal savagery was
here to aid the work of disenchantment in the form of the
first Indian, the real thing, I had ever seen except the half-
civilized Iroquoise of the New York reservations.
The Omahas were camped in their tepees on the low-
lands where the smelter works and Union Pacific shops are
now; bucks, squaws, papooses, ponies, dogs, and wigwams
in marching disorder. They were resting for a few days on
their way to their annual hunt in the Elkhorn valley region
where the burly bison, elk. deer, antelope, and other game
abounded, and which is now one of the agricultural gardens
that constitute the backbone of the state. They were friend-
ly, but sullen, and looked upon the white man with mingled
expressions of sadness and curiosity. They had been bayo-
neted to their doom by the merciless rapacity of the greatest
land pirates on earth, and they knew their fate.
My first patient in the new country was a man who was
not very patient after I reached him in the corner of a floor-
less and roofless log cabin, whose sole companion was a jug
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 79
of whiskey which, though speechless, told the sad tale. He
was dead from alcoholic poisoning. The next victim of my
professional prowess was an Omaha papoose. I had brought
with me a tin sign which bore the warning in gilded letter-
ing of the two words, "Doctor Miller," which had done duty
two years in Syracuse. I announced myself by placing it
between two twisted boards of a cottonwood boarding shanty
that was about fourteen feet long with a small room for the
wife and baby of Mr. Bedell, the sole proprietor, who kept a
boarding place without any place inside to board. My "of-
fice" was on the broad prairie outside of the structure. An
Indian was told that the sign meant "medicine man," and I
had my second "call," to which I was in great dread of re-
sponding with visions of tomahawks iand .scalping knives
dancing through my thoughts in alarming confusion. With
every hair on my head ready to rise, I invaded the Indian
camp to find a beautiful child fatally sick with double
pneumonia. It died the same night, and, in a joculiar way,
the story was told in Sunday schools, and survives to this
day with the question: "Are you the Doctor Miller who
killed the papoose?" That question was asked of me a year
ago on an Omaha street car. I would like to paint the scene
of sorrow which touched my own heart with the keenest
sympathy, with the grandfather, grandmother, father and
mother of the dying child, when I gave sign to the inmates
of that mourning Indian household that there was no hope
for it. The next day the father appeared plastered all over
with clay as a badge of sorrow, with no other dress than a
breech clout and moccasins.
My professional life, so far, had not given me a very
wide name for skill in my profession. At that time deer
were hunted in what is now the wholesale business center of
the city, and wolves yelped discordantly all over the town at
night. I was homesick and wanted to "get out of the wil-
derness," and made known my yearning to Gov. Thomas B.
Cuming, whose name and influence had much to do with my
coming out to the new country. He ordered me to go to
Ann Arbor, of whose university he was a graduate, and get
my wife, which I did without a day's delay, and here is the
woman with the golden hair and gentle heart, as brave as
80 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
any other soldier in the combat of trials and tribulations in
the conquest of new countries who ever lived, or died.
Cuming was a remarkable man, intellectually brilliant
and full of executive ability, courage and aggressive force.
The death of Gov. Burt a few days after his arrival from
his South Carolina home devolved upon Cuming the respon-
sibility of organizing the territory under civilized rule, be-
cause the Organic Act provided that the secretary of the
territory should be the acting governor on the death or in
the absence of the governor. With what intelligent resolu-
tion and wisdom he created counties, election districts, polls
for voting where there were no voters, and the first legislat-
ive body for the enactment of laws, all by the fiat of proc-
lamations, which were models of style, history will not allow
future generations to forget. One illustration of how the
first law-givers of Nebraska were created must suffice. It
was the Burt county district to which, I think, one member
of the Council (Senate) and two representatives were allotted.
There was not a" white resident in all that region. But B. L.
Polsom, a resourceful pioneer and a near relative of Mrs.
Grover Cleveland, was equal to the occasion, and he, H. C.
Purple of Council Bluffs, and two or three others started out
from Omaha one fine morning with a team, tent, equipage,
and both solid and liquid supplies, to have an election in
Burt county. And they had it after this fashion: they
pitched their tent in Washington county, instead of Burt,
opened the polls, and voted for themselves, and each other
in due form; the ballots being deposited in a cigar box; a
canvas of the ballots was made on the spot by the voters
who acted as an election board; they were all "elected," for-
mal "returns*' were made out and sent to Gov Cumings, and
certificates of election were duly issued upon which they
took their seats in the capitol of the Territory where they
served forty days and many nights in bringing it under codes
of civil and criminal law. I was thosen chief clerk of the
Council, which consisted of thirteen members, by a majority
of one vote. Joseph L. Sharp, representing the Cass coun-
ty district, was actually a citizen and resident of Glen wood,
Iowa, and never resided in Nebraska a day in liis life, either
then or afterwards, but was chosen president of the Council,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 81
and he was a very able and dignified presiding officer. My
pay was $4.00 per diem for keeping the legislative journals,
and I worked on an average fifteen hours a day. My home
that winter was about a mile and one-half northwesterly
from the scene of my labors, and consisted of a single room,
perhaps twelve by fourteen feet in area walled in by cotton-
wood boards which were decorated on the inside by one coat
of what was called plaster, which was mostly clay, and which
seemed to have been thrown on the wall with a scoop shov-
el. That home was in keeping with other hovels in which
the founders of Omaha lived that winter; and the one room
served as parlor, bed- room, kitchen and laundry with great
versatility. A single tallow candle at the only window,
which was of an unpainted sash, was my guiding star as I
walked and wandered at about one o'clock at night, not one
human habitation intervening on the way from the capitol
to the frail box in which I lived. But for the mild and
beautiful winter of 1854-55, the place would have been unin-
habitable. Food supplies for the people came from Coun-
cil Bluffs and the sparse settlements near that town, except
side meat of hogs, canned stuff, with cove oysters from Bal-
timore. Eggs were so scarce that as high as a dollar a doz-
en was paid for them by the few who could pay the price.
It may be said that the first year of the white occupation
was one of doubt, hope, and expectation, just as subsequent
years were those of gradual discovery and advancement.
The panic of 1857 practically destroyed and depopulated
Omaha. No agriculture, no railroads or telegraphs, no com-
munication, except occasional boats by river marked this
part of the country, and revival came only through the dis-
covery of gold in Colorado, which was soon followed by the
construction of the Union Pacific railroad.
I cannot better close this article than by a mere mention
of the larger men who laid the foundations of Nebraska.
The Mortons, Masons, Nuckolls, and Furnas of the South
Platte section; the Cumings, Creightons, Poppletons, Pat-
ricks, Merediths, Woolworths, Hanscome, Ferguson, Esta-
brook, Lakes, Byers, Doanes, Wakeleys and Folsoms of the
North Platte, are names that will live on in the history of
82
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the now young and powerful state among its chief founders,
and future generations will preserve them with honor in its
enduring annals.
Geo. L. Miller.
DR, GEORGE L. MILLER
One of the few Nebraska architects and great builders
who helped to lay broad and deep foundations fifty years
ago is the person of Dr. Miller, physician, editor, and orator.
Our great and honored citizen was born among the rugged
hills of old York state at Boonville, in 1830. Like most New
York boys, George put in much time grubbing brush, burn-
ing log heaps, picking up stone, and navigating a stone
boat, but this manner of life did not quite suit the high-
minded boy. He was one of the kind that took to books,
and many an old tallow dip did he burn in gaining knowl-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 83
edge of the world. He outgrew the httle red school house
of his day, and hied himself away to Syracuse, where he, in
due time, graduated in the College of Physicians, in 1852.
Then he stuck up his shingle in Syracuse and practiced two
years, when he heard of Nebraska, just as it was organized
as a territory. He was not long in iinding the trail which
he followed to Omaha. However, before coming west he had
wooed and won the heart and hand of Miss Harriet E.
Dickinson December, 1853, at Syracuse, and their wedding
trip was toward the setting sun. She was a native of Syra-
cuse, born in 18^4. The Doctor practiced his profession in
the little city with success for about eleven years, but some-
how while ministering to the wants of the sick, he had his
keen eye on politics, and took a great interest in the great
questions of the day. It cannot be said that Dr. Miller was
ever an office seeker. He was more a sort of a power behind
the throne, in his party. In the councils of his party he
was always, and even to this day, a leader. In 1865 he
dropped the pill bags, and founded the Omaha Herald, which
he edited with great ability for twenty-three years. Under
his guiding hand the Democratic party had a great defender
and wise exponent. The Herald never forgot Omaha, and
our Nebraska always had a true and valuable friend. The
Doctor did very much for his city and state by the use of his
ever ready and able pen. Some years ago he met with fi-
nancial disaster with so many other brave Nebraska men,
and his ample fortune was swept away, and at the same time
the fire fiend Visited his home and the beautiful mansion at
Seymour Park was destroyed. About the same time the
death angel visited the home and took his life companion
from him. After years of loneliness, he found a new com-
panion. Miss Prances Briggs, a New Hampshire lady, and
he is again blessed in his old age with a home where love
dwells. Dr. Miller is an honored member of the A. P. and
A. M., and the church home is with the Trinity Episcopal
people.
84
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
J, STERLING MORTON, THE FATHER OF ARBOR DAY
Others will write the story of the life and labors of Sec-
retary Julius Sterling Morton,- but we deem it a privilege to
pay this small tribute to the memory of one that has done
so much for Nebraska. In 1902, just after Mr. Morton was
called from earth, it was our privilege to w^ander over Califor-
nia and our way led us through the great redwood grove near
Sante Cruz, where we were permitted to dedicate a great
tree to the memory of our friend. This beautiful tree of
ponderous size stands in the middle of the great park. It is
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 85
symmetrical, lifting its branches two hundred and seventy
feet.
Upon our return home at the meeting of the Nebras-
ka Historical Society, a resolution was offered and adopted
to place a bronze tablet upon the tree in memory of the
Father of Arbor Day. The author and Dr. Geo. L. Miller,
of Omaha, were appointed a committee to attend to ihe
matter. A beautiful bronze tablet was secured. It was two
feet square, containing this inscription; on the upper left
hand corner was the mandate, "Plant truths," on the upper
right hand corner the words, "Plant trees."
"In memory of J. Sterling Morton, Father of Arhor Day, Born
April 22, 1832 ; Died April 26, 1902. By order of State Historical So-
ciety of Nebraska. ' '
In 1904 on Arbor day the good people of Sante Cruz,
led by the Mayor and assisted by the city schools, received
the tablet with fitting ceremonies and placed it on the great
tree.
Letters from President Roosevelt, Secretary Wilson
and many other distinguished men were read and the follow-
ing address from chairman Cox, of the committee, to the
people of California was read:
To his Excellency Governor Pardee, and the Hon. D. C.
Clark, Mayor of Sante Cruz, California, and All the
Good People of the Golden State, the People of Nebras-
ka Send Greeting:
In the name and by the authority of the State Histori-
cal Sqciety of Nebraska, it becomes our pleasant duty to pre-
sent to you this beautiful bronze tablet in memory of our
greatest citizen that has finished his work and gone to
his reward on this, the seventy-second anniversary of his
birth, and on the thirty-second anniversary of Arbor day as
established by the legislature of our young commonwealth.
May I tell you in brief of the life work of Julius Ster-
ling Morton.
He accomplished two praiseworthy feats in the state of
Michigan before his removal to Nebraska. He graduated
in the state university at Ann Arbor, then married Miss
Joy and with his noble bride came straightway to the new
territory of Nebraska in 1854, where he at once commenced
86 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
helping to lay deep and broad foundations for our great
commonwealth.
He was among the very first to put in motion, that en-
gine of magic power, the printing press, editing the Nebras-
ka City News, commencing in the spring of 1855. The pa-
per was first i3ublished in the old government block house.
He was one among the first to till our virgin soil. He
located at what the world now knows as Arbor Lodge, near
Nebraska City, and there began in a business way to make
a home. He and his good wife began planting trees and it
would do your soul good, ladies and gentlemen, to see Arbor
Lodge to-day, with its wealth of shade and fruit.
Mr. Morton was called by President Buchanan to other
duties. He became secretary of the infant territory, and was
acting governor twice during his administration. He per-
formed well whatever his hands found to do, but his politi-
cal creed was not in accord with the majority of our state
and for long years it became his jDleasant duty to lead our
people to a higher plain in agriculture. He became a model
farmer, but his principal delight and highest ambition was
to clothe our boundless prairies with groves of timber. He
saw the great necessity of our people. He saw with his
keen eye the wanton waste of our forests in the states,
where nature had blessed the people with forests. His
great soul was all on fire on this important subject. It was
his study by day and by night. His great efforts and the
inspiration of his life caused such an awakening that con-
gress took the matter in hand and passed the timber culture
act and the forest reserve act, and the Nebraska legisla-
ture was induced to name Arbor day as a holiday and also
encourage the planting of trees by relieving certain lands
from taxation, where timber was planted and cultivated.
Nebraska taking the lead in establishing Arbcr day as a hol-
iday, nearly all our states have followed as well as many na-
tions of the world. When Nebraska became a state in 1867
it was a boundless prairie, with scarcely a tree or shrub in
sight, except along a few of the streams. Now it is dotted
all over with beautiful groves of timber, aggregating thous-
ands of millions of trees. The great middle west is now
beautiful with hundreds of thousands of groves that are a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 87
joy to all beholders,- giving shelter from the chilling winter
winds and a cooling shade in summer, and adding a great
wealth of fuel and useful timber for a thousand uses.
One of the sages w^rote the axiom: "The man who
causes two blades of grass to grow where only one grew be-
fore, is a benefactor." Then how much more is our hero a
benefactor, that has led the way in planting countless mill-
ions of the grandest plants upon the earth.
In recognition of his great service to the country and to
mankind, President Cleveland called him to a place in his
cabinet, and he became, in 1H92, the secretary of agriculture.
In organizing the department of agriculture he displayed
such business ability that he was soon recognized as the
master mind of the administration.
Now, my fellow citizens of our great republic, is it not
most fitting that this noble character should have his name
carried to future generations as an inspiration V And now
we ask the good and wise people of California to accept
this table and place it upon this giant of the forest, he loved
so well. Grand tree, that has stood for so many centuries,
'till thou hast, with thy roots, penetrated deeply in the soil
of California, and upon thy great symmetrical trunk, lifted
thy evergreen sombrero high up toward the sky, where it
has kissed the breezes of the great ocean for thousands of
years. Now thou hast another duty to perform. Thou
mayest carry upon thy body this memorial of thy greatest
friend, as an inspiration to all people, and countless gener-
ations yet unborn. May thy majestic form stand through
the coming centuries, the delight of all beholders bearing
this precious memorial in everlasting bronze, and may the
children to the remotest generation gain a new and better
inspiration as they gaze upon the ponderous form in all
your grandeur, bearing the name of one that has accomp-
lished so much for humanity!
With the kindest regards of all true Nebraskans, to
your great and growing commonwealth, we have the honor
of being your obedient servant, W. W. Cox,
Chairman Committee.
88
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
GENERAL JOHN M, THAYER
Full fifty years ago John came to Nebraska from the
Old Bay state where he was born, 1820. He received a lib-
eral education and spent his young manhood as teacher in
the common schools, and was married in 1843 to Miss Mary
T. Allen, of his native state. They were the parents of six
children, two of which yet live, viz., Geo. D. and John M.,
Jr.
Mr. Thayer had not long to wait in Nebraska until there
was something to do.
The first legislature in the winter of 1855 made Mr.
Thayer commander of the militia to defend the frontier
from the marauding Indians and he performed these duties
from 1855 to 1861.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 89
General Thayer had led squads of militia at different
times ag-ainst troublesome Indians, but the story which we.
wish to tell here is a peculiar episode in military history.
The Pawnees had been committing depredations along the
Elkhorn river, and urgent word was sent to Omaha asking
for protection. The Governor was absent at least from Oma-
ha and Secretary J. Sterling Morton was in that case com-
mander-in-chief of the militia. It was suspected that Gov.
Black might be absent from the territory.
The Secretary saw there was an emergency and a hur-
ried consultation with General Thayer resulted in an order
to march at once against the red-skins. Gen. Thayer prompt-
ly obeyed the order. He raised about forty men in Omaha
and left that night at midnight and pushd on to Fontanelle
where the panic stricken people were assembled. Two
days later a sufticient force was gathered to jDursue the
Pawnees with a force of one hundred and ninety-four men.
He had one cannon, the only piece of artillery in the territory.
He took the trail and pursued the Indians in hot haste. There
were five thousand Pawnees and they had devastated the
whole settlement along the Elkhorn river. They had five
hundred ponies and these had been turned into the growing
crops of the settlers.
The commander had secured the co-operation and assit-
ance of Gen. Curtis, an Iowa citizen, and Lieutenant Robin-
son of the U. S Cavalry dragoons and with the force as well
organized as possible under the conditions, they were push-
ing to the front. When Gov. Black got wind of what was
going on he immediately took the trail and appeared in
camp the 4th day just at night fall. The Governor of course
was commander-in-chief, but unfortunately hear, he was par-
tially intoxicated. Now Gen. Thayer. (He had had that title
conferred by the Legislature) was in a "quandry" to know
just what to do with a commander over him in a state of in-
toxication.
The general found the governor's demijohn while the
governor was asleep and emptied it. Far away from civihza-
tion and long before the terrible scenes of the war in which
Gen. Thayer so wonderfully distinguished himself, he was
brought face to face with one of the most trying ordeals of
90 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
his eventful life with all the responsibility of success or
failure resting upon his shoulders with a commander-in-chief
over him in a condition of intoxication.
They were in the noon camp the following day with
Gov. Black hid away from public gaze in a tent guarded by
soldiers, when the governor sent for Lieutenant Robinson
to come to the tent. The lieutenant obeyed. When the
governor issued this famous order, "Colonel, I order you
to take seventy-five men and go over to Columbus (away
over on the Platte) and procure ten barrels of whiskey and
four sacks of Hour."
Col. Robinson was schooled in the regular army and
knew that orders of superior must be obeyed. Gen. Thayer
rose to the occasion. He readily learned that this famous
order would create insubordination in the camp. Loud
rautterings were heard among the men cursing the governor.
Gen. Thayer at once mounted his horse and in a sentorian
voice he called out "Attention Battalion! Fall into line! and
prepare to march." Every man rose to his position and
obeyed orders. There was no more sign of mutiny ; that ques-
tion was settled.
He then detailed two soldiers to take the governor from
the tent, place him in an ambulance and take seats beside
him and allow no man to approach him but himself, and if
he objects "You put him in at all hazards."
The General saw that he must act promptly and with
determination, and it ended the trouble. The expedition
was successful. It met fourteen hundred warriors and sub-
dued them without (by strategy) firing a gun. We would
gladly follow up this interesting story of the Pawnee war
but space forbids. We, however, refer the reader to pages
231 to 246 of volume 5 of the second series of the Nebraska
Historical Transactions for a full account of the same.
When the thunder drums began to beat in the year of
IRfil, our friend readily heard and at once set about organ-
izing the Nebraska first regiment, of which he was elected
the first Colonel. That grand regiment that did such grand
work in the Sanguinary conflicts, where it had such an hon-
orable part. Its history, if it could all be told, would make
a volume of surpassing interest, and we have thought that
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 91
if it should fall to our lot to ever write another book, that
above all subjects we would choose the work of the Nebraska
First on the field of glory.
We cannot ti^U here of the thousand valorous deeds of
Colonel Thayer, Brigadier General Thayer and of Major
General Thayer. They are written in the chronicles of the
greatest conflict of history. His name shines out grandly
among the bright stars. Always true and brave, always
kind and gentle and always ready to dare ai;d do what his
Chief commanded. When the white dove of peace again
came to bless our land, Gen. Thayer returned to us covered
with honors. Our first state legislature honored him with
a seat in the United States senate, where in the troublous
days of re-construction, he did good work for the country,
while never forgetting his loved Nebraska. Then he was
honored by his old Commander, General Grant, by the ap-
pointment as Governor of Wyoming Territory; and then the
good people of his adopted state conferred upon him twice
the honors (the greatest in their gift) of Governor of the
state. Truely he has been a most faithful servant and is
justly entitled to all honors.
He has now retired from active life, but in his green
old age he enjoys the love and friendship of a grateful peo-
ple. His noble life companion was taken from him some
years ago and the dear old man now in his 86th year, just
having passed the 85th mile stone, now has to "tread the wine
press alone."
GOV. ROBERT WILKINSON FURNAS
Is a man so well known to this generation of Nebras-
kans that our poor pen is hardly capable of doing him jus-
tice. In the language of another, he was a man that "does
things."
Governor was a man of "strenuous life." The first im-
portant step he took in Nebraska was to edit a live paper,
the Brownville Advertiser. It was a first class, newsy, clean
paper intended to advance the best interests of the new Ter-
ritory. It was republican in politics. The Advertiser
92 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
poured hot shot into the camp of the democratic federal of-
fice holders.
He began immediately to take an interest in the agri-
cultural development of the territory, and helped organize
the Agricultural Society, and was a main spoke in the wheel
at our first territorial fair, held in the fall of 1859 at Neb-
raska City.
Mr. Furnas landed in the territory at Brownville, April
6, 1853. He was a brigadier general of Nebraska militia at
the opening of the war. He received a commission as colo-
nel at the hands of the immortal Lincoln in the Union army,
and later was colonel of the Second Nebraska cavalry, and
was sent against the depredating Indians in the northwest.
He has been President of the State Board of Agricul-
ture twelve years, and was serving the board as its sec-
retary twenty-two years. He was elected governor in 1872
on the republican ticket by the largest vote ever cast up to
that date. He served honorably and well. He was Presi-
dent of the State Historical Society, and refused after a long
term of years to accept its further honors; but upon the
death of Hon. J. Sterling Morton, was induced to accept the
place again, and he retained it up to the annual meeting of
1905, when he declined to be a candidate. Gov. Furnas was
born among the blue clay hills of old Miami County, Ohio,
when it was pretty much of a wilderness, May 5, 1824, and
remained there until seventeen, when by some hook or crook
he took the southern trail and landed in old Kentucky; but
that old rocky-tumble down town of Covington did not suit
hi-n; so he went to Cincinnatti where he found his best
girl, Miss Mary E. McComas and was married there October
29, 1845. She was an Ohio girl, born in Green county, De-
cember 2^^, 1828. Eight children came to brighten and bless
their home, viz., William E., Arthur W., Fillmore T., Geo.
G., John S., Mollie, now Mrs. Wm. H. Weeber, andCeliaH.,
now Mrs. E. E. Lowman.
The Governor had a membership in all branches of the
Masonic and also tin) I. O. O. F. fraternities. He was born
a Quaker but later was connected with the Presbyterian
church. His noble wife, who had been such a grand helper
in all his early struggles, was taken from him some years
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 93
ago. December 25, 1901, he married Mrs. Susanah E. Jami-
son, and again had a happy home. He resided continu-
ously at the first old home in Brownville almost fifty years.
Governor Furnas has been a very active man all his
Nebraska days. In tree planting he has been a success.
Next to Morton, he has done more to encourage forestry and
fruit growing than any other citizen. He has through all
the years taken a keen interest in horticultural society work.
He was a pleasant speaker and a good writer. He was al-
ways listened to with pleasure, and his writings always find
attentive and interested readers. The readers of this vol-
ume are especially requested to read his pen pictures of the
long ago. We can't tell a tenth of what we would like to say
for Gov. Furnas. The dear old man finished his work and
went to his reward June 1, 1905.
REV. J, M, YOUNG, FOUNDER OF LINCOLN
Among the grand men that helped so well to lay these
foundations, was the Rev. John M. Young the founder of
Lincoln, an old, tried and true friend of the author.
The good old man finished his work and went to his re-
ward, Feb. 26th, 1884. We clip from the State Journal
a tribute to his memory paid by the writer on Feb. 27th,
1884, as follows:
Our hearts are very sad as we read in yesterday's Journ-
al that our dear old friend, Elder Young, has passed away.
Of the useful and good, he was among the best. All
that knew him well, loved him well. He was a worker in all
useful fields. Where any good was to be accomplished no
task was too hard for him. He would face winter storms,
camp out at night, or do anything to further the work his
hands found to do. He was among the most enterprising,
helping other people to help themselves. He loved to make
money for the sole purpose of doing good With it. Place a
mountain of gold at his door and he could not be rich while
any one was in need or there was a laudable enterprise to
help. The city of Lincoln owes its existence more to him
than any other man living or dead. We say what we do
94 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
know. Had it not been for him, there is no doubt that the
Capitol of our state would have been placed elsewhere.
It was our good fortune to make his acquaintance in 1860
at Nebraska City, and in 1862 we were living at the Salt Basin,
where the elder made his home with us when he first visited
the land where your splendid city now stands. His com-
pany reached our place at noon on the Fourth of July, 1862.
They expressed themselves glad to see us, and God knows
we were glad to see them. We, that day, raised the stars
and stripes to kiss the breeze for the first time in that new
land, and we had a celebration. A celebration meant some-
thing in those dark days, when the war clouds hung like a
pall over our land. As the Elder talked to us, we would
cheer or cry when reference was made to the dear boys at the
front, of their brave deeds, and their sufferings, and of our
blessed flag that was being trailed in the dust by recreant
hands. The company remained with us over Sabbath, and
the Elder preached the first sermon in that vicinity. After
viewing a wide extent of country, they lor'ated their colony
on the site of your city, and dedicated a iDortion of section
22 for a town site and christened it Lancaster.
It was our pleasure to continue an intimate acquaintance
with him for a number of years. While his colony was in
its infancy he was the soul of it. His presence was an in-
spiration to all the struggling pioneers. Always ready with
words of cheer and a little cash, when needed. He would
always find some work for those willing to work. He would
manage somehow to make work for them. His every day
life was full of good works. His noble Christian example (he
lived the religion he professed) was valuable to all that
knew him. Your beautiful city is to-day a monument to the
memory of its founder and faithful friend.
AN INCIDENT OF RANCH LIFE IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA
MY FIRST, LAST AND ONLY BUFFALO HUNT
"Ranch" life on the plains of Nebraska, or the great
west, generally speaking, is somewhat different to ordinary
farm life where the chief business is the cultivation of the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 95
soil. "Ranch" is a Spanish word, and is derived from its
customary use in old Spain or Mexico and other colonies of
Spanish origin and is generally applied to a tract of land
where stock — such as cattle or horses, or both are raised,
and is applied to the house where the cattle men or ranchers
make their headquarters and reside. In the early history
of Nebraska, many of these ranches were scattered over
the western plains or along the timbered streams or
valleys. The first in Nebraska w^ere confined chiefly to the
well travelled road and the roads to California, Colorado and
Oregon, along which the overland stages travelled. Most
of these travelled roads from the east centered at or near
Fort Kearney, and there was one main road from there on
west.
The overland travel caused more or less of business
along that great highway, so ''ranches" were established all
along the road and every few miles, where the ranchman
would put up his stables and a small store for the sale of
some assorted groceries that travellers sometimes needed.
Here the traveller could have his teams fed and cared for
over night, with shelter and meals for himself if he so de-
sired. Sometimes he had a lame animal to trade to the
ranchman for something better or to sell for cash, so each
rancher usually had a "bunch" of horses or other stock to
look after for increase and benefit, there being always a
good range of grazing land for such animals. So the ranch-
man had almost all he could do to look after his stock, cut
wood and haul it, or cut hay and haul it, look after his store
and wait on travellers, coming and going.
In the early days, before any government surveying
was done, the ranches were all "squatter's claims," using
such land as they needed and by common consent and under-
standing with neighboring ranchmen, regardless of any
specially surveyed lines.
Such was "Sydenham's Ranch." at the "Seventeenth
White Point" west of Fort Kearney on the overland mail
route to California, Colorado and Oregon. This I had built
for a home for my mother and brothers and sisters, while as
postmaster, etc., at old Fort Kearney, I was earning the
money for the support of the family — there not being
96 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
enough of ranching business at that time for their living.
I put up some good strong buildings for a residence, and for
stables and out of good tough sod, six inches thick, all cut
and squared with a sharp spade. For a store on the oppo-
site side of the travelled road from the residence, I put up a
story and a half house made of hewn logs from the islands
near by, some being made into boards with a rip-saw for
flooring, doors, etc.
The family lived at the ranch; that is, my mother,
brothers and sisters. I was then unmarried, and only a
single young man I lived and slept most of the time at the
fort, Port Kearney — where I was postmaster for fifteen
years — and some of the time Indian trader and post trader.
Once in a while I went up to the ranch from the fort with
my team to see how the family were all getting along and
to see what supplies were wanted; and when convenient for
me to do so would stay at the ranch over night but this was
not very frequent, as my duties at the fort kept me most of
the time steadily there. On one occasion when I had stayed
over night at the ranch, the next morning about daylight
the house dog commenced to bark furiously. I knew at once
that there must be some polecat, wolf or other animal
prowling about the house, so I called my brother Richard,
the only young man besides myself at the ranch at that
time, to go and see what the dog was barking at. He went
out to look and there at the front of the garden gate
of the house, only about four rods distant, was a buffalo.
My brother was not disturbed much by the buffalo and went
to bed again. I tried to get him to go out and get a shot at
it, but he did not see the reason as I did and so lacked the
energy and disposition necessary. Well, I knew the ranch
was short of provisions and then Omaha was where I gener-
ally got my supplies — over two hundred miles away — be-
sides money was rather scarce with me. So as a matter of
necessity for the sustenance of the family at the ranch, it
occurred to me that it would be a wise measure to secure
that buffalo for provision for the ranch if possible, although
I was no hunter and had not the bad tastes or desires for
hunting, and besides, I was a "vegetarian," living on fruits
and f arinacea and never eating any meat. Not being able
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 9*7
to get my brother started after the buffalo, I conceived the
idea to go out after it myself, and then the next thing was
to act. So I jumped out of bed and slipped my clothes on
quickly and got the Sharp's rifle from the corner, and then
learned that there was only one shot in the rifle magazine,
and no more to be had. Well, seeing as I had got started I
was going to see the thing through and have the buftalo, or
part with the only one shot. By the time I was out of the
house the buft'alo had got scared and was off quite a distance.
I started and went along a low slough to try and get near
enough to hit it. I had got but a short distance when
I discovered a traveler's camp about half a mile off and they
had seen the buffalo and two men had gone out from the
camp after it. After a while crack went a shot and the buf-
falo was shot in the leg, that made it go along some what
limping; but went over the ground pretty fast with the two
men following him. I was hoping that they would get the
buft'alo down, so I willingly let them have the field all to
themselves, while I held my one shot in reserve. If they
downed the buffalo they would get some of the meat, but I
would get the most of it for the ranch after they had taken
what they wanted. But they soon gave up the chase after
the buffalo, as it went farther and farther into the sand hills.
They could not spare the time to follow it up, so they told
me as I met them on their way back to the camp. I had
my eyes on the buffalo, however, and kept on after him. I
had not gone far when in another direction I saw another
buffalo going over the top of the hill in the distance. I im-
mediately quit following the wounded buffalo and as quick
as possible got to the top of the hill where I had seen it dis-
appear. When I got there I saw the buffalo lying down in
the valley below in a very favorable position, with his back
towards me and the wind blowing from it to me. I then
went up quickly to within two or three rods of it to make
quite sure of making the one and only shot I had a success-
ful hit. I took aim at what I thought was a vital point and
fired and retreated. Of course it was a daring venture to
leave myself without another shot to give him in case he
came after me; but there was no alternative. When the
buffalo was hit it seemed to jumped up about a foot high in
98 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the air, ran a little way, then swinging around towards me,
shaking its great shaggy head, then he turned and went on
a gallop in the opposite direction. I followed him and soon
saw the blood drops on the ground in his tracks. He went
on and on through the sand hills and I thought he must be
getting weaker, so I thought I might head him off and get
him to going in the direction of the Platte river valley and
the ranch. I got somewhat close in on him after a while,
as near as about twenty yards, when suddenly he turned
and came towards me at a full gallop, as it undoubtedly
concluded that I was the cause of its trouble. Then I ran
as well as I could with a heavy cavalry overcoat on, and it
was a clear field for the buff'alo, foi' we were in the midst of
a level valley among the sand hills.
From my heart came the call on the One I could always
trust in a time of trouble as I looked to that Heavenly pro-
tector and commenced to pull off my overcoat to lighten my
weight and accelerate my progress, as well as to swing it on
the buffalo's head and dodge if possible when it got too close.
I turned around to see how close it was to me, when all of a
sudden it stopped and very soon fell down and died. I must
have been some miles out in the sand hills from the ranch,
but knew about the direction of the Platte valley and soon
got back again to the ranch when my brother Richard and
I got the yoke of oxen hitched to the wagon, and without
much trouble found the dead buffalo.
Then we skinned it, cut it up and loaded it on the wag-
on and before night it was at the ranch where they had roast
buffalo, boiled buffalo, buffalo rump, buffalo tongue, dried
buffalo, jerked buffalo, buffalo in all styles served up even
to the artistic taste of the ' 'chief cook" of a Delmonico.
Anyway it kept the dear people at the ranch supplied with
food for a long time, relieving me of that much of care and
worry for them.
Well, this was my first, last, and only buffalo hunt in
which I ever engaged out on the plains, and it was surely a
successful one, especially when it is considered that I had
only the one shot in the gun.
I have seen buffalo in larger herds on the Platte valley,
and as late as 1870 when I was over on the Republican val-
^ HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 99
ley takint? the census as deputy census enumerator, I must
have seen fully a hundi-ed thousand of them ranging over
the Republican valley hills as far as the eye could see for
many miles along the valley. I have often had the oppor-
tunity to go out on buffalo hunts from Fort Kearney with
English lords, prominent Americans and army officers when
hunting parties were made up. but I declined, having no
taste or inclination in that direction. The editorial buffalo
hunt which took place in sight of old Fort Kearney at one
time would make an interesting and readable article of itself ,
but this is all that can be said now relative to buffalo hunt-
ing and my own reminiscence of an incident of my own per-
sonal experience in connection with it as a little bit of
ranch life in these early days of Nebraska history at Sy-
denham's ranch.
MosEs H. Sydenham,
Kearney, Neb.
CHAPTER V.
List of Territorial and State Officers, U. S. Senators, Representatives in
Congress, and U. S. Marshals from the organization of the territory
to the present time.
TERRITORIAL GOVERNORS
Francis Burt, appointed Oct. 16, 1854. Dem.
Mark W. Izard, appointed Feb. 20, 1855. Dem.
Wm. A. Richardson, appointed Jan. 12, 1858. Dem.
Sam. W. Black, appointed May 2, 1858. Dem.
Alvin Saunders, appointed May 15, 18t)l. Rep.
STATE GOVERNORS
David Butler, elected, took seat Feb. 21, 1867. Rep.
Robert W. Furnas, elected, took seat Jan. 13, 1873. Rep.
Silas Garber, elected, took seat Jan. 11, 1875. Rep.
Albinus Nance, elected, took seat Jan. 9, 1879. Rep.
James W. Dawes, elected, took seat Jan. 4, 1883. Rep.
John M. Thayer, elected, took seat Jan. 6, 1887. Rep.
James E. Boyd, Jan. 8, 1891, Dem.
Lorenzo Crounse, Jan. 13, 1893. Rep.
Silas A. Holcomb, Jan. 3, 1895. Pop.
Wm. A. Poynter, Jan. 5, 1899. Pop.
Chas. H. Dietrich, Jan. 3, 1901. Resigned. Rep.
Succeeded by Ezra P. Savage in spring of 1901, being
Lieutenant Governor.
J. H. Mickey, Jan. 6, 1903. Rep.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS
Othman A. Abbott, Jan. 4, 1877. Rep.
Edmund C. Cams, Jan. 9, 1879. Rep.
A. W. Agee, Jan. 4, 1883. Rep.
H. H. Shedd, Jan. 8, 1885. Rep.
Geo. D. Meikeljohn, Jan. 3, 1889. Rep.
Thos. A. Majors, Jan. 6, 1891. Rep.
Robert E. Moore, Jan. 3, 1895. Pop.
James E. Harris, Jan. 7, 1897. Pop.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 101
E. A. Gilbert, Jan. 5, 1899. Dem.
E. P. Savage, Jan. 3, 1901. Rep.
E. G. McGilton. Jan. 6, 1903. Rep.
SECRETARIES
Thomas B. Cuming, appointed Aug. 13, lHo4. Dem.
John B. Motley, appointed March 23, 1858. Dem.
J. Sterling Morton, appointed July 12, 1858. Dem.
A. S. Paddock, appointed May 6, 1861. Rep.
T. P. Kennard, elected, took seat Feb. 21, 1S67. Rep.
W. H. James, elected, took seat Jan. 10, 1871. Rep.
John J. Gosper, elected, took seat Jan. 13, 1873. Rep.
Bruno Tzschuck, elected, took seat Jan. 11, 1875. Rep.
S. J. Alexander, elected, took seat Jan. 9, 1879. Rep.
E. P. Roggen, elected, took seat Jan. 4, 1883. Rep.
Gilbert L. Laws, elected, tojk seat Jan. 6, 1887. Rep.
Benj. R. Cowdery, Nov. 20, 1889. Rep. Appointed by
Gov. Thayer to fill a vacancy.
John C. Allen, Jan. 8, 1891.
Joel A. Piper, Jan. 3, 1895.
Wm. F. Parker, Jan. 7, 1897.
Geo. W. Marsh, Jan. 3, 1901.
Al. Galusha, Jan. 5, 1905.
AUDITORS
Chas. B. Smith, appointed March 16, 1855. Dem.
Samuel L. Campbell, appointed Aug. 3, 1857. Dem.
Wm. E. Moore, appointed June 1, 1858. Dem.
Robert C. Jordan, appointed Aug. 2, 1858. Dem.
Wm. E. Harvey, appointed Oct. 8, 1861. Rep.
John Gillespie, appointed Oct. 10, 1865. Rep.
John Gillespie, elected at organization of state govern-
ment. Rep.
Jefferson B. Weston, elected Jan. 13, 1873. Rep.
F. W. Liedke, elected, Jan. 9, 1879. Rep.
John Wallichs, appointed to till a vacancy, Nov. 12,
1880. Rep.
John Wallichs, elected Nov., 1881. Rep.
H. A. Babcock, elected, inaugurated Jan. 8, 1885. Rep.
H. A. Babcock, re-elected Nov. 8, 1887.
Thos. H. Benton, Jan. 3, 1889. Rep.
102 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Eugene Moore, Jan. 13, 1893. Rep.
John F. Cornell, Jari. 7, 1897. Rep.
Chas. Weston, Jan. 3, 1901.
E. M. Searle, Jr., Jan. 5, 1905.
TREASURERS
R. P. Rankin, appointed March 16, 1855. Dem.
Wm. W. Wyman, appointed Nov. 6, 1855. Dem.
Augustus Kountze, appointed Oct. 8, 1861. Rep.
Augustus Kountze, elected, 1867.
James Sweet, elected, inaugurated June 11, 1869. Rep.
Henry A. Koenig, elected, inaugurated Jan. 10, 1871.
Rep.
J. C. McBride, elected, inaugurated Jan 11, 1875. Rep.
Geo. M. Bartlett, elected, inaugerated Jan. 9, 1879. Rep,
Phelps D. Sturdevant, elected, inaug Jan. 1, 1888. Dem.
Chas. H. Willard, elected, inaug. Jan. 8, 1885. Rep.
Chas. H. Willard, re-elected 1887. Rep.
John E. Hill, Jan. 3, 1889. Rep.
Joseph S. Hartley, Jan. 13, 1893. Rep.
John B. Meserve, Jan. 7, 1897. Pop.
Wm. Stueffer, Jan. 3, 1901.
Peter Mortensen, Jan. 1903. Rep.
LIBRARIANS
James S. Izard, appointed March 16, 1855. Dem.
H. C. Anderson, appointed Nov. 6, 1855. Dem.
John H. Kellom, appointed Aug. 3, 1857. Dem.
Alonzo D. Luce, appointed Nov. 7, 1859. Dem.
Robert S. Knox, appointed 18(U. Rep.
T. P. Kennard, appointed June 22, 1867. Rep.
Wm. H. Jones, appointed Jan. 10, 1871. Rep.
Guy A. Brown, appointed March 3, 1871. Rep. Died
in office.
Walter A. Leese, appointed Oct. 29, 1889.
D. A. Campbell, appointed July 14, 1890.
Lee Herdman, appointed May 1. 1900.
ATTORNEY GENERALS
Champion S. Chase, elected 1867. Rep.
Seth Robinson, elected 1869. Rep.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 103
Geo. H. Roberts, inaugurated Jan. 10, 1871. Rep.
J. R. Webster, inaugurated Jan. I'i, 1873. Rep.
Geo. H. Roberts, inaugurated Jan. 11, 1875. Rep.
C. J. Dilworth, inaugurated Jan 9, 1879. Rep.
Isaac Powers, Jr., inaugurated Jan. 4, 1883. Rep.
Wm. Leese, inaugurated Jan. 8, 1885. Rep.
Wm. Leese, re-elected 1887. Rep.
Geo. H. Hastings, Jan. 8, 1891.
A. S. Churchill, Jan. 3, 1895.
C. J. Smythe, Jan. 7, 1897. Dem.
F. M. Prout, Jan. 3, IgOl.
Norris Brown. Jan., 1905. Rep.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Seth W. Beals, elected 1869. Rep.
J. M. McKenzie, elected, inaug. Jan. 10, 1871. Rep.
S. R. Thompson, elected, inaug. Jan. 4, 1877. Rep.
W. W. W. Jones, elected, inaug. Jan. <>, 1881. Rep.
Geo. B. Lane, elected, inaug. Jan. 6, 1887. Rep.
A. K. Goudy, Jan. 8, 1891. Rep.
H. R. Corbett, Jan. 3, 1895. Rep.
W. R. Jackson, Jan. 7, 1897.
Wm. K. Fowler, Jan. 3, 1901. Rep.
Jasper L. McBrien, Jan. 5, 1905. Rep.
COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC LANDS AND BUILDINGS
F. M. Davis, elected, inaug. Jan. 4, 1877. Rep.
A. G. Kendall, elected, inaug. Jan. 6, 1881. Rep.
Joseph Scott, elected, inaugerated Jan. 8. 1885. Rep.
Joseph Scott, re-elected 1887. Rep.
John Steen, Jan. 3, 1889.
A. R. Humphrey, Jan. 8, 1891.
H. C. Russell, Jan. 3, 1895.
Wm. W. Wolfe, Jan. 7, 1897.
Geo. D. Follmer, Jan. 3, 1901.
Henry M. Eaton, Jan. 5, 1905.
JUDGES OF SUPREME COURT
CHIEF JUSTICES.
Fenner Furguson, appointed Oct. 12, 1854. Dem.
Aug. Hall, appointed March 15, 1858. Dem.
104 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Wm. Pitt Kellogg, appointed May 27, 1861. Rep.
Wm. Pitt Kellogg, re-appointed May 8, 1865. Rep.
Wm. A. Little, appointed 1866. Dem.
O. P. Mason, appointed 1866. Rep.
O. P. Mason, elected 1867. Rep.
Geo. B. Lake, elected, inaug. Jan. 16, 1873. Rep.
Daniel Gantt, elected, inaug. Jan. 3, 1878.* Rep.
Samuel Maxwell, elected, inaug. May 29, 1878. Rep.
Geo. B. Lake, elected, inaug. Jan. 5, 1882.
Amassa Cobb, elected, inaug. Jan. 3, 1884. Rep.
Samuel Maxwell, elected, inaug. Jan. 4, 1886. Rep.
M. B. Reese, 1888-90. Rep.
Amassa Cobb, 1890-92. Rep.
Samuel Maxwell, 1892-94. Rep.
T. L. Norval, 1894-96. Rep.
A. M. Post, 1896-98. Rep.
T. O. C. Harrison, 1898-00. Rep.
T. L. Norval, 1900-02. Rep.
S. A. Holcomb, 1902-04. Pop.
ASSOCIATE JUSTICES AND JUDGES
Ed. R. Harden, appointed Dec. 4, 1854. Dem.
James Bradley, appointed Oct. 25, 1854. Dem.
Sam. M. Black, appointed; date not given.
Eleazer Wakely, appointed April 27, 1857. Dem.
Joseph Miller, appointed April 9, 1859. Dem.
Wm. F. Lockwood, appointed May 16, 1861. Rep.
Elmer S. Dundy, appointed June 22, 1863. Rep.
Geo. B. Lake, elected, inaug. Feb. 21, 1867. Rep.
Lorenzo Crounse, elected, inaug. Feb. 21, 1867. Rep.
Daniel Gantt, elected, inaug. Jan. 16, 1873. Rep.
Samuel Maxwell, elected, inaug. Jan. 16, 1873. Rep.
Amassa Cobb, elected, inaug. May 29, 1878. Rep.
Ama.ssa Cobb, elected, inaug. 1882. Rep.
M. B. Reese, elected, inaug. Jan. 3, 1884. Rep.
Samuel Maxwell, elected 1887. Rep.
T. L. Norval, 1890, twelve years. Rep.
A. M. Post, 1892, six years. Rep.
T. O. C. Harrison, 1894, six years. Rep.
^Died in office.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 105
Julian Sullivan, 1S98, six years. Dem.
Silas A.Holcomb, 1900.
S. H. Sedgwick, 1902. Rep.
John B. Barnes, 1904. Rep.
CLERKS OF SUPREME COURT
H. C. Anderson, appointed, 1856.
Chas. L. Salisbury, appointed, 1858.
E. B. Chandler, appointed, 1859.
John H. Kellom, appointed, 1861.
Wm. Kellogg, Jr., appointed, 1865.
Geo. Armstrong, appointed, 1867.
Guy A. Brown, appointed, 1868. Died in office.
Walter A. Leese, appointed, 1889.
D. A. Campbell, appointed, 1890.
Lee Herdman, appointed, 1900.
REPORTERS ST^PREME COURT
J. M. Woolworth, appointed, 1870.
Lorenzo Crounse, appointed, 1873.
Guy A. Brown, appointed, 1875.
Walter A. Leese, 1889.
D. A. Campbell, 1890.
Lee Herdman, 1900.
U.S. MARSHALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA
Mark W. Izard, appointed, 1854. Dem.
Eli R.Doyle, appointed, April 7, 1855. Dem.
Ben. P. Rankin, appointed, March 29, 1856. Dem.
P. W. Hitchcock, appointed Sep. 19, 1861. Rep.
Casper E. Yost, appointed April I, 1869. Rep.
J. T. Hoile, July 1, l86l. Rep.
Wm. Dailey, 1870. Rep.
Ellis Bierbower, 1885. Rep.
TERRITORIAL DELEGATES TO CONGRESS
Napoleon B. Gidding, elected Dec. 12, 1854. Dem.
Bird B. Chapman, elected Nov. 6, 1855. Dem.
Fenner Purguson, elected Aug. 3, 1857. Dem.
Experience Esterbrook, Oct. 11, 1859. Dem.
Samuel G. Daily, Oct. 9, 1860. Rep.
Samuel G. Daily, re-elected Oct. 1862. Rep.
ion HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Phineas W. Hitchcock, elected Oct. 11, 1864. Rep.
John Taft'e, elected Oct. 9, 1866. Rep.
REPRESENTATIVES TO CONGRESS
Lorenzo Crounse, Oct. 8, 1872. Rep. '
Frank Welch, Nov. 7, 1876. Rep.
Thos. J. Majors, Nov. 5, 1878. Rep.
E. K. Valentine, Nov. 5, 1878. Rep.
A. J. Weaver, March 7, 1883. Rep.
James Laird, March 7, 1883. Rep. Re-elected 1884
and 18H6. G. L. Laws appointed to till unexpired term.
G. W. Dorsey, March 5, 1885. Rep. Re-elected 1886.
John A. McShane, Nov., 1886. Dem.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, FOURTH DISTRICT
E. J. Hainer, Rep., 43rd con^Tess.
" 44th
Wm. L. Stark, Pop. 45th "
" ■ " 46th "
" 47th "
E. H. Hinshaw, Rep., 48th "
" 49th "
U. S. SENATORS
John M. Thayer, 1867 to 1873.
T. W. Tipton, 1867 to 1875.
P. W. Hitchcock, 1871 to 1877.
Algernon S. Paddock, 1875 to 1881.
Alvin Saunders, 1877 to 1883.
C. H. VanWyck, 1881 to 1887.
Chas. F. Manderson, 1883 to 1895.
A. S. Paddock, 1887 to 1893.
W. V. Allen, 1M93 to 1901.
John M. Thurston, lfS95 to 1901.
M. L. Hay ward, 1899; died before taking seat.
Chas. H. Dietrich, 1901 to 1905.
Ezra Millard, 1901 to 1907.
E. J. Burkett, 1905 to 1911.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
107
ADJUTANT GENERALS
G. A. Alexander, appointed, 1879.
E. P. Rogen,
1883.
J. C. Connell,
1885.
C. V. Baird,
1886.
A. N. Cole,
1887.
Victor Vifquain, '
1891.
J. D. Gage,
1893.
P. H. Barry,
1895.
J. M. Killian,
1901.
L. W. Colby,
1901.
J. H. Culver, ' '
1903 to date.
108
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
SEWARD COUNTY
'^- V-
William H. Se\vard
CHAPTER VI.
Change of the county name — Democratic Nebraska — First Repub-
lican Congressman — Survey — Thomas Grahams diary — First settlement
— The McKinley and Morton story — Tomy West— The Morgans" Indian
Troubles — Frontier life and privations — Bright spots — First bridge on
the Blue — Ranches and their settlement — Hole in the ground— Crossing
of the Beaver a bad place — Great freight trains — Turkeys in the tiain —
Monnons — A Missourian and his pigs — John Scott— First settlement in
"G" ' precinct— First homestead entry — First land entered —Settlement at
Milford — Made a ford and placed a mill by it — The old speculator held
the Seward mill site — The future site- of Seward county -seat problem
in the distance — tounty an attache of Lancaster — First election remi-
niscence of the settlement— Saw Seward by the eye of faith — Sad death
— Arrival at homestead — A child to be born.
110 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Seward County did not from the first bear its present
honored name. It will be remembered that Nebraska was
organized under a democratio administration and the student
of history can hardly fail to observe how carefully the party
in power were to leave the names of their statesmen before
the world in naming the counties of the infant territory. Thus
we have the names of Richardson, Johnson, Cass, Sarpy,
Douglas, Burt, Pierce, etc. This list included Greene which
was given in honor of Greene, the Missouri statesman. This
tract of wilderness was but little known or thought of in
antebellum days.
It will be remembered that everything was thoroughly
democratic in Nebraska until after the fall election of 1860.
when agitation and a general awakening resulted in break-
ing the democratic ice and a new political era dawned upon
the territory. That year Samuel G. Daily was elected to
congress, being the first republican delegate to represent the
l^eople at Washington. Soon after Mr. Lincoln's inaugura-
tion the swarm of democratic territorial officers from gov-
ernor down were relieved and all things political were speedi-
ly changed.
Mr. Greene had proved to be a rebel. This county was
yet unorganized and therefore was under the control of the
legislature and they were not long in determining that no
part of this sacred soil under their control should bear the
dishonored name of a rebel.
Hon. Wm. H. Seward was then Secretary of State and
was a rising star and his great name was justly honored and
perpetuated in naming this beautiful county Seward, and
among the thousands of dwellers here from that time to the
present, we believe the universal verdict has been Amen!
Thus the name of our grand, rich and beautiful county bears
a name that stands high ainong our country's immortals. We
are glad to place his picture at the head of this chapter.
From the best evidence at command we conclude the
lands of the county were surveyed in the summer of 1857.
We note in Thomas Graham's diary kept while examining
general surveys that he and party visited Town 10 Range 3
Sec. 34 or sec. 35 on July 13th 1858. We refer the reader for
particulars to his dial on another page.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 111
It will probably always remain on unsettled question as
to who was the first white settler within our present bounda-
ries. We have a tradition that two men (single men we take
it) by the names of McKinley and Morton made settlement
near where Ruby now stands in about the summer of 1S58.
In the legend it is stated that these men got into trouble with
the Indians and that they killed two Indians and vacated to
save their scalps. The graves of these Indians, or supposed
Indian graves, were pointed out to us in the summer of 1H65
by the Morgans. They were located on the hill-side east
and south of Ruby near the old Morgan settlement. The
Morgans claim to have made settlement in 1858 on the river
about four miles north of Milford, but it seems probable they
were considerably oif on their dates.
Prom Mr. Graham's notes we learn that there was a
small settlement at time of his visit, but he fails to give the
names. This might have been the Morgans as the place
was located on the east bank of the river, but it was proba-
bly the McKinley and Morton settlement, later occupied by
the Morgans. Rev. Walter Morgan, son of Thomas Mor-
g.m and grandson of Daniel Morgan, relates that he was
born in Otoe county Jan, 27th, 1858, and says the family
came to Blue river in the spring of 1861, and this corre-
sponds well with a conversation the writer had with Daniel
Morgan in the summer of 1861 at the Salt Basin in regard to
his settlement. Mr. Thomas West, who is generally believed
to be the first permanent settler, is much mystified as to
dates of his settlement. He claimed to have settled on the
South Blue at the point where the West's mills are located
in 1859. I. M. T. Johnson in his historic notes says the fami-
ly located there in the spring of 1S60, just how he found out
we don't know. We understand that he and family had start-
ed to the Colorado gold mines with a company of gold seek-
ers and fell out of ranks and made his home in the wilder-
ness. If this is correct, and putting this- and that together,
we conclude Mr. Johnson is right.
This cut-off road, as we called it, was opened in the spring
of 1860 and if his company followed this road it could not be
earlier than the spring of 1.S60 and we further conclude that
if the company had followed the old trail via the Platte river
112 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
route that he would not have drifted so far from that trail,
near seventy miles distant. It is generally conceded how-
ever that he had the honor of being first permanent settler
and the bitter experiences of his first years made him feel
that he was here quite soon enough, and it seems that the
Indians thought Mr. West a little premature in his occupa-
tion, as in the summer of 1861 a strolling band of them burned
up his cabin and about all his worldly goods except the
cattle. Will the reader just for a moment think what a ter-
rible condition that poor helpless family must have been in,
without a sheh-er, without provisions or clothing except
what was on their backs and without a neighbor within less
than twenty-five or thirty miles away over on Salt creek.
We distinctly recollect seeing the old pioneer in the same
fall at Nebraska City whither he had come eighty miles with
an ox team. His load of merchandise consisted of a half
barrel of wild grape wine and a few bushels of wild grapes
which he had hauled all those long weary miles to try and
trade for a few articles of necessity.
This is but a sample of what the advance guard of civili-
zation endured while planting these foundations.
If all the sad stories of privation and sorrow could be
told it would make the heart sick, however there were some
bright spots to consider. There was plenty of wild game in
the wilderness. Elk, antelope and buffalo were in plenty
and wild turkeys were abundant and wild fruit was plentiful
along the river and fuel was close at the door, but then fre-
quently the Indians would put in an appearance in the fall
when the grass was dry and they would fire it and thus the
game would all disappear. This would result in distress in
the loss of game and more; it would be most serious to the
little live stock of the country. Many times the little hay
mowed with a sythe would be burned at these times. It
would seem that everything would conspire to ruin the hopes
of the settler. In 1860 the business men of Nebraska City
began to feel the necessity of having a shorter and better
road to Fort Kearney on the Platte than the long torturous
winding way via Salt Creek ford, (now Ashland) and the
Platte valley away around "Robin Hood's barn" so they sent
a crew of men to spy out a new road and build necessary
bridges.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 113
They located a new road passing westward through the
present town site of Syracuse and crossed Salt Creek at a
rocky-ford near where Rocka now stands and Blue river,
just by the forks on the Seward and Saline County line, and
on to Walnut creek and the crossing of the Beaver about
four miles west of the present town of Beaver Crossing and
thence passed into York County and on to its junction with
the old road near Port Kearney. A good substantial bridge
was built across the Blue. Soon the trail was broken and it
is most astonishing the amount of traffic that passed over
this road. This caused numerous ranches to be opened
and thus formed a new epoch in the settlement of the county.
J. L. Davison opened one, one mile west of the bridge.
W. J. Thompson opened one on Walnut creek and John E.
Pouce opened one at the crossing of the Beaver all about the
same time in 1862. This enormous travel and traffic brought
the county into notice and occasionally a weary immigrant
would get tired and stop and take a claim and little settle-
ments were formed.
Soon other parties started ranches, among these we re-
member John Leonard and A. J. Wallingford. The first
named was near John E. Pouce's at the Beaver, and Walling-
ford's at the bridge. Daniel Millspaw opened one in York
county just west of the line which was known as the hole in
the ground.
We must tell a little story about Uncle Dan's experience
at his ranch which was a place of considerable notoriety. A
number of travellers had camped hy the ranch. It was a
wreckless crowd of young fellows that was in for fun. Un-
cle Dan had a huge fire place in his dugout with a very large
open chimney that did not reach much above the surface of
the ground. The old man was busy cooking his supper on
the great fire place. The night was dark as pitch and the
lire caused a bright light to shine out of the chimney. These
fellows crept up and looked down and saw an opportunity to
create a real sensation. One fellow, more of a "dare devil"
than the rest, having on a pair of high rubber boots con-
cluded to scare Uncle Dan. So while the old man was busy
with a frying pan of meat and another pan of griddle cakes,
the "devil" jumped down the chimney into the fire.
114 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
It was a mistake of course, but the supper and the scattered
lire brands created a scene of the wildest confusion. Uncle
Dan was frightened out of a year's growth thinking the Old
Nick was after him sure enough. Pranks of a similar nature
were of frequent occurrance at the ranches. Many things
occurred of a far more desperated character. That old ranch
at the crossing of the Beaver is said to be a place where many
revolting scenes occurred.
The old ranch ponsisted in part of great excavation and
it was generally surmised that many poor fellows found a
way in there that never found a way out again. There was
much brush in the vicinity and there were many fine horses
lost in the maize that the owners never found. It was a very
disreputable place to say the least. Bad whiskey was an
article of traffic accompanied with gambling and the usual at-
tendants.
In the spring of 1863 there was quite a number of new
settlers located along the South Blue and near the Camden
bridge. There were a few others that settled in the west
neighborhood as early as 1861. Orin Johnson is said to have
located there that year also James West, a brother of Uncle
Tomy. Gen. Victor Vifquain lived near the forks just in the
edge of Saline County. In 1863 James Johnson located near
the forks in Saline County, but a little later moved across
the line and bought Jackson Wallingford's ranch at the
bridge. Old Mr. Bingaman settled just east of the Camden
ranch
Mr. Stanton opened a farm just in the edge of Saline
County two miles west of Camden The great road had by
this time become a place of immense traffic; it is safe to say
that thousands of teams travelled this road every week laden
with all kinds of merchandise. The Byram Bros., succes-
sors to Majors, Russell and Wadell, sent out vast numbers of
trains consisting of twenty-six great covered wagons to the
train, each drawn by six yoke of cattle making three hundred
and twelve oxen to each train. These were known as prairie
schooners. There were thousands of horse teams, some-
times six great caparisoned horses to a wagon, then the
small fry were innumerable for multitude, small loads with
single teams, one yoke of oxen, span of horses, sometimes
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 115
ponies, sometimes cows in the yoke. All sorts of people
were in the moving throng, some in carriages and arranged
with all- the accompaniments of wealth, and others looked
hard up, many looked very shabby indeed. There were
droves of cattle and droves of horses and once we saw a
drove of thousands of turkeys on the way to the mountains.
In the mighty throng were many rebels from Missouri
that thought best to move. They were impudent and very
saucy. Many of them blood thirsty but they thought best to
get out of Missouri when the boys in blue had got possession
there. Some were seeking gold, some were freighting,
some were going just to be going. It was a motley crew.
Then every few days there were throngs of Mormons
made up of a heterogenious mass of Europeans wending their
way to Salt Lake. They were a sorry looking mass of hu-
manity.
There were one or two attempts to form a settlement in
"A" precinct as early as 1863. One old Missourian moved up
there and settled north of the present village of German-
town in the spring of 1863. We happened to notice the old
fellow driving a drove of shoats up the long ridge between
the Salt Basin and the oak groves. He remained during the
summer but became dissatisfied and concluded to go back to
his wife's relations, but the pigs had found such good picking
among the oak trees that were loaded with acorns that they
decided not to go back, and they (the pigs) become the first
permanent settlers. They grew and multiplied beyond meas-
ure. The only ones to dispute their rights were the vandal
hunters from the Salt Basins that decimated their ranks in
filling their pork barrels. For some years these wild pigs
w^ere a source of profit to the first settlers. They not only se-
cured meat, but occasionally some luckless old sow and litter
of pigs would be captured and brought back to civilized pig
life.
John Scott was the first permanent settler in that region.
He moved there iii the spring of 1864 and was followed by
John Owens and family during the summer. They held the
fort alone until the spring of 1866, when John Royce,
Judge J. D. Main, J. D. Olney and Warren Brown came.
The first real attempt at settlement in "G"' precinct was
116 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
made in the summer of 1863, when Wm. Wymore, brother
of Sam Wymore, for whom the city of Wymore was named,
and Mr. Olmstead settled on the Blue, Mr. Wymore on the
land that later became the homestead of W. W. Cox, and
Olmstead on the Oscar Bernecker farm. But it soon trans-
pired that these men were deserters from the Union army and
after due consideration without being: arrested they returned
to duty, served their time out and were honorably discharged.
Mr. Robert T. Gale made the first homestead entry Jan-
uary 2, 1863, number 7 in this land district, in the eastern
part of section 21, township 11, range 3 east, but he was not
able to occupy the land until the spring of 1864. W. W.
Cox made a trade with Mr. Wymore for his claim (a pre-emp-
tion) in the winter of 1864 and homesteaded it in March. He
set to work to form settlement and secure the co-operation of
Mr. Gale, Hon. William Imlay, Grandpa David Imlay and
his two other sons, David and Joseph, and these folks all
moved to the settlement in the early spring; but Mr. Cox
did not move until December 1, 1864. During that summer
old Mr. Dunaway made settlement also but died during the
early fall before the family came. The account of his death
and burial will be found elsewhere in these pages.
The first entry of public lands in this county was made
by E. L. Ellis in the summer of 1861 in section 18, township
11, range 3 east. Mr. Ellis was at the time sojourneying on
Salt Creek. He returned to Missouri where he remained un-
til the spring of 1886, when he made settlement on section 8
of same township.
In the spring of 1864 J. L. Davison, with the help of
John Cadman and Wm. Fields of Lancaster county, located
the steam wagon road that shortened the route from Nebras-
ka City to Fort Kearney and which led by Yankee Hill on
Salt Creek, the proposed site of Milford, and intersected
the old trail at Walnut Creek, and Mr. Davidson pulled up
stakes at the Camden ranch and moved to the new proposed
town of Milford where he opened a new up-to-date ranch on
the sight of Dr. Lauridge's Hospital right near the old ford.
Some time during the summer of 1862, one Judge Hilton
of Cincinnatti, through the help of a brother-in-law, Joe
Mason of Lancaster county, entered a part of section 21,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 117
township 11, range 3 east, embracing the mill site now occu-
pied by the Seward mills and the fine grove timber on the
Moffitt estate. This proved a serious menace to this com-
munity for a number of years, which is fully discussed in
another place. Mr. Hilton was a hard old speculator, such
as the early settler just loved to despise.
In 1864 the land upon w^hich the city of Seward now
stands yet belonged to the government, and had no occu-
pant or claimant, and the land w^here Milford now stands
was occupied by only one family, and the persons named
heretofore only about twenty-five votes in the entire county,
yet the coming county-seat question began to be agitated
and was a matter of deep concern to the people in every
part of the county. As yet, however, there had been no
move in the matter of county organization.
The county was yet an attache of Lancaster county.
In October, 1864, the first election was held at the cabin of
R. T. Gale for float representative of the Territorial Assem-
bly. It so happened that W. W. Cox, yet a resident of Lan-
caster, but whose interest was in Seward county, was a
member of the Republican convention of Lancaster county
and as Lancaster had one delegate to the legislature and
was coupled with Seward and all the wild West for a float,
just at the opportune moment Mr. Cox sprung a motion that
Mr. Wm. Imlay of Sew^ard county, be the nominee for the
float. The motion was put and went through with a whoop
before the other fellows had time to think. Well, all went
well that ended well, but we were a little chagrined when
we learned that only seven votes w^ere cast in Sew^ard coun-
ty, but our candidate caught all of them. ,The voters that
cast their ballot on that October day into a cigar box, held
by the young lad, Fred Wooley, seated in the front end of
his father's covered w^agon, were as f ollow^s : J. L. Davidson,
R. T. Gule, Grandfather David Imlay, Job Reynold, Wm.
Imlay, D. P. Imlay and Joseph Imlaj'.
Mr. Imlay was elected and served his people well. One
peculiar feature of his legislature career was, iie did not
have any railroad pass, but he simply took his foot in his
hand and walked as far as Plattsmouth and thus squarely
earned his mileage and was not under any obligation to any
118 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
corporation. In as much as we were considered to blame
for liis election, we were required to do Mr. Imlay's chores,
cut his fire wood and look after his matters generally while
he was in Omaha.
Now will the reader kindly allow the author to digress
from the historical long enough to tell how it happened
that we became a citizen of Seward county. The winter of
1863 and 64 was a cold and dreary one. Many things had
occurred to make our lives anything but pleasant andwe, i. e.
wife and I, were in a deep study to know just what to do for
the future. The salt business had completely played out
and we found that our "occupation had gone." With an
ever increasing young family on our hands to provide for,
sickness invaded our home and it had become a matter of
deep solicitude as to what had best be done to secure a com-
petency for the future. After a long discussion of the pros
and cons of a life on a homestead, we made the firm resolve
to try and build for ourselves and little ones, a home. It
was an earnest struggle. We knew but little about farming
and the serious sickness of wife f-or nearly a year had much
discouraged us and we were so impoverished that it would
take a whole dozen of us to make a respectable shadow. But
the resolve was taken and one bright morning in February
on foot and alone we started to look up a claim. With the
early settler, timber was deemed a prime necessity as there
were no railroads over which lumber and coal could be
brought. The settler must have timber. We took Greeley's
advice and went west, of course. Our way led across the
hills of Middle Creek and the great plain toward the Blue.
After a long weary tramp, just as the bright winter sun was
fading from sight, there opened to our view the grand val-
ley, a scene of transcendant beauty, with the long lines of
timber stretching far away to the southward and to the
northward with the converging lines of Plum Creek and
Lincoln Creek. To us it was a grander scene than Moses
had while on Pisgahs top. It was an enchanting and rap-
turous scene. We said deep down mour hearts, "this is the
place we long have sought and we will go and possess it."
As we stood gazing at the meandering streams converging
to a common center, we saw by the eye of faith a city
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA . 119
crowning that beautiful plateau. Our faith from that mo-
ment was "like an anchor to the soul, both sure and stead-
fast." The city of our dreams is right there with all its
beauty and grandeur. Shortly after this we secured a
claim by the purchasing. of the prior right of another claim-
ant, and we struck for Nebraska City on foot to make our
homestead entry. Our homestead entry was made March
27, 1864, but for various causes we did not move until De-
cember 1.
We had a long hard struggle with adverse circumstances
before it was possible to occupy the new home. The Indian
trouble of that memorable j'ear was ever before us like a
horrible night mare.
After our return from the last Indian scare and stam-
pede we visited the new home to put up hay for the winter
when a very sorrowful and pathetic incident occurred.
Father Dunaway, an aged man, had taken a homstead up
Plum Creek on section 3, township 11, range 3 east. His
family had not yet come to the county and the old man was
living alone in a new lumber shanty that he had hastily
built. Grandfather Imlay, also a very aged man occasion-
ally went up and spent a little time visiting with the new
neighbor. So one bright summer afternoon Mr. Imlay
called to see Mr. Dunaway. The shanty was solitary and
alone. Father Imlay thought that his friend might just be
away somewhere on the place. He picked up a book that
lay on the table and read a while waiting his return- Bye
and bye he began to search after hallooing. About ten rods
from the shanty he found the ghastly sight of his friend
cold and stiff in a field of wallowed grass. He at once has-
tened home and reported to his son David, who at once
mounted a horse and hurried to the hay field on Lincoln
Creek, where is now the farm of Lewis Anderson, where
Wm. Imlay, R. Y. Gale and W. W. Cox were at work. We
were thunderstruck at the appalling iutelligence. A hur-
ried consultation was had. The hour was getting late and
neighbors were few and far between and we were five miles
from the dead man. There was not an officer in Seward
county It was called to mind that Mr. Cox was Justice of
the Peace in Lancaster county and that Seward county was
120 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
an attache ot said county and that he probably came nearest
having proper jurisdiction than any other available person.
The next serious question was where to get a coroner's jury.
Mr. Gale thought that enough men could be found in the
Morgan settlement, so a venue was hastily written with a
pencil on a scrap paper taken from a memorandum. Mr.
Gale was sworn in as special Constable and at once mounted
a horse and instructed not to spare horse flesh. Just as the
sun was sinking behind the western hil.ls, our company had
gathered at the scene of their dead friend. Those present
were R. T. Gale, special constable, Father Imlay, William
David and Joseph Imlay, Job Reynolds, Thomas and Will-
iam Morgon and W. W. Cox.
It was a most solemn scene, a little meadow nearly sur-
rounded by a beautiful fringe of timber; a calm autumn even-
ing, a sad stillness in the presence of death. With uncov-
ered heads and uplifted hands the jury took the solemn oath
which, considering all the surroundings, made a deep and last-
ing impression upon all present. Pull forty years have now
passed, but in spite of all efforts, tears dim my eyes as I
write of this sorrowful event. The verdict of the jury was
that they "verily believed that the old man came to his death
from the effects of cramp colic." A rough board coffin was
hastily improvised of lumber from the shanty, and by the
"moonbeam's misty light" we buried him beneath the waving
branches of a sturdy oak, there to rest until called on the
morning of resurrection. We, late at night, returned to our
homes with sorrowing hearts because the death angel had
so early visited our infant settlement. His goods and chat-
tels were properly cared for and turned over to the widow
upon her arrival.
All things were made ready for our removal to our new
home, and on the morning of Nov. 30, 1864 we loaded up the
remainder of our earthly possessions with the assistance
of Hon. Wm. Imlay and started up the long ridge north-
west of the Basin toward our new home and arrived there
on the first day of December. The day we reached the home-
stead was cold and gloomy, and the sight of our beautiful
grove made us glad. We hastily built a huge fire with dry
wood at hand, and while the north wind whistled making a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 121
melancholy sound as it rustled through the trees, we rejoiced
in the comfort of a good tire at our own home. Our little
cabin, although crude in the extreme, with its great fire-
place was a home of comfort and pleasant memories
There were four families of us now in the community
and we put in the time as best we could. We visited back
and forth frequently; we chased rabbits, gathered wild
grapes, trapped quail, etc.
Soon after our arrival, about the 8th of December, there
was a cold night with much snow on the ground. In the
small hours of the night a gentle rapping by Joseph Imlay
was heard. He brought the refreshing news that a child
was about to be born at the home of Mr. Gale who lived just
across Plum creek east of the Bemis home. Wife hurriedly
dressed, old Nig and Darb, our oxen, w^ere hitched up to the
old wagon, and away they went down the bottom and across
the town site that was not yet a city, and lo the bank of the
creek. Here the poor oxen were chained to the wagon and
the good wife was compelled to slide down a huge snow drift
to the creek. When she arrived at the house she found that
Miss Clara Gale had arrived just a little ahead of the ox
team. This was the first white child born in "G"' precinct.
Miss Gale is now resident of Portland Oregon and is said to
be an intelligent and accomplished lady.
CHAPTER VII.
Starvation near at hand— Perils of the Night— Moffit's visit— New com-
ers tn different localities- -First boy of north half of county— First
Sermon -First house on the site of Seward — Post-Office — Sabbath
School — Slow progress in opening farms — Going to mill — Cold corn
cake— Indian scare and panic— Early comers on the south Blue —
First mill— First orchard— The last buffalo— First Post-Othce— Mor-
gan settlement increased— New settlers at Milford--Moved the mill
Milford founded — First county otficers— Unborn Seward — A great
Empire — First tax levy Bridges — County seat agitation— First
store— Camden school— Camden mills — B. & M. R. R. abandons
Camden — Milford eager for the contest — Seward not ready— Seward
Surveyed — Three cornered fight No choice — Second election^Mil-
ford makes a point — Twelve votes thrown out — A wrangle ensues —
A curious record.
The winter of 1864 and 1865 was a stormy one and rath-
er cheerless. By some mismanagement there was not a
sufficient stock of provisions laid in by the settlers to secure
them against want should the winter prove severe. The
writer was more fortunate than his neighbors in that he had
by two long and wearisome trips to mill before moving se-
cured a thousand pounds of flour and meal, but he had such
good opportunities to lend it in the early spring when the
rivers and creeks were ov^erflowing and the whole settlement
came near starving. There was not an ounce of breadstuffs
in the settlement: There was no meat, no potatoes, and
cruel as it may seem to tell it, one milk pan of shelled corn
had to be divided up to keep the families from starvation;
and there was scarcely a pound of boiled corn left when a
load of provisions arrived that had been storm stayed and
water bound. What a feast we had then!
In the month of February we had a very heavy rain.
Fortunately for the family, Mr. Wm. Imlay had just re-
turned from Omaha, else this would have been a more lurid
picture. Mr. Imlay and also Mr. Gale had built their cabins
on low ground, never dreaming that the river could get on
su"h a bender. Understand, the ground was frozen. The
rain fell in torrents for about forty hours. On the second
night at dark the river had risen comparatively little, and
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 123
all went to bed not thinking of what terrors that awful night
would bring.
Now to make the situation plain, we would say Mr. Im
lay lived on the west side of the river. Mr. Gale and Grand-
pa Imlay lived on the east side of Plum creek, and W. W.
Cox lived on the east bank of the river. So we were power-
less to render each other assistance, except Dave and Joe Im-
lay were able to save Mr. Gale's family.
In the dead of night Mr. Gale discovered water rushmg
in at the cabin door. At this moment the water had sur-
rounded the house and things looked perilous in the extreme.
The only thing possible to do was to carry his wife and child
to the roof of the cabin and wrap them up as best he could,
and let them remain in that cold winter rain in a frightful
wind until he could wade out through the ice water, some of
the way waist deep, and go over a mile to grandpa Imlay's
for help. A team was secured and the family was rescued
just in time, for before morning dawned there was not a ves-
tige of the house to be seen as the wild waters rolled entire-
ly over it. What caused the sudden rise was this: the ra-
vines leading to the river and creek were full of snow drifts
which held the water back until the body of water became
irresistible, and it all broke into the streams like a thief in
the night. Mr. Imlay's family were awakened by a child
crying in the night (David M.), Mr. Imlay got out of bed to
attend to the child, and to his horror stepped into ice water
knee deep. He rushed to the door and opened it, and a
great volume of water rushed in that was appalling. The
only possible show to get the family out of the house was to
tear a window out at the back part af the house, which lead
to higher ground. He got out himself and the frantic wife
helped the children out, and he had to make many trips
through the ice water for quite a distance to a hay etack.
He carried all of the children, and there were lots of thom,
also his wife and then some bedding and provisions. They
took refuge on the. haystack for four days and were entirely
surrounded by water. For the first day or so they had a lit-
tle patch of ground upon which they could build a fire, then
as the waters continued to rise there was no place to cook or
build a fire. The haystack was all that was above the surg-
124 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in^ waves of the mighty river. After four days and nights
of suffering with cold and hunger the family were rescued.
The wild waters had somewhat subsided, and Mr. Imlay on
one side of the river and the writer on the other, two tall
trees were chosen, and we cut them so the branches would
lock, and the family were carried over.
Were it not for getting into this story too much, we
might tell of our two unsuccessful attempts at their rescue
in which we came so near losing our life. In the interesting
historic letter of Mrs. Sarah F. Anderson that matter is well
explained.
During that winter, Lewis Moffitt visited the neighbor-
hood and entered the future tow^n site and homesteaded a
quarter of land on upper Lincoln creek near the present
Marysville mill, w^iich later he sold to old Mr. Hartman.
Mr. Moffitt moved to the settlement in the July following.
In the spring of 1865 there were added to the settlement
the Dunaway family, Richard Sampson, John N. Roberts,
Thomas Skillman, who settled in the edge of "F" precinct on
Lincoln creek, and John Durland who settled in '"C" precinct
near the present site of Staplehurst.
In the summer of 1864 Thomas L. Rodgers made a set-
tlement near the Morgans.
During the spring of 1S65, the first white boy was born
in the north half of the county. On another page may be
found a picture of the lad. It was Lincoln W. Cox, born
March 16.
In June, Rev. Dr. McKesson, of Lancaster, visited the
community and preached the first sermon in all this region.
This had to serve our purpose in that line until October,
when the Rev. E. L. Clark drifted down from among the
icebergs of northern New York and preached to us. The
first sermon was preached in one of God's first temples, a
grove, near our cabin. Rev. Clark preached at our home.
Although we had no preacher or preaching during the sum-
mer, we met from sabbath to sabbath and maintained a bible
class. There were not enough children of school age to or-
ganize a sabbath school. There were yet but four old
enough. These four children, however, were properly
cared for.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 125
Mr. Moffitt built the first cabin on the future town site.
It was built of hewed logs and stood on the ground now oc-
cupied by Mrs. Moffitt in the southeast part of the city It,
was what we called a double log house, having two rooms.
For the next year or two that house belonged to the public.
We had it for sabbath school, for an election booth, for a
church when a preacher happened that way, and finally we
made a post-office of it, with its owner as the first in the line
of Seward's honorable postmasters. The salary was a great
inducement, "you know," one dollar per month.
During the summer of lb64, thirty acres of sod were
broken on three farms, viz., Wm. Imlay's, D. P. Imlay's and
R. T. Gale's, and during 1865 about one hundred fifty acres
were broken on seven farms.
It is undoubtedly a surprise to the casual reader that
no more was accomplished in the way of opening up the
farms these first two seasons, but to those who "went
through the mill," it is a surprise that we were able to ac-
complish so much.
It may be well to state something of our environments.
First the settlers were all as poor as "Job's turkeys," that
had to lean against a stump while gobblin. We had but
few and very poor teams. Corn was two dollars per bushel
and money did not grow on our trees. Our breaking plows
were crude, generally old, and more fit for the scrap pile
than for business. Could the reader have seen the writer
one hot summer morning with a pair of old dull plow shares
strapped together and swung over his shoulder, trudging
down the valley nine miles to old man Morgan's, and then
watched the poor old soul as he pounded away on those
shares for half a day, that were heated by a cob fire, and then
followed us home again, foot-sore, weary and half starved;
then watched our preambulations running through the
brush perhaps for miles hunting the oxen; and again seen
us with the old oxen traipsing off seventy-five miles to mill,
camping out at night and eating cold johny-cake: could he
have seen all these struggles to keep soul and body togeth-
er, while we were menaced by Indians begging us out of
countenance, and frequently showing a spirit of arrogance
and impudence, so that it seemed dangerous to leave our
127 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
families any length of time, the reader could more fully ap-
preciate the situation.
Frequently, notwithstanding it seemed so dangerous to
leave home, we were compelled to scour distant settlements
in Lancaster, Otoe and Cass counties for meager supplies of
provisions. Oh! it was so pleasant fording streams, get-
ting stuck in the mud, perhaps breaking a wagon tongue or
axle forty miles from anywhere, with scarcely any money
and no credit. (Our wife's relatives were left far behind in
the old states.) With but a msager supply of clothing we
were compelled to struggle through the weary years of the
first occupation. We had to make "bricks without straw,"
but we made them all the same. Houses had to be built
without proper tools, and of such material as the country
afforded, viz. , logs and prairie sod. Every class of work
had to be accomplished under most discouraging conditions.
Iron bridges were not furnished then. We had to go to the
timber, cut, haul and pile logs in the river as best we could
during the day, and perhaps a flood would wash them all
away before another day had dawned. Sometimes we have
wondered that we did not all give up the struggle and go
back to the wife's relations as some of the weak kneed people
did. Happily most of us stuck to the text and waited the
dawn of better days when our wife's relations came to us.
During the great Indian scare, August 1864, just after
the terrible Minnesota massacre, and about the time the red-
skins had plundered the Plum creek settlement west of
Kearney and murdered many of the people, a general panic
ensued all over the frontier settlements. This w^as at the
time of the exodus from Salt creek, mentioned on another
page.
This little community of four families also took fright
and had prepared to vacate. Mr. Gale happened to be away
from home at the. time and his family was left to be cared
for by the neighbors. The families had all gathered at
Grandpa Imlay's on Plum creek and had prepared for flight,
when Wm. Imlay's old wagon tire burst, and before it was
possible to get it in shape the scare subsided. This catas-
trophe proved a blessing in disguise for it saved the infant
settlement. It is gratifying to know how the pioneers stuck
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 126
together in timer of danger. The other f amiUes would not
go and leave one helpless family to perishal one, but stayed
with him and his, to take a share in whatever trouble might
come. Thus by this accident, these people were saved from
sacrificing their homes.
The year 1H65 brought a few^ scattering settlers to vari-
ous localities. We note that this year brought to the South
Blue, Mr. A. E. Buzzard and family (we have not been able
to get his first name neither his exact locality,) C. G. W.
Clark and Columbus Clark settled southeast of the present
town of Beaver Crossing and Isaiah and Philip Michael set-
tled on what is now known as the Migott farm.
A little further down the river in the Johnson Neighbor-
hood, 1864, brought David Barton and Samuel Englehouft,and
1865 there came the Campbell families, also the Wilsons, the
McCrockens and Okeefes. We note by further scearch that
Wm. J. Clark settled in the neighborhood of the Wests in
1862.
Jesse R. Johnson settled in 1864 tw^o and a half miles
above West's. This year Mr. West built our first mill, a
small combination of saw and grist mill. He put in an old
fashioned corn cracker and it was a God-send to the com-
munity. Mr. Jesse R . Johnson claims the honor of planting
the first orchard in the county.
As near as can be ascertaind a log school house was built
in 1865 in the Johnson settlement in District No. 8. The
old school-house stood on the David Barton farm.
I. M. J. Johnson followed his parents in 1865 and took a
homestead.
In 1864 Thomas West, Jr. , killed the last buffalo ever
killed in Seward County.
In 1865 James Johnson became the first post-master of
the county at the old Camden bridge. This ofdce distribut-
ed mail for a vast area of country. It supplied the South
Blue valley as far as the settlement extended and it served
all the people of this valley through Saline and Seward
counties.
The Morgan settlement was increased in 1865 by the ac-
quisition of C. J. Neihardt and family and in 1866 by I. D.
Neihordt and family and a little further up the river Abra-
128 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ham and Van Hageman and also eld Mr. Wm. Hageman a
mile fui-ther up thJi river. In IHiWj Joseph Stockham and
several of his kindred settled in "O" precinct, also Chris
Lezenby, S. R. Douglass and Chas. Smith settled in 1S65.
In 1866 the Milford settle;nent secured a goodly number
of settlers when Abram Courtright, William Reed, Henry
Wortendzke, Samuel Brown, Mrs. E. J. Badgley, William
and Lee Smiley, L. D. Laune, S. G. Merrium, David Tift,
Wm. Colier, Schuyler Clark, Dr. J. L. Bondy, Geo. Gillespie,
N. Senott, Chris, and R. C. Hooker. This year Messrs. Dav-
ison and Reed moved the mill from Weeping Water and the
nucleus of village of Milford was formed and bright dreams
of a prosperous future were had by the enterprising owners.
During the summer of 1865 the preliminary steps were
taken to organize the county and at the Territorial election
in October couaty officers were elected as follows: J. L.
Davison, Probate Judge, Thomas West, County Clerk, C. J.
Neihaidt, Treasurer, Chapin, Sheriff and H.J. Parker, Wm.
J. Thompson and Wm. Imlay were elected County Commis-
sioners There is no record of the election of other county
officers.
The board of commissioners were thoroughly representa-
tive men. Parker and Imlay had each served terms in. the
Territorial Legislature and Mr. Thompson was a w4de awake
business man of more than ordinary ability. Both members
were in dead earnest to do all possible to benetit their respect-
ive localities, but all were loyal to Seward County. They
had each been long residents of the Territory and were well
schooled in all the ways of the "Wild and Wooley West."
Mr. Parker w^as on-the lookout for the Camden interests.
Mr. Thompson was the strong arm upon which Milford de-
pended and Mr. Imlay was watching the interests of the yet
unborn Seward. It is sometimes a pretty good idea to look
out for cities yet unborn as well as for children yet to be
born.
The county board was constructed on wheels, and their
meeting places were just about as it happened they could
find a camping- place The first was held at the Walnut
Creek ranch, the home of Thompson, next they met at Thos.
West's at the clerk's office and then they tried another
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 129
change and met at the Treasurer's office, 0. J. Neihardts on
the North Blue. The county had no seat to rest on, and
the boys could go where they pleased, so that something to
eat was in sight and a shelter at night. These commission-
ers had a great empire under their control, reaching westward
their jurisdiction extended over York, Hamilton, Adams and
that part of Hal] County lying south of the Platte.
We find buried up as among the "ancient and forgotten
lore" of the county clerk's office a petition asking our com-
missioners to have a voting precinct formed with the follow-
ing boundaries, and also for the appointment of a justice of
the peace for said precinct: Commencing at a point on the
Platte river, beginning at the corner of township eleven
north, range seven west of the 6th P. M., thence south to the
south-east corner of town.ship eight, thence west to the
boundary line of Kearney county, thence north to the Platte
river thence eastward to the place of beginning. Please ex-
amine the map and trace the boundaries of that precinct and
you will discover that it includes the southern portion of Hall
and the northern portion of Adams counties.
The 1865 tax levy made by the board was six mills on the
dollar and if all collected would yield four hundred and twen-
ty-three dollars, but we expect much of the personal tax may
yet be due and uncollected. At this time there were no
schools to maintain, no county roads, no bridges except on
the freight roads and they were built and maintained by priv-
ate enterprise. There was one low water bridge on the farm
of Wm. Imlay built by the neighbors.
The location of the county seat began to be agitated
quite earnestly by the people in the southern portion of the
county. The Seward people were in no condition to take a
hand in the strife as yet as they had only a site, but no
town by a long sight. H. W. Parker with the help of Fordice
Roper of Beatrice, was building a grist and saw mill at Cam-
den, and had a railroad in view, and although at the extreme
south end of the county, they thought they had the world
by the trail. • •
Camden was to be the city of the Blue valley. Wm.
Buckhannan opened a little store. The enterprising citizens
130 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
went over into Saline county and got a school house, (wheth-
er they borrowed it or bought it," we are not advised.)
They opened a school in the winter of 1866 and 1867
with the Hon. Thomas Graham as teacher and we suppose
one of the principal branches taught was, that all roads lead
to Camden, the coming city of the valley. Quite a little
town sprang up. The mill was completed in 1867. The pros-
pects for Camden were bright, but somehow the settlement
at Milford was gaining on them. Milford settlement could
grow in all directions and Camden had that ugly county line
just near their door, then during the heat of the contest the
B.& M. folks had determined to abandon their Camden survey-
ing and go through Saline county. The Milford people were
anxious to have the county seat question placed before the
people at once, but Parker was too scary and Imlay thought
wise to defer the matter till the regular election of 1867. At
this time a large perponderence of settlement was in the
south half of the county. Milford was a village in fact with
a mill and a good bridge, with a great freight road, a most
splendid water power and a very strongly united people, ex-
tending from east to west through the county and reaching
southward within two miles of Camden and north as far as
the center of "J" and "K" precincts. Seward community was
rapidly gaining in strength, but we had some serious obsta-
cles to contend with. We had no town. Although the com-
munity had chosen a town site by common consent at the very
first, long before the land had been entered in the early wint-
er of 1865, yet the friends of Seward that were striving with
might and main were powerless in the matter.
For three long years the friends of Seward coaxed, im-
portuned and finally bull dosed the owner of the land to have
the town site surveyed and platted and put on the market.
This is a scrap of hitherto unwritten history that is cer-
tainly due to the men who first suggested the building of
Seward and who stood by it in every hour of adversity when
the proprietor seemed luke warm and careless or indifferent
of the wants of the community.
He wanted a town, but would not and did not perform
his necessary part and when the contest came our votes were
cast for the Seward of faith that only existed in our brains.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 131
Well the contest came in October, 1867, in the shape of a three
cornered fight with Milford, Camden and Seward with only a
name in the contest. The returns of that election are entire-
ly lost to the world. Uncle Tomy West, our county clerk,
with all his good qualities was not a very good scribe or
book-keeper and not much used to keeping county books.
Then we guess he had no books to keep. We remember that
Milford was in the lead and Seward a close second with Cam-
den in the rear with thirty votes. Not much over one hun-
dred votes were cast. The votes were canvassed and no
place having a majority a special election was ordered. At
the fall election the following county officers were elected:
Wm. J. Thompson, re-elected commissioner; J. D. Main,
county judge; Wm. H. Reed, county clerk; A. J. Walling-
ford, sheriff; Thos. Graham, superintendent Public Instruc-
tion; W. W. Cox, coroner(did not qualify); R.T. Gale, surveyor.
In this election Milford gained one important point, the
election of Wm. H. Reed as county clerk, who had a very im-
portant part in the contest to follow. At the special county
seat election Camden withdrew from the contest and a share
(probably a large share) of the Camden friends wanting to kill
off their near neighbors threw their influence and their votes
for Seward, the same shadow without a substance.
When the votes were counted it is discovered that Seward
had a clear majority of ten votes, but Mr. Reed, as county
clerk and by virtue of his office, was the one to choose the
canvassers and right here the trouble began, that led to
almost endless litigation. Mr. Reed wanted Milford to win
and he saw well to it that nothing should be lacking. He of
course saw that Milford friends should be well represented
on that canvassing board. They saw fit to throw out twelve
Seward votes, claiming they were fraudulent, thus giving
Milford two majority. We were never able to learn what
twelve votes were thrown out nor on what specific grounds,
and more we were never able to learn that there were any
illegal votes cast, but we will not cast a reflection on the
board for we do not know what evidence influenced their
action. Now the trouble begins in earnest.
At the next meeting of the county board a general
wrangle issued, with Parker and Imlay pulling together and
132 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Thompson and the Clerk pulling the other way. They con-
tended and talked and almost quarreled and finally adjourned
as Parker and Imlay assert, but in making the record of the
meeting Mr. Reed said a resolution had been passed that the
County Clerk be instructed to post notices m each precinct
of the location of the County Seat. This meeting was held
December 2nd, 1876.
At the next meeting of the Board, which was held at the
County Clerk's Ofiice in the little old mill at Milford, Mr.
Imlay offered the following resolution:
"That so much of the record of the proceedings of the
meeting held December 2nd as relates to posting notices of
the location of County Seat be expunged from the record."
Imlay and Parker supported the motion and insisted that
no such resolution had been passed. Mr. Thompson voted
in the negative and the Clerk also assumes to record his vote
in language following, "and so saith the County Clerk."
This remarkable assumption of the Clerk is recorded in
his own hand in the records of 1876, and stands out in history
as one of the curiosities of a peculiar epoch in our history.
At this meeting Mr. Reed had fortified himself with an
attorney and was prepared for a fight. Major Tullis, from
Salt Creek, was on hand to see that Milford had a fair show.
At this moment a state's warrant was served on Mr. Imlay
on some hatched up charge. (We have nearly wrecked our
brain trying to remember what that charge was but to no
avail.) This warrant was issued by an old farmer Justice of
the Peace, living near Milford, by the name of Harrington',
that knew about a,s much about law as a pig knows about a
latin grammar. The Commissioners' meeting came to an end
in the midst of great excitement. Sheriff Wallingford was
on hand and arrested the Commissioner and when the curtain
again rises it is at the country office of his honor, Squire
Harrington. The only legal counsel Mr. Imlay had on that
occasion was this unsophisticated, backwoods Author, but
that made no difference for if Rufus Choate or Dan Webster
had been there it would have been just the same. Mr Har-
rington was a fast friend of Milford. Mr. Imlay was bound
over to court, but some how the court to try his case never
convened. It is rather a sad commentary on the courts in
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 133
all this rejj-ion round about that they were so biased in this
embrolio that the Seward party stood no earthly show with
a court in the southern part of the county, and just the same
on the other hand. The Milford party, in rough language of
another, "might as well be in H — without claws," as to fall
into the hands of a court in the northern half of the county.
Human nature is pretty much the same the world over.
Now it comes the Seward fellow's turn and articles of
impeachment were tiled against the Clerk for falsifying the
record. Mr. Reed was arrested and brought to the north
midst the chilling blasts of an arctic climate. At least a
score of his friends came along to see him through. He,
having the right to a jury, had some show although he was
in the land of the enemy. Our little, old, log school house
served as a court room. Just at dark, on a bitterly cold,
winter night, the prisoner was brought in. A jury of very
worthy intelligent men were chosen and sworn, but remember
that they were not "Angels." Some -v^ere Sewardites and
some were Milfordites. Well, while the wind whistled and
the snow drifted that cold,, stormy night, that interesting
trial proceeded until the stars ceased to shine in in the morn-
ing. Oh! what flights of oratory were heard by that excited
audience, court and jury as it came in living streams from
those young attorneys. It was a drawn battle; of course the
jury disagreed as might be expected.
Now the case was set for another hearing and the next
time it was agreed to make the jury to consist of three men
and the next trial was held at Camden, in their school house.
This time the jury concluded to end the matter by giving a
verdict of acquittal and here the first chapter, of the ridicu-
lous proceedings, ends with a round cost bill of seventy-five
dollars for the Seward fellows to pay for their fun they had,
besides a large attorney fee.
Milford held the County Seat now for a time, but found
it rather an expensive Seat. In another chapter we will fol-
low up this embrolio to the final conclusion.
CHAPTER VIII.
Desperate wintei— Snow bound— Starving stock— A trip to Milford—
Homeward through a blizzard— The floods of spring— Terrible straits
of settlers— Nebraska admitted— Brighter days— Blue valley ex-
amined—Nebraska City's mistake— Good markets— Hauling stone-
Lincoln people hungry— Seward surveyed— Beaty and Davis store —
The cyclone— Tuttle's hotel— The saw mill— We celebrated— Parker
defeated— County seat fight waxes warm— Seward outgeneraled-
Hon. D; C. McKillip— Free hotels— Looking after new comers-
Seward had seven houses— No public roads— No bridges— The old
well in the square— Settlements extended — First railroad bond pro-
position — Episodes of the embroglio— Records 1 ist — Cadman's court —
The house was searched- -Court at Lincoln— Eeed's arrest- Brown
hid — Dan got mad.
The winter of 1866 and 1867 was most memorable. Of
all the hard winters we have experienced in forty -five years
of residence in Nebraska, that was by far the most severe.
It began to snow on the first day of December, and from that
time to the first of April it was a succession of storm after
storm, and many of them were regular bhzzards of the most
ferocious character. It was a providential circumstance
that settlements had not yet penetrated the great prairies,
but were confined to the valleys along the streams where the
timber was plentiful.
The snow became very deep and was drifted into such
huge drifts that communication was entirely cut off between
distant settlements. Long before spring the meager stock
of grain had become exhausted and the supply of hay was
limited. This resulted in great loss of stock. Many cattle
actually starved.
To demonstrate more fully the severity of the weather,
we must relate our personal experience. There was a little
ravine between our house and a grove where there was a
quantity of dry wood which we were anxious to secure. The
ravine was drifted full and we shoveled a road through that
drift many times with the hope that we might cross it with
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 135
the team, but before we could ^et home, yoke the oxen and
return, our road would become impassable, and for three
months we could not get a team across that ravine. We
were completely shut in from the outside world. The game
nearly all perished. What horses there were in the country
weie walking skeletons. On March 15, neighbor Ellis and
the writer concluded to make a tremendous effort to get some
bread stuff. That morning was fairly pleasant. Ellis
hitched up the horses, and what horses I They were just
a lot of bones with old dry hides stretched over them. We
had a pretty good home-made sled armed with some empty
sacks, and a couple of shovels we struck down the river just
at daylight, and reached the Rogers settlement in time to
share their dinner. We bought all the corn he would sell us,
two bushels each, and made our way on to Milford by the
time darkness came on. Uncle Billy Reed lived in the mill.
He made us welcome although we were from the land of the
enemy. He ground our grist during the evening while we
talked over matters. It had begun to thaw on the fifteenth,
and the roads began to be slushy, but on the morning of the
sixteenth it began to snow and turned cold. We took an
early start for home, but were compelled to halt at Uncle
Sammy Brown's to thaw out. There we met two of Rev.
Clark's daughters who had somehow made their way from
Nebraska City on their way home. They wanted passage
homeward, and we took them in. The storm increased in
fury. We reached the Clark home (where Schuyler Clark
now lives) at 4:00 p. m., nearly frozen. After warming up
we pushed on to Moffitt's cabin on the future town site. Mr.
Moffitt invited us to remain for supper and while his good
wife was preparing supper we were invited to go down into
the timber and help him lift to their feet a lot of cows that
were about ready to bid this vain world farewell.
This pleasant task accomplished, and supper over, we
set out on the home stretch. Our wny lead across where
Seward was not yet, and across the botnom toward home,
through snow two feet deep through which the poor horses
floundered at every step. This last three miles was among
the most perilous trips of a life time. It seemed that in
spite of every effort we would perish; but at 11.00 p. m., in
136 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
a half frozen condition, we reached home with our two sacks
of meal.
The snow did not melt sufficient to begin to get into the
river until April 6. Then it let go all holds at once, and
such a river as we had. No other high waters since that
April have been seen in this valley. A good sized steam-
boat could have run with safety anywhere on the low^ bottom
land. Where our cereal mills now stand the water was at
least ten feet deep. The water backed up to Richard
Sampson's door yard, and within a few" rods of E. L. Ellis*
residence. In places the little river was a mile wide. It
drove many of the settlers out of their homes. In our set-
tlement Rev. E. L. Clark's family and E. B. Shafer's were
driven out of their homes at night. Old Mother Rogers had
to be carried out from her home on her dying bed and taken
to Milford where she died within a few days.
It was one of the grandest sights of a life time to stand
and watch the waters roll down the depressions from the
highlands. Vast sheets of water, some of them from twenty
to forty rods wide, were rolling down like little Niagaries,
sometimes moving great snow drifts with an irresistible
force.
This vast bed of snow left the ground in excellent con-
dition for crops. Grass sprang up under the warm April
sun as if by magic. Wheat sown that spring brought an
abundant harvest. The spring of 1867 brought in a host of
settlers into all localities where settlements had been started.
While the wild waters were holding high carnival, there
was much suffering in the valley. Breadstuffs were com-
pletely exhausted, and people had to resort to all sorts of
schemes to exist until communication was restored. Some
lived for days on boiled wheat, and some on hominy. Some
lived largely on the fat of their ribs, and they were not very
fat either.
This summer Nebraska was admitted to the sisterhood
of states and there was a general awakening as to its won-
derful possibilities. As provided by act of congress, the
first session of the new state legislature convened in Omaha
in the early spring, and its most noteworthy act was the
passage of the capital removal bill. The bill provided for a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 137
board of commissioners composed of state officers to select a
point where a section of land would be donated somewhere
withni the boundaries of Saunders, Butler, Lancaster or
Seward counties. The commissioners, headed by Gov. Dav-
id Butler, took a regular junketing- tour, visited Ashland,
various points in Butler county, then took a general survey
of the valley from Ulysses to Camden. Our people tried
hard to get the board to fairly consider section 16, the school
section just north of the present city of Seward. They laud-
ed our location to the skies, but they didn't give us a ghost
of a show. They went to Milford and to Camden and had
lots of good things to say for them also; then they went over
to Yankee Hill, the home of the prime mover of capital re-
moval bill, Hon. John Cadman. They talked very pretty to
the Hon. John, but somehow the whole thing had been fixed
by a "power behind the throne" at Nebraska City. The
business men had lent every energy in dealing what they
thought to be a death blow to Omaha and had secured one
point and now they proposed to have a say as to where the
capital city should be built. They thought the salt interest
would be an important factor and their intention and expec-
tation was to build a city that would be tributary to Nebraska
City and that the consequent development of the country
would cause a tremendous boom at their city. They wanted
the capital close enough so they could command all the bene
fits of the location. Little did they dream that Lincoln
would soon overshadow their city and destroy its opportunity
to ever become a metropolitan city and not hurt Omaha in
the least . Yet subsequent developments show that the move-
ment did not injure Omaha, but effectually shut the gate
against the possibility of Nebraska City's growth.
Had Lincoln been located in the Blue valley it would not
only be more central in the state, but Nebraska City would
to-day be a much more important city.
But Lancaster got the capital and it remained for us to
make the best of it. Immediately upon the location a great
host of land seekers swarmed our prairies. Homesteads
were taken by the thousands all over these counties near the
new city. A new life had come to the country and every-
thing was on the boom. Whatever a pioneer settler had to
138 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
sell found a ready customer. At this time the reader must
remember that there was not an iron rail in all south Nebras-
ka. A city was looming up on the wild prairie, where every
pound of provisions, building material, etc., had to be freight-
ed with teams. The stone for our first capitol was hauled
by ox teams from Beatrice quarries.
The first two years fuel was hauled from Seward county
groves north of Germantown. Those fellows that laid the
foundations at Lincoln had good appetites and seemed to
have plenty of cash. They would just buy anything to eat,
good, bad or indifferent and pay most any price.
Wood was ten dollars per cord, butter fifty cents per
pound, potatoes $1.00 per bushel, hay $10 to $15 per ton,
fresh pork, dressed pigs 12i cents per pound and everything
in proportion.
During the spring of 1868, Hon. Thomas Graham was
employed by Lewis Moffitt to survey the north half of the
southwest quarter of Sec. 21, town 11, range 3 east, into a
town site and lit it to the name adopted two years previous-
ly (Seward) and in June of that summer the firm of Beaty
and Davis opened a little store. Shortly after this W. H.
Tuttle built the first section of the old commercial hotel that
has recently been torn down and then Dr. Leland Walker
met with a disaster with his frame house on the claim on Sec.
11, town 11, range 3 east.
A young cyclone had come his way and scattered his
house all over the prairie. The doctor gathered up the frag-
ments and built a residence where the opera now stands.
Soon thereafter Wm. O. Pierce built a small frame dwelling
and in these glad days Seward began to be a town. H. L.
Boyes and son had just got a little saw-mill in operation just
below town.
Seward grew a little right along and by the Fourth we
were anxious tc celebrate, and we did and an extended ac-
count of our first celebration is given on another page.
In the autumn of 1868 H. W. Parker of Camden, a strong
partisan of Seward, secured the nomination by the republican
convention in this representative district for member of the
Legislature. The district was composed of Saunders, But-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 139
ler and Seward Counties and it was at the time strongly re-
publican.
Marcus Brush, a bright young lawyer of Ashland, was
the Democratic nominate. The Seward people looked for-
ward for relief at the hands of the coming legislature. Could
Parker be elected it was almost certain that such legislation
would be had that the county seat embroilio could be settled
by a majority vote. The contest was spirited and bitter.
The Milford people all agreed that Parker would be a dang-
erous man and they would not dare to trust him a minute,
and about the solid vote of that large locality was given to
Brush, although four fifths of the voters were republicans.
Other parts of the county divided on party lines. Parker
was defeated and Brush, a rank democrat, represented a
strongly republican district and in this Milford gained a
strong point.
Every effort to get Reed's canvassing board's decision
overruled by the courts had proved unavailing, and now our
hopes of relief from the Legislature had gone glimmering, we
were in a rather sad dilemma. It was considered entirely un-
safe to attempt the removal by a two-thirds vote. The sum-
mer of 1868 was full of contention. Parker's term of office as
commissioner expired and J. L. Bandy a strong Milford par-
tisan was elected to take his place and now for a time.
Milford had a majority of Commissioners, the County
Clerk and held the county seat with a firm grip. In the
mean time the county seat had attracted a young lawyer that
gave their cause material help. Hon. Daniel C. McKillip
located at Milford during the summer and was ready to take
a hand in the contest.
During this year Seward had been completely out-gen-
eraled and was compelled to hold an empty sack. However
Seward was growing and the north half of the county wa**
settling up rapidly and as Seward was much nearer the cent-
er of the county we were gaining steadily on our rival.
Some how we had gained favor with the people of Lincoln
the new capital city, and they lent us a helping hand in
pointing out our locality to passing immigrants; yet at this
time and up to the end of 1869, Milford had many advan-
tages over Seward. It was the recognized county seat. It
140 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
was on the great overland trail where tens of thousands of
hnmigrants were passing and giving trade to the business
men and furnishing a ready home market for everything the
farmer had. It had a grist mill in operation. It had such
stalwart men as J. L. Davison, Wm. H. Reed, Henry Wor-
tendyke and Dan McKillip to lead. These men were all
"up to snutf," and they made it most interesting for us.
In those good old days the country was full of hotels.
Some were built of logs, some of sod, but they were all free
and the "latch string" was always hanging out. Strangers
were always given a hearty welcome. When a prairie
schooner was sighted in the distance people would make
haste to go out and meet it and extend a warm welcome.
They were ready at all times to go and show vacant land and
lend every encouragement and of course show all the su-
perior features of their locality and when they had secured
the settler to their neighborhood he was at once an enthu-
siast for his town as against the other. The wonderful ad-
vantages of each part of the county was shown to the world
at large through the state papers and in Eastern papers.
Every settler was a host in the struggle for supremacy.
The lands of each locality were equally rich and fertile,
equally beautiful and the farmer could make no mistake as
to quality of land. Seward was growing and Milford was
growing. When the snow began to fall and winter began in
December, 1868, Seward had seven small buildings as follows:
Beaty and Davis' Store, the little Tuttle house, Beaty's resi-
dence where the Windsor now stands, W. R. Davis' residence,
Dr. L. Walker's residence, Wm. O. Pierce's residence and
Lewis Moffitt's log cabin. The old school house was not on
hhe town site, neither was the dugout of the Boyes family.
There was not a legal road leading into or out of the town.
The side- walks were of prairie sod. There was just one
low water bridge north of Milford and that was about eighty
rods up the river from the old iron bridge west and north of
tlie city at the Castle farm.
The water supply of the town was from a well in the
center of the public square, which was dug by E. L. Ellis
and paid for by s ubscription. Farmers helped in this matter .
Some paid their part by turning the windlass, hauling up the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 141
dirt, some furnished lumber for curbing, etc. A windlass
and the "old oaken bucket" served the people for a time but
after a while there appeared in our community a "farmer
that was not all a farmer." This enterprising citizen was
A. L. Strang, who had bought Sec. 9, "G" Town, now known
as the Jones farm, and he had put up an old fashioned Hali-
day windmill at his farm and although the first windmill to
flap its broad wings in all this mighty west, it seemed to be
right at home playing with our gentle breezes.
Mr. Strang was a wide-a-wake business man and ready
to grasp an opportunity. So he came down to the town with
a proposition to place a windmill and tank at the public well.
Mr. Strang headed the list of subscibers with a liberal sum
and the "thing of beauty" was soon on it pegs and proved a
joy to all thirsty people. This was the beginning of a great
enterprise, for the fame of that mill spread far and wide and
before many years had come and gone the name of A. L.
Strang, General Agent, could be seen everywhere that civil-
ization extended on our vast prairies and was numbered by
the thousands.
While the people in all parts of the county were busy
breaking prairie, building sod houses and preparing homes,
the county seat problem was not forgotten. The spring of
1869 brought in a great host of settlers and every section of
the county got a share. Quite a goodly number settled in
the hill country to the eastward of both Seward and Milford.
The northern tier of townships had become dotted over with
new made farms. "M," "N" and "O" precincts got a fair
share; "F" and "K" also had made a good beginning; "J"
and "I" had gained many; "P" and "G" precinct had also
forged to the front. The little village was steadily growing.
Special features of the growth of the village will be noted in
another chapter. On the 20th of September of this eventful
year, 1869, the people of the county were called upon to vote
on their first rail road proposition.
This was a proposition of the Midland Railway company
to build their road to the west bank of Blue river in Seward
county provided the county would issue to them on the com-
pletion of said road fifty thousand dollars in ten per cent
twenty year bonds. The proposition was very indefinite
142 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and somehow it created neither enthusiasm or opposition.
However it carried by a majority of tifty-two votes. The
company failed to build the road as per agreement and our
raih-oad matters rested quietly for a time.
In the Legislature session in the winter of 1869, we,
that is the Sew^ard people, tried to get a bill of relief through
granting the people the right to settle the county seat con-
test by a majority vote, but our Milford friends had secured
a fast friend in Representative Brush that they had assisted
in his hour of need. He effectually blocked our little game.
This only tended to inspire the Seward fellows to a more de-
termined effort. There were many interesting episodes of
the period. Somethings occurred that have never been re-
corded and in undertaking to relate them from memory mis-
takes are liable to occur. One very strange feature we have
to contend with after a most diligent .search in the county
clerk's office, we fail to find the most interestmg book of com-
missioners' records the county ever had, the record during W.
H. Reed's tenure of office. That priceless treasure seems to
be lost in the shuffle. We wonder if Mr. Reed took it with
him across the dark river. There were numerous lawsuits
that it would be most entertaining to the reader if the whole
story could be told. One little story must be told even if we
can't just tell what the bone of contention was at the time.
Hon. John Cadman was Probate Judge of Lancaster
County and that meant a great deal. It seemed to give him
jurisdiction over all these prairies.
A complaint was made by some to the Milford friends
against Commissioners Parker and Imlay for some high
crime and misdemeanors. Major Philot and Hon. D. C.
McKillip were attorneys for the prosecution. The complaint
was lodged in Judge Cadman's court and warrants were is-
sued for the arrest of defendents. Sheriffs never went alone
in those days in that county seat matter no more than a sher-
iff now days would attempt the arrest of a gang of train rob-
ber without help . Mr. Sheriff took his posse and his brace
of young attorneys, Geo. Merium and many other brave
Milford boys.
They went to Camden first on track of Parker. Parker
had smelled a rat and was not at home that dark night. They
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 143
rapped hard at the cabin door. They were informed that Mr.
Parker was not there, but Major Philpot would not believe
that his bird had flown. So it was determined to search the
house, and indiscreetly the major allowed his enthusiasm
to get the better of him and he rushed wildly (as the story
goes) into a bed-room where the hired girl (Mrs. Dan Harris)
was sleeping or in bed at least, and savagely jerked the
bed clothes oft" the bed. This was considered such an out-
rage that if the Camden folks or the Seward folks had got
hold of that sleek young lawyer before their blood had cooled,
we would give but little for all that had remained of
him. Parker had learned of what was going on and had
made his way to Seward and put Imlay on his guard. It
seems there was a case of some kind on the calender at
Judge Maine's court away in the northeast corner of the
county, and Parker and Imlay were interested in it and they
went over there. The sheriff and posse were hot on their
trail. It is said a cowardly sneak in Seward given Parker
and Imlay away.
Judge Maine's court w'as in session when the mob rushed
in upon them and captured their game, and started for
Lincoln with them. At this juncture of the game, John D.
Olney mounted a horse and came to the Seward settlement
post haste. It had been a rainy day. It was now about dark
when our boys rallied at Moftitt's cabin.
The night was fearfully dark, but about a dozen of us
resolved to go to the rescue even if we had to wade mud
neck deep. The night was dark as Egypt. Some of us were
on horseback, but a footman had to lead with a lantern. We
went away around by the Oakgrove settlements and rallied
them to our assistance. Just at the early dawn in a drizzling
rain we reached Lincoln wet, weary and with blood in the
eye. We were well along in the mad state when we started
and the long w^eary tramp through rain and mud had put
us in good fighting trim. We outnumbered the Milford
crowd, and we had a better supply of war paint. We seemed
to have the sympathy of the Lincoln folks, and we had
our own way on the streets and our Milford friends raised
no objections. Bye and bye Judge Cadman opened his
court. Our folks employed Judge S. B. Pound, then just a
144 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
young man, to defend the prisoners. He seemed to get right
down to business and made a- most eloquent plea against
Judge Cadman's jurisdiction, but Cad, as we called him, said
no, I never let game go when I have hold of it. He held to
his jurisdiction. He was willing to let Imlay go Scott free,
but he held Parker to bail.
Now the Seward boys take a hand in. Parker plainly
refused to give bail, and we with one accord said, Parker they
can't take you to jail, and they did not try. Judge Cadman
and al] the Milford folks wanted us to go home, but we wait-
ed till fully ready. That case, whatever it was, died right
there and was never heard of in the courts afterw^ards.
Sometime later the commissioners had Mr. Reed over
the coals and suspended him from office for some misconduct
and appointed James A. Brown to till the place. Mr. Reed
refused to give up the books, whereupon a complaint was
tiled with Judge J. W. Shields. Judge Shields did not rec-
ognize Milford as county seat, but held his court at Seward
or at his home in the extreme northern part of the county
just as pleased him best. This time he held his court at
Moflitt's house on Seward town site. The sheriff and usual
posse had gone to arrest Reed. Somehow the word got out
that a counter warrant had been issued by some court for
the arrest of Brown, the complaining witness. Mr. Brown
got badly scared as the time for the sheriff's appearance with
Reed seemed to be greatly prolonged. Night was coming
on; Brown had secured this writer's help in the prosecu-
tion. Brown, in fear of what might occur, proposed to
hide in the tall grass over west of the square and await de-
velopments. He almost overdid the thing. Just as it had
got as dark as a stack of black cats, the sheriff and his
crowd came with the prisoner accompanied by D. C. McKillip
and a large crowd of Reed's friends. Some think Dan's red
head helped light the way to Seward. Dan was terribly
red-headed that night. Well, said the august judge, the pris-
oner is here, where is the complaining witness?
I have him hid out in the prairie, said the attorney; will
go and bring him in. Now it would make a dog laugh to
have seen us, strolling over all the prairie yelling like a
coyote and the more we yelled the closer the ground would
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 145
Brown cling, scared within an inch of his life. We finally
captured him and got him into court, when the circus began
in earnest. Friend McKillip and Uncle Billy Reed were on
the one side; Jim Brown, myself and the court were on the
other side, and it was a little like the later game of eight to
seven. We had things about our own way. This was a Sew-
ard court "you know." It has just come to mind that every
one at the front in that exciting trial except the writer have
gone to their long homes. Of all the number we alone are
left to tell the tale, also nearly ail the spectators have passed
away, yet looking back across the three and half decades
it seems as but yesterday since that tempestuous night. Mr.
Reed was bound over to court of course, but he never gave
a bond and the matter just simply died, that's all. But Tames
Brown lost a full year's growth by that scare.
'CHAPTER IX.
County seat question settled — Seward badly scared — Court house sold —
Blue Valley Record— A thorn in Seward's side — State institutions —
Seward's growth— Canvasses bond proposition, and hard fight— Vote
by piecincts — Long faces at Seward — A new proposition— Milford's
mistake^Oak Groves cuts a figure — "F" and "G" precincts bled^ —
"Stop the reapers "^Seward's triumph — 1873 prosperous — Grass-
hoppers — Homesteads abandoned — Tell the whole truth— Sudden
turn — Seward had been like a beehive — Like a pall of death — Lands
abandoned — People of other states lend a helping hand — The
vultures.
In the session of the Legislature, held in the winter of
1870 and 1871, an act was passed authorizing the County
Commissioners in cases where the County Seat had not been
located, to submit the question to the qualified voters at the
next general election. The question was submitted at the
October Election of 1871.
Now another serious problem faced the people of Seward.
The B. & M. K. R. had not yet been located westward from
Lincoln but the Lincoln Land and Town Site Company had
been organized with Mr. K. O. Philips at the head. They
were busy locating cities on paper in those days. They
looked over Seward County to see what could be done, and
seeing that the people of Seward County were in the midst
of a "kill kenny cat fight" over the County Seat, they con-
cluded to help settle the matter. So they secured a title to
a section of land at the exact center of the county, two and
a half miles south, the same west of Seward, and began to
hold out baits for popular favor with the promise that the
rail road would be built in the near future to the new town.
This new enemy seemed to have fearful proportions. It
looked for a time that our goose was cooked to a finish. Our
old enemy was a wiley foe. They saw an opportunity to
kill Seward as they thought and if they could they were
ready to die happy themselves. She would throw all her
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 147
force to the new town. The friends of Seward stood aghast
at the audacity of the designs of the enemy but after a while
the dark clouds rifted. The rail road folks concluded to
build through Saline County and leave Seward County to settle
their owti affairs.
The day of final battle came at last on the 10th day of
October, 1871. The contest was sharp and bitter. It was
the most energetic contest in the history of the county. We
believe every voter was at the polls, even if he had to come
home from a distance of five hundred miles. Seward was
triumphant at last, receiving twenty-two more than two-thirds
of the votes cast. Milford had made a most strenuous fight
and had left no stone unturned. They are fully entitled to
much credit for they contested every inch of ground and died
defending the last ditch as it were. Seward was now in the
hey-day of its glory, however victory had not come to Sew-
ard without sacrifice. The litigation had cost a mint of
money and more, the town and its friends had to get down
into their pockets deep, and provide twelve hundred dollars
to build a court house and also furnish a block of lots on
which to place it. That beautiful structure cost all told
about $1400. Some of the citizens that contributed to that
edifice had the pleasure of seeing it sold at auction some
years ago for fifty dollars. It is now a blacksmith shop.
There is an old saying (whether true or false) that "Ev-
erything is fair in war." In this prolonged contest many
people acted on that principle, and they were not confined
to any one locality. Each and every fellow proposed to win
and as the battle waxed warm, people were ready to over-
come their scruples, but with all the strife and contention,
with all the bitter feelings engendered, it is a pleasant mem-
ory that no blood was shed and more, there was not even a
fist fight in all the contest. We would meet in court and
wrangle all day, but when meal time or bed time came, the
enemy would be invited home and given the best the house
aiforded. This was almost universally the case at both ends
of the string. All the better class of people were too noble
in their make-up to do otherwise than treat every citizen,
whether friend or foe, cordially and extend to them every
courtesy. We are heartily glad that we are permitted to
148 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
make this record. We are also glad to know that the few of
us that yet live, that fought each other with a desperation,
are all now the warmest of friends. Comparitively few of the
heroes in the strife are now among us. They have mostly
gone to their long homes, a few yet remain. A new genera-
tion is now here building upon the foundations laid in those
troublous times.
Among the honored names of those who held aloft the
Milford banner we remember Judge J. L. Davison, Abram
Cartwright, Judge Henry Wortendyke, Lee Smiley and Wm.
his brother, Silas Atwood and Henry his brother, the invin-
cible Wm. H. Reed, Father Hazlewood, L. D. Laune, Wm.
J. Thompson, Hon. Thos. Healeys, Samuel Brown, Father
S. G. Merriumand George his son, Hon. D. C. McKillip and
Geo. B. France; then we must not forget the man at the
head of the Blue Valley Record, Capt. J. H. Culver.
The Record dealt many heavy blows and recieved many
in return, but the Record never forgot to hold up before the
world this county as the best place in all creation for the
poor man to get a home, and right here we may as well say,
the Record came to life December 29th, 1870, and while it
lasted it made a first class record and the Editor tells us that
financially it was a grand success as it started on a paid up
cash capital of twenty-five cents and when it closed its use-
ful career some years later the cash balance was thirty -three
cents and lots of experience. With a familiarity with all the
many publications of Seward County for thirty-four years
we unhesitatingly say that the Record was never yet sur-
passed in ability. The Editor was always ready to speak
his sentiments on any subject. The Record steadfastly re-
fused to pander to the liquor trade but was forever pouring
hot shot into their camp. Some of the "Shogo" Island pic-
nicers thought it cranky. It goes without saying that the
Record was a thorn in Seward's side during the controversy
from the day of its birth until the curtain fell in October, 1871.
These men and many more worked faithfully and un-
ceasingly to make Milford the city of this grand valley and
if they did not fully succeed in their undertakings they acted
well their part and are entitled to much credit although stern
.fate was against them. The County Seat was taken from
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 149
them and Milford could not accomplish what her founders
desired her to be, the principal city. She has accomplished
much in the race. She has secured other prizes and rich
ones too; she has one of the most extensive mills in the
state. She has the two prominent state institutions, the
Soldiers and Sailors' home and the Industrial home. The
village is widely known as a pleasant resort, where mineral
springs abound and where beautiful natural groves of timber
add a cheerfulness that makes the tourist feel that he is
right at home. Milford is located upon a commanding pla-
teau on the west bank of the river overlooking a vast sketch
of the valle3^, with a meandering stream fringed with timber,
with blocks of magnificent farms in every direction with-
in only a few minutes ride of the county seat and a half hour
of the capital, with a good location for local trade and with
a good supply of excellent business houses enjoying a good
trade. She has much to rejoice over. Milford has a host
of good wide-awake citizens and we trust that a bright
future awaits her. For further particulars see the history
of the village of Milford on another page.
After the county seat matter was settled Seward began
quite a rapid growth and began in the spring of 1872 to pre-
sent quite the appearance of a village. Many new buildings
were erected and numerous merchantile houses were opened
and the little city in embryo began to reach after other
laurels. About January 1, 1872, Dr. J. W. Converse, super-
intendent of the old Midland Pacific Rail Road, sent for some
of the business men of Seward and vicinity to meet him at
Lincoln to talk over rail road matters. This company had
just recently completed their track from Nebraska City to
Lincoln. One very stormy day a sled load of citizens had a
sleighride down the great ridge to Lincoln where they were
met by the learned Doctor of Rail Roads. The Doctor made
known his plans to build his road to and through our county
provided we were ready to do his bidding. It was the rule
to suck all the blood there was in every instance. The
Doctor had posted himself in regard to our assessment roll
and found that under the law one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars of bonds could be voted and of course it would re-
quire just that much to induce the company to build and
150
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
equip a road through the county. He made known to these
people that he would make to • the county commissioners a
proposition as follows; that for one hundred and fifty thou-
sand dollar, ten per cent, twenty year bonds to be delivered
upon the completion^of the road through the county via Seward
or within one half mile of the public square in Seward, the
road to be completed within a certain stipulated time. In
due time the proposition was submitted and the fun com-
menced; wonderful excitement prevailed. The old sectional
strife was awakened anew. The people of Seward of course
were almost universally in favor of the proposition and so
also were most of the people of the north half of the county
but in the southern half of the county the sentiment was de-
cidedly against the proposition. There was a most thorough
canvass and much bitter feeling was manifest. The Blue
Valley Record used all its ability to down the proposition.
Bond meetings were held in every part of the county and
anti-bond meetings were addressed by fiery speakers and
the rail roads were held up before the people as unprincipled
monopolies. Speakers from other counties were imported
to help our people settle the matter. Thoroughly organized
committees were appointed to help defeat the bonds. On
the 22nd of February the election was held and resulted as
follows. The vote by precincts will show how sectional the
strife was. There were at the time eight voting precincts
and the total vote cast was eleven hundred and sixty-two by
precincts as follows:
Seward precinct — For bonds
North Blue
Lincoln Creek "
Oak Grove
Milford
Camden
Walnut Creek "
Beaver Creek " " _ .
Total For 540 Total Against 622 j
According to these returns it is very plain that the prop-
osition was defeated by a large majority. Seward was
greatly discomfitted, in fact the people in the town and in the
232
Against
bonds 5
136
109
9
47
60
5
147
6
138
10
130
2
135
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 151
country round about were clothed in sack cloth and ready to
roll in ashes or "any old place" while Milford rejoiced. It
would be most amusing could the long faces of our promi-
nent citizens be reproduced. A photo of W. H. Tuttle, J.
N. Beaty, W. R. Davis, Dr. L. Walker, Jim Harris and
others, perhaps it might include this writer if they had been
taken that morning, would show fairly well how woe-begone
our people felt. But "behind all these dark clouds were all
the stars'- and the day of deliverance was near.
There was a peculiar turn in affairs when the commis-
sioners began to canvass the vote. The ret aims from Cam-
den precinct were not to be found. It had the appearance
of some rascality. A young Seward lawyer, by the name of
F. M. Elsworth, had slipped the returns from Camden from
the Clerk's office. This placed the commissioners in a pecu-
liar position. Of course the commissioner's could not count
the Camden vote when it was not before them. Indignation
meetings were held in various parts oE the county. Blood
was hot. Even in Seward a large citizens' meeting was held
and strong resolutions, condemning the attempt to steal an
election, were passed. An injunction suit was brought re-
straining the commissioners from issuing the bonds, which
was made perpetual by Judge Lake on the Ifith of May and
everybody was pleased. We understand it was what we
might call a friendly suit to settle the matter.
Early in June a new and more liberal proposition was
submitted by the Company. There was a strong effort made
to conciliate the people of Milford. Dr. Converse proposed
to build his road up the Middle Creek on about the route now
occupied by the A. & N. road and bring it via of Milford but
our Milford friends had got so thoroughly impressed with
the idea that it was wrong to vote bonds that they rejected
the offer. The Doctor was not to be out done; he was de-
termined to find voters. So he made overtures to the peo-
ple in the Oak Grove settlement to come bv a northern route
and make a station that would help them materially. The
new proposition was more liberal with the county but was
rather tough on two townships which now comprise G,"
"F" and Seward city precincts. It was as follows: One hun-
dred thousand dollars, ten per cent, ten year county bonds
152 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to be delivered as follows; seventy-five thousand dollars of
said bonds to be delivered to the- company when said road
was completed to within one-half mile of the public square
in the city of Seward, provided said road was completed on or
before March 1, 1873, to said point; twenty-five thousand dol-
lars ten per cent, ten year "P" and "G" precinct bonds, to be
delivered at same date of county bonds upon completion of the
road to Seward on or before March 1,1873, and twenty-five
thousand dollars of county bonds to be delivered on completion
of road to west line of county at anytime. July 1, 1872, the
Record used flaming headlines as follows: "Stop the Reaper
and Protect Yourselves," or in other words go and vote down
the hateful bonds. However the bonds were voted this time
by a decisive majority of one hundred and twenty-three. In
the interim Seward had grown and cast eighty-one more
votes than at the former election.
In looking backward we may see things that could not
be so easily seen when looking ahead. It now looks as if
the good people of Milford made a great mistake and by
clinging so tenaciously to principle they lost a great oppor-
tunity, for if she had accepted the olive branch when it was
offered and helped secure a railroad, she would from that
glad day have been on an even footing with Seward, and
would have from that day taken a forward bound and re-
mained a close rival. They had learned of their fatal mis-
take by the time the A. & N. people made a proposition to
the county. Seward was full of joy now and from this time
forward for years her streets were full of people. New
buildings by the score sprang up, and the little town began
to put on metropolitan airs. Lots that would hardly have
brought six bits per dozen the morning after the first bond
election, now came into great value. It is safe to say that
the value added to the town lots within the period of build-
ing the road would exceed the value of all the bonds voted.
Lands also advanced rapidly in value. New people
came by the hundreds. Everything was on the boom. On
the first day of March, 1873, as per contract the cars rolled
into Seward and it was a glad gala day.
The summer of 1873 was a very prosperous one with the
farmers. Spring wheat was the pi'incipal crop on the new
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 153
land and it yielded abundantly and the grain was of the best
quality. Much of it graded No. 1 in Chicago and scarcely
none fell below No. 2. It brought high prices, ranging at
about seventy cents just after the great panic in September,
and gradually rose until it reached a dollar in January 1874.
Money was plenty and business men reaped a rich harvest.
This being the end of the railroad, farmers hauled their
grain from Butler, York, Polk and Hamilton counties and
from all parts of Seward county. The town was alive with
grain dealers. There were yet no elevators. Shovel houses
were all the go.
Seward county took an advanced step that eventful year.
Hundreds of sod houses were replaced with comfortable
frame dwellings; the building of county bridges began in
earnest. New roads were located on nearly all section lines.
Scores of neat schoolhouses sprang up in all parts of the
county. Every man, woman, and child was on the jum]) try-
ing to accomplish something. Every train brought in new
people. New brick structures began to rise in the young-
city. We went into winter quarters Jan. 1, 1874, a prosper-
ous, progressive and happy people.
ALL ROADS HAVE A TURN
The remarkable prosperity that blessed the people of
our county and state during 1873 met with a very sudden
change in the summer of 1874.
Great energy was displayed that spring in putting in a
larger acreage of crops, and as such wonderful success had
crowned their efforts the previous year they were not afraid
to run in debt. Business men and farmers all alike were
ready to branch out. Very large stocks of goods were
bought on time and sold on time, and scattered over the
prairies promiscuously, reaching to the banks of the Platte
river north and west. Seward was like a bee hive during
the spring and early summer. July was dry and exceeding-
ly hot after a wet June. This injured the wheat materially.
This was serious, really a calamity, and as calamities usually
154 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
do not come singly, this was no exception. "For in the
hour when we thought not, a new scourge fell upon us."
Lo, the heavens were darkened by a cloud of grasshop-
pers that fell upon us. They came from the northwest like
a vast tidal wave. As far as the eye could penetrate the
sky it was a living sea of insects. It is safe to say that
millions of tons of them lighted on the fields of Seward
county alone, and it was the same over the whole trans-
Missouri country where there were settlements. It was like
a pall of death to all our interests. They had come a very
long distance and were exceedingly hungry, and like all
hungry tramps, they preferred to dine with us. Of course
they were unwelcome guests, but little did they care. They
came for our corn and vegetables and they were not long in
cleaning the platter. They ate the corn and made desert of
our garden truck. Onions were a great favorite; first they
ate the tops, and then went- right into the ground and left
nothing but the dry onion skin and fibrous roots. Cabbage
and turnips were also great favorites Then they went for
the green tobacco. Oh! what inveterate tobacco chewers!
Each took a good big chew, provided the tobacco patches
furnished so much. It was quite noticeable that they all
spit tobacco juice, or something very like it. Of this we are
sure they were the most inveterate chewers of the weed that
we have ever met.
Those who have never seen a swarm of these pests can
form no proper idea of the immensity of their numbers. When
they would settle down for the night, trees of pretty fair size
would lap over to the ground under the weight. It has been
said that trains on the U. P. road were frequently stalled by
their massing on the tracks. It was thought by some that
all the cattle we can produce in fifty years would not equal
in weight the hoppers that foraged on our fields in that
memorable August of 1874.
Most of the people were very poor; losing their crop was
virtually losing their all. A very large proportion were
homesteaders who came to the country with scanty means.
Others came with just a little money, bought railroad land,
and paid just a little payment. They had begun improve
ments and had used up their last dollar, had run in debt for
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 155
supplies, perhaps lumber and much machinery, and when
they were brought face to face with utter destitution,
there seemed nothing else to do but "get up and
get" back to their wife's relation. Hundreds of people just
loaded up the wife and children and what little they could
carry and took their departure. Some just abandoned their
lands and said goodbye to Nebraska. Some few managed
to get a trifle ft^r their places; some sold farms for three to
four hundred dollars that would now readily bring ten
thousand dollars.
If these people happened to owe for a plow, harvester
or any other farm implement, they just went off and left it.
Implement men and attorneys were busy people then, ran-
sacking the prairies and looking up abandoned machinery.
Oh, I don't want to tell half our experience in that field of
enterprise.
All classes of personal property became a drug on the
market. The best of pigs would hardly sell at §1.50 per
hundred pounds. The people who had the nerve to remain,
or who were forced to stay faced destitution. Want and
hunger stared the people in the face like a horrid specter.
Had it not been for thousands of noble men and women in
the old states who came to the rescue, the suffering would
have been too fearful to contemplate. Vast amounts of food,
clothing, and fuel were sent from Iowa, Illinois, and other
states. Right here it is proper to acknowledge the honor-
able part the railroad companies had in the relief work.
They hauled thousands of tons of freight free of charge to
the very doors of these people. In this they earned the
lasting gratitude of all concerned, as they labored unceasing-
ly without money and without price to relieve want and
suffering.
Is it not right to tell the whole truth in history? Then
we must say that among the well-to-do people of our county
we found in those dark days two distinct classes of people.
One class, and the larger class, were untiring in their efforts
to assist their less favored neighbors in every way possible
to bridge over this disaster, and in thousands of instances
they denied themselves of ease and luxury that they might
divide with the needy. They organized relief societies and
156 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
hunted up the destitute, gathered up means and did all in
their power, in every way using" their own money, clothing
and food, and more, they used their influence witli their
eastern friends and secured vast stores of goods. We are
glad there are so many whole souled people.
But there was another class that shall not escape our-
notice. They are fully entitled to remembrance, and they
shall have it. They were the vultures, the cormorants that
were not only blessed with plenty and should have gladly
given of their bountiful store; but instead of that they were
on the alert to steal from hungry children and helpless wid-
ows what better people were sending them. We write what
we know to be true. It was our fortune, or misfortune, to
be brought into close contact with the people in those trying
times in distributing relief to thousands of them. We well
remember what a struggle we had to keep these vultures at
bay. There were scores of them who richly deserve to have
their names published that they might enjoy the just execra-
tion of mankind. Their names should be covered with ever-
lasting shame.
CHAPTER X
At a standstill — "In a quandary" — Homes abandoned — A critical period
— Brighter days— Railroad extended to York — New recruits — Im-
provements in 1876 — Planting fruit trees— Great celebration — First
murder— Trial an exciting one — Clough convicted— Sentence of
death commuted — Changes in 1877 — Utica founded— First settlers of
"E'precinct — Went to market with eggs— Hawk pie — Improvements
— First birth in the new town — Cattle stampede— Close call for the
author
In 1875 things in country and city were at a stand still.
Business men and farmers were in what the Irishman calls
a "quandary," things looked blue. The railroad lands were
mostly abandoned, and hundreds of homesteads had been
shifted off at "any old price." Hundreds of fields bore an ex-
cellent crop of weeds, and a general feeling of despondency
was brooding over our fair land. A mortal dread of the re-
turn of our implacable enemies was thoroughly imbedded in
the minds of the people. Many of them were cogitating in
their minds as to whether they had not made a fatal mistake
in coming to Nebraska. Some brave souls were able to look
through and beyond the gloom to brighter days when Ne-
braska should be redeemed. Such did all they could to en-
courage people to hold their lands. During this critical
period, fair crops blessed the efforts of the faithful husband-
man and hope revived and in the blessed spring of 1876
things began to move again as in other years. New people
began to come forward and occupy the vacant places.
Much valuable improvement was added to county and
city during the summer and fall. Walker's opera house with
a few other substantial business structures were built, which
gave evidence of new life to the city. The Midland Pacific
extended their grade to York during the summer of 1875,
but it was only used as a wagon road for two years. During
the fall of 1876 the grasshoppers put in their appearance
again in great numbers and did much damage, but fortu-
158 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
nately they were late in their arrival and were not able to
devastate the county, as they did in 1874. They left us a
sufficient amount of corn to tide us over. The small grain
was fairly good that year and it was secured. Vegetables
were good and about all out of reach of the hungry tramps.
So the people had enough to get through the winter without
suffering or assistance.
The centiennial year brought great numbers of people
from other states that were attracted by our cheap lands and
as a rule those immigrants were men of more means than
those of former years, and this told favorably on the class of
improvements. They built better houses; begun to erect
barns. Tliey began to fence pastures and many began ex-
perimenting with tame grasses. They brought in many herds
of im]3roved cattle and great n umbers of a better grade of
horses. This improvement extended to hogs, poultry, etc.
Great efforts were put forth in planting fruit and forest
trees and the county began to look more like a home. The
soddies were rapidly disappearing. Bridge building began
again in earnest and the roads were much improved. This
glad centennial year the people of the county held at Sew-
ard the most notable gathering in the history of the county
up to that date on the fourth of July, when more than five
thousand people assembled to do honor to the occasion. The
reader is referred to another pa-ge for a general description of
that celebration.
Now it becomes a painful duty to record the most sor-
rowful and tragic event in all our forty years history. Up
to this time, May 1874, no murder had been committed, so far
as was positively known and no serious event had occurred
to mar our peace. Our people had thus far been noted for
sobriety, industry and general good behavior although we
had been drawn together from so many localities in our
ov ii country and from foreign lands. With all our diversified
peculiarities and antagonistic interests, no human blood
had been .shed in all our borders until the sad event of
which we now write.
One beautiful morning in the month of May when all
nature was smiling with gladness and our little city was
basking in the lovely sunshine, enjoying the fragrance of
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 159
the openino^ buds of spring, there breaks upon the ears of
our good people the astounding news that a man (a neighbor)
had been murdered. A chill of horror seized upon the peo-
ple as the news rapidly spread that Nathan Clough was the
victim and that he was found lying in the hay loft of the Blue
valley house barn wrapped in the bloody mantle of death.
Excitement ran high, a coroner's jury was hurried impaneled.
Suspicion rested on several characters that harbored around
the hotel and a close surveillance was kept and no one was
permitted to leave the town while the jury was trying to
solve the mystery. The air was tilled with all sorts of wild
rumors. The excitement spread as days rolled on while the
jury was in session. It reached from city to country and to
every part of the state and even into other states. It was
the absorbing theme of conversation and discussion every-
where. The newspapers were full of it. The pleasant sun-
shine of that spring time was turned into a dark cloud that
hung like a pall over the city.
There was apparently a suspicion among the people near
and far that Warren Clough, brother of the murdered man
was guilty of the deed. It seemed to float in the air without
the use of a telephone. The business men of the city
were wisely cautious of their words, but the women and
children would indiscreetly say on the spur of the moment
"its nobody, but Warren Clough that did it." Farmers coming
into town would whisper their to friends, "I believe Warren
did it. " Traveling men on the trains would give vent to their
opinion that he was the guilty wretch. Even a correspond-
ent of the Omaha Bee confidingly told his readers that Clough
was most likely killed by his brother Warren. Thus suspic-
ion grew till it became imbedded in the minds and hearts of
the people everywhere without evidence or in advance of
evidence that Warren had killed his brother. We are free
to confess that this impression darted through our mind the
moment our eyes caught sight of Warren, unbidden and en-
tirely without evidence and fastened itself so firmly upon
us that we have never been able to shake it ofl" to this day.
Why it was so is impossible to explain only in this unsatis-
factory way that Warren Clough was a rough character. The
jury was in session nine days and finally placed the crime
160 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
where the people had placed it without evidence after trail-
ing every shadow to its substance or till it had become lost
m the mist. Just what evidence came before that jury of
intelligent and honorable men the world can never know, but
this much leaked out that Warren was his own worst witness
by his own contradictions and evasions and guilty actions.
In the preliminary hearing at Seward enough evidence
or public impressions were adduced to hold him to the dis-
trict court, and after a long and tedious trial with Hon. Geo.
W.. Lowley as chief prosecutor and Norval Bros., ably as-
sisted by Hon. O. P. Masan, a former chief justice of su-
preme court of Nebraska, the jury returned a verdict of
guilty of murder in the first degree, and and the death sen-
tence was pronounced upon him at York, Nebraska, where
the trial was held on account of the prejudice of the people
of Seward County.
In due time all preparation was made for the execution,
all motions for a new trial being overruled, but on the even-
ing before the execution was to take place, Govei"nor Garber
commuted the sentence and Clough was given a life sentence
in the penitentiary at hard labor. Clough served fourteen
years of his sentence and had behaved himself well. Many
efforts had been made through the years to secure his pardon,
but to no avail. Public opinion was too strong against him,
but finally a last effort in the early winter of 1892 was suc-
cessfully made and good old Governor J. M. Thayer made
him a New Year's present of his freedom. Many people
found fault with the govennor, but considering the fact that
the prisoner had been convicted on purely circumstantial
evidence with unbounded prejudice. aiding the prosecution,
and it being hard to tell just what weighed most with the
jury the evidence or general prejudice, we deem the pardon
highly proper in as much as the defendant had sufferd four-
teen years of prison life, it seemed to be the proper thing to
do, to give the old man his freedom for the few remaining
days or years of his life. Any one objecting to this pardon is
kindly referred to that grand sentiment so beautiful expressed
in "Pope's Universal Prayer:" "That mercy I to others
show that mercy show to me."
The year 1877 brought many important changes and
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 161
marked a new era in the development of the county. This
year the Midland Pacific railroad company passed into the
hands of the B. & M. company and the rails were laid to
York, and the town of Utica was founded.
Among- the very earliest settlers on that great prairie
was the Hon. Geo. A. Derby who homesteaded land to the
north and west of where Utica now stands, in 1.^72. Mr.
Derby made some very creditable improvements for that
early day, and his house was the genial home of many a
weary traveler, as it was the only stopping place between
Seward and the new town of York. He was a wide-awake
man, and as soon as the building of the projected railroad
was assured, he made haste to lay out the town of Utica.
He saw at a glance that the broad acres of rich farming land
surrounding the place must of necessity have a trading
place, and he went to work with that energy and determi-
nation which usually bring success, and the present flourish-
ing, bustling, business town of Utica is the result. Mr.
Derby was a most useful citizen in his day. We always
found him at the front in every enterprise that would tend
to advance the interests of that part of the county. He
spent the best energies of his life for the development and
advancement of his locality.
Utica has grown and prospered with the years. What
was then an uncultivated expanse of wild prairie is now a
perfect checkerboard of beautiful farms with residences that
will compare favorably with any of the older portions of the
state; and when we say that, it means any part of the farm-
ing country of the great Republic.
Utica is at this writing the third town in the county in
point of business and population. Of its business interests
we will speak fully in another chapter.
Howard M. Coleman was one of the first homesteaders
who broke sod on that wild prairie. The date of his settle-
ment was May, 1871. Mr. Coleman had much to do with the
improvements and progress of Utica, We well remember
when he had to haul wood from the Blue river to keep the
family from freezing in the old pioneer days. But things
changed and in his later years he did not have to haul wood
fifteen miles.
162 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Geo. Liggett, who took up a homestead on Lincoln creek
in 1869, commenced the grain trade in the new town when
the station was first established. Mr. Liggett only enjoyed
the pleasures of a farmer's life one year, when he moved to
Seward where he tried his hand at harness making for a
time when he thought he saw glory or wealth in Antelope
county and removed to that locality. He soon secured all
the glory he needed and gave up the idea of wealth, and
like a sensible man he returned to Seward and here he
studied the art of buying grain. After graduating among
the grain men of Seward, he went to Utica and there com-
menced the practice of his profession with remarkable suc-
cess as his ample possessions demonstrate.
Oscar Ragan, one of the very first men to embark in
business in the new town and has made quite a succes was a
Lincoln creek pioneer who had quite a rough and tumble ex-
perience in the early days. He homesteaded in 1867. He
had a pretty hard time for a while to keep the wolves from
his chicken coop as well as to keep them from the door. It
was no uncommon thing for the settlers to become desperate-
ly hard up, but Oscar had experiences that take the rag off
the bush. He had one faithful old hen and for a time she
was the main dependence of the family. Oscar lived only
sixteen miles from Seward, and one day he concluded to go
to town for some groceries. Of course like all thrifty farm-
ers he gathered up the produce to take along to pay the
bills. By using a little extra exertion in chasing the old
hen she was induced to lay that morning before Oscar start-
ed. So when an invoice of stock was taken it was found that
there were five eggs all fresh and in the best condition for
the market. Oscar did not have a spring carriage to carry
his eggs to market. When he got to Seward he walked into
Beatty & Davis' store proud of his hoard of fresh eggs think-
ing of the good things he would buy. He handed his bucket
of eggs to Pap Davis to count; but when the bucket was
opened, behold the consternation! Three of the eggs had
broken, and so was Oscar's heart. Just imagine how Oscar
and Pap Davis looked just then. Well, Oscar's trip was not
entirely lost, as he got one cent's worth of salt and one cent's
worth of matches.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 163
Oscar had a bit of experience one time in Seward trying
to borrow some money. He approached a money man and
asked to borrow a hundred dollars. "Oh, yes! all right,
Mr. Ragan, you can have it. Please how long do you want
it, one or three years'?" remarked the cash man. "Oh, I
guess I might just as well take it for three years," says Os-
car, thinking he had "struck it rich." "Well," says the
gentleman, "it is our rule to collect the interest in advance."
"All right," says Oscar, "how much will it be?" "Interest
is three per cent, per month and three times thirty-six is
$108. Please sign this note of $100 and give me $8 and we
are even and no harm done. "
Oscar has a little more experience that is worth telling.
Meat was a scarce article among the pioneer settlers, and
frequently they went hunting to get some game to help out,
and Oscar concluded to try his hand. So he took the old
rifle down and cleaned it up and went in pursuit of game.
The buffalo and elk had all disappeared. The antelope were
shy. Oscar tramped all day long and the only living thing
he saw to shoot was a chicken-hawk. He do\vT]ed it. He
looked at it, turned it over and said to himself, "Wonder if
it's good to eat?" He had oft times heard of politicians eat-
ing crow and had heard no complaint. "Guess it will do."
So he takes it home and tells the good wife that on the mor-
row they will have a feast. The wife made all things ready
and a nice hawk pie was prepared. Oscar being a generous
soul invited some of his neighbors to help enjoy the feast.
The guests were all seated with Oscar in his proper place at
the head of the table; all being served with a portion of the
dainty dish they all commenced eating at the proper mo-
ment. One mouthful was partly swallowed when Oscar
with a heaving breast found it necessary to find his way to
the door. The hawk showed signs of great discontent at
going into Oscar's stomach. Oscar was quickly followed by
his guests — but they did not go to see what was the matter
with Oscar. They each had serious business of their own
to look after. Since that eventful day and dinner experience
he has wondered how it can be that politicians can eat crow
without wincing as so many do. He certainly has never
since had a hankering after hawk pie.
164 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Thomas Standard and Joseph Jones have the honor of
erecting the first building on thetown site and opened the
first stock of merchandise in the month of August, 1877.
These enterprising gentlemen were homesteaders and settled
on lands in close proximity in 1870. We remember Mr.
Standard at an early date as a standard thresherman of the
county. These wide-awake men did their full share in help-
ing on improvements in the new town, and are certainly en-
titled to kind remembrance by those who got credit at their
store when hard pressed for something to eat.
George Goodbrod erected a small hotel also in August,
and the weary traveler could then find a place of rest.
Fritz Beckard started a lumber yard the same month. In
September Fred Goehner and Wilkins opened the second
store, and C. C. Turner built a blacksmith shop and com-
menced pounding iron. Wm. Alexander opened a grain
house in the fall, and there were other improvements in-
augurated which gave the village quite an appearance as a
business center. From the start Utica enjoyed a large grain
and stock trade, and what is rather peculiar, these dealers
were in a marked degree successful.
Rev. C. E Phinney was the first minsiter to invade this
wilderness. He located on a homestead in 1874 and im-
mediately set to work and organized a protestant Methodist
church. However, a class of the M. E. church had been or-
ganized at the Kinkaid schoolhouse as early as 1872. This
was three miles east of the present town. It was organized
by the Rev. A. J. Folden. This class was later re- organized
by Rev. G. M. Coufter of Miliord, and in 1878 it was perma-
nently established at Utica. ' The little class grew and pros-
pered and in 1881 they built a creditable frame church edifice.
They had previously built a parsonage.
A United Brethren church was organized at the Oliver
schoolhouse in 1873 by Rev. E. W. Johnson, a young minis-
ter that came from Fulton county, Illinois, and found a home
three miles west of Seward. Later he became an honored
presiding elder of his chuich.
In 1880 Rev. Father C. J. Quinn established a Catholic
mission and later built a neat house of worship.
So it will be seen that Utica was not neglected by those
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 165
laboring in the Master's vineyard. The church and the
schoolhouse, the two great civil izers of men, were built side
by side in this new land.
Miss Clara Derby taught the first school in that vicinity
in the spring and summer of 1873. The schools of Utica
have kept pace with the other interests, and they now have
a fine building with a well equipped graded school.
At the head of the great train of children born at Utica,
Miss Clara Goodbrod came first to cheer the hearts of her
parents. She was born Oct. 16, 1877. She is now the wife
of a Seward county boy. Homer J. Stolz.
For many years Utica commanded the trade of a large
area of excellent territory, it being the most accessible
railroad point for the north half of "M" precinct, all of "L"
and "E," the northwest part of "N" and part of "K," and
from the north it took in a part of "C" and about all of '"D"
and also it took trade from the east row of townships of
York county. The rich valley of Lincoln creek, settled by a
thrifty class of Germans, poured their w 'allh into the little
village lavishly. Business was brisk for the first ten years
of its existence, or until the F. E. & M. V. road was built
in 1887.
The lands were soon all occupied in all the western por-
tion of the county, the amount of grain and stock marketed
was immense, and many of the dealers accuranlated handsome
fortunes in those palmy days.
Will the reader kindly be ir with the author while he
tells of his first visit to this great pi'airie ^ ilderness when
there was not a sign of human habitation between the Blue
river and the Platte river north of the overland freight road
running through the neighborhood of old Camden and west-
ward through the southern portion of this and York counties
and on to Port Kearney. In the early part of the summer
of 1864, while we were yet a resident of Lancaster county,
although much interested in Seward co inty, a project was
set on foot by Jacob Dawson of Lan -aster (now Lincoln) to
open a great freight road from the .\iissonri river through
Lancaster and prospective Seward, ;ind westward to a point
on the old overland road .somewhere west.
Uncle Jake, a man of nerve and unbounded energy, went
166 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
down to Wyoming, about six miles north of Nebraska City,
and held a conference with the Mormon leaders. That little
place was the Mormon outfitting point for the great journey
to Salt Lake. An agreement was made and Mr. Dawson
was to lead a great freight train across the wilds to break a
road. When the train reached the Salt Basin, Mr. Dawson
secured our services as a guide through the wilderness. We
followed up the great divide leading to the plain at the
future Germantown, thence to Plum Creek and down the
valley to its mouth. By the time the train had reached this
point, all the neighborhood along this part of the Blue val-
ley was aroused. There were only three families, viz: R. T.
Gale, Grandfather Imlay, and William Imlay, also two young
men, David P. and Joseph Imlay. Now an earnest search
began to find an easy place to ford the river. None could be
found. The next thing to do was to bridge the river. We
gathered all the axes in the train and in the community and
downed a hundred or more trees and snaked them together
with the oxen, and before night we had a substantial bridge,
the first ever buili on the upper Blue.
In this undertaking we had the help of sixteen young
stalwart Mormons and with words of encouragement of
Grandpa Imlay, a good job was done and the great train of
merchandise with ninety-six great oxen landed safely on the
west bank of the river. Now all was wilderness before us.
Our only guide were the surveyors' stakes. We mounted
the highlands just south of where the Burlington track was
laid in after years, and when night overtook us we were in
"L" Precinct, town 10, range one east of the sixth P. M., just
a little to the east and some miles south of the present Utica.
There was a boundless field of splendid grass. The day had
been excessively hot, and we welcomed the shades of even-
ing.
A corral was formed by placing the wagons in a circle,
and the cattle turned out to graze. Supper was prepared
over the huge camp fire. While we were eating there were
sure omens of a storm. Dark clouds were looming up in the
northwest. Deep thunder tones were heard in the distance.
Supper was eaten hurriedly that we might have all things
in readiness for what might come. It fell to our lot to take
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 167
a place as one of the outer pickets to guard the cattle; we
went out to duty in our shirt sleeves. As dark came on a
pace the heavens began to look frightful. There was peal
on peal of dreadful thunder which came nearer and nearer
every moment. The night was wild and drear on that lone-
ly prairie. The darkness of Egypt was not a patchin to it.
We were on our lonely beat perhaps from three to five hun-
dred feet from the herd, when a terrific crash of thunder
that was enough to scare a dead man, frightened the herd
and every mother's son of them were scared at the same
instant, and a stampede was on hand, and the ninety-six
struck in a bee line for me. They came with all the force of
a full grown cyclone. Pew and short were the prayers we
said and we thought not of writing these reminiscenses. We
were ready to say goodbye to this old world. When fortun-
ately for these reminiscenses a vivid flash of lightning came
to our rescue, but oh! the ghastly sight of the demons com-
ing with a thundering tread right upon us to trample us into
the earth so that we would need no burial. We have always
given credit to that flash of lightning and that white shirt.
Possibly I ought to credit the oxen for their kind considera-
tion. The oxen divided jusi at the right time and the ranks
left me was so narrow that they almost brushed my shirt
sleeves on either side. Need we tell the reader that fright
effectually stopped our growth and our diminutive stature
may be attributed to that night's experience.
It only took two days to get those cattle back to camp.
The next morning the great level prairie was a sea of water.
It was convincing proof that it did sometimes rain west of
Salt creek. The cattle were found near the present city of
Milford, evidently they did not go that far in search of water
that night. When they were finally gotten together again we
led the train to the ranch of John E. Fouse at the crossing of
the Beaver at the old road and there we bade our Mormon
friends adieu and turned our faces homeward. When Uncle
Jake, Mr. Imlay and I got through with that Mormon train
we were fully satisfied with our experience in leading trains
through the wilderness and we tried it no more.
CHAPTER XI
Greneral advance in 1878 — Improvement in city and country — Contention
.between U. P. and A. & N. railroads — Great mass meeting held —
Election followed by an injunction -Wild excitement — Crooked
work — ^County seal spirited away — Bonds taken out of state — In-
junction made perpetual^ — A. & N. road swallowed up by the B. &
M. — 1879 a j^ear of prosperity — Milford bounds to the front — Staple-
hurst founded — Seward is greatly stimulated — Pleasant Dale founded
— Dust storms of 1880 — Seward is sick— Bates murder — A tragedy-
Murder at Grover^ — Smallpox or itch, whichV — smallpox in"H"
precinct — Patrick murdf»r — Stormy winter — Snow blocade — Brighter
skies in 1882 — Boom in 1884 — The western desert vanishes — Feeding
stock -New railroad project— Jonah can't swallow the whale — Three
new towns founded — Beaver Crossing comes to life- Flowing wells
— Great potato field — A rustling village.
A. 8f N. RAIL ROAD
Eighteen hundred and seventy-eight was a year of gen-
eral advancement, in a quiet sort of a way. in both country
and city. Many new farms were opened in all parts of the
county and several new business blocks were added to the
city. Norval block and also the Goehner block were
erected. Crops were fairly good and people were generally
prosperous. At this time the people began to feel the need
of another rail road in the county. There were two pro-
jects on foot and each seemed plausable to many people.
One of these projects was to hold out the proper induce-
ment to the Union Pacific company to build a branch from
Brainard to the Republican Valley line, now occupied by
the Northwestern, to Seward and the south or southwest.
This problem was championed by Claudius Jones of Seward,
and was urged with much energy, and it had much to recom-
mend it as it would bring the great U. P. road in direct com-
petition v/ith the Burlington system. In Seward it had
many friends but in the county it did not find much favor.
Negotiations were opened with the managers of the At-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 169
chison and Nebraska people, who proposed to build a line
connecting with their road from Atchison, Kansas, to Lin-
coln and Columbus, Nebraska, via. Middle Creek, Milford,
Seward, Ulysses and David City to Columbus. The Milford
people had been suddenly converted from their old notion
of repudiating all bond propositions from "principle" and
like most new converts they were most decidedly enthusias-
tic. The adherents of each proposition in the city of Se-
ward was most determined. It was a subject of warm discus-
sion as to which proposition should be accepted.
A great mass meeting was called in the spring of 1879
to determine which of the two schemes the people would
most heartily endorse. The public square of Seward was
tilled with people. Hon. S. B. Galey, of Lincoln, assisted
by Judge O. P. Mason, represented the A. & N. road, and
Claudius Jones, of Seward, the U. P. Excitement ran high
that day and there were some scenes enacted that were not
very creditable to our people.
Unfortunately the person representing the U. P. inter-
ests did not enjoy the full confidence of the people, and they
looked at the rail road through the man, and unwisely re-
fused to listen to his proposition, but hooted him down and
caricatured him most scandalously, even carrying the joke
so far as to bring the matter up in the Fourth of July cele-
bration and representing him in a hoodlum procession as a
mammoth hog.
The pressure was so very great that commissioners and
all were swept along without let or hindrance, and the prop-
osition in favor of the A. & N. Co. was submitted under
the corporate name of Lincoln and Northwestern. The
amount of bonds asked for was seventy-five thousand dollars
in county and precinct bonds, divided up in a ."Satisfactory
manner between the county and C, G, J, O, P, and I pn^-
cincts. The propositions were carried in the county and all
the six precincts by good majorities. The rail road was
speedily constructed and the cars rolled up the beautiful
valley to Seward early in October, when there was general
rejoicing all along the line. Milford was now happy, as she
was connected with the outside world in general, and with
the county-seat in particular, by rail. There were enemies
170 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
of the road steadily and persistently at work, however. We
will not attempt to divine their inotives. It may have been
the dear people that they were interested in. or it may have
been spite work. Be that as it was, an injunction suit was
commenced agrainst the issuing and delivering the county
bonds, and also those of C, G, J, and*0 precincts, leaving I
to look out for itself .
It was the undoubted right of a citizen and tax payer in
the county, or any precinct thereof, to commence an in-
junction suit, and have all matters thoroughly sifted in the
courts as to the legality of the proposition, and also the
legality of election and the returns, and it was without ques-
tion the duty of all officers, having the custody of the bonds,
to obey the order of the courts, and let consequences take
care of themselves; but in this case there was some trickery
that will hardly bear the light of day. It seems that the
county clerk, Thomas Graham, was away from home, and
the business of the office was left in the hands of his deputy.
Perhaps it is not expedient to state all we know, yet it seems
clearly proper that these historical sketches should be true,
and we can hardly pass over this important matter without
relating the whole truth so far as we know it.
It seems that there w^as an inordinate desire on the part
of the deputy clerk (Ed O'Keefe) and the board of county
commissioners to evade the injunction, and in the night-
time these persons took the seal of the county, and slipped
away to David City in Butler county, and signed and placed
the seal of the county upon the bonds there, and then re-
turned to Seward and made their record of their proceedings
as if all had been regular. What motives prompted these
gentlemen to perform the important duty of their office in
Butler county, the reader may judge for himself. It is suf-
ficient to say that they left the way open for censure, and
accomplished nothing but a long law\suit, in which the in-
junction was made perpetual. There was talk that bribes
had been used with certain parties, and that attempts were
made to induce other jjrominent men to help along this bond
scheme by large bribes. In fact, some individuals have told
us that they had been approached by offers of large amounts
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 171
if they would assist in carrying the scheme through to a suc-
cessful termination .
As time rolled on, it developed that the people had been
victimized, and that they had given seventy-five thousand
dollars, or at least they had agreed by their votes to give
that amount to another B. & M. R. R. For a few months only
did the A. & N. maintain control of the road when it had
passed in its checks, and we awoke to find ourselves sold,
and with two B. & M. roads on our hands.
The competition given our people during the fall and
winter of 1879-80 was noticeable, and a great benefit to the
farmers. The markets of Seward county that winter were
about the best in the state. This had the effect of stimulat-
ing the business of the city, and a rapid growth was the im-
mediate result. Scores of new buildings went up and all
went merry as a marriage bell in the spring of 1880. But
when it became known that the B. & M. had swallowed its
competitor, we all heard something drop, and it hurt most
fearfully. One noticeable effect was that it reduced sudden-
ly the number of grain dealers from about a full dozen to
two, and the competition in the grain trade of Seward be-
came a thing of the past.
Seward became deathly sick, nigh unto death. This
change fell like a dead weight on all interests. Unfortun-
ately just at the critical moment, when level heads were
much needed, the bond injunction case was inaugurated by
Claudius Jones. The county clerk, Thos. Graham, was sud-
denly called to his old home in the East on account of sick-
ness in the family. Ed O'Keefe was his deputy left in
charge. This gentleman was in close sympathy with railroad
people, and so were the county commissioners, Messrs. Hul-
burt, McKay and Bates. The strong current had swept
sheriff Sullivan off his feet. Popular sentiment was so very
strong in favor of the company that it was exceedingly hard
to withstand the pressure, and people that were favorable
to the injunction proceedings were looked upon a^ public
enemies. It was urged that the people had, by overwhelm-
ing majorities, voted the bonds, and that the effort to de-
feat their getting them, now that the road was built, was
172 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
considered an insult to the good people of the county as well
as a great wrong to the company.
Jones, through his attorneys, was doing his best to
thwart the commissioners in their determination to sign
and deliver the bonds. They were equally determined to
carry out, so far as they could, the will of the people. Find-
ing their every movement was closely watched by spies,
(there were little games played on the part of both parties
that they would hardly care to see paraded in print.) The
commissioners, fearing every moment that the injunction
papers would be served, authentic report has it that the de-
puty clerk took the county seal one dark night and met the
commissioners at David City where the bonds were signed
with the intention of delivering them over to the attorneys
of the company. In the meantime the injunction papers
were secured and the sheriff was requested to serve the no-
tice upon the Board, which he refused to do, when Hon. R.
S. Norval, one of the attorneys for plaintiff, read the notice
to them and warned them of the danger in store for them if
they disobeyed its mandates. The commissioners were
somewhat scared just then and concluded not to pass the
bonds into the hands of the company, but under the advice
of Attorney S. B. Galey, they determined to get the bonds
far out of reach and beyond the jurisdiction of the court.
So the chairman, Mr. G. P. Hulburt, jumped on a locomo-
tive with the bonds and hurried to Kansas City, Missouri, and
deposited them in a bank for safe keeping. When the case
came up for a hearing, the learned Judge considered this
next a kin to contempt, and the commissioners and the at-
torneys of the rail-road here ordered to immediately place
those bonds within the court's jurisdiction before they could
have any chance to plead to the complaint. The bonds were
brought from Kansas City and placed in a bank vault at York,
Nebraska, pending the trial.
The grounds upon which the plaintiff claimed the injunc-
tion was that the bond prospositions were for the Lincoln
and Northwestern Rail Road Company or the Blue valley and
Northwestern railroad company. The proposition in this
form was submitted to the county also to C, G, J, O, and P
precincts. It was yet uncertain whether the road would come
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 173
up the valley from Crete or up middle creek from Lincoln.
So they innocently got Blue valley in the proposition to catch
P precinct, but in the proposition submitted to I precinct
it was simply the Lincoln and Northwestern company. The
court held that double-headers would not do, but that so far
as I precinct was concerned that the proposition was proper
and legal and that they were fully entitled to the privilege of
paying their little three thousand dollars and they have en-
joyed the privilege of taxing themselves through the years
to pay the interest and principal. The case was appealed,
but the supreme court affirmed the judgment of the court
below,but inasmuch as there were seven distinct propositions,
one for the county and one for each of six precincts and that
the bonds were held good as against one precinct, one sev-
enth part of all the costs were charged up to the Plaintiff,
Claudius Jones, viz: $45.07, the whole costs in the case being
$315.49.
It is proper to say that Mr. Hulburt denies that the seal
was taken to Butler county or that the commissioners met
there and signed the bonds, but somehow evidence was pretty
plain as other people understood it that they did "all the
same.'' Mr. Hulburt also claims that he personally saved
the bonds from falling into the railroad company's hands.
We don't just understand how he could dare do otherwise af-
ter the injunction was served. Mr. Hulburt does not ex-
plain what motives he had in riding a locomotive all the way
to Kansas City with the bonds, and leaving them there out
of the jurisdiction of the Nebraska courts.
It seems that the injunction was sustained by a legal
technicality, but in view of the fact that it proved to be built
in the interest of the B.& M. company, there were few tears
shed by our people that the matter turned as it did. How-
ever the railroad was a good thing for those sections of the
county that had no outlet. While "I" precinct paid for the
whistle yet it was worth to its people many times its cost.
It has proved a blessing' to Milford and the Blue valley out-
side the immediate vicinity of Seward. It is questionable as
to whether it was a blessing or a detriment to Seward. One
thing is certain it gave us about thirty miles of road to tax.
It gives many people facilities for travel and transportation
174 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
of freight that they could not have without it. It gave Sew-
ard people a double track to Lincoln and extra facilities to
get there and back again and it also brings us into much closer
relations with the people both north and south. It has helped
to develop Seward county and that is a most important
point, even if it does not afford any competition in business.
It caused the building two neat little towns, viz: Pleasant Dale
and Staplehurst and gives a shipping station at Ruby and it
infused such new life into Milford that it is one of the best
towns of its size in the state. It seems a little rough on "I"
precinct that she is called upon to pay all the bonds for the
thirty miles of road that benefits so many other localities
equally with herself.
The year 1879 was a prosperous one. The building of
thirty miles of new railroad gave an impetus to business and
in city and county things moved. The corn crop was excel-
lent, and brought a fair price. Farmers were prosperous,
and made valuable improvements. The city improved under
the stimulus of a new road and the promise of better freight
rates. Milford sprang forward with a bound, being awakened
from her stupor by the sound of the locomotive whistle
The new town of Staplehurst was founded and also Pleasant
Dale, and all was going merry as a marriage bell until the
spring of 1880, when calamities came thick and fast upon
us. The winter had been a dry one and the earth had be-
come a bed of dust. The freezing and thawing of the fields
without any moisture had made it into a vast bed of loose
dust, and as the wind sometimes blows in the spring time in
Nebraska this proved a favorable time to make a reputation.
Most of the spring wheat had been sown (up to this time
spring wheat was our most staple production) when the
wind began to blow a gale from the north and it kept the
atmosphere black with fine dust for some days. It became
so terrific that man or beast could hardly withstand it. We
were reminded of the stories of the sand storms of the desert.
The fine dust found a way into the best of the houses, so
that they became almost untenable and would have been de-
serted if the poor distracted inmates had known where to go,
but they just had to grin and bear it. There was no escape.
The dust as tine as powder was piled up along hedge rows
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 175
and other obstructions like great snow drifts. Some places
it was from three to four feet high, (some say drifts were
five feet high).
Thousands of bushels of sown wheat went south, the
Lord only knows how far, without bills of lading attached.
Many places the fields that had been plowed were stripped of
the soil as deep as it had been plowed. This condition did
not augur well for the wheat crop. The spring and summer
was dry, and all crops were short. Just now while our people
were laboring under the fearful forebodings of drouth the
news came to us that the Lincoln and Northwestern railroad
had thrown up the sponge and had passed into the hands of
the B. & M. Company. This made Seward sick. She had
so much doted on competition in. freights. Now her hopes
were blasted and she was clothed in sackcloth and rolling in
the dust. The Windsor house had been commenced before
the depression had fairly set in and was finished during the
year, but stood idle a solid year before parties could be in-
duced to open it. All business languished, farm lands were
a drug in the market and the only sales were made by the
sheriff.
Mechanics and labors deserted the city and there were
more, idle houses than in any time oi her history. Under the
stimulus of a railroad for which the people in the north and
south parts of the county that had waited so long kept up
their courage pretty well and did not suffer as did Seward.
Poor Seward had hoped for so much and had got let down
so hard that for a time she was dazed and almost ready to
give up the ghost. During these financial troubles we were
doomed to other serious experience. For the third time our
community was startled by the news of a murder. This time
it was of the nature of a bloody tragedy. It is not a pleasant
duty for a historian to relate such outrageous horrors yet it
appears to be his duty. About six miles north and east of
Seward at what was known as the Bates school house there
was a protracted meeting being held, and at this meeting
was the scene of one of the most desperate tragedies that has
blackened the pages of Nebraska history. In the month of
March 1880, in "B" precinct just south of the present village
of Bee a congregation of the citizens was gathered for the
176 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
purpose of worship. There were a number of young men in
the neighborhood that had not received the proper training,
else they had forgotten that one of the chief corner stones of
our government is that every individual shall have the right
to worship God according to the dictates of his own con-
science and that no man may molest or make them afraid or
in any way interfere with these sacred rights. These young-
sters had on several occasions molested these meetings and
seemed incorrigible in their efforts to break up the meetings
and, as the sequel proves, they were not met by the church
people in that Christian spirit, so ably set forth by the great
apostle where he warned his people that the better way was
to "overcome evil with good" If this mandate had been fol-
lowed to the letter on that dreadful night instead of the hor-
rid tragedy some good might have been accomplished.
The row had been fully contempted by both the roughs
and the church people. The rowdies went fully armed and
intent on mischief. It was fully expected that there would
be trouble, and the church people prepared themselves in the
wrong way to defend their rights, they provided themselves
clubs and one at least Wm. Bates, a most worthy and re-
spectable citizen, so far forgot himself as to carry a revolver.
There was little doubt, but the church people had endured
much by the wreckless fellows coming there and disturbing
the meetings, but they greatly erred in judgment in trying
to take the law into their own hands. There was no proper
excuse for carrying clubs or revolvers into church at that
late day in our land of law. The roughs came as was ex-
pected, and were ready and anxious to get into trouble and
when people are looking for trouble they can usually find it.
The belligerent feelings soon found vent in hot words which
were quickly followed by blows. It is not definitely known
who or which party struck the first blow. Soon revolvers
were brought into play and carnage began in earnest. The
scene was revolting in the extreme resulting in the killing
outright of William Bates that had always been considered a
most excellent citizen. Hillard Thomas was so severely
wounded that he died of his injuries. James Thomas re-
ceived a serious flesh wound in the hip. Israel Bates had
a flesh wound on the thigh and Luther Bates got a severe
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA l77
cut on the head with a spade or shovel. It seems that the
Bates family and the Thomas family had had personal trouble
for some time previous, but it is not known who may have
been most to blame, but in this horrible tragedy it is evident
that both parties were in a degree to blame.
As before stated the Bates were people of good repute,
one of them had been a County Commissioner. They were
zealous church members, but they had the one weakness of
letting rash tempers get the better of them and were quick
to resent an insult or injury; rather too much so for followers
of Him W'ho taught us to do good to those who despitefully
use us. They did wrong in carrying clubs or revolvers into
a religious meeting in our land of law and order. They had
no right to do it. It was unlawful, un-Christian and unneces-
sary. If the unruly persons had shown themselves incorig-
able so that kind words and Christian courtesy could not
reach their case it would have been easy to obtain the help
of peace officers. Of the Thomas family we know personal-
ly, but little, but we can make no possible excuse for any
party that will go into a religious meeting for the purpose of
disturbing it. Personal enmity of certain members of the
congregation is no valid excuse for such outlawry and how-
ever much the Bates family may have erred in their rash-
ness, still it mast be the just judgment of an unprejudiced
w^orld that the Thomas family and their abettors were the
cause of this fearful catastrophy.
There was something very curious about the terrible
crime that passes our understanding. It was never investi-
gated by the courts. It seems very curious such a scene of
lawless butchery w4th such far reaching consequences should
not have been thoroughly sifted by the courts and the re-
sponsibility placed where it belongs. The grand jury tried to
investigate the matter, but somehow they did not seem com-
petent to place the blame and the matter was dropped. In
these bloody pages must also be recorded another wa^etched
murder at "Gro\^er," then known as East Milford. Samuel
Bow^ker and Milton and John Granger (two brothers) were
the chief actors. The trouble grew out of the marriage of
one of Old Mr. Granger's daughters. The old man Granger
and Bowker got into a quarrel about the matter and Bowker
178 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
was somewhat of a pugilist and ready to fight "at the drop of
the hat." He knocked Mr. Granger down. This incident
led up to the murder. Some days later Mr. Bowker was
passing the store of the Granger boys and was invited to
alight from his wagon which invitation he promptly accept-
ed, and pulled his coat and announced himself ready for the
Granger brothers. Some hot words passed and quickly fol-
lowed with blows, when Milton Granger drew a revolver
and fired twice at Bowker when his antagonist knocked the
gun from his hands. When John Granger opened fire and
sent five or six shots at Bowker, two of which took efi'ect, one
striking near the shoulder blade and passing down the spine
and caused his death. Grangers were put on trial and
pleaded guilty of manslaughter. The plea was accepted and
they were sentenced to the State prison for ten years, which
term they served.
With all these troubles on our hands Seward had a genu-
ine small pox scare which worked mischief. In the south-
eastern part of town a family were reported to be stricken
with the dread malady. Physicians want and made a thor-
ough diagnosis of the case and pronounced it genuine small-
pox. Unfortunately the place was located near our high
school and it resulted in closing the school, and created such
a panic that it nearly paralyzed business for a time. It would
be most unreasonable to discredit the finding of skilled phy-
sicians in such matter, but their views were brought into dis-
credit and scores of people believe to this day (and with pret-
ty good reason) that it was a genuine case of itch in its
worst form, and that the poor victim was just rotting with it.
It was currently reported that the patient broke away from
the guards and left the city in hot haste. He was careful to
take the malady, small pox, or itch all along with him as there
were no traces of it left behind. This panic worked a serious
hardship to the first graduating class, who had earned their
degree. The examinations were in progress when the school
was broken up. We have always thought that some means
should have been devised to have furnished this bright class
of young people the diplomas which they had so full earned.
A small pox scare that was more than a scare:
In "H" precinct, in the winter and spring of 1882, small-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 179
pox did break out for certain and worked ruin to a large set-
tlement. Many people died and many more were stricken,
but by good nursing were saved from death. The county
authorities furnished medical and pecuniary assistance, and
kept a close surveillance, and it was coniined to the one set-
tlement. Drs. Hastings and Monteith were given charge of
the patients, with proper police powers. This terrible scourge
nearly ruined the settlement for a time . There were reported
by Dr. Hastings sixty-two cases and seven deaths in all.
In June, 1882, a peculiar accident occurred near Marys-
ville. A young man by the name of Mentz was plowing corn
near the river bank. His team became frightened and by
some means dragged the young man into the mill-pond,
where man and team were drowned.
Scarcely had the excitement attending the horrible Bates
tragedy died away when, in the spring of 1882, the same
locality was called to witness another scene of horror and
bloodshed. It was a most unfortunate occurrence that one
neighborhood should be the scene of two such terrible catas-
trophies within two fthort years, but in justice to the people
we can truthfully say that the masses of B and A precincts
are just as worthy and law-abiding citizens as are to be found
anywhere.
This last trouble grew out of a family wrangle, in which
the father, mother, and children were at variance. Just
who were most to blame for the beginning of the trouble no-
body knows. Mr. Patrick and wife and some other members
of the family were returning from Seward and a quarrel arose
on the way home, which resulted in the old lady being shot
to death. It seems that several members of the family were
mixed into the affair. Many shots were fired at the old man
by the boys, and he fired several shots, one of which killed
his wife and the mother of his children. There being some
discrepancy in the evidence in regard to the condition of af-
fairs, and the embroglio that led to the shooting, etc., the
old man's life was spared, and he was given a sentence
in the state's prison for life. The murder occurred in the
first days of April, 1882.
The old man served a number of years of his sentence
when the governor pardoned him.
180 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
One of the stormy winters:
In the month of February, 1881, this western country ex-
perienced a series of terrible storms of drifting snow. The
wagon roads were all blocked, railroad traftic was abandoned.
Seward was eight days without mail. The loss of mail was
a serious inconvenience, but was nothing compared to the
want of fuel. In city and country the people were put to
straits for fuel, and had no relief reached us just as it did,
very much suffering would have occurred.
The year 1881 was rather dull and monotonous, but fair
crops and a gradual advance in price once again revived the
drooping spirits of the people, and as 1882 was ushered in
there were brighter skies and cheering promises of better
days, which put a new phase on all interests.
New people flocked in, property began to change hands
freely, and soon prices advanced, slowly at first, but later,
as the demand increased, prices ran up in many cases over a
hundred per cent. Good crops in 1882 set things fairly boom-
ing, which continued to the fall of 1884.
Much valuable improvement was accomplished in both
town and country. Prices of proper! y reached the maximum
in the winter and spring of 1884. After the presidential elec-
tion in the fall of 1884, all property matters were at a stand-
still. But few immigrants came among us, and great num-
bers of our people were violently attacked with western fever,
and in the spring of 1885 multitudes pushed for the frontier,
While this seemed to work to our disadvantage for a time, it
will prove a great blessing to us.
It has now been demonstrated in a measure the value of
western lands for agricultural purposes, and thus practically
expunged from the map the last vestige of the great Ameri
can desert, which was such a bugaboo to us during all our
younger years. It has helped to plant farms all the way to
the foot of the Rockies, and scores and even hundreds of
bright towns and cities to-day dot the great plains, where
the credulous thought a few years ago that white men would
never attempt to make homes. This all adds stability and
value to this region. Any and every improvement in the
West can but add value to our homes and lands.
Since 1880 many individuals have turned their attention
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 181
to feeding cattle and hogs, also to the production of the tame
grasses.
Feeding is carried on quite extensively now, there being
many herds fed in various parts of the county, and this in-
dustry adds largely to the value of our staple, the corn crop.
Timothy and clover are rapidly taking the place of the
wild meadows, and blue grass that of the wild pastures. The
soils and climate are especially well adapted to the produc-
tion of grasses.
Within a few years, also, the honey bee is receiving at-
tention, and honey is produced profitably on many farms,
and the industrious little servants find our luxuriant mead-
ows and cornfields just the place for them to thrive.
In the fall election of 1886, by popular vote the people
determined to try township organization, and during 1887
we had a board of supervisors, consisting of one member
from each of the sixteen towns and two member from the
city.
For some years our people had been looking anxiously
for an opportunity to secure to the county a competing line
of railroad. We had parleyed with the U. P. folks, but
could get no definite answer from them, but finally when the
Northwestern company were building their Lincoln branch,
fortunately, Mr. Goehner, being a senator, while at Lincoln
formed the acquaintance of some of the officials, and secured
a hearing, which resulted in further negotiations, and finally
a proposition was submitted to build during 1887 the F. E.
& M. V. branch through our county; provided sixty thous-
and dollars in twenty year, six per cent bonds were voted to
the company, The propositions were submitted to the city
and B, G, K, and M towns, as follows: City, $15,000; B, G,
K, and M,- $10,000 each, and L, $5,000. The propositions
were voted by large majorities in each township, and the
road was completed in the fall of 1887 and regular trains run-
ning in connection with the great system in the East and
North. We are happy to say that the road is well built in
every particular, and we believe the people have made a good
bargain in securing it. Since it was opened for business there
has been a marked change in the freight tarift's for the better.
We are all satisfied that we now have a road that the B. & M.
182 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
cannot swallow, for it would be like Jonah attempting to
swallow the whale.
Now we have three railroads, because while two are under
one management they give us additional outlets, and the
new line will hold prices down just as well as if both its com-
petitors were in different hands. The new road adds directly
a large amount of taxable property to the county, opens up
a vast new field for enterprise, and gives a new impetus to
all classes of business.
On the completion of this new rail road there were three
new towns located via. Bee in "B" precinct, Goehner in "K"
precinct and Cordovia in the southwestern portion of "M"
precinct which are all bright villages with good shipping
facilities.
Beaver Crossing had been a little cross- road trading
point for many years. It had a very creditable flour mill
and a rich agricultural country surrounding it but it never
had a chance to make much of a show in competition with
rail road towns. Now after a long Rip Van Winkle sleep,
Beaver Crossing arouses herself, brushes the cobwebs off
that had accumulated during the years and concluded to
take her proper place with our other business towns. The
village is situated in the valley of the South Blue in one of
the favored spots of all our western country. It is strange
what a revolution the shrill whistle of the locomotive can
accomplish in a community.
All the good people of the community had been cons-
cientiously opposed to voting rail road bonds up to 1887,
and many times they with one accord cast their votes against
the hateful propositions. But when they heard the glad
news that a locomotive was headed their way of course
there came a sudden change over the spirit of their dreams
and they received a change of heart and it did them good
you know." Like most new converts they rolled up their
sleeves and went to work with a "will," not only to get the
road, but to make the best of an opportunity.
It has resulted in the building of a most beautiful vil-
lage with large and flourishing business interests. The
village had not long been awake while stirring around try-
ing to turn something up as all live towns do, when she
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 183
made a most wonderful discovery of value beyond compre-
hension. She learned that underneath this j^rand valley
there flows a great subterraneous river that is ready and anx-
ious to leap to the surface whereever it is invited and
ready to give an abundance of pure life-giving water to ir-'
rigate the thirsty fields. At this writing there are in active
operation over four hundred flowing wells yeilding an ample
supply for man and beast in town and country for many
miles up and down this broad valley. The supply is suffi-
cient to irrigate all the valley land for ten miles up and
down the river. The water is uniformly of excellent quality.
Beaver Crossing has an ample water supply without great
expense, but the greatest value is to the field and garden
which are independent of rainfall. The flowing wells have
added immensely to the value of the lands that can be
irrigated. That tract of land has now become one of
the best potato fields in the Northwest. They never
fail to have a potato crop at Beaver Crossing. During the
season of 1904 there was shipped from their station ninety-
six car-loads of five hundred bushels each to the different
markets. Every class of vegetables and the grasses can
also be brought to the greatest degree of perfection. Beav-
er Crossing has a bonanza in her flowing wells. The water
is struck at the depth of a hundred and twenty feet in the
valley and rises accordingly to the altitude of the land.
Some places it just rises to the surface and in others it rises
to a height of twenty feet.
The village has grown and is now growing quite rapid-
ly. It contains the largest store in the county and we be-
lieve in the state outside the large cities. All business in-
terests are fairly represented. There are a goodly number
of merchantile establishments, such as dry goods, groceries,
hardware, furniture and many other shops. A good sub-
stantial bank that has just found a new^ home in a beautiful
brick structure, a very neat hotel, two livery barns, two
grain elevators, a'large lumber yard and scores of beautiful
new cottages. The printing office and the Pride. Beaver
Crossing "Pride'' must not be forgotten, neither their splen-
did schools and the numerous churches. A splendid village
of prosperous and happy people counting 500 souls.
CHAPTER XII
Doiable Murder 1890-1892— Conditions— Panic of 1893— Political changes
— Sheriff the jorincipal salesman — ^Brighter days — Property advances
— Improvements — Farmers prosper — Bank deposits — General pros-
perity has become a resident — Good health — Happy homes — Great
things in store.
DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE
The year 1889 brought another horrible tragedy. This
time it was in the northwestern part of the county. In the
southern part of "D" precinct there Hved a family by the
name of Leavitt. They were old residents, but unfortunate-
ly they were not popular with their neighbors. There had
been much trouble and contention about their stock and
various matters. Mr. Leavitt was a man in general bad re-
pute, and it made against him in this terribly trying hour.
As appeared in the evidence before the grand jury, of which
the author was a member, Mr. and Mrs. Leavitt had an er-
rand one .evening at Gresham, about five or six miles dis-
tant, leaving their two young daughters in charge of the
house. Upon their return late in the evening, they found
the two little girls (one about eleven and the other thirteen
years old) lying In the yard with their throats cut.
Suspicions were aroused against different parties. A
grand jury was speedily summoned and a vast number of
witnesses were summoned. The jury was in session for ten
days and every avenue was searched diligently. It developed
that there was a deadly enmity exisiting against the Leavitts
in the community, and some were ready to believe that the
old couple had murdered their own children; but there was
no evidence to justify such a suspicion, only that their gen-
eral reputation as citizens was not of a high order. There
was no evidence of any possible motive to commit such a
deed. Some of the neighbors seemed very little concerned
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 185
in the matter, according- to their own testimony. We will
give a few questions and the answers.
Ques. "Mr. , where were you when you heard of
the murder y"
Ans. "Attending to my own business."
Ques. "How did it affect you?"
Ans. "I didn't care, it was none of my business."
Ques. "Did you go down there?"
Ans. "No."
Ques. "How far do you live from the Leavitt's?"
Ans. "About three-quarters of a mile."
Ques. "Why did you not go down and see the murdered
children?"
Ans. "I did not care, and I was busy at my work."
This is the way the evidence ran with one neighbor, and
yet scarcely no suspicion was placed at his door, only a sus-
picion that he was brutal.
On an adjoining farm was a man by the name of Gerd
Stienblack who had had much "trouble with Leavitt about
unruly stock, and there was much bad blood existing When
he was told of the murder, he did not care enough to go and
see, although less than half a mile distant. However he
seemed agitated, but gave vent to the idea that it was no
concern of his. Stienblack was summoned before the jury,
and when closely and sharply cross questioned, he became
much excited, and as the old saying is, "He danced like a
chicken on a hot griddle." He was on the witness stand a
half day, and became so frightened or maddened that he
went home and hanged himself in his own barn.
There was a widespread suspicion in the jury room and
among the people that he knew all about the murder, but
the jury was not able to agree or to fix the awful crime at
the door of any person, and with many it remains a mystery
to this day. But now after the long years have passed, we
are free to say that we have never had occasion to change
our mind that at least one of the guilty parties met his God
before that jury closed its session. Below we give a letter
left by Mr. Stienblack, in German, but translated by Rev.
Father Gruber. The original translation is now in the hands
of R. P. Anderson, who was prosecuting attorney at the time
186 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
of the tragedy and suicide. The letter is without date, and
reads as follows:
' 'I do not want to have spread my name town. There-
fore, greeting onee more. I am not guilty of the deed. This
my wife and daughter know as well as I, for I dared to tell
the truth. But it is too late now. And so has the deed
been attributed also to me, of which nevertheless I am quite
innocent. My beloved wife and daughter, God will give
that we see each other in eternity again. Gerd Stienblack."
The years 1890-92 were uneventful. Everthing went
smoothly. The people were in a fairly prosperous condition.
There was but little property changing hands, but prices of
lands were vsteadily increasing in value. There were some
good improvements made both in country and city as well
as in the villages. Things looked fairly bright up to the fall
election of 1892.
The change in political matters may or may not have
been the cause for the change in financial affairs. Be that
as it may, a change came in 1893 that was most disastrous
to all interests. There came a general stagnation of business
and prices fell rapidly. About all the property sales were
by the sheriff. Improvements were discontinued. Lands
did not decrease much in value, but there was no demand,
and holders were forced to hang on until brighter days
should come. Crops were very slim all through the panic
years, and prices were not satisfactory. Wheat was often
quoted from 35 to 45 cts., corn from 9 to 15 cts,, while hogs
and all kinds of stock were low. Horses seemed to have
lost their value, and in some instances were killed to get
them out of the way.
There was no change for the better until 1896, when
things began to brighten up. Land buyers began to look
around and make inquiries. In 1897, prices of all kinds of
property began to advance and become salable. From that
time to the present, landed property has steadily advanced
in value until it has about doubled in price in all parts of
the county. Improvements have kept pace with the general
prosperity. Th'3 towns have improved greatly, and hun-
dreds of good houses and barns have been erected. The bank
deposits have steadily increased until they now contain near
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 187
$2,000,000. The whole face of the county has changed for
the better. Our farmers are nearly all very prosperous,
and so are the business people of the towns and city. Labor
has been in great demand at good prices. Mechanics are
overcrowded with work. The business of the railroads has
been very satisfactory. (See papers on freight in and out of
Seward.)
Certainly "Gen. Prosperity" has sojourned with our
people for the past seven years, and we hope he may make
this his permanent abiding place. There has no great ca-
lamity befallen our people for a number of years. We have
been free from pestilential diseases. No violent storms ex-
cept a few streaks of hail have laid waste our county. Our
crops have not always been full, but enough has blessed the
people so that want has been a stranger to us. Our varied
products have averaged quite satisfactory so that every pru-
dent and industrious farmer has made headway. One year,
1901, the egg crop was destroyed by the extreme heat of the
summer, which precluded the shipment to market.
The egg and poultry interests have grown to immense
proportions. The reader may be astonished at the figures,
but the egg product reached $200,000 for the last year, and
the poultry nearly as much. For two years wheat has been
exceedingly high, ranging from 90 cts. to $1.00. Corn has
also bourne a high price, ranging from 30 to 45 cts. Hogs
have ranged from $4.50 to $5.50 per cwt., and other products
in proportion. Common labor in the city has been in great
demand at from $1.75 to $2.00 per day, and mechanics have
plenty of calls at from $3.00 to $5. 00 .per day. Good farm
hands command $25 per month with excellent board and
washing. There seems to be no valid reason why these
prosperous times should not continue. Everything looks
favorable. Vast improvements are projected and the de-
mands for labor and labor's products are steadily increasing.
Seward county, the home of our choice, chosen when we
were in the prime of our manhood's strength, the home
where the most of our children were born, the home of pleas-
ant memories, and where peace and plenty have generally
rewarded our efforts, but where at times we have been over-
188 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
shadowed with dark clouds of want and sorrow; when first
we set foot on thy soil we loved thee, and now when long
years have passed and we are on the shadowy side of the
hill of life, we love thee still. God bless Seward county and
all her people, is our humble prayer.
CHAPTER Xm
HISTORIC LETTERS
As a part and a most valuable one of our history, we are glad to be
able to give the reader the benefit uf the following interesting and in-
structive letters. Several of them were contribvited to the first edition
of my work, but they are of such value that we deem it the proper
thing to give them a place in these pages. Some of the writers have
gone to their long homes "but their works do follow them." They
acted well their part and we cherish their memory.
Many of these contributions are from our >oung people that have
grown up among us. They are worthy of careful reading and as the
years come and go, they will grow in public favor. In them will be
found many landmarks of history and they will be quoted by the com-
ing historians through all time.
"My Wilderness Home in Childhood" — Mrs. Nettie M. Cox Pingree.
"From Memories Walls" — Prof. Margaret E. Thompson.
"Indian Scares" — Mrs. Sarah F. Imlay Anderson.
"Recollections of Frontier Life in Boyhood." — Prof. A. E. Sheldon.
"Our old dog Mike Stole the Meat. "- -H. A. Brisbin.
"Snakes in the Kitchen. "—Mrs. M. Frink.
" Village of Bee. "—E. H. Noxan.
"Ugly Bachelor Jumped our Claim." — Mr. and Mrs. M. S. McCallister.
"Democratic Newspapers. " — W. H. Smith.
"Orchards and Tree Planting," — Elisha Kinney.
"Groves and Orchards." — Samuel J. Welch.
"My Success With Fruit. "—J. B. Courtright.
"Pioneering in Childhood." — Miss Lydia Dillenbeck.
"Milford Schools."— Mrs. A. C. Rawls.
"Hardshiijs and Privations of Pioneers. " — Miss Inez Frink.
"Oak Grove Settlement. "—E. W. Olney.
"Camden Settlement. "—Mrs. H. W. Parker.
"West Mills Settlement. "—I. M. K. Johnson.
"B" Precinct Settlement. "—F. M. Timbiln.
"G" Precinct Settlement." — James A. Brown.
"Grasses." — Hon. Calvin J. Wright.
"Schools of the County." — Superintendent E. Koch.
190 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
THE WILDERNESS HOME OF MY CHILDHOOD
NETTIE M. COX PINGREE
"The hills are dearest which our childish feet
Have climbed the earliest; and the streams most sweet
Are ever those at which our yountrlips drank.
Stooped to their waters o'er the mossy bank." — Whittier,
Though years have passed since our last visit to the old
homestead, visions come to us of the woods and valleys by
the sparkling waters of the beautiful Blue.
The river winds its crooked way through the valley
with many a curve, forming broad acres of woodland which
were a perfect paradise to us during the whole year. There
in the spring-time, the green grass and violets formed a
beautiful carpet for our feet, while around us the alder and
wild plum blossoms made fragrant the air with their sweet
scented odor.
Down the garden path bordered with moss roses and
morning glories, w^e would speed away to the river, bait our
hooks for fish, and cross the foot log and follow the path
through the woods to the schoolhouse. That little rough
board shanty, sodded all around, and the home-made, knife-
marked desks have given place to new and better ones.
The children upon the playground are strange to us, but the
same games of "blind man's buff," and "drop the handker-
chief" are played by them as we played them long years
since.
The grape-vine swing must not be forgotten, for there,
with choicest flowers, was crowned the queen of May, and
also, in childish sport, were w^edded two schoolmates, just
twenty years ago.
Under the welcome shade of the old walnut tree by the
ford, we studied our Sunday-school lessons, and were often
lulled to sleep by the merry song of the wild birds.
During the long summer days, wading around the sand-
bars and gathering shells afforded us a delightful pastime,
and as the sun was seeking the western horizon, we would
mount old Ned, the family horse, ford the river, and go to
the farther pasture after the cows.
Each land hath its shadows, and each home hath its
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 191
ghosts, and ours was not an exception. The "Big grove"
was the most beautiful of all the "bends," on account of the
heavy timber and dense foliage. There the sugar maple
trees abounded, and there grew the most berries, the latter
being very important, for many a new dress and coat were
bought with the profits realized from their sale.
One evening at dusk something large and white, resem-
bling a great bear, was seen to come out of these woods, and
although we afterward learned that it was only a neighbor
boy with a bed-tick over his head, we never ventured again
into that grove without company.
When the autumn sun changed the foliage and ripened
the fruits, then was our harvest. It would be difficult to de-
cide who worked the harder to store away the winter's sup-
ply of walnuts and acorns, w^e children, or the squirrels.
Perhaps we tired of the labor more quickly than our little
forest friends, for frequently the restful shade of the great
oaks would be too tempting, and we seated ourselves by
their roots and wove wreathes of the brilliant-hued leaves,
while the autumti winds sighed and rustled the branches
overhead, making a beautiful accompaniment to our fancies.
But when wnnter came with its hoary frosts and covered the
earth with its blanket of snow, and the cold winds whistled
through the barren timber, ihen, like all the children of the
woods, the most comfortable place for us was home. That
little log cabin, with its great fireplace and clay-chinked
walls, is the most cherished of all places. The dove-cote
upon its roof, the cave behind it, the box-alder and cotton-
w^ood trees, and the old fashioned well will always be re-
membered.
It seems but yesterday that father brought in the huge
back-log and built a brilliant fire in front of it, then popped
the corn for our first Christmas eve in our new home. He
took us children on his knee and told us of Santa Claus, and
how he would come down the huge chimney and fill our
stockings, if we w^ould hurry off to bed. Mother tucked the
covers carefully about us and resumed her knitting, w^hile
father read aloud, by the light of the blazing brushwood,
the latest news of the rebellion, w^hich was then raging with
all its horrors.
192 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA
We watched the shadows cast by the flickering light of
the burning embers upon the hearth until we fell asleep,
dreaming, as all children do, of Kris Kringle and his won-
derful sleigh full of toys. In the morning, when the sun's
first rays peeped through the curtains of the one window in
the cabin, with a bright Christmas greeting, we hastened to
our stockings, to find them overflowing with popcorn and
doughnuts. Away down in the toe we found a stick of can-
dy, and a pair of lovely red mittens with little snowflakes all
over them. We were a happy little band, and although
many Christmases have come and gone, and Santa Claus has
filled our stocking with a far more lavish hand, yet none will
have the same place in our memory as the one of '64.
But now, far removed from those loved scenes of child-
hood, and looking out upon the broad expanse of prairie and
corn land, our minds will naturally wander back to the old
homestead, and decide that, though home is home where'er
it may be, yet that halo cannot be taken away from our
father's hearthstone.
The author of the above beautiful pen picture was born at
Nebraska City, August 6, 1861, and with her parents she had
all the experiences of a child life in the wilderness. She
was but three years old when her parents made settlement
on the homestead. She had her first lessons at the home
hearthstone, where she learned to read before she was four
years old. At six she commenced her .school days in the old
log schoolhouse. She commenced her career as teacher in
the spring before she was fifteen, and completed her first
term in what was known as the Anderson district before
she was fifteen. She earned her diploma in the Seward
high school in 1880, but never received it on account of the
small pox scare which broke out in the school. She had
a very honorable career as teacher in various parts of the
county and in the city schools. She took a great interest in
Chautauqua work, and although she was never permitted to
meet with a circle, she was graduated from the course and
received the white seal for proficiency in the work. She
was a great reader and a most careful student. She married
Frank P. Pingree. The family removed to Kansas and set-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 193
tied at Colby in Thomas county, and helped develop that
wild region. One son was born to them, Logan W. In 1891
they removed to Washington, D. C, where Mrs. Pingree
died January, 1892. She was the second daughter of the
author.
FROM MEMORY'S WALLS
MARGARET E. THOMPSON
Our good friend, the author, with no uncertain tone and
mien, bids me write something for the pages of his volume.
Remembering the awe which he inspired in barefooted child-
hood, the respect which supplanted it as the milestones could
no longer be written in a single digit, and the "cup 'o kind-
ness" so of ten poured around the family hearthstones, I com-
ply. And yet, not for these memories alone or primarily do
I write, but because of the memory of a sunnyhaired, sunny-
faced, sunnyhearted childhood's friend of mine,* whose com-
radeship made glad the years even to the time when she left
her Kansas home to dwell in that house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens. Were she with us her pen would
sketch pictures of childhood's happy hours,- -and could she
speak to us from behind the veil, how deaf would be all ears
to every page but hers. But she, like David's child, can-
not come back, and the memories of the days that are no
more, grow richer and sweeter with the years that lie be-
tween.
Memories of childhood! How haloed do they become!
How impossible — undesirable — to separate between fact and
fancy in regard to them!
My earliest memories have to do with life in and about
the Wahiut Creek ranch, and a veritable wonderland has it
long since become. I could not now find its equal though I
searched from coast to coast. The long gentlj'^ rising hill in
front of the ranch over which the sun rose so tardily in win-
ter, and the shorter, steeper one in the rear, behind which
he disappeared all too soon on any day; the valley widening
southward; the creek, sometimes a mere thread of water,
Mrs. Nettie M. Cox Pingree. — Author.
194 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
again a rushing torrent crossed with difficulty in the wagon-
bed ferry, and yet again a swelling flood rising higher and
higher until it entered, unwelcomed but not unannounced,
the ranch house itself, driving the family into what, by
courtesy, was called "up stairs;" the trees skirting the creek,
one of which gained a deep pathos because in its shadows
was laid to rest the body of our little sister — thus Sorrow,
life's great teacher, gave us our first lesson, emphasizing it
with what no child forgets, the first memory of his mother's
tears. All these things rise before my mind at the mention
of the Walnut Creek ranch. Then the freight trains, some-
times long enough, with their big wagons and many mules
or oxen, to reach from hilltop to hilltop and cut us oif for
many anxious minutes from the house if perchance we w^ere
Inlaying in the barnyard across the road. The times when
the freighters camped at the ranch, and, if the night was
cold, filled the big "Pilgrim Room" full to overflowing as
they warmed and smoked and told the stories of the plains
before the roaring fireplace, on which occasion we children
were not even expected "to be seen but not heard."
How well I remember the early night hours made un-
forgettable by the calling and answering down the valley
and over the hills of the deep-chested gray wolves and the
sharp-voiced coyotes as they sat upon the section corner
mounds and howled gloriously. I do not know^ how this
music may have impressed our elders, but to us children it
was entrancing and even now the howls of the wolves in
Lincoln and Central Parks cast over me a stronger spell
than strains from Inness Band or the Chicago Orchestra,
for wath them rise again compellingly the awe, the w^onder,
the charm and the magic of the universe in the days w^hen
the heart and the mind were young.
And the later hours of the night when, from time to
time we were awakened by the ominous bawling of the
cattle and we heard father and the men hurrying out
with their guns to kill, if possible, the wolf or wolves that
had attacked an animal, usually a well grown calf, and thus
terrorized the enringed and ineffectually bawling herd.
How distinct in memory is one sunset hour when our favor-
ite cow and calf did not return with the other cattle and we
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 195
with mother went up the long hill but got no trace of them
until when near its top we began to hear the pained, contin-
uous bawling of the calf and the hoarse, enraged, feverish
bawling of the cow. When we reached the hilltop we could
see further on in the dying light the calf raised on its fore
feet in agonized effort to escape, the while a big gray wolf,
having cut its hamstrings, was feasting on its hindquarters
while the companion wolf was holding the maddened cow
at bay as she circled round and round in vain attempt to de-
fend her offspring. My mother called pitying words to the
cow and calf but dared not go near them and finally before
the end of the tragedy she led us away down the hill in the fal-
ling twilight trying in vain to sooth our sobs with the assur-
ance that father would give us another calf in the morning.
How free the life of the frontier child ! When the near-
est neighbor lives seven miles away and the next to the
nearest fifteen, one's liberties are not seriously circum-
scribed. Out in all weathers and usually from morning un-
til night with only occasional returns to the house in bread
and butter interests, for denim dresses seldom tore and na-
ture's shoestrings never became untied, it is not strange
that a doctor was to us almost an unknown quantity. Our
chief delight centered in our horses (mine was always a pony)
and we spent most of our waking hours on their backs. My
sister attained more than local fame for being a fine, fearless
rider and there were few horses on the ranch which she
could not control. I seldom now see the comparatively
hedged-about life of children even in our smaller towns with-
out being devoutly grateful that our childhood was spent
out under the open sky as free as were the winds (and we
had winds and winds in those days,) and the birds (how few
they were,) and the squirrels.
Life under these conditions is quite another story for
' grown people, especially women, with its social and relig-
ious privations and its hard work, but for children it is a long
dream of unmixed bliss. How to secure for children this
desirable and unrestricted firsthand contact with nature dur-
ing their plastic years and to spare their parents the severe
and often vital separation from the influences which feed both
the mind and soul is, and always has been, the problem of
196 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the frontier. The present generation httle realizes even
here in our own county at what a cost to many men and
women the splendid prairies have been transformed into
what are recognized as some of the richest and most desir-
able farms in this proverbially rich-soiled state. Perhaps
one of the best results of this volume shall be to cause us to
think upon and comprehend more adequately these things.
What an entrancing spectacle to the child was the
bounding, roaring, racing prairie fire of pioneer days and
how, even when he was carried out in the night with other
household goods for safety and deposited in the middle of a
plowed field, he felt only the joy of a new sensation — the
magic spell of the beauty and granduer of one of nature's
most magnificent and now almost impossible spectacles.
Little need has the child of the frontier for fairy stories,
for "Alice in Wonderlands," — for life to him is one continu-
ous book of the fairies and his land is a more wortdrous land
than all the imaginings of Lewis Carroll's fertile brain could
portray.
The word "Indian" held no terrors for us children for
were not some of our happiest hours spent in and about the
wigwams of the Pawnees during their regular winter camp,
but a short distance up the Creek, and were not our most
frequent and most valued playmates from among the chil-
dren of their chiefs? We were not given the calm joy of
wheeling our neighbors' babies in ornate parasolled baby bug-
gies along asphalted streets — but perhaps that was compen-
sated for by the thrill of a dash about the ranch and across
the creek with a chubby cheeked, searching-eyed papoose
strapped to a board and bumping against our backs, the
squaw mother pursuing us in the meantime in finely suppres-
sed glee. Here, too, my sister was an expert and the squaws
had an eye to her. It was only when the word Sioux was
used in connection with the word Indian that we realized from
the apprehensive faces of our elders that there were some-
thing to be feared. One occasion w^hen the word Sioux
loomed large is written ineffaceably among my early memo-
ries. One afternoon a ranchman from the further west came
dashing into the yard with the message the Sioux were com-
ing down upon us and that we must fly at once. In the dusk
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 197
of the evening two covered wagons drove out of the ranch-
yard containing the family and ranchmen with guns, ammu-
nition and provisions, and other easily portable possessions,
leaving the cattle, house and crop to the mercy of the red-
men. All I remember further is the child sobbing herself to
sleep with her head in her mother's lap, the continuous rain,
rain, rain, which fell as we journeyed farther and farther
from home, and the return to the ranch after a few days, find-
ing everything much as it had been left, the Sioux that time
having committed their depredations along the Little rather
than the West Blue. Some rain-stained books in the family
bookcase call up even yet the gruesomeness of that experi-
ence — our tirst little journey into a world greater than our
Walnut Creek world.
Sunday at the ranch was always a longed-for day from
the child's standpoint, not because it was our dress up occa-
sion — that we submitted to under protest — but from the fact
that it was different from other days and hence satisfied to a
degree the child's cravinig for variety. Naturally much work
had to be done on Sunday — for not even in these late)' days
have our friends who profess to ignore the material, been able
to demonstrate the possibility of evolving cows that do not
have to be milked and humans and cattle that do not have to
be fed upon the first as upon other days — but with us as little
was done as was possible. We children felt much circum-
scribed in our liberties by our clean clothes and shoes and
from the fact that we were not allowed to sing secular songs,
and whistling, horseback riding and tree climbing were ta-
booed utterly — but all this was compensated for by the extra
time that mother was able to give us, usually spent in study-
ing and repeating from memory Bible verses, singing and
telling stories — Bible stories, or in strolling out under the
skies and talking of the marvels of creation — mother usually
repeating some favorite Psalm on these occasions. If by
chance we had opportunity to attend a church service held
either in our own or some neighbor's house by some travel-
ing missionary, it was an event to reckon time from for
weeks and weeks. We all recall vividly the first Sunday
School, held on what is now our home place, to which we
drove in great state j^ a hayrack— strawrides are not the joy
198 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
of recent years alone— calling for some of our neighbors
who lived along the intervening miles. Later when a church
was organized with a well attended Sunday School in con-
nection we felt indeed metropolitan.
The school, as well as the church, problem on the fron-
tier is always a serious one especially when, as with us, there
are too few settlers within a given area to warrant the form-
ing of a public school. This my parents met by having a
most excellent young woman. Miss Agnes Henderson, whose
family had recently moved to Nebraska from Wisconsin, come
into the home as teacher and companion. This arrangement
proved a great joy to both children and parents and we have
always since counted among the friends who belong to that
inner circle our honored and beloved first teacher . My only
woes of those school days, as I recall them, were my in-
ability to remember the letter "H, "and my grief because I
failed to win the prize offered to the one who should make
the greatest progress in studies. How soon, alas! one learns
to regard with philosophic calmness his ability to leai-n
greater lessons than that of remembering the letter "H,"
and how early in life he appreciates the difficulty of realiz-
ing Paul's injunction "So run that ye may obtain." Later
when the vicinity became sufficiently settled to warrant the
organization of a public school. Miss Henderson was chosen
as its teacher and my sister and brother and I walked three
and one-half miles, and some other children even further, to
attend it. It was thought by our parents wise for us to be
accompanied by a big dog in order to protect us from the
ever possible but never realized attack of the gray wolves.
Thus passed those faraway school days, rude and crude
in many ways no doubt, limited and circumscribed as com-
pared with the schools today attended by the children who
live and thrive on those same broad acres, but for all that, rich
in very much of good and very much of joy. James A. Gar-
field's conception of an ideal college was to have President
Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and himself on the other.
There were no James A. Gartields and no Mark Hopkinses
in our district school in those years, but the difference may
have been not so much in kind as in degree. True it is that
equipments and appliances, desirable as they are, cannot
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 199
make a good school unless there be a teacher who can teach,
and boys and girls of healthy body and mind with the earn-
est desire to learn, and if these latter be present the absence
of the former cannot preclude the inevitableness of a good
school.
The transition from school girl to teacher, even in these
days when the teacher of less than a score of years is excep-
tionally young, is speedy. In former years when teachers
were fewer than they are now it was no unfamiliar sight to
see the girl-teacher of fifteen wending her way along country
roads to and from her — usually first — school. The present
condition in this, as in some other things, is a decided im-
provement over the past, for there is nothing hai'der than
imparting to others the knowledge which we have not yet
acquired. As the Chinaman says, "No havee, how canee!"
It is with the memory of the first school of one of these un-
ripe and callow school ma'ams that I close this chapter of
reminiscences.
The possibilities arising from the conjunction of the
county examination and the offer of a country school among
good friends proved too compelling to be withstood and the
third day following found a trembling but triumphant, short-
dressed individual installed behind a pine-board desk with
thirteen freshly starched and polished children ranging m
. age from pinafored to downy mustached days. They were
arranged around the sides of the not-too-large-for-tliem room
behind desks corresponding to the teacher's in material and
workmanship. The house was a combination sod and dug-
out with its doors and windows opening, both literally and
figuratively, towards Jerusalem. The back wall had grown
unsteady and a plank was placed against it supported by a
pole which extended far out into the room. A small black-
board further adorned this wall. The lioor was as nature
had left it minus the grass and had been worn by a few large
and many small feet into depressions and eminences which
necessitated one to look well to the order of his going. This
floor afforded us endless delight when the rain ran in beneath
the door and covered it sufficiently for us to recognize and
name the chief mountain chains, continents, capes, peninsu-
las, oceans, rivers and bays of our geographies. I was never
200 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in subsequent teaching able to make the study of geography
at once so popular and practical. Thus we lived day after
day through that summer near to nature's heart, playing to-
gether at noon and recesses and not living an over strenuous
— it now seems to me — life during other hours, but happy
and unburdened, with no anxious thought for the morrow,
for those blessed days preceded with us the day of the writ-
ten examination.
I can see them all now, those thirteen, as though the
sod walls, the unpainted benches and the mother-earth floor
were re-created in reality instead of in the imagination, and I
know what I have known long since that nothing I can ever
be or do will seem to me more abundantly worth while than
did those days while they were yet written in the present
tense. Of the hundreds of boys and girls who have been my
pupils and friends in the years which lie between, none are
more affectionately recalled than are these, the first fruits of
my pedagogue days. I take myself to task because I was
not able to do much more for each of them but especially for
the gifted little artist whose marvelous — to me now as to all
of us then — pencil sketches from life and from that greater
realm of the imagination, held us spellbound through many
a showery recess and noon hour. The teacher-friend with
the seeing eye who could have counselled with her parents
and helped to plan her future — in all likelihood that of a
master portrait or animal painter — was denied her and there-
in lies a great loss to the world — pei'haps the tragedy of a
life. What a truly awful thought, the possibility of imposing
limitations upon our f ellowmen because of our own limitations,
the power which each one has to thwart to so great an ex-
tent the plan of the Creator, not only in his own life but in
the life of another. How could we endure this responsibility
were it not for the redeeming fact that the ability to limit
and thwart but argues the ability to enlarge, to enrich, to
assist, to encourage, to develop? And is not the ability to
be helpful after all what makes life so abundantly worth
the living?
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 201
INDIAN SCARES
MRS, SARAH F, ANDERSON
At the time of the great Indian scare of 1864, my fath-
er's family was one of the families which the Nebraska City
people had heard were killed. It had been rumored through-
out the little settlement that there were bands of hostile
Indians approaching, and that they were committing great
depredations as they went.
On Sunday morning my uncle and Thomas Shields
started down the river on a scouting expedition. After an
all-day search, just at nightfall they came suddenly upon an
Indian camp. The men thought their time had come, but
the red-skins were equally scared. There was no chance to
back out, and they resolved to know whether the Indians
were friendly or hostile. As they bravely approached the
camp, the Indians began to halloo, "Heap good Omaha."
The men then concluded to camp over night with them, and
they partook of a square Indian supper. The next morning
they went home satisfied that there were no hostiles in the
country.
A day or two after this my father (Mr. Wm. Imlay) and
his brothers were on upper Plum creek haying, when Grand-
father Imlay became frightened and hastened to our house
and said the Indians were coming upon the settlement. He
then hastened home to protect his family. About 3 p. m.
we saw a drove of them approaching. They were about
where the B. & M. depot now stands. We were living about
eighty rods above the present iron bridge. My mother,
thinking to escape them, locked the cabin door, and took all
the children across the creek to the spring where she kept
the milk. To kill time she commenced churning. Very
soon four Indians (great, big, ugly creatures) came riding
up to the spring, and told mother that she was wanted over
at the house. She said, "No, I can't go; I am at work."
But they insisted in such a menacing manner that she felt
obhged to yield and go. They said, "Come, come," in a most
determined manner. The children all clinging to her, she
started, and those great sneaking braves guarded her by
202 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
one ridinof on each side, one before, and one behind. Poor
mother and we four children had a shm show to escape.
They watched our every movement, step by step. When
we reached the cabin, there sat sixteen hurley Indians in a
circle around the door. When we came up, they all arose
and saluted mother, then sat down again. They had a young
Indian interpreter. As they thought they had the fcimily
all thoroughly frightened, the young Indian began in good
shape-to tell just what they wanted. They would like to
have two cows, two sacks of flour and some meat. Mother
saw that she must guard the provisions wdth desperation, as
they had cost such great effort, having hauled our pro^Msions
from the Missouri river. The Indians said, "the Sioux are
coming and will take all anyway, and we want some." ''No,"
said mother, "we will take our cattle and provisions ant go
to Plattsmouth." "But," said the Indian, "they will be here
tonight and you can't get away." Mother at this point be-
gan to be as much angry as frightened. ''I will not ^ive
you anything. You are lying to me. If the Sioux were so
close you would all be running yourselves." At this point
another bra^'e, who had been pacing the yard, seeing mother
grow so warm, picked up our axe and marched straight
up to her and threw it down at her feet. She picked it up
and stood it beside her. Mother said afterward, that her
every hair stood on end, but knowing that Indians respect
bravery, she resolved to show no cowardice. We could all
see that the whole river bend was swarming with Indians.
Mother said with emphasis, "I now w^ant you to take your
Indians and begone at once." Then they said, "You are a
brave squaw," and the old chief motioned to his braves and
they all marched off to camp. The next day our family all
went over to Plum creek and remained until things became
settled.
The following winter father was at Omaha attending the
legislature; and I am sure that over a thousand Indians
passed our place during the winter. It required pluck to
withstand the thievish beggars. Sometimes they would
sneak u]) and peep in at the window. Then others would beg
for hours to get into the house.
A great amount of snow had fallen, and shortly after
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 203
father's return home, a heavy winter rain inundated all the
bottom lands. We all came pretty near being drowned, but
succeeded in crawling out of the cabin at the rear window at
raidnioht, and our only refuge was a haystack, where we re-
mained several days entirely surrounded by water, with no
pos'^ible means of escape. Mr. Cox made several attempts
to rescue us. First he tried to cross the river in a molasses
pan, and narrowly escaped being drowned, as the wind was
high and the stream tilled with floating ice. The next day
he made a raft and tried to cross, but the current was so
rapid he could not manage it. It drifted against a tree
wher,e the water was ten feet deep, and the jar threw him off
his balance, and the upper edge of the raft sank so that the
ra^^id current caught it and turned the raft on its edge up
a^.Liinst the tree. Mr. Cox caught hold of a limb of the tree
and saved himself from drowning. A desperate struggle en-
sued but he finally kicked and stamped until he got the raft
or op of the water again, but it was w^rong side up. We
then gave up all hopes of getting help until the water sub-
sided. The fourth day tall trees were chopped by father on
;'Otife side and Mr. Cox on the other, and their branches inter-
locked, and we made our escape to his friendly cabin, where
we found a kindly greeting, rest, food, and tire.
The author of the above sketch was born in Wabash
county, Indiana, August 20, 1854. In 1856 her father moved
to Harrison county, Iowa, and in 1858 to Cass county, Neb-
raska, and in the spring of 1863 to the Salt Basin, and to
his present home in April, 1864. And there on the frontier
Miss Sarah grew to womanhood. She taught two terms of
school in 1872 in her home district. At nineteen she was
married to Allen S. Anderson, one of the soldier boys that
made Seward county his home after the war. Mr. Anderson
enlisted in company D, 205th Penn. volunteers, and served
during the war. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born
four children, all girls, viz., Jessie, Nellie, AdieM., and
Mary J. The family now have a beautiful home, only about
a mile from the scenes of her childhood w^hich she has so
ably depicted. Mrs. Anderson died in the spring of 1891.
204 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
RECOLLECTIONS OF FRONTIER LIFE IN BOYHOOD
ADDISON E, SHELDON
My recollections of early Seward county life do not go
back as far as the author's. They begin with one wind-blown
day, Septembei", 1869, when I, a small urchin from Minneso-
ta, crossed the Seward county line near Pleasant Dale on
my way witli my mother and step father, (R. J. McCall) to
the new home on the southeast quarter of section 18, town
9. range 2, east, — about three miles southeast of the present
Beaver Crossing. Looked back upon now, through all the
intervening years, it seems to me there never was an au-
tumn more supremely joyous, a prairie more entrancing, a
woodland belt more alluring, a life more captivating than
that which welcomed the new boy to the frontier in the
beautiful West Blue Valley. The upland "divides" as I re-
member them were entirely destitute of settlement, and even
along the streams, stretches of two, three, and live miles
lay between nearest neighbors.
What has become of the Nebraslva wind of those days?
I have sought it since far and wide in tlie sand hill and on
the table lands of western Nebraska, but found it not. That
wind which blew ceaselessly, month after month, never
pausing but to pucker its lips for a stronger blast! Where
are the seas of rosin- weed, with their yellow summer para-
sols, which covered the prairie in those days? I have sought
them too, and along gravelly ridges or some old ditch yet
flowei' a few degenerate descendants of the old time host.
Mention of merely a few incidents seeming to hold the
drama and poetry of frontier life at that time: "Pittsburg,
the city of vision, at the junction of Walnut creek with the
West Blue, inhabited by a population of 20,000 people, with
a glass factory, a paper factory, a brick factory, oil wells,
a peat factory, woolen mills, junction of three railway lines,
metropolis of the Blue Valley." All this and so much more
that I dare not attempt to picture it: a real existence in the
brain of Christopher Lezenby in the years of 1871-72. What
unwritten dramas sleep almost forgotten in the memories of
early settlers! When Mr. Lezenby began to build his me-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 205
tropolis with the assistance of Attorney Boyd of Lincoln and
a few other disinterested speculators, he was the possessor
of several hundred acres of land, some hundreds of cattle,
and other hundreds of ho^s, and a fair unmarried daughter.
What pathetic memories of the old man, month after month,
surveying off his beautiful farm into city lots for the new
metropolis, while his cattle disappeared from the prairies
and his swine from the oak thickets along the Walnut; with
sublime and childish simplicity repeating day after day the
confession of his faith that "next week" work would begin;
"next week" the foundation for the factories would be laid;
"next week" the railway surveyors would set the grade
stakes. And this real rural tragedy lasted through several
years ending in the loss of all his property, the marriage of
his daughter to Irwin Stall, and the wandering forth of the
old man until he died of a broken heart in California.
One monument yet remains to mark the site and per-
petuate the memorj^ of Pittsburg, a flowmg well, found I
think at the depth of twenty-eight feet in the year 1874 and
continuously flowing since that. Strange that no one was
wise enough to take the hint and that it was twenty years
later before the second flowing well was .struck at Beaver
Crossing, leading to the sj^^stematic search for them which
dotted the entire valley with their fountains.
There were no high water bridges across the West Blue
in those early days. I remember acting as mail carrier
for a number of families on the south bank of the Blue dur-
ing the high waters of two or three summers, bringing the
mail from the city of Pittsburg postoftice on the north bank.
A torn shirt and a pair of short-legged blue overalls — my
entire wardrobe of those days — were twisted into a turban
about my head, and plunging into the raging flood of the
Blue which covered all the lower bottoms, five minutes vig-
orous swimming carried me through the froth and foam and
drift wood to the other side where I once more resumed my
society clothes and, after securing the mail, upon my return
to the river bank, tied it tightly in the turban and crossed
the river as before.
I remember my first lessons in political economy, the
fierce tight between the northern and the southern parts
206 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
of the county upon the question of voting bonds to the Mid-
land Pacific railway during the years 1871-72. It was a sec-
tional fight in fact, but in theory and in debate it was a con-
test over some first principles of government. The question
of the people versus the corporation, since grown to such
great proportions, was then first discussed to my childish
ears. One incident of that contest is forever photographed
on my brain — a crowd of one hundred farmers and village
loungers in the shadow of T. H. Tisdale's old store. A yel-
low skinned emaciated lawyer from Lincoln who looked, to
my boyish vision, like a Chinese chieftain from Manchuria,
speaking with fluent imaginative words in favor of the bene-
fits the people of Seward county might secure by voting
the bonds. This was H. W. Sbmmerlad, registrar of Lincoln
land office; a short Saxon opponent, Rev. W. G. Keen of
Walnut creek, was picked from the crowd by general ac-
clamation to reply to the Lincoln lawyer. The impression
of his fiery words denouncing the aggressions of capital and
appealing to the memories of the Civil war and the Revolu-
tionary fathers to arouse the people's independence is with
me yet.
Next in the economic vista is the old Brisbin sod school
house east of Walnut creek where a grange was organized.
Here alyceum was held through several winters in which
the debates were strongly tinctured with the rising anti-
monopoly sentiment of those hard times. George Michael
and Charley Hunter, leaders of the boyish dare-deviltry of
those days, were chosen as judges upon the debates in or-
der to insure their good behavior, and they gravely decided
for the negative or affirmative many deep discussions of
doubtful themes.
Beaver Crossing in the early days was remarkable for
the great number of boys in its surrounding population, and
I have observed in these later years when visiting there, that
the custom of having boy babies in the family does not appear
to have entirely gone out of fashion. That great swarm of
restless boy population which gathered, sometimes two hun-
dred strong, Saturday afternoons on the Common! What
"sleights of art and feats of strength"' went round! What
struggles of natural selection to secure a pJace upon the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 207
"First Nine" of the base ball team. For years Beaver
Crossins: had the best base ball club in three or four counties
and some of her players won high laurels on distant dia-
monds.
One custom which obtained in those frontier days seems
to have been peculiar to the time, for I have not found it
since in other frontier communities. It was the custom of
"calling off" the mail upon its a,rrival at the post office. The
postmaster, old Tom Tisdale — a genuine facsimile of Petro-
leum V. Nasby — would dump the sacks of mail, brought
overland on a buckboard, into a capacious box upon the
counter of his store, then pick up piece by piece, and read
the inscriptions thereon in a sonorous voice to the crowd,
sometimes consisting of one or two hundred people. Each
claimant would cry out "here" when his name was called.
Sometimes two-thirds of the mail was distributed in this
way, saving a large amount of manual labor in pigeon-holing
the same. Nasby had a happj^ and caustic freedom in com-
menting upon the mail during the performance, not alw^ays
contemplated I believe, by the United States postal regula-
tions. A woman's handwriting upon a letter addressed to a
young man was almost certain to receive some public notice
from his sharp tongue to the great enjoyment of the crowd
and sometimes the visible annoyance of the young man. At
one time he deliberately turned over a postal card written by
a w^ell known young woman of Beaver Crossing who was
away at school, and on observing that the message was
written both horizontally and across, commented, "From
the holy mother, in Dutch." If I should ever meet on the
mystic other shore, w^hich poets and philosophers have tried
to picture for us, old Tom Tisdale, I would expect to see him
with his spectacles pushed back from his nose, "calling off"
the mail to the assembled spirits, the while entertaining
them with pungent personal epigrams.
One startling picture rises from the past, framed as
Browning writes it, "in a sheet of flame," — the picture of
the great prairie fire of October, 1871, which swept Seward
county from south to north leaving hardly a quarter section
of continuous unburnt sod. A heavy wind, increasing to a
hurricane, drove this fire dowm the West Blue Valley. It
208 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
jumped the Blue river in a dozen places as easily as a jack
rabbit jumps a road. It left a great broad trail of cindered
hay stacks and smoking stables and houses. A neighbor of
ours who was burned out remarked that he had ' 'been through
Hell in one night," and had "no fear of the Devil hereafter. "
At the other end of the scale of temperature are recollec-
tions of the "Great Storm" of April 13, 14, 15, 1873. There
burst from a June atmosphere the worst blizzard in the his-
tory of the state. For three days it blew thick, freezing
sleet, changing to snow so close and dense and dark that a
man in a w^agon vainly looked for the horses hitched to it
through the storm. Men who were away from home lost
their lives all over the state. Stock was frozen to death
In sodhouses, dug-outs and log cabins settlers huddled close
about the hearth, burning enormous baskets of ten-cent corn
to keep from freezing.
In these later years of life. Fate has called me to make
minute study of many historical periods and places. Yet
my heart always returns to review the early scenes of settle-
ment and civilization in Seward county with a peculiar thrill
of personal emotion and special joy in the risen and rising
fortunes of those who there built the foundations of a great
commonwealth. No land can be dearer than the land of
one's childhood and none can ever draw my thoughts further
over plain oi' ocean than the happy valley upon West Blue
whose waters spring spontaneously from beneath the soil to
water her fortunate acres.
"G" PRECINT SETTLEMENT
JAMES A. BROWN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles, Cal., Dec. 12.
W. W. Cox:
Dear Sir — Yours of Dec. 5th came to hand a few days
ago. When I declined to write you a historical letter upon
the early history of Seward county, I then hoped that you
would not further insist upon my writing, as at present I
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 209
have but little inclination in that way. But as you still in-
sist that I must do it, I will attempt to record some of my
first experiences connected with my making a home in Sew-
ard county. In February, lb66, as I was on my way from
Leavenworth, Kan., to Denver, Colo., and while waiting at
Fort Kearney for teams enough to get together to make a
train large enough to defend ourselves from the Indians,
who were very bad at that time, I became acquainted w^th
Ramsey Grant, who lived on the south side of the Platte,
opposite Columbus, and who was afterwards killed by the
Indians. He described to me in glowing terms the country,
to such an extent that I promised to visit him on my return
from Denver, and take a look at his country. In the month
of April, 186ti, I came down and spent a few days with him,
and spent the time in looking at the country. While there I
heard that a settlement had been started on the Blue River
to the south of them, and that there was considerable timber
there, which was a main consideration, as the soil was good
everyw^here in the country. I resolved to go and see it, and
when I saw^ it considered it good, and resolved to remain and
help develop it.
I found in north half of the county the following families,
at the time of my visit: David Imlay, Sr. , and tw^o unmarried
sons and daughter, and being a bachelor, I "corralled" the
daughter, and whether it was for my everlasting happiness
or eternal misery is none of your business;* Wm Imlay, W.
W. Cox, R. T. Gale, E. L. Clark, Sr. , Thomas Dunaway and
mother, Richard Sampson, Lewis Moftitt, J. N. Roberts,
Thomas Skillman, John Durland, and F, E. Pitt. A number
of other families came in that spring, among whom were the
Hagemans, E. L. Ellis, John Roberts, Sr. , J. C. Samson;
and in the fall a few more families arrived — Roger Cooper,
Wm. Cooper, E. B. Shafer, and Geo. W. Rogers. There
were also a few people at the Oak Grove, among w^hom were
J. D. Main, Mr. John A. Scott, and a few others, I think,
but am not positive about it, as I did not became acquainted
over there the first year. After that year it would be dif-
ficult to keep track of all that came.
*The auther happens to know that Mr. Brown made no mistake in
choice of a wife.
210 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
In April, 1867, the river was higher than I ever saw it
afterwards, caused by the heavy snows of the previous win-
ter, which was the coldest winter that I ever saw there or
anywhere else. In fact it was terrible, and as the people had
poor houses, I was glad there were no more of them at the
time. In 1867 there was a good crop of wheat and some
corn and vegetables, but the grasshoppers got most of the
corn. With the experience of the winter before, and with
the time to prepare for it, the pepole were in better condition
for the next winter, which being a mild one in comparison
with the preceding one, but little suffering was experienced.
In the summer of 1868 the first buildings were erected on
the town site of Seward. I think there were five that year,
and on the Fourth of July a few of the people congregated on
the public square and elevated a pole that was used as a flag
staff for a number of years. Yearly additions were made to
the town by buildings and people, till at present it has be-
come as tine an inland town as can be found in Nebraska,
Lincoln excepted. As I notice that you have described the
county seat troubles, I will not mention them.
In August, 1869, Mr. S. G. Mathews and T. L. Norval
first made a visit to Seward. At that time "Op.," now the
honorable judge of the sixth judical district of Nebraska,
looked like a school boy just out of school, but since that
time he has acquired enormous proportions. The Norval
Bros, were among the first attorneys who located in Seward,
though F. M. Elsworth was there about a year before, but
we had but little use for lawyers, as it took all we could make
to feed ourselves, and as to clothing, we will not mention the
"old rags" that we covered our nakedness with, for we were
truly what the people of Colorado called the Nebraskans
when meeting them on the plains, "ragged Nebraskans." In
fact the name was applicable to us for a number of years
after I went there, and I do not think I should feel at home
in Nebraska now unless I could be allowed to let my rags
float in the breezes as of yore.
I omitted to chronicle the advent of H. L. Boyes and
family in the fall of 1867, who started a saw-mill, I think in
the following summer, which was a great convenience to the
people in getting lumber to make themselves and stock more
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 211
comfortable. Said saw-mill afterwards gave place to a
flouring mill, which enabled the people to feed themselves
better. All the people owe Father Boyes a debt of gratitude
for first providing them with means to erect houses and then
with bread, and may he and his estimable lady long live to
sit upon their porch and listen to the whir of the old mill
wheel, and enjoy the society of their hosts of friends.* While
the people had grasshoppers to contend with, Mr. Boyes
had the Blue river to watch during freshets. His first grist-
mill was so ruined as to be comparatively worthless, but the
old man had the "'sand" in his crop, and went to work with
energy and rebuilt the structure, which he has again re-
placed with the present splendid structure to take the place
of the old saw-mill. In the freshets above mentioned the
people were frequently put to straits by the bridges on the
streams washing out, when they would often have to travel
many miles to cross the river, or swim it. A little cotton-
wood skiff that I made in the spring of 1867 aided a great
many people to cross the river, which tney otherwise could
not have done.
Although we were all poor, and at times had hard work
to make ourselves comfortable, yet I think we enjoyed our-
selves as well as Claudius Jones does today with his fine
houses and barns and premium Short- horns and untold treas-
ures. This teaches us that wealth is not indespensable to
happiness.
In the year 1874 the whole country west of the Missouri
river suffered severely with drouth, which nearly annihilated
the corn and vegetable crop, but the grasshoppers came in
August and took what the drouth had not already destroyed,
and unjustly the loss of the whole crop was charged to them.
Since 187t5 the grasshoppers have not visited the state,
and from that time Nebraska can date the dawning of her
prosperity. With her fine soil, even if the climate is at
times severe, it must soon rank as an agricultural state sec-
ond to none. But as Hon. Geo. Geddes remarked some years
ago, in a communication to the New York Tribune: "Any
country that will produce grass will sustain a population,"
and Nebraska has become a better grass producing country,
*The old people have gone to rest.
212 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
especially for the tame grasses, than the most sanguine
dared hope for fifteen years ago. With surety of producing
cheap food for stock, Nebraska must ever take rank among
the first as a stock producing state, and the people of all
stock countries may at least become independent.
I have written more than I first intended. I mean more
words, but I fear that when you come to use the critic's eye
of a historian you will find but little that you can use in your
book. I hope you will thus treat it, for this is not intended
for publication without such treatment, as I hardly know
what to write, my not knowing what you have written, but
if I have even furnished you with some ideas and experi-
ences I shall be pleased.
I hope some day to visit Nebraska again, as "with all
her faults I love her still," even if I do like the winters of
Southern California better. With my best wishes for the
success of your efforts, and for the future of that fair land
and her prosperity,
I am yours,
James A. Brown.
SNAKES IN THE KITCHEN
MRS, MALINDA FRINK
Mr. W. W. Cox,
Dear Sir — When we came to the county there were quite
a goodly number of settlers. There were a few small frame
houses. We came in 1877 and settled on an eighty acre farm
for which we made rather a curious trade of a neighbor in
Clark county, Iowa. It was the Tom Starkey homestead
that had fallen into his hands. We were to raise him eighty
acres of wheat within five years and upon completion of our
contract took a deed of the eighty acres.
When we arrived here, in our prairie schooners, the
place looked desolate enough being all grown up with weeds
and grass. There were only a few acres broken and there
was no house. The claim shanty had been confiscated and
moved away. The well was boarded up to keep the rabbits
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 213
out. We were poor as church mice. We brought all our
belongings in two wagons; one of them belonged to a brother-
in-law that came along to see the country. Our nearest
neighbors were coyotes and they made nights hideous with
their bowlings; but in the spring mornings our hearts were
gladdened by the booming of the prairie chickens. Snakes
were plentiful and were so friendly as to make us frequent
visits in the soddie. They would crawl into the walls and
would remain until we disputed their claim to a residence
with us. Once when we returned from Seward, our trading
place, a large bull snake took possession and was snugly es-
consed under the cupboard. The children left at home were
scared out of their wits and dare not venture in the house
until our arrival at home. It had crawled out of sight and
could not be found until I went to put the milk down cellar
when I found the horrible thing curled up on the cellar steps.
It was about dark and T had called for a light as I was afraid
of snakes, otherwise there would have been some spilled
milk.
We had some terrific rain storms and once our cellar
filled up with water. Everything that would float was swim-
ming and things that could not swim were resting quietly
under water. We had to carry the water out with buckets.
OUR OLD DOG MIKE STOLE THE MEAT
H, A. BRISBIN
MiLFORD, Nebr., June 6, 1905.
W. W. Cox,
Seward, Nebr.
Your letter reminding me of promising to write up the
greaser incident received.
Will fulfill that promise now.
The present generation living in Sew^ard county, can
hardly realize that thirty odd years ago the question of bread
and butter was a serious problem to be solved.
Ninth tenths of the early settlers were almost penniless
upon their arrival here. Your humble servant had put 50
214 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
cents. Thousands of others were equally as poor. Today
every farm carries from 20 to 100 heads of hogs. Pork in
its various forms is on every table once a day at least, but a
generation ago it was a luxury. I well remember my first
investment in pork in '70. Mrs. Brisbin and Mrs. Biggs had
become joint owners of one or two pounds of pork. The
pork was used to grease bread pans and pan-cake griddles,
and was used back and forth as occasion demanded.
It was safely guarded from all possible harm. ' 'But the
best laid plans etc." applied to this piece of pork.
A very large dog of the hound and mastiff breed had
followed me from Iowa. In color was a dark brindle, and
in size would tip the beam at 150 pounds or more, owing to
the condition he was in. He responded to the name of Mike.
He was noted for two things, size and digestive ability. The
former quality was a terror to strangers and the latter to
his owners. With head erect, eyes glistening, tail wagging,
and drools running, he would watch that pork as my wife
greased the bread pans.
The sod house door (made of slabs, hung with leather
hinges, and fastened with wooden latch) in pleasant weather
was always open, and the doorway was Mike's favorite place
of resort.
Watching one day as usual my wife preparing the
dough for the oven greasing the pans with that commercial
piece of pork, Mike saw the chance of his life. As Mrs.
Brisbin laid the pork on the table and carried the pans of
dough to the oven. Mike seized it, and one gulp and my
investment in pork was lost.
A terrible commotion was raised. I was called to the
house and Mike's sin was related, and the dark ominous fut-
ure was portrayed, but there was no help for it. We were
short on pork and long on dog. The event was told Mrs.
Biggs and the hang tail expression of Mike for a week after-
wards gave evidence that he was the recipient of unusual
attention.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 215
VILLAGE OF BEE
E, H. NOXON
The village of Bee, lying seven miles north and two
miles east of Seward on the Northwestern railroad on broad
and commanding ground, was purchased by the Pioneer
Townsite Company and platted in the spring of 1887.
A postoffice was established with Miss Minnie Dunigan,
postmistress. The first passenger train carrying mail ar-
rived Sep. 20, 1887. The first grain elevator was built in
the summer of 1887 by the late Luke Agur. Other buildings
followed quickly. John Low built a store building and a
hotel; M. Dunigan, a store building; Allen Price Lesse, the
first store to open for buiness in 1887. Two churches, the
United Brethren and the Christian were soon built, and res-
idences sprang up in all parts of the little city. January
20, 1902, the village was incorporated with A. J. Gumbel,
O. C. Bedford, H. Moler, A. Terwillinger, and E. O. Drake,
trustees, with A. J. Gumbel, chairman, and G. L. Bedford,
clerk. Bee has a fine two story high school building costing
$2500, and a Modern Woodman camp of over one hundred
members owning their own hall. The postmaster, E. H.
Noxon, appointed June 15, 1889 under President Harrison's
administration, although seventy-four years old, still hands
out mail.
UGLY BACHELOR JUMPED OUR CLAIM
MR, AND MRS. M, S. McCALISTER
My father, Ira McC'alister, and family landed in "L"
precinct, three and one-half miles south of Utica, in Decem-
ber, 1872. He had visited the locality at a previous date
and filed his claim. His time for settlement was about up,
and upon arrival with the family he found an ugly bachelor
w^aiting to jump his claim. The neighbors rallied to father's
assistance, and they chopped and dug iix the frozen ground
and made a dug-out about 8x10 ft., perhaps 10x12 ft.; just
216 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
room for wife and two children to crawl into, and when
the bed, stove and table were placed they were pretty thick.
Father and a brother-in-law spent the night there just in
time to save the claim. John E. Fouse sold father a ridge
pole for two dollars, and with some small poles, hay, and
shingles made of dirt, served for a roof. A crude door in
the south with one window giving light! Precious light.
These small quarters served the family as a home dur-
ing the winter and next summer, and small as the home was
they had to make room for me when I appeared on the scene
the following July. I was rather small but took up lots of
room in that dug-out. Father hired a small patch of ground
broken as a garden patch, and he spent the summer at car-
penter work.
When I was old enough [ started to school in a little
soddie on the site of the McNiel school house. The lit-
tle old soddie had two small windows and a rough door.
Pegs were driven into the walls and rough plank placed on
them for seats. Later a small frame schoolhouse was built,
and then a great prairie tire came sweeping by and burned
it up; then we had to take another soddie. This was re-
placed in later years by the present commodious schoolhouse.
I was a farmer boy at work by the month when the bu-
gle notes of 1898 called to arms. I hurried to Lincoln and
enlisted in Troop K, 3rd U. S. Volunteer Cavalry, known as
Grigsby's Rough Riders. The third day we were ordered to
Chickamagua Park, Georgia. We arrived in camp May 25,
and there met the remainder of our regiment who were
mostly from the Black Hills. We were drilling every day
and expecting orders at any time to sail for Porto Rico.
There were sixty thousand in camp and a jolly crew we were,
but in the heat of July the typhoid fever met us; we would
rather have met all the soldiers of Spain than this enemy.
August 6, Willis M. Powell of Beaver Crossing proved the
first victim of our company; he died at the camp hospital.
We laid him to rest in the national cemetery at Chatanooga.
Our next victim was Claud D. McNichols of Seward. He
died Aug. 20, 1898, in the camp hospital and was also laid to
rest in the Chatanooga cemetery. First Sergeant Wm D.
Smith of Milford returned home to die of fever contracted in
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 217
Camp Thomas. I was taken sick August 1, and remained in
the hospital until discharged, October 15, 1898.
I returned to the old home and found my girl that I had
left behind me awaiting my coming. We waited a while
however, when Miss Alta Frink, also a native of Seward
county and I concluded a bargain. We are making our home
in good old ''L" precinct, to each of us the dearest spot of
all the earth.
DEMOCRATIC PAPERS IN SEWARD COUNTY
W, H, SMITH
The first democratic paper to be established in Seward
was in 1876, when Samuel J. Tilden was the idol of the par-
ty and the candidate for president. Wm. Haw, a Baptist
minister and Missouri democrat, was the editor. After a
two years' struggle, however, the paper was suspended, and
from 1878 until 1884 the county seat was without a demo-
cratic paper. But in the latter year H. E. McClellan came
on from Wisconsin and started the Seward County Democrat,
which he conducted until 1888, when the plant was sold to
M. Meehan, who came to Seward when the Northwestern
Ry. was built into the town the year before, he being the
time-keeper. Mr. Meehan ran the paper until 1891 when
he changed the name to the People's Rights, and espoused
the doctrines of the people's independent party. But the
democrats were not long without a paper, for P. C. Carpen-
ter, who had been in the printing business at Beaver Cross-
ing, was induced, the same year, to locate in Seward and
start an organ for the democracy. About the same time
Duncan M. Smith, a Seward boy, started the Seward County
Independent, which was also run as a people's independent
paper. In 1882, however, he sold his business to Mr. Mee-
han, who consolidated it with his People Rights, and the
following year the latter sold his plant to the Independent
Publishing Co., which was composed of prominent populists
of the county, among the heaviest stockholders being Geo.
W. Fuller, D. D. Remington, C. M. Gordon, C. J. Wright
218 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and W . A. Brokaw. While this company owned the plant it
was leased to various parties.
Mr. Carpenter continued to conduct the Democrat which
'he had established, until 189(3, getting out his last edition
just before the election that year. The following February
the writer came to Seward from Iowa, purchased the plant
and resurrected the paper, the first issue appearing on
March 11th, 1897 — eight and one-half years ago. The fol-
lowing June the Independent Publishing Co.'s plant was also
purchased by the writer, and the two papers consolidated
under the name of the Seward Independent-Democrat.
Of the men whose names are mentioned as publishers
in the foregoing Mr. Haw, who was quite old when he came
to Seward, has been dead for a number of years. Mr. Mc-
Clellan is a resident of Denver, Mr. Meehan a resident of
Concord, N. H., where he is the editor of the Patriot, and
Mr. Carpenter resides at Shawnee, Okla. Duncan M. Smith,
the founder of the first Independent, is employed as a writer
for the editorial page of the Chicago Daily News.
ORCHARDS AND TREE PLANTING
ELISHA KINNEY
The first bearing orchard in this vicinity was on Mr.
Jackson's farm on West Blue, Saline county. Joseph Lam-
son, Sec. 28-9-4; J. W. Lowrie, 81-9-4; A. Burlingame, 34-9-4;
A. H. Vance, 19-9-4; P. J. Hooker and myself, 29-9-4; W. C.
Hooker and L. Chaddock, 18-9-4; Henry Wortendyke, Chas.
A. Smith and others, 12-9 3; John Hammel, James Johnson,
Henry Kemper, Wm. Stanton, Dan Wheeler and a few others
in Saline county each planted fruit and forest trees. A few
cotton-wood trees are 18 inches in diameter and 40 or 50 feet
high. Many of the groves were cut down. There is now
only about 5 per cent of the cotton-wood left. Ash, box-elder,
soft-maple, walnut and bur-oak have stood the changes —
drouth etc — better. Honey locust stands the climate,
but don't plant it as it is a spreader and cannot be killed
without great labor. The oldest evergreen here is on Sec.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 219
31-9-4 planted by J. W. Lowrie about 1871. In 1873 1 planted
a few apple trees; they are all dead now but we are all having
good success with trees of all kinds that are suitable to the
climate, since the 1880 drouth did not kill a very great per
cent of fruit trees but was hard on cotton-wood, soft maple
and willow. Mr. W. W. Cox will tell of Camden school dis-
trict No. 1 and first post oftice in the county. He will not
tell about school distrct No 1, Saline county (Star school
house) as that is in Saline county.
There are many small orchards now in this vicinity,
apple, peach, plum, cherry and a few pear. Small fruits,
gooseberry, raspberry, strawberry, etc., do well here. But
eternal vigilance is the price of success in orcharding and
forestry as well as in many other kinds of business. The
early settlers had but little time to devote to tree planting
whilst opening their farms. Many of the orchard and small
fruit trees are from Crete nurseries. One orchard of 112
trees had 108 in full bearing a few years ago (trees furnished
by Crete nurseries).
FRUIT
S, J. WELCH
We came to Nebraska in Aug. 1878 and settled on the
West Blue about two and a half miles south west of Camden.
In the spring of '79 we broke the prairie where we intended
to build, and after plowing the ground a foot deep in the
spring of '80 we set about 3000 box-elder and maple trees,
and although the season was rather dry we lost less than
half a dozen of the trees. I think that it was the same year
that we planted about 30 apple trees and a few years later
some cherry trees. The forest trees suffered considerable
during the drought years in the '90s and some of the orchard
trees died; but some of the apple trees and most of the cherry
trees have been good bearers. I set out an orchard of 50
apple trees in '88 that are mostly all living and bearing nicely
now; besides that I have set out later some cherries, mul-
berries and peaches that have done nicely and some plums
220 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
that have not done so well. Pears came into bearing last
year producing nice fruit, and grapes are doing fairly well.
Among the earlier planters in this vicinity in Seward
county were: Mr. J. Samson who had quite a grove, orchard
and vineyard when we came here. His orchard did well and
his vineyard produced an abundance of nice grapes. Mr.
Aug. Goldhammer also had a large grove and orchard in
good growing order when we came here. Mr. Goldhammer
has been very successful with his orchard, he has kept his
trees well pruned paying particular attention to keeping the
crowns well open.
Other orchards that were growing in Seward county
when we came here were: Mr. Wortendykes four miles
north of here, most of the trees bearing yet. Mr. C. Smith's,
east of Milford one mile, a tine grove and orchard. Mr.
Stutzman's, two miles west of Milford. Just across the line
on the West Blue in Salme county were the orchards of Gen.
V. Vifquain, Mr. James Johnson, John Jacobson and Oscar
Jacobson .
It seemed at that time it was harder to keep an orchard
growing in the bottom than on upland, as a number of the
orchards in the bottom had to be replanted several times
before a fair stand w^as obtained and the trees are dying olf
sooner than those on the upland. I think some of the nicest
orchards in this county are west and north west of Milford
ranging from fifty to several hundred trees but as I am not
much acquainted there I can give the names of only a few,
viz: J. W. T. Miller, J. Burkey, Joe Stauffer, Jacob Muir,
orchard and vineyard. I think yoa are correct as to Camden
being the earlier settled country.
MY SUCCESS WITH FRUIT
J. B, COURTRIGHT
The county is yet in its infancy so far as fruits are con-
cerned, but it can be readily seen that it compares favorably
with other counties of the state. We have a good climate,
our winters are not so cold as many of the older states of
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 221
our latitude, and the fruits already raised are of better flavor
and more free from specks than in Illinois, Iowa or many of
the more eastern states. It is true that many of our present
varieties are not as hardy here as in the eastern states. How-
ever, they had many failures there until they learned what
trees were adapted to their climate, and we must learn
by their experience, and not plant such as have been proven
to be worthless. Hardy trees of apple or plum will do well
here if the proper varieties are selected and properly cared
for. I have seen as fine apples raised here as I ever saw
anywhere. We cannot grow an orchard in one or two years;
it takes time and watchful care, but when grown, there is no-
thing that an enterprising man feels more pride in than
showing his orchard to his friends. Then, what is more de-
licious than a finely flavored apple, or a nice bunch of grapes,
or a fine peach.
We think that he who plants and prunes an orchard is a
true benefactor, and no citizen of Seward county can do a
more praiseworthy act than by planting an orchard and doing
his part in making Seward the best fruit county of our noble
state. If we only do our duty we will soon have plenty of
both large and small fruits. The following varieties we have
found to be hardy and prolific : For summer apples — Red
Astrachan, Duchess of Oldenburg, Early Penuock, Early
Harvest. I would recommend as fall apples — Snow, Maid-
en's Blush, Bailey Sweet, Hass, Roman Stem, Cole's Quince,
Pallsware. And for winter — Ben Davis, White Pippin Wine-
sap, Rawle's Genett, Jonathan, and Mann apple. There are
many others that will do well.
There are a few varieties of tame plum that do very well,
but I have succeeded best with wild varieties. I hardly ever
fail of getting a good crop the third year from planting the
pits, and they have always proved to be of an excellent quali-
ty. I have had but partial success with tame plums.
Have succeeded well with strawberries, goose and rasp-
berries, and grapes. In fact I have never seen a failure
here. I think the grape merits a more extensive cultivation
in our county. The grape rot is unknown with us. The
Concord and Clinton are the leading varieties. Have seen
222 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Catawbas do well, but they are not as hardy as some others.
I prune in February.
Peaches are very uncertain, but have had some to meas-
ure seven inches in circumference. I get a crop every few
years, which pays me well for all my trouble. I think the
trees and buds kill in the fall, as they grow too late and they
have too much sap in the tree. I had peaches this year, and
they grew on the topmost limbs, with none on the lower
branches. The fruit was from ten to fifteen feet from the
ground, and of course in the most exposed condition. Some
of the fruit was very nice.
I am hopeful of the future. I found my hope in the
belief in the old adage, "What has been done can be done
again." Orchards planted by the early settlers have done
well, and are producing good results in both quality and
quantity. Care should be taken in procuring healthy trees,
and then good judgment in setting and pruning, and also
planting at proper distances, say from 25 to 30 feet apart;
and last, but not least, secure of the hardy varieties, and on-
ly experiment with other and more costly kinds than those
mentioned.
We predict that in a few years our people will be feast-
ing on apples of the best quality, the products of our own
soil. Considering everything, the outlook is most encourag-
ing, and the observer can see a marked improvement in the
interest manifest in starting and caring for orchards. The
exhibit at our fair in September last, and the two previous
years, would put the blush to the cheeks of our sister coun-
ties in the eastern part of the state.
Notwithstanding the frequent warnings, unprincipled and
irresponsible agents — "tree peddlers" — are from year to year
beating people out of thousands of dollars, that are virtually
thrown away, by getting worthless stock. But for all this
we are making progress and no oae familar with the business
can doubt that our county can become a very successful fruit
county. Very many orchards have been so loaded that it
was necessary to prop the branches.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 223
PIONEERING IN CHILDHOOD
MISS LYDIA DILLENBECK
Although children usually look on the bright side of
things, yet pioneer life to them is not all roses — some thorns
are mixed in. We well remember our fij-st ride overland
from Lincoln to our home in an old democrat wagon with
one of Nebraska's most noted citizens. A dreadful storm
was approaching from the northwest and was bearing right
down upon us. Never will I forget the terrible grandeur of
that spectacle. Long chains of lightning rent the sky, cul-
minating in solid sheets of gold. We had just reached the
house when the storm struck, and Oh! how the cotton wood
timbers of the house creaked. It seemed that all must give
way, but strangely the old house still stands. Water came
in everywhere, and we were fairly drowned. We gathered
up all the tubs, buckets and pans to hold the water.
That same night we had our first Nebraska supper, made
up largely of wild gooseberries. • I can taste them yet as
they gave my mouth such a pucker. I passed them to my
brother; I cannot tell why I wished to afflict him so.
My father, like all progressive men, came west to find a
fortune, and his first step was to find a homestead, which he
found, or rather it found him three miles east of a most
beautiful village on the banks of the Blue river. We found
a dug-out ready built and ready to occupy. But on close in-
spection we found an occupant in a friendly rattler (an old
settler). We gave him the preference, and father went to
Seward and hauled lumber to build our house. It was
large, 12x16 ft. , and two stories high. Our neighbors all
told us that it was too high for our Nebraska winds, but we
had ample opportunity to test it the first night after moving
in. The house was sided barn fashion — boards up and down.
The north wester, or "north twister," came and the rain
came through every crack and crevice. We all moved into
the center and then resembled drowned rats. The next
morning the sun shone out bright and clear as if nothing
had happened. Our neighbors came to see if any fragments
224 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
of the house could be seen. They found it right side up,
and we all rejoiced.
The prairie fires of pioneer days are something that
children remember. Far away on the high hills in long
lines, it made a most beautiful and impressive sight. When
the wind would rise, it would leap toward the sky and the
heavens would be all aglow. When it was headed our way
it filled the soul with horror. All the neighbors w^ould turn
out to fight the demon. The next morning after one of
these prairie fires, we were out perambulating over the black
sod and ran upon a colony of "rattlers" basking in the warm
sunshine. That was a pleasant experience for a child to run
upon a great lot of ugly serpents. I would like to spin other
yarns, but must forbear, as room in your book is needed by
others.
MILFORD SCHOOLS
MRS, A. C. RAWLS
Milfor^, situated on the beautiful Blue, in the southern
part of Seward county, is a town of as much note as any oth-
er town of equal rank in the state.
But it is particularly of her schools that we wish to
speak, whose history begins with that of the town itself. A
very small shack served as the first schoolhouse, with Geo.
B. France as teacher. Then later when this building proved
too small; another building used as a Congregational church
was used, in which two departments were instituted by
means of curtains serving as a partition. Mr. France was
principal here also, and Miss Courtright, who afterward be-
came his bride, was his assistant. Miss Maude Lamson also
served as an assistant in the same building at a later period.
A few years later we find the schools of Milford being con-
ducted in the Baptist church building which was afterward
bought by the village as the regular school building; the
schools being under the supervision of Wm. Smiley, Mrs.
Ed. Healey, Miss Mitchell, and others. Then came the era
of our "brick school." The energetic members of the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 225
school board never permitted the matter of education to lag
behind other progressive movements of the town, and a sec-
ond or suburban school was built across the river for the
convenience of the East Milford pupils, thus giving room
for eleven teachers. Prof. VanWeyman was the first to oc-
cupy the new building. He was followed by Prof. Burkett,
then Patterson, Oelting, Batcheler, Snare and Hendree.
Then came a change in the long line of Prof's; Miss Kate
Pyott was given the principalship, wiiich place she has oc-
cupied since 1901 in a manner that has given satisfaction to
all — thus showing that Milford is not blind to the apprecia-
tion of woman's ability and to the efforts she is making in
the development of higher education.
OAK GROVE SETTLEMENT
E W, OLNEY
John A. Scott located on his claim on section 20, town
12, range 4 east, in the spring of 1864, and John Owens set-
tled on section 28 in the summer of 1864. Asa¥Munn made
settlement on section 2 in 1866, John Royce on section 28,
J. D. Maine and J. D. Olney on section 22, Warren Brown
on section 23. Royal Dart settled on section 32 in 1867,
S. M. Darnall on section 22 and John Darnall on section 12,
the same year.
The first school w^as taught by Miss Sarah A. Scott on
the Jack Royce place in a little sod schoolhouse in 1867.
Rev. George Clapp preached the first sermon in the old log
school house in the same year. Rev. Robert Rowbottom or-
ganized the first church (M. E.) in 1875.
Until 1869 we had to go to Lincoln for our mail. At that
time an office was established. G. B. Hardenburg was our
first postmaster, and held his office in the old house of Mil-
ton Langdon on section 21. A steam saw-mill was es-
tablished in 1868 by Kirkham and Hughes and proved a
great help to the people. Our mail was carried by a buck-
board at first, later by a stage.
Our growth and progress have been slow but sure. Our
226 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
growth has been steady. Quite a number of the first settlers
have passed off the stage of action, among whom were Mil-
ton Langdon and wife, Mrs. Gillman Garland, David Haw-
kins, J. D. Maine and wife, and Simeon Munn.
This region has always been known as Oak Groves, and
it is quite historic ground. It is unlike any other portion of
the county. The land is what we term rough or broken, has
many quite deep canons, and each of these has a beautiful
rippling brook of clear spring water. Excellent springs are
numerous. When the settlement began in 1S64, these canons
were all thickly set with oak timber. This timber was hauled
to the salt works as fuel, and to the tablelands for all pur-
poses, and finally, when the capital was located at Lancaster
(Lincoln), scores of teams were kept busy hauling wood, and
before the cars had reached the new city, these fine groves
were all, or nearly all destroyed. There was a vast amount
of valuable timber all through this section of country, and it
seems sad that it should have been so ruthlessly destroyed.
Many of these hills are full of a very superior quality of
limestone. Many kilns of lime were burned, and the lime
found a market at Lincoln, Seward, and throughout the
farming region round about. While this is not deemed as
desirable for farming purposes as the level plain to the west-
ward, yet we have very many excellent farms in the valleys,
and for stock purposes our advantages are unsurpassed.
We have three railroad stations within easy reach — Ger-
mantown on the B. & M., Raymond on the U. P.. and Bee
on the Northwestern.
Our soil is excellent, our water is of the very best, and
abundant, and we generally have happy and comfortable
homes.
How we got our start in hogs was related by Mr. Cox,
the author of this book. There was an old Missourian, we
forget his name, who wanted to get his hogs out of reach of
the soldier boys in war time, so in about the .spring of 1863,
he drove forty or fifty shoats up to the Groves, moved his
family along with them, and sojourned there while the war
clouds hung heavily over Missouri. The hogs, like the fam-
ily, ran wild, and were rather more untractable, and when
the old man found it convenient to move again, the hogs
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 227
were faring so well in the tnnber and tall weeds that they
concluded not to move on uncertainties; they would rather
stay, and they did stay. So the early settlers found the
timber full of fat hogs and so did not suffer for meat; and
frequently an old sow with a fine litter of pigs was captured^
and a start of hogs was secured.
CAMDEN SETTLEMENT
MRS. H, W, PARKER
Beatrice, Neb., Nov. 28.
Mr. W. W. Cox:
Dear Sir and Friend — Mr. Parker received your let-
ter, and being very much engaged in a public way, as city
councilman, etc., and just on the eve of his departure to
California on a visit, he has delegated me to answer yours.
I am truly interested in your letters of "Then and Now,"
and am very willing to contribute my remembrances if they
will add interest to your work, but I have forgotten exact
dates, and have not the faculty of condensing and making
brief my letters, so as to be suitable for publication, but I
will do the best I can.
At one time (perhaps you can remember), the Camden
Mills was a popular resort for social and Christmas parties,
dances and New Year's gatherings, etc. One time at a large
dance, when there were more than one hundred and fifty
present, after the dance Major Strunk read a beautiful poem,
after w^hich he read a notice which a Methodist circuit
preacher then handed me, giving notice that there would be
preaching at the Mill two weeks from the following Sunday,
and requesting as large a turnout as was there on the present
occasion. The result was we had a large congregation, but
it w^as hard to get a second audience, for in those days they
came from ten miles distant and seemed to be attracted by
amusement and recreation, rather than stale would-be
preaching; but we were all interested in having good sing-
ing and enjoyed that part immensely. In those days there
228 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
were no paid chorister or select singers, but all the audience
joined in whether they could sing or not. Ha! Ha!
Raising the mill, the washout, the high water, the losing
of all our lumber, so that we had to live in a dug-out two
years more, made a deep and feeling impression on my mind;
also propping up the roof with six or eight posts inside j
keep the roof from falling in and burying us with the wagon
loads of sod and soil that formed the roof.
For six months I know I suffered torture enou *^o
atone for the sins of a lifetime. Did I believe in t
punishment, I should say fleas had filled the bill.
The venison, elk, and antelope meat were pleas u at-
tractions with our Indian friends, who camped one winter
for about three months near (Jamden. The squaws ,,i^^!'I to
come over and cut wood for us. At one time I h. '^o
chopping wood at the door, and had the papooses sti
on their boards and kept inside for me to watch,
they cried, the squaws would motion me to tilt the ''^oara,
and the little fellows would go to sleep.
There were many little incidents of interest, but i^ '^ s
so long ago that I cannot remember them well enough
them up in shape to print. I forget their proper connec
It was not me that lawyer P. pulled the bed
from, but my hired girl, Miss Anna Bingham, now Mrs.
Dan. Harris. I had not yet retired, but I was terribly
frightened that night, and I have had a dislike for some of
those folks ever since.
Fordyce Roper and my husband (Hiram W. Parker)
built the first saw and grist mill in the county in 1865-6 at a
cost of $15,000. High water delayed the completion of the
grist mill by washing out the dam and cutting out a perfect
race around the mill, submerging their lumber yard, carry-
ing down the river $2,000 worth of lumber. But with in-
domitable energy and will to overcome obstacles, such as
losses, high prices of machinery, etc., the mill was finally
completed and in successful operatiou, turning out good
flour, which caused the general rejoicing of all the settlers
for many miles around, who had been compelled to go from
fifty to sixty miles to mill. We had to board mill-wright,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 229
carpenters, and other hands more than a full year, instead of
three months as we had expected. Produce was extremely
hij?h; I remember we had to pay $3.00 per bushel for pota-
toes, 40 cents for butter, and I remember we had to pay Un-
cle Billy Stanton 27 cents per pound for bacon; coffee, .sugar,
flour and all other provisions in proportion. We paid the
commonest carpenter $2.00 per day and board, and the mill-
wright much more, and this was what swelled the expense
of '^""e mill. We paid $3.00 per day for our sawyer and $3.00
;Veek for kitchen girl, and we had no spacious mansion,
(. ilome being a dug-out. I do not remember the date
the got to making Hour. I know they had just succeeded
in gytiiing the three- story frame up the day before the ice
went out of the river, March, 1866. I know they felt safe,
as 1.1-. river was clear of ice, but the water kept rising for
*^' '''^ays, which we could not account for, but when weeks
'' -lapsed, news reached Camden that there had been con-
, lb us rains on the heads of the river. This was explained
too * te for us to remedy the destruction of the property by
the flood.
3
WEST MILLS SETTLEMENT
I, M, K, JOHNSON
Thomas West and family, consisting of his wife Catha-
rine, and sons Cornelius, Thomas, John, Charles, and James,
and daughter Isabella settled at West Mills on the West Blue
in the spring of 1860. They had many hardships to endure
in 1861; their log cabin, together with about all their world-
ly goods except a few cattle were burned by the Indians,
supposed to be Omahas disguised as Sioux. This was in the
fall, and the family suffered great hardships during the fol-
lowing winter. The Indians were very troublesome, and
stole much of Uncle Tommy's crops of that year. With the
exception of the families of Orin Johnson and James West,
who lived near, there was no settlement nearer than Victor
Vifquain, near the forks of the Blue, and the Morgans on
the North Blue, from eight to ten miles distant.
230 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Their place of trade was Nebraska City, eighty-two
miles distant. Uncle Tommy started a supply store (this
was in 1862, according to the best information attainable),
and once a month sent a team for supplies of such goods as
were in demand by the frontiersmen. An invoice of a load
of goods would read about as follows: powder, two kegs;
lead, from one to two hundred pounds; percussion caps, from
one to two hundred boxes; flour, bacon, one barrel whiskey;
one hundred pounds tobacco; fifty or a hundred traps, and
some miscellaneous articles. When roads were good a trip
could be made in five days. Although the Indians com-
mitted many atrocities on the Platte and the Little Blue, and
were very threatening, Uncle Tommy's family never desert-
ed their home nor abandoned it during the darkest hours,
but in times of great danger guarded their stock and goods
as best they could, and at last got on such good terms that
they were able to do a thriving trade with the Indians.
They buried their son John in 1862. This was a sad affliction.
This was probably the first white person buried in the coun-
ty. John was buried in what is now West Mills cemetery.
Mr. West built a saw-mill and put in a small burr and
ground corn as early as the summer of 1864.
He is remembered by all the old settlers as a genial,
kind-hearted man. The latch-string of his cabin door was
always out, and no one in want ever called on him in vain.
By his energy a postoffice was established in 1865 at the mill
and store. He was elected county clerk at the first organi-
zation in 1865 He died in 1879, and was buried beside his
son, being followed to the grave by all his old neighbors as
mourners of one they had known to love and respect. His
widow followed him to the tomb in the winter of 1885.
These dear people have gone to the better world, leaving
very many sad hearts at their departure. Uncle Tommy
acted well his part in the development of this new land, and
for the many acts of kindness shown he will ever be remem-
bered by all the earlier settlers.
(The author of this book has a very warm place in his
heart for the memory of the kind old people.)
Uncle Tommy and family came from Maryland to Mis-
souri, thence to Nebraska. They started for California to
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 231
seek gold, but became disgusted with the company that they
started with, and left it, and made their home in the wilder-
ness. His Son Charles now lives on the old farm, and James
and Thomas live within a mile. Isabella, now Mrs. Orin
Johnson, still lives on a homestead which her husband set-
tled upon in 1861. Her husband went to Oregon many years
ago, and has not been heard from since he left, and it is
supposed that he is dead. Cornelius lives in Missouri. Orin
Johnson's family lost several children in an early day —
1867 — with the measles. Only two of thf\ children yet live,
and they, Fanny and Ida, are living with their mother.
There was no doctor nearer than Salt Basin. A messenger
was sent, and made the round trip, fifty-six miles, in eight
hours, bringing back a Frenchman who chiimed to be a doc-
tor, and the people expected that he knew his business. He
proved to be a fraud in all but his charges. All the children
whom he doctored died.
In the years 1864 and 1865 settlers bogan to locate all
along the West Blue valley. At that time the idea prevailed
that the uplands were worthless for cultivation. It was
thought that the showers only followed tne valleys of the
streams, and that the high prairies could not be made to pro
duce grain. The early settlers on Salt creek used to say
that it never rained twenty miles west of Sail creek.
William J. Clark moved to his homestead just below
West's mill in 1865. Mr. Clark came from New^ York state
to Illinois, when Chicago was about the size of Seward. He
run a fishing boat on the lake until he moved to Seward
county. He had buried his wife at Chicago, and w^as accom-
panied to this county by his three daughters. Mr. Clark
proved to be a thrifty and successful farmer. He raised a
large amount of vegetables and supplied the travel on the great
road. He was a model frontiersman. He had had the misfort-
une to have his right hand crippled, yet he could do and did
about as much work as other men. He died in 1886, leaving
quite a handsome property and some money in the bank for
his daughters. He was highly respected by all his neigh-
bors, and mourned by a host of friends.
Samuel Englehouft and wife (Amanda) and their five
children, Ellen, Mary Anne, George, Daniel, and Albert,
232 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
moved to this county in the spring of 1865. Alice, their
younger daughter, was born here in 1865. Albert died in
October, 1882 . When they arrived in Seward county they
had only a team and a wagon, a few sacks of corn meal, and
not a dollar in money. He bravely went to work and raised
a patch of sod corn, and worked in Mr. West's mill, and in a
few years became well to do. He wa^very fond of hunting;
was an excellent neighbor and well respected. He died Sep-
tember 16, 1885, and was buried in the cemetery bearing his
own name, leaving his aged widow, who, with her son George,
still lives on the old homestead. The other children are all
married and doing well. The family originally came from
Pennsylvania to Manona, Illinois;from thereto Vinton, Iowa,
thence to Nebraska. It is said to the credit of the family
that no one was ever permitted to leave their house hungry.
Jesse R. Johnson and wife, Rachel, with family, William
P. and Clara B. , came to their present home, two and a half
miles above West's mills, in 1864. Mr. Johnson came from
Cincinnati in an early day to Illinois. At the time they set-
tled in Seward county, provisions were scarce and high in
price, and times were very hard, but by great energy the
family lived it through until brighter days dawned, and now
they are the happy possessors of a goodly heritage, having
a fine farm and a magnificent orchard that has been bearing
fruit for many years. He was the first (we believe) to plant
an orchard in the county. Fruit was a hobby with him, and
he always insisted that this'would prove to be a splendid
fruit county. Others watched his success, and now this
county compares very favorably with any portion of Nebraska
or the West. Mr. J. served several terms as justice of the
peace, and was the first elected in the south part of the coun-
ty. He was a good hunter and trapper and his table never
was without meat. The furs and pelts secured were a source of
profit. Through his energy school district No. 3 was formed,
and a log school-house, which still stands as a landmark,
was built mostly by himself. This old school-house stands
on the farm of David Barton. His daughter Clara, now Mrs.
A. C. Smith, lives in the same neighborhood.
James West, brother of Thomas West, and his wife,
Margaret, settled on a nice farm in the vicinity of his broth-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 233
er's farm in the spring of 1860. They then had two daugh-
ters, Ehza and Kate. Alexander, their oldest son, was born
November 7, 1860, and was the first white child born in the
county. Alexander continued his residence in the county
until the fall of 1887, or about twenty-seven years. The
father and all the family, consisting at present of eight chil-
dren, moved to Kansas, whither they were followed by the
kindly wishes of all the neighbors. Mr. West was a very
generous man, and any weary stranger found a hearty wel-
come under his roof. The family had their full share of pri-
vations and hardships of a frontier life.
David Barton moved to the neighborhood in the spring
of 1864; was, and still is, a bachelor, but built a log house
on his homestead; came with but a pittance, and has been
remarkably successful; is now^ the owner of a large estate,
and is at this time the heaviest taxpayer of "N" pi'ecinct.
Mr. Barton came from England, in 185S, almost a penniless
lad, and by his industry and careful management he has ac-
quired a handsome fortune, although a generous man.
Young men may take pattern of him. Mr. B. has no rela-
tive in this county.
Israel M. K. Johnson, son of Jesse R. Johnson, followed
his parents to the new home in July, 1865, and took a home-
stead. He had just returned from the army, where he had
served three years; first in Company K, 138th Ills. Vol., and
afterwards in Company E, 34th Ills. Israel was fond of
hunting and trapping, and in company with the West boys he
frequently made long trips to the Little Blue, in Kansas,
and to the Platte, and once as far as the Dismal river, where
he had a close call for his scalp. As he had been through the
war, he had become somewhat wreckless. He often guided
trains to Denver, was a success as a buffalo hunter, and never
returned from the chase empty-handed. At this time they
were plentiful some distance westward, but only occasionally
one would appear within fifteen or twenty miles. Thomas
West, Jr., killed the last one ever killed in Seward county,
in 1866. Elk, deer, antelope, and wild turkeys were plenti-
ful, and were frequently killed. "Id," as they called him,
was a great hunter; his rifle or revolver was never out of
reach . He thought that a man that could not take horse, gun,
234 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and blankets, and rough it for three or four weeks at a time,
had no business so far west as SeWard county. At one time
he and Mr. McFadden had their wagon wheel and harness
burned by i3rairie fire while a hundred miles from home on a
hunt, south of Kearney, and they came home with a rawhide
harness and a pole under the wagon axle. It was a hard-
looking outfit, but they were glad to reach home even in this
sorry plight, as it was at the time of the Indian massacre on
the Platte. They had a hard fight with the Sioux, and if it
had not been for timely assistance from Buffalo Bill (Hon.
Wm. Cody) and his Pawnees, the Indians would have taken
their scalps. They helped to bury two men, a woman, and
a child that the Indians had murdered, just below Martin's
ranch, on the Platte. Travel on the great roads was about
suspended, on account of the Indian troubles.
Rev. L. Oliver, a Methodist minister, settled near West's
mill in 1869. He had a large family. His wife died in 1871,
and he in 1874. He was one of the pioneer ministers of the
south ]iart of the county. Mr. Oliver was a good man and
did much in moulding the moral and religious sentiment of
the ccmmunity. We are sorry that we can give so little of
his history.
Abner M. Richardson came from Iowa in June, 1869,
and made his home in the south part of the county. His
wife (Maria) died September 19, 1885. They had lost their
son Benjamin with small -pox in February, 1879. Mr. Rich-
ardson still lives on the old homestead with his children,
John, Emeline, andEmarette. He is now eighty-three years
old and very feeble. He has been a very industrious man.
In his old age he suffers from rheumatism.
Prom 1867 to 1^69 great numbers of homesteads were
taken along the Blue. Alonzo Clark, with a large family,
settled near Jesse R. Johnson; also, a man by the name of
Euland; and later, George Campbell and his brother Jacob,
and Andrew Davenport, from Iowa. George Campbell was
a blacksmith, and was of great help to the settlement, as
before this we all had to go to Camden or to Louis Morgan's,
on the North Blue, ten miles away. We usually went to
Morgan's, as we could get the work the same day, and at
Qamden there were so many mules to shoe, and so many
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 235
wagons to mend for travelers on the road, that we were
compelled to remain over night or make the second trip.
Mr. Campbell was just the man we wanted. From that time
our community has prospered. We boast of no large towns
or cities, but we have as beautiful homes as any part of the
state, and enjoy many luxuries. We had in early days to
struggle for food and clothing, and were often severely
pinched, and had it not been for Uncle Tommy West many
of us would have been compelled to leave our homes. David
Barton, W. J. Clark, Samuel Englehaupt, and my father did
all that was possible to assist the people, and whether the
settler had money or not, they were supplied as long as the
supply lasted. Frequently corn meal was the principal diet.
Nearly all our lirst settlers were poor, and consequently
times become very hard with them. We have known families
to live a whole winter on corn meal and what rabbits they
could kill with clubs. Salt was scarce, and we had to make
I)ilgramages to the salt basins for our supplies. On one of
these trips we first became acquainted with Mr. Cox, the
author of this history, but in what year we have forgotten.
We do not know if he recollects or not. Our first doctor, in
any reasonable distance, was Dr. Band, of Milford. The
Otoes and Omaha s frequently brought their whole village of
tents and would camp for weeks at a time near the mill, and
run all the game out of the county, so that we would not be
able to kill any for our use. We then, as now, thought the
only "good Indian was a dead one." But for all that, we
believe they were no worse thiev^es than the same number of
whites under no more restraints.
What a change twenty-three years has broughtl New-
comers to Seward county can hardly realize the wonderful
changes that have occurred in these years.
236 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
"B" PRECINCT SETTLEMENT
F, M. TIMBLIN
Hampton, Neb., Nov. 27.
W. W. Cox, Esq., Sewaud, Neb.:
Dear Friend — Your kind letter asking me to write a
history of "B" precinct, in Seward county, Neb., was received
several days ago. First. I did not move into that pre-
cinct until April, 1869, and there was considerable settle-
ment there before that time. Second. I have forgotten the
dates of a great many interesting events of early times. Yet,
being always ready to assist a friend in any laudable enter-
prise, I will try to give you a few points and incidents which
may assist you in your undertaking.
The pi-ecinct, as first organized, comprised township 12
in ranges 1 and 2, and the west half of range 3 east of the
6th principal meridian, and being six miles wide by fifteen
long, and was known as "Lincoln creek," or Plum creek, pre-
cinct. The first settlement was made along the Blue river,
about 1H64 or 1865, John and Thomas Shields, Robert Mc-
Crosson, and George Read being among, if not the first set-
tlers. A few settlers also went up Lincoln creek, among the
first of whom were Charles Shaffer, the Hornburgs, Jack-
mans, Ragans, Reynolds, and Hartmans. In 1870 I assessed
this whole territory (6x15 miles) in about five days, and by
going up Lincoln creek on one side and down the other, got
all the inhabitants west of the Blue river. In 1868 the Hick-
mans (J. D., William, Joseph, J. W., and H. W.), T. J. Poore,
John and Thomas Quillen, John and Peter Varner, andWm.
Moore settled on the "divide" between the Blue and Plum
creek, in what is now "B" precinct proper, and in 1869 F. M.
Timblin, H. G. Dawley, Elias McClure, Amos Coleman, Wil-
liam and Jesse Knight, E. H. Noxon, J. T. Davis, and James
Read completed the settlement of government land on this
divide (Shoestring prairie), while the Bates brothers, Amos
Donaldson, Mike Dunigan, Esquire Batchelder, S. D. Love,
Sabin Stanwood, and others settled the divide between Plum
creek and Oak Groves.
The first school- house built in the precinct was a small
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 237
sod house in the north-east corner of section 32, in the fall of
1869, and was built by the settlers, who, having no money,
each did his share of breaking, hauling, and laying the sod,
while some furnished poles and brush for the roof, others a
door or window frame, or door or window, and each furnished
seats and desks for the scholars he had to send to school.
The house was built and seated in this way, but as yet there
was no way provided to warm it. A stove must be had, but
howy It was decided that those having timber should cut a
load of cordwood, and those who had no timber of their own
should go out onto section "37" and cut a load, and they
would take it to Lincoln, sell it, and buy a stove. This plan
was carried out, and in the latter part of November nine wag-
ons loaded with cordwood wended their way to Lincoln
through about eight inches of snow, and returned with a sec-
ond-hand wood stove, and the first school-house in the pre-
cinct was ready for occupancy.
The first term of school was taught by F. M. Timblin,
and was paid for by subscription. The house was small,
poorly furnished and lighted, but I doubt very much if the
people ever enjoyed themselves any better, spent their even-
ings more profitably, or formed ties of friendship which will
be more true or lasting than when they met in the little old
sod school -house.
The election which decided the county seat contest was
held for this precinct in a house on the hill just east of the
Blue river. The river happened to be very high at that
time, and the only bridges were one at Seward and one at
Ulysses. In order, therefore, to get the voters out, it was
necessary to have a crossing near the place of voting. For
this purpose ropes were procured and logs float to a narrow
place in the river, and a "drift" or "gorge" formed on each
side of the stream, and connected by boards or poles laid
from one to other; and men stayed there all day to help the
timid across, while wagons ran regularly between this "cross-
ing" and the place of voting, thus taking voters to the polls
and returning them to their own conveyances on the other
side of the river. Elections in those days were fully as in-
teresting and exciting as at present. At the election to vote
bonds in aid of the Midland Pacific railroad every vote in "B"
238 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, IsTEBRASKA
precinct was polled except five, and these five men were not
in the precinct on that day. Men drove over the precinct
with two or three men in a w^lgon, and when they found a
man who was in tavor of the bonds (and they all were, but
had not time to go to election), some one of the party stayed
and worked in his place while the balance took him to the
polls, let him vote, and returned with him. They called
this "working the railroad," but they never got any pay for
it, except the benefits derived from the building of the road.
The foregoing may assist you some in your work, and
I might have added that it was in the sod school-house that
the Hon. T. Y. Darnell made his maiden speech. If there
is anything further, please let me know, and I will do what
I can to accommodate you.
Your respectfully,
F. M. Timblin.
We have told some pretty big yarns in these reminis-
cences, but we believe Bro. Timblin has taken the rag off the
bush in the wood and stove story; just think of nine big
loads of wood only paying for a second-hand stove. As we
remember wood at the time was worth from eight to ten
dollars per cord, but we don't know how second-hand stoves
were quoted.
Author.
HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS OF PIONEERS
MISS INEZ FRINK
My father, D. R. Fink and family, of wife and four chil-
dren removed from Clark count5^ Iowa, to the present home
in "L" precinct in September, 1H77.
In the first years the family shared the hardships and
privations of most of the pioneer settlers. The family
home is 2i miles southwest of Goehner. When the family
arrived in the prairie schooner, the county presented a deso-
late appearance and looked rather discouraging. The farm
was almost covered with tickle grass. The little land broken
by the former occupant, had sort of gone back. Our first
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 239
house was 12x14 and it served as kitchen, dining room, sit-
ting room, parlor and bed room In the ensuing spring a
sod addition for a kitchen and then we had plenty of room.
Most of our neighbors were living in soddies. Among them
we remember John Hood, Cline Rhodes, E. W. S. Wingtield,
John Perkins, Chas. Emerson, John Burkett, John Florin,
Geo. Purvis, James Robertson. N. E. A. Hawley, Barney
Bonham, John Knerr, Ransom Walker, old Father Wheeler,
R. S. Piper, Joshua Griffin, L. J. Graul, T. J. Foster and
Peter Ogilvie. Most of these were homesteaders. A few
of these had small frame houses and the balance lived in
soddies.
The first neighbor to visit the new comers was Chas.
Emerson, a very pleasant man and a good talker. He told
them all about the country. He tried to make them welcome
but the old man rather overdid the thing. He told them too
much. He introduced the grasshopper question and that made
the family have the blues. Then the wind was on its bad be-
havior that day; it blew a gale and the old man expatiated
on the wind and said it was so common in Nebraska that
people had learned to like it. Mr. Todd's people were our
nearest neighbors . They soon sold to Mr. Cromwell. They
proved excellent neighbers. They were always ready and
willing to lend a helping hand in time of trouble or sickness.
Mr. Cromwell took leave of us in 1901 and passed to the
great beyond and left his good wife to mourn his loss. Our
post ofdce and trading place was at Seward. They attended
church at the Mound Prairie school house a mile north west
of the present town of Goehner. Jerome Aldreck bought
the building, tore it down and moved it to Beaver City.
When the family went to church they hitched to the lumber
wagon and loaded up with the neighbors and children. Rev.
Chas. Bradley, Rev. C. E. Phinney, Rev. Winn, Rev. A. E.
Beggs and Rev . E. W. Johnson served the people as preachers.
Most of the old neighbors and friends are gone, some to
other fields and many to their long home. The memory of
the old times and friends are dear to us and are kept green
in our memories.
[We take it that Miss Inez was a later comer to the
Frink home. — Author.]
240 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
GRASSES
CALVIN J. WRIGHT
Your requisition of a contribution relating to the various
gras-<es grown in Seward county received, and replying I
will say you have chosen a poor subject to discuss the matter
as I have done no farming for ten years past.
Twenty-five years ago there was scarcely an attempt
made to grow other than native grasses in this county ex-
cept a little blue-grass and white clover, as lawn grass.
The first trial for feeding purposes was to grow millet of
various varieties all of which produced well but was not sat-
isfactory as it had to be sown every year and is rather rough
feed for stock. Then came clover, timothy and blue-grass
and in later years alfalfa and brome grass. The latter is
being introduced quite extensively and is thought to be su-
perior to any yet tried in this county for pasture and makes
hay that stock prefer to timothy and clover. Alfalfa does
well here also but many think it a rather course feed, espe-
cially for horses. Blue-grass makes tine early and late pas-
ture but is comparatively worthless during July and August
and is practically worthless for hay. On my farm we keep
about two hundred acres of timothy and clover mixed for
pasturage and hay and so far have considered it the best all
around crop for summer and winter feeding.
Our Seward county soil is very rich loam but becomes
dry on the surface within twenty-four hours after a rain,
therefore it takes more care and more seed to obtain a good
stand of grass than it does in the eastern states. The best
method we have found is to use one fourth clover and three
fourths timothy seed and sow it in the fall on land prepared
for drilling in rye or wheat and do so jast before drilling in
the grain. We sow one bushel of the mixed seed to four
acres of land and have not failed yet in securing a good stand
of grass. The same result follows if the grass and grain are
sown between corn rows. I would recommend every farmer
to keep one third of his land seeded down in this way and
change the land to grain crops every three to five years.
Good grass and hay can be raised in Seward county as in any
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 241
other place on earth. I had one thirty-live acre field in tim-
othy and clover and cut it for hay fourteen years in succes-
sion obtaining an av^erage of nearly two tons per acre yearly.
If the above rule for seeding, etc. were followed our land
would never wear out but would constantly increase in pro-
duction and value.
SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT E, KOCH
Seward county is divided into ninety -one and one-half
school districts; No. 1, known as the Camden school in the
south west corner of "P" precinct was the first one organ-
ized; No. 93 or the Bee school being the last district formed;
No. HO, north of Utica, was discontinued a few years ago
and the territory added to Nos. 35 and 54.
Seward county has 94 school houses, three of which are
brick, two in Seward and one in Milford, and the rest con-
structed of frame. The school rooms in general are in good
repair and the interior of the rooms in most school houses is
bright and cheerful. Many of the interiors of our rural
school houses are papered, have pictures on the walls, and
in general appear clean and cheerful.
A school board association, organized three years ago,
has done much to better the condition of our rural schools.
The school boards have come to realize that the best teacher
is always the cheapest when the real worth of the teacher to
the*pupils is taken into consideration. The result is, higher
wages are being paid and teachers are thereby encouraged
to better prepare themselves for the noble work before them.
As high as 5?50 per month is being paid to women teaching
in the rural schools this year, w^hile the average monthly
salary for women in the county last year was $38.43 and the
average salary for men was $59.40.
For ,self improvement and to keep in touch with the
work neighboring teachers are doing, the county is divided
into eleven teachers' reading circle sections. These circles
meet regularly once every two weeks and pursue the state
242 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
teachers' reading circle course. In this way younger and
more inexperienced teachers meet regularly with the older
teachers and town principals, and thus besides studying
good books on teaching, receive many valuable suggestions
from their more experienced fellow-workers. Besides these
circle meetings, the teachers meet in county associations
three or four times each year.
The total expenditures for the public schools for the
year ending the second Monday in July, 1904, was $65634.13.
Of this sum, $42276.26 was paid to the 125 teachers employed
in the county, $34033.61 was paid to the 108 lady teachers
and $8242.65 to the 17 men teachers engaged. This $65634. 13
was spent on a total enrollment of 3947 pupils, or an average
cost of $16.63 per year to educate one pupil per enrollment.
An enrollment of 3947 out of a school census of 5544 in the
county would show that 1597 children between the ages of
live and twenty-one years did not attend school at all. This
however is not the case, since we have twelve German Paro-
chial schools, some of which have as high as seventy or
more on roll. Eight of these private schools employ well
trained teachers and some excellent woi'k is done. In the
other private schools, the local minister is the instructor
Where a congregation employs a teacher, ten months school
is taught. The forenoon is given exclusively to German and
religion and the afternoons are given to instruction in Eng-
lish exclusively. The attendance in these private schools is
usually very regular.
The average length of school term in the ninety-one and
one-half districts was eight and one-fifth months, with no
district with less than six months, and but two or three of
that length. The public schools of course are free to all
who wish to attend. Even the text books and all other
school supplies are furnished, and it seems to us that with
these splendid school advantages no boy or girl should be
deprived of a good liberal education, for after all, this is the
best heritage we can give our boys and girls for the duties of
life.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 243
ORLANDO CASSLER MURDER CASE
In the forepart of July, 1878, a stranger from the state
of Kansas, by the name of G. L. Monroe, was traveling
through this neighborhood, and happened to fall into the
company of Orlando J. Gassier, a resident of the southwest-
ern portion of the county. The two camped just west of the
city on the river bank, on the afternoon of July 7th, and dur-
ing the night, while a violent thunder storm was raging,
Gassier murdered his comrade and new-made friend, sunk
the body in the river, and took possession of the team, telling
his neighbors that lie had bought the team. Some of the
citizens of the city happened to be fishing a day or two after
the occurrence, and found the body floating in the water.
The coroner's jury soon found a clue to the murder, and
Orlando was arrested, tried, and convicted, and sentenced to
be hanged on the 20th of May, l<s79. The black Friday ar-
rived, and a great host of people gathered into the city from
all the surrounding country, as word had gone out that the
barracks would probably be torn down. The sheriff had
taken what he supposed to be ample precautions for the pro-
tection of the barracks. He had placed quite a large number
of deputies and policemen, properly armed with billies,
around the barracks, and had constructed a barb-wire fence
around a space surrounding the building, which was denom-
inated a deed line, and all the people were warned not to
step over that line; but little did they heed the mandate.
There seemed to be an inordinate desire to see the wretched
man hung, and five or six thousand men, women, and chil-
dren surged back and forth with an irresistible force, and
just before noon some reckless fellows gave a whoop and a
hurrah, and those barracks were scattered as if a cyclone
had struck them in far less time than it takes to write a line
of this paragraph. The sheriff saw in a moment that he was
in the hands of the mob, to do the will of their good pleasure;
their pleasure was to see Orlando hung, and if the sheriff was •
unwilling to transact the business in their presence they
would do the work for him in his presence, and that right
soon. So he assured the mob that the execution should occur
in proper time, and that he did not need their help. The
244 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
drop fell in due time, and Orlando J. Gassier paid in full,
as far as possible, the penalty of his crime, but the demoral-
izing^ spectacle of a public execution produced a bad effect
upon our people, and brought out a spirit of lawlessness that
barely missed producing another murder before the day
closed.
We do not wish to mince matters, or in any way excuse
the lawless spirit of many people on that occasion in tearing*
down the enclosure, but we would say that the governor w^as
short-sighted, that provisions to maintain the dignity of the
law were not made, and especially so when a like occurrence
had happened at Minden only a short time previous. If the
law is worth a place on our statute books, then when neces-
sary use all the powers of the state to enforce it, and not
allow lawless ruffianism to control.
We quote for the curious the last words of the doomed
man: ''Well, now this will finish Orlando Cassler's life. Be-
hold the scaffold with Orlando Gassier standing on it here.
This is the last of trouble and sorrow. I am sorry, gentle-
man, that I have to die here, but there is a world above,
where there is no trouble and no sorrow. Goodbye, gentle-
man." His spiritual advisor was Rev. Shank, of the M. E.
Church, who delivered an eloquent and fervent prayer.
CHAPTER XIV.
PRECINCT HISTORIES
It will be noted that up to a recent date, each geographical town-
ship was a precinct. In later years the city of Seward was made into
a separate precinct or town. It may also be noted that "JS" and "O"
precincts weie each divided into two voting precincts. These towns or
precincts, except Seward, are named for the first sixteen letters of the
alphabet from A. to P. The city is dealt with in a separate chapter
and also are the principal villages.
A PRECINCT
A" precinct or town is the northeast corner of the
county, and was originally known as town 12, range 4, east
of 6th P. M.
The land is a succession of rolling hills. It is watered
by Oak creek and its branches . The narrow valleys are very
fertile. There are some excellent springs. There are quar-
ries of excellent limestone. Some of the hills have gravelly
points, and in many places large boulders crop out. The
farms ai'e well adapted to dairying and stock growing. Eggs
and poultry are considered very profitable. At present they
have no postoffice, but the people are well supplied by rural
routes. Good markets are within easy distance at German-
tow^n, Bee, Raymond, and Valparaiso. They have five good
frame school houses with two hundred and nine pupils en-
rolled. There are two hundred and twenty-four farms or
sub-divisions of land as shown by the records. There is a
population of about one thousand.
The reader is referred to the valuable historic letter of
E. W. Olney for information in regard to the first settlement.
Very few of the first settlers yet remain. Great numbers of
those who blazed the way are gone to their rest, among
whom we may roention Milton Langdon and wife, John Scott,
246 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
J. D. Maine and wife, Warren Brown, Mr. Hawkins, John
Owens, Asa Munn, and Royal Dart.
The present people seem to be quite prosperous, and
many of them have beautiful homes. While the general sur-
face of the land is not so desirable as in other parts, yet the
people have made great headway and are doing well .
B PRECINCT
This precinct is town 12, range 3, east of the sixth P. M.
It is mostly a great plain of table land reaching from the
Blue Valley at the southwest corner almost to the breaks or
rough land to the eastward. It comprises thirty-six sections
of most excellent and valuable land, wliich is divided into one
hundred and ninety-one farms and sub-divisions.
Plum creek cuts the eastern half of the township. The
land is mostly smooth prairie, but it is well drained. There
is no swampy land, and none that can not be cultivated. It
is covered with beautiful farms. It has between six and sev-
en jniles of railroad with one good shipping point. Much of
it is near Staplehurst, and all parts of it are very handy to
the city. It has six school houses with two hundred thirty-
eight pupils enrolled. It has about twelve hundred people.
The reader is referred to the excellent historic letter of F. M.
Timblin in regard to the early settlement. There are a
great many orchards; the farmers are all in a very prosper-
ous condition and are making their homes beautiful.
The litttle village of Bee is a good shipping point with
two elevators, a bank, a good school, and several business
houses, including a hotel and churchs.
C PRECINCT
"C" precinct is located in town 12, range 2 east of 6th
P. M. Was first settled by Frank Shields in the winter of
1863 and 1864, on what is known as the "Casey Place." His
settlement was not very permanent. Among the tir.st to
make permanent settlement were Wm. Reed, Judge John W.
Shields, Geo. Reed, John A. Durland, and Prank E. Pitt.
These all settled in 1864 and 1865, and were soon followed
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 247
by Moses Mitchell, Walter Hoops, and two or three others
whose names have escaped our memory. These early set-
tlers all located by the river, for the sake of the timber and
water. Settlements did not jjenetrats the high prairie much
until 1868, when people came like a flock of pigeons.
"C" precinct is cut in two un-equal parts by Blue river,
and has excellent water powers that are yet undeveloped.
Lincoln creek also cuts the southwest corner of the precinct,
and furnishes a splendid water power, which has a fine mill
at Marysville. This mill was built by Luke Agur in 1870,
and has been lately rebuilt, enlarged, and much improved.
It is now a first class flouring mill with all modern improve-
ments.
Marysville is the nucleus of a large German settlement
that extends far up and down the creek; and overreaches the
boundaries of the precinct. They had located a store and
church, with a school house, soon after the founding of
Seward. Wm. Hornburg, John Schoepp, and old Mr. Hart-
man's family were among the first to settle there. George
C. McKay, John Gladwish, Father Archer and his family,
and some others settled on the prairie between the river and
Lincoln creek, and further up the river Thos. Corr and John
Gillbanks settled in 186H. Marysville remains a trading
point; was a post office many years supplied by a star route,
and the Lutheran church makes it a prominent gathering
place for the people.
Staplehurst was founded by George C. McKay in the
autumn of 1879, immediately after the completion of the A.
& N. R. R. Mr. McKay erected the first dwelling. T. W.
Lowrey opened a grain house the same fall. Staplehurst
grew slowly at first, but in 1882-83 it began to assume im-
portance as a shipping and trading point. Messrs. Goehner
& Co. laid out a large addition to the town, and many busi-
ness houses sprang up immediately, including two first class
elevators, a good hotel, a fine church, and a host of dwell-
ings. They have a school house, and maintain a graded
school. The place contains near three hundred inhabitants,
and is organized as a village; enjoys a good trade, and is
prosperous.
The precinct contains two hundred and fifty-one farms
248 HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
or sub-divisions of land. It has five school districts includ-
ing one graded school at Staplehurst. Each supplied with
good buildings with an enrollment of 368 scholars.
Staplehurst has grown to be a trading point of much
importance and is improving from year to year. It has a
good strong bank, large and well tilled merchantile houses.
It has a good lumberyard, a great livery barn, two good
elevators, good churches, a hotel and many pretty dwellings.
It is only a few minutes ride to the county seat. The town-
ship has six miles of rail road and a creditable depot.
T. C. Allen is responsible for the following story: Prob-
ably the first time a religious meeting w^as held, old Father
Worley, of Ulysses, was preaching in a sod school houses,
and was talking of hell and heaven in an old fashioned way,
and had the congregation pretty well excited, when a serpent
fell into the lap of one of the ladies, from the brush covering
of the house. The audience were worse scared at the snake
than at the preacher's hell, which he was so ably describing.
For further particulars the reader is referred to the Rev.
Father Worley, but guess he can't as he is in Heaven.
D PRECINCT
Town 12, range 1, east of the 6th P. M. is our north-
western precinct located upon the great plateau between the
Blue river and Lincoln creek and its small tributaries. This
is a most magnificent tract of farming land and is thoroughly
well improved. It was settled by a very enterprising class
of people who knew how to make the best of their opportu-
nities. There is no village within its borders and only just
a little corner of the precinct is cut by the Hastings branch
of the Northwestern railroad. There is no postoffice, but the
rural routes help the people to their daily mails.
Settlement began in 1867, when Wm. Jackman and Jesse
Horton located on Lincoln Creek. Mr. Horton moved to the
county with a pair of oxen harnessed like horses, only a lit-
tle differently arranged. This was a novel sight to see oxen
in harness. In the long ago they had a postoffice named Or-
ton, kept at a farm house and supplied by a star route with
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 249
mails semi-occasionally. We believe that Stephen Phillips
was the honorable postmaster.
Wm. Reynolds settled on the creek in 1868. He it was
who hanged himself at Utica some years later while laboring
under a tit of temporary insanity. Mr. Johnson, who took
the first harvester to the county, and O. C. Ragan of the
hawk-pie story, settled in Ls70, also A. D. Hornburg; then in
■1871 A. D. Richie and his sons, Hon. W. E. and brother T.
C. Allen and E . B. Hatch and others made settlement on the
high prairie. Mr. Hatch taught the first school in 1872 in
the Jackman dugout.
The lands of the precinct are all w^ell drained and en-
tirely free from marshes, and there is scarcely an acre but
what may be plowed. A large German settlement occupies
the southern portion; they have become wealthy and have
elegant homes.
The precinct has two hundred and thirty-one farms and
sub-divisions of land. It has four school districts with good
buildings and two hundred and thirteen pupils. The precinct
has five market towns within easy reach : Surprise, Gresham,
Utica, Staplehurst and Ulysses, so that every family is with-
in easy reach of a good market. "D" precinct is pre-emi-
nently a good farming country.
E PRECINCT
This is town 11, range 1, east of the 6th P. M. ; this is
one of the western precincts and is situated on the great up-
land plain between Lincoln creek and the South Blue.
There are no running streams within its borders. It is a
vast level tract of land with here and there a swampy tract
that needs draining. It is nearly all excellent farming land
under a high state of cultivation. It was first settled in lcS71
when Hon. Geo. A. Derby, Joseph Jones, M. C. Wright,
Samuel Gleason, H. M. Coleman and old Father Greenwood
made homes upon the great wilderness of prairie. About
this time the state road was located from Seward to the
westward, and passed through the precinct. Great numbers
of people came and took homesteads in 1872. In its early
history there were no such thrilling incidents as occurred on
250 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the great freight roads to the southward. Seward was
quite a village when the settlement began in that region,
and the people were not so isolated from the world at large.
Then it was not long until the locomotive had broken a trail
to Seward which was only from eight to fourteen miles
away. Yet many of the settlers saw some tough times, al-
though they were free from Indian scares and were in no
especial danger of starving as older settlers were close at
hand. From the first the development and progress has
kept pace with other parts of the county. Hundreds of
planted groves make the scenery beautiful to look upon.
Where not one tree was in sight in that wide extending
plain, now^ looking in any dii-ection it appears like an un-
broken line of timber in the distance as far as the eye can
reach.
Miss Clara Derby had the honor of teaching the first
school of the pt-ecinct in the summer of 1873, in an old sod-
die of course. While "E" precinct is one of our most popu-
lous townships, there are only four school districts. Utica
maintains a fine graded school in a large two story school-
house. The country districts all have good frame buildings.
Fulfils enrolled number three hundred eighty, of which two
hundred eleven are in the Utica district. The towmship
contains two hundred and tw^enty-six farms or subdivisions
of land. The Burlington railway was completed to Utica in
the fall of 1877, when Utica was founded. (See historic
sketch of Utica.)
F PRECINCT
"F" precinct is located in town 11, range 2 east of 6th P.
M. This beautiful precinct is principally upland prairie.
Lincoln creek cuts the southeastern corner and gives it a
broad stretch of most excellent valley land. With the small
tributaries it furnishes a good system of drainage to a large
part of the lands; however in the southwestern portion, it
is a vast level plain, with an occasional swamp. The lands
are mostly of very superior quality and is well improved with
nice dwellings, great barns, orchards, etc.
The township is traversed by. the main line of the B. &
M. R. R. where, at all times of the day or night, long trains
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 251
of cars enliven the scene. Tamora, the station, is a neat
little village where may be found several good stores, a great
lumber yard, three elevators, two commodius churches, a
good high school building, etc.
The tirst homestead entry was made in 1864, on what is
known as the Rev. E. W. Johnson farm, on Sec. 24. He
built a log cabin on the claim but never moved to it. Thomas
•Skillman was the tirst settler on Sec. 13, in the spring of
1865. Geo. and Russel Rogers and their widowed mother
made settlement in the fall of 1S66. D. H. Figard, James
Anderson, Charles and Joseph Thurman and Abram Wallick
made settlement in the spring of 1876. During the spring
of 1868, Geo. Slonecker, Sam Stevenson, Aaron and Allen
Anderson, Mr. Shockey and Thos. Osborne came. The first
school was taught in the summer of 1868 in the old cabin on
the Johnson place. The tirst church organization was effected
by Rev. Johnson at the Slonecker school house, date not
given. In 1869 and 1873 droves of new people came and
scores of homesteads were taken.
Tamora was surveyed into lots in 1879 and that fall J.
W. Scott built a small grain house, put in a set of scales and
commenced the grain trade and Wm. Butler opened a small
store. P. G. Tyler made the tirst home in the new town.
Growth was slow at tirst. Morisey Bros, built an elevator
in 1881 and T. W. Lowrey built one in 1882. The tirst school
was opened in the spring of 1884. The Presbyterian people
organized in 1880 and bought a small building and used it
until the new churcn edifice was built in 1882. The church
was dedicated November 9, 1883. The M. E. church was
built in 1882. The present commodious two story frame
school house was erected in 1886 at a cost of $2100. A
graded school is maintained and is flourishing.
At the present writing, Tamora is a beautiful busy village
of about three hundred people. Tamora has alwaj^s been
free from the curse of saloons. They throw their surplus
energy into beautifying their homes and maintaining their
schools and churches. Tamora is a genial home place within
a few minutes ride of the city, where society is excellent and
the fumes of the grog shop are unknown.
"F" township contains two hundred and forty-six farms
252 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
or sub-divisions of land. . There are eight school districts in-
cluding one graded school with an enrollment of 211 scholars.
G PRECINCT
"G" precinct is located in town 11, range 3 east, was
first settled, so far as is definitely known, by Wm. Wymore
on Sec. 8 and Mr. Olmstead on Sec. 17. This was in the
summer of 1863. These men had deserted from the Union
army and the Provo marshall was on their trial. Mr. Wy-
more sold his claim to VV. W. Cox and Olmstead abandoned
his and later the land was entered by John Roberts, Sr. R.
T. Gale had homesteaded on Sec. 21 as early as January 2,
1863, but did not move to his claim until the spring of 1864,
when at about the same time Hon. Wm. Imlay and also his
father David Imlay and family came and took claims on Sec.
15. Wm. Imlay located on Sec. 18. E. L. Ellis had entered
by government warrant, a quarter on Sec. 18 as early as the
summer 1861 and through the help of Joel Mason of Lan-
caster county, Geo. Hilton, of Cincinnati, entered a part of
Sec. 21 in 1862. W. W. Cox homesteaded in March, 1864,
but did not move to claim until December 1st. Lewis Moftitt
visited the locality in the winter of 1864 and 1865 and entered
three eighties on the northwest of Sec. 21, the future town
site of Seward and moved to the settlement in July 1865.
• In the spring of 1865, Richard Sampson homesteaded on
Sec. 17 and John N. .Roberts on Sees. 19 and 20. Rev. E.
L. Clark visited the locality in October 1865 and moved to
his claim in the spring of 1866. In the spring of 1866 J. C.
Sampson, John Roberts, Sr., and E. L. Ellis came and later
in the season James A. Brown. In the summer of 1864,
Father Dunaway located on Sec. 3, but died shortly after-
wards and the family occupied the land in 1865. In 1866 J.
F. Duncan, Stites Wooley, Roger Cooper, E. B. Shafer came
and also Wm. Cooper. Homesteads in their order were R.
T. Gale 1st, Stites Wooley 2nd, W. W. Cox 3rd, Father Dun-
away 4th D. P. Imlay 5th, Wm. Imlay 6th, Grandpa David
Imlay 7th, Richard Sampson 8th, J. N. Roberts 9th, Thos.
Dunaway 10th and Joseph Imlay 11th.
Incidents of the early history of this precinct are so thor-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 253
oughly set forth in other pages of this work and the valuable
historic letters of James A. Brown and Mrs. Sarah Anderson
that we will not deal further with it. The present precinct
is now exclusive of the city of Seward. It contains two
hundred and ninety-eig-ht farm or sub-divisions of land. It
has four school districts, each with good frame buildings,
with one hundred thirty-nine scholars enrolled. We would
say that Dist. No. 9, Seward district, takes in a large amount
of territory outside the city limits and that district alone has
an enrollment of 701 scholars. The precinct is a grand good
one. It has avast amount of valley land, as Plum creek and
Lincoln creek form junctions with the river within its
borders. The land is nearly all slightly undulating and well
drained. There was quite an amount of natural timber along
the streams. There is no rough land within its borders.
From the river bottoms the land rises in gentle slopes. The
farms are generally well improved and very valuable. The
precinct has three lines of railway, with about twenty miles
of track. It is cut by the main line of the B. & M. from east
to west, by the A. & N. branch from northwest to southeast
and the Northwestern from the northeast to the southwest.
H PRECINCT
"H" precinct, or township 11, range 4 east, is one of
the eastern townships, and situated on the head of the north
fork of Middle creek. It is rolling land, with numerous
springs and bright running streams, many of them fringed
with nice young timber. The settlement is largely German.
The first settler was Lewis Leibrock, on his present farm
near the stone church. Conrad Grant and Deidrick Brant
settled soon afterwards. Andrew Shultz, Wm. Luber, Gill-
man Garland, B. W. Walker, Fritz Ropke, and Wm. Leppe
made settlement in 1868, and in 1869 Chris. Thomas and
Jacob Thomas, John Westerhoff, and C. C Davis; also Chas.
Ruchtassel made settlement just at the edge of the plain on
the west side of the precinct; also Henry Petrie and John
Ohlwiler.
The first school was organized in 1869, with Wolsey Wy-
ant, L. Leibrock, and Conrad Grant as school officers. They
254 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA '
erected a school house on section 28, andThos. Cowen taught
the first term. The second school house was built in 1873, in
district No. 32, and Mrs. J. P. Loose, then Miss Kate Miller,
taught the first term. The stone church, of which we give
elsewhere a history, was built under the pastorate of Rev.
Theo Gruber, in 1872, valued at $3,000. The Lutheran society
laid out a cemetery in 1H68, on the farm of Mr. Leibroclj^
July 14, 1H69. The two sons of Conrad Grant were killed b.
lightning, and these were the first deaths in the precii
Charlie Grant was the first child born in the settleir
in 1868.
The Midland railroad was built through the precinc '' '
1873, and Germantown was laid into lots in 1874, by Hi \
Praszier. P. Bick opened the first store. John Westt. >
was appointed postmaster. Charles Rowland opened
second store in 1878. The first frame house was built i
precinct by Conrad Grant, in 1876.
This precinct is pre-eminently a dairy region and the
pie have made a success in bhat line as the history oi
Germantown creamery will readily show. The eastern
of the township was first settled by Geo. W. Lowley, H ji
and John Beckman, and Mr. Koch in 1870. The three la
families yet reside at the old homesteads surrounded ^
plenty of this world's goods with elegant homes.
The township contains one beautiful village of nea^
hundred souls situate on the edge of the great upland t- "^H'
near the north-west corner of the precinct. It contains two
large elevators and many good business houses with a good
hotel and bank, with a fine high school building and three
churches. It is a great shipping point. It has one of the
most successful creameries in the state (see its history). The
precinct has two hundred and sixty-two farms or subdivisions
of land. There is one graded school and five others all
with good buildings; scholars enrolled are 247.
"H" is a properous and wealthy precinct if the lands
are rough.
I PRECINCT
"I" precinct is located in town 10, range 4, east of the 6th
P. M. The western part of this precinct is on the great
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 255
plain between the Blue river and the Middle creek breaks,
where are many splendid farms; but the greater part of the
precinct is rolling hills with plenty of running streams and
many excellent springs. There are many stony points.
The little valleys are exceedingly fertile and are well im-
proved; the lands are largely occupied by a very thrifty
class of Germans, and they have bacome independent, nearly
having pleasant homes. The lands are well adapted to
' "ying and poultry raising. Many groves of native tim-
"adorn the valleys. The precinct has but about three
'of railway, but has a good station at Pleasant Dale,
vestern portion is very handy to both Seward and Mil-
, while the eastern portion is only twelve miles from the
■J ^1. The township has two hundred and fifty-two farms
ibdivisionsof land. They have five school districts all
';ed with pretty good frame buildings, including one
d school, with an enrollment of two hundred seventy
^s. (See "Pleasant Dale.")
' PLEASANT DALE
,L the beautiful little valley of Middle Creek in the
^h'ern part of "I" town stands the village that is so
^ly named. This valley was beautiful when a wilder-
'when the herds that grazed and fattened on the luxur-
neadows in their native wildness were the elk, ante-
'1 buifalo, and the only sign of human habitation was
checiii'rling smoke of the distant wigwam. Thus we have
seen it in 18o2. How much more beautiful is it now since
the hand of civilized man has transformed it and made it to
blossom out in all its present grandeur. It is all checked up
into farms of transcendent wealth with, hundreds of tasty
dwellings surrounded with groves and orchards, splendid
meadows and great stretches of waving fields of corn. Oh!
how it gladdens the heart of the old pioneer as he stands
upon an eminence and beholds the transformation wrought
in forty-two years. Now instead of the whoop of the wild
man in the chase may be seen the thousands of cattle graz-
ing peacefully on the hills, while the screeching of the iron
horse with his thundering tread is rushing up and down the
valleys drawing in his great train innumerable blessings to
256 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
mankind. Surely we may exclaim in the language of the
poet prophet, "Thy light has come and the glory of God is
risen upon thee."
Among the honored names of those who first founded
this settlement are James Her, Abram Courtright and Steven
Brown.
Upon the opening of the steam wagon road in 1864, this
valley became better known to the world, and when the war
closed in 1865, people began to have faith in Nebraska, and
slow but surely settlement began. It took some years to
convince people that this was not a desert land, and that it
sometimes did rain west of Salt Creek.
A history of the struggles of the pioneer settlers is the
same old story, only with variations; long and weary jour-
neys to mill, to the city, of camping out nights, of weary
waiting and watching, of Indian scares and depredations, of
poverty, want, and destitution, fighting prairie fires, and
contending with grasshoppers and hot winds, living in dug-
outs and log cabins. Btit those days are happily past and
now, speaking in vulgar parlance, these people who braved
all the dangers and hardships are "strictly in it." This is
today a country of wealth and luxury, with beautiful homes
and grand opportunities, with the railroad, telegraph, and a
telephone in hundreds of country homes, and a rural deliv
ery box at nearly every farmer's door.
The A. & N. railroad was built in 1879 and the station
of Pleasant Dale was established soon thereafter. In 1M83
Mr. J. H. Merrill and Thomas Best laid out a townsite on
parts of the n. e. i and the s. e. i of sec. 35, town 9, range
4, east. A small store was opened. A post office established
at James Iler's in the early seventies was moved to the new
town, and thus the nucleus of the village was formed. The
school known as the Happel school, Dist. No. 21, was one
and one-half miles distant, but was moved to the village in
about 1885.
The first school in the village was taught by Miss Belle
Caruthers in the year 1885. She is now Mrs. A. H. Merrill.
J. R. Burd opened the first store. The Methodist people
built a church edifice in 1883. In 1898 the enterprising citi-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 257
zens built a public hall of no mean proportions. A fine and
capacious hotel was erected in 1902.
Now the village contains two hundred and fifty people,
four mixed stores, two hardware establishments, a good ele-
vator, a first class livery barn and plenty of other shops, a
fine and commodious school building with capacity for one
hundred and twenty-five pupils. They have two telephone
systems, a well established bank, a money order office, and
only thirty minutes from the county seat and a like distance
from the capital. It is an ideal village, located on a sightly
little hill, with a nice park, splendid water and surrounded
by beautiful scenery. It is a splendid place for a quiet
home. Lots are cheap, and the best of all it is among an
enterprising, thrifty, intelligent and sociable people.
J PRECINCT
"J" precinct is located in town 10, R. 3 east of the 6th P.
M. This precinct is one of the oldest settled portions of the
county. Daniel Morgan and his sons Louis and Thomas set-
tled near the present town of Ruby in the spring of 1861, and
were the first permanent settlers in the North Blue valley
and the second families to make permanent homes in the
county. Job T. Reynolds, Samuel Long, J. C. Neihardt and
T. L. Rogers settled in the same neighborhood in the spring
of 1863. The Reynolds family and Grandmother Long yet
live on the old homesteads; all the rest have gone to their
long home except Louis Morgan. He lives in Missouri.
"J" township occupies a rather central position in the
county. The river runs through it furnishing quite an
amount of timber and plenty of water power although it yet
remains undeveloped. Both the east and west portions are
on the table land. Nearly every acre of it is excellent
farming land. The drainage is good.
The railroad runs centrally through it from northwest to
southeast giving it one station at Ruby which is but a hamlet
with two elevaters, two small stores, post-office, etc. Sew-
ard is the principal trading point although some of its trade
goes to Milford. The precinct is well settled in all its parts,
and is rich in all the varied products of our locality. There
258 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
are two hundred and seventy- three farms or sub-divisions of
land. * They have five school districts, each with a commodi-
ous frame house, with an enrollment of 294 scholars.
The precinct is well supplied with rural routes from
Seward and Milford, while the rural telephone systems are
being extended to every nook and corner.
K PRECINCT
Town 10 north, range 2 east of the 6th P. M. is a magnifi-
cent tract of farming land with one hundred and ninety-eight
farms or sub-divisions of land. It is a great plam just slight-
ly undulating. The farms are nearly all well improved with
excellent houses and great barns, with orchards and beauti-
ful yards. The people seem prosperous and happy. They
have four school houses with 25-4 scholars enrolled. There
is about seven miles of railroad and one village, Goehner,
which is a good shipping point, containmg three grain eleva-
tors, three good well supplied merchantile houses and one
hardware house; several substantial brick two story busi-
ness houses, a plendid school in a modern two story struct-
ure, three church edifices and a town hall, a good bank,
depot, etc., together with a goodly number of cozy resi-
dences. The village was laid out in the autumn of 1887, and
contains about one hundred and twenty-five people, with
some wide-awake business men at the head. Goehner is well
situated for trade, being surrounded by farms just as good as
can be found in the world, which are owned and occupied by
some of Nebraska's best people.
Settlement began in this prairie wilderness in 1H69 when
Geo. Perkins, Andrew Perkins, Peter Oglevy, and Abram
Windsor unloaded their prairie schooners, and transferred
their families and goods to the soddies and began building
homes. Uncle Peter Oglevy and Uncle Abe Windsor have
finished their work and gone to their reward. Andrew Perk-
ins has left us for the sunny south and only Geo. Perkins
remains of the sixty-niners, except widow Graul. In 1870
A. C. Miller, C. C. Tuneclife, K. B. A. Bonnam, Peter M.
Johnson and Ed. Jensen and Allison and Martin Madsonand
perhaps a few others came to help subdue the wilderness.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 259
The first school was opened in 1873 in a sod college and
was taught by Miss Lotta Hillery at mound prairie. There
were many pathetic scenes in inoneer days in this little set-
tlement, some of which will be told in historic letters in
these pages.
The post-office was established in 1888 with Chas. Brock-
way P. M. Chas. Matzke is the present post-master. The
records of the office were burned and we are unable to secure
much information in regard to it. Money order office estab-
lished in an early day.
L PRECINCT
Town 10, range 1, east, was first settled by John E.
Fouse, at the crossing of Beaver creek, in 1862, when he
opened a ranch on the old freight road. Mr. Pouse lived
here many years in a sort of rough-and-tumble way, trading
with travelers and Indians. The writer was at his place in
1M64, and at that time the ranch was kept in an immense
dug-out on the bank of the creek. There were a great many
tough stories told in connection with this ranch in the pio-
neer days, but we will not reiterate them, as we are hardly
able to vouch for their truthfulness. Mr. Fouse was a pe-
culiar character, and his place became somewhat famous for
many tragic events there enacted. Whiskey was an import-
ant article of trade at the ranch.
Thos. Tisdale opened his little store and the postoffice
in 1869, and Mr. Donovan also settled in the neighborhood
about the same time. The real substantial settlement began
in 1870 when the prairies began to be homesteaded. Widow
Foster built the first frame house in April. Thomas Foster
and his widowed mother and F. M. Horton made a settle-
ment shortly afterwards. In 1871 there were a great many
who made settlement! The first school of which we can
learn was taught by John Turner, on what was known as
the Norman (Jassler farm, in the summer of 1873. While
"L" is one of our foremost farming precincts, it has no rail-
road and no village within its borders, but is happily situ-
ated, convenient to four stations on two different railroads,
and has a choice of markets within an hour's drive from any
260 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
point. The southwestern portion is somewhat rough but
the lands are good. The other and larger portion is as fine
farming land as can be found anywhere. The precinct has
the choice of Utica, Tamora, Goehner, and Beaver Crossing
for market places, and the farthest farm does not exceed
six miles from a station.
The precinct contains two hundred and thirty-five farms
or sub-divisions of land; it has five school districts each with
a good frame school house and an enrollment of one hundred
and ninety-one pupils. Rural routes from Beaver Crossing
and Utica supply the people with their daily mail, while the
'phone bell rings in a large portion of the homes.
M PRECINCT
Town 9, range 1, east of the 6th P. M., is the south-
western precinct. It was traversed by the old freight I'oad.
In 1862, Daniel Millspaw opened a ranch just west of where
Beaver Crossing now stands, where Mrs. Thompson now re-
sides. In 1863, John Leonard established his ranch a little
farther west. Mr. Buzzard settled just northeast of the
present village in 1865. Columbus Clark and G. Clark
settled just southeast of the Ross Nichols place and about
the same time Phillip Michaels located on the Migatt farm.
Ross Nichols came in 1869 and located on a portion of the
townsite and soon after platted a small portion of his land
and named it Nicholsville. Smith and Ingalls opened a little
.store in 1871 and Mr. Smith built the flouring mill that season.
At this time Thomas Tisdale had a little store at John E.
Fouse's ranch at the crossing of the Beaver creek in the
corner of "L" precinct. Mr. Tisdale had secured a post office
which was supplied by a star route. Mail was carried on
a broncho and was weekly; some said it was a weakly affair.
Mr. Tisdale wanted to get nearer the mill and he moved his
store, post office and all, including the name Beaver Crossing,
and that is how they beat the beavers out of their crossing.
The new town was rather a dull, sleepy cross-road place
for many years with a couple of stores, a blacksmith shop,
a small hotel and doctor's office, and so it remained until the
spring of 1887, when the building of the F. E. & M. V. R.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 261
R. was assured, when it awoke to a new life, which is more
thoroughly set forth in other pages of this work.
"M" precinct is more fortunate in that it has two rail-
road stations within its boarders. In the southwest corner,
largely through the influence of Benjamin Hunkins, the
i-ailroad folks located a station and named it Hunkins, and a
neat little village sprang up. When the post oftice matter
came up for sttlement the government would not adopt the
name as there was in the state another office of so nearly
the same name, so the village was re-named Cordova.
Cordova, at this writing, is a brisk village of about 200
people, with a good supply of business houses; two elevators,
bank, two churches, a tine school house and many neat resi-
dences. The town draws trade from Fillmore and York
counties, and is in a flourishing condition. It is surrounded
by a well developed and rich farming community.
"M" precinct is divided into two voting precincts.
South Blue river traverses the precinct from the northwest
to the eastward and southward and furnishes an abundant
water power. The drainage is very good. Indian and
Johnson creeks traverse the south poi'tion and Bea,ver creek
cuts the northwest corner. There is quite an amount of
natural timber along these streams. As is fully noted else-
where, there are about four hundred flowing wells in this
valley which are of great value. There are seven miles of
railroad, seven school districts, each with good substantial
buildings, with two graded schools, an enrollment of 515.
There are 234 farms or sub-divisions of land.
The farms in the valley are the highest priced farms in
the country, the flowing wells tell the story. It is the great
potato field of Nebraska. This precinct has become im-
mensely rich and prosperous within a few years.
N PRECINCT
Town 9, range 2, east of 6th principal meridian is old
historic ground. It was crossed by the old freight roads.
The first one that was opened via old Camden in 1860 and
later in 1864 by the steam wagon road via Milford. These
roads made their intersection at or near Walnut creek ranch.
262 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The first settlers to make permanent homes were Jesse
R. Johnson and David Barton in. 1864. Samuel Englehaupt
also homesteaded that year. At first "N" precinct was a
part of Walnut creek precinct. In 1865 the Campbell fam
ilies homesteaded, also a Mr. Cooper. In 1869 P. J. Good-
rich and Hiram Brisbin took homesteads. The first lumber
used in the construction of a house was by P. J. Goodrich
in 1870 on what is now the Roth farm. He hauled lumber
from the Missouri river and sided up a log cabin. Mrs.
Goodrich taught the first school in 1870 on the home farm.
The first school meeting was held in Hi Brisbin's sod house
in 1870. That is now district No. 23.
The first and only post oflice in the county was named
Norval and as near as we can learn, was established on a
Star route in about 1872. The precinct now has no post of-
fice, but is well covered by rural routes from the various
stations in close proximity. The South Blue river cuts the-
precinct, and its broad valley is beautiful and rich. It
contains many flowing wells. The first flowing wells of the
county were on what was known as the Chris Lezenby
farm on section 8. As near as we can learn, the second well
obtained was on the W. W. Pierce homestead just a short
distance to the south of the river and near what is now
known as the flowing well school house in district No. 24.
The precinct is a most excellent agricultural region, and
well covered with nicely improved farms. Walnut creek
cuts the northwestern portion and in that region the land is
somewhat broken, but the mass of the territory is slightly
undulating prairie with sufficient drainage. There are two
hundred and sixty-six farms or sub-divisions of land. There
are six substantial frame school houses with an enrollment of
303 scholars. Present population is about 1500. The pre-
cinct has no village or railroad, but is situated so that ship-
ping points and places of trade are handy to all the people.
Those of the eastern portion have Milford right at the door.
The western portion is handy to Beaver Crossing and Goeh-
ner and the southern portion has Dorchester and Friend
close at hand, while Seward is not far away, with excel-
lent roads. Altogether "N" is a rich and prosperous pre-
cinct. Nearly every farm has its orchard. Every modern
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 263
convenience of farm life blesses the homes of most of the peo-
ple; the mail box at the door and the telephone is a fixture
with the masses of the people. On the old Samuel Engle-
haupt farm is an old historic elm tree, probably one of the
largest on the South Blue river. This old tree was made
noted in 18(50, when Uncle Tomy West first came co the
county. He lived some miles down the river. The Indians
had fallen out with Uncle Tomy and captured him one even-
ing and tied him to this great tree and for some reason un-
explained, left him tied for the night. The old man ex-
pected to be burned or massacred in some way, but some
how he got loose and made good his escape in the darkness
and thus spoiled the play. It was our fortune a short time
ago to gaze upon that tree and as the mind wandered back
over the years and the many incidents that ti'anspired in
that region, we felt that we were treading upon holy ground.
For many thrilling scenes that occured in that locality,
the reader is referred to I. M. K. Johnson's letter on another
page.
O PRECINCT
Town 9, range 3, east of the 6th P. M. is peculiarly his-,
toric ground, but as many of the stirring events of the early
settlements have been fully noted on other pages of this
work, there remains but little to be said here of its first set-
tlement. However it may be noticed that the first families
of the county found homes within its borders, namely, the
Wests. It has been the scene of thrilling incidents. The
first great freight road via Camden crossed the precinct in
1860, but there was no ranch planted within its borders un-
til the steam wagon road was opened in 1864 by that prince
of frontiersmen, J. L. Davison, which is fully noted else-
where.
The township is most happily situated so that it takes
in a large sweep of both the north and the south forks of
the river, furnishing it most ample water power and a large
stretch of valley land with quite an amount of natural tim-
ber and most beautiful scenery. From the start the pre-
cinct enjoyed quite a rapid growth. The first mill of the
264 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
county was erected at West's Mills, which was a joy to all
the people of this vast region. The township may also be
noted as having the first permanent village of the county,
and for many years had the largest pupulation of any in the
county, and also that it enjoyed having the county seat four
years. It also enjoys having at the present time a block of
farms in its western portion which are noted far and wide as
the best lot of farms in the western states in one solid block.
The township may also be noted for having two promi-
nent state institutions. There is but a very limited amount
of railroad track but it enjoys a station where an immense
amount of business is transacted. It has one of the largest
cereal mills of the state. Milford, its village, is carefully
discussed elsewhere. The greater part of the township is
located upon the great plateau . Between the two rivers and
this region is a vast garden full of orchards and lovely
homes where peace and plenty dw^ells. The township contains
two hundred and thirty-four farms or sub-divisions of land.
It has seven school districts with six commodious frame
buildings and one two-story brick with one first-class graded
school with a total enrollment of 5H6 scholars.
The banks of the Blue are a vast play ground where
thousand of people spend their outings every summer, ram-
bling in the shady dells, bathing in the waters, boating on
the great pond, fishing in the streams and drinking of the
medicinal waters and enjoying the hospitality of a noble
people.
It is a feast for the soul to stand upon an eminence and
view the beautiful valley with the windings of the grand
river as it sweeps by the Queen of Beauty that nestles in
the shade of the ten thousand trees planted by the hand of
man.
Milford has much to be proud of, and if her wide-awake
people will grasp the opportunities within her reach she
will have a grand future.
P PRECINCT
Town 9, range 4, east of sixth principal meridian, is the
southeast corner precinct of the county. It is one of the old
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 265
historical spots of all this western region. Just by the con-
fluence of the north and south rivers at the county line a
bridge was built in 1860 by Nebraska City enterprise and the
great overland freight road was opened. That saved freight-
ers and emigrants to the mountain region many weary miles
of travel as previous to this they had to follow the windings
of the Platte around the great ox bow bend. The first set-
tler so far as we can learn was J. L. Davidson. He opened a
ranch half a mile west of the bridge in the spring of 1862,
and some time in the same summer A. J. Wallingford opened
one at the bridge just by the county line of Saline county.
Victor Vifquain had made settlement some time previous,
and also Mr. Stanton had located in the edge of Saline coun-
ty. A little later old Mr. Bingamen and James Johnson
located in the neighborhood.
The great trains of ox and mule teams with their burdens
of freight and the tens of thousands of emigrants swarming
across the plains made the Camden bi'idge a place of great
note.
The most gifted pen has never yet been able to fully
describe the motley mass of humanity that traversed this
great highway of traffic.
At times, and the times were frequent, when looking to
the eastward a vast throng of people with all sorts of convey-
ances would be winding their way down the great hills and
sweeping past the ranches and stretching away to the west-
ward just as far as the eye could reach. It is not overstat-
ing the case to say more than a thousand teams of one kind
and another would be within sight at a time. The great
freight trains of oxen, six yoke to the wagon and twenty-six
great prairie schooners in a train would be the central figure.
Then would come a great mule train with six stalwart well
coparaisoned mules to a wagon, with from eight to ten thou-
sand pounds of freight to the wagon. Then the innumerable
throng of emigrants with all sorts of vehicles from an ox
cart or cow team and old wagon to the gilded carriage. Folks
on horseback and many on foot, with an occasional caravan
of Mormons, with all their wierd and curious belongings.
Generally at night immense camps of these people would
be gathered at the ranches and trade in food stuffs, grain
266 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and hay would be brisk. The surface of "P" town is unlike
that of its western sisters. North Blue river cuts the south-
western corner, but the south river does not touch the pre-
cinct while it empties into the main stream within a few rods
of its borders. It has but a small corner of valley land. In
the northwest corner there is a broad plateau between the
Blue river and Middle creek brakes, which is covered with
nice attractiv^e farms, but to-the eastward and southward the
land is cut by Middle creek and the land is rolling and with
many stony points. Notwithstanding this there are many
excellent and valuable farms. Some years ago gold was dis-
covered on the farm of J. 8. Dillenbeck. This for a time
created much excitement. Mr. Dillenbeck spent much time,
energy and money in investigating and developing this find
and claims to have demonstrated the fact that there was vast
sums of gold there, but by any present known means, from
lack of water it cannot be made to pay the cost of obtaining
it. So the mine is destined to remain unworked until some
future genius determines the way of developing it. In the
eastern part of the precinct there are quarries of stone with
springs of excellent water and many running brooks. It is
excellent pasture and meadow land. There are many groves
of native timber along the streams. There are about four
miles of railroad in the precinct, but no village or station
at present, although it was the home of one of the oldest
villages in the county. Camden on the Blue at one time as-
pired to be the principal city of the Blue valley. The Burl-
ington company had made their first survey of the Denver
line through it and it was expected tnat Camden would be a
city. Parker and Roper erected a flouring mill and a very
good one in 1866 and laid out a town site. William Buchanan
opened the first store there of the county and was honored
by being our first postmaster. The village grew apace and
was a quite lively little town, but fates were against it. The
railroad abandoned their survey. High waters washed away
the mill dam. The owners became discouraged and aban-
doned the property, and Camden witn all its bright prospects
became a thing of the past. Hopes were revived again about
seventeen years ago, when the Burlington folks secured the
right of way and graded a road from Milford to Crete, but
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 267
somehow the company ran out of rails or something was the
matter. The road was not completed. Precinct "P" had the
first postotfice and aboutthefirst village and now has neither.
The people are however all handy to market towns, Milford,
Pleasant Dale and Denton are within easy reach and rural
routes furnish the mail at nearly every door. At old Cam-
den is one of the best water powers on the river, with good
rock bottom. It seems sad that so many bright prospects
which this historic field possessed, should be blighted. There
are within its borders two hundred and fifty farms or sub-di-
visions of land.
They have seven school districts including No. 1 — each
with creditable frame buildings with an enrollment of 226
scholars.
PERSONAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENT
In order to get an approximate value, these figures must
be multiplied by five.
Seward, Neb., July 22, 1905.
Mr. W. W. Cox,
Dear Sir: —
Enlosed you will find total assessment by pre-
cincts and town.
A precinct |2H,60H 00
B " 40,469 00
C " 43,107 20
D " '. 37,392 00
E " 39,095 30
F " 40,969 00
G " 86, ] 27 00
H " 42,447 00
I " 39,014 00
J " 53,621 94
K " 55,()17 00
L " 36,074 00
M " 44,1S1 00
N " 41,656 00
O " 52,917 00
P " 37,386 00
268 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Towns and Villages
Beaver Crossing ; 38,360 00
Cordova 15,458 47
Tamora 15,938 00
Utica 45,679 11
Staplehurst 17,651 00
Milford 36,683 00
Pleasant Dale 20,882 00
Gerinantown 22,460 00
Bee 13,802 51
Seward City 217,418 00
$1,164,993 36
Raised by Equalization Board 8,305 00
Personal Total Assessed Value $1,173,298 36
Report furnished by H. E. Baker, County Assessor.
CHAPTER XV.
Diary of E. L. Ellis— Diaiy of Hon. Thomas Graham— Money paid
teachers in 18H7 — Directors of districts and money paid teachers in
19U4 — Location of districts and school houses of county — Water and
water courses and latitude— Fourth of July 1868 at Seward— Fourth
of July 1876, at Seward — First white child born in county — Politics
of the county— Indian episode.
FROM E, L, ELLIS' DAIRY, KEPT IN 1859 TO 1861
Mr. E. landed in Nebraska on May 12, 1859, and on May
17th we find him and party on the Nemaha creek, near where
Palmyra stands, which is described as a wild country with
howling wolves. He finds in all that county just one deserted
cabin. He says the roads leading to Nebraska City are lined
with an innumerable host of returning Pike's Peakers. Was
favorably impressed with the quality of lands. Party arrived
at the house of A. J. Wallingford, on Salt creek, on the
17th. The party, consisting of E. L. Ellis, A. J. Wallingford,
P. C. Simpson, Wm. Jones, and C. L. Barrett, visited Blue
river on June 10th. Their way led across the rough land
along Haines branch and South Middle creek, and except a
drove of deer they saw nothing to please them until they
reached the Blue valley . We infer by the time they were
traveling that they struck Blue river somewhere between
Old Camden and Milford. At six o'clock they reached an
improvement that was commenced on the farm of A. J.
Rogers, and was occupied by a Mr. Norton. The party
camped at the mouth of a branch putting into the river,
which we infer was Plum creek. On the eleventh they trav-
ersed the table-lands east of Plum creek, and were well
pleased with the country. He mentions the old town site at
the junction of creek with river. Party saw one wolf and ten
elk. Mr. E. says he killed one of them. They camped on
ground where Mr. E. claims to have camped a year before.
Mr. Ellis was left alone at camp a day without ammuni-
270 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
tion, and says it was blue enough, twenty-live or thirty miles
from settlement. Three elk came within two hundred yards
of camp. June 13th, worked on his claim, which is by the
present iron bridge. Returned to Salt creek on the 14th,
and learned that live hundred Cheyennes and Arapahoes had
passed on their way to butcher the Pawmee tribe. The set-
tlers at Salt creek are fearful that these Indians will rob and
kill them as they return, and are preparing fortifications,
and had also sent spies to watch the movements of the red-
skins. This scare continued until the 19th. August 4th,
Mr. Ellis I'ode a stray mule to Rock Bluffs, sixty miles, for
a doctor, and carried cold johnny cake in his pocket to eat.
September 4th it is noted that nearly everybody in set-
tlement is sick. Mr. E. visited Blue river again in Novem-
ber, and he camped on Plum creek on the 3d; was huntmg
that day. Next we find him building a little house on his
claim. The company saw% on the 6th, near three hundred
elk, and killed one that netted 500 pounds.
On the 11th two men were attacked by five hundred
Indians, and taken prisoners, held one day, robbed of all
they had except their guns, which were given back to them,
and they were charged by the brave Pawnees to never come
to Blue river again.
Salt creek, Christmas day, and no snow, warm and pleas-
ant, roads dusty.
On the 22th of February a few Indians came and bought
twelve bushels of corn, which six squaws carried three miles
without resting.
April 3d a terrible dust storm is noted. The atmosphere
was fairly darkened by it. Fearful prairie fires on the 12th,
damaging the settlers greatly, and came very near burning
a house where a dead man lay at the time.
June 10th Mr. Ellis visited Blue river again, and had
quite an experience ferrying Salt creek at the basin, as it
was very high. Ferried over in the wagon box and pulled
the gears over with ropes.
On the 15th killed an elk and an elk calf.
On the 16th found four head of stray cattle somewhere
near the future site of Seward. The party also found an old
wagon worth about $45, that had been abandoned. They
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 271
found a settlement on the Blue, where parties had planted
forty acres of corn, but the record gjives no names.
On the 23d. went over to Judge J. D. Maine's, on Stevens
creek, and had the stray property appraised
July 25th, killed a buck deer and tried to carry it to
wagons nine miles distant, but failed.
On the 2Hth our party got lost on the prairie, and laid
out all night.
September 3d, was again on liis claim.
September 10, 1860, entered the claim. Soon after this
Mr. E. returned to Missouri, where he found a wife and had
some romantic experience with the intended father-in-law,
who opposed the match.
FROM THE DAIRY KEPT BY HON. THOMAS GRAHAM
In July, 1858, while he was examining government sur-
veys in Sewaixl county and the counties surrounding it, we
quote as follows:
Thursday, July 1, 1858 — This day promises to be rainy
and disagreeable. We ran over to range line in town five,
between ranges two and three, and one mile up north to
town corner, which we did not quite reach on account of its
getting too dark to see.
July 4th — We are spending our 4th to-day in Sec. 1,
town 5, R. 3 east. We have mulberry pie for dinner, which
tastes nice. Day sunny and warm.
July 13th — Camped in Sec. 34 or 35, town ten, range 3
east. [This w^as probably about a mile from Milford.J
July 14th — Spent the day examining town nine, range
three. [This is O precinct.]
July 15th — Examining town 13, range 3 [J precinct,] and
discovered a small settlement on the east bank of the Blue,
where we got some milk for supper.
[Mr. G. , we regret to say, fails to give us the names of
the settlers, but we suppose it was the McKinly and Morton
families spoken of in another chapter of this work. It is
barely possible that it was the Morgans.
July 16th— Raining. Went up to T. 11, R. 3 [G precinct],
and up as far north as T. 12. [The balance of this day's rec-
272 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ord is so badly effaced that we can not read it, but we de-
cipher the word creek, which we understand to be our Plum
creek.]
Sunday Ibth — Spent the day fishing in the Blue. [Sorry
friend G. would fish on Sunday.]
Mr. Graham tells us that he remembers that there w^ere
some towns site stakes near the mouth of Plum creek, but
knows nothing of how they came there. These same stakes
and two foundations were yet visible in February, 1864.
They covered the slope in what is now Moffitt's pasture,
north of the B. & M. road, and extended west to near the
river at Boyes' mill.
Later in the season we find Mr. Graham and party again
in Seward county, and at that time they heard of the French
settlement being formed at the forks of the Blue, but did not
visit it. This was Vifquain settlement, just below the Saline
county line. If Mr. G. had supposed that Seward county
had so many honors in store for him, his notes would have
been more elaborate, but we are thankful for small favoi's.
SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY
Below is the amount of money paid teachers in Seward
county for the year ending July 11, 1887:
Dist. Amount Dist. Amount
1 IKiO 5U 18 2Go 00
2 220 00 10 215 00
3 120 00 20 320 00
4 388 00 21 .. 180 00
5 (Milforcl) 1985 00 22 210 00
6 304 00 23 425 00
7 305 00 24 305 00
8 180 00 25 307 00
9 (Sewaid) 556100 26 275 00
10 195 00 27 277 50
11 280 00 28 340 00
12 210 00 29 265 00
13 220 00 30 195 00
14 360 00 31 247 50
15 315 00 32 240 00
16 210 00 33 218 00
17 210 00 34 233 00
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
273
Dist. Amount
35 180 00
36 250 00
37 240 00
38 195 00
39 300 00
40 333 00
41 335 00
42 350 00
43 259 00
44 330 00
45 105 00
46 315 00
47 .290 00
48 221 00
49 254 00
50 210 00
51 (Malcolm P. O. ) 531 00
52 280 00
53 260 00
54 270 00
55 227 50
56 235 00
57 225 00
58 294 00
59 304 00
60 (Utica, all female
teachers) 1395 00
61 \ 265 00
Dist. Amount
62 180 00
63 200 00
64 190 00
65 142 00
66 210 00
67 210 00
68 130 00
69 " 210 00
70 180 00
71 260 00
72 245 00
73 197 00
74 175 00
75 84 00
76 160 00
77 200 00
78 .. 198 50
78 260 00
80 210 00
81 . 305 00
82 (Gevmantown) 345 00
83 (Staplehurst) 735 00
84.. 257 50
85 210 00
86 245 00
87 265 00
88 156 00
89 150 00
90
417 50
The teachers employed are fully three-fourth ladies, and
outside the city of Seward the wages are fully equal to that
paid gentlemen.
Following is a complete list of the directors of the sev-
eral districts. with the number of scholars and the amounts of
money received from state apportionment in the year of 1904.
Disbursements. May, $6649.92; December, 4003.21.
Mf
,. Director.
Pupils.
Amt.
1
C. Siedhoff
32 $
76.47
two disbursements
2
A. J. Kremer
42
82.87
two disbursements
3
B. F. Bremer
51
99. 15
two disbursements
4
Geo. L. Borden
266
406.55
two disbursements.
Beaver Cr
5
W. R. Trimble
250
390.81
two disbursements.
Milford
6
J. A. Diven
68
121.62
two disbursements
7
Fred Trahert
60
118.16
two disbursements
274
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Dis. Director.
8 N. W. Heimer
9 Dr. F. A. Marsh
10 J. W. Figard
11 H. L. Sampson
12 B. M. Hickman
13 Carl Sheeper
14 Neils BJerrum
15 C. E. Cassey
16 R. W. Stull
17 R. G. Banks
18 J. W. Conrad
19 John Stehlick
20 Israel Kesler
21 E. J. Newton
22 James Leger
23 M. J. Eicher
24 W. M. Sevems
25 Thos. Moulding
26 D. L. Francis
27 Geo. Bowr, jr.
28 P. A. Terwilliger
29 Sep Gibson
30 Lewis Berrj'
31 Aug. schulz
82 Jacob Koch
33 Geo. Sass
34 J. F. Ficke
35 James Jensen
36 Gus Irmer
37 Phil Kinneman
38 H. H. Lezatt
39 Geo. Nelson
40 Geo. Gribble
41 John McGinness
42 A. C. Muir
43 H. P. McCortney
44 Grant Gore
45 Elisha Pool
46 R. J. Jeary
47 E. H. Strayer
48 J. S. Dillenbeck
49 Jabez Berrj^
50 E. M. Lingstrath
51 John Beckman
52 H. H. Beckman
53 J. W. Hannah
45 Wm. Mould
'upils.
Amt.
38
$ 77.07
two
701
1027. 62
two
19
56.17
two
18
58.28
two
38
89.25
two
44
105. 96
two
76
134. 79
two
34
80.21
two
139
87.34
two
27
73. 76
two
33
82. 33
two
43
81.55
two
34
63.70
two
133.56
two
33
74.37
two
75
128.08
two
60
114.63
two
36
76.87
two
39
87. 34
two
107
186.05
two
37
83.60
two
42
85.43
two
34
78.45
two
40
85.24
two
21
61.68
two
46
89.38
two
49
90.12
two
28
69.90
two
41
81.35
two
23
70. 72
two
36
80.41
two
25
69.16
two
25
61.20
two
75
133. 37
two
44
98.89
two
43
80.67
two
59
118.51
two
51
104. 45
two
55
111.92
two
45
100. 32
two
45
95. 02
two
69
126.58
two
37
83.33
two
60
115.51
two
57
115.66
two
41
84.89
two
51
106.21
two
disbursements
disbursements, Seward
disbursements
disbursements
disbur.sements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements, Pl's'ntDale
disbursements
di.sbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements, Goehner
disbui'sements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
disbursements
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
275
Dis
i. Director.
Pupils,
Amt.
55
Wm. Bar bee
70
1133. 31
56
Ole P. Peterson
41
88.43
57
Horace Walvin
51
105.33
58
Carl Eberpacker
64
122. 12
59
H. C. Wolfe
67
116.07
60
Chas Swartz
211
359.09
61
J. L. Blanchard
42
83.66
62
W. D. Lewis
38
87.68
68
Henry Dickey
18
58.28
64
Fred Ihde
48
98.41
65
F. L. Sterns
28
66. 36
66
Henry Campbell
35
78.10
67
Ellas Knight
21
61.67
68
Wm. Heers
53
108. 19
69
Albert McGrew
37
73.88
70
Harvey Gannon
46
95. 56
71
Martin Willers
45
101.20
72
M. O. Tingsted
29
73.08
73
73 J. R. Staufer
124
201.46
74
Joseph Britt
35
71.92
75
Wm. Shultz
38
83.26
76
John Prochaska
28
70.78
77
Jacob Svvitzer
23
65.40
78
A. J. Anderson
49
95. 41
79
C. J. Cooper
29
76.62
80
Discontinued
81
Perry Bradley
18
56.52
82
Lewis Meyers
12
192.76
83
Thos. Carr
137
227. 94
84
Wm. Pathe
46
96.43
85
Michael Schmitt
38
78.84
86
Fred Beckman
27
75.53
87
John Dalton
68
119.85
88
John Blackwood
82
149.53
89
I. H. Darling
27
71.11
90
J. B. Hamilton
87
155. 78
91
C. H. Tipton
20
40.41
92
F. H. Connelly
26
62.61
93
Harvey Church
58
115.32
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbuisements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbui'sements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disbursements
two disl)ursements
two disbursements
two disbursements Dist. with
Butler Co.
two disbursements
two disbursements
It will be noted in the above table that the amounts received by the
districts was from the May and December apportionments. The num-
ber of children given was from the December enrollments. The reader
will observe that some districts appear by this table to have received
more per capita than others. This comes by change in the enrollment
from May to December.
276
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
LOCATION OF SEWARD COUNTY SCHOOLS
55
43
D
36 44
^1 15
c
70
14 83
91
33 26
B '''
67
28
12
50
68
A
13
87 ' 89
59
E
60
57
10
66 63
F
74
37 <Kt 8
JO
81
69
46
11
G
9
79
51
32
H
75
22 ■^-
56
42
72 L
53
38
30
■^^ K
58
78
31
86 6
J.
49
71 64
I
34 45
21
62 4
M
35 20 39
88 61
29 25
73
5
o
47 18
o 92 -84
17
4« 65
P
77
76
19
1
The above plat shows as nearly as may be the location
of every school house in the county by numbers, the figures
denoting the position of the buildings. We are indebted to
Superintendent Koch for the above plat.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, xNTEBRASKA 277
WATER AND WATER COURSES
The drainage of the county is supplied by the following
rivers and creeks : The west fork of the Blue river enters
the county in section 80, in '"L" precinct, passes into "M"
precinct, in section 4, and passes through it in the south-
east course, enters "O" precinct in section 30, and crosses
the Saline county line near the southeast corner of section
32, and joins the North Blue just at the county line on the
south line of section 32, in "P" precinct. Its principal tri-
butaries are Johnson creek which rises in western Saline
county, passes through "M" and "N" XJi'ecincts, and joins
with the river just at the county line. Beaver creek passes
through the southern portion of York county and through
"L" and joins the main stream just west of the village of
Beaver Crossing in "M" precinct. Walnut creek rises in
"L" precinct, and joins the rivei- near the south line of sec-
tion 7 in "M" precinct. Indian creek traverses the south-
western portion of "M" and empties into the West Blue just
southwest of Beaver Crossing. West Blue is a most excel-
lent mill stream, and carries two flouring mills in this county
and furnishes drainage to all the southwestern portion of the
county. The river and tributaries are supplied at convenient
distances with bridges. It is noted for an abundant supply of
superior tish. The North Blue enters the county in section
3 in "C" precinct, and its course is southeasterly through
"C" and "G," and gracefully swings to the west and south
of the city of Seward and passes through "J," "O" and "P"
precincts. Its principal tributary, Lincoln creek, enters '
the county in section 34 in "D" precinct, and traverses the
southern portion of "D" and "C" precincts and the north-
western portion of "G." and joins the river just west of Se-
ward. Lincoln creek is a beautiful mill stream, and its
broad valley is grandly beautiful. One mill in this county,
at Marysville, only as yet responds to its invitation. Plum
creek enters the county in section 3 in "B" precinct, and
cuts the precinct centrally and empties its water into the
river just south of Seward. Various other small streams
join the main river and help in the excellent system of drain-
age.
278 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Blue river furnishes ample power for mills and factories,
but these water-powers are only utilized in three points, viz:
Seward, by H. L. Boyes & Sons, with a very creditable mill,
at the Cooper & Henderson mill, and at Milford, where
Messrs. Johnson & Co. have, at least, one of the most ex-
tensive merchant mills in the west.
Several branches of Oak creek traverse "A" precinct,
and numerous branches of Middle creek have their rise in
"H" and "I" precincts, furnishinj^ ample drainage and sup-
plying numerous running streams of pure water, making
the eastern portion of the county iDar excellent as a stock-
growing region.
The general surface of the country is a slightly undulat-
ing plain, with a southern inclination, and probably pre-
sents as many acres of first-class tillable land as any county
of our state. The altitude of the county is from 1400 to 1500
feet above tidewater. Our geographical position is sixty
miles west of the Missouri, twenty-five south of the Platte,
and forty-eight north of the Kansas line. The forty-first
parallel of north latitude forms our northern boundary, and
our western limit is the sixth principal meridian line. The
ninety-seventh meridian of west longitude from Greenwich
passes through the eastern portion of the county and about
three and one-half miles east of Seward. Our elevation
seems to be just about right; we are generally free from
malaria; chills and fevers are scarcely known since the
pioneer days. At the date of the early settlement, when
great quantities of new prairie sod were in the process of
decay and the people had to endure unreasonable exposure,
we were subject to chills and fever or ague. We are free
from that close, humid atmosphere of lower elevations, and
yet we are not high enough to produce the inconvenience in
breathing experienced in the higher altitudes. Our atmos-
phere is peculiarly bracing and energizing. Nights are
cool, yet we are not subject to early or late frosts. We
have usually a very small amount of snow, and scarcely no
winter rains. Occasionally we have winter storms that are
terrific, but they do not often occur. Our principal rainfall
is between March 1st and September 1st, and is usually as
well distributed through the growing season as in any por-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 279
tion of this continent. Our streams are not subject to dis-
astrous overflows, as they are deeply imbedded and of rapid
current. Our wells are of moderate depth, varying from
twelve to twenty-five feet on the bottom lands and from
forty to one hundred feet on the upland; however there are
but few that exceed sixty feet. The water is uniformly very
excellent and abundant. We are especially fortunate in the
all-important element of water and water-courses.
TWO FOURTH OF JULY EPOCHS IN THE
HISTORY OF SEWARD
Just about one month after the embryo city was estab-
lished, w^e had a celebration.
Let us look for a moment at Seward as it then was and
the surroundings. There was one little frame store— Beaty
& Davis's — on the ground now occupied by Temp Anderson's
grocery house; the Tuttle house, a small frame in an un-
finished condition, where the old Commercial House now
stands; Beaty 's small residence, on the spot occupied by the
Windsor House, and also a small frame house of Hon. W. R,
Davis, on the lot now occupied by the family. Orlando
Pierce had a small frame residence under construction, near
the northeast corner of the block south of the State Bank,
with the old log cabin of Lewis Moffitt on the lot now occu-
pied by the residence of Mrs. Moftitt; a dug-out occupied by
Geo. Boyes' family, near the old saw-mill, and the little old
log sod-covered school house, near the present residence of
Mrs. Spear, was all there was of Seward on that memorable
day. Be it remembered there was not yet a l^gal road
leading into or out of Seward. There was not yet a bridge
of any kind on Plum creek, and only one low-water bridge
on the river north of Milford. This was near the old Wm.
Imlay farm, about eighty rods up the river from the present
iron bridge, near Mr. Castle's farm residence.
There were located within five miles of the village the
following named families; S. C. Ross, on the Gale home-
stead; Stites Wooley, on section 15, town 11, range 3, east;
D. P. Imlay, on section 15- David Imlay, Sr., on section 10;
Mrs. Dunway, o^ section ,3; Pr. Leland Walker, on section
280 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
11, (By the way, a severe storm had wrecked the doctor's
residence and he was just in the act of gathering- up the
fragments and hauling them to town, and we beUeve the
family were living in a tent where the opera house now
stands.); Roger Cooper, on section 12; Wm. Imlay, on sec-
tion 18; John Roberts, on section 20; John N. Roberts, on
section 19; Joseph C. Sampson, on section 19; Richard
Sampson, on section 17; James A. Brown, on section 20;
Ezra Shafer and Rev. E. L. Clark on section 28; Lewis An-
derson and Wm. Anderson on section 11, range 2, east;
James Anderson on section — ; Rev. E. W. Johnson on sec-
tion — •; Thomas Skillman on section — ; Geo. Rogers and his
mother on section — ; Geo. Sloneker on section ^; Chas.
Thurman on section — ; Joseph Thurman on section — ; E.
L. Ellis, P. Duncan and W. W. Cox on section 8, town 11,
range 3, east.
The mass of the county was wild prairie as was nearly
all the town site. There was a corn field on all the ground
from Jackson avenue north. The few people of the town
and community, however, were patriotic and they deter-
mined to have a celebration. Some of the good women
gathered up some strips of bunting and made a flag. Mrs. J.
N. Beaty led in this laudable undertaking. The men went
down to Moffitt's grove and cut the tallest and straightest
pole to be found. Others were delegated to sally around
and notify the country people of the celebration, and the
neighbors rallied, some on foot, some on horseback, some
with horse teams, and some with ox teams. They came
with hearts full of enthusiasm and we celebrated. We h^d
no canon, neither firecrackers, brass bands, excursion
trains nor strong drink. The good people had dug a public
well in the public square and it gave us plenty of good cold,
clear and sparkling water; we had plenty to drink of life-
giving water and were all able to get home from the celebra-
tion without the help of the police.
We raised the pole and sent the flag skyward to flutter
for the first time over this beautiful land. A great pile of
dirt from the well answered the purpose of a rostrum. The
Declaration of Independence was read. Sweet patriotic songs
were sung. Uncle John Ward and the writer made speeches
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 2ftl
and of course they were eloquent. We all had a a good time
and went home happy.
JULY FOURTH 1876
The Centennial celebration at Seward was one long to be
remembered. Ample preparations had been made by a com-
petent conunittee, and in what was then known as Robert's
grove— now a part of the fairgrounds— the celebration was
held.
The day was ushered in with beautiful sunshine. Sew-
ard was at the time a wide-awake business place of five or
six hundred people. It was eight years old, the end of the
Midland Pacific railroad, and commanded the trade from
Seward, York, Hamilton, Butler and Polk counties. At an
early hour people began to arrive in all kinds of vehicles
known to the time. A vast procession was formed in the
streets representing all the various industries and peculiari-
ties of our community. Delegations from distant countie>,
and every nook and corner of our county came pouring into
the town until the throng was immense beyond computation.
It is speaking within bounds when we say not less than five
thousand people were on the grounds at the exercises. It
was a day of festivity, recreation and pleasure. Bands of
music made the welkin ring. Cannon boomed and the small
boy with the firecracker helped the thing along. Eloquent
addresses were made, and right here the author did his first
historical work. He read a short history of the county, or
rather a series of reminiscences of the early settlement, and
the applause of that vast throng perhaps is what has inspired
his later efforts in that line. It was truly an era of good
will, and all went merry as a marriage bell, and as we re-
member there was no accident to mar the occasion.
FIRST WHITE CHILD OF SEWARD COUNTY
In the far off years to come when this generation has
passed oft' the stage, it will be most interesting to know who,
among the thousands that have had their homes here, was
the first of our race to come to light and life. This person
282 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
was Ellen, daughter of Thomas Morgan and wife, born at
the old home of her parents on the Blue river, about half a
mile north and east of Ruby station in "J" precinct, October
7, 1861. Her present name is Mrs. L. W. Perkins, of Fron-
tier county, Nebraska.
POLITICAL MATTERS OF SEWARD COUNTY
There are some peculiar features about the politics of
this county worthy of special notice. For many years the
county was strongly republican, especially on national and
state matters, and the first two elections every candidate of
that party was elected by large majorities. There are no
records to be found of the election returns from the begin-
ning of our political life in 1865 up to 1H75. Somehow these
records have been lost in the shuffle. This much we re-
member, that our first Presidential election in 1868, Grant
received 159 votes and Seymour received 41, and in 1872
Grant received 637 votes and Greeley 138. In 1876, we lind
the full returns wherein Hayes received 905 votes and Til-
den 325. In 1880 Garfield received 1354 and Hancock 699.
In 1884 Blaine received 1630 and Butler and Cleveland,
Fusion, 1332; St. John received 67. In 18H8 Harrison re-
ceived 1804 and Cleveland 1658, Fisk 104 and Streeter 12.
In 1892 Harrison received 1330 and Cleveland 763, Weaver,
populist, 1166. In 1896 McKinley received 1688, Palmer 53,
and Bryan 1876. It will be noted that this is the first and
only time in the history of the county that other than the
republican candidate for the presidency, secured a majority
of votes in the county, Mr. Bryan being the regular demo-
cratic candidate and supported by the populists. In 1900,
McKinley received 19ii7, Bryan 1865, and 49 votes were scat-
tering. In 1904, Roosevelt received 2243, Parker 1029, scat-
tering 371.
On the gubernatorial ticket, David Butler received large
majorities in 1860, 1868, and 1870; Furnas in 1872; Garber in
1874 and LS76; Nance in 1878 and 1880; Dawes in 1882 and
1884; Thayer in 1886 and 1888. In 1890 the scale turned
when J. E. Boyd the democratic candidate received 1478, while
Richards, republican, received only 1238; Powers, indepen-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 283
dent, 922; Paine, prohibition, received 49. In 1892, the tide
turned again, and Crounse received 1237; Van Wick, populist,
received 1055; J. Sterling Morton, democrat, 955; and Bent-
ley, prohibition, 70. In 1894 the populists had an inning.
Holcomb received 1605; Majors, republican, 1496; and 183
scattering. In 1896, Holcomb received 1957, and McColl,
republican, 1530, with 72 scattering. In 1898 and again in
1900 Poynter, fusion, received 1633; Hayward, republican,
1511; scattering, 22. In 1902, Mickey received 1595; Thomp-
son, fusion, 1597; and Davis, prohibition, 41. In 1904, Mick-
ey received 1751; Berge, fusion, 1842; scattering, 69.
Notwithstanding the county was so strongly republican
for so many years, Hon. Thomas Graham, a thorough going
democrat was elected live successive terms county clerk,
1870 to 1880: he was followed by Ed. O'Keefe, an anti-monop-
olist one term; then Joseph Dupin, another red-hot democrat,
was elected three successive terms, up to 1888, when the tide
turned and R. T. Cooper, republican, was elected. Since
that time the clerkship has drifted back and forth from re-
publican to populist and democrat, just as it happened.
The office of sheriff has also been in the hands of the
democrats a large share of the time.
Three terms out of six in the early years the democrats
elected the state senator, viz: Graham, Dumphey, and
'Wright: and of later years it has drifted from one party to
the other, republican, democrat and fusion being about equal.
From 1868 to 1887, a mixed ticket was elected, but in
the last named year the republicans made a clean sweep. It
is proper to say that nearly all the gentlemen elected were
very popular and worthy citizens. Just why it has so hap-
pened that a naturally strong republican county as this was
for so many years should elect so many men on the opposi-
tion ticket is hard to explain, only in this way: that our peo-
ple are very independent and will vote just as the notion
takes them, without much regard for politics.
It will be noted in the roster of county officials, mem-
bers of the state senate representing Seward county bat cit-
izens of other counties, are not noted.
The county officers of the county have been very efficient
men and have performed their duties well. For thirty -three
284 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
years there has not been a defaulter, and only one little ir
regularity that is hardly worth noticing.
MILFORD'S UNWELCOME GUESTS
A scene of wild excitement occurred in the summer of
1878, when the Ponca Indians were journeying from their
old home in the north part of our state to their new home
in the Indian territory. Under the command of Major How-
ard the Ponca tribe, about five hundred strong, were passing
through this county. As they passed through Seward all
seemed cheerful and hapi)y. We recollect that the tribe was
well provided with excellent teams, new wagons, and all the
necessaries of life, but there was an under current of dis-
satisfaction at having to leave the old home. Shortly after
leaving Seward one of the teamsters had an accident which
started trouble. His wagon was overturned and a child was
killed. This was a bad omen to the mind of the Indians, at
same time a chief's daughter was very sick, and was carried
on a litter.
Late in the day the band arrived at the proposed camp-
ing ground near the bridge, and just at this time the young
squaw died. This was another bad omen, and the Indi-
ans were becoming excited thinking the great spirit was
angry at them. The major saw there was a spirit of great
discontent, and he promised them a week of rest.
The teppes were placed and camp fires were started,
just then a furious storm broke upon them. One squaw had
a kettle of boiling water suspended on a tripod over the fire.
Some children were seated near the fire an awful gust of
wind overturned tents and threw the camp into dire confusion,
and the huge kettle of boiling water scalded one child to
death, and another was seriously burned by being knocked
into the fire. Confu.sion ruled the hour, Pandimonium broke
loose.
Fortunately the bucks had just been shooting beeves
and had used up all the ammunition at hand. Major Howard
sent a messenger iDost haste up town for a doctor. Dr.
Brandon quickly responded, little thinking that he was to
"walk into the jaws of death; into the mouth of hell." Dark-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 285
ness began to veil the sky, and peal on peal of dreadful
thunder with the ghastly scene only illumined by the flashes
of lurid lightning and the whole camp in the wild revelry of
a war dance and ready to wreak vengeance upon the pale face.
Major Howard had under his command about thirty white
teamsters with the doctor; in their midst a hollow square was
formed and the men with revolvers were given strict orders
to fire to kill provided the ferocious savages made an on-
slaught with raised tomahawks, and scalping knives. The
doctor of course was brave, but somehow his hat raised a
foot or more. Thirty white men had to cooly face five hun-
dred infuriated savages. The moment was awful in the ex-
treme. The Indians were so frantic with rage that it was
with great difficulty that a parley was effected, but finally a
truce was made, when the poor creatures could be made to
understand that it was the medicine man come to their relief,
when they quieted down. The people of Milord knew nothing
of the trouble or danger until it was all over.
If a blow had been struck or a shot fired there would
probably have been one of the bloody tragedies of history to
relate for the village would only have been awakened when
the work of death and distruction had commenced.
CHAPTER XVI.
NEWSPAPERS OF SEWARD COUNTY
NEBRASKA ATLAS
The story of the newspapers of our county, if all told,
would be a long one. The date of the first issue of a paper
in the county is March 16, 1H70, when O. T. B. Williams a
former editor and proprietor of a paper in Columbus, Neb-
raska, managed to find Seward.
The long and tedious winter had given way before the
genial sunshine of spring when Mr. Williams put in his ap-
pearance. The good people were feeling pretty good and
were ready to welcome the advent of a newspaper. The
press that was to do the work w^as a "small fry," but we
were all glad to welcome it; it was yet a "day of small
things" in this county. If the press was small, it was large
enough for the work it had to do. The paper was not as
large as a "Sunday Bee" or a "Chicago Tribune" but it was
large in our eyes at the time. It was christened, "Nebraska
Atlas." This would indicate that the field of its useful in-
fluence would be as wide as our young state. We will quote
from its news columns the principal paragraphs of the first
issue, as follows:
"The new frame school house is to be commenced short-
ly. We are greatly in need of the building and we hope the
committee will prosecute the work with vigor. We trust the
building will be completed in time for the summer school."
The reader will note that the above named school house
was our first frame school house: it was sold by the dis-
trict when the brick building was erected in 1874.
Tne next item in the news column was that that there
was near $700 subscribed for the new Baptist church. This
is most encouraging.
"Our citizens have taken hold of the matter in earnest.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 287
and there is no doubt but this summer will see the church
edifice completed. Mr. Moffitt gives three lots on which to
erect it."
These were the lots owned and occupied for many years
by the Presbyterian church. More of this on another page.
"A petition is about to be started for the incorporation
of our town [Seward] and we hope to see every name upon it."
"Judge J. D. Maine in the Oak Grove settlement is
credited with raising one hundred and fourteen bushels of
corn to the acre the previous summer."
We select the following correspondence in the first issue
which in the light of subsequent events reads a little like
prophecy:
Seward, March 15, 1870.
Dear Atlas:
"We are glad to welcome your appearance among us. It
makes us feel as if we were getting out of the wilderness.
We have been watching and waiting through a long night
of anxiety, and now behold a 'sign of promise.' The dark-
ness is giving way, the sky is brightening, the clouds that
have overshadowed us are disappearing, the day is dawning
and we rejoice. Now let us put our shoulders to the wheel
of progress, and these waste places shall be made glad, this
'wilderness will smile,' and instead of the yelping coyote, or
the hoot of the owi, or the whoop of the wild man, as in the
days past, we will behold a city surrounded by thousands of
splendid farms. Here we will see springing into life facto-
ries, seminaries, churciies, and here will concentrate work-
shops and a multitude of merchants, and here will soon be
heard the approaching tread of the iron horse. As the icy
fetters of winter are giving way before a genial sun, we can
already hear the sound of approaching footsteps from the
far-off East, coming to find homes with us, and soon we shall
hear the thundering tread of the mighty army that is com-
ing to posses the land.
Truly,
W. W. Cox."
We give also a letter from the county, which throws
much light on the situation of things in general of that day:
( '1
288 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
'HiCKMANVILLE, MaRCH 10, 1870.
Mr. Editor;
"Presuming that the Atlas is to be published for the gen-
eral information of the whole country, and the inhabitants of
Seward county in particular, I propose to give your readers
a few items from this settlement, the 'land of promise.' This
place lies five miles north of Seward and seven miles from
Ulysses, and derived its name from the large influx of Hick-
mans from the state of Iowa, John D. Hickman being the
pioneer, who settled on his land (homestead) in 1868. Since
that time immigrants have come so rapidly that all the gov-
ernment land in this immediate vicinity has been taken up,
principally as homesteads. Some twenty buildings have
already been erected, and several more are in course of erec-
tion.
"A school district was organized in the spring of 1869,
with Thomas J. Poore as director. A schoolhouse (sod) was
built in the fall of that year, and a teacher hired, who com-
menced his labors January 1, 1870. We learn that the aver-
age attendance was twenty. A lyceum was also organized
about January 1st, which was christened the Pioneer Ly-
ceum, and which has been in full blast ever since, meeting
weekly, and as far as I can learn, giving general satisfaction.
In connection with the lyceum a paper was established (Pio-
neer Banner) devoted to literature, fine arts, general news,
and advertisements. The paper has been well and ably ed-
ited, but an exchange of editors being necessary according
to the by-laws, a 'Poore' man was placed in the editorial
chair.
"Our school closed its winter term February 25th, with
honor to both teacher and scholars, the exhibition — the first
in the county — taking place on Monday the 28th. The house
was crowded, and everything passed off harmoniously, and
to the entire satisfaction of all, Hon. W. R. Davis delivering
the oration.
' 'Thrift and enterprise seem to prevail. No less than
seven wells have been sunk within sixty days, with gratify-
ing results.
"The weather for the past few weeks has been magriifi-
.cent. Preparations will soon be made for seeding if the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 289
weather continues g^ood. We are looking for an early spring.
"Plenty of good land to the north and west of us, but
none in this immediate vicinity.
"And now, Mr. Editor, having given you our situation,
we trust that your endeavors to establish a first class county
newspaper will prove successful, and that your career may
be honorable and prosperous to yourself and those you rep-
resent, is the wish of your correspondent."
Clippings from old numbers of the Nebraska Atlas: (On-
ly part of the tiles have been preserved.)
Feb. 27, 1871-Addie, wife of J. P. Losee, died. Mrs.
Losee leaves a husband and a large circle of friends to mourn
her loss. She had been married but a year.
Mrs. Abram Wallick also died the same day. She was
in her thirty-sixth year, and was the mother of thirteen
children, and a very estimable Christian lady. Her husband
and large family, and a host of friends mourn for her.
July 21st — Warren Clough's wedding occurred.
July 28th — The first brick dwelling is mentioned, D. C.
McKillip's residence.
Sep . 1st — Notice is given of the appointment of W. W. Cox
as statistical correspondent of the Department of Agriculture.
Sep. 22nd — John Robert's new farmhouse is looming up.
Nov. 3rd — Notes the advent of a man, wife, and nine
girls, and only one son-in-law.
The Presbyterian cliurch is raised.
June 18, 1873 — I. B. Compton has just finished the first
tin roof in Seward. [The old postoflice building, just west
of the Butler block.]
Same date notes that fourteen Bohemians loaded up with
budding material for their houses in Hamilton county.
The visit of Thomas Scott, the railroad king, and ex-
Gov. Dennison, of Ohio, is commented on.
July 2nd — Pour fights in the streets are mentioned.
Aug. 27th — The Seward grain-buyers get rough over-
hauling.
Sep. 3rd — $5,000 school bonds were voted by a majoi-ity
of twenty-one.
July 23rd — State Bank is open for business.
290 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Aug. 13th— The purchase of the Presbyterian bell is
noted. Also that the telegraph is completed to Seward.
Dec. 10th — The Mohawk Lumber Company has unloaded
one hundred and seventy cars of lumber since March 1st.
Jan. 21, 1874— John N. Edwards is advertised for a free
lecture in the church.
Jan. 2st — John Tresslar and Carrie Olmstead are mar-
ried.
Jan. 28th — The Baptist church was completed.
March 4th — The paper is badly nettled by the 'crusade
movement,' and its columns are full of burlesque notices of
them. They were evidently making it difficult for him to
get his regular drinks.
April 22nd — War wasdecla.red by Foucet's saloon against
the crusaders, and a shameful scene ensued, which reflected
no credit on the town or its officers.
May 13tli — The incoming Midland train ran over a pole-
cat, and the passengers needed no perfumery for some time.
May 20th — The injunction in the case of Monteith, in re-
gard to planting trees on the public square, is yet unsettled.
May 27th — Work on the M. E. church is being pushed
with vigor.
May 29th— Leroy Moffitt, the only son of Lewis Moffitt,
died. Leroy was a kind lieai"ted boy of about twenty years,
and the loss is sadly felt by his parents, the friends of the
family, and the young people, with whom he was a favorite.
June 3rd — Little, Brock & Curson's elevator is under
construction, the first in town.
July 15 — The drowning of Peter Gerken m the Blue riv-
er just south of town is noted. Also that Pricheau's block
is going up rapidly; that Seward has three select schools;
and also, that the comet is visible and growing brighter.
It was truly an up-hill business to run a paper in so sparse-
ly a settled country, and Editor Williams had a hard time of it.
In the winter of 1870 and 1871 the Atlas, as we used to
say of poverty stricken cattle, "was on the lift," and the
citizens made a festival to help it out and keep the poor thing
from winter-killing.
By the way, Seward was a great place in those early
days for festivals and sociables. They were always well at-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 291
tended and proved both entei^taining and profitable. It made
no difference if it was for the benefit of the church or some
other public enterprise, the people flocked to such entertain-
ments and were all on a perfect equality Old and young
were there without distinction as to standing, race, or color.
The people were all upon a perfect equality and enjoyed life
remarkably well.
The Nebraska Atlas managed to eke out an existence
for nearly four years. Mr. Williams grew tired and disposed
of the office and good will (that good will was a big thing
"you know") to W. C. Cloyd and he associated with him
Prof. O. S. Ingham again and they attempted to convert the
paper into a great literary paper similar in appearance to
the Toledo Blade, but they did not have Nasby to edit it and
so the failure was complete. Prof. Ingham again took to the
school-room where he was perfectly at home, and Mr. Cloyd
managed to get the Atlas back into shallow water where it
could swim or wade, and it managed to live until .sometime
in the summer of 1874, when it gave up the ghost. It died
of too much democracy for its day.
THE BLUE VALLEY RECORD
Was the second newspaper to put in an appearance. It
was first issued on the 29th day of December, 1870, at Mil-
ford and it continued its existance until April 10th, 1873. It
was a lively and interesting paper from start to finish. Cul-
ver and Parsons were the editors from its beginning to the
end and they worked manfully for what they thought to be
for the best interest of Milford and the county. They held
Milford up before the world with ability and energy, and
many times they made it quite interesting for the Seward
people. It frequently measured swords with the Atlas and
later with the Reporter.
The files of the Record have all been well preserved and
it has been our privilege to examine every page of them and
have gleaned many interesting facts of historic value and
many incidents both curious and interesting. We make no
excuse for the free use we make of clippings. The valuable
files are deposited with the State Historical Society at Lin-
292 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
coin. The work of the Record has frequently been quoted
in other papers in these pages, and now the best history we
can give is to let it tell its own story in the following clip-
pings.
From the Blue Valley Record of December 29, 1870,
the first number ever issued, we extract the following inter-
eresting items :
The editor opens his paper with a three-column history of
the county, in which he claims that Thomas West made the
first settlement in 1859, and Daniel Morgan in 1860. He also
credits J. L. Davison with being the third settler. This we
are quite sure is a mistake, for we were at Mr. Davison's
house on Salt creek as late as the autumn of 1861, a little to
the south west of the present town of Roca. Mr. Davison
opened his old Camden ranch in the fall of 1862. James
West located m i860, near his brother Thomas; and Orin
Johnson as early as I860.
The editor says that Mr. Davison, with a man by the name
of Ellis, located the territorial road from Nebraska City to
Fort Kearney, but fails to state the time. We are quite sure
this occurred in the spring of 1860, for we distinctly remem-
ber that Wm. E. Hill and party, of Nebraska City, went and
built the old bridge on the Blue near Camden, just above the
forks of the river and just by the county line, in the early
summer of 1860. So it is quite probable that the road was
then located. The editor says that Mr. Davison, as he re-
turned from this trip, pre-empted a place near (Jamden, which
was afterwards the ranch. This is undoubtedly correct, but
pre-emptors did not have to so carefully watch their claims
then as later. There were scarcely any to molest or make
afraid. The changing the name of the county is noted, and
the building of the West mills; Parker and Roper's mill at
Camden, and the Milford mills are all mentioned, and the
agricultural resources and possibilities of the county are dis-
cussed at length. It is noted that immigration set in in
earnest in 1866, and that all the eastern and northern states
were represented, and it was claimed that the closing of the
year 1870 found full three thousand souls in the county.
It was claimed that in the summer of 1870 there were
broken over four thousand acres of land. The average crop
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, JSTEBRASKA 293
report was noted as follows: wheat, twenty bushels per acre;
oats, forty; corn, forty-tive. Numerous groves had been
planted. Osage, j)lum, cottonwood and walnut were experi-
mented with for hedges. Our soils are described as rich
sandy loam, largely composed of decayed vegetable matter
and underlaid with a clay subsoil, and well adapted to with-
stand drouth. The peat deposits west of Milford are noticed.
The surface and drainage of the county are favorably com-
mented upon, and it was claimed that the waste lands were
all in some otlier county, which was very correct. The
water-powers of the rivers receive favorable mention. The
red sandstone of Middle creek, and the white limestone in
the southern part of the county, also the shell limestone of
the north-east, are all noted. The indications of coal are
mentioned.
The school system and first school are mentioned as
follows:
"The county being so thinly settled, the formation of a
school district was not to be thought of until the year 1867,
when a few" families combined and formed an independent
school at Camden, and employed Miss Eva Hooker as teacher.
This we believe to be the first school in the county." In
this the editor is mistaken. There was one up near West
Mills prior to this; also one at Seward as eariy as the previous
winter. The people are represented as wide-awake in edu-
cational matters, and every individual was a committee of
one to see that there was a school at tlie earliest possible
date, and the result has been a healthy growth of educational
interests in the young county. At the date of w^riting there
are sixteen organized districts and one academical associa-
tion. The teachers are highly commended, and also the pa-
trons, for their zeal. The Southern Nebraska C. C. Acad-
emy, under the supervision of Hon. Geo. B. France, is spoken
of as highly creditable to the county, and as already well
spoken of abroad.
Three villages— Camden Milford and Seward— are all
spoken of in the highest terms; a compliment is paid to the
Nebraska Atlas, the pioneer newspaper of the county. Mil-
ford was well described as the county seat, and with two
good water-powers and splendid possibilities.
294 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
In summing up the growth it is noted that from three
famihes in 1862, now three thousand bright intelhgent people
have united their fortunes with the interests of the county.
The editor seems to have set squarely before the world
the county of his choice, and he certainly did it; and eveii
now we remember his efforts with gratitude, as he was so
earnestly striving to make this wilderness to smile.
CLIPPINGS.
i ii
We notice a motto on a prairie schooner as follows:
'York county or bust.' "
"The apportionment of school money to Seward county
for 1870 is $1,452.42 to 782 scholars."
We also note from same table that whole number of
scholars in Nebraska was 82,762.
The editor's salutatory contains these words: "Morally
we shall labor for what w^e believe to be truth and justice,
and shall act upon wiiat we profess ." Also it says : "We shall
labor for the best interests of the republican party, not in a
partisan spirit, but in a firm belief that it is the true party
of progress and reform. "
Januarys, 1871. — "J. L. Davidson, of Milford, has near-
ly completed the largest and best dwelling house in the coun-
ty." The house spoken of is the square house just west of
the bridge. It don't look the largest or the best in 1905.
"A number of prominent Seward people are in town
(Milford) attending probate court." That reads strangely
now.
Wm. G. Keen is recommended for postmaster at Neldeuj
the new office on Walnut creek ten miles west of Milford."
January 12th. — "Fresh buffalo meat is on sale, at three
cents per pound."
From a communication by Fair Play, it is claimed that
Miss Agnes Bailey (now Mrs. Cornelius West) taught the
first school in Saline county, near the county line, and was
patronized by citizens of both counties. This was in the
spring of 1861. She also taught a school near West's mill
in 1863. So shs has the honor of teaching the first school
of both Saliae and Seward co unties; and Miss Englehouft
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 295
taught the West Mills school in 186r)-6tl In 1866 the resi-
dents of Camden district organized under the school law,
bought the old building in Saline county and moved it over,
and Thomas Graham taught during the winter of 1866-67.
The same articles mentions that Thomas Graham Ivaa a
fine orchard of apple and pear trees which are doing well,
and that J. W. Lowrie has peaches of his own planting,
probably the first in the county. Jt is also mentioned that
Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Lowrie, and Mrs. Parker are making
the prairie blaze with the variety and beauty of their flowers.
The county superintendent reports the school fund as
follows :
Apportioned by state $1,452 42
Dog fund 193 38
Fines and licenses 100 00
Total $1,745 80
This was distributed to twenty-six directors as follows:
District No. 1, F. L. Roper, Camden $ 85 25
2, Orin Johnson, West Mills 44 58
3, Sam Englehaupt, on West Blue 51 15
4, W. J. Thompson, on Walnut creek. . .. 74 65
5, Rev. T. M. Skinner, Milford 150 67
6, Matthew Hackworth (east of Ruby). . . 110 00
7, Geo. W. Lesenby, north of Milford. . . 44 58
8, Wm. Anderson, west of Seward 87 32
9, H. L.Boyes, Seward 125 92
10, J. D. Thurman, on Lincoln creek. ... 58 72
11, W. W. Cox, north-west of Seward. . . 44 58
12, T. Poore, six miles north of Seward . . 76 42
13, C. C. Berkey, center of "A" 88 79
14, E. C. Archer, west of Staplehurst. . . 74 65
" 15, wanting
16, A. Montgomery, north-west of "N". , 78 19
17, M. M. Neeves 62 28
18, Sam Strohm, center of "O" 33 96
19, Ed. Healey, south west of "P" 56 95
20, J. N. McCauley, center of "M" 58 73
21, J. A. Reymer, south-east of "1" 53 42
22, Wolsey Weyant, southern "H" ...... 46 3^
296 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
District No. 23, Thos. Healey, northern "N" 55 19
24, R. J. McCall, westof "M" 44 58
25, Wm. Halle, south-east of "N" 34 10
26, Geo. W. Losy (Bachelor) 51 65
. This was done at Milford, January 7, 1871, by George
B. France, superintendent.
The reader will please compare the above table with
the present showing of the disbursements to ninety districts.
It will be noticed that Milford district at that date was the
most populous and had the most money, while Seward was
second.
In March, 1871, it is noted that James Her was appointed
postmaster at Pleasant Dale.
April 6th — The organization of the American Bible So-
ciety by Rev. McCaudlish, of Omaha. Messrs. Birge, Keyes,
S. Brown, and D. C. Tift were elected executive committee.
Culver and Parsons were appointed to care for the books.
Editor noting a visit of Geo. McKay, A. D. Sperry, and
E. H. Nonon, of the north part of the county, says: "Perhaps
we can visit you by rail before another century. " The century
proved to be a short one. You can do it now, my friend.
April 13th — "S. W. Houston has received his appointment
as postmaster at Oak Grove." Now "A" town.
April 20th — "Wm. Knight has received his appointment
as postmaster at Groveland north of Seward."
May 4th — The leturn of a hunting party consisting of J.
W. Hickman, Mr. Davis, Ellis Gandy, Elias Frame, and oth-
ers, with three loads of buffalo meat. Their game was
caught on the Kansas border, south of the Republican.
One hundred and eighty-nine emigrant wagons passed
through Milford during April.
Tuesday, May 2d — The second term of the district court
met. Judge Lake on the bench. Twenty-four cases on the
docket.
We glean from the county superintendent's report for
the year ending April 1st, the following interesting educa-
tional statistics:
Whole number of children of school age 1,247
Number attending school 679
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 297
Number of teachers employed (male) 19
(female) 20
Average daily attendance 754
Total amount paid teachers during year $3,717.00
We also glean from an editorial note that there are twen-
ty school-houses — six frame, four log, seven sod, and three
dug-outs. The editor remarks that the people must have an
inordinate desire to educate the children, to face winter
storms across the blighted railroad lands, long distances to
a dug-oat or sod shanty to school. We think as much.
From a Seward correspondent of June 1, 1(S71, that Sew-
ard is a bright town of three summers, and has about one
hundred and seventy people.
We also note that at that time H. M. Coleman was princi-
pal of our school.
The organization of the Odd Fellows' Lodge, with L. G.
Johns as Noble Grand.
Tuesday, June 13th — At Milford the Good Templars or-
ganized a lodge. Rev. J. M. Yearnshaw, Dis. D. G. W. C. T.,
assisted by D, W. Amesbury, of Lincoln. Otticers elected
were: J. L. Davidson, W. C. T. ; Miss Mattie Drake, W. V. T. ;
H. G. Parsons, W. R. Scribe; G. B. France, W. F. Sec; Mrs.
J. Laune, W. Treas. ; F. J. Culver, W. Chaplain. Onaway
was the name chosen.
Beaver Crossing was mentioned as "Nicholsville," and
it is reported that work on the mill was progressing finely.
Main street is being surveyed, and everything is bidding fair
to make a youthful city in a short time.
June 15th — H. W. Parker's nomination as registrar of
Beatrice land office is noted.
July 20th — "Corn stands about six feet high in the Blue
valley."
July 6th — "Jeff Stevens, a resident six miles north-west
of here, was found under a load of overturned lumber, about
four miles east of town, near the bridge on Middle creek.
Mr. Stevens leaves a wife and ten children to mourn his loss. "
The June apportionment of school moneys show $2,021 .10,
divided among forty districts.
We also notice that in this apportionment Seward leads
298 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
with $132.90, and Milford takes the second place with $125.25.
Fourteen new districts had been formed since January.
This number contains a sharp letter from "Well Wisher,"
on the county seat embroglio. Also a long editorial on a
newly discovered coal mine, which it was claimed had been
found by Mr. Stockton, forty-seven feet below the surface,
and Mr. S. claimed they had bored four feet and six inches
into solid coal.
July 27th — Milford is announced as a money order office.
August 10th — Dr. Woodward is announced for a lecture.
Subject: "Immateriality of the mind and its relation to the
body."
August 19th — The Record gives some heavy hits at the
Seward liars for reporting small-pox at Milford.
August 24th— Gold is quoted at $1.12.
Same date, we find the report of a railroad meeting at
Camden, W. C. Scott, chairman, and Ed. Healy, secretary.
Judge Hooker and Gen. Vifquain offered the following reso-
lutions:
Whereas, We, citizens of Seward, Saline, York, Ham-
ton and Hall counties, have been fraudulently deprived of
the benefits that might have arisen out of the construction
of tlie B. & M. R. R. on their original survey, and
Whereas, We settled along the line with the full un-
derstanding that the road should be built on said survey, ac-
cording to act of Congress, donating to them half of our na-
tional inheritance, and
Whereas, The said corporation is assisted by Nebraska
politicians, in its schemes to plunder the people,
Be it resolved, That we pledge our sacred honors,
without any regard to party ties, to send to oblivion by the
strength of our ballots any man that comes before us for
office who is in any manner connected with this corporation.
Resolved, That we authorize S. M. Boyd to commence
proceedings in Nebraska and at Washington against said B.
& M. R. R. Co. for the purpose of compelling them to build
a line of railroad on their original survey, or that they be
deprived of the lands received under this pledge.
Resolved, That the people of the United States, look-
ing for location in Nebraska, are hereby notilied that we
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 299
hold the purchase of said raih'oad lands to be a dangerous
bargain for the purchaser.
Resolved, that these resolutions be published in all
Nebraska papers, and in three in Iowa, and at least two in
Illinois.
Resolutions adopted unanimously.
It w^as a swindle on the people of this and western coun-
ties, to give up half their lands to the rapacious corporation,
and then not get a mile of the road.
September 7th— The county commissioners order an
election on location of county seat, and the editor gives
them a terrible scolding.
Report of the election of the new constitution. At this
time there were seven precincts, as follows:
Milford, for constitution 122
Walnut Creek
37
-••■i-j'^"^*'^-'"'^ ....
Beaver Crossing
36
1
Oak Grove
33
Camden
30
Seward
. .
68
8
North Blue
25
Total
3
Total
358
12
First number of Nebraska Reporter is received, and is
unfavorably commented on, on account of harsh epithets
and course language used.
October 5tli — S. R. Douglas caught a coon.
October 19th — The Record has heard of the county seat
election, and has its war paint on.
October 25th — "County commissioners have re-districted
the county into eight districts, as follows: Townships nine
and ten, range one, form Beaver Creek; townships eleven
and twelve, Lincoln Creek; township twelve, ranges two and
three. North Blue; township eleven, ranges two and three,
Seward; towmships nine and ten, range three, Milford; town-
ships nine and ten, range four, Camden; townships eleven
and twelve, range four, Oak Grove."
The editor takes a ricie over to Beaver Crossing, and
finds the new town flourishing. Ross Nichols, Daniel Mills-
paw^ Roland Reed, John E. Fouse, McCauley, John Leonard
300 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and Osborne, are mentioned as thrifty farmers. The new
mill of Mr. Smith is highly spoken of. Thomas Tisdale's
store is noted as one of the best store buildings in the coun-
ty.
October 26th — The election of officers of the county
agricultural society, at Seward, is noted as occurring on the
16th inst. . when W. W. Cox was elected president; Henry
Wortendyke, vice president; James A. Brown, recording
secretary; A. L. Strang, corresponding secretary; Robert
McCrossin, treasurer; directors — E. B. Shafer, J. W. Lee,
George W. Standard, and Thomas Graham.
November 30th — There is a long correspondence from
Seward about the court house location, wherein Croney,
Williams (O. T. B.) and Ellsworth, are discussed at large by
Mortimer. Wm. Hornburg, one of the commissioners, also
gets a rub. At that time there was a struggle between
Harris on one side and Cloyd on the other as to where the
court house should be located. We note in the commissioners'
meeting of November 21st, that a resolution passed the
board by the votes of Imlay and Hornburg to accept the prop-
osition of W. C. Cloyd, to place the court house on block
35, in Cloyd's addition, just west of the M. E. church, pro-
vided a good title to the property should be made to the
county without expense. This resolution must have been
re-considered at some other and later meeting, for the court-
house evidently was not placed on that block.
Dec. 7th — Notice is given that a lodge of Good Templars
will be instituted at Beaver Crossing, Dec. 16, 1871.
Dec. 14th — Contains a report from County Superintend-
ent France, from which we glean that during the year 103
teachers had been examined, seventy-four of whom obtained
certificates, sixty third grades, and fourteen second grades;
Hfty-two were employed during the year. Superintendent's
salary, $200. A healthy growth and improvement is noted,
and many new school-houses were erected. An appropria-
tion is recommended for charts, globes, and other fixtures
for the schools.
Jan. 4, 1872— The railroad bond proposition gets an over-
hauling by the editor.
Jan. 11th — There was a wide-awake meeting at Beaver
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
301
Crossing, wherein the bond proposition receives the follow-
ing send-off:
Resolved, That the county commissioners have disgraced
themselves in the eyes of the tax-payers, etc., etc.
Resolved, That this scheme to vote bonds is to aid a mo-
nopoly, a one-sided railroad aifair, a disgrace to the people,
and a binding curse upon our county, etc., etc.
This interesting document was signed by W. J. Thomp-
son, T. H. Tisdale, and Daniel Millspaw, committee.
Also notices that Col. Vifquain will stump the county
against bonds. Bond meetings, pro and con, will be held
throughout the county.
' 'Monday last a crowded house voted unanimously against
bonds. A committee, consisting of W. H. Reed, D. C. Mc-
Killip, P. J. Goodrich, Ed Healy, and Cummins, were ap-
pointed to hold meetings for defeat of the bonds."
The burden of the song for all the weeks prior to the
election day, February 22nd, is down with the bonds, and on
that day they downed them.
We notice among the writers and speakers that were
conspicuous in opposition to bonds, was Rev. T. N. Skinner.
Result of the election is noted as follows:
Milford, for bonds
5 votes
Against bonds
147
Camden
b
' ■
138
Walnut Creek
10
130
Beaver Creek "
2
135
Seward ' '
232
3
North Blue "
136
Oak Grove "
47
60
Lincoln Creek
109
■
9
Total vote 540 Total 622
Majority against, 82.
This ended the first chapter in this desperate sectional
struggle, with Seward the under dog.
March 7th — The first issue of the Beaver Tribune, semi-
monthly paper at Beaver Crossing, is noticed. This was
published by V. W. Wilson & Co. . .
March 11th — A mass meeting of the people of Camden
is held, in which the county commissioners are handled
302 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
without gloves for disfranchising Camden precinct in the
bond matter. It lias always been supposed that a young
Seward lawyer stole from the clerk's office the returns from
Camden precinct, and when the canvas of the vote was made
there were no returns from Camden, so the commissioners
felt obliged to ignore the Camden election, and this Camden
mass meeting was ready to take up arms, as it seemed that
ballots had failed.
Rev. T. N. Skinner heads an epistle to the people,
"Ballots or Bullets."
April 3rd — Seward correspondent says another bond
proposition will be submitted; and also says the commis-
sioners will dismiss their county attorney, because he is
such a consumate liar that they can't believe a word he says;
and he is also accused of taking fees on two sides of a case.
Milford money order office shows business for three
months to be:
Orders issued $2,653 38
Orders paid 961 61
Amount deposited 2,140 00
Total business $5,755 19
April 4th — Also has the minutes of a mass meeting in
Seward to express their abhorrence of the idea of stealing
an election. The meeting resolved that the people of Seward
firmly believe in a free and untrammeled election, and in
jealously guarding the purity of the ballot box; and
"Be it further resolved. That we here assembled ex-
press our disapprobation of any scheme or plan for the pur-
pose of defeating the expressed will of the county at the
late election; and further we are desirous to know the ti-uth
or falsity of the charges preferred, and will heartily engage
in any movement to ascertain who are the guilty parties,
whether in Seward, Camden, or elsewhere, and to bring
them to merited punishment." Signed by J. N. Beaty,
Chairman; T. J. Hamilton, Secretary.
April 18th — Appears a clipping from the Atlas on the
bond election, in which Prof. Ingham says: "Blessed, yea,
thrice blessed, are the peace-makers, and most benign would
be the labors of any, if only successful in allaying that bitter
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 303
animosity and uncompromising hostility which excites the
different sections of our county. This spirit of evil which
pervades our county, will, we fear, unless exercised by a
gentle spirit of forbearance and reconciliation, become so
powerful as to utterly ruin the highests prospects of the
whole county." The editor of the Atlas takes occasion to
charge in this article the blame on the old settlers of both
sections, and charges them with being narrow-minded, etc.
This waked up a hornet's nest, and the learned professor
soon heard a tremendous buzzing around his ears, and in a
subsequent issue he takes everything back, and gets down
on his knees in good shape to the old settlers; not only asks
forgiveness, but attempts to ''bring forth fruits meet for his
repentance," and pitches into Milford like a wild cat, and so
the battle rages.
May 2nd — It is noted that the commissioners have di-
vided Lincoln creek, Oak Grove, and Camden precincts, so
that there are now eleven. Also, it is noted that Prof. Ing-'
ham has retired from the Atlas, and assumed the roll of in-
structor. It is also noted that the History of Seward County,
by O. T. B. Williams, is just out, and was printed at the Rec-
ord office, which has disgusted many of the Seward people.
The county superintendent reports thirty male and twenty-
eight female teachers employed, and an expenditure of $4-
721.95 between April 3, 1872. Whole number of scholars were
1,731. Approximate number of inhabitants, 5,203.
May 9th — The erection of Tuttle's new hotel is noticed
in the Seward correspondence j also the near completion of
the Presbyterian church edifice; also a call for the corpora-
tion election of the town of Seward; also that Miss Lizzie
McKillip (Mrs. Buck) is engaged for the summer school.
May 16th — It is noted that the injunction suit against
commissioners in the railroad bond case is made perpetual
by Judge Lake, and everybody is satisfied.
June 13th — Notice of a new railroad bond proposition is
given. The Seward correspondent calls Hon. Wm. Imlay
the county commissioners. The same gentleman, whoever
he was, predicted that the same blunderers would in like
manner come to grief again. He remarks, no one has any
idea they will carry. The drowning of Miss Hattie Tift is
304 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
commented on. She was partially insane. Croney's sale of
the Reporter is noted, and of Prof. Ingham assuming the
post of editor again.
July 4th — The record says, in flaming head-lines: "Stop
the reaper and protect yourselves," thereby meaning that
they must stop their work and go and vote against bonds
again.
July 11th — The second bond election is reported, in
which the famous "Mortimer" is buried under an avalanche
of votes, bonds having carried by a majority of 123 votes.
It puzzled the editor to know how Seward could swell her
vote 81 since last February:
September 19th — The division of Beaver Creek precinct
is noted.
September 26th — The removal of D. C. McKillipis com-
mented on.
October 3rd — Specimens of peat from Walnut creek are
examined and pronounced good.
October 10th — Reporter has again changed hands,
October 17th — Two wild deer were seen just west of
Milford. We also quote: "The second annual fair at Seward
was a success, with a fine display, especially of stock, and a
large attendance."
December 5th — The Record announces the death of Hor-
ace Greeley, with a fitting eulogy. Mortimer says in the
same number that a scandalous story is afloat about one of
our county officials. This must mean McPherson, county
treasurer. ,
December 12th — A discovery of free lime, phosphates,
and silicon, a vein twenty-two feet thick. This is on West
Blue, in sections 7, 8, and 9, in town 9, range 2, east. The
French leave taken by our county treasurer is reported, with
a propable loss of five or six thousand dollars.
December 26th — The action of the county board in the
removal of the treasurer, McPherson, and the appointment
of Wm. B. Thorpe, is commented on.
January 9, 1873 — It is noted that a silver-headed cane
was voted to W. W. Cox, as the homeliest man in the coun-
ty. The same paper notes the scalding of the child of
Thomas Osborne on Lincoln creek; also the resignation of
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 305
W. J. Thompson as representative; also the removal of E. L.
Clark, Jr., from the Seward postofftce for embezzlement.
Said defalcation is said to be about $2,000. L. G. Johns
was appointed to the place. The apportionment of school
money to Seward county is, to 1701 pupils, $3,690.07.
January 16th — Announcement of the election of D. C.
McKillip, representative, to fill a vacancy.
January 23rd — School moneys apportioned among fifty-
nine districts.
February 13th — It is mentioned that at the commission-
ers' meeting held on February 3rd, the geographical town-
ships were made into precincts, and were named for the first
sixteen letters of the alphabet. The same issue mentions
four marriages in Seward, viz. : Ethan Atwater, Walter
Briggs, Mr. Spear, and Andrew Wright.
March 6th — The bill incorporating Seward is noticed by
Mortimer, who also says that the railroad track is just being
laid into Seward. This letter is dated March 4th. Morti-
mer made a mistake, as the track was complete and the cars
reached Seward on the evening of March 1, 1873. He also
notes that Rev. Rockwell preached his farewell sermon to
the Methodist congregation.
April 10th — The editor publishes his valedictory.
We have looked through every page of the files of the
Record from first to last, and it is our pleasure to say that
the paper was a credit to the county and the state. While
the editors worked manfully for the interest of Milf ord in all
her battles, yet they manifested a gentlemanly and courteous
attitude towards all. We wish tlie Record had continued its
publication. In quoting so liberally from its columns, we
feel that we are giving bits of history, both interesting and
profitable, and we hereby extend our warmest thanks to Mr.
Culver for the use of his files.
THE NEBRASKA REPORTER
For almost thirty years the Reporter was a leading ex-
ponent of republican ideas and a champion of Sewai'd's in-
terests. It came just about the time when Harris, Mofiitt,
and Robert's addition was platted, and it came to stay a
306 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
long time, and it did stay. The editor for a time was Charles
Cony. He i. ^e with Mr. James Harris. He was what we
might -rail an adventurer. He was a fighter "from away
back," and rather sensation^J in his make-up. The Report-
er lost no time in getting into a quarrel with its contempo-
rary, the Atlas, and also with the Record. Frequently the
air was full of sulphurous smoke. The Reporter was in the
field in time to take part in the last county seat contest, and
when that was ended it was ready to take a hand in the rail-
road bond fight.
The Editor concluded that everything was fair in war,
and he acted bravely all along that line. The Reporter was
not designed as an exponent of morals. It was here to win.
The paper had friends many, and like all aggressive papers,
it had enemies not a few. When it got into a rumpus with
its contemporaries or other friends, it made the fur fly in
all directions. It was amusing to see what a "kilkenny cat
fight" there was between the editors of that day. All man-
ner of vile epithets were used, notwithstanding all three pa-
pers were of the same politics. Early in June, 1872, Crony
sold out his interest in the Reporter and Prof. O. S. Ingham
became its editor. The professor only continued at its head
until October 1st, when he gave up the job and returned to
the schoolroom.
Thomas Wolf is now installed as editor. Under Mr.
Wolf's management, the Reporter was a financial success,
and as an all round fighter, it was steadily improving.
There was no truce between the Reporter and Atlas or the
Record. The removal of the county seat, followed by the
building of the railroad, made it evident that a paper could
not be maintained at a profit at Milford, and the Record con-
sented to give up the ghost at Milford and take a new life at
Lincoln, being consolidated with the Leader of that city.
Now the Reporter has only one antagonist. The Atlas has
turned a .somersault in a political way, and seeks the favor
of the democrats. It was not warmly welcomed in the new
camp. The democratic brethren surmised that it was a dem-
ocratic convert "for revenue only." It was not popular. It
managed to live until about the time the grasshoppers came.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 307
in the summer of 1874, when it said farewell to this old
world, and there were but few mourners.
Now the Reporter had a clear field for awhile. Jf course
it now had a cinch on the cour ty printing and all the job
work. With a first class financier at the head, what could
hinder success? But Thomas made almost too good use of
his opportunities. The county board soon learned that
Wolf was not doing the county printing for fun. For about
three years the Reporter had its own way about all the time
and had come to the conclusion that Seward county belonged
to the editor, when all of a sudden there appeared a specter
in the sky. Rev. Mr. Haw put in an appearance and started
a new democratic paper.
The Reporter thought it to be a small fry, and sneered
at its coming; but one morning it awakened to the fact that
the Democrat had a bid in for the county printing at just
half the Reporter's bid. Calamities do not come singly. In
the month of February, 1877, W. S. Walker, who had been
schooled amid the snow capped mountains, came to Seward,
and after looking over the situation concluded that Seward
needed another republican paper. (He was right, it did.)
So, the Seward Advocate was launched on the great sea of
journalism. Mr. Walker was a wide-awake fellow with ex-
perience and full of "dare-devil" grit. There were several
bones of contention lying around loose at Seward, and it did
not take many weeks to get up a newspaper row, and soon
the air was fairly blue. Clippings from these papers will
prove very interesting reading.
Mr. Wolf continued at the head of the Reporter until
1882. In the meantime, the Advocate had changed hands,
Mr, J. H. Betzer buying the concern and changing its name
to the Blade. The bright glimmer of the new Blade had
about the same elfect on the editor of the Reporter as would
the shaking of a red rag in the face of an angry bull. Betzer
was no slouch in handling the Blade, which seemed to have two
sharp edges. The Democrat, under Mr. Haws, did not tar-
ry very long, and there was no side issue to attract attention,
and as both Reporter and Blade were born fighting, they
must fight, as it seemed to be the object of their existence.
Mr. Wolf retired in 1882, and F. G. Simmons became the
308 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
editor, and he manag^ed it eighteen years, or until the close
of its eventful life in February, 1900. When Mr. Simmons
succeeded to the editorship, the hatchet was buried by him
and the Blade man, and it was buried where it could never
more be found; and from that glad day the two valuable pa-
pers worked in harmony in advancing the best interests of
the county and the city; and in this they found much more
congenial and profitable employment than in scratching for
each other's eyes. Mr. Simmons took the Reporter when he
was just a young man. Prom the start he showed marked
ability as a writer, and as an editor he was a success; but
unfortunately he was like most good writers, in finance he
was not a success. After a long (and at first stormy) career
of about thirty years, it died of old age in February, 1900.
We quote freely from its files so far as they are at command.
By quoting from the files of our county papers we can give
a better idea of the growth and progress than by any other
means at command.
The following items are taken from the Nebraska Re-
porter. We regret to say that the earlier files are only frag-
mentary, most of them are destroyed; but were able to get
from what we have at command some items of interest:
December 13, 1872 — The Baptist church is up and nearly
enclosed.
A letter from Shoe String Joe complains bitterly of the
management of the Seward postoffice. He says the P. M. is
an inveterate novel reader and does not like to be bothered
by people asking for mail.
January 4, 1873 — A mush and milk sociable for the bene-
fit of Rev., J. H. Rockwell was a success, and from fifty to
sixty dollars were realized.
Also, that homely man getting the cane is noticed.
The organization of the Seward Literary Club is noticed,
of which V. Daniels was chairman, and in which Wm. Leese,
T. L. Norval, H. C. Page, D. C. McKillip, T. P. Buck, J.
W. English, and C. P. Dick each figured.
January 1, 1873 — The New Year's address by O. S. Ing-
ham is given.
January 11th — Returns show a total vote of 396 in the
special election, wherein D. C. McKillip was elected to fill a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 309
vacancy in this legislative district. D. C. M. received 208
votes and there were three opposing candidates, viz. , Els-
worth Hamilton, T. J., and Campbell.
January 18th — The editor is impressed with the number
of dead torn cats in the streets.
The marriage of E. M. Spear, of Seward, to Miss May
R. Newland, of Rochester, N. Y., is noticed.
May 8th — The charter election of the town of Seward is
reported as follows, resulting in the election of V. Daniels,
Sam Stevenson, Herman Diers, Wm. Hays, and T. L. Norval
as trustees of the village for the coming year. There were
93 votes cast.
May 22nd — The air is filled with grasshoppers, also that
work is being pushed on Tishue's store, and the editor says
we may as well be proud of such a building. Well, we were,
but have gotten bravely over it.
The advent of Claudius Jones is welcomed.
May 29th — The new jail is nearly enclosed.
It is noted that the grasshoi^pers are doing some damage
in a few localities.
June 12th — Sixty buildings in two months, by actual
count.
June 26th — Ed. Ingham gets eloquent over a street fight.
We quote: "On the morning of the 21st of June the sun in
unclouded splendor issued from the pearly portals of the
Orient to pursue his daily journey through the shining con-
cave heavens, past the lofty zenith, down to his purple cloud-
draped ocean couch, behind the western hills," etc.
July 3rd — The M. P. R. R. depot and water tank are
about completed.
Sept. 30th — The county fair is pronounced a success.
Sept. 4th— Says from one to two hundred loads of grain
are received daily, and threshing hardly commenced.
Feb. 1, 1874 — P M. McPherson joins the editorial force
of the Reporter.
The marriage of Ethan Atwater is noted.
The town council is scored for voting a hundred dollars
to H. C. Cloyd for his pamphlet.
Feb. 13th— H. T. Clarke is building a bridge west of
town on the river.
310 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The city is full of strangers.
The organization of the Seward cemetery association is
noted.
McPlierson, our defaulting treasurer, receives encour-
agement and is assured tliat lie has plenty of friends.
May 8th — The editor complains that the Atlas man calls
him a lunatic.
Sept. 4th — Dick Norval is building a cozy cage for his
prospective bird.
July 31st — School report from district No. 9, with J. A.
Brown director, shows 139 pupils in the district; enrolled 66,
present ihat day 44; average attendance 33.
The following was clipped fi'om the Toledo Blade:
"Out at Seward, Nebi-aska, they build houses for editors
in about eiglit days. The editor of the Reporter gave an
order for a residence to a building tirm, and in less than two
weeks the editor moved into the house, and his wife im-
mediately presented him with a tine pair of twin babies.
They do things up in a hurry in Nebraska. "
The above clippings are not in their regular order, but
they were jotted down from miscellaneous papers.
Nov. 15, 1878— Total vote cast in ''G" precinct, 286, of
which Judge Lake received all but one for judge of the su-
preme court. Total vote of county 1156, of which Judge
Lake received 1130.
Nov. 22nd — Discusses in detail the street fight at Utica,
which occurred some days before, in which railroaders
and citizens exercised the pugilistic ability. Also, a stab-
bing affray northwest of the city, in which the Manning
boys stabbed Frank Slonecker five times with a pocket
knife. In the same paper it is noted that township organi-
zation carried by a large majority. Also the result of the
liquor damage case of Eliza Perkins, wherein she gains a
judgment of $3000 against three saloons (this is the first case
of the kind ever tried in the state) for selling her husband
liquor and thereby causing his death.
Dec. 6th— We notice that R. R. Shick sold, in 1873,
bonds for school district No. 46, (now the Purdum district)
$1000 for $750, in order to build the little frame school house.
We quote the above to show just how our people were bled
HISTOUY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 311
in the early days by capitalists. These bonds were ten per
cent bonds and run for ten years.
April 10, 1879— School census shows in district No. 9,
Seward, four hundred and eighty-nine school children. The
same census gives the total population of the city at 1,250
and of the entire district at 1,666.
April 17th — Is noted the financial condition of the city.
Amount on hand April 22, 1878, $68.14; collection to date,
$1,101.11; paid out, $885.86; balance on hand, $283.29.
April 24th — Chronicles the arrest of P. B. Thomp.son
for robbing the mails in the Seward postoftice.
May 12th — Gives Orlando J. Cassler's autobiography.
We will not quote it.
May 22nd — A full history of the execution is given.
May 29th — Is noticed the purchase of the tire apparatus,
chemical engine with hooks and ladders.
June 5th — The triumph of the A. & N. bonds is dwelt
on at large. The total vote cast on county bonds was 1,798.
The commencement of Goehner block, on the corner of
7th and Seward streets, is noted. Also Henigan & Ashton's
meat market on the east side.
June 26th — The injunction suit commenced by Claudius
Jones against the commissioners in the matter of issuing
bonds to the Lincoln & Northwestern company is fully com-
mented on, with severe strictures.
The arrest of Isaac Whitman for making counterfeit fif-
ty cent pieces is announced. His factory was a dugout near
West Mills. He worked over pewter and ground glass and
was doing a thriving business.
July 10th — We clip the following from the description
of the Fourth of July celebration parade. It speaks for it-
self, and shows to what extremes people can be led in hours
of wild excitement. We trust those responsible for this
scene have long since become ashamed of it:
"An immense hog, which some of the people mistook
for an African elephant instead of a Seward county swine,
on each side of its back were hung lai-ge letters 'B. & M.'
A gaudily arrayed man was leading this hog by a strong
rope, and this disguised personage was labeled 'U. P.' Fol-
lowing the hog came a man with a large shovel on his
312 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
shoulder, with his hat festooned, 'Banker,' and carrying a
banner on which was inscribed the device, 'I do the dirty
work for this hog, but it pays. '
"A large caricature representing tirst the figure of
a man striking a lively gait, holding in his hand a roll in-
scribed, 'Injunction,' which he is handing to an attendant
near, accompanied with the exclamation, 'My only refuge is
Salt Lake — serve this. ' Following comes a woman with a
carpet sack, and hanging to the coat tails of the first de-
scribed figure, exclaiming, 'Run, I smell tar!' In hot pur-
suit comes a crowd in the distance carrying buckets marked
tar, and feather beds. On the other end of this large stan-
dard was a large sleek man who had 'U. P.' on his hat, and
held a rope that had been tied around a partly finished man
inscribed 'A. & N.,' but the rope was broken in trying to
hold the 'A. & N.' man, and the 'U. P.' figure exclaiming,
'the A. & N. must be stopped at all hazards.' "
Also, the departure of Claudius Jones and family for
Salt Lake is noted.
July 24th— It is noted that Fred D. Grant, a young lad
living in N precinct, was killed by being dragged by a runa-
way horse.
July yist — Says the contracts for the Norval block are
completed.
Also, the death of Mrs. M. W. Warner, in M precinct,
which occurred July 23d, 1h79. This lady was the former
wife of our late school superintendent.
Aug. 7th — It is reported that $60,000 had been received
for freight at the B. & M. depot in Seward during the year
ending July 31st, 1879.
Oct. 16th — Is noticed at length the shooting by accident
of Miss Lizzie Welty, which resulted in the death of a noble
young woman.
Also the completion of the railroad to Milford.
Oct. 23d — The visit and speech of Hon. De La Matyr is
commented on.
Nov. 6th — Is noted the completion of the A. & N. road,
and the visit of fifty distinguished citizens of Lincoln.
Nov. 13th — It is mentioned that the following two-story
brick buildings have been erected during the season: Heni-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 313
gan & Ashton's, John Cattle, Sen., Goehner Bros.' engine
house, Bischof's, John Roberts', and Norval Bros.
Dec. 15th We find an estimate of the corn crop of that
year as follows: 2,300,000 bushels. The highest reported
yield was eighty-live bushels per acre. In the same article
it was estimated that the reduction in freight, consequent
upon the building of the A. & N. R. R., was three cents per
bushel, or $69,000 on the crop of that year. According to
our memory the estimate was rather low than high. It was
a noteworthy fact that the Seward grain dealers of that fall
and winter were able to pay from three to five cents more
for corn than any town on the main line of the B. & M. west
of Lincoln .
Jan. 8, 1888 — The founding of Staplehurst and the ship-
ment of eight cars of corn is recorded. Also the death of
Mrs. Thomas Best, at Pleasant Dale, which occurred Dec.
18, 1879, aged sixty years.
We also append from its columns the following useful
information:
"Edmund Mclntyre has made the following statement
for the B. & M. Land Department of the acreage and yield
of cultivated lands in Seward county for 1879:
"Total acres in county, 368,640; under cultivation, 109,-
590 acres: in rye, 1,283 acres, yield 19,240 bushels; in spring
wheat, 43,825 acres, yield 482,362 bushels; in barley (must be
a mistake, too many acres or not enough barley), 8,900 acres,
yield 170,800 bushels; in oats, 5,718 acres, yield 227,720 bush-
els; in buckwheat, 112 acres, yield 2,240 bushels; in flax, 2,-
109 acres, yield 18,981 bushels; in broom corn, 160 acres,
yield 53i tons; in corn, 46,584 acres, yield 2,096,280 bushels;
in potatoes, 966 acres, yield 36,840 bushels; in turnips, 28
acres, yield 4,200 bushels; in blue grass, 17 acres; in timothy,
1,272 acres; clover, 1,189 acres; cultivated timber, 4,500 acres.
Number of apple trees 30,500, pears 300, peaches 26,450,
plums 8,000, cherries 16,000, grapes 33,000 vines; 175 miles
of hedges.
"These estimates are made on the returns of 1877 and
estimates of the proportionate increase."
Sept. 9th— Is recorded the death of E. N. Wingfield, of
K precinct, aged seventy-five years. His death occurred
314 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Sept. 4, 1880. Mr. W. was a worthy Christian, and a mem-
ber of the M. E. church.
Aug. r2th -The dedication of the U. B. church by Bishop
Wright is favorably mentioned.
Also the death of Robert Walker, at the residence of his
son James, aged seventy-seven years. The deceased was
one of our old settlers, and was the father of W. H. Walker
of our city. He was well known and highly respected.
Also, in D precinct, Aug. 2d, Henry Newjahr, of cancer,
aged tiftyfive yeai's. He was one of the first settlers of that
part of the county.
Aug. 2')th — The editor, speaking of his contemporary,
calls him "the bay- windowed, brazen-faced liar."
July 2V)th— Is recorded the death of Mrs. L. E. Tisdale,
of Beaver Crossing, aged forty-five years. Mrs. Tisdale
settled in Seward coanty in 1869. Her death occurred July
23d. Also the death of John S. Bartlett, at Milford, on July
25th, aged thirty six years, of quick consumption.
June 10th — Records the freaks of the wind, the heaviest
gale in many years, in which the Catholic church was par-
tially wrecked, and many buildings damaged.
Feb. 19, 1880--IS recorded the death of Wilber McNall,
by accidental shooting.
April 8, 1880 — Records the result of city election, in
which the anti-license party elects the whole ticket.
April 22d — Also records the death of Ira Wendall, caused
by getting his hand caught in machinery at West's mill.
Deceased leaves a wife and two children to mourn his sad
fate.
May 6th, 1880— Is recorded the death of Mrs. Joseph H.
Ballard, after a long and painful illness. Mrs. Ballard was
an estimable Christian lady.
The visit and lecture of ex- Vice President Colfax is dis-
cussed at large.
The small-pox scare with its attendant results is noted.
ADVOCATE
PREDECESSOR OF THE BLUE VALLEY BLADE
Was founded in Februaiy 1877, by W. S. Walker, and
managed by him until June 1879, when J. H. Betzer from
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 315
Iowa bought the paper and re-christened it Blue Valley
Blade. The advent of the Advocate was understood by the
contemporary paper at Seward, as an open declaration of
war, and of course the fun commenced immediately and con-
tinued as long as Mr. Wolf of the Reporter continued to ed-
it that paper. Mr. Walker was a wide-awake editor, ready
at all times to measure swords with an advisary. We much
regret that files of the Advocate are beyond our reach, as
the Editor took them out of the State with hiln.
The Blade was under the control of an old republican
war-horse, and fighting was no new thing for Mr. Betzer.
He could fight democrats or brother editors, as the case
might be. He had been schooled in the editorial work in
Iowa, where he controlled a paper sixteen years, at Chari-
ton and Monroe, and he came to Seward county well equip-
ed, and was ready with his new bright and sharp blade to
take a hand in the little embrolios of that period. The edi-
tors of that day did not stop at wrangling over public
questions, but would frequently resort to personal matters,
and heap all manner of abuse upon each other. We ar^ glad
that in these better days such personal slang is not tolerat-
ed among the editorial fraternity. Mr. Betzer continued at
the head of the Blade until October, 1901, when his health
failed and he gave the editorial work and management over
into the hands of his son, Elmer E., who has conducted the
paper to the present time. In the liberal quotations from
its columns a good idea may be gained of events for the
twenty-seven years of its life.
BEAVER CROSSING NEWSPAPERS
There have been many attempts to publish newspapers
in Seward and in other parts of the county that proved un-
successful ventures. The first attempt at publishing a paper
at Beaver Crossing was in March, 1872, when a semi-monthly
called the Beaver Tribune, was issued by J. H. Vincent.
The printing was clone by J. H. Culver at Milford. It lived
but a few months.
The Beaver Crossing Bugle was founded by H. C. Hensel
April 27th, 1887. In its day it was one of the largest weekly
county papers in the state, being an eight page seven column
316 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
paper. It was republican in politics. The Bugle notes made
the wild woods ring for two years. Its life was active and
energetic, but the editor Vjit off more than he could chew and
after about two years of struggle its blasts were heard no
more. It just died. It was also printed at Milford.
In 1W9, P. C. Carpenter started the Beaver Crossing
Journal, the first paper printed in the town. It was sold to
C. E. Miller in lfs<)l, and the name was changed to Parmer's
Patriot and in 1892 it again was sold to J. H. Waterman and
it has been under his management up to December, 1904, un-
der the name of the Weekly Review. At this writing Mr.
Waterman has sold the office and fixtures to P. C. Diers who
will now begin the publication of the Pride of Beaver Cross-
ing.
We are under obligations to B. P. Thompson for much
valuable information in regard to the above named news-
papers.
UTICA SUN
The only newspaper of that thriving village was founded
by Pi'ank Compton, in 1H^<6. It changed hands many times.
Among the men that have controlled it we find Wm. Compton,
Steven Low^ley, E. W. Harvey, then again Wm. Compton,
and after his death his widow, H. M. Smith, L. R. Alphin
and has finally landed in the hands of Harvey dnd Hunter,
who have the most complete job office in the county. Every-
thing seems in perfect order in their commodious office. The
Sun is neutral in nothing but politics. The ambition of the
editors is to build up Utica and the county, and so far as
politics is concerned, they don't care which wins so that the
Sun shines all O. K.
FARMER'S ZEITUNG
Farmer's Zeitung is a German family newspaper of high
order, and has a wide circulation in Seward, Butler, Lan-
caster and York counties. It is non-partisan and lends allj
its efforts to the betterment of its many readei's, and their
advancement financially, socially and morally. The chief
object of the wide-awake young editor, Mr. Joseph Tagwer-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 317
ker, is to infuse into all his readers a high standard of Amer-
ican citizenship. This young man was born and grew to
manhood in Austria and came to make his home in this new
land of greater promise, in 1890. He is now thirty -five years
of age, just in the prime of life, full of energy, and a future
full of bright promise.
INDEPENDENT-DEMOCRAT
CLIPPINGS
March 11, 1897— W. H. Smith took charge of the Sew-
ard County Democrat, and from its files beginning at that
date we clip from its pages by the courtesy of the editor and
manager:
March 6, 1897 — The annual conference of the U. B,
church convened at Seward. About one hundred delegates
are present. Bishop E. P. Kephart presides. Blue river is
on a rampage.
March 7 — Is noted the advent of the first robin. Death
of Mrs. Amerilla Ford is noticed as occurring March 1st.
Local markets. Wheat 60cts., corn lOcts , oats lOcts., hay
$3 to $4 per ton, hogs $3 to $3.25 per hundred, eggs 8cts.
March 25 — Is notice of a sale of a quarter of land one of
the best in town twelve, range one, at $3500. Car load of
horses bought for Boston market, prices ranged from $40 to
$75.
April 1 — Ray Vance was killed at Utica while attempt-
ing to board a moving train on Friday last. Superintendent
Ed Healy reports the schools of the county in a good, flour-
ishing condition. Roads are reported the worst ever seen
in the county. Burglary of C. KrcBger's shoe store occur-
red last Tuesday night and got away with about $30 worth
of goods.
April 8 — South Blue is overflowing its banks.
April 15 — Milford goes dry this year. Wm. Winegar,
the Tamora horse thief, goes to the pen.
April 22 — Is noticed the fatal accident that befell the
boy of Laren Jensen near Germantown. The boy was thrown
from a stalk cutter and killed.
318 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
April 29 — The finest rain storm for many years fell last
Friday. Bad K. R. wreck at Pleasant Dale.
April 22 — James Maroney, an old pioneer died.
May 6 -Postmaster Dupin's house burglarized of a
hundred dollars.
May 20 — L. J. Groul was killed by lightning at Goeh-
ner Friday night.
June 23 — A young cyclone just missed Seward. Demo-
crat and Independent consolidated June 17th.
July 29 — Chris Hippie was killed by lightning three miles
south of Germantown last Tuesday .
August 12 — Charles France, proprietor of Windsor
hotel, died last Monday morning. August 8th, John Fend-
er's barn in "B" precinct was burned with twelve horses.
Sept. 15th — A most successful county fair opened at
Seward.
Nov. 4tli — Death of Henry George noted. The I. D,
has a big rooster crowing over the election of Judge Sulli-
van.
Nov. 11th — Gives election returns, showing the fusion
ticket elected in th6 county by 372 majority.
Nov. 18th— The ten year old son of Mr. Minsell of "H"
precinct, w^as accidentally shot and killed last Friday. Cald-
er & Co. 's safe was cracked last Tuesday night, at Tamora.
Dec. 1st — Death of John Roberts, Sr. , one of the early
pioneers of the county, having located here in the spring of
1866.
Jan. 21st, 1898 — The accidental .shooting of the twelve
year old son of Joseph Manwiler at Utica, which occurred
some days previous. New court house proposition is agitat-
ed by W. R. Dickinson, $50,000 bonds are advocated.
Jan. 27th — A $10,000 Government postoffice is urged
by Congressman Stark.
March 17th — Notice is given that the splendid, new
cereal mills will open up for business the coming week.
April 7th— The Shilo veterans held a splendid reunion
at Seward and all went home happy.
April 21st — Independent-Democrat enlarged.
May 12th — Is noticed at large a grand reception by the
J
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 319
people of Seward to Troop "A" when two thousand citizens
gave them a grand welcome.
June 23d — Emil Martsen was drowned at Beaver
Crossing in mill pond, last Sunday morning.
July 4th — Was a gala day in Seward. Splendid crowd
and excellent time.
July loth — Is noted that while the funeral of Mrs.
Reed Pendall was in progress, four miles north-east of
Seward, that the residence of J. C. Ford in the same neigh-
borhood was burned.
Nov. 8th — I. D. has his big rooster again crowing over
the fusionists' victory.
Nov. 24th — A bad blizzard of the Sunday previous is
noted.
Wm. Morford died in "N" precinct, January 10th, Lsyy.
He was a prominent farmer.
Jan. 26th — Two safes cracked in Tamora, Calder's and
P. L. Webster's. Nothing of much value obtained.
Feb. 9th — The dead body of a tramp w^as found near
the railroad at Pleasant Dale. A bottle partly filled with
alcohol lay near the body. Coroner's jury thought man froze
to death, as the weather was severe.
Feb. 16th — Fred Vaihtman wasrun down and killed by
cars at Tamora.
March 2nd — Burglers broke into Ed Batchelder's hard-
ware store at Bee and carried away a lot of knives and razors.
They then broke into Meyers & Gambel's store, but were
scared away.
March 16th — The death of Ed Biggs, a Seward attor-
ney, is noted at length.
March 30th — The I. D. changed its form and was
made an eight page paper.
April 15th---Conrad Reusch committed suicide at
Pleasant Dale.
April 27th---News of the wounding of Egbert Humph-
rey, in the Philippines, is recieved by his parents.
May 4th---The house of David Bender at Milford was
robbed and $40 secured.
May 12th---Market reports show wheat worth 50cts,
corn 23cts, eggs 9cts, hogs $3.25.
320 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
May 18th— It is noted that I. D. Neihartis preparing
to build a new hotel.
May 25th — $S,000 county bonds are called in and paid.
June 1st — Ten graduate from the high school. This
was the 18th annual commencement.
June 8th —The death of Patrick Welch of "D" precinct
is noted. Mr. Welch was an old settler and a splendid citi-
zen.
July bth — Last Sunday five young men were killed by
lightning in the road north of Staplehurst. Their names are
as follows: Victor and Ira Dobson, John Ames, Thomas
Bidwell and Herman Egars. They were traveling in a
wagon. No celebration in Seward this year.
July I3th — Harry Culver's long bicycle ride from Lin-
coln to New York City, via Texas, New Orleans, Mobile,
Atlanta, Washington D. C. , a distance of 4120 miles. Time
53 days. The old Saratoga hotel of Milford burned last
Saturday mornyig.
July 23d — Hon. Wm. R. Davis was called home.
Aug. I7th — A bad hail storm struck near Staplehurst,
and cut a swath about two miles wide as far as Germantown.
It did much damage. Bemis' 40 acres tomatoes, east of Se-
ward were nearly destroyed. H. M. Bower's large field of
melons were also destroyed. S. H. Beaver had 300 lights
broken in his green house at Seward. Corn was badly
damaged in the path of storm.
Aug. 24th — S. C. Langworthy was stricken with apo-
plexy on Saturday last.
Aug. 30 — Notes the arrival of the corpse of Samuel
Manly, who was killed in Montanna by a wild broncho which
he was riding.
Sept. 7 — Notes that the returning Philippine soldiers had
a royal welcome at Seward.
Sepl 14 — John C. Johnson was killed instantly while
putting a belt on a threshing machine near Geohner.
Sept. 28 — The great Bryan meeting of last Monday, when
five thousand people greeted the candidate for president.
Mrs. Mary A. White, near Utica, committed suicide by taking
strychnine.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 321
Oct, 5 — Six thousand dollars county bond paid. County
fair is pronounced a success.
Oct. 12— Chas. Priest in "H" Precinct was killed by
falling from a load of lumber. Mrs. Helen M. Gouger is
booked for a speech at Milford for Oct. 21 in the interest of
the Fusion ticket.
Nov. 9 — The I. D. has its roosters crowing over a clean
victory for Fusion in the county. Ex-governor Altgeld
made a speech at Seward last Friday.
Nov. 16 — The death of Wm. O. Pierce occured last Fri-
day. He was one of the very first settlers of Seward.
Nov. 23 — The death of Egbert Humphry of Nebraska
First is noted. He died of wounds received in the service.
Nov. 30— $3000 more county bonds taken up.
Dec. 21 — Seward county's share of state school funds is
$5,500.84
Jan. 4, 1900- -The death of Mrs. Lewis Anderson, Dec.
29, 1899. She had resided in this community since 1868.
Jan. 10— The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. I. E.
McPheley.
Feb. 1 — The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. John
Slonecker on last Thursday is noted among the Tamora
items.
Feb. 8 — The scalding to death of a two-year-old child of
Herman Langner on last Friday.
Feb. 15 — Fred Frebse, an old settler in "P" precinct,
was thrown from his wagon and instantly killed last Tues-
day. David H. Figard and Mrs. W. W. Cox, two of the old-
est settlers in this communty, died on the 14th inst.
Feb. 22 — F. G. Simmons' trouble is noted at length.
Fire in Wm. Shultz shoe store nearly destroyed the stock on
the 20th inst.
March 1 — Burglers got in their work at Staplehurst.
They were m Forster's store and Maden's drug store, also H.
Meyer's store. They got about $15. The death of Mrs. S.
H. Beaver occurred Feb. 24.
March 8— The three year old child of Mr. L. G. Sov-
ereign of Ruby, was burned to death last Monday evening.
March 6 — Occurred the death of C. F. Schlueter.
322 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
March 29th — Notes the death of Win. J. Compton, editor
of Utica Sun, which occurred last Tuesday.
April 12th — It is noted that the claims of the government
against F. G. Simmons, is fully paid up. The death of Mrs.
M. J. Mesler, occurred last Tuesday.
April 26th — Joseph Cams and Wm Gannon had a lively
scrap.
May 3d— Burglars looted Staplehurst bank, last Monday
morning, and carried away $1350. Benjamin Hunkins, one
of the oldest men and among the first citizens of "M" precinct
died April 27th, aged ninety years.
May 10th — Lewis Moftitt makes a proposition to donate
his lands to the county for a court house.
May 10th- -Has an ad. Twenty bushels of potatoes for
sale at lOcts per bushel.
May 24th — Is noted the death of Scott L. Larson, one of
our boys at the Philippines.
May 31st — Schools have just graduated a class of twelve.
Decoration day is appropriately celebrated.
June 7th — $12,000 county bonds are paid off.
June 28th — A train of cavalry horses. Seventeen cars
passed Seward on the way to Manilla, last Friday night.
July 4th — A splendid celebration at Seward. Leon
Richardson was killed by lightning last Wednesday.
July 12th — A bad hail storm sweeps the north part of
the county. Lizzie Gray was killed by a runaway horse in
"B" precinct, July 16th Lewis Moffitt died.
July 26th — Says the Seward firemen were "strictly in it"
at the York tournamant. Seventeen head of cattle killed by
one bolt of lightning, for Elisha Cortright.
Aug. 2nd — Elevator burned at Germantown on last Fri-
day night. A robbery of John Koehler's house at same time
is noted.
Aug. 9th— The sudden death of Mrs. Alice Gillespie.
She was a daughter of S. C. Longworthy. Herman Diers is
assaulted by a stranger.
Aug. 16th — A bad blaze in the Butler block. Chas.
Means killed by lightning, near Tamora, on Saturday last.
Aug. 23d — Sixty-seven business men of Seward had an
excursion to Omaha last Monday. Last week the worst
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 323
Storm of twenty years passed over the south part of the
count3\
Aug. 30th— Seward county fan- is pronounced a grand
success.
Oct. 4th-Is noted that "Teddy the Terror" sweeps
down on Seward. A bad explosion occurred in Egar's store
at Beaver Crossing, injuring three persons.
Oct. 11-E. E. Mitchell was killed by lightning October
Isb, SIX miles northeast of Germantown. David Reavy, of
Utica, died, Oct. 10th, aged seventy-two years.
Oct. 25th-PredGoehner, Jr., faceda revolver in the
hands of a burglar in his Uncle's store, last Tuesday night
Nov. 8th— The I. D. has no rooster crowing this time,
but meekly acknowledges that McKinley is elected.
Nov. loth— Notes the accidental death of John Wrio-ht
at xMilford mills, last Thursday morning. Official count
gives the whole fusion ticket a majority in Seward county.
Nov. 22d- Dickinson Bros. 'barn in Seward, burned Fri-
day night. It was occupied by Birney Wise, who lost heavily
without insurance. The city council contracts for the bie
well. ^
Nov. 23d— Silver wedding of O. E. Bernecker and wife.
Dec. 13th -The marriage of Thos. H. Wake and Miss
Emma Jones is noted.
Dec. 20th— Personal taxes collected in 1900 to date is
about $38,000.
Jan. 17, 1901— The Nebraska Firemen are in convention
at Seward and having an interesting time.
Jan. 24th— Is notice of the death of W. B. Barrett, one
of the oldest business men of Seward. Came to Seward in
the spring of 1872. He died Jan. 20th.
Jan. 31st— Census reports of the county are given by
precincts as follows:
"A" 543, "B-771, "C" 984, "D" 633, "E" 1,145 "F"
823, "G" 772, "H" 889, "I" 769, "J" 816, "K" 712 "L'' 701
"M" 1,263, "N" 717, "O" 1,570, "P" 612, Seward 1,970^
Villages are as follow: Staplehurst 211, Utica 487, Tamora
139, Germantown 194, Beaver Crossing 359, Cordovia 140
Milford 542. Jacob Graff of K precinct died of cancer of
the face.
324 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Feb. 7th— The worst blizzard of the year occured last
Saturday and Sunday.
Feb. I4th— Mrs. H. Hans, an old settler of Germantown,
died on the 8th inst. The remains, of Scott Larson, who
died in the Philippines, arrived today.
Feb. 28th— Two old settlers of the northwest part of the
county, viz: Cnris. Nieman and Conrad Rienmiller died
some days ago, date not given.
March 7th— $6,000 bonds paid off.
March 14th Samuel M. Welch, one of our old pioneers,
died, March 10th.
April 4th— Death of Mrs. R. A. Hughes, occurred in
Seward, March 28th. Harry Bradley is noticed as "Gov."
Harry Bradley by the I. D.
April nth— Jacob B. Courtwright died at his home in
"N" precinct on April 1st. Mr. Courtwright was one of our
most valuable citizens. Mrs. C. E. Archer, of Staplehurst,
died April 3d. She was one of our old settlers, who came
to Nebraska in the very early territorial days, and resided
in Seward county since 1873.
April 18th— Mrs. Christianah Obermeyer met death
by an open gas jet in an Omaha hotel. Her home was at
Beaver Crossing.
April 25th -The little son of Chas. Dingham got his
clothes on fire and was burned to death. G. L. Kilpatrick
for many years the efficient surveyer of Seward county died
last Monday night, at Crete, where he had been for treat-
ment.
May 2nd— The death of Wm. D. Bowers is noticed at
length. J. F. Merritt's death is also noticed.
May 9th J. H. Devore was shot in Denver by his moth-
er-in-law. Local market: wheat 50cts, corn 34, oats 24, eggs
9.
May 23d— John Tucker drowned himself in Connelley's
fish pond, five miles west of Seward . Eleven coaches full of
Lincoln students visit Seward on Friday last, over 700 of
them.
May 30th— $6,000 more old county bonds paid. Decora-
tion day was properly observed. Philip Bick is found dead
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 325
in the vault of the Brewing Go's, building near the Elk-
horn depot.
June 6th —The high school turns out thirteen graduates.
June 20th — Tim Ladder is drowned while fishing in
Blue river, near Milford, on Sunday morning.
Bishop Bonacum is hissed and jeered by the lookers on
at court in Seward.
June 27th — A great German picnic was held at fair
grounds, last Sunday. Several new concrete walks and
crossings, near the square, are ordered by the city council.
Wheat harvest has commenced.
July 4th — Seward county property is assessed at $2,608,-
880.
July 11th — Three barns in one neighborhood burn one
night, in Sew^ard, viz: F. N. Paiks, Mrs. Bonds and Mrs.
Al Edwards. Parks' horse perished.
July 11th — The little son of Mrs. B. Robottom, south of
Germantown, was killed by the kick of a horse. The third
court house proposition is discussed. Milford took the
Fourth of July crowd and had a grand time.
July 18bh — The Seward Fire boys cut a big swath at the
tournament at Fremont. Weather report shows July 8th
100; 9th 102; 10th 102; 16th and 17th 104.
July 25th — Court house; knocked out to the tune of 335
majority against. August Kortge, a citizen of Seward for
many years, found dead in his bed in Lincoln. Sunday was
a scorcher, thermometer was 105 in the shade.
Aug. 1st — A soaking rain breaks a drouth of twenty-
three days.
Aug. 15th — The Woodmen have a great picnic of Kansas
and Nebraska members. Jacob Imig's barn southwest of
Sew^ard burned; four horses and a vast amount of grain was
consumed.
Aug. 22d. — J. A. Dowding's jewelry store was burglar-
ized and ten gold watches were taken in the noon hour.
Aug. 29th — Seward county fair is a grand success.
Sept. 19th — Memorial services in honor of Pres. Mc-
Kinley was attended by a vast throng at M. E. church,
Oct, 3d— $3000 more CQunty bonds paid.
326 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Oct. 10th. — A collision occurred in the B. & M. yards and
a general smash up resulted in injuring two stockmen.
Oct. 17th — Orlando Casler's farm was to be sold at sher-
iff's sale to pay costs of his execution.
Nov. 7th — A mixed county ticket elected.
Dec. 12th — Milford depot burned last night.
Jan. 23d, 1902 — Treasurer's report shows $28,794 in the
treasury,
Jan. 30th — The heaviest snow storm of the winter oc-
curred last Saturday.
Feb. 6th — Mrs. S. B. Clark, an old time resident died
Feb. 1. Advent church dedicated last Sunday. Robert Mc-
Crossin, an old time settler of Seward county, died at the
Soldiers' Home last Sunday.
Feb 20th — Alf. Melick was accidentally shot and killed
at Pleasant Dale last Friday.
Feb. 27th — Farmers' Institute, just closed at Tamora,
was a grand success. Forty-seven new members just re-
ceived into the Workman lodge last Tuesday.
March 13th — Judge J. W. Dupin died last Saturday. He
was an old resident, coming to Seward in 1870. He had oc-
cupied many official positions in the county; county clerk,
county judge, postmaster, etc. Joseph D. Woods, father of
Wm. Woods, died at Stromburg last Sunday. He was years
ago a resident of Seward. Mrs. Carrie Nation was at Sew-
ard and demolished Judge Holland with her little hatchet.
March 27th — Judge Geo. W. Lowley died. Had been a
resident of the county for thirty-two years, (see sketch on
another page) Mrs. Anna Skeede was found dead this
morning. She had wandered away in a delirium.
April 17th — Wm. Schluckeber died April 10, near Goehner.
A. P. E. O. society was organized at Seward last Tuesday
evening.
May 8th — Good rains breaking the drouth is noted.
The new telephone to Staplehurst and Tamora from Sew-
ard are completed.
May 22d — The remains of Oba Gibb were found in the
river near Staplehurst last Monday.
May 29th — Three hundred University Cadets visited
Seward yesterday.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 327
June 5 — The decoration exercises were attended by an
immense crowd May 30. The 20th high school commence-
ment occurred last Thursday evening. Eight graduates.
June 19 — Grocers and butchers of Lincoln had a picnic
at the Fair grounds last Tuesday. 950 of them came on two
trains. Mrs. Maria Konkright died in Seward last Friday.
Mrs. F. L. Remington died June 12. Great Sunday School
convention was held last week at Beaver Crossing.
June 26 — The double tragedy occurred at Seward in
which John Haud is shot to death and Alex Lange shoots
himself and died yesterday afternoon Notice account of
tragedy on another page.
July 3 — Luke Agur died last Friday at Exeter and was
brought to Seward for burial. Mr. Agur was an old citizen
of the county, came to Marysville and built a mill in 1875.
S. Adler, an old time merchant, died at Hot Springs, South
Dakota.
July 10 — Celebration at Seward on the Fourth was a
success.
July 31 — Big A. O. U. W. picnic was held at the Fair
grounds last Tuesday.
Aug. 14 — The city was looted by a gang of roughs, fol-
lowing the races. Last night seven houses were robbed, the
amount stolen aggregates $994.80. John Cattle. Jr., died in
England ye.sterday. One of Seward's bankers for many years.
Micheal Auwender, a carpenter fell from Becktel's barn and
broke his neck last Friday. Dr. Leland Walker of Utah,
the first doctor that ever faced the winter storms of Seward
county, is here on a visit.
Sept. 5 — Mrs. F. C. Shoemaker, an old resident of the
county, died near Staplehurst on Saturday last.
Sept. 7 — German Evangelical church at Goehner dedi-
cated.
Oct. 16— A bad wreck on the B. & M. near Boyes mill
last Monday night. Two freights collided. Eight cattle
were killed and the cars were badly demolished. One tire-
man bruised. Dr. James H. Woodward the pioneer doctor
of the county died Oct. 8. Had been a resident in the county
since the early seventies. A man of wide research and
experience in his profession.
328 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Oct. 23 — Mrs. Jennie, wife of Dr. Cummins died Oct. 14.
Nov. 5 — No rooster up although election is over.
Dec. 11 — Money on deposit in banks of Seward county
is $1,000,000.
Dec. 18 — Seward city has made second payment on
bonds of $1,000.
Dec. 18 — Mrs. H. L. Davie, a long time a resident of
Utica died at Seward last Friday, Jan. 1, 1903. The I. D.
gives a large illustrated edition of the paper.
Jan. 8 — Mrs. May A. Hubbard of Utica was found dead
in her bed last Monday morning. Yesterday the Burlington
had 106 cars of Milford ice on track at Milford.
Jan. 15 — A fire in Diers block last Monday morning.
Narrow escape for the whole block. Thanks to the firemen.
Feb. 5 — Miss Jessie Kortges' death occurred last Sun-
day evening under very sad circumstances.
Feb. 26 — Fifty new members were initiated in the Work-
man lodge last Thursday night.
March 5— $2000 county bonds are paid. Rev. C. E.
Phinney of Utica died today, aged seventy years. He was a
pioneer preacher of that region. Last Thursday night a
severe sleet storm occurred.
March 12 — Simon Johnson of Milford died last Friday.
March 19 — Otto Holstein was run over and killed by a
B. & M. train northwest of the city yesterday morning.
April 2 — Mrs. W. C. Hartman of Staplehurst died last
Saturday.
April 16 — The death of John Roberts Sr. occurred last
Friday. He was a Seward county born boy.
April 30 — The school board begins figuring on a new
high school buikling.
May 28 — Nineteen deaths occurred in a cyclone in Ne-
braska last week.
Mrs. Harriet Swan, an aged lady, died in Seward last
Saturday. Jessie Moore was accidentally shot and killed
near Staplehurst last Friday night. A little cyclone last
Friday near Germantown.
June 4th — Nine graduate at the high school last Thurs-
day evening. Thirteen inches of water fell during May.
June llth~$8,000 county bonds paid last Tuesday.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 329
New strawberries received from Beaver Crossing last Sat-
urday.
June 18th— Wm. C. Fallet died in Seward June 12. He
had been a resident near Beaver Crossing 33 years.
June 25th— A heavy hail storm visited the southwest
part of the county last Friday doing much damage to crops.
John Englehauft of Milford died last Saturday. Had been a
resident of Milford twenty-three years and prominent in bus-
iness.
July 9th — Dan Tophan fell off his wagon and was killed
on his way home from Staplehurst last Thursday. Phil
Bridenbough of "N" precinct committed suicide last Monday,
cause dispondency.
July 16th — The electric proposition carried by a vote of
five to one. Dr. D. D. Potter's house was robbed of a gold
watch. A bad hail storm passed over the west part of the
county last Sunday and destroyed the crops in its wake.
July 23d— The last $2,000 of county bonds are paid and
Seward county is free from debt. Mrs. Harriet I. Jones,
widow of Claudius Jones, died last Saturday. Claudius
Roberts, a Seward boy, w^as accidentally shot and killed at
Ogden, Utah, July 20.
July 30 — H. Webermier of "N" precinct was killed by ac-
cident in the harvest field last Saturday.
Aug. 20th — The old settlers enjoyed a fine picnic at
Beaver Crossing. Seward County Telephone Co. organized
at Beaver Crossing. Capital stock $5,000.
Aug. 27th — The A. O. U. W. picnic at the park was a
big affair on last Tuesday.
Sept. 3d — County fair now in session and large attend-
ance. W. C. Forster of Staplehurst died last Fdlay.
Oct. 1st — German picnic at the park was an immense
affair.
Oct. 8th — Gus Babson, prominent business man of Se-
ward died last Tuesday. Near Goehner last Saturday F.
Shultz accidentally cut off the feet of his httle daughter with
a mowing machine.
Oct. 15th— A very destructive fire at Milford yesterday
destroyed seven business houses.
Nov 5th — The big rooster is up and crowing because
330 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Baker, Calder and Bemis are elected. The rest of the ticket
is repubhcan.
Nov. lV)th — Burglars got in their work at the North-
western depot last Sunday night, but got no money.
Nov. 26th- -35,000 sheep are being fed in the county.
Patrick Reynolds, eighty-seven years old, died in the north-
ern part of the county last Tuesday.
Dec. 3d — Mrs. M. J. Ruby, an old time citizen of Se-
ward, died in Oklahoma last Thursday. She was nearly
ninety-eight years old.
Dec. 7th — It is noted that Milford is on the boom.
Dec. 17th — Helmer Hiteman loses a hand in a corn shel-
ler. The coldest wave of the season passed over us this
week.
Jan. 14th, 1904 — Gen. Victor Vifquain died last Thurs-
day.
Jan. 21st — Mrs. J. H. Vance, one of the pioneers of the
south part of the county, died last Monday.
Feb 4th — Mrs. Harriet Ritche died at Seward last Tues-
day. She was an old settler in "D" precinct.
Feb. 11th — Mrs. E. A. Rodman, an old settler near
Goehner, died on the 5th inst. The Seward electric lights
have been running a week with entire satisfaction.
Feb. l^ith — Mrs. Susan Roberts, one of our pioneer
mothers, died last Friday.
March 3d — S. C. Langworth, president of the First
National Bank of Seward, died on the 2nd inst.
CHAPTER XVIT.
Tribute to Wives and Motliers— Clothing of Pioneers, Manner of Living
— Vvhat Kind of a People are we'^— Old Settlers' Reunions— Address
at a Reunion— First District Court— First Marriages— Snow Storms
-Well Behaved Winters— High Waters.
TRIBUTE TO WIVES AND MOTHERS OF THE PIONEERS
The mothers and wives of the pioneers are justly enti-
tled to kind remembrance. They were devoted and self
sacri'ficing beyond measure. The labor they performed and
the hardships they endured should live in the hearts of the
people to the remotest generation. Here is a picture not
overdrawn: A young bride of twenty has left her father's
home of comfort and luxury in the East, and with her
young husband has turned her face towai'd the setting sun,
with the determination to assist in hewing out a new home
in the wilderness of the West. With no capital except a
strong resolution to win, and strong faith in the future, they
bid adieu to friends and kindred, and with a steady eye
fixed upon the star of empire they penetrate the wilderness.
A little log cabin, or a sod house, or a dug-out has been has-
tily built for shelter. A parlor, sitting room, kitchen and
bed room are all combined in one. The bare walls of the
rude home are brought in contrast in the mind of the young
wife with the beautiful home of her childhood; but in her
young breast, "'hope is like an anchor to the soul." When
the tirst Sabbath dawns, she may listen in vain for the
sweet chimes of the church-going bell, but looking out on
the broad expanse of prairie, all is solitary. Sometimes
with heaviness of heart she labors on and on, and cheers the
faltering heart of her husband in his endeavors. The little
means that they have brought are rapidly melting away be-
fore any return for their labor is in sight. The beautiful
garments of her youth are fading and becoming tattered.
By and by she becomes a mother, and while the beautiful
332 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
gift of heaven may bring joy and gladness, yet in the same
train it brings anxieties and sorrows, a constant care by day
and by night. The young father must sometimes go long
distances from home, to be gone days at a time, to a mill fif-
ty or a hundred miles away, or to a city far away, and the
young mother and her darling must stay weary days and
long nights in the lonely home, with no protector but her
God. And now comes a strolling band of hungry Indians
to frighten and annoy her, and while the child is screaming
with fright, she must stand in the door and face these
ferocious wild men. She must frequently leave her child to
cry, while she goes long distances after the cows, or to a
distant s])ring foi' water, or carry the baby on her arm and
a heavy bucket of water with the other. Then again, the
harvest time comes, or something else occurs, when several
work hands must be provided for when with scanty means at
command she must perhaps carry the babe on her arm and
with the other do the work of cooking for the hands. And
again when night comes, she must divide her bed and make
beds upon the cabin floor for the men, and as her husband
keeps a "free hotel" for all strangers, she must deny herself
and little ones ease and comfort to wait upon strangers, and
frequently make her children wait at meal time while stran-
gers eat their bread, and the mother and children make their
meals from the scraps. This is no fancy sketch; it has oc-
curred ten thousand times, of which there are plenty of liv-
ing witnesses.
Oh! who but a mother can tell of the weai'iness of a
mother's life on the frontier; so often struggling to keep the
wolf from the door, so often beset with dangers, so often
overworked with slavish labor, and so often overwrought
with anxious care. .No wonder that untimely gray hairs ap-
pear, and that her cheeks are furrowed while she should yet
be in the prime of her womanly strength and beauty.
Young men and maidens of Nebraska, you that have
such pleasant homes today, will you please remember what
it has cost your parents in the years gone by, to prepare
these homes for yoa. In your gmteful hearts will you in a
becoming manner reverence and love themy If you can fully
realize ip your imagination what they have done for you, it
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 333
will surround their gray heads with grace and beauty, inter-
mingled with a halo of holy light.
THE CLOTHING OF THE PIONEERS
During the first years of the settlement, this should per-
haps receive some notice. It must be borne in mind that
clothing was extremely high in price from 1863 to 1868.
The commonest calico was worth from forty to fifty cents
per yard. A pair of brogan shoes cost five dollars; common
domestic was worth from seventy -five cents to one dollar per
yard, and all articles at about the same rate. Fine cloth-
ing was entirely out of reach of the common people, and
was unseen in this country. The men were usually pro-
vided with a (condemned) soldiei"'s overcoat, which were the
cheapest garments in the market. Condemned soldiers'
blankets were also used to a considerable extent. We have
seen them made into overshirts, and then used for under-
snirts. We have also known them to be made into pants.
Our hats and caps were just what happened to come handy
— sometimes caps of coon or badger skins; at other times
some old garment would be ripped up and made into a cap;
occasionally a chip hat was seen, but usually in a weather-
beaten condition, and frequently it was minus a large part
of the rim. A gray horse blanket frequently served as a
coat. Mittens were made rudely of skins of animals — elk,
coon, or whatever came handy; sometimes they were made
of odd bits of cloth, and faced with pieces of old meal sacks;
and meal sacks were frequently converted ito pants. Strips
of bed ticking furnished us with suspenders. Our feet, per-
haps, had the hardest time of it, as they were brought more
directly into contact with frost and snow. The man who had
a good pair of cowhide boots was fortunate; but he was an
exception. We improvised moccasins, which at times we
were fortunate enough to trade for with the Indians; then
we would make them ourselves out of elk hides, or of cloth,
or sheepskins. Our poor feet were often in a sorry plight.
If our wives were fortunate enough to have two calico
dresses in one year, they were truly thankful. Sunbonnets
of calico were commonly worn to church, as well as the
334 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
faded shawls of other years. Cloth slippers frequently
served for ^hoes or moccasins. We have known the old
chests to be rumaged and old bedspreads, such as the dear
old grandmothers wove, brought out as a last resort and made
into skirts and worn. In summer, men, women, young men,
and maidens went barefoot to a great extent.
Such clotliing as we wore, even the best of us, would
now be a laughing stock for you all, but then, it was no
laughing matter; now it's no matter how much you laugh.
Should you see one dressed in the usual garb of 1864 and
1H65. you would certainly think it to be a scarecrow, yet we
were pow^erless to have it otherwise. We all felt the sting
of the situation. We had many of us been used to better
fare. We had just as noble aspirations as any of our pres-
ent people. We all wanted to do better, and just as soon as
it was possible, we did do better.
Our food was usually plain and healthful. We used as
matter oC necessity a great amount of corn bread and lye
hominy. We generally had a good supply of wild fruits,
such as i)lums, grapes, gooseberries, alderberries, and rasp-
berries. We made sorghum molasses for sweetening. Our
new ground produced melons in grand profusion, and when
we were fortunate enough to keep the Indians from stealing
them, we enjoyed eating melons such as a king might admire.
Our wives were almost universally good cooks, and they
would come nearer getting up a good dinner out of poor ma-
terial than most women do out of a well supplied larder. At
times our tables were supplied with delicious meats of ante-
lope and wild turkeys, frequently of elk, and occasionally of
buifalo. Then again we would have to depend upon smaller
game, such as prairie chickens, rabbits, squirrels, etc. Af-
ter the first year, pigs began to accumulate, also domestic
fowls, and occasionally a beef would be slaughtered, and al-
so vegetables were produced, and the skies became brighter.
Later comers usually brought a little money, and we
proved a blessing to them, as we usually had something to
sell them that they most needed, such as grain, hay, poultry,
a pig, a cow perhaps, some potatoes for seed, and we wel-
comed them heartily, lor they brought us some money,
which we sorely needed, and they brought us society, which
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 335
we had longed for so patiently. They brought us hopes of
school and church privileges, for which we were hungry in-
deed. We began to renew our dilapidated clothing and live
more like folks, and our lives were brighter and more cheer-
ful for their coming.
Visiting on the frontier was a feature worth noticing.
With all our poverty, we enjoyed visiting one another. We
made no fashionable calls, just to show what fine clothes we
could wear. We were all ragged alike. When we went, we
aimed to put in the whole day, and took the whole family,
and we invariably had a good time. One feature of these vis-
its was that our good wives all knew one another's circum-
stances. If the neighbor to be visited was out of butter or
meat, or any other article necessary to make a square meal,
it was never an offense to look the cupboard over and take
such things along as would supply the deficiency. That
would now^ be considered an insult. Then it was the most
common thing to take a roll of butter, a piece of meat,
a few eggs, or anything that parties were fortunate enough
to have, and that was known to be lacking at the place to be
visited. People were always welcome at their neighbor's
hearths. We did not stop to ring the doorbells or send in
our cards to learn if we were welcome.
WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE WE?
Our citizenship is made up of a mixed multitude. All
the eastern and northern states east of the Missouri are well
represented. Illinois and Iowa have furnished the largest
quotas, but Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Wis-
consin and Michigan are not far behind. We have quite a
sprinkling from Missouri, Kentucky, and other southern
states. Of the foreigners, the Germans have the lead. They
are here in great numbers and they came to stay. The great
majority had been in America long before they came to Sew-
ard county. The had halted some years in the other states,
and had "worn the green off;" nearly all of them had learned
our language and had become conversant with our institu-
tions. They have proved apt scholars in learning American
ways. They do not forget the fatherland, but they came to
336 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
this country to find better homes, and they are loyal to the
flag and institutions of their adopted home.
We have quite a goodly number from Sweden and Den-
mark and they are "true blue" Americans as well as the
Irish and English, of which we have many. If you want to
pick up a row with an Irishman, just say one word against
our flag and you will be readily accommodated.
Tlie.se foreign born citizens, we take it, are from among
the best their several countries afford. Many of them are
.scholars of a high order, and men of broad views. Some of
the most thoroughly trained minds in oui' county and state
are to be found among the foreign born citizens. We find
such among every nationality except the Bohemians; of them
we know but little as they have but lately invaded our coun-
try. Some of the brightest scholars are Frenchmen. Un-
fortunately, we have but few of them. It would be a great
blessing to us if we had many more of them.
We have a large settlement in west "O" and "N" pre-
cincts known as Amish Menonites who migrated from the
western borders of Russia. They are of German descent or
origin. They are a prodigy as farmers. We must say in all
our travels in the northern states (nearly every one of them
from the Atlantic to the Pacific) we have never seen such a
beautiful block of farms anywhere as may be found at the
Amish settlements in Sewai'd county. These well-behaved,
energetic and thrifty people have done much to enrich and
beautify our land. This has been largely the case with all
our foreign born people. If they are not the best Europe
can afford, they must have .some mighty good people over
there; but we think we got the best they had.
We are rapidly becoming a homogeneous people. The
children of these people are just the same as our American
boys and girls. You could not tell the difference.
We have but few families of colored people. The older
ones of these were born and i-aised slaves. They are all in-
dustrious and well disposed people, and it speaks well for
them and is certainly to their credit that under such dis-
couraging conditions they have come to such a high stand-
ard of citizenship.
The Americans, of course, preponderate in numbers,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 337
and nearly all of them are progressive and intelligent, and
generally prosperous. There are hundreds that came to the
county with bare hands, except they generally had plenty of
children; but now they are well to do, with pleasant homes
and a great abundance of this world's goods. Their children
have grown intelligently and the old folks are enjoying the
fruits of a well-spent life.
We have a great number of old soldiers in all parts of
the county, and we take great pride in testifying that they
are nearly all universally respected and honored for the
part they had in saving for us a home and a country, and for
their many sterling qualities as citizens. Long live the sol-
dier boys. We are so glad that our Nebraska has provided
such a beautiful home for such as are so unfortunate as not
to have homes of their own.
OLD SETTLERS' REUNIONS
The first meeting of the reunion of old settlers was held
in the public square in Seward in October 1884, with W. W.
Cox as president. The meeting was not largely attended,
but was of great interest. Many touching incidents of early
times were related. In 1885 there was no meeting, but in
October, 1886, the society was re-organized and placed on a
more permanent basis. Officers elected were: W. W. Cox,
l)resident, Geo. A. Merriam, secretary, and Mrs. Thos. Gra-
ham, treasurer. The society that year opened a registry of
the old settlers, giving name, time of settlement, where lo-
cated, age, etc. Great numbers availed themselves of that
privilege. A very large and enthusiastic meeting was held
in Roberts' grove west of the city. The officers for 1887
were: J. H. Culver, of Milford, president; George A. Mer-
riam, secretary; Mrs. Thos. Graham, treasurer. In October,
1H87, the annual meeting was held at Milford and was very
largely attended, and a very enjoyable meeting was held.
Gov. Thayer made the address of the day. Many new names
were added to the registry. Officers elected for 1888 were:
W. R. Davis, president, and George A. Merriam and Mrs.
Graham were again re-elected, and Seward was chosen as
place of the meeting of 1888. These meetings bid fair to
338 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
grow in interest from year to year, and in long years to
come the registry will become of priceless value.
The four counties of Butler, Polk, York, and Seward
have held conjointly three reunions at Lord's grove, near
the four corners, where vast numbers of i^eople from these
four counties have held very profitable meetings.
At the meeting in 1886 it was estimated that over four
thousand were present. The meeting of 1887 was postponed
on account of a heavy rain storm, and the meeting adjourned
with the same obstacle when it was determined to defer the
meeting to the summer of 1888.
By some unaccountable reason these meetings were
dropped. We very much regret to record this fact. They
should be revived and kept up. They would be pleasant and
profitable, helping lo keep up old friendships, and assist in
renewing old acquaintance, and it would be a great help in
preserving historical data. As the old people die off, many
incidents of their lives which it would be profitable to pre-
serve for those who come after is buried with them and can
never be known.
ADDRESS AT A REUNION
The following is an extract from an address delivered
at the old settlers' reunion at Lord's grove, near the four
corners of Butler, Polk, York and Seward counties in 1886:
Young friends, children of the pioneers, we w^ould ask
you to bear in kind remembrance the hardships and strug-
gles that these gray-headed fathers and mothers have en-
dured in other years to provide homes of comfort and luxury
for you. Their heads are fast becoming silvered with age.
Their steps are not so elastic as in other years. The great
duties with which they so manfully grappled in the prime of
their manhood's strength must now be accepted by you.
Will you accept them like men and women worthy of the
honored names you bear?
The improvements on these prairies, these houses and
barns, these groves and orchards, these smiling fields, these
churches and school-houses, these thrifty towns and cities,
that, like jewels of a crown, are scattered over the plain, all
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 339
attest that the pioneers have not hved in vain. They have
laid well and tirmlj^ these foundations. You must go on
with the superstructure.
There is yet plenty of work for you. These beneficent
institutions are to be guarded, and great undertakings are
yet to develop into achievements that will bless mankind.
This vast empire must in the near future teem with its mil-
lions of people, and it will require great wisdom to guide
them to a proper destiny; and upon you, our sons and
daughters, must devolve the duty of going forward wisely
and energetically to complete the task we have so well be-
gun. Oh, for the glory of the future of our native land!
May you, fathers and mothers, spend your declining
years amidst peace and plenty, surrounded by earnest, lov-
ing, and intelligent children, carrying forward with master
hands the enterprises that are so dear to your hearts; and
may he who shall stand here in the far off years to come, to
tell the stories of our first settlement, of our joys and sor-
sows, of our labors, trials, and discouragements, and the fi-
nal triumphs, ''be able to still look around upon a great, in-
telligent, free, and happy people." May he with all the en-
thusiasm of poetry exclaim:
"Here is still my country.
Zealous yet modest.
Innocent thoug-h free.
Patient of toil.
Serene amidst alarms.
Inflexible in faith.
Invincible in arms."
FIRST DISTRICT COURT
The first*term of the district court in Seward county,
was held at Milford, November 15, 1869, Judge George B.
Lake pi-esiding. Frank M. Elsworth was appointed dis-
trict attorney. The first case on the docket was John W.
Shields vs. J. L. Bandy. The only state case was against
W. H. Tuttle, for an assault on Jonathan Gordon. Mr. Tut-
tle got clear of the charge, but the prevalent opinion was
that he ought to be fined for not doing a more thorough job.
J. C. Cowin, of Omaha, was the first district attorney of
340 HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the district who attended our court, which was held in the
year 1870, at Milford.
The first term held at Seward was in the spring of 1872,
Judge Lake on the bench. T. L. Norval was appointed dis-
trict attorney. At that term the famous Courtwright in-
junction case came up, in which Judge Lake made the in-
junction against the Midland R. R. and the county commis-
sioners perpetual.
Judge Lake held Yhe office of judge of this judicial dis-
trict until the year 1876, when the districts were changed
and the sixth district was formed. Geo. W. Post was elect-
ed and he was re-elected and served until the spring of 1883,
when he resigned, and T. L. Norval was appointed by Gov.
Dawes to fill the vacancy. Judge Norval was elected in the
fall of 1883, and held the oftice from that date until 1890. M.
B. Reese was elected district attorney, and held the office
until IW'2. Thos. Darnall was elected to the place in the fall
of 1882, and held the place until January, 1887, when the law
took effect providing for county attorney, at which time R.
P. Anderson was elected to the office of county attorney.
Prior to 1879, the county clerk performed the duties of
district clerk. H. P. Lewis was appointed in 1879, and
elected in 1880 and re-elected in 1882, after which Geo. A.
Merriam was elected, and re-elected in November, 1887.
We glean from the probate court records that the first
letters of guardianship were issued by Judge Henry Wor-
tendyke, on the 29th of January, 1870, to Sarah C. Wilcox,
in matters of guardianship of the minor heirs of Syrel Tift.
FIRST MARRIAGES
The first marriage in the county, as shown by the rec-
ords, was that of John W. Pitt and Miss Eva Long, at the
residence of Samuel Long, on the 12th of November, 1866.
The ceremony was performed by C. J. Neihardt, J. P.
The first marriage in "G" precinct and city of Seward
was at the house of Lewis Moffitt, on the 20th day of March,
1867. The contracting parties were David P. Imlay and
Miss Mary Moffitt, W. W. Cox, justice of the peace, officiat-
ing. On the 20th of April, 1867, the second wedding in "G"
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 341
precinct was that of James A. Brown and Miss Sarah A.
Imlay, at the residence of the bride's father, one and one-
half miles northwest of the present city. We had the honor
of officiating on that occasion.
SNOW STORMS
Since the stormy winter of 1866 and 1867, we have had
only occasional storms of great severity. April 13, 1873, a
rain commenced in the early morning, which turned to sleet
during the day, and raged so fiercely that man or beast could
hardly withstand it. As night approached it turned to snow,
and the night and following day were appalling. The whirl-
ing and drifting snow drove the unsheltered stock before it
to destruction. Mr. A. D. Ritchie had a large herd of sheep
drift with the storm until they rushed over the bank into
Lincoln creek, where they perished. Peter Henegen, of
Butler county, lost a herd of cattle in the same way. They
took shelter under a high bank on the upper Blue, and the
snow drifted entirely over them.
The worst snow storm of this generation struck this
county a little after 3:00 p. m. on the 12th day of January,
1888. A damp snow had been falling from near the previous
midnight. The weather was quite warm and pleasant, and
up to 3:00 o'clock the snow fell in great feathery Hakes, such
as school children rejoice to see, with no breath of wind;
and while we were all watching the beautiful snow coming
so gently, little thinking of the terrors of the night, when
all at once, as if some demon had been turned loose on the
world, there came a blast from the northwest, such as was
never seen before in this fair land. All hearts were terror-
stricken at the fury of the storm. The at mosphere was so
thick with drifting snow that nothing could be seen, and the
mercury immediately fell near fifty degrees, and it seemed
for a time that no mortal exposed to its terrors could survive
its fearful ravages. This continued till near midnight.
There was no loss of life recorded in Seward county,
but there were numerous hair-breadth escapes. We have
two victims in this county who suffered more than death:
Lena Webbeke, of "I" precinct, a girl of eleven years, under-
342 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
took to reach her home from the school-house, and became
bewildered and remained out in an open field, partially drift-
ed under the snow, and was rescued in the morning. Th'is
is one of the most remarkable incidents on record. That she
should survive seems a miracle. One of her legs was ampu-
tated and she bid fair to recover. Miss Etta Shattuck, who
was away in Holt county, teaching, was caught in the storm,
and by chance ran to a haystack and burrowed into it, re-
maining there seventy-two hours, and was accidentally
found. She was brought to her home in Seward, and it was
found necessary to have both feet amputated. She seemed
to be recovering. She remained cheerful under the terrible
ordeal. Her case created wide-spread sympathy, and large
amounts of money were raised at Seward, Omaha, Fremont,
Nebraska City, among the traveling men on trains, and at
many other places in the state. Poor Ettie died February
6, 1888.
The State Journal started a subscription also for the
Webbeke girl, which was caught up at Seward and other
places and resulted in ample funds for her care and educa-
tion. All that willing hands and loving hearts could do was
done for her relief and tender care.
The storm was of such short duration that the stock
stood it through with scarcely no loss in this county; but in
the great northland it swept men and beasts to destruction
by thousands. The people of our county were very grateful
for the generous contributions from all parts of the state.
Since that memorable storm to this writing, the winters
have been pretty well behaved. We have not had a regular
blizzard since that date. There has been but a moderate
amount of snow at any time. In the winter of 1903-4, there
was but little, so sleigh rides were at a premium. On the
20th of January, 1905, we had what may be called a "beauti-
ful snow," and a well behaved one. About ten inches fell,
and it is yet (two weeks later) just lying perfectly quiet, and
sleighing is good.
In the last seventeen years, the thermometer has rarely
gotten down to twenty below zero, and the winds since that
horrible night of Jan. 12, 1888, have been on their good be-
havior. Of course it blows sometimes, but to say the least,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 343
there has in seventeen years been no destructive storm in
winter.
We have an occasional hail storm that plays havoc in
narrow belts; however they are generally in the other coun-
ty, but sometimes we get a taste of hail. In the summer of
1904, one swooped down near Tamora and swept a district
from two to three miles wide running in a southeasterly di-
rection, crossing the Blue river north of Kuby station, and
losing its force in the Middle creek hills. It did a pretty
good job and marketed about all the corn in its swath.
Destructive Hoods in summer time we never have. Our
drainage system is so perfect that it may rain all that it has
a mind to, and the land cannot overflow to do great damage
as it does m many less favored places. Within the forty
years that we have been familiar with the Blue river, we
have seen but three floods that covered any considerable
part of the valley: one in Feb., 1865; one in April, 1H67; one
in Aug., 1881. On the subject of water courses and drainage
the reader is kindly referred to another page.
CHAPTER XVI II.
Agricultural Societj- — Assessments and Financial Conditions — Value of
Pr()i)erty — Census Tables- Court House and Struggles to Get it —
Eggs and Poultry — Telephone Companies — A Little Story.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, ITS HISTORY
•Seward County Agricultural Society was organized
Augu-st 7, 1H71, by the adoption of a constitution and set of
'by-'-^'s, and the election of the following ofticers: Milton
Langdon, president; P. M. Ellsworth, vice-president; T. F.
Hri-^-^'^iburg, secretary; Geo. W. Standard, treasurer. The
11. M ft'air was held from the 21st to 23d of September, in the
gi«\^e southwest of Seward. By referring to the Nebraska
Atja^ of Sept. 29, 1871, we find that the fair was a success,
an(J*.that there were over a thousand people in attendance.
We have our memory refreshed also by finding in another
issae of the same sheet that our secretary got away with
son^ of our funds. We have no means of learning just how
muih.
,j.At the regular annual meeting in October, 1871, we find
that W. W. Cox was elected president. There is no record
of wdio were the other ofticers, but we remember that James
A. Brown was chosen secretary, and Hon.T. L. Norval, clerk;
that we held the second annual fair at the same place as the
first, and that it was quite successful. We arranged a very
creditable premium list, and w^ere able to pay all the in-
debtedness caused by the default of the former secretary,
and every expense of the fair, including the premiums, and
turned over sixty dollars to our successors in oftice. The
exhibits were good, especially in farm products and in the
fine arts. The trees of the beautiful grove fairly blossom3d
with the handiw^ork of our women . The editor of the Ne-
braska Farmer delivered the annual address.
It is most unfortunate that the records of the society
from the date of its formation until 1881 have been lost or
346 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
destroyed; and what is more surprising, the most diligent
search through the files of the newspapers of those years
discloses nothing from which we can learn anything of im-
portance, except the first organization in the summer of 1^71,
in the Nebraska Atlas. We remember, however, that Mr.
Campbell was elected president in the fall of 1872, and
Joseph Lossee was secretary, and that they held a fair in
the fall of 1H73.
J. A. Brown was elected in the year of 1873, and a fair
was held in the year of 1874. If we remember correctly,
Mr. Brown was re-elected, but of this we have no means of
being certain. They held a fair in the year of 1875 and Mr.
Brown delivered an address, which we find in the Nebraska
Reporter in full, but not another word about the fair. The
speech was a good one. and full of good hints and sugges-
tions .
If memory serves us correctly, (and we have searched
diligently and taxed the memory of all who would be most
likely to remember,) Kd. Mclntyre was elected president,
and re-elected in the fall of 1876, or held over on account of
there being no election in 1876. There was no fair held
that year. In the fall of 1877 a fair was held, and was quite
a success.
During the summer of 1877 an association was formed,
known as the Seward Trotting Park Association. This as-
sociation bought forty acres of land of the B. & M. R. R.
Co. at ten dollars an acre, and raised the money by selling
stock in five-dollar shares. Arrangements were made with
the Agricultural Society to hold the fairs on these grounds
for a certain consideration, and our fairs were held there for
a time.
There is much unwritten history connected with this
Trotting Park Association. In the first place the rail road
folks were induced to part with the land at half price, be-
cause it was apparently for a public benefit. Men sub-
scribed for stock in small quantities, just to help the enter-
prise, and had no thought of realizing any income from the
investment. The stock was transferable, and it was but a
short time until it was discovered that one man had a majority
of the stock, and enjoyed complete control of the whole con^
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 347
cern; so the association largely consisted of one man. The com-
munity did not take kindly to the matter in that shape, and
it was a source of continual trouble and annoyance until the
citizens made up funds the second time and purchased the
property outright for the Agricultural Society, in 1886,
when the county commissioners made a liberal appropria-
tion for improvements.
Claudius Jones was president in the fall of 1877, and
a fair was held in the fall of 1878, when William Gill was
elected, and held the fair in the fall of 1879. In that year
John Henderson was elected, and held the fair of 1880, when
Wm. Bedford was elected president. In that year we find a
record (the first) of their proceedings.
The fairs were measurably successful as exhibitions,
but the society was generally hard pressed for means, and
frequently the more enterprising members were taxed be-
yond endurance to keep life in the society. Among the
more notable persons who always had a shoulder to the
wheel were James A. Brown, Ed. Mclntyre, Wm. E. Gill, E.
M. Hickman and Claudius Jones. These men, and perhaps
a few others, are entitled to much credit for untiring energy
and a free use of their money in keeping the society alive
through many years of adversity.
We see by a record of a meeting held i\ugust 6, 18^il,
that Ed. Mclntyre was elected secretary pro tem. We
notice that J. A. Brown offered a resolution that the offices
of secretary, treasurer, vice president and three of the
directors be declared vacant, on account of the negligence of
these officers in performing their duties. Resolution
adopted. Whereupon Geo.C. McKay was elected vice pres-
ident, Ed. Mclntyre, secretary, J. A. Brown, treasurer, and
AVm. Gill, J. B. Courtwright and Allen Price, directors, to
fill vacancies. The fair was held Sept. 29th, BOth and Oct.
1st of that year.
We notice in the report of their October meeting that
the receipts were as follows: Total receipts, including $800
from county, were $1,135.10; total expenditures, $1,01(1.36;
leaving a balance of $118.74.
At their December meeting Wm. Redford was re elected
president, and Ed. Mclntyre was re-elected secretary, and
348 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
R. S. Nerval was elected treasurer. The time lixed for the
fair of 1882 was Sept. 27th to 30th. J. S. Henderson was
chosen superintendent. Wm. Gill was elected delegate to
State Board of Agriculture It was resolved at this meeting
to hold a farmers' institute in February, and the secretary
was instructed to correspond with Gov. Furnas and Prof.
Thompson, and they voted to tax themselves fifty cents each
to defray the expenses.
At a meeting of the board in August, 1H82, $40 was ap-
propriated to pay expenses of a county exhibit at state fair.
Records of the meeting in July, 1883, show that there
was received at last fair $1,407.50, and expended $1,374.10,
leaving a balance of $32. H7. Wm. Redford was re-elected
president; also, Mr. Mclntyre was re-elected secretary by
acclamation, and Wm. Gill was re-elected delegate to state
board.
At the August meeting, 1W3, Wm. Gill was employed to
take charge of exhibit at state fair.
At the annual meeting of January 5, 1884, the report
showed $1,849.45 received from all .sources, and $1,744.20
paid out. E. M. Hickman was elected president, and C. S.
Ailing was elected secretary and treasurer. Wm. Gill was
again elected delegate to state board.
At a called meeting in April the time for holding the an-
nual fair was fixed at Oct. 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th.
At a meeting in August the president was instructed to
conclude a contract with C. Jones for sixty shares of the
Driving Park Association stock at $1,000, and authorized to
draw on the treasurer for $50 to bind the bargain.
At a meeting in October an order was voted to Ed.
Mclntyre of $50, to help pay expenses of exhibit at World's
Fair at New Orleans.
At the annual meeting in January, 1885, Geo. Pickerel
was elected president, and C. S. Ailing was reelected secre-
tary and treasurer; Ed. Mclntyre was elected superinten-
dent, and J. H. Culver was elected delegate to state board
and instructed to cast his vote to re-elect Gov. Furnas as
secretary of said board. Dates fixed for the fair of 1885
were Sept. 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th. We find no report of treas-
urer, although it is recorded that report was approved.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 349
At a special Qieeting, February 6, 1886, Claudius Jones
was elected president, C. S. Ailing, secretary, and H. T.
Jones, treasurer. Here again we find no report of treasurer,
but a record that his report was approved.
At a special meeting held in July, a resolution is passed
accepting a donation of $2,000, secured by the Board of
Trade of Seward, by its pi"esident, G. Babson, for the pur-
chase of the Driving Park Association's grounds.
A general meeting of the society was authorized to be
called by the secretary for July 23d, we suppose to finish
the purchase of the grounds, but the secretary is silent about
that, and we find no record of said meeting.
At the annual meeting in January, Mr. Wm. Redford was
elected president, and the secretary's office was left vacant,
which was filled by the Board — H. T. Jones. J. N. Edwards
was elected treasurer. Again we have no record of treasur-
er's report. An invitation was voted to the citizens to plant
trees on the fair grounds on Arbor Day. The fair was held
in October, 1887, and was a very successful show. It was
without doubt one of the best stock exhibits at any county
fair in the West.
The society met and overcame grave obstacles within
the two previous years. First, a vast amount of money
was raised to pay for the grounds and improve them, and
during the last summer a heavy wind ^-recked all the build-
ings, which were rebuilt at great expense, but now the so-
ciety has the grounds and they are fairly improved and meas-
urably free from debt, and with bright prospects for the
future.
At the annual meeting in 1887, J. B. Courtwright was
elected president, H. T. Jones was elected secretary, and
George Dickman was elected treasurer. Treasurer's report
showed: Total receipts of $3,200; toial expenditures, $3,400.
Considering the valuable property and improvements, it
is fair to say that the society is in a very prosperous condition.
At the annual meeting Oct. 31. 1897, the following
named persons were elected to fill the various offices : Pres-
ident, H. F. Slonecker; vice-president, J. N. Anstine;
treasurer, L. F. Shultz; secretary. Thos. H. Wake. Di-
rectors appointed: John Zimmerer, John Dalton, E. C.
350 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Gerkee, Wm. Hartman and Wm. E. Ritchie. Treasurer's
report for 1895 and 1896 shows total receipts of $2,334.66,
total expenditures, 2,370.27; deficit, $35. 61.
At the annual meeting held Oct. 29, 1898, the following
persons were elected to fill the ofiices: President, D. Zim-
merman; vice-president, W. C. Hartman; treasurer, L. P.
Shultz; .secretary, A. E. Baker. The president appoint-
ed as directors for the coming year; W. S. Williams,
chairman; H. P. Slonecker, W. E. Ritchie, August Meyers
and John Cowperwaite. The secretary's books show re-
ceipts of $1509.82. There does not appear on the minutes
the amounts of expenditures, but the auditing committee
finds a balance in the treasury of $117.33. There was no
fair that year. The records do not show what the expendi-
tures were for.
At the annual meeting held Oct. 23, 1899, Phihp Unitt
was elected president; Wm. Smiley, vice-president; W. E.
Langworthy, treasurer; and E. C. Holland, secretary. The
president appomted W. C. Hartman, P. A. Lamdin, D. Zim-
merman, Geo. Poster and Wm. Smiley as board of directors.
At this meeting a most important move was made that re-
sulted in selling the old fair grounds and purchasing the new
location. It was moved by G. Babson and C. E. Holland
that the officers of the association sell the old fair grounds
and buy a new one. Amended to read thus, "That the
officers are instructed to see what a new location would cost
and also to learn what the old ohe could be sold for, and
that the meeting adjourn to the third Saturday in January,
1900 for a report." This motion carried.
At the appointed time January 20, 1900, there being no
quorum, the meeting adjourned to January 29. At this meet-
ing a new committee of three, viz: John Zimmerer, W. O.
Dickenson and E. Mclntyre were appointed to assist the of-
ficers in learning what the old grounds could be sold for and
what the new one could be bought for. The committee was
instructed to make a report to an adjourned meeting to be
held March 17, 1900. In due time the committee reported
that the old grounds could be sold for $2500, and that the
new grounds in the vicinity, including the Roberts grove,
would cost $3500. This meeting appointed a committee
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 351
to secure subscriptions and were required to report at the
meeting to be held March 24, 1900.
At said meeting report was favorably received and the
president and secretary were instructed to sell the old ground,
viz: nei of sei of section 29, town 11, range 3 east, and
purchase the new, consisting of the Roberts Grove and
grounds adjacent in section 20, town 11. range 3 east.
.Amount of ground not stated. At the annual meeting held
October 27, 1900, Phil Unitt was re-elected president; E.
C. Hollond was elected secretary, and W. E. Langworthy,
treasurer. The old board of Directors held over. Decem-
ber 1, 1900, the society authorized the officers to borrow
money to pay balance on the grounds.
We note amount cash on hand October 27, 1900, was
$183.85 and October 26, 1901, there had been received from
all sources $3,594.60 and paid out all but $88.01.
In 1901 the following officers were elected, viz: J. P.
Goehner, president; Geo. Dickman, seci-etary; Dr. Diers,
treasurer. Pebruary 10, 1902, we find the finances of the
society in bad shape with many judgments hanging over it
and a foreclosure threatened. However, there was a stipu-
lation between all judgment creditors that all proceedings
should be stayed until October 3, 1903. There was no fair
in 1902. At an adjournment meeting held, January 13th,
1903, W. E. Ritchie, was elected president; H. Wolvin, vice
president; Ed Mclntyre, secretary and J. L. Jergensen,
treasurer
We note that secretary's report. May 27, 1903, shows
total receipts of $5452.29 and expenditures of $5439.86. A
successful fair was held in September, 1903. Report of re-
ceipts for the year 1903, ending Decem'ber 4th, was $13243.38
and expenditures $12760.08 leaving a balance of $1483.90 but
somehow the treasurer's report shows on hand a balance of
$1568.44. October 31st, 1903, W. E. Ritchie was made presi
dent; E. Mclntyre, vice president and Thos. Wake, treasurer.
Report of July 4th, 1904, B. & M. picnic, showed receipts of
$1438.45. A successful fair was held in the autumn of 1904.
Reports of receipts, for the year is $16020.04, expenditures,
$15737.82, balance on hand December 19th, 1904, is $1282.20.
The society at this writing is in a flourishing condition,
352 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
being entirely free from debt, and is the owner of the best,
most beautiful and best equipped county fair grounds in the
state. The grounds are surrounded by a high substantial
woven wire fence with a splendid race track. The grounds
are beautifully shaded with native ash, walnut, elm and oak
trees and the ground is carpeted with a fine blue grass sward.
There are over a dozen finely arranged buildings for exhibits,
etc. The grounds are in close proximity to the city and.
handy to the tracks where excursionists can reach the gates
within a few steps. The beautiful river skirting the western
and southern border of the grounds forms an attractive
feature, where the pleasures of boating are at command on
gasoline launches. The grounds are picturesque and attrac-
tive.
Officers for 1905 are John Zimmerer, president; Phil
Unitt, vice peesident; H. A. Graff, treasurer and H. S.
Landis,. secretary. Board of directors are P. Poore, J. S.
Dillenbeck, E. Mclntyre, Geo. Davis and L. A. Rutan. Pres-
ident of board, John Zimmerer and secretary, H. D. Landis.
COURT HOUSE
The struggle over proposition to vote county bonds to
build a court house. The court house problem has been a
most difficult one to solve. When the county seat was finally
located at Seward in 1^71, the citizens of the town and im-
mediate vicinity chipped in and donated twelve hundred
dollars to help build a court house commensurate with the
needs of the young county. The building was built on a
block in Harris Motfitt and Roberts' addition now occupied
by the jail. The building was occupied some years until the
business of the county out grew the quarters when appart-
menls were rented in the Hedden block and other buildings,
for the various offices. The need of a proper building has
been felt for many years and propositions have been submitted
at different times which were not favorably received by the
people and they were snowed under. We give returns of an
election held in 1H98, when a bond proposition was unmerci-
fully handled. 2 198 votes were cast on the proposition and
only 700 were for the proposition. Again in 1901 a special
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 353
election was held to vote on a, proposition for court house
and jail to cost $80,000. Only 1744 votes were cast resulting
in a defeat. 704 votes for and 1040 against.
A new proposition for court house and jail to cost $100,-
000, $88,000 court house and $12,000 jail, was submitted in
the fall of 1904. This time the tide turned and the bond
proposition, (ten year optional bonds), were voted as follows:
240t3 for and 1228 against, giving a majority for of 1178.
The vote by precincts was as follows:
ecinct
For
Against
A
75
24
B
127
45
C
109
120
D
69
67
E
199
66
F
122
82
G
148
24
H
186
29
I
100
76
J
137
32
K
113
42
L
85
59
M, Beaver Crossing
121
108
M, Cordova
62
58
N
55
93
138
152
0, east
11
42
P
42
87
Seward
507
22
Totals 2406 1228
This proposition was so very popular that even the
south half of the county gave a majority for it of 96 votes.
The new court house will now soon be built and will adorn
the public square. The structure will be of stone and fire
proof. The building will be 80x100 feet. It is expected
that before many years the county will come into possession
of the estate of the late Lewis Moffitt, consisting of lands
supposed to be worth about $30,000, which will be applied in
354 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
liquidating the bonds. Before the corner stone of the struc-
ture is laid, we hope to have this book complete and that a
copy of it will have a place there, to be found and read in
the far off ages to come, when the beautiful temple of justice
may give way for another and grander one.
ASSESSMENTS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
We append the following table showing the growth from
year to year for many of the first years of the occupation.
We trust the reader will appreciate these old tables and com-
pare them with the new and thus be able to form a correct
idea of the phenomenal advancements.
ASSESSMENTS
1866 — Total number of acres of deeded land, 4,728. This
was all or about all speculator's land. The assessment on
land that year was $18,667, or nearly $4 per acre; personal
assessment, $10,880; total assessment, $29,747; total tax levy
for the year, $423, or nearly thirteen mills on the dollar for
all purposes. We have no means of ascertaining just how
much of the tax that year was collected.
We now skip over to the year 1870, and find 33,670 acres
on the list, and together with the personal property (they
were not divided) amounts to $120,160, or an increase of
28,942 acres of land, and a total increase of assessed value of
$90,413 in five years, or an average increase of more than-
$18,000 per year.
In 1875, we have assessed 275,204 acres of land, at
$1,025,439, or about $3.72 per acre. This year town proper-
ty begins to cut some figure, and we find it assessed at
$92,091; eleven miles of railroad, $67,480; personal, $412,234,
making a totalof $1,597,244.
In 1880, we find upon the assessment rolls 338,799 acres
of land valued at $3.56 per acre, or $1,216,669; town proper-
ty, $130,906; personal, $506,316; railroad (fifty-four miles),
$183,447; grand total, $2,037,337. In this year we find that
155,193 aeres were improved, and the following acreage of
crops reported: wheat, 53,877; corn, 67,294; oats, 7,824;
meadow, we suppose it to be tame, but it is not so stated,
1,614; number of fruit trees, 53,176; forest trees, 1,053,853.
J
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 355
1885- -We find the lands assessed at $4.01 per acre, and
total land assessment. $1,891,385; town property, $197,175;
personal, $S05,610; railroad, $270,437; total, $2,664,607.
1887 — Lands were assessed, $1,489,287; town property,
$234,651; personal, $805,311; railroads, $271,965; total,
$2,801,214.
These figures are sufficient to show something of the
growth of property for the twenty-two years from 1865 to
1H87, and that will answer our purpose without an ovesdose
of tables, which are usually rather dry reading.
We find that there was paid to the state treasurer dur-
ing the year 18^7, as our share of state tax, the snug sum of
$2 1,82 1.74, and that there was paid in collecting our principal
and interest on school and other state lands the additional
sum of $11,3S0. 90. We are quite well satisfied with the
showing.
CENSLS RETURNS.
YEAR. POP,
1st returns for the county . . 1870 2,953
2nd returns for the county 1874 7,429
3rd returns from co. , after grasshoppers, 1875 6,601
4th returns for the county 1876 6,875
5th returns for the county 1878 7,991
6th returns for the county 1880 11,095
7th returns for the county 1885 15,225
PRECINCTS BY CENSUS OF 1885
POPULATION NO, FARMS PAC'l'oKlKS
A 394 76
B 571 112
C (induing Staplehur.st) 1,076 139. ..... .11
D 777 140
E (including Utica) 1,335 160 10
F (including Tamora) 8H3 190
G (including Seward) 2,728 169 61
H 1,095 155
1 690 131
J 776 149
K 672 130
L H33 139
M 750 91
N 748 134
O (including Milford) 1,462 146 15
P 536 93
Totals 45,225.. ..2,554 97
356 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The reader will readily understand that our whole state
suffered a series of backsets during the panicky years and
the later census reports do not show very satisfactorily . We
all understand full well that the bottom came well nigh fall-
ing out and we really do not appreciate giving the tables of
late date, but if it were possible to get the figures for 1905,
we would have figures to be proud of. In 1890 the U. S.
census showed a total population of 16,140, and somehow in
1900 these figures were cut down to 15,690, but since that
date the growth has been very satisfactory. We have never
yet believed that we have lost in numbers, but we do believe
that the habit of stuffing the census in 1890, that was uni-
versal in the west had much to do with the comparative bad
showing of 1900. Prom the present conditions throughout
the county, in country villages and city, we feel safe in es-
timating the present population at from eighteen to nineteen
thousand.
The manufacturing industries, as given in the census ta-
bles, include every class of manufacturing, such as mills,
creameries, wagon shops, blacksmith shops, shoe shops, tin-
ners' shops, etc. We are sorry that it seems impossible to
obtain the amount of capital invested in manufacturing in-
dustries. The growth of such industries within the last
year has been most remarkable. Of these we will treat ful-
ly in another place.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF WEALTH AND POPULATION.
In 1883, Seward had $1,346,480, and was No. 13 in the
list of counties of our state.
1884, $2,513,184 and 12th.
1885, 2,664,607 " 9th.
1896, 2,722,020 " 8th.
. POPULATION
1870 Seward 2,953 and was 15th.
1874
7,429
8th.
1875
6,601
10th.
1876
6,875
9th.
1878
7,991
11th.
1880
11,095
11th.
1885
15,225
12th.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 357
PROPERTY LISTED IN 1904 A^ D VALUE
We find the following items of interest:
Cattle, 29,942 valued at $20 per head.
Horses, 12,106, valued at $70 per head.
Mules and Jacks, 829, valued at $91 per head.
Sheep, 5,800, valued at $2.26 per head.
Hogs, 37,225 valued at $6 per head.
Hives bees, 1,665 valued at $2.40 per stand.
Corn, 1,177,257 bu. valued at 35c per bu.
Poultry, 110,197 valued at 28c each.
Railroads, valued at $599,167.19.
Diamonds and silverware, $1231. (Shame.)
Threshers, 61
Corn shellers, 143.
Dogs, 2,449.
Wagons, carriages, etc., 5,548.
Bicycles and automobiles, 336.
Personal property, $8,729,395.95.
Land value, $17,801,780, an average of $45 per
acre for farm lands.
Total of tax collected in 1904 was $149,093.53. Paid to
to state treasurer, $27,129.28. Total value of real and per-
sonal property, $26,531,175, besides the railroad property.
EGGS AND POULTRY
Eggs and poultry have become a very important factor
among the varied productions of Seward county. We very
much regret that it is impossible to obtain anything like a
complete count of either the eggs or the poultry produced.
The manner in which they are handled precludes the idea of
correct statistics. The amount consumed on the farm can
never be known, and as the eggs are handled by the mer-
chants and sold at retail to customers in the city and vil-
lages, the amount of these sales can never be known, but
we will do some guessing, and the reader can guess for him-
self if not pleased with our guess. What we know is that
one firm, John Pleener, paid out in checks for eggs and
poultry (not divided) $87,916 during 1904. The average paid
for eggs was 14i cents per dQ^en, Herewith we append a
358 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
table of amounts
paid during (
3ach month from Jan. 1st to
Dec, 31st, 1904:
January,
$4,813 ■
February,
3,879
March,
10,585
April,
14,164
May,
12,719
June,
9,986
-
July,
10,718
August,
6,196
September
, 8,058 .
October,
5.822
November,
2,306
December,
2,772
Total,
.«87,916
Eggs average 14i cents per dozen. Eggs shipped from
B. & M. station at Seward, sixty car loads, or twenty-four
thousand cases; average value per case, $4.27, or a total of
$102,480. We estimate that the total home consumption at
one hundred dozen per family in city and country, or of four
hundred thousand dozen at price named amounts to $57,000.
TELEPHONE COMPANIES
The Nebraska Telephone Co. has four thousand and
thirty-four poles in the county and eight hundred ninety-live
and a half miles of wire and twenty-three hundred feet of
cable. They have four hundred forty-seven long distance
phones in use. They have toll stations at Bee, Goehner,
Beaver Crossing, Utica, Tamora, Germantown, Staplehurst,
Ruby, Milford and Pleasant Dale besides the central ex-
change at Seward, where they have in the city two hundred
and sixty-seven phones in use. There are one hundred and
forty-two farms connected with this system, and thirty-eight
in the villages. Number of miles of poles about two hun-
dred. Total valuation $56,091.25, Assessed value $11,218.25.
The use of the wires to all parts of the county are free to all
subscribers. Tolls to Lincoln and York 25c, to Omaha 50c.
To towns in the county, to other than subscribers, 15c.
Phones are charged from $4.50 per annum to farmers who
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 359
connect with their wires. Rates in town range from lifty
cents to $8 per month.
Tlie Seward County Telephone Co. was organized at
Beaver Crossing in March, 1908, with a capital stock of $50,-
000, and is chartered under the laws of Nebraska. It has at
this writing, (May, 1905), one hundred and tifty-five miles of
pole line in the county, outside of Seward. They have five
hundred instruments, now in use, and the number is rapidly
increasing. They have exchanges at Beaver Crossing, Utica,
Tamora, Milfoid and Seward, where they connect with the
Automatic from Lincoln. They have connections with all
metalic lines in the state. The county is fast becoming a net
work of wires. In the Central office at Seward, they have
machinery of the latest and most improved pattern. The
company have put up works in Seward that show that they
have come to stay and do good work. The present oflicers
are Jacob Gies, president; J. P. Mayhew, vice president; J.
H. Ritchie, secretary and W. J. Orgon, treasurer. Directors
are Chris Klemm, J. R. Lawyer. E. H. Strayer, Henry Gake
and C. L. Swartz. The company is progressive and aggres-
sive, using the best of material in every department. All
that brains and money will do, is brought into requisition.
It is quite an object lesson to step into the Central office and
look over the plant.
A LITTLE STORY
John had his gun and he knew how to use it. The peo-
ple that have known John D. Olney for so many years in
Seward county, and then so many years at University Place,
would hardly take him to be a fighter. John came to Neb-
raska in 1865, just after serving Uncle Sam in the army, and
like most old soldiers, he was ready for business. One day
John was on his way from the Oak Groves to Nebraska City,
and at eventide concluded to camp at the bridge on the steam
wagon road where it crosses Salt creek near the oldCadman
ranch. John found the camp ground (now Epworth Park)
occupied by three stalwart Missourians, father and two great
strong burly sons. The old man was one of the most vicious
old "rebs" that ever struck Nebraska, and the two young
360 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
men were not far behind him. For reasons known to our-
self we refrain from giving their names, although we were
personally acquainted with them. By some cut of his jib,
the old fellow discovered that John was a union soldier, and
met him in this cordial manner, "Sir, no d Lincoln hire-
ling can camp on this ground and stay above ground," and
made a grab for his rifle. John was "up to snuff," and in-
stantly he drew^ a bead on the old fellow, and cried, "Hands
up!" His hands went up. At that moment the young men
approached, and John cried, "Hands up, or you will go to
kingdom come in an instant." They obeyed, and John had
three prisoners, with their arms stacked. About this time,
two other travelers came along, and they proved to be union
soldiers. The "rebs" begged like whipped puppies. John
said to them, "If you can learn to behave, all right."
They were fully ready. The old fellow became quite
well acquainted with John after that and w^as always ready
to take otf his hat to him. Ever after that experience the
old fellow and his boys were careful about insulting union
men.
CHAPTKR XIX.
SEWARD COUNTY BANKS
STATE BANK OF NEBRASKA
The state Bank of Nebraska was founded in the spring
of 1H73 by Claudius Jones, with a supposed capital of fifty
thousand dollars. It was run under his management very
successfully until 1879, when he sold out to A. W. Ocabock
and associates who sold it to John Cuttle Sr. in 1881,
Feb. 11, some time afterwards, his son John became a part-
ner, and later his younger son Walter also joined the partner-
ship. The bank was incorporated in 1889, June 29th, with
John Cattle Sr. as first president; John Cattle, Jr., as first
vice-president, and Walter second vice president; and C. W.
Barkley, cashier. The bank now has a paid up capital of
$60,000 and surplus and undivided profits of $10,000. The
•present officers are John Cattle, Sr. , president; Walter Cat-
tle, first vice-president; B, E. Cattle, second vice-president;,
and C. W. Barkley, cashier. The bank has enjoyed the full
confidence of the public since its first opening day in 1873.
The venerable president is now past eighty-six years of age
and is yet hale and hearty. Death removed the first vice-
president in 1902. Mr. Barkley has been cashier of the in-
stitution since 1879 except once (1892) when he was oft on a
tangent in Oklahoma. John Cattle, Sr. , died in England
last spring. At this date, Aug. 1, 1905, the deposits are
$222,500.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SEWARD
The First National Bank was an outgrowth of the Sew-
ard County Bank which was organized in the spring of 187(i,
with S. C. Langworthy as president, and Miss Ida M.
Langworthy. cashier; capital stock, $10,000; chart(>rod as a
national bank in 1882 with capital stock of $50,000; bills is-
sued $11,250, and by a change in the law, the bills in circula-
tion is $12,500. The first stockholders were S. C. Langwor-
thy, Herman Diers, W. E. Chapin, Isaac Holt, John Zimmer-
er, T. E. Sanders and E. Mclntyre. First officers were S.
C. Langworthy, president: H. Diers, vice-president; T. E.
362 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Sanders, cashier. Present stockholders are Joel Tishire,
Herman Diers, John Zimmerer, E. Mclntyre, S. R. and
Jane E. Douglass, W. E. and Jessie T. Langworthy. The
present officers are Joel Tishue, president; Herman Diers,
vice-president; W. E. Langworthy, .cashier; W. C. Tishue
and J. F. Zimmerer, assistant cashiers. Deposits at end of
1904 were $2H0,000. Individual responsibility is over one-
half million. The bank has been in good financial condition
since the doors were first opened in the spring of ls76. Is
one among the strong financial institutions of the state.
JONES NATIONAL BANK
The Jones National Bank is our strongest financial in-
stitution, and we may well say it is one of the very strong
banks of our state. It was organized in 1884 with a capital
stock of $50,000. Claudius Jones was its first president and
H. T. Jones its first cashier. Its present officers are, H. T.
Jones, president; J. J. Thomas, vice-president; T. H. Wake,
cashier; and A. D. Lewis, assistant cashier. The board of
directors are H. T. Jones, J. J. Thomas, T. H. Wake, E. J.
Wake and W. B. Thorpe. The bank has lately moved into
their elegant new quarters north of the square where they
have a building fitted up in the most modern style, with ev-
ery convenience, with a safe that would try the mettle of the
most expert burglar. They have put in fifty-six safety de-
posit boxes for their customers. The last statement made
in May, 1905 shows deposits of $425,000 and loans of $320,000.
NEBRASKA STATE BANK OF MILFORD
The Nebraska State Bank of Milford was organized in
1888 with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars, with six-
teen thousand dollars paid in, and with five thousand five
hundred dollars surplus and profits. F. S. Johnson, presi-
dent and Geo. E. Salladin, cashier. Last statement issued,
the bank has eighty-five thousand dollars deposits. The
bank is just now completing a new brick block to be occu-
pied as a banking house and post office at a cost of six thous-
and dollars. The bank has from the first enjoyed first class
credit. On the night of Aug. 19, 1904, the bank had some
visitors who desired money without proper checks. With a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 363
charge of dynamite, they blew the outer door off the safe,
but failed to get into the cash box.
THE FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANK OF MILFORD
This bank was organized in April, 1903 with a capital
stock of forty thousand dollars; deposits at last statement
were eighty thousand dollars. John Englehaupt was presi-
dent, Floyd Seybolt, cashier. The bank occupies a splendid
new brick building erected in 1904. The present president
is Mr. E. H. Strayer.
MERCHANTS BANK OF UTICA
This bank was founded in July. 1883 with G. F. Hurl-
burt, president; C. S. Hurlburt, cashier; Thos. Standard,
Geo. Ligget and John Wilkings, were stockholders. Capital
stock was $10,000 and was increased later to $20,000. Mr.
G. F. Hurlburt remains president, C. G. Hurlburt is vice-
president, and Miss Mamie Thygenson, cashier. The con-
cern now belongs to G. F. and C. G. Hurlburt. Deposits,
$75,000.
UTICA BANK
This is one of the strong financial institutions of the
county and the leading banking house of Utica. It was
founded in 1883 by John Davies and Thos. Brant, with Mr.
Davies as president and Mr. Brant as cashier. Jan. ], 1887,
it was reorganized with a capital stock of $20,000 with Fritz
Beckard as president; J. E. Hibard, vice president; Joseph
Jones, director and T. J. Brant, cashier. Mr. Beckard re-
mains president to this date; G. G. Jones, cashier; and T. H.
Beckard, assistant cashier. In later years the capital stock
was cut down to $14,000. Deposits at this date, . $95,841.29.
The bank seems to be as Urm as Gibralter and as strong as
Togo's fleet.
STATE BANK OF BEAVER CROSSING
Was organized in March, 1887 with a capital stock of
$25,000. F. M. Dimey, Isaac Holt, A, D. Ritchie, R. 8.
Norval and T. E. Sanders were stockholders. The first
officers were R. S. Norval, president; F. M. Dimey, vice-
president; and T. E. Sanders, cashier. Mr. Sanders resign-
ed in 1889 and M. W. Warner was elected and has held the
364 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
position since that date. Mr. Norval sold bis interest in
1890 to L. E. Soutliwick of Friend, Nebr., who succeeded to
the presidency and lias held that position to the present
time. In 1890 A. D. Ritchie was elected vice-president and
held the position until death removed him, and his successor
is W. O. Soutliwick. The bank has enjoyed a tirst class
credit all these years. They are at this writing building a
very substantial and beautiful brick building at an estimated
cost of three thousand dollars. The last statement shows
$82,241.49 in deposits.
TAMORA FARMERS EXCHANGE BANK
The Tamora Farmers Exchange Bank was organized in
1903 with an authorized capital of $50,000 and a paid up cap-
ital of five thousand dollars. The stockholders are E. R.
Gurney, Frank Anstine, Dr. B. F. Williams, J. W. Daily,
F. W. Ruzicka. These gentlemen are also directors. Frank
Anstine is president; E. R. Gurney, vice-president; F. VV.
Ruzicka, cashier. Deposits, seventeen thousand dollars and
they are growing rapidly. The bank seems to have plenty
of money to accomodate all its customers, and is of great
value to the village and farming community.
GERMANTOWN STATE BANK
The Germantown State Bank was established in June,
1904 as successor to the Bank of Germantown. The stock-
holders ore E. R, Gurney, W. E. Daily, and J. W. Daily.
Capital stock, $7,500 Officers: E. R. Gurney, president;
W. E. Daily, vice-president; J. W. Daily, cashier. Accord-
ing to statement of the cashier, deposits Sep. 1, 1904 were
$50,000.
FIRST STATE RANK OF PLEASANT DALE
This bank was organized in the spring of 1902 with J.
H. Merrill, president; J. H. Bishop, vice-president; A. F.
Ackerman, cashier; H. K. Frautz and E. Bartlett, directors.
Capital stock, $5,000; deposits at this date, fifty-eight thous-
and dollars. The bank owns and occupies a very tasty and
complete brick building. It enjoys the confidence of the
community, and seems to be in a very flourishing condition,
and is of great value to the business interests of the village.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 365
STATE BANK OF BEE
Organized Sep. 1, 1902; capital stock, $5,000; H. T.
Jones, president; T. H. Wake, vice-president; W. B. Thorpe,
cashier; deposits at this writing, $35,000. Bank owns a sub-
stantial small brick building. Doing a very nice and satis-
factory business.
GOEHNER STATE BANK
Was organized in Jan., 1903 with $5,000 capital, with A.
G. McGrew, president and J. D. Hamilton, cashier. These
with W. F. Niehouse were the principal stockholders. De-
posits at present, $28,000. The bank occupies a nice brick
building. The present officers are A. G. McGrew, presi-
dent; W. F. Niehouse, vice-president; and A. E. Graff, cash-
ier. The bank enjoys a first class credit.
BANK OF STAPLEHURST
Founded Feb. 8, 1886; capital stock, $5,000; L. Jorgen-
sen, president; E. Jacobs, cashier; director, P. C. Nelson; in
1901 the capital was increased to ten thousand dollars,
with $2,000 surplus earnings. The bank has an excellent
brick structure. The institution is in a flourishing condi-
tion and enjoys a splendid business. The present president
is E. Jacobs; J. L. Jorgensen, cashier.
CHAPTER XX.
STATE INSTITUTIONS OF SEWARD COUNTY
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS' HOME
The twenty-fourth session of the legislature, which con-
vened Jan. 1, 1895, House Roll No. 284, was passed and ap-
proved by the governor April 9, 1895, establishing a branch
of the Soldiers and Sailors Home within a mile of Milford,
Nebraska, on conditions as follows: Provided a lease for
two years to the state of thirty- five acres of ground and
buildings, known as the Sanitarium Park and Springs.
Situated on the nwi of nwi of section 12, township 9, range
3, east of 6th P. M. in Seward county, Nebraska, together
with the three-story brick and stone buildings thereon.
This act carried an appropriation of eight thousand dollars.
In due time the lease was executed and the state took form-
al possession and the Home was dedicated September, 1895
with appropriate ceremonies.
Captain J. H.- Culver was installed as first commander
with his son. Lieutenant Elvin E. Culver, as Adjutant with-
out salary. Isaac Brockin was the first soldier admitted
October 1, 1895. J. F. Adams was next admitted same day.
Up to November 19th, there had been received ten addition-
al soldiers, as follows: Lorenzo S. Miller, W. Shultz, John S.
Patton, J. A. Littlefield, B. F. Culp, John Resh and Felix
Cornabe, (still members) David Daud, J. W. Cleney and Joy
Wagner. On Christmas day Francis Jourden was admitted
in time to partake of the feast of turkey. As commander,
J. N. Fowler succeeded Culver and Charles Penn, the pres-
ent commander succeeded Fowler. J. H. Perkinsen was the
second adjutant, the first to receive pay from the state as
adjutant, who was succeeded by Joseph Brooks, the present
incumbent, who was appointed in 1901. There are one hun-
dred and ten men and two women on the roll of membership.
368 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The officers inform us that it is possible to care for one hun-
dred and twenty-five in present quarters, and that when tlie
building under construction is complete, the capacity will be
sufficient for two hundred. The old building is in a good
state of repair and everything has been done by the state to
make the place a pleasant dwelling place for the old boys.
Ln our numerous visits to the Home we have sought in-
formation from the inmates and officers as to the actual con-
ditions. Nearly all of the boys express themselves as well
satisfied. They are generally cheerful and as happy and
contented as we could hope to see them, considering that
many of them are very feeble and some almost helpless.
We found most of them with smiles upon their faces, and
our greeting among them has alw^ays been hearty. The
boys about all agree that the officers are very attentive
to the wants of all the inmates and that kindness rules
every hour. We were pleased to sit at the table with the
boys and then with the officers, and we found that all fared
alike. The tables are supplied with all the necessaries and
many luxuries. Am glad to tell the readers that our dear
old boys are kindly cared for.
The grounds of the Home are ideal. Situated on the
crown of a beautiful little hill, furnishing perfect drainage,
over- looking a vast stretch of the Blue River valley, with its
long line of timber forming graceful semi-circles up and
down the broad valley, with the western slope of the plain
to the eastward which is crowned by the buildings of the
Industrial Home, with clusters of timber and orchards, with
green fields and meadows, unsurpassed for loveliness, with
the bustling village just at the northwest, forming a back
ground too beautiful for my poor pen to describe. The
grounds have a gentle incline to the eastward and southward.
The grand river comes sweeping by around a gentle curve,
rushing over riffles of rocky bed and the little creek joining
it just to the southeast, all beautiful with native trees, what
could be more delightful? The old building is stately and
majestic and the new one is said to be the best specimen of
architecture in Nebraska and will be fitted up with all mod-
ern appliances for the care of the sick and disableed. They
are now inaugurating a power plant to supply water, light
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 369
and heat to every part of the buildings. Have a new power
house 27x45 fitted with a Kewanee boiler and splendid dina-
mo. These have been constructed under the supervision of
James Tyler, state architect and J. J. Butler, superintendent.
The new buildings are so thoroughly substantial that it is
possible for them to stand and be useful a thousand years.
Many members of the Home testify as to the value of the
mineral springs of refreshing water that comes gushing from
the rocky banks of the river. Many cases of rheumatism
and kidney diseases are reputed to be greatly benefited or
cured by the use of them. The state and Seward county can
justly be proud of the Soldier's Home at Milford.
Rev. Dr. Joseph Presson was appointed commander, Feb-
ruary (3, 1905, and assumed duties of the office, March 16,
1905, and he appointed M. R. Persinger adjutant. Comman-
dant Presson is making many valuable improvements in and
around the Home.
INDUSTRIAL HOME AT MILFORD
By an act of the legislature this humane institution was
established and the Home was founded in 1887. It was lo-
cated on forty acres of beautiful land one mile east of Milford
in a sightly location, overlooking the splendid valley of the
Blue for many miles northward and southward and having
in its front the handsome village with its great mill and
the fine edifices of the Soldiers Home. For a back ground
it has an array of farms magnificent, with the rail road
skirting near its northern border. Under the guiding hands
of the Board of public lands and buildings, two com-
modious structures have been erected with all modern ap-
pliances for the proper care of the inmates, each containing
twenty -five neat and thoroughly furnished rooms besides
closets, bath rooms, etc. A fine power house to furnish
water, heat and light to every appartment. Beautiful trees
furnish ample shade and the place would seem a little Para-
dise. So far as we could see, it looks like a little Heaven
below. The Home was dedicated in 1888 and the first in-
mate was admitted May 1, 1889. At the present writing the
number of women (rather girls) in the Home is twenty-eight.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 371
Present capacity is about fifty. In this enumeration children
are not counted. Five hundred and seventy-six ^irls have
been admitted to this date. Babes are furnished homes in
respectable families as soon as possible, but are under the
watchful care of lady managers, of whom Mrs. Thos. Gra-
ham, of Seward, is one.
In the first biennial report we glean the following facts:
The first board of trustees consisted, of sixteen ladies of high
standing, as follows: Mesdames G. W. Clark, C. E. Cas-
caden, W. B. Smith, N. W. Harlan, L. H. Russell, T. L.
Norval, Todd, L. W. Roehne, M. M. Davi.son, G. McDowel
C. H. Gere, O. N. Humphry, E. E. Brown, Dr. Proeder
Lankton, M. I. Band, and W. S. Latta.
Fii-st ofticers were Mrs. E. M. Perkins, superintendent;
Mrs. E. Kent, matron; Mrs. E. L. Smith, teacher; Mrs. U.
A. Whitaker, dress-maker; M. Williams, cook; Minnie
Johnson, laundress; A. W. Patterson, engineer; Geo. Mar-
greum, farmer.
We scan from first report the following interesting facts:
The whole number admitted up to November 30, 1890, was 57;
of American parentage, 38; of foreign parentage, 19;
number honorably discharged, 14; adults in Home, 21; num-
ber of children born, 45; total number for whom homes were
found, 16; number of children sent to Home of Friendless, 2.
The institution is intended to be reformatory as well as
charatable in character. Each inmate, when in good health,
is required to perform useful labor, and are instructed in
cooking, dress-making, general house work and nursing.
A school is maintained in which the common English
branches are taught. Religious services are held every
Sabbath. The whole atmosphere of the Home is moral and
the poor inmates are pointed to a higher and better life and
many leave the Home with high resolves to lead noble lives,
and we learn that many have gone out to become worthy and
valuable women in the world.
The last biennial report issued November 30, 1902,
gives many interesting facts; we quote as far as our space
will allow: Total number of adults at the Home Dec. 1, 1900,
29; number admitted to Dec. 1, 1902, 60. Average age of
inmates is 19i years. Number returned to friends, 41; num-
01
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 373
ber married, 14; number placed in homes to work, 28; num-
ber in Home Dec. 1, 1902, 53; number of children in Home
Dec. 1, 1900, 20; number Dec 1, 1902, 23; number born in the
two years, 56; number transferred to Home of Friendless, 3;
adopted, 5; total number of adults and children cared for
each year, 82, at an average cost of 93 cents per week per
capita. We note that the total appropriations for maintain-
ance for the two years w^as $21,150, and the amount paid out
was $15,426.29, leaving a balance of $5,723.71.
The present advisory board consists of three ladies, as
follows: Mrs. Cullen Thompson, president; Mrs. Dr. Towne,
vice-president; Mrs. Burlingame, secretary. Application
committee: Mrs. A. J. Sawyer, Lincoln; Mrs. Thos. Graham,
Seward. Officers: Miss Margaret Kaely. superintendent;
Edith Sanders, physician; Hariet Shoaf, matron. Em-
ployees: Etta Brooks, secretary and teacher; Lydia Dillen-
beck, sewing teacher; Carn Johnson, nurse; W. G. Beach-
ler, engineer; J. O. Kent, farmer.
The Home is truly answering the high object for which
it was created; sheltering, protecting and helping to reform
the wayward and unfortunate girls that desire a better life.
They receive, by moral teaching and training, that uplift
that will tend to respectability and usefulness. May the
God of love and mercy bless the Industrial Home!
Mrs. A. J. Albright was appointed superintendent in
March, 1905.
374
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA "
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CHAPTER XXI.
CITY OF SEWARD AND HER INSTITUTIONS
Schools— Post Office— German College— Water Works— Electric Light
Plant — Fire Department— Rail Road Business— Cereal Mills— Flour
Mills— Brick Yard — Building and Loan Association.
THE CITY OF SEWARD IN 1905
Seward is not a great city and makes no pretentions in
that line, but among the many beautiful cities of Nebraska
that are doing nobly, Seward stands without a rival in its
class as a city of beautiful homes and of substantial wealth.
Nearly every business interest of the city is housed in good
substantial brick structures built on modern plans. The
streets cross at right angles and are broad and clean. The
drainage is as near perfect as nature could make it. The
city stands upon a broad plateau sloping westward, south-
ward and eastward. Blue river, with its beautiful fringes of
timber forms the w^estern and southern boundary, and Plum
creek forms the eastern boundary. Lincoln creek, grand and
beautiful, joins the river just at the west line of the city and
materially helps to form a grand panorama. On this com-
manding ground the city stands in a place of scenic beauty ,
overlooking these streams as they meander through verdant
fiekls forming graceful curves and semicircles. The city is
•nicely shaded throughout with handsome trees. Splendid
brick sidewalks grace nearly all streets, there being now
over ten miles of these walks that would be an ornament to
a city of a hundred thousand people. Nearly all the resi-
dence streets are neatly parked along the walks.
About fifty commodious brick structures adorn the
business streets where every mercantile interest is repre-
sented. Three lovely parks furnish ample play grounds for
the people where rest and shade are attractions. These, be-
376 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
sides the fair grounds, known as the finest and best improved
of any in the west. These with scores of palatial residences
adorning every street;. with gardens of transcendent beauty,
with nine churches where the good people may worship,
with her splendid high school and growing college, with her
great mills, and last but not least, her new grand court
house that will adorn our public square. With her excel-
lent water and water system, and her electric light plant,
with her perfect telephone system. Her well kept publi ; li-
brary and thousand other conveniences, with ten daily mails
and ten regular passenger trains, and ten regular fr'-' rht
trains reaching out in six directions, with twenty-five li
dred prosperous and happy people, making Seward ke
an "apple of gold set in a picture of silver."
It is an ideal home place, growing more and more ^
tiful as the years roll on, surrounded by a farming cot
equal to the best on this green earth. She will grow in •
portance through all the years to come. She that was
known in other years as the ' 'sleeping beauty of the Blue
valley" has thoroughly awakened and is now known as ^
most busy sparkling gem of these western prairies.
SEWARD SCHOOLS
OUR OLD LOG SCHOOL HOUSE
Away back in 1866 when this land of our was yet new
and while Seward had not yet been named, a few" pioneers
decided that a school was a necessity. Our district was yet
without a number and its boundaries were quite indefinite.
Its eastern boundary was the east line of the county, its
northern and western boundaries were the channel of the
Platte river and the southern boundary was a matter of con-
tention between we people and the settlement at Milford.
Some portions of our district did not take much interest in
our school house or our school. The three or four ranch-
men along the Platte seemed quite indifferent. The one
settler at the Oak Grove, John Scott, had not heard of the
arrangement, and those fellows away down the river were
looking for something nearer home. So we only had help
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
3
t (
from those living within a radius of about five miles. The
interested parties consisted of thirteen familes scattered
along Plum Creek, Lincoln Creek and the Blue. A school
meeting was called late in the summer of 1866. We met on
the prairie near Mrs. Spears' present home. We had no
school officers, no school fund, no money and no credit.
The Old Seward School House
We voted no bonds, but we voted a school house. We
taxed ourselves each four round logs to be delivered on the
ground. Lewis Mottit taxed himself one acre of ground,
worth a dollar and a quarter, and we taxed ourselves with
the necessary labor to construct the edifice. We searched
our premises to find a few 8x10 window glass and a few
rough boards to construct a door and a few benches. We
made w^ooden hinges to hang the door. We used the virgin
prairie sod for a ttoor. We cut willows along the river to
cover the structure, then we ploughed sod with which to
shingle it, and soon we rejoiced that we had a place to send
our children to school, and that we had a meeting house, a
378 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
court house, and an election booth all our own and not a
cent in debt. This log shanty served a noble purpose for
several years and until the village was on a footing to grap-
ple with something better.
The first term of school was commenced in early No-
vember and ended into a violent blizzard in January, 1867.
There were thirty-two scholars in attendance. As a matter
of curiosity we will mention their names as far as memory
serves us. Miss Sarah Imlay, later Mrs. A. Anderson,
Josephine Imlay, now Mrs. J. Williams, Addison and D. M.
Imley, John Clark, .Tames Jasper, Marrian and Douglas
Roberts, Mary Moftitt, now Mrs. D. P. Imlay, Elsie Clark,
now Mrs. C. Boyes, Mirum Clark, now Mrs. Stubb, Moulton
and Victor Clark, Leroy Moffitt, Fred Garner, Kate J. Cox,
now Mrs. J. A. Ruly, Nettie M. Cox, later Mrs. F. Pingree,
Rolla Cooper, Lucy Clark, two other Cooper boys, names
forgotten. The balance of the little flock are lost to
us in the hurrying crowds of the world. Many of
that company have gone to their long home, yet it
is a source of pride and pleasure that so many scholars
that waded snow drifts across bleak prairies that dread-
ful winter to that humble cabin, have made honorable
marks in the world. Among them we count two ministers,
four business men, two successful teachers, both gone to
their reward, one doctor, some good farmers, some noble
mothers and some grand mothers. We are glad tiiat we had
the honor of being the first teacher in the long line of honora-
ble men and women who have led the youth of our communi-
ty along the plain to higher ground.
As stated in the above, the old log cabin served the
people until the fall of 1870. x\Ir. Cox was succeeded by
S. C. Ross and Miss Ella Tuttle, now Mrs. Martin Ligett.
Then the old cabin was pulled down and moved away, and
what was known for years as the old sway backed house,
which occupied the lot where H. Vanderhoof 's house now
stands, was rented and Miss Mattie Boyes, now Mrs. K. 01m-
stead, taught. Next L. G. Johns built a little building on
Butler l:loca- cDri^or and taught and was followed by
Miss McKillip, now Mr. Johns' good wife.
In about 1871, Dist. No. 9 was organized and built asmall
New Seward High School Building
380 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
school house on the grounds now. occupied by the high school
buildings and H. M. Coleman taught the first term in it, and
was followed by J. D. Messenger. About this time Prof. O.
S. Ingham taught several terms of private school in the old
court house, and was followed by Miss Ella Benson, now
Mrs. C. L. Lewis. This lady was employed in various de-
partments in our schools twelve consecutive years. The
old high school building (brick) was erected in 1874 and
Prof. Ingham was principal for two years with Mrs. A. S.
Padock, Mrs. Merrill and Miss Benson as assistants.
Since that time (1876) the following persons have superin-
tended the schools: Mr. Phillips, H. H. Wilson, J. M. Scott,
H. Cummins, W. J. Wise, N. P. Daun, J. F. Burkett. J. S.
Van Eaton, W. W. Stoner and P. C. Williams.
Among the noble teachers that finished their work and
gone to their reward were, A. A. Dershimer, Miss Berge,
Miss June Taylor and Miss Nettie M. Cox.
The board of education soon found a lack of room for
the growing school and added a large addition to the high
school building, and added from time to time frame build-
ings for the lower grades until they had five of these frame
buildings in different parts of the city. In 1904 these frame
structures were disposed of and a large new brick was
erected at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars. It is a beauti-
ful structure, built on modern plans with all useful furnish-
ings. It contains one audience room with seating capacity
for five hundred guests. It was dedicated with appropriate
ceremonies in September, 1904. This is considered one of
the finest school buildings in the state. In 1888 there had
been ten classes graduated and at that time the cost of main-
tainance was $5,600 per annum. In 1905 they graduated
the 23d class. The present corps of teachers are 13; scho-
lars enrolled in 1905, is about 500. Cost of maintainance in
1904 was about $9,000.
The school is progressive and ranks high among the
schools of the state. Among the many prominet members
of the school boards of the past, Claudius Jones, H. L.
Boyes, G. Babson, all now dead, and R. S. Norval, Mrs. S.
C. Langworthy, Mrs. E. M. Spear, A. J. Calender, andD. C.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 381
Work. The present board is composed of Dr. P. A. Marsh,
L. J. Anderson, R. E. Dumphey, H. M. Miller, William
Moore and D. E. Holland.
HISTORY OF THE SE>»^ARD POST.OFFICE
In 1H64, lH6r>, 1H60, the settlers of this vicinity s:ot their
mail in a sort of a hap-hazard way. Some of it was directed
to Camden, some to Lancaster, some to Nebraska City, and
perhaps some to Plattsmouth; and it was the custom for ev
ery person visiting any of the offices to enquire for all the
neighborhood.
In the winter of 1866-67, the citizens met and consulted
about getting a postoffice. It was urged that Lewis Moffitt
ought to take the office as he lives on the prospective town
site, but he declined the honor, and the settlement was non-
plussed and did not know just what to do.
During the winter the writer took it into his head that
he would try to lind a solution to the question, and wrote to
our delegate in congress (John Taffe) and begged him to go
over to the department and secure the appointment of Lewis
Moffitt as postmaster for Seward, Nebr., which he imme-
diately proceeded to do, and a'l of a sudden Mr. Moffitt re-
ceived his appointment. He felt sold, but it would not do
to back square out, so he qualified and accepted the inev-
itable; and when he fully realized the munificent salary of
$1 per month or twelve dollars per year, he became fully
reconciled. Now we had a postoffine but no mail route.
The government allowed two dollars per quarter for mail
service, but men were not quite so anxious for place then as
now, and we had to hold out other and better inducements.
So we made up a pony purse sufficient to pay one dollar and
fifty cents per week, and hired E. L. Clark, a one-armed sol-
dier, to make the trip once a week to Camden at the freight
road. Mr. Clark made his trips on foot and carried the mail
in an old haversack, so we were pretty well supplied with
mail, but it cost many of us pretty dearly. Mr. Moffitt re-
tained the office until July, 1868, when he resigned his lucra-
tive trust to W. R. Davis. Mr. Davis held the office in the
store of Beaty & Davis. His salary was twelve dollars per
382 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
year at first, but under fine manipulation an advance to
twenty-five dollars was soon secured. At that time the pay
of the postmaster was gauged by the amount of postage sold,
and friend Davis urged every one to take just as many post-
age stamps as possible in the way of change, etc. He had
to make a good showing, and he did. Postage stamps were
good property and everybody had plenty of them.
Our first government mail route was established in July,
1869, between here and Lincoln, via the Oak Groves. At
first it was a weekly concern, and within the following year
it became a semi-weekly, and finally a tri-weekly. Some
said it was a tri-weekly because they tried every week to
get mail through but frequently failed. Mr. Davis retained
the office until the spring of 1871, when he resigned and E.
L. Clark secured the appointment. The salary had advanced
to fifty dollars per year under Mr. Davis' administration,
and his last quarter had shown such an increase of business
that the salary was raised to $240 per year, and in 1H72 it
was further advanced to $320. L. G. Johiis was appointed
in January, 1873, and held the office until January, 1877. His
salary was increased by degrees until it reached $1300 per
annum and $240 per year for clerk hire. When he took pos-
session, there was only one daily mail from Lincoln. Dur-
ing 1873, railroad mail service was introduced. There were
established during his administration, star routes as follows:
to York, tri-weekly; Crete to Columbus, tri-weekly; Orton
and Stromsburg, semi- weekly; Seward and Dorchester, tri-
weekly.
Money order office was established in July, 1872. The
largest money order business was done in 1873, prior to the
opening of our first bank.
When Mr. Johns took possession, the fixtures of the
office consisted of a desk and a case of pigeon holes worth
about $20. He placed $300 worth of fixtures in the office.
Redford received his appointment in January 1877, and
held the place about four years, when Chas. Vanpelt re-
ceived the appointment, in 1881. During Mr. V's tenure,
the Morris keyless lock was introduced into the office.
During his term the salary was at its maximum; or $1700
per annum.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY," NEBRASKA
383
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384 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Thei-e were two semi-weekly star routes until 1S84, and
there were during his whole term four daily mails by rail.
John Kettle received his appointment July 1, 1885. Star
routes all closed. Six daily mails and arrangements nearly
perfected for two more. Value of fixtures, about $2,000 hav-
ing just put in a new and complete outfit of improved Mor-
ris lock boxes, which is said to be one of the finest in the
west. Box rent amounts to $170 per quarter. Money order
business is about $2,000 per quarter.
E. A. Polley succeeded Mr. Kettle in 1889 and C. S. Al
ling succeeded Polley in 1893. Died in ofltice and was suc-
ceeded by Joseph Dupin in the summer of 1894, and in 1897,
P. G. Simmons succeeded Dupin, and he resigned in Februa-
ry, 1900, and Wm. Royer, the present incumbent, was ap-
pointed in April, 1900. Seward is now served with ten mails
six days in the w^eek and four on Sunday. There are at the
present writing six rural routes" out of Seward. There are
nineteen in the county. The county has twelve postofftces.
Seward is yet in the list of third class offices, but almost
ready to enter the second class list. Her showing of busi-
ness during 1904 was $6,594.80, and only lacking less than
$1,500 to place it on the second class list. Salary now paid
the postmaster is $1,800, with office rent, fuel and lights fur-
nished. The government pays $450 per annum rent with
fuel and lights. Box rent collected in 1904 was $493.23.
Money orders sold in 1904 were 6,595, aggregating approxi-
mately $20,000.
The rural routes have a tendency to cut down receipts
from box rent. During the fall of 1904, the location of the
office was changed to new and more commodious quarters.
Nasby used to have much to say about the postoffice at the
corners, but Sew^ard can talk about her postoffice on the al-
ley. The present quarters are quite an improvement on
the old, yet it is nothing for our flourishing city to be proud
of. The room is cramped and narrowly constructed to say
the least: It is not up to the needs of a growing and pros-
perous city like this. The office at Milford, probably less
than half the patronage of this, maintains an office that
would make any citizen of Seward ashamed of his town, or
rather his postoffice at the alley. What Seward needs and
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
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386 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
is fully entitled to is a government postoffice built on modern
plans, with rooms and fixtures commensurate with the grow-
ing needs of this wide-awake community, and we deem it
high time for the citizens to take this important matter in
hand and see that our congressman "gets a move on him-
self." The large towns have been most wonderfully pro-
vided for. Now it is about time that the county towns of
the country should have a hand in the creek.
The amount of money spent on that great castle in
Omaha would put a very respectable office building in every
county seat in Nebraska. The time has fully come when
the country people should let congress know that they have
some rights that should be respected.
We cannot close this chapter without a word in regard
to the postoffices of the county.
The first office was established at the old Camden bridge
just by the south line of the county, and at the forks of the
river, at the old ranch, in 1863.
Thus we have endeavored to trace as neatly as possible,
step by step, our postoffice business and mail service through
all its stages from the beginning of our settlement here un-
til the present time.
We would not have the reader understand that we are
casting any reflection upon the owner of our postoffice build-
ing, but the narrow policy of the postoffice department in
dealing with small cities.
■^i-i
GERMAN NORMAL SCHOOL
German Evangelical Lutheran Teachers' Seminary of
Seward, Nebraska, was founded in the spring of 1894. Some
of the enterprising German American citizens, led by such
men as Herman Diers, J. F. Goehner and O. E. Bernecker,
determined that it was the right thing to do to build an in-
stitution of learning where their children could have an op-
portunity of a classical education, and especialliT^ an educa-
tion as would qualify the young people for teachers.
The school was organized under the control of the
Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states. Twenty
acres of beautiful land was secured by the citizens of Se-
I
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
387
ward just to the northeast and adjoining the city, where a
very commodious and creditable brick building was erected
and ready for the opening of school in the autumn of 1894.
The first board of directors were Rev. J. Hilgendorf,
John F. Goehner, Herman Diers and O. E. Bernecker.
Herman Diers became treasurer. The present board con-
sists of Rev. C. H. Becker, Rev. H. Miesoler, of Columbus,
Neb., Herman Diers, J. F. Goehner and O. E. Bernecker,
with Herman Diers, treasurer.
German College Building
The main building is of brick on a, stone foundation,
43x70 feet and three stories above the basement. A dorma-
tory annex 32x32, a substantial two-story frame structure.
The school opened with an enrollment of but sixteen stu-
dents, but it was destined to grow and it has grown from
year to year. In 1904, or in just ten years, it numbered
eighty-four students, twenty-one of which graduated in the
class of 1904. The students of 1904 came from the following
states: Nebraska 96, low^a 6, Kansas 5, Missouri 2, Colorado
1, Wyoming 1.
Professor Geo. Weller has been principal from the be-
ginning, and has associated with him for the last two years,
Prof. Geo. Ritzmann, and also for the last year. Prof. F.
Strieker. Thus far the school has been preparatory to the
Adison Normal School of Illinois, but is designed in the near
future to extend the course of instruction to that of a full
normal course. Thus far the school has been ably con-
388 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ducted and made very successful under the able corps of
instructors and wise and generous management of the di-
rectors. .It is the design to expend about $35,000 in new
buildings within the next two years.
There is much here to encourage a rapid growth in this
institution whose foundation has been so well and firmly
laid in this rich soil. The denomination has a very strong
hold in Nebraska and especially in Seward county, where
they have twelve large congregations of thrifty people. We
can see in this institution in the years to come, one of the
great rich institutions of which our country is so proud. We
are informed that the English language holds the most
prominent place in the course of study. German and Latin
take next rank. All the branches of the normal course, also
music, are taught. We are proud of this good beginning
and have abiding faith that it will, in the years to come,
grow and prosper and be a great blessing to our people,
shedding beams of light to brighten the lives of our
young people and prepare them for honorable positions in
life. We hope that every good intelligent citizen of the
county may at all times lend a helping hand and words of
encouragement to this grand undertaking.
We have the pleasure of placing before our reader a
fine view of the beautiful structure that now adorns their
grounds.
SEWARD CITY WATER WORKS
At a meeting of the city council, held July 25, 1889, no-
tices were ordered of an election to be held on the 19th day
of August, 1889, for the purpose of voting for or against a
proposition of issuing thirty thousand dollars of six per
cent twenty year bonds, payable at option of the city at any
time after five years from date of issue, and to bear date of
Sep. 16, 1889. The proposition also provided that the city
authorities should levy an annual tax upon the property of
the city to pay the interest upon the bonds and also to pro-
vide a sinking fund for the liquidation of said bonds; the
money obtained from the sale of the bonds to be used for
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
389
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390 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the establishment of a system of water works to supply the
city and its inhabitants.
The election took place on the 19th day of August, 1889,
and resulted in a majority for the bonds of two hundred and
seventy-two, there being only forty-seven votes against the
proposition. The bonds were issued bearing date of Sep.
16, 1889, sixty in number of $500 eacii, with twenty, six per
cent couiDons attached. They were sold to Stull Brothers
for a premium of eighty -one dollars.
Now with $30,081 cash capital, the council proceeded to
business and made contracts as follows, all within a few
weeks. First contract was let to A. F. Cook for the sink-
ing of two two-hundred-foot wells for $1200 each, with a
proviso that contractor was to have two dollars per foot for
each additional foot. He guaranteed one hundred thousand
gallons of water for each well every twenty-four hours.
Next was let to Tamaqua Mfg. Co. for forty-eight hydrants
at $29 each. The third contract was awarded Brownell &
Co. for two boilers at $1380.
Fourth was let to J. P. Dunam for the construction of
an engine house at $1425.
Fifth, a contract for a standpipe was let to Porter &
Jackson Co. at $3800.
Sixth was let to U. S. Engine Co. for twenty-nine valves
at $448.50
Seventh was let to Pond Engineering Co. for steam pump
at $1550.
Eighth contract was with the Gutta Percha Rubber Co.
■ for two hose carts and twelve hundred feet of hose at $1400.
Ninth was with Bullock & Co. for stone at $450.
Tenth was with Goering to haul stone from cars at $3
per car of twenty tons each.
Eleventh was contract with A. A. Richardson to super-
intend construction of standpipe.
Twelfth was contract with J. J. Cummins to superintend
the general construction of water works at a salary of $100
per month.
Now the real trouble begins. Many attempts to secure
an amx^le supply of water failed. A deep well was put down
near the standpipe, six hundred and ten feet deep, but no
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 391
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392 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
water supply was obtained. Then a well was sunk down
near the P. E. & M. V. tracks, Which for a time promised
well. Good buildings were erected there and all the machin-
ery was set in motion; but soon the water failed. Then ex-
periments were resorted to by sinking many wells and draw-
ing the water to a common center. The standpipe was com-
pleted and four and one-half miles of mains were laid, and a
mass of first class machinery was placed, and the water
works were very complete, but where, Oh, where was the
water!
After many years of trouble and vast expenditure of
means, the present great well was sunk in 1901, and happily
at last an abundant supply of most excellent water was
reached. The water works proper have cost the city some-
thing over thirty-three thousand dollars, but the water has
cost over forty thousand dollars additional.
The system is now very complete with a capacity of
over a million gallons of the best water per day. The sale
of water to citizens now pays running expenses and very
nearly pays the interest on the outstanding bonded indebted-
ness. Two thousand dollars of the bonds are taken up, and
between forty and fifty thousand dollars additional expendi-
tures are all paid. Seward now is proud of the magnificent
plant and its supply of clear cold water.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT OF SEWARD
In 1888, an electric light plant was first installed in our
city, and was probably an up-to-date plant for that day. It
was a private corporation, and like all such concerns, it ran
the machine for the money in sight and did not render satis-
actory service. This caused a deep seated feeling on the
part of the more progressive citizens that the city should
own and operate its own plant in the interest of the people.
This culminated in a proposition to issue city bonds in the
sum of seven thousand dollars. This action was ratified by
the voters of the city on the 28th of August, 1903, when
three and one-half per cent bonds were issued. At the same
time there was a fund of thirty-five hundred dollars in the
treasury and it was found entirely practical to utilize the
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 393
city water plant so far as the buildings, boilers and pumps
were concerned, and thus save something like five thousand
dollars of outlay. The plant was so far completed that the
new plant was installed in the spring of 1904.
The total cost of the plant aside from the machinery of
the water works was twelve thousand three hundred dollars.
They have at this writing twenty-five miles of wire in use,
with twenty-three arc lights in the streets, and three thous-
and incandescent lamps in operation; of the latter, the num-
ber is rapidly increasing. A one hundred and twenty horse
power Westinghouse dynamo of the latest and most improved
pattern is in use, and it is a "dandy."
So far the plant is furnishing the street lights, paying
the running expenses, earning interest on the bonds, and
saving the ten per cent per annum on the total cost of the
plant and from the earnings the city was prepared .Tart. 1,
1905, to take up one thousand dollars of the bonds. The pa-
trons are well pleased with the service, and are receiving
this most excellent service at greatly reduced cost, so the
system and management are most satisfactory. It will soon
pay the entire debt and be an important source of revenue to
the city. In this Seward is a leader among young western
cities, and has set a pattern that other cities will gladly fol-
low. Much of the success of this important undertaking is
due to our most efiicient electrician and manager, Mr. Martz.
SEWARD FIRE ASSOCIATION
The Seward Fire Association was organized March 20,
1885, with H. Diers, J. C. Mulfinger and L. J. Simmons as a
board of trustees; articles of incorporation were filed in the
county clerk's office. Before this date the records are in-
complete, but it is knowti that the association had existed as
the Seward Fire Depart;iient and was organized about 1879,
with three companies. Some think it may have been at an
earlier date, but the earliest enrollment we can find in the
records is Herman Diers and J. J. Blodgett, dated May "29,
1879, and the next date found in records is B. L. Krouse,
May 30. 1881.
March 6, 1885, we find a list of six honorary and exempt
394 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
members: Wm. Pratt, J. A. Campbell, J. H. Betzer, J. W.
Dupin, J. A. Kilpatrick and S. B. Reed. In 1886 we find on
the list of honorarj?^ and exempt members, Herman Diers,
who had served six years and nine months, and J. J. Blod-
gett, with equal honors.
Jan. 2, LS85, we find the first recorded list of officers:
Chief, G. Babson, third term; assistant, F. Wooley, second
term; secretary, L. J. Simmons, first term; treasurer-, Her-
man Diers, first term; trustees, H. Diers, L. J. Simmons and
J. C. Mulfino-ei-; J. J. Blodgett, secretary to trustees.
At this date, Feb. 1005, we find the department has six-
ty active members, twenty-four in the hook and ladder com-
pany, and eighteen in each of two hose companies. The
last treasui-er's report shows a cash balance in the treasury
of $1011.88. The present officers are L. H. Diers, chief; J.
Goering, assistant chief; and Harry Graft", secretary and
treasurer.
We copy the following from an address at a firemen's
banquet held at Seward some years ago (date not given) by
G. Babson:
"In 1878, the only fire apparatus was a three gallon Bab-
cock extinguisher, owned by Thos. Wolf, editor of the Re-
porter. In April, 1879, it did excellent service in putting out
a fire in the basement of Kribler's furniture house. In the
following spring the council purchased two three-wheeled
Babcock extinguishers and a hook and ladder truck. They
were stored in Marshall's livery barn. Our first call one
night we had an awful struggle to get the apparatus from
behind carriages and buggies just to find a pile of brush and
weeds on fire. The department was organized May 20, 1879.
J. C. Henderson was appointed chief by the city council; Ed.
Polly was appointed foreman of Company No. 1, Wm. Ash-
ton, No. 2, and Geo. Blodgett, No. 3, hook and ladder, with
Jack Hanly, assistant. Our drill practice was regular for a
time. Once we had a small tire, but the engines had stood
idle so long that they refused to work. Later the company
was re-organized with J.C. Henderson, chief: G. Babson, as-
sistant; John Multinger, foreman of No. 1, Dick Sampson,
No. 2., and H. Diers, No. 3. From this time drills were held
regularly, and the department became efficient and ready for
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 395
business. Gus. Babson was chief from 1883 to 1887 and F.
Wooly assistant for most of the time, and in 1887 he became
Babson's successor. We had many hard runs and were usu-
ally fortunate in being able to stop tii-es before much dam-
age was done. In Feb., 1883, we were all frostbitten in a
long ru7i to the northeast part of town when the thermome-
ter registered thirty degrees below zero. We had many
fires, such as Stillwell's barn, the old skating rink, Grand
Central hotel, and in 18S6, the Park hotel. In 181)0, Feb.
2()th, the department established a reading room and library
and at the end of that year had 274 books in use. Five
years later this was turned over to the city with about six
hundred volumes. It was the nucleus of the present city li-
brary. At the tirst firemen's tournament held at Lincoln in
the fall of 1884, our department attended with tifty men in
uniform, with Gerke's band. We won the hook and ladder
race and Mr. Multinger's company won the ladies' silk banner
for the best drilled company. We came home happy. Jan.
12, 1886, the state association met at Seward, which was a
pleasant time for all the boys."
Stillwell's barn burned in 1884, and in April, 1885, the
rink burned. Dec. 12, 1885, the Grand Central hotel burned.
It has been a pleasure to know how efficient and self-
sacriticing the Seward tire boys have been all through the
years. Their work is entirely voluntary, but somehow they
are always ready at the tap of the bell. They ran like wild
cats and work like tigers. They have saved many disas-
trous contiagrations and are entitled to the gratitude of all
our people. All the consideration they receive is they ar.j
freed from poll tax and exempt as jurors, and after live
years' service they are entirely free from poll tax. Some of
the boys have now served ten years or more. We are ready
to vote the lire department any reasonable favor they can
ask for.
BURLINGTON RAIL ROAD BUSINESS FOR 1904
The Burlington's part in the business of Seward in the
year 1904.
396
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The tickets sold at Seward station in the year each
month are
as follows:
January,
number of tickets.
1505
cash received.
$2352 48
February,
1458
2204 35
March
1561
2134 96
April
14w7
1877 70
May
1762
2015 97
June
1818
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2125 72
July
1484
2194 19
August
2292
4641 81
September
2061
3854 17
October
1963
3342 02
November
1740
2377 75
December
1744
2698 06
20875 $31819 18
There was shi])])Gd from the Seward station during 1904
178 cars of live stock, 119 cars of wheat, corn and oats, 60
cars of eggs, 169 cars of products, (products of tlour and of the
cereal mills) 25 cars uf brick, 37 cars of miscellaneous arti-
cles.
Received during the year, 64 cars of lumber, 215 cars of
coal. 16 cars of implements, 311 car of miscellaneous articles,
and 3,970,697 pounds of general merchandise, equaling 260
car loads. Total freight collected, $75,000. Trains passing
Seward daily; Passenger — 8 trains six days in the week
and 4 on Sundays. Freight — 8 daily except Sunday and 6
Sundays.
Some seasons of the year when grain and stock moves
freely, the number of extra trains is surprisingly great.
One noticeable feature of the out-going freight is the eggs.
Sixty car loads, or twenty-four thousand cases, or seven
hundred and twenty thousand dozen.
Freight business reported by Utica for the year 1904 is
as follows: Shipped out 389 cars of gram, 68 cars of live
stock, 14 cars of merchandise, total 471 cars. Received 71
cars of coal, 27 cars of lumber, 91 cars of merchandise, total
179 cars. Freight in less than car lots, 1,648,575 pounds.
Freight charges collected, $16,423.31. Other stations re-
fused to report. Let the responsibility rest where it belongs
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 397
We did all that was reasonable to give the reader a correct
idea of the rail road business from every station.
C. N, W. RAIL ROAD
The Northwestern Rail Road company received at Se-
ward station during the year 1904, 224 cars of freight of all
kinds and shipped out 357 cars of stock, grain and other
merchandise, including 47 cars of poultry.
The passenger traffic by months was as follows:
Coupon S72 72
28 55
" • 90 90
228 76
" ' 111 26
38 71
209 16
398 95
360 18 •
181 85
93 60
382 65
SEWARD CEREAL MILLS
This is certainly an institution that we may all feel proud
of. The present plant was erected on the ruins of the one
destroyed by fire in the Autumn of 1895 and was ready for
business in April of 1898. As it now stands it cost about
twenty-five thousand dollars. It is owned by Seward people
exclusively. The builders and principal owners are John
Mulfinger, Geo. Harrison, John Zimmerer and Charles
Barkley. The principal structure is 36x68, three stories
above the basement and filled throughout with the latest
and most approved machinery known to the trade for the
manufacture of oat and corn products. Beside the main
structure are the engine room, kiln room, grain ware house,
storage building and oflice, each under separate roofs. The
capacity of the mills is one hundred and forty barrels of
January
Local $401 12
February
475 31
March
353 97
April
250 07
May
355 52
June
572 95
July
2544 73
August
638 36
September
550 54
October
582 31
November
482 86
December
477 61
Grand total,
$9,882.64. The N
398
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 399
rolled oats and two hundred barrels of corn products per day,
or three hundred and forty barrels per day, and gives em-
ployment to from twelve to twenty persons at good wages.
We are informed that pay checks are always ready for the
workmen Saturday evening.
It is a noteworthy fact that this institution can and al-
ways does pay the farmers for a good article of oats or corn
much better prices than the shippers can possibly pay, and
it is safe to say that the farmers of Seward and surrounding
counties are many thousands of dollars gainer by the existence
of this grand plant. The company enjoy a large trade in ev-
erystate and territory west of the Mississippi and is extend-
ing to our island possession in the Orient. The trade mark,
the "White Dove," is known far and wide as one of the best
brands of rolled oats in the markets of the world. The bus-
iness men of Seward and the laboring people as well as the
farmers all have great reason to feel a great interest in the
Cereal Mills of Seward.
SEWARD MILLS
The history of this valuable property is a part and a
very important part of the history of this city. It was with
great difficulty that the title of the water power was secured
as an old land shark at Cincinnati, by the name of Geo.
Hilton, had at an early day entered a large tract of timber
land just near the mouth of Plum creek which included the
forty acre tract where the mill now stands. The old fellow
steadfastly refused to sell the property for a long time and
seemed very obstinate in the matter until some of the neigh-
bors took a hand, and wrote some letters to him that would
not look well in print, which brought the old fellow to his
senses and he concluded to sell the forty acre ti-act at ten
dollars per acre to H. L. Boyes and tlie first work on the
mill site was done in 1867. A brush dam was built and a s;iw
mill was started, without shelter or roof, on the river bank in
the spring of 1868. For a time this was a scene of great
activity, as logs by the thousand were hauled long distances
and the log yard, covering quite a space, was a sight to all
beholders. In 1870, the company started the first mill to
400 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
grinding grain. This little affair was known far and wide
as "Banner Mills." It was draped in red, white and blue,
like the star spangled banner. It did good work and was
run at its full capacity until an evil day came in 1871, when
it became overloaded with farmer's grists. One night the
whole bottom of the mill fell out and dumped the machinery
and grain into the river. It was a woeful looking mess that
we beheld one bright Sabbath morning. The river was
strewn with grain in bursting sacks, loose grain, flour, feed
and wrecked machinery all tangled in a heterogenious mass.
This was a sad blow to the owners and to the community
but, it must be rebuilt and the courageous owners immediately
set to work and in due time all was set to rights and the mill
wheels began again to turn. Some years later the little mill
was torn down and a much larger one built in its place and
as the business expanded, that one had to give way for a
larger one. Then in 1«91, the third one was replaced by a
large roller merchant mill, and in 1893, that great beautiful
structure burned, but that will power and energy of its own-
ers knew no such word as fail and in just one hundred days
after the cruel flames had destroyed it, another and grander
mill was ready for business. At that time Mr. Deane was
associated with Mr. Carlos Boyes & Co. and remained a val-
uable partner for a number of years, when Martin Hulsizer
and Burdette Boyes, a grandson of the founder and son of
Carlos, became partners.
Size of the present mill is 40x72 feet and five stories
high, with the best modern machinery throughout, having
six double standard rollers for flour and three set for corn
products, working capacity, one hundred and fifty barrels
per day. Storage capacity, sixteen thousand bushels, water-
power capacity, over one hundred horse power. Water gage
of river at low water stage, four thousand cubic feet per
minute. The company at this writing are engaged in filling
a government contract of one million pounds of flour or forty
car loads.
BRICK YARD
Seward's new brick yard, employing about forty hands
and turning out 30,000 excellent brick per day, is something
402 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to be proud of. It is what is known as a draw kiln, where
the fires never go out. With its great smoke stack tower-
ing one hundred and ten feet, makes it conspicuous.
Under the able management of WiUiam Worthman and
son, it is destined to add greatly to the business of our city.
We are pleased to present to our readers a splendid picture
of this valuable plant.
BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
Seward Building and Loan Association was organized
late in 1893, and early in 1894 articles of incorporation were
filed. February 6th the first officers were elected as follows:
J. J. Blodget, president; John Zimmerer, vice president;
Geo. Merrium, secretary and J. F. Goehner, treasurer; J.
P. Dunham, J. H. Erford, W. H. Debolt, W. E. Longworthy,
S. D. Atkins, J. J. Thomas and O. C. Reynolds, directors.
Object of the association is to encourage people of moderate
means to secure homes on easy payments. The plan con-
templates the loan of means to assist in building or purchas-
ing homes on payments about equal to the rent of like prem-
ises, with low rates of interest. Each payment is divided so
that the interest is kept up and part of the principal paid
and thus in a few years the party has a home paid for.
Under the faithful administration of the present presi-
dent, John Zimmerer, the association has been quite a fact-
or among the financial institutions of our city At the last
report its assets amounted to $52,954.47. It is accomplish-
ing much good in the community and has already helped
scores of poor men to secure pleasant homes of their own.
MUTUAL PROTECTIVE RRE ASSOCIATION OF NEBRASKA
The Mutual Protective Fire Association of Nebraska
was organized at Seward, January 14, 1894. First officers
were as follows: E. Polley, president; Geo. Merrium, sec-
retary; directors. Dr. J. T. Potter, H. C. Atwood, G. W.
Meeker, I. L. Dermond, W. C. A. Hartman, J. M. Calder, J.
F. Guss, E. J. Hartman, and Thos. Bishop.
The business of the association extends to all parts of
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 403
the state. The business is confined by the charter to risks
in cities and towns except such risks in country as churches,
school houses, factories, etc. Had to July 4, 1904, issued
5886 policies and to same date, paid in losses $23,608, and
have $10,000 in the reserve fund and not a dollar of indebted-
ness.
The hio^hest amount ever collected in premiums is 75 per
cent of old line rates, and are writing policies at same rate
now. The amount of insurance now in force is one million
three hundred and forty-five thousand dollars.
The present officers are, John Kribbeler, president;
John Zimmerer, vice-president; J. P. Goehner, treasurer;
Geo. A. Merrium, secretary; Landis & Shich, attorneys;
directors, J. M. Calder, Seward; Dr. J. T. Potter, Seward;
P. W. Rodenbrock, Nebraska City; T. J. Rademacher, Crete;
H. C. Atwood, Milford; I. J. Dermond, Beaver Crossing; D.
J. Hartrum, Utica; Wm. Grabe, Wahoo; and Delevan Bates
of Aurora.
The company enjoys a splendid reputation for prompt-
ness in the adjustment of all claims, and the business is rap-
idly growing.
CHAPTER XXII.
MILFORD, ITS FOUNDING AND GROWTH
Post office — Cereal Mills— News Papers — Pleasart Dale Schools — Utica,
its growth and progress — Post Office— Village of Bee— Gennantown
Creamery — Germantown Post Office — Tamora Post Office — Grover
Post Office — Early Railroading (story)— My first ride on a Rail.
Milford was first settled by J. L. Davison in the spring
of 1864. He built a log house on the site of the present
hospital and opened a ranch on the steam wagon road. One
of the first things he undertook was improving the ford be-
tween the present bridges and the mill. For about two
years Mr. Davison was "monarch of all he surveyed." In
the winter of 1865 he built a substantial bridge. A few set-
tlers had located on claims in the vicinity . In the spring of-
1866 Wm. H. Reed, of Weeping Water, became interested
and a partnership was formed, and the mill from Weeping
Water was moved and the nucleus of the village was formed.
Soon thereafter, Henry Wortendyke became interested in
the mill. Doom and Etherly opened the first store in 1868.
It was the second store in the county. Milford soon took
the lead as a business center and secured the location of the
county seat. The first attorney resident of the county, Hon.
D. C. McKillip, located in 1868 and soon Geo. B. France
located in the new town and was ready to take a hand in the
legal battles that ensued. L. D. Laune located by the new
town in 1864. These matters are quite fully treated in an-
other place, and we will not dwell on them here. Suffice it
to say that the brave men that laid the foundations worked
to build Milford with one hand and fought the enemy with
the other. The place grew apace and prospered as the
settlers came and occupied the lands adjacent. The great
freight road and the mill were drawing cards, and the coun-
ty seat, although held by an uncertain tenure, was a great
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 405
help. Soon the irrepressable J. H. Culver came and he
knew how to use the quill, and he used it effectually in help-
ing to boom the town. Unfortunately the geographical po-
sition was not quite as favorable as desirable to hold the
county seat and Milford had wily foes to contend with; and
with no fault of her energetic citizens, the county seat was
wrested away from her in 1871. Still she had a good fight-
ing chance and the village continued to grow. However, in
1872, the good people of the locality made a fatal mistake in
not grasping the opportunity offered when the Midland Rail
Road Co. offered to build the road from Lincoln to Milford
and up the valley to Seward. This opportunity lost, placed
the thriving village in the back ground and she must wait
weary years until 1879 for a rail road when the Atchison &
Nebraska was built. Then, at once, the village began a vig-
orous growth and from that day to this it has been prosper-
ous. It is a great grain center and with the help of the great
cereal mills, it commands a trade of prodigious proportions. '
Prom the first Milford has been a popular resort and
this has been a source of profit. For many years the peo-
ple have taken an interest in public institutions, and by dint
of perseverence two state institutions have come to them,
(Soldiers' Home and Industrial Home). The village occu-
pies a sightly position upon a commanding hill, overlooking
the great valley away to the northward and southward in
curves and semi-circles. The town is embowered in shade.
The streets are broad and crossing at right angles and lined
on either side with handsome homes. As the eye wanders
up and down the long avenues it makes the heart glad to
look upon these pleasant homes. The village, at the pres-
ent writing has near eight hundred souls. At the last elec-
tion there were 168 votes cast and the school census shows
277, and from this we conclude that there are eight hundred
peoj)le.
There are eleven brick business houses in three blocks.
The main business places are as follow^s: 4 general stores,
1 grocery house, 2 drug stores, 3 hardwares, 4 restaurants,
2 hotels, 2 lumber and coal yards, mill and vast elevators, 2
shipping elevators, 1 printing office, 2 millinery establish-
ments, 2 implement houses, 2 banks, 2 livery barns, 3
406 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
churches, town hall and opera house, first-class graded
school and a good system of water works and tire depart-
ment. They have a nice park in close proximity to the busi-
ness. The state institutions are outside the corporate limits.
They have the best arranged third-class post office in the
state. The saloon had to go in 1905, but they have an am-
ple supply of excellent water.
MILFORD POST OFFICE
Judge J. L. Davison opened a post office. .
The office at first was supplied by a Star route (with
several stars in the route) from old Camden. Part of the
time the judge sent his son, Marcenas, on horseback, and
sometimes he sent one of the girls. Mr. Davison held the
office until the advent of Etherly and Doom, who opened a
store in the embryo town, and the office with all its honors
and emoluments were turned over to Mr. Etherly in 1868.
By this time a regular star route was established from Lin-
coln via Pleasant Dale to Milford and Beaver Crossing.
This was a tri-weekly, and many times the weekly trials
were too much for the driver and failed to connect. A little
later a route was established from Crete to Columbus via
Milford, Seward and Ulyses, which was continued for a
number of years. J. H. Culver succeeded Mr. Etherly in
1871. It has always been a conundrum why Cap. Culver
did not become a millionaire, running that post office in con-
nection with the Blue Valley Record. During Culver's
term, in 1871, the money order office was established. That
was certainly a prominent event and one of great value to
the people because all the banks of that day in this region
were sand banks and not very reliable.
April, 1873. Hon. Thos. A. Healy received his appoint-
ment. The date of his first money order was April 30th.
His wife, Mrs. Kate M. Healy, was his successor in 1876,
when he was elected representative. S. D. I. Emerson suc-
ceeded Mrs. Healy in 1879 and held the fort until 1885,
John A. Cockron was appointed and succeeded by J. H. Cul-
ver in December, 1889, and he run the office until the appoint-
ment of Thos. Mustain, in 1894. Mr. Mustain died in office
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 407
and the unexpired term was held by his widow in 1898, when
the present incumbent, Hon. Tlios. A. Healy received his ap-
pointment from President McKinley, July 31. Up to Janu-
ary 1, 1904, two hundred and twenty thousand dollars of
money orders had been sold durinj? his administration.
Post master's salary now amounts to twelve hundred
dollars per annum. The office has just, at this writing, been
placed in a new brick structure. This most elegant room
has the reputation of being the best and most thoroughly
equipped third-class office in Nebraska. By dint of persever-
ence Mr. Healy secured the first two rural routes in Central
Nebraska for Milford July 15, 1899. At that time the most
westerly route was a trial route at Tecumseh. The first
carriers of these routes were Chas. W. Punk on No. 1,
and H. J. Matzke on No. 2. The third route was established
November 1, 1900, and the fourth November 1, 1904, with
Wm. Smiley as carrier.
At first the patronage of the rural routes was very
small, but has steadily grown from month to month until
the business has become a very important factor in the busi-
ness relations of the country. The rural routes have come
to stay. The present management of the Milford office is
so entirely satisfactory that we could heartily wish that Mr.
Healy could remain at the head of it until his salary would
reach five thousand dollars per year and then enjoy it a good
long term.
MILFORD MILLS
J. L. Davison, one of the very first settlers of Seward
county, came to Salt Creek, (the Lord only knows when)
and to old Camden ranch in 1862, where he learned most
thoroughly the ways of the "wild and wooly West" as a
ranchman. He was a venturesome and restless pioneer that
was ever on the lookout for a new enterprise. In the spring
1864, while exploring the upper Blue Valley, found a rocky
ford at a point below the present mill. John Cadman
and William Fields of Lancaster county had determined to
open a new road for freight and general traffic across the
plains to be known as the steam wagon road, which road
408 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
left the old Camden trail about twenty miles east of Salt
Creek and crossed that stream at Yankee Hill (near the in-
sane hospital) and to intercept the old trail just east of Walnut
Creek. It became the privilege of Mr. Davison to find a
suitable crossing (by ford) of the Blue and he was quick to
see just where to locate. He, with indomitable perse-
verence, went far out into the prairie to the westward and
interviewed train masters and induced them to try the new
trail and soon secured enough travel to break the road, and
it was not long until thousands of immigrants and emigrants
were winding their way over the steam wagon road. But
now about the steam wagon? Well some ingenious fellow
had gotten the idea that has led up to the present traction
engine and he made an engine which he thought could be
made successful on the Plains and had determined to run it
over this trail. It succeeded in getting out about three
miles west of Nebraska City in the summer of 1865, but it
failed, got tired, and in that summer we saw it resting by
the road side. The road was a perfect success, however, if
the wagon was a failure.
The travel increased so that Mr. Davison determined in
the winter of 1865 to build a bridge and with a crew of
hardy frontiersmen, he scored, hewed and hauled timber
from every section (thirty-seven) on the river up and down
for ten miles or more, and built a strong substantial bridge
(the first on the river north of old Camden bridge at the
forks).
In the spring of 1866 many new settlers came and among
them was William Reed, of Weeping Water Palls, who
owned a litte mill. The people of that aristocratic commu-
nity wanted a larger one so Uncle Billy formed a partner-
ship with Mr. Davison, and they were a well matched and
strong team and they moved the mill and placed it by the
ford, and thus we have Milford. Most happy were the peo-
ple of that part of the valley, that there was a mill by the
ford.
The mill wheels turned in due time and many were the
glad hearts that secured the grinding of a sack of corn.
That grand little old mill was not quite so large, neither
was so filled with the latest improved machinery as the pres-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 409
ent great structure, but, somehow, we can't help but think
that the biscuit and Johnny cake coming from the httle mill
were sweeter and better than any of the present. Perhaps
a ten mile drive through a blizzard for a sack of meal made
the cake sweeter. Well, the old mill performed duty well
and truly until the tire fiend came and destroyed it in 18H1.
Some time during the early days of the mill Henry Wor-
tendyke held an interest in ttie plant and also W. J. Thomp-
son was interested for a time; when later J. L. Davison
bought the entire plant. In 1877 J. H. Culver bought an
interest and in 1879 P. S. Johnson and H. D. Perry and Mr.
Johnson's brother bought an interest. This partnership
continued but a .short time. P. S. Johnson & Co. bought the
property in 18)^0 entire, and built the present great mill in
1882 and 1883 and soon thereafter, the company built the
capacious warehouses with holding capacity of two thous-
and barrels of finished product besides one hundred thous-
and bushels of grain. The machinery is run by a combina-
tion of water and steam power of one hundred and twenty -
five horses. The present capacity is five hundred barrels of
meal and one hundred thousand pounds of feed stuffs every
twenty-four hours.
The mill was run as a combined plant, manufacturing
flour, meal and corn products up to 1900, when the flouring
machinery was all taken out and replaced with the most ap-
proved machinery to manufacture corn products. The mill
is a massive brick structure five stories in height and all
filled with a labyrintli of machinery that is bewildering to a
novice.
MILFORD NEWSPAPERS
From the time that the Record ceased to exist, in April,
1873, which able and valuable paper has already been fully
noticed, Milford had no paper until February, 1882, when
the Seward County Democrat, a seven-column folio, was is-
sued by Alexander Brothers. It was true to its name, a
straight-out democrat paper, and had a successful business
for two years, when its proprietors sold it out to Prof. Geo.
P. Burkett, of Michigan, The professor changed its name
410 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to that of Milford Ozone, and its political career thencefor-
ward was republican. A few months later, the editor having
been elected princii^al of the Milford high school took in as
partner an erratic individual by the name of Horace Boyle,
wiio played a brief engagement of three months, when his
interest was purchased by H. C. Hensel, of Omaha. An
amicable partnership of two months ensued, when Prof.
Burkett's interest was purchased, and then the name was
changed to that of Milford Nebraskan. Its politics remained
republican. Mr. Hensel continued the publication for some
years. L. O. Howard bought the plant in 1900 and has con-
ducted it up to this time.
PLEASANT DALE SCHOOL. DISTRICT 21
BY F, H. BLACKER
Was organized in 1^70, by Geo. B. France, County Su-
perintendent. The district comprised twenty sections of
land in the northeast corner of "I" precinct. April 9th a
school meeting was held at the house of M. Steinhilber and
J. T. Priest was elected modei-ator, W. A. Higgins treas-
urer and J. A. Raymer director. The tirst school was taught
by J. Latter in a soddie built on Steven Brown's homestead.
In 1873, a frame house was built on section 26, and May H.
Frisbee taught two terms at $25 per month. Fifteen pupils
made up the school. The next term was taught by Miss
Mary E. Skorey with nineteen scholars.
In 1890 the present two story frame building was erected
in the village of Pleasant Dale, the district having been di-
vided and W. C. Dunten was elected director. The first
eighth grade class to graduate took their degree in 1899. It
took its place in the ranks of the high schools in 1901 and
1902, through the generous help of citizens who raised by
subscription $250, as the 25 mill limit of tax was insufficient
to carry on the school. F. H. Blacker was elected principal
with a salary of $50 per month, which was later raised to
$60 per month, with Miss Mable Hensen as assistant at $40
per month. At the time Henry Oxley, S. Vanandel and E.
J. Newton were the school board. The enrollment was
about ninety for the years 1902-1903. The next year the
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 411
term was made nine months. Miss Lulu Mitchel was in
charge of the lower rooms. Total enrollment was 88. The
school year opened September 5, 1904, and closed May 19,
1905. Present board are John Mitchell, E. J. Newton and
S. Vanandel.
The commencement exercises were held in the M. E.
church. Class sermon was preached by Rev. H. G. Clay-
comb. Blanch Vanandel, Grace Dunten and May Best grad-
uated in the tenth grade. The class motto "Upward and On-
ward." Guy Pool has the honor of a grand record. Four
terms without a tardj or absent mark. The district is free
from debt with a present valuation amply sufficient so that
eight mills levy furnishes plenty of funds.
UTICA
A beautiful bustling village of near six hundred people
is situated on the Burlington rail road near the west line of
Seward county and was founded in 1877. It is surrounded
by excellent farms, and has from the beginning enjoyed a
good trade. It is well built with many substantial business
houses. Some very good two-story bricks. There are a
host of cozy cottages. The stocks of merchandise in every
line are large and has the appearance of thrift and enter-
prise. The shipping facilities seem to be adequate as there
is a freight train in sight nearly every hour, day or night.
They maintain an excellent high school and have four
good churches. The fraternal orders seem to have a strong
hold and we note a fraternal hall of vast proportion. Along
the streets we count about forty business houses of various
kinds, representing all classes of business of our western
towns. It is a noticeable feature that the village has fairly
awakened upon the sidewalk question and the village has
its complements of excellent brick walks. There are num-
erous buildings in the course of erection among which we
note a very extensive grain elevator being erected by Fritz
Beckard .
Utica has many real live men that mean to keep Utica
to the front, but there are some clogs in the wheel. Some
of her most wealthy citizens that have made their money off
the people are more of a hindrance than a help.
412 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
UTICA POSTOFFICE
Established in the fall of 1877 with T. E. Standard as
post master. Money order office was established soon after-
wards. The next post master was Rev. C. E. Phinney, suc-
ceeded by H. M. Colman and he was succeeded by Rev. C. E.
Phinney in 1880. In 1885 Wm. Nevins was appointed and
in 1889 R. C. Ragan held it one year when Hon. G. A. Der-
by had it and was followed by D. S. Hardin; he was suc-
ceeded by Geo. Debolt, then Charles Greenwood was ap-
pointed and died in ofiice in 1899, when the present efficient
incumbent, J. H. Casler was appointed December 15, 1899.
He is now enjoying his second term.
Busines of the office for 1904, $1494.68; post office order
business for 1904, $11,094.21. The office is almost ready to
enter the third class. There is one rurul route.
BEE
On the Northwestern railway, eight miles northeast of
Seward, is a neat little village well situated in the midst of
a splendid farming community and commands the grain and
stock trade from quite an extensive area reaching well into
Butler county on the north. The village has two hundred
and thirty inhabitants. It has two capacious elevators, a
large lumber yard, two general stores, two grocery and con-
fectionary stores, a bank, good hotel, two churches, a sub-
stantial graded school, with a commodious building. The
Modern Woodmen have a large hall, the second story of the
only brick block in the town.
The village was laid out in the fall of 1887, when the
railroad was completed. Michael Dunigan Was the founder.
His daughter, Minnie, was the first postmistress and held the
place until 1889, when the old veteran pioneer, E. H. Noxon,
received the appointment at the hands of President Harri-
son's Postmaster General and he has held the fort now six-
teen years to the satisfaction of the people. We could not
learn just when the money order office was established. The
money orders sold and paid amounts from six to eight hun-
dred dollars per month. One rural route runs out of Bee,
with a mileage of twenty- eight miles. From the gentlemanly
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, 'NEBRASKA 413
agent of the railroad company, we are able to give the
number of cars of freight received and sent out during the
year 1904. The showing of shipments of grain and stock
shows up well. The incoming freight was, coal, 15 cars;
lumber, 13; cement and brick, 5; imigrant cars, 2; stock 7:
total in car lots, 40 cars. Cars shipped out, grain 184; stock,
72; miscellaneous, 33; total, 289 cars. Stuff shipped as lo-
cal freight not noted.
The village is a nice home place only a few minutes
ride from the city.
THE GERMANTOWN CREAMERY
Was incorporated, April 9, 1892, with a capital stock of
five thousand dollars. There were issued one thousand
shares of live dollars each, one half the amount was paid in
before business was commenced. May 1, l^i92. First direc-
tors were E. M. Olney, J. A. Ohlwiler, Henry Hans, Jr., and
M. B. Palmer. Louis Meyers was first secretary and Cyrus
Fetterman first treasurer. The articles of incorporation
provided for the manufacture of dairy products and handling
and feeding of live stock. The stockholders consisted of
sixteen citizens. From the start the business has proved
profitable to both stockholders and the community. They
immediately erected a plants and put in all the necessary ap-
pliances for the manufacture of butter and under the excel-
lent business management of W. W. Higman, the manager
for years, the creamery took high rank and the products
found a ready market at prices very satisfactory. The com-
pany have kept pace with the times and have added new ma-
chinery as the wants of the institution demanded and at this
time the plant is a most thoroughly equipped factoi-y with all
modern machinery. They receive milk from the farmer and
return him the skimmed milk and buttermilk, with a good
paying price for the butter fat of the milk.
The products of tne concern for the year 1903, footed up
to the neat sum of twenty-nine thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one dollars. It is an important factor as a wealth
producer in the community round about Germantown. Pres-
ent board of directors, Hon. Henry Beckman president, John
414 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA
A. Oliwiler, Henry Hans, Jr., John Sunderman and Wm.
Shultz; August Beckman, treasurer; G. L. Petri, manager;
Ottoe Smith, butter maker.
GERMANTOWN POST-OFFICE
Germantown estabhshed in March 1873. John We.ster-
hoif first postmaster, salary twelve dollars a year. The
prominent citizens that have been in turn postmasters,
are Benj. Walker, Charles Fetterman, Charles Hans and L.
S. Callaghan. The present incumbent has held the position
for eight years. The office is fourth class in rank.
TAMORA POST.OFFICE
In the ancient days, nobody can tell just when, but it
was in the Seventies, a country post office was established
and named Lafayette and was presided over by Mr. Welden.
Of this little office we can learn but very little, but it was
supplied — semi-occasionally- -a star route supplied with a
buck- board and one horse.
The town was located shortly after the -rail road was ex-
tended west from Seward and P. G. Tyler was the first post-
master of the town in about 1880. Mr. A. Wolf succeeded
him and he was followed by Henry Cross in 1883, the first
date obtainable. We find W. W. Rogers held the position
in 1884. J. A. Norin succeeded him January 1, 1886, was
appointed and held the place until October 1, 1887, when R.
E. Marshall was appointed and he was followed by Chas.
Emerson in 1889. R. E. Marshall was again appointed in
1893 and held the fort until January 1, 1898, when the pres-
ent incumbent, C. D. Alexander, was appointed.
Money order office was established in 1886. It is a
fourth class office and up to the present there are no rural
routes eminating from Tamora.
GROVER POSTOFFICE
Just by the Milford station was established in 1884, and
the money order office in 1900. J. J. Briggs was the first
postmaster aud was succeeded by Mrs. E. C. Punk, who has
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
415
now held the place eighteen years. This post office is a pe-
culiar exception to the rule, it being located only about
half a mile from the Milford post office; but it seems to hold
its footing pretty well and more than pays the expenses of
the same, and is quite an accommodation to the people near
the depot and the settlement to the eastward.
When Dr. Converse was superintendent of the old Mid-
land Pacific a little incident occurred of which Hon. Henry
Beckman, of east "H" township, tells. In 1H74, when the
rail road was in its infancy and there were few trains
and less business, Mr. Beckman and some of his neighbors
had a lot of wheat to market and as stations were few and
far between they made arrangements with the superinten-
dent to leave a car from the train going to Seward on the
main track. While the train was going to Seward and back
the men doubled teams and loaded the car, and when the
train came back the engine pushed it to Lincoln.
At that time any citizen wishing to board a train could
flag it and the accommodating conductor would stop the train
and take on the passenger. These were accommodating trains
sure enough.
THE FIRST ENGINE TO PRESS THE SOIL OF ILLINOIS IN 1848
In October, 1849, the author had his first "ride on a rail"
hauled by this primitive engine. There was only twenty-one
miles of old fashioned strap rail leading from the foot of Kin-
sey street, Chicago. We were landed in a desert prairie
west of Des Plains river where an old stage took us in.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CHURCHES OF THE COUNTY
It will be noticed that some of the churches are not noticed. It is
not because of our sectarian sentiments but because the church officers
have been careless and the data was not furnished.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENT CHURCH
Was organized May 23, 1875, near Ruby station and was named
Seward church. Local elder was M. Hackworth ; first deacon, Alex
Hackworth; first secretary. Ella L. Hackworth. Other organizing
meml)ers were Francis and Orucilla Morton, Martha and Alice Rider,
Rebecca Hackworth, Abiatha Kennison and Anginette Morgan.
In 1902 they built a neat and substantial house of worship in the
west part of Seward. Mem])ership at present is about thirty. They
hold regular .services every Saturday. Many changes have occurred
through the years, death has called manj' home, others have moved to
other fields. Yet the church grows and prospers.
AMISH MENNONITES
A small colony of these people settled two miles west of Milford,
April 3, 1873. Eight families constituted the first settlement. Their
first communion was held October, 1875, by Rev. Christian Ruff of Mc-
Lean county, Illinois, who was sent by the conference held in Illinois
that year. Membership at that time was eleven. In the spring of
1876, Rev. Paul P. Hershberger came from Henry county, Iowa, and
that spring a church was organized with twenty-three members, and
Rev. Hershberger became pastor for the season. Late that fall com-
munion was held by Rev. Nafziger and Rev. Zoder from Woodford
county, Illinois. Three converts were baptized on this occasion. In
the spring of 1877, Rev. D. C. Miller, of Howard county, Indiana, vis-
ited the church and held communion when two new members were re-
ceived into the communion.
Rev. Hershl)erger conducted services until the spring of 1878 when
Rev. Joseph Garsho came who assisted Rev. Hershberger and that
season the church was built. It is situated in Section 9 in "O" pre-
cinct. At that time the membership was fifty- five. Rev. Samuel
Zoder conducted the first service in the new church. In the fall.
Bishop Joseph Schezel bought a home with us. He held communion
and baptized five persons. He took up his residence here in the spring
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 417
of 1879, and has been pastor to the present time. We have enlarged the
church and it is now 28x56 feet.
This peculiar sect of Protestant people had its origin in Zurick,
Switzerland, in the early part of the 16th century. They are l)aptists.
Meno Simmons was a chief exponent of their peculiar doctrines al-
though not the originator. Within the communities evangelical life
means. separation from the world and this law forbids marriage outside
the church. They refuse to take an oath or to use the sword. They
were content to live as strangers upon the earth. The pursuit of holi-
ness is the chief end of their lives. In all parts of Europe they were
ostracised and persecuted in the early days. Large numbers under a
peculiar guai-antee took up their abode in western Russia but imder
later sovereigns these guarantees were withdrawn and large numbers
migrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania. They do not recog-
nize a salaried ministry. For many years they eschewed the use of
l)uttons and the use of the razor. Their settlement in Russia began
under Empress Catharine in 1783. They now number near two hundred
thousand in the United States and Canada. Their oldest settlement in
this country was founded in 1683, at Germantown, Pennsylvania.
These people are noted for sobriety, industry and frugality. They are
almost universally prosperous and it can truthfully be said that in
their Seward county commimity, they own one of the finest blocks of
farms in the entire west. Their houses, barns and orchards are l)eauti-
ful beyotid description. They maintain no parocial schools but take a
great interest in the ])ublic schools. School District No. 78, in the
midst of their settlement is the largest in the count}' outside of tlie
principal villages, having 12-4 scholars.
They are wonderfully loyal people to theii' church and it is a sight to
behold the gathering of the people on Sabbath mornings, as they come
in droves from every quarter to worship. One feature worthy of notice
and commendation is the cai'e they take of their teams. They have
long rows of sheds to shelter their teams wliile they are at worship.
The congregation, the largest in the county, has now outgrown their
church edifice and a much larger one is to ])e erected during the season
of 1905. Present membership about four hundred.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
By B. F. Thompson.
Of Beaver Crossing was organized in about 1871. A yoxmg gradu-
ate from Andover Seminary by the name of Smith (other name un-
known) came and gathered together such of the scattered .settlers as
were religiously inclined and organized a church with the following
named members : Mr. and Mrs. E. Taylor, Wm. Livesly and wife, Al-
fred Livesly, Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Pinkerton, Mr. and Mrs. W. J.
Thompson, Mrs. Sarah Foster, Mrs. Mary E. Nichols. The oragniza-
tion continued about ten years. They worshiped in the school house.
Ministers in charge so far as is possible to learn were : Rev. Fred
418 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Alley, Rev. H. A. French, Rev. Clark, Rev. Winslow, Rev. L. E.
Benton, Rev. Warren Cockran. Rev. Moore and Rev. Chase. At one
time the church was in a flourishing condition and had a good influence
over the community but in 1881, or about that time, other churches oc-
cujiied the field and the Congregationalists gave way, after breaking
the ground and preparing the way.
The first Sunday School was organized as a "Union" Sunday School
in the home of Daniel Milspavv during the summer of 1869. Mrs.
Mary E. Nichols was superintendent. This was before the advent of
the International lessons and the lesson was assigned weekly in ad-
vance, generally requiring upon the part of the juvenile members, the
committing to memory of a chapter from the Testament or one of the
Psalms. The hymns used the first year were generally selected from
the Pocket Edition of the M. E. Hymnal. The next summer the
school was re-organized in our new school house, a new set of hymn-
books, The "Happy Voices"' were purchased. The membership greatlj'
increased. From this time there was almost always preaching service
in connection with the Sunday School. Well filled wagon loads of both
young and old coming from their newly located homes for miles around.
EMANUEL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Was organized April 19, 1891, with sixteen members, as follows: V.
Minor, J. Westerhoff, John Westerhoff. C. E. Hans, J. Koehler, P. Kil-
zer, F. W. Westerhoff, Henry Hans, Sr., H. Hans, Jr., P. Zillig, F.Witt,
N. Black, John Kilzer and Wm. Westerhoff. First deacons : John Kil-
zer and Henry Hans, Sr. Pastor Rev. H. J. Neubaur. Present raem-
ber.ship sixty. Second Pastor, Rev. Fred Worth, eight years. Third
Pastor, Rev. C. Rickbert, two years. Fourth Pastor, Rev. B. Hoppel,
one year. Fifth Pastor, Rev. G. L. Brakemager in charge since Jan-
uary 4, ]904. The congregation have a very creditable house of wo*--
ship, a frame structure.
SEWARD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Was organized May 9, 1887, with thirty-five members, mostly those
were connected with the Presbyterian Church and had withdrawn. The
first officers were : Rev. A. M. Darly. Pastor ; J. C. Bradley and A.
Bemis, deacons; F. H. McLain. clerk; S. R. Doviglas. treasurer; trus-
tees, S. R. Douglas, Edmund Mclntyre, L. R. Cotrell, Henry Morris
and R. P. Anderson. Soon thereafter the congregation built a fine two
story brick church edifice with a belfry, which at the time was the
best church edifice in the county. We are indebted to Rev. F. W.
Leavitt, the present pastor for the following historical facts.
The second minister. Rev. J. A. Dobson, died here during his
term of service in Sentember, 1890. Revs. George Ray, G. B. Carlisle,
T. W. C. Cheesman, Paul C. Burhans successively filled the pastoral
office. The present incumbent, Frederick W. Leavitt, began his labors,
July 15. 19U3. The membership now .stands at seventy-five and some
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 419
sixty families look to this church for pastoral services. Auxiliary to
S'dei'v'f R^'prf'"' w""^' ^°"°^ ^^^P^*^'^ ^°^i^*>' «^ Christian
Endea%ur, Boy s Club and Ladies' Association. During the Year 1904
the organization expended floOO for home expenses and benevolences '
The othcial boaixl at present is constituted as follows: Deacons. Dr.
D.D. Potter, Alfred HUler. W. H Moore; trustees, Dr. J. T. Potter.
S. R. Douglas W. H. Moore. R. P. Anderson, F. C. Williams; clerk,
M ^- f«^^;*^«^«"';«^-' Alfred Hiller. Sunday .School superintendent,
Mrs. M. D. Carey; \. P. S. C. E. president, Miss Minnie Cole; Ladies
Association president, Mrs. D. D. Potter.
MILFORD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
"^^^ <^^S^'^i^ed, April 10, 1869, with the following members, viz;
William H. Reed, Patrick Davidson, A. J. Waterman. Lee H. Smiley
Nancy C. Reed. Sophia Davidson, Elizabeth J. Waterman, Mary j'
Smiley. Ester Smiley, Sallie M. Smith, Marion Hooker and Sophia D
Hooker. The first deacons were A. J. Waterman and Patrick David-
son. Lee H. Smiley was first clerk. During the first year nine new
members were received. In 1870 ten were received and two removed
by death. In 1891, four were dismissed. In 1872 five were received
and two dismissed. In 1873. eleven were received and four dismissed
Up to Januarv 1, 1875, fifty seven had been placed on the roll of mem-
bership and sixteen dismissed. Rev. T. N. Skinner was first pastor
and continued till February, 1873. May. 1872. Rev. H. A. French
became pastor.
At first the church was without rules of government except such as
were found in the Eclesiastical Society of the church. January 1870
It adopted a code of laws. In 1873, a constitution Avas formed and in
1874, It revised its polity and became incorporate. The first year 1869,
A frame church edifice 24x36 was erected at a cost of $1600. on lots one
and two on block one. Milford. Twelve hundred dollars were paid by
citizens and |400, from the church building fund. Rev. S. G. Lamb
was pastor from 1884 to 1888. Rev. Geo. Bisco to 1890. Rev. R M Tra-
verse from 1892 to 1895. Rev. G. A. Monroe from 1895 to 1900. Rev.
John Jeffreys came March 1. 1901, and remained one year. Rev. G. R.
Martin came February, 1903, and remained to June 1. 1904, when Rev.
Francis Wrigley took the pastorate and is with the church at present.
The present membership is seventy-six. A flourishing Sabbath School
IS maintained. Mrs. M. M. Salladin has been their very efficient
Clerk for many years. In 1884 the present beautiful church was erected
at a cost of $3500. The building is of red brick and is a very creditable
and substantial edifice.
CATHOLIC CHURCHES
Of Seward county and immediate vicinity. * About the year 1876, a
settlement of twelve Catholic families from Ohio, Illinois, Indiana,
New York, Connecticut and Wisconsin had located near Salem school
420
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
house in the northern part of Seward county. This little settlement
comprised the following families, John McGowen, Thos. McGowen,
John Ward, Michael Gray, Thos. Reynolds. John Reynolds, Daniel
Driscol, Daniel Kennedy, Jacob Scherseberger, Thos. Grant, Adolphus
Mantry,John McGinnis and Mrs. Wills. A Lincoln Priest, Rev. Father
Seivard Catholic Church
Smith began visiting the settlement in 1875 and gathered the little
flock together in private homes for religious worship. He coutiiaued
his ministrations for some time. In 1873 and 1874, several Catholic
families had found homes at Seward and vicinity. Among these pio-
neers may be mentioned Anthony Carej^, Richard Conway, \\m. Ma-
roney, Patrick Coneley, John Kribeler, August Guthman, James Fallon
and John Zimmerer. Rev. Father Smith also looked after their spirit-
ual welfare and gathered the little flock together in private houses for
a time and later they held services in the old court house. In 1879,
the congregation had growm somewhat and it was determined to erect a
house of worship and a little frame edifice was built which in later
years has been reconstructed into the present neat and beautiful edifice
that is shown in the above cut. It is well to note that the member-
ship at the Salem school house united with the Seward congregation
and from this time forward a Priest was sent to reside among them at
Seward. Rev. Father O'Brien was the first regular pastor. He was
succeeded by Rev. Father Wallace and he by Rev. Father Lysaught.
In 1881, the Salem settlement had so increased that they thought it
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
421
wise to make a change and at a meeting of the members of that locality
It was determined to erect a place of worship that would be more con-
venient and better serve their wants. This meeting was held in the
school house. Jacob Schneberger proposed to donate land but as the
A. N. railroad had been completed to Ulysses, it caused a material
change. The Rt. Rev. James OConor was Vicar Apostalic and in 1885
Rev. Wm. Murphy, Pastor Catholic Church
became Bishop of Omaha and had jurisdiction over the churches of Ne-
braska and Wyoming. He determined that the church should be built
near a railroad station. So the congregation determined to erect the
church edifice at Ulysses. A neat building for the present needs was
erected in 1S81, but the congregation soon outgrew the building and in
1892, the present commodious structure was erected. This congrega-
tion has been up to the present writing served by the resident Priest of
Seward.
While the Ulysses church is in another county its^ membership is
422 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
largely made up of citizens of Seward county, and are justly entitled
to proper notice in these pages, as the birth place of the church was
within our borders. In about the year 1876, a few Catholic families
had settled in the vicinity of Utica and were visited at irregular per-
iods by the Seward pastor. A small church was soon built which the
congregation is using at the i^resent. Recently a church was organized
at Beaver Crossing and a church edifice and parsonage were liuilt.
Some years ago some fifteen families had settled at and near Milford
and were attended by the Seward Priest, but they have never erected a
church and the membership have scattered. About ten or twelve years
ago a wealthy lady died leaving a bequest in her will for the erection
of a church edifice in Milford but by some means the bequest was di-
verted to other pvirposes. The Seward church owns a beautiful and
valuable property with a nice church edifice and parsonage. Rev.
Father Wm. Murphy has been the popular and efficient pastor for years.
EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA
Away down just one mile north from the south line of the county
in section 2(5, town nine, range two east, stands a beautiful church and
parsonage. The church was dedicated August 18, 1891. It cost |1362.
The congregation was first known as Pleasant View class and was
organized as an attache of the Beaver Crossing church, in 1889. The
class was organized with forty-six members. The first pastor was S.
H. Pontiers. In 1891, the church was recognized by the conference and
set upon its own footing. The present membership is made up of
fourty-four families.
Pastors that thus far led the flock are as follows: Rev. J. P. Ash,
Rev. S. H. Pontius. Rev. A. H. Ziimer, Rev. I. A. Young, Rev. U. S.
Crane, Rev. E. H. Kiefer, Rev. J. A. Adams, Rev. H. E. Shumacher
and Rev. G. B Bancroft. Present board of trustees are R. B. Parks,
J. C. Boye, A. Conell, A. J.. Miller and J. N. Pate.
The church maintains a flourishing Sabbath school, including offi-
cers, teachers and scholars, it numbers fifty-one. Its first superinten-
dent was A. J. Miller. He was succeeded by J. C. Boye. Arthur Mc-
Cracken is now superintendent. Tlie church is a well built structure
and is accompanied by a neat parsonage occupying a beautiful tract of
ground surrounded by a splendid lot of well improved farms.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL FRIEDEN'S CHURCH AT SEWARD
This is a branch of the German protestant church. The church at
Seward was organized September 22, 1878, by Rev. Christian Bek, with
the following members, John Schmidt, Geo. Goetz, Mathias Schmidt,
Heinrich Meinberg and Carl Maier. Soon thereafter the congregation
bought a quarter block where the church edifice now stands and built a
neat little church which is now used for the parocial school. In 1885
they built the parsonage at a cost of |1000. They established a flour-
ishing Sabbath school and also an elementary day school and prepara-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 423
tion for conHrmation is maintained. The charities consist of general
church work, supporting the pastor, Home and Foreign ^Missionary
work Seminaries, Orphan homes and other benevolent institutions.
Pastors in their order have been Rev. C. Bek from 18T8 to 1881,
Rev. J. P. Welch from 1881 to 1883. Jiev. P. Speidel from 1884, June
1st to 1895. eleven years. Rev. Carl Snider from 189() to 1896. Rev. C.
H. Hauck from 1899 to 1901. when the present incumbent A. Woth be-
came pastor. The new church edifice was built under the pastorate of
Rev. Speidel in 1888, at a cost of $2700, and with a seating capacity of
about 400. It is a very creditalile frame building, with a fine belfry.
Present membership is forty-eight families.
The Sabbath school has an enrollment of fifty. The parocial school
has thirty-five pupils. The parsonage is neat and commodious. The
congregation is free from debt. A Ladies Aid Society with thirty-six
active members does much charitable work. Present church otticers are
V. Rocker, secretary ; Henri Busche, treasurer, and trustees W. M. Bar-
thold. Gr. Tempel, H. Weinberg and John Goebel The church is in a
very prosperous condition.
Church at Goehner was organized by Rev. A. Woth in 1903. They
have a membership of thirty families and a. Sabbath school of fifty-
eight scholars and a parocial school in summer of forty-seven pupils.
They built a neat frame church in 1903, at a cost of §2500 with a seat-
ing capacitj' of about 400. Their ofticers are : Geo. Bauer, .secretary,
F. Shultz, treasurer, and H. Bluhm, Wm. Vogt, F. Imig and Chas.
Gembler, trustees. The church is served at present by the Seward pas-
tor. Rev. Woth. These churches belong to the German Evangelical
Synod of JSorth Aijierica.
MILFORD EMANUEL EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION
Was organized, September 13, 1903. Their first church was built
in 1880 but moved to the present site in 1903 and greatly enlarged. The
beautiful frame structure is 3')x40 with a nice belfry and cost about
12500. It is by odds the finest church edifice in Milford. It is heated
by a furnace. They have forty-five commimicants. They have a flour-
ishing Sal)bath .school. The organizing members were sixteen. The
denomination also has a neat and prosperous church northeast of Mil-
ford. The present pastor is Rev. F. W. Schulzkj-.
SEWARD EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Was organized at Seward, December 10. 1877, by Rev. Father Karl
T. Gruber. Its first trustees were Herman Diers, Oscar E. Bernecker
and Chas. Kroeger. Among the first members were J. F. Goehner,
j Wm. Shultz, H. Kimmel, Herman Bernecker, Mr. Kortge and (i rand-
father Bernecker and their families. Other names connected with the
organization are lost to us. A little frame church edifice was erected
[ in 1879 and was dedicated November 9th. Father Gruber served as
[ pastor of the little flock up to 1880, when, in 1881 Rev. C. Bode took the
424
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
pastorate and served for a time and was succeeded by Rev F. Koenig,
who served the church till 1891, when Rev. A. Miller held the pastorate
till 1895, when the present incumbent was called, Rev. C. H. Becker.
In 1888. a very creditable parsonage was erected.
The present elegant house of worship was erected in 1893. The
old edifice has been used since that time exclusively for school purposes
but two years ago, another frame school building was erected at rear of
the church and two schools are maintained with an attendance of
eighty pupils where both English and German are taught. The new
Seward Lutheran Church
church has a seating capacity of five hundred and cost about thirty-
eieht hundred dollars. The present number of communicants is threo
hundred and fifty besides the unconfirmed children.
In 1904, the congregation procured and placed in the church an
elegant pipe organ at a cost of |1600. The congregation has grown to
the extent that a large addition is now in contemplation for the near
future. The present trustees are Herman Diers, J. F. Goehner and H.
Gerkenmeyer. Deacons are O. E. Bernecker and Peter Goehner. The
church school board are Henry Krueger and Paul Beck. The pastor is
chairman of these boards. The present teachers are E. F. Rolf and
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 425
Louis Rewinkel, both graduates of the Adison normal school of Illinois.
The teachers lead the church choir and play the organ.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, LINCOLN CREEK
The German Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel congregation on
Lincoln Creek, Seward county, Nebraska. This congregation was or-
ganized in the fall of 1873 by the following members: John Suhr, Carl
Heitman, Fred Suhr, Joeachin Gierhou, Dietrich Erks, Eilers Erks and
Carl Gierhan. Four of these gentlemen still live : Carl Heitmann,
Fred Suhr, Eilers Erks and Carl Gierhou. The first officers of the
congregation, who were, however, not elected in the first meeting,
were: John Suhr, Carl Heitmann and Henry Neujhr, trustees; Albert
Klebe, secretary ; Carl Heitmann, treasurer. In the fall of 1874 the
congregation bought ten acres of railroad land in '"D" town, five miles
north of Utica.and built their firi^t church out of sod lijx2() ft. In 1877,
the first frame church, 30x30 ft. , was built. This structure, enlarged
and renovated, is still in use as a parochial school of the congregation.
The present church building, 32x48, steeple 14x14, 75ft. high, bearing a
2100-lb. bell-metal bell, was erected in 1887. In 1902 the congregation
bought five acres more of land and erected a teacher's dwelling, they
having called Mr. H. Beels as teacher of their parochial school. Three
resident ministers have served the congregation as pastors: Rev. G.
Gruber, Rev. H. Bohl and Rev. M. Zagel, the last named being in
charge of the congregation for the last fourteen years. The congrega-
tion today has a membership of 64 voting members and 445 souls. The
present officers are: Carl Heitmann, Fred Suhr and Dietrich Dey, elders;
William Pozehl, Fr. Meinke and Fred Fischer, trustees; D. C. Martens,
treasurer ; Gustave Inner, seci'etary.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
The German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at east line of
"H" precinct was organized in November, 1872, by the following per-
sons: Johann Heinrich Beckmann, Sr. , H. Friedrich Beckmann, Hein-
lich Beckmann, Fritz Beckmann, Johann Beckmann, Heinrich Brune,
Karl Koch, Heinrich Niebuhr, Fritz Gahle, Friedrich Sieck, August
Sieck, Ernst Sieck, Heinbrich Sieck, Friedrich Lange, Sr. , Heinrich
Lange, and Hermann Goecke.
During the summer of 1872, a district school house was built on the
northeast quarter of section 14-11-4, in which Rev. Theo. Gruber, pas-
tor of the Middle creek congregation, Seward county, Nebraska, preached
every third Sunday, if possible. In September, 1881, Rev. Friedrich
Koenig accepted a call as pastor of the congregation and remained until
1884, when he followed a call to Seward and was succeeded by the pre-
sent minister. Rev. W. Brakhage. In 1884. a church was built. This
building (30x50 ft. ) cost about |2100 not including the work done gratis
by the members of the congregation. The church as well as the par-
sonage, costing about |800, stands just across the line in Lancaster
426 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
county. The voting membership at the present time is 49 ; total mem-
bership 329.
The members of this congregation, like all the congregations of the
Lutheran Sj'nod of Missouri, Ohio and other states, consider it their
duty to not only educate their children in the secular branches of know-
ledge but also to give them a thorough instruction in the great truth
and undefiled doctrines of Christianity pertaining to the salvation of
ther immortal soul and for this reason have built and are maintaining
a congregational school with a special teacher in charge. The present
teacher, Jos Dietrich, is well (jualitied to teach English as w^ell as
German. He lives a few hundred yards west of the church, in Seward
county. The membership are citizens of both Seward and Lancaster
counties.
OLD STONE CHURCH
The old Stone church was one of the oldest land marks of Seward
county, being erected in 1872. It was one of the first church edifices
ever built in the county and is deserving of more notice than our space
will allow. It was a most substantial stone structure with a seating
capacity of about two hundred and cost one thousand dollars. It served
the congregation for thirty years but in 1902, it was torn down to give
place to a more modern and much grander edifice; but it almost seemed
like sacrilege to tear down that old landmark of christian civilization.
It had stood through so many storms and had sheltered so very many
worshipers Where thousands of people had chanted anthems of praise,
where so very many children had been confirmed in the faith of the
fathers and where so many of our young people bad taken their solemn
vows at the sacred marriage altar — where so many sweet memories of
the past were centered and from whose portals hundreds have been car-
ried to the silent grave. Dear old house where God had met with his
people so often ! It is indeed a sad thing to say farewell to thee. But
like all earthly things thou in thy time served thy purpose and now
must be numbered with the things of the past.
The church was founded by that grand old veteran of the cross.
Father K. T. Gruber in 1869, when he gathered the .scattered families of
his faith in eastern Seward county. Nine families were gathered into
the fold, viz: Diedrick Brant, Louis Liebrock. Conrad Grotz, Fred Roep-
kee, Conrad Roerkasse, Wm. Lubbie, Frank Thomas, Andrew Shultz and
M. C. Miller. Most of these old people are now sleeping in the church
yard and a great multitude of other iieople occupy their places. In
1902, the present great new structure took the place of the old. It has
a seating capacity of five hundred and cost thirty-six hundred dollars.
This is the parent edifice of the great Evangelical Lutheran church of
Seward county in western H towm. Its present membership is sixty
families and is the mother church of that denomination in this county
which now numbers twelve congregations with several thousands of
communicants,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
427
SEWARD M. E. CHURCH
By Rev.Dr.J.H.Presson
The history of Methodism in Seward county commences with its
first settlement. It came with the first camp-fires that lit np the groves
and prairies, it was found in the hearts of many of the rugged iiioneers,
who sang the songs of the Wesleys vA'hile they followed the plow that
broke the virgin soil. The Methodist itinerant, with his saddlebags.
Seward M. E, Church
bible, hymn book, and discipline, helped to lead the advance of civili-
zation, and to establish in this beautiful land the gospel of the Son of
God. Some of this number— preachers and laymen and devoted wives
and mothers— have passed over and are numbered among the redeemed.
Others are still with us, and are rejoicing in their well earned victories.
They see and enjoy this beautiful land which they have helped rescue
from the wilds of nature, and have transformed into a paradise of
christian civilization, a land of home and plenty, where God dwells in
the hearts of many people, and where all may enjoy the benefits of our
428 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
blessed Christianity. The first minister visiting this locality was young
Rev. Skaigs.
In the year 1870 Seward was the head of a very large circuit. It was
then a place of two or three hundred inhabitants. The preacher was
the Rev. C. W. Corastock, his charge consisted of the north half of
Seward, west halt of Butler, all of Polk, and the north half of York
counties. Milford at this time was the head of another large circuit,
embracing the soath half of this county, part of Saline and York
counties. The Rev. A. Blackwell was the pastor. The entire mem-
bership reported living within the bounds above mentioned was (85)
eighty-five, except a few who lived in the extreme southwest corner of
the county under the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Oliver.
In the spring of 1871 the Rev. Josiah Burlingame was appointed to
Seward charge, then a mission, embracing the northwest part of Seward,
southwest part of Butler, and all of Polk counties. The society at
Sevvard at this time was the possessor of four lots situated just west of
where our high school building now st;inds. These lots were the gift
of Louis Moffitt. the original owner of the town, for the use of the so-
ciety for a church and parsonage but were subsequently disposed of in
order to secure a more suitable location. Rev. A. J. Combs, now de-
ceased, filled the pulpit in 1873.
Milford this same year, was supplied by the Rev. D. C. Bannon,
under whose labors a great revival took place, and many of the best
families of the town were converted and became members of the
church. In 1872 Seward was left most of the year without a shepherd.
In 1873 Rev. A. L. Folden was the pastor. During his administration
the old church, a brick structure, was completed and dedicated. The
Rev. Bishop Andrews, who was master of ceremonies, found it a hard
task to provide for the debt, but through the liberality of a few of the
members, some of whom are yet living in this vicinity, the amount
asked tor was subscribed, and the first M E. church of Sevvard county
was dedicated to the service of God on the 2yth day of December, 1874.
Some of the trustees are still living in Seward. Too much praise can
not be given the men and women who did so much for the cause of
Christ in those early days.
This same year there was a church built at Milford, under the pas-
torate of the Rev, John Gallagher.
The Rev. T. L. McLean, who will be kindly remembered by many
of the old residents as a man of ability and fine social qualities, served
as pastor at Sevvard during the years 1875-13-7.
In 1878 Rev. J. W. Shank was appointed to Seward. Utica was
made an appointment, and attached to Milford, with Thos. H. Worley
as pastor. At the close of that year there were reported 184 memliers
in the county. The parsonage— the main part of it — was built that
year. It is amusing now to hear the ladies tell of the various methods
used in order to raise money to pay for the home of their pastor. The
following preachers have been from time to time appointed since at
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 429
Seward : Rev. J. P. Roe, Peter Van Vleete, E. J. Willis, G. ,W. Selby,
Geo. M. Morey.
(From this point the history was written by the Author. )
Rev. J. H. Presson commenced his pastorate with the church in
the year 188(3, and served three years and during his last year, 18H9, the
church determined to erect the elegant edifice of the present. In this
great undertaking Rev. Presson threw all the force of energy he had in
store. He worked unceasingly until the completion of the edifice was
assured and the corner stone was laid under his pastorate in the autumn
of 1889. The church was completed and dedicated June 1, 1890. The
first committee on subscription secured $5184.00. At the time of dedi-
cation 15458.00 had been paid and at dedication $4046.00, including former
liledges, was raised leaving a balance unpaid of $4,000, which under
the pa.storate of Rev. J. S. W. Dean was raised and paid off in Sep-
tember, 1891. The total cost of the edifice was $13504. It is now en-
tirely free from debt. The church edifice and parsonage are centrally
located on the southwest corner of 3d St. and Jackson Av(^. , facing
south on a hundred foot street and west on 3d street. A most beautiful
and valuable location. The building is of red pressed brick and is so
well constructed that should no calamity befall it, it will stand for cen-
turies. It is heated with a hot air furnace. The main audience room
overlooked by a neat and commodious gallery, has a seating capacity of
seven hundred including the lecture room which is connected by sliding
doors. The edifice has three entrances. One, the main entrance is at
the street corner, and one on 3d St. near the north end and leading to
both main audience room and lecture room. The third entrance is on
Jackson Ave. near the southeast corner. At the rear of the pulpit is
an alcove ready for a great pipe organ which will in the future have a
home in the church. This space is now used by the choir. The build-
ing is well supplied with vestibules and cloak rooms. The seats are
strong yet beautiful. The aisles are broad. The window-s are of
stained glass and well decoiated, .several of them memorial windows.
The building is lighted by electric torches. The building is most com-
plete and beautiful. The architecture is grand. As we have gazed at
and admired this lovely house of God, we have often thought that in
all the hundreds of cities great and small reaching from ocean to ocean,
that it has been our privilege to visit, among all the grand church edi-
fices that we have seen, none so completely fills the bill for beauty as
our little church at Seward. One other feature we should mention is
the dining room in the basement, where the ladies have all the para-
phanalia for giving sociables. They have stove, tables, chinaware, etc.
The pastors of the church since 1889 have been Rev. J. W. Sea-
brook, one year; Rev. J. S. W. Dean, two years; A. B. Whitmer. two
years; Rev. T. A. Hull, two years; Rev. J. F. Kemper, three years;
Rev. John Galliger, four years ; Rev. L. W. Grigsby, one year and the
present incumbent. Rev. H. G. Wilcox. The parsonage is rather old
and hardly in keeping with the grand church, but the property is quite
valuable, worth about $1500, and the present value of the entire church
430 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
property is, now about $17000. The present membershiii is one hundred
and fifty, and is in a prosperous condition. The church is of great
value to all the citizens of the community. It is always open to great
meetings of the proper character. It is a great blessing to the entire
community.
P> large and flourishing Sabbath school is maintained also a pros-
perous Epworth League and a Junior League is in good flourishing
condition.
MILFORD M. E. CHURCH
By :Mrs. E. J. Wortendyke
Was organized in the summer of 1866 or rather it was a class with
four members, viz : Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Brown and their two daugh-
ters, Mrs. E. J. Badgley and Miss D. E. Brown. Our first minister
was Rev. Skaigs, wh(j preached every two weeks when he could get
here. He served us one year when Rev. Olliver and Blackwell were
here alternately during 1867, and then Rev. Wm. Worley assisted Rev.
Olliver. After this ^\e\. Bryant was with us three months, when Rev.
John Gralliger took charge. Rev. Skaigs heli)ed organize a Union Sab-
bath school in the spring of 18(i6. Our preacher was superintendent
when with us and J. L. Davi.son, Wm. Reed, Patrick Davidson and
others officiated at times. The Sundaj^ .school was held at the home of
J. L. Davison where preaching service was also held. We all enjoyed
the Sunday school very much, as we could all take a part in it and it
gave us a place to go and all get together and perhaps we would get in-
vitations to dinner for that was the fashion those days. Then we could
see all the neighV)ors and talk over all the news. Those were happy
days but they soon passed. When winter came our school closed as
many went away to work or spend the winter in other parts of the state.
In the spring of 1867, our school was reojiened in the home of Rev.
Harrington, a United Brethren minister who settled near where the
Industrial home is now located. Our school had its days of prosperity
and its times of adversity. We lacked a supply of books. The Con-
gregational and Presbyterian churches of Nebraska Cit^', gave us a
small lot of 1)ooks which made our hearts glad and we laid then the
foundations for more thorough and better work. Much of the time the
river and creeks were high and impassible as there were no bridges,
BEAVER CROSSING M. E. CHURCH
The society was oi-ganized in November, 1888, in the hall over
Eager 's store by Rev. Geo. Abern, the blind evangelist. Later they oc-
cupied the old store building now occupied by F. Hunkins, then later
they moved to the upper story of Dimerzy's store that stood where D.
E. Campbell "s store now stands. This building was burned and under
the leadership of Rev. G. L. Hasford the old school house was bought
in 1895. The society had a long and hard struggle with debt on the
parsonage, but it was all paid off in 1901. For some years the church
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 431
has prospered and grown rapidly, so that more adequate room was re-
({nired and the society determined to erect the present beautiful modern
structure. It is up to date in every way. The auditorium is ;5(>x4(j
feet, with incline floor. Lecture room 18x32, and class room 18x1(5,
with a splendid belfry 10x10 and 58 ft. high. The windows are of
leaded glass and will add greatly to the appearance of the edifice. The
church will be heated by a furnace. It is placed upon a commanding
site and is an ornament to the little city. With the exception of the
church at Seward it is the finest and best edifice in the county. It will
cost I^OOO when completed. Beaver Crossing has a right to be proud
of this grand temple of worship, is the opinion of the author.
UTICA M. E. CHURCH
Was organized in 1880, by Rev. W. H. Tibets. The records are
lost to us and we can learn but little about the membership of the early
days. Rev. A. J. Marsh was second pastor, in 1882, when H. Clover,
B. F. Bosworth, A. T. Cougill, H. M. Colman., W. W. Woodward, M.
Cross, T. J. Brant and G.- W. Miller were trustees. From that time
the pastors have been as follows: Rev. D. Z. Black, 1883; Rev. A. M.
Ogburn, 1884 to 1886 ; Rev. G. A. Hobson, 1887 ; Rev. Enock Holland,
1S8S; Rev. H. C. Harman, 1889 to 1893; Rev. J. M. Darby, 1892; Rev.
C. E. Rouse. 1893; Rev C. E. Givels. 1894 to 1897; Rev. L. Morrison.
1897 to 1899 ; Rev. D. P. Cline, 1899 ; Rev. M. C. Smith, 1900 to 1902 ;
Rev. O. T. Moore, 1902 ; Rev. I. C. Lemon, 1903 ; Rev. E. S. Burr the
present incumbent, 1904 to the present.
The church edifice was built in the early 80's, can't tell just the
year. Cost near $2000, seats 200. Very credital)le building. Present
membership eighty-six. Have a fairly good parsonage. They main-
tain a flourishing Sabbath school of 135 pupils.
UTICA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Was organized, June 9, 1889, by Dr. T. L. Sexton with thirty-six
members. Rev. A. H. Ewing was the first minister to supply the
charge. The first session was composed of the following members:
elders, Wm. Close, now deceased : R. R. Williams and J. W. Scott.
Services were regularly held in a hall. A Sunday school was organized
and prayer meeting maintained. The present church edifice was !milt
the same year. Rev. W. R. Adams was installed i)astor in 1890. He
also had charge of chuich at Tamora. Thiee years later was followed
by Rev. J. C. Gifleer, then Rev. Sharp, Rev. W. H. Parker, Rev. \V.
Watson and Rev. F. A. Mitchell as supplies. In 1.S97, Rev. W. H.
Parker was installed pastor and remained two years, when Rev. J. B.
Cherry located in February, 1900. who remained until the fall of 1904.
During his pastorate the manse was purchased at a cost of 11200. Rev.
N. W. Larimer was installed pastor in December, 1904, who is now in
charge. Present membership is eighty-five and is in a flourishing con-
dition.
432 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
GERMANTOWN UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
It seems for some years dating back to the early settlement, a
Methodist Episcopal church had occupied the field, but death and
many removals had so descinated their numbers that it was deemed wise
to disband and their church property was sold to the Congregationalists,
September, 10. 1900, who had organized with a membership of twenty-
nine. We are not able to find the records of the organization. The
present membership is thirty-six. John A. Ohlwiler and Henry Hans
are among the leading members. The church was without a regular
pastor until January 1, 1904. when they joined with Immanuel church
and jointly employed Rev. G. L. Brakemager. The}' have a neat
church edifice with a seating capacity of about 200 and costing four-
teen hundred dollars. They maintain a flourishing Sabbath school.
A church was built in 1890 by the M. E. people.
UNITED BRETHEN CHURCH
The first organization was effected in 1872, at the Slonecker school
house by Rev. E. W. Johnson. Seward church was organized in 1878
by Rev. Johnson. The church edifice was built and dedicated by
Bishop Wright in 1880. The class at Slonecker school house removed
their membership to Seward in 1882. Rev. Johnson was pastor from
1872 to 1875; Rev. Henry Lohr, from 187") to 187(); Rev. P. P. Landen
was in charge from 1876 to 1877 and was followed by Rev. E. L. Austin;
Rev. Johnson was in charge in 1878 to 1881 ; followed by Rev. M. Wal-
temire and he was followed by Rev. J. M. Eads in 1882; Rev. O. D.
Cone had charge in 1883 and was followed by Rev. J. M. Dufiield in
1884; In 1885 Rev. Cone had charge and died in the harness; Rev. J. J.
Hamer completed the year 1885 ; Rev. J. J. Lohr served in 1886 ; fol-
lowed by Rev. F. W. Jones; followed by Rev. Mr. Olliver; succeeded
by Rev. Mr. Horner, who was followed by Rev. E. F. Bowers; suc-
ceeded by Rev. Mr. Strainyer ; then Rev. J. M. Higgins ; followed by
Rev. H. E. Myers ; then Rev. W. S. Lynde ; followed by Rev. G. W.
Shrader ; who was followed by Rev. T. S. Swan ; then Rev. A. G. Mc-
Vey ; followed by the present pastor Rev. D. W. Davis.
Present membershii^ is about sixty with a flourishing Sabbath
school of seventy-five pupils. There is a flourishing young people's so-
ciety. Present class leader, Mrs. John Metz ; S. S. superintendent, Miss
Cora Smith, president Young Peoples Society, Ernest Figard ; class
steward, Geo. Baless ; presiding stevvart. Levy Hafer ; treasurer. Calvin
Anderson; president Ladies Aid society, Mrs. Levy Hafer; junior sup-
erintendents, Mrs. E. Metz and Augusta Wullenwaber ; trustees. Lewis
Anderson, James Fairbrother, Levy Hafer, Geo. Lefel and J. F. Metz.
In the death of Rev. O. D. Cone the conference sustained a great
loss. He was a most worthy and intelligent minister and was honored
wherever known and was dearly loved by his parishioners. The church
of his choice and where he labored so faithfully mourns the loss of a
faithful servant and able defender, the community lo.ses one of its most
highly honored citizens.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 433
GROVER UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH
Was organized in the autumn of 1889 by Rev. J. Shattuck with
foi'ty five members. About the same time a Sunday school was organ-
ized, with Ada Hill as superintendent with about thirty-five scholars.
Hev. Shattuck was pastor for about five years and was succeeded by
Rev. J. W. Dunn ; followed by Rev. Curtis ; then came Rev. M. Falk-
ener; followed by the present incumbent, Rev. W. D. Morgan who is
both pastor and Sunday school superintendent. The school is in a
prosperous condition with thirty members.
CHAPTER XXIV.
CIVIC SOCIETIES
Officers of several of the lodges have neglected to place the data in
my hands and are left out, aYid the reader must not blame the author.
MASONIC FRATERNITY
Oilver Lodge No. 38, A. F. and A. M. vpas organized under dis-
pensation July 21), 1871, by the following members, to-wit: C. J. Rich-
mond, W. H. Tuttle, J. W. Dupin, Samuel Manley, A. W. Sperry, L.
W. Manning, Thos. Corr, H. S. Faucett.
In September, 1872, it seems there was a new dispensation or a re-
newal of the first granted to the members: Thos. Corr, William Hayes,
H. C. Page, T. L. Norval, L. (i. Johns, S D. Paddock, Samuel Man-
ley, Wm. Leese, John Helms, James Hacknej-. J. W. Dupin and W. H.
Tuttle.
June 18, 1878, a charter was granted which bears the following
names of members and officers: William Leese, W. M. ; T. L. Norval,
S. W. ; Aurelius Roberts, J. W. ; J. W. Shields, Treasurer; J W. Dupin,
Secretary ; Thomas Corr,Nathan Clough, O. P. Cope.M. Dunigan, James
Hackney, Wm. Hayes, L. G. Johns, J. C. Langton, Horace Lester,
Samuel Manley, L. W. Manning, Geo. Miller, S. D. Paddock, H. C.
Page, C. J. Richmond, Madison Rogers, Robert Rowbottom, W. T.
Shields, I. B. Sorter, Sam. Stevenson, J. C. Sullivan, Joel Tishue, A.
B. Sutton, Joseph Whitson, and O. T. B. Williams. The first Worship-
ful Master was C. J. Richmond; first Sen. Warden, W. H. Tuttle; first
Jun. Warden, Sam. Manley.
We regret that our masonic lirethren vvere so careless as to neg-
lect to furnish data to bring history of their lodge up to date.
QTICA LODGE NO. 9K, A. F. AND A. M.
By C. S. Swartz Asst. Sec.
On the 14th day of July, 1882, a dispensation was granted by the
Grand Lodge of Nebraska to Joseph Jones, E. J. Porter, Thomas E.
Standard, Stephen H. Hobbie, Lyman Calder, Robert Mailer, Samuel
H. Beaver, James G. Hibbard, Joseph J. Pounder, David M. Roland,
Geo. A. Verbach and Edmund L. Blanchard, all Free and Accepted
Masons, to assemble as a lodge of Free Masons at Utica, Neljraska.
Having passed the proper term of probation, on the 19th day of June,
1883, to the above mentioned petitions together with the following
members : Thomas C. Allen, Andrew Austin, John C. Bicount, Cyrus
Black, Thomas E. Standard, Thomas J. Brant, William Dingman, Ira
Tapham, James E. Murphy, Calvin E. Phinney, Prisley Pindell and
Harvey Robinson. They were organized as a regular and constitu-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 435
tional lodge of Master Masons under the name of Utica Lodge No. 99,
with the following officers : Joseph Jones, W. M. ; E. J. Porter, S. W. ;
Lyman Calder. J. \V. ; Samuel H. Beaver, Sec. ; Robert Marler, Treas. ;
Stephen H. Hobbie, S. D. ; ,<ames E. Hubbard, J. D. • Thomas E.
Standard, Tyler; Joseph Pounder and Edmund L. Blanchard, Stew-
ards.
The lodge thus organized has steadily progressed under a fair state
of prosperity up to the present time. On the 3rd of March, igo.'), an
auxiliary of the Masons— a chapter of the Eastern Star was organized,
with fair prospects of becoming a good strong order.
Our ]i.st of honored dead who were members in good standing of
this lodge at the time of their demise are : John Davies. Oscar D.
^ Swartz, John A. Boon, Charles Greenwood, Daniel P. Sherwood, and
Calvin E. Phinney and Joseph .lones, besides a number of others who
were demitted and were members of other lodges at the time of their
death. Our total membership up to the present time, March 1, 19U5, is
94, counting those whom we have lost by death, demits and otherwise.
Our jiresent membership is 35 and we feel that we have wielded a great
influence for good in the community. Since our organization we have
had the following Masters : Joseph Jones, Samuel Runyan, Daniel ,1.
Hartrum, Thomas J. Brant, Tom L. Davies, Fred Gr. Limback and Wil-
liam C. Kenner.
Our present officers are William C. Kenner, W. M. ; Jacob Severin,
S. W. ; Geo. W. Collamore, J. \V. ; Daniel J. Hartrum, Sec. ; Joseph
Jones, Treas. ; Chas. L. Swartz, S. D. ; Gustav Rutenbeck, .Tr. , J. D ;
Henry Larson, S. S. ; Tom L. Davies, J. S. ; Nicholas Cradick, Tyler.
SEWARD LODCiE NO. 26 I. O. O. F.
Samuel Pense. Sec.
The Odd Fellows of Seward became instituted and organized, May
30, 1871, by Grand Master John Hamlin. Charter members: L. G.
Johns, D. H. Figard, J. H. Anderson, W. R. Davis, and T. D. Green.
The first officers were. L. G. Johns, N. G. ; D. H. Figard, V. G. ; J.
H. Anderson, Sec. ; and T. D. Green, Treas. Samuel Pence was the
first initiated candidate and has never been delinquent in dues, and is
intitled to wear the veteran jewel.
There has been admitted to memV)ersliip to the present time 234.
By initiation 144 and by card 90. The lodge has paid for relief of its
members the sum of 11812.00. A fine hall was built by the order in
1886, and the present value of the lodge property is estimated at
13,000.00. The lodge at this time is doing well having initiated 15
within the last year with bright prospects for the future. The present
officers are G. A. Merriam, N. G. ; H. E. Hassinger, V. G. ; Samuel
Pence, Sec. ; T. C. Sampson, Treas. ; Trustees, F. A. Marsh, F. R.
VVooley and U. H. Franklin. They meet every Monday night and all
Odd Fellows are always welcome.
COLUMBIA REBEKAH LODGE NO. 84
The ladies auxiliary to the I. O. O.' F. was organized, February
436 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
16, 1893, with the following charter members: Martha Marsh, Nellie
J. Redford, Susie L. Ilollaiid. Amy McKay, Belle Erford, Mary R.
Johns, Mary Mulfinger. Rosa Kohn. Nellie Pelkey, Mary Kilpatrick,
Emily Pence, Lois C. Roberts, Jennie B. Clark, Celia E. Woolley,
Louisa Edwards, F. A. Marsh, Wm. Redford, C. E. Holland, H. M.
McKay. J. H. Erford. J. C. Mulfinger. B. Kohn, F. A. Pelkey, G. A.
Kilpatrick, Samuel Pence, M. T. Roberts. S. B. Clark, F. R. Woolley,
J. P. Dunham and L. G. Johns.
The first officers were: Martha Marsh, Noble Grand; Nellie J.
Redford. Vice Grand ; L. G. Johns, Secretary' ; Amy McKay, Treasurer.
This lodge has been the means of promoting the grand cause for
which it with its brother lodge the I. O. O. F. stands: that of friend-
ship, love, and truth and after twelve years of existence we can truth-
fully say that its life has not been lived in vain. The present officers
are Emma A. Neihardt. Noble Grand; Agnes J. Pence. Vice Grand;
Jennie M. Lowley, Secretary and Bertha Franklin, Treasurer.
SEWARD A. O. U. W.
By F. G. Simmons
Among the numerous fraternal orders represented in the city of
Seward, none stands higher in the estimation of the public than the
Ancient Order of United Workman. A lodge of this order was insti-
tuted on September 27, 1888. under the designation of Anchor Lodge
No. 16. The state of Nebraska was then attached to the jurisdiction
of Missouri, and the instituting officer was T. A. Foreman, Deputy
(xrand Master Workman of Missouri. The list of charter members was
as follows: L. M. Smith, J. S. Leonhardt.R. S. Norval,C N. Emilton,
W. A. Schell, E. A. Polley, C. M Hovey, S. D. Atkins, F. G. Simmons,
Wm. Clemmons, Wm. Schultz, H. M. Waring, J. H. Erford. W. N.
Walker. Louis Stahl, W. J. Taylor. J. R. Erford. Louis Leibrock, Henry
Petri, Bernhard Kohn. Valentine Minor, A. J. Senter. E. H. Fletcher,
C. Grabnstein, W. O. Whitcomb, Henry Hartwick.
Officers for the first term were elected as follows : A. J. Senter,
Past Master Workman ; Henry Hartwick. Master Workman ; J. H. Er-
ford, Foreman; E. A. Polley, Overseer; S. D. Atkins, Recorder; C. N.
Emilton, Financier; Wm. Clemmens, Receiver; J. R. Erford, Guide;
Wm. Schultz, Inside Watchman ; E. H. Fletcher. Outside Watchman ;
Dr. J. S. Leonhardt. Medical Examiner; R. S. Norval. W. J Taylor,
Louis Stahl, Trustees
In the twenty-one years since the organization of the lodge, a large
number of the best citizens of Seward and vicinity have been initiated
into its membership. Many have left it to assist in the formation of
lodges of the order in other towns of the county and elsewhere, some
have died, and others have withdrawn voluntarily. Some four hundred
in all have been membei-s of the lodge, and the present membershi}) is
230.
Many men prominent in county and state affairs have been mem-
bers of this lodge, some of whom still remain in our midst, while others
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 437
have joined the great majority. Among them may be mentioned the
following: E. C. Cams, senator and lieutenant governor; T. L. Nor-
val, district and supreme judge; D. H. Figard, county treasurer; R. P.
Anderson, county attorney; Wm. Leese, attorney general; R. S. Norval,
state senator; D. D. Remington, county treasurer; L. F. Schultz,
county treasurer; G. A. Merriam, clerk of district court.
Anchor Lodge was active in the agitation which led to the separa-
tion of Nebraka from the. jurisdiction of Missouri. In 1886 this event
took place, and the Nebraska Grand Lodge was established, with 2.090
members. Since that time the memV)ership in Nebraska has steadily
increased, until now it reaches nearly 40,000. Millions of dollars have
been paid by the order in this state to the beneficiaries of its deceased
members. In the twenty-one years seventeen members of Anchor Lodge
have died, and |2,000 has been paid to the family of each, thus sustain-
ing the reputation of the order as a reliable organization for the pro-
tection of the homes of its members.
Members of Anchor Lodge were from the beginning active in the
councils of the Grand Lodge, and several of its members have held im-
portant positions in that body. At the oiganization of the Grand
Lodge, F. G. Simmons became a member of the Finance Committee,
serving in that capacity for three years. He also edited the Nebraska
Workman, the official organ of the order in the state, in 1894-95, and
since 1901 has been serving as Deputy Grand Master Workman. In
1889 E. A. Polley was aijpointed a member of the Finance Committee
of the Grand Lodge. In 1890 a vacancy occurred in the office of Grand
Receiver (Treasurer, ) and Mr. Polley was appointed to that place.
After serving out the unexpired term, he was elected for three succes-
sive terms of two years each, thus completing seven years in this highly
responsible office, with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the
order. He has also been a representative to the Supreme Lodge. J. H.
Erford is another member of Anchor Lodge who has served both the
Grand and Supreme Lodges. He became successively Grand Foreman
and Grand Master Workman, was several times elected representative
to the Supreme Lodge, and served several years as an officer of that
body. It will thus be seen that Anchor Lodge has been a force in the
work of the order, from its organization up to the present time.
Present officers of the lodge are as follows : C. E. Boyes, Past Mas-
ter Workman ; W. H. Moore, Master Workman ; H. E. Hassinger, Fore-
man ; C. N. Slonecker, Overseer; F. H. Melosh, Recorder; L. A.
Kenner, Financier; G. H. Terwilliger, Receiver; Arthur Humphrey,
Guide; Cal Anderson, Inside Watchman; T. S. Berry, Outside Watch-
man ; Dr. F. A. Marsh, Medical Examiner ; C. K. Humphrey, Jacob
Zinky, M. E. Shorey, Trustees.
Of those who were charter members of the lodge, the following are
still members in good standing : R. S. Norval, E. A. Policy, F. G.
Simmons. Wm. Schultz, B. Kohn, W. A. Schell, S. D. Atkins, Wm.
Clemmens, .). H. Erford, W. J. Taylor.
The lodge owns a fine hall, is entirely out of debt, and has ample
438 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
means to cany out any plans it may undertake. In its twenty -one
years of life it has proven itself to be one of our most vvoithy institu-
tions, furnishing protection to its members at low cost, and exemplify-
ing the principles of charity and fraternity to the fullest extent. All
classes of our citizens, whether members of the organization or not,
recognize its worth and give it their hearty good wishes for the future.
SEWARD POST NO. 3, G. A. R.
Was organized December 16, 1880, by Capt. John S. Wood, of
Omaha, Assistant Adjutant General, Department of Nebraksa. The
following were chosen officers: J. N. Edwards, Commander; Wm.
Hays, Senior Vice Commander ; S D. Love, Junior Vice Commander ;
D. H. Figard, Q. M. ; A. W. Hageman, Surgeon ; Jeff. Ogg, Adjutant ;
A. H. Edwards, Officer of the Day ; J. D. Edwards, Sergeant Major ; H.
Vanderhoof, O. G.
The charter members were : H. M. Hinsdale, Jefferson Ogg, Thomas
Corr, A. W. Hageman. Henry Vanderhoof, S. D. Love, Abraham Wal-
lick. C. C. Jobes, J. C. Ford, C. K. Humphrey, G. W. Hoover, J. M.
Fletcher, Wm. Hays, J. D. Messinger, J. N. Edwards, Wm. Clemens,
A. H. Edwards, D. H. Figard, J. D. Edwards, Geo. W. Fuller, Geo.
W. Whiting, Geo. H. Sidle, A. J. Williams. Thos. B. Siddons, Chas.
Lyon, and Cyrus Fetterman.
The post started out with the above named veterans, with the full
hope of bringing in all the boys who wore the blue and that lived in
reach of the post. The boys had camp-tire meetings, sung songs of the
long ago, and mustered during the year 1881, the following members:
Daniel W. Crouse, S. H. Marshall, Wm. Lee§e, H. M. Brooks, John H.
Morris, S. N. Welsh, Beoj. W. Walker, Henry Morris, L. G. Johns, E.
E. Horn, Alfred Stephens, Jacob Andrews, John Larson, R. T. Cooper,
Robt. W. Pound, J. L. S. Jackson, E. C. Archer, Ed. Cooper, J. C.
Lockhart, Wm. Redford, L. G. Castlft, M. Richtmeyer, J. H. Ander-
son, C. C. Ternicliff, Jas. W. Woods, A. M. Simpson, P. H. Steele,
Henry Jett, John Ohlwilei, W. H. R. Phillips, John M. Thurman,
Henry Creighton, Jas. Wright.
January 1, 1882, the following having been elected to fill the var-
ious offices of the post, were duly installed: J. N. Edwards, Comman-
der ; Cyrus Fetterman, Senior Vice; Wm. Woods, Junior Vice; S. D.
Love, Q. M. ; A. W. Hageman, Surgeon; J. M. Fletcher, Chaplain; H.
Vanderhoof, O. D. ; C. K. Humphrey, O. G. ; Wm. Clemens, Adjt. ; D.
W. Crouse, Q. M. S. ; C. W. Lyon, Sergeant Major,
The post continued to hold meetings during 1882, with some draw-
backs, which were happily adjusted during the year by th( men getting
into a hall by themselves, and began to gather an outfit peculiarly
needed in a post room.
The following were mustered during 1882 : Daniel Brady, John
Hanley, Jacob Cox.
In December, 1882, the post elected the following officers to serve
for the ensuing year of 1883 : S. D. Love, Commander ; M. Thurman,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 439
Senior Vice; Win. Woods, Junior Vice; C. K. Humphrey, Q. M. ; A.
W. Hageman, Surgeon; Daniel Brady, Chaplain; E. H. Horn, O. D. ;
H. M. Brooks, O. G. ; H. Vanderhoof, Adjt.
During this year the post mustered a number of new members, and
many good social gatherings were had, long to be remembered by the
boys. The following were mustered in : Jas. Moorhead, John Wester
hoof, S. J. Ashton, C. Chapin. S. R. Philips, Chas. Emerson, W. T.
Olmstead, W. S. Saunders, Wm. Silence, John Welsh. D. C. McKillip,
Henry Sanders, E. C. Parkinson (by transfer,) M Pilgrim, John
Knobbs, Wm. Morgan.
December 1, 1883, the following were elected officers for the year
1884; E. C. Parkinson, Commander; C. C. Jobes, Senior Vice; A. W.
Hageman, Junior Vice ; H. Sanders, Chaplain ; J. H. Welsh, Surgeon;
C. K. Humphrey. Q. M. ; A. H. Edwards, O. D. ; M. Pilgrim, O. G. ;
H. Vanderhoof, Adjt.
The post stai'ted out for the year in good trim, and had many good
camp-fires, tending to revive the veterans up and bring in some old
comrades from the outside. During the year the following were brought
in by muster, etc. E. A Hitchcock, John Rhodes, B. Chattuck, J.
M. Strayer, Leander Callaghan, S. C. Stanwood, S. H. Carter, J. A.
Mick (by transfer,) Chas. P. Stephenson (by transfer), S. G. Jones,
Wm. Wait, S. D. Dutton, G. W. Boyes, *J. J. Redding, R. R. Schick,
J. H. Walker, L. A. Weldon, A. Crawford, C. Turner, W. H. Walker.
Geo. W. Lowly, P. Cameron, W^. B. Barrett, Gen. Jas. M. True, J. P.
Losee, J. C. Thomas, ^1. B. Ireland, C. E. Vanpelt, S. C. Burlingim, J.
T. Dunrig, M. Millspaugh, C. C. Davis.
September 6, 1884, E. C. Parkinson resigned the office of Comman-
der, and C. C. Jobes, who was then Sen. Vice, was elected to fill the
vacancy until the next annual election, which occurred December 6,
1884, by the election of A. H. Edwards as Commander; A. W. Hageman,
Sen, Vice; A. Crawford, Junior Vice; C. Turner, Surgeon; J. M.
Fletcher, Chap. ; E. C. Parkinson, Q. M. ; Lee Welden, O. D. ; T. B.
Siddons, O. G. ; W. H. Walker, Adjt. This year was a pleasant one
with the veterans. They added many needed improvements to the post
room, gathered in members, and got the post on a fii-ra foundation.
The following were mustered in during the year: John N. Halliday,
John W. Gladwish, S. M. Caldwell, B. Smith, Rev. T. L. Sexton, C.
Dunn, C. H. Goldsmith, W. P. Christian, M. D. Monley, Alf. Wilcox,
Chas. Scribner, H. G. Hosford, W. R. Davis. E. Faust, W. J. Eatinger,
Geo W. Anderson, Jededia Austin, Joseph Miller (by transfer).
Dec. 5, 1885, election of officers resulted as follows : A. H. Edwards,
commander; S. R. Phillips, Sen. Vice; Wm. Redford. Jun. Vice; Wm.
Wood, Surgeon ; H. Saunders. Chap. ; E. C. Parkinson, g. M. ; L. A.
Weldon, O. D. ; M. D. Monley, O. G. : W. T. Olmstead, Adjt. The
year of 1886 was an auspicious one for the post. Many valuable im-
provements were made and many good old camp-fires were had. There
were mustered during the year as follows : B. Lindsey, D. C. Conley,
440 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Orrin Squires, C. M. Clark, Rev. John Lohr, Alex. Davis, Rev. J. H.
Presson, D. C. Work, Jacob Lawsha.
Dec. 4. 1886, the election resulted as follows: A. W. Hageman,
Commander; Wm. Redford, Sen. Vice; T. B. Siddons, Jun. Vice; J. M.
Strayer, Q. M. ; Wm. Woods, Surgeon ; J. H. Presson, Chap. ; E. C.
Parkinson. O. D. ; B. Lindsey, O. G. ; D. C. Work, Adjt. During this
year many were brought in who had long been on the ourtside and found
that they needed a home among the "boys. " The following were mus-
tered: Jesse Knight, Amos Collman, J. W. Wharton, Nelson Taylor,
Robert O'Dell, John Woods, A. A. Palmer, R. H. Woodward, L. J.
Grant, C, F. Dawley, I. D. Nelhardt (by transfer), John R. Wenciker,
A. L. Goss. , J. G. Baylis, B. Fuller, F. Morton, A. G. Compton (by
ti'ansfer, ) L. V. Bolon (by transfer, ) Jas. Devine.
Dec. 3, 1887, the following were elected for the ensuing year:
Henry Morris, Commander; Wm. Redford, Senior Vice; D. H. Figard,
Junior Vice ; J. H. Presson, Chaplain; S. N. Welsh, Surgeon; J. M.
Strayer, Q. M. ; A. H. Edwards, O. D. ; M. Millspaugh, O. G.
The post has exerted a great influence for good during its existence
and has always demonstrated the principles of the organization, towit,
fraternity, charity, and loyalty ; and in extending the helping hand to
those of its membership, or the old veterans outside, has done so in
such a manner as to exemplify the adage, ''that it is more blessed to
give than receive," and that it was a privilege to aid the needy com-
rades or their families. Several hundred dollars have been expended
by the post in helping the old veterans and the widows and orphans
living in the vicinity. The post has a burial plat in the Seward cem-
etery in which to lay the remains of those comrades that wei'e without
means to provide the same.
In the department encampment the post has been conspicuous for
its ability and influence. During the year 1882, the state reunion came
very near being held at Seward through the efforts of its representatives
and the citizens of Seward.
The post has been honored by the selection of J. N. Edwards and
E. C. Parkin.son as members of the department council of administra-
tion, and J. H. Presson as Chaplain of the department ; also having
elected J. N. Edwards several times a delegate to the national encamp-
ment.
The membership in good standing, as shown by the qviarterly re-
port dated September 30, 1887, was one hundred and three (103) and
the desire to .join the G. A. R. seems to increase on the part of many
old veterans that have heretofore hesitated to connect themselves with
any soldier organization.
The prospects of the post for the future seem bright, and it hopes
to gather in all the old veterans in its vicinity, realizing the fact that
the material from which recruiting can be made is fast passing away,
and it is desirable that all the old veterans should stand elbow to elbow.
As age demonstrates that many years h&ve passed since their interests
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 441
began, and as there is strength in united action, it is greatly to their
mutual good that they should combine themselves together to exemplify
loyalty to country and to each other.
The following comrades have filled the office of commander since
1887. Henry Morris, John M. Strayer, David C. Work. S. D. Love,
W. B. Barrett, J. M. Fletcher, A. Crawford, Wm. Bedford, Dan Nie-
hardt, A. \V. Hageman, T. F. Skeede, John Woods, Isaac D. Neihardt,
Orriu Squires, Henry Vanderhoof, Jonas W. Woods, Lunis Gr. Castle,
Joseph J. Hamlin.
Since the post has been established there have been mustered out
by death the following members— Daniel Brady, John F. Haiiey, Uus
Hinsdale, David Figard, J. M. Fletcher, Ben Walker, lieorge Lowley,
W. B. Barrett. Jeff Ogg, George Anderson, Samuel Welch, H. H. San-
ders. Wm. Redford. A. W. Hageman, Peter Cameron, W. R. Davis. W.
O. Pierce, Robt. McCrossin. D. C McKilliii, D. B. Neihardt, (leurge
Whiting, Levi Groal, Silas Spragne, H. G. Hasford, B. Lindsay, J. N.
Edwards, S. Snick, J. M. Brue, J. C. Andrevvs, Emerson L. Osborn,
H. Hayes, J. Gass, S. C. Stanwood, J. B. Stowell and Wm. Leese.
The membership of the post is now only about twenty-five the
members having been lessoned by death and removals to other places of
residence.
GERMANTOWN M. W. OF A.
Germantown Camp No. 1523, M. W. A. was granted charter the
15th of December. 1890. with the following named officeis : M. B. Pal-
mer, Venerable Counsel; R. H. Kuhrts. Worthy Adviser; Louis Meyers,
Banker ; O. L. Cox, Clerk ; W. B. White, Escort; H. R. Robinson,
Watchman; John Ohlwiler, Sentry; John Ohwiler, Louis Meyers, and J.
C. White, Board of Managers.
Garland Camp No. 277. R. N. of A. instituted, February 27, 189().
charter granted. May 25, 1890. List of members: Mrs. E. A. Olney,
Mrs. Minnie Hans. Mrs. Ella Morrow. Mrs. Hattie Palmer, Mrs Minnie
Scott, Mrs. Carrie McLean, Mrs. Magnolia White, Mrs. Kittie B. Thomp-
son, Mrs. Annie E.Waldman, Mrs Ella Lewellen, Mrs Minnie Alberti.
Mrs. Minnie Gumpbel, Mrs. Loa Adell Taylor, Mrs. Margaret Ohwiler.
Mrs. Flora Garland. Mrs. Armeta Ringenergb. Mrs. Jane Fetternian,
Mrs. Elizabeth Francis, Miss Myra Gibbs, Miss Edith Ohwiler, Miss
Anna Waldman.
BEAVER CROSSING BEN HQR, COURT NO. 94
Was organized, August 28, 1900. with fifteen charter members. At
present date, February, 1905. the membership consists of one hundred
and fifty three. It is confidently expected that this court will soon
rank among the best in the state.
We are indebted to Clara L. Slonecker, the present scribe, for the
above.
CHAPTER XXV.
Official History of Seward County —Official History of Seward— Official
History of MiJford — Our Boys and Girls— Smiles of Heaven— The
Author's Thanks — Finis.
STATE SENATORS
1st.— Hon. E. C. Cams, elected 1876. Republican.
2d. —Hon. T. L. Norval, elected 1878. Republican.
3d. -Hon. Thomas Graham, elected 1880. Democrat.
4th.— Hon. R. E. Dunphy, elected 1882. Democrat.
5th.— Hon. J. F. Goehner, elected 1884. Republican.
6th.— Hon. C. J. Wright, elected 1886. Democrat.
7th.— Hon. R. S. Norval, elected 1888. Republican.
9th.— Hon. George W. Lowley, elected 1894. Republican.
11th.— Hon. W. E. Richie, elected 1896. Democrat.
13th.—
loth. —Hon. H. B. Cummins, elected r.KiU. Populist.
17th.— Hon. M. W. Uimery, elected 1904. Republican.
REPKESE^ TATIVES— TERRITORIAL
1st. — Hon. Wm. Imlay, 1864. Republican.
2d.— Hon. E. L. Clark, 1866. Republican.
REPRESENTATIVES- STATE
1st.— Hon. E. L. Clark, 1867. Republican.
2d. —Hon. Marcus Brush, 1868, from Saunders county. Democrat.
8d. — Hon. A. Roberts, 1870, from Butler county. Republican.
4th. — Hon. W. J. Thompson, 1872, resigned. Republican.
5th.— Hon. D. C. McKillip, 1873. Renublican.
6th.— Hon. D. C. McKillip, 1874. Republican.
7th. — Hon. T. A. Healy, 1876, resigned. Republican.
8th. —Hon. Wm. Hickman, 1877, to fill vacancy. Republican.
9th. — Hon. Thomas Wolfe, 1876, two mem])ers. Rei^ublican.
10th. — Hon. Wm. Hickman, 1878. Republican.
nth.— Hon. H. A. French, 1878. Repul)lican.
12th.— Hon. Henry Bick. 1880. Republican.
13th.— Hon. H P. King, 1880, resigned. Republican.
14th. Hon. — L. Chaduck, 1881, to fill vacancy. Republican.
15th. — Hon. J. Svvearingen, 1882. Republican.
16th.— Hon. D. J. Brown, 1882. Republican.
I
J
HISTOKY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA 443
17th. —Hon. Thomas Corv. 1884. Republican.
18th.— Hon. C. M. Turner. 1884. Republican.
19th. — Hon. Nicholas Wolenwaber, 1880. Democrat.
20th.— Hon. Henry Bick. 1886. Mugwump.
21st. — Hon. Adam Seed. 1884. Republican.
21st. — Hon. Henry Beckman, 1888. Republican.
22d.— Hon. Wm. E. Ritchie, 1890. Democrat.
22d. — Hon. Simon Johnson. 1890. Democrat.
23d.— Hon. D. J. Brown. 1892. Republican.
23d.— Hon. R. C. Rhea, 1892. Republican.
24th. — Hon. W.H. Brokaw. 1894. Populist.
24th. —Hon. D. D. Remington, 1894. Populist.
25th.— Hon. J. B. Mitchel. 1890. Democrat.
52th. -Hon. Dewit Eager. 1890. Populihst.
20th.— Hon. Gen. W. Fuller, 1898. Poi)ulist.
26th.— Hon. John Endicott. 1898. Democrat.
27th.— Hon. Wm. H. Berkley, 1900. Republican.
27th. -Hon. Geo. \V. Fuller. 1900. Populist.
28th.— Hon. Silas Atwood. 1902. Republican.
28th.— Hon. John McLain. 1902. Republican.
29th.— Hon. Silas Atwood. 1904. Republican.
29th.— Hon. John McLain. 1904. Repulilican.
PROBATE JUDGES
1st. — J. L. Davidson. 1865. Republican.
2d.— J. D. Maine, 1867. Republican.
3d. — Henry Wortendyke, 1869. Republican.
4th.— J. W. Shields. 1871. Democrat.
5th.— O. T. B. Williams. 1873. Republican.
6th. — George W. Lowley, 1881. Republican.
7th.— C. E. Holland, 1887-1889. Republican.
8st.— W. H. Miner, 1889—1893. Democrat.
9th.— A. Hiller. 1893—1897. Republican.
10th.— J. J. Thomas, 1897-1901. Democrat.
11th. — Joseph Dupin. 1901. Democrat. Died.
12th. — A. Leavens, 1901. Democrat. Appointed. Elected in 1902-
1903-1905.
COUNTY CORONERS
1st. — W. W. Cox was elected, but did not qualify, in 1807.
2d.— J. M. Evans., elected 1809. Republican
3d. — E. L. Clinton, 1871. Republican.
4th.— Leland Walker, 1873-77. RepuV)lican.
5th. — J. H. Woodward, 1877-79. Republican.
6th.— B. Brandon, 1879-81. Democrat.
7th.— A. K. Siep/l881-89. Republican.
8th.— F. A. Greedy, 1889-91. Democrat.
9th— W. S. Townsend, 1891-93. Repuolican.
444 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
10th.— H. H. Shultz. 1893-97. Repuhlican.
11th.— C. VV. Doty. 1897-1901. Democrat.
12th.— J. G. Muir, 1901-05. Republican.
COUNTY TREASURERS
1st.— C. J. Neihardt, 1865-69. Republican.
2d.— E. L. Clark, Jr., 1869-71. Republican.
3d.— M. A. McPherson, 1871-73. Republican.
4th.— W. B. Thorp, 1873-77. Republican.
5th. — L. (Jr. Johns, 1877-81. Republican.
9th.— R. T. Cooper, 1881 83. Republican.
7th.— D. H. Figard, 1885-89. Republican.
8th.— W. N. McNiel, 1889-93. Democrat.
9th.— John Multinger. 1893-97. Republican.
10th.— D. D. Remington. 1897-1901. Populist.
11th.— Lother Shults, 1901-05. Republican.
COUNTY CLERKS
Lst. — Thomas West, 1865-67. Republican.
2d. — Wm. H. Reed. 1867-69. Republican.
3d.— Thomas Graham, 1869-79. Democrat.
4th.— Ed O'Keefe, 1879-81. Greenbacker.
5th.— Joseph W. Dupin. 1881-87. Democrat.
9th.— R. T. Cooper, 1887-89 Republican.
7th. — August Rickinan, 1889-93 Democrat.
8th.— D. C. Work. 1893-97. Republican.
9th.-C. B. Supiger, 1897- 1903 Democrat.
10th,- -James M. Calder, 1903-05 Democrat.
DISTRICT CLb:RK
Count}' clerks filled this position until March, 1879, when H. P.
Lewis was appointed and held the office until 1883, when G. A. Mer-
riam was elected for sixteen years. James Calder was elected in 1900.
Don C. Gwortney was elected in 1903 to serve till 1907.
SHERIFFS
1st. Chapin, 1865-67. Republican.
2d.— A. J. Wallingford, 1867-()9. Republican.
3d.— W. H. Tuttle, 1869 71. Republican,
4th.— J. W. McCabe, 1871-73. Republican.
5th.— I. D. Neihardt, 1873-77. Republican.
6th.— John Sullivan, 1877-81 Democrat
7th. —John Brown (died in office,) 1881-85 Democrat.
8th.— C. H. Adams, 1885-87 Democrat.
9th.— J. M. Smiley, 1887-89. Republican.
10th.— C. H. Adams, 1889-93. Democrat.
11th.— C. V. Remy, 1893-1897. Republican.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 445
12th.— J. H. Wise. 1897-1901. Populist.
13th. J. Smiley, 1901-05. Republican.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS
1st. — Thomas Graham appointed, 1867. Democrat.
and. —Geo. B. France, 1869-75. Republican.
3d.--J. D. Messenger. 1875-81. Pepublican.
4th.— E. Benson, 1881-83. Repu])lican.
5th.— M. Warner, 1883-87. Republican.
6th.— G. F. Burkett, 1887-89. Republican.
7th.— M. Mehan, 1889-91. Democrat.
8th.— U. O. Anderson, 1891-93. Populist.
9th.— Ed. Healey, 1893-97. Republican.
10th.— U. O. Anderson. 1897-1901. Populist.
11th.— E. H. Koch, 1901-05. Republican.
SURVEYORS
1st.— R. T. Gale, 1865-69. Republican.
2d.— J. H. Anderson, 1869-73. Republican.
3d.— J. V. Ainsworth, 1873-75. Republican.
4th.— G. A. Kilpatrick. 1875-81. Republican.
5th.— E. JuU, 1881-83. Republican.
6th.— G. A. Kilpatrick, 1873-95. Republican.
7th.— J. A. Cocklin, 1897-99. Democrat.
8th.— G. A. Ferge.son, 1899-1900. Democrat.
10th— .C. F. Nelson, 1900. Resigned.
11th.— W. L. Walker, 1902 to fill vacancy.
12th.— C. A. Bemis, 1903-05.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
1st.— William Imlay, H. W. Parker, and W. J. Thompson, 1865-1866.
Republicans.
2d.— Wm. Imlay, 1866-67. Republican.
3d.— W. J. Thompson, 1867-68. Republican.
4th.— J. L. Bandy 1868-69. Republican.
5th.— Wm. Imlay, 1869-70. Republican.
6th. — Wm. Hornburg, 1870-71. Republican.
7th.— D. H. Harris, 1871-72. Republican.
8th.— Samuel Manley, 1872-73. Republican. .
9th.— Ben j. Hunkins, 1873-74. Democrat.
10th.— M. Dunigan 1874-75. Democrat.
11th.— W.G. Hazelwood 1875-76. Republican.
12th.— G. F. Hurlburt, 1876-77. Republican.
13th.— L. D. Bates, 1877-78. Republican.
14th.— Geo. C. McKay 1878-79. Republican.
15th.— B. N. Learned 1879-80. Republican.
16th.— M. Dunigan, 1880-81. Democrat.
17th.— O. E. Bernecker, 1881-82. Democrat.
446 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
18th.— E. L. Blanchard, 1882-83. Republican.
19th.— D. B. Pahner, 1883-84. Republican.
20th. -^Wm. Redford, 1884-85. Republican.
21st.— H. G. Hosford, 1885. Republican.
SUPERVISORS ELECTED IN 1886
It will be noted that the commissioner system was changed in Janu-
ary, 1887, to that of township organizations.
A precinct— E. W. Olney. Repiiblican.
B precinct — M. Dunigan. Democrat.
C precinct — W. H. Dobson. Democrat.
D precinct— A. D. Sperry. Republican.
E precinct — B. C. Ragan. Republican.
F precinct — W. H. Miner. Democrat.
G precinct — Wm. Redford. Republican.
H precinct — Carl Koch. Democrat.
I precinct — Fred Fosler. Democrat.
J precinct — O. E. Bernecker. Democrat.
K precinct — J. H. Robertson. Democrat.
L precinct Adam Seed. Republican.
M precinct — W. H. Mygatt. Republican.
N precinct — F. W. Upton. Republican.
precinct — J. L. Birkey. Democrat.
iP precinct — Henry Rogge. Democrat.
SUPERVISORS ELECTED IN 1887
A precinct — J. J. Martin. Democrat.
B precinct — C. J. Wright. Democrat.
C precinct — Andrew Schultz. Republican.
D precinct — A. D. Sperry. Mugwump.
E precinct — B. C. Ragan. Rei)nblican.
F precinct — Morris Underbill. Republican.
G precinct — Chas. Lyon. Republican.
H precinct — Carl Koch. Democrat.
1 precinct— D. Dankers. Republican.
J precinct — O. E. Bernecker. Democrat.
K precinct — John Florin. Republican.
L precinct — Adam Seed. Republican.
M precinct — D. Blanchard. Republican.
N precinct — Cyrus Weyant. Republican.
P precinct — Henry Rugge. Democrat.
SEWARD CITY— TWO MEMBERS
J. F. Goehner, Republican.
W. Q. Dickinson, Republican.
SUPERVISORS ELECTED IN 1888
A precinct — J. J. Martin.
B precinct— C. J. Wright.
C precinct— Henry Schultz.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEJBRASKA 447
D precinct — A. D. Sperry.
E precinct — B. C. Ragan.
F precinct — Morris Underbill.
G precinct — C. L. Lyon.
Seward — J. F. Goehner.
Seward — Win. Q. Dickinson.
H precinct — Carl Koch.
I precinct— D. Dankers.
J precinct — O. E. Bernecker.
K precinct — John A. Florin.
L precinct — Adam Seed.
M precinct — D. Blanchard.
N precinct — Robert Rhea.
precinct — Cyrus F. Weyant.
P i)recinct — H. Rogge.
Changes were made in the board from year to year as fellows:
A precinct— D. L. Francis, 1892-9-t.
B precinct— D. D. Remington, 1889-90; Henry Bedford, 1891; C.
M. Gordon. 1893.
C precinct— A. W. Gibb, 1889-92 ; Chris Schall, 1894.
D precinct— A. W. Shrader, 1888-95.
E precinct- Peter Hanley, 1889 ; C. V. Remey, 1890 ; J. M. Miller,
1892; Geo. Gribble, 1893; J. L.. Mickelsen, 1894.
F precinct John Gredon. 1893; J. B. Britt. 1895.
G precinct— W. L. Pendal, 1889; Julius Schlueter, 1891; W. L.Pen-
dal, 1892; J. C. Ford, 1894.
CitySeward—VV. B.' Barrett. 1894-95.
H precinct— Wm. Giots, 1895.
1 precinct —
J precinct— Wm. Alschwede, 1889; W. Taylor. 1890; W. A. Brokaw,
1893; W. S. Beebe, 1895.
K precinct— T. H. Penningon, 1880; R. H. Hedson, 1890; John A.
Florin, 1891 ; J. W. Anstine, 1892 ; Jacob Grafif, 1894.
L precinct— Wm. N. McNiel, 1889 ; W. P. Murphy, 1891 ; Wm.
Reed, 1894; J. W. Hannah, 1895.
M precinct— Ben. Hunkins, 1891 ; Thos. Tideman, 1894.
N precinct— J. Mc Carthy, 1891 ; S. S. Atwood, 1895.
O precinct— F. Haly, 1889, ; John Ganseman, 1891 ; D. Bogart, 1894.
P precinct— J. H. Thurraan, 1889-90; J. T. Jones, 1891; J. H Thur-
man, 189? ; T. H Bishop, 1895.
Under the law of 1895 the supervisor districts of the county were
changed and made to consist of seven districts as follows :
1st Dist. composed of townships B, C and D
2nd " " " E and F
3rd " " City of Seward
4th " " " A. H and G
5th " " " I. J and P
448 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
6fch Dist. composed of townshisps L, K and M
7th " " " iSf and O
The first board under the law was selected frono the elected board
by lot as follows :
1895
1st. District— A. \V. Shrader.
2d. District -J. B. Britt.
3d. District ~W. B. Barrett.
4th. District— VVra. Grots.
5th. District— T. H. Bishop.
6th. District— T. Tidetnan.
7th. District— S. S. Atwood.
1H96
1st. District — John Dalton.
2d. District— W. P. Murphj'.
3d. District — W. Q. Dickenson.
4th. District — Henry Beckman.
5th. District — J. Sweanngen.
0th. District— J. W. Hannah.
7th. District — Chas. Wertman.
It appears by the record that J. S. Berkey served part of this term
in place of Charles Wertman .
1898
2d. District— Wm. Kinkade
4th. District— Wra. Grots
6th. District— J. W. Hannah.
1899
1st. District — John Dalton.
3d. District— W. Q. Dickenson.
5th. District — J. Swear! ngen.
7th. District — Geo. Campbell.
1900
2d. Frank Cross.
4th. District — William Grots.
6th. District — Henry Gakee.
1901
1st. District— John Dalton,
3d. District— W. Q. Dickenson.
5th. District— D. Dankers.
7th. District — Geo. Campbell.
1902
2d. District— J. R. Law^yer.
4th. District— M. B. Palmer.
6th. District. —Oscar Kruton.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 449
1903
1st. District — B. Broack.
3d. District—W. S. Williams.
5th. District— J. S. Dillenbeck.
6th. District— Wm. Wullenvvaber, appointed.
7th. District— Chas. E. Moretield.
1904
1st. District — B. Broack.
2d. District— F. Chain.
3d. District— W. S. Williams.
4th. District— M. B. Palmer.
5th. District — J. S. Dillenbeck.
6th. District— C. W. Warner.
7th. District— C. E. Moretield
OFFICIAL HISTORY OF SEWARD
The incorporation of Seward as a village occurred in the first days
of April, 1870. The records are conflicting : in one place they say
April 2d, and in another they say April 5th. The county commissioners
passed an order as the statvite provides declaring the village incorporat-
ed, and Dr. L. Walker, F. F. Lankins, W. R. Davis, Geo. Crumb and
Sam Manley were appointed trustees and O. T. B. Williams attorney
for the corporation.
June 5, 1871, we find S.E. Ewing and Wm. Olmstead on the board,
but can find no record of their election. We also find W. B. Thorpe,
clerk; L. Parish, marshal; H. A. Lewis, treasurer; H. P. Kennard, as-
sessor, and Thomas Darnall, attorney. Street commissioner, E. W.
Clinton.
May 10, 1872, L.G. Johns, W. H . Tuttle, V. Daniels; Sam Steven-
son and H. Diers took the oath of otHce as trustees, and at their first
meeting O. T. B. Williams was elected clerk, George Whiting, mar-
shal and I. B. Compton fire warden.. O. T. B. Williams was also
elected assessor.
March 20, 1873, the council voted an appropriation of fifty dollars
for a free dinner to a party of Lincoln excursionists.
May 5, 1873, William Hayes, Vinal Daniels and Sam Stevenson were
elected trustees. Sam Stevenson was elected chairman of the board on
the tenth ballot ; L. G. Johns, treasurer. O. T. B.Williams, clerk. J.
W. McCabe was elected marshal.
September 22, 1873, R.S. Norval took the census of the town and his
returns show a population of five hundred and seventy-five.
September 2, 1873, ordinance No. 28 organizing Seward as a city
of the second class, was offered by T. L. Norval and adopted, and an
election was ordered for October 18, 1873, for city officers. At said
election A. Castle was electpd mayor, W. R. Davis police judge, J. W.
McCabe marshal, T. L. Norval clerk, V. Daniels city engineer, and W.
450 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
B. Thorpe, treasurer. Thos. Graham and A. J. Combs, councilmen in
1st ward, and Wm. Lease and J. R. Paul in the 2d ward.
The city council passed their first ordinance January 2, 1874, provid-
ing for a poll tax.
February 7th a resolution of inquiry in regard to protection from
fire was passed in which they required of J. N. Edwards that he furn-
ish information about the cost of a dozen rubber buckets, 48 feet of lad-
der and some other tools, etc.
April 7, 1874, the following persons were elected city officers : Thos.
Graham, mayor; T. J. Hamilton, police judge ; S. H. Marshall, city
engineer ; N. C. Rogers, clerk ; Wm. Wright, marshal ; W. B. Thorpe,
treasurer; Sam Stevenson and Joel Tishue, councilmen in 1st ward; J.
M. Strong and Ed. Mclntyre, in the 2nd ward.
Nov. 23d, city council voted to donate their salary to the city on
account of hard times.
Recapitulation of the financial condition of the city since it was
incorporated
Warrants drawn to date 11387 52
Amount warrants canceled $674 54
Amount outstanding to balance 712 98
Delinquent tax of 1873 122 61
Delinquent tax list of 1874 559 53
Total 682 14
Amount in treasury 106 24
Total resources |788 38
Dated March 30, 1875.
At the April election of 1875 the following persons were elected to
fill various offices : Ed. Mclntyre, mayor; S. B. Mills, judge; W. B.
Thorpe, treasurer ; T. L. Norval, clerk ; J. W. Gladvvish, marshal ; R.
S. Norval and H. W. Hageraan, councilmen in 1st ward; and H. W^.
Ragaii and J. F. Goehner, councilmen for 2Hd ward.
During 1875 the grades of the principal streets were established.
April 8, 1876, the following persons were declared elected city offi-
cers ; I. B. Sarter, mayor; Thos. Osborne, marshal; F. H. Newton,
clerk; William Leese, police judge; E. A. Polly, citj' engineer ; W. B.
Thorpe, treasurer ; James Reed, councilman for 1st ward ; J. F. Goeh-
ner, councilman foi- 2d ward. Amount of taxes, including licenses
and fines, during 1876, $3196. 39.
April, 1877, E. Mclntyre was again elected mayor ; J. D. Edwards,
clerk; police judge, O. T. B. Williams; treasurer, A. J. Callender; mar-
shal, Wm. Ashton ; street commissioner, R. McCrosson ; councilmen, N.
C. Rogers and H. W. Ragan.
And in 1878, T. Norval, mayor ; J. D. Edwards, clerk ; councilmen,
John Kribbler, S. W. Long, and I. B. Sarter ; treasurer, L. G. Johns
police judge, L. W. Hart.
In 1879, mayor, E. K. Dunbaugh ; police jiadge, J. D. Edwards ;
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 451
clerk, J. L. McPheely ; treasurer, W. R. Herrick ; councilmen, J. S.
Henderson and T. E. Saunders.
In 1880, C. W. Barkley, mayor; J. D. Edwards, clerk; L. G. Johns,
treasurer ; police judge, T. L. McClean ; councilmen, S. R. Douglas,
L. Walker, R. R. Shick, and J. G. Berdrow.
In 1881, W. O. VVhitcomb, mayor; E. A. Polly, clerk; police judge,
J. L McPheely; treasurer, T. E. Saunders; councilmen, W. E. Chapin,
J. Tishue and Herman Diers.
In 1882, W. O. Whitcomb, mayor; T. E. Saunders, clerk; treasurer,
Wm. Leese ; councilmen, J. S. Henderson and R. E. Dunphy.
In 1888, Whitcomb was for the third time elected mayor ; clerk,
A. J. Callender; treasurer, J. N. Edwards; councilmen, John Mulfinger
and John Zimmerer.
In 1884, mayor, VV. R. Davis; clerk, C. S. Ailing; treasurer, J.
N. Edwards ; police judge, Frank P. Pingree; councilmen, Samuel
Welch and T. E. Saunders.
In 188.-), O. C. Reynolds, mayor; clerk, O. W. Bain; treasurer, J.
N. Edwards; police judge, Louis Stahl ; councilmen, G. A. Merriam
and J. C. Mulfinger.
In 1886, Ed. Mclntyre, mayor; clerk, C. W. Bain ; treasurer, J. N.
Edward.s; police judge, I. D. Neihardt; councilmen, J. H. Betzer and
Peter Goehner.
In 1887, Ed. Mclntyre, mayor ; clerk, G F. Dickman ; police judge,
I. D. Neihardt; treasurer, J. N. Edwards; councilmen, Samuel Pence
and J. C. Miiltinger.
In 1888, W. B. Barrett, mayor; C. W. Raymond, clerk; J. N. Ed-
wards, treasurer ; John Ireland, councilman 1st ward and, Alex Lange
and Wm. Rosborongh, from 2nd. ward.
In 1889, J. C. Mulfinger. mayor; A. J. Calender, clerk; C. S.
Ailing, treasurer; C. W. Barkley, police judge ; John Stryker, council-
man from 1st ward and E. P. Phillips councilman from 2d ward.
In 1890. J. C. Mullinger, mayor; G. F. Dickman, clerk; H. P.
Brandes, treasurer ; E. C. Briggs, city engineer ; S. D. Atkins, council-
man 1st ward ; A. D. Lange, councilman 2d ward.
In 1891, George W. Fuller, mayor; G. F. Dickman, clerk; C. W.
Barkley, treasurer; J. V. Hill, police judge; W. D. Bowers, city engineer ;
A. \V. Hageman, councilman 1st w^ard ; Fi-ed Wooley, councilman 2d ward.
In 1892, Joel Tishue, mayor ; G F. Dickman, clerk ; C. W Barkley,
treasurer; C. A. Bemis, engineer; A. Y. Davis, councilman 1st ward;
Wm. Redford, councilman 2d ward.
In 1898, C. E. Holland, mayor ; G. F. Dickman, clerk ; Silas Figard,
treasurer; W. D. Bowers, engineer; John Kribbler, councilman 1st
ward ; Carl Boyes, councilman, 2nd ward.
In 1894, C. E. Holland, mayor; G. F. Dickman, clerk; D. H. Fi-
ard, treasurer; J. W. Glad wish, police judge to 1904; W. D. Bowers,
engineer; A. Y. Davis, councilman 1st ward ; C. U. France, councilman
2d ward.
In 1895, John Zimmerer, mayor ; T. H. Wake, clerk, to 1897 ; L. F.
452 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Shultz, treasurer to 1898 ; W. D. Bowers, engineer to 1898 ; W. R. Dick-
inson, councilman 1st ward : Wm, Bedford, councilman 2d ward.
In 189(i, John Zimmerer, mayor; J. P. Dunham, councilman Jst
ward; John Slonecker, councilman 2d ward.
In 1897, G. A. Merriaua, mayor; T. F. Skeede, councilman 1st
\Aard ; F. Pekly, councilman 2d ward.
In 1898, Wm. Bedford, mayor to 1899; E. C. Biggs, engineer; J. P.
Dunham, councilman 1st ward ; J. F. (lerkee, councilman 2nd ward.
In 1899. D. C. Work, clerk to 1900; H. A. Graff, treasurer to 1904;
W. H. Walker, engineer to 1904; J. F. Skeede. councilman 1st ward;
C. W. Barklei', councilman 2nd ward.
In 1900, J. S Harvey, maj-or ; H. T. Jones, councilman 1st ward;
L. E. Ost, councilman, 2nd ward.
In 1901, J. P. Dunham, mayor to 1902; R. S. Hulschiser, clerk to
1904, J. F. Geesen, councilman 1st ward; M. C. Miller, councilman
2nd ward.
In 1902, H. T. Jones, councilman, 1st ward ; L. E. Ost, council-
man 2nd ward.
In 1903, J. C. Mulfinger, mayor to 1904. Alfred Hiller, councilman
1st ward ; M. C. Miller, councilman 2nd ward.
In 1904, J. F. Geesen, councilman 1st ward ; L. E. Ost, council-
man 2nd ward.
Assessed valuation of the city, bonded indebtedness, finances, etc.
The assessed valuation of the city in 1904 was as follows :
Real estate $159,224
Personal 223,574
Total 1382, 798
Tax levy, 19 mills, $727,316
Total value, $1,913,990.
Bonded indebtedness, total $50, 000 as follows :
F. E. and M. V. railroad per cent, $15,000; Waterworks bonds
4K per cent. $28,000; Electric light bonds 4 per cent, $7,000.
Outstanding warrants none. Cash in treas. Feb. 4, 1905, $3600.
Cash in Co. Treas. not paid out, $800. Total cash assets, $4400. To-
tal interest per annum on bonds, $2420.
Against this the city collects in water rents and electric light bills
quite an amount above running expenses. The light plant is rapidly
accumulating a fund to pay off the electric light bonds and will in the
early spring cancel $1000. Considering the valuable water plant and
electric light plant and the remarkably good condition of the streets,
with not a dollar of floating indebtedness. Notwithstanding over forty
thousand dollars other than borrowed money has lieen ex^iended on
water supply within the last twelve years, the finances are in splendid
condition and the city will pay off $1000 of the water bonds this year
besides make provision to lessen the F. E. & M. V. bonded debt in 1907,
which is the earliest date that they can be paid. It now looks as if the
electric light plant will take care of itself and soon be quite a source of
revenue to the city.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 453
OFFICIAL HISTORY OF MILFORD
The village was incorporated in answer to a petition of citizens
and located on part of section 2, town 9, range 3 east, in Seward coun-
ty, said tract contained 140 acres.
The petition was signed by 47 persons, lieing all the electors of the
village at that time, which petition was granted by the county com-
missioners, December 30, 1883.
First tru.stees appointed were, John Raymer, J. B. Mitchel, L. D.
Laune (non-resident) and thrown out, G. W. Hamlin and E. K. Lan-
des. P. E. Dinsmore was appointed to take Laune's place. First
chairman, J. B. Mitchel and Gr. vV. Hamlin, clerk.
In the spring of 1883, a new board was elected and April 7th the
board organized by electing C. M. Turner, chairman and B. Overholts,
clerk. Members of this board were : C M. Turner, C. F. Weyant,
F. S. John.son. V. M. Cox and E. H. Landes.
Through the years the following men have been members of the
board and chairman : C. F. Weyant, Simon Johnson. Ira Gallup, G.
W. Branden^ H. Wortendyke, J. B. INIitchel, L. Chatuck, J. Englehouft,
S. K, Rice, L. H. Smiley, E. K. Brown, John Prosser, J. A. Kinsinger,
J. Hollingsworth, E. A. Norton. Clerks have been E. H. Landes, A.
Hiller, seven terms ; T. A. Healey, three terms ; L. H. Warner, D. T.
Todd, B, Overholts, eight terms.
The assessment of 1904 was |60,63l.0().
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS
Seward and Seward county boys and girls by the hun-
dred have swarmed out into the world to dare and to do!
We are proud of our boys and girls that have been trained
here, when we realize that they are to be found, here and
there, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, struggling in the
great fields of human endeavor. Prom here westward as
far as Manilla you will find our boys and girls in every lo-
cality and as a rule they are no common scrubs. They are
excellent farmers, mechanics, doctors, lawyers, preach-
ers, teachers, artists, electricians, merchants, engineers,
soldiers, trained nurses, skilled painters and statesmen, oc-
cupying high and honorable positions in the great western
world. Seward county may be proud of them for usually
they are a success and reflect much credit upon the old home
place. It is worth much to be a native of this grand home
place that has given the world so many worthy sons and
daughters, that have gone forth into the great fields of use-
454 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
fulness. Boys and girls, we remember hundreds of you and
we are so glad to pay this little tribute to you because we
know you deserve it. We cannot name you, for should we
name a hundred, there would be hundreds more that could
justly feel slighted. But we say God speed you all.
SMILES OF HEAVEN
"The smiles of Heaven seem to be entered upon 'our
loved Nebraska' this blessed year, 1905. Oh! how glad we
are to tell the people that shall come after us of these days
of wonderful prosperity. 'Lift up your heads and rejoice
all ye people.' Our fields, with the burden of the grand
harvest, have a new beauty to all beholders. Our winter
wheat crop is phenomenal ranging from twenty to forty
bushels per acre of grain weighing from sixty to sixty-four
pounds to the bushel. Tne oat crop is just as good. The
hay crop is par excellent, so also are all root crops, potatoes,
beets, etc., and at this writing, August 11, 'our king' corn
promises a wonderful yield. The splendid rain and beautiful
sunshine are putting the finishing touches upon the vast
fields of our great state. The general health of the people
is good. Our herds of stock are free from disease and are
bringing good prices.
"Now dear reader, you will allow me to say in conclu-
sion: It has been my fortune to live seventy-two years and
I have been fairly conversant with the conditions of the peo-
ple in every part of our great republic, from my childhood
to the present, and it is our candid judgment that the peo-
ple of Nebraska are as a whole the most universally pros-
perous of any people of any time or place in my life time,
and we believe of any place or age of the world, from the
glad hour when the stars first sang together the anthems of
praise. Oh! what a grand thing it is to live in this splendid
age and in this good land' overflowing with milk and honey.
God help us to be grateful and render to Him all the praise
for His wonderful blessings."
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 455
TO MY PATRONS AND FRIENDS
In bringing my work to a close, I wish to express my
heartfelt thanks to a great host of friends not only in Se-
ward county but throughout Nebraska and other states for
the kind interest manifested in words of cheer and encour-
agement. This has been a great help to me. My work has
been pleasant. I wish to express my thanks to the press of
the county and also the state press, and especially the State
Journal for the many favors extended. The state and
county officers are also entitled to kind remembrances as
they have extended to me many courtesies.
We would remember with gratitude the printing house
of Jason L. Claflin, for the beautiful work they have done
and where we have received from the beginning, every cour-
tesy from all connected with the office from devil, composit-
ors, pressman, foreman and proprietor. Then we would re-
member the folks at the bindary, Messrs. Gillespie &
Phillips, at 1524 O St., who have taken such pains to do
even a better job than the contract called for. We are sure
our patrons will appreciate the mechanical work of the book
in every department of the work.
But above all are my most grateful thanks due our
Heavenly Friend and Benefactor that has prolonged my life
and kept me in such good health and given me strength to
complete the work and to him shall be all honor and praise
while we live. Now in conclusion, we would ask the Bene-
diction of Heaven upon all the people of our good county
and upon every home in all our great commonwealth.
PART TAVO
BIOGRAPHICAL
To understand our history we should know the people, and we take
delight in introducing to the reader representative people from the
ground up : the plow boy and the merchant, the man that carries the
hod and the man of capital. This volume, written of the people and for
the people, knows no distinction. Any man, woman or child that has
helped to build Seward county was entitled to honorable mention and
if they are not noticed here it is no fault of the author.
We are proud of the grand array of men and women whose lives
have been devoted to the development of the wilderness (wild and
drear) until it is now one of the garden spots of our great country.
They are, as a whole, a noble band of men and women. Please read
every one of these sketches and you will find much to inspire you to
grander achievements in life.
AAEON ANDERSON
Among the everlasting hills of the Old Keystone state at Newberg
in Huntington C^ounty. the boy first saw the light, March 12th, 1843,
where he grew to manhood, where he had the usual experience of a
boy in that lough region, piling and burning brush, navigating a stone
boat, etc. He found the way to Nebraska in 1867, March 23, and
located in "F" Precinct among the first, and homesteaded the west
half of southwest quarter of section twelve, and in time added to the
home by purchasing three eighties.
In 1873, March 8, he had won the hand and heart of Miss Susie
AlcFeelj', a young teacher that found the way with her parents to the
frontier. She was born in the city of iron and steel, with clouds of
smoke (Pittsburg), July 15th, 1851. There were born to them four
children, viz: Thomas E., Annie McFeely, died April 3, 1877. Eva
V. died March 21, 1888, and Arthur. Mr. Anderson lived on
the homestead thirty -five years. In 1887 he took a fit of western fever
and moved to Araphaho County, Colorado. He remained there two
years and then returned to his first home in Seward County where
he remained until he was called home on March 1st, 1904, leaving
his wife and two sons to mourn his loss. He was brought up in
the faith of the Church of God.
2 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Mrs. Anderson, the elder daughter of Isaac McFeely, came to Ne-
braska in 1870. Tney settled in "F" Precinct on a homestead. Susie
began her Nebraska career as a pioneer teacher in three different dis-
tricts of the county. Her first two terms were in district No. 11 known
as the Imlay district, and was employed by the writer as director. We
can testify that Susie was a good teacher. The patrons of the school
were Wra. Imlay, D. H. Figard, J. F. Duncan and W. W. Cox. Her
next school was the Dr. Evans school. It was their first term. This
was .seven miles south of Seward. In the mean time Mr. McFeely
with the co-operation of Geo. B. France, county superintendent, suc-
ceeded in getting district No. 37 organized, embracing a vast stretch
of wilderness reaching to the York County line. Susie was the first
teacher and as the school house was not yet completed the first term
was taught in the sod house of Mr. Grant. The school board was Isaac
E. McFeely, Lafayette Welden and Mr. Larson. Children of that
school were Wni. Calder, Frank Phelps, Wm. Babcock, Lyman Bab-
cock, John Larson, George Larson, Moses Wheeler, Eunice Larson, Dora
Calder, Ada Weldon, Alice Weldon, Celia and Ida Tuttle, Herbert
Tuttle, Ida McFeely, Laura B. McFeely and S. Wheeler. Miss Sarah
Bushnell was the next teacher. That noble pioneer teacher has been
dead many years. With her two sons she continues to reside on the
homestead and at this writing they are building a new farm house.
CALVIN ANDERSON
Was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Januarj' 3, 1854. Came
to Seward County in 1867, and worked on the farm with his father dur-
ing boyhood. Married to Miss Sarah E. Ford in 1882. Have two chil-
dren, Walter W. and Albert S., both yet at home. Mr. Anderson is a
painter by trade and is a very worthy citizen. An active member of
the U. B. Chiirch. Is a degree member of the A. O. U. W. , and the
degree of Honor.
HARRISON R. ANDERSON
A carpenter and builder that came to Seward County when a young
boy in old pioneer days. Was liorn in Bedford County, Pennsylvania,
May 19, 1856. The old folks Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Anderson came to
Sewai-d and settled two miles west of the City in the summer of 1867.
Here Harrison grew up, and had the usual experiences of a pioneer
boy. He chased .jack rabbits, plowed corn and went to school. Married
Miss Carrie Hughes, September 16, 1868. She was born in Fulton
County, Illinois, and came to Seward in childhood. They are parents
of seven children, viz., Chesley M. , Lawrence, now dead, Olive M. ,
Claud, Alma and Alice all at home. Mr. Anderson is a good car-
penter and worthy citizen.
(JEORGE W. ANDERSON
One of the old soldier boys that heard Ihe drum beat in the time of
war and rushed to the rescue, was born April 5, 1837, in Bedford
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 8
Connty, Pennsj'lvania. , where he remained until he enlisted. Married
to Miss Anna R. Kesselring, March 21, 18(51, in Huntington County,
Pennsylvania. She was born in Fulton County, Fennsylvaia, Febru-
ary 5, 1844. The\- were the parents of fifteen children, twelve of
whom are living. Their names are as follows: McLellan, Lorenzo B. ,
Sadie O. di(>d in infancy ; Emma, nosv Mrs. F. Ashton, Edward died at
eight, Florence also died in infancy, MagieE. , now Mrs. B. Prine,
Bertha B., now Mrs. J. W. Cox, Harry W. , Ida M., Laura E. , William,
Alfred, Nellie and Rufus.
The family came to Seward County, February, 1874, and settled on
section thirty, ''G" Precinct. Mr. Anderson enlisted in Co. F, 5(5
Pennsylvania Vol. Infantrj\ September 1. 18(54.
His scene of operation was in the Potomac Valley, and was at
second battle of Hatch ie run South side Railroad, Five Forks, Belfield
raid and at Lee's surrender.
Mr. Anderson died, January 24, 1004. The U. B. Church at Seward
was the family church home. ^Ir. Anderson was a very worthy and
valuable citizen.
The widow yet resides on the old farm that they occupied when
they first came to the county.
McLELLAN C. ANDERSON
Was born among the stumps and stone fences of Fulton County,
Pennsylvania, Janu ary 14, 1862, where he was an engineer on a stone
boat until he was twelve, when he tried the western trail and found
Seward County in 1874 and .learned to farm where it is both an honor
and a pleasure to be a farmer boy.
After awhile Mac found his best girl. Miss Mary Botts, and they
were married May 10, 1885. She was an Illinois girl born in Mc-
Dounah County, June 4, 1862. They were married at Seward. They
have four children, viz: Ethel L. , George E. , Ray A,, and Clara May.
Mr. Anderson is a carpenter and builder and we expect that more than
a hundred buildings in the city and countiy have sprung into being
nnuer his guiding hand. He is a member of the M. W. A.
J. TEMPLETON ANDERSON
One among the oldest established merchants of Seward. Was born
in Guernsey, Ohio, October 20, 1849. Don't know just how he found
the western trail when so young, but at five we find the lad in the wilds
of Iowa, where he grew to manhood, commencing his education in the
log cabin school houses of that frontier.
In 1873, April 10, he married Miss Electa B. Bean, a Pennsylvania
girl that came to Iowa in her youth. Seven children were born to
them (five now living), viz: MertieE. , now Mrs. F. P. Henderson,
Mary H., Florence M., Lucretia T. , now dead; Gray and F. Paul.
Came to Seward in 1880, and was for a time employed in Adler's
4 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Dry Good House. In 1886 helped to found the grocery house to which
in later years he became sole proprietor.
Mr. Anderson is now one of the leading and i)rosperous merchants
of our City. Is at this time a member of our Board of Education and
is its Chairman. Is a leading member of the Presbyterian Church, a
member of the A. O. U. W. , and a wide awake, energetic and enter-
l^rising citizen.
ROSS P. ANDERSON
Was an Ohio boy that strayed west in his youth under the advise of
Greeley and landed in Warren Count}', Iowa, where he grew to man-
hood, when he again struck the trail that led to Seward. Ross was
born in Guernsey County, May 4, 1854 In 1881 we find the young law
student fresh from school in the little new town and gazing upon the
boundless prairie. His first clients were the school children of the An-
derson district, where he learned that generation of youngsters the
"idea how to shoot. " Then he stuck up his shingle as attorney. Two
years later, September 9, 1883, he was married to Lydia A. Boyd at
Washington, Iowa. Mrs. Anderson was born at York, Pennsylvania,
January 6, 1859. Two children came to brighten their home. Elizabeth
W. and Russell B. , both at home. Miss Elizabeth is now a teacher in
our city schools.
Mr. Andei'son has had an honorable part in the oflicial history of
Seward County where he has served six terms or twelve years, as county
attorney. In his legal career he has had a hand in many important
cases. As an advocate of republican principles his well timed speeches
have been heard on every political stump of the county for the last
twenty years.
He is a member of the I. O. O. F. , M. W. A. and A. O. U. W.
Church home is with the Congregational people. Mr. Anderson was a
graduate of Simpson Centenary College, Indianola, Iowa.
LEWIS ANDERSON
One of the oldest settlers, who came to Seward before Seward was
born. Settled on his homestead just west of the city in the spring of
1866, and knows all about the ups and downs of.fiontier life just about
as well as anybody.
He was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in 1834, April 15.
Married to Miss Sarah A. Edwards of Huntington County, Pennsylvania,
April 7, 1853. Moved to Fulton County, Illinois, in 1864 and remained
there until he took a second attack of western fever, when he struck for
Nebraska. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson seven children.
Edison and Lewis both died in early childhood. Susan, who became
Mrs. Norman Smith, died in 1880. Wilson, who had be!»n a cripple for
many years, died in 1887. Lizzie, now Mrs. John Metz of Seward ;
Clara, now Mrs. E. A. Butler of Ansley, Nebraska, and Bell of the dry
goods and millinery house of Seward. Mr. Anderson joined the I. O.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 5
O. F. the tlay he was twenty-one years old and has always taken a great
interest iu the order.
Mrs. Anderson sva«i long a member of the U. B. Church •and was a
most worthy Christian lady. She died, December 28. 1899.
Barn of Dr. J. S. Anderson
DR. JOHN S. ANDERSON.
Came within an ace of being a Seward Countj' boj' and we are
going to claim him, as he came to the wilderness in his fifth year in
1867.
The lad was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania in 1862, March
10. Worked on the farm and received his education in the country
schools, but in his mind this did not fill the bill. So in his early man-
hood he hied away to Chicago and took a full course of study in the
Veterinary College and graduated with honors. But still there was
more to learn so he crossed the l)order and at Toronto, Canada, he grad-
uated in the Veterinary Dental School, yet he was not quite satisfied, so
he took a course in Miles' School of Special Surgery at Charleston, Ill-
inois in 1894. Then he came to Seward, his old home, to try his hand at
the work for which he had been so long in training. Is a marked success
in his profession and soon attracted wide attention and his field of
usefulness widened.
6
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
He was appointed twice as State Veterinary Surgeon, and is now
frequently called to diist--"^t points to assist n the diagnosis of the more
difficult diseases of st»>, , His reputation fai. exceeds the boundaries of
his state, and that reputation has been fairly and squarely earned.
The Doctor married one of our estimable young Seward girls, Miss
Myrtle Boyes, March 8, 1902. Mrs. Anderson was l)orn, raised and edu-
cated at Seward, and that means that her opportunities were good, and
she has improved them.
The Doctor has built one of the finest barns in the state for his busi-
ness and has it thoroughly equipped with all modern appliances.
William Ahlschwede and ^vife ,
WILLIAM AHLSCHWEDE.
Was a German born boy that crossed the great water when but four
years old. His parents settled in Allen County, Indiana, near Fort
Wayne, where William grew up. William was born June 12, 1844.
In 1878, February 24, Mr. Ahlschwede married Miss Eva Petzold in
Allen County, Indiana. She was born January 6, 1859, in Allen County.
They have nine children as follows: Herman F., George F. , W'illiam H. ,
Mary R. , now Mrs. F. Freeman, Emma, Martin C, Elizabeth, Alma
and Elsie.
Mr. Ahlschwede came to Seward County in May, 1871, and settled at
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 7
the present home on Section 27, "J" Town, where he has imi^roved the
farm until it is an elegan*" aome place with "- ery convenience. He is
a farmer of high rank a iii a man of ener^ .ad great value to his
neighborhood. Church home is with the Lutherans in which he takes
great interest.
LAWRENCE R. ALPIN
In the land of muddy roads and hazelbiush at Augusta, Illinois,
Lawrence was ])orn, March 24, 18751), ut had to come to Nebraska to be
raised. Away out at An.sley, Nebraska, he ran across Miss Ada Kindree
and in due time he captured her in March 1890. She was a Seward County
girl that had strayed away from Cordovia. She was born in 1878.
They have one little girl. Fern, Mr. Alpin came to Utica m September,
1900, and purchased the Sun plant of Mrs. VV. D. Compton, and most of
the time since that has been raising "Suns" that shine all over the
prairies around Utica. Long may the "Sun of Utica ' under his guid-
ing hand "dispense a serener light" to brigthen the pathway of the
people. Mr. Alpin is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Royal High-
landers.
HERMAN F. AHLSCHWEDE
On the old Ahlschwede farm a mile down the river from Ruby,
Herman was born June 3, 1879. He spent his youth helping to develop
the farm of his father, and after a while h". and Miss Elizabeth Birky,
a neighVjor girl, concluded a splendid bargain and they w^ere marned
February 16, 1904. She v\as born in Livingston County, Illinois, Febru-
ary 16, 1880, and came with her parents to Seward County when a
young girl.
These young people have a bright future open before ttiem. He is
a farmer. They are members of the Lutheran Church.
EARL R. ANSTINE
An Iowa boy. liorn in Mills County, October 23, 1880. The folks
brought Earl to Tamora when two years old, so he is a boy of our
prairie. Worked on the farm and attended the country schools. Mar-
ried Miss Ethel Dapin, a Seward born girl, November 7, 1900. Edu-
cated in the city schools. Two 'children have come to bless the home,
Lawrence A. and Irene.
Mr. Anstine is a thrifty young farmer.
CHARLES D. ALEXANDER
Was another of those New York bo\s that tired of navigating a stone
boat among the rocky fields and grubbing blacklieriy briars out of the
fence corners. Charley was born in tlie town of Sanford in Broome
County. October 12, 1844. At twelve he caught sight of the star of
promise and found the western trail which led him to Iowa County,
8 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Wisconsin, and there among the badgers he grew up and was so fortu-
nate as to get acquainted with Miss Albina Stevens and they married,
October 18, 1869, in Iowa County, town of Miflin, her native place.
She was born April 23, 1847.
Four children came to brighten their home ; Lawrence S. , Horace
G., Eliza, now Mrs. D. C. Showalter, Amy, now Mrs. L. L. Emer,son.
The family came to Seward County August 28, 1888, and settled in "F"
Precinct on Section 32. Mr. Alexander is a member of the A. F. and
A. M.
Mr. Alexander did not forget to go to the war. He heard the bugle
call and enlisted in the 19th Wisconsin infantry, January 6, 1862.
He is a wide awake citizen and has helped in every way to develop
his county and his village. He has been postmaster of Tnmora lor
many years.
LAUREN S. ALEXANDER
A young merchant of Tamora who has grown from his youth among
us, was born in Iowa County, Wisconsin. October 26, 1870. At thirteen
he came witn his parents to the prairie home near where Tamora now
stands. Here Lauren had the usual experiences of boys on the frontier.
When not at school, he worked on his father's farm, chased cattle,
hunted prairie chickens and rabbits.
In 1894, November 13, he and Miss Jennie Francis were married at
Seward. She is a native of the Hoosier State, born in Laporte County.
October 11, 1875 One child was born to them but it died in early in-
fancy.
Mr. Alexander came to the county in August, 1883. The parental
home was in "F" Precinct. He has a membership in the A. F. and A.
M. What is very striking about the career of this young lad is his
phenominal success as a merchant. Five years ago, he opened a little
store with about a wheelbarrow load of goods and commenced his mer-
cantile career. His business has grown to vast proportions. He now
has a store worthy of a place in a city. His sales for the current year
exceed twenty thousand dollars. It is truly a surprise that in .so small
a village, such a vast amount of business could be transacted by so
young a merchant.
DR. FREDERICK M. ANDRUS
Another Nebraska boy that cut a figure in the world. Born among
the everlasting hills at Plattsmouth, July 29, 1872. In his youth he
climbed hills, rolled stones down just to see them tumble down the steep
hillsides, and went to school at the high school. He then went to the
Lincoln Medical College and graduated with honors in the class of 1900.
Took post-graduate coiirses at Chicago in surgery with Dr. Pratt and
also at West-side Surgical Institute. Dr. Andrus is now Professor in
Physical Diagnosis at the Lincoln Medical College. August 27, 1898,
he closed a bargain (and a good one too) vvith Miss Emma Ladd, of
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
9
Weeping Water, Cass Count}-. She is a full blood Nebraskan, born June
27, 1878, right in sight of those piles of white rocks at Weeping Water
falls.
The doctor came to Pleasant Dale, March 2."), 190U and stuck out his
shingle. He now has a large and growing practice, owns a hospital and
rides in an automobile.
The churrh home of the family is with the Methodists. He is a
mem))er of the A. F. and A. M., of the K. O. T. M., the M. W. A. and
is examining physician for each of the above orders. He is one of our
growing doctors.
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10 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
EDWARD C. ARCHER
Was one among the noble band of early pioneers that penetrated
the great wilderness in the northvvestei'n part of the county in 1869.
Edward was bom July 7, 1840, in Harrison County, Virginia. His
parents saw bright light in the great west when Edward was a babe and
found their way to Illinois, but a little later made their home in Grant
County, Wisconsin, where they remained till their removal in 18(39 to
Sewrird Cjunty where they homesteaded in Section 3 in "C" Precinct.
In his young manhood, Edward enlisted in Company C, 2nd Wis-
consin Cavalry, but as the war was so near over the company did not get
to smell much burnt powder.
He also homesteaded on the same section and opened a farm. No-
vember 2(3, 1872, Mr. Aicher married Miss Mary A. Compton at Seward.
There were born to them ten children as follows: Sarah E. , died in
childhood, Maud, Nettie F. . late wife of John Slenecker. , Frank O.,
died in childhood, Jessie M. , now Mrs. A. W. Noxen, Daisy D. , now
Mrs. L. K. Varner, Julia W., now Mrs. M. H. Norwood, Curtis E. ,
Edna W. and Arthur.
Mrs. Archer was born Sei)tember 1, 1849, in Indiana and died at the
family home near Staplehurst, April 2, 19U1.
Mr. Archer is a successful and pi'ogressive farmer. Is a member of
the United Workman and the M. W. A.
FREDERICK J. AHLSCHWEDE
Another Nebraska ])orn boy. This time Beatrice claims the prize.
Fred was born September 3, 1879, but came to Sevvard County near
Milford when two and a half years old. Suspect the old folks had some
thing to do with his coming at so earlv an age. Fred worked on his
father's farm and ])erformeU his duty so well that Uncle Jeii Cox raised
no objections and one bright June day about the 3rd, 19(J3, Fred led Miss
Pearl E. Cox to the marriage altar, at her father's home. Pearl was a
Seward County pearl, born on our soil, July 3. 1885. They are the
pi-oud parents of one bright baby boy, Ernest D. The young people
now live on the Wortendyke farm near Ruby. He is a young farmer.
The Presbyterian Church is their church home.
HON. SILAS. S. ATWOOD
Another of the old soldier boys who came to find a home in the old
times, was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1842, March 12. His parents
moved to Washington, Iowa, in 1844. There Silas grew to manhood and
when he heard his country's call to arms, he straightway enlisted in
Company K. 13th Iowa Volunteer infantry and served three years and
eiirht months. Was in the conflicts at Shilo, Corinth, Vicksburg siege
and was near there at the time of the surrender. Was with Sherman
from Atlanta to the sea, and from Savannah to Washington. Was mus-
tered out at Louisville, Kentucky, in July 1865. Located on a home-
stead two and a half miles west of Milford in 1867, and had a part in
I
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 11
the county seat war. He came through both wars without a scratch.
Helped to organize Major Keenan Post No. 137, Gr. A. R. and was once
its commiunier. Was at one time town treasnrer and once supervisor
from his town. Elected to the Lower House in 190:2, and is at this writ-
ing candidate on the republican ticket for re election.
Mr. Atwood is a staunch lepublican, and helps the party greatly by
his genial nature and good judgment. Mr. Atwofjd has been a farmer
all bis Nebraska daj's and did his full share in developing this new land
and making it what it is todaj', such a garden spot.
Mr. Atwood sought and found a splendid wife in the person of Miss
Dorotha E. Brown, daughter of Samuel Brown, one of the pioneers at
Milford. The}' were married in IStJl). To them have been born four
children: Delia A., Gilbert C. , Amy L. and Cathie P., all yet with the
parents.
Mrs. Atwood is a member of the M. E. Church at Beaver Crossing.
Mr. Atwood did all he honorably could for his town, Milford, at the
time of the county-seat contest, and helped to fight its battles through
bravely just like any patriotic citi/.en should do, but when the war was
over, then he laid down his arms and thence forward he was for Seward
County and all her interests.
He made an excellent representative and is very popular with his
party. He was elected in November 1904 by a good majority.
CHARLES H. ADAMS
A good old fashioned democrat that was elected three times Sheriff
of Seward County althoiigh it is a republican countj^ Was born June
28, 1848, in Cincinnati, Ohio. When the drum beat to arms, Charle}'
enlisted in isijl. Was in the first battle at Bullrun and we expect he
made a l>ully-run. Was under the command of Alex McDowel McCook.
Was at Stone River and other battles. In 1868 we find him in Beauro
Co., 111., where Sept. 20, 1878, he married Miss Cary M. Crownover.
She was born in Henderson Co., Ill , Sept. 26, 18o0.
They have three chrildren, viz: Iva W. , now Mrs. E. A. Moore;
Glenn C. and Clyde O.
Mr. Adams came to the county in 1883 and located in"0" precinct.
First elected sheriff in 1885.
Appointed Register of U. S. Land Office in 1894 at Broken Bow and
served four years. Mr. Adams has large landed interest yet in Seward
county although he at present resides in Lincoln. Church home is with
the Presbyterians.
MISS MARY STANDISH BANKS.
This distingiiished teacher came to Pleasant Dale in her early youth
and has seen much of pioneer life.
Born at Salem, Indiana, and with her widowed mother came to
Seward County in 188U, where the family purchased railroad land. Here
on the farm Mary grew to womanhood. She completed her high school
12 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
education under Pi'ofe«sor Burkett at Milford. Then she graduated at
the Peru Normal school. When she commenced her long and successful
career as a teacher, we find her at the head of the grammar department,
where she remained for two years. Then she pursued the scientific
course at the State University. Next, she was two years principal of
the Trumbull Schools. Then in the grammar schools at Uma Colorado
for two years, also at Milford two years, and then in her home district
for two years on account of the poor health of her mother. In 1902 she
opened a millinery store at Milford where she has had great success.
She is an earnest and faithful worker in the M. E. Church and
Sabbath school. She became connected with the W. C. T. U. at Utica
and was a most efficient member.
The widowed and aged mother resides on the old farm. Mary saved
of her own earnings to complete her education, buy and pay for forty
acres of valuable land and also to open her nice store. Now Mrs. M. S
Rawls.
VOLNEY BRANT
Born ;inu)ng the stony hills of Erie Covmty, N. Y. , October 8, 1841.
He took the western trail in early boyhood and landed at Whitewater,
Wisconsin, where he giew to manhood.
In 18f)l, September 20, Mr. Brant enlisted in the K^th Wisconsin
Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged November 20, 1864. In 1866
Mr. Brant crossed the plains to Salt Lake, from there he went to Idaho
and engaged in mining and stock raising for sixteen years.
In 1883, January 1, he married Miss Addie Johnson Ambrose, a
Whitewater lady. Four children were boin to them, two of which are
now living: Ray, born August 13, 1885. and Hazeldell, born June 3,
1891.
The young people came to "L" precinct in March, 1883, and located
on a farm. In 1884, he rented the farm and was in business at Utica
in the grain trade with Mr, Boone.
He was Vice President of the Utica Bank — in 1883 he went to Louis-
iana and was not quite satisfied. So in 1898 he went to Kalkaska,
Michigan, where he is in business, but we expect him back to Seward
County soon, where a man can make some headway. We are ready to
welcome him.
Mr. Brant has his standing with the G. A. R. and the I. O. O. F.
GEORGE BAUER, JR.
A German lad born in Louisa County. Iowa. January 11. 1872. Came
to Seward County in 187,"3 and settled just east of Seward, where he
grew to manhood as a farmer boy. When George got old enough, he
wooed and won Miss Mary Pelines. Apirl 18, 1895. She was born at
Minar, Illinois, January 21, 1873. They have four little folks: George
H , Katherine L. N., Annie N. and Edward C.
Mr. Bauer now lives a mile south of Goehner in "K' i^recinct.
Church home is with the Evangelical people.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 13
CHARLES C. BACON
Wisconsin boy, born at Fondiilac, January 24, 186H. and at ten years
of age he found his way to Nebraska. Spent his youth in Hamilton
County, but somehow there was an attractive lode stone at Milford and
we find him a resident of Seward County in 1900. October 10, 1900, he
captured one of our Seward County girls. Miss Diantha Wortendyke of
Milford, who was to the manor born daughter of Judge Henry Worten-
dj^ke. Born March 15, 1872. They now have two children, May E.
and John W.
They own a beautiful farm near Ruby. Mi. Bacon takes great
interest in fine pigs and has a very complete pig house in connection
with other good improvements. Was unfortunate in losing an arm some
years ago while in the employ of the R. K. Company. He is (juite a
rustler.
Is a member of the republican county central committee and throws
his whole soul into the work. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and
of the Knights of Labor, also of the American Federation of Labor.
REV. CHRISTIAN BEK
A boy raised in Germany, born July 5, 1829, at Aichelberg, where
he remained until twenty-six, when he decided to breathe tho purer
and freer air of America. He began his ministry at twenty-five and
nas now upheld the banner of the Cross full fifty years.
He married Miss R. Muenzenmaier at Herman, Missouri, Septem-
ber 13, 185T. She was a German girl, born February 20, 1830, and died
May 6, 1873. There were born to them eight children : Lydia, now
Mrs. E. Blanchard, Theophalus, Chistian, now dead, Charles, Paul,
Emma, now dead, Thqodore and Fred. Mr. Bek married in 1874, April
30, to Miss Pauline Maier at St. Louis, Missouri. She was also a Ger-
man girl born July 16, 1843. There were born to them six children:
Pauline, Jane, Christian, John, Houth and Dora.
Rev. Bek came to Seward County in OctoV)er 1877 and located on a
farm in "B" precinct, but has for some years resided in Seward.
He organized the Evangelical church at Seward.
WINDFIELD S. BEEBE
Was born in Grant County, Wisconsin, October 4, 1848, and there
spent his early childhood days. In 1862 the home was made in Johnson
County, Iowa, until he had an attack of Nebraska fever wbich brought
him to Seward County in 1880. A little later he pre-empted land in
Hamilton County but soon proved up and returned to his first love, and
located on a farm in "J" precinct where he still resides.
While in Iowa, he became acquainted with the daughter of Julius
G. Brown of Johnson County and in 1873 he found an excuse to return
to Iowa and made Miss Annette his bride, on Feliruary 2 (Ground-hog
day) and he returned home in triumph with her. She was a native of
14 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEARASKA
Johnson County where she was educated. Born August 28. 1847. She
being the older, it was said that she took Windfield to raise. It is vin-
derstood that she performed her task, pretty well. They have four
children: Jennie L. , now Mrs. Phil Mauer, Harriet, Mildred E. and
Jared Ci. , all at home.
Mr. Beebe is a member of the I. O. O. F. Was elected in 1895 sup-
ervisor for "J" precinct. He is an ardent populist in politics. Is a
prosperous farmer and has a nice home.
JABES BERRY
Was an English born lad of four years when his parents crossed the
briny deep and settled in Illinois. He was ])orn November?, 1862. He
came to "J" precinct in 1881. Here Jabes found INtary, the daughter
of our old pioneer friend. Job Reynolds, and after due consideration,
they were married September 9, 1890. She was born November 4, 1861.
in Indiana and came to Seward County in 1868. so she is a pioneer set-
tler. They have three children: Naomi F. , Arthur J. and Clee W.
Mr. Berry was raised a farmer boy and sticks to his trade like a
good fellow. He belongs to the I. O. O. F. ana the M. W. A.
HIRAM L. BOYES
Just at the opening of the war of 1812, Mr. Boyes was born, Janu-
ary 9, 1812 at Hillsborough, New Hamphhire. His parents were of a
peculiar mixture. Scotish, Irish and French. In 1815, his father moved
to Catarangus County, New York, where the lad grew to manhood
among the rocks and hills of that rugged region.
In 1886, the young man strayed away to Erie County and there met
Miss Esther L. Hibard and married her. The young peo^ile had heard
of the glorious west, and straightway made their waj- to the wilds of
Michigan and settled in St. Joseph C'ounty in 1844. In 1849 Mr. Boyes
had an attack of the gold fever and made his way to California .around
Cape Horn in a sailing vessel. Spent four years in the mines. Upon
his return home they moved to Story Countj, Iowa, and were among the
first to penetrate that new region. Here the family resided until their
removal to Seward in 1867. Thus we see that Mr. Boyes life was large-
ly that of a frontiers-man. He helped to redeem four different new
lands and to bring them up from the wild wildernesses which he found
to be rich and jirosperous communities, besides spending four years
in the mountains of California.
At Seward, Mr. Boyes and family found just the place they had so
long looked for, a goodly land where he was willing to live and die.
He first built a saw- mill which proved a great blessing to the people of
this valley. In 1869 they erected the Banner Mills and commenced to
grind grain. The mill was a small affair but it dirt good work and was
highly appreciated by the people. The full history of the mill is given
in other pages of this book.
HISTORY OP SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 15
Mr. Boj'es early became interested in the schools of Seward and was
foi years a member of the school board. He was a wide-awake and
enterprising citizen. He labored long and hard in the interest of the
city and county. His son Carlos became interested and identified with
the mill when its foundations were hi id, although he was but a boy,
and he has been closely identified with it to the present.
There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Boyes eight children, seven yet
living as follows : George, Harrison, Carlos, Martha, now Mrs. O. K.
Olmstead of Orleans, Nebraska, Hiram of Oklahoma. Ethel, now Mrs.
Doane Tremain of Perry, Oklahoma and Thomas, now of Seward.
Mrs. Boyes died some years ago. Mr. Boyes died at the family
home June 11), HK)(), at the advanced age ot eigthy-eight years and will
long be remembered as a kind neighbor and a very worth}' and valuable
citizen.
HARRY H. BRADLEY
The first colored boy born in Seward was born March 12, 1875.
Was educated in the citj' schools. Harrj^ has had a wide experience as
a traveler. He has visited London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Paris at
the World's Exposition. Has held many places of trust at the great
ej^positions at Chicago, Buffalo, Omaha and St. Louis. Was chief stew-
ard of the Nebraska sod house at Buffalo. He had charge of the roller-
chair stoiage house of the Clarkson Concession Company-. He was also
an exposition guide.
Harry has through all his eventful career earned the respect of the
people wherever employed and stands high in the estimation of the
good iieople of Seward.
HENRY M. BROOKS
Was born in Ohio, February 22, 1S44, but found the western trail
in childhood and landed in Peoria Countj', Illinois, and there learned
the carpenter trade and there he found Miss M. J. Erford and was mar-
ried December 27, IStUJ, in Peoria County. She was from the old Key-
stone state and born in Columbianna County, March 18, 1842. They
have had four children : William Irving. Anna Myrtle, now Mrs. C. C.
Sackett. M. D., Mary G. and Deane H. Mary G. died October fS, 1878.
The famil> came to Seward County and settled in "B" precinct in
1872, near the Oak Groves. Mr. Brooks enlisted at Peoria in 18(52 and
served three j'ears, having a chance to smell much burnt powder. Was
mustered out at Selma, Alabama, in 1865.
Mr. Brooks belongs to the A. 0. U. \V. and is a long time member
of the Seward Presbyterian church.
Miss Myrtle was married to Dr. C. C. Sackett June 5, 1901, and
resides at Laurel, Nebraska. Irving has a good position at Lincolii.
He .served seven months in the Cuban war*. The family moved to
Seward in 1879. where Mr. Brooks has been engaged as a carpenter and
builder all these years, and the buildings that show his handiwork may
be numbered by the hundreds in city and county.
16 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEARASKA
WALTER BEST
Son of Uncle Tommy Best, one of the pioneers of "I" precinct,
was born among the stumps and stones of St. Lawrence County, New
York, October 27, 185(1 The family came to Seward County in 1872,
and here Walter helped make the farm and when he grew to be a man
he formed an attachment for Miss Elizabeth Lynch and they were mar-
ried at Milford October 8, 1885. She was born at Monticello, Wiscon-
sin, September 10, 1856. They have six children: Maud J., Mary,
Hazel, Ethel, Stewart R. and Shii'ley.
Mr. Best now owns a farm in Section 35 of "I" Town, Just beside
Pleasant Dale. He is a membei of the Knights of Macabees and of
the M. W. A. The Baptist church is the family home.
GOTTLIEB BENNINGHOYEN
Was a native of the Province of the Rhine in Germany, born June
13, 1836. Was married Jvine 27, 1861 to Henrietta Kreiger.
Although Mr. Benninghoven was a man of affairs in the old country,
he longed for the freer air of America. He was at that time an officer
of high rank, being mayor of his district.
In 1876, they bid adieu to the old home and came straightway to
Seward, where he purchased one of the best farms which has been the
family home to the present. They had a large family of boys, many of
whom have made their marks in the world of letters : Ernest. Otto,
Oswald, Leo, Enwald, Paul, Herbert, William and Daniel. The young-
est was born in Seward Covinty. .
Ml-. Benninghoven was a bright scholar and was a writer of great
ability. Was for a long time corresponding editor of the Illinois State
Zietung. Later was commercial editor of the German American Press
Association. After a life of valuable labor, he died January 16, 1899.
Mrs. Benninghoven who survives him is a lady of great intelli-
gence, having received a liberal education in the old home and seems
to have increased her knowledge with the passing years.
JOHN M. BENDER
A Canadian V)oy that got sight of the stars and stripes across the
lake and yearned to take shelter under its ample folds. John was born
in Ontario July 28, 1861. Came to Indiana when six years old, and to
Iowa at twelve, and at twenty-one he continued the march westward
and landed in Seward County in the spring of 1882 and settled on Sec-
tion 8 in "O" Town, among his people, the Arnish Mennonites were he
wooed and won the heart and hand of Miss Barbary Miller and was
married October 5,1884 at her father's home in the same neighborhood.
Miss Miller was born in Holmes County, Iowa, November 27, 1863. and
came to Seward County in childhood. They have six children : Ida
May, now Mrs M. R. Bender, David E., Franklin J., Gertie M. , Lydia
B. , and William J. B.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
17
Mr. Bender owns a beautiful farm in a most splendid locality.
The church home is \vith the Amish Merronite.
DR. GEORGE W. BRANDON
The oldest living practitioner in Seward County, was born in Lee
County. Illinois, June 22, 1847, and was third son of B. F. and Marga-
ret Brandon. These old people died at the doctor's home in Milford.
George was a wandering boy from the time he was six years old. Com-
#■
iT'
Dr. George W. Brandon
menced his school days at Dixon, Illinois, and completed his studies at
the seminary there. Then he went through the Chicago Medical Col-
lege, also the medical department of the University uf Michigan. He
graduated at Rush Medical College in 1871. Spent a year in Soublette,
Illinois. Full of life and ambition, Illinois could not hold him. He
saw the rising star in the west and hither he came in 1872. He found
just the spot to his liking in the Blue Valley at Milford and put up his
shingle, nailing it so thoroughly that it has not blown down in thirty-
two years. The Doctor took a liking to Miss Laura A. Haverstock,
and they were married. Laura was the eldest daughter of John ¥. and
Rebecca Haverstock, near Milford. She was an Ohio girl but now an
old time resident of Seward County. They have but one child, IdaM. ,
yet at home
The Doctor was appointed coroner of the county a long time ago,
and has been elected several times to the same office. Has been a pen-
sion examiner for eight years. Was coroner and officiated in the Bates
18 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
murder trial, and took a hand in the famous Henigan and Astor trial
where the sheriff was a party.
Doctor has been a Mason for twenty-nine years and has taken the
thirty-second degree. Has been their Secretary for fifteen years. Is
also a member of the A. O. U. W. . the M. W. A. and the Knights of
Macabees. Doctor says he is and has been a republican from "away
back. ' '
In his long career he has traversed these prairies through storm and
sunshine. He knows all about night rides in blizzards, of worrying
through snow drifts with jaded horses. He knows something about In-
dian war dances, of which we will tell more on another page.
LOUIS T. BOUCHARD
Was a Canada boy. born in the Province of Quebec, January 15,
1847 of French parentage. At eighteen he crossed over where the stars
and stripes float iii Vermont, but there were too many rocky hills there
to suit the boy, and upon the western horizon he saw the bright star
that had recently found its place on the flag, and in 1874 he found Ne-
braska and located just west of Tamora in Seward Countj', and made
settlement in 187;}. In 187(5, November 5, he married Miss Mary A.
Oleson, a Seward County girl. They were the parents of two children,
one who died in infancy and Mary A. who is now completing a course
in music at Des Moines, Iowa.
Mrs. Bouchard died September U, 1893. August 16, 1896, Mr. Bou-
chard married Miss Roxie Evarts, an Ohio lady, born at Mansfield,-
Novemher 10, 1867. She came to Nebraska in childhood, 1872. Three
children were born to them : Norval E. , Marie A., and Louis T. Jun.
Mr. Bouchard has accumulated a handsome fortune in Seward
County. Now owns four hundred and twenty-five acres of valuable
land with up-to-date improvements.
HIRAM A. BRISBIN
Began to snuflf Nebraska blizzards in 1869 when all the region
around him was an unbroken wilderness.
Hiram was born among the rocky hills of old Clinton County, New
York, February 9, 1847. Says he was a happy mixture of English, Ir-
ish and Dutch (pretty well mixed we judge). He was left an orphan
at a tender age and had to "paddle his own canoe. " In 1855 he struck
the western trail and landed in Indiana. He halted but a year when he
pursued his westward way to Illinois. Here be was bound out to a
farmer, but the bonds were broken when Hiram heard the bvagle call to
arms, for he ran away and enlisted in the first Wisconsin cavalry in
August 1863. Was discharged in July, 1865. That year he again took
the trail and we find him in Alamakee County, Iowa, where he mar-
ried Miss Josephine Davis in 1868. The next year they found Nebraska
and were .satisfied. Located six miles west of Milford where Mrs. Bris-
bin died, January 18, 1888.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 19
In 1889 was married to Miss Frank Pyatt of Seward. They have
two children. Marshall Ney and Ruth.
Mr. Brisbin is a charter member of Blue-river Lodge No. 30, A. F.
and A. M. Was one of the war horses in the county-seat contest. He
has had a hand in many political contests. Was greenback candidate
for both House and Senate but could not count votes enough. Has held
several tow iship otiices, and with his nsighbor, Ely Courtright, cham-
pioned the first rural routes in Seward County.
Mr. Brisbin, the orphan l)oy, soldier, homesteader and good citizen
has .seen all sides of pioneer life but he has got here "all the same"
and now enjoys peace and plenty, surrounded by a host of friends in
the county and state he has helped to redeem from the "desert wild
and drear. ' '
ALBERT E. BAKER
Grew to manhood in his native town, Manchestei'.Lidiana, where he
was born September 18, 1848. After the usual course of study in the
common schools of that early day, he took a course in the Grundy Com-
mercial College at Cincinnati. Came to Seward County in 1882 and
located near Tatnora on a farm, and farm work has been his calling in
life. He loves his work and makes a success of if. He is a man of
ability and enterprise.
Has been twice President of our Agricultural Society and twice its
Secretaiy. Was elected county assessor in 1903, and has served the
people well. In politics he is a democrat, and is very popular with
the party. And he has plenty of good friends outside of his party.
October 24, 1867, he married Miss Sarah J. iJunn of his native
place and there were born to them children as follows : Lucinda, now
Mrs. Morrill Underbill, two died in infancy, then Albert E. , at home,
and Margaret, now Mrs. Carl Nelson.
Mr. and Mrs. Baker have most of their lives been members of the
M. E. Church, where Mrs. Baker was an earnest worker in all matters
of charity and other church duties until her poor health compelled her
to retire irom these duties. Mr. Baker has for many years been an
honored member of the A. F. and A. M.
HON. HEINRICH BECKMAN.
One of our valued and most useful German American citizens,
born in Hanover, Germany, September 14, 1844. Grew to manhood in
the Fatherland and served in the army in the war between Hanover
and Prussia in 1866. At the close of that war he concluded to seek a
home in a better and freer land. He fir.st made his home in Cleveland,
Ohio, but in 1867 we find him in Clayton County, Iowa. While there
his heart was made glad when he heard that the girl whom he had left
behind him had found her way to America, and was living at Milwau-
kee, Wisconsin, and on February 23, 1869, he claimed Miss Eleanor Eg-
gert as his bride, at Milwaukee. She was born in Hanover, February
15, 1846.
20 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The young couple had heard of our beautiful Nebraska and that
Uncle Sam -was ready to give all his children a farm on our broad acres
so they came to Seward County and took a homestead on Section 12 in
"H" Town, on May 14, 1870, it being one of the very first homesteads
in the east part of "'H" Town.
Here among these beautiful hills have come to bless the Beckman
home, eight children, two of whom died in infancy. Beside these are:
H. Frederick, a farmer, J. Heinrich, a professor in Lincoln High School,
Herman F. , a farmer, Annie M. , Ernest F. and Martha C. E. Three
last yet at home.
Mr. Beckman served Seward County as representative in our Legis-
lature in 1889. He owns a beautiful home consisting of 318 acres of
land all nicely improved. Church home is with the Lvitherans.
WILLIAM T. BRINKMEYER
Is another of the home lads, born April ti. 1878 and was raised on a
farm in "J" precinct five miles south-west of Seward, where he yet re-
sides.
He belongs to the United Workmen and is a member of the Evan-
gelical Church.
The story of his marriage must be told by the future historian.
We trust it may be a most successful marriage and well told. Seward
County boys generally do well when they have half a chance.
ADAM BECHTEL
Was born in Germany, July 18, 1845. At ten years of age came to
Chicago where he remained five years. The city with all its charms
could not longer hold him and he went to Iroquois County where he re-
mained twenty-three years. In 1869, February 21, he returned and
claimed the girl he had left behind him, and was married to Miss
Hulda Timm. German girl, born in 1849. Children that came to the
home are as follows: Lena, now Mrs. H. Wullennaher, May, Clara and
Walter. Mr. Bechtel came to Sewaid County in 1884 and settled in "K"
precinct. Sold that farm and now owns one in "L" precinct. He has
lived in the city for about fourteen years and is engaged in the feed and
flour business. Owns a very commodious and complete ware house.
HENRY F. BUSCHE
Our skilled and most competent worker with the fragrant weed,
(tobacco) was a native of Westphalia, Prussia, born March 24, 1866.
Spent his youth and early manhood in the Fatherland, biit somehow
Henry had a yearning for the great land of promise beyond the ocean,
and at twenty-six he took leave of the old home and landed in Lincoln
in 1892, but before he came, he wooed and won the heart of Miss Kate
Meyer of his native home. She was born December 9, 1865. They have
four children : Mary, Elsie, Henry and Arthur.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 21
The young couple came to Seward in 1896, where he is engaged in
the manufacture ot cigars. His "Seward Special" has become known
as an extra good article of cigars and is very popular.
Mr. Busche is a member of the A.O. U. W. Church home is with
the Evangelical people at Seward.
CARL BO YES
February 14, lS41.in old Cataraugus County. New York, among the
rocks, everlasting hills and Cataravigus Indians, Carl first saw the light.
He can't tell just how he got ovii of those hills, whether he came "a
foot or on horseback. Says he is no "injun" although born on their
reserve. Like most of the bright New York boys, he v^anted to get out
of that tangled mass of brush and briars, and by easy stages he wan-
dered westward and in 1867 we find him working at the dam by the
mill site on the Blue, where he threw dirt, cut V)rush and fished ; then
rolled logs and did all kinds of work in helping to lay the foundations
of the great mill.
July, 1872, he married a pioneer girl, Miss Elsie Clarke, who was
born in New York among the icebergs near the St. Lawrence river, and
came to Seward County in the spring of 1866, and was one of the class
that attended the first school in the old log cabin.
Children of the house hold are as follows : Burdette, Eugenie,
Myrtle, now Mrs. J. Anderson and Don C.
Mr. Boyes is now the oldest mill man in the county having been
connected with the business for over a third of a century, and has grown
rich and gray in the work.
EDWARD C. BETZER
An Iowa boy that made his way to Seward Cf)unty when but a lad
of twelve. Was born at Pella, Iowa, March 80. 1874, and came to
Seward County in 1886 where his parents settled on Section 2, "F"
Town and where Edward still resides with his widowed mother, and
runs the farm.
Ed is an industrious farmer. He belongs to the Royal Highlanders.
REV. CARL H. BECKER
Pastor in charge of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Seward,
was born at Evansville, Indiana, September 7, 1858. Was educated at
Fort Wayne and later took a full course in the Theological Seminary at
St. Louis. Commenced his ministerial work at the age of twenty-one
and has now been a laborer in the Master's vineyard for a quarter of a
century. He came to Sewai'd in January, 1895, and has been the pastor
here since that date.
Married Miss Louisa Schnute, November 29, 1883, at Evansville, the
native place of his bride, who was born November 23, 1861. They have
born to them seven children: Louise, Walter H. W\, Karl F. J. Paul,
Hugo, Esther and Erwin.
22 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Rev. Becker is a highly respected Christian gentleman, of fine
attainments.
THOMAS H. BISHOP •
One of the many old veterans of the union army, was born at Troy,
Nev*^ York, August 23, 1842. His parents took a siege of western fever
when Tom was a babe, and landed in Kenosha County, Wisconsin,
where the lad grew up.
August 16, 1863, he enlisted in Company H, 33d Wisconsin regiment.
Was at the siege of Vicksburg, with Bai^ks up the Red river; was at
Franklin in two fights, at Nashville and old Spanish Fort and at Mont-
gomery and in a fierce battle at Tuplo, Tennessee. Discharged August
13, 1865. Returned home and found Miss Annie C. Smith, who was
waiting for a brave soldier boy. They were married February 11, 1874.
She was a Wisconsin girl born at Salem April 3, 18-')2. They have nine
children as follows : Carlton O., Clarence P., N. Edward, Julia M..
now Mrs. O. Burd, Ema M., Florence E. , Rufus A., Maud M. , and
Ralph R.
Mr. Bishop came to Seward County in 1873, took a homestead on
Section 10, Town 9, R 4 East, in "P" precinct, then went after his best
girl. He is a long time member of the G. A. R. and the A. F. and A.
M. , also of the Modern Woodmen.
WILLIS D. BADGLEY
Was born in Pike County, Illinois, August 25, 1861, but did not
remain there very long as his enterprising widowed mother took the
western fever and found her way to Seward County in 1866, where she
homesteaded the land near Milford where Willis now lives and which
he owns. Willis helped his mother like a good boy, and went to school
as soon as there was a school.
In 1883, December 13, he married Miss Edith E. Bundy. She was
born at Salem, Wisconsin, August 7, 1863, and came to Seward County
when a child. She died October 17, 19U3. They had two children
Myrtle L. and Lee W.
Mr. Badgley found a young widow lady at Juniata, Nebraska, and
married her September 10, 1904. Mrs. Lydia Ball was born at Russell,
New York, February 11, 1862. She has two children Myrtle and Vernon.
Mr. Badgley owns and operates his mother's old homestead near the
Industrial home east of Milford. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.
and Modern Woodmen. Church home is with the M. E people at
Milford.
LUDWIG J. BENDER
Was a Hoosier boy, born of German parents in Allen County,
August 28, 1864. He spent his young days learning to farm, and in
1886, when a young man, he struck the road that led to Seward County.
In 1891 he discovered that he had left his best girl behind him, and he
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 23
returned to the old home and married Miss Eva K. Kaiser, January 29.
Then he came back happy and made his home in "■J" precinct near
Rnhy.
Mrs. Bender was born in Allen County, Indiana, April 2, 1872.
They have four children: viz., Aman, Hedvvig, Ottomar and Rein-
hart.
Mr. Bender owns a good farm and is a good wide awake citizen.
Church home is with the Lutherans.
HERMAN J. BERNECKER
Is one of our leading and among the most respected German Ameri-
can citizens. Was born in the Fatherland, April 13. 1852, and got on the
American trail with his honored father in 18(J0. and landed in Grant
County. Wisconsin, where he remained until he found that better place,
Seward County, in 18T3, when he bought the old farm where he expects
to spend his da3's, surrounded as he is with all the comforts of life on
his beautiful farm. At his new home. Mr. Bernecker found another
prize. Miss F. S. Goety, and was married at the old stone church near
Middle Creek, November 8, 1876.
She was born October 15, 1854 in Beauro County, Illinois, and came
to this county in childhood. They have had five children : Minnie and
Emma died in 1884, Bertha, Alma and Albert. Mr. Bernecker has been
school treasurer of his district since it was organized. He has also
been treasurer of the German Mutual Insurance Company since its
organization. He has also occupied many places of trust and honor in
his church. Herman is what we all consider a first class citizen.
The church home of the family is with the Lutherans.
CHRISTIAN C. BIRKY
Was born in Germany, May 27, 1852. He crossed the Atlantic when
eight j'ears old, so we take it that he is a pretty good American by this
time.
He was raised in the sucker state and there he found Miss Elizabeth
Roth, and they were married February 13, 1876. at Washington, Illinois.
She was born in Woodford County, Illinois, Januarj' 26. 1859, where
she was educated. They have only twelve children : Mary, now Mrs. A.
J. Welsh, Millie, now Mrs. C. I. Morefield, Lizzie, now Mrs. H. F.
Ahlschwede, L'lna and Christian died in infancy, Henry, Emma,
Fannie, Minnie, Lydia, Anna and Esther. He came to the present
home three miles north of Milford in 1887. Has a nice farm and knows
how to take care of it. Is a wide awake citizen.
Church home is with the Lutheran Evangelical.
ISMA BOWKER
A genuine Nebraska boy, born in Sutton, Clay County, September
19, 1873. He lived when a child ?it old Camden with his maternal
24 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
grand-parents, Mr. and Mrs. Malick. They were among the earliest
settlers of that old historic ground.
Mr. Bowker is yet waiting f )r a good wife. He is a partner in
one of the largest mercantile houses of Pleasant Dale, and is a thorough
young buisness man.
Is a member of the I. O. O. F. and also of the Maccabees.
JOSEPH BLACKBURN
One of the old soldier boys, who was born under the flag of old
England in Yorkshire, March 8, 1831. In his young days, he learned of
the better land beyond the sea, and came to America, and at Rockford,
Illinois, he found a young war widow, and he followed the scriptures
injunction to "visit the widow" and it resulted as such visits fre-
quently do. They were married November 5, 1862. There was a little
son that he became heir to under the transaction, Frank J. Crowel.
The union brought eleven children, five of which died in infancy.
Those yet living are: Ella, now Mrs. Wm. Hallet, Alice E. , now Mrs.
J. W. Helm, Harry B.. Elizabeth, now Mrs. E. Blanchard, Rose, now
Mrs. F. Ward, and George.
Mr. Blackburn showed his loyalty to his adopted land by enlisting
in the (jTth Illinois regiment and again in the Company D, 11th
Illinois infantry, where he got to smell burnt oowder in plenty. Was at
Zazoo City in a death struggle Was on the run toward Champion hill
and finally saw the other fellows run. 'Vas in the campaign at Poncher
Train, Blakely and Mobile. Took a long ride up Red river and was
discharged at Marshall, Texas, in October, 1865. Came to Nebraska in
1869, and pre-empted the gold field now owned by friend Dillenbeck in
"P" precinct, and sold, his right for three dollars, gold and all.
Later he settled in "K" precinct. Has for many years made his
home in Seward.
Is an enthusiastic member of the (t. A. R. Votes the republican
ticket when opportunity offers.
WILLIAM A. BROKAW
Is one of the great host of Fulton County, Illinois boys that found
their way to Seward County in pioneer days. The lad was born near
the little old town of Fairview, June 12, 1843, when that county was
yet a wild wilderness. Gus(as we call him) there grew to manhood and
married Miss Jane A. Hageman. October 20, 1863. She also was a na-
tive of Fairview, born September 4, 1844. She died at the family
homestead east of Ruby. March 12, 1894. They had six children, viz;
Two died in infancy. The living are Frank H. , Alletta, now Mrs. W.
O. Robins. Adie C. , now Mrs. A. J. Faust and William H.
The family came to Seward County in 1869. In ]898, July 3, Mr.
Brokaw married Miss Albina Cox of Seward County.
She VA-as born in Pike County, Illinois and came to Seward County
in 1878 with her parents. She died August 11, 1901. Mr. Brokaw set-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 25
tied in section 14 "J" ijrecinct. He is a long time member of the A.F.
and A. M.
FRANK H. RROKAW
Another of those Fulton Count}'. Illinois, boys that got on the
western trail in early youth and has grown up with the country sure
enough. Was born October 20, 1864, and spent his youthful days on his
father's homestead, helping to open up the farm. His neighbor. Fore-
man, had a nice little girl. Maggie R., and Frank and Maggie played
together and bye and bye Frank won her heart and they were married
October 20. 1885
She was horn in Pike County, Illinois. August 7, 1867. They have
eight children, viz: Augustus D. , Elsie L. ,Eva J., Frank A. , Alletta A. ,
Frank W., Maggie N. and William R.
He owns a splendid farm four miles south of Seward. Is prosperous
and contented. Church home is with the Christian church at Seward.
JOSEPH BROOKS
Adjutant of the Soldier's Home at Milford. Was born September 15,
1837, in Athens County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received
his edvication. When the war broke out and he heard the drum beat
his soul was fired with patriotism and July 25, 1861, he enlisted in
Company C, 30th Ohio Infantry. Was with General Cox in Virginia,
and in 1862 with General Burnside and was in West Virginia a while
then with General Sherman. At the siege of Vicksburg was commiss-
ioned Second Lieutenant. After the siege was in the conflict at South
Mountain, at Antietam.at Jackson and followed Sherman to the sea and
to Washington and was at the grand review as Captain Brooks. Then
was sent to Little Rock. Arkansas, where he was mustered out. lie
returned and married the girl he had left behind. Miss Nancy A. Criss,
in 1866.
She was born at Harrisonville, Ohio, December 25, 1846. There
were born to them three children: Effie, now Mrs. Carlyle, Etta, yet at
home and Mattie, now Mrs. R. Quein.
Captain Brooks moved to Iowa in 1870 and to Nebraska in 1878
where he bought land at Odell in Gage County and made a farm. Was
appointed Adjutant of the Home in 1901, where he seems to be making
a good record. Has decided that Sewai-d County is the proper place to
make his home.
MICHAEL M. CAMPION
Was an Irish lad, born in County Kilkeney in February, 1839.
Somehow Mike got a glimpse of "old Glory" and resolved to make his
home in America and at twelve we find the lad at Cleveland, Ohio, and
from thence he came to Iowa City, Iowa, and there he found his good
wife, Miss Ella McCune, and was married June 28,1866. She was born
at Akran, OJaio.July 18, 1851. To them were born eight children: Cora,
26 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
now dead, Burt, Lucy, now Mrs. J. Gillan, John now dead ; Ella dead ; Irene,
now Mrs. Robert Campbell, Elvin and Floyd. The family came to this
county in 1871 and homesteaded in Ssction 8 in "M" Town. Mr.
Campion wa.s among the earliest settlers on the prairie south of Beaver
Crossing. He enlisted in the Iowa fii"st, and was in the bloodj' conflict
at Wilson Creek under the brave General Lyon.
Mr. Campion has been a successful farmer, and is now enjoying
the fruits of a well spent life.
MARTIN CAMPION
Was born in old Ireland, October 23, 1842, but did not stay there
very long as his parents saw a brighter star beyond the sea, and in 1850,
when Martin was eight years old, we find him picking up pebbles along
he beach of Lake Erie, at Cleveland. Soon again he takes the trail
toward the setting sun. and lands in Johnson County, Iowa.
He found his best girl in Linn County and was married near Mt.
Vernon, February 7, 1871, to Miss Elizabetli Graft. She was an Ohio
girl, born in Columbian County, September 1, 1844. They have had
five children: Charles E. , Margaret I., William M. , Herman and Albert,
who died in infancy.
Mr. Campion enlisted August 2, 18()2, in the 28th Iowa Infantry.
Was inti'oduced to the rebels at Fort Gibson, at Champion Hill, Vicks-
burg, Jackson, Miss., Edwards Station, Sabine Cross-roads, Cain river,
Mitchell Bayou. Yellow Bayou and several other engagements, and he
was finally taken in by the rebs at Winchester, "Virginia, and for a time
enjoyed the hospitality of Libbie prison and Belle Island for thirty days.
Somehow they got tired boarding him and he was parolled and sent to
Annapolis and was discharged at Savannah, Georgia, July 31, 1865.
Martin had lots of experience which he is ready to tell \ou if you
desire to hear it. He can tell you all about the bill of fare at Hotel De
Libbie.
Mr. Campion came among us ia 1871 and bought a farm in "M"
Town on Section 24. He is a wide awake citizen.
Church home is with the M. E. people at Beaver Crossing.
ELI COURTRIGHT
Was an Illinois boy, born on the banks of the beautiful Rock river
at Dixon, November 2(5, 1847. December 2(j, 1878, he strayed away to
Elgin on the splendid Fox river and found Miss Lauvinda A. Kelley,
and they closed a good bargain. She was a Kentucky girl, born in
Logan County, September 18, 1842.
They came to Seward Covxnty in October, 1873, and first settled on
Middle Creek, but bought the present home on Section 13, "N" precinct
and soon thereafter moved to the new home.
Eli was a son of Hon. J. B. Courtright. He is a farmer and a good
one.
Church home is with the M, E. people at Milford.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 27
REV. E. L. CLARK
The first resident preacher of the covinty was born in Addison
Covintj", Vermont in 1810. His father died just before his birth and
the boy was raised by a .step-father c«u a farm among the hills, stumps
and stones of that rough region. He obtained his education in the
common schools, and later graduated in the Seminar^-. As soon as he
became of age he commenced studying for the ministiy with a Baptist
cleryman of that vicinity, and commenced his active work at Troj'. He
tilled many pulpits acceptably in Vermont until 1851, when his health
failed and then he went to Adirondock Country and opened a farm in
that wild wilderness.
At Whiting, Vermont, Mr. Clark formed the acquaintance of Miss
Nancy Munger, where they were married in 1831. Miss Manger was
born in 1812 and was raised at that place.
Some years later the family were stationed at East Constable, New
York, where he was pastor for many years and until his removal to
Seward County in 1863. The family settled on a homestead two miles
south of Seward. Mr. Clark preached the second sermon ever delivered
in this locality in the fall of 18t)."j at the home of the writer, two and
one half miles north-west of the present city. Mr. and Mrs. Clark were
most welcome in this new community. The family had to undergo
many privations and hardships in the pioneer days but were always
cheerful. He proved of great benefit to the community in moulding
moral and religious sentiment among the people. He organized the
first Baptist Church in 1870.
In 1866 was elected representative to the Territorial legislature and
also was elected and served as our first representative in the State Leg-
islature, where he bore an honorable part in the Capitol removal bill
and many other legislative acts. He had a prominent place on several
important committees; was considered a very valuable and active mem-
ber.
Mr. and Mrs. Clark raised eleven children, six boys and five girls,
all of which grew to be men and women: Mary J., now Mrs. Forbes,
Mattie, now Mrs. G. F. Dickie, Augustus M. , now deceased, Schuj'ler
B. , C. M. , E. L. , now deceased. Rev. Moulton, Lucj , now deceased,
Miriam, now Mrs. O. A. Stubbs, Elsie M. , now Mrs. Carlos Boyes and
Rev. Victor.
Mr. Clark's health entirely failed in the winter of 1872-73 and in
the early spring his Father called him home to his well earned reward
and he was followed to his resting place by sorrowing people. His
good companion followed him in 1874, December 19, and was tenderly
laid to rest by his side.
IRVING G. CHAPIN
Is another of those lads who served an apprenticeship rolling logs,
picking up stone and grubbing around old stumps in the keystone state.
Born November 7, 1859, at Watsburg. Hemained at the old home until
28
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
fifteen when he went awaj^ to school and there we suspect be heard of
our grand Nebraska, where he landed in 1883.
I. G. Chapin
He went into the lumber trade at Beaver Crossing. In 18i)() he had
made a little trade with Miss Elizabeth B. Davies and in February they
were married at Utica, Nebraska. She was an English girl, born near
Bristol in 1805. They have four children, viz: Helen D. , Lillian, F. ,
Harriet C. and Irving S. Mr. Chapin has become one of Nebraska's
prominent lumber mei chants and controls several large yards among
which is a very large one at Seward and one at Lincoln, Nebraska.
He is a thirty-second degree Mason and an M. W. A. Church home
is with the Presbyterians.
ELISHA COURTRIGHT
Son of Abraham Courtright one of the leading pioneers of Seward
County, was born October 21, 1850, at Dixon, Illinois where he spent
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
29
his boyhood days beside the beautiful Rock River, swimming in its
placid waters, perhaps catching tish. etc. At fourteen his parents found
Nebraska and located for awhile in Cass County, but came to Seward
County in 1866, and located on the homestead where Eli.sha now lives in
the old hi.storic stone house. Mr. Courtright was married to Miss Ella
Cunningham, May 10, 1882. She was born near Monroe, Wi-sconsin.
She died some years ago. They had two children, Abraham and James D.
March 8, 1904, Mr. Courtright married Mrs. Floi'ence Casselberg,
a Pennsylvanian girl that came here five years ago. Mr. Courtright's
parents were among the earliest .settlers in "P" precinct and the old
home is a landmark. He is a Mason.
Joseph H. Casler
Uticas present efficient and gentlemanly postmaster, was born in
Marquette County, Wi.sconsin, April 12, 1856. where he grew to man-
hood and was educated in the graded schools. In early manhood he
went to Minnesota, but it was chilly there and not to his liking and in
1878 we find him at the little hamlet of York. In July 1883, he formed
the acquaintance of Miss Ella Tracy, and married her. She was an
Illinois girl. There were no children to this union. One year later she
30 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEARASKA
died. July 5, 1893, he married Miss Lizzie May Leavens, of Utica.
Born at Disart, Iowa, March 8, 1875. Five children came to bless their_
home, viz : Ruth, Nina, Lester. Harlow and Vaughn, all Nebraskans
Mrs. J. H. Casler
Mr. Casler was for thirty years connected with the boot and shoe
business. In November, 1899, was appointed postmaster at Utica. He
made Utica his home in 1880, about the time it was springing to life.
He has an honored place with the I. O. O. F. , with the Workmen, the
M. W. A. and the Aconites.
The family church home is with the Presbyterian people. Mr.
Casler is one of the go-ahead citizens of Utica.
ALISON CLARK
A Seward County boy, born January 29, 1868. Educated in the
schools of Seward and April 12, 1899, he captured a Seward County girl,
Mis'! Ida RicJienbau, who was born July 13, 1872, just east of Seward.
They have two little ones, Kenneth and Mattie.
He is a good farmer and will some of these days own a farm.
Belongs to the Workmen and the M. W. A. Wide-awake and industri-
ous, a typical young American farmer.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 31
JEFFERSON COX.
The Cox hoys are noted for finding the western trail when young,
and Jedierson is no exception. Was born on the bine clay hills of Brown
County, Ohio, June 6, 1849, and found the way to Pike County, Illinois,
when a yearling, where he grew to manhood and where he married Miss
Eliza B. Reaves, January 'io, 1871. She died April 16, 1874. There
were two children born to them, viz: Albina B. , late Mrs. W. A.
Brokaw, and Lydia E. , now Mrs. L. Badger.
October 29, 1876, Mr. Cox married Miss Elizabeth E. Reaves, sister
of the former wife. She was a Pike County girl. They had two
children, viz: Charles W., died in 1896, and Lilly M., died in 1884.
Mrs. Cox died March 8, 1884.
October, 1884, Mr. Cox married his third wife, Miss Emma Hill,
near Ruby. She was born in Pike County, Illinois, August 24, 1867.
They have four children, viz: Pearl., now Mrs. F. J. Ahlschwede,
Doras D. , Earl, and Alphus J.
The family came to Seward County in 1878 and settled on Section
14, "J" Town, where he now owns a beautiful home. Ihe church
home of the family is with the M. E. church at Ruby.
LANSON J. CLINE
Seward's living and walking encyclopedia was an Ohio boy, born
in Wyandotte County, April 9, 1848. At two years of age his father
died. His mother saw the trail leading westward and landed in Indiana.
Here the lad grew up, or partly grew up, and heard the drum beating
for volunteers and at the tender age of fifteen enlisted in Company C,
12th Indiana Cavalry. His regiment did post duty a year at Huntsville,
Alabama, then helped capture Mobile, and was with General Grier on
his famous raid. Was discharged November 22, 1865. At about this
time he formed the acquaintance of a young Kansas teacher and formed
a partnership with her. Miss Isabel Halstead, at Reading, Michigan,
February 21, 1872. She was born in Ohio, May 10, 1850. They have
one daughter*. Miss Eva, who is now in the Lincoln Business College.
Mr. Cline has been the efficient sexton for both our cemeteries for six
years.
He is a great reader of history and has a most remarkable memory
and is considered authority in all matters historical, both ancient and
modern.
W. W. COX
A pioneer from the start. Among the rugged hills of old Cataraugus
County, New York, the lad first saw the light November 2,1832. The
parents saw the bright western star in 1834 and moved overland to Cen-
tral Illinois, where the father died within a few months. The widow,
with the children, moved very soon afterwards to Green County, Wis-
consin Territory, where, May 8, 1838, she died. From this time the
32
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
boy was not raised, "he just growed. "' His mother is supposed to be
the first white woman buried in Green County.
Six years were spent with James Hawthorn, a splendid man, near
Monroe, but the lad can never forget his wife, who was a tyrant. At
thirteen the boy found his way back to New York state where he fell
into the hands of the Phillistines. In 1849 he returned to the west and
i
Mrs. Rebecca Sampson Cox
in 1850 he began his career as a teacher. Six years later he found one
of the best women in the world and was married, March 27, 1856, to Re-
becca Sampson. Eight children came to bless their home, viz: Kate J.,
now Mrs J. A. Ruby; Nettie M. . late Mrs. F. P. Pingreee, Elmer E. ,
DOW dejid. Lincoln W., Dr. Onmar L. , Charles B. , Nora A., now Mrs.
E. C. Baker, and Carrie ii., died in infancy. The family made
residence on a homestead December. 1864. Church home is with the
M. E. people. For further information read his book.
MRS. REBECCA SAMPSON COX
One of the pioneer mothers of Nebraska, was born at Paris, Ohio,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
33
August 26, 1833. In her infancy her parents moved overland into the
wilderness of Knox County. Illinois, where she grew to womanhood
amidst the wild sunoundings of that new country. March 27.1856, she
became the wife of W. W. Cox and two years later the young couple
took the western trail and landed in Page County, Iowa and in 1860 Feb-
ruary 28, they came to the the new territory of Nebraska. In all the
' L. W. Cox
stiuggles incident to pioneer life she was a most noble wife and mother.
In the church of her choice she was ever faithful to every obligation.
In the communities which she helped to build she was looked upon as a
model. After raising a family of seven children that can truly call
her name blessed, she took her departure for the Heavenly Home Feb-
ruary 14. 19(t0. She had been a consistent Christian worker in the M.
E. church for fifty-one years. Her humble home was the shelter where
the weary pioneer minister always found a wai'm welcome. She helped
organize the first Sabbath school in Lancaster County and also the first
in Seward County and she helped organize the first M. E. church in
all this wilderness.
LINCOLN W. COX
The first white boy horn in '"G" precinct. Came to cheer the
wilderness home of his parents, March 16, 1865, two and one half miles
Northwest of the present city of Seward.
34 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Lincoln fished in the river, chased cattle and had a good time
generall}-. Received his education in the cit}' schools and Omaha
Business College and in the Inmber yard where he commenced his
training at sixteen. While in his minority had chargeof yards at Waco,
Exeter, Ansley then at Omaha. Was foreman at McCook yard nine
years, when he opened three yards in Scotts Bluffs County, at Scotts
Bluffs at Mitchel and Minitare in 19U2.
Married Miss Sarah E. Linville, April 2, lH97, who died at McCook,
Dr. O. L, Cox
Nebraska, in March, 1900. They had one little daughter. Ruby Lin-
ville.
Mr. Cox married the second wife. Miss Loretta Trowbridge, June
24, 1902. They also have two children, Ruth V. and an infant not
named.
Mr. Cox is a member of the L O. O.F., A. O U. W., B. U. W.
and Sons of Protection. This Seward County boy now holds a leading
position among the energetic business men of Scotts Bluffs County.
DR. OMAR L. COX
The second boy who is now living who was born in "G" precinct.
Was born on the old family homestead two and one half miles North-
west of Seward, July 31, 1867.
Like other boys of the wilderness he chased rabbits and waded Blue
river until old enough to go to school. Was educated in the Seward
schools, studied pharmacy with Kettle and Gerke.then run a drugstore
for some years at Staplehurst and at Germantown. Febuiary 5, 1890.
married Miss Laurilla (Jibbs, at Germantown. Studied medicine and
graduated at Cotner Medical College in the class of 1894, with the
honors of his class. Took post graduate courses at Chicago as follows:
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 35
Clinical school in 1898 and 1900, e5'e, nose and throat college in 1904.
Located at Cortland, Nebraska, in March, 1894. He is examining sur-
geon and member of the orders following : A. F. and A. M. , M. W. A. ,
A.O. U. W., W. O. W., Royal Highlanders, andO.E.s. Church home
is with the Cortland Congregationalists.
They have two children: LeGrande W. , Herschel D.
Decemoer 1904 Dr. Cox sold out at Cortland. Since that time has
taken post graduate courses at Royal London Ophthalmic hospital (More-
fields, ) and Central London nose and throat hospital and also at the Chi-
cago eye, ear, nose and throat hospital. Dr. Cox may be found over
Bank of Commerce at 18, and O Streets, Lincoln, Nebr.
GEORGE W. COLLAMORE
An English born boy but thoroughbred American, born April 27,
1851. Crossed the pond in 1853(pretty young for a long trip but he made
it all right). The lad landed in Illinois, where in due time, September
4, 1867, at Sycamore he won the heart and hand of Mi.ss Cornelia Blood.
She was born March 28, 1850. in Wisconsin. Mrs. Collamore died at
Qtica, Nebraska, March 23, 1880. To their union were born five
children, viz : Minnie, Luella, Maude, Leonard and George Collamore.
MinTiie is now Mrs. Arnold Zbinder. Maude is now Mrs. Charlie
Marquis and Luella is now Mrs. David Hively.
July 3,1881, Mr. Collamoie mairied Miss Nellie J. Rogers, of Ruby,
Nebraska, who came to Seward Cuuntj' in childhood in 1878. They
have born to them eight children, viz: William W. , Lewis I., Ethelyn,
Arthur, now dead, Elmer, Achsah, Edward and Dean. The family
came to the County in 1871 and located on a homestead seven miles
north of Utica and of course enjoyed many of the luxuries of frontier
life, such as sod house, living on wind pudding, etc., having mail once
in a long time, fording the creek and killing rattlers. Mr. Collamore
is at this time the efficient marshal of Utica. He is a member of the
A. F. and A. M. , also of the M. W. A.
DR. HERSCHEL B. CUMMINS
One of our most successful physicians, is to all intents and purposes
a Seward boy, although born in Green County, Pennsylvania, in March,
1859. Lived in Washington County, West Virginia, six years in his
early boyhood. Then with his father's family came vVest to Henderson
County, JUinois, where the lad attended school. The family came to
Seward in 1874. He soon became acquainted with Dr. Woodward, for
whom he worked tending and driving the Doctor's team, and finally
took a notion that he would like to be a doctor, which Dr. Woodward
encouraged. So under his care the lad began the study of medicine
and did chores to pay his way. He determined to make a success and
sought ways and means to take a university course, which he com-
pleted in the class of 1885, graduating with honors. Returned to
Seward, practiced for all these years with marked success. Since
36
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
finishing his course he has taken several post graduate courses and has
now for many years filled the chairs of physiology, histology, and
hygiene, and for the last five years lectured on practice with much
credit in the Lincoln Medical College. Has filled the office of County
^ »j,.
Dr. H. B. Cummins
physician. Was elected and served with much credit as representative
in the legislature in the session of 1900 and 1901, in the 19th senatorial
district.
Married Miss Jennie Ritchie at Seward in 188H. Mrs. Cummins
was born m Illinois. She proved a model wife and mother. To them
were born two boys, Herschel B. and Harry, both yet at the parental
home. Mrs. Cummins died Oct. 19, 1901. She was very highly respected
wherever known. Dr. Cummins is a charter member of the State
Eclectic Medical Society, an Odd Fellow, a Knight of Pythias and a
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
37
Modern Woodman. He takes a decided interest in all these fraternities.
Was at one time president of the State Eclectic Medical Society.
Has been a member of the board of education where he took a very
active part. Is one of the leaders in the Populist party and takes great
interest in pushing its claims to popular favor. Was appointed in 1897 a
member of the state board of health, and after a term of three years, had
to resign when elected to the House. Pretty good for a poor Seward boy.
Mrs. H. B. Cummins
ELMER E. CUMMINS
Born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, November 14, 1861.
Came to Warren County, Illinois, at Monmouth in his early childhood,
but had to seek a better place in Nebraska and in 1874 we find the lad
at Seward where he was educated and married. Married October 5,
1891. to Miss Ida M. Weatherby. She was a Missouri girl transplanted
to Seward soil when a child and received her education in cur
city schools. They have three children, viz., Beatrice, Elizabeth
and Cecil.
Mr. Cummins was many years engaged in the oil trade but is now
engaged in the windmill and pump business, and is also owner and
38
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
operator of a dray line in Seward. He is a rustler in business. Is a
member of the Highlander fraternal order.
Later: Mr. Cummins is in the oil trade in Lincoln.
General Jacob H. Culver
Adjutant General of Nebraska. 'Vas born in Mercer Countj', Ohio,
in 1845. His parents moved to the territory of Wisconsin when Jacob
was only two years old. The family settled in the pine woods of
Cheboygan County and engaged in the lumber business. The lad
received his education in the primitive common schools of that wild
land, and at the tender age of sixteen he heard the mutterings of the
coming storm and his young soul was all on fire and at the first oppor-
tunity he enlisted in Company K, first Wisconsin volunteers as drummer
boy, September 17, 1861, serving one year in that - capacity and at the
battle of Perryville, the color bearer being killed, Jacob dropped the
drum and grabbed the flag and bore it aloft in triumph and continued
to carry it through the service, and was mnistered out with his regi-
ment. He was in the sanguinary battles of Chaplain Hills, Chicka-
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
39
mauga, Mission Ridge. Lookout Moiintain and Chattanooga and also in
the Atlanta campaign. Returning from the war he entered the Wis-
consin University in 18G0.
J, H. Culver, Drummer Boy
Was elected engrossing clerk in 1869. and the same year came to
Nebraska and made Milford his home and has been closely identified
with its interests from that day to the present. The hrst we learn ot
him at his new home was drawing a map for the newly organized
County of Hamilton, for the officials. A teacher in the public schools
and then as Milford 's postmaster. Then he formed a partnership with
H. G. Parsons and commenced the publication of the Blue Valley
Record, which was Milford s first and we think its best newspaijer. In
1873 the Record was consolidated with the Daily Leader, of Lincoln,
Nebraska, w^hich Sirs Culver and Parsons brought up to a paying basis.
In 1874 Mr. Culver sold his interest and returned to Milford and
bought an interest in the Milford flouring mills, with J. L. Davison.
He continued 'with the mill until it was sold to Johnson, Perry
40 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Company, in 1879. Mr. Culver helped to organize Winslow Post of
G. A . R. number fifty-six. and was its first commander. In
1873 he married Miss Ada I. Davison and thej' are the happy parents of
five children. Clarence C. Elwin E. . Fred D. , Harry H. and Lula.
They were among the organizers of the Congregational church at
Milford. Was one time vice-president of the Morris Lock Company of
Seward.
Was also for a time a stock farmer, at another time a coal dealer.
He is one of the most widely known of our citizens and is wonderfully
active in pushing public enterprises of his town and county. His zeal
knows no bounds. When he sets his head to any enterprise, such a
word as fail is unknown in his vocabulary. Through his determined
will power the great mill was established. He was largely instrumen-
tal in securing to Milford and the county the Atchison and Nebraska
railroad. He was responsible for the locating of the soldier's home and
the industrial home at Milford. He is a man of pronounced views, never,
afraid to speak his sentiments. Is an uncompromising repviblican in
politics and a radical temperance man. His career would suggest that
he is exceedingly fond of a soldier's life, but an intimate acquaintance
proves the reverse. He is fond of home, loves peace, even if he has to
fight for it, and has been a soldier from a sense of duty. Has for many
years been a pi'ominent figure in the state militia.
When the war oroke out he lost no time in offei'ing his sword to the
government. Was a captain and served through the Philippine war
with much credit.
MILTON D. CAREY
This young attorney, who came to Seward in 1891, was born in cold
Minnesota, in Filmore County, in 1863, Feb. 24th, but it was too chilly
for his young blood and while a lad of five summers he went to Hamil-
ton Co., Iowa. After a nine year stiuggle of college life he graduated
at De Pauw University at Greencastle.
In 1894 he returned to Hamilton Co., where he married Miss Tersa
Maxwell, who was raised at that home place but educated at Dixon. Ills.
Mrs. Carey is a lady of fine attainments and has proved a valuable
citizen of our city. In social circles and charitable works she takes
great intei-est. She is a member of the Woman's Club and is a work-
ing member of the Congregational church.
Mr. Carey has just finished serving his second term as county
attornej' with credit.
In politics Mr. Carey has committed his fortunes to the Populist
party and is considered a stalwart and uses his fluent tongue on every
stump, to the entire satisfaction of his friends. Is becoming quite
popular in his profession, and has had part in many important cases,
including the great church trial of which our esteemed Rev. Father^
Murphy is a party.
He is a member of the Modern Woodmen.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
41
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42 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
JACOB B. COURTRIGHT
One that helped to lay the foundations in "N" Precinct, was born
among the rocky hills of Lucerne County, Pa., in October, 1827, but
found his way to Illinois, Lee County, in 1840, when it was wild prairie.
At Dixon, on the banks of the beautiful Rock River, Jacob found
Catherine Flack. She was born in November, 1822, in Blaine
County, Pa. They raised eight children, viz: Eli, Henry, Ira. Sarah
C. Wertman, Maggie A., James H., Marv E. and Charles L.
Mr. Courtriglit came to Seward County in 1874 and located in the
eastern part of "N" Precinct, where he did bis full share in
developing that nevv land. He took great delight in the development
of the fruit industry, ;iiid on another page will be found an able article
fi'om his pen on that sub.iect, written many years ago. Mr. and
Mrs. Courtright have finished their work and gone to their rest, "Full
of years and good works." Mr. Courtright was a member of the A.
F. and A. M. Church home was with the Evangelical Lutherans
LEWIS G. CASTLE
Was a soldier boy that had plenty of experiene. He enlisted in Co.
A, 4th Wisconsin Vol. Infantry. He was with Ben Butler at New
Orleans when the famous order was given that brought our southern
sisters to terms. Was at Baton Rouche, at Port Hudson and Vicks-
burg. Was on the famous Yazoo River expedition where the little
wooden fleet ran into the rebel ram shielded with railroad iron. One
vessel on which ilr. Castle was doing service, nineteen men out of
twenty-one wei'e killed in the one engagement.
Mr. Castle was married to Miss Emugene M. Brant, Nov. 10,
1870, at Whitewater, Wis. She was born May 8th, 1848, at Lima, Wis.
They have one son, Lewis H.
Mr. and Mrs. Castle came to Seward county in May, 1871. and set-
tled in "L" Precinct.
He belongs to the Masonic Fraternity and the Woodmen of the
World and G. A. R.
LEANDER S. CALLAHAN
A man who has gone through enough of the rough and tumble of
life that the incidents of his career worthy of note would fill a whole
volume.
The 7th of Oct. , 1838, in Tompkins county, New York, Leander saw
the light.
The family moved to Alleghany County, where Leander grew to
manhood.
Enlisted in Co. E, 1st New York Dragoons, in 13th Volunteers, in
1862, and was made Sergeant, and in December following promoted to
2nd Lieutenant, June, 1863, 1st Lieutenant, and Dec. 5th, 1864, to Captain
and Brevet Major, and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, March 31st, 1865, by
recommendation of Gen. Talbert.
HISTOHY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA 43
Mr. Callahan participated in forty-four battles, besides numerous
skirmishes, commencing at Deserted Courthouse and ending at Appo-
mattox. Was wounded three times; slighth' once in the neck, once in
the leg, and again in the arm. Was a guest of the notorious Mosby
for eight weeks and enjoyed to the full the hospitality of the rebel
chieftan, where he was permitted to trade his neat ollticer's uniform
for a worn and tattered garb of some dead rebel. He was also a guest
for eight weeks at the famous Hotel de Libbie, where buggy pea soup
was served. He can tell you all about how nicely our boys fared in
that hostlery of the South. What was left of him was exchanged in due
time and his regiment was mustered out at Rochester, New York, July
19th. 1865 Mr. Callahan was married in 1859, to Miss Annie M. Smith,
of Angelica, New York. She was born April 5, 1842. She was left to
struggle for life alone while her husband was following the flag to
victory in the South. There was born to them one daughter, Margaret
H. They have two grandchildren, Leander and Lizzie M. , both with
the old folks.
Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Congregational Church. He
is a Mason.
The family came west in 1867.
Has been postmaster in Germantown for eight yars.
CAPT. ROBERT T. COOPER
One of the most gentlemanly and big-hearted men, was born in
Stevenson County, 111*. ,near where thisaiithor perambulated. He swairi
in the old Pecatonica, chased the cows, and fished, in his boyhood days.
Born in 1842, and amidst these beautiful surroundings grew to manhord.
In 1861 he canget sight of the star spangled banner and heard the drum
beat, and of course he enlisted at the first opportunity in the 46th Ills.
Infantry, Co. B. In a short time he earned the star of 2nd Lieutenant,
then the First Lieutenant and in 1865 was promoted to the Captaincy ;
was discharged in 1866. The young man returned to his native home
and was honored twice by Stevenson County as treasurer, 1869 and
1871. He came to Seward in 1874 and his first work here was to build
the Cooper and Henderson mills, two miles south of the city.
He helped to organize the G.A.R. Post No. 3. Was in 1881 elected
County Treasurer of Seward County and re-elected in 1883. Was
defeated for County Clerk in 1885, but triumphantly elected in 1887, over
the same opponent.
Is a strong and uncompromising republican from his youth. He is
a man of good parts, generous and obliging, wide awake in all
worthy enterprises. The fall of 1887 brought him many favors and
triumphs. First he gained favor with a splendid woman. Miss Emma
D. Brenizer, and married her Sept. 24th. Next he was voted a gold
headed cane for good looks, then voted the clerkship of the County in
November. Pretty well done for one season. Mrs. Cooper died in
March, 1893. To them were born two children, one died in infancy
and the lovely girl of five years died shortly afterwards.
44 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
FRANK F. CONELEY
An Irish American boy bom in Washington County, New York,
Oct. 20, 1862. The family worked their way westward and landed in
Seward County in 1873 and settled in ''F" precinct on what is yet
known as the old Coneley farm. Married May 8th, 1885, to Miss
Louisa McGrath. She was born March 19th, 1868, at LaSalle, Illinois.
Children born, viz: Frank, Clara, Leo, Ernest. Clyde, (Mary and
Lizzie died in infancy) and Vincent.
Mr. Coneley owns a good farm. Church home is with the Catholics.
Mr. Coneley buried his mother in July, 1895, and his aged father,
Patrick Coneley. in March, 1903. The old man was ninety years old.
MARTIN CASTLE
One of the pioneers of "C" Precinct was born April 12th, 1849, in
Mercer Co , Ills., where he remained on his father's farm until grown,
when he beheld the bright western star and took the trail that led to
Seward Co. and to fortune. He found tin excellent homestead in Sec.
34, "C" Town, and captured it in 1870. He batched it and improved
the farm and after awhile concluded that man should not live alone.
So Mart proposed to Miss Emma Burhans and as Mart was a pretty
good bachelor, Emma said yes (of couree). They were married March
14th, 1878. She was a Wisconsin girl, born in Sauk Co.. Dec. 25th, 1861,
and came with her parents to Seward Co. when a child Their children
are not yet named. Martin belongs to the United Workmen and the
M. W. A. Church home is with the Presbyterian people at Staplehurst.
DIEDRICH BANKERS
One of our oldest citizens who located in the Middle Creek Wilder-
ness. July, 1869, on homestead section 26 "I" Town, where he has
helped to make the waste places glad. Was born in Hanover, Germany,
December 21, 1843. At twenty-four he crossed the briny deep and made
his home at Fondulac, Wisconsin, in 1867. From appearance of things
we tnke it that his best girl led the way to Nel)raska. In Nebraska
City, October 17, 1869, he married Miss Annie Mej'er. She was born
in Hanover and came to this country in her young girlhood. Born
Septoniher 20, 1844. They have eight children and one died in infancy.
N;unes are as follows: Margaret, now Mrs. John Klindtworth, Annie,
Christoiiher, Mary, now Mrs. W. Pollman, Minnie, John, Louisa and
Caroline. Mr. Bankers served in the Hanovarian army in the war with
Prussia and was in the battle of Langen Salza. He has served the
people of our county ten years as supervisor, eight years from "I"
precinct and two years from the fifth district. He is a man of wide
influence and a first class citizen. Church home is with the Lutherans.
- CAPTAIN JOHN S. DILLENBECK
A New York boy that took Greeley's advice and never rested till he
found the trail that led to Nebraska, was born in Jefferson County,
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
45
January 19, 1841. just after the log cabin and hard cider campaign.
What time the lad was not in school he spent in the ordinary pursuits
of the farmer boy. picking stones and hauling them on a stone boat,
raking hay with a hand rake, in the stumpy meadows and husking corn
in the barn winter evenings.
J. S. Dillenbeck
While yet a lad of twenty, he heard the drum beat calling to arms
and in 1861 he enlisted and was sent to Virginia under' General
McClellan and was at Chancellorsville. Second Bull Run. Antietam and
Mannassas Junction. Enlisted in the 20th New York cavalry and was
soon promoted to the 2nd lieutenancy with Company B. then in January.
1865. was promoted to the first lieutenancy and assigned to Company L
and just before his final discharge was breveted captain. When the
war was over. Captain returned to the old home and to the best girl he
had left behind him. and December 25, 1867, was married to Miss
Lizzie Gates, of Washington County, New Y'ork. She was born at
Waltham, Massachusetts, January 19. 1849.
There were born seven children. Three died in infancy and four
are yet at home, viz: John W. . Lydia M.. Wilford L.. and Maude E.
The family came to Sewvvrd County in May 1878 and took a homestead
in "P" precinct and since that date captain Dillenbeck has proved a
wide wake, enterprising citizen. Has a long time been much interested
46
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in the County Agricultural Societ\' and is at this writing a leading
member of the board of County supervisors. Some years ago gold was
discovered on the Captains land, whi<;h we will notice particularly in
another article.
Mrs. J. S.Dillenbeck
We note that Captain Dillenbeck had some honors at his old home
where he was elected sheriff and served four years in Saratoga County.
He was also in the mercantile business for a number of years.
He came from old revolutionary stock. His maternal grandfather,
Greorge Lintiner, was a soldier of the revolution. Mrs. Dillenbeck traces
her ancestry back to the Mayflower and Plymouth rock. She is an
amiable and intelligent lady of New England culture, where she spent
a number of years as teacher, after receiving a thorough education
at Charlestown, Massachusets.
HON. GEORGE A. DERBY
One of the very earliest settlers in "E" precinct, wa.s born March
5, 182U, in Licking County. Ohio, where he grew to manhood and
married Miss Miranda H. Brown, March 1, 1843. She was a native of
Vermont born in Orange County, January 1844. They were the parents
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
47
of fourteen children, twelve of whom lived to be men and women, viz :
OrinA. , Emilj' E. . died at eighteen, Manila N.. now Mrs. S. M.
Brown. Alonzo F. , Clara E.. late Mrs. C. S. Stewart. Mercy A., now
Mrs. H. Vanderhoof, George G., Frank N., Scott B. , now deceased.
Hon. G. A. Derby
The next two died in early infancy. William S. , now dead, Minnie E. ,
now Mrs. R. B. Carter, and Roderick, now dead. Mr. Derby came to
the vicinity where Qtica now stands and opened a farm in 18T2. The
reader is kindly referred to the history of Utica for much of Mr.
Derby's life work. Mrs. Derby died April 29. 1893, and Mr. Derby,
full of years and full of labors, followed to the long home July 12, 1901.
He was a faithful member for many years of the I. O. O. F.
The M. E. church was the family church home. Mr. Derby was
a very valuable citizen of the county for nearly thirty years.
HON. WILLIAM R. DAVIS
One of the oldest residents of Nebraska and also one of the oldest
and certainly one of the most respected citizens of Seward County. Was
born of humble parentage in Yadkin County, North Carolina, November
26, 1824.
In that Southern land the boj- had but meagre opportunities to
secure an education. It is unnecessary for us to tell the thousands of
his acquaintances that Mr. Davis, by dint of his own indomitable will
48
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and perseverance encircled as he was in his youth and young manhood,
by every discouragement, poverty, a poor community, illiterate, and
poor environments of every kind, but for all that he became a most
thoroughly intelligent man and a man of affairs.
His life work even in Nebraska, if properly told, would fill a volume
Mrs. ,G. A. Derby
even larger than this. He married Miss Margaret A. Bohannan of nis
native place. Of this lady we are permitted to know but little, but we
are certain that she must have been a noble wife and good mother,
sharing with her young husband the bard labor and trials incident
to the removal from the old home to Nebraska, then a wilderness. The
grand impress she left upon her young familj' tells the story most
eloquently. Children born of this union were eight, two ot whom died
in infancy. Rebecca, now Mrs. J. N. Beaty ; Anice, now deceased the
former wife of Mac Towner of Ulysses, Nebraska ; Martha, now deceased
the widow of Jasper Roberts, now also deceased. Abner Y. , and Major
A. V. , now of Seward and Josephine, now Mrs. A. C. Hull of Hastings,
Nebraska. The young couple moved all the long and weary way with
an ox team to Iowa in 1852. In 1857 they settled at Rock Bluff, Cass
County, Nebraska. They were among the noble band of pioneers who
first settled the infant territory. His worth was soon recognized by his
neighbors and was elected a member of the third session of the legisla-
ture. His work was so faitliful that he was re-elected to the fourth and
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
49
again to the fifth sessions. In the summer of 1S62 he was appointed
assistant assessor of internal revenue and in that capacit\- traversed all
the settled i)ortions of the territory. He enlisted in the army in 1864,
December 10, 1804. His wife died while he was at the front and at his
Hon, W, R. Davis
request he was discharged under special oi'der number 155, April 17,
1865. After his return home he was immediately appointed assistant
assessor of internal revenue in the Plattsmouth district. While crossing
the plains in his official work the author of this book became acquainted
with Mr. Davis. In following* a blind trail across the Middle Creek
prairie, he became lost and blundered onto our cabin at
eleven o'clock at night. He was well nigh starved so
was welcome, where rest and food was to be had.
August, 1866, he married Miss Hannah C. Colman,
Salt Basin, at
that a shelter
who yet lives
50 HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
and is a resident at their old home in Seward. To them were born -.
Frank R. , now of Grand Junction, Colorado; Nellie R., yet at Seward.
In the spring of 1.S68 the family removed to Seward where we had a
name but no town. In company with his son-in-law, J. N. Beaty, he
opened the first store in the new town and it was the second store in
the county. They continued in the general merchandise business under
the firm name of Beaty and Davis most of the time till 1878. He
remained a very active business man up to the date of his last sickness.
Iri 1899, with the assistance of his sons he laid the foundation of the
great grocery house that yet bears his name.
Through all the long years of his residence Mr. Davis was a most
valuable citizen, a good neighbor, kind friend and worthy Christian
gentleman. In all laudable enterprises he was ever ready to render all
possible assistance. He united with the M. E. church when quite
young and became a most earnest and faithful worker for his Lord and
Master. He was, by his chinch, licensed to preach but was never in
the regular work of the ministry although frequently preaching as a
local minister. Was an earnest champion in the temperance field
frequently speaking on temperance and kindred subjects, with excellent
results.
He had a most honorable part in advancing the development of the
city and county, devoting much time ana energy to many public enter-
prises and charities. On the 28rd of July, 1899, full of years and full of
honors, the Master called him home.
ABNER Y. DAVIS
Claims to be a native of Jasper County, Iowa, where he was born
December 29, 1856 but he came to Nebraska so long ago that he can't
remember when. The first he knew lie was down among the hills at
Rock Bluffs in Cass County where he spent his early youth. At twelve
we find the lad in Seward where he grew to manhood. He was among
the verj' first to fish in the river here, to chase the cows and the rabbits
over these prairies. Was educated in the citj' schools. Along about
1876, Abner went to the mountains where he spent four years looking
for the yellow metal. He found .some and returned to the old home
where he took interest with E. H. PoUey in the jewelry business for
five years. In the meantime Father Simpson took Abner's best girl
away off to western Kansas but Abner followed up and captured his
prize January 23, 1881, when he and Elizabeth Simpson were married in
Decatur County, Kansas.
She was born February 28, 1859. in Indiana County, Pennsylvania,
and came to Seward in childhood. They are now the parents of five
children, viz. Ruth F. , now Mrs. George Harvey; Laura M. , Ethel C.
Major S. and William R. Mr. Davis resided on a homestead in
Decatur County, Kansas, for three years when he ret 
