NEBRASKA HISTORY AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS VOL I, NO. 8, DEC 1918 Transcribed from a copy of the original publication by the submitters. Submitted to the USGenWeb Nebraska Archives, January, 1998, by Ted and Carole Miller (susieque@pacbell.net). USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express written permission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist. *************** NEBRASKA HISTORY AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS Vol. I, no. 8, Dec. 1918 (Original had no Table of Contents) Announcements & News Clippings 1 Annual Meeting postponed by influenza Last of early settlers in Adams Co, Inland Pct: ABLOT & LATHROP 1857 Mormon Rebellion Commerce Catches the Coyote - value of pelts 1 Legal Residence of Nebraska Governors - List of Governors & their counties of residence 1 Fort Mitchell Cemetery: Reinternment of soldiers originally buried there & at 2-3 "Horse Creek Battleground" Passing of NE Pioneers - Since 26 Oct 1918 3-4 MORELL, Charles A. - Douglas, Burt & Dawson Counties 3 HALL, Titus E. - Burt Co (died in CA) 3 MURPHY, Mrs. Timothy - Dakota Co 3 WOOD, Noah S. - Pawnee Co (died in MT) 3 SWEESY, William F. - Douglas Co 3 HUBBARD, Mrs. Henry - Cass Co 3 HALL, J. W. - Johnson Co 3 BOYD, James C. - Otoe Co 3 GRIFFITH, David - Richardson Co 3 McEVOY, Patrick - Douglas Co 3 LATTA, Mrs. Mary A. - Burt Co 3 HOLCOMB, Mrs. Silas - Custer Co 3 DREXEL, George M. - Douglas Co 3 CORNELIUS, Mrs. J. K. - Richardson Co 3 GAPEN, Mrs. Joshua - Cass Co 3 TEMPLIN, Charles Frederick Schafer - Otoe Co 3 KRUNTORAD, Joseph - Boyd Co 3 COX, William Asa - Richardson Co 3 WIXSON, Harrison - Furnas Co 3 GREEN, Mrs. Katherine Wolcott - Johnson Co 4 REICHERT, Mrs. Katherine - Cass Co 4 SCHWAB, George P. - Clay Co 4 BOSLER, Frank C. - died in PA 4 Death of Notable Pioneer - FREEMAN, Eliza (Mrs. Daniel) Phelps & Dawson Counties 4 Thirteen Hours in a Nebraska Blizzard (1888) from letter of Dr. G.C. PAXTON 4 Red Cloud Agency Buildings (old photo was mis-identified) 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEBRASKA HISTORY COMMERCE CATCHES THE COYOTE. AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS Only twenty-five years ago there ------------------------------------were people in Dawson county who Published Monthly by the Nebraska thought it wasteful to pay bounties State Historical Society for scalps of coyotes, and they ------------------------------------urged their objections in the Editor, ADDISON E. SHELDON Dawson County Pioneer. Though it Associate Editors was admitted that the numerous The Staffs of the Nebraska State pests were destroying numberless Historical Society and fowls and other domestic animals Legislative Reference Bureau besides, it was argued that the ------------------------------------loss would not be as burdensome as Subscription $2.00 Per Year the taxation to provide the ------------------------------------proposed bounty and that Dawson q All sustaining members of the would be flooded with scalps from Nebraska State Historical adjoining counties. It was said Society receive Nebraska that the pelts of these pirates History without further payment. were then worth only a quarter of a q Entered as second class mail dollar each, a scarcely appreciable matter, under act of July 16, stimulus to procuring them. Now, 1894, at Lincoln, Nebraska, April however, in that part of the state 2, 1918. the finest skins command the ------------------------------------comparatively princely price of VOLUME eighteen dollars. But this grade, I. DECEMBER, 1918 NUMBER 8 used in the trade for imitation ------------------------------------fox, is very scarce. The common grades bring from two dollars to The program of the annual nine dollars apiece, or general meeting of the State Historical average of about five dollars. But Society has been postponed on this automatic stimulus serves only account of the influenza. The as a check. The alert cunning of regular business session will be these little Ishmaelites preserves held January 14, 1919. them from extermination. They are ------- taken mostly by poison. ------- G. W. Ablot of Inland is still living on the homestead he obtained Legal Residence of Nebraska in pioneer days. Mr. Ablot and A. Governors M. Lathrop are the only early settlers now living in the precinct No resident of Lancaster county of Adams county where he settled. has so far become governor of He drove over the site now occupied Nebraska; but on November 5, 1918, by Hastings when it was open Samuel R. McKelvie, of Lincoln, in prairie. He remembers the terrible that county, was elected governor, Easter storm of 1872, in which and, according to the constitution. great numbers of cattle and other he will assume the office January stock were frozen or smothered to 9, 1919. Following is a statement death in snowdrifts. Many cattle of the legal residence of each were driven before the blizzard to governor at the time of his perish in the Blue River valley. election and his tenure of office: For some time afterward people roamed over the prairie procuring David Butler, Pawnee county, the hides of the frozen animals March 27, 1867, to March 1, 1871. which they brought to the towns for William H. James (acting sale. (Adams County Democrat, governor), Dakota county, March 1, November 15.) 1871, to January 13, 1873. ------- Robert W. Furnas, Nemaha county, 1873-1875. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Frank of Silas Garber, Webster county, Longmont, Col., have been visiting 1875-1879. relatives in Minden, and Mr. Frank Albinus Nance, Polk county, relates that in 1857 he was 1879-1883. employed in a military wagon train James W. Dawes, Saline county. which carried building material 1883-1887. from Fort Leavenworth to Salt Lake John M. Thayer, Hall county, City, that the train was burned by 1887-1891. the Mormons in the Green River James E. Boyd, Douglas county, valley, and that he and other 1891-1893. employees of the party walked back Lorenzo Crounse, Washington to Leavenworth - a distance of two county, 1893-1895. thousand miles. (The Minden News, Silas A. Holcomb, Custer county, November 15.) 1895-1899. This was the year of the William A. Poynter, Boone outbreak of the Mormon rebellion. county, 1899-1901. In October two supply trains were Charles H. Dietrich, Adams destroyed by Mormons in the Green county, January 3, 1901-May 1, River valley, distant about one 1901. thousand miles from Fort Ezra P. Savage, Custer county, Leavenworth by the route then May 1, 1901-January 8, 1903. traveled. Salt Lake City was about John H. Mickey, Polk county, two hundred miles farther. 1903-1907. ------- George L. Sheldon, Cass county, 1907-1909. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Torpin of Ashton C. Shallenberger, Harlan Oakdale celebrated the flfty-fifth county, 1909-1911. anniversary of their marriage on Chester H. Aldrich, Butler November 17, and four generations county, 1911-1913. of their family were represented. John H. Morehead, Richardson They were early residents of county, 1913-1917. Fremont, but have lived at Oakdale Keith Neville, Lincoln county, for the past twenty-five years. 1917-1919. Henry Torpin and Anna M. Bruner were born in 1841, he near Governor Butler was removed from Philadelphia and she near Carlisle, office on March 1, 1871, by virtue Pa. They were married on November of the adoption of articles of 17, 1863 at Coe Town, Ill. In 1882 impeachment against him on that the firm of McDonald & Torpin, day, and William H. James, then contractors, was formed and engaged secretary of state, became acting in building railroads in Missouri, governor according to a provision Illinois, Minnesota, Wyoming, and of the constitution. Holcomb and Nebraska. In the spring of 1886 the Poynter were populists, but elected firm of Henry Torpin & Son was as fusionists; Boyd, Shallenberger, formed and it took part in the Morehead; and Neville wore elected construction at many railroads in as democrats; all the rest as Nebraska. In 1891, Mr. Torpin and republicans. his son organized the Torpin Grain On March 8, 1999, Monroe L. Company which bought or built a Hayward was elected to the office line of elevators on the of United States senator to succeed Northwestern railroad. Lately, William V. Allen, whose term however, Mr. Torpin has devoted expired March 3 1899, but he died, most of his time to the management before taking the official oath, on of the Torpin Land and Live Stock December 5, 1899, which was the Company. next day after the session of Congress in which he would have taken his seat began. On December 13, William V. Allen was appointed by Governor Poynter to fill the vacancy left by Hayward's death, and he was seated on December 18. On March 28, 1901, the legislature elected Governor Dietrich for the remainder of Hayward's term. At 9:50 a. m., May 1, 1901, according to a provision of the state statute the secretary of state accepted the resignation of Governor Dietrich, whereupon Lieutenant-Governor Ezra P. Savage became governor. Immediately thereafter, Governor Savage signed and delivered to Dietrich a certificate of his election as United States senator, as authorized by a federal statute. Senator Dietrich took his seat in the senate on December 2, of the same year. ALBERT WATKINS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FORT MITCHELL CEMETERY ------------------- Some Account of the Reinterment of Soldiers Originally Buried There and the So-called "Horse Creek Battle Ground" ------------------- The following is quoted from the his father, a Mr. Billings, who was Scottsbluff Republican of September with this Captain W. D. Fouts when 6, 1918: he was killed. He was positive as Back in the sixties the to his being buried here. At the government maintained a small fort time Captain Fouts was killed two at a point about four miles west of or three other soldiers were where Scottsbluff now stands. It killed, too, but this man was not was known as Fort Mitchell, but certain that they were buried here, nothing remains there to-day to in fact, it he thought they were designate the site it once not. occupied. In 1865 occurred an After 1 got this definite uprising of Indians at what has information I corresponded with the ever since been known as "Horse war department again telling what I Creek Battle Ground," which is had learned. That directed their situated about seven miles search to the Iowa records and they southeast of Henry . . . . . A found the record of Captain Fouts. detachment of soldiers was sent Then I was to find his remains. I from Fort Mitchell to subdue the didn't have time so referred them warring Indians. A number of to undertakers in Scottsbluff, soldiers, including the captain, Wilcox & Co. They promptly took up were killed and they were buried in the remains and sent them to the a plot of ground near the fort, and Fort McPherson National Cemetery. which today is a part of the Hall That accounts for the paper record [R. S. Hunt] farm. of his internment. The Nebraska State Historical As to other soldiers buried Society some time ago obtained and here, there seems to be no record recorded an account of the or at least none that can be found. establishing of Fort Mitchell and a At the time of the removal of description of its site. In volume Captain Fouts they looked for other XVII of the Society's publications bodies. One was found, but it was I made the following statement: the remains of a child. In August and September, 1864, The past spring the remains of Captain Shuman, of the Eleventh two more adult bodies were found Ohio Cavalry. built Camp Shuman at and turned over to Wilcox & Co. a point three miles west of the I think Mr. Heil was mistaken as Scott's Bluff gap. The post was to the time the two soldiers were afterward named Fort Mitchell, for sent from here. We looked for some General Robert B. Mitchell, then last fall, but found none. During commander of the district. At the the winter the wind blew away a same time minor fortifications were great deal of the earth from the built at Ficklin's and Mud Springs. place where the bodies were Ficklin's was nine miles east of interred and in farming over it my Scott's Bluff, and Mud Springs, at men run onto the bones. Then I the north end of "Jules" Stretch," called Wilcox & Co. and they was eight miles easterly from procured what they could and as I Courthouse Rock. This new route or said as to their disposal of them I cut- off was named for Jules, the know nothing. ranchman. As to where Captain Fouts was On January 19, 1910, Mr. Robert killed I am not certain, but I Harvey in a report for the think Mr. Billings said it was up committee of the Society on marking the river from Fort Mitchell some historic sites gave the following twenty-five miles. This is the description of the situation of extent of what I am able to do for Fort Mitchell: you. Mr. Sowerwine, a pioneer of On October 9, 1918, Mr. L. A. Gering and a Pike's Peak emigrant, Heil, superintendent of Fort who had traveled over the Oregon McPherson National Cemetery, wrote Trail through Mitchell Pass, to me as follows: volunteered to show me the old site Yours of October 3, 1918, duly which is in the northeast corner of at hand, and I have searched all the southwest quarter of section the data available in this office, 20, township 22 north, range 55 and find nothing of the deceased West, on the high bank of the west soldiers you mention. But the side of the Platte river, and about following memorandum is found in three and a half miles west of the the pocket of the interment town of Scott's Bluff. The wagon register: road from Scott's Bluff crosses the 'Disinter the remains (human river and a narrow stretch of low bones) of four deceased soldiers bottom, and ascends through a cut now buried on the farm of Mr. R. S. to the second bench, about twenty Hunt, three and one-half miles feet above the river. Before it has distant from Scottsbluff, Nebraska. reached the summit, a lane turns 'Encase the same in tin-lined south to the home of Mr. R. S. boxes 24"x12"x10", to be Hunt. the owner of the land. Along hermetically sealed, and otherwise this lane, and just inside the wire comply with the laws of the state fence on the left, is the northwest of Nebraska governing the corner of the old stockade, 228 disinterment of dead human bodies. feet from the center of the wagon 'After the bodies are properly road. That part of the fort now encased, the boxes are to be marked discernible was apparently the as follows: adobe stockade, and though now fallen, trampled upon and rounded 'Superintendent Ft. McPherson over, its outline is clearly National Cemetery, defined. The inclosure was in the 'Maxwell, Nebraska, form of a trapezium, no two sides Weight ............. lbs., and parallel, yet so nearly a rectangle delivered to the railroad agent at that it might be so considered. The Haig, Neb. The old graves are to be north and south ends are each 90 refilled. feet in length, the west side. 140 'June 14, 1915.' feet, and the east side 120 feet. The east side lies parallel to the There is no record as to when or edge of the bluff, and the west what part of the cemetery these side is parallel to the lane fence, bodies are buried, or whether they which protects it from the effects were ever buried. of travel in the lane. The large There is a proper record of the double gate was evidently on the interment of Captain Wm. D. Fouts, south side at the southwest corner, 7th Iowa Cavalry, killed by Indians and the road leading down the bluff in battle in Dakota, June 14, 1865, to the ford is about 150 feet from and reinteered in this cemetery the gate. The wooden parts of the June 20, 1916. structure were apparently burned, There is no record of interments as the ground is thickly strewn from Fort Mitchell in this with charcoal. The only evidence I cemetery." found indicating military On October 28 Superintendent occupation was a brass army button, Heil wrote again: a hub of an army wagon, and Yours of recent date at hand, numerous fragments of broken window and in reply permit me to state glass, apothecary bottles, and that I have searched the Interment others of stronger make and of Register of this cemetery from its different colors, evidently from establishment, and find very little the sutler's store. Having an that throws any light on the instrument with me I took the information which you desire. following bearings from the Herewith I inclose an exact copy southwest corner of the stockade. of the interments therein found, The west wall bears north 30o including the duplicates. west; the south wall bears north 67 I therefore see no means of 1/2o east; the perpendicular wall arriving at any satisfactory data rock on the northeast side of of those you seek. Scott's Bluff bears south 43o 45' The early records of this cemetery are very vague and east. unsatisfactory. On the range of bluffs to the I have been superintendent here southwest are two small buttes in only since July 7, 1918, and can close proximity to each other. The only refer to matters as I find east one is the smaller and has a them on the records. very sharp peak, which bears south The Record. 47o 35' west. The bearing of the north wall is north 72o east. About John Anderson, Pvt., Co. C, 7th a quarter of a mile southwest is a Iowa Cav., died Sept. 18. 1864, Ft. low knoll which is said to be the McPherson. burial ground, and that there were Fred Dyer, 7th Iowa Cav., Ft. two graves. Upon visiting the spot, McPherson. I found what were said to be Benj. Groms, Sgt., Co. A, 7th headstones of native rock. I am of Iowa Cav., Ft. McPherson. the opinion that if interments were Lieut. Heath, 7th Iowa Cav., Ft. made there, the bodies have been Kearny. removed. I found a grave, however, D. M. Lyons, Corp., Co. C, 7th thirty-five feet to the northeast, Iowa Cav., Ft. McPherson. on the slope of the knoll C. B. Lellen, Pvt Co. C, 7th surrounded with small stones. Iowa Cav., Ft. McPherson. In July, 1916, Mr. Sheldon, now A. Newton, Pvt., Co. D, 7th Iowa secretary of the Historical Cav., Ft. McPherson. Society, took photographs of the Wm. D. Fouts, Capt., Co. D, 7th landscape of the vicinity, Iowa Cav., died June 14, 1865; including the site of the fort. reinterred June 20, 1915, from On October 21, 1918, Mr. R. S. Scottsbluff, Nebr.: killed in Hunt wrote to me as follows: battle Horse Creek, Dak. I moved to this farm in April, 1904. 1 was told that there were Grave 801 is marked "Four six or eight graves on the farm on Unknown." No date of interment, a knoll about a quarter of a mile a names, organization, or other means little south and west of the site of identification, either on the of old Fort Mitchell. It was all headstones or Interment Register." hearsay from neighbors as to the The quartermaster-general in his exact number of graves and nobody report. to the secretary of war, knew who the dead were. dated September 14 , 1915, stated I corresponded with the G. A. R. that during the year four known and the war department at soldiers were removed from Scott's Washington, but there seemed to be Bluff to the Fort McPher- no available records of any soldiers buried here. Finally, about 1912 or 1913, a neighbor from Iowa was visited by ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ son National Cemetery. It seems jugation. The moral, or immoral, probable that these were remains of quality of policy and process is a deceased soldiers of the garrison different consideration. of the fort. On October 9, 1918, Mr. Earl H. ALBERT WATKINS. Gans of Wilcox & Co., Scottsbluff, wrote me as follows: ------- Three years ago when the body of Passing of the Nebraska Pioneer the captain was found, the government gave us instructions These obituaries are compiled that in case any more bodies were largely from death notices printed found to notify them. in newspapers which are received Some weeks ago Mr. Hunt was and kept on file by the Historical doing some work near where the body Society. While the sketches have of the captain was found. He been carefully edited, it has been notified us and we found two impossible to avoid and correct all graves. We found small pieces of inaccuracies. The lives of some the box and two skeletons. The subjects of the obituaries were of names as far as we know are unusual public interest, and in unknown, also the military such cases the sketches have been organization. The government duty amplified. Statements of fact, furnished us with complete paper, particularly those which are of permits, etc., and ordered the record, have been verified as far remains sent to McPherson National as practicable. Obviously, it is Cemetery, Maxwell, Neb. very desirable that these records, The remains were shipped in which will always be used for metal lined boxes. reference, should be correct, and surviving relatives and editors of In the fall of 1863 eight local newspapers should carefully companies of the Seventh Regiment, cooperate in preventing errors. Iowa Volunteer Cavalry were DEATHS SINCE OCTOBER 26 detached from their field of action in the Civil War to protect Charles A. Morell, born in settlers on the trans-Missouri Sweden January 9, 1863, died at plains from hostile Indians, and Gothenburg October 26; came to they arrived at Omaha on September America with his parents when one 19. On June 11, 1865, Captain year old; they first settled in William D. Fouts, in command of Omaha, then at Oakland, and in 1884 Company D and small detachments of at Gothenburg. A and B, of that regiment, in all Titus E. Hall, son of Sybrent four commissioned officers and 135 Hall, died October 26 at his home enlisted men, left Fort Laramie in in Pasadena, Cal., buried at Lyons, charge of about 1,500 reputed good Neb.; came from Wisconsin in 1866; Indians who were sent to Julesburg drove a stage with Tekamah as to separate them from the influence headquarters; his last route from of bad Indians. These wards being the railway terminus at Herman to "ostensibly friendly," were Tekamah; county commissioner in indulged with a good equipment of 1885. bows and arrows as well as guns. On Mrs. Timothy Murphy, died the night of the 13th Captain Fouts October 28, at the farm home near and his command camped on the east Dakota City; a resident of Dakota bank of Horse Creek and the Indians county since May 10, 1856. on the opposite side. Early in the Noah S. Wood, died in Dillon, morning of the 14th Captain Fouts Mont., October 31, the last of crossed the creek to get the three brothers who came to Table Indians started on the march when Rock in 1857. they shot him dead. His body was William F. Sweesy, born in New found stripped and mutilated. The Jersey, May 5, 1828, died in Omaha Indians then "fled two or three November 2; came to Omaha by miles to the Platte." steamboat, in 1856; with Aaron Captain John Wilcox, of Company Root, his brother-in-Iaw, built the B, had started the wagons on their Tremont House on Douglas street; in way eastward at sunrise. After 1866 bought twenty-two acres of going two miles the train halted land west and south of the present for the Indians to close up. Just site of Creighton university; he then firing was heard in the rear, was appointed register of the land and soon a messenger brought news office at Omaha in 1867, and in of the revolt. Thereupon Captain 1876 he was United States marshal Wilcox dispatched a courier on a for Wyoming; built the Brunswick swift horse to get help from Fort Hotel, now a part of the Rome, and Mitchell, eighteen miles distant, other important structures. in the meantime dividing his Mrs. Henry Hubbard. born in command - consisting of parts of White Pigeon, Mich., October 9, companies A and B - and ordering 1835, died at her home in Weeping sixty-five of them to dig rifle Water November 3; in 1865 came to pits outside the wagon corral, and Weeping Water, or Weeping Water the remaining seventy to mount the Falls as it was called; her best horses available and proceed husband, a miller, built the three to the scene of action. They found mills on the Weeping Water. the squaws and papooses swimming J. W. Hall, born in Kentucky the river. The 500 warriors April 7, 1854, died at Beaver City, attacked the soldiers who, being so November 5; came to Nebraska in greatly outnumbered, retreated to 1865 and settled near Vesta. their defenses at the wagon train. James C. Boyd, born in Blount When Captain Shuman arrived with a county, Tennessee, June 10, 1837, small reenforcement at about nine died November 4 at Dunbar; came to o'clock, the united command Nebraska City in 1864; began followed the Indians, but finding farming in Otoe county in 1867; that they had all crossed the county superintendent of public river. It was thought imprudent for instruction for Otoe county so small a force to attempt the 1880-1885, and sheriff one term; passage of the swollen stream in teacher of the first school in the face of the overwhelming number Dunbar. of the enemy. Captain Fouts' David Griffith of Verdon, died command lost four killed - himself November 6 at the age of seventy and three privates - and four one years. He came from Iowa wounded. Captain Wilcox, who made county, Wisconsin, and settled near the official report of the affair, Verdon in 1866. His son, Dr. David estimated the loss of the Indians G. Griffith, is superintendent of at twenty to thirty. He related the Nebraska Institution for Feeble that, "After repairing the Minded Youth, at Beatrice. telegraph line, broken by the Patrick McEvoy, born in Ireland, Indians during the action, and died in Omaha, November 9, aged interring our dead, (except Captain seventy-six years. His parents came Fouts, whom we afterward interred in a wagon to Omaha in 1854, from at Fort Mitchell), we took up our their former home in Illinois. line of march and arrived at Fort Mrs. Mary A. Latta, born in Mitchell a little after Connecticut October 2. 1833, died night-fall." November 10 at Tekamah; married to The exact place where Captain W. W. Latta May 10, 1857; they came Fouts was killed has not yet been to Nebraska in a wagon drawn by ascertained. Assuming that the oxen, crossing the Missouri river Indians followed Horse Creek in at Sioux City and reaching Tekamah their flight, the skirmish between July 25, 1857; starting with little them and the soldiers was at or besides a breaking plow and cooking near its mouth. If Fouts was killed utensils they acquired a large about two miles above the mouth of acreage of fine farming land which the creek, the place is about three was heavily stocked with cattle. miles southwesterly from Henry, Mrs. Silas Holcomb died on just inside the Wyoming line. As November 12, at Lincoln. The body Captain Wilcox reported, it was was taken to Broken Bow, the former then in Dakota, that part of which home of the family, for burial. had been taken from Idaho on the Mrs. Holcomb went first to Broken 26th of May, 1864. It fell within Bow in 1883. The family lived in Wyoming when that territory was Lincoln during the time that her organized July 25, 1868. The husband was governor and Judge of battle-field is about two miles and the supreme court [1895-1898; a half southeast of Henry. 1900-1905]. They then went to Colonel Thomas Moonlight, Washington state, and in 1909 Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, and then returned to live in Broken Bow; but in command of the sub-district of in a short time Mr. Holcomb was the plains in which the trouble appointed a member of the Board of occurred, reported that "There must Commissioners of State have been some unwarranted Institutions, and since then the provocation given on the part of family has resided in Lincoln. Captain Fouts which led the Indians George M. Drexel, died at to believe that they were not to be Florence November 18, sixty-five honorably dealt with." But his years old; had lived in Douglas march from Fort Laramie to the county for sixty years. rescue involved a foolish escapade Mrs. J. K. Cornelius, born in which, with other shortcomings, Kilkenny county, Ireland, May 12, weakens the force of his 1841, died November 19 at Humboldt: accusation. Furthermore, the innate came with her relatives to America hostility of the Indians is in 1854 by way of New Orleans, and disclosed in the report of Captain to Nebraska in 1865, settling on a Wilcox. Notwithstanding the farm northeast of Humboldt; was one treacherous murder of his comrade, of the first members of the Captain Fouts, Captain Wilcox Catholic church at Dawson. declares that, "When within 600 Mrs. Joshua Gapen, born December yards of the enemy I halted my 13, 1830, in Union county, Indiana, command in line and sent the died November 19 at the home of her interpreter (Elston) to the front son near Plattsmouth; moved to to signal and tell all who were our Nebraska with her parents in 1866. friends to return, and they should Charles Frederick Schafer not be harmed, but protected. But Templin, born in Lancaster, Ohio, all were hostile, and with hideous September 17, 1847, died at yells charged upon us." Nebraska City November 15; came to Instead of being "an uprising of Nebraska in 1860; it is said that Indians," as stated by the he wrote the call for the first newspaper quoted from, this mutiny prohibition convention in Nebraska. was an incident of the general war Joseph Kruntorad, who was born carried on by the Indians of the in Bohemia eighty-two years ago and plains from August, 1864, until died on November 15 at Spencer, they were finally settled on came to Nebraska from New York in reservations in 1879. The Custer 1885 and went to Boyd county, where massacre in 1876 was the grand he built the first house between tragedy of the final policy and Spencer and Butte. He farmed his process of sub- homestead until ten years ago. (The Spencer Advocate, November 21.) William Asa Cox, born in Andersonville, S. C., February 24, 1849, died November 16 at Falls City; came to Nebraska from Illinois in a prairie schooner, crossing the Missouri river at Brownville. Harrison Wixson, who died at Beaver City on November 17 seventy-five years old, had been a mail carrier in Nebraska for twenty- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eight years. In the course of his Oh! that was an awful night. We service he traveled about 128,000 beat ourselves until we were sore miles, a distance of more than five to keep from going to sleep and times around the world. It is said freezing. I thought of you and the that he never lost a piece of mail little ones more than once that or was disciplined for misconduct. night. What people were those where This veteran had never ridden on a we stopped! They could not do railroad train until last summer, enough for us. We stayed with them when he went from Wilsonville to a day and a half, and John Beaver City by the line which Dougherty and Mr. Chatterton took follows the route he had traveled us home in a sleigh. We were only in the mail service before the road six miles from home, but we went was built. He first carried mail in much farther than that. These 1882, from Arapahoe to Wilsonville, people were Germans and would not and then from Beaver City to Cedar think of accepting anything for Bluffs (in Decatur County, Kan.. their kindness. This was our forty-two miles by the railroad experience, and I wish ours had west of Beaver City). He had other been the worst [?] case. Old Tom routes, but during the last nine Keller was frozen to death that years he has had the daily route night. A man by the name of Glaze from Beaver City to Oxford. (The was found the next morning stark Times-Tribune, November 21.) and stiff within ten feet of his Mrs. Katherine Wolcott Green, door, and another man was found in died November 21 at Omaha; lived on a dooryard dead. Mrs. Crupee went a homestead at Elk Creek, Neb., for out to look for her husband, who more than fifty years; lately at was lost in the storm; he came back Akron, Col.; before marriage taught in her absence and started after in the public schools of Omaha. her, but did not find her, after Mrs. Katherine Reichert, born in getting lost and slaying out on the Germany. November 11, 1833, died at prairie all night. Dr. Lukens, a. Louisville November 22; came to young man who slept here with me America a young girl and to since you left, started for his Nebraska in 1858; her first home in stable and has not been found. I Plattsmouth a dugout; was the third need not go on. There were fifteen wife of her husband and bore five in this immediate vicinity whom I children. have heard of. Fifteen coffins were George P. Schwab, born in ordered from Ewing yesterday Germany, April, 23, 1833, died besides these. All along our trail November 23 at Clay Center. With cattle and sheep were scattered and his parents he came to America on a frozen. One Mr. Graham lost 140 sailing vessel, the voyage lasting cattle, Mr Holcombe, 350 sheep, and fifty-eight days; had been a others in proportion. There are as resident of Clay county since 1880; many as a thousand cattle lost in at one time one of the largest land this valley, besides sheep, hogs owners and most successful farmers and horses. The mail carrier to and stock raisers in the county and this place drove to within tell president of the Clay Center State feet of the Shamrock stable, turned Bank; father of thirteen children, and went until his horses would go eleven of whom survive him. no further, unhitched and stayed by Frank C. Bosler, son of Herman a sod wall all night, froze his Bosler, a: pioneer cattleman in feet so badly I may have to Nebraska and Wyoming, associated amputate his toes. Next morning with W. A. Paxton, Alex Swan and both horses were found dead close others, died November 26 at to his sleigh. The weather is Carlisle, Pa.; his Nebraska pleasant today, but we are looking property included stock in the for another storm. Omaha stock yards and the Ogalalla ------- Land and Cattle Company: He was widely known as a successful and The Red Cloud Agency Buildings wealthy business min. ------- [Image] DEATH OF A NOTABLE PIONEER. Eliza, wife of Daniel Freeman, born at Brantford, Ontario, "OLD SODDY." - P. F. RANCH-HOUSE December 28, 1832. died December 1 at Lexington, Neb. In 1861 the Volume XIX of the publications family moved to Fort Leavenworth of the Historical Society contains: and in the fall Mr. Freeman opened a description of the Red Cloud a store at Plum Creek station, Indian agency which was situated which was situated on the Oregon near the site now occupied by the Trail - but then commonly called town of Henry, Scott's Bluff the road to California - about county. It was conjectured that the three miles east and six miles accompanying picture. taken by Mr. south of the site now occupied by A. E. Sheldon, represented a Lexington. Here Mr. and Mrs. building belonging to the agency, Freeman kept a store and eating but the following letter, dated house until the Union Pacific December 9, from Mr. Eric H. Reid, railroad reached that part of of Torrington. establishes its Nebraska, in 1866, when he started identity: a store on the site where the As requested, I return herewith railroad station called Plum Creek the photograph of the "Soddy" and was soon afterward built. As barn at the old P. F. ranch. Mr. Freeman claimed the site as a Thomas J. Snow was with the Pratt homestead and the two parties could and Ferris Cattle Company when the not come to an agreement about it, old ranch was purchased. At that the station was moved about a mile time it was the property of Nick farther west. The name of the town Jonice (I am not sure about the was changed to Lexington in 1889. spelling). a former government In 1873 Mr. Freeman established interpreter, brother-in-law of Red the Dawson County Pioneer, the Cloud. He and Senator T. G. Powers first newspaper of that county. He both agree that the "Soddy" shown was drowned while trapping near here is not the original "Soddy," Deadwood, S. D., in 1877. The but is a sod building constructed Freemans are regarded as the very by the Pratt and Ferris Cattle first settlers in what is now Company for their ranch, and it was Phelps county, and among the very probably not erected until late in first in Dawson county. Seven the 70's or in the 80's. Evidently, children survived their mother. The in taking this picture the camera site of the first Plum Creek is in was pointed almost to the the extreme northwest corner of northwest, as the sun shows on the Phelps county. south end of the barn, and the east An interesting story, by Mrs. side of the barn is in shadow. Just Freeman, of "Early Days in Dawson west of this barn is an old slough, County," is printed in Nebraska generally dry, and it was across Pioneer Reminiscences, published in this slough, south and east from 1916. the barn, that the agency sod ------- building was situated. THIRTEEN HOURS IN A NEBRASKA Mr. Snow remembers the old BLIZZARD. agency buildings quite well. The Following is part of a letter largest faced the north; there were written by Dr. G. C. Paxton, of some more buildings joining it Chambers, Nebraska, to his wife, on facing the same way, and then there January 18, 1888: was a series of buildings or a 'We have had severe blizzards continuation of building that faced every few days all winter, but on east. These buildings made the west Thursday, the 12th inst., there was and south enclosures of a compound the worst storm that was ever known 120 feet square, the north and east in this or any other country. On sides of which were themselves sod the 11th it snowed and was very walls. These walls, as Mr. Snow blustery, but on the morning of the remembers, were loopholed for never-to-be-forgotten 12th, the riflemen. As Mr. Snow and Mr. wind was blowing a soft breeze, Powers remember it, this was known from the south, and every one said, as Red Cloudy agency, and it was 'We are going to have a January the site of Little Moon post thaw,' but alas how untrue. In less office. Mr. Snow has recently seen than one minute, without warning, in print the statement that Little with no indication that death and Moon post office was situated at destruction would follow that awful the Bridle Bit ranch at the mouth storm, with no premonition that an of Horse creek, but is very sure impending and horrible doom await that the writer, whose name he does them, the people were out attending not now remember, was in error to their stock, or at their about this. He says there was a respective avocations, when it post office at the old Bridle Bit came. The wind blow a terrible ranch at one time, but he does not gale, the air was full of powdered remember its name. Mr. Snow told me snow and so cold that hundreds of quite a little about Jonice and his cattle and live stock of all kinds half-breed family consisting of froze to death. Such was the state three or four boys and four or five at affairs when Lee and Crof Baker, girls, and his son-in-law who was a man by the name of Gorman, from himself a half-breed by the name of Scotia, Neb., and myself, started Louis Shango. (Again I refuse to, to go from our store to Mr. Wry's, take the responsibility of the our boarding house. spelling of this name.) The time was 1:30 o'clock p. m. Senator Powers says that Nick when we started. We could not see Jonice and two of his brothers are five feet from us in any direction. buried in the old military cemetery We got probably within twenty feet at Fort Laramie together with some of the house, got lost, shouted as of Nick's children, and that the loud as we could, but could hear headstones with their names on can nothing but that fearful wind. We still be found there. were not clothed to be out half an hour. After trying to find the house we started with the wind which was blowing from the northwest. We were frightful looking human beings with ice hanging from our whiskers and clothes, our faces a sheet of ice, but we staggered on. We went through corn stalks, over cultivated farms, came to trees, went within a few yards of houses, shouted and screamed, but no echoing voice returned. By this time night was approaching, but still we traveled on, determined not to yield until we were forced to do so. We finally came to some cabbage and castor bean stalks and we knew we were close to a house. We shouted long and loud, and a dog heard us and barked, and we followed the dog who led us to a hog shed which we welcomed with open arms. More dead than alive, we crowded in among the hogs. There was not a dry thread on us when the ice melted. My toes were frozen as I didn't have very warm shoes and only cotton socks. I pulled my shoes off and my feet froze solid and I would have lost them only for Lee Baker, who told me to put them under his coat. I feel very grateful to him as he saved my life. He had no overshoes so he put his feet under a hog and kept them from freezing. We stayed with the hogs ten hours when the storm abated and Mr. Gorman ventured out and found the house. I could hardly walk when I started to go in. We were out altogether thirteen hours. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Produced for NEGenWeb, 1998 by Ted & Carole Miller