NEBRASKA HISTORY AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS VOL II, NO. 2, APR-JUN 1919 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. II, no. 2, April - June 1919 Table of Contents (Original had no Table of Contents) Nebraska Centennial of military establishment: Cantonment Misssouri 1 Old Nebraska City Blockhouse Key 1 Pioneer Sioux County Newspapers donated by J.H. Newlin 1 Historical Material Found in several locations 1 Base Hospital 49: 2-4, 5 Visit to the University of Nebraska Hospital 2 Overseas Lists: 3 Officers 3-4 Enlisted Personnel 4, Nursing Personnel 5 Civilians 5 Ancient Pawnee Medal 5 O'Neill Land District and other offices 6 Early Settler's Autobiography: Sarah E. CROOK SCHOENHEIT WILHITE with notes 6 Costly High Living in the Seventies (1872 hunting party) 6-7 Telephone in Nebraska 7 John Clay Cowin of Omaha, deceased 7 Antelope County Historian Passes on: Adoniram Judson LEACH 7 Old Furnas Printing Press 7-8 North American Indian Languages 8 News Clip: John Frederick KEES, oldest homesteader ... Gage Co 8 Charles McDonald, deceased - Lincoln Co 8 Newspaper Clips of deaths 8 RETHERFORD, Jesse - Cheyenne Co 8 SHOEBOTHAM, Mrs. Henry - Jefferson Co 8 BROWER, Mrs. William - Cass Co 8 PITTMAN, Mrs. John W. - Cass Co? 8 SPERRY, Mrs. James W. (nee Margaret Jane McDERMED) - Cass Co 8 ROSSITER, Mrs. Mary Green - Gage Co 8 GERE, Dr. George Grant - Pawnee Co (died in CA) 8 HACKER, David Sleeth - Nemaha Co 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEBRASKA HISTORY to the old blockhouse. Today I AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS found a newspaper clipping ------------------------------------concerning the key. There is no Published Monthly by the Nebraska date on it, but it says "that Mr. State Historical Society Hill seat the key to Mrs. Thomas ------------------------------------Morton, and she in turn loaned it Editor, ADDISON E. SHELDON to Mrs. Knotts, who was secretary, Associate Editors at that time, of the State The Staffs of the Nebraska State Historical Society. It to be put on Historical Society and exhibition with other mementos of Legislative Reference Bureau early days held by the Society." I ------------------------------------understand the state built a Subscription $2.00 Per Year building at Lincoln. The article ------------------------------------also says that "at any time the q All sustaining members of the local organization wanted the key Nebraska State Historical it was to be returned." For my part Society receive Nebraska I think the Society ought to have History without further payment. it. Perhaps by this you may be able q Entered as second class mail to locate it. As to the arrows matter, under act of July 16, mentioned in the letters referred 1894, at Lincoln, Nebraska, April to I decided to bring them back 2, 1918. rather than send them. I have not ------------------------------------lost my love for Nebraska yet and VOLUME APRIL-JUNE, hope to visit there many times. I II. 1919 NUMBER 2 would appreciate it very much if ------------------------------------you would let me know if you find the key. A NEBRASKA CENTENNIAL A hundred years ago next Very respectfully, September the advance guard of the MRS. JEAN E. HILL. sixth U. S. Infantry regiment Los Angeles, Cal. reached a point on the Missouri river in Washington county, ------- Nebraska, about two miles north of PIONEER SIOUX COUNTY NEWSPAPERS the present Chicago, St. Paul, J. H. Newlin of Harrison Minneapolis and Omaha railway recently sent to this Society a station at the village of Fort collection of the oldest newspapers Calhoun, and began to debark from published in Sioux county, which the boats in which they had becomes part of the valuable loan journeyed from Pittsburgh to St. collection of the state. They Louis and from St. Louis to their include the following, all Nebraska destination. published at Harrison, Sioux It is a beautiful, wooded bottom county, with the exception of one where the landing was made, the issue of the Sioux County Herald soil rich, the grass abundant, wild issued at Bowen, Sioux county, on animals and birds everywhere. A April 2, 1887, (Vol. 1, No. 47, of little stream came down from the that publication). prairie, a high bank on the west Following is the list as sheltered the spot selected for the received by the Society: first camp. At this day it is still "Sioux County Journal," W. E. one of the beauty spots of Patterson editor and manager, Nebraska. October 25. 1888 to December 20, This was the beginning of white 1888, (Vol 1, No. 6 to No. 14) : civilization in Nebraska. "The Independent," by A. L. From the original records of the Baumgartner editor, September 1, Sixth Infantry in my possession I 1892, to July 13, 1893, beginning quote the following: with Vol. 1, No. 1; "Sioux County Herald," C. F. Slingerland editor, Hdqrs. 9th Military Dept. one issue only, September 6, 1890, Camp Missouri, Nov. 1, 1819. (Vol. V, No. 18) ; "The Northwestern Press," W. H. Davis Department orders: editor, May 2. 1896, to December A military post is to be 26, 1896, (Vol. 1, No. 9 to No. established and is to be called and 43). officially known. as soon as the ------- barracks are erected, by the name HISTORICAL MATERIAL FOUND of Cantonment Missouri. In tearing down all old building In the hard winter which at Sidney the workmen found two followed 157 men died out of 788 in leather bound ledgers between the this first Nebraska military camp. plaster and the stone wall. They Their graves may still be seen on belonged to the Black Hills period the hillside and the plow unit of 1877-79 when Sidney was the spade have already exposed more railroad end of the shortest route than one gray uniform and skeleton to the Black Hills, and contained of the men of a hundred years ago. interesting accounts showing trade The next year the camp was moved conditions then. two miles to the high bluff called Frank Warner at Table Rock found Council Bluff - where Lewis and four Indian spearheads and other Clark held the first council with aboriginal material. Nebraska Indians on August 3, 1804. In tearing down the Dawson Here arose Fort Atkinson - a county courthouse a bottle was military city of over 1,000 people, found containing this note: "I, whose history covers the period Chittick Lamma, hereby with another 1820-27. companion, D. Mooney, place this This year is the Nebraska note in a bottle in the vaults of Centennial. A hundred years since the new courthouse. May God bless organized white settlement began; it. Plum Creek, Dawson county, since the first library, the first September 6, 1873. David Mooney, school, the first saw and grist Chittick Lamma." mill, the first brick yard, the The Metropolitan Hotel, built in first agricultural experiment 1868 on Douglas street, near station - and as Mr. Watkins shows Twelfth, Omaha, is to be torn down. elsewhere - the first newspaper was George A. Joslyn, who became a published in Nebraska. An early millionaire out of Nebraska real organization will be made to fitly estate and printing "patent celebrate Nebraska's centennial on insides" for country newspapers, the banks of the Missouri. was one of its later owners. The ------- editor of this magazine boarded there at one time more than thirty THE OLD NEBRASKA CITY BLOCKHOUSE years ago. KEY The log cabin still standing on the Abram Towner farm, half a mile May 14, 1919. south and one mile east of Surprise, built in 1866, is said to Dear Sir: he the first building of its kind You wrote me on Oct. 18th, 1918, in Butler county and to be situated making inquiry about the key on the first homestead taken in the county; but log houses were undoubtedly built by settlers along the Platte river late in the fifties and early in the sixties. The old G. A. R. hall in Hubbell, among the first buildings there, erected in 1881, and which sheltered hundreds of meetings of all kinds, has been torn down. The large two story frame house on the Chadderdon farm on the Stockville and Curtis road, a landmark for more than it quarter of it century, was recently burned. Five miles north of Florence is a giant cottonwood, said to be the largest in the state. It is twenty feet in circumference and more than 125 feet high. The land on which it stands was recently sold by Dr. Harold Gifford of Omaha. The deed contains a stipulation that the great tree shall never be cut down. The J. J. Hawthorne log cabin at Fremont, built for himself and bride in 1862, has lately been pulled down. The logs were cut and hewed on the Platte river islands, and the house was a model for its time. The old brick cotton mill west of Kearney, built in the boom period of 1889-90 as part of a project to make a great manufacturing center, is being demolished. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BASE HOSPITAL 49 A Visit to the University of Nebraska Hospital Overseas.---Incidents of Hospital Work at Allereye. --- Return of the Unit to Nebraska,---Best Record for Saving Life in A. E. F. [Image] Nurses' Flag of and tissues, smiling and smoking a Base Hospital 49 cigarette while the nurse carefully and tenderly removed the old dressings and supplied new ones. It was the aim of the Nebraska Presented to surgeons to save the limb if State Historical possible. in dozens of cases men Society by went out of the Nebraska hospital, Miss Belle Beachly homeward, on two legs, where a first examination seemed to [Image] indicate amputation necessary. I remember one man in particular who (handwritten below photo - "See C had fought a month's battle inside 2399") the hospital to save his leg. His skin was clear, his eye bright and On December 7, 1918, I was upon a his voice cheerful. He had won the French railway express train on victory with the help of the route from Paris, by way of Dijon, hospital. for the American hospital center at Along the line of the Meuse a Allereye and particularly for Base month before I had seen the waste Hospital 49, the Nebraska and the wreck of war--dead soldiers representative among the hospital and horses scattered over tile units in Europe. Allereye is a field, broken trucks and caissons, little French village of perhaps wounded men in ambulances going to 400 people, about 150 miles the rear. Here was the salvage southeast of Paris and 40 miles station. The men and women of the from the frontier of Switzerland. hospital corps constituted the Upon the slightly rolling, partly redemption arm of the military wooded, plain adjoining the village service. No heroism or sacrifice at the U. S. army engineers had laid war times seemed to me so worthy of out a great hospital center highest praise as that of the covering about eighty acres of hospital corps. ground. Ten hospital units were in Colonel J. H. Ford, commander of this center, seven of them regular the Allereye center, said to me army hospitals, one from the when I called upon him Monday: "The University of Minnesota, one from people of Nebraska may justly be the University of Cincinnati and proud of Base Hospital Unit 49. The one from the University of official report just out shows that Nebraska. Special railroad tracks it has the lowest percentage of had been made running through the mortality of any hospital unit in heart of the camp. Twenty thousand the American army." beds were included in the plans for Sunday afternoon, December 8, we this center. had a Nebraska rally in the Red It was July, 1918, when this was Cross ball. Major Stokes presided. done. The air was filled with Most of what was said was about rumors of a great movement by the Nebraska. No one can know without American army against the German experience how far away home seems lines. The various hospital units in at foreign land, particularly were hurried to this center. when you are under orders and do Doctors, hospital attendants and not know how long the homeward nurses worked night and day making bound order may be delayed. So a drainage ditches, building hospital tender sentiment pervaded the huts, installing beds and meeting and the handclasps were laboratories, setting in order all warm, for the hearts were full. the appliances and instruments for modern hospital work. No one knew The 0. P. L. Club. how soon the camp would be flooded I was invited to a smoker held with the trainloads of broken and by the 0. P. L. Club. I had no more maimed American boys from the idea what. the 0. P. L. Club was battle front. than it rabbit with its eyes shut, It was August 7th when the men but I found out. It was a live wire of Nebraska base hospital arrived organization. Translated its at Allereye. The first wounded man initials meant "Order of Permanent arrived August 26. A great Lieutenants,' and it held frequent concentration at American divisions celebrations over the significance was already forward. This was the of its name. All the members were preparation for the St. Mihiel young doctors having the rank of drive, which took place September lieutenant. Most of them had hoped 12-14. On September 14 the nurses, to become captains or majors or 100 in number, belonging to the something while in the military Nebraska unit, arrived at Allereye. service. All of them had bumped up It had been estimated that it might against headquarters and realized cost 60,000 in killed and wounded there were no further prospects for to capture the St. Mihiel salient. their ambitious. So they organized But the American artillery so the order of the 0. P. L. They had thoroughly deluged the German a class song. It was a mile long, trenches with shell fire that the but two stanzas will suffice: actual losses to the American army Oh, we went in as lootentants in were less than one-fourth the the A-ar-my, estimates. And we'll go out ,as lootenants Meanwhile the great attack in from the A-ar-my. the Argonne Forest and along the Majors they wanted to make us all, Meuse north of Verdun want forward. But we refused to head the call, Here the losses were greater than For all we wanted was just to expected. The Allereye hospital work, that's all. center was so situated that it That's all, etc. received more wounded men during the Argonne battle than any other So we are simply members of the 0. of the American hospitals. P. L. Altogether there were received here Just flunkeys and ward-surgeons at over 40,000 casualties. Of these the 'ospitell, 4,844 were cared for in the We play about, we sing and shout, Nebraska unit, the highest number We carry the pan and duck about. of cases at any one time being And we all rejoice 'cause we like 1,934. As the unit was intended to it here so well, furnish beds for 1,000 patients, Like Hell, etc. the extent of its overcrowding may The badge of the 0. P. L. was a be surmised. lead cross made from bullets cut The day I arrived at Allereye from the quivering flesh of there were about 1,100 cases in the American boys shot down at the hospital. It was three weeks after front and brought to Base Hospital the last trainload of wounded had 49. It was fastened by a ribbon to reached the center. The next the coat. Just how many members of morning was Sunday. At the the 0. P. L. are now wearing this invitation of Major Stokes I decoration in America I am unable accompanied him on a four hours to state. Here is the complete inspection of all the wards in the roster of the 0. P. L. a the time I Nebraska unit. The memories of that was at Allereye: morning will always be among the Lieutenants Fred W. Webster, most vivid of the war. In scores of Geo. W. Covey, Robt. Panter, J. E. cases I saw the wounds dressed. M. Thomson , E. W. Park, H. E. Many of these men were so torn with Flansburg, John S. Simms, Geo. M. frightful lacerating projectiles Boehler, J. W. MacDonald, F. W. that it seemed impossible for them Campbell, E. Delaney, Miles J. to survive. Yet nearly all of them Breuer, W. R. Peters, Sanford R. were hopeful and clear-eyed. Almost Gifford, Theodore Shaffer, E. W. all made recovery. Buckley, W. L. Sucha, A. Greenberg. The ingenious devices of the The class song, class yell and surgeons to hold together a other material relating to the 0. shattered human being while nature P. L. are treasured relics in the restored the broken bones, State Historical Society rooms. recreated the tissues and knit There was a nurses' dinner and together the mangled flesh, reception in the evening to the commanded my continuous admiration. commanding officer, staff and the A soldier's arm had been broken by Nebraska visitor. One of the finest a shell in two or three places, experiences at man ever gets in both legs were shattered, several this life is in observation of the ribs fractured, much of his flesh army hospital nurse. War and reduced to pulp. Yet there he was, fighting death in the hospital three weeks after he had been transform a woman. Handling the picked up at the front, swinging in broken flesh of soldiers stirs a kind of cat's cradle which took depths in her nature never revealed all the weight from the broken in the ordinary walks. So I shall bones never think of the Nebraska women I saw in Base Hospital 49 in any other way than with a kind of medieval reverence, such as the old painters put into the pictures of the women they painted upon the cathedral walls of Europe. On tile third day of my visit I said good bye to Allereye. I had bunked with Captain (Dean) Tancock and Major Hull. I had been presented the freedom of their apartments by Captain Rowe and Captain Potts. I had shaken hands with every high private I met in the camp; for everyone had "Nebraska" in his heart and on his lips. Tender and strong are the cords which bind us to our home. The farther we wander the closer they bind its together. And, as I write, those memories of the "Little Nebraska" at Allereye seem among the best inspirations of a Nebraska lifetime. Many of Base Hospital 49 are at home. Soon all will be. Off come the Khaki uniforms and Red Cross costumes. Back into the busy ranks of civil life. Historians were appointed overseas for Base Hospital 49. They have a theme worthy of their best efforts. For in the history of Nebraska in the World War no chapter will be or more enduring interest than the story of the service of Base Hospital 49. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Base Hospital No. Bastain, Henry E., Private 1cl., 49, Omaha, Nebr. Mr. Addison E. A. P. 0. 785, Bauer, Peter L., Private 1cl., Sheldon, American E. F., Scribner, Nebr. State Blair, Peter J., Private 1cl., Historical 15 January, 1910. Mondamin, Iowa. Society Blome, Ernest R., Private 1cl., Lincoln, Fremont, Nebr. Nebraska. Brown, Joe R., Barber, Wahoo, Nebr. Buffington, George M., Private Dear Sir: Herewith enclosed you 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. will find a list of Base Hospital Burley, Robert 0., Private 1cl., No. 49 personnel, with the names of Chicago, Ills. their home cities, as per your Burnham, Phillip S., Private 1cl., request of December 20, 1918, Lincoln, Nebr. written from Paris, Conner, Paul, Private 1cl., Stratton, Nebr. A. C. STOKES, Major M. C. Conrad, Paul E., Private 1cl., Sabetha, Kan. ------- Copeland, Harold T., Private 1cl., BASE HOSPITAL NO. 49-OFFICERS. Deaver City, Nebr. Mitchell, Leopold, Lt. Col. Med. Connolly, James J., Private 1cl., Corps, New Orleans, La. Omaha, Nebr. Stokes, Arthur C., Major, Med. Dally, Mike H., Private 1cl., Corps, Omaha, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Hull, Charles A., Major, Med. Davies, Stanley B., Private 1cl., Corps, Omaha, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Bridges, Edson L., Major, Med. Davison, Almond D., Private 1cl., Corps, Omaha, Nebr. Dorchester, Nebr. Patton, James McD., Major, Med. Drake, Marlin K., Private 1cl., Corps, Omaha, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Potts, John B., Capt. Med. Corps, Driver, George D., Private 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Battle Crack, Iowa. Moore, John C., Capt. Med. Corps, Dillon, Edward M., Private 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Perry, Iowa. Chambers, Oliver, Capt. Med. Corps, Ericksen, Edward M.. Private 1cl., Rock Springs, Wyo. Omaha, Nebr. Waddell, James C., Capt. Med. Falck, Paulus P., Private 1cl., Corps, Pawnee City, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Dishong, Gustave W., Capt. Med. Fitzgerald, Roger, Private 1cl., Corps., Omaha, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Rowe, Edward W., Capt. Med. Corps, Fuchs, Gustavo 0., Private 1cl., Lincoln, Nebr. Stanton, Nebr. Nilsson, John R., Capt. Med. Corps, Goddin, Gilbert W., Private 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Richmond, Va. Riggert, Leonard 0., Capt. Med. Grant, Richard S., Private 1cl., Corps, Norfolk, Nebr. Beatrice, Nebr. Olsson, Justus E., Capt. Med. Hardy, William H., Private 1cl., Corps, Lexington, Nebr. Lodgepole, Nebr. Walker, George H., Capt. Med. Harrington, Lewis A., Private 1cl., Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Sinclair, Fayette A., 1st Lt., Med. Hauser, Byron T., Private 1cl., Corps, Newport News, Va. Hooper, Nebr. Greenberg, Abraham, 1st Lt., Med. Henning, G. Russell, Private 1cl., Corps, Omaha, Nebr. Omaha. Nebr. Park, Durward B., 1st Lt., Med. Housh, Charles R., Private 1cl., Corps. Randolph, Nebr. Harrah, Okla. Panter, Robert C., 1st Lt., Med. Hunt, Loren E., Private 1cl., Rock Corps, Dorchester, Nebr. Rapids, Iowa. Covey, George W., 1st Lt., Med. Hunter, James D., Private 1cl., Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Flansburg, Harry E., 1st Lt., Med. Jewett, Lawrence B., Private 1cl., Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. Lodgepole, Nebr. Thomson, James E. M., 1st Lt., Med. Johnson, Leland A., Private 1cl., Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Simms, John S., 1st Lt.. Med. Jungclaus, William N., Private Corps, North Platte, Nebr. 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Breuer, Miles J., 1st Lt., Med. Judgenson, Nohne C., Private 1cl., Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. Belleview, Nebr. Gifford, Sanford R., 1st Lt., Med. Kantor, Dominik B., Private 1cl., Corps, Omaha. Nebr. Lorna, Nebr. Davis, Edwin C., 1st Lt.. Med. Kohn, Frank, Private 1cl., Deaver Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. City, Nebr. Sucha, William L., 1st Lt., Med. Korach, Leo, Private 1cl., Chicago, Corps., Hastings, Nebr. Ills. Peters, William R., 1st Lt., Med. Kraybill, Harold M., Private 1cl., Corps, Stanton, Nebr. Abilene, Kan. Buckley, Fred W., 1st Lt., Med. Kring, Orlon A., Private 1cl., Corps, Beatrice, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Delaney, William A., 1st Lt., Med. Lawrie, Mason C., Private 1cl., Corps, Mitchell, S. D. Pawnee City, Nebr. Webster, Fred W., 1st Lt., Dental Lesh, Charles W., Private 1cl., Corps, Lincoln, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Boehler, George M., 1st Lt., Dental Loomis, Gilbert C., Private 1cl., Corps, Alma, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Campbell, Joseph L., Sanitary Loomis, Maurice, AT., Private 1cl., Corps, Northampton, Mass. Omaha, Nebr. McDonald, John W., 1st Lt., McCall, Henry B., Private 1cl., Sanitary Corps, Washington, D. C. Omaha, Nebr. Shaffer, Theodore L., 1st Lt., McClintick, Howard B., Private Sanitary Corps, Beatrice, Nebr. 1cl., Albion, Nebr. Machol, Herbert L., 2nd Lt., QMCNA, McMillian, John H., Private 1cl., New Haven, Conn. Hunnewell, Mo. Meadows, James W., Private 1cl., BASE HOSPITAL NO. 49-ENLISTED Fremont, Nebr. PERSONNEL. Meduna, Lloyd R., Private 1cl., Jorgensen, William A., Hosp. Wahoo, Nebr. Sergt., Omaha, Nebr. Morey. Claris B., Private 1cl., McFayden, Grant L., Sergt. 1cl., College View, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Morris, George E., Private 1cl., Withrow, Taylor N., Sergi. 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Manger, Alfred C., Private 1cl., Otoupalik, Huge M., Sergt. 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. David City, Nebr. Neal, John D., Private 1cl., Omaha, Storz, Louis N., Sergt. 1cl., Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Newcomb, Arthur P., Private 1cl., Patterson, Chester L., Sergt. 1cl., Indianola, Iowa. Beatrice, Nebr. Nicholson, Clyde G., Private 1cl., Micek, Joseph F., Sergt. 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Nystom, Harry R., Private 1cl., Swanson, Myrl R., Sergt. 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Nelson, Jesse W., Private 1cl., Levy, Ike, Sergi. 1cl., Omaha, Plainview, Nebr. Nebr. Nilson, Gustave, Private 1cl., Peterson, Victor E., Sergt., Omaha, Nebr. Valley, Nebr. Olson, Fred, Private 1cl., Deaver, Garrison, Everett J., Sergt., Colo. Summerfield, Kan. Ostertag, Frank S., Private 1cl., Finch, Walter M., Sergt., Omaha, Lincoln, Nebr. Nebr. Peace, Charles P., Private 1cl., Spearman, Harry H., Sergt., Omaha, Nebr. Evanston, Illinois. Peterson, Alvin A., Private 1cl., Sanders Frank B., Sergt., Omaha, Lyons, Nebr. Nebr. Prouty, Edgar L., Private lei., Gronstal, Knute S., Sergt., Omaha, Alva, Nebr. Nebr. Redfels, John W., Private 1cl., Fuller, Marlin H., Sergt., Omaha, Lincoln, Nebr. Nebr. Reed, Sanford P., Private 1cl., Bierman, Edward A., Sergt., Omaha, Weeping Water, Nebr. Nebr. Reese, Alfred L., Private 1cl., O'Connell, John L., Sergt., Omaha, Randolph, Nebr. Nebr. Root, Ralph R., Private 1cl., Garlow, Samuel A., Sergt., Avoca, Omaha, Nebr. Iowa. Rubin, Lewis A., Private 1cl., White, Robert M., Sergt., Lincoln, Omaha, Nebr. Nebr. Ruth, Gordon A., Private 1cl., Stevenson, Waldo W., Sergt., Broken Holdrege, Nebr. Bow, Nebr. Rutherford, Charles. Private 1cl., Loomis, Walter P., Sergt., Denver, Aurora, Nebr. Colo. Sauer, Leslie E., Private 1cl., Hazen, John T., Sergt., Omaha, Strang, Nebr. Nebr. Schlosser, Cecil T., Private 1cl., Kuebler, Leon A., Sergt., Lincoln, South Wayne, Wis. Nebr. Sherman, Rollin C., Private 1cl., Arendt, Daniel C., Sergt., Lincoln, Omaha, Nebr. Nebr. Simanek, Edward J., Private 1cl., Kerlin, Lloyd W., Sergt., Fremont, Prague, Nebr. Nebr. Steavenson, Leigh C., Private 1cl., Tanner, Howard H., Corporal, Price, 0maha, Nebr. Utah. Stocktill, Henry D., Private 1cl., Vanderpool, Merrill M., Corporal, Washington, Del. Lincoln, Nebr. Smith, Carl W., Private 1cl., Redelfs, Lammert H., Corporal, Weeping Water, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Schmidt, Henry J., Private 1cl., Jindrich, George W., Corporal, Omaha, Nebr. Chicago, Ills. Truelson, Emil E., Private 1cl., Johnson, Carl A., Corporal Omaha, Omaha, Nebr. Nebr. Wandborg, Carl M., Private 1cl., Smith, Vern, Corporal, Omaha, Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Creutz, Fred J., Corporal, Wausa, Warshawsky, Morris M., Private Nebr. 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Daugherty, James, Corporal, Pawnee Webb, Walter E., Private 1cl., City, Nebr. Table Rock, Nebr. Alkire, Irvan D., Cook, Omaha, Wertman, Willard L., Private 1cl., Nebr. Milford, Nebr. Bettencourt, Joseph L., Cook, Reno, Wetherby, Harlow F., Private 1cl., Nevada. Lincoln, Nebr. Bullock, Willard L., Cook, York, Yard, Wilbur M., Private 1cl., Nebr. Omaha. Nebr. Fanton, Herschel A., Cook, Lincoln, Frew, James V., Private 1cl., Nebr. Hiteman, Iowa. Kocum, Joseph, Cook, Omaha, Nebr. Fluhr, Robert, Private 1cl., Omaha, Koehler, Albert, Cook, Omaha, Nebr. Nebr. McKellips, Ward, Cook, Albion, Johnson, Julius, Corporal, College Nebr. View, Nebr. Potter, Laird I., Cook, Red Cloud, Arkin, Julius, Private 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Nebr. Rathke, Carl A., Cook, Omaha, Nebr. Hoffman, Paul, Private 1cl., Rolhff (sic), Oscar B., Cook, Asbury, New Jersey. Omaha, Nebr. Little, Ralph B., Private 1cl., Stellate, Martin J., Cook, Omaha, Nebr. Pittsburgh, Pa. Barbati, Philip, Private, Keota, Wright, James H., Cook, Fremont, Mo. Nebr. Black, Benjamin H., Private, Akeson, James E., Private 1cl., Chicago, Ills. Weeping Water, Nebr. Bramon, Marcus D., Jr., Private, Almquist, Carl 0. G., Private 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Loomis, Nebr. Bowen, Charles R., Private, Anderson: Oscar B., Private 1cl., Columbus, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Brennan, Thomas J., Private, Anderson, Paul F., Private 1cl., O'Neill, Nebr. Lincoln, Nebr. Brown, Jesse P., Private, Lincoln, Arnold, Edward S., Private 1cl., Nebr. Omaha, Nebr. Carlson, Carl, Private, Gillette, Austin, Jack W., Private 1cl., Wyo. Omaha, Nebr. Connolly, Charles R., Private, Baca, Harold W., Private 1cl., Omaha, Nebr. Tulare , Calif. Czeslawskl, Casimer, Private, Chicago, Ills. Dana, Irving R., Private, Lincoln, Nebr. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fuller, Edgar M., Private, Omaha. Brown, Mildred I., Orient, Iowa. Nebr. Budler, Marie T., Hampton, Graper, Frank, Private, Chicago, Nebraska. Ills. Chamberlain, Josephine, No. 7 Troy Hervey, David S., Private, Omaha, Apts., Omaha, Nebraska. Nebr. Chalmers, Mary, 131 Rosebank Higgins, John M., Private, Omaha, Street, Dundee, Scotland (enlisted Nebr. at Winston Salem, North Carolina). Hoffman, Wayne W., Private. Omaha, Chapin, Mildred, Columbus, Nebr. Nebraska. Herbert, Walter M., Private, Champney, Cecile R., Fremont, Lincoln, Nebr. Nebraska. Hrbek, Cyril J., Private, Lincoln, Cherry, Juliet E., Diller, Nebr. Nebraska. Hull, Everett B.. Private, Omaha, Conway, Margaret F., 3339 North Nebr. 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. James, Louis A., Private, Omaha. Conley, Anna M., Broken Dow, Nebr. Nebraska. Johnson, Myron V., Private, Crouse, Clara, Thompson, Nebraska. Lincoln, Nebr. Crowell, Eva L., Walthill, Kenney, James, Private, Chicago, Nebraska. Ills. Culp, Pearl R., 3125 E Street, Kirschenbaum, Jacob, Private, Lincoln, Nebraska. Philadelphia, Pa. Dickinson, Edna 0., 144 South 29th Lewis, Carl A., Private, Omaha, St., Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebr. Dill, Alberta E., Blue Springs, Lang, Mathew S., Private, San Nebraska. Francisco, Calif. Doege, Martha C., Titonka, Iowa. Lundholm, Martin C. 0., Private, Duguay, Emma M., Washburn, Lincoln, Nebr. Wisconsin. McGrath, Matthew P., Private, Eckstrom, Mabel, Newman Grove, Omaha, Nebr. Nebraska. McNamara. Gerald A.. Private, Edgecumbe, Florence E., Salix, Omaha, Nebr. Iowa. Minikus, Edward, Private, Omaha, Ellison, Irena M., Route No. 1, Nebr. Geneva, Nebraska. Moylan, Joseph, Private, Chicago, Elliott, May, Elwood, Nebraska. Ills. Fleetwood, Hilda C., Wakefield, Newman, Julius, Private, Omaha, Nebraska. Nebr. Glammeier, Carolyn A., 815 West Peterson, Royal P., Private, Omaha, Summit Ave., Shenandoah, Iowa. Nebr. Hammerland, Myrtle H., Box 28, West Pierce, Russell K., Private, Point, Nebraska. Fremont, Nebr. Hawk, Nell E., Ida Grove, Iowa. Purcupile, Benjamin H., Private, Jamison, Sarah E., Butte, Nebraska. Omaha, Nebr. Johnson, Emily A., flax 431, Remillard, Louis 0., Private, Oakland, Nebraska. Omaha, Nebr. Johnson, Ellen Marie, Broken Dow, Reus, John, Private, Chicago. Ills. Nebraska. Rhodes. Frank V., Private, Omaha, Johnson, Huldah D., Mead, Nebraska. Nebr. Johnson, Lillian R., 1689 E. 9th Roberts, Harry W., Private, Omaha, Street, Portland, Oregon. Nebr. Kalal, Elizabeth, Burke, South Robinson. Richard, Private, Omaha, Dakota. Nebr. Kavon, E. Georgia, Wahoo, Nebraska. Scott, Wallace M., Private, Kolle, Carrie May, Florence, Stromsburg, Nebr. Nebraska. Shirey, Ralph W., Private, Daykin, Krausnick, Martha M., Lincoln, Nebr. Nebraska. Sickinger, Charles E., Private, Larson, Pearl W., Maple City, Chicago, Ills. Michigan. Spiegel, Emil R.. Private, Chicago. Lindstedt, Hildegard, Havelock, Ills. Nebraska. Starkey, Roy D., Private, Wheeling, Lippincott, Maybelle, Niwot, Colo. W. Va. MacLaughlan, Mildred, 654 School Swanbom, Alarac R., Private, Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. Walton, Nebr. MacRae, Gertrude B., Bangor, Maine. Way, Chester F., Private, College McKinnon, Nellie It., Ashtabula, View, Nebr. Ohio. Wegner, Andrew J., Private, McKay, Mary Coball, Ontario, Chicago, Ills. Canada. Werner, Walter A., Adams, Wis. Mang, Lillian M., 424 First Street. Wohlner, Paul, Private, Omaha, Albany, New York. Nebr. Marshall, Mary Jane, Benkleman, Worley, Ivan H., Private, Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebr. Martin, Selma M., Oakland, Worrall, Lowell D., Private, Wahoo, Nebraska. Nebr. Meiklejohn, Pearle, 2229 7th Ave., Zeiger, Alfred G., Private, Omaha, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Nebr. Morisette, Mayo G., 628 Grant Street, Wausau, Wisconsin. BASE HOSPITAL NO. 49, NURSING Murray, Ethel, Lexington, Nebraska. PERSONNEL. Nasstrom, Anna C., Fremont, Nebraska. Ida L. Gerding, Chief Nurse, 2403 Nicholson, Martha, Sebright, Patee Street, St. Joseph, Missouri. Ontario, Canada. Albrecht, Lillian, Morgan, Oliver, Margaret E., Elroy, Minnesota. Wisconsin. Albrecht, Florence M., 406 South Olson, Lilly, Rock Springs, 11th Street, Beatrice, Nebraska. Wyoming. Amgwert, Anna, Murdock, Nebraska. O'Malley, Mollie, Omaha, Nebraska. Anderson, Sadie L., Pequot, Polansky, Bess, Clarkson, Nebraska. Minnesota. Pugh, Elizabeth, Scofield, Utah. Andrews, Katherine B., 996 Quist, Esther, Gothenburg, Albermarle Street, St. Paul, Nebraska. Minnesota. Rogers, Eva M., Ord, Nebraska. Anson, Bessie M., 2122 Locust Roggensees, Anna L., Holbrook, Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Nebraska. Arthur, Beatrice E., Norfolk, Rudat, Emma H., North Platte, Nebraska. Nebraska. Baker, Clare, Dwight, Illinois. Sandman, Elizabeth H., 1403 11 Banwell, Edith, "Oakdale Farm", Street, Fairbury, Nebraska. Fort Dodge, Iowa. Schurman, Alma L., Scribner. Batie, Lelia E., Ord, Nebraska. Nebraska. Beachly, V. Belle, R. R. No. 4, Box Sconce, Ethel M., Hoyt, Kansas. 228, Lincoln, Nebraska. Sheibley, Anna I., 915 West 2nd Bixby, Alice M., College View, Street, Grand Island, Nebraska. Nebraska. Seeck, Elfrieda L., Brunswick, Blome, Emma A., 627 E. 2nd Street, Nebraska. Fremont, Nebraska. (Continued on Fifth Page.) Blomberg, Mabel C., 1616 12 Ave., Moline, Illinois. Brandt, Thyra L., Omaha, Nebraska. Brannian, Edith M., Randolph, Iowa. Braun, Josephine C. Humphrey, Nebraska. Braun, Minnie K., Humphrey, Nebraska. Brecks, Ida A., Arapahoe, Nebraska. Brenenstall, Harriet M., Creighton, Nebraska. [Image] (handwritten below photo: "See C 1872") NEBRASKA BASE HOSPITAL 49 STAFF AT ALLEREYE Left to Right: Colonel Mitchell, Major Hull, Major Bridges, Major Stokes, A. E. Sheldon ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Image] (handwritten below these images: "See C 1242" "See C 1242") ANCIENT PAWNEE MEDAL --------------- A Remarkable Engraved Medal From a Pawnee Grave. ---Letter From Father M. A. Shine Presents Theory of its Origin. --------------- This unique and interesting period of time (1817-1821) there medal was found in the extreme was another man named western part of Nance county, in Pi-ta-le-sha-ru, or MAN CHIEF, who 1883, by two people who unearthed was one of the head chiefs of the it from an Indian grave, and Kit-ke-hah-ki, (i. e., Small or presented it to the present owner. Little Village), or Republican Mrs. G. W. Ellsworth, at 645 North Pawnee, who had received in June, 30th St., Lincoln, Nebr. 1818, a chief's medal from Gov. The grave was not far from the William Clark, in St. Louis, Mo. I banks of Spring Creek. a small am inclined to believe that many stream which enters the Loup river writers have confused the names of about fifteen miles northwest of these two men. Fullerton, Nebr. In the same grave At any rate, Pi-ta-je-sha-ru, they found glass beads and other the Skidi brave or warrior, trinkets which showed contact with accompanied his father, whites. LA-CHE-LE-SHA- RU, or KNIFE CHIEF, This is all that is really known the head chief of the Skidi Pawnee, about this medal. It is the first with at number of other Indian silver Indian medal to come into chiefs to Washington, D. C., in the rooms of the Nebraska State 1821. While there the fame of his Historical Society; and probably remarkable bravery in such a the most interesting Indian relic glorious act having preceded him, ever found in Nebraska. the young ladies of a Mrs. White's A careful study of the seminary presented him with a accompanying full sized cuts special silver medal, in honor and suggests that the medal was commemoration of his brave act. probably engraved to commemorate a (Drake, Inds. 635.) brave act. The two figures escaping While I have no direct and toward the two horses in the grove incontestable proofs for its nearby suggests that the hero was identification, yet I am fairly an Indian rescuing a white woman convinced that this silver medal is from captivity. The ravine the identical medal presented by illustrates the recital of his these young ladies, and that the exploits around the camp fire. The grave in which it was found was legend tells that it commemorates that of Pitalesharu, the Skidi the deeds of "the bravest of the Warrior, THE CHIEF OF MEN, or THE brave." If we could know the MAN AMONG MEN, or as the medal historic facts in all the details itself translates his name, THE it would doubtless make an BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE. interesting story. The best authority on engraving Yours says the work was doubtless done by sincerely, hand with a tool used to engrave dies or patterns for stamping. That Rev. Michael A. Shine. the engraver had skill of marked ability is evidenced by the P. S. - Grinnell describes the specimen. The engraving was done altar or framework engraved on the without shading in the lines, and medal. See Pawnee Stories, p. 364, pictures of this class were common last four lines. from 1600 to 1800. The technique of the drawing places it before 1800. ------- - E. E. B. Spelling of Nebraska Indian names The following letter from Rev. varies greatly in different books M. A. Shine, of Plattsmouth, to and in different periods. Spelling Curator Blackman, at the Historical used by Father Shine we have let Society Museum, is full of stand. It may be worth while to interest: state the spelling given in the Handbook of American Indians (Vol. Plattsmouth, Nebr., January 21, 2, p. 236), Petalesharo, with the 1919. following variations in the article: Petarescharu, My Dear Mr. Blackman: Pe-tah-lay-sha, Petanesharo. The Here are a few notes in regard spelling of the name of Knife Chief to that silver medial which you so is given in the same volume, page kindly allowed me to examine, on 118, Latalesha with the variations the occasion of the annual meeting at Settulushaa and Letereeshar. The at the State Historical Society, a standard of spelling adopted by the week ago. Nebraska State Historical Society As you remember, we most is that used by the Bureau of emphatically disagreed in regard to American Ethnology. the particular band of Pawnee to ------- which which the Pawnee, BASE HOSPITAL NO. 49 NURSING Pi-ta-le-sha-ru or MAN CHIEF, PERSONNEL. belonged. (Continued from Fourth Page.) As I see it now, we were both right in our contentions, for we Schreiber, Orma A., Alma, were talking about two men with the Wisconsin. same name, but with entirely Shepard, S. Julia, Alexandria, different characteristics, and Minnesota. living at different periods of time Smart, Nellie Hunt, World Herald in the history of the Pawnee tribe. Bldg., Omaha, Nebraska. I spoke of Pi-ta-le-sha-ru, or Smith, Jessie, 1406 North Broad MAN CHIEF, or CHIEF AMONG MEN, Street, Fremont, Nebraska. (Hdbk. of Am. Inds. II, 236), a Smith, Zella A., Roca, Nebraska. Pawnee brave or warrior, the son of Sullivan, Minnie M., Grace, Idaho. La-clie-le-sa-ru or KNIFE -CHIEF Svitak, Emma L., Chapman, Nebraska. (Hdbk. II-118), the Head Chief of Thode, Martina C., 777 Scott the SKIDI or WOLF PAWNEES, at this Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. time (1817-1821), as the man who Vance, Evangelyne F., Exeter, received this medal in Washington. Nebraska. D. C., in 1821, on account of his Wagner, Maybelle, Virgil, Kansas. brave act in 1817 in rescuing a Weller, Hedwig, 1916 South 32nd Comanche girl from the ?sacrifice Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska. to the Morning Star. (Drake , Inds Westerdahl, Viva E., Fulda, 635.) Pawnee Stories, Grinnell, Minnesota. 363-434. For details, etc., of Wilkinson, Grace E., Cedar Bluffs, Skidi Sacrifice, see Pawnee Nebraska. Stories, 363-368.) Windmeyer, Connie, Naper, Nebraska. You had in mind the Chaui or Wishart, Irene L., 92 Avenue Road, Grand Pawnee Chief, Toronto, Canada. Pi-ta-le-sha-ru, who was born, Wooster, Dorothy, Silver Creek, about 1823 (Blackman in H. of Neb. Nebraska. I-43; Kans. Cols. X.) survived the Wright, Ethel M., Belt, Montana. smallpox epidemic of 1837-38, and was made head chief of the CIVILIANS. confederated Pawnee tribes in 1852, Jess, Irene H., 2722 Howard Street, and who died about 1874. Omaha, Nebraska. In regard to my man: Naughtin, Patricia L., 5017 Pi-ta-le-sha-ru, the SKIDI warrior, Davenport Street, Omaha, Nebraska. was born about 1796 or 1797. among O'Sullivan, Eva F., 4800 Lindale the Skidi tribe, in what is now Ave., Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nebraska. He was about 20 years old Rusland, Muriel, Omaha, Nebraska. when he ignored and disregarded the sacred and religious traditions of the Skidi Pawnee tribe, by rescuing and leading to safety this Comanche maiden who was destined as a victim and burnt offering to the Great or Morning Star, one of the tutelary gods of the Skidi tribe. However, it is well to bear in mind, that during this very same ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE O'NEILL LAND DISTRICT March 2, 1849. My uncle, John This bit of history is taken Crook, was then living there, from the North Nebraska Eagle of keeping a tavern and stage station January 9: to accommodate travelers crossing The O'Neill land district in the mountain. We lived on the Nebraska was abolished on December mountain for three years, then 31 the files of the office being moved down into Putnum county, transferred from O'Neill to the where the town of Cooksville is now United States land office at situated - on the land my father Lincoln. owned and where we lived until we The district over which this started for Nebraska. My office had jurisdiction was first grandmother Crook's maiden name was established in Dakota City in Mary Lee, who was a descendant of March, 1857, and continued here General Robert E. Lee's family. My until 4 o'clock p. m. August 31, father's family comprised his wife, 1875, when it was moved to two sons, John and William, and Niobrara. It again closed at that myself. In September, 1863, with place July 1, 1888, and was moved six other families, we started to to O'Neill, where it opened July Nebraska, my mother driving one of 16, according to "Warner's History the six wagons drawn by oxen. In of Dakota County." October we stopped near the town of During its location in Dakota Fillmore, Andrew county, Missouri, City the following officers were in where two brothers of my father, charge, their names appearing in Allen and Isaac, were living. We the rotation they served,. remained there until April, 1855, Receivers -J. C. Turk, Geo. B. because the territory was not then Graff, Alex. McCready, Charles D. open for settlement. In August, Martin, James Stott. 1854, my father come to Nebraska Registers - J. N. H. Patrick, and took a claim a mile and a half Alfred H. Jackson, Floris Van north of the present Falls City. On Reuth, Wm. H. James. G. W. April 17, 1855, we crossed the Wilkinson, B. F. Chambers. river into Nebraska at the old town The first land district in of St. Stephens, and the next day Nebraska was created by an act of we arrived at our claim. Congress of July 22, 1854; the In 1868 my brother John died. My office was located at Omaha in brother William, who is two years 1866, and the first sales were made younger than I, lives here and is in the first half of 1857. The in the hardware business, and has a district comprised all the public grown-up family of three sons and lands in the territory the Indian two daughters. When we located here title to which had been we were the fourth white family in extinguished, this part at the country; our other The act of March 3, 1857, neighbors were the Sac and Fox provided: Indians, who lived at their That all that portion of the reservation on the Nemaha river two Territory of Nebraska at present miles south of Falls City. The included in the Omaha district, Indians were very fond of visiting which lies south of the line which us in our cabins and watching us at divides townships six and seven our housework. My first marriage north, extended from the Missouri was to August Schoenheit, on river westward, shall constitute an September 7, 1864. He came to additional district, to be called Nebraska in 1860. After living at the "Nemaha Land District"; all Brownville and Omaha for about four said Omaha district which is years he settled at Falls City, situated south of the south shore where he remained until his death or right bank of the Platte river, in February, 1887. He held some and north of the said township important offices, such as county line, between townships six and prosecuting attorney in 1864-65, seven north, shall constitute an state senator in 1882, and mayor of additional land district, to be Falls City for three terms. We called the "South Platte River Land lived together twenty-two years and District"; and all that portion of had nine children, four of whom said Omaha district which lies died in infancy. Three sons grew to north of the south boundary of the manhood: Gus died at the age of 33 "Omaha Reserve." extended westward, years, leaving a son now 23 years being identical with the line which or age and who is in the U. S. divides townships twenty-three and military band at Boston, as a twenty-four north, shall constitute flutist; Julian, a lawyer, died in an additional land district, to be Kansas City, March, 1909, leaving called the "Dahkota Land District"; one daughter, Erma, who resides the location of the offices for there; William, also a lawyer, died which shall be designated by the at the age of 22 years; my daughter President of the United States, and Lillie died in 1886, at the age of shall by him, from time to time, be 13 years; Sallie, my only child changed as the public interests may living (and baby), now 37 years seem to require. old, married Abner S. McKee, civil Accordingly the president engineer, rancher and also in the designated the location of the land sheep business quite extensively. offices for the respective They have a little boy six and a districts as follows: For the half years old, named David James. Nemaha district, Brownville; for They live in Paonia, Colorado. the South Platte district, Nebraska I heard "Jim" Lane deliver a City; for the Dakota district, Fourth of July Oration at Falls Dakota City. Sales of lands in City, in 1857; John Brown, of these districts were begun in the Harpers Ferry fame, and his band first half of the year 1858. were in camp on our claim near Some of the officers of the Falls city the same year. Dakota land office named above were I remained a widow twelve years, quite prominent in the territory or and on October 12. 1898, 1 was the state. John C. Turk was well married to J. R. Wilhite of Falls known as Governor Izard's private City, a lawyer, Civil War veteran, secretary in 1857, the last year of and for twelve years county Judge the governor's tenure; Dr. George of Richardson county. We are now B. Graff was a leader in the living in the block where I moved democratic party; Alexander in 1867. McCready was best known as a champion of the greenback party and SARAH CROOK WILHITE. cause; "Father" Martin was an eccentric pioneer publisher and ------- editor of newspapers in Dakota county. In the later seventies and Mr. Schoenheit was a senator in early eighties he was a familiar the tenth legislature, which figure in Sioux City, laden with convened in the eighteenth session the pay "in kind" for advertising, - the eighth regular session - on in a capacious gunny sack slung January 2, 1883. over his shoulder. His greatest Prior to the enactment of the fame, however, grew out of his homestead law, in 1862, public serial story. "The Conflict - Love lands were procured by settlers or Money," which ran on through a under the preemption act of 1841. large later part of his long life. The act provided that when a person But Patrick was the bright belonging to one of the classes particular star of the group. His specified mind was keen, alert and -- shall hereafter make a resourceful. His name became settlement in person on the Public familiar throughout the country lands to which the Indian title had through the part he took in the been at the time of such settlement undertaking to have Cronin extinguished, and which has been, recognized as an elector from or shall have been surveyed prior Oregon in the violent Tilden-Hayes thereto, and who shall inhabit and controversy of 1876-77. He was a improve the same, and who has or member, from Omaha, of the second shall erect a dwelling thereon, legislature, which removed the shall be, and is hereby, authorized capital to Lincoln, and was the to enter with the register of the strategist in the senate of the land office for the district in anti-removalists. When all dilatory which such land may lie, by legal tactics of the minority had failed, subdivisions, any number of acres and after the bill had been ordered not exceeding one hundred and sixty to a third reading and engrossed, or a quarter section of land, to he moved the substitution of include the residence of such Lincoln as the name at the proposed claimant, upon paying to the United capital instead of Capitol City, States the minimum price of such the inexpressibly ugly name of the land. bill in its original form. Shortly The price was $1.25 an acre. before his death Mr. Patrick But the act of Congress approved informed me that he proposed the July 22. 1854, permitted settlement new name to worry his fellow upon unsurveyed land. and Mrs. Copperheads. so-called, in the Wilhite's father promptly took senate, and especially those from advantage of the concession - in Nebraska City, which was the the following month. On March 16, backbone of the removal scheme. He 1854, the Otoe and Missouri Indians had some hope that their prejudice ceded all their lands in Nebraska against Lincoln might upset the which included the subsequent whole movement. On the contrary, Richardson county to the United the amendment was promptly adopted. States, and the treaty of cession William H. James afterward was confirmed by the president on became secretary of state, and June 21. They had ceded the after Governor Butler's removal on contiguous part to the west on impeachment he was, ex officio, September 21, 1833. The Omaha acting governor. Indians likewise ceded their lands Dr. George W. Wilkinson was a on March 16, 1854; so that the act prominent local physician and an of July 22 opened to settlement all assistant surgeon of the First of eastern Nebraska as far as about Regiment Nebraska Veteran Volunteer seventy-five miles from the Cavalry during most of the Civil Missouri River, except that in the War. extreme southeast the free Benjamin F. Chambers was a territory extended no farther west member of the House of than the Great Nemaha River, and a Representatives of the sixth narrow strip along the river legislature, and was second belonged to the half-breed Indians. sergeant of Company I, Second - A. W. Regiment Nebraska Cavalry ------- Volunteers. ------- COSTLY HIGH LIVING IN THE SEVENTIES AN EARLY SETTLER'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY The North Platte Semi-Weekly 1, Sarah F. Wilhite, daughter of Tribune of January 14 tells the Jesse and Eliza Crook, was born on following story of a desperate Cumberland mountain, near device to procure a then hunter's Crossville, Cumberland county, necessity of life on the Nebraska Tenn., plains. The "Irish lord" was Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, fourth Earl of Dunraven, born in Adare, Ireland, in 1841. He was noted as traveler, war correspondent, statesman - or politician - and author of books about his varied experiences. A plentiful supply of the best liquors almost characterized the hunting excursions in Nebraska of important personages during the period in question, and it strains credulity to believe that so apt a ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ provider as this noble earl should of his attacks upon offenders. When have been caught in such Furnas was nominated for the office destitution. But fiction is often of governor, in 1872, the Herald truer than bare fact, and whichever bombarded him with the charge of class this story belongs to it having taken a large bribe in 1857 serves to illustrate the contrast from partisans of Omaha in beween [sic] habits and necessities consideration for his refusal, as a of less than fifty years ago and member of the upper house of the those of the present piping times general assembly, to support the of prohibition. The hunt - for elks passage over the governor's veto of - was in the fall of 1872. a bill for the removal of the A group of North Platte's old capital to a point on Salt Creek. timers were recalling early day Powerful as the preponderance of experiences Saturday evening, and his party over its opponent then naturally the late Colonel W. F. was, Furnas could not safely rely Cody figured in many of the upon it to carry him through in the incidents. One of the men said he face of the specific charges if he remembered when a member of a should ignore them; so he hunting party chaperoned by Col. authorized General Cowin to begin Cody bought a ranch in order to get the suit. The general refused to five gallons of whiskey. The undertake the case (so he informed hunting party, one of whom was a the writer hereof) except with the sporty young Irish lord, left Ft. understanding that it should be McPherson for a buffalo hunt over pushed to trial. Accordingly the south in the Republican valley. trial took place some time after When they left the fort part of the Furnas was elected, resulting in a supplies was a keg of whiskey, but disagreement of the jury, and the in rough driving over the hills and case was afterward dismissed. through the canyons the cork in the In the seventies a sharp keg became unloosened and when the controversy arose between the Union members of the party went to the Pacific and Burlington & Missouri keg to refill their private flasks railroad companies about what was they found that the liquor had all called the pro rata question. For leaked out. There was great example, the Burlington demanded consternation for the party was that if it shipped freight destined then sixty miles from Ft. for San Francisco from Plattsmouth McPherson, the base of their to Kearney over its own line, the supplies. The Irish lord said Union Pacific should carry it the whisky must be had and appealed to rest of the way at the same Colonel Cody. The Colonel thought proportional rate its it received it moment, then smiled. He for shipments from Omaha to San remembered that a few weeks before Francisco all the way by its own while out scouting he had run line. Lorenzo Crounse, who was then across a shack inhabited by a man a member of the House of who had given him a drink; perhaps Representatives from Nebraska, was he had some left. The shack was trying to put through a bill about a dozen miles distant and he establishing the proportional rate asked the Irish lord to accompany - but so far without success. With him. They started and in due time the purpose of running for the arrived at their destination. "Any senatorship against Hitchcock, Mr. booze left?" asked the Colonel of Crounse declined to become a the shack inhabitant. "Well, about candidate again for the lower five gallons." he replied. "How house, and so General Cowin stepped much do you want, the ranch goes into his shoes, and Frank Welch with the liquor. Price of the ranch became the candidate of the is five hundred dollars." The Hitchcock-anti-pro-rata faction. Colonel said he could not pay $500 The convention was in session four for five gallons of whisky and days and throughout one night. started in to induce the man to Welch was at last nominated. Dr. lower his price. It was then that Miller asserted in the Herald that the Irish lord sidled up to Colonel "Cowin went into the convention Cody and whispered to take him up with forty or fifty majority. He at the price for fear he might came out defeated by a very large withdraw the offer or raise the majority, owing to a shameless price. The deal was closed then and purchase of votes by bribery and there, the Irish lord producing a corruption." At any rate, Welch was roll and skinning off $500. The keg far inferior in ability and was tied on the Colonel's horse and character to his brilliant telling the man that they would opponent. This was General Cowin's call the next day for the deed to only important venture in politics, the land, they rode off to camp. It and to my thinking this defeat was is needless to say the deed to the Fortune's way of smiling upon him. land was not called for the next The general's military title was day. bestowed by Furnas, who appointed ------- him upon his staff with the rank of WONDERFUL GROWTH OF THE TELEPHONE brigadier general. But compared to IN his career at the bar, won by sheer NEBRASKA merit, this title was as tinsel-like as a term of Congress The recent retirement of Casper would have been. - Albert Watkins. Enoch Yost from the presidency of ------- the Nebraska Telephone Company, the ANTELOPE COUNTY HISTORIAN PASSES Iowa Telephone Company, and the ON. Northwestern Telephone Exchange Company directs attention to the Adoniram Judson Leach died June very remarkable fact that the 10, 1919 and was buried at Oakdale telephone system of Nebraska has June 12. He was born September 19, developed into its present 1834, in Cuyahoga county, Ohio. He magnitude and very great importance crossed the plains to Oregon in during only it part of a man's 1852, came to Omaha in 1867, "active life" - a clumsy and homesteaded in Antelope county in inaccurate distinction, by the way. 1869 and has resided there since. Mr. Yost started on his life's The life or Mr. Leach was career it the age of twenty-three, interwoven with the early when he came to Omaha from settlement and development of Michigan, in 1864. He began to be a Antelope county. When he settled lawyer, but at once dropped into there the county merited its name. politics and political place. In Great herds of elk and deer made the year of his arrival he was company for the antelope. At rare appointed at deputy United States intervals the smoke of a log cabin Marshall, and the next year marshal escended [sic] from the midst of of the territory, holding the the woodland along the streams. In office until 1867 when he was his favorite occupations of hunting appointed marshal for the state for and surveying Mr. Leach came to four years. He was postmaster of know each individual family as it Omaha from 1872 to 1876. From 1875 settled in the region. He served to 1886 he was the business manager the growing community as county of the Omaha Republican. After this surveyor, county superintendent of varied but effective preparation, schools, and in the later years as in 1889 he became vice-president county treasurer. and general manager of the Nebraska The permanent fame of Mr. Leach Telephone Company and in 1891 its rests securely upon his work as the president; in 1897 he became historian of Antelope County. His president of the Iowa Telephone history combines painstaking Company and in 1903 president of research and verification of facts the Northwestern Telephone Company, with a clear style and just sense which operated in the states of of proportion. He was fortunate in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South having lived through the period of Dakota. Though seventy-eight years which he wrote and in having old, he retains the chairmanship of intimately known the men and women the board of directors of the three who took part in its events. His companies. history of Antelope county is a The first telephone directory model in its field and will remain for Omaha was published in 1879, throughout all time the authority with only 150 names. Like the for the pioneer years in that railroad and the telegraph before, region. A second book published in Mr. Yost says that the telephone 1916 is entitled "Early Day was for some time treated with Stories,' and while not of equal skepticism, and such patronage as value with his history of Antelope it was at first favored with was county will be a source of due more to the boosting western entertainment for many generations. spirit which inclines to help It was in 1884 that the editor anything new on the chance of its of this magazine first formed a becoming an additional "asset", friendship with Mr. Leach. I was than to confidence in its making my first venture in the usefulness. Thus this indispensable newspaper field at the town of instrument of business and general Burnett, now Tilden, situated on social communication, with its vast the county line of Antelope and and complex ramification, is Madison counties. Mr. Leach was scarcely half as old as the man who agent for the Burlington railroad has been its principal projector lands at Oakdale, eight mile and still survives as its virtual distant. He was one of my first manager. subscribers and advertisers and Mr. Yost's remarkable ability to remained a faithful counselor and throw off his early propensity for friend through those years of politics and the consequent long privation and hardship in the addiction to the insidious habit of Elkhorn valley. When a mob holding office, was prophetic of connected with the saloon at his persisting vitality. Burnett and the distillery at Deer ------- Creek attempted to whip the editor JOHN CLAY COWIN and drive him out of business Mr. Leach increased his advertising and This eminent lawyer died at his took an active interest in the home in Omaha on December 20, 1918. fortunes of the first newspaper at He was born in Warrensville, Ohio, Tilden. January 11, 1846; in 1861 he The work of county historian so enlisted as a private in the well done by Mr. Leach in Antelope Twenty-third regiment, Ohio county needs to be done in many Volunteer Infantry, rose to the other Nebraska counties. The rank of captain and was mustered writing of local history requires a out at the close of the war - in combination of old settler, 1865. This is a remarkable record critical student and attractive for a lad between fifteen and literary style. It should be a nineteen years of age. After labor of love and requires years preparing for the bar in a law for the collection of material and School in Cleveland, he came to revision of narrative. No hurry-up Omaha in the spring of 1867 to productions for profit of a begin his uniformly brilliant publishing Company will ever fill career at the bar. He was most the bill. in many counties of the skillful as a trial lawyer, state there is need of a county excelling both in the examination history like Leach's History of of witnesses and in arguing cases Antelope County - an enduring before a jury. His style of address monument to its author and a was powerfully dramatic. In this permanent contribution to the true respect or aspect he has not been history of our commonwealth. equaled at the Nebraska bar, I ------- think. When the Union Pacific and THE OLD FURNAS PRINTING PRESS Kansas Pacific railroad companies were placed under receivers in For many years the Secretary of 1893, General Cowin was appointed this Society has sought to get hold by President Cleveland to protect of the old hand printing press the interests of the United States, which Robert W. Furnas brought with and he successfully performed this him to Brownville in 1856 and used very difficult duty. in the publication of the Nebraska General Cowin's most notable Advertiser and later the Nebraska episodes in politics were as Farmer. Several times traces of counsel for Governor Furnas in his this old press have been secured, famous libel suit against Dr. but the trail has disappeared. Now George L. Miller and Lyman it seems likely to lead to the Richardson, publishers of the Omaha press itself. From Mr. W. P. Herald, and his spectacular fight Campbell, custodian of the Oklahoma for nomination for member of historical society, we have Congress in 1876. Dr. Miller recently closely resembled his contemporary, Charles A. Dean, editor of the New York Sun, in the relentless persistence and pile driver force ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ received two letters, from which [Image] the following extracts are taken: Feb. 12, 1919. - This Society is (handwritten below the photo - "See pleased to acknowledge receipt of C 1733") publications of your society. Charles McDonald These documents call to mind many incidents still fresh in my A sketch of Charles McDonald's memory. Some of the older life was printed fit the November characters I knew in a way, and issue of this magazine, on the others more than passingly; one occasion of the ninety-second being Governor Furnas; when he anniversary of his birthday. He published the Nebraska Advertiser died at his home in North Platte on with "Limpy" Jim Fisher as his April 22, 1919, of pneumonia, which foreman, printer, manager, editor, resulted from exposure in listening collector and boss generally, when to an address by Secretary McAdoo the governor was off "fighten." I in behalf of the sale of victory knew his sons Will and George quite bonds, which the venerable pioneer well. Dora Hacker was also a patriotically promoted. He came to remembered attache of the Nebraska from Tennessee in 1855; Advertiser. I bought part of the settled at first near the site now Advertiser material - surplusage - occupied by Pawnee City; two years and moved it to Augusta, Ills., in later moved to Salem, Richardson 1864, and established the first county; in 1859 established his paper of that town. The old Adams famous road ranch at Cottonwood undercut press is out in the Springs; in 1872 moved to North weather at Waukomis in this state, Platte where he had lived ever and some of the type cases are also since, at first engaged in here, with "R. W. Furnas" brushed mercantile business, but in 1878 he on the backs with "Brownville, established the Bank of Charles Nebraska Territory," added - all McDonald to which he gave almost quite legible. Had I time I could exclusive attention from 1899 until write a long, long story of those his last illness. He was a member old days. You could probably secure of the House of Representatives of these old cases should you desire the second Legislative Assembly - them. I once tendered them to your in 1855-56. Society, but those in charge did ------- not then consider them as of importance. Have lost track of J. Jesse Retherford died December Amos Barrett at one time connected 17 at his home in Potter: born with your Society. February 10, 1856, at Philadelphia May 7, 1919. - Governor Furnas Road, Ohio; came to Nebraska in was indeed a historic character of 1865. the history-making and its Mrs. Henry Shoebotham died gathering and conservation inditing December 23, at Fairbury; born in him as a veritable trinity on London, Canada, November 12, 1840; historic lines, beating his way came to Jefferson county, Neb., in from orphanage to the highest seat 1868; her husband came a year in your state's affairs - as earlier. publisher, as president of your Mrs. William Brower, Sr., died Society, as Indian agent and as December 21 at her home in Nebraska leader of the 2nd Nebraska against City; born April 17, 1853, at the Sioux - a history which you no Sandusky, Ohio; the family settled doubt have in all its fullness. in Cass county, Neb., near where Besides, his career in the Indian Nehawka is now situated tell, in service in what is now Oklahoma 1854. entitles him to no small niche in Mrs. John W. Pittman, killed in our "Hall of Fame." When Col. Fred all automobile accident, near Salomon of the Wisconsin 9th Union, Neb., December 16; born undertook in July, 1862, to lead March 15, 1840, in Marlon county, the loyal Indians from their refuge Iowa. She came to Nebraska when a on the neutral lands at Kansas back young girl, nearly sixty years ago. to their old homes in Oklahoma, it Mrs. James W. Sperry, whose fell to him to arrest his superior maiden name was Margaret Jane - Col. Wm. Weer - after crossing to McDermed, died December 24 at the the territory side, camping at Wolf home near Weeping Water, where the Creek, and assuming command. family had lived thirty-eight Retreating back to nearer base of years; she was horn in Illinois in supplies with his white troops left November 1854; came to Nebraska in Col. Purnell ranking officer. He 1866, with her parents, who settled not only retained colonelcy of the on a farm five miles southeast of 2nd Indian regiment, but also Weeping Water; married to Mr. became at the same time brigade Sperry November 29, 1874. commander of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Mrs. Mary Green Rossiter died Indian regiments. Operated at December 7 at her home near Dewitt various points - Fort Gibson, aged ninety-four years, one month Thalequah, Pryor Creek, and across and thirteen days; said to have the Grand river at Camp Wattles. been the oldest resident of Gage This is, of course, but a very county at the time of her death; brief summary of the short but born in Somersetshire, England, active work here in 1862. after October 24, 1824; came to America associating with a number of others and to Gage county with her husband in an effort to enlist loyal in 1856, where they settled on a Indians in Kansas. homestead. ------- Dr. George Grant Gere died NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN LANGUAGES December 28 at his home in San Francisco; born in Greene, New In 1886 J. W. Powell, Director York, December 27, 1848, a brother of the Bureau of Ethnology, at of John Gere, who was killed by Washington, published his report Indians in 1871, and of Charles H. upon the Indian linguistic families Gere, first editor of the Nebraska of North America. The report showed State Journal; came to Nebraska fifty-eight different language with his parents in 1857 and stocks north of the Rio Grande and settled in Table Rock. Dr. Gere many more dialects. gained a wide reputation in Systematic study of Indian surgery, was an instructor in a languages in America dates from the medical college, president of the Powell report. During the past California state medical twenty years Dr. Franz Boas of association, vice president of the Columbia University, and students national eclectic association, and who have been prepared by him, have was author of books on surgery. carried on the work with energy and Four children survive; two of the ability. The aim has been to gather three sons were soldiers in the the material for a dictionary and great war. grammar of every surviving Indian David Sleeth Hacker of Auburn language on the continent. This has died December 24; born near involved months of continuous Fairland, Indiana, August 24, 1839; residence with the Indian tribes, July 25, 1862, enlisted in Company careful writing down of each word F, Seventieth Regiment Indiana and phrase and its subsequent Volunteer infantry, of which verification by repetition. Benjamin Harrison, afterward An important contribution to president of the United States, was knowledge in this field has just colonel, and served until June 8, been published by the University of 1865; in the fall of 1865 came west California. It is by Dr. Paul with his father and they took Radin, who was a fellow student homesteads in the southwest part of with the writer under Dr. Boas at Nemaha county, three miles south of Columbia ten years ago. Dr. Radin's Febing, or Stone Church; March 7, studies tend to show that the 1867, married to Miss Nancy P. fifty-eight linguistic stocks of Giel, who died February 11, 1911; Director Powell may be reduced to they had six children of whom four twelve and possibly fewer. survive; moved with his family to Indian languages are very Auburn, then called Sheridan, in different in their structure from 1877, where he had since resided; European languages. They are helped to organize the first deficient in generalized terms, but Methodist church in the southwest rich and full in specific ways of part of the county and was one of saying things. The various aspects the charter members of the first of verbs are shown in some Methodist church in Auburn, and the languages by prefixes, in others by last one of the original members of suffixes, while still others split this church to die. the verb in two putting the modifier in the middle like the ham in a ham sandwich. Dr. Radin's studies indicate a very long period of time during which the North American Indian languages have been in process of formation. Among other things he says "most recent American archeologists seem to be agreed that 15,000 years is an adequate maximum for the settlement of North America by the Indians. That implies very definitely that the assumed differentiation into fifty-eight distinct stocks must have taken place in northeastern Asia, the assumed home of our aborigines. However, there is no evidence either in the present or past linguistic picture of northeastern Asia. that would justify us in assuming a large number of distinct languages, and we are consequently forced to the conclusion that the differentiation in North America is secondary and took place after the settlement of the continent." Four Indian linguistic stocks occupied Nebraska since the first white man came. These were Siouan, Pawnee or Caddoan, Algonquian, (represented by the Arapahoe and Cheyenne tribes) and Kiowan. The studies of Dr. Radin do not seem to indicate a closer relationship of these stocks than the one hitherto entertained. In other words. Nebraska Indian languages came from far separated stocks which had lived many centuries by themselves before coming together in Nebraska. ------- John Frederick Kees, who settled on a homestead near Filley in 1867, celebrated his eighty-third birthday on May 7. The Filley Spotlight says that he is the oldest homesteader still occupying his original claim. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Produced for NEGenWeb, 1998 by Ted & Carole Miller