NEBRASKA HISTORY AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS VOL II, NO. 4, OCT-DEC 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. 4, Oct - Dec 1919 Table of Contents (Original had no Table of Contents) Nebraska: Home of Possible Presidents - WJ BRYAN & JJ PERSHING 1 Constitutional Convention History - publications 1 Native NE Food Plants 1 History Volumes at a Premium - publications 1 County War Histories encouraged 1 First Winter Wheat In Nebraska - 1821 1 Diary of NE Freighter - William DUNN 1 History of NE Agriculture - Samuel C. BASSETT 1 NE Indian Callers - members of Omaha & Winnebago tribes 1 Major J.G. Maher: War Collection - donation 2 Three Military Heroes of Nebraska - S. W. & Philip KEARNY,2, 3, Lt. Caspar COLLINS 5 D. Charles Bristol (Omaha Charley) - Indian collection 3 Nebraska Fuel Administration: State Organization; County 3-5 Committees; Office Organization; Fuel Supply; Distribution; Prices and Margins; Conservation; Summer Storage; Retail Coal Dealers Registered; Cooperation; Expenses; Expression of Appreciation Judge Samuel H. Sedgwick - York Co. 6 Burt County in the World War - book published, notes 6-7 W. H. Woods - historian of Fort Atkinson 7 Church Records donated - Immanuel Lutheran, Omaha; Fridhem Swedish, Funk Builders of Early Nebraska 8 BEACH, Addison C. - Cass Co. HILDEBRAND, J. G. P. - Lancaster Co. WETENKAMP, Mrs. Anna Katherine - Lancaster Co. DUNN, William - Otoe Co. WILCOX, Melville Sperry - Burt Co. HAMILTON, Frank T. - Lancaster Co. TOWNER, Abraham - Butler Co. KENT, Josiah - Douglas Co. METTLEN, Mrs. Salina Guss - Wayne Co. COX, Melville S. - Burt Co. McDERMOTT, Mrs. Margaret Prendergast - Douglas Co. EVANS, Rebecca - Gage Co. KNOELL, Mrs. Elizabeth - Dodge Co. COLTON, John B. - Dawson Co? GIBBS, Mrs. P. S. - Burt Co. BEEZLEY, Eldora Dell Kunnemann - Otoe Co. PEARMAN, Mrs. Mary A. (Maj. J. W.) - Otoe Co. PARKER, Walter - Nemaha Co. BURCH, Hiram - Otoe, York & Lancaster Co.s KRUG, Fred - Douglas Co. HOLLAND, Amelia - Saunders Co. CASELMAN, John E. - Nemaha Co. FOSTER, John A. - Douglas Co. TAYLOR, William A. - Cass Co. BOLEJACK, Mrs. Lucinda - Richardson Co. KUBICEK, Mathias - Saline Co. HIGGINS, Mrs. George - Douglas Co. LOCKWOOD, Charles Wesley - Buffalo Co. KLEIHAUER, James - Nemaha Co. CHALFANT, Mrs. Lena M. (nee GANT) - Otoe Co. PORTREY, Joseph Frank - Richardson Co. WOOD, Mrs. Sarah Jane - Dakota Co. (died in IA) WATSON, John K. - Nemaha Co. (2 notices) COLE, Mrs. D. C. - Nemah & Douglas Co.s HALL, Daniel B. - Kearney Co. BABCOCK, William R. - Jefferson Co. GOODWIN, Mrs. Elizabeth E. - Cass Co. REED, David Silvers - Otoe Co. TEATS, Mrs. Mary A. - Dodge & Washington Co.s BYRNE, Mrs. Ella - Douglas Co. BURROW, Mrs. William - Nemaha Co. FOWLIE, William John - Lancaster Co. HOTALING, Dighton W. - Johnson Co. NELSON, John - Cedar Co. MAYER, George A. - Cass & Lancaster Co.s HAUPTMAN, Mrs. Mary D. - Lancaster Co. ARMSTRONG, James - Nemaha Co. (died in CA) HALBECK, Mrs. Henry - Dodge Co. STORK, Herman Henry - Washington Co. WUNNER, Johannes Christian - Stanton Co. BAUMAN, Conrad - Sarpy Co. COOK, James Harrison - Otoe Co. WHITEHEAD, Richard - Lancaster Co. CRABTEE, Mrs. Anson B. - Cass Co. EVERETT, Mrs. Andrew - Burt Co. War Program - 1920 NSHS Annual Meeting 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEBRASKA HISTORY HISTORY VOLUMES AT A PREMIUM AND RECORD OF PIONEER DAYS Many requests come in for the ------------------------------------early publications of this Society. Published Monthly by the Nebraska Sometimes these come from Nebraska State Historical Society citizens, sometimes from libraries ------------------------------------and collectors outside the state. Editor, ADDISON E. SHELDON Volumes III and IV, first series, Associate Editors cannot now be supplied. They were The Staffs of the Nebraska State published in 1892, Professor Howard Historical Society and W. Caldwell, editor. The secretary Legislative Reference Bureau will be glad to pay three dollars ------------------------------------per volume for them to fill out a Subscription $2.00 Per Year few sets. Will members go over ------------------------------------their bookshelves and send us any q All sustaining members of the spare volumes of these issues they Nebraska State Historical may find? Society receive Nebraska ------- History without further payment. COUNTY WAR HISTORIES q Entered as second class mail The Historical Society matter, under act of July 16, 1894, encourages worthy local histories, at Lincoln, Nebraska, April 2, freely placing at the disposal of 1918. their publishers the material in ------------------------------------its collections and helping them VOLUME OCTOBER-DECEMBER, find needed data. It especially II. 1919 NUMBER 4 encourages at this time worthy county war histories designed to ------------------------------------collect pictures and personal NEBRASKA-HOME OF POSSIBLE information relating to every PRESIDENTS Nebraska soldier and every home-worker in the World War. This Since 1896 Nebraska has been on Society particularly commends such the world's political map. Just now a history when undertaken and it is the home of two possible carried on by those resident in the presidential candidates - William county, for love of the cause J. Bryan and John J. Pershing. rather than commercial gain. A good Historians of future centuries are case in point is the war history of sure to search Nebraska records for Burt county edited and published by material on the great movements - J. R. Sutherland. Fifty years civil and military - of this world residence in a county and epoch. A home for the Nebraska editorship of a county seat State Historical Society is the newspaper is first-class training first need to preserve these for such a task. The paper by Mr. records. Sutherland, printed in this issue ------- of the magazine should be inspiration for other counties and CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION HISTORY editors. Constitutions are great ------- historical landmarks in the annals of the state. The story of their FIRST WINTER WHEAT IN NEBRASKA making has more human interest than The earliest record for winter the documents themselves, for it wheat in Nebraska is now discloses the actual conditions established. Among early Fort existing when the constitution was Atkinson documents just received made. A most important part of front Washington is a letter from Nebraska history is that of its Colonel Henry Atkinson, dated constitutions. Three volumes of the October 20, 1821, relating to Nebraska Society published in the farming operations at that post. period, 1906-1913, contain - so far This letter says: as known the debates and We have put down a small crop of proceedings in framing Nebraska wheat this fall, enough, probably, constitutions. These three volumes to give us seed for a large crop have about six hundred pages each. next year besides rendering us two They are an in valuable commentary hundred barrels of flour. This is a on the first fifty years of crop we should assiduously nurture, Nebraska statehood. Discussions in as being most useful and easiest of them, by the most distinguished men culture; we should, upon the most in our civil history, are reasonable cultivation, after the important, to every Nebraska next sowing, reap of this article scholar and lawyer in the present an abundance for the entire bread period of framing the constitution part of the ration. which will be voted upon next Winter wheat was re-discovered November. The supply of these in Nebraska about 1890, but a volumes of Nebraska constitutional hundred years ago it was a proven history is small. They sell at success in Nebraska. $1.50 each, and the proceeds go ------- into the Historical Society's publication fund. DIARY OF A NEBRASKA FREIGHTER ------- A letter from Mrs. William Dunn at Fort Smith, Ark., promises the NATIVE NEBRASKA FOOD PLANTS Historical Society records of her Dr. Melvin R. Gilmore, curator husband's diary when he was of the North Dakota. Historical freighting across the plains in the Society, has just published in the sixties. Mr. Dunn crossed the great thirty- third annual report of the divide at his home in Syracuse, American Bureau of Ethnology Otoe county, October 6th, 1919. He results of his investigations in was a typical freighter - quiet, the field of native American food courageous, reliable. The men who and medical plants. These were entrusted with thousands of investigations were begun in dollars worth of property out on Nebraska when Dr. Gilmore was a the plains had to possess all these staff member of our Historical qualities. Their diaries and Society. Several summers were spent letters are among the valuable by him with the Omaha and other records of frontier Nebraska. Nebraska tribes getting at first ------- hand the Indian names and uses of our native plants. A most valuable HISTORY OF NEBRASKA AGRICULTURE chapter upon Nebraska history and For a good many years Samuel C. botany is his thesis published in Bassett has been printing articles volume XVII of our reports. The upon agriculture in Nebraska. In historical aspects of the study are fact the beginnings of Bassett on fairly complete. The practical Nebraska agriculture go back to the results are small. Dr. Gilmore springtime of 1871 when the Bassett recommends the seeds and tubers of family settled on a piece of raw the Nelumbe water lily and the Wood River valley land, for many familiar plains turnip or tiepsin years known as Echo Farm. In recent of the Sioux as worthy of years the Bassett Agricultural development for food. There are, in Scrap Book has come into existence. fact, several wild food plants of It includes hundreds or pages of Nebraska most promising - three sifted material - the foundation on especially so - the buffalo berry, which a real history of Nebraska the sand cherry and the tiepsen. agriculture may be built. This When one considers how meager were magazine hopes that Mr. Bassett the wild beginnings of the will do this himself. No other cultivated plants of Europe and person now living has the training Asia which now furnish food for the for the task. No other person who world, the wild plants of the will live hereafter will have the plains seem worthy of the highest contact with the literature and the efforts of Nebraska horticultural facts of the first fifty years of genius. our first industry which Mr. Bassett has. This article is written without Mr. Bassett's knowledge. If he will undertake the work, both the State Board of Agriculture and the Historical Society should cooperate in bearing the incidental expenses. ------- NEBRASKA INDIAN CALLERS Henry Blackbird and wife of the Omaha tribe and Oliver Lamers of the Winnebago tribe were welcome callers at the Historical Society rooms, February 4th. They were part of a delegation from their tribes who addressed a committee of the constitutional convention on the use of peyote. Mr. Blackbird is a descendant of Chief Blackbird - most famous of the Omaha tribe - and Mr. Lamers is descended from French ancestors on his father's side and Winnebago on the mother's side. Each of these men is an active worker in preserving the tribal history of his people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Image] (handwritten below photo - "See C 2010") Major John G. Maher War Collection The above picture shows, in part, the collection of war trophies presented by Major John G. Maher to the Nebraska State Historical Society. These trophies were secured by Major Maher when overseas during 1918-19. They came chiefly from the neighborhoods of Soissons, Verdun, Metz. They include German and French helmets, swords, bayonets, scabbards, hand grenades, cartridges, shells, bread and sugar coupons, war medals and many other articles. This is a valuable addition to the Historical Society World War museum. Three Military Heroes of Nebraska on July 12th, for Fort Phil. Kearny ------- on July 14th, and for Fort Smith on August 12th. A letter has recently been Fort Phil. Kearny was situated received from Mrs. Susan Kearny between Big Piney and Little Piney Selfridge, a daughter of General creeks, near their confluence. It Philip Kearny. Mrs. Selfridge has was then in Dakota Territory - prepared a lecture on "Philip which was formed from Nebraska in Kearny, Soldier and Patriot," and 1861; but the site is now in the cause for which he fought, Wyoming, on the northern boundary covering events of over half a of Johnson county and about century. The purpose of the twenty-five miles southeasterly lecture, aside from doing honor to from the city of Sheridan. Fort "Fighting Phil. Kearny," is to Smith was situated at the further the cause of intersection of the Bozeman road Americanization. and the Bighorn River, in Montana The Phil. Kearny Club, created Territory, now in the southwestern under the authority of the part of Big Horn county and about Administration Board of the thirty miles southwest of the Students' Army Training Corps in Custer battlefield. Earl Hall, Columbia University, New By the treaty of April 29, 1868, York, in 1918, was organized, in the Sioux nation agreed to retire honor of General Phil. Kearny of to a definitely defined the class of 1833, the Columbia reservation, but on condition that graduate of highest rank killed in the three forts should be action during the Civil War. abandoned. Accordingly, Fort Smith General Kearny was killed at was withdrawn on July 29th, 1868, Chantilly, Virginia, September 1, Fort Phil. Kearny on July 31st, and 1862. He left a widow and two small Fort Reno August 28th. In his children, of whom Mrs. Selfridge report for that year, the was the elder. She regrets keenly commissioner of Indian affairs that she has no personal asserted that the military recollections of her father, but department took possession of the she has spent many years in the Powder River country and study of his life and patriotic established the forts there without service. She has sent to this the consent of the Indian Society a bibliography of General proprietors of the territory and in Kearny's military career. direct violation of treaty The letters of General Kearny to stipulations. Continued his wife, written during the war, disagreements after the treaty of have been carefully preserved. They 1868 led to the Custer tragedy and would be a valuable addition to the the subsequent subjugation of the manuscript files of this Society. Sioux, so that about ten years ------- later they had become willing to live peaceably within their On the 21st day of December, 1866, reservations. seventy-nine soldiers from Fort The battles of Fort Phil. Kearny Philip Kearny and two citizens, and the Little Big Horn are detached to protect a party of improperly called massacres. They choppers who were procuring wood were battles in the course of long for the fort, were attacked by continued open warfare between the Indians, numbering between 1,500 United States and the Sioux nation, and 2,000. The entire command was in which the Indian commanders killed, including the leader, outwitted the commanders of the Brevet Lieutenant Colonel William white armies. In both battles, J. Fetterman. This is the most however, the Indians were guilty of shocking tragedy in the long brutalities not then practiced in struggle between the Indians of the civilized warfare, but that plains and the white intruders, incident does not affect the fact excepting the culminating battle on in question. Toward the last, the the Little Bighorn, called the weapons of the world war and the Custer Massacre, which occurred ten manner of using them were more years later less than, a hundred brutal than those of the Indians in miles distant and in the same this Sioux war, though the Indians disputed territory. Its direct exceeded the soldiers of the world cause was the Powder River military war in unnecessary revengeful, expedition of 1865 and the intentional brutality, properly establishing of a line of forts - called cruelty. Reno, Phil. Kearny and C. F. Smith The appropriation of the domains - along the Bozeman road, in the of the Indians by the highly summer of 1866, by Colonel Henry B. civilized white race was Carrington, of the Eighteenth inevitable, because under the Regiment U. S. Infantry. Colonel superior race they maintain a Carrington's command on this population of millions while under hazardous expedition comprised only the Indians they supported only the second battalion - eight thousands; and the spreading and companies of the regiment. The site progress of civilized institutions for Fort Reno, at the intersection demanded order, whereas, the of the road by Crazy Woman's fork Indians lived in constant disorder. of Powder River, - then in Dakota A quite similar process has gone on -but now near the center of Johnson in Africa and Asia notably during county, Wyoming, - was selected the last twenty-five years. But the greed and faithless methods of the white invasion of the Indian country deserved and (Continued on Page Three.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Image] collection on exhibition in the rooms of the Nebraska State (handwritten below photo - "See C Historical Society, where it has 2382") remained ever since. When I was packing the collection at Homer for D. Charles Bristol (Omaha Charley) shipment to the Historical Society, a Mr. Buck Walter, who lived there, ------- pressed upon Mr. Bristol his check of three hundred dollars for one of (Collector of the Bristol the buffalo robes, but in vain; so Exhibit of Early Indian Relics in the Historical Society obtained the the Historical Society's Museum.) collection intact. Of course this D. Charles Bristol, commonly treasure is displayed at great called Omaha Charley, was born at disadvantage in the very crowded Canandaigua, N. Y., March 17, 1934. space in the Society's rooms. His father was a native of I have, noticed that even in the Connecticut and his mother of New largest museums east of the York state. His first occupation Mississippi River, there is almost was that of brakeman on the a dearth of early Indian relics, Chicago, St. Paul & Minneapolis and no other state in the Union has railroad, but he soon established a so complete a collection of them as trading post thirty miles east of Nebraska. Mr. Bristol's name and Black River Falls, Wis., before he fame are destined to be perpetuated was twenty-one years old. He has in his collection; for the lifework followed the business of of this picturesque frontiersman Indian-trader most of his life, will be appreciated more and more doing business with the Chippewa. as knowledge of its historical and Miami, Potawatomi, and Winnebago. ethnological value spreads. Mr. Bristol came to Decatur, [Image]E. B. BLACKMAN. Neb., in 1867, when he was thirty-three years old and has ------- lived in the state most of the time Three Military Heroes of Nebraska since - on the Omaha and Winnebago (Continued from Page Two.) reservations, at Pine Ridge, Gordon, Rushville, and finally at won the severest condemnation from Homer. In 1865 he was married to the just. The report of the Miss Mary Thompson of Union City, commission which was appointed to Penn., but they parted and she investigate the troubles with the became the wife of Judge Robert Indians of the plains during the Wilson of Neligh, Neb. In 1881 he period under consideration, made by was married to Lettie Hunter, an General John B. Sanborn, General N. educated woman of the Winnebago. B. Buford, and G. P. Beauvais, the Four boys were born to them: celebrated frontiersman and Indian William T. in 1891; Chas. D. in trader, attributed the hostility of 1886; Albert H. in 1897; and the Indians to the causes adverted Harold, 1909. He bought a farm to, and directly to the fact that adjoining Homer in 1883 and has though they had refused to sign the resided there most of the time treaty imposed upon them at Fort since. Laramie in June, yet immediately It was customary among the after this refusal by the Indians plainsmen, in the early days, to who owned the Powder River country apply significant nicknames to one to permit the use of the Montana another, such as Buffalo Bill, Wild road, a military force was sent to Bill, Pawnee Charley, etc. Thus Mr. fortify it by the erection of the Bristol became known among his three forts along its course. associates as Omaha Charley, The Bozeman Trail proper ran probably because he was closely from Platte Bridge to Bozeman City. associated with the Omaha tribe. It was established or outlined in Mr. Bristol has a comfortable 1864 by John M. Bozeman, a noted home in Homer, and he and his pioneer of Montana. Different estimable Indian wife are devout accounts place its western terminal church workers, highly respected by at Virginia City and the three their many neighbors and friends. forks of the Missouri. But both On my recent visit to them he Bozeman and Virginia City are in remarked, "Of course, I have been the Three Forks region. This famous pretty wild and a great sinner, but highway was extended as far east as with the help of God, I am trying Fort Laramie when it was wrongfully to live right and do right by fortified by Colonel Carrington's everybody." Not a home in the state expedition in 1866. It was the line is more neatly kept, and its owner of the civil invasion into the gold has plenty of this world's goods to regions of Montana and the military make his old age enjoyable. His invasion of 1866 which provoked the originally strong constitution bloody resistance of the Sioux served him so well that in spite of lasting some fifteen years. In exposure and other hardships and 1863, Bozeman opened a trail from irregular living, he is apparently the Red Buttes into the Three Forks still in vigorous health. region. The Red Buttes were a Many years ago he conceived the familiar landmark near the Oregon notion that a collection of Trail. The nearby station of the apparel, household utensils, Pony Express was named for them. It weapons, etc., illustrating customs was the eastern terminal of Buffalo and manners of the Indians in their Bill's route of seventy-six miles - own habitat, would be of great and to the Three Crossings of the lasting interest to the general Sweetwater. His daring exploits on public, and he undertook his task this difficult and dangerous with characteristic industry and section of the romantic road, made acumen. It is a custom among the it exceptionally famous. From 1854 Indians to present a friend or to 1861, the Red Buttes were in benefactor with some part of one's Nebraska Territory; from 1861 to costume. Sometimes one will remove 1868, in Dakota Territory; since his moccasins for such a purpose, 1868, in Wyoming, territory and going back to his lodge barefooted. state. They are situated near the Many important chiefs of the plains North Platte River, in the tribes have been Omaha Charley's southeasterly part of Natrona friends, and he was it keen judge county, about twenty-two miles west of fine workmanship. The best of the city of Casper. specimens he could buy or otherwise Platte Bridge was situated at procure were added to his one of the principal crossings of collection from time to time. the Oregon Trail and the road to He took special interest in such California from the south side to articles as possessed historical the north side of the river. The value and he obtained many of this site is about two miles above the class. During the seventies he city of Casper. The bridge was toured many of the larger cities of built as a private enterprise in the country with his collection, 1859 and cost sixty thousand including a band of Indians to dollars. The Mormons established a exhibit them. Later he expanded his ferry there in 1847. The south show with a theatrical organization terminal of the bridge was occupied which performed in many of the by United States troops from July leading theatres of this country 29th, 1858, to April 20th, 1859, and Europe. On retiring from this for the protection of the business he erected, at Homer, a expedition to Utah to suppress the building especially designed for Mormon rebellion. The post was the display and preservation of his reoccupied in May, 1862, and collection; but afterward he and finally abandoned in 1867. his wife gave it up to and for On the 25th of July, 1865, their church and removed their Lieutenant Caspar Collins, of the collection to a small frame Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, son of building near their home. When I Lieutenant Colonel William 0. first visited Homer in 1905, the Collins, of the same regiment, and collection was arranged in cases for whom Fort Collins, Colo., was and packed in boxes in this named, arrived at the Platte Bridge building. post from Fort Laramie, where he Mr. Bristol and his wife were had gone to receive promotion from eventually persuaded to place the a second to a first lieutenancy. In the early morning of the 26th, a detachment of twenty-five soldiers of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry was ordered to cross the river to meet a wagon train from the West and protect it from the hostile Indians who were swarming in the hills on the north side. Noticing that no one responded to the call for some officer of the regiment to volunteer to command the detachment on its palpably dangerous duty, the young lieutenant, though of a different command, begged to be chosen for leader, and his request was reluctantly granted. The little band was attacked by more than 700 Indians who had killed eight and wounded seven of them when the remainder attempted to retreat to the fort. Collins, who rode a powerful horse, might have escaped, but he turned back to rescue a wounded comrade, his horse became unruly and carried him far into the ranks of the Indians to a frightful death. On November 21st following, an order issued by General Pope named the post Fort Caspar in honor of the intrepid young hero. He was only in his twenty-first year when he was killed. Philip Kearny won renown in the Mexican war and the Civil War. He also fought with the French who, with their Sardinian ally, conquered the Austrians and led to the formation of the Italian nation. At Solferino, the decisive battle of the war, Kearny won great distinction by dis [sic] dashing initiative. His commission as major general of volunteers was executed on July 4th, 1862, but it had not reached him when he fell at Chantilly. General Winfield Scott said that he was "the bravest man I ever knew and the most perfect soldier." Though he was the more brilliant leader and fighter, the military talents of his uncle, Stephen Watts Kearny, were perhaps of a more substantial quality and his achievement on the whole more important. His career in the war of 1812, against Great Britain, was creditable, and though his most distinguished service was in the war with Mexico he is a very important personage in the history of the wars and explorations of the western plains. On the second of July, 1820, an exploring party started from Can- (Continued on Page Five.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE NEBRASKA FUEL ADMINISTRATION By John L. Kennedy, Federal Fuel Administrator. (A paper read at the annual meeting of the Nebraska State Historical Society, January 13, 1920.) On October 16, 1917, Dr. Harry and Wyoming, and cars could not be A. Garfield, United States fuel diverted to any extent from one administrator, tendered me by railway to another. In the telegraph the office of federal southwestern part of the state, fuel administrator for Nebraska, reached only by the Chicago, and I accepted the appointment the Burlington & Quincy railway, much same day. My formal certificate of difficulty was experienced in appointment is dated October 17. At preventing actual suffering during the request of Dr. Garfield I the winter of 1917-18. In some attended a conference of state fuel instances that railway furnished administrators held in Washington and transported coal in the night on October 26, at which the work of to particular communities, to meet the fuel administration was emergencies. These conditions outlined. Upon my return from induced me to insist upon through Washington I at once organized for joint rates from all Wyoming and work in the state. Colorado mines to all points in State Organization. Nebraska, so that coal cars might move freely from one line to In Nebraska there are six another at the most convenient congressional districts and junction or diversion point. Such ninety-three counties. An advisory rates were eventually put into committee was appointed, consisting effect, to the great advantage and of one member from each relief of consumers throughout the congressional district as follows: state. First district, John E. Miller, When the zone system of Lincoln; second district, George W. distribution was established by the Holdrege, Omaha; third district, administration, we were deprived of Mark D. Tyler, Norfolk; fourth Pennsylvania anthracite. Our supply district, Frank W. Sloan, Geneva; of bituminous coal from Illinois fifth district, William H. Lanning, was also zoned away from us. At Hastings; sixth district, Judge that time it was understood that we Robert R. Dickson, O'Neill. should get our chief supply of Shortly after his appointment bituminous coal from Routt county, Mr. Lanning resigned, and no Colorado. The mines in that successor was appointed to territory were reached by the represent the fifth district. The Denver & Salt Lake railway - known other members of the committee as the Moffatt Line. That road was served until March 27, 1919. in the hands of a receiver, because County committees. of financial difficulties. It lacked equipment and funds to meet The county was taken as the most operating expenses. The railroad satisfactory unit for organization administration had not taken the purposes. I appointed the chairman road over, and late in August, in each county, and he made up his 1918, it ceased operation entirely. own committee. Selections were made The closing of the railway was a without reference to party calamity. My experiences of the politics. In a few sparsely settled preceding winter convinced me that western counties the chairmen made I could not assume responsibility no appointments and took charge of for the distribution of coal in the work personally. In other Nebraska during the. winter of counties committees were larger or 1918-19 under the changed smaller according to population and conditions. I so informed the community requirements, the object United States fuel administrator, being to have a member of the and the railroad administration committee in each city or town. took over and operated the line. They averaged about seven or eight The coal distribution system of to a county, in all about seven Nebraska was built upon the hundred. wholesale dealers of the state, and Office Organization. the retail coal dealers relied largely upon the wholesalers for On November 6, 1917, I appointed their supply. It was the custom of Fred P. Loomis, of Omaha, assistant the wholesale dealers to place fuel administrator, and he rendered orders with the mines in advance excellent service in the and dispose of and divert the coal distribution of coal during the in transit to meet actual winter of 1917-18. conditions. The distances from the On December 17, 1917, I mines to ultimate destination appointed Arthur L. Palmer, of points were great, transportation Omaha, executive secretary. He slow, and the demand and supply served continuously to August 31, were affected daily by acute 1918, and resigned to enlist in the weather conditions. The coal in the navy. He rendered very efficient hands of the wholesale dealers, service to the fuel administration therefore, depended upon the and to the state. privilege of diverting and On October, 15, 1918, Myron L. consigning coal in transit to Learned, of Omaha, was appointed supply their customers. August 30, director of enforcement for 1918, an order was made in Nebraska, and Henry F. Wyman, of Washington, by Mr. Calloway, in Omaha, director of conservation for charge of the distribution of Nebraska. On October 18, 1918, bituminous coal, prohibiting mine Robert W. Johnston, of Lincoln, was owners and operators from accepting appointed director of fuel orders for coal without the name of conservation for the hotels of the ultimate consignee and final Nebraska. Administration offices destination being given. The result were maintained in Omaha from of the order was immediately October, 1917, to April 1st, 1919, apparent in Nebraska. It was with the necessary stenographers revolutionary, so far as our state and office equipment. was concerned. I therefore insisted Fuel Supply. upon the revocation of the order as to Nebraska shipments. The matter At no time during the period of was finally adjusted in Chicago on fuel administration did Nebraska October 7, 1918, by and between the suffer seriously for lack of fuel. Washington officials and myself. Throughout the winter of 1917-18 Under the terms of the agreement sufficient coal could have been then reached, the wholesalers and obtained from usual sources of jobbers retained the privilege of supply to meet all requirements. reconsigning in transit, but were The transportation facilities, required to report weekly, in however, were inadequate. Coal triplicate, all reconsignments and cars, loaded and empty, were diversions made within the state, congested at diversion points and one copy to go to the district terminals, and the free movement of representative in whose district available coal was thereby delayed. the shipment originated, one to the The railroads also lacked engines state fuel administrator, and one and equipment. to C. E. Lesher, director of the When producing and consuming bureau of statistics. The districts were created by the fuel arrangement was satisfactory. administration and the zone system During the summer of 1918 car was established, the Nebraska congestion and delays in unloading situation was materially changed. were almost wholly eliminated, and Pennsylvania anthracite was thereafter the transportation of excluded from the state. To deprive coal in Nebraska was very much small householders and consumers of simplified and improved. stove and chestnut sizes, suitable Throughout the administration for baseburners, of a supply was a period, much of the coal coming real hardship. Nebraska also lost into Nebraska was imperfectly nearly a million tons of the best cleaned and badly prepared. bituminous coal, usually obtained One of the greatest evils in the from Illinois, and was obliged to distribution of coal is the look to Wyoming and Colorado and shortage in weights. These the south for substitutes. The shortages, other than normal western coal was mostly lignite, shrinkage, should not be absorbed inferior in quality and heat by the coal dealers and consumers producing capacity and subject to of the country. They are the result considerable degradation. A chiefly of inaccurate and imperfect sufficient supply of bituminous methods of weighing at the mines, coal could not be had from Routt the overloading of coal cars and county, Colorado, because of the pilfering in transit. In an order bankrupt condition of the Denver & of mine made June 25, 1918, Salt Lake Railway. From the broad relating to margins, I authorized transportation standpoint, the zone the retail coal dealers to have the plan seemed to be perfect, but in coal weighed on the track scales operation it benefited the east and nearest to destination, so that burdened the west with kinds of they might be furnished with coal to which consumers were not competent evidence of the actual accustomed. Early in 1918 a new amount of coal received. They were coal field was being developed in permitted to add the expense of Wyoming, about a mile and a half re-weighing to the cost of the coal from the Winton branch of the Union to them. Pacific railway, under an agreement Prices and Margins. with the Union Pacific Company that a track should be laid to the coal Soon after my appointment it mines. The government, however, became evident that great took over the railroads before the difficulty would be experienced in agreement was signed. The new field reaching correct margins, because promised a large supply of of the imperfect bookkeeping excellent Rock Springs coal, much methods of the retail dealers, and needed in Nebraska, and upon my the lack of accurate records for presentation of the facts to Dr. previous years. My intention in the Garfield, and with his first instance was to establish recommendation and cooperation, and prices in the different cities, the cordial cooperation of Mr. towns and villages throughout the Calvin, federal manager of the state. The county committees in Union Pacific Company, the railroad Douglas and Lancaster counties administration assumed the investigated fully and reported contract, and large shipments of specific prices for Omaha and coal have been had from the new Lincoln. These prices, with certain mines since October, 1918. modifications, were put into effect During the period of fuel in Omaha, December 19, 1917, and in administration, Colorado anthracite Lincoln January 3, 1918. The prices came into Nebraska in limited in the two cities were quantities from the Crested Butte substantially the same, differences district. The state was quite well in freight rates and local delivery supplied with fuel; but consumers charges being taken into account. were not always satisfied with the Prices were established for the kind and quality of the coal communities in Douglas and available. Lancaster counties outside of Omaha Distribution. and Lincoln, to take effect February 1, 1918. Before Nebraska is a mineless state. Our establishing prices for the state problems related largely to at large, reports were called for distribution. This was particularly from the several county committees, true during the winter of 1917-18, and I soon became convinced that when the transportation system was the local price plan was found to be unequal to the impracticable and difficult of emergency. Every effort was made to equitable application, because of relieve the situation and release the changing mine prices and cars, but considerable disorder and transportation and other charges. confusion prevailed for several Definite prices were then dropped, months after my appointment. Coal and maximum retail gross margins cars were not placed promptly for were established, on all coal and unloading, and were frequently coke sold to consumers in Nebraska "bunched," so that coal dealers outside of Douglas and Lancaster were unable to unload them as they counties, to take effect February arrived. 9, 1918. Those margins were on There were no through joint substantially the same basis as the rates into Nebraska from Colorado prices in Douglas and Lancaster counties. On March 30, 1918, I made an order establishing maximum retail gross margins for the entire state, effective April first in that order coal dealers were required to post up and main- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ tain in their places of business, fuel administration in Nebraska, accessible to their customers, the from October 17, 1917, to March 27, government price of each kind of 1919, aggregated less than $7,000. coal and coke handled, the maximum The office furniture and equipment gross margin allowed, the retail purchased for the use of the price at the yard, and the drayage administration brought at auction and delivery charges. This enabled more than the original cost. consumers to analyze prices. The Economy was practiced in every order which was effective April branch of the fuel administration first was superseded June 25, 1918, service in the state. My check for by a state wide order dated June $1, in compensation for my 22, 1918. The later order services, is dated December 20, materially increased the margins 1918. It will never be presented and permitted the retail dealers to for payment. add the cost of unloading from the cars to the cost of the coal to them. The April first order was too Expression of Appreciation. close to permit a reasonable profit to the retail dealers. The order of In closing this brief summary of June 25 was liberal. In the the work of the federal fuel meantime, between these dates, the administration in Nebraska, please cost of handling the coal and permit me to express my profound carrying on the retail coal appreciation of the cordial business had very materially cooperation on the part of the increased. December 27, 1918, an people of the state. The committees order was made, which took effect in the several counties were loyal January 1, 1919, reducing the and efficient, and their work margins on yard screened coal ten should be gratefully acknowledged. cents per ton and establishing a In connection with the reduction of maximum average unloading charge of expenses at light and power plants, twenty-five cents per ton. I wish particularly to mention the The retail coal dealers in Omaha services of Prof. E. J. and Lincoln claimed,that they McCaustland, dean of engineering at should have higher prices and the University of Missouri, who margins than the dealers in the made several trips to Nebraska. smaller towns, because their I would be lacking in loyalty if expenses were greater. The dealers I failed to pay a tribute of in the small towns urged that they respect to Dr. Garfield. His high should be allowed greater margins character and integrity cannot be than the dealers in the large questioned. As United States fuel cities, because they transacted so administrator he was capable, little business, and had to courageous and consistent. He is a maintain their coal yards and splendid type of sturdy American equipment. My opinion was that the citienship [sic]. entire state should be on the same ------- basis. In the cities the greater Three Military Heroes of Nebraska volume offset the increased (Continued from Page Three.) expense. In the small towns the business was light and the expense tonment Missouri, soon afterward in proportion. named Fort Atkinson, "to discover a The state wide margins were route, across country," between equitable and fair to all retail that post and Fort Snelling, which coal dealers in the state and gave was established about a month general satisfaction. before Fort Atkinson was started. The orders of the administration The expedition proper comprised were generally complied with Captain Matthew J. Magee and First throughout the state. There were Lieutenant Charles Pentland of the few instances of overcharging, and Rifle Regiment, Second Lieutenant these were due largely to loose Andrew Talcott, of the Engineers, business methods. fifteen soldiers, presumably of the The margins and prices Rifles, four servants, and an established and maintained in Indian guide with his wife and Nebraska related to the retail coal papoose. It was under command of business. The commissions allowed Captain Magee assisted by to wholesale dealers and jobbers Lieutenant Talcott. Lieutenant were provided for by direct orders Colonel Willoughby Morgan, of the of Dr. Garfield. Rifle Regiment, and Captain Kearny, Where instances of overcharging of the Second Infantry, accompanied were brought to the attention of the expedition but were not an the administration, coal dealers official part of it. Probably were required to make refunds to because Captain Kearny kept a their customers; or they were journal of the expedition, it has obliged to turn over the amount of often been said that he led it. The their overcharges to the American journey required twenty-four days - Red Cross. from the 2nd of July to the 25th, Conservation inclusive. Captain Kearny wrote that the officers of Fort Snelling The "lightless nights" orders of "were a little astonished at the Dr. Garfield were enforced in sight of us, we having been the Nebraska; and requests by the state First Whites that ever crossed at administrator for the late opening such a distance from the Missouri and early closing of stores and to the Mississippi river. The places of business were generally object of the exploring party which complied with. I have accompanied from the C. B. After careful investigation being to discover a practicable through the several county route for traveling between that committees, I prepared a Post & this (on the St. Peters), conservation order covering the the one we had come is not, in the late opening and early closing of least; adapted for that purpose. stores for the winter of 1918-19. Our circuitous & wavering route is The signing of the armistice to be attributed to the Guide's obviated the necessity for putting advice, being in direct it into effect. contradiction to our opinion, & we The campaign for the being occasionally guided by the conservation of fuel had one then by the other.". considerable effect in Nebraska. It But the fact that the route is estimated that during the approximately paralleled the administration period 360,000 tons subsequent lines of railroads from of domestic coal and 160,000 tons Omaha to St. Paul,' at no great of steam coal were saved in the distance from them, and that the state. The steam coal estimate captain pronounced the region includes 792 tons saved in Omaha by through which it ran as incapable the Omaha & Council Bluffs Street "of supporting more than a thinly Railway Company through the scattered population," impeaches adoption of the skip-stop system, his judgment, putting him in the and 2,337 tons by the same class with Major Long, who interconnection of the Central proved himself a false prophet in Light & Power Stations in Grand the same way and year. Island and Fremont. All of the officers accompanying These figures represent an the expedition were garrisoned at average saving of 8 1-3 per cent on Cantonment Missouri. General the estimated normal consumption of Atkinson, who was colonel of the 6,000,000 tons during Sixth Regiment Infantry and also administration control. The saving commander of the Ninth Military on steam coal is figured at 5 per Department, arrived from St. Louis, cent, on account of the poor his headquarters, and assumed quality of coal used, and the command of the troops at the post saving on domestic coal is figured on June 15th, 1820, and also at 11 2-3 per cent. In drawing the established there, temporarily, the line between domestic consumption headquarters of his department. The and stationary steam plants, a half fact that Captain Kearny was acting of the total consumption is assistant adjutant general of this allotted to each. department, accounts for his There would have been a further presence at Cantonment Missouri increase in the saving of coal if when the expedition to Fort consumers had been able to get the Snelling started. kind and quality previously used. One historian erroneously Under zone restrictions they were includes Captain Kearny as an obliged to use coal of inferior official member of the party, quality, with reduced heating presumably because he could not capacity. otherwise account for his presence Summer Storage. at the starting place. Another accounts for his presence there by During the summer of 1918, at guessing that, "Probably he the request of the administration accompanied the Sixth, Infantry, retail dealers and consumers under Colonel Atkinson, when that purchased large stocks of coal at regiment went west to form part of summer prices. Several fires the Yellowstone Expedition, for in resulted from the storing of 1820, when he began his journal, he lignite, and much of the coal was at Council Bluff, when a camp slacked in the bins. The mild had been established by that weather and the signing of the command in the spring of that armistice lessened the demand, and year." the coal dealers were left with Stephen W. Kearny became large stocks on hand, which they lieutenant colonel of the First had difficulty in disposing of to Dragoons in 1833 and colonel in advantage, in competition with 1836. In 1838 he recommended Table Illinois and other eastern coal Creek, now Nebraska City, as the which later was obtainable in site for the post which was Nebraska. established in 1846 and named Fort Kearny; in 1845 he led the first military expedition via the Oregon Retail Coal Dealers Registered. Trail, through the territory afterward named Nebraska, to the A registration system for retail Rocky Mountains. His command on coal dealers was adopted in this expedition comprised five Nebraska. Upon application filed companies of the First U. S. with the local committees, Dragoons. First Lieutenant Philip certificates of registration were Kearny, of the same regiment, issued. When the flat was complete accompanied the expedition. Stephen it was arranged alphabetically and W. Kearny was awarded the rank of numbered consecutively. It was then brevet major general of the regular printed in pamphlet form, the U. S. army, for his service in the address following the names. There Mexican war -nominally not as high were 1,392 dealers registered, each an honor as the full of whom received a copy of the major-generalship of volunteers, pamphlet. Copies were also bestowed upon the nephew; but it furnished the committeemen, meant more. wholesale dealers, distributing An unfortunate partiality - representatives, mine operators and unintelligent rather than perverse others interested. - for the letter e has done great Cooperation. injustice to the three military heroes whose careers are sketched The fuel administration had in above. The town of Casper was so Nebraska the complete and cordial named in honor of Lieutenant cooperation of the governor, the Caspar; the county and city of state council of defense, the food Kearney, in Nebraska, were named in administration, commercial and honor of General Stephen W. Kearny. industrial associations, and These names were given to the patriotic organizations throughout municipalities as commemorative the state. The wholesale coal successors to those of the dealers and jobbers rendered abandoned forts. The name of the invaluable service. Almost without Wyoming post is commonly alike exception, the retail dealers misspelled, but that does not handled their business as directed matter much, for the fame of by the administration, with the General Phil Kearny was not closely utmost good will and with excellent identified with the Nebraska results. country. It is quite practicable to The state fuel administrators of cut out the intruding a from the the western states, particularly second syllable of Kearney and to Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, restore the rightful a in place of Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming the wrongful e in the second and Nebraska, had several meetings syllable of Caspar. It is obviously during 1918, usually at Kansas a corrollary, then, that the City, and discussed fully and misnomers should be righted. freely important questions pertaining to administration ALBERT WATKINS. affairs. These meetings were helpful and, while many of the resolutions adopted and recommendations made to Washington were without result, the exchange of views contributed to a better understanding of the problems involved. Expenses. The vouchers submitted to Washington for the expenses of the ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Image] of years from competition. At the close of the state fair that year, Judge Samuel H. Sedgwick the state board insisted that I should send a carload of our best Samuel H. Sedgwick, associate products to the world fair at justice of the supreme court of Chicago. The exhibit was made at Nebraska, died at his residence in our county's expense, and it was Lincoln, on Christmas day, 1919. Of awarded more medals on farm his immediate relatives, his wife, products than were won by any state two daughters, and a brother, the in the Union. At the well known Timothy E., of York, Trans-Mississippi and International survive him. Exposition, Burt county maintained Judge Sedgwick was born at a booth alongside the exhibit of Bloomingdale, Dupage county, Ill., Douglas county and advertised March 12, 1848, received the degree itself as the gold medal county of of bachelor of arts from Wheaton Nebraska, after which it retired to College (Ill.) in 1872 and A. M. in enjoy the honors won. 1874; studied law at the University After the armistice was signed of Michigan, 1871-72; was married the active workers began to recount to Clara M. Jones, of Rockford, what Burt did toward winning the Ill., September 25, 1878; practiced world war. A demand was generally law in Kewaunee, Wis., 1874-78 and expressed that someone should be at York, Neb., from 1878; in 1895, induced to compile the story in elected judge of the fifth judicial book form, and I was chosen for it. district of Nebraska, which I had never seen anything of this comprised the counties of Butler, kind, but in consultation with a Hamilton, Polk, Seward, Saunders delegation who waited on me to urge and York; defeated at the election me to assume the responsibility of for the same office in 1899, by a compiling the record, I proposed candidate upon the fusion ticket; that if I could have their cordial appointed a commissioner of the cooperation I would endeavor to state supreme court, April 9, 1901, make a book that would contain but resigned January 7, 1902, to photographs of all soldiers from become judge of the supreme court, the county, all the service having been chosen at the election records, and also authentic reports of 1901; defeated as a candidate of all home activities with for the same office by Manoah B. photographs of the officers of each Reese at the primary election of organization, at a cost of $7.50 1907; one of the three judges of per book. The photographs of the the supreme court elected in 1909 soldiers were to go in free, by virtue of the amendment to the without any obligation on their constitution adopted in 1908, which part to me to purchase a book. increased the number of judges from Every photograph relating to the five to seven and on the home activities was to be nonpartisan ticket prescribed by a accompanied with an order. I statute enacted the same year, and proposed to sell or contract for was again elected in 1916. He had the sale of books in advance of served two years of this term when publication and to print only the he died. number of books that I had orders In politics, Judge Sedgwick was for when they were ready for the a Republican, of the conservative press. My estimate was made on the type, but in his latter years he basis of the sale of 1,000 books. I become somewhat progressively calculated that each picture would liberal. His chief merit as a judge sell a book, that Burt county had lay in faithful industry, a fairly over 800 men in the service and poised judicial temperament, an that I could sell at least 200 to attitude more than ordinarily other patriotic citizens. I assured independent, and unquestioned the delegation that the quality of integrity. In his social relations the books would be as good as labor he was very kindly and affable. He and material could produce. I possessed and cultivated a agreed that I would obtain a religious temperament, his beliefs guaranty by a bank that money I leaning, distinctively or should receive for any book, and uncommonly, somewhat toward give a receipt for in advance, orthodoxy. He had been a member of would be refunded if the book the Congregational church at York should not be delivered. The order for about forty years. His example for payment on delivery was in note was wholesome and his career form, "promise to pay for value useful. received on demand." That made it bankable paper. I also assured the --------------- delegation that my object was to Burt County in the World War make it a county affair, free from personal or sectional bias, with no ------- partiality for friends or foes. My (A paper by J. R. Sutherland, outline was endorsed by the read at the forty-third annual delegation, and they gave me good meeting of the Nebraska Plate support. Historical Society, January 13, I began by procuring the list 1920.) from the county selective draft board, and I arranged the names by I regret that Burt county has towns, of which we have five in the not been more active in this county, namely: Craig, Decatur, Historical Society work, for no Lyons, Oakland and Tekamah. I county in Nebraska contains more carried that distinction all the data, of the early history of the way through the book, giving each state than Burt. From the burials town due credit for all war work. I on the adjacent hills, I am led to then started a campaign to obtain believe that Tekamah must have been the names of all volunteers and an Indian camp for centuries. I credited them to their respective have been a resident in the county towns. for over fifty years, and I have Being a newspaper man, I had witnessed its development from a much faith in the efficiency of hunting ground of the Indian to one advertising, so I bought liberal of the best agricultural counties space in every paper of the county in the world. I was secretary of and I had heart to heart talks with the Burt County Agricultural the people for two months, in which Society when, in 1891, 1892 and I outlined my plan and object. At 1893 it won first prize on county that time I intended to put a man collective exhibits at the state in the field to make a fair, competition being open to the house-to-house canvass, to secure world. The last year it had to the photographs and service records compete against the state of and take orders for books at the Kansas, whose exhibit was under the same time. At this juncture, Mrs. auspices of the state board of E. C. Houston, chairman of the Burt agriculture, but still Burt won county chapter of the American Red over all, and was awarded the gold Cross, informed me that the members medal, which barred it for a term thought it would be a fine thing to present each soldier with a book. She said that she had called a special meeting of the Tekamah chapter to consider the matter, and she wanted to know what reduction I would make in price it they should buy three hundred books and pay for them in advance. Each branch, Mrs. Houston informed me, had a local fund that could be used for any purpose, that these were not Red Cross funds, but they had been raised to assist in other drives and had never been reported to state headquarters. At the special meeting the plan was approved, my reduction in price was very satisfactory, and they bought three hundred books. Mrs. Houston informed the other branch chapters of the action taken at Tekamah, and within a week Craig, Decatur, and Lyons bought books for all their soldiers. These purchases disarranged my plans of a house-to-house canvass. I then devoted my efforts to obtaining photographs of the soldiers and sailors and the data from all home activities. I devised a plan of filing and checking that kept in a separate large envelope each photograph with data, or anything pertaining to each individual. 1 used those envelopes until the photographs came back from the engraver and were returned to the owner with the copy of the data sent to the printer. It was an immense task to handle a thousand pictures, but the system worked out without an error. In assembling the data of all war funds contributed in Burt county, I was astonished at their magnitude. They aggregated three and a half million dollars, for a county of only a little over 12,000 population by the last census, an average of over $269 for every man, woman and child in the county. The liberty bonds purchased amounted to $2,819,550, $216 per capita. The war savings stamps purchased up to May 1st, 1919, amounted to $366,235, an average of $28 per capita. The total contributions to the Red Cross aggregated $150,000, or $11.50 per capita for every man, woman and child in the county. Burt county also won the prize offered by State Chairman Frank W. Judson (a silk Red Cross flag) for being the banner county in Nebraska in Red Cross membership in proportion to population, and Nebraska led the nation. In the united war work and all other drives for funds, Burt went over the top in every instance. So you see that the people of Burt county were justified in being desirous of having their wonderful record of patriotism put in book form for preservation. After the data had been compiled and the proofs of all the cuts had been returned from the engraver, I was confronted with my most perplexing task, the arrangement of the materials in the book. It was up to me to paste all the pictures in a dummy form and mark the pages for copy to correspond. I began by giving the post of honor to the memorial section of twenty-four boys who gave their all to the service of their country; next came the Red Cross nurses, soldiers, ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ and sailors in panel groups of members, produced in twenty months, twenty to a page, with service ending February 28th, 1919, was record opposite; then reports and over 371,500,000 relief articles pictures of six Red Cross chapters, with a value of $94,000,000, for the champion knitters, Red Cross the benefit of the allied soldiers, auctioneers, county council of sailors and destitute civilians. defense, selective service board, These articles include surgical county liberty loan report in garments and articles for soldiers detail, women's liberty loan and sailors. at which Nebraska report, war savings stamps, united produced over 15,000,000. From war work drive, Armenian and Syrian these figures you can readily see relief work, food conservation, that Nebraska did her share," - A. fuel conservation, legal committee W. report, Burt county press, the four minute men from the five towns, ----------- home guards companies from each town with full roster of each. The Burt county schools were an [Image] important factor in all home activities. They were the avenue of publicity and distribution in all (handwritten below photo - "See C drives; so I incorporated the names 2376") of all school officers and the number of the several districts. W. H. Woods The closing section consists at page panels of war scenes in The historian and guardian of France, made from photographs Fort Atkinson, its relics and site, brought home by the soldiers, which for many years has been W. H. is interesting to many of them who Woods, or "Grandad" Woods, as he is saw service over there. affectionately called by himself as Before closing I call attention well as the children. Mr. Woods has to the proud record made by our lived at Fort Calhoun since 1871. home state. I am informed that, in He has given more time than any proportion to population, Nebraska other person to study of the local sent more soldiers into the army history and to its publicity. He than any state in the union. The was asked to give a biographical aggregate was 49,614 according to a sketch with this result: report at the provost marshal I was born in Leeds, England, general, without counting the September 28, 1839, third son of medical corps or Red Cross William Woods, a locomotive enlistments. Nebraska's war drives mechanic. My mother's first known totaled $264,760,000, thirty-four ancestors were among the Saxon million more than the quota invaders of England. I attended assigned to the state, and an school at Brighton, Manchester, and average of $220 per capita, based Patricoft and studied grammar as on the last census. Nebraska held far as pronouns. The doctors first place on food conservation ordered me to take a long sea cards, and Burt county was one of voyage in 1849, and after nine the first counties to adopt the weeks I reached New Orleans. My system. Nebraska was first in all father died of cholera in 1860, and war activity drives, and first in soon after his death I was selling Red Cross membership in proportion papers and setting type in a to population. During the Red Cross printing office at Beardstown, drive in 1918, Nebraska's quota was Illinois. I was generally known as $800,000. It gave $2,300,000, 260 Bill Woods, Devil. For, the next per cent above the quota. No wonder ten years I was a wanderer in that I am proud of being a resident printing offices, on a farm, of the banner county, in the banner blacking boots in hotels, working state. I am thankful that it was my in a livery stable, and many other privilege in years gone by to things. assist in putting Burt on the map In 1861 I responded to the three as one of the best agricultural months' call of President Abraham counties in the world. I am Lincoln, but my farmer employer gratified now over the fact that it refused to let me go until August, was my lot to compile in book form when I bought my time out and Burt county's splendid record of enlisted as a hoof soldier in patriotism in the world war. Company B, Tenth Missouri Infantry. ----------- In September I was detached and NOTES after a few weeks training assigned as acting brigade wagon master and In the report of the Nebraska in charge of $40,000 worth of State Board of Agriculture for property and later became company 1893, it appears that sixteen M. D., driving six mules. Got into counties of Nebraska and one - the last skirmish on Corinth Road, Shawnee - of Kansas, were Miss., April 8, 1862, and heard the competitors for the prizes offered bullets singing "Oh, what jolly that year for county exhibits, and boys we are!" that Burt county won the first After this I was sent from prize - six hundred dollars. Corinth to St. Louis to inspect The Federal Reserve Bank of hospital service and later to Kansas City reports that the war Keokuk for a month's vacation at savings stamps sold to Burt county government expense. After eighteen applicants up to May 1, 1919, months' education there in according to the record, amounted chemistry, medicine and college to $34,270, and the amount of lectures, trying to make a surgeon thrift stamps sold to $200; but the of me, I took charge at the refugee report explains that "many war hospital until I was sent to St. saving stamps and thrift stamps Louis and discharged in August, were sold through the post offices 1864, glad to be still a private in Burt county in addition to those soldier with $100 extra pay. I was which were purchased from the married at Keokuk in August, 1863, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas to Miss Margaret McBurney. In City." 1865-66 I clerked as a druggist in The bank says that it is unable Pekin, Ill., and later sold the to verify the statement that great Robert G. Ingersoll his Nebraska war drives totaled cigars and soda water in Peoria. thirty-four million more than the I was for two and a half years quota assigned to the state. "There superintendent of city missions, was no quota assigned in the first including Y. M. C. A., secretary of and second liberty loan." Citizens Relief Association, and On the 2nd of February, 1920, one year International Y. M. C. A. Mr. Leonard W. Treater, acting secretary for Illinois. I came to state director of the American Red Omaha as Y. M. C. A. secretary in Cross, gave this magazine the May, 1870. I was chicken eater on following interesting data in part the Fort Calhoun, Florence and De supplementary to Mr. Sutherland's Soto circuit for the Methodist statements and in the main agreeing Episcopal church in 1871-72. with them: I began the study of old Fort " . . . during the war and for Atkinson in 1883 to please Governor the period ending December 31st, Furnas and the schools. I am a life 1918, Nebraska had a total senior member of the State Historical membership of 421,821 members or Society, member of the 32.53 per cent of the total International Archeological population. This was the highest Society, historian of the percentage of any state in the Washington County Pioneer and Old union being exceeded only by the Settlers' Association. territory of Alaska which had I have had eleven children, of 23,594 members or 36.34 per cent of whom two died in early life and the population. nine are married. This picture was On February 28th, 1919, we, taken for a book of the noted men Nebraska, had 230,645 Junior of Washington county. They togged members, or 75.68 per cent of the me up and tried to make me look population, being surpassed only by like a gentleman. I was better the state of Pennsylvania and the looking then than I am now. District of Columbia with the added exceptions of the four states of ----------- Arizona, California, Delaware and Nevada, which claim to be 100 per Among the Nebraska books cent. It is my understanding, recently added to the Society's however, that these states attained library are two anniversary volumes this percentage by proclamation of of Swedish churches - one from the various states having made all Immanuel Lutheran Church of Omaha, school children in those states the other of the Fridhem members of the Junior Red Cross. congregation of Funk. Both these There are in the United States over books are illustrated and both 11,000,000 Junior members. contain a great deal of good During the first war drive historical matter. It is of great Nebraska was not asked for any importance that copies of all books definite sum, in fact no definite of local history be placed in the quota was assigned this state owing library of the Historical Society. to the fact that Nebraska was not In future years historians will go organized at that time. The state direct to this library for office was not organized until information upon the early period. after the first of July, 1917. In Nebraska churches which issue the second war drive Nebraska was anniversary volumes are deeply asked for $800,000. interested in having copies The first war drive was preserved in our library. conducted between June 18th, 1917, and June 25th, 1917; the total gold was $100,000,000 and the collection's totaled $114,023,640.23; there was an over subscription of 14 per cent. For campaign and collection expenses national headquarters appropriated $278,114.27, and it is estimated that the chapters spent approximately $500,000 for this purpose., The cost of conducting the drive therefore was less than .7 of 1 cent for each dollar collected. The second drive was conducted between May 7th, 1918, and May 17th, 1918. Again the goal set was $100,000,000. Up to February 28th, 1919, collections totaled $169,575,598.84, and there was an over subscription of nearly 70 per cent. Campaign and collection expenses totaled a trifle less than $100,000, less than .6 of 1 cent for each dollar collected. Of the above war fund drives Nebraska was asked to contribute $800,000. That actually contributed up to February 8th, 1919, was $3,206,772.98, or 1.2 per cent of the grand total collected in the United States. This figures $2.0473 per capita, or .8 per cent of our state wealth. Figures as to production are not so readily available. However, the sum throughout the United States, with the help of the Junior ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUILDERS OF EARLY NEBRASKA A Long List of Familar Names Among Pioneers Who Have Passed on, Having Done Their Work Well Addison C. Beach, Weeping Water, William A. Taylor, pioneer of Born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, Plattsmouth since 1857, died, October 21, 1834, died October 2nd; November 24th. drove overland from Ohio to Weeping Mrs. Lucinda Bolejack, Shubert, Water in 1866. resident of Nebraska since 1862, J. G. P. Hildebrand, pioneer died November 24th. editor, born in Keokuk county, Mathias Kubicek, pioneer big Iowa, died in Lincoln, October 8th, Blue precinct, Saline county, since where he had resided for more than 1856, died November 25th. twenty-five years, appointed deputy Mrs. George Higgins, a resident internal revenue collector for the of Omaha for fifty-five years, died Lincoln district in 1913, and held November 27th. the office until his death. Charles Wesley Lockwood, Gibbon, Mrs. Anna Katherine Wetenkamp, died November 27th, came to Lincoln, born in Germany, April 2, Nebraska in 1867. 1833, died October 8th; married James Kleihauer, Johnson, died John L. Wetenkamp at Manitowoc, November 27th, born in Hanover, Wisconsin in 1856; drove overland Germany, in 1834, came to America to Cass county in 1861; in 1862 in 1845, settled in Nemaha county removed to Lancaster county, in 1865, where he resided until his homesteading on what is now the O death. street road six miles from Lincoln. Mrs. Lena M. Chalfant, Nebraska William Dunn, pioneer of City, daughter of Daniel Gantt, Syracuse 1858, died October 9th. He justice of the supreme court of was a well known overland freighter Nebraska 1873-1878, died December across the plains. 2nd, resident of Nebraska since Melville Sperry Wilcox, Burt 1860. county; born in Litchfield, New Joseph Frank Portrey, Falls York, September 20, 1842; died City, resident of Nebraska since October 9th. 1863; died December 3rd. Frank T. Hamilton, born in Omaha Mrs. Sarah Jane Wood, pioneer in 1861, died October 11th. He was Dakota City in 1858, died December president of the Omaha Gas Company, 3rd at Woodbine, Iowa. vice president of the Merchants John K. Watson, Peru, died National Bank and president of the December 4th, at the age of 92 Omaha & Council Bluffs Street years; resided in Nemaha county for Railway Company, succeeding Gurdon 53 years. W. Wattles. Mrs. D. C. Cole, Peru, died in Abraham Towner, veteran of the Omaha December 6th; born in Bureau Civil War, born in Missouri in county, Illinois, March 14, 1843; 1836, died at his home in Butler came to Nebraska in 1857, where she county October 12th. resided until her death. Josiah Kent, 83 years old, died Daniel B. Hall, Minden, veteran in Omaha, October 14th; came by of the Civil war and resident of wagon from Philadelphia to Nebraska Nebraska since 1866, died December in 1857. 10th. Mrs. Salina Guss Mettlen, William R. Babcock, Jefferson pioneer of Wayne county, 1861, died county pioneer, died December 10th, October 14th. having lived his entire life of 54 Melville S. Cox, Burt county, years in the county. was born in Litchfield, New york, Mrs. Elizabeth E. Goodwin, September 20, 1842; died at his resident of Nebraska since 1860, home near Tekamah, October 16th; died in Plattsmouth December 11th. settled near Elk Creek, Douglas David Silvers Reed, Syracuse, county, in 1867. veteran of the Civil war, died Mrs. Margaret Prendergast December 11th; came to Nebraska in McDermott, pioneer of Omaha before 1864. 1860; died October 21st. John K. Watson, pioneer Nemaha Rebecca Evans, resident of county since 1865, died December Nebraska since 1866, died at 11th. Liberty, Neb., October 21, at the Mrs. Mary a. Teats, a resident age of 92 years. of Fremont since 1857, died in Mrs. Elizabeth Knoell, Fremont, Blair, December 11th. died October 22; having resided Mrs. Ella Byrne, 83 years old continuously in Dodge county since and a resident of Omaha since 1866, 1865. died December 11th. John B. Colton, owner of Mrs. William Burrow, Humboldt, Buzzards' Roost ranch near died December 12th; born in Russia, Eddyville, Neb., died at Grand January 22, 1814; came to America Island, October 23rd. Hamersley's in 1858, settling at Brownville. Army and Navy Register records that William John Fowlie, pioneer he became captain and then Bennet since 1866, died December quartermaster of the Eighty-third 14th. Regiment Illinois Volunteer Dighton W. Hotaling, pioneer of infantry, November 26, 1862 and Johnson county, 1865, died in resigned November 17, 1863. He was Holyoke, Colo., December 19th. active in the organization of his John Nelson, resident of Cedar regiment and resided at Galesburg, county for more than sixty years, the place from which he enlisted, died December 21st. from 1836, when he was five years George A. Mayer, Lincoln, died old until the time of his death, December 22nd; came to Nebraska in with the exception of twenty-four 1859, settling at Plattsmouth; years spent in Kansas City. He was removed to Lancaster county in 1862 on his way from Galesburg to his where he resided until his death. ranch in Nebraska when he was Mrs. Mary D. Hauptman, resident stricken with pneumonia which of Nebraska since 1860, died in caused his death at Grand Island. Lincoln, December 25th. It is said that his estate amounted James Armstrong, resident of to more than a million dollars, Auburn since the early sixties, most of which was invested in stock died in San Diego, Calif., December of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 28th. Railroad Company. Colonel Colton, Mrs. Henry Halbeck, pioneer as he was commonly known, acquired Dodge county since 1865, died his Nebraska ranch, which contained October 25th. about 5,000 acres, thirty-five Herman Henry Stork, born years ago. December 1, 1838, in Germany, Mrs. P. S. Gibbs died at Craig, settled at Arlington in 1865; died November 6th. She and her husband October 26th. were very early settlers in Burt Johannes Christian Wunner, county. resident of Stanton and vicinity Eldora Dell Kunnemann Beezley, for fifty-four years, died October pioneer of Syracuse, 1863, died 28th. November 11th. Conrad Bauman, pioneer of Sarpy Mrs. Mary A. Pearman, widow of county in 1866, died October 29, in Major J. W. Pearman, died at Georgetown, Colo. Crawford, Neb., November 9th; James Harrison Cook, born in married at Rockport, Mo., February Otoe county, September 12, 1865, 4th, 1856; came with her husband to died November 1; spent his life in Nebraska City, where he had settled Nebraska until his removal to in 1854. The Pearman family were Spokane, Wash., in 1911. among the best know early settlers. Richard Whitehead, resident of Major Pearman bore the title Lancaster county since 1867, died "Squatter Governor" and was a witty November 4; entered employ of the newspaper writer. postoffice October 15, 1884, as Walter Parker, Johnson, Neb., mail carrier and at the time of his died November 13; born in England death was the oldest carrier in in 1841, came to the United States point of service. in 1866 and the same year to Mrs. Anson B. Crabtree, Maywood, Brownville, after twenty years Neb., died November 5th; moved with moved to Johnson. her parents to Iowa in 1849, Hiram Burch, University Place; settled in Cass county, Nebraska in first minister of the Methodist the very early fifties. Episcopal denomination ordained in Mrs. Andres Everett, Lyons, Nebraska, died November 15th; born Neb., who settled in the Logan in Canada December 11, 1829; valley in 1867, died November 6th. arrived in Nebraska City, November 29th, 1855, to become pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. ----------- Burch assisted in establishing the A War Program Methodist Seminary at Peru and in the organization and development of The program at the annual the Methodist college at York. meeting of the Historical Society Fred Krug, pioneer Omaha for 1920 was designed to place in resident and first Nebraska brewer our records some of the first hand died November 18th. He was born material upon Nebraska's part in near Cassel, Germany, in 1833; came the World War while the actors were to America at the age of nineteen; living and the facts fresh in their arrived in Omaha February 13, 1859, minds. The program follows: and in that year established the first brewery of that town. He was Demobilization and Return to Peace a heavy investor in many Omaha ....... Governor S. R. McKelvie enterprises among which was the Krug theatre. He is survived by his The Nebraska Fuel Administration wife to whom he had been married .......... John L. Kennedy, Omaha over sixty-three years. Amelia Holland, pioneer of The Nebraska National Guard Saunders county since 1867, died ........ Col. P. L. Hall, Jr., November 19th. Greenwood John E. Caselman, Julian, Neb., died November 21st at the age of The Nebraska State Council of eighty-four years; born in Ontario, Defense ........ R. M. Joyce, Canada, in 1835; came to Nebraska Lincoln in 1859, settling first in Nebraska City; enlisted at that place The History of Burt County in the September 9, 1861 in Company C, of World War the Curtis Horse Nebraska ............................... J. Volunteers, which was merged into R. Sutherland, Tekamah the Fifth Iowa Cavalry June 25, 1862; honorably discharged at The Three Hundred Fifty-fifth Nashville in 1864, having served Regiment ...........Capt. Earl three years and thirty-seven days. Cline, Nebraska City John A. Foster, Omaha, Neb., died November 22; born in the East Indies in 1836; served in the British army in the Crimean war; enlisted in the Civil War in the 16th New York Provisional Cavalry; He was a cornetist and played at the inauguration and at the funeral services of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Foster also served in the Indian wars and was a survivor of the Fort Sill massacre. He came to Nebraska in 1866. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Produced for NEGenWeb, 1998 by Ted & Carole Miller