Buffalo County, Nebraska - Chapter 18, 1916

Chapter 18

The origin of the Soldier's Free Homestead Colony was with Col. John Thorp of West Farmington, Ohio, who had already settled a colony on homesteads in Kansas, along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad in that state. During the winter of 1870-71, Colonel Thorp had advertised his colony in eastern newspapers, these advertisements setting forth in rather glowing colors the desirable features of "free homes - free lands," along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska, and making most prominent of all that soldiers could homestead 160 acres of these lands within the railroad limits.

Colonel Thorp and H. A. Lee had visited Buffalo County and stated that from personal observation it was a most desirable country in which to establish homes on lands to be had without money and without price.

To those who joined a certificate was issued, signed John Thorp, secretary, but as a matter of fact there was never any such organization as the "Soldier's Free Homestead Colony" other than as a financial venture on the part of Colonel Thorp and even after the arrival of the colony at Gibbon, no steps were taken to perfect an organization, and no list of members w^as then made and only since from memory, from searching investigation and inquiry forty-four years after the arrival of the colony. At least two classes or kinds of certificates of membership in the colony were issued, one signed "John Thorp, Secretary," the other signed "John Thorp, Agent." On one certificate the title reads, "Soldier's Free Homestead Colony" and on the other "Soldier's Homestead Colony." F. F. Blanchard preserved his certificate of membership, has it framed and it hangs on the wall of his home as a souvenir. Herewith is a copy kindly furnished by Mr. Blanchard.

This is to certify that F. F. Blanchard is an accepted member of the Soldier's Free Homestead Colony, and is entitled to all the privileges accorded to members of the association.

Certificate of Alembership Soldier's Homestead Colony This certifies that H. A. Lee is an accepted member of the Soldier's Homestead Colony and is entitled to all the privileges of that association.

Colonel Thorp had arranged for reduced rates to colonists, but this applied to passenger rates only as all freight paid full rates as well as excess baggage, which was all weighed and the excess collected in advance. The reduced rates to members of the colony were extended to July, 1872, and as recalled amounted to a saving of about $15 to each from states as far east as New York and a less sum from points farther west. In the establishment of the colony, it is understood. Colonel Thorp's profit consisted in purchasing desirable railroad lands near the proposed Village of Gibbon, and later selling these lands at a profitable advance in price. Colonel Thorp, with relatives and immediate friends also secured the lands covering the townsite of the Village of Gibbon.

By purchasing Union Pacific land grant bonds, at the then market price, 60 cents on the dollar, and paying for railroad lands with these bonds at their face value. Colonel Thorp and others with means, were enabled to buy railroad lands at about $1.80 per acre, and from such investment they realized, even in a few years, a considerable profit. The maximum price of the railroad lands - first choice - were priced at $3 per acre on ten years' time, interest at 6 per cent.

Itinerary Of The Colony

The itinerary of the colony provided, that on the journey to Nebraska, members east of Buffalo, N. Y., should meet at Buffalo on Tuesday, April 4, 187 1, in time to take the morning train on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad for Chicago.

The writer recalls the good-bye given his uncle, James Hanford, a "Fortyniner" to California. Uncle James was just of age, raised on a farm in Delaware County, N. Y., and his relatives and neighbors never expected to again see him on the morning when they said their good-bye, as he was leaving in search of gold in far away California.

Like unto this was the good-bye many of the colonists received on the morning of April 4th, 1871, as they started on their journey to a land of which little was known, except that it seemed far away, and had been the home of cruel, uncivilized Indians for untold ages.

The Buffalo contingent of the members of the colony, arrived in Chicago about noon, Wednesday, and found Colonel Thorp with members from Ohio and other points in waiting. Special cars (ordinary passenger cars) were provided for the colonists over the Rock Island Railway, and we left soon after noon on Wednesday. It was a company of strangers, practically all the eastern and middle states being represented.

Some became acquainted, but for the majority it was a sight-seeing trip, the West being to them a new and wonderful country, its broad prairies, with-

It was a temperate class of men, only one of the number, as recalled, became intoxicated during the trip, and that during the stop at Omaha.

A few brought their families, and fewer still their household belongings, but a large majority were men, whose families came at a later date.

It is recalled, one member read his Bible during the entire trip, seeming not interested in the new and wonderful country through which we were passing. We arrived at the Mississippi River in time to see the width of that mighty stream, crossed the State of Iowa in the night, arriving at Council Bluffs in the forenoon of Thursday.

Everything was a new and novel experience, none more so than to arrive at the terminus of a great railroad, and find no station, no village or city, just stop at the end of the track on the bank of a muddy stream and unload passengers, baggage, mail and express on the wide, open prairie. On the bank of the Missouri River, near where our train stopped, was a flat boat, or great scow, used to transfer passengers, baggage and freight. This transfer boat had no wharf at which to tie up, where passengers might gain easy access to it, but the boat was snubbed against the bank, here today, elsewhere tomorrow, as the constantly shifting channel of the river permitted and made necessary.

From the floor of this boat a gang plank, cleated, reached the bank of the river some three feet above the floor of the boat. Passengers with their hand baggage occupied the center of the boat. First came four great, sleek mules drawing a load of mail sacks, the load as long, wide and high as a load of hay and which, it did seem, must upset as the load came with a rush down the steep gang plank onto the boat. The loaded team was driven along the outer side of the boat, and making a complete circuit stood ready to drive off at the same end as it was driven on.

Following came other teams with great loads of baggage, until the boat was loaded to its utmost capacity. Then we steamed across the "Big Muddy," snubbed against the opposite bank (no wharf provided) and all scrambled up the gang plank and at last were on Nebraska soil.

Nebraska Land

On the banks of the Missouri River stood the station of the Union Pacific Railroad, a cheap frame building, scant two stories in height : in the upper story, reached by uncovered stairs from the outside, were the telegraph and other offices for the convenience of the railroad employes ; below was a waiting room which might possibly seat twenty persons, a ticket office, and adjoining the station a long, plank platform for the convenience of passengers in entering or leaving the passenger cars. Adjoining the station was also a large baggage room where all baggage was unloaded, handled and weighed, and for passengers going farther than Omaha, re-checked, it being not possible to check baggage from eastern points farther than Omaha. No one who witnessed the re-checking of baggage at the Union Pacific Station at that date will ever forget the scene. Everything about the procedure was new to all passengers, for there was no

The check caller had a voice like unto a steam calliope and, standing just outside the railing were the baggage owners, holding in hand their baggage checks and tickets. At the beginning it all seemed like an unintelligible jargon, but we soon learned that when the caller shouted at the top of his voice, "Buffalo, L. S. & M. S. 19-046," that he meant the baggage had been checked at Bufl'alo over the L. S. & M. S. Railroad and the number of the check was 19,046.

One colonist had delivered to him a large trunk, not locked, and when he insisted it was not his, the baggage man asked what he had in his trunk and then opened the one at hand and found woman's wearing apparel instead of a tent, carpenter tools, cooking utensils, a log chain, some bedding, and little clothing which the colonist claimed was in a red chest and which was found later.

The "Overland passenger, No. i" stood at the station, steamed up when we arrived and as soon as mail and baggage could -be transferred (the baggage rechecked), this only passenger train proceeded on its journey. There was no dining car on this train, and as recalled no sleeping cars. In regard to whether sleeping cars were run on the "Overland passenger", at that date, the writer has made an effort to definitely ascertain, but no* one connected with the Union Pacific Railroad at this date, 191 5, has knowledge. The schedule time of this train was fifteen miles an hour.

Omaha In 1871

The colonists began to understand that they were bound for a country or locality where there could be found no hotels or boarding houses, nor even convenient store where supplies might be found, and most of the members laid in a limited supply of crackers, bread and like food.

Omaha in those days was an uninviting, dreary looking village or city. The buildings were cheap frame structures, devoid of paint, few sidewalks, and as the business part was some distance from the railroad station, it seemed the city was much smaller than it really was.

There was no end of saloons and gambling dens, in fact at that date and for some years later, there was an organization of gamblers known as "three card monte" men, wnth headquarters in Omaha, who regularly traveled on the "Overland" passenger train - in and out of Omaha - and robbed passengers who were foolish enough to play with them. It was some years before public opinion became strong enough to enact legislation to compel the railroad management to drive these gamblers from their trains.

At that date and for many years later no second class passengers were carried on the "Overland" passenger, but instead on an emigrant train, mixed passenger and freight, which ran through to the Pacific Coast.