Seward County, Nebraska - Chapter 4: Clippings from the " Nebraska Atlas," the " Blue Valley Kecord," and the "nebraska Reporter., 1888 (part 2 of 2)

Is old historic ground. Camden neighborhood was one among the earliest settlements. J. L. Davison located a ranch one mile west of the old bridge in 18G2, and A. J. Wallingford opened one at the bridge shortly afterwards. James Johnson settled near the bridge in the spring of 1863, and also old Mr. Bingaman. The great freight trains and thousands of movers across the plains made Camden bridge a noted place, as it was a favorite camping ground. Gen. Vifquain lived just across the county line; also Mr. Stanton and James West lived a couple of miles or so west of Camden. It was a common sight to see a hundred camps in the vicinity of the bridge. All classes of people were among the throngs of passengers, some very rich and some miserably poor. They were with all sorts of vehicles jwith gilded carriages, with finely caparisoned horses, and others with an ox and a cow yoked together, with old rickety wagons; sometimes from thirty to sixty great freight wagons, with six yokes of steers to each, loaded with meat, flour, machinery, and merchandise ; great droves of cattle, and once we saw an immense drove of turkeys, several thousand, wending their way to the mountains. Some of these pilgrims were of the best of people and some were of the worst. Many of them were refugees from Missouri, fleeing from the wrath that their crimes had engendered in the bloody work of that state in the early years of the war. Some of these fellows were blood-thirsty and vicious in the extreme. All classes of men carried weapons for defensive and oflensive purposes, and occasionally fearful crimes were committed. Grain and hay were in great demand and brought extremely high prices. We have known corn to sell at $2.50 per bushel, and hay to bring six cents per pound. The traffic on the road was immense, and continued to increase in volume until the U. P. railroad reached Grand Island. Then this business all ceased.

H. W. Parker and Ford Roper, of Beatrice, commenced the erection of the Camden mills and founded the village of Camden in 1866. For a time Camden seemed to be a very important point, and bid fair to be the great city of this valley, but the change in the route of the main line of the B. & M. railroad changed the whole face of matters, and killed Camden as dead as a mackerel. Mr. Parker did much to build Camden, and his mill was of incalculable benefit to the early settlers.

At the old bridge was the first post-office of the county established^ and for several years Camden was the distributing point for a vast area of country. James Johnson was the first postmaster. Wm. Buchanan was the first regular merchant of the county. Thomas Graham taught Camden's first school in the winter of 1866 and 1867.

" P " precinct has much rough laud, and consequently has fallen behind many other precincts in population. The census gives her 536 population and ninety-three farms. The mill was sold to liord Jones and moved off", and now one of the finest water- powers of our state lies idle, but we trust that when the track is laid from Milford to Crete that that splendid power may attract attention. The precinct has six school-houses and one church edifice.

Dear Sir - Yours of Dec. 5tli came to hand a few days ago. When I declined to write you a historical letter upon the early history of Seward county, I then hoped that you would not further insist upon my writing, as at present I have but little inclination in that way. But as you still insist that I must do it, I will attempt to record some of my first experiences connected with my making a home in Seward county. In February, 1866, as I was on my way from Leavenworth, Kan., to Denver, Colo., and while waiting at Fort Kearney for teams enough to get together to make a train large enough to defend ourselves from the Indians, who were very bad at that time, I became acquainted with Ramsey Grant, who lived on the south side of the Platte, opposite Columbus, and who was after- -wards killed by the Indians. He described to me in glowing terms the country, to such an extent that I promised to visit him on my return from Denver, and take a look at his country. In the month of April, 1866, I came down and spent a few days with him, and spent the time in looking at the country. While there I heard that a settlement had been started on the Blue River to the south of them, and that there was considerable timber there, which was a main consideration, as the soil was good everywhere in the country. I resolved' to go and see it, and when I saw it considered it good, and resolved to remain and help develop it.

I found in the north half of the county the following families, at the time of my visit: David Imlay, Sen., and two unmarried sons and a daughter, and being a bachelor, I " corralled " the daughter, and whether it was for my everlasting happiness or eternal misery is none of your business;* Wm. Imlay, W. W. Cox, R. T. Gale, E. L. Clark, Sen., Thomas Dunaway and Mother, Richard Sampson, Lewis MoflStt, J. N. Roberts, Thomas Skillman, John Durland, and F. E. Pitt. A number of other families came in that spring, among whom were the Hagamans, E. L. Ellis, John Roberts, Sen., J. C. Sampson; and in the fall a few more families arrived - Roger Cooper, Wm.

Cooper, E. B. Shafer, and Geo. W. Rogers. There were also a few people at the Oak Groves, amoug whom were J. D. Main, Mr. John A. Scott, and a few others, I think, but am not positive about it, as I did not become acquainted over there the first year. After that year it would be difficult to keep track of all that came.

In April, 1867, the river was higher than I ever saw it afterwards, caused by the heavy snows of the previous winter, which was the coldest winter that I ever saw there or anywhere else. In fact it was terrible, and as the people had poor houses, I was glad there were no more of them at the time. In 1867 there was a good crop of wheat and some corn and vegetables, but the grasshoppers got most of the corn. With the experience of the winter before, and with the time to prepare for it, the people were in better condition for the next winter, which being a mild one in comparison with the preceding one, but little suifering was experienced.

In the summer of 1868 the first buildings were erected on the town site of Seward. I think there were five that year, and on the Fourth of July a few of the people congregated on the public square and elevated a pole that was used as a flag staff for a number of years. Yearly additions were made to the town by buildings and people, till at present it has become as fine an inland town as can be found in Nebraska, Lincoln excepted. As I notice that you have described the county seat troubles I will not mention them.

In August, 1869, Mr. S. G. Mathewas and T. L. Norval first made a visit to Seward. At that time ''Op," now the honorable judge of the sixth judicial district of Nebraska, looked like a school boy just out of school, but since that time he has acquired enormous proportions. The Norval Bros, were among the first attorneys who located in Seward, though F. JNI. E.'s worth was there about a year before, but we had but little use for lawyers, as it took all we could make to i\e<[ ourselves, and as to clothing, we will not mention the " old rags" that we covered our nakedness with, for we were truly what the people of Colorado called the Nebraskaus when meeting them on the plains, " ragged Nebraskaus." In fact the name was applicable to us for a number of years after I went there, and I do Dot think I should feel at home in Nebraska now unless I could be allowed to let my rags float in the breezes as of yore.

fall of 1867, who started a saw-mill, I think iu the following summer, which was a great convenience to the people in getting lumber to make themselves and stock more comfortable. Said saw-mill afterwards gave place to a flouring mill, which enabled the people to feed themselves better. All the people owe Father Boyes a debt of gratitude for first providing them with means to erect houses and then with bread, and may he and his estimable lady long live to sit upon their porch and listen to the whir of the old mill wheel, and enjoy the society of their hosts of friends. While the people had grasshoppers to contend with, Mr. Boyes had the Blue river to watch during freshets. His first grist-mill was so ruined as to be comparatively worthless, but the old man had the " sand " in his crop, and Avent to work with energy and rebuilt the structure, which he has again replaced with the present splendid structure to take the place of the old saw-mill. In the freshets above mentioned the people were frequently put to straits by the bridges on the streams washing out, when they would often have to travel many miles to cross the river, or swim it. A little cotton wood skiff" that I made in the spring of 1867 aided a great many people to cross the river, which they otherwise could not have done.

Although we were all poor, and at times had hard work to make ourselves comfortable, yet I think we enjoyed ourselves as well as Claudius Jones does to-day with his fine houses and barns and premium Short-horns and untold treasures. This teaches us that wealth is not indispensable to happiness.

In the year 1874 the whole country west of the Missouri river suffered severely with drouth, which nearly annihilated the corn and vegetable crop, but the grasshoppers came in August and took what the drouth had not already destroyed, and unjustly the loss of the whole crop was charged to them.

Since 1876 the grasshoppers have not visited the state, and from that time Nebraska can date the dawning of her prosperity. With her fine soil, even if the climate is at times severe, it must soon rank as an agricultural state second to none. But as Hon. Geo. Geddes remarked some years ago, in a communication to the New York Tribune: "Any country that will produce grass will sustain a population," and Nebraska has become a better grass producing country, especially for the tame grasses, than the most sanguine dared hope for fifteen years ago. With tlie surety of producing cheap food for stock, Nebraska must ever take rank among the first as a stock producing state, aud the people of all stock countries may at least become independent.

I have written more than I first intended. I mean more Avords, but I fear that when you come to use the critic's eye of a historian you will find but little that you can use in your book. I hope you will thus treat it, for this is not intended for publication without such treatment, as I hardly know what to write, my not knowing what you have written, but if I have even furnished you with some ideas and expressions I shall be pleased.

I hope some day to visit Nebraska again, as, " with all her faults, I love her still," even if I do like the winters of Southern California better. With my best wishes for the success of your efforts, and for the future of that fair land and her prosperity,

Dear Sir - John A. Scott located on his claim on section twenty, township twelve, range four east, in the spring of 1864, and John Owens settled on section twenty-eight in the summer of 1864. Asa Munn made settlement on section two in 1866 ; John Royce on section twenty-eight, J. D. Maine and J. D. Olney on section twentytwo, Warren Brown on section twenty-three. Royal Dart settled on section thirty-two in 1867 ; S. M. Darnall on section twenty-two, and John Darnall on section twelve, the same year.

The first school was taught by Miss Sarah A. Scott, on the Jack Royce place, in a log school-house, in 1867. Rev. George Clapp preached the first sermon in the old log school-house, in the same year. Rev. Robert Rowbottom organized the first church (M. E.) in 1875.

Until 1869 we had to goto Lincoln for our mail. At that time an office was established. G. B. Hardenburg was our first postmaster, and held his office in the old house of Milton Langdon, on section twenty-one. A steam saw-mill was established in 1868, by Kirkam

Our growth and progress have been slow but sure. Our growth has been steady. Quite a number of the first settlers have passed off the stage of action, among whom were Milton Langdon and wife, Mrs. Gillman Garland, David Hawkins, J. D. Maine and wife, and Simeon Munn.

This region has always been known as the Oak Groves, and it is quite historic ground. It is unlike any other portion of the county. The land is what we term rough or broken, has many quite deep caiious, and each of these has a beautilul rippling brook of clear .spring water. Excellent springs are numerous. When the settlement began in 1864, these canons were all thickly set to oak timber. This timber was hauled to the salt works for fuel, and to the tableland for Jill purposes, and finally, when the capital was located at Lancaster (Lincoln), scores of teams were kept busy hauling wood, and before the cars had reached the new city, these fine groves were all, or nearly all destroyed. There was a vast amount of valuable timber all through this section of country, and it seems sad that it should have been so ruthlessly destroyed. Many of these hills are full of a very superior quality of limestone Many kilns of lime were burned, and the lime found a market at Lincoln, Seward, and throughout the farming region roundabout. While this is not deemed as desirable for farming purposes as the level plain to the westward, yet we have very many excellent farms in the valleys, and for stock purposes our advantages are unsurpassed.

Our soil is excellent, our water is of the very best, and abundant, and we generally have happy and comfortable homes. How we got our start of hogs was related hy Mr. Cox, the author of this book. There was an old Missourian, we forget his name, wanted to get his hogs out of reach of the soldier boys in war time, so in about the spring of 1863, he di'ove forty or fifty shoats up to the Groves, moved his family along with them, and sojourned there while the war clouds hung heavily over Missouri. The hogs, like the family ran wild, and were rather more untractable, aud when the old man found it convenient to move again the hogs were faring so Avell in the timber and tall weeds that they concluded not to move on uncertainties ; they would rather stay, and they did stay. So the early settlers found the timber full of fat hogs, and they did not suifer for meat ; and frequently an old sow with a fine litter of pigs was captured, and a start of hogs was secured.

Letter From Mrs. H. W. Parker

Dear Sir and Friend - Mr. Parker received your letter, and being very much engaged in a public way, as city councilman, etc., and just on the eve of his departure for California on a visit, he has delegated me to answer yours.

I am truly interested in your letters of " Then and Now," and ara very willing to contribute my remembrances if they will add interest to your work, but I have forgotten exact dates and have not the faculty of condensing and making brief my letters, so as to be suitable for publication, but I will do the best T can.

At one time (perhaps you remember), the Camden Mills was a popular resort for social and Christmas parties, dances and New Year's gatherings, etc. One time at a large dance, when there were over a hundred and fifty people present, after the dance Major Strunk read a beautiful poem, after which he read a notice which a Methodist circuit preacher had handed me, giving notice that there would be preaching at the Mill two weeks from the following Sunday, and requesting as large a turn out as was there on the present occasion. The result was we had a large congregation, but it was hard to get a second audience, for in those days they came from ten miles distant and seemed to be attracted by amusement and recreation, rather than stale would-be pr each.il} g ; but we were all interested in having good singing and enjoyed that part immensely. In those days there were no paid chorister or select singers, but all the audience joined whether they could sing or not. Ha ! Ha !

The raising the mill, the washout, the high water, the losing of all our lumber, so that we had to live in a dugout two years more^ made a deep and feeling impression on my mind. Propping up the roof of our dugout with six or eight posts inside, to keep the roof from falling in, and burying us up with the wagon loads of sod and soil that formed the roof.

For six months I know I suiFered torture enough to atone for the 'sins of a life-time. Did I believe in eternal punishment I should say fleas had filled the bill.

The venison, elk, and antelope meat were pleasant attractions with our Indian friends, who camped one winter for about three months near Camden. The squaws used to come over and cut wood for us. At one time I had two chopping wood at the door, and I had the papooses strapped on their boards and kept inside for me to watch. When they cried, the squaws would motion me to tilt the board, and the little fellows would go to sleep.

There were many little incidents of interest, but 'twas so long ago that I cannot remember them well enough to fix them up in shape to put them into print. I forget their proper connections.

It was not me that Lawyer P. pulled the bed clothes from, but my hired girl. Miss Anna Bingaman, now Mrs. Dan Harris. I had not yet retired, but I was terribly frightened that night, and I have had a dislike for some of those folks ever since.

Fordyce Roper and my husband (Hiram W. Parker) built the first saw and grist-mill in the county, in 1865 and 1866, at a cost of $15,- 000. High water delayed the completion of the grist-mill by washing out the dam and cutting out a perfect race around the mill, submerging their lumber yard, carrying down the river $2,000 worth of lumber. But with indomitable energy and will to overcome obstacles, such as losses and high prices of machinery, etc., the mill was finally completed and in successful operation, turning out good flour, which caused general rejoicing of all the settlers for many miles around, who had been compelled to go from fifty to sixty miles to mill. We had to board mill-wright, carpenters, and other hands more than a full year, instead of two or three months as we had expected, produce being extremely high. For potatoes we had to pay $3 per bushel, 40 cents for butter, and I remember we paid Uncle Billy Stanton 27 cents per pound for bacon ; coffee, sugar, flour, and all other provisions in proportion. We paid the commonest carpenter $2 per day and board, and the mill-wright much more, and this was what swelled the expense of the mill. We paid $3 per day for our sawyer, $3 per week for kitchen girl, and we had no spacious mansion, our home being a dug-out. I do not remember the date they got to making flour. I know they had just succeeded in getting the three-story frame up the day before the ice went out of the river, which was in March, 1866. I know they felt safe, as the river was clear of ice, but the water kept rising for three days, which we could not account for, but when weeks had elapsed news reached Camden that there had been continuous rains on the heads of the river. This was explained too late for us to remedy the destruction of the property by the flood.

From The Pen Of I. M. K. Johnson

Thomas West and family, consisting of his wife, Catharine, and sons, Cornelius, Thomas, John, Charles, and James, and daughter, Isabella, settled at West Mills on the West Blue, in the spring of 1860. They had many hardships to endure in 1861; their log cabin, together with about all their worldly goods except a few cattle, were burned by the Indians, supposed to be Omahas disguised as Sioux. This was in the fall, and the family suffered great hardships during the following winter. The Indians were very troublesome, and stole much of Uncle Tommy's crops of that year. With the exception of the families of Orin Johnson and James West, who lived near, there was no settlement nearer than Victor Vifquain, near the forks of the Blue, and the Morgans on the North Blue, from eight to ten miles distant.

Their place of trade was Nebraska City, eighty-two miles distant. Uncle Tommy started a supply store (this was in 1862, according to the best information attainable), and once a month sent a team for supplies of such goods as were in demand by frontiersmen. An invoice of a load of goods would read about as follows: Powder, two kegs; lead, from one to two hundred lbs. ; percussion caps, from one to two hundred boxes; one bbl. whiskey, flour, bacon, one hundred lbs. tobacco, fifty or a hundred traps, and some miscellaneous articles. When roads were good a trip could be made in five days. Although the Indians committed many atrocities on the Platte and the Little Blue, and were very threatening, Uncle Tommy's family never deserted their home nor abandoned it during the darkest hours, but in times of great danger guarded their stock and goods as best they could, and at last got on such good terms that they were able to do a thriving trade with the Indians. They buried their son John in 1862. This was a sad affliction. This was probably the first white person buried in the county. John was buried in what is now \Yest Mills cemetery.

He is remembered by all the old settlers as a genial, kind-hearted man. The latch string of his cabin door was always out, and no one in want ever called on him in vain. By his energy a post-office was established in 1865 at the mill and store. He was elected county clerk at the first organization in 1865. He died in 1879, and was buried beside his son, being followed to the grave by all his old neighbors as mourners of one they had known to love and respect. His widow followed him to the tomb in the winter of 1885. These dear old people have gone to the better world, leaving very many sad hearts at their departure. Uncle Tommy acted well his part in the development of this new land, and for the many acts of kindness shown he will ever be remembered by all the earlier settlers.

UncleTomray and family came from Maryland to Missouri, thence to Nebraska. They started for California to seek gold, but became disgusted with the company that they started with, and left it, and made their home in this wilderness. His son Charles lives now on the old farm, and James and Thomas live within a mile. Isabella, now Mrs. Orin Johnson, still lives on a homestead which her husband settled upon in 1861. Her husband went to Oregon many years ago, and has not been heard from since he left, and it is supposed that he is dead. Cornelius lives in Missouri. Orin Johnson's family lost several children in an early day - 1867 - with the measles. Only two of the children yet live, and they, Fanny and Ida, are living with their mother. There was no doctor nearer than Salt Basin. A messenger was sent, and made the round trip, fifty-six miles, in eight hours, bringing back a Frenchman who claimed to be a doctor, and the people expected that he knew his business. He proved to be a fraud in all but his charges. All the children whom he doctored died.

lu the years 1864 and 1865 settlers begau to locate all along the West Blue valley. At that time the idea prevailed that the uplands were worthless for cultivation. It was thought that the showers only followed the valleys of the streams, and that the high prairies could not be made to produce grain. The early settlers on Salt creek used to say that it never rained twenty miles west of Salt creek.

William J. Clark moved to his homestead just below West's mill in 1862. Mr. Clark came from New York state to Illinois, when Chicago was about the size of Seward. He run a fishing boat on the lake until he moved to Seward county. He had buried his wife at Chicago, and was accompanied to this county by his three daughters. Mr. Clark proved to be a thrifty and successful farmer. He raised a large amount of vegetables and supplied the travel on tlie great road. He was a model frontiersman. He had had the misfortune to have his right hand crippled, yet he could do and did about as much work as other men. Mr. Clark died in 1886, leaving quite a handsome property and some money in the bank for his daughters. He was highly respected by all his neighbors, and mourned by a host of friends.

Samuel Englehouft and wife (Amanda) and their five children, Ellen, Mary Anne, George, Daniel, and Albert, moved to this county in the spring of 1865. Alice, their younger daughter, was born here in 1865. Albert died in October, 1882. When they arrived in Seward county they had only a team and wagon, a few sacks of corn meal, and not a dollar in money. He bravely went to work and raised a patch of sod corn, and worked in Mr. West's mill, and in a few years became well to do. He was very fond of hunting; was an excellent neighbor and well respected. He died September 16, 1885, and was buried in the cemetery bearing his own name, leaving his aged widow, who, with her son George, still lives on the old homestead. The other children are all married and doing well. The family originally came from Pennsylvania to Manona, Illinois ; from there to Vinton, Iowa, thence to Nebraska. It is said to the credit of the lamily that no one was ever permitted to leave their house hungry.

Jesse R. Johnson and wife, Rachel, with family, William P. and Clara B,, came to their present home, two and a half miles above West's mills, in 1864. Mr. Johnson came from Cincinnati in an early day to Illinois. At tiie time they settled iu Seward county, provisions were scarce and high in price, and times were very hard, but by great energy the family lived it through until brighter days dawned, and now they are the happy possessors of a goodly heritage, having a fine farm and a magnificent orchard that has been bearing fruit for many years. He was the first (we believe) to plant an orchard in the county. Fruit w^as a hobby with him, and he always insisted that this would prove to be a splendid fruit county. Others watched his success, and now this county compares very favorably with any portion of Nebraska or the West. Mr. J. served several terms as justice of the j^eace, and was the first elected in the south part of the county. He was a good hunter and trapper and his table never was without meat. The furs and pelts secured were a source of profit. Through his energy school district No. 3 was formed, and a log school-house, which still stands as a landmark, was built mostly by himself. This old school-house stands on the farm of David Barton. His daughter Clara is now Mrs. A. C. Smith, and lives in the same neighborhood.

James West, brother of Thomas West, and his wife, Margaret, settled on a nice farm in the vicinity of his brother's farm in the spring of 1860. They then had two daughters, Eliza and Kate. Alexander, their oldest son, was born November 7, 1860, and was the first white child born in the county. Alexander continued his residence in the county until the fall of 1887, or about twentvseven years. The father and all the family, consisting at present of eight children, moved to Kansas, whither they were followed by the kindly wishes of all the neighbors. Mr. West was a very generous man, and any weary stranger found a hearty welcome under his roof. The family had their full share of privations and hardships of a frontier life.

David Barton moved to the neighborhood in the spring of 1864; was, and still is, a bachelor, but built a log house on his homestead; came with but a pittance, and has been remarkably successful ; is now the owner of a large estate, and is at this time the heaviest taxpayer of "N" precinct. Mr. Barton came from England, in 1858, almost a penniless lad, and by his industry and careful management he has acquired a handsome fortune, although a generous man. Young men may take pattern of him. Mr. B. has no relative in this county.

Israel M. K. Johnsou, sou of Jesse R. Johnson, followed his parents to the new home in July, 1865, and took a homestead. He had just returned from the army, where he had served three years; first in Company K, 138th Ills. Vol., and afterwards in Company E, 34th Ills. Israel was fond of hunting and trapping, and in company with the West boys he frequently made long trips to the Little Blue, in Kansas, and to the Platte, and once as far as the Dismal river, where he had a close call for his scalp. As he had been through the war, he had become somewhat reckless. He often guided trains to Denver, was a success as a buffalo hunter, and never returned from the chase empty-handed. At this time they were plentiful some distance westward, but only occasionally one would appear within fifteen or twenty miles. Thomas West, Jr., killed the last one ever killed in Seward county, in 1866, Elk, deer, antelope, and wild turkeys were plentiful, and were frequently killed. " Id," as they called him, was a great hunter; his rifie or revolver was never out of reach. He thought that a man that could not take horse, gun, and blanket, and rough it for three or four weeks at a time, had no business so far west as Seward county. At one time he and Mr. McFadden had their wagon wheel and harness burned by prairie fire while a hundred miles from home on a hunt, south of Kearney, and they came home with a rawhide harness and a pole under the wagon axle. It was a hard-looking outfit, but they were glad to reach home even in this sorry plight, as it was at the time of the Indian massacre on the Platte. They had a hard fight with the Sioux, and if it had not been for timely assistance from Buffalo Bill (Hon. Wm. Cody) and his Pawnees, the Indians would have taken their scalps. They helped to bury two men, a woman, and a child that the Indians had murdered, just below Martin's ranch, on the Platte. Travel on the great roads was about suspended, on account of the Indian troubles.

Rev. L. Oliver, a Methodist minister, settled near West's mill in 1869. He had a large family. Hiswife died in 1871, and he in 1874. He was one of the pioneer ministers of the south part of the county. Mr. Oliver was a good man, and did much in moulding the moral and religious sentiment of the community. We are sorry that we can give so little of his history.

Sept. 19, 1885. They had lost their son Benjamiu with small-pox ii> February, 1879. Mr. Eichardson still lives on the old homestead with his children, John, Emeline, and Emarette. He is now eightythree years old and very feeble. He has been a very industrious man^ In his old age he suffers from rheumatism.

From 1867 to 1869 great numbers of homesteads were taken along the Blue. Alonzo Clark, with a large family, settled near Jesse R. Johnson; also, a man by the name of Euland; and later, George Cam))bell and his brother Jacob, and Andrew Davenport, from Iowa. George Campbell was a blacksmith, and was of great help to the settlement, as before this we all had to go to Camden or to Louis Morgan's, on the North Blue, ten miles away. We usually went tO' Morgan's, as we could get the work the same day, and at Camden there were so many mules to shoe, and so many wagons to mend for travelers on the road, that we were compelled to remain over night or make the second [trip. Mr. Campbell was just the man we wanted.. From that time our community has prospered. We boast of no large towns or cities, but we have as beautiful homes as any part of thestate, and enjoy many luxuries. We had in early days to struggle for food and clothing, and were often severely pinched, and had it not been for Uncle Tommy West many of us would have been compelled to leave our homes. David Barton, W. J. Clark, Samuel Englehaupt,. and my father did all that was possible to assist the people, and whether the settler had money or not, they were supplied so long as the supply lasted. Frequently corn meal was the principal diet.

Nearly all our first settlers were poor, and consequently times became very hard with them. We have known families to live a whole winter on corn meal and what rabbits they could kill with clubs. Salt was scarce, and'we had to make pilgrimages to the salt basins for our supplies. On one of these trips we first became acquainted with Mr. Cox, the author of this history, but in what year we have forgotten. We do not know if he recollects or not. Our first doctor, in any reasonable distance, was Dr. Band, of Milford. The Otoes and Omahas frequently brought their whole village of tents and would camp for weeks at a time near the mill, and run all the game out of the county, so that we would not be able to kill any for our use. We then, as now, thought the only "good Indian was a dead one." But for all that, we believe they were no worse thieves than the same number of whites under no more restraints.

What a change twenty-three years has brought! New-coraers to Seward county can hardly realize the wonderful changes that have occurred in these years.

Dear Friend - Your kind letter asking me to write a history of *'B" precinct, in Seward county, Neb., was received several days ago. First. I did not move into that precinct until April, 1869, and there was considerable settlement there before that time. Second. I have forgotten the dates of a great many interesting events of early times. Yet, being always ready to assist a friend in any laudable enterprise, I will trv to give you a few points and incidents which may assist you in your undertaking.

The precinct, as first organized, comprised township 12 in ranges 1 and 2, and the west half of range 3 east of the (jth principal meridian, being six miles wide by fifteen long, and was known as ''Lincoln creek, or Plum creek, precinct." The first settlement was made along the Blue river, about 1864 or 1865, John and Thomas Shields, Robert McCrossou, and George Read being among, if not the first settlers. A few settlers also went up Lincoln creek, among the first of whom were Charles Shaffer, the Horuburgs, Jackmans, Ragaus, Reynolds, and Hartraans. In 1870 I assessed this whole territory (6x15 miles) in about five days, and by going up Lincoln creek on one side and down the other, got all the inhabitants west of the Blue river. In 1868 the Hickmans (J. D., William, Joseph, J. W., and H. VV.), T. J. Poore, John and Thomas Quillen, John and Peter Varner, and William Moore settled on the "divide" between the Blue and Plum creek, in what is now B precinct proper, and in 1869 F. M. Timblin, H. G. Dawley, Elias McClure, Amos Colman, William and Jesse Knight, E. H. Noxon, J. T. Davis, and James Read completed the settlement of government land on this divide (Shoestring prairie), while the Bates brothers, Amos Donaldson, Mike Dunigan, Esquire Batchelder, S. D. Love, Sabin Stanwood, and others settled the divide between Plum creek and Oak Grove.

The first school-house built in the precinct was a small sod house in the north-east corner of section 32, in the fall of 18t)9, and was built by the settlers, who, having no money, each did his share of breaking, hauling, and laying the sod, while some furnished poles and brush for the roof, others a door or window frame, or door or window, and each furnished seats and desks for the scholars he had to send to school. The house was built and seated in this way, but as yet there was no way provided to warm it. A stove must be had, but how? It was decided that those having timber should cut a load of cordwood, and those who had no timber of their own should go out onto section "37" and cut a load, and they would take it to Lincoln, sell it, and buy a stove. This plan was carried out, and in the latter part of November nine wagons loaded with cordwood wended their way to Lincoln through about eight inches of snow, and returned with a second-hand wood stove, and the first school-house in the precinct was ready for occupancy.

The first term of school was taught by F. M. Timblin, and was paid for by subscription. The house was small, poorly furnished and lighted, but I doubt very much if the people ever enjoyed themselves any better, spent their evenings more profitably, or formed ties of friendship which will be more true or lasting than when they met in the little old sod school-house.

The election which decided the county seat contest was held for this precinct in a house on the hill just east of the Blue river. The river happened to be very high at that time, and the only bridges were one at Seward and one at Ulysses. In order, therefore, to get the voters out, it was necessary to have a crossing near the place of voting. For this purpose ropes were procured and logs floated to a narrow place in the river, and a "drift" or "gorge" formed on each side of the stream, and connected by boards or poles laid from one to the other; and men stayed there all day to help the timid across, while wagons ran regularly between this "crossing" and the place of voting, thus taking voters to the polls and returning them to their own conveyances on the other side of the river. Elections in those days were fully as interesting and exciting as at present. At the election to vote bonds in aid of the Midland Pacific railroad every vote in B precinct was polled except five, and these five men were not in the precinct on that day. Men drove over the precinct with two or three men in a wagon, and when they found a man who was in favor of the bonds (and they all were, but had not time to go to election), some one of the party stayed and worked in his place while the balance took him to the polls, let him vote, and returned with him.

Tliey called this "M'orking for the railroad," but they never got any pay for it, except the benefits derived from the building of the road. The foregoing may assist you some in your work, and I might have added that it was in the sod school-house that the Hon. T. Y. Darnell made his maiden speech. If there is anything further, please let me know, and I will do what I can to accommodate you.

At the time of the great Indian scare of 1864, my father's family was one of the families Avhich the Nebraska City people heard Avere killed. It had been rumored throughout the little settlement that there Avere bands of hostile Indians approaching, that they were' committing great depredations Avherever they went.

On Sunday morning my uncle and Thomas Shields started down the river on a scouting expedition. After an all-day search, just at night-fall they came suddenly upon an Indian camp. The men thought their time had come, but the red-skins Avere equally scared. There was no chance to back out, and they resolved to know Avhether the Indians Avere friendly or hostile. As they bravely approached the camp, the Indians began to halloo, " Heap good Omaha." The men then concluded to camp over night Avith them, and they partook of a square Indian supper. The next morning they went home satisfied that there Avere no hostiles in the country.

A day or tAvo after this my father (Mr. Wm. Imlay) and his brothers Avere on upper Plum creek, haying, Avhen Grandfather Imlay became frightened and hastened over to our house and said the Indians were coming upon the settlement. He then hastened home to protect his family. About 3 p.m. we saAV a drove of them approaching. They Avere about where the B. & M. depot noAV stands. We w^ere living about eighty rods above the present iron bridge. My mother, thinking to escape them, locked the cabin door, and took all the children across the creek to the spring where she kept her milk. To kill time she commenced churning. Very soon four Indians (great, big, ugly creatures) came riding up to the spring, and told mother that she was AA'anted over at the house. She said, " No, I can't go. I am at work;" but they insisted in such a menacing manner that she felt obliged to yield and go. They said "Come, come," in a most determined manner. The children all clinging to her, she started, and those great, sneaking braves guarded her by one riding on each side, one l)efore, and one behind. Poor mother and we four children had a slim show to escape. They watched our every movement, step by step. When we reached the cabin, there sat sixteen burly Indians in a circle around the door. When we came up, they all arose and saluted mother, then sat down again. They had a young Indian interpreter. As they thought they had the family all thoroughly frightened, the young Indian began in good shape to tell just what they wanted. They would like to have two cows, two sacks of flour, and some meat. Mother saw that she must guard the provisions with desperation, as they had cost such great effort, having hauled our provisions from the Missouri river. The Indians said " the Sioux are coming and will take all anyway, and we want some.'' "No," said mother, "we will take our cattle and provisions and goto Plattsrnouth." "But," said the Indian, "they will be here to-night and you can't get away." Mother at this point began to get as much angry as frightened. "I will not give you anything. You are lying to me. If the Sioux were so close, you would all be running yourselves." At this point another brave, who had been pacing the yard,, seeing mother grow so warm, picked up our axe and marched straight up to her, and threw it down at her feet. She picked it up and stood it beside her. Mother said afterward that her every hair stood on end, but knowing that Indians respect bravery, she resolved to show no cowardice. We could all see that the whole river bend was swarming with Indians. Mother said, with emphasis, "I now want you to take your Indians and begone at once." Then they said, "You are a brave squaw," and the old chief motioned to his braves and they all marched off to camp. The next day our family all went over to Plum creek and remained until things became settled.

The following winter father w^as at Omaha attending the legislature; and I am sure that over a thousand Indians passed our place during the winter. It required pluck to withstand the thievish beggars. Sometimes they would sneak up and j)eep in at the window. Then others would beg for hours to get into the house.

turn home a heavy winter rain inundated all the bottom lands. We all came pretty near being drowned, but succeeded in crawling out of the cabin at the rear window, at midnight, and our only refuge was a haystack, where we remained several days entirely surrounded by water, with no possible means of escape. Mr. Cox made several attempts to rescue us. First he tried to cross the river in a molasses pan, and narrowly escaped being drowned, as the wind was high and the stream was filled with floating ice. The next day he made a raft and tried to cross, but the current was so rapid that he could not manage it. It drifted against a tree where the water was ten feet deep, and the jar threw him off his balance, and the upper edge of the raft sank so that the rapid current caught it and turned the raft on its edge up against the tree. Mr. Cox caught hold of a limb of the tree and saved himself from drowning. A desperate struggle ensued, but he finally kicked and stamped until he got the raft on top of the water again, but it was wrong side up. We all then gave np hopes of getting help till the water subsided. The fourth day tall trees were chopped by father on one side and Mr. Cox on the other, and their branches interlocked, and we made our escape to his friendly cabin, where we found a kindly greeting, rest, food, and fire.

The author of the above sketch was born in Wabash county, Indiana, August 20, 1854. In 1856 her father moved to Harrison county, Iowa, and in 1858 to Cass county, Neb., and in the spring of 1863 to Salt Basin, and to his present home in April, 1864; and there on the frontier Miss Sarah grew to womanhood. She taught two terms of school in 1872, in her home district. At nineteen was married to Allen S. Anderson, one of the soldier boys that made Seward county his home after the war. Mr. Anderson enlisted in company D, 205th Penn. volunteers, and served during the war. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born four children, all girls, viz.: Jessie, Nellie, Adie M., and a young babe, Mary J. The family now have a beautiful home, only about a mile from the scenes of hpr childhood which she has so ably depicted.

Chapter Yil

SEWARD CITY - EARLY HISTORY - FIRST BUILDINGS - FIRST STORE - THE GROWTH THE FIRST SUM3IER - CONDITION OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY - THE PUBLIC WELL AND WINDMILL - SAW-MILL - SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. NINE ORGANIZED - GRIST-MILL BUILT - PEDDLER'S DILEMMA - LOTS GIVEN AWAY - NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED - CHURCHES BUILT - CLOYD'S ADDITION - HARRIS, THE BENEFACTOR - THE B. & M. IGNORES SEWARD AND THE COUNTY, BUT LEAVES US HARRIS - MIDLAND PACIFIC R. R. - THE BOTTOM OF THE MILL FELL OUT - THE GROWTH OF 1873 - SOUTH SEWARD AND ITS EFFORT TO SUPPLANT THE ORIGINAL TOWN - INCORPORATION AS A VILLAGE - INCORPORATION AS A CITY - LIST OF TOWN AND CITY OFFICIALS - FINANCIAL STANDING OF THE CITY - POST-OFFICE AND MAIL ROUTES - FIRST SABBATH-SCHOOL - TEMPERANCE WORK - POSSIBILITIES AS A MANUFACTURING CITY - SCHOOLS - SEWARD AS WE SEE IT JANUARY 1, 1888.

The county seat and principal city of Seward county, was founded by Lewis Moffitt, and surveyed as a town site in the spring of 1868, by Hon. Thomas Graham. At this time one hewed log cabin graced this beautiful plateau, which was the home of its founder, Mr. Moffitt. Lots were treely offered to those who desired to make improvements. John Roberts, Sr., built the first building for the new town. We well remember passing over the ''site" one morning in June and seeing the pile of lumber lying just where Joel Tishue's store now stands, and how our heart swelled with emotion as we witnessed the signs of the coming birth of a new city; and well do we remember standing in our cabin door and watching frame after frame arise, as they appeared week after week, and rejoicing fo see what we long had waited for; and how exhilarating it seemed as we would leave the field for dinner, and on approaching the house and casting our eyes toward the embryo city, we would exclaim, "Mother, just see, there is another house going up in town." We remember that David Figard helped do the carpenter work on that little store. Beaty & Davis (J. N. Beaty and W. R. Davis) were the pioneer merchants. They sold groceries and dry goods, and were right clever fellows, too; they used to credit us, and then take their pay in butter, eggs, cottonwood lumber, fire wood, and promises, and the promises were the most plenty of any article produced in those days. I shouldn't wonder if they have some of those same promises yet.

J. N. Beaty built the first residence, and if you desire to see it just call at our house some day at dinner time and you will see the same old residence (our dining room). W. R. Davis erected the second where his house now stands, but in the march of progress it has given way for a better one. (Orlando Pierce claims his to be the third house.) Then Dr. Walker and W. H. Tuttle each commenced building about the same time. The Doctor's old house now stands on 4th street, just east of the opera house, and Mr. Tuttle's house was the beginning of what is now the Commercial House, but it was named the Blue Valley House. A public well was dug by E. L. Ellis and paid for by subscription. This old well stood in the center of the square. Some subscribed work, turning windlass, others Cottonwood lumber for curbing. The well was a prime necessity to all the people, but the residents of the town were not able to pay all the cost of the well, and the farmers were invited to chip in, wliich they did freely. At first a bucket and windlass were used, but A. L. Strang, now of Omaha, had settled on section 9, just north of town, and he had secured an agency for the famous Halliday windmill, and he began to talk windmill for the public well. Mr. Strang had already put up one on his farm, which the people were invited to go and examine, and it being the first windmill whose sails were unfurled in all this great region, people were not slow to go and examine its work. The windmill was bargained for, by Mr. Strang being the principal subscriber to the fund. It proved to be ''a thing of beauty and a joy for years."

Will the reader just imagine how things looked around here, with only eight or nine small buildings on the town site, and all the great prairie to the north and west yet almost an unbroken wilderness, with only one low water bridge on Blue river within ten miles (the one where the iron bridge now spans the river) ; not a grove of planted timber or a shrub, except along the water-courses ; not a single legal road yet leading to the town ; with but about five hundred inhabitants in the county, and nearly all of them in the southern half; no church spire yet pointing toward heaven ; only a log school-house,

The spring of 1869 brought recruits. School district No. 9 was organized, and L. G. Johns built a little shanty where Butler block now stands, and the district rented it, and Mr. Johns opened a school in it. Mr. Mauley built three small houses, one for a drug store, one for a hardware store, and one to live in. He painted them red, and that was the first attempt at ** painting the town red." About this time H. L. Boyes & Son got their little mill to grinding grain, after a long and tedious struggle. Their saw-mill had been running the previous season, and had been of great value to the settlement. The grist-mill was a God-send to the village and country, as previous to this we had depended largely on the Camden mill, although it was five miles further from us than Milford mill. Our reasons were that the Camden folks were our last friends, and Milford folks were our rivals, and our prejudice could easily carry us five miles through a blizzard.

We must give an incident of one of our trips to mill. In the summer of 1868 we were on the way to Camden with a load of wheat, and when nearing Clark's branch, two miles below Seward, a peddler came rushing past in a tremendous hurry, fearing, we suppose, that we would get stuck in the mud at the ford, and that he would be hindered. There was a short turn in the road just where it went down the bank, and his ponies gave a sudden spring, and over went the wagon, and Mr. Peddler went sprawling into the soft mud ; his wagon-box burst, and his fine jewelry, dry goods, laces, etc., were in like fix with himself, hopelessly imbedded in the mud. We rushed to his assistance, secured the team, and helped to pick his jewelry, brushes, silks, and linen out of the horrible pit and spread them on the grass, and lamented with him the sad loss, when he finally gave way to grief in the following strain: " Mine Gott ! Vat shall I do? Vat shall I do? I is in debt for dese goots. Mine Gott ! Mine Gott! I goes and gets a rope and hangs mineself. Mine Gott! Mine Gott! " He refused to be comforted, and when we finally left him he was still giving vent to his feelings in loud lamentations. We would like to know whether he found a rope while he was yet in the notion of hanging himself.

north half of the south-west quarter of section 21, town 11, range 3 east, and was made into thirty-two blocks, including the public square, which was dedicated to public uses. Great numbers of the more valuable lots were given away in order to get improvements started. John Roberts received several valuable lots. J. N. Beaty received block 22 entire, for his residence ; W. R. Davis, E. |^ block 23, and the firm also received other valuable lots for business purposes ; Tattle received the quarter block now occujiied by the Commercial House, and many others received lots, and perhaps it is not out of place to mention that W. W. Cox was presented with the lot upon which stands the Butler block, for services rendered in getting Seward started. We wish we had kept that present. Liberality and energy were manifested on every hand, and were more than anything else the cause of the success of the infant city.

The year 1869 gave us quite a number of new citizens and business enterprises. Fred Lankins opened a new general store. Mr. Humphrey put in a stock of drugs, and Mauley a small stock of hardware. Charles Beaty was born in the spring of 1870, and received the gift of a lot, as an inducement to others to be born. Joel Tishue opened his store on the east side of the square. Ewing built a hotel (St. Nicholas) one block south of the square. Beaty and Davis built a new store building (now the harness-shop of Mr. Landes). Several new residences were also built, and the frame school-house. This year brought the Nebraska Atlas, and the Presbyterian church was built. During this summer Wm. C. Cloyd bought of Lewis Moffit the south half of the south half of the north-west quarter of section 21 (40 acres), and laid out Cloyd's Addition. Cloyd platted a great number of business lots on Jackson avenue, surrounded block 35 with business lots facing it, and made a struggle to change the business center to that point, which created strife and contention during that fall and following winter. It was Mr. Cloyd's intention to secure the location of the court-house on block 35, should we ever get the county seat. Mr. C. made a public sale in the fall of 1870, and a large number of lots were sold, at prices ranging from $15 to $30.

In the early spring of 187i James H. Harris, "our one-eyed benefactor," put in his appearance and played a well-devised scheme on the proprietors and citizens. We very much dislike to be obliged in this work to be compelled to say anything that would in the least reflect upon the life and character of the dead, and in this case we will say just as little as is possible for a historian to say and do justice to the subject. Mr. Harris was a brother of the land commissioner of the B. & M. R. R., and about this time our people were much scared on account of a project being sprung to make a railroad town just at the center of the county. With much show of plausibility, Mr. Harris represented himself to be a man of ample means, and that he M^as in position to make Seward or kill it; that he could bring the B. & M. company to Seward or keep it away ; and he worked upon the almost panic-stricken people until they were ready and anxious to do anything to gain his influence and co-operation. The result of the final negotiations was that Mr. Moffit deeded Mr. Harris an undivided one-half of the S. E. quarter of section 20, and also the undivided half of the forty acres north of Cloyd's addition, the only consideration being his influence and an agreement that he should make all public bequests necessary in all public enterprises, and be at all the expense of surveying the same into lots, but we understand that Mrs. Moffit did exact, and obtained, a silk dress pattern. But all this magnificent gift was not enough ; Mr. Roberts must be wrung into the scheme, but he came out pretty well. Mr. H. must have the south eighty of Mr. Roberts' homestead, or half interest in it. A compromise was effected by which the south half of the N. E. quarter of section 20 should in like manner be deeded to him and become a part of the new addition; but Mr. Roberts hardly ever drives a bad bargain, and he will only do it provided Mr. Harris will secure a deed in fee simple of eighty acres where Mr. Roberts lives, Mr. R. to pay only $300 for it. Well, this is all fixed up, but our "benefactor" is not yet satisfied; he wants Mr. Cloyd's interest at other people's expense, and it would take something over $600, and this he did not have, or if he had, he did not propose to use his own money while other people were so ready to do him any kindness. This money must be raised by popular subscription, but the people did not have money. Well, a good note would be taken. So a note of six hundred dol-ars was made and was presented to the business men, while the terrible B. & M. club was held over their heads, and about twenty blockheads, ourself included, signed it. The miserable sell was soon discovered, and there was some very unpretty words used and a great amount of self-abuse indulged in, but the note was in a Lincoln bank and must be paid, or a racket would ensue. Wheu the note became due there was some stubbornness manifest, and a suit was commenced. A large number of the signers were not to be found, and others were financially played out; still there were enough yet to fight, but after comparing notes with one another, ten of us offered to pay $30 each, or $300 in full satisfaction, and accept as our pay the experience.

Well, the large new addition known as Harris, Moffit & Roberts' addition was laid out, which comprises two hundred and eighty acres of land. A great number of our present residents know how valuable that influence has been.

But one good result followed: confidence was restored for a little while, and we all were resting under the impression that we had done something very smart, when all of a sudden we woke up to find that Mr. H. had about the same influence with the B. & M. folks as any other dead-beat; that their road would not touch Seward county, much less Seward. But this much was settled: we had Harris on our hands, and the railroad would not kill us, for it was out of reach-

This year we had the acquisition of the Reporter, quite a goodly number of new buildings, many new people, and in the fall by sharp turns of the wrist we got the county seat. We were naturally gathering force and wealth as the county settled around us, but the progress was slow. Our railroad bond battles occupied our time and thoughts pretty effectually during the first half of 1872, and not much was done while the railroad was an uncertainty.

[Tiie bond fights are discussed in another place, and we pass them here.] When it became a certainty that we were to be blessed with a railroad there was a marked improvement.

We must now go back to 1870 and notice a calamity that befell the town and community. Mr. Boyes' mill had become so loaded with grain, principally grists, that the bottom fell out of it, and the community were surprised one morning to see perhaps a thousand sacks of grain and all the machinery of the mill in the river. This was a sad blow for the owners and for the community, but immediate steps were taken to rebuild the mill, and during the fall everything was set to rights and at work.

Perhaps it is well here to describe the capacity of the water-power of tiie river here. Mr. Boyes informs us that with only eight-foot head they have fifty horse power, and a head of sixteen feet can easily

During the autumn of 1872 there were numerous accessions to our business houses, and great numbers of residences were also added. W. H. Tuttle built a new hotel on the corner of Seward and 8th streets (Park House); many new workshops of various kinds were opened in anticij)ation of the new business when the cars should arrive. A new life was infused into the community, everybody's step was more elastic, all classes of people wore smiles on their faces, property advanced rapidly in value and was ready sale. We were happy in the anticipation of a glorious future.

Just as the sun began to shine out brightly in the early spring of 1873, we were gladdened by the whistle of the locomotive. "Oh! was sound ever so sweet ! " Inasmuch as the situation was discussed in a former chapter we will only add points not mentioned there. We rejoiced that we had a railroad, and it was a great blessing to us, although it cost us a large sum of money, yet it was worth much more to us than the cost. In other words, we made a good bargain, and yet our freight and passenger tariffs were scandalously high. The fare to Lincoln was $1.25, and freight on wheat, our staple product, was fifty-four cents per hundred pounds in car lots to Chicago, and all other rates correspondingly high.

The depot being placed at the foot of the hill, near Boyes' mill, Mr. Boyes thought wise to lay out what should properly have been an addition to Seward, but it was platted as an independent town and named South Seward, and what was still more strange, a margin was left between the new town and the old of sixty feet, which has been known as the " dead line." There were some other peculiarities about the new town. The proprietor carefully left his mill and his own residence outside of the platted town. There was great energy displayed on the part of the proprietor and the new-comers to overshadow the old village. Several grain houses were erected, a mammoth lumber yard (Mohawk) was opened, and a large hotel erected by Geo. Boyes; also great numbers of dwellings; and it having the depot, mill, grain houses, and the great lumber yard, they had some show to rival Seward, but their efforts all proved abortive. Seward was too firmly planted and deep rooted to be overshadowed by a sprout of a summer's growth. South Seward, however, was very tenacious of life, and although her greatness (what she had) and all her expectations were gone, yet she maintained her separate organization for many years, and never united her destinies with the city until May 30th, 1885, when she became attached, "dead-line" and all, to the city, and henceforth she is a part of our city.

Having noted in the "Reminiscences" the more important events in the growth and advancement, and as there are special chapters on the more noteworthy institutions of the city, and on the city government, which will comprise as much of interest as it would be possible to crowd into the limited space, we refer the reader to the interesting chapters furnished by able pens of the history of our churches, schools, G. A. R. post, Odd Fellows, and Masons; also chapters on post-office, agricultural society, etc., etc., and finally the closing chapter on Seward as we see it January 1, 1888.

Incorporation Of Seward As A Village

Occurred in the first days of April, 1870. (The records are conflicting: in one place they say April 2d, and in another they say April 5th.) The county commissioners passed an order as the statute provides declaring the village incorporated, and Dr. L. Walker, F. F. Larkins, W. R. Davis, Geo. Crumb, and Sara Manly were appointed trustees, and O. T. B. Williams, attorney for the corporation.

June 5, 1871, we find S. E. Ewing and Wm. Olmstead on the board, but can find no record of their election. We also find W. B. Thorpe, clerk, L. Parish, marshal, H. A. Lewis, treasurer, H. P. Kennard, assessor, and Thomas Darnall, attorney. Street commissioner, E. W. Clinton.

May 10, 1872, L. G. Johns, W. H. Tuttle," V. Daniels, Sam Stevenson, and H. Diers took the oath of office as trustees, and at their first meeting O. T. B. Williams was elected clerk, Geo. Whiting, marslial, and I. B. Compton, fire warden. O. T. B. Williams was also elected assessor.

September 24, 1873, ordinance No. 28, organizing Seward as a city of the second class, was oifered by T. L. Norval and adopted, and an election was ordered for October 18, 1873, for city officers. At said election A. Castle was elected mayor, W. R. Davis, police judge, J. W. McCabe, marshal, T. L. Norval, clerk, Y. Daniels, city engineer, and W. B. Thorpe, treasurer. Thos. Graham and A. J. Combs, council men in 1st ward, and Wra. Leese and J. R. Paul in the 2d ward.

Feb, 17th, a resolution of inquiry in regard to protection from fire was passed, in which they required of J. N. Edwards that he furnish information about the cost of a dozen rubber buckets, 48 feet of ladder, and some other tools, etc.

At the April election of 1875 the following persons were elected to fill the various offices: Ed. Mclntyre, mayor; S. B. Mills, judge; W. B. Thorpe, treasurer; T. L. Norval, clerk; J. W. Gladwish,

April 8, 1876, the following persons were declared elected city officers: I. B. Sarter, mayor; Thos. Osborne, marshal; F. H. Newton, clerk; William Leese, police judge; E. A. Polly, city engineer; W. B. Thorpe, treasurer; James Reed, councilman tor 1st ward; J. F. Goehner, councilman for 2d ward.

In 1883, Whitcomb was for the third time elected mayor; clerk, A. J. Callender; treasurer, J. N. Edwards; councilmen, John Mulfinger and John Zimmerer.

In 1884, mayor, W. R. Davis; clerk, C. S. Ailing; treasurer, J. N. Edwards; police judge, Frank P. Pingree; councilmen, Samuel Welch and T. E. Sanders.

In 1864, 1865, and 1866, the settlers of this vicinity got their mail in a sort of hap hazard way. Some of it was directed to Camden, some to Lancaster, and some to Nebraska City, and perhaps some to Plattsmouth ; and it was the custom for every person visiting any of the offices to enquire for all the neighborhood.

In the winter of 1866-67 the citizens met and consulted about getting a post-office. It was urged that Lewis Moffitt ought to take the office, as he lived on the prospective town site, but he declined the honor, and the settlement was nonplussed and did not know just what to do.

During that winter the writer took it into his head that he would try and find a solution to the question, and wrote to our delegate in congress (John Taffe) and begged him to go over to the department and secure the appointment of Lewis Moffit as postmaster for Seward, Neb., which he immediately proceeded to do, and all of a sudden Mr. Moffitt received his appointment. He felt sold, but it would not do to back square out, so he qualified and accepted the inevitable ; ^nd when he fully realized the munificent salary of $1 per month or twelve dollars year he became fully reconciled. Now we had a post-office, but no mail route. Government allowed two dollars per quarter for mail service, but men were not quite so anxious for place then as now, and we had to hold out other and better inducements. So we made up a pony purse sufficient to pay one dollar and fifty cents per week, and hired E. L. Clark, a one-armed soldier, to make the trip once a week to Camden at the freight road. Mr. Clark made his trips on foot and carried the mail in an old haversack, so we were pretty well supplied with mail facilities, but it cost many of us pretty dearly. Mr. Moffitt retained the office until July, 1868, when he resigned his lucrative trust to W. R. Davis. Mr. Davis held the office in the store of Beaty and Davis. His salary was twelve dollars per year at first, but under fine manipulation an advance to twenty-five dollars was soon secured. At that time the pay of the postmaster was gauged by the amount of postage sold, and friend Davis urged everbody to take just as many postage stamps as possible in the way of change, etc. He had to make a good showing and he did. Postage stamps were good property and everybody had plenty of them.

Our first government mail route was established in July, 1869, between here and Lincoln, via the Oak Groves. At first it was a weakly concern, and within the following year it became a semiweekly, and finally a tri-weekly. Some said it was tri-weekly because they tried every week to get mail through but frequently failed. Mr. Davis retained the office until the spring of 1871, when he resigned and E. L. Clark secured the appointment. The salary had advanced to fifty dollars per year under Mr. Davis' administration, and his last quarter had shown such an increase of business that the salary was raised to $240 per year, and in 1872 it was further advanced to |.320. L. G. Johns was appointed in January, 1873, and held the office until January, 1877. His salary was increased by degrees until it reached $1,300 per annum and $240 per year for clerk hire. When he took possession there was one daily mail from Lincoln. During 1873 railroad mail service was introduced. There were established during his administration star routes as follows: To York, tri-weekly; Crete to Columbus, tri-weekly ; Orton and Stromsburg, semi-weekly; Seward and Dorchester, tri-weekly.

Money order office was established in July, 1872. The largest money order business was done in 1873, prior to the opening of our first bank.

When Mr. Johns took possession the fixtures of the office consisted of a desk and a case of pigeon-holes worth about $20. He placed about $300 worth of fixtures in the office.

Redford received his appointment in January, 1877, and held the place about four years, when Chas. Vanpelt received the appointment, in 1881. During Mr. V.'s tenure the Morris keyless lock was introduced into the office. During his term the salary was at the maximum, or $1,700 per annum, where it remains to the present.

John Kittle received his appointment July 1, 1885. Star routes all closed. Six daily mails, and arrangements nearly perfected for two more. Present value of lixtures, about $2,000, having just put in a new and most complete outfit of improved Morris lock boxes, which is said lo be one of the finest in the West. Box rent now amounts to $170 per qiiarter. Money order business is about $2,000 per quarter.

Thus we have endeavored to trace as nearly as possible, step by step, our post-office business and mail service, through all its stages from the beginning of our settlement here until the present.

The first office was established at the old Camden bridge, just by the south line of the county and at the forks of the river, at the old ranch, in 1863.

AVe now have eleven offices, viz. : Seward, Milford, Pleasant Dale, Ruby, Germantowu, Tamora, Utica, Staplehurst, Orton, Marysville, Beaver Crossing, and three new offices that will come into existence ere this will be read, viz.: *'B," Goehner, and Hunkins, each on the Y., E. & M. Y. road.

First Sabbath-School In Seward

In the month of May, 1866, a union Sabbath-school was organized at the log cabin of Lewis Moffitt. The families engaged in the enterprise were Grandfather Imlay's, Rev. E. L. Clark's, R. T. Gale's, Wm. Imlay's, Mr. Moffitt's, and W. W. Cox's. We believe this was the first Sabbath -school between Lancaster (Lincoln) and Denver. The school was a success and produced excellent results. Previous to this, meetings for Bible reading had been held at the diffiirent houses in the neighborhood.

There are now in the county about thirty Sabbath-schools in flourishing condition. Most of them have good libraries and nearly all of them maintain their schools all the year.

Temperance Work

Temperance work commenced at a very early day in the history of Seward county. As early as J 869 a lodge of Good Templars was organized in the old school-house, and flourished for a number of years, exerting a wide and salutary influence, especially on the younger people. We remember that many people were regular attendants who lived from seven to ten miles distant. About the same date there was a lodge instituted at Milford. In 1874 a lodge of Sons of Temperance was started and did good work, which was followed by another Good Templars' lodge.

In 1874 the women's crusade was made, and created a wide interest. Many of the best Christian ladies of the city united in their efforts to suppress the liquor traffic, by visiting daily the saloons and earnestly pleading with the saloon-keepers and their customers. These ladies would fervently pray with these abandoned men, and implore them in the name of their divine Master to abandon their ungodly ways, and lead better lives. These efforts were persevered in for about six weeks, and exerted a good influence. It was sowing good seed, and it did not all fall on stony places, but some found lodgment in good ground and is bringing forth good fruit.

In 1872, after a night's carousal on the part of a number of men^ they were suddenly awakened by a sense of their own shame, and they agreed with one another that that night's debauch should be their last, and they bound themselves by a most solemn oath, which was attested by an officer with his official signature, in which they pledged not only their sacred honor but their solemn oath that they would forever abstain from the use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage. This same document emerged from that place the next morning to be signed by the peo])le in sympathy with the movement, and was signed by a large number of people, and we are happy to say that we believe that many have sacredly kept that oath, and it happily proved to be a good turn in the lives of some who may be counted among our best citizens. It is our pleasure to have the custody of that old document.

Tiie Good Templars did a noble work for many years, and in 1876 the Temple of Honor was instituted, and created a sensation, and was the means of much good for a year or more. Internal dissensions caused its early demise and cut short a life that promised valuable service in the temperance work of the community. Very many were rescued and many saved from falling by the Temple of Honor.. Other attempts were made later to revive the Temple and rebuild- its broken walls, but a deep-seated prejudice so filled the minds of the people that the uew organization failed to aceomj)lish its purpose. A Red Ribbon club was organized by the lamented John B. Finch, in 1879, and secured a very large membership, and was a power in Seward for a year or more. The Good Templars' lodge was again organized and flourished for a year, and was followed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Young Women's Christian Temperance Union. Of these the reader will learn more from a chapter devoted to their work, furnished by their order, as their organization is yet a working force. A Proiiibition club was organized about 1883, and a Reform club was organized by C. J. Holt in 1885. The Reform club work is remembered by our people for grand work and grand results. They secured columns in the city papers and published many productions on different phases of temperance work, and together with the lectures and discussions at their weekly meetings were instrumental in doing much good.

The wiser political economists have concluded that the best interests of the whole people demand that the farm and the workshop should be as nearly side by side as possible. Where the crude material is grown or digged, there it should be wrought into proper shape for the use of man. Here in Seward county are countless millions of material that needs to be transformed into products of use and luxury. The cattle grazing upon a thousand hills call for dairy products and packing-houses, tanneries, and soap factories. Our sheep call for carding machines, spinning-jennies, and cloth factories, and tailoring establishments. Our hogs are inviting packing-houses. Our flax demands oil mills, and twine mills, and rope factories. Our huo-e straw stacks speak loudly in behalf of paper mills. Our illimitable corn fields are a standing invitation to more and more feeders corn starch factories, hominy mills, etc. Our inexhaustible soils, rich in all ingredients favorable for the production of vegetables and fruits of the best, call for more canning establishments.

but we have only commenced, and it seems to us to be no stretch of the imagination when we venture the prediction that ere the close of the century we may liave a hundred manufacturing establishments within the city. At present we have six arms of railway reaching in as many directions, and a certain promise of more in the near future. We are happily situated iu the midst of the finest fields for the production of raw material in the West, and with such grand facilities for reaching out to the world's markets, nothing should hinder the investment of capital in these enterprises.

Sea7Ard Schools

The first school-house built on the town site was the frame house that is now the residence of Hugh Htinter, and it stood on same ground now occupied by the high school building. The schools, previous to the fall of 1870, were taught iu the old log cabin, in the winter of 1866-67 by W. W. Cox, and in the following summer by S. C. Ross, and by Miss Ella Tuttle (now Mrs. Martin Liggett, of Broken Bow) iu 1868. In the summer of 1869 the old cabiu was moved away, and what was known as the old sway-back house, on the site of H. Vanderhoof's house, was rented, and Miss Mattie Boyes (now Mrs. Kellogg Olmstead, of Orleans, Neb.) taught. Then L. G. Johns taught in a little building where Butler's block now stands; also, Miss McKillip (now Mrs. L. G. Johus) taught in the same place.

H. M. Coleman taught the first term in the frame school-house, and was followed by J. D. Messenger. Prof. O. S. Ingham taught several terms of a private school iu the old court-house, in 1872; also, Miss Ella Benson (now Mrs. C. L. Lewis, of Rapid City, D. T.) taught one or two terms in the same place, and this lady was afterwards employed in the various departments of the schools for twelve consecutive years.

The high school building was erected in 1874, and Prof. Ingham was principal for two years, with three assistants - Mrs. Paddock, Mrs. Merrill (now of California), and Miss Benson. The principals since that date have been: - . Phillips, H. H. Wilson, J. M. Scott, H. Cummings, W. J. Wise, and N. F. Daum.

they have also added to the high school building so that it has near double its original capacity. The building is amply supplied with all modern apparatus and improvements. It requires twelve teachers to manage the various departments of the schools. Ten respectable classes have graduated from the high school. The present cost of maintaining the schools is about $5,600 per annum. The attendance has increased through the years from 32 to about 500, and is still rapidly increasing.

Some of the more distinguished members of the school board through the years were - Claudius Jones, R. S. Nerval, H. L. Boyes, G. Babson, Jr., Mrs. E. M. Spear, Mrs. S. C. Langworthy.

From the able corps of teachers that have helped to build our schools, and that have finished their work, we mention A. A. Dershimer, who died at his post, and the noble and intelligent Miss Birge, of Milford, and Miss June Taylor.

Seward As We See It January 1, 1888

Beautiful city ! She that has been celebrated in poetrv and songas the "sleeping beauty of the Blue valley" has awakened to a new life. She has awakened from her restful sleep refreshed and streuo-th ened, and to-day she sits a " very queen" upon this commandino- hill overlooking vast stretches of scenery most magnificent, witli the meandering river gently gliding by her feet and stretching from away in the northward to the southward, marked by its long line of timber in graceful curves, loops, and bows, singing in its ripples a sweet song of her power to turn the wheels of mills and factories as she wends her way toward the sunny south ; Plum creek, coming from the north-east, adding a charm as it winds among the beautiful farms and meadows, with its clusters of timber and varied landscapes - and from the north-west comes that grand stream, with name immortal Lincoln creek, through "verdant fields," a "very paradise."

Here she sits rejoicing in the richness and splendor of the surroundings. These lands, rich in verdure, rich in all things necessary to make happy homes, orchards, meadows, and fruitful fields, rich in the "cattle upon a thousand hills," rich in hogs and horses rich in its pure, sweet water and running streams, rich in railways and all the means of an extended commerce, rich in factories and workshops rich in merchant princes, rich in churches with their spires pointing to the only better land, rich in schools and all opportunities for niental culture and advancement, and "last, but not least," rich in strong arms and brave hearts, ready and willing to pursue in the pathway of progress and achievement.

In the blazing light of the electric torch we may count to-night near three thousand souls within the city, and quite a large number in its immediate environs, which will soon become a part of the city. Forty substantial brick business houses grace our streets, many of which would be a credit to the largest cities. Three great lines of railway reaching in six directions, and making accessible to us the whole business of the world - the silks and teas of the Orient, the fruits of the Occident, the gold, silver, and rich gems of the mountains, the products of the great plains, the factories of New England, and all the vast and varied interests of our great country. Three lines of telegraph bearing to us on lightning's wing words of hope and cheer from all lands. A telephone through which we may talk to one another and to a hundred cities beside. An electric light to brighten our pathway. Well may we exclaim in the language of the old prophet, "Our light is come and the glory of God is risen upon us."

Our Morris keyless lock factory, one of the most extensive manufactuiing institutions in the West, and the most national in its character of any lactory in Nebraska, in fact we may say the field of its operations is the world. Its trade will soon reach into all lands, even to the islands of the sea. It is a matter of pride that the inventor of the lock is a citizen of Seward. Our oat meal mill, with its capacity of a hundred barrels of meal per day and using a thousand bushels ot oats per day, freighting in and out from six to eight hundred car loads of grain and products per year. Our canning establishment, with its enormous capacity for using vegetables and storing them up for winter food for tens of thousands, and giving a grand market for the produce of the farms and gardens, and giving out labor for hundreds of men, women, and children. A machine shop and foundry of large capacity, a creamery, four banks, with a multitude of mercantile establishments in all the various lines of trade, with one of the best hotels in the West, ''The AViudsor," and several smaller ones, and numerous boarding houses, six restaurants, and nearly a hundred workshops, large and small, including factories, etc., etc.

We mention blacksmiths, wagon makers, wire fence, tailoring, dress makers, millinery, cigars, broom makers, tinners, barbers, carpenters, newspapers, butchers, photographs, etc. With one of the best graded schools of our state, with a fine structure for the high school, seven departments, and four primary buildings, and employing twelve teachers. With eight church edifices, with large congregations of worshipers and flourishing Sabbath-schools. A magnificent Odd Fellows hall, a good opera house, three weekly newspapers, an excellent flouring mill, many splendid residences and beautiful yards, splendid streets, and handsome parks, all amply supplied with trees and shrubs lending their enchantment and refreshing shade.

During the year just closed the growth in population and improvement has been wonderful. Her waste places have been made glad by the accession of a splendid new railroad, of three great new factories, of a host of new buildings, several almost princely dwellings, one grand church, a great host of new people, and best of all a perfect restoration of confidence, and closing the old year with the electric torch - a grand triumph. We close this sketch of this beautiful city, our home, feeling the inspiration of our hope, always buoyant, now doubly sure that the possibilities of Seward are grand.