Barneston Township

Barneston Township

The village of Barneston, one of the interesting and pretty villages of southern Gage county, stands on historic ground. It embraces within its boundaries the site of the ancient village of the Otoe Indians and their agency buildings, a location which serves as a perpetual reminder to the old settlers and their descendants of the original inhabitants of

Gage county. Barneston is located on the Union Pacific Railway line from Valley, Nebraska, to Manhattan, Kansas, via Lincoln and Beatrice. It is named for Francis M. Barnes, who was a member of the original townsite company and who was affiliated by marriage with the Otoe Indian tribe, his wife being a half-blood Indian woman, a daughter of Andrew Drips. Mrs. Barnes was born November 15, 1827, in Bellevue, Nebraska, where her father was stationed as a repre- .sentative of the American Fur Company. She was educated at the Convent of the Visitation, at Kaskaskia, Illinois, and in 1856, at Kansas City, Missouri, she became the wife of Francis M. Barnes. In 1859 they moved to the Territory of Nebraska, and later they settled near the Otoe and Missouri Indians in Gage county. As far as known, Mrs. Barnes is the oldest living native born Nebraskan.

The townsite of Barneston comprises the greater portion of the northwest quarter of section 18, township 1 north, range 8 east, while West Barneston, an addition to the original town, lies in the northeast quarter of section 13, township 1 north, range 7 east, where the railway line, sidetracks and station are located. The owners of the original- townsite were F. M. Barnes, of Barneston; H. R. W. Hartwig, of St. Joseph, Missouri; I. N. Speer, of Hiawatha, Kansas ; and H. L. Ewing, John Ellis, Charles O. Bates, and Alfred Hazlett, of Beatrice, Nebraska. The plat of the town of Barneston was filed in the office of the register of deeds of Gage county. May 17, 1884. The plat of West Barneston was filed on August 3, 1883. The larger portion of the business establishments of the village and nearly the entire residence district are in the original town of Barneston, which is a part of Liberty township. Some years ago, however, the county board annexed the quarter section on which the town is located to Barneston township for voting and other administrative purposes.

The surroundings of the village are romantically beautiful. Near by on the north is Wolf creek, a living, well timbered stream, - and on the south is beautiful Plum creek, a never-failing stream of water. Towards the west is the Big Blue river, and on every hand what was once a rolling prairie now shows cultivated, highly improved, thrifty farms. It is to the eastern part of the old Indian reservation what Odell is to the western part, with this difference, that about Barneston clings the romance of another race.

As early as 1873 there was a trading post at the Indian village where Barneston is now located. That year E. M. Barnes opened a store with a general stock of goods, near the agency buildings, which he maintained until the Indians removed to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), in 1881. In 1882, prior to the founding of Barneston village, he again established a store at this point, to accommodate land seekers and the early settlers on that part of the old Otoe and Missouri Indian reservation. The first merchant in Barneston after it was surveyed and platted was Patrick Rawley, who conducted a general merchandise store there until 1910; he now lives at Falls City, Nebraska. He was soon followed by A. G. Keyes, with a hardware store. The first district school-teacher at Barneston was a man named Harris. In 1883 he taught a school in the old Indian school building, a structure fifty by ninety feet, two stories in height. This building was located on the quarter-section of land just east of Barneston. It was erected by the United - States government for the education of the Indian youths and maidens of the Otoe and Missouri Indian villages, and some years ago it was destroyed by fire.

The school district of Barneston was organized November 22, 1883, at the residence of William Tauer, and it has since been known as district No. 116. The Barneston district possesses at present a frame, twostory school house and the school district employs four teachers, with an enrollment of approximately ninety pupils. The course of study includes only two years of high-school work. Recently the district has been greatly augmented by being consolidated with districts Nos. 119, 121, 177, 136, and 137 into a county high school, with approximately one hundred and fifty pupils. It is planned to erect for the consolidated district a new school building in the village of Barneston, at a probable cost of $40,000, and when this building is completed there will be installed, with the usual grades, a high school providing four years' work.

A United States postofifice was early established in Barneston, with F. M. Barnes as the first postmaster. Those who have succeeded him are A. G. Keyes, Edwin Huddert, Jesse C. Wyatt, and Bertha Hablitzle, the present incumbent. Rural free delivery of mail is maintained at Barneston, the service now being performed by a single carrier.

The first physician in Barneston was Dr. C. S- Smith, who remained three years. Those who have followed him were Drs. Hinton, J. I. Gumaer, J L. Kirby, U. D. Stone, G. W. Strough, F. J. Bachle, and E. J. Woods. All abandoned the field but Dr. Woods, who has pursued his calling in Barneston and vicinity so many years and so successfully that he has become not only a professional but a social and political force.

About the year 1884 James Craig opened a private bank in Barneston and he continued in business there until 1890. He was succeeded by the Bank of Barneston, incorporated, about 1890, by E. M. Barnes and C. M. Warren, of Barneston; John Ellis, Horace L. Ewing, W. E. King, and Harriet Ewing, of Beatrice; and W. Q. Bell, of Lincoln, Nebraska. This banking institution is still in existence, and is owned and officered by J. A. Spencer, president, and A. D. Spencer, cashier. Since 1903 the banking business at Barneston has been shared with the Commercial State Bank of that village. J, M. Howe is the president, and Henry Monfelt the cashier of the Commercial State Bank. Both banking institutions are in a flourishing condition.

In addition to the banks, Barneston has two general stores, a drug store, hardware store, grocery store, two restaurants, a hotel, two garages, a blacksmith shop, barber shop, lumber and coal yard, pump and plumbing establishment, two elevators, a meat market, and such other business concerns as one would ex-

The benevolent and other orders of the village consist of a lodge of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Chapter of the Eastern Star, camp of the Modern Woodmen of. America, and organizations of the Royal Neighbors and Royal Highlanders.

In 1889 the Presbyterians erected a fairly good church building in Bameston, at a cost of $1,200, and they have since maintained a church organization in the village. The Catholics also have an organization there, their church edifice having been erected in 1892, at a cost of $1,800.

By the census of 1910, Barneston was given 228 inhabitants. Its population at present (1918) is approximately 300. In general appearance Barneston is a very neat, pretty, attractive town. Its business men are active, accommodating and public-spirited. Barneston has furnished members of the legislature, Hon. A. D. Spenser having served in both branches of that body.

Among those who have been prominent in shaping the destiny of Bameston and in the management of its affairs are F. M. Barnes, W. P. Wyatt, Matthew Weaverling, C. W. Warren, George Pace, A. L. Cook, Patrick Rawley, James Ryan, William Tauer, Joseph Guittard, Jesse C. Wyatt, Julius Vogel, A. G. Keyes, G. D. Barry, WilHam Monfelt, A. D., Hugh, and J. A. Spencer, Edward Huddert, S. S. Ratcliff, Timothy Rawley, Dennis Sullivan, James Maliscky, John Wolken, Lon Turner, Harry Zook, John Anderson, Frederick Barnes, Jacob Gutbrot, and F. J. Woods.