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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 1907)
SUPPLEMENT TO NEBRASKA ADVERTISER - - w --w-w-www-rwwwwwww wwwW-FWWWWW W-W-WW llborton's Rteton of IWebraefca authentic 1400 to 1906 Complete (Copyrighted 1000. All rights reserved.) By courtesy of Editors and Publishers o( Morton's History, the Publishers Newspaper Union of Lincoln, Nebraska, is permitted Its reproduction In papers of their issue INTRODUCTORY. Tho history of Nebraska was pro jected in 1897 by tho late J. Sterling Morton, who was assisted by Dr. Geo. L. Miller. It was the ambition and dream of Mr. Morton to havo tho his tory ho had undertaken completo in all details. He did not live to see this wish realized, yet ho worked dil igently up to tho time of his death, having assembled a vast portion of what is now the most comploto his torical work of any state in the Union. Mr. Morton vividly realized the task he had set out to accomplish and In a prospectus of tho history, written when it was projected, ho, in enthusi astically setting forth important fea tures of a worthy work of that kind and its great importance, expressed the following vivid appreciation of the great labor and expense Involved in 1 ,the undertaking, by reason of its mag nitude and the fact that its field was as yet unexplored: "But as yet the story of those stir ring times and the narrative of the first struggles betwcen-barbarlsm and civilization on these plains is unwrit ten. More thnn thirty years have elapsed sinco Nebraska ascend6d from territorial to state government and was transformed from a federal de pendency to a sovereign member of tho American Union. In all those years no faithful history of tho com monwealth from its inception has been essayed and only a few meager sketches of its morning time and its pioneers have ever been published. Tho time and the opportunity for a history of Nebraska has arrived. It is our duty to gather together in good and enduring form all the stories and heroisms of the frontier territory and to truthfully portray tho moral and mental strength of the courageous men and women who made it so strong and vigorous that it evolved the state. "And then, uniting the forerunners of the frontier with the pioneers of the new state, this history shall dem onstrate the self-reliance, the self-denial, and the self-respect which char acterized and glorified those men and women who relinquished friends, rel atives, and all the charms and asso ciations of their dear homes in the East to become the forerunners of a new civilization on these plains. There is a universal demand for a creditable history which shall give the youth of Nebraska a correct under standing of its founders. In almost every county there are men and women whose influence and labors have made them italicized forces in . . industrial ana social progress, immy of these are of relatively recent citi zenship, but by their superior abilities and tireless energies they have im pressed themselves ineffaceably upon the welfare and growth of their re spective localities, and in fact upon the -entire state. Such men and women not only make the history of a state they construct and fashion the state Itself. . "The editors and publishers realize that this historical work requires vast labor and' research and the outlay of a very large sum of money. But they have faith in the pride of ancestry, pride of home, and pride of state which permeates Nebraska citizen ship, and therefore enter upon the work with an exultant assurance of making it a marked and triumphant success." HI8TORY OF NEBRASKA. CHAPTER I. Natural Conditions, Traditional, Fanci ful, and Authentic. ' In the long run physical environ ment, such as soli, climate, and to pography, shape tho man and the so ciety; but human character and social propensities, formed in older states and in other and older countries, havo been transplanted into this new state, and, while, according to a marked American instinct or characteristic, tho people have been quick to adapt themselves to a somewhat important change of conditions, yet the time during which they have been subject to them, has been too short appre ciably to change their character or social aspect. If they had only the rlchost and most easily tillable soil In tho world to conjure with, this might tend to breed mental and es thetic dulnoss; but they havo been saved from this influence by tho rare fled and bracing atmosphere, by the sunshine in which they are almost perennially bathed, as well as by cer tain adverse climatic conditions which challenge their vigilance and ingenu ity. While tho people of tho plains havo missed tho comforting compan ionship of brooks and hills and groves, whoso friendly presenco sustained tho courogo and inspired the esthetic senso of tho settlers of tho Missis sippi valley, yet these plains havo a beauteous aspect of their own which often inspired tho limning pen of Irving and engaged Cooper's romantic eye. The illlmltablo expanse of land scape, the unrivaled beauty of morn ing and evening lights and shades, the marvelous clearness of the - air, however monotonous, do not fall to excite the esthetic sensibility and wi den the spiritual vision of tho people. But when Irving undertook to estl- k mate the material value, and to pic ture tho future usefulness and devel opment of this vast prairlo empire, ho looked with blindfold eyes and painted a dismal black: "It is a land whero no man perma nently abides. . . . Such Is tho na ture of this immenno wilderness of the far West, which apparently defies cultivation and tho habitation of civ ilized life. Some portions of it along tho rivers may partially bo subdued by agriculture; others may form vast pastoral tracts like thoso of tho east; but it is to be feared that a groat part of it will form a lawless Interval between the abodes of civilized man, like the waters of tho ocean nnd tho deserts of Arabia; and like them bo subject to the depredations of tho marauders." - And then, as this polished poot-his-rnrlnn rnntlniios to eontomnlato the iuFubrious prospect, his style, In gen oral tho refinement of graco, dignity, and self-control, breaks Into an al most grotesque delineation of tho fate of a land which was destined within tho space of a man's lifo to become "the homo, tho portion fair" of nearly nn million prosperous and happy peo ple. And Cooper, the leading roman- t-to rf tlinf flnvv nhsnrvnr. in Tho Prairie that the plains are "lit fact a vast country incapable of sustaining a dense population in tho absence of tho two creat necessities" wood and water. This great story-teller affected a knowledge or geology, out it was not profound enough to penetrate to tho inovhniiarHilG sheet of subterran ean water which, fed by the eternal snows of the Rocky mountains, is co extensive with the great slope between these mountains and tho Missouri river and within easy reach of the modern and post-lrvlng-uooper wina mills which now dot these plains in Bnrh nrnfiiRlon that they would set a whole legion of Don Quixotes in sim ultaneous frenzy. Nor could the lively Imagination of these great romancers fnrpqoft thf nractlcabilitv of the sub stitution for the lacking wood of the great deposits of coal In the adjacent mountains and underlying a large part of these vast plains, because railroad transportation was beyond Irvlng's ken or fancy anu uooper s pracu-uiu view. 'As to this, Cooper skeptically vira- "it Is a singular comment on the times that plans for railroads across these vast plalnB are in active discussion, and that men havo ceased to regard these projects as cnimen cal." And Long, in the story of his expe dition of 1819, gives tho following hopeless characterization to the Ne braska plains, which, in their easterly portion at least, fpr prolific produc tion of live stock and of the forage which sustains them, including the staple cereals, and for ease of culti vation and lasting fertility, excel any other region of so large an area in tho world: "The rapidity of the current of the Platte river and the great width of the" bed of the river preclude the pos sibility of any extensive inundation of the surrounding country. The bot tom lands of tho river rise by an imperceptible ascent, on each side, ex tending laterally to a distance of from two to ten miles, where they are ter minated by low ranges of gravelly hills, running parallel to the general direction of the river. Beyond these tho Hiirfncfi is an undulating plain, having an elevatjon of from fifty to one hundred feet, and presenting the aspect of hopeless and Irreclaimable sterility." Logically Long's conclusion as to tho hopeless sterility of tho plains of the Platte should be an inference from the misstatement of fact by Marbols, made as late as 1830, in his his tory of Louisiana: "On the two sides of the river 'Plate' are vast plains of sand from an hundred to an hundred and fifty leagues in extent where no indication of living crea tures is to bo found." The ignorance of Marbols is not as inexcusable or remarkable as tho lame logic of Irv ing and Long, for the abundance of wild animals with which they per ceived the plains were stocked should have suggested to them that the re gion would be peculiarly adapted, un der cultivation, for the sustenance of domestic animal life. When some phenomenon which may havo been an eternal fact or Is a manifestation of an eternal law of nature, but which has been hidden from our Imperfect understanding, is, from the changing point of view or In tho natural course of events, sud denly revealed, wo call it Providence. And so this vast hidden reservoir of water and tho man-wrought miracle of tho steam railroad, which opened tho way for tho waiting millions, woro tho Providence of these plains. Be cause Irving and Cooper arid their compeers failed mentally or physically to penetrate to the one and to divine the coming kingdom of the other, they consigned the whole region to tho doom of eternal desolation. God in deed moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform. This "wilder ness which apparently defies cultiva tion and tho habitation of civilized life" is the granary as woll as the shambles of the world. Of two typi cal states Iowa and Nebraska which cut through tho heart of the plains, tho first is tho imperial agricultural commonwealth of tho richest farming country of tho world, and In the pro duction of tho great good staples the other lags but little behind. During Incalculable numbers of cen turies thoro was a like providential preparation on tho surfaco of thoso plains of the rlchost soli in tho world to cover so wido an area. CHAPTER II. Aboriginal OccUpants Spanish and French Explorers American Expe ditions Fur Trade First Settle ments. Tho natural tendency of migration sinco history began has been west ward; and tho movements of tho Am orlnd are not an exception to this general rule. As tho streams which drain North America havo a general trend from north to south, and ns tho rule for human activity is to proceed along the lines of least resistance, it might bo supposed that tho Amerind would follow up these streams and chango tho general order by moving forward from south to north or from north to south. Thoro was a stronger Influence than tho mero contour of tho land which drew tho tide of emi gration, although this had Its effect to such an extent that tho route of travel had a west-by-northwest trond. The food supply becamo tho main fac tor in determining tho direction of migration. Tho buffalo, which though Indigenous to tho whole central re gion of North Amorica woro partial tp tho open country, enticed the In dian to the Nebraska plains which they possessed in vast herds. This useful animal was the source of sup ply for every want: food from his flesh, raiment and shelter from his hide, implements from his bones, ves sels for holding liquids from hiB in testines, and fuel from his dung. Tho buffalo made It possible for great numbers of Indians to subsist in com parative ease on tho treeless plains of Nebraska. How much of tho food supply of tho aborigines, before tho advent of tho buffalo, may havo been derived from agricultural pursuits is unknown; but It is certain that as tho tribes spread westward and tho buffalo becamo more numerous agri culture decreased, until, when white settlers first camo in contact with tho tribes of Nebraska, little attention was given to It. ' By far the greater number of Indian tribes, which have inhabited tho ter ritory that now comprises Nebraska, followed this general rule of migra tion from east to west. These tribes belonged to two linguistic families, tho Algonklan and Slouan. Both of these great families sprang from the region east of tho Appalachian moun tains and In turn occupied nearly tho whole of the Mississippi valley. Tho first occupants of Nebraska did not follow this rule. Tho Caddoan HngulBtic family had its home In tho south near the banks of the Red river, and migrated northward, occupying the valleys of the Kansas river, and reaching northward to the valley of the Platte river and westward to tho foothills of tho mountains. Two other linguistic families, tho Shoshonean and Kiowan, encroached on our ter ritory from the west. They hunted along the headwaters of the Republi can and Platte rivers, and claimed part of the territory of this state, but few, if ai ', ruins of their perma nent homes are found within its pres ent limits. Only these five linguistic families were found in Nebraska, and but two of them, tho Caddoan and Slouan, are of importance to our his tory. Tribes of these- two families had their permanent habitat within the state, and fought with one another and among themselves for supremacy on our 'eastern border and along the Platte valley. The original home of tho Caddoan linguistic family was on the Red river of the south. Prior to tho year 1400 one band, known as the Skidi, branched off from tho main stock and drifted to the Platto valley. Tho ex act line of migration is difficult to determine, but a tradition says this tribo lived as allies of tho Omahas near tho mouth of tho Ohio river. It is not impossible that they may have followed up tho Missouri river In com ing to the Platto valloy, whero, ac cording to Dunbar, thoy wore located in 1400. Prior to 1500 another band branched off from tho main stock and drifted northward to a point near tho present Kansas-Nebraska line. Here tho Wichitas turned back and went south, while tho Pawnees moved northward and occupied the Platto valley and intervening country. In 1541 Coronado found the Wichitas near the KanBas river and sent a sum mons to tho "Lord of Harahoy" (tho Pawneo) to visit him, which ho did with two hundred naked warriors. This is tho earliest authentic record of Indian occupancy of Nebraska. This is the first time civilized man (if wo can call Coronado's followers civilized) ever saw an Indian from what is now Nebraska. All history before this is legendary, and . legen dary history is so conflicting that wo may only say that it 1b possibly true. How far Onato penetrated in his trip northeastward from Now Mexico, in 1599, is difficult to determine. Ho Bays ho visited the city of Quivora, which was on tho north bank of a wido and shallow river (very liko tho Platto). Ho says ho fought with tho "Escanzaques" and killed "a thou sand." This battle may havo been in Nebraska. Penalosa also claims to havo visited tho same locality in 1662, to havo met tho "Escanzaques," and to have beaten them In a like encoun ter. When theso brief glimpses into Spanish history nro substantiated by further research wo may bo able to add somo early data bearing on Indian occupancy of Nebraska. Tho Pawnco3 (proper), consisting of thrco mnln tribes, tho Choul (or Grand), tho Pita-how-o-rat (or Ta pago), and tho Klt-ke-hak-1 (or Re publican), emigrated to tho Platto val loy prior to 1500. They held tho coun try fifty miles west of tho Missouri river, and oventually conquered tho Skldl band, which had como hero a hundrod years before, and ndopted it Into their own trlbo. Beforo tho Paw nees camo, however, a band called Arlkara had drifted away from tho Skidi band and established itsolf on tho Missouri rlvor, but out of tho bounds of Nebraska. Tho Arlkaras came Into Nebraska and lived with tho Skldl trlbo ,for thrco years, from 1832 to 1835, when thoy roturnod home. In tho Huntsman's Echo of Febru ary 21, 1861, tho editor thus porsplc uously describes tho condition of tho Pawnees on their reserve at Genoa, as ho had ascertained It by a vlBlt thero a few days before: "The Pawnees number at present about four thousand souls nnd a frac tion over, and when 'at homo' llvo in a cluster of huts built with crotches and poles, covered, top and sides, with willows, then with grass and dirt, giv ing tho appcaranco at a little distanco of an immense collection of 'potnto hills all of a circular shapo and oval. The entrance Is throuyh a passage walled with earth, tho holo in tho center nt top serving both for window and chimney, the fire being built in tho center. Along tho sides Httlo apartmonts aro divided off from the main room by partitions of willow, rush or flag, somo of them being neatly and tidily constructed, and al together theso lodges aro qulto roomy and comfortable, and each Is fre quently tho abodo of two or moro families. In theso villages thero Is no regularity of streets, walks, or alleys, but each build in a rather pro miscuous manner, having no othor care than to tasto and convenience. Tho trlbo Is divided into flvo bands, each being under a special chief or leader, and tho whole confederation being under one principal chief. Each band has its habitation soparate and distinct from tho othor, three bands living in villages adjoining and all composing one village, the other two vlllagos, some Httlo distance. Thero Is frequently somo considerable ri valry between the sevoral bands In fighting, hunting, and other sports( and not infrequently one band com mits thefts upon the effects of an other." At this time, we aro told, tho Paw nees had several thousand horses, but owing to the hard winter hundreds had died from Bore-tonguo and other diseases. Tho animals H'vod out all tho wlntor upon tho dry grass; but If tho snow was too deep for them to roach it, cottonwood trees woro cut down and tho horses would subsist upon tho bark. These' horses woro above tho luxuries of civilized life, and refused to eat corn when it was placed beforo them. Thoy woro val ued at from thirty to sixty dollars each. Tho Pawnees at this time usually took two general hunts each year In which all tho people, old, young, great, nnd small participated, abandoning their villages to go to tho buffalo range. Prom .the spollB of tho sum mer hunt thoy made jerked meat and lodge jkins; and from thoso of tho fall hunt, in October and November, they made robes, furs, tanned skins, and dried meat. Theso Indians had a flold of considerable extent near each village where the land was allotted to the various families, and goodly quan tities of corn and beans were grown. With these and a little flour and sugar they managed to eke out a miserable existence, sometimes full-fed and somotimes starved. "Tho females are the working bees of the hivo; thoy dig up tho soil, raise and gather tho crops, cut timber and build tho lodges, pack wood and water, cook, nurso tho babies, carry all tho burdonB, tan the skins and mako tho robes and moccasins. Tho lords of tho other sex recline by tho fire or in tho shado, kill tho gamo and their enemies, do tho stealing nnd most of tho eating, wear tho most ornaments, and play tho dandy in their way to a scratch. Thoy aro of a tall, graceful, and athletic figure, ns straight as an arrow and as proud as a lord, whilst tho squaws aro short, thick, stooping, poorly clad, filthy, and squalid. Par orjrtless children and tho very aged aro sometimes loft behind, or by the wayside, to perish as useless." Pike visited tho Republican Paw noes In 180C; thoy dwelt near tho south lino of tho state until about 1812, when thoy Joined the rest of tho band north of tho Platto river. Dunbar gives tho location of tho vari ous tribes In 1834: tho Choul band resided ou the south bank of the Platto, twonty miles above tho mouth of tho Loup; tho Klt-ke-hak-i lived eighteen miles northwest, on tho north side of the Loup; tho Pita-how-o-rat, eleven miles farthor up tho Loup, and tho Skldl, flvo miles above theso; and he says thoy changed their villages every eight or ten years. In 1833 tho Pawnees coded tho torrltory south of tho Platto to tho United StateB. In 1857 thoy ceded the torrl tory north of tho Platto, except tholr reservation in Nance county. Tho torrltory ceded, according to Chas. C. Uoycc, embraced tho central third of tho ontlro stato. Tho reservation nbovo montionod wns ceded In 187G, and tho Pawnees wqro taken to Indian Territory; whoro thoy now havo a res ervation. Tho various branches of tho Slouan linguistic stock havo cotno to this stato at flvo different times. Tho first woro tho Mandans, whoso com ing is shrouded In antiquity. Cntlln claims to 'havo tracod tholr earth works and habitat down tho Ohio river and up tho Missouri. McGee says the, Slouan family began to cross tho Appalachian mountains ono thou sand years ago. Tho Mandans wore among the first to break off from tho parent stock, and tho only oxcuso wo have for including thorn In our history is tho probability that thoy crossed our borders on their way up tho Mis souri river somo tlmo prior to the coming of tho Skldl band In 1400. McGee says tho Omaha tribo wan near tho mouth of tho Ohio river in 1500, so its coming to Nebraska must havo been aner that dato. It is tracod quite acctiratoly up tho Missouri and Dcs Moines rivers to its present home In tho northeast part of Nobraska. Tho Osago trlbo branched off and re mained at tho Osage river. Tho Kan sas tribo camo on to tho Kansas river, nnd thoro established Its permanent habitat. Tho dato of tho arrival of tho Kansas trlbo is sufficiently early to allow tho "Escanzaques" of Onate to be regarded as Kansas Indians. Tho OmahaB and Poncas remained to gether until about 1650, whon the lat- tor moved northward and occupied the country from tho moutji of tho Nio brara west to tho Black Hills. By the treaty of March .16, 1854, the Omahas ceded tho northeast third of tho pres ent stato to tho United States, except ing that part north of a line drawn duo west from tho mouth of tho Aoway river. That tongue of land which was added to Nobraska in 1890, by author ity of tho act of Congress of March 28. 1882, and which lies botwecn the Niobrara, Koya Paha, and Missouri rivers, was ceded by tho Poncas In 1858, excopt a small reservation. In 1877 tho Poncas woi'o moved to Indian Torrltory. Tho Dakota City Herald, in noting that the Omahas had just received tholr annuity on their reservation from Captain Mooro, Indian agent, makes the following observation as to their condition: "Thoy aro bolng gath.ored to their fathers fast, very fast, as thoy now number only 064 savngo souls. The amount of tholr payment was $23,000 and averaged about $24 a head. Sinco Undo Sam supplied them with a fqw 'scads' thoy havo paid frequent visits to. our town and laid something out for tho pur poso of laying something In." From tho observant editor's remarks it ap pears that tho Indians did not confine their inebriety to alcoholic drinks. He relates that "five of those rod son of the forest, two red squaws in red blankets, and ono pale red papoose put up at the Bates house on Sunday night for supper," Thoy had a table by thomselves, by courtesy of the landlord, and, "in the language of the Arkansas bride, 'they sot and sot' un til thoy stowed away everything eat ablo within, reach or sight. Seventy seven cups of coffee wore drank at the sitting, and but one, a young squaw, gave out. After getting down soven cups she failed on coffee; the others kept on until tho kettle gave out. When tho meal was ovor they paid tho landlord two bits apiece and departed." The third detachment of the Slouan family to occupy Nebraska conslstod of three tribes, tho Otoo, Missouri, and the Iowa. Tho Otoes and Iowas havo always been closely related. Th.y woro first seen at the mouth of tho Des Moines river by Marquette in 1673. Thoy aro said, by tradition, to have sprung from the Winnebago stock. It is stated that in 1699 they wont to llvo noar tho Omahas. The Missourls have had a very checkered career. Thoy were first Been In 1670 at tho mouth of the Missouri rivor. Soon after 1700 they woro overcome by tho Sac and Fox and othor tribes. Most of them joined tho Otoe tribe, but a few wont with the Osage and somo Joined tho Kansas tribe. They havo never ceded land to tho United States excopt in company with the Otoes, but thoy havo been a party to ovory Otoo transaction. To all In tents and purposes tho Otoes and Mis sourls havo been ns ono tribo during their occupancy of this stato. Tho Otoes and Missourls coded the southeast portion of tho stato to the United States in 1833; this cession embraced tho land south and west of the Nemaha. Tho remaining portion of land which thoy claimed lay be tweon tho Nemaha, Missouri, and Platto rivers, reaching as fart west as Soward county. This last tract was ceded In 1854, when they roturnod to their reservation south of Beatrice. This thoy relinquished in 1881, and thoy now livo in Indian Territory. Most of tho Iowas remained east of our bordor until 1836, when they were given a tract of land along tho sooth bank of tho Nemaha, This they re tained in part in individual allotment, but thoy remain undor tho Great Nemaha agency. This tribe was al ways closely associated with the Otee, but was never undor tho samo tribal organization as was tho Missouri trlbo. All three tribes belonged to the samo branch of the Slouan family as tho Winnebago.