unday "Bee
PART III.
HALF-TONE SECTION
PACES 1 TO 4.
A4vrtM la
THE OMAHA DEE
Best & West
VOL. XXXVIII NO. 3.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 5, 1908.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
NEBRASKA'S ASSOCIATION OF TERRITORIAL PIONEERS
The Omaha
Men
and Women Who Made a State Out of the Wilderness Will Meet at Milford to Renew Memories of the Days of Hardship, Toil and Privation and Later Triumphs.
ARMS I sing and the man." wrote the ancient bard in mag
nificent strain. Then he told of the adventures of a little
band of Trojana upon a little ocean. Hla rhetoric wai un
surpassable, hii command of language magnificent, hla
dramatic power strong, hla narrative concise. But the
adventures of his hero, after all, were but puny compared with the
accomplishments of modern men these men for example who came
to Nebraska half a century ago, when this state was an untrodden
wilderness, who fought the Indian, cleared the land, built cities and
constructed railroads.
The Territorial Pioneers' association of the state of Nebraska was
organized May 26, 1892. Its membership is divided into different
classes. Class A consists of those who were residents of the territory
prior to 1867; class B, those who are lineal descendants of class A.
Associate members are those who became residents of the state prior
to 1876. Provisions are also made fcr honorary membership. The
purpose of the organization Is to draw from the old pioneers the
unwritten history of territorial days ard to make the same a matter
of record with the State Historical society for future reference. The
business meeting Is held the first of each year and an annual re
union and outing Is held at such time and place each summer as may
be designated by the executive committee. Many Interesting stories
of the pioneer days, the trials, tribulations and adventures of frontier
life are told, and one reminds the other of his or her experiences.
The wrirs connected with the historical society are ever ready with
pencil and tablet to record these events as related at the reunions,
the most Interesting being often told in ordinary conversation.
Reunion at Milford
The annual reunion and outing will be held this year at Milford,
on Saturday, July 11. An informal reception will take place at the
library building of the state university lu Lincoln on Friday evening,
and the members of the association and friends will go by special
train to Milford Saturday morning, returning in the afternoon in
time to connect with outgoing trains at Lincoln in the evening.
On the arrival of the train at Milford the excursionists will be
conducted to the Shogo park and the Soldiers' home grounds, where
a short program will be rendered, and those who desire will have the
opportunity to attend the MUferd Chautauqua, which will be In
session and has arranged a special program suited to the occasion.
Milford was located In aa early day, on what was known as
Kearney Cut-off, which afterwards became a steam-wagon road and
the crossing of the Big Blue river, andthe beautiful location of this
Tillage la replete with many Incidents of historic Interest The ex
pedition of the Spaniards under Coronado from the city of Mexico In
1642 la search of the city of gold is one of the most unique adven
tures In the annala of American history. Lured on by the fabulous
stories of treasure told by the Indians, they traversed northern
Mexico, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and some parts of Nebraska
crossing the Republican river. The farthest point reached has been
wrapped la mystery, but the legend of Shogo, as gathered from the
Pawnee, Otoe and Omaha Indians, indicated that some part of this
expedition reached the present site of Milford, where resided the
wise and diplomatic chieftain, Quenchaqua, who ruled over this vast
Pawnee territory. They, by some artifice, worked upon the credulity
of his daughter, Shogo, until she was persuaded to accompany them
to the southland, where they represented to her that her murdered
lover awaited her In the happy hunting grounds, to which they were
the special envoys authorized for this purpose.
The early trappers found tepee poles, the remains of the village
of some 6,000 Sioux Indians, pitched on the present site of Milford,
who had probably penetrated the domain of the Pawnees so far and
then been driven back by the combined forces of the Pawnees, Otoes
and Omahaa. ( ,..
Mormons Crossed There
The Mormons migrating to Salt Lake crossed the rocky ford at
this point, a fact remembered by the oldest inhabitant of Milford,
who la her childhood days witnessed the train of Latter Day Saints
as they wended their way westward, many of the women pushing
two-weeled carts loaded with provisions and equlppage. The eleva
tion on which is situated the Soldiers' hone surmounts the rock
ribbed banks of the Blue, wherein are Indicated three distinct periods
of formation, presenting to the geological student a rich field for
research In a glimpse of the prehistoric ages. The scenery along the
Blue at this point is picturesque, romantic and Inspiring. The decay
ing giants of the forest described in the mythical lore of the Indians,
studding the hillsides and canyons and peopled with plumaged
songsters of varied hues, stand as mute sentinels of the past. .
A fine body of men and women are those who came to Nebraska
before the present generation was born, who with unfaltering cour
age and unflagging Industry tilled the soil, erected homes, raised
families and built cities, railroads and all those great Institutions
which are the risible sign of a strong commonwealth. Today they
are old, but their Influence Is no less great, for they are wise in
counsel. For many years they have helpej their children to succeed,
Instilling their own virtues into the youLger generation and thus
strengthening the state and infusing rich, red blood Into its veins.
Did Agamemnon In bis most trying hour before the besieged
walls of Troy ever wish for ten AJaxes with mighty arms and giant
bodlesT No; but It Is related that he prayed that he might have ten
Nestors for the sake of their wlso counsels. And he doubted not
that with the counsels of ten Nestors Troy would quickly perish.
Neither let the stylishly tailored youth of today Imagine he knows
more of gallantry toward the fair sex than these pioneers. In
courtesy, in neatly-turned compliment toward their life companions,
no men can excel the pioneers. Nor can any woman receive these
compliments with more grace, with more charming blushes than the
sturdy, good women who helped bear the burdens of fhe early days
and did at least half of the work In converting the primeval wilder
ness Into the smiling home of a happy people. There Is no dispute
upon this subject. The men with one accord declare that without
the help, the encouragement, the unfaltering spirit, the Godly trust
of these women whom they took in their youth to travel the path
of life with them, the great state which Is now Nebraska, filled
with fertile farms and wealthy cities, would still be the primeval
wilderness, roamed over by the buffalo, the coyote and the Indian.
The "ploneerettes," indeed, have an assured honored place in the
ranks of the early settlers of Nebraska. 1
President Yost is Typical
Absalom N. Yost of Omaha Is president of the State Association of
Pioneers. His life is a typical one among them. He was born April 6,
1836, in a log house on a farm which stood then nearly two miles from
the town of Cincinnati, O., but which is now one of the best residence
sections. When he was still a child bis parents moved to Spencer
county, Indiana, where tbey lived until Absalom was 8 years of age.
There he began his school days in a log school house, where Miss
Adeline Worthlngton was schoolmistress. The next move of this
pioneer family was to Lockport, 111., whither they went by way of
the thriving town of Chicago. While they lived there the mother
died and the father moved with his orphan children to the town of
Lockport
At the age of 10 years Absalom was bound out to a farmer
named John Battle, in De Kalb county The conditions of this con
tract were that the boy should work for his master until he attained
the age of 21 years. He was to work without wages and when dis
charged at his 21st birthday the farmer should give him two suits
of clothes and a Bible. In 1S52 his emplyer decided to go west and
they started with throe yoke of oxen and a big covered wagon. Ab
salom rode In a saddle on one of the oxen, driving the others. They
spent the summer traveling through Illinois and Missouri and made
their winter quarters in Lucas county, Iowa, where farming opera
tions were begun the following prlng. In 1854 they joined a party
of fourteen men from Qulncy, 111., and came to Nebraska, where the
part bought a tract of land twenty miles square from Logan
ABSOLOlkf N. TOST,
Omaha.
President of the Nebraska Territorial Pioneers' Association.
VS
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the teacher. "I decided she was a pretty nice girl," says Mr. Yost,
"and beore I left town 1 got acquainted with her an J the following
September 1 married her."
The young couple lived that winter In the groom"s house In
Fontenelle. lie hud built a house on his claim during the prevloui
summer aud in the syriug they moved out and occupied it. There
many adventures visited theui, such as were common to all pioneers.
One day when the husbaud was away a prairie fire swept up on th
horizon. A Uuy iield of wheat stood near the house, protected only
by a narrow plowed "fireguard." Mrs. Yost rushed out with a mop
aud pail of water and fought frantically to put out sparks and
flames. Wheu the mop broke she suatched off her skirt aud, dipping
It in the water, continued the fight and saved the wheat.
Another Indian outbreak occurred in 1869. This Is the one dur
ing which Governor Black is said to have given his fan.ous order
that "twenty barrels of whisky and a suck of flour" be brought
instantly from Columbus as fighting provender for the soldiers.
Once Mr. Yost, working in his garden, was startled to see an
arrow alight on the ground near him. He hurried to the house,
where he fouud aa Indian shooting at pigeons on the roof. The
Indian turned at his exclamation aud drew an arrow against him.
But with a hoe handle Mr. Yost knockod the bow And arrow upon
the ground and beat off the warlike aborigine.
Went Out to Fight
ANTOINK CARENEY,
Pender, Neb.
Believed to be the Oldest Living Native Son of NeDranka. Born
Near Fort Calhoun About 1W7. Son of a French Fur Trader.
MART J. CRIPS BARNES,
Barnegton, Neb.
She 1s the Oldest Livln Woman Native of Nebraska. She 'Was
Born Near the Preaent Site of Kellevue, November 15. 1S'J7.
the Daughter of Andrew J. Drips, Fur Trader and Indian
Aent.
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MARTHA ANN WHEEXJNa,
L.lncoln, Neb.
She Came to the Nebraska Country In 1847 a the Bride of Frank
Wheeling and Was the First White Woman to Become a
Resident of the Territory Now Included In Nebraska.
Fontenelle for $100. In the fall they returned to Iowa and the fol
lowing spring brought out their families to Neoraska.
The first Indian scare came when the Indians swooped down on
the coloney one morning in July of that year and killed two men.
Volunteers were called for and Battle declared that his "boy" would
make the perilous ride. That night young Yost, mounted on a fleet
horse, rode the fifty miles to Omaha and notified Governor Cuming
of the Indian outbreak. The next day General Thayer with a de
tachment of men hastened to Fontenelle, but the Indians had dis
appeared. November 30, 1855, was the day when the big blizzard started.
The snow came for three days and nights. The settlers lost more
than half their stock and were snowed In for weeks. Fortunately
there were plenty of deer, wild turkeys, elk and buffalo to provide
food. ,
Young Yost had been helping Colonel Miller, father of Dr. George
Miller, In surveying that part of the country, and the colonel pointed
out where the young man could get a good claim. He took it and
proved up upon it. The town of Arlington now stands on that piece
of ground. The following Bprlng he met his wife. He had made a
trip over Into Iowa to get seed corn and wheat. He stopped for the
night ih the village of Council Bluffs. There was a spelling bee
that night and the Council Bluffs school went out to "clean up" the
Mosquito Creek school. But there was a girl. Miss Anna Dorsey,
16 years of age, In the latter school who frustrated these plans.
She spelled down the whole Council Bluffs aggregation, including
When the civil war broke out ho enlisted In Company A, Second
Nebraska cavalry, but before the regiment could proceed south the
Minnesota massacre occurred and the men were ordered to the Red
river country, where they spent nearly two years In Indian' fighting.
After being mustered out In Omaha Mr. Yost returned to his claim,
which he soon sold and then took a homestead twelve miles north
of Fremont, where he lived until 18S0, during all of which time he
was a member of the school board. He had tried storekeeping in
Deadwood, S. D., for a time in 1876. In 1880 he went to Norfolk,
Neb., and bought a hotel and livery business. His wife had died in
1875 and in 1881 he married Mrs. France J. Williams. He came to
Omaha In 1893 and since then has been in the employ of The Bee
Publishing company traveling as solicitor. He was one of the com
mittee to revise the city charter three years ago. He has always
taken an active Interest in the building up and improving of Omaha
and is a member of the Federation of Improvement Clubs. He is also
active In the Grand Army of the Republic. He has four sons borne
by his first wife and a daughter by his second. They are as follows:
Rev. John P. Yost of Plalnvlew, Neb.; Louis K. Yost, superintendent
of the Western Union telegraph between Ogallala and Denver; Sulli
van S. Yost, a ranchman in Oregon; Frank Yost, with the Nebraska
Telephone company, and Miss Anna Dorsey Yost.
Mr. Yost drove the first mall wagon probably in Nebraska. This
was between Fontenelle and Omaha. He made the round trip of
100 miles every two days. With J. B. Roblson he operated the first
threshing machine In Nebraska in 1869, when they threshed all the
grain grown north of the Platte river with their eight-horse power
outfit. He retains as relics the compass which was used in survey
ing and laying out the town of Fontenelle and also an oil painting
of hib old homestead shanty.
Milford will be a lively town the day the pioneers nre there.
These men and women are not really old. To look at their gray
hairs and wrinkled faces one might think they are, but that Is a
delusion. The spirits of most of them' are as young as tbey were
fifty years ago. Tbey exemplify the philosophy of Cicero, that calm
defier of age and time. ,
Cicero on Old Age
In his great essay, "Concerning Old Age," that Roman philoso
pher says: "They advance no argument who say that old age is not
engaged in active duty and resemble those who should say that the
pilot in navigation is unemployed, for that while some climb the
mast, others run up and down the decks, others empty the bilge
water, he, holding the helm, sits at the stern at his ease. He does
not do these things that the young men do, but in truth he does
much greater and better things. Great actions are not achieved by
exertions of strength or speed or by quick movement of bodies, but
by talent, authority, Judgment, of which faculties old ge Is usually
so far from being deprived that It is even improved in them.
"All men cannot be Sclplos or Maxlml, bo as to remember the
stormlngs of cities, battles by land and sea, wars conducted and
triumphs gained by themselves. The old age also of a life passed
in peace and Innocence and elegance Is a gentle and mild one, sucb
as we have heard that of Plato to have been who In his 81st year died
while writing; such as that of Isocrates, who says that be wrote thai
book which is entitled 'The Panathenalcan,' in his 94th year, and
he lived five year eater; whose master, Gorglas, the Leotine, com
pleted one hundred and seven years, ner did be ever loiter in bis
pursuit and labor; who when It was asked of him why be liked to be
so long in life said: I have no cause for blaming old age an ad-
mirable answer and worthy of a manef learning.
"For the short period of life Is long enough for living well and
honorably; and If you should advance further you need no more
grieve than farmers do when the loveliness of springtime hath passed
that summer and autumn have come. For spring represents the time
of youth and gives promise of the future fruits; the remaining sea
sons are Intended for plucking and gathering in those fruits. Now,
the harvest of old age, as I have often said, is the recollection and
abundance of blessings previously secured. In truth, everything
which happens agreeably to nature is to be reckoned among bless
ings." Truly Cicero himself never conceived of a pleasanter, more
(Continued on Page Three,)
Two Contrasting Groups Caught at the Picnic of the Douglas County Pioneers' Association
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SOME OF THE DOUGLAS CO! "NTT PIO NEERS.
LATEST GENERATION OF TUB PIONEERS.
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