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VOL. XXXIX NO. 50.
OMAHA, SLWDAY MORNING, MAY 2D, 1910.
SING LB COPY FIVE CENTS.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF NEBRASKA HISTORY
' Quaint Old Bellevue, City of What Might Have Been, is to Be the Scene of Great Centennial Celebration June 23
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JIEBJSTOBICAL SOOE.T'SC. .',
EBRASKA, the beutlful
land of Indian romance, land
of velvet verdure sloping la
graceful undulation from
mountain foothill to river
brink, premier common
wealth reared from the prim
itive, thanks to pioneer
brawn and brain epito
mized tersely, Nebraska, the
great. Is about to commemo
rate the century spanning
1810 and 1910.
June 23 will be an epochal
day in Nebraska history, ad
ding a belated but momen
tous appendix to treasured
archives, for on that date, in
quaint old Bellvue, there is
to be a picnic under State
Historical society direction
to celebrate the one hun
dredth anniversary of the
founding of John Jacob As-
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1
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DDWCAN llElirZSEXTOB BELLETOE CET4E1E.KV IP
six other Frenchmen, who came up the Mississippi river from Nw
Orleans to St. Charles, Mo., and thence up the Missouri river tq
what Is now the eastern shores of Nebraska.
Manuel Lisa, wily fur trader, landed on the site of Bellevue, so
history states, in 1805, and leaving his crude water craft for a
survey of the adjacent landscape, he gave expression to his impres
sion of the beautiful vista by exclaiming:
"Belleview," meaning thereby to catalogue the scene as sublime.
That, so the story goes, was the origin of the name of Nebraska's
3 f
'BrONEEB..
iai
historic village. In the early days there was conflict as to the spell
ing of Bellevue, many of the old-timers preferring "Belleview" In- beneatn a massive monument erected by relatives. As to the value cesslble from this city, and such a strange blending of th primitive
stead of "Bellevue," contending that "view" had a meaning, while of the estate he left, history conflicts. Some reports appraised his with the modern Is seldom seen in this progressive age.
"vue" was not capable of definition. holdings at 175,000, which in tnat era was a big fortune, while Leaving Omaha for Bellevue by trolley, you hustle for your car
No historical review of Nebraska is complete without mention others aver that he had dissipated the bulk of his fortune. Certain through city canyons walled on either side by gigantic skyscraper!,
of Manuel Lisa, for it Is recorded of him that he almost Harriman- it Is, however, that he was a powerful leader of men, an empire you elbow vour wav throuch the crowds surxlng to and fro Ilk
X h.rkin hark to the nloneer era when Bellevue was prominent as Ued the fur trade- Back ,n St LoulB- from whlch port tne nrewi b"ler and a pioneer well fitted for the hazardous task of blaiing the shifting particles of a kaliedscope. On street crossings you
Manuel sailed when he started Nebraskawards, there waited for him a trail through the wilderness. are constantly on the alert lest you collide with the ever-onward
a wife who was later to be distinguished as the first white woman Biographers of Peter Sarpy accredit him with wonderful fore- taxlcab. You board your car amid the very essence of metropolitan
to take up her abode In Nebraska, but that wot not for Lisa, and eight, and it is related that seventy-five years ago, when almost all environment. The motorman applies the power and you ar whlsksd
when he found that by taking to himself a wife from the Omaha the vast area west of the Mississippi river was practically unten- away over viaducts and through long lanes of factory, home and
tribe of Indians, he could enhance his trading power by many shek- anted,- he predicted the land craze which 'exists today. "The day etore, landing within a few minutes In the heart of South Omaha,
els, he at once became a squawman. Subsequently he brought his will come," he prophesied, "when Nebraska will be densely, popu- the great packing center, the source of beefsteak and pork chops
white wife up the river and she spent one winter with him in his lated and will no longer be known as the 'west.1 And the dsy will for the millions. There, amidst scenes of remarkable industrial
Nebraska camp. Just how he managed to prevent domestic turmoil come when all of the west, even to the brink of the Pacific ocean, activity, you change cars. Seated on the lnterurban, you glide away
with two wives in the same bailiwick, one white, one red, historians will be as populous as the Atlantic coast." In fair measure these over a strip of country as beautiful as can be found anywherd 10
have been delinquent in recording. prophetic words have already been verified, and in the course of the world. Gentle hills, carpeted with nature'B green, slope grace
Following closely one upon the other in the years from 1805 to time, basing conclusions on the present scramble for homes, the fUuy away into peaceful valleys, while fringing this landscape en
k..w , k ..t.1.4 .. i0lu' CBln8 everttl eQln wnerem aanng expiorers touchea vermcauon win te complete. tne east the majestic Missouri, curving In and out. rolling its
J . bVdavoVJ to the land IVmong "' . Mallet Another highly interesting early-day character was Logan Fon- turbid way seaward. Back of the river and across on the Iowa
fur-trading station.
The picnic program at Bellevue will savor of the reminscent,
harklnK back to the Dloneer era when Bellevue was prominent as
the first white settlement of Nebraska, and when the names of
Chouteau, Sarpy. Fontenelle, D Roin, Lisa, Burt, Cuming, Morton,
Robidoux McKlnney, Iiard, Hamilton, Lowrle and others were be
ing written indellibly into primeval annals. Time, for the once,
will in fancy turn back into the good old ways of the good old
days.
On the night of June 23, following a day given over to remin
iscence, the scene of the centennial celebration will shift from Belle
jvie, the ancient, to Omaha, the modern, and In the splendid new
Auditorium of the Nebraska metropolis, there will be speech-mak
ing in which the present tense will prevail. At the Omaha meeting
4. f 'time may be devoted to the Nebraska of today
-J6t fulfillment.
A John Lee Webster, who came to. Nebraska In 1869, and who
served as president of the constitutional convention which in 1875
; drafted the present state constitution, will, by virtue of his office
as president of the 8tate Historical society, serve as presiding of
ficer of the Bellevue picnic, also the meeting at night in Omaha.
brothers, were Lewis and Clarke, Crooks and McLellan and the tenelle. half Indian, half French, who In 1853 was elected principal thero rises, like miniature mountain range, a series of rugged bluffs,
Astor party. It was on April 28. 1810, that the Astor expedition, chief of the Omaha tribe of Indians. He was born near Fort Cal- fantastic and weird. Hilltops here and there along the trolley trail
ueaaea uy vvuson t rice wum, a partner or jonn jacoD Astor or noun, iseD., May 6, 1825, and died on the battlefield In war between
New York, anchored its primitive fleet on the banks of the Missouri the Omahas and the Sioux at the Beaver Creek engagement,
river at Bellevue, scaled the bluffs and opened the fur trading sta
tion. It is in honor of this event, nominally, and as a blanket com
memoration of this and other expeditions in general, that the forth-
are dotted with magnificent homes many of them being occupied
June Dy Omaha men who have turned to the open country for relief from
Local and visiting orators, some of the old school, some of the comng celebration. June 23 this year, is to be held.
1800- lne aeain or 'onienene cut snort a career which prom- metropolitan congestion. Sleek cows graze on luxuriant pastures by
ised much in future achievement. When quite young he was sent the wayside. Songbirds stir the morning air with lilt from swinging
to St. Louis to be educated something quite out of the ordinary toughs of noble trees century old trees, many of them. Every-
new, will make speeches both at Omaha and Bellevue, and it is ex
pected that many pioneers will come from various parts of the state.
It Is to be a most Important event, from a historical standpoint, and
as the date approaches keen interest is aroused once again in the
romantic story which goes to make up Nebraska's early history a
story of primitive ways in primitive days, a story of empire builders
who rowed upstream in skiffs to reach the then western El Dorado,
a story of Indian fights, a story of diamonds in the rough, a story of
white man's triumph over seemingly insurmountable obstacles in
an unexplored region.
While it la true that the Astor fur station was established at
Bellevue 100 years ago, this does not Indicate that the settlement of
Nebraska proper dates so far back. Indeed, it was not until along In
the 'SOs that actual settlement begun. Fur stations, be it under
stood, were mere outposts or advance guards of clvlllUatlon, and It
was a quarter century or more following the Astor regime at Belle
vue. that the homemakers came. Even then they came numerically
weak, but they were heroic and enough of them remained to blaze
the way for other.
fWbn John Jacob Astor and other early-day tradesmen settled
upon Bellevue as an ideal trading post, there was no "Nebraska."
Perhaps old Blackbird, the celebrated Indian chief, came more
..... ...
farly than anyone else to actual rulershlp of the country which took high rank as a man of
afterwards became Nebraska, but theoretically, anomalous as it may affairs. The county of Sarpy
sound In this present age, William Heary Harrison, governor of the WM named in bis honor, and
then territory of Indiana, was ex-offlco the first governor of Ne- n the organisation of the
braska. because, for governmental purposes, Nebraska was at that town of Bellevue, believed at
. . .A. ..V.J A. V II- ... ix. . - nl lI.k . I .... . ..
me time to oe tne ruture
The Astor settlement at Bellevue in 1810 attracted the attention
of other traders and ndventurers, and in 18 23 there came up the
river from St. Louis a young man, Peter A. Sarpy, who was destined
to become a most unique, as well as prominent figure in the subse
quent history of Nebraska. Of French extraction, reared in St.
Louis, where he was an associate of the Chouteaus, the Cabanncs
among either whites or Indians in those days and that education
gave to him a polish, also a breadth of mental vision, which dis
tinguished him from other Indians of his day. He was the son of
Lucien Fontenelle, descendant fcf French nobility, who came to Ne
braska among the first settlers and, following the custom of the
country, married an Indian woman from the Omaha tribe. The
where, any direction you look, you are Impressed with the sublimity
of nature.
Half an hour or so of this trolley flight through awe-inspiring
scenes, and you hear the conductor cry:
"Bellevue!"
You step from the car to the platform of a modern trolley sta
tion. Overhead hangs an arc light, telling you plainly that old
Bellevue rare old Bellevue has been invaded by progress and
body of Logan Fontenelle was recovered from the battlefield and
and other first families, he acquired considerable polish, as polisli was burled on a high bluff overlooking the Missouri river in the
was accounted In those days. He came to Bellevue as clerk for one outskirts of Bellevue, at which post he had rendered service to the
of the fur companies, and a little later succeeded to the manage- government as official interpreter prior to his election as chief of that where once the tallow dip was the only light in use after sun.
ment. He was of small physique, wiry and capable of great physical the Omahas. .down, the electric bulb now scintillates its white rays In marked
strajn. He at once became friendly with the Indians, and gained the Almcst every paragraph of early-day Nebraska history brings In contrast to the many lingering remnants of the primitive yet to ba
title of "Great White Chief."
Following the example set by
Manuel Lisa, who had pre
ceded hlra to Nebraska, Peter
Sarpy married an Indian
woman. He was, however,
a widower at the time of this
marriage, his first and second
wives having died. He re
mained In Nebraska, even
after the fur trade waned, and
7
time attached to Indiana, and Its capital waa Vincennes. With the
governor a thousand miles away, no railroads, no telegraph, and
not even regularly established mail service, It Is obvious that the
governor seated in bis chair In faraway Vincennes exercised but little
Jurisdiction over bis distant ward-
4 Assuming that Coronado, In 1541, was the first white man to
look upon Nebraska and on this point there is some difference of moved to Plattsmoutb, where,
oWJm among historians It Is a matter of authentic record that In 1885, be died. His body
TVvV.st white men to actually leave tangible evidence of their was taken to St. Louis, where,
presence here were Pierre and Paul Mallet, leading a company of in Calvary cemetv'ry, it rests
metropolis of Nebraska, he
took active part. In 1882,
Omaha in the meantime hav
ing wrested from Bellevue the
site of government, Earpy
Bellevue in Nebraska's History
The first white settlement in Nebraska was at Bellevue.
The first Posloffice In Nebraska was established at
Bellevue.
The first Masonic lodge in Nebraska was organized at
Bellevue.
The first printing press brought to Nebraska was used
at Bellevue In publishing the Palladium, Nebraska's first
newspaper.
The first white child of Nebraska waa born at Bellevue.
The first seat of territorial government was tempor
arily located at Bellevue.
The first territorial governor of Nebraska died at
Bellevue.
The first teachers' institute west of the Missouri river
was held at Bellevue.
The first school in Nebraska was opened at Bellevue.
The first religious service of Nebraska was beld at
Bellevue.
at one angle or another the
name of Bellevue. Well may
this beautiful old village be
deslgnsted as the cradle of
Nebraska history. Perhaps
no other locality In Nebraska
is so rich In historic lore.
Have you ever visited
Bellevue?
seen in Bellevue.
Turning from the hum of the trolley wires and the arc lamp, you
look out upon a motley array of buildings some new, some old. a
few very, very old. For Instance, the Presbyterian church dates
back to the '50s, although by reason of damage wrought by the
recent cyclone, some up-to-date repairs have been made upon the
lower of the old house. Over in another part of Bellevue stands a
log cabin which was the original home of Rev. William Hamilton,
missionary, who came to Bellevue in 1854. This historic structure
If not, no matter if you live Is now used by J. S. Betz, commonly known as "Grandpa," at a
in the furthermost corner of paint shop. Electric lamps dangling over log cabins rather anom-
the state, the journey is well alous mixture, isn't it ? Yet, that Is exactly what you see if you visit
worth your while, if you sre "Grandpa" Betz's paint shop, incidentally, it may be recorded
a Nebrasksn interested In Ne- herein that no less interesting than the log cabin and Its historic
braska history. association is its present venerable occupant, for "Grandpa" Bets.
Bellevue college occupies. a now in his 88th year, is as spry as the average city-bred man of
sightly eminence overlooking thirty years his Junior. i
"Yes, I be busy meat all the time," said the aged Mr. Betz, "and
I am all the happier because 1 work. Joe Medill, the great editor,
once said: 'It Is better to wear out than to rust out,' and I agree
with him. Yes, I'm 88 years old, but, pshaw, that's nothing. You
ought to see Judge Gow he's ten years older than I be."
"Grandpa" Bets wag engaged in painting a window screen when
his visitors from The Sunday Bee tailed to see him. He kept right
the townsite. The Institution
covers several acres of beauti
ful hillcrest and has an array
of splendid buildings. It is
one feature of the modern
side of Bellevue.
Less than an hour's ride by
trolley csr from the center of
Omaha, the place 1 easily ac-
.(Continued on Page Two )
