PART FIRST
CHAPTER 1.
Introduction - Brief preliminary survey of frontier life in Northeast Nebraska thirty-five to forty years ago.
The rich land, pure water and healthy climate of Nebraska, together with its rapidly growing cities and towns, its railroads, markets, schools, churches and innumerable enterprises and improvements, present a wonderful contrast to its condition thirty-five to forty years ago. In many respects it is now regarded one of the best states in the union, but at that time it was hardly known. Then it was generally believed that Nebraska (and especially that part of it where Dixon county is,) was chiefly a desert, with little good land, having an atmosphere laden with malaria, without timber, and with water abominable to the taste and smell. Those who desired to make a home in this part of the west, were liable to be discouraged when they looked at the map and saw "Great American Desert" written across it, and especially when they listened to tales which asserted that in Nebraska the face of the country was a succession of sand hills, that its few white inhabitants were hardly superior to savages, and that an existence here would be unhappy and useless.
Prior to 1850, Nebraska was principally inhabited by indians. The dusky tribes who made Dixon county their stamping ground-the Omahas, Poncas, Sioux, etc., were generally not the kind of noble red men immortalized by Cooper. They hunted, fished and stole ponies, and occasionally when a trader came and supplied them, they drank firewater and fought with one another. The numerous indian graves on the bluffs along the Missouri are about the only mementoes we now have of our copper colored predecessors.
It will be seen that the pioneers who first braved the perils of the frontier life in Dixon county had no easy lot for awhile, nor were the times considered any too safe in the presence of the indians, who deemed this their especial country and regarded the whites with aversion. In view of this unpleasant fact, settlers often had to follow the New England custom of two hundred years ago, and go about their work, guns in hand, and with eyes and ears ever open.
Most of those who ventured into this country, thirty to thirty-nine years ago, were poor in cash, but they usually had what was better, viz: a good supply of practical sense, and plenty of energy and perseverance. Some began life here as farmers, others hung out their shingles and announced themselves as blacksmiths, carpenters, lawyers, doctors or land agents. In all the trades and professions to which they applied themselves, grit and good judgment usually conducted them to the top. One might commence anything if he only had brains and assurance enough, and apparently with flattering prospects of success, whether keeping cattle, raising corn and potatoes, selling farms and town lots or scalping indians, and finally, if he could in the meanwhile keep out of the penitentiary, he might expect to go to the legislature or to congress. All were ambitious to succeed, and concerning state and county affairs every man was a politician.
In 1859, the Pike's Peak fever carried away a large number of inhabitants, and in 1862 the indian troubles drove away many more. Afterwards, for several years, improvements were slow. Those who remained in spite of the hard times which stuck to them like a brother, saw the tide finally turn, and today have no cause for regret. Of those first settlers now living, who had the grit to stay and see the dark side of life during the first few years of this country, there are few who are not in prosperous circumstances .
Prior to the time Nebraska became a state, Dixon county was exceedingly slow moving. With no railroads and few markets, and with poor postal facilities and little news of what was going on in the world, life here was peculiarly humdrum. Among the few exciting occasions on the frontier were the raisings, when the settlers met and helped up a house or barn of logs or sod, and generally wound up the propitious event with a royal time of joy. Again, excitement brewed and bubbled up when an election took place. Then the citizens in determined and friendly contest, showed the merits or demerits of the respective candidates, argued the pros and cons, made the air vibrate with eloquence, and carried the day one way or the other with as much fervor as though the fate of Rome was to be decided.
In those primitive days, official business was not as heavy as it is now, and state and county offices had little excepting their official dignity to sustain them. Not as now were counties compelled to build offices for their clerks, treasurers, judges and sheriffs, nor was much room required for records, nor iron safes for a count's money. Then, county officials were not troubled to find office room. An empty cracker box or nail keg was deemed good enough for papers of minor importance; valuable records, however, were more carefully protected, and clerks and treasurers for safety and convenience usually carried them around in their hats. And in that age of Arcadian simplicity, he who, in obedience to the voice of his fellow citizens, donned the judicial ermine, administered justice in a manner as patriarchal as was practiced in the days of Abraham. A stump or a surveyor's quarter section mound often became the seat of justice, and a much thumbed book of Ohio or Pennsylvania forms, the only legal compass to guide the decisions from the bench. Law suits were often settled by the court and constable giving off their costs, and in extreme cases the bystanders would chip in and make up the amount in dispute.
The most violent disturbances of public quiet took place at the time of county seat contests. Then it was that embryo metropolitan cities, whose log houses and corner groceries could have been counted on the fingers, entered the lists, and like young, untamed colts, furiously competed and ran against each other for the coveted prize. Such elections were always close and amid great excitement. Very often the official counts showed more votes polled then there were white men, indians, horses, buffaloes, coyotes and prairie dogs in the county. This habit of extensive voting never prevailed in any other kind of a contest, and in this was not confined to any one voting precinct, but was practiced equally and impartially at all of them. Hence, no serious harm could ensue. It increased the excitement and fun of the voters, and the result was generally the same as if no such extreme methods had been adopted.
Society showed some curious features during those primitive times. People came from all parts of the east and south, and brought to the common stock, the habits, laws, customs, notions of religion and methods of business prevailing at their old homes. The bracing air and boundless prairies around them expanded their minds and hearts. If they brought with them littleness of soul, they were soon seen to be forgetting narrow and selfish views of life and developing generosity and nobility of character. As in all new and thinly settled countries, the people became acquainted and friendly, and their social and business intercourse, though sharp, was not often tinged with meanness. If a family was in distress, its neighbors gave relief if they could. They had probably been there themselves. Settlers might differ with each other on politics and perhaps feel justly sore over land or horse trade, but if one were sick or hard up, his neighbors forgot past differences and became unselfish and generous.
A Nebraska man might wink at an attempt to steal a county seat, but he would strictly stand by his friends and insist on fair play for the community in which he lived, redress their wrongs with promptness and vigor, and if the courts were lax, as was often the case, he would not hesitate in extreme cases of wrong doing, to usurp the functions of the highest tribunals.
Such was frontier life during the infancy of Dixon county as well as elsewhere in Nebraska. Though the country was thinly settled and its wealth could excite neither vanity nor envy, the people, even with all their privations, had many grounds for contentment. Nearly every one had good health. Occasional good crops and profitable ventures sustained ambition. In this prolific atmosphere the often advent of heirs increased the joy of households and helped to swell the census. No man or woman gave special heed to fashion books or to the cut of their garments. There were no bickerings, back-bitings or jealousies. All were equally rich and equally poor. As a consequence early settlers were, in the main, a harmonious brotherhood, and now are worthy of the remembrance and respect of those who follow them.
Copyright (C) 1998-2001 Robin Mosier
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