On the morning of the 3d of April, 1857, the steamer Hannibal, then plying up and down the Missouri, left the levee at St. Louis, bearing on board a numerous collection of western-bound immigrants, representing almost every State in the Union. Old men and women, the middle-aged and young, the rich and the poor, the learned and unlearned, mechanics, artisans,farmers, laborers, and professional men, some seeking homes in the then Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, others looking still farther on toward the shores of the Pacific coast.

Among this promiscuous gathering were the first settlers of the now beautiful and flourishing town of Beatrice, some of whom have held honorable positions in the State, some have wandered  beyond their comrades' visions, and others sleep in honored graves.

Thirty-five persons on board the steamer organized themselves into a company or colony, bound together by a written constitution and by-laws.

Among the signers were J. B. Weston, who has filled the office of State Auditor for three successive terms; Judge John F. Kinney, of Nebraska City; G. T. Loomis, J. R. Nelson,  and Albert Towle, prominent citizens of Beatrice; the lamented Dr. H. M. Reynolds, Bennett Pike, and the late John McConihe.

An exploring committee, consisting of J. B. Weston, Bennett Pike, H. F. Cook, Dr. "Wise, and Judge Kinney, was sent out to select a favorable location for the colony. They chose the present town site of Beatrice (so named in honor of Judge Kinney's daughter), as the most desirable; and at a meeting of the company at Omaha, on the 22d of May, it was adopted as the future home of the colony.

After the spot was decided upon, a portion of the company started at once to commence operations on the town site, which was then four days' journey from Nebraska City, with only a few scattered settlements intervening over what is now a thickly settled and wealthy country.

David Palmer, who lost his life in the latter part of June, 1876, by drowning, while swimming in the Big Bine, settled in the County some time before the arrival of the thirty-five constituting the Beatrice Town Company, and is generally supposed to have been the first settler.

There is no uncertainty, however, as to who was the first woman that came into the County, for all agree that it was Mrs. J. P. Mumford. 

Mr. Mumford, with his wife and two men, had crossed the Missouri in search of a suitable location for settlement, and entering Gage County, were seen by one of the Beatrice people, who carried the news to camp. The presence of a woman so near the camp caused great excitement; and eager to gain so valuable an acquisition to the little colony, all hands turned out to welcome the party and induce them to stop at Beatrice, which was readily accomplished.

Mrs. Mumford shortly afterward opened a boarding house for  the accommodation of the members of the Town Company, who made it a paying business during the summer of 1857.

The Fourth of July was celebrated in grand style. A number of persons came out from Nebraska City, among whom were Judge Kinney and his daughter, Beatrice. The national colors were presented to the Town Company, by Miss Beatrice, in a neat and appropriate speech, which was responded to by Bennett Pike, on behalf of the company, in a very felicitous manner.

The first election was held on July 16, 1857, and resulted as follows:

Albert Towle and Dr. H. M. Reynolds, Commissioners
O. B. Hewett, Probate Judge

P. M. Favor, Sheriff.

At the time of holding the first election, the total population of the County was thirty-three men and one woman, and each candidate received just thirty-three votes.

The Sheriff never made an arrest during his two-years' term; neither did " His Honor " have a case in that time. J. P. Mumford, the first Treasurer, served two years without collecting a cent or paying a warrant.  Lawrence Johnson served one year as County Clerk for fifty cents.

The town of Beatrice was pretty well deserted by its inhabitants during the winter of 1857-8. The few who remained and braved the hardships of that first winter experienced much suffering for food before the dawning of spring.

Settlements were made on Bear, Indian and Cub Creeks, and at Blue Springs, in the latter part of 1857 and spring of 1858.  The names of a few of those who located on Bear and Indian Creeks, near Beatrice, are Joseph Proud, Ira Dixon, Samuel Jones, John Pethoud, John Wilson, George Mumford, a family by the
name of Austin, M. C. Kelley, J. H. Butler, and Orr Stevens, whose names appear upon the records of the County, in connection with the organization of Beatrice. Samuel Kilpatrick, familiarly known as "Uncle Sammy," whose death occurred in 1875, together With L. Y. Coffin,Thomas and Joseph Clyne, William Webb,Charles Buss, F. R. Roper,J. B. Roper,and others, settled on Cub Creek.  James H. Johnson, Jacob Poff, R.A. Wilson,Ruel Noyes, Jacob Chambers and a family named Elliot, settled at Blue Springs.

William Tyler and C. C. Coffinberry settled in the vicinity.

S. M. Hanzen and F. H. Dobbs settled on Mud Creek

The extreme northern part of the County was not settled until about 1862, with the exception of a few who had located on the Great Nemaha, in Adams Precinct. John Adams, John Hillman, John Shaw, George Gale, John Lyon, Joseph Stafford, Frank Proudfit, S. P. Shaw, "William Silvernail, William Shaw, L. Silvernail, John Stafford, Lewis Hildebrand, Val. Kebler, J. Fisk, and Frank Pillmore, are a few of the first settlers in this locality.

David Palmer, Mr. Dewey, Jonathan Sharp, N. D. Cain, and others, settled on Plum Creek, in the southeastern part of the County, at a very early date.

The first death in the County was that of M. W. Ross, one of the original Town Company, which occurred at Beatrice in the winter of 1857.

The first birth occurred early in 1858, was a son to a Mr. Cross, who lived in a "dug-out" on Indian Creek.

Miss Katie Towle was the first female child born in the County.

The first school house was built at Beatrice, on the property known as the "School Block;" and the first teacher was a Mrs. Francis Butler.

The first mail route through the County was established in 1860, from Nebraska City via Beatrice, to Marysville, Kansas.  Joseph Sanders was the first mail carrier. He brought the first mail into Beatrice on the 3d day of October.

The Blue Valley Record,, established at Beatrice in 1867, was the first newspaper published.

On the 5th of July, 1857, after the inhabitants had exhibited their patriotism by celebrating the national anniversary, they assembled together for religious devotion, the Rev. D. H May, Pastor of the M. E. Church at Nebraska City, officiating, who then delivered the first sermon preached in the County.

The Presbyterian Church of Beatrice was organized in 1869, by the Presbytery of Nebraska City. The building is a commodious and elegant edifice.

In April, 1871, the Episcopal Church of Beatrice was organized as a Mission Station, and two years thereafter it was organized as a Parish, under the name of Christ Church. In the summer of 1874 a neat edifice was erected, at a cost of $3,000.

The Christian Church of Beatrice was organized in October, 1872. In the summer of 1874, an edifice was erected at a cost of $2,500.

The First Baptist Church of Beatrice was organized in the fall of 1873, and in the following year a neat edifice was erected, at a cost of $1,400.

The United Brethren Church of Beatrice was organized on the 14th of December, 1874, and have since erected a commodious house of worship.

The German Baptists, or "Dunkards," organized a Church in the County on the 9th of June, 1875, which is in a flourishing condition.

The German Methodist Chnrch, in Clatonia Precinct, was organized in 1870, and an edifice erected in the following year, at a cost of about $1,000.

 In 1875, the Lutherans organized a Society here, and have secured land for an edifice, cemetery, schoolhouse, and parsonage.

 Religious services are also held by the Congregationalists, Methodists, and the Church of God, in the several school houses in the Precinct.

The M. E. Church of Blue Springs was organized in 1859, and an edifice of stone erected in 1869. The Evangelical Association and Adventists also hold regular services at this place.

The M. E. Church in Adams Precinct was organized in 1867, and in 1874 built a parsonage at a cost of $500. A Baptist Society was organized in the same Precinct in 1870.

A Society of the Church of God was organized in the northwestern part of the County in 1874. Services are held every Sabbath.

The Baptists have a Church on Plum Creek, in Liberty Precinct.

Johnsons History of Nebraska