|
Early
History
The
first settlers within the boundaries of Stanton County were Jacob Hoffman and
Francis Scott.
The
first men to enter the county and locate farms were Charles and Mitchell Sharp.
They came in the summer of 1865, staked their claims on the Humbug, and
returned to Omaha.
On
the way back they met Scott and Hoffman driving ox teams, and bringing their
goods and families. They also located on the Humbug, and built their cabins,
the first buildings of any kind in the county.
During
the winter, the men obtained work cutting ties on the Platte for the Union Pacific
Railroad, while the two women, sole occupants of the vast wilderness, remained
and looked after their property.
In
the spring of 1866, W. D. Whalen and Andrew Bortoff arrived in the county. Mr. Whalen located about a mile west of the
present town. Mr Bortoff took the place
since owned by Judge Helmerick.
In
the fall of the year, a body of Germans settled five miles north, on the
Humbug. Among them were August Draube,
Fred Cook, Adam Nye and Carl Schwartz.
About the same time, I. R. Layton, Andrew
Schauble, John Rustemeyer and Paul Heyse took claims on the Humbug.
During
this year also, August Wagoner settled south of the river, and was the only one
who had at that time taken his claim on that side.
In the spring of 1867, E. S. Butler, E. W.
Mosher and Thomas Stevens settled on the Humbug.
In
the same year, Julius Poessnecker and L. Belz came into the county.
During
the year 1868-69, settlement increased rapidly. Prominent among those who
arrived were:
Fred
Snyder
John Wunner
Jack Deborde
A N. Gill
Jeus Nelson
J. G. Matheson and C. L. Lamb, who located on
the Humbug;
W.
L. Bowman
Eli Bowman
H. Kennedy
Alex McFarland
W. D. Lovett
H. Rogers
N. C. Lovett and J. S. Lovett, who located on
Pleasant Run, better known as Gassey Hollow;
Fred
and Lewis Mewi
Alex and Oliver Peters
Robert Barr
R. Hume
John and Robert McMillan
Alex Kinney
I. W. King and Thomas Milligan, who located
northeast of Stanton
R.
Oberg
H.
Scherer
Fred
and Tobias Mack
Lewis
Ley
C.
Eswein
John
Everson and R. Lowery, who located south of Stanton
G.
Sonnenschein and J. D. Underberg, who stopped on Union Creek, in the western
part of the county.
The
settlement had at this time become permanent, and the growth has since been
rapid.
The
first store opened in the county was by George Graves, in the Humbug
settlement, in the spring of 1869.
At
that time the demands of the community were not excessive, and the stock in
trade was not large. If any one became so extravagant as to ask for a dollar's
worth of anything, Mr. Graves was in the habit of exclaiming. "Hi gorry!
Can't you get along with a little less! Hi gorry'. I wish you would.'' He soon
became known throughout the country as "Hi gorrv."
Says
an extract: "He would serve a customer with 10 cents worth of sugar or a
yard of calico in those days with just as much grace and geniality as he fills
an order for a car load of lumber in these latter days."
In
the spring of 1870. Kendall & Jensmore opened their store three miles from
the Humbug, at a place called Clinton, and, in the summer, Lewis Ley began his
career as a merchant in his dugout, on the south side of the river.
In
1867, the first schoolhouse in the county was erected at the Clinton
settlement, and the children who gathered in the little log building were first
instructed by Gustav Sonnenschein.
In
1870, the frame building, which is now used at Pilger, was erected at the
Humbug settlement, and was the first frame schoolhouse.
Shortly
after this, one was erected near W. D. Whalen's farm. W. L. Bowman preached in the log house soon
after it was constructed. These were the first religious services. He also preached in the frame schoolhouses,
and for many years continued to preach at various places, being the only
religious instructor in the county.
December
9, 1867, marks the birth of the first child which opened its eyes upon the
beauties of Stanton County. Ida Hoffman
bears this distinction, and is the daughter of Jacob Hoffman, who was the
earliest settler.
In
the fall of 1866, John Mascatine died and was buried upon his homestead. This was the first death recorded in the
annals of Stanton history.
In
the fall of 1869, Herman Mewis and Emma Hinkle were united in the holy bonds of
matrimony. This is the first marriage
which occurred in the county. The manner in which the ceremony was performed is
indicative of the newness of the country. The young couple appeared before the
officer and procured a license, and, as he did nothing but deliver it, they
concluded that all necessary preliminaries had been gone through with, and
settled down to married life in Pierce County.
The mother of the bride, however, heard of the mistake, and immediately
had it rectified.
In 1871, Lewis Ley, who had, since his store
south of the river had been started, been harness-maker in Stanton, and also had a boot and shoe store,
began to study law, and. was the first attorney in the county. His first case
was between two dwellers on the Humbug, and was tried before Justice M. B.
Sharp. Ley's client was successful, and, having no money, rewarded his able
attorney by giving him five pounds of sausage.
In
1870, the town of Stanton began its growth, and since that time most that has
occurred of historic importance has been connected with the town.
In
1871, the bridge which crosses the river at Stanton was built at a cost of
$4,200.
In
1867. two post offices were established in the county, one known as the Clinton office which was
kept by Fred Biehle, and another west of town, kept by Fred Helmerick.
In
those days, George Baily was mail carrier, and traveled from West Point with
the mail in his pockets.
The
milling of the early settlers was done at Logan Creek Mills, over sixty-five miles
distant, and for many years people could not get a plow sharpened nearer than
West Point.
History
of Nebraska 1882
|