(36) IN the summer of 1867 J. G. Routson and J. W. Early of Columbus, Nebraska, being on an exploring trip through the Elkhorn valley, camped for a day or two on Al. Hopkins creek, about two miles north of the present town of Tilden. Just as they were finishing breakfast one morning they were surprised to see a man approaching, carrying a gun on his shoulder. It was Michael J. Hughes, who told them that he had located with his family on a claim about a mile above the camp on the creek. He stated that they were out of provisions and that he was hunting to procure food for his family, but had not succeeded in killing any game. At this time Mr. Hughes was the only settler on the north side of the river west of the German settlement on the north fork of the Elkhorn. Messrs. Routson and Early supplied Mr. Hughes with such provisions as they could spare, and he returned to his family. Mr. Hughes came from Pennsylvania to Illinois, and in March, 1867, moved from Illinois to Nebraska, stopping for a short time at Columbus. During the summer of 1867 he moved with ox teams from Columbus to the head of Battle Creek, in Madison County, where he camped for a few days. About August 1, 1867, he came with his teams and covered wagon to Antelope County and located on the southeast quarter of section 36, in Elm township, probably not knowing at the time that it was school land. Here he remained with his family until about October 1, when he moved to Cuming County, Nebraska. Mr. Hughes relates that they were visited several times during their (37) temporary stay here by Indians, and that although they were friendly and offered no molestation, his wife and children were frightened and persuaded him to go down the valley to West Point. By his yielding to their entreaties Antelope County lost a good citizen and Mr. Hughes was deprived of the honor of being the first permanent settler in Antelope County. Mr. Hughes became a prominent citizen of Cuming County and of the city of West Point, where he died November 26, 1897. While living within the limits of Antelope County Mr. Hughes built a shack of poles and grass, for a temporary residence, and cut some timber, but he did no plowing, nor did he make any permanent improvements. His shack was still to be seen when the Hopkins family located in August, 1868.

     On the 25th of April, 1868, George St. Clair came to Antelope County and put up a little shack on the east half of the northwest quarter and north half of the southwest quarter, section 21, Burnett township, and on June 30, 1868, made a preemption filing on this land at the Dakota City land office. This was the first tract of land filed on in the county. It lies on St. Clair Creek, and contained at that time the largest fine body of oak timber in the county. St. Clair was a Canadian by birth, but had lived several years in the United States, always on the frontier, and most of the time with the Indians, spending his time in trapping and hunting. He had trapped on the Elkhorn River and knew the country well before taking his claim. He was known among the frontiersmen as Ponca George, from the fact that he had lived a time among the Ponca Indians. He never proved up on his claim, but abandoned it in a few months, leaving nothing behind him but his name, which was transferred to St. Clair Creek.

     As stated before, this St. Clair tract of land contained the largest fine body of oak timber in the county. There was another tract of oak timber equally good, but not so extensive, on section 16 in Cedar township. Both these tracts of land were stripped of their timber to be used in building flouring mills. Every stick on the St. Clair (38) preemption, fit for building purposes, was cut, hewed, and hauled to Norfolk in the summer of 1869, and used to build the Norfolk mill, where it is still doing duty. That on section 16, Cedar township, was put into the first Oakdale mill by R. G. King about two or three years later. This mill has since been dismantled, and the timber used for other purposes. The appropriation of timber was not unusual in those days. Timber found on government land, or on state land, was common property. It belonged to everybody.

     The fertile, inviting prairies of the Elkhorn valley were not long to remain without permanent settlers. In the early part of February, 1868, Crandall Hopkins of Lafayette County, Wisconsin, where he had lived for about eighteen years, decided to remove to Whiteside County, Illinois, near Sterling, with the intention of buying a farm and permanently locating in that part of the country. After a residence of a few months, not being well pleased with the location and having considerable sickness in his family, he decided to move on and seek a location somewhere west of the Missouri River, where he hoped to find government land that would suit him. About the first of August, 1868, after having taken several weeks to prepare for the journey, he struck out west with horse teams and covered wagons without any very definite idea as to where he would locate, except that it was to be on the west side of the Missouri. In due time he had crossed the state of Iowa, and reached Council Bluffs. While being ferried over the Missouri River to Omaha on the steam ferry then in use, he got into conversation with one of the ferrymen, who appeared to be quite familiar with the country west of the river. In reply to the inquiries of Mr. Hopkins as to the best section of the country where government land could be found, this man advised him to go to the Elkhorn valley. He said that he had been all over this western country and he knew of no part of the country that excelled the Elkhorn valley in fertility of soil or healthfulness of climate. That there was an abundance of timber along the Elkhorn and the (39) creeks emptying into it, for all present uses. He strongly advised Mr. Hopkins at least to go and see the Elkhorn valley before locating. He directed him to take the military road leading west from Omaha, to follow it to the Elkhorn river, and then follow up the valley until he found land to suit him. Mr. Hopkins had never heard of the Elkhorn valley before, but he determined to follow this advice and at least see the Elkhorn country. On reaching Dennie's Ranch he encamped for the night, and finding that Mr. Dennie was an old-timer and familiar with the country, he asked his opinion as to where the best vacant land could be found. Mr. Dennie, without hesitation, said, "Go to the Elkhorn valley, follow it up until you find land to suit you, settle down, and you will never be sorry for it." The next day he reached the Elkhorn, and, following the valley on the north side, crossed the west line of Madison County and encamped on the southeast quarter of section 1, Burnett township, about August 31, 1868.

     It is not definitely settled as to the exact date, but Allen Hopkins is quite certain that they left Whiteside county, Illinois, for the west on August 3, and that they were just four weeks on the way. At this time Mr. Hopkins' family consisted of a wife and twelve children, two of whom, Allen and William, were grown men. They had no very near neighbors. George St. Clair was still on his claim in section 21, Burnett township, but he abandoned it soon after and left the country. East of them there were no settlers above the German settlement around Norfolk. Southeast there were settlers on Shell Creek, about twenty-five or thirty miles distant. To the west the country was all a wilderness, while north of them the nearest white men were settled along the Missouri and Niobrara rivers.

     There was a fine body of timber along the creek, just north and west of their camp. It was supposed that the section line ran through this body of timber and that part of it was in Madison County, and part in what is now Antelope County, but then unorganized territory. Crandall Hopkins decided to take a claim in Madison County, just (40) east of the line, and Allen would take the southeast quarter of section 1, on which they were encamped. Crandall at once began breaking prairie on his claim in Madison County, but having found in a few days that the section line ran entirely east of the body of timber, he abandoned this land and located two miles farther west, on the east half of the northeast quarter, section 3, in Burnett township, and on the south half of the southeast quarter of section 34, Elm township.

      Allen Hopkins made homestead entry on his claim September 9, 1868, and Crandall entered his as a homestead on October 22 following. Allen Hopkins' land was the first homestead taken in Antelope County. They at once set to work to build a log house on Allen Hopkins' claim, and in this they all spent the winter. This was the first house within the limits of Antelope County. During the winter they built a log house on Crandall Hopkins' homestead and in March, 1869, he occupied it with his family.