1913 York County NE Old Settlers ~ Biographies

in 1872, and with his family moved on the place (90) in the spring of 1873, just in time to get the full benefit of the Great Easter Storm while living in a half finished frame house. The storm raged for three days and nights with such fury it was at the risk of one's life to venture from the house to the stable. After the storm was over I took my shovel and went to the home of S. W. Sidwell, who lived in a dug-out. The only sign of a residence was the stove pipe sticking up through the snow. I went to the pipe and asked Mr. Sidwell what he was doing down there He promptly replied he was reading the B. & M. advertisements about the beautiful climate of Nebraska. After the destructive grasshopper raid of 1876 we decided to sell out and leave the country, and sold our fine 160acre farm, with frame house, 120 acres broke out, stable and well, for $1000.00, but the purchaser failed to complete the settlement till too late to go elsewhere the next spring, and C. R. Keckley was about to marry a girl who had a claim she could not hold if married, and I bought her 160 acre for $100.00 and moved on the land in the spring 1877, remained and improved the farm till elected County Clerk in the fall of 1881. While living on our homestead we found congenial neighbors and friends. I think the early settlers in York County among the best in all the qualities that go to make first-class citizens. A neighbor family who had moved in the best circles in the East, came in their lumber wagon and ox team one afternoon -- five miles, to make us a visit, we had a splendid time till about midnight, they hitched their ox team to their wagon and started across the prairies to their home.

In the fall of 1881 I was nominated on the republican ticket for County Clerk and ran against Mr. Black of West Blue Township the democrat nominee. In canvassing the county I frequently met my friend, T. E. Sedgwick, who was working for the other fellow, but since my election Mr. Sedgwick has been one of my warmest friends.

After I was elected County Clerk we moved to York, I served four terms, and have made York my home since. Was elected Mayor of the city for 1906-7 and am proud of the fact that with the able assistance of every member of the city council, and the city attorney, the first paving contract was let, and work begun on the first paving district; (91) ground was secured for East Hill Park; the Gas Plant was installed; the first cement crossing in York was made across Academy Avenue, on the north side of West 6th St. Lincoln Cox did the work under the supervision of H. W. Brott, a practical mason, and member of the city council. I remember with pleasure the concerted action of the Council in all these improvements, and all the business of the city. The Council were half democrats and half republicans, and I remember but one vote taken during the two years that was not unanimous. I have now, this year of 1912 lived out all my own time, three score years and ten, and am living on borrowed time, and feel that I would like to borrow as long as they have any time to lend. In writing these few incidents many events in my life come fresh to my mind, some I would like to forget, and many are refreshing and inspiring as a morning shower.

Nathaniel A. Dean was born in Allegheny County, Maryland in 1850; with his parents he moved to Somerset County, Pa., in 1852, and attended the public school until 1866, the close of the war. In 1867 with his brother-in-law, R. Brooke, he made a trip over the greater part of Kansas, and stopped for the winter at Maryville, Nodaway County, Mo., where Brooke purchased a farm and lived.

In the year 1868, being a boy of 18 years, I saddled up my pony, took my lariat rope and started for the Great American Desert; I crossed the line into York County and the second day of October, 1868, my first stop was at John Anderson's who had just homesteaded the first homestead in York County, and I wintered with "Uncle" Elias Gilmore on the "Blue."

I was one of the first that signed the petition to Gov. David Butler for the permanent organization of York County; April, 1870 we had our first election; there were three voting precincts organized, one on the " Blue," one where York now stands and one in the Northern part of the County; at the same election we voted and located the (92) County Seat, which is now York. I voted on the "Blue" and we polled fifty-one votes and elected the first officers on the lot now stands the Blodgett Hotel. (See names York County History). My first two years in York County were full of experiences,--buffalo hunting, elk and antelope; part of the time I associated with the Indians, but when it came to their eating I preferred my own cooking as they relished stale animals and skunks. In the fall of '79 I spent some of that time at "Old Fort Kearney" reading novels of "Buffalo Bill," "Kit" Carson and "Calamity" Jane, I was anxious to see them, and I spent some happy days with them.

In 1870 Peter Heller, with his family, moved from Iowa to York County; fortunately for me he had a young lady of seventeen years, and I persuaded her parents to give her to me; on Christmas day 1871 at high noon in a sod house, on a dirt floor was where she promised to protect me; to this union there were eight children, four boys and four girls, all born raised and schooled in York County, and they have made York County their homes all their lives.

We were like all young married people in those days in York County; all we had was our name, money was a thing of the past, everything was purchased through trade. We dried buffalo meat and traded for dishes and furniture to commence housekeeping. We made our bedstead, chairs and tables old of slabs sawed out of cottonwood that I sawed myself on the Blue River in the first saw mill in this county. We have held our own these 44 years, as the old saying is -- "a poor man for babies." I helped cut the logs and with ox teams we hauled the same to Milford, Nebraska saw mill, and with the lumber we built the first school house in York County. The first team that I ever owned was an ox team, I paid for the same by breaking prairie, now on the quarter section that Geneva, Nebraska, stands upon. Our first trading after coming to this country was done in Nebraska City; it would take with our ox teams two weeks and over if the weather was good to make the trip. We have experienced in these forty years all kinds of Nebraska weather; went through the grass-hoppers' season, the storm of 1873 and also in 1888 which (93) history has so well recorded. My homestead was on the "Beaver," nine miles east of York, and I afterwards moved up on the divide south of York. In 1886, with my family, moved into the city and tried all kinds of business, and, the citizens of York know the results. In '89 four of us organized the U. B. church and in '90 with the Rev. Jones from Gibbon we organized what is now our York college; that year I was elected Treasurer of the College, and have held the position ever since.

Daniel Graves was born in Rutland County, Vermont, June 22nd, 1844. In 1847 he left the Green Mountain state with his parents by the way of the Great Lakes, there being no railroads east of Chicago at that time, and settled in McHenry County, Illinois, where he was reared, and in the common schools of that state obtained his education. At an early age he began work upon the farm, and throughout life has continued to follow agricultural pursuits. Although he started out for himself at the age of twenty-one empty handed, he soon became the owner of a small farm of fifty-six acres in Illinois.

In 1872 Mr. Graves was united in marriage with Miss Martha Loomer, to this union was added the birth of seven children: two little daughters are deceased; while the living are, Almlra G., Nora M., Daniel, Jr., Mabel P., Henry C. Mira G., and Nora M., were born in Marengo, Illinois, the rest being born in York County, Nebraska.

On selling his farm in Illinois, in 1877 he came to York county, Nebraska, and purchased four hundred acres of railroad land on section 11, Arborville Township, and as his financial resources increased, he has added to his possessions until he now owns one thousand and forty acres, which he has transformed from wild prairie into highly cultivated fields .

In connection with his farming he fed cattle for over twenty-five years. His five living children are at this date located on his various farms in York County, Nebraska. In (94) the year 1901 he was afflicted with a paralytic stroke which unfitted him for manual labor. After remaining on the old farm eight years longer, he decided to move to York, purchased property, and built a modern home in the fall of 1908, at 916 East Avenue. He has passed the past eleven years in California and Florida, the winters here being too severe for health.

I came to York County in 1884 --I know something of the disappointments and sacrifices one has to make to live in a new prairie country. Driven from the Southwestern part of the state by hot winds and prairie dogs, we were very discouraged and finances low. I decided to locate in York for my future home. I took up the vocation of nurse. I have seen the gradual rise, but no fall of York for 28 years; saw the big fire on the South side in which my son, W. T.
Brown at present a resident of Fairmont, Nebraska, got hurt and was left a cripple.

York is called the banner city of Nebraska; I love it for its high standard of morals and enterprise of citizens wearing the wonderful fabric of life that shall be a contribution to the Heavenly World.

Born at Cumberland, Guernsey County, Ohio, February 20, 1848. The son of William E. and Sarah S. Post, both of Scotch lineage.

When about three years old the family removed to Hibbardsville, Ohio, where the family resided until about the year 1859 when the entire family removed to Clay County, Missouri. This was just before the War of the Rebellion. Political animosity soon became so pronounced that men known to be in sympathy with the Union were not safe in that part of the country. The father of the subject of this sketch was an outspoken anti-slavery advocate and friend of the Union. As a result practically all of his property was confiscated and destroyed and he, glad to get away with the (95) members of his family uninjured. The family then located at Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, from which place they removed a year later to Davis County, Iowa, near Bloomfield, where the father died in 1868 leaving a widow and six children two daughters and four sons. In May 1864 the subject of this sketch enlisted in Company D. 45th Iowa Infantry and was discharged in September of the same year by reason of the expiration of the term of service.

A addition to the Public Schools he was educated at the Troy College, an institution then flourishing at Troy, Iowa. By teaching school and working by the month he earned the money to assist his mother and family and pay his way through school. While in school he also devoted a part of his time to reading law and in 1871 was admitted to the bar at Bloomfield lowa. Soon after this he came to York, Nebraska and engaged in practice of his profession. From 1871 to 1875 he was active in his profession, being engaged in much of the important litigation in this part of the State. In 1875 he was elected District judge of the Fourth Judicial District, which comprised the counties of Dodge, Colfax, Platte, Merrick, Hall, Howard, Hamilton, Polk, Butler, Saunders, Seward and York. Four years later he was elected to the same office. Before the expiration of its second term he was forced to resign his office by reason of ill health, which was induced by overwork. On March 5th, 1883 he was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue and United States Disbursing Officer for Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. This appointment came to him without solicitation on his part. He discharged the duties of that office until October 1886, at which time he resigned in order to devote himself to his personal business. In 1872 he issued the first call for a Republican Convention in York County and presided over the convention. He was Chairman of the County Republican Committee for many years. He was the chief attorney for the Northwestern Railway Company south of the Platte River during all of its construction period.

He was united in marriage on January 1, 1879 with Miss Laura McConaughy, at Mount Pleasant, West Moreland County, Pennsylvania. To them have been born five children, four daughters and one son.

     (96) On retiring from public office he devoted himself to the business of banking, in which he was already interested. On March 20, 1884 he was elected President of the York Exchange Bank. This bank was soon reorganized as the York National Bank, of which he was elected President and continued as such until October 1893 at which time he and his business Associates bought the First National Bank of York, and consolidated the two banks and operated the same as the First National Bank. He served as President of this bank until August 1912. He organized and became President of the First Trust Company of York in August 1911. He organized and became President of the Bank of Benedict November 27, 1889, and continued as such President until February 8, 1906, at which time the bank of Benedict was converted into the First National Bank of Benedict. He served as President of this hank until August 1912. On May 14, 1897 he and his business associates organized the State Bank of Bradshaw. He served as President of this bank until March 1906, at which time this bank was converted into the First National Bank of Bradshaw. He was elected President and served until August 1912. In June 1889 he became President of the Blue River Bank of McCool Junction and served as such until August 1912. In April 1902 he bought the controlling interest in the Bank of Lushton and served as Vice-President until August 1912. In May 1885 he became President of the Farmers &, Traders Bank of Waco and served continuously as President until August 1912. In November 1890 he and his business associates or August 1912. Thus making an aggregate bank service in York County of almost one hundred and fifty years.

     He has also served the city as Mayor, Councilman, Park Commissioner, etc., etc.

     As president of the First National Bank of York he erected the present bank building on the Corner of Lincoln avenue and Sixth Street, in which the bank at this time is situated. At the time of writing this sketch he has sold a large part of his property in York County and is about to remove with his family to California.

First visit to Free-soil Nebraska and first State Fair held at Lincoln, Sept. 1872. With Brother, A. B. Codding from Mendota, Ill., filed on See. 14, T.12, R. 3. A. B. C. on Sec. 34. (Moved Mar. 1873). On Easter Sunday, April 12, at Sunset we watched the approach of the noted Easter Blizzard coming from the northwest in a perfect half circle like a new hemisphere had broken loose, sure it was a "scare sight." Fleeing before it birds of all kinds, buzzards, hawks, owls and crows. They were frightened, wearied and fell to the ground. The storm lasted three days and nights, many families had just moved into new sod shanties. There was much suffering and lack of fuel and shelter for stock; one young man perished in the effort to care for his team. Other families took their team -- their only support -- into the shanty with them, it was the only refuge, they could not see them perish at the door. Many cattle drifted with the storm and snow and perished. The wind and snow was so fierce and blinding that the only safe place was the sod shanty and stay there.

Then, there cometh another evil that no man knoweth from whence it came -- That grasshopper raid, Aug. 1874. They came as clouds, dropping to the earth and covering the ground and consumed immense stuff for a meal. They remained three days and nights and ate the entire corn crop of the county, which was earing fine; they ate leaf, ear and stalk. (Wheat was in shock ). Their green eyes beheld every tender leaf and plant. Wife's garden was her summer's delight and promise but while we slept they ate it top and root; with open hole in the ground, turkeys and chickens feasted till ashamed and disgusted; faithful teams shook their mains and snorted like "Pharaoh's Horses." Cows broke loose and ran for relief, the women cried. The grasshoppers went as they came -- suddenly and in clouds, they shadowed the sun and the men said, "Lord we are willing," and we went nine miles to Sunday school. Wife and baby Nellie and papa, (to balance) went, on a riding (98) corn plow rig and buggy box to Capt. Eberhart's school house in 1875. New frame school house on Sec. 8, Town 11, R.2, by M. Sovereign's homestead. A Sunday school was easily organized, -- house full -- Sovereign, Superintendent; Hon. Wm. H. Keckley, Bible teacher. The whole vicinity rallied like soldiers to their flag, it was a place for prayer, song and cheer. Stromsburg Sunday School sent invitations to visit them, Father Keckley moved: "If anybody goes, we all go." We had two four-horse (long reach) rigs, decorated, mounted by U. S. flag, school banner, and a set of sleigh bells on both teams to lead the way. With F. J. Parris and Samuel Sidwell as marshals to keep the music quiet, for it was Sunday. To say the least, Stromsburg gave a happy greeting and the shady grove on the Blue River for our picnic dinner -- "Remember the Joy Life as Well."

The last wild buffalo: Three stray grazers were seen the summer of 1874 in Northwestern part of county and just northwest of York. One was shot by Jess Gandy near the Washburn Ranch on Lincoln Creek; the other two unawares, came very close to three women who were taking a walk to Joe Boyers, they were Mrs. R. B. Brabham, Mrs. Wm. Greer and Mrs. Ronaga, (One lost her knitting, another her shoes) The two remaining buffalo were shot, one near Stromsburg in a pool, the last at South Bend on the Platte.

For 20 miles around -- (The Corn Stall; Fire.)

Rather lend than borrow -- (The flour sack.)

Rather Help than pay money -- (the money bag.)

Rather visit than hunt or fish -- (The men.)

Rather be at ease than curse the flees -- (the women.)

Rather be content than quench the spirit -- (The wolf.)

Rather stay than fail getting away -- (The family.)

"Forty Years Ago" 1912.

Charles M. Sandall was born in Sweden, Dec. 23, 1845, came with his parents to America in 1858, settling in Henry county, Illinois, where they lived one year, then moved to Hening county, Iowa. Here he lived with his parents until the fall of 1871 when he came West, taking a homestead in York county, Nebraska, on Sec. 34, Twp. 11, Range 3. The following spring he returned to Iowa and on Feb. 20, 1872 was married to Miss Fredricka Anderson; they started the next Spring in a movers' wagon for their new home in Nebraska and lived on the homestead five years and then sold and moved one mile west, where they have lived ever since.

They were blessed with nine children: Clars, Silas, Rebeka, Oscar, Esther, Othillia, Ernest, Fred and Rudolph, of which eight are still living. Othillia leaving her earthly home Feb. 14, 1910, also a little daughter who now makes her home with her grandparents.

Mr. Sandall and wife are charter members of the Swedish Lutheran church which was organized 1874, and are still active members. His wife being the first Swedish lady in York county. Mr. Sandall has been largely instrumental in bringing the Swedish people to this community.

Daniel Beishline was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania April 17, 1850, and was one of a family of Levi and Maria (Wenner) Beishline who were natives of the same state whose parental grand parents were Henry and Elizabeth (Post) Beishline, of German ancestry from Father's and Mother's side, and on the Mother's side were Daniel Wenner and Betsie -- name not remembered, was married to Miss Emma J. Coleman of Ashbury, Columbia county, Pa., Nov. 27, 1873. He tried farming in Pennsylvania four years during which time a little girl came to stay with them and was named Vernie Maud, she was born September 30, 1856; they then sold out and came to Nebraska by railroad in January, 1878, arrived in Fairmont and visited with Hiram Ammerman a few days, who had come to Nebraska (100) the year before, and he was a neighbor in Pennsylvania. From there we came to Wm. H. Coleman's, who had homesteaded on section 10, range 4, town 11, a few years prior to that date; a brother of Mrs. Beishline farmed for him four years and then bought eighty acres of Railroad land for $5.00 per acre on section 9, and leased 40 acres of School land on section 16. He built a sod house that fall and lived in it one winter without it being plastered and it afforded us shelter for thirteen years; its walls were two feet thick, curtains separated the bedroom from the kitchen. The breaking of the prairie was begun and by the next Spring we sowed forty acres of wheat. More prairie was broken as time would permit until the farm was broken out. In 1892 we built a comfortable farm house which seemed the more pleasant because of the long time it was waited for; we lived through many ups and downs and it seemed like more downs than ups.

We since bought other pieces of land, one forty on section 16 we paid $20.00 per acre for, this was about six years later, and in 1908 we bought forty acres more for which we paid $95.00 per acre. Three children came to bless our home in Nebraska as follows: Warren Clark, Jan. 26, 1883; Robbert Ray, April 27, 1890; Mearl Lee, Sept. 13, 1893. Vernie Maud is now married to Edd Ottie and is living on part of the farm. Warren Clark is in Cherry county on a 640-acre homestead, Robbert Ray is with Warren and is looking for a homestead. Mearl is at home helping to run the farm.

M. Burns, the subject of this sketch was born at Pekin, Niagara county, New York, on the 14th day of October, 1837 in a double-log house. At that time, those log houses were very common the country was new and the people were generally poor. The land was stony and covered with heavy timber that had to be cleared from the land before anything could be grown to support the thinly inhabited country. Boys like myself on the farms, before they were hardly in their teens, had to shoulder the ax and help in cutting the timber and clearing the land so that crops could be (101) grown, working side by side with the fathers during the summer season and often during the winter.

It was my privilege to attend the district school during the winter months until I had nearly reached manhood; then it was my privilege to attend a private school for two winter terms, where I perfected myself in the higher branches then necessary to qualify a person for teaching. After I reached my majority, I attended what was then Genesse College, located at Lima, New York, since changed to Syracuse University.

I enlisted on the 8th day of August, 1861, in the 44th Regiment of New York Volunteers' Infantry and went with the Regiment down to Halls Hill, Virginia, as first Regiment of Company B; was taken sick while in camp, and sent to the hospital in Washington, being discharged from the service the 19th day of April, 1862. Recovering somewhat from my sickness I went to Plainfield, Illinois, in the fall of 1863 and commenced teaching, first in country schools and later in graded schools. While living there and teaching, I became acquainted with Miss Malvina C. Hess and on March 15, 1865, we were married. From that union were born two children; Ritey H. and Abbie C., Ritey H. died in 1890, Abbie C. is still living. We came to Nebraska in the spring of 1878, on the15th day of March. My wife having two sisters living in York county, we went directly there and bought some Union Pacific land, in what was then called North Blue Precinct. I built a small house to live in, and then commenced seven years of hard work with a determination to make it win. I sold the farm in 1885, feeling satisfied I had realized my determination. ln 1880, the people of York and Hamilton Counties honored me by the election to the State Senate. I came to Lincoln in 1888, and entered the hardware business, I sold out and went back to York in 1892, in charge of the Farmers and Merchants Bank. Sold that out and came to University Place in 1898, where I now reside.

As I review the past years I come to the conclusion that at the time it was wise for me to come to Nebraska. I have seen the ups and downs, financially that come to most persons in new country, and a dark shadow came over my life (102) when on the 26th day of September, 1908, I was called to lay away in her last resting place the wife who had been my strength and support for so many years. She had gone to her reward, and I am alone in the years that are old, but there is comfort in meeting my friends of my earlier Nebraska experiences.

I always think of York County and the City of York as the nicest county and city there is on the American continent.

I first set foot on York County soil in West Blue Township in the month of November, 1866. I homesteaded in the same township in 1868, being too young to homestead until this date.

When we look back and compare York county now, we old settlers can fully realize the great change that has taken place in the forty-six years that have passed. In 1866 it was a vast prairie, almost a desert, with a little timber on the Blue River, with elk, deer and buffalo frequently venturing to the river for water, with the Indians camping on the river banks, and it seeming a paradise to them, with everything that really made it an example of the typical Frontier. Indeed a very uninviting place for the white settlers. No postoffice was nearer than Camden, a little station on the Freight Road in Seward County, located about five miles north of the present City of Crete. The mail was brought to this place from Nebraska City on horse-back.

A change cane when the capitol was located at Lincoln. We got permits to establish a postoffice on the Blue River. In 1869, the writer had the privilege of carrying the mail from Lincoln to McFadden Postoffice, which was located near the present site of McCool, on pony back. This way a part of the old Star Route Mail System.

My route took in the following Post Offices: Milford. Camden, West Mills, Beaver Crossing, Blue Valley and McFadden. I planned to make the route trip once every week (103) but sometimes I failed on account of bad snow storms, which would fill up the ravines and make them difficult to cross, for very few of them were bridged.

Perhaps it would be of interest to mention one of my experiences on the mail route during the winter:

One morning on arising, at West Mills, I found that a terrible blizzard was raging which was a common thing in those days. I was already one day behind time and I thought that I must make the rest of the trip that day at all hazards. I started out but had only gone a little way when I came to a deep ravine, drifted level full. I knew my pony could never break a path through the drift and carry me so I got off, tied the mail sack on the saddle quite securely I thought and led the pony through. When I reached the other side I found my mail sack was gone. I knew it would never do to go on without it for I never would dare to go on up the Valley without any mail, so tying my pony to a tree I waded back through the path almost to the other side and found the mail buried in the snow.

This excitement warmed me up a little and I mounted my pony and came on up the River and delivered the mail that day.

Many like experiences fell to my lot that winter. I received as a salary about six dollars a trip.

I still live on the same homestead that I took in 1868. However we do not get our mail once a week as then, but instead every morning it is brought to the door in an automobile. While this is more convenient, it certainly cannot be more appreciated than the mail brought on the old Star Route for that was to a great extent the only touch of the life we had lived in the East, that was open to us .

     I was born July 26,1839, in Erie county, N, Y., and lived there until the breaking out of the war of 1861-65, when on September 16th, 1861, I enlisted in Company D, 49th (104) Regiment, N. Y. Volunteers and went to the war and was soon partaker of the incidents of warfare. A bullet struck me in my chin passing up into my mouth thus rendering the eating of hard tack an unpleasant task. At another time I was put with others to digging trenches; an accident occured which nearly proved serious. A man behind me in the trench, struck me across my back with his pick, accidentally of course. In the battle at Antietam I was wounded in the head and was unconscious for some time, when I came to the battle was over and dead soldiers all around me, but at last I was picked up and taken to the hospital; as soon as I recovered I was again at my post of duty. I received bullet wounds at other times, once in getting away from the enemy at Libby prison by escaping between two guards, they fired a shot that entered the calf of my leg which I'll carry to the day of my death. I was discharged the 16th day of December, 1862, on account of physical disability, and laid in the hospital at Annapolis Junction for three months from chronic difficulties caused from exposure in camp and field.

     I came back to my "father's house" where kind friends cared for me most tenderly and I improved quite rapidly. In the Spring I went to farming on my father's farm (my father and mother had moved to town some four miles away). I found it quite lonesome, living alone and I sought a companion to whom I was married on January 10, 1864, a Miss LaDelle Cushman, who has been a devoted wife and mother of four sons and one daughter.

     I came to York county, Nebraska, March, 1870, locating on a homestead on Sec. 22, Town 10, Range 2. I spent a few days looking around and went into Iowa, where I superintended the building of my uncle's house. After an absence of two months I went back to York State and spent the summer settling up business and getting ready to go to my western home. I left there the last of August, leaving my wife and two sons to come later. My wife was convalescing from a severe attack of spinal fever. At Lincoln, Nebraska, I was given a chance to work for the B. & M. R. R. Co., in the bridge and construction gang, from Crete to Kearney; I was with them until we reached the end of the line to Kearney, I then came to York and went to work, superintending (105) carpenter work. I helped to build the first frame building in York. I put up some forty frame buildings in York, and several school houses in York county. I tried farming on my homestead by hiring the breaking done at four or five dollars an acre, I also put up a frame building 12x20 for a house on my farm and went back to York State for my family, July 26, 1872, returning the. last of the month.

The next great event was the "April Storm." The day of the 12th of April had been a lovely day, but as night came on a huge black bank of clouds came up from the northwest, winging a thunder storm and then growing cold as the north wind came, turning the rain to snow and beating against the windows, and blowing the snow into every crack and crevice. For three days we were without fresh water, as we had no well and it was unsafe to go to the neighbors, we melted new snow and kept as warm as we could, burning corn on the ear and wrapping up in outer garments; no meat in the house for three days but the good Lord provided on the third day, in the afternoon the sun came out and looking out the south window on a pile a pile of corn was a prairie chicken getting something to eat. The chicken was prepared and we enjoyed the feast.

We helped to establish a Sunday School in our district school house and had a good attendance of some seventy-five persons. We also had preaching service during the summer by Rev. Broadwell, a Methodist preacher and homesteader living some four miles west of us. Then the days of grasshoppers in 1873-4. The sun darkened at noonday by the insects; at feeding times how the idolized gardens suffered, even eating into the onion bulbs, stripping trees, bushes and cornfields till nothing remained but bare stalks. The prospect was not very promising. One morning we observed immense flocks of birds which proved to be swallows; they seemed to be feeding upon the grasshoppers. Another morning after a heavy thunder storm the ground was covered with tiny frogs, walking along over them they would crunch and sound like breaking eggshells; never since have witnessed the like.

The early days of pioneer life was fraught with trials and disappointments. When everything seemed to point (106) towards prosperity, something would take place to discourage and darken our prospects and we come down to the years of helplessness with the satisfaction that we did the best we could within our environments, and now, I bid you adieu.

In the 2nd of September, 1871, we left the town of Lawrenceville, Illinois, for Nebraska, arriving in York county, on the 30th day of September; we made this trip in a covered wagon and made the same trip in the same wagon and with the same team of horses from Lawrenceburg, Indiana the year before; our trip took us through Missouri about three hundred miles, which was not a very pleasant journey as it was just after the war. Mrs. Robbins and I were alone several nights, I under the wagon with my rifle as we did not have a watch dog with us. The first thing l done in York county was to look up a piece of land and go to Lincoln and homestead it; there was no railroad in the county at that time nor was there in Fairmont, as we passed the construction party at Dorchester, there was no railroad in the county. After the Burlington got to Fairmont we did our trading there, but before that time we went to Mill with our grain to Lincoln, then we had grist mills at Milford, later at Beaver Crossing, then one at Red Lion, and a few years later the town of York began to loom up. Doc Converse began the building of the Union Pacific R. R. as a competing line of the Burlington, no corruption there you see. At that time all the settlers in the county were along Blue River, there were no houses on the high prairie. I did not wait to buy lumber for I had nothing much to buy with; I looked around for the best location I could find and dug a hole in the bank a kind of combination, part dugout with a front made out of nice prairie sod covered with brush and soil, all in one room, there was no parlor, but we left a place on the side so we could build a parlor at a more convenient season. That winter we did not live sumptuously -- no meat, butter or milk, barley coffee; the next spring I shot deer, also an antelope, then we had some meat the next fall when I got a dressed hog at Beaver Crossing, it was away in the night before I got home and down about Blue Vale a pack of (107) wolves came after me and I had to fight them off until I got up west of McFadden, they were on both sides of the wagon trying to jump in, I had no gun but they finally left me.

Our next experience was the "Easter Storm" on the 12th day of April, 1873; a good many of the present settlers will remember this storm in our dugout; we were covered over for three days and nights with a light burning all the time and we could hardly tell whether it was day or night. There were times when it tried men's souls and temper, but we were in a good humor if I do say it myself, and done the best we could under the circumstances. I should have said that the fall before this I went away down on the Blue and got five bushels of potatoes and a half dozen of chickens and expected to have eggs for side the next summer. I burried the potatoes and made a nice hen house in the side of the bank for the chickens, in the meantime the potatoes all froze and the coyotes came in and just before daylight one morning and cleaned up all the chickens, so with the snow storm, grasshoppers, the loss of the potatoes and poultry and but very few neighbors things looked rather discouraging, although we had neighbors that lived within one-half mile of us, Mr. and Mrs. George Brown, but they were in the side of another bank and we did not know they were living there, but we were young then and courageous, and little things like that didn't bother us. I got a well anger and made wells, I was gone from home a week at a time, during this time Mrs. Robbins would be living alone in the dugout with wolves and stray Indians about. Finally we got a sewing machine and several times Mrs. Robbins had to give the Indians demonstrations of this sewing machine. There were no roads then on sections lines, and I can remember when we were coming to York we would take the nearest way possible. At first York consisted of a little frame house and one sod, but now as I stand on Hill Side and look over the city it is surely wonderful to see what a splendid city with its fine buildings and shade trees all built up where forty years ago there was nothing but the raw prairie, but with all our hardships in our pioneer days that we have lived through them without leaving to go back to wife's folks and we feel (108) fully repaid in staying by York county and sometimes I think probably we ought to be more thankful for what we have and for our health and friends.

Father and mother and we six children drove from Illinois with our old horses, took a homestead June 15, 1866 We first pitched our tent on the Blue River and went to work building a dugout, and to got ready for the winter, we had hard winters and lots of snow. This is what made it hard for us, the snow was so deep that a team could not get through, we had to go to Lincoln to get anything at all and no money to get anything with. It was too late to raise anything when we came and there wasn't anything in the line of work to be done, so we had to stay for we couldn't get away. Never will I forget the time when we didn't have enough to eat and many times I heard mother say "I don't know where the next meal will come from." For three weeks we lived on homemade hominy, in the making of which we took the wood ashes to hull the corn and we didn't even have salt to pour over it; for clothes, we had no shoes, mother made us rag shoes which we six children all wore. I remember the first pair of shoes I had after we came west to Nebraska. We saw buffalo, deer antelope and wild turkeys, but hadn't anything to shoot them with. There were lots of Indians here then and we were afraid of them at first, they would beg the last mouthful we had and we would give them some of what we had for the reason that we were afraid of them and thought they would kill us, that was all we worried about as we had been told that they would kill us if we didn't give them something to eat.

We could catch fish any time we could go to the river and cut a hole in the ice and put a piece of red calico on the hook and the moment it was in the water we would have a fish bite; we didn't have anything to fry them in so Mother used to boil them, but we got so sick of boiled fish that we children could hardly look at them. Thank you, no more boiled fish in mine, I can smell them yet and that is forty years ago, I wasn't very old those days but I can remember (109) things better that happened then, than I can remember things now .

But those times were the happiest times in our lives, every body was so good and sociable and that is more than can be said of the people of today, one would divide with the other.

Mr. Nathan Johnson was born Nov. 15, 1840, in Covenenty, Rhode Island, and when four years of age he with his parents moved to West Batavia, New York. Here he grew to manhood, and at the first of the war he answered the call of his country, enlisting August 21, 1861 in Company D. 49th Infantry. He was promoted to Sergeant of Captain, Geo. H. Selkirk's Co. Here he served in the Potomac army and was wounded May 4, 1863 at the Battle of Fredericksburg receiving a bullet which he carried to his grave.

On May 4, 1863, he was taken a prisoner during, the Battle of the Wilderness; he spent nine weary months in the Southern prison of Florence and Andersonville, and was released February 28, 1865, at Wilkington, North Carolina.

He received his honorable discharge May 22, 1865, at Rochester, New York. At the close of the war he went to Batavia, Iowa. Here he was united in marriage on November 1, 1868, to Miss Eleanor J. Graham. They removed from Iowa to Nebraska in March, 1872. He homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land three miles South of the City of York. The walls of their house were sod with two small windows, dirt roof and the ground for a floor. Five children were born to this union, two dying in infancy. The surviving ones are Mrs. Ruth Wright. of Chicago, Ill.; Charles E. and Mrs. Gertrude E. Currah of York. Mr. Johnson and wife were in the great Easter storm of 1873, which commenced April 16, and lasted three days. It was the worst storm that ever occurred in the history of the state.

The few settlers with their sod houses and straw barns were not prepared for such a storm, it was of such fury that horses, cattle and people that were out in it perished. Mr. Johnson, to save their cow took it down cellar which was out (110) side of their house. After the great Easter storm came the grasshopper pest, and many other privations that were endured by the early settlers.

One great drawback in those days was that no railroads were in the country and all freight for York had to be hauled from Fairmont. The fuel that was burned was hauled from the Blue river and Beaver creek. Some corn, corn stalks and hay were burned for fuel.

Nathan Johnson was honored with public office, being elected to the legislature from 1893 to 1895 and also was county treasurer from 1896 to 1900. He filled both of these offices with great fidelity and honor to himself and his friends.

In 1909 his health began to fail and thinking that a change in climate might be beneficial he and his wife left York on December 9, for Kessmine, Florida. For a time it seemed that his health was improving but on the 17th day of January he felt the fatal stroke coming while he was out walking with his wife. They returned to their temporary home and two hours later he died.

His widow returned to York with his body, where it was interred in Greenwood cemetery. So lived and passed away this man of a quiet example, of few words, of a kind and kingly spirit, a brave comrade, a firm friend, an honest official and an obliging neighbor; such men as Nathan Johnson have made York county one of the best governed counties of the state.

Mrs. Johnson, with her son Charles lives on the old homestead which has been her home for over forty years.

We were living at Fairbury, Ill., when we made up our minds to go West. We joined a colony that was locating homesteads at Gibbon, Buffalo county. We packed our goods and shipped them to Gibbon, having a promise of reduced freight. George's brother Amos, came down from Joliet and they started with their teams to drive through. (111) George thought he would let me stay about six months or until he got some kind of a house for me and the baby. When they crossed the Missouri River they fell in with eight more old soldiers, coming after homestead lands, among them were John Lett, Wm. Cross, Robert Lytle and Art Draucher. They went to the land office in Lincoln and were told that there was no government land in York county, so they thought they would have to strike for Fillmore county. In the meantime George and Amos had given up all thoughts of Gibbon deciding that it was too far west and the ten old soldiers were going to locate near each other. When they reached Beaver Crossing they met Zachariah Heath, who had been here and taken a homestead and was on his way back looking for work. He told them that there was plenty of government land in York county and told them which way to go to find Aikins Mills post office and that Mr. Atkins would locate them. When they reached Aikins they left their lumber wagons and drove on to Hamilton county to look around, where they found Mr. Spafford trying to bore a well. He had got down eighty feet and broke the auger. They were disgusted with the country and the whole bunch and them came back and located within a few miles of each other with Aikin Mills as their post office. They then piled up some sod to hold their claims till they could go to Lincoln and file on them. Next they broke out an acre in the northwest corner of our claim and while doing so dropped a few potatoes in the furrow and plowed them under and planted a little corn the same way. They broke a fire guard next to the road then broke on the line between George's land and his brother's (n. hf sec. 8-10-3.) Then they went up one side and down the other breaking as much on one claim as on the other, about ten acres. They had been here about six weeks when George wrote for me to come at once or he would not stay. He had our goods shipped back to Columbus from Gibbon and the railroad was so put out because he did not locate at Gibbon that they charged double rates for shipping them back and he did not have money enough to pay the freight so he broke out ten acres of land for Dr. Greer, who had filed on the southeast quarter of the same section our land was on, and thus secured enough money to pay the freight. George had taken the cook stove, two chairs, a mattress besides some boxes of canned goods, some potatoes, (112) and seed corn when he drove through. There was a water hole at the back of our homestead in a draw where George set up the stove. He stood two large boxes on end a few feet apart, laid some poles across and then covered them with a quilt to set the table under, which, by the way was another box, staked the wagon cover over it and we slept in it. We lived that way about a week and then they all worked together and built a sod building for a stable and we lived in it all summer. As I was the first woman to come they built ours first, then they put up sod houses for nearly all.

By that time they had learned more about breaking the sod, cutting and hauling it, when it was the toughest to handle, etc. Then in the fall they built a better house for our home It had windows and doors and a floor in half of it. I put down a rag a carpet which I brought with me. We put a lot of straw on the ground and put my carpet in the half that had no floor, but before our house was finished, George, with others, went out west to kill buffalo for meat. My second son was just one week old and I was still living in the stable with blankets for doors and windows. When George had been gone about a week it began to rain and then it turned into snow and we had a regular Nebraska blizzard. The door was in the west and was drifted full so I had to crawl out the window and drag in poles and chop them in the house to keep from freezing. I stayed in bed as long and as much as I could with my two boys (the oldest was two years). When the storm was over Mr. Eberhart sent his oldest son to see how I had stood the racket with instruct ions for me to come there till George got home, so I took the two boys, one on each arm, and waded through the snow one-half mile while the Eberbart boy carried a little grip. I staved there several day's. When George returned he had plenty of buffalo meat and we got through the winter very well.

George hauled goods from Columbus for Aikins, who in the meantime had started a little store on Lincoln creek (Aikins Mills). The first summer we had no cow, no chickins, no pigs, no milk, no eggs, no butter. In the fall our brother-in-law, O. D. Keeler, came out and took a homestead. He brought a box as large as he could get checked as (113) baggage and my folks sent me a few things to eat, among which was some eggs. We took thirteen to Mrs. Aikins and got them to set them for us and then gave her a dollar for the hen. She hatched seven chicks and we brought her home and the second night something caught the hen. I then had to bring them in the house every night for a while, until George fixed a sod coop for them. While George was putting up hay (by the way he broke two acres of' prairie for Lem Gandy to pay for a scythe to cut his hay and had to cut it all that way). I crawled on my hands and knees and lifted the sod and picked up the potatoes of which we had three grain sacks full, but when the blizzard came our potatoes froze and so did my chickens. We only had flour enough the first year to make gravy and we lived on corn bread. Poor stuff, too. With no milk or lard, not enough lard to even grease the pan. After moving into our sod house I went down to the northwest corner where our little patch of breaking was took an old hatchet and chopped holes in the sod and planted some cucumbers, beans and melons. There were quite a number of Indians around begging, so when my garden was ready for use I would get my baby asleep, put him on the bed and run for dear life to pick a few beans or cucumbers for fear the Indian, would steal him while I was gone. We gathered wild plums on the creek and as we had no sugar we cooked them with our musk melons into a jam -- the melon making the sweetening. In the spring when Keeler came out he chartered a car to Columbus and father sent me a cow, pig and a dozen chickens and we started in with bright hopes. We sowed wheat on the breaking and oats on the fire guard, and left a little for garden and everything began to grow and look nice when about the 20th of June there came a hail storm and everything was cut to the ground. We felt pretty blue. George hitched up his team and went to Beaver Crossing where he broke four acres and took corn for pay. He brought home with him a kitten, the first cat I had seen in Nebraska. After the hail I replanted my garden and had some late cucumbers and beans and the corn came out and made a few small ears. That fall my folks sent me a barrel of things, navy beans, dried apples, sweet corn and $2.00 worth of sugar. All this time the settlers hauled all their fuel from the Platte river. It took two days to make the trip. Those who came ahead of us had taken all (114) the creek claims with any timber. Sometimes George could wade around in the water on the R. R. land, every other section was R. R. land, and get a little drift wood.

From my dozen chickens I raised about fifty more so I had about thirty hens to start in with the next year. George got little ash pole and made some frames for chairs like the old-fashioned splint bottom and I sewed grain sacks on them for seats. We had no bedstead for two years, instead we had stakes drove in the ground and poles laid on them and the fleas nearly ate us.

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