YORK COUNTY NEBRASKA
OLD SETTLER'S HISTORY

     (6) No settlements were made in York County until the location of the Territorial Road, in 1861, from Nebraska City to a point on the line of the "Old Government" or "California Trail," forty miles due east of the present city of Kearney, familiarly called the "Old Oregon Trail," and more definitely known to early freighters and travelers as the Nebraska City Cut-off.

     It followed the natural "divides" of the county, running near enough to the creeks and rivers to obtain water for the ox and mule teams of the freighters.

     This historic "Trail" entered York County in the southeast corner, passing through West Blue, York and Baker Precincts on one of the continuous "divides" that cross the county, running in a general course east and west, and came down on the Beaver bottom just south of York, and out on the divide crossing J. P. Miller's homestead, Southwest quarter of Section 12, Township 10, Range 3. Along the line of this trail, at convenient point for obtaining water and fuel, numerous ranches were established. Five of these pioneer hotels were located in York County the oldest being Porcupine Ranch, situated at Porcupine Bluffs, near the west line of the county. It was inaugurated in the year 1863, by Benjamine F. Lushbaugh, United States Indian Agent of the Pawnees, and was conducted by Samuel Kearney. It was also a relay station of the Overland Stage Coach, and twenty-seven miles west of Fouse's Ranch, located at Beaver Crossing, in Seward County.

Nerva Fouse

     The following year, 1864, Mr. Lushbaugh also (7) established a Stage Station, on N. W. ¼, 15--10--2 and placed in charge of a Mr. Chapin, who kept it for a period of six months, when it passed into the hands of Jack Smith, who remained proprietor until the freight wagons disappeared, and its mission was ended.

     " The McDonald Ranch was also established in 1864, and is named in honor of its original proprietor. This ranch was purchased by a Mr. Baker, in the fall of 1865, and operated by him until the close of the freighting business. It was located just east of Porcupine Ranch.

     Antelope Ranch was situated only a few miles east of the McDonald Ranch, and was established in the month of November, 1865, by James T. Mathewson.

     Next to the Jack Smith Stage Station west was the ranch known as Jack Stone's Ranch, established in August, 1865, by George Chapman, but operated by him for only six months, at which time he transferred it to John McClellan Ranch alias Jack Stone, and maintained by him until the business of freighting was abandoned.

     One would think from hearing of the McClellan Ranch, the Jack Smith Ranch and the Jack Stone Ranch, all just down the Beaver Creek from York, that there were three ranches, but from information gathered from old settlers it appears that George Chapman first started a ranch and sold to John McClellan. This John McClellan afterwards got into a fight with a fellow and whipped him, and knocked the breath out of him, but the fellow soon got his breath and picked himself up; and John McClellan said, "Why I thought I knocked you dead as a stone," and he was afterwards called Jack Stone, and the ranch was lastly known as the "Jack Stone Ranch."

     Robert Henderson, N . A. Dean and M. Sovereign went to the site of the Jack Stone, McClellan, Ranch, to verify location, also to find the location of the Jack Smith Stage Station.

     Mr. Henderson, who put in the first crop on the Jack Stone ranch in 1865, and lived there, locates the place where the ranch house stood near the south bank of Beaver Creek and about 40 rods from the S. W. corner of Fred Whitcombs (8) farm, the S. E. ¼--9--10--2, about 4 miles S. E. from York, the Ranche was built of logs with sod roof. Marks of the buildings remain in the pile of dirt and an old caved in well. The course of the creek is very familiar to Mr. Henderson and he made no hesitancy in locating the exact spot, and by the way it is the exact location where the first white child was born in old York Precinct, our friend Mrs. Alex. Stephens now living at 815 York avenue.

     The Ranch stables were about 30 rods S. W. of where the house stood on the N. E. corner of N. W. ¼, 16--10--2.

     Next the party proceeded to locate the Jack Smith Stage Station which was about ¾ of a mile down the creek. There was no trouble in locating the Stage Station it was on the banks of a big draw on Sec. 15--10--2, this is the Station made famous by the shooting of a drunken stage driver by the keeper of the Station--Jack Smith, the victim was a driver in charge of the overland stage coach, and in passing over the road stopped at Smith's, Station. He was, under the influence of "pioneer whiskey,"very abusive, and finally declared his intention to shoot Mr. Smith.

     With this purpose in view, he went to the stage, secured his revolvers, returned to the ranch and drew a bead on Mr. Smith, just as he was about to enter the ranch.

     Mr. Smith shot first, the ball entering the forehead and producing instant death. Our Mr. Henderson saw the fellow's hat with the bullet hole through the band.

     Near the site of Mr. Smith's old Stage Station, on the bluffs, a few rods south of Beaver Creek, on the northwest Quarter of Section 15, Township 10, Range 2, may be seen the grave of the first white man interred in York County. His death occurred in 1865, was tragic and brought on on by his own evil intentions.

     H. H. Klone, an early settler, says that about the same time the stage driver was shot and buried near Jack Stone's Ranch a wagon boss, a stranger, Sam Tate, was passing through the country and was killed by lightning in a (9) storm, and nothing could be found on his body to, in any way, identify him, but $500.00 was found in his pockets; the parties who found him buried him by the stage driver, and as a compensation for the 500.00 sent to Nebraska City and procured paling and placed a fence around his grave, the fence is supposed to be around the stage driver's grave but is by his side and around the other grave.

Mr. & Mrs. John Anderson

     Mr. Henderson says he has read the lead pencil lettering many times as he went by the gave. This was 47 years ago, and the marker is in a good state of preservation was brought in by the party and left at the County Judge's office with other curios of early times.

     This was the first death occurring in the county, and although assuming the form of a tragedy, Mr. Smith was justified in the course he pursued. This death occurred February, 1865.

     The party also found plain marks of the famous old Freight Trail, that so many thousands of California gold hunters passed over in "49" and later years in their untiring hunt for wealth and other thousands of Mormons on their way to Utah where they committed so many atrocities in the guise of Indians on the early pioneer emigrants.

     The marks of this old Trail which brings to mind so many thrilling incidents of early times is on the banks of the big draw just below the residence of Mr. John Nelson on See. 15--10--2 about 4 miles S. E. of York. The emigrants used to travel in great companies for protection against the Indians, and drove their wagons side by side usually making a trail two to four rods wide. Mr. Henderson says he counted 160 wagons of Mormons in one company, and it took them 3 hours to all get in camp, but in going down this steep draw they made 4 separate tracks, and came together in the draw and made one track coming out on the west side.

     The first permanent settlement of the county was made by John Anderson and his son William Anderson, upon the First homestead claims in York County on Section 2, (10) Township 9, Range 1, and are honored as the pioneer settlers of the county.

     The early settlers without exception took up sites for their future homes in the timber groves that bordered the principal streams. The wild natural scenery of their charming valleys attracted and irresistibly drew them to their shady nooks and the prime-necessities of pioneer life, wood and water were in abundance.

     The first settlements were made in the valley the West Blue, in the territory now embraced by West Blue Precinct. The early pioneers in this portion of the county are: John Anderson, William Anderson, Nerva Fouse, Elias Gilmore, George Stubblefield, Henry Chatterton, William J. Taylor and David Buzzard. In the northwest part, J. W. Kingston and Philando Church settled upon the Blue River in 1870, and in the north and northeast upon Lincoln Creek, David Doan, James H. Stewart, Newton Hyett, and John A. Mercer made settlement in 1868, and C. C. Smith and a Mr. Coon, in 1867.

     In the more central part along the valley of Beaver Creek the pioneers are John Kora, Julius Frost, Henry Nichols, William Sweet and Christian Bristol, the date of their settlement being 1870.

     A little further west on the creek David Baker settled in 1869, and the following year Thomas Bassett and Marion Shackleford.

     In the south and west parts, Fernando McFadden made settlement in 1866 on the West Blue, and Levi Woodruff (now deceased) in 1868, and also the Hendersons in June, 1866.

     In 1870, during the month of April, the organization of the county took place. The United States census, which was made during this year, disclosed a total population of 640, one half of which had made settlement in the spring and summer.

     There was but one frame house in the entire county, the residence of Uncle Elias Gilmore, situated on the West (11) Blue, and but one schoolhouse, a sod structure, also located upon this stream.

     One post-office comprised the entire mail facilities, which was located upon the West Blue on the road between Fairmont and York, at the residence of Fernando McFadden, established in the month of July, 1867. Mr. McFadden has the honor of being the first Postmaster appointed in York County, and his euphonious name was also given to the post-office. At this office they were supposed to have a weekly mail, but high water, a sick horse, or some other incident often delayed it, and not unfrequently two weeks passed without any mail coming into York County.

     Large numbers of buffalo invaded the county in August. 1868, which was the last appearance of these animals in any considerable numbers. Their advent was a godsend to the almost destitute pioneers, who found themselves in a position to lay in a winter's supply of meat, and it is needless to add they were not backward in taking advantage of their good fortune. During this year (1868) the Pawnees, Otoes, Omahas and Poncas were united in a war against their common enemy, the powerful Sioux, and invaded York County on the war-path. The line of battle was on the south side of the West Blue, about eight miles south of the city of York. No white settlers were molested, but the Indians skirmished here and there over the southern part of the county according to their usual mode of warfare.

     In 1870 there were but two or three houses between the residence of J. W. Kingston in the northwest part of the county and the city of York, and the settlements were scattered and many miles apart. Yet, those were grand old days, and the first settlers are unanimous in pronouncing them as such. They were obliged to make long journeys for their social amusements, but always enjoyed them. A trip of twenty-five miles for the purpose of visiting a neighbor was no uncommon occurance, and you may rest assured, those visits were always pleasant and agreeable. All were united in one common bond of friendship and hearty good will toward each other. A new settler was hailed with delight, and the neighbors (all were neighbors) would go fifteen or twenty miles to assist him in erecting his sod (12) house, and giving him an honest welcome. The stranger became one of them and without the least formality. Such hearty good will is contagious, and no sooner did the new settler see it manifested than he took the disease, and was as jolly, free and friendly as the rest. Long trips across the country were not unfrequent, and little dreaded.

     The nearest mill was located at Milford, Seward County, a distance of thirty-five miles from York, and with their little grists, they made the journey in three days and often in two. The bulk of the trading was done at Lincoln, except lumber, which was purchased at Plattsmouth or Nebraska City, on the Missouri River. The many trials and hardships of pioneer life, interspersed with the numerous pleasures incident to it, from a volume that can never be fully written.

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