History of Western Nebraska and Its People, ToC

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

(Note from Sandy SS who contributed this material -
"The pages INSIDE the book do not match 'to a T' the table of contents
(the author skips chapters in the Table of Contents)"

PART I

CHAPTER I............................................................1
Nebraska Came From the Sea

CHAPTER II...........................................................4
Old Trails

CHAPTER III..........................................................6
The Flag of France in the Wilderness

CHAPTER IV..........................................................8
The Fur-Traders

CHAPTER V...........................................................10
Robert Stuart's Winter Camp

CHAPTER VI..........................................................12
Jacques Laramie's Caravans and Fleets

CHAPTER VII.........................................................14
General William H. Ashley's Trappers - Death of Hiram Scott

CHAPTER VIII........................................................15
Joshua Pilcher and Forty-Five Trappers

CHAPTER IX..........................................................17
First Wagons on Overland Trails

CHAPTER X...........................................................19
Wyeth, of "Cape Bay," and His "Down Easters"

CHAPTER XI..........................................................21
Nez Perce and Crow Indians - Crow Creek Named

CHAPTER XII.........................................................22
Little Moon Lake - Famous Missionaries

CHAPTER XIII........................................................24
Forts at Laramie

CHAPTER XIV.........................................................26
Robideaux of St. Genevieve - Kiowa Raid by Red Cloud

CHAPTER XV..........................................................28
The Steamboat El Paso Here - Reuleau, the Trapper

CHAPTER XVI.........................................................30
Government Buys Fort Laramie - Fort Fontenelle is Built

CHAPTER XVII........................................................32
Brady Island Tragedy - French Boat Song - Jim Bridger Meets Sir
George

PART II


CHAPTER I...........................................................34
Indian Migration across the Platte

CHAPTER II..........................................................36
Indian War and Legend - The Story Teller

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

CHAPTER III........................................................39
The Pawnee Pilgrimage - The Spotted Robe - Ti-wa-ra, The God of
Court House Rock - Battle of Ash Hollow

CHAPTER IV..........................................................42
The Legend of the White Hawk - Old Bull Tail's daughter

CHAPTER V...........................................................44
Belden, Bridger and Baker Episodes - Early Conferences With
Indians

CHAPTER VI..........................................................47
Songs of Parker and Minto

CHAPTER VII.........................................................49
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail - Massacre of Cottonwood Canyon

CHAPTER VIII........................................................51
Sunset on the Platte - The Gibralter of Nebraska - Cheyenne S on
Bellechugwater

CHAPTER IX..........................................................53
In the Shadows - The Fire Fly Song - Cached Furs - Old Land Marks
- Trapper's Rock

CHAPTER X...........................................................55
Stage Drivers - Road Agents - Pony Express Riders - Chas. Cliff's
Adventures - Jules and Slade Feud - Creighton's Quick Fortune

CHAPTER XI..........................................................57
Sacrifice of Frontier Women - Indian Execution at Ft. Laramie

CHAPTER XII.........................................................59
The Grattan Massacre - Spotted Tail's Dramatic Deed

CHAPTER XIV.........................................................62
Butler's Story of the Cow War - Harney the Squaw Killer - Another
Ash Hollow Battle

CHAPTER XV..........................................................65
Murder of Spotted Tail - Cow Dog's Punishment - Battle in
Scottsbluff Mountain Pass

CHAPTER XVI.........................................................67
A Buffalo Bill Episode - More Indian Troubles

CHAPTER XVII........................................................69
The Battle of Horse Creek - Colonel Moonlight's Mistake -
President Lincoln's Message to the West

CHAPTER XVIII.......................................................72
Julesburg Burned - Mud Springs Attacked - Battle on Cedar Creek

CHAPTER XIX.........................................................75
Coad's Battle on Lawrence Fork - "Shorter" County Organized - Tank
Fighting on the Platte - Buffalo Bill Kills Tall Bull

CHAPTER XX..........................................................77
Indian Agencies Adjusted - Sitting Bull's Determination - Battle
on War Bonnet Creek

CHAPTER XXI.........................................................79
Sand Hills Station Robbery - Big Bear, or Crazy Woman - The Sod
Cabin - Privations of Early Years

CHAPTER XXII........................................................82
Revolt of Dull Knife - Winter Fighting in the Pine Ridge - End of
Indian Wars - Sign Language

CHAPTER XXIII.......................................................84
The Winding Story - Sages Tale of Orgies - The New Dawn

PART III


CHAPTER I...........................................................87
When Cattle Men Were Kings

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

vii

CHAPTER II..........................................................90
Stage Station Ranches - Naming Fort Mitchell - First Ranches on
the North Platte River

CHAPTER IV..........................................................92
The Battle of Sixty-Six Mountain

CHAPTER V...........................................................95
The Ride of Dan Dillon and Others - The Start of the Texas Trail

: CHAPTER VI..........................................................97
Cowboy Escapades - Death of Jimmy Tate - Red Path Bill - Fraternal
and Class Sentiment

CHAPTER VII........................................................100
Coad's Ranch at Scottsbluff Station - Sheedy's Seven U Ranch -
Anecdotes About Them

CHAPTER VIII.......................................................102
Surveyor Schleigel's Teamster Hung at Sidney - The Bosler Range -
The VB Brand - Minnie Montgomery Honeymoon - The House of LaGrange

CHAPTER IX.........................................................104
Creighton's - The First Ranch of All - Death of Creel in Bull
Canyon - Tom Kane's Adventure - A Cowboy Wedding

CHAPTER X..........................................................106
First Ranch in Nebraska West of North Platte, Keith & Barton - H.V.
Reddington's Ranch - Nerud's Corner - Later Snake Creek Ranches

CHAPTER XI.........................................................109
Colonel Charles Coffee of Creighton's, Box Elder, Rock Ranch, Hat
Creek and Chadron - Emmet & Brewster - Arrest of Fly Speck Bill -
First Garden in Sioux County

CHAPTER XII........................................................111
John Adams Joins Redington in First Ranch of the Panhandle - The
Rustlers - Orign of Ranches on Cedar Creek - Smith's Fork or Rush
Creek - Vantassel's Tie Contract

CHAPTER XIII.......................................................113
Jim Kidd's Training Ground - Y-Cross and Cherry Creek Ranches -
Henry County Hughs - Little Moon Postoffice - Oelrich's Wild
Escapades

CHAPTER XIV........................................................116
Around Camp Wagons - A Horse Trade With Doc Middleton - Arbuckle's
Break Post - Scotchmen Buy Big Ranches - John Clay and the Two-Bar

CHAPTER XV.........................................................118
Frewen's Ranch Experience - Hanging of Billy Nurse by Vigilantes -
Holding up Doc. Middleton - Death of Famous Character

CHAPTER XVI........................................................121
Perry Yeast's Success - Judge Gaslin, Who Wrote "The Law of the
West" - Tom Ryan's Defiance

CHAPTER XVII.......................................................123
Newman's Ranch on the Running Water - Bartlett Richards & Company
- The Scourge of the Land Inquisition - Cattle Rustlers - Hall &
Evans - Even Battle For Right - First Dairy Herd

CHAPTER XVIII......................................................125
Big Ranches Round About - First Dry Farming at Big Springs - Other
Ranches on Lodgepole - Newman Leads the Turks Through "Jerusalem"
- Walrath, from Ox Team to Aeroplane

CHAPTER XIX........................................................127
Creighton Expands - Snodgrass and McShane - McIntosh Founds "The
Circle Arrow" - Simpson Organizes the Bay State Company

CHAPTER XX.........................................................129
Early Sub-Irrigation - Bay State Buys Coad's North River Ranch -
J.S. Robb, Foreman - Mary Rose's Grave - The Grout House - J.H.D.
Ranch - Round up at Circle Arrow- Death of "Sky Pilot" at Pine
Bluffs

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

viii

CHAPTER XXI........................................................131
Paxton's Ogallala Company - Hall's Famous Drive to Pine Ridge -
Dick Beans Death - Gun Men and Frantz's Comical Episode

CHAPTER XXII.......................................................135
E.A. Hall and Robert Graham's Old Time Ranch - Ogallala Men and
Events - Indians Get Southers - Bargan Sales of Ranch Locations -
Harper's Deal

CHAPTER XXIII......................................................137
An Indian Wagon Race - Building Camp Clarke Bridge - Round-up -
Wild West Shows - Tom Horn's Outlaw Horse - Six Thousand Cattle
Milling in the River

CHAPTER XXIV.......................................................140
The Farquerers and Cross Country Riding - Hunting Geese on Hughes
Island - Fun of the Frontier - Jimmy Moore's Long Walk

CHAPTER XXV........................................................141
The First Grangers - Murder of Collins at Camp Clarke - Sheriff
Campbell Gets Doc. Romine - Beginning of Minatare

CHAPTER XXVI.......................................................143
Perry Braziel Arrives on the Texas Trail - Trailing Cattle to
Judith Basin - Sunderling's Elkskin Trousers - The Drive to Pine
Ridge - Two Girls of the Prairie

CHAPTER XXVII......................................................145
Laing's Ranch - The Water Holes - Death of Wheeler - First Hogs on
North River - First Hogs on Pumpkin Creek - Killing Rattlesnakes

CHAPTER XXVIII.....................................................147
The Virginian - Arbuckle's Ranch - Romance of Parents of Madeline
Force - Lingle of Valley View - Connoly's of the "PF" - New
Ranches - Hank Inghram's Narrow Escape

CHAPTER XXIX.......................................................149
The Shifting Sands - The Storm of '78 - First Settlers on Pumpkin
Creek - First Cow in Western Nebraska - Mental Giants of the Big
Cow Days

CHAPTER XXX........................................................152
Vigilantes Hang Reed at Sidney - The Great Bullion Robbery -
Whispering Smith Gets Two

CHAPTER XXXI.......................................................154
Oberfelders Demonstrate Hog and Alfalfa Combination - Later
Ranchers Near Oshkosh - Poor's Ranch, Where Sheldon Hit the West -
Cowboys Maraking Graves - The Midnight Ride of Wild Horse Harris

CHAPTER XXXII......................................................156
McDonald Hung by Vigilantes at Sidney - Sheriff Trognitz's Joke -
Practical Jokes of Old Timers

CHAPTER XXXIII.....................................................158
Gordon's and Whitehead's Ranches - Yoder's Beginning and Expansion
- New Development in Goshen Holes - Beginning of Alfalfa and Sugar
Beets

CHAPTER XXXIX......................................................160
Sand Hill Ranches of Today - Dangers of the Stampede - Origin of
Some Western Expressions - Pranks of Early Days

CHAPTER XXXV.......................................................161
First Ranch in Dawes County - Graham and Snyder of Niobrara River
- Other Ranches Near Fort Robinson - Stampedin' on the Old Trail

CHEYENNE COUNTY

CHAPTER I..........................................................165
History of the County
CHAPTER II.........................................................171
Sidney's Wildest Days
CHAPTER III........................................................176
Organization of Cheyenne County

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

CHAPTER IV.........................................................182
Lodgepole
CHAPTER V..........................................................188
State Officials
CHAPTER VI.........................................................191
The Press
CHAPTER VII........................................................192
Fraternal Orders and Clubs
CHAPTER VIII.......................................................194
The Church - The Bar - The Medical Profession
CHAPTER IX.........................................................197
The World War

BOX BUTTE COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................199
Organization of the County
CHAPTER II.........................................................207
Churches - The Press - The Bar - Professions and Businesses
CHAPTER III........................................................210
Military History
CHAPTER IV.........................................................214
Civil War Veterans

DEUEL COUNTY
Portions of the following chapters are located in the NE Archives:
Deuel Co - G.A.R. Officers for 1921
Deuel Co - WW I Activities, Volunteer Org.
Deuel Co - WW I Servicepeople & Casualties
Deuel Co - IOOF & Dau. of Rebecca, lists
Deuel Co - Royal Neighbors, lists
Deuel Co - Modern Woodmen, lists
Deuel Co - Royal Highlanders, members
Deuel Co - Eastern Star, lists
CHAPTER I..........................................................220
Organizations of Deuel County
CHAPTER II.........................................................221
First Settlers
CHAPTER III........................................................222
County Organization and Development
CHAPTER IV.........................................................224
Irrigation in Deuel County
CHAPTER V..........................................................226
County Officers
CHAPTER VI.........................................................228
Towns
CHAPTER VII........................................................233
Schools in Deuel County
CHAPTER VIII.......................................................235
The Churches in Deuel County
CHAPTER IX.........................................................237
The Press - Banks and Finance - Bench and Bar- Medical Profession
- Fraternal Organizations
CHAPTER X..........................................................242
Deuel County's War Record - Grand Army of the Republic
CHAPTER XI.........................................................244
Climate and Products of Deuel County

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

GARDEN COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................246
Early History
CHAPTER II.........................................................252
Boundary Disputes - As Between Individuals
CHAPTER III........................................................254
Agricultural and Live Stock Industries
CHAPTER IV.........................................................256
Town in the County
CHAPTER V..........................................................264
Railroads - Schools- Churches - The Press - Bench and Bar -
Banking and Finance
CHAPTER VI.........................................................271
The County's Part in the World War
CHAPTER VII........................................................274
Social and Fraternal Organizations
CHAPTER VIII.......................................................276
The Medical Profession

SIOUX COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................277
Description of Early History
CHAPTER II.........................................................280
First Settlers and Early Town Histories
CHAPTER III........................................................284
Medical Fraternity - The Bar - Story of the Schools - The Churches
CHAPTER IV.........................................................288
Banking and Finance - Fraternal Organizations - Industries
CHAPTER V..........................................................292
The Organization of Sioux County - County Officials
CHAPTER VI.........................................................296
Sioux County in the World War - Early Schools - Wild Life

KIMBALL COUNTY
Portions of the following chapters are located in the NE Archives:
Kimball Co - City Government to 1920
Kimball Co - Civil & Spanish War Veterans
CHAPTER I..........................................................302
The History of Kimball County
CHAPTER II.........................................................313
Soil, Climate and Possibilities
CHAPTER III........................................................321
Transportation - Highways
CHAPTER IV.........................................................325
The Community of Kimball
CHAPTER V..........................................................357
Kimball County in the World War

MORRILL COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................348
Morrill County
CHAPTER II.........................................................360
Transportation Development

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

CHAPTER III........................................................363
How the Land Changed
CHAPTER IV.........................................................371
Government Irrigation
CHAPTER V..........................................................380
Bridgeport Business Directory - The World War - Other Activities
CHAPTER VI.........................................................397
Bayard
CHAPTER VII........................................................405
Morrill County in the World War

SHERIDAN COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................417
How We Began
CHAPTER II.........................................................422
Creation of Sheridan County
CHAPTER III........................................................428
Banking and Finance
CHAPTER IV.........................................................434
The Story of the Schools
CHAPTER V..........................................................440
Sheridan County and the World War

SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................444
When Part of Cheyenne - Early Experiences
CHAPTER II.........................................................449
Gering - First of Many Things
CHAPTER III........................................................454
City of Scottsbluff
CHAPTER IV.........................................................463
The Newspapers - Early Days in the County
CHAPTER V..........................................................469
Incidents and Personalities
CHAPTER VI.........................................................476
The Story of Irrigation
CHAPTER VII........................................................480
More of the Irrigation Story
CHAPTER VIII.......................................................487
Scotts Bluff County Schools
CHAPTER IX.........................................................490
Officials of Scott Bluff County
CHAPTER X..........................................................494
The Farmers Revolution
CHAPTER XI.........................................................498
The Church - Its Accomplishments - First Religious Services
CHAPTER XII........................................................502
Scenic Beauty - Manufacturing and Other Industries
CHAPTER XIII.......................................................508
The County Military Record - Honor Roll - Fraternal Orders

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA & ITS PEOPLE

xii

BANNER COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................511
Following Horace Greeley's Advise - Early Experiences
CHAPTER II.........................................................515
Beautiful Scenery - Tragedies - Ranches and Schools
CHAPTER III........................................................520
How the County Began - Early Officers
CHAPTER IV.........................................................523
Once a Part of Lyons County - Banks - The Press - Industries
CHAPTER V..........................................................526
Irrigation - Early Postoffices - Early Experiences

DAWES COUNTY
CHAPTER I..........................................................530
The Earliest Years
CHAPTER II.........................................................534
Climate - Agriculture and Soils
CHAPTER III........................................................540
Settlement and Indian Days in Dawes County
CHAPTER IV.........................................................547
Early Days - And Crawford - Many Things
CHAPTER V..........................................................550
County Organization and Government
CHAPTER VI.........................................................553
Town of Chadron
CHAPTER VII........................................................568
Business and Professions
CHAPTER VIII.......................................................571
Churches and Schools - Banks - In the World War
LIST of ILLUSTRATIONS

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Contributed by Sandy Smith

Feb 2000

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