Thayer county, with a few others, has a history somewhat difference from most of the counties of this State, that me be designated as the Great Trail period. Nearly two and a half decades before it became a county it was the great highway along which those ambitious throngs of emigrants moved to the land beyond the great Rockies. In 1847, the first trail was located near the line between towns 3 and 4, north of range 1, west of the Sixth Principal Meridian, and continued west about seven miles; thence in a southwesterly direction, crossing Big Sandy just east of Belvidere, and thence to the Little Blue near Friedensau. Over this trail passed most of those misguided citizens of Salt lake, faithful to a fated region, some of whose principles were beyond the power of the citizens of the Eastern States to countenance. Their fortitude in crossing so early these Indian-inhabited plains must go to their credit, but it is a matter of congratulation among the citizens of Thayer County that they only crossed their territory and did not tarry to plant their principles upon this soil.THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT
Lieut. John Charles Fremont, previous to this, in 1846, in exploring this country, designated these fertile lands, now the support of a large, prosperous and happy population, as the Great American desert.This trail of from the Missouri river to the Rocky Mountains and beyond was white with the sails of "the ships of the desert," and all moving toward the setting sun. Thayer county was a witness to this, and the terrible conflicts that arouse between these invaders and the jealous Indian. That these are of the past is a matter of consolation, and for the pleasures of civilization and the peace they enjoy, the citizens hold a grateful remembrance that at the hazard of their lives, brot these pleasures.
THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL
The travel on the California Trail changed gradually from the divide between the Big Sandy and the Little Blue, crossing the "eighteen mile ridge" and descending into the valley of the Little Blue, which it followed for sixty miles, and then bore away to the harbor of refuge to the early California traveler, old Fort Kearney, where the government had stationed troops for the protection of the emigrants from the assaults of Indians, and "where after weeks of travel beyond the confines of civilization, the dust be-grimed and toil-worn way-farer could again see the stars and stripes floating above the adobe walls of the old fort."THE SALT LAKE EXPRESS
The Salt Lake Express, established in 1858, carried the first mail across these desolate prairies. The stations were fifty miles apart, and that part of the route running thru Thayer county was between Big Sandy on the east to Pawnee Ranch on the west A. "mud wagon" as the stage was then called; six mules, a driver and "whipper up" rode on a horse to goad on the mules to make after time, and if he succeeded in that capacity, he was promoted to the position of driver, where aspirations ended, for there was no supremacy. F. B. Roper and A. P. Hazard, both deceased, who were former residents of Hebron, were drivers on this route, in years gone by.THE PIKE'S PEAK RUSH
In 1859, the Pike's Peak rush had reached its highest point when this route was an unbroken and uninterrupted caravan of of gold seekers and emigrants, "from early morn till dewy eve," the latter seeking a place to establish a home, and the former thirsty for gold. A. Samoisette, late of this city, was amount the many passing over this route in their search for the glittering gold.The Salt Lake Express became too slow both for mail purposes, and for carrying travelers to the goal of their ambition, Pike's Peak, and so it gave way to the Ben Halliday Overland Stage Line. This was an enterprise that required the outlay of a large amount of money, for besides the stage, horses, drivers, station-keepers and stations to be built, food and supplies for man and beast had to be carried many hundred miles into this treacherous and boundless wilderness. But it was carried to a successful issue.
HORACE GREELY THRU HERE IN '59
Horace Greely passed over this route in 1859. In 18590 the pony express was also established along this line from St. Joe, Mo. to Sacramento. The divisions were 1-- miles in length with stations 25 miles apart. The horses were indian ponies, small but hardy. Riders were light-weight men, averaging 120 pounds and were men of courage and endurance. A division was a rider's "ride." The trip from St. Joe to Sacramento, a distance of about 2,000 miles was made in eight days. These dates are interesting in the history of Thayer county from the fact that they are of National importance; the route traverses Thayer county, then know as part of the "road."OVERLAND STAGE LINE AND PONY EXPRESS
The Overland Stage Line and the Pony Express necessitated stations 25 miles apart. Big Sandy crossing just east of the county line and Kiowa Ranch, were the ones established here; but between these, the Hackney Ranch, on the Little Blue, was afterwards built. These places occupy prominent placed in the early history of this county.MR. MEYERS KILLED BY INDIANS AT HACKNEY
At Hackney Ranch in 1863, a Mr. Myers, then owner of the ranch was killed by a wagon master.TWELVE MILE STATION
Thompson's Ranch was afterward built midway between Bit Sandy and Kiowa ranches, and became one of the twelve-mile stations on the Stage and Express Line. Other ranches were soon established along this line in the country, among which were "Widow's Place Ranch" on the Blue near the western terminus of the "Eighteen Mile Ridge" and Daniel Deedland's Ranch, about two miles west of Hackney at Fox Crossing, on the Little Blue. It was at this ranch that a revolting murder was committed in 1864. It seems that a man left St. Jo, Mo., with a valuable stock of goods, accompanied by his wife and a young man. This ranch was then deserted. The young man killed the husband, and the wife and he continued on the journey. Some United States troops, passing along the road discovered at this place signs that a murder had been committed, and the body dragged thru the grass to the river. Following the path thus made, they found the mutilated body of the man in the water. The soldiers overtook them about 50 miles west, and, after a military trial the young man expiated his crime with his life. It is believed, however, that the wife was instigator of the tragedy.FORT RILEY ROAD AND TEXAS TRAIL
Big Tolles' Ranch was situated near what was later known as Willy's mill at the foot of the "Big hill." He was an exceedingly large man and prominently known along the road. About 1860, a man by the name of Fox layed out a north and south trail from Kansas "Fort Riley" road to the Government road, intersecting a Fox Crossing on the Little Blue. This was afterward used by Texas herders and became know as the Texas Trail.EARLY SETTLERS
The first permanent settlers in Thayer county, it is fair to suppose, were Geo. Weisel, John, Charles and William Nightingale, who located in the vicinity of Alexandria in 1858. Part of the lumber for their first house, the Nightingales hauled from St. Joe, Mo. This house was located on the divide between the Big Sandy and the Little Blue, about two and one-half miles south of Alexandria.Joseph Walker and James Reed came from Fort Kearney in 1859 and located on the Little Blue, one mile west of the east line of the county. In 1859, Isaac Alexander settled on the Big Sandy with his family. He brot with him from Kansas, a portable grist-mill, which was at first run by hand. In the winter of 1860-61, the snow blocked the road so as to suspend travel, as a few settlers then living there soon found their stock of provisions almost gone. Reed and Walker had raised a crop of buckwheat, which they brot to the mill, some other's brot corn, and by hard work ground out their immediate salvation with that memorable mill.
H. M. Ross made a settlement about this time, near the county line, and J. Blair at Big Sandy crossing.
It is claimed, also, that a man by the name of Christian Luth, a german, was the first settler. He located near the Government road. He was engaged in farming, and was burlesqued by the pilgrims over the road for attempting to farm on the "Great American Desert." They told him he would not only lose his time in a fruitless endeavor to make this sterile soil yield him a crop, but that he would loose his life by the Indians. The last prediction was correct, as he fell victim to a treacherous red man. However during his lifetime he was blessed with abundant harvests.
SETTLERS KILLED IN INDIAN RAIDS
During the Civil war, there were settlements made only at the ranches. But the settlers were either killed in the great raids of 1864 and 1867 or compelled thru fear to seek places more secure. But in 1867, 1868, 1869 and 1870, a large number of settlers came in, as the Government ws now better able to look after the safety of the frontier.THE JUST JUDGE
About 1866, Joseph Lamb, afterwards know as the "just judge" settled on Rose Creek. He became a probate judge before the division of the county. In 1867, Chas. Chairhart. G. D. Waldo and two Bacon families and R. C. Overturf located near the Little Blue, in the east portion of the county. In 1868, Samuel Leland built the first mill in the county, in Gilead precinct - at first a saw-mill, to which was added a buhr soon after. Dr. T. F. Thomas located about the same time near the present site of Alexandria.Elk, antelope and buffalo were seen within the county as late as 1875, in which year the last buffalo was killed.
The attention of the whole nation was occupied by the great war of rebellion in 1864, so that the Indian raid of that year, the most carefully planned and skillfully executed known in the history of the Western frontier, received but little attention and seemed by comparison of so little importance as scarcely to deserve a place in the National history. Yet the military strategy and precision and the secrecy and success of the cool butchery and cruelty of the attack, make it as Napoleonic in its design and execution and should place it on the pages of history alongside of other great and bloody butchery by savages. At this time many ranches dotted the great military road at intervals of a few miles. These ranches had become in many cases, valuable farms with substantial improvements, graced by woman's presence and ornamented by woman's tasteful care. The Indians had been peaceful and quiet for a long time, and the settlers along the road were prosperous and happy. Without a single note of warning, the crisis came. From Denver City to the Big Sandy, a distance of over 800 miles, near the middle of the middle of the day, at precisely the same time along the whole distance, a simultaneous attack was made up on the ranches. No time was given for couriers, not time for concentration, no time for the erection or strengthening of places of defense, but as the eagle swoops down upon his prey, the savage warriors attacked the defenseless white men. No principle of kingly courtesy actuated the breasts of the pained assailants. It mattered little to them that they were in vastly superior numbers than their opponents, in part women and children. All alike were made to feel their cruelty for their lust. No mercy was shown, no captives were taken but women, and death was preferred to the captivity awaiting them. Could the Eastern philanthropists who speak so flatteringly of "the noble red men of the West" have witnessed the cruel butchery of the unoffending children, the disgrace of the women who were horribly mutilated and enslaved, the cowardly assassination of husbands and father, the might, perhaps (if fools can learn) be impressed by their true character. On the morning of the 7th of August, Indians must have been secreted in ravines (of which there are many) adjacent to the military road, and at the given hour, rushed forth and commenced the work of destruction. At morn, the government road was a traveled thoroughfare, dotted with prosperous and happy homes; at night, a wilderness strewn with mangled bodies and wrecks, and illuminated with the glare of burning houses.
E.M. Correll in Hebron Journal
Two families by the name of Roper and Ubanks were murdered, except two daughters who were taken prisoners. Miss Roper (who was a niece of the F. E. Roper, of Hebron) was held in that fearful captivity for six month, when Col. Wyncoop, of the United States army, secured her release for $1,000. The fate of Miss Ubanks we have been unable to learn. The raids of 1865 and 1866 although of some consequence to the settlers were attended with but little loss of life in any part of the frontier, and no lives, we believe were taken in Thayer county, but there was considerable loss of property, many of the settlers losing all of their stock.
That the Indians were more merciful during the two preceding years, proves the cowardice of their natures, for they were well aware that preparations were made by the settlers and the Government to better protect the frontier and avenge any loss of life due to their savage lust.
But in 1867, when by their friendliness for two years, they had very materially reduced the fear and precaution on the part of the settlers, they again raided down upon the settlements, driving off stock and carrying away scalps.
ATTACK HACKNEY RANCH
In June, they attacked the old Hackney ranch then occupied by Thompson and Halliday, and drove off seven head of horses. Unintentionally, on horse was left in the barn, with which the ranchmen made their escape to the settlement on Big Sandy. About the same time they attacked Kiowa Ranch and took from Mr. James Douglass, the proprietor, sixteen horses. But this is not all; they passed on down the valley of the Little Blue, and accomplished the murder of Haney in the presence of his three daughters, who escaped up the timber, and finally returned to their eastern home as detailed in a recent story furnished to Journal readers by Mrs. Garrison, a relative of King Fisher.MURDERED A MAN AND KILLED SHEEP FOR PASTIME
In August of the same year they attacked Capt. Hannah and three men who were taking a herd of sheep to to Colorado, at the foot of the big hill west of Hackney Rand. One man, a German, ws killed and afterward buried at that place. They killed the sheep as past-time. The other two men escaped to the settlement on Big Sandy, fighting the Indians all the way over the eighteen mile ridge.BRUTALITY TO A BOY AND GIRL
The Indians charged down on Poland Pete and took two of his children prisoners, on a boy about eight, and the other a girl fourteen years of age. When they arrived at the bluff on the north side of the river, the boy cried bitterly, whereupon the Indians pierced his breast with an arrow, but bore the girl away to a demon's captivity. She was afterward exchanged for some Indian prisoners at North Platte. Other massacres included Bennett and Abernathy, in the cave in a lime-stone bluff on the present county poor-farm. (This is detailed elsewhere in this issue in an article concerning L. P. Luce's experiences.)Charging up the Little Blue the Indians murdered Polish Albert and Polish Joe, refugees from that unfortunate county Poland, the remains being found below Oak Grove ranch in Nuckolls county. A fortnight later they again appeared in the eastern part of the county and killed Polish Jack. They then went to William Nightingale's place and killed Ignatz Tenish.
GETTING AN INDIAN FOR BREAKFAST
O. P. Hendershot of Boise, Idaho, formerly of Hebron and president of the State Board of Agriculture, used to tell an amusing anecdote of the "wild and woolly west." "Pash" a barefooted boy on the prairies, for the first time saw E. M. Correll riding an Indian pony."Where are you going Mister?" asked Pash.
"Well, I'm going out to get an Indian for breakfast," was the reply.
Pash's eyes nearly popped out of his head in terror at the imminence of a cannibalistic episode, and he scampered back to the protection of the dugout.
THE APRIL BLIZZARD OF '73
There were other calamities besides Indians and grasshoppers and prairie fires.The Easter blizzard of '73 started with a rain on April 13th, and lasted three days. The snow was so terrific that you could not see across the road. Grain was in, potatoes had been planted, and some had commenced to plow for corn. A man was frozen to death just southwest of Hebron. Cattle drifted clear across the county, and stock died by the hundreds. After the storm some fellows made quite a speculation by skinning the dead cattle and selling the hides. F. E. Roper crossed the Little Blue on a snow drift.
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