Dear Journal:

   The editor of the Hebron Journal has asked me to write something for the semi-centennial issue of the paper giving some of the early history of Thayer county. I hardly feel competent, as I was not here when the Journal was first started, as I was not here till August, 1871. But will tell a few of the reasons why I am here.

   I was born in Illinois on February 5, 1847. I had an uncle who went to California in 1849, but who returned, I think, in 1854, and settled on a farm adjoining my father's. When I became old enough to work I worked for him, and was with him more or less until I was grown. He often told me of the beautiful country he passed through on the Little Blue, I think he described the level prairie, since known as "Proverty Flat", northeast of Hebron.

   In 1868 I, with three other boys of about the same age, conceived the ideas of going west to see the country, and on September 1st started for the setting sun with an eye on Nebraska and the Little Blue. We drove across Illinois, Missouri, and northeastern Kansas, striking Nebraska in Pawnee county. Then to Gage at the Otoe Indian reservation, near where Blue Springs now is. When we arrived there we were informed that it was dangerous to go farther west on account of Indians, so we turned back through Kansas and Missouri, arriving home on October 26th. At that time the great Kansas boon was on and in 40 miles of our homeward journey we met 157 covered wagons - all going to Kansas.

   But in 1871 I again got the western fever, so took the train for Lincoln, then the terminus of the B. & M. R. R. I then rode part of the way and walked the balance to the home of Myron S. Phillips, one mile east of the present site of Chester, this being nine years before Chester was founded. This was a short time before Thayer county was organized, but I took no part in it, as I was not sure of staying. But am still here, while most of the people who were here then are gone.

   The most that we saw were coyotes, antelopes, elks and a few buffalo. We had a great many varied experiences with grasshoppers, blizzards, droughts etc. the most noted of which were the grasshoppers of 1874 and 1876 and the Easter storm of 1873, when I was snowed in at my farm for three days and there were snowdrifts 15 feet deep on the _______________.

   The Grand Island R. R. was built as far as Alexandria in 1872, and Hastings in 1873. The Burlington was built through Chester in 1880.

   In those days money was scarce and trade was carried on by bartering, a note given for so many acres of "breaking" was considered "legal tender" in any kind of trade.

A. LINDSEY

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