Search billions of records on

NEGenWeb Project
Nance County

that, having squatted on a portion of the land ceded to the Indians, previous to the treaty, it was the duty of the government to protect the settlers in their possessions and remunerate the Indians by an equal or greater amount of land in some other quarter. But it was of no avail. The agent informed Mr. Hudson that the Indians demanded their entire territory, and unless the site of Genoa was speedily vacated they could not be restrained and bloodshed might be expected. With heavy hearts the little band left their pleasant homes and commenced anew on a tract of land three miles southeast of Genoa. The old postoffice, Keatskatoos, marks the locality, and a little tombstone on a knoll east of there tells where a child of one of the party was buried. Here the Mormons bravely set at work to retrieve their losses. Sod houses were constructed and large quantities of hay secured for feeding stock during the fast-approaching winter. In the latter part of October, after haying was finished, crops gathered and stored and everything secured for winter, there came a tremendous gale from the northwest. The wind blew with terrific violence, causing even the sod houses of the settlers to tremble. In the midst of the tumult of the elements, some fiend incarnate set fire to the prairie grass about two miles north of the settlement. The alarm was quickly sounded, and the settlers barely had time to escape with their lives. Everything was burned, and the brave little colony, down-hearted and discouraged, disbanded, never to be united. Some went to Utah, others took a bee-line for the haunts of civilization in the east, but a larger number settled in and about Columbus, and are there to this day, while not a few have passed beyond this troublesome life to enjoy the felicities of that rest vouchsafed the Latter Day Saints in a land where the hardships of pioneer life are never experienced.

     Directly after the departure of the Mormons from Genoa the Pawnees set to work to build up their village, just southwest of the present site of Genoa and within the sod enclosure built by the lately departed pale-faces.

     In the spring of 1850, by the authority of Uncle Samuel, several buildings were constructed at Genoa for the benefit of the agent, Judge Gillis, and other employes of the government, among them the Farm House, now the National Hotel, and the blacksmith shop where Johnny Travis now wields the hammer and tongs. The same season the industrious squaws each selected a small tract of land adjoining the village, averaging about one-quarter of an acre, fenced the same with sod and cultivated therein a little corn, beans, etc.

     A postoffice was maintained at Genoa during the entire occupancy of the reserve by the Pawnees, and the several Indian agents, who were appointed during that period, each was duly installed postmaster, as follows: Judge Gillis, Henry W. Depuy, Maj. Lushbaugh, J. P. Becker, D. H. Wheeler, Charles. H. Whaley, Jacob M. Troth and William Burgess.

     In 1861, the Sioux having learned the whereabouts of the Pawnees, made numerous attacks upon them, stealing a large number of ponies and taking an occasional scalp to give spice to their thieving recreations.

     A. J. Arnold, jeweler, of Columbus, and one of the oldest settlers in Nebraska, relates a rather exciting episode that occurred in the fall of 1861. In company with a halfbreed he started up the Cedar on a hunting expedition, and reached the mouth of that river in the early morning. The first game they struck was a herd of probably 5,000 antelope, grazing on the tract of land where Fullerton now stands. The wily animals stampeded up the Loup on sight of the hunters, who continued up the Cedar valley about twelve miles and, having secured what game they desired -- a couple of buck elk amongst the rest -- started to return. On reaching a point nearly opposite the mouth of Timber Creek, the hunters hesitated for some time as to whether to keep down the valley or strike across the divide on a beeline for Genoa. They finally decided to take the latter course. Just as they ascended the range of hills, they discovered, less than half a mile down the valley, a band of mounted Sioux warriors, numbering nearly 200, making directly toward them on a brisk gallop. The half-breed did not stop for ceremony, but rushed pell-mell for a friendly "draw," near by, while Mr. Arnold gave his team full reign, headed straight for Genoa. He did not look back until, upon striking Plum Creek, it was found impossible to cross. He then plucked up courage to take a retrospective view, expecting to discover the red-skins close upon him, but not a dusky visage interposed to disturb the harmony of unbroken vision in that direction. This somewhat quieted Mr. Arnold's fears' and his sombre locks that for a long half-hour had stood upon end, "like quills upon the fretful porcupine," etc., began to assume a horizontal attitude, and he allowed his weary team to somewhat slacken their impetuous gait in making down the valley in search of a more convenient crossing. On reaching Council Creek he found the Pawnees out in force, and laboring under intense excitement. It seems that the Sioux had just made a raid on their village, capturing several ponies and killing one young





Republican Candidate

County Clerk

Election November 7th, 1916

Compliments of






Page Nine

Previous pageSpacerTOCSpacerNext page
