Days of Yore Early History of Brown County Nebraska

In the winter of 1880-’81 many farmers were unable to get supplies as the cold and snow were so severe that it was almost impossible to drive to Atkinson for the necessities of life. Even at Cook’s ranch where supplies could usually be obtained, but little could be spared. Three settlers, Gus Sisson, C. N. Swett and Jap Stanley, sent a team to Atkinson, but owing to the deep snow it did not return for thirty days. They got a half-bushel of shelled corn, a few beans and a hog’s head from Cook’s and on this they lived till the … Read more

The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley railroad began building westward in the late 70’s. Each year it pushed farther into the new farming regions. To supply the needs of the new settlers the railroad carried freight, mail, express and passengers to its western terminus, Oakdale, then Neligh which it reached in 1880. In the late 70’s the cattlemen came ahead of the railroad. They were attracted by the rich, abundant grasses of the prairies which offered excellent range for their herds, with water, shelter and firewood to be found in the canyons. As a rule these ranchers held a “water … Read more

Another class of men sometimes came into this wild, new country. They planned their travels carefully that they might leave no trails for others to follow. They were outlaws who lived by stealing horses from farmers in Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The stolen stock was brought to this lonely country and hid until a safe market could be found for it. The canyons afforded good pasture and safety, Plum creek being well adapted to this purpose. (It was there that the notorious “Doe” Middleton and his band of horse thieves had headquarters, though his home was near Mariaville in what … Read more

The newcomers who followed the cattle men were mostly farmers with a few doctors, lawyers, preachers and merchants, all seeking the free land that could be obtained under the homestead law. The head of a family or any citizen twenty-one years of age could obtain one hundred sixty acres of land by living on it for five years and making a few improvements (building a small home and plowing a few acres of prairie. There were also small fees to be paid amounting to about $18). There were two other methods of obtaining a quarter section of land; the timber … Read more

The fact that our sister county, Keya Paha, was a part of Brown from February 19, 1883 to November 4, 1884, gives us an active interest in her early settlement and history. The name “Keya Paha,” meaning in the Indian language, “Turtle Hill,” was given to that portion of our state north of the Niobrara River and the river which traverses it, many years ago. In a communication, dated October 29, 1858, signed C. Randall (from near Fort Randall and printed in the Missouri Republican, of St. Louis) I have found the following: “We travelled up the Turtle Hill river … Read more

Delving into the original records of Rock county for information, one finds that the first entry in Record book A is a copy of the proceedings of the county board of Brown county on August 1, 1888. At this meeting M. E. Freeman and others filed with the county commissioners a petition asking for a division of Brown County and the formation of a new county to be called Rock. In this petition is quoted the boundary lines of the proposed new county. The next day the board passed a resolution submitting the proposed question to the voters of the … Read more

For a few years, during the 80’s the tide if immigration flowed steadily until there was claim shanty on almost every quarter section of tillable land. The years 1884 and 1885 were marked by an unusual rush of newcomers. A few cattle ranches had been opened in the sand hill sections, but at that time the grass was very sparse, and only in the valleys was the growth heavy enough for grazing. This was probably due to the frequent prairie fires which swept over them. The normal, yearly rainfall of Brown County is about 24 inches (23.98 as shown by … Read more

In 1904 a new law was passed permitting a homestead of 640 acres to be acquired by five years residence thereon and placing improvements upon it to the value of $800. This was called the “Kinkaid law,” honoring the congressman from this district who secured its enactment Hon. Moses P. Kinkaid of O’Neill. This law proved of great value to all of northwest Nebraska and its passage resulted in the settling of the sand hills in a very few years. Again new settlers, sometimes called “Kinkarders,” came into our county, and a most prosperous period followed their coming. The population … Read more

The “Calamus Trail” entered Brown County near the southeast corner. Its eastern terminus was Fort Hartsuff (near Ord). It followed up the North Loup River, then the Calamus River to its source in Moon Lake, then on west through the sand hills to the forts in the western part of the state. It was used chiefly as a military route for United States troops passing from one post to another. In later years a government post was maintained on the north shore of Moon Lake, affording a stopping place for travelers and also a place for securing supplies. (Moon Lake … Read more

The first term of court was held November 27, 1883, F. B. Tiffany, presiding. Among the jurors were: H. S. Potter, W. D. McCord, O. B. Rippey, C. F. Barnes, F. W. Sellors, A. L. Sisson. The first patent issued for land within the limits of Brown County as it then stood, by the United States government, as shown by the records in the Valentine land office (now extinct) was to Charles W. Wyman of Carns, Nebraska, April 10, 1881. The first teacher’s examination was given in 1883 by Supt. J. L. Harriman. The applicants were: Millie Cheney, Minnie Briggs … Read more