Brown County NE

The winter of 1880-’81 has gone into history as one of the most severe that was ever known. The prairies were covered with snow so deep that the cattle could not graze on the buffalo grass on which the ranchers relied for their winter feed. The snow came early in the fall and laid on the ground all winter. It was so deep that the cattle could not travel, and at times a crust of ice covered the surface of it making travel impossible as the cattle sank into the snow and thousands of head starved to death, sometimes in … Read more

In December, 1882, Frank Sellors and Merritt Griffiths circulated a petition asking that the coming legislature pass an act establishing a new county from unorganized territory lying west of Holt county. The boundaries as set forth in the petition included what is now the three counties, Brown, Rock and Keya Paha, and was a tract forty-eight miles from east to west and sixty-four miles north and -south. It had been under the jurisdiction of Holt County for some years. Two bills defining the boundaries of Brown County were introduced; one in the senate by Moses P. Kinkaid of the twelfth … 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

The progressive spirit of Brown County, Nebraska was very suddenly checked when crops began to fail for lack of rains. In 1890 many farmers failed to raise enough to feed their stock and family, and appealed to the county for relief. The county, in turn, appealed to the state. Small amounts of money received afforded some help for the needy, but there was need for very rigid economy everywhere. The dry seasons continued and each year more families were obliged to ask for relief. Many became completely discouraged and left the county. Farms were deserted, stock was sold at low prices, … 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 “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

“About one-half of each homestead was broken up by 1893. Crops had been good, and you would find lots of cattle south, with some north and west of town. In 1893 the drought started in July. It was dry and hot. Corn that year averaged about five to six bushel, small grain about fifteen bushel. In the spring of 1894 it was very damp. Wheat stood on the ground, and got very thick. Again the drought hit in May and June the wheat died before it headed out. Corn tasselled out, but tassels fell off, and there was not an … Read more

Sheldon’s History of Nebraska gives this interesting account of the explorations by the Spaniards. One expedition led by a Scotchman, James Mackey, (Fr. Jacques Machey) reached the region of the North Loup River in 1795-96. He continued westward to the great Sandhill lakes of Cherry County, then traveleled northward to the Niobrara River which he followed down to where it joins the Missouri river. Mackey made an accurate map of the regions that he had explored which was published in Paris in 1802. On this map in the region of Long Pine creek is this inscription: “Mountains of sand, underlain … 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

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