The first white settler in Burt county was Benjamin R. Folsom, October 7, 1854.

The first house built, was built by Benjamin R. Folsom, 1855.

The first store was started by Miles Hopkins, 1855.

The first hotel was kept by Major Harrington, 1865.

The first blacksmith was Michael Olinger, 1855.

The first election was held December 1854.

Col. B. R. Folsom was elected as member of the first territorial council and

General Robertson and H. C. Purple to the House of Representatives.

Burt County was organized, November 23, 1854.

It was named for Hon. Francis Burt, the first territorial governor.

 

Tekamah was incorporated as a city, March 14, 1855, by act of the first territorial legislature and made the county seat.

The first funeral held was for Mrs. Thomas Thompson, in the fall of 1855.

The first white child was born in the fall of 1855 to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and it died a few days after its mother.

The first couple married was Lewis P. Peterson and Miss Elsie Thompson, in the fall of 1855.

The first sermon preached was by Rev. Wm. Bates, in July 1855.

The first regular preacher was Rev. Jacob Adriance of the DeSota Methodist circuit, 1856.

The first postmaster was Major Harrington, 1855.

The first county officers elected on November 6, 1855 were:

Probate Judge - Wm. Bates

Treasurer - Lewis P. Peterson

Sheriff - John Nevett

Surveyor -  Wm. F. Goodwill

Clerk - Peter F. Peterson

Justice of the Peace - Major Harrington and Adam Olinger

 

The first mail was established in Tekamah in 1855, it came once a week from Omaha.

The first probate judge was B. R. Folsom, commissioned by territorial authority, May 16, 1855.

The first attorney was Major Harrington.

The first physician was Dr. Potter in 1855.  He was also the first Mayor of Tekamah.

The first district school was taught by Mr. W. B. Newton in Tekamah in 1857.

The first court house was the Block House.

The first tax was levied in 1855, on $13,000 valuation.  The rate was seven mills and collected $91.04.

The first carpenter was F. E. Lang, 1855.

The first top buggy was bought by W. B. Beck, 1856.

The first public hall was built by Geo. P. Thomas, 1867.

The first church was built in Decatur in 1867, by the M. E.

The first church building in Tekamah was built by J. R. Sutherland, for Presbyterians, in 1870.

The first lodge organized was the Masonic, in Decatur, in 1867.

The first bank was started by A. Castetter, in Tekamah, in 1873, a branch from a bank in Blair.

The first Fourth of July celebration was in Tekamah, 1856.  General J. M. Thayer was the orator.

The first five school houses in the county were in Decatur, Fairview, Wallace school on Silver Creek, Shafer school in Arizona and the one in Tekamah.

The first railroad came from Omaha and the first passenger train came into Tekamah, August 30, 1876; it reached Oakland, December 30, 1879, and built to Lyons in 1880.

The first newspaper was published at Tekamah, December 15, 1871, called the Burt County Pilot.  J. Y. Lambert was its editor.  It contained the first wedding notice published in the county, that of  J. R. Sutherland and Miss Mary Stuart Conger, December 12, 1871.

The first flour mill was built in Tekamah, owned by William Raver in 1866.

The first saw mill was owned by Geo. P. Thomas, in 1856.

The first threshing machine was bought by James Askwig, in 1857.