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Hitchcock County,
named in honor of Ex -U. S.
Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska,
was organized in the summer of 1873, by proclamation of Governor Furnas.
It
lies on the southwestern border of the State, bounded on the north by Hayes and
by Red Willow County, south by Kansas, and west by Dandy County,
containing 720 square miles, or 460,800 acres.
The
County is watered by the Republican River and
tributaries. The Republican flows from west to east through the central
portion of the County.
Frenchman's
Fork and Blackwood Creeks, both large streams, water the northern portion of
the County, and Driftwood Creek and branches water the southern portion.
The
prairies are covered with the celebrated buffalo, grama and other nutrition’s
grasses affording the finest grazing the year round.
Stock
raising at present is the leading industry engaged in by the settlers. There is
plenty of good Government land here.
G.
C. Gessleman, located near the mouth of Blackwood Creek, on section 15, town 3,
range 31, in the latter part of February, 1873, and has the honor of being the
pioneer settler of the County.
In the latter part of May, following Mr.
Gessleman's settlement, his solitude was broken by the arrival of about a dozen
other settlers, among whom were:
W.
W. Kelley
G.
E. Baldwin
Daniel
Murphy
J.
E. Kleven
E.
J. Bakken
H.
H. Hongan
All
of whom settled on Blackwood Creek.
In June and July the Blackwood settlement was
increased by the arrival of:
W.
Z. Taylor
Dr.
Reaves
F.
Martin
C.
A. Gessleman
Dr.
A. J. Yanderslice
J.
H. Conklin
About
the same time a number of families settled on Driftwood Creek.
On
the night of the 31st of May, (1873) a great flood came down the Blackwood,
sweeping everything before it, and covering the whole bottom to the depth of
several feet.
The
settlers had a narrow escape from drowning, and barely saved themselves by
climbing into trees, where they were obliged to remain for twelve hours, till
the water subsided.
A company of
soldiers, encamped about six miles from
the mouth of the creek, lost six men and thirty head of horses by
drowning.
At
the first election for County
Officers, held on the 30th
day of August, 1873, nineteen votes were polled, and the following officers
elected:
Commissioners:
W.
W. Kelley
T.
G. Le Grande
F. U. Martin
Clerk
- W. Z. Taylor
Probate
Judge - A. J. Vanderslice
Treasurer
- J. E. Kleven
Sheriff
-, G. E. Baldwin
Superintendent
Public Instruction - W. W. Kelley
At
this election Culberson was
selected as the County Seat.
On
the 4th day of August, of this year, a big battle was fought between the Sioux
and Pawnee Indians twelve miles west of Culbertson, in which the Pawnees were
badly beaten, losing sixty killed.
The
first stock of merchandise in the County was opened at Culbertson in 1873, by
"W. Z. Taylor”.
During
the year 1874 several families located on Driftwood Creek, among whom were:
J. H. Sackett
Burd
Brothers
The
Beaeely Family
Good crops were raised in 1875, but the population
did not materially increase.
Several
large herds of cattle were brought into the County this year, and distributed
along the river and creeks; and a number of cattle men built houses in Culbertson
for their families.
The
first school building was erecting at Culbertson, in 1876. Major E. S. Criswell taught the first school.
There
are at present one hundred and seven school children in the County, and two
teachers employed.
The
estimated population of the County at the commencement of 1879, was 264.
The
County Seat, is located on the Republican, in the northeast part of the County.
The
town site was selected in 1873 and surveyed in August, 1875, by D. N. Smith.
A
large number of cattle men have made this place their headquarters and erected
neat dwellings.
It
is a good business point and has three large general merchandise stores.
Johnson’s
History of Nebraska 1880
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