RECOLLECTIONS OF WM. CRANE. Mr. Crane is one of the old settlers of Jefferson county, whose experiences as a pioneer are still green in his memory. He takes keen delight and interest in recalling the pioneer incidents. Much of the history of the southeast corner, appearing in this volume, was secured from Mr. Crane. In addition to this is given his remembrance of the early settlers' locations, and dates of their coming into Endicott and Newton Pre- cincts. Commencing on the- east side, in the Otoe Reservation, and going westward up the Little Blue and its tribuatries, they are as follows : John Elliot, Section 26-1-4, 1865. Charlie Horton, Sec. 22-1-4, REMEMBRANCES OF EARLY PIONEERS 365 1866. Cadwell, the ranchman, at the junction of the Oketo Cutoff with the Oregon Trail, in Sec. 15-1-4, 1862. Tom Brown, on the east side of the river. Sec. 31-1-4, 1865. Chas. PhiUips, up the river in Sec. 29 ; and on up the little spring-fed stream to the north and east was Old Man Thomas, who came in about 1860 ; a quarter of a mile above him was James Boyd, who came in 1865 ; next was the Jenkins Mills, near the northeast corner of Sec. 30 ; D. C. Jenkins came here in 1867. Across the river was Freeport, where Jacob Countryman settled in 1863, and was succeeded by James and Caleb Frazier in 1867. Morg. Crane, my brother, homesteaded a little west of them, in the same section, in 1866. Where Steele City is now, William Harris and Robert Crinklow homesteaded in 1867. On the little branch above town was LeBlanche, who. used to work in Jenkinses sawmill. Above him on the river was a man named James, who came in about 1867. On the next creek was Milt. Goulds- berry, in Sec. 13-1-3. Above him, in Sec. 12, was James Slocumb, who lived far back in the canyon in an ideal retreat for such a business as some people sus- pected his being identified with. Above him, in Sec. 11, near the mouth of a big canyon, lived the Hughes boys, who came before 1866. Under the big sandstone cliff in Sec. 10 lived a Mrs. Case, who afterwards married Sam Watts, of Rose creek. At the mouth of Rock creek lived the D. C. McCanles family and Billy Friend ; the former coming in 1859, the latter in 1866. Across the river was John Wolff, who came in 1867. On Coon creek, in Section 10, was James Wells, who came in 1869. Up the creek, in Sec. 15, was Donald 366 PIONEER TALES OF THE OREGON TRAIL Campbell, and in Sec. 21 was John Shepherd, both coining in 1869. Farther up in Sec. 28 was William H. Shipley, and Ben Beach in Sec. 33, and I was in the adjoining Sec. 27. Between us and Steele City, in Sec. 35, was I. R. Gilbert; all of us came the same year, 1869. J. B. Turner was on the creek in Sec. 17, and my father, Collins Crane, was on Coal creek; above him, in Sec. 30, was James Hornell. 1869 was the date for all these. Billy Smith and Ed. Hawkes were at the mouth of Smith creek, in Sec. 5. Bogue and Coon at the mouth of Rose creek, in Sec. 8. John Mitcham and his boys across from the mouth of Dry Branch, in Sec. 7. This is a complete list of all settlers prior to 1870, in Newton and Endicott Precincts. Two of these early settlers, Phillips and James Boyd, lost their lives in a big blizzard during the winter of 1866-7. This was the memorable winter of the deep snows and blinding snow-storms. Not suspecting that there would be extreme frigid changes from the usual heretofore ''open'' winter seasons, many of the settlers were illy prepared for fuel and provisions when the early deep snows closed up the usual avenues of travel. These conditions forced Phillips and Boyd to go to Marysville to secure enough provisions to tide them through the long dreary winter. Jacob Countryman accompanied them in a sleigh, one open day in Febru- ary, to secure a load of provisions for themselves and neighbors. Following up the divide north and east- ward to the Oregon Trail in Sec. 15, which they followed to their destination, they finally sutjceeded in making the trip, and returned without serious incident, until they met a howling blizzard from the north and west, REMEMBRANCES OF EARLY PIONEERS 367 about the time they were crossing the State line. By heroic efforts they managed to keep the trail for four miles, in the teeth of the gale, finally reaching their turning-off place. Here the men disagreed which was the proper course, and after proceeding some distance found themselves lost. Countryman insisted that they should keep to the westward, in order to reach the creek upon which they lived ; while Phillips and Boyd firmly believed the creek which they were on was the one they sought for. Countryman, finding that he could not prevent them from going down this creek, put a few things in his pack, and started across the divide, to where he knew lay the homes they sought to reach. After several hours of struggle he reached Boyd's home, in a completely exhausted condition. Searching parties dared not venture out that night. The next day D. C. Jenkins and Chas. Horton found Philhps's body on a little pond in the southwest quarter of Sec. 27. Boyd's body was found in a ravine in the southwest quarter of Sec. 28. The horses were found unharnessed, standing in a rock-sheltered refuge, and the sled with its contents in the creek-bed half a mile above. The men were carrying packs with provisions in them. This, coupled with, other evidence, showed that the two men had unhitched the horses and set out separately, in their last desperate effort to reach home and safety.
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WM. CRANE. Mr. Crane was born in lUinois, in 1848. /Served in the Seventh Illinois Cavalry through the Civil War. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EARLY PIONEERS 417 Started west in 1867, going by boat from St. Louis up the Missouri river on a hunting and trapping expedition with his father. Roamed all over Montana and British Columbia in the next few years, trading, trap- ping, and prospecting. Came back down the Old Trail to JeflFerson county in 1869, homesteading on a tract of land near Steele City. Married Miss Hester Picker- ing in 1871. The following are the children : Olive, Howard, Horace, and Agnes. Mr. Crane is still living on the old homestead.
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The parties named below have contributed valuable aid in the preparation of this book : Clarence S. Paine, Secretary Nebraska Historical Society; George W. Hansen, Edward Hansen, Marcia Babcock, Frank Helvey, George Weisel, William E. Connelley (of Topeka, Kansas), John P. Thiessen, William Crane, Monroe McCanles, C. C. Boyle, Mrs. Charlotte Marks, the county officials, and many others.
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THE FIRST OLD SETTLERS' PICNIC. The first picnic held by the old settlers of Jefferson county was in Ed Hawkes's grove near Endicott, in September, 1893. An organization of the Jefferson County Old Settlers' Society was effected the first day ; Jasper Helvey being elected President ; Mrs. Mary McCanles, First Vice-President; Ed. Hawkes, Sec- ond Vice-President; Mrs. Frank Helvey, Librarian; G. L. Fowler, Secretary; J. R. Nelson, Treasurer; W. H. Beardsley, F. T. Pearce, W. H. Chamberlain, Executive Committefe. A constitution was drawn, setting forth the object and purpose of the society, duties of the officials and requirements of membership. Any person coming to Jefferson county prior to 1876 and paying a member- ship fee of 25c. could become a member. The second day was spent in listening to the expe- riences of old-timers ; the most interesting being that told by Mrs. Mary McCanles, I. N. Thompson, J. O. Cramb, W. H. Crane, Peter Gill, James A. Wells, Wilson Armstrong, and H. C. Dawson. People came from far and near by rail and wagon, filling the 90- acre grove full of teams and people, who continued to come for four days, holding Sabbath service in the ivoods on Sunday, the fifth day. The author and two others were appointed to count the attendance on Thursday, the big day; they counted nearly 5000 288 PIONEER TALES OP THE OREGON TRAIL people. Over three hundred old settlers registered and became members of the society.
http://www.archive.org/stream/pioneertalesore00dawsgoog/pioneertalesore00dawsgoog_djvu.txt
