they have served as examples for the practical generation following. With the beginning of the nineteenth century came what we might call the semi-practical dreamers; for, though largely controlled by dreams of gold and adventure, these expeditions contained many practical men who, seeing the value of the rich soils and varied resources of the country, dropped out by the way, forming colonies and settlements which became the basis of our practical western civilization. The Mormons are unique, not alone because of their peculiar doctrine, which it is not the purpose of this paper to discuss, but because it was not the love of gold, glory or adventure that caused them to join the company of pathfinders. Passing over their advent into the west-into Missouri in 1831-their finding uncongenial surroundings there and subsequently in the state of Illinois, and the murder of their leading men in June, 1844, we find they became pathfinders in their search for a location where they could dwell in peace. Their advent into the world was received much as was the infant's by its elder brother who was led into the mother's room to greet the new arrival. He looked at it for a few minutes then exclaimed: "We didn't need that!" But room had to be made for the little fellow whether he was needed or not. So the Mormons, whether needed and worthy or not, they have made their place in history, so that now, neither the history of our western civilization, nor the history of the United States nor of the world can be written without recognizing them. In August, 1844, a company of these people under the leadership of James Emmett left Nauvoo, Illinois, and, following up the courses of the Mississippi and Iowa rivers, wintered in the vicinity of State Center, Iowa. The next spring, over the then trackless prairies of Iowa, they proceeded westward into what is now South Dakota until their progress was impeded by the swollen condition of the Missouri and Dakota rivers, and so the succeeding winter was spent in Vermillion. In the spring of 1846 they sent emissaries back to Nauvoo who returned with the intelligence that the main body was on its way westward and would cross the Missouri river somewhere about Sarpy's old trading point. This caused them to move again, this time southward, following the course of the Missouri river, I think on the east side, until they made a junction with the main body in the vicinity of Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1845 another colony of these people, under Lyman Wight, one of the twelve apostles, leaving Black River, Wisconsin, a hundred miles above Prairie du Chien, drifted down the river on rafts of lumber to a point near Davenport, Iowa, and, there exchanging lumber for outfits, passed through Iowa in a southwest direction, through northwest Missouri, Kansas and Indian Territory into Texas, where they founded settlements in Travis, Gillespie, Burnet and Bandera counties. The general exodus from Nauvoo began early in 1846 and passed through the southern counties of Iowa, making settlements in Decatur and Union counties, and established Winter Quarters on what is now the site of Florence, Nebraska, just above Omaha. A vanguard was formed of the James Emmett company, before mentioned, and a company under Bishop George Miller. On July 7, 1846, this vanguard crossed the Missouri river with instructions to winter near Grand Island on the Platte river, but at the Pawnee village below Fremont they were visited by some Ponka chiefs who told them of good range for cattle on the Running Water, or Niobrara river. Bishop Miller, under the impression that the Ponka knew more about the country than Brigham Young, turned northward and wintered in the lands of the Ponka. In the spring of 1847 they returned to Winter Quarters, where James Emmett and his followers became identified with the main exodus to the west, while George Miller disagreed with the constituted authorities and proceeded south to join the Lyman Wight colony in Texas. The company under the leadership of Brigham Young, as is well known, followed up the north side of the Platte river which they crossed at Fort Laramie and struck the Oregon Trail, following it to the Rocky mountains. From the crossing of the Loup to Fort Laramie, they made their own road, though from a point just west of the east line of Deuel county, Nebraska, they paralleled the Oregon Trail on the opposite side of the river. All along the path of those Mormon parties through Iowa and Nebraska there were left men who were dissatisfied with the administration of the leaders. These formed the nucleus of a protesting organization and made homes on what was then esteemed the desert, and also formed the beginning of many a pioneer settlement which turned attention to the cultivation of the virgin soil. I mention the Mormons particularly because the public is less acquainted with them than with others. Not from the Mormons alone, but from many of these pioneer companies of travelers have come the sturdy sons of toil. They have learned that there is more profit in the golden harvest than in the yellow dust for which the dreamer sought. To them we are indebted for the existence of our prosperous cities and towns, our smiling fields and richly laden orchards. Let us mark the trails of the dreamer so that we can follow with unerring certainty the footprints made on the old Spanish, Santa Fe, Oregon and other trails, while the more splendid monument of western civilization shall commemorate the deeds of the practical men who built our factories, our farms, our railroads, our churches, our schools, colleges, universities, and other evidences of advancing civilization. AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL DOCUMENT BY ALBERT WATKINS Below is a copy of a letter which I recently found in the collections of the Historical Society at Des Moines, Iowa. Thomas B. Cuming is still remembered by some of the oldest residents of Nebraska as the first secretary of the territory and the first real governor. Governor Burt died on the 18th of October, 1854, after having held the office nominally for two days only, when Secretary Cuming succeeded him according to a provision of the organic law, as acting governor. He continued in that office until the appointment of Governor Izard, February 20, 1855. The designation of Omaha as the first capital of the territory was directly due to Acting Governor Cuming's Napoleonic management. Governor Cuming's wife was a sister of the late Frank Murphy of Omaha. Dear Genl. Council Bluff City The county named after you in this territory extends from a point 60 miles west of the Missouri to the west boundary of U. S. lands (the 101° west longitude) bounded north by the Platte river, & south by the boundary between Kansas & Nebraska. It has the largest area of any county in the territory, and with the others is subject to alteration or abrogation by the Legislature. I shall send you, before long, a more substantial token offregard, in the shape of a certificate of stock in the future Capitol-a slight memento of a friendship whose expression, with me, to all my friends, is moderateed only by circumstances. (Hon. Geo. W. Jones) In haste, Truly yrs T. B. Cuming George W. Jones, to whom the letter is addressed, was a United States senator from Iowa at the time in question. The other senator from Iowa was Augustus C. Dodge, and Bernhart Henn was the member of the House of Representatives from the Council Bluffs district. These three were perhaps the most active lieutenants of Stephen A. Douglas in pushing through the bill for the territorial organization of Nebraska, and doubtless Cuming was under obligations to his "dear friend" Jones for his appointment as secretary of the territory. On the 10th of December, 1854, Acting Governor Cuming issued an order for the organization of Jones county, but, presumably, because it was ascertained that there were no people there to organize, the order was not executed. On the 26th of January, 1856, the legislature authorized the organization of Jones county, but the authority was not acted upon until September 28, 1864. On the 18th of February, 1867, Jones county was added to Jefferson county by an act of the legislature. Jones county was coextensive with the present Jefferson county. The original Jefferson county is now Thayer county. So long as, according to vicious custom, our counties commonly had to be named after politicians, we should all be grateful, I think, that the name of a politician of the very first class was in this case substituted for that of a politician of the second class; but the judicious will continue indefinitely to grieve that the many available and musical local names, Indian and others, should have been neglected for the politician preference at all. |