Omaha daily bee., 1891-11-29
Died April. 1912.

AS = ol~
In 1858 attempts were made to discover the
remains which proved successful, the remains
being discovered nearly sixty feet from the
cross. The coffin consisted of a log cut in
two parts, a hollow receptacle being burnt in
one half in which the body was placed, the
other half being used as a lid. 1t is not
known whether DURAN was one of Lewis
and Clarke's oand, or u missionary or trader,
but whoever he may have been lot was
a grave IN an unknown land-laid to rest,
perhaps, by the hands eff his faithful friends,
who dropped a tear and possibly a PRAYER
was said. Such is the fate of the mysterious
"Ourian."
st. Deroin was tho first town site in Ne
maha. In 1853, Deroin, a half breed Indian,
laid out the town, and the same year Robert
Hawke, now deceased, opened up the first
stock OF merchandise, and the town was con-
sldered a trading post merely. Also in the
| same year Joseph Deroin, the founder of St.
Deroin, was shot by a man named Beddow,
the outgrowth OF "A quarrel between the two
men over an unsettled store bill. Deroin
was a disagreeaDle, tyrannical man, and tried
to compel Beddow to pay his disputed
bill. Beddow was arrested, tried and &C
Quilted.
August29, 1854, Richard Brown of Holt
| county, Missouri, formerly of Tennessee, To-
Gated where Brownville now STANDS and after
whom 1t was named. The financial crash of
1851 was occasloned by the land OF this vicin-
ity being in the hands of spectators and
some as soldiers land warrants. 1t
had been the custom for years to
postpone the sale of public lands so
as to enable actual settlers to improve them
and MAKE remaining lands valuable, but this
order of things was reversed and it was ru-
mored that the land would be sold. This
caused a stampede among the settlers, and
many of them bought land warrants on one
years credit for $3.50 and gave trust deeds on
their land for security.
Tn scarcity of money was felt very Sc
verely all over the territory, as the settlers
L-l 1000 49, All than bod .,.,.-l II. A.
and little had been raised here that year. In
1853 tho land was advertised for sale and the
settlers succeeded In getting IL postponed. In
| 1859 the land for sixty or seventy miles west
of the Missouri riyer was offered for sale, aud
after the sale 1T was entered by spectators
with their land warrants, thus causing con-
siderable of our land being unimproved to
this very day. In 1853 and 1859 the settlers
sold their corn for 20 cents and paid 40 cents
interest on their trust deeds. Many became
discouraged and left their claims Nemaha
to have her blue, times. so
as to be prepared to enjoy prosperity.
According TO tradition, fifty families
J crossed the ferry at Brownville and took
claims in Nemaha county in less than a week.
Judge j. w. Hall was the first to cultivate
the apple, thus proving the admiration of our
soil for the growth of the fruit. Theodore
Hall, now deceased, shipped the first lot of
wheat TO st. LOUIS September l, 1861. At
this time there was a surplus of about 1000
| bushels In Nemaha county.
Captain Ben WhyUe declared that the peo-
pie OF BrownvIlle should commemorate the
anniversary of the American Independence
July 1, 1856, by an old-time barbecue. The
band of music was operated by Jack Chas-
tian and consisted of a single violin, which
mercilessly squeaked out a happy medium
between the "Arkansaw Trayeler'' and
Leather Breeches.n Hon. II. w. Whitney
presided and is SAID to have made the an
n~ouncement The ordinance will remain
seated while the core sings.n Everything
passed of pleasantly and the day was Ions
remembered by the settlers. Robert Furnas
made one OF his most soul stirring patriotic
addresses on the occasion.
Van Houten's -Coeoa-"Once tried, used
always.