Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-19

I8HN the Welsh who came to Rich
N&Gs84 ardson county, Nebraska, from
Pomeroy, o., In the first three or four
years following the civil war. settling in
a community known as Prairie Union.
northeast Of where il now located Stella,
and about ten miles west of the Missouri
river. Preceding the Ohio Welsh there
came here from Wisconsin three Welsh
families, David Thomas and Thomas Hig-
gins, who-came together in 1879. and Daniel
Davis who came in 1863. The Wisconsin
Welsh made the entire journey by OK cam.
They at once began to prosper and were
most enthusiastic over the new country.
Reports by MIR. Higgins or Mr.. Davis were
sent to a Welsh paper CDrych) printed In
New York, and Il was the reading OF these
reports BY the miners ut Pomeroy that led
to the coming here OF the Ohio Welsh. A
colony Of thirteen families settled within a
radius OF five miles In the territory east Of
Prairie Union. a number OF others at
Salem and some at BrOwnville.
When Daniel Davis started from wiscon-
sin So represented his entire amount OF
cash; no had provisions for tho journey, a
yoke Of oxen and a pair Of cows. He died
tho morning OF July 4. 1850, and left an
estate worth $1,000. For forty-six years
Mr.. Davis lived continuously on the same
farm. OF I'll the early Welsh settlers he
had the reputation Of being the most liberal
giver, giving help wherever needed.
There was a big colony at Pomeroy Of
Welsh who had como over from the old
country TO work In the coal mines. As
they had been here but a comparatively
short time they did not enlist in the civil
war. as did their American neighbors, so
many Of whom were away from home that
the miners were paid higher wages than
usual. During any time of idleness they
discussed opportunities for investment In
land and the best plaCe to go, Alex Nc
Gechie, a Scotchinan, and some of his
Welsh friends from returning soldiers
heard wonderful stories of the country
about Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain
in Tennessee and made a journey Of in
vestigation, but decided that section was
better adopted to mining.
Rev, John T. James was an important
parsonage in bringing the settlers to Ne
braska from Pomeroy. He and Caleb
Reese came to investigate In September,
1865, and contracted TO buy 600 acres OF
land at s. an acre. Reese and his family
moved to Nebraska that same fall, atkins
up their residence at the old river town Of
Aspinwall, where soon after he was shot
and killed at dusk one evening by a couple
OF drunken soldiers on the way to Fort
Leavenworth. They stated they had mis-
taken him for a wolf. Mrs. Reese gave up
her contract for the large tract, but bought
and resided on a quarter section in the
Welsh settlement. She died not long ago
in Guthrie. Okl.
The wife of Rev. James was largely re-
sponsible for his western movement, as she
had lived on a farm in the old country.
She died in December, after his purchase
here, but following her wishes to bring
the sons up on the farm, he moved here
the next summer.
Within the very next few years there
came from Pomeroy the following twelve
families, making thirteen in the settle
ment from the same place: David N.
Jones. Alex McGechie, John NJ. Lewis,
Richard Morris. Jonah Jones. Edmund VIII
liams, David N. Jones. David n. Jones,
Samuel Brimble, James Evans. Robert
Roberts. David Phelps and John Owens.
All were Welsh except Mr.. McGechie. The
trip was made by water, as Pomeroy was
on the Ohio, and AspinwaIl was made the
landing point. At the time MT. McGechie
and others came. six weeks were spent on
the boat. Two weeks OF this time the boat
was laid up on a sandbar. and three times
on the Journey the cargo was unloaded.
OF the fourteen men named there are but
one survivor today, Alexander McGechie
of Broken Arrow. Okl. who was SO years
old last April, and Is still strong and well
and keen of mind. Mrs. John NJ. Lewis OF
s%hubert, who was 70 years old in August
is the only surviving wife who moved her,
with the homeseekers. David N. Jones
the last surviving head Of a Welsh family
among the settlers. died this week o.
dropsy at his home seven miles northeas'
OF stella. He was born in Wales in 1882