Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-06

in the humble cottage OF one Of the most
unique and interesting characters in South
Omaha: one of those men whose recol-
leotions II clearly preserved would make
an invaluable record In the history Of the
state. Feeble as was the physical strength
Of the old mans limbs, there was not such
hating in the sweep of his CHEEKY memory.
People and places came from the past for
him with startling distinctness and he
spoke Of events Of 1854 as II they we're
the events Of yesterday. In a brief half
hour the interim was bridged and woven
with many a strand OF the old man.
humor.
Beginnings of Omaha.
TN 1854, when ] came to Nebraska, the
country was absolutely wild, for you know
that was the year when the Nebraska ter
ritory was opened to settlement. Omaha
was then a small village under the wing
of the Transmissouri military post, and
took its name from the Omaha tribe Of
Indians, which had its headquarters at
Bellevue, where the old mission stood for
so many years. I was attracted here by a
letter from a cousin OF mine, who, with
a party OF friends, had Travelled through
Iowa in search Of land. When they ar
rived at Council Bluffs they learned that
the Nebraska territory had been opened to
settlement, and this cousin wrote me. I
being then at New Albany, Ind.
AS soon as possible 1 got up an outfit
and started west. We came by way Of
the Ohio river to Cairo, then by the Mis-
slssippi to st. Louis, and from there to st.
Joseph. The rest Of the journey was made
by teams. I was only % years old when
1 came to Omaha, on November 4, and 1
did not have much idea what I should do
In the west. 1 spent about three years in
and about Omaha On one of my trips to
st. Joseph l brought up the trunks of
Father Emonds and a Methodist preacher,
who were among the first gentlemen Of
the cloth to arrive in Omaha. The preacher
and the priest came by stage. I charged
them nothing for the bringing OF their
baggage; but the priest reciprocated on
May II, 1856, when 1 was married to Miss
Julia Cassidy"
A Bit of Catholic Church History.
Mr.. Dee fixes May 20 as the date when
the first mass was celebrated by Father
Emonds in Omaha, the Sunday following
his marriage by the same priest in Council
Bluffs. A few days after that event, on
May 30, the Catholics of Omaha secured
ground at the corner Of Eighth and How
0Ao ava O 4 ~ "oS NAAANN
st. Mary's then and never by any other
name" said Mr.. Dee, referring to Father
Emonds' register In Council Bluffs which
gives the name, est. Patrick's church,
Omaha City" mo. the work did not stop
on the church. After getting the ground
we had to hustle for the money. That was
no small job in those days. Why, cotton
wood lumber cost IS a hundred and was
scarce at hal. Father Trecy, who started
the church at st. Johns (now jackson,
Dakota county,. beat Omaha, because he
brought a sawmill from Iowa and got his
lumber near by. 1 hauled the first load of
stone for the foundation Of st. Mary's, and
1t laid on the ground for months before we
had enough money to go ahead. So the
work OF building didn't begin until the
spring OF IS.
FreiEhtinE and Town sites.
Il remember something about the
%freighters Of the early days. 1 did some
freighting with my own teams between
Omaha and Denver. 1 often fell in with
the big freighters, Majors and Russell of
Nebraska City and P~lattsmouth. In all
my ventures I never had any trouble with
the Indians, although the other freighters
had brushes with them at times.
There were events OF the frontier which
I recall. I helped lay out the site Of the
city OF Fremont, and I remember the In
dian outbreak On the Elkhorn, and how 1t
started. A band of settlers had taken up
ranches on the Elkhorn and one day when
the men had all gone a troupe OF thIeving
Indians came in and tried to ransack the
houses. One woman resisted them and
they stabbed her through the thigh with
an arrow. When the ranchers returned
they raided some Of the Indian camps in
retaliation, and the trouble began. This
was in 1859, and that was when I first
heard OF General ]. NJ. Thayer. He was
leader OF a detachment Of several volun-
teer companies who went out to put down
the Indian trouble. Captain Moore organ
lied a company in Omaha. They spent
several weeks on the frontier and a a
few battles will the Indians. It was there
that General Thayer earned his rank as
colonel. When the civil war broke out
Colonel Thayer organized several regi-
mentS OF volunteers. Captain Moore, how
ever. went south and Joined the confed-
crate army. I never heard Of him after
that
The Mormon Exodus.
IT remember something about the Nor
mons and the time when the expedition
was QUILTED to put down the Utah in
surrection. There is nothing so obstinate
or so misguided as religious fsnaticlsm,
1 always credit a good friend OF mine with
a good story about the Mormons and their
ways. A Mormon came to him one morn
ing and said. The Lord appeared to me
and said you must give me a cow When
did you talk to the Lord? said my friend
Last night said the Mormon. Well,
said my friend, I talked to the Lord this
morning and He said should give you q
d-n good kicking l think he did 1t.
After 1 was through freightlng 1 took
up a presumption on Salt creek near the
town OF Ashland In 1857. We did not have
hOmesteads here in those days, Later
returned 10 Omaha and wa elected street
Commissioners OF Omaha In 1871. Since thai
time 1 have been a resident OF Douglas
county most OF the time
Il am the father Of twelve children, OF
whom eight are still living. 1 like to re.
member them best by their given names
-Four Of the oldest boys died. The Twins
children are Daniel, jeremiah. jr.; Thomas
Andrew, Ellen, Mary, Bridget and Lizzie.
avail wwNN -