Old Settlers Association, Dodge County, Nebraska

To a true and intelligent pioneer there are few if any gatherings of more real interest than that of old settlers' reunions. Every county has at one date or another organized such societies, but alas how few keep them up from year to year, continuously.

In 1889 such a society or association was organized in Dodge County and its first meeting was held at North Bend, July 4, that year. Fully five thousand persons were in attendance. The acting president was George Young, a pioneer of pioneers. He stated that the first Fourth of July celebration in this county was celebrated in 1856 by the little colony who had arrived from the East on that very morning in their "prairie schooners" and celebrated the day by the side of their wagons, without flag or fire-crackers.

The regular set speech of the first old settlers' reunion above mentioned in 1889 was made by a Methodist preacher named Brooks. H. P. Beebe also gave a graphic description of his experiences during the winter of 1856-57.

A most excellent glee club was composed of the following: Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Doubrave, Mr. and Mrs. Dowling, Mr. Flater, Elmer Davis, Doctor Brown, Miss Gertie Rice, with Mrs. C. O. Armstead as organist rendering "Oh, Hail ye Free."

J. H. Graham and Robert Kittle as well as M. S. Cotterell gave addresses causing merry shouts and others brought many a tear to the cheek.

The first officers of this Old Settlers' Association were these:

W. H. Ely, president
George Young, first vice president
J. H. Peters, second vice president
J. B. Robinson, third vice president
Eli Hager, fourth vice president

Robert Kittle, secretary
L. J. Abbott, recorder
Henry P. Beebe, treasurer
Chaplain, Rev. Isaac E. Heaton

The following was one of the important articles in their constitution (No. 3). "Residence prior to February 1, 1867, or for twenty-five consecutive years in Dodge County, the payment of fifty cents to the association and subscribing to this Constitution shall constitute any person, their wives, husbands and descendants, members of this association."

Among other meetings of this association may be recalled the ones held at the park in Fremont in June, 1890; also one held in 1891 at the Village of Hooper. Since these annual re-unions the association has not prospered, in fact has entirely gone down and it is to be regretted.

Dodge County | Nebraska AHGP

Source: History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, Rev. William H. Buss and Thomas T. Osterman, Volume 1, The American Historical Society, Chicago, 1921.

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