History

The district of Louisiana was changed to the territory of Louisiana by an act of congress passed March 3, 1805, which provided for a governor, secretary and two judges. It was detached from Indian Territory and erected into a separate territory, so that Nebraska became a part of the “Territory of Louisiana.” In 1808 the Missouri Fur Company was established, and an expedition under its auspices was sent out under command of Major A. Henry. He established trading posts on the upper Missouri beyond the Rocky Mountains. In 1805 Manuel Lisa, a wealthy Spaniard, with a party in search of …

New Expeditions to the New Territory of Louisiana Read More »

It is difficult looking back through the mist of years to arrive at an incontrovertible conclusion as to just when and by whom the middle portion of the United States was first visited by white men. There is a wealth of interesting historical documents and writings recounting the invasion of this part of the continent by whites and tracing the march of civilization, most of which base their beginning with the French explorers, but it is now regarded as an established fact by many historical writers that the southwestern and middle portions of the United States were included in Spanish …

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The first territorial legislature convened at Omaha January 16, 1855, and the occasion created intense excitement. The official roster of the first legislature stood as follows: Council Richardson County, J. L. Sharp, president; Burt County, B. R. Folsom; Washington County, J. C. Mitchell; Dodge County, M. H. Clark; Douglas County, T. G. Goodwill, A. D. Jones, O. D. Richardson, S. E. Rogers; Cass County, Luke Nuckolls; Pierce County, A. H. Bradford, H. P. Bennett, C. H. Cowles; Forney County, Richard Brown. Officers Dr. G. F. Miller, Omaha, chief clerk; O. F. Lake, Brownville, assistant clerk; S. A. Lewis, Omaha, sergeant-at-arms; …

First Territorial Legislature Nebraska Read More »

The first territorial officers were appointed under the provisions of the organic act, by President Pierce, as follows: Francis Burt of South Carolina, governor Thomas B. Cuming, of Iowa, secretary Tenner Ferguson, of Michigan, chief justice James Bradley, of Indiana, and Edwin R. Hardin, of Georgia, associate justices Mark W. Izard, of Arkansas, marshal Experience Estabrook, of Wisconsin, attorney Governor Burt reached the territory, in ill health, on the 6th of October, 1854, and proceeded to Bellevue, where he was the guest of Rev. Wm. J. Hamilton at the Old Mission house. His illness proved of a fatal character, and …

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Containing a History of the State of Nebraska Embracing an account of Early Explorations, Early Settlement, Indian Occupancy, Indian History and Traditions; Territorial and State Organization; a Review of the Political History; and a Concise History of the Growth and Development of the State. Compendium of Reminiscence and Biography containing Biographical Sketches of Hundreds of Prominent Old Settlers and Representative Citizens Of Nebraska. With a review of their life work; their identity with the growth and development of the State; Reminiscences of Personal History and Pioneer Life, and other interesting and valuable matter which should be preserved in history. Natural …

Compendium of History – Reminiscence and Biography of Nebraska Read More »

The Lewis and Clark expedition was the next move directed toward exploring and improving the newly acquired territory. This expedition was planned by the president in the summer of 1803 for the purpose of discovering the courses and sources of the Missouri and the most convenient water communication thence to the Pacific Ocean. Capt. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, both army officers, were given command. The party started in May, 1804, and consisted of nine young men from Kentucky, fourteen soldiers of the United States army who volunteered their services, two French watermen, an interpreter and hunter, and a colored …

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Comprising as it does an area larger by 14,259 square miles than all of New England, the state of Nebraska is justly entitled to the important position it holds among the sister states of the republic. Twice the size of Ohio, larger in area by many thousand square miles than England and Wales combined, Nebraska in area is an empire. The position occupied by Nebraska is quite near the center of the United States. The parallel of forty degrees bounds it on the south, and the Missouri river is its eastern and northern boundary until the forty-third degree parallel is …

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Early in the fifties a movement was begun which culminated in the organization of Nebraska as a territory. On February 10, 1853, a bill, organizing the territory of Nebraska, passed the house, but failed to pass the senate. On the 14th of December, 1853, the second bill was introduced in the senate, and on May 30 the organic act creating the territory of Nebraska was signed by President Pierce and became a law. The first territorial officers appointed by President Pierce were as follows: Governor, Francis Burt, of South Carolina; secretary, Thomas B. Cuming, of Iowa; chief justice, Tenner Ferguson, …

Nebraska Becomes a Territory Read More »

In 1851 and 1852 the first effort was made to erect a territory west of Missouri and Iowa, which was abortive, and the matter did not reach a vote in congress. At the next session, 1852-53, Willard P. Hall, of Missouri, on December 13, 1852, offered a bill in the House of Representatives organizing the territory of “Platte,” which included in its area what is now the greater part of Nebraska, the northern limit of the region being generally described as “the Platte River.” The bill was referred to the committee on territories. From that committee William A. Richardson, of …

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On December 8, 1857, the fourth session began, with no change in the roll of the council members from the foregoing session. Hon. George L. Miller, of Omaha, was elected president; Washburn Safford, chief clerk S. H. Elbert, assistant clerk George A. Graves, enrolling and engrossing clerk John Reck, sergeant-at-arms Jacob R. Cromwell, doorkeeper. The house chose Hon. J. H. Decker, of Otoe County, speaker S. M. Curran, chief clerk R. A. Howard, assistant clerk Albert Mathias, sergeant-at-arms Isaac Fisher, doorkeeper The roll of the house showed: Richardson and Pawnee counties, A. F. Cromwell, Wingate King Nemaha and Johnson counties, …

Nebraska Territorial Officials 1857-1859 Read More »