C. A, Songster came from near the city of Centerville, Appanoose
County, Iowa in 1871, and settled on a farm two and a half miles
south of Exeter. He brought with him his wife and two children, a
girl and a boy, and we are indebted to this boy, now Mr. A. A.
(Bert) Songster for the reminiscences here recorded. The father died
on April 8, 1898, and is buried in the Exeter cemetery. Bert
Songster was only about four years old when they came to Nebraska,
and remembers with interest their crossing the Missouri river in a
ferry boat to Nebraska City. After they arrived on the claim they
lived in a tent until a dugout was made; after which a sod house was
built, and this proved to be a very comfortable home. It was
plastered throughout and was warm in winter and cool in summer;
which cannot be said of all the up to date residences.
The
first school of the district was held in the Songster home. At that
time the cattle roamed the prairies at will, and the grass known as
the "Bluestem" grew as high as a horse's back, which made it
dangerous for children if they strayed from the house. The chief
bird music was the mournful tones of the prairie chickens, heard
usually in the early morning; but these are almost extinct, and,
like the antelope, and the deer may soon be a thing of the past.
Mr. Palmer Lancaster had a blacksmith's shop south of the
Songster place, and kept a pet antelope, which was especially
interesting to the children of the neighborhood. It would follow him
to town, where it was sometimes frightened by the dogs, and would
then run off at a lively rate and make its way home.
The
prairie dogs were numerous then; there was a dog town one m.ile
south west of Exeter which was for a long time a source of interest,
but the dogs suddenly disappeared, having gone in one night, and no
one knows why or where they went.
Mr. Songster Sr., hauled
lumber for the first house and store owned by Dr. H. G. Smith. A
little girl of the family was one of the first children that died
and was buried in the Exeter cemetery.
Pioneers of Fillmore and Adjoining Counties
Source: Pioneer Stories of the Pioneers of Fillmore and adjoining Counties, by G. R. McKeith, Press of Fillmore County News, Exeter, Nebraska, 1915
