Madison County Archives – Page 2 of 2

History of Battle Creek, Madison County, Nebraska

1885 Map of Madison and Battle Creek Nebraska

This flourishing town is situated on Battle Creek, about one mile above its junction with the Elkhorn. It is surrounded by level prairie, better adapted to grazing and meadow than to the raising of cereals, though the soil is rich, and, where plowed, produces excellent corn. The town site, at the time of the laying-out of the town by J. D. Hoover, belonged to a company, consisting of F. J. Hale, John F. Tiedgen, Hogrefe and P. J. Neil. The first buildings erected were a store and dwelling combined, by F. J. Hale; a hotel, by John F. Tiedgen; a … Read more

Genealogy and History of Madison County, Nebraska

Madison County is in the third tier of counties, south from the Missouri River, on the north line of the State, and the fourth tier from the same river on the east line of the State. Its area contains 576 square miles, or 368,640 acres. The county was created in 1856, by the Territorial Legislature, and its boundary lines fixed by statute; nor have these original boundaries since been changed. The surface of Madison County is composed of upland, valley, bluff and bottom lands in the following proportions: Upland, 40 per cent; valley, 40 per cent; bluff and sandy lands, … Read more

Native Americans of Madison County, Nebraska

The people of Madison County have had but little trouble on account of Indians. The settlement on the North Fork had, perhaps, most difficulty with them in the spring of 1867. The winter had been exceptionally severe, snow lying on the level to the depth of three feet, and the cold being intense. It was next to impossible for the Indians to find food. Provisions were not plenty with the settlers, and for their own supplies they had to travel to the Logan Creek, a distance of sixty-five miles, the trip frequently requiring a whole week. Under these circumstances, it … Read more

History of Madison, Madison County, Nebraska

Madison was made the county seat October 12, 1875. It is beautifully situated at the junction of Union and Taylor Creeks. It is immediately surrounded by valley and rolling prairie, most of the land in all directions for a number of miles being well adapted to mixed farming. To the westward, in what is called the Knapp & Scheer settlement, are to be found farms equal, perhaps, to any in the State, both as regards their fertility and the improvements that have been made upon them. Good barns have been erected on most of the farms, which, on account of … Read more