Iowa
Old Press
FREMONT COUNTY HERALD
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
February 18, 1910
-- Harvey Stark is nursing a very sore hand this week, the result
of a kick from a shotgun, received while participating in a
charivari given Doc Gage and wife at the home of L. D. Wright.
--Fred Beam shipped his goods Wednesday to Unadilla, Neb., where
he will farm this season. His family went by train and he drove
overland.
--Mrs. George Hiatt, daughter of Mrs. J. D. Lankton of Sidney,
had been given up to die, but after careful attention she still
lives and will make a complete recovery.
Sidney School Items
The senior class this year consists of six boys and six
girls. There are: Austin DeFreece, Ruby Hills, Miles James,
Victor Laird, Mona Lutz, Elsie Lyons, Wilbur Murphy, Ruby
Shannon, Garrard Travis, Kent Thornell, Vesta Thornton, Lula
Willey.
TWINS 98 YEARS OLD
Had Eli Phipps arrived from Hennessey, Okla., last
Saturday to join his twin brother, John, in the celebration of
their 98th birthday at the home of the latter near Farragut, the
event would undoubtedly have been the most remarkable gathering
of its kind in the history of the country. But that is quite a
journey for a man 98 years old to attempt during the sort of
winter weather we have had for the past few days and the old
gentleman abandoned his intentions of coming to Iowa until
climatic conditions are more favorable.
HEATON - MARTIN WEDDING
Clyde E. Heaton of Randolph and Miss Lulu V. Martin of
Sidney were united in marriage Wednesday afternoon at the
Presbyterian manse, Rev. C. A. Marshall performing the ceremony.
Clyde R. Ruse served as groomsman and Miss Pearl Egloff as
bridesmaid. Both these young people are well and favorably known
in this community--and throughout the county for that matter. The
groom, a son of Mr. and Mrs. S. N. Heaton, is a sturdy young
farmer of Riverside township and is in every way worthy of the
fair lady who has consented to share life's joys with him. The
bride is the attractive and winsome daughter of C. W. Martin who
resides north of Sidney.
MUCH LAND LOST
South of the city on the low land, on this side of the
river, much of the farming land has gone into the river and all
this winter the river has been gradually cutting in further
toward the bluffs, and daily tumbles in large chunks of earth,
which belonged to the fertile farms down there which sold for $75
to $100 per acre. A number of men who several years ago owned a
fine farm and had houses thereon have nothing to show for it, and
the Missouri river flows where once they resided and where they
raised fine crops. On the east side of the river many persons are
gradually getting back the lands they lost some years ago. The
lands were cheap when they lost them, but now they are very
valuable and in time will bring them $100 to $125 per acre. They
have only to have patience and it will all come back to them and
they can sell before it cuts away again and then it may shift so
the men on the west side will get back their lands. -- Nebraska
City News
COLORADO APPLE SHOW
We are in receipt of a copy of the Colorado Fruit Grower
sent us by W. S. Chandler, or Watt Chandler, as he was known back
in the days when he was a citizen of Riverton, which contains a
excellent likeness of that gentleman, taken in front of a huge
display of apples and in company with four other offices of the
Fruit Growers association, Mr. Chandler, being chief inspector of
the association. A great many of our readers will remember Watt,
a brother-in-law of T. R. Travis, and at one time a prominent man
of the county.
[transcribed by WF, November 2012]
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FREMONT COUNTY HERALD
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
February 19, 1910
Servant of Cole Younger
It now developed that Dick Colwell, the colored porter
at the Hunt hotel in Shenandoah, was a servant of Cole Younger, a
member of the James Younger band of outlaws that infested the
country for several years after the Civil War. Younger is now
advanced in years and is living under adverse financial
circumstances at his home near Kansas City, the scenes of his
early criminal exploits. When Younger learned that Colwell lived
at Shenandoah he made many inquiries about him.
[transcribed by WF, November 2012]
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FREMONT COUNTY HERALD
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
February 25, l910
LADY CAPTURED BY INDIANS WAS AT THAT TIME A SIDNEY WOMAN
Seldom has an article appeared in the Herald that has
attracted more attention that the one in our last issue with
reference
to the lady whose husband was killed by the Indians at Plum creek
in Nebraska way back in 1864.
No sooner were the papers in the post office than old-time
citizens began to call at the office to impart the desired
information; Uncle Alf Bobbitt, who has been here always and who
remembers distinctly everything of importance that has transpired
during all that time--and who, by the way, never misses an
opportunity to do the Herald a good turn--called over
the phone to tell us the story; while just as soon as the return
mail could bring a reply comes an account of the affair from
Charles Daniel Rowe who now lives at Woodward, Okla.
The woman in question is now Mrs. Nan Stephens who lives with her
husband on a fine farm near Jefferson, Iowa. She is a sister of
Hiram and Jim Fletcher and also of Mrs. Emma Curran and of the
late Mrs. J.F. Moomaw and was in Sidney at the time of the death
and burial of the latter.
At the time the tragedy occurred she was the wife of Thomas J.
Morton who in partnership with her brother, William Fletcher,
owned and operated a freighting outfit hauling government
supplies from Missouri river points across the plains to the the
then unexplored west. Mrs. Morton, a courageous woman, insisted
on accompanying her husband on these trips which required
weeks and sometimes months in going and coming. On the ill-fated
morning in question while the freighters were camped along Plum
creek they were surprised by a band of hostile Indians under the
leadership of Big Crow and the entire crew of 11 men were
massacred, the train looted of everything of value and the horses
driven off to the Indian camp, many miles away.
After being compelled to stand helplessly by and witness the
murder of her husband, a brother and nine other men, Mrs. Morton
was made captive, strapped to the back of a pony and traveled
into camp where she remained prisoner for more than six months.
The government soon learned of her plight and set about to devise
means for effecting her capture (sic.; Release?)
Through their agents and Indian traders the government conferred
with the chief and agreed upon a price to be paid for the
unfortunate woman. Twice the ransom was paid and accepted and the
woman given her freedom. But on both occasions Indian treachery
asserted itself, the rescuing party was pursued when but a few
miles from camp and their capture retaken, the chief having
learned that by retaining possession of her he had a veritable
gold mine.
Finally one of the agents set his wits at work against the
cunning of the Indians and won out. Having agreed upon a price he
started out upon his journey to bring the woman back to
civilization. He took with him a number of good horses which he
left in pairs at stated intervals, shortening the distance
between posts as he neared the reservation. With the woman in
his possession he started on his mad race for safety. Sure
enough, as was expected, the Indians assumed the same tactics and
went in pursuit. But the government man and his protege managed
to gain the first post where the fresh mounts were stationed and
on these began to outdistance their pursuers, whose ponies were
lagging, and by continuing these tactics made successful escape,
though they hardly paused except to change horses until the
entire distance of 400 miles was covered.
Mrs. Stephens says that she was treated with all kindness and
consideration at the hands of her captors, who showed no
inclination to harm her in any way but gave her the best that was
to be had after the manner of Indian living, they holding her
only as a source of revenue from the government. However, at best
it is scarcely an experience one would care to undergo
a second time.
[transcribed August 2004]