Dakota, Dixon & Wayne Counties, Nebraska

Early days in the tri-county area of Dakota, Dixon and Wayne, NE, are recalled through colorful tales, factual data and individual biographies in this NEW 27-page spiral bound booklet excerpted from the rare 1882 book: History of the State of Nebraska, originally published by the Western Historical Co. of Chicago, and Nebraska, a Guide to the Cornhusker State, a 1939 project of the Federal Writers of the Works Progress Administration. The booklet is printed on 60# paper. A vinyl sheet has been added to protect the full-color front cover.

Among the topics included are:

DAKOTA COUNTY: Soil, Streams, Geology, agriculture; Indians, "The Logan War", Hard times; Railroads, County Organization and early officials; the "washed-out" town of Omadi and its early settlers; Paper, extinct and surviving towns; Dakota City, the county seat; Other towns -- St. Johns, Jackson, Homer, Hubbard, Covington, Emerson, Summit;

DIXON COUNTY: Topography, Geology, & Natural Productions; Indians, Early settlement, Hard times; County organization and officers; Railroads; Facks and Figures; Crimes and Casualties, the Dixon County "Volcano"; Ponca, the county seat -- early history, local associations; Other towns -- Wakefield, Martinsburgh, Logan Grove, New Castle, Ionia, Lime Creek, South Creek, Silver Ridge (and Silver Ridge Seminary), and others;

WAYNE COUNTY: Description of area, Early Settlements, Organization, Crime, Incidents; La Porte; Wayne, the county seat; Other towns.

Besides the many names mentioned in the history portion of the booklet, there are biographies of many residents. While primarily of interest to descendants, these often contain clues to the area and the times. Where pictures are included (pix) follows the name.

Biographical sketches include:

DAKOTA COUNTY: Dakota City-- Conrad Ambrecht, M.O. Ayers, Thomas C. Baird, A.H. Baker, John Blessing, David Boals, William Bouton, William Cheney, Dr. E.J. DeBell, D.C. Dibble, J.O. Fisher, Kelly W. Frazer, August T. Haase, William Lapsey, George Leamer, W.C. McBeath, Charles D. Martin, John Mitchell, John Naffziger, Pius Neff, J. Oesterling, Isaac Powers Jr., Eston Rush, John T. spencer, Henry Stott, James Stott, Samuel Whitehorn, Sumner Whittier, Dr. G.W. Wilkinson; St. John's -- John Boler; Jackson -- Joseph Brannan, D. Garvey, C.D. Ryan; Hubbard -- Harlon Baird, Charles C. Bliven, Samuel A. Combs, J.W. Davis, Anthony J. Meyers, Capt. C. O'Connor, Henry Ream, William Taylor, Col. J.F. Warner; Covington -- T. Carrabine;

DIXON COUNTY: Ponca -- Edward Arnold, John B. Barnes, E.M. Bisbee, Thomas J. Canon, W.T. Chapman, M.V. Coats, G. Gamble, W.E. Gantt, Dennis Hurley, William Huse, E.H. Jones, R.H. Knapp, S.P. Mikesell, T.R. Orr, Patrick Scollard, Fred W. Sims, J.D. Smith, John Stough, Jacob Thum, T.C. West, T.J. Welty, T.R. Williams & Co., B.W. Wood; Martinsburgh -- John Duren, Martin Lockwood, J. Martin, David Murphy, William Witham; Other places -- R. Burgess, C.M. Crowell; 

WAYNE COUNTY: La Porte --William P. Agler, Enoch Hunter, C.E. Hunter, A.S. Miner; Wayne -- C.C. Brown, James Britton, John T. Bressler, Arthur P. Childs, Paul Englisch, Charles Johnson, J.A. Lindley, J.L. Merriam, E. F. Morris, D.C. Patterson.

The final part of the booklet is excerpted from Nebraska, a Guide to the Cornhusker State. It includes brief tour stops at Dakota City, Homer and the proposed Lewis and Clark National Park and Bird Sanctuary, South Sioux City and Wayne.

We've also included a small map of the four counties from the 1882 book and some current statistics.

Wouldn't this make a unique gift?