From the A.T. Andreas book History of the State Of Nebraska:
"Sioux County embraces all that vast extent of country north of Cheyenne County, and extends westward to Wyoming Territory, and northward to Dakota Territory, and is in fact all that unorganized tract known as Northwestern Nebraska. Though unorganized, it is termed Sioux County, and attached to Cheyenne County for revenue and judiciary purposes. There have been so many conflicting statements concerning this part of the State that many have an impression that Northwestern Nebraska is but a desert, which is a mistake. The streams flowing through the county are the Niobrara and White Rivers, with their tributaries. The streams flowing into the two above-named rivers are numerous, with clear running water, and their valleys are very fertile. Farming is carried on to a considerable extent in these valleys. Very good crops are raised. Many of these settlers and farmers are what are known as "squaw men" -- that is, white men who have Indian wives. The men with their squaw wives generally have large families of half-breed children, who are early taught to labor on these farms. Their labor is profitable, as the yield of crops, particularly of potatoes and vegetables, is large. The soil is specially adapted to these crops. Not only has this country a great number of streams of running water, but its prairies are also covered with a growth of the most nutritious of wild grasses, similar to those described as growing on the prairies of Cheyenne County. Excepting in the valleys of the streams, stock raising must be for years the chief industry of the country, as the rainfall is not sufficient to make agriculture a success. The soil is favorable for farming, where the moisture is sufficient. The number of cattle now in the county is estimated by those thoroughly acquainted with the country, at about three hundred thousand, or perhaps a little more; although a return for assessing purposes to the officials of Cheyenne County only estimates the number at one hundred thousand. These returns are incomplete, as of course many stock-raisers will endeavor to escape a full taxation. There is also considerable attention given to the raising of horses. There are several ranches where a large number of brood mares are kept for this purpose. There are yet a large number of Indians in this territory. The white population is probably now about eight hundred. There is yet a large amount of wild game in the county, such as buffalo, antelope and deer. There are two military posts in the county -- Fort Robinson and Camp Sheridan, at each of which a few companies of soldiers are stationed. Previous to 1876, Sioux County, as well as the portion of Cheyenne north of the North Platte River, was occupied by the Ogalalla and Brule Sioux as their reservation and hunting-grounds, the country then abounding in game. This being almost the last suitable hunting-grounds in the West, the Indians were very jealous of any encroachments of white men into their territory, and it was only after the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, and then only with the greatest difficulty, and only through fear of being driven out by force that they were prevailed upon to relinquish by treaty their exclusive right to this reservation. This treaty was formed in 1876. So much has been written in the newspapers of the vast pine forests of Northwestern Nebraska, in the Niobrara country, that it may perhaps be well to state here that so far as any extensive forest is concerned, it is all a myth; yet there is a considerable amount of timber, mostly pine, skirting the the Niobrara and other streams. But this timbered region is no more extensive than the narrow strips of timber bordering the streams in the eastern part of the State that have been described in another place. Some of these pine trees, however, attain as much as two feet in diameter and are of the hard or pitch pine variety."Donated by the Nebraska Historical Society:
"Volume One, no 4, page 164 Spring 1979
A-Donated by Nebraska State Historical Society
Compiled by John H. Newlin, Harrison Ne
EARLY HISTORY OF SIOUX COUNTYIn territorial days, before 1867, Western Ne was divided into 2
sub-divisions with no distinctive border between the two. The west
section was known as Beauvais Terras or Bad Lands, and the east
portion as The Great Sand Hills. The county was then much larger
than at present. About the only evidence of civilization was the
proposed wagon road from Fort Pierre to Laramie, in the northwest
corner and roughly paralleling the present Hat Creek.
When Ne became a state 1 Mar 1867, Sioux Co came into
existence. Its eastern boundary was the west line of Holt Co and
the south boundary the 42 degree of latitude, its present
boundary. It was attached to Cheyenne Co for taxation,
administrative and judicial purposes for nearly a score of years. By
1883 the eastern part had been divided into 4 counties: Rock,
Brown, Keys Paha & Cherry counties, so that Sioux Co comprised
the territory now known as Sioux, Brown, Box Butte and Sheridan
Co's. The legislature of 1885 divided it Into Sioux, Dawes, Box
Butte & Sheridan Co's leaving Sioux Co with its present
boundaries.
The first people to visit Sioux Co were the MALLET brothers, then
the trappers came. SAGE came as early as 1845 and made a visit
her in connection with the American Fur Company. The next, the
establishment of Fort Robinson and the Red Cloud Agency. Edgar
Beecher BRONSON tarried on Soldier Creek for a time. EMMONS &
BREWSTER established the first ranch in Sioux Co. the Warbonnet
Ranch, on Warbonnet Creek, north of Harrison. Charles F. COFFEE
started the 010 ranch on Hat Creek in 1879. Dr. GRAHAM
established the Agate Spring ranch on Runningwater about that
time.
The first real settlers arrived about 1880; L. E. BELDON was the
first man to file on a homestead, filing on what is now the Lake
Ranch, near the Fort Robinson Military Reservation. Dan KLEIN,
Henry KREMAN, Theodore TRIMBUR, John FOXWELL, John TUCKER
came about 1881 and settled along White River in the vicinity of
Glen. Joe MORRIS, W. H. ZIMMERMAN and a few others between
1884 and 1887 and settled in the Hat Creek valley north of
Harrison. Miss Sadie MORRIS was the first white child born in the
county. Mrs. Katherine GRAHAM was the first white woman to
make her home permanently in the Co. The first death, and burial
in the Harrison cemetery, was an elderly stranger who died alone
in a tent here. The next was Mrs. W. E. FIDDLER, who died while
passing through Harrison and was buried here. The first wedding
was Carl LUX & Rena FILLERS. The first religious services held in
the Co was held at the home of Mrs. GRAHAM at the Agate Springs
Ranch.
In Jun 1886, The Fremont Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad
reached the present site of Harrison, building from Chadron to
Casper. The townsite was first named Summit on account of its
altitude, but was later changed to Bowen, and in the fall of 1887
was again changed to Harrison. The court house was built in 1888
by WHITNEY & MURPHY, the brick being burned in Sowbelly
canyon. The first paper printed in the Co was printed at Bodarc and
was called the "Bodarc Record," published by Charles F.
SLINGERLAND. The first school was taught by Miss Mary
DELAHUNTY, in the neighborhood of the Fort Robinson Military
Reservation. There were 42 pupils enrolled, 5 white children and
the rest half-breeds and quarter-bloods. Ed SATERLEE was the first
postmaster in Harrison. (Continued)Volume One, no 4, page 165 Spring 1979
B-Donated by Nebraska State Historical Society
Compiled by John H. Newlin, Harrison Ne
(continued-Early History of Sioux County)The firstpost office in the co was Warbonnet,at the Warbonnet Ranchwith B. E. BREWSTER postmaster. The first doctor was George J.
SHAFER, the first ordained minister to hold services was Rev. J. Z.
SCHAMAHORN. B. F. THOMAS was the first co superintendent and
the first cc surveyor. J. G. MORRIS, J. F. PFOST & D. H. GRISWOLD
were the first cc commissioners, appointed by the governor. The
first elective officers were: C. E. VERITY, Charles C. JAMISON,
Edmund C. LOCKWOOD, Edward D. SATTERLEE, Benjamin F.
THOMAS, J. F. PFOST, W. M. PENNINGTON, Charles H. ANDREWS,
A. J. MCGINLEY, J. G. MORRIS, & Daniel KLEIN. The cc seat was
located at Harrison.
Chief YELLOW HAND was killed by Buffalo Bill CODY in the fall of
1876 on Warbonnet Creek. The last battle between the soldiers
and Indians in Ne took place near what is now Story postoffice,
early in the year of 1879.
The court house was voted to build on 18 Feb 1930 with E. L.
GOLDSMITH & Co as architects of Scottsbluff & James FULLEN
general contractor of Gering builders.
County officers 21 Jul 1930 were Charles Sidney WILLIAMS,
Joseph STANEK, A. C. DAVIS, Mary E. BRODERICK, Mrs. Elizabeth
EMERY, J. H. WILHERMSDORFER, E. B. LYON, Anna LYON, Albert L.
SCHNURR, W. E. MUMBY, I. D. HICKEY, L. M. CHILDS. L. M. LEWIS.
Address to the public & laying of corner stone by Hon. E. L. MEYER
judge of the 16th Judicial District, of which Sioux Co is a part.
Donated by Kaylynn Loveland (first appeared in the Grand Island Independent)
Glen (AP)-Once bustling centers of commerce along the White River, Glen and nearby Andrews, are mere ghosts of what they once were. But residents and historians say the towns still have something to offer. A small, rural schoolhouse still operates there. Teacher Moni Hourt said the school, which has survived floods and fires, is living history and provides students with a great way to study western Nebraska's roots. Part of that history comes from right outside the schoolhouse. Next to the school is a Danish cemetery where some of Glen's settlers were buried. Most of the families who live here have been here for generations. The small Sioux County settlements were former railroad towns, complete with depots and mercantile stores. Andrews, which was first called Hunter, was a trading post on the Cheyenne-Fort Robinson stage road. It was often used as a fueling station for steam engines because it had a water tower. A thriving town, it even had a dance hall for local functions. In 1919, an early morning flash flood nearly wiped out the railroad and the town. One woman, S.D. Bassett, a Baptist missionary from New York, drowned in the flood. The town began to fade in the 1940's, as the railroads turned to diesel trains that no longer needed water to run. In 1951, the Andrews post office was closed and businesses slowly began to move away. The only remnants of the town are the dance hall, part of the grocery store and the frame of a house. Glen began with one house owned by L.E. Beldon in 1881. At its height, the community had 52 residents, which doesn't seem like a lot, but big bands would play at the Masons' Hall. France Olbricht, who was born and raised in Glen, said the town was the closest place to buy supplies. "My grandmother only went to Harrison once in 20 years," she said. If residents needed to go elsewhere, the train stopped twice a day at the town depot. Settlers, however, soon became discouraged by the small amount of land available for homesteads after large cattle ranchers moved to the area. As automobiles made it easier for residents to get around, the passenger train was slowly phased out. Soon, all that was left were the few houses and ranches that remain today.About Our County from the official Sioux County, Nebraska website.
Early Days In Sioux City from the Nebraska History And Record Of Pioneer Days.
Our Town
A History of Sioux County.