This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------378D24FC8B1 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thought some folks interested in Nebraska history might find this of interest. --------------378D24FC8B1 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <RIDDLE-L-request@rootsweb.com> Received: from bl-14.rootsweb.com (bl-14.rootsweb.com [204.212.38.30]) by gate.bloomnet.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id MAA03799 for <psebel@bloomnet.com>; Thu, 26 Nov 1998 12:02:23 -0600 Received: (from slist@localhost) by bl-14.rootsweb.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) id JAA03946; Thu, 26 Nov 1998 09:40:11 -0800 (PST) Resent-Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 09:40:11 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <365D93C1.4D00@bloomnet.com> Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 11:45:37 -0600 From: ebel <psebel@bloomnet.com> Reply-To: psebel@bloomnet.com X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01C-NNComNet (Win95; U) MIME-Version: 1.0 Old-To: RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: [RIDDLE-L] Morman Riddles Resent-Message-ID: <"91c_OC.A.Q9.4JZX2"@bl-14.rootsweb.com> To: RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com Resent-From: RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com X-Mailing-List: <RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/2343 X-Loop: RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com Precedence: list Resent-Sender: RIDDLE-L-request@rootsweb.com The following is from an old scrapbook at the Niobrara Nebraska Museum. I am not related to these people, so please don't ask me any further questions. Just thought it interesting. Most of the things in the scrapbook happened in between 1900 and 1910 Isaac and John Riddle, accompanied bu J.W. TOwnsend of Crete, arrived in town Friday. They were here to locate the remains of Newill Knght and 15 others mostly children, who died during the winter of 1846 - 47 while the Mormans were in winter quarters on the opposite bank of the Niobrara River. The Riddle brothers are Mormans and were with the first party that ever crossed the Missouri River on their way to "the other promised land". They are here at the insistance of the son of Mr. Knight who proposes to erect a handsome monument. Secretary Fry of the L"Eau qui Court cemetery offered on behalf of the association a plot of ground in our Cemetery if they would exhume the remains and deposit them in Niobrara's cemetery and erect such a monument as they say will be erected, which is under consideration. The early history of Niobrara is very vague as to this settlement of Mormans and the arrival of these gentlemen has settled some points of history not known before. Isaac Riddle is from Provo, Utah, and was 16 when his father and family came here in the fall of 184?. "My father was the van guard of the Morman pioneers," said Mr. Riddle. "We first struck up the Missouri in 1845 with 30 other families. A littled below old Fort Vermillian, South Dakota, we fenced in over 2,000 acres of bottom land along the Missouri - the south line being fenced by the big Muddy itself. Here we put in a crop and spen the winter of 1845 - 46. Word came that Prophet Smith and his son had been killed and we were ordered down the Missouri to Kanesville where we were to meet the exodus from Naus?? Illinois, which we reached three weeks in advance." Here Mr. Riddle described the persecution under which these pioneer families had passed from the hands of the gentile. "Being at Niobrara was an accident, " continued Mr. Riddle. "???? were ordered away in the ??? of the Rocky Mountains - 150 ???. The first wagon wheel that ever ??? it's mark where Omaha now counts hundreds of thousands was made by our party. We were the pathfinders. We left the Missouri river in the month of July, 1846, after the president had issued a call for troops to fight Mexico and 500 of our people responded. Our main camp was at Kanesville (Counci8l Bluffs) as a supply and outfitting point. We proceeded up the Platte, a while in camp at Pawnee Station, a courier arrived with orders that we should proceed no farther, as it was feared we could not reach the end of ouor journey before winter. Soldiers were stationed here and the government had put in a crop of wheat, oats, potatoes and corn. The Pawnees were troublesome that spring and frightened the farm laborers out of the country. Whe n we arrived this crop was abandoned and we contracted to harvest it for half the crop. After this had been garnered orders came for us to junt winter quarters. About a dozen Ponca Indians were on a visit to the Pawnees who reported we could get excellen winter quarters with them. They piloted us from the Platte along about the route of the Elkhorn railroad. There was motive, however, in the desire for our company. We had a small cannon along with us, and they had seen us shoot it. Having had much trouble with the Sioux at the west of them, this cannon was considered a "heap big iron killer." Our company went out with the Poncas in their winter hunt, going where the pine was quite heavy. The woods were full of wild turkey and all along the beach land where your town now stands were Indian camps - from the mouth of the Niobrara to about half way to the Five-mile Creek (Bazile). The whole prairie was alive with buffaloes then, and there were large quantities of timber skirting the two streams." It has always been supposed that the reason the Mormons left here was because the Poncas made them trouble. Mr. Riddle saie that there was nothing in the story. "It was our purpose to remain here - merely to winter. During the winter we had eaten the harvest of the former season and returned to Kanesville. We went down to Five-mile (Bazile) creek going to about where Creighton is now, then struck south east." "How does it come, Mr Riddle,, that what was known as the 'Morman Trail' goes west of Creighton?' asked The Pioneer Interviewer? "This was due to the high water in 1850 when the main camp moved. The water was very high that season and the Platte and Elkhorn impassible. Our old trail was taken to the point where the trail bore easterly, and we then started due west in order to 'head the Elkhorn.' going into the Black Hills then onward. We crossed the Niobrara River at the 'big falls' with a good rock bottom." Isaac Riddle is an old white-headed man. He said that he is the husband of three wives and father of twenty children, twelve of whom are still living. "When the hour came to give up my wives or go to the penetentiary," continued Mr. Riddle, " I chose the latter and am, in the eyes of the law and ex convict. Peace came to two of my wives and I have but one now." "During the winter camp at the mouth of the Niobrara, Newill Knight made two mill stones out of the drift boulders found on your hill tops with which to grind our corn by horse power. There is no such thing as a 'Morman Canal' as you suggest. This was here the same as now, except perhaps it has been enlarged by the elements. These old mill stones we should like to embrace in our proposed monument to their maker. We have trailed them prety close, but whether they can be found or not we cannot say now. The son of Newill Knight is what we call a 'lucky miner' and counts his income with six figures. His tithe to the church is $1000 per month, has leisure and is liberal hearted. He has sent us out to locate the grave, which we have succeeded in doing, exhumed some of the ashes burned 55 years ago and found the remains of the fire brick. The buildings were built as stockades against the encroachment of the Sioux Indians, and what we found was only a small portain of the ??? that held 65 families. The graves were about 60 rods from there on Buffalo Chipp's land overlooking the Niobrara Island and your Running Water. We shall return probably in the fall and begin operations." The Pioneer hads photographs taken of the old gentlemen which will appear later. Hope some of you found this of interest. Peggy Ebel ==== RIDDLE Mailing List ==== ---------------RIDDLE Researchers Discussion List---------------- Want to unsubscribe, and did not save your instructions? 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