Logan Township
Location
3rd row, 1st on west edge of county
Between Elm Creek & Miller
Highway 183 goes east/west about 1 Ό
miles east of county line
Jan 29, 1894 report of a home that burned 6 miles north of Elm Creek in
Logan Township on
old Armada road.
Formation
First called Buffalo Precinct (after
1870 but in 1876 assessors book & 1880 census)
Name changed probably in 1883 when
townships established in county
No information on why the name Logan
Description
Rolling hills
Some cultivated, mostly in east third
Mostly grassland pasture
Many streams (dry?) drain north,
east, south but no defined watershed ridge
Sparsely populated
15 Sections with no farmsteads, even empty ones
38 farmsteads + about 7 empty
Towns none
Schools At least 2, probably more
Dist. 83 Bowie
Dist. 76? - Bessie
Church Fairview Christian Church
7 miles north of Elm Creek on east
side of Highway 183
Christian Church established in 1904
Had a big Sunday School.
Merged with church in Elm Creek in
1948.
Building sold to Jay Atkinson who
moved it to his farm.
Later when he sold his farm the building was torn down
and lumber went to houses
being built in Elm Creek
Bell in front
of the church in Elm Creek in a low brick belfry
Cemetery Fairview Cemetery
Cemetery across road south of church
Land deeded in 1907 from Charles A.
Willis for $75
Last burial in 1956
1876 Assessors Book for Buffalo Township 10-18, now Logan Township
Real Estate All odd numbered sections belonged to the Union Pacific
Railroad.
There were no other land owners.
Personal Property Totals
14 persons assessed 3 had nothing to assess 3 had no animals
7 horses 4 mules 12 head of cattle (no swine)
8 carriages 4 dogs
First Homesteaders
1878 -- Charles A. Willis, Ella A. Willis.
1879 -- Anton Rager no information
Willis family Came after 1876
Willis, Charles W. S. & Amanda in their 50s,
Both born in New York, Went to Wisconsin 1856-57, then Nebraska Had son, daughter, and an adopted daughter Carpenter, homesteaded in northern Elm Creek Township Died 3 Oct 1894, age 71
Heirs: son Charles A. and daughter Ella A. No widow
Charles executor of estate.
Charles A. 22 when he filed, born in New York Ella A. 21when she filed, born in Wisconsin
Occupation in 1880 - dress maker
Eight who were here in 1876
Grove, John - 2 horses, 3 cattle, 1 carriage
Came from Ohio, to Missouri, to Nebraska Hamilton, Oscar - 2 cattle, 1 carriage
Also from Ohio Smith, William - $10 other property
Smith, William another one from Ohio
In 1880 boarding with another Harbaugh , Samuel $10 other property Harbaugh, B. F. - (no personal property) Harbaugh, Hal - (no personal property)
Harbaugh, Samuel 71, born in Kentucky, farmer
Amelia, 70, wife, Born in Ohio
Benjamin F. 26, son, at home, born in Indiana Mercer, John 2 cattle
34, single, farmer, born in Scotland Mackey, John - 1 horse, 2 mules, 1 cattle, 2 carriage
(Summary: born in PA, moved to IL under 7, married IL girl, had 2 children,
Came to NE 1874-5 in time for 1876 assessment) Mackey, Henry C. (Probably younger brother, born in Illinois, married girl
from
Kentucky, came to NE about 1878-1880)
Younger brother, David, 18, living with him Also - Wade, Joseph 19, brother-in-law, farm labor, born in Illinois
Wade, Greenbury(?) 58, father-in-law, farmer, born in Kentucky
Wade, Elijah 26, farmer, born in Illinois
Hannah 24, born in Illinois
3 children, 6,3,1, all born in Illinois (came here in 1879 or early 1880) Wade, Robert 29, farmer, born in Illinois
Anna 28, wife, born in Illinois
4 children, 8, 5, 3, & born in Feb. (came here in 1877-1879
First three born in Illinois, youngest in NE John Mackey came first before 1876 assessment,
rest could have come together
in 1879
Happenings in Logan Township
Oct. 24, 1889 Superintendent of Poor Farm
The county board of supervisors this afternoon elected Mr. Powers, of Logan
Township, as superintendent of the poor farm at the salary of $750 per
annum. The building will be furnished as soon as possible and is expected to be
ready for occupancy in about three weeks time.
1890 Vote on Prohibition July 15, 1890
New Amendment Leagues
Each township was forming a non-partisan prohibitory amendment league. By July 15 they were organized all the townships except Logan and Center.
There was an organization at Elm Creek to which most of Logan Township
people Supported but another was expected to be organized. Buffalo county will be in good trim to fight the amendment campaign.
Nov. 5, 1889 General election results
(Boyd was running for gov.) In Kearney - Against prohibition 649, For Prohibition 748
In townships - Against prohibition 657, For Prohibition 684
Schneider, Odessa, Gibbon, Platte & Cedar no vote reported
Sharon carried by a small majority
Townships against Garfield (165-69), Elm Creek (35-30), Scott (46-20),
Divide (70-48), Rusco (64-21), Thornton (65-34)
Logan tied at 27 each
Political Debates Not new to the last fourth of the 20th century Sept. 2, 1892 The candidates for county attorney met for 3-hour
discussions of the issues at 26 places around the county in towns and rural
schoolhouses. In Logan Township it was in the Dist. 83, Bowie school.
Squirrel Bounties July 1, 1893 Oliver Turnbull of Logan Township turned in 121 squirrel
scalps
H. H. Bowie
Bowie was a contractor on the cassion work on the Brooklyn Bridge in New
York and had the record of staying in the compressed air chamber longer that
any living man. He had to leave that job for his health and had attacks
suggesting paralysis occasionally.
1883 Came to Buffalo Co., settled in Logan Township
1884 Elected to represent Logan Township on the county board
Served off & on as chairman for next 11 years
June 16, 1893 During a
board of equalization meeting Bowie and the
Harrison Township representative, John Jones, got into an argument over a
road which led to blows. Friends stopped them so they went into a side room
where the fight continued. When other members of the board realized what was
happening, they put a stop to it. Jones required a liberal supply of court
plaster but Bowie did not. The reporter called him the Corbett of the
fight.
May 24, 1894 Large barn burned on Bowie farm.
18 horses died, harness,
farm equipment, hay and lost. $3,000. No insurance. Farm hands were smoking
upstairs in the house. Set the straw tick on fire. They threw it out the
window, toward the barn, thought the fire was out. Fanned by the wind, the
fire reignited and started the barn on fire. By the time it was discovered
it was too late. Bowie had just put in a large acreage of corn and the loss
of the stock will cripple him in its cultivation.
Feb. 2, 1895
County Relief Committee Reorganized. Bowie was on it. State
Relief Committee shipped supplies to township committees. Half of 322 50-lb
sacks of flour off loaded at Elm Creek went to Logan and Odessa Townships.
Much of potatoes and turnips shipped to other parts of the county were
frozen.
Feb. 23, 1895 Bowie died at the Winsor Hotel following a brief illness.
In town on relief committee business.
Mr. Bowie went to Lincoln Wednesday morning and returned Thursday evening.
On Wednesday, Mr. Bowie complained of his throat, on Thursday morning it was
so much worse he could not swallow for the pain, therefore he did not
attempt to eat anything during the day. Thursday evening upon his return to
Kearney he summoned a physician, his throat was so badly swollen that it was
impossible for him to swallow anything whatever. Friday morning he was no
better and during the day he suffered greatly. In the afternoon his
physician lanced his throat but without affording any relief. The swelling
gradually extended downward and produced a dropsical condition of the larynx
which was the immediate cause of his sudden death.
It was thought his experience in the cassion had some bearing on his death.
Described as a man with a fine physique, generous but perhaps a little
quick tempered. Had 25 $1,000 bills when he came to the county but was not
in good circumstance when he died. Had let his insurance lapse in the last
year or so. Left wife and one young daughter.
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