1 20 49 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/debee3f7c8b209afb1ae48d53d1c2f35.pdf 7aa2690c46ab03c93f1921b0666a6efe PDF Text Text 1; I' 1 . , " , ~s ,'i ' , " . ~ ~ !J ' '· '· . ..._,, / ). •j .. , l ~ '- • L_ ;---- ' r ~, .- i 1.r )). 013I'l'UJ\RY : M.HLi . ROSSIE HJ.t.:YNOLDS Mr!.j. ilossie Mae Simons Heynolds, HO, 2cJlh Avenue A, died Tuesday at her home . She was the widow of .&twin vi. Heynolc.ls . Mrs. Heynolds was born in Missouri Valley and had been a resident ,, of Counc:i.l Dlu.ffs for 58 years. A member of the Riverside Group, vlome n 1 s Leauge, she belonged to t lte lloo i[~a ized Gimrch of J esus ChriGt of Latter Day Saints. Survivors include: two daug hters, Vera E. Reynol ds and Mr's. Fred Derg, both of Cow1cil Bluffs; brother, Harry Simons of Lebannon, Oref-on, and t hree grand children. Fumral services will be at 10:30 a .m. Friday, at the Cutler Funeral Home 61tapel. 'l'he Rev . V .D. Ruch, pas tor of t he Reorganized Ch1tr ch of J esus Chr i st of Latter Day Sain ts wiJJ. of Ciciate . Nonpareil, July 7, 1954, .ASSIGNlilY.:NT 01 ~1.IGUT TO Jt?~OCU?..]! COPilIGUT. X:Jt«i>W all M9ll ~Y these presents th~t l,GeQr~e Sinons,of the County •f Harrison, 3tate Gf Iovra, ~ei~. the autn•r a.Jtd awner er oertab1 oil ,a htti~s an€. Jenci 1 sketches ent i tl ftd an«. tescrib8d R~ fa llcn'7~: Thrae e 11 paintlne:!-Or.\aha,N~ilr~ska in 1855--~ioux City, Icnra in l~5t-­ ~~d ~ellvue,He\raska in l~5C,~ a..~i penoil sketche! .A.q~~~wall,Centr~l .Alnerica;Gre~t .Amerie~n Desert, West of ~alt Lake; The .llackaircl Hills;~ell.,riew,Ne"!trP..~ka in. 56; Jell.,rill~ Iron Vferks; Ceuncil Jluffs,Iowa,in l853;Council Jlu!'fs,!1.>wa in· 1'358; ~oun~il Jl.uffs, Iewa; Chimney Keck; C0urt House Ji'..ock; Califo:i:-niR. 1fP.gon Train; GAn l. Ji>taaes CeJ11 OR C•o• J\iyer in 1"53; Genl.De~ e' ~ Cl ail!S on the in 1'-hor:n.; iarly lfelraska CGw· ltmc lluaher ui Xis M0in~; Old Uon1on '"'rry &l\ the i:lkhor:a; li•nn<nls Lal'l.i.i:ng at l'lerencu i :i I~§S; IPt.JJararriie; Ft.• XeRXlll.ey; Jl't • Jlowel 1; Ft 1..t...l ea tr~~; rt. Al eatr~s, San Frn.n.0 i HC'°' lP..y Cal t Ft.~teel .And blth l7i 1rnonsin. Camp; La..l.te Port on La.'lco :Ponchet:r.R.in.;l"t.Pik., 011 L~kc fenohetrRin;:r.t Gaines,,Lake 1'on.ch otri:-.in; The Gr>li'.l.en Gate; c~thee l ay Galveston i!l Hl65;Gal.,reston ! h oWi:nf; ll:ntr~.noe to The )($E't~ Jia.r9er in HUl5; Galy~ston in I885;Elder Orsen. Hide' s Meuse in Coun.ci 1 Jluffs,Iowa1In.tiA.nola,Texas in l~SS; How'Je in St.Joseph l{o.Wfiere Jesse Jj:Ul\es was Killctcl; (twc> views);Littl• ltook,.ArkRN.sas in I~S-4.; (two Ti1tws) ~..,, Wi1'.ter Quarters of The 29th, Iowa at Little J\o~k,.A.rkansas in !llS-t; (2) · .... ~tates !riso:m. at Little Jtc>ek in l1'G-4.; (two Yiews) llO:t'T110n. e~ Ueeti~ ix ~! at Parks J..1111 :bl; OAJ'Rllon's iluff TratlJlt· l'oF.1t; OJnahP. !JS.ii~ Village •:a the Jtappillion. in 135~; First 1tai1Dttad. Jric.lae ~ii. Train ever the lliasouri ltiTctr at On\aha; Omaha in !~55; (two Ti&"l'IS) Jl'irst Cai.\in in ~aha,June H~5-t; Panama i:!'l. I~Sj ;:Pan.Qlna i!l Ce:n.t:r~l k1terioa; )OUl'li 1'er Pik9's Peak; St.Va:rain,Color~ lo; Old Jta:wn.ee Inii.ia."rl Vill1~tt 0n the s~uth side Platte ~iver in IB~&i-;sioux ..,,, ~ Clty,I0wa,in IC56; Scott's J Jluff~· ..J irasas Isla.ni,~,5R.l\tiago,Texas,in I8S5: lle9el Jlockaie llu:nner; Point Opposite Santi~<,,Texas in I~i5;lle~el JlockacR.e llun...'r.ler,, 1ayine at t h e U:euth Of J. h~ti:agorl1..B. Bny; lfick':J 1iiill l~l'l.d. llesidence; 5oel'l.e !fear · P~l!I~~ in I6Q;-in ~ons i<l,.,r:n.t ion o·r the $Uli-1 of Fll"TY DOL~ to rne in 1: ~'l'lti itaidlty L. c.~rown, o f Log nn, I 0wR, the rooeipt ""hereof 1:3 here\y ~~k.'11.oWl8d.gei,haTe solil,assi ~n ea a:n.i ~et ever,unte the saitil. li.e.Jlrctw.n ?11 J'l\Y ric;ht title a.nd i nterest in an~ to saicl_ oil painti11C~ anLl Jtencil ~ketches, toe;etlier with the rit ht to have the s &n.e o19yri t~1lin the Un ited States and ::i:: lai,w:1ere f or the so le us~ H.n.:;1_ t'onefit of the sFtir::1 L. C.~rown,his hi,irs, l egR.l re1~:r. sent:;i.t ives ~'11. l · Fl.Ssir ns. In testi11;iony whereof I haTe hereunto set my hL"t( a.~a El.ffixea my seal this~ J:t:;-' ST.ATE OF IOITA,HAl\1\lSON COUN~Y, !1. S. Personally appea.retl •er ore me GEOJ:\GE SIMONS, personally to :r1e k.'l'lown to 'be th9 ident io~l pt ~rsGn who• execut et the forego h~ in:!trui ne~t, &U"i.<ii. ~~k.""l. ewledged. the execution thereGf t o \te his voluntR.ry aet si ... 1\.&_ li,eecj. ~or t h e ~u~os~s ther~n e:.{]'ressea. Dene a t MY off i ce in NarrieQn C<!>unty,Iowa,this 13 ' day of ..1umy~T 1909. .... .... ~··.~~;...._ · .... ~ ............ :'\., . ·.i:.·..t·~~ '~4.,P ...... , .... -;..- "~··"\.:'' . ·. . . .. I ! I i' . r The first mention of the Pnnarn.ma of the Missouri, seer.is to be, :i:mrm1:,in the Council Illuffs weekly Bugle June I6lth,IS57-tt 3-I ''Mosscrs FA.ul Walclo · Co our ont9rprising citizens are getting UI a Pana r ama of the Mi ssouri river from: its mouth to Sioux City giving a corre0.t view of t h o sconery,towns and cities nncl the notable p laces between the two points"--- In tho Council Bluffs \'lcoldy Nonpareil of Aucust I 5th,I857- 3-I is tho followinc: " PANORAMA of the Missouri River." \ · 1 ' . ··. "Our enterprising fellow citizens ,Messers Faul, S irm:lons and Vlaldo are ·getting u p a Panornma. of the Missouri river from St.Louis to Sioux .City. It will ·occupy about I500 feet of canvas,and wlll be comploted about the first of N'ovombor. We had the pleasure a few clays since of · · viewing : several sect ions of :tkBXWl!xk this panorruna and. were greatly pleased with the display of· artistic skill. The view of Council Yluffs ... is wotl executed,and shows plainly that the artist fully understands the task he has undorta.ken. We understand that it is the intention of the eentlemen engaeed in this enterprise to give a faithful transcript of all the towns on either side of the "IHe Muddy" togetber with the various points of interest in landscape and scenery from Sioux City to· St~Louis. When completed it will be a worl{ of great interest to tho p coplo of t h is soction,and proovo invaluable as a menns of imparting ~ l{ (l" 11- : ~~~ f~ '.f \~ ~ ,.,,· ..... \-. '. ' ,., f <· .;·$N-~ . ;,.·j-~ ... ·,~t·> -. I• ~ 7;: ,, to our eastern neighbors a groat amount of information respectine the , . great west-its prospects and improvoments."" :. : ""'\)tw, ' ; I ~ • , • ' · '·'V' ( ,fl. ·ift;1 . • ... t The following advortismont appoars in the Council 3luffs Daily Uorning 1lugle for "sept,22-23-24:-25-nnd 2~th,I857 . " " P'.ANORAMA. OF THE MISSOURI RIVER." "" On 12000 feet of Canvas,Exhibitinp, the Entire MYlf!JODfX River From St.Louis to Sioux City a Distance of Nearly IIOO Miles." ""Civing n compl ote and full view of the cities and towns on both sides or t he :I\.i vo:L', the Bluf fs,Bottoms and Scenery in t h o Hissouri Val l)r in J.fissour i, Kans ~:::; ,Nc anka: A.nd !own."" " "" Th is g roat work has boen painted by ono of the best Art is ts in Amorica,.Mr.Geore o S imons,who has spared no pains in makine it ono of ·the greatest and most beautiful spec imens of the PA.noramic .A.rt ever · oxhibited in this country. 1111 .1/{~~ ";1 ···~~·:,. JI . .;t-'!·~ I ... ~.; ;,;. ~;· · ~r:.:·· I .. ,..~ ~ .... •1"> f '.~ ·~; .1 C (i"~ ( ~· ., .. i_ ~.~ .. 'I .~ ... -.ih~ ~ ·.?:;~-;~1 ~ {. .,•t l . ·~ ~ ·. 'l'.·l -~·•!'I :t I': I "" Wi 11 exhibit at Phoenix Hal 1 Thursday , Fr idRy and Saturday Evenings ·.J· ·. ~ 24th, 25th, and 26th. Adrnisslon 50 cents. Jloors open at 7 o 'c look,""" . ~\f'. 1 . ;~ ~ ' -o- ::fi:~t ~I Th e Sioux City Eagle July 4th,IS57,which is the first issue or the ~?it::1 first newspaper published i n Sioux City,contrdns a i1st of the steam ~i:~ boat arrivals at t hat port showing that the st oamer LEWIS I3URNS arrived ·~~~:i~ a:krtkabqmxt: t horo May 24th, I857 from port Leavenworth. The same issue ¥J<~;. 1 J has other interest i ng data as fol lows :... .If 11 The steam Ferry .Boat cont inue s to make regular trips from Sioux ~ ' I City to Covington, irrrrned iat e ly ppo site~' - "Last year,we are informed t. . only f our/came up to this pl n.ce. Already ttiis season t h ere hn.vo been .:1 ·_. J / boats · " ·thirty arrivals. "" -The larg e st building in Sioux Cit y is occupied by .Frost,Todd ' co., it is 40 by ?O feet,very substantinlly bu ilt. "" -- " - the steamer Lewis Burnes 75 tons burden (passed up the Bi g Sioux) ~- .. for a distance of t hirty miles. The steam mill at the mouth of Perry ~ ............ __.. I t . ··:. -.•. ~ 7.,..._.. __ ·-:-·,·""';' . . . .. 1" t .. .. .._,_ .. .... ' , •, creek was owned by Jeseph B.Flam3 and Luther E sunbur!"l,as s hown by notice of d issolution dated June 20th,I857 ancl publishc(i i :n. t1iis i::;suo o f th a Eag 1 e. The Ferry .Advertisomont spe lls th0 nruno 1~'i/IS n:nums, th i s wn.s the first steam Ferry at Sioux City ac cord i ng to t he Hi stori es, n:;,d was est a.bl i shed in I 857. Th is is the Ferry cro ~;s i nc tho .ri vor i n t !:c picture,and as i t carno thcro.on Hay 2-'it ~857 n.nd we find the Pnn ormna Rlroa<'ly in courso of preperatiion, ns mentioned in tho Buelo June 16th, 1857,we know that tho artists wero t here rie tween thone two dntes. Another steam Ferry Boat Cl:!r.1e to Sioux City ::tbout August I 5th, 1'ut '.:10 kn~w from the Bup le of Juno IGth,that tho a rtists hnd a lrordy bep un tho ~nork, e.nd Sioux City WC?.s t h e start inr, po i11t, s o tho Forry shown i s·· t h o LEWIS BURNES. Where the statement is made tha t on ly rour bouts c runo upto this place, last year, it hA.s reforenco to steamboats makine 8. land inc Rt t hat port,not that more than four did not co up the river. T})o stemnimi 11 at th a· mouth of Porry Croek wus bu i 1 t in ~5G, acc ora11-ic to n story. Muell pains has boen to.kon to hunt up a ll th is c1atn, rrnd p.nyove the picture in a satisfactory mn.IL'Yl.er,ns it is the f orerunner of the otller pictures to follow. George Simons ca1 ie to Counc il Il\luffs,Iowa in 1&353 and was an artist of no sm.a.11 ab i 1 i ty for h is day and t ir.ie . His 1.vork con sist ou of portrait painting and sketches a.nu scenes i n early d.ays, a lo!lfl tho Missouri river,orossing the plains,Indian v illag es and life, sr.ones in . the wa-:;: of the Reb ellion, and scones in Central rne ::::·icn,~nd Cnlifornin. He has preserved in both paint and penci l rna:ny prec ious ll i stori cal pion0er scenes of days that are long gone bye, like Siouc City in H35'?, for wh ich wo shall alwa ys own him a d ebts of e ratitu<le. Ho is mont iond as an Artist in Histories of both I owa n.nd nobrnska. He e.?il i steel in Co • .9 of t h o 29th Iowu as an Artist, and l!lA.llO p lats nna. map s f or tho Govt . nt Little Ro ck wh ile in the servi ce . The Artist t» eore e S1P1ons i s a porsor1al friena.. of the publisher of tho Simons' Pioneer Historical Sorios,froP1 whom he obt n. ined t h e skotchos and paintings d irect, together with much dRta an<l i nfor mat ion. Ho is still living ,in Culifornia,at the pro~ nt 'L imo, but qu i te o l d and infirm.,with failing eyosight ,which trouble caused h im t o g i vo up those trea sures of :tx0Nt:±:exxd:x--JK'-" other dn.ys • .. f':.f .... .c:..:;;.., • I I r I I I , •• u~...., 10UJX - ---- -· -- -;;a ~· ::t . ,.; ______ ____ ' . : .-?.:~~·~· _, . ·~ ~ Q 1. . 'l 4' ;1 . -- 7 -- ---..--:.=::-..._· - ~.~ -- ·-:1 I . / (·:.·1, ·~ .1- l ;. · .--- .. / -J ;".·: ·' (' i . - • .~v ' _,,, ... ./ . '. ~') . I . , .-. er <F 1._., : . I ~ . . -I,/ . ..f/J'U!- '}"J !...- -----k------ Cooied from documents anrl nictur es in collections of IOWA STATE 0 DEfARTKENT OF HI3TORY AND A:RCHI VES Historical uildin~ Des Moines, Iowa 50119 ' . I ... ; . ;• . J -- ·""" /. The Art of George Simons Katie Gregory George Simons was a 'traveling man' though he spent fifty-six years in and around Council Bluffs, Iowa.(17) He was reared in Illinois, came to Iowa, traveled west to Oregon, Washington, Utah and California and returned home by way of Panama. Some biographers claim he was originally from Canada.(13) Belle L. Sanford, a local mstorian, says he was born January 22,1834 in Streator, Illinois.(16) Simons' daughter Rossie Mae Simons Reynolds said he was a native of Streator.(l) Judy Bishop, George's greatniece, claims George was born January 11, 1834 in Earlville, Illinois to Anson and Mary Ann Witt Simons.(10) Then we come to what was probably George's own view of where he was born. In the Roster of Iowa Volunteers it is written, "Simmons, [sic.] George. Age 30. Residence Pottawattamie County, native of Canada ... "(15) We can perhaps assume that this information came from Mr. Simons and that he lmew where he was born. During ms early years in this area, Mr. Simons made friends with various Indian tribes. On one occasion this caused him a real scare. Once as he was walking with an Omaha brave, who was in the lead, George was careless with ms gun. He carried it with the barrel facing forward. He tripped or stumbled and the gun went off wounding the Indian in the shoulder. The Indian immediately accused him of trying to kill him. George was tempted to finish him off and dispose of the body in the river. He overcame that temptation and returned the brave to his people. They were less than thrilled about the accident and worked themselves into a real frenzy. A more friendly member of the tribe approached George, warned him of his great danger and helped him make his escape through the willows to the river. There he found a canoe in which he made ms way safely down river and home.(16) · He first came to the Council Bluffs area because of employment. The Simons family, as well as th'e Dodges, lived in the Streator area of Illinois. Grenville Mellon Dodge, the famous railway builder, hired Simons to be camp cook on his railroad surveying crew. Simons first arrived in Council Bluffs in 1853 as part of that party.(l, 17) A November 26, 1961 Omaha World Herald article claims: "It is lmown that he was in Council Bluffs when it was called by its previous name Kanesville, for he made a painting of the then Mormon settlement in 1849." It is not 2 known thfit he was here then! As noted, he states that he came to Council Bluffs four years later: Started on servaynig trip with Gen Godge from Devenport, Iowa 1853 on Rock Island RR servan from Devenport to Council Bluff started from Devenport 1st of May got to C.B. in Sept., stopped at Councle Bliffs made that home for 56 years, ... " (17) As for drawings dated prior to 1853, it would be relatively simple to ask those who were living here which buildings were here in 1849 and which were built later. It would also be easy to add a building where one had disappeared. For instance, if as believed, the Kanesville Tabernacle only stood for about four years, it would not have been here when Simons arrived and it is pictured in his 1849-1851 drawing of Kanesville. It is also true that it became the Rock Island Railroad, but at the time the survey was made it was the Mississippi and Missouri River Railroad. Mr. Simons is writing some years after the fact. He did the same with his sketches and paintings. Simons married Emiline Cluff November 9, 1858 in Earlville, Illinois(lO) and had three sons and two daughters though one article says he had eight children.(13) Emeline died January 23, 1885 and is buried in the Neola Township Cemetery, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Sometime following her death he married Mary N. Simons whose obituary is in the Nonpareil of 9 December 1904. She was aged 86 years at her death. George and Emeline's son, Ivan, died June 29, 1885 and is also buried in the Neola Township Cemetery. George Simons is listed in the first Council Bluffs City Directory of 1865 and through 1868 as a painter/ portrait painter. In the 1891-92 directory he is listed as a gunsmith/locksmith.(13) In the Iowa Census of 1885, Simons is shown living on Front Street in Neola, Iowa. His occupation is painter. Living with him are Rosa Simons, Norman Simons, and Fae McCreary. His daughter, Mrs. Rossie Reynolds was quoted as saying: He would paint, of course, and then he was always fixing things for people. He was a very gentle and kind man. He often threatened my brother and myself with a 'cuff on the ear' if we misbehaved-but the cuff never came. Mrs. Reynolds describes him as a quiet, mild mannered man with a bright red beard and blue eyes.(1) Belle Sanford mentions that he is of medium size. In addition to his other vocations, Simons also ran a theater in Council Bluffs for a time in 1858.(16) 2 3 "I started a theater their [Council Bluffs] was their 6 months, then broke up and started acrost the plains I painted the seonry and all--in 1861 I went with my uncle acrost the plains their was 40 wagons of us we traveled up the platt river on the north platt we stopped for the 4 of July they took the side bords from our wagon, our fiest consisted of Roast Ox goose breasts and every thing one could amagain the address of the day was made by Dun Nortin, Sr., we went on then with out any trouble on any kind until we got to Salt Lake then I meet a man who useto be with me in the theater he told old Brigham Young I was a sean painter and he wanted me to stay their he offord me 6.00 a day but I wouldent stay I felt suspicious." (17) Apparently his wife, Emeline was with him when he went west. He mentions in his diary that he worked at ' Peteluma' all that winter. Then: Mother wanted to go back so I got the money and she went back by the Ismus, the panama people took them through over the lakes and over land on burrous ... I staid at Healsburg that winte[r] had a painting school The next fall I went back but had a little better trip than mother did we crossed the Ismus and,took the (missing text) finely getting back to C.B. was a month on the trip when I got to C.B. I joined the army in the 29 Volunteers.(17) Simons fought in the Civil War serving from 1862 to 1864. He became a Christian while in the army: In that little grove never will I forget the spot on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico, where I bowed down for the first time in earnestness to God, deturrnaned to tum my back to this sinful world, and follow Gesus. I asked the Lord to tutch the heart of my wife that she might become a christian, She had bin raised up not knowing the reel need of religion or of serving the Lord. I prayed for her, my prayers were heard and answered and so were the · prayers offered up at home for me as you may see by a letter written to my by my Brother.(17) In the late eighties, Simons went to Washington State seeking jobs painting stage scenery. What success he had there is unknown. He returned to Iowa where he continued to live until 1909 when he moved to Long Beach, California. He was later granted a pension and belonged to the G.A. R. post Number 181 at Long Beach, Califomia.(16) 3 4 George Simons seems little known outside this immediate vicinity. For the past fifty years, however, his work has garnered considerable interest in this area and among those interested in Mormon history. He seldom signed his paintings making it difficult to discern just how many works he actually made.(13) One held by the Council Bluffs Public Library is a collection of sketches which was for many years preserved by N. P. Dodge.(16) In 1946,one author wrote that "Only one copy of the book was ever made."(18) Perhaps the most valuable and interesting collection of pictures of early Council Bluffs that exists today is in possession ofN. P. Dodge, in the form of a book of sketches drawn for him in 1853 by George Simons, well remembered in Council Bluffs as a photographer and artist, and who died some years ago. "(7) Since this unsigned article is from the Council Bluffs Nonpareil of 4 September 1904, the writer is obviously mistaken about some things. Mr. Simons lived until 1917. He had just traveled on! Also, some of the sketches are of Council Bluffs in 1858, thus it is not possible that they were drawn in 1853. At least not all of them. In fact, according to an article from the Nonpareil of 7 July 1893: A few weeks ago he [Simons] sketched a book for General Dodge of these old scenes in and around Council Bluffs and also of the important scenes connected with the general's routes through the west with his surveying parties. These were sent to the general and no money could buy them.(8) It is most likely that Mr. Simons used both previous sketches and his memory to make the sketches. He was said to have an excellent-some went so far as to say photographic-memory. The article continues: Some time ago Mr. N. P. Dodge, knowing the ability and taste of the · Council Bluffs artist, Mr. Simons, sent him to his farm in Nebraska a short distance from Omaha to take sketches of it and also of the Dodge homestead and the farm of General Dodge. Mr. Simons did the work so well and so true to nature that Mr. Dodge can look upon them with almost the same satisfaction as he would were he looking at the originals.(8) An article copied and kept in the scrapbooks of the Council Bluffs Public Library reads: 4 5 To the Mercury office Mr. Dodge, Jr., of this city, son ofN. P. Dodge, Sr. And nephew of General G. M. Dodge, brings a book which is worth its weight in gold many times over. It is handsomely bound and is made up of pencil sketches of early western scenes, with a few photographs of more recent date. Most of the pencil drawings were by George Simons, (Who else would they be by in his sketch book?) a cook employed by General Dodge's engineering party when at work on railroad strrVeys in Iowa, and west of the Missouri River, beginning in 1853. One of the earliest of these is a picture of a double log cabin, one story high, surrounded by a rickety rail fence, a covered wagon in the rear and a hay stack near the front of the building. Underneath is an inscription to the effect that the modest building was the residence, in 1853, ofElder Orsan [sic] Hyde, the famous Mormon, when he lived in Council Bluffs.(6) Also from the scrapbook is another unattributed article as follows: The finest pictures in the book and those which undoubtedly cost the most labor, are a series showing Council Bluffs and Kanesville as they appeared in the early days. The first one portrays the Kanesville of 1849. The village at that time was a single street straggling up the valley along the present route of Broadway. Along the prairie road which forms the street in the picture, trains of emigrant wagons are moving while a couple of Indians occupy a conspicuous place in the foreground. The houses are all one story frame and log huts. Under the bluffs, at what is now the comer of Sixth and Mill streets, the old Daggers saw mill, the first mill in Council Bluffs, is shown. From it Mill street took its name. The mill derived its power from Indian creek, which was evidently of some use in those days, and was harnessed much more successfully than it is now. The Methodist church, with a bell swung from a pole in front of it, nestles against the bluff near Park Avenue. Most of the cabins are surrounded by high fences serving as corrals for the stock. On top of the hill back of where George A. Keeline's residence now stands the old powder magazine is shown. This magazine, or its successor, stood until after the civil war and almost every brick in its walls contained the name and address of a Council Bluffs soldier in the civil war, carved deeply into it.(5) Unfortunately, we do not know where or if this item was published nor is it dated. Simons is known to have painted two huge panoramic works. One he describes in his diary: In his own words, Simons says: 5 6 ... three of us went up on Mouseeri River to St. Louis in 1854 painted a panaroma of the trip after that I went to Denver their was two or three log cabins their then/doug for gold quit their, them and went to hunting in Pike Peak mountains left Denver back to Councel B ... . (17) And from another newspaper article: Historical Masterpiece is Missing Possibly lost to art and history is a painting of incalculable historical value, which was conceived and executed in Council Bluffs in the 1860's. The work is by the prolific frontier artist, George Simons, who conducted an art school in Council Bluffs when he tired of depicting scenes of his day. Reported in newspaper accounts of the day, the paintings are said to have been spread on I 0,000 feet of canvas. Depicting the trail from Council Bluffs to "Denver City," Simons created a historical masterpiece which would be of value today, in the opinion of members of the Iowa State Historical Society. Simons made no secret of his gigantic effort. Records show that he exhibited every foot of the canvas in Council Bluffs and Omaha and even toured with it to river towns, charging so much for admission to the boat on the interior walls of which the work was hung .... But the lengthy picture-story of the freighter trail from Council Bluffs to Denver cannot be found ... It must not be confused with the "Panorama of the Missouri River" another canvas of historical value. That panorama also has been lost ... (2) In her article, George Simons: Frontier Artist, Mildred Goosman describes Simons' technique: As an artist, Simons belongs to the type of folk artist whose chief aim was to represent Visual reality of a specific scene with exactness of detail, leaving to others a more imaginative rendering of design and abstract pattern. In none of his paintings did he attempt to interpret nature or emphasize a particular mood. Even his oil painting of a raging forest fire near Mount Rainier seems to be a reporting of the event, rather than an expression of the fury and terror. 6 7 His thirty-odd known paintings can be divided as documentary landscapes, portraits, and studio works. His later pictures show a greater use of modeling, ... His few portraits lack academic polish, but suggest an insight into the individuality of his sitters. The landscapes have pleasing compositions within the framework of rigid adherence to the actual contours. While he sometimes misses the correct date by a year in his reminiscences, his visual memory for details is always accurate according to early newspaper articles which quote the comments of old settlers. It is this characteristic trait that makes Simons so important as a source, especially for the 1850's before exterior photographs were available. (13) 7 8 Sketches at the Council Bluffs Public Library 1. Hunting Antelope in Wyoming Territory August 1865 2. Arkansas Traveler 3. Bellevue NE 1856 4. Captain Carlisle's Train nooning in the Platte Valley 1859 5. First claim cabin built in NE by Daniel Norton in 1853 6. Congregational Church Council Bluffs. erected fall/winter 1869-71 7. Congregational Church erected 1854-55 on Pearl St. 8. Home of Rev. G.G. Rice 1852-55/Congregational Church 9. Council Bluffs 1858 view SW from hill where hospital is 10. Council Bluffs 1858 looking south from h.ill where hospital is 11. Council Bluffs 1858 looking north 12. Dagger's Saw Mill near comer Mill and 6th Streets. Council Bluffs 1854 13. Dodge's engineer camp in Mo. River bottom Crescent-1853 14. Dodge Land Agency/Council Bluffs Savings Bank 15. Dwelling on Pierce Street N. P. Dodge winter 1864-5 16. Home ofN. P. Dodge from Apr 1865-1888 17. N. P. Dodge Office 1860-2 #122 Broadway 18. N. P. Dodge Office 1862-3, other 1863-9--2 offices 19. Looking south over Dodge claims to Elkhorn ferry 1854-8 20. S. Dodge cabin and improvements 1858 to 1856 21. Log cabin Dodge family lived Omaha after Elkhorn Indian scare 22. West part of N. P. Dodge fann Elkhorn River NW 01nalla NE 23. S. Dodge Home/his widow Julia F. and N. P. Dodge 1858-64 24. Elkl1om River Ferry 25. Emigrant ferry Elkhorn River NW Omalia NE 1854-5 26. Utall and Calif. Emigrants crossing Elkhorn River 27. Ferry across Elkhorn River 1854 28. First temporary bridge bet. Council Bluffs and Omaha with first train 29. 4th IA Infantry Camp Kirkwood at Council Bluffs 1861 30. Orson Hyde home near Kanesville and Harrison Street 1853 31. Indians skinning a buffalo on the plains 32. Jack hunting the cows 33. Kanesville 1849-51 looking N from Main Street and First Avenue 34. Monnon Camp meeting near Parks Mill 35. Monnon train camp lassoing steers preparatory to yoking up 36. Monnons crossing the plains handcarts from Florence 1856 37. Omaha Indian village on Papillion Creek near Bellevue 1854 38. Pawnee Indian village south of Platte River near Fremont 1856 39. Sioux City Iowa 1856 40. Steamer Omaha landing Monnons at Florence spring 1854 41. 29th Infantry winter quarters Lillie Rock AR winter 1864-5 42. First grist mill/S.E. Wick on Mosquito Creek later Parks Mill 8 9 Paintings Intact (1931) as listed by Belle L Sanford Christ Blessing Little Children (Probably at Children's Square) The Vacant Chair (Above two paintings donated to the RLDS Church in Council Bluffs. They are at this time 1997 'lost".) Portrait of Mrs. Simons A Flock of Quail Forest Fire Near Mount Rainier, Washington A Deer Scene in Winter Cows Standing in Stream of Water Portrait of Harry Simons on Horseback Head and Bust of Harry at 17 Trysting Scene Christ Two mountain scenes Head of Logan Fontenelle Head of Alexander Campbell Negro Burial on the Plains Council Bluffs From the Nebraska side of the River Herd of Buffalo View of Bellevue, Nebraska The above were all extant in 1931 and were exhibited in t11e public library at that time. Other Paintings Dodge House - View of Council Bluffs (Civil War painting?) Crowl Company - View of Council Bluffs 9 10 List of Sources: 1. --"George Simons, City's First Artist, Had Bright Red Beard-Mrs. Reynolds" Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, January 4, 1952. 2 . -- "Historical Masterpiece is Missing," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, July 27, 1932 3. -"Joslyn to Exhibit Works of Artist George Simons," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, July 17, 1962. 4. ---Obituary of Mary N. Simons, Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, December 9, 1904. 5. -"One Straggling Street," (Council Bluffs Public Library Scrapbook). 6. --"Sketch Book of Value," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, May 25, 1901. 7 . ---"Sketches of early Days in Western Iowa," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, September 4, 1904. 8. ----"Some Rare Pictures," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, July 7, 1893. 9. Adlow, Dorot11y, (No title) Christian Science Monitor, August 23, 1961. 10. Bishop, Judy, Personal letter to Irene Dawson, 118 Fleming, Council Bluffs IA February 28, 1997. 11 . 1860 United States Federal Census for Pottawattamie County, Iowa. 12. Goosman, Mildred, (Title unknown, clipping in Council Bluffs Public Library scrapbook) 13. Goosman, Mildred, "George Simons: Frontier Artist" Iowan Sununer 1962, p. 19-32. 14. Goosman, Mildred, Joslyn Art Museum Commemorative Program, George Simons Exhibit, 1961, Omaha NE. 15. ----Roster of Iowa Soldiers: War of Rebellion, Volume 3, 17th-31st Regiments, Iowa General Assembly, p. 1442. 16. Sanford, Belle L. "George Simons," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, March 22, 1931. 17. Simons, George, "Diary" . 18. Telpner, Gene "Pioneer Days Preserved in Photostat Siufday World-Herald Magazine, May 26, 1946 19. Turner, Martl1a M. " In Searclt of Historic Pictures," Nebraska History, October/ December, 1942. 10 GEORGE SIMONS: FRONTIER ARTIST A talented folk artist, this Council Bluffs man made a detailed visual record of Iowa's western frontier in its early, crucial days. Today he is finally receiving recognition. by MILDRED GOOS~ AN P AIN TER, poet, and pioneer aptly describe George Simons who made his home in the vicinity of Council Bluffs during the last ha lf of the nineteenth century. Because of his natura l and self-trained artistic abilities, a rare a nd pictorial and historical heritage of tha t area has been preserved. As a citizen of the " jumping-off" p lace for the great Platte Valley route to Utah, Oregon, and Californ ia, he witnessed the fu ll tide of mig ration to the f ar \'V'est. H is pencil sketches ca ptured the landscape, the people, their homes a nd vehicles. It is said he had a photographic memory which helped him ma ke accurate copies of scenes in paint or pencil from sketches he had origina ll y done on the spo t. Some of these have been used to illustrate books about the \'V'est, espec ially histo ries of the region around Council Bluffs and Omaha. At a time when photog raphers were new and few, anyone with a ta lent for drawing had an invaluable asset for recording the contempora ry scene at first hand. G eorge Simons was one of these. As an artist, Simons belongs to the type of folk artist whose chief aim ''"as to represent visual reality of a specific scene with exactness of deta il, leaving to others a more imag inative rendering o f design and abstra ct pattern . In no ne of h is paintings d id he attempt to interpret nature or emphasize a particu lar mood. Even his oil painting of a rag ing forest fire nea r !\fount Ra inier cems to he a repo rting of the event, rather than an expression of the fury and terror. His thirty-odd known pa intings can he d iv ided as dncument a rv landscapes, portraits. and stud in wnrks. His later pictures .show a greate r use of modeling. achic,·ed probably through observation of the work nf other artists and f'Uhlished ill ustrations. His few portra its lack academic polish. hut 19 suggest an insight into the individuality of his sitters. The landscapes have pleasing compositions within the framework of rigid adherence to the actual contours. \Xlhile he sometimes misses the correct date by a year in his reminiscences his visual memory for details is always accurate accordin~ to early newspaper articles which quote the comments of old settlers. It is this characteristic trait that makes Simons so important as a source, especially for the 1850's before exterior photographs were available. His pictures show the details of everyday life as he knew it- the clearing of timberland, the outdoor cooking pot, the guns and pipes of the men, and the shawls of the women. Because the new art of photography was limited at first principally to portraiture, Simons' paintings arc the earliest record of Council Bluffs. A recent exhibition at Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha showed four paintings by Simons which hang in its permanent collection and more than twenty-five others which were borrowed from the Council Bluffs Free Public Library, the Council Bluffs Women's Club, private collectors, and members of the artist's family. Five paintings sent by his son, Harry Norman Simons of Lebanon, Oregon, will remain as gifts to the museum. Included in the exhibition were an illustrated Civil \Viar diary, several summaries of pioneer adventures written by Simons, and a scrapbook of newspaper clippings spanning half a century, all lent by Harry Simons, and fifty-five pencil drawings acquired from the artist in 1909 by the late LeRoy C. Brown of Logan and Council Bluffs, lent by Miss Marguerite V. Brown. Although, Simons evidently had no commercial outlet for his art, he continued to record the development of the west. His interest extended to all the arts with a special flair for the theater. One of his ea rly enterprises was a theater in Council Bluffs which he operated for six months in 1858. In the late eighties, he went to Washington State to find jobs painting stage scenery. He mentions in a diary declining to leave the wagon train at Salt Lake City in 1861 for a stopover to pa int stage scenery for Brigham Young. His creations adorned theaters in the Iowa towns of Glenwood, Neola, and Council Bluffs. All of these have long since disappeared, as have his rolled panoramic views of the Missouri River from Sioux City to St. Louis and of the trail of the gold fields from Omaha to Denver. Other lost paintings arc a "Portrait of Chief Sitting Bull" said to have been painted from life, "The Trysting Place," "The Resurrection," "Christ and the Little Children" and a "Portrait 1 ., I•. '"'' /, 'H ~ 111< 1;(h .I 1.11/ A...J..,J t' .. •,4 /''""° /I •1 .. ¥,-1.J ,r,~ J(; ~// .,( f/( I JJ.., n .. , "" ., 4~ f,:., ./,,r. ~/ ...er .. .,~ ',.,(ff C.#* ""'t A/-;jk i/Jo O n e of Je r•e,-,t! dmu i11g1 51111011.r 11utde of J\forman migralion. 20 of Mrs. ]. B. Ta bor."' T hese were mentioned in the scr:ip· book of clippings. His paintings were usu:i lly not sig~~d, so there arc probably many still in existence, hut unidentified. ~ letter from a hrother in Keokuk wrilltn in 186 5 asks Georg .. .. . u can to make three or fou r of the n icest parlor pictures yo to b I · · I not been c iung in l11s new homi:. If painted. these 1avc found. \ 1 the per· ' s a poet and writer, George Simons rcvca s . I cc t. f · I is Jiter:i P 1vcness o an artist more clearly than in J en· drawings and paintings. His prose descriptions show a s ts s·t" 1 · I · ommen ive awareness to the beauties of nature and JIS c 1 d o ti · · I 0abaS JC n ic n:1scry of the Civil \'<fa r arc expressed wit 1 u 1 •. ht in· compassion. \Xfritings by him which have come to ig a· clue! ti c· . . I ·cal o:irr· . e ie 1vd \'<far Diary, th ree au tob1ogr:ip 11 ' Ily, t1ves cl · s Actua an verses composed for va rious occasion · ·I ich there is . . · I verses \\ J more poetry in l11s prose than in t ic . i·verse reflect ap · · d His c 1 . propriate sentiments of the pen o · f the in_t ~sts arc brought out throug h the subject matt r~ 1 eri· cl ippings in the scrapbook. They cover natura l history,_ s. can h · t · · · vest1gatl _is ory, and scientific and pseudo-scient1f1c in pe to A brief article signed .. G. S ... mentions using a esc~u ing scan the stars, and he carried fie ld gla sses with hun. 1 \\'as the \V/a Cl" b k \\·h1C J r. ipped and pasted in the scrap 00 f oliage. made from .. Coe's D rawing Book of Landscape. ". rious etc " d . by " '' · an published in 1852 arc numerous poems . d "G. authors s . . . . cred1te . S. · Orne arc un1dentif1ed and a few arc ate h1S 1mons" 0 "G S .. memor I r . . Two of the poems com . 1 the an- c epartcd wif E 1. I wit 1 · " c, me ine, and another appcarec ·I (la\110,, nounccment f I Althoug J ·n 1. 1 o t ie birth of a g randson. . d an 1 · itt e formal education he IJacl an observing 1111n . f \,.1i:it tcr t · ' • • · o I es in the world around him and an a p preci:it1on Je observed ' ' of . ·w~ As a pio s· · I · the his I rs neer, 1rnons w itncsscd a periOt in sett e Ou r country ti 1 \'\!'est to os· to 1 . iat span ned the opening of t JC · He pr pec:e~ time wl~en the frontier had clisappe~rccl.he rndia_ns. and t for gold in Colorado, hunted huffa lo with_ ti his \\.ifde. raveled ti 0 l"f . wit J r • Wfh·l ic regon Tra il to Ca 1 ornia ·est\\':i 1 e the g I ,·ays \\ one traff" rea t push of migration was a '.' 5 ,\·as JC Ccufd d d"d cl Sunon faf of ti an 1 move both ways. an ·n the . e WI. iose ~vho did not find a permanent borne I Jo spi~ Of est until 1909 when he moved to Long rria ge I~ many t · · en.. r1 18)7 s· nps away, both hcforc and after hlS I c ;v[issoll s: He ~ad1~o s a lways returned to the hanks of ttJwhen ~ro~I pccts fo/rst come to ~ouncil Bluffs in 1853. 1us thC n~t ~·ri govcr a. tra nscontinental railroad reversed I e _rv[1sso I: nment s pol" f t of t J ban as the cl . icy o leaving lands wes 1 west . 00 Peter 5 Oma in of the various Ind ian tribes. On t 1 .: 0 ;v[iS~ 1 nt mad I arp~·s trading post and the Prcshytcr1I, Jepen e11e e tie vdl f 1te 0 f t sguatt age o Bellevue an important s . · 1 ,cot o d to ne\~ ters were already anticipating the cstahliS Jflrcn1ove 0 wn of o I then their ma 1a. The Indians were 1 eY reservation in I k d sur' Simon nort iern Ncbras ·a. ·iro:i r:il· s crossed I . f the r:t i Gene 1 party led h ?"'a as a memhcr o .. 1 \'(/a r ,nc It is sai 1 ly Grenville M. Dodge. later a C1v1 . genious s c t iat he I ·as in ·ten1 . had a k · came as a cook, hut JC "· drY 1 ~d, nack for . . 1 sun c~ · . The . repairing guns locks. ant in · r 1S art1sf s b 1 • tiorn ~to and r . 1 . 0 Y 10od is obscure. He was . 5trC· rJe . ivec With I · 1llino1s. · etl· 1n LaSa!I . C 11 S parents in Streator. . lsc> 11" 1 ,,.,s lived e ounty where the Dodge farndY a rs :1f1l 1iest around C . 1 f"fty yea e~r I isted · ounci Bl uffs for over 1 thC ' . ref· in the c"t 1 . fron1 a1n . VO 5 iume f 1 y t 1rc:ctorics off a nd on trait r• rJ1 and brie~ y ~~) through 1868 as a pa inter. I ~~(!.;srnitl~ S Parents 1 1891 -92 as a gunsmith a OL C uncil anc <ithc f I to o IJ at an und . . . rs o the fam ily movel t<iJJ# I eterrnrnecl time . e C n 1857 G · Ernel1n ' eorge Simons ma rried Miss (Co111i1111ed n11 pr1ge 51) The Paintings of George Simons A selection of oils of the Iowa frontier shows exceptional folk art talent Mormon Encampment A series of works in 1856 depicted the Mormon handca rt migration to the \Vest. This painting depicts the encampment on .Mosquito Creek, about three miles cast of Council Bluffs. It is on permanent loan to the Joslyn Art Museum from M rs. \'<'alter L. Burritt oi Oma ha. Sioux City, 1856 W hen th is painting was made Sioux City was but in its infancy and would not he incorporated until the following year. In fact, the first white woman had a rrived in the village only two yea rs p reviously. In 1856 Sioux City had 90 b u ild ings and about -100 people: and was beginning to make rapid pro · grcss. In lly the count y scat was established there a nd the same yea r the iirst steamboa t, the 0111t1ht1. arrived w ith a cargo of provisions and lumber from St. Louis. It was the beginning oi a regular freight service between St. Louis an d Sioux City that lasted for a decade. T he painting is owned by Robert H . Aborn. Council Bluffs 111 the 1870's The exact dating llf this " Late Pano ram ic View of Counc il Bluffs" has neve r heen made, hut it can be estimated closely hy the suhject matter. The pain ting shows the Ogden Hotel ( large huild ing at right ). in use by 1868. and the Northwestern Railroad which arrived in 186-, but no tcltphonc or el<:ctric light poles. The iirst telephone serv ict was in UP<) and the mule cars w1:re replaced by electric rrolleys in 1888 The Method ist Church. shown at the iar right.. was huil~ in 1868 on the sit<: of the: iamnus Oce1n \Xfave Saloon which b urned in 1861. Brn:id wa y. the street shown here. still follows the. same curve m the.: principal business section of the citv. The oil is in the collection of th<: Council Bluffs Puhl ;~ Library. A Pause in the Journey The transtt1on from log cabin to frame: house:, from frontier life to civilization could be the real thc:me of this oil. It was Jone of the: old J amc:s Bradshaw house at Canning anJ Pierce Streets in Council Bluffs which was a lso known as "Jimmy's Well." Progress can he notc:d, too, in the: split ra il fence: (left) g iving way to one straight from the sawmill. The painting is ownc:d by the Joslyn Museum. ------- - ::j The Sketches of George Simons CAREFULLY preserved in th~ Council Bluffs Public Library is sketchbook filled w ith fortv-fou r drawings by George Simons plus a few photograp hs and newspaper cl ippings t:ollected by the :irtist. Fifteen of these sketches pertaining to Iowa are publ ished in this portfoli''· M:iny of them are being reproduced for the first time. T he identifications lln the dr:i wings are produced below. Subject matter divisions are also indicated. SUI<Vl'.)"[NG 11'/JTH D ODGE: (Ptt ~e 25) G.rvr. D ndge·s Engineer Party, Camped on Coon River. Guthrie Co., low:i 1853. Rock Isla nd R.R. Survey. ( Ptt g~ 26) G. M. D odge's Engi· neer C:rn1p in Misso uri River Bo ttom near Crc.:st:cnt City. luw:i, Sept. 1853. Skctcl1t d hy Geo. S imons, rnok of the p:irt y. Rock lshnd R. R. Su rvey. Mo rmons : ( !'tt.~e 2(1 } lvl ormon Camp Meeting ne:ir Parks Mill. E/IRLY HOMES: tt,~e 27) Elder Hide's house C. Bluffs. (Page 27) First Grist Mill in Pot ta 'me County, built by S. E. \'<'icks for Potta'me tribe of Indi:ins, IS·i2-52 (rebuilt), located on Mosquito Creek, :ifterwards known as Parks Mill. ( Pti,~e 28) S. E. Wicks home on Mosquito Creek ( nea r P arks Mill ) I 8-i2- L864. E11RLY COUNCIL BLUFFS: (Pt1ge 28) Kanesville (now C. Bluffs) 18-19 r to '51. Looking north from corner of M a in St. & First Ave. (Pf/ge 29) !st Cabin, home of Rev. G. G. Rice, May 1852 to fall 1855 . 2nd Cabin erecte.d in 1852, used as Congregational Church. also as school house. ( Page 29) Con· g regational Church erected in 1854 & L855 o n Pearl St. g round now occupied by Brown's Block. THE DODGE FAi\!ILY: (Page 30) (Co11ti1111ed 011 page 52) ANTIQUES by Pauline M illen COLLECTOR shows in the antique trade flourish with the coming of the fair weather months. Although coin, stamp, antique shows, and book fairs are held throughout the year in various parts of the country, the greatest number are scheduled from spring through fall. Everyone in that esoteric world of collectors looks forward to the shows. For the dea ler, they are hard work but provide prime publicity. T hey give him a chance to show his wares to a large interested group and with luck, he makes good sales. To the "buff" the shows give him an opportunity to learn, and since dealers bring their best merchandise to these shows, there is always the possibility of findin.g a choice piece to add to his collection. Tlie shows also help bring new blood to the collecting field. Frequently a person goes to a show just to look and winds up with an acquisitive urge strong enough to create a new collector. The comment is often made that show prices are high. They usua lly are but it is unreasonable to expect anything else. The dea ler loses time away from his shop, he pays rental for show space, and when away from home has high transportation and Jiving expenses. T he collector in exchange for a small admission fee enjoys severa l hours of pleasure, educates himself, and can shop at his leisure with a large and varied assortment from which to choose. A sampling of merchandise at a recent show confirms this. Among the fi ne g lass could be seen a blue clambroth Gothic Arch suga r bowl possibly Sand wich $210, a double signed "Libby Amberina" J ack vase $165, a g reen Baccarat vase $2 10, a Findlay Glass toothpick holder $85, a Lacy Sandwich plate $55, a clambroth Sandwich type salt $25, a signed Tiffany candl elamp $50, an Amber Panel Daisy and Button three piece set StfO, and a cut glass water pitcher S29.50. Nice hut less expensive were a small ruby Bohemian g lass bottle $7.50, a blue enameled case g lass vase S 16. 50, a cut g lass pitcher at $18.50 with matching tumblers at $5.75 each, Mary Gregory tumblers in color $12 and SI I, and a blue Currier tray priced S 15. Collectors of fl int glass were pleased to see more of that type than usua l. Be52 sides the pieces listed above were two decanters in T ulip and Sawtooth pattern S25 and S35, an unusual Bull's Eye Celery S22, H uber wine glass $6.50 an Ashburton wine $6.50, and small sauce d ishes at S3.75 and $6.50. Also shown was some fine English and Irish glass, particularly decanters, tumblers, and a handsome silver and crystal cruet stand with flat bottom bottles. One collector learned to identify English milk glass by the litte sea lion embossed on it, very tiny but usua lly discernible. She was told that this dates the piece so marked as having been made about 1875. One small piece of this glass was priced at $13.50. A bluegreen marble glass slipper with an English registry mark was tagged Sl8.50 by the same dea ler. China collectors, specialists and general, could find a wide selection. Two vases with the black Belleek mark were priced at $40, a Wedgwood pitcher S32.50, a portra it plate Sl4.50, a lovely leaf bowl, gilt lined SlO, alphabet plate with transfer center SS, game plates at $25 and $35, Other interesting pieces were a pair of Jackfield dogs, large size $65, a Bennington pie plate S 14, sma ll redwa re bowl Sl O, J ackfield cow creamt r $22, white pottery molds $5.50 and $7, Staffordshire dresser ornament S 10. One exhibitor had several shaving mugs, a scuttle mug S7 and two occupational mugs, a telephone lineman S35, and a plasterer $25. Primitives abounded, one set of graduated pewter measures, seven in number was priced a t $85. Among the still banks shown were a pig S9, a mailbox S5.50, and a Bill iken $7.50. A great deal of interest was shown by show visitors in wooden and meta l household articles pol ished for use as decorative objects. CREDITS Cove r by Bert Voge l, Dubuque. Inside front cover by Joan Liffring; p. 2-5 pictures from the State Reformatory, Anamosa; the State P enitentiary, Fort Madison; charts from Dt'. Walter Lund en ; p. 6-13 Joan Liffring; p. 14-17 Meredith Publishing Company; p. 18 Liffring; p. 19-32 Gordon Ada ms from collections of the Council Bluffs Public Libra ry a nd Joslyn Museum; p. 33 Vogel; p. 34-35 A. W. Ran niger. Car- r oll; p. 36 J. C. Allen & Sons. West Lafayette, Indiana; p. 37 Rankin ; p. 38-11 Smith Schuneman, <'XCPpt p. 39 !top) William Beck ; p. 42 from Earl Shepherd; p. 45 from lhe State Depa rtment of History and Archives, Des Moines ; p. 46-49 from The Iowa Society for Crippled Children and Adults; p. 55-56 Carroll Coleman; p. 57 inside back cover by James Shaffer : back cover from Andreas' 1875 Illustrated Atlas of Iowa. Sinzons Slutches (Co11ti11!led from pnge 25) Office of N. P. D odge from 1860 to 1862. (Pnge 30) Dwelling House on Pierce St. in which N. P. D odge lived during winter of 1864 & 5 formerly occupied by G. M. D odge also by Sylvanus D odge's family. Framed in St. Louis and shipped by Steamboat in 1456. Represents N. P. Dodge & wife sta rting on their wedding trip Sept. 1864. COUNCIL BLUFFS, 1S58: (Prtge 31) Council Bluffs in 1858. View from Hospital Hill, looking south west. (Pnge 31) Looking South. Council Bluffs in 1858. View taken from hill where Hospital now stands. 1. C. (?) bank 2. B.R. Pegram 3. J.B. Stutsman 4. Biggs 5. Court House 6. "Cottonwood" J ail 7. Ocean Wave 8. Methodist Church 9. ] .T . Ba ldwins 10. Dr. E. Lowe 11. "Robinson House". TR/IN SPORTATION OF THE ERA: ( Pnge 32) First temporary Bridge between C. Blu ffs and Omaha with first train of Ca rs crossing winter of 1866. (Note: n Inter correction haJ mnde the "6" a "7''.) (Pnge 32) Sioux City Iowa 1856. (Note: thiJ 1ketch Jerved as a bnJiJ for the painting reprod!lced in the color Jection. D Yellow River (Co11ti11!1ed from pnge 8) state, but if I'd known they'd build a road there I wouldn't 'a' done it." The farmer opens his creel to display six keepers- a d ay's limit of trout - and walks away. \'<!hat he says is true, in part. The State Conservation Commission now owns 5,500 acres of land in the Yellow River area. An honor group of prisoners from Anamosa works there yea r-round, building new road s, campsites. picnic areas and other facilities to help more Iowans enjoy the park wilderness. People from Des Moines and Davenport rtre discovering the Yellow River State Forest: exploring its trails; catchsrnall-mouth bass and rainbow trout in its strea ms; qu ietly observing a wild turkey hen and her brood, deer, and ruffl ed grouse; finding exotic wildflowers- jack-in-the-pulpits two feet high! This was one intention of the Conservation Commission when it bought this .. trackless wilderness" for state use: to make the forest accessible to people, yet to leave it as undisturbed as pos· sible; to give to Iowans, undiluted, a restoring and refreshing ant idote for civilization. D February 16, 1996 'ID: REGISTRATION FILES LIBRARY FILES CENTER FOR WESTERN STUDY FILES COLLECTICN REVIEW FILES FHCM: MARGO PRENTISS, Assistant Registrar REF: GEORGE SIMONS I. THE FOLLOWING 'WORKS BY SIMONS ARE IN JOSLYN'S COLLECTION ~ 1959 .428 Portrait of Logan Fontenelle, 1853 1962.19 Stagecoach Overtaken by Indians, 1880s. 39 . 1962 Sitting Bull, (Simons after Julian Scott) Lent to Joslyn by Onaha Public Library II. THE FOLLOWING WORKS USED TO BE IN JOSLYN'S COLLECrION, BUT AS PART OF A RECENT COLLECTION REVIEW WERE DEACCESSIONED AND TRANSFERRED TO 011-IEH MUSEUMS: A. TRANSFERRED 'IO WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, Onaha: 1957 .101 Early Council Bluffs, Oil, 1853 1962.119 Civil War Diary 1962.120 Scrapbook 1963.416 Mannon Canp Meeting, Council Bluffs, Oil 8. TRANSFERRED 'IO TI-IE MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART, Kearney, Nebraska: 1953.193 A Pause in the Journey 1958 . 36 Mail Delivery on the Frontier 1962 . 32 Forest Fire at Mt.Rainier C. TRANSFERRED 'IO THE SHELI:X::N MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, Lincoln, Nebraska 1962.30 Portrait of Harry NonTian S~Tions D. APPROVED FOR TRANSFER 'IO SIOUX CITY ART CENTER, but as of 2/16/96 this painting is still stored at Joslyn awaiting pick-up by Sioux City: 1962.28 Cows Wa:ling in StreaTI E. THE FDLLCMING PAINTING HAS ALSO BEEN APPROVED FDR DEACCESSIONING Blff AS OF 2/16/96 it is still stored at Joslyn: 1962.31 Harry NonTian S~nons on Horseback •· l. FebnJary 16, 1996 TO: REGISTRATION FILES LIBRARY FILES CENTER FDR WESTERN STUDY FILES COLLECTICN REVIEW FILES FRCM: MARGO PRENTISS, Assistant Registrar REF: GEORGE SIMOl\S I. THE FDLLOWING WORKS BY SIMONS ARE IN JOSLYN'S COLLECTION - 1959.428 Portrait of Logan Fontenelle, 1853 1962.19 Stagecoach Overtaken by Indians, 1880s. 39.1962 Sitting Bull, (Simons after Julian Scott) Lent to Joslyn by Onaha Public Library II. 'li-IE FDLLCMING WORKS USED TO BE IN JOSLYN' S COLLECTION, BUT AS PAR"f -- OF A HECEN"I' COLLECI1ION""REVf Ei=l WERE DEACCESSIONED AND '"rRANs'FERRED1D Oli-IER MUSEUMS: A. TRANSFERRED 'ID WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, Onaha: 1957 .101 Early Council Bluffs, Oil, 1853 1962.119 Civil War Diary 1962.120 Scrapbook 1963.416 Monnon Canp Meeting, Council Bluffs, Oil B. TRANSFERRED TO TI-IE MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ARI', Kearney, Nebraska: 1953 .193 A Pause in the Journey 1958.36 Mail Delivery on the Frontier 1962.32 Forest Fire at Mt.Rainier C. TRANSFERRED 'ID THE SHELI:X:N MEMORIAL ARr GALLERY, Lincoln, Nebraska 1962.30 Portrait of Harry Nonnan Simons D. APPROVED FOR TRANSFER 'ID SICXJX CITY ART CENrER, but as of 2/16/96 this painting is still stored at Joslyn awaiting pick-up by Sioux City: 1962.28 Cows Werling in Strean E. THE FDLLCMING PAINTING HAS ALSO BEEN APPROVED FOR DEACCESSIONING BUT AS OF 2/16/96 it is still stored at Joslyn: 1962.31 Harry Nonnan S~nons on Horseback February 16, 1996 'IO: REGISTHATION FILES LIBHARY FILES CENTER FDR WESTERN STUDY FILES COLLECfIO'J REVIEW FILES FRCM: MARGO PRENTISS, Assistant Registrar REF: GEORGE SIMON3 I. THE FDLLOWING WORKS BY SIMONS ARE IN JOSLYN'S C'OLLECTION - 1959.428 Portrait of Logan Fontenelle, 1853 1962.19 Stagecoach Overtaken by Indians, 1880s. 39 . 1962 Sitting Bul l, (S~nons after Julian Scott) Lent to Joslyn by Onaha Public Library II. THE FOLLOWING WORKS USED TO BE IN JOSLYN'S C'OLLECTION, BUT AS PART -- OF A RECENT COLLECTIONREVI™ WERE DEACCESSIONED AND TRANSFERREi)7°ro G.I'HER MUSEUMS: A. TRANSFERRED TO WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, Onaha: 1957.101 Early Council Bluffs, Oil, 1853 1962 . 119 Civil War Diary 1962.120 Scrapbook 1963 . 416 Monnon Canp Meeting, Council Bluffs, Oil B. THANSFERRED ID TI-IE MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART , Kearney , Nebrask9: 1953.193 A Pause in the Journey 1958.36 Mail Delivery on the Frontier 1962.32 Forest Fire at Mt .Rainier C. TRANSFERRED ID THE SHELI::a-J MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, Li ncoln, Nebraska 1962 . 30 Portrait of Harry Nonnan S~ons D. APPROVED FDR TRANSFER ID SIOUX CITY ART CENfER, but as of 2/16/96 this painting is still stored at Joslyn awaiting pick-up by Sioux City: 1962. 28 Cows Wooing in Strean E. THE FOLLOWING PAINTING HAS ALSO BEEN APPROVED FDR DEACCESSIONING BUI' AS OF 2/16/96 it is still stored at Joslyn: 1962.31 Harry Norman S~nons on Horseback The Art of George Simons George Simons was a ' traveling man' though he spent fifty-six years in and around Council Bluffs, Iowa.(17) He was reared in Illinois, came to Iowa, traveled west to Oregon, Washington, Utah and California and returned home by way of Panama. Some biographers claim he was originally from Canada.(13) Belle L. Sanford, a local historian, says he was born January 22,1834 in Streator, Illinois.(16) Simons' daughter Rossie Mae Simons Reynolds said he was a native of Streator.(1) Judy Bishop, George's greatniece, claims George was born January 11 , 1834 in Earlville, Illinois to Anson and Mary Ann Witt Sirnons.(10) Then we come to what was probably George's own view of where he was born. In the Roster of Iowa Volunteers it is written, "Simmons, [sic.] George. Age 30. Residence Pottawattamie County, native of Canada ... "(15) We can perhaps assume that this information came from Mr. Simons and that he knew where he was born. During his early years in this area, Mr. Simons made friends with various Indian tribes. On one occasion this caused him a real scare. Once as he was walking with an Omaha brave, who was in the lead, George was careless with his gun. He carried it with the barrel facing forward. He tripped or stumbled and the gun went off wounding the Indian in the shoulder. The Indian immediately accused him of trying to kill him. George was tempted to finish him off and dispose of the body in the river. He overcame that temptation and returned the brave to his people. They were less than thrilled about the accident and worked themselves into a real frenzy. A more friendly member of the tribe approached George, warned him of his great danger and helped him make his escape through the willows to the river. There he found a canoe in which he made his way safely down river and home.(16) He first came to the Council Bluffs area because of employment. The Simons family, as well as the Dodges, lived in the Streator area of Illinois. Grenville Mellon Dodge, the famous railway builder, hired Simons to be camp cook on his railroad surveying crew. Simons first arrived in Council Bluffs in 1853 as part of that party.(l, 17) A November 26, 1961 Omaha World Herald article claims: "It is known that he was in Council Bluffs when it was called by its previous name Kanesville, for he made a painting of the then Mormon 2 settlement in 1849." It is not known that he was here then! As noted, he states that he came to Council Bluffs four years later: Start don servaynig trip with Gen Godge from Devenport, Iowa 1853 on R~ck Island RR servan from Devenport to Council Bluff started from Devenport 1st of May got to C.B. in Sept., stopped at Councle Bliffs made that home for 56 years, ... " (17) As for drawings dated prior to 1853, it would be relatively simple to ask those who were living here which buildings were here in 1849 and which were built later. It would also be easy to add a building where one had disappeared. For instance, if as believed, the Kanesville Tabernacle only stood for about four years, it would not have been here when Simons arrived and it is pictured in his 1849-1851 drawing ofKanesville. It is also true that it became the Rock Island Railroad, but at the time the survey was made it was the Mississippi and Missouri River Railroad. Mr. Simons is writing some years after the fact. He did the same with his sketches and paintings. Simons married Emiline Cluff November 9, 1858 in Earlville, lllinois(lO) and had three sons and two daughters though one article says he had eight children.(13) Emeline died January 23, 1885 and is buried in the Neola Township Cemetery, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Sometime following her death he married Mary N. Simons whose obituary is in the Nonpareil of 9 December 1904. She was aged 86 years at her death. George and Emeline's son, Ivan, died June 29, 1885 and is also buried in the Neola Township Cemetery. George Simons is listed in the first Council Bluffs City Directory of 1865 and through 1868 as a painter/ portrait painter. In the 1891- 92 directory he is listed as a gunsmith/locksmith.(13) In the Iowa Census of 1885, Simons is shown living on Front Street in Neola, Iowa. His occupation is painter. Living with him are Rosa Simons, Norman Simons, and Fae McCreary. His daughter, Mrs. Rossie Reynolds was quoted as saying: He would paint, of course, and then he was always fixing things for people. He was a very gentle and kind man. He often threatened my brother and myself with a 'cuff on the ear' if we misbehaved- but the cuff never came. Mrs. Reynolds describes him as a quiet, mild mannered man with a bright red beard and blue eyes.(1) 3 h . f medium size. In addition to his d tions that e is o . . Belle sanfor men theater in Council Bluffs for a tune m . s· ons also ran a other vocations, llll 1858.(16) th . 6 th th er their [Council Bluffs] was err mon s, e~ "l started a th:ed acrost the plains I painted the seonry and all--m broke up and ;tth my tmcle acrost the plains their was 40 wagons of us 1861 I went th 1 tt river on the north platt we stopped for the 4 of tr eled up e P a · we av k th 1 ·de bords from our wagon, our fiest consisted of Jul they too es . Y e breasts and every tiring one could amagam the address Roast Ox goos . · of the day was made by Dun Nortm, Sr., we went on then with out any bl n any kind until we got to Salt Lake then I meet a man who trou e o . useto be with me in the theater he told old Bngham Y mmg I was a sean ainter and he wanted me to stay their he offord me 6. 00 a day but I p . . "(17) wouldent stay I felt susp1c1ous. Apparently his wife, Emeline was with him when he went west. He mentions in his diary that he worked at ' Peteluma' all that winter. Then: Mother wanted to go back so I got the money and she went back by the Ismus, the panama people took them through over the lakes and over land on burrous ... I staid at Healsburg that winte[r] had a painting school The next fall I went back but had a little better trip than motl1er did we crossed the Ismus and took the (missing text) finely getting back to C.B. was a month on the trip when I got to C.B. I joined the army in the 29 Volunteers.(17) Simons fought in the Civil War serving from 1862 to 1864. He became a Christian while in the army: In that little grove never will I forget the spot on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico, where I bowed down for the first time in earnestness to God, deturmaned to turn my back to this sinful world, and follow Gesus. I asked the Lord to tutch the heart of my wife that she might become a christian, She had bin raised up not knowing the reel need of religion or of serving the Lord. I prayed for her, my prayers were heard and answered and so were the prayers offered up at home for me as you may see by a letter written to my by my Brother.(17) I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ,.. 4 In the late eighties, Simons went to Washington State seeking jobs painting stage scenery. What success he had there is unknown. He returned to Iowa where he continued to live until 1909 when he moved to Long Beach, California. He was later granted a pension and belonged to the G.A. R. post Number 181 at Long Beach, Califomia.(16) George Simons seems little known outside this immediate vicinity. For the past fifty years, however, his work has garnered considerable interest in this area and among those interested in Mormon history. He seldom signed his paintings making it difficult to discern just how many works he actually made.(13) One held by the Council Bluffs Public Library is a collection of sketches which was for many years preserved by N. P. Dodge.(16) In 1946,one author wrote that "Only one copy of the book was ever made. "(18) Perhaps the most valuable and interesting collection of pictures of early Council Bluffs that exists today is in possession ofN. P. Dodge, in the form of a book of sketches drawn for him in 1853 by George Simons, well remembered in Council Bluffs as a photographer and artist, and who died some years ago. "(7) Since this unsigned article is from the C0tmcil Bluffs Nonpareil of 4 September 1904, the writer is obviously mistaken about some things. Mr. Simons lived until 1917. He had just traveled on! Also, some of the sketches are of Council Bluffs in 185 8, thus it is not possible that they were drawn in 1853. At least not all of them. In fact, according to an article from the Nonpareil of 7 July 1893: A few weeks ago he [Simons] sketched a book for General Dodge of these old scenes in and around Council Bluffs and also of the important scenes connected with the general's routes through the west with his surveying parties. These were sent to the general and no money could buy them.(8) It is most likely that Mr. Simons used both previous sketches and his memory to make the sketches. He was said to have an excellent- some went so far as to say photographic-memory. The article continues: Some time ago Mr. N. P. Dodge, knowing the ability and taste of the Council Bluffs artist, Mr. Simons, sent him to his farm in Nebraska a - 5 di from Omaha to take sketches of it and also of the Dodge short stance . · k d d the farm of General Dodge. Mr. Snnons did the wor homestea an th ·th 11 d true to nature that Mr. Dodge can look upon em w1 so we an so . almost the same satisfaction as he would were he looking at the originals.(8) An article copied and kept in the scrapbooks of the Council Bluffs Public Library reads: To the Mercury office Mr. Dodge, Jr., of this city, son of N. P. Dodge, Sr. And nephew of Gener~ G. M. Dod.ge, brings a book which is worth its weight in gold many tunes over. It 1s handsomely bound and is made up of pencil sketches of early western scenes, with a few photographs of more recent date. Most of the pencil drawings were by George Simons, (Who else would they be by in his sketch book?) a cook employed by General Dodge's engineering party when at work on railroad surveys in Iowa, and west of the Missouri River, beginning in 1853. One of the earliest of these is a picture of a double log cabin, one story high, surrounded by a rickety rail fence, a covered wagon in the rear and a hay stack near the front of the building. Underneath is an inscription to the effect that the modest building was the residence, in 1853, of Elder Orsan [sic] Hyde, the famous Mormon, when he lived in Council Bluffs.(6) Also from the scrapbook is another unattributed article as follows: The finest pictures in the book and those which undoubtedly cost the most labor, are a series showing Council Bluffs and Kanesville as they appeared in the early days. The first one portrays the Kanesville of 1849. The village at that time was a single street straggling up the valley along the present route of Broadway. Along the prairie road which forms the street in the picture, trains of emigrant wagons are moving while a couple of Indians occupy a conspicuous place in the foreground. The houses are all one story frame and log huts. Under the bluffs, at what is now the comer of Sixth and Mill streets, the old Daggers saw mill, the first mill in Council Bluffs, is shown. From it Mill street took its name. The mill derived its power from Indian creek, which was evidently of some use in those days, and was harnessed much more successfully than it is now. The Methodist church, with a ---- 6 l . fr nt of it nestles against the bluff near Park from a po e m o ' . bell swung b. are surrounded by high fences servmg as Avenue. Most of~: ~n :~of the hill back of where ?eo~ge A. corrals for th~ sto · tands the old powder magazme is shown. 1 . , residence nows . . d Kee me s . .t cessor stood until after the civil war an . azme or 1 s sue , This mag ' . k . ·ts walls contained the name and address of a alrn t every bnc m I 1 . . (5) os . __ cc. ldier in the civil war, carved deep Y mto 1t. Council Blwl.S so d t know where or if this item was published nor is it Unfortunately, we o no dated. . is known to have painted two huge. panoramic works. One he Sunoi:is . his diary: In bis own words, Sunons says: descnbes tn three of us went up on Mouseeri River to St. Louis in 1854 painted ~aroma of the trip after that I went to Denver their was two or ~ee log cabins their then/doug for gold quit their, them and went to hunting in Pike Peak mountains left Denver back to Counce! B .... (17) And from another newspaper article: Historical Masterpiece is Missing Possibly lost to art and history is a painting of incalculable historical value, which was conceived and executed in Council Bluffs in the 1860's. The work is by the prolific frontier artist, George Simons, who conducted an art school in Council Bluffs when he tired of depicting scenes of his day. Reported in newspaper accounts of the day, the paintings are said to have been spread on 10,000 feet of canvas. Depicting the trail from Council Bluffs to "Denver City," Simons created a historical masterpiece which would be of value today, in the opinion of members of the Iowa State Historical Society. Simons made no secret of his gigantic effort. Records show that he exhibited every foot of the canvas in Council Bluffs and Omal1a and even toured with it to river towns, charging so much for admission to the boat on the interior walls of which the work was hung .... But the lengthy picture-story of the freighter trail from Council Bluffs to Denver cannot be found ... It must not be confused with the I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I - - - _J 7 f th Mi ouri River" another canvas of historical value. "Panorama o e ss That panorama also bas been lost. .. (2) · 1 G rge Simons: Frontier Artist, Mildred Goosman In her artlc e, ea describes Simons' technique: ~rh t Simons belongs to the type of folk artist whose chief aim As an (l.1 uS ' . . fi . h f was to represent visual reality o~ a s~eci . c scene ~t exac~ess o . 1 1 ving to others a more unagmative rendenng of design and detai , ea . . . did h . abstract pattern. In none o~ his pamtings e. att~mp~ t~ mterpret . ture or emphasize a particular mood. Even his oil pamtmg of a ragmg ~:rest fire near Mount Rainier seems to be a reporting of the event, rather than an expression of the fury and terror. His thirty-odd known paintings can be divided as documentary landscapes, portraits, and studio works. His later pictures show a greater use of modeling, ... His few portraits lack academic polish, but suggest an insight into the individuality of his sitters. The landscapes have pleasing compositions within the framework of rigid adherence to the actual contours. While he sometimes misses the correct date by a year in his reminiscences, his visual memory for details is always accurate according to early newspaper articles which quote the comments of old settlers. It is this characteristic trait that makes Simons so important as a source, especially for the 1850's before exterior photographs were available. (13) ._ 8 Sketches at the Council Bluffs Public Library I. Hunting Antelope in Wyoming Territory August 1865 2. Arkansas Traveler 3. Bellevue NE 1856 4. Captain Carlisle's Train nooning in the Platte Valley 1859 5. First claim cabin built in NE by Daniel Norton in 1853 6. Congregational Church Council Bluffs. erected fall/winter 1869-71 7. Congregational Church erected 1854-55 on Pearl St. 8. Home of Rev. G.G. Rice 1852-55/Congregational Church 9. Council Bluffs 1858 view SW from hill where hospital is IO. Council Bluffs 1858 looking south from hill where hospital is 11 . Council Bluffs 1858 looking north 12. Dagger's Saw Mill near comer Mill and 6th Streets. Council Bluffs 1854 13. Dodge's engineer camp in Mo. River bottom Crescent-1853 14. Dodge Land Agency/Council Bluffs Savings Bank 15. Dwelling on Pierce Street N. P. Dodge winter 1864-5 16. Home ofN. P. Dodge from Apr 1865-1888 17. N. P. Dodge Office 1860-2 #122 Broadway 18. N. P. Dodge Office 1862-3, other 1863-9--2 offices 19. Looking south over Dodge claims to Elkhorn ferry 1854-8 20. S. Dodge cabin and improvements 1858 to 1856 21 . Log cabin Dodge family lived Omaha after Elkhorn Indian scare 22. West part of N. P. Dodge farm Elkhorn River NW Omaha NE 23. S. Dodge Home/hjs widow Julia F. and N. P. Dodge 1858-64 24. Elkhorn River Ferry 25. Emigrant ferry Elkhorn River NW Omaha NE 1854-5 26. Utah and Calif. Emigrants crossing Elkhorn River 27. Ferry across Elkhorn River 1854 28. First temporary bridge ~t. CoWlcil Bluffs and Omaha with first train 29. 4th IA Infantry Camp Kirkwood at CoWlcil Bluffs 1861 · 30. Ors~n e home near Kanesviile and Harrison Street 1853 3 l. Indians skinning a buffalo on t11e plains 32. Jack hunting the cows 33. Kanesville 1849-51 Iooking N from Main Street and F' A 34. Mormon Camp meeting near Parks Mill ust venue 35. Mormon tra· I · 36 M . m ~amp assomg steers preparatory to yoking up · onnons crossing the plai h d 37 0 . h . . ns an carts from Florence 1856 38. p ma a Indi.an Vl.llage on Papillion Creek near Bellevue 1854 . awnee Indian Vlllage so th f PI . 39 s· . c· u o atte River near Fremont 1856 . IOUX 1ty Iowa 1856 40. Steamer Omaha landing Mormons at Florence s rin 185 :~ : ~~! I~ant~ winter q~arters Little Rock AR wi~ter ~864-~ gnst null/S.E. Wick on Mosquito Creek later Parks Mill I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 9 Paintings Intact (1931) as listed by Belle L. Sanford Christ Blessing LittJe Children (Probably at Children's Square) The Vacant Chair (Above two paintings donated to the RLDS Church in Council Bluffs. They are at tJtis time 1997 , ,, Portrait of Mrs. Simons lost .) A Flock of Quail Forest Fire Near Mount Rainier, Washington A Deer Scene in Winter Cows Standing in Stream of Water Portrait of Harry Simons on Horseback Head and Bust of Harry at 17 Trysting Scene Christ Two mountain scenes Head of Logan Fontenelle Head of Alexander Campbell Negro Burial on the Plains Council Bluffs From the Nebraska side of the River Herd of Buffalo View of Bellevue, Nebraska The above were all ex1ant in 1931 and were exhibited in the br 1 . pu tc tbrary at that time. Other Paintings Dodge House - Vie'~ of Council Bluffs (Civil War paintin ?) Crowl Company - View of Council Bluffs g I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 10 List of Sources: l . -----"George Simons, City's First Artist, Had Bright Red Beard-Mrs. Reynolds" Council Bluffs Daily Nonparei I, January 4, 1952. 2 . ----- "Historical Masterpiece is Missing," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, July 27, 1932 3. -----"Joslyn to Exhibit Works of Artist George Simons," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, July 17, 1962. 4. -----Obituary of Mary N. Simons, Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, December 9, 1904. 5. -----"One Straggling Street," (Council Bluffs Public Library Scrapbook). 6. -----"Sketch Book of Value," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, May 25, 1901. 7 . -----"Sketches of early Days in Western Iowa," Counci I Bluffs Daily Nonparei I, September 4, 1904. 8 . -----"Some Rare Pictures," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, July 7, 1893. 9 . Adlow, Dorothy, (No title) Christian Science Monitor, August 23, 196 1. IO. Bishop, Judy, Personal letter to Irene Dawson, 118 Fleming, Council Bluffs IA February 28, 1997. 11 . 1860 United States Federal Census for Pottawattamie County, Iowa. 12. Goosman, Mildred, (Title unknown, clipping in Council Bluffs Public Library scrapbook) 13. Goosman, Mildred, "George Simons: Frontier Artist" Iowan Summer 1962, p. 19-32. 14. Goosman, Mildred, Joslyn Art Museum Commemorative Program, George Simons Exhibit, 1961 , Omaha NE. 15. -----Roster of Iowa Soldiers: War of Rebellion, Volume 3, l 7th-3 l ' 1 Regiments, Iowa General Assembly, p. 1442. 16. Sanford, Belle L. "George Simons," Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, March 22, 193 1. 1 7 . Simons, George, "Diary" . 18. Telpner, Gene "Pioneer Days Preserved in Photostat Sunday World-Herald Magazine, May 26, 1946 19. Turner, Martha M. "In Search of Historic Pictures," Nebraska History, October/ December, 1942. J t,r s~,;~~ts;.~~~;~ ~ ~~~E~~1 ~ ··-= . .... . t::: · ----:: .... . ,-·::-·:-,."?..._ ...... No; Delay ·-. ...,.~ ... ··'- ~ · · t . : ;~~%;J;~~~i~~~~~~~~ ~·· ~-~~t~¥~~~~11;~; _. · ... 'Q'. - . - ·~ -~=-·. ->:.~~ .. ~~""<'" '" ~- .../ .-..;,,- .· .. ,,.~~: ·• ..- ~;«i..: -z;.,-..... . ·:!. ~ i1I:~!~~1J~P~~~!~ ~; '';. ~- ~~·.'- 5~earf:St'fe ei:.-council milus; -1owa~ ,-;;:.:~;A k:" \. -~=~2 ~:~;~ .:!::~:~::~:,:;:::;::::;:; . ~­ -~,.-~ _' ·:. ·. , ... ___ ·- r;::====================== =·=:;:: · ·=·=·=· ·=·=··=··='"='·=·=· ·-~ ===:::;-1 ~ttomed Doa.t ~d · st.lirted out wJth .- ~at •· · · -·· · · · - ···· · • · · · ,_ "' _,._....., · · - · · - · · ·· they. t.ermea ·a.·· :'Pano-rania" of -.'the · ·M:·1s- t:/ Ge6~e-S1mons-:?' 1h~ .. ·NatU:t:-al ~rn .:, .2-2;.:. _.: :;:, ~~~,. sour1 ru v~r.:::..: ::::-:.-3 · .• : ':·::.. '-:-, :. : :_ :·:.,:·· .; .• :·£_e: _./ _-. ·- .. · ....• ··. - . . •• \ \; . . ·-' -.~ ..... r:! :: - i• .. L;·.-. _~.;;':>: - · .• : :-. ,,-."':_ , -:-:_:,.:;__ .O..;:_ _ Art1~4 . an . Hi~ . ~a1nting~ c~ecif11; tu~~~~u~1:~~:'., reTh·~;e.."ho~~ . ·. · ·· · · · - · · ·" · - ·.. · · . · · lasted ·three nights each and ·were well • ,. • . ,_ · · attended. - Simons and his party, . . wltb -.H. -:,. ny paintings and drawings ma.ae oy . ":M.. Dodge,-wbli~ -Tue latt·e; ~ • engagM. H. Fields as musician,· then started out l · George Simons and declared .by tbe old In surveying routes !or varlous proposed lo .tour the towns up e.nd down . the .river .. . · ~!dents o! the cJty .to be -wonde rfully lines of Iowa ra!llvadB.-He accompar.led The .a.ttraetion did not take · vei:y ,.,,en, { accurate, ·both In deta!La~d In. general the 11urveylng parties o! which tne !:'Cri· !or the elm pie reason that every 'town .. pclt'IJPeCtive, have been . preserved to -«Ive era.I. WaJS .in charge, tbroUi'b · :fowa :an~ a!on&' the river wante6 to ·be played -up as ;; to cllliena -o! the present and !uture a. a.cross the · pla!ns o! Nebraska and Col.- tbe· most important point, and ··when· 1l • . - correct Impression or the appearance ot ~ra.do, when the route tor the Union Pa· .did not· appear so In the panorama.. Its / ' Councll Blu.tts In various st:a&"es of 1t11 clflc railroad. was being selected.· and on· .citizens became · disgusted .and . . refuB6<l < e::d.Jltence a.e a 1rontler ·vlllage. The a.o- other earlier .and later trips_ or the same their .Jl!ltronage. '· · •· .·. :,, ;;; • , . ."·-'. ·., : • • ~ companytna"cut hr ~ niproductlon o! · & k!nd._;..: ... ..:,..,_ · ·· -;:- "··-: ·- : : .. : .. -.· ·'Flelil a.ccompanled tne party. from-SIOuX: /. piintlng made by Simons,. which l8 now · During l.806 Simons, accompanied by H. City to S L .. o..epu, from which -point "he i In the ~elon o! Tbe Nonpareil, a.nd H. Fall- and· .. ·thlrd party named Waldo, .r eturned home. The -Others continued "the I· "'!'hlcb hr con.aide~. to jpve 'tbe best and made ·a trip down the ·Mlaaourl::rlver.from trip .duwn · the river, but ·nnally " went t. · moat a.ccura.te Impression o! the Council Sioux Clt:y" to St. LouJa; -elopplng at .and broke~ ·:and stranded · 1n· s: ·11ttle llllnols ·: p1Un'.a o! .1803, -when .the little !rontlei:- vii- mak!ng ~rawlnp or ·every town en -rOute. townM on tbe ba.nk.s · or the l!illsslSBlppl. '"~..: qe ·rooetved tbf:I .cba.rter -which made .Jt When tbe trip wa.s ended, they T'6turned Previous to starting ouC on the- trip down f . _-,_~:-_-..f '-~ .. -~..· . r;,,cy:.·t.~,_ra . .:..I: .a·~,.,"'rn·;;r..:rtj: !/ ?_:_·':'-. '!"- .·. ~- :: to· Council Blul!B and !rom ·tbe dra.wlngB .the-· r!ver- Stnmns · a.nQ · hl:l"J)artners --were _ .. ., ,'" ~ " ..... - · -- and painting-a "1! :the towns and ~he '01Iered .$Z!i()() 1n ··ca.sli for the aeries o! · · .-Simoni! ~a.a ot U.e ~n>e" kuo11"Il .u a. scenes o! .'interest· s.lon&" .the rlTer ··ma.Ce I palnUnp ·by s. comp11.ny -whlcl1 ·J>roposed i · -. "Jµ.tural born artlat." . He came.to Coun- palntlnp.'· When , tbla"·waJS ·completed, -!nLto ts.ke 'the exhibit to th •aat and dll- . ..'1 BltUra u cook .tor Ueneral: Grenvllla l.8S7, they bull~ themselves. <& ..,l&tg'e .. nat, play ·u ·1n·-the bll' cities:' ... ~ ... ~ · ~ · . •• · e- "'~· · ·.l"'lf ...... .... . . .,. _ r:_ .. .. ,.-. • - .. .-..... ..,... . . . :_ . .. o; -. ~ ' -:-- : :;-.. .,·. ·. · • • • • .. -.· -: ·· ·"."' !., ~ ·_,___ -;:. ""===============·· -: ; ttv~; . Biislnw: had. not .i:n~d~ North .Main; and only 'to a. sllgbt' extent Pearl or South Main..: On the latter 'were a tew ·Warehouses, and the livery b8.rn or Mart Robinson, about where the Empk!e 1lard· .-.. c·ouncil Bluffs· 2.·;{ _ _ !!alf Century A~o (Continued ir"om Twenty-third :-Paire.): ware store stand!! -0n the east side, while ·• · · · · · the residence of Dr. ·p , .:I. McMahon -was Councll Blul!s .brul bad .many dlstlnon . the corner- now- occupled by . E. E . ·gulshed v!B1tora, .and.-.11he hail proven herHart's ban le: . _ . .;-· .• - · · . -· ,. sclt ou "tl.ll ·occa!!lons an admirable host; a one-story frame. Goin&' "West "."e come · ·· . 11 E : ·. · hut-:11oxie' o! ·the ·18.ti.er'- day events, !or to .. the d•·nv"·store of '.Finley·. o-~nn the ·. Earliest Brick Houae Str - .. xists. . tree-handed ~d "·Iavisb.'i.expend!ture .to ·..., ......., • . ..A. .little -eouth o! .Fi rat aven.ue· was ·the show her guests e. good. :time at -the ex-· Jewelry store of ~erty &. Beek. drug ld ence o! a Mr. Wttgstal!; -a little brick pense ··or· .the· clty'!I · ·.strong · box· .. have store of Dillon & Doughty, .and we arrive hoWte which 1s a rlval· cllamant t or the di&· equalH!d the occrusloi. in . 1867 ·when two at- tbe ·Pacific "hoUBe. _-.Then come& · the tlncUo.n .or being tJ~ · "flnst .brick hott11e P!U'ties or some 2lO .railroad excursionists I Western StAge .comp1U1Ye offioe with Elias e~ed in ·the city, with the weight ot oacb .;vlslt&d the city as guests -<>! the Seara as ··agent. the bank ot Henn, W u-· •vldene strongly. 'in - Its · tavor: ". It. · still municipality, -the second remalnlng from I llama & Hooten, .and tbe store or B .. B . stands s.nd serves JUI .the law otfice of Saturday morn!ng. till Monda;_ The par- ] Brown. . . ' . · · ··• ::.. , ·~, . • ..... :,,,.>..,... - ;Lindt.:k Schur::t.. ::.;. .... .:.;. · ~:~ ; .::: ... -:..- .- tl<e, ""hlch came ·tn o-1rer the··NorthwestTb!.a wrui .the llmtt or buslne111i"". -cmUl While the residence porUon Is ~tended e.r!l an4 .Jett ·over' the Union :Pa.clt:lc for. la~r. George Parka.·" started .a ·;lumber e:· .JJtUe beyond the llrnlts described, · 1t the- west. included ~ong their number. yard 00 "the ;northwest cornet: ~! Broad~ was -eubst.antlally. bounded bY WaJSh!ng- c:<pllalJHs, 'bankers, _politicians J!.Dd railway. .and Birth street.· . Next we come "to t.oo a venue· on tbe ·north. Frank at.reel· ronC Ir.c'1l. ·~ •. ~: ·:.-';; ~ . ... ..:;-r :" " ·"·- - . the - residences or s. :N ·~Port.unlel-d ·and on the ~ Bloo~r.-· atreel ,-and .. . Fltth J~illl' to. "the' ...a.mount".-o! -$3,000 -were B.1- Thomu Ot!lcer, and · s. tew . ;,ma.U ·-dwell- avenue on the -&0ut):i -and .seventh street ·l<>wed . by -the: 9)ty-eouncn ·to· pay ..for the !ng1, .. and .Broadll!llY der;~ra.tee . Into .<8. ~ ~ west.- ,.. .. .-. .,,,::_ · ; :-::{ .,,:..~ -< ,. . ; . e;tpen.se ,'of en~ert.al.nment ,.gi:ven ··the. '\"lb-:_ crooked trail through a 11ea at .• -.11nowers : ~ before .stated ''.li6 was .the ooom .year. ltore ... &n~ ·· the !act ,.th~t "the · 1ar1:11r ,pora.nd .pra.!rie JITS.SS r or ·-three·=Ues ·to the: .Mone; was plentiful s.nd,, tbeN> -..-as a tlo.n o! this ·went tor :wines, llQuors .and · ~ - large a.mount ·or bulldlng. .Among the· clg-ara, .1.s evidence tha.t -nothing ·was letl brick business hou11et1 ·· built· that ·year undone to ·!nsure· the visitors a pleas>lllt were the Babbitt hall, & three-story build· time. The J>artY :v;:as met at the train log, ·-where Bell &. Son aTe now doing by a la~ delegation or '<llt..i%ens, he-:.ded buslnC91!1:" the -Hagg-: bloak;· two stor.&11: .tbr. ;by Mayor.-Frs.nll: .. .Street. ~ Caroages and Palmer block, tbree stories • .a.nd 'tbe Cit; veblcles -were ·,'Provided· .and ·"the. ·:\1sltorit lillll . . All or these a.re ·standlng ·now ·s.nd were driven .about .. t.he .. clty .. and ·co1m l....,. ~upled except .the -m11L . The finest res!- lmmedlately.-surrounding .. In the evenn':g. aences ·were t.boee' or . B. ·:-St.uusman. -a -public reception. wu . .held .in Burhop _,. corner .o! Pleroe '-And'. :Stutsman ·atreet, hil.11 and a big. supper ,wu provided nl .. ...., . now occulpCd by B a rney··Grab.l, the brick tha Pacific _.bowie, .. Cltlsens open!'d 'tllet.,. ;,-_ .... house or William 'Powers ·on. Broadw~Y· .. houses .. !or·· ·the: -entertalnm~nt · <>! . the I ;,;: :·· between nrst and :Benton; ~ llnQ "that ·of guesLB, .a.nd -no .J;>a.ln.a .ot · s.ny kind. ~re I .. ~. · ·John ·Keller ·Just .south •of "Masonic ·tel'l1·· spar,ed ·to ms..ke ·the vlslt ·a ple=ant on• pie -where ·he .bas llved ·.tor more than a and ma.ll::e a -tavora!blit Impression,'.'>- .~ ·. · hair century · .. •·· - '--· · . . · · · :.ry - h -... ..... - ·. •_, .. ,_. : ' · . . ·'- : ·: I . There weri probabl;,.' ~"(!w"°elUnis built . :. , W at i_~ ·: c~~ ~e Crt~ •. ; ; : .. • during the .. year, a .gi.ea't ·many ot which "The following .are ."t.be blll.e, -cover!~) aN> atlll occupied. The principal contrac· t.he ~nd!turea. tor µie en~ta.1nment ·N tors -were Williams· & Dewe·y, Folsom ·&. - · ·· -~ ·• ·. · · · Mallet;·Hare & Musaer, a.nd a Mr. ·Perno, ca.rpentens, •"With ..John "Hammer. and "M<;· Nama.ra. Bros., muoilB.' ..... , -.· .• ·.: · ~ r: :· '.:·.' ·Miiitary Comp.any. o.";~ni ~ea~ (°_'·' " ·Durlns •the summer: a - bandaomely' nnl· formed mKlt.ary OOl"QJ>B..DY··,..... orsanlsed, . ai.o a bra.as band t.a.uabt., and oondootod by C> ·C. .Kuhn.. Ol· .l .. nnem-ra. o. 1 ;?;•: B.m.lth • .,A>f ~ ~t,--S)'~ .... -- • .. ,; . -•.• !._· ...;, .. .:'-• ( .. -- . . ,-. ,, .. J . . .... .. ~: ' . -~ .. ... , . . ·I .... .,. . . .. ;.. ..... : •• if ... . . . . ·. o• I ' -. ' _,, ... .. -· .:.;, . . ':"' •' -~ :·· .· · .... ; ·-"· . . ... ' . "· ...... . : ..... . : . ! ... - . '·:. ..• ... -- ·- - I I I I I I I I I I I I I ~ I I I I f.~IB~ tfilft : &--: ~ -~ ;h ·i h~~~1:ch:·: ~e rro~ ~i~11?1!::·~ J ·. - 1 ,_ 1 · "' ·:." UFF ---S _I . was not as- pretty and white aJ it h () \J . ..:; --·.:: · ___ ...._, COUNCIL BL . today, but members or the older e~ 1 - : .. ~· . eratlon are .willlng to wager that 1t 1 . <: : rs-· . ~ d e 8 tile Builder, Dl d was Of b etter quallty. ·Wh en m a cle into ! 1 t eveu o.nn r , bl1!ad it 'would no.O lighte n, _ as the I ~ . a -Fen- Dn.y" Ag,o-Go.,-e to l!ll.ll house\\'ife says, so·: we ll as the bre:i.d · . Stree -t tile. "Nome. ( 0 \ now sold by the- ,bak e r. but It had a . ___ ,. '>-'ct / '' 1 1 • sweeter ta s t e and -;ar quantity that in- 1 · · · l ' '!' 1 ' . l deed made lt " the: stall'. or life." , Steven· Saundetf. who died a few No one r ememberS:just when the old I clays ago at Bloom eld at the ripe o ld · mill was torn d o wn :and what hecame . age or 87. built the fi r st mill tha: e v er f or the owner. It is: the evalll ~ oplnoper ated In Cou&ctl Bluffs. This was Ion howe\·er that.. Saunde rs did not In the latt er part of the - "forties," and ow~ t he mili. although neith e r ~fr. on ly a few of the-vkl settlers even 1 e- · Field or Justice Bryant remembe rs .. ; member the existence of the mill. who was the O\\'n~. , : Justice Bryant wa.:s one or _the :;i!· y-~ While this was the fir st mill in th? ~ comei·s to tht c it}:l\s was H. H . l' ield. ! Blufl'.s It was not the ·first In t he county. i Both have been-· here neal"ly ha lt a .: 'I.h e.·Indlans owne-1~ a mlll not:.t heast ! /, ntury. In- th(lse : days the prnsent f: of the ci ty that .'\\:as here whrn the · 1 thriving city wa~ nothing but a small . oldest settler camE!' and was- built , • v illage, being built In the valley be- years before. It .was owned and nper- • tween the hills. · _,. . •. nted by two or thr.ee m e1'Jlb e rs of the The mill built by Saunders stoon atl: Pottawattamles \\'b"i ch werP. sta t i oned '-!' r le -Pvlnt ·about ,w,!}er&.- Se.-e nth-atrce~;f h e r e at tha t. time. ··This mill was Stil: n ow c rosses Mm : s;neet. Fr om It cn me:, standing when the la st vestige of ti:"' l the n l}me of Mill 'stree t, to:Jay one ofj, city mill had disappeared. , the p leasantest r esiden ce streets of the 1 ----·--=----- -<L--.- _,,. I c ity. More than farty yea rs ago the! ·---- / • -- - / f old structure was t orn d own and a )'.<ti .• /~ ( ;: :t; ~ '-t_ ,·? ./ ·' ' cottage stands n early on the former; ' · . '1, .... 1 j ;l , ] site. j ,., ,_.,.,-.; ') _, '.,..·, ......... ' ~' • ' .. . I • I 1-·C. -~ .:,( Built on the style or all the mills of/ 7 · r that period. it h:id a n Imm ense wat er wheel with bucke ts attached whi c h-. caug ht the water as It po ured !rnm the) f,'f, "raee" courioe and r e \·oh-cd with e;c-; i . tr-eme · Irr egularity. It p e 1-f0rmcd tne . 1 w ork necessa ry, however, and lll;e unto '· jJerry, the miller, the man in chargr: ' ~\ always responded to the query of • i:twhe-:i the, grist would be re a dy w ith,' 1 ~ "Never rear but you'll be tolled." · ~J.~J-, In those days much m o re corn mea l• w,, ~,·as used than nowadays. In !act theuat j two burrs of th e mill whic h turnerl !wh :I out meal were m 9 r e In d e m a nd than lh I the slng lP. one which made the flour. _1 1 On ly In a few of the extreme rura l dls1 gr 'J trlcts Is the lJUrr -s:;stcm still It! 11 ~.; ~ .the immense ftlnt . stones having gi\·en ~'I· · \ 'ay to the roll<! r proC'ess. which is ru ~ ~uch quicker way ot turning out roc>.J] ;y'- ~Pr~'l..ffic:ul'f a nd."considcred be tte r by the mil f . rs - or tne prefent g e n e ration. 1• (,.,The wat er by which the mill was run came from Indian c ree k, being turned1 l.n"te the coui·se where· B enton street! now c rosse:i thec re a lc. The co111·se ex-1 i:e.hde(I down Wnshlngton ave n ue and · turned at the place whel'e th2 W-a. 3hJngton. avenue sch ool Is located. Durln8'- the dry "\veather In the s ummer the oreek "some times r efused to furnish a n ad~quafe s u pply Of 'Wat e r and then . ft " · I ' b ecame necessary to stop worlt~ The ~,~~ t patrons knew or these times, howe ver, ~ ~a:: when the water w~s high us:.ially °PJb~ . t oolc ·a .!at:K.e_ .i::rh.t .tQ...!>e irrounuo that _____.._ -~ • p~ - Io.>••• :::.... 9 • .~• - - ·--._...__,:_ ' I J_ I I J ( '-'--- ' - - - By Gene Telpner P,IONEER days in I owa and Nebraska as seen by an early day artist-photographer are being preserved in photostat by the County Recorder's office in C o u n c 11 Bluffs. A book o( drawings, "Frontier Sketches," by George Simons, ls being thus preserved for posterity at the request of the Council Bluffs Public Library, in whose vault is stored the original volume, fragile and dog-eared. Only one copy of the book was ever made. Mr. Simons, the artist, came to Council Bluffs with Gen. G1·enville Dodge, some say as a surveyor for the Rock Island Railroad. Later records classify Mr. Simons as a cook with artis- tic ability. But whatever his true calling, Mr. Simons' skill at the drawing board has passed on to posterity valuable historical data . The book of 35 drawings was done at the request of Nathan P. Dodge, brother of General Dodge, and the subject ma tter of several of the sketches is the Dodge fam- ily itself. The dwelling of Gen- • eral Dodge, for example, formerly located on Pierce Street in Coun - cil Bluffs. The hou~e was originally built in St Louis, Mo. Jn· 18.'56 it was loaded on a steamboat a nd shipped to Council BluHs and reassem- bled. It was the talk oI the town, since it was the first frame dwell- ing ever to be seen by many of the r esidents. Mr. Simons' draw- ing depicts Nathan Dodge and his wife before starting on their wed- ding trip in September, 1864. The carriage, drawn up before the house, awaits the young couple framed in the doorway. There are other equally inter- esting scenes of pioneer days: The Kancsville (Council Bluffs) of 1849 with its single, straggling street that is today's Broadway, emigrant tmins, Indians. The first claim cabin in Ne- braska erected by Daniel Norton in 1853 somewhere between Oma· ha and Bellevue. 'The steamer Omaha landing Mormons al Florence, Neb., in 1854. The first temporary railroad .. Mormons debark ing from the ' bridge across the Missouri be- tween Omaha and Council Bluffs. The sketch, done on December 26, 1867, shows th<! first train, be- lieved to be on the Union Pacific Railroad, 1 which was Ale-Sar-Ben The Oce. 1858 the M . I } - - 'iJ s Preserved in Photostf}t 1 i£!1f. ' ' Steamer Oma.ha at Florence, N eh., in 1854 ••• the majority headed west. :rossing the bridge, south of the present structure. an Wave Saloon - in onte Carlo of the west ' . -which stood on the present site are reproduced on this page. o! Broadway Methodist Church in Photostat copies are to be availCouncil Bluffs. able for public reference in tli9 Some of the Simons sketches Council Bluffs Library. ·-.. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = - - I I U,_ f\A ., f\ o. , S · I 1 •·• ' ! JC .. .... 0 : ! I ' /u I ·T I . . I I • • . . OPENS. FALL SERIES. - I . " ~ I i- . I T.roop No. 22 ~~rtcd · ·the . ·fal series of- meetings , \.vi th ! a! Jou bang. "'Ne· met .at lthe Longtello school at 7:30 · p. 1 m. ·Friday. ,T\\rcn ty-eight. S .couts line~ up jto the cal of ':assembly'\ \.Vhile the ·: color pa..c;sed in rc\ri ew, ' \To the ~olors \vas played by Bob ~en. \V hnd n.n inspection. ut we couldn' find a particle of dirt on i any on Thry \ycre prepa~cd. · . I. . \Ve then sent thc lpatrols to the1 r espective corners to · check up th due~ B..IJd in t rod uce ' the new ni'em be . · Ten minutes] la .ter' w,o l)ncc up · to hear th .c pl~s:. or .. the nex three months' prdgram,: which wa g-lvcn by S coutmaster Phil I :Moe The two color guards were chose to whom the school flag !· is· . . in trusted. Fr~d Unning arid ' Bur Starr r ec 'el v ec;I the ' hqnornrY posi tlon s. It was atiout time · for t short game. ul ls ~ye was elcctcr and _,some of you fellows kn mv, h o v, the game is played. \Ve11 l et rn< tell you confidentially, th ~r . wer a few bullscyes made with muc damage. · , . I . 1 This was the -first of a series o· \ meeting with prominent m en a , speakers. It see med altog cthe' fitting and proper 'to have . L. C Haugness, our Scout e xecutiv e, a ; our first speaker.. I He gave ~ some of his experiences as la Scou: during the war. I 1 Some ~opl think the Scouts didn't do. much tc. win· the war butl we were shO\\'n that· they did do \ ·ecy mucll fo r the cause on this side of the At - lantic. v tr. "t..taus;;"Iles.~ stat'f>d t~ II T WENTY-TWO-C. SUNDAY WORLD-HERALD MAGAZINE t .. )+,j - fi,J ~ j -Z, C., I tqlf{p - ~-~~-~-~-~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~-~~~~ ~-~ -~~---~~-~~~--~~- ------------~~~~~- "'-..... pm ::R~ ~: ~~~:e:nd Ne- Pioneer Days Preserved in Photostat l.i I braska as seen by an early day artist-photographer are being preser ved in photostat by the County Recorder's office in C o u n c i I Bluffs. A book of drawings, "Frontier Sketches," by George Simons, is b eing thus preserved for posterity at the request of the Council Bluffs Public Libra ry, in whose vault is stored the original volume, fragile and dog-eared. Only one copy of t he book was ever made. Mr. Simons, the art- ist, came to Council Bluffs with Gen. Grenville Dodge, some say as a surveyor for the Rock Isla nd Ra ilroad. Later records classify Mr. Simons as a cook wit h artis- tic ability. But whatever his true calling, Mr. Simons' skill at t he drawing board has passed on to 1 posterity valuable historical data. "" The book of 35 drawings was done at the request of Nathan P. Dodge, brother of General Dodge, a nd the subject matter of several or t he sketches is the Dodge fam- ily itself. The dwelling of Gen- . e ral Dodge. for example, formerly located on Pierce Street in Council Bluffs. ( / The h ouse was originally built i n St Louis, Mo. In 1856 it·was loaded on a steamboat and shipped to Council Bluffs and reassem- bled. It was the t alk o-f the town, since it was the first frame dwelling eve!" to be seen by many of the residents. Mr. Simons' draw- ing depicts Na than Dodge a nd his wife before starting on their wed- • ding trip in September, 1864. T he caniage. drawn up before t he house, awa its the young couple J/ framed in the doorway. There a re other equally inter- esting scenes of pioneer days: The Kanesville (Council Bluffs) or 1849 wilh its single, straggling • street: that is today's Br oadway, emigrant trains, Indians. / _ __...._ _________ ~--· , ,, ·1 f ~ ~ ~ The first claim cabin in Nebraska e rected by Dnriie l Norton in 1853 somewhere between Oma - Mormons debarking from the Steame 1· Omaha at Florence, Neb., in 1854 • •• t he majority h eaded west. ha and Bellevue. The steamer Omaha la nding Mormons at F lorence, Neb., in 1851. The first temporary ra ilroad bridge across t he Missouri be- tween Omaha and Council Bluffs. The sketch, done on December 26, 1867, shows the first train, be- lieved to be on the Union Pacific Railroad, crossing the bridge. which was south of the present Ak-Sar-Ben structure. The Ocean Wa\'e Saloon - in 1858 the Monte Ca rlo of the west -which stood on the present site of Broadway Methodist Church in Council Bluffs. Some of the Simons sketches are reproduced on this page. Photostat copies are to be available for public reference in t he Council Bluffs Library. .. Gen. Gremrille Dodge sle1>t here •. . located on Pierce Street in Council Bluff~, it was the first frame house in the city. Council Bluffs nearly a. century ago when it was known as Kanes\ille ••• Broad- way straggled even then. • -..... ·-~- First temporary span between Omaha and Council Bluffs across the Missouri • • , no tolt.-. or a.ch'ertising. Nebraska's first claim cabin erecW in 1853 by Daniel No1·ton ••• It was located between Omaha and Bellevue. · • . ' •t t'• •• .... , .. .. ~ ---·-· ·- - -. - :.: ·:-;;- ~~;;: ~~~,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~4;~~~§§tj~~~ffe~:§1 ~~~+== -§~~~~~~. ==~;:-·.~~~- ~: 1!· ~.f:';# .. ~ .. ~~ ·~:-,:~'. h _· ·~ - . ·t-- - -·--·.-- -L----- - ~ - -- ·-- -.· -- ··.·-· .. : ~ . - .. ..;.;..:i..:..::.:..::....L:.~-; ~ ... -..--- ,--.-· i --.::.:-.-. T- · - --··-··- ·,· ~ - -:.::=.. ~·- ; -· _ .. ,_ • - .·_;__ .. _l :....::. :.:'..:. L .... . _ .... -..1'\·, ,,_.,;1\. -: "l-:.. .~ .. ;,,_• ..... ;-.. - .. ! .. l·.,J;. ._ ,,.,:. .. ... . .. .. h !::."-':..tJ ' . .A. • . . --. ' "-- ·~ · - ~ . r . --- 1 - · . . r :. . __ ......_ ----.- .. \ /' •· 1... .. • I ' · \ ·g ~ GroRG!! SI MONS pi:i.i!ltings Pioneer Artist of Counci l Bluffs, Left !a~ly-DaY 'Nhicb Have Great Histor:c Value. (by Belle 1 . Sanford) (Konpareil, March 22, 1931) ~ed George S~ ns , If a certain reedium-sized, sandy-comple~ioned man ra-cted to un~i l ttith honest blue eyes and a red beard had not been att -~ d to the city would • l~t~J.Jt:> Bluffs, cuch of rare pictorial and historical value r e have ce6n lost. d pot made, Simons Of that intuitive , ar.tistic ta.lent wi:ich is born a.Jl ~r-.l.e artist can do . ma.de a~~ drew. and painted the scenes about hin. as only~ fille design, his For a number of years, like good old walnut furniture c • work seemed to be al!!.ost forgotten. n 1926 , hundreds 1.lhen, however , ti1e new Hotel C~ieftain "!8-s opened .i e 51toons •s paintings of people flocked to the Pioneer Room, where , from Geol g w pioneering sc enes Grant ~Vood of Cedar Rapids had reproduced in enlarged fo~ wa.s awakened in of Council Bluffs, covering two walls, and a new interes the work of the early day artist. btrusive nan who George Simons was described as a quiet , modest, unod no matter what never pushed hio way into notice ; pleasant , likeable, atla'a gentleman . the stress of times or circumstance , alw~s courteous an girls all but Twice marr ied , he had eight children, five boys ar.d three ·ears ~n East three of whom died in infancy. His home was for seve ld~ vith his paintings Broadway, near Frank Street, where he had a studio fille \ 0 Cooked for ·G. M. Dodge . 2 ia34, and came to Simons was born at Streator, Illinois, on Jan. 2 • e a s a cook with Council J3 lu.ffs when a young fellow. It is said that he c~ of the rightGrenville M. Dodge , who with his party nade a survey in 1 t r th R ck of-r.a.y for thL 'ississipui and MissotU': river railroad , l a e eli 0 t~~ - h re ea1· er .ua.n Island railroad. It secl!lS , however, likely that he was e bl t . that. The young man was ingenious and had a knack of being a e • 0 repair guno , locks or anything else that needed repairs. He bad a repair shop for a tioe. As a boy in school, like many another youthfu.l artist , he covered everything with sketches--facos, figures, houees--and his t eachers scolded him - for it. At home he did the same thing. Young Siuon arrived h<" r e Yihlle the bluf.Ls and hills were in their virgin state, green and beautiful , toweri~ abov& the natural highway l eading toward the western plains. The natural beauty of the place appealed to his artistic eyes. The liv~Jlt;;. picturesque panoraJIB of i:any moving people; of the colorful Pawnee Ir.di·ms who came over from Nebraska for their governmer.t pay, spent ten or tw lve clays, fumced in front of the store ; the determined . ·.:. . : . . . -. -_ -::· :: ... '. ::- :_~ ·_-= ~ . -- - - - -- - .:. - -- - -2- gol d hunters on their way to Cali for nia.; the t'ormons from Nauvoo , Ill. ; the Pike 's pe<ikcrs bound for Colorado; the Gteady- going home seeker--ail traveling onward and westward, presented innumerable scenes to the artist of pencil and brush. Simons artistically painted emi grant wagon scenes-- the scenes of the ' 50s and 60~, the homes and bus5ness places of the early days and t he l andGcape with them. He painted a frieze for the Burhop Opera house , then opposit e the Ogden house ; a frieze f or Babitt•s hall, which is c t i l l standing, nea r First street and the scenerj for the Doheney Opera House . He painted signs for the fast-growing town. Simons also had enthusiasti c classes i n painting. Portraits and pic tures of differ ent kinds we re painted by Simons--home s cenes , wild life , re l igious, mountain and camp life and I ndian tepes. Said his daughter , Mrs. E. W. Reynol ds of Council Bluffs, 11 I used to be anxiouei t o know what he was going to paint next . There was always the marking off of s quares on the canvas and so much pr epar a tory work before he began the r eal pictur e . He u~ed fine canvas. 11 Served in Civil War I n April, 1862, George Simons enlist ed in Company B, 29th Iowa. Volunt eers, under Captain Andress and Col. Frederick St eel e. He was mustered in at Davenport , Io\'18., and was di scharged in pt n.ber, 1864, at Ne\v Orleans , La.. He was luter granted a pension. He belonged to the G.A.R. post No. 181, Long· Beach, California. Re iied at Long Bea.ch Oct . 7, 1917, and was buried in the soldiers ' plot at Sunnyside cemet ery. Before going to Long Beach he l ived for a time at Logan, I owa. Many times Mr. Simons crossed t te plains and obtained sketches which were lat er developed into paintings. A local pa.per said: 11His services to General Dodge we re ve~J valuable owing to the fact that he was one of nature 's artists and any part of the r oute trave rsed was indel i bl y phot egraphed in i;hc mind of Mr. Simons , who could sit down and sketch it at a omen s noti ce, almost true to nature; 11 also, "A few weeks ago he sketched a book of these old scenes in an~ around Council Bluffs and also of the important scenes connected with t he general's route through the west with his surveying parties . These sent to t he general and no m:mey could buy t l:em. 11 Sketchbook Comes to Light A beautiful and highly-prized ske tchbook of pencil drawings done by SiU1ons has recently come to light . I t was carefully preserved by N. P. Dodge , whose name a ppears stamped on the cove r, and in it are portrayed many phases of outdoor western life such as camps, wigwams, Indians and scenes along the Union Pacific railroad during its construction in the 1sos. 'l'he books , now in the public library as a Dodge bequest , is eliciting much praise and admiration from those who h8.vo seen the sketches. It is thought to be the same sketcheo which was given to General Dodge about 1892 by Mr. Simons. - At that time it was stated, 11 Mr. Simons' paintings and sketches will be more -3- appreciated by the 1 JUblic thEi better it beco!llcs acquainted ·.Tith them. Some of them are souvenirs of the early days whic:O will be preserved for centuries and l ong after the present e;eneration h..>.s ceased to exist. Some day they will be purc!la.sed and msp1 umual~ placed in the private libraI"J rooms of Council Bluffs 11 • One vast gar den Qf i.:r.flowers sketched from Eighth street to the Missouri ri ver. Many a..:i earl y resident r..as described that t a rritot-y of the west side of Council Bluffs in the 150s . A stagecoach dram ... by four horses run bet ween Kansevill e (Counci l Bluffs) and St. Joseph, Mo . , weekly , wit h mail and passengers. Steamers piled thC'! i.icsouri river between Council Bl u:ffs and St . Josepp. It require6.. t en weeks, mo r e or loss, to . n:ake a trip to Salt Lake City and cost $10 a hundred po"W'.ds t o freight goods to the same point . Mail fac i lities from the west were evidently exceedingly limit ed. Orson Hyde, Mormon editor of the Frontier Guardian , in 1850 disappointedly said: 11 1: en ba.ve come tilrough by expr ess from Salt Lake and left the mail to come by oxen. 11 Most of the buildings of the Morruon occupation (1848-52) were constructed of logs. Seve ral of such u.ppt: a r il: Simons 1 ea rl y p·:ctures. A fire in the business section, which cer. :cred at Fi rst stree t and Broad\"JaY in 1853, destroyed many of these bu ilding , which were quickly replaced. A fire the next year de o~~ d t hese and part of them e~e rebuilt of brick. At this time nearly all the homes and busi~ ss b~ildi ngs were located in the valley , along, or in close proximity to :Broadway on t hP Pioneer trail. Pioneer residents reflectively point to the old amilia~ landmarks of their heritage of a frontier town in Simons ' paintings. Old Land.rrarks are Gone The Mormon log tabernacle, whose government rule Kanesville for four years, on the site of the present Christian Science Church, disappeared after the departure of its leader, Elder nyde , for Salt Lake valley. The Ocean .'lave saloon at. the corner of Broadway and Pi rst s treet , famous as far as California, where 11 there was always a fight going on and women and girls went around , 11 a very wot a.nd wicked spot , indicated by Simons in his painting of 1853, ended its wavy career when it was struck by lightni ng and burned in 1863. It has been supplanted by two Methodist churches, n~ succeeding the other. An.other prominent landmark, designa ted as tho City hotel , has since h:.td two successive Ogden houses on the co r of roadw~ and Park Avenue. The Congregational log mission of 1852, on Broadway near Glen avenue , has been transplanted , as a church three or four simes to its preseLt location on First avenue. The old Pacific house , constructed in 1852 and distinguished late: by Albrha.m Lincoln's sojourn, disappeared long ago to make wa:y for Henry Eiseman and company wholesale and retail clothing store, now known as Beno's department store, front i:ug Pearl Street. The old blockhouse and fort, built in 1837-8, indica ed y Simons as on Ea.st Pie rce stree t, was de11olished al>out 1857 and r.iade way later for the large brick home of the John Clausen family. Views of East Broadway and First a Lreet and a more extensive view to tne ~ee' a,pear on ~imons• ~vases. -4- (}eor gs Simons pa.l.lltt::a. a. numbei· of l~rge-s iz a. ca.nvas1:is. '1'....e Uouncil .Bllrt'IS scene of 1853, 'One oi' the la.rgPs i; a!ld. consider ea. v e1•y authentic, a. lOWl f rom 11U:.1i.:1e Hanry" De.Lollb, hangs in tne fu rry G • . Growl o ffice on Broauwa_y . Three Kanesvtlle sc n~o o! tue 1 50s a~ng in the puolic libra ry; a stialler picture of 18-%9 is in t he M. F. Rohrer offi ce. ~ ~o ~ of it, a mui.:u larger canvas, painted by Henry Jensen, a Uane, in 190t>-- f1ft y-seven ye rs l a ter, with s ome changes in thb bluffs, hangs i n the same office • .t:'Qintine;s sti ll Intact Simons' paintings of other suhjects a r e scattered here and there • .Among those known is that of 11Christ Blessing Little Children, 11 in softly blended tones, treated in a~1 original way, which is ovmed by the Artist's daughter, Mrs. E. W. Reynolds of Council Blu:fs. She has, also, a domestic scene , 11 The Vacant Chair, n done in soft shades of brown. Mrs. Reynold 1 s b rotb.er, Pearl Sioons of Logan, Iowa , has a po::.·trai t of his mo t her and a painting, 11A Flock of Quails. 11 Another broth~r , Harry N. Simons of Long :aeach , Ca lif. , has r eserved several of Ms father 1 s canvases- - the original 11Forest Fi r e Near Mount Ranier, ~7a.sh.:.ngton, 11 11 ~ Deer Scene in 'Jinte r , 11 11Gows Standing in Sliream ot· Wac;er, " 11A PonrA.i t 01· Harry ::Simons on rtorseba i.:.1.<:11 ana 11 rtftau anci .Hust ~I ttarr,y.. " l r. Mrs. Lawrence Turner of Oma.ha, a granddaughte1', has one of Simons ' paintings , a pastoral scene, for which she declares she 11Woul dn 1t take a million dollars. 11 A picture called 11The Trysting Scene11 \las presented by Mr. Simons nany years ago t o the Christian Home, likewise a picture of Christ. A frienu ci lwons , LRroy u . Brown, nas a co lect o~ or ten paintings quire~ herore the a rtist left Logan, it was recently discover ed. The collec tion includes two mountain scenes, a head of Logan Fontenell e , one of Al exander Campbell , one of a Negro, a burial on the plains, a Council Bluffs scene from the Nebraska side , a Sioux City vieu from the river, a herd of Buffalo and a v.i c'I': of Bellevue , nebr. This collec tion of ten paint ings will be shO\'m in connection with the exhibit of painttngs by living , l ocal artists held in cooperation with t he Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs, March 27-29 , at the Public Library. George Simons never b ecame wealthy - far frorr. it, like many another artist - yet his works Uve after him. George Simons left a wortey memorial in his contribution to art and to histo~r . (Nonpareil Uai·ch 22 , 1931) S7 ( ) - . , Historical Maste rpiece iB: Missing Simons' Jluge Canvas Showing Road to "Denve 1· ~st'~ City" Cannot Be Found. , ~ , , Poss ibly lost to a1·t and his - tion tou rs ~\'as H . H. Fields, who is tory is a p ain ting of i n calculable believed to ha ve been a showman h istorical v a lue, w hich was coo- and a reside nt of Co uncil Bluffs. ceived and execut ed in Council Untaught as an artist, Simo ns Bluffs in t he 1860's. exhibited a rare native skill a nd The work is by t he p rolific fron- pa instaking regard for detail in his Uer arti st, Geo rge Simons, who wo r k. Dozens of his canvases are conduct ed an art school in Council still In this city being preserved Bluffs when he tired 6f depicting by the older resident.Ii. Groupi; of scenes or his day. them are Intact at the local resi- Reported in newspaper accounts denre of the Grenville ¥· g~ of the day, t he paintings a re said tarnuy. to have been spread on 10,000 feet But the lengthy picture-story ot ot canvas. t he freighter trail from Council Depicting the trail from Council Bluffs to Denver cannot be found. Bluffs to "De n ver City," Simons It Is possib le the.t some of the created a historical masterpiece older residents may give a clue which would be of value today, ln to its removal from Council Bluffs. the opinion of me m bers of the The Nonpareil will be glad to r e - I o wa State Historical society. ceive word, at its editorial depart- Simons made no secret of his ment. of t his great work. The f,'igantlc effo r t. Reco rds s how t h at p ainti ng sets out h undreds of be exhibited ev ery toot of the can- scenes on the o ld fre ighter tr a il. It v'as In Council B l u ! !s and Oma ha must not be con fused with Simons• n nd even to ured w i th It to r iver "Panorama of the Missouri Rive r," towns, charging ao much for admis- another canvas ot historical value. slon to the bo on the In t erior That pa norama also has been lost walls of wh ich e work v. ·as p ung. and wo rd ot it also will be v ery Simons' part e"thibl· • wolcl"n:e. · I ---·- ····" J The landscapes have pleasing compositions within the framework of rigid adherence to the actual contours. While he sometimes misses the correct date by a year in his reminiscences, his visual memory for details is always accurate according to early newspaper a rticles which quote the comments of old settlers. It is this characteristic trait that makes Simons so important as a source, especia lly for the fifties, before exterior photographs are available. His pictures show the details of everyday life as he knew it - the clearing of t imberland, the outdoor cooking p ot, the guns and pipes of the men, the shawls of the women. The new art of photography was limited at first principally to portraiture, and hence early views made by George Simons a re the earliest record of Council Bluffs and the new settlement of Omaha across the M issouri River. In 1867 William H em y J ackson, the noted photographer of the grandeur of the West a nd of the building of the Union Pacific Ra ilroad, settled in Oma ha for a few years. H e photographed ma ny scenes and houses, but it is chiefly through the sketches and paintings of George Simons that we have a visual record of the hills, the log cabins, the river and the steamboats as they appeared in the fifties. Although the Civil War was well documented by camera, the first generation of news photographers followed the generals a nd the key battles. By far the greater number of illustrations of the War were ri1ade by staff artists of the weekly magazines publishing line engravings based on d rawings. Evidently Simons never had a commercia l ou tlet for his work and his tightly drawn scenes with minute details of the forts and barracks were done for his own record only. H is interest extended to a ll the arts, with a specia l flair for the theater. One of his early enterprises was a theater in Council Bluffs which he operated for six months in 1858. l n the late eighties, he went to Washington State to fi nd jobs pain ting stage scenery. He mentions declining Lo leave the wagon train at Salt Lake City in 1861 for a slop-over Lo paint stage scenery for Brigham Young. H is creations adorned theaters in the Iowa towns of Glenwood, Neola and Council 13luITs. A resident still living in Neola remembers seeing his signature on the curtain of the Opera House there. All these haye long since disappeared, as have his rolled panoramic views of the Missouri River from Sioux City lo St. Louis and of the trail of the gold fields from Omaha lo Denver. Other lost paintings are a Portrait of Chi<'f Sitting Bull said to have been painted from life, 'l'he Trysting Place, The Resurrection, Christ and the Little Children and a Portra.it of Mrs. J . B. Tabor. T hese a re menLioned in the scrapbook of newspaper clippings, as is a five-legged calf whose owner had commissioned George Simons as a tax idermist a nd was considering having a p icLure painted. llis pa intings a re usually n ot signed, so there are probably many still in existence, but unident ified. A letter from a brother in Keokuk, Iowa, written in 1865, asks George " to make three or four of the nicest parlor pictures you ca n" to be hung in his new home. If painted, these have not so far been found . H is work brought little fame or financial rewards. Perhaps this was not really his chief interest. Not an empire builder, not a seeker of personal power, not quite a carbon copy of the thousands of pioneers who came West seeking farmland for permanent homes or opportunities for la rge profits, yeL his life reflects Lhe forces that were shaping America. As A Po ET AN D w R r T 8 R ,George Simons reveals Lhe perceptiveness of an artist more clearly than in his liLeral drawings and painlings. His prose descriptions show a sensitive awareness lo Lhe beauLies of nature and his comments on the misery of the War are expressed with unabashed compassion. 67 - Writings by him which have come to light include the Civil War diary, three autobiographical naratives and verses composed for ,·arious occasions. Actually, there is more poetry in his prose than in the verses which express appropriale sentiments of the period. His various interests are brought oul through the subje~t maller of the clippings in the scrapbook. They cover natural history, American history, and scientific and pseudo-scientific investigations. A brief article signed "G.S." mentions using using a telescope to scan the stars and he carried fi eld glasses with him during the War. Clipped and pasted in the scrapbook, (made from Coe's Drawing Book of La11dscave, Foliage, etc, published in 1852), are numerous poems by various authors. Some a re unidentified, and a few are credited "G. Simons" or "G.S." Two of the poems quoted commemorate his departed wife, Emeline. The first appeared with the announcement of the birth of a grandson. THE OLD ORGAN The organ now is closed, I hear the sound no more Of the children's merry voices, I used to hear of yore. The soft and nimble fingers That once danced o'er the key Are playing with a baby That's sitting on their knee. They think no more of music, Nor sing their songs, ha, ha, Their thoughts are on the baby, Now come and se Pa Pa. I guess I'll sell the organ, Though I hate to like the deuce. As I have no one to play it It's of no further use. So farewell to the organ. The baby takes your place, J ust hear its merry music, As the tea rs roll down its face. G. Si111011s MOTHER'S GONE They smoothed her hair and closed her eyelids. Her bedside wet with tears that fall. With a smile upon her features, She hath answered to the call. Let the children kiss her gently. As she lies upon her bed, God hath called her to his bosom Now my loving wife is dead, Sad and lonely now I linger, Wit h my children hovering Mourning for a loving mother That lies sleeping in the ground. G. Simons STAR OF TH E TWILIGHT Star of the twilight, beautiful star, Gladly I hail thee, shining afar; Rest from your labors, children of toil, Night closes o'er thee, rest ye awhile; This is the greeting, signalled afar, Star of t he twilight, beautiful star, Star of t he twilight, beautiful star. Eagerly watching, \~aili g for thee, Looks the lone sentmel, o'er the dark lea, Soon as thou s hinest, soft on the air, Dorne by the night breeze, lloateth his prayer. Watch o'er him kindly, hence from afar Light t hou his path way, beautiful star' 8tar of the twlight, beautiful star. ' Star of the twilight, beautiful star, Gladly I hail thee, in heaven so far, Guirle the poor soldier, children so brave Rushing to battle, the union to save. ' Watch o'er them kindly, then from afar Light you their pathway, beautiful star'- Star of the twilight, beautiful star. Star of the twilight, beautiful star, Gladly I hail thee, shining afar; Rest from your Loil, soldier of battle, Rest for the night, from musketry's rattle Sleeping in peace, from loved ones afar,' Watch o'er them gently, beautiful star, Star of the twilight, beautiful star. Although having little formal education, he had an observing mind, an interest in the world around him, and an apprecia tion of what he observed. As A P I o NEE R, Simons witnessed a period in the history of our country that spanned the opening of Lhe West to settlers to the time when the frontier had disappeared. He prospected for gold in Colorado. hunted buffalo wilh the Indians and traveled the Oregon Trail to California wilh his wife. While the great push of migration was always weslward, traffic could and did move both ways, and Simons was one of those who did not find a permanent home in the Far West until 1909 when he moved to Long Beach. In spite of many trips away, both before and after his marriage in 1857, Simons always retmned to the banks of t he Missouri. He had first come to Council Bluffs in 1853, just when prospects for a trans-continental railroad reversed the national government's policy of leaving lands west of the Missouri as the domain of J I .. the various Indian tribes. On the west bank Peter Sarpy's trading post and the Presbyterian Mission made the village of Bellevue an important site. Independent squatters were already an ticipating the establishment of the new town of Omaha that sprang up as the capitol city when Nebraska Territory was formally established in 1854. The Indians were removed to their reservation in northern Nebraska. Simons had crossed Iowa as a member of the railroad survey party led by Grenville M. Dodge, later a Civil War General and the chief engineer for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad from Omaha lo Promontory Point. Simons called Council Illuffs home for over fifty years, although at times he and his family were actually living in the area of Missouri Valley, Neola and Logan. His boyhood is obscure. He evidently was born in Canada and lived with his parents in Streator, lllinois. Streator is in LaSalle County where the Dodge family also lived before coming to Council Bluffs. He is listed in the Council Illuffs' city directories off and on from the earliest volume of 18G8 through 1865, as a pain ter, portrait painter, and briefly in 1891-2 as a gunsmith and locksmith. His parents and others of the family moved to Council Bluffs at a n unknown time. George was married in 1857 to Miss Emeline Clough whose family had come to Council Bluffs from Ohio. T hree sons and two daughters were born. He was widowed at the age of fifty, but later ma rried aga in. Evidently the responsibilities of family life did not prevent him from further expeditions away from home, but an exact chronology of his activities is not complete. The following from his Civil War diary and E:!Xcerpts from his several hand-written narratives tell in his own words his memories and experiences as a soldier, a painter and a pioneer. MILDRED GOOSMAN A ssociate Curator T H E D I A n. Y is written in ink on the ruled blank pages of a hard cover notebook 7x8x3 / 8 inches. Or.iginal page numbers of the diary are $el between diagonals. 'l'HE 'l'EXT is reproduced exactly as S imons wrote it, with no changes in his phonetic spelling. 'l'his was not done to belittle his achievement but rather to contrast his lack of f ormal schooling with his native intelligence and alert observations. ED IT o R I AL NOTES in italics are k ept to the minimum and corrected spelling is not inserted if the meaning is clear. nl/ It was on a bright morning and on t he 6th of April 1864, that I left my home lo join the army to put <low the great southern rebellion. After a kiss from my little boy of four years old then one from an infant that lay sleeping in its carriage turning to my wife to receive her blessing a nd pressing her to my bussom perhaps for the last t ime her cheek layed against my own I felt Lhe hot tears drop on my cheek, I bi<l her kee p up a cheerful heart. It was like parting seem- ingly forever but I hoped not I tutched her qurivcring lips to mine Lhen releasing our embrace bad the sad word adue then passed out of the dor to join Lhe company tha t were wating for me. I was soon seete<l in a coach a nd rolling /2/ broad way [Broadway, Main street of Council Bluffs] as I pased a cross street I strained my eyes to get the last glimps of the liLLle cabin that was to shelter my family <luring my absents I caught a glimps of one corner as I pased by the very Jogs seemed to meet my eye with the expresion I'll sheeld them from ha rm while you are absent. Jn a few howers I was rolling a head through a broad prairie now a nd then meeLing an emegrant bound for Ida ho, a flcr a days travel we ha iled at a Hotel! in grove city sixLy miles from the J31u~ After a nights sleep on Lhe bare flore we took ou ·eakfast with ~ H_~e milk Lhe land lord was kind enough to give t~ This .. ·"---<Z> was the first rashions I have ever had delt out to me ever mourn ins apearance lo the scene. While walking by uncJ~un which consisted of bread, meet and around on the east sid my eyes caught site of these · coffee. IJWe again resumed our seets in the coach and word "union must and shall be perserved." the word was soon rolling on towarge the mississippi river union was partly cut out by som mirserible rebble. after puling through the mud and walking / 3/ half [A11drew Jackson was the seventh president. He was of the time for three days we reached Fort Desmoins buried at Nashville. The only record found of a staute the captal of lo~We halted at the Blodget house snch as George Simons describes is at New Orlea11s. just as the sun was tutching the purple out line of the Since this ]Jart of tlie diar71 is describing a vast e~e.nt, distant forest and raged hills after a warm meal we the ass1111171tion 111ay be that he confused the two cities. w.ere ready for the night's ric!E'in ·an open wagon it He also 111ay have taken for granted tliat the iron fence being to muddy to run the coach. in this wagon er~osecl a 17rave]. · w.ere ixteen o! us stowed away. After wridi~g a 'i I reLurned to the rest of my company who were about night m the ram and cold we anved at Gernell m the o ake the steamer Lancaster No. 4 after a days run m~cning. Then taking the cars we ware soon hurled we la nded at Helena [Arka11sas1 frwas induced to take on' by the iron horse through Iowa City and thence a slrowle over the battle field, y blood chilled in my to Davenport.· We were marched from the depot to vanes when I saw the rebbles and union graves, some _,.Camp McClelon. Our sargent then · ordered supper / 7 I were partly oncovered, the flesh mostly gon now • 1 r.f ~ for us, it was soon e~dy and soo1~ eaten. .Yes, we ~d the~ a decayed lo~k of ha~· . this is the work. of J · soon cleared the bountiful table of its luctunes, such d1struct1ve muscut and canon · . After another nde as hard tack, beans, coffee and salt horse and sow down the river, we landed at C ie islqnd N . 63 to take ~ey. after supper we were taken to our quarlers in wood on this island in a colleny of Negrows just_ and laid up for / 4/ niglir\ I was woken up early in freed from bonch1Je negrows soldiers are stationed the morning by the raLlle~ of the.drum beating the lo guard the islan while the older ones ar cleaning up real call. I sleped out of my barricks to answer to my the land lhe woman and younger ones are plowing and name. I am now in Camp McClellon two miles a bove working the farms t here are 400 [Number indistinct - Davenport. It is situated on a high bluff with the miohthave been 4000]. of them on the island ... / 8/ . .. We broad Mississippi gildes with the morning sun, rushing again floled down lhe river to the mouth of White headlesly a lond the base or the hill to meet lhe waters river we then sleared our course up White river with of the Gulf of Mexico. After a weak delay I started our guns in hand expeling lo fired upon by t he gurellas for Lhe rigenent on the lwenlh of April when I took llui we reached bals bluff [Devall's Bluff] with out eny the cars for Caro [C:airoj, a town that was situaLed on lroble. a point of land in lllinois tutching Lhe Mississippi and All a long the river were large plantations with their ohio river. At its mouth fro1~nce down lhe Mis- houses burnle nothing standing but their chimeny sissippi river lo Memphus. WI 'le. on lhe cars we wh ich are a lwys built on the out side of the buildings. were eheared by lhc waving o clieale while ha ndR or Now and then the negro huts were spared but the fine cambrik hankerchief from gropes of patriarchic ncgros mosLly gon now and then might be seen an ladies from doors, windows and on the piasia. / 5/ old darky woman crawling from one cabon lo the other llut when on the steamer gliding a long the banks of the loolrn of desolat on ruined. We crosed on the cars Missouri or Kcnluckey shore, we were not cheered by from haler' bluff to Lillie Rock arcansas. A car ran the bright smiles of the ladies for we seldom saw ency, of the track but was soon / !)/ replaced and startled on and when seen ii was through the small opening of a through the sipress swamps and deep woods. I am doore or through the cracks of a corn crib or round now in lhe camp of the 29 Iowa rigement pasing the the corner of some wood she<l, they would appear with l ime idcly away as t he rigement is out on a excursion. an exprcsion of fear or a wicked look of haleured a nd 1 am now silting in the sha<le beneath the spreading contemp'E7 While al Mempus, l was induced Lo branches of a hugh old tree with the cool balmy breeze visit ll1cr'111011u111ent of Andrew Jacl<Son, Lhe 4th of lhe southern clime murmuring through its branches. president of th ~ uni le~ stales. Hi? grave )'.eard is one l~ e cattle qu ietly and lazily grazing around me. old of the most dehghlfultsl and lovehesl plac1cs my eyes brindle cow ventures so near lo me that she stands in ever behesd. H ll;lkes. up a square ?f ground in the the same shade that i ~m sitti.ng in, staring me in the front part of the city, 1t 1s sel out w1lh evergreens. of face, he_r large eyes staring me 111 the face with a wicked all discripsions and the grolh of grass an olh r earb1 e expression or you d--m yankey what are you doing wild geese se lling under a dark ade~I 11111 e while here you l>etler go ~mck North where you came from, through the grass o_r L!P a ceder or JUmpmg from tree at my back on .the side of a slopping hill side is grazing branch, / G/ or cl11rnng upon o~ for _a pre?Unt of a group of skel1 lo!1s or worn out mules belonging to the \.._1 som nuts are the pet squarls which gives hfe. and government service. In front of me is slreached on ndure ~o the cene. .Arot~nd the_ n~ num n.t is a n lhe t~nd a grope of soldiers and. just byond bu~ a iron fc 11cc mterwoyen with y111rs out side .or th is fe1_1ce short d1sl:lllce stands a / 10/ picket fence which stands the <lark pmes seem111gly <lressec! Ill mourn1_ng s_crrounds a grand squa re where the U. S. arsnel of and the wind ~~ ping _through Lite wav111g;_ bows with h.Llle rock ~ b!IL serounded with a grove of la rge heavy a mournful! wa1lmg gives a <leeµ and d1sarnel a nd tuner. li 1s 111<leed a bea utiful and romantick spot. 70 L ,', all is quite solitude except the cheerping of some fea- thered warblers or Lhe war-like no tes from a soldier's bugule which comes floatLing on the a ir from beneaLh the deep tangled groves and forrests. While setting here in a silent nook my t houghts are wat1dl'i11g to homewm·d twunl my loved ones. Now while I am writing this word t here may be a loved companion in some soletery spot thinking of me. perhaps a ll the sound Lhat urakes her quiet relreat is Lhe fretLing of a litlle one thats p lay ing by her side. I can a ll most see him now standing uy his motlwrs side I most imag ion now / 11/ t hat I see his tinney Lracks in Lhe dry sand a long Lhc liLLle brook or picking t.he rose leaves ouL from Lhe opening buds or the lilley from out the quivering grass. Y cs and Lherc is an olher who perhaps is sleeping in the little carriage an Infant; while its fond moLhcr sils gazing on its peaceful slumbers re llecting on ward perhaps Lo a time when Lhe lit llc sleeper might become a soldier a nd fa ll in ba tlle he who is now sleeping inscant an harmeless in iLs downey litlle bed. She know not how large a stumbling stone may fall in ils path of future toils Lhrough life. Hark what is Lhat it is t he drnm heating the long role I must hasten Lo r?\l\v•rri. 'W e sla1'Led up lhe river on the steamer ad I-I ine on lhe l llh of j une on purpos of gathering rails from Lhe diserlcd rebbles farms on Lhe way up Lhc rivpr l amused my self by scanning the river banks and rockey bluffs with my glass now a nd then meeting an arkansas. /12/ cabin standing on t he bank of the river with a small paLch of corn and Lhe front door or doore yan1 would be ornamented wiLh an old woman wiLh a pipe or swab-slick in her mouth and a drove of young urchins almost innumerable. It was in the yard of one of lhese log cabbin where I first saw a swamp angle which inhabbits the dismal swamps of Arka nsas. I will lry to discribe the beautiful being'. She was richley dressed. dressed to corespond wiLh lhe land she in habils. she was dressed as neer as I could gudge in a pink dress but it was so compleatly covered wiLh Lhe Arkansaw soil that the colla r could scarclcy be dcsem ed only when a slight gush of wind would rase U I ' • I tlf ' . ' ;i: ~t.i . . ~!~~;;k\Vri'M; ;~· '*' I . '., r;,:-~ .. ~ .. _:\_ .~.!7/., ~ff.! ~),~ , .. ,./rr, ~J f- ,'7if J. }l:. !ftb~· Jl<t \ ... i~:: ~ ,, ::__'r ll ' ·,,::,, ~· , . ¥ ., ~~~ . l , " 'J , I', •• , '" :-· - ~: '· ;, : .. - ~ ·... . .. f l)·',;, ' ,' I , ' , • • , " " , ·; . . . . . ·. ,L :, " ;; , ~ WJi/(· • ' r . ·' ~.),( !\ ' ,. "\\; ., ( • " • I her apron her long flowing hair hung gracefuly down her sunburn t shoulders which looked like a horse 's tail in bur time H er dress hung down raping her s pindle like legs. Which gave her the appearance of a bean pole with the beans striped off. H er voice was je11Llo and aweet with u deep rich tone resembling the voice of a Gentleman Cow. And her ha~· shold say her gate was like t hat of a sea wallro /!37;; after fl oating up the river some 20 miles w anded an~ t he rails began moving from the fence to the deep of t he steamer. I was pulling a ra il from the fence when I was slartled by something rushing through t he Z brush behind me I droped my rail and stood all most I" ~ brea thless. What could it be I was without my gun or eny weepons of eny kind .. . . .. .... ... .... . ..... . Our ra ils arc now on board the steamer and she is plowing down t he river tw~ Little Rock, I am aga in in Camp. . .. / 16}\ during the battle the soldiers were forced to drink water from the mud holes among the sla in which was actualy stained with blood of the dead rebbles. A soldier told me that he saw an old darkie woman foune that the rebs were so clost to her that she could not escape with her self and child knocked it in the head to to keep it from falling in ha nds of the rebs it seem as tho she would ra ther murder ~hildren than have t hem fa ll in hands of the r • The W Lh come int · >on the 3cl day of May, lhey were very near worn out a nd starved out they could scarcly get in to camp bare fooled and feet sor. They had to distroy Lheir p rovisions a nd teams on account of Lhe mud a nti lo keep the rebs from capturing it Lhe ba tlle look place on Lhe 1th of May 18611. [The dale shows an erasure. A7171ears lo have orir1inally been wrillen "29lh." 'J'he Ballle of Jen kins /<'erry look vlace on Awil 30th, 18641- /17/ llValercolor sketch ofl Ben Johnson's residence Little Rock Ark. showing t he kilchen and dining room an the negro sevenls at the time of Lhe s ketch it was occupied by General Cars head Quarters during his stay in Little Rock. It was formerly the residence of t he late J uge Ben Johnson a rebble officer in the suthern army. . 'I. . "·J.f/£. •nl1 \Ill ·,, Pencil drawi ng: O' Pallon's B11tff Tradino Post, (Nebraska)- Brown Collection 71 - u [Hand written sevara.te sheet found in diary]. SHELDY ON WHITE RIVER Hnrk to the clistnnt cannon ronr, Throwing thick their shot and shell, On While River clistant shore, Sending rebbles a( to h-1. Shelby with his cannvn set, In t he cane brakes thick and tall, There our flet he thought to get, Soldiers with suplies and all But it caused him much surprise, To see our gun boats rounding too, · Causing the rehs lo open their eyes, Ancl to the woods Lhey hastley flew. Then general car with his brigade, Gave t he rebbles much a !arm, Which maid old shelby quite a fraid, T hinking he might de t hem harm. Then general car die! them persue, Scattering them both left nn right, Through the woods the rebhles flew Till they all were out of sight. / 18/ [Watercolor sketch ofl scene on the arkansas ri"'.er. biscripLion on page 11 The sleamer Ad. Hine lay111g at the bank loading wiLh rails from a deserted rebble farm also just below the slemer lies a flatt boat loaded with rails / 19/ /20/ N EVER AGAIN Broken t he golden cord Severed the sillccn tic Never again will the old days com Darling, lo you and I Dead the beautiful past Scattered a round its bier Pale thoughts lie thi ck an memories or clays lhnt were so dear Memories? Fold them up - - - Lay them sacred by; Whnt ava ils it to dream of the past The future; for you and I. Drokr.n the silken cord Severed t he golden chnin Link ing up with the beautiful days That never can come again. G. S. A HUNTERS LIFE FOR ME 0 n merry li fe dose n hunter !encl. He who wnkes with the dawn of day. He whistles hhi dog, and mounts his steed And 11cuds to the woods awny The lightsom tramp,· of the deer he'll mark As they troop in t he herds along And his rifle stnrts the tuneful lark As he wnrbles his morn ing song. O'n hunlter is Lhe life for me. T hat is the life for a man Let others sing of the 1nvelli ng sea Dut match the woods if you can. T hen give me my gun, I've an eye to mark. T he goose as he flyes along, My steed and my dog, and the cheerful lark To wnrble my morning song. /21/ (Watercolor sketch of) Pelican ~o .n~in. This Mountain is a very beautiful mounta111 it hes on the east side of Lhe arkansas river 15 miles above little rock. /23/ [Wat r~olor sketch. of] Scene o.n the Ka sas [Arkansas] River above little rock lookmg up the n ver from the baLh house he steamer lies in fron tof the state house on Lhe opposiLe side of the river is rock mountain / 25/ [Wat.P.rcolor Rketch of] Pontoon Bridge Acrost the river at little rock looking down the river. The depo on the left hand side on this rail road a ll of the suplies is caried from Dovals Bluff to supply the army armies on Arkansas river as boats cannot run down the river on acoun t of low water an the rebbles. On the right hand side just above a point of rocks is a few houses on the leavey at little. rock Arkansas. August 28th, 18G4. /2G/ Little Rock, Ark., Nov. 9, 1864 AfLer a long summer fatigure of standing picket diging Lrenches brest works and building forts and fortifying untill November the 1st, which realieved us from all such duty. It was fall the cold biting frost of October had turned the green leaves to meny colors of the brightest tints of scarlet orange and diferent shitles of brighLest yellow .. cold weather was making its appearance, with dark frowning clouds raising in the North West threatining us with the coming slormes. The soldiers were ordered to buil in~ barricks on pre pair for the comming winter. Details were made and the men drawn up in line with axes on their shoulders and marched down to the sypruss swamps [In the final double letter of "s1JPruss', long "s" is used. 'Phis is the only time this older form is used, even in the same worcl in the following sentence]. The forrest resounded wiLh t he swinging ax of the soldier and the loud crash of the grand old sypruss as it fell to the earth, which has stood in the swamps of Arkansas for years before it met the eye / 27 I of the white settler. Enhabited only by Lhe Cheroches and Chocktos a wild Indian race, But now have become civelized and are good farmers an owned negro slaves. A grate meny of them have joined the Union Army an are good soldiers soldiers fighting for the Union and their homes and our country and theirs. The logs soon came roling in an wagons drawn by six stout mules, the bows were soon at work puling <lown the old tents and placing the bottom logs for our barricks which were compleated in a weeaks time. We were very nicely an comfortible fixed in our new sypruss shantyes when we were ordered to pine Bluff to relieved the 28th Wisconsin who were ordered up here to Lake our place. This orderder rared the spunk of our boy who comenced cursing the Dutch an mimi- can the broken comand of the Dutch officers. The cause of this order were lo spite our rigement. General Solaman [General Frederick Solomon commanded tlie 1st. Brigade in th~ VII CorrsJ to /28/ put on airs and unnessery stile. He raised a Brass Band which gaye the boys a. greadel of unnessary traveling of a mile every mornmg to mount guard as he wished to make a grand display of his brass ba~d. He requested our ofl1ce'.s to throw in something to support the band to help him carry on or keep up his stille which they ref used lo do, so to have a little reveng and to spite us. Ile ordered our regement down to pine bluff, which throwed us out of his division and from under his command. The General was to shorte sited and thick headed to see at the first sight that he was ingering I 1 , u him self more than twenty ninth. Our regement were very well pleased lo get out from under his command and ouL of his brigade. The general was very much vexed when he saw he had losL us so foolishly, We were Lhcn t ransfured to Lhe second brigade commanded by General Anderson. !General C:. C. Andrews commmuleil the 2nd llrigadc, 211cl Division, V II Corps]. As it were General Solama n was only acting in Lhe place of Genera l Rice, who was / 2D/ wound ed at Lhe baltlc of ji11ki11s ferry Oil Lhc scli ne river, afler being wounded he went Lo him home in Ausklusa in Iowa a nd died. !General b'. A . Rice cmmnancleli the l sl Brigade, 3rd Division, VII Corps. lI e dfrd al Oskaloosa, Iowa, July 6, 1864]. General Solaman had not yet ben promolcd he sent on lo get his promolion and at Lhe same Lime Col. nenton sen t on a parlitio'n to asking a promotion as General in opsiLion Lo General Soloman. !Col. 'l'lwmas Ilari JJcnton, Jr., later General Benton, conmuuu/eil the 2nd llriqac/e 2nd Division of th e ~I I CorpsJ. J L aL in wilh <t cold drisling rain Oil the l 2Lh Lhe ht wing of our regement we sent out Lo guard a saw null. that was being built for the government. a few days before the rebs captured twelve of boys who were near the mill burning cole. On the 16th we went oul to relieve Lhen we reached their camp afler Lwo hours h~rd marching Lhrough mud and waler a n o".'er rough hills an through t he deep pine forest. durmg Lhe few Jays it rained most Lhe Lime I wore wet close from Lhc Lime I lift Lhe barricks unLill we were relieved a nd reached our /30/ barricks which was on Lh~ l!Jlh. On Lhe 22nd our company w~ ordered out aga111 Lo the mill to relieve anoLher com- pa_ny. six of the company were immediately de1l ed t<? go out after forage, we left camp at three o clock 111 lhe after noon headed by Cp. Gardner of company A. we mete and halted at a n old log house at the upper corner of Lhe field which was occuped bo an old woman and three childrin two sma ll ones ancJ one woman ~rown /31/ in their house had the appearence and J>1cture of hard times Lheir close were of wolen and not Lhe best which were nearly worn of from them, they appeared to be in a destitute condision for eatibles and clothing. after giving lhe oldest daughter a chaw of tobaco, she told us where we would !ind hogs and cattle, we struck of in an old blind road partly hiden with the autum leaves and the rank growth of weeds we soon reached an old farm which had ben diserted, part of the boys started of to the lef L around the field, the captain my self and two others look down the road along the fence of the old fi eld. We has not seperated but a few minutes when we herd the report of a gun we stoped to listed we soon herd an other report an other and an other At this we starLed back on a double quick we were soon with the olher party they had kiled two nice hogs, they were soon quartered and /32/ and each one with his bayonet struck through a quarter and thrown over his shoulder and ma king through the woods in Indian file tworge camp, we reached camp just after sun down. Our cook Mr. C. was not long in getting me a warm supper a nice stew of fresh pore, the next day an oLher forage party went out and brought in three heaves which suplied us wiLh plenty of fresh meat, and the day following. . Our cook immagoned he could go out and kill a deer he started jest at day brake an about ten o'clock he cam in grunting and pufing under the heavy weight of a nice deer. This gave me the buck fever so the next day I started out with the cook an Mr. H. we struck of up the creek and launched out into the woods and into slope of country that were thronged wilh bush whackers .. . / 33/ ... The tingle of a bell / 34/ drew our aLtension up t he crick. we starled up in the direcLion of the bell we had gon but a few rods when we saw a blue smoke curling up from amont Lhe syprus boughs a few rods further and we could see through Lhe open branches what appeared lo be Lhe ruff of a cabben standing on a hill side an on the opsit side of Lhe stream. we crosed the stream on a foot log and taking a path led us out to an opening or clearing which peared to be a small farm in a valey between the hills the house was a log cabin which had the appearence of bei11g one of the oldest cabbins in Arkansas in Lhe yard was an old man ha lf dried up and looked as Lho the next hard wind that came sweeting down the valley would carry him away t he old spining wheal stood in Lhe frunt yard of the house and by the \. .. __ ,./ side of it stod a feemale turning wool in to yarn. They heavy They broke an exeltry out. troops disabled the looked very uneasy at the apearance of our blue over other which cuased them to retreat. When the Lutus coaLc; /35/ and the bright glittering barels of our was fire<l into some of the refuges women were so musket as we ventured up to them. But their fears a larmed and fritened they jumped over board little soon fled when they saw we were disposed to be children three to siz years old seeing their mothers go friendly. we asked a few questions in regard to the over board ran to the edge of the boat and jumped over game an the part of the country where we would find after their parent Some of the women were rescued game more abonclent he answered our questions very that jumped over board. There was thirty missing wilingly we bad him good night - and crosed back over from the boat it is supposed they all jumped over , , I '(9 the crick. It was getting nearly sun down. here we board an were drown:lhen the rebs comenced scpcrated each one taking his corse through the woods firing on the /39/ Lutus. 'A brave officer on board /1 / and baring twargc camp I Look my corse and watching was so fritened he jumped ~r board and swam twarge .VD for the Limed deer as he might spring out of some thick the shore two where the rebs were he had very near /. or from its bed in the roots of some falen pine. I Lhe shore when he by some suden change of mind .!J~a.P wandered on with ~ corsious ~tep listning to every turned and was swiming. back for the boat when he L ~ sound that occured 111 Lhe rustling leaves. at last the ~·is fired upon by the rcbs and cut to peaces. '""f' shadow of ni&ht o':'er took me the .day pased away was a cold bleak wind from the no_rth and freezin~r--- and not the first sight of game as 1t was now dark I co when the steamers landed at Little Rock, Ark. quickened / 36/ my steps twarg camp. It was clark · discharged their loading which were mostly refuges when I reached the picket line l stole through without women and chil~ren and in the most destitute conbeing discovered by the pickets. Mr.Hand the cook elision. What little clothing they had were throw1 had not yet got in I had ben in camp ~he space of an around 011 Lhe Jeavy and mixed up with a hundred hour when Mr. H came in after a miles travel out of others negros and whites there between two and his way, he saw the light of some coal burners which three hundred This was the hardest site i ever saw he took to be Lhe light of the mill where our camp was, yet. In spite of my self conlrole the tears would start in half an hour later just as the role was being called in my eyes. when I gazed over the groups of little ones the cook came in Mr. Carter and with out~y game which stod shivering by a /40/ a pile of old bed so the days hunt proved fruilles for us. t We were close in the cold bleak without eney fire and an pinched relieved fro the mill and were asigned to Provost duty with hunger in other gropes some had found a few in little rock where our duty was very hard on 24 and peaces of wood and started a fire here were little ones of 24 as I was off from duty for a few hours I wandered near infants sat hovering over the fire on the cold out on the bank of the river to gaze on the beauties of groung seamingly no one to help them the cold wind nature while sitting on the high banks of the river I an smoke blowing in their eyes untill they were a ll saw the Steamer Chippaway. Davenport. Anna most swellon out of their heads It nearly broke my Jacops, Lutus and Ad Hine which had started up the heart to see the sufferings of the little helpless ones river / 37 / river on the 20th of January bound for that sat ·cromg on the cold ground crying with cold fort smith loaded with suples for goverment on their and hunger some were nibbling on a mouldy hard tack way <low the river they were fired into by rebles on the to hard for their little Leath to make an in pression on /;\ shor Lhe chippaway was captured ~urnt with her and scarcley close enough on to hide their nadedness ''JV the captured Lhe fiftylh lnd. Vol. .~Anna Jacops Some old women were croled into a pile of old bed was disabled on sunk on a sand bar she was loaded with close Lo keep from freezing Some lay very sick one refuges from Ft. Smith She had in tow an new hyl woman with a large family of children lay on an old which was built for a steamer and being towed down f eaLher bed dangersly ill. her little ones stood around to li tLle rock to be finished this barg was full of women the bed crying with cold and hunger no one /41/ to and children they cut the barg loose from the sinking take care of them no help them. on an other place Jay steaii:ier which flooLed down an odg~d on a snag in an old man w~o ha~ ben w<?unded in three places the nver the women all layed down m the bottom Lo no one but a little girl to wait on him in an other protect them selves from Lhe rebbles bullets. here pile of rags lay an old man with shakles on who had they lay for a number of hours shivering in the cold gon crasey on a count of Lhe war. Old women and men until! Lhe Lutus can~e down and took them on board. some ha9 pased the age of 83 and one 89 meny of them She was a lso fired mto by cannon and musket five whos hairs are frosted by the works of meny sumers were k!lled an a number wounded her side back of and one foot in tl~e gr:ave they. have ~t the reble lines cann<?n her boile b;=tll rs we passed re cut thr~rn full of h her bullet pilot hol hou es se / 38 missing / one Some and se w ak ere protection . cared for m the the same ur11on day lines. eir arival ~ an the pilots. head ~ut few mches next was the Davenport some remamed on the leavey for two or three days an Ad Hme which a lso had a taste from the rebbles bef<;>re they were ~II taken to comfortable quarters in guns one cannon ball went through the wheel house ban cks where sol<l1ers haf left But I must confess that of the Davenport but don her no harm. TroopSBfe I was a~toni d to see the diference shone to blacks left Lo guar<l Lhe Jacops who soon run Lhe rebs aJ'fJ.he an<l wlutcs The negro refuges were well dressed and rebs IosL Lwo peaces of cannon by over lading one Loo plenty to do with very comfortible /42/ to do with _ _, \ I'- ,I ' ......._. ~) ''-' - I I I while the whites were suITering the first that ware anrl a gun boat to protect that point on the river from laken care of was the african genlleman and lad y there we Look the steamer Saratoga at three o'clock on wagons and drays were dep buisle ingaged until! the salurday afternoon for New orleans and the groupes collored folks were all taken care of then the poor of negros on the banks of the river who were so delited whites came next I am down on the whole negro race to see the blue coats pass who was the caus of their since i have ben in the South more Lhen ever was before liberation and freedon would swing their handkera negro is thought more orr here in the south than a chiefs and old delapaded aprons and send up cheers while person Lhal is considered poor, I \·Ve were com- of de Lord bres dem yankes. On each side of Lhe river 11cled to leave Lillie Rock in Lhe ll4~1g of the ninth were large coLLon plantations deserted by their owners of February at five o'clock we marched from camp who were perhaps driven of and in the reble army and by the music of the drums As we pased by the Iii.Lie their house burnt. but the negros huts still standing pine cabbins I heard Lhe sobs and cries of a young which one Lhe largest plantations would number near married woman as her husband marched by Lhe cabbin fifty houses. We pased miligans bend at twelve door to leave her for a while and perhaps for ever as o'clock at Lhe uper end of the bend is built a reble for he might fall by the rebles balls. It puts me in mind on Lhe bank of the river but they were driven from it an brings Lo my memory Lhe Lime when I parted with by banks !probably Natlwniel Prenti·ss Banks] We my loved ones to Lhe battle fi eld in Lhe South. We LouLchcd at Vixburg at one o'clock on Sunday we were marched /43/ down the river and on Lhe ferry were permitted to spend two hours in the city I wanboat where we crossed the Arkansas River to the depot dered throw the town viewing the shattered /47 / where we took the cars for Davuls I3luff. While buildings distroyed by the shot and shell in taking the waiting for the train to slart I turned around Lo look place in the bank and side hills were caves dug for the back at Lhe rock for the last Lime. The sun was just protection of women and children during the engagerising above Lhe eastern horezon castings iLs rays of ment. golden light upon Lhe calm walers of Arkansas. in We ha lted at Natches and which the town is princply Lhe waler reflected the dark forrest which frin ged Lhe on Lhe hill Lhe buildings on Lhe leavy is nearly all banks of lhe river running back in Lhe dim dislance dislroid by fire, we paseed Port hudson. It is a natural fading from view in Lhe murkey atmusphear. The fortified place with a little labor made it one of Lhe cars at last rolcd on and we were on our way Lo join hardest places Lo Lake on Lhe river. below the Lown the eastern a rmy in Laking Moba l we a rrived a t is a large platt or bottom where banks lost a grate Davuls Bluff a bout noon where we lay un t il eight many men 120,000 given in another account by Simons] o'clock in Lhe evening when we embarked on Lhe in try ing to take Lhe place on the river bottoms reachsteamer Fanny Ogdon Lhere were eight hundred ing Lo Noworleans are large sugar pla ntations on Lhe soldier:; on board we were so crowded we had scarcly banks of Lhe river are numerious slave dwclings which room enough to lay down , After a cold tedious ride · resemble a village which extend down to Neworleans. through Lhc night we reachod Lhe mouth of white We landed Lo Neworleans for an hour then crossed over river at eight o'clock in Lhe morning a distance of one- to Algears where we sloped for a weak our quarters hundred and eighty miles. -We landed at white river were in a large brick buildin~ the Belville Iron works landing /44/ where Lher. we1:e a few colored soldiers Lhe building covered an enl1re block or square. Here the account in the dian; ends. T he narrat.ives relate that from Algiers the regiment went by train to Lake Port thence _on lite ea er C:l11cle, l•'ebrnaru 21, through Lake Ponchetrnin into the M ississippi S ound. 'l'he71 were.fired on while passiny i"ort l 'ike, ran a.yrumul within a mile of Furl Powell nnd were rescued b71 the ea~ner Warrior. Events _of the sla'f! in M obile f!_rul a swmnary of his life leading lo Ms conversion are related in the following. This was evidently written before Simons returned hime from the Army. Pencil drawing: Fort Pike, Lake Ponlcltarlrain, 1865- Brown Collection ... I i ! , f· ·I r. .. ' I 1, 'I 11, j 'l '" 1 · I . . , • I I ·! ·-.__ "-' The f ollnwing account is c01ulensed from an aulobiowaph ical s11111111ciry wriUen, perhaps, later in life. Kind reader. The Lord will answer prayers. I know he will, because he has answered mine, and a lso alswered The prayers of my friends at home. I will reveal to you what he has clon for me, and my bosom companion. l have spent most of my time in serving the Devil, neer thirty years, and seaking after nothing, but lhe pleasures of this earth, and this life, I have travled in my sins through Lhe Wiles of the RockeyMountains, amid the hostile Indians of the forrest. And over the broad sea through its raging billows. Tho disobedant as I was to gods laws, he had mercy on me, and led me s~. through the dangers thaL l have b~n exp.ose~ to. l!...!!Yed for a !'!umber of year? in Council I31uffs City known at one time as Kanesv1lle. Which is situated on the Missoure river, eight hundred and Len miles above its mouth. In 1852 and three, the whiles comenced settling in Nebraska and to clear the fronLeer of the Oma ha Inclians. They were re- moved eighty miles up lhe river on. a peace of lnnd reserved for Lhem, caled Black Bird Hills. I had become acquain ted with a few Indians, and the old chief white horse, and his family. They invited me Lo go up with them on a Buffalo hunt. Which I excepted, l ~i~ed my self out with an old flint-lock gun, and ~mu 111t1 011. The Indians were on their march up th.e .n ver, tworge their new hunting ground. When I JOmed Lhe mane boddy which numbered over twelve hundred Indians Their squas and Poneys trudging on !)eneath a heavy load of provisions, and camp ~qu 1pmenLs., While young and old men carried nolh111g ~ut lhe1r bows spears and guns, and sometimes sLrolmg through the woods in search of game We ha<l nearly reached our destination when a sad afair happened lo m~. Which enraged the Indians againesL me .. lt was this, as my self and a young Indian were hunt 111g a long the shore of a lake for wild ducks which al LhaL Lime were ':Cry numerous. We were going Lhrough a dence tlucket of willows. The Indian a head a nd I was clost behind him, with my rifle on my shou 1 lder, and the. bt!tt of my gun .hanging behind me, ancl e muzle pomt111g forward w1Lh my hancl clasped around Lhe barrel near the muzel when Lhe brush ~1.ug t in the lock of my gun, which caused it Lo fire. 1 he ha ll took effect 111 the shoulder of the India n he f~ll Lo Lhe ground, growning and weltering in biood. 1 he accedent very much alarmed me. The first t houghts Lhat cam to me wer to throw him in to Lite lake, Lo ke_ep the sad accedent from being discovered by the Indians - for fear the Indians would murder m~ for revenge. yet the poor indian was not dead. The1~ I oug t.~~ load ing my g_un and s.hooLi.ng him through th~ head, l 1e a sLone Lo lum and smk hun in the waler, Lh1s I was strongly temped by the Dev il, to commit murder. While 1 was medilaleing on what to do wiLh lite wounded Indian, my Lhoughts were changed Lo mercy, by Lhe power of the Lord. Which saved the life of Lhe lndian and save me from commiting a sinful crime, murder, on one who had been a friend to me. I bent over the growning man with tears trinkling down my cheecks. His sense of mind was coming back. When I bent over and spoake to him, he turnd his head and staring at me with the tears glittering in his large black eyes and said 0, you shute me. you kille me. Ingen good to you. Omaha likeum you. what makeum you shuLe te me. I ventured to explain to him how it happened by going through the brush. but his reply was. no, me 110 believe. you purpos kill-e me. you bad man, I helped him to a comfortable p lace on the grass in the shade of a large willow, where I left him, and went to the Indians and told lhem of Lhe accident that had happened to the Indians and my Self. The squaws went for him and brought him to camp. The whole tribe except a few Indians who were my intimate frends, there greatly enraged at me. A council was called on t he ir. They had not yet deprived me of my libbrty. I noticed as they counciled to gather, that the picture of revenge was deepening on lheir grim v isage's. While 1 was watching their manovers, a single Indian came shyly from Lhe croude, and aproached me looking very serious, and said, Ingen no good, me good, Ingen oheap mad, very mad, me fraid Ingen kill you, you hide in woods, lngen no git-e you We had hailed at lhe edge of a thick patch of willows which ran up and down the river for some distance, and from lhe camp through the willows to the river bank was nearly quarter of a mile. I managed lo get in Lo Lhe willows wiLhout being suspecled of leaveing and made for the bank of lhe river as I reached the bank of the river which was from fifteen to twenty feet high, as I looked over lhe bank I saw a canoe lodged on Lhe shore. The sight of it gave me much releaf and joy. l slid down the bank and soon had Lhe Canoe floating on lhe yellow bossm of the Missourie river. I picked up a broken paddle which lay in Lhe canoe, and selling my self down clos-ly in the botLom I paddled down with great caution, keeping clost under t he high bank for some distance below the Indian camp before I ventured out from under Lhe covering of Lhe bank, lo cross Lhe river. And by the proLecLing hand of god, I was freed from Lhe enraged Indians that were counceiling on taking my life. The prayer of my paren ts to god, for my protection was heard and answered. I padelled my little craft down the current of the mad waters of the M issouria river, against heavy souLh wind driving t he waves over Lhe gunnels of my frail bark, and a heavy rain which had a ll ready began to fall, nearly filled Lhe canoe wiLh water. To keep her a floot, 1 was very often obliged to pull up on a sand-bar and ernpty the water out of the boat. 111 lhe after noon next day near Lhree o'clock I bec.:1.me very hungery and wearyed. I landed under a high perpendicular bank, which was near twnty feet above the watter. 1 dripping wet, clirn up Lhe muddy and sli pery banks, on Lhe Iowa side, en hopes of seeing some setLler ... .. • - - 0:- ~ • • = =- ~.. ~ =- ~· -= ':.: -:..· '= -:.· =: -:: - -:_: = =. -:.: ::: :..: :.: ::: :.;. _: :: ::: ::. :.:. '_: ::: :... ~ - = __: --=- ·- - I . I cabbin, but no. Before my lay a broad valley covered wilh !.all grass waving like a sea as the wind bent the slendl'r stalks lo and fraw, rugged and high hills loomed up in the dim distance. No signel of human life was visible, I resumed my seat in Lhe canoe and floa ted down Lhe river a number of miles, lt was getting near night, the sun was sinking down behind the tree lops. Thrnwi11g its last rays upon the dancing waters. When l heard the barking of a dog and Lhe tinkling of a bell, I immeadially landed lo aserlain welher I was in Lhe vacinity - or not, of a settler's cabbins, pulling my canoe upon the shore and abandoning her, I made my way through a dark forrest of cotton wood and willows, as I reached the out skerts of the wood which bordering on the shore of a little grassey lake on the opsile side of the lake were small broken and uneven hills covered wiLh bur oak, v.alnut and linn limber. I saw parLly hidden in the hills and folage a newly built cabbin covered with shakes, after a brish walk of a mile I hailed at the door of the hut. I was meet by a young girl who welcomed me into the house. after l had dried my self by the fire, as I was yet welt from the resent rain. l set up Lo the table, to a supper of milk bread and butler. after entertaining the family during the evening by relating lhe sad afai1· that happened Lo me up the river 1 retired lo bed, happy of finding so comfortable to place for the nigh, never tha nking the lord for leading me safly through Lhe dangers l had just pared through as J s hould of don. I rose early nexL morni ng wh ich was bright and clear, (this cabbi11 stands near Fort Calhune) after traveling a dislatH:c of twelve mile:; l was once more safe with my friend:; in Lhe vaci11ily of Council Blufl'::; and the while settlement.] After Lhc war broke out Icnlisled in the Union army. I was sick a good part of the time, and saw so meny of Lhe sold iers from one Lo three every day, born Lo lheir long home, lo meel their God, and there Lo be judged according lo their deed's This brought me lo a quandary of Lhoughls, and the willfair of my soul. I was deLermin to look more deply in Lhe cause and need of being a chrislan, and Lo learn what course to µersue and what wa::; 11eeded lo make a chrislian ri;f .- 1'.-. .· ·. - ".'" : . .. ·...:: · .. .,, "'l • •• • • I went to the Christian Commision and asked for a tcslmenL which was gave me I began at the first part and read it through. When I had got lhrough lhe liLtle book I had learnt more of the real need of being a chrstan and serving God, than I ever had known before. 'l'he first thing I learnt was the Lords Prayer. Which I whispered every night when I retired to Led. From that time I was detennin to life a chrislan. · It was lhen, that I felt the full power of Lhe dev il. I could feel and realize that I was in the devil's hands. While I whispered a prayer to God, I could feel him sLrngling with my soul, for fear he would loose it, he templed me very day in various ways, But I was determaned to loosen and free my self from his power over me, and thank God, I have broken lhe chain which he had me bound with, and am determined not lo be captured by him again. On one Sunday even ing, I went to a Negro revival a nd prayer meeting. It gave me much pleasure to see the happiness they enjoyed in their meetings. I knew by their words songs and prayers even their very actions revelaed Lhe power of the Lord, that twined around their hearts. Tho their ways and manners of serving and worshiping God is some what different from our ways and manners. My rigement was ordered to Mobile on the ninth of February, we landed al Mobile Point on the last of that monLh. We pitched the camp on the while sandy beach of the gulf of Mex ico, and on lhe skirt of a little grove of Oakes, which made a delightful shade, we selecled a beautiful spot for a meeting house. a ll of the under brw;h and palm leaves were cleared off, and we soone had quiLe a romanlict little church, we would meet every evening in our little leall'ey church with the chaplin, for a p rayer meeting, and on Sunday for regular service. After a few meetings the croud began Lo increase, untill the little grove was filled with the boys in blue, as the shades of evening darkened into night, a nd as the bright fire from our Jillie church casL its rays through the dark folage of the grove. The boys would string along through the greese wood brush, guided by Lhe uright light fr~)111 our little church. They began to go forward from five to ten :·~ ·tr· .. ·.'::. · · ·. · · I I) . r'. . .. . . . ;r /~ :· .' · "' ... ~ 1. -_ ,, ._.. '.'~ .. <il_.J 1" ~~, . , . '°. . . " ;_ • .I )}'}c:: ~f '.'.i.,( ~~ .' '; ::'-"'' · . . · ~:; :, 'fr-,·- · . ...: }':1> ,. · .I 1 ,. , ,,, , ., • ~ :.i ': ': ··~·( ':: .::; , j, 0 ' _;;"; ~" . ) ... ~~ :i .· ' , P , • · frlI·f '. ~Ili -'1' WJ-: ~'l~]•f", ;' ~tt ff',!" .. ~~~!'.'.,(, a:i • • . . •. -.o . .::..:.; ·~I _· I· .L·: 1 1 · \ .-.G; -,·~.- ~i-dl · ~ . \" • ~ • • 1 ' • 1 ~ - - ' . J ' : ·:. 11 ~ "/>' I " . .. . ' - · ;t;,~-.-. tJ,'ff .. r c ..... , . • l .J :- .L4' '-' • .. l u_._ L 1 ~ .r 'l'::' · , L~~~;,: .. . :-( . ~ .. '' .. . . ~· " I ... . ;" .'- ·.; + .. . ;:¥~:-~ -- . . . . : t. -~~·-.,1 ... ,..., .;_~ ·- .. . . ."- ·'··· ' ·- ·- ~ L,,,.L:...ul!• t' " ,, .. ' "Ml.!1 ~~~y· '" --..,....\.:-.. .... . 0 -. i ~~ . '"" .• ... · · . .... _. -r,'- k_~....,..._ ,., , · ''1 • :..!9 ! .. J; ~~ ~· :w*t?r1S~fr7zi'1~~.,. .fr~ ~-..;;_!~ ~r1~- ': :·:..-:;~~~-i:i~~ · .- . . 'r n "' ... ~:: .. ; : ~; /' ;.,.· • .i,~ ....... •_:;.:.,r.;, ·1-·•:: ·· ..... ~ ..... ~~..,, ~W,'>4~ .. ,. ... ..,. ......... .... ~ --.... - · .... ,. ... ·~# . "' ic:~~~1, ·~~k ~ .... •.: r- ~~ :-t ... ~e~ ..,_,{_. ~t;(~.- "'...... , . .. ·. :·:·;. f!. ~·.,.~· ·· i. ·f , '. 1 •• r _,.,.,,..,..h,., ... -r..1 •• - ..... :r.:~; ,.-. .,. ~ , ... --~ .;'.-1 • • • • .. .. ,. ' / · .. .,· .. ,';,~ .. , ... ,. ,._ :J :··:..-,· \·-· ... . ·· t· ·' · ··:·.. .... . t" • \ • ' • • • ~;\ .: · ';' • ' ..-.i=.t ?!".' ,,., \.}; t··~·· rl,... t 1,,·-f"11'¥'-~ "-"" ,>, .A - .', I ' \ • · 1 ':.. , .. ' ... ,. , ; i 11j .· • ·:-rt-1 .. i.:.r '1'. 1 .,· r-·"···• .·f·,·: .; lnl\Y.::!;•;.-,, ........ ,, . ··· -, .... ~· ~ ,,. , .... .- ., -,, ... ;1 "liQl .. lf,• (;ij ·.':.i::!·lill;·ll.l 'j.,.rti ' ·~·, ";t.1' l.r:'/'~~ t-f ~ )e 1·- .~ ,,,. .. 1~-' . • . 'r.;"' ,'~, ~'ii\'- t-. o; .L'' ,/. ! " "'.~ ": ~' ~ r~ ~ • ;' t ... ; • . ·~ . : i . \ .': t :,~:, ~ ' . • ~ .' :·: ~; • 1 -~:z.&:.1f~1Jk:i;:-+\4 ~~LW(Jti~ ... t 1.t:A.._,, 'l···• ·~t ~ ... ~ : -2 -L. ~A. ! 1_:-i.,..,•-- . .'.\. i:>it / . .. n .. ~ . ..... ~ Pencil drawing made in Panama : Jlspenwall (Colon), Central America, 1869- Brown Collection ?7 ,' ., ':\ (fJ every evening for two weaks that our meLing lasLed. he ofTord me G 00 n driy but I wouldent stay I felt Lhern Lhat ha<l lived in sin all Lheir lives, bowed down !HIS Jieious. made different trades l sold Lhe learn al Lhe mourners bench, wilh Lears in Lheir eyes, callin Ll1en Lo I La e . 1 c 1Le Lo acramen o on God for mercy declaring Lhcy wou ld never rise from from Sn IL Lake. - ha<l Lime of fishing - e cam 1 at t.hrir knrPs u11Lill Lhey ha<l received mercy and for- ~acr;_\me lo and brou hL another lcam lo Lake me give11ess from God. lo Pelertmia. campe([Qi11he Sac River besicreal)lg Jn LhaL liLLle grove never will I forget lhe spot on Lhe grape vi nyard - l wen[ lo get some g!·apes - tnemiin hl':i<'h of Lhe Gulf of Mexico, where l bo1ve<l down for Lold me Lo come and get beLLcr ones, I worked at Lhe liri-;L time in earnesLn<>ss to God, dclurmaned Lo l'cLclunia sLaid all Lheir all Lhat winter then mother Lurn m y back Lo Lhis sinful world, and follow Gesus. lcloubllcss his wije 111r.l£11r. , whose obitunru mentions l askc•d lhc Lord Lo tulch Lhe heart of my wife Lhat lwr dcmr1crous trip lo California. in 18621. wanle<l to go she 111ighL become a chrislian, She had bin raised up back so I got Lhe money·and she went back by Lhe noL kno\\.ing Lhe reel need of religion or of serving Lhe ]smus, Lhe panama people Look Lhem Lhrough over t he Lord. l prayed for her, my prayers were heard and lakes and over land on l.n11Tous Lhc necked panona :111::;wcred ;111d so were Lhe prayers offered up at home Look cLc I slaid aL llealsburg Lhal win Le had a mintfor n1e as you ·may sec h.v a lellcr wriLlcn lo my by in school I "Jl/ m;rs 'l'nilm"' 1'.<; 111rittcn nl. to71 o 7inae my IJroLher. l'l'rlli11a of his wife's conversion!. /I('.. ore thefollowi11a sr.11lcncej. 'I:he ncxL fall l wenL back :·' ( :lory l.o l :ml my prayer is heard. J have received liuL hnd a liLLlc bcLLei· Lrip 'Lhan moLher did we LhaL which J prayed fur Lhc Learn of joy bursL fro111 cros.<>cd Lhc Jsrnus and Look he, lu.nforlnnnlrly Si111011s m y eyes as I read Lhe last few lines, lL caused me Lo has lrfl onl the key worcl to tell how the journey was 1:t•joicc al Lhr sweet LhoughLs of find ing when l get co11171lcleclJ. finely getting pack Lq C.Il. was a month on lio111e a christain wife, God will surly answer a pr;1yN Lhe Lrip when l got Lo C.B. · l joined Lhe army in lhe thaL is offered up by a sin ner if it comes wiLh faiLh 29 VolunLeers l nurced in Lhe hostile in Nouralines - from Lile hearL! 1 joined Lhe rigement at L1tLle I ok Ark J was on Slarlptl servayni Lri with Gen God e from Deve_n- picket duly a11d guard duly we hod lo figh.Lrals porL, 1owa u on oc { s all( rn. Servan from their lo and I sTepl in a place where !:hey kc11t_ru:ain ·Dcver\l)"QrL Lo Council Bluff slatted from Deven orC Lfie. ral runalr over me they. nm over m~legs_ I l srQr_-M_ii.Yj{ot Lo C. B. in Sept., slonne<l at ouncle would lock Lhem Lh wou ld II heav on Lhe floor 13lirrs made Lhat home for 5G years, ffiree of us went l was 1m111L111g a s11n on a store w 1en l was o duly ujiOf!MOi:isccri River Lo SL. Lot11s m 18!Jillminled a cv~y__Q1in r sf1ook ikc an carLh quck 1t was a lilll p;fnaroma o Lie rrp a ler L 1a · went Lo cnver acrOStlllc arc n ver cw u > ew a 111mlll1> and Lheir was foo or llli'Cc log caGens lhcir lhen/doug !or when ic came own e on a man L mt was nuiiig a golff qtfil; tl~hem ~t Lo hunlmg m J'i!Ze mule k1!111)g__b_11n L.<L..· . . ·· -·-- - Peak mouff!:ams le[t Denver back to Counce! n on Whit at Mobile l was Laken sick. ourw:iy -so1iiCTil<lians missc one of tlleir red slone l laid on a san bar, when l wou ld a drink I had lo go pipe they o o.vet us for Lhe pike was going o serce on my hands and neis to a small hole Lo Lake a few for iL buL one LhaL had it droped it in Lhe roa id the swollows - from Lheir they sent me to dofolan lsland Indians found it Lhey were saLicfied wenL back On I staid Lheir a week or Lo an Lhe hopiLle Lhen Lhey our road h:1ck Lhrec or four Lravelers c.1111e Lo us Lhcy sent me Lo New Orleans Lo Lhe Morine Hospitle afler were lost Lhey li ved on onions for a number of clays l gol Lhe hospille, when I ~ot with lhe Dr. put me and one 1-{aVc> me a overcouL Lo Lake him Lo Pikes Peak anoLher man in as nurce 111 a ward of about 40 beds I he wail down Lo VurL Corney l/"orl f ( rnrne11J Lheir we staid Lheir nearly all summer - near Lhe end of Lhe drew rnslwm; Lo b st him, he had luLc; or gold in his war hardly any body was Lheir t hey was miserable poC'krLc; I found ouL afLer words, Lhree aflcr I guL Lo i>eople Lheir So l went back Lo my regiment down Lhe C.H. I slarlc<l on anolher atlvenLure Buffalo hunt GalvesLon. ':"iLh Lhc 0 111 aha Indians 11\.nolher version of this e71isode My regmen t wasent their and Lhey coultl not locale it 1s q11of!•rl rls<'1t1h<'r<'I 1858_. . . for a week so Lhry sent me to it for miles to Lhe mounLh 1. slnrled a LhPaLC'r Lheir Cot!?~~1l_JJE_ JT_s J was Lhe11: G _ of Lhe Riao grand we laid Lheir until! the war closed. moiiUi5.1TiCilfiro w u ) arn sLarlcd ac1 oSrthZTDlmrrs J pa iiL~Cl L 1e seonry an a I - m 18GI I wen[ w1L lJ.!l.Y__. 1mclc ac~ ~t _ L1 c- plaif1S- ~P. 11 · was 110 wa~s of us we lravelctrtif}the µJafti·1ver on Lhe norU1!1ratr\ve slopped for lhe 4 of .J uly they took the side bords from our wagon, our ficst consisLed of Roast Ox goose brcasLc; and every thing one could amagain Lhe address of Lhe day. was made by Dun Norlin, Sr., we \H•nt on Lhen w1l.h ouL any trouble on any kind unLil \\oC got Lo & LL· <e Lhen l mceL a man who t\SfilQ. beJY.i..lJill1c irlt.l~c h •· · - old Dri 1 h, lLYOllllg l >_V:_!:~~sci!. :_pa 11~L r and he wanlcd me Lo _stay..lhcir.-- - ) (i) Early Nebraska Cow Rancher and His Home-Reverse: Plows Scottsbluff Chimney Rock Sioux City, I owa, 1856 The Blackbird Hills 1854-Reverse : Pikes Peak Camp on Clear Creek near where Golden City now is and 12 miles from Denver. Bound for Pike's Peak-Reverse : Freemont [sic] land opposite Antelope Island St. Vrain's, Colorado-Reverse : Long's Peak O'Fallon' s Bluff Trading Post-Reverse : Waf)on and two mules. Fort Laramie-Reverse : Ruins of Free State Hotel-Lawrence, Kansas Great American Desert, West of Salt LakeReverse : Sargents Bluffs [sic] California Train Nooning 1861 State Prison at Little Rock in 186'lf- front view State Prison at Little Rock in 1864-rear view Little Rock, Arkansas Winter Quarters of the 29th, Iowa at Little Rock, 1864 Rebel Blockade Runner, Savannah Rebel Blockade Runner, laying at the Mouth of Matagorda Bay Scene near Panama Panorama of Panama Panama-Central America Photograph: Portrait of George Simons Aspenwall (Colon), Central America 1868, Fort Alcatraz Fort Alcatrnz, San Francisco Ba.y, Calif or- nia The Golden Gate Bellvill Iron Works, New Orleans Fort Powell-Lake Pontchartrain Lake Port on Lake Pontchartrain Fort Pt'ke on L ake Pontchartrain Fort Gaines, Lake Pontchartrain Cathedral at Galveston 1865 Galveston showing the entrance to the harbor in 1865 Galveston in 1865 I ndianola 1865-Lauaca Bay, Texas Brazos Island, Santiago, Texas in 1865 Point opposite Santiago, Texas in 1865 House in St. Joseph, Jl1issouri where J esse James was Killed, rear view Miscellaneous Photograph of the Artist Lent by Miss Vera Reynolds Civil W ar Diary 1864-1865 Lent by Harry Norman Simons Scrapbook of newspaper clippings in Coe's Dmwing Book of Landscapes, Foliage, etc., published by D. Avpleton, 1852 Lent by Harry Norman Simons Sketchbook prevared for Natlwn P . Dodge Lent by Council Bluffs Free Public Library Oil: Portrait of Logan Fontenelle, 1853 7q - Oil Paintings A Pause In The Journey, Bradshaw house, 1859, located a t what was later the junction of Canning and Pierce Street. Gift of Museum Staff in memory of Louis A. Gobel. *Early Council Bluffs, 1849 1957 Purchase *Mail Delivery on The Frontier Gift of Paul Barlow Burleigh Permanent Collection, Joslyn Art Museum *Sioux City, Iowa, 1856 Lent by Mr. Robert H. Aborn, Glenshaw, Pa. Mt. Rainier at Tacoma, Washington, 1888 Railroad Station al Tacoma, W ashinglon, 1888 Portrait of Alexander Campbell Portrait of A Negro Lent by Miss Marguerite V. Brown, Council Bluffs, Iowa *Bellevue, Nebraska, 1856 Lent by Dr. and Mrs. J. M. Christlieb, Omaha, Nebraska Council Bluffs, early 1850's *Panoramic View of Council Bluffs, 1857-8 Later Pcinoramic View of Council Bluffs River Scene WithM1:ssouriPacket OMAHA Len t by Council Bluffs Free Public Library View of Council Bluffs Showing Railroads Lent by Council Bluffs avings Bank *The Ffrst Mail Carrier (Omaha) 1855 Buffalo on The Plains Burial on The Plains Logging Scene Lent by Council Bluffs Women's Club Buffalo Coming to Drink in the Missouri, after Karl Bodmer (attribu tion to George Simons not definite) Lent by Mr. Ray Craft, Council Bluffs, Iowa *Pa.norama of Council Bluffs, 1853 Lent by Harry Crowl, Council Bluffs, Iowa Stage Coach Tlolcl-Up (afLer an early prin t?) Lent by J ohn Howell - Books, San Francisco, California Portrait of Chief Sitting Bull, a fter Julian ScoLt (attribution to George Simons not definite) *lVlonnon E1tcampment Lent by :VI rs. Kenneth Parker, Omaha, Nebraska Portrait of Mrs. George Simons, after a photograph Wildlife Scene, family of quail, after Currier and Ives print after pain ting by A. F . Tait. Lent by :vrrs. Willis Pitt, great-grand- daughter of artist, Iowa Fa lls, Iowa Cottage Scene Lent by Miss Vera E. Reynolds, grand- daughter of artist, Council Bluffs, Iowa Cows IV acling in Stream Deer in Forest Harry l\'orman Simons, 1897 Harry Norman Simons on Horseback, 1897 Forest Fire At Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1888 Lent by Han y Norman Simons, son of the artist, Lebanon, Oregon •Pencil sketches for these paintinos are exhibited Sketches, LeRoy C. Brown Collection, Lent by M iss Marguerite V. Brown Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1853 Council Bluffs, Iowa, early 1850's Coundl Bluffs, Iowa, 1858 Wick's Mill and Residence, Council Bluffs, Iowa Elder Orson Hyde's House fo Council Bluffs First Claim Cabin in Omaha, June 1854 Omaha in 1855 Omaha I ndian Village on the Papillion in 1855- Reverse : Dodge's last camp below Crescent City First Railroad Bridge and Train over the JVJissouri River in Omaha View of Early Omaha looking NorthReverse : Sketch of 4th I owa Regiment 111 onnons Landing at Florence in 1856 Mormon Ca111p meeting at Park Mills, Pottawattamie County, Iowa Old ,1J onnon Ferry on the Elkhorn Old Pawnee Indian Village on the south side Platte River 1855 Bellevue, Nebraska in '56 General Dodge's Camp on Coon River in 1853- (First Rock Island Sw·vey in 1853) General Dodge's Claim on the Elkhorn (Claims of Sylvanus Dodge & G. M. Dodge looking south Lo ferry on the E lkhorn, 1854-58) In 1859, Simons painted the scene at left. c~lled "Pause in the Journey." It shows the old James Bradshaw house at the junction of Canning and Pierce Streets in Council Bluffs. The place was also known as "Jimmy's Well." This painting, owned by the Joslyn· Museum, will also be among those in the Simons' restrospective exhibition. For additional paintings a n d sketches and for a story by George Shane on Simons a nd his work -see inside,:. $wiss Book To /:?eprinf S/cefcj. ,. ~Y Bl11fls A,.f ,57· • 8.A 5KETCB BY GEOB GE ~ons, 1<>eaI artist wlJo ~<>n OQntem ..., a Ville pora.ry of <kn . . G re n- a ~ Dodge, is slated to ap. JWn r .m a SWiss book on th tun-e:rcan West <Jf the l9th CetJ~ ediD~ Max Mittler <JI Zuricll is &fi~n~ .~the boO"k for Walter ..., o, Olten. S -fie has asked Miss Mil d r e d lllOCk, .local librarian, for a CQl:>y ol Simons' slretcb of tbe steamer "Omaha" IandiJJg Mormons at Florence, Neb. in 1854. M iss Smock says the liwary flas the Ol'ig:inal Si.m01JS sketch boot, and she will send Dr. Mit- Uer a photosmt copy ol the steamer drawing. . . . -- - .. - - - - - -· ~ - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ = = ~ - ~ . -- -- - --- -- • · ... Mormon encampment on Mosquito Creek about three miles east of Council Bluffs a century ago was painted by George Simons, frontier artist (1834-1917) who at one time had a gallery-studio in Council Bluffs and left' an interesting art record of the early town. This painting, on permanent loan from Mrs. Walter L. Burritt of Omaha, will be one of a number in a George Simons exhibition at Omaha's Joslyn Art Museum beginning next Sunday. ,.., TWENTY-TWO-C. By Gene T elpner proNEER days in Iowa and Nebraska as seen by an early day · artist-photographer are being pre - s erved in photostat by the County Recorder's office in C o u n c i 1 Bluffs. A book of drawings, "Frontier Sketches," by George Simons, is being thus preserved "tor posterity at the r equest of the Council - Bluffs Public Library, in whose vault is stored the original volume, fragile and dog-eared. Only one copy of the book was ever made. Mr. Simons, the artist, came to Council Bluffs with Gen. Grenville Dodge, some · say as a surveyor for t he Rock Island Railroad. Later records classify Mr. Simons as a cook with artis- tic ability. But whatever his true calling, Mr. Simons' skill at the drawing board has passed on to posterity valuable historical data. The bool{"of 35 drawings was done at the r equest of Nathan P. Dodge, brother of General Dodge, and the subject matter of several of the sketches is the Dodge fam· ily itself. The dwelling of General Dodge, for example, formerl y located on Pier ce Street in Council Bluffs. The house was originall y built in St Louis, Mo. In 1856 it was loaded on a steamboat and shipped to Council Bluffs and reassem- bled. It was the talk of the town, since it was the first frame dwelling ever to be seen by many of the residents. Mr. Simons' draw- ing depicts Natha n Dodge a nd his wife before starting on their wedding trip in September, 1864. The carriage, drawn up before the house, awaits the young couple framed in the doorway. There are other equally inter- esting scenes of pioneer days: The Kanesville (Council Bluffs) of 1849 wi th its single, straggling street that is today's Broadway, ~mi gra t trains, Indians. The first claim cabin in Nebraska erected by Daniel Norton in 1853 somewher e between Oma - ha and Bellevue. The steamer Omaha landing Mormons at F lorence, Neb., in 1854. The first temporary r ailroad [Pioneer Days Preserved lh Photostat Mormons debarking from the Steamer Omaha at Florence, Neb., in 1854 . . the· majority he~ded west. bridge across the Missouri be- tween Omaha and Council Bluffs. 'T'hP ~k Ptrh rlnnP on December 26, '- . Ra ilroad, crossing the bridge, which was south of the present Ak-Sar-Ben structure. 'T'he Ocean Wave Saloon - in - lV[onte Carlo of the west -which stood on the present site of Broadway Methodist Church in Council Bluffs. Some of the Simons sketches are r eproduced on this page . Photostat copies are to be avail· able for public refer ence in tht Council Bluffs Libr ary. E ?UBLIC LIBP.ARY Ccu.~c il Bluffs, lo·:Ja i.e George Simons sketch book consi sts of 44 sketches i n pencil, approxi- ·ly 7 x 9 inches, simila r to t he ones pictur ed on p. 466 of the Library J ournal· titl es are listed below, marked s. The book al so i ncl udes clippings and c ellaneous material, of some hist orical int erest , but not out~tanding. Simons was cook to several surveying expeditions led by General G. M. Dodge , who laid out the Rock Island, Union P.acific, and ot her railroads. He l ater s ettled in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and beca.JLe a phot ographer a~d artist. Positive photostats of the ordered at the following pric~s: · Index (hand-written) material, t he same size as the originals, Individual sketches, . $1.00 each Ten or more • 75 each The 44 sketches $33.00 Entire 57 pages $36.00 Skdc:ies of Ea rl y Days in Wester n IO\·rc:1. (newspaper clipping) mar be Some Ra.re P~ctures , July 7, 1893. Sketch Book of Value, 1901. (Clippings) Ho1:.se in wh'ich N. P. Dodge ·wa s born situated. on Main St ., Peabody, rme y So. Danvers, Mass. August 20, 1837. (Phot ograph) First Mill in Council Bluffs , May, 1901. ( Clippine) Daggers Saw Mill near Corner Hill & Sixt h Street s, Council Bluffs, ke tcl~d by Geo. Simons in 1854. G. r~ . Dodge 1 s Engineer Pa rty, Camped on Coon River, Guthrie Cc ., IoWa. 1853. Rock Isl nd R.R. Survey. G. M- ge s Engi neer Camp in Missouri River Bottom near 0rescent 0ity , I o\.a , Se1.·t. 1853. Sketched by Ge;o. s;_mons, cook of the pa":'ty . Ro ~ Ts~ 1~f.. ·:l. :1:1.. Survey. :!tl:!.c'3r :r ~n H,_vC. es r esidence on Wa shington Ave., Council Bluffs. C·mt.:".\8. 'Indian village on Pappillion Creek nea r Bellevi ew, Nebre.skA. , :'.854 . ;?e...,:.!1.o oe .•:nc!.ian Village on South si.de of Pla tte Ri ver (near Fr emont , :\fe!: ::-ac:ka) 1856. e~ mtr C.naha landing Mormons. at Florence , Neb. in the Spring of 18E4. ·F": :; .'Jr iat Mill in Potta 'me Count y, built by S. E. Wicks f or Potta 1me t~i 8 of Indians , 1842-1852 (rebuilt), l ocat ed on Mosquito Creek , afterwa r ds knO\·m a s Parks Mill. S. . Wi cks home on Mosquito Creek (near Parks Mill) 1842-1864. ~~n~in~ Bllffal o in Central Kan3as, Septr. 1865. S\i.nt ing Ant el ope in Wyoming Te rritory, ;J.st l8$fi. ·~.'1: e r i:!"s ~ claim Ca':>in tmil t in Nebraska by Dan 11 Norton in 1853 between Cl:ria ha & Bellevue. T" t t empora ry Bridge between c. Bluffs & Omaha wHh first train of s c~ sqing , winter of 1867. . r:a:p";. Ca rlisl e 1 s Califor ni a Trai n nooning i n the Pl a tte Valley , 1859 • . ~c;. c lnmting tha Cows .. Ti.ie Arkansas Traveller. "·!0r:;1on::1 (:Tossing the pl ai ns with Hand Carts fr om Fl orence, Neb. to Sal.t !ake. This trai n start ed from I owa City and Passed thro Uounc i l Bl uff s , 1.fi.5'). ·:0r.i.on train in Camp. ss g the steers preparatory t o yoki ng up for a st art. Kanesville (now C. Bluffs) 1849 t o 1 51. Looking north from corner of Main St. & First Ave. Council Bl uffs in 1858. L• oki ng north • • ··'"'- S2G. Co· .. ;,nc :... l BJ u:ffs in J 858. View t~: 011 from h) 1 ..1. whe't'e :fospita l no\1 sta nC.s. 52':'. ;o· .. nc ll 'Bluffs in 18.5R .. View frur.: ltospH a l n:ill, ic 0k~ng South We st. S J . :f·e ..:r y a c1·osJ Elkhorn P.i 7er, 2 j mil es mi of ().teha : .H>54 . S2'.? . Em: .. grant t: to U-ca.h ~ llal i f ornia c:.os&ing Elkhorn Fiver , 25 miles North West of Omaha, Nebra ska , 1854 & 5 . 830 . West pa ~ of N. p . dg 's Farm on El khor n River, 23 m. NW Omaha "Neo. S31 . Emi gr ant Fe rry a cross Elkhorn River . . . S32 . Lo·ok b,g Sou t h ov er t he cla ims of Syl '\Ta nus Do~tl & G. M. Dodge t o Ferry a cross E:khorn River . S32. $. Dodge 's Cabin & I mprovemen ts a s t hey a ppeared in 1 858. S34. Dwel ling House on Pierce St. i n which N. P. Dodge lived during winter of 1864 & 5. S36. Of:ice of N. P. Dodge f r om 1860 t o 1 862. ~~ . ·JHp-ping announcing transfer of banking busi ness f r om J3a.l dWin & Dodge to i?at:i::tn P. Dodge , 1860 . S37. F.0L1a c.f Na t han P . Dodge f r om Apr . 1865 to 1 888, SE corner 4 th St. & WL'..l o•.-, Ave . ~-i . C:f fi c e <9 f i: . P. Dodge f r om June 1862 t o 18 63. Offic e of N. ? . Dodge t~ 1863 t o l e 69 . S3S'. Eu.:i lt b7; N. P. J:lodge i n 1 8 69 , Council Bluff s Savi ngs Bank. 4C,, ?~1c, ....,r 1 and adverti sement of Co'.m cil Bluf f s vi !:! :Bank , 1898 . .')41. :s-J., ;j&bin, h ome of Rev. G. G. Rice, May 1852 t o f :.:i.i.l 1855 . 2:id C:abin 0ic:~ in 1852 , u sed a s Cong r egati ona l Church, also a s oo~. house . '342 " r.:; .gati l Church er ected in 1854 & 1 855. S1 !:0 , '.· ng r:- egation l Chu r ch , Counc il Bl uffs e r ect ed in f a ll & wi nter, "!.8 69 . S44.. 3:0n..') -:-.f f.yl vanus Dodge (D . 1 8 71 ) and his widow , Ju lia T. Dodge . ..j.5 . J"L~°il -: :;:!of .. ;sf! Beard' s home , Mapl eton . I owa . Photog,.a ph . S4 E, :!:i og ;:,z.b\ n i n Omaha occupi ed by Sylvanus Dodge & mily when dr iven by ::: ~ a.r.s f~om t he ir El khor n f a r m' August , 1855 t o Ap ril , 1856. 4 7 . aL it n a c count of India n att a ck , copied. f:rom 'iThe Chronotype" of l'i .n ~d , Aug . l , 1855 (Published in Counc il B.i.uffn ) :11 .t8. :'i'ov:t h I1.nra. Infantry in Camp a t Cou ncil Bl uf fs, July 1 861, bef ore goin~ '.;o t h e:. wa -: . '.J49 'I'• 1(·:1 r nL1t h I owa I nfa ntr y in Winter <lua rte rs , Little Rock , Ar k . ~sr, ~64 & 5. :)tQ.. B43l ~ev.:. , l-eb ska, 1856. 5i:·l >~c,,;_x 'Jity, I owa , 1856 . ':£:.: ; :-.i :r..Jon 8anp Mee t ing near Parks Mi l l. ~5 ·rc1d.:.a n:, :~ L.· ...... "1 i n6 a Buffal o on the Pl ains. 64. . 6.:: ;: '·1 r· i.bl~_ s h ·1d :;:> icture of Lincoln ( newspap er clipp ing ) t5. .~i; ho· ~~e bu:1i.t by Gen. u. s. Grant on his far m n ear St. Louis. ') ~1..>to a~)h) 55 rna:_~ k of "Early Home of H. M. Hoxi e 11 a nd "Wher e ·Dodge became an '::lld Fe-1.l.o··:" . f5 7 a~ shots of "Texa s Ranger " a nd 11G. M. & N. P. Dodge , on thei r r eturn from a hunting tri p, en J WJ Ranch, Edwards Co. Texas, 189611 • ,---------· MATERIAL TO BE FOUND IN THE COID~C IL BLUFFS LIBRARY Copi ed from 11 Fr ontier Sketches 11 book owned by Nathan P. Dodge . Sketches in p6nci l by George Simons. This arti cle copied from a pr inted clipping pasted in the book . July 7 , 1893 SOME RA.RE PICTURES - -M. M. Turner Sketche.s Representing t he Scene of Council Bl uffs as it was Many Yea rs Ago \'/hat a Visitor can See at the Studi o of Mr. George Simons - A Few Suggestions. Some ra r e pictures of the scenes of Council Bl uffs in an early day can be seen at the studi o of Georee Simons on ' Fast Broadway. Mr. Simons came t o t his ci t y a· long t ime ago , a t a t i me when the antel ope and the dee r st i l l browsed on the beautiful hills surroundi ng Council Bluffs and when the I ndian wi gwams were stil,l conspicuous on the site whe r e the city now st ands. His west e rn tri p was due t o his connec t ion with General G. M. Dodge 's engineer ing corps which had. cr ossed the state from the Missi ssippi to the Mi ssouri t o lay out the r oute of one of the great tru.nkl ine railways now terminating he r e . His servi ces to General Dodge we r e very valuable owi ng to the fact that he was one of nature 's artists and an;r part of the rout'e traversed was inedibly photographed in the mi nd of Mr . Simons , who coul d si t down and ske tch i t a t a moment 's notice , almost true to nature . Upon his arrival here he became infatuated with the beauti es of COUI).Cil Bluffs which has been his home ever since, a lthough a t times he hL.s ma.de tours · of the great western empi re fo r the p·.irpose of gatheri ng sketches of scenes , to r epr oduce with t he artist 's brush . There is one thing about Mr. Simons that has kept him in the background in regard t o the meri t s of his work and that is he is so modest and unassumlng that his paintings and ske tches have never been brought before the public. as they shou ld whe re they will be gr eatly admired. He has pencil sketches of Council Bl uffs in an early day.which any of the older citizens will recognize at a glance . At hi~ studio can be seen the old buildings that stood on East Broadway and Madison street now onl y known t o memorJ and which have years ago been t orn away to give place to fine business blocks and r esidences. One of his sketches, of a late r. date, shows portions of middl e and western Brwadway. The Nonpareil building , known as the Palmer bl ock, stands out ver y prominent as do a l so the bl ocks occupied by the old Pacific house, and that now occupi ed_ by the State Savings Bank. The sketches and paintings of Council Bluffs and vicinity are too numerous to mention and properly describe them. Suffice to say that they are well worth going mil es to see i f one desires to know how Council Bl uffs looked when it was in i ts infancy and known a s Kanesville . A few weeks ago he sketched a book for Gener al Dodge of those old scenes in and around Council Bluffs and also of the important scenes connected with the general's routes through t he west with his surveying parti es. These wer e sent t o t he general and no money could buy them. Some time ago Mr. G. P. Dodge , knowi ng the ability and taste of the Council Bluffs artist, Mr . Simons, sent him to his farm in Nebr aska a short distance from Omaha to take sketches of i t and also of the Dodge homestead and t he farm of General Dodge . Mr . Simons did the work so well and so true to nature that Mr. Dodge can look upon them with almost the same satisfaction as he would were he looking at the or i gi nal s. Council :i3luffs has produced a number of a rtists in painting , music , etc. 1 and cl assed with t hat number i s Mr. George Siraons, whose pai~tings and sketches will be the more appr eci ated by t he public, the better it becomes acquainted with them. Some of t hem are souvenirs of the early day which will be preserved for centuries and long after the present generation has ceased to exist. Some d.ey they will be purchased and conspicuously pl aced i n the private library tooms of Council Bl uffs. THE NOlfPAREIL makes a suggestion to the trustees of the public library that they pur~..u:i.:,,1:1 a uw.uuer or t uese paintings to be place<!. about tne librar-J rooms co!lgpicuously ana. as years r ol l by t:ney will be greatly prizeC!. by tne success ors of the present off ici als of that grand institution of Council :Bl uffs and they will prove interesti ng to the thousands of people who visit the library each year. Photostat copies of 11 Frontier Ske tchesll are in Dodge cabine t - Council Bluff s , Simons , George . Origi nal ~e che s a r e in vault . JfATERIAL TO BE FOUND IN THE COUNCIL BLUFFS LIBRARY Sketch Book of Value - May 25, 1901 To THE llEROURY office Hr. Dodge, Jr . , of this o1ty, son of H. P. Dodge, Sr. and nephew of General G. H. Dodge, brings a. book which is worth 1 ts weight in gold many t i mes over. It ie handsomely bound and ie made up of peno11 sketches of early western scenes, with a few photographs of more r ecent date. Most of the pencil drawings were by George Si mons, a cook employed by General Dodge• s engineering party when at work on railroad surveys in Iowa, and west of the Missouri River, beginning 1n 1853. One of the earliest of these is a picture of a. double l og cabin, one story high, surrounded by a rickety r ail fenc e, a covered wagon in the rear and a hay etaok near the front of the building. Underneath is an inscription to the effect that the modest building was t h e residence, in 1853, of Elder Orsa.n Hyde, t he famous Mormon, when he lived 1n Council Bluffs. Pictures of the Omaha village near Bell evue in 1854 and of the Pawnee village on the south aide of t he Pl atte oppPsite the present site of Fremont, present a very life-like appearance. Then follows one labeled: "Steamer Omaha landing Uormons at Florence, Neb., in the spring of 1854." A piot ure of special interest to Nebraskans is that one of a one-story, one-room, dirt-roofed log house, surrounded by timber, being the first claim oabin built in Nebraska, by Daniel Norton, in 1853, bet ween Omaha and Bellevue. Mr. Norton is well remembered by old settlers hereabouts, as are also hie t wo buxom daughters. There are several sketches of c ptng scenes out on the plains--one representing Capt ain Carlisle' o noon stop on the plains in 1859; another presents a view of a Mormon corral made of wagons and inside the corral men lassoing st eers preparatory to yoking up tor a eta.rt, and still another shows one of tba Mormon hand oa rt trains on its way from Florence, Neb., to Sa lt Lake Oity in 1856. But, doubtless, the most interesting picture in the estimation of Kr. N. P. Dodge, Sr., is that of a small, one-story frame building, two persons wal king out from the front door to t ake passage in the four horse coach standing near. Appended 1s t he following: "Dwelling house on Pieroe street in wh1ob N. P. Dodge lived during t he winter of 1864-5, formerly oooupied by G, K. Dodge; also by Sylva.nus Dodge's family. Frs.med in St. Louis and shipped by steamboat in 1856. Represents N. P. Dodge and wife starting on their wedding trip September, 1864.• This buil di ng s located in Oouno11 Bluffs and was the first frame building erected in the town. I - MATERIAL TO BE FOU,ND IN THE COUNCIL BLUFFS LIBRARY Sketches of Early Daye in Western Iowa From the oolleotion of Nathan P. Dodge - Nonpareil Sept. 4 , 1904 Perhaps t he most valuable and interesting oolleot1on of pictures of early Council Bluffs that exists today is in the possession of N. P. Dodge , in the form of a book of sketches drawn for him in 1853, by George Simone, well remembered in Council Bluffs as a photographer and artist, a.nd who died. some years ago . Hr. Simons was well qualified to prepare t hese sketches. When the antelope and deer still bro s ed around the bills upon which Council Bl uffs no-w stands, be came est w1 th Gen . Grenville M.. Dodge as a surveyor for the Rock Island railroad. He was an a rtist by profession and by nature and the prairie scenes and picturesque views were indelibly impressed upon hie m ory. So aoourate was the latter that he was able at any time to sit down and reproduce in pencil va rious loca.11 tie.a in which the surveying party had stayed any length of time. R. SIMONS' PAINTINGS Hr. Simons became infatuated with Council Bl uffs a.nd the sur- rounding country on his arrival here and made t he oity bis home . He spent the rest of his life in Oouncil Bluffs and produced a great number of b1etor1oal sketches relating to the early settl ement of Couno1l Bluffs and vicinity. A number of bis paintings of early Council Bluffs s cenes now adorn the walls of the Council Bluffs Public Library, They show the vi l l age of Ka.neev1lle in the years 1853 and 1855 and the oity o f Council Bluffs as it appeared l~ter on in the fifties. The book above mentioned, onti tled .. Frontier Sketches" was compiled for Ur . Dodge in 1853 and was one of Mr. Simon's last works. It ie a handsomely bound book containing a.bout thirty-five pencil drawings. They are beautifully executed, the scenes being reproduced as clearly and f aithfully as i:f from photographs, and the work of unusual exoellenoe, The ooenes in a l ar ge measure illustrate ••• swung froo a pole in front of 1 t, nestles against the bluff near Park Avenue. Uost of the cabins are surrounded by high fences serving as corrals for the stock. On top of the hill b aok of where George A. Keeline•s residence now stands t he old powder magazine is shown. This magazine, or its suooeesor, atood until a ttar the civil war and almost every brick in its walls contained t he name and address ot a Oounoil Bluffs soldier in the oivil war , carved deeply into it. A LITTLE LA'rER ON The next picture shows Qbunoil Bluffs in 1858. The tide of emlgr at1on had by t hat t1oe brought prosperity t o t he oity~ It wae t hr1v1ns town, woll built e.nd t he outlines of the present oity oan be easily diot1ngu1ehed by the streets. Ae yet t here were soaroely -- --g9 --- 90 - a - For many years the home of Mr. Herman Kountze on South Tenth Street, with its spacious and beautiful grounds, has been one of the show places of Oma.ha. A sketch of that hill as it was many yea.rs ago presents a forest eoene with a story-and-a-half log cabin and a straw-covered log et ble. Underneath the eketoh is written: 11 L9g cabin in Omaha oooupi ed by Syl vanua Dodge and f amily when driven by Indians from their Elkhorn farm, August, 1855, to April, 1858. This ground now oooupied by residence of Herman Kountze." On the suooeed1ng page i s given an ~ooount of the Indian difficulty referred to, as it was published ednesday, August ls 1855, in ~Tbe C7hronotype11 of Council Bluffs: "Great exoitement was prevalent in Ooaha on Uonday last oaused by the murder of two men by the Indians near Fontinelle. On Sunday a fternoon two men belonging to the Quincy company an~ living several miles south of Fontinelle (on Bell creek) started for the latter place, one of these ooompan1ed by his wife. When within a mile or two of their destination they heard the report of a gun. Thinkiµg it to be some one of the settlers, in their search for him, and while in a deep ravine, lt'ere greeted by a band of Indians, Santee Sioux. They o.ppea.red friendly, approached a.nd shook handS. One of the Indians took a ha.t from the hea.d of one of the white men and put it on hie own head. The owner tried to reclaim it but could not a.nd they .started away. The Indians followed and shot them dead. The woman, who was some yards behind, rushed to her husband when she s aw him f all and finding him dead, started to escape tow~d Fontinelle. Indians pursued and sent a shower of arrows o.fter her, one of whioh took effect in her thigh, but she managed to escape and reaohed Fontinelle. The Indians scalped their victims. A short time s1noe the Il}dians took four yoke of oxen from Kr . Reeves, who resides on the Elkhorn. Another man had his hous e broken open and furn1 ture destroyed. Mr·. Kimberlin bad a yoke of oxen t aken and was forced to nee to council Bluffs :tor safety of bis wife and children. " Among other interesting eketohes in th1e oonneotion is one of Bellevue, 1856, showing a settlecent of about forty houses; one of 81oux 01ty, Iowa, the same year, with fewer buildings the.rt in the Bellevue iotur~i eever&l. of Council Bluffs as that city appeared from 1849 to lBt>H; ·and qu1~e a numb er of the crossing of the lkhorn rive.r on the old California and Mormon trails, ne r the farms owned by the Dodge :family on the Elkhorn river. There ie also a photogTaph of Broadway, Council Bluffs,· taken in 1862. Another photograph t aken in reoent yeare 1 is a. picture of 0811 ral Dodge and hie brotbe~ N p Dodge in a hunting oamp in Texas nit h n big deer hanging in a tree • a e proof of t h eir auooeea in quest ot game. Photosta t copies of 11 Fronti er Sketches" are in Dodge cabinet _ Council Bl uffs, Simons , George. Ori ginal ske t ches are in vault. \ r a dozen streets in the set tlement and the built~p portion followed Broadway closel y. From Tuelfth street on the west to Oak street at the other end of Broadway, and from aahington street on the north to illow avenue on the south, were practically all the buildingA. Broadway at that time contained a number of fine brick buildings west of Main street, thie section vieing with t he vicinity of First street i n i mportance. The first of three pictures showing the o1ty at t his date is drawn looking on llain street. The o1ty mill s, still standing at t he head of Main street , were the most conspicuous ob ject i n the picture. The old saw mill, t he ponder magazine and t he old Methodist ohuroh , still st9od. A skirmi sh ltne of houses has orept up the bluffs to the north and south of Broadway. The seoond picture, l voking south from the hill on which St. Bernard's hospital now stands, shows the Union house, the court house, a small fral!le etl"Ucture, the Robir.son house, t ne "Cottonwood ja.11, 11 a house built of cottonwood loge. Around t hi s j ail t he stirring events of t he old l awless days oo agu ~ed. Hore tha.n o~e horsethi ef and desper ado l eft this j ail with the vigilance oommi ttee and tool~ a quicker route to justioe t han the law provides. It burne l ater and claimed a prisoner as a victim in the flames. Another drawing shows t he city ~ooking towards the southwest and ebows bow olosoly the early settlers clung t o t he hills. The western border of the city as soaroely beyond t heir shadow. "THE OOEAN .WAVE11 Prominent in the picture of Upper B:roa.dlt'ay 1e t he famous "Ocean . Wave. " In 1858 th1e wae t he Uonte Carlo of the west , the finest gambling house west of Chicago. Fortunes were w9n and lost over its tabl es o.nd i t was a rendezvous for gamblers from all over the country. eny a drama, rife wit h the shagginess of border days, waa enaoted wit hin 1te walls. Time, h1oh has its own quiet way of turning t hings topsy turvy, hae seen fit t o plant the present Broadway Uethod1et church squarely upon the site where the "Ocean Wave" onoe waved. There are many other piottiree in the book of great i nter est to old residents of t he city. Among the s cenes are t he old saw mill on Indian cr eek; t h e residence of the ort::lon elder, Orson Hyce; the first reaidenoe on Washington avenue; -che ·.t'a.rke mill, built on Mosquito or$ek for the Pottawatt amie Indians 1n 1842! tne 1andoffioe of N. P. Dodge at 122 Broadway; the bome of N. P. Doa.ge tn 1885 at t he corner of Willow Avenue and Fourth street, still standing; and the log cabins oooupied by t he First Congregational ohuroh in 1863. Besides t hese are a number of views of the Dodge cla.iru on the Elkhorn River in Nebraska., views of the old trail, old huntint; scenes, a view of the Dodge Cabin in Oma.ha on the site of the Herr.an Kountz residence, a picture of the first t emporary btidge across the Missouri·, a view of Sioux City in 1856, Mormon and Indiu.r. scenes and many others. The book is of almost priceless value from its historical associations. To those citizens whose memory extends back to the days when the trackless wilderness beat at the doors of the city and the adventurous spirit of the whole country gathered here to rest and outfit before pushing westward, the pictures would come a.s a vision of the past when Council Bluffs was but a sturdy infant and the west \Vas an empire y · t to come. 91 r ONE STRAGGLING STREET The finest pictures in the book and t hose which undoubtedly cost the most labor, are a series showing Council Bluffs and Kanesville as they appear ed in ·the earl y days. The fir st one portrays t he Kanesvill e of 1849. The village at that time was a single street straggling up the valley along the present route of Broadway. Along the prairi e r oad which forms t he str eet in the picture, trains of emigrant wagons are rnovi ng while a coupl e of I ndians occupy a conspicuous pla ce in the foreground. The houses a r c a.11 one story f:fame and log huts. Under the bluf fs, a t what is now the corner of Sixth and Mills streets, t he old Daggers saw mill, the first mill in Council Bluffs, is shown. From it Mill !3treet took its name . The mill deri ved its power from Indi an creek , which was evidently of some use in those days, and was harnessed much more successf'1lly than i t is now. The Methodist church, with a bell swu11g from a pole i n front of it, est~es against the bl uff near Park Avenue . Most of the cab ins are surrounded by high fences serving as corrals f or the stock . On t op of the hill back of where George A. Keeline•s residence now stands the old powder magazine is shown. This magazine, or its successor, stood unti l aft er the civil war and almost every brick in its 'falls contained the name and address of a Council Bluffs soldier in the civil war, carved deeply into it. Copied from 11 Frontier Ske tches 11 book owned by Nathan P. Dodge . Sketches in pencil by George Simons. This article copied from a printed clipping pasted in t he book. (Photostat copies of 11Frontie r Sketches" are in Dodge Cabinet - Council Bluffs, Simons, Geo rge . Original sketches are in the vault. ) Simons , George / SKETCH BOOK OF VALUE. - soME OLD Tl ME PENC!L DRA w1'N-cs WHICH ARE NOW HIGHLY PRJZED. I /6 I DODGE. t horse 1 staudfni: oeiu-:- , ppt-nclcd is I \\'hen ~· snw ti. fall and fi nding him I the fol lowing: "Dw<•lling house on Pierce dead, sturtcd to escnpe toward F ontinelle. To THE ;\[Encun Y office l\Jr. Dodge .Jr., slreet in whi<:h N., I!. Dodge lived duri ng Indin11s pursued a nd sent a shower of nro[ t uis city, sou of N. P. Dodge, Sr. nml the winter o( 180-J-;J, Cormel'ly occupied I rows after her, one of which took effect ni<11hcw of. General G. 1\I. Dodge, !Jri.ngs u by G. l\J. Dodge; a lso by 8ylv:rnus in her thigh, but she managed to escape book whid1 is worth its weight iu s:>ld D~dge's fami ly. l.i'ramed in St. Louis and ond reached Fontinelle. The Indinus f muiiY tim~s O\'er. It is handsomely bound shipped by steamboa l iu 185G. Rc!ll'e- st·alpecl their victims. A short time uncl is made up of pencil sketches of early sents N. P. Dodge and wife stnrtiqg on .. ;uce the Indians took four yoke of oxen western scenes, with a few photographs of their wedding trip September, l.SQJ." from :\Ir. Reeves, who resides on the Elkmo1·e recent date. Most of the pencil This building was located in Coimcil ho1.:i. • .\nothe1· man had his house broken clrn1vings were by George Simons, n c;ook HlufTR a111l wa~ th<> first frame building open and (umilure destroyed. Mr. K imemployed by General Dodge's engineei·iqg erected in the town. bcrlia lrncl a yoke of oxen taken and was· pa rty when at work ou railroad sur 'till forced lo Oee to Council Bluffs for sn£t>ty I in Iowa, noel west of lhe Missouri tfrer, · F or many yenrs the home of ~fr. lier- o( his wi(c nncl children." beginning in 18ii3. One of tbc earliest of ll¥lll liounlze on South Tenth street, with these is a picture of 11 double log cabin, l~l'I pneious nncl beautiful grounds, has Among other interesting sketches • "1 one story high, surrouuded by a rickety hc• n one of the show places of Omahn. A lhis connection is one of Bellevue, ' -: " rni! fciwe, 0 c•J\·cr.:d wr.bon in the rcai·, 11ic<>tch of that bill as it wns many years showing a settlement of abou fJ.-ty and a hay stack near the front of the .nao presents a forest scene with a story- houses; one of Sioux City, ow1~: the imine 1 building. Underneath is nn inscription to nnd-n-hnlf log cabin nnd a rnw-cove1 ~d year, with fewer bui ldings than kl the the effect. lhat the modest building was log_ stable. Underneath the sketch is Rellcvue picture ; severa l f Counci l the residence, in 1853, of Elder Orsan 1 wn tlen : "Log cabin in Omaha occupied Bluffs us that city appea red froll! 1840 to Hyde, the famous Mormon, when he li ved by Sylvnnus Dodge . and family when 1Sii8; and quite n number of the cross in ~ in Council B lu[ s. driven by Indians from lhei r Elkhorn of ~1 c J.Dlk horn river on the old California farm, August, 1855, to April, 185G. This m?. formon trnils, near the farms owned P ictures of t he Omaha. village nenr ground now occupied by residence of Iler- : ..• ""' ..}v,\~-fi,.u:l-.i. v:. ~·;r I:'.'.<','!V <•'> r.-• .,,. Bellevue in 18G4 and of the Pawnee vi i- mnn Kountze." On the succeeding page There is also a photograph of B roadway, 1 Inge on lhe south side of the l:'lalle op- is given an account of the I ndia n clifficnlty Counci l B luffs, taken in 1862. Another posile lhe present site of Fremont, pre· refenecl to, as it was published \Vednes- photograph taken in recent years, iR -.. sent a very life-like oppearunce. Then day, August 1, 1 3;;, in "'!'he Chronotype" ;>icture o( Genernl Dodge and his brother follows one labeled: "Steamer Omaha o( Council B luffs : N. P. Dodge in a hunting crunp in Texns lnncling Mormons at Florence, Neb., iu "Grent excitement wns preveln.nt in with a big deer hanging in a l rP a. tho spring of 1854." A picture of special Omnhn on ;\fondny Inst <·nuscd by the Proof o( their success in q\IMt oC o :"! interest lo Nebraskans. is thnt of a one- murder of two men by the India ns nea r story, one-room, dirt-roo(ccl Jog house, Fonlinelle. On Sunday afternoon two /Yo11 P· /Y\pJ'LI d. ~ I qo I surrounded by timber, being lhe first 11\'t!'ll belon~ing to the Quincy company and I clnim cabin built in Nebraska, by Daniel I living scvcrnl miles south of l!'ontinelle Norton, in l SG::l, between Omaha a.ud (on_IBell creek) sta rted for the lntter Bellevue. 1\Ir. Norton is well remembered 1 plac·c, one of these accompanied by his by olll :setllers hereabouts, ns a re a lso wi(e. When within a mile or two of thcil· hlq ·lwo buxom daughters. destination they hea rd the report of n gu n. Th inking it lo be some one of thP 'l'hPrc 11rr. ~"''Prn 1 !'kPtrht>~ nf <'Amninr J :S<'ttlers, in theit· search for him, a nd scenes out on lhe plains-one represent- I wlute in n deep ravine, were greeted by ing Captain Carlisle's noon stov on the 111 band of ndians, Santee Sioux, They plnins in 185!); another presents o. view nppeared friendly, approad1ecl ru1d shook ' of a 1\Jormon corm! mnde o( wagons ~i'.inds. One of the Indians took n hat nncl inside the c>orral men lassoing steers •nm the head of one of the whi te men ..r,,r .. p11rarory to yoking up for n start, ·1 put it on his owu bead. T he owner amt Lill another shows one of the 1\lor- "'' lo rcclnim it but could not an.; 1 heY mon hand ca rt trains ou i:;; wnv Crom "' rfocl awny. The I ndians followed an.i l!'lorence, Neb., lo alt Luke City i~ S;:iG. abot them dead. 'l'be womo.n, who was Hut, doubtless, the most inlerestiul( pie- some virdR behind rushed to her hustinnd lurr In the estimulion of i\fr. N. r. l)odg1::, Sr., is thlll of a small, one-stor:· frnmc huilcling, two persons walking out from l lh1front door to tnke passage in lhc four 9:3 • •I ... Sketches of Early Days in Western Iowa I From the Collecti.on of N.athan P. Dodge. Perhaps tho most valua ble a nd cstlng collection or pictur es or Counc il Blutr.s t hat exists todo.y Is In p:>sscrslon of N. P. Dodg e, In tho form of ... book of sketchn1 drawn tor him in 1853, Mr. Do<lgo In is.;:i and was ono ot Mr. " The Ocean Wavo: lntc.'- Simon's Inst work!!. It is a. band11omely Promlnon t In the picture or U p!)' boi;nd book contn lnln i; abou t tblrty-1\ve Broa dway Is the farmous "Ocoan Wave." pencil · d rawings. T IH>Y a r o bca.uUfully I n l b:>s th is w ns the :.rontc Carlo or t ht executed, the scenes being rep roduced as west, the finest grunbllng houso west ot clearly nnd a.lth(ull ~· as It from ohoto- Ch1cn.go. F ortunes we re w on and lost irraphs nnd the work ot unus ual excel- over Its tables a n<l It wns a rendezvous by George Simons, well remembered In !once. 'The see ~ In a. largo meuuro II- for gamblers from all over t ho country. Council Blutrs as a. photographer and nr- ,. Many a. d rama., rl!c with the s h ngglnoss of Ust a nd who dleJ some years a go swung from a pola In front or It, nestles border days, wa ll enacted within Its wa lls. ' · t ngitlust the blutt nea r P a rk ave nue, Time w hich has its own quiet way or Mr. Simons wa;1 well qua lified to pre- Most or t he cabins a r o su rrounded bi turn l~g things t opsy turvy, ho.s seen fit pr.re these uetch.•s. When the antelope high fences sen •lng as c orrals tor ~ to plant t he p resent Broa dwn}' Methodist D.-'ld deer s till browsed around the hills C,:·•ck On top of t he hill back or whetf.11 ch urch squarely u pon the site where tho ··;,oll which Coun~ll Blutts now stan1•a, ·-·!orgo A . Keellne's . residence now '"Ocean W ave" once w a \·ed. ho onmo west wlt·1 Gen. Grenville ·..,1. sta n?s tho old ow r m:LS'Qzlno ls Th~~o o re ma ny other pictur es In th o s hown. This mo.g=lnc, or Its s uccessor, '>Ok of great In terest to old r esidents ot D<>dgo a s a. s urvey11r for Ute Rock Island stN>d until after the civil w a r n~ alm~t tb, ~ .:lty. Among tho scones a ro the • 1 r a ilroad. H e wa s :in nrll'!t by prc;te.. slon e very brick In Its walls contained tho ~h .- mlll on Indian c reek; tho r esldcu :e 1 and by na ture a nd the pra irie scones and na me n.nd address of a. Council Blu!'Ca o! t ho 7'lormon eldor. Orson llydo; the picturesque views were Indelibly im- sold ier In tho cl\•11 war, carved deeply firs t r esidence on Washing ton a vcm .. ;i; pres.;ed upo n hJs m rmory. So accura t e Into It. tho P a t ks mill, b uilt on Mosquito creek war< the la tter that ~ wa.q a ble a t a ny 1 A L ittle L ater On. ~ t or th1 P oLta wa tlamJo Indians In 181!11 t lmo to sit d own a n cl reprod uce In pencil the Jo.ndoft1co of N. P. D odge nt m vurlo us locallUCtO in w hlch t he surveying T ho n ext picture shows Councll B h 0 t•e Broadway ; tho ·1omo or N. P. Doago In pa rty ha d stayed any length of um, . In 1&58. Tho Ude or emigration had b y l h60 o.t tho cor n · of \Vlllow av onuo and t hat time b roug h t prospe rity tt1 the ,, F ourth Btroet, stUl i!tan61ng 1 l'nd tho l og Mr. lt was a thrivin g t.own, well b ullt and tho cublns ccupl~ d by tho F irst Congrego.- S imons' P ain ti-11gs. l\fr. Simo1rn became Infa tuated with outlines ot the pr esent city can bo enslly Llonal c huroi' in 1853. •B esldo" these n ro Council 11tr~ n nd t ho su rrou i1~<t dlsllngulflhed by th e stNICts. A s yet there country on h is arrl\·at her e and mad o the were sca rcely n d oz en streets In the eet- clty his home. H e "pent the r est ll! his ttement a nd the built-up 1>0rtlon ronowod 11 rc Jn Council Dluf{s nnd pr il ..ic·~ d a Broadway closely. F rom Twelfth streef i;t•rat numlw r or histo rica l sk Hehcs r e - on the wost to Oa k street nt the he~ lo ting to th•• <', rly sdllum•·nt o r Cou ncil end o! Broadway, and fr om "\Yashlngt-0n Bluffs and vlrlnlty. A n umbe r o! h is street 00 t ho north to W iiiow avenue on ~ .ntlngq or 1··nly Council Bluffs sct-nes the south, were practically a ll the bulldt .· • .; n1lorn t he w.1 11!< or the Council Blutr!< In&"' Broa<lwa y a t that tl~ o conta ined i" bllc librar y. T hey shQw the vlllng e o r n numbe r o! nne urlck b uildings weirt of 1.::an csv lllo In t he yenrs 1S-a3 and 1855 11 nr 1 Ma in str eet, this section vlelng w ith t\10 1 ,c dty or Council Blurts tlS It appeo• ~d vicinity ot First street In Importance. Thn tntrr on Jn t h1· f1t•tc:io. fi t'f>t o! t hree pictures s howing tho ll~ Thl" boolc above mi!ntlon ed, entitled nt this elate I s drnwn lookin g or. ::i.1 .. 1n " 1''rontler Sketc hes," WM complle<l fo r I str eet . T ho cit y mills, s till s to·.idlni; at t he head ot Ma in stre et, wer e the most conspicuous o bject In tho pict u re. Tho .1td saw mill, tho powder magazine nnd the old :>l et hodlst churc h, . still stot1'1 . • A sld rmh1h lln o o! housos nas cr ept up ,ho blurts to tho north o.nd south or Br .. lwoy Tho '"'elltuS picture, looking r:nuth fr ~ the hill on which St. n ... rna rd'n hos1.lta l n ow a tn nds, shows t h e U nion hou thu court house, a. s ma ll fra.mo strUHurc, tho Robtnnon house. t he •·cot- <or ... oO<I j a il," l\ hOUSO bulll or l'Olton- Wood o~s. Around this jail the Stl'Tlng evPnts of the olll wlC'~s da yt1 eoagu e:.. Mor<ll \hon onr l!Orllelhle f and <lespi.r,1(10 luft hl~ jail w ith t ho vlgllnnco ce>m:,1ittee nnd t•>Ok a quicker routo to ju tlt.~ than Ja.w p rovld<'s. Jl burn<'d l:l.tor nnd <: almo'J a prl ~oner l.,. n v ictim In 1!!'3 !lames. Anc.thl'r d•:iw!nsr showA tho elty loe>kfn!f tow::tnls the southW8'•t and shows hom C)o.-<;:ly ti (''.lrl)'" enttlf•ns Clung t o the \., S.. Axtell. -..110 Jfae nc' n a. .R fgu l>\~ SublcrJbor t o Tho NO.IPll"l ll for !1t ora 'rl1n.n ThlrlY Yt.trs; 1'1lllf. '1'!1 ' .tern horder ot tho city w a s scarcely i:..eyu. ·1 thc•r shadow. r •k I U1 ON.• lgh • By Courtesy or the Joslyn Ar~ Museum, Omaha, Neb. "A P AUSE m THE JOURNEY": An Oil Painting by George Simons HUNG amidst . various historical items in the special collection of Midwestern American arts in the J oslyn Museum, Omaha, is this small oil painting. While· the museum people have labeled the picture with this title, there exists in the Public Library of Council Bluffs, Iowa, a photograph accompanied by this descriphouses in Council Bluffs had been re- placed. Council Bluffs, situated on the Missouri River, is one of the first historic cities of western Iowa. In 1804 the famous ex- plorers Lewis and Clark camped there. The Potawatami Indians were moved into the area in 1837. Ten years later the first Mormons arrived and they changed the name to Kanesville. During the Gold Rush tion: "Jimmy's Well, taken from an oil to California in 1849, Kanesville was on painting by George Simons. The J ames the direct route of the westward travelers. Bradshaw House and well were localed When Brigham Young issued the call to at what is now the junction of Canning the Mormons to migrate to Utah, they and Pierce Streets (Council Bluffs), abandoned Kanesville, and only 1,000 na1859." Apparently George Simons (1834- live people remained. They changed the 1917) painteB this scene at just the proper name of the community to Council Bluffs. moment, for by the 1860's most of the log C~l'f DOROTHY AoLow .. Miss Guzman noted. ~ Miss Brown's fa ther, the late Leroy C. Brown, acquired the sketches from Simons in 1909. . · ' H•n,#. ,.Yo Y. 6'",, /j'~ / •• Viewing A Painting •. • by George Simons a re Miss Mildred Guzman of Oma ha and Mrs. F red Tedesco. The scene depicts Council Bluffs in 1857. Another Simons work in th_e ac un~ ~ made here in abo_11t 1860. No il Photo . ........ ~~~~ ~"--~ ..... Painted Many Scenes Of Early C •. B. , 1. ,~ · Joslyn To Exhibit Works Of Artist George Simons The works of Geo~ge Sim- were transferred from t e ons, frontier artist of the Free Public Library to Josmid-19th century, will set Jyn Monday. the mood for J oslyn Memor- Mrs. Fred Tedesco, club ial Art Museum's 30th anni· president, said they will be versary observance in Oma- loaned to the museum for ha. the duration of the exhibit. His impressions on canvas Miss Mildred Guzman, asprovide the best known pie· socia te curator at Joslyn, is torial record of pioneer assembling the exhibit. The Council Bluffs. · museum had five works by Thirty-two works by Sim· Simons in its per ma nent col· ons. whose r ugged technique lection. Five more were bor· brought him acclaim as a rowed from Simons' son, "na l born artist" , will I Barry Norman Simons, 80, be exnibited at the museum of Lebanon, Ore. from Nov. 26 through Feb. 4. Simons, who died in 1917, Eight samples of his came to Council Bluffs in works owned by the Coun· the 1850s as a cook for Gren1luffs Woman's Club, ville M. Dod e. At the time • Dodge was surveying routes for several proposed railroads in Iowa and Council Bluffs was scarcely Il' '"'re than a tiny village at the base of a bluff. A painting by Simons rn 1853 is considered the most a ccura te impression of the town as it looked when it re- ceived its charter. Scenes Along River Other known works depict the town through va rious stages of its early growth and scenes of settlements along the Missouri River from Sioux City to St. Louis. Miss Guzman said there may be other Simons paintings in existence here which have never been identified. Simons seldom signed his works. But they can be authentica ted through 54 preliminary sketches he made which are owned by Miss Ma rguerite Brown of Council Bluffs, -Simons P a1ntings Are Discussed A collection of paintings by George Simons, rega'rded as the Midwest's first pictorial historian was viewed antl discussed a 1 t a joint meeting of the Pottawattamie County (Iowa) and the Greater Oma- ha Historical Societies at Joslyn Art Center Wedne~- day njght. · Mildred Goosman, assistant curator at Joslyn, wa s the principal speaker. More t h a n two d o z e n paintings are included in the collection w h i c h has been held over at the Museum until Sunday. Five of the wo r ks have n d o n a t e d to Joslyn by Mr ... Simons's son._ ' Bruce Thomas, vice-pr ident of the Omaha groµp, • presided at the dinner meeting. About 120 persons •at- tended. f , l 2 GEORGE SIMONS, A foik painter, who lived in and sketched Council Bluffs during the frontier days, is being honored in the September issue of the Iowan Magazine. The issue features the life story of Simons, along with 16 reproductions of pencil sketches and four of his oil p a i n t ings, which show scenes of the city and pa rts of Southwest Iowa . One picture shows a temporary r a i I r oad bridge across the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha in 1865. The back cover of the magazine features an early .picture of Red Oak paint ed in 1875. 9 The Free Public Library her e has several of the originals in its collection. ........... ~ \}'.,. '-..... ...... .....s <:..> " ~ ~ ~ ~ ...... '-- ~ -S> ...__.. ~ "-........_, ~ - ~ ~ --\:.. ~ '-..J 0 ~ A ~ \ ___] :::t::. ;, CIVIL WAR DIARY: Harry Simons Read.s of Father's War Ji appenings father ·of Lebanon Ma Wrot Dia-ry · Noting :Civi! .war H~rro~ By GUS AUGUST After a steamer trip up the fortifications and Democr at-Herald Staif Writer White River, during which he de- also_ saw hundred barracks. He LEBANON-Time and distance scribes sc~ es a!ong ~e way and c_orrung up riVer b of refugees make the Civil War seem very re- travels with a gun m band be- fir~ upon by rebel Y· boat, being mote to most Willamette Valley cause of guer illas, the company their belongings. ~and l_osing all residents but at least one, Harry ended up at Little Rock, Ark. the scene was so e teS that Simons, has a direct link to it Simons tells of a trip by steam- could h8'"~ y keep Pbthetic that he through a diary written by his er up the river to gather_ .fence . Th_e writer then dack ~he tears. father who was in the Union army rails. While loading the r~1ls, the ~~~ey_ ~y · steameescr1.bes their for more than two years. soldiers find several pigs and thtssisstpp1 to Ne r doWn the Simons, who lives at 552 E. Oak calves in the brush and end up ~dy Ogden ~Or eans on · St., has several paintings done eating fresh meat. . a · . th 800 men · hr his father. The paintings and H~ then tells of ao "~c1den~ at . ~e writes of an . . 1 diary will go back east this fall Jemns Ferry on the Sahne River ~hich an 80-Year-old lllc1dent in 1 to appear in an exhibit. · bottom." The battle took place "firanged by her two Woman was 1 e tin . son The former school crossing pa- May 7, 1864. t Id th ea g rebels" s and other tr~lrnan , who. is 81 years old, The journal vividly describes 0 em that the . When she srud that his father, George the flight of Negro refugees from f~ down a gov:r Were helping ~ Washingto)l Simons, was born rebel soldiers noting that they s· an one they could hnment better . • ~~ 11 ~ }3M.. in_ M._21?;~e~ " ca~ were peaqmg '!or Li~t!e Rock for un;d d~ not say ~ to set up. 1 ~ ai;:v1i:J1 -~~oung .man .• be came saf.ety. One oi the Negro women, ~est th. the lllcident butathhe wit 1 ttli e · m States, eventually carrying or dragging about three a e woman w ' e notei se ~ near Council Bluffs. Iowa. ' "'""".tMr ;. ·--- ~ •- . L ••• ·' -·· tree she had nla n t~ ho.r hancoged to 1 lf of\.rn• /0 3 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I JlTB'l 11 e ~ .. or-,· .. ~-:v~-. . ~. . . •. '-iii •• ~ ._ • • • _ • ,_ Diary · Noting :Civil W a·r Horrors By GUS AUGUST Democrat-Herald Stalf Writer LEBANON-Time and distance make t11e Civil War seem very remote to most Willamette Valley residents but at least one, Harry Simons, has a direct link to it through a diary written by his father who was in the Union army for more than two years. Simons, who lives at 552 E. Oak St., has several paintings done by his father. The paintings and diary will go back east this fall 1 to appear· in 11n exhibit. ' , The former school· crossing patrolman, who is 81 years old, said that his father, George D Washington. Simons, was born ~ Jan. 11, 1834 in Montreal, CaQ- . ·aaa:-Wlien'a young .man, iie came to the -United States, eventually settling near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Prjpr to that time he was a trapper near what is now Omaha, Neb., and built one of the first three log houses at that. place. In another journal, George Si- mons records a bit of his life in this area. He was. very nearly done away with when he accidentally shot an lndill!l while bunting and living with them. However, some of his better ·friends in the tribe helped him escape and he got away from the Indians by guiding a birch bark carioe down a river with ii broken paddle. Enlisted In 1862 According to papers which his only surviving son now owns, Simons enlisted in April, 1862 in the 29th Iowa Volunteers; Company B. The journal which be kept describes some of t~e highlights of bis service until he was: dis- charged in New Orleans in September, J.864. Illustrated · with well-done drawings, brighUy colored, the journal begins: "It was on a bright morning and . on the 6th of April, 1864 <probably should · read 1862) that I left my home to join the army to put down the great southern rebellion." He then goes on in picturesque 1 language to describe the parting I from his wife and two children and trip to war. After a steamer trip up the fortifications anq barracks. He White River. during which he de- also ~w hundreds of refugees scribes scenes along the way and coming up river by .. boat, being trav~ls with ·a gun in hand be- fired upon by rebels 1µ1d losi,n'g all cause of guerrillas, the company .their belongings. He writeS that ended up at Little Rock, Ark. the scene was so pathetic -that he Simons tells of a trip by steam- could har~y keep. back the tears. er up the river to gather .fence . Th.e writer then describes· their rail~. Whil~ loading the rails, the JO~ey_ ~y · ~teamer down the soldiers fmd several pigs and Miss1Ss1pp1 to New' Orleans on calves in the brush and end up the Fanny Ogqen · with 809 men. eating fresh meat. aboard. He then tells of an "Incident at He writes of an incident in Jenins Ferry on the Saline River whtch an 80-year-old woman was bottom." The battle took place hanged by her: two sons and other May 7, 1864. "fire eating rebels" wlien she . The. journal vividly describes told them that they ·were helping the flight of Negro refugees from pull down a government better rebel soldiers., noting that they ~an one they cowd hope to set up. ~er~. p~a4\ng for LitUe Rock for Simons d~ n?t say µiat he wi~ sa(ety. One ot the Negro· womeii ' uessed. the mc1dent, but· he notes carrying or dragging about thr~ that the woman was hanged to a youngsters, is forced to abandon t:ee she had planted herself some the:it to save her own life. After time befor~. . . a time the children sank beneath ~e soldier also cbroo1tjes µte the mud and water to drown and delight of former slaves as they their bodies are run over ,by the see· the ,,blue co11ts of their\ "libsupply train wagons: , er~tors. . · . . . · _A word picture also paints the scri~ti:d~f ~e d:-~ ~th a dedistress of one fat Negro woma,n the beaches of. the G :~~p _on who could not run ·fast e!JOUgh . . u of)_ exico was caught by rebels and shbt. . ' ~:t;_ Ne.w Orl~s gath~g . Sin:ions . also des. cribes several the ~hl~ysters or Just watching]'/ mstances m which rebel prisoners L ' e caps. · lj or wounded soldiers are killed by Ne~o soldiers. He says that the ennuty between them is mutual and neit)ler side shows any quarter to the other. The return of the 29th Iowa Volunteers to camp was something ~ess than joyful, according to the Journal, since their supply wagons had to be destroyed· because of mud or rebels. The men were wqrn 01,1t and starved. ~i~ons. tells of a winter-long ai~ durm_g which he l~ build Simons tells of meeting emigrants traveling toward Idaho and of traveling by foot and coach for three days before reaching Fort 1 Des Moines, capital of Iowa. ! It being too muddy for the i coach, the company of men i switched to a wagon. After riding all of one night they reached Ger-l nell where they took a train for I Davenport. When the "iron h1>rse" arriver! . in Davenport, the volunteers were i marched to Camp .McClellan I where Simons says they ate "such I luxuries as hardtack, co{fe~. · hP.s . salt horse and sow belly."\ l I I I I I I I I I I ·. ------ - .t'r\l)r to mat umt: m: w11:. o. mem w :s11vt: uo:i. uwu ..... .,. ,.. •• ~. Tne sotcuer atso cnromCJes me trapper near what is now Oma.ha, a time the children sank beneath delight of former slaves as they Neb., and built one of the first the mud and water to drown and see· the blue coats of their "llbthree log houses at that. place. . their bodies are run over by the erators.'~ . . \ In another journal, George Si- supply train wagons.· He ends his diary with a demons records a bit of his life in A word picture also paints the scription of. the men lined \JP on this area. He was. very nearly distress of one fat Negro womap the beaches of. the Gulf of) Mexico done away with when he accident- who could not run ·fast eJJOugh, near· Ne.w Orl~ans gathering ' ally shot an lndi8!1 whife hunting was caught by rebels and shbt~ . shells, oysters or just watching and living, with them. Simons also describes several the1 white caps. - · However, some of his better instances in which rebel pr.iponers l ,... . . -"~ ........ -~ ·friends in Qie tribe helped him or wounded soldiers are kUJed by'. escape and he got away from the Negro soldiers. He says that the' Indians by guiding a birch bark enmity between them is mutual carioe down a river with a brok- and neither .side shows any quaren paddle. ter to the other. Enlisted in 1862 The return of the 29th Iowa. VolAccording to papers which his unteers to camp was something only surviving son n.ow owns, Si- less than joyful, according to the mens enlisted in April, 1862 in journal, since their supply wagons the 29th Iowa Volunteers; Com- bad fo be destroyed · because of pany .B. The journal which he kept mud or rebels. The men were describes some of ~e highJ.!g~ts :worn o!,lt and starved. · · of his ~ervlce until he w~s dtl!· · Simons tells of. ~ winter-long ~ged in New Orleans m Sep- jWaiy during :,yhich. he hell1ed bµlld tember, 1864. \-· _ _ _ _ Illustrated· with well-done drawing~. brightly colored, the journal I begms: . "It was on a bright morning and . on ttie 6th of · April, 1864 (probably should 'read 1862) that I left my home to join the army to put down the great southern rebellion.'' He then goes on in picturesque I )anguage to describe the parting I fiom bis wife and two children , and trip to war • . ,Simons tells of meeting emigrants traveling toward Idaho and of traveling by foot and coach for three d,ays before reaching Fort Des Moines, capital of .Jowa. It being too muddy for the coach, the 'company of men I switched to a wagon. After riding all of one night they reached Ger- l nell where they took a train for ' Davenporl When the· "iron hprse" arrived I in Davenport, the volunteers were marched to Camp McClellan where Simons says they ate "such I luxuries as hardtack, coffee, : beans, salt horse and sow belly." The picturesque language con- tinues as Simons describes his horror at seeing Ute graves of soldiers of both tides, stopping at an island foe wood to be used as fuel for the steamer's boilers and how one Negro was greeted by his fellows after gaining his freedom from prison on an island. I I /O S--i - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------- -- I -. ' '- ODI'fUARY: MRS . ROSSIE Illi'YNOLDS Mrs. Rossie Mae Simons Reynolds, 80, 2914 Avenue A, died Tuesday at her homeo She was the widow of :&:!.win Wo Reynol ds. Mrs. Heynolds was born in Missouri Valley and had been a resident of Council Bluffs for 58 years. A member of the Riverside Group, Women 's Leauge, she belonged to the Reoriganized l:hurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Survivors include : two daughters, Vera E. Reynolds and Mrso Fred Berg, both of Council Bluffs; brother, Harry Simons of Lebannon, Oregon, and three grand children. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a .m. Friday, at the Cutler Funeral Home ehapel. The Rev o VoD. Ruch, pastor of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will officiate . Nonpar eil, July ?, 1954, ~~~~7 OBITUARY.~t?o~ S d V1 S .. I . 1»< Mra, Mary N. Simona. ' . • • 1 ~l . Mn1·y :>; . \ Simons, nir,.d M Yen~ ,11, ... 1 111.,, l. nl ..:-h t l ~ n l h ur homo, 1!.& we~ t 1\Vallhl ni:toh I\\ enue. Six chlldnm !!Ur\'l vo h •:r. Sh•t hnu · been a ; tnomt>er of lli'e !lnpt h•l churJ h ·ror l11lrty Yf'llnJ. Annuunc<'incnl o r ru.ncrnl will ba mude Inter. 107 - 1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Vertical File Description An account of the resource A collection of articles and clippings from various sources about artist George Simons. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Document Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. artists George Simons https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/183c805470ba56c01f3a81efa6d6367e.JPG 06b9aa6c925df8d228b639cfbb550fa3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Council Bluffs painting Description An account of the resource Aerial painting of Council Bluffs by George Simons. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Artwork Type The nature or genre of the resource Painting Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. aerial art Council Bluffs Painting https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/10f2d6471214969f91184d3ee6b80b86.JPG 7c4f39bae17b1b0f846d29ca9a818b2e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Council Bluffs painting Description An account of the resource Painting of Council Bluffs by George Simons. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Artwork Type The nature or genre of the resource Painting Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. aerial art Council Bluffs Painting https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/09e08ae12b600d0ce45b316997a291c3.JPG f0836df8cdcdd7d914dd9c5ac244fd03 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Council Bluffs painting Description An account of the resource Painting of Council Bluffs by George Simons. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Artwork Type The nature or genre of the resource Painting Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. aerial art Council Bluffs George Simons Painting https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/7aba44cc5d62c6e6af510f0016a13009.JPG 78bc27cff4dc4c038a70ae8745d8d818 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Missouri River painting Description An account of the resource Painting of a boat crossing Missouri River. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Artwork Type The nature or genre of the resource Painting Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. George Simons Missouri River Painting https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/afe5f684d1c103f729001ad1d4ec43da.tif f6ed7c3b7e2c8171a3b9a2ac975df586 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/8a1cdad8fc18194095f1a84c4031247b.tif 7827d60c351878dc915a6242175bbc66 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 51 x 44 cm (20" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sylvanus Dodge's log cabin in Omaha Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Log cabin in Omaha occupied by Sylvanus Dodge & family when driven by Indians from their Elkhorn form August 1855 to April 1856. This ground now occupied by residence of Herman K... Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1856 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. Dodge Family drawing George Simons Nebraska https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/52bd1b8f3ee6c589a7d67d54c4c3149f.tif dac97f96e7968f28a448e665ddb5ef72 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/ff01afba788c53c24d2bbaec4675afd8.tif 017f10ba7070571ffdd8861caee16795 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 50 x 44 cm (20" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sylvanus Dodge's Cabin Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. S. Dodge's Cabin & improvements as they appeared in 1858. 23 Miles NW of Omaha. Looking North West. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1858 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. Dodge Family drawing George Simons Nebraska https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/7b829313dd8601200105f8a06b7a5754.tif 8091734e4ab5596c806bd54b2eb91f32 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/2f573e4dc798d1752826b75ea386b3db.tif 9c7635d98d55f35b56b86f81edea104c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 29 x 44 cm (11.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource G.M. Dodge's engineer party on Coon River Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1853 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing General Grenville M. Dodge George Simons https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/751e23142c25467d24dd7f54e699024c.tif 1244208fe175417b4c78d53437d2178a https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/bda58b84864e202a44208e93607d26c9.tif f87362e453fe785ac536cb4658c6a7ca https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/478a3cbc460ce8158bb60a0900d85ea8.tif f969e8ec240e649eee3aa5e99d89d160 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 36 x 44 cm (14" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 4th Iowa Infantry Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Fourth Iowa Infantry in Camp at Council Bluffs July 1861 before going to the war. "Camp Kirkwood." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 1861 Council Bluffs drawing George Simons history Iowa military war https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/adb47ee2dc43aa1e061feec0cb0f2775.tif f6c7f1baa764fcbeeb1b08629588b98a https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/aea0c5aa7c490da187332576e83f8763.tif f2908bf8e0913b883f146299e034a831 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 46 x 44 cm (18" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Steamer Omaha Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Steamer Omaha landing Mormons at Florence Neb in the Spring of 1854. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1854 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons Nebraska steamboats https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/6f08fac880fb47008ef9afe6d86aa614.tif 96d9b2937230e8e5dd4df8ea6e4d0cdc https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/af2a871ea18d311c35880140e3332b0a.tif 21833a3ad4dbbbe1b8b6ac49b4957c10 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 52 x 44 cm (20.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource S.E. Wick's Home Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. S.E. Wicks on Mosquito Creek near Park Mill, 1842-1864. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1842-1864 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Western Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons homes Iowa https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/837213c7baef5b31cd196b6cdb690d1f.tif 4ecfec54c719d5189a7be81884074d09 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/5c9eafe28aa63f9c2c5e8a3607dfe2d0.tif 8d99d7beaab5eb3ca539e67d226d38c6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 48 x 44 cm (19" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Pawnee Indian Village Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Pawnee Indian Village on South side of Platte River near Fremont Nebraska. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1856 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons Native Americans Nebraska https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/bc7fe70e7dd652e141960b0d2e16e859.tif 99382db3bec1dd3e7521d9294d2f5a7b https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/408882bd320b26564adc712036a3d6dd.tif 20ec5a07efc24267bfbaffa668867488 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 47 x 44 cm (18.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Omaha Indian Village Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Omaha Indian Village on Pappillion Creek near Belleview Nebraska Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1854 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons Native Americans Nebraska https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/276886a3e3c011fee1ada11623b7322e.tif efb50641f27e534825db62b02d68405c https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/7404a50bbff34c2a6f2d84771cba6feb.tif 6b982bec1806e839c93a3aa40605d1f5 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/5ced53cea4dd4c4e7a4a2aff7a0edd51.tif 65ae1700c055647ba3d4e89ee66a783c https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/76c222b27011406a6a3f45095ee567f5.tif 3acef1e6253c78767f1210a3868859a2 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/3518c91f2d4ab56658eb408409daca57.tif 251590e16e72aee0c2a71113b7c47816 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 44 x 44 cm (17.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Offices of N.P. Dodge Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Offices of N. P. Dodge from June 1862 to 1863 located near Broadway & Bancroft St. about no 341 (building on left). Offices of N. P. Dodge from 1863 to 1869 also of Baldwin & Dodge banking & real estate (building on right). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. buildings Council Bluffs drawing George Simons Iowa N. P. Dodge https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/4975086a002cb48393a94c057c70af2e.tif d804b2677db3927fb8aec66c3d0c4898 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/25fce03197510cf7a54533dbcd1b4e9d.tif f76ab81bc8d78ac30bc8faca439157c1 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/094edbf772651a277c64106b39146e04.tif 6e6c80ec44b3d9bd6979975e8786d715 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 32 x 44 cm (12.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource N. P. Dodge Land Agency Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Built by N. P. Dodge in 1869 occupied by him now 1894. C Bluffs Savings Bank Nov 1870 to Nov 1878. From March of 1863 N. P. Dodge occupied a frame building as real estate office. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. Banks Council Bluffs drawing George Simons Iowa N. P. Dodge https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/9dfdb01c32d6a222346f31991cb92833.tif 2f744d186a8fa1450b62c395afca08d7 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/221e64966e5cb773deea4d19d546474f.tif 5288028b7b0d0307e8e5300b37ce8074 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 31 x 44 cm (12" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource N.P. Dodge farm on the Elkhorn River Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. West part of NP Dodge's farm on Elkhorn River 23 m NW Omaha Neb. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing farm George Simons N. P. Dodge Nebraska https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/9bf7df1b6cf48b4ec2aa5414ac82e9b9.tif 7eae813804d8c0bc75e4190d09b5d0a9 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/97000f67abb5275820ec71114487c3ec.tif ab3ebc705ffc8c01344399512b28d54a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 40 x 44 cm (15.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mormons crossing the plains Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Mormons crossing the plains with hand carts from Florence Neb to Salt Lake. This train started from Iowa City and passed through Council Bluffs. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1856 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons Mormon Trail mormons https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/90077fc7cc501d848a81cfcb9f62e068.tif 5803a8159756c21f70eee5e62fe47b8b https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/121f4ffde8df64fdb3ef7fe2c1dc2e68.tif f5dfbc85a7b5a55334b03f1e91125308 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 39 x 44 cm (15.5" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mormon Camp Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Mormon Camp meeting near Parks Mill. 3 Miles East Council Bluffs. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons mormons https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/eb46de72af2a4bde9d39ef0377485f80.tif 0d43ce9a6abab8109a64cf2cb3593756 https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/200d9666bd299e52effe69fb665ffa82.tif 0d08098de0e241b502e15659e63a6f03 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 26 X 44 cm (10" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kanesville 1849-1851 Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Kanesville (now C Bluffs) 1849 to 1851 Looking North from corner of Main St. and First Ave. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. Council Bluffs drawing George Simons Iowa https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/1cd1fa4c4f2df55ae8d72dd108c3da83.tif 7a68fe43e8823a7a001097dde598130e https://archive.councilbluffslibrary.org/files/original/740e1266f6bf5e0af02a310aa85fc773.tif 75fda72faf3eb0c8b185dd8b77d47ffe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource George Simons Frontier Sketches Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by George Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Drawing a picture or diagram made with a pencil, pen, rather than paint, especially one drawn in monochrome. Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 38 x 44 cm (15" x 17.5") Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jack Hunting the cows Subject The topic of the resource Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Council Bluffs -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Iowa -- Drawings. Frontier and Pioneer Life -- Nebraska -- Drawings. Council Bluffs (Iowa) -- History. Simons, George, 1834-1917. Description An account of the resource Consists of drawings made by Simons during railroad survey projects in Iowa and Nebraska beginning in 1853. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simons, George Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Council Bluffs Public Library Special Collectons Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Illustration Type The nature or genre of the resource Drawing Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Council Bluffs, Iowa Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. drawing George Simons