NEGenWeb Project 


 

AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL DOCUMENT

By ALBERT WATKINS

   Below is a copy of a letter which I recently found in the collections of the Historical Society at Des Moines, Iowa. Thomas B. Cuming is still remembered by some of the oldest residents of Nebraska as the first secretary of the territory and the first real governor. Governor Burt died on the 18th of October, 1854, after having held the office nominally for two days only, when Secretary Cuming succeeded him according to a provision of the organic law, as acting governor. He continued in that office until the appointment of Governor Izard, February 20, 1855. The designation of Omaha as the first capital of the territory was directly due to Acting Governor Cuming's Napoleonic management.
   Governor Cuming's wife was a sister of the late Frank Murphy of Omaha.

SpacerCouncil Bluff City
SpacerNov. 30, -54

Dear Genl.
   The county named after you in this territory extends from a point 60 miles west of the Missouri to the west boundary of U. S. lands (the 101o west longitude) bounded north by the Platte river, & south by the boundary between Kansas & Nebraska. It has the largest area of any county in the territory, and with the others is subject to alteration or abrogation by the Legislature.
   I shall send you, before long, a more substantial token of regard, in the shape of a certificate of stock in the future

(308)


AN HISTORICAL DOCUMENT

309

Capitol--a slight memento of a friendship whose expression, with me, to all my friends, is moderateed (sic) only by circumstances.
SpacerIn haste, Truly yrs --
(Hon. Geo. W. Jones) SpacerT. B. Cuming


   George W. Jones, to whom the letter is addressed, was a United States senator from Iowa at the time in question. The other senator from Iowa was Augustus C. Dodge, and Bernhart Henn was the member of the House of Representatives from the Council Bluffs district. These three were perhaps the most active lieutenants of Stephen A. Douglas in pushing through the bill for the territorial organization of Nebraska, and doubtless Cuming was under obligations to his "dear friend" Jones for his appointment as secretary of the territory.
   On the 10th of December, 1854, Acting Governor Cuming issued an order for the organization of Jones county, but, presumably, because it was ascertained that there were no people there to organize, the order was not executed. On the 26th of January, 1856, the legislature authorized the organization of Jones county, but the authority was not acted upon until September 28, 1864. On the 18th of February, 1867, Jones county was added to Jefferson county by an act of the legislature. Jones county was coextensive with the present Jefferson county. The original Jefferson county is now Thayer county.
   So long as, according to vicious custom, our counties commonly had to be named after politicians, we should all be grateful, I think, that the name of a politician of the very first class was in this case substituted for that of a politician of the second class; but the judicious will continue indefinitely to grieve that the many available and musical local names, Indian and others, should have been neglected for the politician preference at all.


Spacer
Prior page
TOC
Gen. Index
Next page
© 1999, 2000, 2001 for the NEGenWeb Project by T&C Miller