Tecumseh High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Tecumseh, NE)

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 JOHNSON COUNTY’S COURT HOUSE

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SECOND GRADE PUPILS FIRST GRADE PUPILS KINDERGARTEN PUPILS

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Tecumseh. The first settlers in Johnson county came in 1856, and it was in the summer of that year that half a dozen settlers gathered in a nucleus forming the village later known as Tecumseh. The buildings were only a few rudely and hastily built log huts, and during the winter of 1856 7 the settlers suffered many hardships Nothing had been raised the previous summer and the nearest trading station was Brownville, forty miles away. No roads existed and the heavy snows made travel almost impossible. But the settlers ran cut of provisions and had to reach Brownville or starve. It took them a week of almost superhuman effort to make the trip. The town site of Tecumseh was laid out in 1856 by John Maulding who kept a store and lodging house. The village was named after the famous Indian chief. It soon became a favorite stopping place for travelers to and from Brownville. Tecumseh was made county seat of Johnson county, February 13, 1857 by act of the legislature. The village also had its postmaster in 1857 and during the year a saw mill and several other community conveniences were located in the village. It continued however a struggling hamlet of not over one hundred persons till after the civil war when it seemed 'To take on new life. The village was incorporated as a town, Feb. 4, 1867. In 1868 the first court house was built as well as the first church by the Catholics. I he town s first newspaper was also started in this year. In 1871 the town was given a new impetus by railroad activities, the first railroad, the Atchison Nebraska, now the Burlington, running its first train through on April 25. 1872. This growth enabled the town to organize under the city form ol government in 1871, but the enactment by the legislature in 1880,