"ONCE UPON A TIME"

"It was truly "Once Upon A time." I had convinced myself it was to be the usual, long monotonous train trip to Imperial from McCook.

One of those warm September days when the Nebraska landscape has a mysterious cast and I, at least, could go in fancy back through the years. Back through the years of the coming of the homesteader, the ranchman and still farther back to the time when the Indian found here a hunter's paradise.
The train moved slowly on and having my curiousity aroused, I ventured the usual remarks about the weather, crops and whatnot. The lady with who I had timidly started the conversation, replied "I have just been visiting the scenes of my early married life at Wauneta Falls. My son Champion Chase Rowley was the first white child born in Chase County."

I knew enough of the early history of Chase County to know who she was so lost no time in asking questions. As near as I can remember, this is what she told me.

"We, my husband, my mother and I came to Wauneta Falls in the early days and started ranching. Our household goods including an old fashioned square piano was brought overland the long trek to our new home. Among our helpers was a negro man cook who proved to be a treasure when our great trouble came.
Life went on as usual on a cattle ranch in those days. Horse back riding was my chief pastime and it later proved a great blessing to me as the training I had in the way carried me and mine to safety.
It was my husband's custom to go to one of towns on the Union Pacific for mail and supplies. This he did at intervals and we thought little of danger when he started out. The time came for one of these trips but time he never returned.
He had attended to his mission in the town, and was following the usual trail that would take him by a spring at the head waters of the north fork of Spring Creek. As neared the spring, he was evidently attacked by a band of Souix Indians; murdered and robbed. What evidences remained of the tragedy, indicated he had been brutally killed without a chance of defense.
News had reached the ranch in the meantime of the warlike Sioux and that they were coming in our direction. We hurriedly got our silver and other valuables that could be carried on horseback and started on the long trek to Arapahoe, the nearest haven of safety.
I rode all night without resting, carrying my baby son with me on the horse's back. It nearly broke my heart to have to leave my piano as it was a source of great pleasure to me on the ranch. I little knew how much greater loss I could and even then had sustained.
The Soldiers eventually overtook the maurauders but not until they had played havoc as they went, doing considerable damage to our home.
One of the men who lived along farther up the Frenchman went insane from fright. He happened to be the brother of the man I afterward married and with who I am making this trip.
Of course, I met him, Louis Armacost, and a very interesting gentleman he proved to be. Mr. Armacost had been a cowboy on th Rowley ranch at the time of the exodus."

Some where among my various scrapbooks, I have a picture of Champion Chase Rowley and a short sketch of his life. If and when I come across it I will try to have the biography copied and send it to the Chase County Historical Society. Mr. and Mrs. Armacost were living in the state of Washington at the time I met her. Emma Shallenberger
(Emma Shallenberger, wife of O.P. Shallenberger, was before her marriage a daughter of Judge james Burke of Imperial, Nebraska, all pioneers of Chase County.)"


Notice: Mrs. Armacost claims that her son Champion Chase Rowley was the first white child born in Chase Co.