Elizabeth Ellen Harbaugh Ickes and Adam Ickes - Sidney, Nebraska Part 2

The only picture I can formulate in my head of the Ickes family arriving in Sidney for some reason involves dirt.  Lots and lots of dirt.  

Union Pacific Rail Yard in Sidney, 1877

Historians show two different locations for Adams store as shown and described in the photos below.

1887-1890 -  Ickes and Barr Dry Goods Store on the South side of 2nd Street
(what is now the intersection of 10th and Illinois Streets).
The Sidney Land Office was located upstairs.

Wow!  It's amazing this photos exist!  This is most likely the store Adam bought from Sam Kelner.  It would have been located in what is now the Sidney Historic Business District. All of the wood frame buildings were eventually torn down and replaced with brick buildings.  I did some research to try and figure out who "Barr" could be in "Ickes and Barr" and here's what I came up with.  There's only one man by the name of Barr in Sidney listed in the 1885 Nebraska State Census. He was William Barr, age 23, from Pennsylvania.  He was single.  I could very well see Adam and William meeting and comparing notes about growing up in Pennsylvania. Or perhaps William was one of the three men who had worked for Sam Kelner prior to Adam buying the store. What makes this theory more compelling was a newspaper search that turned up several articles about the William Barr Dry Goods company that came to Omaha in 1888.  So here's how it might have worked: Adam took William on as a partner, especially early on when he needed to be out at the homestead on weekends. After a few years, when William decided to move on, son Horace, who had been working in the store, was old enough and had enough experience under his belt to take over William's responsibilities. (Knowing the outcome, I think William got out at the right time.)  Apparently he became very successful in the big city. So far that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Omaha Daily Bee
1 July 1888

Omaha Daily Bee
11 August 1889

1900 - Adam Ickes' dry goods store stands on the southeast corner of Front and Rose Streets.
Electric poles run along north side of the dirt road.

I'm not exactly sure the details listed with this photo are completely accurate.  It's probably dated 1900 because of the electric poles shown in the photo, but Adam was no longer living in Sidney in 1900.  I don't have any information that he sold his store and bought a smaller one, although when the Union Pacific Railroad expanded and Sidney's businesses began serving only the local community and no longer the travelers, prospectors, and gold seekers the huge profits quickly dried up.  I guess someday I'll have to make a trip to the Cheyenne County courthouse, check out the actual deeds, and figure all this out once and for all.

On the 10 Nov 1884, Adam applied for a homestead claim.

Under the provisions of the Homestead Act of 1862, 160 acres of free land was available to U.S Citizens (or those who had entered the country legally and planned to become US citizens) over the age of 21.  Applicants had to be heads of their household (if married, then only men would qualify as married women were not legally able to own property) or single women.  They had to physically reside on the property for a minimum of 5 years and make improvements or they would lose it.  The intended purpose of the land was to cultivate and farm.

Adam's claim, described as Township No. 14 North, Range No. 52 West of the 6th Principal Meridian, South 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 6 and lots 1 and 2, was 19 miles northwest from the town of Sidney.  The Union Pacific Railroad crossed through the southern portion and it may have had a creek running across the southwest corner (if it contained water). Today, it would include the western portion of the town of Potter, Nebraska as well as the Prairie Pines Golf Course.

According to Adam's homestead documents, Adam began making improvements to the land with the construction of a house in May of 1885 which he claimed to have built by himself. It was a frame house, 14' X 21', one story, 2 rooms, with 2 windows and 3 doors.

The 1885 Nebraska State Census, which was taken in Sidney in June, showed that Adam and Ellen's oldest son, John, and his family also moved from Pleasantville and were living next door to them in Sidney.  (Having grandchildren nearby had to have thrilled Ellen indeed!) The occupations of the neighbors on the page indicated that they were all living somewhere in town.  Further, John listed his occupation as a carpenter.  If the house was constructed in May, no doubt John had a hand in it.

In July 1885 John applied for his own homestead claim, but it was on the other side of Sidney from Adam's claim, probably more than half a day's horse and wagon ride away.

From the homestead documents there's no way to know what is factual and what is part of the numbers game that's necessary to meet the requirements to receive full ownership of the land. Claimants were required to provide testimonies of witnesses to corroborate the facts, but Adam's testimonies of witnesses, as well as John's, were completed in their own handwriting and merely signed by their hand-picked witnesses.  

From what Adam claimed, his wife and daughter moved into the 14' x 21' house on 18 September 1885, 4 months after the house was built. Perhaps they needed time to complete some of the other improvements listed: a stable, a corn crib, a chicken house, a water closet (outhouse), a well pump and trough, fencing, and a root cellar.  Of course, since this paperwork was filled out at the end of the almost 5-year waiting period any number of those things could have been added at any time. Adam stateed that he "usually" came home on Saturday and remained until Monday. I'm not real sure about that.  Probably, early on, if there was construction to do or supplies to deliver that may have been true. It would have taken him at least 2 hours each way on horseback or more than 3 hours each way pulling a wagon full of supplies.  To Adam, time is money, and doesn't the acquisition of money seem to be the primary reason he's in Sidney in the first place?  I can't see him being away from the store more than he absolutely had to. I think once the basic amenities at home were completed coming home "occasionally" or more like "once a month at the most" would probably more accurate.  (I try not to think about all the many "brothels" in town that Horace referenced and wonder if their presence affected Adam's need to visit his wife.)

Modern-day historical studies of homesteaders on the great plains tell us that isolation and loneliness were their biggest challenges. By the 1880s Indian attacks were few as the US Government had successfully been able to keep most Indian tribes confined within their reservations. In Nebraska, swarming insects, high winds, dust storms, tornadoes, and other extreme weather conditions were always problems for homesteaders. Ellen and Allegra would have dealt with all of those things - mostly on their own.  They were isolated and alone.  I can't find anywhere in any of the history books that the town of Potter had a public school in the mid-1880s, so Allegra probably quit attending public school once she left Pleasantville.  I find that quite disturbing given Adam's past emphasis on education. 

I'm overwhelmed when I look at the number of animals Ellen was required to manage on a daily basis: 3 cows, 1 calf, 80 chickens, 4 turkeys, 7 ducks, and 1 dog. Her household amenities were rustic and few: a cook stove, a folding bed, a cot (for Allegra), a sink, 2 tables, 6 chairs, 1 sewing machine, a clock, and some cooking utensils. Trying to keep the dirt and dust out of the house would have been a never ending task. I imagine she had to try to keep the prairie grass cut down around the perimeter of the house to minimize invading insects - backbreaking work at the very least.  I'm sure there were chores and hardships I can't even imagine.

A very small portion, 10-20 acres depending on the year, of Adam's 160 acre claim were actually farmed.  At least Ellen didn't have that responsibility.  One of Adam's homestead witnesses, John Peterson, was his neighbor.  It appears Adam hired him to do the farming.

Whenever there are free government programs there are always oportunists trying to take advantage of them. Unfortunately, I would place my 2nd great-grandfather, Adam Ickes, among those people.  It seems he did the bare minimum to qualify and "tweaked" his answers so as not to disqualify himself. Apparently he could not be employed in any other business or risk being disqualified. Since he owned his own business, technically he was not "employed". He didn't actually live on the land full-time, but he parked his wife and daughter there despite their extreme isolation and hardship. He didn't do any of the actual farming - he hired it out. Of the 160 acres in question, an extremely small portion was actually cultivated and farmed. The witnesses didn't even fill out their own paperwork, they merely signed their name. And I'm not the only one who found this questionable...

Omaha Daily Bee
17 June 1890

But ultimately Adam prevailed.  On 4 August 1890 he was awarded his Land Patent from the General Land Office of the United States of America.

While Ellen and Allegra were roughin' it on the farm, life wasn't always peachy for Adam.  An election and a banking scandal was about to rock his world and, according to his daughter, Alle, "ruin him financially".  To use that ever popular farming lingo, sometimes we really do "reap what we sew".

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All original content, images, commentary, etc. copyright © by Joy Denison 2015-2016.  All rights reserved. All writings, poems, speeches, essays, images, scans, likenesses, etc. by Adam Ickes (b 1845) as well as personal histories, images, and all other content by all persons referenced and discussed within the pages and posts in this blog may not be copied, shared, or reproduced in any way without expressed permission by the owner unless included here from other referenced sources or are historical records already considered to be in the public domain. 

Living the Dream: A Culture of Patriarchy

When I embarked on the extensive project of transcribing and archiving all of Adam Ickes' writings (more about that later), I became so impressed with a couple of things he wrote concerning the value and place of women.  How did he, I wondered, escape the culture that so freely and fully invaded every nook and cranny of society from the beginning of time?  Men could dare to dream, to explore, and to venture beyond what was expected and familiar.  Women, however, (despite very few exceptions) existed only for the pleasure and comfort of men. 

One aspect of patriarchy and male entitlements involve the type and the division of labor between husbands and wives.  That didn't seem to be a problem for my early Bedford County ancestors.  As poor, hard-working immigrants, manual, back-breaking labor for both partners defined their occupations. Husbands and wives, moms and dads, both, equally, worked hard providing for themselves and for their families. They worked from sun up until sun down, and probably then some. The men worked in the fields as the women worked in and around home.  It was, by necessity, a cooperative effort.  And it paid off. For the most part, each generation acquired more wealth and security than the one previous.

If I had to guess, I would say it was probably my 3rd great-grandfather, Conrad, who first settled into a real posture of modern patriarchy. Shortly after the death of his first wife (and mother of his children) he remarried.  He placed all the work of his two farms on the backs of tenant farmers and retired to a house in town.  HE retired, but I'm 100% sure his wife did not.  All of the traditional women's roles of the day would have been expected of her on a daily basis, and she, I have no doubt, was quick to oblige. Studying his last will and testament, he kept tight reigns on his assests, leaving his wife for the most part only that which she brought into the marriage, and dictating his wishes concerning other aspects of his estate long after his death.  He wielded all the power and the control, of that there was no doubt.

Adam (Conrad's son) was not suited to follow the profession of his forefathers.  Farming was just not his thing. He valued education.  He loved learning!  It's so evident in everything he writes.  He referenced brilliant scholars and philosophers in so many of his essays and speeches.  He quoted them in such thoughtful and meaningful ways.  He was very well read. His career began as a teacher of children while a teenager himself.  Following his time in military service he served as a director in the school system and the superintendent of the Sunday School at the local Lutheran Church, indicating to me that inspiring others to pursue learning was of utmost importance to him.

Apparently, though, being a teacher and and scholar just didn't pay the bills.  His natural knack and interest in merchandising complimented his scholarly endeavors.  It enabled him to wear the clothing of a gentleman rather than that of a laborer.  He could continue to pursue his interests and indulge in the few finer things the small community of Pleasantville had to offer.  Ellen's life, however, probably didn't change much.  Unless a man could find his way into wealth, influence, and power, providing his wife with domestic help and high-end living, her life still revolved around the menial and tiring tasks of 19th century living.  And she had very little choice in the matter.  It was her lot in life.  

Throughout my personal family history, this pattern of men living the patriarchal dream - being free to pursue their interests and vocations however and wherever they choose - on the backs of submissive wives stuck in traditional household roles began with Adam and continued through the generations.  I won't delve into any of the details, but suffice it to say the non-questioning willingness of my youth to buy into the notion that "this is the way it is" and "this is the way it's supposed to be" and my feelings about it now are not one in the same.  I will add, however, I see progress - great, noticeable progress. 

Back to the first paragraph of this post.  Adam's writings often sang the praises of women.  As a Civil War veteran he gave many Memorial Day speeches and he wrote several versions of exactly the same speech.  In what I think was the last and final Memorial Day speech he gave he added a special tribute to the womens' contribution to the war effort.  It was beautiful and it had even greater meaning to me which I'll share in a subsequent post.  In another essay entitled "Dress" he wrote,

What multitudes of young women waste all that is precious in life on the finified fooleries of the toilet. How the soul of womanhood is dwarfed and shriveled by such trifles, kept away from the great fields of active thought and love by the gewgaws she hangs on her bonnet.  Woman was made for a higher purpose, a nobler use a grander destiny.

Her powers are rich & strong; her genius bold and daring, she may walk the fields of thought, achieve the victories of mind, spread around her the testimonials of her worth, and make herself known and felt as man’s co-worker & equal in whatsoever exalts mind, embellishes life, or sanctifies humanity.

(The second paragraph was actually not his own though he failed to provide a proper citation.  A quick google search told me that it came from: Weaver, G. S..  Aims and Aids for Girls and Young Women.  p 52. New York: Fowler and Wells, 1856. Google Books. Web. http:/books.google.com.)

Although he writes and proclaims his co-equality with women - that they should be given every opportunity to expand and explore, to think and achieve - that does not appear to be his lived experience.

From my last writing of Adam and Ellen they were living comfortably in Pleasantville PA.  Having both grown up there, they were surrounded by loving, extended family with deep connections of history and belonging.  I'm at a distinct disadvantage as I attempt to imagine the motivation and the repercussion that moving away from Pleasantville had on them as I really have no way of knowing for sure. But I'm going to imagine anyway. And I'm going to imagine it from a female perspective. And I'm going to do that because right now, at this particular point in time, my heart is turned away from Adam and is turned toward my 2nd great-grandmother, Ellen.  I'm speaking for her in a way she could never speak for herself.  I really don't care if I'm right or if I'm wrong.  I'm just going to tell the story the way that I see it and that I believe it to be from my 21st century feminist perspective. Because I'm not going to continue to use the culture of the past to explain away and to justify wrong doing.

As Adam ripped Ellen away from her beloved home and family, the vile and repressive culture of patriarchy reared its ugly head, robbing her of everything she held dear. It was Adam, not Ellen, looking for opportunity to expand and explore. It was Adam, not Ellen, positioning himself to achieve his own fame and fortune at Ellen's expense. For years and years he left Ellen virtually abandoned and completely void of any semblance of enrichment or self-fulfillment. The amount of hard labor he piled on her while he attended to his professional and civic duties I would consider exploitative and inhumane. Ellen endured. Ellen survived. But enduring and surviving doesn't equate with happiness. Ellen deserved a lot better. And now to tell her story...

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All original content, images, commentary, etc. copyright © by Joy Denison 2015-2016.  All rights reserved. All writings, poems, speeches, essays, images, scans, likenesses, etc. by Adam Ickes (b 1845) as well as personal histories, images, and all other content by all persons referenced and discussed within the pages and posts in this blog may not be copied, shared, or reproduced in any way without expressed permission by the owner unless included here from other referenced sources or are historical records already considered to be in the public domain.