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Buffalo Bill
Cody is the Kit Carson of the Central Western border. Born in Nebraska, his parents moved to Kansas during the bloody days of the free-soil struggle, and his earliest recollections are of Missouri jayhawkers, who were trailing his father because of his antislavery opinions. When twelve years of age he made his first trip across the plains as a cavallard rider, and while the train was out it was attacked by Indians on the South Platte and during the running fight, the boy distinguished himself by killing one of the red assailants. From that time forward his career eas decided and he became a plainsman in all that the word them implied. As a hunter and a Scout he soon became famous, and of the knights of our border in those days of excitement and bloodshed none were more prominent this Cody. It was while the Kansas Pacific was being constructed that he acquired the mane of Buffalo Bill. At that time the Indians were very troublesome, and great difficulty was experienced in getting fresh meat for the workman. Accordingly, Goddard Brothers asked Cody in Hays City to hunt for them and be accepted the employment offered. During the eighteen months he was engaged in the capacity he killed [?], buffalo and the mane by which he is most generally know was given him later on, during the Indian campaigns of Northwest, he gained the reputation of being one of the most reliable men in the government employ, and Gen Sheridan to whom he dedicated his book appointed him, chief of the scouts. During the campaigning which followed he played a very prominent part.
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OLD TIMES
Reminiscences of Early Days in Meet: County - Buffalo Bill's Boy. hood-Interesting History.
A fine, well-printed book of 305 pages is on our tables - a volume which can not fail in interesting any thinking person who takes it up to read, and the opening chapter of which will possess peculiar interest for the residents of this county general, and for the pioneer settlers of Scott county in particular. The book is "The Life of Hon. William F. Cody Known as Buffalo, Bill, the famous hunter scout, and guide." It contains a portrait of its hero, and eighty pictures of the scenes he describes, with portraits of generals under which he has served, of famous frontiersmen who have been his companions, and of Indians who are noted for prowess. But to that first chapter - it so belongs to this city and vicinity that we give it almost entire:
My debut upon the world's stage occurred on February 20th, 1845. The scene of this important event in my adventurous being in Scott County in the State of Iowa. My parents, Isaac pus Mary Ann Cody, who were numbered among the pioneers of Iowa, gave to me the name of William Frederick. I was the fourth child in the family, Martha, and Julia, my sisters, and Samuel, my brother, had preceded me, and the children who came after me were Eliza, Nellie, Mary and Charles, born in the order named.
At the time of my birth, the family resided on a farm which they called "Nopsinekee Place"--an Indian name--and here the first six or seven years of my childhood was spent. When I was seven years old, my father moved the family to the Little town of LeClaire, located on the banks of the Mississippi, fifteen miles above the city of Davenport. Even at that early age, my adventurous spirit led me into all sorts of mischief and danger, and when I look back upon my childhood days I often drowned while my neck broken while stealing apples in neighboring orchards.
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drowned while swimming or sailing, or my neck broken while stealing apples in the neighboring orchards.
My father at this time was running a stage line between Chicago and Davenport, no railroads having then been built west of Chicago. In 1849 he got the California fever and made up his mind to cross the great plains- then and for years afterward called the American desert- to the Pacific coast. He got ready a complete outfit, and started with quite a party. After proceeding a few miles, all but my father, to my great disappointment, abandoned the enterprise. They are returned home, and soon afterward father moved his family out to Walnut Grove farm, in Scott county. While living there I was sent to school, more for the purpose of being kept out of mischief than to learn anything. Much of my time was spent in trapping quails which were very plentiful. I greatly enjoyed studying the habits of the little birds, and in devising traps to take them in. I was most successful with the common figure "4" trap which I could build myself. Thus I think it was that I acquired the love of hunting. I visited the quail traps twice a day, and nearly always found game there.
There was one event which occurred in my childhood which I cannot recall without a feeling of sadness. It was the death of my brother Samuel, who was accidentally killed in his twelfth year. My father at the time, being considerable of a politician, as well as a farmer, was attending a political convention, for he was well known in those days as an old line Whig. He had been a member of the Iowa Legislature, was a Justice of the Peace, and had held other offices. He was an excellent stump speaker, and was often called upon to canvass the country round about for the different candidates. The convention which he was attending at the time of the accident was held at a cross-road tavern called Sherman's about a mile away. Samuel and I had gone out together on horseback for the cows. He rode a vicious mare, which mother had told him time and again not to ride as it had an ugly disposition. We were passing the school house just as the children were being dismissed, when Samuel undertook to give an exhibition of his horsemanship, being a good rider for a boy. The mare, Betsey, became unmanageable, reared and fell backward upon him, injuring him internally. I at once set out with my horse at the top of his speed for my father and informed him or Samuel's mishap. He took the horse and returned immediately. When I arrived at Mr. Burns's house where my brother was, I found my father, mother and sisters there, all weeping bitterly at Samuel's bedside. Samuel died the next morning. My father was a great favorite with everybody, and his death cast a gloom over the whole neighborhood. It was a great blow to all the family, and especially to father who seemed to be almost heart-
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cows. He rode a vicious mare, which mother had told him time and again not to ride as it had an ugly disposition. We were passing the school house just as the children were being dismissed, when Samuel undertook to give an exhibition of his horsemanship, being a good rider for a boy. The mare, Betsy, became unmanageable, reared and fell backward upon him, injuring him internally I at once set out with my horse at the top of his speed for my father and informed him of Samuel's mishap. He took the horse and returned immediately. When I arrived at Mr. Burns's house where my brother was, I found my father, mother and sisters there, all weeping bitterly at Samuel's bedside. Samuel died the next morning. My father was a great favorite with everybody, and his death cast a gloom over the whole neighborhood. It was a great blow to all the family, and especially to father, who seemed to be almost heartbroken over it.
Father had been greatly disappointed at the failure of his California expedition, and still desired to move into some new country. The death of Samuel no doubt increased the desire and he determined to emigrate. Accordingly early in the spring of 1834 he disposed of his farm, and late in March we took our departure for Kansas, then an unsettled territory. Our outfit consisted of one carriage, three wagons, and some fine blooded horses. The carriage was occupied by my mother and sisters. Thus we left our Iowa home.
In a couple of weeks the family arrived at Weston, Missouri, where Mr. Cody's brother, Elijah lived. The family did not have a pleasant time in Kansas. Mr. Cody became an active Free States man, and in in 1854 was stabbed while speaking for the Free State party and nearly killed. He died in 1857, having served as a member of the Kansas Legislature, and served the State as agent in Ohio to induce emigration to Kansas. The subsequent chapter, referring to Buffalo Bill's life on the plains ar every entertaining- and his account of his first year on the stage, laughable Buffalo Bill appears in Davenport with his new dramatic troupe, and presents his fresh play, "The Knight of the Plains, or Buffalo Bill's best trail," the evenings of Sept. 1st and 2d- Fair week.
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THE BUFFALO BILL COMINATION.
There arrived in the city last evening the ladies and gentlemen who are to compose the dramatic troupe which Hon. Wm. F. Cody organizes here or his season's business. They are: Delaney Barclay and wife, Miss Nellie Jones, J. F. Loudon, Charles Wilson, L. R. Millard, Alfred Beverly, Henry Irving, Prof. J. Rampoul, James Green, Hugh Miller, Henry Mehner, John Lendlow, Alfred Ward, besides the leading lady, Miss Denier, and Buffalo Bill himself, whose arrivals have heretofore been announced. The above are the pale faces in the company. The Indians, who came to-day, are White Eagle and Spotted Horse, Pawnee chiefs, Brave Hawk and Sly Fox, Ponca chiefs, with C. A. Burgess, for years government interpreter in the two tribes, and his son Master Eddie.
Next Monday evening the troupe gives its first performance here, with the stirring drama, "The Knight of the Plains, or Buffalo Bill's best trail." The play was presented throughout the East last season by the same company, and drew crowded houses, and high praise from the press everywhere.