| | The news of the assassination of President Lincoln was received in Pontiac with feelings of abject horror. Never in the history of Pontiac was there such universal mourning. True, most all of the male population of the village were in the army, but their wive's and children remained, and when word came that the special train bearing the body would pass through Pontiac on the afternoon of May 2, 1865, business was entirely suspended, schools were dismissed, and the entire population of the village and of the surrounding country marched to the Alton depot to pay their last respects. After remaining at the depot for about two hours, word came over the wire that the funeral train would not leave Chicago until 9 p. m., and the assemblage broke up and wended their way homeward. However, when the special train bearing the body of the martyred President arrived in Pontiac at midnight, there was a large gathering at the depot, as there was at nearly every station between Chicago and Springfield, giving evidence of his hold upon the heart of the nation and the universal sorrow which his revolting assassination had produced. | | The news of the assassination of President Lincoln was received in Pontiac with feelings of abject horror. Never in the history of Pontiac was there such universal mourning. True, most all of the male population of the village were in the army, but their wive's and children remained, and when word came that the special train bearing the body would pass through Pontiac on the afternoon of May 2, 1865, business was entirely suspended, schools were dismissed, and the entire population of the village and of the surrounding country marched to the Alton depot to pay their last respects. After remaining at the depot for about two hours, word came over the wire that the funeral train would not leave Chicago until 9 p. m., and the assemblage broke up and wended their way homeward. However, when the special train bearing the body of the martyred President arrived in Pontiac at midnight, there was a large gathering at the depot, as there was at nearly every station between Chicago and Springfield, giving evidence of his hold upon the heart of the nation and the universal sorrow which his revolting assassination had produced. |
| − | Another of the first trustees, Nelson Buck, who came from near Bloomington, was a widower with three children, and shortly after his coming, was married to the widow of Augustus Fellows who lost her family to cholera a few years before. Mr. Buck was a man of many interesting peculiarities and was always first and foremost in everything that went for the upbuilding of the town. He was a surveyor and was elected to that position for several terms. Mr. Buck was one of the first trustees of the village of Pontiac, organized in 1856, and was the leading force which brought about the incorporation. He was a ready writer for the press in the early days of Pontiac, and many of the older residents now living remember the caustic articles printed over his signature. In 1869, while engaged in writing the first history of the county, he received an appointment as surveyor from the United States government, with orders to proceed at once to the territory of Nebraska. The history was about one-fifth completed when he left for the west. Before leaving for the west, Mr. Buck inserted an advertisement in one of the local papers for eight young men to accompany him on the trip, assuring them of plenty of sport, with an excellent chance to see the country. The opportunity afforded by the expedition for exploring the wilds of western Nebraska attracted the attention of several of the more adventurous young men of this place, who made application to Mr. Buck for employment, and were enrolled as members of the party, and on the 29th day of June, 1869, Mr. Buck, Frank McFarland, Buxton McGregor, John Nettleton, Will McCulloch and James Sager started from Pontiac for the field of their labors. Frank McFarland was the son of a merchant tailor who resided here at that time, while Buxton McGregor still resides here, and is the only living member of the party. Will McCulloch was the son of the late Mrs. D. J. Taylor and a brother of Mrs. Emma Voight, who taught in the public' schools of Pontiac for several years, John Nettleton was the son of the late Mrs. J. W. Strevell of Miles City, Mont., and well known among the old settlers of Pontiac (Z. N. Nettleton was a founding father of Pontiac, also one of the first trustees). James Sager was a farmer boy and resided with his folks in Owego Township. None of these young men were over seventeen years of age. They left Pontiac and proceeded to Council Bluffs, Iowa, by rail, and from that point proceeded to a point opposite Plattsmouth, Neb., where they crossed the Missouri river. At Plattsmouth, they were joined by six others and proceeded without interruption to Fort Kearney, Neb., where they were to receive a military escort. While at Fort Kearney, Mr. Buck was cautioned not to proceed further by the commandant, Colonel Pollock, who stated that the country was full of Indians on the warpath and that they had been engaged but a few days previous by a troop of cavalry from the fort. After waiting for several days for the About this time there arrived in Pontiac, Nelson Buck, who came from near Bloomington. Mr. Buck was a widower with three children, and shortly after his coming, was married to the widow of Augustus Fellows. Mr. Buck was a man of many interesting peculiarities and was always first and foremost in everything that went for the upbuilding of the town. He was a surveyor and was elected to that position for several terms. Mr. Buck was one of the first trustees of the village of Pontiac, organized in 1856, and was the leading force which brought about the incorporation. He was a ready writer for the press in the early days of Pontiac, and many of the older residents now living remember the caustic articles printed over his signature. In 1869, while engaged in writing the first history of the county, he received an appointment as surveyor from the United States government, with orders to proceed at once to the territory of Nebraska. The history was about one-fifth completed when he left for the west. Before leaving for the west, Mr. Buck inserted an advertisement in one of the local papers for eight young men to accompany him on the trip, assuring them of plenty of sport, with an excellent chance to see the country. The opportunity afforded by the expedition for exploring the wilds of western Nebraska attracted the attention of several of the more adventurous young men of this place, who made application to Mr. Buck for employment, and were enrolled as members of the party, and on the 29th day of June, 1869, Mr. Buck, Frank McFarland, Buxton McGregor, John Nettleton, Will McCulloch and James Sager started from Pontiac for the field of their labors. Frank McFarland was the son of a merchant tailor who resided here at that time, while Buxton McGregor still resides here, and is the only living member of the party. Will McCulloch was the son of the late Mrs. D. J. Taylor and a brother of Mrs. Emma Voight, who taught in the public' schools of Pontiac for several years, John Nettleton was the son of the late Mrs. J. W. Strevell of Miles City, Mont., and well known among the old settlers of Pontiac. James Sager was a farmer boy and resided with his folks in Owego Township. None of these young men were over seventeen years of age. They left Pontiac and proceeded to Council Bluffs, Iowa, by rail, and from that point proceeded to a point opposite Plattsmouth, Neb., where they crossed the Missouri river. At Plattsmouth, they were joined by six others and proceeded without interruption to Fort Kearney, Neb., where they were to receive a military escort. While at Fort Kearney, Mr. Buck was cautioned not to proceed further by the commandant, Colonel Pollock, who stated that the country was full of Indians on the warpath and that they had been engaged but a few days previous by a troop of cavalry from the fort. After waiting for several days for the escort and not procuring one, Mr. Buck decided to push forward, and accordingly left the fort with his party. After journeying two days westward and encountering many of the Sioux tribe, Mr. Buck became alarmed and sent young McGregor and Nettleton back to Fort Kearney with a request to the Colonel that he send an escort at once. The boys returned to the fort and delivered the message, and as no troops were forthcoming decided to remain until one was provided. No troops being available the escort was not provided and McGregor and Nettleton left the fort with their faces turned toward the east and worked their way back to Pontiac, having seen all the Indians they desired. The surveying party, ten in number, left Fort Kearney about the middle of July, and as nothing had been heard of them an expedition from North Platte headed by Lieutenant Haskins, U. S. A., with William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) as a scout, left that place the first of October in search of them. On the 10th of October, Lieutenant Haskins reported to his superior of having found about thirty miles southeast of McPherson, where Mr. Buck's party was supposed to be, two tripods, a camp and camp equipage, and some canned fruits. The camp had the appearance of being deserted. He also saw some parts of a wagon. Not long after this, a band of Indians were captured, and it was admitted by them that they had a fight with a party at the point above mentioned; that it was a desperate one and that the last to fall was a tall man, who was in charge of the party. The Indians denied that they burned the bodies of the men, but careful search by expeditions sent out in search of the missing party failed to find them, and as not one of them ever returned or has since been heard of, it was generally supposed at the time that after killing every member of the gallant little band, their bodies were disposed of by the Indians in a manner peculiar to their own.
| + | In 1969, when Charley was about 11 or 12 years old, he went on a surveying adventure that almost cost him his life. A local town founder, who was a surveyor, obtained a contract to survey Indian land west of [[Fort Kearney]], Nebraska. He recruited 8 local boys to accompany him, none older than 17 years old. The traveled by rail to the Fort, but there were no soldiers available to escort them. Buck made the mistake of being impatient and set out anyway. After journeying two days westward and encountering many of the Sioux tribe, Mr. Buck became alarmed and sent young McGregor and Nettleton back to Fort Kearney with a request to the Colonel that he send an escort at once. The boys returned to the fort and delivered the message, but no troops being available they waited and finally decided to go back home. Many weeks later it was determined that the party had all been killed by Indians and the bodies were never found. |
