Outlaws and Pawnee Indians

The following data is extracted from Days of Yore: Early History of Brown County, Nebraska.

Kid Wade, a young outlaw supposed to be one of the famous gang that operated in this section in early days, was lynched in the early morning hours of February 8, 1884. He was captured in Iowa by a band of vigilantes, given a trial and turned over to officers from Holt County. During the night he was taken from the guard in a hotel at Bassett' by a band of masked men and hung to a railroad whistling post, one mile east of the town. He was buried on Bassett hill. His true given name was Albert. His trial took place in, the home of the late Charles Honnen of Johnstown, then residing a few miles west of Carns, in Keya Paha county. On July 11, 1884, the commissioners of Brown County allowed the bill for his coffin and box, twenty dollars, furnished by J. M. Mead of Long Pine.

In very early times the Pawnee Indians from the southern part of Nebraska, made hunting trips to, the sand hill regions every summer, camping on what is now called Goose Creek in southern Brown county. They gave the name "Koskopah" creek to the stream. The curves of the creek resembled the crook of a goose's neck, so the name was changed by white men to Goosecreek. When the post office was established there in 1920, the Indian name, Koskopah, was sent in by the patrons, but by a mistake in copying it was made Koshopah. The office was established in a 10 by 12 sod house at Lee Athey's and he was the first postmaster. Koshopah is said to be the only name of Indian origin in the county.
-By Fern Burdick, District 16

Source: Days of Yore: Early History of Brown County, Nebraska

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