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Wayne Becomes the County Seat
Wayne County was organized by a proclamation of
Governor David Butler in the autumn of 1870. The county was named for the
Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne. General Wayne was bold and daring
in planning, and in carrying out, his strategies. His reputation seems to
have inspired steadfast loyalty in his men and his friends. One account
relates that he remained in Valley Forge with Washington's troops during
the winter of 1777-1778 rather than returning to his own comfortable home a
few miles away. The pioneer spirit of westward bound settlers a century
later also reflects strong will and determination. Evidence of a similar
spirit remains today among the residents and families of Wayne County.
Census records from 1870 show the population of
Wayne County to be 180 people, with a total of 71 farms and no established
towns. The settlement of LaPorte was designated as the original county
seat. Prosperity was anticipated for the small community since a railroad
grade had be laid to LaPorte from Emerson. Although a brick courthouse had
been built in 1874, the connection to the railroad line never materialized,
and in 1881 settlers in the area voted to relocate the county seat to
Wayne.
A Special Note:Throughout these several pages, most of
the information came directly from A History of Wayne Nebraska - Its
Pioneers, Settlement, Growth and Development, Together With A View of the
Territory in 1938. This book was written by Dorothy Huse Nyberg,
printed by the Wayne Herald newspaper press that same year, and was
dedicated to her sister, Olive Marie Huse, in memoriam. Her stated purpose
was "… to present typical experiences which give a picture of this
section's early settlement and a glimpse of the county at present so that
coming generations may view out time."
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