W.W. Cox was one of the early settlers in Seward County and wrote a history of the area that was published in 1888. Cox records his dilemma in the winter of 1863-64 after the salt business in Lancaster County had dried up. After discussion, the Coxes decided to go west. They didn’t have to go far.
“Just as the bright sun as sinking behind the western hills, there opened to our view the grand valley of the North Blue, with its long lines of timber stetching far away to the southward and northward, and the diverging lines of Lincoln creek and Plum creek,” he wrote.
In his mind’s eye, Cox wrote, he saw “a city in the future crowning that beautiful plateau by the eye of faith.”
During the winter of 1865, Lewis Moffit entered the Seward townsite and filed homestead paperwork for land on Lincoln creek. The town was established in 1867 and was incorporated on April 5, 1870.
As early as 1866, the county was looking for a county seat, with three towns in the running – Seward, Milford and Camden. According to Cox, when the people of Camden realized their town was third in the three-town race, they threw their support behind Seward.
“Seward and Camden were fast friends,” Cox wrote.
Cox taught school in the early days and remembered the winter of 1866-67, when snow started Dec. 1 and continued until April. On April 1, he wrote, there was still two feet of snow.
The first resident minister was the Rev. E.L. Clark, who founded the Baptist church. A young Methodist, Rev. Skaigs, also preached occasionally. The Presbyterian church was organized in 1868.
During the summer of 1868, Seward was surveyed and platted, Cox recorded.
John Roberts built the first building in June which became a general store. The first frame residence was built on the Windsor hotel block.
“By the 4th of July we could fairly say that we had a town and were ready to celebrate,” Cox wrote.
A saw mill and school house added substance to the town. A grocery store, drug store, blacksmith shop and law office also joined the business community.
Finally in 1871, the years of battle for the county seat were over when Seward won the title. The courthouse was constructed. The first brick building went up in 1873, and the railroad came to town, as well. Cox said the railroad didn’t have the capacity to haul all the wheat brought to town, and he recorded “thousands of sacks of it piled up around the grain houses.”
The first bank, owned by Claudius Jones, opened in June.
