St. Frederick History

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The town of St. Frederick was located twenty miles west of Brownville. It was fifty miles from Rulo.

When the Nebraska Territory was opened for settlement, many families settled along the Muddy between the years of 1854 and 1860. Herman Utcch decided to begin a town twenty miles west of the river and had little trouble convincing some of his friends to join him. He decided to name his town Saint Frederick.

The town of St. Frederick was surveyed May II. 1858, by A.F. Harvey, with the proprietors being CF. Kuechmder (Or Geutzhmer), S.H. Vickroy, CA. Freyberg, and MW. Rider, C.G. Dorsey and Herman Utecht. The north-south streets were named for the letters A through P. The cast-west streets were named Mary, Laura, Emma, Cornelia, Sarah, Helen, Louisa and Angeline. The town was approved for township on May 23, 1844.

A post office was established on October 19, 1857, and a Star Route was established. When a first attempt was made to remove the county seat from Brownville, St. Frederick put in a bid. 

When the Homestead Act went into effect, there was a rush of settlers from all over the country, and the town became quite prosperous. The town boasted a store, post office, blacksmith shop, hotel and livery barn.

One afternoon in July of 1869, disaster struck. A tornado ripped thru the town scattering most of it over fields. The town was never rebuilt.

The post office was transferred to the Thompson Blacksmith Shop, two miles west and one half mile south. Thompson's eyesight soon failed and William Fink was appointed postmaster and continued until the railroad was built to Johnson. The post office was discontinued on May 26, 1879. On this day, St. Frederick ceased to exist.

Submitted by Sandi Knippelmeyer; Copied from the Nemaha County History Book with permission.