| There are many early
trails in Nemaha Township with some of these being trails that came
in from Nebraska. The Nemaha River was crossed at Baker Ford and
there was also bridge later. The maps show land that was
farmed at that time The Murphy lake where the Mormon tragedy
happened is show on this map also. With pointer over may you will
see a enlarged part of the Map. See photos of Trail Click
A tradition has long persisted
in Nemaha County that a party of Mormons en route to Utah wintered
about seven miles northeast of Seneca prior to the settlement of
Kansas Territory. Their reported campsite was at Murphy Lake about
two miles southeast of Baker's Ford, near the mouth of Deer Creek.
The emigrant trail from St. Joseph crossed the South Fork of Big
Nemaha at Baker's Ford after its discovery in 1845 by Col. Stephen
Watts Kearny. Driven by hunger, the Mormons drained the lake in
order to catch and eat the fish. Many became ill and died, their
graves marked with boulders which some years later were used in a
barn foundation --
See Mormon disaster at Murphy Lake
See off
page link by
Morris
W. Werner
Do you want to follow the trail? Start at beginning in Rock Creek
Township -- If you have already been doing that then
.
Click here to go to Clear Creek
See 2008 Nemaha township plat map.
Click on map below to see more details.. See Trails with
snow |
