William A. Paxton
Encyclopedia
William A. Paxton was an American
pioneer
businessman and politician in Omaha, Nebraska
. His life as a rancher and cattleman early in his life, as well as early work with the Union Pacific Railroad
was highly regarded among his contemporaries; his success as a businessman later in his life led him to great wealth. His leadership is seen as an essential factor in Omaha becoming a prominent stockyards and meatpacking center. He is frequently referred to as "the real founder of South Omaha."
and raised there until age twelve when his family moved to Missouri
. Employed by a local farmer, by the age of fifteen he started his own business breaking prairie
sod
for new settlers in the area. Paxton worked as a farm manager until he was 25.
between Omaha and Fort Kearny
. Returning to Omaha in 1860 Paxton hauled freight between Omaha and Denver. The next year he worked for Edward Creighton
's crew installing the Western Union Telegraph
between Omaha and Denver. In 1865 he bought a team of horses from Creighton and started his own freighting business, operating between Omaha and Denver until 1867.
In 1867 the Union Pacific Railroad contracted with Paxton to grade the roadway west of Julesburg, Colorado
. Working first as foreman of a crew hired to supply railroad ties, and then as manager of a large railroad construction gang, Paxton contracted with the Omaha and Northwestern Railroad in 1869 to build lines north out of Omaha to Oakland, Nebraska
.
Paxton next bought cattle at Abilene, Kansas
, and drove them to Omaha, where he sold them and used the money to go into ranching near Ogallala, Nebraska
. Supplying beef to area Indian agencies for the next five years, Paxton operated the Keystone Cattle Company ranch at Ogallala and also owned ranches near Hyannis
and Paxton, Nebraska
, which was named for him. Paxton returned to Omaha in 1875, but did not sell his ranches until 1883.
In 1879 Paxton became a principal stockholder in the Nebraska Telephone Company. That same year he helped organize the Omaha Mashers, a baseball team in the short-lived Northwestern League
. In 1882, he was the vice-president of the Omaha Savings Bank. The same year, in partnership with Ben Gallagher, he organized the Paxton and Gallagher Wholesale Grocery firm. Paxton was one of the organizers of the Paxton-Vierling Iron Works in 1885, and was part of the Omaha Driving Association, which in 1880 purchased and developed a tract of land in North Omaha called the Omaha Driving Park
. It became the site of the Nebraska State Fair
for several years. In 1882 Paxton gave $5,000 to local hotel developers to encourage them to consider adding a fifth story to their new building and naming the hotel in his honor. The Paxton Hotel
was Omaha’s premier hotel for many years.
. The Union Stockyards Company was reorganized in South Omaha in 1883, and Paxton was the first president of the corporation. He was also instrumental in organizing related businesses, including the Union Stockyards Bank of South Omaha, the South Omaha Terminal Railway
, the Union Elevator, the Union Trust Company, and the South Omaha Land Company
, of which he was vice-president.
in 1881 and served in the Nebraska Senate in 1889.
; the Paxton Hotel
which he assisted with financial help, and; Paxton Boulevard in South Omaha. He also built Omaha's Ware Block, which is named for his wife, Mary Jane Ware, the Granite Block, and the old Merchants Hotel in Omaha.
The town of Paxton, Nebraska
was named for him, as well. Located near there was a town called Keystone, Nebraska
, named after Paxton's brand; the neighborhood in Omaha called Keystone is also named for Paxton's brand.
The Paxton and Gallagher Wholesale Grocery firm was sold to Gilbert C. Swanson and W. Clarke Swanson and renamed Butternut Foods in 1958. Paxton was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners
in 196l.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer
Founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska
The following people were founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska. Their period of influence ranges from 1853 through 1900. Many in this group were members of the Old Settlers' Association and/or the Omaha Claim Club...
businessman and politician in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. His life as a rancher and cattleman early in his life, as well as early work with the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
was highly regarded among his contemporaries; his success as a businessman later in his life led him to great wealth. His leadership is seen as an essential factor in Omaha becoming a prominent stockyards and meatpacking center. He is frequently referred to as "the real founder of South Omaha."
Early life
Paxton was born in KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and raised there until age twelve when his family moved to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Employed by a local farmer, by the age of fifteen he started his own business breaking prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
sod
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
for new settlers in the area. Paxton worked as a farm manager until he was 25.
Career
In 1862 Paxton went to Omaha and became the foreman of a bridge building crew on the Military RoadMilitary Road (Omaha)
Military Road is a central thoroughfare located in Omaha, Nebraska. A segment of the road located at the junction of West 82nd and Fort Streets was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993...
between Omaha and Fort Kearny
Fort Kearny
Fort Kearny was a historic outpost of the United States Army founded in 1848 in the western U.S. during the middle and late 19th century. The outpost was located along the Oregon Trail near present-day Kearney, Nebraska, which took its name from the fort .-Origins and various missions of the...
. Returning to Omaha in 1860 Paxton hauled freight between Omaha and Denver. The next year he worked for Edward Creighton
Edward Creighton
Edward Creighton was a prominent pioneer businessman in early Omaha, Nebraska. The brother of John A. Creighton, the Creightons were responsible for founding many institutions that were central to the growth and development of Omaha...
's crew installing the Western Union Telegraph
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
between Omaha and Denver. In 1865 he bought a team of horses from Creighton and started his own freighting business, operating between Omaha and Denver until 1867.
In 1867 the Union Pacific Railroad contracted with Paxton to grade the roadway west of Julesburg, Colorado
Julesburg, Colorado
The historic town of Julesburg is a statutory town that is the county seat of Sedgwick County, Colorado, United States. The town is located on the north side of the South Platte River. The population was 1,467 at the U.S. Census 2000...
. Working first as foreman of a crew hired to supply railroad ties, and then as manager of a large railroad construction gang, Paxton contracted with the Omaha and Northwestern Railroad in 1869 to build lines north out of Omaha to Oakland, Nebraska
Oakland, Nebraska
Oakland is a city in Burt County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,367 at the 2000 census. Oakland continues to build on its strong foundation with its bi-annual Swedish Festival and is known by its proclamation from the Swedish Consul-General and Nebraska Governor as the "Swedish...
.
Paxton next bought cattle at Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
, and drove them to Omaha, where he sold them and used the money to go into ranching near Ogallala, Nebraska
Ogallala, Nebraska
Ogallala is a city in Keith County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 4,737 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Keith County. In the days of the Nebraska Territory, the city was a stop on the Pony Express and later along the transcontinental railroad...
. Supplying beef to area Indian agencies for the next five years, Paxton operated the Keystone Cattle Company ranch at Ogallala and also owned ranches near Hyannis
Hyannis, Nebraska
Hyannis is a village in Grant County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 287 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County.-Geography:Hyannis is located at ....
and Paxton, Nebraska
Paxton, Nebraska
Paxton is a village in Keith County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 614 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, which was named for him. Paxton returned to Omaha in 1875, but did not sell his ranches until 1883.
In 1879 Paxton became a principal stockholder in the Nebraska Telephone Company. That same year he helped organize the Omaha Mashers, a baseball team in the short-lived Northwestern League
Northwestern League
The Northwestern League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1883–1884, and again from 1886-1887. It was founded by Elias Matter in 1883.-1883-1884:...
. In 1882, he was the vice-president of the Omaha Savings Bank. The same year, in partnership with Ben Gallagher, he organized the Paxton and Gallagher Wholesale Grocery firm. Paxton was one of the organizers of the Paxton-Vierling Iron Works in 1885, and was part of the Omaha Driving Association, which in 1880 purchased and developed a tract of land in North Omaha called the Omaha Driving Park
Omaha Driving Park
The Omaha Driving Park, later called Sunset Driving Park, was located in North Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It was an important recreational and sports venue in the history of Omaha.- History :...
. It became the site of the Nebraska State Fair
Nebraska State Fair
The Nebraska State Fair is a state fair held annually in Grand Island. It is an approximately ten-day event; since the early 1990s, the fair ends on Labor Day. Prior to 2010, the fair was held in Lincoln, Nebraska.-History:...
for several years. In 1882 Paxton gave $5,000 to local hotel developers to encourage them to consider adding a fifth story to their new building and naming the hotel in his honor. The Paxton Hotel
Paxton Hotel
The Paxton Hotel, formerly known as Paxton Manor and currently known as The Paxton, is located at 1403 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Designed by local architect Joseph G. McArthur, the current building was constructed in 1928, with its predecessor dating from 1882. Named for local...
was Omaha’s premier hotel for many years.
Omaha Stockyards
In 1878 Paxton helped form the first Union Stockyards Company in Omaha, but soon afterwards it was moved to Council Bluffs, IowaCouncil Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
. The Union Stockyards Company was reorganized in South Omaha in 1883, and Paxton was the first president of the corporation. He was also instrumental in organizing related businesses, including the Union Stockyards Bank of South Omaha, the South Omaha Terminal Railway
South Omaha Terminal Railway
The South Omaha Terminal Railway in Omaha, Nebraska was a subsidiary of the Union Stock Yards Company of Omaha. Until the separate railroad company was created in July 1927, the trackage, about , was owned and operated directly by the Union Stock Yards Company of Omaha...
, the Union Elevator, the Union Trust Company, and the South Omaha Land Company
South Omaha Land Company
The South Omaha Land Company was created in South Omaha, Nebraska in 1887. Founders included William A. Paxton.-History:The Union Stock Yards Company of Omaha paid $100,000 to the South Omaha Land Company for of land to serve as a transfer station en route to Chicago. In March 1887, two men named...
, of which he was vice-president.
Politics
Paxton was elected to the Nebraska LegislatureNebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....
in 1881 and served in the Nebraska Senate in 1889.
Legacy
William A. Paxton's name was given to the Paxton Block of office buildings which he constructed at South 16th and Farnam Streets in Downtown OmahaDowntown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline...
; the Paxton Hotel
Paxton Hotel
The Paxton Hotel, formerly known as Paxton Manor and currently known as The Paxton, is located at 1403 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Designed by local architect Joseph G. McArthur, the current building was constructed in 1928, with its predecessor dating from 1882. Named for local...
which he assisted with financial help, and; Paxton Boulevard in South Omaha. He also built Omaha's Ware Block, which is named for his wife, Mary Jane Ware, the Granite Block, and the old Merchants Hotel in Omaha.
The town of Paxton, Nebraska
Paxton, Nebraska
Paxton is a village in Keith County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 614 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
was named for him, as well. Located near there was a town called Keystone, Nebraska
Keystone, Nebraska
Keystone is an unincorporated community in central Keith County, Nebraska, United States. It lies along local roads near the North Platte River, northeast of the city of Ogallala, the county seat of Keith County. Its elevation is 3,100 feet . Although Keystone is unincorporated, it has a...
, named after Paxton's brand; the neighborhood in Omaha called Keystone is also named for Paxton's brand.
The Paxton and Gallagher Wholesale Grocery firm was sold to Gilbert C. Swanson and W. Clarke Swanson and renamed Butternut Foods in 1958. Paxton was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners
Hall of Great Westerners
The Hall of Great Westerners was established by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1958. Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.A., the Hall was created to celebrate the contributions of men and women of the American West...
in 196l.