List of 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. Many were buried at the Prospect Hill Cemetery in North Omaha.

Founding figures

NameBirthDeathOccupationNotable contribution
Dan Allen18321884Riverboat gamblerInfluential; longtime partner of Anna Wilson
George Robert Armstrong1 August 1819April 20, 1896MayorServed as mayor twice
Erastus Benson1854February 10, 1932 Real estate, investorFounded Benson; candidate, 1906 Omaha mayor; philanthropist
William D. Brown1813February 3, 1868BusinessmanOperated Lone Tree Ferry
William ByersFebruary 22, 1831March 25, 1903Surveyor and politicianCreated first map of Omaha; member of first Omaha City Council, Nebraska Territorial Legislature
Edward Creighton18201874Banker, First National Bank of OmahaNamesake of Creighton University
John A. Creighton18311907FreighterPhilanthropist brother of Edward; helped endow Creighton University
Mary Creighton18341876Wife of EdwardBestowed money for Creighton University in his memory
"Cowboy" James Dahlman18561930MayorTolerant of the Sporting District; elected eight times
Tom Dennison18581934Political boss for 30+ yearsLikely started Omaha Race Riot of 1919; ran criminal enterprise and the Sporting District
Harry Porter Deuel11 December 183623 November 1914Early railroad pioneerOldest railroad man in Omaha when he died, Deuel ran a successful steamboat agency in the early years of Omaha, and later worked for the Union Pacific and Burlington Railroads.
Ada EverleighFebruary 15, 1866 Greene County, VirginiaJanuary 5, 1960 New York CityMadamRan brothel at Trans-Mississippi Exposition
Minna EverleighJuly 13, 1864 Greene County, VirginiaSeptember 16, 1948 New York CityMadamRan brothel at Trans-Mississippi Exposition
Logan Fontenelle1825July 16, 1855Chief of Omaha Responsible for signing over the city's land
Reuben Gaylord28 April 181210 January 1880Early ministerCalled the "father of Congregationalism in Nebraska."
Augustus Hall29 April 18141 February 1861First Chief Justice of the Nebraska Territory
Andrew J. Hanscom3 February 182811 September 1907Territorial lawyer, Nebraska politician and real estate brokerPlatted Hanscom Park neighborhood
Gilbert Hitchcock18 September 18593 February 1934Owner/editor of Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska politician
Alfred D. Jones18141902Lawyer, surveyorFirst settler in Omaha; platted city in 1854
Thomas Kennard??LawyerFirst Nebraska Secretary of State
Augustus Kountze18261892BankerFounded First National Bank of Omaha with brother Herman
Herman KountzeAugust 21, 1833, Osnaburg, Ohio1906Banker, real estate speculatorCo-founded First National Bank of Omaha; platted Kountze Place; Treasurer of Trans-Mississippi Exposition; Investor in Omaha Stockyards; namesake of Kountze Park
Frederick Krug1855November 18, 1930Founder of Krug Brewing Company and Krug Park
George B. Lake??One of the first justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court
Enos Lowe5 May 180412 February 1880DoctorOne of the first doctors in Omaha, Lowe was a founding member of many organizations.
Jesse LoweMarch 11, 1814April 3, 1868MayorBefore he was the first mayor of Omaha, Lowe and his brother were among the founders of the city.
John L. McCague??Real estate agentEarly land speculator in Omaha
James G. Megeath??
Frederick Metz1832 in Hessel-Cassel, Germany1901 in OmahaOwner of Metz BreweryTwo time state legislator
Ezra MillardFebruary 2, 1833August 20, 1886Banker, Omaha National BankNamesake of Millard
George L. Miller183028 August 1920Physician, editor, politician, civic leader and land ownerFirst doctor in Omaha
James C. Mitchell18101860Real estate salesman, ferry operatorFounded the town of Florence
William A. Paxton183718 July 1907Businessman, politicianCreated Omaha Stockyards and many other companies
A. J. Poppleton24 July 18309 September 1896Lawyer, politicianFounded first law firm in the Nebraska territory; second mayor of Omaha
John I. Redick29 July 1828?BusinessmanOperated city's first opera house; early donor to Omaha University
Byron Reed18211891Real estate agentFirst real estate agent in Nebraska; held public offices
Elizabeth Reeves??DoctorFirst woman physician in Omaha
Matthew Ricketts18581917PhysicianFirst African American to graduate from University of Nebraska College of Medicine, and first to join Nebraska Legislature
Edward RosewaterJanuary 21, 1841August 30, 1906Newspaper editorFounder and editor of the Omaha Bee
Moses F. ShinnJanuary 3, 1809?Settler and farmerFounded Prospect Hill Cemetery
John A. Smiley??Opened first Omaha Stockyards and sold it to William A. Paxton
William and Rachel Snowden??First settlers in Omaha, they operated the St. Nicholas Hotel for several months, and then built their own home.
Gottlieb Storz?1939 Founder/owner of Storz BreweryBuilt Prague Hotel; highly respected among immigrant community
Josie Washburn1853?Brothel worker/madamWrote first book about brothels by a brothel worker
Gurdon WattlesMay 12, 1855-1932Organizer of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition
Anna WilsonMay 27, 1835October 27, 1911Brothel owner/madamPhilanthropist; left estate to city on death