28 Nebraskaland • July 2021
P
lain and unremarkable, the black binder usually sits on a
small coff ee table in Fort Atkinson State Historical Park's
visitor center. But inside, it contains a remarkable picture of
Fort Atkinson: Its pages list the names of everyone known to
have lived at the fort, along with details about them that can
reveal personalities, backgrounds and their futures.
Susan Juza, Fort Atkinson's long-time curator and a
passionate lover of history, began the project as a relatively
new employee at the fort, wondering exactly who had
lived there. "If we were the largest military fort west of the
Missouri River, what does that mean?" Juza said. "Did we
have 300 people? Did we have a thousand people? We were
guessing."
Now, more than 20 years later, she's gathered names and
information for about 1,200 individuals, from generals to
servants and slaves. Most entries include a person's name,
rank and company, along with any personal information Juza
could dig up, including age, height, eye and hair color, place
of birth, former occupation, and details about their life at the
fort.
As you read, interesting stories and people emerge. For
example, Eliza Woolley died in 1826 and was immersed in 70
gallons of rum to be sent downriver to Pittsburgh for burial.
(Her grave there has since been located.) There also was the
unlucky John McCormick, who attempted desertion — one of
the worst crimes you could commit in the military at the time
— and had his ears clipped for it; he allegedly commented,
"This is a hell of a way, Colonel, of celebrating the Fourth of
July in this country."
Small details, such as former occupations and place of
birth, can be equally enlightening. Juza discovered that
the soldiers at Fort Atkinson included former shoemakers,
wheelwrights, hatters, couriers, bakers, coppersmiths,
weavers and other trades. Some were born overseas in places
like Ireland, Germany, France, Russia, Scotland, England and
Switzerland.
Juza also records infractions the men committed:
intoxication, forgery, attempted shootings and assault, to
name a few. Punishments included forfeited pay, a shaved
head, solitary confi nement and even losing whiskey rations.
Some men racked up lengthy lists of infractions, despite
multiple punishments.
Others rose to leadership at the fort and went on to
The Book
of Names
By Renae Blum
