The Kansas Historical Quarterly - Forgotten Books

THE

Kansas H istorica

Quarter yK IRKE MECHEM

,Editor

JAMES C . MALIN,Associate Editor

Volume I I

1933

(K ansas H istorical Collections)VOL . ! I!

Pub l ished byThe Kansas State H istorical Society

Topeka , K ansas

1 5 -1 070

Contents of Vo lume 11

Number 1 February, 1933PAGE

FERRIES IN KAN SAS : Part I—M i ssouri River George A . Root, 3

TH E INDIAN QUES TION IN CONGRES S AND IN KANSAS . .Marvin H . Garfield , 29

COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSIES IN SOUTHWESTERN KAN SAS . .Henry F . Mason,45

TH E GRASS WIGW AM ATW ICHITA . Bliss Isely , 66

TH E ANNUAL MEETING : Containing the President’s Address ; Report of

the Executive Committee ; Report of the Secretary and Treasurer ; Eleotion of Officers . K irke Mechem, S ecretary , 72

RECENT ADDITIONS To TH E LIBRARY Comp i led by Helen M . McFarland,90

KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN TH E STATE PRES SKAN SAS H ISTORICAL NOTES

Number 2 May, 1933

FERRIES IN KANSAS : Part I—Missouri R iver—Continued—GeorgeA . Root, 1 15

THE FIRST BOOK ON KANSAS : The Story of Edward Everett Hale’sK anzas and Nebraska Cora Dolbee, 139

HISTORY OF LYNCHINGS IN KANSAS Genevieve Yost, 182

KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN TH E STATE PRES SKANSAS H ISTORI CAL NOTES

Number 3 -August, 1933

TWO MINUTE BOOK S OF KANSAS MISS IONS IN THE FORTIES

FERRIES IN KAN SAS ; Part II- Kansas River George A . Root, 251

TH E BULL FIGHT AT DODGE K irke Mechem,294

TH E ROBINSON RIFLES Gen . Wm . H . S ears, 309

KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE STATE PRESSKANSAS H ISTORICAL NOTES

Number 4— November,1933

THE SHAW NEE SUN : The First Period ical Publication in the United S tatesto be Printed Wholly in an Ind ian Language . .Douglas C . MCMurtrie, 339

FERRIES IN KANSAS : Part II—Kansas River—Continued—George A . Root,343

THE VEGETARIAN AND OCTAGON SETTLEM ENT COMPAN IES . R ussell Hickman,377

TH E JOHN BROW N PIKES Frank Heywood Hodder,386

KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN TH E STATE PRESSKAN SAS HISTORICAL NOTES

THE

Kansas Historica

Quarter y

Volume II Number 1

February , 1 933

PRINTED BY KANS AS S TATE PRINTING PLANTP . WAALKER. STATE PRRINTER

TOPEKA 19 3 3

1 4 66 1 7

ContributorsGEORGE A . ROOT is curator of archives of the Kansas State Hi storical Society .MARVIN H . GARF IELD is instructor of history in Roosevelt Intermed iate

School , Wichita .

HENRY F . MASON , a former resident of Finney county, was a justice of the

supreme court of Kansas for twenty-five years . He d ied in 1927 .

BLISS ISLEY is a wel l-known Kansas newspaper man of Wichita,K an . H is

present address is Phoenix,Ariz .

NOTE—Articles in the Quarterly appear in chronological order without regardto their importance.

Ferries in KansasGEORGE A. ROOT

Part l—M issouri River

ETTLEMENT of that portion of present Kansas bordering on

the Missouri river at once established the need of communication with the outside world . Steamboats were not yet making regular trips up the “Big Muddy , so some other method of water trans

portation must be made use of . Mackinaw boats 1 and bul l boatsused by early trappers and by the military at the time of the

establishment of Cantonment Martin were pressed into use,and in

the absence of anything better served their day and age very ac

ceptably . When these mackinaw boats were not to be had the

white man fashioned a dugout from the trunk of some suitabletree near enough to water to serve the purpose . Rafts were madeuse of

,also. Then fol lowed the primitive ferryboats

,formed of

two or three dugouts with poles laid crosswise and closely together ;later the boats were made from sawed lumber, propel led by polesat first

,then by oars

,then by means of ropes or cables stretched

across the streams , the current often furnishing the propel l ing force,and then “

Old Dobbin” was harnessed and pressed into service.

When immigration set in for Oregon,Utah and California , horse

propel led ferries were about the fastest mode of crossing the Missouri

,but these were few . In the l atter fifties and early S ixties steam

was adopted by the most enterprising ferrymen .

With the coming of the missionaries and early settlers arose thenecessity for permanent roads . These thoroughfares were l aid out

regard less of section lines , and usually fol lowed the d ivides . Whena stream had to be crossed a good ford ing place was sought . Whenthis was not convenient or practicable

,a ferry solved the problem .

Up to the time of the S igning of the Kansas-Nebraska bi l l therewere but few ferries owned or control led by residents l iving west oftheMissouri river— these being the ones operating from old Canton

1 . A fiat-bottomed boat w ith a pointed prow and square stern , using oars or sa ils , or

both , used especial ly on the upper Great Lakes and their tr ibutaries .

2 . The bul l boat was in common use on the Missour i and other western r ivers between1 8 1 0 and 1 83 0 , being especially adapted on account of l ightness of dra ft . They were shapedmuch l ike a l ight ra ft and were from 2 5 to 3 0 feet long . Th is framework was covered w ithbuffa lo bul l h ides sewed tightly together . These boats were capable of carrying a cargo of

to pounds—K ansas H i storical Collections, v . 9 , p . 271 .

4 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

ment Martln Fort Leavenworth, Grinter ’s , Wyandotte, Papan ’s ,Smith’s

,Ogee s and Marshall ’s ferry at the Blue.

With the establishment of the territory came an era of townspeculation :

“It was the day of small things but great beginnings . Opportunity

was knocking at every door . There were schemes of every sort,rational and

chimerical . The laws of the early legis lative sessions furnish abundant ex

amples . If charters had been taxed , the revenues would have embarrassedthe vaults of the treasury . It was a time of tremendous mental and businessactivity . Official sanction was given to operate ferries, toll bridges, and stagelines in every direction . Hi ghways were proj ected to imaginary cities in the

und isputed prairie grass, where flaming lithographs exploited the sale of town

lots at fabulous prices before there were any inhabitants except grasshoppersand prairie dogs . Mail routes were established in advance of post offices or

settlements , and contracts awarded and paid for by an indulgent governmentwhen there was no occasion for any service

,and when in fact no service had

been performed . The Kansas river and many of its ins ignificant tributarieswere declared navigable streams

,when in some of them the catfish actually

suffered for water . There were prophets in those days .

” 3

Up to the meeting of the so- cal led “bogus legislature” (the legislature of 1 855 ) there had been no restrictions hampering anyonewishing to start a ferry . Before that body ad journed it had adopted

,

along with many other Missouri laws , the one regard ing ferries . Thi sa ct was evidently a satisfactory one, for not until 1 862 were anychanges made in it, and these only regard ing amounts of tax to bepaid to the county

,or forfeits for failure to secure l icenses before

engaging in business .The earl iest ferries touching Kansas were started by residents ofMissouri . These primitive aff airs served their day and purpose

,

enabling residents l iving on the west S ide of the Missouri river tokeep in touch with the East . With the era of railroad and bridgebuild ing which fol lowed the C ivil War, however, the

'

day of the

ferry gradually passed , until now it is but a memory . With thebuild ing of the Hannibal bridge at Kansas C ity in 1 869 , the FortLeavenworth and E lwood bridges in 1 873 and the Atchison bridgein 1 875, the need for ferries was almost ended— one being operatedat Kansas C ity as late as 1 888

,one at Leavenworth— the Wi llie

Cade— until about the last of the eighties,and one at White C loud ,

which was inaugurated in the fall of 1 932 , after that town had beenwithout ferry privi leges for several years .

The fol lowing is an attempt to l ist Missouri and Kansas-ownedferries which had any intercourse with the territory embraced in

3 . Albert R . Greene, In Remembrance , K ansas H istorica l Collections, v . 1 1 , p . 486 .

ROOT : FERRIES IN KAN SAS 5

Kansas . The arrangement is not chronologi cal , but rather, geographi cal

,beginning near the mouth of the Kansas river and pro

ceed ing up the Missouri . Some, created by acts of the territoria land early state legislatures , may never have functioned ; in al lprobabil ity the charters or l i censes were secured by promoters whohoped to “unload” at a good price to other parties . In some casesthese charters

,granted for a specified number of years and claiming

exclusive rights within certain bound s , seemingly overlap . Inseveral instances this may be due to the fact that the first partiesal lowed their franchises to lapse.

This l ist,by no means complete, i s offered by the writer as the

first attempt to gather data on early ferries on the Missouri river .Subsequent chapters wil l complete the review of ferrying on the

Missouri river and will cover the hi story of ferrying on the Kansas,

Republ ican,Smoky Hill

,Neosho

,Arkansas

,and other rivers of

Kansas .The first ferry operating at or near the mouth of the Kansas river

over the Missouri was established in 1 825 by Joseph Boggs , aresident of C lay County

,Missouri . R ichard Linvil le4 also started

one the same year . A third ferry,operated by John Thornton

,was

located “at or near the Blue Bank .

” In May,1 825

,a road was laid

out from Liberty to Thornton ’s ferry ; another ran from L iberty tothe Missouri river “at the boat land ing at the town of Gallatin ; sti l lanother ran from Liberty to themouth of the Kansas river . Fromthe meager record s obtainable it is d ifficult to locate the exact pointsof these ferries and land ings owing to changes in the river banksand the vagueness in the descriptions of the l and ing places . Whenthe l icense was isued to Joseph Boggs

,in September

,1 825, he was

authorized to keep a ferry across the Missouri river ‘from the bank

where Wyatt Adkins l ives . ’ He was permitted to charge the following rates

For a loaded wagon and team, $2 .

Empty wagon and team,$ 1 .

Dearbom and horses,or gig and horses , 62% cents .

Man and horse, cents .

S ingle person ,18% cents .

Horses,each

,18 34 cents .

Sheep , hogs and cattle, each, 3 cents .

4 . L invi l le sold out in 1 826 to an old Frenchman named Calisse Montarges , commonlycalled “

Caleece.

”He ran the boat unti l 1 8 3 0 , and it must have been th e most popular of

all the ferr ies . The old man was one of the eccentric characters known all a long the r iver ,as there have been many others s ince that time engaged in the transportation of men , an ima lsand chattels from one S ide of the river to the other . Calisse came to th is part of thecountry soon after the War of 1 8 1 2 as a French trapper and voyageur .

—Deathera ge, H istoryof Greater K ansas C ity , p . 1 88 .


These charges were regulated by the d ivis ion of the Old Spanishdol lar into bits . A bit was cents ; a bit and a half was 1 8%cents ; 2 bits , 25 cents ; 4 bits , 50 cents , and 8 bits a dol lar . 5

Prime’s ferry at Independence, Mo. , was being operated in 1 829 ,accord ing to Frederick Chouteau in his reminiscences published inK ansas Historical Collections

,v . 8 .

The settlement of the Platte Purchase had an important effectupon Kansas C ity

,Mo. Up to that time there had been no ferry

across the river there other than canoes,but with the opening of

this new country there was a spasmod ic movement into it from the

south side of the river . To accommodate thi s immigration PeterRoy , son of Louis Roy , who settled at the foot of Grand avenueduring 1 826

,established a fiatboat ferry

,and in order to provide

better access to it than by the old road he cut a new road throughthe woods from about where Walnut street crosses Fifteenth street ,past the present j unction of Main and Delaware streets

,and thence

down a deep ravine along Delaware street to Sixth, thence acrossby the corner of Main and Fifth streets , d iagonally across the publicsquare and thence to the river a little east of the present line of

Grand avenue from Third street down . This road afterward becamea factor in the concentration of the Santa Fé trade at this place,and was the one mainly used by the heavy freighting teams

,as it

afforded a tolerably easy grade to the river, and also provided inlater years the means of reaching Westport by a short cut . The

ferry thus established by Mr . Roy ,was conducted by him but a short

time when he sold it to James H . McGee,who then lived on a farm

south of Sixteenth street . McGee sold the ferry in less than a yearto Rev . Isaac McCoy ,

6 who conducted it until 1 843 when he soldit to his son

,John C . McCoy .

7 Mr . McCoy subsequently sold a halfinterest in it to John Campbel l , and in 1 854 d isposed of the otherhalf to Messrs . Northrup and Chi ck .

8 This ferry was convenientto the military road running from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Gibson ,and was close to the trad ing posts located on the Kaw near its

5 . Gatewood , H istory of Clay and P latte Counties, M issouri , p . 1 1 3 ; D eatherage, H istory of Greater K ansas C ity , pp . 1 8 7 , 1 8 8 .

6 . Rev . Isaac McCoy , Bapt ist miss iona ry, was born in Pennsy lvania in 1 784 , and diedIn K entucky in 1 846 . He removed to Missouri in 1 829 and later located near the mouth of

K1

:K ansas r iver . He and h is sons surveyed most of the Indian reservations located In

usas .

7 . John Ca lvin McCoy was born in Indiana in 1 8 1 1 . He came west and ass isted h isfather in surveying in the Indian country. He later settled in Johnson county, Kansas , wherehe l ived many years . He died in K ansas C ity, Mo. , in 1 8 8 9 .

8 . H istory of K ansas City , Mo. ,pp . 29 5 , 296 ; Goodsp eed's H istory of Wyandotte

County , K ansas, p . 46 8 .


mouth, and also to several missions located among the Shawneesalong the route of the Santa Fé trai l a few miles southwest of

Westport land ing .

In 1 828 another ferry was started by a man named Frost . 9

Another ferry was operated by one Aaron Overton in May , 1 830 ,at the mouth of Rose’s branch .

1 0

A l l the above ferries were propel led by oars or sweeps,and it

was a good half d ay ’s work to take a boat over to the south side ofthe river and bring back an emigrant wagon .

1 1

In November,1 831

,Al len Overton had a ferry at Overton ’s cross

ing . Shrewsbury Wil liams operated one in 1 832,and Samuel Gragg

established one inCol . Shubael A l len established a landing on his plantation about

1 830 , and near by William Yates had a ferry in 1 83 1 . In the fallof that year Colonel Al len obtained the ferry and operated it fromhis warehouse. Thi s ferry was succeeded by Field ing McCoy

’s

ferry .

1 3

A l len ’s landing,from 1 829 until the death of Colonel A l len in

1 841,was the main point of exit and entrance of nearly all the

business and travel of northwest Missouri,in its communication with

the outer world by the river . It was for many years the startingpoint of a large number of the employees of the American FurCompany in their exped itions to the plains and the mountains ofthe great Northwest . 1 4

Isaac E l l is was granted a license in 1 838 or 1 839 to operate aferry across the Missouri river

,between the Platte county S ide and

the west bank,and tol l rates were prescribed .

1 5

In 1 844 William M . Chi ck started a ferry at Kansas C ity . The

first boat was S imply a flatboat with two men to pul l the cars .

Later a horse ferryboat was substituted and operated for a year ortwo. Whi le using the horsepower boat a travel ing circus camethrough and was ferried across the river . Mr . Chick states thatthere were d ifferent kind s of animals to be brought over and thatthey had no trouble with any except the elephant . It at first refusedto come on board

,but after much coaxing, was finally induced to

do so. The deck creaked but the elephant was final ly brought

9 . D eatherage, H istory of Greater K ansas C ity , p . 1 8 8 .

1 0 . Ib id . ,p . 1 8 8 .

1 1 . Gatewood , H istory of Clay and P la tte Counties, M issour i, p . 1 0 1 .

1 2 . Ib id. , p . 1 1 9 .

1 3 . Ib id . , pp . 1 1 8 , 1 1 9 .

1 4 . U. S . B iograp hical Dictiona ry , M issour i, p . 3 1 3 .

1 5 . Gatewood , H istory of Clay and P latte Counties, M issour i, p . 572 .


safely across,though not without considerable damage to the boat,

whi ch cost $10 to repair . Mr . Chick tried to get the showman topay the 31 0 , but he refused . Then Mr . Chick sued him

,and attached

some of his belongings so he could not leave . The trouble wasbrought before the j ustice of the peace court in Westport and theshowman was made to pay theEarly in the 1 840 ’s Kansas C ity, Mo.

,and Westport became the

depot for trade with Santa Fé and Mexico,as wel l as withCalifornia ,

Utah and Oregon,and for a number of years fol lowing immense

caravans fitted out there for the long and peri lous journeys to thefar West . Westport had one of the best land ings on the Missouri

,

and being most convenient to the Oregon and Santa Fé trails enjoyed a monopoly of the business fol lowing these transcontinentalhighways . Factories sprang up in the growing city

,and about

everything needed in the transportation business was manufacturedon the spot . The magnitude of the freighting business startingfrom there is shown in the fol lowing figures : In 1 840 there werefive firms or proprietors engaged in the trade

,with 60 wagons valued

at The fol lowing year there were a dozen firms similarlyengaged

,operating 1 00 wagons , valued at In 1 842 there

were fifteen,with 1 20 wagons valued at and thirty in 1 843 ,

with 350 wagons worth During the period between theearly l 84o’s and the latter 1 850 ’s this business doubled and trebled ,for Kansas City ’s business transactions for the year 1 857 amountedto over This business increased material ly during thenext few years

,when

,owing to raid ing parties dur ing the C ivi l War,

it practically ceased,the commerce previously enjoyed having moved

north to Fort Leavenworth ,Atchison and Nebraska C ity

,where it

was practical ly immune. After the war the immense business goingwest from Kansas C ity was taken over by the railroads , and the

long lines of prairie schooners , each wagon drawn by a team of sixor eight slow—plodd ing oxen or a like number of sturdy Missourimules and presided over by a picturesque “bullwhacker” or

“muleskinner

,

”faded out of the picture.

Wyandotte was the natural d istributing point for settlementsalong the Kansas river and points to the south and west, and wasthe rad iating point for a number of roads lead ing in d ifferent d irections . One ran northwest to Quindaro and on to Parkville, Mo. ;

one to Leavenworth ; one to old Shawnee Mission, where it joined

1 6 . R emini scences of Wash in gton Henry Ch ick , M S . , in the Kansas S ta te H istorica lS ociety .

1 7 . Gregg, Commerce of the Pra irie, v . 2 . p . 1 44 .

ROOT : FERRIES IN KANSAS 9

the Old Santa Fé trai l ; one connected with the road to Fort Scott ;one to Grinter

’s ferry

,where it crossed the Kaw river and ran up

the Kaw valley ; one crossed the Kansas river and ran to KansasC ity and Westport .

There was a plot along the river at Wyandotte , known as FerryTract

,

”and here the various ferryboats having ferry privi leges

within the city took on or d ischarged their cargoes . FerryboatsLizzie

,of Kansas C ity

,Mo.

,in 1 855 ; and S . C . Pomeroy ,

of Wyandotte C ity

, the largest ferryboat on the river, put in operation byCapt . Otis Webb in 1 857

,plied back and forth from the two cities

at the mouth of the Kaw .

1 8

Joseph C . Ransom Co. were authorized by the legislature of

1 857 to maintain a ferry across the Missouri river between Wyandotte and Kansas C ity

,Mo.

,

1 9

William Walker,

20 Thomas H . Doyle,Cyrus Garrett 2 1 and Henry

McMullin were granted authority by the legislature of 1 857 to

run a ferry across the Missouri river,and to have a land ing on

l and owned or claimed by the Wyandotte C ity Company,or others ,

within the town limits . Their ferry privileges were to run fortwenty-five years . 22

The legislature of 1 858 granted a charter to Si las Armstrong ,W . Y . Roberts ,24 S . W . E ldridge

,

2 5 James McGrew2 6and James D .

Chestnut,

27 to operate a ferry across the Missouri river under thename of the Wyandotte C ity Ferry Company , the charter to be fora period of twenty- one years

,and to have exclusive privilege of

land ing at any place on the west S ide of the river between the pointwhere the Missouri state l ine leaves the same

,and _ a point one mile

above the mouth of the Kansas river on the Missouri river,and at

1 8 . Andrea s , H istory of K ansas, p . 1 23 0 .

1 9 . Laws, Kansas , 1 8 57 , DD. 1 57,1 8 5 .

20 . Wi l l iam Wa lker was a native of Mich igan,born in 1 79 9 , and died in K ansas City in

1 874 . He was a leader and counsel lor of the Wyandotts , and came to K ansas in 1 843 w iththe tribe . He acquired the title of

“ governor” when he was appointed provis ional governorof terri tory embraced in Nebraska and K ansas .

21 . Cyrus Garrett was a Wyandott, born about 1 8 3 5 .

22 . Laws, K ansas,1 857 , p . 1 57 .

2 3 . S i las Armstrong was born at Xen ia , Oh io, in 1 8 1 0 He was president of the Wyandotte City town company and became wea lthy . He died In 1 8 65 .

24 . Wil l iam Y . Roberts was.

a native of Pennsylvan ia and born about 1 8 1 1 . He cameto K ansas In 1 8 55 , took an active part in the terr itor ial struggle, and held many pos itionsof trust. He d ied near Lawrence in 1 8 69 .

25 . Shalor Winchel l Eldri dge was born in Massachusetts in 1 8 1 6 . He was a ra ilroadcontractor and came

.

to K ansas In 1 856 and leased the Free S tate hotel that year, and alsois

g

t

ggli shed a stage kne from K ansas City to Lawrence and Topeka . He died at Lawrence in

26 . James McO

Grew was born in.

Pennsy lvani a in 1 8 22 . In 1 859 he settled at Wyandotte,and was engaged In var ious occupations . He died in K ansas City, Kansas , January 1 9 , 1 9 1 1 .

27 . James D . Chestnut was probably one of the directors of a S outh Carol ina com anthat came to K ansas ear ly In 1 856 . K ansas H istor ical Collections , v . 1 5 , p . 4 1 5 .

p y

1 0 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

any point on the bank of the Kansas river , one-eighth of a mile fromits mouth . Nothing was to infringe on the right of the Wyandotteferry to cross the Kansas river . This act was vetoed by the actinggovernor

,and was passed by the legislature over his vote.

28 Thisferry was operated between Wyandotte and Kansas C ity , Mo.

,for

a number of years .It is said a steam ferry was in operation at Wyandotte as earlyas 1 858

,but no details are available.

29

The city of Wyandotte was granted a charter by the legislatureof 1 860 to operate a ferry across the Missouri river, to ply at anypoint or points between the mouth of the Kansas river and a pointon the Missouri two miles above the mouth

,for a period of twenty

years . The city of Wyandotte was to run a good and substantialsteam ferry-boat within six months from the passage of the act ,which was approved by the governor February 14

,1 860 . The act

also provided that the city ofWyandotte Should have power to leasethe ferry right for any term of years not exceed ing the term for

which the charter was granted .

3 0

On May 23,1 867

,the Kansas and Missouri Ferry Company , of

Wyandotte,was chartered . J . B . Scroggs

,

3 1 Charles S . Glick, S . V .

Morse,D . M . Cable, J . A . Berry

,

3 2 Isa iah Walker,Russel l Garrett

,

3 3

H . M . Cook and W . B . Bowman were the incorporators . The capitalstock of the company was and shares $50 each . The new

ferry was scheduled to operate from the levee at Wyandotte acrossthe Missouri river . The charter was filed with the secreta ry of

state May 25 , 1 867 .

3 4

During the ferrying era the cond ition of the levee was paramount .From time to time repairs were made as occasion demanded . In thefal l of 1 866 the city began to realize the need of better protectionfrom the encroachments of the Missouri . A committee was ap

pointed by the city council to confer with railroad companies, butno decision was reached at that time and no action was taken . The

Wyandotte Gazette urged that steps be taken at once, whether therailroads were ready to co

'

ciperate or not,stating that i f the levee

28 . Laws, K ans as , 1 858 , pp . 70 , 7 1 .

2 9 . F irst Bienn ial Rep ort, S tate Board of Agr iculture, 1 877 p . 455 .

3 0 . Laws, K ansas , pr ivate, 1 8 6 0 , p . 28 7 .

3 1 . John B . S croggs was an Oh ioan ,born in 1 83 8 . He removed to Wyandotte in 1 8 6 6

gr

s

i d

s

later served as coun ty attorney and as mayor of the city . Hi s death occurred June 28 ,3 2 . J . A . Berry was a res ident of Wyandotte county dur ing the latter fifties , and for a

year and a hal f publ ished the Wyandotte D emocrat.

3 3 . Russel l Garrett was a Wyandott.

3 4 . Corporations , v . 1 , p . 3 40 , in Arch ives Department, Kansas S tate H istorica l Society.

Herea fter cited as Corporations .

ROOT : FERRIES IN KAN SAS 1 1

was not preserved Wyandotte would soon lose the great advantage

she then possessed over other river towns , that of ample room for

the transaction of heavy railroad and river business combined .

Apparently nothing in the way of permanent protection had beenaccomplished up to the latter part of May , 1 868 , when renewedefforts on the part of the city officials were again made. The

Gazette of May 30 contained the fol lowing“OUR LEVEE. We learn that Mayor Cobb and Mr . Killen have been to

S t. Louis and had a conference with the directors or some officers of the

Missouri Pacific railroad in regard to the protection of our levee . At the meet

ing of the council on Tuesday evening, a resolution was passed , offering, incase the voters ratify the proposition , to give the railroad company in

ten-year 7 percent bonds, with right of way and depot grounds , if the companywill go ahead and thoroughly protect the levee, from the mouth of Jerseycreek to the mouth of the Kansas river . The company has a gang of men now

at work throwing in stone, and we presume will accept the proposi tion . So

mote it be .

”

The ferry business on the Missouri river had no serious oppositionuntil the advent of the railroad . The first bridge to span the riverwas that of the Hannibal St . Joseph railroad , built at KansasC ity in 1 866 . Up to th i s time freight shipments from Kansas andthe west had found their way in good part to the mouth of the

Kansas river by way of the various wagon roads and the old Kansas Pacific railroad

,whi ch was put in operation that year .

3 5 Latein 1 867 that railroad was considering laying a third rail betweenthe state l ine and the ferry land ing to enable the road to hand lestandard -gauge cars . This was for the purpose of transferringfreight from thi s road to the Kansas C ity Cameron rai lroad .

3 6

Moving up the river from Wyandotte we find the next point atwhi ch a ferry was operated was Quindaro, about four miles d istant .

Quindaro was started as a freestate town in December, 1 856 . The

river at thi s place had a rocky channel and good banks for land ing .

By May,1 857

,the city had a force of workmen grad ing the ground

near the wharf and Kansas avenue, the main street running northfrom the river . By July a steam ferryboat 1 00 feet long , with a 26foot beam

,was running between Quindaro and Parkville, a few

miles up the river . 3 7

The legislature of 1 858 granted a charter to Otis Webb ,3 8 Charles3 5 . Rep ort, S tate Board of Agr iculture, 1 877 p . 455 .

3 6 . Wyandotte Ga zette, January 4 , 1 868 .

{3

2

7

29

Rep ort, S tate Boar d of Agriculture, 1 877 p . 455 ; Andreas , H is tory of Kansas,p .

88 . Capt. Ot is Webb was a noted Missour i r iver steamboat captain, and ran a boatnamed for h imself .


Robinson3 9 and Charles H . Chapin“o to establish another ferry crossthe Missouri river at Quindaro, with one or more land ings for aperiod of twenty—one years . The law provided that no other ferryShould be established between the intersections of the west bound sof sec. 22

,T . 10

,R . 24 E.

,and the east bound s of sec. 28 , T . 1 0 , R .

25 E.

,with the Missouri river . Charges for ferriage were fixed as

fol lows :Each passenger, 10 cents .

Two-horse team loaded ,

One—horse carriage,75 cents .

Each add itiona l horse , mule, ass , ox , cow,calf

,15 cents .

Each score of sheep or swine, 3 1 .

Lumber , per feet .

All freight, not lumber , not in teams loaded and un loaded by the owner

thereof,and with a detention not exceeding 15 minutes, 10 cents per

100 pounds .

4 1

Thi s ferry was convenient to a road from Leavenworth to Wyandotte

,was but a few miles below the Parkville land ing by the river ,

and was also the northern terminus of a road running in a southerlyd irection through the Del aware and Shawnee land s, and on to the

vicinity of Paola,Miami county .

4 2

Later,George W . Veale

,Abelard Guthrie, Field ing Johnson43 and

Julius G . Fisk were granted a charter,by the legislature of 1 860

,to

maintain a ferry at the present limits of Quindaro for a period of

ten years . The law provided that no other ferry should be established within two miles of the city , and that the land ing should berestricted to and confined within the l imits of said city .

“

A Quindaro ferryboat was sunk by Missourians in 1 861 , but it isnot known who were the owners . The motive claimed was to prevent slaves from escaping .

45

On July 3 1,1 866

,the Quindaro and Parkville Ferry Company was

chartered,Alfred Gray

,Alfred Robinson

,David Pearson , Francis

Kessler and Francis A . Kessler being the incorporators . The com

pany proposed to operate a ferry across the Missouri river, steam ,

horse, or man power to be used as the company Should prefer . The

3 9 . Gov . Char les Rob inson was a member of the Quindaro Town Company.

40 . Char les Herman Chap in was a native of New York , born in 1 822 . He came t an

sas in 1 8 5 6 and was identified w ith the free - state movement . Later he was emp loyed In the

United S tates engineering service . He died in 1 889 .

41 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 58 , pp . 6 8 , 6 9 .

4 2 . Gunn and Mitchel l ’s M ap of K ansas , 1 862 .

43 . F ielding Johnson was born in Indiana in 1 8 1 0 . He served in the B lack Hawk War .

In 1 8 56 he came to K ansas, and settled at Quindaro in 1 857 . He removed to Topeka In

1 8 66 , where he died in 1 8 7 2 .

44 . Laws, Private, K ansas , 1 8 6 0 , pp . 285 , 286 .

45 . K ansas H istorica l Collections , v . 1 3 , p . 1 9 0 .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join


1 8,1 9

,29

,T . 9

,R . 23 E . The town was on a wagon road running

from Fort Leavenworth toWyandotte, and was close to the j unctionsof road s running south to Grinter ’s ferry and southwest to Lawrence.

John Van Vrank lin established the first ferry at Delaware,having

it in operation early in 1 855, as evidenced by the fol lowing ad

vertisement,whi ch ran in a Leavenworth paper :

“DELAW ARE FERRY .

—The undersigned has established a ferry on the Missouririver at the town of Delaware, Kansas territory . He has been for some time

past and is at this time prepared to cross at a moment’s notice

,all those

wishing to cross the Missouri at Delaware . Any one wishing to visit Kansasterritory from any point below Weston , in Platte county , Missouri , wi ll findthat this ferry is the nearest and best point at which to cross the river

, partic

ularly if they wish to go to the S tranger or Grass Hopper country . This a lsowil l be the case with all persons wishing to go to the K aw country , or vis it

Ca lhoun,Lawrence, Council Grove or Fort Riley . He would state, that all

persons traveling towards Kansas territory,on the Great Stage route, on the

north side of the Missouri river , lead ing from St . Louis through Columbia ,Fayette, Carrollton , R ichmond and Liberty and then visiting Kansas

,from

the country bordering on the Miss issippi river , wi ll save weary miles by crossing at this point . H is ferry boats are safe and substantial ; his ferrymen hardyand experienced ; and wil l at all times be p leased to serve with alacrity , thosewho may wish to cross the Missouri river at his ferry .

“March 13,

’55—6m. JNO. VAN VRANK LIN .

” 49

This ferry operated from the center of the towns ite and was saidto be the equal of any on the river . 50

Another ferry was proj ected for Delaware in 1 855,the territorial

legislature granting a twenty-year privilege to Messrs . GeorgeQuimby

,William H . Spratt, William D . Brummel l and W . Christi

son . Their ferry was to be established within the limits of the

town and have exclusive privileges for one mile up and one miledown the river on the Kansas side . The company, by one of the

provisions of the act, was not required to run a steam ferryboatunti l the first day of April

, Quimby and Spratt were residents of Delaware

,the latter operating a saloon there for a number

of years .

52 Christison was a resident of Lexington township,Lexing

ton P . O.,Johnson county

,in 1 860

,his name appearing in the printed

census enumeration for that year .WhileDelaware thus had a good ferry as early as 1 855, apparentlythere was a lack of suitable road s lead ing to the town . This cond ition was being remed ied early in 1 857 by a Captain Hol lingsworth,

49 . Herald, Leavenworth , Apri l 1 3 , 1 855 .

50 . Ib id . , June 1 , 1 855 .

5 1 . Genera l S tatutes, K ansas , 1 8 55 , p . 7 90 .

52 . Ha ll and Hand, H istory of Leavenworth County, p . 1 44 .


of that place, who was engaged in opening a road from Leavenworth .

The road started from the steam mill in the south part of Leavenworth, passed d irectly by the Muncie Mission and thence to Dela

ware.

53

Above Delaware a half mile was the next early-day ferry site .

On May 2,1 866

,the Junction Ferry Company was chartered for the

purpose of operating a ferry over the Missouri river, being granted

exclusive privileges and rights at a point where Seven Mile creek

empties into the Missouri river, and one mile up and one milebelow the mouth Of said creek . The incorporators were Ri chard

R . Rees ,’54 Martin Howsley ,Robert C . Foster,55 L . B . Wheat,56 and

Henry T . Greene.

57 The organization was capitalized atwith shares $100 each . The principal office of the company was atLeavenworth C ity . Their charter was fi led with the secretary of

state,May 24

,

Two miles below the original Leavenworth, David H . Mitchel land James Davis 59 were granted exclusive ferry privileges by thelegislature of 1 858 to operate a ferry for a period of ten years .

60

Fort Leavenworth and Leavenworth C ity were terminal pointson the Missouri river from whi ch highways rad iated in every d irection . A “Map of the Defence of the Northern and NorthwesternFrontier

,of 1 837

,showed roads running from Fort Leavenworth to

the arsenal at Fort Osage and from Fort Leavenworth to FortCalhoun at the Counci l B luffs .

6 1 It was the starting place for theroad to Fort Scott and Fort Gibson ; to the forts along the SantaFé trai l ; to Fort Kearney on the Platte. Later roads led to FortR i ley , to the Big Stranger, to the Grasshopper country , to Topeka ,Lawrence, Lecompton , Shawnee Mission , and Wyandotte.

Up to January , 1 855, Leavenworth had no Kansas licensed ferry,

depend ing for her need s in river transportation on the ferriesoperating from the Missouri side. The Hera ld of January 1 9 mentioned that “a large and commodious steam ferry boat is being

53 . Herald , Leavenworth , February 7 , 1 857 .

54 . R ichard R . Rees was born in C incinnati in 1 8 1 2 and died in Leavenworth in 1 875 .

He came to K ansas 111 1 855 and later served Leavenworth county as probate judge.

55 . Robert Cole Foster was born in K entucky in 1 8 3 4 . He came to Kansas w ith h isparents in 1 85 6 . He died at Denison , Tex . , in 1 9 1 0 .

9

L B . Wheat was an attorney at law , and was l isted as a resident of Leavenworth in57 . Henry

.

T. Greene was an attorney at law , born in Hanover, Va . He came to Leaven

worth county In 1 854,and was a practicing attorney a fter his arr iva l . He was a staunch

D emocrat .- An dreas , H is tory of K ansas

, p . 4 44 .

58 . Corporations , v . 1 , pp . 1 5 6 , 1 5 7 .

59 . James Davis is l isted in the Leavenworth city directory, 1 859 .

60 . Laws, Kansas , 1 8 58 , p . 6 3 .

6 1 . American S tate Pap ers, M il itary Afia irs, v . 7 , oppos ite p . 78 1 .

THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

built expressly for this place,and will be here early in the spring .

It wi l l carry two hundred head of stock and fifteen wagons at atime

,and cross the river in five minutes . The Hera ld pointed out

that the boat would do a heavy business during the next spring asit was expected there would be an immense immigration . The territorial legislature that year granted ferry privileges to at least oneLeavenworth ferry company , which up to near the end Of July hadnot started operating . The Hera ld of July 21 pred icted that insideof a month it would be in operation , and stressed the fact that agood ferry would make Leavenworth the great point of entry intoKansas territory

,and that it would be the

“primary city of

Kansas .”62

Early in 1 855 Leavenworth took steps to improve and protect herlevee. In March that year the land ing had been graded from the

foot of Cherokee street to the foot of Delaware. The Hera ld Statedthat the improvements made on the levee would add greatly to theappearance of Water street

,and when finished would be the best

land ing on the Missouri river . 63 By 1 857 the city had decided toundertake something in the way of municipal improvements . The

legislature permitted the city to borrow for thi s purpose .

The Herald of Apri l 4,that year

,said : “We want a good levee . We

want our streets graded and we want the principal streets McAdam

ized . That this was good pol icy i s evidenced by the increase of

business the fol lowing year,the Herald of July 3 stating that the

levee presented a “busy scene the past week . It has been piled highwith good s and all kind s of freight from one end to the other . Drygood s

,groceries

,flour

,lumber

,wagons

,sawmil ls

,machinery and

printing presses , all go to make up the huge pile. Every boat thatstopped at the levee landed hundreds and hundreds of tons of freightupon the land ing

,prompting the Herald to ask “Why does not some

enterprising person prepare a report of business statistics of Leavenworth? We believe it would astonish the natives .”

With the passing years Leavenworth’s trade territory was ex

tended across to the Missouri side,and the ferry company realized

that its existence depended upon this outside trade, and took stepsto hold it. Freshets in the river from time to time had cut a channelthrough the low bottoms on the opposite side of the stream ,

and in1 867 the land ing was at the island opposite the city . The ferry company had expended quite a sum of money in build ing a wagon road

6 2 . Hera ld, Leavenworth , January 1 9 , July 2 1 , 1 855 .

63 . Ib id . , March 3 0 , 1 855 .

ROOT : FERRIES IN KANSAS 1 7

across the slough to the i sland , which served not only as a public

highway but also to turn thi s water back into its proper channel . Anearth-and -brush dam was started , and the ferry company was satis

fied that i f thi s were completed it would be of great advantage to thecity . The city d rew an immense amount of trade from the Plattecountry

,and it was manifest that anything which facil itated com

munication with that neighborhood would tend to the material increase oi trade. It was the j udgment of competent engineers that ifthe volume of water whi ch every spring ran through the slough wereturned back into the river channel , the sand bars immed iately opposite the city would soon be washed Out, afford ing a straight passageto the shore of the i sland . The ferry people also held to the hopethat the Platte county railroad would run to and build its depotupon the island were thi s done. If thi s were not done the depotwould be built some two miles down the river . The inconveniencewhich thi s would occasion was pointed out. The ferry companyj ustly felt that the city should bear a fair share of the burden . The

matter was brought before the city council , and the LeavenworthConservative published the fol lowing paragraph showing the actiontaken

“Harvey Edgerton ,from the special committee on the communication from

W . L . Reyburn , in relation to the embankment on the east side of the river,

recommended that the city encourage the enterprise by appropriatingtherefor, provided , that none of said amount be paid until said work is ful lydone accord ing to the d imensions set forth in. said communication

,and re

ported as done by the engineer of the city . After some d iscussion the reportwas rej ected .

”

The Conservative characterized the action of the council a s nig

gardly and , as the Commercia l appropriately suggested ,“penny wise

and pound fool i sh.

”64

By the last of February,1 867 , the Platte county road was com

pleted to a point Opposite Leavenworth, or near the intersection of

the old P l atte C ity road . The roadbed was also made to the depotground below, but there was not enough iron on hand at that timeto finish the work . The company was evidently waiting to see i f the

wagon-road dyke then being built across the slough would stand theSpring rise before extend ing the l ine any closer . 65

The citizens of Leavenworth also had appreciated at an early datethe importance of good roads and bridges into the interior . As early

64 . Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, February 1 5, 1 9 , 1 86 7 .

65 . Ib id . , February 28 , 1 8 67 .

2 -66 17


as 1 858 subscriptions were raised for the purpose of bridging theprincipal streams on roads lead ing to and from the city, the Herald

insisting that “No move can add more benefits to our city thanthi s .” At this time a substantial bridge was being erected acrossSalt creek

,on the Fort R i ley road , near Rively

’

s store,whi le others

were needed over the Stranger at Easton , Russel l ’s Mills , and on theLawrence road . Leavenworth citizens were admonished to “comeup and subscribe l iberally .

” 66

Not until April , 1 873 , was a railroad bridge across the Missouririver at Leavenworth completed . This was located on the militaryreservation

,a mile or so above the town

,and cost between

and Just what effect it had on the ferry business is notclear, as ferries operated for years a fterward . The bridge was inuse up to about 1 909

,when the eastern approach col lapsed . In 1 91 3

the flooring on the Fort Leavenworth end burned . In 1 926 the government rehabilitated the old bridge for use as the only free bridgeacross the Missouri river

,furnishing the connecting l ink for federal

highway No.

In 1 91 8 Vinton Stillings , of Leavenworth, built a pontoon bridgeacross the Missouri at a point a little north of the present terminalbridge . The pontoon was feet long

,1 8 feet in the clear

, and

cost being financed entirely by Mr . Stil l ings . On the eastside was a drawbridge to al low boats to pass Up and down the river .Tol l charges over the bridge were : Vehi cles , 50 cents for roundtrip ; foot passengers , 10 cents for round trip . Mr . Stil l ings hassaid that during the almost four years of its operation , which beganin July

,1 888

,its revenue averaged $200 a day .

68

The terminal bridge was constructed during 1 893,and was opened

for traffi c January 2 , 1 894 . It was located a little south of the

pontoon built by Stillings , and cost, with tracks , terminal build ings ,freight depot, switches , etc.

,about

A railroad meeting was held at Platte C ity in January,1 857

,to

discuss the advantages of build ing a road on the Missouri riverOpposite Leavenworth, to connect with the Hannibal St . Josephroad . The advantage of such a road was self- evident . In fact theultimate success of Leavenworth depended upon the road . KansasC ity , the only rival Leavenworth had to fear

,was already in the

field,and the Hera ld emphasized that Leavenworth must not allow

66 . Herald, Leavenworth , Augus t67 . Leavenworth Da ily Times

,March K ansas City Journa l, JulyTopeka Da ily Cap ital , June K ansas C ity Times, January

68 . Leavenworth Da ily Times, March69 . Ib id . , March 6 , 1 9 3 2 .

ROOT : FERRIES IN KANSAS

her rival to outstrip her by a suicidal apathy on the subject, butthat it was her duty to keep the proj ect in motion until the workwas completed

,to enable Leavenworth to enter into favorable com

petition with others . 7 0 Railroad talk prevailed , and during thespring or early summer a prel iminary survey was made for a road toconnect Leavenworth with Cameron , Mo.

7 1 A l ittle over a yearlater the Hera ld

,in an able ed itorial on the subject of rai lroads ,

contended that Leavenworth could not compete with other cities onthe Missouri river in the commerce and trade of the great Westunless she formed means of communication with the East by railroad Continuing, the Herald said :Kansas City and S t. Joseph will have railroads running through them in

less than eighteen months, and then what position wil l we occupy, situated

between two flourishing cities which have the energy as well as the means

to take our present trade away from us ? Un less we establish a railroad connecting with the East we wil l go backward insteadof forward . The time has come when the people of Leavenworth must

look to her laurels, and let those who are interested take the subject inhand .

” 72

Whi le Leavenworth thus early appreciated the importance of arailroad bridge

,it was not unti l 1 873 that the tracks actually crossed

the Missouri . For many years,therefore

,her citizens depended on

the various ferries for transportation and communication with theeast . The first ferry operated from the city proper was owned byThomas C . Shoemaker

,

7 3 Jarret Todd,7 4 Samuel D . P itcher and theirassociates , who were granted a twenty-year charter by the territorial legislature of 1 855 to be restri cted to and confined within thel imits of the city of Leavenworth. The law provided that no otherferry should be establi shed within two miles of the l imits of thetown

,and also pres cribed charges for ferriage

,as fol lows :

Foot passengers,10 cents .

Each horse,mare

,mule

,or ass

, with or without rider , 25 cents .

Each two-horse team, loaded or unloaded , with driver, 75 cents .

Each S ingle-horse carriage, 50 cents .

Each add itiona l cow or ox, 15 cents .

Each swine or sheep , 5 cents .

All freight of lumber,merchandise or articles not in teams

,at rate of 15

cents [ 100 lbs . ]

70 . Hera ld, Leavenworth , January 3 1 , 1 857 .

7 1 . Ib id . , July 4 , 1 857 .

72 . Ib id. , August 1 4 , 1 858 .

73 . Thomas C . S hoemaker was the first receiver of publ ic moneys in the terr itory . Hecame to K ansas about the first of May , 1 855 , and made Leavenworth h is home, where hel ived up to the date of h is death , February

74 . Jarret Todd came to K ansas July 4 , 1 854 , and settled at Leavenworth . H is nameappears in Leavenworth city directory , 1 8 59 , and a lso in a census of Leavenworth , 1 859 ,p . 6 6 , in arch ives department, Kansas S tate Historical Society.

20 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYEach feet of lumber, $1 per lbs .

Al l other articles, 5 cents [per 100 lbs ] .

The act also provided that anyone crossing at night might becharged double fare.

7 5

In 1 860 the law relating to this ferry was amended as fol lowsThe owners of the ferry privilege granted shall not be required torun their ferryboat or boats for any purpose in the night time, norat any time when it shall be unsafe to do so

,by reason of ice in the

river,or other cause.

”76

This charter was again amended in 1 861 to provide that the com

pany should,on the first Monday in September each year

,pay to

the treasurer of Leavenworth county the sum of $100 ,“which sum

shall be in lieu of all taxes and assessments of every kind and character

,on said ferry privilege ; and no add itional tax

,for any pur

pose,shall hereafter be imposed or levied upon said franchise

,by the

legislature or other authority .

” The amended law also extended thefranchise fifteen years beyond the l imit set by the original act

,and

l ikewise provided that “the moneys contemplated by this act shal l

go to the road fund of Leavenworth county .

”77 This company ’sferryboat , the Wi llie Cade, Capt . A l Cade, owner , is also mentionedin Leavenworth Board of Trade proceed ings for year 1 888

,p .

This company ’s charter expired in 1 890 .

Other boats operated by this same company prior to 1 866 werethe David Hi ll and the Ella . In the Spring of 1 866 the ferry com

pany sta rted work on a new ferryboat,the Edgar, which was built

by Frank Wheeler . This boat was to replace the old Ella, whichwas withdrawn . The new boat, built on the river bank a short d istance above Carney ’s pork house, and launched October 1 3 , 1 866 ,was a large and staunch craft, which cost about and wasto be used between the city and City Point (East Leavenworth) onthe opposite side of the river . 7 9

Despite the fact that Shoemaker and his associates had receivedan exclusive charter for twenty years , one Simon P . Yocum wasOperating the Leavenworth steam ferry late in November, 1 857 .

Whether Yocum was an associate of Shoemaker is not known . The

Hera ld of the 28th of that month noted that the boat continued tomake regular trips

,notwithstand ing the river was ful l of floating

75 . General S ta tutes, K ansa s , 1 855 , p . 792 .

76 . Laws , Pr ivate , K ansa s , 1 860 , p . 2 84 .

7 7 . Ib id . , 1 8 6 1 , pp . 3 9 , 40 .

78 . Manuscr ipts , arch ives department , K ans as S tate Histor ica l S ociety.

79 . Leavenworth Da ily Conserva tive, July 1 , August 1 8 , October 1 4 , 1 866 .


This company probably ran a boat called the Davi d H i ll,named

for its captain,David Hill

,one of the owners .

A rival ferry,apparently

,was operating at Leavenworth in 1 859 ,

W . S . Reyburn on April 4 paying $60 for a l icense. Just how longthis ferry was in existence has not been learned .

83

On July 1 6,1 866

,the Leavenworth and Missouri Bridge and Ferry

Company was incorporated , John C . Douglass,

84 A . A . Higinbotham,

D . W . Eaves , Lucien Scott85 and S . J . Danah being the promoters .The charter , granted without time l imit, authorized the build ing ofa bridge or the operation Of one or more steam ferries across theMissouri river, at or near Leavenworth, and on the Missouri sidein the county of Platte, with principal office at Leavenworth. The

company had a capital stock of and the privilege of in

creasing it to Shares were $10 each . The charter wasfi led with the secretary of state July 1 8 ,Moving up the river to Fort Leavenworth , we come to the earliest

ferry in present Leavenworth county,which was inaugurated in

1 829 to meet the need s of Cantonment Leavenworth, establishedby the government in 1 828 . The fol lowing year, 1 829 , a mil itaryroad was cut out from Fort Leavenworth to Barry

,in C lay county

(Missouri ) , and Zadoc Martin , a farmer of C lay county , was stationed on the east bank of Platte river to keep a government ferry .

Up to that time the men Of Fort Leavenworth had used an Old

mackinaw boat for crossing the Missouri,but in 1 829 the ferry

at the fort was placed in the hands of Zadoc Martin . He

was a stout, muscular man , and commanded all about him withdespotic power .” The work at Fort Leavenworth required the em

ployment of great numbers of laborers , carpenters and masons , andMr . Martin d id a large business at his ferries . The boats for theferries were made of hewed gunwales , and board s sawed by hand .

8 7

This ferry at Cantonment Leavenworth was mentioned by Rev .

John Dunbar as early as 1 835,when he was missionary to the

Pawnees . 8 8 At that time there was a ferryhouse on the banks ofthe Missouri

, opposite Fort Leavenworth .

8 9

8 3 . Paxton, Annals of Platte County , M issour i, p . 277 .

8 4 John C . Douglass,one of the pioneer attorneys and ear ly settlers of Leavenworth , wasborn In Greenfield , Oh io, December 1 3 , 1 824 . He came to K an sas In 1 856 to help make

K ansas a free state , and took part in many exciting engagements .

8 5 . Lucien S cott was born in Il l inois in 1 83 5 . He arrived in K ansas about 1 857 andthat year engaged in the banking bus iness , later becoming pres ident of the Leavenworth F i rstNationa l Bank .

8 6 . Corporations , v . 1 . p p . 1 97 - 1 9 9 .

8 7 . H istory of Clay and P latte Counties , M issouri , p . 9 1 2 .

8 8 . K ansas H istor ical Collections, v . 1 4 , pp . 59 2 , 5 95 .

8 9 . Ib id . , v . 1 4, p . 692 .

In 1 839 Will iam Hague was granted a li cense to Operate a ferryat Fort Leavenworth.

9 0

The first ferry above Fort Leavenworth probably ran from apoint on the Missouri , known as Pensineau

’

s Trad ing House,across

the Missouri to a land ing point about two miles below presentWeston and original ly known as Pensamo’s Land ing .

” This location , about 1 840 , became the town of Ria lto. A ferry known as theRia lto ferry was in active Operation as early as 1 854 . On October9,1 855

,l arge numbers of Missourians made use of it, coming over

into Kansas territory to participate in the election of John W . Whitfield as delegate to congress . This ferry was running as late as

Robert Cain,l iving on Todd ’s creek ,9 2 Platte county , Missouri ,

Operated a ferry to Fort Leavenworth in 1 836 . Mr . Cain , a veteranof theWar of 1 812 , went to Missouri in 1 81 9 , and to Platte in 1 836 ,before the Ind ian title to the l ands was secured . He settled at thefine spring at the crossing of Todd ’s creek

,kept the ferry at the fort,

and opened a large prairie farm . He suppl ied the garrison withprovisions and stock

,taking the contract to furnish suppl ies for the

men and animals,and became a great favorite for his honesty ,

candor and generosity . NO other name except that of Zadoc Martinis so intimately connected with the early settlement of the P l attecountry . He died September 14

,1 868

,on his farm in Platte county ,

Missouri , and was buried on his farm ? 3

In October,1 840

,John Boulware, of P latte C ity , contracted with

Platte county , Missour i , to run a free ferry at the foot of Mainstreet for twelve months at $250 . He was an early resident of thecounty , took charge of the

“Issue House” in 1 835 , and sold good sto the Ind ians and early settlers . He was appointed a major andled a battalion to the Mormon War . For years he was a leader incivi l and military affairs . 9 4 Thi s ferry

,over Platte river

,enabled

residents Of that vil lage to reach Fort Leavenworth, whi ch wasabout nine and one-half miles to the west .About four miles above Fort Leavenworth by the river was thetown of Rialto, Mo.

,about a mile below its rival , Weston . At

Rialto July 1 , 1 844 , John B . Wel ls,

95 a resident of Platte county ,9 0 . Paxton

, Anna ls of P latte County , M issouri ..

9 1 . Andreas,H istory of K ansas, p . 424 ; Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, Feb . 28 , 1 862

H i story of Clay and P latte Counties, M issour i, p . 56 0 .

9 2 . Todd creek heads about nine.

mi les east of East Leavenworth or Ci ty Point , and flowsIn a northeaster ly directi on Into Smi th ’s Fork , a tributary of the Platte r iver .

9 3 . Paxton, Anna ls of P latte County , M issouri , pp . 1 6 , 46 0 .

9 4 . Ibid. , pp . 1 6 , 3 8 .

9 5 . John B . Wel ls was born in K entucky , November 1 6 , 1 8 00 , and died near Weston ,February, 1 8 9 0 . He removed to.

Mar ion county,Missouri , in 1 8 3 3 , and to Platte in 1 83 7 .

HI S name 18 closely connected W ith the h istory of Weston . Hi s steam ferry at R ia lto wasthe 1

1

1

73211

22

13

3

o

gl immlgratron from 1 8 54 to 1 86 5 .

— Paxton , Anna ls of Pla tte County , M issouri ,DD 0 a


Missouri , was Operating a ferry whi ch at that time was one Of the

few that served as a communication with Fort Leavenworth and

the Kickapoo Ind ian settlement to the north. Later Maj . JohnBoulware and his son ,

William L . Boulware,

9 6 became associatedwith Mr. Wel ls in establishing the Rialto steam ferry betweenR ia lto, Mo.

, and Fort Leavenworth, whi ch was said to have beenthe main crossing for immigration in that section up toFol lowing the death Of his son ,

Maj . John Boulware apparentlyretired from the firm within a year and Mr . Wel ls formed a partnership with a man named Washburn, under the firm name of Wel lsWashburn . This firm carried an advertisement of their ferry

in the first number of the K ansas Week ly Hera ld,Of Leavenworth,

September 1 5,1 854 . It was as fol lows :

“To K ansas Immigrants .

“STEAM FERRYBOAT. The undersigned with pleasure announce to all personsimmigrating to Kansas, Californ ia , Oregon and Salt Lake City , that they havepurchased a new

,safe and commodious steam ferryboat, to ply between

Weston and Fort Leavenworth . All persons who may wish to cross the M is

souri at this point, may rest assured that every exertion will be extended to

them to insure a speedy and safe transit across the river . Cal l and try us .

“WELLS AND WASHBURN .

Another mention of this ferry appeared in the Herald of June 7 ,1 856

,as fol lows :

“WESTON STEAM FERRYBOAT. Messrs . Wells Washburn have just broughtout a new and sp lend id steam ferryboat

,the best on the M issouri river . Its

crossings will be one mile below Weston ,at Rialto . It was built at Pitts

burg [h] , and brought round for this and other places three hundred tons Of

freight, mostly lumber . This boat is cal led the ‘Tom Brierly ,’after one of the

most popular and fast steamboat men on the river . It is 126 feet in length,has three boilers

,an engine eighteen inches in the clear , with a five-foot stroke,

and wheels that can knock all creation out of the river , and can make itslandings in from three to five minutes . The boat is large and roomy, and can

carry any amount of stock and wagons . Messrs Wel ls Washburn deservegreat cred it for getting such a magn ificent ferryboat . Success to them.

“A Good Omen .

—While lying at St. Louis, a Swarm of bees settled on the

jackstafl'

of the boat, and Mr . Washburn immediately hived them,and they

are now at work on the bow of the boat, busily engaged in making honey tosweeten the weary traveler on his pilgrimage to Kansas . The boat is boundto succeed .

”

Messrs . Wel ls and Washburn had their misfortunes the same asother ferrymen on the river . On Thursday afternoon , August 1 9 ,

96 . Wi l liam L . Boulware di ed August 8 , 1 853 .

9 7 . Paxton , Anna ls of Pla tte County , M issouri , pp . 6 2 , 1 72 , 9 1 3 , 9 1 4 ; George J . Ramsburg, letter to author , August, 1 93 2 .


1 858 , their boat sank at the land ing one mile below Weston . Ao

cord ing to the Leavenworth Hera ld,Of August 21 , the boat was to be

ra ised soon,and another boat substituted whi le the other was gotten

into serviceable shape again .

Accord ing to George J . Remsburg , a former resident Of Oak Mills ,Atchi son county , and an authority on early historical matters ofthat county

,one John Gard iner, in 1 844, established a ferry be

tween Weston,Missouri

,and Fort Leavenworth . How long thi s

ferry was in operation is not known .

In 1 861 the legislature granted authority to James Davis to Operate a ferry across the Missouri at a point on the west bank oppositeKickapoo Island .

9 8 The act included special privi leges for one mileabove and two miles below said point") 9 Thi s ferry was probablylocated about halfway between Fort Leavenworth military reservation and the town of Kickapoo, and was for the convenience of

Weston and Kickapoo.

Kickapoo C ity , seven miles above Weston,Missouri

,was one of

the most important of the early settlements in Leavenworth county ,d ating back to the time of the Kickapoo Ind i an occupancy . The

site of the town was rough and broken,and an unnatural one for

a city,and was almost inaccessib le from the back country . The

town flourished from 1 854 to 1 856,and was a rival Of Leavenworth .

It began to decline during the latter fifties,and by the l atter seven

ties contained but two or three houses . In early d ays mail s werebrought over from Weston

,and Kickapoo C ity for some time was

quite a d istributing point for the postal service.

1 00

On March 1 1 , 1 839 , Isaac E l l i s procured a license to Operate aferry at Kickapoo. This ferry is shown on Hutawa

’s Map of the

Platte Country , M issouri , published in 1 842 , and was located aboutthree and one-half miles above Weston , and almost opposite a vi llage of Kickapoo Ind ians . Isaac E l l is was later associated withthe Burnes Bros . and John C . E l l is in the ferry business at thi spoint . 1 0 1

9 8 . Kickapoo Island probably received its name after the settlement of K ickapoo IndiansIn that immediate vicin ity in the early th irt ies . The is land origina l ly was about two and one

half miles long east and west and one and one- fourth miles north and south at the w idestpart, near the west end . A.

map of Leavenworth county in Evarts ’ Atlas , dated 1 88 6 , Showeddgie

n

liiigec

glfdiil

g

e

ddo

ihizh

Soxsl s

e

s

bl

fn

thr

dv

ghagggmti ihe

fl

ifesia

it

f(

thetl

iglai

diin

gndI

t

‘

ll

izmiisfiaiic

r

lc

grhgzi'has apparently become a part of the ma inland to the eas t, but stil l subj ect to overflow durIng h igh water . The Island was s ituated in townsh ips 7 and 8 , range 22 east.

99 . Laws , Pr ivate, 1 8 6 1 , pp . 3 8 , 3 9 .

1 00 . Andreas,H is tory of K ansas , p . 459 ; Atlas of Leavenworth County , 1 878 , p . 7 .

1 01 . Paxton, Annals of P la tte County , M issouri , p . 26 . Gatewood , H istory of Clay and

P latte Counti es,M issouri , p . 5 72 .


In 1 855 the legislature authorized Burnes Bros . CO.,composed

of Lewis Burnes,1 02 Daniel D . Burnes , James N. Burnes,John C .

El l is and Isaac El l is, to maintain a ferry over the Missouri river

at a point opposite the town Of Kickapoo for a term of fifteenyears . The act specified they should have a land ing on the southside of the river upon land owned by the United States and occupiedand claimed

,whol ly or in part

,by John C . E l lis and the Kickapoo

Town Association .

1 0 3

The fol lowing advertisement regard ing thi s ferry is enlighteningin that it states that at that time it was the only steam ferry on the

river from Atchison to far below the mouth of the K aw :

CROSSING AT KICKAPOO CITY .

Our safe and commod ious steam ferry,and the on ly steam ferry between

Atchison and Lexington,just from the ways and thoroughly renovated and

repaired , is making her regular crossings every half hour at Kickapoo . The

publicmay rely upon the most strict punctuality and regularity in her cross ing .

The banks on both sid es are good and accessible . The roads from KickapooCity to most points wes tward are now being much improved . With the rare

inducements now ofi ered at Ki ckapoo, it has become the general crossing forall the settlements on Stranger

, Sold ier and Grasshopper creeks .

“April 12

,1856 . 3 1-tf . 1 04 BURNES , BROTHERS dz CO.

Steam was used on this ferry very shortly after it was established ,and during the county seat election of Leavenworth county , October8,1 856

,boats returning from Missouri brought many residents of

that state over to Kansas to vote. The company must have hadfairly good patronage

,for in 1 857 their boat crossed every thirty

minutes . 1 05

In 1 860 a charter was granted by the legislature to John Baker 1 0“

to run a ferry across the Missouri river at the town of Kickapoo fora period of five years

,he to have exclusive privilege for a d istance of

three miles up and down the river from said town of Kickapoo.

1 07

At the bend above Kickapoo City a ferry was operated by WilliamThompson

,under a charter granted by the legi slature Of 1 855 . This

was close to the Atchison-Leavenworth boundary line and was themost northern ferry in Leavenworth county .

1 0 8

1 0 2 . Lew is Burnes was from Missour i and in 1 86 5 was 6 0 yea rs of age. He apparentlywas pretty wel l -to- do for that d ay ,

l ist ing real estate valued at and persona l property at —Census , K ansas , 1 865 .

1 03 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , p . 78 6 .

1 04 . Herald, Leavenworth , Apri l1 05 . K ansas H istorical Collections, v . 1 3 , p . 3 79 ; Atlas of Leavenworth County , p . 7 .

1 0 6 . John Baker came to K ansas in the year 1 857 , settl ing in Ki ckapoo township , Leavenworth coun ty. He was a farmer and manufacturer o f brooms .

— Andr eas , H istory of K ansas,

p . 459 .

1 0 7 . Laws, Pr ivate, Kansas , 1 8 60 , p . 283 .

1 0 8 . Genera l S tatutes, K ansas , 1 8 55 , p . 779 .


Lewis ’ Point was a location about three miles above KickapooC ity and

,according to George J . Remsburg

,was near present Oak

Mills,Atchison county . Sheffi eld Ingal ls ’ History of Atchison also

gives this location . This was about seven miles below the Old townof Sumner . Capt . Calvin Lewis had Operated a crossing at thisplace

,known as Lewi s ’ ferry , and in 1 855 secured a charter from

the territoria l legislature granting exclusive rights at this point andfor one mile up and one mile below for a period Of ten years . 1 0 9

This was in al l probability the first ferry north of the LeavenworthAtchison county boundary line. This ferry served local need s onlyand apparently did not cut much of a figure in the l ine of trans

portation .

Nimrod Farley,a wel l-known character who resided in the Mis

souri bottoms,was the proprietor of another early-day ferry

,a

little farther north . Farley owned land on the Kansas side near thepresent Oak Mills

,and this furnished him a landing place on the

west side of the river . He was a brother of Josiah Farley , who laidout the town of Farley

,in Platte county

,Mo.

,in 1 850 . Nimrod

Farley was granted a charter by the legislature of 1 855 to Operatea ferry across the river from a point near Iatan

,Mo.

, (formerlyknown as Dougherty ’s land ing) , to the Kansas side, thi s privi legebeing for a period of ten years . 1 1 0 Thi s ferry was one of a numberoperating on the Missouri during the early d ays of Kansas

,whi ch

made a specia lty of,and d id a thriving business in

, the transportationof Missouri voters to Kansas to parti cipate in the early elections .The following

‘

advertisement of thi s ferry appeared in the Western

Argus, Wyandotte, of March 1 0 , 1 855“Election in Kansas—The Ferry That Never Stops . A report having gotten

out that one of our boats had been carried off by the ice, we take the libertyof contrad icting it . Ours is the on ly ferry that never stops . We keep two goodboats, and when one can

’t run the other can . All who wish to be in Kans as in

time to vote, go to Iatan ,

and you wil l not be d isappointed , for old Nim is

always ready . (S igned ) NIM ROD FARLEY and J . G . M . BROWN .

”

Farley finally sold out to George McAdow, who continued the

business unti l the boat was destroyed by Jayhawkers early in theC ivi l War .Charles W . Rust, Atchison county pioneer and a former countyclerk of that county , now l iving at San José, Cal , in a letter d atedOctober 25

,1 926

,to George J . Remsburg

,says

“I remember old Nimrod well . He was a neighbor of ours in M issouri and

1 09 . Ib id. , p . 79 7 .

1 1 0 . Ib id. , p . 775 .

28 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYwas known as a doctor . He was about the hard est old sinner the Iatan

neighborhood turned out, and d id a b ig business on election day in 1855,when

the Missourians polled in favor of the pros lavery cand idate at Kickapooprecinct.

”

In a letter Of November 3 , 1 926 , he writesOld Nimrod was a great old joker . I remember one of his pull-offs was

,

when he met a friend , the first question he would ask was ,‘Have you got a

chew of tobacco ? ’ NO matter whether the reply was yes or no, old Nim

would yank a six-inch plug out of his pocket an d say :‘Have a chaw .

’

(To be Continued in May Quarterly . )


No serious resistance,however

,was offered to the War Department

when,in 1 868- 1 869

, it launched a decisive military campaign againstthe Ind ians .The Ind ian Bureau in 1 865 had attempted to establish harmonywith theWar Department by a d ivision of authority . Comm . D . N.

Cooley issued a circular to a ll superintendents and agents announc

ing that,in its relation with hostile Ind ians

, the Interior Department would subord inate its actions to theWar Department . Agents

,

however , were instructed to perform their regular official duties ingoverning friend ly Ind ians . 1 Had this pol i cy been carried out asplanned

,much trouble might have been avoided .

The d ifli culty was that hostile Ind ians could seldom be d istin

guished from friend ly Ind ians,due to the fact that the red men

were alternately warlike and peaceful . Thus in the Hancock warof 1 867 the military authorities assumed that the Ind ians werehosti le

,whereas the Ind ian agents were positive Of their friend

liness . And Indian Bureau ofli cials were quite critical of Gen .

W . S . Hancock and branded as a mistake his whole course of action .

Supt . Thomas Murphy , of the central superintendency , at the timeexpressed a very decided wish that the military authorities wouldleave the management of Ind ian affairs to the Ind ian agents . 2

Again in 1 868 trouble arose between the rival departments overthe d istribution of arms and ammunition to the Ind ians . InteriorDepartment Officials had authorized Col . W . H . Wyncoop to issuethe guns and bullets to the eager braves on that fateful August dayat Fort Larned .

3 Sold iers hired by the War Department were thenforced to face the Interior Department ’s guns in the Ind ian cam

paigns which ensued as a result of the Saline-Solomon raid s inKansas .After years of d iscord the War and Interior Departments finallyworked out a coOperative Ind ian pol icy . The Commissioner of

Ind ian Aff airs in 1 869 announced that a perfect accord had beenreached . The Ind ian pol icy for the future, as defined

l

in the report,provided for the location of Ind ians upon reservations . Reservation Ind ians were to be entirely under the supervision of the bureauof Ind ian affairs . On the other hand

,all Ind i an band s which re

fused to come into their reservations should be subject to control of

the military authorities and treated as either friend ly or hostile

1 . R ep ort of the Commis sioner of Indian Afiairs, 1 865, p . iv .

2 . Ib id . , 1 8 67 , p . 29 2 .

3 . Ib id . , 1 86 8 , p . 6 8 .

GARFIELD : TH E INDIAN QUESTION 3 1

accord ing to the s ituation .

4 Since this pol i cy provided a definitebasis for d ivid ing the j urisdiction of the rival departments , it didmuch to clarify the situation .

Congress , in attempting to analyze the Indian problem , createdin 1 865 the Joint Special Committee on the Cond ition Of the IndianTribes . The purpose Of the act, as explained by its proponents

when first introduced as Senate Resolution 89 , was to investigate thealleged corruption of Ind ian agents and the al leged causing of unnecessary Ind ian wars by military authorities . 5 The Joint SpecialCommittee was authorized to sit during recess of congress and toreport its find ings to congress at its next session . The completereport Of the committee was published in 1 867 . Its main decisionswere : (1 ) The Indians were rapid ly decreasing in numbers , dueto d isease, wars , cruel treatment by the whites, unwise governmentalpol i cy and steady westward advance of the white man . (2 ) In alarge majority of cases Indian wars are caused by aggressions Ofl awless white men . (3 ) Loss of hunting grounds and destruction of

game is a big cause for decay . (4) The Indian Bureau shouldremain in the Department of the Interior . (5 ) In order thatabuses of Ind ian administration may be corrected the Indian landsshould be d ivided into five inspection distri cts with a board Of in

spection in each d istri ct . The board would be empowered to checkup on al l questions of Indian administration and report at statedintervals to congress . 6

In order to put the ideas of the committee into legislation , Sen .

J . R . Dool ittle,of Wisconsin , chairman of both the Joint Special

Committee and the Senate Committee on Ind ian Affairs,intro

duced Senate Bill 204,whi ch provided for the annual inspection Of

Ind ian affairs by five inspection boards,as heretofore mentioned .

After long debate the b i l l passed the senate on March 1 9,1 866

,by

a vote of nineteen to sixteen .

7 The house failed to take action on

the bil l unti l the fol lowing session , when it amended by striking outthe entire contents of the senate bil l and substituting the provisionthat the Ind ian Bureau should be transferred to the War Department. When the house amendment was returned to the senate forconcurrence it was decisively defeated .

8 A deadlock ensued,for the

breaking of whi ch conference committees were appointed from both

4 . Ibid 1 869 , p . 5 .

5 . S enate debate, 1 8 6 5 , Congressional Globe, 3 8 Cong , 2 sess . ,p . 3 27 .

S enate R eports , 3 9 Cong ,2 sess . , No. 1 56 , pp . 1 - 1 0 .

8

S enate debate, 1 86 6 , Congressiona l Globe, 3 9 Cong , 1 sess . ,p . 1 492 .

Ib id . , 1 867 , 3 9 Cong . , 2 sess . , p . 1 720 .


houses . The joint committee met but failed to agree, so asked tobe d ischarged from further consideration of the bil l . 9

The senate attitude throughout thi s contest was hostile to the

proposal to transfer the Ind i an Bureau . During debate on the

house amendment Senator Dool ittle stated that the committee on

Ind i an aff airs of both senate and house and the Joint SpecialCommittee on the Cond ition of the Ind ian Tribes were al l unanimousin their desire to support the original bi ll , but were all unanimousin their desire to defeat the house amendment . 1 0

Congress ’ next attempt to carry out recommendations Of the JointSpecia l Committee took place in the special session of the fortiethcongress in the summer of 1 867 . The seriousness of the Ind iansituation on the plains at the time was one Of the reasons for thecall ing Of the special session . With the peace party dominant inboth houses

,legislation was rushed through provid ing for the cre

ation Of a peace commission to make treaties with all the hosti letribes between the Mississippi and the Rockies . The functions ofthe peace commission , as stated in the act of July 20 , 1 867 , wereas fol lows (1 ) To restore peace upon the plains . (2 ) To secureas far as possible the frontier settlements and the unimpeded rightOf way for the Pacific railroad s . (3 ) To recommend a permanentInd ian poli cy .

The commission accord ingly went to the plains in the autumn of

1 867 and concluded agreements with both the northern and southernplains tribes .

1 1 In its report to congress on January 7,1 868

,the

peace commission recommended the fol lowing changes in Ind ianpol icy : (1 ) Revision of l aws governing relations Of the two races .

(2 ) Ind ian affairs should not be transferred to the War Department . A temporary transfer to the War Department of jurisd ictionover hostiles , however , was suggested . (3 ) Congress should get

rid Of incompetent Ind ian officials . (4 ) A new department of Ind ian affairs should be created . (5) Territorial governors shouldtreat the Ind ians more fairly . (6 ) No governor or legislature ineither state or territory should be permitted to call out and equiptroops for the purpose Of carrying on war with the Ind ians . (7 )Traders should all be required to receive permits from Ind ianBureau officers in order to enter the Ind ian trade . (8 ) New pro

visions Should be made which positively d irect the military authori

9 . Ib id . , p . 1 9 23 .

1 0 . Ib id . , p . 1 7 1 2 .

1 1 For deta iled account of these treaties see Marvin H . Garfield , D efen se of the KansasFrontier , 1 86 6 K ansas H istorica l Qua rterly , August , 1 9 3 2 .

GARFIELD : THE INDIAN QUES TION

ties to remove white persons who persist in trespassing on Ind i anreservations . 1 2

Efforts by the enemies of the peace commission to d issolve itfailed . On the day that congress passed the act creating the com

mission , a bil l was introduced into the senate for its d issolution .

The senate kil led the bil l by referring it to the committee on In

d i an affairs . 1 3 Apparently congress was in sympathy with the workof the peace commission

,because a bil l appropriating to

enable it to carry on its work passed in July , 1 868, with l ittle op

position in either house.

1 4

Numerous attempts were made to put through legislation whichwould bring about the transfer Of the Ind ian Bureau to theWar De

partment. One of the first of these arose in the senate on May 1 6,

1 866, when Sen . W . M . Stewart

,of Nevada , introduced a bil l for

that purpose. It was referred to the committee on Ind ian affairsand promptly lost . 1 5 Again , in the same year, the proposition wassubmitted to the senate, thi s time as an amendment to the annualInd ian appropriation bil l by Sen . John Sherman

,of Ohio, chairman

of the senate finance committee and brother of Gen . W . T . Sherman .

A great debate took place between Sherman and Stewart on the one

s ide and Dool ittle on the other . In the end Dool ittle won out, and

the Ind ian Bureau for the time was saved from the transfer . Thesenate rej ected Sherman ’s amendment by a 21 to 1 2 vote.

1 6 The

third and strongest attempt to bring about the transfer occurred in1 867 , when the house of representatives amended Senate Bil l 204by inserting the wel l-known provision .

1 7 This effort was also defeated by friends Of the Ind ian Bureau in the senate.

Not to be discouraged by reverses the house, in December , 1 868 ,made another determined attempt to put across the transfer of thebureau . James A . Garfield , of Ohio, chairman of the house military committee, introduced a bil l , H . R . 1482

,for that purpose. Al

though Windom , of Minnesota , a member of the house committeeon Ind i an affairs , made a valiant fight against the bill

, he was outvoted 1 16 to When , however, the bil l reached the senate itwas ki l led in the committee on Ind ian aff airs . 1 9 A final attempt

1 2 . Report of the Indian Peace Commission , January 7 , 1 86 8 , in R ep ort of the Commiss ioner of Indian Afia irs , 1 8 6 8 , pp . 2 6 - 50 .

1 3 . S enate debate, 1 86 8 , Congress iona l Globe, 40 Cong . , 2 sess . ,p . 1 46 1 .

1 4 . Ib id . , 40 Cong . , 2 sess . , p p . 3 1 00 , 3 1 74 , 3 1 75 , 3 1 83 , 3 249 , 3 27 1 , 3 279 , 3 299 , 3 7 3 1 .

1 5 . Ib id . , 1 866 , 3 9 Cong . , 1 sess . , p . 26 1 3 .

1 6 . Ibid . , pp . 3 506 , 3 507 , 3 5 52 - 3 559 .

1 7 . S ee p revxous reference to the house amendment.

1 8 . House proceedings , 1 86 8 , Congress ional Globe, 40 Cong . , 3 sess ., pp . 1 7 -2 1 .

1 9 . Ibid . , S enate debates , 1 86 8 - 1 8 69 , 40 Cong . , 3 sess . , pp . 40 -43 , 6 6 3 .

3—66 17


failed in the house in January , 1 869 , when Garfield’s effort to amend

an appropriation bil l by adding a section transferring the Ind ianBureau to the War Department, was ruled out of order . 20 When .

the appropriation bil l was sent to the senate for approval , SenatorStewart

,of Nevada , amended it by add ing a clause identical to that

Offered by Garfield in the house. Stewart ’s amendment was lost bya 36 to 9 vote

,chiefly because it was regarded as inappropriate at the

time.

2 1

This ended the efforts of the friends of the War Department . Itis clearly apparent by the debates and votes on these various billsthat the senate consistently maintained its defense of the Ind ianBureau . Both houses desired an improvement in Ind ian relations ,bureau . Both houses desired an improvement in Ind ian relations ,but could not become convinced that the removal of the Ind ian Bureau from one department to another would appreciably improve

the situation .

From beginning to end of the great contest over Ind ian pol icy ,Kansas remained in the war party . Governor

,state legislature

,

press and public Opinion united sol id ly in demand ing a change inInd ian administration . The Kansas delegation in congress , there

fore, was compel led to enter the fight on the side of its state. Kansas was represented in the house during the period by Sidney C larke,of Lawrence, whi le Sens . S . C . Pomeroy and E . G . Ross were in theupper chamber . Sen . J . H . Lane’s death in 1 866 occurred early in

the struggle ; consequently the chief interest l ies in the actions and

opinions of the other men mentioned .

Pomeroy , senior senator from Kansas , was the sole member of theKansas delegation who d id not share the general views Of his state

on the Ind ian question . In 1 866 , when the senate was debating the

house proposal to amend Senate Bil l 204 by transferring the Ind ianBureau to theWar Department, Pomeroy was decided ly Opposed to

the transfer . 2 2 In the course Of his speech on the amendment hestated that he was not prepared to turn out the army to exterminate

the Ind ians ; furthermore he bel ieved that white men precipitatedmost Ind ian wars . 23 When the house amendment came up for final

decision , Pomeroy voted against it .“

20 .Ib id

. ,House proceedin gs , 1 86 9 , 40 Cong . , 3 sess .

, p . 880 .

2 1 .Ib id . , S enate debate, 1 86 9 , 40 Cong. , 3 sess . , p . 1 3 78 .

2 2 . See footnote No. 1 7 .

2 3 .Congressional G lobe, S enate debate, 1 867 , 3 9 Cong . , 2 sess . , p . 1 624 .

24 . Ib id ., p . 1 720 .

GARFIELD : THE INDIAN QUESTION 35

In the special session of 1 867 , when congress was considering Sen

ate Bil l 1 36 for the organization of the peace commission , Pomeroyagain ran counter to public opinion in his own state by favoring thecreation of the commission . Whi le he bel ieved it to be only a tem

porary measure, he thought it was to the interest of the westerncountry to secure peace.

25 The fol lowing season saw Pomeroy in

troducing a bil l to transfer the Ind ian Bureau to the War Department by allowing the Freedman ’s Bureau to assume the duties of

the Indian Bureau .

26 It is evident that Pomeroy had either changedhis mind on the Ind ian question or that he was trying to please hisconstituency . The l atter idea seems to be more plausible. This isfurther carried out by the fact that the Kansas senator in 1 869voted against Senator Stewart ’s proposition to transfer the Ind ianBureau

,

27and earl ier in the session introduced a bil l to provide for

the creation Of a separate department of Indian affairs . 28 It is mostprobable that Pomeroy ’s personal Opinion was unfavorable to thewar party

,but that his position as a senator from Kansas required

him constantly to change his stand on the question .

The attitude of Senator Ross is not so d iffi cult to define. Rosswas a personal friend of Gov . S . J . Crawford

,received his ap

pointment to the senate from Crawford , and maintained a fairlyconsistent position as ardent advocate of frontier defense and enemyof the Indian Bureau . Ross introduced numerous resolutions of

the Kansas state legislature into the senate.

2 9 It was Ross to whomGovernor Crawford turned on June 29 , 1 867 , after Gen . W . T . Sherman had rej ected his offer of volunteer cavalry .

3 0 Crawford pouredout his bitter story in its entirety and appealed to Ross to convincecongress that “there is no such thing as peace with the Indians except by war .” 3 1 In response to this appeal Senator Ross amendedthe peace commission bil l by a provision that the army should ao

cept the services of mounted volunteers from states and territoriesof theWest in order to suppress Ind ian hosti l ities . 3 2

In defense of his amendment Senator Ross argued that the peace25 . Ibid . , 40 Cong . , 1 sess . , pp . 708 , 709 .

26 . Ib id . 1 8 68 , 40 Cong . , 2 sess . , p . 3 275 .

2 7 . Ibid 1 869 , 40 Cong . , 3 sess . , p . 1 3 78 .

2 8 . Ib id . , 1 868 , p . 6 1 .

29 . A prominent example was the resolution urging congress to establ ish a military postin northern Kansas between Fort Harker and Fort Kearney, Ne .

3 0 . Garfield , op . cit .

3 1 .

“Indian D epredations (Cl ippings ) , v. II, pp . 1 83 - 1 86 , Kansas S tate H istorical

3 2 . S ee D efense of the K ansas Frontier, 1 864- 1 865, in Kansas H is tor ical Quar ter ly ,February, 1 9 3 2 , p . 1 46 .


commission bil l made no provision for frontier defense, that Ind iandepredations were increasing, that Kansas sought merely permissionto protect herself, that the first duty of the nation was to protectthe white race, and that war was the only method of bringing aboutpeace with the Ind ian . Ross condemned both the Easterner ’s viewof the Ind ian as a hero and the Westerner ’s idea that the Ind ianwas a devil incarnate. The conflict, he said , was one between civilization and barbarism and that civilization must win .

3 3

Senator Ross assumed a somewhat d ifferent position in a speechat Lawrence

,K an

,on November 5, 1 867 . Although condemning

the treaty system in general and the Med i cine Lodge treaty inparticular

,he d id not advocate making peace by means of war .

Instead he suggested that the best possible solution for the Ind ianproblem was the gradual localization of Ind ians Upon reservations .TO accomplish this end , the senator stated the government mustmake a reasonable Show of force. Military posts , he bel ieved ,should be increased both in number and size of garrison . In con

clusion ,he said

“After all, it is not so much the mann er in which the peace of the p lains

is to be secured ,as the fact itself, in which the people Of Kansas are most

interested . What we all most ardently desire is the immunity of our frontiersfrom the d isturbances and devastations which have so effectually retarded thesettlement and development of the West .

” 3 4

Again in 1 869 Senator Ross aided in the frontier defense of his

state . In the autumn of that year Ind i an depred ations were renewedin northwestern Kansas . Since the militia had been mustered out

,

Gov . J . M . Harvey became apprehensive for the safety of the set

tlers . Senator Ross accord ingly was appealed to and secured thepromise Of Sherman that United States troops would be sent to theregion .

3 5

Of the entire Kansas delegation in congress , RepresentativeC l arke maintained the most consistent attitude. He never changedhis position of antagonism toward the peace party . When an Ind ianappropriation bil l was before the house

,in 1 868

,C larke Opposed it

on the grounds that it provided for making appropriations to hostiletribes . 3 6 On March 3

,1 868

,he introduced a bil l

,H . R . 854

,for the

3 3 . Speech of the Hon . E . G . Ross in the senate, July 1 8 , 1 86 7 , in Kansas CollectedS peeches and Pamphlets ,” v . I! (comp i led by the K an sas S tate Historica l Society) .

3 4 . K ansas S tate R ecord, Topeka ,November 6 , 1 867 .

3 5 . S enator Ross to Governor Harvey, including letter of Ross to Gen . J . M. Schofielddated D ecember 3 0 , 1 86 9 , Adjutant General ’s Correspondence, 1 8 6 9 (Kansas ) .3 6 . Congress iona l Globe, House proceed ings , 1 868 , 40 Cong . , 2 sess . , p . 1 424 .


January,1 865, a joint resolution passed both houses requesting the

War Department to place a suffi cient military force in the hand s ofGen . S . R . Curtis to enable him to give ample protection to theKansas frontier and the Overland and Santa Fe routes . The resolnticn also ordered the secretary of state to forward a copy of itto the legislatures of the states of Missouri

,Iowa

,Nevad a

,and

California, and to the territories of Nebraska , Colorado, Montana ,

Washington and Utah with the view of inducing the legislatures ofthose states and territories to take similar action .

4 0

In February,1 865

, the legislature adopted House ConcurrentResolution No. 20 whi ch provided that congress be urged immed iately to order the construction of a telegraph line from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Lyon via Forts R i ley

,Zarah and Larned . The

purpose of the proposed l ine was to enable United States troops andKansas militia more easi ly to locate and punish Ind ian hostiles .The resolution further provided that the governor forward copiesto the President of the United States

,the Secretary of War, the

Secretary of the Interior,and each senator and representative in

congress .4 1 The proposed l ine was not built .In 1 867 the Kansas state legislature sent several concurrent resclutions to congress in an effort to Obtain greater frontier security .

The most prominent of these was a resolution requesting the Kansasdelegation in congress to urge upon the government the necessityof promptly establishing a military post or permanent camp between Fort Kearney and Fort Harker . This resolution was tabledin the senate on February 1 5

,1 867

,thus practically kil ling it.

42

Col . J . H . Leavenworth,Ind ian agent for the Comanche and

Kiowa tribes,was especially unpopular with the Kansas legisla

tors ; consequently they petitioned congress for his removal . The

complete text Of the resolution adopted on February 8 , 1 867 , wil lbest convey the Opinion the legislature held concerning Mr . Leavenworth.

“WHEREAS , It has come to the knowledge of the legislature of the State of

Kansas that Col . J . H . Leavenworth,present agent of certain hostile tribes

of Ind ians on the western and southwestern frontier of the State of Kansas ,is wholly incompetent to perform the duties thereof ; and whereas the settlerson said frontier are In imminent peril of their lives and property throughsaid incompetency ; and whereas, un less some competent person be appointedin his stead friend ly to the whites , with nerve to meet our present wants

40 . House Journal , K ansas state legislature, 1 865 , p . 1 05 .

41 . Ibid . , pp . 3 3 8 , 3 39 .

42 . S enate M iscella neous Documents, NO. 26 , 3 9 Cong . , 2 secs .

GARFIELD : TH E INDIAN QUESTION 39

and emergency, our citizens will be butchered , as heretofore in detail ;Therefore,Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That the

said Congress , and esp ecial ly our delegation therein ,be earnestly requested to

see that said Leavenworth be removed , and a man substituted in his stead

who wil l use his best and honest endeavors , while protecting the interests of

the Ind ians , to save our citizens from slaughter .

” 43

Congress failed to heed this petition, also, so Mr . Leavenworthcontinued in office.

The legis lative session of 1 869 not only sent many appeals tocongress for frontier protection , but passed a large number of statelaws on the subj ect . The Kansas delegation in congress was instructed to use its efforts to secure the passage through congress ofan act to enable the adj ustment and payment by the United Statesof claims of Kansas citizens . The claims in question were fordamages inflicted by Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Kiowa , and ComancheInd ians in Another resolution urged congress and the general government to make a speedy appropriation for the rel ief ofKansas citizens who had been victims of Ind ian depredations from1 861 to Both of these resolutions were referred to the com

mittee on Ind ian affairs in the senate but failed to emerge . Congresswas also memorialized to transfer the Ind ian Bureau to the WarDepartment, Mr . C larke, of Kansas

,presenting to the house of

representatives the concurrent resolution of the state legislature.

46

Legislative measures for frontier protection passed during the1 869 session dealt chiefly with the financing of military expeditions of 1 868 . An act was passed provid ing for the issuance andsale of in state bond s to defray the expenses incurred bythe raising of the Nineteenth Kansas cavalry .

47 Another act of

similar nature provided for the i ssuance of in state bond sfor payment of all other military indebtedness of 1 868 . Especially d id this apply to the expenses of raising and maintaining theFirst frontier battalion .

4 8 For future protection of the frontierthe legislature ordered that of state bonds be i ssued and

sold to provide a state military fund 49

In the session of 1 870 the legislature again sent a memorial tocongress , the main points of which were an appeal to the govern

43 . Ibid . , No. 3 4 , 3 9 Cong . , 2 sess .

44 . Ibid . , No. 3 2 , 40 Cong . , 3 sees .

45 . Ib id . , NO. 48 , 40 Cong . , 3 sess .

46 . Congress iona l Globe, Hous e proceedings , 1 869 , 40 Cong . , 3 sess . ,p . 581 .

47 . Laws of K ansas , 1 86 9 , pp . 46 - 48 .

48 . Ib id . , pp . 3 8 -41 .

49 . Ibid . , pp . 42 -44 .


ment to prevent repetition of the Ind ian outrages on Kansas set

tlers and a protest against any reduction Of the United Statesarmy .

50

In read ing through the fi les of Kansas newspapers for the period one is impressed by the unmistakable attitude of antagonismwhich the press maintained toward the Ind i an

,the Ind ian traders

and agents, and the Ind i an pol icy of the United States government . Several representative articles chosen from a variety Of

newspapers will ind icate what the Kansas papers thought on the

Ind ian question . One ed itor during the C ivi l War demanded thecomplete extermination Of the plains Ind ians .

5 1 Others approvedhearti ly Of Col . John M . Chivington ’s method

'

of dealing withthem .

5 2 In 1 866, when Maj . Gen . W . F . C loud was contemplat

ing a campaign against the Ind ians with Kansas militia,the Junc

tion City Union commented in the fol lowing wayIf the general has any compunctions of conscience

'

in regard to‘playing

Sand Creek ’ upon them he had better not start . It is unfortunate for the

settlements that so many asses have existed as to make such a tremendous

howl,in the interests of thieving agents ,

because of Sand Creek whipping .

Had the effect of that not been spoiled,Ind ians would have been effectually

subdued for years .

” 53

Fol lowing some sarcastic comments about Ind i ans indulging intheir “l ittle innocent pastime of scalping ,

” another ed itor made acaustic reference to the United States military posts . The posts ,he declared

,were of no protection whatever to travelers or settlers

and.

he stated that “the only purpose subserved by these orna

mental append ages to the government seems to be the consumption of poor commissary whiskey .

” 54

Epithets applied to the Ind ians by newspapers were numerous .They varied from the slightly sarcastic references to “

the noble red

man” and“LO

, the Poor Ind ian”to the more emphatic appellations

Of“red devils

,

” “hel l hound s

,

”and sons of the Devil .” Even the

reservation Ind ians in the eastern part Of the state werenot ex

empt. An amusing yet contemptuous opinion Of the K aw Ind iansis reproduced below .

We have not seen the dusky forms of the noble red man of the K aw

persuasion about our streets in the last two or three days . Doubtless those50 . S enate Concurrent Resolution NO. 2 3 , S enate Journal, K ansas state legislature, 1 870 ,

pp . 1 22 - 1 24, 259 .

51 . K ansas Da ily Tribune, Lawrence , August 25, 1 864 .

52 . Ib id . , D ecember 2 1 , 1 8 6 5 , a repr int from the Denver R ocky Mounta in News .

53 . Editor ia l of August 4 , 1 86 6 .

54 . Da ily K ansas S tate Record, Topeka , July 2 3 , 1 868 .

GARFIELD : THE INDIAN QUESTION 41

sweet-scented ones that were encamped near here have gone back to theirreservation . When we consider how effi cient they were in ‘gobbling up

’the

putrescent animal and vegetable matter about the city, we almost regrettheir departure .

“Now that these scavengers are gone , our city fathers should look to It

that some other means be emp loyed to guard the health of our people .

” 55

Occasionally a Kansas paper took the part of the Ind i an . The

K ansas S tate Record in 1 868 deplored the fact that people persistedin getting up rumors Of an Ind i an war when there was no occasionfor it . The ed itor admitted that more than half of the Ind ian out

rages were caused in the first place by wrongs done to the Ind ianby the white man .

56 The same editor l ater in the year denied thatthe majority Of Indian wars were caused by the whites . 57 A fewdays subsequent to thi s , after rid ing on a train in the company of

Col . E . W . Wyncoop , Ind ian agent at Fort Larned , the ed itor published an article in whi ch he coincided with Wyncoop

’s views . Wyn

coop had said that the military never punished the guilty Ind iansbut wreak their vengeance on the innocent ; also that every treatymade by the United States with the Ind ians was first broken bythe whites . 58

Ind i an agents received their share of abuse at the hand s of thepress . Colonel Leavenworth

, of course, was the principal target atwhich these l iterary shafts were aimed . A newspaper correspondentwriting from Fort Harker on July 10

,1 867 , handed the fol lowing

bouquet to the colonel :

the Ind ians evidently having either gone North,or to the vicinity

of Colonel Leavenworth ’s headquarters , there to receive those presents that

tender-hearted functionary has recently Obtained from the government for

distribution among the LO family . It is the earnest wish of every person inthis section , so far as I can ascertain , that the Ind ians immed iately after re

ceiving their presents from Leavenworth wil l return the compliment by lifting his hair .

” 59

The Junction C ity Union in speaking of John Smith,an Ind ian

trader, was almost incoherent with rage because the said Smithhobnobbed with congressional committees , professed horror at anyproposal to punish the Ind ians

, yet grew rich by stealing from boththe government and Ind i ans . The article advised the government

55 . Ib id . , Jun e 25 , 1 86 8 .

56 . Ib id . , June 3 , 1 868 .

57 . Ib id . , November 2 2 , 1 86 8 .

58 . Ib id . , November 28 , 1 868 .

59 . Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, July 1 2 , 1 867 .


to get rid of its thieving agents , interpreters and hangers-on if itintended to solve the Ind ian question .

6 0

Kansas ed itors especially resented the attitude of the eastern presstoward the people of their state . A common accusation of easternnewspapers was that the people of Kansas desired an Ind ian warfor the sake of the contracts and profits which would accrue to thelocality in which military exped itions were organized and outfitted .

Thi s was constantly denied with vehemence by the Kansas press .6 1When a St . Louis paper

,the M issouri Republican,

quoted GeneralSherman as saying that parties in Kansas wanted an Ind ian war,the Leavenworth Conservative immed iately published a statementwhich not only denied the truth of the accusation but doubted thatSherman ever said it.

e2 Fol lowing the Saline-Solomon raid s of 1 868a Topeka journal expressed the views of Kansas in these word s“We hope that Easterners wil l learn that Kansas citizens are not thi eves,

constantly striving for an Indi an war for the purpose of speculation ; but thatthe frontier settlers are constantly in the presence of a great danger so long asthe Indians are permitted to remain in or come into the state .

” 63

Kansas in general rid iculed the Easterner ’s ideas on the Ind ianquestion .

“Maud l in sentimentalists,

” “Eastern phi lanthropists ,”“Ind ian worshippers ,

”and other similar epithets were hurled back

at those people in the East who advanced solutions for the greatracial problem . An eastern proposal to withdraw troops from the

plains in the fal l of 1 865 was regarded as absurd .

“ Horace Greeley ’splan for putting the Ind ian to work raising cattle and Sheep on the

plains was hailed with glee by a quick-witted Kansas ed itor whoobserved that it was about as practical as going to the moon in aballoon .

6 5

Whenever the Ind ian Bureau received mention in a Kansas paperit was only in the most scathing terms . The Leavenworth Dai ly

Conservative at one time described the“Ind ian Office” as being

nothing but a great buying and sel ling agency which paid tribute tobarbarism to compensate for damages done to civilization .

6 6 The

same paper again alluded to the bureau as a reproach and a d i sgraceto the nation and stated that the country looked upon it as a den of

robbers . 6 7 The Conservative had previously adhered to the belief

6 0 . Issue of August 1 9 , 1 865 .

6 1 . Ed itoria l , Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, July 27 , 1 8 67 .

6 2 . Ib id . , May 2 3 , 1 867 .

6 3 . Dai ly K ansas S tate R ecord, Topeka ,August 23 , 1 868 .

6 4 . K ansas Daily Tr ibune, Lawrence, October 20 , 1 86 5 .

6 5 . Leavenworth Daily Conservat ive, February 1 9 , 1 867 .

66 . Ibid . , July 1 1 , 1 867 .

67 . Ib id . , February 1 3 , 1 86 7.

GARF IELD : TH E INDIAN QUESTION 43

that the Ind ian Bureau should be transferred to the War Department, but in 1 867 , when a suggestion had been made in Washingtonto make the bureau an independent department , the Leavenworthpaper approved . Especially d id the Conservative welcome that partof the new plan which proposed consigning the wild Ind ians to theWar Department whi le the Ind ian Department supervised the c ivilized tribes . “By all odds let the War Department have the uncivi lizod Indians

,

” it shouted .

68

When the Ind i an Bureau in 1 868 declared that Kansans weregreatly exaggerating reports of Ind ian raids the K ansas S tate

Record rose in anger and wrathfully retorted“The Ind ian Bureau will believe nothing til l they obtain ,

throughmiles of

red tape a month later,an official report . We on ly hope that Governor Craw

ford will put himself at the head of a band of our western men ,follow the

Indians to their homes,and do his work a la Chivington . If he does he must

be sure to keep out of the way of United S tates Officials ; or, if necessary , fightthem.

” 69

Upon hearing of the senate confirmation of L . V . Bogy as commissioner of Ind i an affairs the Junction C ity Union vented itsOpinion of the man . Among other things he was referred to as one

Of the most Skulking and coward ly rebels of al l wretches of the classwho ever cursed Missouri with the evil of their wicked l ives .” 7 0

The Kansas press was especially bel l igerent toward the peaceparty in congress , who endeavored to settle the Ind i an troubles bytreaty instead of by force. The K ansas Dai ly Tribune advocateda short residence upon the plains with the loss of a scalp as a surecure for the romantic ideas whi ch the United States senators andcongressmen had formed in regard to “

the d irty red devils .” 7 1 The

White C loud Chief, in reference to Gen . P . E . Connor ’s destructionof an Arapahoe vil lage, feared that Connor would “

go overboard”

since a “sniffling congressional investigating committee will shortly

be after him to examine into and report upon this fiend ish piece of

barbarism .

” 72

Whi le a special session of congress in the summer of 1 867 debatedthe question of send ing a peace commission to the plains

, the newspapers in Kansas were rid icul ing its efforts . The way to makepeace, accord ing to one edi tor

,was by notifying the Ind ians that no

more treaties would be made and then removing the red men to res

6 8 . Ibid . , October 1 5 , 1 86 7 .

6 9 . Issue of August 2 1 , 1 868 .

70 . Issue of March 1 6 , 1 86 7 .

7 1 . Issue Of January 25, 1 86 5 .

72 . Reprinted in the K ansa s Da ily Tribune, October 4 , 1 865 .


ervations .

73 Throughout the period spent by the peace commissionin Kansas in 1 867 , the Leavenworth Conservative printed sarcasticarti cles

,most of which applied the term “Full Moon Exercises” to

the treaty of Med icine Lodge .

Miscel laneous remarks of Kansas papers are worthy of note. The

report of the Joint Congressiona l Committee on the Cond ition of

the Ind ian Tribes was met by a storm of protest . The AtchisonDai ly Free Press thought the report would

“wonderful ly please theworshippers of the noble red man in the East,” but doubted i f itwould find favor with the frontier people who were acquainted withthe facts in the case.

74 The Junction C ity Union once went SO faras to declare that all treaty makers should be killed by Ind ians . 75

To sum up the attitude of the newspapers of Kansas toward theInd ian a representative selection is quoted from one of the lead ingjournals :

“With our routes of travel closed ; wi th our borders beleaguered by thousands of these merciless devils whose natures are compounded of every essential d iabol ism of hell we pres ent to the civi lized world a picture of weakness and vacillation , deliberate ly sacrificing men and women

,one of whose

lives is worth more than the existence of all the Ind ians in America .

” 7 6

Lest it be thought that a few newspaper ed itors were d ictating thethinking of the people of Kansas

,it is wel l to cite opinions of the

frontiersmen themselves . C itizens of Marion county first circulateda petition for the removal of Colonel Leavenworth. The petitionwas then indorsed by Governor Crawford and sent to the Secretaryof the Interior .

7 7 Opinions expressed by the frontiersmen concerning the Ind i ans and Ind ian pol icy

,whi le less pol ished , were j ust as

forceful as those of newspaper ed itors . The majority of the letterssent by frontiersmen to the Kansas governors expressed hatred and

fear of the Ind i ans,horror at the Ind ian Bureau ’s pol icy of arming

the red men,and d isgust at the peace- treaty making , present- giving

system employed by the government.Another expression of the people’ s attitude was the resolutionadopted by the Republican state convention at Topeka on September 9

,1 868 :

“We demand in the name of our frontier settlers , thatthe uncivil ized Ind ians be driven from the state, and the civilizedtribes be speed ily removed to the Ind ian country .

” 7 8

73 . Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, July 1 9 , 1 8 67 .

74 . Issue of January 7 , 1 86 8 .

75 . Issue of August 4 , 1 86 6 .

76 . Leavenworth Daily Conservative, August7 7 . Correspondence of Kansas Governors , Crawford (Copy Book ) , p . 45 , Archives , Kansas

S tate Historica l Society. (Petition indorsed on January7 8 . Wi lder, Annal s of Kansas , pp . 48 3 48 5 .


was the rain fol lows the plow . The theory that the generalenlargement of the crop area in the longitude of eastern Kansashad tended gradually to push the eastern boundary of the semiarid belt farther west was at least entitled to serious consideration . But it was soberly argued that the amount Of sod newlyturned had within a twelve-month produced a revolution of physical cond itions . This vast plain , that had dried and baked in thewind s and suns of centuries , had been here and there scratchedwith the plow Of the settler, and the idea was not too grotesquefor general acceptance that thi s infinitesimal d isturbance of itssurface had worked a miracle worthy of omnipotence. The few

cattlemen who scoffed at the proposition were d iscred ited as having a manifest interest in d iscouraging immigration

,in order that

they might continue to range their herd s at will over thi s wideexpanse of priceless pasture . Schemes for irrigation were frownedupon because it was thought that they would tend to frightentimid investors by advertising a d istrust of the suffi ciency of the

natural rainfall to insure the rewards of husbandry .

Thi s was the state of public Opinion when occasion arose forthe organization of new counties carved out of the territory towhi ch these remarks apply . In a few of them there were townsof such S ize and situation that opposition to their being madecounty seats was so evidently hopeless that their designation assuch was acquiesced in by common consent . But in most casesthere was no one town having any apparent advantage in thatregard over others then ex isting or that might be established . Ina considerable number of instances there were no towns whatever, and the field was open to any handful of speculators to

acquire a site and enter the campaign with a reasonable prospectof success . In such circumstances it was natural that there shouldbe many and vigorous controversies over the selection of countyseats , and that the value of the prizes at issue Should be greatly

overestimated . As an illustration of this I recall that C . J . Jones ,who del ighted in the sobriquet of

“Buffalo Jones ,”on being re

monstrated with for his recklessness in becoming involved in somesix or eight of these affairs , j ustified his course by saying that hecould afford to lose in al l of them but one ; that if in any singleinstance the town which he was backing became the county seat

he and his associates would not only from their profits be able torecoup their losses in al l their unsuccessful efforts, but would have

enough left to make them independent for l ife.

MASON : COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSIES 47

A problem that has received considerable attention and has

never been satisfactori ly solved , is why the men who were engagedin these contests , most of whom were of at least average stand ingas citizens , and many of whom in all the ord inary relations of

l ife— social , pol itical and commercial—were of exemplary con

duct, were willing to lay aside every conscientious scruple and

to countenance, if not to indulge in , bribery , intimidation , ballotbox stuffing, subornation of perj ury , and kindred offenses in support of the prospects of the town of their choice. One reason, no

doubt , was that the bel ief that large financial interests were involved tended to soothe the pricks of conscience . Another wasthe development of a spirit of partisanship more violent than thatengendered by any but the bitterest of pol iti cal struggles . Anotherwas a variation Of the adage that the end j ustifies the means , expressed in the aphorism that it is necessary to fight the devil withfi re, it being said , and doubtless bel ieved , that every vil lainy re

sorted to was merely an offset to the unconscionable devices of

the opposition .

There was little in the means adopted to assist nature in secur

ing results in these contests that had suffi cient novelty to meritspecial attention . The prevalent method s inc luded the importation of i l legal voters , d irect and ind irect bribery , stuffing of ballotboxes , forging of election returns , and coercion of electors by actual or implied threats of violence into voting against their wishesor remaining away from the pol ls . Quasi legal colonization schemeswere nearly universal . Add itions to town S ites were platted andlots given to SO- cal led actual settlers who would use them as thebases of c laims of residence unti l after the election . To providefor the immed i ate need s of these pampered pioneers various devices were employed . Public improvements , such as the build ingoi bridges and roads , were undertaken by county and townshipboards , bond s were issued for such purposes

, and the proceed swere turned over to the campaign committee for use for the goodof the cause . A simpler device avai lable to the faction havingcontrol of the existing county government was to utilize it as awarrant factory— turning out warrants nominally for legitimateclaims , such as the employment of attorneys , but really to

.

swell

the corruption fund . These warrants,i l legal and void in them

selves , were l ater transmuted by the alchemy of refund ing intovalid Obligations of the municipalities issuing them . To thesepractices is due the fact that many of the southwestern communi


ties are burdened with vast indebtedness but have no public buildings , roads , bridges or property of any kind to show for it .In Gray county the cand idacy of the town of Ingalls for thecounty seat was due to the ambition of A . T . Soule,2 who had beenmade a millionaire by the advertisement and sale of

“Hop Bitters

,

”to have a county seat of his own as a sort of toy to beguile

hi s id le moments . As an aid to his project he built a rai lroadfrom Dodge C ity to Montezuma which

,for want of anything to

carry,was afterward s torn up , and the Eureka Irrigating Canal

,

which was a great work of engineering and lacked only one thingto make it a glittering success , namely , water . His efforts addedgreatly to the circulating med ium and raised the local per capitad istribution to an abnormal figure.

In Grant county the Ulysses people established a thoroughlybus iness- l ike system

,by which voters were paid at the rate of ten

dollars apiece as they cast their ballots,the rights of each party to

the transaction being protected by appropriate checks and counterchecks . It seemed a perfectly fair method , for under it every one

received j ust what he bargained for,but it failed to meet the ap

proval of the supreme court and the election was set aside on ac

count Of it.In the mere matter of add ing names to the voting lists and puttingcorrespond ing ballots in the box no great amount of ori ginalitywas ord inari ly shown . The election officers usually lacked evenimagination enough to invent fictitious names

,but had recourse to

old city d irectories and to the pages of ancient and modern history .

In one instance, however , a degree of ingenuity in this regard wasexhibited that is perhaps worthy of mention . The election Officerscarefully prepared a list of all the persons who had at some timel ived in the vicinity , but had moved away . They wrote their nameson the pol l books as having voted , but in each instance made someslight variation

,such as the change of an initial . The beauty of

this method was that i f in a contest it was claimed that a givenname was fictitious , evidence could be produced that its bearerwas known in the community . If

,however

,conclusive proof were

made that the parti cular person ind icated d id not vote, then at

tention could be cal led to the fact that the name was not the same.

A great amount of l itigation resulted from these controversies,much of it being settled in the supreme court . The d isputed ques

2 . Asa T. Souls of Rochester , N . Y . , manufacturer and financier, was brought to Kansasby J . W . and G . G . Gi lbert . He d ied in l

MASON : COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERS IES 49

tions were for the most part those of fact rather than of law, and

their decision contributed l ittle to the development of our system

of j urisprudence.However, in Martin v . Ingham and S tate v . Mar

tin,38 Kan . 641 , growing out Of the contests in Grant and Hamilton

counties, the Supreme court for the first time considered the doubtful

,d ifficult and interesting question of how far the j ud i cial depart

ment of the state government might interfere with the executivebranch

,and held that the court had the power in certain cases to

control the action of the governor , either by mandamus or by inj unction

,although in parti cular instances it declined to do so. An

other decision by whi ch the l iterature Of the law was enri ched wasthat rendered in S tate v . Commissioners of S eward County, 36 Kan .

236 , where it was held with becoming caution that a secret canvassof the vote cast at a county - seat election , made by two members ofthe board of commissioners without notice to the third , or to anyoneelse, held on the open prairie at three o

’clock in the morning bythe l ight Of the moon , without pol l books , ballots or tally sheets ,and without any record being made at the time, was

“not only ir

regular,but invalid .

”

The most picturesque,if not the most effective

,of the repre

hensible campaign practices referred to was the employment of mercenaries technically known as “kil lers .” These were the real andimitation “bad men who frequented Dodge C ity . The purpose inenl isting their services was in part, wherever practicable, to overaweopposition by the mere terror inspired by their fearsome reputation,and in part to have them in read iness for the carrying out of anydesperate project that might require physical courage and the utterd isregard of all restraints of the law . They formed a recognizedpart of the machinery of the ordinary county seat fight . Theycommanded good pay

,were treated with the greatest deference

,and

fairly l ived in clover whi le the wars lasted . Their presumed valuewas graduated by the nearness of their approach to the conventionaltype of frontier ruffian— the “A lkal i Ike” of the funny papers .Whi le they

,

were all thugs,toughs

,and sure- thing gamblers

, only afew of them had in fact done anything to earn the right to be con

sidered dangerous characters . The rest were vain pretenders . Theirpresence was bel ieved to be, and doubtless was , a menace to thepeace Of society , but in fact they d id l ittle to earn their wage and

,

general ly speaking, their part in the drama was confined to themoral effect of their presence—the immoral effect, perhaps I shouldsay . It is true that one of them

,whi le awaiting orders for active

4—66 17


service,d id Shoot and kill an inoffensive citizen

,and upon the ear

l ier reports of the affair it was assumed that the tragedy was theoutcome Of an election fight

,but it turned out that the kill ing

was entirely accidental— an unlooked - for and unpreventable casualty

,such as continually occur , which, however regrettable, afforded

no j ust ground for impugning the motives of the unfortunate instrument—the involuntary agent of an inscrutable Providence. Itseems that it had been his purpose, animated by a mere exuberanceof animal spirits , as a matter of pleasantry , to shoot a hole throughthe hat of a bystander— a form Of practical joke of high repute inthe cow-boy days . But through no fault of his own— probably byreason of unstead iness of nerve occasioned by an inferior qualityor an excessive quantity of l iquor— the bullet ranged low and per

forated the brain as wel l as the hat of the victim . In j ustice tothe survivor it must be said that he appreciated to the full

~

his

error,regretted its d istressing consequences

,and made every repara

tion in his power by tendering most ample apologies to the friendsand relatives of the dead man . Of course, this closed the incident .

What more could William Tel l have done had his arrow beenS imilarly deflected ?There were undoubted ly times In the history of each one of thesecontroversies when cond itions were ripe for physical encounters ofthe most desperate character— when a slight d isturbance mighthave precipitated a genera l slaughter . There were times whenfrightful consequences were narrowly averted . Looking back

,even

after the few years that have passed , it is d ifficult to realize theserious character of situations which in retrospect suggest comicopera rather than tradgedy . One concrete instance may serve toi l lustrate this . In Grant county the contend ing towns were Ulyssesand Appomattox . The former had the advantage of the earlierstart

,the better location and the more abund ant “S inews of war . ”

As the day of test drew near the confidence of its partisans increasedand the spirit of doubt was more manifest in the opposing camp . Inthi s S ituation a day or two before the election two of the lead ingSupporters of the claims of Appomattox— members of the towncompany— conferred with the Ulysses managers and entered into awritten contract by

“

the terms of which it was agreed,among other

things,first

,that neither side should resort to bribery or any other

wrongful method to influence the result ; and second,that upon

whichever banner victory might perch,the successful town com

pany Should reimburse its defeated rival for the expenses incurred


in the attempt to build up an Opposition town , which Should thereupon be abandoned , al l interests then to unite in the upbuild ing Of

the place selected as the county seat .Upon its face thi s agreement was perfectly mutual and entirelycommendable. Its provisions were not intentionally made publicby the parties to it, perhaps through fear of misconstruction . Butin some way knowledge of its substance leaked out at AppomattoxShortly before the pol l s closed . In an atmosphere of suspicion and

d i strust whi ch was the usual accompaniment of such controversies ,it was not strange that the tr ansaction should have been lookedupon as a sel ling out of the interests of the town— a giving up of

the fight by the managers in consideration of being themselves protected from loss . At al l events that was the interpretation that wasplaced upon it by many of the Appomattox boomers . A crowd col

lected and the men accused Of treachery were taken into custodyand placed under guard . It soon developed that upon the face of

the returns U lysses had received a large majority of the votes castin the county . This intensified the i l l feel ing already existing . The

rougher element of the town ’s population , inflamed alike by the contemplation of their real or imagined wrongs and by the indulgence infrequent potations

,clamored for summary vengeance and proposed

that the prisoners pay the penalty of their oflending with theirl ives . It required the utmost d iplomacy on the part of the coolerhead s to prevent the immed iate carrying out Of this plan . A varietyOf ingenious exped ients were resorted to by them to give rise tod iscussion and so gain delay . Matters remained in this cond itionfor over twenty- four hours

,during every moment of whi ch the l ives

of the imprisoned men were in imminent peril . As the excitementgradually subsided it became possible to consider proposals for ap

peasing the wrath of the leaders of the mob . It was finally agreedthat the captives should be freed upon their making provision forthe repayment to their captors of the amounts the latter were said tohave expended in behalf of Appomattox in the course of the cam

paign . A schedule Of such amounts was accord ingly prepared and

the prisoners , glad of rel ief upon any terms,drew checks upon their

home bank for their payment . Money was advanced upon a part ofthe checks by the local bank

,the fund s were d i stributed and the

imprisonment ended . None Of the checks were ever paid,but the

Appomattox bankers recovered j udgment for such of them as theyhad cashed . This episode doesn ’t sound very thri l ling in the tel l ing .

Perhaps this is due to a lack Of graphi c talent in the narrator . The


average reader of the newspaper refuses to become excited over thefamiliar statement accompanying the report of some revoltingcrime that “it i s rumored that the perpetrator wil l be lynched i fcaught. ” And it may be that in the case mentioned the d anger ofviolence was not so great as it seemed . Still

,no doubt on this point

was ever entertained by those who were most d irectly concerned .

It was a noticeable feature of the turbulent times under con

sideration that the expected catastrophe seldom or never happened . In spite Of the constant preparation for battle

,perhaps

because of it, the opposing forces seldom or never met in physicalstrife. If human life was ever intentionally taken in the course of

a struggle for a point d irectly involved in any effort for the location of a county seat

,I do not know of it . The fight at Coronado

on February 27 1 887 , in which three Leoti people were killed and

several others bad ly wounded , is usually accounted such a case,but I think improperly so. Whi le it was in a sense an outgrowthof the i l l feel ing generated by the rivalry between the opposingtowns , it bore no d irect relation to the issue between them . The

participants were not struggling to gain any advantage for theirlocality . Of course there are two versions of the affair , and theyare so absolutely conflicting that it is a hopeless task for one

having no personal knowledge of its details to form a satisfactoryj udgment as to the real facts . Thi s much i s Obvious and und isputed

— at a time when Coronado and Leoti were engaged in acampaign preced ing the selection of a county seat, and whi le theexcitement incident to such a situation was at fever heat, a partyof the adherents of Leoti went to Coronado, where a battle ensuedin which three of the visitors were killed outright and others werebad ly wounded . This i s the story as told by the Coronado peopleThe Leoti party came to their town for the express purpose of

causing trouble ; they were drunk , quarrelsome and abusive ; theyvisited upon inoffensive citizens all manner of ind ignities ; theyforced them to dance for their amusement , promoting activity inthe exercise by firing bullets from their revolvers through the floornear the feet of the performers . This conduct was borne by theresidents until endurance was no longer possible, when an effortto stop it brought on a general engagement . The record of atleast one of the men killed— Jack Coulter— was such as to lendplausibility to thi s tale . He was a cowboy who del ighted to beknown as a desperate character and strove to l ive up to that reputation . The local trad ition is that his trigger finger continued totwitch for half an hour after his death .


had been sworn in as deputy sheriffs and were nominally acting inthat capacity . Had this pretense Of legal procedure been kept upit i s possible that there would have been an effort to meet it onlyby recourse to the machinery of the law . But the haste and lackof ceremony with which the invasion was conducted stamped it a sa forcible ravishm

‘

ent rather than the peaceful assertion Of a lawfulright . Before the spol i ation of the Office could be completed the

citizens of C imarron had resorted to arms and Opened up a livelyfi re upon such of the invaders as were outside Of the build ing

,with

the result that, without stopping even to rescue two members of theparty who remained inside, the driver whipped up and made a quickretreat back to Ingalls . The two thus abandoned took refuge in thesecond story of the court house, where they remained at bay , respond ing by a desultory fi re to the fusilade that continued for sometime from the street . It was in the course of this more or less aimless Shooting that a peaceable resident of C imarron , who was standing perhaps a hundred feet from the build ing , was killed . The two

prisoners were held in captivity until the next day ,their captors in

the meantime,SO it is Said

,making every effort to compass their

destruction . Their friend s in Dodge C ity,learning of their desper

ate plight,began preparations for a rescue party . But wiser coun

sels prevailed and , chiefly through the intervention of residents of

Ford county who had the confidence of the leaders of each faction,

peace was restored . In course Of time,after the pass ions aroused

by the unfortun ate occurrence had measurably subsided,the mem

bers Of the Ingalls party were brought to trial Upon the charge Of

murder,the attorney general conducting the prosecution . The re

sult was an acquittal . Whi le,of course

,this was unsatisfactory to

the C imarron element,it was recognized everywhere that the tria l

had been a fair one,and the result was accepted as final and ac

quiesced in with better grace than might reasonably have been ex

pected .

But , although no l ives were lost in the col l ision of the opposingforces upon the d irect issue of the location of any county seat Ofsouthwest Kansas

,there grew out of the Stevens county contest a

series of assassinations worthy Of a Kentucky feud or a Sici l ianvendetta .

‘

In 1 885 practically the first settlement in that county wasmade at Hugoton , and plans were at once formed to make that placethe county seat . In the prel iminary steps that were taken for theSpeedy organization of the county with this in V iew

,there is no

room for doubt that the grossest fraud was practiced . This,how


ever , would probably have passed unchallenged but for the arriva lupon the scene of Sam Wood .

3 He,with his friend s , started the

riva l town of Woodsdale, and in its interest began legal proceed ingsto prevent the premature organization of the county . The Hugotonpeople regarded him as an interloper , maliciously seeking to interfere with what they considered their firmly established vested rights .The first sensational incident, which was to be fol lowed by a longline Of traged ies

,was the kidnapping of Wood . TO get rid of him

for the time being,until the pend ing efforts for effecting a temporary

county organization could be carried out,the Hugoton supporters

caused him,in August

,1 886

,to be arrested upon a warrant charging

him with l ibel . Bail was refused and he was placed in the chargeof several guard s and taken out of the state and into what is nowBeaver county

,Oklahoma . TO account for his absence it was given

out that he had been induced by the payment of a sum of money toabandon his fight and had gone into the territory on a hunting trip .

This report was not for a moment cred ited by his friends . A partywas organized to search for him. On their way south they found anote secretly penciled by Wood and thrown upon the tra il . Thusassured that they were upon the right track

,they increased their

speed and Shortly overtook and surrounded Wood’s captors

,who

yielded to superior numbers and surrendered . The tables thus beingturned Wood organized a triumphal march to Garden C ity

,meta

phorically d ragging his kidnappers at his chariot wheel s . C ivi l andcriminal proceed ings were begun against the Hugoton leaders Uponcharges of conspiracy but were permitted to slumber and werefinal ly d ismissed without trial .The proceed ings brought to prevent the organiz ation Of Stevenscounty would probably have been successful but for a counter movement . In the legislative session of 1 887 an act was passed legalizingthe steps already taken , and the effect of the pend ing litigation wasthus evaded . The fight for the county seat then proceeded

,Hugoton

being temporari ly successful . The next d i sturbance grew out Of anelection to vote bond s for a railroad which Wood sd ale favored and

Hugoton opposed . In a meeting held in May,1 888

,at a neutral

point—Voorhees —for the d iscussion of thi s i ssue,a minor alterca

tion took place, in which Sam Robinson,the marshal Of Hugoton ,

m i d ifiméztsfifi

t

tl‘

iffi sttsmattlfltfifa it:

came an acknow ledged leader of,

the freestate party . In 1 859 M r . Wood went to Chasecounty, and was sent to the terr itoria l legis la ture from there in 1 8 6 0 - 1 8 6 1 . In 1 8 6 1 he wasa member of the first state senate, and was four times a member of the state legislature.

Mr . Wood establ ish ed the fi rst newspapers at Cottonwood Fal ls and Conned Grove, and twonewspapers In Woodsda le . He was ki l led on June 2 3 , 1 89 1 .


assuming to act as a peace officer , struck the under sheriff with hisrevolver . Nothing more serious took place at the time, but withina few d ays a warrant was issued against Robinson , charging himwith assault and battery , and placed in the hands of Ed Short, themarshal Of Wood sdale, and a constable as wel l . Short proceeded toHugoton where he seems to have attempted to arrest Robinson . Atany rate

,the twomen engaged in a gun fight in which each emptied

his revolver without inj ury to either .The railroad bond election had in the meantime been held

,but the

vote had not been canvassed . There was a d ispute as to the regularity of the returns in one precinct

,and it was felt that a conflict

could hard ly be averted at the time of the canvass unless protectionShould be afforded from the outside . The sheriff wired Gov . John A .

Martin asking that militia be sent to preserve the peace . Brig . Gen .

Murray Myers was at once sent to the scene Of hosti lities to examineand report . He found each town a fortified camp , the inhabitantsfully aroused and ready and willing for a general engagement . Be

l ieving that blood shed was imminent he brought on two companiesof militia and d isarmed the bel ligerent forces . The canvass of theelection returns having been completed , the excitement having subsided , and the intended arrest and prosecution Of Robinson havingapparently been abandoned

,the militi a was withdrawn

,having been

in camp from June 1 9 to June 24 . In writing to Sam Wood asmayor ofWoodsdale, General Myers took occasion to comment uponthe unwisdom of the placing of the warrant for Robinson in thehand s of Short .

A month passed by without fresh incident and it might wel l havebeen supposed that there was no danger Of further trouble . But onJuly 22 Short was at Voorhees and there learned that Robinson waswith a picni c party in the neutral strip . Returning to Woodsdale heprocured the assistance of several friend s and started in pursuit ofhim. The two parties came together , but Robinson mounted a racehorse and made a temporary escape . Short and his companionsfol lowed and succeeded in surround ing Robinson , but feel ing theneed of more help in effecting his capture sent to Woodsdale forreinforcements . [John M . ] Cross , the Sheriff , with four others , responded to the cal l and started in search of Short but, not find inghim

,stopped for the night at a haymaker ’s camp near Wild Horse

Lake,a depression in the prairie in which storm waters gathered .

In the meantime,Robinson ’s friend s had reached Hugoton , organ

ized a rescue party , and returned to the strip in quest of him. He,

MAS ON : COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERS IES 57

having escaped the vigilance of Short , met and j oined the rescuers .Shortly afterward s they came upon the camp where Sheriff Crossand his men were asleep . Then ensued what came to be known as

the Haymeadow Massacre, in which four of the Cross party werekilled and the fifth wounded and left for dead . Accord ing to theHugoton account, this was the result of a running fight, but by thereport of Herbert Tonney ,

the one member of the Wood sd ale partywho survived , which was corroborated by the haymakers and seem

ingly by all the known circumstances , the victims were taken bysurprise, captured , and shot down in cold blood . Nothing can besaid in extenuation of the act, yet it i s but fair to add that the murdered men were not clean handed . The encounter was primarily of

their own seeking,and in that sense they were the aggressors . They

had fol lowed Robinson into the neutral strip with the unlawfulpurpose Of kidnapping him,

for Obviously the warrant in the handsof Short conferred no authority to make an arrest outside of the

state . Moreover , apart from any technical consideration, the effortto fol low up the prosecution of Robinson lacked the appearance of

good faith, for if the interests of society were thought to require it ,the time to have undertaken it was whi le the militia were sti l l onthe ground and the power of the state could have been had in support of any laudable endeavor to enforce the law .

The militia was again called out and the community practical lyplaced under marti al law . Arrests were made and then the re

markable fact was developed that apparently no court had j urisd iction of the crime . The territory within which it was committed ,popularly known as “NO Man ’s Land , had seemingly been overlooked in provid ing for the administration Of j ustice in the federalcourts . Colonel Wood charged himself with the duty of bringingthe assassins of his associates to trial . He devised a reasonabletheory for find ing j urisd iction in one of the federal courts of Texas .It was not necessary to test that theory

,for congress by new leg

islation placed the j urisd iction there. In time a trial was had ,end ing in a conviction . This result was due in a large degree tothe persistence and energy of Wood , acting as a voluntary assistant to the prosecuting office . Upon review the j urisd iction of

the trial court was upheld , but a reversal was ordered by reasonof a manifest error which can only be accounted for by supposingthat the j udgment of the attorneys in charge of the prosecutionwas clouded by their zeal . At the time of the homicide the then

58 THE KANS AS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

attorney general of the state, S . B . Bradford,

4 made a personalinvestigation of its circumstances , visiting for that purpose Stevenscounty and the haymeadow camp , and getting all the informationpossible at first hand . He made a written report of his conclusionsto the governor in which he expressed the unqualified opinion thatthe killing was a del iberate murder . Mr . Bradford ’s term of Of

fi ce having expired,he was retained to assist in the defense. He

was not called as a witness by the defendants, having indeed no

such personal knowledge of the facts as to make him competentto testify . But the prosecution called him for the government andasked him if he had not made such an investigation and report asthose j ust described . He replied that he had , but that the reportwas based upon hearsay evidence whi ch he l ater d iscred ited . Uponthis obviously insufficient foundation the prosecution introducedin evidence the report to the governor made by Brad ford as at

torney general . Upon the hearing in the supreme court it was confessed that this proceed ing was error requiring a reversal and anew trial was ordered . The attorney general of the United Statesbecame convmced that the d istrict attorney had at least lackedd iscretion in the conduct of the case —that he had given too muchleeway to Colonel Wood in its management, and he was on thataccount removed . Energetic and finally successful efforts werethen made to have the prosecution d iscontinued , and SO far as

the courts were concerned the matter ended there .

The next personage to become involved in the imbroglio was

Theodosius Botkin .

5 In 1 889 six counties in the southwest cornerof the state

,into only one of which a railroad ran , were erected into

a j ud icial d istri ct . Gov . [Lyman U. ] Humphrey appointed Botkinj udge on the score of old personal friendship , in spite of protestsmade on the ground Of his wel l -known tendency to over indulgencein drink . H is election fol lowed in the same year , Sam Wood beingone of his supporters . Botkin had been concerned in the countySeat

'

contest in the neighboring county of Seward,but was not d i

rectly involved in the Stevens county trouble. His unpleasant re

4 . S imeon Br iggs Bradford was long prominent in K ansas politics . In 1 875 he rep re

sented Osage county in the legislature and in 1 8 80 was elected county attorney of Osagecounty . He was elected attorney general of the state in 1 884 and was reelected i n 1 88 6 . In

1 8 9 8 he became a Uni ted S tates commiss ioner in the Indian territory . He died at Ardmore ,I . T. ,

Apr i l5 . Theodosius Botkin was born in C larke county, Ohio, June In 1 8 65 he came

to K ansas , setthng in L inn county . He was admitted to the b ar in 1 875 and served asprobate Judge of the county and pol ice judge of Mound C ity He was appointed judge ofthe th irty second distr ict i n March , 1 8 8 9 , and removed to S tevens county . He resigned th isjudgesh ip October 1 1 , 1 8 9 2 , and settled i n Hutch inson . Reno county elected h im to the state

legislature in 1 8 9 6 . In 1 9 0 1 he moved to S a lt Lake City , Utah . He was serving as U. S .

consul at Campbel lton , New Brunsw ick , Nova S cotia ,when he died , May 27 , 1 9 1 8 .


lations with Wood began in 1 890 , either through Botkin’

s cand id acy

for congress or through a d isagreement in court, or through both of

these matters . Botkin was intolerant of opposition . Wood was , ina way

,rather easy-going but would fight and fight hard in sel f de

fense. The character of the men was such that it was inevitable

that the feel ing between them should become intensely bitter . Bot

kin was a man of much native ability and good education . He wasa lawyer of

o

no l ittle strength . He understood legal principles andknew how to apply them . Granting that he was not corrupt, and

even leaving out of account the fact that he was a drunkard and agambler

,his administration of the j ud icial Office was foredoomed to

failure. He was by temperament a partisan . He could scarcelywitness a dog fight without taking sides . He could not hear

’

the

most ord inary law suit,even if d isinterested at the start , without

becoming biased Upon one side or the other . And as in each of the

counties composing his d istrict the county seat controversies hadleft bitter animosities

,he straightway become involved in factional

quarrels .Next to his instinct of partisanship Botkin ’s most unfortunatecharacteri stic was the extent to which he carried the doctrine of

j ud icial notice . The accepted formula is that courts wil l takecognizance without proof of whatever is a matter Of common knowledge. Judge Botkin d id not stop at this . He took notice not onlyof all that was public ly known but of much that was only privatelysuspected . If he failed to take offi cial cognizance of everything thatoccurred in his d istrict the omission was more than compensated forhis taking j ud i cial notice of much that never d id occur . He wascontinually making orders based Upon what he himself stated tobe vague rumors . Upon such information he would order thecounty attorney to institute prosecutions

,arraign Offenders before

himself to answer as for contempt,d isbar attorneys , and imprison

citizens for what amounted to lese majesty . The newspaper manwho ventured any criticism of his conduct

,on or off the bench, was

l ikely to be haled before him to answer for his temerity in a sum

mary proceed ing peculiar to that j urisd iction— a curious blend Of

court martial , examination for contempt, and prosecution for criminal libel . The lawyer who with reasonable vigor tried a case before him for a

,client with whom the j udge was out of sympathy

was deemed to have achieved a triumph of forensic skil l and d iplomacy if he escaped being committed to the county j ail .Naturally enough Botkin soon reduced his d istrict, already suf


fi ciently d i stracted by the tumultuous confusions of local war, to astate Of anarchy . Yet

,strange to say , he attracted adherents even

among some Of the most respectable residents . In every communitythere was a sharp d ivision into factions . But this d ivision was nolonger along county seat lines . It was into Botkin and anti -Botkinparties . Sam Wood gradually came to be regarded as the antiBotkin leader , and against him were d irected all the influences control led by Botkin . Attempts were made to arrest him at Topekaupon charges lacking in any reasonable pretense of good faith— but,as Wood no doubt conscientiously and not unreasonably bel ieved ,for the purpose of taking him among his enemies with a View to hisassassination . Then came the session of the legislature of 1 891 ,

Wood being Offi cially clerk of the j ud i ciary committee Of the houseand actually the ruling spirit of that body

,the majority of whi ch

were populists,as he was . Botkin was impeached

,and the impeach

ment was tri ed by a senate all members of which, save two, wereRepublicans . A lthough a majority voted for conviction

,the require

ment of a two-third s vote to convict caused a failure of the prosecution . Botkin was acquitted but not vind icated .

Aside from the general accusations of drunkenness and pettytyranny

,the principal charge against him was based Upon his con

duct with reference to the finances Of the city Of Springfield . BondsOf that municipality had been issued for the construction of waterworks . The bond s had been sold and the proceeds partially ex

pended for that purpose . Disputes arose with reference to the

valid ity of a part of the proceed ings in relation to the matter . InMarch

,1 890

,Judge Botkin made a written order reciting that com

plaints Of the conduct of the city council had come to his notice,and that it had been represented to him that the county attorneyhad refused to institute proceed ings against them and requiringthat officer to do so at once or to Show cause why his Office Shouldnot be declared vacant and he himself be attached for contempt .Shortly after thi s the county attorney began an action to enjoin thecity Officers from recognizing in any way the valid ity of the bond sreferred to. A temporary inj unction was allowed . The city at thetime had on hand cash to the amount of about Accord ingto his own statement

,Judge Botkin

,having heard street talk to the

effect that his inj unction might be d i sregarded , feared that this sumwould be improperly expended i f vigorous measures were not takento prevent . He

,therefore, upon his own motion made an order in

the pend ing action appointing a receiver to take charge of this fund .


d isqualified al l Of them that had sufli cient intel ligence to form anopinion . After one or two futile attempts at a trial Brennan wasd ischarged .

In 1 91 1 another effort was made to bring him to trial , the increasein the population of Stevens county by immigration seeming to j ustifya bel ief that a qualified j ury could be Obtained there. He was

arrested Upon extrad ition papers in Oklahoma,but was released on

habeas corpus Upon the ground that having submitted himself tothe process of the Kansas courts and been d ischarged he was not afugitive from justice. The soundness of the decision is Open toquestion , but it is not without support in the authorities .The miscarriage Of j us tice resulting from a fai lure to procure a

j ury natural ly added to the popular d istrust of the machinery of

the law . It was bel ieved by a large proportion,if not by the ma

jority ,Of the people of the six counties composing the d istrict that

the j udge was capable Of every crime in the calendar and guilty of

most of them,and that he was supported in his iniquity by the state

administration . It had been seen that murder could be done in hisd istrict, almost in his presence, with impunity if not with j ud icialsanction . A reign Of terror fol lowed . NO man felt his l ife or his

property to be safe . NO man d ared appeal to the law for the

protection of either . Just what plots and counter-plots were formedwil l probably be left to a later generation to d iscover . Rumorswere rife of oath-bound band s leagued for the destruction of Bot

kin . In December, 1 891 , word was brought to him of a definite planto kil l him whi le on his way to hold court at Springfield in’

the fol

lowing month . It came through one who professed to have takenpart in the del iberation of the plotters . It received scant cre

dence,partly because many similar reports had proved un founded ,

partly because of the emotional character Of the informer . Nevertheless

,it undoubted ly r esulted in saving Botkin ’s life. On the 5th

of January,1 892

,court was to be opened at Springfield . The j udge

l ived some three miles south of the town . By reason of the warning mentioned the Sheriff with a posse was sent to reconnoiter theroute thither j ust about d aybreak . From a ravine lying near theroad the party was fired Upon and Sherifi [Sam ] Dunn was killed .

The killing was not through mistake. A lthough it is beyond doubtthat Botkin was the victim primari ly sought

,Dunn himself was ex

tremely obnoxious to the anti -Botkin element and was unquestionably S lain on that account . Other members of the party couldeasi ly have been killed or captured

,but were permitted to escape.


Botkin immed iately turned his residence into a military camp .

Pickets were thrown out, arms accumulated and a state of siegewas established . A l l persons approaching were halted , examined

and , if it was thought advisable, searched . None was permittedto pass the outposts except after giving a satisfactory account of

himself and his errand . Botkin wired the governor for assistance.

Militia was promptly sent to his rel ief . He cursed the authoritiesfor send ing him sold iers instead of merely furnishing him with guns .His conduct for a few d ays led those who saw him to entertain thegravest doubts of his sanity . His word s and actions were hysterical .Yet there was method in his madness . After the presence of the

militia had apparently restored peace and removed the fear of further violence, the officer in command suggested that as he wasthere for the purpose of protecting the court , and as the protectionOffered was ample, there was no reason why the business of theterm should not be proceeded with . But Botkin stubbornly refusedto open court and as stubbornly declined to give any reason fordelay . The reason which he afterward s assigned was this —a con

test was pend ing for the Ofli ce of sheri ff the cand id ate favored byBotkin was the contestor

,his opponent having received the certifi

cate of election ; but it was understood that a decision was Shortlyto be rendered and that it would be in his favor . Judge Botkin ’spurpose in postponing from day to day the opening of court

,as ex

pressed to his friend s,was in order to give his cand idate time to

get from the contest court a certificate Of election in order that hemight be in a S ituation to proclaim the opening of the d istri ct courtand thereby Obtain the benefit incident to being recognized as thede facto Sheriff .

Arrests were made of men supposed to have taken part in thekill ing of Dunn , but the impossibi lity Of obtaining a j ury led to thed iscontinuance of the proceed ings . There are men stil l l iving in thevicinity who avow personal knowledge that the purpose Of the

ambuscade was to take the l ife Of Botkin,who j ustify such purpose

,

and are at l ittle pains to deny their own participation in it . Botkincame to Topeka Shortly after the new homicide and

,realizing that

he was generally felt to be in a large degree responsible for this andother recent troubles, i ssued a formal statement j ustifying his acts ,which bore a d i stinct family resemblance to the trad itional defensemade by Jim Lane to the charge of the murder of Jenkins . The

statement in type occupied two newspaper columns and was l ittle


more than a labored attempt to prove that the widow Of Sam Wood

was with the party that ki lled Dunn .

Whether through fear of a more successful attempt upon his l ife,or by reason of pressure brought by his friends

,Botkin concluded

to resign,delaying only until thirty days before election

,in order

that his successor might hold for a year by appointment instead of

only unti l the next genera l election . He removed to Hutchinson andwas a member of the Kansas house Of representatives in the sessionof 1 897 . He seems to have been regarded by his col leagues in thatbody as an elderly gentleman of mild manners and inoffensive d isposition . How far the continuance of the cond ition of strife, d isorder and crime throughout the d istrict

,whi ch originated in the

county seat quarrels,was due to his personal influence can be j udged

from thi s— from the hour of his retirement there has been no morepeaceable and law - abid ing communi ty in the state of Kansas or outof it

,than that of the Old thirty- second d istri ct . There and in the

neighboring counties the passions excited in those troublous timeshave passed away . There may sti ll linger here and there traces ofthe suspicion and hatred then engendered , but they are not obtruded .

The effect Of the debauchery of the public conscience then aecom

plished may not have whol ly d isappeared,but its d isplay is rare .

The era of turbulent stri fe ended as suddenly as it began . Wherethe subsidence of the struggle found the county seat located otherwise than in its natural place a change was later effected practicallywithout opposition . In Hamilton county at one time Cool idge

,

Kendal l and Syracuse each claimed to be the county seat, and eachmaintained a full set Of county Officers and assumed to transact thecounty business . One who wished to pay taxes , or to begin a lawsuit

,had to guess at his peri l whi ch was the de jure or the de facto

government . Syracuse, the centra l town ,was obviously the only

place where the public would have been satisfied to have the countyseat permanently established , and there it was finally placed . InKearny county whi le the fever was raging Hartland succeeded inwinning the coveted prize from Lakin ; but a fter cond itions hadreverted to the normal a change was made by an overwhelming vote.

In Gray county Soule’s money ravished the county seat for Ingalls .In their haste to get it back the C imarron people proceeded withouta strict regard for the legal requirements and omitted some of the

cond itions precedent to a valid election . Nevertheless an electionwas held and the records and offices were transferred in accordancewith the vote cast . The Ingalls contingent carried the matter to the


d istrict court but were denied rel ief . On appeal the decision wasreversed , but in the meantime interest in the matter had become so

lax that no one ever undertook to fol low it up , and C imarron hasever since remained the de facto county seat by mere common con

sent,although de jure the title is doubtless sti l l in Ingalls . In Seward

county Springfield won in the bitter fight there waged,but when

Liberal,from its position on the railroad , became the business center

of the county it was soon natural ly and inevitably made the centerof government as wel l .It is said that assassination never changed the course Of history .

It did not do so in thi s case. Probably no single county seat in anyof the counties in the region referred to i s now in a different pla cefrom what it would have been had there been no boom

,no frenzy

of town building , no controversy , no bribery , no frauds , no murder .The losses Of l ife and property incurred in the effort to influencesuch locations were net. NO tangible beneficial results to any one

remain to be placed against them . The outrages Upon humanityand decency were ineffectua l , and this is fortunate, for it makes iteasier to regard the whole d isgraceful episode as the hideous nightmare that it was and to speed it on its way to Obl ivion .

5—66 17

The G rass W igw am at W ich itaBLI S S ISELY

NAN inaccessible i sland in the Little Arkansas river at Wichitastand s a conical , grass-thatched wigwam which, if S ituated in

a state that knows the value of advertising its points Of historicalinterest would attract many Kansans every year . Think of the

thousand s Upon thous ands Of picture post- card s which Kansasvisitors to other states send back home of such scenes as PlymouthRock

,Mol ly Pitcher ’s Spring , Ind i an dwel l ings in New Mexico

,

Arizona or California .

The Ind ian wigwam in Wichita i s no less interesting than are

those Of Utah and , situated as it i s on an island with trees , couldbe made very attractive. Historically it is of value because in sucha lodge dwelt the farmers of the Arkansas valley before the firstSpaniard or Frenchman came to the plains . Since no Ind ians otherthan the Wichitas built exactly that type Of lodge it is a rarestructure

,there being only four or five remaining on the Wichita

land s near Anad arko, Okla .

The manner in which the Ind i ans constructed the wigwam inWichita and their reason for build ing it show evidence of a deepreligious feel ing and of a natural generosity little known .

The lodge came into existence as the result Of a visit to the Indiansin June, 1 924, by a group of Wichita citizens consisting of Col .

S . S . Carter,president of the Wichita Booster C lub ; William C .

Peacock , an Old -time plainsman and scout who i s adept in the

Ind i an S ign language ; Glen Douglas , one of F . W . HOCkaday’

s

highway S ign men ; and myself . I was then a reporter for theWichita Beacon . At the suggestion Of Peacock

,who knew Ind ian

character wel l , we Obtained a commission from Mayor Frank L .

Dunn,appointing us as ambassadors from the white city Of Wichita

to the red brothers living on the banks of the Washita .

When thi s letter was read and translated to an assemblage of

Ind ians on the agency ground s near Anadarko, the old men,who

remembered Wichita as a village of grass houses , took us to theirhomes , where they inquired about the town as it now appears .Everything was done to Show their appreciation of our friend lyvisit . The aged chief Kiowa , who won his name in a war when heS ingle-handed brought in a captive Kiowa chief, took us inside hisgrass lodge, where we were allowed to S it and look around whi le

ISELY : GRAS S WIGWAM AT WICH ITA 67

he visited a long time with Peacock in the sign language . He andPeacock had been scouts together in the Ind i an campaign of 1 874 ,

at which time the Wichitas fought on the side of the whites . Theirvisit over , I chanced to remark to Peacock my surprise at the excellence of the construction of Chief K iowa ’s

'

wigwam, which had beenstanding for almost sixty years and appeared to be good for sixtyyears more. Peacock repeated my remarks in S ign talk . Whereupon the Old chief answered : If you l ike it, you shall have one.

”

Several weeks later Mayor Dunn received a letter from the

Wichita Indian council,Offering to come to Wichita and construct

a lodge . Mayor Dunn appointed Colonel Carter as chairman Of acommittee to make arrangements . I was secretary . We soonlearned that we would have to pay the expense of the building,not because the Wichitas wanted to make a profit, but because theywere too poor to buy the materials , pay for transportation of themselves and material to Wichita

,and feed themselves during the ten

d ays necessary for the construction . In the first place,they Speci

fi ed that the piers Of the lodge would have to be of ced ar, and theyno longer had cedar on their land s . It had to be Special ly selectedced ar . Nothing shoddy was to go into the construction .

The committee obtained consent from the park board for con

struction of the lodge on Mead i sland , an undeveloped woodedtract of three acres belonging to the Wichita park system . It wasColonel Carter ’s plan to surround the lodge with an Ind ian garden ,and he adopted a suggestion of E lmer T . Peterson

,then ed itor of

the Beacon,now ed itor of Better Homes and Gardens, that the

lodge be roofed over with a glass house to insure its preservationfor posterity , when it would become more valuable than ever .Colonel Carter also planned an Ind i an museum

,where the curios

of the plains tribes might be preserved .

Unfortunately Colonel Carter d ied before the lodge was built,and it would not have been completed had it not been for Mrs .Fern Mead Jordan , widow Of the pioneer for whom Mead i slandi s named . When the lodge was completed and a deficit remained

,

She paid it out of her own pocket .The Ind i ans arrived late in May

, 1 927 , headed by Sooka , awoman , who, as a girl , had swung in the grape vines in what isnow R iverside Park , not far from where the lodge now stand s .Among the Wichitas , as among most Ind ians, the home belongs

to the woman . In case of d ivorce She throws the man ’s things out Ofthe lodge and she remains . Consequently

, the women are the build


ers . Men accompanied the women as escorts and as assistants inbuild ing, for among the modern Wichitas men work on the farmsand in house bui ld ing after the manner Of white men .

House build ing among the ancient Wichitas was a sacred thing,for in a house chi ldren are born and grow to manhood and womanhood . For that reason when the first cedar pier was set

,Sooka

bowed her head and in the Wichita tongue prayed to the GreatSpirit. It might be wel l to say that the majority of the modernWichitas are Christians , being members of the Baptist Church . Ido not know whether the Christianized Wichitas pray in build ingtheir houses or not, but Sooka prayed after the custom of her

mothers .Other cedar piers were set in a circle of twenty feet diameter .Each pier had a crotched top ,

and across the crotches were laidtransverse beams on whi ch rested long cedar saplings , reaching fromthe ground Upward , where they were gathered together at the topof the cone- l ike house and lashed together . Over the framework waslaced a wattle work of wil low , which was covered with a thatch of

long grass , laid in tiers , overlapping like shingles .At the apex of the lodge was set the most important thing of all .It was a five-pointed device, symbol ical of the five fingers of thehand , and consisting of pointed rod s . The central rod was pointedstraight up to Man-Never-Known-on-Earth. The other four rod swere inclined toward the four wind s of Heaven . Thi s device en

ables the four wind s and Man-Never-Known-ou-Earth to enter thelodge and bestow their blesings on the people.

The lodge has two doors , one at the east, where the sun can peep inin the morning to give his bless ing , and one in the west where he canlook in before night to see that al l is wel l . There also i s an openingat the south to serve as a window , where the sun can look in at noon .

Just east of the apex is a smoke hole. Under the smoke hole is acircular excavation on the floor of the lodge, whi ch is a fi replace.

1

The construction over,Sooka struck a fire, and two meals were

cooked over the fireplace. The Ind ians spent one night in the lodgeSO that is could be said that real Ind ians had S lept there. The

l ighting of the first fi re was accompanied by prayer,so the Ind ians

later reported,but no white men were allowed to be present , al~

though Mrs . Jordan , being a woman and the widow of James R .

1 .

- A picture of the lodge in Wichita , w ith the five-pointed device p la iul showing ,b e seen on the frontispiece of Early Days in K ansas , by B liss Isely , Wich ita oard of Education (Wich ita Eag le Press , 1 9 2 7 ) There is also a picture of K iowa ’

s w igw am.

on page 8 .

See, a lso, Kansas H istorical Collections , v . XVII , p . 5 20 , for a br ief story and p icture.


Arkansas,presumably at the mouth of Cow creek or the Little Ar

kansas . The people he found there are supposed to be theWichitas ,from the description of their houses . He wrote :“We came to a settlement containing more than twelve hundr ed houses , all

established along the bank of another good -sized river,which flowed into a

large one . They were all round ,built Of forked poles and bound with rods ,

and on the outside covered to the ground with grass .

” 3

Continuing his description Of their field s he wrote“We remained here for one day in this pleasant spot surrounded on all sidesby fields of maize and crops of the Indians . The stalks of the maize were as

high as that of New Spain and in many places higher . The land was so richthat, having harvested the maize

, a new growth of a span in height had sprungup over a large portion of the same ground without any cul tivation or laborother than the remova l of the weed s and the mak ing of holes where theyplanted the maize . There were many beans , some gourds , and between thefield some p lum trees .

”4

Later the French left record s of visits to the Wichitas , whom theycalled the Pani Piques Pani

,because they were related to the Paw

nees,and Piques , because they tattooed themselves l ike the Picts

of ancient Scotland .

5 Wars with the Osages , who were suppliedwith firearms by the French traders of St . Louis , forced the PaniPiques south. This fact was recorded by Meriwether Lewis , the ex

plorer , who Obtained the information from his French guides . Inhis d iscussion of the various branches of the Pawnees

,he wrote in

his journal concerning the Pani Piques : “The fourth band original lyresided on the K anzas and Arkansaw

,but in their wars with the

Osages they were so Often defeated that they at last retired to theirpresent position on Red river

,where they form a tribe of four hun

dred men .

” 6

TheWichitas were visited on Red river by the Dodge military ex

ped ition in 1 835 . George Catl in , the artist, who accompanied theexped ition , cal led them Pawnee Picts , and his description of themis much l ike that by Onate 234 years previous . Says Catlin

“TO our very great surprise we have found these peop le cul tivating quiteextensive fields of corn

, pumpkins, melons , beans and squashes . So withthese aid s and an abundant supp ly of buffalo meat they may be said to beliving wel l .

“We found here a very numerous vil lage containing some five or six hun

dred wigwams, all made of long prairie grass thatched over poles which are

3 . H . E . Bolton (cd . ) Juan d e Onate’

s Expedition to the Arkansas , in S pan ish Exp loration in the S outhwest (Char les S cribner ’s S ons , New York , p . 260 .

4 . Ib id . , p . 26 1 .

5 . Freder ick Webb Hodge, Handbook of American Indians , v . II , pp . 9 47 , 9 48 .

6 . Mer iwether Lew is , H istory of the Exp edit ions of Cap ta ins Lewis and Clark , reprintedfrom edi tion of 1 8 1 4 (A . C . McClurg Co . , Ch icago, p . 3 6 .

ISELY : GRAS S WIGWAM AT WICH ITA 71

fastened in the ground and bent in at the tip ,giving to them,

in d istance,the

appearance of straw bee hives .

” 7

In 1 863,because they sided with the Union , the Wichita vill age

was destroyed by the Confederates and the fugitives returned totheir ancient habitat in Kansas

,where James R . Mead first met

them on the s ite of Wichita , and where they promptly built a grassvi llage and surrounded it with gardens Of corn , beans , squash and

melons . 8

The government removed them to their present seat on the Washita in 1 867 , and the Wichita pioneers used the straw of their housesfor horse bedding and the cedar p iers for fence posts .For sixty years the grass lodges were unknown on the Arkansas ,until Sooka and her women rebuilt the one on Mead island . It isto be hoped that Wichita wil l some day bring their historical treasure out of hiding and put a bridge to Mead island so that her own

boys and girls and the visitors to the city can see the wigwam thatwas erected by such reverent hand s .

I7

1. Ge

grge Catl in , The North American Indians (Leary, S tuart Co. Ph iladelph ia ,

V D

8 . James R . Mead in K ansas H istor ical Collections, v . ! ,p

. 1 0 .

The Annual MeetingHE fi fty - seventh annual meeting of the Kansas State Histori ca lSociety and the board of d irectors was held in the rooms Of the

Society on October 1 8,1 932 .

The meeting of the board of d irectors was cal led to order at 10a . m.

,by the president

,Justice John S . Dawson . The first business

was the read ing Of the annual report of the secretary .

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY, YEAR ENDING OCTOBER 18, 1932 .

The past year has been one of continued growth and progress in all de

partments of the Society . Access ions of manuscripts,documents, books and

relics have been large and of unusual interest and value . Especially note

worthy is the marked increase in the number of persons who have used the

Society ’s col lections . This may be because of unemployment or,as has been

suggested , because of the stimulated interest in public aflairs which aecom

panies a national political campaign . During the year, however, there was a

material increase in the extent of newspaper publicity the Society ’s activitiesreceived , both local ly and throughout the state

,and this doubtless attracted

many new patrons .

The secretary has been greatly assisted in the work of the year by thepresident of the Society , Justice John S . Dawson ,

and by the executive committee . The executive committee has met regularly once a month, and all

matters of importance have been referred to it.

The library received over two thousand inquiries for information ,mostly

regard ing Kansas subj ects or genealogy . These requests come from all partsof the United States and are answered by letter or by the loan of duplicatebooks or material compiled specifica lly for loan use . Many are from schoolteachers and students . Some can be answered in a few minutes while others

Often require hours of research . Writers of theses have used the library, thenewspaper section

,and the manuscripts and archives departments for the

following subjects during the year : New England Emigrant Aid Company ;government regulation of business ; survey of Portland cement industry inKansas ; history of education in Rush county ; history of education in Sumnercounty ; Kansas state documents ; Kansas state constitution ; library legislationin Kansas ; bank taxation ; Mennonites ; landmarks in Kansas ; high-schoolcourses of study ; d evelopment of Kansas government ; history Of school landsin Kansas ; history of muni cipa l ownership of public utilities in Kansas ;history of the Robinson administration ; the Progressive party in Kansas .

In add ition,much use was made of the library b y newspaper writers and

historians .

The constantly increasing demand for information and assistance often

makes it impossible for the library staff to hand le the routine of library workand catalogui ng . Two add itiona l catalogue clerks are needed to do the work

(72 )

TH E ANNUAL MEETING 73

efficiently . The Society possesses pictures which should be sorted ,

catalogued and filed . At present there is no workable index to this valuablecol lection .

Accessions to the library proper and to the archives and newspaper sectionsfor the year ending June 30

,1932

,were as fol lows :

LibraryBooks (volumes ) 841

PamphletsNewspapers and magazines (volumes ) 932

Archives :Separate manuscriptsManuscript volumes 1 12

2

Maps , atlases and charts 94

Pictures 547

These accessions bring the tota ls in the possession of the Society , includ ingthe museum

,to the fol lowing figures :

Library , includ ing books , pamphlets , bound newspapers and magazines ,Archives

,separate manuscripts

Archives,manuscript volumes

Archives, maps 416

Maps , atlases and charts .

PicturesMuseum relics and objectsThrough the courtesy of the Southwestern Bel l Telephone Company the

Society is now receiving current telephone d irectories from all the company ’sexchanges in Kansas . Next to the newspapers , these d irectories are the most

important contemporary record of each community . Efforts are also beingmade to secure d irectories from the independent exchanges .

ARCH IVES AND MANUSCRIPTS .

Accessions of private manuscripts and documents have been among themost important since the organization of the Society . The largest in point ofnumbers is a col lection of the letters and papers of the late Charles S . Gleed ,donated by his fami ly . Mr . Gleed was president of the Southwestern Bel lTelephone Co . , a d irector of the Santa Fe Railroad Co .

,and a leader in Kansas

affairs . Thi s collection is an inva luable source record comprising over

pieces .

Another unique and valuable accession is a col lection of the manuscripts,

maps and documents of Adolph Hunni us, donated by his son, Carl Hunnius ,of Leavenworth . Adolph Hunn ius served in the Civil War and was emp loyedby the government as a map maker . He visited many sections of Kansas in an

early day . This collection contains numerous manuscript maps,some of which

have already thrown new light on early forts and trails . There are several

thousand pieces in this collection .

Gen . Wilder S . Metcalf, a director of the Society, gave a va luable collec

tion of letters , manuscripts,pictures

,books and relics . The three volumes

of correspondence include two on the Spani sh-American war and one on the

European war . There are several albums of pictures showing American troopsin the Phi lippines

,especially the Twentieth Kansas , of whi ch General Metca lf

was colonel . There are hundreds of newspaper clippings in this col lection .

74 THE KANS A S HISTORICAL QUARTERLYRecently Genera l Metcalf also gave to the Society a fine library Of bookson army manuals

,tactics

,etc . The relics include a Moro shield and spear ,

two rifles and two sadd les . One Of the sadd les was used by General Metcalfduring hi s service in the Phi lippines and the other is one which he owned and

which was used by General Funston .

Mrs . L . C . Schnacke, daughter of John Davis,former congressman and

edi tor at Junction City, donated fourteen volumes of indexed scrap bookswhich had been prepared by her father .

Walter E. Thiele, of Lawrence, gave a most interesting collection of

military records of the Nineteenth Kansas cavalry which had belonged to

Capt . John Q. A . Norton , of Company D . These include offi cial documents

and correspondence .

During the year the Society has acquired several new John Brown letters .

The most interesting is an origina l letter which was written by John Brownto his father in 1849 . It is one of the earliest records of Brown

’

s interest

in the negro question . Three photostatic copies of new John Brown letters ,written in the 50

’s, were purchased . A photostatic copy of a bill of sa le for

a horse which John Brown sold to the father of Sen . H . K . Lindsley, of

Wichi ta , was given to the Society by Mr . Linds ley .These collections are the outstanding accessions , but are on ly a part of

those received this year .

Excellent progress has been made in the work of repairing and calendaringmanuscripts . Naturally but li ttle headway can be made by two clerks on

the vast collections own ed by the Society . It had been hoped that add itionalclerks might be requested from the next session of the legislature, but inview of the economic situation it was the opinion of the executive committeeand the secretary that it would not be good policy to request them at this

time and they were not included in the budget.

In the death of Esther C lark Hill the Society lost an invaluable assistant.

Mrs . Hill was not on ly a capable worker ; she brought to her task a knowledgeand an intense love of Kansas which were a great asset to the department.

The largest accession to the archives came from the insurance department .

This was a collection of manuscripts and 106 manuscript volumes of

annual statements . Five hundred manuscripts came from a former board of

managers of the state sold ier ’s home and the Mother Bickerdyke home . The

most important access ion during the year, in the archives department,was

the manuscript collection of Wm. I . R . Blackman,who came to Lawrence in

1854 . It was given by hi s son,Maulsby W . Blackman

, of Syracuse, N. Y .

This collection was received by the Society in 1930 , but was not transferred

from the vault to the archives unti l 1932 . The most valuable document in

this collection is the complete journal in original form of the Leavenworth

Constitutional Convention which met at Minneola March 23 , 1858 , and ad

journed next day to convene at Leavenworth .

Second in importance is a corrected draft of the Wakarusa Treaty of Peace ,made December 8 , 1855, by GOV . Wilson Shannon , Charles Robinson and

J . H . Lane . Three drafts of treaties had been made, the one by the free-statemen being accepted wi th slight changes .

THE ANNUAL MEETING 75

NEWS PAPER SECTIONReaders in the newspaper section have noticeably increased in numbers

during the year . The demand for current issues especial ly has been greater .

Old files have been consulted by about the usua l number of readers and

students of history .The issues of 757 newspapers and period icals , 89 being school and college

publications , were being received regularly on October 1 . Of these 57 were

dailies, one triweekly, 13 semiweeklies , 520 weeklies, 19 fortnightlies, threeonce every three weeks , 12 semimonthlies , 81 monthlies, 1 1 bimonthlies, 26quarterlies, 1 1 occasionals, and three semiannuals . In the list were included458 weekly community newspapers . On January 1 the Kansas newspapercollection totaled bound volumes .

Valuable out-of—state newspapers included in our files are stil l stacked on

benches in the basement awaiting shelving facilities . Territorial newspapers of

Oklahoma , and Boston newspapers contemporary with the New EnglandEmigrant Aid Company

,are included in this col lection . An appropriation is

being asked of the next legislature to care for these .

The 1932 annual Lis t of K ansas Newspapers and Periodicals received by theKansas State Historical Society was published in June . The edition listed theed itors and publishers of 755 publications .

At the consolidation of the Chanute Daily Timesett with the Chanute

Tribune January 9 , 1932 , fifteen unbound volumes of the Timesett were

presented to the Society by John P . Harris and Charles F . Jones, editors of

the reorganized Tribune . A fi le of the Manhattan K ansas Farm Bureau

Bulletin from 1922 to 1928 was given the Society by R . C . Obrecht, of Topeka .

MUSEUM .

While the museum continues to be our most popular department with thegeneral public, the attendance for the year fell to due to the fact that

it was closed for two months during the winter for repairs . The walls and

ceilings were repaired and painted and all exhibits,including over 600 portraits

and paintings, excepting only the Goss collection of birds , were taken down

and thoroughly cleaned . During the week of the fair the museum attracted

visitors .

The number of relics and museum obj ects accessioned during the year wasninety-nine .

One of the most valuable accessions was the collection received from the

estate of Ione D . Eastman , widow of the late Phil Eastman , of Topeka . Thisbequest of colonial furniture included a grand father clock , two Windsor chairs ,a wall cabinet, a mahogany dresser

, a mahogany drop-leaf sewing table, a

mahogany writing desk , a marble-top walnut shaving stand,a brass door

knocker , an Austrian vase,and a large Wedgewood platter .

A wooden Ind ian was donated by Hedwig Wulke . A hand-written arithme

tic begun in 1792 was donated by the daughter of Dr . G . H . Fitzgerald , Kel ly,K an . ,

and Mr . E . T. Fay , of Harris,K an .

, added twenty-two specimens to the

col lection of Indi an artifacts previously donated by him.

Last winter the local newspapers ann ounced that the Society was planningto build a sod house in the museum. This story

,whi ch was picked up by

press associations and printed all over the country, invited old-timers to write

76 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYto the Society and describe methods Of construction . Over two hundred

letters were received .

K AN SAS H ISTORICAL QUARTERLY .

Four numbers of the new Quarterly have been issued and the fifth will beready when the index to the volume is completed . The first volume will consist of the first five numbers , includ ing the November, 1932 , issue which wi llcontain the index . This was done so that a new volume wil l not begin in the

mi dd le of the year ; subsequent volumes wil l conta in four numbers each .

The Quarterly has been successful beyond expectations . It has provedpopular with the members and has resulted in much favorable newspaperpublicity . Articles from each number have been reprinted , condensed or

commented upon by newspapers in all parts of the state . Much of the credit

for the high standard of the articles is due to Dr . James C . Mal in,associate

professor of history at the University of Kansas and associate ed itor of the

Quarterly .

LOCAL AND COUNTY H ISTORICAL SOCIETIES .

S ince the last annual meeting two county historical societies have affi l iatedthemselves with the state Society by taking out li fe memberships . In addi

tion, the Society has given assistance to the organizers of several other countyhistorical societies not yet affiliated . A special invitation to attend this annualmeeting was extended by the secretary to the Officers of local and county societies . Several of these associate societies are doing excel lent work in gathering historical data and relics . The encouragement of these local societies isan important part of the work of the state Society . It is Obviously impossiblefor the Society with its limited stafi

'

to secure and preserve the historica l records of the 105 counties . Only through active local societies can th is be done.

S HAWNEE MIS S ION .

The Old Methodist Shawnee Mission near Kansas City is the outstand inghi storic site in Kansas and one of the finest in the M idd le West. At the present time only two of the large brick build ings are open to the public, and onlyone of these is in a presentable condition . Eventual ly all three of these buildings should be restored as nearly as possible to their original condition . The

state architect estimates that it would require in the neighborhood of

to restore the north building,which is in the worst cond ition . The most in

teresting of these build ings is the one known as the east build ing, and it is

now attracting hundreds of visitors . Last fall permission was given the Shawnee Mission Ind ian Hi storica l Society, a newly organized group in Johnsoncounty, to instal l a museum in the large downstairs room in this bui lding .

The results h ave been surprising and most gratifying . Hundreds of relicsand museum Obj ects

,illustrative of the early l ife of the mission are now at

tractively d isplayed . At a meeting attended by several hund red personswhich was held there on June 27, the museum was formally turned over to

the state Society . This museum has received much publicity in the KansasCity and nearby papers and as a result thousands of readers have been toldOf the importance of this early-day outpost of civilization in the history Of

Kansas and the west.

Another local organi zation which has shown much interest in the mission

78 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYE! PENDITURES To AUGUST 17

,1932 .

Traveling expensesSubscriptionsRent of safe deposit box .

Printing and paper .

Rental Of chairs for annual meetingHussey Insurance Co .

,premium on bonds

Old letters Of John Brown,picture, etc

Christmas gifts to jan itors . .

Fil ing record and registering deedRepairsHauling mailFlowersMapsDues in Topeka Chamber Of Commerce

Office filesRefund on membersh ip duesTax on checks .

Money advanced for postage,etc

Total expensesBalance August 17, 1932

Liberty bonds

JONATHAN PECKER REQUEST FUND .

September 2 1 , 193 1BalanceInterest

Total amount on hand

Expend ituresFrank J . Wilder, New Hampshire books

JOHN BOOTH BEQUEST.

September 21 , 1931BalanceInterest

Ba lanceNo expendi tures .

THOMAS H . BOWLUS FUND.

in form of liberty bond ; the interest from which is deposited withmembership fee fund . Respectfully submitted ,

MARY EMBREE, Treasurer .

On motion Of John S . Dean , seconded by W . W. Denison , thetreasurer ’s report was approved .

TH E ANNUAL MEETING 79

The report Of the committee appointed by the executive committee to aud it the books Of the treasurer was read , as fol lows

REPORT OF E! ECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The committee appointed by the executive committee of the HistoricalSociety having examined the books of the treasurer and compared it with thestate accountant

’s aud it report for the preced ing fiscal year find that the same

agree in all respects and we therefore approve the above and foregoing treasurer

’s report as correct . EDWIN A . AUSTIN,

THOMAS AMORY Ln,

Committee .

On motion Of Col . Sam F . Woolard,seconded by H . K . L ind sley ,

the auditing committee’s report was approved .

Mrs . El iz a E . Goodrich, secretary Of the Wyandotte County Historical Society , asked permission to speak a few word s on the workOf her society . She exhibited a photostatic Copy of the Shawnee

Sun of 1 841 and portraits Of early settlers of Wyandotte county .

The report of the nominating committee was cal led for and wasread by Mrs . Henry F . Mason :

REPORT OF NOMINATING COMM ITTEE.

To the Board of D irectors , Kansas State Historical SocietyYour committee on nomination beg leave to submit the fol lowing report

for offi cers of the Kansas State Historical Society for the fol lowing year :For president, Thomas Amory Lee, Topeka .

For first vice president, H . K . Lindsley, Wichita .

For second vice president,Thomas F . Doran , Topeka .

For secretary , Kirke Mechem, Topeka .

For treasurer,Mrs . Mary Embree, Topeka .

Respectfully submitted , MRS . HENRY F . MAS ON,

ISABELLE C . HARVEY,

E. E. KELLEY,

JAMES C . MALIN,

E . A . RYAN ,Commi ttee .

Mrs . Flora R . God sey,Of Emporia

,spoke of the secretary ’s pro

posal to build a sod house in the museum and suggested that a logcabin be erected to represent the eastern part Of Kansas .There being no further business for the Board Of Directors

,the

meeting adjourned .


ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY .

The annual meeting Of the Kans as State Historical Society con

vened at two O ’clock p . m ; The meeting was called to order byPresident Dawson .

The secretary read te legrams and letters from members who wereunable to be present .President Dawson asked Thomas A . Lee to introduce Mr . Boyd

B . Stutler,Of West Virginia . In presenting him Mr . Lee stated

that Mr . Stutler possessed probably the largest col lection Of JohnBrown material in the country . Mr . Stutler said that having beenborn not far from Harper ’s Ferry he had from boyhood been interested in John Brown , despite the local antipathy toward him,

and

had begun at an early day to make a col lection Of material relatingto him. His col lection comprises books

,pamphlets

, posters ,~

por

traits and other items . A bibliography containing over a thousandtitles whi ch he has compiled will be printed by the New York C itypublic library . Upon the completion Of Mr . Stutler ’s talk PresidentDawson suggested that if he were in doubt where to place hiscol lection when he passed on

,the Kansas State Historical Society

would be glad to act as its custod ian .

President Dawson read a letter which had been written to himby Judge C . E . Cory , of Fort Scott, a d irector Of the Society , whoi s at present living in Lake Charles

,La .

, and requested the secretary to write him expressing the regret Of the members at hisabsence.

The president then read his annual addressPRES IDENT’S ADDRES S .

If Herodotus was the Father of History,I presume I should greet you

representatives of the Kansa s State Historica l Society as the Sons and

Daughters Of Herodotus . And this , with my very best bow,I now do .

History is an authentic record Of what man has done . Arnold Of Rugbydefined it as the biography of the commonwealth . Napoleon said that historyis a fable that people have agreed upon ; but that satirica l remark was clearlyerroneous , since what is not true is not history .As a state historical society we are primarily concerned with the chronicles

of our own commonwealth ,with the collection and preservation of data and

material s by which the story of its development can be set down in availableand enduring form. There is no more lasting public service a group of

scholarly men and women can render than that Of preserving a state’s history

for the instruction and future guidance of its citizens . Like the S cripture, a

state’s history is profitable for doctrine

,for reproof, for correction

,for instruc

tion in civic righteousness . NO part Of this state ’s educational program is more

worthy of public support than the activities Of the Kansas State Historical


Society . Kansas history is not confined to its mere provincial aspects . For

the greater part Of one heroic generation Kansas supp lied the stage and theme

for an all-engross ing national political drama whose acts and scenes were laidhereabout—the rush from North and South to capture and hold this territoryfor freedom or slavery ; the border warfare which opened the

“Irrepressible

Conflict”; the influx of the sold ier settlers who staked out their homesteadson the Kansas plains ; the epic of the prairie trails to Santa Fe, to Oregon and

Pike ’s Peak ; the build ing of the railroads , and the boom towns whi ch sprangup in their wake . Such dramatic incidents largely shaped our state

’s history

from the passage of the Squatter Sovereignty act Of 1854 until the latereighties, and their repercussions deeply affected the entire nation .

The moods and tenses of the people of Kansas Should be interpreted in the

light of their colorful and dramatic background , having in mind what our

pioneer forbears strove for and endured and accomplished . And the Kansasof to-morrow wil l be the product of all our yesterdays . Our state consciousness ,our temperamental , social and political attitudes, are our composite reaction tothe tribulations through which the Sunflower State has cleaved its way—not to

the stars, but in their direction—Ad astra per aspera !

Yet the true historian has other Obligations than that of formulating p leasing encomiums to flatter our state pride . Lord Acton

,a hi storian of the last

century , declared that in all the years he had devoted to historical researchand historical writing he had constantly striven to suppress the poet, thepatriot, the religious and political partisan , to sustain no cause ,

to write noth~

ing to gratify his own feelings or d isclose his personal convictions . His stead~

fast attitude towards his work was to scrutinize, di ssect his materials , and set

down the result. Nothing more . But such an attitude of neutrality is hard lyatta inable by the average student Of history ; and possibly the voluminousproduct of Lord Acton

’s pen is an accumulation of highly valuable materials

for the writing of history rather than history itself .I think it not improper that historians should be partisans—honest, in

formed partisans—but our partisan mood should follow and not precede our

research work . There is likely to be more vitality,more sustained interest, in

the literary work of an honest,informed partisan than in the colorless writing

of one whose entire attitude is that of stud ied detachment . The true student

of history pursues his researches in the scientific spirit. H is work must besystematized . The d iscovery, classification and preservation Of historical dataconstitute one important aspect Of his work . Appraising the due weight and

significance to be given to such data is another great responsibility . Both

services are invaluable . History cannot be pred icated on memory , folk loreor trad ition . It must rest on material proof . Documentary evidence is thebest and makes the largest contribution . Statutes , decisions of courts , filesof court proceed ings, official reports, governors ’ messages , newspapers, business records and personal correspondence of the long ago—all these supp lyinvaluable material when subj ected to the appraising scrutiny of the trained

analyst . Biography, and especially autobiography , are highly serviceablesource books for the compilation of history . It has been truly said that thelife of every person contains the materials for an excellent story

, if he has had

the good fortune to have a biographer . Poetry, the popular songs of past gen6—6617

82 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYerations, even the crude doggerel of the common people

, contain much goldof historic truth which the trained student can read ily uncover . Ancient ruins

,

coins,weapons , relics Of all sorts yield a rich treasure of evidentiary data . In

the Field Museum in Chicago is a marvelous collection of dentists’tools, un

earthed in Pompeii , which reveal s what remarkable progress the d ental arthad made in Italy before A . D . 79 , when that city was destroyed . Many authentic contributions to the history of other arts of surprising proportions havebeen gleaned from similar sources . The antiquarian and archeologist bring tol ight evidentiary materials for the composition of ancient and medi eval history ; and that history in turn teaches us to interpret the present and to forecast the future . If and when we accumulate sufficient data concerning the na

tions of antiquity to diagnose the causes of their decline and fall we shallhave progressed a long way towards the d iscovery of an antidote for the eco

nomic and social d iseases which produce the mortality of states and of peoples .

Whenever the evidentiary facts of history have been made available, itscomposition will follow in due course . And of all who bear a hand in gatheringthe evidentiary facts and material s for the writing of history, as well as of

those who do write it, and those who study it when written ,it can justly be

said that they are of a royal and privileged race . Whereas the years of a man

are three score and ten , the years Of the student Of history are lengthened toinclude all the authentic ages of the past ; and from the vanta ge point of such

d isciplined breadth of view he acquires something of a philosopher ’s attitudetowards the present and a prophet’s vision to anticipate the future .

The research worker and writer in the field Of history mus t have aptitudeand industry and unqualified devotion to his subj ect . A man who finds historytedious or uninteresting would better let it alone . Otherwise he is apt to

conclude that history is what Henry Ford swore it was, in his mil lion-dol lar

lawsuit with Aaron Shapiro .

Not onl y is a natural aptitude for the work of the historian necessary , butthe successful worker must be trained to it, either self-taught or schooltaught—trained in analysis of facts and their value, in the selection Of the

relevant and elimination Of the inconsequential , and in the matter of drawingproper deductions from the systematized mass .

Within the half century which covers the period of my memory and ex

perience, the student’s approach to history has been greatly altered . The

value of its substantive matter has shifted completely . In my boyhood westudied dates, battles , dynasties

“First William the Norman ,

Then William his son ,

Henry , Stephen and HenryThen Richard and John .

Of the people who supported those autocrats and of contemporary socialcond itions we were taught very little . To this day I must admit I know a

good deal more about the half-mythical S iege of Troy and the“wrath of

Achilles” than I do about how common humanity lived and d ied during manycenturies prior to and succeed ing the incidents embalmed in ‘

Homer ’s song .

In my youth school boys read much about Mirabeau and Danton, Robespierre

and Napoleon . But somehow our histories made no impression upon our

minds as to the causes of the sanguinary events whi ch brought these personag es


into public view—the protracted growth of French absolutism,the hopeless

wretchedness of the French people . Of the reformers , philosophers and

writers who groped their way to the world-shaking climax Of 1789 , the histories

of fifty years ago p laced before a college lad told next to nothing .

The modern historian has a far better sense Of historic values . H is chiefconcern with the climaxes and cataclysms of history is to trace them to theirremote sources , to detect and reveal the causes which produce such couse

quences . The past, its errors and successes , are lessons for guidance in the

future . By such service as the painstaking historian alone can give , en lightenedcitizenshi p and patriotic statesmanship can di rect the course of history awayfrom the mistakes of the past into wiser channels , and thereby counteract

history ’s fateful tendency to repeat itself . In times Of social unrest, wheneconomic and industrial conditions are abnormal , the lessons of history are

invaluable . Those lessons supply two prime services , at least : First, theassurance that we always have won through such troublesome periods to bettercond itions and easier times ; and second , a guideboard showing how our

economic and industrial tribulations have been surmounted heretofore . Historyis freighted with the experiences Of peoples who have followed blind politicaltrai ls and espoused fal lacious doctrines to their sorrow and misfortune . Stu

dents Of history cannot stress too strongly how wise and profitable it is forpeople to be historical ly minded ; how greatly the state can profit by thelessons of experience . It is the historian ’

s bounden obligation never to becomeweary of wel l-doing ; he must patiently and steadfastly teach with tongue and

pen how imprudent it is to espouse proposed doctrines and policies withoutconsulting historic records to learn whether these have been tried before and

with what result of success or failure .

It is a curious social phenomenon that it is only on matters of public con

cern that the lessons of experience are ignored . On any important legalquestion the average man wi l l engage the services of a lawyer who wil l makean exhaustive examination of the pertinent decisions of the highest courts

before he wil l venture to advise his client or put hi s legal rights to the hazardof a lawsuit. In any case of dangerous illness the course of treatment pre

scribed by a consicentious physician is a lways the one which a stud ious exami

nation Of similar recorded cases suggests as most likely to effect a cure. But

in matters of economi cs , politics and government, inquiry is seldom made

whether a proposed expedient has ever been tried before . Even if it is a mere

commonplace fact of history that a suggested measure had been repeatedlytried and had invari ably failed it wil l be plausibly championed as if it were

the acme of political wisdom.

Why should not the great political parties establish research bureaus tostudy proposed economic and political measures, and to have reports thereonmade at Off seasons when no political compaigns are impend ing . If this coun

try is to continue to be governed through the expediency of political partiessomething Of this kind wi ll have to be undertaken . We cannot go on indefi

nitely as we have been doing in recent years . It is absurd to suppose that thegrave and important economic and political problems of our nationa l democ

racy Or of a single American commonwealth can be wisely solved by a p latform committee who are informally convened for a brief sess ion in a hotelbedroom on the night before a political convention .


When the American pioneers came over the Al leghan ies into the woods and

prairies Of the Midd le West, governmental concerns and activities were at a

minimum. To the frontiersman who d id not violate the sixth ,seventh, and

eighth commandments,the government was a vague, impalpable thing with

which he had little or nothing to do except in time of war . That remote re

lation Of the common man to his government continued until so recent a time

that many of our citizens of midd le life and Older are stil l bewildered at

what has happened to the America of their youth . Now government is con

cerned with a multitude of matters which were regarded as clearly outsideits legitimate scope a few decades ago . It is the plain duty of the historianto interpret this disquieting growth Of governmenta l activity . Much expansionof government has been required to make our country as comfortable a p lacefor 125 mil lion people to live in as it was for twenty, or forty, or sixty milli onpeople

,and while patriotic anxiety over our constantly expand ing government

ought to slow down the enactment of more laws and police regulations, theresearch student of history must confess that the tendency to curtail the peop le ’s liberties and to increase the burdens of their government has never beeneffectively and permanently checked among the nations and states of bygonetimes . Whether it can be done without halting or crippling the progress of

civilization is a problem worthy of the most earnest solicitude of patrioticmen and women . As dutiful historians—like Clio, with her stylus—we willfaithfully record every worthwhile attempt at its solution .

Perhaps the most profound lesson which history has to teach is that noth

ing in government or in the structure of society has happened by mere chance .

Our national and state constitutions were devised in travai l of brain and pa

triotism. The institutions of this fair state—its cities,churches, schools , and

business establishments—d id not just grow like Topsy . They came about because two generations of men who preceded us labored unceasingly and purposely to bring them into existence—not for themse lves alone, nor for us theirch ildren , but for many generations yet to come . A great and enduring com

monwealth is not founded upon lands and goods but on the faith of its peopleand in the genius of its institutions . Faith is the substance of things hopedfor . And a people can achieve only what they aspire to and work for and

pray for .

Kansas history should occupy a larger p lace in our system of education .

More local history need s to be written and preserved . There is an instruotive lesson in the chronicles of every county, in every worth-while town

,in

every worth-while public achievement. There are many Kansans still livingwho were here in our day of small things . Almost every one of them has a

story which should be preserved . Not all Of these stories need be printed .

Set down in typewriting and fi led in the archives of this Society, they wi llnot be lost ; and their value will be justly appraised by our research students

as the years go by .As members of the Kansas State Historical Society we have nothing to do

with mere boasting of our state’

s greatness . Like other patriotic folk wehave a just pride in its history ; but none wi l l more read ily admit than we

that there are limitless stretches of social culture and of political progress yetto be achieved by forward-looking men before our beloved Kansas accom


born at the mission and who i s a daughter Of Rev . Thomas Johnson,

its founder . Mrs . Anderson expressed her appreciation forthe work Of the State Society and the coOperation Of the ShawneeMission Ind ian Historical Society .

Miss Edna Nyquist , secretary Of the McPherson County Historical Society

, was cal led upon and spoke briefly about the work beingdone in that county .

Judge Dawson introduced the two members of the Grand ArmyOf the Republic who were present , J . W . Priddy , department adj utant, and Col . W . W . Denison

,prefacing his introduction by calling

attention to the debt the Historica l Society owes the G . A . R . for

the beautiful Memorial Build ing in which it is housed . Mr . Priddyand Colonel Denison both responded with short talks .President Dawson told Of the work being done by the Society in

the preservation Of Old manuscripts and documents , and cal led uponthe secretary to explain the processes used . Mr . Mechem explainedthat the repair work is based on the method s in use at the L ibraryOf Congress and exhibited samples of Old manuscripts in variousstages of repair .H . C . Raynesford

, of E l l is , a d irector Of the Society , was askedby the president to explain the work he has done in tracing theButterfield Overland Despatch road through E l l is and Trego counties , which was first surveyed by the government in the 1 850

’

s asa mail l ine between Missouri and the Rocky Mountains . Mr .Raynesford told how he had been assisted in this undertaking byMr . Charles A . Baugher

, who was present at the meeting . He d is

played a number Of sections of detailed survey maps to i l lustratehis talk , and explained some of the d ifficulties which arise due tothe fact that the Old trails and station sites have been almost obliterated . Mr . Raynesford stated that they expected to complete thesurveys to the western boundary Of the State .

Gen . Wilder S . Metcal f cal led attention to the fact that the routeof the Old Oregon trai l can be seen in S ix places on highway number40 between Topeka and Lawrence, and stated that more markingsshould be erected on the Old trail .No further business being presented , the meeting ad journed .


MEETING OF TH E BOARD OF D IRECTORS .

The a fternoon meeting Of the board Of d irectors was cal led toorder by the president . The secretary read the names of l ife, honorary and annual members to be elected by the board

,as fol lows

LIFE MEMBERS .

William A . Bailey, Kansas City, K an . Frank T. Sull ivan , Lawrence .

Dr . Loyal Davis, Chicago, Ill . McPherson County Hi storical Society,Jasper Younkin ,

Kansas City, K an . McPherson .

Dr . Margaret Bostic, Topeka . Coburn Library, Colorado Col lege,Miss Kate Stephens, New York, N. Y . Colorado Springs .

Jul ius M . Liepman ,Fort Scott. Kiowa County Historical Society,

Clarence Mershon,Oakley . Mul linville .

O . D . Sartin , Cedarvale .

ANNUAL MEMBERS .

Lucile Lukens, Lenora . Agnes Emery, Lawrence .

Mrs . Martha 0 . Colvin , Neosho, MO. Salina Memorial Art Co .

, Salina .

HONORARY MEMBER .

Mrs . John A . Hal l,Pleasanton .

On motion of Col . Sam F . Woolard,seconded by Thomas Am0 ry

Lee, they were unanimously elected to membership .

The president called for a reread ing Of the report of the nominat

ing committee for Officers of the Society . On motion Of ColonelWoolard seconded by Colonel Denison

,the fol lowing Officers were

electedFor a one-year term : Thomas Amory Lee

,president ; H . K . Lindsley, first

vice president ; T. F . Doran, second vice president ;

For a two-year term : Kirke Mechem, secretary ; Mrs . Mary Embree,treasurer .

President Dawson called upon the newly elected president, Mr .Thomas Amory Lee, who thanked the board and made a brief talk .

Sen . H . K . L ind sley,Of Wichita

,inquired i f it is necessary for

newly elected members to wait for the annual meeting to ratify theirelection before certificates of membership can be issued to them .

It was pointed out that the . by- laws adopted the year previously

gave the power to ratify memberships and i ssue certificates to theexecutive committee .

NO further business being brought before the board the meetingad journed . KIRKE MECH EM

, S ecretary .

88 THE KANSAS HI STORICAL QUARTERLYD IRECTORS FOR YEAR ENDING OCTOBER , 1933 .

Beeks,Charles E Baldwin .

Beezley, George F . , Girard .

Bonebrake, Fred B . , Topeka .

Bowlus, Thomas H . ,Iola .

Browne, Charles H . ,Horton .

Dean, John S .

,Topeka .

Embree, Mrs . Mary, Topeka .

Gray, John M .

,Kirwin .

Harger, Charles M . , Abilene .

Harvey, Mrs . Isabel le C . , Topeka .

Haucke, Frank, Council Grove .

Kagey , Charles L . , Beloit .

Kinkel,John M . , Topeka .

Lee, Thomas Amory, Topeka .

McFarland,Helen M .

,Topeka .

Malone, James, Topeka .

Mechem, Kirke, Topeka .

Metcalf, Wilder S . , Lawrence .

Morrison , T. F ., Chanute .

Norris, Mrs . George,Arkansas City .

O’Neil

, Ralph ,Topeka .

Phil ip, Mrs . W . D .,Hays .

Rankin , Robert C . , Lawrence .

Ruppenthal , J . C . , Russell .Ryan , Ernest A . ,

Topeka .

Sawtell , James H . , Topeka .

S imons,W . C . , Lawrence .

Soller, August, Washington .

Stanley,W . E. , Wichita .

S tone, Robert, Topeka .

Trembly, W . B . ,Kansas City, K an .

Walker, B . P . , Osborne.

Woodward , Chester, Topeka .

D IRECTORS FOR YEAR ENDING OCTOBER, 1934 .

Austin, E. A .

, Topeka .

Berryman , J . W ., Ashland .

Brigham,Mrs . Lal la M . ,

Council Grove.

Brooks, H . K . ,Topeka .

Bumgardner, Dr . Edward , Lawrence .

Curtis, Charles, Topeka .

Davis , John W . , Dodge City .Denious

,Jess C . , Dodge City .

Frizell , E. E Larned .

Godsey, Mrs . Flora I .

,Emporia .

Hal l , Mrs . Carrie A . , Leavenworth .

Hamilton , Clad , Topeka .

Haskin , S . B . , Olathe .

Hegler, Ben F . ,Wichita .

Jones, Horace, Lyons .

Kelley, E. E.

,Topeka .

Lil lard , T. M . , Topeka .

Lindsley , H . K . , Wichita .

McCarter, Mrs . Margaret Hill ,Topeka .

Mercer , J . H . ,Topeka .

Oliver,Hannah P . , Lawrence .

Patrick, Mrs . Mae C . , Satanta .

Reed,Clyde M .

, Parsons .

Rupp , Mrs . W . E . ,Hill sboro.

Scott, Charles F . , Iola .

S chultz , Floyd , Clay Center .

Shirer, H . L . ,Topeka .

Van De Mark, M . V . B .

,Concord ia .

Van Petten , A. E . , Topeka .

Wark, George H . ,

Kansas City, Kan .

Wheeler, Mrs . B . R . , Topeka .

Woolard , Sam F . , Wichita .

Wooster, Lorraine E. , Sal ina .

D IRECTORS FOR YEAR ENDING OCTOBER,1935 .

Aitchison , R . T., Wichita .

Bowman , Noah L . , Garnett.

Capper, Arthur, Topeka .

Cory, C . E.,Fort Scott .

Crosby, E. H . , Topeka .

Dawson ,John S .

,Hil l City .

Denison , W . W . ,Topeka .

Doerr,Mrs . Laura P . V . , Larned .

Doran , Thomas F ., Topeka .

Knapp,Dallas W .

, Coffeyvil le .

Ellenbecker , John G . , Marysville .

Harvey, Mrs . Sally, Topeka .

Hobble, Frank A ., Dodge City .

Hodder, F . H . , Lawrence .

Hog in ,John C . ,

Belleville .

Huggins , Wm. L . ,Emporia .

Humphrey, H . L .,Abilene .

Johnston ,Mrs . W . A . ,

Topeka .


McLean,Milton R Topeka .

McNeal, T. A . , Topeka .

Malin,James C . , Lawrence .

Mason,Mrs . Henry F . ,

Topeka .

Morehouse , George P . ,Topeka .

Plumb , George, Emporia .

Raynesford , H . C ., El lis .

Russell, W . J Topeka .

Smith, Wm. E. , Wamego .

Spratt, O . M . , Baxter Springs .

S tevens , Caroline F . ,Lawrence .

Thompson, W . F Topeka .

Van Tuyl , Mrs . Effie H . ,

Leavenworth .

Walker,Mrs . Ida M .

, Norton

Wilson ,John H . , Salina .

Recen t Add itions to the LibraryCompiled by HELEN M . MCFARLAND

, LibrarianINCE the l ibrary is specialized , books which are purchased or re

ceived by gift general ly fall into the fol lowing classes : theKansas library

,includ ing books by Kansans and books about Kan

sas ; the western section , covering explorations , overland journeys ,and tales Of the early West ; genealogy and local history , includ ingfamily histories

,V ital record s , Revolutionary records , publications of

patriotic and hereditary societies,and state

,county and town his

tories ; and books on the Ind ians Of North America , United Stateshistory and biography .

We are always interested in obtaining information about Kansasauthors and their work and shal l consider it a great favor if ourreaders will Send us any information that will put us in touch withlocal authors .The fol lowing books have been added to the l ibrary from October

1,1 931

,to October 1

,1 932 :

KANSAS .

BA’

E‘

ES, GLEN CORA, Glowing Embers . Rifle, Colo .,

Press of the Rifle Telegram

BEEBE, CHAR LES R,K ansas Facts . Vol . 3 . Topeka , Beebe [c .

BELL, ARCH L . , Who’

s Who in the K ansas Legis la ture ; S ession 193 1 . Great

Bend , Howell Printing Company, 193 1 .

BLANCHARD, LEOLA H ., Conquest of S outhwest K ansas . Wichi ta , K an .

,Wichita

Eag le Press lc .

CLAYTON , CHARLES LINCOLN , God , Evolution and M ind Hea ling . Wellington ,

K an .,The American S chool of Science and Religion

,1923 .

COUNTS , GEORGE SYLVES TER,Dare the School Bui ld a New Socia l Order? New

York, John Day lc.

Soviet Challenge to America . New York,John Day [c.

COUNTS , GEORGE SYLVESTER, tr . , New Russia’

s Primer, by M . Ilin . The S tory

of the Five Year P lan . Boston ,Houghton [c.

COWAN, MRS . EDWINA EUNICE (ABBOTT) , and AVIS D . CARLSON, Bringing UpYour Child ; a Practical Manual . New York, Duffleld Company [c.

COWAN, MRS . EDWINA EUNICE (ABBOTT) , and LAURA THORNBOROUGH , pseud . ,

The Psychologist K eeps House . Minneapoli s, Midwest Company, 1930 .

CURROR, D . , Scotch Enterprise in America . Mr . George Grant’

s Great Prop

erty ; Victoria in K ansas an Exp lanation to an Enquiring S cotch

man Who Contemp lated Emi gration . Ed inburgh,Colston ,

1873 .

DAVIDSON, CHARLES LOCK , Dilson’

s K ey , by the Commodore . Wichi ta , K an .,

The Goldsmith-Woolard Publishing Company , 19 16 .

DENTZER, PHYLLIS , S tory of Abi lene H igh S chool, 1 880-1982 . no impr .

DONEGHY, DAGMAR, The Border ; a Missouri S aga . New York , W . Morrow

Company, 193 1 .

RECENT ADDITIONS TO TH E LIBRARY 91

DRIS COLL, CHARLES BENEDICT, Treasure Aboard . New York , Farrar and Rinehart

EBLE, JES S IE G . , The Red Trail. New York , H . HarrisonEISELE, WILBERT EDW IN, The Real Wi ld Bi ll Hickock . Denver, Colo .

,W . H .

Andre,193 1 .

ELLENBECKER, JOHN G . , Oak Grove Massacre (Oak Grove, Nebraska ) ; Ind ian

{t

l

ai

gés

fl

on the Little Blue R iver in 1864. Marysvil le,Advocate-Democrat

9

ELLIOTT, R . S . ,K ansas Pacific Railway ,

Experiments in Cultivation on theWestern Plains . S t. Louis , Levison Blythe

,1872 .

English Enterprise in America ; Notes Addressed to Investors and S ettlers Concerning the Estate of Victoria (Ellis County , K ansas, U. S . ) Property of Mr .

George Grant. Ed inburgh, John Lindsay, 1874 .

FISHER,.

HUGH T. , Communism in S oviet Russia ; Its Challenge to ThinkingAmeri cans . [Topeka , K an . ] Capper Printing Company [c.

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His tory of Southwest K ansas Conference of the Methodist Ep iscopal Church,Vol . 1 , 1869- 193 1 . 11 . p . ,

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HOYT, CHARLES R , S tory ; History of Field Hospi tal 139 of Topeka, K ansas,

in the Great War, 1 917-191 8-1 91 9 . [TOpeka ,

Jones Birch,n . d . ]

HUGHES , LANGSTON , Negro Mother, and Other Dramatic Reci tations . NewYork

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Burton Publishing CompanyKANSAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Organization Handbook ; Tax S tudy in Thir

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KAN S AS STATE YOUNG MEN ’ S CHRISTIAN AS SOCIATION , Fifty Years of His tory ;K ansas S tate Y . M . C . A .

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Plowing Time and Other S tories . KansasCity , Mo . ,

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92 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYMALIN, JAMES CLAUDE, The Background of the First Bills to Establi sh a Eu

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i‘THWES

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94 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYHU

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iRT, ARCHER BUTLER, FortyuNiners . Boston

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DEN SMORE, LYMAN WILLARD, Handbook of Hartwell Genealogy, 1 636-1887 .

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PARKER, FRANCIS J Genealogy of the Ainsworth Families in Ameri ca . Boston ,Printed for the Compiler, 1894 .

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Black Elk Speaks ; Being the Life S tory of a HolyMan of the Ogalala S ioux as Told to John G . Neihardt New York,W . Morrow Company, 1932 .

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Frederick A . Stokes Company , 193 1 .

SEARS , LOUIS MARTIN, George Washington . New York,Thomas Y . Crowell

Company [c.

S IMPSON , SIR GEORGE, Fur Trade and Empire ; George S impson’s Journal ; Re

marks Connected with the Fur Trade in the Course of a Voyage FromYork Factory to Fort George and Back to York Factory , 1 8244 825 .

Cambridge . Harvard University Press , 193 1 . [Harvard Historical Stud ies,Vol .

STECK ,FRANCI S BORGIA, The Jolliet-Marquette Expedition, 1 673 . G lendale,

Calif .,The Arthur H . Clark Company, 1928 .

Kansas H istory as Published in the State Press

Memories of Early Days , by H . P . Tripp , has been publishedin the Waldo Advoca te in its issues of January 1 8 , February 29 ,April 1 1 and December 5 , 1 932 .

The pioneering experiences of a pastor of the Swedi sh Lutheranchurch at Mariadahl were recounted in a letter from the minister,Dr . J . Seleen , published in the Rocks County Record , Stockton,August 1 8

,1 932 . The arti cle was reprinted from the Mariadahl

Messenger, C leburne.

“Scott County Historical Society Notes,a column appearing in

The S cott County Record and The News Chronicle, Scott C ity , featured

“The Smoky Hill Cattle Pool ,” August 25 ; “Dul l Knife’sRaid in by George W . Brown , a scout, September 1 5October 20 ; “A Page From the Notebook Of a Buffalo Hunter, byRosa B . Dickhut, and biographical sketches of Mr . and Mrs . E . E .

Coffin , in November , and a letter from a buffalo hunter which toldof the naming of White Woman creek

,December 8 .

Names of 1 40 Gove county persons over seventy years of age

were published by the Repub licaw Gazette, Gove C ity , September

“Echoes Of the Old Dewey Trial ,” was a feature of the NortonChampion, September 1 5 , 1 932 . The article gave the story of the

Chaun cey E . Dewey and A lpheus Berry feud famous in early northwest Kansas history .

The history of Barclay , Osage county , was briefly reviewed inThe Osage County Journa l, Osage C ity , September 21 , 1 932 . JohnM . Wetherall

,of Philadelphia

,was the first settler .

Names of old settlers registering at Oakley ’s forty- seventh birthday anniversary celebration and histori cal notes taken at the gath

ering were published in the Oakley Graphic, September 23 , 1 932 .

Dave D . Leahy ’s “Random Recol lections of Other Days” columnappearing in the Wichita Sunday Eagle included articles on the

fol lowing subjects : The organization Of the Twentieth Kansasregiment, from an interview with John Quick, September 25, 1 932 ;“Chalk” Beeson and the bufi alO -hunt of Grand Duke A lexis, Oc

KANSAS HIS TORY IN TH E STATE PRES S 103

tober 2 ; Eugene Ware, October 9 , and memories of a corner grocerystore in Caldwel l , October 23 .

“Sixty Years Of L ife at Logan,Kansas was the title of a feature

story published in the Logan Republican in its issue of September29

,October 20

,November 1 0 and 24

,1 932 .

Two meteors which fel l in Washington county in 1 890 were re

cal led by the Washington County Register, Washington , September30

,1 932 . The larger stone weighed 1 88 pound s . Names of the

C ivi l War veterans attend ing an 1 888 reunion in the Washingtonarmory building were l isted in this issue.

An article entitled Kansas —the Nation ’s Bread Basket ,” by

Larry Freeman,was published in The Highway Traveler (C leve

l and,Ohio) , in its issue of October—November

,1 932 . The story of

Kansas wheat was briefly reviewed .

A brief history of the Bluff C ity Methodist Episcopal church,by

E . E . E l l iott, was published in the Anthony Times, October 4 , 1 932 ,and the Anthony Republican,

October 6 . The church was organizedin 1 891 by Rev . Charles Brown, of Freeport .On the fortieth anniversary of the famous Dalton raid on Coffey

ville the Dai ly Journa l, of October 5 , 1 932 , publ ished a two-pagei l lustrated review of the event . The eye

-w itness account of Ida

Gibbs-Jones , as written forty years afterward , was an added feature.

Med icine Lodge Looks Back Sixty-five Years to the End ing ofthe Ind ian Wars ,

” was the title of an il lustrated article in the Kansas C ity (MO. ) Times , October 5 , 1 932 .

The Pioneer Kansan C lub of Morris county held its fourth annualmeeting in Counci l Grove

,October 6

,1 932 . Thomas F . Doran

,

Topeka , a former resident , was a Speaker . Names of members present were published in the Council Grove Press, October 6 , and theWhite C ity Register , October 1 3 .

Settlement of a New Haven colony in Smith county was describedby A . T . Gledhi l l

,Of Los Angeles , Calif . , in the Smi th County P ic

neer,Smith Center

,October 6

,1 932 . Mr . Gledhil l was a member of

the company settl ing in Kansas in 1 871 .

“Sod Shanty Days ,

” asreviewed by Roy C lough , was another feature Of the same issue.

The fiftieth anniversary of Charles F . Scott ’s ed itorship of the


Iola Dai ly Regis ter was Observed October 6 , 1 932 , with a special historical ed ition prepared by the Register s staff .

An 1 886 map of L incoln county inspired The Lincoln County

News, Lincoln , to reminisce in its issue Of October 6 , 1 932 . The

county at that time had one railroad and four more had been surveyed .

Early Wallace county history as prepared by R . F . Brock hasbeen head l ined in The Western Times

,Sharon Springs

,as fol lows

Some Facts and History of Pioneer Days in Wallace County,

October 6 ; Fort Wallace and Other Histori cal Events of Interest,

” October 1 3 and 27 ;“Interesting Facts of Early Days in Wal

lace County,”November 10 ; “Moving oi the County Seat to SharonSprings from Wallace,

” November 1 7 ; George M . DeTi lla writesof His Early—day Experiences

,

” November 24,and How Cheyenne

Wel ls Received Its Name— Early Newspapers ,” December 1 5 .

O ld trails of Pratt county were d iscussed by the Pratt Dai ly

Tribune,October 7 , 1 932 . It was thought by the Tribune that the

Med icine Lodge peace treaty commissioners passed close to Prattin going to the treaty ground s in 1 867 . The arti cle was reprintedin The Barber County Index, Med icine Lodge, on October 1 3 .

A Grant County Historical Day was observed October 8 inUlysses . Names of registered Old settlers were published in the

Grant County Republican,October 1 3 , and the Grant County New

Era October 14 .

Ghosts Haunt Wichita ’s First Jail ,” by Mary Moore, was the

title of an i llustrated feature article appearing in the Wichita

Beacon, October 9 , 1 932 .

A brief resume of Ind ian activities in Kansas lead ing up to theMed i cine Lodge treaty of 1 867 was written by Paul I . Wel lman for

the Wichita Sunday Eagle, October 9 , 1 932 .

Prairie schooner” d ays were recal led by Mrs . James A l lenThroop for the Washington County Register, Washington , October14

,1 932 .

Mrs.Throop and her husband homesteaded a farm in

Coleman township near where the Throop church, schoolhouse and

store now stand .

O ld record s reveal ing the early history of Lowman MemorialMethod ist Episcopal church , Topeka , were reviewed recently

.

In

preparation for the forty- seventh anniversary of the church Wt h


The three-year Hamilton county seat fight between Kendall andSyracuse was described in the Dodge C ity Dai ly Globe, November3,1 932 . The article was republished in the Syracuse Journa l, No

vember 1 1 .

An eight-page i l lustrated Cheyenne county historical supplementwas published by the Bird C ity Times

,November 3

,1 932 . Past and

present Bird C ity , a history of the Evergreen United Brethrenchurch, the first wedd ing and the chri stening of the World Warship Bird Ci ty , were recalled . Sketches and experiences of pioneersincluded the fol lowing names : W . W . Shahan , Mrs . E . J . Sheldon

,

Ida Howel l Henry , Maggie Howel l Ramsey , R . S . Thompson , FredD . Cram

,Henry H . Eads , Rol l ie M . Eads

,J . O l iver

,Irving Ander

son,H . B . Bear

,Mr . and Mrs . Thomas Stanley , Charles E . Curry ,

Mrs . Alma (Slifer ) Kilmer , Carrie E . Johnson , Mrs . Ida L . Taylor ,Pat McCloskey ,

Dr . and Mrs . G . R . Pegg, Dore Lockard and Lou

M . Benson .

Sixty-three years of Washington Presbyterian church historywere reviewed by the Washington County Register, November 4 ,1 932 . The church was established October 3 1 , 1 869 , by Rev . Ed

ward Cooper and Rev . W . G . Thomas with fifteen members en

rol led .

The fiftieth anniversary of the Walnut Baptist church was celebrated October 30 , 1 932 . A history of the organization was published in the Walnut Eagle in its issue of November 4 and 1 1 .

Brief histori cal sketches of the first church build ing , first mil l andfirst bank in Seneca were published in 3.

“Here and There” columnin the Seneca Courier-Tribune, November 7

,1 932 .

Tribute to the Grinnel l family , publishers of the Ameri cus Greeting which recently celebrated its forty- second birthday , was givenby the Emporia Times , in its issue Of November 1 0 , 1 932 . The

Grinnel ls have owned the newspaper thirty- seven years .

Wichita ’s first social event was recorded by Victor Murdock in

the Wichita Evening Eagle, November 1 4 , 1 932 , after an interviewwith Syl . Dunkin , who walked to Wichita from Emporia in March,1 871 .

On arriving in the new city Mr . Dunkin was given foodwhich had been left over from a quilting party held the day before—and that party was Wichita ’s first society news , wrote Mr . Mur

dock .

The sixtieth anniversary of the Winfield First Christian church

KAN SAS HIS TORY IN THE STATE PRES S 107

was Observed November 1 6-20 , 1 932 . It was organized September22

,1 872

,under the d irection of the Rev . James Irvin . Histori cal

notes of the church were published in the Winfield IndependentRecord and Courier .

W . V . Jackson,pioneer homesteader Of Comanche county , wrote

of a journey forty- three years ago over the southwest prairies in acovered wagon

,for the Hutchinson Herald

,November 1 7 , 1 932 .

Pres . U . S . Grant was among a group of notables registering in1 871 at the Ames Hotel in Wamego, accord ing to the Times of

November 17 1 932 . The yel lowed pages of the hotel register alsorevealed the names Of Henry Ward Beecher

,Frank P . Arbuckle,

the coffee merchant,and John Jacob Astor .

Wichita ’s first ferry and bridge across the Arkansas river were described by Victor Murdock in the Wichita Evening Eagle, November 1 7 1 932 . The ferry went into operation in May, 1 871 , andwas supplanted by the bridge a year later .

The early history of the Fredonia Christian church, prepared byO . B . Griffin , was published in the Dai ly Hera ld

,November 1 9 ,

1 932, as a feature of the anniversary services of the church . The

church was organized in the summer Of 1 871 .

A column Sketch of Gov . James M . Harvey , who settled in R i leycounty in 1 859 , was publ ished by the Manhattan Mercury, November 23 , and the Manhattan Republic, December 1 . The sketch wasprepared and read by Emma Harvey

,a d aughter

,at a recent meet

ing of the Ri ley County Historical Society .

John R . Bowersox, pioneer Republ ic county resident, told of his

C ivil War experiences in the Scand ia Journa l, November 24 , 1 932 .

Mr . Bowersox took part in the siege of Corinth.

A twocolumn history of the Russel l city l ibrary,as given by

J . C . Ruppenthal at a Rotary C lub luncheon,was published in

The Russell County News,Russel l

,November 24

,1 932 .

The l ife story of Capt . W . S . Tough , famous Union raider, wasreviewed by Manly Wade Wel lman in the Wichita Sunday Eagle,November 27 1 932 . Captain Tough was with General B lunt at thebattles of Cane Hill , Ark ,

and Baxter Springs , where Blunt’s body

guard was massacred by Quantri l l . The reminiscences of A . H .

McCormick,early resident Of Augusta , as told to Helen Haines , was

another historical feature Of this issue of the Eagle.


A brief history of the Billard mill , later known as the Centralmil l

,Topeka

,was published in the Dai ly Capi ta l, November 27

1 932 . Jules B . Billard , owner Of the mill , was formerly mayor of

Topeka .

The Harmony Presbyterian church, west of Wichita , celebratedits fiftieth anniversary November 27 1 932 . A brief history of the

organization was published in the Wichita Morning Eagle, November 29 , 1 932 .

A four-page historical Supplement devoted to Wakeeney and

Trego county was published by the Hays Dai ly News , November30

,1 932 . The organization of the county and its school system ,

the origin Of the name Wakeeney and a condensed history of the

county by A . S . Peacock , were features of the ed ition .

The seventy-fi fth birthday anniversary of the Burlingame Baptistchurch was celebrated November 24-27 , 1 932 . The church wasestablished August 6 , 1 857 , at the home of Miss Helen Tisdale. Ahistory Of the organization was reviewed in the Enterpris e-Chronicle,December 1

,1 932

,and on December 8 a history prepared and read

by Mrs . E . M . Deming at the golden anniversary was republished.

A brief newspaper history of Protection was published by thePost, December 1 , 1 932 , commemorating its twenty-fi fth birthday .

The Post was first published by J . A . and C laude Wood in December

,1 907 .

The fiftieth charter anniversary Of the First Christian church,Sedan

,was observed November 27 1 932 . A brief history Of the

organization was published in the Sedan Times-S tar, December 1The congregation was informally organized in 1 876 , but was notchartered unti l 1 882 .

A short history of the St . John Auxi liary of the Woman ’s HomeMissionary Society , by Mrs . Ruth Oden , was published in the St.John Weekly News, December 1 , 1 932 .

Frazer hall,University of Kansas , was the subject of a historical

Sketch appearing in the University Dai ly K ansan,Lawrence

,De

cember 2 , 1 932 . The “New University” build ing or Frazer hall,

was first used sixty years ago.

Two other Kansas towns have had the name Of Pittsburg, aocord ing to an article appearing in the Pittsburg Head light, December 7 , 1 932 . One, now extinct

,was in Pottawatomie county Opposite

Kansas H istorical Notes

Salina wil l celebrate its seventy-fi fth birthday anniversary inMarch, 1 932 . The Saline County Native Daughters have votedto erect a marker to the pioneers , and will also publish a history of

the Salina schools,written by the l ate Jennie V . Bartlett, pioneer

teacher .

Celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the found ing Of the

Friend s Kansas yearly meeting and Of the build ing of the Old

Quaker meeting house in Lawrence was observed October 6 , 1 932 ,in conj un ction with a meeting of the 1 932 Friends yearly meeting .

The annual meeting Of the Dickinson County Histori cal Societywas held at Abilene, October 1 1 , 1 932 . Kirke Mechem

,secretary

of the Kansas State Histori cal Society , d iscussed the work Of the

state organization .

Dr . W . A . Sharp,a Topeka Baptist minister, del ivered the dedi

catory address for the boulder marking the site of the Old Pottawatomie Ind ian mission school on the Wanamaker school groundswest of Topeka

,October 21 , 1 932 . Thomas Amory Lee, president

of the Kansas State Historica l Society,Kirke Mechem

,secretary

of the society, and Dave Wallace, gave short talks . The monumentwas erected by the Topeka chapter, Daughters Of the Ameri canRevolution .

A pioneer monument was unveiled in Denison circle, Manhattan ,by the R iley County Historical Society , November 1 2 , 1 932 . Atribute to Dr . Joseph Denison , first president Of Bluemont col lege

(now Kansas State Col lege) , and to other pioneers was paid by Dr .J . T . Willard , vice president of the col lege, at the ded icatory services .

The National O ld Trail s Road Association has asked cities andcounties along the route of the Santa Fe trail in northeast Kansasto assist it in marking the trai l on U . S . Highway NO. 50 , whi chfol lows in the general d irection of the famous road .

A new Pawnee Ind ian house location was reported d iscoverednear Scand ia

,recently . Scrapers , flints and pottery have been un

covered .

Rush county Old settlers met at Rush Center, October 1 9 , 1 932 ;(110 )

KANSAS HISTORI CAL NOTES 1 1 1

Dickinson county Old settlers convened in Enterprise,October 20

,

and C lark county pioneers met at Ashland , November 17 for an

nual reunions .

1 4-661 7

ContributorsGEORGEA. ROOT is curator of archives of the Kansas State Historical

Society .CORA DOLBEE is a member of the department of English at the

versity of Kansas , Lawrence .

GENEVIEVE YOST is a member of the Of the

torical Society .NOTE—Articles in the Quarterly appear in chronological order

without regard to their importance .

Ferries in KansasPart l—Missouri River—Continued

GEORGE A. ROOT

ORT WILLIAMS was the next settlement above Iatan . The

town was incorporated by the legi slature of and was lo

cated about two miles northwest of present Oak Mills and abouteight miles below Atchison, at a big bend in the river,1 1 2 which hassince disappeared . A hand ferry had been established to this pointfrom the Missouri side about 1 854, by Jake Yunt, who did quite athriving business . Thi s primitive mode of transportation soon gaveway to steam in order to keep up with the rush of settlers . The townnever attained any great size, but was quite wel l known over thecountry

,its ferry no doubt being accountable for thi s . It “had its

town bul l ies, and fights were of frequent occurrence. It was

common for farmers to go to Port Wi l l i ams every Saturday afternoon to witness the fights and drunks .”1 1 3 According to W. J .

Bailey, the place was probably named for William John son , owner

of the claim and cabin cal led “Fort Wi l l iams,

” and called PortWi l l i ams after steam boats and ferryboats began to land .

In all probability the earl iest ferrying carried on in territory em

braced in present Kansas, of which there i s written or printed record ,

was begun in the fall of 1 81 8 . In October of that year the firstUnited States military post west of the mouth of the Kaw river wasestablished on an island in the Missouri river a few miles belowpresent Atchison . This isl and was given the name “Isle au Vache”

by the French and was known to Ameri cans and traders as “CowIsland . The fol lowing year the Long Expedition spent some timeon this island . Keel boats

,first brought up the Missouri river with

supplies for the new outpost known as Cantonment Martin,

” werethe crafts made use of by the garrison stationed there for the betterpart of a year . The post was located on the upper part of the is landabout opposite Iatan, Mo.

,and probably on the west side of the

1 1 1 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , p . 823 .

1 1 2 . A map of Atch ison county, publ ished in the F irst B iennial Report of the S tateBoard of Agriculture, 1 877 p . 1 00 , shows th e large bend of the Missouri . Before 1 908

the r iver had cut through on the Kansas s ide, almost el im inating the bend and bringing thezhennel of the r iver through the southeastern part of the county.—Ogle, Atlas of Atch isonounty , 1 9 03 .

1 1 3 . Ingal ls , H istory of Atchison County, pp . 1 00 , 1 0 1 .

1 1 6 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

island,that site being selected on account Of the abundance of large

timber close by .

1 1 4

Sumner , about five miles up the river from Port Williams , hadthe next ferry . This town, not far from Cow Island , was located ata point on the river known as the “Grand Detour” to the Frenchtrappers

,and was laid out by freestate men ,

becoming a rival ofAtchison . During its palmy d ays Sumner had a daily newspaperand a number of commod ious build ings . John J . Ingalls

, of Atchison

,was numbered among its residents during its infancy . During

the early sixties the town began to decline, its population driftedaway

, and many years ago the last vestige of the town d isappeared .

Prior to 1 858 Sumner depended on the ferries of neighboring towns,

but that year Messrs . J . W . Morris,Cyrus F . Currier and Samuel

Harsh were granted a twenty-year l icense for a ferry across theMissouri at this point . The act also prescribed that no other ferryshould be established within two miles of the present limits of thecity . The fol lowing rates were made a part of the law

Each foot passenger,10 cents .

Each horse ,mare

,geld ing

,mule or ass , with or without rider

,25 cents .

Each two-horse team,or one yoke of oxen , loaded or unloaded

, withdr iver , 75 cents .

Each add itiona l horse or ox,10 cents .

Each single horse and carriage, 50 cents .

Cattle, except those attached to wagons or sleds,15 cents .

Swine or sheep , 5 cents .1 1 5

This ferryboat pl ied between Sumner,Atchison and the Missouri

side, enjoyed a good patronage during the first few years,and prob

ably lasted about as long as the town .

Atchison,three mi les above Sumner

,was a natural trade terminal .

Roads rad iated from there to the north,west and south. One led

to Doniphan,one to Hiawatha

,one to Leavenworth . Others led to

Monrovia , Grasshopper Falls , Pardee, Ind ianola , Tonganoxie, Lawrence

,Lecompton ,

'

and Superior, in Wel ler (now Osage) county .It

was the starting point for the Pony Express during most of the

time of its existence. The Hol laday Overland Stage l ine and the

Butterfield Overland Despatch had headquarters here and ran theirstage l ines from this place. During the latter fifties and the earlysixties an immense freighting business was carried on from this

point, and the ferries d id their ful l share in bringing outfits and

freight a cross the river for transportation to the far West . Some

1 1 4 . Letters of John O'

Fa llen to Gen . T. A . Smith , dated October 1 8 , 1 8 1 8 , January 3 ,and July 7 , 1 8 1 9 , from copies of origina l MS S . in Missouri S tate H istorica l S ociety, Columb ia .

1 1 5 . Laws, K ansas , 1 858 , pp . 6 7 , 6 8 .

1 1 8 TH E KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYOne add itional pair of horses, or oxen ,

25 cents .

Loose cattle or oxen, 10 cents per head .

Sheep and hogs , 5 cents per head .

Foot passengers,10 cents .

One horse and buggy or other vehicle, 50 cents .

Two-horse carriage or buggy, 75 cents .

A man named Al corn was operating a horse ferryboat on the Missouri at Atchison in 1 856

,and the Challisses

,who were operating a

rival ferry and boat called the Red Rover at this date,purchased

a three- fourths interest of A l corn,paying for his franchise

,

and took over the business . 1 1 9 In 1 857 William L . Challiss,Luther

C . Chal liss and William E . Gaylord took over the franchise and

l icense of the Atchison steam ferry . The fol lowing advertisement ofthe new ferry firm appeared in the Atchison Champion early in June

“To KANS AS EMIGRANTS : The Atchison Steam Ferry is now in ful l operation . Having received our new commod ious boat, we are fully prepared tocross wagons

,horses, cattle, footmen

,etc. , at any time without delay .

“Atchison being situated in Kansas on the great western bend of the Mis

souri river Opposite Bloomington ,Buchanan county, M issouri , is the best

crossing,the nearest and most conveni ent point to all the territory north Of

the Kansas river . Persons going to the southern part of the territory wil lalso find it the best p lace to cross the M issouri .

“The country surrounding cannot be surpas sed , and the outlets lead ing toand from Atchison to any point in the territory , are better and nearer than

from any other point. It is due west of Hannibal , on the para llel line runningthrough the center of Kansas , bordering on the Missouri river , and is the

most ad j acent point to the fertile country on the Stranger,Grasshopper,

Vermillion ,Big Blue, and Kansas rivers . It is the best starting point for all

emigrants, to California, Oregon and Salt Lake ; the great government road

from Fort Leavenworth running on ly four mi les west of the town .

“The boat being new, and built after the most approved model , capable of

carrying 150 head of cattle at a crossing, together with our determination to

give it strict attention , persons may depend on being accommodated at all

times .

“Atchison ,

June 1 , 1857 . W . L . CHALLIS S Co .,Proprietors .

There appear to have been some complaints against the originalproprietors of thi s ferry , and the county commissioners attempted topass a resolution forfeiting their license. The proprietors obj ectedon the ground that as they had received their charter from the

legislature it was not at al l probable that the court of commissionerscould take it away . The ferry under d ifl

'

erent management con

tinned in operation unti l the magnificent railroad bridge was bui ltacross the Missouri in 1 875, when the Old gave way to the new order

1 1 9 . Atchison Daily Globe, July 1 6 , 1 894 .


of things . This ferry had been in operation before Atchison waslaid out.

1 20

The fol lowing regarding the Atchison ferry is condensed from anaccount in the Atchison Dai ly Globe of July 16 , 1 894 :

“In the fall of 1856 Doctor Chal liss went to Evansville, Ind . , and contracted

for the build ing Of a steam ferryboat. This was comp leted in November and

started for Atchison . In December it was frozen up in the M issouri river at

Carrollton,Mo. , and left in charge of a watchman . The crew was made up of

Old acquaintances of Doctor Chal liss in New Jersey, and these he brought toAtchison in two stage coaches hired for the purpose .

“On February 7 of the following year Doctor Chal liss started down the

river on horseback after his boat, accompanied by George M . Million , GranvilleMorrow and John Cafl'erty . There had been a thaw, and a rise in the river,and when the men reached the vicinity of Carrol lton they learned that the

boat had gone adrift. They followed it down the river,hearing of it oc

casionally , and finally came up with it in sight of Arrow Rock . The boat hadgrounded on a bar, and a man was in possession claiming salvage . Doctor

Chal liss caught the man OK the boat, took possession, and settled with him for

$25 . A story was circulated that there had been smal lpox on the boat, andit narrowly escaped burning at the hands Of people living in the vicinity .

“Doctor Challiss went on down the river

,and met his family at St. Louis .

When the steamer on which they were passengers reached Arrow Rock, thecaptain was induced to pull the ferry boat Off the sand bar, and within fourdays it arrived in Atchison . This boat was named The Ida , for Doctor

Challiss ’ Oldest daughter,who became the wife of John A. Martin

,editor of

the Atchison Champ ion , colonel of the Eighth Kansas regiment, and governorOf the state for two terms . The Ida was brought up the river by GeorgeM illion and Granvil le Morrow, pilots, and John Cafi erty , engineer .

Granvi lle Morrow was the captain when it began making regular trips as

a ferry, receiving $50 a month . During the last years of his service he received$ 125 a month . The ferry business was very profitable ; a hundred dol lars a

day was no unusual income.

In 1860 Doctor Challiss built a larger ferry at Brownsvil le, Pa .,and called

it the J. G . Morrow . When it arrived at Atchison the government pressed itinto service and sent it to Yankton with Ind ian supp lies .

“Bil l” Reed was

pi lot and Doctor Chal li ss captain . A quick trip was made to within seventymiles of Yankton , where the p ilot ran the boat into a snag, and sunk it. Theboat cost and nothing was saved but the machinery . This was after

wards p laced ih the ferry S . C . Pomeroy , which was operated there unti l thebridge was completed . After this the S . C . Pomeroy was taken to

Kansas City, where it sank during a storm.

Samuel C . Pomeroy owned a one-quarter interest in the J . G .

Morrow and S . C . Pomeroy and the wreck Of the Marrow cost him

The ferryboat Ida hauled the locomotive A lbany across the

1 20 . Andreas , H istory of Kansas, p . 8 76 .

1 20 TH E KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

Missouri river in April , 1 860 . This engine was to be used on the

Marysville or Palmetto Roseport railroad,the first railroad to be

built west of the Missouri river . On May 23,1 861

,the Ida was

reported to have arrived at Leavenworth,bringing the Atchison

military company ,“A l l Hazard

,

” whi ch immed iately went intoencampment at that place. During the early days Of the C ivi lWar a close watch was kept on those leaving Atchison on ferryboats .Those departing without permission were arrested . The Ida wastaken to Leavenworth on completion of the Atchison bridge

, and wasin service there many years . 1 2 1

The steamboat Wi lliam Osborn,used for a ferryboat at Atchison

in 1 866 , was built at Brownsville, Pa .

,and reached Atchison May

9,1 866

, with 150 tons of rai ls for the Atchison P ike’s Peakrailroad . It took forty- four d ays to make the trip from Brownsvil leto Atchison .

1 22

Henry J . Adams, son of Franklin G . Adams,a resident of early

Atchison , recal ls the ferry operating there during his early boyhooddays . In a statement written at request of the author, he says :

“I wel l remember the Old steamboat ferry at Atchison in the late sixties .

My young mother, Harriet Elizabeth Adams , usually di d her morning shopping at the wagon market on the south side of Commercial street, about wherethe Byram hotel stands . If the ferryboat was about to land , we children used

to clamor to be taken down to the‘levee ,

’or boat land ing , to witness the

wagon teams, horsemen and l ive stock scramble down the gang p lank fromthe boat to the mping stone coping which continued up from the water

’s

edge to the Commercial street level . Then it was an exciting performance tosee the transfer mule and his heavily loaded dray scramble up thi s incline .

If the mule made a slip everyone was in luck if the load in going backlanded against the boat railing . If the dray d id not so land , the poor mulewas likely to provide a feast for the b ig river catfish .

“My recollection is that the usual ferryboat was nearly all deck and builta little wider in proportion than the usual river boat

,and surrounded with

a stout railing, tal l enough to hold a horse and tight enough to keep in a

bunch Of shoats . Towards the midd le, extending back , was the engine houseand office, with room on the deck in front for three teams to stand side byside crosswi se Of the deck, with room for cattle and horses, or a wagon or

two,in the space along the side of the engine room. The Missourians supplied

our village market with much of the fruit and vegetables . They drove up

from an early boat to the market and backed their wagons against the street

side, made their teams comfortable, and were ready to wait on the trade

with anything from live chickens to sweet potatoes, apples or pawpaws .

The next ferry up the river was at Doniphan , about three miles

1 21 . Atch ison Daily Globe, July 1 6 , 1 89 4 ; K ansas H istor ical Collections, v . 1 2 , p . 3 8 ;v . 1 4 , p . 1 40 .

1 22 . K ansas H istorica l Collections, v. 9 , p . 3 1 2.

122 THE KANSAS H IS TORICAL QUARTERLY

Hubble and John W . Mockbee for a term of fifteen years,

1 27 and theother charter to John Stearwalt, his heirs or assigns, to keep a ferryacross the Missouri river opposite Palermo for a period of twentyyears . 1 28 The above ferries were to be regulated by Doniphancounty, were for local needs only , and may not have lasted long .

Two years later the legisl ature of 1 857 authorized F . M . Mahanand Job V . Kimber to Operate a ferry across the Missouri river fromPalermo for the term of fifteen years . Ferry charges were fixedby the county court Of Doniphan county

, and any charge made or

extorted more than the rates fixed by the court was to create a forfeiture of all their privileges under the act . 1 29

The next year Barney H . York , George K . Sabin and FrederickW . Emery , members of the Palermo C ity Company , Were givenauthority by the legislature Of 1 858 to operate a ferry across theMissouri river at the city Of Palermo for twenty years . Theircharter provided that no other company should establish a ferrywithin two miles of the present limits Of the city of Palermo, andalso l isted rates of ferriage as fol lows :

S ingle passengers , 10 cents .

Each horseman , 25 cents .

Two-horse or ox team loaded , $125 .

Two-horse team or ox team, un loaded , $1 .

One-horse carriage or buggy, 50 cents .

Each additional horse , mule, ass, ox, cow or calf, 15 cents .

Each score of sheep or swine, $1 .

Lumber, per feet.

All other articles 10 cents per 100 lbs .

Persons cross ing at night may be charged double fare .

1 3 0

St . Joseph was about eight miles above Palermo by the river . Asearly as 1 826 Joseph Robidoux, Of the infant vil lage. of St . Joseph,had a flatboat ferry in operation , for the convenience of his em

ployees as wel l as for the Ind ians who wished to visit his tradinghouse to swap pelts and robes for various commodities kept by thetrader . “The land ing on his (east) side was about where Francisstreet struck the river , and the road led from there southwest tothe agency ford of the Platte river, where it forked, one branchleading to Liberty

,C lay county

, and the other to the Grand—rivercountry .

”1 3 1

1 27 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , p . 780 .

1 28 . Ib id. , p . 78 1 .

1 29 . Laws, Kansas , 1 857 , p . 1 60 .

1 3 0 . Ibid. , 1 858 , pp . 65 , 66 .

1 3 1 . H istory of Buchanan County and S t. Joseph, Mo. , (Cris L. Rutt, compiler) , p . 79 .


St . Joseph was one Of the most convenient towns on the Missouririver for the departure of overland emigration and traffic , and fora number of years fol lowing the d iscovery of gold in California thecity and ferries did a big business . Beginning with the Spring Of

1 849 the rush for California began . There was one continuous l ineof wagons from east to west , as far as the eye could reach, movingsteadily forward . Some wagons were drawn by cows ; other goldseekers were afoot , taking their worldly goods in handcarts . Therewere two ferries at St . Joseph at this time, and they must have beenkept busy . Thi s rush continued unabated until about the first ofJune

,1 850

,when it eased up a little

,although belated gold hunters

passed through for months afterward . St . Joseph Offered advantagesto the emigrant and adventurer whi ch no other river town possessed .

Prices were a trifle lower than charged at Independence at the timeand this must have had its influence in deciding whether to startwestward from St . Joseph or Independence.

“During two and one-half months

,from Apri l 1 to June 15

,1849 , the num

ber of wagons that crossed there was and averaging four men to a wagonwould make At Duncan

’s ferry

,four miles above St. Joseph , 685 wagons

crossed ; at Bontown , Savannah and the ferries as far as the Bluffs,

Thi s is a total of wagons . About crossed at Independence, makinga tota l of persons . There were about eight mules or oxen to each

wagon , giving a total of head of stock .

” 1 3 2

A California-bound emigrant in 1 852 describes crossing the Missouri at St. Joseph during early May . He had arrived at thatpoint the evening before.

We soon un loaded our goods and camped upon the plain just belowthe town . The whole neighborhood for miles around was full Of emigrants,tents here and tents there, the white covers of wagons and tents looked as

though they had been prepared for a grand army . And indeed they hadbeen,

for here were armies of men , with a good ly sprinkle of women and children . The city of St. Joe is much the gainer by the emigration . Thousands

of dollars are spent here annua lly by those who cross the plains, it being one

of the principal points where the emigration leaves the river . We here boughtone yoke of oxen, a span of mules

, and many other ‘fixins ,

’and made prepa

ration for starting over the p lains . There were hundreds of wagons waitingtheir turn for crossing the Missouri , and there were several boats busy , and

among them a steam ferryboat. But their capacity for carrying all the customthat presented itself was too smal l, and as a consequence there were manyteams ahead of us in their turn .

“We supposed ourselves now ready for the trip and did not wish to remainany longer than possible ; were in quite a hurry to get off . After casting about

1 3 2 . Ib id . , p . 87 ; H istory of Buchanan County , M issouri , pp . 202 , 203 , 208 .

124 TH E KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYendeavoring to see what was best

,by accident came across a sma ll flat [boat]

which the owner was wi l ling to hire , as he said,on reasonable terms . We got

the boat, and now commenced the tug of war .

”I‘

was not Greek meets Greek,but the strife lay between the Saxon and the mule, for as fast as we got one

d evilish brute on board and our attention drawn towards another , the firstwould jump overboard and swim ashore, to the great d elight of the many whowere looking on . After several turns Of the kind , and finding that we ad

vanced but slowly in our endeavors to freight the boat by the single add ition ,

we concluded to drive them all in together ‘pell-mel l . ’ In this we succeeded

admirably, for in they went, and we put up the bars to keep them there . A

shout Of victory followed the putting up of the railing . A victory was gainedover the stubborn mule, and the order given to cast off , but before the ord er

could be executed, the fiends in mule shape took it into their heads to all

look over the same side Of the boat, and at the same time, and the result wasthe careening of the boat so much to one side that it scared the little devi lsthemselves, and they all, as with a common consent, leaped overboard again .

Three times three cheers were given by the crowd . So much fun could not

pass unnoticed,or without applause . Fina lly the mules were got on board and

secured in proper places, the lines cas t Off , and the riffle made . This was our

first trip . The next the oxen were to be ferried . We had had so much troublewith the mules that it was but reasonable to expect a quiet time with our

cattle . In this, however, we were d isappointed , for the oxen seemed to have

caught the d isafl'ection from the mule , and were , if possible, more stubbornthan the sulkiest Of them all . How, or what length Of time it took us to get

the horned tribe on board my memory does not now serve me . Suffice it tosay that we got them all on board and landed them safely in the Ind ian territory Of Nebraska . The balance of our party was soon got over and we en

camped for the day to‘flx up thi ngs ’ -for here is a genera l camping ground

for emigrants and as it is upon the verge Of civilization,anything forgotten

can be Obtained by recrossing the river, which privilege we availed ourselvesof until we supposed everything that was in anyway necessary to our journeywas got .

”1 3 3

Julius C . Robidoux had the first licensed ferry in Buchanancounty ,1 3 4 Missouri , across the Missouri river at Rattlesnake Hills ,in or near present St . Joseph of to-day . This l icense, issued May 7 ,1 839 , cost eight dol lars , one-half being for state purposes and thebalance to the county . The county court fixed ferriage charges asfol lows :

For each fourwheeled carriage drawn by four horses, oxen or other ani

mals ,For each two-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses, oxen or other ani

mals, $ 1 .

For each man and horse, or mule, 25 cents .

For each footman,12 176 cents .

1 3 3 . Copy of manuscript Of John H . Clark, in possess ion of author .

1 3 4 . H istory of Buchanan County, M issouri, p . 1 6 7 .


organized a company to build a railroad to connect E lwood withMarysville. Work started in 1 859

,and ten or a dozen miles were

graded . Six miles of track was laid,and the first locomotive—“The

Albany, used from Boston to the Missouri , was landed at theE lwood ferry on Apri l 23

,1 860 , by the ferryboat Ida, and was pulled

up the bank by enthusiastic citizens . The next day a half dozenfiat cars were brought a cros s the river and the opening of the firstsection of the first railroad in Kansas was celebrated .

1 86

In the fal l of 1 852 Henry Thompson established a trad ing poston the west bank of the Missouri , opposite St . Joseph, operating aferry for his own convenience, and profit in ad d ition . In 1 855 theterritoria l legislature granted a fi fteen-year charter for his ferry . In

1 856 the Roseport Town Company , consisting of Ri chard Rose anda few St. Joseph capital ists , bought 1 60 acres of land of Thompsonfor about and laid out the town of Roseport . How longThompson operated his ferry has not been learned by the writer . 1 3 7

Capt . Ebenezer B lackiston , of St . Joseph,also ran one of the

earl iest ferries to this point, operating a large flatboat which wasworked by hand . In 1 852 a steam ferryboat cal led the Tidy Adalawas substituted for the old primitive affair . This boat is mentioneda number of times in the E lwood papers between 1 857 and 1 861 .

By 1 855 Blackiston had formed a partnership with one RobertJessee

,a prominent resident of Buchanan county, who had served

as one of the county j udges from 1 850-1 852 . With the meeting of

the first territoria l legislature Messrs . Jessee and Blackiston appliedfor a charter for a ferry and were granted privileges for a land ing onthe Kansas side on land owned by Blackiston , and to employ the useof a steamboat or flatboats .

1 8 8

In 1 857 Blacki ston contra cted for the build ing of a new ferryboat to take the place of the Tidy (as it was called for short) , inorder to accommodate the demands of the public as his ferry wasthen said to be crossing more than al l other ferries put together. 1 3 9

In 1 858 the P ike’s Peak travel was at its height and the ferry d id a

rushing business, carrying hund reds of wagons across . This yearBlackiston advertised that his new steam ferryboat would carrytwelve or fifteen wagons at a load , and loose cattle in proportion ;that it was capable of making the trip in two minutes . The landing

1 3 6 . Kansas H is torical Collections, v. 1 2, p . 3 8 .

1 3 7 . Gray ’s Donip han County H istory , p . 23 ; General S tatutes, Kansas, 1 855, pp .787-78 9 .

1 3 8 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , p . 793 .

1 3 9 . Elwood Free Press, November 5 , 1 857 .


was at the foot of Francis street. 1 40 By the last of June, 1 859 , therush was over, Blackiston reporting about forty teams a day , with

an average Of five persons to a team crossing at that time, thismaking 200 arrivals daily “1

Blackiston was the leading spirit in the ferry business out of St .Joseph and to Elwood , and in 1 859 he and his associates were

granted a new charter by the legislature for the E lwood ferry . The

fol lowing year that body amended his charter as fol lows“That Ebenezer Blackiston ,

his successors or as signs, shal l not be compel ledto land their boats at any point above Second street, of said city of Elwood , andthey Shall not , at any time during running hours, which shall be from sunrisetil l dark, tie longer at said land ing than ten minutes, unless necessari ly detained in receiving or d ischarging freight or passengers , or from unavoidablecauses? “2

The Tidy was now getting old and out of date, and about themiddle of the year was retired from regular service. The Free Press

of July 30 stated that the l ittle craft was fairly engaged in the woodand lumber trade. This week she cleared on the first trip

,con

suming only a S ingle day , $90 . She will be a great assistance to theriver trade in this vicinity . Success to the Tidy . Just how longthe boat ran we are unable to say . The next mention of the Tidyi s the fol lowing from the Free Press

,of September 29

,1 860 :

Eight years ago the Tidy Adala steam ferryboat of ‘ever SO many ’ horse

power, pufi'

ed majestical ly up the Missouri river, and took its place in the

great transit route between St. Joseph and the east end of the Ca liforniaroad , Capt. Ebenezer Blackiston command ing . Old inhabitants say that the

citizens of St. Joseph were frantic with joy at her arrival, and smiled withgrim content on the Old flatboat which had ‘

chassezed’across the Big Muddy

to the entire satisfaction and the profit of Ebenezer for years before . But

every dog must have its day , and the princip le app lies equal ly to ferryboats .

For years the Tidy stood up to its‘regular ’ work , and pufi'ed and blowed like

a land speculator, crossing and recrossing our raging waters . She was wellstoked

,carefully piloted and had a good horseshoe nailed on her stubby bow .

But,though horseshoes can beat witches, they stand scarcely the slightest

Show against the snaggy perils of our river navigation . The Tidy got rustyand old , and old -fashioned for the fastid ious tastes of later days, and was a

year S ince relieved from service by a large craft, with a b ig engine and two

smokestacks , rejoicing in the name of Ebenezer . S ince then the Tidy has

been rather a loose character, engaging in all manner of desultory service .

She grew Old and decrepit, and a week since while being hauled on a drydock obstinately broke her cables, s lipped back into her muddy element, androl led over, a poor , miserable, wrecked one-horse ferryboat. We are sorry for

1 40 . Ibid . , June 5 , 1 858 .

1 41 . Ibid . , June 25 , 1 859 .

1 42 . Laws, Private, Kansas , 1 860 , pp . 279 , 280 .

128 THE KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLYthe Tidy . She had done good service, and much . She bore on her decks theexplorers—God—’

Em (the reader wil l fil l in ) who first found the site of

our city , and founded its present greatness , and she has been too closelyidentified with uS to escape with a less obituary . May she rest in peace .

”

No doubt there were other ferries operating from St . Joseph tothe Kansas Shore at this time close enough to afford l ively competition for his ferry , for Blackiston advertised in a local paper that theSt . Joseph and E lwood ferry had reduced ferriage rates to hal f pri ceas fol lows :

Footmen , 5 cents .

One horse or mule ,15 cents .

One yoke of oxen ,15 cents .

One yoke of oxen and wagon ,40 cents .

Loose cattle,each 7176 cents .

He also called attention to the fact that thi s was the largest andbest boat ever in use on the Missouri river for ferry purposes

,and

made trips once in fifteen minutes from sunrise to sunset . 1 43

In 1 859 the E lwood city authorities became alarmed at the inroad s the Missouri was making on the city ’s water front and tooksteps to curb thi s erosion . Two large piers or j etties were builtout into the river to deflect the current away from the bank , whichwas thought suffi cient to prevent further trouble. This year E lwoodreceived quite an addition to its population , many of the wageearning classes living in St . Joseph removed to E lwood , attractedby cheaper rents and lower taxes . The Free Press of October 8said :

“If the ferry ran earlier in the morning and later in the evening, a majority

of the mechanics of S t. Joseph would live on this side of the river . Enoughhave already come to occupy every dwel ling that could be obtained . Of the

fifty dwellings put up this year , not one is now vacant. Several more are

going up ,but not enough to begin to meet the demand .

”

The wisdom of requiring the ferry to remedy the hours of arriva land departure finally roused the city counci l to action , and anord inance was passed , late in October , regulating the ferry , and“provided that the ferryboat shal l leave for its first trip at G1A)O ’clock in the morning and leaving St. Joseph on its last return tripat 7 o

’clock in the evening Whether the ferry proprietorseventually complied with the provisions of the ord inance we haveno knowledge, but the fol lowing in the Free Press of November 1 2ind icated it was not very rigid ly Observed : “The ‘time table’ contained in the ord inance we published last week suited the owner of

1 43 . Elwood FreePress, June 29 , 1 8 59 .


Early in the spring that year the streets teemed with emigrantsand freighters , some of whom were bound for the interior of theterritory and others for Pike’s Peak . Freighting to Denver increased , the streets being fi l led with prairie schooners

,al l heavily

laden , and destined for Colorado. Emigration,however

,was not

as heavy as the previous year .”1 47

In the latter part of July , fol lowing , there was a change in ownership in this ferry . A poster announced that it would henceforth beunder the Superintendence and d irection of Wilson Co. A mentionof the change in proprietorship in a local paper stated that the“Wilson is of the A . Beattie Co. banking house, and the company ,we presume, is the Old proprietor . May it benefit by the change.

”

In 1 862 the Ebenezer was taken over by the military authoritiesand converted into a gunboat . 1 48

Lack of data regard ing subsequent ownership of this ferry prevents giving a complete hi story . A St . Joseph paper in August,1 866

,stated that

“Capt. William Ellsworth, of the St. Joseph and Elwood ferry , carried across

the river on Thursday afternoon 863 head of cattle, and reports that there isstill a large herd , in number over 850 , in the corral awaiting transportationacross . The business of thi s line has been very large during the past fourweeks—about cattle being transported across the river at that point.

” 1 49

Record s of the Elwood Ferry Showed that head Of cattlewere ferried across the Missouri river in about sixty d ays duringJune

,July and August,

Just how l ate the St . Joseph E lwood ferry operated we havenot d i scovered , but probably it ran up to the time of the bridgingof the Missouri . The fol lowing from the Wathena Repor ter of

August 1 5,1 867 , i s the last mention we have found of thi s notable

ferry“The St. Joseph Elwood Ferry Company have received from the city

council of St. Joseph the exclusive en joyment, for three years , of the rightto transport passengers , vehicles, etc.

,across the river to Elwood , in Kansas .

The following is the tariff to be charged by the companyFoot passengers , 5 cents .

Man and horse, 20 cents .

Led horse and stock, same as now established .

Other horses and vehi cles, 50 cents .

1 47 . Ib id. , Apri l 1 3 , 27, 1 86 1 .

1 48 . K ansas H istorical Collections , v . 9 , p . 301 .

1 49 . Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, August 1 9 , 1 866 , citing the S t. Joseph Herald .1 50 . Ib id . , August 24 , 1 866 .


Hucksters, 50 cents .

Other two-horse vehicles, 75 cents .

Four-horse vehicles,E lwood possibly had two ferries that Operated in 1 858 . That

year D . S . Lusk , the E lwood Town Company , and their associ ates ,were authorized to operate a ferry at the c ity Of E lwood and opposite or nearly opposite the c ity of St . Joseph

,Mo.

,for a period Of

twenty years . No other ferry was to be permitted within one mileOf the city limits Of E lwood . As no further mention has been foundof thi s enterprise, it i s more than likely it was not a very long- l ivedconcern .

1 5 1

Wathena landing,approximately three miles above E lwood , prob

ably was the location of the next ferry to the north,though

definite information is lacking . On January 26,1 867

,William H .

Smallwood,1 52 W . B . Craig,William P . Black, G . W . Barr, W . M .

Ferguson and Wil liam H . Bush were granted a charter for theWathena St . Joseph Ferry Company . Accord ing to the charterit was proposed to run a ferry on the Missouri river commencing atthe northwest limits of the franchise or charter granted to EbenezerB lackiston by the legislature of 1 859

,and amended in 1 860

,whi ch

granted privileges between E lwood and St . Joseph . The new franchise was to extend up the river to the north l ine of fractionalsec. 1 5, T . 3 , R . 22 , in Doniphan county , and the company was torun a ferry across the river starting at a point between said boundsand land ing at or near St . Joseph . The company was capitalizedat shares $100 each ; the principal office being at Wathena .

This charter was fi led with the secretary of state January 3 1 ,The Troy Reporter early in February , 1 867 , stated :

“We understand a ferry is to be established the coming Season from Wathenal and ing to St . Joseph .

” Thi s ferry , accord ing to Frank G . Drenning,a Topekan and former resident of Wathena , was in operation duringthe early nineties .Accord ing to the History of Buchanan County , M issouri , Duncan ’s ferry was located about four miles above St . Joseph . No fur

ther mention Of thi s ferry has been located by the writer .Whitehead , about two miles north of Wathena land ing, had thenext ferry . James R . Whitehead had been a trader at that point

1 51 . Laws, Kans as , 1 858 , p . 60 .

1 52 .Wi ll iam H . Sma l lwood was born in Kentucky in 1 841 and came to Kansas in 1 854 .

He was secretary of state from 1 87 1 - 1 8 75 . He removed to Duluth , Minn . , where he diedin 1 9 1 9 .

1 53 . Corporations , v . 1 , pp . 282 , 283 ; v . 2 , p . 1 2 .


before the settlement of the territory . Later a town sprang up,

named for Mr. Whitehead , whi ch was incorporated in 1 855 . Thatyear the legislature granted him a license to operate a ferry withl anding at the town and exclusive rights for a mile above and amile below the town .

1 54 In 1 859 the name of the town was changedto Bel lemont, though there was some talk of giving it the name of

Oxford .

1 55 The town has long since d isappeared,and a map of that

.

locality thirty years later marks the location as “Belmont Bend .

”

On July 2, 1 855, the K ans as Free S tate

,Lawrence

,published a list

of post routes recently established in the territory, one Of which

ran from Whitehead to Highland , Iowa Point and on to Story ’sLanding on the Missouri river

,a d istance of forty miles .

Just how long Mr . Whitehead operated the boat we are unableto state. Joseph Penney, a young man , became a subsequent ownerof the ferry and business . Early in March

,1 860

,he had the mis

fortune to lose his boat whi le on a trip up the river . The E lwoodFree Press of March 1 7 that year

,gives the following account of

the accident :“Bellemont Ferryboat.

—«About a week since the St. Joseph and Bellemontferryboat struck a snag in the bend of the river above Bellemont . Her Speedforced her high on the snag and so firmly that all efforts to float her were invain . S ince that time the river has fal len considerably, and though wel lsparred , She hogs bad ly and it is thought wi ll be a tota l loss . She is partlyinsured . The boat is

,we learn

,now owned by Joseph Penney, Esq .

,an enter

prising man and a gentleman , to whom the loss will prove a severe one.

”

Whether Mr . Penney salvaged the boat or not we have not d is‘

covered . At any rate, he was operating a boat during the fol lowingfall .Misfortune

‘

seemed to pursue the proprietor,for the fol lowing year

he met with another accident . The Free Press of August 10,1 861 ,

printed the fol lowing“The ferryboat recently plying between St . Joseph and Bellemont was lost

on Monday last. She had not been running since last fall , and was lyingat our levee for repairs . While the boat hands were at d inner some personentered her hold and tore away the copper cylinder of her well hole, allowinga large body of water immed iately to rush in . When the crew returned she

had so far settled that water was pouring in through her dry seams . The

Elwood ferryboat attempted to drag out and d rop her on a bar in shoalwater, but when she reached the current of the stream she became unmanage

able and soon sank . She now lies in about fifty feet of water,in the midd le

1 54 . General S tatutes , Kansas , 1 855 , p . 7 73 .

1 55 . Elwood F ree Press, June 25 , 1 859 .


John Hutchinson,

1 6° Thomas B . Ree, F . Garner,and H . Lyday

formed a corporation known as the Columbus 1 6 1 Amazonia 1 62Ferry Company , for the purpose of operating a ferry on the Missouri river, commencing at the boat land ing opposite the town Of

Columbus and extend ing down the Missouri river to the lower endof Sand Slue Island

,their ferry to run across the river starting at a

point within said bound s and to have a land ing at or near the townof Amazonia in Missouri . The capital stock of the company was

d ivided into five Shares,and the principal ofiice of the com

pany was to be at Columbus,Doniphan county . This charter was

fi led with the secretary of state,March 29

,1 867 .

1 63 Mrs . Mary M .

Holston , of Burr Oak township , wrote of her experiences in Doniphan county for the Troy Chief

,in 1 91 6

,stating that her father on

March 1,1 855

,crossed the Missouri river at Amazonia on a flatboat

steered with oars .Kel ley ’s ferry was probably the next crossing point above Colum

bus , and , accord ing to Geo. J . Remsburg, was operating in the fifties .Thi s ferry was located at the upper end of Burr Oak bottom , in thenorthwest corner of Burr Oak township

,about ten miles northeast

of Troy and seven miles west of Amazonia . A territorial road wasestablished from the town of Doniphan to thi s point inIowa Point

,about fourteen miles up the river from Amazonia ,

was the next point of crossing . In 1 855 John S . Pemberton and

Harvey W . Foremanm”5 were authorized by the territorial legisla

ture to keep a ferry across the Missouri river and have a land ingon the west side on land reserved and secured to the board of foreignmissions of the Presbyterian Church by a treaty with the Iowa Ind i ans . Thi s reservation had been purchased by John S . Pembertonand Harvey W . Foreman

,and they laid off the town of Iowa Point .

Their ferry was to have exclusive privi leges on the river for a d is

tance of one mile up and one mile down from the town of IowaPoint . 1 63

1 60 .John Hutch inson was a native of Vermont, born in 1 83 0 . He came to K ansas in

1 8 54, and later was appointed secretary of Dakota terr itory. He removed to Ch icago,

and

died in 1 8 87 .

1 6 1 .Columbus C ity, Doniphan county, incorporated 1 8 58 , by Thomas McCulloch , HenryWilson , Robert Hays and nine others . Named for Columbus McCul loch , son p f Thos .

McCulloch .Th is s ite was on sees . 20 , 2 1 , T. 2 , R . 22 , Burr O ak townsh ip , twelve rmles north

of Troy, and once boasted a population of 3 00 .— Laws, K ansas, 1 858 , p . 3 25 ; Andreas , H i s

tory of K ansas, p . 473 ; Holland , D irectory of Kans as, 1 8 66 .

1 6 2 .Ama zonia , Mo. , was laid out in 1 857 , adjoin ing Nodaway City on the east , the two

eventual ly becoming one town .

1 63 . Corporations , v. 1 , p . 3 1 3 .


1 65 . Harvey W . Foreman was emp loyed in the Indian S ervice as farmer for the Sac and

Fox Indians on their reserve dur ing the 1 850’

s an d 1 s6o’

s .

1 6 6 . Genera l S tatutes, K ansas , 1 855 , p . 782 .


In 1 858 a ferry company was organized at Iowa Point,with H .

Foreman as president, and a steam ferry was put in operationon the Missouri river . At thi s time Iowa Point was the secondlargest city in the territory and led its rival , Leavenworth, in abusiness point of view . Several wholesale houses were in operation ,and their sales extended to points more than one hundred milesaway , a long distance in those days . The town built up rapid ly .

A brickyard was started by Joseph Selecman,and brick was substi

tuted for wood in almost al l bui ld ings erected from that time on .

With the breaking out of the war and the starting of towns fartherback from the river

,the town began to decline

,and when in 1 862

the great fi re destroyed the best part of the town , its fate wassealed .

1 6 7

Another ferry was proj ected for Iowa Point in 1 858,the legisla

ture that year authoriz ing W . D . Beeler , C . M . Williams,

1 68 WilliamB . Barr and R . M . Williams 1 69 to Operate a ferry across the Missouri river at the town for a term of fifteen years

,and with privilege

of an exclusive land ing place for one mile up and one mile down theriver . 1 7° The company operated under the name of the Iowa PointSteam Ferry Company and in 1 860 had its charter amended by thelegislature by striking out the word “steamboat” and inserting theword s “steam or fiatboats

”so as to read as fol lows : “The said com

pany Shal l have power to purchase and run steam or flatboats , atIowa Point

, etc.

1 7 1 Further history of thi s enterprise has not beenlocated .

The next ferry above Iowa Point was on Rush Island , about threemiles up the river . The legislature of 1 860 authorized John H . Uttand W . D . Beeler 1 72 to keep a ferry across the Missouri river , ata point on Rush Island

,opposite Forest C ity ,Mo.

,with the privi lege

of land ing on the main Shore above said i sl and , in Doniphan county .

1 6 7 . Andreas , H istory of Kansas , p . 490 .

1 6 8 . C . M . Wi ll iams came to Kansas in 1 855 when he was n ineteen , settl ing at Leavenworth . He worked for a time on a ferry on the Missour i , running from Weston, Mo.

1 69 . R . M . Wil l iams was a native of Oh io,born in 1 8 29 . He removed to K ansas in

1 854 , settl ing at Wh ite C loud . He served severa l t imes in the legis lature.

1 70 . Laws, K ansas , 1 858 , p . 6 2 .

1 7 1 . Laws, Private, K ansas , 1 8 60 , pp . 280 , 28 1 ; Andreas , H istory of Kansas , p . 490 .

1 72 . Wm . D . Beeler was one of the earl iest settlers in Kansas . He was born in Oh io,

but was reared in Indiana . He removed to Missour i when but a young man , locating atGreene City , near S pringfield , where he marr ied . He once held the office of sheriff of Holtcounty. Ear ly in 1 855 he went to Iowa Point, where in connection w ith C . M . and R . M .Wil l iams he establ ished a store under the fi rm name of W . D . Beeler CO . In the fa l l of1 858 they closed the ir store at Iowa Point and removed to Wh ite Cloud . M r . Beeler was a

member of the Leavenworth constitutiona l convention in 1 858 , and in 1 8 6 1 served one termas sher iff of Doniphan county. He then returned to h is farm, and later was engaged in thesawmi l l bus iness in Wh ite Cloud . He died March

1 36 THE KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY

No other ferry was to be established within one mile of the abovenamed points . Rates of ferriage as established by the act were :

Two-horse or ox team loaded , $ 1 .Same

,unloaded , 75 cents .

One-horse buggy or carriage, 50 cents .

Each addi tiona l horse, mule, ass , ox , cow, or calf,15 cents .

Each score of swine or sheep, $ 1 .

Each sheep or swine less than one score, 10 cents each .

Freight—merchand ise or lumber, not in teams,loaded and unloaded by

the owner thereof,at the following rates ; lumber, per feet.

All other articles, 10 cents per 100 lbs .

Persons crossing at night may be charged double fare .

1 73

No further mention of thi s ferry has been found .

By the provisions of a treaty concluded at Fort Leavenworth,

September 1 7 1 836, between the United States and the Iowas , Sass

and Foxes, and other allied tribes,the S ass and Foxes and Iowas

were settled on their new reservation west of the Missouri river inwhat is now Doniphan county

,Kansas . Among other items promised

these Ind ians , the government agreed“to furnish them with one

ferryboat .” 1 74 As those Ind ians were settled on their new reservation within the next twelve months

,it is l ikely their ferryboat was

put in operation during the year 1 837White C loud , about seven miles up the river from Iowa Point,boasted one Of the few steam ferryboats on the Missouri in Kansas ,and one Of the best of its class along the river . On April 1 8

,1 858 ,

Joshua Taylor purchased a smal l S ide-wheel steamer and startedfrom Wel lsvil le, Ohio, with the intention of establishing a ferry atWhite C loud . His arrival at that point on June 3 was greeted bythe firing Of anvils by an enthusiasti c crowd and a reception on the

levee. Mr . Taylor shortly formed a partnership with J . W . Moore,

naming their ferry the White C loud Steam Ferry and their boatthe White Cloud . During the immigration to Pike’s Peak and the

far West their ferry enjoyed a good business . Fol lowing the drouthof 1 860 thi s patronage must have fallen Off considerably, for duringAugust, 1 861 , the proprietors made a specia l effort to encouragepassage over their ferry

,offering to cross all teams going from

Kansas to Missouri to mill and returning, at a considerable re

duction from usual rates,if paid in cash ; or , they offered to receive

flour in payment at the regular ferriage rates , figuring the farmerswould be the gainers by availing themselves of thi s chance . Messrs .Taylor and Moore operated the boat until the spring of 1 862, when

1 73 . Laws, Private, Kansas , 1 860 , pp . 280 , 28 1 .

1 74 . Indian Afia irs, Laws and Treaties, v . 2 , pp . 468 , 469 .


from the business in 1 912,when his boat, the Harry Lynds, struck

a snag and went to the bottom . This ferry has had a long and

interesting hi story and this sketch no doubt has fai led to note allthe changes in ownership up to the time the last boat operated fromWhite C loud . The fol lowing—named boats (perhaps others ) sawactive service during the l ife of thi s ferry : The White Cloud

, Roy

Lynds, Winona ,Harry Lynds, Whi te Cloud Belle, Jewell, Nancy

Lee.

1 80

A flatboat ferry was Operated at White C loud for a number ofyears by a Tennesseean named Stonecyphers .

1 8 1

A letter from Firth Dodd,ed itor Of the White C loud Globe

,of

July 23 , 1 932 , regard ing ferries of White C loud , says“The last ferryboat to be Operated here is now piled up on the river bank ,

where it was pushed out of the water by an unusua lly heavy run of b ig ice

when the river broke up in the spring,three or four years ago . It was the

Naney Lee, owned and Operated by Joe Gormley , and brought here from Rulo,

Neb . It is now a wreck,with the engine and everything taken Off . Before that

Gormley Operated the Jewell, a boat rebuilt by George Nuzum and operated byhim until his death . The first Jewell came down the river owned by a man

named Lemon . He operated it here during the World War .

“The reason there is no boat here now i s because Of a d rainage d itch across

the river in the M issouri bottom. This d itch empties into the river a mileor two below here . When it rains the lower end of the d itch overflows

,flood

ing the bottom land Opposite this town . Roads become impassable and thishas put the ferry business ‘

On the bum’as far as we are concerned . There are

no roads on the other side passable in wet weather . This trafli c now goes toRulo,

Neb . , which is near the head of the d rainage d itch and consequentlydoes not come in the flooded d istrict. The farmers on the lower ends of thisditch suffer greatly . Respectfully

,FIRTH Dom) .

“P . S . Gormley lives here now .

Since receiving the above letter , White C loud has secured a new

ferry . The new enterprise was projected about the midd le of October , 1 932 , by Henry L . O lson . The boat, called the Betty L, wasbuilt in Omaha last June . It is 24 feet wide, 65 feet long, and powered by a modern gasol ine motor . It carries seven cars at a time.

A new gravel road leads to the river, and the l and ing at WhiteC loud i s at the stockyard s land ing . The land ing on the oppos iteside of the river , which had to be constructed , i s but one mile fromthe highway . The Globe-Tri bune, of October 20 , says this i s thebest ferry White C loud ever had .

This is the last ferry location on the Missouri river before reaching the Nebraska-Kansas bound ary line.

1 8 0 . Weekly Kansas Ch ief, Troy, il lustrated Doniphan County, April 1 6 , 1 9 1 5 , p . 1 1 2 .

1 8 1 . Gray ’s Don iphan County H istory, p . 3 7 .

The First Book on KansasThe Story of Edward Everett Hale’ s

u

K anz as and NebraskaCORA DOLBEE

F THE numerous publications occasioned by the Kansas-Nebraska act

, and the westward movement it instigated , the first,the most authoritative, and the longest was the 256-page study,K anzas and Nebraska , by Edward Everett Hale, compiled in thesummer of 1 854

,and published September 28 , 1 854, by Phi l lips ,

Sampson Co.

,Boston .

1 The first extant allusion to the bookoccurs in an advertisement in the Boston Evening Transcr ipt, July

KANSAS AND NEBRASKA

In Press

THE

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHYOF

TERRITORIES OF KANSAS AND NEBRASKAWITH AN ACCOUNT OF

THE NATIVE TRIBESAND

The Emigration now in progress thitherwi th a map

Prepared with the ass istance of the Officers Of

The EmigrantAid Society ,From unpublished documents

,and from the travels

of the French voyagers Lewis and Clarke,Pike

,Long ,

Bonnevil le , Fremont, Emory , Abert, S tevens and others .

BY EDW ARD S . HALE2

TO be comprised in one volume,duodecimo

,and

published under the sanction Of the Emigrant AidSociety .

The work w il l b e issued in August.Pr ice , in mus l in, 75 cents ; in paper covers , 56 cts .

Orders from the Trade resp ectfully solicited .

PH ILL I PS , S AMPSON CO.Publ ishers .

1 . Da ily Tr ibune, New York , September 26 , 1 854 . Adv.

2 . Edward S . Hale is a misprint, of course, for Edward E. Hale.

140 THE KANSAS H IS TORICAL QUARTERLY

On the fol lowing day , July 1 2 , M . D . Phil lips,3 of Messrs . Phi l l ips ,Sampson Co. ,

wrote Mr . Hale of the business arrangement,in

reply to an earlier Offer by him.

4

“Rev . E. E . Hale

“DEAR S IR—We

’l l do the Nebraska . The il lness of our Mr . Sampson the

financial storm now passing over the country has compel led some delay inrep lying to you . You speak of a specific sum for the M . S .

—map copyright—or of a 15 per cent on the retail price of the work .

“This we infer is optional with ne.—Before making our election

,we shal l of

course wan t your terms—i . e .,the price for the outright purchase—When you

give us this we ’ll advise you of our decision at once .

“We announced it in the Ev’

g—Transcrip t today shall tomorrow do the

same all over the Northern creation—It must be in two kinds Of bind ingcloth paper .

—C loth for the thoughtful house reader paper for those

resid ing in cars - (Without any j oking , though—what myriads of‘young

America ’ literally live in these fair carriages . ) These are the emigrating men ,

and the men at any rate to help swel l the great aggregate of emigrating en

thus iasm,—and the boys must run through all the cars with them.

“It can be stereotyp ed in 10 or 15 days if you wil l always be at home

read the proof in the ev’

g let me return it in the morning—They can do

about 25 pp . a day this would do it in 10 days .

“We agree with you that it sh’d be out at once,

—and we ought to havethe map Lithographing now. Truly yours , PH ILLIPS , SAMPSON Co.

”

The extent of the northern creation , as far as we have evidencein Kansas to-day ,

d id not reach beyond New York and Washington .

The advertisement,j ust as it appeared in the Boston Transcript,

was published in the Boston Commonwea lth, July 1 8-20,22

,24

,25

,

27 and 28 ; in the New York Dai ly Tri bune, July 1 5, 22 and 29 ; andin the National Era

,Washington

,D . C .

,July 27 August 3 , 10 , 17

and 24 . In al l contemporary newspapers and magazines Messrs .Phi l l ips

,Sampson Co. advertised their publications extensively ,

but the issues Of the papers named are the only places in whi ch thewriter has found notice of K ansas and Nebraska in the summer of1 854 .

The immed i ate occasion of Mr . Hale’s undertaking the book isnot a matter of available record . The question Of slavery had longinterested him. A northerner in fact and in sympathy, he had beenin Washington during the winter Of 1 844-1 845

,as minister of the

3 The letter of July 1 2 bears the company signature, “Phi ll ips , Sampson Co. onlybut i t i s in the handwr iting of th e letter of August 21 , 1 855 , bear ing the personal s ignature of M . D . Phil lips.

4 . Correspondence of Edward Everett Hale in Arch ives Department, Kansas S tate Historica l Society, Topeka .

1 42 THE KANSAS H IS TORICAL QUARTERLY

illustration,how through guidance Skilled l abor could be supplied

to existent need .

Not only on the question of slavery , then , but on the question of

emigration , too, Mr . Hale had already entertained definite ideasfor nine years , when , in the spring Of 1 854, people Of the North hecame widely interested in colonizing the new territories with freemen ,

8and El i Thayer , founder Of Mt. Oread Institute for Young

Lad ies and a member Of the legislature for the city of Worcester,cal led upon the legislature of Massachusetts in March to organizethe Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company .

9

“It was a p lan which proposed to meet the South on its own terms,

familiarly known as‘squatter sovereignty .

’It authorized a capita l of five

mil lion dollars in establishing settlements at the West. The charter was

rushed through both houses of the legislature at once, and was signed byGovernor Washburn on the 26th day Of April, 1854 . On the 4th of

May the petitioners accepted the charter .

“Mr . Eli Thayer was a near neighbor of mine in Worcester, and as soon

as I knew Of his prompt and wis e movement I went over to see him, showed

him my Texas pamphlet, and told him I was ready to take hold anywhere .

He was very glad to have a man Friday so near at hand . There was enoughfor all of us to do . We ca lled meetings in all available places, and went tospeak or sent speakers wherever we were called for .

”

That is Mr . Hale’s own story of his first association with the Emigrant Aid Movement

,as he published it in 1 902 . A letter from

Mr . Thayer to Mr . Hale, written from Oread , May 3 , 1 854 , describes his first assigned duty .

1 0

“There is an Emigrant Convention in the city to-day at which I expectedto be present for the purpose of un fold ing (by request) the purposes Of the

Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company . My health is such that I do not

dare to venture out in such weather and therefore wi sh that you would appearfor me . If you can do so

,I will inform you Of what it was my purpose to

speak . The explanation requisite must not occupy more than fifteen minutes .

”

To this letter , in Mr . Thayer ’s own i l legible handwriting, is at

teched a note in Mr . Hale’s plain script, January 8 , 1 889 .

“This letter relates to the first meeting Of emigrants for Kansas inthe spring of 1854 . I went and gave them their encouragement and instruction .

It was in the town hall of Worcester . There were perhaps a hundred peopleall or mostly over .

”

The Dai ly Spy carried an account , a column and a quarter inlength

,Of the meeting , attended by delegations from numerous

8 . The Da ily S p y , Worcester , Mass , March 1 3 , 27 , 1 854 . Photostatic copy used .9 . Hale, Edward Everett, M emories of a Hundred Years, v. II, pp . 1 54 , 1 55 .

1 0 . Correspondence of Edward Everett Hale.

DOLBEE : FIRS T BOOK ON KANSAS 143

towns , within a rad ius of one hundred miles .1 1 Approximately hal f

of the report reviewed Mr . Hale’s exposition of the proposed plansOf operation of the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company , to beorganized on the morrow,

and the delegates ’ satisfaction in the plans .

The meeting , however, was not the first meeting of emigrants in thespring of 1 854

,as Mr . Hale’s note of January 8 , 1 889 , states . 1

2 The

convention Of May 3 was but an adjourned meeting Of an earl ierconvention called in March for Apri l 1 8 and held on that day in thepol ice court room in Worcester with forty or fifty delegates inattendance

,representing twenty towns in Massachusetts , Rhode

Island, and Connecticut . 1 3 At least one prel iminary meeting had

preceded the meeting of Apri l Mr . Thayer ’s letter Of May 3is

,nevertheless

,the earliest record preserved, among the Ofl

‘icial

papers of the Emigrant Aid Companies , of the work Of the companywith emigrants . The convention of April 1 8 had pa ssed resolutionsrejoi cing in the proposed incorporation Of an “Emigrant ’s AidSociety” and agreeing to encourage every feasible plan “

for the

establishment of the institutions Of freedom and the prohibition Of

slavery in the national domain .

”1 5

Mr . Thayer,in wr iting in 1889 of the formation of the company ,

noted the same enthusiasm in Mr . Hale that Mr . Hale’s own statements Show .

1 6

“Indeed the very first man to express confidence in its success and his own

read iness to work for it with all his might,was Rev . Edward Everett Hale,

one of the signers of the protest [of the clergy to congress ] . True to his

p ledge,he immed iate ly began to write a book minutely describing the terri

tories Of Kans as and Nebraska, showing their many attractions,the way to

reach them,and enumerating the Emigrant Aid Companies already formed .

”

The protest of the clergy to congress , March 1 , 1 854 , against repeal of the compromise, had been signed by three thousand clergymen Of New England

,of whom Mr . Hale had been one. If

,as Mr .

Thayer suggested,Mr . Hale in his book was fol lowing out his pledge

made there—the protest had ended and your protestants,

as in duty bound,wil l ever pray , —hiS affil iation with the move

ment began two months before the Emigrant Aid Company waschartered , and the immed iate occasion Of the book, K ansas and

Nebraska,was the fulfi l lment of that pledge.

1 1 . The Da ily S p y , Worcester , Mass , M ay 4 , 1 854 .

1 2 . A later article w il l develop the background of th is movement more ful ly.1 3 . The Da ily S p y , Worcester , Mass , March 21 , Apr il 1 9 , 1 854 .

1 4 . Ib id . , March 24 , 1 854 .

1 5 . Ib id . , Apr il 1 9 , 1 854 .

1 6 . Thayer , Eli , A H istory of the K ansas Crusade (Harper , pp . 1 24, 1 25 .


Other evidences Of his interest in the pol iti cal S ituation Of the

territories and in the emigration thither were continual in his cor

respondence Of the spring . To his brother Nathan he wrote on

March 17 of being “much riled at Douglas ’s language regard ing meamong others” ; on March 22 and 25 to his father and his brotherCharles

,of a “stereotyped map Of Nebraska , in the New York

Independent, he would like his father to print in the Boston Advertiser ; on Apri l 5 , to his father, of an article on emigration toKansas

,with quotations from John M . Forbes

,for publication in

the Advertiser ; on May 1 1 , again to his father, urging the father’s

attendance at the meeting of the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company on the morrow at Revere House to arrange subscriptions tostock, outlining some of the proposed pol icies of the company , andconclud ing

,

“I think I have never had anything SO much at heartbefore.

”1 7 In June he was the recipient Of letters about the samegeneral question from Edward Everett

,who was friend ly to the

cause but reluctant to enter actively into its support because Of

his years ;1 8 and from Charles W . E l l iott in New York three lettersabout the charter in New York and Connecticut and meetings forMr . Thayer to address in Hartford , New Haven , and Springfield .

1 9

His mind had no rest from thought of emigration westward and itsimportance ; no time to make record of the exact origin of concep

tion and plan for his extensive study of the newly organized territories that was to constitute his book .

Although the d ifferent publications of the advertisement,from

July 1 1 to August 24,stated the book was “in press

,

” remarks inthe text itself ind i cate Mr . Hale d id most

,if not all

, of the actualwriting in August . On two widely separated pages

,namely pages

1 8 and 1 29 , he says he i s wr iting on August 1 , The manuscript shows that the pages Of this portion were prepared con

secutively in the numbered order . 2 1 Since the physical feat aloneof putting one hundred and eleven pages of this book on paper in

1 7 . Hale, Edward E Jr . , The L ife and Letters of Edward Everett Hale (L ittle, BrownCo. , V . I , pp . 250 -2 54 .

1 8 . Ib id. , pp . 251 , 252 .

1 9 . Correspondence of Edward Everett Ha le.

20 . Ha le, Edward Everett, Kansas and Nebraska (Ph il lips , Sampson dz Co . ,Boston ,pp . 1 8 , 1 29 .

21 . The manuscr ipt of Kansas and Nebraska, almost in entirety,was in the col lection ofMas sachusetts and New England Emigrant Aid Company papers sent to the K ansa s S tate

Histor ica l Society at Topeka by the family of Edward Everett Ha le, and is now on fi le there.

The manuscript Of chapters I -VII is comp lete w ith the exception of pp . 2 3 0 - 23 2 , being inthe book pp . 1 47 , 1 48 . The manuscript paging for chapter I! fol lows a different order , be ingnumbered b 9 -b 1 8 , wh ich corresponds to pp . 2 1 9 -23 2 of the book . Page b 1 0 is gone, but forit is substituted a l o-page report of

“Eli Thayer for the committee," covering pp . 220 -229

of tili la book . For the first 3 54 pages and the last fourteen of the book there is no manuscriptat a

146 THE KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY

first draft, as it was preserved in the manus cript, described thebook thus :

KANSAS AND NEBRAS K AThe History , Geography of These territories ;With some account of the native tribes ,—cli

mate and natural production .

From original documents in possession of the

EMIGRANT Am COMPANYand from the travels of the French Voyagers , Lewis Clarke ,Pike , Long , Fremont, Emery , Abert dc Bonneville , Abert,Fremont, Emory, Abert and Others . [Names set in itali cswere marked out in original manuscript. ]

Mr . Hale’s idea at first of the inclusions of his study was as umcertain as the order oi the names of his authorities . Here he woulddraw from the documents in possession Of the Emigrant Aid Company

,presumably Of Massachusetts , but at the time he d id not plan

to give an account of its work . In another d raft of the page,also

with the manuscript, he planned an account Of the“emigration

now in progress” to the territories , to be“prepared with the ass ist

ance Of the oflicers of the Emigrant Aid Company .

”

The history , the geography , and the map were common to all threevers ions . Although the Emigrant Aid movement had recognitionin each

,it was not until the printed vers ion appeared that the

nature and purpose of that recognition were evident. First the Emigrant Aid Company

,evidently Oi Massachusetts

,was to allow the

author use of its original documents on the territories ; second , itsofficers were to assist ; but third and finally

,the author was himself

to give an account, not of one company, but Of the companies , andalso to include d irections to emigrants . The “Emigrant Aid Companies” Of this last d raft included , besides the company of Massachusetts, the Emigrant Aid Company Of New York and Connecticut,referred to in the letters Of Chas . W . E l l iott to Mr . Hale, June 5and 27 and July 5 , and organized July 1 8 , and to

the Union Emigration Society Of Washington , D . C .

,organized by

such members of congress and citizens generally as were opposed tothe repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and to the Opening Of

Nebraska and Kanzas to the introduction Of slavery .

” 2 5 One Of

the author ’s last add itions to his plan was presentation of the

pol itical position of the terr itories ; and as his book progressed he

23 . Vide ante footnote 1 9 .

24 . Hale, E. E. , Kansas and Nebraska , p . 230 .

25 . Ibid. , p . 23 1 .


no doubt found that he had consulted too many sources to givecredit to al l on the title page, and therefore transferred to the

preface such assembled acknowledgments of authorities as he chose

to make. The last form Of the page omitted al l mention of the

native tribes , given prominent position among the first topics tobe treated, yet the book itself gave amp le space to their history andpol iti ca l position in the territories .A lthough the book consists of nine chapters, the subj ects it discusses group themselves under five headings : hi story , geography,development

,pol iti cal position

,and emigration . In a sense the

whole book is but a history Of the section opened as the territoriesOf Kansas and Nebraska on May 30, 1 854 ; but the first two chapterstreat particularly of the earl iest exp lorations and of the tribes Of

Indians dwel l ing there, both those cal led“native” and those known

to have been immigrants .In a seven-page chapter Mr . Hale first traces briefly the dis

covery Of the regions now under discussion ; he cites the reports ofFather Marquette and Father Dablon of the expedition of 1 670

1 673 , as it appears in Shea’s History of the Mississippi . The expe

dition of La Salle in 1 681 and 1 682 he reviews in the word s OfFather Membre and the continuation of the journey to the Canad ian frontier after 1 687 by S ix Of La Salle’s party , in the words ofFather Douay , both also quoted in Shea

’s hi story . He analyzesthe claims of La Hontan in 1 689 to his discoveries along the Missour i . To the

.

French scheme of 1 717 for emigration and exploration he attributes the d iscovery Of Kansas . From the time theFrench cfli cer

, M . Dutisne,reached the Osage vil lages , in 1 71 9 , he

“was exploring the territory Of K anzas .

” 26 Mr . Hale fails to citethe Specia l sources used in his account Of the French expedition .

The forty-three page discussion Of the Indian tribes that hadoccupied the territories since the region was known to man givesbare facts of name, origin , history, language, habits and state Of

civil ization . It elaborates a l ittle more in reviewing the smallertribes removed thither by governmental treaties . It then launchesinto somewhat detailed accounts of the characteristics Of the tribeswhose position at the time Offered anything of specia l interest, beginning with those in the northern part Of Nebraska and Speakingin succession Of those farther south . It gives a summary , anythingbut agreeable

,

”of their long and indolent careers of poverty and

misery,and remarks that the only success of the Ind ian agencies

26 . Ibid . , p . 1 6 .

148 TH E KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

has been in breaking up the tribe system entirely and substitutingthe labor and responsibil ities of civil ized men . It includes generalestimates Of the population Of the tribes , and ends with a statementof the Ind ian land s recently opened for settlement by treaties j ustmade with the Omahas , Ottoes and M issourias

,Sacs and Foxes of

the Missouri , Kickapoos , Iowas , Delawares , Weas, and Pianka

Shaws . 27 In his preface Mr . Hale stated that the sources Of thisSketch Of the Ind ian tribes were the treatise Of Mr . Gallatin , theSpirited sketches Of Mr . Catlin , the journal Of Mr . Parkman , and thenotices Of travelers . 28 Most of the text is a paraphrase or summaryOf the subject without exact references to special sources . Once

,in

the midd le of the chapter, a three- and -one-half—page quotation Of

a visit to the “Ogillalah” lodges is attributed to Mr . Parkman . The

long account Of the Mand ans , he says , is mostly d igested from Mr .Catlin ’s narrative ;29 and he supports the contention of their possibleWelsh origin by citation of Southey ’s preface to his poem Madoc.

3 0

Mr . Gallatin is his chief authority on language ;3 1 but on the vo

cabulary of the Dacotahs he cites the study Of the Rev . S . R .

Riggs . 3 2 He refers to the reports Of the superintendents Of the

missions , Mr . Johnson and Mr . Meeker,and he alludes to the

Opinion Of three agents by name, Mr . Vaughn , Mr . Robinson , andMr . Manypenny .

Chapters III and IV d iscuss the geographical and physical characteristics of the two territories , the one being devoted theoretically ,as the titles would ind icate, to Nebraska and the other to Kansas .AS matter of fact most of the first chapter does describe Nebraska ,there being but one or two parts of the account that include Kansasor a part of it ; but the second chapter, two and one-half times aslong as the first

,treats as frequently Of some part of Nebraska

as of Kansas and Often considers the two together . Mr. Hale hadnever visited the region .

3 3 He was therefore dependent for his in

formation upon the writings Of the travelers and explorers who

had ; and their accounts had been made before the vast region wasd ivided into two territories .

3 4 They had treated the territories as27 . Ibid. , DD. 59 , 60 .

28 . Ib id . , p . V .

29 . Ibid . , p . 43

3 0 . Ib id . , pp . 3 1 , 43 .

3 1 . Ib id . , p . 3 1 .

3 2 . Ib id . , p . 48 .

3 3 .Twenty five years later M r . Hale v is ited K ansas . The Life and Letters of Edward

Everett Ha le, by Edward E. Hale, Jr . vol. II , p . 283 , includes a letter by Mr. Ha le to M rs .

Hale, written from Lawrence, K an. , September3 4 . For the boundar ies of the two territories as divided by the congress iona l act Of May

30 , 1 854 , see the map used by Mr. Ha le in Kans as and Nebraska .


in eastern Kan sas . As authorities on geology Colonels Fremont andEmory Share honors with a Professor James

,a Prof . James Hall ,

Captain Stansbury , Jessup’s MS . Report

, and Long’s Expedition,

vol . I,pp . 1 37-1 39 . Private letters contribute fascinating pictures ,

especially of the valley of the Kansas— no one cal led the river “theKaw” then . Among these writers were Father Duerinck

,

3 6 superintendent Of the Cathol i c Mission among the Pottawatomies ; anameless person from Ind iana ; another nameless person,

“a gentleman” who had written his impressions on July 6

,1 854

,and who

was probably Dr . Charles Robinson ; and again a nameless person,“a most intel ligent gentleman who has traveled over al l parts ofAmerica ,” who quotes entries from his d iary Of 1 849 enroute toCalifornia , and who, from this description and from the more tel ltale evidence Oi the back Of the printed clipping Of his letter attached to the manuscript copy of the book

,was most likely Dr .

Robinson also.

3 7

Chapters III and IV that thus describe the natural features ofNebraska and Kansas are the most readable chapters in the book .

They make the most complete pictures . They seem,as one lays the

book aside, to have been the best written . Yet in them is l ittleoriginal composition

,no original observation, and only the origina l

thought necessary to link together nicely recorded impressions ofother persons who have been and seen for themselves . In selectionat least the author has been the artist here.

Although on August 1 , 1 854 , the proffered date of composition Of

K anzas and Nebraska,Mr . Hale asserts there was nothing deserving

the name of a town in either state , he devotes a Short chapter ,chapter V

,to stations , military , trad ing , and missionary posts, and

the proj ected cities in Nebraska and Kansas . He locates each place,gives its history

,and tel ls something Of its known purpose and use.

The statements are meager but informative. Colonel Fremont is hisacknowledged authority on Fort Kearney , supplemented by

“the

return of last autumn,

”the return evidently being a government

report . A letter Of the spring, of no given authorship , furnishes apage and one-half Of quoted description of Fort Leavenworth . Agovernment report Of the winter before provides a page quotation

3 6 . Father Duerinck , S . J . M r . Ha le refers to him as Mr . Duerinck .

3 7 . Hale, E. E K anzas and Nebraska . Back Of MS . page 1 9 7 ; the back of the news

paper cl ipping bea ring th is letter on the front , says : “The fol low ing letters comefrom the Worces ter S p y , are sa id to b e from the p en of D r . Char les Rob inson, Of F itchburg,Who vi s ited the terr itories in It seems qui te probable, though Of course not certain,

that the letter quoted is one of th is group . In the spring and early summer of 1 8 54 , Doctor

Rob inson was in K ansas in the interests Of the Emigrant Ai d Company and in 1 8 49 he had

crossed the region on h is way to California .

DOLBEE : FIRS T BOOK ON KANSAS 1 51

on the development of Fort Ri ley . The author cites no sources for

his knowledge of the other forts, the post Offices, the stations (orstopping places ) , and the missions . Obviously they have been theletters and the reports Of explorers , however, that he has had oppor

tunity to read .

Chapter VI is a general survey of routes of travel through theregion . It is both a hi story and an exposition of recommendations .It reviews all the courses of all the known exp lorers , compares themas to nature and use

,and evaluates their importance. Regarding

“the territory Of Kanzas

,from its position ,

” as “the great geo

graphi ca l center of the internal commerce of the United States ,”88Mr . Hale pronounces the emigrant track along the valley Of the

Nebraska and through the “South Pass” to Oregon and Californiaand the Santa Fé trai l to New Mexico the greatest ; and he indicatesthat “it is by some mod ification of the one or the other that almostal l the proj ects for a Pacific railroad propose to cross the continent .”3 9 He tel ls with care j ust where each route touches Kansasand suggests d ifferent approaches in each territory to the emigrantroute along the Nebraska . The sources Of his information are againnumerous , includ ing Gregg in his Commerce of the Prairies, ColonelFremont , L ieutenant Emory , Captain Stansbury , and the Secretaryof War . Virtually half the chapter consists of quotations, three andone-half pages being taken from the last report Of the Secretary Of

War,the same from L ieutenant Emory

,and two pages from L ieu

tenant Fremont and Captain Stansbury , each . Though the sourcesare several

,Mr . H‘ale admits their insufli ciency to help him do more

than “hazard a guess” as to the greater feasibil ity of one course or

a part Of a course over another .Chapter VII , whi ch reviews the pol itical history of the region

now to be organized as territories,i s the most spirited portion Of the

book . The opening statements suggest the vein Of the author ’s treatment .40

“Up to the summer Of 1854, K anzas and Nebraska have had no civilizedresidents

, except the soldi ers sent to keep the Ind ian tribes in order, the mis

sionaries sent to convert them, the traders who bought furs Of them, and those

of the natives who may be considered to have attained some measure of civilization from their connection with the whites . For a region that has had so

little practica l connection with the political arrangements of civilized states ,

this immense territory has had a political history singularly varied .

”

3 8 . Hale, E. E K anzas and Nebraska, p . 1 3 9 .

3 9 . Ib id. , p . 1 41 .

40 . Ib id . , p . 1 6 2 .

1 52 TH E KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY

Mr . Hale passes over the early pol iti cal hi story in rapid survey,devoting brief paragraphs to the sovereignty Of France

,Of Spain

, Of

France in turn . Purchase by the United States and subsequentd ivision and organization occupy two more paragraphs . The expe

d itions of Lewis and C lark , 1 804- 1 806 , Of Lieutenant Pike in 1 806 ,and of Major Long in 1 820

,crowd another half page. At the be

ginning Of the fourth page Missouri is seeking admission to theUnion and Mr . Hale’s creative hour is come . Vis iting the copiouscontemporary fi les in the l ibrary Of the Antiquarian Society formaterials upon “

the great Missouri debate,

”he steeped himself in

the pol iti cal lore and enthusiasm of 1 81 8- 1 820,and returned to his

manuscript to revive the period in spirit and in fact . He tel ls onestory of Southern pride

,another of Northern hardness . He repro

duces Mr . Otis ’ wit . He laments the failure to preserve all speeches ,especially Of C lay . He cites arguments ; he quotes c lever addressesand equally clever replies . Seventeen pages in al l he devotes to the“misery debate.

” The account is very readable and marks the cl imax Oi the chapter in interest.Mr . Hale’s purpose, as he says twice, i s to Show how alike were

the times,the questions at issue

,and the arguments Of 1 818-1 820

and 1 853 -1 854 . In his own time it has SO Often been said that theexcitement on the question regard ing S lavery in Nebraska and Kansas i s unparal leled ; it is his purpose to Show “

how precisely appro

priate the various Speeches preserved are to the recent d iscussion .

“ 1

Then and now the same type of “incidents occurred every day whichshowed the deep - seated excitement and irritation of the publi c mindat theNorth and at the South.

“ 2 He sees only two important d ifferences between the principles advocated then and those SO recentlyupheld . First, no Southern statesman then attempted the defenseof slavery as a permanent institution . Second , opponents of the

extension Of S lavery then interpreted article I , section 9 , Of the con

stitution,to Oppose emigration Of slaves from state to state.

43 Hisreview closes with quotation of the Missouri Compromise, provisionfor settlement of the territory north Of 36

°

30' in the Louisiana pur

chase,not included in the state Of Missouri .

The chapter notes the terms of the boundary treaty with Spain ,saying that inspection of the map will Show that some parts Of

Kansas have since been added under the arrangements by which

41 . Ibid. , p . 1 70 .

4 2 . Ib id . ,p . 1 6 6 .

43 . Ib id. , pp . 1 70 , 1 71 .

1 54 TH E KANS AS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY

out Of common public attention . The press, however, in the Eastand the Midd le West

,made emphatic note of it from time to time.

Mr . Hale was quite as concerned in provid ing for emigrants westward as in securing to freedom the land they Should there occupy ,and he recognized the importance Of railroads in the developmentof their new communities , but neither in 1 854 nor in any other yearof his long life d id he al lude to the rai lway issue as a pol itical factorin the organization Of the territories Of Kansas and Nebraska .

Chapter VIII consists Of an “accurate copy” Of the bill itself,published here because SO few have read ‘

the Nebraska act ’ Ofwhich SO many have talked .

”49 The source of the accurate copy isnot clear in the manuscript, where we find a printed version Of the

bil l,exclusive of sections 1 9- 36 . In the manuscript of K ansas and

Nebraska the bill i s cut apart by sections and pasted to Sheets ofletter paper . Apparently Mr . Hale had some trouble in procuringthe bill , for on August 1 0 he wrote to Nathan as fol lows : 50

“I cannot get the Nebraska Act, but have a clue to that National Era which

I am to have to-day . I am sick of the whole thing , and it real ly seems as if

my hand quailed at writing .

”

The whole thing of which he i s S ick is his task of rapi dcomposition

,evidently , and not the bil l . A l l he wrote in this

chapter were the head ings he supplied for the d ifferent sections ,each being labeled by the topic it treated . Sections 1 9 -36, inclusive

,treating Of the organization Of the territory Of Kansas ,

were omitted,

“being word for word the same as sections two toseventeen

,

” which outlined the organization of Nebraska . The

source of the printed Copy of the bill in the manuscript is not

avai lable now . The print and the paper are not the print and thepaper used by the Nationa l Era Of 1 854 . The copy evidently wasfurnished by Nathan and i s SO alluded to among chapter d ivisionsand paging notes Of the manuscript

,includ ing the substitute sections

Of the bill quoted in chapter VII .

In his preface Mr . Hale suggests that he included chapter I!

on emigration to give such -hints to emigrants as would aid themin the immed iate settlement Of K anzas .

5 1 The chapter does givesuch hints

,but to the later student of Kansas history it furnishes

more S ignificant matter in its review Of emigration and its expositionof motive and plan of the emigrant aid companies . The belief

49 . Hale, Edward E . , K ansas and Nebraska, p . IV.

50 . Hale, Edward E. Jr . , L ife and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, v. 1 , p . 255 .

5 1 . Hale, Edward E K anzas and Nebraska, p . IV .


commonly held almost from the first seems to have been that thecompanies Operating in Kansas had but one or possibly two purposes . The one, that Of keeping Kansas free, was popularly repeatedand general ly supposed to be the primary purpose. The other

,

that of money making, has been the suggestion of students quick toquestion altruism ,

and the implication has always been that suchmotive of gain was neither admitted nor legitimate. Mr . Hale’streatment does not disavow either motive but presents each in anew l ight in relation to the general cause Of emigration with whi ch,as he understand s

,the very idea of S lavery is incompatib le.

Occasioned equally by the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise andby the need Of organization Of western emigration , his discussionemphasizes the advantages of Kansas as an emigrant center . He

points out the natural attractions Of the territory, the ferti lity of itssoi l, the nature and the value Of its crops , its natural resour ces, itswater power, its contiguity to all overland routes , and its con

sequent ready market ; all these are greatly in its favor, but mostof all is the situation that will draw across its boundaries whateverroad s are built westward . A long through routes of travel emigrantsever settle and make their homes .Reasons for organizing emigration to thi s favored central territory , he says , have been two : first

,to secure to Kansas a fair

proportion Of western emigration,to secure for the principle Of

“squatter sovereignty” a fair trial , and to make sure that theinstitutions of both territories be digested by settlers of everyclass ; second, the need

“on pure ground s Of humanity” to provide

for the immense pilgrimage from Europe, hitherto uncared for . Bothconsiderations

,Mr . Hale asserts , guided Mr . Thayer to seek a

charter for the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company . The reportOf the committee Submitted by Mr . Thayer and printed in themidst of this d iscussion by Mr . Hale ind i cates that in return for itsservice to emigrants

,the company would have two rewards —the

one in the high satisfaction of having become founders of a state ;the other in Sharing in “an investment whi ch promises large returnsat no d istant day .

”52 Since time has revealed that the investment

52 . Although th is report bears the signature , El i Thayer , for the committee , it was the

work of M r . Hale . In a letter to h is father , May 1 1 , 1 854 , he says : “Mr . Bul lock , Mr .

Thayer , and I were requested to draw up the Corporator ’s address to the publ ic, wh ich Ihave just now been putting in form .

”—In the L ife and Letters of Edward Everett Hale , byEdward E . Hale

,Jr . ,

v . I , p . 2 53 . In 1 8 97 , Mr . Hale sa id aga in “Th is report of the Emigrant Aid Company was drawn by myself . I had the advantage Of the ful lest conference w ithM r . Thayer , and it is ev ident that I used h is brief above in the preparation of the report.

—Edward Everett Ha le, in New Eng land in the Colon ization of K ansas, a repr int of Chapter XI Of The New Eng land S tates, p . 84 . (The

“brief” by Mr . Thayer was some hast ilythrown -together suggestions . The committee to make the report cons isted of Eli Thayer ,Alexander H . Bul lock , E. E . Ha le of Worcester, R ichard H ildreth and Otis Clapp of Boston.

Kanzas and Nebraska, p .


yielded no returns in kind,and present-day scholarship has been

inclined to d iscred it the claim of the emigrant aid companies to arank of importance in the found ing Of the state

,it is interesting

now to have these original avowals of purpose and frank admissionsof anticipated reward s .A lthough both Mr . Hale and the committee name the securing

of a fair trial for freedom in Kansas as their first motive,and place

their trust in the character Of Northern and of foreign emigrationas their last assurance of success

, each gives equal consideration tothe commercial advantages

,for both the emigrants and the company .

Each presentation recognizes the particular needs Of the great foreignemigration that neither the United States government nor any otherestablished agency is prepared to meet . In proposing to provide forit,both Mr . Hale and the committee are guided by altruistic and

business motives . Each has long desired to protect the Europeanimmigrant after his arrival , and i f in the proposed plan the companymakes capital of the recognized need , it is at the same time financingthe undertaking itself in a way that to each seems both legitimateand praiseworthy . The material aid the companies would be ableto render both northern and foreign immigrants makes up the bulkOf the discussion , and the service they may incidentally render thecause of freedom in Kansas sl ips into secondary consideration .

The motives had evidently borne about the same relationship toeach other in Mr . Hale’s mind from the first . On May 1 1 , 1 854,in writing to his father to ask him to attend the meeting Of the

corporators of the company on the morrow,to arrange subscriptions

to stock,he had ind i cated his attitude.

“3

“It is no mere charity scheme

,but one in which business men ,

I think , wi llinterest themselves . They want to secure your hearty coOperation if

the scheme p leases for an examination ,and I think would be glad to make you

President of the Company .“You know how it has interested me as the means of helping these Irish

and German people west without sufi ering .

There are two hundred thousand Of them and others going west thi s sum

mer . If twenty thousand only Of them go into Kansas, that i s made a free

state forever .

“I think I have never had anything so much at heart, and I on ly wish I

were a business man that I might move in it open ly .AS noted before, Mr . Hale

’s first hope of insuring pol itical freedom to western territories through northern immigration dated backto 1 845 . His proposal then for the more southern territory was not

53 . Hale, Edward E Jr . , Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, v . I, pp . 252 -258 .


to the map ; we ought to have the map lithographing now,

” Mr.

Phil lips wrote Mr. Hale on July On August 4 the publishersaddressed the author again , saying,

“with this you will receive 2dproof of map .

”59 The title page described the map as an originalmap from the l atest authorities .” In the preface Mr . Hale vouchedonce more for its authenticity : “The map is accur ate as far as

may be with our present knowledge of the country . It is compiledfrom more than twenty of the recent surveys made by government .”60 There is no available record now as to who drew the map .

Neither the original Sketch from which the engraving was madeand whi ch is now preserved with the manuscript of the book , northe reproduction in the front of the book bears any identifyingmark of the artist . W . C . Sharp , of Boston, was the l ithographer.Mr . Hale had been interested in the geography of the region

prior to the compilation of the book about it . On March 22 andMarch 25 he had written his father and his brother Charles re

spectively of a good stereotyped“map of Nebraska , which had

appeared in the Independent and of whi ch the management wouldsel l the block for two dol lars . He then commissioned his brotherto buy the block for his father to use in the Boston Advertiseralong with an article whi ch I am to write on the present positionof the question .

” 6 1 He had no doubt the map was accurate.

The map in The Independent was a“map of the states and terri

tories in their relation to slavery .

”62 It was drawn by GeorgeColton . It showed in white the states in which s lavery was prohibited by fundamental law ; in black lines , the states in whichslavery was fully recognized ; in shaded l ines , the territori es wherethe question of slavery or free soi l was yet an open one. The mapmade a most efi ective visual appeal . It revealed the extent of thequestion more graphically than any description in words ; yet theaccompanying legend defining the boundaries of the territory asoutlined in Douglas ’ second bill also made colorful portrayal of thecountry involved

,emphasized its important geographi c relation to

the rest of the states,and compared the anticipated dangers of the

introduction of slavery into these newly organized territories withthe effects of the institution in the states where it had become fullyrecognized . Although themap was of general nature, it was accurate,

58 . Vide ante, p . 1 40 .

59 . Letter of Ph i l l ips , S ampson dz Co. to Edward Everett Hale, in the correspondence of

Edward Everett Ha le.

60 . Ha le, E. E. , K anzas and Nebraska , p . V.

6 1 . Hale, Edward E Jr . , Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, v . I, pp . 250 , 251 .

6 2 . The Indep endent, New York , March 1 6 , 1 8 54 . Photostatic copy used .

DOLBEE : FIRST BOOK ON KANSAS 159

as the legend asserted , with the exception that the southern boundaryof Kansas was pl aced at 36 ° whereas the second Douglas bil l

had fixed the l ine at latitudeJust what the sources were for Mr. Hale’s own map is now some

thing of a puzzle. He preserved no record of the “more than twentyrecent surveys by government .” Interpretation of his phrase wouldseem at first to depend upon the qualifying “recent .” The surveysthat were most deserving of the attribute, however, those authorizedby congress in the amendment to the army appropriation bil l for1 853 - 1 854 as additional sections 10 and were not begun unti lthe spring of 1 853 , and were not ful ly reported upon and official lypublished until First instructions to the leaders of each of

the four expeditions conducting these surveys cal led for reports tobe laid before congress the first Monday Of February , 1 854 . Com

plete reports of all four surveys were delayed , but Gov . I . I . Stevens ,exploring the route near the forty- seventh and forty-ninth paral lels ,Capt . A . W . Whipple

, the route near the thirty-fi fth parallel , andL ieut . R . S . Williamson

,the route near the Sierra Nevada and Coast

range,al l made prel iminary reports that were published in house

document 1 29,33d congress

,first session . These copies of the pre

l iminary reports , however , issued in 1 854 , probably appeared toolate for Mr . Hale’s topographer to have used them in published

form .

6 5 They must have been available to him,

6 6 nevertheless , elsehe could not have included in his map , ashe does, the entire l ine ofthe Stevens survey for a Pacific rai lroad route, 1 853 . The Secretaryof War, Jefferson Davis , had himself made a review of the undertakings in a senate document

,December 1 , 1 853 ;6 7 but his account

was brief and general,giving a Sketch of the country to be explored

,

evaluating information already obtained to determine the routes tofol low

,and noting the instructions to each offi cer in charge of an

exped ition . It gave none of the results,though

, of the surveys, but

63 . Congressional Globe, 3 2 Cong . , 2 sess . , 1 852 - 1 853 , pp . 798 , 79 9 .

6 4 . Pacific Ra ilroad R eports , S enate Exec. Docs .,3 3 Cong . , 2 sess . , No. 78 , vols . I-! II.

65 . The title page of the four volumes of th is document bears the publ ication date Of

1 854 . In the text of volume I , however , appears a letter bear ing the date of February 27 ,1 855 , indicating the volumes were not ready for circulation until 1 855 , too late to have beenused for the Hale book .

6 6 . The National Intell igencer for Monday, February 6 , 1 8 54 , noted in the senate p ro

ceed ings Of the day that “the pres ident Of the senate la id before the body a communication

from the Secretary of W ar transmitting copies of a ll reports of engineers and other personsemp loyed to ascerta in the most practicable and economica l route for a ra ilroad fromthe M iss issrpp i river to the Pacific ocean , wh ich was ordered to b e printed and referred to a

select committee .

”In brackets there fol lowed an exp lanation, evidently from the communica

tion itsel f , of the incomp lete and partia l nature of the reports and the consequent imposs ib il ityof judging the relative mer its of the different routes . Th is form of the report may have beenaccess ible to Mr. Hale and h is topographer .

6 7 . S enate Documents, 3 3 Cong . , 1 sess . , pt. II, pp . 1 6 - 28 .

1 60 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYwith it Mr . Hale was familiar, for in his text he quotes verbatim twopassages of the report68 and elsewhere notes the order of the Secretary of War to Captain Gunnison to explore the region of ColonelFremont

’

s exped ition of 1 848 In April of 1 854 GovernorStevens was in Washington to make his report in person to the Secretary of War. 7 0 The information of that report Mr . Hale’s topographer must have seen , but how is not now clear .If the ad j ective “recent” be given loose interpretation

,and if the

topographer had access to the official government fi les in Washington

,he could have consulted “more than twenty surveys” in making

the map for K anzas and Nebraska . In the period the territory hadbeen known to white men , there had been a few more than twentyoffi cial surveys . In a Memoir to accompany the map of the territoryof the United States from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean

,

L ieut . Gouverneur K . Warren , of the Corps of Topographi cal Engineers , U . S . A .

, in 1 859 , made“a brief account of each of the ex

ploring exped itions since A . D . with a description of accom

panying maps when maps were made.

7 1 Study of the memoirreveals the possible sources used . Since from the first of theseexplorers Mr . Hale draws subj ect matter for his d is cussion

,it seems

not at all unlikely that his topographer d rew from them, too, or at

least consulted them,in making the map . Indeed he must need s

have seen not only the first map but wel l-nigh all the other mapsbetween it and his own to have had a total of more than twenty”

government surveys for authority .

The Memoir compiled by Lieutenant Warren was not publishedunti l 1 859 . On March 1 , 1 858 , however, in the preface, the authortel ls that his “work has been in progress during the past four years

,

”

so that it is possible the maker of the Hale map had the benefit ofsome of L ieutenant Warren ’s criticisms of the d ifferent maps . In hispreface Lieutenant Warren pointed out that “the maps used in thecompilation have been mostly made from reconnaissances, and butfew possess very great accuracy . The geographi cal' positions are

therefore rarely determined absolutely , or even relatively,with

certainty,and new surveys are constantly making slight changes

68 . Pages 1 7 - 1 8 of S ecretary D avis ' report , S enate Documents, 3 3 Cong . , 1 sess . , part II,appears in M r. Ha le ’s K unzas and Nebraska as pp . 1 42 - 1 45 .

6 9 . CI. S ecretary Dav is ’ report above, p . 20 , and Mr . Hale ’s K anzas and Nebraska,p . 1 51 .

70 . Albright, George Les l ie, Oflicial Exp lorations for Pacific Ra ilroad , 1 853 - 1 855 (Univers ity of Ca l i fornia Press , Berkeley , p . 78 .

7 1 . Warren ,Lieut . Gouverneur K . , Memoir, to accompany the map of the territory of

the United S tates from the Miss iss ipp i r iver to the Pacific ocean, to accompany the reportsof exp lorations and surveys for a ra il road route, War Department, 1 859 .


and Captain Gunnison and describes the recommendation of each .

7 3

The portion of southwestern Kansas bounded on the east by 100 °

west longitude, on the south by 37° north latitude to the 103d

meridian,thence west to the Rocky Mountain range by about 38 °

north l atitude,on the west by the Rocky Mountain range

,and on

the north by the south bank of the Arkansas,the Hale map places

within the boundary of Kansas in accordance with the find ings ofthe United States and Mexican boundary commission and the termsof acqui sition of Texas and New Mexi co.

The reason for the inclusion of the Fremont route for a Pacificrailroad instead of the Gunnison and for label ing it the Fremontroute was probably the availability of some accounts of the Frémontexpedition . On June 1 3 , 1 854 , Colonel Frémont wrote a letter tothe ed itors of TheNationa l Intelligencer

“communicating some general results of his recent winter exped ition across the Rocky Mountains for the survey of a route for a rai lroad to the Pacific.

”74 Thisreport he offered in anticipation of a fuller report with maps andi l lustrations whi ch it would necessari ly require some months to prepare. The eastern part of this route extended from the mouth of

the Kansas river on the Missouri frontier to the valley of Parowanat the foot of the Wahsatch mountains, between latitudes 38

° andHaving been over this route from Sierra Blanca to the Mis

souri frontier four times before, he summarized the features andconnected the expedi tion with the route explored in 1 848-1 849 fromthe mouth of the Kansas river to the valley of San Luis . From the

Sierra Blanca to the Grand river the routes of Colonel Frémont andCaptain Gunnison were nearly identical ; from the latter point Colonel Fremont, in 1 853 and 1854 , continued farther south .

75 The mapof the official explorations for Pacific railroads by George Lesl ie Albright shows that the Frémont route from Fort Ri ley to the Fremontroute pass , south and a little west of Pueblo, was almost the same asthat Of Gunnison in 1 853 , from Fort R i ley, through Bent

’s Fort toFort Massachusetts . 7 6 Mr . A lbright also traces the hi story of ColonelFremont ’s different explorations of the railroad route.

77 The thirdFremont exped ition , he says ,was, accord ing to Thwaites in his Rocky

78 . Hale, Edward Everett, Kanzas and Nebraska, p p . . 1 51 , 1 52 . The findings of Captain Gunnison were evidently known in deta il to M r . Ha le, a lthough he notes the fact thatLieutenant Beckw ith ’s report of the expedi tion had not been publ ished .

74 . Th is letter was reprinted as M iscellaneous House Document, No. 8, 8 3 Cong . , 2 sees .

75 . Warren , Lieut. Gouverneur K . , Memoir, p . 75 .

76 . Albright, George Les l ie, Oflicial Exp lorations for Pacific Railroads .

77 . Ibid . , p . 3 9 , footnote.

DOLBEE : FIRST BOOK ON KANSAS 1 63

Mountain Exp lorations, page 239 , for the purpose of find ing theshortest and best route for a railroad to San Francisco Bay ; if it wasfor such purpose,Mr . Albright adds

,it was under the private instruo

tions of his father- in- l aw,Senator Benton . His fourth exped ition ,

1 848- 1 849,primarily for the exploration of a central route, and also

without government support, had failed in the San Juan mountainsin Colorado. After the government surveys were ordered in 1 853 ,Frémont in August, with fund s of his own and Senator Benton ’s ,p lanned a fifth expedition to comp lete the obj ects of the former .Mrs . Fremont

,in her Memoir ! V,

says it had been intended herhusband should lead one of the government surveys of 1 853

,but as

no name appeared in the bil l , the Secretary of War appointed Gunnison . Some of the Frémont reports were given government publication .

7 8 On the fifth expedition F . W . Egloffstein was the topographer as far as the Mormon settlement . 79 Because of thi s government aid and government recognition given the Frémont exp lorations

,they no doubt seemed themselves to be official

,and were so

regarded by Mr . Hale and his topographer .In spite of its dependence upon the numerous authoritativesources , the Hale map , whi ch i s itself merely an outline map

,has

many inaccuracies , owing in part at least to the inaccuracies ofthe sources . The most conspicuous are the courses of the mountainranges . From 45

°

north latitude the entire Rocky range fol lows aslightly northeastern course ; only the chief range i s indicated, andit is confined to 1 12 °

-1 1 1° longitude instead of being shown from

1 1 8°-1 10

° as it Should be. Fremont ’s Peak,located almost rightly

near paral lel 43 ° and meridian is placed in the main rangeinstead of in the Wind River mountains where it belongs

, the mainrange here being given too northwesterly a line ; and theWind Rivermountains , whi ch are a northwesterly range paral lel with the mainrange between latitudes 42 °

-44° in longitude 1 09 ° are on this

map a west and east to northeasterly range between latitudes 43 °

and 44° in longitude 1 04 ° being confused apparently with the

Sweetwater range. A lthough the Black Hills fol low a north andsouth l ine, they extend from about latitude 44

°

to whereas theyare a short range reaching from about latitude 44° to 45 ° The

78 . The expedition of 1 842 appeared as S ena te Document, No. 243 , 27 Cong . , 3 sess . ; thesecond , as S enate Documen t, NO. 1 74 , 28 Cong . , 2 sess . ; the th ird, as M iscellaneous S ena teDocument, No. 1 48 , 3 0 Cong . , 1 sess . ; the map of Charles Preuss , 1 8 46 , of th is th irdFremont expedition from Missouri to Oregon, as House Committee Rep ort, No. 1 45 , 3 0 Cong2 sess . ; the fifth as represented In footnote 74 , and the fourth was connected with the fi fth .

79 . Mr . Egloffstein joined Lieutenant Beckwith in 1 854 to aid in his explorations alonglatitude


topography of the rest of this northwestern region that in 1 854 wasa part of theNebraska territory , is even more uncertain . No othersof the numerous mountain ranges are represented on the map at al l .The rivers fol low curious courses . The Big Horn , which is givenapproximately correct headwaters in the Wind River mountains , ismade the chief source of the Yel lowstone river on the map ; and theWind river

,whi ch is now known to flow in a southeasterly course

into the Big Horn , fol lows, on the map , a northeasterly course intothe Little Big Horn . The headwaters of the Missouri are in northlatitude 44 ° and longitude 109 ° to instead of latitude45

°

and longitude 1 1 1 °

to and Great Falls is in latitude48

° and longitude whereas it belongs in latitude 47 °

30' and

longitude 1 1 1 ° The union , however, of the Yel lowstone and theMilk river with the Missouri is approximately right . The BitterRoot river is not named on the Hale map and perhaps not shown , butthe Salmon river to the west of the mountain range i s made to abutthe range on the west d irectly west of an unnamed river abutting iton the east so that it seems probable the Hale map fol lowed herethe erroneous idea of Captain Hood that the Bitter Root was asource of the Salmon .

In southeastern Nebraska and in Kansas geographical positionsare much more accurate on the Hale map . R ivers and forts areabout the only markings . The more important rivers have aboutthe same headwaters and the same courses as in modern maps . Afew exceptions are noticeable. The Little Nemaha

,which fol lows a

course marked ly southeasterly,and the Great Nemaha

,whi ch after

the union of its two forks is also southeasterly,fol low on the Hale

map courses a lmost due east . Although in the text,in a passage

quoted from an unnamed source,

80 “the Republican and the SmokyHill forks are said to take their rise in the Rocky Mountains andunite to form the Kanzas river in almost latitude 39 ° and longitude

the map reveals the rise of each in the plains east of the mountain range and the union in latitude 39 ° and longitude The

Arkansas , which crosses the southern line of the state j ust east oflongitude 97 ° crosses on the Hale Map

,at a point j ust west of

The C imarron, whi ch unites with the Arkansas in latitude lon

gitude 96° unites

,on the Hale map

,in latitude longitude 97

This point, although 200 miles east of Fort Atkinson , may bethe union marked in the map of Lieutenant Steen and noted by

80 . Hale, Edward Everett, Kansas and Nebraska , p . 8 6 .

1 66 THE KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLYin fact, derived from it.

s5 To keep them by one letter more apart is to gainsomething .

”

In the text, d i scussing the Ind ians in the territory , Mr . Haletel ls more of the origin of the d ifferent forms of the name.

8 6

Around the forks of the K anzas river, is the hunting ground of the K anzas

tribe, from whom this river and territory have their names . This name isspelled by d ifferent writers in many different ways . Cansas

,Conzas

,K onsas,

Kansas,and K anzas

,are the most frequent.

”

Mr . Hale’s reasoning was sound enough,but the public d id not

accept and fol low his chosen Spel l ing at al l general ly . By lateautumn he felt it necessary to secure a id if he would establish hischosen way as custom . To G . W . Brown he wrote both of the

tendency of the day and in fuller explanation of his own usage : 8 7“I hope I am not too late to beg you to turn a cold shoulder on the careless fashion of spel ling K anzas with an s after the n , which I see is coming

into vogue . It is all wrong . A Boston paper to-d ay says that K anzas is an

abbreviation of Arkansas . This is preposterous . Let us take for our new

state high ground from the very beginning, as it is the true ground . The

Arkansas Ind ians broke off from the K anzas Ind ians but a few years beforethe French first explored the valley of the Mississippi . They enlarged our

name . We never took theirs nor the fag end of it. K anzas has an antiquityand may as well claim it.

The earliest history of Louisiana, in French,sp el ls the name Canchez

giving the sound in question the very hardest sound of which the B e nch

language is capable .

”

Before Mr . Brown published the letter in the Hera ld of Freedom,

January 6,1 855

,he had written “Friend Hale” on December 27

1 854 , of the already accepted western spel l ing with the“I regret that I had not received your letter in time for publication,

89 but

it now is quite unseasonable .

“The spel ling of K ansas seems to have become almost established byusage, and I think it would be imposs ible in the West to change it now . All

the papers in the territory, with the many along the border to which my at

tention has been cal led , are in the habit of spel ling it with an 3 . Congresssent out the bil l in the same form,

and for me to attempt a change—althoughconvinced of the force of your argument—would seem wholly impracticable .

I shall give the public the benefit Of your ideas on this matter .

”

When on January 6 , in the first issue of his paper thereafter,Mr.

Brown d id give the publi c opportunity to read Mr . Hale’

s V i ews ,he added his own ed itorial comment.

85 .Ibid . , p . 57 The Arkansaw Indians , an Ofi

'

shoot from the K anzas , struck theFrench as such fine men , that th ey ca lled them ‘

les Beaux Hommes ,

’suppoemg that to be

the mean ing of their name.

86 . Ib id . ,p . 52 .

8 7. Herald of Freedom,Lawrence , January 6 , 1 8 55 .

0

8 8 . In correspondence of Edward Everett Hale among the official papers of the Emi gramAid Company.

89 . In an earlier issue of the Herald of Freedom.


The argument of our friend sustains his position as to the spelling of

Kansas ; and yet the popular will has charge of the matter SO fully that itappears to be beyond the power of the literati to change the result. Congressin the enrollment of our territorial bil l, set an example which has been fol

lowed by the different heads of departments , and the newspaper press—withvery rare exceptions—in all parts of the country . The five presses in the

territory are also with the majority, and the orthography of Kansas at this

time seems as firmly established as that of any state in the Union .

”

So apparently it was , although a few eastern pub l ications con

tinned to spel l the name with a z into 1 856 . The Quarterly Journal

of the American Unitarian Association abandoned it after the an

nual report of the treasurer, May 27 1 856 . The Boston Transcriptand the Dai ly Chronicle used it into the summer and the SpringfieldRepublican continued it into the fall . Many of the contemporarypublishers

, even when writing of Kanzas and Nebraska,referred to

it always as K ansas and Nebraska . Mr . Hale himself had somed ifficulty in remembering to use his preferred spel ling in the book,as the manuscript reveals . Frequently he had to change the s to

a z the first two drafts of the title page even read K ansas and Ne

braska . To the modern casual reader the Spel l ing of the name i sthe most noticeable and most memorable feature of the book .

Such in summary-review is Kanzas and Nebraska that its authorcompiled at the rate of forty- three pages a day . H i s son describedit,in 1 917 , as

“l ittle more than a compilation ;”90 and to the modern

reader so indeed it seems and is ; a comp i lation , moreover, in whi chsome of the signs of haste are obvious . Attached to the book , forinstance, in a separate Appendix B ,

i s a six-page description of the

valleys of Smoky Hill and the Kansas rivers in the form of a letterfrom George S . Park, published by the Emigrant Aid Company toolate to be given a place in the text . Its ful l subject matter wouldhave been an add ition to the text, chapter IV, on the geography of

Kansas , but it would have been somewhat out of proportion even tothe other long quotations already incorporated in the text . Moredel iberate preparation of the manuscript would have permitted a digest or summary treatment of the substance. A l l the way throughthe text as it stands there i s too continuous dependence upon quotation as it is, too l ittle of the author

’s own explanation in proportion .

Comparison of the printed pages with the manuscript reveals moreevidences of haste. Written for the most part in Mr . Hale’s ownclear and meticulous script, on letter paper of two sizes , it was ,nevertheless, clean , easi ly read copy for the printers to fol low . Evi

90 . Hale, Edward E. , Jr. , The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, p . 258 .


dently , though, it was his first copy and the changes he had foundnecessary were made on the manuscript there. Pages 1 7 and 1 8

,for

instance, of the manuscript, page 1 7 of the book , were crossed out

,

and rewritten as they now appear in the printed text. Al l of page 14of the manuscript

,page 1 1 of the book

,was scratched out and re

written on the back of the same sheet . Now and then add itionalpassages or whole paragraphs were written on the backs of Sheetsand marked for insertion in the text ; such passages are found in themanuscript

,page 241 , and in the book as the last paragraph of page

1 52 ; in the manuscript, page 288 , and in the book the midd le paragraph oi page 1 83 . Sometimes longer extra insertions were markedby half numbers

,as 12515 , and 22039 to

care for add itional material ; correspond ing to these numbers in orderare the fol lowing book pages where they belong : 60

,66-67 , 70

-71 ,

72 , 1 17- 1 1 8

,and 1 80 . Manuscript page 1 78 carried an insertion of

six pages numbered A1 to A6 , covering pages 106-109 of the book .

The manuscript is written on one S ide of the Sheet only, with threeexceptions : page 274 of the manuscript is found on the back of page273 , 279 on the back of 278

,and 283 on the back of 282 . These

passages , appearing in the printed book , from page 1 74 through1 80 , belong in the chapter on pol itica l history and consist of quotations and Mr . Hale’s own summaries of pol itical happenings .Extensive changes in the printed book from the manuscript readings are few . The chief occurs toward the end of chapter II , wherein the manuscript in a different handwriting , with the initials

“N.

H . Jr .” attached , three footnotes are supplied . In the manuscriptthese appear on pages 96 , 108 , and 1 14% - 1 15

,correspond ing to

pages 50,56

,and 60 of the book respectively . The initials are evi

dently those of Nathan Hale, an older brother of Edward EverettHale

,who probably read proof and who procured for his brother the

copy of the Kansas-Nebraska bill used in chapter VIII . The bookretains only the footnote of

“N. H . Jr .” on page 56— “as this bookis passing through the press , it is understood that these treaties havebeen ratified

”- but it omits his personal notation ,

“Here I inserted

footnote . N. H . Jr .” Page 1 15 of the manuscript end s ,“It is prob

able that these treaties will be ratified before this book is published .

”

Attached i s a footnote by Mr . Hale himself which reads , “Here Isaid , in text,

‘it i s understood that these treaties were ratified by the

senate at the close of the session j ust finished , although the offi cialpromulgation had not been made when this sheet was prepared forpublication .

’ Thi s note, in d ifferent- colored ink, was probably


Besides these lesser changes were a few of mechanical nature suchas the insertion of quotation marks on page 92 of the book

, omittedfrom page 1 53 of the manuscript ; and the making of new paragraphd ivisions, as on page 72 of the book whi ch printed as two paragraphswhat appeared in the manuscript

,page as one ; or as on page

1 63 of the book , which d id the same for materia l placed in one

paragraph in the manuscript, page 256 ; or as on page 81 of the

book, whi ch united in one paragraph what constituted two in themanuscript, page 1 39 . For the omission of quotation marks in thebook from page 1 39, paragraph 2 , through page 1 38 and from page140

, paragraph 2 , around material whi ch in the manuscript, pages21 8 and respectively , is obviously taken bod i ly from a newspaper, there is no explanation in either manuscript or book .

A lthough K anzas and Nebraska is “l ittle more than a compilation, the compilation was itself no small feat for two summermonths . Begun some time after the publisher ’s agreement of July1 2

, the book was in press by September 20 9 1 and was published on

September 28 . Col lection of material s from the many d ifferentsources was itself something of a task ; selection and arrangementof them required care ; and the Copying of virtually al l of them inlonghand was a nervous as wel l as a physical strain . Though Mr .Hale may have “written” at the rate of forty-three pages a day ,

he could not have kept up the speed many consecutive days unless,of course, he had selected and arranged all his material in advance,but that he could hardly have done. The presentation does not

suggest such foresight . His letters and manuscript notes,moreover ,

record some of his d ifficulties in procuring materials . The smallletter sheets he used for much of the manuscript permitted a greateroutput for those parts than for others of the 335 pages . Cessationin August of most of the advertisements of the book

,begun so

prematurely by Phi l lips,Sampson Company on July 1 1

,suggests

unexpected delay .

Not until late September was the advertising revived . Then on

September 26 the New York Da i ly Tribune carr ied again the ad

vertisement of July, with the add itional line,“Published This Day ,

Sept . and with the price of the paper-bound copy given as 50instead of 56 cents . On September 27 the Boston Evening Telegraphrepeated the form of the Commonwea lth advertisement of July . OnSeptember 30 and October 2 , G . S . Wel ls , a booksel ler of New York,

9 1 . Evening Trans crip t, Boston, S eptember 20 , 1 854.


advertised K ansas and Nebraska in the New York Tribune, and on

October 12, 1 9 and 26 in the Nationa l Era in Washington . InWorcester the review of the book in The Dai ly Spy ,

September 26,said the book was for sale at William Al len ’s bookstore, but it wasnot advertised then or later among Al len ’s new books . On September27 John Keith Company , also of Worcester

,however, l isted it in

their Bulletin ofNew Books in The Dai ly Spy , and from September29 through November 28 they carried the title among their regularlyadvertised books in the same paper . Although in July the publishersspoke of announcing the book “all over the northern creation ,

” theiradvertising of September

,when the book was ready for circulation ,

seems to have been considerably curtailed . The only elaborate ad

vertisement the writer has found was that of the Boston EveningTelegraph, October 7 and 14, 1 854 . Four and three-quarters incheslong, in heavy b la ck type, somewhat exclamatory in form

,and

marked ly antislavery in tone,it was conspicuous among book an

nouncements of the day .

WHICH SHALL WIN

The intense interest felt throughoutthe country with regard to the settlement of

our youngest territoriesKANZAS

AND NEBRAS K A !Has already begun to be manifest in the tideof emigration settling westward . The fair, virginsoi l is free to all

, and the hardy pioneers are

to bear on their shoulders the destinies of those

embryo states . Throughout theNORTHERN HIVE

Which is again to swarm with thousandsof gold gleaning bees, there is already thebustle of preparation .

To meet the universa l demand for reliableinformation respecting the geography, climate,soil

,and probable productions of the new

territories, a volume has been prepared by

REV. EDWARD E . HALE,containing all that is desirable to be known .

It is accompanied by an accurate and comprehensiveMap of the Territories .

This work , so opportune, so complete, hasbeen received with uncommon favor .

1 72 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYThe whole of the first edition was

exhausted on the very day of the publication , withoutsupplying all the advance orders received .

New ed ition nearly ready .Price in mus lin 75 cents ; in paper 50 cents .

The sponsor of thi s propagand a- colored venture i s unknown , forit d id not bear the name of publisher or dealer or friend . It is of

interest,though

,as ind icating that the advance advertisements of

the book had brought the desired sales . Statement of Charles Halein a letter to his sister Susan

,September 24, 1 854 , substantiates this

suggestion : 9 2 “I suppose you know Edward ’s book is published , andthe whole first edition sold at once with good promise of continueddemand .

”

One other advertisement of the book fol lowed , that of November4,evidently in the Boston Journal, j ust after the new edition was

published . Matter-offact in nature and modest in tone, it, too,appeared without the name of the sponsor , who, nevertheless , described the book as inva luable to persons desiring the latest information upon Kansas derived especially from “

the correspondenceof the Emigrant Aid Society” and having an accurate map .

The first review of K anzas and Nebraska seems to have appearedin the Daily Advertiser, managed and ed ited by the Hale family .

"3

Who wrote the review,copied by the Evening Transcript, September

20 1 854, the papers do not reveal . 94

It appears to us well adapted to that obj ect [of giving authentic information on the territories ] by combining in a narrow compass , and in a

tangible Shape, a great amount Of information scattered through many, manyvolumes of trave ls and documents, and p lacing it before the reader in a

method ical form.

”

In a letter from Edward Everett Hale to his brother Charles ,September 20

,1 854, the day of the Transcript reprint, responsibility

for the review is placed upon the brother : 9 5 “I am heartily obligedfor the notice of K anzas ; whether I ever see the book itself seemsmore doubtful . ” The book itself d id not appear officially for eightmore d ays . 9 6

9 2 . Letter from Charl ie to Sus ie” S eptember 24, 1 854 , in correspondence of EdwardEverett Ha le.

9 3 . The Da ily Advertiser, Boston ,publ ished by Nathan Hale, S r . . had in the late spr ing

of 1 854 been taken over by two of h is sons , Charles and Edward Everett. Charles became

the manag ing editor and Edward Everett helped on the editori al page—Cf . Life and Letters

of Edward Everett Hale, by Edward E. Hale, Jr,, v . I, p . 254 .

9 4 . Even ing Transcr ip t, Boston , September 20 , 1 854 .

95 . Ha le, Edward E. , Jr . , L ife and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, v . I, p . 260 .

9 6 . Vide footnote 9 2 . The letter from Char l ie to S us ie, S eptember 24, sa id.

the book ispubl ished . The word “publ ished” here appears to have been a mistake for “printed . " 8 11100

the New York Tribune of S eptember 26 gave the date of publi cati on as S eptember.

28 , thewriter of th is article supposes the publ ishers did not release the book for ci rculation unti l

the latter date.


From Washington came critical comment in lighter vein , playingupon the commonly heard names of Kansas and Nebraska .

1 04

“If there be any faith due to the proverb that ‘

a hair of the same dog cures

his bite,’ those who have had their nervous excitabilities worn down and their

sense of hearing deadened by the daily repetition of those names for almosta year—soft and sweet and euphonious though they be—wi l l find a pleasantrecuperative remedy by taking up this volume . In it they wil l see these twinsisters of the West with new faces, with features not SO harsh and repulsiveas they appeared in the paintings exhibited at the Capitol during the lastsession by the rough speechifying limners of that ilk . Here the coloring isd rawn from nature, not from d istorted imagination . Their prairie oceans , theirbeautiful streams , their shady forests , and savage denizens, and wi ld herdsare all fairly depicted . Nor is the darker side of the picture hidden from

view . The arid plains , where neither tree, nor Shrub , nor blade of grass forhundreds of acres, can find soil enough to sustain a root ; where no water

bubbles up to greet the eye of the thirsty emigrant ; where no fuel can befound to light the fire by which to prepare his daily food ; where neither rocknor hillside Shade invites him to repose his wearied limbs ; al l these, too, aredelineated with the penci l of truth .

“Mr . Hale has honestly compiled his history from the most reliable sources

extant. Indeed we believe he has not failed to consult every traveler whohas ever written a line upon the subject of that extens ive region of our

country .“With all his pred ilections for that particular ism to which he confesses

himself attached , Mr . Hale has managed to make this chapter on political hi story of the new territories extremely interesting . He has hunted up manyanecdotes from the molding documents of a past generation, whi ch revive in

our memories many agreeable and some unpleasant incidents , but has fairlystated the sayings and doings of the most conspicuous actors and speakerson both sides of the vexed question ,

the‘misery debate ,

’as the wags cal led

it,of

Weary of end less il l- j udged comment that as propaganda had um

derestimated or overestimated the features of the territories , thereviewer of the Nationa l Intelligencer wrote appreciatively of Mr.Hale’s study . Of the reviews d iscovered his i s the only one thatseems to have been del iberately designed for Southern as wel l asNorthern readers .In Kansas there was no recognition of the book until the spring

of 1 855 . On February 10 , under a column head ing “General In

telligence, excerpts were made in the Hera ld of Freedom“from

‘Kansas and Nebraska ’ by E . D . Hale.

” The source, of course, was

K anzas and Nebraska by E . E . Hale. The parts Copied were takenfrom chapter VI ,

“Routes of Travel The Pacific Railroad

1 04 . National Intelligencer, Washington, December 20, 1 854 .

DOLBEE : FIRST BOOK ON KANSAS 1 75

Navigable R ivers .”1 °5 On Apri l 21 , quite as though theCopy of the book had j ust arrived , the editor of thi s Same paper

,

under the title,“History of Kansas , acknowledged receipt of

“the

nicely bound volume” of K ansas and Nebraska with which, throughthe pol iteness of Rev . E . E . Hale

,of Worcester, Mass , we are

favored .

”1 0 6

“As the pioneer history of the great West, abound ing with a vast amount

of matter which is very d ifficult to procure through any other channel , it willbe a standard work, and invaluable to the future historian of Kansas . The

volume contains many inaccuracies, Of course, as is the case with all new

publications of a similar character ; but these wil l be read ily corrected by theintel ligent reader

,and a revised volume w il l add many important incidents

which have transpired subsequent to its original preparation . The map ,which

at present is a mere outline, will be dotted with towns , vil lages, and cities .

We hope friend Hale wil l pay Kansas a visit during the present season , and

prepare a new volume for publication . Another work of the kind is muchneeded .

The criticism in thi s review is the most adverse publi shed com

ment upon the book by contemporary writers the author of thisarticle has found . In Kansas , in proximity to the contemporaryfacts , inaccuracies were apparent , but the editor did not take thetrouble to note them . What interested him more was having thehistory of Kansas , subsequent to its organization as a territory , included in a new edition of this first “history” of the prospectivestate. Of so l ittle impress was the criticism , however, that the NewHaven Dai ly Palladium, in noting the review ,

said,

“The Herald

certifies to the merits of Rev . E . E . Hale’s K anzas and

Nebraska,

” 1 07 Kansas was too remote from Connecti cut for errorsto be visible.

One other contemporary article, that of The Methodist QuarterlyReview,

said that the information was general rather than special ,but added that “a minute knowledge of the country has yet to beacquired .

”1 08 This review also frankly hoped that the book might“contribute its share to nul l ify the plan of the present Ameri cangovernment to spread S lavery over the vast territory, covered bywhat is known as the ‘Nebraska Bil l . ’

1 05 . The passages copied were from pp . 1 3 9 - 1 41 , 1 45, 1 46 , 1 48 , 1 49 , 1 51 - 1 53 , and

1 56 -1 61 .

1 06 . Herald of Freedom, Apri l 21 , 1 855 . Attempts had been made to get the book toKansas before . G . W . Brown had ordered a copy from Boston in the fal l but it was stolenen route: M r . Hale had evidently announced he was sending a copy , for on December 27

Mr. Brown wrote him,

“The Desc. of K ansas and Nebraska has not been received . S houldhave been glad to acknow ledge receipt of copy .

”- Letter of G . W . Brown to E. E . Ha le, De

cember 27 , 1 854 , in correspondence of Edward Everett Hale.

1 0 7 . Da i ly Palladium, New Haven , Conn . , May 7 , 1 855 .

1 08 . Methodist Quarterly Review, 4th series (January, v . VII, p . 1 3 5 .


The only specific adverse criticism of Mr . Hale’s work that survives occurred in a letter of Charles H . Branscombe

,one of the

Kansas agents for the Emigrant Aid Company, to Mr . Hale, Feb

ruary 2 , A long twenty-five-page article on the significanceOf the Emigrant Aid Movement, written by Charles WentworthUpham and published in the North American Review,

January,

1 855,had praised Kanzas and Nebraska as a Source book for the

emigrant and attr ibuted cred it for conception of the whole emigration enterprise to Mr . Hale.

1 1 0

“It is natural that Mr . Hale should have had his attention special ly called

to this subject. The Kansas and Nebraska emigration movement is the fulfillment and realization of one of his early and cherished visions . He triedto save Texas to freedom by the same instrumental ity, and urged an organized emigration to that region in a pamphl et entitled , A Tract for the Day

How to Conquer Texas, before Texas Conquers Us—published inThe Upham article in the Review then praised Mr . Thayer for hispart in the movement, making use, partly in paraphrase and partlyin quotation, of an account in the London Times and of other materis l from another unnamed source. The Sketch gave a colorfulpi cture of Mr . Thayer “to whose energy

, enthusiasm ,and powers

this emigration movement is mainly owing,and by whom it is in

great measure superintended and conducted .

”

This divi sion of credit between the two men is the point to whichMr . Branscombe takes exception in his letter .

“I have been much surprised in read ing your work on Kansas and Nebraska,

and also in read ing Mr . Upham’s review of it, that neither has awarded to Mr.

Thayer the honor of having originated the plan of organized emigrationwhich is efficiently used by the Emigrant Aid Company .“Your book seems to make Mr . Thayer secondary and subord inate to a

general public sentiment, and Mr . Upham makes him secondary and subordinate to yourself in this movement.

“Now in relation to the first position, that of the book . I know it to be

incorrect,for I know that it has been a gigantic work on the part of Mr .

Thayer to arouse public sentiment and to guide it into the line of practicalaction . Mr . Thayer has been and now is the caput acque princeps of

all efficient action in the premises .

“Now in relation to the other point. Will you be so kind as to inform me,whether you as the review claims, are the originator of th is plan of organizedemigration or of any p lan . I am aware you wrote a tract advocating emigration to Texas , but d id you originate and develop any p lan ? Are you the

author of the Stock Co . ? of the Leagues? of the officer of Master of Emigra

1 09 .Letter of Char les H . Brans combe to Edward Everett Hale, February 2 , 1 855 , in

correspondence of Edward Everett Hale.

1 1 0 . North Amer ican Review (January, v . 8 0 , pp . 9 1 - 1 1 6 . The article as printedis unsi gned , but a letter from Virgin ia Barney, assrstant editor of the North American Re

view, to the wr iter of this revrew, May 21 , 1 9 3 2 , states that the author was Mr . Upham.


credit to Mr . Thayer 1 1 3 “I Should be sorry not to say , on alloccasions, that to him the work owed its success and the nationowes al l that grew from that success .”

The success of K ansas and Nebraska was measured in two waysby contemporaries . For the publishers it was a financial failure ;for the emigrant aid companies it was a practical help . The cor

respondence extant does not ind i cate the size of either printing of

the book, but it does reveal the effects of the sale. In July, 1 854 ,Mr . Hale had offered to sel l the manuscript outright for $300 or to

take a fifteen per cent royalty on the retai l pri ce of the work .

1 1 4

Phi l l ips,Sampson Company would have accepted the first terms

save for the recommendation of Mr . Phi l l ips . 1 1 5“My sole reason for res isting it was not for us—but because I really thought

that there hung around it one of those chances that I d id not want to See you

throw away for so small a sum. I did not make this ruling until Mr .

Sampson told me he was satisfied we sh’d sell anywhere from to

cop i es .

”

That the sale fel l far Short of even the lower figure of the estimatei s evident in the $21 8 royalties the company paid Mr . Hale inAugust

,1 855 . The letters between Mr . Phi l lips and Mr. Hale at

the time ind i cate the sum was figured on the basis of ten per centinstead of fifteen per cent .Both the author and the publishers had overestimated the publicinterest in that new world . Neither had considered the cost of extensive adverti sing . Issuing the book shortly after two far morepopular titles ,1 1 6 the firm found itself under the high pressure of ad

vertising from Maine to Kansas . Although Mr . Sampson had earlybegun to say ,

“If we advertise thi s so

,we can ’t pay over 10 per cent,

Mr . Phi l l ips had asserted Mr . Hale would be reasonable about thematter and procrastinated in tel ling him “under the notion that thesale would come out strong enough to j ustify such an after consideration . But the sequel i s as it is and it can ’t be any tizzer .

” Mr .Phi l l ips assumed al l blame, even for the small sale, but Mr . Halewas d isappointed , saying he would not have put the time and workinto the book for the 321 8 had he foreseen the slight interest in the

new territories . Under a false impression about the amount of the1 1 3 . Hale, Edward Everett, introduction to A H istory of the Kansas Crusade, by Eli

Thayer , p . XI .1 1 4 . Letters from M . D . Ph il l ips to Edward Everett Hale, July 1 2 , 1 854 ; August 21 ,

1 855 , in correspondence of Edward Everett Ha le.

1 1 5 . Ib id . Letter of August 2 1 , 1 855 .

1 1 6 . These titles were Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands, by Harriet Beecher S towe ; and

H istory of Cuba, by Maturin M . Ballou.


loss on the book, Mr. Hale took the $1081 1 7 d ifference between tenand fifteen per cent phi losophically , volunteering to Share the lossequal ly with the publishers . Afterward s Mr . Phi l lips went over thebooks again and found the loss of the company to be more than

$300 , which the company , however, assumed without complaint as arisk of trade.

1 1 8

Although within the year the promulgators recognized K ansas and

Nebraska as a commercia l failure, they regarded it from the be

ginning as first authority on both the territories and the EmigrantAid Company . It was at once a history and a geography and a bookof d irections for Kansas and prospective Kansans . Mr . Thayerwrote that “the several hundred of the different kinds of societies,leagues

,committees , and companies in the free states

” kept it as “aninvaluable handbook for emigrants . It was of great servicein our efforts to arouse the publi c to the importance of organizedemigration .

”1 1 9 The day after the official publication , September 28 ,1 854

,Doctor Webb submitted to the publishers an order from the

German Kansas Settlers Association of C incinnati , Ohio, for severalcopies . 1 20 Record s of publi shers and booksel lers are not availableto show the number of copies sold . Comments in advertisementsand early reviews to the effect that the first ed ition was exhaustedwere probably references to printings rather than editions . Therecould hardly have been need of a second edition . The only personwho wrote of the possibi lity was G . W . Brown

,ed itor of the Herald

of Freedom,of Lawrence. To western readers

,with the scene of its

setting at their doorsteps,K anzus and Nebraska had shortcomings

not obvious elsewhere. A lthough the publishers boasted of announcing it “all over the northern creation ,

”the book probably found its

greatest number of readers in the East,where interest in the emigra

tion movement was most manifest . There people ta lked about itand its subj ect matter ; there reviewers wrote of it ; there its authorwas known . Those who had already come West found the territories themselves all around them a more urgent and more authenticsource of information and thought . The last of the business corre

1 1 7 . The figure, $1 08 , is evidently a mistake for $1 09 , wh ich would have been the

exact amount of the extra five p er cent roya lty of the origina l p lan .

1 1 8 . The Hera ld of Freedom, October 1 5 , 1 859 , noted Ph il l ips, S ampson Company hadrecently fa iled w ith an indebtedness of

1 1 9 . Thayer , Eli , A H istory of the K ansas Crusade, Its Fr iends and Its Foes , pp . 1 24 ,1 25 . Because of th is officia l use of the book by the Emigrant A id Company, it subsequentlycame to be regarded as a publ ication of the company ; of . A lbert J . Beveridge ’s AbrahamL incoln, v . II, p . 3 00 , footnote.

1 20 . Webb , Thos . H Letter of S eptember 29 , 1 854 , to Albert Oestreicher, in Letters(Letter Press copies ) of Emigrant Aid Company.


spondence preserved was Mr . Phi l l ips’ letter of August 21 , but not

unti l December 1 8,1 855

, d id Mr . Hale find himself free of mattersrelative to the book . On that day he wrote to his brother Charles ,“I have swept Kamzas off my table completely .

”1 2 1

Copies of the book are easi ly available to-day . Second -hand bookdealers l ist them at nominal prices . Only last year a friend pickedup a copy in Bridgeport, Conn .

,for 10 cents . In Kansas now the

book seems to be known little more than in the year of publication.

Only a few of the older libraries have it, and frequently the older ofthe old settlers say they have never heard of it . K anzas and Ne

braska was , nevertheless , the first and the most authoritative of thenumerous books upon the new territory .

In 1 917 Edward E. Hale,Jr .

,suggested the manner of his father ’s

gathering of the material for K ansas and Nebraska .

1 22

He read for it, or remembered , not on ly the account of Father Marquetteand La Salle , but accounts much more recent and ful l of the charm of current

interest . Even nowadays K anzas and Nebraska is an interestingbook, because it is so full of the intense feeling of the day .

The latter chapters of the book do reflect the feel ing of the day ;but they and al l the others in the hasti ly prepared composition present more the subj ect matter that provoked the thought and stirredthe feel ing of the day . To anyone examining the book now Mr . Haleappears to have read for it and quoted far more than he drew frommemory and paraphrased . His method

,however

,was In part that of

the historian,in part that of the writer of popular appeal . He sought

authority and usually gave due cred it where he could ; yet in hisselection of materi als , he seems to have chosen more to appeal tothe reader than to treat his subj ect thoroughly . The copy for

K ansas and Nebraska was prepared so quickly that Mr . Hale probably gave l ittle thought to the method he pursued

, yet it i l lustrateswel l two contrad ictory inclinations

,that his son rel ates

,guided him

most of his l ife.

“He sometimes thought that he was meant to be

i

an hi storical studentrather than anything else and he always had some sort of historica lwork on his hands . The two historica l principles which appear to

have been most important in guid ing his work seem,if not contradictory, at

least hard to combine . One was the importance of studying the

original sources . The other was the importance of being interestingto all sorts of peop le . Thi s was most natural . We can hard ly imagine such

1 2 1 . Hale, Edward E. , Jr . , L ife and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, v . I, p . 265 .

1 22 . Ib id . , p . 258 .

H istory Of Lynch ing s in KansasGENEVIEVE YOST

N Apri l 1 8 , 1 932 , Kansas was shocked by the lynching of RobertRead , in Rawlins county . Not since Apri l 1 9

,1 920

,twelve

years before, when Albert Evans was hanged at Mulberry , Crawford county , had there been a lynching in Kansas .The newspapers , in reporting the story , desired a list of previouslynchings in the state, and a record of about fifty was very hurried ly compiled in the l ibrary of the Kansas State Historical Society .

This list, when published , aroused the interest of papers and in

d ividuals and brought in add itional items . The Russel l Recordheaded a front-page story in the fol lowing issue of its paper withthe l ine, Hey !Russel l had a lynching, too.

” 1 Interest grew untilit was decided to prepare a list of lynchings in Kansas which shouldbe as complete as possible. Such a list i s valuable, not merely forits numbers and d ates , but, as thi s paper shows , because it reflectscertain phases of the economic , social , and industrial developmentand growth of the state.

Thi s l ist has been compiled through histories , newspapers , recollections of early settlers , and associations interested in the subject,includ ing the Federal Counci l of Churches of Christ in America ,the National Association of Advancement for Colored People, theTuskegee Institute

, and the Southern Commission on the Study of

Lynching . Whi le these institutions are interested mainly from the

standpoint of race prej ud ice,they have contributed valuable as

sistance. A l l accounts,whenever possible, have been checked by

contemporary newspapers as a final authority .

Whi le this l ist is presented as being complete as possible, thereprobably occurred some not mentioned . Rumors and vague ao

counts of about two dozen not l isted were found , but the information of time or place was indefinite. There is no reason to doubtthat most of them d id take place, but not enough data is available

at present to warrant their inclusion in this l ist .The lynch law

,popularly spoken of as Judge Lynch, i s the name

for irregular punishment,especially capital , infli cted by private

ind ividuals independently of legal authorities . The working defi

nition whi ch compilers of lynching records have general ly used is

1 . Russell R ecord, Apri l 21 , 1 9 3 2 .

YOST : LYNCH INGS IN KANSAS 1 83

that lynching has to do with individuals supplanting the law andacting in defiance of the law .

” 2 On this basis the general practiceof compilers of lynching record s has been not to include in suchrecord s persons put to death in what are commonly designated asriots . In a riot there occurs promiscuous kil ling of ind ividuals , andin a lynching particular ind ividuals are seized and put to death foral leged specified offenses . By the laws of some states a minimumof three persons may constitute a mob ; by others

,five.

The Kansas statutes have several definitions of a mob . Threepersons may constitute an unlawful assembly .

“If three or more

persons shal l assemble together with intent to do any unlawful actwith force and violence against the person or property of an

other 3

It requires five persons to constitute a mob for whose actions acity may be held legally responsible. Since 1 868 cities have beenliable for d amages in consequence of the action of mobs withintheir corporate l imits . In 1 923 the legis lature added a clause defining thi s mob : “

Provided,however

,that the number of persons

that shall constitute a mob under this act shall be five or more .

” 4

In the section whi ch defines lynchings the number is not stated .

That any col lection of ind ividuals assembled for an unlawfulpurpose

,intend ing to inj ure any person by violence

,and without

authority of law,shall for the purpose of thi s act be regarded as

a mob .

” 5

The origin of the use of the word lynching to denote summaryjustice at the hand s of a mob or an improvised tribunal is obscure.

By some it is said to be from James Lynch Fitz -Stephen,warden

of Galway , Ireland , who, about 1 526 , sentenced his son to deathfor murder, and to prevent a rescue by a mob executed him with hisown hands w ithout due process of law . By others the term is saidto have had its origin in Virginia , where a farmer named CharlesLynch took his own way of obtaining redress for a theft by catching the culprit

,tying him to a tree and flogging him. The popular

conception of lynching and the method most often chosen is hanging,cal led in the vernacular a “necktie party ,

” but it is not so l imited .

Offenders have been shot, beaten to death and burned at the stakewith the same intention and the same result .

F . C . C . C . A. , Law and the Mob p . 5 .

Genera l S tatutes, K ansas , 1 8 68 , ch . 3 1 , sec. 268 .

2

3

4 . Laws, Kansas , 1 9 2 3 , Ch . 79 , sec. 1 .

5 . Laws, K ansas , 1 923 , ch . 22 1 , sec. 1 .

1 84 THE KANSAS H IS TORICAL QUARTERLY

The history of lynchings in the early days of Kansas must necessarily remain incomplete. We may suppose that it was as common ,i f not more so

,in the first period s of the territory and state as

later, and unfortunately complete record s Of these times are lacking . We look to the newspapers for such things

, and whi le we findearly papers in the eastern section of Kansas

,they d id not fol low

the people quite so rapid ly to the western part of the state . Eventhe papers which existed could not col lect news from so l arge anarea as we of to-day expect . Communication was S low and uncer

tain,and many lynchings were not heard of three or four counties

away . Sometimes rumors drifted over and we find a statement likethis : A gentleman from Franklin county said eleven horses werestolen

,six men arrested , two Shot

,two hung and two d ismissed .

” 6

One might be reasonably certain that a lynching of some sort hadoccurred . Many an article in a good county history and many areminiscence by a pioneer starts thus : “Back in the ’

7O’

S

This vagueness is due partly to inability to get the facts , and i spartly because a lynching d id not cause so much consternation thenas it does now . Lynchings were more common

,the people accepted

them as necessary punishments,and they were not impressed so

forcibly on the mind and conscience as to-day . It is quite probablethat many a person forfeited his l ife to a self-detailed j ury

,if not

to a frenzied mob,whose death was never in any way recorded .

In some instances the criminal himself preferred that he go un

named . One thief,when Shot and dying, refused to give any infor

mation about himself,saying he came from a good family and

preferred not to have the name degraded .

7 In Johnson county“one unlucky thief l ies two feet below the surface on Tommyhawk

creek,whose name

,place of residence and all else concerning him

are unknown.

unless he gave such particulars to his executioners and ,i f so

,they never told . As nothing concerning him was d ivulged for

several years,the poor rascal ’s friends

,if he had any , must have

wondered not a little as to what had become of him. Another unlucky soul d isappeared in the same vicinity in s imilar style, buthis executioners were so reti cent that no particulars could ever be

obtained .

” 8 Concerning the first man mentioned,the O lathe M irror

says : “It is rumored in town last Saturday that a horse thief hadbeen caught and hung out on Tommyhawk creek . We can gather

6 . Lawrence Tr ibune, June 1 8 , 1 86 4 .

7 . Horse th ief shot in Wabaunsee county, D ec. 15 , 1 8 62 .—K ansas S tate Journa l, Law

rence, December 25 , 1 8 62 .

8 . Heis ler Smith , Johnson County Atlas p . 3 4 .

1 86 TH E KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY

a whole, and both sides were inflamed by the hatred of the Borderwar .An incident which i l lustrates the d ifficulty of d istinguishing between lynchings and murder was the hanging on November 12

,1 860

,

of Russel l Hind s , a farmer living near Pleasanton , Linn county , whoreturned a runaway slave to his master in Missouri . Dr . C . R .

Jennison , head ing a party of freestate men,arrested him

,quickly

convened a court , sentenced and hanged him for this oflense. Itwould be d iffi cult to convince any southerner that thi s was a lynching and not a murder.”

On July 10,1 860

,L . D . Moore was one of a party who lynched

Hugh Carlin,a horse thief . On November 1 6

,1 860

,Jennison

,with

twenty-fivemen entered Moore’s house and shot him in retaliation .

1 3

This incident satisfies the definition of lynching, but it probablysavors more of guerri lla warfare .

A recent account of an event of the war would cal l ,the fol lowinga lynching : “Col . C . R . Jennison

,later in command of the fifteenth

Kansas , captured Samuel Scott, one of the most notorious proslavery ruffians . Scott was hanged without ceremony

,and his fate

met with the approval of freestate leaders .” 1 4 While the freestate leaders considered it a lynching

,very probably the proslavery

faction called it murder or,at least

,border warfare.

Thi s doubtful status of lynchings during the C ivi l War period isShown very plainly by the contrasting Opinions in a letter writtenat the time of a hanging and those in later accounts of the sameevent . On February 5

,1 860

,John R . Guthrie was hanged at Maple

ton,Bourbon county . In the manuscript col lection of the Kansas

State Historical Society i s a letter written by Alpheus H . Tannerwhich gives an interesting account of the affair .

1 5

Map leton ,K . T. ,

Feb . 12 , 1860 .

MY DEAR PARENTS Last Sunday night about 1 o’clock a man named

John R . Guthrie was hanged about a mile and a half from here on the top

of what is known as Tigret Mound . He was left suspended until Mondayeve . H is corpse was in plain sight from here as he hung . The proslavery

’

s

hung him for an al leged crime of horse stealing . They arrested him withoutauthority or Shadow of law and never gave him even a mock trial, as has

1 2 . Tabor , Th is D ay in Kansa s History (volume bound by K ansa s S tate.

Historica lS ociety) , D . 1 3 2 ; Leavenworth Times , February 1 2 , 1 9 28 , in Crimes and Crrmrnals C l ipp ings ” (K ansas S tate Historica l S ociety) , v . 2 , pp . 29 5, 29 6 .

1 3 . An dreas , H istory of K ans as p . 1 070 .

1 4 . Tabor , “Th is Day in K ansas History,” p . 1 3 2 .

1 5 . Alpheus Hiram Tanner was born in Ruggles , Oh io, July He came to K an

sas in 1 8 57 , l iv ing fi rst in Plea santon . In 1 9 1 8 he l ived on a farm In Bourbon county on the

Osage r iver, near Map leton.


general ly been the case . The country is again in commotion . I know not what

wil l be the result, the probability is that unless Montgomery takes the fieldagain it wil l soon blow over and give them a chance to hang the next ones

that gets in their way .-\A. H . T.

”

An account of thi s same event, as written in 1 932 by C . E . Coryto the Historical Society

,describes him as a horse thief :

“I know a story I think worth preserving of a Bourbon county execution

without benefit of clergy, but it was not a lynching . I have had the story froma lot Of people, includ ing two eyewitnesses—not participants , of course .

Away back in the later territorial days, when Bourbon county was in the‘region beyant the law ,

’a young man named Guthrie was caught up near

Map leton rid ing somebody else ’s horse . Everybody knows that at that timein those parts

,horse stealing and nigger chasing and homicide were Offenses

in a class by themselves . The hard -headed and hard -fisted farmers there

abouts gathered in a hurry . But there were no courts that they respected

or had reason to respect. What to do?“Just across the river south of Map leton in the Little Osage bottom is a

little round hil l about three hundred feet high shaped almost exactly likean overturned soup bowl . They ad journed to the top of that hil l . There

they elected a judge and a sheriff and a prosecuting attorney . They selecteda jury and tried their man

, who admitted his guilt. Afte r the verd ict and

the proper sentence,the sheriff had no place to keep the man, so he executed

the sentence at once by hanging him to the limb of a j ack oak tree nearby .His body was buried where it was cut down . It is there yet .

“From what I have been told I am quite satisfied that that tria l was quite

as regular and formal as many cases in the regular courts of that day , thoughnot sanctioned by the law .

By the way , that hil l is the same ‘pretty little hil l ’ where Lieut. ZebulonM . Pike ate the fried venison steak that September morn ing in 1806

,as he

notes in his journa l . It is stil l called Guthrie mountain, and is one of the

real beauty spots of Old Bourbon .

” 1 6

With such confl icting accounts,who

,seventy-two years after the

event, shall dare to say whether thi s lynching was the j ustifiablepunishment of a horse thief or the fate of a victim of border warfare?

Whi le it i s d iffi cult to decide whether some of the events are lynchings or murders , there are a few which may be classed as lynchingsand charged to border warfare. In Lawrence on August 22 , 1 863 ,the day after the Quantril l raid , Thomas Corlew was tried by alynch court on the charge of having been a spy and hanged in a

1 6 . Letter from C . E . Cory , June Extract from Exp ed itions of Zebulon M .Pike v . 2 , p . 3 9 6 : “In about fi ve mi les we struck a beautiful b ill , wh ich bears south

on the pra ir ie ; its elevation I suppose to b e 1 00 feet. From its summit the v iew is subl ime

to the east and southeast . W e wa ited on th is h il l to breakfast and had to send two mi les forwater . K il led a deer on the rise, wh ich was soon roasting before the fi re A footnoteto th is edition says , “Camp is in Bourbon county, somewhere in the vi cimty of Xenia , Zen ia ,or Hay , a sma l l p lace near a branch of the Little Osage.

”

1 88 TH E KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

barn‘ near the C ity Hotel at the north end of Massachusetts street .Mr. James C . Horton1 7 wrote concerning the event :

“I was there during the whole proceeding and went to one or two parties

whom I thought might stop it, but to no avail . My recollection is that thejury di d not find any evidence against him and so reported . H is hangingwas perhaps a natural outcome of the excited state of public feeling at that

time, as Corlew was a Missourian and was said to have been acting with the

proslavery men in 1856 ,but I think that many people in Lawrence regretted

the occurrence and in ord inary , quiet times no such termination of a trial,

even by a lynch court, would have been permitted .

”1 8

Since it i s d iffi cult to classify the massacres and murders of thi speriod in a nonpartisan manner , most of them have been omittedfrom this l ist. The few whi ch are given here as accepted lynchingsare recorded as being caused by border warfare.

The guerril la style of warfare of some of the authorized regiments on the border gave rise to groups of robbers and bushwhackers who carried on private enterprise under the anonymity em

ployed by armies of both sides . The “Red Legs

,

”organized by a

group of men who d id not wish to submit to the routine of the regular army

,were employed in scouting , d ispatch carrying and guid ing

and wore,as a distinguishing mark

,leggings of red morocco. The

desperadoes of the country soon learned to wear red leggings SO thatthe blame for their depred ations might be avoided . Owing to re

peated complaints of this nature the organization was soon d i ssolved .

Whenever possible d i stinction has been made between the legitimateforces of warfare and the thieves and bushwhackers operating undertheir name. Killing of d i sguised desperadoes has been consideredlynching .

Whi le extraj ud icial punishment has been common in all countriesand states , it has features which are sectional . This border warfare constituted a feature peculiar to Kansas and a few other states ,S ince not every state was d ivided into factions with such intensivefighting within its borders . Because our states d id not pass throughthe stages of their development at the same time, it i s impossible tocompare them by years . When Judge Lynch held court in Californ ia

,in the stirring d ays of 1 849 , the eastern section of the coun

try had passed through its formative period and was wel l organized .

But lynching was practically unheard of in New England at any1 7 . James Clark Horton was born at Ba l lston S p a ,

New York , May came to

Kansas and settled at Lawrence in March , 1 8 57 . He served in the house of representatives in13 74

ind in

;;he senate in 1 8 75 and 1 8 76 . In 1 878 he moved to K ansas City, where he died

ay 4 , 1 9 0

1 8 . James C. Horton, Kansas City , to Hon . George W . Martin , K ansas S tate H istori calSocrety , May 22

,1 9 05 . Letter , in M S S . of Kan sas S tate H istorical Society.


it would be forthcoming . Religion played its part, for the church

was a strong influence in civil government,in making laws and in

meting out punishment .A large percentage of the New England settlers had come fromEngland where lynchings occurred very seldom . At the time of alynching in Leavenworth in 1 902 , this comparison was part of aned itorial in the Review of Reviews : But if the Leavenworth lynching had occurred in England , the ringleaders would certainly havebeen hanged and probably a hundred others put in prison for l ife,whi le the authorities who failed to take due precautions to guardtheir prisoner would not have escaped l ightly .

” 22

The attitude of England toward lynchings is again expressed bya letter signed “

R . H . , written from Engl and and published in theJunction C ity Union in 1 867

“In the most recent of the papers you have sent me

,I have S een with pain

the account of the application of lynch law to colored persons who were in

prison . The only p leasant part of the matter is the shame and ind ignation thatyou and others in your state have for the violation of law . In our country , Iam sorry to say ,

that any accounts of this kind from America are hailed withd elight by a section of our people, as if they indicated essential feebleness and

failure of republican institutions ”? 3In the apprehension , prosecution , and punishment of criminals

these early New Englanders found their chief source of d iversionand amusement . They d id not bel ieve in lonely captivity but inpublic obloquy for criminals . The most exciting and stirring emotions in their lives came through these public exhibitions . 24 Sen

tenoes of whipping were usually to be carried out“on the next

lecture day” when the crowd gathered . Such an attitude produced

the stocks,pillories

,whipping posts and ducking stools . The quick ,

effective lynching provided none of the exhibition of punishmentas thi s section of the country wanted it .The Southern states, of course, bear the unenviable record forlynchings

,in the past and present alike, due to racial conflict . After

the abol ition of slavery it became an unwritten law in the Southto pun ish by mob rule negroes charged with rape or assault or withthe murder of a white person, and the custom is hard to forget . Thestudy of lynchings in the United States to-day i s chiefly concernedwith the Southern states .

22 . R eview of Res , v . 2 3 (March , p . 2 63 .

2 3 .

“R .H .

” letter headed Wigan , Eng land , July 2 2 , 1 867 , publ ished in Junction C ityUnion, August 1 7 , 1 86 7 . R . H . is probably R ichard J . H Inton , a freestate pioneer of K ansas

and fr iend of John Brown . According to a b iography by W. E. Conn el ley, In K ans as Historical Collections , v . 7 , p . 49 1 , “

some years after the close of the war he went on extensrve

travels in Europ e, As ia , and A frica commissioner of emigration in Europe,24 . Earle, S tage Coach and Tavern Days p . 2 1 4 .


Aside from the South, it was in theWest that lynchings flourished,

and Kansas was of the early West . Thi s West had a reputation forlawlessness that was , at least in part , deserved . Thi s was partlybecause of the social cond itions which prevai led during the periodof development, and partly because many of the laws were not

made for the existing geographical conditions and were unsuitablefor them .

The nature of the country made settlements few and far between .

In the early period the restraint of l aw could not make itself felt inthe rarefied population . Territory extended faster than d id effectivegovernment organization for the punishment of offenders , and menlearned to mete it out themselves . Each man had to make his ownlaw because there was no other to make it . It was but a step toind ividual enforcement of laws and punishment of offenders . The

population had a high percentage of criminals who had fled fromjustice in other sections . Two lynched in Kansas for horse stealing were identified as sons of an ex-governor of I ll inoi s

,accord ing

to a Kansas C ity newspaper ofPerhaps the fact that human life was not considered very valuable made it hard to convict a man for murder

,whi le at the same

time it made the taking of l ife in punishment more casual . Men

went armed and moved over vast areas with other armed men,and

among them the six- Shooter was the final decision in an argument .Whi le the tales of

“Shootin ’ Dodge” and the rip- roaring cowboys

who fired on any provocation doubtless exaggerate the number ofmen who he on various Boot Hills , there can be no question thatthe continuous d angerous existence developed cal lousness to the

taking of l ife. Under such cond itions homicide d id not entail thestigma that more thickly settled regions associated with it. Men

were equal and each was his own defender . His survival imposedupon him certain obligations whi ch

,i f he were a man , he would ao

cept . Murder was too harsh a word for the final settl ing of anargument by gun play , but lynching was not too severe for offenders against the code of l aws the men of the West respected .

Added to the l awlessness of the criminal code which grew out of

the social cond itions in the early d ays was a general d isregard forcivi l laws which were whol ly inapplicable and unsuited to the West .Congress passed laws which the settlers could not enforce in theprairie country , such as the water l aw , prohibiting al l d iversion of

25 . Cl ipping, marked only Kansas City, Oct . 1 9 1 0 , in Sumner County Cl ipp ings(compi led by Kansas S tate Historica l S ociety) , v . 1 , p . 2 87 .


water from a stream , making irrigation impossible ; and the timberact, granting land free on cond ition that the grantee grow forestson it . When men could not abide by a civi l law they came to loserespect for it, and this d isrespect influenced their attitude towardother restraining factors , such as criminal and Social l aws .The West was turbulent in the early days because there was nolaw . It was lawless in the later period because the laws were un

suited to the needs and cond itions of the country .

26

The fol lowing study of the record s of lynchings in Kansas from1 856 to 1 932 reveals some interesting facts concerning prevalenceand causes . These figures as here tabulated Show the greatestnumber

'

in 1 860 - 1 870 , the period of the opening and early development of the state . In the decade of 1 850 much of Kansas was stillunsettled country , and in the fringe of settlements on the easternborder was a pioneer life of which we have now only a few con

temporary records . In proportion to the population there was probably as much summary punishment of criminals as in later periods .

The decade of 1 860 saw the beginning of statehood with its c ivi llaws and increased population . Emigrants from the north and southbrought the Civi l War , which produced the border warfare respon

sible for much of the lawlessness . More newspapers were printedand saved to give us a record of the time . From 1 870 there wasa steady decline in the number of lynchings for each ten-year period until 1 900 , when it remains at one for each decade after that,if we may suppose that the allotted lynching for 1 930-1 940 hasalready been produced in 1 932 . The number was stil l large in 1 870 ,and would probably be l arger if all of the record s had been preserved , for that was the period of the cattleman in Kansas , and

horses and cattle were favorite plunder for thieves and desperadoes .Thi s was also the period in which men were hanged , but not alwayslynched

,by the vigilantes , as will be d iscussed l ater . The gradual

decline was due to a change in social cond itions and the incomingcivi lization .

D ecade start ing 1 850 1880 1 870 1 880 1 890 1 900 1 910 1 920 1930 Tota l

1 3 54 26 9 3

Cattle stealing 1 1 2

2 23 77

7 1 5

7 1 3

2 2

1 206

26 . Webb , Great Pla ins pp . 498 -500 .

4 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYthe state ; and what is more unfortunate , the d ifli culty of detecting the rob

heries and arresting or subj ecting the thieves to punishment is equally common .

“This may be accounted for , in part , by the fact that, in sparsely settledcommunities, horse thieves may perpetrate what would seem the most daringacts and enjoy comparative immunity from punishment

,because they have

concert among themselves, while the losers and local authorities have no

such concert .

“Every county has its sheriff . Suppose it were made the duty of such

Sheriff to furnish detailed information of the robbery so made (that is , of

horses , their size, color, etc.,and so of cattle and other property ) to the

sheriffs and local authorities of the central points , by the most speedy means

Of conveyance,mail or otherwise . A concert of action like this on the

part of the sheriffs of the d ifferent counties , aided by those who suffer,would

go far, in my judgment, toward s correcting the evil under which Kansas now

suffers .

“Were the legislature in session I shori ld most earnestly recommend to thatbody the passage of a law making it the duty Of the Sheriffs of the d ifferentcounties to furnish such information , with a suitable reward for such service .

The effect Of thi s would be to secure what we now so much need— concert

of action agains t thieves and robbers . As it is, I would earnestly urge the

sheriffs and the people of the several counties to adopt and enforce this policyas alike essential to private interests and the public good .

THOMAS CARNEY .

” 29

That there was an effort made to punish theft of l ive stock bylegal proceed ings is shown in the first territorial statutes of 1 855 :“Persons convicted of grand larceny Shall be punished in the fol lowing cases , as fol lows : First, for stealing a horse, mare, geld ing, colt,fi lly

,mule or ass , by confinement and hard labor

,not exceed ing

seven years . ” 3 0 This was enacted again as a part of the criminalcode by the session of In 1 870 this law was rewritten to inolude “neat cattle,

” an indication of the growth of the cattle in

dustry On the plains .3 2 An amendment in 1 920 shoved horses to

second place and introduced a new clause in first place provid ingfor

“the stealing of any automobile, not less than five years and

not more than fifteen years ,” 3 3 ind icating that the horse was no

longer supreme.

While some horse thieves were brought to j ustice, many were not

treated so kind ly . For a horse thief there were seldom any extenu

ating circumstances and l ittle time for explanation or prayer . Per

haps there were more attempts to steal a man’s horse than there

2 9 .Kansas S ta te Journa l, Lawrence, July 30 , 1 86 3 .

3 0 .General S tatutes , K ansas , 1 8 55 , ch . 49 , sec. 3 1 .

3 1 . Laws, K ansas , 1 859 , ch . 28 , sec . 7 3 .

3 2 . Laws, K ansas, 1 870 , ch . 6 2 , sec. 1 .

3 3 . Laws, K ansas , 1 9 20 , ch . 3 8 , sec. 2 .

YOST : LYNCH INGS IN KANSAS 195

were to steal his property or his l ife, for the cowboy and the pioneervalued their horses as they did their l ives . Often , indeed , a man ’shorse meant his l ife . To the settler the horse was communication ,transportation , and escape from d anger , as wel l as his means of

l ivelihood . When the horse and man first became associated together in Europe years ago there arose two trad itions of horsemanship or horse culture —the one

,that of a settled people with whom

horses were but one of the incidents of l ife ; and the other, the trad ition of the nomadic people to whom horses were vital . Bothtrad itions found their way to America and each its appropriate en

vironment. The“civi l ized” culture came through Europe to England

and found lodgment in the English colonies of the Atlanti c coast ;the nomad ic horse culture came from the Asiatic steppes to Arabia ,across northern Africa to Spain , -and with the Spaniard s to the pampas of South America and up to the plains of the United States .

3 4

Kansas,though settled in great part by people from New England ,

was so influenced by her location in the great plains that her use ofthe horse was of the second class . In the pioneer days settlementswere few and d istances between them were great . The telephonewas not invented unti l 1 876

,wireless telegraphy and the rad io were

undreamed of ; the horse was the primary means of communicationand as such was glorified in the dashing Pony Express . Transportation was by horseback or by open or covered wagons drawn byhorses . Whi le automobiles have now replaced the horse to a greatextent in al l phases of work and pleasure and even pushed it fromfirst place in the laws

, \

no thief yet i s recorded as being lynched forstealing the family Ford , or even the Rol l s Royce

,although in 1 91 5

the Anti-Horse-Thief Association extended its protection to ownersof automobiles as wel l as of horses .On Apri l 28, 1 860 , the first railroad touched Kansas soi l3 5 atE lwood , but not for many years could it take the place of the horsein transportation over the whole State . For both Short and long d istances

,work and pleasure, the horse was supreme. In add ition to

being communication and transportation the horse also meant protection . The plains Ind ians were mounted , and to combat them the

pioneer must be as wel l mounted . It i s interesting that these werethe only mounted Ind ians in the whole history of the moving American frontier

,whether English or Spanish . The record s of the wood

land region do not reveal that the Ind ians who fired the cabins and

3 4 . Webb , Grea t American Pla ins p . 56 .

3 5 . E lwood and Marysv ille rai lroad .


scalped the settlers were horse Ind ians . In the forest region theInd ian went on foot, protected by the forests and the thick underbrush . In the West the open country and the horse gave the Ind ianthe abi lity to strike suddenly and get away quickly , and either tofol low and fight, or to flee, the settler must needs be mounted also.

Thus was brought into being a new method of warfare known as“Ind ian fighting .

” 3 6

The horse was more important as a means of l ivel ihood in Kansasthan it was in the East . The great extent of level surface

,the

treeless land , and the subhumid climate changed the agriculture of

small farms of the East to l arge stock-grazing and extensive wheatranches of the West, and for these industries the horse was ind ispensable. Wheat was cultivated by horses

,not by tractor. Cattle

drives , round -ups, and herd ing—all parts of the cattle busines s towhich horses were as essential as cattle—are wel l-known and popu

lar subj ects of fact and fiction to-day . A cowboy ’s pride,and often

his wealth, was centered in his horse, and the attachment betweenthe two was great . Considering the value Of the horse to the earlysettler it i s not surprising that men flared to anger quicker and

dealt punishment more unhesitatingly and harshly to a thief - of

horses than to a thief of l ife or property .

Horses and cattle were the property of which the westernercould most easily be robbed . It is rather curious that the numberof lynchings for cattle stealing is so small

,for we know that cattle

rustlers were a menace in the West . Only four lynchings for suchrobbery are recorded in thi s list

, and two of those were men hangedin 1 866 for cattle stealing and murder combined .

3 7 In April, 1 863 ,

thirty-four cattle were stolen in Butler county and driven 1 50

miles to Lawrence. Even the Ind ians hired to track them lostthe trai l at various places . When caught, the thief was put inj ail .3 8 Yet a man might be lynched for stealing only one horse.

A cow thief was not nearly so bad in public estimation , for wherea horse was life itself to the plainsman, a cow was merely property . And m cattle ownership the code of the West made astrange d istinction between a cow and a maverick which the Eastcould never understand . A branded cow was the private propertyof the man whose brand it bore ; a maverick was public propertyand belonged to the man who could brand it first . The fact that

3 6 . Webb , Great American Plains p . 58 .

3 7 . Joe and Sam T ippe, cattle robbery of Ra lph Warner and murder of John L . Shannon,

on Apri l 29 , 1 866 .

3 8 . Kansas S tate Journal, Lawrence, April 23 , 1 86 3 .


to his own county ; his facil ities of men , money and time are ofteninadequate, and he has had to call upon private citizens to aid him

in detection, pursui t and capture of criminals . Out of this S ituation has grown the vigi lance committees Of the present , which wereplanned at a meeting of fourteen state bank associations of the

central states , includ ing Kansas . They are organized and managedlocally accord ing to varied local cond itions , but sponsored by theprotective department of the Kansas State Bankers Association ao

cord ing to one central plan . In Kansas the number has grown fromone in 1 925 to ninety-five in 1 932 . They existed at one time in1 03 of the 105 counties , with a total state membership of

Each consists of from fifteen to one hundred men , with an averageof thirty in a county and are selected by the sheriff and bank Officialsand appointed by the sheriff for his term Of Ofli ce. The expenses ,arms

,ammunition , training and operation are financed by the banks ;

the men receive no salary . They are issued commi ssions as Specialdeputy sheriffs . Whi le the law recognizes only one kind of deputySheriff and these are given the regular commission , they have anoral agreement that they are to act only in case Of a major crimeand are considered “special” deputies . They have the full authorityof any deputy under the law . In pursuing a criminal the sheriffShoots only as a last resort and then at his own d iscretion and on

his own responsibility . These special deputies have the same re

sponsibil ity in bringing in a prisoner . They are bonded to the ex

tent Of against'damages ordered by a court incurred in pur

suit Of their duty .

Any kil ling of a criminal by these commi ttees could not be con

sidered lynching . They d iffer from their earlier counterpart in twoways : they are entirely legal and nonsecretive. Although they are

committees of citizens banded together for protection , as were theothers , their legal authority and sanction come in the c lause whichpermits a Sheriff to commission deputies to aid him. Whi le thestatus Of the old vigi lantes mi ght vary

,some being more legally

organized than others , the status of these i s the same over the state ,S ince they are under one central plan . The former were Often secretorganizations ; the latter are not, desiring all the publicity possible .

They hold annual Shoots in September at Fort R i ley when theymeet for practice and d iscuss ion . They are the old vigilantes with

the veneer of legality necessitated by the advance of civilization .

42

42 . In formation supp li ed by W . W . Bowman , pres ident, K ansas S tate Bankers Associat ion , and Neil l Rahn , formerly ch ief of the protective division and head of the state Vi gilanceorgani zation .


When cond itions of the countrv el iminated horse stealing , as itd id very definitely about 1 877 , murder was left as the main causefor lynching, and it hold s first place continuously thereafter .Throughout the time from 1 877 on,

murder has produced over twiceas many lynchings as other causes combined . Several cases whichhave been listed here under murder also inc lude other crimes . Manycases have been accompanied by robbery , rape or torture, and thecombination particularly incensed the people . They have beenclassed here with murder

,as being the most hideous of the crimes .

Rape,which hold s third place in Kansas as a cause for lynching ,

brings in the race problem,as here the ratio of negroes to whites

is four to one . Again we find the number highest in the periodof 1 860

,with only one less in the 1 870 ’s . In 1 860 - 1 870 five negroes

and one white man were lynched for rape ; in 1 870- 1 880 one negroand five whites

,the l atter committing robbery and attempting

murder . The seven men from 1 880 - 1 930 lynched for rape have beennegroes , but in 1 932 the victim again was a white man .

Of the entire number of lynchings only thirty- eight have been of

negroes,with the ratio increasing in the later years . In the early

d ays,When horse stealing caused most Of the punishment, the negro

population was not very great,and those who were here owned or

could own very little property . The negro exodus from the Southinto Kansas from 1 878 to 1 882 increased the percentage in pOpulation

,and their recognition as citizens established also their right to

break the criminal and civi l l aws . In 1 899 a negro mob lynchedone of their own race for murder , when Charles Williams , a negro,was lynched by his people in Galena , Apri l 27 1 899 . The record salso include a Mexican and an Ind ian . But the negroes form such asmal l percentage of the total lynched

,a ratio of one negro to four

and one-half whites , that the race problem cannot be considered anespecially important factor in the state.

The statistics for the United States Show that women have beenlynched , but none has been found for Kansas . TheWhite Pine Coneof Colorado, for January 25 , 1 884 , contained thi s item : Not manyyears ago a man and woman were arrested for murder in Lawrenceand hanged from the Kansas river bridge. The woman showed morecourage and shoved the man Off and then j umped herself .

” NO moreinformation about this was found , and

“not many years ago

” wasconsidered too indefinite for inc lusion here

,so Kansas as yet has no

recorded lynching of women to her d iscred it .Robbery hold s fourth place

,and there are comparatively few


cases where a man was lynched for robbery alone . Many of the

cases have been accompanied by attempted murder , attempted rape,or torture

,or were the culmination of a series of crimes which incited

the wrath of the community . The most recent lynching for robberyoccurred in 1 884

,when four men were killed fol lowing a bank rob

bery in Med icine Lodge. In add ition to this crime these men hadthe reputations and record s of desperadoes

,although one —Henry

Brown— after a career with Billy the K id,was marshal at Caldwel l ,

and another—Ben Wheeler— was his assistant .One of the most prevalent cr imes Of to- day has as yet caused no

lynchings . It is due more to our changing ideas of punishment andadvance in civi lization that we have not lynched bank robbers thanit i s to any scarcity of them . In numbers they seem to have takenthe place of the horse thieves of the 1 860 ’s ; and as has been stated ,these are the two major crimes which have necessitated vigilancecommittees . The vigi lantes d isbanded after the cattle d ays wereover and were remembered only in legend and fiction until calledinto being recently for thi s other crime which promises to become asserious as horse stealing was . Whi le bank robbery is so extensive,we have not yet dealt with the band its by lynching , so as a sourceof crime it does not appear in thi s l ist .These four are practical ly the only causes which have evoked

lynchings in Kansas . Two deaths during the C ivil War times havebeen recorded here as lynchings and attributed to border warfare.

Three have had to be l i sted with reason unknown . The only available account Of the lynchings of two negroes in Wyandotte in 1 866gave no reason but simply stated that they were taken “

from the

calaboose and shot .” 4 3

Doubtlessly , men were sometimes hanged when their guilt was

not clearly established—one of the greatest dangers of, and arguments against, lynching . Mob action is usually inspired by emo

tional frenzy rather than calm reason and does not stop to weigh

the evidence .A negro shot a Mr . Cox in Atchison in 1 870 , and a

mob headed by Mike C lare hanged him.

“Cox recovered and some

bel ieve the shooting was accidental . C lare left town and nevercame back .

” 44

There are also cases in which foul play has been d isguised bythe appearance of a lynching . Thomas Reynold s was found hangedin Geary county in August, 1 868 , with this note pinned to his cloth

43 . Andreas , H istory of Kansas p . 1 232 .

44. Atchison Dai ly Globe, July 1 1 , 1 9 29 .


titude of the people we receive the impress ion that,whi le they de

plored lynching as an evil , they considered it a necessary evil . One

of the earliest contemporary accounts is the article concerningSquarles and Baize in which the E lwood Advertiser says : “Thoughsummary j ustice was meted out to

'

the wretches, yet publi c Opinion

sanctions it as a necessity,and will effectually strike terror into the

hearts Of the many S imilar gangs who infest that city .

” 5 1 In 1 865theWyandotte Gazette parries the responsibil ity :

“It is only whenthe laws of the land utterly fail to protect life and property that thepeople can be j us tified in taking the punishment of criminals intotheir own hand s . Whether that time has arrived in Wyandotte isa question the people must decide for themselves .” 52

“We have no censure to make in thi s particular case,but trust

nothing of the l ike wi l l become common .

” 53

“We deplore mob law under all circumstances,but if there ever

was a case that was j ustifiable this is one of them .

” 54

“Whi le the mob spirit,therefore

,i s to be condemned in unstinted

terms,the lesson which its prevalence prevai ls is that the laws on

our statute books must be more rigorously,more certainly

,more

severely executed .

” 5 5

We find such statements in the early years . They condemn themethod

,but hope for some good as a result .

HOW d ifferent is the comment Of the O lathe M irror in 1 91 6 .

Johnson county and O lathe feels its shame . It wi l l take decadesand decades— maybe never— to erase the blot put upon us by theexhibition of mob violence Johnson county sorrows to- day and

will for years to come over the shadow cast on her fair name 56

In 1 920 the Mulberry News is not quite so penitent . The

majority Of the people of Mulberry do not approve of what happened here Monday . Yes

,it is regrettable but surely it

was j ustifiable.

” 57

In 1 932 we have this attitude : Whi le the offense committed wasa most dastard ly crime

,mob lynching cannot be countenanced , and

every effort wi ll be made to d iscover and prosecute the membersOf the mob . For a mob to take the punishment out Of the hand s

5 1 . Elwood Advert iser, August 5 , 1 8 57 .

52 . Wyandotte Gazette, December 23 , 1 86 5 .

53 . S eneca M irror, April 6 , 1 8 7 7 .

54 . Lawrence Western Home Journal, June 1 5 , 1 8 82 .

55 . Wel lingtonian ,Well ington ,

S eptember 1 8 , 1 8 8 4 .

56 . O lathe M irror, September 2 8 , 1 9 1 6 .

57 . Mulberry News, Apr il 2 3 , 1 9 20 .


of the constituted authorities results in a breakdown Of government

,and it cannot and will not be permitted to go unpun ished in

Kansas .

” 58

In these statements is shown the changing attitude of the people.

The social cond itions whi ch produced lynchings produced also atolerance for them , and both vanished together . The extension of

civi l authority into the territory provided punishment of criminals ,and its enforcement gave the people confidence to rely upon it . We

l ike to think,also

,that an advancing civil ization yielded some in

fluence against the practice. To a state whi ch does not sanctioncapital punishment

,death penalty by an extraj ud i cia l method

should be especial ly abhorrent . That whi ch should not be doneby legal action of a jury is worse when due to the frenzy of a mob .

Often there was at least a coroner ’s verd ict, i f not a j ury ’s verd i ct

,though some

,we may bel ieve

,had not the formality of either .

Usually the coroner reported that the victim “came to his death atthe hand s Of unknown parties . ” One even went SO far as to say ,with what could hard ly have been unconscious humor

,

“came tohis death by strangulation

,through his own exertions and assistance

of parties unknown .

”59 The coroner gave a verd ict of suicide forthe death Of Newton Walters

,in Columbus

,in 1 895

,but he was

thought to have been lynched for murder .

6 0 In 1 866,in Nemaha

county , one horse thief was shot whi le attempting to escape,and

another was caught and hanged . The newspapers reported “bothlost their l ives by accident .” 6 1 Quite Often there was no actionagainst the crowd . The community

,i f not actually approving of

ind ividuals who took retribution into their own hand s,at least de

clined to interfere .

When there was d isapproval against the action,punishment Of

the mob usual ly went no farther than the verd i ct Of the coroneror the j ury . Rarely was there conviction or punishment Of personswho participated in lynchings

, owing largely to the sympathy of

the j urors for their action . The vigi lance committees , who con

cealed neither their actions nor their membership , acted with thebacking of public opinion if not legal sanction . The members ofa mob were seldom known or admitted , and no one wanted to know .

Quite Often the majority of the people of a community participated .

58 . Atwood Cit izen -Patri ot, Apr il 29 , 1 9 3 2 .

59 . El lsworth R ep orter, January 5 , 1 8 82 .

6 0 . Topeka Cap ital, April 4 , 1 89 5 .

6 1 . Atchison Free Press, March 2 4 , 1 866 .


In the lynching of Bob Scrugg for murder, at Oak Mills in 1 877 ,the

“j ustice of the peace was one of the posse.

” 62 At the lynchingOf a gang of five who attempted robbery

,murder and rape in Ladore,

1 870 , it was said that“three hundred of the best citizens par

ticipated .

” 6 3

It i s not surprising that citizens seemed to find immed iate lynching more effective than court trial . Of four of the Netawaka gangOf horse thieves operating in Nemaha county in 1 877 , the SenecaCourier says : “Manley was hung ; Rourke plead guilty ; Brown ranaway , and Harl stood trial and i s cleared .

” 64 Harl was tried inAtchison and acquitted . The verd ict seemed to give uni versalsatisfaction and it is the general opinion that certainly the citizensof Nemaha county can have no reasons to find any fault with theverd ict of the jury or the dec ision Of the court .” 65 But the citizensof Nemaha county d id seem to find fault with the verd ict . OnMarch 29

,the same paper remarked : “Since Harl was cleared

we are ready to bel ieve anything in the O’

Brien horse- stealingcase.

” 6 6 And on May 1 7 the horsestealing case wentwrong-end to.

” 6 7

“Within the last eight years there have been somethi ng liketwenty murders committed in thi s county, and in no case has theguilty party been punished by due process of law 68 This ed itorialconcerning Wyandotte county in 1 866 does not ind icate confidencein punishment by court procedure.

Lack of respect for the courts and the j uries i s not even thinlyd isguised by the Junction C ity Union in 1 868 , in reporting the investigation Of the lynching of Thomas Reynold s, which was re

ported at first in only a S ix- inch space. There was some indication of foul play in his lynchi ng, and the coroner ’s j ury draggedthrough several months .

“One man arrested for lynching Reynolds d ismissed without provocation .

” 69

Coroner’s jury met last Monday to inquire into the death Of Reynolds who,

it appears , died some time in the hi story of Davis county . We understand

it ad journed to meet again . We would suggest to the commissioners that

they emp loy this outfit by the year .

” 70 “The inquis ition met last Thursday .6 2 . Atch ison Daily Globe, August 2 1 , 1 9 1 7 .

6 3 . Andreas , H is tory of Kansas p . 826 .

6 4 . S eneca Courier, May 1 7 , 1 878 .

6 5 . Atch ison Patriot, quoted in S eneca Courier, March 1 5, 1 878 .

6 6 . Seneca Cour ier, March 29 , 1 878 .

6 7 . Ib id . , May 1 7 , 1 878 .

6 8 . Wyandotte Commercial Gazette, Apri l 2 1 , 1 86 6 .

6 9 . Junction City Union , S eptember 1 9 , 1 868 .

70 . Ibid . , October 3 , 1 868 .

206 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYJURISDICTION or COURTS IN LYNCH INC CAS ES . In case any persons sha ll

come together in any county in this state for the purpose Of proceeding toanother county of the state with the View of lynching any person , or in any

case any person or persons Shall purchase or procure any rope, weapon , or

other instrument in one county for the purpose of being used in lynching any

pers on in another county, such crime of lynching, i f committed , Shal l be and

constitute a continuous Offense from the time of its origina l inception as afore

said ; and the courts of any county in which such overt act has been committedshall have jurisdi ction over the person Of any member of the mob committingsuch overt act

,and such person may be prosecuted in such county and pun

ished for murder the same as if the lynching had occurred therein .

“LIAB ILITY or SHERIFF WHEN PRIS ONER TAKEN AND LYNCHED. If any person

Shal l be taken from the hands of a sheriff or his deputy having such person incustody and sha ll be lynched , it Sha l l be evidence of failure on the part of suchsheriff to do his duty, and his ofli ce shall thereby and thereat immed iately bevacated , and the coroner shall immediate ly succeed to and perform the dutiesof sheriff until the successor of such Sherifl shall have been duly appointed ,

pursuant to existing law provid ing for the fi lling -

Of vacancies in such Office ,

and such sheriff Shall not thereafter be eligible to either election or reappointment to the Office Of Sheriff Provided , however, That such former sheriff may ,

within ten days after such lynching occurs , fi le with the governor his petitionfor reinstatement to the Office of sheriff

,and shall give ten days ’ notice of the

filing of such petition to the prosecuting attorney of the county in whi ch such

lynching occurred and a lso to the attorney-general . If the governor, upon

hearing the evidence and argument, if any , presented , Shall find that such

sheri ff used reasonable effort to protect the life of such prisoner and performed

the duties required of him by exi sting laws respecting the protection of prisoners , then such governor Shall reins tate such Sheriff in his Oflice and sha ll issueto him a certificate of reinstatement

,the same to be effective on the day of

such ord er Of reinstatement, and the decision of such governor sha ll be final .” 73Other sections of thi s artic le provide for assistance of the sheriffby bystanders ; the removal of the prisoner to state prison or re

formatory ; and the aid of the militi a .

Since the legi slature seemed to realize that the sheriff and his

deputies usually were powerless before a mob , it made the secondclause Of section 1 007 a loophole provid ing for hi s reinstatementby the governor , i f j ustified after an examination , and in the lynchings which have occurred since then the sheriff has been returned

to Offi ce immed iately . In a case in 1 91 6 “friend s got busy in his be

half and after four d ays had elapsed he was reinstated .

” 7 4 In

1 932 he filed his petition and after a secret court behind closed

doors the governor reinstated him.

” 7 5

Several states have enacted laws designed to suppress lynchings .

73 . R evised S tat utes , K ansas , 1 9 23 , ch . 2 1 , art . 1 0 , secs . 1 00 3 - 1 00 7 .

7 4. Olathe M irror, September 28 , 1 9 1 6 .

75 . Atwood Citizen-Pa tr iot, April 2 1 , 1 9 3 2 .

YOS T : LYNCH INGS IN KANSAS 207

In Kentucky “the penalty for lynching Shall be confinement or l ife

imprisonment . The penalty for attempted lynching Shall be con

finement in the penitentiary for not less than two years nor morethan twenty-one years . ” It also provides for the removal of aculpable Officer, as do Indiana and Florida . North Carol ina permitsthe j udge Of the court issuing the ind ictment to transfer trial of thecase to another court without prel iminary appearance of the de

fendant before him,whi ch allows the accused to be taken into an

other court for safe-keeping and to be tried there without danger ofbeing mobbed . Minnesota and Ohio have d rastic penalties forlynchers and to prevent lynchings . West Virginia and South Carol ina give representatives of the person put to death the right to sue

in the courts for damages against the county in which the lynchingtook place, the maximum amount in West Virginia beingAs administration of the crimina l law is in the hands of the

several states the f ederal government cannot deal with the partici

pators of a lynching unless it occurs on government reservations .Efforts to secure enactment of federal legislation upon the subjectresulted in the passage by the house of representatives on January26

,1 922 , by a vote of 230 to 1 1 9 , a bill that was known as the Dyer

anti lynching bil l,introduced by the republican representative

,

Leonidas Carstarphen Dyer , fronr Missouri . This provided thatculpable state Officers and members of lynching mobs Should be tr iedin federal courts upon the failure of state courts to act

,with sen

tences Of fines or imprisonment ; it forbade and pena lized any interference with an Officer protecting a prisoner from lynching ; it penalized an Official who fai led to do his duty in preventing a lynching ;and it penalized a county or counties which failed to use all reasonable effort to protect citizens against mob violence, to the ex

tent Of recoverable in a federa l court . There was much dissension over the constitutionality of the bil l

,on the point of usurpa

tion of state rights by the federal government, but the supremecourt was never cal led upon to decide. A debate before the com

mittee on the j ud iciary , house of representa tives,gave both argu

ments :“There can be no question that the denial to persons of a class of the

equal protection Of the laws by Officers of or under the state, charged withtheir equal enforcement

,is the act of the state, and that the failure of the

state through its Ofli cers to give the equal protection of its laws to a classmust justify the intervention of the Un ited S tates under the fourteenth amend

ment to carry out its guaranty of equa l protecti on . We hold it to beincontrovertible principle that the government of the United S tates may by


means of physical force, exercised through its official agents, execute on everyfoot of American soil the powers and functions that belong to it.

”

The minority report set forth the unconstitutionality of the law“This proposed intervention of the federal government d irected againstlocal power , supplanting and supersed ing the sovereignty of the states , wouldtend to destroy that sense of loca l responsibility for the protection of personand property and the administration of justice , from whi ch sense of localrespons ibility alone protection and governmenta l efficiency can be secured

among free peoples . AS a precedent, this bill , establishing the princip leswhich it embod ies and the congressiona l powers which it assumes to Obtain ,

would strip the states of every element of sovereign power,control

,and final

responsibility for the persona l and property protection of its citizens, and

would all but complete the reduction of the states to a cond ition of governmental vassalage awaiting only the full exercise of the congressional powersestablished .

” 76

Thus the growing attitude against lynching in Kansas was partof the trend over the whole country . Whi le the newspapers re

vealed it in their ed itorial opinions,they also reflected it in their

treatment and presentation in the news columns . In the territoriald ays and even in 1 870 a lynching might be told in four or five incheson the back page of the paper . When Johnson and Craig werelynched in E l lsworth in 1 867 , the nearest newspaper, the JunctionCity Union

,in Davis (Geary ) county , told the story in five lines .7 7

The same paper in 1 868 gave six inches without head l ines , on an inside page, to the lynching of Thomas Reynold s in its own county .

78

In Apri l , 1 869 , the Leavenworth Times and Conservative, a fourpage d aily

,related the lynching of George Thompson

,in its own

city,in twelve inches on the back page. In 1 874 the Wel lington

Press,a weekly , told the story Of the lynching Of four men in

six inches , though devoting two columns to the chase and arrest ofthe same and another gang of horse thieves . 7 9 By 1 91 6 a lynchinghad reached the front page, with the O lathe Mirror giving two col

umus to a news article and ed itorial . 80 Two and a half columns onthe front page were given to a lynching by the Mulberry News on

April 23,1 920 . By 1 932 the event was blazoned in a ful l-page head

l ine us ed by the Atwood Citi zen-Patriot to start a front-pagedouble-column story which was continued in one and a half columnson the fourth page. From five l ines in the loca l news in 1 867 the

76 . M . N . Work , Law vs . The Mob , 1 9 25 , pp . 4, 5 .

77 . Junction City Union, October 5 , 1 867 .

78 . Ib id . , August 29 , 1 8 6 8 .

79 . Wel lington Press, July 3 0 , 1 87 4 .

80 . Olathe M irror, September 28 , 1 9 1 6 .

210 THE KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLYThey discovered—the successful tabloids were daily teaching them—that

the public tended to become excite d about one thing at a time . Newspaperowners and ed itors found that where a Dayton trial or a Vestris disaster tookp lace they sold more papers if they gave it all they ha d—their star reporters,their front-page d isplay, and the bulk of their space . They took ful l advantage of this d iscovery . Synd icate managers and writers , advertisers,press agents , rad io broadcasters , all were aware that mention of the lead ingevent Of the day , whatever it might be, was the key to public interest. The

result was that when something happened whi ch promi sed to appeal to the

popular mind , one had it hurled at one in huge head lines, waded throughpage after page of syndicate d discussion was reminded Of it againand again in the outpouring of publicity-seeking orators and preachers , saw

pictures Of it in the Sunday papers and in the movies, and (unless one was

a perverse ind ividualist) enjoyed the sensation of vibrating to the same chord

whi ch thril led a vast populace .

” 8 1

Whi le A l len was writing of the l arge d ailies,the small- town

weeklies have been influenced in proportion by thi s trend towardsensationalism , and have tended to play up an important event inhead l ines and detai ls . The decline Of lynchings and a growing intoleranos for them , together with a d ifferent journalistic style, are

responsible for the changed attitude and presentation by the newspapers .Figures on lynchings in the United States for the years 1 882-1 927

Show that Kansas ranked 1 8th of all states , with fi fty -five to her

discred it .8 2 Chronological tables in the append ix say fi fty-one

occurred before 1 904 , four from 1 904 to 1 908 , one from 1 909 to 1 91 3 ,one from 1 91 4 to 1 91 8 and two from 1 91 9 to The SouthernCommission on the Study of Lynching in their pamphlet, Lynchings and What They Mean ind icate on a map that eightlynchings occurred in Kansas from 1 900 to 1 93 1— two in Bourboncounty , two in Crawford county , one each in Johnson

,Leavenworth

,

Shawnee and Stafford counties . That they have not given namesand d ates in each case makes it more d ifficult to check .

Some of those given by other associations have been omittedfrom this l ist as incorrect

,since no accounts of them were found in

contemporary local newspapers . AS an example,the Tuskegee

Institute l i sts a Doctor Herman, negro, lynched in Topeka on

May 1 3 , 1 901 , for“race prej ud ice . The Topeka Capital for that

week ind icates that Doctor Herman left town but was not lynched .

They also l i st an unnamed white man lynched in Stafford , Staffordcounty , on May 8 , 1 91 9 , which the local newspapers fail to record .

8 1 . F . L . Allen, Only Yesterday pp . 1 89 , 1 90.

8 2 . Wh ite, Rop e and Faggot p . 289 .

8 3 . Ibid . , p . 255 .


Three, giving information of date and name, but with place un

known,have been omitted . SO these figures will differ from those

compiled for the state by other associations , perhaps being fewer,but with the hope of being accurate and authentic .

Several associations , mainly in the South, are making active

campaigns against lynching,stressing additional legislation for the

protection of prisoners,more certain puni shment of criminals

,

methods of preventing and d i spersing mobs,efforts to secure court

trials and convictions of participants in mobs,and the growth of

public Opinion against lynchings through churches, educational i nstitutions and the press .There has been a notable decrease, with occasional exceptions ,in the number of persons lynched S ince the turn of the century .

Whi le the number is declining in the United States as a whole, iti s doing so more rapid ly in some states , includ ing Kansas , than inothers . Northern and Western states have almost completely abandomed lynching since the passing of frontier cond itions . Only theSouthern states more or less regularly resort to the practice. Per

haps i f data for l ater years only were considered , Kansas wouldrank better than eighteenth among the states .

LYNCHINGS IN KAN S AS , 1850 -1932 .

(Giving date, name, p lace and a lleged crime. )1850-1859

1 . In 1850’

s S ix horse thieves . Rising Sun, Douglas county .Horse stealing .

2 . Dec. ,1856 Partridge ; unknown man . On Pottawatomie

creek , southeastern Kansas . Robbery .3 . Aug . 1 , 1857 Baize ; Squarles . Leavenworth

, Leavenworthcounty . Murder .

4 . 1858 Shaw ; Johnson . Island in Marais des Cygnesriver (Franklin county ) . Horse steal ing .

Theodore Royer . Shannon,Anderson county .

Horse stealing .

Claywell . Burlington , Coffee county . Horsestealing .

7 . Aug . 5,1859 John Squires . Leavenworth, Leavenworth county .

Horse stealing .

8 . Aug . 12 , 1859 Wilson . Atchison, Atchison county . Horse stealmg .

1 . Moore, Ely , Jr . , S tory of Lecompton" in Kansas H istorical Collections, v . 1 1 , p . 478 .

2 . Leavenworth Herald, December 6 , 1 8 56 .

3 . Elwood Weekly Advertiser, August 6 , 1 8 57 .

4 . Andrea s, H istory of Kansas p . 6 05 .

5. Johnson , W . A H istory of Anderson County pp . 1 1 4, 1 1 5 .

6 . Bur l ington R epublican , December 1 4 , 1 9 08 .

7 . Kansas Weekly Herald, Leavenworth , August 6 , 1 859 .

8 . Ib id. , August 1 3 , 1 8 59 .

212 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY1850-1859

8a .Nov . , 1859

80 . Dec. 27, 1859

9a . June 9 , 1860

10 . July 10, 186010a . July 28 , 1860

1 861

1 1 . Mar . 27, 186 1

1862

12 . May ,1862

13 . June

14 . Oct. 1 , 1862

15 . Dec. 15, 1862

1868

16 . May 18

18 . July19 . Aug . 22, 1863

William Hugh . Emporia , Lyon county . Causeunknown .

Price . Hulls Grove, Jefferson county . Cattle stealA . F . Bishop . 1 10

,Osage county . Horse steal ing .

Mexican . Lyon county . Horse stealing .

Two sold iers : 2d Ohio cavalry and loth Kansas .

Marmaton , Bourbon county . Rape .

Jack Dixon ; Stephen Branch . Manhattan , Rileycounty . Horse stealing .

C . Mincer alias Charles Spencer ; unknown horsethief . Wabaunsee county . Horse stea ling .

Alexander Brewer ; Wil liam Sterling ; Porter Sterling ; Daniel Mooney ; Henry (Pony) Mc

Cartney ; Edward Gilbert . Atchison,Atchi

son county . Robbery and torture .

James Melvi n ; Will iam Cannon . Highland , Doniphan county . Horse stealing .

Scranton . Manhattan, Riley county . Horse steal

mgThomas Corlew. Lawrence, Douglas county .

Border warfare .

8a . Topeka S tate Record, Nov. 5 , 1 859 .

8b . Ibid. , Nov. 1 2 , 1 859 .

8 0 . Ibid. , Jan.

9 . A. H . T. [Tanner ] , letter to parents , February 1 2 , 1 860 , from Mapleton,K. T.

(Manuscript in Kansas S tate H istorical S ociety vault. )9a . Topeka S tate Record, June1 0 . Andreas , H istory of Kansas p . 1 070 .

1 00 . Topeka S tate Record, July 28 , 1 860 .

1 1 . K ansas S tate Journal , Lawrence, March 28 , 1 86 1 .

1 2 . Ib id . , July 1 0 , 1 862 .

1 3 . Leavenworth Conservative, June 1 2 , 1 862 ; Junction City Un ion, June 1 , 1 862 .

1 4 . Manhattan Exp ress, October 4 , 1 862 .

1 5 . Kansas S tate Journal, Lawrence, December 25, 1 862 .

1 6 . Atchison Daily Champ ion , May 23 , 1 86 3 .

1 7 . Kansas Chief, White1 8 . Topeka S tate Record ,

Cloud, June 4 , 1 8 63 .

August1 9 . James C. Horton

,letter written May 2 2 , 1 905, in Kansas City, Mo. , to G . W .Martin . (MS . in Kansas S tate H istori cal S ociety . )

John R . Guthr ie . Mapleton,Bourbon county

Horse stealing .

John Johnson . Black Jack , Douglas county .Horse stealing .

Hugh Car lin . Bourbon county . Horse stealing .

Joseph Gill iford . Council Grove, Morris county .Horse steal ing .

Isaac Edwards . Topeka, Shawnee county . Mur

d er of an Indi an .

214

39 .

40 .

45 .

46 .

47 .

49 .

50 .

51 .

52 .

53 .

THE KANSAS H ISTORICAL QUARTERLY

Strong ; horse thi ef . Ft . Scott, Bourbon county .Horse steal ing .

Apr . , 1866 Two horse thieves . Humbold t,Al len county .

Apr . 13 ,

May 1,

May 13 ,

May 26,

June,1866

Summer, 1866

1867

Feb . , 1867

Feb .

Mar . 21 ,

May

June 13 ,

JuneOct. 3 , 1867 .

Atch ison Free Press , March 1 0 , 1 86 6 .

Atchison ‘Week ly Free P ress, May 1 2 , 1 866 .Wyandotte Gazette, Apr il 21 , 1 8 6 6 .

Andreas , H istory of K ansas p . 1 1 1 9 .

Atch ison Weekly Free Press, May 1 9 , 1 86 6 .

Leavenworth Cons ervative, May 2 , 1 866 .

Olathe M irror, May 1 7 , 1 866 .Ib id . , May 3 1 , 1 866 ; Heis ler dz Smith , Johnson Coun ty AtlasLeavenworth Conservat ive, June 8 , 1 86 6 .Mi tchell , H istory of L inn County p . 3 27 .Junction City Union, February 1 6 , 1 86 7 .

Leavenworth Conservative, February 7 , 1 867 .Wyandotte Gazette, March 3 0 , 1 867 .Junction C ity Union, June 1 , 1 86 7 .Wyan dotte Gazette, June 22 , 1 86 7 .Ib id . ,June 22 , 1 86 7 ; O lathe M irror, June 20 , 1 867 .Junction City Un ion, October 5 , 1 867 .

Newt Morrison . Wyandotte, Wyandotte county .Murd er .

Joe Tippie ; Sam Tippie . Monmouth, Crawfordcounty . Murder .

Gulp . On Verd igris river, Wi lson county . Horse

stea ling .

Charles Quinn . Leavenworth, Leavenworth coun

ty . Murder .

Peter Baysinger . Monticello, Johns on county .Horse stealing .

Horse thief. Tomahawk creek, Johnson county .Horse stealing .

John House ; H . Long ; Bil ly Jones . PleasantGrove, Greenwood county . Horse steal ing .

Elias Foster . Mound City, Linn county . Murder .

Wm. P . Myers ; James Myers ; George Myers ;Edwards ; Gillett. Baxter Springs, Cherokeecounty . Horse stealing .

Jack McDowell . Morris county . Horse stealing .

El i Mackey, negro ; Jackson Mackey, negro ;Harry Van ,

negro . Ft. Scott, Bourbon county .Murder and robbery .

John Moran,negro ; Dan ie l Moran

,negro ; John

McGorman ,negro . Bartlett’s mil l , Geary

county . Rape .

Daniel Webster, negro ; Tom Van Buren , negro.

Wyandotte, Wyandotte county . Murd er .

Negro . Shawneetown ,Johnson county . Rape .

Charlie Johnson ; Charlie Craig . Ellsworth, El lsworth county . Horse stealing .

Yosr

1868

55 . Latter part of 1868

56 . Aug . 22, 1868

57 . Dec. 14, 1868

1869

58 . 1869

59 . Apr . 29 , 1869

60 . May 5, 1869

6 1 . May 12, 1869

62 . June, 1869

63 . June 7, 1869

64. June 26 , 1869

65a . Jan .21,1870

66 . May 11,1870

67 . May 19 , 1870

68 . June 27,1870

69 . Aug . 6 , 1870

70 . Nov . 9 , 1870

LYNCH INGS IN KANSAS 215

Ind ian half-breed . Chetopa , Labette county .Murder .

Thomas Reynolds . Geary county . Horse steal

i ng .

Negro. El lsworth,Ellsworth county . Rape .

Jobéi Pierce . Jacksonville, Neosho county . Mur

er .

George Johnson , negro . Atchison,Atchison

county . Murder .

William Ryan ; Patrick Starr ; Patsey Riley ;Richard Pitkin ; Alexander Matthews . Ladore,Neosho county . Murder and rape .

Two horse thieves . Sedgwick county . Horse

stealing .

E . G . Dalson . Iola,Allen county . Murder .

John Sanderson . Junction City, Geary county.Horse stealing .

George Booth ; James Smith ; Jack Corbin ; LewisBooth . Douglas

,Butler county . Horse steal

i ng .

55 . Case, H is tory of Labette County p . 6 8 .

56 . Junction City Un ion, August 29 , 1 868 .

57 . Ib id . , December 1 9 , 1 86 8 .

58 . Andreas , H istory of K ansas p . 1 292 .

59 . Leavenworth Times and Conservative, Apri l 30 , 1 869 .

60 . Junction City Union, May 8 , 1 869 .

6 1 . Ib id. , May 1 5, 1 86 9 .

6 2 . Heis ler Smith , Johnson County Atlas p . 34 .

6 3 . Wyandotte Gazette, June 1 2 , 1 86 9 .

6 4 . Wyandotte Gaz ette, July 3 , 1 869 .

6 5 . Case, H istory of Labette County p . 6 8 .

65a . Atch ison Champ ion and Press, January 8 , 1 8 70 .

6 6 . Andreas , H istory of Kansas p . 826 .

6 7 . Junction C ity Un ion , May 2 1 , 1 870 .

6 8 . Andreas, H istory of Kansas p . 6 70 .

6 9 . Junction City Un ion, August 1 3 , 1 870 .

Andreas , H istory of Kansas p . 1 43 1 ; Wabaunsee County Herald, Alma ,70 .

December 8 , 1 870 .

Three negroes , 38th infantry . Ft. Hays, Elliscounty . Murder .

George Thompson . Leavenworth,Leavenworth

county . Murd er .

Enoch Reynolds . Sheridan , Sheridan county .Murder .

Fitzpatrick . Ellsworth,

El lsworth county . Mur

er .

Tesse ; Clark Odell . Shawnee, Johnson county .Horse stealing .

C . H . Houston . Wyandotte county . Horse stealing .

Wil liamBeagle . Shawnee, Johnson county . Horsestealing .

216 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY1870

7 1 . Dec . 1 , 1870 Mike Dray ; Dr . Morris ; Dr . Morris’son ; William Quimby . Douglass , Butler county . Horse

stealing .

Jake Hanes ; Guy Whitmore . Salem,Jewell

county . Horse stealing .

1872

73 . Apr . 1 1 , 1872 McCarty . Sumner county . Murder .

74 . Aug . 15, 1872 B . W . Harwood . Labette county . Murder .

1873

75 . May-June, 1873 Cross . Norton county . Horse stealing .

75a . Aug . 23 , 1873 Three negroes . Elgin, Chautauqua county . Horse

stealing .

76 . Sept . 1873 John Keller . La Cygne, Linn county . Murder .

76a . Nov . ,1873 Unknown . Fort Scott, Bourbon county . Horse

stealing .

1874

77 . July 28, 1874 Tom Smith . Wellington, Sumner county . Horse

stealing .

78 . July 29,1874 Bill Brooks ; Chas . (L . B . ) Hasbrook ; Charlie

Smi th . Wellington , Sumner county . Horse

stealing .

79 . Aug . 19, 1874 L . L . Oliver . Caldwell , Sumner county . Murder .

1876

80 . June 5, 1876 Number unknown . Rossvil le, Shawnee county .Horse stealing .

1877

81 . Mar . 3 1 , 1877 Charley Manley . Granada,Nemaha county .

Horse stealing .

82 . Aug . 20, 1877 Bo

biScruggs . Oak Mills, Atchison county . Mur

er .

83 . Nov .,1877 Horse thief . On Osage creek, Bourbon county .

Horse stealing .

1882

84 . Jan . 2 , 1882 W . E. Graham. Ellsworth, EllsworthMurder .

7 1 . Andreas , H istory of Kansas, p . 1 43 1 .

72 . Ib id . , p . 967 .

73 . Ibid . , p . 1 49 5 .

74. Case, H istory of Labette County p . 69 .

75 . Andreas , H istory of K ansas p . 1 06 3 .

75a . Junction City Un ion, August 3 0 , 1 873 .

76 . Border S en tinel, Mound C ity, S eptember 1 9 , 1 873 .

760 . K ansas Da ily Tribune, Lawrence, November 1 6 , 1 8 73 .

77 . Wel l ington Press, Jul y 3 0 , 1 874 .

78 . Ib id .79 . Ib id . , September 3 , 1 874 .

80 . Topeka Commonweal th, June 1 4 , 1 876 .

8 1 . S eneca M irror, April 6 , 1 877 .

8 2 . Atch ison Da ily Champ ion, August 2 1 , 1 877 .

83 . Fort Scott Weekly Monitor, November 8 , 1 877 .

84 . Ellsworth Repor ter, January 5, 1 882 .

218 THE KANSAS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY1888

101 . June Wallace Mitchel l . Syracuse, Hamilton county .Murder .

102 . June 28, 1888 Chubb McCarthy . Minneapolis,Ottawa county .

Murder .

1889

103 . June 4 , 1889 Pat Cleary . Lincoln,Lincoln county . Murd er .

104 . June 4,1889 Na

tl Oliphant . Topeka, Shawnee county . Mur

er .

1892

105 . Sept. 14,1892 Hu

ib Henry, negro . Larned , Pawnee county .ape .

106 . Nov . 29,1892 Commodore True

,negro. Hiawatha

,Brown coun

ty . Murd er .

1893

107 . Apr . 20 , 1893 Da

ga Adams

,negro. Sa lina, Sa line county . Mur

er .

S i las Wilson ,negro . Mi llwood , Leavenworth

county . Rape .

‘

1894109 . Jan . 14, 1894 J . Green Burton ; John Gay ; Wi lliam Gay . Rus

sell,Russell county . Murder .

1 10 . Apr . 23 , 1894 . Jefi'

Tuggle,negro . Cherokee

,Crawford county .

Murder .

1 11 . May 8 , 1894 Lewis McKindley ; W . McK indley . Sharon

Springs, Wallace county . Murder .

1 12 . May 12 , 1894 George Rose . Cottonwood Fal ls , Chase county .

1 13 . Apr . Newton Walters . Columbus , Cherokee county .Murder .

1 898

1 14 . June 13 , 1898 John Becker . Great Bend , Barton county . Mur

der .

1 899

1 15 . Mar . 28, 1899 Henry Sanderson . Holton , Jackson county . Mur

d er .

1 16 . Apr . 27, 1899 Char les Wil liams,

negro. Galena, Cherokeecounty . Murder .

1 17 . Nov . 2 , 1899 Wells,negro. Columbus , Cherokee county . Mur

der .

1 0 1 . Syracuse Democrat Princ ip le, June 28 , 1 88 8 .

1 02 . Chetopa Democrat, July 6 , 1 8 88 .

1 03 . Kansas City Times , June 5 , 1 8 89 .

1 0 4 . Ib id .1 05 . Larned Week ly Chronoscop e, September 1 6 , 1 89 2 .

1 06 . Ruley, H istory of Brown County, (n . p . 2 3 4 .

1 07 . Sa l ina Hera ld, Apri l 2 1 , 1 89 3 .

1 0 8 . Leavenworth Times , Augus t 2 2 , 1 89 3 .

1 09 . Russel l Record, April 21 , 1 9 3 2 .

1 1 0 . Weir Journal , Apri l 27 , 1 894 .

1 1 1 . Peop les Voice, Wel l ington , May 1 1 , 1 89 4 .

1 1 2 . Chase County Leader, Cottonwood Fa lls , May 1 7 , 1 89 4.

1 1 3 . Topeka Cap ital, April 4 , 1 895 .

1 1 4 . Barton County Democrat, Great Bend, June 1 6 , 1 89 8 .

1 1 5 . B olton R ecorder ,March 30 , 1 899 .

1 1 6 . Columbus Advocate, Apr il 27 , 1 894.

1 1 7 . Ibid . , November 2 , 1 899 .


1900

1 18 . Jan . 20 , 1900 Ed Meeks ; George Meeks . Ft . Scott, Bourboncounty . Murder .

1 901

1 19 . Jan . 15, 190 1 Fred Alexander, negro. Leavenworth,Leaven

worth county . Rape .

Mont God ley, negro . Pittsburg , Crawford coun

ty . Murder .

1916

121 . Sept. 21 , 19 16 Bert Dudley . Olathe, Johnson county . Murder.

1920

Albert Evans , negro . Mulberry, Crawford county .Rape .

Apr . 19 , 1932 Richard Read . Atwood , Rawlins county .1 1 8 . Fort Scott Weekly Tribune, January! 25 , 1 899 .

1 1 9 . Topeka Cap ital, January 25 , 1 90 1 .

1 20 . Pittsburg Head light, December 26 , 1 902 .

1 2 1 . Topeka Journal , September 2 1 , 1 9 1 6 .

1 22 . Mulberry News, April 23 , 1 9 20 .

1 23 . Topeka Cap ital , April 1 8 , 1 932 .

fThfl

se figures are footnote numbers and not total lynchings . See page 192or to s .

Kansas H istory as Publishedin the State Press

Fifty-years-ago items published regularly in the Osborne CountyFarmer

,Osborne, under the head ing “Ancient History in Osborne,

are annotated by the ed itor and related with present-day facts .

The History of White C loud , by Mrs . M . E . Zimmerman , waspublished weekly in the White C loud Globe-Tribune, commencingwith its issue Of January 30 , 1 93 1 . The series ran , with a few omissions

,until the midd le of 1 932 .

A brief histori cal Sketch Of Wabaunsee and a cut of the Old stonechurch which was built in 1 861 were published in the August, 1 932 ,i ssue of the Wabaunsee County Truth, Wabaunsee . Succeed ing issues printed biographical Sketches of pioneers and located points ofinterest on a city map Of 1 872 .

Letters and interviews relating the experiences of Old settlers ofCheyenne county have provided the Bird City Times with newsitems for a regular weekly feature under the head ing,

“Old Timer ’s

Column .

” The series started with the i ssue Of December 1 5, 1 932 .

The story of three pioneers who settled in Crawford county in1 868 was told by two descendants in the Pittsburg Headlight, De

cember 20,1 932 . The men ,

John Waggoner, Stephen A lberty andE . B . Holden , journeyed overland from Rol la , Mo.

,and took up

their claims near the present town Of Chicopee .

Butler county in 1 869 was described by W . F . McGinnis , Sr . , apioneer, in a twocolumn article in The Butler County News, E lDorado, December 23 , 1 932 . Other reminiscences of Mr . McGinniS

were continued in succeeding issues .

The forty-fi fth anniversary of the Padonia Methodist church wascelebrated January 1

,1 933 . A history of the church appeared in

the Hiawatha Dai ly World,January 4

,1 933 .

“Early Days of Baldwin Territory Are Recounted by O ld Settler, was the title Of a front-page feature article published in theBaldwin Ledger, January 5, 1 933 . Joseph Dexter , of Oak Valley,was the narrator . He came to Kansas from Illinoi s in June, 1 855,and witnessed the burning Of Lawrence in 1 856 and in 1863 . His

father was a captain under Jim Lane.

(220 )


Some of the early business enterprises of Summerfield were namedin the fi fty - S ixth anniversary ed ition Of the Summerfield Sun, January 1 2, 1 933 .

Frank L . Randolph’s experiences in early-day Potwin were re

l ated in the Potwin Ledger, January 1 2 , 1 933 . Mr . Randolph, whonow resides in California , l ived in Potwin from 1 881 to 1 888 .

The sixtieth anniversary Of the Winfield Dai ly Courier was Ohserved January 1 3 , 1933 , with the issuance Of a 24-page i l lustratedhistorical ed ition . Notes on the found ing and incorporation of

Winfield , history Of the city ’s newspapers, a review Of the firstchurches , first marriage, etc.

,the organization of a grange in the

South Bend area , and a reproduction Of a page of the first issue Of

the Courier which was d ated January 1 1 , 1 873 , were high- lights ofthe ed ition .

Offi cial records of Hamilton county provide C . W . Noel l , registerof deed s , with source material for a series of historical articleswhich are being published in the Syracuse Journa l. Mr . Noel l wroteOf the organization Of the county in the issue of January 1 3 , 1 933 ;early towns of the county were located and described , January 27 ,and the county seat war was d iscussed , February 24 and March 1 7

The Baker Orange, student publication of Baker University ,Baldwin

,i s publishing historical articles in Observance of the sev

enty-fi fth anniversary Of the granting Of the charter to the univer

sity . The series start ed with the issue of January 1 6 , 1 933 .

Judge J . C . Ruppenthal , in his Rustlings column which hasbeen published weekly in several western Kansas newspapers for

the past few years , has contributed historical notes of considerablevalue to the state . In his column Of January 1 8 , 1933 , he inquired

for more information about a Mr . Matthews who was reputed to be

the first permanent settler on Coal creek, Russel l county , in 1 869 .

He was answered in the Wilson World, January 25, by William

Gaines,who recal led E . W . Matthews and the Operation of his l ime

kilns in 1 870 .

Historical notes published in the Seneca Courier-Tri bune include

the origin of the name “Turkey creek , by Joe Rilinger , January 1 9 ,1 933 , and the location Of the Old townsite of Pacific City , by J . L .

Firkins,February 20 .


Newly elected Officers of the Kansas History Teachers ’ Association which met at the Pittsburg Kansas State Teachers Col legeMarch 25, 1 933 , are : F . H . Hodder , Kansas University , president ;S . A . Johnson , Kansas State Teachers Col lege, Emporia , vice president ; Fred L . Parrish, Kansas State Col lege, Manhattan , secretarytreasurer, and Edwin McRaynolds, Coffeyville Junior Col lege, member Of the executive committee. Hodder succeeds O . F . Grubbs ofthe P ittsburg col lege as president .

At the December, 1 932 , election of the Cowley County HistoricalSociety the fol lowing Officers were reelected : Mrs . J . P . Baden ,president ; A . M . Rehwinkel , vice president ; Mrs . Alfred D iescher ,treasurer, and E . A . Wolfram ,

secretary and curator . The societywas organized October 26 , 1 93 1 , and reported thirty members enrol led at the close Of 1 932 . A l i st of the year ’s accessions was published in theWinfield Dai ly Courier, December 1 3 .

The Kiowa County Historical Society has 236 members enrol ledon its scrol l of charter members . The organization has placed aShow case in the lobby of the courthouse at Greensburg for museumpieces .

Edna Nyquist,secretary of the McPherson County Historical and

Archeological Society , has compiled a 1 84-page book entitled Pioneer Life and Lore of McPherson County , K ansas . The Democrat

Opinion Press , McPherson , was the publisher .

A Douglas County Historical Society was organized at Lawrencein March

,1 933 .

The K ansas Magazine was revived for the third time on January29

,1 933 , with a notable array of Kansas authors , poets and artists

contributing . R . I . Thackrey , ed itor, hopes to publish it annually .

The magazine was established in January , 1 872 , under the editorship Oi Capt . Henry King and James W . Steele, with subsequentrevivals in 1 886 , 1 909 and again in 1 933 .

A testimonial dinner was given March 1 , 1 933 , at Douglass , inhonor of J . M . Satterthwaite, publisher of the Douglass Tri bune.

Mr . Satterthwaite, who was a member Of the Kansas legislaturefor sixteen years , has j ust completed a half century as ed itor of the


Tribune . Prominent Kansas ed itors and state leaders were in at

tendance.

Kirke Mechem , secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society,addressed the Women ’s C ivic Center C lub of Hutchinson , January27 1 933

,on the work of the Society .

The fourth annual Kansas Day reunion of the Cheyenne CountyPioneers of Kansas was held at Bird City , January 29 , 1 933Markers were erected in Council Grove and Dodge C ity February

22 , 1 933 , locating the National Old Trails route which fol lows thegeneral d irection of the Santa Fe trai l through Kansas . The routeruns as U . S . highway 50 and 50N from Kansas C ity to Larned , asKansas highway 37 from Larned to Kinsley , as U . S . highway 5OSfrom Kinsley through Dodge City to Garden City , and as U . S .

highway 50 to La Junta , Colo.

The Bethany Col lege museum has been reassembled on the firstfloor of the Main build ing in Lindsborg . Formerly the col lectionwas s cattered in various build ings over the campus . Ind ian rel icsand fossil s, representative of western Kansas “finds , are amongthe col lections on display . Dr . J . A . Udden was the founder of themuseum .

A private col lection Of southwestern hi storical rel ics is beingbrought together by Merritt and Otero Beeson at the Merritt Beesonhome in Dodge C ity .

The road lead ing to the summit Of Coronado Heights , three milesnorthwest Of Lind sborg, has been improved thi s winter . The Lind sborg Historical Society is the lease-holder Of this historic site

thought to have been visited by Coronado.

1 4-7572

Contribu torsROOT is curator of archives of the Kansas State Historical Society .

KIRKE MECHEM is ed itor Of the K ansas Histori cal Quarterly and secretary ofthe Kansas S tate Historica l Society .WILLIAM HENRY SEARS was appointed brigad ier genera l of the Kansas Na

tional Guard by Gov . L . D . Lewelling in 1893 . He lives in Lawrence,K an .

NOTE—Articles in the Quarterly appear in chronologica l order without '

re

gard to thei r importance .

Two Minute Books of Kansas Missions

in the FortiesI . INTRODUCTION

F the church records here reproduced have no other significancethey prove that keeping the red man in the straight and narrowpath was a most arduous task in Kansas a hundred years ago. Inthe continuous effort Of the mission fathers to fit an almost puritanical Shoe to those restless feet there is something of pathos ; andin the naivete Of their a ccounts Of the attempt there i s, let it besaid respectfully , also something of unintentional humor .When

,for example

,a solemn entry reads , Enquiry was then

made as to the general appearance of rel igion in Mr . Towsey and ageneral expression was that he was a disgrace to the church,

” therecertainly can be no irreverence in a smile. Or when a committee is“appointed to labor with Jonas L ittleman , and Sally Konkapot, itbeing understood that their conduct had been unbecoming a pro

fession Of god l iness” ; or when“Bro T Hendric and H Skeekett re

fuse to be reconsiled with the church unless the missionaries ceaseto visit it

,

”the decorum of rel igion surely may unbend for the

moment in the presence Of a more human emotion .

Although there a re l ighter moments for the readers of theseminutes , the workers who penned them were painstakingly serious .The first set was recorded in one of the l ined b lank books of theperiod

,by 12 inches , bound in heavy paper, now brown and

brittle wi th age ; the second consists of eight leaves whi ch have beentorn from a ruled account book of approximately the same S ize .

Both were written carefully in ink . It wil l at once be apparentthat these church clerks were sometimes stronger in faith thanorthography , for the originals , now preserved in the archives of theKansas State Historical Society , have been copied exactly and are

here presented without correction in either spel l ing or punctuation .

The date of the first entry in the earl ier book is April 5,1 841 .

This is ten years after the e stablishment Of the first Baptist missionto the Shawanoe Indians in Kansas, whi ch the record s of the

Ameri can Baptist Board of Foreign Missions show was inThe mission was located “three miles west Of Missouri and abouteight south of the Missouri river” in a tract Of land granted to the

1 . Bap tist M issiona ry Magazine, v . ! VI, p . 50 .

(227)


Shawanoes,or Shawnees , by the terms Of a treaty made at St. Louis ,

November 7 , 1 825 . To this remote outpost came a small band of

workers under the leadership of Johnston Lykins and his wife.In

1 833 activities were extended , and a mission station was establishedfor the Delawares 2 “north of the Kansas river near its j unction withthe Missour i . ” 3 Ira D . Blanchard , who had some knowledge of the

Delaware language, was employed as a teacher, and in 1 835 wasappointed a missionary to the tribe.

In January , 1 840 , Blanchard reported to the Baptist Board of

Foreign Missions ,“Our mission affairs were never so prosperous

before. Our meetings are full . Last Sabbath al l could not find

seats . Our school is full , so that we have been obliged torefuse many applications the last four weeks . Our present numberis 4 In March of 1 841 he writes that the Delaware chiefs Opposethe gospel so that few or none attend rel igious worship

, except thosewho are pious . There is , nevertheless ,” he says , “the ful lest evidence that the Lord i s owning our unworthy efforts . Four are now

waiting an opportunity Of publicly avowing their faith in Christand we have reason to hope that several more are not far from the

kingdom of God .

” 5

Record s ind icate that unti l this time, 1841 , rel igious work amongtheDelawares had been carried on under the direction of the missionat Shawanoe. It is somewhat d ifficult, after nearly a hundred years ,to fol low the l ines of demarcation between group activities , especial lyin view of the rather loose application of terms . Study of the record slead s to the conclusion that a group numbering twenty- six, includ ingBlanchard and his wife and Sylvia Case, a teacher, originallyorganized as the Delaware branch of the Shawanoe mission

,desired

to form a separate church . A letter from F . Barker,preacher at

Shawanoe, to the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions,d ated at

2 . The Annua l Reg ister of Indian Aflairs With in the Indian (or Western ) Terr itory , published by Isaac M cCoy , January 1 , 1 83 5 , states that the Baptist miss ion for the Delawareswas commenced in 1 8 3 2 . A Baptist miss ionary, Charles E. Wilson , spent a few weeks amongthem in the autumn of that yea r . However , entri es in McCoy

’

s pr ivate journa l , owned bythe K ansas S tate H istorica l Society , indicate that work among the D elawares was not ih

st ituted unti l 1 8 3 3 . M cCoy wr ites , on February “1 have recently conferred w ith

Mr . Lykins , and we have agreed , the Lord w il l ing, to institute prea ch ing and a schoo l amongthe D elawares . A M r . B lanchard has spent near ly a year and a ha lf among them on h is own

resources , i n the study of their language. M r . Lykins and he expect to vis it thoseIndians in the course of a few days in order to a commencement of operations .

’On Feb . 26 ,

1 83 3 , he wr ites .

“On S aturday, Sunday and Monday last M r . Lykins and M r. French made

a v is it to the Delawares , some 1 3 miles from the S hawanos mi ssion House, w ith a view of ih

stituting preach ing among them and the establ ish ing of a schoo l among them. They reportthe prospect as favorable, and M r . Lykins has written the Board , propos ing to hire a schoo lteacher .

3 . Bap tistMissiona ry Magazine, v . XVIII , p . 1 3 9 .

4 . Ib id. , v . ! ! , p . 1 27 .

5 . Ib id. , v. ! ! I, p . 1 73 .


II . CH URCH BOOKChurch Book

or

Book of record s for theBaptist Chur ch

Constituted at the Delaware Bap . MissionApri l 5th 1841

Breathren being presant from abroad on Saturday the third Of

April 1 841 the subj ect of our separate organization was broughtbefore uS united ly After much consultation it seemed that no rea

sonable Obj ection could be presented against our proceed ing in thematter without further delay The fol lowing letter Of d ismission being received was laid before the whole for further consideration

Delaware Bap Mission Apri l 4 1 841At a meeting Of the Potawatomie Baptist mission church held at

the Ottawa Baptist mission Breathren Sister Thomas T Hendri ckRobert Konkaput Cornel ius Charles Jonas Konkaput Henry SkeikettCornel ius Hendrick John W . Newcum

,Hannah Konk aput Susan

Hendri ck,Dol ly Doxtator

,Cathorine Konkaput Phebe Skeikett

Mary Hendrick,Sally KonkaputMary Charles Mary Ann Doxtator

Timoty Towsey E l isabeth Towsy Ira D . Blanchard Mary W Blanchard Sylvia Case, Hopehelase, Charles Joneycake, Rahpateetank see,Betsy Hi l l K liskoqha Betsy Zeigleer , Esther Fergusson asked tobe d ismissed for the purpose of forming themselves into a chur chOf the same faith order And whereas the church granted thisrequest this is to certify that when such organization shall takeplace they wil l be no longer considered as members with us

In behalf of the ChurchJ . G . Pratt C lk

Al so Brother B lanchard , Newcum,and Skeikett Having been

apointed for that purpose reported the fol low preamble constitution

and covenent

DeclarationOf our views of Divine truth .

1 st We bel ieve

The Bible i s true, that it contains the whole of God ’s revealed will,that it was written by men d ivinely inspired , that it i s a perfectrule of faith and practice, and that it is the only guide through

MINUTE BOOKS OF KANSAS M IS S IONS 231

this world Of sorrow to the right hand of God where there are

pleasures forever-more.

2nd We bel ievein the existence of but one God , that He i s the Creator and preserverof the universe

,that al l things are and were created for the glory

Of his name, that He only is worthy of adoration or worship,that

he i s revealed under the personal and relative distinction of Father,Son , and Holy Ghost, equel in every divine perfection but performing distinct yet harmonious Offices in the glorious work of man ’sredemption .

3d We bel ieve

that man was created Holy, that he fel l from that state by wil lfultransgress ion of a Law of his maker ; that in consequence of whi chal l mankind are sinners ; not by constraint, but wil lingly , being bynature destitute of all good and inclined to all evil ; therefore j ustlyunder the curse of the Law for sin

,subject of death

,and all other

miseries , spiritual , temporal and eternal .

4th We bel ieve

that to redeem man from thi s curse, was the errand upon whi ch theson Of God appeared in our lower world, that for our sakes hebecame a man Of sorrow and acquainted with grief

,that he tasted

death for every man , and thereby made an atonement for the sinsOf the whole world ; that repentence, faith and Obed ience are the

terms Of his salvation .

5th We bel ievethat a congregation of baptized bel ievers , who are associated bycovenant

,l iving in the faith and fel lowship of the gospel ; Observing

its ord inances, governed by its”

rules and exercising the gifts , rightsand privileges invested in them by Chri st, to be a Christian Church.

6th We bel ieve

Christi an baptism to be the immersion Of a bel iever in water in thename of the Father the Son , and the Holy Ghost that it is prerequi sit to the privileges of a Church relation , and the Lord ’s supper .And that it is the imperative duty of all bel ievers to be baptized .

7th We bel ievethat none ever have been or will be made partakers of the benefitsOf Christ ’s Spiritual kingdom ,

but those who are chosen in him untosalvation through the sanctifi cation of the spirit and bel ief Of thetruth.


8th We believe

that nothing can separate real bel ievers from the love Of God,that

a persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark whi ch distinguishes them from superficial professors , that a Special providencewatches over them ,

and that they are and wil l be kept by the powerOf God through faith unto salvation .

9th We bel ieve

that the end Of al l things is at hand , that Christ is again to appearupon earth, that he is to be the Judge of the quick and the dead

,

and that an awful separation will then take place,a sentence of

eternal condemnation wil l be awarded to all whose robes arenot washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb Whi le theywho have made Christ their Savior and friend by repentence, faithand Obed ience will be wel comed to al l the Joys of Heaven , fromwhence they shal l no more go out forever . Even so come Lord .

Jesus Come quickly Amen .

CovenantIn the presence Of God Angels and one another we do sollemnlyCovenant in the strength of our d ivine Master that we will exercisea mutual care, as members one Of another, to promote the growth Of

the whole body in Christian knowledge,hol iness and comfort ; to

the end that we may stand perfect and complete in al l the wi l l ofGod— That to promote and secure thi s Obj ect, we will uphold thepubli c worship of God and the ord inance Of his house ; and holdconstant communion with each other therein , that we will cheerfully contribute Of our property for the support of the poor and doa ll that lies conveniently in our power

,for the encouragement of a

faithful ministry among us .That we will not omit closet and fami ly rel igion at home, noral low ourselves in the too common neglect of the great duty of

rel igiously training our chi ldren and those under our care, witha view to the service of Chri st and the enjoyment of Heaven . Thatwe wil l walk circumspectly before the world , in no way uphold ingor giving countenance to any of these things named by the Apostlein Gal . 5 : 1 9-21 . That we will conscienciously abstain from the

use Of al l intoxicating l iquors as a beverage, endeavoring so to

recommend the rel igion of Christ by our l ives as to ‘ win souls tohim

,remembering that God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but

the power Of love and Of a sound mind ; that we are the l ight of theworld

, the salt of the earth, a city set on a hi l l that can not be hid


mously by the brethren of this church, that Pau-pa-ta-tauk-tha beexcommunicated from the Fel lowship Of thi s Church, and that heshall be notified of this d i smission and that it is for his d isorderlybehaviour as a christian and member of this church The

Committee brother Jonas Konkapot and brother Charles JoneyCake, having heretofore been duly appointed by thi s Church to goand labour wi th brother Timothy Towsey , brought report to theChurch at this meeting and stated that the said Timothy Towseycomplained and found fault which was that a certain brother whohad brought complaint before the Church against him had not takenthe legal step agreeable to the gospel , and that in consequence of

this failure,he declared to the said Committee that all their labour

should be in vain and that his stand ing in the Church as a membershould stil l remain as good and permanent as ever and that all theirlabour Should be in vain further resolution was taken by thisChurch

,that the said Committee shall continue to stand as Com

mittee in this case til l the next Church meeting,and brother Blanch

ard was appointed add itionaly to be one of the said Committee and

to perform the duty that was required Of them by the said Churchand to make a report to the Church at the next Church meeting .

The constitution having been approved and adopted Bro Barkeron Lord ’s day morning del ivered an appropriate address to us fromEx The Lord said unto Moses why cryest thou unto me sayunto the children Of Israel that they go forward after whichBro Meeker gave to us the charge and right hand of fel lowshipBro John W Newcom was then unanomosly chosen to make record

Of the for going and to act as C lk Of the Church whi le we shall sitin church capacity

BrO J Meeker was invited to sit as moderator Oportunity being given James Jack came before us requesting baptism and mem

hership . We heard from him the reason Of the hope that was inhim and voted that he be received by usBro Blanchard moved Bro Skeekett seconed that the churchmeet at Bro Thomas Hend ri cks on Saturday before the last Lordsday in the presant MonthThe congregation having again col lected bro Meeker addressedus upon the care of God over his peopleWe then repaired to the Kanzas and waited upon the cand id ates

for baptism viz James Jack GeorgeW Hend ri ck Nancy Anthony thetwo latter having been received by us before organization whi leS iting in capacity of P . B . M . Church right hand of fel lowshipwas given them in behalf of the church by Bro. Meeker

MINUTE BOOKS OF KANSAS M IS S ION S 235

Thi s being done we came round the table of our crusified but

risen LordBy cand le l ight held a special church prayer meeting

whi ch we trust the Lord was truly with usAt a Church meeting held at the House Of Brother Charles JoneyCake by the brethren and sisters Of the Deleware and MoheganBaptist Mission this 27th day of June 1 841 , enquiries were made,concerning the labour of the Sd . Committee, and they reported thatthe said Towsey had reconciled his brother, and had settled thedifficulty whi ch had heretofore existed [between ] them . The reportwas accepted by the Church as a satisfactory report .Church MeetingJune 27 1 841Meeting opened with prayer by br Barker The committee ap

pointed to labor with br Towsey reported that br Newcom br

Towsey had come to an understand in betwean themselves— and the

committee were d ischargedNO other business being before the church oportunity was given

for any one to tel l us of their desire to fol low the Savior. Janewife of our Br Charles Joney Cake presented a letter of recomendation from the Delaware methodest class related to us the groundOf her hope in Christ

,we were all satisfyed of her interest in his

atonement and voted that she be received for baptism Lord s day .

28th After religios exursize repared to the water Intimation beingthere given that others were present who wished to fol low in all theLord s appointed ways The Church waited to hear from them . JohnConnor his wife presented themselves for Baptism Their rel ationbeing satisfacory the vote was unanimos for their reception The

three candidates were then baptised by Br Barker We then assembled round the table of our Lord and commemorated his dyinglove

Church MeetingJuly 23 1 841at MoheganMeeting opened with S inging and prayer— Resolved that a com

mittee Of reconsilation be apointed to endeavor to harmoni ze anyfeel ings Of d ifferance that may have grown out of a late neighborhood d isturbanc occasioned by a vicious young man belonging tothi s place and that the committee consist of the fol lowing brethrenBlanchard Newcom Joney Cake Corneleus Hendrick And SistersZeegler Towsey Ferguson Mary Hendrick


Opertunity being given four related to us their love to Christand wish to be Baptised (Viz ) Weh-hen-che-skondase Luttia-hing

(Jones ) John Hend ri ck wifeNO administrator being presant meeting ad journed tomeett at theMission 2 weeks from to morrow

Ad journed MeetingAug 8 1 841at the MissionThe case Of Brethern Cornel ius Charles Jonas Konkaput wasbrought before us Both had been guilty Of intoxication the formerwas presant made confession to us— but it was thought that thehonor of the cause required their suspension the latter to be re

quested to appear at our next meeting Both were suspended fromcommunion and all other church privaleges Three of the candid ates for baptism only were presant (Jones being detained byS ickness ) they were waited upon by br Barker After which theLord s Supper was administered to us The season was renderedpeculiarly sollem by the recent death of Br Robert Konkaput

Church MeetingAug 28 1841at the MissionBut few of the brethren being present it was proposed that attend

to our church business tomorrowLord s day after religious worship a door was opened for reception

of members Sal ly Jonney Cake came befor us we herd her tel l ofher love to the Savior Resolved unanimosly that she be redemed

Jonas Konkaput came before us and made his humble confession .

Church meetingOct 1 841at StockThe committee appointed July 23 reported that the matter for

which they were appointed were settled and were d ischargedCommunion d ispensed with no administrator being present

Church MeetingNov 1 841

at bro Charles ,The weather exceed ing inclemont and but few of the breathren

present Solomon Journey cake appeared before the church preyingfor baptism NO administrator being present no action was takenon the subj ect . Communion also d ispensed with for the same reason


that Mr Newcom had written to br Blanchard and had carryed hisown communication to him and got the matter hushed because hewas afi

'

raid to have it go any farther . Al l this was at utter variancewith the facts known to the committee Enquiry was then madeas to the general appearance of rel igion in Mr Towsey ,

a generalexpression was that he was a d isgrace [to the] church, that he wasin constant habbit of lying and that he is and has been a sower Ofd i scord— Br Henry Skeekett motioned that the matter be postponed ,got no second , br Jonas Konkakaput motioned that he be excludedwithout del ay aleging as his reason that the church had alreadytolerated the case to its d isgrace Br Cornel ius Hend rick secondedthe motion br H . Skeekett stated that the matter had got to a highpitch and that he should now be compled to come to the point saidthat things were charged upon Mr Towsey that were false that hehad sought out one certain thing and it was not true Not sayingwhat it was he was asked if the thing to which he alluded had beenspoken Of in the trial , He replied

,

“it has not The votewas thentaken shal l Timothy Towsey be excluded Afi rmative eleven Negative five three Of the five afterwards expressed approbation Of t his

decisionMeeting ad journed by prayer

June 25 1 842Church met atthe Miss ionOpened by s inging and prayer . NO bus iness being before the

church spent the evening in conferance singing “and prayer

July 30 1 842Church Meetingat br CharlesesChurch met at bro Charleses accord ing to appointment No buS i

ness transacted much sympatheti c feel ing manifested in our con

ferance

Aug 27 1 842at StockbridgeThe church met at the time appointed— a d ivi sion seems to be

forming in our ranks which threatens much injury to the churchAfter prayer it was agreed to spend a season in humileation and

prayer before God in view of our condition

MINUTE BOOKS OF KANS AS M IS S IONS 239

Sept 24 1 842Church meetingat the MissionMeeting opened as usual with s inging and prayer Few of the

breathren presant Peter HOpehelase John Jonney Cake pre

sented themselves for membership the former was received and Bapt

Oct Meeting andNov Passedour bro Blanchardbeing absent

Dec 24 1 842

Church metat the MissionHad a precious season of conferance and prayer . Those breath

eren who have not been carried away by our trial s seem to be muchhumbled and wel l prepared for spiritual food Communion on Lordsday

Jany 28 1843at bro CharlesesChurch MeetingNO business being before us spent the time in devotional exersizeCommunion on Lord s day

Feb 25 1843

ChurchMet

at StockbridgeOpened by singing and prayer . The subject of our division came

before the church . Breathren Barker Pratt being present theywere invited to a ful l parti cipation in the meeting .

After much consultation Breathren Blanchard Barker Pratt wereappointed to look after these d ifficulties and to report to morrow

Lords day 26The committee Of yesterday made the fol low [ing] report as theresult of their effortsThey have succeeded in reconsi ling Cathorin Lyttleman and Mary

Chemawkun to each other the former expressing herself satisfiedwith the confessions of the latterBro T Hendrie and H Skeekett refuse to be reconsiled with thechurch unless the missionaries cease to visit it These terms were


unanimously rej ected by the Stockbridge breathren Br Cornel iusCharles motioned that these two breathren be suspended and alsothe wi fe of the former she occupying the same ground The motionprevaled and the three were suspended .

The committee were not d i scharged but requested to continuelabor

March 28Church Met

at the MissionOpened as usual by singing and prayerThe committee appointed at our last meeting beged furtherOportunity whi ch was grantedNO other business being before us spent the evening in devotional

exercise Communion on Lord s dayApl 29 1 843Church Meetin

at the Missionby consent of the membersSinging and prayers The committee stil l asked indulgence whi chwas grantedOportunity being given Isaac Skeekett and George Washington

presented themselves for membership Being satisfied with theirrelation both were received and baptisedCommunion on Lord s day

May 28 1843Church Meetingat StockbridgeThe committee reported that they had continued their effortswithout success No action of the church was takenBro Jonas Konkaput made confession Of his having again been

over come by intemperance He was requested keep back fromthe communion ti ll the church should be more entirely satisfyed Of

his repentance

June 24 1 843Church Meetingat the Mission


Church MeetingAt StockbridgeDec 30 1843

Meeting opened by S inging and prayer Report Of [committee]cal led for Committee appointed to labor with br . Jim Jack werenot ready to report—Continued ti l l next meetingBr Pratt from the committee Of enquiry reported labor with

Washington Hendrick Without any satisfaction Motion by BrCornel ius Chemawkun to exclude seconded by br . G . Konkaput

Vote in the affi rmative unanimously prevailed Sister Case from thecommittee reported having vis [it]ed Sisters Doxtater Cathorine

Kankaput Skeekett Church were satisfied with the intelegencefrom Sister Doxtater— so far as it extended but the committee wererequested to continue labor—Motion Made by br . J . W Newcombthat Phebe Skeekett [sentence unfinished ] Seconded by br Cornel iusChemawkun . Affirmative unanimously prevailed and she is excludedThe case of Sister Catharine Konkaput was considered as Satis

factory after hearing from her in person,None of the Committees

were discharged Sister B lanchard added to the committee of S isters

Saturday 28 1 844Church MeetingAt the MissionMeeting opened as usual by singing and prayer . Brother cornel ius

Chemaukun presented a petition from six of the breathren and

Sisters at Stockbridge praying for a d ismis [sion ] for the purpose of

organising into a d istinct church Of the same faith and order vizJonas Konkaput Cornel ius Chemawkun ,

Hannah Kunkaput SallyKonkaput, Katharine Konkaput Mary A Chemawkun Requestunanimously granted .

No further business being before us spent the evening in devotional exersize

III . INTRODUCTIONFirst mention of the Stockbridge Indi ans in the territory west Of

the Mississippi appears in reports of the Baptist Board of ForeignMissions in the BaptistMissionary Magazine for the year 1 840 . The

item is as fol lows :“On the 6th of December [ 1839 ] a party of Stockbridge Ind i

ans fromWinnebago Lake (Wisconsin territory) arrived , with the design of making the Delaware country their future home . The Delawares have acceeded to the proposition , and have located them below Fort Leavenworth . Fromeight to ten of

these ,including the principal chief, are expected to join the De laware church .

MINUTE BOOKS OF KANSAS M IS S IONS 243

two of whom have not before made a profession of faith in Christ. The nativeassistant is to labor among this tribe .

In the report for 1 843 appears the statement that Mr . and Mrs .J

.G . Pratt have been authorized to remove to Stockbridge, at the

earnest and repeated sol icitation of the Ind ians Of that place.

“He

[Pratt] has,” read s the report,

“for some time, regularly ministered

to them every alternate Sabbath . He will take the press with him;the Stockbridges glad ly engaging to aid in the erection of a printingOffice, school-house, etc.

,to the utmost of their abi lity . Some

d ifficulties for the Stockbridges arose over the “singul ar al ienation

of the Delaware chiefs” and Mr . Pratt was prevented from locatingamong them for a time

,but troubles were ad j us ted and mission

bui ld ings were commenced in the autumn of 1 844 . The fol lowingrecords , copied verbatim, Show activities of the Stockbridge BaptistMission Church constituted Apri l 1 3th

,1 845 :

IV . CH URCH BOOKRECORDS

The Stockbridge Baptist Mission Church, was organized,April

1 3th 1 845 . Present at the time, Brethren Jotham Meeker,Francis

Barker,Ira D . Blanchard .

At a meeting of members for organization previous to organization it was voted to adopt as ours the “Declaration Of Faith

,

” and“Covenant,” as prepared by the Committee of the New HampshireBaptist Convention .

At a meeting of the Church June 8, it was voted that the Churchmeet for Conference and Business on the 2d Saturd ay of each month .

Voted also to adopt the fol lowing Resolutions—Resolved—Thatwe consider the habit of using intoxicating liquors , as a d rink, tobe sinful ; and leads to fearful consequences , as the s criptures declare

, no“d runkard shal l inherit the kingdom Of Heaven .

” We willabstain from the use of any

,all intoxicating d rinks — and con

sider those under censure of the Church, who use,or become

intoxicated in the use Of them .

Resolved—That we consider Marriage an ord inance of Heaven ,and require al l persons (members of the Church,) expecting to enterthat rel ation

,to be publicly united

,accord ing to the usual manner

Of performing that ceremony among professed Christians .In consequence of sickness , and the absence of most of the mem

bers, no meeting Of the Church occurred after the above date until


January 25th, 46 when a meeting was held at the House of Bro

Jonas Konkapot—at which time Bro. Cornel ius Charles from the

Del aware Baptist Church, John G . Pratt,and Mrs . O l ivia E . Pratt

from the Putawatomie Baptist Church,presented Letters

,and were

received as members of this Church . J . G . Pratt Pastor

February 7th Churchmet at the House Of Sister Hannah Konkapot, at whi ch time Levi Konkapot and Jacob L ittleman related theirreligious exercises , and requested admission to the Church . Votedto meet Feb 14th to decide on their Reception—Ad journedFebruary 14th Church met accord ing to ad journment at the

house of Pastor . After further hearing the above named ind ividuals,

and also l istening to Mrs Josephine L ittleman— It was voted ,unanimously— that they be received as cand id ates for Baptis [m ]and membership . After prayer AdjournmentSabbath Afternoon Feb 1 5th these persons were all baptized

,in

presence of a solemn and interested congregation .

March 7 , 1 846 Church met at the House Of J . G . Pratt Doorbeing opened for the reception of member [s ] Mr . Joseph HenryKillbuck

,and his wife ; El i Hendri ck and his wi fe ; and the widow

Lyd i a Konkapot, related their rel igious exercises and were receivedas Cand id ates for Baptism and Membership . Mr . Thomas THend ri ck, made formal confess ion of error

,asked the privilege of

a union with us . Church requested him to wait unti l another meeting to whi ch he consented— AdjournedSabbath morning March 8 the ind ividuals received above were all

Baptized ; and in the evening, received the right hand of fel lowshipAfter which Church Commemorated the Suffering Of our Savior,enjoying much Of his presence, and much rejoicing in his favor .

Apri l Church met at the House of Bro. Jonas Konkapot . Afterrel igious exercises voted to appoint second Sabbath in May as aseason of rel igious worship , and to invite the Christian friends fromShawanos and Delaware to be presentAlso voted that at our meeting for business next week we will

elect a brother to act for us as our Deacon .

Ad journed by prayerJ . G . Pratt

Pastor


The Church after careful examination voted unanimously to re

ceive themThe day fol lowing

,being Sabbath

,the above mentioned in

d ividuals were al l Baptized , in presence of a numerous and solemncongregation . In the evening

, the Lord s Supper was administered ,during which al l seemed to enjoy a large measure of the Spirit’sinfluence. There had been with us for several days

,many dear

brethren Sisters from other Churches whose presence and exhortation had greatly encouraged and strengthened us The eveningclosed the Series of meeting [s ] and it was indeed a precious and

refreshing season,spent with evident toke [n ] of d ivine favor, and

presence of his Holy Spirit—and will not soon be forgotte [n ]Ad journed

J . G . PrattPastor

Church Meeting Sept 12,1 846

At this meeting Mrs Lucy Konkapot related to the Church herrel igious exercises ; and requested the privilege Of becoming a member of it—After proper consideration Church voted to receive her asa cand idate for baptism and membership—Mrs Phebe Skigget wasalso received . On the following morning, Prudence Quinney, manifested to the Church whi le met for public worship a desire to unite,She was received ; after which the ord inance Of Baptism was ad

ministered to the two cand idatesAd journed

Church Meeting Oct 9 , 1 846 .

At thi s meeting , Church voted to remove the censure resting uponBro. Cornel ius Chemaukun , and restore him again to all the privileges Of the Church.

After the evening had been spent in rel igious exercises , Mrs .

Abigail Hendri ck , with much feel ing stated her convictions of dutyto unite with the Church if thought worthy- she was received as acand idate for Baptism membership .

Ad journedJ . G . Pratt

Pastor

MINUTE BOOKS OF KANSAS MIS S ION S 247

Nov . 7,1 846

Church meeting at meeting house.

At this meeting two p ersons were dropped from fel lowship , on

account of improper conduct . Other business was introduced butdeferred unti l a future meeting . The names of the two personsdropped were

J . G . PrattPastor

Church Meeting Dec. 12,1 846

Meeting opened as usual by prayer . The time was Spent in con

versation on several points of business, none in shape to be recordedwas attended to— Spent a season in rel igious conference having reference to the sacrament to be administered to-morrow (sabbath)

Ad journed J . G . PrattPastor

Church Meeting Jan . 9 1 847

Meeting opened by prayer . It was resolved at thi s meeting thatit was inexped ient to bear longer with Brethren Jonas Konkapot,and Cornel ius Charles , and that the hand of fel lowship be con

sidered as withdrawn from them— in consequence of improper condu [ct] .

A Committee consisting Of Brethren Jacob L ittleman,Levi

Konkapot be appointed to labor with Jonas L ittleman,and Sally

Konkapot,it being understood that their conduct had been uh

becoming a profession of God l iness .Miss Jemima Dockstater related to the Church her rel igious

feel ings,and expressed confidence in Christ, and asked for ad

mission to the privileges of membership ; which, after careful examination was voted

,in her behalf after she shall have been

baptizedAdjourned

J . G . PrattPastor

Church Meeting, Feb . 24, 1 846

Meeting opened , as usual by prayer After which, business beingintroduced , Bro. Jacob Littlemen from a committee reported thatthree persons with whom they had labored were obstinate in wickedways and requested to be released from their connection with theChurch—The hand Of fel lowship was by unanimous vote accordingly withdrawn from Jonas L ittleman— Sally Konkapot, and

Lydia Konk apot .


Mr . Benj amin Towsy expressed to the Church an interest inrel igious truth, an intention [to] forsake sinful ways—an interestin a Saviour , and a desire to become a member with us of the

Church Of Christ—After careful examination he was unanimouslyreceived , as a cand id ate for Baptism Membership .

J . G . PrattPastor

Note—On the fol lowing Sabbath Feb 28 , Miss Doxstater , Mr .

Towsy were Baptised— and in the evening Of the same day

Church celebrated the communion of the Lord ’s SupperJ . G . P .

Church Meeting,March

At this meeting Church voted to withdraw the hand Of fel lowship from Cornelius Chemaukun , and to suspend from Churchprivi leges his wife Mary C . for alleged improper conduct,

Meeting ad journed ,J . G . Pratt

Church Meeting Apri l 10,1 847

Time spent whol ly in religious conference, there being no business .

Church Meeting May 8 , 1 847Church meeting at the house of Hannah Konkapot—At this

meeting the church voted unanimously to Withdraw fel lowshipfrom all persons previously suspended for immoral conduct . Theyare therefore no longer regarded as under the watch—care and

countenance Of the Church—Rel igious Conference fol lowedAd journed

Church Meeting June 12 , 1 847At the house of Sister Hannah Konkapot —Church voted , to ex

clude Prudence Quinney for grossly immoral conduct—Spent re

mainder of the evening in religious Conference .

Adjourned—J G . PrattPastor


Thi s church having met with a severe visitation,9 and partedwith its former Pastor, was re-organized on the 1 2th of Aug . 1848 .

In doing this it was found necessary to enrol l such names only aswere known to be in good stand ing in thi s and the d isbandedChurch at Stockbridge . Thi s step became the more important asthe book containing record Of the Delaware Church, appeared eitherto have been muti lated or intentionally neglected

,as no entries ap

peared to have been made for several years . The l ist of membersimmed iately fol lowing contains only such names of persons as areknown to be in good stand ing in both Churches at time of re

organization .

List Of Church MembersAS revised August 1 2th

,1 848

1848 John G . Pratt—Pastor William KalebAugust 29 Olivia E. Pratt Jenny Kaleb

Charles Johnycake Deceas’d James Ra in

Sal ly JOhnycake Susan KillbuckJane Johnycake Deceas

’d Jacob Littleman

Betsy Zeigler Deceased H ipelas

Francis Pokelas Hannah Hipelas

Ar-nark-tun-dut Macharch

Excluded Wul- lun-da-nat-O’kwa Hi pelas

Eunice Eaton Ex . Nancy KonkapotDeceased Hannah Konkapot Louisa LittlemanDeceas

’d Susan Charles Mrs . Job Skicket

Cornelius Charles Cousin of CharlesEli Hendrick JOhnycakeSally Hendr ick E. S . Morse

KillbuckDropped His wife

Killbuck9 . The nature of th is visitation is not disclosed by the church records .

Ferries in KansasPart II— K ansas River

GEORGE A . ROOT

HE Kansas river,the principal stream originating within the

state, has a hi story d ating back considerably more than 200years . The river derives its name from the Kanz a or Kaw Ind ianswho resided near its mouth and along its course from time immemorial . It is formed by the j unction of the Repub l ic an and Smoky Hi llrivers , which unite at a point near Junction C ity . From there itflows in an easterly direction for about 240 miles tomingle its murkywaters with that Of the “Great Muddy , or Missouri .Thi s stream has been given various names by explorers and early

map makers . One of the earliest references to the river was byAntonio de Herrary Tordesilla, hi storiographer to the King Of Spain .

Marquette mentions the Kanza in 1673 . John Senex ’s map of Louisiana and of the Mississippi river

,in 1 71 9

,calls it the “Great River

of Cansez .

”D

’Anville

’s map of 1 732 calls it the River des Padoucas

and Kansas . DuPratz’S map of Louisiana , 1 757 , cal ls it the R iver

of the Gansez , while a map of British and French settlements inNorth America , publi shed in 1 758 , gives the stream the name of

Padoucas river . 1

There i s much fiction in early accounts Of the river, one authorityrecording that it had been ascended for adistance of 900 miles , whi lean equally unreli able hi storian asserted that it was navigable for alike distance.

The valley Of the Kansas had long been a highway to the buffalohunting ground s on the great plains and to the mountains beyond .

The Chouteaus and other early trad ers among the Indians had postsalong the stream , and trappers and hunters used its waters to rafttheir pelts tomarkets on the Missouri river .Thomas Say , of Long ’s exped ition , L ieut . J . W . Abert

, Col . JohnC . Fremont and others started up the Kaw valley on exploring ex

ped itions to the far West . The earliest and perhaps the greatest tideof emigration to Oregon and California passed up the Kaw val leyon the first leg of the journey . The river was only ford able duringperiod s when there was a scarcity of rain

,and for this reason ferries

were a necessity and were established at an early d ate along its

1 . Names from old maps and volumes in Kansas S tate H istorical Society.(251 )


course . Being located at easi ly access ible points on the river, theybecame decid ing factors in the location of territorial and state road swhich were established by early legislatures .The earliest Kansas law regard ing ferries was passed by the legis

lature of 1 855, and was designated as chapter 71 . Thi s act providedthat no person should keep a ferry without a license, and that thecounty clerk should issue l icenses

,etc.

2

Ferrying on the Kansas river dates back something over 100 years .Beginning with a ferry establi shed within the l imits of present Wyandotte county , the first ferry encountered above the mouth of

the river was the one inaugurated by the Wyandott Nation , and

was known as the Wyandott National Ferry . These Ind ians in1 843 purchased land s on the north s ide Of the Kansas river , extend ing westward from its confluence with the Missouri , from theirrelatives the Delawares . Being hedged in , so to speak ,

by the tworivers , a ferry was put into operation

,for their convenience, j ust

above the mouth of the Kaw . Here a flatboat, operated by a cableand capable Of transporting one wagon and team at a time, was theequipment first used by this ferry

,whi le a small cabin was erected on

the bank of the river as a shelter for the ferryman . The exact d atewhen thi s enterprise went into Operation and the name of the ferryman who first had charge of the boat have not been learned . How

ever, the journals Of Gov . William Walker throw considerable l ighton early ferry matters

,there being numerous references to the sub

jcet. The fol lowing are extracts from the journal“ entries“Jan . 27 , 1846 . Attended Council tod ay but done very li ttle of importantbusiness . Agreed to employ Tall Charles another year to keep the ferry .

“Feb . 10, 1846 . Paid Tal l Charles , ferryman

, $45, leaving him a balance duehim for 1845 Of

“July 7, 1846 . C . G . G . and Peter Buck arraigned for violently taking theferry boat from her moorings in the absence Of the ferryman ; the former fined35 and latter

“May 8 , 1847 . Attended the sale at the council room of the goods , chattelsand effects of Nofat, deceased . Bought nothing . The company then proceededto the ferry, hauled out and turned upside down the old boat for repairs . G . A.

and myself assorted our lumber .

Dec. 27, 1847 . Went to H . Jaquis ’s and ,spent a part of the day ,

the

election Of a ferryman being the principa l topic of conversation, the cand idatesare D . Young , Tal l Charles, Charles Split-The-Logs .

“Dec. 28 , 1847 . Council met at James Washington ’

s . Proceed ed to the

election of a ferryman, and resulted in the election of D . Young .

2 . General S tatutes , Kansas , 1 855 , pp . 3 62 -3 6 4 .

“Nebraska S tate H is torica l Society Collections, 2d S er . , v . 3 .


between the last ferry item date in Walker ’s journal and the firstS imilar one in theWyandotte record s , which fol lows :

“Nov . 9 , 1855 . The council paid Adam Brown one hund red and eighty dollars for acting as ferryman for nine months .

“Nov . 13 to 22, 1855 . Ferry expenses to Joel Walker,

Ferry expensesto Northrup Chick, John D . Brown for repairs on ferry house,

“Nov . 3 , 1856 . S ilas Armstrong hire of flat boat,paid Thomas Smart

for crying Of ferry sale (pa id ) S ilas Armstrong, National ferryman,J .

-H .

Cotter, paid ,Wyandott Council l st Sept.

“Wyandott Council . 1856 .

Convened this day , present Geo. I . C lark , S ilas Armstrong, John D . Brown .

John Hicks Peter D . C lark .

“The commiss ioners met the counci l this day and the chiefs and commis

sioners ordered the four acres of ground attached to the ferry3 to be surveyedand to be sold to the hi ghest bidder on Monday the fifteenth (15th ) day of

the present month according to treaty of 3 l st January, 1856 .

Amount of Sam Parsons (surveying) accountR . ROBITAILLE, Clerk . GEO. I . CLARK , Principal Chief .

Wyandott Council, 15 September, 1856 .

The Wyandotts counci l convened this day according to ad journment,ful l

board of chiefs present, Geo. I . Clark presid ing . In accordance with an articlein the treaty between the U. S . government and Wyandott Ind ians in date

'

Of

3 1st January, 1855, and accord ing to advertisements affixed in three publicplaces in Wyandott, was sold the four acres of land attached to the Wyandott

ferry,this day and ad judged to Isaiah Walker, the hi ghest bidder, for the sum

of seven thousand dollars , payable one-half, say three thousand five hundred

dollars , payable on the thi rty-first of next October, and the other half,say three thousand five hundred dollars, payable one year from said3 l st October next without interest, and Charles B . Garrett becomes his securityfor the ful l fi llment of the cond itions of the sale . A plat of said lot of land hasbeen made by Lot Cofl'man ,

Esq . , one of the commissioners .

“There being no further bus iness the Council have ad journed to the Octobernext . GEO. I . CLARK ,

Principal Chief 4“R . ROBITAILLE

, Clerk .

Another early mention Of this ferry d ating back to 1 846 is the following by Louis H . Gerrard

,in his Wa - to-

yah, page 2 :“The Wyandotte is the nearest Indian tribe to Kansas [City] ; and

,one

afternoon,Mr . Drinker and myself visited the agent

,Doctor Hewitt. A walk

of a mile, through woods on the river bank,brought us to the mouth of the

Kansas , or K aw ,river , a stream ferried by a tal l

,good specimen of a ful l

blood Wyandotte,who received the tol l with a look as if to say ,

‘Your money ’s

3 . K ansas H istorica l Col lections, v . 1 5 , map facing p . 1 58 .

4 . Wyandotte Indian Council R ecords, 1 8 55 - 1 8 71 , MSS . , pp . 4 1 , 42 .


no account, and I’ve a mind to toss you in the river for offering it’ ; our at

tempts at conversation failed .

”

In 1 857 the ferry crossed the Kaw at a point near the cable l ine

bridge of l ater d ate . It is said that tol l charges for this year

amounted to for crossing, and that charges were not exhor

bitant,but reasonable. Thi s ferry continued to be used unti l 1 863 ,

when a pontoon bridge was built across the river near its mouth .

5

A Kansan who used thi s ferry many years ago, wrote“We crossed the K aw at Wyandotte . In those days there were no bridges ,

so we had to ferry over on one Of those flat-bottomed scows such as are in

use to-day for carrying sand from the steam dredges in the Missouri and K an

sas rivers . A heavy cable was stretched across the river on whi ch ran two

pulleys from which ropes were attached to each end of the boat. When the

ferryman was ready to start he wound the rear rope SO as to head the boatup stream and the current would propel the boat to the opposite shore . Thi s

was a s low process, as on ly one team at a time could be carried , but was thebest we could do in the Far West Of fifty years ago.

”6

Just what d isposition Isaiah Walker made of his ferry has not

been learned . However, an advertisement in the Western Argus , of

Wyandotte,Apri l 7 , 1 860 , stated that the ferry was running , Isaiah

Walker CO. being proprietors .Mr . K . L . Browne

,of Kansas C ity

,Kan .

,in a letter to the author ,

d ated July 1 2,1 932

,stated that “Jack Beaton was the recognized

Operator Of the ferry . He was not an Ind i an . Afterward s he wentwest with Tom Parks

,who was killed by the Ind ians during the

build ing of the Union Pacific railroad .

”

The fol lowing items relating to Wyandotte county ferry mattersare extracts from the minute book of the city fathers of the C ity of

Wyandotte :“Oct. 12, 1856 : Mr . Glick , on behalf of Mr . Steavens, made application for

the payment by the town of the amount due him for services performed as

ferryman on the free ferry across the Kansas river, he being unable to collectthe same from the citizens by whom it was agreed to be paid . Petition laidon the table .

“July 14, 1859 : Petition of L . Meyer and other merchants and business menOf the city requesting the board to levy a tax on the steam ferry boat “Lizzie,”or any other ferry boat runn ing regularly between this city and Kansas City .Tabled .

“November 15, 1859 : Resolved that Messrs . Walker,Judd and Hi s Honor

the Mayor , be appointed a committee to confer with Wm. H . Irwin CO. witha view of establishing a ferry across the Missouri river .

5 . Godspeed ’s H istory of Wyandotte County , pp . 3 59 , 3 6 1 .

6 . Char les Raber, “Personal Recol lections ," in K ans as H istor ical Collections,v . 1 6 , p . 3 1 6 .

256 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYNovember 19 , 1859 : The committee appointed to confer with Wm. B .

Irwin Co . with regard to the ferry across the Missouri river reported that

they had submitted the proposition of the board to Mr . Irwin which was thatWm. H . Irwin Co . was to establish the ferry within thirty days after the

18th day Of January , A . D . 1860 and to pay to the city ten per cent of the

profits of said ferry and that Wm. H . Irwin CO . accepted said proposition .

On motion of Mr . White the report was received and the committee discharged .

Whereupon it was on motion ,

“Resolved , That the mayor be instructed to complete the contract between

Wm. H . Irwin Co . and the city with regard to the ferry across the Missouririver and submit the same to a vote of the people at an election to be heldfor that purpose on the 6th day Of December , 1859 .

[N0 record of an election in the minute book . ]

November 24, 1859 : An article of agreement between the city Of Wyandotte and Wm. H . Irwin Co . was presented and ordered placed on fi le .

“November 24, 1859 : A petition signed by S ilas Armstrong , David E. Jamesand WilliamWear, his attorney, for ferry privileges across the Kansas river waspresented and read , whereupon on motion of Mr . Overton it was

“Resolved , That we hereby grant unto the Kansas River Ferry Company

the privilege of moving their present rope ferry to or near the mouth of the

Kansas river and grant unto them the privilege Of land ing at said point with a

flat boat for the term of three years from the present time . Said ferry to bemoved within twenty days from the present time .

“November 25 , 1859 : The mayor stated that the obj ect of calling the meeting to be hi s veto of a bill passed on the previous day granting the privilegeto the Kansas River Ferry Company the right to land on the Wyandott Sideat the foot of Minnesota avenue for the period of three years , and gave as his

reasons for vetoing the same that from information he had derived since thatthe city had no rights themselves to a land ing at that point and that they weregiving away private property which they had no right to do and as the resolution now stood he could not approve it.

“November 29 , Petition of J . M . Funk and others for certain ferryprivileges to be granted to the Kansas R iver Ferry Company was brought before the meeting . Whereupon Mr . Overton moved that the company be al

lowed the privi lege of land ing on the levee on the Kansas river belonging tothe city for the term Of three years . Motion lost a majority of the wholeboard needed to carry over the mayor ’s veto .

“February 28 , 1860 : Petition of R . W . Clark , J . M . Funk , et al for ferryland ing at the mouth of the Kansas river . On motion the above petition wasreferred to committee on ord inances with instructions to report at next meet

ing an ord inance in comp lian ce with said petition .

March 6 , 1860 : Committee on ord inances reported ord inance 20 relatingto ferry land ing on Kansas river . Upon the final passage was passed unanimously .

[Ordinance cannot be found . ]

April 10 , 1860 : Petition Of Wm. H . Irwin for extension Of time on ferrycontract presented . On motion the time on sa id contract was extended from

May 1 , 1860 , until May first, 1875 .


the Argentine bridge of the 1 930’

s,and continuing on to Shawnee,

in Johnson county , where it connected with the old Santa Fé trail .Thi s road d id not receive Official recognition until October 27 , 1 859 ,when it was regularly laid out and designated on the Offi ci al plat asthe

“Santa Fé road . It reached the Kaw where Nineteenth street,Kansas City

,now meets the river . 1 0 Thi s ferry soon gave way to a

tol l bridge.

At the 1 858 session Of the territorial legislature a company designated as theWyandotte Bridge Company applied for a charter for abridge across the Kansas river at a point not c loser than two, normore than S ix , miles from the mouth of that stream . One section Ofthe act authorized and empowered the company to establish and

maintain a free ferry across the river at or near the point selectedfor the erection of the bridge

,

1 1 which was built that year .Wyandotte was a natural center for road s from all d irections . A

road to the west from Wyandotte connected with the Fort Leavenworth-Fort Gibson road ; one to the south connected with the SantaFé road ; another to the west intersected the Fort Leavenworth-FortRi ley road . These were the more important ones . Another

,estab

lished in 1 855 , which ran from the Wyandotte ferry across the Kansas river, passing Joel Walker

’s,Charles Garrett ’s and Noah Zaines ’

c laims and on to the Parkville ferry,was made a territorial road ; 1 2

another, established the same time, ran from Wyandotte, via Jacksonville, to Ozawkie, the act requiring the commissioners who laidout the road to erect “finger board s” along the route where neces

sary .

1 3 Another ran to Quindaro, Leavenworth and Atchison ; 1 4another to Mound C ity , via the Wyandotte bridge, Aubrey, NewLancaster and Ballard ’s ford ,1 5 and sti l l another from Wyandotte,via Shawneetown, New Lancaster , Trad ing Post, Potosi and Barnesvi lle

,to Fort Scott

,fol lowing the old military road as nearly as prao

ticable.

1 6

Up to 1 858 the ferries took care of the commerce and traffic overthese routes . By that time those Of vision could see that bridgesmust supplant the ferries . That year a charter was secured from thelegislature by the Wyandotte Bridge Company for a bridge over the

1 0 . County clerk , Wyandotte county, Road Record A, p . 4 .

1 1 . Private Laws, K ansas , 1 858 , pp . 48 -50 .

1 2 . Ge neral S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , p . 972 .

1 3 . Ib id ., pp . 9 78 -9 79 .

1 4 . Laws,K ansas

,1 8 60 , p . 588 .

1 5 . Ib id 1 86 1 , p . 249 .

1 6 . Ib id 1 8 65 , p . 1 44 .


Kaw river,to be located within one mile from the mouth and which

Should not impede free navigation of the river . 1 7 During the C ivi lWar period there was not much bridge construction , and the tol lbridges and ferries had things pretty much their own way .

After the c lose of theWar the era of bridge building in Wyandottecommenced . On August 1 , 1 865, the Wyandotte Bridge and FerryCompany applied for a charter , whi ch was issued , granting them theright of constructing and establishing one or more bridges or ferries,or both

,over the Kansas river between the mouth of the river and

the western boundary of the county , and also of operating a ferryor bridge in the Missouri river and opposite to and across the mouthof the Kansas river . Thi s charter was fi led with the secretary of

state,September 29 ,

In 1 866 , 1 867 and 1 872 bridges were built at Wyandotte, and alsoa number constructed later, no less than a dozen having been erectedacross the Kaw river up to the 1 930 ’s .

1 9

Above Armstrong ’s another ferry was started by Quindaro ln

terests and was known as the Eureka ferry,located on the SEl/y

S . 1 8, T . 1 1,R . 25 . This ferry was inaugurated in an effort to share

in the trade Wyandotte city was drawing from territory to the southof the Kaw river . Both towns surveyed and opened up roadsthrough the Shawnee reservation . Committees were appointed bythe two towns to confer and fix upon a point where a joint ferry forboth could be established . The location suggested by Wyandottewas rejected by Quindaro as being too far east, and the locationdesignated byQuindaro was rejected as being too far west . Theselocations were about a mile apart

,and compromise was wrong in

principle. Thi s resulted in free ferries for both .

20 Exact d ate of

starting the Eureka ferry has not been learned . On March 30,1 857 ,

Aaron W . Merri l l and Abelard Guthrie entered into the fol lowingwritten agreement

This agreement the 3oth day of March A . D. 1857, between Aaron W .

Merri l l of the one part and Abelard Guthrey in behalf of the Quindaro Company of the other part, witnesseth : That the said Merri l l in cons ideration of

the covenants hereinafter contained , covenants and agrees to and with the

said Guthrey for said Guthrey for said company, that he wil l keep the said

company ’s ferry, cal led “Eureka” ferry, lately established on the Kansas river

about four miles below Delaware ferry, and tow the said company ’s fiat boat1 7 . Pr ivate Laws, K ansas , 1 858 , pp . 5 1 -53 .

1 8 . Corporations , v . 1 , pp . 44 , 45 , in Arch ives division , Kansas S tate H istor ical Society .

1 9 . Ib id . ,pp . 67 , 68 ; Wyandotte Gazette, 1 866 , 1 867 , 1 868 .

20 . Kansas City Journa l, February 1 7 , 1 88 2 .

260 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYacross and ferry over all the teams and wagons , horses , cattle and mules and

ferry across all persons coming to said ferry , and do all such ferrying free of

charge to the persons coming and requiring to be ferryed across sa id river .

And that he will at all times provide sufficient help to do such ferrying Of

persons,horses , cattle, mules , teams and wagons and goods in expedi tious and

ski llful manner, and that he wil l keep and protect the said companies boatsand keep them in good repair at his own expense, except extraordinary repairsoccasioned without his fault.

“And in consideration of the premices the said Guthrey promises and agrees

that the company wi ll pay to said Merri ll for such services as aforesaid the

sum of one hund red dollars per month so long as the said Merrill Shall continueto do such ferrying, and bestow the care on said companys boats and keepingthem in repair as aforesaid . The said Guthrey further agrees that the saidcompany wil l furnish the said Merri l l the sa id boats

,namely a flat boat and

a skiff in good repair . Also 2 picks and 2 shovels for the use Of said ferry tobe kept and used by said Merrill and to be returned to said company when heShal l leave said ferry . The payments aforesaid to be made in cash every month .

The said Merri l l also agrees to cut out the road on the south side of the

river and make it good and convenient for teams to pass up and down from

the river to the bluff and bridge the stream in the ravine,and also on the north

side up to where the ravine crosses the road and to make a bridge over the

stream if needed .

“Either party to have the privilege to rescind this contract and agreement

at the end Of month by giving one week ’s previous notice to the other partyof the intention to rescind said agreement .

In witness whereof the parties have hereunto set their hands and seals theday and year first aforesaid in presence Of

ABELARD GUTHREYA . W . MERRILL.

”

On April 1 4 , 1 859 , Merri l l brought suit in the d i strict court of thethird j ud icial d istrict in and for the Territory of Kansas , Wyandottecounty , against Charles Robinson , Abelard Guthrie and Samuel N.

Simpson under the name of the Quindaro Company , setting up thi scontract, alleging that he worked seven months thereunder and thathe was paid but leaving a balance due him of The

case i s No. 24 on the Wyandotte county dockets .The defendants answered claiming nonperformance on the part

of Merri l l and alleging that be neglected the business, failed to havesufficient help , d id not cut out the road s, and that he charged , collected and pocketed monies from those who used the ferry , for allOf which they asked d amages of Merri l l .It took S ix years to bring the case to trial , but On October 2 , 1 865,a j ury trial was had , seven witnesses were sworn , and the plaintiffwas given a judgment against Guthrie of Guthrie appealedto the supreme court, where the case was reversed and sent back for


the board was authorized to levy a tax and i ssue bonds payable inten years

,bearing interest not to exceed ten per cent yearly . The

last section of the act provided that when the bond s should be issued by the commissioners , the owners of the said real property so

taxed should be entitled to all the privileges and immunities Of astockholder, for every twenty-five dol lars so levied ; and as fast asany taxpayer Should pay the sum of twenty-five dol lars he Shouldhave i ssued to him a certificate of a Share in the company .

25 Itwould be interesting to know the result of thi s road bui lding project .Wyandotte newspapers in the Historical Society ’s col lection for thi speriod are not complete

, and no mention Of thi s election has beenfound .

The next ferry up stream was the Chouteau ferry . Just when thisenterprise was started and its exact loc ation have not been learned .

In 1 820 Francis and Cyprian Chouteau built a trad ing house nearpresent Bonner Springs , known as the

“four houses .” Some years

later,about 1 825, they built new trad ing posts farther down the

river for the purpose Of trad ing with the Del awares and Shawnees .Thi s new location was said by various authorities to be from fourto ten miles from the mouth of the Kansas , these extremes Of d istance being reckoned by fol lowing the river or taking the mostd irect route by land . Thi s S ite, however, was near and opposite theInd i an vi llage of Second ine, and present town of Muncie, but was onthe south S ide of the river 2 6 and , accord ing to Grant W . Harrington ,has been “definitely loc ated on S . 1 3

,T . 1 1

,R . 24 , d irectly north of

the town of Turner . John C . Fremont outfitted here in 1 842 for hisfirst exploring trip to the west .” Franklin G . Ad ams

,first secretary

of the Kansas State Historical Society , in 1 880 had an interview withFrederick Chouteau

,who said that the trad ing houses were o n the

north side of the river . 2 7 Another authority , John C . McCoy ,an old

resident Of Johnson county,Kansas

, and l ater Of Jackson county ,Missouri

,who

,with his father , the Rev . Isaac McCoy ,

and othermembers Of the McCoy family , surveyed many of the Ind ian reservations in Kans as and Oklahoma , places the trad ing houses on thesouth side of the river . Mr . McCoy in 1 830 surveyed the westernboundary of the Del aware reservation , stating that the survey was

25 . Pr ivate Laws, Kansas , 1 8 6 0 , pp . 25 -29 . County Clerk ’s record of Wyandotte countyfor th is per iod not preserved . NO record Of an elect ion. Road p lat book fa ils to Show any

such road . Th ink it fel l by the ways ide.

”—Note of Grant W. Harr ington to author, May

2 6 , 1 9 3 3 .

26 . R . I . Holcombe , H istory of Vernon Coun ty , p . 1 6 4 ; Andreas, H istory of Kansas ,p . 1 254 .

27 . Kansas H istor ical Collections, v . 8 , p . 425 .

ROOT: FERRIES IN KANSAS 263

begun on September 6 and completed late that year . He-wrote

“Our party started from Fayette, Mo. We passed up toChouteau ’s trad ing house on the south S ide of the Kansas river and ,crossing there, passed on to Fort Leavenworth .

” 28

Grant W . Harrington , of Kansas City , states that Charles Carpenter

,an Old resident of Wyandotte county , related to him that his

parents in 1 857 started from Wyandotte to Lawrence by boat, andthat their boat grounded at Chouteau ’s ferry . Passengers were thenobliged to leave the boat and complete their journey overland .

Unfortunately the hi story Of thi s ferry has not been preserved .

Aside from an occasional mention nothing else has been found . Itis l ikely the ferry was Operated at or near thi s trad ing house, andfor that reason it i s included here . In 1 862 several members Of theChouteau family obtained a charter for a ferry to be located in theneighborhood of present Bonner Springs

,the hi story Of which will

be found in its proper place in thi s artic le. In view of thi s newChouteau ferry location it i s likely the ferry near Muncie was abandoued .

In 1 867 another ferry was establi shed in this immed i ate vicinity ,being located somewhere between the mouth of Muncie creek and apoint due east from the town of Muncie . On June 8 of that yearJohn Smith, William Rutledge, Willi am Rawson

,William J . Gault,

Jeremi ah H . Materson and Charles S . Glick were granted a charte runder the name of the Muncie Ferry Company . Thi s ferry was described as being on the

“land of John Smith on the Kansas river ,opposite sections 14 and 1 5

,T . 1 1

,R . 25 east .” [Error as to range ;

Should be Capital stock of the company was placed at $500 ,with Shares $25 each. The principal office of the company was to beat the town of Muncie. Thi s charter was fi led with the secretary of

state June 12 , No. further mention of thi s enterprise hasbeen located .

Accord ing to Grant W . Harrington old settlers recal l that a rockland ing was made for this ferry , and that the road lead ing downto it was known as the “Ferry road .

”Old residents of Wyandotte

county say that the‘

north and south road between sections 1 4 and

1 5, T . 1 1 , R . 24, which now stops at highway 32,formerly extended

south between sections 22 and 23 to the Kansas river to a ferrywhere the Shawnee Indians crossed , and that it was known as the“Shawnee ferry .

” Thi s would bring it into the NW 14 of S . 23 , T .

28 . Ib id. , v . 5 , p . 3 02 .

29 . Corporations , v . 1 , p . 3 50 .


1 1 , R . 24 . Nothing has been found in print or on the maps to verifythis . 3 0

The Grinter ferry , about eight and one-half miles west of the

Kansas-Missouri boundary , was the next above Muncie. This wasthe earliest ferry established on the Kansas river . Moses Grinter,accord ing to an account of a Grinter reunion ,3 1 came to Kansasin 1 828

, and served for a time in the regular army at CantonmentLeavenworth. He was then appointed to operate a ferryboat acrossthe Kansas river to provide a crossing for a military road to runfrom Cantonment Leavenworth to Fort Gibson . He arrived at hisdestination , the Ind ian vi llage of Secondine

,in January

,1 83 1

, se

lected a suitable location and started a rope ferry on the NW 14 S28

, T . 1 1 , R . 24 , near the eastern edge of the Delaware reservation asestablished after the coming of the Wyandottes . NO complete scaleof ferry charges has been located for this cross ing . However , MaryWalton Blanchard

,wife of Ira D . Blanchard , in charge of the Dela

ware Baptist mission , under d ate of December 1 1 , 1 836 , wrote :“We

are 1 6 miles from Shawnee and the Kaw is 14 mile wide between usand the feriage for a S ingle pers on 50 cents and for a wagon 2dol lars .” 3 2

In a letter Of Rev . Isaac McCoy , in the Kansas State HistoricalSociety archives , d ated at Shawnee, Jackson county , Missouri ,July 22

,1 833

, and addressed to Rev . Dr . Bol les, correspond ingsecretary and treasurer Of the Baptist mission board

,at Boston ,

i s mention of a ferry of the Delawares,as fol lows :

( iA week ago yesterday I had expected to Baptize a Delaware at

the Delaware Settlements , but I previously sickened and have been two weeksconfined to my bed . After I was attacked with S ickness we designed that BroBurch Should administer baptism, but the landing near us of a S . boat withCholera on it SO alarmed the Delawares, that they removed their ferry boatto prevent travellers from cross ing to them.

The above item probably refers either to Grinter ’s or Toley’s

ferry .

The first location of the Shawnee Method ist mission was aboutthree miles to the east, while the Delaware counci l house and

Delaware mission were about one and one-half miles to the north.

Grinter built a log cabin on the bank of the river, having cultivatedlands in sections 20 and 21 , a few rod s to the north of the ferry .

A few years later he married Ann Marshal l , a Delaware woman .

3 0 . Grant W . Harr ington, statement, February, 1 93 3 .

3 1 . K ansas C ity Times , S eptember 26 , 1 93 2 .

3 2 . Pratt M S S K ansas S tate H istor ical Society.


port, Mo. ,via Captain Joseph Parks ’ ,3 7 and the Shawnee manual

l abor school , to intersect the Fort Leavenworth road north of and

near the Quaker mission farm by way of James Find ley ’s to theGrinter crossing .

3 8

Percival G . Lowe, in his Five Years a Dragoon, relates many interesting incidents in connection with this Old ferry .

Toley’

s ferry was the next one above Grinter ’s and about twomiles d istant . Just when this ferry started has not been learned ,but it must have been soon after the arrival Of the Delawares .Troops for the Mexican war crossed there in 1 846 . The ferry in1 854 was located on the SE% S . 3 1 , T . 1 1 , R . 24

,as shown on a

plat of Shawnee Ind ian lands . The land ing on the south side of

the river was on l and owned by the Toley family , whi le the land ingon the opposite S ide of the river was on the same quarter section .

Toley ,3 9 who operated the ferry , was a Shawnee Ind ian , and said tobe quite intel ligent . He was a leader in his neighborhood and wasa member of Pascal Fish’s church. Other members of the Toleyfamily owned land about twenty-five miles farther west , in presentJefi erson county . Henry Tiblow owned land less than three-fourthsof a mile north of the ferry , and a north and south road runningd irectly east Of his farm led d irectly to the ferry .

40

The fol lowing, written by a member of Doniphan ’s exped ition ,1 846

,probably refers to thi s ferry

“The Shawnee and Delaware tribes Of Ind ians have settled here . The

Shawnees have fine farms, and are qui te civilized people ; the Delawares are a

little behind them. Both tribes speak the English language more or less .

They keep a ferry boat here, in whi ch we crossed the river . The keeper Of theboat said he had made four hundred dollars this season by the crossing of

emi grants bound to Oregon . We purchased a beef steer of them for four

dol lars, paying for it ourse lves, for Uncle Sam finds us no beef.” 4 1A later mention Of this ferry is found in the d iary of HughCampbel l ,4 2 for 1 857 , who was a member of Col . Joseph E . Johnston

’s staff in surveying the southern boundary of Kansas

,which

relates having crossed the river on Toley’s ferry .

3 7 . Ch ief Joseph Parks was a member of the S hawnee tr ibe. He was once a res identof Mich igan and i s sa id to have enjoyed the confidence of Gen . Lew is Cass . In 1 854 he ownedland in the S hawnee reservation , described as the north hal f and the southeast quarter ofS . 2 7 , T. 1 1 , R . 25 . H is name is included in a l ist Of voters Of Johnson county for 1 857 . H isdeath occurred early In 1 8 60 , according to the Topeka S tate Recor d, February 25 , of that year .

3 8 . General S tatutes,K ansas , 1 855 , pp . 9 73 , 9 74.

3 9 . Th is name is spel led var ious ly, as Tola ,Tula

,Toola , Tooley, Toley, Tuley, etc.

40 . Kansas H istor ical Collections , v . 8 , pp . Shawnee Indian ReservationLands in K ansas , Treaty of 1 8 54 , Plat of T. 1 1 , R . 2 4 .

3

4 1 . Jacob S . Rob in son , A Journa l of the S anta Fe Exp edition under Colonel Doniphan,p .

42 . K ansas His tor ica l Qua rter ly , v. 1 , p . 1 08 .


The fol lowing advertisement appeared in the K ansas Weekly

Herald,Leavenworth, early in May , 1 857 , and ran for several

monthsTOOLEY ’

S FERRYOn the Kansas R iver,

And nearest route from Leavenworth to

Westport, and to the Shawnee Lands

On Cedar and Mill CreeksThere is now in Operation a good ferry boat at Tooley ’s, on the Kansas

river, with attentive hand s to cross persons with safety and promptness . A

good boat will always be kept and no pains spared to accommodate the public.

All persons cross ing the Kansas river to or from the Shawnee lands, or “

from

Westport and Kansas City to Leavenworth City and the northern portions of

Kansas,will find this ferry the very best and nearest route .

“May 2,

Johnson county granted a license to this ferry in 1 858 , charging

$60 a year for the privilege.

43

In 1 859 Charles Toley received from the legislature a charterfor a ferry at or near the east l ine of S . 32 , T . 1 1 , R . 24, withprivi leges for a mi le on each S ide Of section 32 , for a period of twentyyears . A plat of Shawnee reservation lands Of 1 854 Shows Toley

’s

ferry location in the SE14 S . 31 , T . 1 1 , R . 24 , the south landingbeing on l and Of Martha Toley . Thi s S ite i s about two and one

third miles above Grinter ’s . Mr . Toley in 1 854 owned land in theNW% of S . 32 , bordering the river on the south, and Wi l liamToley had l and in the NE quarter of same section . The nearestpoint to the river from the east line of thi s section is fully a thirdof a mile . Toley apparently , was seeking a new location by 1 859and must have moved his boats something over a mile down stream .

Theodore Garrett and forty others petitioned for a county roadfrom Silas Armstrong ’s to a point near Delaware ferry

,and thence

by the nearest and best route to Toley’s ferry . Thi s petition was

approved by the county commissioners,viewers were appointed

and the road laid out. The field notes Of thi s survey give d istancesby poles and cl aims , and this would ind i cate that at this time the“Toley” ferry was not over three- fourths of a mile above the Del aware or Grinter ferry .

44 No further hi story of this ferry has beenlocated .

Keeler ’s ferry , about three- fourths of a mile above the locationof Toley

’s ferry in 1 854 , was the next crossing on the river . In

1 860 the legislature granted Charles G . Keeler authority to ma i n

43 . Johnson County, Commissioners Proceed ings , 1 858 , p . 28 .

44. Road Records, Wyandotte county.


tain a ferry on the Kaw river where the range l ine d ivides ranges23 and 24 . This location is about one and one-half miles southeastof present Edwardsvi l le, in Johnson county , and immed iately northof the j unction of the Southern Kansas branch and the main lineof the Atchison , Topeka Santa Fe railroad . Thi s act grantedspecial privileges for one mile up and one mile down the river atthis point for a period of ten years . 45 NO further history located .

In 1 858 I . May and fi fty -five others presented a petition to thecounty commissioners of Johnson county asking that a license begranted to William Chouteau to run a ferry boat on the Kaw river,at or near the place known as Chouteau ’s ferry , and also askingthat a road be opened from O lathe to the ferry , vi a Monticel lo, andthat the road be continued on to Leavenworth city . Another petition was presented at thi s time by Jonathan Gore and thirty- sevenothers

,asking that a l icense be granted to W . W . Cook to establish

a ferry at the same point . After hearing the evidence it was movedthat Mr . Chouteau and Mr . Cook Should each choose a representative, these two to choose a third person, al l three to examine thecase and , if necessary , cal l to their assistance a surveyor , provid ingthe interested parties agree to pay al l costs , the said three partiesto report to the board at its next regular term . It was moved thatMr . Chouteau be requested to get a license to run his ferry forthree months

,cond itioned that if the case be decided against him

that Cook Shall refund to Chouteau a sum equivalent to what hepaid for the remaining part of the term for which he procured alicense. Thi s Mr . Chouteau d id , his l icense for the three monthscosting him Under d ate of September 2 , fol lowing, thecommittee to whom was referred the petitions of W . W . Cook and

Francis Chouteau , asking for ferry licenses, made through Mr .Holmes the fol lowing report :

“Your committee appointed by the board of county supervisors of Johnson

county, K . T. , at Shawnee, on the 1st and 2nd days of July, 1858, on two

separate petitions of Wm. W . Cook and Francis Chouteau, each asking for a

license to keep a ferry on the K aw river at the same place .

“Report that after an examination Of the lines Of the lands Of each Of the

aforesaid parties to the ferry landing on the south S ide of the river that in their

judgment Francis Chouteau has decided ly the better right to the ferry privi legeat said point. S igned this 2ud day of Sept. 1858 .

“WM . HOLMES ,R . H . WILLIAMS ,J . D . ALLEN, per WM . HOLMES .

”47

45 . P rivate Laws, Kansa s , 1 86 0 , p . 272 .

46 . Johnson County, Comm issioners Proceedings, 1 858 , pp . 25 , 2 7 , 28 .

47 . Ib id. , p . 47 .


ferry at this cross ing for twelve months dating from that time .

52

Stuart was in charge at thi s place in 1 863, and in his application the

ferriage rates established were as fol lows : For each footman, 20

cents ; man and horse, 50 cents ; 1 horse wagon or buggy , 80 cents ; 2horses and wagon , $1 ; 3 horses and wagon , 2 yoke of oxen andwagon

,each add itional span Of horses or oxen , 50 cents ;

mules or cattle per head , 20 cents ; sheep or swine per head , 1 0cents . 53

Thi s ferry was in operation in 1 864,for which year they paid a

$40 license fee to Johnson county .

54

On December 23 , 1 862 , Frederi ck Chouteau ,!55 William Chouteau ,Benj amin I . Chouteau , Francis Chouteau and John M . Owens56formed a corporation known as the Chouteau Ferry Company . The

company was capitalized at with shares at $20 each . The

act stated that the ferry was to be located on the state road lead ingfrom Leavenworth to Fort Scott

,where the same crossed the river

at the NE% of S . 35, T . 1 1 , R . 23 , of Johnson county , and is Shownin Hei sler Smith’s Atlas

,page 8 . This point is about three and

one-half miles north of Monticel lo, and about one-half mile south

of present Edward sville, at what was called the Chouteau ferry .

The south l and ing was on land owned in fee S imple by FrederickChouteau , and the l and ing on the opposite S ide of the river was OnDelaware land . . This charter was fi led with the secretary of stateJanuary 8 , On May 1 5

,1 863 , the company fi led with the

state an amended charter, identical with the first,with the add ition

of Talbert Kel ley as one Of the incorporators . 58

An advertisement of this company appeared in the LeavenworthDaily Conservative, May 14 , 1 863 , and mentioned that

“the boat

at Chouteau ’s ferry is now in good order and ready at all timesto attend promptly to the wants of the travel ing public . Justhow long the Chouteau ferry operated has not been learned , but it isprobable it ceased operations or was sold to other parties before thespring of 1 867 .

Frank L . Chouteau , resident of Monticel lo township , Monticel lo

52 . Ib id . , p . 225 .

53 . Ib id . , Book R , p . 30 .

54 . Ib id . , p . 1 08 .

55 . F . Chouteau, age 55 , farmer , owner of rea l estate va lued at persona l property , born in Missouri , is l isted in the census Of Johnson county, K ansas , 1 8 65 , p . 1 3 0 .

56 . John Owens was a wh ite man who marr ied a D elaware wi fe, and was adopted intothe tribe .

“Wild B il l ” H ickok made his home w ith the Owens — Heis ler Smi th , Atla s of0 .Johnson County, Kansa s, p .

57 . Corporations , v . 1 , pp . 204 , 20 5 .

58 . Ib id . , v . 1 , p . 5 .

ROOT: FERRIES IN KANSAS 271

post Offi ce, Johnson county , is l isted in the census of 1 865, Johnsoncounty , page 76 , as a ferry proprietor . He was 24 . years Of age,

l isted as Indian by adoption , owned real estate valued at $350 and

personal property worth $400 . He was a native Of Kansas , wasmarried and had one chi ld , one year of age.

“Road Record A ,” page 21 6 , county clerk ’s Offi ce, Wyandotte

county , gives a plat of the“Kouns road , which runs into Edwards

vi lle from the north and extend s south a half mile to the Kansasriver at a point marked Ferry .

” Thi s i s in the NE% of 35- 1 1 -23 .

Later the “G . W . Gal loway road” was laid out. It starts at thesame point which it designates as the “Chouteau Ferry . In thepetition asking for thi s road it is asked to have it start from the

Shoto ferry” on the Kansas river . 59

On March 25,1 867 , the Campbel l Ferry Company was chartered ,

D . G . Campbel l , J . H . Gamble,L . S . Cofley , A . J . Campbel l and

Jonathan Gore being incorporators . The principal Office of the

company was at Monticel lo, Johnson county , and the ferry wasto operate across the Kansas river at a place known as Chouteau ’sferry , being at a point where the public highway lead ing fromMonticel lo to Leavenworth City crosses the river , the exact locationbeing described as the NE14 of SW% , S . 35, T . 1 1

,R . 23E. The

capital stock was $500 , in five shares Of $100 each . Thi s locationon the north side of the river is less than one- fourth of ami le southof present Edwardsville .

60

Less than a mile upstream was the site of the next ferry . AS

early as 1 859 an effort was made to secure a ferry opposite Monticel lo. That year R . W . Catherson and ninety others petitioned thelegislature for a , ferry across the Kansas river . 6 1 Apparently no

ferry was established at that time . On January 1 9,1 863

,a charter

was secured by the Monticel lo Ferry Company , the incorporatorsbeing Stephen S . Stuart , Jacob Trembly ,6 2 Sam Garrett,6 3 UriahGarrett and El ias Garrett . Capital stock of the company was

d ivided into fifty Shares . The company proposed to establish a ferry at S . 34 , T . 1 1

, R . 23E. ,for the town of Monticel lo. Thi s

charter was fi led with the secretary of state January 24 ,59 . Wyandotte county clerk , Road Records , v . B ,

p . 6 2 ; v . C ,p . 89 .

60 . Corporations , v . 1 , pp . 3 1 4 , 3 1 5 .

6 1 . House Journal , K ansas , 1 859 , p . 1 50 .

6 2 . Jacob Trembly, in 1 8 74 , owned land in S . 3 3 , T. 1 1 , R . 22 , in Leavenworth county.6 3 . S am Garrett , of Monticel lo townsh ip , was a wh ite man ,

pros lavery in sentiment,who mam ed a S hawnee w ife and was adopted into the tribe.

-Heis ler 6: Smith , Atlas ofJohnson County , pp . 1 3 , 44 .

64 . Corporations , v . 1 , p . 2 .


The corporation was reorganized late in 1 864,to operate as where

the first franchise stated .

” Uriah and Elias Garrett, of the firstorganization , were succeeded by A . B . Bartlett and John K . Hale .

Capital stock was reduced to with Shares $20 each. The

new charter was fi led with the secretary of state,December 24

,

February 2 , 1 866 this company fi led with the secretary Of

state a Copy of resolutions of the company, defining boundaries of

operation and giving the location Of their ferry as being at or nearthe center of S . 32 , T . 1 1 , R . 23E. , and claiming privileges one mileeach way from center of section 32 . It was signed by John K . Hale,secretary of Monticel lo Ferry Company .

66

A state road was established in 1 865 from O lathe,following the

county road to Monticel lo,thence on said road to the Kansas river ,

and crossing at or near the center Of S . 32 , T . 1 1 , R . 2SE. ; thencefol lowing as near as practicable what is known as Waite ’s survey ,to the city of Leavenworth .

6 7

Henry Tiblow Operated a ferry at a point opposite the station of

Tiblow ,being on S . 32 , T . 1 1 , R. Per] W . Morgan

,in his

H istory of Wyandotte County , K ansas , page 320 , in speaking of

the village Of Tiblow,now Bonner Springs

,says : “

For many yearsa ferry was operated by Henry Tiblow,

a club -footed Ind ian and

Offi cia l interpreter for the United States . He l ived in a log cabinwhi ch sti l l stand s on the west S ide Of the city .

”

On September 5 , 1 863 , Jacob Trembly and Stephen S . Stuart werei ssued a license

,good for three months

,for a ferry at this location ,

they paying for the privilege at the rate of $40 a year . They wereoperating in 1 866 . Their scale of ferriage charges for 1 864 were asfol lows : Man and horse, 25 cents ; 1 horse wagon or buggy , 40cents ; 2 horse wagon or yoke of oxen and wagon

,50 cents ; 4 horse

wagon or two yoke Of oxen and wagon , 75 cents ; Add itional yokeof cattle or span of horses , 25 cents ; 3 horse wagon , 65 cents ; Loosehorses

,mules or cattle, per head , 10 cents ; Sheep or swine per head ,

5 cents . Each footman , 1 0 cents . 69In 1 869 Thomas Dunfree and W . B . White were granted a license

to operate the ferry at Ti blow station,where the O lathe and Leaven

worth road crosses the river,paying $1 0 for the privi lege. Mr .

6 5 . Ib id . v 1 , pp . 9 0 , 9 1 .

66 . Ib id v . 1 , pp . 9 0 , 9 1 .

6 7 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 65 , p . 1 43 .

68 . Heis ler Smi th ’s Atlas of Johnson County , p .

\

8 , shows th is ferry .

6 9 . Johnson County, Commiss ioners Proceedings , Book B , pp . 6 2 , 8 4 , 2 28 .


as the propell ing power, but the act provided that a flat boat mightbe substituted when the business d id not j ustify the use Of steam .

This crossing was near the center of S . 32 , T . 1 1 , R . 23E.

73

On December 29 , 1863 , the Parrish Ferry Company 7 4 was incorporated , its proj ectors being Henry D . Smith,7 5 Henry Tiblow,

Isaac Parrish, Charles B . Garrett and Sam . Parsons . They wereauthorized to establish a ferry across the Kansas river, commencingat a point six chains above the center of S . 32 , T . 1 1

,R . 23 . The

land ing on the south S ide of the river was on land owned by theincorporators , who had written consent of owners for land ing on thenorth side. This location is in present Bonner Springs , on highway7,and close to where the Leavenworth Northwestern railroad

crosses the river .On January 5

,1866

,Isaac Parrish

,president Of the Parrish Ferry

Company,petitioned for a ferry license

,which was not granted

,it

being within the bound s of an establi shed ferry .

76

The next ferry above the Parrish ferry was at the town of De Soto,

about six and one-half miles d istant . At thi s point a twenty-yearlicense for a ferry was granted by the legislature of 1 858 to G . W .

Hutchison,J . A . Finley , Brinton W . Woodward

,D . W . Weir

,A . D .

Searl,James F . Legate, Henry Campbel l , E . S . Lowman and Warren

Kimball . Rates of ferriage prescribed by the act were as fol lows :Man and horse, 50 cents ; one horse and carriage or wagon, 75 cents ;two horses and carriage or wagon

,four horses and carriage or

wagon,

Provided , the company may by by - l aws,provide an

add ition to the above rates of not to exceed 50 per cent .7 7

In 1 858 the operator Of the ferry at D e Soto,for some reason or

other,refused to take out a license. The sheriff of Johnson county

was sent by the county commisioners to col lect the fee,threatening

to take legal steps to col lect in case of refusal, yet promising to

forgive all i f the ferry owner took out his l icense and paid for suchexpense as the county had already been put to.

7 8 Evidently theoperator refused to comply with the instructions of the commissioners, for Mr . R . Potter was instructed to make complaint and

start an action against him in the name of the board .

7 9

73 . Laws, Kansas, 1 8 57 , p . 1 65 .

74 . Corporations , v . 1 , p . 1 0 ; Shawnee Indian reservation lands in K ansas , treaty of 1 854,p lat of T. 1 1 , R . 23E., in arch ives Of Kansas S tate H istorica l Society .

75 . Henry Smith was born in Madison county, K entucky, in March , 1 8 1 9 . He settled onMil l creek , present Johnson county, April 20 , 1 842 . He was a res ident of Lawrence in 1 8 79 .

76 . Johnson County, Commiss ioners Proceed ings , Book B , p . 1 85 .

77 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 58 , pp . 54 , 55 .

78 . Johnson County, Commiss ioners Proceed ings , 1 858 , p . 3 6 .

79 . Ib id. , p . 49 .


A Mr . R . Potter , of Lexington , owned a ferry , whi ch must havebeen at De Soto, as Lexington was several miles from the river . He

appl ied to the commissioners of Johnson county for a ferry license,whi ch was issued, costing him at the rate of $20 yearly . The com

missioners fixed the rates of ferriage to be charged by all ferriesoperating in the county after July 1 , 1 858, as fol lows : Each footman

,10 cents ; man and horse, 25 cents ; loose oxen

,cows

,mules

and horses,each 10 cents ; loose swine and sheep

,5 cents ; horse and

buggy,35 cents ; two horses or ox wagon

,50 cents ; and for each

add itional horse or ox attached to the team , 10 cents . For government trains d rawn by six mules , each .

80

R . Potter ’s name does not appear in the early census returns ofLexington township .

Two years later the legislature of 1 860 granted another ferrycharter for De Soto

,the incorporators includ ing six of the nine

incorporators of 1 858,with the add ition of J . A . Tri ley and Paul R .

Brooks . 8 1 Rates of ferriage prescribed by the new act were identicalwith those of the act of Whether the second company everfunctioned we have no knowledge

,but there seems to be a Shadow

of doubt,for the legislature of 1 861 granted a fi fteen-year franchise

for a ferry at th is town to Warren Kimball and George W . Fraim ,

8 3

with exclusive rights for two miles up and two miles down the river .This firm probably made a “go

”of it this time. Two years later,

in 1 863 , troops of a Kansas company under Capt . William Larimercrossed the river here whi le on their way to Camp Will iams

,near

Fort Scott, and other camps,a rope ferry being in operation at

this time.

85

On January 2,1 863

,the De Soto Bridge Company was chartered

for the purpose Of bridging the Kaw at that point, but no bridgewas built at that time. The next effort to obtain a bridge was madein 1867 by a joint stock company , known as the Leavenworth,De Soto and Fort Scott Bridge Company

,whi ch eventually built a

Howe truss structure .

86

On November 1 9 , 1 858 , a petition S igned by W . Christison and8 0 . Ib id . ,

pp . 28 , 2 9 .

8 1 . Brooks was for many years a prominent res ident of Lawrence.

8 2 . Pr ivate Laws,K ansas , 1 86 0 , pp . 26 7 , 269 .

8 3 . Geo . W . Fra im, is l isted as ferryman , he being 26 , native of Mich ig an , and owningreal estate worth $250 and persona l property worth $600 .

—C ensus , Johnson county , 1 860 ,p . 2 1 .

8 4 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 6 1 , p . 3 3 .

8 5 . B iograp hy of W il l iam Larimer , p . 21 1 .

8 6 . Corporations , v . 1 , p . 3 ; Leavenworth Da ily Conservative, Jan . 1 , 1 867 ; O latheM irror , Sept . 1 , 1 867 .

276 THE KANS AS HIS TORICAL QUARTERLY

twenty- S ix others was presented to the Johnson county board askingthat a license be granted to Galatia Sprague, William Brown and

Jesse Hodges to keep a ferry across the Kansas river at or nearwhere the range l ine between Ranges 21 and 22 crosses the river .This petition was considered by the board and allowed .

8 7 Thisferry location is about three miles upstream from De Soto. NO

further hi story located .

Pascal Fish’s ferry was the next beyond De Soto,about nine miles

by the Kansas river and seven by land . This was one of the earlyferries on the river, being in operation when the Mexican War brokeout. In 1 846 a portion of Doniphan ’s exped ition to Mexico crossedthe river over this ferry . Lieut . J . W . Abert

,that year, set out from

Fort Leavenworth for a reconnaissance to San Diego and made his“Camp 4” at the ferry . Under date of June 29

,1 846 he wrote :

“In the river we found two large fiatboats or scows

,manned by Shawnee

Ind ians, dressed in bright colored shirts

, with shawls around their heads . The

current of the river was very rapid , so that it required the greatest exertions onthe part of our ferrymen to prevent the boats from being swept far downstream.

We landed just at the mouth of the Wakaroosa creek . Here there is no per

ceptible current ; the creek is fourteen feet deep , while the river does not average more than 5 feet ; and in some places is quite shoal .

“It was nearly 10 O

’clock before all our company had crossed and was so

dark that we could scarcely see to arrange our camp ; so we lay down on the

river bank and sent our horses out on the prairies to grass . We finished our

supper at 12 O’clock and lay down again to S leep ; but, worn out as we were,

the mosquitoes Showed us no compass ion ,and large hooting owls (bubo vir

ginianus ) , as if to condole with us , commenced a serenade .

“The pure cold water Of the Wakaroosa looked so inviting that some of us

could not refrain from plunging beneath its crysta l surface ; one Of the flatboats

forming a convenient p lace from which to spring .

Fish was a cousin to Tecumseh and the Prophet . He l ived abouta mile south of the river

,on a road lead ing to Westport

,Mo. , and

kept a tavern,located near the center of S . 8

,T . 1 3

,R .

In 1856 an association of Germans was organized at Chicago,under the name of the Neuer Ansied iungs Verein, for the purposeof making a settlement in the great west . In March, 1 857 , a location committee selected the S ite Of Eudora . A tract of 800 acreswas secured from the Shawnees , through Pascal Fish, their chief,who was to receive every alternate lot. The townsite laid Ofi was

87 . Johnson County, Commi ss ioners Proceed ings , 1 858 , p . 8 8 .

8 8 . Emory, Notes of a M i litary Reconnaissance from Fort Leavenworth in M is souri toS an D iego in Cal ifornia, pp . 3 89 , 3 90 .

8 9 . Connelley, Don iphan ’

s Exp edition, p . 1 42 ; J . Cooper S tuck 's map of Douglas county,K ansas Terr itory,” 1 857 .


Douglas County , 1 873 , shows one J . McGhee owned lands borderingon the Kansas river in the SEM; of S . 31

,T . 12 , R . 21 . The

census of Douglas county , 1 859 , l i sts three members of the McGhee

family as settling in that locality in May , 1 855, there being a totalof twelve in family of J . McGhee, five being minors . These McGhees were from Pennsylvania and I ll inois

,J . McGee being l isted

as 64 and native of Ireland . His real estate was listed forand personal property at The ferry S ite was on the McGhee

land,and the embryo town Of Nevada

,which never was more than

a post office, was located at the same place. It was an intermed iatepoint on a post route running from Leavenworth to the Sac and

Fox Agency .

9 8

In 1 855 the legislature passed an act naming commissioners toview,

locate, and establish a territoria l road from Leavenworth,by

way Of Franklin, to Bernard

’s store.

9 9 Bernard kept a store inFranklin county and traded with the Sacs and Foxes and otherInd ians in that neighborhood . A town sprang up at that location ,called St . Bernard , which was at or near the S ite of Centropol is oflater date.

Two years later the legislature of 1857 granted John M . Wallacea fifteen year privi lege to operate a ferry on the Kansas river atthe point where the above-named road crossed . The ferry was tobe located within a mile of the crossing above mentioned , and

ferriage rates were prescribed as fol lows : Foot passengers , 10 centseach ; horse, mule, mare, geld ing , ass , without a rider , 1 0 cents ;with rider , 25 cents ; two-horse team ,

loaded or unloaded, 75 cents ;

S ingle horse carriage,50 cents ; each add itional cow or ox, 1 5 cents ;

each swine or sheep,5 cents ; for al l freight of lumber, merchand ise,

or other articles,not in teams

,at the fol lowing rates : For each

feet of lumber, $1 per feet ; for all other articles 5 cents [per

100 lbs ]The act provided that the above rates should be amended by anysucceed ing legi slature.

1 00 Exact location of thi s ferry has not beenlearned , but in al l probability it crossed the river at a point aboutnorth of Old town of Franklin , or S l ightly east . Franklin was laidout in 1 855 or 1 856 and was located on S . 10

,T . 1 3 , R . 20 , about

three miles southeast Of Lawrence of that day and slightly north of

9 7 . Census , Douglas county, 1 859 , MSS 1 860 , pp . 48 , 52 .

9 8 . Laws, K ansas, 1 857 , p . 58 ; Herald of Freedom,

Lawrence , Feb . 1 6 , 1 856 .

99 . General S tatutes,K ansas , 1 8 55 , p . 9 6 5 .

1 00 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 57 , pp . 1 62 , 1 63 .


the Wakarusa . A terri tori al fight, known as the Battle Of Franklin

,

”occurred in this locality on the night Of June 3 ,

The next ferry up the river was “at or near the east line of Lot

2,S . 24

,T . 12 , R . 20 E .

” In 1 858 Will iam Burtzer received acharter from the legislature to operate a ferry at thi s point, withspecial privileges within one-half mile on each S ide for a period of

twenty years . 1 0 2 Thi s location is not over one mile from the southwest corner Of Leavenworth county , about two miles from Lawrenceof that day

,and approximately S ix or seven miles above Eudora .

Perhaps thi s ferry site may be the location of the crossing for theroad which ran from Leavenworth to Bernard ’s store, via Franklin .

Lawrence,d i stant about twomiles from Burtzer ’s location , had the

next ferry . John Baldwin in 1 855 was granted authority by the legislature to maintain a ferry within the city , with exclusive rights fortwo miles from the town , for a period Of fifteen years . 1 03 Thi s wasone of the noted ferries on the r iver , and during the time it ran d ida thriving business . John J . Ingalls

,of Atchi son , who had occasion

to cross the river at Lawrence whi le it was in use,has described it

as a “swing ferry .

”

The fol lowing advertisement, the first of thi s ferry , appeared inthe Herald of Freedom,

Lawrence, June 2 , 1855 :“JOHN BALDWIN,

FERRYMAN,

Has just comp leted his new ferryboat and holds himself in read iness to takepassengers and teams over the Kansas river

,opposite Lawrence, at all hours,

on application , at the usual prices .

”

Another advertisement of thi s ferry appeared in a rival paper“BALDWIN’

S FERRYCrossing the Kansas River at Lawrence

The undersigned , having built a good and substantial ferryboat,would

inform the traveling public, that they are prepared to carry over all passengersand teams who may desire to cross at this point. Travelers wishing to visitLawrence from Leavenworth

, Parkvil le or any other point on the M issouririver, need not be under the inconvenience as heretofore, of going out of the

w ay ,to cross at the Tecumseh

, or Delaware ferr ies . We wil l always be at our

post and ready to wait on all who may need our services .

“WM . N. and JOHN BALDWIN .

” 1 04

A notice of thi s ferry given on the ed itorial page Of the same i ssueof the Free S tate

,says :

“Messrs . Baldwins have spared no pains to make their boat a substantial1 0 1 . K ansas H istor ica l Collections, v. 8 , p .1 0 2 . Laws

, K ansas , 1 858 , pp . 59 , 60 .


1 04 . Kansas Free S tate, Lawrence, June 4, 1 855 .

280 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYand safe one . It is what has been greatly needed , as persons desiring to cross

the river at thi s place with teams , have been compelled , until now , to go 20

miles above or 30 miles below . As Leavenworth on the Missouri and Lawrencein the interior, are the most noted towns in the territory

,it is highly important

,

for the interest of both, and the convenience of the traveling publi c,that there

should be a d irect communication between them. The ferry at this place is one

important step towards this , and we hope that the next one will be to makea better and more d irect road to Leavenworth .

”

During 1 855 C . W . Babcock entered into partnership with Baldwin , thi s arrangement lasting about two years . The managementOf the ferry , however , was left to Baldwin .

1 0 5

Robert Morris Peck ,“Recol lections Of Early Times in Kansas

Territory ,” in K ansas Historical Collections,v . 8

,p . 506 , says :

“We crossed the K aw river at Lawrence on Baldwin ’s ferry, a rickety fiat

boat, without guard or railing, capable Of holdi ng on ly one six-mule team, and

pulled back and forth by means of a rope stretched between trees on oppositebanks . The sold ier men facetiously called it Ba ldwin ’

s‘steam’

ferry . The

ferryman carried hi s‘steam’

in a gallon jug ; and our fellows ‘did not do a

thing ’ to that jug but d rink all the whiskey and refil l the jug with muddy K aw

river water while the Old man was busy pulling the leaky old tub across . I

expect Baldwin made some pious remarks about ‘soger men

’the next time he

hooked his bill over the muzzle of that jug to take another‘snort,

’but we

d idn ’t stay to hear his d iscourse .

”

Col . P . G . Lowe, of Leavenworth, in his Five Years a Dragoon ,

describes the Baldwin ferry as a flatboat run by pulleys on a ropestretched across the river and fastened to a tree on either S ide andpropel led by the force of the current . He wrote :

“The boat was not large enough to hold a wagon and S ix mules , so the

leaders were detached from the team and led around to a shallow ford higherup the stream where one might cross on horseback or wi th loose animals , butcould not cross wagons . A Frenchman

,married to a Delaware woman and

living with the Delaware Ind ians on the north side of the river , built a boatand stretched a rope ; and when I came a long one day he met me two milesnorth of the ferry and wanted me to cross some of my wagons on his boat . I

galloped on and found that he had made a good road and had a good boatthat would carry a wagon and S ix-mule team, wi th room to spare ; so I dividedthe train ,

going to the new ferry, about 40 rods below the Old one myse lf withMr . Lanter, an assistant wagonmaster , while Mr . Beery went to the Old ferry .Just as the first wagon got on the ferry , I noticed that the old boat was on the

south S ide and Beery was ca lling the ferryman . As we were about shovingOff , the man who ran the old ferry called to me not to attempt to cross wagonson that [the new ] ferry, if I d id , he would cut the rope and send me down

the river ; and suiting the action to the word , he caught up an axe and started

at a run for the b ig cottonwood tree where the rope was fastened . We were

now in the stream and rapid ly nearing the south bank . Standing on the front1 05 . Andreas , H istory of K ansas, p . 3 26 .

282 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY94 horseman at 20 cts

72 horseman at 20 cts

1 1 waggons at 50 cts

10 waggons at 50 cts


1 1 horseman at 20 cts

1 waggon 9 horseman19 horseman at 20 cts


1 waggon and 8 footman

Lawrence was an important road center, and numerous state and

territorial highways either had their start from there or made thetown an intermed iate point . The Old Oregon and California roadpassed through the county and city . The legi slature Of 1 855 createda territorial road whi ch started from Leavenworth, via Lawrenceand on to Salem ;1 06 another , authorized in 1 857 , ran from Lawrence,via the Sac and Fox agency , to Burlington ;1 0 7 another, establishedin 1 860 , ran from Lawrence to Emporia via C linton , Twin Moundand Superior . 1 0 8 Six road s were established by the legislature Of

1 861 , as fol lows : one from Lawrence to Osawatomie ; one from Lawrence to Paola ; one from Lawrence to Wyandotte, by way of Eudora

,De Soto, Monticel lo and Shawnee ; another from Lawrence

to the state line near Westport,Mo. , via Franklin , Hesper and

O lathe ; and another from Lawrence to Osage City , Garnett, Iolaand Humboldt ; and one from Lawrence to Hiawatha ,1 0 9 this l atterroad

,however, not being located until 1 863 , when the commiss ioners

in charge Of the work specified it was to run by way of GrasshopperFalls

,Muscotah

,Oskaloosa and Kennekuk .

1 1 0 A road from Lawrence to Paol a was made a state road in A number ofnew road s were provided for in 1 864 ; one from Lawrence to the northl ine of Bourbon county , in d irection of Fort L incoln , Osawatomie andDavis ’ Gap , near the Armstrong ford of Big Sugar creek and MoundC ity ; another from Lawrence, by way of Baldwin City, OhioCity in Franklin county , to Garnett ; another from Lawrence, viaEudora and O lathe to the east line of Johnson county, oppositeWestport, MO. ; one from Lawrence to the north l ine of Bourbon

1 0 6 . General S ta tutes, K ans as , 1 855 , p . 9 75 .

1 0 7 . Laws, Kansas , 1 857, p . 1 68 .

1 08 . Ib id . , 1 860 , p . 585 .

1 09 . Ib id . 1 86 1 , pp . 247-249 .

1 1 0 . Ib id 1 8 68 , p . 88 .

1 1 1 . General Laws, K ansas , 1 862 , p . 798 .


county by way of Ottawa Jones ’ and Dutch Henry ’s crossing ; onefrom Atchi son , by Springdale, to Lawrence. The law specified thatthese road s Should be not less than 60 nor more than 100 feet inwidth .

1 1 2 In 1 865 three more were established , one running fromLawrence to Hiawatha ; another from Lawrence to Neosho Rapid s ;and the next one from Lawrence to Fort Scott, via the new bridgeon the Wakarusa , thence to New Haven , and crossing the SantaFé road on the east line of the farm of W . P . Ramsey , thence on

the east S ide of Ottawa creek , via Tomberlain ’s and Sower ’s , or as

near as practicable, and crossing Ottawa creek at Copple’s ford ,thence on as straight a l ine as practicable to Ottawa , thence toGarnett, thence to Mapleton and Fort Scott . 1 1 3 In 1 866 a road wasestablished from Lawrence, by way of Lecompton , to Tecumseh,whi le another ran from Leavenworth, by way of Big Stranger bridge,Berry ’s store on Tonganoxie creek and Nine Mile house on Ten

M ile ‘

creek,to Lawrence.

1 1 4 Thi s was practical ly the l ast of thestate roads laid out affecting Lawrence. There were many countyroad s laid out from time to time, but Space prevents mention of

them .

John C . Fremont passed through the S ite of Lawrence in the early1 840

’s . Capt . J . W . Gunnison also passed through on his i l l- fated

exped ition in 1 853 . Horace Greeley was also an early visitor , whenhe came up the Kaw valley in 1 859 on his westward journey . AlbertD . Richardson , a visitor in the territory in 1 859 , crossed the riveron the Baldwin ferry and gave an account Of the crossing and ani l lustration Of the ferry

,on page 35 of his book

,Beyond the Mis

Early in Apri l , 1 861 , streams of emigrant wagons wended theirway through the city . They were usually loaded with the household good s of the family , sacks and boxes of grain and seed , and l ivestock . AS soon as Spring had fairly arrived , from 30 to 100 teamsda ily crossed at this ferry

,many of them belonging to persons from

southern Kansas counties who were on their way to or from Leavenworth and

,according to a local paper

,thi s travel gave some idea

Of the want of a bridge .

1 1 5

Whi le much trade reached Lawrence from surrounding territoryvia Baldwin ’s ferry and roads much of the travel did not stop inthat city . An item from a Leavenworth paper copied into the

1 1 2 . Laws, K ansas , 1 864 , pp . 204 -209 .

1 1 3 . Ib id . , 1 8 65 , pp . 1 40 , 1 42 , 1 43 .

1 1 4 . Ib id . , 1 866 , pp . 224 , 225 , 22 7 .

1 1 5 . Kansa s S ta te Journa l, Lawrence, Apri l 1 1 , May 9 , 1 8 6 1 .


Journa l, of December 1 1,1 862

,says : The travel between here

and Lawrence was never so large as now . The receipts of the ferryat that place sometimes reached seventy- five dol lars a day . Abridge there would add thousands upon thousands to our trade.

When ice broke up on the river each year that was an additionalhazard to be reckoned with . On February 1 5

,1 862

,ice went out

rather unexpected ly , and the ferry boat had a narrow escape fromsudden destruction . A wagon that had been partly run aboard wasdestroyed by the rush of ice.

1 1 6

The drouth of 1 860 had its efi ect on the ferry business on the

Kansas river . The June rise,

” whi ch river men talked about,had

not manifested itself . During the early summer Ind ians who l ivedalong the river said that the river had never been lower than itthen was . Teams d aily forded it a few rods above the ferry . The

fol lowing winter moving ice for a time suspended operations of theferry

,much to the inconvenience of great numbers Of teams en

camped on the banks Of the river . However , by hitching cattle tothe boat on each S ide of the river, crossing was resumed . The

Operators of the ferry were frequently obliged to spend large sumsand much labor in Opening a way through the ice. Early in l 86l '

a

local paper, in commenting on the situation,stated that few men

have any idea of the amount of travel over the ferry at that place.

1 1 7

James Baldwin, son of the original owner of the ferry

,became

one of the owners in the early ’60

’s .

1 1 8

Another ferry was projected for Lawrence early in 1 861 whenCaleb S . Pratt and Horace L . Enos obtained a charter from the

legis lature that year for the Lawrence Ferry Company . This actgranted charter rights for fourteen years for a ferry S ite and forexclusive privi leges for one mile up and one mi le down the river .They were also granted the right to construct as many roads or waysto the ferry as was deemed necessary .

1 1 9 NO further history of thisferry has been located .

The levee was a popular and convenient site and served the needsof the commun ity in other ways than strictly as a ferry land ing .

The Journa l,Of June 12

,1 862

,contained the fol lowing : “Last

Sunday evening quite a number of our citizens assembled on the

levee to witness the immersion of a couple Of colored persons . The

ceremony was wel l conducted and novel tomany ‘

present.

”

1 1 6 . Ib id . , Feb . 1 9 , 1 8 6 2 .

1 1 7 . Ib id . , 1 86 1 .

1 1 8 . Ib id . , May 7 , 1 86 3 .

1 1 9 . Laws , K ansas , 1 8 6 1 , pp . 3 6 , 3 7


The cost of thi s ferry , exclusive of the franchise ,was five thousand dollars .

Alma Union,June 15, 1871 .

“A small frame build ing on the left bank of the river containing a ten-horse

power portable engine, from the d riving wheel Of which runs a band which

passes over another wheel attached to a frame work . To this is also attached

a grooved wheel , five feet in d iameter, over which passes an end less wire cable,

feet in length . This passes a lso through three upright standards of heavytimber , at each end and in the midd le, respectively, of the boat, on one side,thence over a grooved wheel in a frame upon the Opposite bank, similar tothat in the engine room . Upon a raised and covered platform on the boatS its the pilot, with his hand upon a brake, with which, alternate ly, he firmlyholds the upper and lower strands Of the wire cable, accord ing to which S ide of

the river the boat is to be drawn ; this is the point of attachment Of the mov

ing force . A wave Of the pilot’s hand and the engineer turns on the steam,the

driving wheel Of the engine, together with the cable upon the grooved wheelson either bank, revolve and the boat shoots across the river in one minute, bythe watch, much faster than a team would ord inarily trot across the riva lbridge, if allowed to . The ferry will carry six heavy-loaded teams at a trip

,

besides several foot passengers . It has carried 728 teams and foot pas

sengers during one day ’s Operation . It has crossed the river in the short spaceof forty seconds, although from one to one and one-ha lf minutes is generallyconsumed at a trip . It makes from 250 to 300 trips per day . The expense of

Operating it, includ ing the hire of three men,etc. , is $ 12 per day . Kimbal l Bros ,

of this city, who are the inventors of this improved ferry, have applied for a

patent.-Lawrence Republican Journa l, June 16 , 1871 .

This free ferry was cutting into the profits of the tol l bridgecompany and something had to be done about it . In 1 872 thebridge company obtained an inj unction against the ferry , on the

ground that it was a “floating bridge.

” The bridge company in themeantime had been obliged to reduce tol l s to a minimum while theferry was in operation , but as soon as the injun ction had beenObtained tol l rates went back to former prices . The inj unction suitwas finally tried and resulted in favor of the ferry . A ll this timethe campaign for a free bridge went stead i ly— if not merrily—on .

It became a pol iti cal issue in the spring election of 1873 . A localpaper

,speaking of the toll bridge, said :

“It is an incubus that should have been removed years ago, and could have

been,and would have been ,

had it not been for the fact that the bridge com

pany had too many advocates in the city council , and county boards .

Public sentiment has been in favor Of a free bridge for the past ten years , butthe bridge company have so manipulated those in authority that this sentimenthas not availed anything . This monopoly is taking from

twenty to thirty thousand dollars out of our city every year, a good part of

which is invested in Chicago real estate .

”1 22

1 22 . Da ily K ansas Tribune, Lawrence, Apr il 4 , 1 8 73 .


This same authority exhorted the farmers and others who had

occasion to cross the river with teams to patronize the ferry , because

the charges were the same, and the ferry could not be run unless itwas better patronized . The ferry ’s prices had been met by thebridge company, and it was presumed that in case the ferry wasd iscontinued the tol l rates would be raised to the Old figure

? 23

The steam ferry was doing a thriving business in the spring of

1 873 . A Mr . Morton had the contract for running it, and the fol lowing rates charged by him for crossing were certainly attractive tothose having occasion to visit the opposite side of the river : 1 horse,

cents ; 1 horse and vehicle, 5 cents ; 2 horses and vehi cle,5

cents ; 4 horses and vehi cle, 7 1A), cents . Foot passengers free. The

fact that the bridge company was obliged to meet thi s rate in orderto get any patronage 1 24 prompted a Marysville paper to remarkthat the ferry was “playing smash with the bridge company .

” 1 25

Another item from the same source was to the effect that “Lawrenceis hot about her bridge affairs . She has a tol l brid ge that don ’t givesatisfaction

,and therefore a ferry has been established to connect.

her with the railroad on the north S ide of the Kaw .

” 1 26

The campaign of the Tribune for a free bridge brought on aboutthe hottest fight staged in that city up to that time

,and a mayor

and counci l who,during the campaign

,professed to be favorable

to the free bridge ' proposition had been elected . Their apparentreluctance in taking action in the bridge controversy caused the

Lawrence people to regard them as more favorable to the bridgecompany than to her own citizens . The Tri bune asked why the

city attorney had not done his full duty in regard to the inj unctionthat had been Obtained against the ferry

,and added :

“It is a matter of surprise to us that any court could ever put on g lasses withmagnifying power enough to magnify a ferry boat into a floating bri dge .

That floating-bridge dodge was pretty thin ; but thick enough to put aboutof the people ’s money into the pockets Of Babcock CO. They can

wel l afford to pay damages,and the city Should make them to do it.

” 1 27

Within the next thirty days the Tri bune suggested that the citycounci l should appoint a committee to examine the bridge

,and i f it

was found unsafe to have it condemned and abated as a common

1 23 . Ib id1 24 . Ib id . , March 22 , 1 8 73 .

1 25 . Marshall Coun ty News , Marysvil le, March 29 , 1 8 73 .

1 26 . Ib id . , April 25 , 1 8 73 .

1 27 . Da ily K ansas Tr ibune, Lawrence, Apr il 9 , 1 873 .


nuisance or have the approaches to it closed up so as to protect thel ives and property Of the unsuspecting crossers ? 28

In the meantime the bridge company made an offer to sel l thestructure to the city , but at a pri ce which the Tr ibune thought beyond its physical value, and this provoked a charge that the com

pany was trying to sel l the city a “rotten Old structure” for threeor four times what it was worth ? 29

Late in May,1 873 , the ferry was put out of commi ssion by flood

wood that came down the river as the result of a heavy rain on the

night of May 20 . Driftwood in Such quantity lodged against theferry cable that it was broken , and that route closed for repairs

,

leaving no choi ce but to hazard crossing over on that rotten old

bridge and pay the old pri ces for the risk incurred .

” 1 3°

Acting on the Tribune’

s suggestion,a committee had been ap

pointed to investigate the cond ition Of the bridge,and at a special

meeting of the counci l it reported that the bridge was unsafe ? 3 1

A few days later the counci l notified the bridge company Of the

find ings of the committee . Noti ces were at once posted at each end

Of the bridge, warning the publi c of its cond ition , but as the ferryhad been temporarily put out of commiss ion , traffi c across the bridgewent ahead unabated ? 3 2

Meetings were held to check the bridge situation up to the people,

and at one of these the bridge company wanted the council to takethe ferry off the river . This could not be done as the county com

missioners had j urisd iction over that matter . Resolutions werepassed at this meeting against making any arrangements with thebridge company by which tol ls were to be col lected ; and it was votedthat in case the company erected a new tol l bridge and attemptedto col lect tol ls the mayor and councilmen Should immed iately makethe ferry free and run it until a free bridge could be bad . Thismeeting placed the valuation of the bridge at not to exceed

The bridge company late in June issued a statement S i gned byC . W . Babcock

,secretary and treasurer of the Lawrence Bridge

Company,in whi ch it was proposed to make the bridge free for foot

travel,free for all city business , free for all public occasions , and

1 28 . Ibid . , May 8 , 1 8 7 3 .

1 29 . Ib id . , May 29 , 1 8 73 .

1 3 0 . Ib id . , May 22 , 1 8 73 .

1 3 1 . Ib id . , May 2 3 , 1 8 7 3 .

1 3 2 . Ib id . ,May 28 , 1 8 73 .

1 3 3 . Ib id . , June 20 , 1 8 73 .


The fol lowing abridged account of Lawrence’s last ferry is takenfrom a story written by Dr . Edward Bumgardner Of that city

, and

published in the Lawrence Journal-World,May 30 , 1 933 :

“The last ferry across the river at Lawrence was an emergency service op

erated by Gustave A . Graeber at the time Of the 1903 flood , jus t thirty yearsago . In the latter part of May ,

1903 , the heavy rains all over the K aw water

shed had so swol len the tributary streams that the river reached the flood stageabout the 20th of the month and began overflowing the rich farm lands of the

K aw valley .On May 30, Decoration Day , it seemed that the highest possible level of

water had been reached . The house Of Will Parsons , a mai l carrier, a quarterOf a mile up stream

,had floated down the current

,struck the bri dge, carried

away a section , and interrupted communication between North Lawrence and

the main part of the city south of the river . A smal l build ing with a signannouncing that it was the ‘

Salina Bakery ’ was stranded a short d istance belowthe dam. The Bowersock mil l had collapsed and d isappeared down stream

after send ing up a great cloud of flour that covered with white a thousand

spectators who were stand ing near the south end Of the wrecked bridge .

“Gustave A . Graeber had made that day in a row boat what he thought was

hi s last round trip to North Lawrence, and had gone home exhausted . No one

else in Lawrence was as familiar with the K aw,and no one had watched the

development Of this flood with more concern than‘Dolly ’ Graeber . He lived

at that time , as he still does , on the bank Of the river at the north end of

Ohi o street. The bank is rather high there, and Mr . Graeber’s house stands

some 15 feet above the grade of the Santa Fe railroad track which runs alongthe river between it and the Graeber home .

“To the astonishment of all and the di smay of many Lawrence people,the

river rose four feet more that Saturday night. Through the night rockets wereseen rising from an island in North Lawrence, the on ly spot not covered withwater, where an undetermined number of the population were assembled . On

Sunday morning above the roar of the raging waters the North Lawrence

church bells could be heard ,not calling the peop le to worshi p

, but tolling a

prolonged appea l for relief . Early in the morn ing ‘Dolly ’ Graeber was be

sieged by excited citizens urging him to do something for the marooned peoplein North Lawrence . For awhi le he demurred . But

, knowing that manyhuman lives were at stake, he could not resist continued appeals .

“He got into his little boat and pushed out into the water . After a

hard struggle he reached the opposite shore and sized up the situation there .

Hundreds of homeless peop le were hudd led together, frantic in their d esireto escape from their crowded and terrifying situation . SO long as this was

impossible, food and clothin g were in urgent demand , and everybody had a

message for some r elative or friend on the south Side . After an hour’s survey

of the situation ,Mr . Graeber worked his boat up stream a short distance and

braved the foaming waters for the return trip,whi ch be accomp lished suc

cessfully ,land ing near the Santa Fe depot, and reported to Mayor A . L . Selig

and other anxious citizens .

Mr . Graeber’

s task was now only outlined . The people in North Lawrencemust be rescued as soon as possible, and in the meantime they must be pro


vided with the necessities of li fe . It was before the days of electric and gasoline launches, but he thought Of fixing up an antiquated launch whi ch he owned

and which was provided with a one-cylinder steam engine . The engine hadnever worked properly, but he determined to make it work now . As he was

starting on his first trip a poppet va lve went bad , and the engine was useless .

A repair man, C . L . Rutter, quickly made a new valve and the engine began

to function .

Accompan ied by L . L . Phi l lips,Mr . Graeber now made a trip with a cargo

of food , wraps and medicines . This was the beginning Of a service that herendered for six weeks, unti l the waters had subsided and other means of

crossing had been provided . A problem that had to be solved immediately wasthe preservation Of order in the flooded d istrict and the protection of such

property as had not been destroyed by water .

“At the request of Mayor Selig

, Company H Of the First Kansas nationalguards was ordered out by Governor Bailey, and Capt. F . B . Dodds and 48

men of thi s company were transported by Graeber to the north side wherethey remained on duty for fifteen days .

“Government officials had been notified when the bridge went out, and a

company of army engineers at Fort Leavenworth was ordered across the

country with materia ls for constructing a pontoon bridge . They found it impossible to cross Mud creek for several days , SO that they did not reach North

Lawrence until the loth of June . One p latoon made camp on the north sideof the river, whi le the remainder of the company were brought across in

Graeber’s launch and camped on the south S ide . On the third day after their

arriva l they completed a swinging ferry whi ch was operated daily from five

in the morning until one at ni ght for about two months,until a Union Pacific

construction gang had made such temporary repairs on the bridge as to makeit passable .

For ful l six weeks Mr . Graeber ran hi s launch as a ferry boat back and forthevery hour of the day . For two weeks he received nothing but the gratefulthanks of the people he served . During the add itional four weeks he made a

charge of fifteen cents for each passenger that he carried . He kept count of

the passengers transported until the number exceeded when he lostcount, but he says he is confident that he hauled at least in the six

weeks ; and during all that time he had no serious mishap . S evera l times there

were accidents impending that would have been fata l , but no passenger of his

was ever thrown into the water .

“On one occasion a Sharp snag punctured the bottom of the boat, but it

broke Off in such a way as to partially close the rent and keep the boat fromS inking immediately, and he reached Shore with the boat nearly full Of water .

Now, at the age of 79, Mr . Graeber looks back wi th satisfaction to the record

that he made thirty years ago without the loss of any passenger whose life wasp laced in hi s hands .

Hugh Cameron had the next ferry above Lawrence. The legislature Of 1 857 granted him a charter for a ferry across the Kansasriver opposite fractional E . S . 14

, T . 1 2, R . 1 9

,with a ten-year

privilege of land ing on the north side of the river on the Delaware


reserve ? 3 9 This ferry is shown on a map Of Douglas county,Kan

sas , by J . Cooper Stuck , for 1 857 , and was approximately two and

one-half miles up river from Lawrence . Cameron was a residentof Douglas county for many years , and was known local ly as

“The

Kansas Hermit, thi s nickname having been given him for his

sol itary mode Of l iving . He was in the federal army during theC ivi l War and had been brevetted brigad ier general . He was astrong advocate of prohibition and equal suffrage

, and wrote someof his views in verse. In his later life he was known for his manyeccentricities , one of which was having his sleeping quarters in along box which he had erected in the forks of a tree near his cabin .

The next ferry above Cameron ’s was John Harris ’,about five

miles above Lawrence. Harris was granted a charter for a ferry bythe legislature of 1 860 , the crossing to be located near the west lineof S . 2 , T . 12 , R . 1 9 E.

,in Jefferson county . This act granted ex

clusive privileges for a d i stance Of two miles on each S ide of S . 2

for a period Of twenty years ? 40 The land ing on the south side of

the river was a point S l ightly north and east Of Horseshoe lake .

Thi s lake was formerly a part of the main channel Of the Kansasriver , which here made a big turn to the south and doubled backto the north, forming the lake when high water in an early dayout a new channel d irectly across the narrowest part of the loop ,leaving the Old bed cut off . Thi s body Of water was given the nameOf Lake View in modern times , and now belongs to a private clubwhich has made it one of the pleasure and fishing spots Of easternKansas . This ferry was located near another historic spot . The

Kaw Ind ian agency in 1 827 was located on the north side Of the

river opposite Horseshoe lake, near the village of Williamstown of

present day . Daniel Morgan Boone, farmer for the Kaw Ind ians ,had his farm close by ? 4 l

Douglas , two or three miles up the river , was the next point tohave a ferry . The town was incorporated by act of the terr itoriallegislature of 1 855 , John W . Reid , George W . C larke, Chas . E .

Kearney , Edward C . McCarty ,Paris El l ison and M . W . McGee

being its proj ectors ? 42

These men were also granted a twenty-year charter for a ferryby the same legislature, with exclusive privileges for one mile upfrom the town and down the river to the eastern line of the town of

Douglas ? 43

1 3 9 . Laws, K ansas , 1 857 , p . 1 62 . 1 40 . Ib id. , 1 8 6 0 , pp . 269 , 270 .

1 41 . Kans as H istor ica l Col lections, v . 4 , p . 3 02 ; v . 9 , p . 3 21 .

1 42 . Genera l S tatutes, K ansas , 1 8 55 , p . 8 54 . 1 43 . Ib id . , p . 7 7 8 .

The Bull Fight at Dodge

KIRKE MECHEM

THE first and with perhaps one exception the only real bull fightever held in the United States was staged at Dodge C ity on the

fourth and fifth of July , 1 884 ? It was a genuine Spanish importation, via Mexico, featuring expert Mexican bull fighters and actualsword ing of the bulls . In defiance of the nation-wide protest which

arose against thi s barbarous celebration of our national hol id ay”

the Cowboy Capital , as was its habit in those d ays , presented thespectacle as advertised and thumbed its nose at the clamor .

To A . B . Webster , a former mayor of Dodge City , goes cred it forthe town ’s unique sporting venture. It was whi le struggling on thehorns of a d i lemma presented by the necessity for concocting something new in the way of Fourth of July entertainment, that Websterwas prodded by his inspiration . After a moment ’s considerationof the feasibil ity of the idea he made a hasty calculation of the

expense involved and with characteristic frontier promptitude set

out to sel l his proposition to the town . Within an hour Dodge ’sbusiness men had subscribed and paid in over By the end

of the fol lowing day the estimated budget of had beenraised .

2

1 . Under Spanis h rule there were many bullfi ghts , bul l -and -bear fights , and s imilar spectacles in the Southwest. There are vague references to fights along the Texas and Louisi anaborders at a later period . Despite the Opposition of humane societies there have s ince beennumerous attempts to introduce bul l fighting in the United S tates . On July 3 1 , 1 8 80 , a

S paniard held a steer ba iting in New York Ci ty, “when ,

”according to the New York S emi

Weelcly Tribune, August 3 , Texas steers Showed their docili ty and good breeding . " Rubbercaps were fitted on the horns and the matadors were not permitted to harm the an imals .

Henry Bergh , Jr . , pres ident of the Amer ican S ociety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ,attended and stopped further exhib itrons . In 1 8 95 managers of an exposition at Atlanta , Ga . ,

so ld a Mexican v il lag e concess ion in the know ledge that bul l fighting would be the principa l attraction . Protests brought about a cance l lation , a lthough ,

according to the New York Tri bune,October 9 , 1 8 95 , bul l fighters , bul ls and hors es were on their way from Mexico. Cr ipp le Creek .Colo. , shares honors w ith Dodge City for the only fights where bul ls were actua l ly sworded ,so far as the wr iter has been able to dis cover . On August 24 and 25 , 1 8 9 5 , three bulls wereki l led in the r ing in a particularly bruta l manner, in the presence of excursion crowds fromColorado Spr ings and Denver . Contrary to the procedure at Dodge City, no attempt, ap

p arently , was made to secure an ima ls that would fight . D ocile Hereford bul ls were cut topieces trying to escape. (D enver Rep ubl ican, August 26 , The Humane S ociety, muchcr iticised , later stopped a fight one Of the same promoters attempted to hold in D enver .

At Omaha , Neb . , on July 9 , 1 90 1 , according to the New York Tribune Of July 1 0 , seven

thousand attended a bul l fight , attracted by the goring of a matador the preceding d ay ,

wh ich , the Mexican fighters sa id , could have been prevented i f they had not been proh ib ited .

from harming the bul ls . On November 27 , 1 9 02 , unarmed Mexican matadors gave a“p leas

ing” demonstration in K ansas C ity, Mo. , fol low ing many protests . K ansas Ci ty S tar articles

of that week ind icate that these same fighters had appeared in Wich ita , S t . Louis and othercities . There are many references in more recent years to “mi ld ,” “modified ,” “mock , ” “

bur

lesg na and“bloodless” fights . (S ee New York Times : February 22 , 1 9 2 2 ; May 26 , June

24 , 29 , August 1 7 , 24 , 1 9 23 ; August“

1 8 , 1 9 and 20 , 1 9 24 ; February 24 , 1 9 25 ; January 4 ,1 9 26 ; and February 5 , In 1 9 3 0 S idney Frankl in, famous Amer ican bull fighter , p roposed to stage a fight in Newark. Because Of h is prominence the proposa l drew criticrsmfrom all over the country and he was forced to give up the project . (New York Times,November 21 to 2 5,

2 . K ansas Cowboy , Dodge City, July 1 2 , 1 884 In th is issue the Cowboy reprintedarticles from the New York Herald and the S t. Loui s Globe-Democrat, both papers havrngsent special correspondents to report the fight.

(294 )

MECHEM : THE BULL FIGHT AT DODGE 295

Webster and his associates in the project of course had no motiveother than a desire to make money . Certainly they would havescouted the imputation that any Spanish innovation was necessaryto maintain Dodge C ity ’s notoriety as a two- gun metropol i s . Yet,

whether they realized it or not, Dodge in 1 884 stood in need of j ustthe sort of lurid publicity it immed iately received when the bullfight was announced . The d ays of its lusty youth were slippingaway

, and the town was drifting peri lously close to the shores ofrespectability . True, it was sti l l the home of Bat Masterson , thenadvertised as the killer of thirty-two men ,

but the outside worldwas gaining the impression that it had turned pacifi stic.

3 In spiteof its past reputation and the fact that it was sti l l only a fringe on

the outskirts of civi l iz ation men were hinting openly that Dodgewasn ’t as bad as it once had been . Mostly this was innuendo, buta few Eas tern correspondents were making copy of the gossip . Indeed , in June of that year one of them bold ly wrote :

“People in the East have formed the idea that Dodge is still the embodi

ment of all the wickedness in the Southwest, and that it is dangerous for a

stranger to come into the town unless he has a strong bodyguard with him.

The impression,however, is a fa lse one . Dodge is a rough frontier town , and

it is populated largely by rough people, but they are not at all vicious . Theyare open-hearted and generous . I would have less fear of molestation in this

wild , western town than I would have on the side streets of Kan sas City or

Chicago late in the evening .

“Dodge is a ty pical frontier town . Cowboys and cattle dealers constitute

the bulk of the population . Incidental to these are hosts of gamblers and

saloonists . The yearly ‘round-up

’has not yet been comp leted . In May the

cattlemen begin to drive in their cattle for the round-up , which lasts nearlya month . The drive thi s year probably numbered cattle . Of these

doubtless will be shipped from here, the balance being d riven on

further . Dodge is a lively business town . The amount of freight receivedhere over the railway is enormous, as this is the base of supplies for the immense country of which thi s is the centre .

”4

This was the sort of publicity that had begun to undermine thetown ’s reputation . It was insid ious , all thi s talk of cow hands andround -ups in terms of big business . The glamour of the ranges wasfad ing, to be replaced by statistics . There were Kansas writers ,even , who used similar language. The Independent, of a town asfar west as McPherson ,

could say“Dodge City is not the town it used to be . A few years ago at early cand lelight nearly every sa loon was turned into a public gambling or dance house .

3 . In February, 1 9 39, H . B . Bell , of Dodge City, and D . W . Barton , of Ingalls,whoknew Masterson wel l wh ile he l i ved in Dodge City, both stated to the writer that Masterson

may have ki l led three men, but neither was certain of more than one.

4 . K ansas Cowboy , July 1 2 , 1 884 .

296 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYThe ‘girls ’ came out from almost every nook and corner and solicited customwith as much efi

'

rontery as the waiter girls do for their counters at a church

festival . It was trying on a man’s virtue in those days . The cowboys, with a

revolver strapped upon each hip , swung these wicked beauties all night and

made the sleeping hours hideous with their profanity and vulgarity . This hasbeen stopped . NO cowboy is allowed to carry weapons , few dance hal ls are al

lowed to run , and gambling is only carried on in private quarters . The saloons

are yet running in defiance Of law, but prosecutions are pending against all

Of them.

” 5

NO doubt thi s newspaper man bel ieved he was doing the town aservice in thus calling attention to its conversion . As a matter Offact he was unduly Optimistic about these ord inances which the c ityhad recently acquired . Dodge had not reformed ; it was merely becoming conscious , occasionally

,Of its sins . The conservative

Eastern papers , for the most part, were under no i l lusions as to itssanctity , and when the bull-fight story was released they lost no

Opportunity to point a righteous finger at its iniquities .The Cincinnati Enquirer, calling attention to the fact that Dod gewas d istinguishing itself by introducing the Mexican “sport” to

American soi l , stated that the town “was previously known to fame.

It is only a few weeks ,” it commented ,

“since the gamblers heldthe place in a state Of siege for a week . Some two years sincethe town marshal was threatened with death . He telegraphed hisbrother at Tombstone, miles away , who rushed to his aid

by the first train . The two barricaded themselves on the publicsquare, and with Winchester rifles deliberately picked Off theirenemies Whenever they appeared . When the Santa Fe railroad wasfirst built through the place the festive sports used to amuse themselves by putting bullet holes through the tal l hats Of passengerson the trains ; and even yet the depot platforms are decorated withrecumbent forms Of dozens Of frisky cowboys , sleeping Off the effectsOf the last night ’s debauch, each with his huge revolver and fullcartridge belt strapped around him. When the prohibition lawwent into effect in other parts Of the state , Dodge C ity defied theauthorities and the saloon keepers made up a purse and sent it tothe mayor with the legend : ‘TO be given to the widow Of the firstman who informs against a saloon keeper .

’ That interesting townmight have sat for the original Of John Phoenix ’s touching ruralpicture :

5 . The McPherson Indep endent, July 9 , 1 8 84 . The Indep en dent, however , held no brieffor Dodge City , for in its issue Of July 2 , 1 8 84 , it had reported : “

At Dodge C ity last weekan emp loyee Of the S anta Fe road entered compla int aga ins t the sa loon keepers . As a con

sequence he got badly pounded , had one eye punched out, was arres ted and fined $50 fordisturb ing the peace, and wh ile looking for a bondsman he was rotten egged . Dodge City 13

the banner antiproh ib ition city Of K ansas .

"


fight . He says that fight i s not the proper word ; that athleticexhibition would be more suitable . There i s nothing barbarousin the proceed ing . The bulls are not tortured , the only weaponsOf Offense used by the men being smal l darts . The excitement andinterest in the ‘sport ’ (as termed by the Mexicans ) consist principal ly in witnessing the Skill and dexterity of the men in evad ingthe assaults Of the bull . Mr . Moore says it i s an error to c lassifyit with pugilistic contests . The governor Of Chihuahua is a bullfi ghter and can hand le the lasso with as much skil l as the mostaccomplished cowboy .

” 6

Apparently, however , Moore was not always consulted by thereporters . Contrasted with his assurance that the fight would bea gentlemanly and harmless “athletic exhibition” i s another newspaper story stating that it was not unlikely that the fights Of the4th and 5th would result fatally to some Of the matadors . Thi swas ballyhoo Of the most modern and approved style . The managers had advertised a blood - letting, and they knew what thecrowd s expected . But they felt they must make some effort to d iscred it the storm Of d isapproval their advertising had aroused elsewhere. Reports were being circulated that Governor Glick intendedto stop the fight . Thi s threatened to make serious inroads on thecrowd s expected from the East . The management knew that C lickproposed nothing Of the sort

,despite the pressure that was being

brought to bear on him. Glick had friend s in Dod ge, and theyreported the governor had said that if the fight could be heldat another time he would attend . But they were afraid thatpromises Of too much gore might prove to be a boomerang . Therewas , Of course, in add ition the unverified rumor that the mayorhad received a telegram from the United States attorney ’s Officesaying that bul l fighting was against the law in the United States ,to which the mayor was said to have made the class ic answer ,“Hel l ! Dodge C ity ain ’t in the United States !” But this

, too, if

it occurred at all,was taken nO more seriously than the Glick

rumors .

Whi le it i s doubtless true that there was no danger Of Glick ’sstopping the fight, he was subject to considerable critici sm . Amongthose who protested most volubly was Henry Bergh, Jr .

,Of New

York . Bergh was president Of the American Society f or the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals

, and had had experience Of bullfights before. In August

,1 880

,he had succeeded in stopping a

6 . Kansas Cowboy, July 1 2 , 1 884 .


bull baiting exhibition in New York C ity promoted by one AngelFernandez .

7

On the Fourth Of July Bergh sent Glick the fol lowing telegram“In the name Of humanity I appeal to you to prevent the con

templated bull fight at Dodge C ity thi s day . Let not Americansoi l be pol luted by such atrocities .” 8On July 7 Bergh fol lowed thi s up with a long letter Of protest to

the Governor :“s —Whi le civilization is striving to extend its peaceful and benign in

fluences over our prosperous and happy country , a spot within the boundries

Of your state suddenly invites notice , where humanity and public decency havebeen trampled under feet and the blood -red flag Of barbarisim substituted intheir stead .

“Millions Of our countrymen ,learn ing through the Press that the birthday

Of the nation,for the first time in its history, has been stained and disgraced

by a Spani sh bullfight at Dod ge City in the state of Kansas , will be reluctantto beli eve the report . While the banner Of our nation was being elevated inevery state , town and vi llage in the land ,

amidst the thundering Of arti llery andthe shouts of a prosperous and patriotic peop le, Dodge City a lone stands up

and announces to the world that henceforth the tastes and habits Of the heathenand the savage shall be inaugurated upon its soil .

It requires no great stretch Of fancy to imagine the solemn protest whichthe founders Of this great nation would Offer could their voices, now silent indeath , be heard again . Perhaps it would resemble the following , in all respects,except the feebleness of the language I emp loy

‘Fellow countrymen,after years Of toil and suffering we acheieved nationa l

independence for you and yours , along with an almost bound less domain

which seems to be the special abode Of everythi ng which a bounteous Providence can bestow upon its chi ldren . TO-day , one hundred and eight years ago,

a government was declared whose princip les are based on patriotism, humanityand progress . Up to the present time no act Of that government has

,by its

own election, tarn ished or subverted these heaven-born precepts .

‘In face of all these blessings, and upon a day consecrated to freedom and

to progress , a portion Of the young state Of Kansas,ignoring all these benefits

,

elects to cast its lot among those few ignorant and efi'

ete states remaining inthe world where a ma jority Of the people still cling to the crue l and uncivi lizedpastime which you have to-day transplanted to your own soil . ’

“Such

,I say , might be the remonstrance Of those noble founders of the

republic who, dying, constituted yourse lves and others the heirs Of a nation ,

whose resources are bound less , whose people are educated , and to whom the

ignorant and oppressed Of the earth are looking for examp le and encouragement.

“The same telegram which sends this humiliating announcement into everyhome and schoolhouse in the land is intensified by the report, which it is sin

7 . S ee Footnote 1 .

8 . Telegram from Henry Bergh , Jr ., New York C ity, to Gov . George W . Gl ick , July 4 ,

1 8 84 . Correspondence Of K ansas Governors , A rch ives div ision , K ansas S tate H istorica l

300 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYcerely hoped is false, that your excellency has extended your Offi cial sanctionto this deed of retrogress ion ,

which strives to set back the hands Of time to

that period of the past when human government was content to stand stillor move on only in the direction of cruelty, tyranny and superstition .

“That the rumor is as false as it is humiliating, is shared by every re

spectable man and woman in the land , I am certain .

“Americans, like all other people, seek d iversion and amusement

,but they

are not wi lling to give over their country to the bloody and demora lizingscenes Of the bul l ring, a pas time which has , more than any other cause , cor

rupted and wasted the minds and energies of the Spanish race, until nationa lstagnation and degeneracy are recogn ized in their shrunken territory , and

loss of politica l influence in the councils of their sister states .

“In response to the universa l sentiment of the people of thirty-eight states

of our be loved country, laws have,

been enacted within them, and Kansasamong the number, making cruelty to every living creature, however humble ,a crime . As an evidence Of the s incerity Of this sentiment, your excellency may

possibly remember the audacious attempt made a few years ago in this , the

greatest city of the republic, to esta blish the degrad ing spectacles to which Irefer, and how stemly and effectua lly it was rebuked and its authors sent backto their foreign homes , fully assured that America is not the soil where so

foul and unhealthy a plant can flourish .

“The publication of the laws of Kansas,which I venture to here transcribe,

along with an express ion of your excellency ’s condemnation to this stupendousinsult to your people and to every citizen of our country, would do honor tothe high position you occupy and perhaps serve to reca ll the people of DodgeCity back to that career Of prosperity and power from which they havethoughtless ly suffered themselves to be diverte d .

‘Laws of Kansas , 1879 , chapter 8 1 , section 264 : Every person who sha ll

malicious ly or cruelly maim,beat or torture any horse, ox, or other cattle,

whether belonging to himself or another, shall on conviction be ad judged guiltyOf a misdemeanor, and fined not exceed ing fifty dollars .

’

“I have the honor to be your excellency ’s most obed ient servant,

“HENRY BEECH ,

President of the American Society for the Prevention Of

Cruelty to Anima ls .

” 9

Governor Glick d id not acknowledge thi s until a week later , andthen he put an exceed ingly soft pedal on the aff air :

“My Dear S irYour letter of July 7th is at hand . The bull fight to which you refer was

rather a tame and insignificant affair, and while advertisements gave it some

importance it had little or no importance at Dodge City or any place else .

Your telegram in relation to the matter dated July 4th was rece ived but not

until after the performance had taken place .

“I am,

my dear sir,

Your obed ient servant.

” 1 °

9 . Letter from Henry Bergh , Jr . , New York City, to Gov. George W . G l ick, July 7 ,

1 884 .— Ib id .

1 0 . Letter from Gov . George W. Gl ick, July 1 4 , 1 88 4 .—Ibid .


of them are l i able to be numbered with the dead before our nextissue, we deem it proper to give a short sketch of these noted animals , together with their ped igrees . These ped igrees are kind lyfurnished by the famous bull raiser and breeder

,Brother Barton,

Of the great Arkansas river . ”1 1Number 1 on the Globe

’

s l ist was Ringtailed Snorter , the Oldestand most noted of the twelve . He has been in twenty- seven d ifferent fights

,and always came off victor . Ped igree : Calved February

29 , 1 883 ; sire, Long-Horns ; dam,Al l Fire

,first of Great Fire, who

won big money in a freeze-out at Supply inIron Gall , Number 3 , was a famous catch-as- catch- can fighter ,

and very bad when stirred up .

” Ped igree : Calved March 25,

1 880 ; sire, TOO-Much Gall ; dam,Gall

,by Gally .

Of Klu Klux, Number 7 , the Globe said ,“He is a four year -Old ,

and next to R ingtail Snorter is the Oldest noted fighter that wil lcome to the front on next Friday . It is this animal that the bullfighters most fear

,having laid out his man in Old Mexico, whi le

playing ‘four you see and one you don

’t . ’ Ped igree : Got by Frank ,out of Healy-Boy , who was given a commission in 1 878 in theNeutral Strip .

Number 8 was Sherifl'

,an animal that was never tamed or

branded but showed good points in his past gO- as-you-please fightson the plains , and since then has captured several pri zes In d iflerentparts of the country .

”

Numbers 10,1 1 and 12 , were Rustler, Loco Jim , and Eat-Em-Up

R i chard,all two-year Old s . “Boyce has been training Loco Jim for

the past month,”the Globe reported ,

“and he will l ikely get away

with his man . These animals are al l sired by Ringtai l Snorterand are the coming heroes Of the day .

” The other entries wereCowboy Killer

,Lone Star , Long Branch, Opera , and Doc. It was

said of the latter, owned by and named for Doc Barton,that he was

“a splend id formed gentleman,with wel l- developed muscles , and

there is no doubt but that he will do good worTh is published list of the names and ped igrees of the bulls, con

taining allusions to persons and incidents familiar to everyone inthe range country , was typical of the cow town ’s semihumorousattitude toward its Spanish-Mexican enterta inment . The cow hand shad respect for their bul ls , and it tickled their fancy thus to dignifythem with proper names . There was considerable betting as to thehavoc the bulls would make among the matadors . Publi c sympathy

1 1 . Ford County Globe, Dodge City, July 1 , 1 884 .

MECHEM ; THE BULL FIGHT AT DODGE 303

was not whol ly on the side of the bullfighters . Whi le the cattlemenhad a certain admiration for anyone with the nerve to engage amaddened bull on foot , they felt that their four- footed entries wereabout to do battle for the honor Of the cattle country and were en

titled to proper recognition and support .

On the Sund ay preced ing the Fourth Manager Moore and the

matadors arrived in Dodge. Their appearance raised the town ’sinterest and excitement to a fever pitch. The skeptics were si lenced ;the promoters redoubled their optimistic preparations .There were five Of these bullfighters , all native Mexicans . 1 2 The

chief matador was Capt . Gregorio Gallardo, a merchant tai lor OfChihuahua . Gallardo was billed as the most noted of all the notedbullfi ghters Of Old Mexico. Severa l Dodge C ity citizens remembered his having kil led bulls in a ring at Paso del Norte some yearsbefore. He carried two sword s

,

“used for d ispatching purposes,

”

with straight two-edged blades three feet in length . These,so

Moore said , were made at Toledo, Spain . One Of them,he claimed

,

was 1 50 years old and had been owned and used by CaptainGallardo’s great- grandfather , once a professional matador of highdegree in Spain .

The other members Of the band were Evaristo A . R ivas , picador ,inspector of public works in the state of Chihuahua ; his son ,

RodrigoR ivas

,an artist by profession ; MarcoMoya , a professional musici an

from Huejuequi llo ; and Juan Herrerra, a musi cian from Ald ama .

The newspapers , especial ly , waxed enthusiasti c over the arrivalOf “ the matadors . They were described in phrases worthy the

ingenuity of the most up -to-d ate sports propagand i st . “They are afierce lot,

”exclaimed one writer

,

“and fear is an unknown sensation

to them . They have fol lowed thi s avocation from boyhood . Theyhave had many narrow escapes from death and have been seriouslywounded at times . They understand that the people want an excit

ing and d angerous fight, and they are ready to satisfy them .

Some day ,they al l feel , they wil l come to their death in the bul l

pit,but they like the l ife and would not be satisfied to leave it .

Y et they are as intel ligent a party Of men as any person wouldwish to meet . Their al l- redeeming trait is that they cannot beforced to drink a d rop of strong liquor .”

This last touch may have been inspired by Manager Moore . Inhis efforts to give a tone Of respectabil ity to an aff air whi ch itscriti cs stigmatized as a return to barbarism

,Moore continued to

1 2 . K ansas Cowboy, July 1 2 , 1 88 4.


lay as much emphasis on the reputations his charges bore as exemplary citizens as he d id on their record s in the bull ring . Possiblyhe sti l l questioned the reception Dodge would accord after so muchtalk of gore .

On the morning of the Fourth, however, any fears Moore mayhave had were set at rest . Before ten O

’clock it was evident thatthe fight would be a financial success . As the town fi l led up itmade a bizarre and colorful spectacle. Cowboys from every sectionof the Southwest were on hand

,armed and spurred

,and tanned by

the prairie sun and wind,prepared to crowd enough excitement into

the two d ays to last through the next six months of monotony .

They had money to spend,and they had no d ifficulty in find ing

places to spend it . Dance halls fi lled with girls and gaming placessprinkled with gamblers were running full blast . The saloons w eredoing a capacity business . In the Opera House

,the Congress Hall

,

the Long Branch,the Lone Star

,and the Oasis

,milling throngs of

cowmen rubbed elbows with the hundred s of visitors brought in bythe Santa Fe from the East . Correspondents for metropol itan newspapers in search of atmosphere made the round s and , if one mayj udge from their stories

,found no l ack Of copy .

By noon Dodge was j ammed by eager crowd s awaiting the ap

pearance Of the grand parade whi ch was to mark the beginning offestivities . Cow ponies lined the hitching racks along the streetsand were picketed in every available vacant lot. Shortly beforetwo O ’clock Former Mayor and Manager Webster, with ManagerMoore of the matadors , led the procession to the fair ground s .Beh ind them came the town d ignitaries , fol lowed by the famouscowboy band . Then, to the del ight Of the spectators

,the bull

fighters passed in review . In their red j ackets, blue tunics , whitestockings and small dainty slippers , they seemed , in the word s ofa contemporary writer ,

“the perfection of l itheness and quickness ,

and were heartily applauded as their d ark hand some faces lookedon the crowd gathered along the streets . ”

The arena , toward which all faces were turned after the parade,lay on a tract of forty acres between the town and the Arkansasriver

,which had been purchased and fenced by the association .

Facing a half-mile track,an amphitheater with a seating capacity

Of four thousand had been erected . In front of the grand stand aneight- foot fence enclosed the arena proper, which was one hundredfeet in d iameter . At intervals along the fence eight light boardscreens

,or escapes, were provided , where the bull-fighters could


The bugle sounded again and the first bull bounded into view Of

the crowd . He was a red,fierce- looking brute

,and full of fight .

As he passed through the door two decorated barbs were throwninto his neck, j ust below each horn . Infuriated by the darts

,he

charged mad ly at his tormentors . Gallardo attracted his attentionand began to play him. Again and again

,encouraged by the roars

of the crowd , he drew the charges of the bull and deftly swerved himfrom his course with his mantle, escaping the rake of the horns byinches . After several Of these prel iminary passes Gallardo tookrefuge behind one of the escapes . The bull made a complete circleOf the enclosure

,then halted defiantly in the center Of the ring and

pawed the ground , covering himself with cloud s Of dust .The other fighters now approached to d isplay their skil l . As theyclosed in the bull rushed

,but the savage thrust of his horns met only

thin air,and another festooned d art hung from his shoulders . Time

and again he wheeled and charged,unti l his back and sides were

decorated with a floating sea of colored streamers that reachedfrom his horns to the end of his tail . The cow punchers forgot theirgirls and even the best citizens stood and applauded . The matadorswere in their glory . Here was an animal worthy of their mettle ;one that gave them an opportunity to exh ibit al l the tricks of theirprofession .

Thi s bull was played for thirty minutes before he tired . ThenMr . Chappel l was called on to lasso the bull and take him out.

When the animal had been roped , the cow hands , anx ious for a d isplay of their own technique, set up a cry for Chappel l to throw thebrute . Thi s he attempted to do, but the hull was too strong for him,

and it was all he could do to pull the maddened animal into thechute . Here the bull made a desperate rush at Chappel l , grazinghis horse, and broke loose . Finally he was tied and restored tothe pen,

furious but unharmed .

When the second bull was released the spectators anticipatedanother d isplay Of brute ferocity and human agility . But theywere d isappointed ; thi s bull proved to be a coward and ran fromhis assailants , and was soon driven out . The third was little better ,merely provid ing some exercise for the fighters after they had

covered his sides with d arts . The fourth also had to be d ismissed .

The fifth had even fewer fighting qualities than his predecessors .He became entangled in one Of the escapes and was whipped out

by a cowboy who sat in the first row of seats , to the derisivel aughter Of the onlookers .


By thi s time the crowd wanted more action and began demand ingthat the first bul l be returned . It had been announced that thelast bull of the day would be put to the sword by Gallardo, and

the cowboys wanted to see thi s highly advertised maneuver executed

on an animal worthy Of the swordsman ’s skil l . Accord ingly , thefighting red bull was lassoed and pulled back into the arena .

When Gallardo reentered the enclosure and the spectators sawhim take the Toledo sword which was passed down by ManagerMoore they understood that the most exciting episode of the dramawas at hand . They were aware that Gallardo must repeated lyattract the rushes of the bull unti l the precise opening for the deaththrust presented itself . Thi s l ightning thrust , as they knew, mustbe accomplished by one stroke made from d irectly in front Of theanimal as it charged , and must result in a clean - cut and instantdeath.

When the bull caught sight of the matador, therefore, a hush of

anticipation fel l upon the noisy crowd . As if it appreciated itsperi lous situation the brute charged at once and with redoubledfury . With a graceful sweep of his cape Gallardo deflected theanimal ’s first rush safely past his side. The bull wheeled and flunghimself again at the matador . Once more his horns found nothingmore substantia l than the elusive cape . Repeated ly he returnedto the attack and Gallardo’s escapes grew narrower and narrower .Then , suddenly , the crowd gasped in dismay and j umped to its feet .Gallardo was down . For an instant it seemed the fight was aboutto end in tragedy . But fortunately the accident had occurred at theentrance to one Of the established escapes . At the moment whenit appeared to the crowd that Gallardo was caught between thebull ’s horns and the high board fence he threw himself lengthwiseon the ground at the animal ’s feet and crawled to safety behind theguard . The bull charged on the l ight board ing Of the screen and

almost tore it down ; then , meeting no active resistance, backedangrily away .

A lthough Gallardo had received a slight bruise on his left thighhe immed iately stepped into the Open to renew the encounter . Bow

ing gracefully to acknowledge the plaudi ts of the spectators hesignaled the band to resume the music for the sword ing . Then ,with a pardonable touch Of bravado

,he slowly began walking

d irectly toward the bull . Through blood shot eyes and with loweredhead the brute watched him approach. When the matador wasalmost upon him the bull charged . Poised , and with sword balanced


for the thrust, Gallardo waited , but at the last possible instant, notfind ing the opening he desired , was forced to deflect the bull

’s rushwith his sweeping cape. Twi ce more he parried the furious cn

slaughts . But at the fourth attack came the opportunity he sought .Swiftly the blade struck home, bent, and then penetrated to the

vital spot . The hull staggered a pace or two, stumbled to his

knees , and then sank to the ground .

“Thus,

” reported the Ford County Globe, ended the first d ay ’sbul l fight in Dodge C ity , and for all we know the first fight on American soi l . The second d ay ’s fighting, with the exception of the

killing of the l ast animal in the ring, was more interesting than thefirst . The matadors showed to the people of America whatbull fighting really was . NO one could see it and go away sayingthat it was not a genuine bull fight . It was not that tortuous orinhuman puni shment infl icted upon wild animals as the term ‘bul lfighting ’ would seem to imply , save and except the single animalthat was kil led . The punishment, tortures or cruelty was even lessthan that inflicted upon animals in the brand ing pen .

”

In the face of strictures by an unsympathetic press, both inKansas and the East, the Globe’s statement expresses the reactionof Dodge City ’s citizens to their first and only bull fight . What themore inarticulate cowboys thought Of this Spanish entertainmentcan only be a matter of conj ecture. That they enjoyed themselvesmay be surmised from a news item which appeared in the LarnedOptic a few d ays after the fight“Quite a number Of our boys visited Dodge last week to see the

bull fight . Some of them returned looking as though they had hada personal encounter with the animals . ”1 4

1 4 . The Larned Op tic, July 1 1 , 1 884 .


more,Of Thayer

,was elected speaker by the Populists . For two

weeks these rival houses conducted legislation , each ignoring theother ; the two speakers sitting side by side at the speaker

’s stand .

Finally the Populists took possession Of the house and barred thedoors so the Republicans could not get in . Then on the morning OfFebruary 15 , 1 893 , the Republican house, headed by their speaker ,Mr . Douglas

,and their sergeants at arms , broke down the door of

the hall of the house Of representatives with a sledge hammer andrushing in they forcibly ej ected al l the Populists . Immedi atelyGovernor Lewel l ing ordered the National Guard to come to Topekaand declared martial law . National guardsmen were placed at everyentrance to the capitol and no one was permitted to enter without apass signed by the ad j utant general , CO] . H . H . Artz , who, of course,was a Populist .When the news came to Lawrence that the Governor had called

for troops and declared martial law ,I sent him the fol lowing tele

gram :“I am competent to hand le a company Of troops or a larger

body Of men and I would be glad to organize a company and cometo Topeka to help you uphold the constitution and the laws and topreserve order .” In anticipation Of a favorable reply

,I assembled

in my law Office a few of my friends . At nine O ’clock that night Ireceived the fol lowing telegram from TOpeka :

“Come up with theboys in the morning—L . D . Lewel ling

,Governor . ”

I immed iately sent my friend s out all over town to sol i cit recruitsfor my company , and by 1 1 O

’clock I had 61 men enlisted . Thesewere assembled in Jeffersonian Hall , on Eighth street on the southside near New Hampshire

,the next morning at eight O ’clock . There

I lined up my company and asked al l who had seen military serviceto take one step to the front . More than half Of the men steppedforward . Then I formed the company in sets Of fours ; numbers 1and 4 being the wel l-dri l led men

,and numbers 2 and 3

,the undril led

men . I soon learned that the Santa Fe train for TOpeka was twohours late ; therefore, I had about three hours to train the men inthe most important movements .

In the meantime the newsgot out in town that I was organizing acompany to go to Topeka . Men who were opposed to my movementwent to the Santa Fe ti cket agent and asked him to refuse to sel l meand my company tickets for Topeka . He at once decl ined and saidthat it was his duty to sel l to everybody ; then this self-appointedcommittee went to Bud Hindman , the sheriff of Douglas county , andasked him to organize a force Of deputy sheriffs and put me and my

SEAns z THE ROBINSON RIFLES 3 1 1

company under arrest and confine us in the Douglas county j ai l .The sheriff declined to act . Then this committee telephoned to Geo.

T. Ni cholson , general passenger agent for the Santa Fe railroad atTopeka and asked him to instruct the Santa Fe agent at Lawrencenot to sel l u s tickets . Again a refusal was made. Then this committee telephoned to Mr . Douglas , speaker Of the Republican house,with the result that he ordered 300 Of his 600 armed sergeants at

arms to proceed to the Santa Fe depot in Topeka and arrest mycompany when it arrived

,and put it in the Shawnee county j ail .

About nine O ’c lock, whi le dri l ling my company , Governor Lewell ing cal led me on the long-d istance telephone and asked me if Ihad organized a company and if I would bring it to Topeka . Itold him my company was organized and I was dril ling it , andwould come to Topeka on the train which was two hours late .

I said that his telegram , under the constitution and laws of Kansas ,was equivalent to a commiss ion and that he had ful l power toauthorize me to organize a company , but that I wanted him to

have a commission made out for me d ated February 1 5,and de

l ivered to me when I arrived in Topeka . I also asked him to in

struct his ordnance sergeant to have uniforms,arms

,and belts

fi l led with cartridges laid out for me in the arsenal ready for mycompany when it arrived . A l l thi s the governor promised to at

tend to promptly .

I resumed dril ling my company unti l about 10 o’clock, when

again Governor Lewel l ing called me on the telephone. Thi s timehe told me that his spies had reported that the Douglas house hadsent 300 armed deputies to the Santa Fe station in Topeka to arrestthe members Of my company and put them in the Shawnee countyj ail , and asked me,

“How are you going to get here?

” I told thegovernor not to worry

,that I would be there.

After this conversation with the governor I continued to dri l lmy company until it was time to go to the train . Wemarched tothe Santa Fe depot and there I purchased tickets for Topeka forall my men . After board ing the train I cal led my Oflicers aroundme : George 0 . Foster, now registrar at the University of Kansas ,first lieutenant ; my brother , Clarence H . Sears , second l ieutenant ;Frank 0 . Hel lstrom ,

orderly sergeant ; J . E . Miles,Of Atchison ,

second sergeant ; Percy Daniels , Girard (son Of the Popul ist l ieutenant governor of Kansas

,Col . Percy Daniels

,of the Seventh

Rhode Island artil lery in the C ivi l War ) , third sergeant ; Otis S .

Al len , fourth sergeant , and Wm . T. Dias,of Jefferson county , whose


father was one of Stonewall Jack son ’s foot cavalry, fifth sergeant .I repeated to these men what the governor had told me over thete lephone. I assigned to each of these ofi cers a proportionatenumber Of the company , then I went through the train and in

structed each man to Obey his immediate Offi cer unti l further orders .

As the train was approaching Topeka , I had the Officers assembletheir squad s on the steps Of the long train on both sides Of it, andwhen they were about a quarter of a mile from the station inTopeka they jumped off the train . Each Officer took his squadby a d ifferent street and they walked in scattered formation, l ikec ivilians

, and all assembled , at the same moment, at the west endof the city library build ing , which stood in the northeast cornerof the capitol grounds . When the train arrived in Topeka , theplatform was packed with armed deputy sergeants at arms . Iwent out Of the front door of the smoker on the left side of the

train,ran around the engine and took a hack for the capitol . For

a fee of one dol lar the hackman drove his team at a gallop all theway . On arriving at the National Guard l ine that surrounded thecapitol

,I was admitted by the Offi cer of the day on my commission

signed by Gov . Lyman U . Humphrey,as captain Of the Robinson

R ifles , and stil l good under the constitution and laws of the statefor eighteen months . I immed iately reported to the governor inhis Office

,informing him that my company would be ready for duty

in thirty minutes . I then went into the ad j utant general ’s Office, puton my uniform

,sword and revolver and ran to the city library build

ing . There my company was j ust forming . We crossed the capitolground s from the l ibrary build ing to the arsena l at double time. Inless than thirty minutes we were uniformed , rifles loaded and bayonets fixed

, and immed iately marched to the governor ’s Office. Iformed my company in the hall in front of the executive Offices andthere Governor Lewel l ing received it and complimented the menupon their loyalty to duty and to the state, and said that he wouldhave quarters a ssigned to us in the build ing in a few minutes .Whi le waiting to be assigned to quarters

, a young man approachedme wearing a red badge and inquired i f this was the Lawrence com

pany . I replied in the affirmative. He then said ,“Come this way

with your company .

” I bel ieved he was a messenger from the

governor . The executive offices,at that time, were in the east

wing of the capitol . I followed the messenger with my companythrough the corridor and the rotunda unti l we reached the greatstairway going up to the hall of the house Of representatives . At


and pounding Of rifles made so much noise that the governor sentmessengers to find out what was the matter .At thi s point I must explain that five of my company Of s ixty-one

men failed to appear for muster in Jeffersonian hal l that morning .

I never saw them to know them afterwards . Of the remainingfi fty -six men ,

six were Prohibitionists,twenty- four were Repub

licans , and twenty-six were Democrats .After the cheering subsided , I said , “I am proud Of this company ,

and I shall now administer to you the most solemn oath ever administered to man

,and that is the military oath .

” Every manraised his right hand and I read the oath to them and they all

assented to it . Then I said to them :“I received an order from

Governor Lewel l ing to bring this company to Topeka to assist himin Upholding the constitution and laws of this state and in preservingorder . He has given me a commi ss ion as captain Of this company

,

d ated yesterd ay ; therefore , my authority is comp lete, under theconstitution and laws of thi s state . I shal l Obey every lawful ordergiven me by the governor , and I expect this company to Obey myorders . You are now sold iers

,and it is not for you to question the

reason for orders ; as Tennyson said in his famous poem ,

‘The ChargeOf the Light Brigade,’

‘Theirs ’ not to make reply ,Theirs ’ not to reason why ,

Theirs ’ but to do and d ie .

Fol lowing thi s brief address,the first platoon Of my company

,

under Lieut . George 0 . Foster, remained in quarters ; the secondplatoon , under Second Lieut . C larence H . Sears , was assigned toprotect the arsenal . On arriving at the arsenal Lieutenant Searsbrought out the Gatling gun , whi ch was a machine gun , and put anold sergeant of the regular army

,who was in his platoon

,in charge

of it . I instructed L ieutenant Sears that if the great mob assembledin the streets

,made an attack

,he should turn this Gatling gun on

the mob and instruct his men to act as sharp shooters and shootonly the men who had guns in their hand s and were firing . Myinstructions were that not a shot must be fired by my men unlessthey were fired upon first .The morning of the 1 7th I was made Officer of the day and wasin charge of the guard l ine. Early in the forenoon I was stand ingon the east steps of the capitol when a rush was made on the guardline. One of the guard s was Coryel l Faulkner . His father was aC ivi l War veteran

,and at thi s time was superintendent Of the

SEARS : THE ROBINSON RIFLES 3 15

sold iers ’ orphans ’ home at Atchison . When the rush came, Faulknerordered “

halt” three times,but the attackers refused to Obey and

Faulkner leveled his rifle at them and pulled the trigger . The

cartridge fai led to explode. Afterward s I took the rifle from Faulkner ’s hand s, a breech- load ing Springfield

,threw up the breech block

and ejected the cartridge. An examination showed that the firingpin was bent so it d id not hit the cap

,and therefore the cartridge

failed to explode. I said to Faulkner,Did you attempt to fi re on

that mob?” Faulkner replied ;“I was graduated from the military

school at Mexico, Mo.,and I was taught to order halt three times

and if the order was not obeyed,to fire. I ordered halt three times

and the mob failed to stop, so I pulled the trigger . I was deeplymoved and shocked by Faulkner ’s statement, for I realized that i fone shot was fired into that mob , which was composed Of thousand sof people crowd ing the streets near the capitol , a great battle wouldhave been precipitated and no doubt hundreds would have beenkilled and wounded .

A few days after the Topeka War was over , I sat at a marbletable in the parlor Of the Old Dutton house, in Topeka . Aroundthis table sat Walter Costigan

,ed itor of the Ottawa Journal; State

Senators Baldwin and John W . Leedy , afterwards governor, and thefamous Populist orator

,Mrs . Mary El len Lease. I told the story

of the rush on the guard l ine and exhibited the cartridge. A l l ofthem examined it . As Mrs . Lease held it in her hand s

,she said

,

“Because Of thi s courageous,sold ierly act of Coryel l Faulkner

,his

father shall remain as superintendent of the sold iers ’ orphans ’ homeat Atchison .

” That night there was a conference of prominentstate leaders with Governor Lewel ling in the parlor of the Throophotel in Topeka . I came in a little late and the governor calledme to him and gave me a seat bes ide him on a sofa . He im

med iately turned and put his hand on my knee and said,

“Here i sa young man that saved me from humiliation and disgrace

,and

possible assassination .

”For the second time I exhibited the cart

ridge that failed to explode, and after all had examined it I presentedit to the governor . He accepted it and said ,

“I shall preserve thi scartridge as the most important exhibit of the ‘Topeka War . ’ Ihave never seen this cartridge since.

To go back to the rush on the guard l ine,I must explain that I

ran to the quarters of the first platoon of my company , L ieutenantFoster in command

,and ordered him to move on a run with his men

3 1 6 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

with bayonets fixed and rifles loaded,to the first stairway west of

the governor ’s Ofli ces and head Off the mOb whi ch was headed forthe hal l of the house Of representatives , every man loaded withprovisions to feed the starving members of the Douglas house and

the 600 deputy sergeants at arms . I accompanied Lieutenant Fosterand we succeeded in cutting Off about half of the mob before they

got into the rotunda and pushed them back down the corridor pastthe governor ’s Ofli ces and down the steps at the point of the bayonetand on out into the street. A l l the time the l ine of bayonets waspushing them back, this mob was shouting and swearing, withwhite faces

,but not one Of them fired

,though they were all armed

with revolvers and guns . They knew that one shot fired at mycompany would release a storm of Springfield rifle bullets , and no

man had the nerve to fi re.

The only person injured in the rush Of the mob on the guardl ines was Doctor Pattee, who appeared to be near the guard l inewhen the rush came and was struck over the head with a revolverand blood ran down his face. I witnessed this incident myself .Doctor Pattee was then living in Topeka . He now l ives in Lawrence,and i s the owner Of the Pattee Theater build ing . I think he musthave been an innocent bystander at that time.

By this time the feel ing had become so intense at Topeka , andthe partisan feel ing and party lines were so tightly drawn , that theleaders on both S ides realized that a violent outbreak was imminent .It was learned that many excursion trains were arriving in Topekaloaded with armed Populists and Democrats . Al l available armsand ammun ition in every town in the state had been purchased bythe rival parties and it looked as though we might have civi l warat any moment . President Harrison wired the troops at FortLeavenworth and Fort Ri ley to be prepared to move on Topeka atany moment . At this critical j uncture

,Col . 0 . E . Learnard , of

Lawrence, then owner and publi sher of the Lawrence Journa l, nowthe Journal-Wor ld

,urged the leaders of both parties to send for Ex

Governor Charles Robinson,the first governor Of Kansas , then

l iving on his great farm five miles northeast of Lawrence. This wasdone

,and when the governor arrived a conference composed Of the

leaders of both parties was held in the Old Copeland hotel , one blockeast of the cap itol ground s . At this conference Governor Robinsonpointed out that the only way to prevent civil war and blood shed ,whi ch would be a lasting blight on the fair name Of the state, wasfor the rival parties to come to some agreement ; in other words ,


Dougl as county ; Charles Henry Lease, whose mother , Mary E l lenLease

,is a famous orator and now president of the Kansas State

Board Of Charities ; and many other fine young men compose thiscompany . NO partisan cons ideration marked the action of the

members of this company in joining it, because six members are

Prohib itionists ; twenty-four are Republicans ; and twenty- six are

Democrats . Good citizenship always ri ses above party considerations or factions . I am proud of the loyalty and good d iscipline ‘

ex

hibited by the members of this company , and I wish to say to Governor Robinson that we will preserve this muster rol l as a rol l ofhonor .Headed by a band

,I marched my company up town from the

station,fol lowed by a vast procession Of citizens from Douglas ,

Jefferson,Leavenworth and Johnson counties. The S idewalks were

packed with people and many were on the roof tops and at thewindows . We marched into Jefl

'

ersonian Hall,and there I d i smissed

the company .

Whi le we were absent from the city I was subj ect to abusive statements in the d aily papers of the town , and for a time I suffered asocial and business boycott . TO counteract thi s I wrote a briefstory in whi ch I set forth the constitution and the military laws ofthe state ; the telegraphi c order from the governor to organize thecompany

,and the commission I received from the governor as

captain . The l aw and the facts were with me, absolutely , and whenthis story was publ ished in the Lawrence Journa l my Old friendsbegan to come back to me

,and many of them apologized for re

fusing to recogn ize me or speak to me on the streets .

In recognition Of my conduct in the Topeka legislative war ,Governor Lewel l ing appointed me br igad ier general Of the KansasNational Guard

,and before my term of service ended I was pro

moted to senior brigad ier in command of the National Guard of the

state.

I had grown up in theNational Guard ,had commanded two school

companies and the“Robinson R ifles” in the Business Col lege, and

was also d ri ll master of the Ind ian regiment at Haskel l Institutefor two years . Whi le in command of the National Guard I wasgiven a free hand by Governor Lewel l ing and put into effect the

fol lowing reforms :1 .I established a system of target practice ; provided the non

commissioned Ofli cers wi th target manuals and the commiss ioned

oflicers with copies of“Blunt ’s Target Practice.

” A great quantity

SEARS ; THE ROBINS ON RIFLES 3 1 9

of fixed ammunition had accumulated in the arsena l at Topeka , andI shipped most Of this out to the companies . Sharpshooter andmarksman badges were d istributed to the men for efficiency at the

rifle ranges .2 . When I took command there were four regiments of infantryin the state. I di sbanded half of the companies and reorganized thebalance into two regiments . The allotment Of military supplies fromthe federal government was then sufficient to provide these two

regiments with everything they needed , including overcoats , blanketsand tents .3 .

‘ I organized a troop of cavalry , one platoon being at Lawrence,and the other at Baldwin , and they met for dril l , part of the timeat Lawrence, and part of the time at Baldwin , and when the weatherwas good and the ground fit

,the two platoons met at Vinland for

dril l . The men furnished their own horses , for whi ch a smallallowance was made to them .

4 . I established engineer, hospita l and signal corps , and whenthese organizations were perfected the National Guard of Kansaswas a complete

,independent military force, comprising al l arms Of

the service ; for we had a battery of arti l lery with machine guns ,one section being at Wichita , and the other section at Topeka .

5 . I organized a school for the Officers , numbering 125 men ,and

sent them to Fort Leavenworth with their tentage, blankets , fatigueuniforms and arms

,and there they were dri l led by regular army

Officers in the daytime and attended lectures given by army Officers ,in Old Sherman Hall

,at night . Seven army Ofli cers , who were

instructors in the post- graduate school at Fort Leavenworth, wereour instructors . We found at this s chool the l argest mi l itary libraryin the world

,and we considered our instructors the best in the world .

Before we left this school,through the sol icitation Of army Ofli cers ,

nearly every National Guard officer had subs cribed to some militarymagazine and had purchased important books on military s cience .

Some years later , whi le private secretary to C lara Barton , of theRed Cross , and at that time a member of her family , it came to meto enterta in L ieut . Gen . Nelson A . Miles

,and during our nearly two

hours conversation I told him about the school for National GuardOfficers I had organized at Fort Leavenworth ; whereupon GeneralMiles sa id ,

“General Sears , I d idn’t know you were the man that

organized that Offi cer ’s school ; but I made the detail s of the Officersfor your instructors . The regular army had been hold ing its righthand out to the National Guard for many years in vain

,and you


were the first one to start a movement to bring us together . The

Army and Navy Journa l gave us a long story about the organization of this school

,and immed iately I received letters from nearly

every ad j utant general of the United States asking me for detailsabout the school , with the result that in a short time there wereNational Guard Offi cer schools organized in every state Of the Union ,except Nevad a .

6 . There had been no encampments of the National Guard ' inKansas for seven years . The legislature had refused to appropriatemoney for camps . But I found the money and reestabli shed them .

Each of the thirty-two companies in the Nationa l Guard were re

ceiving annually $300 for contingent company expenses . The com

pany at Hill City paid only one dol lar per month for an armory , andthe captain had accumulated over $600 in the bank, which he l aterreturned to the state military fund . Other companies

,that paid

l ittle for armory rent,blew in the surplus on balls and parties . I

issued an order provid ing that each company would be paid theactual cost for armories and other necessary expenses . In a shorttime there was saved about and to this was added some

more from a military fund , and these fund s were used forreestablishing encampments . The Officers and men served withoutpay at the encampments

,and the city that secured an encampment

furnished the wood for campfires,straw for the tents and , in one

case,the bread and beef also.

In recognition of my work for the National Guard I have beenaccorded the honor of invitations to West Point commencementsever since 1 926 and have attended five Of them .

The Ofli cer’s school that I organized at Fort Leavenworth was

continued for four years prior to the war with Spain,with the result

that the Twentieth Kansas , in the Spanish American War,whi ch

was composed l argely Of the ofli cers and men of the two regimentsof the National Guard of Kansas

,made a fine record in the Phil ip

pines under the leadership Of Gen . Wilder S . Metcalf and Gen .

Frederi ck Funston .


Mrs . Margaret Steig, pioneer of Marshall county,was inter

viewed by Byron E . Guise for the Marsha ll County News, Marysvil le

,January 20 , 1 933 . Mrs . Steig came to Kansas in 1 866 and

settled northeast Of Oketo. Other articles of Kansas historical interest appearing in this newspaper include a brief history of BlueRapid s , March 1 0 ; the experiences of William Campbel l , a pony ex

press rider , March 1 7 ; a history of the Marietta Grain Co.

,reputed

to be the Oldest cooperative grain organization in the state , March24 ; the experiences of Hiram Li l l ibridge, Waterville pioneer, Apri l14 ; an interview with Mrs . A . J . Travelute

,who has l ived in Marys

vi lle since 1 860 , April 28 ; the experiences of Ed Lally , June 2 , and apicture of the county sixty- six years ago as recalled by Mrs . FredBrucker

,June 1 6 .

A “History of Waldo M . E . Church,by Mary A . Jain

,was pub

lished in the Waldo Advocate, January 23 to February 6 , 1 933 .

S . P . Lantz was superintendent Of the first Sunday school .

The story of the naming of Wagon Bed Springs was related byInd ia H . Simmons in the Dodge C ity Dai ly Globe, January 25, 1 933 .

When the Rails Pushed West,” naming many early-day characters

and places figuring in the history of the Dodge City area , was another Oi Mrs . Simmons ’ contributions to the Globe. It was published in the issues of January 26 to 30 .

Pioneers of Trego county were guests Of the Wakeeney Locustclub at a Kansas Day program January 20 , 1 933 . Names of a few

Of these early-day settlers were published in the Western K ansas

World,January 26 . Brief biographical sketches of pioneers who

stil l l ive in Trego county were printed in the issues of February 2

to March 9 , and on February 23 over two columns were devoted to

the experiences of O . A . Cortright .The reminiscences of Mrs . E . 0 . Brooks (Sarah White) , tel l ing Of

her capture by Ind ians in 1 868 , were published in The K ansas 0 p

timist, Jamestown ,January 26

,1 933 . The article was written by

Mrs.Carl Flitch

,a daughter Of Mrs . E . 0 . Brooks , and was read at

a Jamestown Kansas Day program .

Abram Brantley Holt, Nearly 86 , Is O ldest Living Resident OfLeon ,” was the title of a feature article appearing in the LeonNews, January 27 1 933 . Mr . Holt settled on Hickory creek in

1 870 .

KANSAS HISTORY IN THE KANS AS PRES S 323

Kansas Day,1 861 -1933 , was the subj ect of A . H . Harris ’ recol

lections published in the Yates Center News, January 27 1 933 .

Early-day experiences of B . S . Head were recounted in the CedarVale Messenger, January 27 , 1 933 . Mr . Head ’s father settled innortheastern Kansas in the spring of 1 855 .

Cunningham ’s tornado Of 1 900 was described in the Cunn inghamClipper , in a special article appearing in its issues of January 27 to

‘

February 1 7 1 933 .

“Through the Years With Site of Old Wyandotte County Courthouse,

” was the title Of an il lustrated historical article featured inthe

“Yearly Progress Edition” of the Kansas C ity K ansan, January

Ri ley county in retrospect was the keynote of a pageant presentedas part of the R i ley County Historical Society ’s Kansas Day program

,January 28

,1 933 . A l i st of the early settlers attend ing the

meeting was published in the Manhattan Morning Chronicle, January 29 , and the Manhattan Republic, February 2 .

A brief historical sketch of Omio, once a busy Jewel l county city,was published in the Topeka Daily Capi tal, January 30

, 1 933 .

Omio was situated three miles south Of Formoso.

The battle of Black Jack,which was described by Milton Tabor

in his “The Story Of Kansas ,” printed in the Topeka Dai ly Capi tal,

January 30 , 1 933 , led Asa F . Converse,in the Wel lsvi l le Globe,

February 23 , to publish eye-witness accounts by Robert Pearson

and G . W . E . Griflith,participants in the battle.

John Starr Barnum , one Of the three men who named Wichita ,d ied in California January 29 , 1 933 . According to the Wi chitaEagle of January 31 , Barnum , David Munger, the first postmaster,and a harness maker by the name Of Vigus , gave the city its name.

Biographical sketches of Wilson county pioneers are being published from time to time in the Wi lson County Citizen,

Fredonia .

The articles , which have been prepared by Mrs . Bel le C . Lyon ,mention the fol lowing citizens : Luther E . Greathouse

,January 3 1 ,

1 933 ; L . C . Col l ins , March 14 ; J . E . Daniel,Apri l 4 ; J . W . Koonce,

Apri l 1 4,and Mrs . Annie Barrett, May 1 9 .

Horse thieves operating in southern Kansas and the Indian territory over a half century ago were recalled by Judge T . J . Dyer in


the Alva (Okla ) Daily Record , January 3 1 , February 1 and 2 , 1 933 .

Judge Dyer with his family settled near Elgin in April,1 870 .

A brief history of the Santa Fe railroad was published in TheTi ller and Toi ler

,Larned

,February 2

,1 933 . The city ’s early-day

fires were briefly reviewed also in thi s issue .

Sedgwick Congregational Church history was briefly sketched inthe Sedgwick Pantograph, February 2 , 1 933 .

Kansas,an address by J . H . Andrews , given at a meeting of

the Humboldt Rotary C lub , January 30 , 1 933 , was published in theHumboldt Union

,February 2 . Mr . Andrews

,who came to Al len

county in 1 867 , related many of his early-day experiences .

George Bunger Writes Of Original Survey of Topeka and Southwestern , was the title Oi a front-page feature printed in the Eskridge Independent, February 2 , 1 933 . Two surveys for the railroadfrom 'Topeka to Council Grove were made .

Names of old settlers Of Kansas , and particularly of Reno county ,who regi stered at the fourth annual Farm and Home Week held inHutchinson February l to 4 , 1 933 , were published in the Hutchinson News and Herald in their issues of February 2

,3 and 4 . The

four days of festivities are regularly sponsored by the Hutchinsond ai ly newspapers .

“Col . Asa Kinney and the Wisconsin Colony

,by Margaret East

l and -Ruppenthal , was published in The Russell County News, Russel l , February 2 , 9 and 23

,1 933 .

Pioneer days along White Rock creek were described by Mrs .El len M . Warren , Of Courtland , in a series Of articles printed in theBel leville Telescope, February 2 and 23 , March 9 and 23 , 1 933 .

Andrew Glenn , a pioneer and member of the Excelsior colony, reviewed the history Of that settlement for the Telescope, February9 and 16 .

A sixteen-page Booster Ed ition of the Leon News was ed ited bythe Leon Method i st Episcopal Church, February 3, 1 933 . Historiesof the various inter- societies of the church and letters from former

pastors'

and pioneers were featured .

A copy Of the first issue Of the K ansas Free S tate, which was published in Lawrence in January , 1 855 , led a reporter to reminisce of

early-day Lawrence in the D ai ly Journa l-World,February 4

, 1 933 .


Some Personal Glimpses Of Early Kansas Ed itors , by WilliamAl len White, was a feature of the March

,1 933

,i ssue Of The K ansas

Editor, published by the department of journalism Of the Univers ity

of Kansas,at Lawrence.

French settlers were the first to locate in the vicinity of presentday Burrton , accord ing to hi storical record s left by the late JudgeW . L . Daily, of Burrton . He found that a French colony of ten

families located on Turkey creek,in A lta township

,in 1 869 . The

Hutchinson Herald printed a brief account Of this settlement in itsi ssue Of March 1

, 1 933 .

Pioneer Scraps ,” a column depicting the hi story of the found ing

Of Wichita,appeared serially in the Wichita (evening ) Eagle from

Mar ch 1 , toMay 6 , 1 933 . Mrs . GeorgeWhitney was the contributor .

Under the column head ing “Early Day Recol lections of SmithCounty Pioneers ,” the Athol-Gaylord -Cedar Review commenced aseries Of hi storical articles in its issue of March 1 , 1 933 . Among thepioneers contributing were : C . E . Walker

,in the issues of March 1 ,

1 5,29

,Apri l 1 9 , May 24 ; C . A . Cowan

,March 8

,22

,Apri l 26 ; J . S .

McDonald , Apri l 5 ; Mrs . M . A . Gregg , May 1 0 , and George L . Burr ,Sr .

,May 1 7 .

Phi l ip Budenbender ’s experiences as one Of the earliest residentsof Spring Creek township

,Pottawatomie county, were told in. the

Westmoreland Recorder,March 2

,1 933 .

Cawker C ity newspaper history was reviewed by the Cawker CityLedger, March 2 , 1 933 . The Sentinel, founded in March, 1 872 , wasthe city ’s first newspaper .

Ear ly-day l ife in the Greenleaf community was described byAnton Peterson in the Greenleaf Sentinel, March 2 to 1 6 , 1 933 . Mr .Peterson settled in Washington county in 1 869 .

The sixtieth anniversary of the found ing of the Christian Churchin Jewel l was Observed February 26 , 1 933 . A brief history of the

church, which was read at the meeting by Mrs . Mary Rowe, acharter member, was published in The Jewell County Republican ,

March 3 .

An interview with Judge W . P . Campbel l , pioneer W ichitan , waspublished in the Wichita Beacon,

March 5, 1 933 . Judge Campbel l ,who came to Kansas in 1 869 , compared the hard ships of yesteryearwith those of to-day .

KANSAS HISTORY IN THE KANSAS PRES S 327

Comanche County Was Organized in a Fraud , was the title of

a story appearing in the Dodge C ity Dai ly Globe, March 7 , 1 933 .

The article was inspired by an interview with F . A . Hobble.

A six- column history Of Independence was featured in the sixtysecond anniversary ed ition of the South K ansas Tribune, Inde

pendence, i ssued March 8 , 1 933 . Walter Krone, W . S . Sickels , Lyman U . Humphrey ,W. R . Pratt, and Samuel Broughton , were amongthe pioneers who contributed reminiscent letters commemorating theoccasion .

Newspaper hi story Of A lmena was reviewed by the A lmenaP laindealer

,March 9

,1 933 , commemorating its forty-sixth birthday .

Filings of declaratory statements of intention to claim government land for homesteads near Russel l were d i scussed by JudgeJ . C . Ruppenthal in The Russell County News, Russel l , March 9 ,23 and 30

,1933 . The first fi l ing recorded near Russel l was made in

what i s now Grant township in May , 1 871 .

Remini scences of Sarah L . Jent as told to H . C . Jent were published in the Cedar Vale Messenger, March 1 0 , 1 933 . Mrs . Jentsettled near Elgin in 1 878 .

An old school-d istrict treasurer ’s book for d istrict 59,Washing

ton county , formed the basi s for a hi storical review in the LinnPalmer Record , March 1 0 , 1 933 . Names of former officers

,teachers ,

and builders Of school build ings were l i sted in the twenty-eightyear record . The first entry was that Of February 24

,1 872 .

The history Of McPherson - county ’s Oi l and gas field s was published by the McPherson Dai ly Republican in a special Oi l and gasedition March 1 3

,1 933 . The d i scovery wel l was brought in Sep

tember 9 , 1 926 . A brief historical sketch Of the county was alsofeatured in the ed ition .

“A Story of the Bender Tragedy , as written years ago by CharlesYoe

,was published in the South K ansas Tribune, Independence,

March 15, 1 933 .

Francis Henry Roberts Early Days in Oskaloosa” column in theOskaloosa Independent recal led the city ’s first remembered earthquake

,in the issue of March 1 6 , 1 933 . No special d amage was done

except to chimneys .

Sketches of the l ives of Republic county pioneers , events in the

early history of Republic City and county , history Of the city ’s


newspapers with letters from former ed itors, and write-ups of the

churches and schools , were features of the sixteen-page fiftieth anniversary ed ition of the Republic C ity News

,March 1 6

,1 933 . The

News was founded in March,1883

,by Charles H .

Wolfe.

The establishment of Lawndale, southwest of the present town ofCunningham , and an Ind ian scare Of 1 885

,were described by Ed

Stone in the Cunningham Clipper through the issues Of March 1 7to Apri l 21 , 1 933 .

A hi story Of the First Presbyterian church Of Fairport was reviewed in the Parad ise Farmer

,March 20

,1 933 . The church ed ifice,

which was destroyed by lightning. July 9,1 932

,has been rebuilt

, and

the new build ing was ded icated March 12 . Rev . S . S . Wallen or

ganized the church September 1 8 , 1 887 .

Biographical sketches of Mr . and Mrs . David Greep , Kansas p10neers, were published in the Longford Leader, March 23 , 1 933 .

Some Early History About Tribune and Its First Church Organization , by Mrs . Sid ney Simpson , was printed in the GreeleyCounty Repub lican, Tribune, March 23 , 1 933 . Also, in its issues ofApri l 20 and 27 the Republican continued the church history of the

county with a detailed account written by T . P . Tucker,a pi oneer .

A history Of the Sold ier Christian Church as read at the fiftiethanniversary meeting March 26 , 1 933 , was published in the Sold ierClipper , March 29 . The church was organized March 28

,1 883

,with

fourteen charter members .

History of the clock in Topeka ’s Old post-Office tower, by DwightThacher Harris

,appeared in the TOpeka S tate Journa l, March 27 ,

1 933 . It was instal led February 28 , 1 884 .

A column review Of the activi ties of the Method ist EpiscopalChurch in Kansas territory was published in the Lawrence Daily

Journal-World,March 29

,1 933 . Rev . William A . Goode preached

the first sermon to the white settlers of the territory at HickoryPoint July 9

,1 854

,accord ing to Dr . Edward Bumgardner,the con

tributor .

The fi fty -fi fth anniversary Of the found ing of the Ash Rock Con

gregational Church, Woodston,was Observed March 26 , 1 933 . The

Woodston Argus of March 30 , printed a hi story of the organization .

Names Of Pawnee county cattlemen who have regi stered cattlebrand s with the county clerk were published in The Tiller and


Biographies of Tom Lovewell , government scout, and E . D . Haney ,by El l a Morlan Warren , were publi shed in the Bel leville Telescope,recently . The sketch of Mr . Lovewel l appeared Apri l 6 and 1 3 ,

1 933, and that of Mr . Haney , May 4 . Other pioneer sketches printed

in the Telescope, author not known, include : Sam Fisher, May 1 8,and the Family of William Osborne

,June 1 5 .

Historical sketches of Glen Elder and Mitchel l county in the early1 870

’

s have been published in the Glen Elder Sentinel during thepast few months . The series of articles

,written by Alonzo Pruitt

appeared under the fol lowing titles : “Ancient Glen Elder History ,April 6 , 1 933 ; “Glen Elder ’s Early Schools,” Apri l 20 ; “Early DayDoctors in Thi s Community

,April 27 ; “Our Churches ,” May 1 8

and 25 ;“Personal Recol lections of My Early Neighbors

,

” May 25 ;“When Kansas Was Young,” June 1 and

“Cereals and Fruits ,” June15 .

A hi storical sketch of Harmony Church,by Mrs . Marion Bol in ,

was printed in the Leon News, Apri l 7 , 1 933 .

The history of the Kingman Journa l was reviewed by the Journa lApril 7 , 1 933 , commemorating the start of its forty-fourth year . Thefirst issue appeared in Apri l

,1 890

,with John A . Maxey as ed itor .

A brief hi story of the Method ist Southwest Kansas conference, byRev . S . M . Van C leve

,was published in the Wichita Sunday Eagle,

Apri l 9 , 1 933 . Biographies Of C . E . Williams,W . R . Rolingson,

Francis M . Romine,Samuel McKibben and Dud ley D . Akin , five

pastors who were members Of the conference at its inception and whoare sti l l living, were included in this résumé .

Maplehill’s history was reviewed in the Kansas C ity (Mo. ) S tar,

Apri l 9,1 933 . The townsite was opened for settlement by George

A . Fowler in 1 887 .

Cowley county hi story was sketched by L . A . Millspaugh before ameeting of the Cowley County Historical Society Apri l 1 0 , 1933 . Arésumé of his speech was published in the Winfield Dai ly Courier,

April 1 1 .

A biography of Mother Bickerdyke, for whom the state institution at El lsworth was named , was printed in the El l sworth Mes

senger, Apri l 1 3 , 1 933 . The Hays Dai ly News reprinted the articlein its Apri l 21 i ssue.

KANSAS HIS TORY IN THE KANS AS PRES S 3 3 1

John H . DeVault, a pioneer Kansan , was the subj ect of a biographical sketch in The Scott County Record , Scott C ity , April 1 3and 20

,1 933 . Martha Brock was the contributor .

“Back Trailing With Our Pioneer Women was the title of a twocolumn story appearing in the Ced ar ValeMessenger, April 14 , 1933 ,in which the experiences of several Chautauqua county settlers wererecounted .

Rol l a Will Celebrate Town ’s Twentieth Anniversary Thi s Year,was the title Of a brief hi storical sketch of the city publi shed in TheMorton County Farmer, Rol l a , Apri l 14 , 1 933 .

A . P . E lder,a res ident of Franklin county for seventy-five years ,

was interviewed by W . E . Gilli land for the Ottawa Herald,Apri l 1 5,

1 933 . In the Kansas C ity (MO. ) S tar, Of Apri l 1 6 , Mr . E lder recal led Quantri l l ’s raid on Lawrence

,in 1 863

,which he witnessed

from a nearby hi l l .

A triple lynching in Anthony forty- seven years ago was recal ledby the Anthony Times, Apri l 1 8 , 1 933 .

A history Of the Lad ies Reading C lub of Girard , by Mrs . NoraVincent, was published in the Girard Press, Apri l 20 , 1 933 . The

club was organized April 21,1 883 . Mrs . Anna M . Leonard was the

founder .

The reminiscences of E . W . Voorhi s,of Columbia

,Mo.

,and J . L .

C . Wilson , of Washington , D . C .

,two Russel l county p ioneers , are

appearing serially in the Russel l Record . Mr . Voorhi s ’ sketches entitled “Those Golden Days When Russel l Was Made

,began with

the i ssue of April 20,1 933 .

“Way Back When,

” by Mr . Wilson ,commenced June 22 .

Biographical sketches of Mr . and Mrs . Patrick Sheeran , as told bya relative, were published in the Chapman Advertiser, Apri l 20 , 1 933 .

The genealogy of the Gove fami ly , a member of which was Capt .Grenville L . Gove for whom Gove county was named

,was reviewed

in the Republican-Gazette, Gove City , Apri l 2 0 1 933 .

“Stil l Register Cattle Brand s in Ford County , the Dodge C ityDaily Globe head lined in its issue Of April 21 , 1 933 . There are 455difi erent brand s on record to d ate

,says the Globe, with the first

regi stered in 1 878 by Fulton and Stevens .


A d iscussion of the Hamilton countyseat troubles was continuedby C . W . Noel l in the Syracuse Journal in its i ssues of Apri l 21 and

June 23 , 1 933 . Special significance was placed on the Coomes precinct election fraud in the issue of April 21 .

The story of a Real Pioneer Of Southern Kansas,was the title

of an article by Rev . Wm . Schaefers relating the reminiscences ofWilliam Mies in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, Apri l 23 , 1 933 . Mr .Mies came to Kansas in 1 874

, settling near Wichita .

Elkhart hi story was briefly reviewed in the Elkhart Tri -S tateNews

, Apri l 27 1 933 . E lkhart was founded in the Spring of 1 913 .

School hi story of Leon was traced in a twenty-page ed ition of theLeon News published April 28

,1 933 . The newspaper was ed ited by

a high-school English class .The Story Of the Old Home Town , Jewel l City , Kansas , a de

tailed hi story compiled by Everett Palmer,i s running serial ly in

The Jewell County Republican,starting with the issue of Apri l 28 ,

1 933 . The Jewel l C ity Town CO. was organized May ' 28,1 870 .

Carrying Old Glory to Kansas,a column relating the l ife of

Gen . Phi l ip St . George Cooke,is appearing seri al ly in the Wichita

(evening) Eagle, commencing with the i ssue of May 1,1 933 .

A Little History of the Early Days of Kansas,

” by J . L . Garrett,Of Dorrance, was printed in the Grainfield Cap Sheaf, May 5 , 1 933 .

Mr . Garrett ’s family settled west Of Wilson in 1 872 .

Ded icatory serv ices for Walnut ’s new Method ist Episcopal churchbuild ing were held Apri l 30

,A history of the organization was

sketched in the Walnut Eagle, May 5 , commemorating the event .

Early Toronto history was told in a letter from J . T . Cooper published in the Toronto Repub lican,

May 1 933 . Mr . Cooper wasprincipal of the city ’s school s in 1 892 .

Ded icatory services for the rebuilt Presbyterian church in Lincolnwas held May 7

,1 933 . Both the L incoln Sentinel-Republican and

The Lincoln County News , in their issues of May 1 1 , printed histories of the church in commemoration of the event . The Lincolncongregation was organized in 1 873 .

Kansas History and Horses,

” was the title of an article appearingin the Beloit Gazette, May 1 7 1 933 , extol ling Kansas equines famousin turf hi story .


Newspaper Files Reveal Interesting Story Of Burlingame HighSchool Graduates ,

” was the title of a feature artic le by Mrs . W .

G . Beale,appearing in The Enterprise-Chronicle, Burlingame, June

8 , 1 933 . The first class was graduated in 1 887 .

Early Wallace County , General Custer, and the Seventh Cavalry ,

”from the reminiscences Of Lewis C . Gandy , was the title of an

article published in The Western Times,Sharon Springs

,June 8 ,

July 6 and 1 3 , 1 933 .

“Local Man Bore Custer From Field at Little Big Horn , writesThe Ti ller and Toi ler

,Larned , June 8 , 1 933 , in a feature story re

lating the experiences of Charles W . Guernsey,who visited the Cus

ter battlefield the morning after the fight .

Missouri R iver Really the Kaw From Kansas C ity to St . Loui s ,was the report of a Kansas C ity (MO. ) S tar representative afterinterviewing U . S . army engineers . The story , whi ch appeared June9,1 933

,stated that the Kaw is “the true river between Kansas C ity

and the Mississippi ,”and that the Missouri

,from a point in North

Dakota to Kansas C ity,probably is the ‘newest’ river in the United

States .”

A brief i l lustrated history of St . John ’s Military Academy , OfSalina , was printed in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, June 1 1 , 1 933 .

The academy was founded in 1 887,largely through the efforts of

Bishop E . S . Thomas .The sixtieth anniversary Of the settlement of Sellens creek , near

Russel l , was Observed June 14 , 1 933 . A brief descri ption of the

caravan which left Kankakee, Ill . , in three wagons sixty years ago.

was publi shed in the Russel l Record , June 1 5, 1 933 .

A few Of the pioneers settling in the vicinity of Geuda Springswere named by George M . Bigger in his reminiscences published inthe Geud a Springs News, June 1 5, 1 933 .

The recent visit of J . J . Johnson to the Beloit Gazette’s Office led

the Gazette to reminisce on its early history in the issue of June 21 ,1 933 . Mr . Johnson with A . B . Chaffee founded the Gazette in 1 872 .

A short history Of Ionia,oldest God -chi ld of Ionia , Mich .

,was

published in the Ionia Booster, June 23 , 1 933 . The article was areprint from the Ionia (Mich . ) Sentinel .

KANSAS HIS TORY IN THE KANSAS PRES S 335

A column history of the Walnut Christian Church appeared in theWalnut Eagle, June 23 , 1 933 . The church was organized in 1882by J . Hennesy .

Recal l 1 893 Rain Experiment, was the title of a brief article d iscussing the simultaneous fi ring-Off Of gunpowder in May , 1 893 , inseveral southern Kansas cities in an effort to break the drouth, whichwas published in the Wi chita Sunday Eagle, June 25 , 1 933 . Raincame within a few hours

,but meteorologists scoffed at the gun

powder theory . Similar attempts at rainmaking in Pawnee countywere related by E . E . Frizel l in The Ti ller and Toi ler

,Larned ,

April 6 .

To Rev . Isaac McCoy ,early Baptist missionary

,goes the cred it

of launching and making a success of the movement that resulted inthe segregation of the Ind ians west Of Missouri and Arkansas , accord ing to Maj . William W . Harris

,writing in the Kansas C ity

(MO. ) S tar, June 25, 1 933 . The movement resulted in the congressional

“Act of May 26,

establishing what at that time wasbel ieved to be the future, permanent abode Of al l North Ameri canIndians then resid ing within our national boundaries .

Burial ground s near Waldo were described by H . P . Tripp in theWaldo Advocate

,June 26 , 1 933 .


A memorial tablet to Rev . Thomas Johnson,founder of the

Method i st Shawnee miss ion , was unvei led April 1 6 , 1 933 , in ThomasJohnson hall at the mission . Mrs . Edna Anderson , daughter of Rev .

Johnson,gave the tablet, and Thomas Amory Lee, president of the

Kansas State Histori cal Society , represented the state . The meeting was conducted by the Shawnee Mission Ind ian Historical SOciety .

“The Relation Of the Local Historical Society to the State H istorical Society ,

” was d i scussed by Kirke Mechem,secretary of the

Kansas State Historical Society,at a meeting Of the Wyandotte

County Historical Society held at Kansas C ity , April 20 , 1 933 .

Grant W . Harrington , of Kansas C ity,another speaker

,read a

paper entitled “Before the Bridges Came,” in which the evolutionof river crossing in Wyandotte county was reviewed .

Dud ley T . Horton has compiled and published a booklet entitledA History of Hopewell School Hopewel l school is DistrictNO. 1 14

,Plevna

,in Reno county .

The seventy-fi fth anniversary of Highland University was Oh

served this year . Trustees were appointed and a charter was securedfrom the territorial legis l ature Of 1 857- 1 858 . Chief White C loud ,-astudent Of the Highland mission school from 1 854 to 1 857 , was afeatured speaker during special commencement festivities com

memorating the event .

Pioneer H istory of K ansas,365 pages with i l lustrations, was re

cently published by its author , Adolph Roenigk , of Lincoln . MuchOf the book is concerned with the settlements along the Smoky

,Solo

mon, Saline and Republican rivers . The history was begun by John

C . Baird in 1 908,who col lected d ata for the first hundred pages

,but

d ied before the work could be concluded . Mr . Roenigk , who hadcontributed to Mr . Baird ’s researches , continued and

x

finished the

book . W . K . Cone,Dr . N. C . Fancher

,Theophi lus Little

,J . W .

Hopkins, Guy W . Von Shriltz , D . B . Long,Luther R . Johnson

,Mar

tin Hendri ckson , Hercules H . Price, Ferd inand Erhardt, C larenceReckmeyer and Henry Benien were among the narrators .

The d iary of Mark S . Davis,who made an overland journey from

Wabash, 1nd ,to Missouri and Kansas in 1 868 , was published in the

Indiana Magazine of History for March, 1 933 . Land claims werelocated in Cherokee county by members of the party .

1 4 - 8 6 77

ContributorsDOUGLAS C . MCMURTRIE, of Chicago,

is an authority on typography and thehistory Of printing .

GEORGE A . ROOT is curator Of archives of the Kansas S tate H istorica l Society .

RUS SELL HICKMAN, a teacher , lives at La Porte, Ind .

FRANK HEYW OOD HODDER is head of the H istory Department at the Un i

versity of Kansas , Lawrence .

NOTE—Articles in the Quarterly appear in chronological order without re

gard to their importance .

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THE SHAW'

NEE SUN

The first newspaper publ ished exclus ively m an Indian language in the presentboundaries of the Un ited S tates .


The ed itor of the Shawnee Sun throughout its life was JohnstonLykins

,another of the Baptist missionaries at Shawanos , whose

special field Of labor was with the Shawnees . Lykins , however, wasabsent on sick leave in 1 836 and d id not return to duty until May ,

and during this interval it would appear that Meeker was the

ed itor as wel l as the printer Of the l ittle sheet . In fact, Meeker madenumerous entries in his journal which show that he devoted con

siderable time to writing or translating articles for the Sun, eitheralone

,or with the help Of Joseph Deshane, an interpreter, or with an

Ind ian named Black feather , who, on at least two occasions , i s mentioned as a contributor to the paper . But Meeker was not only theed itor and the printe r— he was also the inventor of a method bywhich the sound s of the Shawnee l anguage (and Of several otherInd ian languages ) might be represented by the letters Of the Englishalphabet .

AS a creator of orthographies for the languages of the natives ,Meeker was diligent and ingenious . He simply took the letters forsound s that d id not occur in the given Ind ian tongue and arbitrari lyassigned to them sound s that needed to be expressed .

5 Thus,for

the Shawnee, he gave to b the sound of th in thin,and to i the sound

of a in far . As printed , the Ind ian title of the Shawnee Sun readS iwinowe K esibwi

,whi ch Isaac McCoy , in his account of the paper,

transliterated Shau-wau-nowe K esauthwau— an approximation tothe sound s of the word s . Crude as thi s system of

“writing Indian”

may seem , it was practical , as the Ind i ans , even adults,learned to

read by it, and even in some ind ividual instances to write by it intheir own languageThe Shawnee Sun circulated among the Ind ians at and near the

mission settlement . On January 1 1,1 837 , Meeker noted in his

journal that he had “d i stributed 100 copies of the Shawanoe Sun

among the Shawanoes . Presumably,Copies were sent to the Baptist

Board Of Foreign Missions , at Boston ,6 and presumably copies weregiven to the local Ind ian agent for forward ing to the Commissionerof Indian Aff airs , at Washington . But the l ittle paper must havebeen printed in a quite limited ed ition , possibly not more than one

hundred and fifty or two hundred copies to an issue.

4 . MCCOY. op ci t. , p . 504 .

5 . For a more extended account of the Meeker orthograph ies, see M cMurtrie and Al len,

op . ci t. , pp . 25 3 0 , and M cCoy , op . cit. , pp . 47 1 - 476 .

6 . By 1 8 3 7 the Board of ForeignMiss ions had adopted a rule that at least one copy ofeveryth ing printed at any of its miss ionary stations shoul d be sent to the Board (Bap ti stM iss ionary M agazine, v 2 1 , 1 841 , pp . 20 8 But the Board seems to have made noprov is ion that the material thus collected should b e preserved .

MCMURTRIE : TH E SH AWNEE SUN 341

It is easy to understand why copies Of the Shawnee Sun have disappeared . Ind ians in the days of the Shawanoe mission d id not

preserve fi les of newspapers . If copies were sent to the Board Of

Foreign Missions or to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs , no importance was attached to them ; at least, no record of such copiescan now be found . Meeker himself made up two partial fi les ; anentry in his journal on December 1 2 , 1 836 , read s

“Examine all theOld Nos . of the Sun and bind two volumes of it . By that d ate, thejournal had recorded the printing of eleven issues of the paper . Butthese two fi les seem not to have survived the vicissitudes of flood

and storm to which Meeker ’s few earthly possessions were subjected .

We do not even know how many issues appeared . Meeker mentionsfourteen up to April , 1 837 , the l ast which he printed , and in a memorandum book kept by Johnston Lykins7 there i s mention of an issuein May

,1 842 . Of all the copies that were printed , one single, sol

itary Copy is known to have survived , and even that copy is not yet

securely rescued from Oblivion .

The surviving copy of the Shawnee Sun i s one of the issue forNovember, 1 841 . At the time of the publication of our book on

Jotham Meeker,in the spring Of 1 930 , Mr . A l len and I had tried in

vain to locate thi s Copy . A reproduction of the first page had beenprinted in the Kansas C ity (Kansas ) Sun of Frid ay , February 1 8 ,1 898 ; the original had then j ust been presented to Mr . Emanuel F .

Hei sler by Charles B luej acket,a Shawnee chief then living in the

Ind i an territory . After that,the original vanished so far as avai l

able knowledge Of it was concerned . The search was continued ,with the invaluable assistance of Mr . Purd B . Wright

,l ibrarian of

the public library Of Kansas C ity,Mo.

, who finally found the longsought copy in March, 1 930 . Thi s was unfortunately too l ate for includ ing a reproduction Of it in the Meeker book

,which was then

printed and in the bindery . But as no reproduction Of thi s elusiverarity has been published since thirty—five years ago, and as thenewspaper reproduction of it in 1 898 i s practical ly inaccessible,8

it seems quite in order to present it again,in order that the record

of thi s strange l ittle paper may be preserved for at least anothergeneration .

The original Of the copy , d ated November, 1 841 , i s now in thepossession of a member Of the Heis ler family

,in Kansas City

,Kan .

It consists Of but two pages (one leaf) , but a d ivided word at the

7 . Preserved in the col lect ions of the Kansas S tate Historical Society .

8 . The K ansas S tate H istorica l S ociety has two cl i in s of the news a er re roduction ,

but they are yellow ing and becoming frai l w ith ag e.

pp g p p p


end of the second page makes it seem likely that there were fourpages in the paper as printed . The pages were numbered

,the second

page of the existing Copy being page 70 . If this issue original ly consisted of four pages , it ran to page 72 . If the pages were numberedconsecutively from the beginning of publication in 1 836

,and if each

issue consisted of four pages,the i ssue of November

,1 841

,would

have been the eighteenth i ssue. There i s no volume number or

serial number on this issue.

The only English words in the two pages of the existing copy are

in the combined d ate l ine and imprint,which read s : “J . Lykins

,

Editor . November, 1 841 . Baptist Mission Press .” Not beingfamiliar with the Shawnee language

,I am unable to give any ao

count of the subj ect matter of the four principal articles on the twopages , but my guess i s that much of it consisted of d id actic Baptisttheology . The page measures about 634 by inches , with thetext in two - inch columns containing 52 l ines of pica type to thefull column . The printer, whose name does not appear, was undoubted ly John G . Pratt .Attached to the unique copy of the Shawnee Sun here described isa printed note which may be presented , by way of conclusion, because of its testimony to the d ifficulties under which the BaptistMission Press was conducted . It reads : “In the year 1 838 therewere shipped from Boston via New Orleans to the Shawnee Baptistmission in Kansas (about five miles west of Westport

,Mo. ) several

boxes of paper and printing material . These goods were addressedto Westport Land ing

,which had not yet appeared upon the maps ,

and as the forward ing agent at New Orleans d id not know whereWestport Land ing was located

,he sent the good s to Fort Gibson , on

the Arkansas,in the Ind ian territory . The good s were returned to

New Orleans, and then sent up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers ,being more than a year on the way before Mr . Pratt received them .

Thi s certificate i s printed upon a part of the paper then and therereceived . The paper is a coarse book paper , and was used in printing books in eight d ifferent d ialects , for the Ind ians , viz .

,the

Otoe, Kaw,Potawatomie, Ottawa , Shawnee, Delaware and Miami

languages . A newspaper was also printed , the Sau-wa -noe K e-saw

thwa,

‘the Shawnee Sun,

’

(the first paper ever printed in the territory printed here from 1 836 to With this note isattached a certificate, d ated in June, 1 897 signed by John G . Pratt,to the effect that certificates of membership for the Wyandotte

County Histori cal Society were printed on sheets from that shipment of paper made in 1 838 .


experiences on the exped ition . In Notes to and from the Siege of

Lawrence,” under d ate of May 1 8,1 856

,this writer says :

“TO-day we are to cross the K aw river, and to get to Lecompton . An enor

mous flatboat, seemingly large enough for another Noah ’s Ark

,receives us on

board , bag and baggage . The baggage being packed on board upon our shoulders , we are further convinced , to use rather a sta le phrase, that ‘Jordan is a

hard road to travel . ’ To get to the other side is now the difficulty . We all

work our passage, hauling ourselves a long by an Old rope and making abouthalf mi le per hour . Af ter keeping up this process until we are far above thecapitol, we strike out, and at the imminent risk Of severa l of our men, striketerra firma .

”

In 1 857 Joseph Haddox laid out a town called Rising Sun,whi ch

was located close to the ferry land ing on S immons ’ claim . This wasdirectly oppos ite Lecompton

,the territorial capital . At the new

town, in 1 857 , Jerome Kunkel 1 5 1 established a ferry .

1 52 He receiveda charter for his ferry in 1 858 and also became a member of thetown company the same year . Rising Sun grew into a lively l ittlevil lage and was the business point for the township for severalyears . Upon the build ing of the Union Pacific Railroad up theKaw valley in 1 865 and the establishment Of Med ina

,a short d is

tance away,its business was soon taken away by the new town .

Decline was slow but steady , and by 1 883 every vestige of RisingSun had d isappeared , and the site is now a cultivated field .

1 53

In 1861 a state road was established from Ri sing Sun to Grasshopper Falls , Ou the west side of Grasshopper (now Delaware)river . In 1 863 this road was changed from a point where the roadcrossed what was known as Spring branch

,thence in a northwesterly

direction past the east line of Ephraim Bainter ’s land , thence northwesterly and north

,running through the center of sections 24 and 25

,

T . 9 , R . 1 7 to intersect the original survey at Ti l lotson ’s ford .

1 54

Lecompton was located opposite Simmons ’ claim and was plattedin 1 855

,being named for Judge Samuel D . Lecompte, territorial

chief j ustice and president Of the town company . Other membersof the Lecompton town company were : John A . Halderman, secretary ; Daniel Wood son

,territorial secretary and several times acting

governor of the territory , who was treasurer ; George W . Clarke,Chauncey B . Donald son and William K . Simmons . 1 55 In 1 855

1 5 1 . The census of Jefferson county, K entucky townsh ip , 1 8 70 , p . 1 2 , lists Jerome K unkel ,43 , farmer , native of Pennsylvan ia , owner of real estate worth personal property,

w ife Christina ,born Pennsylvania , and three ch ildren, 9 , 7 , and an Infant, all born

in Kansas .

1 52 . Pr ivate Laws, Kansas , 1 858 , pp . 56 , 57 .

1 53 . Andreas , H istory of K ansas , p . 5 21 . Personal interview with J . A. Brown ,of La

compton, a re s ident of the town in 1 8 57 , and res id ing wi th in the county most Of the time

s ince.

1 54 . Laws, K ansas , 1 863 , p . 8 7 . 1 55 . Andreas , H is tory of K ansas , p . 3 51 .


William K . Simmons , Wesley Garrett and Evan Todhunter weregranted a charter by the legis lature to operate a ferry at the new

town of Lecompton . The act granted exclusive privileges up anddown the river for a mile each S ide of the land ing , for a five yearperiod , but was in no wise to affect the rights and privileges granted

the Lecompton Bridge Company .

1 56 This company never built abridge at Lecompton , but a bridge was built at this point by thecounty during the nineties .By 1 860 Lecompton was without ferry accommodations . That

year Robert C . Bishop was authorized by the legislature to Operatea ferry across the Kansas river and have exclusive rights of landingwithin the corporate l imits of the city

,and for one mile below the

eastern limit of the city on the south bank of the river and one milefrom and below the west bank Of the Grasshopper river on the

north bank of the Kansas river . 1 57 NO further history of this ferryhas been located .

Owen Baughman is '

said to have Operated a ferry at Lecomptonfor a time shortly before the build ing of the bridge in the late 1 890 ’s .

J . A . Brown,of Lecompton

,in an interview in May

,1 932

,said :

“Lecompton never had more than one ferry running at a time, from the timeof my arrival there in 1857 . Jerome Kunkel was operating it at that date .

The next year his cousin , Charles Kunkel , was in charge . Jerome Kunkel hadbeen a captain in the army . William McKinney operated the ferry for Kunk elfor several years . A . K . Lowe and boys also had charge for awhile . The firstferry was a rope ferry . Later a wire cable was stretched across the river . A

wheel ran onLthis cable

,and the boat was so attached to the wheel that the

current Of the river propel led the boat from one side of the river to the other,

with little or no effort on the part of the ferryman . The landing p lace on the

north side Of the river was at a point just below the present wagon bridgeacross the K aw . On that side of the river, riprapping and other means had

been emp loyed to confine the river channel, and there was a network of sunkenlogs

,brush

,stone

, etc. , that limited the channel the ferryboat could operate in .

When the ferryboat reached that Obstruction it was made fast and the cargod ischarged .

”

Kunkle’s ferry operated unti l about 1876 .

Accord ing to E . J . Hil l , long a resident Of Lecompton , WilliamM . McK inney operated the Lecompton ferry from about 1 868 to1 870 . About 1 870 a company built a pontoon bridge to take theplace of the ferry . This pontoon was not a success

,on account of

the swift current of the river,and in less than a year was d is

continued .

1 56 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 8 55 , pp . 780 , 8 79 .

1 57 . P rivate Laws, K ansas, 1 8 60 , p . 26 7 .


The l ate A lbert R . Greene, a former resident of Lecompton,Operated the ferry there for about a year during the early 1 890 ’s .

The Greene home in Lecompton was about half a mile from the

river . A wire was strung from the ferry to the house, and when apatron on the opposite side of the river wished to cal l the boat,the wire was pulled

,ringing a bel l at the other end and summoning

the ferryman . Mr . Greene employed a man to run the ferry , whooperated the boat during the day ,

but was averse to running it afterdark, there being practically no business after d ark . On severaloccasions , however, Mr . Greene was routed out Of bed along aboutmidnight to take the boat to the opposite side of the river to bringback some belated individual . This happened once or twice tooOften , so Mr . Greene retired from the ferrying business . 1 58

Lecompton,probably because it was made the territorial seat

of government, was the starting point or terminus of more roadsthan any other town in Kansas of its size. Two were authorizedby the legislature of 1855

,one starting from a point above the town

Of Franklin , on the California road , via the (Horseshoe) lake and

the shore of the Kansas river to Lecompton ; the other started fromAtchison

,via Mount Pleasant and Hickory Point, to a point opposite

Lecompton 1 59 The legislature of 1 857 was lavish authorizing no

less than ten road s , as fol lows : One from Lecompton to St .

Bernard,thence to the county seat of Franklin county, thence to

P ierce in Anderson county, thence to Cofachique, Al len county .

1 6°

Another ran from Wyandotte, by way Of Secondine to Lecompton ;

1 6 1 another ran from Kickapoo to Lecompton ; 1 62 another ranfrom Lecompton to Roseport

,Doniphan county ; 1 63 another ran

from Leavenworth to Lecompton,with a branch to Lawrence ; 1 64

another from Atchison , via Mount Pleasant,to a point on the Kan

sas river opposite Lecompton ; 1 65 another started from Lecompton ,via Paola , Paris and Miami to Barnesvil le on the L ittle Osage tointersect the Fort Leavenworth-Fort Scott military road ; 1 66 an

other ran from Atchison,via Wigglesworth’s ford on Stranger creek,

to Lecompton ; 1 6 7 another ran from Prairie C ity to Lecompton , 1 631 58 . S tatement Of Mrs . Lucy Greene (Henry F . ) Mason.

1 59 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , pp . 9 52, 953 , 962 .

1 6 0 . Laws, Kansas , 1 857, p . 1 72 .

1 6 1 . Ib id. , p . 1 76 . 1 62 . Ib id. , p . 1 78 .

1 68 . Ib id . , p . 1 8 1 . 1 64 . Ib id. , pp . 1 8 1 , 1 82 .

1 65 . Ib id . , p . 1 82 . 1 66 . Ib id . , p . 1 83 .

1 6 7 . Ib id. , pp . 1 84 , 1 85 . 1 6 8 . Ib id. , pp . 1 85 , 1 86 .


In Book B,Proceed ings Jefferson County Commissioners , pp . 176,

1 77, under d ate of December 6 , 1 869 , is the fol lowing :“Newman Ferry —And now comes John Bouyer Wa les Saunders and

others of Kentucky township and present their written petition for the establishment of a ferry across the Kansas river one and a half mi les above Medinaon the road from Newman to Big Springs whi ch said petition is ordered filedand the prayer of the said petitioner after having been duly considered by theboard and the board being ful ly satisfied thereof is granted , and it is ordered

by the board that the license for said ferry issue to the said John Bouyer and

Wales Saunders . And it is further ordered by the board that the said JohnBouyer Wales Saunders pay for privilege each year .

”

Ferry charges established by the board were : One two-horse

team,25 cents ; one horse and buggy , 20 cents ; one man and horse,

1 5 cents ; one footman , 1 0 cents ; cattle per head , 05 cents ; sheep andhogs

, per head, 03 cents .The next ferry on the river was at Tecumseh , about five miles

d istant . In 1 854 Thomas N. Stinson and J . K . Waysman established a ferry at that point on the section line between Ranges 1 6

and 1 7 East . Stinson had been a trader at Uniontown , near thewestern limit Of present Shawnee county on the south side of the

Kansas river, since 1 848 , and when the territory was Opened forsettlement had located a claim on the river about twenty milesbelow on whi ch he laid out the townsite of Tecumseh and starteda ferry . Stinson ’s house was located on an eminence overlookingCalhoun Blufi s to the north Of the river . A good road was con

structed to the ferry land ing and the enterprise was considered animportan t one

,the ferry being the principal crossing for the route

from Leavenworth to the Sac and Fox and other southern agencies . 1 74

In 1 855 Stinson was granted a twenty-year charter to maintain a

ferry at the new town, the law provid ing that i f the county tribunal

failed to fix rates of ferriage the rates prevailing the previous yearshould remain in force unti l changed by the county .

1 75

The fol lowing advertisement of thi s ferry appeared in a Topekapaper

, and ran for months,thi s being copied from the K ansas

Tribune,Topeka

,April 14

,1 856 :

“TECUMSEH FERRY—KANS AS R IVERThe nearest and best route from Fort Leavenworth to Council Grove .

Th is ferry is now Open,and ready to cross teams, passengers and freight

at any hour . The ferryboat is large, entirely new, and built for this ferry .

The landings on both sides are excellent at al l stages Of water,and for

swimming cattle across is the best and safest place on the river . Emig ants

1 74 . Andreas , H istory of K ansas, p . 53 3 .

1 75 . General S tatutes , Kansas , 1 855 , p . 776 .


and traders passing on the route between Fort Leavenworth and CouncilGrove, wi ll find this the shortest and easiest road ; Tecumseh being on a d irectair line from Fort Leavenworth to Counci l Grove . It is nine miles fromthe ferry to the intersection Of the Great Mil itary Road , on the north side of

the river . Teams leave the Military Road at Rock creek crossing , and thenceacross the Old Parkville crossing Of Muddy creek . Distance from Rock creekcrossing to Muddy creek crossing , 7 miles ; thence to the ferry 2 miles .

Tecumseh is on the direct road from Westport to California . Total d istancefrom Leavenworth to Tecumseh, 50 miles ; thence to Council Grove, 65 miles ;excellent grazing near each landing p lace free Of expense .

“Tecumseh, K . T.,March 6 ,

’55 . T. N. STINSON ,

J . K . WAY SMAN .

Ferry charges in force at this crossing in 1 856 were : One wagon ,two horses

, $1 ; each additional span of horses or yoke of cattle,25

cents ; loose cattle or horses, per head , 1 0 cents ; one horse and

wagon , 75 cents ; man and horse, 25 cents ; foot passengers , 10 cents ;sheep and hogs

, 5 cents each .

1 76

James K . Waysman l ived about two miles east of Tecumseh,settling there in May

,1 854 . He rented the ferry owned by T . N.

Stinson and operated it. In 1 856 the citizens Of Tecumseh agreedamong themselves that they wouldn ’t take any sides in the territorial troubles . Once when Mr . Way sman was absent from home

,

one Donald son came and took his ferryboat as far as Lecompton .

On his return Waysman fol lowed down the river and found hisboat sti l l at Lecompton , and brought it home at his own expense.

Sometime after Donald son had taken the boat to Lecompton Mr .S tinson went to Waysman and reported that some men had cometo him and asked if they might borrow the boat . Waysman toldhim they could not have it . These men then went to Waysman

and asked to borrow it to take down stream , promising to protecthim from the incurs ions of Free Sta temen if he would do so. Waysman declined

,tel l ing them they could not have the boat until they

put him out Of the way , and further that he did not want theirprotection .

1 77

The K ansas Weekly Hera ld , Leavenworth, of August 4, 1 855, hada good write-up of the new town and its ferry . Among other thingsit said

The channel runs on the south side Of the bed,and the banks

and bottom of the river , along here, are rock ; consequently free from all

danger of the bluffs ever washing Off any . There are two good and easy s lopesdown to the river

,besides an excellent road cut and graded down to the ferry

1 76 . Topeka S tate Journa l, December 1 4 , 1 9 0 1 .

1 77 . S tatement of James K . Waysman, dated Topeka , February, 1 883 .—MS . in Kansas

S tate Historical Society.

350 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYlanding . The ferry is arranged with ropes and buoys, and is probably the bestand most certain on the river . The ferry boat is large, new, and capable of

crossing three teams and wagons at each trip . The steamboat land ing is alsoa good one, easily approached and perfectly safe from sand bar Obstructions .

”

In 1 858 and 1 859 Achi l les M . Jordan operated the Stinson ferry ,but whether as proprietor or for Stinson

,we are unable to state.

Jordan was a native of Indiana,born in 1 824 . He came to Kansas

in 1 855 and settled at Tecumseh. During the C ivi l War he wasemployed by the government to purchase l ive stock for the Unionarmy . His death occurred at Fort Scott, October 9 , The

census of 1 860 l ists him as a ferryman , 36 years of age, born ,Indi ana ; wife, Cel i a, 27 born ,

Kentucky ; two chi ldren , born ,K an

sas .

1 7 9

Just how long Stinson operated his ferry we have been unable tolearn

,for records of Shawnee county commissioners , prior to 1 862,

cannot be located in the office of the county clerk . However, in1 862 he signed as surety on a $500 bond with Remi H . Lecompte,1 80who had secured a license for a ferry in that neighborhood .

Remi H . Lecompte’s ferry

,in al l probabil ity

,succeeded Stinson ’s ,

and operated from that location . On July 7 , 1 862 , he received a

l icense to Operate a ferry across the Kansas river with l andingprivileges on lot 8 of the Kaw half breed l and s on the north side Of

the river,and on the road running from Topeka to Leavenworth .

Thomas N. Stinson was surety on his $500 bond required , which

was accepted by the county , July 1 2 ,Aside from the fol lowing complimentary notice Of this ferry froma Topeka paper, no mention other than those found in Offi cialrecords has been found :

“Lecompte

’s ferry over the Kansas river, four mi les below Topeka , Is In

good running order , and is said by travelers to shorten the d istance severalmiles . Mr . Lecompte is an accommodating, gentlemanly man , and we are

g lad to know that he is receiving a good share Of the traveling custom.

”

Topeka Weekly S tate Record, December 17, 1862 .

The next year Mr . Lecompte was granted a license for a ferry ,the application having recited that the ferry was where the one

formerly owned by Updegraff and Brown was established, and

about one and one-half miles below the State Road ferry, owned

1 78 .Information furni sh ed by Vernon W . Wi lson , Topeka, a relative.

1 79 .Census , S hawnee county, 1 860 , pp . 6 5, 66 .

1 80 .Orig inal bond in Office of county clerk , S hawnee county, Kansas .

1 8 1 .Ferry bonds , offi ce S hawnee county clerk ; Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings, Book A, p . 1 9 .


Thi s l icense was granted , and on May 1 8 , fol lowing, El l ieQuiettl s‘and Hiram Chapman , principals , and Wm . M . Jordan and WesleyGregg, sureties , signed a bond for to run a ferry at the townof Tecumseh until the January

,A . D .

,1 866

,term of the board of

county commissioners . 1 85

The next mention of thi s ferry is for the year 1 871 , at whi ch timeSusan Quiett 1 86 made appli cation to the board Of county commissioners Of Jefferson county for a ferry license

,whi ch was granted

by the board . A bond of $100 was requi red and the l icense issuedupon payment Of the clerk ’s fees . 1 8 7 Shawnee county , however,required a bond of whi ch was signed Apri l 28

,1 871 , by

Susan Quiett as principal and J . P . Campbel l as surety , for theOperation of this ferry for the year 1 871

,north Of the town of

Tecumseh, and granting privileges for one-half a mile up and samedistance down from said point . Approved May 1 1 , 1 871 , by ' P . I .

Bonebrake,county clerk .

1 88

Ferry charges for the years 1 872 and 1 873 were identical andwere : two horses and wagon , 35 cents ; one horse and wagon or

buggy,25 cents ; horse and rider, 1 5 cents ; loose horses and cattle,

10 cents ; sheep or hogs , 5 cents each .

1 89

Susan Quiett operated the ferry at least unti l the close of 1 873 ,

accord ing to record s in the Shawnee county clerk ’s Office.

1 9° Afterwards

,Tecumseh

,apparently , was Once more without ferry facilities .

On Apri l 1 2,1 876 , H . E . Goodel l and others , Of Tecumseh, presented

a petition to the county commissioners , asking that T . F . Quiett beal lowed to maintain a ferry without paying the legal l i cense fee.

The petition was rej ected .

1 9 1

“Ed” Taylor , aged 73 , of Ozawkie, Jefferson county , has statedthat he crossed the Tecumseh ferry many times years ago when hebrought vegetables to Topeka to sel l . This was about the year

Thi s would indicate that thi s ferry had been operated

more or less continuously for a period of over thirty years . Beer’s

Atlas of Shawnee County , published in 1 873 , marks the ferry .

1 84 . Census , Jefferson county, 1 8 70 , p . 7 , l ists E. Quiett, male, 6 1 ; rea l estate,personal property, native Of North Carol ina .

0

1 85 . Commiss ioners ' Proceedings , Book A, p . 1 3 9 ; ori gina l bond in office county clerk ,

Shawnee county, K ans as .

1 8 6 .Census , Jefferson county, 1 8 70 , p . 7 , li sts Susan Quiett as being 54 years of age ;born ,

Tennessee ; five ch i ldren , between the ages Of 23 and 1 1 years .

1 87 . Jefferson county , Proceedings Board of County Commi ss ioners , February 7 , 1 871 ,Book O, p . 227 .

1 88 . Origina l bond in Offi ce Of county clerk , S hawnee county, Kansas .

1 89 . County Commissioners ’ Proceedings , Book D , p . 55 , 1 99 .

1 90 . County Commiss ioners ’ Minute Book , B -C , p . 3 6 3 ; or iginal bonds in same Office.

1 9 1 . Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , Book E, p . 2 6 .

1 9 2 . Interview by Norman Niccum, Of Ozawkie, April 29 , 1 93 3 .


The legislature whi ch authorized the Tecumseh ferry also established several territorial roads , one from Iowa Point to Eujatah torun by way of Tecumseh, One Hundred and Ten ,

and Columbia ;another from Atchison, by way of Kickapoo, Leavenworth andHickory Point, to Tecumseh and on to the Old Santa Fé road near1 10 creek ; another from Shawnee mission by way of Will iamDonaldson ’s

,near Mill creek, by Blue Jacket

’s ferry on the Waka

rusa,Big Springs to Tecumseh ; and another from Willow Springs ,

via Glendale,crossing E lk fork of Wakarusa

,between claims of

Henry W . Frick, and A l len Pearson to the Kansas river at a pointabove or at Tecumseh.

1 93 In 1 866 a state road was established fromTecumseh, running south as near as practi cable on the townshipline between ranges 1 6 and 1 7 and connecting with the state roadlead ing to the Sac and Fox agency . William M . Jordan , ThomasMaguire and John Ridgeway were commissioners appointed to l ayout and establish this road .

1 94

A charter for a bridge at Tecumseh was passed by the legisl atureof 1 855 and approved August 30 that year, giving specia l privilegesto the Kansas River Bridge Company . Apparently little was doneunti l 1 857

,when the company began sol i citing subscriptions for the

construction of a bridge. Advertisements Of the enterprise namedE . Hoogland, Of Tecumseh, as being a trustee of the company . Oncommencement of work it was thought practicable to have teamscross on a temporary b ridge inside of sixty days . Early in July thatyear the corner stone was laid . An iron bridge had been contractedfor at C incinnati , and it was expected the new structure would becompleted with l ittle del ay . A territorial paper commenting on thenew enterprise said : The Tecumseh bridge i s expected to be com

pleted by January 1 , 1 858 . As it is the only bridge across theKansas river , its stock must prove a profitable investment.

” 1 95

After completion of one pier work on the bridge was suspended . In1 862 another effort was made to revive the bridge proj ect . The

legislature granted a three-year extension of time beginning withMay 1

,1 862

,for the completion of the bridge,1 96 but it was never

built.Goodel l ’s ferry ,1 9 7 about a mile upstream ,

was the next one. This1 93 . General S tatutes, Kansas , 1 855 , pp . 9 45 , 9 47 , 954, 969 .

1 94 . Laws , K ansas , 1 8 66 , p . 224 .

1 9 5 . Genera l S tatutes, K ansas , 1 855 , D 83 3 ; Kansas Weekly Herald, Leavenworth , March28 ; S eptember 26 , October 3 , 1 8 57 .

1 96 . General Laws, Kansas , 1 862 , p . 1 1 6 .

1 9 7 . Beers ’ Atlas of S hawnee County , 1 873 , p . 54 , shows a ferry at th is point.

23—1070


was probably the successor to the Topeka and Perryville FerryCompany

,and was located at a point where the Goodel l road

reached the river— this being between S . 25 and 36,T . 1 1 , R . 1 6 .

A l i cense was granted to E . A . Goodel l to operate a ferry at thispoint from March 4

,1 872, toMarch 4, 1 873 , on the payment of $10 .

Ferriage charges authori zed by the county were : two horses and

wagon,25 cents ; one horse and buggy

,25 cents ; man and horse

,

1 5 cents ; footman , 1 0 cents ; loose horses , mules and cattle, 10 centseach ; hogs and sheep , 5 cents each .

1 9 8

The Topeka and Perryvil le Ferry Company had a crossing on theriver less than one mile above Tecumseh . The company waschartered March 1 8 , 1 871 , E . A . Goodel l ,William P . Douthitt , C . C .

Howard , H . C . Beard and William H . Weymouth being the iacorporators . The company was capital ized at with shares$1 00 each . Thi s ferry was located at a point where the sectionline between S . 25 and 36

,in T . 1 1

,R . 1 6 , strikes the river in

Shawnee county, landi ng in Jefferson county opposite . Specialprivi leges were granted by the charter for one-half mile above and

one-half mile below said point . This charter was fi led with the

secretary of state,March 20

,The land ing on the Shawnee

county side was on l and owned by Goodel l .At a point two mi les above Tecumseh, Derrick Updegrafi‘

wasgranted authority by the legislature Of 1 860 to maintain a ferryfor a period of ten years

,the act includ ing special rights for one

mile up and one mile down the river 200 This ferry was on S . 23 ,

T. 1 1 , R . 1 6 , and is shown in Beers

’Atlas of Shawnee County , 1 873 ,

p . 54 . Updegraff was one Of the early settlers , locating at Tecumsehin 1 854 .

Another ferry was started at the above location some years l ater .On February 28

,1 870 , a charter was issued to the Topeka and

Grantvil le Ferry Company . Robert C . Love, John F . CenterJohn W . Norton , Harrison M . Knapp and J . B . Whittaker

were the incorporators . The principal office of the company hadnot been decided on at the time the charter was issued , but probablywas at Topeka . The company was capitalized at withshares at $500 each . The company proposed to operate a ferryover the Kansas ri ver, the south landi ng to be in S . 23

,T . 1 1 , R . 1 6 ,

in Shawnee county , and on the north side of the river in S . 24 , T. 1 1 ,

R . 1 6 , in Jefferson county . Three d irectors were chosen for the1 9 8 . S hawnee county , Commiss ioners ' Proceedings , Book D , p . 47 .

1 9 9 . Corporations , v . 3 , p . 2 1 4 .

200 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 60 , p . 273 .

356 THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLYwhereas said Harvey LaFawn has a ferry in operation on the Kansas river

where said road crosses therefore the said Harvey LaFawn now makes app li

cation to the Board of County Commissioners of Shawnee county Kansas fora license to run and maintain a ferry in Shawnee county where the said state

road crosses the Kansas river for the space of one year .

A . H . LAFON .

Received since the establishment of said ferry in cash in accounts

Lafon was given a license the first year without the usual tax,but was required to give a bond

,which was approved by the

county . This ferry existed for several years and was known asthe State Road ferry . Ferriage rates for 1 864 were : Governmentfreight wagon , 2 horses and wagon

,40 cents ; 1 yoke oxen and

wagon , 40 cents ; 1 horse and buggy , 35 cents ; 2 horses and buggy ,50 cents ; 4 horse stage, 40 cents ; 2 horse stage, 25 cents ; man and

horse,25 cents ; loose horses and cattle, each 10 cents ; sheep and

hogs , each 5 cents ; footman , 10 cents ; each extra team,1 5 cents . 204

Ferriage rates for 1 865 showed a sl ight change, as shown by thi sschedule : Government and freight wagons , 2 horse wagonor buggy

,50 cents ; 1 yoke of cattle and wagon , 50 cents ; every

extra span Of horses or yoke of cattle, 25 cents ; 1 horse and buggy ,35 cents ; 4 horse stage, 37 cents ; 2 horse stage, 25 cents ; loose cattleand horses , each, and footman , 1 0 cents ; sheep and hogs , each, 5cents ; for all crossing over and back the same day , half price ;ministers and priests when going to appointments , half pri ce.

205

Lafon’s ferry , l icensed ti l l the first Monday in January

,1 866,

apparently went out of business sometime in 1 865,as no further

mention of its operation has been located .

A . C . Hurd ’s ferry succeeded the above, and was located at thesame place. He was born near Scipio

,Al leghany county

, N. Y . ,

January 1 4 , 1 839 . He came to Kansas in 1 857 , and for a few yearsworked in a grist mil l at Ind ianol a . In August

,1 862

,he enlisted in

Company L,Fifth Kansas cavalry . After being mustered out Of

service he returned to Shawnee county and bought the ferry acrossthe river on the Jefferson-Shawnee county line. He was connectedwith the ferry for the next seven years , making his home in Jefferson county and farming on the side in the meantime.

206 Ferrycharges for the year 1 867 were as fol lows : “Two horses and wagon

,

25 cents ; for each addi tional team ,1 5 cents ; for horseman, 1 5 cents ;

204 . Shawnee county, Commiss ioners ’ Records , Book A , pp . 8 3 -84 .

205 . 1 b id Book A , p . 1 3 9 .

206 Chapman Bros . , Portra it and B iograp h ical Album of Jackson, Jefierson and Pottawatomi e counties, pp . 7 69 - 7 71 ; Corporations , v . 2 , p . 3 27


freight wagon,

one horse and bug , 20 cents ; loose horses andcattel, per head , 10 cents ; loose hogs and sheep , per head , 5 cents ;footman

,10 cents . But no more than the above fees as fi led in the

foregoing,”the commissioners cautioned in the records . 207

In 1 867 Jesse Enochs , a broth'

er- in- law,appeared to have become

a partner,and bonds were fi led for the years 1 867 and 1 868 , men

tioning Fitzsimmons Hurd and A . C . Hurd as proprietors . Li censefees for these years were $10 each.

20 8

The Hurds took out a license for 1 869 , but evidently there wasa change in proprietorship early that year, for A . C . Hurd andJesse Enochs fi led a bond as principals with Shawnee county . A$500 bond for the year 1 870 was fi led on January 1

,A . D . Craigue

and E. P . Kel lam being sureties . 209 Their l icense this year was issued on April 7 .

2 1 0

There was a reorgani zation Of the business in the spring of 1 870 ,and Hurd incorporated his ferry under the name of the Leavenworth and Topeka State Road Ferry Company . The charter wasfi led with the secretary Of state Apri l 5, 1 870 , naming A . C . Hurd ,Jesse Enochs , Jacob R . Bowes , John Enochs and James E . Greer asincorporators . Capital stock was placed at with shares $200each. The ferry was to be located at a point known as Hurd ’sferry , in S . 24

,T . 1 1

,R . 1GB .

,in Tecumseh township

,with the

principal Office of the company at the place where the ferry waslocated .

2 1 1

On Apri l 7 , 1 870 , Hurd and Company applied to Jefferson countyfor their l icense, whi ch cost $1 0 , and specified that ferriage rateswere to remain the same as charged heretofore and fixed by thecounty board .

2 1 2

For some reason or other Mr . Hurd and Jesse Enochs,his brother

in- l aw, appl ied to the legislature of 1 871 for right to operate a ferryacross the Kansas river . Thi s was House Bil l NO. 326

,Of that

session . The bil l was referred to the committee on corporations,whi ch, after amend ing the measure, recommended its passage. Itfai led to pass

,dying on the calendar . 2 1 3

The same year Hurd applied to Jefferson county for a license, andthe county board ordered the county clerk to issue it.

2 1 4 The fol low

207 . Jefferson county, Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings (first book ) , pp . 425 , 426 .

208 . S hawnee county, Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , Book A ,p . 3 66 ; Book B -C ,

p . 2 1 1 .

209 . Origina l bonds in Office of county clerk, S hawnee county.

21 0 . Jefierson county, Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , April 7 , 1 870 , Book C ,p . 8 2 .

21 1 . Corporations , v . 2 , p . 3 27 .

2 1 2 . Jefferson county, Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , Apr i l 7 , 1 8 70 , Book O,p . 8 2 .

2 1 3 . House Journal , K ansas , 1 8 7 1 .

2 1 4 . Jefferson county , Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , July 3 , 1 87 1 , Book C, p . 3 25 .


ing year,1 872

,Speer and Blanchard Obtained a license to operate a

ferry at this location,stating that their ferry was “where the Kansas

river was crossed by the Leavenworth and Topeka state road , at

the same point where Hurd and Enochs ran a ferry during the yearTheir bond was fi led with the clerk Of Shawnee county .

Rates Of ferri age were as fol lows : Two horses and wagon,35 cents ;

one horse,and wagon, 25 cents ; horse and rider

,1 5 cents ; loose

horses or cattle, 10 cents each ; sheep or hogs,5 cents each ; footman ,

10 cents .

”5

The fol lowing order was issued by the Shawnee county commissioners in 1 872 : “

Robert McCoy ,ferry li cense at old Hurd ferry ,

on Leavenworth and Topeka state road , $10 , he to be allowed tocharge the same rates of ferriage as was granted to Hurd and

Blanchard . The order granting license to Speer and Blanchard ishereby revoked . Done November 8

,1 87 2 1 6

The next spring Jesse Enochs , Of K aw township , Jefferson county ,Obta ined a ferry license dated Apri l 8 , 1 873 , for this same location ,giving a bond . His ferriage rates were the same as prevailedduring the yearApparently the ferry business was abandoned at this point for

several years,the next permit being granted by Shawnee county in

1 878,to Enochs and Jackson . They fi led a bond for $400 , which

was approved August 6 , Thi s probably was the l ast ferrying done at thi s location .

The next ferry above was at the Old town of Calhoun,about one

mile d istant,the land ing on the north side being on tract No. 7 ,

K aw half breed lands , and on the south being on S . 23 , T . 1 1 , R . 1 6 .

In 1 857 James Kuykendal l was authorized to maintain a ferry atthi s town

,with special privileges for one mile up and one mile down ,

for a period of twenty years .

2 1 9 Kuykendal l must have retired

from the business within the next two years , as the ferry went into

other hands . James Kuykend all was a pioneer in county bus iness inold Calhoun county . He had held the office of sheriff of Plattecounty

,Missouri , for four years , had been probate j udge for a

decade, and a public man general ly . In Calhoun he was probatej udge

,chairman Of the board of county commissioners

,register of

deed s , county clerk and prosecuting attorney .

220

2 1 5 . Origina l document in office of county clerk , Shawnee county .2 1 6 . S hawnee county, Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , Book D , p . 1 3 0 .

2 1 7 . Jefferson county, Commrssmners ’ Proceedin gs , Book D , p . 3 1 9 .

2 1 8 . S hawnee county, Commissioners ’ Proceedings , Book E , pp . 3 75 , 3 76 .

2 1 9 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 57 , pp . 1 6 1 , 1 62 .

220 . Andreas , H istory of K ansas, p . 1 3 3 9 .


by , where he wil l rest the weary and feed the hungry . Try him. He

will do as he agrees .” 224

The fol lowing advertisement appeared at the same time“Calhoun Ferry—Robert Walker would remind the traveling public that

he has refitted the above ferry in a most substantial manner, making it an

exped itious and safe crossing . The road to Leavenworth by th is ferry isshorter by several miles than any other

, as wel l as better .

“I have also Opened a house Of entertainment on the north bank Of the

river , known as the Calhoun House, where belated travelers can find everyaccommodation and comfort which a Western hotel affords .

“Service prompt and charges moderate .

” 2 25

The Calhoun ferry location apparently was not a profitable one,

and was probably abandoned by Mr. Walker after the season of

1 862, as no further mention of it has been located other than this

bond,fi led that year :

“Know all men by these presents that we G . P . Clark as principal andRobert Walker as security are held and firmly bound unto the state of Kansasin the sum of One Thousand Dol lars lawful money of the United States to bepaid to the state Of Kansas

,for which payment well and truly to be made we

hereby bind ourselves our heirs executors and administrators firmly by thesepresents . Sealed with our seals—d ated the loth day Of May ,

A. D .

,1862 . The

cond ition of the above obligation is such that whereas the county clerk,and clerk Of the board Of county commissioners Of the county Of Shawnee,

in vacation has granted to the said G . P . Clark a license ‘to keep a ferry on

the Kansas river, at the cross ing of the same near the town Of Calhoun ,in

Calhoun [now Shawnee] county ’ and state Of Kansas, until the end Of the

next term Of sa id board of county commiss ioners . Now if the said G . P .

Clark shal l faithfully perform the duties required by law at such ferry thenthis Obligation to be void , otherwi se to be and remain in full force and virtue .

“G . P . CLARK , (Sea l )“ROBERT WALKER (Seal )

[Endorsed on back] Approved this 10 day of May A . D .

,1862—Hau sa MC

ARTHUR County Clerk .

” 226

In 1 861 Robert Walker evidently was seeking a new location forhis ferry . That year he applied to the legislature for a charter fora ferry to be located at or close to the mouth of Soldier creek,over the Kansas river . This act granted special privileges for one

mile up and one mile down the river ; was vetoed by the governor,and was passed over his veto by both houses ?” This location isnear the “three bridges” over Sold ier creek, two of which are rai lroad bridges , and j ust on the outskirts Of North Topeka .

224 .Kansas S tate Recor d, Topeka , April 7 , 1 860 .

225 . Ibid .

226 . Original bond in Office of county clerk, S hawnee county .227 . Pr ivate Laws, Kansas , 1 86 1 , pp . 3 5 , 3 6 .


Fol lowing the granting of thi s charter, Walker made applicationfor a ferry license, his bond having been signed by Daniel Handley :

“To the Hon . Board Of County Commissioners Of the County of ShawneeThe petition Of Robert Walker a resident Of the county Of Shawnee and

state Of Kansas respectful ly shows that the interests Of the traveling publicrequire that a ferry should be kept at or near the mouth of Sold ier creek across

the Kansas river and to the end that the public convenience may be sub

served by the keeping of such ferry your petitioner prays your Honorable bodyto grant him a license to keep a ferry for one year at the place aforesaid or

within one mile above or below the mouth of said Soldier creek .

“Topeka,July 23d , 186 1 . ROBERT WALKER .

” 228

On the granting of his application,Walker posted the fol lowing

rates of ferriage for the year beginning July 23 , 1 861 : Government and freight wagons

,two-horse wagon or buggy , 50 cents ;

one yoke of cattle and wagon,50 cents ; every extra span of horses

or yoke of cattle, 25 cents ; one horse and buggy , 35 cents ; fourhorse stages

,37 cents ; two-horse stages

,25 cents ; man and horse,

25 cents ; loose cattle and horses , each, 1 0 cents ; sheep and hogs ,each

,5 cents ; footmen , 1 0 cents .

” 229

By 1 862 the Walker ferry had passed into the control Of JosephMiddaugh and Oren A . Curtis .About the time the ferrying season Of 1 862 was approaching

,the

ferry proprietors of Topeka and vicinity Of Sold ier creek must haveinspired the fol lowing petition which was presented to the countyboard“TO The Honorable The Board of County Commissioners of Shawnee County .

“The undersigned respectfully petition your honorable board that the rates

of ferriage for the coming year to be col lected at the ferries across the Kansasriver near the mouth of Sold ier creek and at the city of Topeka may be fixedat the following rates to wit :

Government and Freight Wagons .

‘

Two Horse wagon or Buggy 50

One Yoke of Cattle Wagon 50

Every extra Span of horses or yoke Of cattle 25

One Horse and Buggy 35Four horse Stages 37Two Horse S tages 25

Man Horse 25

Loose Cattle Horses,each footman 10

Sheep and Hogs each

Ministers and Priests when going to appointment half priceYour petitioners respectful ly ask that this petition may receive at your

hands a favorable consideration .

228 . Or i gina l document in office Of county clerk , Shawnee county.229 . Ibid .


And your petitioners wil l ever pray &c.

“David Brockway J . F . Cummings A . L . WilliamsC . C . Whiting Geo . B . Holmes M . G . FarnhamJ . M . Hamilton M . K . Smith C . K . GilchristW . S . Nichols Joshua Knowles W . B . FlandersJnO . Martin Justus Brockway Jacob SmithW . K . Elliott John W . Farnsworth J . H . Defouri

D . H . Home John Ritchie C . H . GibsonA . H . Case Nate Swan Paul R . HubbardJohn A. Ward G . G . Gage F . Bil lingsS . H . Fletcher J . B . Whitaker D . N . Bufi

'

um

T. Gullett Geo . O . Wilmarth F . Durbin [ ? lJohn T. Morton Geo . F . Boyd John J . BoydW . R . Brown Ross Burns James A . Hunter

E. W . King August Roberti James ConwellJohn T. Marrat Morris Pickett A . F . NeelyE. C . K . Garvey James R . Parker J . M . Kuykendal lH . M . Kitchen J . F . Jenner Geo . W . Anderson

J . A . Hickey A . D . Craigue E . G . Moon

C . G . Cleland H . H . Wilcox S . Hartman

W . McElheny R . M . Lowe Nelson YoungW . Young John Young I . T. VaughanCharles Engstrom Michael Green Geo . LudingtonGeorge Doane Elijah Osterhout S . E . Chure

”23 0

Wm. Boyd Lorenz PaulyThe petition must have been successful

,for the fol lowing order

was issued :

It is hereby ordered by the board Of county commiss ioners in and for

Shawnee County and state Of Kansas that J . Middaugh and O . A . Curtice are

hereby granted a licence for a ferey at Topeka on the payment to the countyclerk the sum of fifteen dollars and they are hereby authorized to collect thefolowing charges for crosing

Government freight wagonTwo hoss Wagon 40—Buggy , . 50

One yoke of oxen and wagon 40—Each extra team,. 15

One hoss Buggy 35

Fore hoss S tage 40

two hoss S tage 25

man and how . 25

Loose bosses and Cattle 10

Sheep and hogs 05

footman 10

And the same license for the lower ferry comonly known as Walker ’s ferryand also the same rates Of ferrage for the said lower ferry for the space of

one year and no longer .

[Endorsed on back ] Approved Jan . 6,A. D. 1862 , SAMUEL KOS IER,

Ch . C0 . BO.

” 23 1


ing for a large storm sewer whi ch empties into the river at this point .The old road had been covered with S i lt to a depth Of several feetin places , portions Of it apparently having been destroyed by floodor having been removed by other agencies . The Papans came intopresent Sold ier township in 1 840

,and in 1 842 established a ferry ,

the south land ing of whi ch was within the boundaries of the citystreets named above. At this time there was some travel betweenFort Leavenworth and Mexico and the Southwest— sold iers , trappers

,traders , surveyors , explorers , government Officers and others

enough to j ustify them in starting a ferry . They built a log houseon the river bank ad j acent to their ferry and here they made theirhome. The first boats operated by these pioneers were primitiveaffairs

,being fashioned from logs

,hol lowed out and known as “dug

outs,

”and propel led by long poles or oars .

One of the earliest mentions of thi s ferry is the fol lowing, writtenin May

,1 843

,by one Of a party of emigrants on the way to Oregon :

We came to the edge of the Caw river . The river was considerablyswollen on account of recent rains . There were no boats and Of course no

bridges then,but a Frenchman in the neighborhood had three dugouts made

Of logs . These my father secured the next morning and with them made a

platform,fastening the dugouts about four feet apart

,and on this very

primitive craft the wagons were one by one ferried across . The better partOf two days was Spent in crossing the river We rested a day at the

Caw river because the rains were SO heavy , and about Friday we started on

again . There were one hundred and twenty-seven wagons in our

company and something over four hundred and fifty souls .

” 2 3 5

Another with this exped ition says : “We learn from Burnett, whokept a brief journal of the trip , that his d ivision

‘On the 24th

[May ] reached the Walcalusia [Wak arusa ] river,’ where he says :

‘We let our wagons down the steep banks by ropes . ’ They reachedthe Kansas river on the 26th and finished crossing it five daysl ater . ” 23 6

The year 1 844 has gone down in history as the year of the bigflood in Kansas . That year the Kaw river valley for weeks was aseething torrent . The river extended from bluff to blufl

'

. WhereNorth Topeka now stand s flood waters twenty feet deep or morecovered the land and swept the valley as far as eye could reach .

United States army engineers gathering data during 1 933 for theKiro dam project have estimated that the flood of 1 903 lackedeight feet Of attaining the height during the flood Of 1 844—S tatement of V . R . Parkhurst, Topeka civi l engineer, to the author,

23 5 . E . H . Lennox , Over land to Oregon, pp . 1 7 , 1 8 , 2 1 .

23 6 . Wm. A. Mowry, Marcus Wh itman and the Ear ly Days of Oregon, p . 20 1 .


August 29,1 933 . During the height Of the flood , Major Cummings ,

paymaster for the United States army , wishing to cross from the

south to the north side of the river, was rowed by an Ind ian from a

point about the corner Of Topeka avenue and Second street , Topeka ,to the bluff s a mile or more beyond Soldier creek . One of the

Papans l ived in a house j ust above the Kansas avenue bridge Of

to-day . Thi s house withstood the flood until the waters came underthe eaves , when it floated away . The river at this time cut a newchannel , making an island Of the l and on which the house stood .

During the flood their ferry outfit was swept away . The Papans

returned to their Old home in Kansas C ity,where they remained

about two years,when they returned and reéstablished their ferry ? 3 7

“The ferry was not always in one place . Year by year, as the river changed ,

it would move up or down ; wherever the banks made the best land ing theywould move their boat, but always within a few rods of their homes . Theyserved the travelers who were going north and south on their way west, andit was a good business, for they were usual ly in a hurry and were wil ling topay good pri ces to cross the yellow torrent. In those days the river waslarger than it is now and it was a hard and dangerous task to ford it any place .

Their boat was a crude affair,made of hand-hewn logs, with a guide rope to

keep it in p lace . The current helped it across, but most of the power wasfurnished by sweeps and poles in the hands of the ferrymen and passengers ,who usually had to work, as wel l as pay their way across .

” 23 8

Joseph H . Ware, in The Emigrant’s Guide to Ca lifornia , published

in 1 849,says : “At the Kansas crossing, distance 1 00 miles , you will

find a ferry owned by two Ind ians (French Kaws ) . The charge forcrossing is one dol lar for a wagon ; horses or loose stock you canswim across . About ten miles above there i s a mission station bythe M . E . [Baptist?] Church where any blacksmith work can bedone

,which accidents have made necessary .

”

From 1 847 to 1 853 the Papans d id a flourishing business,as the

Orgeon and Cal iforn ia travel was very heavy about this time. Alog house built by them in 1 848 was stand ing, northwest Of NorthTopeka , during the midd le 1 870 ’s ? 3 9 The Papans also operated atol l bridge across Shunganunga creek , about three- fourths Of a mileeast of the present Topeka Santa Fé depot . A large percentage of

the overland California traffic crossed over their bridge and ferry ? 40In 1 853 Papan

’s ferry was operating about a mile below the Kaw

Ind i an vi llage of Fool Chief, whi ch at that time was located in theK aw valley

,between the river and Sold ier creek, on the S . E .

174 Of

23 7 . W . W . Cone, H istor ical S ketch of S hawnee County , Kansas, p . 7 .

2 3 8 . Topeka S tate Journal, August 29 , 1 9 29 .

23 9 . W . W. Cone, H istori ca l S ketch of S hawnee County, Kansas , p . 7 .

240 . Topeka S tate Journa l, December 3 , 1 8 93 .


S . 1 6,T . 1 1 , R . 1 5

,a little over four miles west of the mouth of

Sold ier creek ? 4 1

John E . Rastall, an Old - time Kansan,crossed the Kaw on this

ferry during 1 856 , and described the incident in the Old Kansas

Magazine, of Topeka , in its issue of January,1 873

,as fol lows :

“The crossing of the K aw (Kansas ) river was infinitely quicker, safer and

more pleasant than that of the Missouri . The foresight of the citizens hadprovided a long and strong wire cable which was stretched across , its south

end being fastened near what is now the foot Of Polk street,in Topeka .

Attached to this W ire was a flatboat,sufli ciently large to carry a wagon and

two yoke of oxen, and similar in build to the one before mentioned . By

an ingenious contrivance, the boat, though without wheels, oars,or motive

power within itself, was self propel ling . Upon the cable were two wheels,or

pulleys,through which were passed lines fastened to the boat . The line at

the bow, connecting it with the wheel on the cable,was somewhat shorter

than on the stern,SO that the craft lay at an angle Of forty-five degrees with

the rapid current of the stream. This current striking the side d iagonal ly ,and passing around the stern ,

gave a forward motion to the boat, and the

wheels upon the cable acting freely,we soon s lipped across to our destination

,

Topeka—what there was Of it .

”

Max Greene,in his The Kansas Region ,

published in the year1 856

, describing ferries, had thi s to say of this early-day enterprise“Next is Pappan

’s ferry ; with Pappan ’

s house on the right, peeping cosi lyout from its environment Of trees . On the other side

,an Open p lain up lifts

its garlands braided in the tal l , rank grass that sways to the combing breeze .

Here is the eastern limit of the Pottawatomies, one hundred and fifteen mi lesfrom the mouth Of the river . Passing onward

,broad wings of timber fold in

on both sides ; with the southern bluffs looming up a hundred feet. The Great

Crossing is then reached ,where there are three ferries . On the south bank is

a Pottawatomie vil lage, with stores,a Baptist Mission and school . In this

field Of labor , the ag ents of the church have been more successful than or

dinary , and there are some children of the wild who have reason to bless theirefforts .

”

Just how late the Papans Operated their ferry has not beenlearned , but it must have been into the midd le 1 850

’s . They may

have Operated more than one ferry , as contemporary accountsmention them in widely separated places— several miles west of

Topeka , and also on the Anthony Ward farm adjoini ng Topeka , atabout the foot of Western avenue. This last location was a littleover one and a half miles south of the Ind ianola crossing of Sold iercreek on the Fort Leavenworth mi l itary road ? 42

Peter De Shattio, descendant of an Old St . Louis?

family , who

2 41 . S tatement Of Frederick Chouteau,in K ansas H is tor ica l Col lections, v . 1 -2 , p . 2 87

v . 8 , p . 42 5 . S tatement of Fann ie E. Cole, ib id. , v . 9, p . 573 .

242 . Topeka S tate Journal, D ecember 3 , 1 893 .


There is some confli cting opinion as to the location Of the Papanferry land ing on the south S ide Of the river . Their house was builton the river bank in 1 842 and it was swept away during the flood Of1 844

, leaving a large island in the river where the cabin stood .

Beers ’ Atlas of Shawnee County , 1 873 , Shows thi s island as extending from Jackson westward to near Polk street—nearly five cityblocks in length . While some authorities give the Papan land ing asfar west as Western avenue

,there i s a possibi l ity it was located at

one time several blocks down stream . Former Vice President Curtis ,whose father took over the Old Papan ferry

,has written the fol low

ing regard ing the locationWAS HINGTON , D . C . , September l6th ,

1933 .

My Dear Root—I have your letter and was glad to hear from you . I

remember the Old ferry boat quite well . We lived on Harrison street just a

block from the river and the land ing on the North side was between Harrisonstreet and Topeka avenue . For years after the Old pontoon bridge was builtthe Old ferry boat was on a little sand bar on the North side of the river .

I do not know what year the boat was first established , but Harvey [Henry ?]Worra l made a painting of the ferry boat

,the Pappan ferry , as it appeared

in 1854, entitled ‘Where traffic between the East and the West crossed the

K aw river in pioneer days .

’I would not be surprised if you found this

painting in the Hi storical Society .“After Grandfather Pappan gave up the ferry boat the charter or grant

was taken over by my father and Joseph Middaugh, and I understand Father

and Middaugh were Operating the ferry boat when the pontoon bridge wasbuilt.

“Sorry I cannot give you more information .

With kindest regards, I am,

“Very truly yours, CHARLES CURTI S .

George A. Root,Esq . ,

324 Lindenwood Avenue,Topeka

,Kansas .

P . S .- I think Mr . W .

,son and daughter stil l live in Topeka .

Horace Greeley,ed itor of the New York Tribune, was a d is

tinguished visitor who crossed the ferry May 24, 1 859 , while on his

way west . He arrived in Topeka that day, made a speech, andreturned next morning to Ind ianol a

,to catch the stage running

west ? 46

E ighteen hundred and S ixty will be remembered as the year of

the“d routh.

” Accord ing to the Topeka Tri bune of May 5,“the

river at this place is extremely low ,and it i s with some d ifficulty

that the ferry boats make their regular trips .” The same authority,in issue Of September 1 fol lowing , stated :

“The river at Topeka is246 .Greeley , An Overland Journey, pp . 52, 54 , 55 .


now extremely low— lower than it has been since the season of 1 843 ,accord ing toMr . Papan .

” At thi s time the ferry was operated from apoint near the foot of Western avenue

,about one-hal f mile west of

Kansas avenue, Topeka .

A movement for a bridge at Topeka was started in 1 856 , andon February 14 , 1 857 , a charter for a structure across the Kaw wasobtained from the legislature. This was a pile bridge and openedfor travel on May 1 , 1 858 . It was a great help to traffic while itlasted , but its days were numbered . The month of July

,1 858

,was

a damp one in territory drained by the Kaw , and a ri se in the riversaid to be unequalled since the flood Of 1 844

,fol lowed . On the

morn ing of July 1 7 fol lowing, j ust about two and one-half monthsafter the opening Of the bridge, it floated away , leaving four regiments of United States sold iers , with a l arge baggage train

,bound

for Fort Union , and several trains of Rus sel l , Majors Waddel l ,stranded at the river, waiting to cross ? 47

Apparently nothing was done about rebui lding or repairing thepile bri dge built in 1 858 unti l the fol lowing winter, when the Officersof the bridge company made an attempt to get the bridge in working order. The Topeka Tribune in January , 1 859, printed the following

,whi ch depicted the s ituation at that time :

THE TOPEKA BRIDGEEfforts are now being made to have this crossing Of the Kansas river com

pleted in two months from the present time . Mr . Gordon, the presi dent Of

the company, informed us that this could be done by build ing the bridgefrom the island to the opposite side Of the river, and running a ferry on thisside Of the island until the whole length could be comp leted

,which can be

done in about four months, with the present efficient corps of workers .

The timbers have been contracted for and men are busily engaged preparingthem for use . But a few months and we can again cross the river at TopekaOn a bridge .

”—Topeka Tribune, copied in K ansas Press, Wathena, January 29 ,1859 .

Thi s bridge was located at the foot of Kansas avenue and wasnever rebuilt? 48 so the Old ferry , located on the i sland about oneblock west, again came into its own .

The Topeka Tribune of September 30,fol lowing

,stated there was

a good ferry at this place, but no bridge, but the rebuild ing Of onewas d iscussed . A new bridge appears to have been started l ate inthe fal l . In the latter part of January

,1 859

,a loca l paper stated

that work on the new bridge was progressing at a good rate, and that

247 . Giles , Th irty Years in Top eka , pp . 8 8 - 94 .

248 . Ibid. , p . 9 6 .

24—1070


it was thought it would be completed in about four months . Meantime the ferries were worked feverishly . The Pike’s Peak excitement was at its height and travel through Topeka was increasingd aily . The Topeka Tri bune

,of April 7 , 1 859 , stated that it was

estimated a thousand persons passed through the city for the goldmines this d ate . A week later

,it mentioned that “the ferries at

thi s place are kept running constantly to enable traders to get to

Leavenworth to Obtain good s for the Pike’s Peak trade .

”

Work was started on a pontoon bridge across the river at Topekalate in the fall of 1 859

,whi ch was ready for service early in January ,

Oren A . Curtis had worked for Papans on their ferry as earlyas 1 858

,and the next year formed a partnership with S . L . Munger .

The fol lowing application was fi led with the Shawnee County Commissioners :“To the Hon . The County Supervisors of Shawnee County

“The undersigned Salmon L . Munger a citi zen of the county of Shawnee

and O . A . Curtis a citizen Of the county of Jackson ,would respectful ly petition

your honorable body to grant them a license to keep and run a ferry across

the K aw river at the city of Topeka in sa id county Of Shawnee for the termof one year, your petitioners wi ll every pray &c.

“August 1

,1859 . S . L . MUNGER O . A . CURTIS .

This partnership,apparently

,d id not last very long

,for the

Topeka Tribune Of December 1 7 , fol lowing, stated that the ferrywas again in the hand s of Mr . Curtis . It was said to be in goodorder and that two boats were maintained .

The fol lowing advertisement appeared in the Topeka Tribune as

early as January 14,1 860

, and ran for several weeks :

TOPEKA FERRY !This first class ferry across the Kansas river , is again in the hands of the

subscriber, who is making quick trips with the greatest of safety . My boatsare good , and hand s experienced . This is certainly the best and most reliableferry on the river . 0 . A . CURTIS

,Proprietor .

”

Later in 1 860 Curtis formed a partnership with Joseph Middaughand they secured a charter from the territorial legislature grantingthem authority to maintain a ferry for a period of five years . Incase the river should be bridged before five years , the charter wasto terminate when the bridge was built. NO other ferry was to beestablished or set up within two miles of the city . The companywas privi leged to use steam ,

horse or flat boats as the wants of the

2 49 . Topeka Tr ibune, November 5 , 1 2 , 1 859 ; January, 1 860 .


NO ferriage rates for 1 860 have been located,but a printed schedule

for the next year is reprod uced :

Gover nment F r e ight W agons,Two-hor se W agon or B uggy,One yok e of C a ttle 6L W agon,Every extr a span of horses or yok e of ca ttle, 3 5One H or se B uggy, ,3 5Four-hor se S tages,Two-hor se S tages, 3 5M an 8L H or se, 3 5Loose Cattle H orses, each, ,1 0S heep and H ogs, 5Footmen, ,1 0

J . M IDDAUGH .

0 . A . CUR TI S .

H . C . Covell, Cha irman Co. B oar d .m a caw

Fac- s imi le of handb il l (reduced about one-hal f from the ori gina l ) advert is ing the CurtisMiddaugh ferry at Topeka . O . A . Curtis was the father Of former Vice Pres ident Char les

Rates for the next year were practical ly the same,a reduction Of

ten cents for extra team being the only change in existing rates,but

“ministers one-half price when going to appointments”being added .

Roo'r : FERRIES IN KANSAS 373

Evidently some dissatisfaction regarding the bridge and ferrysituation in Topeka developed that fal l and winter . The Tri bune

of January 1 9,1 861

,contained the fol lowing : “Ferry Meeting .

We are requested to state that a meeting wil l be held in MuseumHall

,thi s evening, to take into consideration the state of the ferry

across the Kansas river at thi s p l ace. C itizens are requested toattend .

It would be interesting to know whether or not thi s cal led meeting was held , and j ust wha t action

,if any

,was taken . As the

Tribune for the next several weeks contained no further mention of

the matter,the meeting apparently was a ‘f

fi zzle .

On February 23,fol lowing

,the Tribune had another mention of

the s ituation :“A SHAME.

—It is a shame upon our town that those persons who comethrough here, from southern Kansas , for these relief good s

,have to give away

one- fourth their load to pay the ferriage across the Kansas river ; when it is a

fact that there are several hundred dol lars in the hand s of committeemen and

agents—belonging by rights to the county—diving in our city, and whichmeans could not be better appropriated than by paying the ferry here forthose who have not the means . Some comp lain of Mr . Middaugh

,the ferry

man, because he will not take less than the regular fees . He should have a

fair price for his labor,and the money sent here from the East should go to

pay such bills .

S ince writing the above we understand that the Topeka relief committeehave generously undertaken to pay the ferriage of all teams sent for relief .Thi s is right. Now we know where a part of the money goes .

”

Midd augh and Curtis,in add ition to operating the Topeka ferry ,

also ran the old Walker ferry,as has been stated . These they

Operated unti l 1 864 , their annual li cens e for each costing $15 , inadd ition to a bond of Ferriage charges had been changedslightly by 1 864 ; the cost of a horse and buggy ferried costing 30cents , instead of 35 cents ; a four-horse stage costing 60 cents , compared to 40 cents ; a two-horse stage costing 30 cents instead of 25

cents , and footmen 1 5 cents instead of 1 0 cents . 25 1

On June 1 9 , 1 863 , another effort was made to secure a bridge atTopeka , and O . A . Curtis was one among the eleven who secureda charter for the Shawnee Bridge Company .

2 52 Thi s company ao

complished nothing . On July 30,1 864

,another company

,known as

the Topeka Bridge Company,received a charter from the state.

253

This company met with no better success than its predeces sor , andon January 5

,1 865

,it applied for a new charter

,

254 which wasgranted , and completed a pontoon bridge by October 1 8 , fol lowing .

251 . S hawnee county, Commiss ioners ’ Proceedings , Book A,p . 8 3 .

252 . Corporations , v . 1 , p . 6 . 253 . Ib id . , p . 1 2 . 254 . Ib id . , p . 1 6 .


Thi s bridge rested Upon thirteen flat boats,each 1 5 x 25 feet

,and

placed about fifty feet apart . The boats were held in place by awire cable stretched a cross the river . The pontoon occupied the

same place where the bridge of 1 858 stood .

” 55

The Kaw river apparently continued in a normal cond ition fora number of years fol lowing the flood of 1 858 . The next mentionof flood waters in the stream at TOpeka was the fol lowing in theS tate Record of August 1 2

,1 863 :

“The Kansas river has not beenSO high for a great whi le as during the past week . There must havebeen high raises on the Blue and Republi can

,as wel l as along the

K aw valley to have caused such a rise . The mail due here Saturdaynight d id not get in ti ll 2 p . m.

,Sunday

,owing to ferrying on account

of high water . ”

High waters in the K aw river were a menace early in the year1 867 . The river then was higher than at any time since 1 858 , Whenthe pile bridge was swept away . The tol l house

,located on the

is land to the west of Kansas avenue,was in d anger . About the

eighth or ninth of February that section of the pontoon bridge tothe south of the island was swept away by the waters , a few of the

boats drifting as far as Lawrence,the remainder being caught and

secured at Lecompton . Fol lowing this mishap the bridge companyinstalled ferry boats which operated from the south shore to the end

of the pontoon bridge on the island , these being operated by Capt .Daniel H .

Home and his assistant , Tim Felton . In the meantimeCapt

.O

.A . Curtis again began operating his ferry boat from his

location a few blocks above Kansas avenue.

256 These boats madetrips across the raging waters when but few people had the hard ihood to undertake it . The bridge company had been doing a lucrative business up to thi s time, and they lost no time in repairing the

d amage, whi ch was estimated at about The mi ssing boatswere eventually brought back and again put into servi ce. In spite

of this hand i cap in the matter of transportation , the hotels Of the

capita l city d id well ? 58 The Topeka Leader of March 14,1 867 ,

printed the fol lowing, which summed up the local situation prettyaccurately :

“The raging Kaw sti ll continues master of the S ituation ; apparently not

content with the victory gained over our pontoons, he summoned the aid Of

the Northern King, and now carries on his ruffled bosom,huge masses of ice,

by whi ch last piece Of strategy he has comp letely circumvented the wiseacres

255 . Giles , Thirty Years in Top eka, p . 9 8 .

256 . Topeka Tu bane, February 1 5 , 22 , March 1 , 1 867 .

257 . Gi les , Th irty Years in Top eka, p . 9 8 .

258 . Topeka Tr ibune, March 1 5 , 1 8 6 7 .


Topeka became an important road center after it had been chosenas the future state capital . Even before that it was an importantlocation , being close to the old Oregon and California road on the

south side of the river which crossed on Papan’

s and Smith ’s ferries ,and being but a few miles from the Old Fort Leavenworth to FortRi ley military road . Beginning with 1 860

, the legislature Of thatyear laid out two roads that affected Topeka , one running fromLeavenworth

hcrossing Big Stranger below the mouth of Fall creek ,

and on to Topeka 26 1 ; another ran from Atchison to Superior , inOsage county , via Valley Falls and Topeka ? 6 2 Five establ ishedin 1 861 ran from Topeka to Counci l Grove ; from Topeka to theNebraska line, in d irection of Salem

,by way of Holton , Eureka ,

Grenada and Capioma ; from Topeka to Chelsea , via Auburn , Wilmington,

Americus,Toledo and Cottonwood Falls ; from Topeka to

Minneol a , via Twin Mound ; and from Leavenworth to Topeka , byway of Oskaloosa ? 6 3 In 1 862 one was laid out between Topekaand Lecompton ? 64 In 1 863 the state road from Topeka to CouncilGrove was changed ? 6 5 Five were established in 1 865 , one runningfrom Topeka to Centropol is and thence to Ottawa ; one from Topeka ,on the l ine between ranges 1 5 and 1 6 , as near as practicable, toHenry Mitchel l ’s farm on South Ced ar creek, thence to Holton and

Wathena ; one from Topeka to the Sac and Fox agency ; one fromTopeka crossing the California road , as near as practicable to thefarm known as the Shield s farm

,and on to C l inton , Douglas county ;

and one from the south side of Sixth avenue,west, in city of Topeka ,

via Wabaunsee county and connecting with the Topeka and Counci lGrove road ? 66 Others were established in 1 866 , one of which ranfrom Topeka to One Hundred and Ten ; another from a point nearthe crossing of Buck creek

,via the Union Pacific Rai lroad

,in Jeffer

son county , at or near the l ine between the townships of Kentuckyand Kaw,

connecting with the state road running from the city of

Leavenworth,via Oskaloosa , to Topeka ; another from the north

end of the bridge across the Kansas river at Topeka and intersectingthe state road from Topeka to Leavenworth, at or near the placewhere said road crosses the Big Muddy . Oren A . Curtis , JosephMiddaugh and J . M . Kuykendal l were commiss ioners appointed toestablish thi s last named road ? 6 7 This was about the last of theearly state roads that affected Topeka .

(To be Continued in February Quarterly . )

26 1 . Laws, K ansas , 1 8 60 , pp . 59 2 , 593 . 262 . Ib id . , pp . 5 84 , 585 .

263 . Ib id . , 1 8 6 1 , pp . 247 , 248 . 26 4 . General Laws, K ansas , 1 8 62 , pp . 798 , 7 9 9 .

2 65 . Laws, K ans as , 1 8 6 3 , pp . 84 , 8 5 . 266 . Ibid . , 1 865 , pp . 1 44 - 1 47 .

26 7 . Ib id 1 866 , pp . 224 , 226 .

The Vegetarian and Octagon

Settlement CompaniesRUS S ELL HICKMAN

HE American frontier has always been a fertile field for experiment in social reform . From the time the “

otherwise-minded”

enrol led under the standard of Roger Williams in Rhode Island unti lthe d i sappearance of the frontier toward the close of the nineteenthcentury

,the vacant lands to the westward gave new hopes to those

who wished to found a new society . Cheap land was a great boon tothose unemployed or not financi al ly prosperous in the East

,while

those who were merely d i scontented could always try a “new deal”

in the West . In a period of incubation of varicolored social theoriesthe frontier served both as a safety-valve for the East and as a convenient laboratory to put theory into actual practice, qualities whi cha more established and crystal l ized society would have lacked .

1

Vegetarianism d ates back as far as the ancient rel igion of Hindustan

,and was advocated by Plato

,Plutarch and other writers of

classical times . In Great Britain George Cheyne (1 671 - 1 743 ) wasone of the earl iest pioneers of the movement

,publishing his Essay on

Regimen in 1 740 . In 1 81 1 appeared J . F . Newton ’s Return to Na

ture, or D efense of Vegetable Regimen,

and in 1 847 the VegetarianSociety was founded at Manchester . Eduard Baltzer (1 81 8- 1 887 )was an early German pioneer , forming a vegetarian society at Nordhausen in 1 868 . Sylvester Graham (1 794 Charles Lane andAmos Bronson A l cott (1 799- 1 888 ) were leaders of the early movement in the United States . In 1 889 the Vegetarian Federal Unionwas formed

,an international federation of vegetarian organizations ?

Vegetari an ism in the United States was one of the many changesproposed in the reform movement of the thirties . Numerous co

operative communities sprang up , inspired largely by a hatredof industrial ism ,

and a determination to return to more S imple modesof l ife.

3 In the movement for reform of the American d iet,opposing

its over-emphasis on meat and heavy food s,Sylvester Graham was

a leader . In 1 830 he was named general agent of the PennsylvaniaTemperance Society . He stud ied human physiology, diet, and

1 . Arthur Meier S ch lesinger , in his New Viewpoints in American H istory (New York , 1 9 26 )p . 2 1 5 , appropr iately quotes Lowel l ’s essay on Thoreau,

“Every poss ible form Of intel lectualand phys ica l dyspepsia brought forth its gospel . Even bran had its prophets , and hooks andeyes their champ ions as a substitute for buttons .

2 . Encyclop ed ia Americana, v . 2 7 (New York , Ch icago, p. 720 .

3 . D ictionary of Amer ican B iograp hy, v . I (New York, p . 1 3 9 .

(377)


regimen during a period of lecturing, and in 1 830 - 1 831 del ivered

lectures on these subj ects in Phi ladelphia and New York,and later

up and down the Atlantic coast. Graham advocated the use of

bread at leas t twelve hours Old,baked from whole wheat unbolted

and coarsely ground . He also proposed hard mattresses , open bedroom windows , cold shower baths , vegetables , fresh fruits

,rough

cereals , pure drinking water, and cheerfulness at meals . Grahambe l ieved that all meats are less wholesome for humans than fruits ,grain and vegetables, that al l cond iments except salt should beavoided , and that tea and coffee, as wel l as alcohol , deserve to beshunned . Emerson dubbed him the

“poet of bran bread and pumpkins .” 4 Yet despite all opposition

,Graham flour appeared every

where, and Graham board ing houses and restaurants sprang up . Afew years later, the famous transcendentalist and educational reformer, Amos Bronson Al cott, proposed a coOperative vegetariancolony . A l cott was a reformer par excel lence

,and was constantly in

attendance at reform meetings— antislavery,vegetarian

,and tem

peranco. During the winter Of 1 843 - 1 844 Al cott,with the CoOper

ation of Henry Wright,Charles Lane and his son William

,worked

out a plan for Fruitlands,a coOperative vegeterian community .

Lane invested his entire savings in a tract near the vil lage of

Harvard,Mass ,

and in June,1 844

,the party moved to this location .

5

Their organization was based on strictly vegetarian principles —noflesh

,fi sh, fowl , eggs , milk, cheese or butter . The experiment was

so rad i cal that even the labor of horses was d ispensed with, and onlythe

“aspiring” vegetables (those growing above ground ) were eaten .

Unfortunately the crops were carelessly planted,and at harvest time

the men left to attend reform meetings . Mrs . A l cott and daughterssalvaged what was possible

,but by winter the Lanes and A lcotts

were the sole remaining members of the community and were on

the verge of starvation . In January Of the next year the experimentwas abandoned .

6 In the later movement in thi s country Henry S .

C lubb (1 827 - 1 9 was a leader . C lubb gave his phi losophy awide currency in his l ater years , as president of the VegetarianSociety of America (late 1 9th and early 20th centuries ) . He re

garded vegetarianism as based upon Scriptural authority ; the early

4 . Ib id. , v . 7 (New York , pp . 479 - 80 . Also the Ph iladelph ia Bulletin, quoted inThe Vegetar ian and Our F ellow Creatures , S eptember , 1 9 02 . The Graham Journal of Hea lthand Longevity appea red in the late thirt ies (D av id Campbel l , editor ) , and m 1 8 3 9 Grahampubl ished his most amb itious work , Lectures on the S cience of Human L i fe (2 vols . ,

orace Greeley was a fol lower of Graham.

5 . Lane wrote A Brief Practical Essay on the Vegetable D iet

6 . D ictionary of American Biography ,v . I , pp . 1 3 9 - 1 40 . There is a very

_good accounthere of Alcott ’s many reform theories . Frui tlands never numbered over eleven i nd iw duals .


By establishing a permanent home for vegetarians,it was bel ieved

that a program of concerted a ction could be fol lowed , with a systemof direct healing , as wel l as permitting the practice of the vegetarianprinciple. Members were required to be of good moral character

,

not S laveholders , and appl ications had to be approved by the boardof directors .The Oflicials of the company immed iately levied an assessment of

ten per cent (50 cents a share) , to provide a fund with which to erecta saw mil-l and gristmill

,purchase a stock of provisions

,seed grain

,

tents , utensi ls, etc. Each member was cal led on to pay $10 to thisfund of the company

,the headquarters of which were at NO. 308

Broadway , New York .

1 2 C lubb announced that persons who became members before the end of the month (January , 1 856 ) wouldbe called founders , and would participate in the drawing of lots . 1 3

The New York Tribune announced that the company then consistedof about fifty families , with capital stock aggregating aboutThe Shareholders were one- third practical farmers

,and two-thirds

mechanics and professional men— not a very promising proportionfor l ife on the frontier . 1 4

The Vegetarian Kansas Emigration Company was the first toadopt the Octagon plan of settlement

,a scheme also formulated by

Henry S . C lubb .

1 5 Membership in the company was limited to

vegetarians,and as a result their Settlements would be of a re

stricted nature . No doubt the promoters received applications frommany would -be settlers in Kansas who d id not agree with thi s l imitation

,but who were otherwise in sympathy with the Obj ects of the

founders— opposition to slavery ,1 6

and advocacy of a moral l ife.

Thus it would appear that by found ing several settlements , vegotari an and nonvegetarian

,the chance of success of the colonies and

of financial returns to the promoters would be considerably improved .

Whatever their motives,C lubb and his col leagues decided to

organize a second company as a complement to the vegetarian or

1 2 . Ib id. , p . 843 .

1 3 . L ife Illustrated , cl ipped in Hera ld of Freedom, January1 4 . New York Da ily Tri bune, January A pertinent criticism leveled at Eas tern

emigrants , including those of the New England Emigrant Aid Company, was their lack ofpreparation for frontier l ife, in contrast to those from the Middle West .

1 5 . S ee below for a description of th is p lan .

1 6 . There was a large emigration to K ansas from the free states in 1 856 , despite the periodof troubles ," a lthough the movement was far greater in 1 857 . A number of the groupswh ich came in the spring of 1 856 were semimil itary in character , some even being h ired tofight for the cause of the South , others the North , as occas ion might arise. The wr iter hasfound no reason for bel ieving that the two companies here discussed were in th is category .

HICKMAN : SETTLEMENT COMPAN IES 381

ganization ,to be known as the Octagon Settlement Company .

This company was to avoid the vegetari an limitation , but otherwise was to greatly resemble its sister company . The Octagon com

pany Opened its books for subscriptions in February , 1 856 , and bythe end of the month had enough members to start one octagonvil lage of four miles square. It was hoped to form a city equal insize to that of the Vegetarian company , on the Neosho, oppos ite its

predecessor . 1 8 The officers of the vegetari an organization were alsoto serve in the Octagon company , Charles H . DeWolfe being namedpresident

,Dr . John McLauren

,treasurer and pioneer in Kansas

,

and Henry S . C lubb,secretary . An agent was named for Great

Britain (Robert T . C lubb ) , and another for New York C ity .

1 9 The

constitution of the company declared the fol lowing obj ects“1 . To form a union of persons of strict temperance princip les , who, in

the admiss ion of members , sha ll have a guaranty that they wil l be associatedwith good society, and that their children wi ll be educated under the most

favorable circumstances , and trained under good examp le .

“2 . To commence a settlement in Kansas territory , for the pursuit of agri

culture and such mechanic arts as may be advantageously introduced .

“3 . To promote the enactment of good and righteous laws in that territory,

to uphold freedom, and to oppose slavery and Oppression in every form.

” 20

The promoters planned for their model community a “hydropathi cestab l ishment

,an agri cultural col lege

,a s cientific institute, a mu

seum of curiosities and mechanic arts , and common schools .” 2 1 The

“hydropathi c establishment,

”or water- cur e proj ect

,occupied a

prominent place in the plans of the founders , several of whom be

longed to the medi cal profession . Water- cure societies were thenbeing established in many places ; one was organized at Lawrencein March

,1 855 . They emphasized a

“return to nature,

” with theavoidance of drugs and patent med i cines then so much advertised .

The constitution of the Lawrence society provided in its preamble,

“that hydropathy , including the hygienic agencies of water,air

,

l ight,food

,temperature

,exercise, S leep , clothing, and the passions

in their various modifications,comprises a whole and ampleMateria

1 7 . The Vegetar ian and Octagon S ettlement Companies have a h istory so closely con

nected , that it is at times d iffi cult to dist inguish between them. There are other examp les ofpara l lel and interlocki ng compan ies In the terr itor ia l period ; the American S ettlement Company and the New York K anzas League is a ca se in point .

1 8 . Document, The Octagon S ettlement Comp any , K anzas (N. Y . ,p . 3 .

1 9 . Ib id . , p . 2 .

20 . Blackrnar , K ansas , v . 2 , p . 3 80 .

2 1 . Document .

The Octagon S ettlement Comp any , Kunzas, p . 4 . Each member agreed toabstain from Intoxi catmg li quor .

“Maine Law” men were prominent among the Eastern emigrants to K ansas terr itory.


Medica,capable of producing al l the real ly remed ial effects poss ible

in all d iseases 22

The octagon plan of settlement,adopted by both the Vegetarian

and Octagon companies,was a unique feature of the proj ects . Each

octagon- shaped settlement was to be of four square miles , oracres . Upon thi s square a full - sized octagon was to be imposed ,whose eight segments were each to be d ivided into two farms of 1 02acres each . Each of the sixteen farms would front upon the centraloctagon of 208 acres

,which was to be used for a common pasture or

park,and to be held by the trustees for the equal benefit of the

settlers . A communal l ife would be attained by placing each farmhouse facing the central octagon

,at whose central point an octagon

public build ing would be constructed , to serve as store,meeting

house, s chool , and church . Of the four miles original ly taken up,

the four corners stil l remaining outside the octagon settlement wouldbe used for wood land or grassland . It was planned to make fourof these octagon vi l lages into a “city” of S ixteen square miles , witha square of 584 acres in the center

,to be devoted to an agricultural

col lege and model farm ? 3

The octagon plan of settlement aimed to give the western settlersome of the advantages of the East, with the hope of avoid ing thehated isolation of the frontier . Each settler would l ive in a village,enjoy the aid and protection of his comrades , and attain social andeducational advantages not otherwise possible. The l iterature of

the project stressed in particular the increase in property valueswhich would result from thi s form of settlement . In the hope thatthe octagon vi llage would become the center of a city , a detailedplan was worked out to subd ivide the farms into lots ; each was to bed ivided into eight squares , of twenty lots each , varying in size fromthe center ? 4 Each purchaser of a share in the company would paya dol lar entrance fee, and an initial installmmt of ten cents upon

the five-dol lar Share, and could take not less than twenty nor

more than 240 Shares ? 5 He was entitled to as many city lots as

he took Shares . The company would pay an acre to the gov

ernment for its l and , and al l that it received above this would be

22 .Constitution of Lawrence Hydropath ic Hygienic Society, Herald of F reedom, March

3 1 , 1 8 55 . A water - cure building was to be constructed upon a conveniently s ituated h il l inOctagon City.

”

2 3 . D ocument, The Octagon S ettlement Company , K ancas, pp . 5 , 6 . The frontispiece hasan elaborate i l lustration .

24 . Ib id . , p . 6 .

25 .Actua l practice var ied from the or igina l p lan , a fact wh ich must

.

be borne in mind incons idering the later h istory

.

Of the colonies . The techn ique of‘

tOW DS Ite promotion on theWestern frontier was an art in itself , open to all possessed of a‘gift of gab

”and a native

shrewdness .Capita l was not an in itial necess ity, as it would fol low as a matter of course.

THE KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

it appears to have enjoyed a transitory boom . Lots bought earlyin May at premiums amounting to $40 were sold a few d ays laterat premiums amounting to Emigrants were then arrivingfrom all d irections ; a majority came during April , May , and June.

3 0

The proj ect thus bril l iantly begun ended in complete failure. Itappears certain that in order to gain settlers the promoters maderash promises which could not be fulfi l led . There was but one plowin the whole establishment, although the ofli cials had promisedimplements and teams for every shareholder (i . e.

,settler) . Their

promise to construct a saw and grist-mill also d id not materialize.

One writer blames the promoters for “gross misman agement,”if not

something worse.

3 1 The location of the colony was beset by mos

quitoes, and chi l l s and fever attacked the settlers . 3 2 The“inexhaust

ible” spri ngs dried up, and the crops that were planted were raided

by neighboring Ind i ans . 3 3 Bitter d isappointment and much sufferingresulted . As winter neared

,all who could leave did SO. There was

a heavy mortal ity among the chi ldren and older people. By thefol lowing spring (1 857 ) hardly a trace of the settlement remained ,although the stream along which the companies located is sti l l knownas Vegetarian creek .

3 4

Among the factors lead ing to the failure of the colony , the“high

pressure salesmanship” tactics of the promoters appears to rankfirst. Too many promises of paternalisti c aid were made to thesettlers . The S ize Of the farms (only 102 acres ) may have d iscouraged the emigrants ,3 5 but most d isappointing of al l was thefailure to construct mills , and other promised features . The mem

bership numbered many Easterners , who were not prepared for l ifeon the frontier, a significant fact accounting for the abandonmentof the colony . The charges

,made by many of the settlers

,of the

d ishonesty of the promoters cannot be entirely proved . It appears ,

3 0 .Neosho C ity correspondence of May 1 2 , of the Da ily M issouri Repub l ican, May 23 ,

1 856 . The S t . Louis papers carr ied much news of the K ansas border . The above appears to

b e a typica l “boom"notice.

3 1 .L . Wa l lace Duncan , H istory of Neosho and Wilson Count ies, K ansas (Fort Scott,pp . 3 7 3 8 . C lubb appears to have abandoned the K ans as experiment precip itately .

Y et, after leaving K ansa s , he became

tO

acknow led ged as the leader of vegetar ianism in America .

He was quite young at the time of the K ansas venture.

3 2 . M rs . Miriam D . Colt, Went to K ansas , (Watertown, p . 88 . June 26th entryS everal members of our company have suddenly been taken with the ch ills and fever .

3 3 . Duncan , op . cit . , p . 3 8 . The colony was located near the boundary of the New YorkIndian Reserve and the Osage reservation . Nomina l ly it was not open for settlement . As far

as law and order went, th is was somewhat of a“no man

’

s . land” at th is time. The immed i

ate local ity was not surveyed unti l 1 8 57 and 1 858 . C la im troubles were frequent, and“

jayhawking” flour ished .

3 4 . Ib id . , p . 3 8 . Andrea s , in h is H is tory of K ansas (Ch icago, comments on page6 68 that four settlers rema ined permanently—C har les Balan d , Z . J . W izner , and Watson and

S . J . S tewart . The same author has a bri ef b iography o f S amuel J . S tewart on page 6 7 5 .

He served i n the Free - S tate legis lature of 1 857 , and took an active part in the Civ il War .

3 5 . Andreas remarks (p . 6 68 ) that the two S tewarts were so dissatisfied w ith the ar

rangements that they located cla ims elsewhere.

HICKMAN : SETTLEMENT COM PAN IES 385

however, that money was col lected for the purpose of properly starting the colony , whi ch was not so used .

3 6 Those who resorted toC lubb for help were disappointed , as he had no money to refund .

3 7

The l ater history of vegetarianism was more successful from the

standpoint of colonization . In 1 890 Henry S . C lubb , then president of the Vegeta ri an Society of America , became the editor of

Food,Home, and Garden, which in 1 900 was united with the

Vegetarian Magazine, published by the Vegetari an company atChi cago.

3 8 C lubb was then very active in promoting vegetari ancolonies throughout the country and made personal tours to locatefavorable S ites . The Vegetarian Magazine and its successor

,The

Vegetarian and Our Fellow Crea tures, published many accounts ofsuch colonies during the first quarter of the twentieth century . In1 920 the place of publi cation of this magazine itself was moved toone of these colonies, in Idaho.

3 9

3 6 . B lackmar , Kansas , v . 2 , p . 842 .

3 7 . August 1 1 th entry , Co lt, Went to Kansas , p . 1 28 : My husband has been anxious tosee Mr . Clubb at h is present ab iding p lace, up on S tone creek to see if he would tefund any of the money that he put into h is hands . Mr. Clubb had no money torefund , but let us have some corns tarch , fari na , a few dates , and a l ittle pearled barley.

It is rumored that H . S . Clubb has resorted to h is present abode, that he may makehis way quietly out of the terr itory . We can take advantage of no law to rega in our moneypa id to h im for the company .

”

3 8 . The Vegetarian Magaz ine, January , 1 900 , p . 1 2 . Reverend Clubb was then a lso pastorof the Bible Chr istian Church , Ph i ladelph ia . Bes ides promot ing the vegetar ian fa ith , theVegetarian comp any also sold var ious vegetarian products at that time : peanut butter , Kunghphy (a substitute for coffee) , Vegetarian soap , KO Nut (a butter made from cocoanut oil ) ,raham flour , etc. Compare the Kellogg and other trade products of to-d ay . Vegetariani sm

thus became h igh ly capita l ized .3 9 .

. Information from various numbers of The Vegetarian Magaz ine and its successors .

Vegetari anism in America was a lways closely a ll ied w ith proh ib ition . Clubb was th e authorin 1 8 56 of The M a ine L i quor Law (New York , a h istory of proh ib ition and its leadingadvocate, Nea l Dow. Clubb also wrote a ser ia l “History of Vegetar iani sm,

”1 907 . A l ike

ness of Clubb appears In the frontispiece of the Vegetar ian Magazine for February, 1 900 .

The John Crerar L i brary of Ch icago has an incomp lete fi le of the Vegetarian Magaz ine andits successors . The K ansas S tate Hi storica l Society has documents and other informationIllustrative of the Kansas venture.

25—1070

The John Brow n PikesFRANK HEo on HODDER

HE most interesting of the John Brown rel ics are the pikes thathe intended to put in the hands of slaves . A pike consisted

of a two-edged blade, ten inches long, made from steel ; a guardfive inches wide, made of malleable iron

,attached by a ferrule,

also of malleable iron,to a hand le six feet in length

,made of ash .

They were obtained from Charles Blair, of Col l insville, Conn . When

the United States Senate appointed a committee, known from itschairman , Sen . James M . Mason of Virginia

,as the Mason Com

mittee,to investigate the Harper ’s Ferry Invasion

,Blair was sum

moned to Washington and in his testimony gave a ful l account ofthe making of the pikes . 1 There is some account of the pikes inthe biographies of Brown by Sanborn2 and Villard3 and add itionaldata are contained in the letters of Blair to Brown in the archivesof the Kansas State Histori cal Society .

About the first of March,1 857 , Brown spoke in Col l insvi l le on the

subject of cond itions in Kansas . The next morn ing be exhibited ina local drug store some weapons that he had taken from Pate’s bandat Black Jack . In Showing a dirk he remarked that, if mounted on along handle

,it would make a capital weapon with whi ch the settlers

of Kansas could defend themselves agains t sudden attack . It wasBlair ’s recol lection , three years after the event, that Brown thenturned to him,

knowing he was a blacksmith,and asked what it

would cost to make five hundred or a thousand of them,and that he

replied that he would make five hundred for a dol lar and a quarterapiece

,and a thousand for a dol lar apiece. Sanborn represents that

the remark was made to H . N. Rust, with whom Brown was negotiating for the repair of some pistol s sent from Kansas, and that Rustlater took up the matter with Blair . Some color is given to Sanborn ’s version of the incident by the fact that two of Brown ’s latercommunications to Blair were made through Rust .Brown returned to Col l insville March 1 1 and arranged with Blair

to make a dozen sample pikes and send them to him at Springfield,

Mass . March 20 Blair wrote Brown that he would send the sampleson the fol lowing day . The ferrules , he wrote, were made of Sheet

1 . S enate Rep ort, No. 278 , s6th Cong . , 1 st sess . , pp . 1 2 1 - 1 29 . S eria l NO. 1 040 . C itedherea fter as Mason Report .

2 .F . B . Sanborn , The L ife and Letters of John Brown (Boston, pp . 3 75 - 3 78 .

3 .Oswa ld Garrison Villard, John Brown, A B iography Fifty Years After (Boston ,

pp . 283 -285 , 400 -401 .


May 7 Blair wrote Brown that he must wait three weeks for theferrules and some four weeks before the hand les would be seasonedsufficiently to set the ferrules ; that i f the ferrules were put on beforethe timber was properly seasoned they would be l ikely to workloose ; that the blades would be forged , tempered and ground

, so

that it would take l ittle time to fini sh them when the lumber wasright, and that he thought that they would be ready by the first ofJuly , but not as soon as first talked of . He added that he intendedto go to Iowa for a few weeks , but that the business would be at

tended to in his absence by his son . He closed the letter to Brownby “wishing him success in his enterprise,

”the only time he made

any comment in his letters upon the use to whi ch the pikes were tobe put . To both letters Brown replied May 14 from Canastota tothe effect that Blair need not hurry the fi rst five hundred unti l thehand les were properly Seasoned or the remainder until he shouldhear from him again .

Blair d id not receive this letter until his return from Iowa .

August 27 he wrote Brown that he had commenced the wholenumber of articles , that he had all the hand les wel l seasoned , theferrules , guards , etc. , but that not having heard anything furtherfrom him

,had let them rest . “I d id not know

,

”he wrote

,

“butthat things would take such a turn in Kansas that they would not

he needed .

” He added that he d id not blame Brown,as be wel l

kn ew that when a man is depend ing on the publi c for money he isvery likely to be d isappointed ,

”and that he need not give himself

any uneasiness about the affair , for i f I go no further with them,

“I shall lose nothing,or but little .

” 6 September 1 1,and again

February 10 and March 1 1,1 858

,Brown wrote explaining his

inability tomake the payments cal led for by the contract. February1 0

,Blair had wri tten Brown that he could not go on with the spears

unless assured of his money ; that he would let Brown have them if

he could get them finished elsewhere, but that he would prefer to

go on with them if some responsible parties would guarantee payment within three or four months .Nothing more was done about the p ikes for nearly fifteen

months . June 3 , 1 859 , Brown unexpected ly appeared in Col l insvil leand wanted the pikes finished . Blair protested that he regarded thecontract as forfeited , that he was busy with other things and couldnot bother with them ,

and that as Kansas matters were settled theywould now be of no use. Brown replied that they might be of someuse

,i f they were finished up, that he could di spose of them in some

6 . Pr inted in S anborn , p . 3 78 .

HODDER : THE JOH N BROW N PIKES 389

way,but

,as they were, they were good for nothing . Blair finally

agreed that if Brown would pay the balance due he would get someone to finish the “goods .” The next morning Brown paid $150 , $50 inbil ls and a check of Gerrit Smith’s for $100 , and three d ays l ater senta draft from Troy for the remaining $300 . Blair secured a man bythe name of Hart to finish the pikes . The last of August be re

ceived letters from Chambersburg , Pa .,signed

“I . Smith Sons,

” 7

instructing him to send the “freight” to them at that place in care

of Oakes Cauffman . At that time the rai lroads did no freightbusiness themselves

,but that business was done by forwarding

companies owning private freight cars . Oakes Caufiman was aforwarding company . The blades , guards and ferrules were packedin boxes and the handles were tied in bundles of twenty or twentyfive and marked “fork handles .

” Blair testified that 954 were sent,presumably in addition to the twelve samples ori ginal ly made. He

also testified that'

he did not know where Chambersburg was,but

supposed that it was on the way to the West . A letter dated atChambersburg

,September 1 5, also signed

“I . Smith Sons ,”ao

knowledged their receipt . From Chambersburg they were transported in wagons to the Kennedy farm . Some of the p ikes weretaken to Harper ’s Ferry October 1 6 , the night of the raid . The

next morning al l the material remaining at the farm was taken byCook, Tidd and Owen Brown to a country school house three milesfrom Harper ’s Ferry on the Maryland side. When this was seized483 pikes and 175 broken handles for pikes were found .

8 The re

maining pikes are supposed to have been distributed to slaves .There is nomeans of ascertaining how many of the pikes havebeenpreserved

,but probably a considerable number are sti l l in existence.

There i s one in the National Museum in Washington . There are

two in the museum of the Kansas State Histori cal Society,one with

the original hand le and the other without a handle. They were purchased in 1 881 from J . Shaw Gallaher

,of Charles Town

,West Va . ,

for $15 apiece, and were the first rel ics bought by the Society .

There i s one in the histori cal col lections of the University of Kansas .

It original ly belonged to John S . Cunningham,a pay director in the

navy .

9 By him it was given in 1 885 to George A lfred Townsend ,7 . Printed ‘‘

.J Smith Sons in the Mason Report . The‘"J should be ‘‘

I .

" Brownhad assumed the name Isaac Smith .

8 . Mason Report, pp . 5 1 , 54 5 9 . James Redpath , The Pub l ic Lit e of Cap t. John Brown(Boston , p . 26 9 . Redpath g ives the number of broken han es as 1 50 , but the iaventory in the Mason Report gives 1 75 .

9 . John S . Cunn ingham was made purser in the navy in 1 857 , p ay director in 1 871 , re

t ired in 1 883 , and died in 1 8 9 4 . He wrote Townsend i n 1 885 that he w itnessed the executionof John Brown , but the records of the Navy Department do not show that he was present inan offi cial capacity.


a noted journalist of that day . At Townsend ’s death in 1 914 hiseflects were sent to Boston for sale at auction

,and this pike was

among the articles purchased by Charles L . Cooney,a local anti

quarian dealer , by whom it was presented to the Univers ity of Kansas in 1 923 . For the original hand le a shorter one of oak had beensubstituted .

A rel i c is of very little value un less it has some significance. The

pikes are important because the order for them is the first ind i cation of Brown ’s intention to abandon the Kansas field and to revertto his earlier plan of starting a S lave insurrection in the South . The

civi l war in Kansas in the summer of 1 856 resulted in the victory of

the Free State men and amply proved their ability to defend themselves . Governor Geary arrived in Kansas in the fal l of 1 856

,sup

pressed the roving bands upon both sides, and established peace in

the territory . Brown went east in January of 1 857 ostensibly toraise fund s for the defense of Kansas but real ly with other plans inmind . He planned to bring his band together in the fall of 1 857at Tabor

,in southwestern Iowa where he had stored two hundred

Sharps rifles intended for Kansas , and he engaged an Engl ish ad

venturer by the name of Forbes to give the men military instruction .

Toward the end of February,1 858

,he communicated his plans

to Gerrit Smith and F . B . Sanborn at Gerrit Smith ’s home in Peterboro, N. Y .

, possibly omitting mention of Harper ’s Ferry as theintended point of attack, and received from them their hearty ap

proval . 1 0 Soon afterward Brown and Forbes quarreled . Forbeswent east and betrayed Brown ’s plans to Seward , Henry Wilson ,Horace Greeley and others . May 24

,Brown ’s backers—Gerrit

Smith,Howe

,Parker

,Stearns, Higg inson and Sanborn—met in

Boston , decided that the execution of the attack must be postponedin view of Forbes ’ d isclosures and sent Brown to Kansas to d ivertsuspicion . It is scarcely possible that Brown ,

in spite of his pro

fessions , ever intended to send the pikes to Kansas . They were not

suited to the kind of warfare waged in the territory , and pitchforkswould have afforded equally good protection to the lonely womenon the farms . On the other hand , they exactly suited his plan fora slave insurrection . They could be had in large quantities for l ittlemoney

,they required neither ammunition nor special skill in their

use and would be effective in hand -to-hand combat In view of

their special importance in the development of Brown ’s plans , it is

perhaps worth while to have told their story in detai l .

1 0 . Ra lph Volney Har low ,Gerr it Smith and the John Brown R a id, in The American

H istorica l R eview for October , 1 9 3 2 , v . 3 8 , pp . 3 9 42 .


St . Paul Lutheran Church of C lay Center celebrated the twentyfi fth anniversary of the ded ication of its present church ed ifice,June 25, 1 933 . Histories of the organization were published in theClay Center Economist

,June 21 , 1 933 , and the Clay Center Times,

June 22 .

George A . Linn , Mrs . B . T . Frost and Mrs . Sarah E . Dooty

Strange,three pioneer Kansans , reminisced in the Neodesha Register

recently . Mr . Linn was interviewed for the June 22 , 1 933 , issue ;Mrs . Frost wrote for the June 29 issue, and Mrs . Strange for theissue of August 3 .

An excursion to Leavenworth by a narrow gauge railroad wasbriefly described by Mrs . El la Fulton in the Winchester S tar

,June

30, 1 933 . A short history of Winchester was also included in t his

i ssue.

A Few Reminiscenses , a column conducted by H . V . Butcher,ran serially in The Western S tar, Coldwater, during July and

August,1 933 .

“Strange Were the Happenings in Kansas When Polygamy Wasthe Fad ,

” was the title of a story depicting the l ife of an old Ind ianchief Al- le-ga-wa-ho

,which appeared in the Kansas C ity (Mo. )

Journa l-Post,July 2

,1 933 .

Historic Sites , Scenery , Found Throughout State, by HughAmick

,was the title of an article published in the “Vacation Num

ber”of the Wichita Sunday Eagle, July 2 , 1 933 .

Early-day Lawrence printers were named in a letter from W . J .

Flintom, of San Diego, Cal . , which was printed in the LawrenceDaily Journal-World , July 4 , 1 933 . Mr . Flintom came to Kansasfrom Vermont in 1 869 .

A history of the site of the Scott county state park, whi ch wasgiven in an address to a recent bar association meeting in ScottC ity

,by R . D . Armstrong, S cott C ity attorney , was published in

the Dodge C ity Dai ly Globe, July 10 , 1 933 .

Two letters recalling the visit of President R . B . Hayes to NeoshoFalls in 1 879 were printed in the Neosho Falls Post

,July 1 3 , 1 933 .

Frank S . Denney and E . B . Moore were the contributors .

Former pastors and friend s of the First Presbyterian Church of

C l ay Center contributed Special hi storical articles to the ClayCenter Times, July 1 3 , 1 933 , recalling their connections with the

KANSAS HISTORY IN THE STATE PRES S 393

church . The occasion was the ded ication of a new church building,July 1 6 . The Presbyterians first organized in C lay Center Apri l 1 ,1 871 .

The s ixty-fi rst anniversary of the Wichita Eagle was ObservedJuly 1 6 , 1 933 , with the i ssuance of a special i l lustrated hi storicaledition .

Early Irish settlers near Solomon were discussed in an artic leprinted in the Salina Journa l, July 1 8 , 1 933 . The story was basedon hi storical sketches of a similar nature appearing in the SalinaRustler

,Apri l 1 3

,1 895 .

A j ubi lee commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the organization of the Mission Covenant Church of Stotler was held July 1 6 ,1 933 . A brief hi story of the church was published in The JournalFree Press

,Osage C ity , July 1 9 , and in the Topeka Dai ly Capi tal,

July 20 .

Numerous fossi l di scoveries have been announced from northernand western Kansas in recent years . An area of about seventysquare feet, containing over sixty tracks of four different speciesof prehi stori c animals

,was recently found on the George Hrabik

farm near Sylvan Grove,according to the Sylvan Grove News, July

20 , 1 933 . A Mr . Brandhorst and Dr . H . H . Lane,Of Kansas Uni

versity , are col laborating on the interpretation and description of

these tracks .

A brief sketch of the John W . Harding family , as prepared byMabel Hard ing , of San Diego, Calif . , was printed in The Western

S tar,Coldwater, July 21 , 1 933 . Miss Harding also contributed a

column of reminiscences to the S tar in the August 18 i ssue.

A column entitled Territorial Days in Oskaloosa ,” by FrancisHenry Roberts

,started in the Oskaloosa Independent, July 27 1 933 .

Mr . Roberts ’ recol lections in a former column,“Early Days in Oska

loosa,

” d ated from the summer of 1 862 .

J . A . Comstock,early-day hotel c lerk in Dodge C ity , wrote of his

experiences in that frontier town in the Dodge C ity Dai ly Globe,

July 28 and 29 , 1 933 . Mr . Comstock,now of New York , came to

Dodge C ity in 1 881 .

An add ress , “A Half Century of Kans as Journalism , by GomerT . Davies

,ed itor of the Concordia K ansan, was del ivered at a

meeting of the Kansas Editorial Association in Topeka, June 1 0 ,


1 933, and was published in the Topeka Pink Rag in its i ssues of

July 28 and August 4 .

A brief biography of Col . S . S . Prouty,early Kansas newspaper

man , was sketched in the Dodge C ity D ai ly Globe, August 1 , 1 933 .

Some reminiscences of A . Canning,Kansas pioneer, were printed

in the Salina Journa l,August 2

,1 933 . Mr . Canning ’s family came

to Kansas in 1 859 and settled near Counci l Grove.

The kill ing of the l ast buflalo in Mitchel l county was d iscussedby Alonzo Pruitt in the Glen Elder Sentinel

,August 3

,1 933 .

Who’s Who in Lucas,

” a series of articles relating the historyOf the town ’s business concerns

,i s being published serially in the

Lucas Independent, commencing with the i ssue of August 9 , 1 933 .

The C loud county Ind ian raid in 1 868,in which Sarah WhiteWas

kidnaped , was recalled by Victor Murdock in theWichita (evening)Eagle, August 14 , 1 933 . Mr . Murdock interviewed William E lvinWhite, a brother of the kidnaped girl , for the story .

Cl ifton High School ’s history was published in the C l ifton News

in its issues of August 1 7 24 , and 3 1 , 1 933 . The first school build ingwas erected prior to 1 868

,with George D . Seabury as the first

teacher .

Minutes Disclose that ‘Good Old Days ’ in the Schools WereAnything But That

,

” was the title of a brief presentation of the

problems of School District No. 4,of which Concord ia i s a l arge

part,in the l 87o

’s . The article was printed in the Concord i a

B lade-Empi re, August 23 , 1 933 .

The final installment of T . P . Tucker ’s Early Day ChurchHistory of Greeley County , was published in the Greeley CountyRepublican Tri bune, August 24 , 1 933 . Other installments were an

nounced in the August issue of the Quarterly .

Looking Backward— a History of Cuba From O ld NewspaperFiles

,

” comp i led by Mr . and Mrs . L . Carpenter, appears from timeto time in the Cuba Tribune. The series started with the issue of

August 24,1 933 .

The Anthony-Atwood battles were a Spectacular part of Leavenworth county ’s early d ays

, the Tonganoxie M irror reported in itsissue of August 24 , 1 933 . An account of the Douglass-Anthony suit,in whi ch John H . Atwood and D . R . Anthony , bitter politi cal op


The Western Times, Sharon Springs, September 7 and 21

,1 933 .

Other instal lments were mentioned in the August issue of the

Quarterly .

A story entitled Cattle Money , by McK inley W. K reigh,former overland stage mail carrier

,Of Syracuse, was published in

the Syracuse Journa l,September 8 , 1 933 . The article was reprinted

from the October Blue Book Magazine .

Sockless” Jerry Simpson ’s visits to Dodge C ity in the 1 890 ’s wererecalled by Heinie Schmidt in a feature arti cle printed in the DodgeC ity Da ily Globe, September 1 3 , 1 933 .

O ld settler ed itions of the Marion Review and Record appearedrecently , announcing the annual old settlers

’ picnic for Marion . The

Review of September 1 3 , 1 933 , published articles entitled :“How Ed

Miller Died” ;“History of the Florence Cathol i c Church,” by Mrs .

E . H . Robison ;“The Last Cheyenne Raid ,” by A . E . Case ; Some

Ear ly Day History ,” by Mrs . Will Rupp , and Reminiscences,

” byR . C . Coble. The Record , on September 1 4, continued with

“JacobLinn Brought First Load of Pine Lumber to Marion Centre,” byMrs . L . E . Riggs ;

“Recounting Early Pioneers of the Ours ler Neigh

borhood , by Mrs . Chas . Locklin ; There Were Plenty of Thri llsfor Thi s Pioneer Marion Family

,

” by Mrs . Frank Knode ; “A Handshake That Was Friend ly ,” by A l Nienstedt, and

“There Was anEarly Day Postofli ce at Oursler Station

,

” by Mrs . N. J . Oursler .A hi story of the Anthony Method ist Episcopal Church, whichcelebrated its fiftieth anniversary September 1 7 , 1 933 , was published in the Anthony Republican,

September 14 . The first M . E .

church ed ifice built on the site of the present build ing was ded ic atedon December 23 , 1 882 , by Elder C l ine.

St . Peter ’s Evangel ical Lutheran Church of Chepstow celebratedthe fiftieth anniversary of its organization, September 1 7 , 1 933 . Ahi story of the church was printed in the Barnes Chief, September 14 .

The Leavenworth Chronicle issued its annual “Fort LeavenworthEd ition ,” September 14 , 1 933 . Notes on the found ing of the fort

and the peri ls encountered by the early freighters , the found ing of

the General Service School by Gen . W . T . Sherman in 1 881 , and aroster of Officers now attend ing the school , were features .

A log cabin which belonged to Henry McK enzie, who came toKansas in 1 854 , was bel ieved by the late Gen . W . H . Sears to be theoldest now in existence in Douglas county . A brief history of the

KANSAS HISTORY IN TH E STATE PRES S 397

cabin was published in the Lawrence Dai ly Journal-World

, Sep

tember 1 4 , 1 933 .

Battle of Beecher Island Is Thri l ling Story of Indian War, wasa Goodland Dai ly News head l ine for a feature article printed in itsissue of September 15, 1 933 . The story appeared on the anniver

sary of its fight, whi ch i s annually commemorated with appropriateceremonies by the Beecher Island Memoria l Association , on the

battleground, now a Colorado state park .

The history of Atlanta , R ice county , was briefly reviewed in theHutchinson Herald

,September 1 5 , 1 933 . The site of thi s one-time

county seat of Ri ce county is now a cornfield , the Herald reports .

Dodge’s First Dentist Was a Pistoleer,” a twocolumn biography

of Dr . John H . Hol lid ay , was printed in the Dodge C ity Dai ly

Globe, September 1 5 , 1 933 . The story , which was written by Dr .Frank A . Dunn

,was a reprint from Oral Hygiene.

The lynching of Frank Jones in Wel l ington , September 14, 1 884 ,was recalled in the reminiscences of E . B . Roser appearing in theWel l ington Dai ly News, September 1 6 , 1 933 .

The fortieth anniversary of the opening of the Cherokee outletled several Kansas pioneers to reminisce in their local newspaperson their adventures in 1 893 . W . H . Nelson , Asa Dean and Joe

Harper were among those interviewed by the Arkansas C ity Dai ly

Traveler in its issue of September 1 6 , 1 933 . The Caldwel l Dai ly

Messenger of the same d ate devoted a column story to the run . Anil lustrated feature story

,

“Fighting For a Claim in the O ld CherokeeStrip ,

” by F . M . Gillett, was published in theWichita Sunday Eagle,September 1 7 and notes on the run by Victor Murdock appearedin the Wichita (evening ) Eagle, September 1 8 .

Burlingame was named in honor of Anson Burlingame, an American

, who was the first Chinese minister to the United States , theTopeka Dai ly Capital recalled in its issue of September 1 7 , 1 933 .

Burlingame was formerly known as Counci l C ity .

Cooking recipes used by Sara Robinson,wife Of Charles Robin

son,Kansas ’ first governor, were d iscussed by Sue Carmody Jones

in an article printed in the Kansas City S tar,September 20 , 1 933 .

An account of the found ing of Fowler , contained in a letter fromPerry J . Wilden, of San Diego, Cal . , was published in the FowlerNews, September 21 , 1 933 .


Mrs . Grace Bedel l Bill ings , the woman who as a girl asked Abraham Lincoln to wear whiskers , now l ives at Delphos , the Hays Daily

News reported in its issue of September 21 , 1 933 . Mrs . KathrynO

’Loughlin McCarthy ,

who related the story to the News,has Copies

of the letters written by Mrs . Billings and Lincoln .

A history of the Bethlehem Lutheran church and school , of SylvanGrove, was published in the Sylvan Grove News

,September 21

,

1 933 . The first religious service was held February 9,1 879 .

Five Kansas Oflicials were impeached during the first seventyyears of statehood

,accord ing to an Associated Press di spatch writ

ten by Calvin Manon and released to its member newspapers September 22

,1 933 .

St . Mark ’s Lutheran Church, of Atchison , celebrated its sixty

fifth birthday anniversary , September 24 , 1 933 . A history of the

organization was published in the Atchison Dai ly Globe, September 22 .

How Two Eminent Kansans Were E lected to U . S . Senate,” by

the late Gen . W . H . Sears,of Lawrence, was the title of an article

printed in the Topeka Dai ly Capi ta l, September 24 , 1 933 , concerning the elections of John J . Ingalls and William A . Harris .

Random Recol lections of Other Days ,” by D . D . Leahy , published in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, September 24, 1 933 , relatedincidents in the l ives of the late A . C . Jordan , former sergeant atarms of the House of Representatives , and Mrs . Jerry Simpson .

A twenty-page special il lustrated histori cal ed ition of the Coffeyville Dai ly Journa l was issued September 25, 1 933 , announcing thepioneer celebration to be held in Cofleyville, September 27 A detailed account of the history of the city from the organization of

the town company by Col . John A . Coffey and others in August,1 869 , to the present day ; a brief history of Montgomery county ,and biographies of Daniel Wel ls , Capt . D . S . E l l iott , Harry Lang,Billie Breit , Jules Gillet , Chas . T . Carpenter , Hazzard W. Sear, Sr . ,

and Owen T . Romig, Montgomery county pioneers , were features

of the edition .

Early Wilson county history was reviewed by Judge J . T . Cooperbefore the Neodesha Rotary club , September 26 , 1 933 . A summaryof the speech, together with a letter written by Gov . Samuel J .


Kansas newspaper personalities , past and present,have been a

weekly broadcast feature of rad io station KSAC ,Manhattan

,for

several months . Dr . C . E . Rogers,professor and head of the depart

ment of journalism of Kansas State College, prepared and del iveredthe series .

At a meeting of the McPherson County Histori cal Society,July

10,1 933 , the fol lowing offi cers were elected for the ensuing year :

J . A . Spillman,of Roxbury

,president ; Alfred Bergin , Lindsborg ,

first vice president ; Warren Knaus , McPherson ,second vice pres i

dent ; Edna Nyquist , McPherson,secreta ry and treasurer ; P . P .

Wedel , C . E . Lindel l,J . J . Yoder

,Carl Lindholm

,Emil O . Deere and

Mrs . F . J . Ehman , members of the board of d irectors .

White Rock community historical articles , written by El l a MorlanWarren and published in the Bel levil le Telescope during the pastyear

,were recently col lected and republished as a 45-page booklet

entitled White Rock Sketche s .

At an old settlers ’ picnic conducted by the Kiowa County Historical Society August 1 8 , 1 933 , the following officers were electedfor the coming year : J . A . Sherer , president, Mullinvi lle ; W. A .

Woodard , first vice president,Haviland ; W . L . Fleener, Sr . , second

vice president,Greensburg ; B . Frank McQuey , third vice president ,

Belvidere ; Mrs . Benj amin O . Weaver,secretary

,Mullinville

,and

Mrs . Charles T . Johnson , treasurer , Greensburg .

The memorial monument and tablet honoring Frederick Brown ,who was kil led August 30 , 1 856 , in the battle of Osawatomie

,were

unveiled at the place of his death August 30 , 1 933 . The tablet wasa bequest of Mrs . Charles S . Adair .A monument dedicated to pioneer women was unvei led at theMt . Hope cemetery , E l l is , September 10 , 1 933 . The memoria l wasa gift of the Pioneer Woman ’s Association of E l l is .The nineteenth annual reunion of the surviving members of theE ighteenth and Nineteenth Kansas Volunteer cavalry was held inTopeka September 1 3 , 1 933 . Officers of the organization are :

Frank M . Stahl , Burlingame, president ; F . C . Munson , Savannah ,Mo.

,first vice president ; H . L . Burgess , O lathe, second vice presi

dent , and Mrs . E l l a D . Shaul,Topeka , secretary-treasurer .

(400 )

KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 401

Ded ication services were held at the Vermill ion river crossingnear Barrett

,September 24 , 1 933 , for an Oregon-trail marker erected

by the Arthur Barrett chapter Of the Daughters Of the Ameri canRevolution . R . M . Montgomery , Marysville, made the dedicatoryaddress .

Plans for enlarging and improving the Pike-Pawnee Ind ian vill age site into a national park were presented to representatives Of

the federa l government at ceremonies held in the park September29

,1 933 . Speakers Of state and national note participated in the

varied program commemorating the lowering Of the Spanish flagand the raising Of the United States flag by Lieut . Zebulon Montgomery Pike in 1 806 .

A Sherman County Histori cal Association was organized recentlywith the election of Jesse L . Teeters as president

,and Dillman W .

Blackburn,as secretary-treasurer .

Numerous community picni cs and Old settlers ’ reunions have beenheld in various parts Of the state in recent months . Newspapers insome Of these localities issued specia l historical ed itions in conjunction with these meetings whi ch warranted mention elsewhere inthese notes . Limited space, however , does not permit separate en

tries for the maj ority ; a list of communities sponsoring meetings ,and the dates , are appended for reference : Hazelton , June 2 ; Wichita

,June 3 ; Kinsley , June 8 , 9 ; Manhattan , July 1 ; Green , July

27 -29 ; Baldwin , August 3 ; Arcad ia , August 3 -5 ; Dighton , August5 ; Topeka , August 5 , September 1 1 ; Halstead , August 9 , 10 ;Lebanon , August 1 0 - 12 ; Jewel l C ity , August 1 1 , 1 2 ; Bunkerhi l l ,August 14- 1 6 ; Leoti , August 1 5 ; Haskel l -Finney counties , August1 6 , 1 7 C lyde, August 1 7 Deerfield , August 1 7 Ni ckerson

,August

1 7,1 8 ; Brookwood Park , Decatur county , August 1 8 ; Belvidere,

August 1 8 ; Mantey , August 1 9 ; Ottawa , August 20 ; Geuda Springs ,August 20 ; McPherson ,

August 23 ; Dispatch, August 23 ; Bucklin ,August 25 ; Sparks , August 25 , 26 ; Oskaloosa , August 25 , 26 ; Wa

baunsee,August 27 ; Holton , August 30 ; Bened ict , August 30 , 3 1 ;

White Rock , August 3 1 ; Mulvane, August 3 1 ; Meade,August 31 ;

Howard , August 3 1 ; Columbus , September 1 ; Macksvil le, September 1 ; Ford , September 1 ; O lathe, September 2 ; Uniontown , September 2 ; Drury , September 4 ; Hanover , September 6 , 7 ; Ashland ,September 7 ; Cherokee, September 7 - 9 ; Marion , September 14 ;Lawrence

,September 14 ; Enterprise, September 14 ; Stockton , Sep

26—1070


tember 14 ; Pratt , September 1 4 ; Oakley , September 1 5 ; Ohio townShip

,Saline county , September 1 7 Grainfield

,September 20 ;

Cherryvale,September 21 ; Fontana , September 21 ; C imarron , Sep

tember 23 ; Fall R iver , September 23 ; Norway , September 24 ; DodgeC ity

,September 27 Smith Center, September 27 Coffeyvil le, Sep

tember 27 ; Potwin , September 28 ; Sedan , October 7 , and Weir,

October 7 .

Errata to Volume I I

Page 18, line 19 , read In 1888 .

Page 22 , line 19 , Cantonment Leavenworth was established in 1827 .

Page 30, line 24, read “Col . E. W . Wyncoop .

”

Page 52, fifth line from bottom Of the page , read Charles Coulter .

Page 107, paragraph 2 : Mr . Whitelaw Saunders of Lawrence, who viewed

the hotel registers through the courtesy of Mr . Ames, reports that none of

the signatures noted in this paragraph were authentic.

Page 1 10, line 2, read “March,

Page 182, lines 1 and 2 , read“R ichard Read .

Page 2 19,line numbered 123 , read “

April 17, 1932 .

Pag e 252 , line 22 : The Wyandotte National Ferry was in operation as earlyas November , 1843—S ee testimony of Charles B . Garrett before Judge SamuelD . Lecompte Of the First U. S . District Court, Lecompton ,

in 1857, MS . in

Archives d ivision,Kansas State Historical Society .

404 GENERAL INDEX

P AGEAtch ison Champ ion ,

quoted 1 1 8A tch ison Champ ion and Press , cited . 2 1 5Atch ison county , lynch ings in . 2 1 2,2 1 5

,2 1 6

A tchison Da ily Champ ion, cited . 2 1 2 ,2 1 6A tch ison Da ily Free P ress , OIted 44 , 2 1 3Atch ison Da ily Globe, cited 1 1 7 - 1 20

200 , 20 4 , 3 9 8 , 3 9 9A tch ison F ree Press , cited 20 3 , 2 1 4A tch ison -Lawrence road 2 8 3Atch ison -Lecompton road 3 46

Atch ison Pa tr iot, cited 20 4

Atchison ,Topeka S anta Fe ra i lway , 7 3 ,

26 8

—D odge City cowboys shoot hats Offpas sengers Of 29 6—notes on early h istory Of 3 24 , 3 29—S outhern K ansas branch 2 6 8A tch ison Town Company , purchasedGeorge M . Mi ll ion ’

s squatter right . 1 1 7Atchison Un ion , cited 1 1 7Athol -Gaylord -Cedar R ev iew,cited , 2 2 1 , 3 26Atlanta , Ga . , bul l fight scheduled for ,

canceledAtha

e

r

ll

da’ Ga . ,

fight scheduled for , canceled , 2943 9 7

Atlas , The, Boston , cited 1 7 3

Atwood , John H 3 9 4A twood,Indian ambush near 3 29

—lynch ing in 2 1 9Atwood C iti zen -Patriot, cited . 203 , 20 6 , 208Aubrey , road toAuburn,on road from Topeka to Chelsea , 3 76Austin

,Edw in A 79 8 8Automob iles , puni shment for theft Of 1 9 4

— replaced horses to great extent .

BBabcock Co. , Law rence, bridge ownedby

,declared unsa fe 2 88

,289

-owner of tol l br idge 2 85 2 87Babcock,C . W . ,

ferry operator 2 80-secretary and trea surer , Lawrence Br idgeCO. 2 89Baden

,M rs . J . P . , pres ident Cow ley

County Histor ica l S ociety .

Ba iley,D av id , ferry OperatorBa iley

,Ozias

,ferry Operator , b iographica l

Ba iley , Wi l l iam ABa i ley

,Gov . Wil l is J

— Orders out Nationa l Guard for floodwork

BaInter,Ephra im

,road runn ing by lands

Ba ird , John C .,authorBa ize,

—lynched for murderBaker , John ,b iography mentioned

-ferry charter granted to .

Baker Orange, Ba ldw in , cited .Baker University, seventy - fi fth ann iversary Of 2 22

Ba land,Char les 3 84Bald Eagle 3 4 7

— ferry at 3 43—how name attached 3 43Ba ldw in ,

J . A . , state senator 3 1 5

Ba ldw in,James , ferry Operator 2 8 4

Baldwm,John , ferry Operator 2 79 2 8 4Ba ldw in

, Wm. M . ferry operator ” . 2 79 2 8 4

Baldw in ,early days in v icinity of

,men

tioned—Old settlers ’ reun ion held at .

— platoon of cava lry organi zed at—~ state road throughBa ldw in ’

s ferry , advert isements Of— description Of—history Of

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Baldwm Led ger, citedBal lard 's ford , road toBal lot box

,stuffing of

,in county seat

electionsBa ltzer , Eduard , German vegetarian advocateBank robbery , four men hanged at Medicine Lodge for 200

, 3 25—not yet pun ished by lynch ing 2 0 0Bankers , of Appomattox 5 1Baptist Board Of Foreign Missions , Boston 22 7 - 2 2 9 , 3 39 , 3 40—reports Of , quoted 2 42

Baptist church, modern Wich ita Ind Ians

members of—

seventy -fi fth anniversary of Atch isonorgani zation 3 99

Bap tIst M Iss ion , nea r Topeka 3 6 5 , 3 6 6Baptist Miss ion Press 3 42Bap tist M iss ionary M agaz ine, cited 228

,2 42

3 3 9 3 4 1Barber , Charles H .,Indian scout note

on remin iscences OfBarber county

,lynch ings In

Barber County Index , Medicine LodgeBarclay , Osage county, h istory of, men

tioned 1 0 2Barker,Francis , Baptist miss ionary , 2 2 8 , 2 29

23 4 - 23 6 , 23 9 2 4 1—at organi zation of S tockbridge BaptistBarnard , N . L

,ferry incorporator .

Barnes Ch ief, CitedBarnesvi lle , on L ittle Osage river , roadfrom Lecompton to

—road from Wyandotte toBarney , Virgin ia , assistant editor NorthAmerican R ev iew

Barnum, John S tarr,ea r ly Wich ita resIdent

Barr,G . W . , ferry Opera tor

Barr, Wi l l iam B .

,ferry operator

Barrett, M rs . Anme , b iograph Ica l sketchof 3 2 3

Barrett , A rthur , chapter D . A . R . 40 1

Barrett, Oregon tra i l marker erected near , 40 1

Bartholomew,John Tehan ,

lynched 2 1 3

Bartlett , A . B . , ferry Opera tor 2 72

Bartlett , Jennie B . , p ioneer teacher , S a l ina , 1 1 0Bartlett, J . R . 1 6 1Bartlett ’s M l ll, Geary county

,lynch ings

at

Barton,C lara , head of the American R ed

Cross 3 1 9Barton , D . W . , Inga lls , cattle herder , 29 5 , 3 0 2— secures Texas steers for D odge City bul lfight 3 0 1Barton coun ty , lyn ch ing In 2 1 7

,2 1 8

Barton County Democrat,Great Bend 2 1 8

Battey , S tephen 3 6 3Battle of Beecher Is land 3 9 7—Cane Hi l l

,Ark 1 0 7

—Frank lm 2 79—Osawatomie 29 3—monument honoring Freder ick Brownki l led at

Baugher,Chas . A . , l ine of Butterfi eld

Overland D espatch being tracedBaughman , Owen ,

ferry OperatorBaxter Springs

,lynch ings at

-massacre of , mentionedBays inger , Peter , lynchedBeagle, Wi ll iam, lynchedBea le and Heap , exploring routes ofmentioned

Bea le, M rs . W. GBear , H . BBea rd , H . C . , ferry operatorBea ton , Jack , ferry Operato

GENERAL INDEX 405

Beattie, A . Co. , banking house of .Beaver county, Okla ., S . N. Wood taken

to, by captorsBecker , John , lyncheBeckw ith , Lieut. E. G . , expedition of,mentionedBeecher Is land , now a Colorado stateparkBeecher Island Memor ia l A ssociation .

Becks , Chas . EBeeler , Wm. D . , ferry Operator , b iograph ica l sketchBeers , F . W . , Atlas of S hawnee County,K ansas , cited

-shows ferry locations 3 52 , 3 54Beery, M r . wagonmaster . 2 80 , 2 8 1Beeson ,

“Cha lk, and buffa lo hunt ofGrand Duke Alexis , mentioned .Beeson , Merr itt, southwestern rel ics being

col lected byBeeson,Otero, southwestern rel ics being

col lected byBeezley , Geo. FBel l , H . B .,D odge City, cited

— president D odge CIty D riving Parkand Fa ir Assn .Bel lemont , formerly ca l led Wh itehead . 1 3 2Bellemont Ferry and Transfer Co. ,

h istory of—boat belonging to, sunkBel lev il le Telescop e, cited 3 24 , 3 3 0 , 40 0Belmont Bend , on Missouri r iver 1 3 2Belmont K ansas Steam Ferry Co . , sketchBeloit Daily Ca ll, cited 3 3 3Beloit Gazette, cited 3 3 2 , 3 3 4Belvidere, old settlers ’ reun ion held at . 40 1Bender tragedy , note on story of 3 27Benedict

,old settlers ’ reun ion held at . 40 1Ben icia , ear ly town s ite 2 9 3

Benien , Henry 3 3 6Benner F . F Lecompton bridge incorporatorBennett , George D . , lynched .

Benson , Lou M . .Benton , S en . Thos . H .Bent ’s Fort, mentionedBergh , Henry , Jr . , pres ident Of the Amer ican S ociety for the Prevent ion of Cru

—c ites Kansas humane law— protests Dodge C ity bul l fight .

—stops steer ba iting in New York .Bergin , Al fred , first vi ce president McPherson County Historica l S ocietyBernard ’s store, Frankl in countyBerry , store of , on TonganoxieBerry, AlpheusBerry -D ewey feud , mentionedBerry, J . A . , ferry operator and publisher of Wyandotte D emocratBerryman

,J . WBethany Col lege museum

,L indsborg .Beth lehem Lutheran Church , Sy lvan

G rove , note on h istory ofBetter H omes and Gardens, Elmer T.Peterson , editorLBetty L . , ferryboatBever idge, A lbert J . , of IndianaBible Christ ian Church

,Ph iladelph ia ,

Rev . Henry S . Clubb , pastor of 3 85Bickerdyke,

“Mother ,” b iography 3 3 0—Home named for 7 4Big B lue river 1 1 8Big Horn r iver 1 6 3Big Muddy creek , cross ing on 3 7 6Big S andy creek , tr ibutary of A rkansas , 1 6 1B ig S p rIngs , on road from Shawnee M isS Ion to Tecumseh

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

P AGEBig S prings , roa d to Newman from 3 48Big S tranger creek 1 5—bridge over 2 8 3—cross1ng below mouth of Fal l creek 3 7 6Big S ugar creek , Armstrong ford 2 82Big Timbers 1 6 5igger, George M 3 3 4

Ijou creek 1 6 5

illard , Jules B mayor of Topeka 1 0 8

Illard mi l l , Topeka , mentioned 1 0 8

illings , F S hawnee county 3 6 2

illings , G 3 6 3Bi l l ings , M rs . Grace Bed el l , askedL incoln to wear wh iskers 3 9 8B il ly the Kid ,” desperado 20 0Bird C ity 1 0 6—K ansas Day reunion of Cheyenne countypioneers held at 224—Wor ld W ar sh ip named for 1 06

B ird City Times, cited 1 06 , 2 20

B ishop , A . F . , lynched 2 1 2Bishop , Robert C . , ferry Operator 3 45B itter Root river 1 6 1

,1 6 4

B iv ins , Wm. 3 6 3B lack , M r . and M rs . R . D . 3 25B lack , Wi l l iam P . , ferry Operator 1 3 1

B lack H il ls , of Nebraska 1 6 1 , 1 6 3

B lack Jack 2 77—battle Of , described 3 2 3— weapons taken by Brown during 3 8 6

— lyn ch ing at 2 1 2B lackburn , D illman , secretary treasurerS herman County H istori cal A ssociation 40 1

Black feather , Shawnee Indian ,interpreter

and contr ibutor to S hawnee S unB lackiston , Capt. Ebenezer,ferries op

erated by 1 25 - 1 2 8—ferry l imits descri bed 1 3 1B lackman

, Maulsby W . , manuscript collection given Historica l S ociety byB lackman , Wm. I . R .,manuscr ipt col lee

tion ofB lackmar,Frank W . ,

itedBl

gck

r

s

l

mith shop , establ ished for the In

526B la ir , Charles , Col l insvi l le, Conn 3 87 , 3 89—letters quoted 3 8 8—pikes made for John Brown 3 8 6B lanchard and S peer , ferry operators 3 5 8B lanchard , Ira D .

, teacher -missionary ,2 8 8 2 30

2 3 3 2 3 5 , 2 3 7 2 3 9 , 2 41 , 26 4— at organ ization Of S tockbridge BaptistMiss ion 243B lanchard Mary Wa lton 2 3 0 242,2 6 4

B ledsoe,Jacob , lynched 21 3

B ledsoe, Will iam,lynched 2 1 3

B lood , James donor 2 8 1B lue Bank , on Missouri river , ferry op

crated by John Thornton near

Blue Book M agaz ine 3 9 6B lue Rapids , br ief h istory of

,mentioned , 3 22

Blue r iver , h igh waters in 3 7 4B luej acket, Charles , S hawnee ch ief 3 41—copy Of S hawnee S un given to E. F .

Heisler byB lIi eiacket

’

s ferry , on road from S hawneeMiss ion to TecumsehBl

ii emont col lege, now K ansas S tate ColegeB luff C ity Method ist Ep i scopa l Church ,note on h istory Of 1 0 3B lunt , G en . James G . 1 07Boggs

,Joseph

,ferr iag e rates charged by, 5

—ferry established in 1 8 25 5Bogus legis lature,legislature of 1 855 so

ca l ledBogy , L . V commiss ioner of IndianA ffairsBol in , M rs . Mar ionBol les , D r . Lucius , secretary and treasurer of Baptist Mission Board

406 GENERAL INDEX

PAGEBolton,H . E ed . , Juan d e Onate

’

s Ex

p ed ition to the Arkansas ,” citedBonds , issued for public improvements

turned over to campa ign committeesfor good of cause

—ra ilroad,voted on in S tevens county .Bone, Roy L . , southern Kansas cowboy

Bonebrake,Fred B .

-manuscr i pt in possess ion ofBonebrake, P . I county clerk,Shawnee

county 3 52—crossing on Papan ’

s ferry described by, 3 6 7Bonham Frank , lynched 2 1Bonner Springs (Tib low station) . 2 7 4—Chouteau ferry located near 26 2 , 26 3Bonnev i lle

,Capt. B . L . E. 1 49

-cr iticism of maps Of 1 6 1Boone , D aniel Morgan , farmer for K awInd iansBoot Hi l l , Dodge C ityBoot H i l lsBooth , George, lynchedBooth , Lew is , lynchedBord er S entinel, Mound C ity, citedBorder warfare—pecul iar to K ansasBostic

,D r . MargaretBoston , Mo. , ferry at—short sketch ofBoston Advertis er, publ ished by Nathan

Hale, S r .Boston Commonwea lth 1 40 , 1 7 0Boston D a ily Chron icle, cited 1 6 7Boston Even ing Telegraph 1 70 , 1 7 1Boston Journal 1 72Boston Society for the Prevention ofPauper ismBoston Transcrip t 1 3 9 , 1 40

1 6 7 , 1 70 , 1 72 , 1 73Botkin , Theodos ius , autocratic methods

—b iograph ica l sketch—elected to legislature .

—impeachment of—involved in S eward county seat contest , 58—S tevens county imbroglio .

—mil itia sent to rel ief Of—s tatement issued by, regarding S tevens

county troubles 6 3 , 64- threats aga inst-unpleasant relations w ith S amWood , 58 ,Boulware, John ,

Platte City, Mo. , ferryOperatorBoulware,Wil l iam L connected w ith

R ia lto steam ferry—d ate of deathBourbon county

,hanging of John R .Guthrie at Map leton . 1 8 6 , 1 87

—lynch ings in 2 1 0 , 2 1 2 , 2 1 4 , 2 1 6 , 2 1 9Bourbon county-Law rence road 282 2 83

Bourgmont, French explorer , v is it Of 1 2 1Bowersock mi l l , Lawrence, collapsed during 1 9 03 flood . .Bowersox

,John R . ,

R epubl ic county p ioneerBowes , Jacob R .

, ferry OperatorBowker,Wm. E . , member bridge companyBow lus

,Thos . HBowman

,Noah L .Bowman , W. B . ferry OperatorBowman

,W . W . , president K ansas S tateBankers AssociationBoyd , George F . ,

S hawnee county ”Boyd , John J . ShawneeBoyd , Wm. , Shawnee countyBradford , S . B . , attorney-genera l , b iograph ica l Sketch—investigates Haymeadow massacre

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0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

Brown , OwenR . , S hawnee countyBrown ,

Mr . and M rs . W . RBrown,Wil liam

,ferry operator

PAGEBradshaw , Edward 3 6 3Branch , S tephen,

lynch 2 1 2Brandhorst

,M r . 3 9 3

Branscombe,Charles H 1 77

—c ri ticism of E. E . Ha le ’s K anzas and1 76

B reeder ’s Ga zette, Ch icago, cited 1 9 7 , 3 2 1Breit,Bil l ie 3 9 8

Brennan Jim, ki ll ing of S am Wood by 6 1—S econ effort at bring ing to tr ia l 6 2—w itness for defendants in Haymead owmurderers ’ tria l 6 1Brewer

,Alexander , lynched at Atchison ,

2 1 2Bribery, in county seat elections 47Bridge, date first at Marysv il le completed , 3 9 5—fi rst to span Missouri river 1 1—sentiment for free one at Lawrence 285Bridges

,building Of

,in western Kansa s , 47

—era of bui ldi ng of 4—erected at Wyandotte City 259Bridges and good roads

,Leavenworth ap

p reCIated importance ofBrigham, M rs . La lla MBritish settlements in North AmericaBrock

,MarthaBrock

,R . F .

,Wal lace county h istbeing prepared by

Brockway , Dav id , S hawnee countyBrockway , Justus , Shawnee countyBrooks,B ill

,lynched

rooks , M rs . E . 0 . (S arah Wh ite ) , captured by Indians , note on remin iscencesofBrooks , Henry K 8 8

Brooks , Paul R . ,ferry operator 275Brookwood Park

,Decatur county

,old set

tlers ’ reun ion held at 401

Broughton , S amuel , remin iscences of 3 2 7

Brown and Updegra ff,ferry operators 3 50Brown

,Adam, fer ryman 254

Brown ,Burt E 1 0 9

Brown ,Rev . Charles 1 03Brown ,Frederick

,monument to,

unveiled , 400Brown , George, ferry Operator 2 77Brown

,George W . , editor Herald 0/Free

dom 1 79— 1etter Of Edward E. Hale, quoted 1 66— letters to E . E . Hale, quotedBrown , George W . seouut 1 02Brown , Henry, Caldwel l marshal , lynched

at Medicine LodgeBrown ,Isaac, ferryman 253

Brown,J . A .

,early Lecompton resident ,interv iewed 3 44 3 45Brown , J . C , maps cr iticised 1 6 1

Brown ,J . G . M .

, ferry operator . 2 7

Brown ,John 1 9 0

— backers Of 3 9 0

3 89—e xh ib its weapons he captured fromPate ’ s band at B lack Jack . 3 86— inab i l ity to make payments for pikes

ordered 3 88— letters of

,acquired by Society 7 4

— letters,pictures , etc. of 78

—massacre of D oyle family 1 85—materials relatin g to, owned by BoydB . S tutler—payments on pikes made for 3 8 7 3 89

—p lans to start S lave insurrection in

The John Brown Pikes ,Frank H . Hodder—wrote Paral lels at Trad ing Post

408 GENERAL INDE!

PAGECantonment Leavenworth , ferry at, d escribed by Rev . John Dunbar 2 2

Cantonment Mart in , mentioned 1 1 5

Capioma , on road from Topeka to Nebraska l ineCapita l Br idge CO. Topeka , incorporation of

Cap les , W il l iam , and brother , la id out

town of Nodaway C ity , MO 1 3 3

Capper , A rthur 8 8

Carl in , Hugh , horse th ief , lynched . . 1 8 6 2 1 2

Carney , Gov . Thomas , message of 1 8 6 3 ,quoted 1 93 , 1 9 4—pork house, mentioned 20

Carpenter , M rs . eye w itness to as

sassmation Of S . N. WoodCarpenter , Charles , res ident Wyandotte

countyCarpenter , Charles TCarpenter , LCarpenter , M rs . LCarrol lton , M o.

, mentionedCarter , John F . , ferry operatorCarter , Mi les H . , lynchedCarter

,Col . S . S . , death of

—president Wich ita Booster club .

C ase , A . E.

Case , A . H . ,Shawnee county

-borid given by-teacher to D elaware Indians

Casper , CarlCass , Gen . Lew is , mentionedCastenada ,

Pedro d e, h istor ian of Coronado exped ition 6 9

Catherson , R . W . , ferry Operator 2 7 1Cathol ic M ission Among Pottawatomies ,Father Duerinck superintendent Of 1 50

Catl in , George, cited and mentioned .

—w ith D odge mi l ita ry exped ition as

art is t

Cattle , B lack An gus breed in troduced in

K ansas

- crossed at Elwood ferry— favor ite plunder for th ieves and d esp erad os

- lynch ings for theft Of , comparativelysmal l—number dr iven into Dodge C ity in1 8 8 4 29 5

— sa fest p laces on K aw r iver to sw im . . 3 48Cattle brands , Ford county 3 3 1—Pawnee county 3 28 3 29Cattle th ieves , hanging Of , not consideredlynch ingCattle tra il s , in Panh and le—Tascosa , map Of , mentioned

-Texas to western K ansas

Cattlemen, period Of , in K ansa s

— protective associations of—TexasCawker C ity , newspaper h istory OfCawker Ci ty Ledger . citedCawker C ity S entinel, first newspaper in

Cawker CityC edar Creek , mentionedCedar trees , used in construction ofWich ita grass hous eCedar Va le M essenger , citedCensus , 1 8 6 0 , cited .

Centra l M il l , Topeka , mentionedCentra l Norma l College, Great Bend , note

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Centropol is , on Topeka -Ottawa road- s ite OfChaffee, A . B . , cofounder of Beloit GazetteChaflin , J . W . , Texas Cattle Tra ils OfWestern K ansas

”

PAGE

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O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

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O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Cha l l is s , Ida , became Mrs . John A.Mart inChal l iss , Luther C . , ferry operatorCha l l iss , D r . W. L .

,ferry operator

—steam ferryboat contracted forCha ll iss , D r . W . L . Co. , Atch isonS team Ferry operated by

Chanute D a ily Timesett, consol idatedw ith Chanute D a ily Tr ibuneChanute Da ily Tri bune, D a ily Timesettconsol idated w ith 5

Chapin , Char les H . , b iograph ica l mention 1 2— Interested in Qui nd aro ferry 1 2

Chapma n , Hi ram and El l ie Qui ett , ferryOperators 3 5—petit ion for ferry l icense 3 5 1

Chapman Advertiser , cited 3 3 1

Chappel l , Mr . Dodge City 3 05 , 3 06

Charles , Cornel ius , Delaware Indi an 23 0 , 2 3 6

—member D elaware Baptist Church 2 5 0

Charles,Mary , Indian 23 0

Char les , M rs . Susan 2 49—member D elaware Bapt ist Church 2 50

Char loe , John , mentioned 253

Char ters , early , mentionedChase

d

County Lead er, Cottonwood Fa l ls ,CiteChautauqua county , reminiscences Of sev

era l p ioneers in

- lynch ings inChelsea , road from Topeka to

Chemawkun , Cornelius , S tockbri dge Indian 241 , 242—d iscip lined by S tockbridge BaptistM i ssmn 2 45 , 2 46 , 248

Chemawkun ,Mary

,S tockbr idge Indian

2 39 , 241 , 242

Chemawkun ,Mary C . ,

w ife Of Cornel iusChemawkun

Chenoweth , A . W Lecompton br idge incorpora tor 3 47

Chepstow , S t. Peter ’s Evangel ica l Lutheran Church , fi ftieth anni versary Of 3 9 6

Cherokee ,lynch ing at 2 1 8

— Old settlers ’ reun ion held at 40 1

Cherokee county 3 3 6— lynch ings in . 2 1 4 , 2 1 8

—p ioneers of 3 9 5

Cherokee Outlet, fort ieth anniversary Of

Open ing of

Cherokee Phoen ix ,publ ication begun at

New Echota , Ga . 3 3 9

Cherokee S tr ip , fighting for claim in 39 7—open in g Of 3 9 1

—warning to hunters not to fi re grass in ,1 9 7

Cherryva le, Old settlers ’ reun ion held in . . 402

Chestnut , James D , ferry owner

Chetopa ,lynch ings in

Chetopa D emocrat, cited 2 1 7 2 1 8

Cheyenne county , experiences of earlysettlers , ment ioned

— h istorica l supplement by B ird C ityTimes , mentioned

— pioneers , K ansas Day reun ion of

Cheyenne Ind ians , damages to frontiersettlers inflicted by

— last ra id of mentionedCheyenne Wel ls , naming ofCheyne, George, pioneer in vegetarianmovement

Ch icago—d evelopment of the A . T. S . F . to . 3 29

—G erman emigrants to K ansa s organ izedCh icago Northw estern ra ilway, built toAtch ison and LeavenworthCh icago Inter Ocean , quotedCh icago, Rock Is land Pac ific ra i lroadbr idge, Topeka

GENERAL INDEX

Ch icago Tr ibune, quotedCh ick , North rup purchase ferry interests

Ch ick , Wash ington Henry , circus ferriedacross Missour i by 7 , 8—ferry at K ansas C ity owned by 7—manuscript by , in K ansas H istor ica lS ociety 8

Ch icopee, Craw ford county, mentioned . . 2 20

Ch ihuahua , M ex . , governor of 29 8

Ch i l ls and fever , in early days of K an

3 84

Ch isholm tra i l , mentioned 1 05 , 2 2 1Ch iv ington , Col . John M . 4 3—method Of dea l ing w ith Indians 40

Chouteau,Benj amin I . , ferry operator 270

Chouteau, Cypr ian , ferry Operator . 262 , 2 6 3

Chouteau, F rancis , ferry OperatorChouteau, Frank L ferry Operator 2 70 , 27 1Chouteau , F rederick , ferry Operator 2 70—interv iewed by F . G . Adams . 26 2—statement Of 3 66

Chouteau,Wi l l iam, ferry operator

26 8 , 26 9 , 27OChouteau ferry , h istory 26 8 ,269

—near Muncie, h istory Of 26 2 , 26 3Chouteau Ferry Co. , h istory of 27 1Chouteau ’

s trading post 25 1 26 3-F remont expedition outfitted at-s ite OfChristian Church , K ansas

,h istory of

Christison , Wi ll iam,

— ferry incorporator— road commiss ionerChr istmas celebrations , early K ansas

Chr ist ’s Lutheran Church , near Gaylord ,fi ftieth anni versary ofChure, S . E . , S hawnee countyCimarron , citi zens Of , ki l led during at

tempt to remove county records to Ingal ls-county seat Of Gray county—Old settlers ’ reunion held at—temporary county seat Gray county .

Cimarron r iver , mentionedC incinnati Enquirer , quotedC ircus , crossed over Missouri on Ch ick ’sferry 7City Point, Mo. , or East Leavenworth , 20 , 23

C iv i l War 40 , 29 2 , 3 1 1 , 3 1 4 , 3 1 7 , 3 3 3—brought on by emigrants 1 9 2—ferryboat destroyed by Jayhawkersduri ng— in K ansas , characteri zed by guerri l la

and bushwhacker warfare—ra iding parties a long S anta Fé tra i ldur ingCla ims , for damages by Indians to KariClapp , Otis , mentionedC lare, Mike , headed mob at Atch ison .

Clark , G . P . , bond given byClfirk

ts

George ,I . , pr incipa l ch ief Of WyanClark , John H . , manuscr ipt ofC lark , Peter DC lark , R . W . , ferry OperatorClark county, Old settlers ’ meeting .Clarke , Fred A . , member “

Rob insonR ifles company 3 1 7 , 3 1 8

Clarke, George W . , of Douglas 29 2 , 2 9 3-member Lecompton Town CO 3 44—register Fort S cott land Ofii ce 29 3

Clarke, S idney, action in Congres s on Indian matters 3 6 , 3 7—member Congress from K ansas 3 4

C lay Center , F irst Presbyter ian Church . 3 9 2—d ate of organization 3 93

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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409

0 0 0 0 0

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PAGEClay Center , note on ea rly h istory of 3 29—S t . Paul Lutheran Church , twenty - fi fth

anniversary of 3 9 2

Clay Center Economist, cited 3 9 2

Clay Center Times, cited 3 9 2

Clay county, notes on ea rly h istory Of 3 29

C lay county , Missouri 22

C layton (N. M . ) News , cited 3 25

Cliaywell, lynched for horse stea l

Cll

ea ry , Pat, lynchedC leland , C . C . , S hawnee countyCl ifton h igh school , publ ication of h istory ofCl ifton News, citedC l ine, Elder , mentionedCl inton , Douglas county , road from Topeka to— terr itor ia l road throughCloud , Col . W il l iam F . ,

Indian campa ignp lanned byC loud county Indian ra id , 1 864C lough , Roy , mentionedC lubb , Henry S . abandonment Of K an

sas vegetar ian exper iment-Octagon p lan of settlement formulatedby 80 , 3 8 1—pres ident Of Vegetarian S ociety OfAmer ica 3 78 , 3 85— secretary Octagon S ettlement CO 3 8 1—Vegetar ian K ansas Emigrat ion S ocietyproj ected byClubb , Robert T. , agent for Octagon S ettlement CompanyClyde, Old settlers ’ reunion held atCoa l Creek , Russel l coun ty , first perma

nent settler on 2 22

Cobb , Char les , lynched 2 1 7

Cobb , S . A . , mayor of Wyandotte 1 1

Coble, R . C . , remi n iscences , mentioned 3 96

Coburn L ibrary, Colorado Col lege, Colorado S prings , ColoCockey, D . M V ice pres ident D odgeC ity D riving Park and Fa ir A ssociat ionCoercion of electors in countyseat elections

Cofachique, Al len county, on Lecompton - S t . Bernard road

Coffely , Col . John A . , founder Coffey

v i e

Coffey county, lynch ings in—mob trial held inCoffeyv i l le, Da lton ra id ann iversary men

tioned—founded by Col . John A . Coffey—Old settlers ’ reun ion held at

Coffeyv i l le Da ily Journa l , cited—h istor ica l edition ofCoffeyvi l le Jun ior Col legeCoffin , Mr . and M rs . E . ECoffman

, Lot, mentionedCofley , L . S . , ferry operator .

Coldwater , Crown Hil l cemetery atColdwater S tar, citedCole, Fannie E . , statement regarding lo

cation of Fool Ch ief ’ s vi l lage s ite 3 6 6

Cole, Jos iah M . , member bridge comany

Col l ins , L . C . , b iograph ica l sketch Of 3 2 3

Coll insv il le, Conn . John Brown pikesmade at

Coloni zation schemes , quasr legal , in

county-seat electionsColony , vegetari anColorado, bul l fight held In .

—pra iri e schooners laden for .

— short - grass pra iries extended west toColorado College, Colorado S prings ,

410 GENERAL INDEx

PAGEColorado-K ansas l ine, survey of, men

tioned 3 9 5

Colored People, Nationa l A ssociation forAdvancement Of 1 8 2

Colt, M rs . M iriam D . ,

Colton , George, cartographer 1 58

Columbia , on road from Iowa Point to

Euj atahColumbus , Cherokee county , incorporation of—lynch ing in—Newton Wal ters thought to have beenlynched for murder at . . 20 3—o ld settlers '

reunion held at 4 0 1

Columbus , Doniphan county, ferry at . . 1 3 4

Columbus Advocate, cited 2 1 8 3 9 5

Columbus and Amazon ia Ferry Companyestablishment ofColvin , M rs . Martha O. , mentioned .

Comanche county—fraudulent organi zation ofComanche Indians , damages to frontier

settlers infli cted byCommerce, K ansas Ci ty and Westportdepots for trade w ith far westComstock , J . A . , ear ly day hotel clerk OfDodge Ci tyConcordia , good Old days in early schools

3 9 4

Concordia B la de Emp i re, cited . 3 9 4

Cone, W . K . 3 3 6

Cone, Wi l l iam W. , cited 3 6 5 , 3 6 6Con fed erates,v i l lage of Wich ita Indiansdest royed by

Congregationa lis t , The, Boston ,cited .

Congress , divided on Indian quest ion ”

—Joint S pecia l Committee on Conditionof the Indian Tri bes , created by .

—main decis ions of—memori a l to, by Kansas legislature—urged to establ ish mi l itary post In

northern K ansas 3 5 , 3 8

Congress Hal l , name Of Dodge C itysa loonConkl in , shot by Teahan .

—recovers and returns to accuse Teahan ,

who was hangedConnecticut Emigrant AidConnelley , W . E .

,quoted

Connor , M r . and M rs . John ”

Connor,Gen . P . E. , Arapahoe v il lage d e

stroyed by 43

Converse, Asa F . mentioned . 3 23

Conwell , James,Shawnee county 3 6 2

Cool idge, county - seat cla ims ” 6 4

Cook, H . M . , ferry operator . 1 0

Cook,John E. ,

mentioned 3 8 9

Cook , W . W .,ferry operator

Cooke, Gen . Ph il ip S t . George,men

tioned 2 8 1 3 3 2

Coomes precinct , Hamilton county, election frauds in

Conney, Charles L . John Brown pikegiven Un ivers ity of K ansas by . .

Cooper,Rev . Edward , mentioned

Cooper,Judge J . T. , Fredon ia

— former principal Toronto schoolsCopeland , J . H . , mentionedCopeland Hotel , Topeka , peace conferenceduring Legis lative war , held in . 3 1 7

Copp le ’

s ford,Ottawa creek

Corb in , Jack , lynched 2 1 5

Corduroy road,Topeka , location Of 3 6 3

Corinth , Miss .,s iege of , mentioned 1 0 7

Cor lew , Thomas , hanged at Lawrence on

espionage charge 1 8 8 , 2 1 2Corn, suspended by husks to d ry . . 6 9

Coronado,Francisco Vasquez de . 2 24

—vis it to Wi ch ita Indians dur ing expedition Of .

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

a

PAGECoronado, coun ty seat contender forWich ita county—Leoti peop le kil led during county- seatcontroversy—tria l for ki ll ing Of Leoti citi zensCoronado Heights , L indsborg, improvemen t of road lead in g to—thought to have been v is ite d byCoronadoCorruption funds , warrants issued tosw

Cortr ight , O . A . , note on remini scences3 22

Corvett (Madison ) road , location of 2 6 1

Cory , Charles E 80 , 8 5 , 8 8—letter to S tate His tor ica l S ociety in relation to hanging of Guthrie, a horseth iefCostigan , Wa lter J . , ed itor OttawaJourna l

Cotter,J . H . , ferryman

Cotter , Nicholas , ferrymanCottonwood Fa l ls,lynch in g at—on Topeka -Chelsea roa d . .

Coulter , Charles , k il l ing of

Counci l Blufi s , Fort Ca lhounCounci l C ity, name changed toBurl ingame

Counci l Grove-lynch in g at—Nationa l O ld Tra ils route ma rker

erected at—on route to Pike ’

s Peak gold mines-road to Topeka from—Fort Leavenworth to crossed K an

sa s ri ver at S tinson ferry 3 48 3 49—Topeka S outhwestern ra i lroad surveyCounties , burdened w ith debt w ith noimprovements to Show for it—organi zation of

,in western K ansas

County Cap ital, S t. John ,cited

“County Seat Controvers ies in S outhwestern K ansas ,

”article by Henry F .Mason 45 6 5

County vigilance commi ttees 1 9 7 , 1 9 8Cov il le Mart in , ferry operators 3 6 7

Covi l le, H . C . , b iograph ical mention 3 6 7—chai rman board S hawnee county commiss ioners 3 72

Cox , shot by negro at Atchison , 200

Cow and maverick,

strange d istinctionbetweenCow creek , mentionedCow Island , Missouri river , location

of 1 1 5 , 1 1 6

Cowan , C . A . , reminiscences noted 3 26

Cowboy , value Of horses to

Cowboy Capita l . S ee Dodge CityCow ley county , lynch ing in— note on h istory of

Cow ley County H istor ical S ociety , meetin g of 3 3 0—Officers elected for 2 23

Cowley County Telegram,Winfield , Cited , 2 1 7

Cra ig , lynched in El lsworth 20 8

Cra ig,Charl ie, lynched 2 1 4

C ra ig , Ob e, ferry operator 1 3 3

Cra i g , W . B ., ferry Operator 1 3 1

Craigue , A . D S hawnee county 3 57 , 3 6 2

Cram , F red D . , mentioned 1 0 6

Cranda l l , Wi l l iam 3 9 5

Crane,D r . Frank lin L . , member br idge

companyCrane, M rs . S a ll ie , l ist of Cherokee

county pioneers compiled by 3 95

Crawford , Gov . S amuel J .44 3 98 3

3?—attitude on Indian matters

412 GENERAL INDE!

PAGEB eshame , Joseph , interpreter at ShawneeMiss ionD e S oto—ferries at 2 74 , 275—ferriage rates 27 4— refusa l Of owner to p ay license for , 27 4—h istory Of , mentioned 39 5

—s tate road through 2 8 2

D e S oto Br idge CO chartered 275

D e S hattio, Peter , descendant of S t . Loui s-Operated Papan ferry

D e Ti lla , George M . , mentionedD e Vault, John H . , b iograph ica l sketchD ewey , Chauncey EDewey -Berry feud , mentionedD ewey tra i l , Old , mentionedD exter

,Joseph

,of Oak Va l ley

D eW itt , J . , mentionedD ewol fe, Charles H . , pres ident , OctagonS ettlement Company—Vegetar ian K ansas Emi gration Company

D ias , Wi ll iam T. sergeant “Rob inson

R ifles" 3 1 2

D ickey , Mi lton C . , bond of 3 7 1

D ickinson coun ty , Old settlers ’ meeting . 1 1 1

D ickinson County Historica l Society , an

nua l mee ting ofD ickhut , Rosa B

D iescher , M rs . A l fred , treasurer Cow leyCounty Historica l S ociety 2 2 3

D iet , movements for reform Of Amer ican , 3 7 7

D ighton,Old settlers ’ reunion held at . 40 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

D Isney , J . C . , mentioned 3 6 3D ispatch , Old settlers ’ reunion held at . 40 1

D ixon , Jack , lynched 2 1 2

D oane , George,of Shawnee county . 3 6 2

D ockstater,Dol ly , mentioned 2 3 0

D ock stater , Jemima , mentioned 2 47 , 2 48

Dock stater , Mary Ann , mentioned . 2 3 0 ,2 42

[also spel led D oxstater , Doxtator ]D odd , F irth , editor Wh ite C loud Globe,quotedDodds , Capt . F . B . , Company H , F irstK ansas Nationa l Guard

Dodge, Col . R ichard I . ,mil itary expedi

tion headed by , vi S Its Wich ita Indianson R ed river

Dodge C ity— b ad men imported from, for use in

county seat fights—Boot H i l l , mentioned . .

— bul l fight at—d escr iption of bul ls .

—cattle drive , 1 8 84 , mentioned—tra ils from, note on .

—cowboys shoot hats off pas sengers ofear ly tra ins through

—ea r ly l ife descri bed— h istory note Of—fi rst dentist a pistoleer .

— h istor ica l rel ics Of southwest col lectedO O O O O O O O O O O

— Indian battles fought near

— Jerry S impson ’

s v isits to .

-markers locating Nationa l Old Tra i lsroute erected at—Old settlers ’ reunion held at— proh ib ition law defied by

-ra ilroad from Montezuma bui lt to, byA . T. S oule

— res idents plan for rescue of Inga l ls men

at C imarron

— s aloons of— shooting davs of—~Southwest Histor ica l Society of .

D odge City Da ily G lobe , cited- 3 9 4

3 9 6 , 3 9 7Dodge C ity D emocrat, cited 3 0 5Dodge C ity D r iv ing Park and Fa ir As

sociation , bul l fight staged by 29 7 - 30 8Doerr , M rs . Laura P . V 8 5 , 88D ofilemeyer , mentioned 2 53Dolbee Cora , member department ofEngl ish , Un iversity of K an sas

—“The F irst Book on K ansas , The S tory

of Edward Everett Ha le’

s K unzas andNeb raska , art icle by 1 3 9 - 1 8 1

Dona ldson,

took Tecumseh ferryboat to LecomptonDonaldson , Chauncey B .

,member Le

compton Town CoD ona ldson , Wi l l iam, cla im of , near Mi l l

creek , on road from Shawnee Miss ionto Tecumseh

Doniphan , Doniphan county , ferry at—head of nav igation on Missouri r iverfor heavy dra ft boats 1 2 1

— road to 1 1 6—Burr Oak bottom 1 3 4

-short h istory of 1 2 1

Doniphan county, ferry charges fixed by , 1 2 2— lynch ings in 2 1 2 , 2 1 3

Doniphan expedition , mentioned 2 66—crossed K aw r iver on F ish ’s ferry 2 76

Donovan,Martin

,Leavenworth 2 1

Dool ittle , S en . J . R 3 1 , 3 2 , 3 3

B ooty,M rs . S arah E K ansa s pioneer . 3 9 2

D oran , Thomas F 79 , 8 5 , 87 8 8

Douay , Father , F rench explorer 1 47

Dougherty ’s Landing, on Missour i r iver ,later cal led IatanDouglas , George L . , orders sergeant at

arms to a rrest members of“Rob inson

R ifles company—speaker , Legis lature of , 1 8 9 3Douglas , G lenD ouglas

,John C .

,ferry operator , sketch

D ouglas , S tephen A . , mentioned . 1 44

D ouglas,Butler county , lynch ings at , 2 1 5 , 2 1 6

D ouglas , Douglas county , ferries operating at 2 9 2 , 29 3

— post offi ce establ ished at 29 3— road to One Hundred and Ten from 2 9 3

- steam saw mil l establ ished at 29 3

Douglas county , ferries on K ansas r iverin 2 76 - 29 3 , 3 43-lynch ings m 2 1 2 ,

21 7—oldest log cab in now standing In 3 9 6

“D ouglas House ,” R epubl ican membersof Legi slature of 1 89 3 , so cal led . 3 1 3 , 3 1 6

Douglas Trib une, citedD outh itt , Wil l iam P . . ferry operator , 3 54 , 8 55D oy le , Thomas H . , ferry owner 9

D oyle fami ly,massacre of , by John

Brown’

s men

D ray , Mike, lynchedD renn ing , F rank G . , mentionedD rinker , mentionedD routh of 1 86 0—efl'

ect on ferry busmessD rur y

, old settlers ’ reun ion held atD udley , Bert , lynchedDuerinck , Father , superintendent Cath

ol ic Miss ion among PottawatomiesDul l K nife

’

s‘

R aid in 1 8 78 , mentionedDunbar , Rev . John ,

miss ionary to Paw

nees 22

Duncan ,S v l , ment ioned 1 06

Duncan ,Wa l lace ,

mentioned 3 8 4

Duncan’

s ferry , location of 1 23 1 3 1— number wagons cross ing dur ing gold

rush

GENERAL INDEX 41 3

PAGEDun free ,

Thomas , ferry operator . 272

D unn , D r . Frank A. , ment ioned 3 9 7

Dunn , F rank L . ,mziyor of W i ch ita .

Dunn ,Jesse J . ,

Garden C ity , pres ides at

homecoming of “Rob inson R ifles" com

pany 3 1 7—justice of Supreme Court of Oklahoma , 3 1 7

Dunn , S heriff S am,ki l l ing of 6 2 6 4

Dunsmore, J . M , of Thayer , speaker Populist house, Legislative War, 1 89 3 3 09 , 3 1 0

DuP ratz,Le Page, map of , cited . 25 1

Durb in , F of S hawnee county . 3 62

Dur fee , M rs . John , member Syracusecolony

Durfey, M r . and M rs . Jeff , first coup lemarried in Osborne county

Dutch Henry ’ s cross ingDuTisne, M . , French oflicer , reachedOsage vi llage in 1 7 1 9

Dutton House, Topeka , mentionedDyer , Leon idas Carstarphen , anti - lynching act introduced in Congress by 20 7

Dyer , Judge T. J . , reminiscences of . 3 2 3 , 3 24“Dyer Bi l l ,” some prov is ions of . 207

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

E 208 , 2 1 4 , 2 1 5 , 2 1 6

Eads , Henry 332Eads,Rol l ie M

Earle, Arch ibald E . ,ferry incorporator . .

East Douglas,early townsite

Eas t Leavenworth , Mo

—a lso known as City PointEastman , M rs . Ione D . , access ions toHistorica l S ociety mus eum given by . . 75Eastman , Ph i l 75Easton , Leavenworth county, men

1 8

Eaton , Euni ce, member Delaware BaptistChurchEaver , D . W ferry incorporator .

Ebenezer , ferryboat, converted into agunboat—operated by Capt . EbenezerEden

,Car l

,lynched

Edgar , ferryboat, bui lt by FrankWheeler 20

Edgerton , Harvey, recommendations of . 1 7

Editors , note on ear ly K ans as 32 6

Education , Roosevelt Intermediate S chool ,Wich itaEdwards , lynched at BaxterS pr ingsEdwards , Isaac, lynched at TopekaEdwards county

,Wayne townsh ip

,note

on h istory of

Edwardsv i l le, ferry locatednear

-K ouns road to 27 1

Egloffstein , F . W topographer w ithFremont

’

s fi fth expedition .

—w ith Beckw ith expedition inEhman

,M rs . F . J

E lder , A . P . . remin iscences ofE ldridge, Shaler Winchel l

,b iograph ica l

mention offerry owner

E ldr idge, M r . and M rs . W . J .,b iograph ical sketches of

E ldridge House, Lawrence

Election returns , forged,in countyseat

electionsE lections , county seat, ki l lersElephant, ferr ied across Missouri r iver .

Elg in—lynch ing in—note on early h istory of

PAGEElk City , Calhoun county , on road fromLecompton to R ichmond , Nemahacountylk fork, of Wakarusa creekE lkhart , notes on h istory of

Elkhart Tri -S tate News, citedElla , ferryboatEl lenbecker

,John G

E l l iott,Charles W . .

Ell iott , Capt . D . S

Ell iott, E . EEl l iott, W . K . , of Shawnee countyEl l is , Isaac, K ickapoo ferry operatedby 2 6

E l l is , John C . , ferry operator . 2 5 26

E l l is,Pioneer Woman ’

s Assomation of ,monument dedicated byE l l is county, lynch ings inEl l ison ,

Paris , ferry operatorEl lsworth , lynched . .

E l lsworth , Craig and Johrisori l ynched— lynch ings in

-“Mother” B ickerdyke home

El lsworth county, lynch ingsin

E llsworth M essenger , cited .

E l lsworth Rep orter, citedElm,Wash ington ,

p lanted at ShawneeMethodist Miss ion

Elm Grove , mentionedE lwood , John B , town of Elwood namedE lwood , Abraham L incoln a v is itor in

1 859-Black iston s ferry at— br idge across Missouri river built at— comp letion of

—eros ion on water front by Missour ir iver—ferry at— new charter for

— ra i lroad bui lt, from— rapid growth of—short sketch of—streets teeming w ith freighters and

emigrants 1 3 0

E lwood Advertiser, citedElwood Marysvi l le rai lroad mentioned , 1 9 5Elwood Free Press, cited 1 25

Elwood Town Co .,ferry incorporated by, 1 3 1Embree

,Mary , treasurer K ansas S tate

H istor ical S ociety 7 7 - 79 , 8 7 , 8 8 , 1 05Emerson , D . M . , ferry operator 1 3 7

Emery,A gnes

,mentioned 87

Emery, Frederick , ferry operator 1 22

Emigrant Aid Co. ,mentioned 1 6 7 , 1 7 6

1 77 , 1 79—S ee, also, New England Emigrant Ai d Co.

Emigrant Aid Co. of New York . 1 46 ,1 57

Emigrant A id Co. of Connecticut . 1 57

Emigrant Aid S ocieties , mentioned 1 3 9

Emi gration,Colorado 1 3 0

—K ansas in 1 8 56 3 80

Emory , Col . Wm. H . , mentioned , 1 49 , 1 50 , 1 5 1Empor ia,lynch ing at 2 1 2

Emporia Bulletin, cited 3 2 5

Emporia Ga zette, cited 1 05 , 3 25Emporia Lawrence road 28 2

Emporia Times,cited 1 0 6

England , attitude towards lynch ings 1 9 0—lynch ings rare in 1 9 0

Engstrom, Charles , of S hawnee county . 3 6 2

Enochs , Jesse, ferry operator . 3 57 , 3 58Enochs , John , ferry operator 3 57

Enos , Horace L . ,ferry operator . 2 8 4

Enterprise, old settlers ' reun ion held at 40 1

Enterp r ise-Chron icle,Burl ingame

,cited 3 3 4

414

PAGEErhardt

,Ferdinand , mentioned 3 3 6

Eskridge Independent, cite d 3 2 4

Eudora mentioned 27 9-estab ishment of 2 76 , 277—ferries operated at 2 77—naming 2 77—roads leading to 2 77 , 28 2Eugene, name changed to North Topeka , 3 75

Euj atah ,road from Iowa Point to 3 53

Eureka ferry 26 1—equipment of 2 60—h istory of 259-on road from Topeka to Nebraska l ine, 3 76Eureka Irrigating Cana l , mentioned 48

Evans,Albert negro, lynched 2 1 9

—hanged at ulberry , Craw ford county, 1 8 2Evans,O l ivia , w ife of John G . Pratt . 2 2 9

Evarts ' Atlas of Kansas , cited 25

Everest , newspaper h istory of 1 05

Everest Enterp r ise, cited 1 0 5

Everest R eflector , cited 1 05

Everett , Edward , mentioned 1 44

Evergreen United Brethren Church , BirdExcelsior colony

,Republ ic county

Explorers , early , mentionedExploring expedi ti ons , for ra ilroad routes

to Pacific coast , mentioned .—inaccuracy of many po inted out .

F

Fa irport First Presbyterian Church , note

on h istory of 8 28—organi zed by R ev . 8 . S . Wal len 8 28Fal l creek 876

Fa l l river old settlers reuni on held at . . 40 2

Fancher , Dt . N C 3 3 6

Farley, Josiah ,Nlaid out town ofFarley, Mo. 27Farley, Nimrod , ferry operator ” 27—anecdotes concern ing 2 7 , 2 8- ferry sold to George MeAd ow . 27

Farley, Mo. laid out by Josiah Farley, 2 7

Farnham,M . G . , S hawnee county 3 6 2

Farnsworth , John W . ,S hawnee county, 3 62

Famsworth , L . , deputy county clerk ,S hawnee couritFaulkn er , Cory el ,

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

attempts to shoot intomob dur ing legis lative war

—member of the“R 0a rifles"

company . 3 1 4

Fay , E . T. , donor 7 5

Fayette , M o. ,

Federa l Counci l of Churches of Christin Amer ica 81 2 1 89

Felton , Tim, operated ferryboat forTopeka Bridge Co

Ferguson , EstherFerguson ,

W . M ferry operatorFernandez , Angel , promotes bul l ba iting

exh ib ition in New York City,Ferries ,early K ansas , started by M is

sourians-horse propel led—in K ansas , K ansa s r iver , articles byGeorge A . Root 25 1 29 3 , 3 43 3 76

-Missouri r iver , articles by George A .

Root 3 -28 , 1 1 5 1 3 8-operated by oars or sweeps 7

Ferry l icense, Leavenworth , cost 2 2“Ferry road ,” to Muncie ferry 2 6 3Ferryboats , descr ibed 1 20—furni shed Iowa , S ac and Fox Indians

1 36—horse 3 , 7 , 1 1 7 , 1 1 8—Ida , locomotive brought to K ansas on, 1 26—Missour i river

,described 22

—primitive 3—steam 1 4 , 1 5 , 24 , 26—operated by S . P . 20

GENERAL INDEX

PAGEFerrying, ea rl iest in K ansas . 1 1 5Fever and ch i l ls , in early days in Kansas , 3 84F ield Museum, Ch icago 82F indley, James 26 6—postma ster at Delaware cros sing 26 5F in ley , J . A .

, ferry operator 274F irearms , Indians suppl ied w ith ,

0

222

0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

F irst Book on Kansas , The, story ofEdward Everett Ha le ’s K unzas andNebraska , by Cora Dolbee 1 3 9 1 8 1

F ish , Char les,ferry operator 277

F ish , Pas cal , ferry operator . . 26 6 , 276—“F ish house, ” at Eudora , bui lt by . 27 7

—gi ves tract of land to German settlers , 276— kept tavern 276F isher , S am, note on b iographi ca l

sketch of 3 30Fisk , Juli us G ferry charter granted to, 1 2F itzgerald D r . G . H 75Fit atrick, lynched 2 1 5F itz S tephen , James Lynch , warden ofGa lway , IrelandF lag , S panish , at Pawnee vil lage

F landers , W. B . , S hawnee countyF latboa t ferr ies

-at Amazon ia , MO .- at S t . Joseph , M 0

-at Wh ite CloudFleener , W . L . , S r . second vice pres identKiowa Courity H istorica l S ociety 400

F letcher,James 3 6 3

F letcher, S . E , Shawneecounty 3 6 2

Flintom, W. J . 3 9 2

Fl itch , M rs . Carl 3 22

F lood , 1 84 4 , described 3 6 4—1 903 , Graeber operates ferry atLawrence during 33 3

F lorence Ca thol ic Church , h istory of ,mentioned

Food, Home and Garden, un ited w ithVegeta rian Magaz ine 3 85

Fool Ch ief , location vi llage of 3 6 5

Fontana,old settlers ’ reun ion held in 40 2

Forbes , Engl ish ad venturer , emp loyed by John Brown as mi l itary instructor 3 9 0—betrays Brown ’

s plans to S eward 3 9 0Forbes , John M . 1 44Ford , Henry 8 2Ford , old settlers ’ reuni on held at 40 1Ford county, cattle brands in 3 3 1For d County Globe, D odge City, quoted , 3 0 1Foreman ,

Harvey W . ferry operator andfarmer for Sac arid Fox Indians 1 3 4Foresman , Rev . J . 1 0 5

Forest City, Mo. , ferry opposite 1 1

35

3 3Forrest , L il l ian 3 29Fort Atk insonFort Ca lhoun , at the Counci l B luff s ” 1 5

Fort Gibson , 0 11 Arkansas river 3 42—mi l itary road to Fort Leavenworth 6

2 6 5Fort Harker 3 5 , 4 1

Fort Hays , lynch ings at 2 1 5

Fort K earney,on Platte river 1 5 , 3 5 , 1 50

Fort Larned 4 1— guns and ammuni tion issued to IndiansFort Leavenworth 2 1 , 22 , 2 5

1 50 , 2 42 , 263 264 , 266 , 276 , 2 9 1 , 3 1 6—Boulwa re ferry to 2 4—bui lding of bri dge over Missouri r iver—ferries operated at

-by John Gardiner to—Robert Ca in

41 6 GENERAL INDEX

PAGEGarfield , Marv in H ., The Indian Ques

tion in Congress and in K ansas ,”articleby 29 44Garnett , lynch ing at . 21 3—state roads th rough 2 82

,28 3

Garnett-Lawrence road 282Garrett, Char les B ., ferry operator 254

Garrett, Cyrus , ferry operator .

Garrett,El ias

,ferry operator 27 1 272Garrett

,J . L . , Dorrance, remin iscences

of 3 3 2 , 3 9 5Garrett , Russel l , ferry operator 1 0

Garrett, S am,ferry operator 2 7 1

Garrett , Theodore 2 6 7

Ga rrett , Uri ah , ferry operator 2 7 1 , 272Garrett

,Wesley ferry operator ” 3 45Garvey

,E . C Shawnee county 3 62

Gas and Oi l fields , McPherson county,ment ionedGatewood ’ s H istory of Clay and P latteCounties , M issouri , cited 25Gault

,Wi ll iam J . , ferry operator 2 6 3

Gay , John , lynched 2 1 8

Gay , Wil l iam , lynched 2 1 8

Gaylord,Wi l l iam E .

,ferry operator 1 1 8Gaylord

,Chr ist ’ s Lutheran C hurch

,

fi ftieth anniversary ofGeary , Gov . John W . , establ ished peacein K ansas

Gea ry C ity,location of

Geary county,lynch ings in

Gerard y , John ,ferry operator . .

G erman commun ity, at Weimar City ”German K ansas S ettlers ’ Association ofC incinnati Oh io 1 79German settlement , at Eudora

Gerrard , Louis H .,h is Wa to yah , cited , 2 54Geuda Spr ings

,note on pioneers of 3 3 4

—old settlers ’ reun ion held at . 40 1Geuda Spr ings News , 3 3 4

G ibbs- Jones

,Ida

,eye-w itness Dalton

ra iGibson , C . H . , S hawnee countyG ilbert

,Edward

,lynched

G ilbert,G . G . .G ilbert

,J . W

G i lchrist , C . K . , S hawnee county .Gi les,Fry \V.

,Th i rty Years in Top eka ,

citedGil let , Jules 3 9 8

G i llett, , lynched 2 1 4

G illett,F . M . 3 9 7

G illiford,Joseph

,lynched . 2 1 2

G il l i land,W . E . 3 3 1

G il l iss hotel , K ansas City, Mo 2 0 1Girard,h istory of Ladies Reading C lub

at 3 3 1— lynch ing at 2 1 7Girard P ress

,cited 2 1 7 , 3 3 1 , 3 3 3

G irard Town Co . , organ i zation of 3 3 3

C iresu Trading Post 77

G ledh il l . A . T. 1 0 3G leed , Char les S .,manuscript coll ection

G len Elder , note on h istorica l sketches of, 3 3 0

G len Elder S entinel, cited 3 3 0 , 3 9 4

G lenda le, on road from Wil low Spr ings toTecumseh 3 53

— terr itor ia l road through . 2 9 3

G lenn,Andrew 3 2 4

G l ick,Char les S .

,ferry operator

Gl ick , Gov . George W 3 0 1— fa ils to stop D odge City bul l fight , 2 9 8 , 3 0 0Godley

,Mont

,negro, lynched 2 1 9

Godsey , M rs . F lora I . 79 , 8 8

Goisney ,lynched 2 1 3

Gold,discovery of , in Ca l iforn ia . 1 23

Gold mines , travel to 3 59

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 6 6 8

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

PAGEGoode, Rev . Wil l iam A . ea rly MethodistpreacherGoodel l,E . A. ferry operator

—member b ri ge company . .

Goodel l,H . E .

Goodel l ’s ferry , h istory of—rates of ferriage onGood land Da ily News , citedGoodrich M rs . El i za E . , secretary Wyandotte ounty Historica l S ocietyGood year

,M .

Gordon , Wi ll is pres ident TopekaBri dge Co . 3 6 9

Gordon , A . B 3 6 3Gore

,Jonathan

,ferry operator

Gormley, Joe , operated Nancy Lee andJewell, ferryboats 1 3 8Gove, Capt . Grenv il le L 3 3 1Gove county, named for Capt . G renv flleL . Gove 3 3 1—old settlers ’ meeting held i ii 3 9 9Gove fami ly, genea logy of 3 3 1Government wagons , ferri age rates for 3 56

Graeber , Gustave A . , ferry operator 29 0

29 1 3 3 3Gragg , S amuel , ferry establ ished by 7Graham, S ylvester , American vegetarian

advocate 3 77—lf

)

ood s and liv mg conditions advocatedGraham

,W . E . lynched 2 1 6Graham county , southern negroes settled

Graham Journal of Health andLongev ity 3 78Gra infi eld

,old settlers ’ reuni on held in 40 2

G ra infi eld Cap S heaf, 3 3 2

Granada ,lynch ing at 2 1 6

—on road from Topeka to Nebra ska l ine 3 76

Grand Centre school district , Osbornecounty , note on h istory ofGrand D etour , on Missouri river

Grand IslandG rand r iver , ColoradoG rand river coun try

,M issour i

G range , organization of

Grant county , county - seat contest In

— h istorica l d ay observed—method s emp loyed by Ulysses peoplein coun ty seat contest—Ulysses and Appomattox contendersfor county seat 50

Grant County New Era, U lysses , cited 1 0 4Grant County R epublican, Ulysses , Cited 1 0 4Grant township , Rus sel l county , firstland fi l ing inGrantv i l le, ferry atGra ss houses bui lt by Wich itaIndians“Grass Wigwam at Wich ita , The

article by B l iss Isely 6 6 7 1Gras shopper (D elaware) creek or river 1 4

—country of 1 5—road on west s ide of . 3 44

Grasshopper Fa lls , road to 1 1 6— road to R is ing Sun 3 44— state road through 2 82

Grasshopper invas ion , mentioned 3 9 5

Graves A . D . , Lecompton br idgeincorporatorGraves

,W . W . , publ isher A . H . T. A .

News 1 9 3

G ray,Alfred , ferry incorporator 1 2 , 1 3

Gray,John M 8 8

G ray county , fatal shooting dur ingcounty - seat war 53

— Inga l ls candidate for county seat of 48—Inga l ls coun ty seat of 6 4

GENERAL INDEX

Great Bend-Centra l Norma l Col lege, note on

h istory of—ly-nch ings atGreat Bend R eg ister, citedG reat Bend Tri bune, cited“Great Muddy.

”S ee Mi s sour i river .Great Nemaha riverGreathouse , Luther E b iograph ical

sketch ofGreeley, Horace— Topeka v isitor in 1 859—vis it of , in 1 859Greeley county, notes on h istory of

churches inGreeley County Republican, Tribune ,cited 3 28 3 9 4Green ,George S . commiss ioner of the

supreme courtGreen , H . T. , R eport of Smoky H ill Exp ed ition, cited 3 59Green ,Michael , S hawnee county 3 6 2Green , old settlers ’ reun ion held at 40 1

G reene, A lbert R . , ferry operatorGreene, Henry T. ,ferry incorporator . . 1 3

—b iograph ical ment ion of 1 5Greene, M ax ,Papan ’

s ferry descr ibed by, 3 6 6Greene, W . E. , Dod ge City 3 29

G reen lea f , note on ea rly d ay l ife in . . 3 26

G reenlea f S entinel, cited 3 26Greensburg , Kiowa County Histori ca lS ociety museum in courthouse 22 3Greenwood county , lynch ings in . . 2 1 3 2 1 4Greep , M r . and M rs . D avid , b iograph ica lGreer

,James E . , ferry operatorGregg, Jos iah , his Commerce of thePra iries , cited 1 6 1Gregg, M rs . M . A . , remin iscences of . 3 26Gregg , Wes ley 3 52Griffin

,0 . B 1 07Gr iffith , G . W. E. , eyew itness of Battle

of B lack Jack , cite dGrinnel l family, tr ibute toGr inter , Moses , ferryman , b iograph ica lsketch of 26 4 , 26 5-old br ick home of , stil l standin g 2 6 5Gri nter ’ s chapel 265

Grinter’

s ferry . 4 , 26 4 26 7—ear l iest establ ished onK ansas r iver . . 26 4-ferr iage rates on 26 4— location of 2 6 4—roads leading to 9 , 1 4Grist mi l l , at Indianola 3 56

G rubbs , O . F 2 2 3Guernsey, Charles W .,at Custer battle

3 3 4Guise, Byron E.,cited . 3 22 , 3 9 5Gullett

,T.

,S hawnee co 3 6 2Gulp , lynched . . 2 1 4Gunn ison , Capt . J . W . 283

—explorations of 1 6 0 - 1 6 3Guthrie, Abelard , ferry operator . 259 - 26 1— ferry charter granted to . . 1 2Guthrie, John R . , hanged at Mapleton . 1 86

1 87 , 2 1 2Guthr ie mounta in , Bourbon county, howname attached

H

Haddox,Joseph

,R ising Sun la id out by, 3 44Hague

,Wi l l iam

,ferry operator at FortLeavenworth

Ha ines , HelenHa lderman,John A secretary Lecomp

ton Town CoHa le

,A . H . , commiss ioner S hawnee

county

27—1070

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

417

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PAGEHa le, CharlesHale, Edward Everett . 1 42

-correspondence of,in Kansas S ta te His

torica l S ocie 1 40-“K anzas and Nebras ka

”written b

y1 3 9

—a financia l fa i lure to its publia ers , 1 7 8—amount of royalties received fromsa le of-comparison between manuscript andprinted volume 1 6 8 1 70—c ompi led at rate of forty- three pages

a d ay—criticism of 1 73—d rafts of title page of 1 46— fi rst rev iew of 1 72—letter of Ph i l lips , S ampson dc Co

agreeing to print—story of wr iting of

,by Cora

D olbee— time spent in writing—letter to son Nathan

,quoted

—min ister of Unitar ian Church,Wash ing

ton— pamph let on Texas issued by 1 41— v is it to K ansas 1 48Hale, Edward E .

, Jr . 1Ha le, John K . ferry operator . 2 72Hale, Nathan ,Jr 1 44 1 6 8

Ha le, Nathan , S r . , publ isher of BostonD aily Advertiser

Ha le,Susan

Ha l l Hand , H i s tory of LeavenworthCoun ty , cited

Ha l l,M rs . Carrie AHa l l , Prof . James , geologist .Hal l , John A . ,

deathHa l l,Mrs . John AHa ll , Luther , a founder of S olomon

Halstead , old settlers ’ reun ion held atHami ltori

,CladHamilton

,J . M .

,S hawnee county

Hamilton county,Coomes precinct elec

t ion fraud—county seat fi ght In

—lynch ing in—oflicial h istorica l materia l—three towns cla iming to b e the county

seat

Hancock , Gen W S Indian Bureaucri tica l of

HancockHand ley

,

Hanes , Jake, lynchedHaney, E. D . , note on b iography ofHann iba l S t . Joseph ra il roadn lli

irid

ée over the Missouri r iver at

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hanover , old settlers ’ reun ion held atHardesty , Mrs . Frank , president S hawnMiss ion Indian H istorica l SocietyHarding , John W note on sketch offami ly of

Harding, Mabel , of San D iego,Ca l i f

Harger,Chas . M

arl, cleared of charge of horse

stea l ingHarlow , Ra lph Volney

,cited

Harmony Church , Leon ,note on h i story

Harmony Presbyter ian Church , near W ichi ta , fi ftieth ann iversary of

Harniony school , Johnson countyHarper

,JoeHarper county, lynch ings inHarper S entinel, cited

Harper ’s Ferry, efforts made to postponeBrown

’

8 attack on—ra id on

-investigation of

41 8 GENERAL INDEX

PAGEHarrington ,

Grant W .,quoted

,26 2 - 26 5 2 73

—address es Wyandotte County HistoricalSocietyHarri s , A . H . ,

note on remini scences of . 3 23Harr is,Dw ight Thacher , cited

Harr is,John , ferry OperatorHarris , John P

Harris,Wi l l iam A . , election to U. S .

senate

Harr is , Maj . Wil l iam W .

Harris ’ ferry , description ofHarri son,Benjamin , w ires U. S . troops

in K arisas to be ready to move on Topeka in Legislative War .Harrison , W . HH arry Lynds, ferryboat, bui lt atWh iteC loud—wreck of

Harsh, S amuel ferry operatorHart

,fin ished John Brown pikes

for B la irHartford

,Indian Hi l l nea r .Hartland

,county sea t of Kearny county , 6 4Hartman

,S ,

mS hawnee county .

Harvey, EmHarvey, M rs

l

.

n Isabel le C 79 , 8 8

Harvey, Gov . James M—carly settler R i ley countyHarvey, Mrs . Sa l l ie F 8 5 8 8

Harvey , Justice W . W of K ansas supreme court

Harvey county , Alta township,French

settlement in

—h istorica l manuscripts preserved-notes on early h istory of—notes on Mennonite settlement in—vis it of Jesse James to

Harvey County News, Newton cited ,Hasbrook

,Chas . (L . lynchedHaskel l

,A . J . ,

ferry operatorHaskel l F inney counties,old settlers ’

un ion held forHaskel l Institute, Indian regiment at .Haskin , S . B

Haucke, FrankHayes , Pres . R . B v is it of , to NeoshoFa lls

Haymeadow Massacre, kil l ing of Crossparty known as

—prosecution of those conn ected withdroppedHaynes ChrisHays , obertHays Dai ly News , cited . 1 08 , 3 9 8

Hays F irst Presbyter ian Church,note on

h istory ofHayton , Joseph , ferry Operator “Ha zelton,old settlers ’ reun ion atHead

,B . S . , note on reminiscences of . 3 23

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hegler , Ben F

Heisler , Emanuel F . , or i gina l copy ofS hawnee S un given to 3 41Hellstrom

,Frank 0 . ord erly sergeant

,“Rob inson R ifles ” company

Hendri ck,Ab iga il 2 46

Hendrick , Cornel ius 2 3 0 , 2 3 5 , 2 3 7 , 2 3 8Hendrick , Eli 2 44—appointed deacon of S tockbridgeBaptist Miss ion 2 45—member of D elaw are Baptist Church . . 2 50

Hendr ick , M rs . Eli 244Hendr ick,George W 2 3 4

Hendr ick , M r . and M rs . John 2 3 6Hendr ick

,Mary, w ife of Cornel ius 2 3 0

Hendrick , S al ly , member of D elawareBaptist Church 2 50

Hendrick , S usan 2 3 0Hendr ick

,Thomas T 22 7 , 2 3 0 , 2 3 3

2 3 4 , 23 9 , 2 4 1 , 2 44 , 2 45

end rick,Wash ingtonHendr ickson , Mart in

enn esy , J . ,organized Walnut Chri s tian

Church 3 3 5Henry , Hugh , negro, lynched 2 1 8Henry, Ida Howel l 1 06Herald of F reedom, Law rence ,

cited , 1 66 , 1 6 71 74

, 1 75 , 1 7 9 , 2 79 , 3 79 , 3 80 , 3 8 3Herman , D r . reported lynched inHerrerra

, Juan ,matador , Dod ge City bul lfightHesper , sta te road through . 282

Hewitt, D r . Wyandotte Indianagent 2 54

H iawatha,lynching at 2 1 8

-road to 1 1 6H iawatha Da ily World, cited 22 0

H iawatha - Lawrence road 28 2,2 83Hickey, J . A . , S hawnee coun ty 3 62

H ickman ,Russel l , teacher , La Porte Ind . , 3 3 8—author of

“The Vegeta rian and Octagon

S ettlement Compan ies ” 3 77 3 8 5Hickory creek,Butler county 3 22

H ickory Point , Methodi sts preach firstsermon to wh ite settlers at

—roads runn in g throughHicks,JohnH igginson , Thomas W a John Brown

supporterHighland,lynch ings atHigh land townsh ip , Harvey county

H ighland Univers ity, seventy- fi fth

ann iversa ry of 3 36H ighway Traveler , Cleveland , cited 1 03Highways , in Kansas , routes of 2 24H i inbotham, A . A . , ferry incorporator , 2 2H ‘

dreth , R ichard 1 55Hi l l Betsey

,member Delaware Baptist

C urch 230H il l , Capt . D avid

,in charge of Leaven

worth ferryboat David H ill 2 1 , 2 2H il l , E . J .

,ea r ly res iden t of Lecompton , 3 45Hill , Esther Clark, death of 7 4Hil l , J . F in 3 7 1

H i ll , Rev . Timothy , organi zed F irstPresbyteri an Church at Hays 3 3 3H i l l City Nationa l Guard 3 20Hindman

,Bud

, sheriff of Douglascounty 3 1 0 , 3 1 1Hinds , Rus se l l , hanged for return of s lave, 1 8 6Hinton ,

R ichard J .,a Free- state pioneer 1 9 0

H i p elas , Hannah , member D elawareBapt ist ChurchH ip elas , Macharch member DelawareBaptist ChurchHistori c s ites

,scenery

,etc. , K ansa sHistori ca l Society. S ee K ansas State H is

torica l S ociety.“H istory of Lynchings in K ansas , art icleby Genevieve Yost 1 8 2 2 1 9H it<

f:h , W. S . , note on b iographica l sketch

3 3 3oHobble, Frank A 8 5 , 8 8 , 3 27Hoch , E . W 3 1 3Hockaday, F . W 6 6Hodder , Frank H .

,head of History De

partment,K ansas Univers ity

1—author of The John Brown

3 86 3 90—pres ident K ans as H istory TeachersHodge, Frederi ck W ebb , Handbook ofAmer ican Indians

,citedHodgeman county

,lynch ing inHodges , Jesse, ferry operator

B ogin , John CHogue, Wendel l PHois ington D ispa tch, cited

420 GENERAL INDEX

Indian Quest ion in Congress,The,

article by Marv in H . Garfield .Indian Terr1tory , horse th ieves 1n—Theodosius Botk in a Un ited S tatesCommiss 1oner inInd iana [ Magaz ine of H istory , citedInd ianola, at cros s ing of S oldier creek onFort Leavenworth mi l ita ry road 3 47

—gl‘ ist mi l l at .—roadInd 1ans— ambush near Atwood .—a rms and ammuni tion sold to

-damages inflicted by in 1 86 4—depredations dur ing bu1ld 1ng of Un ionPacrfic ra i lroad

— descr ibed by E. E.

~ exterm1nation advoca ted—friend ly , govern ing of-Government a rms and ammumtion 1s

sued to,at Fort La rned

— Gov . S . J . Craw ford ’s attitudeconcern ing—horses va lued b y—host11e, commiss ion to make treatiesw ith—K ansas

’

attitude concern ing—measures suggested to preventand legislatures from maki ng war on .

- Pawnees, R ev . John D unbar miss ionary

to—ra ids b-Republ ican state convention , 1 86 8 , d emand ed removal of , from state .

—segregated west of Missouri andA rkansas—S hawnee, treaty of 1 825 .

—swap pelts and robes for need edsupp lies

0—take possess1on of Topeka pontoonbridge— trading with for furs

-tribe systems breaking up—wronged by wh itesInga lls , John J .—e lection to U. S . senate-res ident of S umnerInga l ls , S heffield , H is tor y of Atchison ,

cited 2 7Inga l ls , attempt to remove Gray countyrecords to, met by l ively res istance , 53 , 54

—candidate for county seat 48—county seat of G ray county . 6 4Ingrum,

F red , early Leavenworth grocer , 2 1Ingrum,Fr itz , ea rly Leavenworth grocer , 2 1Iola , lynch ing at 2 1 5

—state road through 2 82Iola Da ily R eg is ter , cited 1 0 4 , 3 2 1Ionia , named for Ion ia ,Mich 3 3 4Ion ia Booster , cited 3 3 4Ion ia (Mich . ) S ent inel, cited 3 3 4Iowa Indians 1 3 6 , 1 48—lan ds of , reserved to Presbyterian

Church for foreign miss ions 1 3 4Iowa , S ac and Fox res ervation , K ansas , 1 3 6Iowa Point, establ ishment of . 1 3 4—ferries at 1 3 4 , 1 3 5—note on h istory 3 3 3—road from Eujatah to 3 53—Wh itehead to 1 3 2—sketch of 1 3 5Iowa Point S team Ferry 1 3 5Irelan , James E . , ferry incorporator 1 3Iri sh , ea rly settlers nea r S olomon 3 9 3I rrigation , Eureka cana l 48- p lans for in Western K ansas . 46Irv in , R ev . James 1 0 7

Irv ing , Wash ington , mentionedIrv ing , F irst Presbyter ian Church , seven

t1eth ann i versa ry of , mentioned 1 0 5Irving Leader , c1ted 1 0 5Irw in , W. H . Co ferry operators 255

2 56 257Isaacson , Charles , remin iscence s noted 1 05Isely , B l iss , Ea rly Days in K ansas

, men

tioned— reporter Wich ita Bea con

-“The G rass W i gwam at Wich1ta ,

art icle by 6 6 7 1Ish

l

z

l

i

l

m,Mrs . George W . , of Evansvi l le,

Is le au Vache (Cow Island )“ Issue House , i n Platte county, Mo

JJ . G . M orrow, A tch ison ferry boat

,h is

tory of 1 1 9Jack, Jame-s , IndianJackson ,

“S tonewa l l ,” mentioned . 3 1 2Jackson , W . V . 1 0 7Jackson county

,lynch ings inJackson county

, Mo.

Jacksonvi l le , Neosho county, lynch ing at, 2 1 5Jacksonv i lle Ozawkie road 258Jacksonv ille Wyandotte road 2 58Ja in , Mary A . , Wa ldo M . E . Churchh istory , by

Jaq ui s , H . , mentionedJames , D avid E . ferryman

James , Prof . Edwm geo logistJame s , Jesse , vrs its Harvey countyJefferson , M rs . B lanche , mentionedJefferson county—commissioners proceedings quoted—ferries operating acros s K ansas riverto—lynch ingsJefl

'

erson ian Ha ll , Law renceJenner , J . F . , of S hawnee county 3 6 2Jennison , D r . Charles R . , commandingF i fteen th K ansas 1 86 , 1 9 3Jent , H . C . mentioned 3 27Jent , S a rah L . , rem1nis cences of 3 27Jersey creek , Wyandotte coun ty 1 1Jessee, Robert , ferry operator ofBuchanan county , Mo.Jetmore, lynch ing atJetmore R ep ub l ica n , citedJetmore R eveille , citedJetmore Un ited Presbyterian Church ,tw enty fi fth anni versary of

Jewel l , ferryboat, fi rst, owned by man

named Lemon

Jewell, ferryboat, operated by JoeGormleyJewel l O1ty , cemeteries of—Christian Church

,founding of .

— h istory of, by Everett Pa lmer .

—old settlers ’ reun ion held at .Jewel l City Town Company,organi zation

Jewel l county, lynch ing in .

— h istory of Omio notedJewell County R ep ub lican, Jewell City,cuedJohn Brown Pikes

,The, article by

Frank Heywood Hodder . 3 86 3 9 0Johnson,

lynched in El lsworth 208Johnson,

lynched on Mara is d esJohnson , Carrie E . , mentionedJohnson , Charl ie ,

lynchedJohnson , M rs . Charles T treasurer K iowaCounty Histori ca l S oc1ety

GENERAL INDEX

PAGEJohnson ,F ielding

,b iograph ical mention

1 2—ferry charter granted to . 1 2Johnson , George, negro

,lynched 2 1 5Johnson

,J . J .

,cofounder Beloit Gazette, 3 3 4Johnson

,John ,

lynched 2 1 2Johnson,M rs . Joseph , mentioned . . 1 0 5Johnson

,Luther R . , mentioned 3 3 6Johnson , S amuel A . ,

v ice pres ident K an

sas History Teachers A ssociation 2 2 3Johnson , S . N .,ferry operator 1 3 3Johnson , Rev . Thomas 1 48

—memor ia l tablet unvei led in memory of,3 3 6Johnson ,

Wil liam,mentioned 1 1 5Johnson county 1 84 ,—commi ss ioners proceed ings cited and

(fi n ned - 2 7 6-ferr1age rates for 1 858 in . 2 75—ferry landings in 252 - 2 75—horse stea l ing in 1 9 3—lynch ings in 2 1 0 , 2 1 4 , 2 1 5 , 2 1 9—dep lored 2 0 2

—old settlers ’ reunion held in . 3 9 5- sheri!f of

,mentioned 2 74

Johnson County D emocrat, O lathe, cited , 3 9 5Johnston , operated steam saw mi l lat D ouglas

,nea r LecomptonJohnston

,John C . , h istor ica l articles by

mentionedJohnston , Col . Joseph E mentioned .Johnston , M rs . Wi l l iam AJones (Luttia - h ing ) , D elaware Indian .Jones,B il ly , lynchedJones

,Char les F . ,

mentionedJones,Charles J .Jones , Frank

,l ynched

— lynch ing of, reca l ledJones

,Horace, mentioned

Jones , “Ottawa ,

"(John cross in g .Jones , Sue CarmodyJordan , A . C . , sergeant at a rms , House

of Representatives , Legis lature of 1 8 9 3 3 9 8Jordan , Ach il les M .,b iograph ica l sketch

—operated Tecumseh ferryJordan , Cel ia (M rs . Ach i l les M . )Jordan ,M rs . Fern Mead

,pa id deficit ongrass house on Mead Island

,6 7

—w idow of James R . MeadJordan , Wil l iam M . mentioned . -3 51 3 53Journal Free P ress,Osage City

, cited . . 3 9 3

Journa l ism,chang ing styles of . 209

‘

K ansas , A Ha l f Century of , byGomer T. D avies , mentioned . 3 9 3Journeycake, Char les , D elaware Indian . 2 3 0

2 3 3 , 2 3 5 , 2 3 7 2 41—member D elaware Baptist Church 2 50Journeycake , Jane, member D elawareBaptist Church 250—w i fe of Char les Journeycake 23 5Journeycake

,John

,mentioned 2 3 9Journeycake

,S a l ly 2 3 6

—member D elaware Baptist Church . 2 50Journeycake,S olomon

, mentioned . . 2 3 6Judd , of Wyandotte 2 55Junction C ity 2 5 1— lynching at 2 1 5Junction City Un ion , cited an d quoted , 1 5 , 40

June r ise, in K ansas r iver, mentioned . 28 4

K

K agey, Char les L . , mentionedK aleb , Jenny, member D elaware Bap tistChurch

K a leb , Wil l iam, member D elaware BaptistChurch

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Q 0

0 0 0 0 0

421

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


PAGEK ankakee, Ill . , immigrants from, settle

i n K ansas

K ansas , as an emigrant center , einpha

s i zed— attitude of delegation in Congress onIndian question—Census of 1 8 59 , mentioned—Civ i l War in-“County S eat Controvers ies in S outhwestern K ansas ,

”article by Henry F .Mason 45

— discovery of , attr ibuted to the French , 1 47—ferry laws , ear l iest pa ssed by Legis lature of 1 8 55 2 52

—fi rst mi l itary post w ith in borders of 1 1 5— ra ilroad in 1 2 6

,1 9 5

—French settlement in 3 2 6—horses , famous in tur f h istory 3 3 2—humane law of 1 8 79 cited . 3 0 0

- immigration , 1 856 3 80— 1 8 85 45

— Indian depr edations renewed in 1 8 69 ,3 6

— irrigation schemes in 46—Legis lative W ar of 1 89 3 , described , 3 09 - 3 1 8

— lynch ings , g rowing attitude aga inst . 2 0 8— l ist of , - 1 9 3 2 2 1 1 - 2 1 9

rank in number of 2 1 0-statistics 1 9 2

— origina lly spel led w ith a z 1 65—Regiments , F irst' Frontier batta l ion 3 9— F ifth cava lry, Company I 3 56—Eighth in fantry, John A . Mart in—Tenth cava lry— F ifteenth cava lry, i n command ofJennison—Eighteenth cava lry, reunion of—Nineteenth cava lry, expenses i n

curred in ra is ing .— records of , given H istorica l S o

ciety— reun ion of—Twentieth infantry , organ i zation

mentioned— ih Ph i l ippines

—s lavery introduction oppos ed by— southern boundary, mentionedm sp ellings of—town bui lding boom of the eightiesKansas - Ad

,|utant Genera l,

correspondence mentioned

— Agriculture, S tate Board Al fred G ray,secretary 1 3

— reports cited 1 0 , 1 1-H istor ica l S ociety access ions 73—activ ities of 80 ,

8 1— annua l meeting , minutes of 72 8 9—arch ives department 1 0 1 9 44 , 7 3— access ions to 7 4Blackman manuscr ipt col lection 7 4

-d irectors 8 5 , 8 8 , 89—meeting of 8 7documents of vegetarian ventures i n

s in col lections of—Edward Everett Ha le, correspondence in 1 40

—G ireau trading post 77-Goss orn ithologica l col lection 75—h istor ica l s ites , l ist being comp iled , 7 7—K ansas H istorica l Quarter ly , pub

l ished by, p rovmg popular 76—John Booth bequest 78—John B rown correspondence in ar

ch ives 3 8 6 , 3 8 7— letters acqui red 7 4— pikes in museum 3 89

— l iberty bonds of 7 8—l ibrary 72—access ions to 9 0 1 0 1

422 GENERAL INDEX

PAGEKansas Histor ical Society, local andcounty h istori ca l societies 76—manuscr ipts 7 3—arch ives department 20-calenda ring an d repa iring 74-Ha le ’ s K anzas and Nebraska . 1 44— insurance department 7 4—New England Emi grant AidCompany 1 44

—Meeker 's journal s 3 3 9Metca l f collection given to 7 4

mil itary records given to 7 4—membersh ip , annual 8 7—honorary 87

87-membersh ip fee fund 77—expenditures from 78

—Museum 75—newspaper section 75—nom1nating committee reports . 79 , 8 5—oflicers nomina ted and elected . 8 7—picture col lection 7 3—Pawnee capitol 7 7

- Pres ident D aw son’

8 address 80—secretary ’ 8 report . 72 7 7—S hawnee Miss ion 76— S hawnee S un, reproductions of ,

among cl ippings of S ociety 3 41—Thomas H Bowlus fund . 78—treasurer's report 77—Wyandotte county ear ly newspaperfi les incomp lete 262

— Legis lature , 1 855 , ca l led “bogus legi slature

”

—ferr ies chartered by 1 2 1—1 857 , ferries chartered by-1 8 5 8

, ferr ies chartered by,—1 87 5 , S . B . Bradford a member of . 58

— 1 8 9 7 , Theod osius Botkin a member58

—1 9 3 3 , two old members Of . . 1 0 9—l ibrary , mentioned 3 1 3—mi l itia , p lan for use against Indians . . 40

—reserve, mentioned

—“R ob inson R ifles ’

company in. legislative war . 3 09 3 1 8

—Nationa l Guard 226—Company H , on duty at Law rence,1 9 03 3 09

— improvements instituted in .-3 1 8 3 20

—officers’

school organi zed at FortLeavenworth 3 1 9 , 3 20-W . H . S ears appointed brigadiergeneral of 3 1 8

-Norma l School , Emporia , founding of , 3 25—S ecreta ry of S tate 1 3

,

— S tate Col lege, Manhattan—Teachers Col lege

,Emporia

, anniversa ry3 25

-Supreme Court 3 1 3—Henry F . Mason elected to 45— Legislative W ar -settled by 3 1 7

K ansas and Missour i Ferry, h istory of . 1 0K ansas and Nebraska

,first book on , by

E . Ha le 1 3 9—provi s ion for survey of 1 6 5—ra ilway issue a factor in organ i zation of , 1 53—Wi l l iam Walker

,prov is ional governor of

terr itory included in 9

K ansas Chamber of Commerce,

mentioned 77K ansas Ch ief, Wh ite Cloud , and Troycited 43 , 1 3 4 , 1 3 7 , 1 3 8 , 2 1 2 , 2 1 3

K ansas City, Wyandotte County Histori ca lS ociety meeting held at 3 3 6

K ansas City, Mo. ,mentioned 1 9 , 253

—bridge at , first to span Missouri r iver . 1 1—bul l fight demonstrat ion held in 29 4

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


K ansa s Ci ty, Mo. , Ch ick ’s ferry at—deport for trade w ith the west—Hann iba l bri dge bui lt at

-h istory of,ci ted

— Nmeteenth street ferry landing—n va l of Leavenworth .

—Roy ’ s ferry at

Kansas C ity Journa l, citedK ansas Ci ty Journa l -Post, citedK ansas Ci ty K ansan citedK ansas C ity (Mo . ) b lic Library , PurdWright

,l ibrari an . 3 41

K ansas City S tar, cited 29 4 , 3 3 0 , 3 3 1

3 3 4 , 3 3 5 , 3 9 5 , 3 9 7K ansa s City S un

,reproduction of

S hawnee S un,printed by 3 41

Kansas Ci ty Times , cited 3 3 3K ansas Colorado boundary l in e

,survey

of , mentioned 39 5K ansas Cowboy

,Dodge City

,cited 29 4

,29 7

29 8 , 3 0 3 , 3 0 5K ansas Day celebrations 3 22 3 24

K ansa s Day Reun ion , Cheyenne countypioneers , held at B ird Ci tyK ansas Editor

,cited

K ansas Editori a l As sociation 1 9 3 3 meet

ing mentioned 3 9 3

K ansas Farm Bureau Bulleti n, Manhattan ,

cited 5

K ansas F ree S tate,Law rence , cited 1 3 2

“K ansas Hermit, nickname given Gen .Hugh Cameron 29 2

Kansas H istorical Notes”2 23 , 3 3 6 , 400

K ansa s H istory as Publ ished in the S tatePress , 1 02 - 1 09 , 2 20 - 2 22 , 3 2 1 - 3 3 5 , 3 9 1 3 99

K ansas H istory Teachers ’ AssociationPittsburg meeting mentionedK ansas Indians—location of

—books printed in language of—contemptuous opin ion of .

— vi l lage ,D oniphan bui lt on s ite of

— Fool Ch ief ’ sK ansas Journal ism,

A Hal f Century of ,by Gomer T. Davies,mentioned 3 9 3

K ansas M agaz ine, rev iva l of . 2 23

K ansas -Nebra ska b il l , mentioned , 3 , 1 1 7 1 53

K ansas -Nebra ska boundary l ine,

mentionedK ansas newspaper persona l ities , past andpresent, radio broadca sts featuringK ansa s new spapers

,fi les of

,disclose

attitude of press towards the Indian 40

K ansas Op timis t, Jamestown , cited 3 22

K ansas Pacific ra ilroad 3 75— freight sh ipped east by way of 1 1

K ansas Pres s , Wathena , cited 3 69

K ansas reserve mil itia , mentioned 3 0 9 , 3 1 3

K ansas r iver,mentioned 9 ,

2 6 ,1 1 8 , 1 2 1

1 6 2 ,-baptisma l services held in—bas in of

,mentioned 1 49

—cross ing of 3 64— b y the W enty - seven hundred 3 44

— declared a navigable stream 4

—ear ly h istory of 2 5 1

— ferri es operating on 25 1 29 3 , 3 43 3 76— Lawrence , note on 3 3 3

— fi rst ferrying at mouth of , onMissouri river 5— fi rst mil itary post west of mouth of 1 1 5— F lood , 1 8 44 3 6 4

—1 9 0 3 2 90 , 2 9 1

— h igh waters in 3 74— ice jams on .

284‘Jun e r ise” mentioned 284

424 GENERAL INDEX

PAGELa fon

’

s ferry , a lso known as S tate Roadferry 3 50 , 3 5 1 , 3 5 5

La Hontan, French exp lorer . 1 4 7Lajoie , Frans is , ferry operator . 1 3 3Lake View (Horseshoe lake) , D ouglas

county 29 2,2 9 3

Lakm, county seat of K earny county . 6 4Lal ly , Ed , note on reminiscences of 3 22Lagab , Port , horsepower ferry operatedy

Landis,John

,ferry operated byLands , cheap , boon to unemp loyedLane , Cha rles , Amer ican vegetar ian ad

vocate 3 7 7 , 3 7 8Lane, D r . H . H ., of K ansas Un ivers ity . 3 9 3Lane, Gen . James H 2 1 , 7 4 , 220

—commanded regiment in Mexican W a r . 3 43- death of 3 4Lane Wil l iam 3 78Lane 8 A rmy of the North

, crossed K an

sas r iver on Papan ’

e ferry 3 6 7Lang , Harry 3 9 8Lanter, M r . as s istant wagonmaster , 280Lantz , S . P fi rst superintendent ofWa ldo M . E . S unday S choo l 3 22La Platte, meaning of name . 1 6 9Lar imer , Capt. Wil l iam

,cited 2 7 5Larned , early - d ay fires in . 3 24

—lynch ing at 2 1 8Larned Op tic, cited . . 3 08Larned Week ly Chronoscop e, cited 2 1 8La S a l le, exped ition o f . 1 4 7Lawnda le, founding of . 3 28Lawrence, John , negro , lynched 2 1 7Law rence 1 4 , 1 5 , 3 6

26 3 , 2 78 , 2 79 , 29 2 , 2 9 3 , 3 74-bridge at , h istory of 285 - 28 9—need for 28 3 - 28 5

—C ity Hotel , mentioned . 1 88—Corlew , Thomas , tried by lynch courtat 1 87—ear ly - d ay printers . 3 9 2—ferr ies and b ridges ac ross the K awat 279 - 29 1—ferry , b i l l of 2 8 1 - 28 2—d escription of . 2 85 , 28 6—ferr iage rates on . 2 8 7

-latest ferry across K ansas r iver at . 2 9 0—lynch ings at 2 1 2

,2 1 7

-o ld settlers ’ reun ion held at 40 1—p latoon of cava lry organ ized at . 3 1 9—Quaker meeting house , build ing of . 1 1 0—~reputed lynch ing at 1 9 9—road to 1 1 6

-roads center ing at 28 2 283—sacking of , by p ro - s lavery element 1 8 5—“Twenty- seven hundred” Missour ians

3 43Law rence - Atch ison road . . 28 3Law rence-Bourbon county road 28 2 , 283Law rence B ri dge Co . , bridge owned by ,declared unsa fe 28 8 , 28 9—chartered 28 5—expiration of charter of 28 9— tol l rates on 28 8 , 28 9Law rence -Bur l ington road 28 2Lawrence Business col lege 3 1 8

-mi l itary company organi zed from students of 3 09Lawrence Da ily Journal -World, cited 2 85 , 29 0Lawrence-Empori a road 2 8 2Lawrence Ferry Co. , chartered 28 4Lawrence -Fort Scott road 28 3Lawrence F ree S ta te

,cited 2 79 , 2 8 0Lawrence-Garnett road 2 82Lawrence -Hiawatha road 282 , 28 3Lawrence -Humboldt road 28 2Lawrence Hydropath ic Hygienic S ociety , 3 8 2Lawrence Journal

,cited 3 1 6 , 3 1 8

0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PAGELawrence- Leavenworth road 277Lawrence Nationa l Guard armoryLaw rence Neosho Rap ids road 2 8 3Lawrence-Osawatomi e road 2 8 2Lawrence -Paola road 2 8 2Lawrence -Quind aro road 2 6 1Law rence R epub l ican Journal cited 2 86Law rence-Tecumseh roa d 2 8 3Lawrence Tribune

,cite d 1 8 4 , 2 1 3Lawrence-Westport , M o. road 2 82Lawrence -Wyandotte road 2 82Leahy

,David D

Learna rd , Col . 0 . E , Law rence ,urgespeaceful settlement in Legis lative W ar . 3 1 6Lease , Charles Henry , member of Robin

son R ifles company 3 1 8Lease,Mary El i zabeth , Popul ist orator 3 1 5

—pres ident of K ansas S tate Boa rd ofCharitiesLeavenworth

,Col . J . H .

—Marion county citi zens pet ition for re

mova l of 44

Leavenworth—completion of ra ilroa d bridge acrossMissouri river 1 9-depended on M issour i ferries . 1 5-excurs ion to

,on narrow gauge ra i lroad , 3 9 2

- ferry at,capacity of 1 6

- ferr iage rates of 1 9— fi rst operated in 1 9— none l icensed prior to 1 855 1 5-specia l pri vi leges granted to 2 0

—F irst Nationa l Bank of 2 2— Iowa Point a business riva l of 1 3 4— levee

,piled h igh w ith freight . 1 6

— protection and improvement of 1 6— l ynch ings in 1 9 0 , 20 1

—Missour i river bridge, h istory of 1 8—M iss ouri r iver cuts new channeloppos ite . dur ing freshet 1 6

—muni cipa l improvements undertaken at , 1 6—ou road from A tchison to Tecumseh 3 53— prel imin ary survey for road to connect

w ith Cameron,Mo

—road from Quind aro ferry to—road to S ac and Fox Agency crossedr iver at S t in son ferry 3 48—roads to 1 6 6 , 3 55-route to Pike ’

s Peak gold mines from . 3 59— steps taken for br idg ing streams on

roads leading to city— termina l bridge at

— terr itori a l road to—trade drawn from Platte country ofMis sour i— trade terri tory extendedLeavenworth and Missouri B ridge and

Ferry Co .

,incorporated . 2 2

Leavenworth and Northwestern rai lroa d 2 74

Leavenworth and Topeka S tate Roa dFerry, incorporatedLeavenworth Board of TradeLeav enworth Chron icle, Fort Leavenworthedition of

Leavenworth City ,ferryboat , history

of 20 , 2 1

Leavenworth Conservative cited 1 7 , 20 ,2 3

4 1 - 44,Leavenworth Constitutiona l Convention 1 3 5

—or igina l journa l ofLeavenworth county 2 5 , 2 73 , 2 79 , 3é8

2—if

n

err ies operatin g on K ansas ri ver274 2 76

— lynch ings in 2 1 5 , 2 1 7 2 1 9—on Missour i r iver in 1 3 - 2 6

—Missour ians brought to K ansas to vote

at countyseat election of

GENERAL INDEX

PAGELeavenworth , D e S oto and Fort S cottBridge Co built bridge at D e S oto . 275

Leavenworth Ferry Co . , incorporated . 2 1

Leavenworth -Fort S cott state road 2 70

Leavenworth -Frankl in road 2 7 8 , 279Leavenworth -Lawrence road . 2 77 , 282 , 28 3Leavenworth -Lecompton road 3 46

Leavenworth -Monticel lo road . 27 1Leavenworth -Olathe road 26 8 , 2 69 ,2 7 2

Leavenworth , Pawnee Wes tern ra ilroad , 27 3Leavenworth -Peoria territoria l road 273

Leavenworth -S ac and Fox agency postroute 278

Leavenworth -S a lem road 28 2

Leavenworth Times, cited 1 8 , 2 1

Leavenworth Times and Conservative ,

cited 20 8 . 2 1 5Leavenworth -Topeka road 3 55

Leavenworth -Wyandotte road 8 , 273Lebanon , old settlers ’ reunion held at . 40 1

Lecompte, R emi H .,ferry operator 3 5 1

—location of ferry of 3 50

Lecompte, Judge S amuel D . , eff orts todisperse lynch ing party unava il ing . 20 1—Lecompton named for . 3 44—president Lecompton Town Co 3 44

Lecompton 1 5 , 28 1—Ba ld Eagle oppos ite 3 43—efforts for br idge at 3 47—establ ished in 1 8 5 5 3 44— ferry at 3 45 , 3 46—pontoon bridge bui lt at 3 45— post office establ ished at 29 3—R is ing Sun oppos ite 3 44—roads leading to and from 1 1 6 , 2 83

—section Topeka pontoon bridge rescued3 74

Lecompton Bridge Co 3 45-charters secured for 3 47Lecompton Town Co . , members of 3 44

Lee , Thomas Amory , pres ident of K ansas

S tate H istor ical Society . 77 , 798 0 , 8 7 88 , 1 1 0 , 3 3 6

Lee , Wiley , negro, lynched 2 1 7

Leedy , John W . , state senator . 3 1 5Legate, James F . ,ferry operator . 274Legion Auxil iary Units . 77Lemon , owner of ferryboat

Jewell 1 3 8Lennox , E. H .,cross ing of the K aw

r iver descr ibed by 3 6 4Leon ,notes on h istory of . 3 24 , 3 3 2Leon Methodist Episcopa l Church ,

note

on ear ly h istory of 3 24

Leon News , cited 3 22 , 3 24 , 3 3 0 3 3 2Leonard , M rs . Anna M . ,founder ofLadies Reading Club , GirardLeoti , old settlers ’ reunion held at

— three res idents of , kil led at Coro52 , 53

Lewel l ing , L . D . , Popul ist governor 3 09

3 1 1 -3 1 5— appoints S ears brigadier genera l of theK ansas Nationa l Guard .—declares mart ia l law at end in Legislative W ar

—orders out nationa l guard for Legislative W ar

Lew is Clark expedition .

-errors in map of , pointed outLew is , Capt . Calvin , ferry operated by .Lew is , Meriwether , exp lorer , citedLew is High S chool , James C . Ma l in del ivers commencement address at

Lew is ’ Point, on Missour i r iver, locaLew is Press, cited .

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Lexington ,Johns on county , ferry atLexington , Mo. , ferry to A tch ison from

L ibera l , county seat of S eward county .

L iberty , Mo

—ferry operated atL ibra ry of Congress , manuscript repa iring methods of

L iepman , Jul ius M .Lil lard , T. M,

L ime kilo

n

’

s: op eratedo

by E . W . Matthew sin 1 8 70Lincoln , Pres . Abraham, asked to wear

wh iskers 3 9 8—vi s its Elwood 1 2 9

L incoln county , lynch ing in 2 1 8-map of 1 8 8 6 , mentioned 1 0 4

L incoln County News , L incoln , cited , 1 0 4 3 3 2

Lincoln Presbyterian Church , note on

h istory ofL incoln S entinel -Rep ub l ican,citedL indel l , C . EL indholm, Car lL indsborg , Bethany Col lege museumL indsborg Historical Society, leaseholder

of Coronado Heights , near Lindsborg . 22 4

L indsley , S en . H . K . ,v ice pres ident of

K ansas S tate Histori ca l S ocietyLinn , George A . , Kansas pioneerL inn , Jacob , brought first load of p inelumber to Marion Center 3 9 6Linn county 29 3

-lynchings in 1 8 6 , 2 1 4 , 2 1 6 , 2 1 7—Theodos ius Botkin,probate judge of 5 8

—Trading Post ma ssacre in 1 8 5

L inn County Clarion ,Mound C ity, cited , 2 1 7Linn -Palmer R ecord

,cited 3 27

L inv i l le,R ichard , ear ly Missour i ri ver

ferry establ ished by 5L ittle,Theoph ilus 3 3 6

L ittle A rkansa s ri ver 66 , 70L ittle Big Horn ri ver 1 6 4

Little B lue r iver 1 6 5L ittle Nemaha r iver 1 6 4

L ittle Osage r iver 3 46L ittleman,Jacob 2 44

,2 47

—appointed interpreter,fl ockb r id ge

Baptist Miss ion 2 45—member of D elaware Baptist Church 2 50L ittleman ,

Jonas 2 2 7 , 2 45 - 247L ittleman , M rs . Josephine 2 44

Littleman , Louisa , member of D elawareBaptist ChurchL ive stock

,efi ort made to pun ish theft of ,

in K ansas 1 9 4—ferried by S t Joseph Elwood ferry . 1 3 0

9L izz ie, Missouri r iver ferryboatLockard , Dore 1 06

Lockl in,Mrs . Charles 3 9 6

Logan,note on ear ly l i fe i n . 1 0 3

Logan R ep ublican , cited 1 0 3

Lone S tar,D odge City saloon 3 0 4

Long,D . B 3 3 6

Long, H .,lynched 2 1 4

Long,Maj . S . H . ,

exped ition of 1 1 5 , 1 50

1 52 , 1 6 1 , 2 5 1Long Branch , D odge "City sa loon 3 0 4

Longford Lea der , cited 3 28

Lookout va lley, note on p ioneers of 3 2 1

Losee,Isaa c G .

,Leavenworth ferryproprietor 2 1

—orders s inking of ferryboat i f necessary, 2 1Louisiana , references to bul l fights i n . . 29 4

Louis iana Purchase 1 52

Love,Robert C .

,ferry operator 3 54 , 3 55Lovewel l

,Tom

,government scout note on

b iography ofLowe, A . K . , ferry Operator

426 GENERAL INDEX

PAGELowe R . M .

,S hawnee county

Lowe, Percival G . , F ive Years 0 Dragoon ,

cited . 26 6 , 28 0Lowman ,E . S .

,ferry operator 27 4Lowman Memoria l Methodist Episcopal

Church , Topeka , anniversary of .Lucas , note on early h istory ofLucas Indep enden t citedLudington , Geo.

,Shawnee countyLukens

,Lucil le

Luray Herald,citedLusk

,D . S .

,ferry

Luttia - hing (Jones ) , DelawareLyday, H ferryLyki ns

,Johnston , Baptist mi ss ionary at

S hawnee 2 2 8 , 3 40—ed itor S hawnee S un 3 40 , 3 42Lykin s M rs . Johnston , Baptist miss iona ry , 2 2 8Lyle,

S

Francis , lynched 2 1 7Lynching and Mob , defined by leg is lativeact in 1 9 0 3 20 5 , 206Lynching , associations in south makingactive campa ign aga ins t—at

.

titude agains t grow ing in K ansas .

—crimes accountable for—d ra stic pena lti es of vari ous states toprevent—federa l government ’s regulations con

cern ing—H istory of

,in K ansas

,art icle by

Genevieve Yost 1 82 2 1 9—K ansas

'

rank in number of 2 1 0-more common in ea rly days . 1 8 4—newspaper space devoted . 20 8 , 20 9— rare in England 1 9 0—reasons why it flourished in West 1 9 1-states where none have been recorded , 1 89—unenviable record of southern states . 1 90—Un ited S tates sta tistics on 2 1 0

-various mod es of 1 8 3

Lynds , John H .,ferry operator, b iographical sketch of

Lyon ,M rs . Bel le C . ,

Fredonia , author .

Lyon county , attempte d lynch ing of German charged W ith murder in 20 1—Mexican lynched in 2 1 2

Lyttleman ,Ca thorin , D elaware

MeAdow , George, ferryboat of , destroyedby Jayhawkers during Civi l W ar 2 7—purchased the Nimrod Farley ferry . 2 7

McArthur,H iram, clerk S hawnee county , 3 6 0

M cArthur , L . ,bond given by 3 5 1

—Lecompton bridge incorporator 3 47

McBee , John , recol lections of ferryMcCarter , M rs . Margaret Hil lMcCarthy , Chubb , lynchedMcCarthy , M rs . K athryn O

’

Lough lin ,

3 9 8

McCartney , Henry (Pony ) , lynched 2 1 2

McCart lynched 2 1 6

McCarty , Edward C . ,D ouglas 29 2

McC laskey , G . D . , nientioned 3 2 9

McC losky , Pat , mentioned 1 06

M cCormi ck , A . H . , mentioned 1 0 7

McCoy ,F ielding , ferry operator 7

McCoy , Rev . Isaa c, cited and quoted . 22 8

262 26 4 , 3 3 9 , 3 40—Baptist mi ssionary 3 3 5—buys McGee ferry—short sketch of .

McCoy , J . H . , note on b iograph ica lsketch of

McCoy ,John Ca lvin ,

quoted .

—sel ls ferry interests—short sketch Of . .

McCul loch , Columbus , town of Columbus ,Don iphan county named

McCulloch , Thomas , mentionedM cDona ld operated steam saw

mi l l at ouglasMcDonald ,

Andrew ,first postmaster at

DouglasMcD ona ld , J . S . , remin iscences ofMcD ona ld

,S . D . , member br idge company 3 7 5

McDowel l,Jack , lynched 2 1 4

McElheney , W . , S hawnee county 3 6 2

McEl roy ,Thoma s

,lynched 2 1 3

McFar land ,Helen M . ,

8 8 , 9 0

McGee , James H . buys Roy ’s ferry 6

McGee, M . W DouglasMcGee , P . H .

,postmaster at Nevada . . 2 7 7

McGhee , J . , biograph ica l sketch of 278

McGinn i s , W . F . ,S r .

, Butler coun typ ioneer 2 20—h istor ica l subjects discussed by , inButler County News , El Dorado

McGrew , James , ferry owner .

-b iograph ical mention ofMack , George, l ynchedMcK enzie

,Henry , old log cab in of ,

mentioned 3 9 6Mackey,Eli , negro, lynched 2 1 4Mackey, Jackson , negro, lynched . 2 1 4

McKibb en , Rev . Samuel , men tioned 3 3 0Mackinaw boats , descr ibed . 3-used at Fort Leavenworth . 2 2

McKi nd ley ,Lew is , l ynched 2 1 8

McKind ley ,W . , lynched 2 1 8

McK inney , Wi ll iam M . ,ferry operator 3 45

McIntosh , D . S . ,Lecompton br idge ih

3 47Macksv i l le , old settlers ’

reun ion held at 40 1

McLauren , D r . John , Octagon S ettlemen t

Company located by—sent to K ansas to make location forVegetarian K ansas Emigration S ociety , 3 79- treas urer Octagon Settl ement Company , 323)McLean ,

Milton R 85 ,

McLee ,G . B mentioned 3 5 ]

McMartin ,D . F . , mentioned 3 29

McMull in , Henry , ferry owner 9

McMurt rie, D ouglas C . , author ity on

typography and h istory of prin t ing .—“The S hawnee S un , The F irst Indianlangua ge Period ica l Publ ished in the

Un ited S tates ,

”a rticle by 3 3 9 3 42

McNea l , Thomas A . , mentioned 85,89

M cPherson , old settlers ’ reun ion held at 40 1

McPherson county , oil and gas developments in—Pioneer L ife and Lore of, publ ished byEdna NyquistMcPherson County H istor ica l S ociety,

8 7— Edna Nyquist , secretary 8 6—new officers of 40 0

McPherson Da ily R ep ub lican ,cited 3 2 7

McPherson Indep end en t, quoted 29 5 29 6

M cQuey , B . Frank , v ice president M cPherson County Historica l SocietyM cRaynold s , Edw in ,

mentioned .Maguire, Thomas mentionedM ahaflie ,

M r . commissioner Johnson countyMahan , F . M .

,ferry operatorMa i l routes established in advance ofpost officesMails

,delayed by h igh waters in Kansas

r iver 3 74 , 3 75—brought across Missour i ri ver to

K ickapooMal in ,James C 79 , 8 9 , 9 5 , 3 3 3

— associate editor of K ansas H istoricalQuarter ly

428 GENERAL INDEX

Mexico—trade w ith .Mexico,

Mo . , mi l itary schoo l atMeyer , L , Wyandotte merchantMiami , on road from Lecompton toBarnesvi l le 3 46M iami county , lynch ing in . 2 1 3 , 2 1 7

M i

o

a

f

mi Indians , books prin ted in languageMiddaugh and Chi rtis , ferri es opera tedby . 3 7 3

-feyrry nea r mouth of S old ier creek ,

complaint, aga inst ”

—ferr iage rates for 1 86 1 , reproductionof ori gina l handb il l giving—Wa lker ferry operated by

-ferriage rates establ ished forMiddaugh , Joseph , ferry operator , comp la int aga inst- partner of Oren A . Curt is—road commissionerMies , Wi ll iam, remin iscences ofMi les , J . E. , sergeant “

Rob inson R iflescompanyMi les , Gen . Nelson A . ,

interv iew w ithGen . S ears 3 1 9 , 8 20Mil itary expeditions

,financing of , by

K ans asMil itary ferry , D elaware Cross ing a lsoknown as

M litary post, first w es t of mouth of

K aw river 1 1 5M il itary road , from Fort Leave nw orth,212 , 1 1 8

—Fort Leavenworth to Fort Gibson . 6-to Fort R i ley 3 47Mil itia , cal led out, during S teven s coun tyseat troubles—Wich ita county seat war

-sent to rel ief of Judge Theod osiuBotk inMil l , going to,

inducements offered byferry operators—grist mi l l at Indianola .M il l creek , mentionedMi ller , EdMi ll ion , George M . , b iographical sketch

— proprietor of Atch ison ferry“Mil lspaugh , L . A . ,

mentioned .Mil lwood , lynch ing at .Mincer , C. , al ias Charles S pencer ,lynchedMinneola , Leavenworth Constitutiona lConvention met at 7 4

—lynching at 2 1 8—road from Topeka to . 3 76Miss ion , S hawnee Bapt ist , location of . 22 7- S ee, also

,Name of church , miss ions ;Name of tr ibe , miss ions ; Name of

miss ion .Miss ion Covenant Church , S totler , s ix

tieth ann iversary ofMiss ions , among S hawneesMiss ions,K ansas , Two Minute Books

2 27 2 50Miss iss ippi r iver , mentioned 4 , 3 2Missouri , bul l fight demonstration held in , 2 9 4—Indians segregated w est 3 3 5— law s of , adopted by K ansas Legis lature

of 1 855—Nationa l Anti -Horse Th ief Ass oc iationorgani zed in 1 9 3

— Platte country added to . 1 53Missouri Compromise, mentioned . 1 52 , 1 54—oppos ition to repea l of 1 46— protests of clergy aga inst repea l Of . .

M is sour i Democrat, S t . Louis , cited 3 8 3Missour i Indians , mentioned 1 48

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mis souri Pacific ra ilroad—coi5perated w ith Wyandotte in protecting levee 1 1

M issouri R ep ub l ican,cited . 42 , 3 8 4Missour i river 1 4 , 22 , 280Missouri river

,bridges , Atchison , bui lt byJ . N. Burnes

—bui lt at Elwood—K ansa s C ity , first to span ri ver-Leavenworth

,completion of

—changes to Atch ison county l in e mad e1 1 5

—cross ing of in 1 8 52 1 2 4—ferries on 3 - 2 8 , 1 1 5 - 1 3 8 , 2 56 , 2 57 259—fi rs t ferrying done nea r mouth of K an

sas river— freshets cut new channel oppositeLea venworth—from North Dakota to K ansa s C ity 18‘

newest'

river in the United S ta tes .

—G reat Fa l ls of- great western bend of— head waters of , mentioned

-kee l boa ts used on

— protection aga inst encroachments of,atWyandotte

— rea lly K aw river from Kansas C ity toS t . Louis 3 3 4

“ Westport Landing , one of the best on ,Missour ians,brought to K ansa s to vote in

ea rly elections 2 6 , 2 7— “Twenty - scven Hundred ” at Lawrencein 1 8 56M itchel l , D av id H . , ferry incorporatorMitchell , Henry

,farm on S outh Cedar

Mitchell , Wa llace , lynchedMitchell county,ear ly postmasters in

— kil l ing of las t buffa lo in—note on h istorica l sketches of—Pittsburg an ea rly town of

Mob , Kansas sta tutes define-and lynching

,defined by legis lative act ,

1 9 0 3Mockbee,John W .

,ferry operator

Mohekunnuk settlementMohegan and Delaware Bapt ist MissionChurch . S ee Delaware Baptist Miss ionChurch .Mol ly Pitcher ’s spr ing, mentionedMonmouth , lynch ings at

Montarges ,Ce l isse , a Frenchman com

mon ly ca l led “Caleece

”

—trapper and traderMontezuma,ra ilroad bui lt by A . T. S oule

from Dodge C ityMontgomery,James , mentioned 1 8 7Montgomery , R . M .

,Marysvi l le 40 1Montgomery county, h istory mentioned 3 9 8

—lynch ing in 2 1 7Monticel lo , Johnson county—ferry located near 26 9-lynch ing at 2 1 4—state road through 2 82Monticel lo Ferry Co .

,h is tory of 27 1 , 27 2Monticello-Leavenworth road 2 7 1Monticel lo -O lathe road 26 8 , 269 272Monument , to pioneer women

, dedicatedat El l is

— honor ing Freder ick Brown ,unvei led at

OsawatomieMoon,E. G , S hawneeMooney Dan iel

,lynched 2 1 2Moore S ierra ,law fi rm 29 7Moore

,E . B . ,

mentioned 3 9 2Moore, Ely , Ba ld Eagle ferry described by , 3 43Moore,George L . , ferry operator 1 3 7

GENERAL INDEX

PAGEMoore,H . M . , commiss ioner S hawnee

county 3 7 1Moore, J . W ferry operator 1 3 6 , 1 3 7Moore, L . D ki lled by Jennison in re

ta l iation 1 8 6Moore , Mary , 1 0 4Moore,W . K . ,

mentioned ,3 0 7

—press agent for Dodge City bul lfightMoran,D an iel , negro

,lynched 21 4Moran

,John negro, lynched . 2 1 4Morehouse , George P , mentioned . 8 5 , 8 9Morgan , Perl W . ,

H istory of WyandotteCounty , K ansas

,citedMormons , crossed Missouri r iver on

Elwood ferry—Fremont

’

s fi fth exped i tion reachedsettlements of—war w ithMoro sh ield and spear , given H istorica lS ociety 74Morr is, D r . and son , lynched 2 1 6Morr is

,J . W . , ferry operator . 1 1 6Morr is county

,lynch ing in 2 1 2 , 2 1 4Morr ison

,Newt, lynched 2 1 4Morrison

,T. F . , mentioned . 8 8Morrow ,Granv il le, Missour i r iver pi lot . . 1 1 9Morrow ,Wi l l iam,

Lecompton br idge i n

corporatorMorse , E . S ,member D elaware Baptist

Morse, S . V . ,ferry operator .Morton ,ferry operator .Morton ,

John T. , S hawne countyM orton County Farmer , Rol la ,

cited .Mound City, lynch ing at—state road through—terr itoria l road to—Theodos ius Botkin , probate judge of .Mount Ayes Fr iends Church , h istory of ,mentioned

Mt. Hope cemetery, El l is , monumentdedicated atMount Oread Ins titute for Young Ladies ,organi zed by Eli ThayerMount Pleasant , on road from A tch isonto LecomptonMount Plea sant Church , first Chr istianchurch in K ansasMow ry, Wi l l iam A . , quotedMoya , Marco, matador at Dodge C itybull fight 3 0 3 , 3 0 5

Mud creek , mentioned 2 9 1Muddy creek , Parkvi l le cross ing on 3 49Mulberry , attitude towards lynch ing in . 20 2—hanging of A lbert Evans at 1 82— lynch ing at 2 1 9Mulberry New s , cited and quoted . 20 2 , 2 1 9

Mule skinner , mentionedMules , Missouri , used in freighting bus inessMulvane, first tra in in ,

descr ibed—o ld settlers ’

reunion held atMulvane News , citedMuncie , mentioned 26 2 26 5Muncie creekMuncie Ferry C0 . organi zation ofMuncie Miss ion , Leavenworth county .Munday, Isaac, blacksmith in Indian serv

i ceMunger , D . S bond given byMunger , Davi d , first postmaster ofWich itaMunger , S . L . , app l ication for ferry l icenseMunson , F . C . , officer cava lry association , 400Murder , ma in cause for lynch ings a fterthe suppress ion of horse stea l ing

429

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

o

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PAGEMurdock , Victo r 1 06 , 1 0 7 , 3 9 4 3 9 7-h istory of Wich ita Ind 1ans by, men

tionedMurphy , B . A . , mentionedMurphy, Frank , cattle d ay remi n is cences ,

mentionedMurphy, J . H . , mentionedMurphy , Thomas, superintendent centra lIndian agencyMuscotah , state road throughMuse , Judge R . W . P . , citedMuseum Hal l , Topeka , ferry meeting

cal led forMyers , Gen . mentionedMyers , George, lynchedMyers , James , lynched .Myers , Wi ll iam P . , lynched

Nace, W. M Lecompton bri dge incorporator

Nancy Lee, ferryboatNarwood , B . W . , lynchedNationa l Anti -Horse-Th ief A ssociation ,

organi zation and membersh ip ofNationa l A ssociation for Advancement ofColored Peop le 1 82—Wa lter Wh ite , secretary of 1 8 9Na tiona l Era, Wash ington , D . C . ,

Ci ted 1

421 5 4 , 1Nationa l Intelligencer, Wash ington ,

cited 1 59 , 1 62 1 74Nationa l Museum , Wash ington , D . C . ,John Brown pike inNationa l O ld Tra ils Road Association—markers erected byNearman

, road running north ' fromNebraska (terri tory) , 1 8 54— p lans for organi zation ofNebraska , bul l fight held in—southern boundary of , road from Topeka to

Nebraska and K ansas,Wi ll iam Walkerprovi s iona l governor of

Nebraska C ity , freighting for Weststarted from

Nebraska S ta te H istor ical S ociety Collections, cited

“Necktie party , lynch ings popul ar lyknown as 1 8 3Nee ly , A . F . , S hawnee county 3 6 2Negro problem in South 1 9 3Negroes , baptised in the K ansas river 28 4—exodus from South 1 9 9- lynched in K ansas 2 1 3 - 2 1 9-number lynched in Kansas 1 9 9—southern , sought mecca in K ansas 3 9 9Nelson , W. H 3 9 7Nemaha county, lynchings in 20 3 , 2 1 3 , 2 1 6—Wild Cat Horse Guards , organi zed in . 1 9 3Neodesha R eg ister , cited 3 9 2 , 3 9 9Neodesha Rotary C lub 3 9 8Neosho City, land boom at 3 8 4- location of 3 8 3Neosho county

,lynch ing in 2 1 5Neosho Fa l ls , visit of Pres . R . B . Hayes

toNeosho Fa l ls Post, citedNeosho R apids -Lawrence roadNeosho r iver— s ite of Octagon S ettlement Co . locatedNetawaka ,

tr ial of gang of horse th ievesoperating in Nemaha county . . 20 4

Neuer Ans ied iungs Verein , organ i za tion of , 2 76Nevada C i ty , ferries at 277 278Nevada C ity Town Co.

, operatesferry,

430 GENERAL INDEX

PAGE PAGENew England Emigrant Aid Company ,

72 , 75 , 3 80- absorbed the Massachusetts Emi grantA id S ociety . 1 57—papers of

, sent to K ansas S tate H i s

tor ica l S ociety—plan of

, s imi lar to Octagon S ettlement

New England states , four never had a

lynch ingNew Hampsh ire Baptist ConventionNew Haven, state road throughNew Haven colony, Smith countyNew

cSi aven (Conn ) Da ily Pa lla dium,

ci e

New Lancaster , road toNew Mexico,

Juan d e Ona te, first govNew York City, steer ba iting perform

ance held in . 29 4 , 29 8 , 2 9 9

New York City Publ ic Library , titles ofJohn Brown materia l to b e printed by , 80

New York Indian reserve, Octagon S ettlement Co . located near boundary of . 3 8 4

New York Hera ld, cited 29 4,3 0 5

New York Indep endent, cited 1 44 , 1 5 8

New York K auzes Leag ue. 3 8 1

New York Tr ibune, cited 1 3 9 , 1 40 , 1 49

New York Times, cited 29 4

e

fi

w

hrk

’ N. J ., canceled proposed bul lgNewcom, J . M church clerk , DelawareBaptist Miss ion 23 0

23 3 - 2 3 5 , 23 7 , 2 3 8 2 41 , 242

cwman , road to Big S pr ings from 3 48

Newman ferry , h istory of 3 48

News Chroni cle, S cott City , cited . . 1 0 2 2 2 1Newspaper cl ippings , in Metca l f collec

Newspapers , Eastern , accused Kansas of

wanting an Indian war—K ansas , files of—number received by K ansas S tateH istorica l Society 75

fl pace devoted to lynch ings 209

Newton ,J . F ,

advocate of vegetar ian ism, 3 77Newton , note on ea rly days in 3 2 1Niccum,Norman 3 5 2Nichols , W . S .

, S hawnee county . . 3 6 2 , 3 6 3

Nicholson , George T. , genera l passengeragent, A . T. 6: S . F . ra ilroadNicholson ,

John Harvey county h istorica l manuscripts preserved by 3 2 1Nickerson , old settlers ’ reun ion held at . 4 0 1Nicol let, M r . map of , mentioned . 1 6 1Niens tedt, Al . 3 9 6

“Nigger chas ing 1 8 7

Nine Mile house , Ten Mi le creek 2 83“No Man '

s Land 3 84—Haymeadow massacre commi tted in . 5 7

Noble, M . L . , ferry operator 1 3 7

Nodaway City, Mo ., name changed toBostonNoel l , C . W .

,register of deeds, Hamilton county 2 22

,3 3 2

Nofat , Indian ,sa le of chattels of 25 2Norcatur , note on h istory of 3 3 3Norcatur D isp atch , cited 3 3 3Norr is , M rs . George 8 8

Nor th American R eview ,cited 1 76 1 77North Law rence , Flood of 1 9 0 3 , d e

scr ibedNorth Topeka , 1 8 59 , descr ibed— F lood of 1 8 44 , descr ibed—Robert Wa lker ’s ferry , on K ansas r iver ,near mouth of S oldier creekNorthrup Ch ick

— buy ferry interest of John C . M cCoy .

Norton , Capt . J . Q . A Co. D ,Nine

teenth K ansas cava lry . 74Norton , John W . , ferry operator 3 54Norton Champ ion, cited . 1 0 2Norton county, lynch ings 21 6Norway , old settlers ’ reunion held at 40 2Noyes Moore, ferry operators 1 3 7Noyes , C . W . , ferry operator 1 3 7Noyes , Frank , lynched 20 1

,2 1 7Nyquist, Edna , secretary McPherson

County Historica l S ociety 8 6 , 2 23 400-ed itor of P ioneer L ife and Lore of M cPherson County , K ansas

0

Oak Mi l ls , Atch ison coun ty 25 ,—Bob S crugg l ynched for murder at , 2 0 4 2 1 6

Oakes Caufiman, John Brown Pikes

sh ipped in care ofOakley, forty - seventh anniversary celebration men tioned 1 0 2— old settlers ’ reunion held at 40 2Oas is ," name of Dodge C ity sa loon 3 0 4Obrecht , R . C mentioned 7 5O

’

Brien, mentioned 20 4

Octag on C ity 3 8 2 , 3 83Octagon p lan of settlement

,described 3 82

Octagon Settlemen t Co . , const itutionquoted 3 8 1— heavy morta l ity at 3 8 4—h istory of 3 8 1-inducements offered shareholders 3 82 , 3 83Octa gon and Vegetarian Sett lement Compenies ,

”article by Russel l Hickman

, 3 77 - 3 8 5

Od el l , Clark , lynched 2 1 5Oden , M rs . Ruth , mentioned 1 0 8

O’

Fa llon , John ,mentioned 1 1 6

Ogee ’

s ferry , mentioned 4

Ogi lla lah Indians , lod ges mentioned 1 48Oh io, regiments S econd caval ry 2 1 2

Oh io C ity , Frankl in coun ty, lynch ing at 2 13—road through 28 2

Oh io townsh ip, Sa l ine county , old set

tlers'reunion held in

Oi l and gas fields , McPherson countymentioned

Oketo, h istori cal note of—lynch ing atOklahoma

, Jim Brennan arrested in , formurder of Sam Wood . 6 2—run of 1 8 89

,mentioned 3 29

Olathe , lynch ing 2 1 9

20 2-old settlers ’ reun ion held at 40 1— roads to and from 26 8 , 269 , 272 , 2 82O lathe M irror, cited and quoted 1 8 4 , 1 85

“Osld Horse boat ferry , operated byP . Yocum 2 1

Old settlers ’ reuni ons , loca l ities holding . 40 1

Ol iphant , Nat, lynched 2 1 8

Ol iver , Hannah P .,mentioned 8 8

Ol iver , J . , mentioned 1 0 6

Ol iver , L . L . ,l ynched 21 6

Olson , Henry L . , ferry operator 1 3 8

Omaha , Neb . , bul l fight held in 2 9 4

Omaha Indians , mentioned 1 48

Omio, note on h istory of 3 2 3

Onate , Juan d e, first governor of NewMexicoOne Hundred an d Ten

,Osage county ,

roads to and from 2 9 3 , 3 53 , 3 76

O’

Neil , Ra lph , mentioned 8 8“Opera House, name of D odge Ci tyOral H yg iene, citedOregon

,emigrants to, went up K aw

va l ley—trade w ith

432 GENERAL INDE!

Pawnee Indians-d iscovery of house location near

—mas sacre near present Trenton , Neb . 3 29—Rev . John Dunbar miss iona ry to 22—Wich ita Indians related to . 7 0Pawnee Picts , descri bed by Catl in 70Paxton , W . M . , Annals of P latte Coun ty ,cited 22 -25Pea ce Commiss ion , Indian , 1 8 6 7 , crea

tion of 2 9 8 2

Peacock , A . S . ,mentionedPeacock , Wi l l iam C . , old - time pla insman

and scout 6 6 , 6 7Pearson , A llen , cla im Oi . . 3 5 3Pea rson , David , member Quind aro dzParkvi lle Ferry Co . .Pea rson , Robert , eyewitness of Battle of

B lack Jack , citedPeck , Robert Morr is , mentionedPegg , D r . G . R . , mentionedPegg , M rs . G . R . , mentionedPemberton ,John S . , ferry operatorPenney, Joseph , ferry operato rPennsy lvania Temperance Society, men

Pens ineau,Pascha l , trading hous e of,

above Fort LeavenworthPens ineau

’

s Landi ng , above Fort Leavenworth 23Peop le’ s Voice, Wel l ington , cited . 2 1 8Peoria -Leavenworth terri toria l road . 2 73Peterson ,

Anton , remin iscences o f , noted , 3 26Peterson , Elmer T. , edi tor Better Homes

and Gardens—ed itor Wich ita Bea con .Ph iladelph ia Bul letin , citedPh il ippine Is lands , rel ics from, given H istorica l Society 73 , 74Ph i l l ips , S ampson Co . ,

publ ishers , 1 40 , 1 70

1 78 , 1 79—fi rst book on K ansas printed by . 1 89—Ha le ’

s K anza s and Neb ras ka pub

l i shed byPh i ll ips,L . L . , LawrencePh il l ips , M . D . , of fi rm of Ph il l ips ,

S ampson Co . publ ishers ” . 1 40 , 1 78 ,1 80

—q uoted 1 58Ph il l ips , M rs . M . D . , mentioned 8 8Phoenix , John , quoted

P iank eshaw Indians , mentioned 1 4 8Pickett , Morr is , of S hawnee county 3 6 2Picts , of S cotland , mentioned . 70Pierce ,John ,

lynched 2 1 5Pierce , Anderson county , on road fromLecompton to BernardPike , L ieut. Zebulon M— in Bourbon county, 1 8 06 .

“P ikes , John B rown , S tory of the, ar

ticle by Frank H . Hodder 3 8 6 - 3 9 0Pike ’

s Pawnee v i l lage s ite, p lans for making a nationa l park of 40 1Pike ’

s Peak , emi gration to 1 3 6

—gold mines , route to . 3 59— rus h to 1 26— travel through Topeka during theheight ofPink R ag , Topeka , citedPioneer K ansan Club , Morr is county . .Pioneer Mothers of Centra l K ansa s , Tr ib-

3ute to ,by Wil l Goodman , mentioned .Pioneer Woman

’

s A ssociation of El l is , 3monument dedicated toPioneers , va lue of horses toPitcher , Molly, spri ng mentionedPitcher , S amuel D . ,

ferry opera tor .Pitkin, R ichard , lynched

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PAGEPittsburg, towns in K ansas bear ing thatPittsburg, Craw ford county, lynch ing

2 1 9—p latting of . 2 2 1Pittsburg , Mitchell county , renamed TipPitt

f

sburg , Pottawatomie county, locationPittsburg Hea dl ight, citedPitts burg S un

, citedPittsburg K ansas S tate Teachers Coleg e 223Planter ’s House, Leavenworth , mentioned , 21Platte City , Mo. , ra il road meet ing held at , 1 8—road to 1 7Platte county, Mo 1 4

, 22 , 2 7—James K uykendal l one t ime sheri ff of 3 5 8- ra i lroad in, comp leted to point oppoPlatte Purchase, Indian title to—settlement of

- tra de from terri tory included in ,at

tracted to Leavenworth 1 7Platte ri ver , Missouri , mentioned , 22 ,Platte r iver , Nebraska , mentioned 1 49Platte Va l ley Ferry Co .,Mis sour i , hi s

tory oPlayter , Frankl in , C raw ford county p io

Pleasant G rove, Greenwood county , lynchPlevna , h istory of schools in

, notedPlumb , George , mentionedPlymouth Rock , mentionedPokelas , F rancis , member of D elBaptist ChurchPomeroy , S amuel C . attitude on crea

tion of Peace Commission-interested in Atch ison ferry boats .

— view s on Indian ques ti on not sharedby K ansas 3 4Pontoon bridge, Lecompton 3 45—Leavenworth , bui lt by Vinton S til l ings , 1 8—Topeka 3 6 3 , 3 73—construction of, commenced 270

-d escription of 3 74—estimate of damag e to from h ighwater

-Wyandotte , bui lt in 1 8 63 255Pony Expres s 1 9 5-A tch iso n made start ing point of 1 1 6—Elwood first starting point for , on wes t

s ide o f Missour i 1 25Pope, Capt. John , map of , mentioned 1 6 1Pope, Leavenworth county , mentioned 1 3Popul ist party , mentioned 3 09 - 3 1 8Port Wi l l iams 1 1 6—short sketch of 1 1 5Post routes , K ansas , mentioned 1 3 2Posta l service , Ki ckapoo , Leavenworthcounty, once important distr ibutingpoint forPost offices , ma il routes establ ished inadvance of 4Potos i , road from Wyandotte to 258Pottawatomie Baptist Miss ion Church ,Ottawa county 23 0 , 23 3 , 23 4 2 44Pottawatomie county, Pittsburg an earlytown of

—S pring creek townsh ip ofPo ttawatomie creek , lynch ing onPottawatomie Indian Mis s ion school ,S hawnee county , marker erected for 1 1 0Pottawatomie Indians 3 6 6

—books pr inted in language of 342—miss ion among 1 5 0Potter , R . , of Lexington , ferryoperator ,

GENERAL INDEX

PAGEPotter , memories of 3 9 1Potter K ansan , cited 3 9 1Potw in , old settlers'

reunion held at 40 2Potwin Ledger , cited 1 0 9 222Potw in M essenger , founded by J . MWor leyPour ier , Constant, te operator .Prairie C ity, road to ecomp ton from .Prairie fires , mentionedPra irie schooners , days of , mentioned .—freight ca rried by— laden for ColoradoPra irie Va le Miss ionary Union , h istory of ,

noted 3 9 1Pratt, Ca leb S .,ferry operator . 2 8 4Pratt, John G i l l 2 3 7 , 23 9 , 241 , 242 , 250

— author i zed to move to S tockbridge . 2 43—Baptist missionary

,sketch of 2 29

—certificate of 3 42-pastor of S tockbridge BaptistChurch

— printer at S hawnee M iss ion—quoted—received a s member of S tockbr idgeBaptist ChurchPratt, O l iv ia E—received as member S tockbr idge BaptistChurch 2 44Pratt

,W . R . remin iscences of , noted . . 3 2 7Pratt, old settlers ’ reunion held at 40 2Pratt county tra i ls 1 0 4Pratt Da ily Tr ibune, cited 1 0 4Preh istoric anima ls , discovery of tracks of

in K ansa sPresbyterian Church , Board of ForeignPrescott, l ynch ing atPress , newspaper

,hostile towards Indian

agentsPreuss . Charles , map of route exp loredby Fremont , made byPrice, lynched at Hul l ’s Grove,Jefferson countyPr ice , Hercules H , mentionedPrice’s R a id , mentionedPr iddy J . W , department adjutant,G . A. RPrime

’

s ferry, at Independence,MoPr inting press

,erected at S tockbri dge

Baptist Miss ionProphet, Indian ,mentionedPros lavery element , sacking of Lawrence

Protection,newspaper h istory of ,

mentionedProtection Post, first publ ishers ofProuty, Col . S almon S ,b iography men

tioned 3 9 4Pruitt,A lon zo, mentioned . 3 3 0 3 9 4Pueblo Indian ruins , S cott county, men

tionedPumpkins , method of dry ing by WichitaIndiansPurp le, Samuel , lynchedPutnam’

s M onthly , cited .Q

Quantri l l , Wil l iam C .

—ra id on Lawren ceQuarterly Journal of the AmericanUn itari an As sociat ion

,cited . .Quick , John ,

mentioned .Quiett,El lie, ferry operator .

-petition for ferry l icense ”Quiett,Susan , ferry operator

-rates of ferriageQuiett, T. F . , app l ica tion for ferry

28—1070

433

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 .

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

PAGEQuimby, George, ferry incorporator 1 4Quimby , Wi ll iam,

lynched 2 1 6

Quindaro . 259 , 26 1—ferry to Parkvi l le, Mo. operated .

from,1 1

-ferryboat sunk at , by Missourians 1 2-free ferry establi shed by 26 1— free state town 1 1— h istory of ferri es at 1 1 , 1 2— roads lead ing to 26 1

Quind aro and Parkvil le Ferry Co. , h istory

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0o

Quindaro and S hawnee B ridge and RoadCo .

, activ it ies of 2 6 1 , 26 2Quinn , Charles , lynched 2 1 4Quinney, Prudence, mentioned 2 46 , 2 48

R

Rafts , used in early ferry boatsRahp ateetan ksee , Ind ianR ai lroad

,bui lt by A . T. S oule in Gray

county— fi rst bui lt west of Missouri r iver 1 20 1 26—narrow gauge, to Leavenworth 3 9 2

Rai lroad bonds , voted on in S tevenscounty

Ra il road bui lding , era ofRa ilroa d routes to PacificRa ilroads , a factor in organization ofK ansas and Nebraska-take over freight busines s formerlyhandled by wagon tra ins

Ra in ,James , member of DelawareBaptist Church

R ain , exper iment to makeR amsey, Maggie How

Ramsey,P .

Randolph , Frank L . , experi ences of

Randolph , Mo.

Rankin , Asa F . , note on h is tory of

S edgwick coun ty byRankin , R obert CRanson , Joseph C . Co . , ferry priv ileges granted toRape, hold s th ird p lace in K ansas as

cause for lynch ingRastall , John E . , cross in g Papan ’

s ferry ,described 3 6 6

Rattlesnake H il ls , near S t. Joseph , Mo 1 2 4

R aynes ford , H . C 85 8 9—l ine of Butterfi eld Overland D espatchbeing traced by

Raw l ins county, R ichard Read lynchedRaw son , Wil l iam, ferry OperatorRead , R ichard , lynchedB eckmeyer, ClarenceRector Rob erd eau

’

s map , inaccuraciesRed Cross“R ed Legs , emp loyed in scouting—reasons for disbanding

Re d R iver— Pan i Piques remove to .

R ed Rover , Atch ison ferryboatR edman

,D . Hudson , ferry incorporator

R edpath , James, cited

Ree , Thomas B . , ferry operatorReed , Clyde MReed , J .Rees , R ichard R ferry operator , b iograph ica l noteRegier , C . C . , author

,cited

Re hw inkel , A . M . , vice president Cow leyCounty H istorical S ociety 223

Reid , John W , DouglasRemsburg , George J . , Atch ison countyh istorian

434

PAGEReno county 58

-Hopewel l school , note on h is tory of . . 8 3 6—note

.

on old settlers of . 3 24

Republic City, note on h istory oi . . 3 27 3 28

R epublic City News, fi ftieth anniversary—founded by Charles H . WolfeRepubl ic county , John R . Bowersox ,pioneer of 1 0- note on h istory Oi . . 3 27 , 3 28

R ep ublican -Gazette, Gove C ity, 1 0 2 , 3 3 1 , 3 9 9R epubl ican ri ver 5 , 1 6 4—h igh waters in 3 74

-junction of , w ith the Smoky H il l ri ver , 2 5 1— note on settlements a long 3 3 6

Republ ican S tate Convention , Topeka ,

1 8 6 8 , resolution of, demanding re

moval of IndiansRevere House, BostonR eview of Reviews , quoted .Reyburn , W . , Leavenworth ferry

op erated byReynolds

,Enoch , lynched

Reynolds , Thomas , lynched in Gea rycounty 200 , 20 1 , 20 4 , 205 2 1 4

R ial ,to Mo. , ferry at, used by ssou

rian s during ea rly Kansas elections .

R ia lto ferry, establ ishment oi . .

R ice, E. C . , survey or

R ice , Jasper S . , ferry operator .

R ichardson ,Albert D . , Beyond the

M iss iss ippi , citedR ichfield , Mo .

R ichmond , Mo.

R ichmond , Nemaha county, road fromLecompton to

R idgeway , JohnR idings , S amR iggs , R ev . SR igsby, John ,

negro, lynchedR i ley , Patsey , lynchedR iley county , James M . Harvey , early

settler—lynch ings in—note on early settlers ofR iley County H istorica l S ociety—K ansas D ay program of . .

—monument erected in D eni son Ci rcle,ManhattanB i l inger , Joe, h istorica l notes byR is ing Sun , Douglas county, disappear

ance of—K unkel ’e ferry at—oppos ite Lecompton—roads to and from . .—s ix horse th ieves hanged atR itch ie, John , S hawnee county .

R ivas , Evari sto A . , picador , Dodge C itybuH fight

R ivas , Rodrigo, matador , Dodge City bul lfightR ively

’

8 store, Leavenworth county 1 8

R iver d es,

Padouca s and K ans as . S eeK ansas r iver .

R ivers ide Park , Wich ita 6 7

Roads , Atch ison to Lecompton 3 46—building of , in western K ansas 4 7—centering at Wyandotte City 258—ear ly state, descr iption of 283—establ ishment of 6-Frankl in to Lecompton 3 46—H igh land to Wh itehead 1 3 2-Lawrence 1 8—leading to and from Wyandotte 8— Atch ison 1 1 6

1 5-R is ing Sun 3 44

—Leavenworth appreciated importance of , 1 7—Lecompton to S t . Bernard 3 46—permanent, necess ity for 3

GENERAL INDEX

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

R ose, George , lynched

PAGERoads , reach ing Quin daro ferry 1 2—terr itoria l—to Burr Oak bottom 1 3 4—and state 8 53—establ ished to ferry cross ings 25 2—S ee, a lso , Tra i ls and names of Cities .

Robbery , holds fourth p lace in K ansas as

cause of lynch ingRoberti , Augus t, S hawnee coun tyRoberts , Francis Henry , notes on b istori

cal articles byRoberts , Peter S , ferry operator 1 3 3Roberts , Wil l iam Y .

, ferry operator , b iologica l mention ofRobertson , George, negro, lynchedRob idoux , Joseph , ferry operated byRob idoux , Jul ius C . , first l icensed ferryin Buchanan county , Mo

Rob idoux’

s ferry,S t . Joseph , ferry rates

on

Rob inson , Al fred , member Qui nd aroParkv i lle Ferry Co .

Rob inson , Gov . Charles 7 4 , 1 50 , 3 1 8 , 3 9 7-address es return ing “

Rob inson R ifles ”company 3 1 7

—ass ists in peace proceedings for Legislative War 3 1 6 , 3 1 7- interes ted in Qui nd aro ferry 2 6 0—mil itary company named for 3 09

member Quind aro Town Co 1 2-presents flag to “

Rob inson R ifles comany

Rob in son,John , of Tescott , diary in pos

sess ion of 3 9 1

Robinson , S am, city marshal of Hugoton ,5 5

—charged w ith assault and battery , warrant issued aga ins t-duel w ith Ed S hort

Robinson , S ara , W i fe of Gov . Charles ,cooki ng recipes used by

Rob inson , Wil l iam, publ ication of diary“Robins on R ifles company, entra ins forTopeka

—mi l ita ry oath administered to—receives flag from Gov . Charles R obinsonRob inson R ifles , The , article by Gen .

Wm. H . S ears 3 0 9 3 20

Rob inson ’

s circus , elephant of, refuses to

cross Lawrence br idgeRob ison , M rs . E H . , citedRob ita i lle, R clerk of the Wyandott

council 2 54

Rock creek , Lyon county 20 1

Rock creek cross ing , on mi l itary road 3 49

Rocky [Mounta in News , D enver , cited . 40

Rocky Mounta in range, western boundary of K ansas

Rocky Mounta insRoen igk , Adolph , author of P ioneer H istory of K ansas

Rogers , D r . C . E . , head of journa l 'department, K ansas S tate Col lege 400

Rolingson , Rev . W. R . 3 3 0

Rol la , note on h istory of 3 3 1

Romig,Owen T 3 9 8

Romine,Rev . Francis M 3 3 0

Rooks County Record , S tockton ,cited 1 02

Roosevelt Intermediate S choo l , Wichita 2

Root,George A . , curator of archives , K an

sas S tate Histori cal S ociety,— “

Ferr ies in Kansas , articles by, on

K ansas r iver 25 1 29 3 , 3 43 3 76—ou Missour i ri ver 3 - 1 3 8

— letter of Char les Curtis to regardinglocation of Papan ferry

436

S awmi ll , Wh ite CloudS awtel l , James H .

,men

S ay , Thoma s , of Long Expedition , tr ipup K aw val ley

Scandia ,Pawnee Indian house loca tion

found nea r

S candia Journal, citedS candia Pa rent Teachers ’ Association ,

mentioned0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Schaefers,Rev . Wil l iam,

authorS ched tler , Rev . F . , mentionedS ch lessinger , Arth iir Meier , citedSchnacke, M rs . L . C , daughter of JohnDav is congres sman 7

S chofi eld, Gen . J . M . mentioned 3 6

S chool days , good old 3 9 4

S chmidt , Heinie ,of Dodge C ity 3 9 6

S chmidt,John N . , mentioned 8 5 1

S chultz , F loyd , mentioned 8 8S cott

, Charles FScott, Lucien , Leavenworth , b iograph ica lmention of

S cott, S amuel , proslavery ruffian ,hanged , 1 8 6

S cott , Gen . Winfield, men tioned

S cott C ity , bar association meeting heldat 3 9 2

-fi rst deaths in, mentioned 22 1

S cott coun ty,ea rly days in , mentioned . . 2 2 1

S cott county h istorica l notes , mention of , 2 2 1—Pueblo Indi an ruins in . 2 2 1Scott County Historica l SOciety 1 0 2S cott County R ecord

, Scott City, cited .

S cott Coun ty S tate Park . 3 9 2S cranton

, lynched . 2 1 2S croggs , John R. , ferry operator, sketchS crugg ,

Bob,lynched for murder ”

S eabury , George D . , first tea cher atCl i fton h igh school 3 9 4

S ear, Hazzard W . , S r . , mentioned 3 9 8

S earl d: Wh itman,map Of K ansas by . . . 2 9 3

S earl , A . D . ferry opera tor 274Sears . Clareii ce H .

,l ieutenant Rob inson

R ifles " company . 3 1 1 , 8 1 4S ears

, Brig . G en . Wi ll iam Henry, 226 3 1 3 , 89 6—a p pomted brigad ier genera l 3 1 8—cava lry troop organ i zed by 3 1 9—dri l l master Haskel l Inst itute 3 1 8

-Ingal ls and Harris elections mentioned 3 9 8-K ansas Nationa l Guard changesinstituted by—National Guard Officers ’ S chool organ ized by—“The Rob in son R ifles , article by

, 3 0 9 3 20S econdine, Indian v il lage of . . 26 2

, 2 6 4 , 2 65—on road from Wyandotte to Lecompton 3 46S econdine crossing , mentioned . 2 65S edan ,

F irst Christian Church,fiftieth

ann iversary mentioned—Old settlers ’ reun ion held at .

S edan Times S tar,cited

Sedgwick Congregationa l Church , note onh istory ofS edgwick county

,lynch ings in .—note on h istory of

S edgwick Pantag rap h , citedS elecman , Joseph , Iowa Point bri ck yardS eleen , D r . J . , pastor Swedish LutheranChurch

,Mariadahl

Sel ig, A . L . , mayor of Lawrence .

Sellens creek,settlement on

Seneca , first bui ldings mentioned-lynch ing at

S eneca Courier,cited

S eneca Courier—Tribune, citedS eneca M irror

,cited

Senex, John , map of,cited

GENERAL INDEX

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

— paper sh ipped from Boston , V i a New

Or leans for0

S hawnee Mission (Method ist )—location of—manua l labor schoo l

-paper for more than a year enroute

S ettlements on frontier, mea sures forprotection of 3 2

S even M ile 'oreek , Leavenworth county, ‘1 3 1 5

S eventh D ay Advent ists , advocates ofvegetariani sm 3 79

S eward , Wi l l iam H , men tioned 3 9 0S eward county , county seat election

”

in , 49- S p ringfi eld chosen county seat . 6 5

S hahan , W . W . , mentioned 1 0 6

Shannon , John L . , murdered 1 9 6S hannon

,Gov . Wi lson ,

mentioned 74S hannon , Wilson ,

Jr .,Lecompton bridgeincorporator . 8 47

S hannon , Anderson county , lynchings 1511 , 2 1 1S hapiro

,A llen , menti oned 8 2

haron S prings , lynch ings i n 2 1 8—county seat moved to , mentioned 1 0 4

Sharp , Rev . W . A . ,Baptist min ister ,

'

Topeka.

S harp W . C Boston l ithographer 1 58

S harp s ri fles , stored at Tabor , Iowa , byJohn Br ownShaul , M rs . El la D . , officer cava lry as

400

S haw , lynched for horse stea l ing , 2 1 1S hawnee or S hawneetown 2 6 1 , 2 0 4— lynch ings at 2 1 4 , 2 1 5—roads reach ing 2 58 , 28 2

S hawnee Bridge Co. , charter secured for , 3 73S hawnee county , board of commiss ioners ,1 86 0—comrni ss ioners ’ proceeding s prior to

1 86 2 not located 3 50— ferri ag e rates establis hed by 3 6 2—lynch ings in 2 1 0 , 2 1 6

S hawnee County Old S ett lers ' A ssociation 1 0 9

S hawnee Ferry—Indians crossed on 2 6 3

Shawnee Indi ans 2 66 , 2 76 , 2 7 7—books prin ted in language of . 8 42—Charles B luejacket ch ief of 8 41

—crossed K ansas ri ver on S hawnee ferry, 26 3—ferry Operated by , near present D e

276—g ive tract of land to German settlers . . 276

- lands of 26 7

— road from Qui ndaro through 1 2—miss ions located among 7

— newspaper pr inted i n language of 3 3 9— roads Opened through reservation of 2 59— traded w ith the Chouteaus 26 2

—trea ty of 1 8 25 w ith 22 8

S hawnee Baptist Miss ion 227 2 29

— Delaware branch of 228

—location of 22 7

3 3 9

— road from Tecumseh to—Wyandotte to

S hawnee Miss ion F lora l Club , l ily pooland rock garden establ ished by

S hawnee Miss ion Indian H istori cal SO

ciety— granted permission to insta l l museumin old miss ion bui ldin g

—meeting of—Mrs . Frank Hardesty

,pres ident of

Shawnee-Quindaro roadS hawnee S un , the F irst Ind1anLanguage Per iodica l Publ ishedin the Uni ted States ,” articleby Douglas C . McMurtrie 3 3 9—circulated among Indians at or near

the mi ssion settlement

GENERAL INDEX 437

PAGE rAGl

S hawnee S un, description of only surv iving issue 3 41 , 3 42—facsimile facing p . 3 3 9

—limited editions of 3 40—photostatic copy of issue for 1 8 41 . 7 9—printed at irregular interva ls . 3 3 9

S hea , John G . , H istory of the M is s iss ip p i , mentioned

S heeran ,M r. and M rs . Patrick , sketches

S heldon , Mrs . E. J . , mentionedS herer , J . A .

,pres ident K iowa County

H istorical S ociety 40 0

S heri dan , lynch ing at 2 1 5

S heri dan county, lynch ing in . 2 1 5

S heriff, powerless before a mob 206—reinstated fol low ing lynch ing 206

S herman,S en . John , of Oh io 3 3

S herman,Gen . Wil l iam T 42

-General S erv ice S chool , at Fort Leavenworth

,founded by

—Governor Craw ford ’s Offer of volunteercava lry rejected by

S herman County H istor ical Association ,

recent organi zation of

Sherman Ha l l,Fort Leavenworth , men

tioned

S hoemaker , Thomas C ferry operator ,b iograph ica l sketchS hort , Ed ,

city marsha l of Woodsdale— attempted arrest of S am Rob inson in

the neutra l strip .—duel w ith S am Rob insonS hort grass pra iries , K ansas .

Shunganunga creek , Papan tol l br idgeover 3 6 5

S ickels,W. S .

,remin iscences , mentioned , 3 27

S ides , Henry, note on b iograph ica l sketch O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

S ierra Moore, law fi rmS ierra B lanca

,mentioned

S immons , M rs . India H .,articles on west

K ansas h istory byS immons

,Wi l l iam K . , ferry operator .

—member Lane’s regiment in Mexican O O O O O O O O O O O

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

—Lecompton Town CoS immons ferry

,described

S imons , W . C .,mentioned

S impson,Jerry , v is its to D odge City re

cal ledS impson ,

M rs . Jerry , mentionedS impson , S amuel N .

,ferry Operator

S impson,M rs . S idney, mentioned . .

S inclair , D . C . , ferry operatorS zwonowe K esibwa (S hawnee Sun) , fac

s imile of frontispiece facing p . 3 39

Skeekett, S keikett, Sk icket. S ee S k iggett .

S k iggett , Henry,member D elaware

Baptist Church , 227 , 2 3 0 , 2 3 4 , 2 3 8 , 23 9 2 41

Ski ggett, Isaac, member D elawareBaptist Church

Sk iggett, M rs . Job,member DelawareBapt ist Church

Sk iggett, M rs . Phebe, member DelawareBaptist Church 2 3 0 , 2 49

S lavery,Vegetari an S ociety opposed to. . . 3 80

S laves , Missour i , Quind aro ferryboat

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

sunk to prevent escape of 1 2

Sma l lwood , W . H . , b iograph ical sketch of , 1 3 1— ferry operator 1 3 1

Smart . Thomas,auctioneer . . 2 54

Smith , Bil l ie , lynched 2 1 7

Smith , Char l ie, lynched 2 1 6

Smi th , Gerrit 3 9 0— payments on John Brown pikes ma de

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Smith , Henry, negro, lynched .Smith: Henry D .

,ferry operator

Smith , I . and S ons,Chambersburg Pa

,John Brown pikes sh ipped to 3 8 9Smith , Jacob , S hawnee county 3 6 2Smith , James , lynched 2 1 5Smith , James

, southern K ansas pioneer 3 9 1Smith , John , ferry Operator 2 6 3Smith , John , Indian trader 4 1Smith , M . K . , S hawnee county 8 6 2Smith , Gen . T. A .

,mentioned . 1 1 6

Smith , Tom,lynched 2 1 6

Smith , Wi l l iam E .,mentioned . 8 5 , 8 9

Smith county , note on h istory of 3 26—New Haven colony settled in . 1 0 3—old settlers ’ reun ion held in 40 2Smith County P ioneer, Smith Center ,C i ted 1 03Smith ’s Bar

, Missouri r iver , described 1 2 1Smith ’s ferry , mentioned 4

, 3 76Smith ’s Fork , tr ibutary of Platte r iver ,

of Missour iSmoky H il l Cattle P 0 0 1 1 0 2—organi zation of 3 9 9Smoky Hil l r iver 5 , 1 6 1 , 1 6 4 , 1 6 7—junction of , w ith Republ ican r iver 2 5 1—notes on settlements a long 3 3 6Sneed , Mr . Un ion Pacific civ i l

engineerS ocia l S cience, Winfield , quoteS oldier Chri stian Church , note on

h istory ofS oldier Clipp er , citedS oldier creek—bluffs to north of—Fool Ch ief ’s vi l lage four mi les west ofmouth of 3 66

—mi l itary cross ing at Indianola 3 59, 3 6 6—“three bridges” near North Topeka . 3 6 0

S oldiers , lynched 2 1 2S oldiers ’ Home, state 7 4S ol ler , August, mentioned 8 8S olomon , ear ly Ir ish settlers near 3 9 3—h istory of , by Harr iet Wooley, men

tionedS olomon river , Indian raid on

—note on settlements a long .S ooka , grass hous e built by—prayed wh ile bui lding grass house—Wich ita Indian woman

Soule, Asa T. , activities of , in Gray-financier of Rochester , N . Y—money of , used in G ray county seatfightS outh , negro lynch ings i n—unenv iable record of lynch ings 111

S outh Ced ar creek , Henry M itchel l 'sS outh K ansas Tri bune, Independence,

citedS outh Pas s , mentionedS outhern Commiss ion on the S tudy ofLynching 1 8 2 , 2 1 0

S outhern Negroes Once S ought Meccain K ansas ,

”note on .

S outhey , R obert , mentionedS outhwest H istorica l S ociety, Dod ge City,

activities of 2 2 1

S outhwestern Bel l Telephone Co donor , 7 3S ower , mentioned 28 3Spa in , K ing of, mentioned 25 1Span ish dol lar , ferri age charges regulatedby div is ion of

Span ish - Ameri can war 3 20—correspondence and pictures relating to

,7 3

Sparks , old settlers ' reun ion held at . . 40 1

Speculation,

era of town 4

Speer and B lanchard , ferry operators 3 58

Spencer , Charles , a l ias C . Mincer,lynched

438 GENERAL INDE!

PAGESpil lman ,

J A ., pres ident McPherson

County H istorical S ociety 400

Sp l it -the- logs , Char les , Indian ferryman , 252

S prague , Ga latia , ferry operator 276

Spratt, O . M . mentioned 85 , 89

S pratt, Wi l l iam,ferry Operator . 1 4

S pring branch , tributary Grasshopperriver

Spring Branch D ist rict S chool , Chautauq ua county, h istory of , mentioned

S pring Creek townsh ip , PottawatomieS pring river , lynch ing onS pringda le , state road throughSpr ingfield , chosen county seat of

S eward county 6 5

S pringfield (Mass ) Republican , cited . . 1 6 7

S q uarles , John , lynched for murder . .

S tafford county, lynching in . 2 1 0

S tage lines 4 , 9—Eastem K ansas t

1 25

S tage route, on ea st s ide of Missouri river , 1 4

S tages , ferriage rates for . . 3 56

S tah l,Frank M . , pres ident cava lry as

soci ation 400

S tan ley, Thomas , mentioned . 1 0 6

S tanley,M rs . Thomas , mentioned . . 1 0 6

S tanley, W . E. mentioned . 88

S tansbury , Capt. Howard , mentioned , 1 50 , 1 5 1S tanton , lynch ing at 2 1 3

S ta rr, Patrick , lynched 2 1 5

S tate house reporters , old ,mentioned . . 1 0 9

S ta te Road Ferry , also known as

La fon ’

s ferry—ferriage ra tes of—owned by A . H . La fonS tate roads . S ee Road s and Towns .

S team ferryboats 1 1 9 , 1 2 3 , 1 26 1 3 4

S teamboat-s ide wheeler—up K ansa s river

,severed cable ofPapan ferry

S tearns , George L . , a John Brown supporter 3 9 0

S tearwalt,John

,ferry operator 1 2 2

S teavens , ferryman at Wyandotte . . 2 5 5

S tee l , George, ferryman 253

S teele, James W .,editor K ans as

S teen , L ieut .

—inaccuracies in maps Oi . .

S teig ,e s . Margaret , remin iscences of ,cite

S tephens , slugged and cast intoMissour i river for dead , came to and

reported incident to pol iceS tephens , K ate, mentioned .S terl ing , Porter , lynched . .

S ter l ing , Wil l iam,lynched . .

S tevens and Fulton ,register first cattle

brand in Ford county . .

S tevens and son ,lynched fOr horse steal

ingS tevens , Carol ine F . , mentionedS tevens , Gov . I . I—survey for a Pacific ra ilroad routeS tevens county, assassinations fol low ing

county seat contest 54

—countyseat fight in 55 , 3 25

—ra ilroad bond election—second effort to br ing Jim Brennan to

tr ial 6 2

—speedy organi zation of county 54

—Theodosius Botkin involved in fight in , 58

S tevenson James , lynched 2 1 3

S tewart,S. J . , member Legis lature of

1 8 57 3 8 4

S tewart,Watson ,

mentioned 3 84

S tew art , S en . W . M ,of Nevada

S til l ings , Vinton ,pontoon br idge bui lt by , 1 8

PAGE

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

S tinson , Thoma s N Tecumseh fenystarted by—rates of ferr iage of

-trader at Uniontown ”

S tockbridge Baptist Mi ss ion ,bui ldings

started at-erection of printing press at-Pratts remove to

S tockbridge Baptist Miss ion Church ,ad opts “Covenant" and

“Declaration of

Fa ith” 2 43—d isbanded 249—l ist of members in 1 8 48 250—meet ings of 2 44 2 49—merged w ith Delaware Baptist MissionChurch 2 49—organi zation of 2 48—petition for organization of 242

—moords of, quoted 243 250—votes tha t all members of , entering

marri age relation must be publ iclyto absta in from use of intoxicating

2 48

2 3 8 ,—%l;11ef of

, joins Delaware Bapt isturch 2 43—fi rst mention of, west of Mississ ippi

2 42—settle below Fort Leavenworth 242

S tockton , old settlers ’ reunion held at 40 1S tone, Ed .

, mentioned 3 28S tone

, Robert , mentioned 88

S tone creek , mentioned 3 8 5S tonecyphers , ferry operator 1 3 8

S tormont , D r . D . W . , member bridgeS torrs , Mr . commissioner Johnson

countyS tory '8 Landing , on Missour i riverS totler , Mi ss ion Covenan t Church ,s ixtieth

Manniversaiy of 89 3

S trange , M .rs mentioned 3 9 2

S tranger creek 1 4 , 1 8 , 2 6 , 1 1 8—Wigglesworth cross ing , on road fromA tch ison to Lecompton 3 46

S trong , D r. C. H . , organi zed Girard3 3 3

S tuart and Trembly ferry , ferr iage rates

272

S tuart S tephen S .

,ferry operator 269 27 2

S tua rt s ferry , ferriage rates on 270

S tuck , J . Cooper , map of Douglas countyS tutler , Boyd B . , John Brown collectionSul l ivan , Frank T. , mentionedS ummerfi eld , mentionedSummerfi eld S un , cited . .

—fi fty -s ixth anniversa ry of .

Summers , James V . ,ferry operator

S umner , Atchison county-ferry, h istory of—riva l of Atch isonSumner county , lynch ings inSuper ior , Wel ler coun ty

,roads reach

ngSupreme court , Kansa s , Henry F . Masona member of

Su

frvey , Kansa s and Nebra ska , provis ionor

—frontier , during an Indian war .

- southern boundary of K ansas , men

tioned 2 66

Surveyor , Johnson county 26 9

Swan ,Nate, S hawnee county

Swedish Lutheran Church , Mariad ahl 1 0 2

Sweetwater mountain range, mentioned 1 6 3

Sw ing,Prof . Dav id , mentioned 1 89

440 GENERAL INDEX

PAGETopeka and Grantvi lle Ferry Company PAGE

charter issued to—second charter secured forTopeka and Perryv i lle Ferry Co. , in

corporators of-location of ferryTopeka and S outhwestern Ra i lroad Cc . ,

survey of

Topeka Branch , Women’

s Foreign M iss ionary S ociety of M . E . Church , history of

Topeka Bridge Company , charter securedfor 3 7 3

—comp letion of permanent structure in1 8 70 3 75—ferryboa ts insta l led when section ofpontoon bridge ca rried away by flood , 3 74Topeka Chamber of Commerce, mentioned , 7 8

Topeka Dad y Cap ital , cited . . 1 0 5 , 1 0 8 , 1 0 9

2 1 9 , 3 2 3

3 29 ,Topeka Commonweal th, cited . 2 1 6

Topeka Lea der, quoted 3 74 , 3 75Topeka S tate Journa l , cited . 1 0 9 , 2 1 9 , 3 28

3 49 , 3 6 5 , 3 6 6Topeka S ta te Record, cited . . 2 1 2 , 2 6 6 , 3 50

3 7 1 , 3 74Topeka Tr ibune, cited and quoted . 3 48 , 3 593 6 7 - 3 70 , 3 72 - 3 75

Topeka War , S ee Legis lative War, 1 89 3 .

Tordes illa , Antonio d e Herrary ,h istoricgrapher

,cited

Toronto , note on h istory Of . .

Toronto Repub l ican citedTough , Capt . W . S , Union ra iderTown sites , additions to, p latted during

county - seat elections—era of speculation oh . .

—technique of promotion of, on westernfrontierTownsend , George Al fred , notedj ourna l ist 3 9 0

-John B rown pike owned by . . 3 89 , 3 9 0Towsey ,

Benjamin 2 48 , 2 49Towsey ,

Eli zabethTowsey ,

Timothy .

23 3 - 23 5 ,Tracy,Robert , ferry operator 1 3 3

Trade, K ansas C ity and Westport depotfor , w ith West 8

Trading Post, massacre near 1 85— roa d from Wyandotte to 2 58

Trading post , establ ished by Joseph Utt, 1 2 1Trading posts , a long th e K ansa s river . 6

Transporta tion , use of horses in .

.

1 9 5Travelute

,M rs . A . J .

,note on remini s

cences of

Treaty,U. S . w ith Wyandot Indi ans in

1 855,mentioned 2 54

Trego county,lynching in 2 1 7

—notes on h istory ofTrembly and S tuart ferry

,ferriage rates

72 2 4

Trembly,Jacob , ferry operator 2 7 1 , 2 7 2Trembly, W. B 88

Trenton,Neb .

,Indian massacre near . 3 29

Tr ibune , note on h istory of churches in . 3 2 8

Tr i ley , J . A . , ferry operator . 2 75Tripp , H . P 1 02 , 3 29 , 3 3 5

Troy Rep orter , cited 1 3 1

True , Commodore, negro,lynched 2 1 8

Tucker , T. P .,reminiscences of 3 28 , 3 9 4 VTuggle

,Jefl’ , negro

,lynched . 2 1 8

Tus

r

e

l

fifgrgl

e

‘

ik ’

ofarvey county , French

3 26Va l ley Fa l ls , on road from Atch ison to

—Nemaha county,orig in of name 2 22

S uper ior ,Turner , Wyandotte county 262 Va l ley Fa lls Vind ica tor, a ted "

Tuskegee Institute 1 8 2,2 1 0 Van , Harry , negro, lynched . .

Twin Mound , on Topeka -Minneola road , 3 7 6 Van Buren , T0 111 , negro , IynChEd— territoria l road through 2 82 Van C leave, R ev . S . M . , mentioned .

U

Udden , Dr . J . A . , founder BethanyCol lege museumUlysses , contender for county seat ofGrant countyUnion Emi gration Society of Wash ing

1 46 , 1 57Union Pacific ra ilroad . 1 3 , 289 , 3 76—buildi ng of 3 44-up K aw val ley 3 47

—depreda tions on 255—repairs Lawrence b ri d ge 29 1

Uniontown ,Bourbon coun ty

,old settlers

reunion held at

Uniontown , S hawnee county,T. N . S t in

son , trader at 3 48

United S tates,act ion in case of lynch ing , 207

— Army , protest aga inst reduction of . 40—engineers 3 3 4—Attorney Genera l

,acti on in Haymead ow

massacre proceed ings 58-Bureau of Ethnology , report cited 6 9—Commiss ioner of Indian A ffairs , cited 3 0

3 3 , 3 40 , 3 41—d 1p lomatic service , Theodos ius Botk in-Highway No. 50 , p lans for marking of , 1 1 0—Indian Bureau 2 9 , 3 4 , 3 7 , 3 9 , 42 , 43—attempt to establ ish harmony w ithW a r D epartment 30—e fl

'

orts to change 29 43—Pomeroy ’s b i l l to trans fer to W ar

D epartment— Interior Department

,petition for re

mova l of Colonel Leavenworth sent to . 44—~Regiments , S eventh cava lry 3 3 4 3 95—Th irty eighth in fantry

,members of ,lynched

—troops sent to defense of northwesternK ansas 3 6

—W ar D epartment 29 , 3 4 , 3 7 - 3 9 , 43 2 8 1- campa i gn aga inst Indians launchedin 1 8 6 8

-e fforts to place Indian Bureau undercontrol of 43—Garfield ’

s efi ort to consol ida teIndian Bureau w ith

— jurisdiction over hostile Indians suggested for—a nd Interior D epartment , cooperativeIndian pol icy worked out by

United S ta tes and Mexican BoundaryCommission 1 6 1 , 1 6 2

Un ited S ta tes B iograph ica l D ictionary ,M issouri, cited

Un ivers ity D a ily K ansan , Lawrence, cited , 1 08Un ivers ity of K ansas , Lawrence 1 1 4—Department of Journa l ism,

mentioned 3 26

—F rank H . Hodder , head of h istory d ep artment 3 3 8

—F razer Hal l 1 0 8—John Brown pike in museum of 3 9 0

Up d eg rafl’and Brown , ferry operators 3 50

Up d egrafi ,D errick

,bond given by 3 5 1

— ferry operator 3 54

Up deg rafi ferry , location of 3 51 3 54

Upham,Char les Wentworth , quoted 1 76

Utt, John H .,ferry operator 1 3 5

Utt , Joseph , trading post establ ished by , 1 21Utah , trade with 8

GENERAL INDEX

PAGEVan De Mark , M . V . B . . mentioned 8 8

Van Petten , A . E. , mentioned 88

Van Tuyl , M rs . E. H ., mentioned . 8 5 8 8

VanVrank lin , John , proprietor Delawarefer

Vaughan , I . T S hawnee countyVeale, George W . , ferry charter grantedVeatch , W . C . , note on b iograph ica l

sketch of“Vegetar ian and Octagon S ettlement Comp anies , The, article by Russel l H ickman 3 7 7 3 85

Vegetar ian and Our Fellow Crea tures ,moved to a vegetarian colony in Idaho , 3 85

Vegetarian Federa l Un ion , founded in1 8 8 9

Vegetar ian K ansas Emi gration Society ,first to adopt Octagon p lan of settlement 3 80

Vegetar ian Magazine 3 7 9—united w ith Food , Home and Gard en . 3 8 5

Vegetar ian S ociety , founded 3 77

Vegetar ian S ociety of Amer ica,H . S .

C lubb , pres ident of—short h istory of

Vegetar ianism,early h istory ofVerdigris r iver , lynch ing on .

Vermi l l ion r iver— ded ication of Oregon tra il marker

erected near BarrettVictoria , Ell is county , note on founding

o

Vigilance committees .

—warn ings of

Vigi lance organi zation , state .

Vig i lantes of 1 8 6 0 .

V igus , ear ly Wich ita re8 1dentVil lard , Oswa ld G . ,

b iographer of JohnBrownVincent, M rs . Nora . .

Vinegar , Pete, negro, lynched . .

Vin land , mentionedVon S chriltz , Guy WVoorhees , minor a ltercation at

Voorh is , E. W . , Russel l county pioneer ,reminiscences of

Voorh is , Michael , ferry operatorW

Wabash , Ind ., emi grants to Kansas from, 3 3 6Wabaunsee, h istorica l sketch Of . . 2 20

—old settlers ’ reunion held at 40 1Wabaunsee county, horse th ief shot in . . 1 8 4—lynch ing in 2 1 2

Wabaunsee County H era ld, Alma , cited . 2 1 5Wa

ba

émsee County Truth, Wabaunsee,

ci eWaggoner , John , Craw ford countypioneer . 2 20Wagon Bed S prings , note on naming Of . . 3 22Wahsatch mounta ins , mentioned 1 6 2Wa ite’8 survey 272Wakarusa creek or river 2 79—B luejacket ’s ferry on 3 53—bridge bui lt acros s . 277 , 28 3—crossing of 3 6 4—d escribed by Abert . 27 6—Elk fork of 3 53

- ferry located at mouth of 277Wakarusa Trea ty of Peace , corrected draftof , given H istori ca l Society 74Wakeeney, h istory of . 1 0 8—lynchin g at 2 1 7Wakeeney Locust Club . 3 22Wakeeney World

,cited 21 7

W alca lusia (Wakarusa ) river , cross ing of , 3 6 4Wa ldo, burial grounds near 3 3 5Wa ldo Advocate, cited 1 0 2 , 3 22 , 3 29 , 3 3 5

441

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

PAGEWaldo Method ist Episcopa l Church , noteon h istory of 3 22Walker

,1 ched 2 1 3Walker , o Wyandotte 255Walker , Bert P . 8 8Wa lker , C . E . , reminiscences of 3 26Walker , Mrs . Ida M 8 5 , 89Wa lker , Isaiah , ferry operatorWa lker , Joel 254 2 58Walker

,Robert, app l ication for ferryl icense

—bond given by—ferryi at Calhoun operated by— near mouth of S oldier creek— rates of ferriage onWa lker , Gov . Wi l l iam, ferry owner , b iographica l sketch of—journa ls of, quotedWalker

,M rs . Wil l iam, quotedWalker ferry , S hawnee county, operated

by Middaugh and Curtis 3 6 1 , 3 7 3Wal lace, D ave 1 1 0Wal lace, John M . ,ferry operator 2 7 8Wa l lace county , lynch ings in 2 1 8

—mov ing county seat to S haron Springs ,mentioned 1 0 4

-notes on ear ly h i story of 1 04 , 3 3 4 , 3 9 5Wa llace ’ s ferry , ferriage rates on 278Wa l len , Rev . S . S . , organi zed FairportPresbyterian ChurchWa lnut Baptist Church , fi ftieth ann iversary ofWalnut Christian Church , note on h istory

3 3 5Walnut Creek Post Ofiice 1 6 5Wa lnut Eag le, cited 1 06 , 3 3 2 , 3 3 5Wa lnut Methodist Episcopa l Church ,note on h istory of 3 3 2

Walnut Valley Times , El D orado, cited 1 9 7Wa lters,Newton , lynched 20 3 , 2 1 8Wamego, Ames hotel 1 07 , 40 2Wanamaker school

, west of Top eka ,markerfor Pottawatomie Indian miss ion schoolplaced on grounds of

rvar of 1 8 1 2Ward , An thony, Papan ferry landing onWard , G . W D ouglasWard , John A S hawnee countyWare, EUgene FWare, Joseph H . , Emigrant ’s Guide toCa liforn ia , quotedWark , George HWarner , Ami en , member LeavenworthFerry Co .Warner , RalphWarrants , issued to swel l corruptionWarren ,

negro, lynched 2 1 3Warren , Mrs . El la M . Courtland , author , 3 2 4Warren , L ieut . Gouverneur K .

,of corp s

of Topograph ica l Eng ineers—errors in maps of exp lorers pointed outWashburn , Gov. Emory , of Massachu

settsWashburn Col lege, confers degree ofdoctor of law s on Henry F . Ma sonWashington , George, IndianWash ington , JamesWash ington county—notes on courthouse corner stonelayings 3 25

-school district 59,note on history of 3 27

Wash ing ton County R eg ister , Wash ington , cited 1 0 3 , 1 04 , 1 06 3 25Wash ington elm, planted at S hawneeMethodist Mission

442 GENERAL INDE!

PAGEWash ington Presbyterian Church , noteon h is tory of 1 06Wash ita ri ver , Oklahoma 6 6

Wa ter Cure Journal . 3 7 9Water cure societies , one organi zed at

Law rence i n

Wathena , lynch in at . 21 3—road from Tope a to . 3 7 6Wathena S t . Joseph Ferry C0 1 3 1Wathena landing 1 3 1Wathena Rep orter cited . 1 25 1 3 0Wayne townsh i Edwardscounty, note

on h istory 0

Way sman ,James K . ferry o .perator .

—recovers ferryboat- statement regarding S tinson ferryW ea Indians ,Wear , Wil l iam, Wyandotte attorneyWeaver , M rs . Ben j ami n C . , secretaryK iowa County H istorica l SocietyWeaver , Henry , lynched . .Weaver , Ol iver , lynched .Weaver , Ph il ip , lynch ed . .Weaver , S Lecompton bridge incor

poratorWeaver , Wi l l iam, Lecompton bridge in

corporatorWebb , Capt. Otis , ferry charter granted0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

—Missour i r iver ferryboat S . C . PomeroyoperatedWebb , Doctor Thomas H . 1 7 9Webb S crap Books . 88 3Webster , A . B . , former Dodge C itymayor 29 5 , 29 7 , 3 04

-proposes bul l fight for Dodge C ity . 29 4Webster , D ani el , negro, lynched 2 1 4Wedel , P . P 40 0Wedgwood p latter, given museum 75

W eh -hen -che- skond ase, D elaware Ind ian , 28 6Weimar City , a German commun ity, settlement of 1 3—ferry operated from 1 3Weir, D . W . , ferry Operator 27 4Weir City, old settlers ' reunion held at . 40 2Weir Journa l, cited 2 1 8

W eiscamp , Louis , ferry operator . 1 3 3Welch , J . S .,secretary Dodge C ity D riv

ing Park and Fa ir AssomationWel ler county, name changed to Osagecounty 1 1 6Wel l ington , lynch ings at . . . 208 2 1 6 ,Wel l ington Da ily News , cited 3 9 7Wel l ington Press, cited . 208 , 2 1 6

Welling tonian , Wel l ington, cited . 20 2 , 2 1 7Wel lman, Manly Wade 1 0 5 , 1 0 7Wel lman, Paul I 1 04 , 1 0 5Wel ls Washburn , ferry operated by . 24Wel ls

, lynched . 2 1 8Wells , D an iel 3 9 8Wel ls , G . S . , New York 1 70Wel ls , Maj . John B .,Platte county

Mo. , ferry operator 2 4—b iograph ica l sketch of 2 3Wel lsv il le Globe

,cited . 3 23Wes ley, John , lynched 2 1 7West, reasons lynch ings flourished in . . 1 9 1

—turbulent in early days 1 9 2West Point , N. Y 3 20Westmoreland R ecorder , citedWeston , Mo 1 4Westport , Mo . 265 - 267 , 276 , 2 93—d epot for trade with far West 8—road to Lawrence from 28 2—S hawnee Baptist Miss ion about fivemiles west of .

-some stat istics of trade with .

—wagons manufactured at

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 O


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PAGEWestport landing 84 2—miss ions among S hawnees not far from, 7Wes tern Home Journa l , Law rence , cited . 1 8 9

Western K ansas Wor ld,Wakeeney, Cited , 3 22

Wes tern S tar,Co ldwater

, cited 3 9 1 , 3 93

Western Times , S haron S prings , cited 1 0 4

3 3 4 , 3 9 6

W etherall , John M 1 0 2Wetherel l , E. H . , lynched 2 1 3Weymouth , Wi l l iam H .,ferry operator 3 54Wheat , L . B . , Leavenworth attorney and

ferry incorporator 1 3 , 1 5Whee ler,M rs . B . R 8 8Wheeler

,Ben

,lynchedWheeler , E . L . , bond given by 8 5 1Wheeler , Frank , ferryboa t Edgar bui lt by, 20Wheeler

,M rs . Grace D . M 77When - ge- skon -dase (or W eh -hen -che

skond ase ) , D elaware Indian 2 87Wh ipple, Capt. A . W 1 59Wh ite

,of Wyandotte 2 56Wh ite , operated steam saw mi l l

DouglasWh ite,S arah (M rs . E . 0 . Brooks ) ,

captured by Indians , notes on reminiscences of 3 2 2 , 3 9 4Wh ite , W . B .

,ferry opera tor 2 72 , 2 73Wh ite , Walter , secretary of National As

socia tion for Advancement of ColoredPeopleWhite,Wil l iam Allen , authorWh ite , Will iam E lvinWh ite City Reg is ter , citedWh ite Cloud Indian ch ief , student ofHighland iss ion 3 3 6Wh ite Cloud ferries at 1 3 6 - 1 3 8

—ferry privi eges at 4-fla tb oat ferry at . 1 3 8—note on h istory of 2 20

Wh ite Cloud ferryb 1 3 6,1 3 8

buildin g of 1 3 7

White Cloud Belle, ferryboat 1 3 8—w reck of 1 3 7Wh ite Cloud City Ferry Co , organi zation

71 3Wh ite Cloud Globe-Tribune, cited . 1 3 8 2 20White Cloud S team Ferry

,establ ishment

oWh ite Cloud S team Ferry Co . , charterg ranted to 1 3 7Wh ite Cloud Trust Land Co 1 3 7Wh ite Pine (Colo. ) Cone, cited 1 9 9Wh ite R ock , old settlers ’ reunion held at , 40 1Wh ite Rock commun ity , R epubl ic county ,notes on early h istory of 3 2 4 , 400Wh ite Woman creek 1 0 2Wh itehead

,James R . , ferry operator and

trader 1 3 1 , 1 3 2Wh itehead,Doni phan county 1 3 3

- incorporated in 1 855 1 3 2— name changed to Bel lemont 1 3 2Wh itehead ferry , location of 1 3 1

Wh itfield , John W . ,election for delegate

to Congress 2 3Wh iting, C . C .

,S hawnee county . 3 62Wh itley , Henry , a founder of Solomon 3 9 1Wh itman dz S ea r] , map of K ansas , cited 29 3Wh itmore , Guy , lynched 2 1 6Wh itney, M rs . George 3 26Wh ittaker , J . B .,S hawnee county

,ferry

operator 3 54 3 55 , 3 62Wich ita 3 26— bul l fight demonstration held in 29 4

-connected w ith Winfield by rai lroad 3 9 5—first Christmas described 1 09— ferry and br idge mentioned 1 0 7

—socia l event , mentioned— telephone exchange, mentioned

444

PAGIWoodson , Daniel,terr itoria l secretary and

actin g governor , treasurer LecomptonTown Co.Woodston , note on h istory of Congregationa l Church at 3 28Woodston Argus ,

cited 3 28Woodwa rd , Brinton W ., ferry operator . 27 4Woodward , ChesterWoolard

,Col . S am F . 79 , 8 8Wool ley, Harriet , note on h istory of

S olomon 89 1Wooster , Lorraine E . 8 8Wooton,Thomas

,lynched 2 1 7Worcester Coun ty (Mass ) K ansa s League 1 57Worcester (Mass ) Daily S p y , cited . 1 42 , 1 43

1 50 , 1 57 , 1 7 1 , 1 7 3Worcester (Mass ) Da ily Transcrip t, cited , 1 7 3Worley,J . M . , founded Potw in

M essengerWorral l , Henry, artist , painting of Papanferry made byWright, HenryWright

,Purd B . , l ibra rian publ ic l ibra ry,

K ansas City , Mo 3 4 1Wulke,Hedw ig

,donor 7 5

W ul- lun - d a - nat -o’kwa , Indian , mentioned , 2 50Wyandot Indi an council , record bookquoted 2 53 , 2 5 4Wyandot Indians 252 255 , 2 6 4

—came to K ansas in 1 8 43 9—purchase land from the De lawares . 252Wyandot Nation , inaugurates ferry at

mouth of the K ansas riverWyandot Nationa l Ferry , description

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

—sale of,in 1 8 56Wyandotte

—c ity authori zed to lease its ferry—contracts for ferry . .

—distributing point for K ansas r iversettlements—e rection of bridges at .

—ferry,charter granted to

—1ands at—operated at—tract at

levee at, improved- lynch ings in

0

20 1 , 2 1 3 , 2 1 4—minute books of city commiss ioners ,quoted 255—ordinance of City commiss ioners 2 57- road center 1 2 ,Wyandotte Bridge Ferry Co .

,chartered , 2 59Wyandotte Br idge Co . , erected br idge

across the K aw—ferry operated by 258Wyandotte C ity Co .

,ferry owned b y . . 9Wyandotte Ci ty Ferry Cc . , ferry operatedbetween the two Kansas Cities . 1 0

—pr iv ileges granted toWyandotte county,clerk ’s ofli ce , records

—K ansas r iver ferr ies in 252 2 74

GENERAL INDEX

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Oo

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

7

3 23

1 6 4

Z

Zaines , Noah , mentioned . . 258

Betsey, 23 0 , 23 5 23 7

—member of D elaware Baptist Church “ 250

Z immerman , M rs . M . E .,

“History ofWh ite Cloud,” mentioii ed

PAGEWyandotte county, lynch in gs in ,2 00 , 2 1 3 2 1 5

—Missouri river ferri es in 3 1 3—most northern ferry of 1 3—murders committed in 20 4

-note on h istory of courthouse i n 3 23Wyandotte County Historica l S ociety,

meeting of- Mrs . El i za E. Goodri ch , secretary

-old paper used for membersh ipcertificatesWyandotte D emocrat

,J . A . Berry , pub

lisher 1 0Wyandotte -Fort S cott road 258Wyandotte Gazette, cited20 2 , 204 , 2 1 4 , 2 1 5 25 7Wyandotte Herald

, cited 2 6 1Wyandotte Jacksonv il le road 258Wyandotte -Lawrence road 28 2Wyandotte-Leavenworth road 2 73Wyandotte new spapers , fi le incomplete inK ansas S ta te H istor ica l S ociety ’s collectionWyandotte Ozawkie roadWyandotte Western Argus, citedWyman

, V. F . reg isters first cattle brandin Pawnee county

W yncoop , Col . E . W Indian agent at

Fort Larned—author ized to issue guns and ammunition to Indians

Y

Yates , Wil l iam, ferry operatorYates Center News , citedYellowstone river , mentionedocum, S imon F . , Frank M . Gable'srecol lections of his old horse ferryboat—operated Leavenworth steam ferryYoder , J . J . , mentionedYole

,Charles , mentionedYork , Barney H . , ferry operator

Yost, Genev ieve, “History of Lynch ingsin K ansas ,

”art icle by 1 8 2 - 21 9

—member sta ff of Kans as S tate H i s

torical Society 1 1 4

Young , D , ferryman 252 , 253Young , H . G . , bond of 3 7 1

Young , J . N . , mentioned 3 63

Young , J . W . , ferry operator 1 3 3

Young , John , Shawnee county 3 6 2Young , Nel l ie, remmi scences of,mentioned , 3 3 3Young , Nelson , S hawnee county 3 6 2

Young , W . , Shawnee county 3 6 2

Younkin ,Jasper , mentioned 8 7

unt, Jake, ferry operator 1 1 5

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