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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

BARTON COUNTY. KANSAS

DEDICATED

To the pioneers of this section of Kansas to whom too much credit
cannot be given for undergoinj^ the hardships and privations that were
necessary in reclaiming that part of the Great American Desert now
known as Barton County, Kansas, one of the richest and most prosperous
sections of the country where the homes of the residents are surrounded
by all that makes life worth living, where the best of educational and re-
ligious advantages are found and where the people are happy, progressive
and contented.

GREAT BEND, KANSAS ■■

PUBLISHED BY GREAT BEND TRIBUNE

THE riEV/ YORK

PUDLi: LIBRARY

58S279/\

ASTOR, L^^-'''>: AND

riLUEN toiJNDATlONS

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PREFACE

'T^ HE publication of this volume was made possible by the peo-
-*■ pie of Barton county, who responded liberally when called
upon for subscriptions to cover the cost of gettin<5 the data and
printinji the book. We undertook this work as the result of many
requests that we publish a book of this kind. We realized the
enormous amount of work that would be necessary before the
book could be completed, and we also knew that it would require
the outlay of considerable money. However, we bc<5an the work
in the summer of 1911 and maintained solicitors on the road un-
til the weather became such that the work had to be abandoned
in the field until the month of March of this year — 1912 — when
the work was again taken up and in so far as possible every land
owner and old timer of the county was seen personally and <iiven
an opportunity to subscribe for a copy of the book. This work
was continued until the first of Auj^ust at which time we had a suf-
ficient number of orders for the book to insure its publication, and
while it has not been a profitable venture for us as far as the fin-
ancial part is concerned, we have profited by the knowledge we
have gained about the county's history, and have found that the
people of the county appreciate the efTorts of anybody when they
are applied to the interest of progress and enterprise. If the
reading of this volume gives pleasure to the old timers who help-
ed to make the history contained herein, and the younger genera-
tion can get some inspiration and guidance from the stories of
their fathers our efforts have not been in vain and we are satisfied
with the work we have done.

TRIBUNE PUBLISHING CO.

We make grateful acknowledgement to the fi)llo\vlnjr for their aid in cimpilinp
rht'isi^-^ages: H. B. Smyth. 1). N. Heizer, "Inman's Tales of the Trail," the News-
'.'parKtr-sof Barton County, and others who in any way contributed to the success of
ihi^ work.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

j OF

BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

PREHISTORIC

EARLIEST EXPLORATIONS

THE first white man who ever saw the New
Kansas was the Spaniard, Coronadn
(Francisco Velasquez de Coronado)
from Mexico, who passed through in the winter
of 1541-2 in search ct the famous and mythical
"Seven Cities of Cibola" in the mythical and
U uknown province of Quivera. He was accom-
panied by (luite a small army of knights, com-
mon Spaniards, and Indians.

The object of the expedition, as was the
main object of nearly all early expeditions,
was the hope and expectation cf finding gold in
vast quantities.

Coronado's roiite lay, as well as can lie
learned from the most reliable accounts, in a
general northeasterly direction, entering I be
territory near the Medicine Lodge river in
Barber County, thence northeasterly across
the Arkansas somewhere near Wichita, thence
still n'lrtbeasterly to the Missouri river near
the nortliein line of tlie State, or the 40th pai-

allel of latitude, between which and the 30th
parallel, and between the 95th and 97th degrees
of iGngitude the province of Quivera was sup-
posed to be.

After reaching his most northeasterly point,
and meeting with nothing but hardships and
disappointment, he returned somewhat the
same way he came, though more to the west-
ward.

This expedition having taken place before
I he settlement of Massachusetts, Xew York,
or any of the Eastern States, it thus appears
that Kansas has an earlier history than any of
llie eastern or northern states, if we may ex-
cept the incursions made by Norsemen and
Icelanders into Massachusetts, New York, and
Virginia about the year l,0(tO, accounts ot
which, however, are not generally accepted.

The following little poem nicely tells the
story and the change in the territory between
that early day and 1.S79:

QUIVERA— KANSAS

1542 1879

Eugene F. Ware, in Ft. Scott Monitor

the half forgotten era.
With the avarice of old.
Seeking cities that were told
To be paved with solid gold.
In the kingdom of Quivera —

Came the restless Coronado
To the open Kansas plain;
With his knights from sunny Spain.
In an effoit that, thougli vain.

Thrilled with boldness and bravado.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

League by league in aimless marching,
Knowing scarcely where or why.
Crossed they uplands drear and dry,
That an unprotected sky

Had for centuries been parching.

But tlieir expectations, eager.

Found, instead cf fruitful lands.
Shallow streams and shifting sands.
Where the buffalo in bands

Roamed o"er deserts dry and meager.

Hack to scenes more trite, yet tragic.

Marched the knights with armored

steeds;
Not for them the quiet deeds;
.Not for them to sow the seeds

From which empires grow like magic.

Never land so hunger stricken
Could a Latii\ race renijuld;
They could conquer heat or cold —
Die for glory or for gold —

But not make a desert quicken.

Thus Quivcra was forsaken;

And the world forgot the place

rntil centuries apace

Came the blue-eyed Saxon race,
And it bade the desert waken.

Sturdy are the Saxon faces.

As they move alang in line;
Bright the rolling-cutters shine
Charging up the State's incline.

As an army storms a glacis.

Into loam the sand is melted.

And tlie blue grass takes the loam
Round about the prairie home.
And the locomotives roam

Over landscapes iron-belted.

Cities grow where stunted birches
Hugged the shallow water line.
And the deepening rivers twine.
Past the factory and mine,

Orcliard slopes and sch ;ols and churches.

We have made the State of Kansas,
And today slie stands complete;
First in freedom, first in wheat.
And lier future years will meet

Rilxiu'd hopes and riclier stanzas.

But if Coronado failed to discover the
"Seven Cities," it was only because he started
too soon. Those "seven cities with houses five
st:;ries high, and siiops in wliich the workmen
work in gold and silver exclusively," are yet
to be found on that same identical ground.
Those cities are growing. They have not yet
reached tlie wealthy condition pictured out by
those early Spaniards, in 1530 to 1540; but it is
only a (juestion of time. It remains for same
later explorer to discover those rich cities. All
the difficulty with Coronado was that he start-
ed out several liundred years too early. How
long yet will it be before they are discovered?

SUBSEQUENT EXPLORATIONS

THE first Americans to visit this region
was Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike's exploring
party on their way west to the Rocky
Mountains in 1806, the same year that Aaron
Burr was making such grand attempts to
"make a settlement on the Washita" in the ter-
ritory of Louisiana. They followed the trail
of Spanish soldiers fr m the Pawnee village
till they lost it among the "numerous buffalo
paths between the Smoky and tlie Arkaiisaw."
Near midnight, on the 13th of October, lSOf>,
the party reached the most northerly bend of
the Arkansas river (section 32, 5 or 6 miles
east of the city of Great Bend). The party ar-
rived in a drenching rain, and remained two
weeks to rest and recruit their animals and
lay in a supply of meat. At 10 a. m., October
2Sth, Pike, with most of his party went west
along the north bank of the river, and Lieut. -
Col. Wilkinson. Pike's superior officer, with a
small party, went down the river by boat.
However, finding the river unnavigable, they
abandoned their boats after going down five
or six miles, and landed on the southwest bank
of the river, near where the southwestern end

of tile 101 liii wood iron bridge
From Pike's Expedition.

rests. —

In 1S12 this trail was first traveled with
pack mules by McKnights party.

In 1818 Mr. Bringier came up the Arkansas,
and spealcs of finding a "large body of blind
coal, (antliracite), equal in (luality to the Kil-
kenny, and by far the best he had seen in the
I'nited States, immediately en the bank of the
Arkansas in latitude 3S deg. and longitude 98
deg," (about the place where Hutchinson now
is.)

— Marcy's Rep. p. 15S, citing Am. Jour. Sci.,
vol. 3, p. SO.

In 1820 Maj. Long's expedition passed
through toward the west, the object, similarly
to that of I..ieut. Pike, being to find, if possible,
the scources of the Red river of Ixiuisiana.

On August illh the expedition reached "the
narrowest part of the valley, at the great bend
of the Arkansas," (the same place that Lieut.
Pike stoiiped, five or six miles east of the city
of Great Bend), and finding good teed for their

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

horses, staid over tlio 10th. — Long's Expedi-
tion.

In 1.S21, a ijacl^-niiilc train, sent out by
Cooper & Bucknell of I'.oonville, IVIo., went
through to Santa Fe. This was the com-
mencement of the commerce of the plains.

In 1S25, the Santa Fe Trail, a wagon road
from Independence, Mo., to Santa Fe, was es-
tablished by Major Sibley, under an act of
congress. — Annals of Kansas.

The trail from the east strikes the Arkan-
sas river half a mile west of EUinwood. Gregg's
Commerce of the Prairies, page 313, has the
following:

DISTAXE I ABLE.

Independence, Mo., to —

Round Grove 35 35

Narrows 30 (15

110 Mile Creek 30 95

Bridge jCreek ,S 103

Big John Spring 40 143

Council Grove 2 145

Diamond Spring 15 160

Lost Spring 15 175

Cottonwood Creek 12 1ST

Turkey Creek 25 212

Little Arkansas 17 229

Cow Creek 20 249

Arkansas River (EUinwood) Ifi 265

Walnut Creek ,S . 273

Ash Creek 19 293

Pawnee Fork 6 29S

Coon Creek 33 331

Caches 36 367

Ford of Arkansas 20 3S7

Sand Creek (leave Ark. R.) 50 437

Cimarron River S 445

Middle Spring (upper Cimarron) 37 4S1

"Willow Bar 26 507

Upper Spring IS 525

Cold Spring (I've Cim. R.) 5 530

McNee's Creek 25 555

Rabbit-Ear Creek 20 575

Round Mound S 5S3

Rock Creek 8 591

Point of Recks 19 610

Rio Colorado 20 630

Ocate 6 636

Santa Clara Spring 21 657

Rio Mosa 22 679

Rio Gallinas (Vegas) 20 699

Ojo de Bernal (spring) 17 716

San Miguel 6 722

Pecos Village 23 745

Santa Fe 25 770

In 1S32, Washington Irving visited Kansas
as a tourist, came to the Arkansas Valley, and
gave this glowing account of its wilderness
charms:

"After resuming our march we came in
sight of the Arkansas. It presented a broad
and rapid stream bordered by a beach of fine

sand, overgrown with willows and cottonwood
trees. Beyond the river the eye wandered over
a beautiful campaign country of flowery plains
and sloping uplands, diversified by groves and
clumijs of trees and long screens of woodland;
the whole wearing the aspect of complete and
even ornamental cultivation, instead of native
wilderness. * * "We were overshadowed
by lofty trees, with straight, smooth trunks like
stately columns; and as the glancing rays of
the sun shone through the transparent leaves
tinted with the many-colored hues of autumn.
1 was reminded of the effect of sunshine among
the stained windows and clustering columns of
a Gothic cathedral. Indeed, there is a gran-
deur in our spacious forests of the West that
awaken in me the same feeling I experienced
in thnse vast and venerable piles; and the
sound of the wind sweeping through, supplies
occasionally, the deep breathings of the
organ.

"It was a bright, sunny morning with a
pure, transparent atmosphere that seemed to
bathe the very heart with gladness. Our march
continued parallel with the Arkansas through
a rich and varied country; sometimes we had
to break our way through alluvial bottoms and
matted with redundant vegetation, where the
gigantic trees were entangled with grape
vines hanging like cordage from their branches;
sometimes we coasted along sluggish brooks,
whose feebly trickling currents just served to
link together a successsion of glassy pools im-
bedded like mirrors in the quiet bosom of the
forest, reflecting its autumnal foliage and
patches of clear blue sky. Sometimes we
scrambled up broken and rocky hills from the
summit of which we had wide views, on one
side over distant prairies, diversified by groves
and forests, and on the other, rangi.ig along a
line of blue and shadowy hills, beyond the wa-
ters of the Arkansas."

In 1S46, during the Jlexican war. Gen Kear-
ney and Col. Doniphan crossed to Santa Fe and
stopped at the "Great Bend." August ISth. A
Mormon battalion also went west with their
families, and having their ox yokes tied across
llie bases of rlie oxen's horns after the primi-
tive style pictured out as having been followed
in the east 5,000 years ago. Francis Parkuuui,
.Ir., historian, met this "the first army to pass
through the Valley" on his return from the
Oregon Trail. — Parkman's Oregon Trail.

In 1849, during the California hegira, and
subsefjuently, "the Great Bend" became a nsjted
point on this most noted of higlnvays. For a
century, the Great Bend of (he Arkansas has
been known as the grand feeding grouiul of
the buffalo, and favorite hunting and bloody
battle ground of the Indian.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

SCOUTIXCi ADVENTURES IN 1853

By James M. Fugate of Barton County

INDIAN FICHT AT THE ARKANSAS

IN April, 1S53, young, vigorous, ami iievor
having seen as nuidi of tlu' world as gen-
erally fills the ambition of fellows in their
early days of manhood, I engaged as teamster
to drive through with a train of ox-wagons
loaded with merchandise for the Sanla Fe
trade. We left La Fayette County, Missouri, the
24lh day of April; our company comprised 45
men, armed with the old-fashioned long-range
rifles, each, a Coil's navy revolver and howie
knife. Our teams numbered L'lo head of cat-
tle in all.

Kansas was then one vast w'ild plain, over
which roving bands of hostile Indians were
constantly cutting off emigrant and freight
trains on their way to New Mexico and the
Californias.

After leaving the settlement some distance,
we overtook twelve men with three wagons,
who had discovered there was danger ahead
and were awaiting reinforcements before ven-
turing farther. This increased our fighting
force to .57 robust, well-armed men.

Our first serious trouble began after reach-
ing the Arkansas Valley, at a point near where
Hutchinson now stands, and where we had
gone into camp abnut noon of May 21st. While
at dinner we were suddenly startled by the
alarm cry "Indians!"

Hefore we had got our teams and wagons
fairly in corral, they were charging around us
on their horses, yelling and firing like demons.
Taken at such a dangerous disadvantage ami
surprise, we were just in that position which
makes men fight with desperation, and instan-
taneously our rifles were pealing forth their
notes of defiance and death ta the dusky mur-
derous foe.

We were completely encircled by the sav-
ages, who proved to be Comanches, swinging
ui)on the opposite side of their iwnies exposing
but little of themselves to our aim by firing un-
der their horses' necks. Their deadly missiles
were soon playing havoc among our cattle. The
creatures were madly surging and bellowing
around, endangering us to a death beueatli
their feet, worse to be feared within the en-
closure than the foe without. This new dan-
ger soon drove us outside the enclosure of
wagons in full view of th(> Indians.

We had now fairly got our hands in and
were tumbling their ponies at a rapid rale.
Few Indians after their ponies fell, escaped a
rifle bullet. The Indians were narrowing their
circle until twenty-five yards scarcely inter-
vened between us. But the motion of their
steeds unsteadied their aim until it was but

laudoni, while the closer they pressed us the
more destructive became every shot we fired.

Such fighting could not last long. After the
first few rounds the savages mostly substituted
the gun with the bow and arrows. Finding
themselves getting most terribly worsted in
the combat, they made a dash to ride down
and tomahawk us all in one death struggle. 1
tell you, then, we had no child's play. Out-
numbering four or five to one in a hand-to-
hand fight to the death, is a serious thing. We
were soon mingling together, but driven against
the wagons, wo could dodge or parry their
bl ;ws with the tomahawk, while the rapid
flashes from the celebrated "navy" in each
man's hand, was not so easily avoided by the
savage warriors. We made the ground too hot
for them, and with yells of baffled rage, they
broke and fled, carrying off all their killed and
wounded but three, which they had to leave.

Now for the first time since the fight began
we had time to take in our situation. One of
the bravest and best of our comrades, young
Gilbert, was shot through the heart while
fighting the savages back with clubbed rifle,
his revolver having missed fire. He lay as he
fell, with his hand clenched around the stock
of his gun as though he would take the weapon
with his departed spirit to the other world
where he might avenge his death upon the
savages who had paid such a dear penalty for
their last work. Many others of our com-
pany were wounded, two of them severely.
The dead and dying ponies were scattered
about on the i)rairie with the arms and ac-
coutrements of their savage owners about
them; while several of our cattle were also
dead and dying from wounds made by missiles
aimed f.:r us.

The remainder of the day was spent in
burying our poor comrade on the spot made
sacred by his life's blood (which we did as
well as we could under the circumstances,)
caring for our wounded, and gathering u]) the
sjioils of the fight. We destroyed everything
belonging to the Indians that we could not car-
ry away, and along towards night-fall moved
a mile up the river, where we went into camp.

After the excitement consequent upon the
fight began to subside, we had much to talk
over about our chances of fighting our way
with such a small force through the entire
boundless plains before us to New Mexico. The
future looked hopeless indeed, but J. W. .Tones
who commanded the outfit, swore he would go

to Santa Fe or go to . We dare not

show the white feather, then.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

FIGHT ON THE WALNUT

OI'R progress was necessarily slow. No
adventure of any consequence happened
until we reached the Walnut Creek.
Here we camped some 200 or 300 yards below
the old trail, in a horse-shoe bend, on the west
side of the creek. Xo event occurred during
the night to show the presence of Indians; but
about dawn of the next morning, as the guards
were turning the cattle out of the corral to
graze, the Indians — Cheyennes, some 500 of
them, some mounted and more afoot, — imme-
diately tried to get possession of the cattle.
Those on foot engaged the guards, while those
mounted tried to get between the catttle and
the corral, thus cutting them off. The firing
immediately roused the camp to arms; and in
the face of the firing by the Indians we sur-
rounded the cattle, and drove them back into
the corral.

Then the fighting began in good earnest.
At Hrst we proved too much for them, and
they retreated into a low sag south of the cor-
ral; but quickly returned with more desperate
energy than at first. Then forming solid lines,
six or eight deep, made a forced charge on the
wagons from the south, yelling like demons,
and firing through under the wagons. It never
seemed as if so few men could stand such an
assault. Our men were prepared for them.
however, and, firing from behind and under the
wagons, gave them a warm reception as they
came up.

At the east end they broke through and
came into the corral; but of those who came
through it is a question if any ever returned.
They were immediately shot and clubbed with

the guns. I broke my own gun-stock over the
head of one of the miscreants. There were
nine of them left within the corral dead. The
Indians, seeing the fate that had befallen their
comrades who went through under the wagons,
began a hasty retreat, and were quickly fol-
lowed by the entire pack as fast as they could
run. They took refuge in a low range of sand
hill along the Arkansas river, some 60 or 80
rods to the south, from which they emerged
occasionally during the morning to harass us.

We followed them up toward the sand hills,
firing at them to the best possible advantage;
but when we had got as far as the low sag,
we were ordered to retreat to the wagons. Our
wagon master, after the dead Indians, outside
and in, were all counted, reported 60 Indians
killed. Our own loss was five killed and sev-
eral wounded, none mortally.

There was another camp of 3.5 men, sent
out by Majors & Russell of Missouri, about
half a mile west; and about 9 or 10 o'clock
they formed a line and came down toward the
Indians. Seeing this we formed a line and ad-
vanced to join them, and move together upon
the Indians. They, upon the other hand, seeing
our movement, beat a hasty retreat across the
river.

We buried our dead on a i)oint between two
draws a little southwest of camp; and about 2
o'clock broke camp, and in company with
Majors & Russell's outfit, started westward.

About 5 or 6 miles west we had a slight
brush with the Indians, but nothing serious
until we arrived at Pawnee Rock, which we
reached about 2 or 3 o'clock next dav.

FIGHT AT THE ROCK

WK camped about 200 yards to the south
of the rock. Nothing unusual trans-
pired during the night. About S
o'clock next morning, just as we had brought
our cattle up to the corral, and were yoking
them up, a band of Cheyennes, to the number
of about 300. suddenly made a dash from the
north, part of the Indians coming in on each
side of the Rock, and immediately surrounded
our corral of wagons, with a terrible war-
whoop.

The usual manner of making such a corral
was to form a circle with the wagons, running
them as close behind each ether as possible,
with the left-hand or driver's side innermost.
When the circle was complete, an opening the
size of a wagon was left for a gate, which was
closed by a single wagon just inside the
circle, so placed that it could be run aside or
back into the gap, or "gate," during the night,
and times of danger, the cattle are kept within
this enclosure or "corral," as it is called; at

other times they were turned out to graze, in
charge of several men. On the left-hand side
of the wagon bed. above the wheels, there was
a small box about five feet long, prepared with
a hinged cover that pitched so as to shed rain.
This box contained, in a convenient position,
the arms, ammunition, lunch, trinkets, etc., of
the driver.

Leaving our cattle as they were, some
yoked, some partly yoked, we instantly seized
our weapons and pitched in vigorously to re-
pulse the assault.

The Indians opened a heavy fire from the
start. They made strainers of our wagon
boxes by perforating them with bullets and
arrow heads. The Indians who were mounted
fired high, and may possibly sometimes have
hit some of their own men on the opposite side
of the corral.

After firing in this way for a while, and
finding they could gain nothing, they beat a

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

hasty rt'treat to the soiitli. taking with them
Ihoii- (ipad and wounded, who were in nearly
all cases tied to their i)oiiios, as was shown
by the thongs that lay by some of the dead
ponies, where the riders had cut lonse and got
away.

In this fight we had one man wounded, and
several cattle killed.

From here on we had to light the Indians
every few days. We had engagements at Paw-
nee Fork, again near Dodge, again at Cim-
arron, here by the Apaches and Arrapahoes,
again at .Mount Aubrey, Kearney County.

FIGHT AT MOUNT AUBREY

A'l' this place we arrived the next day after
tlie slaughter of a party of Spaniards
who were going east from Santa Fe, to
inirchase g iods. We found ten dead Spaniards,
and one wounded, still living, with his scalp
off, though he died the morning after.

At the first peeji of day, the next morning
after we arrived there, the Indians — Apaches
and Arra|)ahoes attacked us, first firing on
the guards, and then coming uj) by slow, cau-
tious movements, seeking every btiffalo wallow,
or other slight protection to c:;ver themselves.
So stealthily and steadily did Ihey advance tliat
almost before we were aware of it we had
eight men lying dead. All this time we kept
up a vigorous and pointed fire, always aiming
and firing with int(^nl to kill.

About 10 o'clock, finding they could not

capture our train, they retreated the way they
came, leaving their dead on the ground. These,
amounting to between 50 and 80, we piled up
on the plain and left for the coyotes and buz-
zards.

We remained here four days, and buried
our dead and the Spaniards — 19 in all — in one
trench. In the meantinu' — and this we tell in
a whisper — we amused ourselves at target
schooling, using for a target the head of some
luckless Indian, which would be placed in all
conceivable positions tJ be shot at.

We had some more fighting now and then
until we reached Fort I3ont, after which we
were out of the hostile country; and reached
Santa Fe in safety, with what we had left of
men and animals. We lost no wagons, and
carried our cargo entirely through.

INDIAN FIGHT ON LOWREY'S ISLAND OPPOSITE

LARNED IN 18G0

From Governor Isaac Sharp's Diary

By Major Hen r >• I n m an of L a r n c d

IT was a magnificent September day in the
early part of that month in the year 1S60.
The amber mist cf the glorious Indian
Summer hung in light clouds over the rippling
Pawnee, and the sheen of the noon-day sun on
the Arkansas made that silent stream, where
it broadens out lake-like, towards the now-
thriving little village of Garfield, sparkle and
scintillate until it was painful for the eyes to
rest upon. The low group of sand-hills loomed
up white and silvery, like the chalk cliffs cf
Dover. The box-elders and cot ton woods that
fringed the tributaries to the rivers were rap-
idly donning their Autumn dress of ru:,set, and
the mirage had already, in the early morn-
ings, commenced its weird and fantastic play
with the landscape.

I'nder the shadow of (he bluff, where L.ar-
ned now reposes so iiicturesquely, hundreds
of buffaloes were grazing, and on the plateau
above the crest of the hill, a few sentinel an-
telopes were guarding their charge, now quiet-

ly ruminating their morning's meal in the rav-
ines running towards the river.

.Near where Brown's Grove is now located,
under the grateful shade of the thickest clumps
of timber, about forty wigwams were irregu-
larly scattered, and on the hills a herd of two
or three hundred ponies were lazily feeding,
guarded by half a dozen superannuated
s(|uaws. and a troup of dusky little children,
who were chasing the yellow butterflies from
the now dried and dying sun flower stalks
that so conspiciously marked the broad trail
to the river. This beautiful spot was selected
by Black Kettle, chief of the Cheyennes, for
his winter camp, where only a few weeks pre-
viously he had moved from the Canadian, and
settled with his band to hunt on the Arkansas
n::ttoin, and watch his enemies, the Pawnees,
who claimed the same ground, and where year
after year the most sanguinary battles between
the two tribes had been fought. Apart from
the remainder of the wigwams, and near the

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

edge of the stream was the magnificent ledge
of Yellow Buffalo, the war chief of the Chey-
ennes. This lodge was formed of beautifully
porcupined and beaded robes, and its interior
was graced with a long row of scalps — the
trophies of his fame as a great warrior.

On the morning of the date above mention-
ed, I had reached the Arkansas at a point a
few miles east of the mouth of the Pawnee, on
my way to Fcrt Larned from my ranch on
Sharp's Creek, (now in McPherson county,)
and when near where Larned now stands I
noticed a large body of Indians in a stooping
attitude, as though hunting for somethiui;, and
I supposed them to be some of my Knowa
friends on the trail of an enemy. I spurred
my horse and rode toward them, when all of a
sudden they dropped in the grass, which con-
vinced me of the error of my first supposition.
I was acquainted at that time with nearly all
the tribes en the plains, and particularly those
who would probably be in that vicinity then,
and with a fair knowledge of the Indian char-
acter, I readily concluded that my covey in
the grass were a band of "Dog-Soldiers," of
some tribe, either on the war-path against
some of the other tribes that roamed in the
valley of the Arkansas, or a party to steal
horses, and in either event I had nothing to
fear, as the report of a gun would be the last
thing they would want to hear just then.

So I rode on, and whcni within a hundred
yards or so of the Indians, one rose, and
holding bcth hands up with palms to the front,
in his own dialect called my name. I then felt
considerably relieved for I found myself among
thirty-two Pawnees, who, as I first supposed,
were there to steal horses from the Cheyenues
or Kiowas. On hearing this fact. I told them
that a few miles back on the trail, I had seen a
large number of Indians on the high prairie,
scattered out as if surrounding buffalo, or elk,
but that I had seen no game, and now I knew
their presence was known to the Arkansas
tribes, and that there were so many of these
wild Indians that the few Pawnees would all
be killed if found.

They then told me they wanted to reach
the island in the river, and there they co\ild
fight all the "Ingins" that would dare come, and
if they got to the island before the wild Indians
found them, I must go to them and tell them
that they were there, and myself come and see
the fight. That if I staid on my horse, either
on the east or west side of the island, or on the
hill on the northwest. I could see it all and be
safe from their bullets; and if they all got
killed I should tell their people how grandly
and bravely they died.

I left them and went on towards the Fort,
and when within three miles of it, met "Yel-
low Buffalo" with some two hundred of his
warriors, with their paint on and beating their
drums.

"Yellow Buffalo" was then about thirty
years old, and as grand a looking Indians as
I ever saw. I delivered my message from the

Pawnees to him, immediately upon which the
two hundred warriors raised the war-cry,
which echoed and reverberated in all the splen-
dor of its savage grandeur over the prairie,
and which none but those who have heard it
under such circumstances, can appreciate.

Stung to the heart by my message of defi-
ance, "Yellow Buffalo" appeared the true sav-
age that he was, and the ferocity of his wild
nature glared in his eyes as he thought of the
deep wrongs done Id his tribe by the "dogs of
Pawnees!" as he called them, and appealed to
his men that "now was the time presented to
them, to not only reap an adeiiuatc revenge,
but add lasting laurels to their wreaths as
brave and skilful warriors."

We were a little south of the old Santa Fe
trail, and he ordered his band to turn nearly
due south and then we loped off in the direc-
tion of the island. As we neared the river bank
we saw the last of the Pawnees, who had been
watching our approach, plunge into the stream
and reach the island in safety, as our advance
halted on the spot where now rests the north
end of the Larned bridge. It was now about 2
o'clock in the afternoon. The Cheyennes dis-
mounted, and every tenth man went to the
rear to hold the horses and guard them from
a possible flank movement on the part ot the
Pawnees. I was honored by "Yellow Buffalo"
with the privilege of taking care of my own
horse — which I am happy to say I did from a
position on the south end of the hill west of
town, and as near the river as was prudent for
a non-combatant. Nearly all the Cheyennes
were armed with muzzle-loading rifles, and a
third of them had large Colt's army revol-
vers. At the command ot their chief, "Yel-
low Buffalo," the Cheyennes formed a line ot
tiattle. which seemed to extend up and down
llie river the whole length of the island, while
live or six of them acted as flankers, uring
live cr six of them acted as flankers. During
to be seen.

In those days the island was covered only
Willi thick willows, which concealed the wateli-
fiil Pawnees, who were rather belter armed
tliaa tln^ Cheyennes each having a Spencer car-
bine and two revolvers, either army or navy
pattern, besides their bows and (luivers well
tilled with arrows. When all was in readiness,
and "Yellow Buffalo" had made a -proper dis-
position of his forces, he gave the order to
charge! Upon hearing his clear voice ring
across the prairie, his warriors responded with
a most unearthly yell, that seemed to shako
even the eternal dunes of sand on the opposite
side of the river, and then rushed pell-mell
into the Arkansas. The water was waist high.
and as they advanced they still kept up the
infernal yell until they reached within ten feet
of the island, when, like a flash of light from
a clear sky. came a sheet of flame from the
edge of the willows, promptly responded to by
the braves in the water.

In an instant however, much to my sur-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

prise, the Pawnees delivered from their ranks
another volley, followed immediately by the
quick sharp crack of revolvers, which seemed
to completely overwhelm and discomfort the
Cheyeniies. all of whom beat a hasty retreat to
the main land. Their war-whoop ceased the
instant they commenced their backward inarch,
and in a moment some twenty of the Pawnees
appeared above the willows and kept np a well
directed fire on their foes until the latter
reached the bank cf the river.

In this single charge of the Cheyennes,
thirteen were killed and twenty-three wonnded
evincing a coolness and deliberation on the
part of the. Pawnees, not excelled by the best
organized troops. The Cheyennes, in their
charge, showed their characteristic reckless-
ness and daring, but which counted for noth-
ing in results, as all the bullets were carried
clear over the heads of the Pawnees who were
concealed by the friendly willows.

While the main body of the Pawnees were
keeping up their almost incessant fire upon
the retreating Cheyennes, three or four others
rose at opposite ends of the island, and opened
with some well delivered shots with their car-
bines at the Cheyenne flankers, so that the
whole number became demoralized, and "Yel-
low Buffalo" with all his painted warriors,
fled as far back as where the Rev. R. M. Over-
street's church now stands on Main street, and
held a council.

"Yellow Buffalo" then dispatched a messen-
ger for reinforcements, and in about an hour
they arrived from south of the river to the
number of some four or five hundred, and upcn
their joining the other, "Yellow Buffalo" made
the same disposition of his now augmented
forces as he had with his original army, and

then turned his command over to "Black Ket-
tle," who had c me on the ground.

"Black Kettle" kept his Indians in close
order, and when they reached within shooting
distance of the island, the Pawnees opened
upon them with a terrible volley, and the most
deafening and diabolical yells, and kept it up
for at least ten minutes. The poor Cheyennes
returned the fire as best they could, but invar-
iably overshot the Pawnees, whom they could
not see. so closely were they hidden by the
willows.

.Meanwhile "Black Kettle" ingloriously re-
treated, and then "Yellow Buffalo" felt himself
no more disgraced than the "head war chief"
and his chosen warriors. Thus ended this rath-
er remarkable fight. I never could learn def-
initely how many of the Cheyennes were killed
and wounded in the second charge, but the Paw-
nees told me they were double the number of
the first charge, and coining as it did from the
victors, I always made a reasonable allowance.
The Cheyennes utterly refused to tell me the
number of their loss, but I saw their wounded
that night, and helped dress most of their
wounds. There were twenty-eight in "Black
Kettle's" camp.

On my return from the Fort next day with
my mail, the Cheyennes informed me that
these same Pawnees charged through the
guards, and actually drove off about 200 of the
Cheyenne ponies.

The Pawnees assured me they had but forty
warriors, all told, and that they lost in killed
and wounded but two. The Cheyennes stated
however, that they found five graves in the
sand, under the edge of the water, which they
exhumed and left the bodies to rot. and the
bones to bleach on the prairie like a coyote.

A PIONEER'S EXPERIENCE

By Homer H. Kidder of ('.real lU-nd

IN 1863. 1 left Michigan with the purpose of
of taking a look over Kansas, principally
with a view of making a home and going
into business. At Kansas City I met with Kit
Carson, the famous Indian scout, and Wm.
Bent, the builder of Bent's old Fort, near the
mouth of the Pnrgaloire river in Colorado.
They were then preparing to lake a trip west,
and knowing 1 would never have a better
chance. I gladly accepted their invitation and
accompanied them.

From Kansas City Kit Carson, Mr. Bent.
Charley Rath and myself went up the river
to I.*aven worth: there we joined a mule train
of about ten wagons. We came by way cf To-
peka (then quite a small town), and Council
Grove.

In September we arrived at the mouth of
Walnut Creek, and went into camp about an

hour before sunset, and, while knowing full
well that we were 100 miles from the nearest
white settlement, yet we saw large numbers of
human beings coming to us on horseback,
which, on their arrival, prcved to be wild In-
dians; but as they were peaceable at that time
we had nothing to fear, and upon taking a
view of the broad green prairies, dotted here
and there with clusters of Indian lodges and
groupes of ponies, and in the distant back-
ground could be seen large herds of buffalo,
waiting quietly to become food for the Indians.
It was truly the happiest hour of my existence
— for it was my first sight of wild Indians and
buffaloes.

The Indians arrived at our camp and dis-
mounted, and. after shaking hands all round,
with their "how, how," they sat down, we all
smoked the pipe of peace, and after spending

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

an hour or so in a chat, we all lay down on
the ground for a sleep.

Next morning stvoral Indians with Kit and
myself went out on a buffalo chase, and within
halt an hour ran into a fine herd of them, and
after a short run we had several of them lying
dead on the ground, some killed with arrows
by the Indians and some with our bullets.

We remained in the Indian camp several
days, fcr rest, and decided to open a trading
post with them; and, after a few days more
were spent in an Indian feast and making our
camp convenient for business — building a cor-
ral for our stock, etc. — we opened up and sold
such goods as we had brought for that pur-
pose. After several weeks of life with the In-
dian families, enjoying the company of the
beautiful Indian maidens, eating out of the
same skillet with them, and partaking of their
dish of "fat dog," I bade my dusky beauties
adieu, and went up to Fort Larned to accept
the situation of clerk in the quartermaster's
office for the winter. At that time Fort Lar-
ned was a small adobe fort. We had a long
spell of intensely cold weather, with consid-
erable of "the beautiful snow" on the ground;
and during that winter many freighters lost
much of their stock by freezing to death and
stampeding and remaining with the buffalo.
Several "bull-whackers" also froze to death
that winter. But, as everything has an end,
so did our bitter cold winter, and with it came
our spring, when I resigned my clerkship and
returned to Walnut Creek, where I built a
ranch that lasted me many years during my
frontier life. I located it close to the creek
f:r the purpose of obtaining water without
endangering myself from the hostile attacks
of the Indians, who were then threatening to
break out and go on the war-path. I had not
half finished my ranch (it being slow work
to cut the sod with an ax), when the Indians
made a break on some freight trains enroute
to Mexico, cutting cff some of the hind wagons,
capturing the stock and killing the drivers.
This of course opened the warfare and put us
all on our guard. I finally finished my ranch,
and began to trade for poor and lame cattle
that were brought from Mexico by freighters
and drovers: and during that year found my-
self in possession cf a nice large herd of cat-
tle, and by keeping them well guarded from
the Indians I lost none of them. During the
year the Indians made a great many attacks
on trains, seldom failing to get the best of the
bargain and carry off the scalp of some poor
unfortunate who happened to be away from
the main party; but as the seasi-n closed the
Indians retreated to the Medicine Lodge, where
they spent the winter, and made ready for a
continued raid and a season fight of plunder
and massacre next year.

The winter being a very mild one, my herd
of stock went through in fine condition, and in
the following year I increased the herd to sev-
eral thousand head, and as the freighting sea-
son again opened, everything seemed lively.

It was nothing uncommon to see 100 wag-
ons in a dovible line, moving across our "Great
American Desert," and it was almost a daily
occurrence to see from 30 to 100 "Prairie
Schooners" at once. These wagons, when un-
der a full load, would' contain from 4 to 6
thousand pounds, and were hauled by six yoke
of oxen or six mules. All these wagons would
camp on the creek, at or near my ranch, mak-
ing it contain quite an army nearly every
night. Such nights would usually be spent in
telling yarns until a late hour, when all
would take their "gunny sack" and lie down
for sleep on the ground, except the night
herders who were constantly on the watch till
the break of day when they drove in the stock.
In a moment all was astir, and within half an
hour on the move, and I left alone again, with
the exception of my hired help.

Thus the season continued, except an cccas-
ional attack on some poor pilgrim or un-
guarded train, in which, after a few moments
of the most intense excitement, the Indians
would usually come out victorious, having one
or more blcody scalps at their belts, and were
stampeding the stock across the prairies at
full speed.

While engaged in herding my cattle one
day .one of my men (Jack) being near by but
out of sight, fishing in the creek, a small war
party of Indians came up from the river near
by, and seeing a mule train about a mile off,
they all made a dash on the train except one
Indian, who, upon seeing me, set up such a
yell as only a red devil can give, and with a
drawn lance made a dash at me with the ut-
most speed, intending to run me through.
When abcut a rod from me I fired. With a
piercing yell he jumped from the pony, the
blood spurting from his bare breast. As he
came to the ground we clenched, each one
trying to get away with "his Injun." Part of
the time he was on top, then again I had him
down; and he, though weakening from loss of
blocd, got a knife from his belt and made a
lunge at me, while I was grasping him in a
genuine rough-and-tumble for dear life, and
trying to restrain his hand. He finally suc-
ceeded in thrusting (he knife through my hand,
and was about getting away with me, when
my herdsman came in timely to the scene of
action. The Indian relaxed his hold of me
and fell to the ground, with a bullet through
his head, and before he breathed his last I
had his scalp with his own knife; and. while
he has "gone to the hai)py hunting gr.iund,"
I still carry "as a trophy" the scars of that
event and the long scalp of my enemy.

The Indians would occasionally make a
dive on some train and get the worst of it,
having their scalps taken, which all white
frontiersmen would do whenever they killed
a red-skin. This was done, they said, to keep
the dead warri;;rs from going to the "happy
hunting ground," the Indians claiming that
anyone loosing their scalp will never go
there.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

And so the season wore on; we usually got
our suijplies from the passing trains; so that,
in reality, our life was an easy one, yet full
of excitement on account cf the Indians who
often tried to get our stock, but failed; until
September, when they made a grand success-
ful rally, and drove off all my stock, killing my
herder.

The loosing of several thousand head of
cattle gave me the blues, and shortly after 1
accepted a situation as mail carrier on the
Santa Fe stage line cf Barlow, Saunder.son &
Co., where I reiuaincd more than three years,
but still keeping up my ranch, having to pass
it weekly going out and returning to the
States. During that time 1 crossed the plains
150 times.

During the fall of 1S67 the Indians attack-
ed a mule train, enroute for Mexico, near the
mouth of Walnut Creek, cut off an ambulance
from the rear end and killed an old lady and
gentleman, cut the old lady in quarters, piled
her clothes en the remains and set them on
lire, and carried off the bleeding scalps of
both at their belts.

This was the year that Fort Zarah was
built and occupied by troops. During this same
tall, a short distance this side of Walnut Creek
four government teams loaded for Fort Lar-
ned were attacked by Indians, who succeeded
in killing and scalping the drivers, and run-
ning off the stock. The P,;st Commander,
thinking it not a safe place for him, kept his
quarters, and gave us what we could get out
of the wreck; we went out and made a nice
haul of coffee, sauer kraut, beans, flour, sugar,
etc.

Cow Creek crossing had many a fight be-
tween freighters and Indians, and many killed
on both sides. Once, when a small parly
(three men and one woman) with an ambu-
lance, were going to Fort Marker, they were
attacked about a mile east of Cow Creek cross-
ing; they stopped over a deep buffalo wallow,
and all got down into it for protection. While
ill this condition a company cf troops com-
luanded by a captain who had been sent out
to look after them, came up on the west bank
of Cow Creek in plain view of the scene, and
after looking at them a few moments, turned
his command around for the west, without
attempting to render them any assistance.
One sergeant in his company begged the cap-
tain to cross the creek and relieve them, but
instead of so doing the captain put the ser-
geant under arrest and returned to Fort
Zarah with his company, thus leaving the
small party to perish at the hands of the red
devils, which they most certainly would, had
It not been fcr the timely arrival of a dozen

scouts on their way from Fort Barker to Fort
Larned. who arrived on the spot just as the
deserted party had used their last shots at the
Indians. They killed three or four Indians,
and on the r.lher hand the Indians wound-
ed the entire party. The cowardly captain was
cashiered and dismissed from the service for
the act.

We raised onions, tomatoes and potatoes,
that year (1S67) near the ranch on spaded
ground, they being the first vegetables ever
raised in Barton County by white men. We
had rains enough to keei) them in good grow-
ing condition, and they matured cf good size,
and shape.

That fall everything went on in the usual
way, the Indians taking the west end of the
road above and around Fort Dodge. A mild
winter followed; and when spring returned so
did the Indians, who kept up their attacks dur-
ing the summer at ever.v opirortunity. They
kept things livelier than usual for us.

During the fall of 1S68 we fought the last
Indian fight tf Barton County, four miles be-
low where Great Bend now stands, on the
Arkansas river. We numbered twelve men
and the Indians about seventy-five. We fought
them for three hours, killing and wounding
teveral, also killing several ponies. We lost
two men in that engagement; shot with both
bullets and arrows. The Indians finally left
the battle ground, carrying of their dead and
the battle ground, carrying off their dead and
1 sent my colored man out for some stray
stock; the Indians cut him off from the
ranch, captured him, cut off his feet and one
of his hands, skinned the muscles off his
limbs, skinned the whole top of his head —
taking every hair, ripped him open from end
t ) end, and left him. He crawled several rods
in that condition, until he reached an eleva-
tion in sight of the ranch, and expired.

During the same fall, and a short tiiue pre-
vious, the Indians killed and scalped a white
man of mine, near where now stands the Great
Bend stock yards.

Another engagement was had in September,
(I think), that same fall, only a short time pre-
vious to the last one mentioned, just this side
of Walnut Creek, and near where the railroad
bridge now is, between the Indians and sol-
diers of the Fort. The red devils captured the
teams and killed some of the soldiers. Indian
fights were fre(iuent along the Santa Fe trail,
that season, and many of good white man was
put under the sod on that account.

Cholera extended from ranch to ranch,
nearly crossing the plains, in 1S67, and many
died in consequence.

ANOTHER INCIDENT

WK are informed by Mr. T. .1. Richardson,
a settler near Rush Center, that in
September. ISGO, while returning
from a trip over the Rocky Mountains, he

.'^lopped over night at "Peacock's Ranch," an
abode concern then situated a short distance
below the Walntit, about where Fort Zarah was
built. There he learned of the massacre of

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Mr. Peacock and five others, part of them mem-
bers of his family, by the Kiowa Indians, one
or two weeks previous. One man escaped
whose name he did not learn. Our informant
did not know where Mr. Peacock was from.

and did net state how long he had lived at the
ranch. The Indians carried off all the stock
connected with the ranch, and committed sun-
dry other depredations on emigrants.

OLD FORT ZARAH

FORT ZARAH was established September
6, 1S64. by Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, then
in command of the military district, and
named in honor of his son, Maj. H. Zarah Cur-
tis, who was killed at the Baxter Springs mas-
sacre while on the staff of Gen. Blunt, October
6th, 1S63. It was completed in 1S67, and
spoken of as an outpost.

The site of the Fort is well known to all —
at the southeast of the Walnut. It stood on a
gentle eminence, nearly surrounded by a shal-
low creek which might easily be made a
means of defense by filling with water.

It was built cf sandstone, quarried in the

somewhat resembling a "hop-scotch" bed. It
was two stories high except 24 feet of the
eastern part. The main entrance was at the
eastern end, opening into the officers' ijuar-
ters. There was only one window in the entire
building, and that was at the eastern end.
There were loop-holes along the northwest,
and south sides. At the southeast and north-
west corners there were hexagonal, two-
story towers, with two sets of loop-holes for
musketry. These loop-holes were arranged in
sets of three on a side in each story, and pre-
sented a face opening of two inches wide by
16 inches high, widening in the wall to a

NORTH

2(1 ft.

ROOMS

SLEEPING

DINING HALL

44 feet

a: ~
-; u

111 ii.'

SOUTH

PLAN OF FORT ZARAH

neighboring bluffs about three miles off. These
rocks were mostly of a deep purplish brown,
varying to a light brown. They were usually
hewn to a pretty smooth face, and laid up in
the rough, in good solid mortar. The outer
walls were about 16 inches thick, the inner
walls one foot. The walls inside were all well
pjlastered. The roof of the building was of ten.
plastered. The roof of the building was of tin.
116 feet, with an average width of 50 feet.
The main portion was divided into 7 rooms,

breadth of about IG or IS inches on the inside.
Beneath the rooms running across the ends,
there were cellars dug S feet deep and walled
with stone. Ta the west, at a distance of 20
feet, was the magazine, which was 12 feet
square, and connected with the west cellar
by an underground passage 4 feet w-ide. A
short distance to the southeast of the fort
stood the guard house, a stone building about
14 feet square. Wo herewith present a plan
of the fort:

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

OTHKR RUINS.

TliiMC iiro many evidences of oecui>ation
siirroiiiKling tlic Fort, siieh as collars, re-
mains and traces of ranches, luits. slianties,
tents, etc. On section 3(>, townslii|> I'J sonlli,
range 13 west, about 100 rods south ot the
southeast corner of the reservation, near
where the old toll-bridge crossed the Walnut,
appears the most formidable ruins of any. At
first sight there would seem to have been a
fort there once; but it must be remembered
that in those days herdsmen were obliged to
build for defense. Besides, the "oldest inhabi-
tant." Mr. H. H. Kidder, assures us that there
was never a fort there— only a ranch. The
main building is 70 feet north and south, by 30
feet across. A cross wall divides it into two
rooms, the north one being 30 feet s(iuare, the
south one 30 by 40. There are still some very
heavy rocks in the foundation of the walls,
though most of the material of which the
walls were composed has long since been car-
ried off. The debris is still l.S inches to 2 feet
high. Attached to the southeast corner ap-
pears a hexagonal ruin of earth and rock, each
of the sides about 12 feet long. On the west
side of the building are earth-works, about GO
by 80 yards, with various cross-works and
walls. These were the walls of the corral,
which was divided into apartments. The pres-
ent owner of the ground has some field crop
growing over the ruins; but it seems like
farming under difficulties, for the soil is not so
rich and damp as ordinary prairie soil.

CEMETERY.

About 300 yards northeast of these ruins,
in Section 31, T. 19, R. 12 W., is the old grave
yard. This bears evidence of more recent use.
There are about IS or 20 graves in all: though
many were difficult to distinguish, and there
may be more or less. Many of the graves have
no stone or stick to mark the spot, and can
only be detected by a slight ridge or depres-
sion. Several have sandstones raised at the
head and foot.

Only one grave has a stone with any in-
8cri|)tion. This, a brown sandstone, is broken
down, and bears the following well carved,
but partly effaced, inscription:
IN
MEMORY OF
CIIAIU.KS WKI.CII,
Who Died Mar. •2-2i\, IsTl'.
Age 1 yr and 2 .\IonIh.«.
The age was the most effaced, and may have
been something else. At the foot a neat cross
Is engraved on a standing brown sandstone.
The grave is covered densely with buffalo
grass, and appears nuich older. At the fool ot
one grave there is a cottouwood board, with-
out any inscription. At the heads and feet of
a few, small stones are stuck in the ground.

Three of the graves, which are probably
those of soldiers, are surrounded by stone
walls 18 inches high, which are filled within

with earth. These are in the best condition
of any of the graves.

HESIMtVATIO.N.

Fi rt /.arali Military Reservation was es-
tablished September 3(illi. 1868, by order of
the president, and surveyed and laid out the
same year. It is about two by two and three
(luarters miles in extent, and reaches from the
railroad north lo the hills. II contains about
3,69S acres.

On February 24, 1ST I. an act of Congress
provided for bringing into market the lands
of the F;rt Zarah Reservation; and on August
11, ISTl, "the Surveyor General was authorized
lo extend the lines of the public surveys over
the same."

In July, 1874, "the lands having been ap-
praised at from $3 to $10 per acre." were of-
fered at public sale at Salina, at which sale
"only two lots, containing together 45.20 acres,
were sold at $4 per acre, leaving the balance
subject to private entry at the appraised
value."

FORT AllAXDOXED.

The Fori was "dismantled" in 1869. Among
other work of dismantling was the removal of
the tin roof at an expense to the government
of $20,000; and the removal of the same lo
Fort Harker at a further expense of $10,000;
— fat jobs for some poor contractors. On ar-
rival of the tin roof at Fort Harker, the re-
ceiver wouldn't receive her; so the thing was
dumped down on the prairie a short distance
from the fort ; and it has since done good ser-
vice in sheltering various settlers en govern-
ment lands. The original cost of Fort Zarah
was $110,000.

After the abandonment of the Fort it be-
came a den of thieves and general rendezvous
for bals and marauders. These occupied it
day and night by turns,— the former hiding by
day. the latter by night.

Settlements commenced in 1871. Almost
immediately the hand of the granger was laid
uiion it, and it began to disappear little by lit-
fle. Capt. E. V. Rugar was appointed a mar-
shal to take care of it, which he bravely did
by going to California in 1S74, and letting the
Fort take care of itself.

Shortly after the sale of lots mentioned
above, Mr. E. C. Sooy put up a notice forbid-
ding anyone to remove any rock from Fort
Zarah, as the property had been purchased
and now belonged to private individuals. The
notice held good until all the best rock had
been hauled away from the Fort by various
liarties at Great Bend, who made uuick work of
il for a short time, when the rumor was spread
that there had been no sale, and the valuable
stone remaining at the old Fort lasted b\it a
very short time after; and today only a heap
of rubbish, overgrown with rank weeds is left
to mark the spot where the proud Fort once
stood. Fort Zarah has passed into history.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

INDIAN TROUBLES.

In 1S6S, Indians were very troublesome to
the settlers and ranchers in the country at
that time. They would attack ranchers and
wagon trains, run off the horses and cattle,
and some times kill the people.

On or about the 12th of August, 1S6S, word
came to Fort Zarah that the Indians were
murdering the settlers on the Saline, and Col.
Menteen, with his company of 7th Cavalry,
"marched swiftly" to their relief, and run the
Indians about ten miles.

On October 2nd, 1S68, Gen. Hazeu reports
that "about 100 Indians attacked the Fort at
daylight, and were driven off; then they at-
tacked a provision train, killed one of the
teamsters, and secured the mules from four
wagons; then attacked the ranch eight miles
below (near EUinwood) and drove off the
stock."

On the 10th. Lieut, Kaizer, :3rd Infantry,
reports that "at 4 p. m. a party of Indians sur-
rounded and drove off six h:;rses and two mules
from citizens near Fort Zarali."

SKETCH OF PIONEER LIFE

By Ed. W. Dewey

ABOUT the 7th of July. 1871, I came into
Barton county from the town of Rus-
sell, Russell County, Kansas. At that
time the population of Barton County consisted
of but few inhabitants, and they were scatter-
ed along the banks of Walnut Creek. There
was no settlement on Blood Creek at that time.

One of the first settlers in Great Bend
township was Mr. John Cook who, in June,
1S71, built a dugout on the bank of the creek,
about three miles from the present site of
Great Bend. There was no stone or frame
house in the county at that time. Mr. A. C.
Mcses and Mr. J. H. Hubbard were preparing
to build frame houses. Mr. A. C. Moses had a
few boards put up like a tent, and Mr. Hub-
bard was hauling stone for a foundation.
They had located about two miles below Mr.
Cook, on the creek. The country was over-
run with buffalo, which kept us awake at night
with their continual bellowing and stamping.
I settled on a piece of land en the creek — the
southwest quarter of section 4, township 19,
range 13 — and took out my papers about the
15th of July, 1871. The section on which Great
Bend now stands was then vacant.

There was no reliable survey of that town-
ship, as there were no corners marked within
the township by the government surveyors. At
this time there was a surveyor by the name of
H. Meritcn. camped at the old fort, and laying
out a town site near where old Fort Zarah
used to stand, with whom I had worked during
the fore part of the summer, and so I helped
him lay out the townsite of Zarah — as it was
called — and we also ran several lines for dif-
ferent parties, mine among the rest.

That. I think, was the first survey in the
cnunty, after the government survey. At that
time there were no section corners marked in
any way within township 19, range 13 west.
About the last of August there was a govern-
ment surveying party at work sectionizing the
land lying south of the river. At that time the
river was nearly dry — no water running above
the mouth of the Walnut. The land south of

the Arkansas was not then considered good for
anything by the settlers.

Early in September a party of Pawnee In-
dians, numbering about 400, all on foot, passed
through the settlement, going south to trade
for ponies with the southern Indians. They
were all armed, and occasioned considerable
alarm among us; but they were peaceable, and
committed no depredations. They returned
late in October, having plenty of ponies and
but few arms. Two or three of them were
sick, and annoyed the settlers a good deal by
begging, etc. One of them died on Blood creek.

We had to send or go to Salina, on the K. P.
R. R., to transact all our land business. The
railroad land had not yet come into market.

There was not much land broken that sum-
mer, and the only crop raised was a small
piece of sod corn, about five miles up the creek
from my place, which did very well. No wheat
of any importance was sowed that fall.

The town site of Great Bend was surveyed
out, and a large house (now the Southern
Hotel) was built, the lumber being hauled
from Ellsworth, on the K. P. R. R., a distance
of 50 miles. A few other houses were built dur-
ing the fall.

Winter coming on, I made a dugoul on the
banks of the Walnut, on my land, and my fam-
ily came about the 16th of November. The
next day it began to rain and sleet, finally
turning to snow. Our things had not yet ar-
rived, and we were compelled to sleep on some
old hay in one corner of the dugout. The rain
and snow beat in at the door. It became terri-
bly cold before morning, and we came near
freezing to death. The creek froze nearly
solid.

ITRSl'KI) l!V WOIA'ES.

As th<' winter progressed the wolves and
coyotes became very savage, and it was dan-
gerous for a person to be out on the prairie
after dark. Sometime in December I had an
adventure with wolves, which I will relate to

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

illustrate the terrible ferocity ot tlic wolves
at tliat time:

One evening as myself, wife and babe were
returning from Mr. 10. J. Dodge's (whose fam-
ily had recently arrived, and where we had
been on a visit). I had on a pair of skates.
and my wife and babe were on a rude sled,
which I had constructed, and was pushing it
before me on the ice on the creek. When we
had proceeded about one-half the way, we,
heard the wolves howl on the banks of the
creek right ahead of us; and pretty soon their
gaunt forms were outlined against the sky. It
looked like certain death to go ahead, and al-
most as certain to turn back, so I pushed
ahead and the wolves ran along on the banks
beside us until we were nearly home. Then,
as if they were afraid that we would get away,
they became bolder, and finally, as we turned
a bend cf the creek, there on the bank, not 10
feet off, stood about half a dozen iiungry,
howling wolves. As wo swung around the
bend, two big grays made a leap for the s'.od.
but we were going so fast that they fell short
of their intended prey, and as they tried tn
stop themselves their nails scratched on the
ice right beside me, and I felt their hot breath
in my face. Immediately I heard them coming
behind, and new it was a race for life. I
skated as I never skated before or sinco, and
in a few minutes we arrived at the dagout \Ve
ran in, and grabbing my gun 1 shot two dead
within a few feet of the door. 1 shot at several
more, and soon they disappeared.

The winter of ISTl, w.is one of the coldest
that I have experienced in this country. A
man by the name of Jamison had about 1,000
head cf Texas cattle in the bottoms, by the
creek, and, as the river and creel: were both
frozen nearly solid, the settlors had to cut
holes in the ice for the cattle to drinV from.
The cattle suffered terribly with thirst, and be-
came very ferocious. They would often attack

a person unless he was on horseback, t^everal
people were attacked by them, and iho seitleis
killed some to protect their lives, -lud lor i;ieat,
as the cow-boys had run all of the bu;Talo out
of the valley for several miles. Considiiable
trouble grew out of this, but no lives were lost.
The settlers lived on corn bread, molasses,
and meat, and S"metimes a little flour. lOvery-
and meat, and sometimes a little flour. Every-
thing we obtained had to be hauled from the
K. P. R. R., and that made prices very high.
Flour was $8.00 per cwt., and molasses $1..50
per gallon; bacon, 20 cents per p3und; corn
meal, $5.00 per hundred weight, and every-
thing else in proportion.

There was some little talk of a railroad
coming up the Valley, but the prevailing ojiin-
iou seemed to be that it would cross the Ar-
kansas at some point east and go down through
the Medicine L"dge country. Many settlers
came in during that fall, and several houses
were built.

The spring opened very fine, and the prairie
schoonrs carrying sttlers came in very fast,
and the talk of a railroad in the near future
assumed more definite shape. Considerable land
was broken and planted to corn, etc., and the
desert, which has since delevoped into a full
blown rose, began to bud. Hreaking was worth
$4.50 to $5.00 per acre. The town of Great
Bend commenced to build up, and things were
lively. Hauling from the K. P. R. R. made
work for those who had teams and some for
those who had none.

The railroad reached Barton County some
lime in the month of .Tune, 1872, and thus open-
ed ui) communicaticn with the east.

There were several houses built on the
town site of Zarah during the fall of 1871 and
si)ring of 1872. There was a big dance in
Buckbee's store at Zarah on Christmas eve,
1871, and a merry time enjoyed by all.

RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY DAYS

By David N. Heizer of Colorado Springs, Col.

ICAMI-: to Barton County in Hay, 1S71, in
comiiany with .1. H. Prescott of Enter-
prise, Miss., W. \V. Weymouth of Spring-
field, 0., and Wm. Finn and Albert Griffin of
Sedgwick. Kansas. We were looking for a lo-
cation to engage ii\ stock raising.

We arrived at old Fort Zarah about the ISth
of May, 1871. On the night before our arrival
we cami)ed with the officers and directors of
the A.. T. & S. F. railroad, who were return-
ing from a prospecting trip \ip the Arkansas
Valley, over the proposed line of their road.
They assured us they would build their road
as far west as Fort Zarah within two years.
With this information, upon seeing the mag-
nificent body of land on the Big Bend, as it

was then called, we concluded that here would
be a favorable place to commence and build up
a settlement. Accordingly we spent several
days in surveying and tracing out section lines
in township 19, range 13, and after concluding
to locate a town on section 26, and making a
survey and plat of the same, we organized a
town company with J. H. Prescott as presi-
dent, and authorized him to go to Salina and
file on said land, iinder the Town Site Preemp-
tion Act — which he did. 1 must here recaunt
the scenes of our first bulTalo hunt.

OIR FIRST BIFFALO HUNT.

On our arrival there were myriads of these
noble animals on thp souOi of the Arkansas.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

J. H. Prescott, Al. Griffin, and myself mounted
three horses and set out. Griffin had a Henry
rifle and a pair of revolvers, I had a needle
gun and a pair of dragoon revolvers, and Mr.
Prescott not heing a marksman, but very fond
of adventure, went along to enjoy the fun.
We crossed the Walnut just opposite the old
fort, and came to the river. It vi'as high, the
sand-bars being covered; we knew notliing
about it, and felt very doubtful about being
able to cross, as it looked very angry and deep.
After debating some time as to whether we
would venture, we concluded not t3 give up
unless we were obliged to, and that one of the
party should doff his apparel and investigate.
As I was the only swimmer it fell on me to ex-
plore. I prepared myself after the manner of
a theater actress — only more so. The water
seemed to be deepest near the bank; I expect-
ed to be thoroughly baptized at the tirst jump.
I made a tremendous jumii, and lo and behold,
the water, mud, sand and all was not knee
deep. The spectators encored me, and the rest
of the performances consisted in my running
and skipping along in water from six ini'lies t;)
live feet deep.

We then crossed, and within a mile of the
river came to where a small herd of biiffalo
bulls were grazing in the sand hills. Grifriij
and I dismounted and taking nur rifles :;n'iil"
to the crest of a ridge about 300 yards of them.
I had formerly thought buffalo were abo'it the
size of ordinary cattle, but as I looked at one
through the sights of my gun, thinking what a
terrible beast a wounded buffalo was reported
to be, he looked to be as large as an elephant
or a common sized barn. I concluded ihere
must be telescopic sights on my gun, and drev,-
it back to look it over; the gun also seemed to
have the ague. We finally concluded to both
fire at the same bull, and becoming brave, w;
did so, but without any great damage to the
bull, as he went galloping off with the ras.:.
He was hurt, however, as he limped badly.
This was encouraging; and getting very brav?.
we mounted our horses, left our rifles with i.tr.
Prescott, and pursued with our revolvers.

THE CHASE.

The flight of the bulls had started a large
herd just beyond another hill, which wo had
not seen; we, taking a southeasterly .and they
a southerly course, we flanked them abou* the
middle of the herd. We then went wild, and
dashed right into the midst of the herd, de-
termined to have a buffalo. I could, with the
fast horse I had, ride onto any of then', and
finally succeeded in shooting a ''at cow
through the loins, so that she fell out of the
herd, disabled. I was so close ont) her when
I fired that I could have kicked her. The rest
of the herd passed on, and Griffin came to the
rescue. After about a dozen shots, iriadc in
circling around the enraged beast, we brought
her down.

We were not yet satisfied, and .;eeiug a
small herd of cows and calves off to the north-
east, concluded we must have a calf, as they

would be better meat. We dashed for them,
and after a two mile chase, got one, wliich vvc
dressed, threw across my horse, and rhcn set
out for camp, leaving the old cow for the coy-
otes and wolves, which \ver(> tlien lic;v by the
thousands.

It was some time before^ we could lind the
dcctor, whom we had left behind, and almost
night before we reached camp, tired and hun-
gry. Never did meat taste better than did
steaks from that young buffalo. We ate and
were satisfied, for we had possessed the land
and |in>ven ourselves woiiby luuilcr:; of the
cluise. lUit to business.

At about this timi' there were several
inospecting parties camped near us on the
Walnut, among whom was M. W. Hasley, now
of Lakin townshii). I made up my mind to
stay, as did Wm. Finn, of Sedgwick City.
Messrs. Weymouth and Prescott went with me
to Ellsworth, where they took the train east
for Ohio, to return in July or August.

After making a tour up the Saline river. I
returned to our ranch on the Walnut, as we
had taken possession of and left our stores in
an old deserted stone ranch near Fort Zarah.

Finn and I remained at this ranch until
about the 20th of June, when E.J. D:;dge and
Aaron Hartman called on us one evening, hav-
ing walked across from Russell, aiul about
jierishing on their way fiom thirst. 1 shall
never forget a little incident that occurre<l that
uighl.

CASTING OUT SERPENTS.

Messrs. Uodge and Hartman had made
their bed on the floor (a dirt floor) and were
alioni I : ri'tire. As I walked by the foot of
onr l)unk 1 hoard a familiar sound; calling for
Finn to bring a light, which he did, we pro-
ceeded to kill a very healthy young rattle-
snake and cast him out. Dodge and Hartman
proceeded as vigorously to gather up their bed
and divide the same, preparatoi-y to climbing
a tree or seeking some other safe place to
sleep. However, Mr. Dodge has always in-
sisted that he felt safer when I told him that
was only the second one we had killed that
evening, when usually we killed five or six be-
fore retiring.

LAND AGENT BUSINESS COMMENCED.

Next day, in true land agent style, we pro-
ceeded to locate Mr. Dodge, who wanted claims
for himself and sons. He then selected the
quarter in section 10, T. 19, R. 13., on which
he now lives; but we did not get through until
he succeeded in getting my team stuck in the
Walnut — a little episode I have never fully for-
given him for.

A MISHAP.

About the 4th of July of that year, T. L.
Morris and Judge Mitchell of Quincy. Ills.,
made a trip to this point, on a buffalo hunt
and a prospecting tour for the Great Bend
Town Company. They prospected some and
hunted enough for the Judge to get heaped

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

on the plain by an unruly buffalo bull. The
said bull did about seventy-five dollars worth
of goring on the Judge's horse — no (•omi)uta-
tion made as to amount of damages done to
the Judge's dignity, as tlie liveryman made no
claim on that.

ZARAH SURVEYED.

About the same time, a survey lor the town
of Zarah was being made by one Meriton, for
the Zarah Town Company, with Judge Miller of
Ellsworth as president. Also, in the latter
part of June. Jchn Cook, John Hubbard, A. C.
Moses, Ed. W. Dewey, and D. E. Benedict made
calls, and I^gan Reynolds and J. P. Bissell
followed soon. When 1 first came there were
no settlers below Section 14, in townshiii 19.
range 14, on Walnut creek.

GREAT BE.M) TOW.N COMl'A.W.

Later, either in July or August, T. h.
Morris came out again in the interests tf the
Great Bend Town Co., and selected section
34, township 19, range 13, as the site for their
town. Geo. X. Moses, A. B. Robinson, Frank
Day, and Hiram Biekerdyke were in the party

with him. Afterwards, he changed the location
to section 2S, the present site of the town.

In September, he began the erecticn of a
hotel, now a part of the Southern Hotel, which
was completed during the winter and occupied
by Thos. L. Stone.

STRIFE FOR THE COUNTY SEAT.
Considerable rivalry was rife between the
Zarah and Great Bend town folks, which final-
ly resulted in the downfall of Zarah and the
triumph of Great Bend.

CATTLE TRADE.

The winter of 1S71-2 was a very hard one
for this latitude, and not much was done for
the advancement of the town and settlement
until spring. The prospect of the early com-
pletion of the railroad, thereby making Great
Bend with its rich grazing country a desirable
shipping ijoint for Te.\as cattle attracted the
attention of business men who had been iden-
tified with the Texas trade at other iioints;
and during the spring of 1S72 the town made
a very raiiid growth. Business houses sprang
up around the square as if by magic.

INTRODUCTION TO KANSAS

By Edward J. Dodge of (Jreat Bend

ILKF'I" Wisconsin on the .'jth of .May, INTI, to
settle on a piece of government laii'i i.i
some part of Kansas; and a.-rived in Kan-
sas City on the morning of the Sth. Alter stop-
ping in the City .intil the 12th, and losting up
as bft-t 1 could iri rega'd to di.'i-rei'l poinls i)i
Kansas, I left by the afternoon train on the K.
P. road bound west.

JUNCTION CITY.
I stopped at Junction City, where there was
a land agent named Pierce, who was a wonder-
ful man to advertise the broad acres of Kansas
which could be had far little or nothing, and
it would cost nothing to look. I thought he
would be just the man to advise with, so 1 soon
bowed myself into liis office. 1 found the gen-
tleman in. and after half an hour's conversa-
tion with him, I made up my mind he was
willing to help a stranger in more ways than
one. as he very kindly offered to take me out
in the country three or four miles the next
morning, and show me some of the most beau-
tiful land in Davis county all for the trifling
sum of $20, assuring me that if I would get
some one to go with me and get him to jiay
half of the amount he would let me off for $lii.
seeing it was me and 1 had come so far. Thank-
ing him for the interest he had taken in me,
I told him if I concluded to go I would be on
hand early the next day.

STILL GO WEST.

That night I i)Ut up at the Hale House or

'Bedbug Corral," just across the street. Next

morning I arose early, though not until some

of the boarders (bedbugs) had been to break-

fast, of which I was a smarting witness.
Thinking my old corrosp."ndeiit was more
eager to get my $20 than he was to find me a
good location; and not caring to ask him what
his charges were for advice, 1 left on the morn-
ing train for the west, and stopped at Ells-
worth.

ELLSWORTH.
Ellsworth, having been the terminus of the
K. P. read for some titne, had become notori-
ous for its rushing way of doing business, its
cattle trade, and for being one of the roughest
and most desperate cities in Kansas. 1 secured
lodgings at one of the best hotels in the city.
and next morning rambled about and witnessed
the off-hand way in which all business was
done.

MAN FOR BREAKFAST.
At the ringing of the bell I walked in to
breakfast, and sat at the table alone. Pres-
ently another gentleman walked in and took
a seat directly opposite me, placed a heavy
revolver by his plate, and inquired of the wai-
ter what kind of meat he had for breakfast.
■'Beef and pork," said the waiter. At this the
boarded swore and said "That will not do for
me; 1 will have a piece of a man!" and suiting
his action to his words, he gave me a terrible
demoniac look; but only for a moment. I met
his gaze with a steady countenance, and he
(luailed. He got ui), witii revolver in hand,
stepped to the door, and shot dead the milk-
man, who was just then jiassing and whom this
fiend had never seen before. In five minutes a
crowd had gathered about, placed a rope

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

around his neck, run him across the street,
and stood him upon a barrel under a tree, with
the rope thrown over a limb.

I^ST SERVICE.

As the mob came up, "Rowdy Jo," a Ger-
man who was keeping saloon near by, inquir-
ed what they were going to do with that man.
saying that their prisoner owed him $- for
whisky, and that they must make some ar-
rangement to pay that before they fi.xed him.
They frankly told Jo that their prisoner had
killed a man without cause and they were
going to hang him for it. Jo simply said,
"Hold on then; I won't let anybody hang on
my tree midout I say sometings," and at the
same time ran into the house and brought out
an English bible, and undertook to read a
verse in English ; but made a poor job of it,
and, throwing the bible down on the ground,
said it was "no use making so much fuss and
trouble over such a little thing as dat," and
immediately ran up and kicked the barrel from
under the wretch and sent him swinging into
eternity. And the executors cf the law and
Justice adjourned to the nearest saloon (Row-
dy Jo's) to congratulate each other on their
prompt, willing and ready way to i)uuish
crime.

DIDN'T WANT A CLAIM.

After a little review of the morning's exer-
cises I concluded I did not want a claim just
around there, as I did not like the way they
did business (piite as well as 1 th uight I
should.

WIOSTWARl) HO! AGAIN.

The next train bound west took me to Wil-
son station where 1 stopped off a couple of
days to look up land; then went to Fossil, at
present Russell. This was the 16th day of
May. At this time, aside from railroad build-
ings, the county of Russell contained only
three houses and not more than twenty-five in-
habitants. Here I was convinced that I had
gone far enough west if I wanted to make
farming a profession in Kansas. The land was
high and dry. I couldn't make up my mind
that Russell County looked like a farming
country.

MEET AN OLD SETTLER.

While looking about, a gentleman that af-
terward proved to be Lo. Reynolds, came up
to me and with a "how are ye? are you going
to stop wih us?" waited for an answer. 1 told
him I was, at least until the train went east.
He very politely asked me if I would stop at
his house. Not knowing his house from any
other I said "Certainly. I would as soon stay
with you as anybody." So saying he picked up
my valise and walked to a small shanty made
of rough lumber, I asked him if that was his
house.

"It is. How do you like it?"
"First rate. How long have you been
here?"

"Eight days. Sit down, sit down, sir; my
wife has gone out on a buffalo hunt; she will
be home in a couple of hours, and we will have
some supper."

"Where did you say she had gone?"
"Out on a buffalo hunt, sir. We have lots
of fun hunting buffalo in Kansas," saying
which he walked out doors, leaving me alone
to consider the consistency of Kansas fun.

I^DY BUFFALO HUNTER.

I reasoned thus: "A lady out on a buffalo
hunt! A new thing to me!" Having never
seen my mother, sisters or neighbor women
engaged in that kind of sport, it really seemed
novel to me. This was my mental picture of
her. "A large, masculine, red-headed, freckled
woman; voice gruff and harsh; gray eyes; thin
lips; and uneven tusky teeth." A good descrip-
tion of a female buffalo hunter.

I had not much more than completed ray
fancy picture when in walked a lady of more
than ordinary beauty; she was small and
graceful; had a full black eye, which bespoke
good language, modesty, and refinement ; easy
in her manners; and a very pleasant conver-
sationalist. This was the woman I had so mis-
judged in my idea of a female buffalo hunter.

I afterward learned it was the common
custom of this country for ladies to join in the
sjiorts cf hunting buffalo, elk, and antelope, in
which the western part of Kansas abounded.

IN SEARCH FOR A HOME.

On the 17th. 1 got a livery rig of a young
man by the name of Flack and drove north-
west from Russell, in company with a couple
of gentlemen from Baltimore 23 miles and back
the same day. found the country hilly, rough,
and stony. Shot a buft'alo and brought home
the hams, out of which the whole city of Fossil
had beefsteak the next morning. Every man
would come and cut off a piece without a
word.

TRY AGAIN.

Having a curiosity to visit the Valley of the
Arkansas, I started, the morning of the ISth,
iu company with Rev. Mr. Annis, a Baptist
minister from Omro. Wis., in a two-seated bug-
gy. We started south al a rapid rate, making
Smoky Hill river in less than two hours, a dis-
tance of ten miles. At this time the river was
(|uite low being only eleven feet wide and three
inches deep. At 12 m. we found ourselves at
I he head of South Fossil, a brook skirted with
elm, ash and cottonwood. In a few minutes
our dinner was ready. This consisted of dried
buffalo meat, crackers, coffee, and canned fruit.
After resting about an hour we resumed our
course, traveling over a beautiful country of
rolling prairie a distance of about ten miles,
lo Blood creek, one of the pleasantest valleys
iu Kansas.

VIEW OF PROMISED LAND.

Keeping our course we soon came in sight
of the valley of the Walnut creek. I can say

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

I fell in love with it at first sight. The broad
extent of beautiful prairie it contains — level
without being low, flat, cr marshy; undulating
without being hilly, rough, or stony; and aliout
equally divided by one of the most beautiful
streams of water that ever coursed its way
over the green prairie — the Walnut creek. The
banks are fringed with elm. hackberry, ash,
Cottonwood, and black walnut; the very siglu
of which made the traveler feel like pitching
his tent and i)cssessing himself with as many
acres as Uncle Sam would allow him to own.

FI.XD A.N OLD ACQrAI.\T.A..\CE.

We reached Walnut creek at a point a few
rods east of where the upper iron bridge now
stands. Seeing a young man and a small
house on the south side, we made direct for il ;
and I was not a little surprised to find G. F,
Jlecklem, an old Wisc:;nsin neighbor its inmate
and possessor. I felt comparatively liappy that
night. I felt as though 1 had found a ))aradise
in the house of a friend, he being the first
settler and built the first hsuse in Barton
County. May 19th, we took leave of this fron-
tier hermitage and found our way down t) Fort
Zarah. a distance of about ten miles.

FALL IX WITH RORBERS.

Fort Zarah was at this time occupied by
outlaws. We came to the fort about noon, and
found a man known as Jo Bowers dead drunk,
lying en the dirt floor. Within thirty minutes
there came in six other young men. well dress-
ed, and fine looking. They seemed to be well
supplied with whiskey, and the bottle passed
around quite freely. They soon got quite lively
and musical, and turning Jo over on his back
commenced playing cards on his stomach, ask-
ing us our business and if we had money to
buy land. Klder Adams, not feeling at home
in Just such a meeting as that, remarked to me
"1 guess we had belter go and run that herd
of buffalo across the river." I consented and
told Paddock to hitch up, and in five minutes
we were ready.

"Where are you going?" said one of the
gentlemen.

"To run that herd if buffalo over the river."

"How long will you be gone?"

"It will not take us long."
"Will you be back here tonight?"
"Most certainly; where else should we stay?
You keep the only hotel in Barton County."

"Ha! ha! That is so! But don't f.'rget to
come back as we have something to say to you
that will interest you more than anybody else."
"What time will you have supper?"
"Early. Don't fear, you shall hear the sec-
ond bell before you go to sleep."

"All right! Drive en. Paddock! How many
miles can you drive before dark?"
"Thirty, if necessary."

A herd of buffalo was feeding near where
now stands the school house three miles west
of Ellinwood. We soon came up to them, and
a few shots stampeded them across the Arkan-
sas river, after which we returned to the l<u^-

gy.

SLIP AWAY.

"Well, Dodge, which way shall we go new?
Are you anxious to go back to the Fort?"

"Not at all anxious. Elder; my advice is
that we leave that range of bluffs to the left,
and go north as fast as those two bronchos
can take us."

"That is my mind, exactly."

In less than three minutes we were driving
at the rate of ten miles an hour, toward the
east side of Cheyenne Bottoms. I.«aving tni;
hills to the left, and running into a clura;! of
timber now known as Dalziel's grove, we soon
fed and watered our ponies and made coffee
for ourselves. As scon as possible we were on
our way again, expecting that every hill we
passed over we would be able to see sonie of
the Fort Zarah outlaws on our track.

SAFE AT LAST.

Evening came and we found ourselves
camped on Coal creek in Russell County. We
drove back to Fossil the next morning, it being
the 20th day of May, thus making a running
trip through Barton County. I saw enough of
the broad and beautiful valley of the Arkansas
and Walnut creek, blended together as iliey
are, to make such an impression on iny mind
as prompted me to return.

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE

By Fred W. Warren

ON the night of December 24th. 1ST4, El-
linwood had the first Christmas tree in
Bartr.n County. It occurred somewhat
aftfr this manner.

Our town, being so fortunate as lo have
five or ten of the most wide-awaks, go-ahead
ladies lo be found in Kansas, thoroughly !<live
to every social interest of the town and coun-

try, determined to make one happy lime for
the children during these grasshopper times.
Accordingly a committee consisting of .Mrs.
Holljnger, Mrs. Landis, and Mrs. Bay, went to
work in good earnest thus showing their moth-
erly aptitude in providing for the litll.- ones of
the community, made all necessary arran.?e-
ments, and in due time had a very respectable

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

evergreen in position, in the scliool liouse. pro-
fusely decorated and literally loaded down
with beautit'ul cornucoiiias and large, neatly
ornamented and embroidered stockings, well
filled with candies, nuts, and goodies of all
kinds. These, and the material of which the
cornucopias and stockings were cotnjiosed,
were bountifully furnished by Messrs. Landis
& Williamscn. but very little help havin.? been
given by other parties. The expense of the
tree was defrayed by Mr. Geo. W. Hollin.ser.
Indeed the profuseness and generosity Vvith
which the tree was furnished is very credita-
ble to the liberality of our citizens.

Reaching EUinwood's handsome school
house at an early hour we were astonisltd to
find the house literally jammed from parciuet
to dome; — not even a seat in the gallery could
be obtained for love or money. We have at-
tended many a similar gathering — have often
seen the lamps shine "o'er fair women and
brave men," but never such a -rowd as this.
Not our least surprise was the largj number
of handsome young and married indies (the
committee by no means excepted) wiio adorn
this vicinity.

The exercises of the evening were conduct-
ed by Mr. Chalfant with a masterly hand; and
considering that the programme which had
been previously arranged was "nonconieatable"
on account of the failure or lack of pronipt-
ness on the part of those who had had parts
assigned them, the impromptu przgramme was
carried through very creditable and success-
fully.

A melodeon was on hand, furnished by
Miss Etta Avery, and played by J. H. Bross,
who conducted the musical exercises of the
evening.

The exercises were opened with music — "Let
the Master In" — by the choir, consisting of
Messrs. Chalfant. Shannon, Geo. Barngrover,
J. H. Bross, A. R. Huffman, of N'ickerson ;, Mrs.
Royal Harkness, Mrs. .1 hn Shimmins. and
Mrs. W. W. Shannon.

Opening Prayer by Mr. Shimmins.

Music by Choir.

Opening address — Our Sunday Schools —
Mrs. Shimmins.

Solo and Duet— The Old Mountain Pine— by
Messrs. Huffman and Bross.

Followed by a very amusing description of
Santa Clans by Mr. B. B. Smyth, teacher of
the school, during which the tinkling bells

and swift hoofs of reindeer were heard and
suddenly in rushed Santa Clans, in the iierson
of Mr. F. \V. Warren, covered with fur and
frost from head t.T foot, and loaded down with
presents; and was introduced to the audience
by Mrs. W. C. Bay, amid much commotion and
merriment.

While Santa was behind the curtain plac-
ing the presents on the tree a piece of music —
Meet Me Darling Josie at the Gate — was sung
by Messrs. Bross and Huffman by special re-
quest.

Here a short and pithy address was made
by Mr. A. McKinney on Christmas Customs.
Music, by the choir.

Then came the unveiling of the Christmas
Tree, by Mrs. Bay, who made a very neat and
appropriate speech showing the enterprise of
Ellinwcod in getting up a Christmas Tree in
such hard grasshopper times.

Here Rev. Mr. Reed was introduced, who
made an address to the children on "Our First
Christmas Present." In the meantime the
lights were rapidly burning on the tree, and
the children were anxiously awaiting.

The distribution of presents, by the com-
mittee, assisted by the little Misses Lottie Tow-
ers and Kittie Halsey, as pages, and assisted
also by ^Messrs. Chalfant. Warren and McKin-
ney. Old Santa remembered every one of the
150 children present, by giving each one some-
thing to remember him by. Among the
amusing incidents of the distribution were the
reception, by Misses Carrie Bacon and Ida
Forsyth, of immense dolls, dressed in the
height of fashion. Mr. Bross' loneliness, too.
was remembered; and he was presented with
a very neat and pretty young lady in the shai)e
of a doll. A young gentlenuui from Cow creek
was presented with a penny American flag
with which to celebrate the centennial. Simy
Avery was presented with a broom, not to
show, like a schooner, that he w'as the fastest
young man in town; but to assist him in his
prospective house-keeping. Mr. Halsey re-
ceived a candy marble, and several other im-
liortant personages received a stick of candy
each.

The exercises closed with music — Waiting
On, by the choir; and "Larboard Watch Ahoy,"
my Messrs. Bross and Huflman.

The evening's entertainment closed har-
moniously, and everybody went houu' to enjoy
a Merry Christmas.

EARLY REMINISCENCES

By Luther Frost of Liberty

I CAME to Kansas early during the spring of
1S72. Great Bend was then in its infancy,
with only a part of what is now the
Southern Hotel and tw i other snuill houses
built.

During the month of August. 1S72. some of
my neighbors and myself concluded to try our

hand at killing buffalo, as the grasshoppers
liad destroyed our little crops of sod corn, gar-
dens, etc.

August 13th, we fitted up and started for
the present site of Dodge City. While eating
dinner near the lone tree on the Arkansas river
25 miles below Fort Uodgc, a flock of black-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

birds lit down near us and I made a proposi-
tion to kill a dozen and have a stew for our
suppers as we were out cf fresh meat. Some
of the boys laughed at the idea of killing a
dozen at one shot. I fired one shot and we
picked up sixty-two birds and many more were
scattered over the prairie that we did not get.
We had not finished picking up the birds when
the cry of "Indians!" was heard. Everything
was packed into the wagons and we started
pel-inel for a rocky hill on which we intended
to sell our lives as dearly as possible.

After getting in position, we discovered
that the supposed liidians were a company of
r. S. cavalry that had come down to the river
to get water. We were very much relieved,
palpitating hearts resumed their natural mo-
tion, and trembling nerves were steady as iron.

Our greatest loss was that cf the birds
which we had left in our haste to get to a place
of safety.

IGth. Arrived on the hunting ground south
of the river and saw a sight new to most of
us. As far as we could see, to the east, west
and south, was a vast herd of buffalo. We es-
timated that we could see over 500,000 at one
sight. We pitched our camp and made prepar-
ations for work: cleaned our rifles; sharpened
our knives; and i)repared to stretch hides by
the wholesale.

ITth. Imagine my feelings as I approached
the first herd of old bulls. 1 could not possibly
get nearer than three hundred yards. A nat-
ural instinct of danger seemed to keep nie at
a safe distance. 1 had read of hair-breadth
escapes and terrible encounters with these
giants of the |)rairie and was not overly an.\-
ious to make a close acquaintance with them.
The fact is they looked dangerous; and they
would naturally impress a person that they
meant business by shaking their heads at hini
and i)awing uj) great clouds of dust. My first
impression was that 1 had better try my hand
at long-range shooting, so if they were inclined
to be vicious I could take leg bail and have a
good start. Shooting at long range did not
pan out very well, as my nerves were a little
unsettled, and every time 1 would fire some old
fellow would look toward me. lick out his
tongue, and shake his head, as if to say "D.in't
come any nearer; you might get into trouble."
I tried several times to muster up courage and
crawl nearer; but at last made up my mind ti
shoot at long range if it look all summer to get
our wagons loaded with hides. The result was
I fired about forty shots, killed seven buffalos,
and crawled clear out of sight of the herd,
leaving over one hundred buffalo standing
looking at me as I crawled away. 1 suppose
they imagined that I was a cowardly coyote.

We soon loaded our wagons with hides,
recrossed the river, and camped on the site
of Dodge City. ".Now boys, we can take a good
sound sleep tonight, no danger of Indians,"
was the general word.

1 had an aching tooth that would not let
me sleep. About midnight 1 heard a horse ap-
(irnaching. It was a dark night and I could

just see the outlines of a man on the horse. I
did not think strange of this cs there were sev-
eral railroaders camped near us and several
loose horses had come to our camp. I took my
gun and crawled out to the horses, without
awakening the boys. The fellow rode up within
20 itaces, took hold of a picket rope, and com-
menced drawing the horse toward him. I
could not tell whether it was one of our boys
or one of the strays. So to be on the safe fide
and not shoot an iimoceiit man, 1 said "Look
here, my friend!" He put spurs to his horse
and was off like a shot. 1 sent a couple of
caliber 50 after him but he made good his
escape. All was confusion in camp. "Shoot
him!" came from all sides. Several of our
neighbor camps lost horses that night. The
thieves made a general raid along the line of
the road, and but for aching tooth we would
have lost our horses.

We finally got home to Great Bend safe and
sound. All but one of our party are still in
Barton County.

A little incident happened to one cf our
Barton County boys which was laughable as
well as serious. We were out killing buffalo
about seventy miles south of Great Bend. I
had purchased a new gun and expected to do
wonders in the line of killing buffalo. It was
a cold windy morning in November and 1
could not or did not do good execution. 1 do
not blame the boys for finding fault with me.
One of them said that he could do better him-
self. I gave him the gun and told him to try
his hand. He crawled up to a herd of old
bulls and knocked three of them down at three
successive shots. "That's well done!" the boys
said. "He's a rattler! He's after their pelts?"
The herd suddenly stampeded. They did not
like to see the heels of their companions flying
up so rapidly. Our hero followed in rapid pur-
suit, passing the supposed dead bulls. He had
l)assed them about one hundred paces when
one of them rose to his feet and started
straight toward our hero. Louy did not hear
the approach of his pursuers until the bull
was upon him. He turned his head just in
time to find himself going one way and the
gun the other. The bull paid no attention to
him; but kept on his course, to the great relief
of Ixjuy and the rest of us. No damage done
except a badly lorn shirt and coat.

At another time we were camped on the
headwaters of the Ninnescah. One morning I
t ok my gun and started to a herd of buffalo
that were grazing about a mile from camp.
When about a quarter of a mile from camp the
boys commenced hollowing at me and motion-
ing for me to come back. Before 1 could get
to camp they had the teams hitched up, and
were going at a run dJwn the creek to another
camp. I finally came up to them, after a run
of about half a mile, and wanted to know what
was causing such a stir. The answer was we
had better be making tracks if we did not want
our hair lifted. The red devils were coming,
and there was a host of them, with red blan-
kets and banners flying. I just told my com-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

panions that I would go back and meet the
whole host and see if they were on the war-
path. So I marched boldly back to meet the
enemy, which proved to be an innocent buffalo
herd marching quietly down toward our camp.
The joke was, I had seen the buffalo coming
and had an idea that the boys had seen them

and taken them to be Indians, so I could afford
to be brave while my companions ran away to
reinforce another camp. We finally got things
righted and had a good laugh over the affair.
One of my companions declares to this day
that he saw Indians and could plainly see
their bows and arrows.

GEORGE NELSON MOSES

Life Story of One of the Bravest Men Who Ever Tramped Across the
Santa Fe Trail; an Early Barton County Pioneer

GEO. N. MOSES was the tenth of a family
of 14 children, seven boys and seven
girls. The oldest member of the fam-
ily died when but a few years of age. George
was the youngest of the four brothers who
went to the defense of their country when the
civil war broke out. The two youngest broth-
ers, Charles of Chicago and E. R. of this city
were too young though Charlie, the oldest of
the two ran off twice to join the army but was
returned home each time. George Moses was
born in Olean, New York State April 15. 1S44.

After the war he saw service in the border
war in Missouri, against the bushwhackers. As
member of what was known as the Jim Turley
gang under command of Capt. Montgomery,
hardly a day passed but what they had excit-
ing adventures. This company was composed
nf about tliirty men all expert horsemen and
dead shots and their duties consisted princi-
pally of chasing down the guerillas of the
rebel army who were raiding all parts of Mis-
souri where northern sympathizers lived.

When the war was over he was still a

G. N. Moses

He died in Great Bend, September in, 1911.
When he was eleven years of age the family
moved to Illinois and later moved again to the
frontier state of Missouri, locating in Sedalia.
The father was a mason and the older boys
followed this trade in their younger days.
George was just attaining manhood when the
civil war broke out and he joined Company 1,
15th Illinois Infantry though his older brothers
tried to prevent this because of his youth and
later with his brother, R. H , re-enlisted, l)otl\
joining Company C. 146th Illinois Infantry.

young man, just entering nuinhood. A man
with a reputation of being able to take care of
himself under any circumstances and a man
whose word could be depended upon. He was
of a roving disposition at that time and Mis-
souri was becoming too well settled. He want-
ed to get out into the world as his brothers
had done before the war. Striking out for him-
self he came to Kansas, hunted buffalo all over
this section of the state, wandering over the
mountains through Colorado and down into
New Mexico. Then he returned to Colorado

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and met John Tilloii of this city iii the vniuni-
son country, stayed thoro awhile and they re-
turned 10 Kansas and were working near Sa-
lina when a man came cut from Salina to gel
G. X. to guide them to a fit i)laee in this part
of the country for the location of a townsite,
it being known that he had hunted all over
this section and down through the Medicine
Lodge and Texas cattle country. A comiiany
of Quincy. 111., citizens had determined to
locate a t:;wn on the Santa Fe railroiid which
was building througli Kansas and wanted to
beat the railroad company to it. G. N. guided
them to this section and they located the
t:\vn as it stands. Fort Zarah at that time had
two or three stores and a general colony and
the railroad company resenting the efforts of
outsiders to start a town instead of their ob-
taining ihe townsite attempted to break Great
Bend but Great Hend outlasted them all.

He was the first sheriff of the county and
did much to ke.p this a law-abiding communi-
ty. The "gun men" of the West knew him and
that there would be little chance of their in-
timidating him. For the average "gun man" is
not a man who is a killer because he is quick-
er than others on the draw but because he is
trickier and because he intimidates officers of
the law. G. X. had been in the camps of the
pioneers all over the West. He had met Ihe
bad men cf Dodge City, of Sargent and of the
mining camps of Colorado and always lu^ had
been on the side of decency and right. He
was never known to be afraid and the bad men
were afraid of him because they knew he was
not afraid of them.

Xone of the Moses boys have ever been
apologetic or timid. They have been true to
their convictions but they have dene what
they believed to bo right regardless of the
opinion of others.

An instance of G. X.'s boyhood will show-
considerably the trend of his character. As a
boy of 7 or S he was out getting nuts with a
couple f.f his sisters when a woman who was
a terror tf the neighborhood when it came to
demanding what she called her rights c;.nin
upon them and attempted to frighten the chil-
dren and did succeed in scari)ig the little girls
pretty badly. G. X.'s anger blazed forth and
he dared the woman to come any nearer to
attempt lo take the sack of nuts which she
claimed. He drove her back and took the b::oty
home for booty it was. And throughout his
life the dominant trait has been to help others
and to take the side of the oppressed. Hun-
dreds of stories might be wittcn about this
side of the man't nature.

He was a b"rn leader and though not seek-
ing leadership was naturally selected for this
in most enterprises in which he engaged. If
he believed a cause was worthy he followed it
strong in the assurance of its success some-
times to his financial disadvantage. Xaturally
he made opponents as all strong men do but
never did opponent (|ueslion his integrity or
honesty.

With bis marriage in 1S73 to Miss Ida
Mitchell, step-daughter of Sciuire Odell, one of
the locaters of the town and member of the
town conipany and went into business in Great
bend in the firm of Burton, Odell & Moses.
When Ihe Gunnison country in Colorado was
opened up Hurion withdrew from the firm and
went 10 Gunnis:;n where he opened a store in
which G. X. was also interested. A few years
later K. R. Moses, then only a young man
came here and went to clerking in the Great
Bend store and in a short time Mr. Odell re-
tired, the firm becoming G. X. & E. R. Moses,
which it remained until about ten years ago
when G. X retired, E. R. buying his interest
and naming the firm the E. R. Moses Mercan-
tile Co., which it remains to this day. The
firm sa-iv many a bad year in the early days
when settlers were few and crops were bad
but it went ahead and carried many a man
who is rich today but who w.nild have been
unable to have farmed at all but for this
firm.

He served as mayor of the city three different
times, in the SO's. and two terms in the nine-
ties. During the Populists days he was the Re-
publican nominee at one time for the legis-
lature, but was defeated. He served as sheriff
of the cotiuly several terms, princiiially in tb<'
early days and was the first sheriff of Ihe
county.

During the time Ihe cattle trade was com-
ing from Texas to Great Bend and before it
shifted to D:dge City a Texas gun fighter be-
came abusive and chased most of the citizens
off the street while he ran the town. The
nuirshal and assitant considered discretion the
better part of valor and hid out lo find G. X.
while the gun fighter amused himself while
silting on bis pony by shooting at the occas-
ional citizen who showed in sight. G. X. was
informed cf the circumstance and telling the
marshal to stay where he could come into the
light in case he was shot walked down the
street and up to the Old Rome where the tough
man was viewing Ihe country. The man start-
ed swinging his gun hand towards G. X. when
Ihe latter spoke to him pleasantly enough and
he stopped to see what was coming next. G. X.
wasn't trying to pull a gun and still kept com-
ing. 11 puzzled him. As Ihe sheriff gjt near
enough he reached up bis hand as thought to
shake hands and the next minute the gun man
was off his pony and G. X.'s grip on his shoul-
der made him forget all his belligerency. G.
X. turned him over to the marshal after a lec-
ture on the matter of getting drunk and mak-
ing a fool of himself and the gun man when
turned loose made a bee line back to Texas
where they didn't have sheriffs who were fool-
ish enough to go around without drawing a
gun on sight.

The town of Sargent, now Coolidge, was for a
few- months the toughest place in the west. It
was when the Santa Fe construction camp was
licated there and the gamblers, painted woiiien
and thugs were robbing the Bcvcral hundred

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

railroad laborers. One of the gamblers had
some months before borrowed two hundred
dollars from G. X. who pitied his condition
and thought him a man of his word. G. N.
while prospecting in the west heard of the
town of Sargent and stopped there finding his
man running a saloon. He broached the sub-
ject of being paid and the man who had joined
the gang of ruffians running the town repudi-
ated the debt and said he didn't intend to pay
it. It made G. N. mad and he kicked him out
of the place and took charge of the saloon him-
self. We believe that Jim Gainsford was with
him at the time. The saloon man went out and
gathered his gang and went back to fix G. N.
The latter was ready and had Gainsford sta-
tioned behind the door. When the gang filed
in G. N. trained two guns on them and invited
them to get out and stay out. Gainsford was
also there and they got. He run the taloon for
two days, took in ifeS and then turned it back
to the owner and said that he had collected the
interest due at least. While in Sargeant he
heard the story of an old man who had been
robbed of his team by the gamblers. G. N.'s
sympathy w'as aroused for the old man and
going with the latter to the camp corral had
the old man point out the team. They hitched
it up and the old man started to drive out cf
the town. One of the gang saw the man on
the front seat of the wagon and notified others
of the gang and they started to take the team
away from the old fellow. As they got up to
the rig they found G. N. sitting on the back end
of the wagon load, his needle gun across his
knees and after expostulating a little gave up
the claim to ownership of the rig and the old
man drove out of town. G. N. accompanied
him a little ways and then catne back. They
didn't care to tackle him. U.N. Heizer, then
a surveyor for the Santa Fe related this story.
E. R. IVIoses tells a story of the time he went
to Gunnison to visit his brother George. The
town was really two towns divided by a vacant
area and in this section there was a large
lumber yard. G. N. lived across on the other
side from the store. The first night of E. R.'s
visit he waited until late at night to accom-
pany G. N. home. The latter was counting
up the money and placing it in a sack in his
pocket when E. R. noticed a man peering in
the window. He spoke to G. X. about the
matter but he said he guessed it didn't amount
to much. They started home and as they got
to the lumber yard G. N. started on through
his accustomed way instead of going around.
He had given B. R. a gun to carry from the
store and as they got in the lumber yard they
noticed the two men standing back in the
shadows. G. N. walked straight towards them
with his gun ready for action and E. R. fol-
lowing with some trepidation. The man back-
ed to one side and they passed on and were
not molested. But that was enotigh of the wild
Gunnison country for E. R. and he returned
home in a day or two.

Early day sheriffs had their own concep-

tions of the forms of law and one of the re-
turns made by G. N. as first sheriff of the
county is held as a treasure by a prominent
state official into whose possession it jiassed
some years ago. A horse theif came to Bar-
ton county and committed some deiiredations
which resulted in a warrant being sworn out
for his arrest. G. X. took the warrant and
started north after the thief. Seventy-two
hours later he returned to Great Bend late at
night, without any rest from the time he had
started, making the whole trii) in the saddle.
Getting in late at night, tired and worn out
from the trip and nearly dead for want of
sleep he went into the justice of the peace of-
fice and left the warrant writi-.ig across the
same, "Received this warrant blank date and

served same by shooting tlie " The

facts of the story were that G. X. went to Hays
City where he induced a comrade of the man
wanted to confess that the man was in that
liart of the country and then taking his deputy
rode out to cow camp where he found the
man. As they rode over the hill and down to-
wards the wagons the man they were after
jumped up and grabbing a gun commenced
sho:ting at them. A minute later he died
suddenly and the trip home was begun. The
cowboys heard the firing and started to inves-
tigate and threatened to kill the sheriff and liis
deputy. Thoroughly aroused now the sheriff
sent the deputy back a little way, rode up to
the cowboys and invited them to start the pro-
ceedings at once if they felt it necessary. They
decided that monkeying with the law would be
unpopular and the sheriff and deputy rode
home.

From the trend of these stories it might ap-
pear that G.N. was of a to\igh order but his
history is different. IVIcn were men in those
days and had hard work to perform but the
testimony of his old comrades has always been
that G. N. stood for the moral tilings and was
himself a moral man.

The first time Rd Tyler, W. W. Hartshorn,
Louis and Jerry Frey ever met G. X. Moses
was on October 16th, 1S71. They drove from
Quiucy, 111, to this point. G. X. Moses, Hy and
Jim Bickerdyke and John Tilton were camped
on the groimd where the Fair Building now
stands. They had hauled a load of lumber
from Russell on the V. P. railroad and built a
sliack by putting ui) some posts and built the
sliack like a tight board fence there being a
room about the size square of the length of the
board and had been added to until there were
several rooms about, four. The Moses party
were glad to meet them and allowed them the
use of half the shack until tliey could do bet-
ter. At that time there was no railroad and
little money. There were plenty of buffalo and
other game for meat, but there was little else
to eat. The Hubbard store on the Walnut was
the only one for miles, the next nearest being
on the r. P. nortli, 45 miles, and nothing south
or west. When the Quincy crowd arrived here
G. X. -Moses wore an army hat, shirt and coat

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and biK-kskiii pant^i and the others were clad
something like G. N.

I'p to that time there had heen no bufTalos
killed about here for the hides only, as it
wonld not pay to haul them to the U. P. for the
price offered and there were very few horses
to do the hauling. Later a good many cat-
tle were used. However, buffalo hic'es were
used for partitions in the shack and n:any
other places for which they had no lumber.
One day in the fall of 1S71 G. N. Moses and
Ed Tyler were sitting in a window of the old
Southern hotel, situated where the Brinkman
Bank is now situated. The hotel had not been
finished at that time and even the frames in.
They were looking down the trail toward Fort
Zarah and they noticed something coming west.
It was decided that it was not a man, a buffalo
or a horse, but finally it developed that it was
a man carrying an umbrella and when he ar-
rivi'd they found that it was .I\idgc Tom Mor-
ton of Illinois. He was dressed in broadcloth,
white shirt, collar and cuffs, blackened boots,
in fact was in regular town style. He had
come to Fort Zarah with a bunch of soldiers
from the east. He stopped here .vith the camp
and in a few days he had bought Ed Tyler's
team, also another team for one of the Quincy
party and suggested to G. N. Moses that they

go out on a regular buffalo hunt. They left
this point in December, 1S71 and went to the
southwest where the buffalo were plentiful
and they got as far as the Medicine Ixjdge
country before returning. From that time they
made buffalo hunting a regular business and
hundreds of hides were ready to ship from here
when the Santa Fe railroad arrived. The first
hunting parly was composed of G. N. Moses,
.lohn Tilton, Hy Bickerdyke and Judge Morton.
Messrs. Moses and Tilton continued it for a
few days. Bickerdyke went west after a year
or two and Judge Morton was a resident of
Great Bend until the late seventies.

Moses and Tilton in those days had traveled
over many miles of the west and before com-
ing here they had first met in Colorado and
traveled a foot over most of the country that
has developed so well. From Colorado they
came to about where Salina is and from there
here. From the time they met in Colorado
they have been bosom friends at all times.
Prior to the time of the meeting of Moses and
Tilton in Colorado Mr. Moses had gone from
Sedalia, Mo., where he had been a peace offi-
cer after the war part of the time and was
also a deputy United States marshal to Ari-
zona and New Mexico where he spent some
years looking over that country.

FIRST CENSUS OF BARTON COUNTY 1872

The names included in this list are those of
people who resided in this county in the
spring of 1S72. The work of securing this in-
formation was done by U. X. Heizer who now
resides at Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was
compulsory to get these names before the
county could be organized. The following
gives the name, age and a description of the
land owned by each individual settler. Some
of the names in this list are of peoi)le who
have long since left this part of the county,
btit will be remembered by those who were
here when the county was organized:

John Hartley, 38.

Henry Cogle, 20.

John W. Meltor, 27.

Myron S. VanPelt, 25.

David E. Benedict, 23.

Elvin R. Benedict, 22.

Arsula M. Benedict. 1.

Jul. P. Bissel, 24, sec. Itt, se (ir 19-13w.

Ella M. Bissel, 24.

.Minnie Bissel, 4.

Anna Bissel, 2.

Cora Bissel, 1.

Uavid A. Greever. 23. sec 34, nw qr 10 sr,
12w.

Samuel Davis, 21.

E. J. Dodge, 50, sec. lb. w. hf sw (|r 19. sv 15w.

Elizabeth Dodge. 43.

W. Dadge. 24. se qr s 4.

Don Dodge, 22, sec. in. e hf sw qr w hf se
nr.

Jennie Dodge 17.

Lizzie Dodge. 15.

John Dodge, 13.

Maggie Dodge, 8.

Mary Dodge. 2.

Dave Dobson. 22.

Charles E. Dodge. 26. sec. 9. s qr (the writ-
ing at this point in the list is obliterated.)

T. Scherzmyer. 22.

Ira Lake, 47.

A. C. .Mose=. 45. sec. 10 nw qr 19, sr 13 w.

Naomi A. Moses. 32. sec. 9, ne. qr 19 sr. 13 w.

Arthur Moses. 21, sec. 10. ne qr 19, sr. 13 w.

Clayton L. .Moses, 19. sec. 9, nw qr 19 sr.
13 w.

Edward W. .M:;ses, 16.

William A. Moses. 14.

Lincoln E. Moses. 11.

Cassius M. Moses, 7.

Seward E. Moses, 4.

Edward W. Dewey, 22 sec. 4, sw qr.

Hattie A. Dewey, 20.

Frank H. Dewey, 2.

William Dewey, 74.

Evan Thornburg, 44. sec. 4, 20-14 w.

Julia A. Thornburg. 32.

John S. Thornburg. 10.

William Thornburg, 1.

John .Mc.Mullen, 35.

Lizzie .McMullen, 32.

John McMullen. Jr.. 13.

James McMullen. 4.

Benjamin .McMullen, 3.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

U. S. Hutchinson, 23.
H. C. Fox, 55, sec. 26, uw qr 20-15.
U. C. Bryant, 27.

J. F. Carter, 33, sec 26, sw qr 20-15.
Siindy Brown, 21.
Thomas Siililett, 22.
Lester Horn, 29.

J. D. Carpenter, 39, sec. 26. ne qr 20-15.
John W. Smith. 30. sec. 26, se qr 20-15.
F. C. Polk, 26.
L. M. Carter, 28.
A. C. Hunter. 22.
R. C. Graves, Jr., 21.

E. W. Hoch, 23, (afterwards became gov-
ernor of the the State of Kansas.)
C. H. Milton, 24.
C. H. Bates, 22.
J. A. Arnold, 21.
W. F. Hoch, 27.
Geo. M. Jackson, 31.
Bland Searce, 21.
Henry Lytle, 25.
Wm. M. Smith, 32.
M. L. Burks, 22.
Robert Heckle, 23.
Wm. Bahler, 24, sec. 14, ne qr 19-14.
John Reinecke, 30, sec. 10, se qr 19-14.
Mary Reinecke, 28.
Anna Reinecke, 4.
Louisa Reinecke, 2.
Mary Reinecke, 1.

Henry Schultz, 30, sec. 10 ne qr 19-14.
Wilhelmina Schultz, 28.
Louisa Schultz, 3.

Levi H. Lusk, 39. see. 3 sw qr and ne qr sec.
9 and see. 10, nw qr 19-14.

Orson Howard, 43, sec 6, nw qr 19-13.

B. F. Putman, 40, sec 4, sw qr, all of sec.
5 but ne qr.

O. Buckner, 35, sec. se 14.

M. Falkner, 30, sec 9, nw qr r 14.

Thomas McCoughan, 22.

James, Holland, 35.

Sarah Holland, 26.

Wm. H. Odell, 39, sec. 30, ne qr 10-3.

Melda Odell, 37.

George H. Odell, 17.

Charles S. Odell, 15.

Edward Odell, 11.

Thomas Mitchell, 14.

Ida A. Mitchell.

Mary B. Mitchell, 14.

Jessie Odell, 4.

John Typer, 40.

L. C. ZoUairs, 22.

Charlotte Zollairs, 22.

Ellsworth Zollairs, 10.

J. H. Taylor, 35.

S. H. Hedrick, 24. sec. 6, ne qr 19-14.

Lucy A. Hedrick, 22.

Wm. L. Hedrick, 1.

James Hart, 23 .

Charles Roudebush, 22, sec. 28, se qr 18-15.

George Reynolds, 25.

M. Brining, 21, sec. 30, se qr 18-15.

Charles B. Worden, 28, sec. 34. n hf nw qr
s. hf sw qr, sec 27.

C. F. Brining, 48, sec. 30, ne. <ir 18-15.
Christina Brining, 44.
Fred Brining, S.
Henry Brining, 5.
Rosa Brining, 11.
Christina Brining, 14.

Wm. W. Graham, 22, sec. 26 s. hf, sw iir and
n. hf nw qr sec 35.
Mary J. Graham, 18.

Marseue Graves, 35, sec. 28, n hf .<w qr and
s hf nw qr.

Julia Graves, 34.

Louisa Graves, 6.

Aster Graves, 2.

Henry Cyr, 22.

Andrew Albright. 46, sec. 29, nw. qr 18-15.

Wilhelmina Albright, 51.

Champ Mayfield.

Wm. Mayfield.

James Smith,

Sol. Basham.
Prudence EUer, 33.
Alex Keller, 33.
Margurite Keller, 12.

Margurite Keller, 12.
Catherine Keller, 8.

Charles H. Keller, 2.
James S. Hill, 35.

George Brandagee, 26.

Henry Thatcher, 23.

W. Stotts, 23.

E.G. Campbell, 33.

P. Q. Myers, 35.

George Lane, 22.

Hiram Collan, 25.

Henry Collan, 35.

A. L. Choat, 36.

L. T. Hedrick, 22.

W. G. Allen, 32.

Richard Sutton, 23.

Andrew Proctor, 22.

Nathan Field, 24, sec. 31, se qr 8-14.

George H. B;.rry, 24, sec. 33, sw 14.

Thomas Gibson 22, sec. 5. nc qr 19-14.

Henry Myers, 35, sec. 4, nw. (|r 19-14.

William Yontz, 30, sec. 4, i e. qr 19-14.

F. Warring, sec. 34, s hf, sw qr 18-14.

Ed Mecklem 22, sec. 3, nw. qr 19-14.

George P. Mecklem, 45, sec. 3, ne qr 19-14.

Antone Wilke, 25, sec. 3, se qr.

A. H. Annis, 49, sec. 3, sw, 19-14.

Sylvia A. Annis, 48.

E. K. Swan, 23, sec. 11, s hf sw qr 19-11.

Ellen Swan, 19.

J. .Moffat. 34, sec. 2. nw. qr 19-14.

R. Moffat, 37, sec. 2, ne qr 19-14.

Jessie, Swan, 1.

N. Douglass, 49, sec. 14, s hf, sw (ir and s
hf of e qr.

William L. Cotton, 27, sec. 14, ii lif sw qr and
n hf se qr 19-14.

William C. Gibson. 47 sec. 14, nc qr.

Mary A. Gibson, 47.

Jose|)h Gibson, 12.

James Gibson, 8.

Charles F. Kinney, 30, sec. 12, nw qr 19-14 w.

Marguerite J. Kinney, 18.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Cliurlos N. Kinney, 1.
Nalo McKown. 35, sec. 12, sw qr.
.Miiriha McKown, 3.
.Nancy .McKown, 3.
Hiram McKown, 1.

James McRoberts, 2'S, sec. 12, e. llf ol ne qr.
Saniantha McRoberts, 20.
Florence McRoberts, 1 .
John Gruber, 33, sec. 12, se. <|r 19-14.
Catherine Gruber, 32.
Antone Gruber, 12.
-Mar Gruber, 4.

Julius Both, 26, sec. 20, n. lif sw, (ir and s.
llf iiw (jr 19-15 w.
Anna Both, 24.
.Matilda Both, 2.

Henry Gien, 45, sec, S, nw. qr 19-13.

Elizabeth Gien, 40.

Harry Gien, 12.

Lizzie Gien, 9.

John Gien, 5.

Laura Gien, IS.

August Myers, 24, sec. 12, w. hf ne. iir 19-14.

Fred Strohmyer, 30, sec. 4, ne qr e. hf.

Frank Shyher, 27, sec, 4, nw. qr e. hf.

.\icl< Raefler, 24, sec. 4, ne. qr w. hf.

J :hn Cook, 33, sec. S, e. hf nw. qr w. hf ne qr.

William Cook, 23, sec. 8, sw qr.

Louisa Cook, 26.

John Cook, 5.

George Cook, 4 .

William Cook, 3.

Henry Cook, 1.

Jewel Lusher, 29, sec. 4, w. hf nw. qr.

James Moreland, 30, sec. 7, se. qr.

William Gilpin, 30, sec. 6, e. hf se. qr.

John Gilpin, 28, sec. 6, w. hf se. qr and e.
hf sw. qr.

John Dennis, 36, sec. 5, se. (ir l?-ri.

Xancy Dennis, 33.

Zura Cunningham, 11.

James Cunningham, 10.

Andrew Godsien, 33.

Clayton Zunzalcs, 37.

John W. Light, 24.

Zack Light, 19.

James Edwards, 19.

Clem Jones, 33.

Isaac Barry, 25, sec. 32, ne. qr 19-12.

.Nettie Buckbee, 20.

Titus Buckbee, 24.

Michael Stanto, 27, sec. 26, s. hf sc qr sec
35. n. hf ne. qr lS-15 w.

A. W. Strong, 51, sec. 2S, se qr 19-12.

Sarah C. Strong, 48.

Anna C. Strong. 17.

Wilkins A. Strong, 10.

R. A. Avery, 57.

Henry Beal. 2S, sec. 14, sw. c|r 19-15.

Sydney Sterling. 22. colored.

Charles Williams. 30, colored.

Frank Day, 26. sec. 34, ne. qr 19-13 w.

Percy Preston, 23.

John Roberts. 28.

Harland B. Truesdell, 23, sec. 28, sw. qr
19-13.

J. P. Brady, 26.

H. Davis, 27.
Trueman Foster, 30.
Phillip .Matthews, 35.
John .Morris, 24.

John Procter, 25, sec. 34, n. hf sw, qr and
u. hf se. qr 19-12.
John Williams, 23.
James Mulligan, 38.
E. Shaffer, 23.
James McWilliams, 40.
S. G. Cram, 23, sec. 26, nw. qr 19-12.
Cain Davis, 22.

J. T. Walker, 22, sec. 24, ne. qr 19-12.
Dave Grever, 23, sec. 32 nw (|r 19-12.
M. S. Strew, 33.
Sudan Strew, 23.

James Howard, 28, sec. 34, s. hf and n. hf
19-12.

Thomas Towers, 21, sec. 20.

Edward Reynolds, 36, sec. 14.

Mary Reynolds, 5.

Francis Reynolds, 21.

J. L. Reynolds. 41, sec. 23, w. hf.

Lydia M. Reynolds, 28.

Ada B. Reynolds, 12.

J. W. Mahan, 22.

James Cornwall, 57.

Jessie Morgan, 37.

John Riley, 24, sec. 24, se. qr 19-12.

A. J. Jamison, 36.

John L. Roberts, 34, sec. 24, sw. 19-12.

J. A. Moore, 24, sec. 24, nw. qr 19-12.

Ed .Martz, 37.

J. P. Farr.ow.

E. Waring. 32, sec. 34, sw. ffr 18-14 w.

Frank Phillips, 22, sec. 26, ne. qr 19-14.

Dave T. Spines, 27, sec. 26, sw. qr 19-14.

John A. Harbour, 22, sc. 6, ne. qr 19-13.

S. S. Dennis, 46, sec. 22, se. qr 19-13.

Bettie Dennis, 38.

Belle Dennis, 17.

Allen Dennis, 13.

Susan Dennis, 15.

McClellan Dennis, 9.

Prudence Dennis, 8.

Bettie Dennis, 7.

Emma Dennis. 6.

Nathaniel Dennis, 5, nw. qr sec. 20-19-14.

Nancy J. Dennis, 4.

Sheridan Dennis, 3.

Logan Dennis, 2.

James A. .McClellan, 29, sec. 20, ne. qr 19-13.

Lue A. McClellan, 27.

Fred A. McClellan. 3.

Edgar A. McClellan, 1.

Alfred Bellfield. 55.

.Mrs. Bellfield. 50.

Laura Bellfield. 12.

Edward Bellfield, 10.

John Bellfield, 7.

Robert Bellfield, 1.

Charles Bellfield. 14.

James R. Bickcrdyke, 22, sec. 18, se. qr. 19-13

Hiram Bickerdyke, sec. 32, sw. qr.

George Moses, 27, sec. 32, nw. qr.

John Tilton, 28. sec. 32, ne. qr.

Warren Peck. 24. sec. 20, nw. qr.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Nicholas Hauser, 25, sec. 20 se. qr.
Mrs. Addie Haouser, 23.
George Hauser, 1.
Nelson Carpenter, 35.
Mary E. Carpenter, 28.
Merrill Carpenter, 3.

John W. Pascoe, 38, sec. IS, n\v. (ir i;t-13.
Grace Pascoe.
Rebekah Pascoe, IS.
Paul J. Pascoe, 11.
Libby Pascoe, 9.
Worth J. Pascce, 5.
Maria L. Pascoe, 3.
Clara Pascoe, 1 .

E. L. Morphy, 31, sec. 30, nw. qr 19-13
A. B. Robinson, 28, sec. 2, sw. qr 20-14.
Albert Sloan, 31, sec. 26, se. qr 19-14.
R. Taylor, 25, (the tirst lumberman in the
country.)

C. A. Houston, 31.

S. S. Heath, 42.

William Ditts, 24.

George Yorksall, 22, sec. IS, ue. qr 19-13.

Alva Stanton, 23.

John Shepard, 22.

Simon Rilter, 42.

Erastus Propper, 22.

Caroline Rilter, 20.

Dona Rilter, 11.

Aliie Propper, 22.

Limon Wilsey, 20.

Frank Emery, 24.

Thomas Decker, 26.

Flora Propper, 5.

John D. Glenn, 45, sec. 20, sw. qr 19-13.

Clara M. Glenn, 45.

Mack B. Glenn, IS.

Mary E, Glenn, 15.

Leliah Glenn, 13.

Wni. T. Glenn, 11.

Byron O. Glenn, 8.

Kittle Glenn, 5.

Wm. J. Morgan.

Morgan Morgan.

John M. Williams.

Ivan Jones.

Wm. James.

Ellas Davis.

Eleanor Burnsides, 21.

Wm. Bell.

Richard E). Jones.

Daniel Gammon.

Charles Zeiber, 22, sec. IS, sw. qr 19-13.

Henry Shaffer, 3S. sec. 30, se. qr.

Mina Shaffer. 35.

August Shaffer, 13 .

Martha Shaffer, 2.

Henry Shridde, 35, sec. 6, n. hf n. qr and n.
hf ne. qr 20-13.

Mary Shridde, 30.

Anna Shridde, 13.

Sophia, Shridde, 7.

Henry Shridde, 4 .

William Shridde, 1.

William H. Lette, 25.

A. A. Hurd, 25.
Theo. Hurd, 50.

James McFarren, 32.

G. L. Brinkman, 31.

James Rice, 32.

Mrs. Rice.

Louis P. Frey, 27, sec. 24, se. qr 19-14.

Kate Frey, 27.

Wm. W. Hartshorn, 25, sec. 2, ne. qr.

Lucy Hartshorn, 22.

Eliza Hartshorn, 60, sec. 10, nw. (ir 20-14.

Charles Ross, 5.

Henry Fruit, 29, sec. 10, ne. qr 20-14.

James G. Pounds, 22, sec. 22, se. qr 19-14.

Thomas Frey, 25, sec. 24, sw. qr 19-14.

Paul Schneek, 33, sec. 24, ne. qr 19-14.

Melissa Schneek, 2S.

1-eona Schneek, 4.

Lizzie Schneek, 2.

I-uther Frost, 22, sec. 9, se. qr 20-14.

Lydia E. Frost 21.

Arthur Frost, 1.

Reuben Fry, 32, sec. 24, nw. qr 19-14.

Alice Frey, 24.

Arthur Frey 4.

Antone Breuner, 28.

Edward Tyler, 28, sec. 2, nw. qr 20-14 .

Lydia Tyler, 26.

Leroy Tyler, 5.

Carrie Tyler, 3.

Barnum Tyler, 1.

A. Giddons. 24, sec. 34, se. qr 19-14.

Robert Johnson, 30.

Dan Rasure.

F. Word.

E. H. Vauness, 28.
M. Michael.
A. Parker.
J. McRea.
Charles Cemester.
N. C. Calhoun.
M. J. Koones.
Ed. S. Stone, 28.

G. L. Stone, 40, sec. 32 se. 19-13.
Jane Stone, 38.

Georgia Stone, 16.

DoUa Stone, 14.

Josie Stone, S.

C. W. Wiley, 38.

Emma P. Wiley, 28.

Ida B. Wiley, 10.

William Bruner, 45.

Thomas Keogh, 25.

James Keogh, 28.

Charles Minor, 23.

Frank Wo"d, 35.

J. C. Brien, 37.

George Wilkins, 26.

Abe. Cutler, 38.

Louisa Cutler, 30.

George Cutler, 12.

Captain Eddy, wife and child.

Charles Adams, 24.

James P. Davis, 38.

James O'Neil, 21.

David Wheeler, 22.

John Bagley, 35.

M. E. Welsh, 28.

Maggie S. Welsh, 27.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Maiifonl Welsh, 3.

KobiMt FiirrouKli. 'i'^-

SusMii J. Furrow, 33.

William X. Furrow, 12.

Ida B. Furrow. 10.

Alice 1. Furrow, 4.

Clara E. Furrow, 1.

U. Bowles, 22.

W. K. Smith, 28.

George Murray, 22.

John Relay, 24.

L". E. Price, 35.

Harry Lovete, 25.

Sarah Carver, 25.

Jennie, Ziegler, 17.

George Towers, 21, sec. 12, se. qr i;i-13.

Maria A. Towers. 2S.

L-.tlie Towers, 5.

Frank Towers, 3.

E. V. Rcuger, 40, sec. 20, sw. qr 19-12.

.Maria Reugor, 30.

Emmet Reuger, 3.

Ella Reuger, 3.

Marguerite Reuger, SO.

Andrew McKinney. 36, sec. 28, ne. qr l'J-12.

Maria McKinney. 30.

Liberty McKinney, 11.

Mary B. McKinney, T.

Frank .McKinney, 7.

Charles McKinney 4.

Flora McKinney, 1.

Arthur V. Halley, 27, sec. 30, sw. qr 19-11.

George Halley, 22, sec. 30, se. qr 19-11.

William Hager, 24, sec. 26, se. qr 10-12.

John Halpin. 40.

Cyrus Winston, 24.

A. Burlinson, 29, sec. 32 nw. qr 19-11.

Mrs, W. W. Burlison, 28.

Sarah J. Burlison, 3.

Thomas Corbitt, 60, sec. 20, sw. qr 19-11 .

Albert G. Corbitt, 30, sec. 20, se. (ir.

Mrs. Corbitt, 60.

Miss Corbitt. 21, sec. 20, nw. qr.

Erastus Carriens, 30, sec. 6, n. ht ne. (ir and
se. qr of ne. qr and ne. qr of the n qr 20-11.

William H. Grant, 21, sec. 32 ne. qr 19-11.

Wilton W, Halsoy. 30, sec. 32. sw. qr 19-11.

.Mary Halsey, 27.

Ellsworth Halsey, 11.

Wallace Halsey, 5.

Eslella Halsey, 2.

W. W. Halsey. 32, sec. 32, sc qr 19-11.

Mary P. Halsey, 30.

Eliza C. Halsey, 4.

William C. Halsey, 2.

Michael Murphy, 26.

George Laws, 20.

John Lissur. 22.

Lawrence Baily. IS.

Alonzo Baily, 26.

James Broderick. 28.

James McCarthy. 23.

William Burke. 24.

Marion Whitney. 22.

W. H. Smith, 24.

I..ee M. Collins, 35, sec. 4. n. hf se. qr and s.
ht ne. qr. 20-11 w.

LafT Shouse. 23, sec. 12. nw. qr 20-11.
Sarah Shouse, 18.
l^alT Shouse, Jr., 1 .
Emanuel Uubbs, 29.
.Noah Broonibangh, 25.
Francis Hroombaugh. 21.
Angelina Uubbs, 21, wife and iliild.
Liiella Bro:;mbaugh, 2.
John Dinsmore, 21.

.M. Black, 30, sec. 2, w. hf, sw (ir and s hf
nw. qr 20-11.
J. M. Reaugh, 53, sec. 10, ne. qr 20-11.
Melissa Reaugh, 47.
John T. Reaugh, 25.
Clarke Reaugh, 22.

Ellen Reaugh, 19.
Addie Reaugh, 17.

Laura Reaugh, 29.

David Reaugh, 4.

E. L. Houston. 32, sec. 12, ne. qr 20-11.

Carrie Houston, 30.

James W. Houston, 7.

Frank Houston, 2.

Lena Houston. 1.

Charles Meacham, 35, sec. 12, se. iir 20-11.

Mary Meacham, 34, (five girls and on boy. I

Lute Bannon. sec. 12, sw. qr 20-11.

Robert Dickenson, 42, sec. 2, ne. qr 20-11.

Henry Huffines. 32, sec. 22, ne. qr 10-14.

S. S. Hutchinson, 36, sec. 34, se. qr 19-11.

William W. Hutchis:;n, 12.

C. L. V. Hutchison, 10.

L. L. Hutchison, 7.

J. C. Hutchison, 4.

Dan Dodge, Sr., 53, sec. 34, sw. qr 19-U

Dan Dodge, Jr., 7.

Josiah Carr, 28, sec. 34, nw. (ir 19-11.

Elizebeth Carr. 25.

Ollie Belle Carr, 5.

Hattie Carr, 3.

William Wiley, 23. sec. 34. no. qr 10-11.

Seth D. Hubbard, 24.

C. J. Hilt, 21.

T. L. Morton. 35, sec. 14, se. (|r 19-15.

C. J. Whitney, 23.

W. Leak, 31, sec. 32.

.\elson H. Ritchie, 32, sec. 32. se. qr.

Henry Dacus, 24.

A. J. Jones. 30.
J. C. Fairchild, 22.
Michael Riney, 21.
Charles Anderson, 27.
Peter Brown, 29.
John Riney, 28.
Cleia Rine.v, 30.

J. C. Martin, 60.

B. Cullen, 35.

.Mi ram Brooks. 26.
Ellen Brooks.
Carrie E. Brooks.
William Magova. 28.
Martha A. Smith. 36.
Thinas T. Smith. 13.
Anna C. Smith. 11 .
Charles B. Smith. .
James L. Smith. 4.
Rasa Smith, 1.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Leslie B. Smith, 7.
Dannie Jackson, 28.
James Jacl<son, 7.
Tliomas Jacltson, 4.
William Cornwall. U.
Bettie Cornwall. 12.
Thomas Cornwall, IS.
Mrs. Cornwall, 50.

George Cooper, 22.

T. Baker, 25.

R. C. Jackson, 33 .

S. E. Day, wife and two clnlilrcn.

Thomas King, 40.

Biddie King, 38.

ThoTnas Carroll, 8.

OFFICIALS OF BARTON COUNTY FROM 1872 TO 1912

The following list gives the names of all
people who have served Barton County in
public offices eince the county was organized
in 1S72, together with the time cf their elec-
tion or appointment:

COMMISSIONERS— FIRST DISTRICT.
May 16, 1872— Thomas L. Morris— Appoint-
ed si)ecial commissioner by Governor .Tames
M. Harvey.

July 1, 1872— M. W. Halsey.
Nov. 5, 1872— M. W. Halsey.
Nov. 4, 1873 — J. L. Roberts— Resigned.
N:.v. 3, 1S74— A. R. Heckensmith — Appoint-
ed .May 29, 1875 to fill the vacancy caused by
resignation of J. L. Roberts.

Nov. 2, 1875 — Wm. Wintermantel.
Nov. 6, 1877— H. S. Williams.
Nov. 5, 1878— J. T. Spring.
Nov. 8, 1881— H. J. Roetzel.
Nov. 4. 1884— H. J. Roetzel — Resigned.
Jan. 17, 18S7— C. A. Willms — Appointed to
fill vacancy caused by the resignation of H.
J. Roetzel.

Nov. 8, 1887— Henry Langford.
N.v. 4. 1890— Joseph Strothman.
Nov. 7, 1893- C. D. Montgomery.
Nov. 3, 1896— Matt Dick.
Nov. 7, 1899— Matt Dick.
Nov. 4, 1902— \V. B. Pickerel 1.
Nov. 3. 1906— N. W. Klepper.
Nov. 8, 1910— .Matt Dick,
COMMISSIONERS— SECOND DISTRICT.
May 16, 1872— John H. Hubbard— Appointed
special commissioner by Governor James M.
Harvey.

July 1, 1872— John Cook.
Nov. 5, 1872— John Cock.
Nov. 4. 1873— John M. Taylor.
Nov. 3, 1874— C. M. Fessler— Resigned June
17, 1875.

June 17, 1875- S. S. Dennis— Appointed to
fill vacancy caused by resignation of C. M.
Fessler.

Nov. 2, 1875- G. N. Moses.

Nov. 6, 1877 — P. G. Bonewitz.

Nov. 4, 1879— R. C. Bailey.

Nov. 7, 1882 — J. K. Humphrey.

Nov. 3, 1885— W. W. Carney.

Nov. 6, 1888— G. N. M^ses.

Nov. 3, 1891— C. L. Moses.

Nov. 6, 1894— C. L. Moses.

Nov. 7, 1897- Theodore Griffith.

Nov. 7, 1899— Chas. E. Dodge— Appointed to

fill vacancy caused by resignation of Theo.
Griffith,

Nov. 6, 1900— S. S. Shattnck.
Nov. 3, 190S— Frank Wood.

COMMISSONERS— THIRD DISTRICT.
May 16, 1872 — Geo. .M. Berry — AppLinted
special commissioner by Governor Janns M.
Harvey.

July 1, 1872— L. H. Lusk.
Nov. 5, 1872— L. H. Lusk.
Nov. 4, 1873— C. B. Worden.
Nov. 2, 1875 — J. Zimmer.
Nov. C, 1877 — B. I. Dawson.
Nov. 2, 1880— C. Williams.
Nov. 6, 1883 — Henry Schwier.
Nov. 2, 1886— Henry Schwier.
Nov. 8, 1889- C. Coughlin.
Oct. 17, 1891— D. O. Gray— Appointed to fill
vacancy caused by death of C. Coughlin.
Nov. 3, 1891— W. P. Bruce.
Ngv. 2, 1892— W. P. Bruce.
Nov. 5, 1895 — Thomas Harper.
July 6, 1896- J. W. Howard— Appointed to
fill vacancy caused by death of Thomas Har-
per.

Nov. 3, IS96— H. C. Merhoff.
Aug. 31, 1898 — Robert Merten— Appointed to
fill vacancy caused by death ot II. C. Merhoff.
Nov. 8, 1898- J. Zimmer.
Nov. 8, 1901— T. C. Brown.
Nov. 8, 1904— S. J. Williams.
Nov. 3, 1908— P. E. Murphy.

COUNTY CLERKS.
May 16, 1872— W. H. Odell— Appcinted spe-
cial clerk by Governor James M. Harvey.
July 1, 1872— W. H. Odell.
Nov. 5, 1872— W. H. Odell.
Nov. 4, 1873— W. H. Odell.
Nov. 2, 1875— M. C. Campbell.
Nov. 6. 1877— Ira D. Brngher.
Nov. 4, 1879— Ira D. Brougher.
Nov. 8, 1881— Ira D. Brougher.
Nov. 6, 1883- E. L. Teed.
Nov. 3, 1885— E. L. Teed.
Nov. 8, 1SS7— D. R. Jones.
Nov. 8, 1889- D. R. Jones.
Nov. 3, 1S91JR. P. Typer.
Nov. 7, 1893- R. P. Typer.
Nov. 5. 1895— M. B. Fitts.
X v. 7, 1897— M. B. Fitts.
Nov. 7, 1899- F. M. Lutschg.
Nov. 8, 1904— H. D. Ashpole.
Nov. 3, 1906— H. D. Ashpole.
Nov. 3, 1908- C. F. Younkin.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Nov. S, I'.IU).- C. F. Younkin.
TRKASl'KERS.
July 1, 1S72— E. L. Morphy.
Nov. 5, 1872— E. U Mohpliy.
Nov. 4, 1S73— A. W. Gray.
Nov. 2, 1875— A. W. Gray.
Nov. 6, 1S77 — John Alefs.
Nov. 8, 1881— Cal Weaver.
Nov. G, 1883— U F. Weaver.
Nov. 3, 1885- L. F. Weaver.
Nov. 8, 1887— L. M. Krause.
Nov. 8, 1889— L. M. Krause.
Nov. 3, 1891— D. nosse.
Nov. 7, 1893— F. H. Miller.
Nov. 5, 1895— D. Bossc.
Nov. 7, 1897— D. Bosse.
Nov. 7, 1899- Theo. Griffith.
Nov. 8, 1901— R. C. Bailey— Ai)i>oiiitod lo fill
vacancy caused hy resignation of Theo. Grif-
fith.

Nov. 4, 1902 — E. E. Epperson — Short term.
Nov. 8, 1904— Frank Millard.
Nov. 3, 1906— Frank Milliird.
Nov. 3, 1908- J. \V. Sodderstrom.
Nov. 8, 1910— J. W. Soderstroni.
SHERIFF'S.

July 1, 1S72 — G. N. Moses.

Nov. 5, 1872— G. N. Moses.

Nov. 4, 1873 — G. N. Moses.

Nov. 2, 1875— W. W. Winstead.

Nov. 6, 1877— W. W. Winstead.

Nov. 4, 1879— M. Gillmore.

Nov. 8, 1881- M. Gillmore.

Nov. 6, 1883— J. S. Dalziel.

Nov. 3, 1885— J. S. Dalziel.

Nov. 8, 1887- F. D. Wilson.

Nov. 8, 1889- F. U. Wilson.

Nov. 3, 1S91— G. J. Spencer.

Nov. 7, 1893— G. J. Spencer.

Nov. 5, 1895— L. P. Aber.

Nov. 7, 1897— L. P. Aber.

Nov. 7, 1899— J. R. Johnson.

Nov. 4, 1902— J. R. Johnson.

Dec. 28, 1903— W. R. Bunlins;— Appointed
to fill vacancy caused by death of J. K.
Johnson.

Nov. 8, 1904— J. S. Dalziel.

Nov. 3, 1906— J. S. Danziel.

Nov. 3, 1908— M. Dailey.

Nov. 8, 1910— M. Dailey.

REGISTERS OF DEEDS.
July 1, 1872— T. L. Morris.

Nov. 5, 1872— D. N. Heizer.

Nov. 4. 1873— C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 2, 1875— C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 6, 1877— C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 4, 1879— C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 8, 1881- C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 6, 1883— C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 3, 1885— C. E. Dodge.

Nov. 8, 1887— F. G. Strothman.

Nov. 3, 1891- F. G. Strothman.

Nov. 7, 1893— Henry Klein.

Nov. 5, 1895 — Henry Klein.

Nov. 7, 1897— E. S. Brodie.

Nov. 7, 1899- E. S. Brodie.

Nov. 8, 1891— Flora A. Smith.

Nov. 8, 1904— Flora A. Smith.
Nov. 3, 1906— E. E. Epperson.
Nov. 3, 1908— E. E. Epperson.
Nov. 8, 1910— E. E. Epperson.

COUNTY ATTORNEYS.
July 1, 1872— J. B. Howard.
Nov. 5, 1872— G. W. Niinocks.
Nov. 3, 1874— G. W. Nimocks.

1876— S. J. Day.

Nov. 5, 1878- S. J. Day.
Nov. 2, 1880— G. W. Nimocks.
Nov. 7, 1882— C. F Diffenbacher.
Nov. 4, 1884— C. F. Diffenbacher.
Nov. 2, 1886— E. C. Cole.
Nov. 6, 1888— E. C. Cole.
Nov. 4, 1890— E. L. Hotchkiss.
Nov. 2, 1892- E. U Hotchkiss.
Nov. 6, 1894— G. W. Nimocks.
Nov. 3, 1896— C. F. Diffenbacher.
Nov. 8, 1898— C. F. Diffenbacher
Nov. 6, 1900— J. W. Clarke.
Nov. 8, 1904— P. C. Kopplin.
Nov. 3, 1906— J. W. Clark(>.
Nov. 3, 1908— J. W. Clarke.
Nov. 8, 1910— R. C. Russell.
SURVEYORS.
July 1, 1872 — John Fanrow.

Nov. 5, 1872— J. B. Howard.

Nov. 4, 1873— J. B. Howard.

Nov. 2, 1875 — C. Chamberlain.

Nov. 6, 1877 — C. Chamberlain.

Nov. 4, 1879 — C. Q. Newcombe.

Nov. 8, 1S81— C. Q. Newcombe.

Nov. 6, 1883- Byron Majors.

Nov. 3, 1885— C. Q. Newcombe.

Nov. 8, 1887— B. Markey.

Nov. 8, 1889— B. Markey.

Nov. 3, 1891— S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 7, 1893 — S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 5, 1895 — S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 7, 1897 — S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 7, 1899- S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 8, 1904 — S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 3, 1906— S. A. Newcombe.

Nov. 8, 1910 — S. A. Newcombe.

COUNTY SIPERINTENUENTS.

July 1. 1872— A. C. M'ses.

Nov. 5, 1872- J. R. McClellan.

Nov. 3, 1874- H. A. Brundidgc
1876- Win. Chalfant.

Nov. 5, 1878- Wm. Chalfant.

Nov. 2, 1880- L. Baldwin.

Nov. 7, 1882- C. C. Wolfe.

Nov. 4, 1884— L. Baldwin.

Nov. 2, 1886— C. C. Wolfe.

Nov. 6, 1888— W. H. Grant.

Nov. 4, 1890— A. McTaggart.

Nov. 2, 1892— F. G. McKinney.

Nov. 6, 1894— F. G. McKinney.

Nov. 3, 1896- M. L. Harrison.

Nov. 8, 1898- M. L. Harrison.

Nov. 6, 1900— Ben Hennessy.

Nov. 8, 1901— C. R. Aldrich- Appointed to
fill vacancy caused liy the resignation of Ben
Hennessy.

Nov. 4, 1902— C. R. Aldrich.

Nov. 8, 1904— C. R. Aldrich.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Nov. 3, 1906— Ed Opie.

Nov. 3, 190S— Ed Opie.

Nov. S, 1910 — Jennie B. Momyer.

CLERKS OF THE DISTRICT.

July 1, 1S72— J. B. Howard.

Nov. 5, 1872— T. C. Polk.

Nov. 4, 1S73— T. C. Polk.

Nov 1876- C. Faiissel.

Nov. 5, 1S7S— J. J. McCIimans.

Nov. 4, 1879 — A. C. Scliermerlioni.

Nov. 2, 1880- A. C. Schermei-lr;.rn.

Nov. 7, 1882 — A. C. Schermerhoni.

Nov. 2. 1SS6— Ira D. Broiiglier.

Nov. 6, 1888— W. R. Bunting.

Nov. 4, 1890— W. R. Bunting.

Nov. 2, 1892— R. A. Charles.

Nov. G. 1894— R. A. Charles.

Nov. 3, 1896— F. G. Strothman.

Nov. 8. 1S9S— F. G. Strothman.

Nov. C, 1900— W. B. Lucas.

Nov. 8, 1904— Sam Kellani.

Nov. 3, 1906— Sam Kellani.

Nov. 3, 1908- Sam Kellam.

Nov. 8, 1910 — Sam Kellam.

PROBATE JUDGES.

July 1, 1872— D. N. Heizer.

Nov. 5, 1872— T. S. Morton.

Nov. 3, 1874- E. L. Chapman.

Nov. .., 1876 — E. L. Chapman.

Nov. 6, 1877 — E. L. Chaiimau.

Nov. 5, 1878 — E. 1.1. Chapman.

Nov. 2, 1880 — E. L. Chapman — Resigned to
become postmaster.

Oct. 1, 1881 — James Clayton — Appointed by
Governor.

Nov. 7, 1882- G. Toepke.

Nov. 2, 1886- B. F. Ogle.

Nov. 6, 1888- B. F. Ogle.

-Nov. 4, 1890— T. H. Brewer.

NoV. 2, 1892— T. H. Brewer.

Nov. 6, 1894— H. McCorkle.

Nov. 3, 1896- L. C. Breeden.

Nov. 8, 1898- L. C. Breeden.

Nov. 6, 1900— W. P. Feder.
Nov. 8, 1904— W. Torrey.

Nov. 3, 1906- W. Torrey.

Nov. 3, 190S— H. A. Hall.

Nov. S, 1910— H. A. Hall.

REPRESENTATIVES.
Nov. .'■). 1872- G. L. Brinknian.

Nov.

4, 1873- J. T. Cummings.

Nov.

3, 1874- G. L. Brinkman.

Nov.

2, 1875- C. J. Frey.

Nov.

, 1876— W. H. Keeney.

Nov.

6, 1S77— G. L. Brinknuui.

Nov.

4, 1879- D. N. Heizer.

Nov.

7, 1882— J. U. Bain.

N»>v.

4, 1884— W. H. Campbell.

Ncv.

2, 1886- H. J. Roetzel.

Nov.

6, 1888- W. H. Rice.

Nov.

4, 1890— M. W. Cobun.

Nov.

2, 1892— M. W. Cobun.

Nov.

6, 1894— E. C. Cole.

Nov.

5, 1895— B. F. Lorimer.

Nov.

3, 1896— Isora Wright.

Nov.

8, 1898- Isom Wright.

Nov.

6, 1900— M. W. Cobun.

Nov.

4, 1902 — Henry Langfield.

Nov.

8, 1904— Bert Steckel.

Nov.

3, 1906— W. M. Chatten.

Nov.

3, 190S— W. P. Feder.

Nov.

8, 1910— W. P. Feder.

CORONERS.

July

1, 1872— D. B. Baker.

Nuv.

5, 1872— A. W. Strong.

Nov.

4, 1873— J. D. Bain.

Nov.

2, 1875- A. C. Moses.

Nov.

6, 1877— B. S. Lewis.

Nov.

4, 1879— Frank Lightfoot.

Nov.

8, 1881- J. D. Bain.

Nov.

6, 1883- S. J. Shaw.

Nov.

3, 1885— S. J. Shaw.

Nov.

8, 1887— S. J. Shaw.

Nov.

8, 1889- J. R. Mcllvaine.

Nov.

4, 1890— D. B. Shant.

-Nov.

3, 1891— A. R. Lash.

Nov.

7, 1893— G. L. Koch.

Nov.

5, 1895— S. J. Shaw.

Nov.

7, 1897— S. J. Shaw.

Nov,

. 7, 1899- G. L. Koch.

Nov,

, S, 1904— E. E. Morrison.

Nov.

3, 1908- F. L. McCauley.

Nov,

. S, 1910— F. L. McCauley.

COUiXTY PRINTERS.

Nov,

, G, 1900 — D. T. Armstrong.

Nov

, 4. 1902— D. T. Armstrong.

March 2, 1903- W. E. Stoke— Appoint

.\ov

. 8, 1904— W. L. Townsley.

Nov

. 3, 1906 — W. L. Townsley.

Nov

. 3, 1908— Roy Corneliu.i.

Nov

. 8, 1910— Roy Cornelius.

AN EARLY DAY INCIDENT

By Edwin Tyler

W.\Y back in the early days when George
N. Moses was sheriff of the county.
Great Bend at that time was the stop-
ping place of notorious bad men. It was in
1873 that Harry Lovet then of New'ton, came
to Great Bend with an outfit consisting of the
remnants of a dance hall which he had op-
erated at Newton. The town company would
not let him have a lot but he managed to get
in debt to Colonel Tom Stone, refused to pay
him and hiked for Dodge City. The sheriff

(George Moses) told the Colonel to get him a
pony. Mounting the pony and w'ith his old
needle gun ready for action he went west on
the trail like greased lightning. After reach-
ing a point about where Henry Fruit's farm
is located George overtook Lovet's outfit. Dis-
mounting and leveling the needle gun at Lovet
he ordered him to hold his hands up. Lovot
raised his hands and asked; "What is wanted?"
George said, "I want that money you owe Tom

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

stone." "Then come uiid get it." said I..ovet,
and George g;t it.

On another oecasion a man by ihe name of
Crockett was in town and said he was looking
for the marslial, that he had three of them lo
his credit and tliat he was a danger.;ns man
to trifle with. George Moses was notified and
being the sheriff he went out to l:ok for
Crockett. He met him on the street, walk^^d

up to him and said: "How do you do?" Crock-
ett stuck out his hand, and as he did so
George grasped it and with a quick wrencli
threw the man to the ground, disarmed him
and took him to jail. The next morning the
fellcw had sobered up and George gave him
back his gun and told him the next lime lie
came to town to keep sober and keep out of
trouble.

IRRIGATION CAMPAIGN BEGAN IN GREAT BEND

IT is not a generally known fact that the
big irrigation projects that have been suc-
cessfully completed in the western part
cf the state are due in a large measure to the
action of the first meeting of irrigati nists in
this part of the country which was held in
Great Bend.

The irrigation campaign lliat swei)t over
this western country was started by Lutellus
Baldwin at Great Bend, Kansas, on July ITtn,
1S93, by calling a meeting of the citizens to
consider the subject of irrigation. Previous
to that time he had been carrying on a general
agitation on the subject anicng the people, in
this portion of Kansas, endeavoring to arouse
interest in the subject. A dozen or more far-
mers, editors and other citizens attended this
meeting, and some scoffed at the idea but an

interest was aroused. .Mr. Baldwin then called
a delegate convention to meet at Great Bend
tn the 7th of August following. This conven-
tion was called to order by Lutellus Bald-
win, who read the call and organized the con-
vention and handed it over to its officers, D.
-M. Frost of Garden City and F. B. Cowgill of
Topeka, president and secretary respectively.
This meeting was well attended, representa-
tives being present from all parts of Kansas,
and much enthusiasm was shown. This meet-
ing was followed by meetings at Salina, Wich-
ita, Omaha and by a large meeting at Los An-
geles, California, at which meeting the Kan-
sas delegation took a prominent part. At this
meeting the name ".Xational Irrigation Con-
gress" was adopted at the suggestion of the
Kansas delegation.

CATHOLIC CHURCHES OF BARTON COUNTY

Great Bend Church

As early as 1S77, Rev. Father Swenberg
used to come from .\ewton to visit the missions
of Barton County, among which was Great
Bend. A little later on, Rev. B. Wolf, a Ben-
edictine, who was stationed at Windhorst, Ford
County, took charge of the Great Bend mis-
sion and built a church. From 1SS2 to ioiSo,
Father Epp attended from EUinwo d. Vaen
came Father Dissolkamp, who is credited with
moving the church to its present site and ren-
honored with the 1912 State Convention.

ovating its interior. From 1SS5 on. Great Bend
has had as resident priests Rev . Fathers
Walsh, Kelly. Brown, Podgorsek, Wiersma,
Shutz, OSullivan and Hermann. The present
pastor is Father Hull, who has been here t.vo
years. There are about 40 families in the
I'arish and it is the expectation to erect soon
a new and larger church. The Knights of
Columbus have a flourishing council au>l were
honored with the 1912 State Convention.

Odin Church

The first church, St. Mary's, at Odin, was
built in 1878 by Father Hundhauseii, wro vis-
ited once a month from Kllinwood. Rev. J. C.
Schurz visited for a while. In ISSl Father
Emmerich came to reside. He built the rec-
tory and the first school, and started on the
new church. Father Heiman was appointed
in 1S96 and under him the new $30,000 stone

church was completed. Rev. B. Drath sup-
plied for a year. Father Heiman returned and
set to work to build the $20,000 scho:l, which
was completed in 190S. The present pastor.
Father Xiederprum, has been in charge two
years. The Sisters of St. Iiomiiiic manage the
school, SO children attending. There are over
100 families in this prosperous parish.

Claflin Church

At the time the M. P. R. R. was run through
this section, the Catholics around Claflin built
a school house, where Father Emmerich held
regular services, until Fathers Heiman and
Drath built the present beautiful church in
1905. It cost about $4,000. Rev. Reinschmidt
was Ihe first resident pastor, and a cosy home
was purchased for him. Rev. Joyce, Ihe noted

entertainer, enlivened the neighborhood for
two years and then went to cheer the Soldiers
in Ihe U. S. army as a chaplain. Fathers
Heiman and O'SuIlivan visited for a while, till
the appointment of Father McErlane, the pres-
ent rector. The parish contains thirty-five
families.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Dubuque C h u r c 1:

A small churcli, namrd after St. Catlierino,
was erected in 1SS2 by Father Emmerich, who
continued to visit regularly till 1S96. Previous
to his coming, during ISSl, Rev. Lager held
services in a school house. Rev. Dragun at-
tended for a year from Wilson. After Father
Emmerich, it was visited by Father Heiman.
who began the construction of a new church.
In IS'is Father Hermanns came to reside. He

coiitinued tlie building of the new church, and
liut up a comfortable home. After nine years
of devoted service, he resigned his place to
Rev. J. Birrenbach. The old church happened
to burn down. The new one was then s ;on
Hnished. It had been a mighty task for the 7.".
families of the parish to raise th> necessary
■|5,UU0.

Ellinwood

The old St. .Toseph's church v. as staned in
1S7, when Father Swenborgh of Newton vis-
ited occasionally. In 1S78 Rev. Emmer came
to reside and was succeeded the same year by
Father Hundhausen, who built the first priest's

rectory n:w serves for a convent. There are
over a 100 substantial, German families in the
l)arish and in the school, taught by Sisters of
the Preci.:us Blood, 60 pupils. There is a
council of the Knights of Columbus, who have

tWi

■.li^**'«?«.' F. -

Ellinwood (liurfli

house. Rev. ,J. C. Schurz came in isso aiul
was followed by Father Epp in 1.SS2. He had
the first school built. In 1S96 came Father
Emmerich, under whose able administration a
new church, rectory, and school have replaced
the old ones at an outlay of $50,000. The old

erected a $20,000 hall. In the towering spire of
I he church is a large town clock donated by
the citizens, which autonuUically rings the
bells at the appointed intervals of the day and
night.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

St. Peter and Paul's Church Five Miles North of Ellinwoorl

The first church at St. Peter and Paul's was
built in 1877, by Father Swcnborgh, and was
attended from EUinwood. In 1SS2 Father Epp
established a school and erected the hand-
some brick church. Rev. B. Disselkanip was
the first resident pastor and i)ut up the pres-
ent rectory in 1.S9S. After two years under

Rev. J. Mantz, came Father Weichinann. who
enlarged the school and added a new sanctuary
on the church. Rev. J. Bast is now caring for
the 75 families of the parish and the school is
fl::urishing under the management of the Sis-
ters.

Olmit'/. Church

As early as 1878, Olmitz was visited once a
month by Rev. B. Wolf, a member cf the Ben-
edictine Order. In ISSl Father Kmmerich b<-
gan to come from Odin and in 1S<S2 he built
the first church. The next year Father Dis-
selkamp came to reside. His successors weve
Rev. Dr. Dipolder, Hartniann and Sklenar.
After the building through of the M. P. R. U.
the church was moved to town. Father Huna,

who has been fourteen years at Olmitz, has
been an active supervisor. He has enlarged
iind decorated the church, built a rectory and
a convent. He is very interested in his school
and entrusts it with the Sisters of the Pre-
cious Blood. The 100 families of his congre-
gation are of German, Bohemian and Irish
descent.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Hoisington Catholic Church

Shortly after the building of the M. P. R. R.
Rev. Emmerich used to hold services at diff t-
ent houses in Hoisingtm. Later, Father Kelly
of Hutchinson attended and built the first
church. It was afterAards supplied from
Great Bend and has been visited by Fathers

Podgoi'.sfk. Wiiina, Scliutz. Hernianiis and
O'Sullivan. The last named built a beautiful
rectory and took U|) his residence in it six
years ago. He has added to his great achiovo-
ments by the erection of a $i;o.(l(t(l church, the
grandest structure in the town.

THE BLIZZARD OF 1871

EnWl.X TYLER, one of the best known of
Barton County's old timers, tells in bis
own way about the big blizzard that
visited this section in 1871. "1 had been here
but a short time and had but forty-five dollars
in money, a second-class team, a ten dolbir
wagon, a good wife and three children. 1 had
failed as a buffalo hunter and as that occupa-
tion offered about the only means of getting
money, the outlook for me was anything but
bright. However, I had come to Kansas fu-
my health, and by the way was only one here
for that purpose. I looked forward to better
things. A few days after my arrival in Great
Bend, Lute Morris said to me, 'you had bet-
ter take a lot,' and he also stated that the
terms would be one dollar dawn. He also
added that I could build a house within sixty
days. I selected a lot. About this time Judge
Morton came with a pocket f\ill of money and
began to buy teams for buffalo hunting I sold
him mine for $250.00. This money enabled nje
to build a little house and live until spring. .Mr.
Odell had a house on the Hess quarter 12 by
14 about a half mile east of the cemetery. The
house had no floor and the walls were held
together by bolts. He said to me that if I
wanted to I could live in his house until

si)ring as he was going back east. I m:;vcd
what few things I had and myself and faniil.\
took up our residence there. The weather had
been fine up to that time, similar to other
mild winters since. November 17, 1S71, dawn-
ed bright and clear. Rube Frey went by the
house that morning without his coat and asked
me to go with him to Dry creek for a load of
wood, but Mrs. Tyler was afraid of the Indians
S3 I stayed at home. About nine o'clock the
wind began to blow and I have never been in
such a hazy atmosphere as that which sur-
rounded us that morning. It grew colder and
the wind grew worse, increasing every minute,
and very soon I saw Rube Frey and team com-
ing down the trail at a two-forty clip. He
stopped at the house and came in to get warm.
We began to crack jokes. He and I had served
three years in the same regiment in the war
and things had to lo.ok mighty blue if we could
not joke a little. He soon departed for his
house. Shortly after noon the sleet, snovi-,
mist and hail struck us with great force. By
three o'clock it became so dark that it was im-
possible to distinguish objects ten feet away.
Myself and family huddled inside the house and
Icoked at each other, being in no mood for
conversation. We could not keep warm and

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

every minute expected the shanty to blow over,
but the house had been securely fastened 'u
posts sunk deei) into the ground and had it
not been for this fact 1 guess we would have
been victims of the storm. Luckily my w;f.?
had brought along two feather beds and I had
included in my pack a c:;uple of tarpaulins
such as are used in the army. With Ihese »•.?
made a bed on the floor of the building and
«ilh all our clothes on prepared to retire.
We were comfortable but frightened as the
wind howled around the house and the storm

grew in volume and violence. We ate very
little that day and the next, spending most of
the time in bed where we could keep warm. It
grew mighty cold by the aftern on of the ISth.
when the storm began to abate somewhat.
On the morning of the 19th the sun rose
bright and clear and the storm was over, but
it was exceedingly cold. That storm is remem-
bered by all who were here at that time as
one of the worst in the history of this part of
the state.

BUFFALO HUNTING BY TENDERFEET

EHWl.V TVI,I-:U tcUs about his experience
in hunting the Monarchs of the Plains,
during the early days of Uarton Counl y ;
"When 1 came to this part of the country buf-
falos and antelope roamed the prairies of Wes-
tern Kansas in countless numbers. While
coming through the central part of the state,
nearly everybody we met this side of Emporia
told us that tomorrow we would find buffaloes
in plentiful numbers. At Atlanto in Rice
County we were told that we would find thcjii
the next day on the Arkansas river. We were
(luite anxious to find them as we were hun^try
for some fresh meat. Our arms consisted of
two double barrelled shot-guns, one cf which
had two hammers and the other but one. We
had traded a dog for the one with a single
hammer. We traveled late that night and
camped in the sand hills. The next morning
we got an early start. We soon encountered
large numbers of anteloi)e but we paid no at-
tention to the mas it was buffaloes we were
after. Soon after we had reached the Arkan-
sas Valley we saw three old bulls crossing the
trail a short distance ahead of us. Bill Har<.=;-
horn and I soon had our fastest horses unhar-
nessed. We mounted them and with the reins
in one hand and our guns in the other W3
charged on the game. As soon as we g ;l
within shooting distance we dismounted and
I)repared to fire. By this time the game was
too far away for our arms. We made three
charges on the animals and finally gave up in
disgust and decided to postpone ovir feast of
buffalo meat. A few days after our arrival at
a pint where Great Bend now staiuls, D. iN .
Heizer invited me to go with him and a pariy
up Dry Creek where he was going to local"
the parly on a homestead. When we arrived
where Tom Brandt lived. Heizer told me I
could take my gun and go up the creek where
1 would find i)lnty of game. He told me to
keep near the brush on the creek, and I could
get near enough to the game t) make my shots
effective. He told me to shoot a buffalo just
behind the fore leg to get the best results. 1
obeyed all his orders but saw no game until I
arrived at a point that is now a part of Chas.
Button's home place. Here I saw three buf-
falo bulls standing not twenty feet away, th"lr
heads partly hidden by the brush. 1 could

make no attempt to raise my gun. nothing go-
ing up except my hair and heart. 1 ducked
down low and sneaked back to where I coulj
climb a tree on an instants n;tice. .My ner.-e
finally rturned and I crept up close to the ani-
mals, aimed at the point designated by Mr.
Heizer and pulled the trigger. Then, I ran for
the tree 1 had selected to climb. When I was
up about ten feet from the earth I looked back
expetting t: find a dead buffalo. However I
finally located all three of them sotne mile
and a half away. They were in behind some
plum bushes. Made another stealthy advance
but they were on the lookout and long before
1 got within shooting distance they ran to-
wards the river as fast as they could go and 1
never saw them again.

"My next experience was wiili a genuine old
buffalo hunter, J.hn W. Tilton. One day he
lircposed to nie that we go to the Five Mile
Timber to get a load of wood. He took a 22
calibre revolver and I took an ax. We had iio
thought cf finding any bulTal;, but as my repu-
tation had sufr<'red in the hunting line I was
rather in hopes that something would happen
so that I could distinguish myself. As we
were driving around a sand hill where Cla.. t
and Kd Moses have their cattle sheds we
spied a buffalo cow. John stopped the team
and sneaked up behind the hill until he w,iis
within twenty feet of the animals. He then
began firing the pistol. The cow dropped and
we found en examination that she had been
shot throiigh the lungs and shoulders. The
animal had no more than touched the ground'
when .John was on top of her and was holding
her down by the horns, while he called to mo
to bring the ax. I had lost the ax in the ex-
citement and was lo;king for a tree. 1 found
one but after John had coaxed and pleaded
with me for some time. I took the ax to him,
and then returned to my tree. It took Jolm
but a short time to kill and skin the buffalo.
1 then remarked t ) him that we had done very
well. And you should have seen the look on
his face when 1 srid 'We.' I often wanted to
go with the hunters after thpt bu' none of
them seemed to want my company.

"A short time after 'we' h.-.d killed that buf-
falo cow. Mr. and Mrs Hartshorn and my wife
and 1 started out to visit the neighbors in our

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

vicinity. I took my gun and two Shepherd dogs
witli us. I had forgotten that my wife had
trained those dog? so that they would drive
cattle, sheep, etc., in any direction that might
be indicated by a wave of the hand. Wo had
driven but a short way when we saw a buffalo
lying in the grass. I crawled up to within
about a hundred yards rf it when all of a
sudden my wife motioned to the dogs, and
they ran by me like shot out of a gun. They

ran around the buffalo and it started lor Me
with the dogs in pursuit. I beat it back to the
wagon slightly in the lead. After running
around the wagon twice I got together enough
cuirage to turn and shoot at the animal. I
sent about a dozen buck shot into it and at
last I could suy 1 had killed a buffalo. It nas
always been a wonder to me that 1 did not
shoot the dogs instead of the buffalo.

AN INDIAN BATTLE

By A. J. Hoisington

0-\p] of the best known old timers tells of
an Indian battle that was fought by
the Pawnees and Arapahoes on ground
that is now included within the borders of
Barton County, long before it was .rganized.
The story as told by .Mr. Hoisington is as fal-
lows:

"One of the numerous battles between
bands of Plains tribes, within the memory of
and known to white men occurring within ih.
limits of Barton County was one fought in
July, 1849, on sections eleven, one and two,
in northeast Buffalo township and on sections
thirty-four, thirty-five and thirty-si.x in south-
east Eureka township, between a band of
Arapahoes and Pawnees.

"As related by a writer of the old Santa
Fe Trail the story of the battle as told to him
by the Arapahoes was substantially as fol-
lows:

"The Arapahoes had traveled down the Wal-
nut from the far west on a hunting expedition
and were in camp on the south or west side
of the creek, opposite Shaw's house on sec-
tion eleven over night. The next morning a
part of the bucks were left to guard the
squaws and papiiooses, and the remainder
started in a northeasterly direction for the
Cheyenne Bottoms. Gaining the highlands, a
band of Pawnees suddenly came into view.
The Arapahoes dispatched a messenger to
their camp for re-enforcements and to have
the camp prepared for attack. In the mean-
time the Pawnees dashed forward while the
Arapahoes made for the high point on secti:n
twelve. The former evidently supposed the
latter's force was all in sight and hastened
onward. In the meantime the Arapahoes re-
enforced were rapidly coming into view fi'om
the creek timber. The Pawnees apparently
hoped to attack their enemy and route those
who had retreated behind the hill before ihe
( thers could arrive. The Pawnees divided their
band and deployed around the hill to attack
the enemy from both east and west. The first
onset was terrific. Several warriors on both
sides were killed or disabled. The re-enforc-
ing party soon arrived and the Pawnees re-
treated to the north side of the hill where

they hoped to make a stand and allow the
Arapahces to attack them in turn as they had
done the former a few minutes before. But
the Pawnees were so closely pursued that
with great difficulty they placed themselves
in a position for the attack. Each band niau-
euvered for position, but the Pawnees were
outclassed and sorely pushed. Thinking they
had the fleetest ponies they attempted — knov.-
ing where their enemies' camp was located --
to turn their western flank and make a -.ash
for the camp. In this way they were partly
successful but were crowded sd far north and
west they were not able to make a bee line
for the camp. Besides the Arapahoes knov ir.g
their design crowded towards their own canin
attacking all the while. The Pawnees were
getting very much the worst of the deal and
were forced to scatter and make for the tim-
ber in the upper bend of the creek. So hard
inished were they that no two of them reached
the timber at the same time. The cues nearest
the camp were a mile or more west. At a safe
distance from the timber the pursuing Arapo-
hoes made for their camp which of course by
this time was in motion down the creek on the
south side. Fearing a renewal of the attack,
and probably with re-enforcements besides
the Arapahoes moved southward to the Ar-
kansas river where they camped unmolested
for several days. Evidently the Pawnees had
no otlier force of warriors in reach or the
desire for revenge would have caused another
attack. The Arapahoes claimed afterwards
that they took the scalps of the Pawnees and
that the Pawnees got 'heap little scalp.' The
Arapah:;es claimed tlieir own band had allo-
gether about 100 warriors besides squaws and
pappooses and the Pawnees had about sixty.
Many other engagements of this kind some of
them having hundreds engaged occurred in
what is now Barton County. Scarcely an acre
of ground in Ihe county but that has at some
time been the scene cf battle between warring
tribes of Indians.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

WHEN WATER WAS HARD TO GET

"IT 7" W. SOWARDS tolls of early days in
Y^ rnion township when water was a

most valuable possession. Mr. Sow-
ards in telling the story said:

"I located a soldier claim in what is now
I'nion township in September. 1S77. Th 're
were but four settlers there at that lime.
There were tree claims taken in most of the
sections and in July, 1S7S the township was or-
ganized out of territory taken from Home-
stead township. There were fifty-eight votui's
at that time, a large majority of whom were
e.\-soldiers. This fact was the cause cf name
'Union' being selected. All the settlers exce|)t
three or four were natives of America and
came from Iowa and Illinois. The township
is located on what is known as the SmoUy
River IJivide. The lack of water in this was
its greatest drawback. Shallow wells could
not be gotten only in the creek beds, at other
places one would have to go several hundred

feet into the ground and as a result of this it
was necessary to haul water in wagons.

'On one occasion Fred Prindle had four
barrels of water slide out of his wagon when
going up a small hill and the thermometer was
twenty below^ zero thus making the conditions
anything but favorable for prayer. Another
time when the value of water was brought
forcibly to the notice of another settler, a
man by the name of Williams, when be
spilled three barrels of water when his wagon
upset, after bringing the liquid five miles
with o.xen. Another time Jay Verbeck fell
into a well while bailing water for cattle. The
mercury stood at zero when this cceurred.
Very few cf the old settlers who suffered these
hardships are now living in the township,
most of them having gone to places where
there is more water. Those were great days
in the history of Itarton County."

HENRY FRUIT'S EXPERIENCE

HK.VRY FRl'IT. an old timer of this sec-
lion of the state recalls his arrival here
and tells of a trip to Dodge City in the
early days. Mr. Fruit says:

"I landed in Great Bend on the 12th day
of March, lb72, and found here s:;ine old friends
from my native state, Illinois. I was well
pleased with the appearance of the country,
and on the 13th, my brother-iu-Iaw, W. W.
Hartshorn and I started out to locate a claim.
We had no trouble in finding a good location,
and after I had made the necessary improve-
ments t3 hold it, I began to look for a job and
let it be known that if anybody wanted a
carpenter I was their huckleberry. I did not
wait long for there was one Harry I»vett, then
living in Zarah, about four miles east of Great
Bend, who wanted a frame work put inside his
big wall tent, so he was sent to rae. To tell
the truth I did not fancy the job a great deal.
I had heard of Mr. Ijovett and did not fancy
his style, for a short time before he had
pumped a cowboy full of lead and then finished
him by beating his brains out with a revolver.
Knowing all of this I began to make excuses,
but he would not hear them: "U — n it," be
said, "I want the work done," he said it as
though he meant it too. Remembering the
fate of the cowboy I concluded to go. I got
through with the desi)erado in two days and
got seven fifty for my work, and got back to
Great Bend O. K. By the middle of May Ih'
cattle trade began to bbssom, buildings begun
to loom up, houses, stores, barns, saloons, anl
dance halls were to' be seen at frequent inter-
vals and carpenters were in good demand, so T
had plenty of work at my trade until about the
middle of August. The word soon went out
that Great Bend was a haven for carpenters

and by the first of August there were more
carpenters here than there are fiddlers in
Helena or anywhere else. There being more
cari)enters than jobs 1 concluded to try my
hand at buffalo hunting. Mr. Frost, W. H.
Quincy, or "Tough" as he is better known and
myself, started for the buffal:) range about
twenty miles south of Dodge City, where wo
hoard there were thousands of buffaloes. Wo
had no adventure to speak of until the second
day, out, when we stoi)ped to feed and get our
dinners. Just after dinner there was a big
flock of buffalo birds lit in some weeds along
the trail, and Frost said to Quincy, "if you will
lot me have your shotgun I'll bet you a quar-
ter 1 can kill fifty of them birds at one shot."
The bet was made. Frcst fired into the bunch
and such a slaughter I never saw. He picked
up and counted 13G and was not through when
we happened to look southward and there we
saw something that caused \is to pause and
our hair to stand up. It was about 150 men
on horseback coming straight for our camp.
We at once jumped to the c;;nclusion that it
was a bunch of hostile Indians for we heard
they were on the warpath. The party was too
far off for us to tell exactly what they were
but we imagined we could see the paint on
their faces and the feathers on their heads, so
what were we to do? We were too far frani
Fort Dodge to think of making there, they
would overtake us before we had covered half
the distance, so we concluded to drive about a
half mile north of a hill covered with Icoso
stone and build a fort, and then sell our lives
as dearly as possidle. We had two needle
guns. By this time the front of the line had
reached the river and the horses were drink-
ing leisurely. By this time we were ready to

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

start and the horsemen were at the river. We
looked again, ;ind oh; joy, cur hearts gave a
great Hound and our hair began to set-
tle down for we saw coming out from the sand
hills a covered wagon drawn by four mulss,
:ind just behind it two men on horses, one o£
them carrying an American flag. We knew
at once no band of Indians would be carrying
Old Glory nor would they have a covered
wagon. I never was so glad in my life to see
the American flag, for I knew no harm could
come to us from that source. Now to explain
why TTncle Sam's cavlary was out. It was not
for the purpose of scaring the life out of three
hunters."

"Two or three nights before a gang of
horse thieves mostly white men, stampeded
about fifty horses and mules, belonging to a
railroad c"ntractor, then working about five
miles west oE Dodge City. The commander at
Fort Uodge had sent out two companies of cav-
alry after the thieves. They caught them in
the brakes of Medicine I^dge river, re-cap-
tured the stock and killed some of the bandits.
When we saw them they were on their way
back with the stolen stock. We started on mir
journey mighty glad that we had escap'xl
alive, having forgotten about the bet Frost
won. We got to the old government crossing
about one mile west of Dodge City, and found
eld Bob Robinson, a buffalo hunter of great
fame. We found a great deal of water in the
river at this point. Robinson and a man from
Ellsworth doubled their teams and got across

the river. We tried it alone and got across
O. K. We found the buffalo by the thousands
at the heads of Mulberry and Indian creeks.
We succeeded in killing about 200 in ten days,
after which we started on the return trip.
When we get to the river it was much lower
but we had to make several trips in order to
get our loads across. At Dodge we traded <uir
green hides for dry ones and camped for the
night about a mile east of the city. About
three o'clock in the morning we were awaken-
ed by somebody galloping across the prairie,
the moon was about two hours high and we
could see quite plainly. Frost raised to see
what it was. I asked him "what do you see?"
He replied, "two men on horseback." They
sto])ped near our horses and one ef thiun dis-
niouuted, and I heard Frost say, "Halt, hold on
there, what do you want?" and in the same
breath he whispered, "Bob, they have your
horses." Bob said, "shoot the son-of-a-gun,"
and the crack of Frost's rifle brfoke the still-
ness of the midnight air. This was followed by
."■■everal shots in nuiek succession. By this
time the would-be horse thieves began to think
it was getting mighty hot, for they mounted
their ponies, and ran for their lives. They
liail cut the rope tied to Bol)'s horses, and
were making off with them when we called a
halt. They made a water haul that time. We
g:t to Great Bend without any more adven-
tures and sold our hides for $1.1.5 each and
that was the end of my first buffalo hunt, but
it was not the last one."

THE GARDEN SPOT OF THE WORLD

By John F. Lewis

BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS, is a moder-
ate undulating landscape affording more
high class tillable land in proportion
to its acreage than any county in the state, .ex-
cept pcssibly two or three counties.

The slight swells and valleys aft'ord excel-
lent natural drainage, and a view over the
country that is delightful. Commencing in the
north part of the county the entire distance
east and west, and north and south is typical
wheat land, out of the vast plains of buffa'o
grass once traversed by buffalo, but now dotted
with beautiful groves of trees, elegant farm
houses and barns, with good natural roads for
vehicles and the honk honk of the farmers' au-
tomobile may be heard any hour of the day.
The soil is a dark chocolate loam, enriched by
the silts deposited by thousands of years of
water overflow in the glacial period and from
the Rocky Mountains. As we go south we
encounter the breaks leading into the valleys
of Blood and Deception creeks, where appears
the croppings of lime and sand-stone in suffi-
cient quantities to afford the people with build-

ing material, which are in evidence in the
many stone houses, barns and corrals.

The earth has not been [leuet rated to suf-
ficient depth or of such frequency Vj venture
upon much of a geological showing of its for-
mation, however one w'ell sunk within four
miles of Great Bend discovered a bed of mer-
chantable rock salt 163 feet in thickness.

The lime stone disappears south of Blood
creek, some five miles north of the center of
the county, and now comes the various hues
of sand-stone that exists in sufficient quan-
tity n su])ply the demand, which continues
until the Walnut creek is reached running
from east to west, a little south of the centin-
of the county. where is found a
rich deep black soil equal to the richest prai-
rie soil of Illinois or Iowa, where alfalfa is
successfully grown without irrigation, anil
where sheet water abounds at a depth from
the surface of the ground that no drouth or
heat diminishes the supply for man -or beast,
nor has the time ever been in this county that

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

wells went dry or water had to be hauled lor
stock.

The Waliiiit creek valley extends its widlh
and mingles its matchless soil with the Ar-
kansas Valley, where in rich profusion may
be seen the alfalfa, corn and wheat fields. The
endless fields of grain are so blended that the
road ways can only be marked by the fringes
of trees that embellish the country with flam-
boyant denial that this could ever have been
the great American desert.

Here in this vast sc:pe of country between
the Walnut creek and the Arkansas river is a
soil that has also received the rich deposit of
'he 6ilts that came from the west in the migh-
ty currents that swei)t down the Arkansas
river, when everything south of the Walnut
creek was a vast body of water which grudg-
ingly yielded to man its rich producing qual-
ities, and Barton county encompasses the
richest spot in the state.

The occasional discovery :f limbs and 1o_k;s
of wood at depths from 15 to 60 feet are in-
controvertible evidences that this land was ac-
cumulated drifts and fills at great depth frcn
the floods from the west^ which gives assi.r-
rance of a long lived soil in the producing
qualities, continuing to rise to the surface, re-
plenishing the to]) formation much more rapid-
ly than it can be consumed in cropping the
land.

We now pass to the south side of the Ar-
kansas river where we find the once much
doubted sandy land, once almost destitute of
vegetation, but now rivals the fields cf all of
the states cf the I'nion. In the mighty floods
once covering this country for thousands of
years, the slacked lime-stone of the Rocky
Mountains with its rich conglomerate of de-
comi)osed vegetable and aniinal matter in a
formation variously estimated from 25 t^ 60
feet deep. This rich sub-stratum is rapidly
coming to the surface with a tenacity that
will soon resist the blowing of soils by the
winds, that was once much feared.

The occasional bare patches of sand that
once glared the eye with a suggestion of desert
lands, have now changed int ; a dark rich pro-
ductive soil, and with the lardy efforts being
made by the farmers to grow fruits come re-
sults that give promise in the near future of
a great fruit country. The popular acknowl-
edgeinent that the south side of the river is
the great corn belt of Kansas brooks no con-
tradicti:n, and the largest yield of wheat pel"
acre ever recorded in the state came from
these lands. The banner vegetable production
of this country is on the south side, all admit,
and had this marvelous country been exi)loit-
ed with anything like the energy California
lias, it would have been as notable for its
wheat, corn, alfalfa, melons, vegetables anl
fruits as any country in the world.

There has been no little discussion over
the amount of moisture we receive in this
country and while it must be admitted that
previous to 1S97 we quite often suffered for
want of rain, and the cause is now known to

have been the unobstructed heated winds by
the parched uncultivated plains of Texas and
Oklahoma which are no.v being pUwed up and
jilanted to crops and whether successful to
the owners of said fields or not, they are me
depository of rains which once ran away lika
water fr:in the roof of a house, whereas no*'
they throw off vapor that create clouds that
are blown to us by the never varying south
winds, that give us an assurance of rainfall in
normal years that no other state can boas',
and when in our feeble efforts to justly, truta-
fully and explicitly exploit the beauties, excel-
lencies and advantages of Barton County, Kan-
sas, our mind runs to those matchless words (f
Senator Ingalls, who must have had in his
mind Barton County, when he said, "Kansas
is the nucleus of our political system," etc.

"Kansas is the nucleus of our political sys-
tem, round which forces assemble, to which its
energies converge, aiid from which its energies
radiate to the remotest circumference. Kan-
sas is the focus of freedom, where the rays of
heat and light concentrated into a flame that
melted the manacles of the slave and cauter-
ized the heresies of state sovereignty and dis-
union. Kansas is the core and kernel of the
country, containing the germs of its growth
and the quickening ideas essential to its per-
petuity. The hist;ry of Kansas is written in
capitals. It is punctuated with exclamation
points. Its verbs are imperative. It's adjec-
tives are superlative. The commonplace in'I
prosaic aie not defined in its lexicon. Us sta-
tistics can he stated only in the language of
hyperbole. The aspiration of Kansas is to reach
the unattainable; its dream is the realization
of the impossible. Alexander wept because
there were no more worlds ts conquer. Kan-
sas, having vanquished all competitors, smiles
complacrntly as she surpasses from year to
year her own triumphs in growth and glory.
Other states could be spared wifj irreparable
bereavement, but Kansas is indispensible to
the joy, the inspiration and the improvement
of the world. It seems incredible that there
was a time when Kansas did not exist ;when
its name was n,t written on the map of 'he
I'niled States: when the Kansas cyclone, the
Kansas grass-hopper, the Kansas boom and
the Kansas I'lopia were unknown. I was a
student in the junior class at William College
when President Pierce, forgotten but for that
signature, approved the act establishing the
Territory of Kansas. May 30, 1854. 1 remem-
ber the inconceivable agitation that preceded,
accomiianied and followed this event. It was
an epoch. Destiny closed one volume of our
annals and, opening another, traced with shail-
owy finger upon its pages a million epitaphs,
ending with Appomattox. Kansas was the
prologue to a tragedy whose epilogue has not
yet been pronounced: the prelude to a fugue of
battle whose reverberations have n"t yet died
away. Floating one summer night upon a

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

inooulit sea, I heard far over the still waters a

high, clear voice singing:

-To the West! To the West; To the land of 'he

free.
Where the mighty Missouri rolls down to l!ij

sea;
Where a man is a man if he's willing to t il.
And the humhlest may gather the fruits of the

soil."

The grassy quadrangle geographers call
Kansas. Her undulating fields are the
floors of ancient seas. These limestones
li'dges underlying the iirairies and cropping
from the foreheads of the hilis are the ceme-
teries of the marine insect life of the primeval
world. The inexhaustible hnnius is the mjld of
the decaying herbage ..f unnumbered centur-
ies. It is only upon calcareous plains, in tem-

perate latitudes, that agriculture is supremo,
and the strong structure and the rich nourish-
ment imparted essential to bulk, endurance,
and speed in animals; to grace, beauty and
lassion in women; and in uum to stature, cour-
age, health and longevity."

And to properly finish the picture with the
music of rhyme in quoting Walt Mason's epi-
grammatic ode.
"Kansas: Where we've tern the shackles

From the farmers leg;
Kansas: Where the hen that cackles

Always lays an egg;
Where the cows are fairly achin',

To go on with record breakin'.
And the hogs are raising bacon

By the keg."

HIS FIRST FEE AND OTHER REMINISCENCES

By James W. Clark

THK writer hereof located in Great Bond
Xovember 6, 1SS4. During that month
Judge Strang held his last term of court
in this county, the same being the last coiiri
here as a part of the 16th judicial district. The
sixteenth judicial district when it was created
in ISSl consisted of the counties of Barton.
Stafford, Pratt, Barber, Comanche, Edwards.
Pawnee, Rush, Ness, Hodgeman. Ford, Clark
Meade, Foote, Buffalo, Lane, Scott, SequGyab.
Arapahoe. Seward, Stevens, Grant. Kearney,
Wichita Greeley, Hamilton and Stanton.

In February, 18S5, the 20th judicial district
was created, and consisted of the counties of
Barton, Rice, Stafford and Pratt. Hon. Geor:je
W. Ximocks of the local bar was appointed as
judge cf this new district until the following
election w hen Judge Clark was elected. The
members of the Barton county bar at this time
consisted of S. J. Day, W. H. Dodge, Joshua
Clayton, James Clayton, Theo. C. Cole, E. C.
Cole. Samuel Maher, William Osmond. C. F.
Diffenbacher, Judge D. A. Banta, L. R. Xim-
ocks, B. F. Ogle and the writer. The court
docket was large, and most every little case
was fought out to the finish with but few com-
promises or friendly settlements. The policy
of the bar seems to have changed in this re-
gard during more recent years. Now- the at-
torneys and clients Icok upon lawsuits move
as matters of business and seek just and fair
settlements rather than unnecessary and ex-
pensive trials tinged with spite and vengenoo.
The first case the writer tried after locating
here was rather comical. The lot where the
Odd Fellows' Hall now stands was owned by
Jlrs. I. T. Flint. Her husband had placed this
property with A. J. Buckland. a real es-
tate agent, for sale, and D. R. Jones who

tried to buy the property from Buckland and
failing concluded he would g^ to Eureka town-
ship where the Flints lived and make the deal
with them, and Buckland learning of this
started out, procured a conveyance and he and
Jones had a horse race to see who could reach
the Flints first. Jones w^on the race and
bought the property, and then Buckland
brought suit before C. J. Mclnt:sh, a justice of
the peace in South Bend township, for his com-
mission tor the sale of this property. Your
writer represented Mr. Flint, who was very
pugnacious, and James Clayton represented
Mr. Buckland, who was rather schrewd and
cunning in his ways, and doubtless had a pur-
pose in the selecti'cn of his court to try the
case. A jury was demanded, the case hotly
contested, and even the parties themselves in-
sisted on making arguments to the jury. Flint
spoke first with much feeling, noise and abuse,
and on finishing left his memorandum book on
the little school house table. Then Mr. Buck-
land commenced his argument by referring to
Flint as a sneak thief, whereup n Flint rose to
his feet and made a break towards Buckland
for revenge and everyone kept out of his way
as he rushed up the isle towards Buckland,
but he simply picked up his memorandum
bock, walked back and took his seat amidst an
uproar of laughter. No one was hurt. Flint
won his case on the ground that his wife, tho
holder of the title, had not authorized the plac-
ing of the property for sale. The writer re-
ceived for his services a bright new ten dollar
bill his first fee in Kansas.

The oldest contractor in the county in point
of service is still engaged in the business and
apparently as ycung as ever. He is Frank Kra-
mer of this city. He came here from Pennsyl-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

nia in the early '70s and was noted for years as
one of the finest band men and ball players in
the state. And Frank says that it has always
been a wonder to him how he ever managed
to hold on to his trade, siii)iiort a family and
follow these tw"o professions when either one
is enough of a detriment to a man in a small
conimuMily w-here neither i)ays salary. Cli;\s.
Morrison is the next oldest eoiilractor in th"
city.

The first bank in Harton County was estab-
lished in 1873 by Samuel Maher and others.
It ran for a year then got int) diffieulties over
a eheck for $17,000 in whieh cattle buyers and

the Santa Fe were involved and went out of
business. The J. V. Brinkman Company Hank
organized in 1874, whieh is now one of the big
banks of the state, was really a continuation
of this bank.

The Hartoii Ounty court house was built
liy the Santa Fe railroad. The company
owned most of the taxable land in the county
in the year 1S72 and the few citizens of the
county managed to get a special election call
through and had the court house built, the
taxes paid by the Santa Fe paying the most of
the expense.

THE KILLING OK AKCHIE B. CLEMENTS

By G. N. Moses

TIIK following description of Archie li.
Clements' death in Missouri after a
sireneous career is told by George .\'.
Moses who was active in the early day life of
that part of the country before he came to Bar-
ton Cnuuty. It is printed as an interesting
event in the life of the first sheriff of Barton
County.

At the close of the Civil Wai', the country
was in a very unsettled condition and more es-
pecially so in the border states. There were
roving bands of men, composed of the w'orst
elements -cf both armies, who did not accept
the condition of peace or abide by the civil law
but took the law in their own hands and trav-
elled the country, burning, murdering and
committing all kinds of depredations. Such
was the condition of affairs in I..aFayei'_o
County, Mo. A band of men, headed by Archie
B. Clements, who was a lieutenant under
Quantrell at the time cf the Lawrence massa-
cre, would ride into I^'xington shooting, killing
and robbing banks in broad day light. lieports
of these outrages coming to the ears of Gov.
Tom Fletcher, he sent Bacon Montgomery cf
Sedalia, Mo., and ordered him to raise a com-
pany of men and go to Lexington and quiet the
troubles.

Montgomery returned to Sedalia and raised
a company of thirty-twc, consisting of such
men as J. M. and George Turley, Dave Thorn-
ton, Tom Tibbs, Monte Cantrell and others of
like character. They were men who had car-
ried their lives in their hands all through the
war; they were dead shots and could be relied
upon to face any danger. They were as daring
a lot of men, taken as a whole, as w'ere ev-^r
banded tcgelher. We left Sedalia for Lexiag-
ton but the date of our leaving I cannot rec-
ollect. It was, however, in the winter of ISGiJ.
On the way we were notified by friends, that
Clements and his band would meet us at the
LaFayette County line and that we were never
to be permitted to cross the line. Sure enough

when we came to the line there was a squad of
men but at sight of us they scattered into the
brush and we went int:: Lexington without any
trouble, remaining there several days without
anything cf note happening. One day, a com-
pany of nearly 500 men, headed by Uave Poole
came into town and it was reported that they
came for the purpose of taking the oath, reg-
istering or something of that kind. We didn't
just like the l"oks of things so we gathered
our squad in the court house, remaining there
until they left town. Shortly after they left,
Montgomery came to Turley, Tibbs and myself
and said that Clements, and Hickland had
come back and were at the hotel which was
run by one of the Hicklands. He further stat-
ed that there was a reward offered by both
Kansas and Missouri for Clements and he
w-anted us to go and get him. We started at
( nee and on the way, discussed the situation,
finally determining that we wsuld take them if
possible, without shooting. Our plan was to
get them into conversation and then ask them
to take a drink and while drinking get the
drop on them and cause them to surrender.
Meantime. Montgomery, fearing there might be
more of them than we could handle, sent .7 )e
Wood with two or three men, to our assist-
ance.

Just as we were in the act of taking a drink
at the bar. Wood came to the door and com-
menced hollering, "Surrender." Immediately.
Clements and Hickland si)rang back, Hickland
jumping over a billiard table. As he jumped, I
sht him in the leg. Clements ran through a
side door into the office and I ran into the
opening leading into the office. .lust as I
slipped into the door Clements turned and fired
at me the ball going through my clothes but
not drawing blood. 1 fired at him hitting him
in the right breast, crippling him badly which
accounts f:r his poor shooting after that for
he emptied eleven six shooters at us and never

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

hit a man and he died with the twelfth gun in
his hand trying to cock it.

When 1 shot him he fell but before I could
reach him he siirang to his feet and started
running towards the Virginia Hotel Livery
Burn, in front of which he had his horse tied.
1 was so busy taking care of myself up to this
time that 1 did not realize what Turley and
Tibbs were ding, but when I came to myself
I found that all three of us were running after
Clements. Clements reached his horse when
we were within ten or fifteen feet of him and
we continued shooting at him as fast as we
could but in spite of it all, he mounted and
swung his horse around and started towards
Market Street. As his horse came around he
ran into the lead horse cf a four horse team
that was coming up the street and we followed
still shooting at him and shot and killed the
lead horse of the team. Clements' horse was
hit several times but kept going, reaching
Market street and tUen up that street as far as
Dr. Cooley's residence; there his horse gave
out and stopped. Turley and I were the first
to reach him and t:ok him off his horse and
he was then vainly trying to cock his last si.'C
shooter but had not the strength left to do so.
We laid him on the ground and he stretched
out, gave a few convulsions and the last words

he ' spoke were, '■Oh, he 11," and he was

dead.

We took the h:dy to the court house where
an examination disclosed that Clements had
been hit thirty-three or thirty-four times, of
which number, twenty odd wounds were in the
body. We then placed his body against one of
the columns of the court house and had iv
phot:graphed.

1 had one of these pictures but have been
unable to locate it. When we brought Clem-
ents' body to the court house, I told Montgom-
ery that I thought Hickland was wounded at
the hotel. Several of us went back there and
found a trail cf blood from the billiard table,
through the office and up the stairs where It
stopped. Montgomery then found the land-
lord and demanded Hickland. telling him that
if he did not deliver him up we would set tire
to the house and smoke Hickland out.

There was certainly a scene of commotion
then. The laudl;rd, his wife and two grown
daughters, crying, wringing their hands and
swearing that Hickland had left the hotel.
Montgomery would not believe them and sent
John Jackson to a drug etore for some turpen-
tine which he soon brought and Bake emptied
the can on the floor and was just about t.)
touch a match to the turpentine when the
mayor and Dr. Cooley who were old friends of
his, came in and persuaded him not to burn
the house.

That afternoon we received word frcm a
farmer, that the Poole band had returned to
old man Hickland's place, two miles from
town, and were coming in to kill every one oi
us. We went through the city, taking all the
arms and ammunition we could find and draft-

ing a lot cf negroes and then establishing
headquarters at McDowell College. From
there we sent out pickets and spies to watcli
their movements. I went through fields and
along hedge rows to their camp until 1 was
close enough to hear what they were saying.
Some of them wanted to come in and some
hung back. They lacked a leader. They
wanted Poole to lead them in but this he re-
fused to do and that settled it. They never
came after us while we were at the College. I
might here add, that we never found Hickland.
There was a newspaper published on the
other side of the river by a man named Wil-
liams and he was giving us a terrible scoring
as robbers and murderers, so Turley took a
few of us with him and we crossed the river,
captured the printer, broke the presses and
scattered the type up and down the street. We
brought Williams back with us and for several
days kept him prisoner under a stairway in
a dark room and then let him go. This esca-
pade, however, proved quite an expensive joke
for us for w-e were afterwards compelled to
pay for the property destroyed.

Soon after this we moved back to the court
house. Some of the good citizens who did not
like us nor the idea cf our staying there any
longer, sent all kinds of terrible reports about
us to President Grant and these reports wore
so bad, describing us as robbers and murder-
ers, that Grant, without taking second thought
ordered two companies of infantry from Fort
Leavenworth to Lexington by forced march.
The day these U. S. troops arrived there was
a young lieutenant sent ahead to procure quar-
ters. This lieutenant had evidently just en-
tered the army and gave every evidence of
having bought his commission for he lacked
any of the traits of a true soldir or gentleman.
He came to the court house dressed in a ne'.v
uniform with bright shining buckles and but-
tons and his sword dangling by his side and
you could tell from his looks that he consid-
ered himself a great soldier and of vast im-
portance. 1 happened to be standing in the
doorway and he addressed himself to me, ask-
ing "What men are these here?" I remarked
that they were Gen. Montgomery and his men.
"Gen. Montgomery," he replied with a sneor.
"Where is this man Montgomery'?' I felt the
blood coursing a little swift.-r through my
viens but held my peace knowing that BaKe
could answer him much better than 1 cou d.
and followed him in saying to him that the
General was back there by the stove, playing
=even-up with some of his men. The lieuten-
ant marched in very pompously and said,
"Where is this man Montg .mery?" Bake look-
ed up and said, "That's my name, sir. I .le
lieutenant, said, "Capt. Williams is on his way
here, sir, with U. S. troops and wo wai.t
these rooms for our -luarters." Again Bai.e
looked up and said, "How many troops has
Capt. Williams?" "Two companies of infan-
try sir " "Well." said Cake. "You go back and
teil Capt Williams that I have thirty Misscu-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

rians licro and I will contest with hiiii, tlnd
damn you sir, fcr these (|uarters," and lUiKe
went on with his game paying no further at-
tention to the lieutenant who stood there a
few minutes then turned and walked out like
a whipiied cur.

.Meantime. George Tiirley had got hold o;
an old musket and constituted himself a
guard and halted the lieutenant when he gj*
to the door. The lieutenant drew his s\vo!';l
and ordered George to get out of the way but
George took after him and ran him clear past
the court house square, (iricking him with the
bayonet at every jump. When the l'. S. troops
arrived they camped in the court h^use yard.
Bake went and telegraphed Governor Fletcher
who immediately wired the president that 'lo
had state troops at Lexington, that he had
made no requisition for U. S. troops and asked
that they be ordered back. The troops soon
left for Fcrt lieaven worth.

It did not suit the old moss backs that "ve
were left in control of the situation so they
swore to charges against us of w'ilful and
malicious murder. (By the way. in the shooting
fracas with Clements, there were one or two
citizens accidentally killed.) Se we were in-
dicted for murdering Clements and these cit-
izens. A United States marshal named Poole,
a cousin of Dave Poole, was sent to arrest us.
He came to Lexington, sent for us to come to
the hotel and told us he had a warrant for our
arrest.

Montgomery told him to iiroduce his war-
rants and if they were all right we would go
with him but this he refused to do and for sev-
eral days we parleyed back and forth. Mont-
gomery demanding to see the warrants and
Poole declining to show them, claiming it was
not necessary. Finally he sent for ns anj
said he would show us the warrants if we
wcnld promise not to harm the prosecuting
witnesses. Bake told him he would guarantee
and he would read the warrants to
us. Bake told him we would be ready when
us. Bake told him we woulr be ready when
the next stage left. We were a good deal sus-
picious of Poole as he was so closely related
to Dave pcole the noted bushwhacker and
feared he might steer us into an ambush
where thev would kill us all so Montgomery

told the boys to saddle up and follow us to
Warrensburg for fear Clements' friends would
ambush us on the road. The next morning wc
started. There was no one else in the stagi'
but the marshal. Bacon Montgomery. James
Turley, Tom Tibbs and myself. Poole's son
was on horseback as guard. After going some
distance on the way to Warrensburg without
any trouble the boys began to feel develish and
til nght they would have some fun with lli"
guard so they commenced shooting up the dirt
around him and he soon took to the brush.
Poole thought his time had come and shook
like a leaf but Montgomery quieted him by as-
suring him that neither he njr his son were in
any danger for the boys were just in fun. We
reached Warrensburg all O. K. and there took
the train for Jefferson City. Just as the \vhis-
tle blew for Sedalia, one of the complaining
witnesses opened the car door, came in and
took a seat by the door. Tibbs and I were
seated a few seats in front when the d::or
opened and Tibbs looked back to see who
came in. As soon as he discovered who it was,
Tibbs said, "See me wing that s — n of b — b,"
and before I ceuld realize what he was doing
he inilled his gun and shot the old fellow
through the ear. He did net wait for the tr-.iin
to stop but just got off and took the next train.
When we reached Jefferson City, Poole took
us around to lock us \ip but we politely tipped
our hats and bade him "go:d evening." He
then followed us around, stopping at the same
hotel we did until we had our preliminary
hearing. We were placed under one hundred
dollar bonds which we declined to give and we
also declined to be locked up.

Most of our beys had come down and al!
were heavily armed. I had the least number
of guns of any in my belt and I had four six
shooters.

Trouble was averted by Gen. Miller of St.
I^uis, Col. Boyd of Springfield and Bill Fletch-
er going on the bond. 1 think this was arrang-
ed by the late C. P. Townsley wh3 was in at-
tendance at the Legislature as a Senator from
Sedalia. W'hen our trial came off we were ill
acquitted and the boys scattered to th^ir
homes, Turley, McCabe and I returning to Se-
dalia.

THE MENNONITE COLONY NEAIi DUNDEE

SHORTLY after the completion of the San-
la Fe railway through Barton County,
in the spring of 1S75, that c.mpany
through its emigrant bureau extensively ad-
vertised its lands throughout all sections
where it was possible to reach those seeking
new homes, and this literature was scattered
broadcast over sections of Russia and agents
were stationed in New "V'ork to meet and guide
them to this locality. By these means a large
proportion of the present population of Bar-
ton County were induced to settle and imjirove

the lands to their present state of productive-
ness, and became factors in making this coun-
ty what it is today. That these i)eople had
long been in search of a land in which to make
their homes is proven by their past history
which is that in 1S02 their ancestors emigrated
from Germany to Russia on an agreement
with the Emjiress of Russia that they were to
make their own laws and govern themselves
in a limited way for ninety-nine years; be ex-
enijit from military duty and be free in relig-
ious observances. When their descendants

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

left Russia f :;r America this period would soon
expired and they left rather than submit to
the laws that would soon be f;rced upon th^nu,
the adoption of the Greek Catholic religion,
and service in the Russian army.

The majority of those who settled here had
lived in small communities or villages in Rus-
sia and were weavers, lumber sawers and far-
mers by trade. They had been supplied by
companies stationed at a distance with the.
material and work, and had depended more on
this means of subsistance than on that of agri-
culture. To govern such a village it had been
found necessary to form themselves in a com-
pact body with a responsible head, and that
manner of organization was at first attempted
here by the c:Icny which settled one mile euot
of the present town of Dundee. There were
fifteen families in this colony, and they en-
tered the whole of section 16. under the home-
stead act. and bought the whole of section 9
from the Santa Fe railway Company on pa;-
ments covering eleven years. B:th sections
were divided originally into twenty equal parts
and this gave to each family a tract of thirty-
two acres on each section; or sixty-four acr^s
in all. On section 16 they built houses out of
4x6 lumber and there made their homes and
gardens, and on section 9 they pitched thai;-
cr ps. The fifteen cottages formed a village',
and near the center of this was built a stoni'
school house, which also served as a church
building. The ruler or head officer was
called "the schultz," and for convenience he
had his home near the school building, and his
residence served as a council house. Abr;.-
ham Seibert was the first pastor of this Men-
nonite congregation but he was not a resident
cf the villege, but lived with his parents about
two miles southeast of the settlement, and
now lives in Michigan. Those who made -tv
the village are the families of Cornelius D.
Unruh. (deceased), Cornelius Thomas, (de-
ceased), Henry Seibert, (deceased). Christian

C. Schultz, Mrs. Lizzie Rudiger, Andrew 1'.
furuh. Jacob Seibert, (deceased), Benjamin
rnruh, (deceased). Andrew B. Ihiruh, first
schultz, (deceased), Peter I'nruh, Cornelius P.
Unruh (deceased), Andrew A. Seibert. living
in Marion County, Mrs. Susan I'nruh. (de-
ceased), Benjamin P. Smith and Peter H.
Dirks. Henry B. Unruh also purchased his
first home fr:m this colony, but as he was not
a resident until March. 1S76. is not included in
the original settlers. It will also be seen that
the original intentions of the community were
never carried out as the plans were for twen-
ty families and only fifteen came under the
agreement. The scheme was found impracti-
cal in this country after about three of four
years trial and the various members became
better acquainted with the freedcm of the
laws in America. As their holdings were inde-
liendent of their village agreement they finally
decided to become in fact free American citi-
zens and one by one sold their first little homes
and bought larger and better farms in othor
localities and are now classed among Barton
County's most substantial and best citizens.

At that date there were other German-Rus-
sian settlers in this same and ether localities
in the county, and the Santa Fe system and
other railways realized that they were of the
proiier make-up to make good citizens and
provided emigration houses along their lines.
There was one at nearly all depots for the ac-
commodation rf these new arrivals and in
these they settled temporarily, lived whi!>;
they provided permanent homes for their fam-
ilies. Where these houses were not yet built
box cars were often put to use for temporary
homes, and it was in a car on a siding in Paw-
nee Rock that Jac:b P. Dirks, of "Mount Pleas-
ant Hillside Farm" was born, and in an emi-
grant house at Newton. Kansas, that .lacob A.
Dirks, of "Xorth Slope Farm." first breathed
the breath in free Kansas.

SETTLEMENTS
Buffalo Township

THE U. S. Census of IsTO found two people
in what is now Barton County. These
were nnd;ubtedly John Reineeke and
Henry Schultz who made settlement on <ne
Walnut in April, 1870. Their locations were in
section 10-19-14. about six miles northwest of
Great Bend.

The only other settlers within the county s
limits in 1S70 were: W. C. Gibson, Gideon K.
Mecklem and son. Henry Meyer, Wm. Jans,
Rudreas Albrecht, Antone Wilkie, George Bar-
ry. N. Fields, C. F. Brining. A. Kellar, C. B.
Worden, Mike Stanton. E. Warring. These men
settled cl:se together in what is now Buft'alo
and Walnut township. Their residences gen-
erally dugouts were from four to seven feet

dec)) in the earth, covered with grass and
earth. They were usually constructed in
some secluded place near the creek bank
where .good drainage could be had, or in some
side-hill, so that the roof cr occasional smoke
would not be noticed. It is said one might so
the entire length of the creek and even pass
within one hundred yards of these dugon'.s
withotit being aware of their presence. There
was one log house in 1S70 built by Mr. Meck-
lem. It was built with lo~p holes and very
small windows and designed as a means of de-
fense against the Indians. The principal occm-
liaticn of the settlers during the first years
was the slaughter of buffaloes, the flesh of
which during the cooler months was marketed

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

at Russell and Ellsworth, thirty and fifty
miles distant respectively, but in the summer
months aside from the flesh for eating the
only available proceeds were frcni the hides
which when dried sold at 50 to 90 cents each.
A few plowed and tried to raise crops which
were generally destroyed by the buffaloes.
Henry Schultz succeeded in 1870 in raising sj.x
acres of corn, and two acres of oats.

Attempts at cultivation were made more ful-
ly in ISTl since the Indians weie not deemed

troublescme any more. In this year some corn
was raised but much of the crop was de-
stroyed by the corn worm. Spring wheat was
a failure and oats but little better.

Corn was then worth $1.00 to $1.50 p'.>r
bushel but there was very little to sell. Since
this time Buffalo township has grown in pop-
ulation until in 1912 it has a population :.(
467 and is one of the best townships in the
county.

Great Bend Township

The first settlements in Great Bend town-
ship were made in 1871, the first settlers being
E. J. Dodge and sons, D. N. Heizer, A. C.
Moses and sons, John Cook, E. W. Uewey.
Nicholas Haushcrr. J. P. Bisscll, J. F. Tilt;n,
G. N. Moses, James R. Bickerdyke, W. H. Odeil
and others. The earliest settlers located oi;
the banks of Walnut creek which, of course,
had the advantage of plenty of fuel, running
water, shelter and promised a deeper and a
richer soil than could be found in the sur-
rounding country. The date and location of
filing declaratory statements as copied from
the records are as follows. These entries are
all in township 19, range 13.

Name — Date Sec.

E.J.Dodge 6-23-71 10

David N. Heizer 5-23-71 22

Wallace H. Dodge 6-20-71 4

Chas. K. Dodge 6-20-71 4

Amasa C. Moses 6-2S-71 10

Arthur H. Moses 6-28-71 10

Thomas B. Morris 7-12-71 2';

Ed. W. Dewey 7-19-71 4

N. Hausherr 8-10-71 10

Julius P. Bissell 8-18-71 10

J. F. Tiltan 8 25-71 32

W. H. Odell 8-29-71 30

J. R. Bickerdyke 8 29-71 1-5

H. B. Bickerdyke 9-3-71 32

G, N. .Moses 9-14-71 30

Henry Schaffer 9-18-71 30

Warren Peck 9-22-71 14

Edwin P. Reynolds 12-16-71 14

S. S. Dennis 3 72 22

E. B. Cowgill 3 72 22

John Cook 4- 8-72 8

There were about thirty other filings made
during the year 1871 by people who shortly
afterwards abandoned their claims and
moved.

The first settler in the township was D. N.
Heizer, the second one being E. J. Dodge, who
first came in .May, 1871. He strpped at Heiz-
er's ranch during the latter's absence, and
went back to the Smoky and returned in June,
taking out homestead papers on the twenty-
third cf the mcnih, his being the first en'ry
in the township. This township now has a
population of 435 and adds greatly each year
to the products of the county.

L a k i n Township

On May 20, 1871. there were six different
exploring parties en the Walnut, near the site
of old Fort Zarah. Among those were D. N.
Heiz<T, M. W. Halsey, Dr. Prescott and Can-
tain Guffin. Most of these outfits went into
cam]) Saturday, a few having been in camp for
several days.

About September 20, 1871, a party of five
from Atlanta, Rice County, came to lock for
claims in I^kin township, near where Ellin-
wood now stands. Considerable trouble was
had in finding section corners, the settlers
finally going to Fort Zarah reservation where
they commenced running east, and continued
as far as secticn 10, township 20, range 11 W.
M. W. Halsey selected the first location, the
southwest quarter of 32-19-11. Then followed
locations by the following:

Name — Date. Location

Aaron Strong 10- 6-71 28-19-12

Aaron Burlison lii-U-71 32-19-11

Andrew McKinney ... 1-15-72 2S-19-11

Wm. N. Halsey 1-19-72 32-19-1!

Lee M. Colline 3-15-72 4-20-1 1

Thos. Corbett 3-21-72 20-19-1 1

Albert C. Corbett Same

A. Merrifield 3-30-72 26-19-12

John H. Duncan 4-9-72 1.8-19-11

Moses D. Fletcher .. 4-20-72 25-19-11
Edwin Sew and

James Saw 4-29-72 30-19-1 1

Benj. Halley 5-13-72 30-19-11

Eneas Pendergast ... -18-72 2-20-lt

Geo. T. Gill 6- 3-72 14-19-11

Wm. W. Shannon 6- 5-72 26-19-11

Alex. Forsyth 7-1-72 18-19-11

Jos. B. Howard 7- 72 34-19-12

Nelson Davis 7-16-72 4-20-1 1

Geo. Towers 8-26-72 26-19-12

John C. Smith 10-11-72 22-19-12

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Austin B. Lynch 10-..-

David J. Whitten 11-15-

Chas. Grant -'- 5-

Grabil Landis 2-20-

R. A. Avery 3-22-

James Thompson .... 5-1-

Wra. H. Misner 5-10-

Mahlon Ward 5-19-

Geo. Bacon 5-23-

Emil Kwamp 5-23-

Tliomas Blair and

\Vm. Blair tl-Ki-

Royal Harkness ()-2S-

Daniel Hodge 1-2-

Henry Strobnieyer . . . 7-15-

Sam S. Avery 7-32-

Philander Reed 7-5-

Wallace C. Bay

Stephen A. Shilling . 9-25-

Otto C. Lebbin 11- 4-

J. K. Robe 11- 5-

0. M. Botson 11- 6-

Wm. Joy 11-11-

26-19-11

■ i '2

24-19-12

2S-19-]]

2S-19-11

6-20-11

10-19-11

14-19-12

■73

111-19-11

24-19-11

5-19-11

■73

4-19-11

34-19-11

34-19-1 1

■73

20-19-11

■73

34-19-12

■73

S-19-11

1 O

S-19-11

2.S-19-11

■ < o

10-19-12

■73

14-19-11

■73

10-19-11

( •>

14-19-11

Mort. B. Fitts 11-15-73 22-19-12

Wilson E. Chalfent ..11-30-73 26-19-11

.las. E. Reaugh 11-26-73 8-20-11

llavid N. Howard 12- 4-73 22-19-12

Amos McDowell 12-19-73 14-19-11

J:hn J. Maydole 1-17-74 22-19-12

W. L. Robbing 1-20-74 24-19-12

Robert Robe 1-22-74 22-19-12

.John Salmon 3-26-74 26-19-12

Liiman W. Storey ... 3- 4-74 4-19-11

Sam B. Hanion 3-14-74 12-19-12

Benj. H. Prescott 4-16-74 12-19-12

Jas. B. Patrick 7-23-74 2S-19-12

John F. Lewis 9- 2-74 2-10-12

Bernard B. Smyth ....9-.. -74 2S-19-12

Calvin A. Loomis .... 1(1-11-74 34-19-12

Thos. .\l. Bailey 10-20-74 30-19-11

Lakin township now has a population of
ii.'!3 and with one or two exceptions has the
largest population rf any of the townships in
the county. Very few of the old timers are
left, most of them having died or moved away.

Walnut Township

In tills township some of the first settle-
ments in the county were made. It was orig-
inally a part of Buffalo township. The first
to take a filing in this terriotry was Rudreas
Albright, he having made his entry November
26, 1870, en 32-18-15. This entry was fol-
lowed by those of Ale.\ Kellar, on section 24;
Christian F. Brining, on section 30 and Nar-
sene Graves on section 2S. These filings were
made during the month of December, 18: ii.
Those who came during the following years
were: Charles Roudebush, S. M. Basham,
Martin Brining and Edwin C. Rest, all ot

whom arrived in 1872. Adam Krause came in
1873. The year 1874 saw Henry Halderman.
Sylvester E. Demming, C. E. Dean, Leonard
Krause, Daniel Leininger, Cyrus J. Fry and A.
Kellar located in this township. In 1S75 Jo-
sejih Zimmer. Anton Springer, Ambrose Baier,
Johann Schneider, Josef Baier, Karl Kriessel,
Francis Keast, Johan Zimmerman, Otto Bur-
ger and Henry Xordinann were added to the
township's population. Walnut township now
has a population of 693 and contains among its
list of residents some of the most enterprisiiig
and successful farmers in the county.

Eureka Township

The first settler in Eureka township was
Charles B. Worden, who located on townsliip
IS, range 14, in 1871. The next entries follow-
ing were: George Barry, John W. Pascot ,
John K. Humphrey and James Mecklem, wh i
came in 1873. They were preceded by L. (!.
Mecklem, who arrived in 1872. In 1874 Elbi-vt
Warring, Wyhind D. Robbius, Wm. Humphrey.
Xathaniel White, David F. Si)ires, Benj. 1.

Dawson and Frank Patterson arrived and
made locations. They were followed in 1875
by Aaron P. Jones. James C. Powers, Rhoda
H. Keeney. James Hughes, Stephen Power,
John Corrigan, M. M. Shields, John R. Harris,
Richard Caxon, John Jones, John Lynch,
Elizabeth Smith, Alexander Dennis and James
W. liroiMi. Eureka township now has a pop-
ulation of 302.

Clarence Township

T. S. Morton was the first settler in Clar-
ence township and he located on section 14,
in 1871. He first engaged in the cattle bus-i-
ness but he soon gave it up for farming. Dan-
iel Curry and E. M. Chapman located on sec-
tion 14, in 1873. Julius B:th settled on section
20 in 1872 and for the first few years after his

arrival was one of the best known and most
successful buffalo hunters in this part of the
country.

In the same year John Bonnet and L. S.
Pursell settled on section 30. They were
goon followed by T. J. Byrne. During (he
same year D. C. Stephens, G. S. Bennet and T.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

F. Craig located on secticn 20, and by the fall
cf 1S73-4 that part of the county was well set-
tled and farming was in full swing. Two of
the largest wheat growers in the county were
added to Clarence's population in 1874. Thi^y
were Robert Campbell and Joseph Patterson,
ilr. Campbell located on section 14 while .Mr.
Palterscn located on section 17. By l.sr*j
■.here was no unoccupied land in the townsliip
and it had throe good schools, the first hav-
ing been built in 1S74 on section 20, the sec-
ond in 1S75 on section 11 and the third on ssc-
tin :M in 1S7C. The following names are

found among those who settled in this town-
ship in the early days: W. A. Chapman. David
Curry, David C. Stephens and W. H. Brown in
1873; Peter Schlim, Almon M. Button, Wesley
K. Ixiomis, M. F. Campbell, Geo. S. Bement,
Tanimen C. Tanimen and Isaac Goatley in
1S74. During the year 1875 the following so>
tled in Clarence township: \Vm. Morris, Jas.
K. Grier. Mahala Allison. John H. Rh:des :;nd
Thomas Irons. The township now has a po;)-
ulation of 374 and contains within its borders
rich, fertile and well cultivated agricultural
hind.

Comanche Township

Comanche township includes within iis
'uorders land that in the early days a great
inany thought was practically worthless but
this was proved to be untrue by the results
btained after the soil had been cultivated.
The first settler in Comanche was Joseph
Plaisted, who located just across the river
Troin Kllinwood in 1S71. Among others who

followed Mr. Plaisted's lead were Carl Herter,
John Herter, Chas. B. Darr. Will H. Granr,
John C. Proctor. David T. Mclntyre, John
Hamiltcn, J. S. Province, all of whom made
good and made of this township one of Jio
best and most productive in the county. It
now has a poiiulalion of 688.

South Bend Tow n .s li i p

The settlement of South Bend township
was begun in 1872, the first person to Iccate
government land being Samuel Maher, Mat-
thew Schmitz, Henry F. Schriddle and A. J.
3uckland. They were foUow-ed in 1873 by W.
H. H. Keeney, J. M. Albright. Hallis Chaff.'e.
H. H. Kidder, Theo. Dahm, James Barke and
Peter 1-efevre. Those who located in this part
of the county in 1874 were: T. C. Coker, T.

Vaiuil, Fred Dahm. Daniel Shiibl, Richard S.
.\tkins, Georg-" Deiina, James G. Dawson, Win.
Torrey, Richard L. Howell and Kdwin C. Ren-
kin. In 1875, A. C. Sowie, Carlton D. Alford,
Hiram Brownell, Ira D. Brougher, Wm. Hood
and C. J. Mackenroth made entries on land in
this township. It has always added its share
to the production of the county and now has
a populaticn of 422.

Pawnee Rock Township

The first settlement was made in this
township when the Kentucky colony, consist-
ing of twenty persons arrived. In the party
were T. C. Polk, John W. Smith and George
.\I. Jackson, who was the leader of the col-
ony. Mr. Jackson first located near Kllin-
wocd but at a meeting which was attended by
all the members of the colony it was decided
that the land in Pawnee Rock township was
the best to be found in the county. Accord-
ingly it was decided that they would take u,)
their land there. On March 23, 1872, a cele-
'iration was held in honor of their arrival at
the historic pile of stone known as Pawnee
Rock. In addition to those already
named the following were among the first set-
llers in this township: Win. C. Hatter. Denni.^
I ogan. S. P. Leitner and D. M. Sutherland. In
1874 the following were added to the town-
ship's population: W. M. Jenks, F. J. Jasn,
Charles C. Ijcwis, Kli. Wm. H. and Hiram
Bowman, Robert J. Smith, Aaron V. Miller,

Joseph Hanoii, Joliii W. Graves. John R:n.
Isaiah Pelsor and J. F. Pearcc. This township
now has a population of 356.

Settlement w-as begun in (his township
early in 1872. Among those whj selected
claims were the following: In 1S72, Wm.
Hartshorn. Ed. Tyler. Luther Frost. John Mc-
Mulliii. Kvan Thornberg. .\eIson H. Richie,
Willis M. Howerlon. Henry Fruit, Riliza
Hartshsrn, Wm. H. McGreevey, John H. Doel,
Joshua Lyle. In 1873. Charles B. Rose, An-
drew J. Acton. George N. Welch, Oscar O.
Hartshsru, Wm. H. Quincnp, Frank Sheldon,
Thomas Keenan, and in 1S74, Sample S. San-
ford, John Lyie and Ixirenzo Leach. That
portion of the township known as Washburn
precinct was settled in 1S74 by A. C. Barnes,
Win. Hayes, Vincent Coale, Samuel H. Mitch-
ell. Chas. n. Morgan. Robert M. Shields, Wm.
Dunn and Wm. R. Julian. This township now
has a population of 387.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Logan Township

This tcwnship was originally a part of I^a-
kiii township and the first settlements were
made within its borders in 1S72. Dnring thai
year, and in 1S73, the following took up their
residence in this part of the county: Richard
Yielding, Henry Galloway, W, D. Fairbairn,
Wm. Landman, Thos. F. Mahan and John L.
Barngrover. In 1ST4 a number of new set-
tlers were added to the township's popula-
tion. Among these who came after 1S73 were:
Geo. W. McClimans, Chas. C. O'Bleness, Geo.

M. O'Bleness, Joseph Ozenberger, Benj. V.
Moore, James B. Montgomery, Stephen Branch,
.Myron H. Young, Christopher Bock, Kdward
H. Grizzle, Aaron W. Ward, Joseph N. Ward,
Frank Nichols, Joseph Lunz, A. Barngrover
and Theo. P. Harris. This was one of tno
first townships in the county in which the
railroad land was all bought by the settlers
and all the government land was taken up.
It now has a population of 370.

Homestead Township

J, H. Burnham was the first settler in
Homestead township and he. with his father-
in-law, A. Baker, settled in 1873. During the
summer and autumn of that year, F. A.
Speece and family. S. P. Coan, 0. Beisyle, J.
M. Hughes, F. M. Phillips, S. uhn and E. U.
Campbell arrived and made locations. Some
of these were frightened away by the grass-

hopper scare of 1.S74. The hoppers retarded
the settlement of this part of the county and
and it was some time before the bad impres-
sion was changed to one of confidence. Since
the early days this township has come to the
front and is now one of the most important
ones of the county and has a population ol
699.

Fair view Township

This township is located in the northw -si
c:rner of the county and the first to make
settlemf'Ul within its borders were: James

and Jolm Johnson. Henry McCorkle, James
Cox, O'.iver A. Martin, M. V. B. Hedrick and
J. J. W. Sutcliff. all of whom arrived in 1SV7.

Beaver Township

The first settlement in Beaver townshi|)
was made in 1876 and among those who lo-
cated during this year may be mentioned:
Abraham R., John and George H. Dressier,
John H, Heard and Robert S. Bruce. In 1877

John M. Rearick, Miranda Folbergill, John F.
Dale. James and L. H. V. I'.rinson and John
and Thomas BryanI took uj) locations in this
township. It now has a population of .'il**.

Union and Wheatland Townships

The first settlements in the townships o*:
I'nion and Wheatland were made in 1877. In
that year Union had three resident families,
but within a little more than a year there
were fifty-seven voters within its borders.
Wheatland enjoyed about the same kind of a
growth. The first settlers in Union township
were: Joseph Weatherby, Daniel R. Wyatt and
John Dundas. who came in 1876. They wtr'^
followed by Jacob, Michael .. and Martin .1.
Sessler. James H. Butler. Anna S. Verbeck.
Benj. and Oliver P. Dunning, Ben,1. H. and
Wright F. Downing. Geo. M. Gillet, Stanley F.
Prindle, Jerome B. Huntley, P. B. Lei,?h,
James Welty, J. Wousetler and Richard Wehr

who came in 1877.

Among the first to arrive in Wheatland
t wns-hii) were: Washington Spencer, James
Galbraitb and Wm. B. Mitchell, who come in
1<87.T. During the following year the follow-
ing located in Wheatland: George W. Watson.
Francis Millard. Dr. Norman Baker, Howard
\. Foidham, Rial R.. Henry J., and John
Whipple, Geo. C. Gray, Silas S. Wilkerson. Is-
rael I). Spencer, James E. Savage, George
Keil. Uiihard Killle. John W. Heaman an<l
Charles Hall. The township of Wheatland
now has a population of 443 while Union has
347.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Cheyenne Township

The first settlers in Cheyenne townshiii
were Phillip Smith. Henry Smith and J. O.
Hine, who came in 1S73. In the following
year, 1S74. J. G. Lewis and family and A. Go-
lay and family, made a location on C;w cree;<
making a total of four families residing ou !he
creek banks, in that s^ection of the county. In
the spring of 1ST5 C. Frankie settled on sec-
tion 14 and a man by the name of Miller took
up a location en section 30. 15y the year IST"!
nearly all the government land in this town-

ship was taken up and among the early set-
tlers not mentioned above may be mentioned
the following: J. A. Krum, 1S74; Henry .1.
Gifford, Herman Hesse, N. A. Miller and W.
Kliesen, 1S75, and the year 1876 saw the ar-
rival of John AFachin, \V. N. Godren and Henry
Smith. Mr. Newcomb was the first resident
in the county t; take up the raising of thor-
oughbred stock. This township now has a
population of 710.

Cleveland T o w n .s h i p

Cleveland township was not organized un-
til long after the early days, that is the really
pioneers limes were passed. However, it is

now one of the g:od townships of the county
and has a population of 305.

Albion and Grant Townships

The first settlement in these townshli's
was made in 1873 by Hugh Henry and John
Boyle and they were followed in 1874 b>
Henry and Putnam White. Those who f:l
lowed closely with locations in these town-
ships were: Joseph Bahr, 1). binder. Robert
Benton, Chas. Chamberlain, Isaac T. Flint, A.
Stiver, John Hancock. Carl Wonderlich, Jo-
hann Schneider and J. O. C. Rathbun. Blood
Creek traverses these townships from the
n:rthwest and is said to have derived its
name from the fact that after the close of the
Mexican war Colonel Doniphan and his troops
engaged the Cheyenne Indians in a battle that
caused the banks to he spotted with blood
which colored the waters for several miles.
This is said to have occurred in 1849 and was
one cf the most terrific Indian battles of
those times. These townships are now
among the important ones of the county. Grant
having a population of 341 and Albion 318.

Early Blood Creek Settlers

Independent Township

The first settlement made in this township
was in 1874 by A. C. Schermcrhorn. Jacob T.
Spring, James Dalziel, Arthur Uougan, Franlv
Lorence, Gnstav Toepke, Geo. W. Arters,

Henry Rohlfing and Wni. H. Travis. It is a
most iiroductive section of the county and has
a population in 1912 of 351.

GEORGE TOWERS

I CAME from Wisconsin with a colony lo
Fossell, now called Russell. Abcut sixty
persons came out on the first train,
us each a business lot and a residence lot. I
think it was about April 15, 1871, at 3 p. m..
we landed at Fossell. A section house and a

water tank of the K. P. railroad were all the
buildings we fund there, and these wer-;
run by the sect in foreinan. His name was
John Cook. -Many of the old settlers know
him now. Before we got there the Indians
killed two of the section men and they were

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Captain Riiger and myself were partners, [t
cost us $20 each to join the colony. That gave
buried on what is now Main street. RusseU.
We all took homesteads cr pre-emptions and
broke up land and planted sod corn, beans,
potatoes and other yegetables, but the dry
weather set in and hot winds prevailed, and
farming was not a success. Some of us heard
what a fine valley there was on the Arkan-
sas river. So we made up a small party of
men, composed of J. H. Hubbard, E.M. Bene-
dict, John Cook, Edward Swan, Ed.vard Dew-
ey, Art Moses and his father, .J. E. Dodge pnd
George Towers. The first day we n:ade Wa'-
nut creek. Barton County. There we found
the only tw^o settlers of the county. Their
names were Mecklem and John Reinlcke. We
camped that night with them. They told us
about the land down the creek and said the
A. T. & S. F. R. R. surveyors were coming
west laying cut the road. It was only com-
pleted at that time to Newton. They told us
the number of the section they were on. so we
very soon knew what section we could locato
on. As the odd sections were claimed by the
railroad John Cook staked the first claim
down the creek, Edward Dewey the next and
then J. E. Dodge, Benedict and Swan the next
ones In rotation. Hubbaid staked the Gofortli
ranch. The next night we camped at Wal-
nut creek at old Fort Zarah, which had just
been abandoned. All the other boys staked
claims on the creek or as near as they cnild.
The second morning they said: "George,
where did you put your stake?" I told th-m
I had found no place to put it. I said "Let us
go up the river and see how it looks." Wl'on
we g:t to where Great Bend now stands th<_
whole counttry was covered with buffalo. W'.'
killed a buffalo near where the court hoiise
now stands. 1 looked around and said to
the boys: "Well, you have all taken timber
claims, so I will put my stake here f;r a
homestead." As there were so many buf-
falo around 1 told them while the.v
had staked timber claims I had staked a stock
ranch. My stock soon disappeared. We then
started back f;r Fcssell. When we got there
we reported what we had found and done, la
a short time the most of the boys returned to
make Improvements on their claims. As I
was in partnership with Nick German in a
blacksmith shop 1 would not then get away to
make my improvements. John Hubbard and
Capt. Ruger went into partnership and put
up a little above en Hubbard's claim. Capt.
Ruger run the store, while Hu.bbard went
into the land business making out filing pap-
ers, and sending them to the land office in
Salina. I gave him my money and my dis-
charge papers and told him to find out If my
stake was on a government section and if so
to make out a soldier's homestead. About two
months after he came up to Fossell for sup-
plies, when he told me he was sorry he had
not made out my homestead papers and thac
a colony from Quincy, 111., had jumped my
claim and had laid out the town cf Great

Bend. The ones who located and laid out Ihe
town were D. X. Heizer, Geo. Moses, Thos.
Stone, Morris, and Murphy, A. S. Allen, Edw.
Tyler were the first settlers of the colony. In
the month of January, 1S71, Capt. Ruger came
up to Fossell and said that they had laid out a
town about one mile east of Fort Zarah and
had named it Zarah City and were going to
make a railroad town of It, and wanted me to
go down there and start a blacksmith shop
and they would give me two lots if I w:;uld do
so. Next day Capt. Ruger and 1 started for
Zarah City. The captain had taken a claim
ncrth of Zarah City, where we stayed all
night. Next morning we went over to the
city. We found a good sized store in opera-
tion, owned by Perry Hodgen and Tike Buck-
It y ficrn Salina. They were the head men of
the city. There was a two-story hotel and
restaurant owned and run by Dick Strew. A
livery stable owned by John Roberts and
John Moore, and a saloon owned by Lee Her-
zigg from Ellsworth, and run by Edw. Martz.
They gave me a corner lot next to the livery
stable. A stockman by the name of Jack
Jamieson, who had wintered a thousand head
of cattle there and drove them in the spring
to -Montana, said he wanted me to start in
business to do his blacksmithing as he had
considerable work he wanted done before ho
started the drive sometime in June. About 'Jie
first of March. 1S72, I moved down to Capt.
Ruger's where both our families lived to-
gether. I put up a small shop and had a good
trade while it lasted. The A. T. & S. F. R. R.
was then completed to Hutchinson. Then Za-
I'ah City and Great Bend got to fighting, over
the question as to which was to be the rail-
road town. Great Bend won out and 1 never
will forget the first dance in Great Bend. I'
was at the Stoneham hotel, run by Thos.
Stone. Capt. Ruger and myself furnished
the music. I want to say we had a gay old
time. Everyone had a jolly good time whiia
at the dance. I met Sid Crane, one of Jamie-
son's herders. He told me that he had filed on
sotne land about one and one-half miles west
of Ellinwood. He had done a little plowing on
It and would take five dollars for his rights.
1 gave him the money and put my homestead
papers on it. They had laid out a town at
Ellinwood. Capt. Ruger, Joe Howard and I
went down and helped lay out the town. Thw
railroad comi)any gave each of us a lot tor
doing the work. Capt. Ruger and Howard put
up a hotel. They gave me the corner 'o.t
where the Cyclone store now stands I
bought the adjoining lot for $40. 1 put t-p a
small shop and did blacksmithing for tie set-
tlers and cowboys. As many of the aettlers
were people of limited means they 'joon run
through with what they had and could not
l>ay for their smithing. I told tl.em I would
do their work and they could break up some
land for me on my claim and I would allow
them three dollars per acre. In that way I
got sixty acres under cultivation. 1 built a
small hovise and had a good well <;f fine waior

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and one acre of orchard. The first year i
rented it to Jim \Vill<insoii on shares, each
one-half of the produce. We did very well.
The next year I rented it to John XI. Harris.
ICach furnished one-half of the seed. I got
one-halt cf the crop of forty acres of wheat
which yielded well. The next year I rented
to a preacher, Hackensmith. He raised a fine
crop of forty acres of wheat which he cut
with a header and put it into fine stacks; si.v-
teen acres of roasting ears, when one of the
Kansas hail stone storms and blizzards came
and destroyed everything 1 had. Our wheat
stack was blown for miles away. The coi'u
and vegetables were all g.;ne when the storm
cleared away. I did not have enough left to

fill my hat. That sickened me of farming, so
1 sold out for almcst nothing and in 1SJ>0
came to Colorado. Although 1 know now if I
had stuck to eld Kansas 1 might he in better
circumstances than what I am now in or per-
haps 1 might have been in the pen. My
brother, Matt Towers, came to Hoisington since
I left Kansas. He has now two hundred acres
of land and has made a success of farming,
but has had worse luck, losing a good wife, a
great deal wcrse than losing a little old 40
acres of wheat, as 1 think I might be worse
off after all. I made more money in Kansas
killing buffalo than I have made in the hills
of Colorado hunting gold.

EARLY POLITICAL HISTORY

AMID the hurry and bustle of business
in the si)ring of 1S72, men did not al-
together f-rget their political duties
and privileges and. it being the year of a
presidential election, the duty of "saving the
country" rested with scarcely less weight on
the minds of the pioneers of Barton County
than on those nearer the center of civilization
and political corruption. Meetings were heU!
by the Republicans in each ct the three town-
ships — Lakin, Great Bend and Buffalo — in the
month of July, to select members of the Re-
publican central committee. At the meeting
in Great Bend A. J. Buckland. who had ar-
rived here a short time before from New
York state, was chosen chairman of the first
political caucus in Great Bend and probably
was first one in the county. The committee
thus selected sson after met and organiz<-d
by electing W. H. Odell as chairman and 1).
N. Heizer, secretary.

The time of holding the county convention
was set. It was to consist of twenty members,
five from Lakin township, five from Buffalo
townshi)), and ten from Great Bend township.
The convention assembled in a building then
standing at the corner cf the court house
s(iuare. M. V. Halsey of Lakin was elected
townshii) chairman. In addition to the dele-
gates already mentioned, five delegates not in
the call were sent down from the colony at
I'awnee Rock and claimed admission. An an-
gry discussion arose on the question of ad-
mitting them, when a large number of dele-
gates, including the chairman, withdrew from
the convention. Those remaining reorganized
by electing A. A. Hurd, chairman, and pro-
ceeded to nominate a county ticket.

During the cami)aign of that year — 1S72 —
Hon. \V. H, Suiallwood, candidate for secre-
tary of state: Hon. S. A. Cobb, candidate for
c ngress, and Hon. S. C. Pomeroy. candidate
for I'nited States senator, addressed the citi-
zens of Great Bend on the issues of the cam-
paign.

The first political discussion in Great Bend

was between G. W. Nimocks, a young lawyer
from Iowa, on the Republican side and D. S.
Cojieland, also a lawyer, from New York, on
the side of the Liberals. This discussi n took
place in the old Holland building which, at
that time, stood on the north side of the
square. The vote for president in that year
was as follows: U. S. Grant, 160; Horace
Greeley, (54. The county election was held
without much friction and resulted, as shown
in the table tci be found in another part of
this book under the heading of "County Offi-
cials of Barton County."

The delegates to the state convention at
Topeka that year were: T. S. Morton and G.
W. Nimocks; and to the congressional con-
vention at Lawrence, J. B. Howard and Amer-
iue.

During the following winter Barton Coun-
ty was detached from the county of Kllsworth
and the Fourteenth judicial district, and be-
came a part of the Ninth judicial district.
FIRST TOWNSHIP KLECTIONS.

(In the following article the following ab-
breviations are used: Tre — trustee; C — clerK;
T — treasurer; J — justice; — Ces — constables.)

Independent township was organized in

1575 and originally comi)rised all that por-
tion of Lakin township north of a line be-
tween townships IS and 19. The following
officers were chosen at the first election
held in the fall of that year: Tre., J. L. Bau-
grover; C, A. C. Schermerh-rn; T., J. T.
Soring; Jus., H. E. Barugrover and Chas. O.
Biennis.

South Bend township was organized in

1576 and comi)riKed all that i)ortion of Great
Bend and Buffalo townships south of the river
except range 23. The officers chosen at the
first election in November of that year were'
Tre., Ira Brougher; C, George C. Kinkaid: T..
S. . Milchell and Jus.. Wm. Hood and O. Pow-
ell.

Walnut township was organized in l'^7fi
and comprised all that portion of Buffalo
township north of the line between townships

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

IS and 19. Tlie first election was held in \o ■
vember of that year and resulted as follows:
Tre., B. I. Dawson; C. Peter Fox; T., T. Har-
per; Jus., John Pascoe and H. White; Ces.,
John Westover and H. Nordmann.

Homestead township was organized in tlie
fall cf 1S76 and comprised originally all that
portion of Great Bend township north of the
line between townships 18 and 19. The first
election resulted in the election of the follow-
ing officers: Tre., Marsh Meeker; T., I). I!.
Linder; C, F. Hall: Jus., J. Humphrey and J
Gere.

Union township was organized in July,
1S7S, and comprised all that porti n of land
included in township 16, range 13. The first
election held in that year resulted in the se-
lection of the following officers: Tre., B. H.
Dow-ning; C, Oliver A. Verity; T., Joseiih
Weatherby; Jus.. Jacob Sessler and A. S.
Verbeck.

Pawnee Rock township was organized in
1S7S, but previous to this, in 1S72, it had been
made a voting precinct. It c inprised town-
ship 20, range 15. The election resulted in
the selection of the following officers: Tre.,
Geo. Pool; C. Chas. Lewis; T., Reuben Kem-
merling; Jus., Joseph Hannon and James .\I.
Depew; C, Frank Hallo well and W. C. Hatter,
ter.

Beaver township was organized in August,
1S7S, and comprised township 16 of range 12.
The first election was held in that year ami
the following officers were elected: Tre., R,
Bruce; C, Willis H. Norton; T., P. B. Free-
man; Jus., C. Norton and C. W. Hoffmeister.

Cheyenne township was oiganized in Ai-
gust, 1S7S, and comprised townships 17 and is
of range 12. The officers elected were: Tre.,
C. B. Gillis; C, J. N. Reading; T., Wm. Lin-
der; Jus., Albert Lent and S. S. 0. Warren.

Wheatland township was organized in Au-
gust, 1878. and comprised township 16 rf
range 14. The officers elected at the first
election were: Tre., Chas. Hall; C, E. J. Hat-
ton; T., M. Sanger; Jus., N. S. Hayes and Fred
J. Spencer; Ces., Henry J. Whipple and 0. T.
Shook.

Fairview township was (n-ganizcd in Oc-
tober. 1S7N. and comprised township IG of
range 1.5. At the first election held in No-
vember of that year (he following were ch s-
en as officers of the township: Tre., J. W.
Brown; C, U. C. Barrows; T., John Johnson;
Jus., Will H. Clark and Henry Webb; Ce-.;.,
Robert Jordan and W. A. Brown.

Clarence township was organized in Octo-
ber, 1878, and consisted rf congressional
township 19 of range 15. The first election
was held in Novi-niber of that year and re-
sulted as follows; Tre., M. F. Camiiliell; ('..
John W. Slinn; T.. 1.. S. Pursell; Jus.. A. M.
Button and T. F. Craig; Ces., J. H. Rhoadcs
and W. H. Allison.

Eureka township was organized in 1S7S

and comprised township IS of range 18. The
first officers elected in Ncvember of that year
were: Tre., Frank Patterson; C, John R. Har-
ris ;T.. Alex. Dennis; Jus., Aaron P. Jones
and James Cummins; C, J. F. Smith and C.
Plaisted.

Hayes, Seward, Lincoln and Zion Valley
townships were organized in 1S7S from the
territory that originally was a portion of the
unorganized county of Stafford. Hayes com-
lirised congressional townships 22 and 23 of
ranges 11 and 12. Seward, which was at
first called Warren township, comprised com-
prised townships 21 and 22 of range 13. Lin-
coln comprised townships 21 and 22 of range
14; and Zion Valley comprised township 23 of
ranges 13 and 14. Later they were all in-
cluded in the organization of Stafford County.
county.

Grant townsliip was organized in July,
1879, and was composed of township IS of
range 15. At the first election held in Xo-
vember the following were chosen for offi-
cers: Tre., Chas. P. Wunderlich; C, John W.
Bnrke; T., C. Cox; Jus., W. M. Butler and C.
Ramsier; Ces.. Joseph Gleissner and J. W.
Brown.

Logan township was organized in July,
1879, under the name of Calumet. In No-
vember the name was changed to Logan. It
was composed of township IS of range 11. No
election for officers was held in this town-
ship, it being governed by the officers of In-
dependent townshiii.

Comanche township was organized in July,
1S79, out of territory formerly in Lakin town-
ship and was composed of township 20 of
range 11 and 12, south of the Arkansas river.
The first officers, elected in November of
that year were: Tre., J. . Brewer; C, W. H.
Grant; T., J. W. Wilson; Jus., J. S. Provime
and C. Fields; Ces.. Noah Province and 1).
Hagan.

Albion townshiii was organized in July,
1879, and was composed of township 17 of
range 14 and the first officers who were se-
lected at the election held in November of th"
same year, were: Tr(\, C. G. Smith; C, C. W.
McMasters; T., D. W. Linder; Jus., G. L. Mur-
dock and John \V. Linder; Ces.. Thomas Mur-
phy and Joseph Shields.

Liberty township was organized in Octo-
ber, 1879, and w'as composed of township 20
of range 14. The first officers were: Tre.
Wm. Howerlon; C. Wm. Brady; Ces.. .Milton
Mossberger.

The commissioners districts as arranged
in 1S78 were as follows: First: lndei)endeiit,
('heyenne, Lakin and Hayes townships; sec-
ond: Beaver, rnirn. Homestead, Great Bend,
Seward and Zion Valley; third: Wheatland,
Fairview, Walnut, Clarence, Pawnee Ro^k,
Buffalo and Lincoln.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

AN EARLY DAY CAMPAIGN AND BARBECUE IN BARTON

By Elrick C. Coh

THE political canipaiBn in Barton County
in ISSO was a warm one and among th ;
various gatherings held that year, the
barbecue at Dalzeil's grove was, i)erhai)s, tho
largest iiolitical gathering ever held in Ihv?
county until the advent of the Pouplisi
party. At that time the Republican party, lo-
cally, was suffering severe defeats and tlie
struggle lor delegates from the state to the
national convention had intensified party dif-
ferences. That was the year when the great
meeting of Arkansas valley politicians tool;
place in Great Bend and the patriots gather.d
from To|)eka to C:.olidge and fou.yht out the
proposition of Grant or Blaine and ended in
a draw. The rival candidates for the Repuii-
lican nomination for representative were A.
.1. Buckland and U. X. Heizer and a count of
the delegates after the holding of the cau-
cuses showed that Uave Heizer was the win-
ner. When this fact was ascertained Buck-
land declined to have his name used in the
c;;nvention and after an ineffectual attemjit
had been made to draw the delegates to some
third man, he bolted the nomination >!f
Heizer. Hon. F. A. Steckel of EUinwood was
the Democratic nominee, and the seceeding
Republicans nominated P. G. Donewitz, who
was prominent in pclitics at that time, for
representative, and Judge Townsley for at-
torney against G. W. Nimocks. This made a
three-cornered fight and at that time every
vote counted. It must be remembered that in
1880 we had no railroads in this county .'\-
cept the main line of the Santa Fe. EUin-
wood and Pawne<' R"ck were the only points
which could be reached save by wagon road,
but one could travel angling then from the
time you crossed the Walnut until the north-
east or the northwest corner of the county
was reached. Of course there were no towns
aside from those on the railroads, but the
rural population was almost, if not fully, as
large as now, and an effort was made tn
reach nearly every school hr.use in the coun-
ty to h;!ld a meeting. Vv i" Wheatland v;as
Frank Millard, Charles Hall. Smed Wilkin-
son and others. In Albion W. H. Rice, Cap-
tain Peck. Murdock. Dave Gray and others.
Over in Fairview lived Kirk Barrows, John

W. Brown and his son; over in Independent,
which then included Cleveland township,
were A! Schermerhorn, Jude Sping, Jim
Dalziel and Charles Montgomery and the
Diigans. In Buffalo, Levi Gunn, always true
and faithful, the Everetts and 1.. H. Link and
in Pawnee Rock were the Bowmans, Tom
Brewer, Aaron Garverick and many whose
names I do not now recall. EUinwood was
the Deinocratic stronghold and was only caii-
vaFsed (juietly but the rest of the county was
alive with Rei)ublican meetings. I remem-
lier there was a sod school h:;use called Al-
liance school house over near where Claflin
now glands, where a large meeting was h'.'ld.
The crowning rally, ho.vever, was held at
Dalziel's grove, the clans gathering from all
the surrounding country. Great preparations
were made for this meeting and the grove was
filled with pe:;ple. There was roast ox and
everything else in the eating and drinking
line in abundance. Among the speakers was
a man named Minear, frin Illinois. He was
interested in the campaign by reason of the
fact that his nephew, named Anderson Wil-
liams, at Pawnee Rock, was the candidate for
cotiiniissioner from the Third district. Minear
was a powerful speaker on the common home-
spun order and he reached the pe:ple in great
shape. The crowd was so large that there
were two speakers talking at the same timei.i
different parts of the grove. 1 can see the oM
Iran now standing in a header barge, tall, an-
gular and bony. His jiowerful voice and i)lain
talk pleased his hearers and he received a
hearty ovation at the close of his speech.
There was a good glee club present and be-
tween speeches it sang popular campaiga
s ngs. It was way in the night before the
meeting closed and many camped in the grove
rntil the next day before returning to their
homes. This was one of the most successful
I)Olitical meetings ever held in this county,
and. while feeling was high, there was the u.-
most good nature and hearty enjoyment of the
occasion. It was a day (f pleasant meetings
for people who seldom met as the means of
travel were few and far between, and much
slower than now. The place was ideal and lh<.
day a perfect one.

NEWSPAPERS OF BARTON COUNTY

THERE is no single institution that has
more to do with the development cf a
new county than the newsiiapers
People look to a newspaper for a true story
of what one may expect to fiiui in a commur.-
ity or settlement where the paper is published.

Bart-n County has been fortunate in having
had gentlemen in the newspaper business who
have done a great deal of work in helping to
bring new blood and energy to the county, a'?
well as capital, (»ssentials that are so needful
in a new country that is being developed

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

from its virgin state. The first newspaper
published in the county was "The Arlvansas
Valley," edited by S. J. McParren. There
were but a few issues of this paper, the first
edition being published in July, 1872. It was
a seven-column paper, well filled with inter-
esting news reading matter, Iccal news and
advertisements. It was printed at the office
of the Tribune in Lawrence, Kan., and was
owned by T. L. Morris and others. The salu-
tatory editorial in the paper consisted chiefly
of an apology for publishing a newspaper in
the heart of the Great American Desert. The
principal articles were those under the fol-
lowing headings: "Kansas," from the Pitt.s-
burg, Kan., Real Estate Register; "Enormous
Cost of Fencing Land," "Stone Houses," "Tree
Culture," "Swindling Immigrants," from the
Kansas Farmer; "Exemption Laws of Kan-
sas," "Barton County— Soil, Climate, Rain-
fall, Health," "Information to Immigrants,"
"New Homestead Law," "H niesteads," "Tree
Planting," "Bounty for Tree Planting,"
"Bounty for Hedges," "H "w to Come to Kan-
sas," and various miscellaneous articles and
useful information. Its local columns made
mention of T. L. Stone's Great Western Hctel
—the Southern; E. L. Morley, hardware deai-

Judge C. P. Townsley, Found-
er of The Tril)une

er; A. S. Allen, druggist; Uahni l!i-olliers.
bakery; Rice and Brinkman. lumber mcrcli-
ants; Yoxall Sons and C'ompany, lumber;
Poole and Bell, livery stables; John Typer,
resaturant building, a 20x60 foot hotel; Mark-
wort's store to have a glass fr:;nt; A. C.
Moses and Sons running the store of W. 0.
Hart and Company on the north side of ttv
square; Harpham and Giddings, blacksmiths;
Samuel Maher, banker; .John C:ok, grocer; 'I'.
L. Jlorris, postmaster; W. H. Odell, couuiy

clerk; A. A. Hurd, M. S. Ketch and others,
many of whom have long since passed away.
The advertisements in the first newspaper
consisted of a three-column ad from the
Western Homestead Co. — A. A. Hunl and T.
L. Morris; a column of solid reading nnitt^'r
f r the Illinois and Kansas Colony associa-
tion, and smaller ads from \V. D. Hart & Co.,
grocers; Hubbard and Heizer, groceries, lum-
ber and real estate; .John Typer, restaurant;
S. Amryne, boots and shoes; Dahm Brothers,
bakers; Jacob Collar and Co., millinery;
Stone and Williams, dry goods; Great West-
ern Hotel, which was run by Stone and Hud-
s:;n; John Cook, groceries; Pioneer Grocery,
Edward Markwort, Poole and Bell, livery
stable; Mrs. J. Holland, news depot; James
Holland, furniture; M. S. Ketch, gents' fur-
nishing goods; Ed Tyler, restaurant; A. S.
Allen, drugs; E. L. Morphy, hardware; Rice
and Brinkman, lumber; Yoxall Sons and Co.,
lumber, etc.; Samcox and Fry, bakers; A. A.
Hurd, lawyer, and Valley Printing office, and
a number of smaller ads. The second num-
ber was issued in 1S73. The outside was
printed by A. N. Kellogg cf St. Louis and was
dated January 14, 1S73. the inside — printed
later — was dated January 27, 1S73, and the ad-
vertisements were nearly all dated in April,
1S73. It contained a directory of Barton
county and Great Bend, articles on society in
the country, articles favoring the erection of
a court house and the Arkansas river bridge,
frre:-t trees, three election notices, an account
: f th" farmers meeting for the organization
cf Ibi' County Agricultural society and a nuin-
1 cr (if local renders. The new advertisers
were: G. W. Nimccks, lawyer; D. N. C:p^-
land, lawyer; J. C. Martin, j'.istice cf the pea^e
and police ji'c'ge; J. H. Hubbard and Co.. real
estate; Sanurel Maher. banker; W. H. Od-^ll,
county clerk; Typer House; Wilcox, Lehman
and Gray, hardware; Benedict and Moffat,
laints's; A. Giddeus. Imrseslioeing; E. r.
Dodge, blacksmith: .1. H. Hubbard and C .,
dry goods, and a big advertisement telling
iboul t'lc job office of th,' jiaper.

Tlic price of tlic papi-r was $2. (HI per year
and since it was published only twice a year,
the paper cost the subscribers $1.00 a copy.
Mr. McFarren did not remain in the business
very long, his place being taken in the publl-
caticn of the paiicr by Samuel Maher, who con-
liuei'il the paper under McFarren's name un-
til .March, 1S73. when M<-Farren's name was
dr<)p|)ed.

In April. lS7o, the name of the paper was
changed to the "Barton County Progress." Mr.
Maher moved the office to the Dubois build-
lug on the east side of the square. In May.
Mr. Maher discontinued the publication of the
paiier on account of his inability to secure
competent help. No paper was pviblished iin-
lil the following June, when H. Perrine Stults
liurchased the office for $LO0O and continued
publishing the Progress until the fall of IS'.S
when he grew weary and sold out the paper

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

to J. F. Ciimmiiis of Topeka. Ciimniins piiil
$1,100.00 and assiiiiied a debt of $750.00 against
the plant wliicli was held by Samuel Malier.
At first Ciininiings improved the i)aper and at
the fall election was elected to represent this
county in the legislature. During Mr. Cuin-
mings' absence the luiper was in charge of D.
M. Sells.

After Cunimiugs returned from Topeka )\c
did not give the paper the attention necessary
to make it a success, and it was but a short
time until G. L. Brinknian bought the mort-
gage against the plant, held by Samuel Ma-
her and took jiossession. The plant was
moved to the old Holland building which had
just been moved to the north side of the square.
A company was organized for the purpose of
publishing a newspaper and conducting a job
l)rinting shop. The company was composed of
G. L. Brinkman, G. W. Nimocks, 1). N. Heizer,
\V. H. Odell, .Joseph Howard and A. S. Prcs-
cott.

Cummings, the former editor of the paper,
is said to have died of y<>llow fever at Mem-
phis in 1878.

In 1873, Frank Sheldon started a monthly
publication under the name of the Farmers'

S. J. McFarren, First Editor

Friend. It was made up mainly of rei)rini
matter from the Progress and had but a short
existence.

The next pa|)er to be published in Grent
Bend was the Register, which was built upon
the ruins of the Progress, which in 1874, had
ceased publication. It was first edited by W
H. Odell with A. J. Hoisington as busine--.s
manager. In June, 1S74, Mr. Hoisin.cton was
placed in full charge as editor and manag 'V.
He got out a good paper and made it a pow-
erful influence for good in the community.
In August, 1S76, the 12th, to be exact, the

first number of Ihe Inland Tribune made -ts
ajipearance as a weekly paper. It was edited
and published by C. P. Townsley who had
Leen ciicuit judge of the Fifth judicial dis-
trict of the state cf Missouri. For several
weeks it was composed of all home print, but
finally the "patent inside" was adopted. This
paier was the beginning of the present pub-
lications known as the Great Bend Daily Trio-
i:ne and the Great Bend Weekly Tribune pub-
lished by Will ToAnsley, a son of C. P.
Townsley, and Warren Baker.

In May, 1877, a stock company was
formed under the name of the Great Bend
Publishing Company, which had for its pur-
pose the publication of a Democratic weekly
newspaper, under the name of the Arkansas
Valley Democrat. Isaac T. Flint of Ottumwa,
la., was chosen editor and manager.

The first number of the paper appearcii
July 21, 1877. After four weeks, Jos. B. Fu-
gate, of Ottumwa, la., was taken in as a
partner and five weeks later Mr. Flint sold his
remaining interest to B. B. Smyth of Ellin-
wood, who had been an employee of the office
since it began business.

Election was approaching and it was dis-
covered that a successful campaign would de-
pend en Smyth's being ousted from the office.
Accordingly possession was demanded by the
com; any and the demand was refused by
Smyth. Then a re;)levin was issued from the
circ'.nt court and a re-delivery bond of $2,oeo
was given by Smyth. Later the company be-
came fearful of losing their interest in the con-
cern and they made a deal whereby they
torglit Smyth's interest. He was succeeded
by J. B. Fugate.

In 1S7S the Kansas Volksfreund, a German
Democratic weekly newspaper, was started
in Great Bend. It was edited by Philli;)
Schmitz. This office introduced the first
power press in the county, a handsome Cot-
trell and Batccck. In 1879 this paper was
consolidated with the Stern des Westeiis,
(Star of the West), of Wichita and the two
jilants were consolidated and moved to To-
leka where Ihe new publication was issued
under the name of the Staats Anzieger.

The Ellinwood Express was started in 187S
by Sheperd and Sterling, and for some time
il was printed in the office of the Sterlin;;
Bulletin. D\iring the same year Thomas '..
Powers of Sterling took possession of the i>a-
per and established a printing office at Ellin-
wood. The Ellinwood i)aper now is called the
Leader and is published by John McMullin.

The above gives an idea of the early news-
papers in the county and since those days
there have been a number of papers started
that met with indifferent success and
were finally either discontinued or absorbed
by other publications.

Among those mey be mentioned: The
Item, Graphic, Evening News. Rustler and
.Morning News.

The Register, after A. J. Hoisington sev-
ered his connection with it the first time, was

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

owned by E. L. Chaiuiian, Mrgaii Caraway,
.1. H. BordiTS, A. J. Hoisington and Ira ClarV.
Warren Haker and Ed Vollmer bought the Reg-
ister and Daily Item and consolidated with tbe
Tribune August 1, 190S. In 1909 Vollmer sold
his interests to Townsley & Baker, the present
owners.

In the fall of ISSO Tracy and Adams start-
ed the Barton County Democrat. This firm
sold to A. Wolf, who in turn sold to W. U.
Bright of McPherson. He sold to D. Langford
in March. 1S,S6. Will Stoke bought a half in-
terest in the paper and later bought the ri>-
maining half from Langford. Mr. Stoke sohl
a half interest t: W. P. Feder in 1904. In
1905 this firm bought the Beacon which was
started by D. T. Armstrong in 1895. Stoke

sold his interest in the plant to Mr. Feder in
1906. Later Mr. Feder organized the Feder
Printing Co., which has since owned and
published the Barton County Democrat.

In January, 1910, the Morning News was
started in Great Bend by the firm of Gunn .'i
Wattsou. This paper was consolidated with
the Great Bend Tribune in September t.f the
same year.

The newspapers now published in (he coun-
ty are the Great Bend Tribune, daily and
weekly, by Townsley & Baker; the Hoisingt ;ii
Dispatch by Roy Cornelius, the Ellinwood
Leader by John McMullin, Pawnee Rock
Herald by Grant Lippincott and the Claflin
Clarion by Bert Fancher. All these papers
except the Tribune are weekly publications.

A FEW INCIDENTS

By Ira H, Clark

1JIAV be iiardoned for mention of an inci-
dent at Hoisington in the summer cf 1S95,
which was largely of a personal inter-
est to me. 1 mention this because it tells of
the largest Republican township caucus ever
held at Hoisingtcn up to that time and the
largest since with the single exception of the
caucus held in 1904 about which I will have
something to say later. This 1895 caucus was
for the purpose of naming delegates to the
ccunty convention which was to place in nomi-
nation the county ticket. The writer was a

Ira H. Clark

candidate for the nomination of county clerk
that year and it may be said that he had some
good healthy political enemies in his own
baliwick as well as some mighty good and
true friends. These enemies were determined
to keep me from getting the delegation if [los-
sible and in that manner take me entirely out
cf the running, if the entire delegation could
not be secured then it was the desire of these

peoiile to divide it with me so that neither one
of us would stand a ghost of a show when it
came to the county convention. The man
selected to defeat me for the delegation was
Tommy Mocre, a railroad shop man, who was
popular w-ith the numerous railroad men and
at the same time was quite a lodge man. A
stronger man locally for the purpose intended
could hardly have been selected. He was
practically unknown outside of a small terri-
tory but he was well known in Hoisington and
generally liked. He would not have had a
Lok-in for the nomination even had he se-
cured a solid delegation from Homestead— but
the purpose of his backers to defeat me would
have been accomplished. The attendance at
this caucus was about 110 which was very
near the voting strength of the party in the
township at that time. The test came in the
selection of a chairman and my supporters
were successful, although by but a small ma-
jority. We pushed the tight on the issue of
the two candidates for county clerk— my
friends demanding that I either be given the
entire delegation or none— with the result that
a motion prevailed that I be permitted to se-
lect the delegates to the county convention.
Right here I want to say that I did something
that branded me as a novice in politics, some-
thing that my later years of experience taught
me was a radical mistake. In politics never
give back a concession that has been granted,
take all you can get and grasp t:;r more.
IlJon the granting of the usual privilege by the
caucus there was a storm of protests from the
opi)osition. chief among which was Col, Wash.
Howards (now gone to his long rest) who
loudly— I speak literally— proclaimed that
sh uld 1 secure the nomination after having
taken advantage of this unusual privilege he
would spend every minute of the time from
convention time until election tramping over

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

the (•ounty electioneering against my election.
I (lid not at that time fully ajjpreciate or real-
ize llie great favor the Colonel was voluniarily
proffering me. I thought by eoneiliating with
the tpposition anil allowing them a fair share
of the delegates with instructions that they
should support me unanimously tor county
clerk would make me stronger and bring
about a better feeling. Ami this was the plan
followed against the wish and protest of one of
my valued supporters— Captain J. P. Francis
— who knew politics from At:) Z and who
though never making a brilliant success him-
self had keen foresight and excellent judg-
ment on matters of this kind. 1 found out
later that I had made a mistake for it took all
the time that 1 should have devoted to increas-
ing my following outside in keeping my own
delegation in line and preventing them frcm
violating their instructions. This caucus will
always be remembered by those in attendance
as the most hotly contested of any held in
Homestead township. This was the year that
M. B. Fitts was first nominated for county
clerk. The writer had the largest following of
any individual candidate up to the next to the
last ballot when he lacked five votes cf a nom-
ination. At this juncture practically all the
delegates supporting George Gano of Pawnee
Rock, were swung into line for Mr. Fitts.

in advance subscriptions to the paper, so I
was not very much loser after all.

In tlie spring of 1S92 Hoisingtou bad a very
bitter city election. The town had been incor-
porated for a number of years but there had
been no improvements made whatever and a
number of the i)rogressives were in favor of
electing a city ticket that would mean some
much needed sidewalk and street crossings.
The moss-back element proclaimed loudly
that the city would be thrown hopelessly in
debt if this progressive ticket was successful,
and this element succeeded in rallying to their
aid a certain element in the chtirches tha' was
made to believe that the iirogressive ticket
was an extreme favorite with the whiskeyites.
This was a favorite city electi:n argument, by
the way, for a number of years but it mattered
not which ticket was successful in any of these
years w-hiskey was sold freely in Hoisinglon at
all times. This progressive ticket was Jieaded
by Capt. \V. F. Feck and was successful at
the polls. The sidewalks and crossings were
put in and a great deal in ihe way of im-
provement accomplished. 1 was identified with
the progressives and the morning after elec-
tion six men filed up to my office. i)aid the
subscription en their papers and ordered its
discontinuance to their address. I did not
enter into any argument with them or at-
tempt to have them continue taking the paper
but as courteously as I knew how took their
money and gave them receipts. Some of my
friends heard of the incident and before sun-
down they came in with thirty-seven new paid

Speaking cf persons stopping their sub-
scription to a newspaper reminds me of an
incident when Jerry Simpson was making his
second cami.aign for congress. When Simjison
made his first camjia'gn of course 1 had more
or less to say throi:gh my paper — the Dispatch
— :f a disparaging nature relative to Simpson
and his fitness for the position he sought.
When Simpson was making his second cam-
paign his followers got up a monster demon-
stration at Hoisinglon, there was a great i)ar-
ade and the affair was about the biggest i)Olit-
ical event that ever happened in the county.
There was an Irish lady living in Hoisii.gton
by the name of Grandma J.hnson who had
been a constant subscriber to the Dispatch
and was a very good friend of the writer. She
was, however, an ardent Democrat and a
strong believer in the perfection of Jerry Simp-
son. A grandson was assisting in the Disiiatch
office on press day having the imprtant po-
sition of roller bry for the Washington press in
use in the office. Immediately after the big
Simpson political demonstration Grandma
•Johnson sent word by this boy to the editor
that if he wrote up Simpson in as lying and
contemptille manner as he bad done two years
before she was c;mirg in and would stop her
paper. Cf course the Dispatch that week had
a great deal to say aboi:t Simpson and the Car-
away-S'mpscn episode that was pulled off on
the occasion of ttat particular meeting, and in
the editor's own weak way Simpson got his.
'"he next morning after the paper was issued
Grandma Johnson went to the p:stofTiee and
getting her coiiy cf the paper examined it
;!nd found what she was looking for in refer-
ence to Simpson. She immediately ascended
the ste;:s to the printing office and tearing the
paper to shreds, threw- the remnants at the
face of the editor, placing the amount of her
delinquency on the desk said. "There is your
Md paper, it's t!:e damndest lienest shate in
the state, except th? Great Bend Register." I
was glad she made one exceiJtion in the case.
By way ct explanation 1 will say that at
that t'n;e the Register was in the hands of
Morgan Caraway, who was chairman of the
Republican congressional committee, and was
about as virulent writer and hard a fighter as
ever showed up in these parts. Grandma
Johnson's temper did not last long and she
was soon a valued subscriber to the Dispatch
and the writer always counted on her and
her family as among nur lust friends.

During the campaign of IsSS there were
two papers published at Hoisinglon. The Kcho.
published by Chas. R. Vert, espoused the Rc-
])ublican cause, while the Mascot, published by
Tom Sharghnessy upheld the Democratic ban-
ner. During the coursing meet, which at that
time was the most noted annual meeting in
the count.v, the two papers issued daily edi-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

tions. Neither one of the editors were gifted
with an i;ver-abuudance of editorial gray mat-
ter and as this was in the midst of a lieatcd
campaign in the nation, state and county, and
the two papers were ultra partisan and it was
necessary that each edition contain a number
of good strong editorials calculated to inform
the common voter as to his duty on election
day. Neither editor was capable for the task,
and be it said to their credit, they both real-
ized this fact. It was therefore necessary to
get someone to furnish this necessary coi)y.
The Echo secured the services of Hugo Car-
hinder, a Swedish gentleman who ran a har-
ness shop and who was a rabid Republican
who usually exiiressed himself in very force-
ful language. The Mascot secured the services
of A. H. Baker who at that time, and is yet,
a land agent at H:.isington, Mr. Baker was a
Missouri Democratic of the rock-ribbed va-
riety and could go some when it came to tell-
ing his side of the political story. The editor
of the Echo did not know that the Mascot had
an assistant in the way of an editorial writer
but thought the political stuff appearing in the
Mascot was from the pen of the editor. The
controversy in the two papers became personal
t3 such an extent that they engaged in personal
combat over the accusations, charges and
counter charges tliat were daily appearing in
the two papers. It is needless to say that the
personal combat of the two editors was a
source of much merriment to the two writers
who were furnishing the ammimition for the
fracas while they themselves were engaged in
a bloodless warfare.

There is an Interesting story connected
with the first nomination of the late
Senator G. L. Chapman that is not gen-
erally known. This story reveals how very
close cur present townsman, Joe Walters, then
the candidate of Stafford county for the sena-
torial nomination, came to being the nominee
of that convention, or I might better say how
very easy it would have been for him to have
secured the nomination had the delegates from
his county had any idea of the intention of Mr.
Chapman. A little history of the condition of
things is necessary before going on with the
real story. Senator Robert Findlay had been
in the senate but one term and it was gener-
ally conceded that he was a one term man .
He and General Chapman were very good
friends at that time and before General would
enter the race for the senatorship he had as-
surances from Bob Findlay that he would not
be in his way but would assist in the nomina-
of Chaimian. Assurances of support were also
secured from other prominent Republicans of
Rice county. Senator Findlay wanted to be let
down as easily as possible, as it had been the
custom to give an office holder two terms and
the retirement of Senator Findlay at the ex-
piration of his first term was a divergence
from this usual custom. It was therefore
agreed that in the selection of the delegates to

the senatorial convention from Rice county
that these delegates should ostensibly be for
Senator Findlay for a renomiuation, and then
the program was that after a vote was taken
and the Rice county delegation cast a vote for
Senator Findlay — Senator Findlay was to come
forward and after thanking his home county
for their loyalty was to withdraw from the race.
This was the thought of a number of the dele-
gates from Rice county, but it seems that Bob
was smooth enough to tie them up with some
sort of an agreement by which they were to
stay by him until he would personally release
them from any allegiance to him. After he
had secured the Rice county delegation and
had this agreement Bob concluded that he
would like to stick in the senate for another
term and became a fuUfledged and bonafide
candidate for nomination.

Stafford county had not been getting hardly
her share of district honors and therefore felt
— and very justly too — that she was entitled to
the nominee for senator. Findlay knew very
well just how the Stafford county folks felt
about this and there rested his hope for secur-
ing the nomination. While the Stafford county
delegates personally felt much more friendly to
Chapman than they did to Findlay their sore-
ness for Barton county not coming to their aid
might take on such a form as to cause them
to go to Findlay before they would to Chap-
man through a feeling of revenge. This was
Chapman's danger and it was right here that
a plan was evolved whereby Findlay became
an impossibility if the Stafford delegation
would be alert and onto their job. By necessi-
ty this i)lan had to be kept very quiet and I
may say there were only two persons besides
General Chapman that knew of the plan. One
prominent delegate on the Stafford county del-
egation was told to keep a very close watch
en the proceedings and be ready to act quickly
should anything transpire that needed quick
action. Xothing more could be said, and al-
though this delegate could not figure out just
what the purport of this intelligence was it is
needless to say that he paid mighty strict at-
tention to the proceedings until a nomination
was made. This convention was held at Ellin-
wood and was presided over by Sam Jones of
Lyons. By a rule of procedure in conventions
of this character when a vote is being taken on
a nomination any delegation has a right to
change its vote already cast provided the
change is made before the vote is announced
by the secretary. A large number of votes
were being taken with little difference.

In the roll call of counties Barton always
cast the first ballot. The plan was that should
Stafford county get so sore at Barton as to
prefer the nomination of Findlay to Chapman
and the Rice county delegates persisted in
their support of Findlay then the chairman of
the Barton county delegation would immedi-
ately, before the announcement of the ballot,
change the vote of Barton county to Walters

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and then it would be up to the Stafford eounty
ohairmaii to quickly announce a change of vote
from Kindlay to Walters. Had the Stafford
county folks had any idea of this intention they
could easily have brought about Ihe nomina-
tion of Walters.

One of the most prominent men in the early
history of Hoisington was A. S. Cooke, who
was the cashier of the first bank established in
the town. Mr. Cooke was not one of the first
men in the town but was one of the pushers
when he did come. It was through him that
the writer was first induced to locate in Hois-
ington in February, 18S9. Mr. Cooke took an
active part in all things of a public nature and

was a very social fellow. After retiring from
the bank he became interested in the lumber
business with the late Henry Wildgen. Soon
after the hard years in the nineties he sold out
his interests and went to Pittsburg to take
charge of the Pennsylvania business of a Chi-
cago electrical supply business. 1 am inform-
ed that he has prospered greatly in his new
home and now has his country home, two au-
tomobiles and his city residence. While in this
county he was active in Masonic circles but
has since renounced all allegiance to secret
orders and is now a devout and active worker
in the Catholic church, bis oldest daughter
having taken the veil in that church

WILLIS W. WINSTEAD

THERE are few men whu had more lo do
with the early history of Barton Coun-
ty, and especially that part of it that
has to do with the City of Great Bend. He
was the second sheriff of Barton County and
filled the office of city marshal of Groat

W. W. Winstead

Bend at a time when it req\iired a man of
strong nerve and a determined nature to daal
with the vicious element that made up a part
of the town's population. He was born in the

little town of Dukedom, Tenn., in 1.S44, an<l
came to Barton County in lcS73. He married
Miss Georgia Stone, a daughter of T. L. Stone
for whom Stone street was named. She, wirh
her sister, were the first y^ung ladies to ar-
rive in Great Bend. Mr. and Mrs. Winstead
were the parents of three children as foUow.s-
Wirt W^., who died when he was 24 years of
age; George M., who for some time was in
the jewelry business in Great Bend, but aboi-i
a year ago moved to Hutchinson and estab-
lished one of the largest and most comi)lele
stocked jewelry stores in this part of the
country; Thomas E., who is proprietor of the
Duncan Bottling Works in Great Bend. Mrs.
Winstead's father ran the old Southern hotel
which, when it was first built, was known as
the Drovers Cottage, and was the first build-
ing on the townsite of Great Bend. At this
time Mrs. Winstead was 15 years of age and
her two sisters, who are now Mrs. Honnen
and Mrs. Crath, were 5 and 13, respectively.
Mr. Winstead was deputy marshal for some
time and in all his i)ul)lic duties proved him-
self a man whose nerve enabled him to deal
with delicate conditions with forethought and
determination. He had to deal with some
mighty tovigh characters during his terms as
marshal and sheriff but the evil-doers learned
that Mr. Winstead was a man who plac-d
his duty above everything else. He was a
kind and considerate father and his death,
which occurred a few years ago, caused a
great deal of sorrow among his relatives and
friends who knew him for a man in every
sense of the word.

JOHN EVERS

THE improvements just completed at
"Wheat Valley Farm," the home of
John Evers, 12 miles west of Great Bend
has made such a change in its appearance
that one hardly recognizes it as the same
place, although the land is just as rich and

the same care has been given to the cultiva-
tion of the crops. A large two story frame,
containing ten rooms and a kitchen, has taken
the place of the former residence, and it will
stand as a monument to the skill of Jlr.
Evers as a carpenter for many long years, as

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

he has been both its architect and bviilder.
That it is well built, and that the lumber of
its construction is first class Is an admitted
fact, because Mr. Evers served an apprentice-
ship at the builders' trade in the Old Country
before coming to America, and then worked
as a journeyman carpenter for a number of
years. Since coming to Kansas he has worked
at his trade while farming, and has kept in
touch with the improved methods in vogue in
this country. He therefore felt that he was
competent for this task and the building stands
to prove that he made a just estimate of his
ability. The barn, sheds and other outbuild-
ings are in keeping with the home and care
for the grain and stock of the farm. There is
an abundance cf shade and the whole presents
a beautiful appearance.

John Evers was born in the Province of
Hanover, Germany, on May 11th, 1S57. He
worked on the farm and at his trade until
March 5th, 1SS2, when he came to America and
first settled in Nebraska City, Nebraska. There
he again farmed and worked at his trade, but
in May, 1893, came to Barton County, Kansas,
and purchased the one hundred and sixty acres
where he resides. He also owns a half sec-
tion in Pawnee County which is farmed by his
son John Herman Evers. He was married in
June, 1SS4, to Miss Johanna Ekhoff, of Ger-
many, and thirteen children have blessed them:
all of whom remain at home and assist the
parents except John Herman, who is married
and lives on the farm in Pawnee County.

AMEND BROS, DENTISTS

IN writing the different articles for the
history of Barton County and Great Bend,
there is none that is more a story of suc-
cess and enterprise than this one. which vis-
counts the building up an establishnu'nt of
which the people of Great Bend and Barton
County, as well as those of surrounding coiri-
ties, are justly jiroud. This establishment ;s
known as the Amend Brothers Dental Par-
lors which are located over 1417 1-2 Main
street. Those who visit the parlors for die
first time, after having breome accustomed to

Brothers contVsts of Walter A., Eldon R., and
Leslie Ij. These young men are sons of Mr.
and Mrs. J::hn W. Amend, who were early set-
tlers in the eastern part of Kansas, having
come to this state from the state of Missouri.

Mrs. Amend was left a widow twenty-two
years ago and it is largely due to her guid-
ance and pride in her boys that they have
made a success in their work.

Walter was born in Brown County, Kan-
sas, in 1SS4, and when he arrived in Great
Bend in 1901, he accepted a position in the

Amend Bros., Sanitary Dentists

the ordinary dentists' office, are compelled to
exclaim, "Wonderful!" And it is wonderful
when it is taken into consideration that with-
out any attempt at flattery, or stretching the
imagination it can be truthfully said that no-
where in the state of Kansas nor in Kansas
City or St. Louis, can there be found a den-
tal parlor that will excel the Amend Brothers
establishment when it comes to completeness
of equipment, sanitary methods or genera!
beauty and convenience. The firm of Amead

dental office of A. I). Raffington. In 1905 he
graduated from the Western Dental College
of Kansas City, Mo., and shortly after he had
received his diploma he opened the business
that has since grown to its present importance.
In 1907 Eldon R. Amend received his diploma
from the same college and joined his brother.
Walter, in the parlors in this city. Eldon was
born in Iowa, in 1S77. Leslie L. became a
member of the firm in the spring cf 1912. He
graduated from the same college where the

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

other members of the firm f'udied and mas-
tered their profession. Leslie was born in Mis-
souri, in 1SS2, and received his diploma from
the above mentioned college in 1906. and be-
fore coming to Great Bend practiced at Ster-
ling. Kansas. Associated with the Amend
Brothers in their business are: Dr. Fred C.
PressI and Dr. Koy R. Johnson, both of \vh:;m
are well fitted to maintain the reputation of
the parlors. In addition to enjoying an exten-
sive local practice representatives of this firm
make frequent and regular trips to towns
surrounding Great Bend and Barl n CouMty

everything known to the modern practice of
dentistry. The furniture is of mahogan.v.
while the walls are finished in pure white
with green trimmings. Three operating
booths are equipped with the finest instru-
ments which are kept clean and sanitary by
the most advanced methcds. The instruments
used at the parlors are of the modern kind,
many of ihem being operated by electricity
and they are the kind that reduces pain to a
minimum and makes operations that were
formerly painful almost devoid of any un-
pleasant sensation. Every appliance that will

'Amendi

Sanitary

B iiii

Ulglt

£f DlRUS.

where the Amend Brothers' quality of dental
work is well known and appreciated. Those
towns are located on the Santa Fe railroad as
far west as Garden City and as far east as
Geneseo on the Missouri Pacific and to Ness
City on the latter road, and as far south as
Pratt. Within this radius there are forty
towns which are regularly visited and where
this firm's practice is steadily growing as a
result of modern methods and painslakins;,
careful attention. The Amend Brothers Den-
tal Parlors in Great Bend are furnished wi'h

in any way add to the up-to-dateness of ,h:'
parlcrs have been suiiplied by the firm regard-
less of expense and time. It is indeed fortr,-
nate for the people of this section of Kansas
to have an establishment of this kind in Great
Bend, because when they seek treatment at
this modern institution they can do so wiiu
the knowledge that na matter how far one
may travel or to whatever city they might go
better treatment cannot be found nor can
one have higher class work done at nrore re.i-
sonable prices.

L. G. MECKLEM

THKHE are very few old timers of this
county who do not know the Mecklem
family, as it is one of the families
that arrived here in 1870. The subject of thio
sketch, L. G. Mecklem, is a son of G. F. Meck-
lem. who it will be remembered was killed in
a cyclone in 1900. He with his family came
to this county in the fall of 1870 and he lo-
cated on the northeast quarter of section o,
Buffalo township, while L. G. later honic-
Eteaded the northwest quarter of the same
section. L. G. now owns 400 acres of land ali
in Buffalo township, except 80 acres, which is
in Kureka township. He was born in Pitts-
burg. Pennsylvania, and came to this county
with his parents. He was married to Miss
Rheta Wilkins and to this union there were
born two children, Ira, 32 years of age, and

Jennie, 30 years of ago. The former is a
wheat buyer located at Heizer and Jennie i.-i
now Mrs. Henry Boyle, and resides on Bkvid
creek, in this county. .Mr. Mecklem survived
his first wife and in 1886 was married to Miss
Clara Baldwin in this c::unty. They are the
parents of three children as follows: MoUio,
21 years of age, is now Mrs. Walter Waller-
stedt of Lynsburg, Kansas: Marie. 17 years,
and Bess, 14 years of age, are residing at
home. The homo place is beautifull.v located
on the south bank of Walnut creek. The res-
idence which contatins eight rocms. in adili-
tion to closets, pantries, etc.. is surrounded by
shade trees and shrubbery. The barn is 32
foot square and the other outbuildings are
well built and commodious. Altogether Mr.
Mecklem has one of the best improved and

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

most attractive home places to be found ;n
that township. He maintains a small orchard
and a good grade of live stock and is one of
the best known farmers in that section of
Barton. He has held township and school
board offices and always takes an active part
in any movement that he thinks is for the

benefit of the community in which he lives.
One thing of interest about Mr. Mecklom
.should be mentioned. He is the author of the
famous Heizer Yacht Club notes that have
been running in the Tribune for the last three
or four years.

JAKE MILLER

THE pioneer photographer of Great Bend
is Jake Miller who still operates a stu-
dio on Braadway a few doors east of he
federal building. Mr. Miller was born in
Adams County, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1S4S.
He came to Great Bend in 1872 and soon after
his arrival opened a photograph gallery and
nearly all the well known old timers have
posed before Mr. Miller's camera. Many of
the illustrations cf the old time scenes and
people in this book are cuts made from photos
furnished by Mr. Miller. Mr. Miller helped
to set the type from which the first newspa-
per in Great Bend was printed. He was mar-
ried in 1878 to Miss Carrie E. Rankin and
they are the parents of two children: Leon,
who is now a telepgaph operator employed
by the Associated Press at St. Joseph, Mo.,
and Anna, who is now Mrs. David Gordon of
this county. Mr. Miller was well acquainted
with the old timers and pioneers of this sec-
tion of the state and knows a great deal
about the early history of Barton County, as
he is one cf the men who helped to make it.

Early Picture of First Photo-
grapher, Jacob Miller

JOSEPH H. TROILLET

JOSEPH H. TROILLET was born Decem-
ber 21, 1843. at Bagnes Valais, Switzer-
land, of French parents. He was mar-
ried in March, 1881, to Miss Anna Bobeck and
they were the parents of three girls: Lillian
Elsa and Alma. Mr. Troillet arrived in Bar-
ton County in 1873 and was, therefore, among
the pioneers of this section cf Kansas. His
first business venture was a tailor sh;p which
he and his brother, Francis Troillet, opened.
This partnership continued for some time aft-
er which Mr. Troillet opened a French res-
taurant which he conducted until 1887, when
he established a cigar factory and confection-
ary story on Forest avenue, opposite the post-
office, in a building which he erected in 187lj.
Mr. Troillet was always known as an ente.--
prising, progressive citizen and always took
a part in any movement that had for its pur-
pose the betterment of the community in
which he lived. The confectionery store is
now being run by his daughters and there
are few if any of the old timers who will not
remember Mr. Troillet and the part he took
in the upbuilding of Great Bend and Barton

County. Mr. Troillet was one of the original
organizers and directors of the Citizens Na-
tional bank and was also one of the largest
stockholders. Mr. Troillet's death, which oc-
curred on February 24, 1911, was a great
shock to the community and ho was sincerely
mourned, not only by his relatives, but by
scores of friends in all parts of the state of
Kansas. Mr. Troillet survived his wife who
died August 10, 1908. The Troillet girls, Lil-
lian, Alma and Elsa are well fitted to lo..k
after the different business interests left by
their parents. Lillian was married in July,
1912. to Ernest Frey. The girls are among
the best known in the younger society set of
the county, all of them being accomplished
musicians, Lillian being a singer of exception-
al ability. Mr. Troillet was one of the best
known pioneer business men ot Great Bend
and before his death had the satisfaction of
seeing the town and county reach a place of
importance which was made possible by the
early struggles of the pioneers 'f whom he
was one.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

W. H. KERR

WlLl.lAM HICNRY KMKR w'as b^ni ai
ro\iloii .Illinois, January 20, 1855. IIo
went with liis parents to Jlissonri
when ho was about one year of age and it
was in the hitter state that he was raised anil
received his oarly education. Mr. Kerr came

\er but was included in another township. Mr.
Kerr was married August 30, ISSl, to Miss
Florence P. Lindsay of Bunker Hill, Kansas,
and they are the parents of eight children, six
of whom are living. One of the children died
in infancy and Albert was killed by lightning

City R e s iti e n c e of W . H . Kerr

Farm Residence of W. H. Kerr

to Kansas from Missouri in 1876 and located
in Marlon County. He first took up a tree
claim and pre-emption in Beaver township,
the former being changed to a homestead. .\l
this time there was but one family in that
township which was not then known as Bua-

June 29, 1900, when he was 12 years of age.
The renjiinder of the children are: Mary
Belle, who is now Mrs. Clarence Markel;
Winifred, who is employed by the Merrit-
Schwier Creamery as stenographer; Klhcl
Florence, who is a steuographcr and is em-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

ployed by C. B. Ellis & Co., brokers, of San
Francisco; Robert Henry, who is employed in
Great Bend, and Josephine and Alice, who are
living at home. Mr. Kerr has always taken a
great interest in his children and they are al!
well educated and well known in this part of
the state. Mr. Kerr now owns 720 acres of
farm land in Barton County, all of which is
being worked by renters. He also owns con-

Life," which spreads the propaganda of the
society to all parts of the civilized world. He
is also the president of the society and devotes
a great deal of his time to study and in the
preparation of copy for the magazine. Some
time ago he purcbasod the Morrison hotel
building which is one of the largest in the
city of Great Bend, and it is his intention to
found a school in the building to prepare stu-

.■^r^=s^^-

I'-'^^aag^--

Great Bend Hotel, Owned by W. H. Kerr

slderable town iiroperty in Great Bend and ISO
acres of land in Texas. Mr. Kerr is the found-
er of the Church of Humanity, a society that
is gaining many new members in all parts of
the world. The membership roll contains
representatives from forty states in this conu-
ttry as well as in Germany and England. Mr.
Kerr is the publisher and editor of the month-
ly magazine called "The Truth About God and

dents for taking up the work of spreading
the beliefs of the society. Mr. Kerr is an en-
terprising and progressive citizen and is one
of the really old timers of Barton County who
have remained here through good and bad
years and established a home and raised a
family that is a credit to him and the com-
munity in which he lives.

JACOB A. DIRKS

THE general appearance of "North Slope
Farm," the name recently given to the
home of Jacob A. Dirk's, thirteen and
one-half miles west of Great Bend, has been
greatly changed by the erection of a two story
frame residence containing ten large airy
rooms, and all other conveniences and acces-
sories usually found in a modern up-to-date
home. This building stands on an elevated
position and well above ground, and seems to
tower above its surroundings. It is en-
closed by porches, north and south, and the
sleeping apartments face in those directions.
Ventilation and comfort have been the chief
aims in its construction, and Mr. and Mrs.

Dirks can congratulate themselves that they
have secured these blessings. It is furnished
in the most modern style, and will take rank
with the best homes in the county. There is a
good barn with mow and stall room for all hay
and stock necessary on the farm, and a gran-
ary and other outbuildings. New trees, plants
and shrubs will be set, and these will blend
with the tastefully painted buildings and
brighten the scone.

Jacob A. Dirks was born in Newton, Kan-
sas, on April Sth. 1S77, and attended the dis-
trict schools of Barton County. He is the
oldest son of Abraham H. and Nettie Dirks,
and grew to manhood on the homestead one-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

half mile west ol his present homo. He is one
of the progressive farmers of the county, and
his two hundred and forty acres of tillable
land show that he is a model husbandman.
His farm covers one hundred and sixty acres,
and he owns an additional eighty, two miles
west in Rush county. These two tracts are

cultivated by him personally, and his fields
and granaries both show that he understands
his business. On December 5th. 1900, Jacob A.
Dirks and Miss Carrie Ratzlaff. of Harvey
County. Kansas, were united in marriage, and
four children bless them: Chester, 9; Harvey,
^; Daniel. 6. and Mae Leona, 2.

BENJAMIN H. U N R U H

HILLSIDE FAK.M," the country home of
Benjamin H. I'nruh, stands on a
a gently sloping hillside thirteen
miles west of Great Bend. The farm em-
braces three hundred and twenty acres of
beautiful lying land, and the soil is very fer-
tile. Mr. Unruh also owns one hundred and
sixty acres in Pawnee County, and both tracts
are in a high state of cultivation. The "Hill-

Benjamin H. Liiruh was born in Central
Russia on September 5th, 1864, and came to
America with his parents, Hein and Katherine
Unruh, when ten years of age. They arrived
in Newton, Kansas, on December 24th, 1874.
and little Benny spent his tenth Christmas in
the new world. They finally settled at Paw-
nee Rock, but eventually entered a homestead
three miles south of the farm here described.

• Hillside Farm'

side Farm" is improved with a one story and
a half frame containing nine rooms, and is
furnished modernly. The barn is 32x60 and
has stalls for fifteen horses and ten cows.
There is a granary, model milk house, and
other outbuildings, and some metal grain bins
scattered about. The house is painted gray,
the barn red, and these shades harmonize well
with the green of the orchard leaves and the
shade trees about the premises.

The father died in November. 18S4. but the
mother still resides on the homestead. Ben-
jamin H. attended the public schools of his dis-
trict and assisted his father and mother on
the farm, and entered and proved up on a
claim of a quarter section. On April 14th,
1899, he married Miss Anna Smith, of Harvey
County, Kansas. They have five living chil-
dren: Alvin. 10; Ruth, 8; Augusta. 6; Paul,
4, and Frcida, 3.

CLARENCE E. HOLMES

CT.ARENCE R. HOLMES was born April
2. 18S2. at Frcdonia, Wilson County.
Kansas, and is a sen of Mr. and Mrs.
R. E. Holmes, who came to the Sunflower
state from Iowa in 1877. Clarence lived in
his native county for six years after which iie

went to Elk County with his parents. From
there he went to Butler County and resided
in the town of Douglas until 1908. during
which year he came to Bartcn County and en-
gaged in the drug business in Groat Bond.
The elder Holmes followed the business ol

C
Crq

J/3

O
-i

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

fanning and cabinet making. After 1S80, and
previous to this date was in the drug business
for thirty years. Clarence was educated in
the grammar and liigh schools of the differ-
ent counties in which he lived and in 1907
graduated from the pharmaceutical depart-
ment of the Kansas university at L-awrenc".
Soon after graduati;.n he successfully passed
the examination and fulfilled the other v<--
quirements of the state board of pharmacy
and is now a registered pharmacist. When
Clarence was a boy he took a great interest
in outdoor sports and became proficient as a
baseball pitcher and after playing in ama-
teur teams for some time, in 1903 he signed
a contract and pitched professional ball lor
the Cedar Rapids club of the "Three I."
league. He made an excellent record as a
left handed twirler and quit the game only
because he wanted to go into business ioi

himself. He still takes a great interest in
the national game and his store is headquar-
ters for spirting goods and is popular with
everybody who is in any way interested in
sports.

Mr. Holmes was married in 1907 to Miss
Daisy HoUenbeck of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and
they are the parents of one child, a boy two
years of age who bears his father's name and
is known as Clarence Holmes, Jr. Mr. Holmes
is one of the best known business men of Bar-
ton County and his store is a standard for all
goods in the drug line. During the hot
months the soda fountain maintained at the
Holmes store is the mecca for those who want
the best in the soft drink line. The prescrip-
tion department is always in charge of Mr.
Holmes or another registered pharmacist and
this department is maintained on the highest
standard.

JOHN F. LEWIS

THK history of Barton County, Kansas,
would not be entirely complete without a
short biography of John F. Lewis, who
came here in 1S73, when there was but a sin-
gle row cf houses around the square, and the
cowboy element dominated the town.

Mr. Lewis was born in Holmes County,
Ohio, August 9, 1S42, wherefroni his family
moved to DeWitt County, Illinois, in 1S44,
where he grew to manh.od and in July, ISfii,
enlisted in Company G, 107th Infantry, Illi-
nois Volunteers for sei'.ice in the civil war.
His father. Dr. B. S. Lewis, having recruited
said company and was elected its captain and
he, John F. Lewis, was made duty sergeant,
afterwards promoted to first sargeant and
again to second lieutenant. Mr. Lewis served
with his regiment in the Kentucky, East Ten-
nessee, under General Burnsides in its bat-
tles and seiges, thence in 1864 with Sherman
in his march ujjon Atlanta, then in the cam-
paign when Hood marched vipcn .Nashville and
the battles of Columbia, Duck River, Franklin
and Nashville was fought, thence going with
his cori)s to Fort Fisher, thence on up the
coast in various engagements to the close of
the war, in the capture cf Johnson's army.

Soon after the close of the war Mr. Lewis
was commissioned lieutenant in the Four-
teenth regular infantry and was stationed on
Governors Island, New York harbor, during
the following summer, where he pass.^d
through the cholera epidemic and suffered an
attack of that dread disease.

He joined his regiment in the spring of
1867, via the Isthmus of Panama and San
Francisco and across the Yuma desert to Ari-
zona. Very soon after reaching his command
he was ordered on an expedition against die
A])ache Indians in command cf Troop G, First
v. S. cavalry, in the Chiricahua mountains,
and encountered the Indians in force in the
Guadaloupe canon near the present town of

Douglas, Arizona, and went into action, cap-
turing their stock, defeating them and killing
a large number.

He was engaged in battle with the Indians
on many other cccasions, one of which was
notable, that of being surrounded and be-
seiged two days and nights in a mining cor-
ral, from which he successfully extricated
his command with the captured stock, though
he was constantly engaged until reinforce-
ments arrived.

Mr. Lewis was i)r()nioted to first lieutenant
of the Thirty-second infantry, and was after-
wards transferred to the Twenty-first, be-
came quartermaster at Camp Crittenden, .it
which iiost he constructed the post buildings
the remains of which can be seen by any i)e>
£on traveling into Mexico over the Guaymas
branch of the Santa Fe railroad. In ls71 .Mr.
Lewis enj.^yed the opportunity offered by the
government of accepting a year's pay upon
the reduction of the army from forty-five to
twenty-five regiments, arriving home in Julv,
1871, thus giving the government nearly four
years of continuous Indian service.

Mr. Lewis married Miss Frances M. Mor-
ten, at Corning, Adams County, Iowa, Septem-
ber 13, 1873, and immediately came to Kansas,
locating a homestead and tree claim four
miles north of Kllinwood, Kan.

During his stay on said land the movement
of large herds of cattle from Texas north-
ward gave great annoyance to the farmers In
the destruction rf crops. Mr. Lewis organized
the farmers and made physical resistance to
said encroachments to the end that said dam-
ages to crops ceased and resulted in the peo-
ple of the county bringing out Mr. Lewis as a
candidate for sheriff. However, the political
trickery no less common those days than now,
thwarted the wishes of the people and he was
defeated.

Mr. Lewis has until late years ever inter-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

ested himself in the public uplift of our town
and county, pushing with enterprise and unsel-
fishness any improvement that promised ben-
efits to our town.

He organized the Great Bend Gas and Fuel
Company and was instrumental mere than
any other citizen in sinking a deep well on
section 13-19-13 in an effort to develop coal,
gas or oil, reaching a depth of 1,365 feet, find-
ing only salty artesian water that is still flow-
ing out of the ground, and which is said to
prssess valuable medicinal properties. Soon
after this he brcught about a vote of $10,000
bonds in the city for the erection of a sail
plant. However, the land boom, then at its

ape.x, commenced to wane and promised
monies from other sources failed to come and
the venture came to nothing.

Mr. Lewis also organized by his energy
the Great Bend Foundry Company, which con-
structed its buildings immediately south of the
present grain office of the Walnut Creek Mill-
ing Company, which burned to the ground u
few years ago.

Mr. Lewis occupies the office he then oc-
cupied tw^enty-six years ago, being a quiet and
conservative real estate business, where he yet
cheerfully caters to the occasional demand
for information and events of the long, long
ago in the early history of Kansas.

ELRICK C. COLE

ELRICK C. COLE was born in Burlington,
Racine County. Wisconsin, October -il,
1S56. He moved with bis parents in
1)H63 to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he received
a comm n school education, finishing the high
school course. He studied law in the offiro

Judge E. C. Cole

of his father, Albert G. Cole. He was clerk
of the circuit court of that county, and was
admitted to the bar in December, 1S7S, and to
the supreme court of Wisconsin in February,
1879. He moved to Great Bend, Kansas, in
March, 1879, where he began the practice of

law with his brother. Theodore C. Cole, under
the firm name of Cole Brothers. He is the
dean of the Barton County bar and one of the
most prominent lawyers in Kansas. The firm
was dissolved by the death of his brother in
October ,1890. He was elected county attoor-
ney of Barton County in 1S86 and re-elected in
1SS8. He was elected a member of the legis-
lature in 1894 and resigned in March 1895, aft-
er the close of the session to accept the ap-
pointment of judge of the Kansas court of ap-
peals, which place he held until January, l.SDV,
when he returned to the practice of law in
Great Bend. On January 1, 1900, he formed a
partnership with Wm. Osmond, which still
ccntinues. He was married November 23,
INSO, to Miss Minnie 0. Webb of La Crosse,
Wisconsin, and they are the parents of one
child, Frances, who is now Mrs. Eldon J. Lowe
of Coffeyville, Kansas. He is a prominent
member of the Masonic order and this year
is deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of
Kansas, and deputy grand high priest of tho
Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Kan-
fas. Judge Cole has gene through many of tho
hottest political campaigns in the state dur-
ing the past thirty years, and when he tooii
an active part in the campaign his friends
were glad and the enemy knew they were go-
ing to have a battle. On different occasions
Mr. Cole overcame difficulties in winning an
election that seemed almost impossible. He
has been connected with some of the largest
legal battles in the state and has always been
found to be a hard working, conscientious it-
torney and counselor. He served the city of
Great Bend as attorney a number of times
and is one of Great Bend's substantial and
enterprising citizens.

O. W. DAWSON

THE MOST important office in the city ad-
ministration is now held by O. W. Daw-
son, who is serving his second terra as
the city's chief executive. Mr. Dawson was
burn in the state of Iowa in 1S6S and came to
Kansas with his parents in 1876. After com-

pleting his education he taught school for
several years and was later connected with the
Walnut Creek Milling Company in capacity of
bookkeeper. For a number of years he was
court reporter of the Twentieth judicial dis-
trict and about ten years ago formed a part-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

nership with Louis Zutavern in the real es-
tate, loan and insurance business and they
now have one of the leading offices in these
lines in this part of the state. Under Mr.

and up-to-date cities in the staiv ui Kansas.
Mr. Dawson has proved himself a faithful and
efficient public servant and he is untiring iii
his efforts to discharge the duties of his office

O. W. Dawson, Mayor of Great Bend

Dawson's administration the city of Great
Bend has made long strides forward until to-
day it is counted one of the most progressive

in a way that will reflect credit not only upon
himself but upon the city as a whole. Mr. Daw-
son's office is located in the Citizen' National

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Bank block at the corner of Forest avenue
and Main street.

Mr. Dawson at this writing is a candidate
for the office of congressman from the S'^v -
enth eongi'essional district on the Republican
ticliet. He is of the type of men who mak.'S

friends wherever he may gi and if he is
chosen to represent this district at
the national capital the people can rest a.s-
sured that their interests will be Icoked after
as they should he.

THE BRINKMAN FAMILY

IX THE ME.MORY of the old timers of Bar-
ton County and Great Bend there are
few men who are occupying as prominent
a place as John V. Brinkman, the head of the
Brinkman family which came to Barton from
Ohio in 1ST4 at a time when this section of
Kansas needed just such men as John Brink-
man and his s.ns have proven to be. John
V. Brinkman was born in January, 1841. n:-;ir
Bolivar, Ohio, on a farm. He was married
November 19, 1S63. to Miss Susan Liebold of
that state and they were the parents of nine
children as follows: N'ora, Katie J., George,
Charles V.. Lillian, Ola, .Mabel, Eloise and
Louis. Mrs. Brinkman was born in Ohio in

when aid was hard to obtain. From the very
beginning his business was a success and
when he died after having lived a noble life
the people of Baiton County mourned as they
have seldom mourned the loss of a man. The
bank which he established has grown until
now it has a capital of $50,000, with deposits
appr.;xiniating half a million dollars. The of-
ficers of the bank are now: J. George Brink-
man, president; Charles V. Brinkman, vi.o
president, Frank Brinkman. cashier, and W.
O. Vollmer, assistant cashier, and the same
policies followed by the elder Brinkman i -e
being carried out by the sons to the end th;it
it will always stand as a material evidence of

J . V . B r i n k ni a n

1841' and died April 23, 190S, she having s'lr-
vived her husband by three years, he having
passed away June 27, 1905. In 1S74, the year
following Mr. Brinkman's arrival in this coun-
ty, he rrganized the J. V. Brinkman & Co.,
bankers, private banking establishment with a
capital of $10,000. It was while he was act-
ively engaged in this business that he en-
deared himself to the people of this section of
the state. He was a man who took a deep in-
terest in the welfare of his neighbors and the
upbuilding of the community in which he
lived. Many are the incidents known to his
friends of which he would never speak re-
garding his charitable acts, and the aid he
rendered those who were in need at a time

Mrs. J. V. Brinkman

the business sagacity of its founder.

In 1S77 .Mr. Brinkman, together with E. C.
Sooy, built a flour mill in the county on tho
banks if Walnut Creek cast of Great Bend.
It was the intention to utilize tho water power
furnished by Walnut creek, but it w-ps learned
within a year that just at the times when '.ho
power was needed there was not sufficient
water in the creek to furnish the necessary
power, and in IS7S the mill was moved to its
present site, just south of the Santa Fe tracks
en Main street in Great Bend. The mill as
originally built was known as Three-Run
French Burr with a capacity of 100 barrels
per day. When the mill was erected on its
present site, Dave Roberts was taken in as a

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

partner and was head miller until 1SS6, when
the company was incorporated under the
name of the Walnut Creek Milling Company,
with the following officers: J. V. Brinkraan,
president; E. C. Sooy, vice president; Dave
Roberts, general manager. It was in 1886 that
Nicholas Smith became identified with the
company and after the death of J. V. Brink-
man in 1905, Charles V. Brinkman became
president and Nicholas Smith was made sec-
retary and manager. Dave Roberts severed
his connecticn with the mill in 1887 and now
lives at Grand Junction. Colorado, where he
is engaged in the milling business. The mill

going into the milling business he was c(m-
nected with the J. V. Brinkman bank for for.r
years. J. George Brinknian, who is president
of the J. V. Brinkman Co., bankers, was born
at Sandyville, Ohi:?, June 21, 1867. He was
married November 8. 1894, to Miss Pauline
Wilner of Kansas City. Kansas, and they ar»
the parents of two children, Marion and Joha
V. Nora is now .Mrs. Fred Zutavern of Greai
Bend; Katie is now Mrs. Nicholas Smith, alao
of Great Bend; Ola is now Mrs. G. L. Chap-
man and resides in Great Bend; Eloise is nov,-
Mrs. N. A. White of Fremont, Michigan, while
Lillian and L uis are residents of Great Bend,

Charles \'. Brinkman

L o u i .s B ]• i n k m a n

property consists of a square block of ground
and the milling building is SOxlSO feet in di-
mensions and is equipped with the latest and
most improved milling machinery. Its main
product, •'Imperial" flour, is shipped to a!!
parts cf the country and is one of the chief
reasons why Great Bend is called the Milling
City, and this flour's quality maintains t.he
city's reputation as a producer of all that is
best in the line of flour quality. Charles V
Brinkman, the head of this milling business
founded by his father, was born in Bolivar,
Ohio, July 6, 1869, and came to Barton Coun-
ty with his parents in 1874. He attended the
public schools of this section and also took a
course at Washburn college of Topeka. Before

the latter being connected with the Walnut
Creek Milling Company. Many who read thio
brief synopsis of the Brinkman family will
recall the many kind deeds of John V. Brink-
man and remember him as one of the men
who made possible the development of Barton
County's resources, and as a man who at all
limes found time U listen to the words of wc
from less fortunate people who came to Ihi-
new country without means to see them
through the periods of hard times. He was
a man whose friends were numbered by his
acquaintances and he died happy in tip
thought that his life had not been a failure
and knowing that he was leaving behind him
a heritage of which any family might be proud.

HEIZER

WHE.X work was begun on the railroad
track now known as the Scott City
branch of the A. T. & 8. F. railroad, a
demand was made for some smaller towiis
along the right-of-way northwest of the coun-

ty seat in this county. This was in the SOs
and Heizer is one of the towns established
as a result of this demand. It was named aft-
er D. N. Heizer, a former resident of the coun-
ty, and at one time owner of the land that is

(DF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

now taken up by the townsite of Heizer. The
first store in the town was established by I).
E. Freyberger, who later sold out to Reinicke
& Sons. A creamery was established in the

pose for some time was torn down and the
material taken to Great Bend where it was
reused. Heizer now has three elevators, two
general merchandise stores, one hardware

Heizer Creamery

town of Heizer by Schwier and associate:;
shortly after the town was laid out. This was
operated for a few years, but in 1909 the
building which had not been used for any pur-

store, hotel, blacksmitli shop, lumber yard and
other business establishment. It has a popu-
lation cf about 100 and is a busy little town
at most times.

ALBERT

IT WAS back in the early 80s when C. Li.
Worden and other residents of his town-
ship realized the necessity for a to>vn
where they located Albert, which is on the
Scott City branch of the Santa Fe railwa..-,
seventeen miles northwest of Great Bend. A<
bert, like other towns In that se^ tion of the
county, never had a boom, 'o:\t wifhiT a sho't
time after it was laid out it served the piir-

pose for which it was intjuc-ed and offered
the people of that section of th.» county a
trading point and it was not long until nearly
all lines of retail business wer; represented.
The first store was started by Cliarlcs llayes
who later sold cut. Albert r'ow has i bank,
four elevators, hotel, livery and feed stable,
two general merchandise stores and a popula-
tion of about 170. It was near t!ie tc'vnsite

OLMITZ

OLMITZ was laid out and began its
growth in 1S85 and is the trading
point for an Austrian settlement that
surrounds it. When Peter Brack and his
brothers and mother came to this section of
the state they were accompanied by a number
of natives of Austria and for several year?
after their arrival it was only by the greatest
economy and by dint of hard work that they
succeeded in bringing the soil in that sec'.ioii
to a state of productiveness that would yield
them a profit for their efforts. Olmitz is lo-

cated on the Missouri Pacific railroad, 10
miles west of Hoisington. It has at the pres-
ent time three general stores, three elevators,
a bank, hotel, hardware stores, and establish-
ments that represent other lines of business.
The first store was started by Peter Brack,
who later sold out and within a few years
started the bank that bears his name. C, i\I.
Kreiser established a store in 1SS5 and late-
sold out to Sig Jacoby, who is still in busi
ness. Olmitz has some nice residences and
enjoys the trade from a large territory.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

of Albert that C. B. Wordeii and Mr Pt.ude-
busli plantfd tlu- first c-rop of c-jiii which,
after making a g od start, was c:'te!i by tbc
buffaloes that were so i)leiitiful in 'iiis f.m

tion of the county at tliat lime. Albe-t ; b
supply point for a rich territory wl<i<-:i laUes
in some cf the richest agriculti.ril laud :n
Harton County.

THE DODGE 1AM ILV

I.N IIIK history of Barton County there is
no family that has taken a more acti'e
Iiart in its making than that of Kdward
Judson Dodge. He was born at Breedshill,
near Hannibal, in Oswego County, New York.
November 25, 1S22. He came with his par-
ents t) Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1S36. Here
he went to schocil and lived his boyhood years
It was in Kenosha that he met Miss Klizabeth
I'ossen whom he married December 31, 184i;.
They were the parents of eight children as
follows: Charles E.. Wallace H., Don D., Giios
B., Lizzie, Jennie, Mary and Maggie. In ISTl
the call of the west became too strjng for
Mr. Dodge to withstand and he came to Bar-
ton County, Kansas, in that year and at once
took an active part in the development of tho
county's resources. He located en a home-

sides in this county. The Dodge family always
t:ok an active part in the public affairs of
the county and Charles K. was register of
deeds for seven terms, administering the af-
fairs cf this office for fourteen years. At the
end of his seventh term he gave up politics
and since that time has been engaged in the
abstract business. He has also served on the
school board a number of years and upon bin
arrival in this c:untry he first followed the
occupation of school teacher. Wallace Dodge
is one of the best known real estate men in
this section of the state and has offices in
Great Bend. Don also lives in Great Bei.d
and is a retired farmer; Giles is a painfi^r
and paperhanger and is actively engaged i^i
this line of work in Bart :n County; Jennie
is now .Mrs. Ingersoll of Claflin; Mary is now

Dugout Home of E. J. Dodge

stead about four miles north of Great Bei'd
where he built an abode that consisted of a
dugout on the bank of Walnut creek. Here
the family resided for a number of years and
were among the best ku?.wn and most highly
respected of the early settlers of this part
of the state. .Mr. Dodge came here alone but
was joined by his family after he had secured
a location and made arrangements for the
making of a home. He farmed for a number
of years and, finally retired and moved to
Great Bend wiiere he took up his residence.
Mr. Dodge was a blacksmith by trade and fol-
lowed this line of business until a short time
before his death which occurred October 10,
1!H0, after he had reached the age of ST year.-;.
1(1 months and 27 days. Mr. Dodge's first wife
died November 1, 1SS9. In June he was mar-
ried to .Mrs. Klizabeth Wells, who still re-

.Mrs. W. P. Feder, her husband being the ed-
itor of the Barton C:unty Democrat; Lizzie
is now Mrs. George Spencer of Great Bend
and .Maggie is now .Mrs. Jones of Hollywood,
("alif. The head of the Dodge family came to
this county when the buffaloes were stiil
roaming the prairies in this part of the coimi-
Iry and he enjoyed the distinction of having
built the first bridge to span Walnut creek
north of the town cf Great Bend. We priut
herewith a picture of the Dodge home on Wal-
nut creek and from this picture one can got
an idea of how the people lived in those days
and see the conditions with which the early
settlers had lo c:ntend. Mr. Dodge's death
came as a great shock to the community
where he had scores of friends which were
made and kept by his kindness and many m:n-
ly qualities.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

ALBERT NICHOLAS MERTEN

ALHERT NICHOI^S MERTEN was born
in Keokuk County, Iowa, May 4, 1S64,
and came to Barton County with his
parents when he was twelve years of age. He
is a son of Rcbert Merten, one of the early
settlers in this part of the State of Kansas.
The family came to this county in 1876 and
since that time have had much to do with the
development of the county's resources and

trees and other foliage which makes It one of
the most attractive farm homes in that part of
the county. The residence contains ten rooms
in addition to the bath, closets and pantries.
The barn is well built and contains room for
a number of head of live stock. Mr. Merten
maintains a good grade of live stock and is
an enterprising and progressive farmer. He
is one of the many Barton County farmers

Home of Albert N. Merten

the upbuilding of the towns and cities con-
tained within its borders. Mr. Merten was
married to Miss Ida A. Coss, October 30, 189.5
and they are the parents of four children:
Bessie, 16 years; Elsie, 14 years; Maisie, 12
years; Grace, 3 years. Mr. Merten farms three
quarter secticns in Clarence township and in
addition owns another half section in the same
township and a quarter in Rush county all of
which is being worked by renters. The home
place is nicely located, the residence and
other buildings being surrounded by shade

wh ) took lip the work where their parents left
off in the developing of the soil and maintain-
ing this county's prestige as one of the most
important agricultural sections of the coun-
try. Mr. Merten in addition to his private in-
terests has found time to take an active part
in the public affairs of his community and has
served in the capacity of school board direc-
tor and has held township offices. He has
been actively engaged in farming in this coun-
ty twenty-seven years and is one of the best
known men in this part of the state.

JACOB B. and PETER C. BRACK

ANOTHER prosperous farmer who was
bora in this county and has seen it
grow from a most undesirable place in
which to live to one of the best counties in the
State of Kansas, is Jacob B. Brack. He was
born March 6, 1883 and attended the schools of
the county until he began farming fsr himself.
He is the son of Henry U. Brack one of the
really old timers of the county. His father
was born in Russia and came to Barton Coun-
ty in 1876. He located a homestead which he
worked and developed a number of years and

is now living iu Rush County where he is
also engaged in farming. His sens, Jacob and
Peter, are among the best known residents of
the northwest part of Barton County and are
up-to-date and progressive farmers. Jacob
was married to Jliss Sophia Schlegel of Otis
and they are the parents of two children, Ar-
thur, aged 7 years and Harrison, aged one
year. He farms over 400 acres of land in
Grant township. His h:me is located ten
miles north of Albert. The home contains four
rooms and is located in pretty surroundings.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Mr. Brack has been a member of the school

board and has also held towiisliip offices.

PKTKR C. BRACK— Another member of the
Brack family who is well kncwn in this sec-
tion of the state is Peter C. Brack. He was
married to Lizzie Schlcgel of Otis and they
are the parents of four children: Floyd, U!
years of age, Hannah, 11 years of age; Kdwin,
9 years of age, and Edison, a year and a half
old. He occupies a nice home of four rooms
north of Albert and is a brother of Jacob
Brack and a son of Henry I'. Brack, one of the
first settlers of that section of the county. He

was born April 15, 1S79 in this county and
is one of the best known young farmers in
Barton County. He farms about 400 acres of
land, 330 acres of it being his cwn and the re-
mainder being rented. Both the Brack boys
understand fanning thoroughly as they were
both raised in the business and since they
were old enough to take an active part in tho
affairs of their community they have had a
great deal to do with the development of ihe
resources of the county and are enterprising
and progressive citizens.

ALFRED L. POWELL

ALFRKl) h. I'OWKLl, was born January
22. 1859, in I'eoria County, Illinois, and
came to Kansas in ISSO. He first locat-
ed in Jefferson County where he lived for a
number of years. Most of the time he was in
the threshing business and made his first irip
to Barton County in 1900. He did not locate
in this county until 1903 and since that time lie
has done a large part cf the threshing work in
this |)art of the slate. He was married in lS';o
to Miss Ix)u M. Cahill in Stark County, lllinoi.;
and they are the parents of three childrou:
Gertrude, 30 years of age, is now Mrs. E. H
Kulison of Eskridge, Kansas; Frank B., 20
years of age is a resident of the city of Great

Bend and is a cariieiiler by trade; Pearl, 21
years of age, is living at home. Mr. Powell
and family occupy a residence at 700 Stone.
-Mr. Powell's threshing cutfits consist of the
very best of machinery and his services are in
groat d;,'n;and during the harvest season in this
and adjoining counties. It was during Mr.
Powell's first trip to this county that he de-
cided to make this his future home and he at
once nuide arrangements for the transfer of
his machinery, etc., from Jefferson County.
Since that time he has been closely idenlifi''J
with the farming interests cf Barton County
and he has always been an enterprising :;it-
izen. il'

AMOS JOHNSON

O.VE of the really old timers of Barton
County and one who had a great deal
to do with the upbuilding of Great
Bend and the development of the county is the
subject of this sketch, Amos Johns:;n. He was
born in Champagne County, Ohio, November
12, 1S3S. He resided in his native state until
1859 when he went to Texas. He stayed there
a year. Then he went to Illinois. He came to
Barton County in the month of November, 1S75.
He purchased a quarter of railroad land and
tosk up a homestead in Lakin township. He
was actively engaged in the farming business
until 1S98 when he retired and came to the
county seat to live. He has. however, given
bis personal attention to sujjerintending the
work on all his farm land which is now op-
erated by renters. He was married in Clin-
ton. Illinois, in 1S60. to Miss Emma Xagley and
they are the parents of ten children, nine of
whom are living: Charles, 51 years, is farming
In Oklahcjma; Clearcbus. 49 years, is at home;
Clarence. 46, resides in Hutchinson; Clay. 44
years, is farming in Gray County; Clyde. 42
years, is farming near Conway Springs; Clara.
40 years, is at home. Clinton. 3S. is in the
banking business at EUinwood; Eason. 31
years, is farming on his father's land; Pearl.
29, is living at home, and (Emma who died
when she was ten years of age.) Mr. Johnson
was a member of the Forty-first Illinois regi
ment and belonged to Company F. He served

three years and twenty days, from August 7.
1S61 to August 27, 1864. He took part in the
battles of Fort Donaldson, Shiloh and was at
Jackson and the Siege cf Vicksburg. He is a
member of the Pap Thomas Post G. A. R..
and was commander of the Post in 1911. Mr.
J-huson now owns three quarters in Lakin
township and a quarter in Great Bend town-
ship all of which is under cultivation. He also
owns nine lots in Great Bend and five dwelling
houses in addition to his residence which is
located at 1814 Broadway. The residence is
thoroughly modern and contains ten rooms in
addition t.T bath, closets, pantries, etc. Mr.
Johnson spent five years in the mining busi-
ness in Chaffee County, Colorado and still re-
tains some interests in that state. With all
his private business he has found time to take
an active part in the affairs of the commutiity
in which he lives and has held township of-
fices and served on the school board. He is
one cf those men who made Barton County
from an almost barren wilderness and by de-
velopment work has made of it one of the best
in the State of Kansas. It is to such men as
Mr. .Johnson who came here in the early days
and withstood all the adverse conditions with
which the old timers bad to contend that this
county owes its high place among the best
agricultural sections of the entire country.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

GUSTAVUS A. WOODBURN

GrSTAVUS A. WOODHl'RX was born Feb-
ruary 23, 1847. in La Porte, County,
Indiana. He arrived in Barton County
April 20, 1SS6. Soon after his arrival he took
up the occupation cf farming and is one of
those men who came here at a time when the
county was in need of enterprising men, and
men who could take the good years with the
bad and continue to develop the soil to its
present high state cf productiveness. He was
married August 13, 1S67 to Miss Emma J. Har-
riott of La Porte County, Indiana. They are
the parents of four children, three of whom
are living. (George, 25 years of age died in
1893;) Jessie, 40 years of age, is now Mrs.
Fred Wells of Comanche County; Ida, 39 years
of age is now Mrs. G. W. Durand of Eureka
township, this county, and Joseph C. 37 years
of age, superintends the work on the home
place. The home place consists of the north-
west quarter of section 29. and the north half
of the southwest quarter of 29 in South Home-

stead township. The elder Mr. Woodburn re-
tired in 1909 and now resides in Hoisington.
He spends part of the time on the home place
which contains a good set of improvements.
The residence contains five rooms, closets, etc.,
while the barn is 32 by 36. The buildings are
surrounded by shade and fruit trees and it is
a most desirable country home. Joseph C. was
married in March, 1S97 to Miss Gertrude King
and they are the parents of seven children:
Gustavus, 14; Mildred, 13; Bailey, 11, Ruth,
10; Daisy, 9; Cecil, 6 and Delbert 3 years of
age. All the children are at home and are
being educated in the schools of the county.
Mr. Woodburn is an engineer on the Missouri
Pacific Railroad but spends all the spare time
on the home place. The Woodburn family is
well known in all parts of the county and
Joseph C. and his father have had a great deal
to do with the development of the county's
resources and have helped to make it one of
the best in the State of Kansas.

JOSEPH SCHNEIDER

ONE of the best known men in Barton
County, and one of the men who have
had so much to do with the develop-
ment of the northwestern part of the county
is Joseph Schneider, who landed in this coun-
ty with his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs.
John Schneider, in a blizzard, Aiiril 20, 1875.
He was born in Austria March 19„ 1865, but
left his native country when he was ten years
of age. The family consisted of the parents
and Ave children besides Joseph. On their
arrival in Barton County his father took up a
homestead two and one-half miles north and
east of Albert. Joseph Schneider has always
been a progressive and enterprising citizen and
now owns 2.2S0 acres of land in the county.
He farms three quarters of land himself and
the remainder is rented. He is president of the
Farmers State Bank of Albert and is well
known in the financial life of the county. He
was married in 1889 to Miss Theresa Kober of
this county and they are the parents of seven
children as follows: Joseph, 22 years of age;
Bernard, 20 years . f age; Mary, IS years of
age; Leonard, 16 years of age; Francis, 14

years of age; Irwin. 12 years of age and Lottie,
6 years of age. All the children are at home
and are being educated in the schools of the
county. Mr. Schneider's home place is one
of the best develoiied and most modernly im-
proved to be found in that part of the county.
The residence is well built and substantial, and
contains nine rooms in addition to the bath,
closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 46 by 30
feet in dimensions and it like all the many
buildings on the place is built especially for
the purposes for which they are used. Mr.
Schneider has always maintained on his farm
a good grade of live stock, both horses and
cattle. With all his private interests he has
found time to take an active part in the affairs
of his township and has been on the school
board, has been township clerk and trustee
and is known as a good citizen. Mr. Schneider
has taken a large part in the work of develop-
ing his part of Barton County and he came
here at a time when it required men of exper-
ience and enteri)rise to develop this county
into one of the best in the State of Kansas.

SAMUEL GIBSON YEO

SAMUEL GIBSON YEO was born July 10,
1S4S, in Guernsey County, Ohio. He
was born and raised on a farm and has
followed this occupation all of his life. He re-
mained in his home state twenty-five years af-
ter which he went to Iowa where he resided
for one year. Then he went ta Wisconsin and
spent eight years and from that state came to
Kansas in 18SS. He first located a claim ni
Sheridan County and stayed there for six
years and then came to Barton County where

he rented a farm near Claflin, later buying
land which now comprises his home place in
Liberty township where he owns one-half of
section 12. All of this land is under cultiva-
tir;n and is being farmed by Mr. Yeo. He was
married in 1886 to Miss Katie Dew at Fair-
field, Iowa. They are the parents of four chil-
dren: Maud, 32 years of age, is now Mrs. A. J.
O'Blenness of Kinsley. Kansas; Clyde, 30
years of age, is married anC lives near his
parents and is engaged in the farming busi-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ness; Earnest, 26 years of age, who resides
at home and George, 25 years old, is farming
in Stafford County near Seward. Mr. Yeos
home place is well equipped with buildings
and all the necessary machinery and live stock
for successful farming. He makes a specialty
cf raising and breeding short horn cattle and
maintains a flock of fancy Buff Cochin chick-
ens. The residence on the home place consists
of seven rooms in addition to the pantries.

closets, etc. The barn is ample for all the
needs of the farm being 45 by 60 feet in dimen-
sions. Mr. Yeo is a practical farmer having
been engaged in this line of work all of his
life. Mr. Yea farms according to modern
methods and is one of the successful farmers
who have done so much to develop that part of
the county lying south of the river from the
city of Great Bend.

JOHN EDWARD COSS

JUH.X EDWARD Coss was born in Lucas
County, Iowa, in 1866. He came to Bar-
ton County with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. L. B. Coss. He is one of four children
born to this pioneer family, the others being
Molly, Clarke B. and Blanche J. Miss Molly
married D. E. Freyburger, a well known resi-
dent of this county who died in November,
1901. She is now Mrs. Walter Speck of Chi-
cago; Clarke B. is president of the Heizer
State Bank and one of the prominent busi-
ness men of the county; Blanche J is now
Mrs. F. A. Garrett and they reside on the
family homestead . i Clarence township it be-
ing the northeast quarter < f section 12. The
estate also owns another half section in 'his
township. John was married to Miss Clara
Bell in this county in 1S99 and they are the
parents of two children; Lester, aged 9 and
Ruth, aged 7 years. John Edward Coss is one
of the best known business men in that part of

Barton County he having been engaged in the
mercantile business in Heizer at different
times during the past thirteen years. He
bought his present business last July and he
and his partner, J. E. Turner, n"w have one of
the best stocks of general merchandise to be
found in any small town in this part of the
state. The Coss family came to Barton County
in June. '74, and the elder Coss who died
April 2S, 1911, had a great deal to do with the
early history of the county and was one of its
best known citizens. He with the ether pion-
eers began the work that the present genera-
tion is continuing and his name will always
be remembered by the old timers and read
with reverence by younger people in years to
come. They will read of him with other men
to whom Barton County owes its high stand-
ing among the best counties of the state of
Kansas and amrng the leading agricultural
sections of the world.

JOHN FRANK BALES

JOHN FRA.XK BALES, or Colonel John
Bales as he is better known, was born
in Green County, Tennessee, April IS,
1876. and went with his parents to Missouri
when he was four years of age. lie remained
there until 1900 when he came to Barton Coun-
ty, Kansas, where he has since resided and
taken an active part in the dev.^!oi)ment o'
the county's resources. He owns 320 acres of
land in section 6, Great Bend township nnd
farms a section and a half in that part of th'
county, and for the past several years has
made a specialty of buying and selling cattle.
It is doubtful if there are a dozen farmers in
Barton County who do not know John Bales
personally because whenever there has been
a public sale of any nature during the past
four years, almost invariably his name will bo
found on the sale bills. In this i)rofession Mr.
Bales has earned more than an ordinary rep-
utation. His keen business sense, his knowl-

edge of values on all goods he is called upon
to sell, and his belief in a square deal have .'.II
contributed to his success in this line of work.
As an auctioneer there is no man who is bet-
ter or more favorably known in this section
of the state than Mr. Bales. His home place
has a good set of improvements including a
five room residence, a barn 72 by 42 feet in di-
mensions and all other necessary outbuildin?^.
Mr. Bales was married in 1905 to Miss Dora
Kay cf Coffeyville. Kansas, and they have one
bright little girl. Ruth, three years of age, \nd
another. Helen, who at this writing is eight
months old. Mrs. Bales is a native of this
county, having been born south of the rivc".
Mr. Bales has always been among the moot
active residents of the county in its J^.oljp-
ment and making of it one of the best in the
State of Kansas and placing it among the most
prcductive in the entire county.

JOHN BERSCHEIDT, Jr.

JOHN BERSCHEIDT, JR., was born in
Aurora, Illinois, October 1, 1873, and
came to Barton County with his parents
■when he was four years of age. The family
located near Claflin in Logan township and

John, Sr., at once took up the occupation of
farming. He was one of the really old timer.s
of this part of the state and had a great deal
to do with the develci)ment of the soil and re-
claiming this part of Kansas from the Indians

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

and Imffaloes. John, Jr., attended the schools
in this connty and began farming for hinis'^lf
in 1906. He was married in Ellinwood in 1910,
to Mrs. Lizzie Weisburg. At the time of their
wedding Mrs. Weisburg had one child, Mamie
who is now fifteen years of age and she and
Mr. Berscheidt are the parents of one child,
John, Jr , who is five months of age and makes
the third John in the Berscheidt family. Mr.
and Mrs. Berscheidt own the home place, ICO
acres about 1% miles west of Ellinwood
and 380 acres one mile west of there. The
home place is farmed by Mr. Berscheidt while
the remainder of the land is rented. The resi-
dence which is thoroughly ni dern and one of
the neatest in that section of the connty con-

tains 9 rooms with a bath and all the neces-
sary closets, etc. The barn, 30 by 38 feet is
ample to take care of the stock used by Mr.
Berscheidt in his farming operations. Thoy
have lived on this place a little more than
one year and are improving it in such a way
that it will be one of the most attractive
places in the county in a very few years. Fine
shade trees have been set out, many of them
being of the fruit bearing variety. Mr. Ber-
scheidt is experimenting with irrigation meth-
ods and has a fine pumi>ing plant on his place
and if the writer is not mistaken he will open
a new era in farming methods in tliis county
providing the water supply is ample to carry
on the experiments he has in mind.

NICHOLAS WILLIAM KLEPPER

NICHOLAS WILLIAM KLEPPER was
born iu Germany. December 24, ISol,
and came ts America with his parents
when he was 12 years of age. The family lo-
cated at Aurora, Illinois, where they remained
until 1878 when they came to Barton county
and at once took up the occupation of farming.
Jlr. Klepper has been a most successful farm-
er and helped in no small way in the work of
developing that secti:n of the county that ;s
adjacent to Ellinwood where Mr. Klepper now
lives in a fine modern residence. Mr. Klepper
now owns thirteen quarter sections of land
in Barton County and a half section in Ford
County. All the Barton County land is being
farmed by renters. Mr. Klepper having retired
in 190-5. He was married in 1S72 to Miss Mary
Madenach in Aur;ra, Illinois, and they are Ihe
parents of seven children as follows; Lizzie,
36 years of age, is now Mrs. John Schwartz,
residing in this county; Mary, 34 years is Mrs.

Peter Schwartz, residing south of the river in
this county; Peter, 31 years of age, is farming
near Ellinwood; Anna, 29 years of age, is now
-Mrs. Henry Webber of Ellsworth Count;-';
J>;hn, 24 years of age, is farming in this coun-
ty; Maggie, 22 years of age, is Mrs. Edward
Patz of this county; and Frank, 30 years of
age, is now attending Bethany College at
Lindsborg, Kansas. Mr. Klepper has always
found time to take an active part in the public
affairs of the county although he has always
been a busy man. He served his district on
the board of county commissioners tor six
years and made a record of which he and his
friends may well feel proud. He has always
been a sound, substantial citizen and is one of
the best known men in Barton County. Their
home place in Ellinwood is thoroughly modern
in every way and is one of the niost beautiful-
ly surrounded residences in tne town.

PAUL SCHMIDT

ONE of the best known men of Barton
County and one who has had a gre,it
deal to do with developing its re-
sources and making of it one of the most mu-
portant counties of the state is the subject of
this sketch. Paul Schmidt. He was born in
Germany in 1864 and came to this county when
he was twenty years old. He came direct to
Bartcn County and at once took up the occu-
pation of farming which he has followed for
twenty-eight years. By using the best methods
and giving his personal attention to the su-
pervision of all work on his land he has been
most successful and during the present year
he decided to move to town and remain. How-
ever, Mr. Schmidt is and always has been an
active man and the call of the farm was too
strong for him to withstand and after a short
time in town he moved back to his place whi<'h
is located about six miles north of Great Bend.

Mr. Schmidt was married in 1890 to Miss
Anna Bloomer of Claflin. They are the parents
of four children: Peter, 19 years of age, is in
Salt Lake City; Katie, IS years of age, is now
Mrs. John Ehlers; James, 16 and John 14,
are living at home. Mr. Schmidt's home place
contains ten rooms besides hath, closets, pan-
tries, etc. The barn is 32 by 48 feet in dimen-
sions and it as well as all the buildings on the
home place are well built and commodious. A
fine orchard is found on the home place. It
occupies about two acres of land and produces
all varieties of fruits common to this part of
the country. Mr. Schmidt is an enterprising
and progressive citizen and one who has had
a great deal to do with the development cf
Barton's resources and making of this county
one of the best in the State of Kansas.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

AMASA C. MOSES AND FAMILY

To ATTEMPT to write a complete liislory
of Amasa Moses at this time would be
an impossibility, and even though the
work had been attempted when he was still
alive, it would have been found difficult.
Amasa Moses was not the kind of man wh )
bid for recognition for every kind act he did,
but rather evaded all publicity. He was of
that disposition that endeared him to all w:lli
whom he came in contact, and his friendshii)
was something to be prized. There nevr
was a man in central Kansas who had moie
to d3 with its upbuilding, and there never
was a man in Barton County who was so uni-
versally respected, or whose counsel was
more eagerly sought by tliise who were in
need of sympathy and advice. In the early
days of this county there were many who
went to Amasa Moses for aid and guidance.

Clayton L., Edward \V., William A., Lincoln
C, Cassius M. and Seward E. It is seldom
that a family c-ntaining seven boys can be
found without one or more sisters and it is
seldom that a family can point to seven boys
and say: "They have all made good."

Like many other eastern boys, Amasa was
seized with the western fever and in 1S71, he
decided to bring his family to Kansas.
Whether or not he knew the c:nditions that
were to be encountered is not known. Ue
that as it may, it required but a short tiiui^
for him to lay the foundation for a home.
Soon after his arrival, and before Barton
County had been organized, he located a
homestead which comprised the northwest
quarter of section 10. Great Bend township,
and situated two and one-half miles north of
the city of Great Bend. Then began the

Amasa C. Moses

and net one is known who was refused. It
was these elements in his makeup that made
him a leader among men and it was these
same elements that sustained him and made
his efforts successful in aiding in the recla-
mation of that part of the Great American
desert now known as Barton County, Kan-
sas.

Amasa C. Moses was born August 22, IS^ii,
at Ticonderoga, .\ew York. He spent his
childhood there and at the age of eleven
years went with his jiarents to Vermont. The
family located at the town of Benson where
Amasa remained until 1S43, when he re-
turned to New York and located in Chautau-
qua County. It was there that he met and
won the heart of Miss Naomi Terry and on
April 12, 1848, they were married. They
were the parents of seven boys: Arthur II..

Mr;

A. C. Moses

struggle to raise crops. For seven years he-
tilled the soil with little or no success in the
beginning, but by sticktcitiveness and well
applied effort he finally had the satisfaction
of seeing his labors rewarded by the harvest
of grain. It was on this homestead that Mr.
Moses erected the first frame house to be
built in this county and it is still in use to-
day and stands on the old homestead which
is new known as the Griffith place, and is one
of the interesting parts of the county. Amasa
was accompanied to this section by his w'fe
who proved her worth by sharing the hard-
ships uncomiilainingly and gladly accepting
the burden that was thrust upon her. and his
seven sturdy boys only one of whom — Arthur
— had reached his majority. When they
reached what was to be their new hnnie,
buffalo and other animals roamed this part

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

of the state in an almost uniiiolcstcd statv'.
Armed with Henry rifles the .Moses boys soon
became known as expert buffalo hunters and
many a tale can be related by them ct how
they crawled upon the ground scmetimes as
much as a quarter of a mile in order to g^i
within rifle range of the animals. Later the
boys secured Sharp's rifles and with these —
the highest class of firearms in those days —
their hunting was rewarded by much bettor
results.

In those days the returns realized from
the sale of buffalo hides and meat represen* 'd
about all the money that could be raised in
this county. The crops were not giving very
satisfactory returns and had it not been for
the fact that the i)opulation of the county,
small as it was. tlie people composing it, lilie
Amasa Moses and his sons, were made of llie
right kind of stuff to withstand the hardsliiiis

Clayt Moses, Ed. Moses, Tom
Mitchell, Jim Shaw

ami building an empire by the force cf thc-ir
genius.

In 1S72 Mr. Moses embarked in the mercan-
tile business, his establishment having been
located on the north side of the park square,
on lot 16, block 7S. This ground is now in-
cluded in the site of the new federal building.
At his store was found a complete stock of
general merchandise. The old store building
is still in use and serves the purpose of a
residence near the Missouri Pacific dei)o'.
Mr. Moses operated this store until the spring
of 1S73 when he formed a partnership with
J. H. Hubbard. This firm continued until
1875 when the stock was divided, at which
time Clayton bought his father's inter(!st
which consisted of a stock of remnants. Clay-
tr.n operated the store in the same building

used by his father until 1877, when he and his
brother, Edward, formed a partnership and
started the store known as the Moses Bro-
thers on lot 4, block 90, this ground being novv-
occupied by the Cyclone store on Main street.

In 1S72, when the people were called upoa
t3 choose their first set of city officials, it
was only natural that Amasa Moses was se-
lected to fill one of the most important of-
fices. Accordingly he was elected the first
city clerk of Great Bend and served with
great credit and as the town was new it r.;-
quired a man of Mr. Moses' ability to dis-
charge the duties of this office in a satis-
factory manner.

Mr. Mcses always took a leading part In
matters religious and municipal and he wi's
one of five christians who organized the Con-
gregational church in 1S73. He served the
county as superintendent of public instruction
during the first years after schools were es-
tablished in the county. He organized Bar-
ton County's first Sunday schoDl and was its
sui)erintendent. This work was not so easily
accomplished in those days as it might seem
to those who know of the conditions that pre-
vailed at that time only by reading, and by
hearing the old timers tell of them. Haw-
ever, Mr. Moses was the kind of man who met
all difficulties with fortitude and determina-
tion which accounts for the fact that success
met his every effort and he never was hap-
liier than when he was accomplishing some-
thing that resulted in good for others.

When the .Mcses family arrived in Barton
County there were a large number of Indians
roaming this part of the state, and on their
trips back and forth from the Platte river in
Nebraska they frequently visited Mr. Moses'
home. However, he met them in a friendly
spirit and as a result they came to like him
;ind I'is family almost as did the white set-
tlers.

It was the first Sunday the family spent in
their new home that a band of 5,000 or more
Pawnees stopped at the Mcses homestead.
One of the number was ill. Mrs. Moses gave
him some medicine and brought him around
in fine shape. The Indian had given Mr.
Moses a pony as a present, but when the baiul
was ready to continue their journey, the buck
— Indian like — insisted on getting his pony.
Of course Mr. Moses gave him back the pres-
ent but after that he was known among the
Indians as "Old Mose." When the Indiatis
would become hostile and show indications
that they were going to commit some depre-
dation the government would send troops to
this section. As soon as the Indians saw the
troops they would move away but with '.he
troops on their way back to the fort from
which they came the Indians would return.
Mr. Moses had treated them so kindly that
he never was molested and his family was
held in great respect by all the tribes that
were found in this section of the state.

After Mr. Moses had sold his store to his
son he still aided him in its management and

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

when the firm of Moses Brothers was formf:d
he was a great help to the boys in the con-
duct of the business. He had always led an
active life and up until the time of his death
was hale and hearty. When on Wednesday,
February 9, 18S7, at the age of 60 years, 5
mjnths and IS days, he was suddenly stricken
wilh paralysis and died, he passed away, hap-
py in the thought that his life had not been a
failure. Nothing so fitly describes Amasa C.
.Aloses as the quotation: "The elements so
mi.xed in him that all the world could rise
up and say, he was a man."

Mr. Moses' death was a great shock to the
community. Not only did his sens and otiier
relatives mourn his loss deeply and sincerely,
but scores of those who knew him best were
bowed down with a weight of woe that seemed
almost unbearable.

The Congregati nul church of Great Bend

E.W.Moses in Early Days When
Hunting Buffalo

of which he was one of the five organizers,
was filled with sorrowing friends and rela-
tives when the funeral sermon over the re-
mains of Amasa C. Moses was preached. The
new house of worship of this church contains
a beautiful memorial window placed there bv
his sons to their father's memory. This is
not the only memorial to Amasa Moses; there
are others of a material kind, but the most
desirable of them all is the memorial ho
wrote by his deeds upon the hearts of men.

There are none of the old timers and very
few of those who arrived in the county after
the disappearance of the buffaloes and In-
dians that did not know the Moses boys. The
old timers knew them for their sterling worth
as friends and neighbors and they knew them
lor the active part they took in aiding their

father and mother in building a home in the
land. Kvery one of the seven sons of Amasa
Moses has made good in the different lines
they have followed.

Three of the boys: Clayton, Edward and
Lincoln stayed with Barton County and have
been cl:sely identified with its agricultural
cattle, commercial, milling and banking inter-
ests. The remainder of the boys have cast
their lots with other secticns of the country,
but without e.\ception they look upon Barton
County as their home.

Ed and Clayt Moses, as they are familiarly
known, were hern in Chautauqua County, New
York, the former at Clymer, on July 23, 1S56,
and the latter at Clymer, January 19, 1854.

In 1871, when the family arrived in Barton
County, Clayt hunted buffaloes until the fall
of the year when he went to the town of Rus-
sell, in Russell County, and was employed as
a clerk in the store owned by George Hart.
He remained there a year and returned to
Great Bend where he was employed in the
stcre owned and conducted by his father and
J. H. Hubbard. Clayt's principal duties con-
sisted in buying hides from the hunters. This
poistion required tact and knowledge in sort-
ing the hides into their respectve classifica-
tions, buffalo bull hides bringing $3.00. spike,
cr young bull and heifer hides, $1.75, while a
cow hide brought $2.25. Many of the hunters
would claim that some of the hides belonged
t3 a classification higher than they really did
and this was where Clayt's tact came in.
These l.ides were brought for many miles on
wagons and gave the farmers and profession-
al hunters a good source of revenue. After
the hide business had run its course and the
animals were scarce Clayt went into the stove
where he remained as a clerk until the divi-
sion of the stock in 1875. Clayt took over hi.5
father's interest and conducted a store in the
same building until 1877, when he and Ed
formed a partnership and opened the store
on Main street, where the Cyclone store nov/
stands. This firm continued until 1S89 when
they sold out to Theodore Griffith, the present
postmaster of Great Bend. This sale included
only the grocery department of the store , i i
in the following year the dry goods and fur-
nishing goods were sold to Hacker Brothers.

By this time the land of Barton County
had begun to yield grain in good quantities
and Clayt went into the grain buying business
in earnest. The firm had been buying wheat
that was hauled to town in sacks, saving it un-
til a carload was secured when it could bo
shipped to the markets. In 187S Clayt formed
a partnership with R. C. Bailey and they built
an elevator on the Santa Fe track. This firm
continued until 1892 when they bought n
elevator at Pawnee Rock and one at Olmivz.
Then Ed was taken into the firm and lat'jr
Clayt and Ed bought Bailey's interest in the
business and the new firm was known as the
Moses Brothers Grain Company. The home
elevator was destroyed by fire in 1S9S. Work
was at once begun to rebuild the elevator anrt

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

a much larger and more substantial one was
finished in 1S99. In 1901 a flour mill was
added to the firm's holdings and the firm
name was changed to the Moses Brothers
Mill and Klavator Company. By this time .Ivi
firm had increased its holdings by adding
elevators on the main line of the Santa Fe
from Dodge City to Dartmouth. fr:,m Great
Bend to Scott City on Ihe branch, and fruiii
Great Bend to McCracken on Ihe Missouri
Pacific.

This string of elevators made a total of
thirty-five with the home elevator at Gri^at
Bend. The flour mill as criginally built had
a capacity of 350 barrels per day. In 19(i3
this capacity was increased so that the mill
could turn out 600 barrels of flour every twen-
ty-four hours, and in 1908 the mill was again
enlarged to a capacity of 1.000 barrels );-"i-
day.

In 19(IS till' <-oiiipany was iiuorpora''^d

Moses, together with other substantial citi-
zens of the county, decided to go into th-
banking business and, as a result, Ihe Ger-
man American State Pank was opened for
business August S of that year. The bank
was organized with a capital stock of $100,000
and $5,000 surplus. The first board of direci-
ors was comp-sed of K. W. and C. L. Moses,
Ira Brower, KIrick C. Cole, Ben P. Unruh. E. C.
Davis and Dr. Morrison, and at this writin.;
it is the same with the exception of Mr. I iiruli
whose place on the board was taken by Fr-1
Moore. The officers of the bank are: K. W.
Moses, president; C. L. Moses, vice prosideni :
Clarence Aldrich. cashier, and Earl Wrig'.:!.
assistant cashier. Since the bank was open: d
f:r business its deposits have grown steadi!..
and it has made a most enviable record for
square deal methods, and for carrying on its
business according to the most approved and
con?prvative ideas. The stock of this bank is

Moses Bros. Mill and Elevator

with a capital stock of $200,000 with the fol-
lowing officers: C. Ij. Moses, president; E. V.'.
-Moses, vice president and ireasurer. and C.
N. Moses, secretary. In 1909 half the stock of
the company w-as sold to L. E. Moses, who bi -
came president of the company with C. I..
Moses, vice president, and R. W. Arndt. sec-
retary. The mill and elevator was opera'ed
by this company until January I, 1912, wh";i
it, with si.\ other of the largest milling c:ni-
panies in Kansas, formed a merger which re-
sulted in a company being formed with a caii-
ital stock of $7,000,000 and known as '.he
Kansas Flour Mills Coni|iany. Since that
time this company has acquired two more big
mills by purchase. U E. .Moses is president
of this company, the other officers being: Ai-
drew Hunt, secretary, and .1. II. H Idrige,
treasurer.

Early in Ihe year 1910 E. W. and C. I*

owned by men who have spent their time anil
money to make Barton C:unty and Gr'^at
Bend what they are today. The bank is oper-
ated for the people of this county and during
the approximately two years of its existenc '.
has gained the confidence of all the peop''^
with whom it has had bi:siness relations.

Foil wing in the footsteps of their father.
the Moses boys have led most active lives ad
with all their other interests have found *:ri:e
to successfully operate one of the largest
thoroughbred stock ranches in this part of the
country. In 1S9S Ed and Clayt began the
breeding and raising of thoroughbred Here-
ford cattle. The product of this ranch is
known among cattle fanciers as one of the
best strains of aristocratic Herefords in th'!
country. The fame of this slock has been al-
most world wide and Ihe M.'ses Brothers have
shipped animals from this ranch to all parts

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

of the countrty and to far away Brazil.
Since 1S9S tliey liave marketed about 1,(H)M
head of stock from their herd and at this writ-
ing have 500 fine animals on their 4,000-acve
ranch in Xess County. In addition to this
ranch, Ed and Clayt own 3,600 acres of farm
land in Barton and Stafford Counties, most of
it being farmed under their personal super-
vision and the remainder being farmed ny
renters. Their cattle are known in all Mie
states surrounding Kansas and in many par.s
of this country and Mexico.

Since the JMoses boys came to Barton
County all of its members have taken a lend-
ing part in its unbuilding and while some uf
the boys have removed ta other parts of the
country the work they did in this countrty in
its early history is still vivid in the memory
of the old timers.

Clayt Mcses was nmrried Dpcember 12.

Ed and Clayt IVIoses are home loving men
and occupy modern residences in Great Bend
and are among the best known citizens in ^lie
state of Kansas.

Arthur H. Moses w-as the only one of the
boys who was of age when the family ar-
rived in this county. He took up a honTi-
stead that comprised the northeast quarter Jf
section 10, Great Bend township He was
married in 1ST2 to Miss Ella Snowden at Rus-
.sell, Kansas, and they are the parents of
four children. One of them died in infancy
and the adult ones are: Clyde, who became
the wife of Alva Adams, Jr., of Pueblo, he be-
ing a son cf Alva Adams, who was three
times governor of the state of Colorado. She
died in 1905 at Pueblo, Colo. Matie, the next
child, is the wife of Frederick C. Briggs, for-
merly of Pueblo, Colo., but now in the jewel' y
business in Hutchinson. Wm. B. is married

German American State Bank

1ST9. to Clara J. Mitchell of Quincy. 111. They
are the parents of two children. Earl C, liS
years of age, who is foreman of the flnir mill
owned by the company of w hich his father is
a member; Lillian Alice, 25 years of age, live.'^
at home. He served as councilman of Great
Bend city from 188S to 1892 and as couniy
commissioner from 1S92 to 1S9S.

Edward Moses was married March ^2'^,
1882, to Miss Anna J. Wood of Great Bend.
He was chosen as mayor of the city of Great
Bend in the years 1884, 1885. 1893, 1905, 19ii7
and 1909 and always served with distinction
and in a way that was very gratifying to his
friends and the people of the town. Much
of the progress the city has made was accom-
plished during the time that Mr. Moses held
the highest office within the gift of the peo-
ple of the city.

and lives at Osceola, Okla. Arthur H. Moses
remained in Barton County until 1885, wh°n
he went to Pueblo, Colo., and there took an
active part in the politics of that state. Ha
was elected sheriff of Pueblo County in the
nineties. He went from Colorado to Seat-
tle, Washington, where he holds a responslb'o
position as wharfmaster for the United Stai"S
government. He was born February 21. 1S.")I.
Will Moses came to Barton County when
his parents arrived here, as stated in the be-
ginning of this article. In 1879 he went on
the road for Julius Kuhn, wholesale grocery
house of Atchison. He remained in this pcsi-
tion until 1882, when he went to Pueblo, Colo ,
and engaged in the grocery business. De-
cember 21, of that year, he was married to
Miss Grace Buckland of Great Bend. Ho was
elected sheriff of Pueblo County iu 1891 and

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

succeeded himself in tliis office in lsy3. In
1898 he went ta Kansas City and since that
lime has heen in the grain business; Air.
and Mrs. Moses were the i)ar('nts of two cliil-
dren, Arthur C. Moses, 22 years ot aste, wno
graduated froom K. f. in June, 1\)'.Z, and
Klinor, 11 years of age. Mr. Moses survived
his first wife, she having died J:;ly 15, 190'5,
and in April, 1908, he niarried Mrs. Stelia
Weaver of I.^s Angeles, California.

Cassius M. Moses was born in Cl.viMPr.
Chautauqua County, New Y;;rk, January :!1,
1SG5, and was the si.\th of the seven sons of
Mr. and Mrs. Ainasa C. .Moses. He came with
the parents to Barton ^'ounty in l»Tl. Ho
married Miss Betsy Coninghain of t''.'ede: icli,
Illinois, October 14, 1890, and they are the
parents of two children. Donna, born Decem-
ber 13, 1894. and John Campbell, born Au-
gust 20. 1S9G. In 1889 he enlisted in i!'.'
Colorado national guard. He was commis-
sioned lieutenant in October of that year.

usual strenuous life of those pionet r days,
when the buffalo, the other animals of the
plains and the Indian were all here.

In the spring of 1882, he went to woik for
Mcses Brothers and continued with ihem un-
til the autumn of 1887 when they retire!
from the general merchandise business. He
then went to Pueblo and Denver, Colorado,
where he made his home until he removed
to Ix)s Angeles, California, in the latter pan
of 1902.

Seward K. .Moses, .voungest of the seven
brothers, was born in Chautauqua County, New
York, and came to Barton County with his
parents in 1871, at the age of three and oii'
half years. He worked for Moses Brothi i
ill their general store until 1887, when I
went to Pueblo, Colorado. He was in tip
grccery business there until 1902. He re-
turned to Great Bend at that time, hoin.e; in-
terested in the Barton County flour m^ils un-
til 1907. Then he moved to Kansas •''iiy. .Mo.,

First Frame House in Barton County, Built by A. C. Moses

was advanced to captain in December, 1S'.)0,
and to the rank of major in 1893. He was ap-
pointed and commissioned adjutant general ot
the state of Colorad ) in January, 1895. He
organized the First Colorado regiment of in-
fantry, United States volunteers, in 1898, after
war had been declared with Spain. He re-
signed as adjutant general of Colorado in
1898. He was commissioned major ot tae
regiment he organized, the First Colorado. He
was mustered out of service at the Presidio
in San Francisco, September, 1899. He par-
ticipated in many of the important engat^e-
ments before Manila, P. I., during the war
and distinguished himself as a soldier. He
served during the insurrection in the islands
until he was wounded June 9, 1899, being un-
fit for further service.

After coming to Barton County, his early
boyho;:d days were spent on the Moses home-
stead, just nnrth of Walnut creek, punching
cows, working on the (arm and living the

becoming interested in The Moses Brothers
Grain Company. He married Eli^h G. Bnlcoii
of Pueblo, Colo., in 1899.

The following incident, related by S. E.
Mcses, will recall the old times to those who
were here in those days".

"Although quite young in the buffalo and
Indian days, I distinctly remember my first
and only buffalo hunt. It was soon aire:- our
arrival in Barton County. The fam'iy were
on the old homestead, north of ih' creek,
where it was no uncommcn sight to see buf-
falo come over the hills down to the creek
for water; occasionally one would come up
to the water trough at our well for drink.

"One day an old bull buffala drifted down
over the hill leisurely and finding 'he uraz-
ing about a quarter of a mile from vnir home
to his liking, made himself -iuite a; h me.
Brother Ed, being at home, and considered
some hunter, evidently resented our f,irm be-
ing used for feeding grounds and prepared

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

for action. His favorite guu was withi.i easy
reach, and feeling confident ;h(; buffaio lir.d
no chance against his mxrlvnianbhip, ' e
grabbed me by the hand and said, 'Come or.,
Sew, and we will kill the buifalo." We \vi;nt
through the tall grass to a ravint? and made
a fine stand on the game. 'iCd waited fv")v !!ie
old bull to turn so that ho could hit hira in
a vital spot. His aim was evidently gocd as
the buffalo fell at the first :ihot and we made
our way cautiously to the fallen monarch.
When within a few feet the ouffalo looked so
very dead that Ed prepared to cut its throat
and, having me to drag a!on,i, Kd laid dov\n
his gun and drew his hunting knife; as he
started to stick the knife into the b:'ffalo
things commenced to happen. First, i bellow
was let loose that scared aie out of a year's
growth. Then Mr. Buffalo got up with blood
in his eye and started on a c;.nipaigu of Ms
own. Ed picked me up bodily and sartcd for
heme. I am sure his time hns never been
equaled since, although we had ■;u stop
watches in those days. The buftalj did not
follow us far, as he was hard bir ai.d, no
doubt readily recognized Ed's speed as well

as markmanship. After landing yours truly
at the house, your former city mayor armed
himself with another rifle and shortly put
an end to my only buffalo hunt."

Lincoln E. Moses was born October l-i,
1860, in the state of New York. He was mar-
ried to Miss Gertrude Tucker at Three Rivers,
-Michigan. May 12, 1S91, and they are the par-
ents of three children: Edward, Walter and
Marguerite. He now makes his home 31
Wichita, Kansas, since he became president
of the Kansas Flour Mills Company.

Arthur H. Moses was born February 21,
1S51, in the state of New York, and is there-
fore the eldest of the seven Moses boys. He
was married to Miss Ella Snowden of Russell,
Kansas, April 20, 1872, and they are the par-
ents of three children: Wm. B., Mary E., and
Clyde L., the latter having died in 1905 at
the age of 23 years. While in Barton County
Art, as he was better known, was engaged
in the farming and threshing business. He is
now located at Seattle, Washington, where lie
is wharfmaster for the I'nited States govern-
ment.

FREDERICK SCHUELKE

THE property of Frederick Schuelke,
"Locust Grove Farm," thirteen miles
west from Great Bend, takes its name
from the many locust trees included in a five
acre grove surrounding the home. These
trees are forty years old, are very beautiful
and thrifty, and are the result of a timber
claim set in trees in ISTl by John Bement.

Frederick Schuelke was born in Germany
1 n February 19th, 1840, and came to America
in Jlay, 1874. He first located in Wauwatose,
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, where he work-
ed in a nursery and a pickling factory for a
time, and also engaged in farming and at other
work. He remained until March 4th, 18S5,
when he removed to Greattinger. Palo Alto
County. Iowa, and engaged in farming on his
own account as a renter, and then in 1S88
was employed as the manager and superin-
tendent cf a large farm on salary. Resigning
this position after several years he purchased
a farm of four hundred acres and cultivated
this until he sold out and came to Bartori
County on Mai-ch 1st, 1901. He purchased his
present one hundred and sixty acres from
John Bement and paid for the quarter three

thousand dollars. Since then he has built a
very nice seven room, story and one-half frame
dwelling, large barn, granary and other build-
ings, at a cost of $2,500, and today has one of
the most desirable little farms in the county.
1'. is well improved, well fenced, well shaded,
and the house and grounds are in the coolest
spot in the county on a summer's day, and
well sustains the name given the farm.

Frederick Schuelke was married en Feb-
ruary 16th, 1863, to Miss Anna Giesel, of the
same section of Germany from which he came,
and she died in Barton County on August 2nd,
1907. slightly over six years after coming to
Kansas. They are the parents of six children,
two of whom still live in Wisconsin. Those
who reside in this state are: Mrs. Ida Hans,
of Great Bend: Mrs. Jlinnie Gruenwald. of
Rush C3unty: Herman Schuelke, Lyons, Kan-
sas and Conrad Schuelke, who is married and
resides on the place with his father and man-
ages the farm. Conrad Schuelke was married
on April 18, 1906, and they are the parents of
three children: Elmer, 4; Arthur 3, and
Goldie. 1.

WILLIAM HENRY ROGERS

WILLIAM HEXRY ROGERS was b"rn in
Ontanagon County, Michigan, May 1,
1863. His first trip west was when he
was eight years old, at which time he accom-
panied his parents to Colorado where they re-
mained about six months. They returned to
Jlichigan and resided at Marquette four years.

after which they came to Barton County,
Kansas. The family located in Eureka town-
ship. For several years after his arrival here
Mr. Rogers went to schcol, and later took up
railroading as an occupation. He was employ-
ed by the Union Pacific Company in Colorado.
Mr. Rogers began farming in this county in

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

1890, on his home place which comprises one-
half of section 1. South Bend township. Mr.
R.gers superintended the farming of all of
this land and has had a great deal to do with
the development of the soil in that part of the
county. He was married in Great Bend to
Miss Sarah Williams in 18S6. They are the
parents of six children as follows: Harry E.,
24 years of age; Stella, 21 years of age; Alice,
IS years; Irene, ITyears; Annie, 16 years; Wil-
lie 12 years. All of the children with the ex-
ception of Stella are at home and are heing
educated in the schools of the county. Stella
is n.w Mrs. Frank S. .Moore and they reside

many varieties of fruits common to this sec-
lion of the county. With all Mr. Rogers' private
business he has found time to take an active
part in public affairs and has served as trus-
tee and clerk of his township and has been
a member of the school board for sixteen
years. He is a progressive and enterprising
farmer and a most i)rominent citizen.

We must add to the above the fact that
Annie passed from this life May 19. 1912, at a
time when she had many expected years of
happiness stretching out before her, and when
she was beloved by her relatives, scho I mates
and all with whom she had an acquaintance.

H o m e u 1" \\"

near Spearville, Kansas. .Mr. Rogers' home
place is one of the best improved and most
attractive in the county. The residence con-
sists of nine rooms in addition to the bath
room, closets, pantries, etc. The barn is well
built and is 42 feet square with a big loft.
Granaries, storage sheds, auto garage and all
the other outbuildings usually f und on a
modern Barton County farm are to be I'ound
here. The trees that surround the home afford
ample shade and the orchard which covers
about an acre and a half of ground contains

II. Rogers

Slie was valedictorian of the 1912 class of the
common schools of Barton county. Her school
mates were deeply affected by her death as was
evidenced by the beautiful floral tribute sent
for the funeral. She was a bright, intelligent
girl whose life was a beautiful example of
truth and simplicity and it was a hard blow
to her relatives and friends when in the
c:;urse of things she had to go to a better
world. She was, at the time of her death, aged
16 years, 6 months and 10 days.

HENRY C. COOK

O.NE of the first white children horn in
what is now Barton County is the sub-
ject of this sketch, Henry C. Cook. He
was horn in Great Bend township October 6,
1871. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. .lohn Cook,
pioneers of this county and the parents of some
of its leading citizens. The elder Cook died
October 16, 1897 and Mrs. Cook died February

13, 1S91, after having taken an active part in
the development of the county's resources f^r
about thirty years. His death was a great
shock to his many friends who knew him for
his high character and enterprise. Henry C.
was married November 22, 1894, to Miss Eliz-
abeth Amerine and they are the parents of
four children as follows: Velma, 1-5 years;

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Lawrence, 14 years; Elmer, 11 years and
Helen, 6 years of age. The family home is
located on the northwest quarter of seetir.n
S, Great Bend township and is one of the most
attractive co\intry homes in the county. The
residence consists of 12 rooms in addition to
the bath, closets, pantries, etc., and is thor-
oughly modern throughout. It is lighted by a

Walnut creek and is surrounded by excellent
shade trees and foliage that adds greatly to
its appearance. Mr. Cook has always taken a
great interest in improving the breed of the
cattle and horses on Barton County farms
and makes a specialty of breeding and raising
thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle and Percheron
horses. He now owns one of the best Perch-

Home of Henry C. Cook

modern acetylene gas plant and is supplied
with water by an individual pumping system.
The barn is 46 by SO feet in dimensions and is
well built and modern. Mr. Cook will add a
number of other buildings to his improve-
ments and when these are finished he will have
one of the most modern farms in the county.
The home place is situated in a bend in the

eron horses in the county, "Martin," a regis-
tered, black Percher:n that has made a tine
reputation in the stud records. Mr. Cook is an
enterprising and progressive citizen and has
had a great deal to do with the upbuilding of
the county and in the developing of its re-
saurces.

EDWIN TYLER

EllWlX TYLER was born in Richfield,
Illinois. Xovember 27, 1S42. He
remained in his native state until he
was eighteen years of age when he joined the
Fiftieth regiment Illinois volunteers. He be-
came a member of Co. C and served his cou'i-
try three years. He took part in the battles
of Fort Henry. Fort Donaldson, Shiloh and
Corinth and numerous other engagements. Ho
lost the sight of one eye during his soldier
service. This was due to exposure and fever.
He came to Barton County October 16, 1S71.
He was married to Miss Lydia F. Moselcy

December 31, 1S65, at his home town of Rich-
field. Ills. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler have had five
children but unfortunately only cne of them
is living, the others having passed away. The
one living child now is Mrs. Sam .1. Pratt, her
nuiiden name having been Dora May. Mr.
Tyler tells in his own way a number of his
experiences in articles in this book, so we
will only add that he always has been an en-
terprising and progressive citizen and has
done a great deal in developing the county s
resources.

LEVI GUNN

LEVI GUiNN" was born on July 2, 1S3;J. in
Franklin County, Massachusetts, and at
the age of IS months his parents
moved to Brattleboro, Vermont. When he was

nine years old they took him with them to
Davenport, Iowa, and. finally, at a later per-
iod, to Putnam County, Illinois. His educa-
tion was obtained in the public schools of 'he

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

districts where his parents lived and he be-
came a farmer under the tutelage of his fa-
ther. He married at the age of twenty-three
and lived happily for seven years, when his
companion died. It was then that he faced
the greatest hardships of his life but this was
righted by a second marriage and his coming
to Barton County Kansas, in 1S74, and 'he
purchase of 240 acres from the Santa Fe rail-
way company. Later he purchased eighty
acres adjoining and at this time his farm cov-
ers one-half sectii^n. In the spring of
1S77 Mr. Gunn removed his family to this
county and began improving by building the
best house, barn and other necessary build-
ings in his neighborhood, and by planting -ind
cultivating many trees about the premises. A
fire destroyed his house on August 2, 1911,
and he has just replaced this building with a

story and one-half cottage with five large, airy
rcoms. There is a good barn, granary anJ
other outbuildings, and located as it is in i
nice grove of cedar, pine and locust trees is
very inviting.

Levi Gunn first married Miss Sarah K.
Wiernian of Putnam County, Illinois, on No-
vember 13. 1S.56, and she died in April, 1863.
His second wife was Miss Sarah C. Lewis of
Marshall County, Illinois, in November, 1865,
who died in December, 1899. They were sur-
vived by the husband and the following chil-
dren: \Vm. W. Gunn of Jewell County, Kan-
sas; Charles Lund Gunn, Fiancis Levi Gunn
and Lewis J. Gunn of Great Bend; Howard A.
Gunn ff Pratt. Kansas; Mrs. Lucy Harrisoi
of Great Bend, and Fred A. Gunn. who resides
en the farm with his father and manages -he.
place.

MERRITT-SCHWIER CREAMERY CO.

THK first creamery in Groat Bend was es-
tablished in 1S95 by \V. G. Merritt. In
1903 a stock company was formed un-
der the name of the Merritt Creamery Co.
The present company is a consolidation of the
Merritt Creamery Co., and the Larned Cream-
ery Co., of Larned. Kansas, this consolidauon
going into effect January 1, 1909.

The company operates one hundred aad

woman and child in Barton County.

For the cream and milk used in the manu-
facture of this butter, their patrons were paid
the sum of $46,720.60. At the present time
the c inpany employs twenty-three people in
their i)laiit. The pay-roll for the month of
June was 15.070; this includes salaries and
commissions paid to their cream station oper-
ators for the buying and shipping of cream.

MerriU-Schwier Creamery, Great Bend

one cream buying stations in twenty-five
counties in central and western Kansas and
northern Oklahoma, and expects to put in
more stations wherever the deliveries of cream
justify a station.

The largest amount of butter manufactured
by this ccmpany in any one month since or-
ganized was made in the month of June oi
this year. They manufactured 246,749 pounds
of butter, or about 20 pounds for every man.

The company has an excellent market for
their butter, shii)ping as far east as Boston
and west to California. Their brands, "M.-!r-
ritt's Best"' and "Crown" are well and favor-
ably known all over the west.

The present boardofdirectorsareW. G. Mer-
ritt, William Schwier. W. F. Schwier, Henry
Schwier and C. V. Brinkman. Officers are \V.
G. Merritt. president; William Schwier. vice-
president; W. F. Schwier, secretary-treasurer.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

JOHN DONOVAN

AMO-NU the old timers who came to Bar-
tou County in the 70's none is better
known than John Donovan who lives on
a half section of land in sec;ion S, Great Bend
township. Mr. Donovan was born in Ireland
in 1839. He came to New York in 1S70 and to
Kansas in 1S79 at a time when it required a
great deal of nerve tJ make a substantial start
in the cultivation of the soil and the building
of a home. However, Mr. Donovan is made of
that kind of material and as soon as he arrived
here he began to farm and successfully corn-
batted the bad years, and made a success of his
occupation. He was married in New York
state to Miss Louisa Hettinger and they are
the parents of four children. Emma, Agnes,
Alice and Anna. Emma is now Mrs. A.
Wyman and lives at Macksville; Agnes is now
Mrs. Jack Neeland and they live near the home
place in this county; Alice is now Mrs. B.
Hingy of Stafford county; Anna is living at
home. Mr. Donovan had the misfortune to

lose his eyesight about twelve years ago but
still superintends the operations on the farm.
The home place has a fine set of improve-
ments, the residence containing eight rooms
in addition to closets, pantries, etc. A small
orchard is found near the house where nearly
all varieties of fruits are grown. When Mr.
Donovan arrived in this county he was com-
pelled t3 do his farming with a yoke of oxen
and he relates how one time in the early days
they ran away with him while he was attempt-
ing to plow with them and for a time he did not
know whether he liked Kansas or not. He
served a term as Justice of the Peace and has
always been an enterprising citizen. Mr. Don-
ovan gives due credit to his wife, a hard work-
ing little women who shared her part of the
burden with her husband when they were be-
ginning the home that they have since built.
Mrs. Donovan is one of those kind hearted
motherly women without whose aid the work
of developing the great west could not have
been done.

TOBIAS McGILL

TOBIAS McGILL was born November 9,
1837 in Bartholomew County, Indiana.
He remained in his native state until
1858 when he went to Iowa and remained for

ters. Mr. McGill was married September 6,
1860, to Miss Parilla Youtsey near LaGrange,
Iowa and they are the parents of nine chil-
dren, six of whom are living. Hilas N. is farm-

i'^i&-

From left to right ;

Farm Home of Tobias McGill

Geo. M'Gill, Crandon O. MGill, Mrs M'CJHI. Elva MGill, Tobias M'tHII

twenty-six years. He then continued his
way westward and arrived in Barton county in
1884. He bought land near Dundee, the quarter
section formerly belonging to J. B. Williams,
and later purchased another quarter from John
Lile. Mr. McGill was actively engaged in farm-
ing until 1897 when he retired and moved to
Great Bend. He still superintends the work
on his farming land which is worked by ren-

ing in this county; Etta, is now Mrs. J. H.
Harris of Great Bend; Charlotte is now Mrs.
Sherman Mosbarger of Pawnee Rock; Cran-
don O., is now an attorney at law in Idaho
where he also teaches school; Elva is at home
and George is county attorney of Sedgewick
county, Kansas, and lives in Wichita. Mr.
McGill is a veteran of the civil war and is a
member of Pap Thomas Post G. A. R. He en-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

listed September 6, 1S64, in Company G. Six-
teenth Iowa, Iviiown as Croclier's Iowa Bri-
gade. He served until the close of the war
and was mustered out July 19, 1S65. He was
with Sherman's Army from Atlanta to the Sea
and took part in the battles of Fayetteville,
Bentonville and was present at the siege of
Savannah. He saw much active service during
the time of his enlistment. Since coming to
Barton county Mr. McGill has always taken a

great interest in affairs of a public nature and
held township and school board offices as well
as having been assessor for his district and
justice of the peace. He is one of the men
who had so much to do with the development
of the county's resources and saw it grow to
its high standing among the counties of the
state. He came here at a time that it required
men of strong nerve to combat the adverse
conditions with which they had to contend.

C. B. WORDEX

THE subject of this sketch, Chas. B. Wor-
den, together with C. U Roudebush,
planted the first crop in Walnut town-
ship near Albert. This was in March, 1X71.
The crop consisted of corn, potatoes and
sorghum, and after making a nice start was
destroyed by the dry weather which fcllowed
in that year. The remnants of the crop were
eaten by the buffaloes which were plentiful in
this county at that time. .Mr. Worden was
born in West Virginia January 1, 1S44. He

sas; Ira L., 27 years, is an optician and jew-
eler in business at Albert; Alvin H., 25 years,
is in the postal service at Albert; Charles 1..,
17, is employed at the McLaughlin Produce
Company's establishment in Great Bend;
Blanche E., 15 years, is a student in the Great
Bend schools. (John W., nine months and
Julia A , two years and one month, are de-
ceased.)

Mr. Worden is one of the really old timers
to whom this county owes its development and
high sanding amcng the best counties in the

Farm Homr

C. B. Worden

came to this county in 1S71 and immediately
began the work of farming. He located a
homestead near Albert in Walnut township.
He farmed until 1910 when he sold his farm
and moved to town and now occupies a nice
residence at the corner of Ninth and Holland
streets, in Great Bend.

He was married Dec. 15, 1875 to Miss Ada
Brown of Walnut township and they are the
parents of ten children as follows: Ella I-..,
35 years, is now Mrs. John Gallon of Great
Bend; Hattie D., 34 years of age, is now Mrs.
F. E. Peugh of Hoisington ; Marsena L., 32
years, is farming near Albert; Alice, 28 years,
is now Mrs. E. P. Cowman of Coffeyville, Kan-

Statc of Kansas. During his residence in this
county he has served as county commissioner,
and has held township and school board of-
fices in the district where he lived. He is one
of those hardy pioneers who reclaimed this
section of the country from the buffalo and
Indians and ho played no small part in the
early history of this county and is one of the
best known men in this part of the state. He
sold his farming interests when he retired but
owns his residence and a number of lots and
is an enterprising and progressive citizen.

Mr. Worden is a member of the Pap Thomas
Post, G. A. R., Groat Bend. He served almost
four years in the Eighth W. Virginia Infantry,

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Company F and Seventh W. Virginia Cavalry;
also in Company F. He took part in the bat-
tles of Cross Keys, Freeman's Ford, White
Sulphur Springs, Second Bull Run, Droop

Mountain and Lynchburg as well as others.
He served three years and ten months and saw
much active service in his country's de-
fense.

AUGUST FENN

AMONG the well known men of Buffalo
township is the subject of this sketch,
August Fenn. He was born in Clinton
County, Illinois September 25, 1S6S. He came
to Barton county in 1SS6 at a time when this
section of the state was going through some
mighty hard times and it required men of
strong nerve and an unflinching faith in the
future to remain and develop the soil. Mr.
Fenn is now farming in Buffalo township and
his home place is located on the northeast
quarter of section 7. He was married in 1S93
to Miss Louisa Schultz and they are the par-
ents of five children as follows: Lillie and
Luella, twins, IS years of age; Oscar, 13 years;
Earnest, 9 years and Irene, 4 years of age.
The home place has a set of good improve-
ments, the residence consisting of nine rooms
in addition to the bath room, closets, etc. Mr.
Fenn has always maintained a g;od grade of
live stock, both horses and cattle and in addi-

tion to his private interests has always found
time to take an active part in all public mat-
ters that are for the benefit of the community
in which he lives. He has been a member of
the school board nineteen years, has held the
office of road overseer as well as other town-
ship offices. A small orchard is maintained
on the home place which adds greatly to its
general appearance and in which a number of
different kinds of fruit are raised. The resi-
dence is located in a most desirable spot and
is surrounded by well kept shade trees and
other foliage that makes it one of the most
attractive places in the township. Mr. Fenn
is an enterprising and progressive citizen and
enjoys a large acquaintance in all parts of
Barton county. Jlr. Fenn was the butter
maker at the Heizer Creamery in the early
days and was the first man in this part of
the country to use the combined churn and
when it was installed it created a great deal of
favorable comment.

JOHN EVERETT

Farm Home of John Everett

ONE of the pioneers of Barton County who
is still actively engaged in farming is
John Everett who resides on the east
half of section 9-19-14, Buffalo township. Mr.
Everett was born iN'ovember 12, 1.S42 in Put-
nam county, Illinois. He came to Barton Coun-
ty in 1S74 and located on the southeast quar-

ter of section 9 and there erected a stone
house, but not until after he had spent a long
time in making preparations for the building
of a home. Only the old timers know of the
real conditions in those days, when it required
men of str:ng nerve and backbone to combat
the many adverse conditituis witli wliich they

58S279/\

100

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

had to contend. The younger generation can
learn of them only by reading. Mr. Evere t
came here at a time when the county needeil
just such men. He lived in Illinois until he
came to Barton County in 1874 except for the
time he spent in the army.

He enlisted in Company H, One Hundred
and Fourth Illinois and served until June 5,
1864. He was in the battles of Ijockout Moun-
tain, Chickamauga. Kenesaw Mountain and o]i
August 2, 1863, he was severely wounded, and
saw no more service until the following Feb-
ruary. He made a fine record while in the
service of his country and after the close of
the war he returned to his native state and
farmed until 1874.

He was married March 7, 1867 to Miss Anna

M. Both-well of LaSalle, County, Hlinois, and
they are the parents of three children: Cora
Jane 4S years of age is now Mrs. H. J. Dukes
of this county; George W., 45 years of age is
on the home place as is also Oliver N. who is
42 years of age. The residence on the home
place consists of seven rooms besides closets,
pantries, etc. The out buildings are well buill
and Mr. Everett has made a specialty of rais-
ing Red Polled cattle and he always main-
tains a good grade of horses and cattle. The
home place is nicely located with shade and
fruit trees surrounding it on all sides. Mr.
Everett Is one of those men to whom Bar;on
County owes its high standing in the list of
the best counties of the State of Kansas.

FRED V. AMERINE

AMONG the young farmers in Buffalo town-
ship none is better known than the
subject of this sketch, Fred V. Amerine.
He is a son of J. W. Amerine one of the old
timers of that part of Barton County. The
elder Amerine farmed in this county f^r
thirty-two years and is now farming in Kiowa
county. The younger Amerine is farming IfiO
acres of good land in Buffalo township, si.\
miles northwest of Great Bend. He was born
January 21, 1SS4, in this county and has seen
it grow from the hard times of the SO's to its
present high standing and importance amcng
the counties of the State of Kansas. He was
married in March, 1912, to Miss Emma Bortz.
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Bortz of Rush
county who are also old timers of this section
of the state. Mr. Amerine farms all his land
himself and has a nice set of improvements

which are located in close proximity to Walnut
creek, the residence and other buildings being
surrounded by large, well kept shade trees
which add greatly to the beauty of the home.
The residence contains eight rooms, in addi-
tion to the bath, closets, pantries, etc The
place is stocked with a good grade of cattle
and horses although Mr. Amerine has never
dealt in thorcughbred slock of any kind. He
has learned by experience the best methods to
use In cultivating the soil in Barton county and
applies these methods in all his work. He is
one of the young men who are now taking the
places of the old timers and continuing the
work so ably begun by them in the 70's and
SO's and it is these young men who are making
g"od progress in the work left them in bring-
ing Barton County to its present high state
of cultivation.

JOHN GRUBER

0.\ writing upthc old timers of Barton Coun-
ty there is none that is better or more
favorably known than the subject of this
sketch, John Gruber who came to this county
in 1871 at a time when there were very f < w
people but a large ntimber of buffalo aiiil ante-
lope. Mr. Gruber is one of the old timers who
upon their arrival here began their first work
and made a living by hunting buffalo. Mr.
Gruber located on land In BilTalo township
where he still resides. He was born In Aus-
tria, July 2, 1S39. He was married in ls*;H to
Miss Katie Wilka, and they are the parents of
seven children as follows: Antone, 4S years
of age, is farming near the old home place on
land given to him by his father; Joseph, 38
years of age, "was born in this county and is
living with his parents on the home place;

John, Jr. is in the automobile business in
Great Bend and is 2S years of age; Mary, 37
years, is now Mrs. E. G. Reidle of this coun-
ty; Annie, 31 years of age, is now Mrs. Stan-
ley Patterson; Rose, 26 years of age, is Mrs.
Pearl Holmes and John, who died when he was
four months of age. was the first white
child born in Barton County. Mr. Gruber is
one of the really old timers of this section of
the state and has seen Barton County grow
from an abiding place of animals and Indians
to its present high state of cultivation. The
home place has a fine set of improvements;
the residence contains five rooms in addition
to closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 20 by 30
and a two acre orchard is found near the
hotise which bears all varieties of fruits com-
mon to this part of the country. The place is

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

101

well Improved and is one of the historical
spots of the county. Mr. Gruber has been a
member of the school board and held other
offices and is one of the county's oldest and
most widely known citizens. It is to such men

as Mr. Gruber that Barton County owes i's
high standing among the leading agricultural
sections of the world and makes it one of the
best counties in the State of Kansas.

ANTON GRUBER

ONE of the men who has seen this county
grow from an almost barren waste is
the subject of this sketch, Antone Gru-
ber. He is a son of John Gruber who located
one of the first homesteads in Buffalo town-
ship. Antone was born in Austria and came
to this county with his parents in 1S71 after
having spent three years in the State of Mich-
igan. When the family arrived in this coun-
try Antone was seven years of age having been
born in 1864. He first worked in this county
helping his father hunt buffaloes, thousands of
which were roaming what is now the most
highly cultivated land in the county. He now
farms SO acres of land in Buffalo township on
which is located his home place. He has a
good set of improvements. The residence con-
tains five rooms in addition to the closets,
pantries, etc. The barn is 32 by 20 in dimen-
sions and is arranged for taking care of a
large number cf head of stock. He was mar-
ried in 1S92 ito Miss Lena Schlim who was
also born in this county in Clarence township.

Her parents were also among the first perma-
nent settlers in the county. They are the par-
ents of three children as follows: Mary, 17
years of age and (Marguerite who died when
she was seven years of age, in 1907) and an
adopted boy whose name is George and is
seven years of age. Mr. Gruber is one of the
men who came to this county when he was
yet a child and has had a great deal to do
with its development and upbuilding. He has
always taken an interest in public matters and
has held township and school board offices at
different times. He is one of the few residents
of I he county who can recall the days of Old
Fort Zarah and who saw the buffalo when
they were almost as thick as ever they were
and saw them gradually disappear and make
way for plowed fields and cultivated farms.
His home place is located just east of his
father's home and his brother who is now dead
and mentioned in another part of this his-
tory was the first white child born in Barton
county.

FRANK P. SHAFFER

FRANK P. SHAFFER was born in Rich-
land county, Ohio, in 1859 and came to
Rush county, Kansas, in 1890 and has
lived in the State of Kansas since that time.

He came to Barton county in 1901 and bought
land in section 17 Great Bend township. He

was married in ISSO to Miss Mary Fesser in
Indiana and they are the parents of four chil-
dren as follows: Cora L., 31 years of age,
now Mrs. James Mclnnes of Cokeville, Wyom-
ing; Franklin A., 26 years of age, living at
heme as is also Paul who is 16 years of age
and Mary M., 27 years of age, now Mrs. Alton
Dale of this county. Mr. Shaffer has a well
improved home place three miles northwest of
Great Bend where he owns 320 acres of land.
His residence consists of eight rooms in addi-
tion to bath, closets, pantries, etc. The barn
is .50 by 30 feet in dimensions, is well built and
affords room for a large number of horses.
Mr. Shaffer raises a variety of crops and is
ably assis'ed in the operation of the farm by
his son, Franklin A. The home place is located
in one of the best parts of the county and the
shade trees and other surroundings add in no
small way to the general appearance of the
place. Mr. Shaffer is one of the men who
came to Kansas at a time when it needed farm-
ers who could take the land and by well ap-
plied effort make it produce crops in a way of
which it was capable but needed more modern
methods in its cultivation. Mr. Shaffer farms
according to methods learned by experience
and taking the good years with the poor ones
he has succeeded in making them average with
a good production of crops.

102

BIOGRAPHKWL HISTORY

IIKXRY SC HW I KR

H:NRY SCHWIER is one of the old timers
of this section of the state who is still
engaged in farming. He was born in
Prussia, January 19, 1S43 and came to this
country when he was eighteen years of age.
He lirst located in Cincinna i where he re-
mained for a year, after which he wen" to
Dearborn County, Indiana, and farmed until
the spring cf 1S7S when he came to Barton
County. He had bought land the year previ-

falo township started a creamery at Heizer in
the early days and later started one at Larned
in 1898. It was consolidated with the one that
was in operation at Great Bend, and the out-
come of this was the now famous Merritt-
Sch.vier Creamery Company which is one of
the largest iiiftitulions of the kind in this
part of the country. Mr. Schwier's homo is
well improved and he is one of the men who
had so much to do with the development of

F a r i^i Home of Hen r v S c h \v i e r i n 188 5

ous and now owns 560 acres all of whicli is
being worked by renters. He vvas married in
September, 1S66 to Miss Elmira Lempe and
they are the parents of four children; Dollic,
44 years of age is now Mrs. D. C. MerhoiT of
this county; William, 42 years of age, is at
Larned where he is interested in the Merritt-
Schwier Creamery Co; Lizzie, 40 years of age,
is now Mrs. Jchn Hiss of Great I3end and
Sophia is now Mrs. Frank Trauer. Mr. Sciiwier
and his son William, with the farmers of Buf-

that section of the couny in which he lives.
The residence contains seven rooms and the
cl; sets and pantries. The barn is 54 by 56 feet
and the other outbuildings are well built and
commodious. Mr. Sehwier has always found
time to take an active part in public affairs
and served his district as county commissioner
for two terms, an office in which he made a
good record. He has also held township and
school beard offices and is an enterprising and
progressive citizen.

EDWARD (IRANT BUCKLAND

EliWAHl) GRANT BUCKLAND, a former
resident of this county is now living at
Washington, D. C. At least he spends
a large part of his time in the Capital city. He
is vice-president of the New York, New Haven
& Hartford Railroad and maintains offices at
Washington, D. C , New York City, New Haven,
Conn., and Providence, R. I. He was born at
Buffalo, N. Y., December 31, 1S66. His parents
were Andrew ,T. Buckland and .Tulia Turner
Buckland. The latter died in 1S69. Mr. Buck-
land came to Barton County with his father
and three sisters. May 26, 1872. He lived in
Great Bend until 18S7. In September 1882 he

went 10 Topeka where he attended Washburn
College. He graduated from that institution
in 1887, He then went to New Haven where
he entered the Yale Law School in the autumn
of 1SS7 apd graduated in 1889. He became an
instructor and later assistant-professor in the
law school and in Yale College, at the same
time being engaged in the general practice of
law with the firm of Townsend & Watrous,
afterwards Watrous & Buckland. June 21,
1898, he was appointed attorney for the New
York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Com-
pany with offices ai Providence, R. I. He re-
mained there until January 1, 1904 when he

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

103

returned to New Haven as attorney for the
road and located at its main office. January
1, 1906 lie was appointed vice-president of
the New York, New Haven & Hartford Com-
pany and again moved to Providence, R. I,
where he represented that company's steam
railroad, street railway and steamship inter-
ests. On March 1, 1910, he again returned to
New Haven as a general executive, vice-presi-

dent of the New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad Company. He now has offices in
Providence, R. I., New Haven, Conn., New
York City and Washington, D. C, and repre-
sents the company's interests. He was mar-
ried to Sally Tyler Clark of New Haven, Conn.,
.Tune 21, 1S9S. They have two sons and two
daughters. The family residence is at New
Haven, Ccnn.

FRANK MERTEN

Farm Home of Frank Merten

FRANK MERTEN was born in Keokuk
County, Iowa, February 28, 1870, and
came to this county with his parents
when he was six years of age. He now occu-
pies the old home place which was located by
his father Robert Merten and comprises the
southwest quarter of section 11, Clarence town-
ship. Frank attended school for several years
after he came to this coun'y and began farm-
ing for himself in 1891. He owns a section of
land in Pawnee county which is being worked
by renters while he gives personal attention to
the work of farming the home place. He was
married February 13, 1895 to Miss Matilda
Both, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Both
who are also old timers of this section of the
Btate and who are mentioned in another part
of this book. Mr. and Mrs. Merten are the
parents of six children: Roy E.. 15 years of
age; Ralph A., 13 years of age; Lillie May, 11
years of age; Rosie Marie, 8 years of age;

Georgia, 2 years of age and Arthur who is two
and a half months old. The home place is
situated in one of the most desirable parts of
the township and the shade trees and other
improvements make it one of the most attrac-
tive places tha one could find in the county.
The residence contains nine rooms in addition
to the bath, closets, pantries, etc. The barns
and other outbuildings are well built and com-
modious, the elevator having a capacity of
9.000 bushels. The Merten family is one of
the best known in the county and are mention-
ed frequently in the pages of this book. The
elder Merten retired several years ago and is
now living in Great Bend where he is inter-
ested in the banking business and is one of the
best known men in the county. Frank Merten
has found time with all his i)rivate affairs to
take an active part in the public affairs of his
community and has held township and school
board offices as well as taking an interest in
anything that is for the benefit of the county.

101

biO(;kapiiical history

r:ERT TRERTER

OF the young farmers who are chveluijinj;
the soil in Kureka township none is
better known than the subject of this
sketch, Bert Trester. He is a son of J. li.
Trester who has been a resident of tliis county
forty years. The elder Mr. Trester is one of
the really old timers of the county having
come here at a time when the county needed
men with strong nerve, a knowledge of f.irni-
ing and faith in the future sufficient to make
them stay through the hard years of the sev-
enties and finally develop the soil to a state oi
productiveness. The younger Mr. Trester is
now farming three quarters of land which be-

loi.gs to his father. He was born in this coun-
ty December 29, 1SS6 and is therefore a pro-
duct of the county. It is due to this fact and
the fact that he has always been in the fiirm-
iug business that he knows the way to farm
to get the best results. He has learned the
best methods by actual experience. He was
married in 1910 to Miss Margarett Weege of
Eureka township, and they are the parents of
one child, .Margery May who is about two
months old at this writing. Mr. Trester is an
enterprising and progressive farmer and well
prepared to take up the development, work cf
the land where his father left off.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LANGFORD

OXIO of the best known families in Uarlon
t'ounty and one whose members have
had a grtat deal to do with the devel-
opment and upbuilding of the county, is that
of Thornton I-angford who is the f.Jther of the
subject of this sketch and came here in 1877.
He bought the southwest quarter of secti-on i<5
in Eureka township and up until the lime of
his death was actively engaged in firming, fie
died in 1900 and his death was keenly felt by
the large circle of friends whose friendship he
enjoyed. A. L. was born in .\ppanoosT Coun-
ty, Iowa, October 9, 1862, and .irrived in this
county with his father whou he was fifieer.
years of age. He was marri'^.l in 1!)0.J to Miss
Emma Schultz whose parents are also old
timers of the county, her fallior having been
among the very first men to settle in the
county. Mr. Langford farms ill his own land
and has a fine set of improveitieut.s. The res-
idence contains five rooms in addition to
closets, pantries, etc., and the barn is 24 by
40 feet in dimensions. The improvements are

si.uaK'd amid beautiful surroundings and Mr.
Langford has a most attractive country home.
He has always taken an active part in the af-
fairs of his township and has held the office
of constable and other township offices. It is
to such families as the Schultz and Langfords
that this county was developed from an almost
barren waste In the seventies to its present
high state of cultivation and high standing
among the best counties in the State of Kan-
sas and made of it one of the most productive
agricultural sections of the country. It is
such men as the subject of this sketch that
the work is being continued to the end that
the future that was seen by their elders will
he realized and fulfilled. Mr. I^angford is an
enterprising and progressive citizen and enjoys
a wide acquaintance in all parts of the county.
His long residence in the county has made
him familiar with the conditions with which
the farmers have to contend and his success
is in a large measure due to the knowledge
he has gained by practical work

SEVIER H. HEDRICK

OXE of the really old timers of Barton
County still living on his old homestead
is the subject of this sketch Sevier H.
Hedrick. He was born in Preble County, Ohio,
September 16, 1847. He came to Barton
County in 1871 and took up a homestead near
Heizer. It comprises the northeast quarter of
section 6, Buffalo township. .Mr. Hedrick has
been married twice, his first wife having been
Miss Lucy Parks of Illinois. To this union
there was born one child, William, who is
now 42 years of age and lives in Illinois. He
was later married to Miss Maggie Chasteen
and they are the parents of five children, as
follows: Florence, 22 years of age is now

Mrs. Ed. Noffsinger and resides in Brown
County, Kansas; Hallie, 19 years of age; May,
IS years of age; Edith, 16 years of age; Grenna,
12 years of age, all of whom live at home. Mr.
Hedrick was actively engaged in farming until
about a year ago but now superintends the
work of renters. He has a nice set of im-
provements; the residence containing ".even
rooms in addition to closets, pantries, -.t^.
The barn is 28 feet square and like the other
buildings is well built and commodious. The
home place is beautifully situated and is r.ii-
roiinded by a fine set of shade trees, a half
acre of orchard altogether is one of the nnst
attractive places in that section of the count/.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

105

Mr. Hedrick was the first trus.tee of Bii':,lo
township and is one of those men svUo ame
here at a time when the buffalo were stiil
roaming the prairies and it is due to lueh
men as Mr. Hedrick that the county was de-
veloped and made one of the best in the State

of Kansas and it is due to their efforts that
it is one of the most important agricultural
sections of the entire country. Mr. Hedrick has
always taken an active part in the public af-
fairs of his county and is an enterprising and
progressive citizen.

WILLIAM CHRIST OTTE

OF the many young farmers in the county
who are products of this county none
betterknown than subjectof this sketch,
William Christ Otte who is now farming 200
acres of land in Buffalo township. He has
been on this land for the past seven years
and as he was born and rais^ed in this county
he has learned by experience the methods
that will give the best results under the condi-
tions that are found in this section of the
county. He was born January 30, ISSl and is
a son of William Otte who is mentioned in
another part of this book. The elder Otte is
one of the old timers of this county who came
here in the early days and has seen this coun-
ty grow from almost a barien was'e to its
present high state of cultivation. The younger
Otte was married to Miss Georgia Miller in
1907. She is a daughter of Henry Miller who

will also be found mentioned in another part
of this book. He also is one of the old timers
who had so much to do with the upbuilding of
this county. Mr. and Mrs. Otte are the parents
of two children as follows: Walter who is
four years of age and Wilmer who is two
years of age. They occupy a neat residence of
four rooms. The barn is 20 by 36 and it and
all the outbuildings are well built and have
plenty of room. The home place is surrounded
by a grove of nice shade trees that add greatly
to the home-like appearance of the place and
altogether Mr. Otte has one of the most ideal
country homes to be found in that section of
the county. It is to such families as the Ottes
and Millers that this county owes its high
sanding among the best counties of the State
of Kansas and one of the best agricultural sec-
tions of the entire country.

DANIEL GREEN BIRD

Farm Home of Daniel Green Bird — "Bird View Fai

TIIOSK who read this volume will b(> struck
witli the nativity of the citizenshi]),
no doubt, and note that the southern
states rarely have a representative. The
county's history has been forged by the sturdy

Gernuui-Amcricaii, and by men from the mid-
dle, northern and western sections of the
United States. Of course most nations are
represented, and most states; but the southern
gentleman is noticeable by his absence. He is

106

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

either clannish and prefers to herd by htniself,
has not forgotten the border ruffian days,
or has barkened to the stories about a cold
and cyclonic Kansas. We are pleased, there-
fore, to record the success of a native Vir-
ginian. A man hitherto unused to the rough
life of the frontiersman.

Daniel Greene Bird was born near Jackson-
ville, Floyd County, Virginia, January 19th,
1S49, and at an early age removed to Raleigh
Couny, West Virginia. Returning to the Old
Dominion he settled in Wythe County, twenty
miles north from Wythville. Shortly after his
twenty-eighth birthday — on March 3rd, 1S78 —
he arrived in Barton County, Kansas, determ-
ined to make a home for himself and pos-
terity; or never (o set foot on Virginia soil
again. He selected a location thirteen miles
west from Great Bend and there purchased
his first (,uarter of land on payments from
the Santa Fe Railway Company. Disastrous
years followed and he was forced to forfeit
his holdings. Buying again from the same
I)arti€S in September, 1884, he contacted for
three hundred and twenty acres, and paid
fifteen hundred and sixty dollars, in i)aynients
as before. This time he was successful and
paid out according to agreement; and at this
date hi& home place contains seven hundred
and twenty acres Besides this he owns in
the counties of Barton, Pawnee and Rush five
separate tracts of land amounting to eighteen
hundred and forty acres, or a total of twenty-
five hundred and sixty acres. These various
tracts are all well improved and in a high
state of cultivation. They are stocked with
the best farm implements procurable, and the
buildings are now, modern, and of a size to
comfortably house his numerous tenants,
store the grain grown on the various farms,
and stable the live stock bred and in service.

Mr. Bird is also a stockholder in the Citizens
National Bank, Great Bend; Pawnee Rock
Elevator Co., and the Independent Harvester
Co., Plana, Illinois.

The home of .Mr. Bird, thirteen miles north-
west from Great Bend, is very attractive in
appearance and supplies all modern comforts.
It is surrounded with shade trees, grass plot
and garden, and is all that a farmer's home
should be. The combination dairy and pantry,
through which cold sparkling water always
flows, is the culmination of the dream of every
housewife. Then there are barns, grain ele-
vators, feeding lots, sheds and a garage, all of
proportions sufficient to house the grain and
care for the stock bred and in service on an
immense farm.

Mr. Bird inherited a love for domestic ani-
mals and has bred, bought, fed and dealt in
them for thirty years. At first he hoped that
this branch of his business would supplement
the earnings of the farm and help over some
of the rough places, but latterly he has con-
tinued to handle them merely because he pre-
fers to have them on the place so that he can
admire their beauty and satisfy a fancy.

Miss Martha Ellen Lee and Daniel Greene
Bird were married June 25. h, 1SS4 in Barton
County, and as a result nine children hav.
been born. Three have passed from them by
death; a son of twelve years being killed by
lightning, and one of seventeen by drowning.
Those living are: Anna JIay. Harry Clay.
Elmer J~seph, Daniel Dee. Mary Frances and
Ruth Allen. Mrs. Bird was born August 12th,
1859, in Knox County, Ohio, but is a member
of and a close relation to the General Robert
E. Lee family of Virginia, whose mother was a
Custus and a near relative of Martha Wash-
ington.

JULIUS BOTH

««^TOXE BRIDGE HOMESTEAD," the home
1^ of Julius Both, fourteen miles west of
t;roat Bend, takes its name from the first
and only stone bridge built on Dry creek and
was used as a lookout, or point of observation
by Mr. Both at a time when he thought it was
necessary to keep an eye on roving bands of
Indians, and on the buffalo, antelope, deer,
gray wolves and coyotes that infested the ctiun-
try in 1871. He came to the county in the
spring of that year, and first worked for John
Cook, Sr., and then engaged in hunting buf-
falo and other game for the first four or five
years. In 1873 he entered his claim to a
homestead, and that and later purchases make
up the valuable farm of three hundred and
twen'y acres included in his home farm. He
owns another half section in Pawnee county,
and both jilaces are well improved and in a
high state of cultivation.

Julius Both claims to be the first white set-
tler in Clarence township, and had as neigh-
bors Judge Morton who doctored the commun-
ity, and D. M. Woodburn, who were between
him and the county seat. His first acquired
property was a half starved horse located
from his perch in "lookout tree," and this
served to transport the game which he killed,
but was not sufficient to break the soil to b«
cultivated, and what corn that was planted
was placed in holes made in the turf with a
hatchet. The garden was prepared in this w.iy
and cultivated with improvised implements
made from whatever would best stir or turn
the soil. There was little cultivated the first
five year«, and Mr. Both. John Gruber and
others hunted the plains and often went as far
west as Dodge City. They got their supplies
and mail from Russell and p]llsworth. Kansas.
and were usually absent from home, leaving

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

107

the care ot the family and li.tle ones to the
faithful wife. Her lot was not enviable, and
the pioneer mothers of Barton County deserve
great praise for their fortitude and devotion
to their husbands and families.

Julius Both was born in the village of Linde,
Germany, September 2,Sth, 1844; served an ap-
prenUeeship as a miller, and followed the
trade until coming to America in 1S70. He
first located at Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin, and

Farm Home of Julius Both in 1886

Present Farm Home of Julius Both

found work in a sash factory. In the spring of
1S71 he came to Barton C3unty. He married
Miss Anna Baruth shortly before sailing from
his home in Germany, and they are the parents
of four children: Mrs. Matilda Marten, Mrs.

Mary Spies and Kate and Tina Both. The chil-
dren all reside at home and assist their par-
ents on the farm with the e.\ception of Mrs.
Merten, and with the grand children make up
a happy and contented family.

108

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

WILLIAM ESS MILLER

THIRTY-TWO years has wrought great
changes in the life of William Essmiller,
and it is a pleasant task to record his
success as a citizen of Barton C:;unty. He was
born December 9, 1S49, in the Province of
Hanover, Germany, on a farm, and worked for
his parents until coming to the United States
in 1S71. He first settled in l.aCrosse County,
Wisconsin, and worked as a farm hand until
1879, when he came to Barton County and
made his home with Fred H. Miller, (a former
school mate in the Old Country,) from whom
he drew pay at the rate of $15 per month.
Finally he and his brother Deiirich inherited
about $2,000 from an estate in Germany and

Pawnee County, north of Rozel. These several
tracts are all well improved and in cultivation,
and are the choice bodies in their localities.
The home farm is improved with a one story
si.\ r;'om frame dwelling; a 36x66 barn with
large hay loft and stalls for twenty horses;
twenty-four milk cattle, and accommodation
for twenty-four loose animals. The granary
is 24x40 and there is a dairy and other small
outbuildings. Wheat, corn and alfalfa are the
principal crops grown, but stock breeding is
fast taking root on this farm, and a herd cf
thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle were in evi-
dence, and numerous horses and mules of the
best breeds for farm purposes. Mrs. Essmiller

Farm Home of William E s s m 11 1 c f

they formed a partnership under the name of
Essmiller Brothers and bought railroad land.
Their business was farming, but they bought.
imi)roved, sold and traded in lands when they
had earned a surplus invested, and until a few-
years ago both families occupied the home on
the D. Essmiller farm. Recently they have
made a division of their holdings, and W'm.
Essmiller owns his home farm, four miles
west of Great Bend, which covers four hun-
dred and eighty acres; eighty acres near Hei-
zer, four hundred and eighty in Pawnee Coun-
ty, and a half interest in another section in

has her White Leghorn chickens and grows
them for market, and in her model dairy
makes fifty pounds of golden butler weekly to
supply her city trade She is a m:del house-
wife and has labored faithfully with her hus-
band to achieve success.

William Essmiller and Miss Mary Nietfield,
of Hanover, Germany, were married on Sep-
tember 12, 18S2, in Barton County. Kansas,
and they have one son. Robert H. Essmiller,
who resides with his parents and assists in
the management of the farms.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

109

HANS JURGENSEN

AMONG the many German-Americans who
have made a success at farming in Bar-
ton County Hans Ju.gensen has won
his place, and is the proud owner of four hun-
dred cf as nice acres as there is to be found,
twelve miles northwest of Great Bend. He has
this all in a fine state of cultivation and highly
improved, there being an imposing two story
white frame residence to greet you as you
en'er the grounds and swing up the driveway,
which is through waving meadows of alfalfa
exuding sweet perfume. About the house is a
large grass plot, and there are plants and

the day for there is a thankfulness overshad-
owing man, beast and fowl, if one can inter-
pret the sighs of the weary work horses, the
lowing of the kine, the laughter of childhood
and the tunes whistled and sung by the farm
help as they ccmplete the days labors,

Hans Jurgensen was born in Germany on
January 23rd, 1S63, and came to the United
States with his parents when six years of age,
who located first on a farm twenty-five miles
west of Nebraska City, Nebraska. He came to
Bar on County on December 24th, 1874, with
his father, Marquardt Jurgensen, who liome-

F a r m Residence of Hans J u r o' e n s e n

shrubs and lofty trees forming the usual wind-
break. The iGcation is elevated and this build-
ing and the barns, elevator, granary, wind-
mills, and other numerous outbuildings stand
out prominently and seem to tower above
others of the neighborhood. Here one can im-
agine the animation in the barn lots at night
time, "when the lowing herds come home," and
the numerous work animals are being unhar-
nessed and ted; chickens and turkeys feeding
for the night and the milking under way. It
is then that the whole farm seems to rejoice
and return thanks for the accomplishments of

steaded an eighty in section 2S and filed on
eighty acres as a timber claim. In 1892 Hans
began farming his own fields having purchased
a quarter section for .$2,100. In 1898 he added
another eighty, paying fcr it $1,600, and at the
death of his father he inherited one hundred
and sixty acres. On March 22nd, 1S86, he was
married to Miss Josephine Burgtorf, of Buf-
falo iownship, and six children have been born,
all of whom are at home with their parents:
August William Christian, 24; Edward John,
22; Fred Henry, 21; Anna Dorothy, 19; Ida
Mary, 17, and William Marquardt, 15.

GEORGE ADAM GEIL

IT has always been a pleasure to trace the
pen picture of a really successful man in
any calling, and when that life has been
passed close to nature the pleasure is ten
fold. Trees, plants and flowers all serve a
purpose and are beautiful beyond comparison.

but growing crops have an added commercial
attraction which have enchanted since time
began. They people a land and sustain life,
and the influence of the tiller is only gaged
by the number of bushels produced. If that be
true George A. Geil's influence is far reaching,

110

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

because he owns and cultivates eight hundred
acres in Barton, Pawnee and Ford counties,
and at harvest time his granaries are filled
to overflowing. That, in substance, is the re-
sult of thirty-three years of continued eiTort
farming on the plains of Kansas.

George A. Geil is a native of Iowa and came
to Barton County in the spring of 1S78 a poor
man, and for some years rented the land he
farmed. Then he bought railrcad land at a
low price and on long time, but failing to make
the payments it reverted to the original own-
ers. Then the Santa Fe Railway Company
added a few dollars to the price and resold
him the land, and that time he made good and
paid according lo contract. He now owns the

capable of housing much hay and grain, and
the stabling capacity must be ample for the
farm. This is painted the usual bright red
cast and seems to light up and enliven the
scene. The soil is good and the farm is in a
high state of cultivation.

George A. Geil was born August 2Tth, 1S57,
near Martinsbvirg, Wapello County, Iowa. He
was married on December 13, 1905, to Miss
Minnie Schroeder, of Cedar County, Iowa.
They have three bright little boys: Louis
Jacob, 4 years of age; Herold Henry, 3 and
Elmer Herman, 2.

The mother, Mrs. Lsuise Geil, wife of Jacob
Giel, deceased, maKes her home with her
son. She was born in Germany, October 26th,

Farm Residence of George Adam Geil — " Dry C r e e i< Stock Farm"

two hundred and forty on which he resides,
fourteen miles west from Great Bend; eighty
acres six miles west from Great Bend; one
hundred and sixty in Pawnee County; one
hundred and sixty midway between Rush Cen-
ter and Rozel. and one hundred and seventy-
five acres near Spearville, in Ford County. All
these several tracts are in cultivation and have
good improvements.

The improvements at the home farm are a
very attractive eight room cottage, surr.'unded
by a neat lawn and towering forest trees. It
is painted a cast of gray and with its green
surroundings looks cool and inviting on a
sultry day. The barn is a large, roomy affair

1S33, and is seventy-eight years of age. She
came to Kansas with her husband and eight
children, George Adam, Andrew and Mrs.
Katie LeRoy in 1S7S, Mrs. Henry Schroeder be-
ing born in Kansas and passed through all the
rough periods of the formitive stage of the
county. She is bright, strong and healthy and
cne can hardly imagine her age so advanced.
Her husband. Jacob Geil, died December 11th,
190", and lies buried in the Lutheran cemetery
near the farm of his son. She was the mother
of nine children in all, four boys and five girls.
One boy died in infancy and a boy and three
girls died from diphtheria the second year
after coming to Kansas.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

111

WILLIAM WERHAHN

AMOXG the large planters and property
owners of Barton County William Wer-
hahn deservedly takes his place, and
although net a native born Kansan he is so
much a Barton County product that he remem-
bers little prior to his boyhood here. He was
born in the Province of Hanover, Germany,
November 20th, 1S75; came to America the
spring of 1SS2 with his parents. Mr. and Mrs.
Christian Werhahn of Great Bend, and they
settled first near Grinnell, Iowa, on a farm.
They also lived in Pouche and JIarshall coun-

his share of the face of the earth. When mar-
ried and settled he bought a quarter section
from his father; later he bought one hundred
and sixty acres from Peter Dirks, and still
later he rented two hundred and eighty acres
adjoining, and today farms a tctal of six hun-
dred acres. During the time he also acquired
by purchase three hundred and twenty acres
near Greensburg, Kiowa County, and three
hundred and twenty near Offerle. These two
last named tracts are improved and rented,
and his total holdings in fee are nine hundred

f'arm Home of William Werhahn

ties, lov.a, for about four years, and then
came to Kansas, settling permanently in Paw-
nee Reck township. Barton County. William
Werhahn was then but eleven years old. He
attended the public schools of the district,
chased rabbits, hun'ed game on the open
prairie, broke bucking broncos and helped his
father on the farm. His days were passed in
the open and the Dutchman's son soon became
a full fledged Kansas kid, with all his aims
and desires. It is not wonderful then that he
was early bitten by the "land-grabbing"
microbe, and soon determined to own and farm

and sixty acres of as fine land as there is in
the state. His residence is thirteen and one-
half miles west of Great Bend, and the im-
provemen's are a two story white frame house,
a 32x66x16 red frame barn, having stalls for
eighteen horses and twenty cattle. Then there
are other small buildings, sheds and numerous
windmills, with a nice grsve surrounding all.
William Werhahn and Miss Bertha Fleske,
of Wausau, Wisconsin, were married on Feb-
ruary 1st, 1905, and they have been blessed
with three interesting children: Bertha, 6;
Hilda, 4 and Martha, 3.

GOLDEN GRAIN FARM"

OLDEX GRAIX FARM." the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Drehle, is six
miles west of Great Bend, and it has
been properly named, because it was the inten-
tion of the owners to honor for all time the
golden cereal that has made the name of Bar-
ton Ccunty famous wherever wheat produc>3:"s

are in use. This is the "banner county," and
it is Mr. Drehle's intention to make his the
"banner farm,' and if one can judge from the
character of cultivation the soil is getting this
season his future crops will tax some of his
neighbors to beat. He is a good and success-
ful farmer, as his fields and granaries bcth

112

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

prove, and when he has been a resident of the
county for twenty-five years his history, if
written then, will appear just as miraculous in
a financial way as do some of the others at
this date.

Henry Drehle was born on May 1, 1869, and
has been a farmer all his life. His first ven-
ture at farming was in Carroll County, Mo.,

ing seven rooms, which is high above ground,
enclosed by a neat fence in which there are a
number of forest trees, shrubs, plants and
flowers. The barn is 32x50, is well arranged,
and accommodates large quantities of hay and
has many sails; and there is a granary and
other necessary buildings, besides several
windmills and a young orchard. These build-

Farm Residence of H o n r v Drehle

and he remained there until 1900, when he
removed his family to Barton County, Kansas,
and rented land for three years. In 1903 he
bought the one hundred and sixty acres where
he now resides, and that, and a quarter that is
leased, make up the three hundred and twenty
that is cultivated. The improvements consist
of a modern one story frame cot'age contain-

ings are all new, beautifully painted, and from
the roadway present a scene of comfort and
thrift.

Henry Urehle and Miss Ellen Stork, cf Car-
roll County, Mo., were married in February.
1S9G. and they have five very interesting livii
children, viz: Willie, 14; Katie, 12; Geori:
10; Annie, 6 and Charlie, 3.

AIRS. KATTE LEROY

THE struggle and privations of earlier da.vs
on the farm in Barton C-unty were
still fresh in her memory when Mrs.
Katie LeRoy was left a widow, in 1S99, with
six dependent boys, the oldest being about
twelve. But she has proven that she was
equal to the task of rearing them and manag-
ing her farms at the same time by the condi-
tion of both; for the boys are as fine, healthy
and gentlemanly a bunch of youngsters as one
meets any day, and the fields are in a high
state of cultivation. It is true that some of
these boys are young gentlemen now, and all
are able to do a man's work on the place; but
this was not always so, and the mind that

eontroled them and the hand that guided de-
serves to be revered above all others. Women
farmers are rare and deserve great i)raise
when unhampered by other ties, but when we
find one who has carried a double burden
through to success we feel that all should wor-
ship at her shrine and say "well done." That
she has made a great success is iroven by the
fact that she owns one hundied and sixty
acres where she resides, eight miles west of
Great Bend, and another tract of eighty acres
one and one-half miles south and six and one-
half miles west cf the same city. Both of
these tracts are improved and under cultiva-
tion, and the home farm has a large frame

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

113

residence, surrounded by a beautiful grove of
forest trees, a large barn that will house the
stock of the farm, and numerous other build-
ings that have their uses on a place like this.
The sons, one and all, must follow the lead
taken by their mother and must all be rustlers

Phillip O. LeRoy and Miss Katie Gell were
married in Barton County, March 20th, 1896,
and Mr. LeRoy died January 31st, 1S99, and
lies buried in the Lutheran cemetery, near the
farm of George A. Geil in the western part of
the county. Mrs. Katie LeRoy is the daugh-

F a r m Home

Mrs. Katie L e R o v

born, because the farm lo:ks as well tilled as
any of the adjoining fields, and we saw the
very test sran of ycung mules, bred arjtl
broken on this farm, that has been produced
in the county in years.

ter of Jaccb and Louise Geil, who came to
Barton County in May, 18TS, and settled in the
western part of the county. She is the mother
of six boys: Andrew, George, Harry, Jacob
and Ray and Roy, the latter tw'o being twins.

HERMAN TAMMEN

THE Ideal Farm," the home of Herman
and Augusta Neese Tamnien, thirteen
miles west of Great Bend, covers three
hundred and twenty acres of the best farm
land in Barton County. The soil was natur-
ally rich, but after nineteen years of constant
effort it has been brought to such a high state
of improvement that it is now one of show
places of the county. The chief feature to at-
tract is a wall-like grove of locust and box
elder which surround and cover five acres
about the residence and effectually isolates it.
But if you enter the driveway, beneath a bower
of overhanging bows, a court and grass plot
meets the view in the center. A one-stor.v,
eight room frame residence, setting high and
balconied, stands to the right. On the left
stands a 32x.54 barn and an 18x50 shed and an
8,000 bushels capacity eleva*or and good Fair-
banks scales. To the rear of these is the

orchard. In front is the garage, chicken
houses, dairy and other buildings. Cement
walks lead to these, and the well kept lawn is
relieved by plants and flowers. The deep
shade and ever changing natural tints are re-
lieved by the tastefully painted buildings and
the flowering plants. An engine supplies wa-
ter distributed through the house and other
buildings, and an electric dynamo lights them
and supplies the power to propel a separator,
churns and washing machine. A 10 horse pow-
er engine is used to elevate the grain and to
clean and grind the feed of the farm. The
house is furnished both tastefully and ele-
gantly and its hospitality is dispensed by
a model housewife. In fact there is nothing
cheap about the farm or premises and it is
well named, "The Ideal Farm."

Herman Tammen was born September 2,
1875, in Hanover Province, Germany, and in

114

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

1S92, when IG years of age, came to America
and his education was acquired in tlie mother
country, with a few terms in our public
schools. His parents died when he was a

Pawnee county, and a half section in Ford.

Herman Tammen and Miss Augusta Ixmisa
Mary \eese were married on October 2S, 1S9S,
at the brides home in Rush County. They have

lyKi'-'i-.'K

Farm Re.sicience of Herman Tammen

small boy. He soon purchased two hundred
and forty acres of land, and later a tract of
eighty acres more and these make up the res-
ident farm. Besides this he owns a section in

been blessed with five lovely children: Min-
nie Christina Mary, 9; Harry Conrad, S; Hilda
Frances, 6; Rosa Louisa, 4, and Herman Au-
gust, 2.

GREENWOOD FARM"

THE "Greenwcod Farm," the country
home of Chris and Mary Johnson, four
and one-half miles west of Great Bend,
is one of the best improved farms along the
road on which the residence fronts. The house
is one and one-half story frame containing
ten rooms; and the barn is 32x42, and has mow
and stable room for all animals bred and in
service on the farm. Then there are other
necessary outbuildings, windmills, an artifi-
cial lake, an orchard, and a fine grove of
forest trees. This farm was not purchased
until 1894, and has not been in cultivation as
long as some others, but the improvements are
all of a substantial character, and the culti-
vation of the fields stamps Mr. Johnson as a
painstaking farmer and one sure to succeed iu

his chosen calling. The fencing is in a good
condition and everything about the premises
is neat and tidy.

Chris Johnson was born on October 22nd,
1859, in Denmark, and came to America in
1S78, when nineteen years of age. He first
landed in New York and from there went into
Illinois, where he secured work making tile
to drain the low lands of several counties.
His headquarters were in Champaigne County
until March 12th, 1SS4, when he came to Bar-
ton County, Kansas. At first he rented the
McBride farm, three miles west of Great Bend,
and put in a crop and then on February 13th,
18S.5, married Miss Mary Hanson, of Jackson,
Kansas. They have been blessed with five
children: Herman O., 23; Gilbert M., 21; Vic-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

115

tor D.. IS; Alexander H., 11, and Mary Chris-
tina, 9.

Tlie farm owned by Mr. Johnson covers cue
hundred and sixty acres and cost $1,.500 in
1S94, but he rents an adjoining quarter and

cultivates three hundred and twenty acres.
This raalves a nice farm, and as he and his
family are economical and good workers it is
expected that they will be among the large
future land owners of Barton County.

-JT-**"

F a I- m Home of Chris Johnson

HENRY WITTE

HKXRY WITTK was born December 4th,
1.S42, in tiK' Province of Hanover, Ger-
many, and is in his sixty-ninth year.
He emigrated to America in the spring of

Henry Witte at the A6e of Twenty-five

1S6T, when twenty-four years of age; and

located first in LaCrosse County, Wisconsin,
where he was told of the great possibilities
of the country being reclaimed from the desert
in Kansas. He went, however, to Minneap-
olis, Minnesota, and in three or four years
returned to Wisconsin where he remained until
the spring of ISSO, when he came to Barton
County, Kansas. He was at first a renter of
land in the neighborhood of his present home,
two and one-half miles south of Heizer, but
finally purchased a half section of land from
the Santa Fe railway company, paying five or
six dollars per acre, in payments which run
from three to eleven years. He was married
on February 22, 1884, to Miss Sophia D. Meyer
of LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, and of this
union was born eight children. A few years
since he separated from his wife and family,
deeding to them the south eighty, and retain-
ing the north half. He has since bui^ a house,
barn and other buildings on his portion and
has it in a fine state of cultivation.

During his residence in Barton County he
has passed through several disastrous years,
but has been able to improve both the north
and south halves of his original quarter in a
substantial manner. Taking the circum-
stances into account Mr. Witte's success has
been phenomenal, and could only have been
possible on land as productive as that which
he owns.

lu;

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

FRANCIS SPANIOL

IT has cilways boon a saying, "That the man
who drinks from a Kansas stream
will later return," ami tliis trite provert)
has proven true in the instance cf Franl:
Spaniel, who, in 1895, was a resident of Reno
County for two seasons, but, on account of
croj) failures, returned to his former home in
Illinois thoroughly disgusted with Kansas, and
Kansas farming. He had, however, "drank c(
the stream,' and af'.er a nine years struggli
with the Kansas microbe he returned to this
state and has since made his home five miles

tract; but at the instance of his father he
came to Reno County, Kansas in 1895 and at-
tempted to make a home in this state. After
two unsuccessful crop seasons he decided he
had enough cf this poverty stricken state and
returned to his old home and farm. The ne.\t
year after he left this state crop conditions
changed for the better and the Kansas gran-
aries would hardly hold the harvests. Then
he saw his mistake and on April 1, 1906, came
to Barton County and purchased the hundred
and sixty acres on which he lives. This is in
a high sttite of cultivation and is improved

Farm Re.sidcnce of Francis S])ani()l

west of Great Rend. As he is now well satis-
fied with conditions in his adopted state we
give his history.

Francis (Frank) Spaniol was born August
27, 1870, on a farm in Livingston County, Illi-
nois, and was educated in the public schools of
that state. He grew to manhr.od there and be-
came a successful farmer under the instruc-
tion of his father, and at his death inherited
eighty acres of choice land near Flanagan,
Hlinois. This he still owns; has it in a high
state of cultivation and rented to a tenant. In
1S92 he was married and began farming this

with a six room frame callage, a good barn,
granary and other out buildings. He rents an
adjoining quarter and farms 320 acres. There
is a young orchard and a nice grove of forest
trees surrounding the home that attracts and
screens the home from the roadway.

Francis Spaniol and Miss Lena Gerdson, of
Livingston County, Illincis, were united in
marrige on April 19, 1892, and this union has
been blessed with two children: Katherine
Mary, IS, Alfred Adam, 14. They are both at
home and gladden "Fruit Farm," the name
recently given their new Kansas home.

FREDERICK HENRY WOLF

)Ll)i;.\ CKRICAL FARM," the home of
Frederick Henry and Lizzie Wagner
Wolf, is located five and one-half miles
west from Great Bend, and is so named be-
cause the soil has been proven to be so well
adapted to growing the "golden cereal" that

has made the county so famous as a wheat
grower. It contains four hundred acres of as
fertile soil as there is in Buffalo township, or
in fact in the whole of Kansas. It is improved
with a story and a half frame residence with
six large airy rooms; a large 40x80 barn, gran-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

117

ary and other outbuildings, and these are so
located that they show to the best advantage.
The crops are corn, Kaffir corn, wheat, alfalfa
and native grasses, and is adapted to grow-
ing these and other crops and the breeding of
horses, mules, cattle, hogs and poultry. Stock
and poultry are bred to a limited extent, but

an industrious husbandman, and the granaries
that his labor has beeu rewarded.

Frederick H. Wolf was born on September
25th, 1S69, in Madison County, Illinois, and
was married to Miss Lizzie Wagner of Nor-
borne, Carrolton, County, Mo., on September
24th, 1S93. They have one interc&ting child

^"^T

;;^£ _i.--,,'^SlP •■■^.-'-.^^ '^^'5'*?is:'"'

^^mi

iiilTiriS^ ■*'^ — i,T .yy

Farm Home of Frederick Henrv Woll

wlieat — the staple eroiJ of this section — is king
of this farm and covers the major pcr'.ion of
the fields. Corn and wheat are the crops
most grown in Illinois, where Mr. Wolf grew
to manh:od, and it was natural that he should
attempt them here where they grow best of all
crops, and with less labor than mcs'. The
fields, however, show the constant effort of

of ten, Tillie Annie Mary, who gladdens their
hearts and brings sunshine to the home. They
came to Barton County in the fall of "1901,
bought tlio four hundred acres on which they
reside, and are classed among the most sub-
stantial and most highly respected citizens of
the county.

THOMAS BUTLER JOHNSON

THE hundred and sixty acres, eight miles
west of Great Bend, which is the farm
of Thcmas Butler Johnson, has been
christened "Pleasant View Farm," because it
lies in a spot that affords a fine view of the
surrounding country. It was first the home
of his parents, John W. and Rosanna Johnson,
who in 1S74 homesteaded eighty acres of this
tract, and bought an additi:ual eighty. They
came to Barton County, Kansas, in 1S74 from
Madison County, Iowa, when Thomas B. was
but three years of age; and the father, .John
W. Johnson, was born in Indiana March 13,
1S3.5, and died February 15th, 1902; and the
mother, Rosanna Johnson, was born in Penn-
sylvania in 1S36 and died November 4th, 1906.

Both are buried in the Everett cemetery, eight
miles west of Great Bend. They were survived
by two children, viz; Franklin Henry and
Thomas Butler Johnson. The interests of
these heirs were purchased by Thomas B.
Johnson, who is now the sole owner, and it
appears t.i be a valuable property. It is well
im|)roved and in a high s'ate of cultivation.
The residence is a story and a half frame, with
si.\ airy rooms. The barn is large and will
accommodate much hay and many farm ani-
mals; and there is a combined granary and
buggy shed; other out buildings, windmills,
etc.

Thomas Butler Johnson w^as born on January
19th, 1872, and was married to Miss Myrtle

118

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Ivo Showers, of Grundy County, Mo., on No-
vember L'2nd, 1899. They liave been the parents
of four children, two of whom are living: Lil-
lie Belle 9, and Mabel Fern 7.

Mr. .Tohnson owns twenty lots in College
Grove Addition to Great Bend and has other
interests in the county.

F arm Home of T h o m a .s B u 1 1 o r .J o li n s o n

WILLIAM MULL

Till-: life story of William Mull who owns a
four hundred and <'ighty acre farm ten
miles southwest of Great Bend, deserves
a prcminent place in the History of Barton
County, because of the success ho has made of
life. He was born July 4, 1872, in Staunton,
Illinois, his father's death occurring shortly
after. His mother, Mrs. Louisa Mull, married
Frederick Viehl and he came with them to
Barton County, Kansas, arriving on September
10, 1878. His step-father homesteaded eighty
acres, but died on August 17, 1895, the mother
also died in October, 1900. Their real and
personal property was heavily mortgaged and
was sold to pay their debts, and at twenty-
three William Mull faced the world without
credit or money. He had, however, in the fall
of 1892, begun farming on rented land with a
part of his step-father's mortgaged horses and
implements, and to hold them for use paid in-
terest as high as IS per cent to 24 per cent.
The period between 1893 and 1S9G were disas-
trous and all was lost or paid out on debts;
but in 1S97 a crop was made and ho purchased
his first hundred and sixty acres, which is a
part of his present farm. Later lie bought
three hundred and twenty acres adjoining and
farms four hundred and eigh'y acres, the eciual
of any in the county. He has this improved

with a two story frame residence containing
eleven rooms; a very attractive barn 32x38,
with large hay loft and stalls for sixteen
horses; an elevator with capacity of 10,000
bushels, and sundry other outbuildings. He
cultivates wheat and corn exclusively, and
breeds only a limited number of horses, cat-
tle and hogs for his own needs; but he makes
every acre a iiroductive one and the hard
times of the '90's seems far back in the dis-
tance. It took, however, great will power and
fortitude to pass that period, and he learned
lessons then that will last for all time.

William Mull and Miss Anna Puttner, of 01-
niitz, Kansas, were married on November 10,
!S9."i. and they have been blessed by live chil-
dren: .John Frederick, 15; Mary Louisa, 13;
William .losoph, 9; Klmer. 5, and Lillie Jose-
lOiiiie. 2.

William Mull is not old and the boys call
him "Hill." and for this reason he loves "the
whole Bill family." Sometimes he becomes
reminiscent and tells things hajiiioning in the
past. When we mot him Bill TownsU'y was
in his mind, and for fear that Bill might fail
to menticn the circumstance in his own biog-
rajihy, wants it known that Will Townsley
worked for him in the harvest of 1897; and
that the pay was 75 cents per day. He labored

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

119

faithfully for two days, but on the third quit
at noon. Going to town he found his parents
had left for Denver, and followed, but on ar-
riving there he failed to make connection with
the family purse and became stranded in a
strange city. How he got home is the best
treasured joke of Bill Mull's life, for a month

after harvest Bill Towusley and a centenarian
burro drew up in a ramshackle cart at the
gate; collected $1.S7V2 and departed for town.
When "Bill" denies and "Bill" affirms, it is
hard for a historian to record it as a i)0sitive
fact. Ask "Bill."

CHRISTIAN S. SCHULTZ

THE life story of Christian S. Schnltz, of
"Upland Farm," six miles north of
Pawnee Rock, stamps him as more en-
terprising and skilfull than the average
immigrant from Poland, West Russia, who
came with him in 1S75, and settled the Men-
onite colony one mile east cf Dundee. He was

In 1ST4 he came to America and worked for
one year in a wagcn factory in Latonia, Ohio,
and in 1ST5 came to Barton County with neigh-
bors from the section of his birth place and
became a member of the settlement near Dun-
dee. At that date he was thirty-three years
of age and by strict economy had saved from

Farm Homt' of Christian S. Schultz

born on March 11, 1842, on a farm in R\issia-
Poland, attended school tor about one month
and at the age of fifteen left his home for
South Russia. He worked for two years on
a farm to accumulate enough to clothe him-
self for the next three years, and then appren-
ticed himself to a manufacturer and learned to
be a blacksmith and wheelwright. This took
three years and he worked for his board; but
in 1862 he began drawing pay, and this was
increased from time to time during the next
twelve years with the factory, until he became
one of their very best workmen and the best
paid. During -this time he built a carriage for
the fiirm which took first prize in competition
with the builders of other nations at the
Worlds Fair held in St. Petersburg in 1871.

his earnings about .$3,U00, and with this ho
bought a (inarter section for the use of the
col;;ny; built the best house in the settlement,
and assisted others less fortunate to make
their start in this new world. When this
colony disbanded he purchased the hundred
and sixty acres called "Upland Farm," and this
he has improved with a large two story frame,
with nine large rooms, a large barn and other
outbuildings, and it is one of the best stocked
and best cultivated tracts of the neighbor-
hcod. Ho also owns another quarter in Paw-
nee Rock township; a quarter in Liberty town-
ship and another near Greensburg, Kansas, a
total of six hundred and forty acres.

One year after his arrival in this country
Christian S. Schultz and Miss Lena Rudigcr,

120

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

of Russia-Poland, were married in Barton
County, Kansas, and to them fourteen chil-
dren were born, twelve of whom survive.
They are: Samuel, C, Henry and Abram
Schultz and Mrs. Lizzie Dirks, all of Pawnee
Rock tcwnship; Mrs. Eva Base and Mary
Richert, near Greensburg; Mrs. Minnie Boese,
Dundee; Mrs. Susan Smith, Pawnee County;
Miss Tena Schultz, a nurse in a hospital at

Newton, and Peter, Ijcna and Martha Schultz,
who reside at home.

Mrs. Lena Rudiger Schultz died on March
29, 1904, and lies buried in ithe Dundee cem-
etery, mourned by her husband and children
and a large circle of neighbors and friends by
whom she was loved and respected after many
years cf association in this new land.

JOHN C. BAUER

HOME-MAKING has been the sentiment
that has peopled the plains of Kansas
and settled its towns and cities, and to
this one sentiment is due the present pros-
perous condition of a great state. It has been
fostered by a generous government and state;
assisted by the great railway and the press,
and today is the ruling passion in the breast
of every true house-holder. It fired the ambi-
tion of the early pioneer and sustained his
frail arm and weak body until ho performed
herculean feats in taming an unwilling soil
until it gave up its treasures in blossoms and
grain. The first has made the land worth liv-
ing in and the last sustained life and provided
a heritage for coming generations. It was this
sentiment that induced Mr. and Mrs. John C.
Bauer, three and one-half miles northeast of
Pawnee Rock, to come to Barton County,
Kansas, endure the privations of the pioneer
days and hold s eadfastly to this one senti-
ment when there appeared no hope of accom-
plishing their cherished dream. But pluck and
energy prevailed and today they own one of
the neatest homes in the entire county, and a
half section of its best land.

John C. Bauer was born on November 16,
1S37, in the Province of Bavaria, Germany, and
in 1S47 came to America with his parents,
who remained in New York City for nine
months and then permanently settled at Cin-
cinnati, Ohio. He was educated in the public
schools of that city, and learned the trade of
boilerniaker, and followed that trade in some
of the largest works of that city until January,
1S7S, when he came to Barton County. He
at first bought eighty acres of railroad land
and entered a timber claim of eighty acres;
and then in 18S5 bought an additional quarter
section. On this ho has built a neat cottage
with six rooms; a good barn, granary and
other outbuildings; planted trees and put the
whole in the highest possible state cf cultiva-
tion.

John C. Bauer was married on October 22,
1S60, to Miss Margaret Bauer of Cincinnati,
O., and they have four living children: John G.
Bauer, Radium, Kansas; Mrs. Anna Shafer,
Sterling, Kansas; Mrs. Lena Hartman, Morrel,
Ohio and Robert L. Bauer of Pawnee Rock
township.

JOHN LIL1-;

AMONG the pioneer citizens of Barton
County, John Lile, who lives two and
one-half miles west of Dundee, may be
classed, because it was on May 2, 1ST2, that he
first settled in the county on a homestead en-
tered in the neighborhood of his present
home. At that period he says he was not
favorably impressed with the locality as a
farming locality; but as he was a young man
then, and game was plentiful on the plains he
considered it wise to set up a home. Buffalo,
antelope and other wild game was in abund-
ant and he at first made good wages by fjl-
lowing the chase, and he killed and skinned
buffalo for a number of years and sold the
meat and hides. In this business he became
acquainted with most of the eld timers of the
early days, but hunted most with Newt Smith,
of Pawnee Rock, Judge Mor'on, (deceased.)
and George Lile, a brother who died some

years ago. They had great sport and often
went as far west as Dodge City on their trips.
By that means he was permitted to see that
frontier town when it was passing through
its toughest period, and if he would he could
recount some thrilling encounters between
some of the bad men of that day. WTien the
buffalo got scarce he gave his time to farming
with about the same result as others of his
section; but after a number cf bad crop years
sold his homestead for a small price and has
rented the land since farmed. At present he
is a tenant of his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Gilbert,
and at seventy-nine years of age is able to
do most of the work. His wife is also well
preserved and has been a true helpmeet dur-
ing a life of exposure on the plains.

John Lilo was born December 11, 1S32, in
Adams County. Illinois, and grew ta manhood
on a farm. He married Miss Evaline Duff, of

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

121

Adams County, Illinois on October 10, 1S61,
and they have been the parents of eight chil-
dren. Six are s'.ill living, as follows: Albert
Llle, Pawnee Rock; Mrs. Ida Smith, Pawnee
Rock; Wm. Henry Lile, near Pawnee Rock;
Mrs. Sarah Gilbert, Pawnee Rock; Harry N.
Lile, near Pawnee Rock and Mrs. Ada Gano,
of Hutchinson, Kansas.

Mr. Lile is at this time a great believer in
the w'onderfiil productiveness of the soil of

Barton County, but when he first came here he
considered it of little agricultural value.
Grass, trees or vegota'ion could hardly be
coaxed to grow, and the soil was so hard that
the rain would not penetrate the earth. His
testimony is that cultivation made the seasons
and the crops that afterward came, and that
a great debt is due these who come first and
persisted until the present conditions pre-
vailed.

THE KEENAN ESTATE

THE family of Thomas and Mary Malia
Keenan. who located a homestead six
miles southwest of Great Bend, are
probably as well and favorably known as any
in Barton County. They were the firs: to show
their confidence in the soil by building the
best country residence in the c:unty — a two
story frame with ten rooms — and otherwise im-

through the state. He first held :he position
of conductor of a construction train running
between Xewton, Kansas, and the Colorado
line; but later, in order to be near his family,
took charge of a section between Great Bend
and Dundee. He served this c:mpany for five
years and then retired to his farm. He died
on June 11, 1900, and .Mrs. .Mary Malia Keenan

proving a farm of five hundred and forty
acres. This was built by Luther Frost, one of
the first builders to locate in Great Bend, and
stands today as a monument to his skill.

Thomas Keenan, sr., was born in Ireland ;:n
February 1, 1834, and came to the United
States in 1S61, marrying Miss Mary Malia, of
Lowell, Mass., in March, 1871. They first
made their home in Massachusetts, but later
moved to Utica, Mo. While in the last named
slate Mr. Keenan found work in the construc-
tion department of a railway and became pro-
ficient as a builder; and when he came to
Barton County, Kansas, in the fall of 1872, he
soon found employment with the Santa Pe
system, which was then building westward

also died ou April 30, 1910. They were the
parents of ten children: John Keenan, who
died July 23, ISSS; James Keenan, of Grove,
Arizona; Mrs. Ellen Nally, San Francisco,
Calif.; Frank Keenan, Kansas City; Martin
Keenan, near Heizer; Thomas B. Keenan, who
died April 7, 190G; Jliss Mary Keenan, Michael
James Keenan, Miss Ka:hleen C. Keenan and
William Patrick Keenan.

Since the death of the parents the estate
has been divided and the home farm reduced
to two hundred and forty acres. This has been
named "Keenancroft," and is cwned by Miss
Mary, Miss Kathleen C, and William P. Keen-
an; the latter being in charge of the farm.
The residence and surroundings have grown

122

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

more beautiful with the years, and the grovf
of forest trees is very inviting. A new barn
32x36 has just tal<en the place of one destroyed
by fire, and some granaries, machine sheds,
etc., built, which adds to the conveniences of

the place. It is provided with all late day im-
l)lenients and the better grades of stock, and
continues to hold its place among the best
tilled farms of Barton County.

SAMUEL C. SCHULTZ

S.AMl'EL C. AND. LIZZIE. SCHTLTZ, who
have named their farm in Liberty town-
ship, four miles northwest of Dundee, and
ten miles southwest of Great Bend, "Fairha-
ven," are among the younger genera, ion of
farmers in this county. -Mr. Schultz is the

there are enough shrubs and i)lants within
the paled yard to make the i)lace very invit-
ing. The barn, granaries, automobile garage,
and various other outbuildings are all new,
conimodious and in fine condition, and make the
farm present a very substantial and prosper-

F a fill lies id (Mice

,^aiii ucl (' . St-li u 1 1 7.

eldest son of .Mr. and Mrs. Christian S.
Schultz of Pawnee Unck township, and was
born on July 12, 1876. The privations of Irs
earlier years were such as to make him learn
the value of money and the results to be ob-
tained by hard work, and these two character-
istics are stamped on every feature of his sur-
roundings. He owns in fee simple one hun-
dred and sixty acres of as fine farm land as
there is in Bart en County, and rents one hun-
dred and forty adjoining. His farm, there-
fore, covers three hundred acres, and is in
the highest possible state of cultivation. His
residence is a two story frame containing ten
large airy rooms. It is surrounded by numer-
ous forest trees and a young orchard, and

ous condition. Mr. Schultz also owns lliri'e
acres near the town of Dundee and has just
built thereon a good four room collage for
rent to a tenant.

On February 13, 1S9S, when the prospects
for crops were about the same as they had

been for the past five years — total failures

Samuel C. Schultz and Miss Lizzie I'nruh, of
Ijone Tree township, McPherson County, Kan-
sas, were married, and the two went to farm-
ing for themselves. That they have succeeded is
I)roven both by their surroundings and by the
five hands;:me children of which they are the
parents: I.rf'iia. l.'l; Clara, 12; Edward, 10;
Lincoln, N and Ella, 7.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

123

HENRY C. SCHULTZ

WHEN Howard Paine, the ijoet-diplomat,
wrote "Home, Sweet Home," he was
exiled far from his native land
and 'the comforts of home. Siek and near
death he gave his soul to a song that is sung
and cherished in all lands, and its influence

en a hill that it may he seen from afar. It
is painted white and enclnsod by a fence, im-
paling plants, shrubs and flowers. The barn,
granary, dairy and other buildings add to the
effect and complete a picture of one of the
most attractive residences in the county.

Farm Residence of Henry C. Schiiltz

is worldwide. Until recently this simiile song
was his only monument; but before it all na-
tions bowed and by example made their home-
life more endurable. When this song was
written Kansas was a plain (i\ci- which buf-
falo roamed; but when settlement came and
good crops wi h it the home sentiment took
root and today there is a strife between the
resident farmers t) see who can make their
home the most attractive. Henry C. Schultz.
of "Hillcresf Farm," five and one-half miles
north of Pawnee Rock, has been most fortun-
ate in his effor; to beautify his hundred and
sixty acres. His residence, a two story frame,
with nine rooms and a basement, is i)erched

Henry C. Schultz was born nn .Inly ISth,
1S77, in Pawnee Rock township, Barton Coun-
ty, and has lived close to nature all his life.
He was educated in the public scho-.ls of his
district and as.sisted his parens on their farm.
On February 23rd, 1S9T, he was married to Miss
Kftie Dirks, of Barton County, and they have
been blessed with three children: Lori'ua. 12:
Dorris, 9 and Bert 6.

He purchased his farm on Ai)ril 12, 1904,
and began his improvements, and today has
one of the choice tracts in his vicinity. The
soil is very rich and productive, and when one
looks over his fields it is easy to see that he
is a painstaking farmer.

ANDREW J. DECKERT

THE man who can pay 36 per cent interest
on borrowed money, through a period
of hard times and poor crop years is
bound to come out on top. That sort cf perse-
verance tells shortly and plainly how and why
Andrew J. Deckert of "Plainview Farm," six
miles north of Pawnee Rock and 15 miles
southwest of the county seat has amassed the

comfortable fortune that ho possesses. An-
drew J. Deckert was born January 13, 1S65, in
Russian-Poland, and while only a baby his
father died. His mother married Peter H.
Dirks and Andrew Deckert was eight years
of age when lie came to this county with his
mother and step-father in the winter of 1S(;3.
The family located on the timber claim of ItiO

124

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

acres on section 6, two and one-half miles
northwest of Dundee, but now live ten miles
southwest of Great Bend.

Andrew started cut for himself when he
became of age and on November IS, 1SS6 was
married to Miss Susan Boese of Pawnee Rr,ck
(ownship. Ten cliildrcn were born to the

union: Minnie who married Henry Jantzen
and Anna who married Ixmis Jantzen, both
of Pawnee County. The other children live at
home.

Mr. and Mrs. Deckert started in 1SS6 with
ncthing and it wasn't long until they thought
they had even less than that. They rente*?

Farm Home of Andrew J. Deckert

land at first and while crops were of varying
yields managed to get along. Then is 1S91
when he had saved $1,000, he bought a farm
and made this as a payment on the same.
There were four years of bad crops and he
lost the entire payment. Undaunted he went
ahead, paid 36 per cent interest on borrowed
money and in 1S96 paid out on a new contract
which he had made for farm land. He nr,w
owns 320 acres of land in section 7, the home
place, 160 acres over in section 8 and 160
acres in Pawnee County. The home place is

one of the modernly improved farms of the
county and is fixed up in the best of shape.
The house is a one and a half st;ry struc-
ture, containing 11 rooms, the upper story be-
ing arranged with dormer windows in the
gables which give the house a good appear-
ance and leaves plenty of room. There are
large barns and other buildings and one of
the chief buildings of interest en the farm is
a large elevator, which houses 9,000 bushels of
grain.

FRED TRAUER

O.NIC and one-half miles south of Heizer,
Barton County, Kansas, is the one
red and sixty acre tract of Fred Trauer,
and it is as pretty a piece of tillable land as
one would care to farm. It contains a small
orchard and is plan'ed with wheat and corn.
He purchased the place in 1S9S, it f:rmerly
having been the homestead of A. M. Burt. It
is nicely fenced and divided into fields, and
is in a high state of cultivation: but the build-
ings are those purchased with the farm and
are hardly as good as he would like and it is

his intention to replace them with more mod-
ern structures at no distant day.

Fred Trauer was born on November 1,
1S66, in Holland, Germany, and his parents
emigrated to the United States in 1S6S and
settled in Dearborn County, Indiana, and in
1S7S, when he was twelve years of age, they
came to Barton County, Kansas. He was ed-
ucated in the public schools and assisted his
parents on the farm until he was a man in
stature, and then he became a renter on his
own account and farmed for several years; or

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

12;

until 1898, when he bought the quarter section
on which he lives. The period between 1S93
to 1S97, when he was struggling to make
enough on the rented land to make a first pay-
ment on land he might purchase he recalls
with many shakes of the head, because that
was the saddest period of liis entire life and
his greatest struggle.

Fred Trauer and Miss Matilda Burgorf
were married on September 16, 1897, and they
are the parents of six children, to-wit: Betta,

12; I.«uis, 11, Lena, 9; Albert, 6, Edna, 4 and

Freddie, 2.

Mrs. Matilda Trauer is the third child of
August and Caroline Burgtorf, who settled in
the county, two and cne-half miles south of
Heizer, about 1872. They drove overland from
Cape Geradeau County, Mo., and on the way
fell in with the teams of E. L. Chapman, who
was enroute with his family to make their
home in this county. Mr. Burgtorf died in 1SS2,
leaving a widow and six children who are still
residents cf the county.

WILLIAM JAMES FEE

To attempt the biography cf William James
Fee in the space at command would be
imp:ssible, tecaiise he has probably liv-
ed more in his allot ed time than most of the
resident farmers cf Barion County. He was
born June 16th, 1S3S, en a farm near Laurel,
Clearmont County, Ohio, and in 1S59, when
twenty-one years of age, was attracted by the
gold excitement in Calif:ruia, and decided that
that was the shortest route to attain both for-
tune and fame among those with whom he hart
grown to manhood. An expedition was fitting
out in Omaha, Nebraska, to cross the plains by
ox teams via the Northern Platte r.:ute, and
this he and his companions joined and con-
sumed six weary months in the .iouruey. The
California-Oregon trail was conceded to be a
favorable passway, but those who made the
trip recount many hardships and the written
history of that time proves that these who
made the trip possessed stout hearts. In hay-
ing time Honey Lake Valley, California, was
reached and Mr. Fee piled hay until fall and
then took up placer mining for a company, and
was launched in the business that he had
crossed many weary miles to attempt, and his
eyes at last feasted on the gold that had lured,
and which has been the making and unmaking
of man in all ages. A farm hand in Ohio re-
ceived at that time $S per month, and $2.50 a
day mining seemed a fortune far a time, but
as the golden microbe assumed dominion, and
as he had learned during his experience how
to do all classes of mining; prospect work was
taken up with more or less favorable results.
The year 1S62 found him in Idaho, where he
worked for others, prospected on his own ac-
count, owned a pack train which made regu-
lar trips out of Boise City: and at one time
own.'d a flume in California that conducted
water to the mines. His mining experience

covered districts in California, Idaho, Nevada,
Arizona and in the Black Hills in Dakota, dur-
ing the excitement of i;<75-6, and ended at
Tmbstone, Arizona, in 1SS6 During hese
years cf search he was rewarded many times
and had fortune within his grasp; but owisig
to many causes — the lack of sufficient capital
being the greatest obstacle — he was forced to
abandon them to the next claimant, who fre-
quently made his fortune. One instance re-
called sold for $100,000 after slight additional
development, and there were others that prom-
ised as well. His labors were often in a coun-
try overrrun with histile Indians, and where if
their claims had any shadow of right in the
eyes of the government at Washington the
regular troops took the side of the Redman
and the miner was at the mercy of both fac-
tions. The reward, however, while fought for
in confess that tried the man, netted as much
in dollars as could have been earned in a life
time of peace on an Ohio farm, and Mr. Fee is
now well satisfied to rest at ease on his Kan-
sas acres and recount what he has passed
through.

Satisfied that he could not "buck luiture
single-handed" in February, 1S86, Wm. J. Fee,
wife and son came to Barton County and pur-
chased the right to a hcmcstead of one hun-
dred and sixty acres, entered by one Hem-
mingvv'ay, seven miles west from Great Bend.
This he afterward proved up in his own name,
and later buying another quarter, he now
owns and cultivates a half section. It is well
imjjroved and in a high state of cultivation.

William James Fee and Miss Elizabeth T.
Haines, cf Now Richmond, Clearmont Coun-
ty, Ohio, were married in September, 1S81, at
Santa Fe New Mexico, and have one son,
Charles Haines Fee, 27, who resides with
them.

MICHAEL JAMES KEENAN

To the old settler who blazed the way far
the present generation the time seems
short since they themselves were the
principal actors in the tragic occurrences
which transpired while building the foundation

for the "Banner County" of the great State of
Kansas; but a new- people are fast taking their
places as workers in the field that is so invit-
ing and among these is Michael J. Keenan,
the fifth son of Thomas and Mary Keenan,

126

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

who came to Barton County in 1S71 and locat-
ed three and one-half miles northeast of Dun-
dee. He has christened his place "Alfalfa-
dale," and it covers two hundred acres of the
most feriile land of his locality and if one
may judge by the appearance of his fields he

the public schools of the district, and grew to
manhood on his father's farm in the neigh-
borhood of his present home. He made
two attempts at home making in Oklahoma
previous to his purchase of the home describ-
ed above, when the government was alloting

Farm Residence of Michael Jame.s Keenan

learned industry and management from the
teachings of the father. His house is a two
story white frame building containing six
rooms, neatly enclosed by a wire fence. There
are a few stately trees and enough plants and
shrubs on the grass plot to make it inviting.
The barn is large and contains grain bins, hay
loft and stalls for numerous horses and cattle,
and there are several outbuildings. These
buildings have all been recently erected and
painted and present the appearance of a newly
made home.

Michael .1. Keenan was born on April 30,
1S75, in Great Bend, Kansas, was educated in

lands in that territory. One was a claim near
Cleo, Oklahoma and tlv other twenty miles
northeast of Hobart. Oklahoma. The first of
these was contested and lost by a suit in the
courts, and the second was sold for a small
sum because of its minor estimated value.

Michael J. Keenan and Miss Catherine Mur-
phy, the eldest daughter of Patrick E. and
Margaret Welch Murphy, of Barton County,
Were united in marriage on November 3, 1904,
and they are the parents of four interesting
children: Marguerite Mary, 6; Ijorene and
Norene (twins) and .Mary Eileen, 1.

ARTHUR LERAY FISH

O.VK of the neatest appearing of the many
fine farm homes in FJarton Coun-
ty is that of Arthur l.eray Fish, located
about seven and one-half miles northeast of
Great Bend. .Mr. Fish came to this county
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. K. A. Fish
when he was seven years cf age. This was in
1878. He was born in Lee County, Illinois,
June 13, 1871. He lived there until he was
four years old when the family moved to
Iowa and after spending three years in that

state continued on westward and arrived in
Bar; on County in 1877. The elder Mr. Fish
located on school land on what is now Mr.
Fish's heme place in Lakin township. This
place consists of 160 acres and it is apparent
to the casual observer that Mr. Fish takes a
great pride in his home as is evidenced by
the neat arrangement of the buildings, orch-
ard., shade trees, etc. Mr. Fish was married
in Barton county in 1898 to Miss Marie Hor-
ton and they are the parents ot two children:

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

127

Avis Laura, 12 years of age and Grace Ellen,
four years of age. Both the children are be-
ing educated in the schcols of the county. Mr.
Fish is a member of the National Short Horn
Breeders' Association and until recently made
a specialty of breeding and raising Short Horn
cattle. He still owns several head of this
well known breed of animals and later on
may again go into the business of breeding

and raising them on a in -re extensive scale.
The residence on tlie homo place contains
eight rooms with bath, closets, etc. The barn
is well built and is 40 by 42 feet in dimen-
sions. Mr. Fish is a typical ciMzen of Barton
County who came hero at a time when it re-
quired all kinds of faith in the future to stick
to the land and develop it until it reached its
present high state of cultivation.

CHRISTIAN KOOPMAN ESTATE

CHRISTIAN KOOPMAN was born iu Ger-
many in 1,S45, and came to America

when he was twenty years of age.

He located first in Indiana where he
remained for fifteen years and where he was
married to Miss Minnie Panne in ISSO. They
are the parents of seven children. They came
to Barton County in 18S0 and Mr. Koopman at
once took up the business of farming. He died
May 15, 1900, and was survived by his wife
and all the children. The children are as
follows: George, 31 years cf age, is now en-
gaged in the plumbing and fitting business
and is a member of the firm of Koopman &
Fankhauser of Great Bend ; Emma. 29 years
of age is now Mrs. George L. Lucas; William,
28 years; Carl. 25 years; Edward, 22 years;
Leo, 19 and Lillian 16 years, are all living on
the home place east of Great Bend. The
estate consists of 240 acres of land in Great
Bend township about two and a half miles
east of Great Bend, and a quarter section of

land in Stafford Ciiunty. The home jilace is
being farmed by the four younger boys and
they maintain the home place in a most pro-
ductive manner. The residence consists of
eight rooms in addition to the clcsets, etc.,
and the barn is 56 by 42 feet in dimensions.
Mrs. Koopman also owns 127 acres '.wo miles
north of the home place and a quarter section
three miles north of the home place. Mr. and
Mrs. Kocpman came to Barton County at a
time when the land needed development and
it required a great deal of hard work to bring
the soil to a sta'e of productiveness whore
farming could be done at a profit. Mr. Koop-
man succeeded however and he was known
and liked by the people of the county who
came here in the SO's and withstood the hard-
shipe that were necessary in making a home.
The Koopman family is one of the best known
in the county and Mr. Koopman's name will
always occupy a prominent place in the his-
tory of the C3unty of Barton.

THOMPSON OAKLEY COLE

THOMPSON OAKLEY COLE was born in
Wakefield, England, March 6, 1S44. He
came to America with his parents in
1850 when he was eight years of age. They
first located in Ohio where Mr. Cole remained
until 1872 during which year he came to Bar-
ton County. During the Civil War Mr. Cole
was a member of Company K., 96th Ohio.
Among the important engagements in which
Mr. Cole took an active part are the battles of
Port Morgan and Fort Gaines, near Mobile
Bay. These engagements took place when
Farragaut and his followers were forcing their
way up the big river. Upon Mr. Cole's arrival
in Kansas he immediately took up the occupa-
tion of merchandising and since that time has
had a great deal to do wi;h the development
of the soil and the upbuilding of the county.
For fifteen years he owned and managed a
grocery store in Great Bend and then bought
land which now comprises bis home place

and consists of one-half of section 12 and one-
half of section 7 in Great Bend township. He
was married in Great Bend in 1874 to Miss
Jane Hull and they are the parents of two
children as follows: Herbert Lee, 33 years of
age, who resides at home; Claude, 29 years
of age, is a practicing dentist in lola, Kansas.
Mr. C:ile survived his first wife and in 1S,S4
was married to Miss Agnes Hess and to this
union there was born one child, Agnes, who
is now 18 years of age and resides at home.
Mr. Cole is a member of the Great Bend lodge
of Elks. On the home place is found a neat
well built residence consisting of five roams,
a barn that is 30 by 60 feet in dimensions,
granaries and all other necessary outbuild-
ings. Mr. Cole is one of the best known men
in the county and has always bee:i f^und with
the progressive element in furthering the inter-
ests of the county.

128

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

RUDOLPH LUDWIG BOESE

AMONG the younger fanners cf Barton
County none is bettor known for their
progressive methods and enterprise
shown in the cultivation of the soil, than the
subject of this sketch, Rudol|)h I^udwig Boese.
He was born September 7, 1SS7. His parents

has been wheat. He learned the best farm-
ing methods frcm his father who came here
when it required the best of farming to pro-
duce anything like a crop, but by persistent
effort he managed ',o improve his land and
make it most productive. On the place where

'^.4.' "^'h-^^-^.'f

Farm Residence of John Boese

were John and Julia Boese who came t3 Amer-
ica from Poland-Russia. His father first set-
tled in Ohio and af.er remaining there two
years came to Barton County where Rudolph
was born. His mother first settled in Penn-
sylvania and came to Kansas in same year
as her husband. He has one brother, Frank,
and three sisters, Martha, Grace and Louise.
He was married in April, 1909, to .Miss Emma
Rudiger and they now reside on a farm con-
sisting of 200 acres, a short distance south of
Dundee. They also own a quarter section in
Pawnee County. The home place where they
now reside is owned by Jlr. Boese's father
Mr. Boese has a fine equipment of machinery
and good live stock and his principal crop

they now reside there is a well built ten
room house, a fine barn 32 by 60 feet and all
the necessary outbuildings including an auto-
mobile garage. The barn is well built and
c ntains stall room for a large number of ani-
mals and the loft permits storing a large
quantity of hay. Mr. Boese gives personal
attention to the supervision of his farm and
has one of the best improved and most highly
cultivated places in that section of the county.
He is an enterprising and progressive young
man and being a pr:duct of this county takes
a great interest in any undertaking that he
tliinks is for the benefit of the community and
the betterment of the county.

ORRIS ALBERT BROWN

ORRIS ALBliRT BROWN was born near
Des Moines, Iowa, July 12, lS66r He
came to Kansas in 1S72 and is now
residing on his home place about ten miles
southeast of Great Bend where he owns three
quarter sections of land in section 31, Co-
manche township. He was married in Russell
County. Kansas, in 1SS7, to Miss Elizabeth
Schari)f. They are the parents of five children
as follows: Henry FrediTick, 21 years; Elias
Edward, 23 years; Viola Eldara, 13 years; An-

nie May, 10 years; Albert, 3 years. Henry and
Albert are employed in the mercantile busi-
ness in Great Bend, while the remainder of
the children are studying in the schools of
the county. The home place is well improved
and in addition to it Mr. Brown superintends
the farming of the three quarters he owns in
Comanche township. The residence consists
of 8 r;oms besides closets, pantries, etc. The
barn is large and commodious and has stall
room for a large number of horses and a loft

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

129

that will permit the storing of a large quantity
of hay. A small, well kept orchard adds great-
ly to the beauty of the surroundings of the
home place. Mr. Brown came to Barton coun-

ern farming methods in the cultivation of the
soil has succeeded in bringing his part of the
county to a high state of cultivation and devel-
opment. He had a large part in the work of

Farm Residence of Orris Albert Brown

ty at a time when only those who had faith in
the future could withstand the conditions found
here and remain. He remained however and
by consistent effort together with using mod-

reclaiming the section of the county south of
the river from a barren waste and making of
it one of the most desirable in the county of
Barton.

Farm Residence of George Washington Tucker

130

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

GEORGE WASHINGTON TUCKER

Gi:ORGE WASHINGTON TUCKER was
born February 3, ]<SGO, in Soiilhern In-
diana and came to Barton County
twenty-six years ago at a time when the out-
look for the future was anything but bright.
However, Mr, Tucker could see the wonderful
possibilities of Harton County and decided to
cast his lot with the other old timers who by
their faith in the future and hard, consistent
effort succeeded in building a home and devel-
oping the land to a state where it would pro-
duce crops in paying quantities. Mr. Tucker
owns 240 acres of land seven miles south of
Great Bend and a section of land in Gray
County. He was married February 2, 1SS8 to
Miss Mattie M. Schaeffer whose father built
the first house in the city of Great Bend. They
are the parents of four children all of whom
are at home. They are as follows: Delbert
Lee, 23 years; Elsie May, 18 years; Clifford M..

13 years; Ruby M., six years. Mr. Tucker
came here at a time when many of the old
timers were getting ready to leave but after he
had purchased the land which is now his home
place he decided that the future would tutn
out as :t has if the proper effort was mide
with scientific farming methods. That Mr.
Tucker's judgment was good is evidenced by
the high state cf cultivation found on the land
in that section of the county. He has had a
great deal to do with the development of th-j
resources of this county and is one of that
body of men whose staying qualities in the
face of difficulties made it possible to make
a rich agricultural section out of what was in
the early eighties almost a barren waste. Mr.
Tucker is an enterprising and progressive citi-
zen and knows a great deal about the history
of Barton county and the people who came
here in the early days to establish homes.

AUGUST MAUSOLF

OXE of the really old timers of Clarence
township and one of the best known
men in Barton County is August Mau-
solf, son of .John and Amelia Mausolf who !o-

stead that is two and a half miles west of Au-
gust's present home. Mr. Mausolf tojk up hi';
residence on this quarter which is located
fourteen miles northwest of Great Bend in

Farm Scene On August Mausolf's Farm

cated in Rush County in 1879. August Mausolf
was born in West Prussia, November 20, 1S6S.
He came with his parents to Jersey City, New
Jersey, when he was four years of age. His
parents remained there seven years and thi»n
came to Rush County, locating on a home-

1892. In 1S9S he married Miss Henrietta
Scheilfelheim and they now have one bright
boy, Walter, aged 6 years. Mr. Mausolf has al-
ways been an enterprising and progressive
citizen and in addition to the quarter on which
he lives he owns eighty eighty acres of land

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

131

in Clarence township, and three eighty acre
tracts in Rush County twenty-five miles west
of his home place. All of this land is in a
high state of cultivation and shows that Mr.
Mausolf has always worked on a policy of im-
provement. His home place is well stocked
with cattle and horses and he takes a special
pride in his flock of fancy White Leghorn
chickens which attract the eyes of visitors on
the Mausolf place. A fine six room residence
is found on the home place. It is neatly and
comfortably furnished and affords Mr. Jlausolf

and family all the comforts of a modern home.
The barn, sheds and other necessary buildini^s
on the Mausolf place arc well built of the best
material and altogether the Mausolf place is
one of best improved nd most modern to be
found in the country. Tb make this complete
we must add that Mr. Mausolfs home was de-
stroyed by a cyclone during the month of May,
1912. He and his wife had a narrow escape.
They are now living in Great Bend. The dis-
aster happened after the foregoing was writ-
ten.

JOSIAH CLINTON WEATHERS

JOSIAH CLINTON WEATHERS was born in
Putnam County, Indiana, October 14, ISoG.
and came to Barton County in 18S4, and
located six miles south and four miles west of
Great Bend in a section where a plow had
never been used. The first few years that Mr.
Weathers spent in this county were hard ones,
but he is made of the kind of stuff that makes

Weathers was married in November, 1881 to
Miss Marguerite F. Reigel in Indiana. They
are the parents of eleven children: Dennis,
29 years; AUva 27 years; Leroy, 25 years, Ora
23 years; Paul, 21 years; Pearl, 19 years; .Jes-
sie, 17 years; Blanche, 14 years; Chester, 12
years; Roscoe, 10 years; Herman, 1 years. The
first named four are married and living in the

Farm Residence of Jos i ah Clinton Weathers

pioneers and wiih an unllinihing faith in the
future he set about to make a home for him-
self and family. He erected a building 14 by
16 which was used as a residence for three
years. Additions were added to the house as
they were required and in 1900 Mr. Weathers
built a fine modern, eight room house which
is now one of the most neatly furnished homes
in that section of the county. In the early
days Mr. Weathers bought corn for fifteen
cents per bushel and the wages at that time
were 75 cents per day with a team. Mr.

county, and the remainder are living at home
and receiving educations. Besides three quar-
ter sections of land which Mr. Weathers sold
to his sons he still owns three quarters in ad-
dition to the home place. Mr. Weathers" farm
is known as "Cedar Grove," the home being
surrounded by well kept cedar trees which add
in no small way to the beauty of the land-
scape. Jlr. Weathers has been township
treasurer for eighteen years and has also serv-
ed as a member of the school board. On Mr.
Weathers' place is what is supposed to be the

132

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

oldest windmill tower in the county. It was
erected by K. L. Chapman in the early days
and has received a number of coats of paint
and is now in fair condition. Mr. Weathers is

an enterprising and progressive citizen and
one of the best known cf the old timers of the
county which he has seen grow from a barren
waste to its present high state of cultivation.

MRS. F. E. ELLIOTT

MRS. K. K. Hl.LIOTT has resided in Bar-
ton County for the past thirty-si\
years, having come here with her hus-
band in 1877. at a time when the county's his-
tory was just beginning. Mr. Klliott died in
June, 1909 and since that time Mrs. Elliott has
carried en ihe work on the home place wi'.h
the aid of help. She gives personal attention

possible to go from one room to another with
the minimum of walking. The home is furn-
ished with up-to-date furniture and that Mrs.
Elliott takes a pride in her home is evidenced
on every hand. The house is lighted with a
large acetylene gas lighting i)lant of a mod-
ern design. A well improved water sysiem
supplies water to the house and bath room,

Re.sidence of Mr.s. F. E. Elliott

to its management and is among the most
successful business women of the county. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are natives of Massa-
chusetts. They were married in June, 1SV7.
They are the parents of one child, Minnie, who
is thirty-four years of age. She is now Mrs.
Roy Weathers, having been married in 1910,
and lives near her mother on the same section
line. Mrs. Elliott's home is one of the most
modern and neatly arranged to be found in the
county. It consists of eleven rooms with a
large commodious basement and garret. The
rooms are on two floors and are connected
one with the other in a way that makes it

l)olh h :t and cold- water being supplied. Mrs.
Elliott's daughter is a graduate of the Great
Mend High School having received her diploma
with the class of 1S98, and she is also a grad-
uate of the Centrad Normal College. The
surroundings near the EllioU home are pleas-
ing and make of it one cf the most attractive
farms in that section of the county. It is
located eight and a half miles west and south
of Great Bend and is in a high state of culti-
vation. Mrs. Elliott also owns eighty acn-s
of land two miles south and west of the town-
site of Great Bend.

JOHN OLIVER TUCKER

JOH.N OLIVER TUCKER was born in the
southern part of Indiana in December,
1S65, and came to Barton County in 1899.
He left Indiana when he was nineteen years of

age and went to Illinois. He stayed there si.<
months and then went to Missouri where he
remained a short time after which he made
his first trip to Kansas twenty-five years ago.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

He remained in the Sunflower state but a short
time after which he returned to Illinois and
spent several years there and in Missouri be-
fore he finally decided to locate in Kansas.
Then he came to Barton County on the date
mentioned above, and immediately began the
development of 160 acres of land which now
comprises his home place seven miles south of

proved and contains a six room residence
which has been built at intervals, the first
building being one room IS by 24 feot. A fine
an up-to-date farmer using modern methods
in all his work and his i)lace is equipped with
all the necessary machinery and live stock
barn is maintained which is 32 by -JO feet, ex-
clusive of the corn crib which adjoins it on tba

Farm Residence of

Great Bend. He was married in 1895 to Miss
Hattie B. Giddiugs of iSIinonk, Illinois. They
are the parents of two children, Albert R.,
sixteen years of age and Helen A., fifteen
years old, both cf whom are students in the
schools of Barton County,. .Mr. Tucker is of
an optimistic turn of mind and says that con-
sidering everything during his residence in
this county he considers the twelve years most
prosperous ones. His h"me place is nicely im-

John Oliver Tucker

south and is 20 by 32. in addition to theltiO
acres on the home place Mr. Tucker owns a
half section of land in Morton county. He is
for the successful cultivation ; f the soil. He is
an enterprising and progressive citizen and
has helped in no small way to make that sec-
tion of Barton County one of the most pr')-
ductive and one of the best in the State of
Kansas.

LOUIS PLANKENHORN

THE subject of this sketch, Ix)uis Planken-
horn, was born in Wayne County, Indi-
ana, April 14, 1S59, He came to Barton
County in 1892, and bought land in South
Bend township which is now his home place.
This land is located in the northwest corner
of section 16 and is in a high state of cultiva-
tion. In addition to this land Mr. Plankenhorn
farms seventy-five acres of land adjoining the
home place en the west. He was married Au-
gust IT, 1SS2. to Miss Florence Job. in Wayne
County, Indiana. They are the parents of two
children: Ethel Christina, 26 years of age,
who is now Mrs. F. W. Stewart and resides on
a farm five miles north of Great Bend and
Glenda Irene who is fifteen years of age and
living at home. She is a student in the Bar-
ton county schools. Mr. Plankenhorn has
taken a great interest in his home place as is
evidenced by the fact that with all the regular

work of raising a crop of staple products he
has found time to improve the surroundings,
and south of his home he has a fine orchard in
which are found apple, plum, peach and other
fruit trees. The residence consists ot seven
rooms in addition to bath, pantries, closets,
etc. The home is well built and neatly ar-
ranged and the shade trees about the house
are well arranged and maintained in a most
inviting manner. The barn is is 30 by 52 feet and
has an addition that is used as a cow barn
which is 20 by 48 feet in dimensions. Mr.
Plankenhorn has one of the nicest home places
in that section of the county and farms his
land according to the best methods and is an
enterprising and progressive citizen and has
done much to make the part of the county
south of the river one of the best of the crop
producing sections.

134

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Home of Louis P 1 a n k e n h o r n

\V1LLLA.M HENRY MAYBACH

■ -: \f

^ -.-_,

Residence of William Henry M a v b a c h

WILLIAM HKNRY MAYBACH was bora
in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Novem-
ber 10, 1S58. He received his earl}
education in the public schools of that county
and took a normal course which fitted him
for teaching. He taught in the schools of
Indiana for three years and returned to his
native state at the end of that time and taught
in the schools there for nine years. In May,
1885, he arrived in Barton county and began

I lie building of a home and the development of
the land on the southwest quarter of section
24 in Liberty township. This is the home place
and is now known as "Cottage Grove Farm."
He owns in all SOO acres of land, three quar-
ters of it being in section 25 of Liberty town-
ship, and one quarter in South Bend tjwnship.
Of this land Mr. Maybach farms a half section,
the remainder being rented. Mr. Maybach was
married in 1889 to Miss Klla Keicheubach of

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

135

Orville, Ohio. To this union there was born
one son, Fred, who is now 21 years of age.
After finishing a course in civil engineering
at the Agricultural College at Manhattan he
accepted a position with the Santa Fe Railroad
and is now in that company's empl;;y with
headquarters at Arkansas City. Mr. Maybach
survived his first wife and was married to
Miss Cora Waddle of Barton County iu 189S.
They are the parents of two children: Carl
Henry, eleven years of age. and Marie Eliza-

beth, five years of age. Mr. Maybach has a
well equipped farm, having all the necessary
outbuildings and a residence of S rooms. One
of the features of Mr. Maybach's farm is the
orchard in which are found apple, pear, peach
and plum trees as well as many varieties of
berries. Mr. Maybach has been most success-
ful in raising fruit as he uses modern methods
and understands tree culture. He maintains
good live stock and owes his success to using
Ilie best methods in the cultivation of the soil.

JOHN ALLISON HOGE

OF the old timers of Carton County who
came here in the SO's the subject of
this sketch. John Allison Hoge. is one
who has remained and made a success of the
farming business. He v/as born September
16, 1S55, in Green County, Pa., and came to
Barton County in 1SS6. He immediately en-
gaged in the farming business and now owns
three quarter sections of land in Liberty town-

orchard in which he grows nearly all varieties
of fruits common to this section of the coun-
try. Mr. Hoge has made a specialty of breed-
ing and raising Galloway cattle and is con-
sidered an authority on all matters pertaining
to this breed of cattle and he has done much
to encourage the breeding of high class cattle
in the county. Mr. Hoge owes his success to
the practical farming methods which he has

Farm Residence of John Allison Hoge

ship all of which is under cultivation and be-
ing farmed under Mr. Hoge's supervision. He
was married in Witzel County, West Virginia,
in 1878, to Miss H. E. Haught. They are
the parents of four children: Charles, 32 years
of age, who is a practicing dentist at Kinsley,
in this state; Ira. 2S years of age, engaged in
the farming business near Offerle, Kansas;
Sol, 26 years old, who is operating a farm
near Lewis, Kansas and Thomas. 13 years of
age who is a student in the Barton County
schools. The home place has a modern eight
room residence, a line well built barn and
other outbuildings. Mr. Hoge maintains a fine

used in developing his farm into one of the
most desirable in that part of the county.
While Mr. Hoge takes an interest in all public
affairs he has never held any public office
other than at times being an officer of the
township in which he resides. His place is
located about three and one-half miles from
Great Bend and is one of the best developed
and most highly improved in Barton. Mr.
Hoge came here at a time when the outlook
for the future was not the brightest but by
good management and a thorough knowledge
of farming he has made a success of which he
can justly be proud.

136

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ROBERT ARTHUR BIDLEMAN

ROBKRT ARTHUR BlULKMAN is one of
those pioneers who came to Barton
County in 1878, at a time when things
were looking bright for the future and the new
comers thought they had at last found a veri-
table garden spot. However, this year was
followed by a most unsuccessful one. Then
came the bad times and only those v.ho were
made of the kind of stuff of which real pion-
eers are made were possessed of the nerve to
stick it out. Mr. Bidlemaii was one of these
and he now lives on his home place whi'h is
located in section 23. South Bend townshii).
It consists ( f IGO acres, all of which Mr. Bidle-
man farms in addition to a quarter section on
which he farms in section 24. Mr. Birileman
was born November 5. 1S59, at Sc'.ioolcrau.
Kalamazoo County, Michigan. He went to
school, and learned lo farm in his home state
before coming to Bart;;n County on the date

mentioned. He was married July 2, 1900, to
Miss Minnie Witte of Great Bend. Mr. Bidie-
man has been on his homj place about live
years and is making imijrovomc^its every year
and this year will add a summer kitchen to
his residence. The barn is 3'! by 40, well built
and commodious and always contains a good
grade of work stock. A young orchard cover-
ing a piece of ground west cf the residence is
adding greatly to the beauty of the surround-
ings and contains fruit of several varieties that
are common to this section of the country.
Mr. Bidleman has held township offices and is
an enterprising and progressive citizen. One
of those who helped to make that part of the
c;:unty lying south of the river one of the most
desirable in its borders. He has se.m a great
deal of the early history of this county and
knew the men who made it possible to make
Barton County one of the best in the State of
Kansas.

HENRY BENJAMIN UNRUH

THK subject of this sketch, Henry B. In-
ruh, came to Barton county in 1876
from Pennsylvania where he first located
after leaving the old country where he was
born in Russia-Poland, in 1852. By trade he is
a weaver and sawyer but upon his arrival in
this county he immediately took up the busi-
ness of farming and located in the Mennonite
Colony near Dundee. His home place con-
sists of about 220 acres of land all of which
is in a high state of cultivation. Mr. I'nruh
was married in 1873 to Miss Susan Dirks. Mr.
Unruh survived his first wife wha died in
1901. They were the parents of ten children.
Mr. I'nruh married .Miss Kate Johnson of South
Dakota, in 1902, and they have been blessed
with four children. Mr. Unruhs mother died
in the Old Country and his father passed away
in this country in 1910. Mr. I'nruhs farm is
one of the best developed in that iiart of the
county and he has always had it well stocked
with the best of horses and cattle and all the
necessary machinery for successful farming.

With all Mr. luruh's work he has found
time to work out and perfect an invention on
which he has the patent that is some day des-
tined lo revolutionize the science of railroad
building. The invention consists of an endless
or continuous rail. It has received the en-
dorsement of some of the leading railroad men
of the country and had Mr. Tnruh been so in-
clined he could have said the rights to manu-
facture the rail to an eastern outfit but as they
wanted it all without giving anything in return
their offer was not accepted by Mr. I'nruh.
The invention is one of the most perfect of
contrivances and it will do away with the jar
and noise caused when a train goes from one
rail to the next on the ordinary railroad. Mr.
rnruh is in no hurry to dispose of his patent
but is now contemplating the organization of
a stock company lo manufacture and sell tlio
rails of his construction. Mr. I'nruh is one of
the best known men in the county and his in-
vention has brought him no little fame and
will in time reward him in a more substantial
way.

ELDRIDGE YORK

AMONG the well known residents of Wal-
nut township and one who had a great
deal to do with the developing of that
section of Barton County is Kldridge York.
He was born October 12, 1863, in Ulster Coun-
ty, New Ycrk, and came to Barton County
when he was twenty-one years of age. He pur-
chased SO acres of land on the Dry Walnut
and later bought the old Gallon homestead in
section .T4 of Walnut township. He recently
sold a part of his land but still owns 204 acres
in Walnut township, and a quarter section of
land in Ford County. He was married Novem-
ber 14, 1890, to Miss Sarah Gray of Ulster

County, New York, and they are the parents of
three children as follows: Walter E., 20 years
of age; Kmery G.. 14 years of age. and Elmer
L., 12 years of age. All the children are at
home and are being educated in the schools of
the county. The York home is nicely situated
and the improvements are substantial and
well built. The residence contains seven
rooms in addition to closets, pantries, etc.,
while the barn is .^0 by 62 feet in dimensions.
The other outbuildings are all that one re-
quires in the successful operation of a farm
according to modern methods. Mr. York has
always maintained a good grade of horses and

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

137

cattle and until recently made a specialty of
raising Chester White hogs, and thoroughbred
Short Horn cattle. IVIr, York gave this work
a great deal of attention and was one of the
most successful breeders of fancy hogs and
cattle in that part of the county. He has been
a member of the school board and has always

taken an active part in the affairs of his com-
munity. Mr. York came here at a time when
it needed men of experience and men who bad
faith in the future of the county to make it
one of the best counties in the State of Kan-
sas.

WILLIAM HARRISON RUSSELL

-«-» rlLLIAM HARRISOX RUSSELL was
yV' born April 2ii, 1S41, in the State of In-
diana and is one of the really old
timers of Barton County, having come here in
1S74, during the month of September. He fiirat
located in Beaver township about a mile south
of the county line. He remained there until
1901 when he moved to his present home place
in South Bend township about eight miles
south and west of the City of Great Bend.. JVIr.
Russell enlisted in Co. E, 94th Illinois Infantry
August 7, 1S62, and served throughout Uie
war. He was engaged in the battle of Vicks-
burg, and was with Grant all the way down the
Mississippi, and took part in the Mobile cam-
paign, one of the severest of the war. He can
tell many interesting reminiscenses of the big
conflict and has a soldier's record of which he
can be justly proud. He was married in Mc-
Lean County, Illinois, to Miss Mary Kewton in
186S and they are the parents of three chil-
dren: Ira, 40 years of age, who is now book-
keeper for the Butcher Packing Co , of Salina,
Kansas. Ray, 26 years cf age, who is one of

the best known veterinarians in this section of
the state. His office being in Great Bond
where he with Dr. Cheney have one of the
most up-to-date animal hospitals in this sec-
tion of the country. Guy, who is 12 years of
age, assists his father in the work of operat-
ing the farm. The home place consists of 160
acres of land in addition to which llr. Russeil
owlis a half section of good land in Foid
County. On the home place is found a well
built, commodious seven room house, a good
barn and all the needed outbuildings that are
usually found on the modernly equipped farms
of Barton County. Mr. Russell came here at a
time when it required nerve for the residents
to stay and tight it out with the elements which
seemed to make it harder and harder every
year. It is to such men as Mr. Russell that
Barton County owes her present high standing
among the leading agricultural sections of the
world. He has always been a progressive
citizen and has seen this county grow from an
almost barren waste to its present high state
of cultivation.

WILLIAM GAGELMAN

BORN near Madburg, Prussia. May 4,
1848, Wm. Gagelman came to America
with his parents, Christopher and Katie
Gagelman in 1864. They located near Bloom-
ington, Illinois. In 1S77, William was seized
by the western fever and came across the
plains and secured a location in Barton County
by buying railroad land and since that time
no man in the county has had more to do with
its development and upbuilding than has Mr.
Gagelman. For thirty-one years he was ac-
tively engaged in the farming business and by
consistent effort and skillful management he
accumulated more land, and at one time owned
1,600 acres in this county. He was married in
1873 to Miss Dora Barstal and to this union
there were born eight children: Lena, 38
years; Bertha, 37 years; Fred W., 36 years;
Harry E., 33 years; Matilda L, 31 years; Clara
Augusta. 29 years; Rosa, 27 years; Ida, 24
years. Mr. Gagelman's second wife was Miss
Matilda Belz and they were married in 1894.

They are the parents of two children: Martha
Mary, 16 years and Olga Elsa, 14 years. All
these children are living in the county with
the exception of Matilda L., who resides in
Kansas City. Mr. Gagelman retired in 19oS
and since that time has been living in Great
Bend. He occupies a comfortable, modern res-
idence at 120.5 Holland street and in addition
to this property owns four other residenc";;
in the city and 1,060 acres of farm land. The
farm land is being worked by Mr. Gagelman's
sons and sons-in-law, all of his children being
married with the exception of Ida, Martha and
Olga, the latter two being students in the Great
Bend schools. Mr. Gagelman is a member and
trustee of the Lutheran church and with all
his personal interests has fouiul time to take
a most active part in anything that has for its
purpose the betterment of the county and city.
He is a progressive and enterprising citizen
and in addition to his holdings in this state is
interested in mining properties in Missouri.

GEORGE RICHARD HARDERS

P years count George Richard Harders of
"Wheat Land Farm" is neither an old
man, an old citizen of the United States,
or an early settler in Barton County. He

is, however, one of its best citizens, and has
bought and improved one of the best farms of
his locality, which may be reached by travel-
ing one mile north from the court house in

138

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Great Bend, and then twelve miles due west.
In 1903 he purchased the Calvin Reedor farm
of one hundred and sixty acres and paid
twenty-five dollars per acre — and the wise ones
shook their heads. He, however, knew what
he was doing and went to work improving the
place and at this writing has ab::ut the neatr'st
little farm along the drive. He built a new
house with nine rooms and a hall; a barn
which will accommodate twelve head of horses
and nine milk cows, and feed for the same; :iri
elevator and granary; a cement milk house and
several windmills. Then he picketed the lawn,
garden and horse lots, wired the various fields,
and painted the buildings so that they slaiul
out and attract universal commendation. There
is a young orchard and a grove of forest
trees, a number of plants and shrubs, and thc.^e
give a setting of green that is most delightful.

The interior is furnished with all modern con-
veniences and is in the same good taste dis-
played outside, and as a home it is worth all in
comfort that it has cost in dollars. This trans-
formation has not been accomplished without
much labor and thought and redounds to the
credit of both -Mr. and Mrs. Harders.

George Harders was born in Ostfriesland,
Germany, March 6th, 1S71, and came to Amer-
ica October 2!t. 1S93. He first settled near
Flannagaii, Livingston County, 111., where he
rented and tilled the soil, in 1903 he purchas-
ed the land above described, and in January,
1904, removed his family here. He married
Miss Anna Gerdseii on December 29th, 1X90,
in Livingst:;!! County, Illinois, and two chil-
dren have blessed the union: Fred Herman,
11, and .Mary Christina, 10.

DIEDRICH ESSMILLER

TIIK name Essmiller is the synonym of
prosperity in liarton County, because tiie
Kssmiller Bros, have made a success of
farming, breeding and selling stock just west
of Great Bend, and are well known and highly
respected in the community. The second
brother, Uiedrich Essmiller, came to Barton
County in 1S80, and settled one mile south of
Ills present location. He now lives five and

He has a number of windmills pumping spark-
ling water from dee)) driven wells on the
premises, and this is piped to the house for
drinking and bathing, and to the barns and
lots for watering stock. His buildings are
lighted by an acetylene plant and supplied with
other conveniences. The barns are among the
largest in the county and will store the crops
jiroduced i ii the section, as well as house the

Farm Home of Died rich Ivs.sinilkT

one-half miles northwest of the county seal
on the best improved section of laud in the
county. His first purchase was the Noah
Brumbaugh homestead, and later the other
three quarters. He has the entire tract in the
very highest state of cultivati"u and his build-
ings are among the best, most convenient ajid
commodious in his neighborhood. His house
and barns are located about midway of the
section on the east side, and are on the highest
l)oint on the farm. The house has 13 ruoms,
is a frame building and painted pure white.

work animals, cattle and hogs grown and m
use on a place of this size.

Diedrich Essmiller was born in the Prov-
ince of Hanover, Germany, September 27th,
1S53, and is fifty-three years of age. He came
to this country in 1S72 at the age of nineteen
and settled in LaCrosse County, Wisconsin,
where he pursued the occupation of a farm
hand f.;r the succeeding eight years. In No-
vember, 187S. he was married to Miss Dora
Wciugartcu. of I>a(^osse County, Wisconsin,
and they have a daughter and son, Lillie C,

OP BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

139

and Arnold F., both children making their home
with their parents on the farm, although Miss
Lillie was united in marriage to Kirby Evers
on October 11th, 1906. There is a grandson,
Elmer, a sturdy little farmer of eleven years,
who assists his grandfather in the manage-
ment of the estate. Besides the section men-
ticned above Mr. Essmiller is a joint owner
with his brother Will in three (juarters in Pav>-
nee County, Kansas, which is well improved,
and is known to have other interests and in-
vestments in the county.

When Mr. Essmiller settled in Barton Coun-
ty he was a comparatively poor man, and what
he has has been accumulated by the hardest of
work under adverse circumstances. The last
few years, however, he has retired from labor-
ous work, contenting himself with looking on
and directing while his son and son-in-hi'.v,
who lease the farm, perform the heavier duties.
His success is the result of good judgment and
hard work, and by being fortunate in selecting
a kind of soil which has responded to his con-
tinued effort.

HENRY MILLER

THE subject of this sketch was born May
27th, 1S57, near Bremen, Germany, and
at this writing is in his fifty-fifth year.
He came to America with his parents when
seven years old and settled in LaCrosse Coun-
ty, Wisconsin. He received his education in
the public schools of the neighborhood, and
until he was twenty-five worked for his father
on the farm. In the spring of 1SS3 he came to
Barton County, and in INIHj bought a part of

Besides the section on which he lives, Mr.
.Miller owns a quarter out of section 5, near
Heizer; one hundred acres of section 2, Buf-
falo township, and four hundred and eighty
acres in Rush County, one mih' south of Xe-
c;;ma.

In November, 1S,S3. Henry E. Miller was Uii-
ited in marriage to Miss Sophia Sandman, of
LaCrosse County, Wisconsin. The ceremony
was performed in Gi'eat Bend, Miss t^andniau

Farm and Home of Henry Miller

his present holdings from Fred H. Miller, who
was an earlier purchaser from the Santa Fe
Railway Company. He has since added other
parcels until his home place embraces a whole
section. His location is six miles west of the
court house at Great Bend, and his farm is in
the highest state of cultivation. His buildings
are new, commodious, substantial and conven-
ient, and built to house a growing family and
to care for the crops and stock necessary on
a large farm. His machinery and farm imple-
ments are of the up-to-date Kansas farmer
kind, as is everything else on the Miller home-
stead.

having journeyed from hor northern home to
assist her future husb;ind in making his for-
tune on what was then considered the Kan-
sas plains. The union has been blessed by
live children, viz: Georgia N., the wife of \V.
C. Otte, a farmer, living ncrtheast of Heizer;
lOdua. wife of Frank Case, farmer, four miles
north of Heizer; and Ernie. Robert and Wil-
liam who are still single and at home.

The success of Mr. Miller is the result of
good judgment, economy and hard work dur-
ing the first years of his residence in the cou.i-
ty. He has faced conditions that were trag-
edies, which is the usual lot of the man who

140

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

tills the soil and depends on the eloincnts to
provide the moistuic that makes them grow.
During the twenty-eighl years which he has
resided in Barton County there has been har-
vests that were almost complete failures, and

which barely provided seed and feed for the
next year. Many crops have been bumper
yielders and have made Barton County famous
as a wheat producer.

JOHX ALBERT .MAUSULF

THK beautiful •'High Valley Farm," ilio
scene portrayed above is the home of
John Albert and Lena Mausolf. twelvo
and one-half miles west from Great Bend, and
it stands on a farm of four hundred acres that
cannot be excelled in Hartsn County. The soil
is a rich, brown, dark sandy loam, and every
acre of it is tillable. Il is well fenced and
shows careful cultivation, and the growing
crops and well filled granaries proves the nia.i-
agement is not lacking. The residence is a
story and a half frame, "T" shaped; has an en-
closed porch across the front, and contains ten
rooms, it is modernly furnished and supplies

John A. Mausolf was born in West Prussia
Province, Germany, on December 20th, 1869,
and came t) America with his parents, Mr. and
-Mrs. John G. Afausolf, in 1S73, who first set-
tled in New York City, remaining two years,
removed to Jersey City where they remained
live years, and then removed to Kansas and
made a liome in Garfield township. Rush Coun-
ty. The father died in Great Bend on Feb-
ruary 5th. 1911. and the mother occupies a
home in Great Bend. The marriage of Mr.
Mausolf occurried in April, lS9t), and the fol-
1 wing summer he purchased one hundred and
sixty acres of his present farm, paying there-

Homo and Fuinilv of John Albert Mausolf

all the conveniences to be had in a city home
of the same size and character. Around it are
clustered beautifully leaved forest trees, and
inside the iron paled lawn is a carpet of grass,
and there are shrubs, plants and flowers sulfi-
cient to make it very inviting. A model cream-
ery and wash house, built of concrete blocks,
stands back in the yard, and across the drive-
way is the garage. To the right of this stand
the barns, granary, elevator and other build-
ings which house the farm implements and
shelter the stock.

for $1,750. In 1S99 he purchased eighty acres
at a cost of $1,000, and in 190G he bought one
hundred and sixty acres more for $5,500. The
four hundred acres cost $S.250 at the time of
purchase, and would probably sell for $40,00i'i
today.

John Albert Mausolf was married to Miss
l.ena Gagelnian of Barton C.Tunty, on April
KUh, 1S9G. and they have six interesting chil-
dren — three boys and three girls. Alma, 15;
Harry, 11; Ema L., 9; Alfred 6; Carl, 4; and
Loreine. 1.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

141

IRA D. BROUGHER

OF the old timers who came to Barton
County in the early '70's none is bettor
known than Ira Day Brougher, who ar-
rived in this county in 1S74. He was born
May 14, 1843, in York County, Pennsylvania.
He received his early education in the schools
of that state and at the beginning of the war he
enlisted in the 13th Pennsylvania and was a
member of Company F. He began his enlist-
ment June 9. 1S62, and was honorably dis-
charged January 3, 1S63. He re-enlisted in
the U. S. Military Railroad Department and
saw active service until 1SC6. He took part in

the battle of South Mountain, Maryland, and
later lost his right arm as the result of a
wound received at the battle of Antietem. At
the close cf the war he went to Philadelphia
where he took a course in the Bryant-Stratton
Business College. He graduated from this in-
stitution in 1868. This course of study fitted
him for the occupation of book-keeper which
he followed for several years in Philadelphia
and New York where he held respsnsible posi-
tions with wholesale houses. He remained in
New York City for two years and was there
when he was seized with the idea to go west
and grow up with the country, as was advised
by Horace Greeley. He came direct to Barton
County, Kansas in 1874 and homesteaded a

claim in what is now South Bend township,
about six miles southwest of Great Bend. He
helped to organize this township and was the
first trustee. He was engaged in the farming
business from then on until he retired from
active work on the farm in 1SS9. Mr. Brougher
was elected county clerk of Barton County at
the fall election of 1S77, and hehl tliis office
for three consecutive terras or six years. In
1889 he was elected to the office of Clerk of
the District Court which office ho hold when
Judge Clark was district judge of this judicial
district. When Mr. Brougher first came to this
section of the state the outlook was anything
but bright for the future and although he was
handicapped by having but one arm, h.3
plunged into the thick of the development
w:rk and from his iniblic service which is
mentioned above it can be seen that he had
time to take an active part in public matters as
well as look after his private affairs. Mr.
Brougher was one of those men who made
this county one of the best in the State of Kan-
sas out of a barren prairie waste. For a time
after his arrival here there was a period when
things looked mighty fine for the early settle-'S,
but this was followed by several years which
tried the hearts and souls of the pioneers,
when they were compelled to combat not only
the uncertainty of moisture but had to con-
tend with the grasshoppers and other condi-
tions over which they had no control. How-
ever it was fortunate that the population of
Barton County at that time contained men,
who like Mr. Brougher. could see the jiossibil-
ities cf the future and in spite of the undesir-
able conditions remained and developed tha
county's resources until it is now one of the
most important in the State of Kansas. Mr.
Brougher owns nine quarter sections of land in
this part of the state; seven of them being in
Barton and one each in Stafford and Hodge-
man counties. He is also one of the directors
of the German-American Bank of Great Bend
and was one of the organizers and is still
president of the Barton County Fair Associa-
tion, an office which he has filled since the as-
sociaticn was formed in 1900. He also has in-
terests in the mercantile line in Great Bend
and is counted as a progressive, enterprising
citizen, and one of the men who bhized the way
for others to make of Barton County one of
the most productive agricultural sections iu
the world.

MRS. ISABEL PATTERSON

THE Patterson family, of which Mrs. Isa-
bel Patterson is the head, are probably
as well and favorably known as any in
county. Settling on home place March, 1S7G,
public attention was directed to this family by
the sudden death of Joseph Patterson, the fatu-
er, and his two young sons on April 13th, 1879.
It appears that on that day there was a thun-

der storm, accompanied by the usual rain
flurry, and that in the yard was an unprotected
ash hopper, which at that period was usually
found on the premises of most farm homes and
used for tlie purpose of making the family
soap. A large flat rock attracted the atten-
tion of the h\isband as the best and most easiiy
found protection for the hopper, and he re-

142

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

quested liis two young sons to assist him iu
placing the stone over the opening at the top.
Ami, while in this act the three were stricken
down in an instant by a flash of lightning with
death as the result. During a residence of three
years in one community Mr, Patterson and his
family had endeared themselves to most of the
settlers over a ccusiderable section and the
tragic incident caused comment for years fol-
lowing. Joseph Patterson was born May C,
1S3S, in Virginia,

Mrs. Patterson's maiden name was .Millikin,
and she was born November 23. 1.S3.S, in Osgood
County, Indiana, She was left an orphan at an
early age and was adopted by a relative and
grew to womanhood en a farm in Madison
County, Ohio. She married Joseph Patterson
at Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, on No-
vember 14th, IStiO. She was the mother of ten
cliildreu. A daughter named Mary Sayler, who

died August , 1909, John and Frank, the two
sons mentioned above as being stricken by
lightning, and these f:;llowing: Wm. Patter-
son, residing in I>os Angeles, California; Jos-
eph Patterson, jr.. married Katie Tolbert, and
resides near Albert; Stanley F. Patterson, mar-
ried Anna Gruber, residence, Hutchinson;
Sarah Patterson, single, residing with her
mother; Orr Patterson, married Clara Goeld-
ner, residence. Great Bend ; Err Patterson,
married Grace Zimmer, residence, home farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Patterson, Sr., came to
Barton County on March Sth, 1876, and pur-
chased one hundred and si.\ty acres of land
from the Santa Fe railway comi)any at four
dollars and forty cents per acre. Failure of
crops caused them to forfeit this contract, and
they repurchased a few years later, this time
having to pay six dollars. The premises are
well improved and grows good crops.

CHARLES E. BUTTON

THE birth of Cliarles K. Button antedates
that of Barton County by about two
years, because he was born Feb. 25, 1S69, and
was among the first organized body of ])ioneers
assembled on the townsite of Great Bend in
the Spring of 1S71. Thus it happened that the
tw'o lives began almost simultaneously and
their histories are practically cue and the
same. Mr. Button first saw the light in Peoria

that life really began for little Charles, be-
cause his blood throbbed with the life of a
new country. He saw Indians as they passed
and repassed his father's home; saw buffalo
as they fed majestically on the range, and saw
his father bring them to earth with a trusty
gun with popular skill. The cowboy and his
bucking broncho were the idols of his imagi-
nation and he longed for the day when he could

Charles E. Button's Residi.nc<.

County, Illinois, and came to Barton County,
Kansas, when but five years of age, accompa-
nied by his parents, Almon H, and Annie E.
Button. They arrived in the county in March,
187.5, and settled four miles northwest of the
farm described in this sketch, and it was then

be trusted with a pony ;.nd gun to roam the
prairie and chase the Texas cattle as he saw
them do. The stores then told of "Dutch
Henry" and his gang of horse thieves are still
fresh in his memory, as well as other fronti3r
day yarns. He is a man who had a great deal

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

143

to do with the early day history of his part ot
the county. He has improved his home place
with exceptional skill and made of it one of
the most attractive farms in his township. Mr.

Button has always taken an active part in the
affairs of his part of the county and is an en-
terprising and progressive citizen.

JOSEPH THIES

THE life history here recorded of Joseph
Thies, is the record made by one of the
largest renters of land in Barton Coun-
ty. He was born in Belgium en May 15th,
1878, and emigrated to the United States in
1893. when but fifteen years of age, and has
imbibed more of American ways than of tho
Fatherland. He stopped first near Chicago,
Illinois, where he hired himself to a farmer to
learn how to grow and till the crops of this
country; and later he was employed by a
transfer company in the city fcr nine years
and came face to face with the business world
in the busiest city on the American continent.
Thus he fitted himself tor the strenuous life
he has pursued since coming to Kansas, which
was in September, 1902. He first rented the six
hundred and forty acre farm of W. N. Klep-
per. six miles southeast of Great Bend, and re-
mained there until 1905. Then he tried his
fortunes for three years nine miles southeast
of Ellinwocd, on a section owned by Henry
Roetzel. He then returned to the Klepper
farm and remained there until the fall of
1911, when he took charge of the Gus. Wer-
hahn farm of three hundred and twenty acres,
fourteen miles west of Great Bend, ;ind he

now hopes that he lias secured the farm where
he can put in practice the theories he has for
conducting a large farm on an economical
basis.

Jce has always had several side linens here-
tofore; such as owning and oi)erating a
threshing machine, corn shelter and trading
in live stock. He has discarded the thresh>>r
and shelter, and wilt sell and breed horses,
mules and cattle, and cultivate corn, wheat,
oats and alfalfa in the future. He is a great
hustler and Mr. Wcirhahn is fortunate in hav-
ing him.

Joseph Thies was married to Miss Anna
Frances Grommes, of Aurora, Iltincis. on Au-
gust 20th, 1902, and they have three interesting
children: Elizabeth Cordelia, aged S years;
John Nicholas, 7, and Frank Henry, 5.

Mrs. Thies was born in Aurora, lit., on
March 16th, 1881, and has adapted herself to
farm life in Kansas amazingly welt. She is a
true helpmate for her hustling husband and is
content with her chickens, butter making and
the domestic department of a targe farm, and
much prefers the life to that of a crowded and
overrun city.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

145

^atonee Eocfe

FOURTEEN miles southwest cf Great Bend,
in one of the richest agricultural sec-
tions of Barton County is the town of
Pawnee Rock. It derives Its name fr::m the
historic cliff of sand-stone that for countless
ages has stood a silent sentinel cf the plains,
Just north of what is now the townsite. It was
a stopping place for the hardy men and women
who came from their eastern homes to find
wealth and fortune in the boundless west, and
the entire length of the Santa Fe Trail, notod
for its historic points of interest affords no
spot that has woven around it more real his-
tory of the early days than this eld pile of
rock.

Before the advent of the white man it ma-k-
ed a way for the Indians in their periodical

witness to the bloody history that was made
befcre civilization claimed it for the abode of
Ihe white man.

BEGINNING OF THE TOWN

The first building t:i be erected on the site
in this part of the Great American Desert,
of the town of Pawnee Rock was the Rock
Hotel which still stands today and has been
the stopping place of hundreds of old timers
who came to this part of the country in tha
early days, and it has housed some famous
men and women since it was built in 1S74.

The town grew in population and area,
slowly at first but in 1S87 the progressive cit-
izens of the town began the work that resulted

:"f'. ii^' I

■^^•rw.'-^if^-'r^f^

Pawnee Rock School Building

migrations from what is now Southern Kan-
sas to the valley of the Platte river in Nebras-
ka. For years and years Pawnee Rock was a
point at which the Comanche, Kiowa, Arap-
ahce and Cheyenne Indians held their coun-
cils of war and peace. Within the shadow of
Pawnee Rock many famous Indian battles
were fought, battles that never found a pla.-e
in United States history, but were described to
the early white settlers, by descendants of the
noble warriors of the plains who took part -n
them. Countless bones have been dug cut of
the soil adjacent to the Rock, and they bear

in Ihe town being incorporated. The first set
of officers were elected April 1, 18S7. Pre-
vious to the election a rather exciting cam-
paign was carried on by the two opposing fac-
tions, the main issue being pool rooms, and
whether or not they should continue in the
town. There were two tickets in the field and
after the votes had been counted it was found
that a part of each ticket had been elected and
the first council cf Pawnee Rock was com-
posed of the following gentlemen, all of them
men who had an interest in the town and stood
for progress and growth: William Bunting,

146

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

mayor; I^. K. Hoiioliold, John Hcplcr. William
McIJoiigal. \V. H. Hownian and William Wal-
tcn, councilman.

At one of the lirst meetings oT the coiiu'il
the followinK city officers were named and
sworn in to serve: J. D. Welch, city clerk;

At (his writing Pawnee Rock has three gen-
eral stores, two hanks, two fiirnittire stO''es,
two hardware stores, (he elevators, a fine elec-
tric light and ice plant, owned and operated
hy home people, three clmrchcj), (MiristUin,
Methodist, New Jcruselem, fine public schools

ic.''

Pawnee Rock in 1859

J. W. Ratcliff, city attorney; Alvin lies, city
marshal; Earnest Smith, city treasurer.

This administration laid the foundation for
the huilding of one of the mcst important
small towns on the main line of the A. T. & S.
F. Railroad.

The first elevator in the town was b\iilt

Pawnee Rock In 1878

in the year 1S7S by W. II. Bowman, Aaron (iar-
vick and Eli Bowman. They also built a flour
mill and ojierated it until 1899 when it was
purchased from them and moved to Garfield,
near Larned. The year 1.S7S was a good one
for the town, many new buildings having been
erected, some of (hem fine residences.

and everything and more than is found i'l
many towns of twice its population.

The present officers of Pawnee Rock are;
John Bowman, mayor; A. S. Gross, cleru; R.
G. McDougal, K. L. Robinson, W. C. Lamb and
Grant Mi)i)ineott, councilmeii.

Pawnee Rock contains some of the nicest
and mos( modern residences in Barton County.
It is a .supply point for a large territory in
Barton, Pawnee and Stafford counties and iis
a shipi)ing point for grain, cattle and other live
stock it ranks well >ip among the best iii ibis
l)art of the state.

From luman's Tales of the Trail; "If Ibis
sentinel of the plains might s|)eak, what a
story it could tell of the events that have hap-
pened en the beautiful prairie stretching oi:t
for miles at its feet. All over its scarred and
weatherbeaten front, carved in quaint and rude
letters, are the names of hundreds who i:i
early days made the dangerous and excilinj;
passage of the Santa Fe Trail. Some names
are roughly chiseled there, too, who were not
ambitious at the time of more enduring fame,
.ind gave no further th:ught of (heir effcrt
(ban was concen(rated in the bare idea of re-
lief from the ennui of the moment, while their
horses and mules were resting, but who will
go down to history cursed or praised — as view-
ed from varying aspects — long after the s(or;n
cf centuries shall have obliterated ever mark
of this isolated mass of sandstone. Conspicu-
ous among these is (hat of Robert E. Lee. (he
famous leader of (he Confedera(e armies, who,
in lS4;i, crossed in(o the borders of Mexic;) as
an officer of the Mounted Rifles. Under the
shadow of Pawnee Rock, perhaps Coronado,
the celebrated Spanish explorer, and his little
band of faithful followers rested en their lone-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

147

ly march in search of the mythical Quivira.
Tlie Rock alone is all that remains, in all prob-
ability, upon which the Spaniards looked, for
the mighty interval of nearly four hundred
years relegated all else — trees, water courses
and the entire landscape, that the hardy ad-
venturers looked upon, to the domination of vast
modification — and this iron-bound hill — who.5e

manches, Arrapahoes and Cheyennes made
their not infrequent successful raids upon the
pack and wagon trains of the freighters across
the continent. I well remember, in the earlioi-
geographies, that most exciting and sensation-
al of all the illustrations — to my boyish mind
at least — which depicted the Santa Fe traders
attacked by Indians, but that was long ag).

Bird's Eye View of Pawnee Rock — Half View

unsusceptibility to change is almost as the
earth itself — the only witness of their famo ;s
march.

"During the half century included betwei-n
the years 1S23-73— which latter date marked
the advent cf the railroad in this portion c.i

and such scenes have passed away forever.

"lu those primitive days of the border, Kit
Carson, Lucien B. Maxwell, John Smith,
the Bents and the Boones, with other fron-
tiersmen, commenced their eventful lives in
the far West— mere boys then— but whose ex-

Bird's Eye View of Pawnee Rock Today— Half View

Kansas— Pawnee Rock was considered the most
dangerous place on the central plains for en-
counters with the Indians, as at this particular
point on the Trail the Pawnees, Kiowas, Co-

ploils have since made for them a world-wide
reputation. Kit Carson, Maxwell, Smith and
Bents are all dead with the harness on. and
en the confines of the civilization which is rap-

148

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

idly closing iip the gap at the foot of the
nioiiiitaiiis. amidst wliich there would have
been nothing congenial — so they passed away
while there still remained fre,sh prairies and
qniet streams.

"Kit, one of the most noble men it has been
my fortune to know, is sleeping peacefully un-
der the gnarled old Cotlonwoods at Fort Lyon,
on the Arkansas that river he loved so well —
every foot of whose silent margin could tell
a story of his daring. It was at Pawnee Rock
many, many years ag;). that Kit, then a mere
boy, had his first experience with the Indians,
and it was because cf this fight that the Rock
received its name.

"In those days the Pawnees were the most
formidable tribe on the eastern plains, and the
freighters and trappers rarely escaped a skirm-
ish with them either at the crossing of the
Walnut, Pawnee Fork, or at Little or Big
Coon creeks. Today the historic hill looks

in the long years gone by sometimes the
bones of the white man, sometimes the bones
of the red man were plowed up; and even now
where new fields are opened, the Rock thus
gradually unfolds the sphinx-like secrets of
its dead."

PRESERVING T H K ROCK

In the year of 1908, the Women's Kansas
Day Club contracted with the owner of Paw-
nee Rock, to raise $3,000 to improve Pawnee
Rock, and he was to deed about five acres to
the state park to be open to the public at all
limes. The monument was to cost not less
than $1,500. The entire expense has been
about $4,700 and the citizens of Pawnee Rock
have raised $1,500 of this amount.

Pawnee Rock c:;vers about four acres and
rises abruptly from the surrounding valley.

Entrance to Pavvnee Rock Park

down only ujion peaceful homes and fruitful
fields where for hundreds of years it could
tell of nothing but death; where almost every
yard of the brown sod at its base covered a
grave; where there w<is nothing but shadow,
now all is sunlight. In place of the horrid yell
of the savage, as he wrenched the reeking scalp
from his vanquished victim, the whistle of the
locomotive and the pleasing whirr of the reap-
ing machine is heard; where the death cry ct
the painted warrior rang mournfully over iho
silent prairie, the waving grain is singing in
beautiful rhythm as it blows to the summer
breeze. Almost every day in the opening
spring, or before the grain planting in the
early fall for several years during the first set-
tlement of the country in the vicinity of Paw-
nee Rock, the skeletons of those killed there

It is about fifty or sixty feet in height and on
its summit stands a granite shaft, towering
thirty feet in the air. placed in honor of those
who in the long ago blazed the way for civili-
zation.

Pawnee Rock has changed through th.,-
agency cf man, much since the advent of the
railroad. Its once lofty summit has been
stripped and the stone used for all sorts of
purposes by the railroad and others, until now,
if some of the old scouts and Indian hunters
were to review it, they would not recognize it
as the scene of their earlier lives.

On May 24, 1912, the monument situated on
Pawnee Rock, was unveiled and dedicated to
the State cf Kansas, of which event, a program
of the services will be found elsewhere in th^s
bock.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

149

With the coining of the Santa Fe Railroad,
hegan the destr\iction of the Rock, mncli of it
having been moved by the railroad company
to bnild foundations for water tanks, depots,
etc. A great deal of the Rock was used in the
construction of buildings by the early set-

matter was taken up with the governor, and
members of the state legislature. Howevor
the owner of the land wanted too much money
to relinquish his title and in si)ite of all these
tiatriotic citizens could do the matter dragged
along until 1911, when with the aid of the

M. E. Church Pawnee Rock

tiers, but early in this century the patriotic
people of Pawnee Hock realized that if some-
thing was not done soon the Rock would have
been entirely obliterated from the landscape.

Wonians Kansas Day Club, the Wonians Re-
lief Corps, Daughters of the American Revo-
lution, State Federation of Wonians Clubs and
individual citizens, the land was liiially ob-

New Jeru.salcin ('hurcli Pawnee Rock

In 190.') and inofi, a movemoni began lluit had
for its purpose the creating of a i)ubli<' park
to be c3mposed of the land surrounding the
Rock and being about five acres in area. The

lained. On May 24, 19IL', a magniricient mon-
ument was unveiled in the park in the prt-s-
ince of 8,000 people from all parts of the Slate
of Kansas.

150

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

How the Money Was Raised

The following table shows how the moiioy
was raised that made the preservation of
what remained of the Rock possible.
Mrs. J. S. Simmons, president, 190S, and
members cf the Park Board to 1912. .$2738..U

Mrs. A. H. Horton, president, 1909 100.00

Mrs. E. W. H=ch, president 1910 200.00

Mrs. Cora G. Lewis, president 1912 55.00

Total $3093.01

Daughters of American Revolution, one
Bronze tablet valued at $50, cash $155,

total • • $ 205.00

Woman's Relief Corps, the flag that

veiled the monument and 159.00

State Federation of Woraens' Clubs. . 50.00

W. C. T. U 50.00

Citizens of Pawnee Rock- • 1359.34

the spring of 1872. Hundreds of names had
been carved upcn it, some of them dating back,
I remember, as far as 125 years ago. It seems
incredible that people should be so devoid of
sentiment as to blast and destroy a historic
monument like this for ballast and other com-
mercial purposes. Better, a thousand times
to have hauled the stone a thousand miles
than to have done this.

I was one cf 14 young fellows who built
the lirst house and dug the first well in Paw-
nee Rock, and will be glad to do anything I
can to preserve what remains of the historic
relic of the old trail.

Cordially yours, E W. HOCH.

PAWNEE ROCK'S BlCi DAY

The unveiling of the monument erected in
Pawnee Rock park to the memory of the piou-

■"i*.^

Pawnee Rock, May 21, 1912, When IMoniimcn l Was Unveiled

Money paid into the fund frjni sales of
"Echoes of Pawnee Rock," compiled by Miss
Margaret Perkins, and all e.xpenses of publish-
ing, shipping, mailing, etc., paid for by Mrs.
J. S. Simmons, president of W. K. 1) C, with
money from jiroceeds of sale of said book, ap-
proximately $800 above all expenses.

Total receipts $5715.65

The following letter from Governor Hoch
written in 19(i5 shows how the interest in the
matter was aroused in the state's chief execu-
tive. It required years of hard work after this
time however to get the matter adjusted in a
way that brought the work to such a success-
ful conclusion on the date mentioned:

State of Kansas, E. W. Hoch, Governor, To-
peka, July 25. 1905.

Mr. T. H. Brewer, Pawnee Rock, Kansas.
My Dear Sir: 1 share most heartily with you
the sentiment of your letter concerning tho
preservation of what remains of old Pawn>e
Rock. I remember it well as 1 first saw it in

eers who witlistood the hardships and fought
the battle that resulted in making this part of
the State of Kansas one of the leading agric\il-
tural sections of the world was witnessed by
fully S,000 people. Some of them came from
distant states to take part in the celebration
and as was truthfully said by one of the speak-
ers of the day, "It is Pawnee Rock's supreme
moment, and the greatest day in her history.''
.May 24, 1912. was the date chosen by Iho.se
who bad the arrangements in charge, and the
elements seemed to enter into the spirit of the
occasion and it resulted in an ideal day. All
day long the air w;is filled with music and
promptly at 1:30 in the afternoon, the big flag
that had been wound around the shaft was
pulled aside and the park became the prop-
erty of the people of the Stale of Kansas, a
permanent memorial had been erected to the
memory of the pioneers and what remained of
Pawnee Rock was protected for all lime
against further destruction and will remain to

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

151

attract the eyes of countless thousands yet to
come.

F. C. Woodbury, one of the leading citizens
of Pawnee Rock and to whom great credit is
due for arranging and carrying out the cele-
bration program gave the address of welcome.
He paid a beautiful tribute to the pioneers and
welcomed the people to the city in a way that
made a deep impression.

Mr. Woodbury introduced Mrs. George Bar-
ker of Lawrence, Kansas, who told in an in-
teresting manner the part the wcmen had
played in securing the ground for the park and
the money for the monument. She compared
the old and the new Pawnee Rock, and while
she spoke the w^ords that made this historic
spot and the beautiful monument the property
of the State of Kansas, the ropes were pulled
that released the flag and it fell away.

Lieutenant Governor Richard Hopkins fol-
lowed Mrs. Barker and accepted the park and
monument on behalf of the people of the state.
He painted a beautiful word picture that made
a lasting impression on those who heard it.

The young people were afforded all kinds of
entertainment. There was a Ferris wheel, a
merry-go-round, a ballcon ascension, a base
ball game and dozens of other features lo
make the day one of fun and frolic.

The speech of Mrs. Milo D. McKee of Inde-
pendence, who acted in lieu of Mrs. George
Guensey, state president of the D. A. R. of
Kansas wha followed Governor Hopkins was
especially fine. She brought greetings from
1,500 women, and she asserted that in the his-
tory of battle fields, there was record of no
greater one than Kansas. The best money a
state can spend, she said, in closing, is ihat
used in inculcating patriotism and reverence.

Mrs. Cora Deputy, a past state president
of the Womens' Relief Corps, speaking in be-
half of Mrs. L. A. Mendricks, the president,
gave a patriotic address and presented a flag
to the city, a gift of the state W. R. C.

Perhaps no speech of the afternoon was
better received than that made by Mrs. W. D.
Atkinson of Parsons, iiresident of the State
Federation of Womens' Clubs. Six thousand
women she represented, and as a native Kau-
san she spoke with feeling and authority on
pioneer life as lived by her parents. The k"v-
note of her speech was the keynote of the aft-
ernoon: "We necessarily are living largely in
the past today, with Coronado, in Quivera, wilii
Pike, the emigrants, the '74ers, the pioneers."

Mrs. C. W. Mitchner, state president of Uie
W. C. T. IT , told how proud she was to bring
the best wishes of the 10,000 women of Iho
state union to Kansas, "higher in per capita,
lowest in death rate, lowest in illiteracy, higii-
est in college education ; the state where 2.">,000
scliool children never saw an open saloon."

History and reminiscences cf remarkaolo
interest filled the remarks of Mike Sweeney of
Pawnee Rock, who has lived 4 years in the
western land, and saw the Rock in all its orig-
inal highness. He introduced ex-Gov. E. W.

Marker On Santa Fe Trail Near I'awnee Kock

Hoch, who gave the address of the afternoon.

In the beginning Governor Hoch took oc-
casion to say how much he disliked the task
of following his feminine predecessors, and
trying to "live up to them."

"If I had not been for suffrage before (as
I always have been,") he asserted, "I should
certainly have been converted this afternoon,
for such eloquent speeches argue as intelli-
gent use of the ballot as man can exercise."

Judge I). A. Baiita of Great Bend closed the
speaking program with a few remarks which
were well received. He told how the men
should feel ashamed (hat they had allowed
I be women of the state to accomplish some-
thing in the way cf preserving the Rock which
should have been done before it had been
despoiled of a great deal of its beauty and his-
toric features.

J[M CIBSON'S THRILLING

EXPERIENCE

From Inman's Talcs of the Trail

IT was old Jim Gibson — poor fellow — he
went under in a fight with the Utes
over twenty years ago. and his bones
are bleaching somewhere in the dark canyons
of the range, or on the slopes of the Spanish
Peaks. He used to tell of a skirmish he and
another fellow had on the Arkansas with the

152

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

Kiowas In 1S36. Jim and his partner. Bill —
other name unknown — had been trapping up in
the Powder river country during the wintei-,
with unusual good luck. The beaver were
mighty thick in the wh-le Yellowstone region,
in those days. Jim and Bill got an early start
on their journey for the river in the early
spring. You see they e.xpected to sell their
stuff in western Missouri, which was the prin-
cipal trading point on the river then. They
walked the whole distance— over fifteen h\ir.-
dred miles — driving three good mules before
them, on which their plunder was packed, and
they got alcng well until they struck the Ar-
kansas river at Pawnee Reck. Here they met
a war party of about sixty Kiowas, who treed
them on the Rock. Jim and Bill were bra. c
and dead shots.

"Before they reached the Rock to which
they were driven they killed ten of the Kiowas,
and had not received a scratch. They had
plenty of powder and two pouches full of bul-
lets. They also had a coui)le of Jack rabbils
for food in case of siege, and the perpendicular
walls of the Rock made them a natural fortifi-
cation, and one that was almost impregnabl.>.
They succeeded in securely picketing their
animals on the west side of the R:ck, where
they could protect them by their unerring
rifles, but the story of the fight must be told
in Jim's own way. He was a pretty well edii-
cated fellow and had been to college. 1 bi'-
lieve in his younger days he lost the girl he
was going to marry, or had some bad Iuck

"After the derned red cusses had treed us,
they picked up their dead and packed them to

tV r ' 1 !■. at thf mouth of the creek a littl'J

MH^^L^ ^^^^^^^^^^H

i ^^^MH^^l

W /^«^ -^

^^^^K, ^^^^fi'i/^'^^Y^-'^fl^^'X/^^^^^''^ ^^^^^^B

1 ^^^KMSbBSBfim^F-^^^^^l

O-Ton-Sonc-Viir, Chief of Kiowas

or other and took to the prairie when he was
about twenty years cf age. I will try to tcil
it as near as possible as he told it to me.

WM. F- C3DV. (Bj!ial) Bill)
He Scouted This Country for the U. S. A.

piece off. In a few minutes, back they all
came, mounted with their fixings and war paint
on. Then, they commenced to circle around us
coming closer, Indian fashion every time, un-
til they got within easy rifle range, when they
slung themselves on the far sides of their
ponies and in that position opened on us. Their
arrows fell like a hail storm around us for a
few minutes, but as good luck wculd have it
none cf them struck. I was afraid that first
of all they would attempt to kill our mules,
but 1 suppose they thought they had the dead
wood on us and the mules would come migh'y
handy for their own use, after cur scalps were
dangling at their belts. We were taking in all
the chances and whenever we saw a leg or
head we would draw a bead on it and would
tumble its owner over every time, with a yell
of rage. Whenever they attempted to carry
off their dead, that was the moment we took
the advantage, and we poured it into them as
they rallied for that purpise, with telling ef-
fect. We wasted no shots, and we now had
only about twenty bullets between us, and the
miserable cusses seemed as thick as ever. The
sun was nearly down by this time, and at dark
they did not seem anxious to renew fight I
could see their mounted patrols at a respectful
distance watching to prevent our escape. I
took advantage of the darkness to go down

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

153

and get a few buffalo chips to cook our sup-
per as we were mighty hungry, and we chang-
ed the animals to where they could get a little
more grass. I got to our camp on top without
any trouble, when we made a little fire and
c:oked a rabbit. We had to go without water
and so did the animals, though we did not
mind the want of it ourselves. We pitied the
mules which had had no water since we broke
camp that morning. It was no use to worry
about it as the nearest water was the spring
at the Indians' camp, and it would be certain
death to attempt to get there. I was afraid
the red devils would fire the prairie the ne.'ct
miSrning, and endeavor to burn us out. The
grass was in a condition to make a lively
blaze. We might escape the flames and we
might not. We watched with eager eyes the
first gray streaks of dawn, that would usher in
another day. Perhaps the last one for us. The
next morning the sun had scarcely got above
the horizon when, with an infernal yell the In-
dians broke for the Reck and we knew that
some new idea had entered int: their heads.
The wind was springing up fresh and nature
seemed to conspire w ith the red devils if they
really meant to burn us out, and 1 had no
doubt from their movements that that was
what they intended doing. The derned cusses
kept at such a respectful distance from our
rifles that it chafed us to know that we could
not stop the infernal throats if some of them
with our bullets. We had to choke our rage
and watch events closely. I took occasion dur-
ing the lull in hostilities to crawl down to
where the mules were and shift them to the
east side of the Reck where the wall was the
highest, so that the flames of the smoke migiit
possibly pass by them without so much daii-
ger as on the exposed other side. I succeeded
in doing this and also in tearing away the
grass for several yards around the animals,
and was just starting back when Bill called
out, "They have fired the prairie." 1 reach.'d
the top of the rock in a m:ment and took in
at a glance what was coming. The spectacle
for a short interval was indescribable. The sun
was shining with all its power on a huge
cloud of smoke as it rolled down from the
north. I had barely time to get under the
shelter of the Reck when the wind and smcke
swept down to the ground and incidentally we
were enveloped in the darkness of midnight.
We could not see a single object, neither In-
dian, horses, prairie or sun and what a terri-
ble wind. I have never experienced its equal
in violence since. We stood breathless, cling-
ing to the mass of rock and did nst realize
that the fire was so near until we were
struck in the face by the burning buffalo Chios
that were carried towards us with the rapid-
ity of the wind. I was really scared as it
seemed we must suffocate, but we were saved,
the sheet of flame passed us twenty yards
away, as the wind fortunately shifted when
the fire reached the Rock. Yet the darkness
was so perfect that we did not see the flames.

We only knew that we were safe as the clear
sky greeted us behind the dense cloud of
smoke. Two of the Indians and their hors.s
were caught in their own trap and perished
miserably. They had attempted to reach the
east side of the Rock where the mules were,
either to cut them loose or crawl up on Uo
while we were bewildered in the smoke. They
had proceeded only a few yards when the ter-
rible darkness of the smoke cloud overtook
them. The fire assumed such gigantic propor-
tions and moved with such rapidity before the
terrible wind that even the Arkansas river did
not stop it for a moment, and we watched it
carried across the water.

"My first thought after the danger had
passed was of the poor mules. 1 crawled down
to where they were and found them badly
singed. They were not seriously injured how-
ever, and I thought sn far so good. Our traps
and things were all right so we took courage
and began to think that we could get out of
the nasty scrape. In the meantime the In-
dians with the exception of four or five, left
to guard the Rock, had gone back to their
camp on the creek, and were evidently con-
c"cting some new scheme to capture or kill us.
We waited patiently for two or three hours
for the development of events, snatching a lit-
tle sleep by turns until the sun was about
four hours high, when the Indians commenced
their yelling again, and we knew they had ' it
upon something, so we were on the alert. The
devils this time had tied all I heir horses to-
gether, covered them with branches of tr.^es
that they had cut on the creek, packed all the
lodge skins on these and then driving the liv-
ing breast works towards us themselves fol-
lowed close behind on foot. They kept moving
in the direction of the Rock and matters be-
gan to look serious.

"Bill put his hand in mine and said, "Jim
boy, we gst to fight, we aint done nothin' yet,
but this means business." I said, "Bill, yon
are right, old fellow, but they cannot get us
alive. Our plan was to kill their ponies and
make them halt. As I spoke. Bill, who was
one of the best shots on the plains, threw nis
eye along the barrel of his rifle and one jf
the ponies tumbled over in the blackened sad
One of the Indians ran out to cut him loose,
as 1 suspected, and I took him clean off his
feet without a groan. Quicker than it takes to
tell it we stretched out twelve of them on the
plains and then they began a council of war.
We watched the devils' movements f.ir we
knew they would soon be busy again. The
others did not make their appearance imme-
diately from behind their living breastworks,
so we fired and killed some of the horses. The
Indians drew away and after holding a con-
sultation we saw one of their number ap-
proaching. He held aloft a part of his white
blanket, in token of peace. He came within
hearing and asked us to talk with him. We
answered yes. We could expect very little and
were surprised at the proposition made to us.

154

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

He came nearer and said the war chief lead-
ing them was old O'Ton-Soiie-Var and "wants
you to come to their camp, and the tribe will
adopt you as you are brave men." He also
added that they were on their way to the Sioux
country north of the Platte and were going
there to steal horses from the Sioux. They
expected a fight and wanted us to help them.
Bill and I knew them too well to swallow their
chaff so we told him we could not think of ac-
cepting their terms. We told him to go back

O'Ton-Sone-Var has said it and the word of
the Kiowa is true.' "When must the trial take
place," said I. "When the sun begins to shine
ui)on the western edge of the Rock,' repU-'J
the Indian. 'Say to your chief we will accept
the challenge and will be ready," said Bill,
motioning the warrior away.

"'I am sure I can win, said Bill and can save
our lives, O'Ton-Sone-Var will keep his
word.' '1 know him." 'Bill, said I," '1 shall run
that race' and taking him by the hand 1 told

Chri.sLian Church Pawnee Rock

and tell his chief to begin the light again as
soon as they pleased. He started back and bo-
fore he had reached the creek they came out
and met him, had a confab and then began the
attack on us at once. We made each of our
four leads tell and then stood at bay almost
helpless. We were at their mercy. We be-
gan throwing stones and held them off for a
short time. Then another white flag appeared
and they wanted to talk some more.

"We knew that we must accept most any-
thing they offered. One of their number spoke
and told us that the Kiowas were not prison-
ers and they know brave men. 'We will not
kill you, though the grass is red with tha
blood of our warriors who died al your hands.
We will give you a chance for your lives and
let you prove that the Great Spirit of the white
man is powerful and can save you.' 'Behold,'
said the Indian pointing to a Cottonwood tree
that stood on the bank of the riv.-r, a mile or
more away. 'You must go there and one of
you shall run the knife gauntlet from that
tree two hundred steps of the chief towards
the i)rairie. If the one who runs escapes both
are free, for the Great Spirit has willed it.

him thai if he saw 1 was going to fail to
watch his chance and in the excitement of the
moment mount one of their horses and fly to
Bent's Fort. He could escape. He was
young, it made no difference with my life as
it was not worth much, but he had all before
him. 'No .' replied Bill, 'my heart is set on
this. 1 traveled the same race once before
when the Apaches got me, and their knives
never struck me once. I asked this favor for
I know how to take advantage of them and can
win.' The sun had scarcely gilded that portion
of the Rock that puts out toward the west be-
fore all the warriors with O'T.m-Sone-Var at
their head marched silently towards the tree
and beckoned us to come. We soon were be-
side them when they oi)ened a space and we
walked in their center without saying a word.
There were only thirty lefl of the band of war-
riors. The Indians were worked up to an aw-
ful pitch and wanted to avenge their dead but
the chief kepi Iheni from it. As snon as we
reached the tree, the chief paced the two-
hundred steps and arranged his warriors on
either side who in a moment slrii)iied them-
selves to the waist and each seizing his long

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

155

scalping knife and bracing himself held it
high over his head so as to strike a ha;d
blow. The question of who should be their
victims was settled immediately, for as I
stepped forward, the chief signalled me back
and pointing to Bill told him he should make
the trial. I protested but the chief was firm.
The two rows of savages stood firm, their
knives held high with vengeance gleaming iu
their eyes. It looked almost hopeless. It was
truly a race for life. As Bill prepared him-
self I wished ourselves back on the Rock, Bill
■was cool and collected and had a perfect faith
in the result. The chief motianed Bill to
start Bill tightened his belt and looked down
the double row of Indians with their upheld
knives. It seemed an age to me and when Bill
started I was forced by an irresistible power
to look upon the scene. At the instant Bill
darted like a streak of lightning from the

base of the tree and cutting at poor Bill the In-
dians tried their hardest to kill him. Bill
evaded their efforts. He tossed savages here
and there and now creeping like a snake he
squirmed through the lines for a distance, then
leaping like a wild-cat he passed more of the
red men who were bent on taking his life and
finally he reached the place where the chief
stood and passed through the terrible ordeal
unharmed. I threw myself into his arms and
gave thanks. The chief motioned the warriors
away and with sullen footsteps followed the;ii.
In a few moments we retraced our way to the
Rock where our mules still were. We then
passed on in the direction of the Missouri. We
camped on the banks of the river that night
only a few miles from the Rock and while we
were resting we could still hear the Kiowas
chanting the death song as they buried their
lost warriors under the sod of the prairie."

WILLIAM S. M'DOUGAL

WILLIAM S. M'DOUGAL was born in
Wood County, West Virginia, Septem-
ber 5, 1S44, and came to Pawnee
County when he was thirty-three years of age.
He located a homestead iu section lS-22-li,
which is on the line dividing Pawnee and Staf-
ford counties. He farmed this land for eigiit
years and then came to Barton ccuuty and
located at Pawnee Rock. He was in the livery
business in Pawnee Rock for sixteen years.
He sold out and retired about twelve years
ago. Since that time he has looked after h.s
farming interests, owning 400 acres of land iu
Pawnee and Barton counties. He was mar-
ried in 1S72 in West Virginia to Miss Maggie
I'hl and they are the parents of three childrt'U

as fallows: Romey, 42 years of age, is en-
gaged in the hack line business in Great Bend;
Dora, 32 years of age, is now Mrs. Henry T.
Ratcliff of Hutchinson and Goldie, 22 years of
age, resides at home. Mr. McDougal is one of
those men who made up the pioneers of this
section of Kansas as he came here at a time
when the Indians and buffalo were still dis-
puting the advance cf the white man and ho
has seen this section grow from an almost ba:'-
ren waste to its present high state ot culti-
vation. Mr. McDougal has always been iden-
tified with the progressive element in this part
of the state and is one of the best known men
in Barton County where he has lived for twen-
ty-seven years. All of his farming land is be-

Going and Coming of AuLos, Pawnee Rock, May 24, 1912

156

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

ing worked by renters and in addition to these
holdings he has a fine ton room residence in a
most desirable location in Pawnee Rock. He
is one cf the boosters of the town who never
tires of speaking a good W':rd for Pawnee
Rock and Barton County. He has served the
town as councilman and always taken an ac-
tive part in all public matters and is an enter-
prising and progressive citizen. Mr. McDo'.i-

gal is one of the men who came to this sec-
tion at a time when it required nerve to stay
and battle it out with the many adverse con-
ditions with which the old timers had to con-
tend. He did so however and his success is
due to good management and an unfailing
faith in the future of this section and could sec
this county where it is today, one of the best
in the Slate of Kansas.

FARMERS AND MERCHANTS STATE BANK

BOWXS and cities are often judged by their
their banking institutions, and in the
F'armers and .Merchants State Bank of
F^awnee Rock, the people of that section of the
ecunty have an institution that meets every
demand made upon it, and by straightforward
business methods has gained a most enviaV<!e
reputation in all parts of Barton County. This
bank was organized in 190S by gentlemen who
have had a great deal to do with the develoj}-

ed by this eitablishment, and in addition to this
the deposits are guaranteed by the Bank D<;-
positors' Guaranty Fund of the State of Kan-
sas. This is a strictly home institution, all the
stock in the lank being owned by men who
have made this section of Kansas one of th^
most important in the state. The officers of
this bank are men who stand high in the com-
mercial and financial life of Barton County
and are known for their progressive methods

Farm or. s and 'Mcrclian ( s S( at o Bank

nient of the county's resources and the u,)-
building of Pawnee Rock. This bank was or-
ganized with a capital of $15,000 aiuj the de-
posits have grown larger each year and wlien
the April, 1912 statement was issued it showed
a total of ai]proxiinately $132,000, the capital
and surplus at the same lime being $20,000.
This bank occupies a fine brick building in the
center of town. The building was arranged
especially for banking purposes and c intaiiis
modern, up-to-date fixtures. The hitest style
Manganese steel vault assures the safety of
all money and valuables left at this bank. All
the safeguards that are usually found in a pro-
gressive banking establishment are maintain-

aud public spiriledness. C,ist:mers of 'his
bank are granted every accommodation that is
consistent with safe banking methods. Tlie
officers of this bank are: H. H. Woodbuiy,
president; I). R. I.ogan. vice-president; F. C.
Woodbury, cashier. The directors are: \V.
H. Bowman, T. H. Brewer, G. F. Spreier
George Smith, George Washer, D. R. Ixjg.m,
and H. H. Woodbury. This bank has won i«s
high standing in the county by conducting a
general banking business according to the
most approved methods, and by making of the
establishment a bank for all the people of the
territory adjacent to Pawnee Rock.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

157

PAWNEE ROCK STATE BANK

BARTON County is noted f;:r its soiinil.
substantial banking institutions a'ul
there is none that stands better with the
people of the county than the Pawnee Rock
State Bank which was organized in August,
1901. It was the first bank in the town and
was made possible by E. R. and G. N. Moses,
Robert Merten, Peter Bloom, Charles Gano,
J. T. Kell, M. E. Heynes and other well men
who took a leading part in the commercial life
of the county. All of the organizers with the
exception of the first two named are pioneers
of Pawnee Rock while the Moses Brothers
helped develop that part cf the county lying
closely adjacent to Great Bend. The bank was

steel safe and as additional protection the
bank is equipped with an electric burglar
alarm system which renders it absolutely im-
pregnable to burglars. On top of all this
the depositors in this bank are secured by the
Bank Depositors' Guaranty Fund of the Stale
of Kansas. This bank offers excei)tional ad-
vantages to new depositors. It pays liberal
interest on savings and time deposits and
grants to customers every favor that is in
keeping with safe banking methods. These
features have made this bank popular with the
people of Pawnee Rock and vicinity and is a
great aid in teaching the young people that
the :nly dollars worth two hundred cents are

Pawnee Rock Slate Bank

organized with a capital of |.5,oi)0, which has
been increased to .$25,000 from the earnings
and not by assessment of the stockholders. 11
now has a surplus of $3,000 and deposits ct
approximately $95,000. The bank has grown
steadily since it was organized and has gainod
the confidence cf its patrons by square deal
methods and untiring efforts in meeting evci-y
demand made upon it by customers. The ba'.ik
occupies a fine brick building on the Main
street. It has a modern steel lined vault,
which contains the latest improved Manganese

those saved in youth. The officers of this
bank are: E. R. Moses, president; Peter
Bloom, vice-president; A. Dring, cashier and
A. S. Gross, assistant cashier. The directors
are E. R. Moses, Jr., J. T. Kell, E. R. Moses,
Peter Bloom and Robert .Merten. All of these
are men who enjoy the utmost confidence if
the people of Barton County as they are
among the men who made this county one of
the best in the State of Kansas and are well
and favorably known in the commercial and
financial life of the state. This bank has en-

158

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

joyed its growth from the fact that it is a
home institution officered and owned by liome
people and conducted for tlie people of I'awnee
Rock and this secliou of the county. The suc-

cess of this bank is due to the enterprise of
its stockli-lders and officers who have gained
the confidence of the people.

GRANT LIPPINCOTT

OSK Of the well kn )wn newspaper men
of Western Kansas, and one who is al-
ways working for the interests of his
paper and the town in which it is published is
Grant Lippincott, i)ublisher and proprietor of
the Pawnee Rock Herald. Grant, as he is b^st
kn;:wn, was born in Atchison County, Kansas,
February 7. 1SS4; his father being J. H. Lip-
pincott who had a great deal to do with mak-
ing the history of Grant's home county until
1893 when he went to Oklahoma where he now
resides. Grant came to Barton County in 1904

and established the paper known as the Her-
ald, in Pawnee Rock and s'nce that time has
taken an active jiart in the affairs of his town
and county. Ho learned the printing trade
in Hutchins n where he spent four years as
an employee cf the Hutchinson News. He is
an expert printer, a brilliant writer and stanc's
for the principles which he thinks are best for
the majority. He was married September 2,
lliOS, to Miss Myrtle I^. Woelk whose parents
live seven miles southeast of Pawnee Rock
and are old timers of that section of the state.

The E d i I o 1- i a 1 Twins

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

159

Gram I.ippincott. Proprietor of The Pawnee Rock Herald

Grant and his wife are naturally proud of
their twin boys, Virgil Alvus and Wilbur
Alfred. They were born August 25, 1910, and
are children of whom anybody could be proud.
Mr. Liippincott has been a member of the
city council and has also served the Iowa
as clerk for two terms. He is a prominent
member of the Masonic order, and belongs to
the lodge at Larned. He is also a member of
the Great Bend Lodge of Elks, is a Knight of
Pythias and a member of the Yeoman lodge.
He is an enterprising and progressive citizen
and took an active part in the work that final-
ly resulted in having Pawnee Rock, or what
remains of it, in 1912, preserved as a historic
point en the old Santa Fe Trail. Since he
came to Pawnee Rock he has done a great
deal to further the interests of the town not
only through the columns of his newsinipor
but by his personal efforts.

THOMAS HENDERSON BREWER

THOMAS HENDERSON BREWER was
born October 5, 1S44, in .Morgan C run-
ty, Indiana. He left there when he
was. twelve years of age and went to Iowa
with his parents where he remained until the
family came to Kansas in 1857. They first
located in Nemaha County where the elder
Brewer engaged in farming. In September,
1862 Mr. Brewer enlisted in the 13th Kansas
regiment and was a member of Co. G. He
served throughout the war and in addition t^
service that was most active in Arkansas and
Missouri he tosk part in the battle of Prairie
Grove one of the big engagements in the
State of Arkansas. Shortly after the war he
went to Nebraska where he remained for seven
years. In the fall of 1876 he came to Barton
County and located at Great Bend where he
engaged in the blacksmithing business. He
was there for two years and in the spring of
1878 he purchased railroad land in Pawnee
Reck township, buying the southeast quarter
of section 23. He farmed until a short time
ago when he retired and now occupies one of
the nicest residences in Pawnee Rock. He
was married December 22, 1S67 to Miss Mar-
garet E. Cummins of Nemaha County and
they are the parents of fix children: Ora A.,

41 years of age, is now in Helena, Ok.; Eunice,
39 years of age, is now Mrs. Albert lAle cf
Pawnee Rock; Emma, 38 years of age, is now
Mrs. Charles Ross also of Pawnee Rock;
Charles, 36 years of age. is living at Pryor, Ok-
lahoma; Maggie, 31 years cf age is now Mrs.
H. E. Purlee of Red Bluff, California; Jessie,
29 years of age, is Mrs. C. T. Belt and re-
sides a short distance n;rth of Pawnee Rock.
Mr. Brewer cwns a half section of land well
improved in this county and a half interest in
a half section in Hodgeman County. He is
one of the directors of the Farmers and Mer-
chants Bank and owns in addition to his res-
idence another house and l:;t in the west
part cf town. Mr. Brewer takes an active part
in all public matters and was probate judge of
this county from 1S90 to 1895. His residence
contains eight rooms in addition to bath,
closets, pantries, etc. Mr. Brewer is one cf
the best known men in this jiart of the state
and has done a great deal in developing ths
resouices cf the county and making of Paw-
nee Rock one of the important towns of the
county. He is one cf the really old timers
who saw this county grow from an almost
barren waste to its present high state of cul-
tivation.

NEWTON PHILLIP SMITH

NKWTON PHILLIP S.MITH was born Se;)-
lember 7, 1856, in Woodford County,
Kentucky. He remained in his native
state until he was fifteen years of age at which
time he came to Barton C;unty. This was in
1872 and he saw the county grow fiT>m an
abode of buffalo and Indians to its present
high state of cultivation. After he had been
here a few years he pre-empted a claim of SO
acres in section 10, Pawnee Rock township
and also the same amount of land in section

25 ( f the same township. He ran a threshing
nuichine and farmed for a number of years
and in 1S90 established a blacksmithing and
repairing shop in Pawnee Rock. This is the
pioneer shoi) of that section of the county and
the work that is turned out there is known
all over the county as the best that can bj
obtained. It was while he was constable, an
office that he held for several years that he
br.-ke up the Taylor gang of outlaws and horse
thieves. This gang, led by George Taylor,

IGO

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

terrorized this section of the country for a
long time until .Mr. Smith took up their truil,
and finally located them south of Fort Supply
where he rounded up the gang and recovered

of age, a contractor and builder who has built
s.^me of the finest buildings in Pawnee Rook
among them being the school building and all
the good buildings in the town; Garfield, 3^

|^..itpJB^.35^3:

Threshino; Oulfil of Xewt. Smiiii. Taken in ihe Eiirlv 80"s

a number of horses belonging near Pawnee
Rock. This was one of the most despera'o
gangs that ever infested this part of the state
and before they were captured it was neces-
sary to kill their leader. For this excellent
work Mr. Smith received many words if
praise and the heartfelt thanks of the entire
community. He also served as city marshal of
Pawnee Rock an office in which he made a
most enviable record. He was married in
1S7S to Miss Mary Jane Lile and they are tha
parents of fo\ir children: Edwin G.. 33 years

years of age. aids his father in the blacksmith
shcp and is a skilled workman; Earl, 25 years
of age, is manager of the Rock Mill and Ele-
vator Company's interests in Great Bend;
niaine, 28 years of age, is a clerk in one of
the biggest st:res in Pawnee Rock. Mr. Smith
has always been an enterprising and pro-
gressive citizen and is one of the really old
timers cf this section cf the state and has had
no small part in making of Barton County one
cf the best in the State of Kansas.

JAMES H. FLICK

IF the men who have taken an active part
in the upbuilding of Pawn^o Rock and
the development of Barton County none
is better known than the subject of this
sketch, James H. Flick. Mr. Flick was bsri!
October 10, 1851, in Lycoming County, Pa.
When he was thirteen years old the family
moved to Illinois where James remained for
twenty years. He came from there to Barton
County in 1887. He took up a homestead and
bought land near Pawnee Rock and at onc-i
to:k a |)art in the development of the county's
resources. His old home is now known as thj
Fish place, he having disposed of all his farm-
ing interests several years ago when he moved
to Pawnee Rock and went into the hotel busi-
ness, and it is safe to say that there is no hoccj

in the state that is better known than the
Rock H;tel of Pawnee Rock. He still owns
the hotel building but gave \ip the operating
of it six years ago. In addition to the hoiel
Mr. Flick owns a nice residence and consider-
able other town property. He was married in
Illinois to Miss Sarah Keith. They had two
children, Daniel and Florence, the latter of
whom is dead. Mr. Flick survived his first
wife and in 1SS4 was married to Miss Sarah
David and to this union there were born seven
children all of whom are deceased except Jes-
sie who is now Iving in Pawnee Rock. Mr.
Flick has always been one of the leading citi-
zens cf Pawnee Rock and has had a great deal
to do wiih its upbuilding and making it one

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

of the important towns of the county. He en-
joys a wide acquaintance in all parts of the
state of Kansas and is well known among the
traveling fraternity. He is one of the really

161

old timers who saw thir, county when it was
struggling with the hard times and has seen
it grow to its present high standing in the
State of Kansas.

Rock Hotel, Pawnee Rock

FRANCIS T. BELT

FRANCIS T. BELT, who now lives in To-
peka, Kansas, is one of the really old
timers of Barton County, he having
come here in 1S78 from the State of Illinois.
He took up the occupation of farming imme-
diately upon his arrival and his home place
is located in section 21, township 20, range
15, where he resided for a number of years
and cultivated the land. He remained here un-
til 1901 when he retired and took up his resi-
dence in Topeka where he now lives. He was
married June 14, 1S80, in Brussels, Illinois, to
Miss Mary Jane Flanagan and they are the
parents of four children: George F., 32 years
of age, is in the real estate business in Kansas
City; Charles T., 27 years cf age, is engaged
in the farming business in Barton County;
Nellie A., 26 years of age, resides in Topeka
and Caroline, who died when she was one year
of age. Jlr. Belt is a prominent member of
the G. A. R. and served his country in the civil
war from February 28, 1862, until April 9,
1865. He was a member of the otli Missouri
Cavalry which for a time was actively en-
gaged in the capacity of body guard to Gen-

eral Schofield, and saw much service in
skirmishes in Missouri and Arkansas. Mr. Belt
was born in St. Louis, Mo., July 23, 1S42, and
during his residence in Barton County was
one of the most active in the upbuilding of the
town and the development of the soil. Mr.
Belt's family now owns 1,520 acres of land in
this section of the state and are among the
best known people who had a part in making
Barton County one of the best in the State of
Kansas. Mr. Belt says he held one public of-
fice while living in this county, that of justice
of the peace but he resigned after a short
time because he could not spare the time from
bis private affairs and when his first case was
brought to him he acted as adviser and suc-
ceeded in settling the case of out of court.
Mr. Belt is one of the few men who turned
down a senatorial nomination in the Seventh
congressional district of Kansas. He can re-
late many interesting incidents of the early
days and is cne of those men to whom this
part of the state owes its present high state
of cultivation and high standing as one of the
most jjroductive counties in the country.

P. H.

IX writing up the history of Barton county
the Pawnee Rock department would be
incomplete without mention of P. H. Wil-
lis who is one of the best known men in Bar-

WILLIS

ton County. He was l)orn October 23, 1845, in
Hartford, Conn., and came to Barton County
in 1876 and went through the hard times with
which the early day settlers had ta contend.

162

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

He took up a homestead near Pawnee Rock
and farmed for ton years. He then moved to
town and for the past twenty-five years has
heen closely identified with the upbuildinR of
Pawnee Rock. He was married in lS6(i to
Miss Christina Wrisle of Glastonbury, Conn.,
and they are the parents of four children.
Albert, 41 years of age, lives in Pawnee Rck,
Nellie 3S years of age is now Mrs. Cal Reid
of California, liarnest, 30 years of age, is in
Pawnee Rock and Rosie, 28 years of age, is
now Mrs. B. Rose of Anthony. Kansas. Mv.
Willis is a veteran of the civil war and was a
member of the 6th Connecticut, having been
enlisted in Company R. He was in the service

sixteen months and saw much active duty
most cf it bring in skirmishes. Since his res-
idence in Pawnee Rock he and his sons have
been engaged in the i)ainting business and by
doing only first class work and using the best
of material they have gained the confidence of
the people and enjoy a large patronage. Mr.
Willis owns a nice residence in the town of
Pawnee Rock and is one of the town's mcst en-
terprising and progressive citizens and is one
of those old timers who has seen this county
grow from an almost barren waste to its pres-
ent high standing among the best counties ot
the State of Kansas.

THOMAS HENRY MORRIS

THOMAS HK.NRY MORRIS was born in
Jacksonville. Illinois. February 16,' 1860.
He came tj Barton County from U>i
native state when he was twenty-three years
of age, and took up the occupation of farmin.?
one and one-half miles west of Pawnee Rock.

Pawnee Rock, a beautifully surrounded home,
with eight r;onis in addition to bath, close's,
pantries, etc. Mr. Morris' country place con-
sists cf 320 acres of good farm laud which :=
being farmed by renters. He is also interest-
ed in the Farmers and Merchants Telephone

hrjiili^r

f'-^^

^^^^^^^E^£

hRT

•m

■ "^^^-^>.T<a*>!^J

}£ 1-

■HHIfl

is^^m •

Residence of Thomas Henry Morris

He has always been closely identified with
the development of that part of the county and
is one of those men who came to this section
at a time when only the stout hearted and
those who had faith in the future could re-
main and overcome the adverse conditions
with which they had to contend. He was mar-
ried in Pawnee Rock, .July 25, 1883 to Miss
Ella M. Williams and they are the parents of
three children as follows: Mabel N., 26 years
of age, is now Mrs. A. S. Gross, residing in
Pawnee Rock ; Beatrice, 23 years of age, is
now Mrs. E. B. Duncan of Liberty, Mo., and
Leland, 16 years of age, is living at home. Mr.
Morris owns one of the nicest residences in

Company, the Farmers Elevator Co.. the Paw-
nee Rock State Bank and owns a large num-
ber of town lots. Although Mr. M-rris has
always had a large number of private inter-
ests to look after he has found time to take;
an active part in the affairs of his home com-
munity. He has been a member of the city
council, served as a member of the school
bnard and is known as an enteri)rising and
progressive citizen. His home place in Paw-
nee Rock is located south of the depot and is
surrounded by beautiful shade trees and neat
well kept lawn and it is one of the pleasing
sights that greets a stranger when arriving
in Pawnee Rock.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

163

WILLIAM M. LEWIS

AMONG the old timers of Pawnee Rock
and Barton County, none is better
known than William M. Lewis who
came to this part of the state in 1S74. He wao
born at Morrison, Illinois. April 12, 1S62, and
came here with his parents when he was
twelve years of age. His father located a
homestead two miles west of Pawnee Rock

is becoming sole owner in 1908. Mr. IjCwIs
owns 260 acres of land in Pawnee County
which is worked by his boy, a fine residence in
Pawnee Rock which contains eight rooms in
addition to closets, pantries, etc., a number of
town lots and private interests. He has served
the town as mayor, has been a member of the
council, police judge and has been one of the

Lewis Elevator Pawnee Rock

and began the work of developing the soil.
William attended school in this c:unty ami
when he was twenty-one years of age began
farming near Pawnee Rock. He farmed for six
years and then accepted a position with the
Santa Fe Railroad Company, and was with
them for twelve years. One year of this time
he was employed in Rice County and tlie re-
mainder of the time was agent at Pawn-^e
Rock. In 1900 he left the railroad company's
employ and established a grain elevator at
Pawnee Rock which lie has operated since
that time. The elevator has a capacity or"
10,000 bushels and when established was
owned by the firm of Logan & Lew-is, Jlr. Lew-

WILLIAM

WILLIAM T. WARNER was born in Ohio
.March 22, 1859 and came to Pawnee
Rock when he was twenty-one years
of age. This was in ISSl and since that time
he has been one of the best known men in that
part of Barton County. He first worked for
the Santa Fe Railroad and for twenty-four
years was foreman of the section in which
Pawnee Rock is located. Mr. Warner was mar-
ried in 1880 to Miss Martha Booze in Ohio and
they are the parents of seven children: Ber-
tha, 32 years of age is now Mrs. A. M. Thom-
as and lives in Colorado; Lena, 28 years of age
is now Mrs. W. H. Franklin of Pawnee Rock;
Eva, 26 years of age, is now Mrs. I. S. Brady
residing two miles east of Pawnee Rock; Geo.
L. is employed as traveling representative of
the Merritt-Schwier Creamery Company; Ever-
ettt E., 20 years of age, is in the produce bus-
iness in Pawnee Rock; Wm. J., Jr., 16 years of

most popular citizens of the town, always
standing for its best interests and advance-
ment. He was married in this county June 6,
1884 to Miss Delia Hall and they are the par-
ents of four children: Edna, 27 years of age,
is now the wife of Dr. Button of Great Bend;
Harry, 25 years of age, is in the postal ser-
vice; Charles, 23 years of age, is farming on
his father's land near Pawnee Rock and Ruth,
20 years cf age, is living at home. Mr. Lewis
is one of the men who came here at a time
when the county was in its infancy as far as
agriculture goes and has seen it grow from
an almost barren waste to its present high
state of cultivation.

WARNER

age and Herold, 13 years of age, are living at
home with their parents. Last April Mr. War-
ner opened a modern meat market in Pawnee
Rock and since the beginning it has enjoyed a
good trade. He handles only the very best of
fresh and salt meats and has his shop equipped
for the proi)er handling and koeiiing of meats
of all kinds. Mr. Warner owns a fine modern
residence in Pawnee Rock. It consists of si.v
rooms and is located on two acres of land.
During Mr. Warner's residence in Pawnee
Rock he has taken an active part in the affairs
of the community and has held the office of
mayor, has been a member of the city council
and has also held township offices at different
times. He is an enterprising and progressive
citizen and enjoys a wide acquaintance in ail
parts of Pawnee Rock and Barton County.

164

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

STEPHEN J. WILLIAMS

SIKPHKN J. WILLIAMS was born in
Hawkins County, Tonn., October 17,
IS,')!). He resided in his native sta'e
until IstJti when he moved to Iowa where he
remained for ten years before coming to Kan-
sas in 1S78. His parents came here four
years before his arrival and the Williams fam-
ily is one of the best known in this iiart t)(
the state. Mr. Williams bought railroad laud
three miles east of Pawnee Rock and at once
began the development of the soil. For a num-
ber of years he lived on a rented farm and
farmed it in addition to his own. Then he
bought a half section north and cast of Paw-
nee Rock and about five miles from his home
place. He farmed for a number of years, and
seven years ago moved to town and now lives
in a nice residence in Pawnee Rock. He was

married in August, 1S67, to Miss Myra McDavid
and they are the parents of eight children as
follows: Margaret M., 36 years of age, is now
Mrs. S. P. Hill of Pawnee Rock; Mary L., .<A
years of age is now Mrs. G. 10. Conkle of Colo.;
Lydia C, 31 years of age is now Mrs. James
A. Lowhorne of Wichita; Andrew E., 29 years
of ago is farming near Pawnee Rock; Wil-
liam E., 26 years of age lives in Pawnee Rock;
.Tchn .1., 23 years of age and Thelma, 16 years
of age and Esther, 13 years of age, are also
living in Pawnee Rock, Mr. Williams served
his district as county commissioner for four
years, has held township and school board
offices and is one of the best known men in
the county. He is cue of the men who helped
to make this county one of the best in the
State of Kansas.

WILLIAM H. BUW-MAX

WILLIA.M H. liOW.MAX was born Feb-
ruary 27, 1847, near Annapolis,
Crawford County, Illinois. He was
raised on a farm and came to Barton County
in October, 1873. He located en the southeast
quarter of section 34, township 15, range 20,
which adjoins the townsite of Pawnee Rock
on the east. Since that time he has added to
his holdings at different times until he and
his sons now own, 2,200 acres of land in the
vicinity of Pawnee Rock. Mr. Bowman was
married Aiiril 26, 1S6S, in Illinois to Miss
Cacepine Schammahorn, and they are the i)ar-
cnts of six children as follows: W. Walter, 13
years of age, is farming in Pawnee County
about two miles from Pawnee Rock; Richard
H., 36 years of age, is farming near town; John
E., 32 years of age, lives in Pawnee Reck and
is now mayor of the town ; Earl J., 30 years
of age. lives in town as does Ross G., 28 years
of age, and Ivy Grace, 21 years of age. Mr.
Bowman has deeded a great deal of his land
to his children who have the active manage-
ment of their father's holdings. In 187S he,

together with his br„ther, Eli Bowman, and
Aaron Garverick, built a flouring mill in
Pawnee Rock and was in the milling and grain
business, with the exception of one year, until
1S87; he was elected as a member of the first,
city council of the city of Pawnee Rock and
has served as a member of the school board.
He now lives permanently in town and owns
a modern six room residence, on north Main
street and also owns other town property and
is a stock holder and director in the Farmers'
and Merchants' Stale Bank, and owns stock in
the local Farmers' Elevator, the Farmers' A:
Merchants' Telephone Co., and the Electric
Light, Ice & Power Co. He has always taken
an active interest in the progress of Pawnee
Rock and vicinity and has had a great deal to
do with the upbuilding of the town and the de-
velopment of that section of the ccunty. In
addition to his Pawnee Rock holdings and
farming interests in this county Mr. Bowman
also has property in other states, but lie always
counts Kansas as his home and Pawnee Rock
as his place of residence.

HENRY SMI'l'Il KVKi; ITT

AMONG the first settlers of Barton County
the name of Henry Smith Everitt, of
"Evergreen Farm," eight miles west of
Great Bend, should be enrolled, because he se-
lected this for a residence place in September,
1S74. He was born near Magnolia, Lasalle
County, Illinois, on January 3, 184.5, and until
his eighteenth year assisted his father on the
farm and attended the public schools of the
neighborhood. In 1864 he enlisted far a terra
of three years as a private in Company H,
104th Illinois Infantry, and after a trying ser-
vice of one year and six months was discharg-
ed at the termination of the civil war. During
that time he passed through the Atlanta cam-

paign and followed Sherman on his March to
the Sea. and has preserved an interesting diary
of the movements, marches, skirmishes and
happenings of his command during several
weeks of that period, and cherishes it as a
sacred relic of the times. After his discharge
he returned to his former home and resumed
farming until coming to Barton County in
1874; when he bought three hundred and twen-
ty acres from the Santa Fe Railway Company,
and paid five dollars per acre, on eleven years'
lime. In 1909 he purchased an additional ad-
joining forty acres at $50 per acre and at this
time owns and farms three hundred and sixty
acres. The whole is improved and in a high

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

165

state of cultivation, and the residence, barn,
and ottier buildings are ample for a farm of its
size. Tree culture seems to have been an im-
portant feature when this place was first set-

taken in infancy, and a daughter, Elizabeth
Rebecca, wife of David Ewing, on June 29,
1911. William Everitt, who married Miss Myr-
tle Lloyd, resides on the northeast quarter of

^' ^1 ~TZJ

Home and Family of Henry S . Everitt

tied, and Mr. Everitt is now enjoying the fruits
of his labcr in a magnificent park which s\ir-
rounds the home.

In February, 1S69, Henry S. Everitt and
Miss Elizabeth Ann Lewis, both of La Salle
County, Illinois, were united in marriage at
the bride's home in that county. Six children
were born, but only two survive. Three were

the same section, and George Nathan Everitt,
who married Miss Anna Christiansen, resides
in Comanche County, Kansas.

Mrs. Elizabeth A. Everitt, the mother and
wife, departed this life on February 24, 1906,
and is buried in the Everitt cemetery, near the
residence.

ANDREW GEIL

THE country home of Andrew and Eva
Florence Wallace Geil, "Westlawn
Farm," takes its name from the beauti-
ful park and lawn which surrounds the resi-
dence, a two story frame standing in the cen-
ter, and is approached by pedestrians by a
walkway bordered by sweet scented flowers,
while rose bushes and ornamental plants and
shrubs ad;rn the grass covered lawn. Two cir-
cuitous driveways enter from either side and
wind their way to the rear, and there become
roads extending into the farm. In the rear are
the barns, granary, tool sheds and other
buildings, and windmills fanning the air. Then
the farm is seen with its golden wheat and
oats; its green corn, and meadows of alfalfa
and native grasses, where horses and cattle
graze, calves and colts, gamble, and fat swine
mosey about. The gray coat of the house and
the carmine of the outbuildings contrasts so
well with the foliage of the trees and growing
crops that they lend animation and enliven the
picture. But when one enters and finds all the
comforts of a city home he is impressed with
the culture and refinement of the inmates.

and the success of their venture on a Kansas
hcmestead.

The home place of Andrew Geil contains
two hundred and forty acres and is in a high
state of cultivation. The soil is good and it
produces good crops. The buildings, imple-
ments and stock on the farm are all in good
conditicn and prove that the controlling spir-
it has his soul in his work. He both farms and
breeds stock, and has designed his farm with
this end in view. He also owns a farm of
one hundred and sixty acres near Rozel, Paw-
nee County, which is occupied by a tenant.

Andrew Geil was born in Keokuk County,
Iowa, on February 2nd. 1S60, and came to Bar-
ton County, Kansas, in 1S7S, accompanied by
his parents, Jacob and Louise Geil, who
made their home on Walnut creek in Clarence
township. He at first assisted his parents in
their farm work, then was a renter and later
purchased land. He was married on September
28, ISSS, to Miss Eva Florence Wallace, form-
erly of near Bedford, Iowa, and they are the
parents of ten interesting children. They are
all at home with their parents.

166

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

^' #|4

Home of Andrew Geil

WILLIAM

THK I'.diiie of William Otic is located one
and oni'-fourtli miles south of lleizer
and the farm covers two hundred and
sixty acres of choice farming lands. It was

OTTE

lirove the soil to be fertile and in a hish state
of cultivation, and that the ruling spirit is a
past master of agriculture.

William Otte was boni in Hanover, Ger-

Rcsidence of Will'uini Olie and Faniilx

originally high, rolling prairie, but has been
transformed into one of the most habitable
places in Barton County. The house, barn and
other improvements are all modern and at-
tractive, and there is sufficient timber to light
the landscape with green. The growing crops

nuiny, September 3rd, 1,S48, and came to Amer-
ica in 1S6S, when he was twenty years of age,
and settled first in Rock C;iunty, Wisconsin.
He remained there four years and then went
to Cedar County, Iowa, where he remained un-
til he came to Barton County in 1ST8. He

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

167

bought school land in this county and also took
a homestead, a part of which is now included
in the home place, which comprises I'CO acres

they are the parents of seven children: Wil-
liam, George, Henry, Warner, Anna Frederick,
liertha, all of whom arc residents of the coun-

-■••-•Tj^. ■■•lasj'si'-

^i^^^

of land. He also owns lot) acres four miles
northeast of Heizer, 400 acres in Ness County
and some town lots in Heizer. Mr. Otte mar-
ried Mrs. Alvina Jackal November 7, 18S0, and

I'hirly HuiiU' (if W'illi.wii (mii-

ly. Mr.s. Otte was horn December IGtli, ISOO,

in Germany and is a kind mother and faithful

liousewife.

BOYD EVERS

Home of Boyd Evsrs

THK Evers home, four miles northwest of
the court house in Great Bend is one
of the most inviting in the county. The
grass plot iu front of the house, the trees and

plants growing in the yard and the paint on
the house and other buildings harmonize so
well that it is a relief to the eye as one ap-
proaches this model home. Much taste is dis-

168

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

played within the Evers home. Mr. Evers
is a successful farmer and his wife is a model
housekeeper. The order and harmony extend
to all parts of the farm. The fence rows are
guiltless of weeds and the ground is free from
litter and idle farm macliinery. This seems
to be a place with room for everything and
everthing in its place. The soil which is nat-
urally quite rich has been properly fertilized
and cultivated and is in splendid condition af-
ter twenty-seven years of continuous cultiva-
tion. It was in March, 1SS4, that Mr. Evers
homcsteaded the eighty acres where his home
place is located. It has been seven years since
he purchased 160 additional acres at a price
of $3,500. He bought this land on credit and
paid for it with the crops he raised in the fol-
lowing three years. The i)rice cf land has ad-

vanced so rapidly during this time that this
quarter could be sold at any time for |1C,000.
This price has been refused by Mr. Evers be-
cause he could not get another quarter equally
as good for that money. This is ths story that
is true of many quarters in that neighborhood.
Jlr. and Mrs. Evers are both natives of Indi-
ana, having been hern, reared, educated and
married in or near Rockville in that state.
This probably accounts for their success in
Kansas, because a Hoosier is not to be outdone
no matter where he may be transplanted. They
are the parents of five children. Otis married
Miss Maud Barker; Kirby Evers who married
Miss Lillie Essmiller; Alice is now the wife of
Frank Westman and Mabel who resides at
honir. It will be seen from this that all the
children are residing in this county.

J. P. DIRKS

I'^v IKTliEX and a half miles southwest of
"^ (jreat Bend and six and a half miles
northwest cf Pawnee Rock, in Pawnee
Rock township, one of the finest wheat pro-

loonis and basement. A good barn, granaries,
chicken houses, etc.. are found en the place
and it is one of the well improved farms of the
neighborhood. The family is a popular one

F a 1- m and Home of J . 1 ' . Dirks

ducing sections in the world, is one of the pret-
ty farms in a pretty country. It is the prop-
erty of Jacob P. Dirks, the eldest son of Su-
san and Peter H. Dirks. Born February 12,
1875, and educated in the public schools, he
early took to farming for himself. He was
married on February 23, 1S98 to Miss Lizzie
C. Schultz of Clarence township. They arc the
parents of three children: Maggie, twelve
years of age, Elmer Jacob, ten years and Pearl
Lena, five years of age. They bought the land
they live on, IfiO acres, and on it have a one
and a half story frame residence with eight

and merits its standing in the community. He
rents and farms two hundred acres of land.
.\!r. Dirk's birth will long be remembered by
those who came to this country with his par-
ents because it is said they occupied a box
car on a siding in Pawnee Rock at the time of
his birth, and that he first saw the light in
such surroundings. From that fact it was
then argued that he would be a great traveler
and never settle down to a peaceful life, but
he has and is one of the most contented in his
conimunily and rarely rides in anything faster
than an automobile.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

169

GEORGE BAUER

GEORGE BAUER who lives four miles
northeast of Fawi.ee Rock was born
February 14, 1S41, in the Province of
Bavaria, Germany, and came to the United
States with his parents in 1S52. They at first
made their home near Cincinnati. Ohio, where
they settled permanently. He was educated
in the public schools and found employment
there until August, 1S61, and then enlisted as
a private in Company B, 25th Ohio Volunteers,
and served four years, being discharged at At-
lanta, Georgia, while on the March to the Sea
under General Sherman. He was wounded in
the left hip in the battle of Chickamauga and
was in the battle at Mill Springs, where Gen-
eral Zollacoffer was killed, also at Perryville,
Kentucky, and numerous other smaller en-
gagements and skirmishes. He was in the di-
vision and corps commanded by Gen. Thomas
and the brigade connnanded by General Cook,
and as they were fighters of note it is evi-
dent that this soldiering experience was no
child's play although Mr. Bauer is inclined

least bcastful than many. George Bauer came
to Barton County, Kansas, in the spring of 1876
and being an ex-soldier, entered a homestead
of 160 acres. This he proved up and at a later
period bought an additional eighty on the same
secticn which makes a farm of 240 acres. It is
in a high state of cultivation and improved
with a one story frame c:;ttage, containing
nine rooms. A good barn, granary and other
outbuildings are also found on the place. Tree
culture seems to be a thankless task in this
neighborhood and attempts in this line have
heretofore been of no avail, but Mr. Bauer
still hcpes that his efforts will be crowned
with success and that he may in time enclose
his premises with a park. George Bauer was
married to Miss Maggie Stump of Cowley coun-
ty, Kansas, April 12, 1ST4. She died on August
2G, 1905. Jlr. Bauer has three living children
as follows: Jlrs. Ada Shorpy who lives with
her father and cares for his home. Mrs. Knnna
Lamb of Pawnee coutity and Miss Laura Bauer
residing in Larned, Kansas.

PAUL FRANCIS AND MELISSA ANN SCHNECK

THE subjects of this sketch, Paul Francis
and Melissa Ann Schneck, were mem-
bers of the first party of emigrants to
arrive on the townsite of Great Bend, and they
possibly erected the first house. This little
frame structure is shown as the "L" in the
picture of their residence taken in 1S71, and
it first stcod on a lot in the town. It has,
however, quite a history, as it has made sev-

a shoi't distance from the town experienced
great fear. For this reas'^n, Mr. Schneck for
a long time kept a truck that conformed to
the size of his little shack, and the rumor of
a massacre in another iiarl of Western Kan-
sas often drove the family and their house on
wheels back to the settlement. The mules
which brought this i)arty from Illinois were
the nuiin dependence of the family, and when

Early Home of Paul Francis and Melissa Ann Schneck

eral journeys between the village and their
homestead before becoming a part of its per-
manent structure. These first settlers suffered
many hardships and were persecuted continu-
ously by bands of roving Indians, and those
who attempted to work the land on claims only

not engaged breaking and cultivating the land
helped to haul the material t ) build the pres-
ent court house, the old Southern Hotel and
the first Santa Fe depot. Mr. Schneck was
lured by the game so plentiful at that period
and made his pleasure a source of prolit by

170

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

bunting buffalo, deer, antelope, prairie chick-
ens, etf.. and selling the meat and pelts. He
often made trips extending over weeks, leaving
his wife as the protector of the home and lit-

ruary 26th, 1911, and was laid to rest in the
cemetery at Great Bend by sorrowing but lov-
ing friends. He was a noble comrade, faithful
soldier and pathfinder and his go:;d deeds re-

Present Home of Meli.s.sa Ann Schneck

tie ones, and this she ronienibers as one cf her
greatest trials; for it was during an absence
of this kind that the death of little William
Francis occurred on January 4th. 1S72. He

deem his few faults.

.Melissa Ann Fowler Schncck was born
October 27, 1S42, on a canal boat on the Mil-
lionville river, Ohio, and is the daughter of

Harvestinj; Scene On t lie Sell neck Farm

was encased in a coffin made by a willing car-
penter and laid to rest by loving neighbors.

Paul Francis Schneck served during the
civil war as a private in Co. H, 2nd Illinois
artillery. He died in Great Bend, Kansas, Fcb-

William and Mary Fowler of Perryburg, Ohio.
The father was a miller and owner of a can il
boat, but both parents died before Melissa was
six years of ago and she grew t ) womanhood
in the home of an aunt at Florence, Michigan.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

171

On December 26, 1S66, at the age of twenty-two
she married Paul Francis Schnecl\, at Flor-
ence, Michigan. She is the mother of nine
children, six of whom are living: Mrs. James
McDonald, six miles south of Stafford; Mrs.
Lizzie Ruble, Great Bend; Mrs. Rosa Belle
Land, Great Bend; Frank Schntck, farmer of
near Larned; Bertie Lougee Schneck, farmer
on home place and Miss Emma J. Schneck.
Early in 1867 Mr. and Mrs. Schneck left

Michigan for Quincy, lUiuDis, where they made
their home for five years, or \intil August, ISTl
when they came to the newly located town of
Great Bend. They came overland in a wagon
drawn by mules, and were accompanied by
their three children, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis P.
Frey and Thompson Frey. The homestead
located by them is four miles northwest of
the court house, is a part of their present well
tilled farm, and is very fertile.

PETER J. DECKERT

The Home of Peter J. Deckert

THE life story of Peter J. Deckert of
"Silver Medal Farm," three miles north
of Pawnee Rock if told in any other
state or county would read like fiction. He
was born April 8, 1S72, in Russian Poland,
and his father died shortly afterwards. In the
spring cf 1874 his mother was married to Peter
H. Dirks now living in Liberty township and
with them he came to the United States and
Barton County, Kansas, in the spring of 1S75.
They at first were members cf the .Mennonite
Colony which settled near Dundee, but in 1877
the step-father purchased a heme near the
western border cf the cornty and it was there
that young Peter grew to manhood on the
farm, and received his education in the schools
of that district. At an early age he learned the
value of money and how to save it by passing
through the hard times that foll:wed, or really
only began in 1S93 when he had reached the
age of twenty-one. There had been hard per-
iods previous to that time but for four years
there were almost complete crop failures and
when in 1897 the good crops came Mr. Deckert
had learned the lesson that was necessary to
make him the practical farmer and prudent
business man that he is today. Two good

crops enabled him to marry and purchase a
quarter section of land and from that date he
began to accumulate and lay the foundatiTU
for liis present prosperity. Today he owns four
hundred acres of Ibe finest agricultural land
in Pawnee Rock township and he has it in the
best possible state of cultivati :n. His home is
a three story frame with thirleen large airy
rooms. It is well and niodernly furnishi'd,
beautifully painted and surrounded by a grass
plot in which there are set numerous trees.
shrul:s and iilant?. The barn is 30 by 46 and
has a large bay loft and stall f.:r all stock in
I se on the farm. There is a good granary,
macliinery shed and the other necessary out-
buildings, and three good windmills. Tlicie is
also another twj stor.v, eight room ienant
house with a good barn 40 by 60 with niachin.'
sheds and other buildings and this is occupied
by his farm help. In the front is a blue grass
plot and a number of evergreens. Peter J.
Deckert and Miss Susan RatzlafT of Pawnee
Rock township were married November 9, 189.^,
iuid they have been blessed with the following
(hildrin: Lyndon, 12; Krben, 9; Otto, 7; \i-
bin, 4; Louise, 2, and Ivan, an infant of two
mouths, at this writing.

172

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

WILLIAM VA

Wl II.I'IA.M VAUM'.M AUAMo was born ii.
W' Ai-mstrong County, Pa., July 22, lUiO
He resided in his native stale until
1904, at which time he came to Barton County,
Kansas. He located on land south of the river
which was purchased by his father. Captain
James Adams, from 1). N. Heizer, in 1SS4, in
South Bend township, four miles south of the
city cf Great Bend and began the building of
a home. How well he has succeeded is evi-
denced by the fine improvements to be found
there. This land which consists of 200 acres,
is located in section 21, township 20, range 13.
His residence which has recently been fin-
ished consists of two stories with eleven

RNUM ADAMS

billiard room all of theni being finished in
keeping with the lower floor. The lower rooms
are furnished with leather upholstered furni-
ture of modern design and altogether Mr.
Adams has a home of which he should be
liroud. The barn which is 32 by 40 with a loft
callable of c:nlaining a great amount of hay is
equipped with automotic lifts, has a cement
floor and stall room for all the animals that
Ml'. Adams needs in his business. There are
two largo granaries and all the other out-
buildings needed to make a thoroughly
ecjuipped farm. The place is equipped with
an individual electric lighting plant, pressure-
water system and the live stock maintained by

rooms, exclusive of the garret and basement.
II is built according to plans made by Mr.
Adams and is one of the best arranged h:mes
to l;o found in Barton County. The front and
half of the south and north sides cf the build-
ing are enclosed by a cement floored porch
with a roof like the roof on the building pro|ior
and kn:;wn as a sweep design. The interior
of the buildiTig is finished in stucco ceilings
and walls with the wood work stained a light
oak shade. The parlor and dining room open
one into the other with a wide i)assage way
on either side of which are heavy i)illars.
The kitchen and other rooms are well sup-
plied with closets and pantries. On the upper
floor are found the bed rooms, bath room and

(lams

.Mr. Adams while not of the thoroughbred or
fancy kind is ample for all needs. Mr. Adams
was married in 1S91 in Kitianing. Armstr.:ng
County Pa., to Mia AUie Phillips. They are
the ijarents cf five children: Frank, 20 years
of age; George, 19 years of age: Willis, 17
years of age; Jolm, 15 years of age; Hazel, 12
years. All the children are at home and are
being educated in the s<diools of Barton Coun-
ty. Mr. Adams has been a most successful
farmer as he farms according to modern
methods and to this fact and thai he has taken
the g:od years with the bad and made an
average of them, wlihoul being discouraged
he owes his success.

.1. \V. SODKIiSTROM

OF the men who came to Barton County in
Ihe early days, at a lime when Indians
and buffaloes disputed the encroacli-
nient of the white man, on what they consid-

ereil tlieir sole territory, none is better or
more favorably known than J. W. Soderslrom.
Hi' was born in Altoona, Knox County. Illi-
nois, in 1859, and came to Kansas with his par-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

173

ents — John Olaf, and Mrs. Louisa Soderstrom,
in 1878, when he was eighteen years of age.
The elder Soderstrom imrehased land in Osage
County, just west of the Osage Indian reserva-
tion and J. W. remained there for ten years,
spending part of the time en the farm and the

J. W. Soderstrom

remainder of the time he was following his
trade of carpenter in different parts of that
section of the state. He came to Barton Coun-
ty in 18S7, and bought land one and a half
miles north of Hoisington. He remained on
this farm for eight years and then moved to
the town of Hoisington and in the fall of 1902

was elected to the office of county treasurer.
He came to Great Bend in 1903 to assume the
duties of this office and has remained here
since that time. He served this term and gave
way to Frank Millard who served two terms
and he in turn retired in in 1908 in favor of
Mr. Soderstrom who was again elected in
1907. He was re-elected in 1910 and is now
finishing his second successive term. .Mr. Sod-
erstrom has always taken an active part in
public affairs and in addition t) the office ho
now holds he has been a member of the school
board at district No. 97, a member of the
council in Hoisington and in liHlS was deputy
assessor in Great Bend. Mr. Soderstrom is
tbe father of three children: Frank A., twen-
ty-six years old, assistant cashier of the Peo-
ples State Bank of Hoisingtrn: Klma H, who
graduated from the State University in 1905
and is now teaching in the schools of Hoising-
ton; Winnie, fifteen- years of age, a i)ui)il in
the Great Bend High school. Mr. Soderstrom
is a member of the Great Bend lodge of Klks,
the A. O. U. W. and wears a "25" year emblem
of the Odd Fellows, having been a member of
this order f:r twenty-seven years. In all his
work for the public Mr. Soderstrom has al-
ways given his best efforts from the lime he
was township clerk and trustee, to his present
position as one of the most important officers
of the county. His recollections of the early
days wculd make a volume inasmuch as he
was here at a time when the develoiitnent of
the county was just beginning and he has
seen it grow from almost a barren waste to
its present high state of cultivation and stand-
ing among the counties of the state. During
all this time he has always been found with
the progressive and public spiritinl element
and has been a sound, substantial citizen.

GEORGE LEWIS BESSLER

>1 EORGE LEWIS BESSLER was born in
■J Germany in 1876 and with his parents
came to America in 1882. His parents
located at Toledo, Ohio, where George went to
school. In 1898 when the war with Spain was
declared he enlisted in the 6th Ohio Volunteer
Infantry and he was with his company in Cuba.
He served thirteen months in the army and
upon his discharge returned to Toledo where
he remained a short time before going to New
York where he accepted a position as steward
on one of the big ocean liners. He followed
this business for three years after which he
again returned to his home town, Toledo, and
from there came to Barton County in 1904
during the harvest season. He accepted a po-

sition with the E. K. Moses Mercantile Co. and
was connected with this firm utnil 1908. He
then took up the occupation cf farming which
be followed for two years at the end of which
time he again entered the mercantile business
and at the time of this writing is preparing
to open a modern second hand store where he
will also carry a good stock of new furniture.
His business is Iccatod in the Cook Building
on the east side of the public s(|uare. Mr.
Hessler is an enterprising and progressive cit-
izen and finds time to take a deep interest in
the public affairs of the community in which
he lives and in all public nuitters is found
with the progressive element.

WILSON M. ZIEBER

WILSON M. ZIEBER was born November
14, 1859 at Philadelphia. Pa. He re-
mained in the Quaker State until he was twen-
ty years of age, and received his early educa-

tion there. He entered what is now known as
the North Indiana University where he was a
student for two years. He came to Harvey
County, Kansas, in 1SS2, and taught in the

174

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

schools of that comity for two years. From
there he moved to Barton County in 1SS4 and
engaged in the nursery business, traveling all
over this section of the country supplying the
farmers with nursery products. Realizing the
necessity for a first class nursery in the coun-
ty, he purchased the business of William Res-
ter located a short distance east of Pawuei

Maple and Elm trees. In addition to the land
mentioned above Mr. Zieber owns three quar-
ter sections of land in Barton County and 160
acre.s in Ness County. He was married in
November, 1890, to Miss Armeta Miller and
they are the parents of eight children: Les-
ter, 20 years; Gertrure K., 18 years; George
A , 17 years: Warren M., 16 years; Eva A., 14;

Home and Farm of Wilson M . Zieber

Rock. He immediately made a number of im>
provements and as his business grew in vol-
ume it became necessary for him t) have more
land. In 1S91 he bought eighty acres one mile
and a half northeast of Pawnee Rock, and in
1893 added another eighty acres adjoining.
This nursery is now recognized as the leader
in this line of busine-ss in this section of the
country and its i)roducts are shipped to all
parts of the Great Southwest. Mr. Zieber car-
ries a fine line of trees and shrubs as well as
flowers and plants and makes a specialty of

Mary I.,., 12 years; Katheryn .1., 6 years; Flor-
ence v.. 4 years. All of these are living at
home; Lester being at home when he is not
attending the Agricultural Callege at Man-
hattan where he is now a student. Mr. Zie-
ber has had a great deal of experience in the
nursery business and the products from his
establishment are known in all parts of this
and surrounding states where the best in
trees, flowers and shrubbery are appreciated.
His home place is located a short distance
east of Pawnee Rock.

JAMES R. EWING

THE "J. R. Ewing Thoroughbred Stock
and Alfalfa Farm," which is located
eleven miles west of Great Bend, cov-
ers f;ur hundred acres of the choicest of Bar-
ton County's tillable land and is all that its
name implies. Its owner. James R. Ewing, is
a fancier of thoroughbreds, and his specialties
are Black and Gray Percheron horses. Short-
horn Cattle, Rig Boned English Berkshire hogs
and Rhode Island Red chickens. The house
is a two story frame with eleven rooms; the
barn 40x64; the poultry house large and mod-
ern, and there is an automobile garage, wind-
mills and numerous outbuildings. The farm is
set in corn, wheat and forage crops, and a

g.;odly portion in alfalfa and native grasses.
In fact it has been planned for a breeding
farm and has the necessary appurtenances.
On it at this time is "Kansas King," a thor-
oughbred registered Black Percheron stallion
and eleven registered brood mares of the same
breed. Two of these mares are said to be
wrth above $1,000 each, and the value of
"Kansas King" has not been fixed as he is not
yet two years old and is said to be one of the
largest colts ever bred in the county. "Deer-
ing Archer," a thoroughbred Shorthorn bull,
and six Shorthorn cows — all from imported
stock. A herd of Big B-ned English Berk-
shire hogs and a flock of Rhode Isiand Red

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

175

chickens. These animals have been bred for
sale from sires imported at great cost, with a
view to bettering the stock of the covinty, and
are the result of many years of effort, and Mr.

der (ire; but escaped with a scratch across the
f rehead, a grazed arm, and a hat shot from
his head. He faced Price, Marniaduke, Bee
and D wight at the battles of Ft. DoRusa, Pleas-

H o m e of James R . E \v i n o-

Ewing deserves much credit for being the
pioneer in his line.

James R. Ewing was born February luth,
1S40, in Crawford County, Pa., but in 1S57
moved to Webster County, Iowa, where he en-
gaged in farming. On .July 14th. 1S61, he was
married to Miss Hannah Elizabeth Cline, of
that county, and they have four children:
David A.. Fred H. and Harve Ewing, all farm-
ing in Barton County, and Mrs. Blanche Nairn
of Pawnee County. On August 22nd, 1S62, he
entered the United States army as a private
in Co. I, 32nd Iowa Volunteers and served dur-
ing the remainder of the civil war. He was in
eight general engagements, many skirmishes,
and was at one time for thirty-one days un-

ant Hill, Manefield. Old Oaks, Lake Checot,
Mineral Point, Big Blue and Nashville, and
was at the taking of Ft. Blakeny, Ala., on the
14th day of April, 1S65. After the close of the
war he returned to his home in Iowa and took
up farming again until coming to Barton
County on November 13th, 1SS5, when he
bought a secti:n of land where he now re-
sides. Although about seventy-two he is well
preserved and actively engaged every working
day, and drives his automobile as recklessly
as the younger generation. Mrs. Ewing is also
a well preserved lady, and has been a true
hel])niate for her energetic husband. She can
yet attend to her household work and assist
out of doors, and is very proud to do so.

HENRY ESSMILLER

TWENTY-EIGHT years ago this spring
Henry Essmiller was employed by Fritz
Hagleman as a farm hand to labor on
the farm which he now owns and inliabits is
his home at the meager wage of $150 per an-
num. Ten years later, in 1S93 — he purchased
the farm, and today is the owner of thirteen
hundred and forty acres, located as follows:
The home place, seven and one-half miles west
of Great Bend, contains three hundred and
eighty acres; one hundred and sixty in a near-
by section; an eighty acre tract, and a two hun-
dred and forty acre tract near Heizer, and
four hundred and eighty acres near Rozel in
Pawnee County. These various tracts are all

well improved and in a high state of cultiva-
tion. The soil is rich and these are choice
farms, selected for their productiveness fr-;m
the best body of lands in the entire State of
Kansas. Besides this Mr. Essmiller has other
investments of considerable magnitude and
some money drawing a good rate of interest.

When the family home, banis and various
other buildings were erected, we imagine that
Mr. Essmiller was not as well fixed financially
as he is today, although everything is com-
fortable and of a substantial nature. What
we mean is that there has been no attempt at
display in fashioning his surroundings, but
every care has been taken that his family, help

176

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORt

and live stock should have all that is neces-
sary for their comfort at the present, in order
thai greater and better buildings may take
their place at a future date. Every dollar in-
vested has been made to represent one hun-
dred cents in betterment and has played its
pHrt in earning another dollar to buy more
land. i)\irihg harvest time and the threshing

which include the milking of fifteen to eith-
teen cows, and caring for ether cattle, hogs,
horses and mules which are bred and worked
on a farm like this.

Henry Essmiller was born in the Province
of Hanover, Germany, on January 30th, 1862,
(ind emiitratod to America when eighteen years
of ago. H(i Ihlidu his home in LaC'rosse Coun-

Farm and Home of Henry Essmilier

season these farms present a busy scene with
their army of laborers garnering the golden
grain, while uther men work at plowing corn,
mowing alfalfa breaking the fields for seed-
ing time. Then again at morning, noon and
night, when they gather around the board to
partake of the bounteous fare, and go singing
about the barns and lots "doing their chores,"

ty, Wisconsin, for three years, and in 1SS3
came to Barton County. He was married to
Miss Delia Sandman of La Crosse County,
Wisconsin, on February 28th, 1889, and they
have two children: Zolphia, wife of Henry
Otte and William 1). Kssniillcr, who assists his
father en the farm when not in school.

HARRY HOARD HOLMES

'^'^ I lie home of Harry Hoard and Violet
_|_ l-ouise Sowards Holmes, "Riverside
Stock Farm," distant three and one-
half miles southwest from Great Fiend, lies be-
tween the Santa Fe tracks and th ' Arkansas
river. The residence and surroundings are
very pleasing to the eye. The house, located
on a m;und, is ai)proached through an avenue
of towering locusts, the boughs meeting over-
head. Forest trees of other kinds tower in the
background protecting the grass plot which
is kept green and plentifully sprinkled with
I lowering plants and shrubs. The house is a
two story white frame, with nine large airy
rooms, sits high on its foundation, the ceil-
ings are high, and the many gables and
porches add to its attractiveness. The furn-
ishings are both modern and elegant, and it is
piped for lights and water. The main barn is

24x32, with a fifteen foot shed on three sides.
Then comes the garage, cattle barn, granaries,
chicken and hog houses, etc., and there are
two cottages for tenants on other parts of the
farm. The place c ::vers five hundred acres of
the most fertile of the famous Arkansas Val-
ley and is in a high state of cultivation; but
it more properly classes with the stock farms
of the county, and is stocked with thorough-
bred Shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs
that have taken many prizes at the Nebraska
State Fair. Hutchinson, Kansas City and St.
Louis. Fifty-five or sixty Sh;;rthorns browse
the meadow lands, and the head herder is "Roy-
al Rainsden," who has never been defeated for
a prize as a calf, yearling, senior yearling, or
a two year old at the Nebraska State Fair.
Then there are two or three females that have
novel- been defeated in their class, having

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

177

taken first at Hutchinson in 1910, and a high
prize at the American Royal Stock Show at
Kansas City. His hogs are the best bred in the
state and are Duroc Jerseys; being sired by
"Helen's Wonder" and by "Mayboy," grand
chainijion at the World's fair, St. Louis.

Harry Hoard Holmes was born February
20, 1S6S, in Chicago, and is the son of George
Lincoln Holmes and Helen 0. Kellog. The
father, before coming to Great Bend on June

he arrived here and was educated in the public
schools of Chicago and Groat Bend. Ho be-
came infatuated with railroading and prepared
himself for aiv engineer, and for one year held
a position as engineer on the Michigan Cen-
tral out of Chicago. He transferred to the
Santa Fe system and for six years ran out of
Chicago, Newton and Dodge City. His earn-
ings were invested with his father in the pur-
chase of the five hundred acres surrounding his

^^ K

Home of Harry Hoard Holmes

6, 1SS4, was cashier of the Chicago postoffice
and connected with the Merchants National
Bank of Chicago. He made his home on the
ranch for twelve years and died on August 23,
1S96.

George L. DeVilliars Holmes, a son, who
died August 14, 1SS6, was a member of the
family when coming to this county, as well as
Mrs. Sophia Hoard Holmes, the mother and
grandmother, who died June 3, 190S. Henry
Hoard Holmes was sixteen years of age when

home, and in improvements and in stocking
the ranch. He is now well contented with
farm life and the pleasure of breeding thor-
oughbred stock for the market.

Harry Hoard Holmes and Miss Viola Sow-
ards, the only child of Marion F. and Mary
Rowell Sowards, of Barton County, were un-
ited in marriage on April 13, 1890, and they
have one interesting daughter, Miss Helen
Hoard Holmes, as a pledge of that union.

FARM OF RUHE BROS.

THE history of the Rube Bros.'s farm, be-
gins with the marriage of William
Ruhe and Miss Christina Franka, both
of Westphalia, Germany, which occurred on
October 3, 1853, and their arrival in America
in 1860. Wm. Ruhe was born in 1832,
and Christina his wife, on February
21, 1836. The father learned the trade of stone
mason, married and two years later they sailed
away to this new world to seek their fortune.
How they and their children have succeeded
is the object of this sketch. They first made
their home in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they
lived for thirteen years, and then removed to
Manchester, Dearborn County, Indiana, the hus-

band earning his living by his trade. On Oc-
tober 20th, 1877, they landed in Barton County,
and their possessions were somewhat limited.
On their arrival in this county their real strug-
gle began; the father securing work at his
trade or otherwise, while the wife and children
herded cattle and did what they could to help.
Finally forty acres of school land was bought,
seven miles northwest of Great Bend, and a
home made, and with the soil under them
I)rosperity began. This home was finally sold
and another tract of school land, three and
one-half miles west cf the county seat was
bought, and as this contained two hundred
and forty acres they have since made it their

178

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

home. The estate now includes this home
farm, one hundred and sixty in Liberty town-
ship, and a half section near Dodge City. The
father died on April 19th. and the mother on
November 16th, 1905. The surviving children
are: Carrie, wife of August Rodenberg, near
Dundee; Emma, wife of Fred Windhorst, Bel-
pre; and William F., Fred, John H., Chris.
W., Henry H., Christina and Herman \\'.. all
living on the homestead.

The home farm is in a high state of culti-
vation and shows that the lluhe Urothers are
up-to-date farmers, and the improvements are
both substantial and ample for the needs of
the place. The home is a one story frame, and
there is a good barn, granary and other out-
buildings. These are surrounded by a grove
of trees which break the winds and afford
shelter for stock and fowls.

THOMAS HENRY WHITE

THOMAS HENRY WHITE was born in
Ontonagon County, Michigan, May 28,
1S61. He remained there until he was
twenty-nine years of age. He learned the
blacksmithing trade and came to Rarton
County in 1SS9. He is a son of Thomas White
who came to this county in 1S77 and located
on land in Walnut township. He died in 1S9T

which he owns and he has one of the most at-
tractive home places to be found in that sec-
tion of the county. The residence which is
nicely situated and surrounded by trees con-
tains eight rooms in addition to closets, pan-
tries, etc. The barn '» 60 by 28 feet and will
be replaced by a larger and belter one in the
near future. Mr. White has found time to

H o mi' of T h I) 111 as He ii r v W li i I e

after having been among the foremost men in
developing that part of Barton County. His
death was a shock to all his friends of whom
he had scores in all parts of the county. The
younger White was married to .Miss Eva Lang-
ford in Eureka township, November 26. 1891,
and they are the parents of seven children as
follows: I.«ah, 19 years; Agnes S. IT; Clar-
ence T., 14 years; Lydia, 11 years; Leonard,
9 years; Lola 7 years and Odah who is four
months of age at this writing. Mr. White farms
240 acres of land in Eureka township all of

take an active |)art in the affairs of his town-
ship and is a niembr of the scho::l board. He
is one of the men who has had a great deal to
do with the developing of the resources of
that iiart of the county and is one of the men
to whom Barton County owes its high stand-
ing among the best of counties of the State of
Kansas and one of the most productive agri-
cultural sections of the entire country. Mr.
White is an enterprising and progressive cit-
izen and enjoys a large acquaintance in all
parts of the county.

FRED DUMKOW

HE fall of 1SS5 saw Fred Dumkow
thoroughly disgusted with life in Chi-
cago and he determined to try his for-
tune in Kansas. He had come from Berlin,

Germany, five years previously to ply his
trade as a bricklayer, but he found that the
pay of four dollars per day was not piling up
the fortune he had come to America to make

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

179

fast enough, and he must seek other fields. He
desired to be identified with the soil; get down
in it and dig. and see his fat and sleek herds
come home at night. Uncle Sam offered free
homes to naturalized Dutchmen and this was
the lure that located him in Barton County.
He arrived in Great Bend November S, 1S85,
and located a homestead of forty acres fifteen
miles northwest. Later he purchased enough
at ten dollars per acre to make o\it a quarter
section, and is now a contented farmer reap-
ing his crops and owing no man. He has this
improved with a comfortable cottage, barns
and other buildings, and his fields show the
most careful tilling. He also has another farm
of a halt section seven miles northeast of Ness
City, which is also well improved and in cul-
tivation, so he takes lite easy, and says he
much prefers this life to his former existence
in Chicago where the week's wage was usually
spent before the next pay day.

During his first five years in the county he
followed his trade and at iirst layed brick for
one dollar and fifty cents per day. That was
the scale paid here then and he was glad to
get the work, although he had moved away

from a city where there was plenty to do and
the wages much better. He finally got work
from the county and built several abutments
for county bridges, and also laid the brick in
the Walnut Creek .Mill flue.

Frederick Duuikow, born in the vicinity of
Berlin, Germany, May 14th, 1S51, and Matilda
Baruth, born January 17th, 1852, in the same
county, were married September 29th, 1S74.
They have two married daughters living in
their nelghborliood: Bertie, the wife of Daniel
M. Converse; and Minnie, the wife of John
Oetken.

"Cottonwood Grove," as this farm is now
called, occupies a place in Barton County's his-
tory, as it was for a number of years a post-
office and stage stand during the pioneer days,
and there the hungry were refreshed and the
mail dispersed by Postmaster Wilkinson, who
will be remembered by many now living. The
advent of the railroad and rural routes chang-
ed this for the better years ago, but the mem-
ories of those early days still cling to this
farm and are often mentioned by those who
talk over "old times."

GUSTAV SELLE

ONE of the most successful of the enter-
prising and progressive farmers of
South Bend township is Gustav Selle,
whose heme place is located in section 10 of
that township where he owns a half section of

Gustav has resided here since his arrival all
of the time with the exception of vacation
trips to California and other parts of tl>e
country. He lived north of Ellinwood until
1897, when he moved to South Bend township.

Home of Gustav Selle

land. Mr. Selle was born in Westphalen, Ger-
many, February 10, 1872. He came direct to
Barton County from Germany in 1884 with his
parents who located north of Ellinwood. His
parents are now living in Pratt County, but

Mr. Selle is an enterprising and prcgresslve
farmer as is evidenced by the high class of
improvements to be found en his home place.
A neatly arranged and well built residence
contains six rooms in addition to pantries.

180

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

closets, etc. The bam is roomy and well built
and iiicliKliiig tbe automobile garage is 3G by
40 feet in dimensions. The elevator is 24 by
34 feet and has a capacity for holding 7,500
bushels of grain. Mr. Selle was married in
1902 to Miss Kmma Senders and they are the
parents of two children: Ix)reua, si.\ years
of age and Clyde, three years of age, the for-
mer having begun her education in the schools

of the county while Clyde will probably begin
his studies the coming school term. The sur-
roundings on Mr. Selle's home place are pleas-
ing, there being plenty of shade trees, and
shrubbery. The buildings are neatly and con-
veniently arranged and altogether Mr. Selle
has one of the ni:;st desirable locations in
South Bend township.

GEORGE WASHlXdTOX H.\RT

GICORGK WASHINGTON HART was born
February 22, 1S43, in Krie County, Pa.
He resided in his native state until he
was thirty-three years of age. He came direct
to Barton County from Pennsylvania in ISTS
at a time when there were very few houses in
Great Bend, and tlie county was not developed
to any extent. He bought hind .'^outh of the

three children: Jessie .May who is 32 years
of age and is now .Mrs. 10. K. Smith; Roy K.
is 26 years old and is engaged in the farming
business near Macksville. Kansas; F:;rrest, 20
years of age, is a student in the Great Bend
High School. In addition to the residence the
barn and other outbuildings are constructed
in a substantial manner and a small orchard

Homo of Gcorcc W. Hart;

river in South Bend township. This land is
now his home place and consists of 2S0 acres
all of which is farmed under the i)ersonal su-
pervision of Mr. Hart. The home place which
is but a mile and a half from Great Bend has
on it one of the most modern and substantial
residences to be found in that part of the
county. The building consists cf S rooms in
addition to the bath, closets, pantries, base-
ment, etc. The house is lighted with an acety-
lene gas plant, heated by furnace and is mod-
ern throughout. The house is 30 by SO feet in
dimensions and has beautiful surroundings.
Mr. Hart was married at Erie, Pa., in 1S7T, to
Miss Hattie Elliott. They are the parents of

consisting of about one acre and a half and
containing a large variety of trees is also
found near the home building. The farm is
stocked with a gocd grade of cattle and horses
and Mr. Hart has taken no small part in the
work of development of that part of the coun-
ty lying south of the river and making of it
one of the most desirable sections in this part
of the state. Mr. Hart is familiar with the
early history of the county as he is one of the
really old timers and took an active part in
reclaiming the land in this county and making
it what it is today, one of the best counties in
the State of Kansas.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

181

F. H. EWING

THE "F. H, Evviiig Pedigreed Stock Farm,"
located eleven and one-half miles west
of Great Bend, is owned and managed
by F. H. Ewing cS: Co., a firm composed of the

the acres, hut corn, oats, Kaffir corn, alfalfa
Wyandotte chickens. This farm covers three
hundred and twenty acres, and Mr. Ewing
owns another farm of four hundred and eighty

Residence of F . H . Ewing

father and sons. They breed and sell thor-SSi Baml native grass all are grown, and the mead-
oughbred Black Percheron horses. Shetland ows are dotted with thoroughbred stock, whose

ponies of the Scotch type, pure blooded Short- ancestry came from across the ocean. This

F. H. Ewing Stock Farm

horn cattle, Poland China hogs and White
acres in Pawnee County. Both are well im-
proved, well cultivated, and are valuable
bodies of land. "King whea*." seeds most of

branch of the farm's business has been of slow
growth, but Mr. Ewing has gradually collected
his herds and will eventually make it his lead-
ing business, although his stock has been

182

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

shipped to many counties in the state since he
has been a breeder. He has been an exhibitor
and has many prizes to show that prove his
animals to be the very best of their type in
the state. The iniprovemonts on this farm
are a two story white frame house of eleven
rooms; a barn 4SxS0; an elevator, garage,
poultry house and numerous other small
buildings. The premises are well fenced and
well cared for and many trees and i)lants add
beauty.

Fred H. Ewing was born April Tth, 1S73,

near Lehigh, Webster County, Iowa, and is the
second son of John R. and Hannah Klizabeth
Ewing. He came to Barton County in 1SS5
with his parents and grew to manhood here.
He was educated in the public schools of his
district and at the Central Normal College of
Great Bend, and was trained as a farmer and
breeder by his father. On June 8th, 1S9S, he
married Miss Lucy Gilmore, of Great Bend,
and they have been blessed with four children:
Lionel Frederick, 12; James Lowell, 6; Cleva
lolene, 3; and Olita Margaret, 1.

JAMES THOMAS IMcDONALD

JAMES THOMAS McDOXALD was born
February 15, 1S71 in Hampshire County,
West Virginia. In the same year he came
to Missouri with his parents. He remained
there for eleven years and then came to
Franklin County, Kansas. After living in that

Donald was married to Miss Leana OUie
Schneck. The home i)Iace has a residence of
eight rooms, a large barn 32 by 40 feet with
a big loft. Mr. McDonald has made one of the
best farms in that section of the country, of
his heme place and of course has seen good

Home of James Thomas McDonald

county for five years he came to Stafford
County and from there came to Barton Coun-
ty in 1901, and immediately began the busi-
ness of farming. He owns a well improved
quarter section six miles south of Great Bend
which he farms himself. In addition to his
home place he also farms a quarter section of
land west and from this it can be seen that he
is a mighty busy man. In 1S95 he was married
to Miss Daisy D. Piper and to this union there
were born three children: Earl Thomas, sev-
enteen years of age; Edna D., twelve years
of age, and Elma Viola who died in 1910 when
she was beven years of age. In 1904 Mr. Mc-

and bad years during his eleven years resi-
dence in Barton County. On an average how-
ever he has done well and his place is main-
tained according to the best farming methods.
The best of live stock, both cattle and horses
are maiintained by Mr. McDonald and that he
is a good farmer and understands modern
methods is evidenced on every side. He is
one of the many farmers who came here early
in the present century and it is due to their
efforts as much as those who came in the
wild and wooly days that Barton County oc-
cupies such a prominent position in the list of
the best agricultural counties of the state.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

183

PAUL JAMES PASCOE

PAUL JAMES PASCOE was born in Rock-
land. Ontanogan County, Michigan, July
29, INOl. He is a son of J. W. Pascoe,
and was one of the first English speaking
boys in Barton County. His father whose
biography is found in another part of this
book came to Kansas in the spring ct 1S71 and
first located in Russell County where he re-
mained a short time and then returned to
Michigan. He stayed there for a year and re-
turned to Kansas and since that time has

improved and most attractive country homes
to be found in that township. The residence
has S rooms in addition to the bath room,
closets, pantries, etc., while the barn is 32 by
40 feet with a lean-to 16 by 40. The other out-
liuildings are well built and show that Mr.
Pascoe is an enterprising farmer. The home
place is surrounded by fine shade trees and
a small orchard adds to the general appear-
ance. Mr. Pascoe has been a member of the
school board for a number of years and always

Residence of Paul James Pascoe

been one of the best known farmers of Barton
County. Paul James Pascoe has been farming
for himself for the past twenty-two years and
owns the west half of section 30, Eureka town-
ship. He was married in June, 1SS5, to Miss
Mary Anne White and they are the parents
of six children as follows: John Thomas, 25
years of age; Richard West, 24 years; Myrel
Grace, 22 years; Paul James, Jr., 17 years;
May, 10 years and Lillian, 6 years. All the
children are at home with the exception of
Myrel Grace who is now Mrs. Phillip Dyer of
this county. Mr. Pascoe has one of the best

takes a great interest in affairs that concern
the welfare of the community in which he
lives. The Pascoe family is one of those
whose members have had so much to do with
the development cf the county and the subject
of this sketch can recall the limes when the
buffaloes were disputing the territory that is
now Barton County. He is familiar with the,
early day history which he had no small part
in making. The home place was located by
his father in 1S73 and is located on the north
side of Walnut creek.

JOST WARNKEN

THE History of Barton County cannot be
written without giving due credit to
the German-American who helped first
in its settlement and sowed the seed of gond
citizenship. The customs and laws of the
mother country had bred in them habits of
industry and economy and they began their
lives here better fitted to battle with the trials
incident to a new settlement than were their

neighbors of American birth. The result has
been an industrious, economical population,
cultivating their fields with scrupulous care,
and the erection cf improvements of a perma-
nent character. One race has learned from the
other; both have been benefitted and neither
is like the original stock. The German has
progressed until the most enter|)rizing citizens
of the county are of that class; while the

184

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

American has become more conservative in his
investments and manner of doing business.
That is one reason why Barton County has
been so blessed in the past, and is sa firmly
founded in frugal ways that it will always con-
tinue to be a prosperous county.

Jost Warnken was born on a farm near
Bremen, Germany, March 4th., 1S59, and emi-
grated to America in the fall of 1879. He first
went to Pueblo, Colorado, where he was em-
ployed on a farm for one year; but not liking
the country came to Barton County in the
autumn of ISSO. Here he hired himself out as
a farm hand and worked for two seasons and
then bought forty acres of school land, paying
six dollars per acre. This he improved and in
1SS5 bought an interest in a threshing outfit,
and for three years he and his partners, Hans
Jurgensen and William Otte, toured the county
threshing the wheat, oats and rye of their
neighbors. His was one of the pioneer crews
and is remembered by many. He was engaged

in this business at different times for seven
years, but finally abandoned it in 1893, and
has contented himself with farming since. His
home farm, one mile south of Heizer, contains
three hundred and twenty acres and is well
improved and in a high state of cultivation.
The residence is a two story frame, containing
eleven airy rooms. It is painted white and sits
back from the road with a nice lawn in front.
There are plenty of shade trees, shrubs and
plants in the yard, a nice orchard and a grow-
ing garden. The barn is 32x64 and will house
the stock and store the grain of the farm.
Besides this he has twelve acres adjoining
Heizer, and two dwellings in the town which
he rents.

Jost Warnken and Miss Anna Reinecke. of
Walnut Creek, were married Jan. 16, 1SS6, and
they are the parents of seven children: Her-
man, who married Miss Clara Hemming; Ma-
linda, who married Charles 1-ang; William, 19;
Sylvia, 16; Delia, 13; Lillie, 8, and Virgil, 1.

AUGUST MEYER

ONE of the most successful farmers in Bar-
ton County, residing south of the river,
is the subject of this sketch. August
Meyer. He was born in Germany, January 8,
1847 and came to America when he was twen-
ty years of age. He with his brother, Henry

of the country. He is the oldest settler now
residing south of the river and has one of the
nicest home places to be found in the county.
The home place contains 160 acres in section
12, South Bend township, and he also owns a
quarter in section 13, eighty in section 19 and

Home of August Meyer

Meyer, first located in Chicago where he re-
mained for about a year. He then came to
Salina, Kansas, where he spent about six
months, then going to Ellsworth, where he
remained about the same length of time. He
came to Barton County in 1869. He took up a
homestead in Buffalo township at a time be-
iore the Indians and buffaloes had left this part

owns a half section in Gray County and the
same amount of land in Meade County. He
farms a half section and rents the remainder
cf his land in this county. He has a fine,
modern home which contains nine rooms, a
bath, closets and pantries. It is thoroughly
modern in every way. Mr. Meyer has been
married three times and is the father of six

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

185

children: Frank, 30 years of age; August, 23;
Emma, 21; Charlie, 19, and Edward. 17, and
William 15 years of age. The home place has
a fine barn 30 by 36 feet well built and modern
and a fine elevator with a capacity of 7,000
bushels of grain. Mr. Meyer is one of the most
successful of the farmers of Barton County

and has earned all that he has by intelligent
farming methods applied with knowledge gain-
ed by experience. He is one of the really old
timers of this county and can tell many inter-
esting incidents of the early days in which he
took a large part.

JOHN PHILLIP GALLON

OF the old timers here whj came when
they were children and saw this county
grow from a barren waste to its pres-
ent high state of cultivation none is better
known than the subject of this sketch, John
Phillip Gallon, who now lives in a modern
residence at the corner of Tenth and Heizer
in Great Bend. Mr. Gallon was born March
20, 1S66, in New York City and came to Barton
County with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John
Gallon, in 1S72. The family located in Walnut
township where the elder Gallon took up a

the parents of seven children, six of whom are
living: Linsurd E., 14 years; Elmer P., 13
years; John W., 12 years; (Chas. L., deceased,
was a twin with John \V. and died when he
was four months of age); Ruth C, 9 years;
and Margaret L.. 1 year old. Mr. Gallon still
owns his old home place which was formerly
the Cyrus Frey farm near Albert, in fact it
adjoins the townsite on the south. This farm
is new being worked by Mr. Worden, a broth-
er-in-law of Mr. Gallon. He also owns nine

Home of John P li i i 1 i p Gallon

homestead two and a half miles east of Albert.
Then began the work of building a home and
they, like many others had to contend with
the hardships which beset the pioneers on ev-
ery hand. Mr. Gallcn remained on the farm
until he was sixteen years of age. During this
time he attended school and was taught by
Charles Dodge, another of the old timers of
this county. This school was located on the
Roudebush farm. .Mr. Gallon farmed contin-
uously until 1910 when he retired and moved
to Great Bend. He was married Thanksgiving
Day. 1896, to Miss Ella Worden and they are

acres of land in the town of Albert and in ad-
dition to his residence owns three houses and
and seven lots near his home in Great Bend.
Mr. Gallon has been road overseer and asses-
sor for his district and was deputy sheriff at
Albert during the administration of Lute Aber.
He also has held township offices and has been
a member of the school board. He was ap-
pointed justice of the peace by Governor Hoch
and at all times has been an enterprising and
progressive citizen and one who has had a
great deal to do with the upbuilding of the
county.

186

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ALBERT FRED BATCHMAN

ALBERT FRKD BATCHMA.N was born in
Erie County. Ohio, March 27, 1S59, and
came to Barton County in ISTS. He first
located at EUinwood where he remained for
ten years, with the exception of about eight
months, while he was in Colorado and Xew
Mexico. He then began the farming business
in Stafford County and was there eight years
before he returned to this county and bought
-Sii acres of land in section G of Comanche

most highly improved to be found in his town-
ship. The residence consists of seven rooms
in addition to the closets, pantries, etc. The
barn is 30 by 3S feet in dimensions with a
large loft and is well built and conveniently
arranged. The orchard which is found near
the home is well kept and contains a wide
variety of fruits common to this section of
the country. The home is situated in neat,
pleasing surroundings, there being ample

Home of Albert F . B a U- li m a n

township. -Mr. Batchman farms all of this
land and owns 160 acres in Stafford county
which he rents, and 160 in South Bend town-
ship which he also rents by the year. Mr.
Batchman was married in 1S90 to Miss Carrie
.\esling of Ellinw od, Kansas. They are the
parents of three children: Pearl, 19 years of
years; Hildred, 12 years of age; and Albert,
9 years old. All of them are students in the
schools of the county. Mr. Batchman's home
place is one of the most desirably located and

shade trees as well as trees and shrubbery for
ornamental purposes. Mr. Batchman has had
a great deal to do with the development of the
land lying south of the river and i^ an enter-
prising and progressive citizen. He uses mod-
ern farming methods and his success is due
to this fact and the fact that he has gained the
knowledge necessary to successful farming by
going through the bad and good years that
have elapsed since he took up his home here.

FRANK GILLMORE McKINNEY

THE old Glenn homestead, one and one-
half miles northwest of Great Bend, is
one of the best quarter sections in the
county. It is now owned and farmed by Frank
G. .McKinney. who has gone into the growing
of alfalfa hay almost exclusively, and appears
well satisfied with his venture. Of course he
still raises sufficient corn and wheat for his
own consumption, but his rneadrws, horses
and cattle ajipear to be his chief concern. He
owns some thirty head of horses and one hun-

dred cattle, and has the foundation laid for a
breeding farm.

Frank is the son of Andrew McKinney and
Marie Gillmore, the sister, of Myron Gillmore,
for two terms sheriff cf Barton County. The
parents came to this county in 1S71, when the
subject of this sketch was seven years of age.
They resided for one year on Walnut creek,
and then removed to a homestead six miles
east of Great Bend. As the country was thinly
settled at that period, and the prairies covered

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

187

with cattle, horses, antelope, buffolo, coyotes,
and other wild animals, and as the home was
not far from the Cheyenne Bottoms, the elder
McKinney developed a fondness for hunting
and soon became a companion of G. X. Moses,
M. B. Pitts, J. B. Howard, Paul Schneck and
others, who followed the buffalo as far west
as Dodge City. In 1S73 or 1S74 he killed five
buffalo in cue day in the Bottoms and there
are other feats of a similar kind which are
still talked of among the early pioneers.

It was while living at his second Kansas
home that Master Frank first came face to face
with death and crime. Near his father's home
two Frenchmen were engaged sinking a well.
One morning early the little fellow returned to
the scene of the well digging, and noticing the
absence of the men employed, he looked for
them in their shack close by and was horri-
fied to find one cold in death on the floor,
while the other had been murdered on his

bed. A party by the name of Hefty was later
arrested for the crime, prosecuted by County
Attorney Nimoeks, and was acquitted and left
the county after several years.

Frank G. McKinney was born in Livings-
ton County, Illinois, Octol)er 27, 1S64, and at
this time is 47 years cf age. He was united in
marriage to Miss Elizabeth Margaret Maur,
in October. 1S94. They have been blessed with
five children; the eldest being 15 and the
youngest 3 years old.

Besides the home place described above Mr.
McKinney owns 640 acres on Walnut creek
near Ness City. There is 240 acres of this
tract under cultivation, and the houses, barn
and fencing are all in good condition. This
we think a good showing and proves the pro-
ductiveness cf Barton County, and the oppor-
tunities it offers when combined with pluck
and a willingness to work.

WILLIAM W. AND LUCY HULL HARTSHORN

THE life history of William W. and Lucy
Hull Hartshorn, if written in full,
would make interesting reading, be-
cause both have passed through more adven-
ture than most persons content to end their
days as peaceful farmers. They cultivate the
quarter section as a homestead, four miles

Great Bend on October 16, 1S71, and were
among the second party of immigrants to set-
tle here. They brought with them a wagon
and team, bedding, dishes and cooking uten-
sils, a cow and a coop of chickens, and were
the first to possess these luxuries in the
colony. Mrs. Hartshorn also enjoys the dis-

r^-^^^

«wa*^

4^'^r„

'Sunny Side" Homestead

west of Great Bend, and reside in a two story
frame nestling among the trees. They also
own a tract of two hundred and eighty acres
near Ford City, Kansas, and the revenue de-
rived from these two tracts allow them to take
life comfortably. William W. Hartshorn and
Lucy R. Hull of Adams County, Illinois, were
married August 3, 1S71 and they came over-
land to Kansas, arriving on the townsite of

tinction of having set the first table in Great
Bend; the table having been constructed by
her own hands. Previously meals had been
eaten "any old way," and when she owned a ta-
ble, a cow and a flock of chickens, was con-
sidered rich beyond price. They soon adapted
themselves to their surroundings and Mr.
Hartshorn became a huntsman, and his wife
became accustomed to a lite on the plains, and

188

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

if the life was nigged and full of dangers it
also had its pleasures as well. We have at-
tempted a description of the early colony days
in another part of this volume and will not
repeat here, simply saying that this couple
experienced the worst of these trials, and con-
tributed their mite tj alleviate them.

William W. Hartshorn was born July 25th,
1S47, on a farm in Adams County, Illinois. He
was educated and grew to manhood there, and
ill 1S64 enlisted as a private in Company C,
50th Illinois Volunteers and served one and a
half years. He accompanied Sherman on his
March to the Sea, and through South and
North Carolina. He was first under tire at
Resacca and at the Battle of Altoona Pass,

Georgia, and is one of the heroes of that en-
gagement, having helped to hold the Pass
under a heavy and destructive fire. Out of a
company of thirty-nine men there were five
killed and eighteen wounded; and Mr. Harts-
horn was slightly wounded in the foot. He
was also at the battle of Columbia, Resacca,
Bentonville and Savannah; the last being a
seige of one week. At the close of the war he
returned to his home in Adams County, Illi-
nois, and resumed farming until his marriage
and coining to this county. .Mrs. I.ucy R.
Hartshorn was born on May 10th, 1S49, in
Hampshire County, West Virginia, and this
union has been blessed with eight children.

HENRY SCHAEFFER

THK subject of this sketch. Henry Schaef-
fer. is the father of the first white
child born in the city of Great Bend.
Mr. SchaefTer is a native of Germany, having
been born in that country in 1855. He came to
Barton County in 1S71. He is a carpenter by
trade and helped t3 build the Barton County
court house and had charge of the work on
the Southern Hotel, the first building to be
erected in Great Bend. His daughter, Emma,
who is now Mrs. Will Armstrong and lives
with her husband in Stafford County, was born
April 20, 1872 and enjoys the distinction of
having been the first white child born in the
city of Great Bnnd. Mr. and Mrs. Schaeffer
now resides across the Barton County line
in Stafford County. They are the parents of
four other children: August, 53 years of age;
Charles, 37 years of age, and Mattie. 43 years
of age, who is now Mrs. G. W. Tucker and re-
sides in this county seven miles south of Great
Bend: Marie. 32 years of age, is now Mrs. Ix)t
Kwalt residing in Arkansas. Mr. Schaeffer
look up a claim upon his arrival in this C3un-
ty and the land that comprised his claim is
now taken up by the cemetery west of Great
Bend. Mr. Schaeffer h:iil an active part in i1k'

building of Great Bend and was associated
with all the old timers who have helped to
make Barton County famous and productive.
We show here a likeness of .Mr. Schaeffer.

HKXRY SCHAEFFER

Who Built ihL- First ltuilJin£anJ was (hi- Father <tf ihc Fir«t
While Child Born in Great Bend.

FERDNAND C. MANETH

F|;RI).\"A.\"I)C. MA.NKTH war. born in Aus-
tria March 7, 1S72, and came to Bar-
ton County with his parents when he
was six years of age. This was in 1S7S and his
father took up land in Walnut township and
he was one of the men who had so much to do
with the development of that part of Barton
County. His father's name was Ferdnand Vin-
cent Manelh and up until the time of his death
in 1906 was one of the best known men in this
part of the state. The younger Maneth now

farms his homo place consisting of 320 acres
of good land. Mr. Maneth was married to Miss
Anna Cook October 25, 1S93, and they are the
parents of six children as follows: Fred, 12
years; Anna, 10 years: Henry 9 years; Wil-
liam, 6 years; Mary 3 years and Louise, 6
months of age. The residence consists of
eight rooms in addition to bath, closets, etc.,
and is surrounded by shade trees and an orch-
ard covering about an acre of ground and con-
taining trees of several varieties of fruits com-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

189

mon to this section of the country. The barn
is 32 by 76 feet in dimensions and is arranged
for taking care of a large number of animals.
The Maneth family is one of the best known
in Barton County on account of the fact that
they came here at a time when the county was
being developed and just emerged from the
frontier stage. This family passed through
the hard times of the SO's and had much to do
with the work of making this county one of
the best in the State cf Kansas and one of the

loading agricultural sections of the world. Mr.
Maiieth's mother lives with him and his broth-
er on the home iilace which is one of the
most attractive farms in the county. Mr.
Maneth always maintains a good grade of cat-
tle and horses and gives personal attention to
all his farming work. He has learned the
farming business by experience and is one of
the successful young farmers of that part of
the county.

CHARLES B. HOWELL

CHARLES B. HOWELL was born at Win-
terset, Madison County, Iowa, Novem-
ber 10, 1S67, and came to Barton County
in 1S78. He was married September 7, 1S93.
to Miss Mary Ellen Langford of this county.
They have four children as follows; Jennie
Evelyn, 17 years of age; Ada Gertrude, 15
years of age; Edna Gladys, 14 years of age
and Virgil Vernon, S years of age. The chil-
dren are being educated in the schools of
the county. The family resides in Great Bend

sitimli'd in a bend in Walnut creek and is
surrounded by large, well kept shade trees
which are found on three sides of the build-
ings. The residence contains nine rooms in
addition to bath, closets, pantries, etc. The
bain is 30 feet square and among the other
buildings are found an autom bile garage,
granary and all the other necessary buildings
usually found on a modern Barton County
farm. Mr. Howell is one of the best known
men in the county and has had a great deal

Residence of Charles B. Howell

in a modern residence at 2912 Broadwav with
the exception of three months of each year
which they spend on the country home place.
It is located fourteen miles northwest of Great
Bend and cotnprises the east half of section 36
in Walnut township. In addition to this land
Mr. Howell owns a quarter section in Clar-
ence township which he farms in addition to
the home place. He also owns a quarter of
land in Ford County. The Howell country
home is one of the most attractive to be f.iund
in that part of the county. It is beautifully

to do with the development of the county's re-
sources. In addition to his own interests Mr.
Howell has found time to take an active part
in affairs that concern the welfare of the
county and has served on the school board
and is one of those men who came here in the
early days when the county was in need of
development and went thr:;ugh the hardships
that were sustained by those men to the end
that Barton County could be made one of the
best counties in the State of Kansas.

190

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

OTIS EVERS

OF the many younger farmers in Barton
County none is better knc;\vn than Otis
Evers. He was horn in Indiana Ajiril 7,
1879, and came to Barton County with his iiar-

dren: Leslie, 8 years of age; Claire, 6 years
of age: Elmer. 4 years of age; Hazel, 2 years
of age, and Harley who is 4 months old. Mr.
Evers farms 320 aeres of land. 160 of which

onie of

ents when he was five years of age. His
father, Boyd Evers, is one of the old timers
of the county who is still actively engaged in
farming, and is mentioned in another part of

U lis E V t' r s

belongs to his brother. He has been farming
for himself for several years and his home
place is the northwest quarter of section one,
Buffalo township. The residence contains nine

Thre.shing Outfit at Work in tlif 90'

this book. Mr. Evers was married November
13, 1893, to Miss Maud Barger cf Stafford
County and they are the parents of five chil-

rooms in addition to the bath, closets, etc.,
and is situated in a beautiful spot surrounded
by trees and other foliage. The barns of

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

191

which there are two, are 28 by 56 feet and
16 by 24 feet in dimensions. The other out-
buildings are well built and show that Mr.
Evers is an enterprising farmer. He is ccn-
templating the erection of an elevator and
when this and other improvements he will
make this year are finished he will have as
fine a set of improvements as can be found in
that part of the county. The Evers family is
one of the best known in Barton County as
they have had a great deal to do with the de-

veloping of its residences and have helped in
no small way in making Barton C:!unty one of
the best in the State of Kansas and one of the
most important agricultural sections of the
country. In addition to the other improve-
ments Mr. Evers has a well arranged orchard
which covers about four acres of land and
contains trees representing nearly all varie-
ties of fruits that are ccmmon to this section
of the state.

JAMES SHELDON WINGET

Residence of J. S. WinJet

O.XE of the best known men in Barton
County and one who has had a great
deal to do with the upbuilding and de-
veloping of that part of it lying adjacent to
the town of Albert is James Sheldon Winget.
He was born in Deleware County, Ohio. March
24, 1856. He was raised in the state of Iowa
and came to Barton County in March, 1S7S.
I'pon his arrival he took tip a homestead in
Xess County but soon after he had proved up
on it he took up his permanent residence in
this county. He is well known in all parts of
the county and enjoys a most enviable reputa-
tion as an auctioneer. He has had charge of
a majority of the big sales that have been held
in his section of the county in recent years.
His services have been sought in this capacity
by people in all parts of Barton, and his ex-
perience and knowledge cf values and wide
acquaintance makes it possible for him to al-
ways give satisfaction to both the buyer and
seller. For the past twenty-five years he has
practiced as a veterinarian and has been most
successful in this profession. He has by ac-
tual experience gained a great deal of knowl-
edge about the equine family, their diseases

and ailments and he is called by some of the
leading horse and cattle owners of the county
when the services of an experienced veteri-
narian are required. He was married March
23, 18S1, t3 .Miss Delia Bridges of this county
and they are the parents of six children as
follows: Clara, 30 years of age, is now Mrs.
M. L. Worden of Albert: Myra. 26 years of
age, is a teacher in the schools of the county;
.John G.. 24 years of age; May, IS; Roger, who
died in January 1911, when he was 21 years
of age and James, 15 years of age. Mr. Win-
get's home place adjoins the town rf Albert on
the north where he owns 200 acres of land.
He also owns 175 acres in Oklahoma, a half
section in Scott County, a section in Rush
County and has always taken an active part
in the business of farming. His residence
contains 10 rooms and surrounded by a fine
set of improvements, and is cue of the most
attractive homes in that part of the county.
Mr. Winget has always taken an active part
in the affairs of his community and has held
township offices and is known as an enter-
prising and progressive citizen.

192

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

HENRY MEYER

ON'E of the best known families of Buffalo
to\vnshi|) is that of Henry Meyer who
came to America from Germany where
he was born September 18. 1S42. He first lo-
cated in Chicago where he remained for about
six months before he went to Xcw Orloims
where he resided until 1870 when he came to
Harton County, Kansas. He came to this • I't
of the state with the Reinecke and Schuii^
families and since his arrival here has al vms

Flora, 23, is at home; William, 19. is also at
home; Kddie, 17, lives at Garfield, and Fred,
14, lives at home. The home place is located
on the northwest quarter of section 4, Great
Bend township and is one of the nicest farm
homes in that part of the c;;unty. The resi-
dence contains eight rooms in addition to the
closets, pantries, etc., and is a modernly built
dwelling. In addition to the land on the home
place Mr. Meyer owns a quarter section of

Home of Henry Meyer

taken an active part in the fanning bus'i ts
in Buffalo township. He was married i:\ ''Si 7
to Miss Mary Jilg and they are the pare us of
ten children as follows: Henry, 35 years,
lives in Heizer and runs a threshing outfit;
Charles. 30, is farming in Comanche County;
Mary. 33, is now Mrs. Jacob Weltmer of Rus^h
Center; August, 27, is a carpenter by trade
and lives at home; Antone, 21, lives at h.Tme;
Annie, 25, is now Mrs. Wni. Shuss of Garfield;

land in Comanche County and it is b;-.r.g
farmed by Mr. Meyer's son Charles. The home
place c:ntains a three acre orchard which con-
tains trees that bear nearly all varieties of
fruits common to this section of the country.
The barn is 75 by 35 feet in dimensions and is
arranged for the accommodation of a largfs
number of animals. Mr. Meyer is one of the
best known m;^n in that part of the county and
is an enterprising and progressive citizen.

LESLIE JAMES CARAWAY

LESI..11-: JAMES CARAWAY was barn
June 8, ISSS, in Barton County, Kan-
sas, is one of those native products who
has taken up the work of farming and will
continue the development of the county's re-
sources which was so ably begun by their
fathers in the early days. He is a son of Mr.
and Mrs. George H. Caraway who came to this
county in 1SS5. .Mr. Caraway died in 1900 and
since that time Leslie James Caraway has car-
ried on the management of the home place
which c-mprises the southeast quarter of sec-
tion 19, Great Bend township. Mr. Caraway's
mother died June 2, 1907. She was survive(|

by Leslie James, who is now 24 years of age;
Beatrice 20, Kent, 16 and George 22 years of
age. The elder Caraway was one of the bc-st
known men in the county and for a number of
years after his arrival he taught schooi but
finally took up the occupation of fariRing
which he fallowed until his death which was
a great shock to his many friends in all parts
of the county. The residence on the home
place consists of eight rooms in addition to
the closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 42 by
44 feet in dimensions in the main building,
and like the other out-buildings and rr.-^i-
dence, is well built and substantial. The

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

193

home place is nicely situated and is sur-
rounded by a small orchard and shade trees.
In addition to the land en the home place tir.
Caraway farms another quarter which h^-
rents. This land is located south of the home
place. The Caraway family is one of the best

known in that section of the county and it is
one that has had a great deal to do with the
development of the county's resources and in
nuiking it one cf the best in the State of Kan-
sas.

GEORGE PARKER WILSON

GEORGE PARKER WILSOX was born in
Jefferson County, Kansas, April 10, 1S63
and came to Barton County in Juiy,
1885. In September of the same year he
moved to the county with his family and took
up his permanent residence. He first lived in
Albion township where he remained until 1900.
when he moved to his present home place
which comprises the southwest quarter of sec-
tion 13, Eureka township. Mr. Wilson was one
of the first Barton County farmers to take up
the modern idea of giving his farm a nan)c,
and it is now known and is registered, "The

tation; and "Tom," a well built "Clyde and
Coach." Mr. Wilson has every reason to be
proud of these horses as they are known wher-
ever good horse flesh is talked in the county.
Mr. Wilson was married .November 12, 1SS5, to
Miss Ida M. Ingram in Jefferson County and
they were the parents of five children as fol-
lows: Nannie S., 26 years of age, is now Mrs.
Charles Younkin of Great Bend; George Gro-
ver, 25 years of age, is residing in Rush Coun-
ty; Rhoda May, 23 years of age, is now Mrs.
Frank French of Hoisington; Gertrude Pearl,
21 years of age, is now .Mrs. James M. Mc-

The Eureka Golden Rule Stock Farm

Eureka Golden Rule Stock Farm." It is lo-
cated ten miles northwest of Great Bend and
is one of the most attractive and best improv-
ed places in that section of the county. The
residence contains ten rooms in addition to
closets, pantries, etc. The barn which is neat-
ly painted and bears the name of the farm is
44 by 60 feet and is equipped with modern ap-
pliances for handling hay and manure. Mr.
Wilson has always taken a great interest iu
improving the breed of the horses, cattle and
hogs of the farmers of the county and hns
made a success of breeding and raising Short
Horn cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and now owns
two of the finest stallions in the county. The
horses are known as "George Dewey," a big,
fine Percheron that enjoys a gosd repu-

Cufchan, also of Hoisington, and Ix>ra Edith,
now Mrs. Harry Rogers, 2, .vears of age. of
Spearville, living at Spearville. Mr. Wilson
survived his first wife and in 1900 was mar-
ried to Miss Flora Gale Mitchell of this coun'y
and they are the parents of two children:
Valeria Josephine, S years of age and Flcta
Mario, 3 years cf age. With all Mr. Wilson's
Ijrivate interests he has found time to take an
active part in the affairs of his township and
has served as trustee of Albion township and
has also been a member of the school board.
Mr. Wilson came to this county at a time when
it required men of experience and men who
had faith in the future of this section to make
it cne of the best counties in the State of Kan-
sas.

194

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

J|)oisington

WHEN the main western line of che
Missouri Pacific railroad was being
built west from Kansas City, and th?
construction force had reached a point near
where is now the townsite of Hoisington, a
company of well known Kansas men began
the laying out of the town that takes us
name from the head of the company, A. J.
Hoisington, one of the pioneers of Barton
County and for many years engaged in the
newspaper business in Great Bend.

The townsite company was composed of

the place was taken by A. H. Baker in 1887.

In 1887 a great many people from Iowa,
Illinois and other eastern states, began to ar-
rive and the town began its growth which
has been remarkable from the fact that it was
not of the spasmodic, boom kind, but has
been steady and substantial until now the
town has a population cf 2,200. This number
will be greatly increased when the Missouri
Pacific shops are in operation with a full
force of men.

East School, Hoisington

A. J. Hoisington, C. Samuels, H. T. Weaver,
E. L. Chapman, Edward and Clayton Moses
and J. V. Brinkman of Great Bend, these gen-
tlemen having a one-half interest in the com-
pany. The remainder of the interest in the
company was i wned by J. V. McCracken and
Brothers and E. C. Moderwell.

The first substantial building to be erected
on the townsite was a two-story structure
which was occupied by the firm of Brooker
and Brown wita a stock of general merchan-
dise. This was in 1SS6. shortly after the town-
site company was organized. The first ag.'>nt
of the town company was A. Mitchell, who
served for about a year, when he retired and

The town was incorporated in ISSS as a
city of the third class, and at the first city
election E. M. Carr was elected mayor. The
council was made up of men who were pro-
gressive and steps were immediately taken to
make the town one that offered good advan-
tages for home making.

The territory surrounding Hoisington is
among the best and most productive in Bar-
ton County, and with the beginning of the
town a great many names were added to the
rural districts' population through the sale
of farm land to eastern people. As the soil
was developed and made to produce more and
more each year the demand for supplies grow

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

195

and a number of good stores were added to
Hoisington's business section. The first bank
was established by A. J, Hoisington in 1887.

The schools of Hoisington have always
been maintained on the same high standard
as is found in all parts of Barton County. The

vision for a large increase in the attendance.
Hoisington's population is made up of law-
abiding people and the leligious advantages
offered by the town are second to no town in
this part of the country. The following d3-
nominations are represented by large congre-

West School Building, Hoisington

Old School Building, Hoisington (Burned)

city schools are among the best attended in
the county. There are two fine buildings,
one on the east and one on the west side of
town. In these buildings there is plenty of
room to take care of all the pupils enrolled
and the future has been taken care of by pro-

gations and commodious rnd modern houses
of worship: Catholic. United Brethren,
Christian, Methodist and German Lutheran.
All the societies usually found in connection
with churches of these denominations are act-
ive in Hoisington and have large member-

196

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ships and acconiiilisli a great deal of good in
the field of religions endeavor.

The business section of Hoisington is well
built and the stores which represent nearly
all lines of the mercantile trade, contain largo

A fine sewage system was recently completed
at a cost of $45,000 and it adds greatly to he
advantages of the town as a place in which
to make a home. A local company operates
a modern electric and ice plant that meets the

Christian Church, Hoisington

United Brethren Church

and well selected lines of goods. There are
six general stores, three banks, three drug
stores and many other stores that are oper-
ated on a high standard of excellence.

Hoisington has a municipal water plant
that supplies water for domestic and othvr
purposes at a i.ominal cost to the consumer.

demands of the town in a most acceptable
manner.

The officers of the city at the present time
are: Charles Hall. may."r; F. A. Soderstroin,
treasurer: J. L. Pieper, clerk; B. F, Jones, po-
lice judge; .1. C. Ready, marshall, and J. U.
Williams, water commissioner. The council

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

197

is composed of the following: T. C. Morrison,
president; H. E. Willarfl. Phil Ochs, Jr., J. ?!.
Lewis, M. H. Beckett. A. Kindsvater, G. W.
Cooney and J. F. Stoskopf.

Hoisington is a freight and passenger di-
vision on the IMissouri Pacific railroad and
the company operates at this point the larg-
est shops between Sedalia and Pueblo and.

shops. This, building is the roundhouse and
has a concrete foundation with fifteen C3-
t'oot engine pits. It is a brick building with
the most modern apparatus and appliances.
Two sides of the structure are composed .t
glass which allows plenty of light to filter in.
It contains 2,000 yards of concrete, has a
turntable with a diameter of seventy-five feet,

Hoisington M. E. Church

Missouri Pacific Shops at Hoisington

ne.\t to the Stdalia shops, are the larg-:!st
owned by this company on its entire system.
The pay roll of the 'ailroad men in Hoising-
ton adds greatly to the prosperity of the city
and makes it ncf alone dependent on the far-
mers in the surrounding country for trade.

September 2S, 1910, work w^as begun on
the first building that makes up the large
number composing the Missouri Pacific

a 100,000-galIon capacit. hot well for tho pur-
pose of washing boilers, etc.

Tho coal chute has a capacity of 500 tons
of coal and is the type made by the Robinson
,Ji Schafcr Co. It has elevators with a capac-
ity for lifting 125 tons of coal per hour and
a storage capacity for fifte .i tons of sand.
Green sand is made ready for use after it has
been lifted by a Holcmau elevator syelcm to the

198

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

top of the chute where it is dried by a steam
drying apparatus. From the dryer it is con-
ducted through chutes to the storage bins
from where it is supjilied to the engines as
needed. This system almost entirely elimin-
ates hand worli and results in a high class
product. Near the coal chutes are found (wo
100,000-gallon water tanks that afford an
endless supply of good water. The water is
forced into the tanlts by modern pumping sys-
tems and their close proximity to the coal
chutes makes it possible for an engine to be

all parts of the different buildings is com-
posed of three wells near the powerhouse —
powerful pumps that force water into the pipe
lines that conduct it to all parts of the works.
The reservoir for the reserve supply of wai<jr
has a capacity of 100,000 gallons.

The power for the plant is furnislied by
powerful engines and boilers housed in a
large building from where power is trans-
mitted to all parts of the works by twenty-
four wooden poles strung with wire of high
carrying capacity.

E. R. Moses Mercantile Co., Hoisington

supplied with coal, water and sand in the
shortest possible time.

The cinder pit on v.hicb work was begun
October 24, 1910, is 225 feet in length with a
depressed track which allsws the work .f
cleaning the fire box of un engine to be do le
quickly and thoro\ighly.

The blacksmith and iniohine buildings .ire
large and equipjjed with all the latest labor
saving machinery and are capable of turning
out a great amount of work in the shorten
possible time and when i:i full operation will
give emi)loynient to a large nui.ibcr of men.

The system by which water is supplied to

On the grounds are found a number ol
other buildings which include the offices of
the different heads of departments and when
the shops are working at full capacity it is
expected that a force of 1,600 men will be re-
quired. The total cost of the plant is about
?1, 000, 000. All the buildings are amply pro-
tected against fire by the latest and most ap-
l)roved methods.

The Missouri Pacific shoi)S is an establish-
ment of which the peoiile of Barton County
are justly proud and it is a big thing for the
town of Hoisington from ;i business stand-
point.

PEOPLES STATE BANK, HOISINGTON

The Pcoi)les Stale Bank of Hoisington.
Kansas, was organized May 25th, 1903, with E.
R. Moses, president, O. P. Putman, vice-pres-
ident, W. B. Lucas, cashier, and the follow-
ing directors, Henry Wildgen, D. J. Lewis, T.
C. Morrison, Robt. Merten, R. H. Moses, E. H.
Heath. G. N. Moses and E. R. Moses.

The bank opened for business .Tune 15, 190.3
in the back roomof T. C. Morrison's Mercantile
bouse. In a very short time it moved to its

prisint (luarters in the .1. B. McCauley Oi)era
Hi)ii.';i' Building, which they i)urchased in .May,
3904. They immediately enlarged the opera
house to its present size and extended their
banking rooms to its present uimensions. mak-
ing one of the finest banking rooms in the
State of Kansas, being finished with nuirble on
the outside and marble and mahogony on the
inside. With roiMus for customers' use. direc-
tors' room, and private rooms for its oSicera

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

199

Including all the conveniences modern science
can give, such as electric lights, hot water
heat, lavatoriet. and rest rooms for its custom-
ers. The officers find it a pleasure to do bus-
iness in its present quarters. Since the bank
was organized Mr. 0. P. Putnam. Henry Wild-
gen and G. N. Moses have passed away. E. R.
Moses, Sr., has been iiresident from its begin-

was practically made from the earnings of the
bank.

The present directors are T. C. Burton.
vice-president and director, .M. H. Beckett, H.
C. Wildgen, E. R. Moses, Jr., Robt. Merten and
K. R, Moses, Sr.

The deposits of this bank are over $160,000
now and are constantly increasing. The loans

Peoples State Bank, Hoisington

ning. Mr. W. B, Lucas has been cashier from
its beginning. Frank Scderstrom who was
book-keeper is now assistant cashier and Miss
Eva Goodwin has been book-keeper since July.
1910. The bank has had a regular semi-annual
dividend since 1905 and has increased its sur-
plus each year until January. 1911, the capi-
tal stock was increased from $10,000 to $25,-
000 with a surplus of $2,500. This increase

and discounts are over $140,000. The success
oi' this bank has be^n from its very beginning
and one of its reasons lor its success is the
manner in which it treats its customers and
pe;ple in general. Once a customer, always
a customer. The deposits of this bank are
guaranteed under the state law. The bank
pays interest on all time and saving deposits.

RAILROAD Y. M. C. A.

ANOTHER institution of which the peo-
ple of Hoisington and Barton County
are justly proud is the Railroad
Young Mens Christian Association which is
a branch of the International Y. M. C. A., and
was established in Hoisington in 1902. The
money for the work was obtained by pri-
vate subscription, donations by the Missouri
Pacific railroad and Miss Helen Gould. The
building is in the center of five 25-foot lots
on the main street of Hoisington in close
proximity to the M. P. depot. In addition to
the cash which Miss Gould gave the society
for the erection of the building she also aid-
ed it with special donations consisting of
books for the library, musical instruments
and she also provided for an emergency hos-
pital, but this department of the instit\ilion
was abandoned when the hospital was

opened. The building is 60 feet square, and
thi> big dormitory room gives ample accom-
modation fir forty beds which are kept neat
and clean and are rented to members of tbo
association for 15 cents per night. In the
buildings are found in addition to the dormi-
tory room and foyer, a reading room, bath
room, library, correspondence room, all of
which are equipped neatly and conveniently.
The bath room contains three tubs and five
sh;;wer baths, is strictly sanitary and all arti-
cles used in bathing are furnished the mem-
bers free of charge. The reading room Is
nicely furnished and on the tables are found
scores of daily and weekly papers, magazines
and periodicals all of which are for the free
use of the members. The library contains
twelve large cases filled with 2,000 volumes
that cover every subject for eutertainiug and

200

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

educational reading. The correspondeuce
room is supplied with writing material and is
furnished in kecjnng with the remainder of
the rooms. The lobby is large and is used
by the members for playing chess, checkers,
etc. The institution is not intended for rail-
road men alone, but contains on its lucmbev-

The religious education of the members is not
overlooked and an air of gcod fellowship per-
meates all the work of the institution. The
lirice of membership is $5,00 per year. The
lilaoe is managed by a board of directors con-
sisting of seven members, but the active part
of the work is most ably done by T. C. Straw,

Railroad Y. M, C. A., Hoisington

ship rolls a large majority of the men of
Hoisington. The membership averagi'S
around GOO but at times the list contains os
many as 800 names.

In addition to the privileges niention-yJ
above, at frequent intervals the members are
given the benefit of lectures on practical sub-
jects in the auditorium or assembly room.

secretary, and H. R. Popejsy, assistant. Mr.
Straw devotes his entire time to directing the
work of the association and he is untiring in
his efforts to make it a place where nirin
nuiy come aiul feel at home and get the bene-
fit of living in clean, wholesome surround-
ings.

LIND HOSPITAL AND TRAINING SCHOOL

The Lind Hospital and Training School
was established by Rev. W. J. Lind in the
city of Hoisington and was thrown open to
the public in February, 1912. 11 is a general
hospital for the treatment of medical and
surgical cases and is one of the best equipped
institutions of the kind in this part of the
country. The building, which is three stories
in height, is located in a most desirable sp )t
in the northwest part of Hoisington within
eight blocks of the business section. The
building is made of brick with re-enforeed
concrete floors. The building of this hospital
was due to the fact that Dr. Lind, while a
minister of the g-spel, has always been int-i-
ested in the treatment and cure of diseases of

the human race. He was born near the Ural
mountains, in Russia, April 11, ISSl. He catne
to America in 1902 and spent the first year
after his arrival in travel during which time
he visited all parts of the United States and
Canada. In 1903 he entered the Conconlia
Seminary at Concordia, Illinois. He finished
his studies at this institution in 1910. During
the year 1908 Rev. Lind was in the field as
a missionary. At the conclusion of his stud-
ies he was ordained a minister of the Ger-
man Lutheran church, and at once accepted a
call from Milberger, Kansas, where he re-
mained until he started the hospital in Hois-
ington. He still has charge of congregatio:is
of this denoniinutidn at Galatiu and Wilsoa.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

201

The hospital has r::om for thirty patients in
addition to the rooms that are maintained liy
the Missouri Pacific railroad. The operating
room at the hospital is equipped with all the
most modern appliances and devices for the
practice of surgery in its most intricate
forms. Dr. Lind spent two and a half years
in the study of medicine in the old countriy
before coming to America. He was married
September 1. 1910. to Miss Matilda Borell and
they have one bright boy, Alexander, who, at
this writing, is one year old.

In connection with the hospital a trainipg
school has been established under the super-
vision of the superintendent of nurses, assist-
ed by a competent corps of physicians. The
course comprises three years, which will ren-
der them thoroughly qualified to receive a
diploma. While the didactic work is carried
on in the class room, the pupil nurse uas

Rev. Lind

Lind Hospital, Hoisington

every possible chance to study her chosen
profession in its practical lines by personal
contact with the different phases of her work.
During the probationary term the applicant

has ample opportunity to discover whether
she wishes to continue in the work and also
to demonstrate whether she is qualified to re-
main. Applicants may enter at any time.

HENRY A. C. HARTMAN

ONE of the best known ' the really old
timers of Logan township was Henry
A. C. Hartman. He was born in Prus-
sia in 1840 and came to this country with his
parents when he was a child. He was raised
in the state of Ohio and came to Barton Coun-

ty in 1S75. He located a homesicad in Ix>g:in
township, one mile north and three mi|.38
south of the township of Claflin. In 1S76 he
brought his family to the new country and
began the work of building .. home. Until the
time of his death which occurred in July, 1907,

202

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

he took an active part in the development of
the resources of the northeastern part of lUe
county of Barton. His death was due to
drowning in Cow creek, where as the result of
the water being exceptionally high his wagon
in which he was riding was overturned and
he was thrown into the water while he was
attempting to cross. Mr. Hartman was niBr-
ried to Miss Anne Elizabeth Shellhase in
Ohio and they were the parents of eleven
children. Mrs. Hartmah came to America
from Russia where she was born in Hoss-Cas-
sel province. She arrived in America in 1845
at a time when this counttry was in the
throes of a scare due to the cholera, which
caused the death of a great number of peo-
ple. Mrs. Hartman at that time was six years
of age and many of her relatives and people
who came over on the boat with her died as
a result of being afflicted with this disease.
Of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs.
Hartman, two of them died in infancy. Those
who are living are: Louise, who is now Mrs.
F. W. VVaknitz of Ness County: Lydia, who is
now Mrs. \V. H. Barnes of Preston. Kansas;

Charles A., who resides in Reno County,
where he is interested in farming; Matilda H.,
who is the wife of Dr. S. B. Russell of Yuma,
Colorado; John H., who was born in I>ogan
township, February 15, 1S7T, and now resides
in Hoisington where he is vice president of
the First National bank, an institution which
he founded. He is also engaged in the in-
surance and loan business in that city. He
was married to .Miss Dale Nimocks, daughter
of G. W. Nimocks of Great Bend, January 1.
1902. They have two children, Blanche and
R. Lynn.

Edwin E. is a traveling representative of
the Acme Harvester company with headquar-
ters at Wichita; James F. is in the hardware
business at Preston; Jesse S. is now Mrs. E.
R. Jukes of Boise, Idaho; Benjamin H. is
farming near Preston: Mrs. Hartman is now
living in Idaho w^ith her daughter, Mrs. Jukes.
There is no family that is better known in
Barton County than the Hartmans and John
H.. who is mentioned above is one of the best
known business men of Hoisington and is an
enterprising and progressive citizen.

ROY CORNELIUS

ROY CORNKLirs was born in .Mcl'hcr-
son, Kansas. March 31, 1S83, and came
to Hoisington in 1902 and bought the
Hoisington Dispatch which was established
in 1^89 by Ira H. Clark, who later sold it to
Franklin Brotliers, who, in turn, sold it to
Rcy. Mr. Cornelius learned the printing
trade in Great Bend under Ira H. Clark and
D. T. Armstrong. He was married in 1908 to
Miss Theresa Helfert and they are the parents
of two children: Helen, 3 years of age, and
Esther, about a year and a half old at this
writing. The Dispatch office, which is iho
pride of its owner, is one of the best
equipped printing plants in this section of
the state. It cental ins a modern linotype, a
good press for newspaper work and good
presses for the job department. The Dispatch
is a weekly paper devoted to the interests of
Hoisington and Barton County and since Mr.
Cornelius has been guiding its policy has
made a great number of friends. Roy is a
capable, enterprising business man and num-
bers his friends by the score both in 'he
newspaper i)rofession of the state of Kansas
and among the people with whom he comes
in contact in other lines of business. He oc-
cupies a nice residence in Hoisington and de-
votes all his time t:> the management of his
business. At the present time be is official

printer for the County of Bar'on
having been elected at the county election in

1910. Hf has filled this office in a satisfac-

Roy Cornelius

tory manner and in a way that reflects credit
on himself, his office and his many friends in
all parts ot t^^tt county.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

203

■ ■ (f UinlDooti

THE certificate of ownership and dedica-
tion of the original plat of EUinwood
is dated September 6. 1S73. and signed
by Alden Speare. president of the Arkansas
Valley Town Company. It was acknowledged
before George L. Goodwin, a notary pnblic.
in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The plat
was certified to by John M. Cummins, a sur-
veyor, but bears no date. He did n"t do the
actual work of survey, neither did Colonel
EUinwood, but it is understood that J. \V.
Jackson, one of the quaint characters of that
time did the field work. The t:wn company
could not file the plat until it got title from
the railroad company, and the latter could
not obtain title from the government until the

Humboldt, Washington and Bismark streets,
named and located as they are now. There
was nothing south of the railroad included in
the original plat.

EUinwood is located on section 31-19-11,
and the center of the section is the southeast
corner of the lot on which a part of the bus-
iness section of the town is built. Washing-
ton street is commonly called Main street, it
being the main business thoroughfare.

The supplemental plat which includes all
of section 31, north of the river, except the
forest reservation of 25 and 71-lOOths acres
and all south of the railroad and east of
Schiller street, was filed for record July S,
1S7S. The name <if the surveyor does not ap-

Main Street, EUinwood

road was built to the west line of the state.
This was done in 1S72 in the month of De-
cember. This caused delay in the filing of
the town plat, but the plat was finally filed
for record with Register of Deeds D. X.
Heizer, October 28, 1873 at 9:05 p. m.

The first plat included the south half of
block 1, and all of blocks six. seven, ten and
eleven. The railroad right of way, a short
side track on the north side of the main
track, and the depot were shown on the blue
print of the plat. The depot was shown to be
directly south of the Wolf hotel building.
Santa Fe, Topeka and Atchison avenues and

pear. The plat shows the same uneven banks
of the river as on the plats of the original
government survey. The river has receded
from a great distance since this work was
done. Both the Catholic and Protestant ceme-
teries appear on the plat.

All the streets extending north and south
were given German names except the main
business street which was named Washing-
ton. The north and south streets beginning
on the east side are Wielan. Gothe. Schiller.
Bismark, Washington, Humboldt. Arndt. Wil-
helm and Fritz. The avenues beginning on
the north in their order are Northern, Colo-

204

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ratio, Barton, Ellinwood, Atchis;;n, ToiJelca,
Santa Fe. and south of the railroad aro
Chestnut, .Mai)le. Walnut ami Cedar. The
names of all the streets remain the same as
when iilatled. As the orifiinul settlers were

Smith, iirohably the ablest German immigra-
tion agent who ever did business in the State
of Kansas. He happened to seleet this local-
it.v as one of the points on the Santa Fe road
where he woukl colonize German buyers of

Plowinu- Outfit of C. . H. Ernslin.u- Near Ellinwood

not German, nor was tlie coMli'olliuji element
of the old timers, the Arkansas Valley Town
Co., that (;wned this town, German. The
query has often been asked why the streets
are given German names. The answer us-
uallv is, all the settlers will remember C. B.

leal estate. On his maiis f r circulation among
the Germans he marked tlu' territory adja-
cent to Ellinwood Gernumia. V. B. Smith, the
German immigration agent of the Santa Fe
liailrcad Co. caused this part of Kansas to be
settled bv (Jermans.

City Govern ni e n t

Ellinwood became a city of the third class,
April 22 IST.S. On that date a iietilion signed
by nearly every qualified elector on the t:;wn-
site was presented to District Judge Samuel
R. Peters at Newton, Kansas. The judge im-
mediately issued an order creating the City
of Ellinwood. ts boundary lines were the ex-
terior lines of section 31-19-11, according to
the original government survey. The order
directing the lirst election was given and the
election was held on the first day of May,
1878, at the office of J. I). Donstadt, and
George Bowers, George B. Gill, and Vancil S.
Musil selected to be judges, and W. B. IJ.
Monow, clerk. It also named .7. I). Ron-
stadt, George W. Ashton and Charles \V. Wil-
liamson to act as the board of canvassers.
The latter were ordered to meet at the close
of the polls and canvass the returns. The
board met as directed and chose J. I). Ron-
stadt as clerk. The election resulted as fol-
lows: .Mayor, F. A. Steckel, 43; J. U. Ronstadt,
14; Councilmen, Wni. Mangelsdorf, 56; Wm.
Meisner, 4G; George W. Asht:n, 41; .John W.
Conroy, 39; O. M. Dotson, 35; U M. Story, 20;
W. W. I). .Monow, 2(1; .John Mousel, 15;
James Ward, 9; John Wind, 1. Police judge.

George Towers, 56. Certificates of election
were issued as fallows: Mayor, F. A. Steckel;
councilmen. Mangelsdorf. Meisner. Ashton,
Conroy and Dotson. Police judge. Towers.
The first council met and with all present, or-
ganized. H. .1. Reints was city clerk by ap-
pointment, and the mayor appointed all the
councilmen a committee en ordinances and
then adjourned to May 7. No other business
was transacted and the first business meet'
ing of the council was held May 14. At this
meeting a petition was granted Beal and
Phipps to keep a dram shop, and a like peti-
tion was granted to Hess and Harmick. The
council passed ordinance N\imber 1. which
jirovided fsr the drafting and compiling of
ordinances for the city of Ellinwood. At this
meeting fourteen ordinances were passed, all
relating to the duties of the city officers, ex-
cept thirteen, relating to elections, fourteen
concerning animals running at large and 15,
relative to the sale cf intoxicating liquors.
The first council of Ellinwood laid the foun-
dation for the building of a city and their
work was thorough and had for its purpose
the lielternient of the community and the i)co-
ple residing therein.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

205

Schools

Ellinvvood was includud in the second school
district to be organized in Barton County, in
1S72, and was known as school district num-
ber 2. The first school was taught by Miss
Carrie Bacon, daughter of Isaac Bacon. La-
ter she married Thomas Towers. The first
term of schocl began September 1, 1X73, and
ended January 1, 1S74. For teaching this
term Miss Bacon received the sum of $125.00.
The scholars were housed in a small frame
building owned by William Misner. The
school was later taught in a frame school
building built especially for a school on the
ground now occupied by the modern school
building of which the town is so justly proud.
Among those who attended the first school in
Ellinwood may be mentioned Kittle Ellsworth.
Wm. Halsey. John and Sina Hewitt. May Whit-
ten, Lotta and Frank Towers, Charles 1,. l!a-

c.-n, James and Lillie Hutchinson and Abra-
ham F'orsyth. The schools of Klliiiwood have
])rogressed with the town and nowhere in the
state can there be found better educational
advantages than are obtainable in Ellinwood.
Ellinwood has a population of about l,3u0
and is growing every year in importance as a
trading point and as a shipping point for agri-
cultural products. It is on the main line of
the Santa Fe railroad about forty miles west
of Hutchinson and eleven miles east of Great
Bend. It is als3 the western terminuis of the
Florence branch of the Santa Fe. This line
runs through some of the richest portions of
the state. Ellinwood has modern stores rep-
resenting nearly all lines of retail trade, the
best of churches and schools and its p.opula-
tion is steadily growing in like proportion lo
other parts of Barton County.

THE WOLF MILLING CO.

The Wolf Milling Company's establishment
at Ellinwood is one of the largest and best
equipped flour mills in the state of Kansas,
and its products have had a great deal to do
with earning Barton County's enviable reputa-
tion as a producer of the best of milling
wheat. The mill is operated by John Wolf
and his son, Fred. It was established in 190S,
and has a capacity of fiOO barrels per day.
Since the first mill building and elevator was

Lotta Schaefer of Kansas City, Mo., July L
1901, and they are the parents of two chil-
dren, one of whom is an infant at this writ-
ing, and the other being Jchn Frederick. The
elder Mr. Wolf has another child, Kate, who
is now Mrs. George M. Helm of Ellinwood.
The mill buildings and surroundings cover
about a square block of ground and in addi-
tion t3 this interest the elder Mr. Wolf owns
considerable town proiierly in Ellinwood and

Wolf's Will, Ellinwootl

erected in the year mentioned additions have
been made from time to time and the ma-
chinery and process in use have been kept up
to the highest standard. John Wolf is one o!
the old timers of the county having come here
from Ohio in 1S77. He was born in Bremon,
Germany, November 23, 184S. He was mar-
ried in Toledo, Ohio, to Miss Kate Haas, July
5, 1871, and it was in that city that Fred was
born May 23, 1S72. Fred was married to Miss

Great Bend as well as two sections oi laiu;
land in the county of Barton. The flour soli!
under the name of "Wolfs Premium" has
made a most gratifying record wherever it
has been used and reflects great credit on the
establishment where it is made. The Wolf
family is one of the best known In this sec-
tion of the state, the members of it being en-
terprising and progressive and among llu
most substantial citizens of the county.

206

blOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

JOHN McMULLEN

JOHN MeMULLKN was born Jvily 21, 1881,
in Uarton County and since 1S95 has
been engaged in the printing and pub-
lishing business with the exception of five
years while he was engaged in farming west
of Great Bend. He received his education in
the schools of Barton County and began to
learn the printing trade in the office of the
Barton County Democrat in 1895. He was
married October 7, 1S92. to Miss Mabel De-
Motte and they are the parents of five chil-
dren, four of whom are living, two boys and
two girls, while their first child died in infan-
cy. January 1. 1911, Mr. McMuIIen took
charge of the EUinwood Leader having pur-
chased the plant, and since it has been un-
der his management he has made of it one
of the leading weekly pul)lications of this
part of the state. The Leader was establisheu
in September. 1896 by .T. W. A. Cook who
published it until the fall of 1909 when John
C. Meyers was appointed manager of the
plant. Mr. Meyers continued the publication
of the paper until Mr. McMullen took charge.
There are few. if any, young business men
of the county who are belter or more favora-
bly known tlian John McMullen. Being a pro-

duct of the county he is naturally very proud
of his home town and county and he devotes
his paper and his personal efforts to the best
interests of the rommuiiity in which ho lives.

John McMulIcMi, Ediior of
Leader

EDWARD L. SMITH

L. Smith, Pres. of Citizens
State Bank, EUinwood

EDWARD L. SMITH was born in Edwards-
villc. Illinois. February 5, 1864. and is
is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian P.
Smith. He remained in his native state in
his boyhood and attended the public schools,
later finishing a course at the Central Wes-
leyan at Warrenton. Mo., in 1S84. He re-
ceived the degree of A. M. at this institution
which is the Alma Mater of some of the
country's best known statesmen and business
men. While Mr. Smith's parents did not come
to Barton County, they invested in Kansas
land after their son had located here. Soon af-
ter Mr. Smith arrived in Barton County he
with others organized the Citizens Bank of
Kllinwood and since that time he has been
closely identified with the financial and com-
mercial life of the county. This was in 1889
and soon after the organization of the bank
and at different times in the early nineties
farmers living in the neighborhood of Ellin-
wood became discouraged with the prospects
and it was frequently the case that a farmer
would request Mr. Smith to return the farm-
er's note in return for which he would give
him a deed for his land. Mr. Smith being
possessed of unlimited confidence in the fu-
ture of the coimty invariably advised against
this procedure and many of the farmers who

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

201

had grown discouraged and afterwards
"made good" thank Mr. Smith for his advice.
Mr. Smith also owns the Smith Hardware
Company's establishment in EUinwood. Be-
fore coming to EUinwood Mr. Smith taught
school for three years in llinois. After the
organization of the Citizens Bank Mr. Smith
was appointed assistant cashier and after
serving four years in this capacity he became
cashier and president which offices he now
holds. Mr. Smith is a prominent member of
the Elks, Eagles. Masons and Odd Fellows
and is one of the best known men in Barton
County. He was married in November, 1S91.
to Miss Mattie S. Harrison, a daughter of Mr.

and Mrs. B. L. Harrison of Barton County,
and they are the parents of two children, E.
Aubrey, 17 years of age and Elbert, 14 years
of age, both of whom are being educated in
the schools of the county. Mr. Smith in addi-
tion to his business interests owns considera-
ble farming land in this and other counties
and his mother and father are also interested
in Kansas land. Mr. Smith has served the
city ;f EUinwood as mayor and has been a
member of the school board a number of
years and is at present treasurer of the
board. He is an enterprising and successful
business man and is well known in all parts
of Kansas and Barton County.

CITIZENS STATE BANK, ELLINWOOD

Along in the latter SO's E. L. Smith and
other well known residents of the eastern
part of the county of Barton decided that El-
linwood needed a good bank. Therefore in
1SS9 the Citizens State Bank was organized
with a capital of $5.00(». with an authorized

cashier and secretary and these wiih P. B.
Kimpler, G. H. Ernsting and H. I'. S. Smith
form the board of directors. The liank now
has a surplus of $32,000 and the deposits are
approximately $175,000. This bank has gained
the confidence of the people by siiuare deal-

Cilizent- State Bank. EUinwood

capital of $.50,000. It first bore the name of
the Citizens Bank btit when it was charterfd
\mder the new state banking laws five years
later it became known as the Citizens State
Bank and the capital was made $15,000. The
officers of this bank are: E. L. Smith, presi-
dent and cashier: Robert Shouse, assistant

iiig methods and by extending to its friends
and customers every accommodation that Is
consistent with safe banking methods. The
bank occupies a modernly equipped building
with an electrical burglar alarm and all mod-
ern appliances for protecting the valuables
contained in the vaults.

PEOPLES STATE BANK

The Peoples State Bank of EUinwood was
organized in March, 190S. with a capital of
$25,000, with the following officers and direc-
tors: J. H. D. Bosse, president; D. C. John-
son, cashier; Charles Mellies, assistant cash-

ier and C. Buck, Fred, Fred Wolf. E. D. Isern
and the president make up the board of di-
rectors. The bank has enjoyed a steady
growth since its organization and at this
writing has a surplus and undivided profits of

208

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

$10,221, and the approxmato average deposits
amount to $210. "00. Tliis bank has the larg-
est deposits of any bank in the county outside
of Great Bend and is one of the county's sub-

banking business. The interests of the
tank's customers are carefully looked after by
the officers of the bank and by careful man-
agement and by the use of modern banking

''^'

Peoples State Bank, EUinwood

stantial financial institutions. The bank is
located on the main street in a building that
is furnshed and equipped in a neat, conven-
ient manner for the carrying on of a general

ideas this institution has gained the confi-
dence of the people of that section of the
county.

German Lutheran Church, EUinwood

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

209

J. H. D. BOSSE

JOHANN HERMAN DIEDRICH BOSSE, or
D. Bosse, as he is better known in Bar-
ton County, was born in Hanover, Ger-
many, Xovember 1, 1852. He came to Amer-
ica in 1S71 and located first in New York state
where he remained two years, after which lie
went to Ohio, and from that state came to
Barton County. Kansas, in 1S75. He married
Miss Catrina Lanipe, in June, 1S76, and they
are the parents of two children: Marie, who
is now Mrs. E. S. Brodie cf Wichita, and Mil-
ton August Bosse, who resides in Ellinwood
and is engaged in the farming business with
his father. Milton August married Moneta
Butts of Wichita. Kansas, in 1910. The elder
Bosse farmed for twelve years after his ar-

cess in raising many varieties of apples.
Near the town of Ellinwood Mr. Bosse main-
tains an orchard consisting of twenty acres
in which are found trees bearing apples of
such well known names as .Jonathan. Grimes'
Golden. Nero, Akin, Arkansas Black, Wine
Sap, Schacklef;rd, Black Twig, Missouri Pip-
pin, etc. Here can also be found choice vari-
eties of cherries. Mr. Bosse's orchard has at-
tracted a great deal of attention not only at
home, but it has been visited by government
experts who on different occasions have spent
a great deal cf time in observing the ideas
that have have been used by Mr. Bosse in the
cultivation of his trees. The trees are sup-
plied with moisture by a large irrigating sys-

D. Bosse

rival in Barton County and has been one of
the mcst successful of the old timers of La-
kin township. After Mr. Bosse moved to El-
linwood he accepted a position as book-keeper
for the Edwards & Fair Lumber Co. He was
twice elected to the office of treasurer
of Barton County, Kansas. The first
property he obtained title to was railroad
land northwest of Ellinwood. He now owns
about 1,760 acres of land in the county, all ot
which is under cultivation and is being work-
ed mostly by renters.

Although Barton County lays no claim to
being an exceptionally good fruit country,
this line cf business has been made a spe-
cialty by Mr. Bosse and he has met with snc-

tem; the water being conducted to all parts of
the orchard by the means ot tiling placed un-
der the surface of the ground. The water is
pumped from below the surface by two largo
windmills and rotary pump supplied with
power by a 5-horse power gasoline engine.
The pump has a capacity of 200 gallons per
minute. When moisture is supplied by rain
the pumping plant is not needed but when
the seasons are dry it is sometimes found
necessary to operate the pumps as much as
three weeks at different intervals during the
year. A large pond confines the water that
is pumped until it is needed. The pond has
six outlets that make it possible to irrigate
two acres of the orchard at a time. la all

210

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Residence of D. Bosse, Ellinvvood

Residence of Milton Bosse, Eillnwood

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

211

there are about six miles of tiling in the
orchard and it is safe to say that Mr. Boss*;
is the leading orchardist in this part of the
state of Kansas. He is an enterprising and
progressive citizen and in addition to the
property mentioned above he owns a graat
deal of town property in EUinwood where he is

well known and recognized as one of the old
timers of the county who has done a great
deal to further its interests and make of il
one of the most desirable from an agricul-
tural standpoint, to be found in the entire
country.

Scene From D. Bosse's Orchard, EUinwood

212

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

#reat BentJ

IN Jl'LY 29, 1871, the com|)any was char-
tered that had been previously select-
ed for the towiisite of Great Bend.
This company consisted of Thomas J. Mitchell,
C. R. Curtis, Clark 11. Charles and Robert T
Shinn of Quincy, Ills.: James Israel cf Mount
Vernon, Ohio.; Samuel I). Houston of Manhat-
tan, Kansas; John T. Norton and A. L. Wil-
liams of Topeka, Kansas, and Thomas L. Mor-
ris of Barton County.

It was the intention cf the company to lo-
cate the town on the north half of section 34.
township 19. range 13, which is southeast ot
the site finally decided upon. There wore

the election (f the following officers: A. A.
Hurd. mayor; A. S. Allen, G. W. Poole, M. S.
Kuteh. Ed Markwort and D. Cooley, council-
men. Mr. Cooley moved from the city within a
month after his election and his jilace was
taken on the council by Kdward Tyler. James
C. Martin was the first police judge and A. (^
Mcses the first city clerk, while U. R. Smith
and James Gainsford were the first treasunr
and marshal, respectively.

At this time the principal business activity
was in the cattle trade and large herds of ca;-
tle from northern Texas, Indian Territory and
Oklahoma were driven from the pastures in

Crossing the Arkansas River at Great Bend 1872

several reasons why the site was changed, the
principal one being that the present site is on
higher ground and safer from the flood waters
from the creeks and rivers.

The new town was christened Great Bend
by Hiram Bickcrdyke on account cf the fact
that it is located on the north bank of tho
Arkansas river at a point where the big bend
in the river forms almost a half circle and the
townsite is at the apex of this bend.

One year after the town was organized the
first city election was held and it resulted in

those states, north to the nearest railroad
point from where they were shipped to the
eastern markets. I'ntil the town of Great
Bend was organized, this business was monop-
olized by Newton, Abilene and Wichita. How-
ever, the A. T. & S. F. railroad had been built
west to Great Bend at the time the first city
election was held and Great Bend's closer
proximity to the southern ranges gave it an
advantage that finally resulted in a large part
of this business being shifted to this point.
George N. Moses was one cf the pioneers ;n

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

213

this business and drove tlie first herd of cat-
tle to pass through Great Bend from Texas to
Newton in 1S72.

The first building to be erected on llio
townsite of Great Bend was the Drover's Cot-
tage, afterwards the Southern Hotel, of which
Colonel Thomas L. Stone was the first land-
lord. The first store building was erected by

hers of the first council. \V. H. Odell was
elected as a member of the city council at
this election.

Like all western towns of that period.
Great Bend was a typical border settlement
and was made up of a population that includ-
ed many cattle men and buffalo hunters. The
hunters sold their hides in Great Bend and

Great Bend in 1872

Tyler and was also used as a residence. The
hotel was located on lots 1 and 2, block 'JO,
which is the ground now occupied by the
Brinkman bank building. In all there were
forty-two buildings erected on the townsite
during the year 1S72.

The first city administration accomplished
a great deal in attracting business to the town

the cattle men liiadod their stock on the cars
in which they were ttaken to the markets.

In 1S73, one year after the county was or-
ganized, there were 2,500 acres of land under
cultivation and the harvest that year gave .".
yield that was considered mighty good and
consisted of the following: 4,S acres of wheat.
IjO acres of barley and 75 acres of oats, as well

~ •^ii'tHi S£a's„ KA/J-i. ; -~jr==f.~^- I SS="-

Great Bend in 1882

and encouraging the building of luisiness and
residence buildings. The principal work of
the administration was in getting a part of the
cattle trade from the towns farther east.

In 1873 the administration of A. A. Huid
was endorsed by the people of the town and he
was re-elected as well as nearly all the mem-

as a large number of acres of hay and smil
crege of corn.

It was in 1873 that work on the court house
was begun, this being the first building of
any size to be built within the limits of the
townsite.

In 1874, at the city election, the (ollowing

214

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

were elected to fill the different offices: Sai'.i-
iie! .Maher, mayor; councilmen, C. W. Gray, K.
C. Sooy, H. H, Kidder, G. N. Moses and A. S.
Allen; treasurer, I. H. Upton; police judge, J.
C. Martin; city clerk, A. J. Buckland and W
\V. Winstead and William Leak, marshals, li
was during this administration that the court
house was completed and on July 4. the ne'..'
building was dedicated with appropriate cere-
monies.

The year 1S74 was famous or notorious tor
a plague of grasshoppers, and has since been
referred to as "Grasshopper Year." For sev-
eral days these pests were in evidence in sucit
great numbers that at times they obscured tbo
sunlight and devoured everything with which
they came in contact that was not proof
against their hunger and ferocity. It is re-

Gainsford took William I.*ak's place as one
of the city marshals. It was also during this
year that the famous trial of "Hefty," a noted
character of the county, was held. He was
charged with murder but was acquitted by
Judge W. R. Brown, sitting in the district
court. "Hefty" was acquitted after having
been accused of brutally murdering two
Frenchmen, new arrivals in the county.

In 1ST5 the following officers were elected
and app inted: R. Taylor, mayor; G. .\'.
.Moses, William Torrey, A. J. Buckland, E. \V.
Burton and John H. Taylor, councilmen; A. C.
Moses, city clerk; E. L. Chapman, police
judge; James Gainsford. marshall; D. ?C.
Heizer, treasurer and A. A. Hurd, city attor-
ney. It was during this year that "Mother
Bickerdyke," the famous civil war nurse came

Court House in 1874. Southern Hotel in Background

lated by old timers that the hoppers would
swoop down on a field of corn and when they
rose there would be nothing left to deno;e
that there had been anything on the spot ex-
cept the bare prairie. They also tell of the
pests having often eaten clothing, and inci-
dents are cited where they actually stopped
a railroad train by piling up on the tracks in
such numbers as to make it impossible for the
engines to push their way through them.

It was during this same year that a genu-
ine Indian war dance was held on the couii
house square. The Indians ta the number of
about 200 were led by Spotted Horse, chief of
the Pawnees. The Indians danced themselves
into an awful frenzy, much to the amusement
of the people of the town and Indians who did
not take part in the dance.

During this year a change was made in th»>
city administration and D. N. Heizer became
treasurer; A. C. Moses, city clerk, and James

to Great Bend on a visit to her sons, James
and Hiram Bickerdyke. She was prominent
in the work of relieving sufferers from the
famine caused by the grasshopper pest.

In 1S76 the city election resulted in the
following officers being chosen to carry on
the affairs of the rapidly growing town: C. F.
Diffenbacher, mayor; E. W. Burton, John
Taylor. R. C. Bailey, William Odell and A. S.
Barnes, councilmen; A. C. Moses succeeded
himself as clerk; Jcsiah Clayton, city attor-
ney; E. L. Chapman, police judge; A. S. Allen,
treasurer, and George B. Hayden. marshal.

Like all western towns of that period
Great Bend was infested with a number of
men and women who belonged to the rough
element and the work of the administration
of 1S76 was directed towards ridding the town
cf this undesirable class. By this time the
cattle trade had drifted farther westward and
Dodge City was the town where most of the

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

215

cattlemen and the cowboys made their head-
quarters. The administration succeeded m
ridding the city of dance halls and obnoxious
things that were a part of them. With the
disappearance of this element the population
which was enjoying a steady growth was
made up cf settlers and men who came here
to engage in business or take up the work
of farming. In fact this administralioii
marked a new era in the life of the town.

The election of city officers in the year
1877 was marked by an issue that brought out
some little argument. The question was
whether or not the city officers should receive
salaries, and A. C. Fair who stood for no sal-
aries, received a majority of the votes and was
elected mayor. The remainder of the city oi-
fices were filled as follows: G. H. Hulme, Jo-
seph, Gray, T. C. Cole, Chas. Rozel and E. C.

The affairs of the city were looked after
during the year 1880 by the following: E. U
Chapman, mayor; A. J. Rucklaud, M. J. Fitts,
F. VoUmer. A. C. Fair and Henry Moss, coun-
cilmen. During this period R. T. Ewalt was
police judge; A. S. Allen, treasurer; Fred

l.ong, clerk; \V.
commissioner.

In ISSl the
elected: H. M.
Henry Moss, A.

H. Swift, marshal and street

following city officers were
Kline, mayor; G. H. Hulme,
Laidlaw, A. C. Fair and A. J.
Buckland, councilmen; R. T. Ewalt, police
judge; James Clayton, city attorney; A. S.
Allen, treasurer; W. P. Mellen, clerk and
James Airheart, marshal.

The year 1SS2 was a good one for the cul-
tivation of the soil and a number of new set-
tlers arrived and located south of the river
from Great Bend. At the election the follow-

Barton County Court House

Bailey, councilmen ; W. H. Odell was appointed
police judge; W. H. Dodge, city attorney; A.
S. Allen, treasurer and A. B. rnderhill, mar-
shall.

The administration of 1S78 was composed
of the following: G. X. Moses, mayor; C. \V.
Gray, J. C. McClure, A. A. Power, C. B. Chaj)-
man and Fred Vollmer, councilmen.
This council appointed E. Li. Chaj)-
man. police judge; \V. H. Dodge, attor-
ney; A. S. Allen, treasurer; W. H. Odell, clerk
and J. T. Airhart, marshal.

In 1S79 the election of city officers result-
ed as follows: A. W. Gray, mayor; R. T.
Ewalt, R. C. Bailey, A. J. Buckland, M. H
Fitts and A. C. Fair, councilmen. The follow-
ing were appointed: G. W. Nimocks, attorney;
E. L. Chapman, clerk; C. Goit, police judge;
A. S. Allen, treasurer and W. W. Winstead,
marshal.

ing officers were elected: J. V. Brinkman.
mayor; H. M. Kline, C. Goit, G. H. Hulm<-,
Will. Bruesser and A. Laidlaw, councilman.
This council appointed the following: R. T.
Ewalt, police judge; Elrick Cole, attorney;
A. S. Allen, treasurer; C. Goit. clerk and
James Airheart, marshal. It was during this
year that the town was visited by a smallpox
epidemic that caused the death of fourteen
people as well as making business poor in all
branches. The disease continued in its spread
for several months and at times a panic was
threatened that might have resulted in depop-
ulating the town.

In 1SS3 the spring election resulted In G.
\V Nimocks being elected mayor with the fol-
lowing councilmen; J. C. Gwinn, E. R. Moaos,
R. C. Bailey, A. C. Fair and E. W. Moses. Mr.
Kwalt continued as police judge, B. F. Ogle
was appointed attorney; James Clayton.

216

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

clerk; A. S. Allen, treasurci- and J. T. Air-
hoart conlinuod as marshal.

The election of 1SS4 was without any jiar-
tioular interest as the town was enjoying a
good growth and the people seemed to work
with a community of interests. The foliovv-
ing were elected: K. W. .Moses, mayor; 1t. .\.
Moses, T. 0. Cole, J. C. Gwinn, K. E. Hciu-
dict and Wm. Bruesser, eouncilmen. Mr.
Ewalt was again appointed as police judge; C.
Gcit, attorney; R. A. Charles, clerk; A. S. Al-
len, treasurer. The police department re-
mained the same.

In 1SS5 E. W. Moses succeeded himself as
mayor and had with him as eouncilmen: l)r
S. J. Shaw, F. M. Burson, Wm. Bruesser, C. IT.
Patterson and W. H. Keeney. A. J. BuckUimi
was appointed police judge; C E. Castle,
clerk; A. S. Allen, treasurer; J. W. Clarke, at-
torney, and Cal Crilley, marshal. This aiimin-
istration accomplished a great deal of good
for the town. The tirst drainage system was

— D. Roberts and Fred Vollmer; treasurer of
b::ard of education, J. V. Brinkman; memhevs
of the board of education, A. C. Shermerhcrn,
1). M. Woodburn, G. \V. Nimocks, C. F. Culve",
A. H. Connetl, A. li. Moss, D. Turner, S. H.
Moss. S. M. Rusk was appointed street com-
missioner; C. E. Castle, clerk; F. Pattet-son,
mar.shal and C. Q. Xewcomb, city enginjer. In
November, 1SS6, at a special election F. .(
Kramer was elected councilman to take the
l)lace of W. G. Me.ritt, who resigned. It was
this year that the city of Great Bend was <-cp-
arated from the township as far as po'i cil
matters were concerned.

In January, 1887, C. E. Castle resigned as
city clerk and his place was filled by the ap-
pointment of C. W. Murphy and at the same
meeting of the council Wm. Osmond w-as ap-
pointed city attorney.

It was during the adminislraticn of 1SS7
that the city of Great Bend voted aid in the
sum of ?23,000 for the Kansas & Colorado P.i-

Louis Z u t a V e r n , C i t v T r e a s .

established and consisted cf a ditch running
from the west boundary of the city throvgh
the town to Walnut street, with laterals from
both north and south.

In 18S6 the city was changed from a city
of the third class to a city of the second
class. The officers of the city who had boon
elected in 1SS5 were appointed by Governor
.John Martin to serve until an election could
be held under the new order of things. Ihe
clectioTi was held on the day appointed by the
governor and rejulted as follows: D. X. Mciz-
er, mayor; A. S. Allen, treasurer; L. R. Nim-
ocks, police judge; J. W. Clarke and \. .].
Buckland. justices of the peace; John Dawson
and L. I'. Aber, constables. It was diiring
this year that the first election of eouncilmen
was held by wards and resulted as follows;
First ward — J. Alefs and G. W. Poole; second
ward — W. G. Merritt and A. I-aidlaw; third
ward — D. . Jones and I). C. Luse; fourth ward

cific Railroad company. This company built
the road that is now a branch of the Missouri
Pacific from Great Bend to Hoisington. At
the election in that year the following were
selected to fill the different offices: Mayor,

A. J. Buckland; police judge, W. H. Odel!;
treasurer, James Clayton: treasurer of the
board of education, R. F. Typer; justices of
the peace, George Crummack and Jehu W.
Brown ; constables, L. P. Aber and Parker Cor-
bin; eouncilmen — First ward W. O. Morrison;
second ward, George Spencer; third ward, F.

B. Caldwell; fourth ward, F. B. Schuster and
S. H. Moss; members of the board of educa-
tion, J. W. Thompson, S. J. Shaw, D. Turner,
Charles Allison and Charles E. Hedges. C. W.
Murphy was chosen for city clerk; attorney,
I). A. Banta; marshal, J. W. Dawson; streot
commissioner, J. T. Airheart. G. . Poole re-
signed as a member of Ihe council and at a
special election held April 25 . .

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

217

was elected to take his place, Tii

July of this year C. W. Murphy resigned as
clerk and the vacancy was filled by the ap
pointment of Will E. Stoke.

In 1888, at the spring election, the fallow-
ing were chosen to fill the city offices; Coun-
cllmen, W. E. Harper, C. L. Moses, G. N.
Moses, J. B, Daniels; school board, A. 0.
Schermerharn, C. F. Culver, J. C. Gwinn, \V.
W. Culver.

It was during the administration of these
officers that the first city water works sys-
tem was installed, a franchise being granted
to the Great Bend Water Supply Company.
The franchise was to run for twenty-one years.
The city voted aid for the Chicago, l-'ansas &
Western ailroad Company in 'he sum of ^15-
000. The road extended frora Great Pi'iud to
Scott City and is now a branch of the San(:i

resigned and M. Gilmore was elected to take
the place of Charles Chamberlain.

In 1890 the city election resulted in the fol-
lowing being chosen to look after the affairs
of the city; Couucilmen, John Taylor, C. L.
xMoses, W. P. Coles and M. Gilmore. The bca.-d
of education was composed of A .C. Schermer-
horn, A. J. Buekland, A. H. Connctt and Fred
\'ollmer.

In 1S91 the city offices were occupied by A.
Laidlaw, mayor; Parker Corbin, police judge;
O. J. Richards, G. L. Chapman, treasurer of the
heard of education; John F. Lewis and James
Clayton, justices of the peace; J. W. Dawson
and L. P. Aber, constables. The council was
composed of John Langham, J. B. Hannum,
Wm. Kelley, W. W. Culver and the long term
members elected at the election of 1S90. The
hoard of education was made up of C. F. Dif-

First Seven Sheriffs of Barton County

Fe Railroad Company. In November of this
year Charles Chamberlain was elected cou-i-
cilman to fill the vacancy caused by the re-
signation of J. B. Daniels.

In 1SS9 O. B. W'ilson was elected mayor
with the following couucilmen; John Lang-
ham, W. B. Cornell, C. H. Hulme, C. B. GiUis
and C. Q. Newcomb. The board of educatio:i
was composed of C. F. Diffenbacher, G. W.
Nimocks, J. K. Humphrey and William Torrey,
with C. W. Murphy, treasurer. The following
were appointed by the city council; W. H.
Odell, police judge; James Clayton and John K.
Lewis; justices of the peace, L. P. Aber and
John W. Dawson, constables; 0. J. Richmond,
treasurer. The remainder of the city offic;>s
were filled with the same as during the pre-
vious year. At a special election in 1889 J. S.
Dalziel was elected a member of the city coun-
cil to take the place of W. E. Harper, who

fenbacher, Charles E. Dodge. S. J. Day and
Wm. Tcrrey. R. A. Charles was clerk; G. W.
-Nimocks, attorney; W. W. Winstead, marshal
and street commissioner.

The election of 1892 resulted in the follow-
ing being elected; Wm. Friend, R. C. Bailey, G.
H. Hulme and W. H. Swift, couucilmen; A
C. Schermerhorn, A. J. Huckland, D. C. Lusc
and W. H. Keeney, members of the Board of
education; R. A. Charles, clerk; G. W. Nim-
ocks, attorney and R. T. Ewalt, marshal.

In 1893 E. W. Mcses was elected mayor;
C. M. Smith, police judge and O. J. Richards,
treasurer; C. L. Hobart, clerk; J. W. Clark-,
attorney and W. P. Cone, marshal. The coun-
cil was composed of the holdovers and L. P.
Aber, Geo. W. Moore, A. R. Moss and I. N.
Woodward who were elected at the election
in this year. The board ol tducalion waa

218

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

composed ot Bruce Jones. Charles E. Dodge,
\V. H. Hillis and C. W. Murphy.

The succeeding council, the members of
which were elected in 1S94, together with the
holdovers, was one that did a great deal of
good for the town in the way of public im-
provement. Those elected at the election of
1S94 were: John Hiss, Theodore Griffith,
George Kincaid and 1. N. Woodward.

The board of education elected at this elec-
tion wer:: Albert Weiss, A. J. Buckland, D. G.
Gibbons, Wni. Torrey. and Fred Vollnier. C.
L. Hobart served this year as city cl'jrk,
James W. Clark as attorney and R. T. Kwalt
as marshal. It was in September of this year
that C. M. Smith resigned as police judge and
J. W. Brown was elected to fill the vacancy.

In 1S95 the following were elected and up-
pointed to fill the offices in the city adminis-
tration and they, together with those who al-
ready were holding seats in the city council,
continued the work of building the town and

ton were chosen to serve on the board of edu-
cation. George Crummack was appointed as
clerk, F. V. Russell, attorney, and R. T.
Kwalt succeeded himself as marshal.

In 1897 George X. Moses was re-elected
mayor and the following councilmen were
chosen: James E. Savage, John Dickson, 1. N.
Wilhide and Thomas Clayton.

The following members ot the board of
education were elected: Edwin Tyler, Wm. Os-
mond, 1). C. Luse and E. P. Smith. This was
the first election in the city after the new law
made the offices of clerk, marshal and street
comniissicner elective ones, and George Crum-
mack, R. T. Ewalt and W. A. Rush were elected
to fill these offices, respectively. During this
administration W. M. Gunnell was police
judge; Louis Zutavern and J. W. Dawson were
constables and G. I.. Chapman was treasurer
of the board of education.

In 1S9S the following were elected and ap-
pointed: Peter Jordon, marshal; George

Courl House in Winter

making it better in every way: G. N. Moses,
mayor; W. M. Gunnell, police judge; J. Geo.
Brinkman, treasurer; L. I'. Aber. John Dicl.-
Bon. A. R. Moses and H. L. Shore, councilmen.
The new members of the board <.f education
elected were: J. H. Borders, Chas. E. Dodge,
D. C. Luse and Fred Vollmer. During this
administration G. L. Chapman was treasurer
of the board of education ; B. F. Ogle and J.
H. Jennison were justices of the peace and J.
W. Dawson and W. F. Cone served as consta-
bles, while P. V. Russell was attorney; C. i..
Hobart, clerk and R. T. Ewalt, marshal.

On January 6. 1896, C. L. H:;bart resigned
as city clerk and the vacancy was filled by
James A. Townsley, who received the ap-
pointment and it was during the same year
that L. P. Aber and A. R. Moss resigned as
members of the council and their places were
not filled until the city election of the spring
of 1896.

The election of 1S96 resulted as follows::
Henry J. Meyers, James E. Savage. Theodore
Griffith, A. H. Schaeffer, George C. Kincaid
and E. G. McNnwn were chosen for members
of the council, and I'al Boughan. H. J. Kliin',
A. J. Buckland, Isaac Reynolds and U. J. New-

Great Bend in 1880

Crummack, clerk; B. S. Dale, street commis-
si cner; Henry Meyers. M. Eppstein, R. A. Alli-
son and H. L. Shore, councilmen ; Pat
Boughan, Martha L. Moore, A. R. Moss and
W. R. Bunting meuibers of the board of edu-
cation, and F. V. Russell served as attorney.
In January, 1899. Frank Brcwn was appointed
clerk to fill the vacancy caused by the resig-
nation of George Crummack.

G. H. Hulnie was elected mayor in 1899
with the following members of the council: C.
G. Morrison. John Dickson, Thomas Clayton
and I. N. Wilhide. J. F. Lewis, R. A. Charles,
0. W. Dawson and I. N Woodward were elect-
ed as members of the board of education It
was during this election that the new law
went into effect which made the office of city
attorney an elective one and F. V. Russell was
chosen. This year found W. M. Gunnell as
police judge; Ixniis Zutavern. treasurer; G. L.
Chapman, treasurer of the b;:ard of educa-
tion; B. F. Ogle and J. H. Jennison, justices

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

219

of the peace and W. H. Zutavern and W. H.
Cone, constables. R. T. Ewalt again served
as marshal and D. J. Newton, street commis-
sioner.

In 1900 \V. M. Gunnell died and R. F. Ogle
was appointed to fill the office of police judge.
In this year the following counci'.men were
elected: J. F. Durkin, L. P. Aber, A. H.
Schaeffer, R. A. AUiscn and H. L. Shore. The
following members of the board of education
were elected: Ira H Clark. F. M. Russcil, H.
E. Lindas and W. R. Bunting. During this ad-
luinstration P. Cooprider was marshal; F. E.
Brown, clerk; 'SVilliam Osmond, attorne.v; W.
P. Cone, street commissioner and R. C. Cailey,
assessor.

In 1901, the law was changed and the of-
fices of clerk, marshal, attorney, assessor and
street commissioner became appointive ones.
It was at the election of this year that L. P.

Fitts resigned as clerk and his place was
taken by Wni. Woodward. In Uecember,
George Webber lesigned from the office of
marshal and his place was taken by F. I).
Wilson. January 7, 1902, Mr. Woodward re-
signed from the office of clerk and W. P. FeUer
was appointed to fill the vacancy.

In 1902, the following were elected to fill
the offices of the city: Councilmen: W. T.
Kendall. H. J. Smith, B. S. Dale and Alfrod
Miller. The election resulted in the selection
of Ira H. Clark, F. M. Russell, H. E. Lindas
and W. R. Bunting to serve on the board cf
education. The following were appointed: W.
P. Feder, clerk; F. V. Russell, attorney; Jo-
seph Schaeffer, marshal; James A. Airheart,
street commissioner.

At the election of 1903 Martin Weirauch
was elected mayor with the following council-
men: L. C. Miller, J. G. Slentz. J. B. Rediger

Old Time Threshing Outfit

Aber was elected mayor; D. D. Page, police
judge; Louis Zutavern, treasurer and G. i-.
Chapman, treasurer of the board of education.
The following councilmen were chosen at this
election: J. F. Durkin, L. J. Barker. Thomas
Clayton. B. S. Dale and F. B. .Newcomb. The
members of the board of education elected
were: John F. Lewis, R. A. Charles, O. W.
Dawson and I. N. Woodward. M. B. Fitts was
appointed city clerk; F. V. Russell, attorney;
Frank D. Wilson, marshal; S. H. Luttrell,
street commissioner. B. F. Ogle and J. il.
Jennison were justices of the peace, while W.
P. Cone and H. M. Wells served as constables.
On June 3. F. D. Wilson resigned as marshal
and his place was filled by the appointment
of George E. Webber. S. H. Luttrell resigned
as street commissioner and Frank Harvey was
appointed to fill the vacancy. In July, M. U.

and P. B. Newcombc. For the board of edu-
cation, J. F. Lewis, R. A Charles, O. W. Daw-
son and I. .\. Woodward were elected.

This administration made the following ap-
pointments: Police judge, D. D. Page; treas-
urer board of education, G. L. Chapman ami
Ix)uis Zutavern continued as city treasurer.

In July of 1903, Mr. Wc iraucl. resigned .'is
mayor as did also Mr. Sleniz as councilman. A
special election was held July 2S, 1904, which
resulted in the election of E. W. Mosea aj
mayor, and H. E. Dean to fill the vacancy in
the council. Mayor Moses appointed F. I).
Wilson, marshal. In October of Uiat year Mr.
Morrison died and his plac • as clerk was
taken by W. E. Torrey.

The election of 1904 resulted in the choos-
ing of the following councilmen: W. F. Hon-
nen, N. J. Smith, Thomas Clayton and Alfred

220

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Miller. For thp board of education the follow-
ing were elected; Ira H. Clark, F. M. Russell,
H. E. Lindas and Wm. Riibart. \V. E. Torrey
was appointed clerk; Wm. Osmond, attorney;
F. D. \Vils;n, marshal and E. Price, street
commissicner.

Ill 1905, E. W. Moses was again elected as
mayor of the city with the following council-
men: J. F. Durkin. H. E. Dean, C. S. Allison
and W. R. Bunting. Louis Zutavern, treas-
urer; Ed. L. Chapman, treasurer of the board
of education and for members of the board
the following were elected: H. H. Whiteside,
R. A. Charles, Porter Young and M. Simpson.
The following appointments were made: W.
P. Feder, clerk; Elrick C. Cole, attorney; F.
D. Wilson, marshal and E. Price street com-
missicner.

At a meeting of the council February C,
1905, after some discussion had been indulged
in regarding the advisability of erecting a city
building W. F. Honnen, N. Smith and Thomas

Sania, A. M. Collins, Lester Cox and Porter
Young. H. A. Hall was elected police judge;
Louis Zutavern, treasurer and Ed. L. Chan-
man, treasurer of the board of education;
James Clayton and J. H. Jennison continueil
as justices of the peace with W. T. Bonnister
and W. B. King as c:;nstahles. F. I). Wilson
was appointed marshal; Frank Hitchcock, as-
sistant marshal; E. Price, street commissioner
and F. A. Moses, clerk.

In 190S, the following councilmen were
elected: W. F. Honnen, X. Smith, E. H. Miller
and W. C. Merritt. For the board of educa-
tion: S. A. Newcombe, E. E. Morrison, J. E.
McMullin and Wm. Rubart. The appointive
offices were filled by the same gentlemen as
were appointed in 1907.

In 190S O. W. Dawson was elected mayor
with the following councilmen: W. L. Smith.
G. .\. Moses, B. E. Giles and O. M. Frazier. The
same appointive officers were chosen with th 3
exception of F. D. Wilson, whose place was

Cily Hall, Great Bend

Clayton were appointed a building committee.
Then began systematic work which resulted
in the building of a fine brick and stone struc-
ture to be known as the Great Bend City Hall.
It is located at the corner cf Williams and La-
kin streets and is ample for all needs of the
city for years to come.

In 1906, the new city building was dedicat-
ed and thrown oi)en for the use of the city cf-
ficeis. At the election held in the spring of
this year the following were named: W. V.
Honnen, N. Smith, C. N. Msses and F. H. Mil-
ler, councilmen; S. J. Newcombe, W. J. Sams,
E. E. Morrison and D. C. Luse, members of the
board of education. Elrick C. Cole continued
as attorney; F. D. Wilson as marshal and E.
Price as street commissioner.

In 1907, E. W. Moses was elected mayor
with the following councilmen: Amos John-
son, G. N. Moses, B. E. GiUs, W. R. Bunting.
Members of the board of education: W. J.

taken by the appointment of Axel W'emmer-
gren as marshal. Iy)uis Zutavern was again
elected treasurer and James Clayton poli'-e
judge. Ed Chapman continued as treasurer of
the school board, for which the following
were elected: E. W. Seward, F. V. Russell,
Porter Young and Lester Cox.

In 1910, the following councilmen wer"
elected: W. F. Hcnnen, J. F. I.,ewis to fill the
vanancy made by the resignation of W. L.
Smith, E. W. Moses. W. E. Hayes and W. G.
Merritt, For the school board: S. A. New-
combe, E. E. Morrison, J. E. McMullin and
Louis Omer. The appointments were the
same as the previous year.

It was during the administration of 1910
that steps were taken that finally resulted :u
letting a contract for a sewage system for the
city. The contract was let December, 1910,
and callf'd for an expenditure of approximate-
ly $1UU,000. The contract was awarded to

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

221

Bash & Gray of Joplin, Mo. It was founa,
after work had been begun that the original
plans were too small to give the city a proper
system, therefore, they were enlarged and the
work on the sewer was finished in the sou(h
half of the town in the spring of 1912. It is
expected that the entire city will be afforded
sewer connections within the present year.
The same council appropriated $35,000 for a
drainage system for the city. The work on
this was done by home people under the .su-
pervision of a construction company.

In 1911. O. W. Dawson was re-elected mayor,
and J. F. Lewis, G. N. Moses, D. C. Luse and
S. P. Giddings were elected as members oi
the council. The appointments were the same
as in 1910. The following were elected as the
members of the board of education: Lester
Cox, Porter Young and F. V. Russell. The

treasurer and justices of the peace were the
same as in 1910.

In 1912, the following councilmon were
elected: Louis Hans. K. A. Kwall, W. P. Deal,
L. P. Aber and Warren Baker was elected li)
fill the unexpired term of G. N. Moses. The
appointments were the same with the excep-
tion of Clyde AUphin who tock the place of E. C.
Cole as city attorney. The offices of sewer
and electric inspectors were created and Fred
Hans, and F. K. Zutavern received the ap-
l)oinlments.

The present administrati::n of the city of
Great Bend is a most aggressive one and is
continuing the work so ably begun by their
liredeccssors in making Great Bend an idrul
home city with the best of religious and edu-
cational advantages.

A. A. Wemmergren,
City Marshal

Frank Hitchcock,
Ass't Marshal

222

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

BUSINESS HISTORY OF GREAT BEND

IN 1S72 H II. Kidder realizi'd the necessity
for a store at Great Hend and to hira ba-
1 ;ngs the honor of having established the
first general store on the townsite. The store
was located on the east side of the park
square. Mr. Kidder soon became aware of the
fact that although he had had the advantage
of the merchants who came later, in selecting
a location, the greater part of the town's busi-
ness was done by stores on the west side of
the square. Therefore, he moved liis building
t ) the corner now occupied by tin- First -Na-
tional bank.

A. S. Allen opened the first drug store in
1872 on the west side of the square and later
moved into the first stone building to be
erected in the town in 1876.

B. Negbaur from Leavenw-orth started u\
the clothing business in the spring of 1S74.
Later he added dry goods to his stock and hid
one of the best lines of goods to be found in
the state at that time.

In 1874 J. W. and J. Lightbody started :.t
the dry goods business on the west side of
the stiuare and their bu.siness grew in volume

A. W. Gray engaged in the hardware bu.si-
ness in 1872 on the west side of the square
in partnership with E. Wilcox of Hutchinson,
and S. I.ehman of Newton, Kan. In the spring
of 1876, Mr. Gray erected a large brick build-
ing. Some idea of the voluir.e of business
done at that time can be gleaned from the fact
that during the year 1878 Mr. Gray's total
business amninted to $130,000 for hardware
and machinery.

In 1874 the firm of Burton & Johnson,
which was composed of K. W. Burton of Lan-
sing, Mich., and A. Johnson, bought the E. L.
.Morphy hardware stock and began business
at the north<'ast corner of the park square.
Later they moved to the west side of the
square and occupied the T. L. Stone building
which was later used by Moses Brothers.

In 1876, W. H. Odell and G. N. Moses
bought Mr. Johnson's interest and in the
spring of 1877 .Mr. Odell sold out to Ed R.
Moses when the name of the firm was
changed to Burton. Moses & Brother.

In 1878, J. H. Hubbard erected a large
stone building 2,5x140 feet with ;■ basement,

Sam Maher, (on right) First
Banker

until the building became too small to answer
the purpose of the store. In 1878 a dissolution
of the firm took place and J. W. Lightbody
built a large store building: a few doors to the
north and, in connection with W. J. Wilson of
Burlingtcn, Kansas, and Saunt.crs & Wilson
of Newton, Kansas, put in one of the finest
stocks of goods ever shown in Barton Coun'y.
The store occupied two floors and was known
as the "People's Stora."

and at that lime it was said to be the largest
hardware store in the state of Kansas. The
second flo.:r of the building was used as a hall
and was known as I'liion hall where all kinds
of functions were held. The Hubbard store
did a total business of $120,000. In lS7n the
store was damaged by fire to the extent of
$7,000.

None of the stores mentioned abo^c are be-
ing operated now by thoir original owners,

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

223

•S

5
9

(V
fa
CI-

D-

O
3

c
O

h- '
O

about the only firm that remained in busi-
ness tliat began in the 70s is the E. U. Moses
Mercantile Company.

The first attempt to liiiild a flour mill in
the county was made by parties from Iowa in
1.S75 on the banks of the Walnut, near Ury
creek. Various subscriptions in the way of a
site, riparian rights, rock, etc., were given to
the company. It was required that 30,000
bushels of wheat be loaned to the company
by the farmers, they to take their pay in flour
at stated intervals. A site was selected :or
the mill but the wheat loan did not come in
and although work was begun on the mill it
never was comple'ed.

In the fall of 1875 a mill was built at Kl-
linwocd by Musil & Steckel. Ft consisted of a
single vertical burr and was capable of grind-
ing abcut 100 bushels per day. During the
same year the foundation for a mill was built
by the firm of Brinkuuin & Sooy but was
abandoned until 1S7S when Itrinkman's elevai-
<)]• was built on it.

In 1S76 W. P. Clement came to Great
Bend from Kalamazoo, Mich., and immediately
took steps that resulted in a steam mill being
erected near where the depct stands, and by
August of that year the mill was ready to be-
gin operations. It was completely overrun
with work. The mill ran three sets of burrs
and had a capacity of 350 bushels per day.

In 1877 Sooy & Brinkman built a large
water power mill on Walnut Creek below the
railroad bridge. It was nearly completed
when a tornado demolished it. This tornado
swept a path about six miles wide and came
from the north. It did a great deal of dam-
age from Carr Creek in Mitchell County to
No. 3 schocl house west of KUinwood. This
was on August 16. 1877.

This misfortune did not deter Sooy ft
Brinkman and before long another mill was
erected in a better and more secure manner
and it began grinding in December, 1877. This
mill was a four-burr and hail the best appli-
ances known for the manufacture cf flour at
that time.

It was soon found that there was insuffi-
cient water in the creek at times to keep the
mill in operation, but the firm with character-
istic enterprise, built a race at a point a mile
and a half up the Arkansas river in order to
get an additional supply of water. The fall
from that point was ten feet in additl:in to
that already atttained on the Walnut, and dur-
ing the high water in the Arkansas the plan
worked nicely. When the water fell in the
Arkansas, as frequently happened, the head
of the race would become filled with qulcic-
sand from the bed of the river. After various
experiments that had for their object the
remedying of this conditicn the business was
finally abandoned and the mill was moved
from its site to a point just south of the r.iil-
road tracks and it is now one of the biggest
and best mills in the state of Kansas and Is

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

225

operated by the Walnut Creek Milling Cora-
pany.

During the years from 1872 to 1880 there
were numerous manufacturing enterprises
started in Great Bend but none of them sur-
vived any great length of time. These includ-
ed a broom factory, cigar factory, etc.

In the early days cf Great Bend it was the
place of residence of a large number of cattle-
men who grazed their herds in the valleys cf
the Xinnescah, Chicaskia r.nd Medicine Lodge
rivers. The cattle business seemed to thrivo
at times when farming life was very discour-
aging on account of droughts, grasshoppers,
wind and other undesirable ccnditions. Tliu
first cattle in the country w'ere from Texas
and it was a peculiar fact that high bred
stock, natives of northern climates could not
live in the vicinity of Texas herds withoit
contracting a fever that otttimes proved fatal.
However, if the native cattle withstcod the
first year's contact they were immune there-

after. The best success in the cattle business
was achieved by crossing Texas stock with
northern cattle.

An effort was made in the early 70s to es-
tablish herds of sheep in the county, but all
that were brought here seemed to be unable
to become acclimated and the industry never
thrived as did the cattle business.

The fir.st to attempt to raise thoroughbred
stcck in the county was C. Q. Xewconibe
whose farm was known as Bloomingdale Park
and was located in Cheyenne township. He
came to the county in 1S76 and engaged in
breeding fine cattle and horses. His horses
were of the Messenger and Black Hawk stock.
He had one brood marc, known as Nellie
Seeley, that had a record of 2:30 when she
was 10 years old. His cattle were of the best
shorthorn stock. He was also a breeder of
Berkshire and Suffolk pigs many of which
he import 'd.

BUILDING THE COURT HOUSE

A PETITION' signed by E. L. Morphy and
fifty-one others wfs prei^en^ed to the
board of county commissioners on
September 2, 1S72, asking for an election to be
called for the purpose of issuing bon.ds to thf>
amount of $25,000 f:r the building of a eoiut
house and jail.

On October S, a special election was held
at which the bonds were voted on and resulted
as follows;

Tonnship — For. Against. Total.

Lakin 1 32 3i

Great Bend 15ti 1 157

Buffalo 5 3 S

Tctal 162 36 198

On March 26, 1873, a contract was made
with John McDonald of Emporia to build the
court house for $24,200 in bonds of the coun-
ty, the court house to be completed during
that year, according to the plans and specifi-
cations on file with the clerk. Bonds in the
sum of $50,000 were given by McDonald for
the faithful performance of his part of the
contract, W. T. Soden and P. B. Plumb be-
ing sureties.

In April the A. T. & S. F. railway got out
an injunction restraining the issuing of *.he
bonds f;r the building of the court house and
certain bridges. A. A. Hurd was employed by
the defense. The matter was finally adjusted,
the bonds issued and the necessary taxes were
paid by the railroad company.

In May, 1873, .John H. Taylor was appoint-
ed to superintend the work of construction on
the court house building, and at the close cf
December, 1S73, the building was not com-
pleted according to contract and McDonald
had stopped work after drawing all the money
that was due him. Early in 1874, the board
of county commissioners t"ok possession of
the building and materials on hand in the
name of the county. The work was finished
and the cost of the part iindone when Mc-
Donald quit was assessed against his bondsmen
and suit begun to collect the amount. This
matter hung fire in the courts fur some lime
and was finally settled in November, 1S79, by
McDonald's bondsmen. Plumb and Soden pay-
ing the county the sum of $2,000, and paying
all expenses of the litigation.

226

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ST. ROSE HOSPITAL

IN lS9;t, after having lived in Great Hou'l
for about a year, during which time Ih-j
preliminary v\'ork was done, representa-
tives of the Dominiciaii Sisters established St.
Rose hospital. Nj public undertaking in the
city of Great Bend ever met with a more
hearty response from the citizens than d'd
the work of soliciting aid for the establisli-
ment of the hospital. On June 9, 1902, the fol-
lowing resolution was unanimously adopted !iy
the Great Uend Commercial Club:

"Great liend Commercial Club, Great lU lui,
Kansas. June 9, 1902.— To the R>v.
Mother Superior of the Nuns of the
Third Order of St. Dominic, Great Bend,
Kansas;
■"I have the honor to transmit to you the
following resolutions which were unanimous-
ly adopted by the members of the Great Be!id

ing need of such an institution in this vicinity;

" 'That there is a large and well-populated
district tributary to Gieat Bend which is iii-
lirely without modern facilities where the sick
and afflicted may receive proper hospital care,
treatment and nursing;

■' That it i.s a matter of common knowledge
thai i)atients from this large expanse of coun-
try are continually traveling t3 and from the
cities east of us in search of expert surgical
relief and treatment;

" 'That it is equally well known that
large numbers of people are financially un-
able to meet the extraordinary expense of
such a trip, or are physically unequal to the
fatigue of the journey, and hence are com-
pelled to remain at heme, there to languish,
suffer and die from lack of expert care, treat-
ment and nursing, such as can be procured

Ambulance For St. Rose Hospital

C'ommercial Club at their regular meeting on
this date, to wit:

" 'Whereas, It has come to the knowledge
of the general public that the Rev. Mother Su-
perior and the Rev. Sisters of the Nuns of the
Third Order of St. Dominic, now residing in
our midst, contemjilate, or are considering *he
expediency of establishing and maintaining a
general hospital in our city; Now, therefore,
be it

" 'Resolved, By the Great Bend Commer-
cial Club, thai the movement in question is
one which commands our hearty support and
most cordial endorsement;

" 'That we have long recognizeJ the press-

only in connection with a modern and well-
equiiiped hospital;

" 'That neighboring cities and villages
have frequently signified their willingness to
co-operate with this city, and to lend th<;ir
moral and financial support to the promotion
of such an institution:

" 'That in our opinion the movement is a
worthy one in every res|)ect, and will com-
mand the instant and profound respect and
sympathy of all classes of our people;

" 'That we confidently believe that a hos-
pital here under the auspices of these Rever-
end Sisters would receive a cordial and gener-
ous patronage from the entire western half of

pi
o

ft)

228

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Kansas and from iiortions of Eastrrn Colo-
rado ;

" "That our railway connections are good,
our climate imsurpasscd, all local conditions
most favorable, and the time most opportune;

" 'In consequence of all of which, we os-
lieve the proposition would be a pronounced
success from the beginning, nd that it would
be not only a benediction to the general pub-
lic but a source of revenue to the founders;
" 'Wherefore, We bid these Reverend Sisters
God-speed in their great and glorious work
and give them strong assurances of our cordial
sym|)athy and good v/ill.'

"Most respectfully submitted,

"F. V. RT'SSKI.L, Sec."

The only institution of its ki.id in Central
Kansas. Is a cotiimodious, substantial, fire-
proof, brick structure, fully equipped for effi-

and second floors. They are oiegantly fur-
nished by various business firms of the city
and every eff::rt was made to im|)art a home-
like atmosi)hcre and eliminate the ordinary
features of hospital life.

There are several semi-private rooms 'or
patients of more moderate means.

The men's ward is on the first floor and will
accommodate eight patients. It is large, well
lighted and ventilated. The same nursing and
attention will be given as to those occupyin.^
private rooms.

The women's ward is on the second floor
and is neatly furnished.

The drug room has an ample stcck so that
all preserii)tions can be filled at the hospital.

The hospital is equipped with a Morton-
Wimshurst-Holtz machine of the latest design;
a new Scheidel sixteen-inch coil X-Ray. capa-

Interior View of St. Rose Hospital

cient hospital service for forty patients.

Situated on the crest of a high ridge of
land on West Broadway ,the hospital is sur-
rounded with beautiful lawns, shade trees,
flower beds, and all that ran rdd t:) its natural
beauty.

The building lias two stories and a base-
ment. The arrangement is such that sunlight
enters every room. Steam heat, electric
lights, elevator and all modern conveniencos
have been installed. A separate building for
the laundry work of the hospital is located on
the grounds. A brick addition was csnstruct-
ed and equipped in 1910 at a cost of 125,000.

Both private rooms and wards pre avail-
able. Private rooms are located on the first

ble of taking skiagrai)hs through the body
when desired.

An electrical vibrator is used for patients
unable to leave their apartments. An electric
bath cabinet and hot air apparatus have been
installed esiiecially adapted for the treatment
cf chronic arthritis and rheumatic cases.

On the first floor is located a room equipped
for free dispensary w'ork. There are many of
the poorer class who take advantage of this
and receive both medical and surgical service.

The operating rooms are located on the sec-
(nd floor: the main operating room is used
only for non-infective cases and was so de-
signed as to afford plenty of light and be readi-

p
(t>

230

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ly fumigated. The second operating room is
for all infective eases.

The sterlizing room adjoins the operating
room and has all m dern equipments.

Most careful attention is paid to the dietary.
K.xpense, time and attention are not spared in
providing the best.

The hospital has two fine ambulances for
the service of its patients which can be called
at any hour.

They are all Sisters of St. Dominic and of
long hospital experience. Special nurses will
be provided for patients desiring services of
same at additional rates.

ST. MARY'S ACADEMY

Another Catholic instiiulion that was estab-
lished in 1901 was St. Mary's Academy. This
academy or school was established by the Dom-
inican Sisters, they being of the same order as

closed for a lime after which it was and is now
being used as a school where Sisters are train-
ed for schorl and hospital work. It is the in-
tention of the Sisters to again take up the

a EOBp

I P .V

i^^M

St. Mary's Academy, Formerly Central Normal
College, Great Bend

those who later established the St. Rose Hos-
pital. The school was 1 cated in the building
on West Broadway formerly used by the Cen-
tral Normal College and was built in ISSO.
The school was operated until 1909 w'hen it

school work within the near future. During
the time that the school was operated it had
a good attendance and was well conducted
along modern ideas of education.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

231

BARTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

THK history of the public schools of Bar-
ton Couiity since the first district was
organized in '72 has been one of steady
progress and consistent improvements.
New buildings have been added and addiliouiU
teachers employed as fast as demands made it
necessary. The Hrst school district was ts-
tablished June 3, 1S72, by A. Hownson. Kui)er-
intendent of public instruction of Ellsworih
County, Kansas, and included the folio v\iiig
territory. Sections 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 32, 3:;.
34 in township 19, south of range 13 west, it
was known as District Number 1, and included
the City of Great Bend. The first meeting of
the board which consisted of J. C. Martin, G.
W. Nimocks and D. N. Heizer, was held in
the store of John Hubbard in Great Bend June
15 1872. It may be of interest to some to

GREAT BEND SCHOOLS..

The increased attendance during the past
year is evidence of the increasing iiopulation
of the county. So crowded has the two grade
buildings become that it has been necessary to
open three rooms for grade purposes in the
high school building and ne.xl year additional
room will need to be provided for grade pur-
IJcses. At the present rate of increase it is
only a matter of a very short time before a
new ward building must be built to accommo-
date the children of the city. The course of
study followed is the one used in most of the
first and second class cities of our state.
HIGH SCHOOL.

The Great Bend High School is organized
under the Barnes High School Uiw and there-
fore belongs to the whole county. The school

New High School, Great Bend

know that the teachers in those days were paid
very small salaries as can be seen from ih<'
following. The teachers in the first district
were James Bickerdyke. .$45 per msnth; Mrs.
H. Ingersoll, $20 per month; J. A. McClolIan.
$75 iier month; Charles Dodge, $23 permontl; ;
Miss C. Storrey, $50 per month; Miss Haddie
Hartman. $50 per month; Miss C. Bacon. $50
per month and Andrew McKinney, $40 pe;-
month. Soon after the establishment of the
first district other districts were added until
now there are in the county 104 districts, with
150 teachers and 107 buildings. The first su-
perintendent of public instruction was A. C.
Moses and the present incumbent of the
office is Jennie B. Momyer. The schools of
Barton county are among the best in the stale
of ansas and in 1912 the attendance is the
largest in the history of the county, it being
slightly over 1.000 in Great Bend alone.

is well oquipiM'd with a splendid modern bnilil-
iiig, api)aratus of latest kind in every depart-
ment. This year a faculty of nine members,
including the superintendent, is necessary to
take care of the increased enrollment, and the
new departments which are being added.

The school enrolled in 1911 about 200 imiiils
from Barton County and adjoining counllea.
This is an increase of nearly forty per cont
over the enrollment of the previous year. Pros-
pects for a still larger enrollmi-nt are bright
for the coming school year.

Some conception of the many lines of work
offered in the high school may be obtained by
briefly considering the various courses of
study.

The college preparatory course is designat-
ed for those whose ambitions direct them to a
college course. It includes l.«itin. Mathematics,
English. History and Science. Those complet-

232

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

iiig this covirse are admitted to tlie Freshman
class of the Kansas University and the other
colleges and universities of this and other
states.

The Normal Training Course is arranged
for those who intend to teach. This course iu-
cludes about the same subjects as those fjuad
in the college preparatory course but includes
besides Psychology, Jlethods and Maiiagemcui
and a thorough review of most of the common
branches. Persons completing this course unJ
passing a state e.xaminaticn in eight subjects
indicated above, are given a state certificate'
good for two years and at the end of that time
renewable.

Young people who are contemplating leach-
ing and teachers who wish to become better
prepared for their work should make arrange-
ments to take this course. It is pcssible to
complete the -Normal Training Course and at
the same time complete work sufficient for col-
lege entrance.

The Business Course is composed of the
regular commercial subjects, book-keeping,
short-hand, typewriting, commercial arithme-
tic, commercial geography, and commercial
law, similar to those found in the leading bus-
iness colleges, and in addition this course ; \-
cludes a greater amount of academic work. A
great many difficulties on account of imm.i-
turity found among eighth grade graduat-s
who complete a course will be overccme by
the time a good high school course is com-
pleted. Such a course gives one who enters
business life an advantage that is worth secur-
ing. Knowledge is i)o\ver, and the broader the
culture the greater chance cf success. If a bus-
iness course without such training is good, a
business course with such training is very
good.

The Manual Training department which
was established two years ago. and which nas
been in charge of experts during this time has
proved very popular as well as profitable to
the boys of the school.

No young man whatever his station in life
finds the ability to use his hands in the produc-
tion of some useful article detrimental to his
success. All persons are not endowed with
power to became proficient in classical or pro-
fessional courses, hence the popular demand
for courses which train for useful vocations
along practical lines. The work done in thi.s
department has called forth much favorable
comment on account of its high grade.

Tables, chairs, tabourets, iK'destals and
dozens of other useful articles suitable for any
home have been made by the students. This
work is carried by the pupils while doing rig-
ular high school work in English, .Mathematics
and Science.

A visit to this department would reveal a
busy work shop or laboratory filled with busy
contented boys, happy in the joy which comes
from the conscious direction of muscular effort
to the accomplishment of some useful end. No
tne can well deny that there is just as valua-
ble kind of training coming from this effort
as that which comes from the translation of a
Latin sentence or the conjugation of a Gr.-ek
verb. It is not the purpose to turn out finishe<l
workmen but ycung men with the power to
direct the hands to execute what the mind con-
structs.

The coining year will see installed Domes-
tic Science and Art for the girls. A room is
being arranged with tables, sinks, Clipboards,
stoves and cooking utensils zf all kinds. There
under the direction of a competent instructor
the y uug ladies of the school will be taught
household economy. It is doubtful if a more
useful or i)ractical line of work can be found
than this which teaches the future mothers
of our state how to prepare food and care f jr
the home.

The Domestic Art room will be fitted with
sewing tables, chairs, machines and rocker.s.
The work in sewing is just as essential as
either Manual Training or Domestic Art. it
may never be necessary for many young ladies
to sew f r themselves or others, but it certain-
ly will ever be a source of satisfaction to
know when a garment is made correctly and
fitted accurately. It is believed these courses
will prove very popular among the girls.

Another course for next year, which should
reach practical needs in our county is agricul-
ture. It is n"t the purpose of this study to do
demonstrative work, but to teach in a pracU-
cal way the science of agriculture. The course
will be outlined by the state department and
will iiicliule a thorough study of soil; its for-
mation, kinds, properties, moisture holding
power, methods cf enriching and tillage;
seeds; their structure, selection and planting;
rotation of crops; principal croiis, dairying,
stock raising, etc.

This article should not close without call-
ing attention to the school organization, which
go to make up the school life as well as giv?
a very useful training. These are the two
library or rhetorical societies, the Y. M. C. A.
and the chorus, the orchestra and the enter-
tainment association. The latter conducts u
splendid course of lectures and entertainments
during the school year.

It is hoped the young people of Barton
County will avail themselves of the opportun-
ity to secure an education in this well organ-
ized and well equipped school.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

233

GREAT BEND CHURCHES

GREAT BEXD is blessed with a large num-
ber of fluirches representing nearly all
denominations of Christian faith. Their
history has been printed before but their
growth has been most gratifying to those who
work for the cause of religion in this section
of the country and is most interesting. The

history of these churches has been one of con-
tinuous struggle during the early days but all
are now on a sound financial basis and have
accomplished a great deal of good among the
people and they add greatly to the desirability
of Great Bend as a home city.

First Congregational Church

In the siiring of 1S72 a Sunday school was
organized in Great Bend which was the foun-
dation for what is now the First Congrega-
tional Church, the same being organized Au-
gust 10, 1S72. But one of the original charter

gregation from one to eight years. Revs. Pal-
mer, Prior, Bosworth. Carson, Schnacke, Suth-
erland, Brehm. and the present pastor, is Rev.
Victor Lynch Greenwnod, whose ministry be-
gan in 1912.

4|l,il:

First Congregational Church, Great Bend

members remains today in the person of Mr.s.
G. N. Moses, then Miss Ida Mitchell.

The Reverend Mr. Brundige was the first
pastor, remaining three years. Rev. I. D. Phil-
lips following for a period of four years. The
following named pastors have nerved the con-

The Congregational church has always
filled a large place in the community and now
has one of the most beautiful and modern
houses of worsliip to be found in this part of
the state.

St. John's Episcopal Church

It was in the late TOs that the Rt. Rev. T.
H. Vail, the first Bishop of the Episcopal
church in Kansas, visited Great Bend and bap-
tized the children of some of the church fam-
ilies then living here. Among these pioneer
members of the church are found the names of
Poole, Grimes, Uvington, Shore, Manning, Ogle
and Moss. These all at one time or another
have done good work for the church, and of

these only M>"S- and Miss Poole are left to re-
call the early struggle of this Mission.

Several years after Bishop Vails visit, his
successor, Bishop Thomas, came to Great Bend
and after looking over the field, arranged for
services in the court house, which were held
by the Rev. Dr. Beatty of Newton, and, after-
ward, by the Rev. Kersey Thomas of Uirned.
These occasional services, however, soon laps-

234

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ed, but with the ativont of the Rev. B. Hartley
who gave regular services from 1-arned, things
began to look up. The German-Methodist
church was rented for services and the pros-
pect seemed to be very encouraging. Then
came, as the first resident pastor, the Rev. W.
Richmond, who was followed by Archdeacon
Waikins giving occasional services.

While the Archdeacon was in charge, the
congregation ])urchased the church, and now
having a building of their own, church work
began to take on a more roseate hue. The Rev.

L. G. Morony now came as pastor, and was
followed by the Rev. Geo. Belsey, and the Rev.
A. H. W. Anderson, all of whom did good
work for the Master. Then came days of de-
cline, the church, losing her strength chiefly
by removals and the pastors who have come in
the later days have been able to do scarcely
more than minister to the few faithful ones
left. These have been the Rev. H. M. Green,
the Rev. J. C. Anderson and B. T. Bensted.

The present pastor of the church is Rev.
Robert Francis Hill wh-j is doing good work.

M e t h d i .s t E p i .s c o p a 1 Church

The Methodist Episcopal church was organ-
ized in March. 1873, by Rev. A. Hartman. who
remained for some time as the first pastor. The
Rev. John McQuiston was iiresiding elder.

bought and the present church and a parson-
age built. The church was dedicated January
16, ISS7, by Rev. J. C. Hall, assisted by Rev.
Enyart, the pastor. The present membership

M. E. Church, Great Bend

The first church building was erected in
the fall of 1S77, and dedicated on January 20,
1878, by Bishrp Bowman. This church was
sold in 1887, a new site, the present one was

of the church is .lOO. and all matters in con-
nection with the congregation are in excellent
condition. The present pastor is Rev. H. J.
Cockerill.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

235

Baptist Church

The First Baptist Cluirch of Great Bend,
Kansas, was organized April 2, 1SS7. It started
witli sixteen members, viz: Fred J. Lewis
and wife, S. .M . Sraitli and wife, Liu inda
Tucl<er, .Mrs. C. J. Crilly, J. E. Patten and wife,
J. A. lliller and wife, David Mathewson, wife
and daugliter, C. C. Lewis, Jlorgan Caraway
and Mrs. M. E. Foucli. Rev. X. G. Collins of
Dodge City, presided over the meeting at wliich
the organization was effected. What are known
as the New Hampshire Articles of Faith were
read, and it was agreed that they fairly ex-
pressed the Scriptural views of those entering
the new church.

The following were the first officers: Dea-
cons. Fred J. Lewis and David Mathewson;
clerk. Morgan Caraway; treasurer, David
Mathewson; S. S. Supt. J. E. Patton; trustees.

S. M. Smith, J. A. Miller, M. Caraway, J. E.
Fatton and C. C. Lewis. The young church
seems to have gone without a pastor until Oc-
tober, 1SS7, when Rev. G. E. Hurdick entered
upon the work, which, however, he soon re-
signed.

The present pastor. Rev. E. H. H. Tubbs, is
a native of Pulaski County, Ky. In his young
manho;:d lie was a school teacher in his native
county. His first pastorate was with his home
church in the Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary at Louisville. Ky., after which he was
pastor at lirowntown, ind., four years, Free-
landville, Ind., four years and Alfordsville. Ind.
seven years. Then he came to Stafford, Kan-
sas, for three and one-half years. This last
work he resigned to accept the call to this
field.

Presbyterian Church

Monday. May 5, 18,S.5, by previous api>oiiit-
ments. Revs. J. C. McEnroy, D. Kiiigroy and
J. H. Ralston, representing the Home .Mis-
sionary Committee or Lamed Presbytery, con-
vened in the M. E. church of Great Bend, for
the purpose of organizing a Presbyterian
church if the way appeared clear. Rev, D,

Kingroy jireaclied a sermon rn "Church Or-
der." The way being clear an organization
was effected, eleven members being received.
Present membership 148. Present value of the
church building and manse, $15,000. Rev, \Vm.
Westwood is the present pastor.

Christian Church

The Christian Church of this city was or-
ganized on October 14. 1899 by Rev. J. M.
McC::nnell, who was the first pastor, and under
whose supervision the present church building
was erected in the spring of 1900, The pres-

ent pastor is Rev, I!. E. Parker. The member-
ship of the congregation is 150, and the Sun-
day school has an enrollment of 120. The
Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor
has a membership of 65.

Roman Catholic Church

St. Rosa of Lima Church was built in 1S7S
under the directicn of Father Lelix P. Swen-
bergh and Father Ferdinand Wolf. For many
years before that the community and Fort,
while there was nothing here but Indians,
were visited by Catholic Missionaries. Father
Wolf held services here while he was stationed
at Dodge City, until October 23, 18S1, when
Father Schurtz succeeded him. He was locat-
ed at Ellinwood, as was also Father Epp, who
followed him. In 1885 Father Disselkamp took
charge and held until 1888. Under his jiastor-
ate the church building was moved to the loca-
tion it has at this time. He also made some

extensive improvements. His successor was
Father Hartman, and he was succeeded In 18SS
by F'ather Kelley, who was the lirst resident
priest. During his administration the bells
were purchased. He was succeeded in 189,1 by
Father Browne, who was here during the hard-
est years that any pastor of the congregation
has ever seen. His successor was Father Pod-
gorseck, and under his term the parish house
was built. In 1901 he was succeeded by Father
Weirsma, who in 104, was succeeded by Father
Schultz then wha was in turn succeeded by
Father Hermanns. Father Hull is the present
pastor.

236

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Gorman L u t li o ran C h u i- c h

Regular Lutheran preaching was begun in
the city of Great Bend in September, 1905,
services being conducted by the neighboring
ministers alternately, first in ili<- "Id siiui !

still very small in numbers had the courage
to do what seemed necessary for the progress
of Lutherunism is this city, ie., to build a

' liiii'< li hdusi- iif ilicir own. The new struc-

L u t li e r a n T i' i n i t v C lui r c h

building and later in the present Isaplist
(hurch. A congregation was orgf.ni/ed Au-
f>ist 30, 190<S, professing the doctrim;; as
taught by the Evangelical Lutheran Missouri
Synod, in the year 1910 the congregation.

ture shown in the picture was dedicated July
■i\, 191U, and bears the name Kvangelical
Lutheran Trinity Church. Two weeks after
the dedication the first pernianeni pastor. R.
Graebner, w'as installed into office.

T It e C o 1 (j r im I ( ' h u r c h e s

Great Hcud has two colored congregations,
the Baptists and Methodists. Both have hand-
some church edifices and have grown greatly
since their establishment. The Baptists organ-

ized about thirty years ago and the Methodists
some time later. Rev. Raimy is pastor of the
Baptist. Rev. Greenlee is the past::r of the
Methodist church.

OP BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

237

A CAKE THAT BROUGHT $677.50

FEBRUARY 25, 1!S74, flu- Odd Fellows
lodge of Great Bend gave a grand ball
which was the event of the season, and
on this occasion there was a cake given I i
the one who received the largest number (if
votes at 25 cents per vote. According to olil
timers who attended the ball it was a swell
affair. The following taken from the Barton
County Progress, a newspaper published in
Great Bend at that time, will give an idea of
the event. We also print a likeness of the
cake and Miss Typer, the winner. Miss Typor
is now Mrs. Crocker of Hoisington:

"Of course it was an Odd Fellows ball and
it the secret meetings of this order are as

visicn had been made for all who were thore.

"After supper Judge Martin, at the solici-
tation of some of his friends, consented to auc-
tion off a big cake that had been made by Mrs.
Faussol, and presented to the lodge. The cake
was a handsome pyramid of the sweetest com-
pour.ds, weighing about ijO pounds and highly
crnamented with symbols of the Odd Fellows
l.^dge.

"The cako wa:; offered to be voted tor at
'.i een;.i per vols, and vas to be kincu to the
?iKist i)opular ynung lady in the hall. The vot-
T.K comnif-nced with four votes for Miss Hattie
Wills . Miss Moliie Typer received twenty
\otes. aid somebodj just in fun dug ill-' si.t

Miss Typer, Now Mrs. Crocker of Hoisington

pleasant and harmonizing as was the ball of
last night the order is truly synibclical of the
letters F. L. T, The music was excellent a-.id
the Great Bend string band's repertoire would
do credit to a musical organization of tli>'
largest cities.

Dancing commenced about S o'clock a\id
continued until 5 in the morning. The ladies'
toilets were magnificent. A great many of
Great Bend's women were dressed richly ae.-l
handsomely and exceedingly good taste was
displayed. We venture to say that the toilets;
displayed at the gubernatorial ball "at Topik.i
recently were not superior to those seen at :he
ball last night. The dancing w^as in the cour*-
room at the court house while the refresh-
ments were served in the clerk's office. The
refreshments were delicious and ample pro-

bits for three votes for Pollie Parkins, there
being no such person in the assemblage, .^t
the end of the first ten minutes the vote stood:
Miss Typer, ISO; Miss Wells, 170. By this
time Mr. JIarkwort was championing the cause
of Miss Typer while G. L. Brinkman
was leading the Wells forces in the battle ol
ballots. After twenty minutes the vote stood.
.MiiS Typer, 500; Miss Wells. 490. Then Ih"
voting was fast and furious and, finally af'T
2,700 votes had been cast, the auctioneer an-
no\inced that Miss Wells and Miss Typer were
tied with 1.350 votes each. Then there were
ten votes added to Miss Typer's list and .is
the other side made no more offers she was
announced the winner and the lodge was rich-
er by $677.50."

238

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

FIRST NEW YEAR'S RECEPTION

(From Great Bend Tribune, January 29, 1909.)

A couple of weeks ago we received a letter
from Dr. Lightfoot. The letter is published
first, and is then followed by considerable
matter from the Tribune of Janury 3, 18S0.
concerning the reception of that date, and oth-
er New Year's news:

Mr. Will Townsley, Editor Tribune, Great
Bend. Kansas. Dear Sir: In reading your ac-
count of the New Year festivities in Great
Hend, my mind went back to the beginning of
the custom, and 1 thought it might be of inter-
est to your readers to hear cf it.

Eighteen-eighty being leap year I suggest-
ed to some of the then young men of the town,
that on New Year's Day we entertain the la-
dies. At that time I had an office over Allen's
drug store. Cal Weaver and E. W. Moses had
a nicely furnished room near mine, and after
some ccnsultation we decided to use these
rooms for our purpose— my office being used
as a kitchen, presided over by Mose Wells, an
old time darkey and the other room was con-
verted into a reception ronm, by removing the
bed and instituting a dining table in its place.

The reception party of five consisted of
Cal Weaver. E. W. :Moses, Will Moses, Ora
Dodge and myself. 1 was apuointed to receive
at the door, Ora Dodge and E. W. Moses tock
charge of the refreshment table, and Will and
Cal took a hand where it would do the most
good. Quite a number of ladies, married and
single, called, also some of the gentlemen.
Prominent among the young girls who are still
living in Great Bend were Miss .Tennie Pursell.
now Mrs. Castle and Miss Annie Wood, now
Mrs. E. W. Moses.

The next year many of the ladies received
calls, and D. N. Heizer originated the idea of
a reception in the evening, he inviting those
who received and made calls to his home, then
the little cottage on the east side next to the
Diffenbacher residence. This custom contin-
ued for some years, but even when the calling
was dropped the evening reception has con-
tinued until the present day. It has been a
great element in the social life of Great Bend
and I hope it may long continue. Of the orig-
inal five who received in ISSO all are living
but Cal Weaver. T am.

Very respectfully yoiirs.

DR. FRANK LIGHTFOOT.
Excelsior Si)rings, Mo., l-12-"09

In his letter Dr. l-ightfo't says, the custom
of having a ball in the evening originated the
next year with D. N. Heizer. D. N. was un-
doubtedly instrumental in promoting the mat-
ter, but that same night of which the doctor
writes, a big Ijcap Year ball was given at which
the gentlemen were the guests of the ladies.
Many of the coiiples noted in the write-up of
the affair were afterwards married to each
other, but we expect the ladies will deny that
Leap Y'ear had anything to do with the matter.

The write-up of the ball fr::m the Tribune of
January 3, 1880, is as follows:

"The Leap Year ball was the most pleasant
cne of the season. It was gotten up by the
ladies who took advantage of the fourth year
wherein they enjoyed certain privileges not ac-
corded them often. They managed the affair
in a business way, selected thti" c"mi)any \o
suit themselves and for once in their lives--it
never before— had things all their way. We
give the names cf all who took part in the ex-
ercises, and will say now, should there be any
emission, we hope the ladies will not pounce
on us. for it was with much labcr and exceed-
ing great emtarrassment that we procured the
list, in so large an assembly. It is possible
that some may have escaped our observation:
Mary Birdsell and James Hinchcliff. Mrs. Sooy
and husband, and E. W. Jchnson, Mrs. E. R.
Mcses, husband and M. B. Fitts, Miss Zachary
and Jchn Crgan, Jennie Pursell, Ed Dunawav
and Mr. LoFecamp, Ada Birdsell and W. Kelly.
Mrs. Frank Wilson and W. W. Kearney, Bessie
Jchnson and Frank Wilson, May Kelly and
Dr. C:istle, Mrs. Hulme and Geo. Kellar and
Mr. Hulme, Emma Mitchell and Will Webster,
Lizzie Dodge and Frank Peffer. I..ueIIa Miller
and Will Stoke, Nettie Dick and Mr. Osmond,
Mrs. Ivcng rnd D. N. Heizer, Mrs. Heizer -ind
Fred Lopg. Mrs. Wells and J. M. Fugate, Mrs.
Doty and Wm. Maher, I illie Arnold and G. W.
Wells. Mrs. J hn I.ighthody and husband. Mrs.
Evans and James Sweet. Mrs. Sweet and G. .\.
Evans. Mrs. S. B. Stokly and husband. Flo
Diffenbacher and Will Dunaway. Ella Brown
ami John Tavlor. Mr.s. J. B. M\ilks and hus-
band. Mrs. Chaffee and Mrs. A. S. Allen and
husband. Jennie Flint and Dr. Gebhart. Grace
Buckland and Will Moses. Laura Lewis and
W. M. James. Belle Brown and Ora Dodee.
Mrs. Chaunian and W. W. Winstead. Mrs. Win-
stead and E. L. Cbaiiman, Anna Wood and
Ed Moses. Mrs. Kidder and husband. Stella
Eastey and Fred Zutavern, Mrs. Rowell and
husband. Maggie Dodge and George E. Mitch-
ell. Mrs. G. L. Brinkman and Dr. Bain. Hattie
Wells and G. L. Brinkman. Jessie Prescott
and Clarence Birdsall, Mrs. Pickering and
husband.

The dance lasted until five o'clock the next
morning and the large hall was densely
crowded. Supper was served at the Typor
house. The managers of the ball will have
enough left for new spring bonnets and other
absolute necessities. The ladies established a
rule forbidding any gentleman from leaving
the hall until the close of the ball. Numerous
efforts were made during the evening to es-
cape on one pretext or another, but George
Moses being doorkeeper, it was a waste of time
to plead for 'breath of air." The ladies set an
example for the men in the expeditious man-
ner in which they filled their engagement cards
which occupied a remarkably short interval.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

239

The result of it was that those who came late
were unable to find partners.

In the Tribune of January 3, 18S0, we tin'l
the following notices: Cal Weaver, Kd a;ui
Will Moses, Ur. Lightfoot and Ora Dodge kept
open house Thursday and were visited by all
the ladies who made calls. They received in
the rooms of these gentlemen in Allen's build-
ing up stairs and were elegantly fitted up witli
a beautiful supply of g :od things. They were
the happiest set of mortals on earth and only
regret that they had but one short day in throe
hundred and sixty-five to throw themselves
away on ladies.

The following ladies honored the Tribnne
sanctum with their presence Thursday; Je-s-
sie Prescott, Stella Eastey. Mary Birdsall, .\&.\
Birdsall, Jennie Flint, Emma ."Mitchell, Mrs.
E. R. Moses, Mrs. G. L. Brinknian, Jessie Mil-
ler. Belle Zachary, Mrs. Scoy. Mrs. Long, Miss
Dick, Jennie Pursell, Ella Brown, Belle Brown,
Mrs. John Lightbody, .Mrs. A. S. Allen and
Mrs. A. C. Moses.

We tender our thanks to the above ladi'.'S
who won US with a call. We appreciate th-'-
compliment greatly, enjoyed their visits .md
wish them all a happy new year, and fcndlv
hope that each succeeding day cf ISSO to its
cl'se may be as l^appy a one to them as the
first one was to us.

Signed, Wm. Moses. Cal Weaver, Dr. Ligh^-
foot, Ora Dodg? and Ed Moses.

But though these dashing young blado.-;
were the ones to follow the idea of a reception,
the idea spread, as witness the foil; wing no-
tice in the paper cf the week before, and whi 'h
was largely as a .ioke on the part cf the editor
cf the Tribune: "Janraiy the fi:st is the oe-
ginning cf the Leap Year and we are authorized
to announce that the following young gentle-

men will keep open house for the acconiniodu-
tion of such young ladies as may ftn-l inclined
to assort the privileges which the new year ac-
cords to them: Wm. Naher, assisted by his
lirother, Stanley, and George Stovall; K. W.
Johnson assisted by Ed and Will Diinaway,
{:al Weaver, assisted by Urs. Gebharl and
Lightfoot; W. M. James, assisted by M. i;.
Skinner and Henry .Mocre; Frank Eastey, (If
he don't go to the country,) assisted by Ora
Dodge and Lynn Moses; Ed .Moses, assisted by
his brothers Will and Cash: (X. B. — Owing to
the peculiar circumstances of which the public
seem better posted than he does, Clayt will
not take an active part in this business.!
Clarence Birdsall, assisted by James Hinch-
cliff and John C gan; Joe Howard, assisted by
Ran Goit — no providential hindrance — and L'a
1). Brougher; Will Stoke, assisted by James
Clayton and EIrick C. Cole; (this is regard:?d
as a sure thing all around.) Joey D. Fugate,
assisted by the following kids: Ned Goit, Al-
bert Kergs and Sammy Keifer: Wm. Webster.
assisted by Wm. Kelly and Frank Peffer; Hen-
ly Moss, assisted by John, Al and Art; ladies
: vcr thirty ruled out; Wm. Osmond, assisted
liy Tom Clayton and Charley Carney; girls
under fifteen strictly. W. W. Carney, no dis-
crimination as to age but brunettes preferred;
Wm. LcFccamp, assisted by Wm. Teed and
others. No reserved seats.

And then the Tribune of January 3, 18S0.
backed down. Witness this: We owe the
ladies an apclegy for misleading them in our
last issue by giving the names cf young men
who wnild receive on New Year's day. Thev
left (heir names for publication as presented.
but frcni some cause or other very few ad-
he:ed to their premises. But at the same tiiue
the ladies are indetted to «s for the few who
did receive as they felt in duty bound to fol-
Icw (hs pr gram after their announcements
i\ el e iniblished.

240

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

A BANQUET IN HONOR OF CASSIUS M. MOSES

IX 1S99 the City of Great Bend welcomed
Cash Moses back from the Spanish war
with a big banquet, the following account
of which is taken from a newspaper of that
time. The banquet was held in October and
was attended by Great Rend's leading citizens:

"A reception was given to Colonel Mos(!S
Tuesday at the Woodman lodge room. Up-
wards of 150 i)eople were in attendance. The
evening was spent in a free and easy way, the
guests being given the liberty to enjoy them-
selves in any way they saw fit. The Colored
Glee club furnished inspiring music during
the evening. Various amusements were to be
had until the arrival of Cash Moses, in whose
honor the party was given. In ccmpany with
his wife he arrived on the Missouri Pacific af
11 p. m. On entering the hall Judge Cole
welcomed the colonel as follows:
There was a sound of revelry by night
And Barton's capital had gathered there
Her wit, her wisdom and her chivalry.
Then spoke a stnngcr and he said.
What means these actions rash?
The answer came all down the line
"We're here to welcome C.\SH.'

"After receiving a cordial greeting by those
who knew her, and after taking a glance at
the hall and its appointments, Mrs. Moses ex-
cused herself and withdrew. An elegant lun.'h
was then spread, presided over by Commodore
W. B. Cornell, the director gene"al of the ban-
quet.

"Colonel Moses made an informal talk to
the beys on the war and gave some interesting

details, after which the following was deliv-
ered by C. P. Townsley:
"'Here's to the health of our honored guest,
Who visits us for a little rest.
But when he's through with this banquet

night
He'll wish he were back in old Cavite,
For after all 1 feel assured
A man can die from being bored.
That the battle-field with its leaden hail
Is not more risky than Kansas quail —

When mixed with ether things.
We honor Cash for he bears a scar.
Received in this Aguinaldo war
In defense of the flag that proudly floats
^\^lere Dewey placed it with his boats,
And in years to come when things expand
Cash will be glad he took a hand
In helping to save what the fathers left.
And in adding more to give it heft —

When mixed with other things.

.\Md we drink a health to this jolly crowd
Who'd have gone to war had they been al-
lowed
But some were too .voung and some too old
And the women could not be left in the cold.
For the winter was long and the spring was

late
And scniebody had to care for the state,
And very properly that was us.
And we tended to it without any fuss —

When mixed with other things. '
"The festivities were continued until about
1 o'clock, though many people left earlier. It
was a very pleasant affair and all had a
merry time "

FIRST SETTLERS IN GREAT BEXD

EHWI.X TYLER tells about his arrival
here with the first people to locate on
what is now the townsite of Great Bend.
In speaking of those times Mr. Tyler said:
"On October 16, 1S71, there camped upon (he
present site of Great Bend Mr. and Mrs. L<ojis
Frey. Thompson Frey. James Pond, Lute Mor-
ris, Paul Morphy, Henry Schaeffer, Chris
Zeizer, G. X. Moses. John Tilton, W. H. Odell,
James and Hi Bickerdyke and those who
arrived on that date w-ere Mr. and Mrs. K. Ty-
ler, with their Ihi-ee children: Mr. and Mrs.
Gromans and two children and Mr. and Mrs.
W. H. Hartshorn. Those who were here gave
us a warm welcome. The i)eopIe began to es-
tablish their new homes and everything went
well until the blizzards of Xovember 16 and
17. They caused a great deal of disc-mfort.
.\fter the blizzard the Gromans left us. The
first buildings consisted of the old Southern
Hotel at first called the Drovers' Cottage,
and one shack made of stock boards. There

were no carpets on any of the floors except-
ing Mrs. Kate Frey's parlor, which was cov-
ered with a layer of grass.

One house consisted of four poles sunk
into the ground with three buffalo hides,
tacked to them. There were several of the
eld timers who spent most of their time scout-
ing and making things as comfortable as pos-
sible for the women folks, some of whom were
quite timid.

There never was a bunch of men who looked
more carefully after the welfare of the women
than did Barton C:7unty's early settlers. On
the first evening after our arrival here the
Pawnee Indians made the camp a visit while
on their return from an expedition down to
^ledicine Ixidge. Some of vis tenderfeet were
alarmed but G. X. Moses assured us that there
v.as no danger but to keep near our guns. At
that time there was nothing to hinder us see-
ing in all directirns for many miles. In fact,
we could see what was then known as Five

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

241

Mile Timber and Twelve Mile Timber. A few
days later while we were looking down the
trail, G. X. .Moses and myself were somewhat
excited at seeing a black object coming to-
wards us. We watched and patiently waiU'd
until it came near enough for us to recogni".e
Judge Morten, dressed in a fine suit of black
clothes, black hat, kid gloves and umbrella.
The old timers eyed him as an antelope would
a red flag. The judge was highly respecLeil
by our community. He was a good man for

the times, and he helped many of the old tim-
ers over rough peri ds of frontier life. The
first milch cow on the townsite was brousht
by W. H. Hartshorn, who led her behind his
wagon more than 500 miles across the prai-
ries. I.ouis Frey brought the first mule leat.i
There was but one building between here and
Atlanta at that time and that was T. Buckby s
at Fort Zarah. The places cf note were called
ranches in those days.

ROBERT MERTEN

ONE of the men who came here in lj.i\
and has had a great deal to do wit.'i
the farming and commercial life of
Barton County, is Robert Merten. He was
born in Elberfeldt, Germany, December i:i,
1839. He came to America with his parents
when he was eight years of age, the family
first locating in Keckuk County, Iowa. Rob-
ert remained there until 1S63 when he took
up the occupation of freighting across the
plains. He continued in this business until

resides on the old home place in this
county; Kdwin M., who lives in town and is
in the farming business, and Susie, whj is now
Mrs. E. E. Bohl, and lives in Ottawa, Kansas
When .Air. .Merten arrived in this county he
bought railroad land and from time to timo
added to his holdings and now owns in this
county 320 acres of land and also owns TOO
acres in Pawnee and Rush CJunties. Mr. Mer-
ten is vice president of the Citizens National
Hank of Great Bend and is a director of thi

Robert Merten

1S65, when he went to Denver and spent onn
summer, after which he returned to ^t. Joe,
Mo. Then he went back to the eld home
place in Iowa and in 1S75 came to Barton
County and in the following year brought his
family to the new country. He was mar-
ried May 1, 1S61, to Miss Maria Becker and
they are the parents of six children as fol-
lows: Albert N., who is farming in this coun-
ty in Clarence township: Annie, who is now
Mrs. A. B. Willcutt and resides in Clarence
township: .Mary, who is now Mrs. H. J.
Campbell, also resides in Clarence; Frank,

Pawnee Rock and Hoisington State banks.
Since his retirement from active farming ho
has occupied a fine residence at 2423 Forobt
avenue in Great Bend. Mr. Merten has hold
township offices and served as county com-
missioner for one year. He has always taken
a leading part in the development <f the
county's resources and has been closely ideu-
tified with its business and agricultural '.n-
terests. All of his land in this county 18 be-
ing worked by renters and is in a high state
of development.

242

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

FRED C. LUDWIG

FKKD C. U'DWIG was born in Germany,
January 1, 1S71, and came to America
when he was fourteen years of age. He
came to Barton County in 1885 and began the
business of farming. He with his brother
farms a half section of land in section 36,
South Mend township. He also owns 640 acres
of land in Texas. He was married in Kansas
City in 1S92, to Miss Annie Alt and they are

barn is 34 by 40 and has a large loft where
it is possible to store a good (luantity of hay
and grain. A small orchard is found on the
home place and it contains nearly all varie-
ties of fruits that are common to this section
of the country. Mr. Ludwig is a farmer that
believes in modern methods and his long res-
idence in Barton County has given him the ex-
perience necessary to get the best results from

Residence of Fred C. Ludwig

the parents ff two children: Kliza, IG years
of age and Rudolph, ten years of age, both of
whom are students in the Barton County
schools. Mr. Ludwig's home place is located
in an ideal spot, the residence consisting of
eight rooms in addition to closets, pantries,
etc., is well built and neatly furnished. The

Ills efforts in cultivating the soil. The home
lilace is located about nine miles south and
east of Great Bend and Mr. I.<udwig is known
as an enterprising and progressive citizen. He
belongs to several German orders and is on*
of the best known men in the county.

JIM CAIXSFORD

WHAT little is known about Jim Gaius-
ford is what such men as John Tilton
and other old timers have been able
to remember. Jim is chiefly noted as far :ic
this country is concerned, for his having been
marshal of Great Bend at a time when it r'^-
(luired a great deal of nerve to control the
lawless element. He was marshal during, the
years 1S71-72-T3, and was also deputy sii -ilT
under G. N. Moses, and at o:ie lime heKl t.e
office of deputy V. S. marshal He had beci a
soldier in the civil war and after the war was
over he came west, firrt to Abilene and from
there to Great Bend. He was not the kind of
a man who cared for fanning so ;iever took up

a government claim, in fad he was never
known to do a day's vork, but picferred tho
job of an officer wher-j he could exercise his
authority and at times show his skill with a
gun. He was a gsod marksman and had
plenty of couras;', although he was known too
as l.eiiig a big bluffer, ai'd pro'.d of dressing
as a fierce frontiersii'.arj with a belt of car-
tridges aboiu his waist pnd a wl;ok^ batterv o'
pur.s displayed about his body, ,'ini accompa-
nied G. N. Moses on many of his trips aft-r
criminals and was never known to show the
white feather. However he backed down one
time for G. N. Moses. John Tilton tells the
incident as follows: "In th"se days soldiers

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

2 1:^

were equipped with needle guns and none but
government employees were supposed to carry
them. Jim had been blustering about a great
deal as a deputy marshal and had taken needle
guns from many of the settlers and buffalo

needle gun. George told him that we had
those guns over there in our dugout and if he
wanted them to come and get them, but he
thought he would find a warm reception. It is
needless to say Jim never came after those

Jim Gainsford

hunters, although it is doubtful if the govern-
ment ever realized from them. George Moses
and I, each bought a gun from the soldiers at
Fort Dodge. Jim went up to George when he
learned of this and told him he wanted that

guns." As the county filled up and things be-
came a little more civilized Jim moved west-
ward where his wild spirit could have freer
rein. He is now an old man, an inmate cf the
National Soldier's Hv me in California.

JOHN TILTON

JOHX TILTON was born in Noble County,
Ohio, May 2S, 1S41. He was married to
Mrs. Adeline Eastey in Barton County,
Kansas, November 26, 1S72, and Mrs. Tiltou is
the mother of two children by a former mar-
riage, their names being Frank H. Eastey and
Estella Eastey, ( now Mrs. Elmer H. Dean of
Kansas City.) Mr. Tilton enlisted in the U.
S. Army in September, 1S61, as a private in
Company G., 10th Regiment, Iowa Volunteer
Infantry. He served in many important iu-
gagements during the war; among them may
be mentioned the campaign against Vicksburg,
Jonesboro, Evacuation of Atlanta and other
important engagements. He was honorably
discharged from service August 16, 1S65. Mr.
Tilton came west in 1S6T and was employed by
the Union Pacific Railroad Co., having had
numerous contracts for grading and for furn-
ishing timber for bridge work, etc. He wont

to Denver in 1S69 and was employed in Co-
mer's Mills in Bijou Basin near that city. It
was here that he met George .Moses the first
time. In March, 1870, he and George Moses
bought two yoke of oxen and in company wich
Bill Leak, Joe Townley and W. H. White-
better known as Heck White— started for Kan-
sas following the V . P. right of way. They
finally la..ded at Ellsworth after encountering
a terrific storm near Cheyenne Wells. It w.is
by the merest chance that they were not all
frozen to death. They located claims near
Ellsworth in the form rf soldiers' homesteads
and nuide some improvements, but threw th.-m
up and came to Barton County after hearing
of the wonderful country near the big bend iu
the Arkansas. George came ahead to the new
country while Tilton remained and looked af'er
a big hay contract they had secured. John pre-
empted the northeast nuarter of 32 on ihe

244

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

southwest outskirts of Great liend while G?o.
was to take tlie southwest quarter of section
2S. which is now in the lownsite of Great
Beiul. While John was on his way to Salina to
file he was overtaken by George who t Id hini
not to file on the quarter originally piek-nl
for him as it had been decided to locate the
town on it. George later filed on the north-
west quarter of 32. This was in July or Au-
gust of LSTtl. They hunted buffalces \intil ISM,
but John could not pay out on his preemptions,

fit. two yoke of oxen for which they had beon
( ITered l.'ino. These were the same oxen that
brought them from Colorado. They had but
liltli> more than started when a band of about
fifty Indians came charging uj) about an hour
after sundown, but when they saw that tlie
hunting party was ready to fight they laid
down their arms and became very docile. That
night the hunters' oxen were stolen. They
hunted for days b\it were unsiiccessful. George
M :scs who was using Gilmore's horse came

J. F. Tilton

s:) he got Dill Leak to homestead who then
gave John the north eighty acres ot it as his
share. John laid out the Ireland's addition to
Great Bend in 1887. He was the first consta-
ble in the county and served Great Bend as city
luarshal. He hunted a great deal with George
Moses and \V. C. Gibson and can tell of some
mighty interesting incidents. In 1871 he with
George Moses, Jim Gilmore, Jim Travers and
W. AV. Winstead was hunting buffaloes on
Bluff creek. He and George furnished the out-

Ujion a inuly from east of Wichiia who were
camped on the Ninnescah and got them to .•^o
after the other boys who were marooned en
Bluff creek. The party finally were reuni'id
but the oxen were never found. A claim was
later allowed by the government fcr the loss
of the oxen. Mr. Tilton is one of the really
old timers of the county who are still here and
knows the early day history of Barton County
and Great Bend.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

245

E. R. MOSES MERCANTILE CO.

The firm of E. R. Moses Mercantile Com-
pany is an evolution of the firms of Burton Ai
Johnson, Burton, Odell & Moses, Burton,
Moses & Brother and G. X. & E. R. Moses.
The first named firm came here from Argonia,
Kansas, and bought out the store of Mr. Mor-
phy who owned a stock of hardware in a build-
ing on the north side of the square on l3t IS,
block 20. This was in 1S74 and in the follow-
ing year Mr. Johnson sold his interest to
Odell and Moses, the firm name being change
ed to Burton, Odell & Moses. This firm was
composed of E. W. Burton, W. H. Odell, G.-^,,
\. .Moses. In April. 1S77. E. R. Moses bought
out Mr. Odell and the firm name became Bur-
ton, Moses and Brother. In 1S81 Mr. Burton
retired and the firm became G. X. & E. R,
Moses. In 1900 George X. sold his interest in
the business to E. R. Moses and since that
time the business has been run under the name
of E. R. Moses Mercantile Ccmpany. This
firm is the result of many ups and downs with
the latter in the minority and the men who
helped in building up the business had to con-
tend with all the hardships and trials incident
to all pioneer firms in a new country. This
business was built up in a part of the Great
American Uesert where sand and wind, grass-
hoppers, and crop failures prevailed in the
early seventies. The life of the business was
as uncertain as the crops and when the crops
were e"ntinued failures the different lines of
business were a continual nightmare and many
of them finally changed hands or petered oul.
All have gone when this business was started
in 1S74 as have also many who came after-
wards. It is hard to think of those brave fel-
lows who worked early and late, hard and
earnestly and left too soon tJ reap where they
had sown, having grown tired of waiting in
vain for good crops and better times that never
came. In those days class distinction played
no part in the work of upbuilding and every-
body aided in making things as pleasant as
possible for his neighbors. The senior mem-
bers of the firms that ran the E. R. Moses
Mercantile Company business before this time
have all passed away. Mr, Burton died in
18S6, Mr. Odell a few years later, tico. X.
Moses in 1911. The business carried on by the
E. R. Moses Mercantile Co. is a department
store and one of the largest in the west and
carries everything in the the general merchan-
dise line from a pin to a piano, and supidies
everything that is needed by the peol)le <f
this county from the cradle to the grave. The
principal lines are hardware, stoves, tin, cop-
per, granite, nickle and aluminum ware, dishes,
novelties, watches, clocks, jewelry, silver and
cut glass ware, kodaks, furniture, carpets, cur-
tains, trunks and valises, sewing machines,
pianos and organs, and smaller musical instru-
ments, farm implements and machinery,
wagons, buggies, pumps, windmills, tinning.

l)lumbing and heating, paints, oils, glass, un-
dertaking and embalming. They say it takes
three classes of people to settle a country, the
pioneer, the tenderfoot and the sticker. There
are many more chances than this In a busi-
ness life. In the hardware and implement
line we count the following names that have
come and gone: A. W. Gray, Dodge & Co.,
William Friend. John Frank. Brinkman and
Gwinn, Balm and Balm. Sterrit and Co.. J. A.
Sterrit, Charles Culver, Hulme, Paiterssn,
Kern and Co.. Cook and Panning, S. P. Bell.
F. H. .Miller and Fred Hcmker and several
transient one-s who are coming and going ali
the time. In ISSO the firm of Burton. .Moses
& Brother opened a branch store in Gunni-
son, Colorado. Mr. E. W. Burton and G. N.
Moses took charge of this store and E. R.
Moses ran the Great Bend store. Two years
later the partnership of Burton. Moses &
lirother ceased. Mr. Burton taking the Gun-
nison store and G. X. and E. R. Moses the
Great Bend store. In 1S91 G. N. Moses and
E. R. Moses opened two branch stores; one at
Hoisiugton and one at Claflin. Mr. I). J.
Lewis was put in as manager of the Hoisiug-
ton branch and Mr. John A. Barlh as a man-
ager of the Claflin store. These stiires were
developed into large de|)artment stores. In
1901 Mr. E. R. Moses sold the Claflin store to
Barth and Herthel on account of engaging in
the banking business and not wanting the care
of it. Having organized the Citizens .National
Hank rf Great Bend and later on the I'awnee
Kock State Bank and the Peoples State Bank
of Hoisington. all of which he is i)resident of.
The store at Hoisington has been increased
from time to time until it is one of the most
complete stores in the state of Kansas. Car-
rying goods in addition to what they carry in
Great Bend, boots, shoes, hats, caps, geuls'
furni.shing goods, and they also inanuraclure
harness. It has a frontage of 150 feet with a
building 125 by 100 feet, two stories with n
nice plate glass front. For two years G. X.
and E. R. Moses were engaged in the real
estate business with \V. M. Gunnell. but when
G. X. retired from business K. R. .Moses having
enough to attend to. sold his interest with
G. X. Moses to W. M. Gunnell. This liusinesH
was a success. When .Mr. llunnell died the
firm of Dawson & Zutavern bought the l)U8i-
ness and made it a much greater success. The
Great Bend store occupies two rooms on Main
street 50 by 140 feet, two stories and a base-
ment, another building on Williams street 300
by 100 feet. E. R. Moses believes if anybody
wants to make a success of his business he
must stick to it, hug it closer and wat<'h 11
more when times are hard and after a num-
ber of years he can lake it easier, but he must
stick to it for there is nothing he can do »(>
well as to keep busy watching his business
grow as long as he lives. He also believes

246

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

that too many changes are liahle to cause fail-
ure. E. R. Moses, jr., looks after the mer-
cantile business at the present time while E.
R., sr., advises with him. He is a young man
who has made good by clcse api)lication and
constantly sticking to it. backed by a good edu-
cation and right living. He knows what it is
as he has passed through every department
and has learned every detail. He is pleasant.

whole-souled, kind and generous and well
liked by all who know him.

The E. R. Moses Mer. Co. is an incorporated
lirni. The officers are E. R. Moses, sr., pres.,
K. K. Moses, jr., vice-pres, W. W. Nimocks, sec-
retary, I). J. Lewis, treasurer. Mr. Nimocks
sold his interest to Mr. E. R. Moses, jr., who
was made vice-president and secretary.

E. R. Moses Mercantile Co., Hoisington, Kansas

(Illustration on page 19S.)

In the fall of 1S91, G. N. Moses, E. R.
Moses and I). J. Lewis bought the little two
story 25.\To frame building, and the hardware
business it contained, of Alex. Dennis. The
next year they added a two story building of
steel 50x100 and filled it with good new goods.
Almost each year eince they have added new
buildings and equipment until now the store
has a frontage of 125 feet of modern plate
glass show windows and the building con-
tains over 25.000 square feet of floor space,
and over fifteen men are employed the year
round.

In May, 1905, this store, with the one at
Great Bend, were incorporated, and the name
changed from Hoisington Hardware and Im-
plement Co., to the E. R. Moses Mercantile Co.

The management of the store has been in
charge of Mr. D. J. Lewis since its founding,
and the firm has always been ready to aid and
assist in Hoisington's growth and development.
They have full confidence in Hoisington and
her people and see nothing but a bright fu-
ture for the town.

Mr. Lewis was born in Wales, coming to
America when a young man, first working in
Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade of
contractor and builder. From there he went
to Cleveland, Ohio, then to Wisconsin and Il-
linois, and finally came to Kansas in the 70s.
He farmed and contracted in Rice County and
later in Barton, until taking up the manage-
ment of the business at its beginning.

The business began with hardware and
this department has always been kept up in
first class shape. One of the most complete

and best arranged paint stocks in the state is
a part of the department.

The jewelry department has charge of the
Missouri Pacific Railway watch inspection for
Hoisington to Pueblo and carries a fine stock
of railroad watches, diamonds, cut glass, fine
china and silver. A fully equipped optical
department, in charge of a graduate optician
is a feature of the department.

The shoe and furnishing department is ful-
ly stocked and the very best lines of goods
produced in the country are well represented
in the stock.

The furniture department contains a com-
plete stock of house furnishings of all kinds
and the finest equipped and stocked undertak-
ing rooms in Kansas west of Kansas City on
the Missouri Pacific.

The heating and plumbing department is
in charge of thoroughly efficient mechanics,
and their strongest bid for new work is the sat-
isfied customers they have worked for in times
past.

The harness departmen; mal e all l.i.ids ol
harness and leather work, and is in charge' of
a first class harness maker. A large sto-'k oi
harness, ne's. collars, v.h'[s. etc., is carried.

The implement department carries a bi,":
display of farm implements and wagons, wind-
niills, fencin;;, scales, gns engines, buggies and
cream sepaia'ors.

The stores policy has been liberal an.l
1 iogressive, and ever abreast of the time-;.
>o worthy man ever asked credit or help,
\>ithout receiving it, and the great busines.;
the store iocs year af»er ytar shows tha: it
nierits the coufidence of the people.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

247

E. R. MOSES, Sr.

THE subject of this sketch, Mr. E. R,
Moses, has had a more varied life tlian
falls to most people. He was born in
Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York. At an
early age his parents moved to Pechonica, 111.,
where he lived until eleven years of age, when
they moved to Sedalia. Mo. Here he graduated
from the common schools and was admitted
to practice law in the courts of Jlissouri. In
1873 he went to California overland with three
other young men, camping out for a few
months for their health, notwithstanding it
was very dangerous at times with the Indians,
there being no railrrads built at this time
south. For a while they despaired of all hope
of ever arriving in California because cf the
Indian outbreaks. He arrivrd in Sau Diego,

ington, that are second to none in the State of
Kansas. In 19U1 he, with others started the
Citizens National Bank of Groat Bend which is
one of the most progressive and solid institu-
tions in the state. The year after he started,
with others the Pawnee Rock liank, and the
year following started The Peoples State Hank
of Hoisington. All of the banks are prosper-
ous and not a dollar's worth of stock is for
sale in either one of them.

In 1S79 Mr. Jloses married Miss Retta I.
Newel of Ottumwa, Iowa, who at this time was
visiting her sister, Mrs. G. W. Nimocks. To
this union were born two children, Mr. Edward
U. Moses, jr., who is maiuiger of the Mercan-
tile business, and Miss Grace Moses, who mar-

California, December, 1873. and for three
years made his home in California, Oregon
and Washington. In 1876 he went e;.st to at-
tend the Centennial at Philadelphia, and from
there he came to Great Bend, having visited
this place in 1873. He came back to Great
Bend to go into business with the firm cf Bur-
ton, Odell & Moses. He bought an interest in
this firm, Mr. Odell retiring. Then G. N.
and E. R. Moses bought out Mr. Burton in
1881. In 1900 Mr. Moses bought out his
brother G. N. Moses who wished to retire from
business. Since then the business has been
conducted under the name of the E. R. Moses
Mercantile Co. Mr. Moses has given the great-
er part of his lite in building up this business
and has today stores in Great Bend and Hois-

ried Mr. Chas. I.iee of Salina, Kansas, and now
lives there.

Mr. Moses has been quite successful and
has often been asked why he did not move to
Chicago, Kansas City or some other largo
city. He has always given the reason that ho
liked to live in the city and state where he
made his money, and that he was too old to
start in a new business. That he wanted to
work as long as he lived, and ho could work
best in the business he had Etartod in and
worked up from tho very beginning. Mr.
Moses is a loyal Kansan and like his wife
likes the sunshine and the climate of Kansas,
and would prefer to live in the country that
had less rain than in one that had all rain and
no health.

248

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Residence of E. R. Closes, Sr.

E. K. IMosLS, Jr.

MR. E. R. MOSER, JR.. is a Kansas pro-
diet. Ho was born in Great Bend,
Kansas, and has lived here all his life,
save the time he spent at the State University
and the Musical Institute of Warren, Ohio. He
was a member of the Phi Delt Fraternity and
boarded there while attending the Stale I'ni-
versity at Lawrence. He is a graduate of the
Great Bend High School and Slate I'niversity
of Law of Lawrence. He passed a creditable
examination before the supreme court to i)rac-
tice in the State of Kansas. After consid-
ering whether to practice law or to go into
business with his father, he chose the latter
and is now vice-president, secretary and gen-
eral manager of the E. R. Moses Mercantile
Co.. of Great Bend and Hoisington. He has
worked himself up from every department to
this ))Ositi: n in order that he might under-
stand how to make it a greater success, which

be is doing. He puts most of his time into this
business. He is also director af the Citizens
National Hank of Great Bend, Kansas, Pawnee
Rock State Bank of Pawnee Rock. Kansas, and
of the Peoples State Bank of Hoisingl n. Kan-
sas.

In 190S he married .Miss Jessie Isabel of
Iowa. They have two girls, one eighteen
months old and the other three years old. He
is nicely located in one of the nicest homes
in Great Bend, Kansas. He is a thorough
Kansan and nothing is too good for the city,
county or state in which he lives. He is a
member of the Masonic Fraternity, Klks and
the Business Men's Club.

He is a young man that does things. Not
waiting for them to turn up. He goes t:) work
and turns them up himself. He is courteous,
frank and op<>n, which makes him a friend to
everyone.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

249

CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK

The Citizens National Bank of Great Bend,
Kansas, was organized Marcli the 11th, 1901.
with the following directors; E. R. Moses.
Robt. Merten, G. N". M:ses, John Sterett, M.
F. Sowards, and Jos. Troilett. The officers
were E. R. Moses, president ; Robert Merten.
vice-president; R. H. Moses, cashier and F. A.
Jloses, assistant cashier.

The bank started business in the room oc-
cupied by the J. V. Brinknian Banking Co.. tor
niany years located back cf the Allen Drug
Store. They remained here until December,
1906, when they moved into their beautiful and
capacious quarters, which has the very latest
of modern furniture and fixtures, with ladies"
waiting room, directors room, safety vaults

thing that is good for the people's interest .
They not only believe that it is absolutely
necessary to treat every man, woman and
child courteously and kindly and look after
their interest with fidelity and zeal but to pro-
tect their money just as far as they can get
means to do so. For this reason they insure
in one of the best insurance companies in the
Cnitod States.

Every dollar deposited in their bank is in-
sured against loss of any kind and from any
source. The people can rest assured that their
money is secure in this bank in hard and pan-
icy times as well as good times.

The officers of this bank started the Paw-
nee Rock State Bank of Pawnee Rock, Kansas,
and the People State Bank of Hoisington, Kan-

Citizens National Bank

and everything to make it the very latest oi
modern banks.

It is located on the corner formerly oc-
cupied by the Allen Drug Store, which the
bank bought at this time.

The officers are the same as before with
the addition of Edward Opie as assistant cash-
ier and Hylas Butler book-keeper and stenog-
rapher. The directors at the present time are
E. R. Moses, sr., Robt. M. Merten, Edward
Merten, O. W. Dawson and E. R. Moses, Jr.

The tank has been prosperous from the
very start, which is credited to the progress
and energetic ways in which it has been run.
Today it stands as cne of the most solid in-
stitutions in Western Kansas. It is a great be-
liever in grasping hold of everything and any-

sas, and have ever since been connected with
it. They are promoters in everything that ben-
efits the community in which they live. They
stand up first, last and always for Great Ueud.
Barton County and the State of Kansas. The
depositors of this bank are not confined U>
this community in which they are located but
they have depositors in several states of the
T'nion. They are members of the State
Bankers' Association and the American Hank-
ers' Association. Some officer attends each one
of these associations each year. In order that
they might keep up with the times. It would
do one good to visit this bank and see how
nicely it is eciuipped for business. They do
not take a back seat to any bank in the Slate
of Kansas in this way.

250

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

DAN WORTH BANTA— Violinist

MR. BANTA was born in Great Bend,
Bart;;n County, Kansas, January 23rd.
INS", and has studied music since the
age of S. His first musical studies were given
him by his mother at the piano. Not satisfied
with the piano, his longing for something more
to his temperament was cleared upon the
hearing of an artist violinist and from that
time on this instrument has claimed his at-
tention. He is an artist pupil of Signer Guida
Paris! of the Royal Conservatory of Music, at
Milan. Italy, and taught the two years prior
to his return to his home, at the residence
of Judge D. A. Banta of this city, in the
Strassberger Conservatories of Music at St .
Louis, as assistant to Signor Parisi. He was
a favorite of this great teacher, who wisued
to take him to Europe for study, and even
wished lo will his $3,000 Gagliano Violin to
him. Signor I'arisi said of hm:

•'Mr. Dan Worth Banta has been a pupil of

Symphony Orchestra, and of "Roee Reichard"
whD is, with Maud Powell, one of the greatest
of our few great lady violinists in America,
and who was a favorite pupil of "Isaye," the
greatest living violinist, and of Marteau, the
great French master.

In speaking of Mr. Banta, -Miss Reicharfl
said: "Dan Worth Banta is a violinist of abil-
ity, and a young man of high ideals. During
his study with me, he made rapid progress,
proving himself a student of talent and inteU
ligenee. Possessing good technique and artis-
tic temperament, together with an attractive
personality and stage presence, he is as-
sured of success.

I am very glad to recommend him to tho
music loving public.

■ROSE REICHARD."
Dir. Violin Dept, of
Drake Cons. Des. Moines, la.

Has played with the St. 1/Ouis Symphony

mine for the last four years. He is a good
performer and teacher, having appeared in
concerts here in St. Ix)uis, and taught the vio-
lin as assistant teacher in the Strassberger
Conservatories.

GUIDO PARISI,

Dir. Violin Dept. Strassberger,

Cons. St. Ix)ui8."

Mr. Banta was a pupil of Richard Poppen,

one of the greatest harmony teachers who

have come to this country, and under whom he

received his knowledge of Musical Theory.

Composition and Harmony. He was a pupil.

also, of "Hugo Oik," a great pupil of "Joac-

bim." and Concert-Meister of the St. Louis

Orchestra, and has directed his own orches-
tra the last four years, and holds graduate,
post-graduate and artist medals and diplomas,
with the medal of honor from the Strassberger
Cons., under Parisi.

He has a growing class of bright pupils in
Great B<>nd. and is developing an orchestra of
a class above the average.

He has had numerous calls for his ser-
vices, both as a teacher, and as a performer,
but has decided to carry on his work here un-
til September, 1913.

This will benefit all who wish to study the
violin, and harmony, under an artist, for this
length of time, here, as it is taught by Eu-
ropean teachers.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

251

LUTELLUS BALDWIN

Ll'TELLUS BALDWIN was born in the
State of Pa., and came to Barton
County from that state in 1S76. He was
x^ducated at the Washington and Jefferson
College of Washington, Pa. He at first intend-
ed to take up the practice of law and studied
to this end, but after his arrival in Kansas he
gave most of his attention to work along edu-
cational lines and served Barton County as
superintendent of schools for two terms, and
afterwards taught school for a number of
years. He finally grew interested in geology
and made a most enviable reputation as a
student of this science. He gave a great deal
of time to the study of the rock formation of
Kansas especially the Dakota sand stones and
he has received most gratifying recognition
from the Department of Geology at Washing-
ton, D. C. Mr. Baldwin is given credit tor
having been one of the first to agitate the
subject of irrigation of the arid lands of the
west and in the nineties wrote a great deal on
the subject of irrigation for some of the lead-

ing newspapers of the country. It was a di-
rect result of his call that the first irrigation
convention to be held in the state convened
at Great Bend in August, 1S93. The result of
this meeting and Mr. Baldwin's work after-
wards had a great deal to do with the hurry-
ing of the big irrigation projects that have
since been completed in Kansas and other
states. Mr. Baldwin has also made a study of
soil formations and water supplies and his
knowledge on these subjects makes his opin-
ion on these matters worthy of great conoid-
cration. He is a member of the National Geo-
graphical Society, the headquarters of which
are at Washington D. C. Mr. Baldwin was
married in ISSl to Miss Martha Gunn and they
reside in Great Bend at the present time. Mr.
Baldwin is well known all over the state and
especially in Barton County where he and his
wife have taught school and in other ways
helped in building ui) the county of Barton
and city of Great Bend.

CHARLES ANDRESS

CHARLES ANDRESS is one of the many
many old timers of Barton County who
left here and journeyed afar, but still
retained a material interest in the
county, and has made frequent trips back to
look after his interests and renew the ac-

quaintances formed in the early days. Al-
though Mr. Andress has traveled all over the
world, most of the time being engaged in the
show business he has always owned land in
Barton County and it was while here on one o£

his frequent trips that we got the information
from which to make the article for this book.
He was born in Brockville, Canada January

15, 1852— also his mother's birthday and

when Charles was two years of age his par-
ents moved to Chesaning, Michigan, a lumber
and shingle camp in Saginaw County. His
father was a turner and cabinet maker by
trade and he had a very strenuous time making
both ends meet, and to make things worse af-
ter the family had been there about two years
the elder Andress was injured in the machin-
ery and died after three weeks of sufTering.
This left Mrs. Andress with five boys, the
oldest not quite sixteen at that time and ihe
youngest only two years and Charles about
four years of age. The family was fourteen
miles from the nearest railroad station and
money was mighty hard to get. The country
was sparsely settled, the nearest town being
Owosso. We quote from Mr. Andress' Inter-
view:

"My mother certainly had a very hard
time of it raising her boys and I well remem-
ber the many trials she went through to hold
the family together. Why. I have known her
to sit up all night to finish knitting a pair of
socks so she could trade them for groceries
the next morning to iirepare our breakfast bo
we could go to school and as she could not
buy shoes for us she would wrap our feet lu
cloth rags and send us to school and when *p
arrived at the school house we would lake off
the rags and lay them by the fire to dry out
BO we could have them ready for wearing
home at night after school. The two older

252

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

brothers of course helped all they could and
as we were all more or less musically in-
PJiued we soon found considerable income
from playing for country dances, but enough
of this, for 1 know you are anxious to know
how 1 started in the show business. I was al-
ways gifted with the power or knack of inii-
itatinj; birds and animals and doing different
stunts in so-called ventrilo(|uism. and in those
days every hotel had a hall over head in which
all dances and shows were given and the
shows all traveled by stage or private convey-
ance, and in 1S62 a magician came along by
the name of Prof. Hertz, a foreigner, and of-
fered my mother $10 a month if she would
consent to my traveling with him and would
send her the money in advance every month
and wculd clothe me, etc., and as the two old-
est brothers were now inlisted in the army
she very much disliked to i)art with me but
finally consented to let me go. Well I had
been out with this magician nearly two years
Mhen be was taken sick and died in Pontiae,
Michigan, and his wife soon left for England
and left nie to shift for myself. My two years
schooling with him had advanced me very ma-
terially as he was a good violinist and we al-
ways played for a dance after the show and
I was a good "fiddler" for a boy and he
bought me a violin and made me a present of
it, and this, with a fairly good suit of clothes,
was all I possessed when Mrs. Hertz left f-r
Kngland. I soon joined hands with an old
minstrel performer by the name of Zeke Pil-
liman who played a banjo and with him 1 used
to play for dances in and around Pontiae until
he went into retirement on a farm, which left
me to shift as best I could for myself. It was
then I organized my first show which con-
sisted of a few tricks in magic, which I had
learned from the professor, and my ventrilo^
qual act. A set of cambric c\irtains and the
"fiddle," and 500 little programs which I had
printed in I..ai)eer, which cost me $8.1)0. and
the outfit when i)acked consisted of a sack
containing a small cambric curtain, some
small tricks in magic and my talking figure.
With this egnipment in the sack which I car-
ried over my shoulder, and my fiddle in one
hand 1 would travel en foot from one place
to ancther giving shows and occasionally
playing for a dance after the show."

From this ijrimitive beginning Mr. An-
dress by dint of hard work and careful man-
agement his possessions grew until he finally
had gotten together a good <;pera house show,
consisting of trained birds, dogs, monkeys,
goats, ponies and other animals. In 1S74 he
decided to go to California with a little show.
It was when he was making this trip that he
came to Groat Hend and ))ut on a sh w. There

being no opera house he got permission from
the sheriff to show in the court house for four
nights. He stretched a rope across the street
from Allen's corner and gave an exhibition
with the birds. One of the feathered cr<!a-
tures walked the rope wheeling in front of it
another bird in a wheel barrow. Mr. Andress
gave presents away at the inside performance
and although times were very hard just at that
time the show made a big success. This
show will always be remembered by the old
timers who were here at that time as having
been one of the big events of the year. The
show was a n:;velty for the town and was well
patronized. At the hotel — the Old Urovers'
Cottage — Mr. Andress was seated at the same
table with Mrs. T. L. Stone whose husband
had recently died. She told Mr. Andress that
she would sell her farm which consisted of a
homestead and timber claim of 320 acres with
a granary and other improvements for about
what the improvements cost, about $1000. Mr.
Andress bought the property but it was only
a few days when he began to realize that he
had paid a good price, as he was beseiged on
all sides by farmers who wanted to sell him
their holdings on practically the same basis.
One man who made an offer to Mr. Andress
is best told in his own words:

"Are yon the man who bought Widow
Stone's property? Was asked by the farmer. 1
told him I was, and he remarked, that he
would have done better by me had he seen me
first, and when I asked him what he had for
sale in the way of farm land, and he said he
said he had a good quarter two miles nearer
town than Mrs. Stone's with eighty acres in
wheat, a small house and granary, etc. He
said he had a good team of mules which
he said est him $150. He said if I would buy
his mules he would throw in the farm, im-
plements and improvements. I bought the
mules and the remainder of the things men-
tioned. I had several similar offers and one
farmer who was anxious to leave the country
had a half section as good as any in Barton
County and he cffered either one of his quar-
ters for $150 and would throw in the other
quarter for good measure. These same (luar-
ters are worth $100 per acre today."

Mr. Andress has been offered $100 an acre
for his holdings in Barton County but he says
he will not sell yet awhile at any rate. In
fact the last time he was in Great Bend he
l)ractically closed a deal for three more quar-
ter sections of land in the county. Mr. An-
dress says although he might spend a great
deal of his time in other parts of the coun-
try he always calls Barton County his home
and is going to continue in the future as in
the past to do all that is within his power to
make it bigger and better in years to come.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

253

AMERICAN COURSING CLUB

OXl'J of the institiiliniis that flourishod for
awhile in the eighties in Great Be'iU,
ai\d afterwards beeaine only a part of
the history of the town, was the American
Coursing Club. This club was the first of its
kind to be organized in America and had for
its iiurposes the racing of grey-hounds and by
these tests bring cut the good points, and by

people and dogs from all parts of the coun-
try and the entries included some of the
fastest dogs in the world. The tirst offlcerB
of the club and the ones who had charge of
the meeting were: Colonel Taylor of Knipo-
ria. president; Dr. Royce of Topeka, secretary
and J. V. Hrinknian of Great Bend, treasurer.
There were two stakes run at each meet, onb

eliminating the bad ones improve the breed of
these fleet footed animals. The club was or-
ganized in 1SS6 after a meeting had been held
at Topeka when the following were present:
Dr. Royce of Topeka, Col. Taylor of Emporia.
D. C. Luse of Great Bend, A. Allis:n of Hutch-
inson and John Kelly of Dodge City. After the
club was organized the officers immediately
began looking for a suitable site for a course.

of them being for dogs of all ages, a free for
all, with a tj.i dollar entrance fee. The en-
trance money was divided into i)rjzes and for
the all age course a cup and a hundred dol-
lars in cash was given by Dr. N. Rowe, editor
of the sportsmen's magazine, "Aniericin
Field." To this was added a silver medal f.r
the wi.nner given by the National Greyhound
Club of New York City. D. C. Luse of Great

LADY BARTON

Winner of Many Courses in 1889.90-91. Amounling to v.t $ 1 .000
Owned by D. C. Luse. of Great Bend

They went all over the western part of the
state but found nothing that was so well
adapted for the purpose as Cheyenne Bot-
toms in Barton County. Therefore this site
was selected and in October, 1SS6, the first
meet was held. The meet was attended by

Bend also donated a silver cup which had to
be won twice by the same kennel to gain l>er-
manent possession. The winner of the first
all age stake was ••Midnight," owned by Col-
onel Taylcr of Kmporia. The other stake run
at the annual meetings was known as the

254

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Puppy Stake for which similar prizes were
given as were awarded the winners in the all
all age stake. These meets brought thous-
ands of people to Great Bend and during the
coursll.ig at the Cheyenne Bottoms the coun-
try was literally alive with men and women
on horseback and in buggies. D. C. Luse of
Great Bend at one time owned seventy-five
dogs and his animals won the prizes at the
second meeting of the club to be hold in Great
Bend. Among those who were keenly inter-
ested in this sport were: D. C. Luse, Ira
Brougher. J. V. Brinkman, D. N. Heizer, W.
W. Carney and many others of Great Bend; C.
S. Page of Aurora. Illinois; H. C. Lowe, ot
Lawrence, Kansas; Itobert Smart of Ellin-
wood; Ur. i\. Rowe of Chicago; August Bel-
mont of Naw York; H. \V. Huntington of

Brooklyn; John E. Thayer of Lancaster, Mas-
sachusetts; A. C. Lightall of Denver, Colora-
do; Colonel R. S. McDonald of St. Ix)uis; Col-
onel David Taylor of Emporia, and Alfred
Ilaigh of ("able, Illinois. All cf the (names
mentioned held offices in the club at different
times during the time the club's coursing
grounds were in Barton County. The winner
of the all age stake was knovtn as the Cham-
pion of America. After the meets had been
held in Great Bend ten successive years the
club was reorganized and the meets are still
continued but are held at different points each
year, the town or city cffcring the best finan-
cial inducements being given the preference.
.Many of the old timers will remember the
exciting times that attended meets in Great
Bend when numerous bets were made on lb"
outcome of the different races.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

EARLY BARTON COUNTY HISTORY

By D. N. Heizer, of Colorado Springs, Colo.

255

(Editor's Note — The followig article was
furnished us by D. N. Heizer, who perhaps
more than any other man, is capable of tell-
ing about the stirring incidents that took
place in the early days of Barton County. He
was among the first to arrive and took a lead-
ing part in the laying out of the townsite ot
Great Bend and in the organization cf Barton
County.)

Upon request of the editors of the History
of Barton County to contribute some account
ot myself and my experiences in the early set-
tlement ot the county which I became a cit-
izen of nearly forty-two years ago and lived
in for twenty-two years, I know ot no better
way than by contributing extracts from let^
tcrs written in those days now in m> i)osses-
sion, and extracts from a Diary, kept some-
what irregularly, giving an idea of the early
life on what was then considered and called,
"The Plains of Kansas," a somewhat muditicd
term of the "Great American Desert," as ex-
lilored and named by Major Long in 1819. 1
was born November 11. 1S46, in Ross County,
Ohio. I belonged to a race of pioneers; my
great-grandfather, Samuel Heizer, was a picm-
eer in Virginia when the Blue Ridge Moun-
tains marked the line of the frontier, and
lived there at the time of the Revolution. My
grand-father, Samuel Heizer, was a pioneer in
Ohio and moved from Virginia to Ross County
in 1S16. My father, Edward Heizer, and his
brothers all moved to Iowa on the admission
of Iowa as a state into the Union, and a part ot
them before. I was raised on an Iowa farm
fifteen miles north ot Burlington until I was
seventeen years of age, when I enlisted in the
latter part of the civil war in Company "M"
Second Iowa Cavalry, and served eighteen
months ot active service and was mustered
out at the close of the iwar at Selma, Alabama.
On returning home, I spent a year on the old
home farm and during the next five years,
siient the greater part ot the time taking a
course in the Iowa State University and in
teaching school.

In May, ISTl, within two days after our
arrival at Ft. Zarah, Dr. John Prescott, W. W.
Weymouth, Wm. Finn, Captain Griffin and
myself, organized the Zarah Town Company.
Dr. John Prescott was elected president, D. N.
Heizer secretary and W. W. Weymouth treas-
urer. We were all directors. We at once
proceeded to select a location for our town
and decided on the west fractional half ot
section 26, township 19, range 13. William
Finn, who had a transit and surveyor's chain
with him, directed the survey and we staked
out a street running north and south, as I

rememb(>r, for about two blocks, a row of
blocks on either side of the street. This was
not intended to be a complete survey, but
only such a survey as would enable us to
make filing en this land under the Townsite-
Preemption Act, as in force at that time. Mr.
W. W. Weymouth and Dr. John Prescott
were supposed to be the heavy capitalists in
this enterprise and the next day after the sur-
vey were taken by me to Ellsworth where
they took train tor their respective homes.
Mr. Weymouth to Springfield, Ohio, and Dr.
Prescott to Meridan, Miss., both with the
avowed determination of arranging their bus-
iness as speedily as possible, to return with
their families for settlement and to develop
the new town.

As mentioned before, they were to furnish
the capital and Finn and I, esi)ecially, were
expected to do the heavy hustling. Dr. Pres-
cott was a man of culture and cf wonderful
energy and had had much ex|)erience in fron-
tier life in Northern Iowa in the Ockebogee
Lake county, when the Sioux were making
their last stand in that portion of Iowa. Mr.
Weymouth was a cattle dealer of Springfield,
Ohio. He was a man of means; Protestant
Irish blood; of fine appearance; a good talker.
goood natured and jolly; thoroughly compan-
ionable and always ready with his Irish wit
and blarney. Wm. Finn was a young man of
about 2S; lived at the then starting town of
Sedgwick, where he joined us to make the
trip to Ft. Zarah. He was a quiet young man
of good education, thoroughly good principle
and a good all-round reliable young man. Cap-
tain Griffin was also a young man less than
30, had been in the war and lost a leg; was
a small man, but be possessed enough spirit
and energy to fully make up for his size. He
could cover as much territory with his one
good and wooden leg, as many men with two
good ones. He was full of dash and afraid
of nothing, and when later in that season, the
Indians brought him to bay in a buffalo wal-
low in the Medicine Lodge country, seventy
empty needle gun shells were found with his
body, showing he had made a game defense.

These gentlemen, with myself, laid off the
first town in Barton County— the town which
was destined never to be a town— but no mat-
ter, we had done what seemed to be a new
Kansan's first and highest duly. i. e.. to lay
off a town. No man ever amounted to m\ich
in Kansas, unless somewhere at some lime In
his experience in the state, he laid out a town,
or at least, heliied to do so or got laid out by
some town. Many prominent Kansans can
point with pride to the latter experience.

256

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

The representatives cf the Great Bond
Town Company api)eare(l on the scene about
tlie 1st of July, headed by Judge Mitchell of
Quincy, 111., who was a brother of Mrs. \V. H.
Odell. 1 returned from a trip on the 4th of
July. ISTI, the day they had taken their de-
liarture. They were apparently on a buffalo
hunt, from what Finn related to me, and
seemed ta be having a good time. In charging
a buffalo on the north side of the Hottoms
from Ft. Zarali. Judge Mitchell had a horse
killed, but escaped unhurt himself. Later, 1
believe in August, came 'I'homas Luther Mor-
ris, as agent of the Great Bend TaAn Com-
pany and at about this lime came Geo. N.
Moses, "M::se," as he was familiarly called
among the plainsmen. "Mose" impressed me,
and 1 shall never forget the time he came to
my camp, then on the northwest quarter of
section 22, township 19, range 13, on the Wal-
nut. He rode up on a fourteen hand white
Texas pony; he dismounted frjin a big high
backed cowboy saddle with two cinches and
wooden stirrups a foot wide. "Mose" and cue
saddle were larger than the broncho. He stood
before me six feet high and straight as an In-
dian arrow; he had en a weather worn cow-
boy hat with a rattlesnake band, a navy blue
woolen shirt, a i)air of much worn buckskin
pants with fringe down the seams, co.vboy
boots, a heavy bolt of cartridges with two
Navy 44's in its holsters, a five day growth of
beard and about a three-ply ccat of tan on his
face. He reached out his hand and said,
"How," like an Injun. As I took it and
glanced him over, I made up my mind at
once that this was a man I would rather have
with me than against me.

Lute Morris, en the other hand, had
just come out of the band-box of civilization;
he was a gentlejnan cf the Urawingroom type
and had never had any experience roughing it
and being a man rather of a delicate type
physically, with more effeminate tastes, it was
perfectly natural that he should make up with
"Mose" at Salina and interest him in comine
with him into the great and wild Arkansas
Valley. It was just as natural for Lute to
lean on such a nrturc as "Mose's" as is for
"Mose," in his strength, to permit himself to
be leaned upon; they became fast friends.
It was through council iwith George Moses
that I afterwards agreed to assure Lute Mor-
ris and the Great Bend Town Company, that
if they meant biisiness and were ready to pro-
ceed at once to improve their town site, (Sec.
28, Township 19. Range 13,) we would not be
in the way with ours. We all then went in
together to push the Great Bend enterprise
alcng.

Lute Morris began at once to draw lumber
from Ellsworth to build the Great Bend Ho-
tel, which I think was started early in Seii-
lember. Henry Shaffer was brought from
Quincy to suerintend the carpenter work and i
think Henry Shridde came in this connection.
E. L. Morphy also came at this time. The

Town C;mpany, or the main men of it, made
a trip in the early fall; !)r. Curtis, Judge
Mitchell, Archie Williams, then attorney gen-
eral of Kansas, and others. Morphy was a
very interesting, bright little Frenchman; a
good observer; had a keen sense of the ludi-
crous; fond of fun at anyone's expense, but
never cruel; was a fine singer, a natural born
actor and mimic; a general all round com-
panionable fellow and cultured gentleman.
"Morf," as we called him, never missed any-
thing and always entertained us with the lit-
tle funny things he observed of any of us. It
was rumored that the Great Hend Town Com-
pany had brought a goodly supply of whisi^y
along with them as they had learned that a
o:lony of Prairie Dogs had long been squat-
ters on their townsite and as rattlesnakes
iwera reported to live with the dogs, the
whisky was brought lest the town company
might, in an unguarded moment, be bitten on
its Charter or By-Laws, or most anywhere, at
any rate, they had the whiskey. It seems that
everyone bragged to the different members of
the Tcwn Company of the integrity of wild
life in the wooly west. Nobody ever thought
of looking anything up, never had anything
stolen and left everything right out in the
open. The next morning the Great Bend
Town Company had its Charter, By-Laws,
Plats, Specifications, bo"ts and shoes, wear-
ing apparel, tags and baggage all right, but
they didnt have any whiskey. No one was
drunk, faces not even red. but Morphy always
said that the next morning when any member
cf the Town Company would undertake to en-
gage Henry Shaffer in conversation, Henry
would smack his lips, turn his liquid blue
eyes toward heaven and exclaim that the
"Kavincy d:;wn Company vos yust all right
and would make a bigger down as anybody."

Henry Shridde was as nice a little gentle-
man as ever came to the settlment, but with
that fine tender feeling in his heart for old
associations, which the Germans possess
above all other people, Henry used to get
homesick once in a while. Henry would say,
"D:!\vn at Kavincy on a Sunday morning, ve
used to go down by the Mississippi river, und
de boat vould take us by de river out, and we
vould land by de grass out mit de drees, und
der sun a shining, und der boids a singing in
de drees, und we'd ave some music und some
beers. Oh. dat Kavincy vas a burty blace,"
and the tears would fill Henry's blue eyes.

Dr. Curtis was a very lofty, dignified man.
He had brought with him a new dangerous
looking butcher knife; he asked Morphy to
conduct him to the Arkansas river; every now
and then he would make a lofty sweeping stab
into the soil with his butcher knife and getting
some of the said soil on the knife, he would
pose with lofty demeanor as he gazed at it. Af-
ter a long surgical stare at the sample of soil,
he would cast a deliberate sweeping glance
around over miles of the beautiful valley and
with unction, exclaim, ".Morphy, the resources

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

257

ot this country are vast, vast." They came to
the river banl<; the river was dry. Morpliy
propcsed they should cross. "Dr." said Mar-
phy, "Can this river be crossed?" (Yes.)
"Are there any quicksands in this river?" (No)
"Can it be safely crossed on horsebacli?" "Yes)
"On foot?" (Yes) "Is there no danger?" (No)
"All right, gD ahead." and all the way across
he would follow Xlorphy, carefully stepping in
his tracks.

Morphy used to entertain us by the hour
after the Town Company had gone, mimicking

the first of March, 1S72, when the officials of
the Great Hend Town Conii)any came out from
Quincy and made a deal with the Arkansas
Valley Town Company (The A. T. & S. F. U.
i{.,) to combine their interests and push the
town of Great Uend. and it was agreed t ) put
in section 2S, township 19. range 13, which the
Great Bend Town Company had secured, and
section 33, town 19. range 13 which the rail-
road company owned as the townsite. This be-
gan to look like business and gave the set-
tlors west ot the Walnut, an additional inter-

D. N. Heizer

the peculiarities of different members.

The Great Bend Hotel was completed :n
the early winter and Col. Tom Stone came
from Missouri and t:ok possession as land-
lord, also brought with him a stock of goods.
Col. Tom was a genial, hospitable landlord and
all the settlers liked him.

The Great Bend Hotel began to be the cen-
ter of interest for the settlers up the Walnut
Valley but a decisive event occurred about

est in the town nearest t3 them.

About the same time. In the summer of
1x71, July 1st, when the Great Bend Town
Company began to act. a town company was
formed at Ells.vorlh, Kansas, by Titus J. Buck-
by. John I.ight & Bros., Perry Hodgden. Judge
liiller and others, called the Zarah Town C:m-
pany, and located on the fractional part of
section 30, town 19. range 12, lying Just out-
side of the southeastern part of Ft. Znrah

258

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Ileservatiou. Tite lUickby built a Btore and
had it stocked and in oiHTatioii in the early
fall of 1871. Dave Greaver built a saloon and
restaurant, and Dick Strew and his wife moved
down from Plum Creek and built a hotel in the
early winter of 1S71. Tite Buckby was a
bright, business-like young man and he and
his wife, Mrs. Nettie Buckby (nee Light),
were very amiable and popular among the set-
tlers, and really carried with their personal
popularity, a very kindly feeling for the to.vn
of Zarah. In the early spring, each side began
to show jealously and watch each other.

Captain Elllinwood, the chief engineer of
the Santa Fe R. R., made his camp during
the spring while at work on the survey near
Zarah and it was said, Tite was entertaining
the captain just as though he were the whole
railroad company. It was even hinted that
Tite had imported a two gallon keg of the best
rye whisky in the State of Kentucky, and was
every day i)utting a little of it in the captain's
canteen to kill the alkali, and up to the first

with the foregoing announcement, gave to the
settlers new confidence in the town of Great

Bend.

On the evening of March 14th. 1 was invited
to spend the evening with Col. Stone's family
at the Great Bend Hotel, far a social sing.
Late in the evening. Lute Morris and \V. H.
Odell called me out into the bar room and
showed be a petition they had drawn up for
the organization of the county and the ap-
pointment of county commissioners and caun-
ty clerk. It had my name on for commissioner
and I tried in vain to have them change it for
another but they asked me how 1 liked the re-
mainder of the ticket. After changing one, we
laid our plans for organization and then being
warned that it was very late in the night, we
all went to bed, 1 staying at the hotel. On
March loth and 16th we circulated the peti-
tion, got it signed and the papers all made
out. We had the people with us and not a man
refused to sign the petition. Of course, as it
was intended to be a quiet move, we did not

Residence Built by D. N. Heizer in Great Bend Which Later
Became the Nucleus of the St. Rose Hospital

week in March all feared that it was doing its
deadly work as we could see plainly that Cap-
tain Ellinwood was very friendly to Zarah and
its proprietor. We did not know any more
about town building than Tite did and sup-
posed the chief engineer might be the whole
"push." There was Tite's mistake; he depend-
ed upon his hospitabe entertainment of the
engineer corps too much, instead of going to
headquarters. Archie Williams, who was in-
terested in the Great Bend Town Company,
knew a thing cr two and I have always giv-.>n
him the credit for bringing about the deal be-
tween the Quincy people and the railroad com-
pany.

The first week in March, 1S72, the officials
of the Great Bend Town Company came on
the ground and started a complete survey of
section 28, town 19, range 13. with the an-
nouncement that they had formed a combina-
tion with the railroad company. They em-
ployed E. B. Cowgill as surveyor and proceed-
ed at once to business, and this fact coupled

present it to anyone for signature we had any
doubt about being in full sympathy with
Great Bend for the county seat.

On March ISth. Lute Morris went to To-
peka to present the papers in person to Gov.
James Harvey, who was the governor of Kan-
sas and whose duty it was to act upon the pe-
tition. In about two days he returned post-
haste, having found on his arrival at Topeka,
that a new law had been made by the legisla-
ture during the winter, providing that a cen-
sus taker should be appointed in organizing a
new county and that it should be his duty t.T
find six hundred inhabitants therein before the
governor could name temporary county offi-
cers and county seat. This new law had just
been published and gone into effect, and he at
once returned to make a new start before the
Zarahites should get ahead of us. He came
after me in the evening at my dugout on Wal-
nut creek; we went over to the Great Bend
Hotel and got the jietition ready and conclud-
ed that we would have the papers ready for

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

259

him to take the train at Ellsworth the next
evening at six o'clock, as we learned the Zarah
l>eople were making a move. I rode all that
night to get the requisite number of signatures
and by neon of the next day, the petition was

ready to go. Lute took it and drove to Ells-
worth, a distance of fifty miles, in six hours,
and caught the train. This was on March 21,
1S72, for I was appointed census taker in and
for Barton county, on the toll-wing day. On

March 29th, I went over to Great Bend and
•.hsre learned our petition had reached the
governor first and E. L. Morphy and 1 secur-
ed a buggy and drove to Zarah and found my
commission frcm James JI. Harvey, as census
taker, with instructions to proceed at once to
enumerate the inhabitants of Barton County.

\Ve now had victory in our grasp if we could
but find the six hundred inhabitants. Fortun-
ately, we had a hotel register and grading

three dollar setting of Black Cochin eggs and
then deliberately gone to sleep right in the
middle of my sole and only bed. After sur-
veying this sublimity of nerve, 1 noticed on
my b\iffalo settee, a pair of trousers, then I
was aroused to self again and with the point
of a Navy 44, I punched this intruder and to
my great surprise, it proved to be Tom Mc-
Caughan, my future brother-in-law, who aft-
erward wont with me and helped in my cen-
sus work and who also became a great fav-
orite with the buffalo hunters as he was
afraid of nothing; always genial and pleasant,
a good cook, good story teller and all rou'id
g;od fellow. The Indians always called him
"Man-Squaw" because of his clean, rosy face
and long curly hair. Had Tom staid on the
plains, he would have made a character for a
book of adventures as he was always falling
into the most thrilling experiences.

Last Sod

House in Barton County. North of Pawnee Rock

camps were being established every day ta do
grading work on the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe Railroad and the prairie schooners of
the homesteaders were all coming to our as-
sistance, six hundred strong.

On Saturday, March 30, I began taking the
the census. In the evening I came home to my
dugout about ten o'clock and found a light :n
the window. I peeped in very cautiously and
somebody was in my bed, and it looked like a
rosy cheeked, curly headed girl, who was
sleeping very peacefully in the only bed on the
plantaticn: here was a fine kettle of fish—
what right could this intruding young lady
have for absolutely taking possession of the
only home I had on earth? There were dying
embers in the fireplace and egg shells scatter-
ed over the hearth. She had made herself
comfortable with fire from ray Sunday wood
and appeased her prairie appetite with a

Monday morning. April 1st, Tom and I
started out on census business, went to Great
Bend and found some men who wanted to 30
six miles west to find their land and locate
building places. We went and showed them
their lines and then went to Pawnee Rock
and envimerated the Kentcuky colony. This
was a colcny of young men, brought out under
the leadership of Geo. M. Jackson, Hon. K. W.
Hoch and brother, of Marion, Kansas, who
were members of this colony. They had al-
ready put up a frame house on the townslte
of Pawnee Rock and Geo. Jackson, In his
earnest, assuring manner, announced that
Pawnee Rock was going to make a great
place, for "Don't you see," he said. "It Is ge-
ographically situated and historically known."
They were a bright, enterprising lot of young
men and it wruld be interesting to know whore
thev all arc now. After partaking of a camp

260

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

lueal with them, we went north to Walnut
creok to section 10. northwest quarter town-
ship l.S, range 14, where we stayed all night
with Levi H. Lusk. who had built a nice littls
frame house. Ne.xt morning, April 2nd, we
went up the creek to the county line, enumer-
ating all as we went; where we took dinner
with another tribe of bachelors. We came
back down the creek a few miles to section
26. township 18, range 15, where we staid all
night at Bill Atchison's canii) with another
tribe of Bachelors. Bill had located there
with fcrty Texas cow boys whom he was try-
ing to domesticate. He had laid aside his
religion, temporarily, during the domesticat-
ing process. Bill was an exception cf a cat-

iness man in Denver, Colorado. On section 10,

John Rein-
On section

were young.
When a new

Henry Schultz and his family;
ecke and family and Bill Habler.
14. Robert Gibson.

Most all of the early settlers
married men and old bachelors,
caravan would come in, these single-blessed
creatures would almost ask in chorus, "Hav»
they any gals?" Fortunate was the home-
steader who had a "gal" in the family. He
could cniinaiKl the best we all had of every-
thing.

The following offices were held by D. N.
Heizer while he was a resident of Barton
County:

One of Great Bend's \'oliinteer Fire Companies

tie man. You could get milk at his camp;
he would have it and he would lasso a Texas
cow and get it.

Milk was a part of his hospitality and
that made Bill's camp famous in the valley.
The rule in cattle camps was, the more cat-
tle they had the scarcer were milk and butter.
Bill made no pretentions to either, but you
could always get a gocd drink of milk. In
this camp were Chas. Worden, Henry Kcllar.
Mr. Brining, .Mr. Albright and Charlie Rou-
debiish. Ijower down in the edge of section
lS-14, were Nate Field and Geo. Berry. Still
farther down were some German famili-^s.
On section 3 was Mr. Mecklin and his- son and
Anione Wilke, who is now a prosperc/tis bus-

First notary public commissioned in the
county: Commission dates January 9, 1872,
issued to U. N. Heizer and signed by James
.M. Harvey, governor and W. N. Smallwood,
secretary cf state.

Appointed as census taker of Barton Coun-
ty to take census for organization of county.
.March 22, 1872, by Gov. James M. Harvey.

Klected July 5th, 1S72 to office of probate
judge of Barton County.

Klected November 5th, 1.S72 ti office of
register of deeds of Barton County.

Rail road assessor of 4th judicial district,
composed of the counties of Barton. Ells-
worth, Ellis. Lincoln, McPherson, Russell, Sa-
line and Wallace. Commissicn signed by W.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

261

N. SmallwoDd, secretary of state.

Appointed deputy county serveyor, July
13th, 1872, by John Favrow, county surveyor.

Appointed city treasurer ot Great Bend,
Kansas, July 14th, 1S74, by Samuel Maher,
mayor.

Elected November 2nd, ISSU, to office of
representative of the 120th district. Barton
County.

Appointed April 2nd, 1881, Member repub-
lican state central committee of Kansas, J. B.
Johnson, chairman.

Appointed 27th ot June, 18S3, appraiser of
Ft. Larned Reservation by secretary of inter-
ior. V. S.

Klected 1SS6 to office of mayor of Great
Bend, Kansas.

Residence of Ferdnand C. Maneth (See page 188)

262

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Extracts From an Old Diary Kept by D. N. Heizer, 1871-72

Oct. 2, 1S71— Went out to see the Pawiieo
Indians and traveled all day on the trail with
them. Bought one pony and had a merry
time with the Indians. Stayed all night at
Landon's Ranch on the Sm ky River.

Nov. 14, 1S71 — Up in the morning early,
traps together, we set sail with three yokes
of bulls to a bull wagon, Henry Huffines prin-
cipal "whacker." Company consisted of Char-
lie Prescott, George X. Moses, (commonly
called Mose,) Henry Huffines, Albert B. Rob-
inson (Bob) and D. N. Heizer. After a drive
of a few miles with no excitement, we pitched
our camp at what is known as the "12-Mile
Timber" on the Arkansas. Here Charles, an
unerring rifleman, shed the first blood for the

Lording it over them, who, from the brogue
( n his tongue and the limburger expression on
his <ountenance was evidently of Teutcnic
origin. His wagon was freighted with flour,
bacon, some farming and cooking utensils, a
pig in a box, — these making his sole earthly
possessions. Behind, with slow and meas-
ured pace, in keeping with the gait of the oxen,
came his loving frcu, bare-headed and bare-
footed. They halted and after a few inquiries
of me concerning the land of their destination,
they kept on their way toward the Star of the
Empire. This was the last 1 saw of the Teu-
tonic Tinker and his gentle Frou for more
than a week when I was again returning to
Ellsworth. Away cut on the wild prairie, out

Old Congregational Church, Great Bend

company by slaying a swan, a beautiful bird
and we ate it. I committed the next murder,
which, need not be told, it could be smelled.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 1S71— Rev. D. J. Glenn, a
Presbyterian minister, preached at J. H. Hub-
bard's. He came last week with a large fam-
ily and they are occupying my dugout tem-
porarily. He was robbed of what little money
he had on his way out. He lived at Meridian.
Miss., several years, but iK'ing a Pennsylva-
nian, the Ku Klux made it too uncomfortable
for him in the south.

Was on my v.-ay to Ellsworth when in hills
three miles out of Ellsworth I met a muley
ox team. A short, fair haired man was

of sight of house, friends or anything, save
buffalo or antelope, stood the linker's mule?
team, and there too, stood the tinker. They
had started across the Cheyenne Bottoms, the
cxen had given out, and growing discouraged,
had given a long look homeward and were
now trying to urge the oxen in that direction.
He told me his sorrowful story. There sat his
frou, weeping and bitterly reproaching her
lord for having brought her int;) that wilt)
country and meekly he sat on his wagon
tongue like longour on an hour glass, timing
the duration of woe. I condoled and encour-
aged them and to some puriiose, as I put them
on a plan to get back on the road and thsy
finally landed safely in the valley and .osk.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

263

up a homestead on section 20-18-13. Soon at-
ter their arrival, a son was born to them, the
first white child born in the county. Nick was
a bugler and the next morning after the ar-
rival of the boy, there rang out through tin;
valley, every bugle call known to the bugle
and then some. He was the wildest Dutch-
man in American.

Nov. 15, 1871 — Broke camp in the morning
and jogged along on our way. Weather clear
with cool breeze from southwest. Passed
Pawnee Rock about noon. ( Said Rock named
from a fight the Pawnees had at that place.)
Arkansas Valley very flat and low on the left.
Came to Boyd & Beal's Ranch and stayed over
night.

Nov. 16, 1S71— Went to Ft. Larned and laid
in more supplies and in the afternoon went on
to the river and camped on the old Sully Trail.
Day bright and clear until late that night.

Nov. 17, 1871 — Awakened before daybreak
and heard the gentle patter of rain, first from
the southwest, but while getting breakfast, it
wheeled around to the north. Rained all fore-
noon, then began a sleet which finally ended
in a snow. During this cold, bleak rain, we
sat around, stcod around and stamped around.
Getting colder, we took off our boots, packed
our pedestals in a heap and packed a blanket
about them — Sang songs, told stories and
made merry. After noon it began to sleet and
Chas. Henry and I took the cattle and drove
them back to the Boyd Ranch, where we stayed
all night in a hard crowd of bull whackers
and buffalo hunters.

Saturday, Nov. 18, 1871— Still housed in the
ranch and still a fearful storm is raging.
Around some are smoking, some playing cards
and others reading newspapers, such as yoii
find at Western ranches being "The Day's Do-
ings," "Sporting Times." etc. One thing favor-
able, no whiskey.

Sunday. Nov. 19, 1871 — Spent the day on
;he ranch. In tne morning "Mnse" and "Bob"
came in from the camp after a lay-a-bed of
forty-eight hours. Henry and Charles then
went down, the storm being over. The boys
at the ranch spent the day in playing cards
and vulgar jesting. Three of them gambled
all night.

Monday, November 20, 1S71 — In the morn-
ing "Mose" and I set out for the camp and
on our way, saw three buffalo lying on the
river bank. We went to camp, found Henry
and Charles all right, took some cartridges,
crawled down along the river bank and killed
three bulls. Skinned and cut them up. Took
some meat to camp, cooked it in skunk oil and
ate our fill. At night we came back to liie
ranch.

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 1871— Went out again
from ranch and "Mose" killed two more buf-
falo. We then went to camp, got dinner,
skinned the two buffalo that "Mose" had killed
Sunday morning, got supper and started bacii
to ranch. Came by and skinned the two h.^
had killed in the morning and came on in.
For the last few days weather moderiitely

warm, some clouds but thawing.

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 1 87 1.— Started home
on old "Satanta" but it was very cold and he
could not travel, so I turned back, took the
team out and we gathered up the load to s«.\rt
home the next day.

Thursday. Nov. 23, 1S71— Staited home and
got as far as the old "12-Mile Timber" on the
Arkansas and camped at Boyd & Beal's hay
train camp. Came in late at night, cold and
the wolves made music with their howling.

Friday, .\ov. 24, 1871— Kept camp. Took
breakfast at 12 M, and started on a hunt.
"Mose and I " killed one buffalo and put out
wolf bait. "Ike" {one of the hay train men)
killed a mess of grouse and quail.

Saturday, Nov. 25, 1871— Came home by
night time and lay our booty down, tired and
weary, glad the trip was over.

Sunday, aXov. 26, 1871- Henry, Charles and
I spent the day at Capt. Rugers. Knjoycd a
wild turkey with him. Bitter cold and
stormy,

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1871 — Bill showing
prices:

1 gallon molasses $1.25

6 2-3 lbs. sugar 1.00

5 bushels corn at $1.25 6.25

1 pair gloves 3.25

4 lbs. lard 1.00

12 lbs. butler at 35c 4.20

1-4 bushel apples 60

Buffalo meat 3 cents per lb

Monday, Dec. 25, 1871 — First dance in Bar-
ton County. During the day nothing of inter-
est occurred, excepting that a party and dance
which had been intended by the settlers, was
given up on account of bad weather. Mr.
Buckby invited a few of us to come down to
Zarah and eat oysters and dance. Capt.
Ruger and wife, Logan Reynolds and wife and
daughter, Ed Reynolds, wife and daughter, E.
.T. Dodge, wife, son and two daughters, Ed
Dewey and wife, John Light and Miss Josie
Cunningham were of those attending a good
supper and dance all night and Christmas was
duly celebrated.

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 1872 — First "candy pull-
ing" in Barton County. 12 M. tonight I am all
alone in front of my own fire place for the
first time as an actual resident of ray
own house. Have been spending the evening
at Mr. Hubbard's to a "candy pulling."

Sunday. Feb. 4. 1S72— Cold and stormy.
Alone in the dugout all morning. Dressed up
to stay at home. People are concerned about
what the Indians will do in the spring. Jack
Jamison has just been down among the
Osages and Kiowas and thinks ihey will be
hostile in the spring.

Wednesday, Feb. 7th. 1S72— Exploits of the
"Great Buffalo Trio." Chas. Prescott. E. W.
Morphy and I started for a hunt. Camped in
the evening at 12-Mile Timber. Fair weather
and we sat around our bright, blazing camp-
fire and gazed on the starry heavens. We
poetized, moralized, sang songs, and our gal-
lant Morphy was unmindful of Ihc saying

264

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

"Laugh and grow fat," excited our risibles by
all sorts of comical sceiU's from his stock of
theatricals. We lay down after smoking the
pipe cf peace and slept. IJut lo, in the dead
hours of the night, Morphy, feeling the heat
at his toes, raised the cry of fire. Our bed
was ablaze and we presented a wierd spectacle
as we had to hustle and put it out. It would
have done for the witch scene in Richard III.

Up in the morning early, had breakfast and
went south. What a country we saw. Range
after range of sand hills, barren and deso-
late. No tree in sight. A long, weary drive
and we reached Rattlesnake creek, where our
spirits were revived by the sight (f a herd of
buffalo. Charles and Jlorpliy tried to steal
up to them but the flatness of the country was
against them, it being night, we pitched our
camp on the wild, desolate prairie and here wo
sat, our horses tied to the back of the wagon,
our bed made beside it on the ground. Along-
side is cur camp fire of buffalo chips. Charles
has retired and -Morphy, with the ease and
comfort of a King in his Palace, sits on a stick
and smokes his pipe, while "Dick Tnrpin," my
dog, races back and forth after the wolves
prowling around our camp. We have formed
our plan of attack and «ith the rising sun, the
ball will open.

Friday, Feb. 9, lS7:i — While eating our
breakfast, the impudent wclves came in num-
bers within two hundred yards of the camp.
"Dick Turpin ■ ran out at them and at one
time, formed an interesting tableau. Three
stood in a row, stone still, while he stood a
few iiaces from them, intently eying them,
each afraid of the other. How they dared
each other. After breakfast, we sat out after
buffalo and Morphy and 1 chased them on
foot all day long with ill luck. They were
very wild and we only succeeded in wounding
a few. Late in the evening, he and Charles
killed an old bull; we took his pelt, cut his
liver,out, cut it in chunks an inch square,
seasoned each with strychnine and distributed
them about his remains for W'olf bait. Camped
near by for the night, and such wailing and
howling was never heard before.

Found eleven dead w;;lves within fifty
feet of His Majesty's carcass and (here would
have been more had there been more bait.
Again we renewed the chase; Charles took a
horse and killed a cow that had been wounded
the day before; rain set in and we, with our
meat, started en our hunt for timber. Drove
about ten miles, facing a bleak, cald rain and
getting colder, down came the snow; no tree
appeared and our team being tired, we halted
and fi.\ed for the storm. Tried to cook in the
wagon box by building a fire in the Dutch
oven. No go! Sheltered it and cooked a meal
outside, after which we went to bed in order (o
keep warm. A cold north wind howled all
night— so did the wolves — although we did gel
some sleep.

Sunday, Feb. 11, 1S72— After breakfast,
three men came to our camp with them, we
drove back to the hunting ground and killed

three fine buffalo that evening. We sold our
coyote pelts for 65 cents each.

Thursday, Feb. 15, 1872 — Reached the Ar-
kansas river by noon, fed our teams and
started across with half our load. The last
two days thawing had started the ice in tlie
river and today it again turned cold with a
gale from the northwest. Great chunks cf ice
were floating and the river seemed to be ris-
ing. Got in the main current and horses
mired in the quicksand. I had to plunge out
into the icy water up to my arm pits, loose the
horses from the wagon, turn them over to get
their feet l;ose from the quicksand and then
go to Great Bend, where 1 got IjOuIs Frey with
his team of mules, to come and helj) pull us
out. All this time, 1 left Charles and Morphy
sitting in the wagon in the middle of the river.
I was mad at them because they would not get
out in the water and help me. My ciothes froze
stiff on me but after we gzl the load over, 1
trotted all the way home, five miles, behind the
wagon to keep warm. Got home late in the
evening.

"Labor omnia vincent improbus."

Went to Sunday school. It was a pleasant
day and everybody was out and glad to see me
back to lead the music. Mr. A. C. Mcses, who
came w-ith his family from New York and built
the first frame house in the county, and who
was the Sunday school superintendent, asked
some questions on the lesson — the subject be-
ing, "The Brazen Serpent and the Healing of
Children of Israel." He asked in what re-
spect we were like the children of Israel and
his wife, who was not partial to frontier life
answered, "In that we are in a wilderness and
dissatisfied with our lot." It created a great
deal of merriment. She is a cultured woman
and has never before seen any frontier life.
Went to Great Bend Hotel where a new fam-
ily had taken possession, by the name of
Stone and who had also started a store.

NOTE — (Out of this first Sunday school es-
tablished by these good ))eople grew the First
Congregational Church of Great Bend. I

Monday, Feb. 19 1,S72— I hunt<>d my cattle
and started to plow for I'ncle Dick Demis at
$5.00 per acre. Blowing by myself with two
yoke of Te.xas cattle I f.:und not calculated to
cultivate the most elegant manner or style of
expression. The leaders would turn and look
at me and the furrows were very crooked.

(NOTE— I think this the first land broken
in Barton County.)

Thursday. Feb. 22, 1S72— Went to a ball
given by Tom Stone at the Great Bend Hotel,
a party of pleasant people and a good time.
After plowing prairie all day with two yoke
of Texas cattle, just the thing to go to a ball
and ease my mind. I danced like a good
fellow. I shined my bo ts and wore a stand-
up collar. 1 danced with every lady there and
some of them, two or three times. We danced
quadrilles and the Virginia Reel. Got home
very late.

Tuesday. Feb. 27, 1S72 -Bad day. Got Hub-
bard interested in going to Topeka to find out

OP BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

26;

what the railroad was going to do in regard to
building the town. Whether it was going to
favor Zarah or Great Bend. Also to try to se-
cure the agency for selling their lands for him
and me. 1 secured the first notary commis-
sion in the county.

First Notary Commission I). .\. Heizer,
January, IST2.

Saturday, Dec. Iti, 1S71.
FIRST SCHOOL iMEETIXG I.\ BARTO.X
COUNTY.

Tonight we had a school meeting and ne.xt
week our school house will be built, after the
school meeting closed we had a meeting to de-
termine what we should do for Chri.stmas.
Concluded to have a general meeting of the
settlers. Have one grand supper, social and
dance. The supper to represent all the differ-
ent kinds of game the country afforded. We
will have it at the New Hotel, which is about
completed at Great Bend. A committee on ar-
rangements was appointed, consisting of six
ladies and five gentlemen, myself being one of
the number.

Tuesday, Jan. IS, 1S72 — I am somewhat
anxious about the Indians in the spring. We
are on the extreme fr;,ntier and if there is any
trouble, we must suffer first, being the most
exposed. If they are disposed to be ugly,
there is nothing to prevent them from attack-
ing us. Within the last few days we have had
reports that they have driven some of the set-
tlers out of the country south of us. As soon
as grass comes so that ponies can live, they
may try us. W'e now get mail at Zarah most
every week. It is a new office and there was
no regular mail carrier.

Tuesday, April 23, 1ST2— We have had a
lively day in town today. A great many new
men came in and thirteen business sites were
chcsen since noon. I have been busy as a bee
with the lumber trade and directing men where
to find claims. At the rate the town is going
now, we will have quite a place by. next fail.
It already makes quite a showing and every
day records a new house.

Friday, May 3. 1872— How this week has
gone. Have been as busy as a bee all the
-time. We have sold a ^eat deal of lumber
this week to put into houses at Great Bend.
There are now some very good ones being
built in town. Monday 1 went two miles t)
survey and did not get back until lato at
night. Tuesday I went eight miles and located
four men and was late in getting home again.
That evening, April 31st, there was a horrible
murder committed at Zarah. Zake Light, a
clerk and brother-in-law of Mr. Buckby, who
was about eighteen years of age, shot a young
man who had been here two weeks looking for
land. He went into the store in the evening
and asked for some crackers and cheese. Zake
gave him the crackers but said they had no
cheese. The young man made a joking remark
about such a store keeping nothing to eat.
Zake was insulted and ordered him out of the
store. He refused to go and Zake shot him
through the head. It was unprovoked and

Zake ought to be hung if it was right for any
man to be hung.

Monday, May 6. 1S72— Today I have been
out on the range surveying. When I got back
to town in the evening. Capt. Heath of the
Santa Fe engineer corps, told me of having
seen three hundred Arapahoes and Cheyennes
within about thirty miles of here, he was in
their camp and talked to them and says they
are disposed to be sulky and mad. Have no
squaws, lodges cr dogs with them and are
well armed and well mounted, and he thinks
we are going to have trouble. He is ac-
quainted with a great many of them and says
they mean no good. This valey is beginning to
look like a little Paradise, with its green wav-
ing grass and blooming flowers.

Friday, May 16, 1S72— Went up to the w?st
line of the county to where an old German
coui)le live. His wife cannot talk English, but
they both thing a good deal of me and when I
go there she always wants to talk with me and
has to talk in German to her husband and he
interprets it in English to me, she never knew
until t: day that I had no Frou and when I told
her she said I ouglit to be ashamed of myself.
The old gentleman said, "You brings dc Frou
mit de dugout first, and ven you makes more
money yon makes un better house, und makes
uu better Frou." It is worth riding eighteen
miles just to hear othese old people talk and
see huw happy and contentedly they live in a
dug-out.

.Monday, May 20, 1.S72 — W'e moved today to
the town of Great Bend to live. Tom and I
shall continue to dwell here henceforth.

Wednesday, May 22, 1S72 — All week we have
been kept busy with settlers and locating laud
and have put several men on the lookout.
Would have taken some men out today, but
that Walnut is on a bender and cannot be
crossed except by swimming. We had some
sport today. Just before noon two buffalo
came just in sight of town, and in less than
ten minutes every horse in the livery barn was
out in pursuit or rather, to meet them. After
they had chased them out of sight seven more
buffalo came into the Walnut north of town.
Everybody, including women and children,
came out in a stampede to see the fun. A
skirmish line of men with guns started out
on f :ol. I seized an Indian pony, belonging to
Mr. Hubbard which was hitched outside the
store, and after giving Mr. Hub-
bard by pocket book to take care of,
off I went with a needle gun on the pony. I
soon got beyond the footmen and away I went
for the burly old fellows across the Hottoins.
When about one-fourth of a mile from them,
they turned and ran northeast toward the bend
of the creek. I was lucky enough to shoot one
just as he was going down inti> the crook.
Hubbard, the trustee of my pocket book, lost
$5.00 of my money on my success. There was
a big crowd standing in the norlhorn i>art of
town watching nu\ aiul Jnc'k C'onkle pulled out
a bill and wanted to bet I would get one and
Hubbard took him up.

266

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Sunday, May 26, 1872— This is a hot, sultry
day. My first Sunday as a resident of the town
of Great Bend, a city now of over forty houses.
Most all having been built during the last six
weeks. My census report was received and ac-
cepted by the governor and we have Just had
our county clerk and commissioner appointed
and new in about thirty days, we will hold av.
election Several of the leading citizens have
been at me to run for probate judge. Have noi
yet made up my mind whether I will or not.

Sunday, June 2, 1872— Dr. Truesdale just
came rushing up stairs and wanted to get the
keys to Dr. Maker's desk as he wanted his case
of instruments. A man at the hotel had shot
himself and he must help him. Dr. Baker had
gone to Quincy and taken his keys with him
and the only thing to do was to break open his
desk, which we did and have since performed
the operation by way of extracting the ball.
He was intoxicated and was fooling with a six-
shooter when it went off, shooting him through
the left side, the ball lodging in his back. Poor
fellow, he should have learned when he was a
little boy that it was very naughty to play with
fire arms and get drunk on Sunday.

This morning 1 drove over to Hubbard's tJ
Sunday school with Jake Miller, our new
photographer. We had some new recruits at
Sunday school. Last week I went from ten to
forty miles per day; we have been having com-
petition now in another land firm. One if
their firm is agent for a town company and
last Wednesday we had some little excite-
ment over their movements. It became
known they had formed another company t.i
start another town fourteen miles west of this
place and men who had invested money here
could not see how they could run two t-iwus
in the same locality and be true to the inter-
ests of both. The citizens got up a petition
for their removal from the agency for this
town. Said petition was being carried around
and everybody was signing it when the gen-
tlemen got sight of it. They tried to tear it
up but did not succeed. A crowd collected
and very exciting was the talk. Hubbard
made some rather sarcastic remarks, as was
his custom, and Morris struck him. Hubbard
kicked Morris out of doors and there the mat-
ter ended. A meeting was called and said
gents tried to explain their connection with
the Pawnee Town Company but did not do so
to their satisfaction. First the citizens voted
to send me to Quincy, 111., to see the Town
Company of this place and have them come
out here to look after the interests of this
town. After talking the matter over more
fully, concluded as Dr. Baker was going back
on the next day, a letter should be written to
the company, stating the facts and send it by
Dr. Baker.

Saturday. June Sth, 1872—1 have had a
busy week and the prospect of a day's rest so
near at hand, is refreshing. I am always away
all day long; get home late in the evening and
am generally tired and hungry and have a

whole raft of papers to make out, or letters to
write, to some one wanting to come west, or
inquiring about homesteads, etc. The people
here seem to be very much dissatisfied with
the way the affairs are conducted by the town
company and there is so much bickering that '
am almcst disgusted. "1 am somewhat in
doubt about these mushroom towns, as some
call them. I do think this (Great Bend) will
some day make a fine town ; it has the coun-
try to support it but it is now stepping far in
advance of the country and men are investing
widely, expecting to make their fortunes out
of the cattle trade this summer. 1 really
think from present prospects that it will not
amount to anything great for this point. Some
days here, everybody seems to be excited and
carried away by some influence almost un-
accountable, and other days everything will
be dull and everybody discouraged and des-
pondent.

Friday, June 13, 1872.

THE FIRST CITY CAUCUS.
Have been in Great Bend all day. busy iu
the lumber yard. In the evening attended the
city caucus for the nomination of city officers
for Great Bend. Not being able to claim my
residence in the city, (having a claim outside
the city limits), I took no part in the city cau-
cus. (My recollection is, that this caucus was
held in a frame building on Allen's corner or
near that place.)

Saturday, June 5, 1872 — Today I worked at
the lumber yard until noon and then drove
with Tom to the eastern part of the county to
attend a township convention. Drove home
in the coci of the evening, got our supper and
then went down to see Morris about election
matters, as the county election was coining on
and we were all interested in working for
Great Bend as the county seat. In this inter-
est, I had made a visit to the township conven-
tion in the eastern part of the county.

Monday, June 17. 1872.
THK FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL ORGANIZED
AT GREAT BEND.
In the morning, John Favrow, one of the
railroad engineers, asked me to take him over
to Hubbard's to Sunday school, where we
Mayed \intil after dinner. We drove back to
Great Bend and at four o'clock we attended
the organization of the first Sunday school at
Great Bend. In the evening we took supper
with Mr. W. H. Odell, our nominee for coun-
ty clerk, at his home.

Wednesday, June 19, 1872.
OUR FIRST COUNTY CONVENTION.
Our county convention came off today and
we made our nominations. I was honored with
the nomination f.;r clerk of the district court,
which was afterward changed to the office
of i)robate judge. I was secretary of the con-
vention. I am feeling very much flattered by
the people telling me that I could liave any
office I desired. We had a great time. A
clique of the more adventurous class tried to
run the meeting by tricks and fraudulent vot-

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

2G7

ing but we managed to out numtjer them suf-
ficiently and fought tlieni elear bacli into tlioir
seats. Being unexperienced in politics, I was
very niucli displeased at the methods at-
tempted.

I have begun the erection of a lionse on
bloclv 95, which is 16.\24 in size and ( ne story
high.

Wednesday, June 24, 1872 — Am a little dis-
couraged about this country here of late. It
has been very hot and dry now for some time
and there is so little farming being done in
proportion to the number of settl.rs that it
does not look right. People do not seem to
have the faith in the country that they should
have. Perhaps I am giving way to temporary
influences and something may occur to banish
all my fears. Another thing, we have a very
tough class of people coming in here along
with the good; a class that have no respect for
virtue, morality, decency cr anything else. It
is true, there are many refined and cultivated
people coming with the idea of permanently
making their homes and it almost looks now
as though they might be out numbered by the
other class.

Sunday, June 30, 1S72 — During the past
three days, I have ridden over one hundred
and fifty miles canvassing the county in the
interest of our county election, and particu-
larly in the interest of Great Bend as our
county seat. All has been rush and hurry with
us for the last few days.

Monday, July 1, 1S72 — Our county election
came off today and it has been a lively day
and a day of anxiety as to the contest over the
county seat. I acted as one cf the clerks of
the election from S o'clock in the morning un-
til after 2 o'clock at night. All passed off
quietly and in good order and the results
were very satisfactory. Our town, Great Bend,
has nearly 100 majority for county seat. I re-
ceived about 150 majority for probate judge.
We had a great deal of sport over the election
and some of those in the habit of imbibing,
tonight made merry music on the street in
exaltation over our great success.

Wednesday, July 3, 1S72— According to in-
structions. Miss Ida Mitchell and I, as a com-
mittee to select picnic grounds for the 4th of
July, went on a trip up the Walnut Valley

seven or eight miles. We finally selected
suitable grounds for our first 4th of July cele-
bration at a bend of the creek on the south-
east (juarter of section 10-19-14. the claim of
Henry Shultz. On the way up the creek we
liad a chase after a bunch of buffalo.

Thursday, July 4th, 1872 — Most everybody
went up the creek to our 4th of July celebra-
tion grounds in buggies, wagons and on
horseback. There was finite a respectable
crcwd of us. We hung swings in the trees for
the children and young folks and had plenty
of ice cream and lemonade, and a bountiful
dinner. After dinner I read the Declaration of
Independence and K. W. Cowgill made a
speech. We then had singing and a general
good time, after which we all went home. The
day was ideal and was very pleasantly spent.
We had a delightful place for the celebration,
which was the first one ever held in the coun-
ty, unless by the Indians.

Saturday, July 6th, 1872 — In the evening
a gentleman called at the store and asked for
me. I went down and found there a law stu-
dent from Iowa City, who was there the lasi
> ear I was. That w-as the first appearance o(
George W. Nimocks, who was touring the
state in a wagon with a camping outfit and
who had established his cam]) near the south-
east corner cf the public square.

Sunday, July 7, 1872 — 1 am considering a
trip to Iowa very soon on very important bus-
iness. The railroad will be completed to that
place by the last of next week and I will be
able to make the trip from my own town on
the frontier by rail. I feel very much elated
over this fact. Just to think how a person
must feel, having ccme here only one
year ago when the country was almost as wild
as the day it was made, inhabited soiel.' by
the wild game cf the plains and now lh:> Iron
horse is about to come dashing in, briiiginc;
all the changes of civilization. Bringing stout
hearts and sturdy hands to subdue these wild
prairies and make them contribute to thf ad-
vancement and wellfare of mankind. "■Tia
strange! 'Tis strange, how quickly ali this
has come about."

Friday, July 12, 1872— I have concluded to
go to Iowa as soon as possible and if nothing
jirevcnts, will be there during the week, prob-
ably about Thursday.

Sanla Fe Depot, Great Bend

268

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Residence of Andrew J. Deckert (See page 123)

, 1

-^i^iii ->^

1 1 1 "l"l|R

m '

■imA^. LJ^i '

Residence of Carl Schneider, South Bend Township

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

269

T. L. STONE

THK subject of this sketch was one
of the early settlers in Barton County,
and a man alnii st intimately acquaint-
ed with all of our citizens, a brief account of
his life will he appreciated by our readers.

Thomas Longdon Stone was horn near Lox-
ington, Ky., June 27. 1S30, only lacking a few
days of being 48 years old at the time of his
death, June 2, 18S7. When about 7 years old
his parents moved to Paris, Mo., living there
about five years, when they returned to their
old home in Kentucky, where they remained

two years kept a dry goods store and was pro-
prietor of the Drover's Cottage, the first hotel
in this place, later the Southern. He afterward
opened a meat market which he operated suc-
cessfully for about two years, when he went
to farming. He had 240 acres of land about 9
miles south of Great Bend, nearly all of which
is in cultivation. He leaves a wife and thr^re
children, the oldest being the wife of Sher'ff
Winstead, Mrs. Grain and Josie. a little girl.
Three daughters and two sons died when quitt
young.

T. L. Stone
Proprietor of Great Bend's First Hotel

until 1849. when they returned to Missouri,
making their home in Shelby County. On the
12th of September, 1849, T. L. Stone was m;;'--
ried to Miss Jane W. McCracken, with whom
he lived happily until his death. In 1852, du.--
ing the gold excitement, Mr. Stone went to
California, where he spent two years in tlic
gold mines, and accumulated some money. He
traveled all over that state and like all the
early emigrants, endured many hardships, and
doubtless contracted rheumatic afflictions
there, from which he never entirely recover •',
and which laid the foundation for other bod-
ily infirmities. He came to Great Bend in
1872, being one of the first settlers, and fjv

For the last two years, Mr. Stone's health
had been gradually but steadily falling, and
though every attention was given him he
found but temporary relief. He died of gen-
eral dropsy.

The Odd Fellows of this \)lace look part l.i
(he burial ceremonies, showing that respect
which was due to the deceased both as a citi-
zen and former member of the order.

The deceased was a man of many exnllont
traits of character, a warm friend, genial and
happy in disposition, and generous to a fault
The community deeply sympathize with ilie
grief-stricken family and relatives, In their
hour of suffering. "Earth hath no sorrow thr.t
Heaven cannot cure."

270

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

PATENT ISSUED FOR CITY OF GREAT BEND

During the summer of 1872 Great Bend was
organzied as a city of the third class with A.
A. Hard as mayor. In September, 1S72, final
proof was made and a patent for section 28
issued to the mayor in trust for the use and
benefit of the occupants. These, under the
laws of Kansas, were considered to be the
Great Bend Town Company, most of wlioni
resided at Quincy, 111. Accordingly a deed was
made to said town company * by the mayor.
The I'. S. courts afterward decided that the
provision making a non-resident town comiiany
occupants was not in keeping with and accord-
ing to the spirit of the law of congress and
that the deed must be made by the mayor to
each of the actual occupants, according to his
respective interest. Accordingly, suit was
brought by the occupants against the Great
Bend Town Company to set aside the deed
from the mayor to them. However, a compro-
mise was effected wherein it was agreed that
a decree should be entered setting aside said
deed, and the mayor should proceed to appoint
commissioners to divide the property accord-
ing to law', giving to each actual occupant his
quota of lots, and that each occupant should

deed one-half of the same to the Great Bend
Town Company. Thus the question of title was
settled, and each occupant found himself to be
a great deal richer than he had supi)osed.

»The officers and stockholders of the com-
pany, as api)ears from the Arkansas Valley,
published in July, 1S72, were as follows:
Officers

J. L. Curtis. President, Keokuk, Iowa.

M. F. Bassett, M. D., Vice-President, Quincy,
Illinois.

C. R. S. Curtis. M. D.. Corresponding Secre-
tary. Quincy. Illinois.
Directors

Hon. U. L. Lakin. I>and Commissioner A.,
T. & S. F. R. R.. Topeka. Kansas.

Hon. T. J. Peter, General Manager A., T. &
S. R. R., Topeka. Kansas.

Hon. A. L. Williams, Attorney of Company,
Topeka. Kansas.
Additional stockholders

James Israel, Esq., Mt. Vernon, O., Judge
T. J. Mitchell, Quincy. 111., Rev. R. F. Shinn,
Paysor, 111., Rev. W. E. Johnson, Jacksonville.
HI.. T. L. Morris. Great Bend. Kansas, Hon.
John T. Morten, Topeka, Kansas.

MAYORS OF GREAT BEND

A complete list of the men who served the
city of Great Bend as its chief executive from
1872 to 1912:
Name — Date.

A. A. Kurd 1872 and 1873

Samuel Maher 187 4

Richard Taylor 1S75

0. F. Diftenbacher 1876

A. C. Fair 1877

G. N. Moses 1878

A. W. Gray 1879

E. L. Chapman 1880

Henry Kline 1881

J. V. Brinkman 1SS2

G. \V. Nimocks 1SS3

E. W. Moses 1884 and 1SS5

D. .\. Heizer 1886

After 1886 mayors were elected for two-
year terms.

A. J. Buckland 18S7

O. B. Wilson 1S89

A. Laidlaw 1891

G. N. Moses iS'jr.

G. X. Moses 1S97

G. H. Hulme 1899

h. P. Aber 1901

Martin Weirauch 1903

E. W. Moses 1905

E. W. Moses 1907

E. W. Moses 1909

O. W. Dawson 1911

E^Hh- ^ '■■

J J j:yr r

P^u*^:^^BlM

Wkz z'ti

Birdseye View of Great Bend

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

271

BARTON COUNTY SPORTSMEN'S ASSOCIATION

IN the early days of Barton County it was a
sportsman's paradise, but after the ex-
termination cf the buffaloes and ants-
lopes from this part of the state, hunters were
compelled to be satisfied with quail, prairie
chickens and water fowl. Each year when the
ducks and geese and other migratory birds
pass over this part of the country in the
spring and fall, many of them stop and are
found on the marshes, creeks and rivers in
large numbers . The people of Bartcn Couniy
are hunters by heredity because of the fact
that the first settlers in this section depended a
great deal on their prowess with the gun for
their food. In 1905 a number of the citizens
of the county got together and organized the
Barton County Sportsmen's Association, the

object being to maintain hunting privileges in
different parts of the county. The organiza-
tion was a success from the beginning and it
now controls the hunting privileges on about
si.\ sections of land in the Cheyenne Bottoms
which is but a shcrt distance northeast of
Great Bend. Here the ducks and other wa'>-r
fowls are found in large numbers at certain
times of the year and here the members o(
the organization enjoy what many believe to
be the grandest of all sports. The officers of
the organization are C. D. Spaugh' president;
Lester Cox, secretary and treasurer, and these
together with E. W. Seward, Ben McMullen
and C. W. Seherzer form the beard of direc-
tors. The association now has about 125 mem-
bers

i i'i^-'^ir^ ~^^'

— «-w^ ->^> ^"^^s

JOHN WEST PASCOE

PROMIXEN'T among the really old timeis
of Barton County is John West Pascoe
who came here at a time when the
county was just in the beginning of its his-
tory. He was born in Cornwall, England. Oc-
tober 2S, 1S33. He came to America May 8,
1856, and landed at Philadelphia. From there
he went to Ontancgan County, Michigan, and
from there came to the State of Kansas and
arrived in Russell County April 19, 1871, and
from there came to Barton County in July of
the same year. He located on the west line of
Great Bend township, the land comprising the
northwest quarter of secticn IS. He went
back to Jlichigan June 2, 1872, where he re-
mained until July 19, 1873. He located in ICu-
reka township and until 1903 was actively en-
gaged in farming. In that year he retired and
now lives in Great Bend at 1607 Williams
street where he has a neat comfortable home.
He was married January 26, 1S54 to Miss Grace

Oyer. To this union there were born seven
children, five of whom are living. Elizabeth
and Clara are both dead, and those living are
as f Hows. Paul is farming in this couniy and
is mentioned in another part of this book; Re-
bekah is Mrs. William Thomas of Kansas City;
Elizabeth Anne is now Mrs. Edward Harper
and resides in Great Bend; Martha is now Mrs.
William White; and Maria is now Mrs. Samuel
While of Great Bend. Mr. Pascoc's first wife
died February 28, 1SS9. September 2S, 1SS9.
Mr. Pascoe married Mrs. Anna Watts of Great
Bend. They have one adopted child. Ruth
Anne who now is nine years of age. Mr. Pas-
coe is one of the best known residents of Bar-
ton County. He is a prominent member of the
Matonic fraternity. His son Paul and grand-
sons are also prominent in this order. The
elder Mr. Pascoe has been a member cf the

Bhie Lodge and the Chapter for years.

He had the pleasure of seeing his son Paul

272

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and two grandsons initiated into the Royal
Arch and the Knights Tomplar dogroos of Ma-
sonary at the same time. They also are mem-
bers of the Coinsstory at Wichita and are 82nd
degree masons. Mr. Pascoe is <:ne of those
hardy men who blazed the way that made pos-
sible the develoi)ment of this county to one of
which all its residents are justly proud.

Since the above was written John \V. Pascoe
has passed from this life to his reward in Hea-
ven. The following is from the Daily Tribune
of July 13th, 1912.

John W. Pascoe died this noon at 10 min-
utes of 1 at his home in this city. He had
been suffering from a general breakdown and
the last several months had been very feeble
in health. No arrangements have yet been an-
nounced regarding the funeral services but
they will undoubtedly be held under the aus-
pices of the Masonic order cf which he was a
devoted member. Mr. Pascoe had been a res-
ident of this county for nearly forty years,
coming here from Michigan. He was born in
Kngland and grew to manhood in that coun-
try. He was a man of absclute honestv and in-

tegrity and enjoyed the resixjct of everyone
who knew him. Further particulars regarding
the deceased will be given in a later issue.

Mr. Pascoe was a zealous Mason and it was
his pleasure to see his son and two grandsons
join the lodge of which he thought so much.
It is net often that such a distinction is en-
joyed by any lodge, that of three generations
belonging to the same lodge.

The funeral services will be held Monday
afternoon, July 1.5, at 2:3U o'clock at the Meth-
odist church.

He was a man of absolute honesty and in-
tegrity, was devoted ti his family and enjoyed
the respect of all who knew hira. He was a
devout Christian and during most of his life
was a consistent member of the Methodist
church. He was a prominent member of the
Masonic fraternity of this city and a member
of the Consistory in Wichita.

He leaves to nijurn his loss a wife, five
children, twenty-three grand-children, two
great grand children and a large circle of
friends.

Funeral services were held this afternoon
from the .Methodist church, this city.

E. J. Dodge, (See page 80)

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

273

RICHARD TAYLOR

THERE are very few, it' any, old timers of
Barton County who did not know Rich-
ard Taylcr, or "Dick," as he was com-
monly called by those who knew him best.
Dick arrived in America shortly after the
close of the civil war in 1S65. a typical Eng-
lishman, whose love for his native land -
where he belonged to tlie farming classes —
made him believe that outside of England
there was very little worth while. Small of
stature, but possessed cf unlimited physical
energy, he at once entered the field of active
effort in this country, his first venture being
in the brokerage business in Milwaukee, Wis ,
■with an uncle, Richard Peough. He remained
there a few years, after which he came to
Kansas and located first at Russell in Rus-
sell County. This was in 1S72 and it was but
a short time after his arrival there that he
engaged in the lumber business with Mr. Yox-
all in Great Bend. In those days lumber was

the finest in this part of the country. Mr.
Taylor was born in Hereford. England, July
10, 1S44, and left there for America when ho
was 21 years of age. His liking for Hereford
cattle is due to the fact that his birthplace
is the home of this famous breed. He was
married November 21, 1S75, to Miss Rachel
Slack and they are the parents of three chil-
dren as follows: Annie R., Arthur E.. and
Thomas R. Annie and Thomas are residing at
the old home place while Arthur E. is in th-j
real estate.insurance and farm loan business
in Great Bend. Arthur was born in Barton
County April IT, ISSO, and was married Janu-
ary 4, 1905, to Miss Mable Brinknian .and they
are the parents of two children; Lillian and
Elizabeth. When Dick Taylor arrived in Bar-
ton County he was aeconipanied by two
brothers, Harry, who died after he had been
here about two yeai's and Thomas, who is now
engaged in the cattle business in Kiowa Coun-

Richard Taylor, 1875

sold by this firm to parties in Barton County,
the lumber being freighted in wagons. It
might be interesting to knaw that white pine
was about the only lumber obtainable at that
time, and with the high freight rates and bi?j
expense in handling it sold for about the same
price that it brings today. In 1ST5 Dick en-
gaged in the farming business a short dis-
tance northwest of Great Bend where he still
resides. His home place is known as AValnut
Hill Stock Farm and is one of the most desir-
able and highly improved farms in the county.
Mr. Taylor makes a specialty of raising thor-
oughbred Hereford cattle; his herd is one of

Richard Taylor, 1912

ty. Mrs. Taylor is a daughter of Rachel
Slack, who arrived in Barton County in 1S73
from Oswego, New York. Her husband was
killed in the civil war. She located on lauJ
two miles north of Dartmouth. She was born
November 29, 1827, at Leeds, England, and
died January 1, 1812. Dick Taylor was the
third mayor of Great Bend and also served as
the county assessor in the early days. In
1910 Mr. Taylor took a trip back to England
and while he had always pointed with prido
to England as the leader in everything. Ue
found that the methods that he had learned In
the United States were superior to those In

274

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

use in his native land. In the free and easy
days of the first sottlcmonts in this conn y
there were numerous tests of physical skill
and strength in the way of boxing and wrob'.-
ling bouts, and in these lines Dick Taylor was
frequently pitted against men much larger
than himself and always came out of the frays
with flying colors much to the surprise of
some of his larger opponents. When Mr. Tay-
lor arrived in this country he had only seven-
teen suits of clothes, but unfortunately t'.K!
style worn at that time by the best dress-d
people of Kngland did not fit very 'well wilh

the dictates of fashion in America. However,
as soon as possible Mr. Taylor secured for hi.s
wardrobe a number of suits containing tho
highest class of American style and quality.
Mr. Taylor is justly proud of his ancestry and
native country but has always been a patriotic
and progressive American and a citizen whom
any community might desire, especially a com-
munity such as Barton County was at the
time he took up his residence here. This is
true because it is such men as Mr. Taylor who
were required to withstand the hardships and
make a productive section out of barren prai-
rie land.

GREAT BEND POSTOFFICE

GREAT BEND was designated a postcf-
office of the fourth class in 1S72
the first postmaster being Mr. Fos-
sil. The first building used as a postofiice —
a likeness of which is shown herewith — is
now used as a residence in the northeast part
of town. Great Bend was designated a post-
office of the second class in 1902 and in 1906
had reached a point where it was possible to
make successful application for free delivery
in the city. City free delivery was established
that year with three carriers, the number
having been added to as demand required. The
first rural route out of Great Bend was put
on September 1, 1904, and in X912 this number
had been increased to six. In 1S90 the re-
ceipts of the office were $5,666. this being the
amount for the year ending .lune 1, 1890. For
the year ending June 1, 1S93, the amount of

receipts of the office was $5,175, for 1902,
$7,484, for 1905 $10,977, for 1909 $17,875 and
at the close of the postoffice year June 1,
1912, the preceding twelve months showed a
total of $18,102. By an act of congress in
1908 an appropriation was made for a federal
building at Great Bend to cost $65,000. It will
be completed and ready for occupancy before
the fiirst of the year. It is a fine building,
built of granite, is fire proof throughout and
will be furnished according to the latest ideas
and the well known demands of the govern-
ment for substantial quality and beauty. The
present postmaster is Theodore Griffith who
has served since August, 1902. He has been
an efficient and conscientious official and has
discharged the duties of the office in a way
that has met universal commendation.

1^'

Mr. Fossil, Great Bend's First Postmaster

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

275

Great Bend's First Postoffice

S. Postoffice, Great Bend, Aug. 3 1"J12

276

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

■x.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

277

BENEVOLENT PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS No. 1127

THE Great Bend Lodge No. 1127, Benev-
olent Protective Order cf Elks was or-
ganized Oct. 190S. Previous to this there
were a number of gentlemen of Great Bend
belonged to the Hutchinson lodge but in IJOS
Great Bend had reached a population of 5,000
and a charter was issued tor a lodge. There
were fifty charter members and in 1909 the
membership had increased to something o-ii-r
400, when steps were taken which resulted in
the building of the beautiful home for mem-
bers of the order in Great Bend. The home
was dedicated March 17, 1910. The exalted
rulers of the lodge since it was organized have

been R. C. Russell, 190S-09; Dr. R. H. Meade,
1910; William Smythe, 1911 and J. L. Cox.'
1912. At the present time the lodge has a
membership of 607 and the officers are: J. I..
Cox, Exalted Ruler; F. \V. Rrinkman, Es-
teemed Leading Knight; Dr. Stinson. Esteem-
ed Ix).val Knight; Wolls Thompson. Esteemed
I>ecturing Knight; \V. L. Bowersoxx, secre-
tary; E. L. Chapman, treasurer; W. L. Dela-
plane. Inside Guard; Justus Sandrock, Out-
side Guard. The Great Bend Ix)dge is known
in Elkd^m as being one of the livest organi-
zations of the order and this is saying a great
deal as all Elk bodies are live ones.

CHARLES A. HOOPER

AINIONG the few business men of Great
Bend who came here in the 'sos and
went through the good and bad times,
and are here today and still in business is
Charles A. Hooper. He was born in Adams
County, Indiana, September 29, 1S60, and came
from there to the State of Kansas in 1S7S. He
first located at Atchison where he remaint'd
until 1SS6 when he came to Barton County and
opened a drug store on the lot now occupied
by the Ideal Bakery. At the end of six monlb.s
the business had grown to such an extern that
more room was needed and the stock was
moved to the corner of Lakin and Main street
where the Wagaman store is now located. Mr.
Hooper remained there a year and moved to
his present location, 1.507-9 Main street. Be-
fore coming to Kansas Mr. Hooper attended
the Valparaiso College and Notre Dame Col-
lege of Indiana where he fitted himself for a
pharmacist and is now registered in the State
of Kansas. Mr. Hooper was married Septem-
ber 4, IS.SS, to Miss .Margaret Kennedy of Atch-
ison and they are the parents of six children,
five of whom are living as follows: Irene, who
is now Mrs. J. P. Healy of Oklahoma City;
Chas. Warren is attending John Ho|)kins Uni-
versity of Baltimore, Maryland; Ulanda, Jacob
and Muriel are living at home. Mrs. Healey is
a talented singer while her sister. Muriel, is a
violinist of exceptional ability. Mr. Hooper's

business in this city has grown steadily since
its inception and his establishment is now
recognized as being one <;f the larges' drug.
music and book stores in this section of the
country. The stores occupy two large rooms
with balconies making a total floor space or
10.'). (100 sipiaro feet. In the drug department
can be found an exceptionally tine line of
drugs, chemicals, toilet articles and the soda
fountain is one of the best eiiuipped and most
sanitary to be found in Central Kansas. In
the music department Mr. Hooper carries a
line cf jjianos that compare favorably with th>'
stock found in the largest cities and here one
can obtain any kind of a musical instrnniont
as well as sheet music. Victor talking machines
and a complete line of records for these In-
struments. Then Mr. Hooper also makes a
specially of wall paper, books, slalionety nml
he has built his business li its present high
standing by correct methods and siiuaf deal-
ing iiolicies. When Mr. Hooper locnled in
Great Bend it required men of great forlilude
and keen business knowledge to overcome Ihi-
adverse conditions with which thi-y had to
contend. However, Mr. Hi oper was eijiial to
the occasion and saw his business grow iinlil
it stands today among the leading uiercantilo
establishments of Barton County nnd tho
State o( Kansas.

278

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

FIRST NATIONAL BANK

Till-: first steps for the organization of the
First National Bank were taken on
May 9, lss5 when the call was issued by
Mr. McBride for a meeting for that purpose. Mr.
zation committee and was the tirst vice-presi-
dent of the bank.

The first board of directors consisted of
Mr. McBride, K. .\1. Parlin. \V. H. Campbell,
G. H. Hulme, R. C. Bailey, K. 1... Chapman,
C. F. Willner, .1. H. Hubbard and John Lin-
da.s. The charter was issued by H. \V. Can-
non, then lomptroUcr of the currency, en the

20, ntll to .luly 1, 1911; Chas. Ixibdcll, July 1,
1911.

Cashiers— R. C. Bailey, July 7, isss to Jan-
uary 10, ISSS; S. E. Prenlis, January 10, ISSS
to July 23, 1891 ; C. M. Wickwire, July 23, 18S8
to Xovember 2, 1891; G. ly. Chapman, Novem-
ber 2, 1891 to January 14, 1895; H. J. Klein,
January 11, 1898 to January 14, 1902; Ed L.
Chapman, January 14, 1902 to June 1, 1912;
F. H. Miller, June 1, 1912.

The real history of the bank began with the
election of G. L. Chapman as cashier in 1891

G . L . Chiv jj in a n

7th day of July, 1885 and it began the trans-
action of business with K. M. Pari in presi-
dent and R. C. Bailey as cashier.

Officers of the bank since the date of its
organization have been:

Presidents— E. M. Parlin, July 7, 1SS5 to
July 31, 1888; J .W. Rush. July 31, 1S8S to Oc-
tober 6, 1892; E. L. Chapman, October 6, 1892
to June 13. 1894; G. H. Hulme, vice-president
and acting president,. June 13, 1894 to Jan-
uary 14, 1895; G. \j. Chapman, January 14,
1895 to March 20, 1911; R. L. Hamilton, March

and he was from that date IJ the date of his
death, the active manager and guiding genius
of the bank, carrying it through the panic of
189;! and the years cf depression that followed.
The story of the bank has been one of remark-
able success — it having notwithstanding the
necessary losses incident to the collapse of the
b om of 1886 and '87 and the panic of '93, made
a net earning during the period of its exist-
ence, up to July 1st of the i)resent year of
.$167,455.98 and with its capital of $100,000
and surplus of $20,000, it is today one of the
strongest financial institutions of the South-
west.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

279

September 9, 1912, the First National com-
pleted a business arrangement which resulted in
nearly doubling its deposits and which has
made it the strongest bank in the State of
Kansas in a town the size cf Great Bend and
one of the strongest in the country. The deal
resulted in the consolidation of the J. V. Brink-
man Company Bank with the First National.
The Brinkman Bank was the oldest institu-
tion of the kind in the western part of the
state and its deposits were among the largest
of any state bank of Kansas.

The consolidation of the banks resulted in a

slight change in the directorate of the insti-
tution. C. E. Lobdcll remained president of
the institution, with Chas. V. Brinkman vice-
president. Peter Brack of Olinitz was added to
the directorate and Frank Brinkman was made
assistant cashier. The officers and directors of
the bank are as follows: C. K. l.obdell. presi-
dent; R. R. Hamilton, vice-president; Chas. V.
Brinkman, vice-president; Fred Miller, cash-
ier. Directors: C. E. Ix)bdell, C. V. Brinkman,
Peter Brack, Ola B. Chapman, R. L. Hamilton,
F. V. Russell, W. Torrey, E. J. Eveleigh. The
institution has deposits amounting to nearly
one million dollars.

E. L. CHAPMAN

EL. CHAPMAN was born in Bath Eng-
lang, and came to Great Bend in 1873.
Immediately after his arrival he took
an active part in all public matters and up un-
til the time of his death which occurred June
13, 1S94, he was one of the best known men
in the state. He took up a homestead in But-

years. During the Harrison-Cleveland cam-
liaign he was nominated for presidential elec-
tor from the Seventh District of Kansas at a
convention held in Garden City. He later re-
signed this office to become a candidate for
state senator and was elected by a flattering
majority. He served but one term in this of-

E. L. Chapman

falo township, in this county. He was elected
Probate udge on an independent ticket in
1874 and was also elected to this office two
successive terms on the Republican ticket.
He was appointed postmaster of Great Bend
by President Garfield and served nearly five

fice resigning to accept the appointment of
receiver of the V. S. land office at ImtiwA.
This apiiointnient was made by President Har-
rison He organized the First National Hunk
cf Great Bend in 1885 and It Is now one of
the leading financial institutions of the state.

280

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

The following is taken from the Kansas State
Directory of 1SS9:

"E. L. Chapman, of Great Rend, Barton
County, representing the Thirty-sixth Senato-
rial District, has long been identified with rhe
interests of Central Kansas, his name being
connected with many of the enterprises hav-
ing for their obect the development of the
Arkansas Valley. As editor and publisher of
a newspaper he has always advocated all legit-
imate propositions tending to benefit the peo-
ple of Barton County, and his paper — The
Register — has always been a power for good
in Barton County. During the last campaign
(1S88) Senator Chapman had a hard battle

but succeeded in gaining a victory over his
opponents. He is a member of Pap Thomas
Post, G. A. R. of Great Bend and was among
the number whose names appeared on the
charter for this organization. He entered ihe
C S. army in 1S61 and was mustered out in
1865. having served as Provost Marshal of the
Department of the Cumberland. He was mar-
ried to Anna Jones at Paducah, Kentucky, in
1864. and they are the parents of four chil-
dren: General L.., Laura, Leo and Edward."
Mr. Chapman numbered his friends by the
score and his death was an occasion for much
grief in the community where he had proved
himself to be a kind and generous man.

PETER BRACK

ONE of the most notable examples of what
a harbor of freedom the United States
is, and a proof that all men in it are
free and equal is Peter Brack of Olmitz, Bar-
ton County. He was born in the village of
Popotchnaja. Russia, and was one of four chil-
dren and with the usual prospects offered those
residents of the Czar"s realm who are not for-
tunate enough to be classed among the land
owners or nobility. In Russia a man may have
enough land to be called a farmer but he rents
that and as a rule it is a little one to four
acre patch of ground on which he raises migh-
ty small crops, considering the amountt of
work he puts in on it, and he meets the taxes,
the rent and cost of repairs as though he
owned the land, and no matter how poor the
crop might be, the share system only works
when the owner of the land gets his share first
and the tenant takes what is left. Mr. Brack
was fired by the stories of riches to be found in
America ,but did not imagine that money grew
on trees, and could be had for picking it off,
but he thought of the injustice of the system
which denied him and his brothers— although
as intelligent as the other children of the coun-
try—the right of freedom. The stories of the
new world appealed to him, satisfied that it
given a chance he could make good, he with
his young wife, mother and three brothers and
families, joined a coloney starting for America.
They arrived in New York October 21, 1S76.
Peter was then nineteen years old. His first
position in Barton County after he arrived here
was with L. M. Krause, working on his farm
at $8.00 per month. Later he took up farming
with three brothers near Olmitz and after a
short time he went to Colorado where he work-
ed for the railroad for some time. In 1SS3 he
started a country store en his eight acre farm
in this county, with a stock consisting of $800
worth of goods. lx)oking ahead to the devel-
opment of his land, he having always lived in
a (arming country, knew that it was in farm-

ing that money was to be made. He was inter-
ested in seeing that his i>eoi)le got a good start
and was a great help to other families that came
to Barton County from his old home in Russia.
These jieople were part of the colony of which
the Bracks made up a part, and which is ex-
plained more fully in another article in this
book. Mr. Brack has always been a leader
among his countrymen in this country and
those who were helped by him helped him in
return when the fruits of their labor on the
farms were successful. But if the farm had
not paid well, he would never had received
anything in return for what he loaned. The
farm land made good and his money was re-
turned to him. He invested in lands and saw
that they paid. In the '90s when there were
years of crop failures the Russian colony
knew that it was only a cycle of poor years
like they had known in Russia, and they stay-
ed by the lands. As land got cheaper the young
merchant saw his chance and began investing
with the result that he now owns in Western
Kansas nearly 100 quarter sections of land
owns stock in several banks, is president of the
bank at Olmitz — which became a necessity as
the communit.v prospered and gave up his
store to retire from active business a few years
ago. Two years ago he made a trip to the
old country and on his return wrote a most
interesting account of his travels. He is a
shrewd, thorough business man, well content
to live among the neighbors with whom he has
shared joys and vvoes tor thirty-five years and
yet is a modern American business man. He
is a product of the I'nited States and proves
the opportunity it has offerer to the people of
all nations. Blessed with no children of his
own, he and his wife have an adopted daugh-
ter, now Mrs. Constantine Schneider who with
her husband share their |)alatial home in Ol-
mitz. one of the finest appointed houses in Ihe
county.

OP BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

281

ANDREW JACKSON HOISINGTON

THERE are a number of biographies in
this book but none that will be read with
more interest than the one concerning
A. J. Hoisington who was one ct the best
known pioneers of the state or at least that
section of it now known as Barton County. No
one person did more to further the interest of
Great Bend and Barton County than did the
subject of this sketch and his memory is re-
vered by all who knew him for his kindly deeds
and unswerving manhood. Andrew Jackson
Hoisington was born near Quincy, Hlinois,
July 2, 184S. When a boy he removed with his
parents to Greene County, Iowa; and later to
Madison County, where he grew to manhood on
his father's farm. After teaching school sev-
eral terms he went to Des Moines, Iowa,
where he learned the printer's trade in the of-
fice of the Des Moines Register. After a few
years he returned to Madison County and be-
came part owner of the Winterset Madisonian.
He came to the State of Kansas in 1874 and
first located at Newton where he taught school
a short time after which he came to Great
Bend and followed the same occupation. Af-
ter teaching school northeast of Great for a
few weeks, he was asked to take charge of
the Great Bend Register which had just been
established. This he did and ultimately pur-
chased the paper and continued as its pub-
lisher until 18S3. It was during this year that
he was appointed receiver of the U. S. land
office at Garden City to which place he took
his family. He sold the Register to E. L.
Chapman. Shortly after entering the land of-
fice at Garden City he organized and became
president of the Finney County Bank. During
the next few years he organized a string of
banks throughout Southwestern Kansas, these
establishtnents being located at Santa Fe,
Ulysses, Arkalon and Hugoton. In 1x90 he
sold his interests in Garden City and moved to

Kansas City where he organized the Hoising-
ton Loan & Trust Co., and the Hoisington
Publishing Co., which he managed for several
years. In 1895 he returned to Great IJend
where he again gat possession of the Register
and had for partners in the business his sons.
Earl and Roy. He died at Winterset, Iowa, in
February, 1S96. He was married to .Miss Mary
Smith of Madison County, Iowa, December 31,
1874, and they were the parents of three chil-
dren: Morris Earl, Roy Albert and Arthur
Prank, all of whom are living. Mrs. Hoising-
ton died in Kansas City November 1, 1890.

Morris Earl Hcisington was born in Great
Bend, January 20, 1876. In 1890 he became
associated with his father and brother in the
publication of the Great Bend Register. In
1S95 and '06 he published the Clarion at Claf-
lin where he also served as postmaster. He
is a linotype operator at Grand Jnnction, Col-
orado, employed by the Sentinel of that city.
He was married August 28,, 1905, to Miss Bes-
sie Henderson of Grand Junction and they are
the parents of one son, Robert Morris Hoising-
ton.

Roy A, Hoisington was born in Great Bend,
November 21, ISSO, and began his news|)apcr
career with the Register in the latter '90s. He
purchased the Standard at Leoti. Kansas, in
1901 and continued as owner and publisher
until 1911. He was postmaster at Leoti six
years. He married Miss Margaret Riley of
Leoti and they are the parents of four chil-
dren.

Frank A. Hoisington was born at Garden
City, Kansas, November 27, 1886. He was as-
sociated with his brother, Rcy, in the publica-
tion of the Leoti Standard for several years.
He is now foreman of the Daily Sentinel of
Grand Junction, Colorado. He was married in
1910 to Miss Peal Greenawalt at I.,ecti, Kansas,
and they are the parents of one son, Carl.

DR. AARON HENRICK CONNETT

AARON HENRICK CONNETT was born
at Milford, Clermont County, Ohio,
December 31, 1848. When he was three
years of age his parents moved to Madison,
Indiana, where his father died the following
year and Aaron was sent to live with rela-
tives on a farm some distance from Madison.
He remained there until he was sixteen years
of age and attended the district schoJls a num-
ber of years and finished his public school edu-
cation at the high school in Madison. After his
graduation from the Madison schools he took
up the trade of carriage making and w<)rk<'d
in a factory for four years. In 1867 he, with
his mother and brothers came overland to Bed-
ford, Iowa, arriving there October 1. 1867.
Here he followed the farming business until

1874 when he took up the study of medicine In
the drug store and office of his brother, M. C.
Connett, who had been actively engaged in lh<?
practice of medicine in that town for beveral
years. In 1878 he graduated from the College
of Physicians and Surgeons, now a department
of the Drake University of Iowa, at that time
located at Keokuk. Iowa. He also attended the
Rush Medical College of Chicago. He prac-
ticed in his home town in Iowa until ISSI when
he came to Barton County, Kansa.t, and loc-ated
at Great Bend and since that time has been
one of the best known iihysiclans and siirgeonH
in this part of the state. Dr. C )nnett wan mar-
ried to Miss Harriett Fordyce of Hinlfonl. la..
March 14. 1878. and there were three chihlreu
born to this union: Bcbb. Mary anil Helen U.

282

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Mrs. Connett died in April, 18S6. Tii April,
1887 Mr. Connett was married to Miss Lizzie J.
Fordyce whom he also survived, she having
died in November, 1896. In 1907 Dr. Connett
married Elizabeth J. R::thell of Kansas City
and they now occupy a neat residence at 1111
Morton street. Dr. Connett has always taken
a great interest in the affairs of the commun-
ity in which he lives and for four years was a
member of the school board and served as city
and county physician during the limes when
the community was suffering from a small p,-.\
eiiideinic. Ur. Connett handled the disease in
a most acceptable manner and confined it to a
limited area by prompt and efficient action.
Dr. Connett stands high in the Masonic frater-

nity of Kansas. He became a member of the
-Masons in Iowa before coming to Kansas. He
is a member of the local lodge Number 15, A.
F. & A. M., and at different times has been
.Master of the local lodge, and served in the
same capacity in his home town in Iowa. He
is also a member of Mt. Nebn Chapter No. 36
R. A. M.; Zabund Council No. 4 R. & S. M.;
Wichita Consistory No. 5, 32nd degree, Wichita,
Kansas; Isis Temple, A. A. O. N. M. of Sa-
lina. Kansas; St. Omer Commandery No. 14.
K. T.; is Past Grand High Priest. Grand
Chapter R. A. M. of Kansas; Past Grand
Master Grand Council R. & S. M. of Kansas,
and at present is Grand Treasurer of the
Grand Chapter and Grand Council, having
held the latter office since 1903.

Ur. A. H. Connett

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

283

CHRIS GILSON'S TRIAL
By D. N. Heizei-

IX February, 1S73, T. J. Peters, general
manager of the Santa Fe road, wired mn
to go to the end of the road at the west
line of the State of Kansas and survey the
town cf Sargent. I had an order to Mike
Green, the famous track layer, for such as-
sistance as I needed, who, having finished his
labors in building the road to that point, was
in camp there for the winter with a gang of
track layers. There roamed in that country
from Dodge City west, a gang of outlaws and
horse thieves as daring and as desperate a set
of robbers as could be found anywhera. Many
of them were young men who had grown wild
out of the buffalo hunting trade and wanted
to be bad men ; others had drifted away from
civilized centers because they were bad and
had to leave; others were naturally bad and
when they found themselves in a free open
country, free from the restraint of law, acted
cut their natural tendencies. At any rate they
were a bad lot.

After leaving Dodge City in a caboose on
the rear end of a construction train with Mose
Weyman as conductor, at some little station
west of Dodge, Cimarron, I think, two of these
characters boarded the caboose, who, in the
parlance of those days, were called
"wolves." Each one of them had a pair of
navy 44s strapped on his hips. Mose came
around for their fare, which they flatly re-
fused to pay. He went away about his busi-
ness. After a while, biding his time and op-
portunity, having said nothing to irritate or
arouse them, in passing along near where they
sat and observing that they were off their
guard, quick as a flash, he grabbed one of the
pistols out of the holster and with it cocked in
their faces, demanded their fare and got it,
and took the rest of the pistols away from
them. He was a little fellow, not over five feet,
eix inches high, but quick as a flash and per-
fectly tearless.

I reached the t.-wn of Sargent in the even-
ing and found that there had already been
built in a line a row of houses, tents and im-
provised places of business some forty or fifty
in number, 400 feet north of the track. I
found also that the "wolves"' in (he absence
of any organization or establishment of law (ir
official authority were running the town. I
found my old friend. Bob Wright, an old |)ion-
eer on the Santa Fe trail, and a store in full
operation. I took my blankets and transit and
went to his store to stay all night. W(> made
our beds down on the floor and surrounded
them with sacks of shelled corn to afford us
protection frcm stray bullets while we slept,
as the so-called "wolves" were in the habit of
shooting up the town at night as an evening
pastime.

On investigation the next morning, 1

found I would have to organize a camping out-
lit and go back down the read to Holidaysburg
and carry out a line from the limit of the gov-
ernment survey as there was a sixteen-mile
strip east of the state line which had not yet
been surveyed, and I must do this in order to
find my location.

In the morning I also found my old friends
Mose and Jim Gainsford, who had come into
that point from somewhere on a hunt. Mose
was glad to see me and said he wanted my
help. It seemed that an old Scotchman by
the name of Alexander Gonrloy had come into
this point from a buffalo himt with a team of
horses and wagon and had sold his pelts, got
his money and the wolves were trying to get
both away from him, and Mose and Jim, both
strapping young fellows, good shots, fcuid of
/adventure and daring, found nothing more
suited to their liking than to take up the old
man's cause and help to get him out of the
clutches of these self same "wolves."

They told me their plan was to get the old
man to hitch up bis team and drive out on the
street ready to go when they knew the wolves
would gather around the wagon to stop him.
They asked me to get my gun ready to be on
the ground as a careless looker on when they
were ready to start, and in case of any trouble
to govern myself accordingly. I carelessly
wandered around to the starting place to
where the old Scotchman had driven his team
from the rear. The wolves gathered around
as they had expected, and Jim Gainsford
climbed up en the front seat beside the old
man and pulled one of his revolvers out and
just laid it across his knee. Mose got u]) on the
rear end of the wagon with his needle gun
across his lap cocked and ready for business.
When all was ready, without any apparent con-
cern Mose called out 1 1 the old nuin to drive
on, he was all ready. Two of the wolves had
gotten around in front of the horses, but when
they saw the determined mien of these two
men they did not interpose any oppositiun lo
their going. They knew if they did that some-
body would be hurt, and it might be they.
There was nothing mor«' said, but I could sih>
as they drove away the look of disappointment
and chagrin on the faces of these men who
threw a glance at each other and seemed to
come to a definite understanding that there
was a job they had better not undertake iis It
was very likely to be more than a day's work.
Nothing further occurred during the day of an
exciting nature, except the robbing of n hunter
who came in with hides and got seme money
and had taken a little too freely of whiskey
when they fleeced him completely In broad daj-
light. That night, as far as excitement was
concerned, was a ren<?tlllon of the night Im'-
fore. The •'wolves," though, seemed to be on

284

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

a general carouse and spent most of the time
drinking in Chris Gilson's saloon, marching uj)
and down the street yelling and shooting and
making night hideous as only wolves can.
They were bad men from the head waters of
Bitter Creek, and it was their night to howl
and they did howl.

Chris Gilson was an intelligent, bright
Irishman who had, from Newton west, run a
saloon tent to supply the demands of Mike
Green's 300 track layers and associate trade.
The railroad men said Chris was a good fellow,
honorable in his dealings with them, and sold
them whiskey for their money, but would nev-
er permit any crooked business in his saloon.
About a month before this time he had gotten
into a controversy down at the old town with
one of this same band of "wolves" who v. as at-
tempting to rob a man in his place and to shoot
him dead; conse(iuently the gang had it in for
Chris, and on this i)articular night they had
gone to his place and, aboiit "ninth drink time,"
it began to look very threatening, when Chris
slipped out and went over to the railroad car-
penter's train and stayed all night in ftar of
his life. The "wolves" took possession and
compelled old IJad, his barkeeper, to mix
drinks for them all night, as wanted, while they
made merry and had a good time.

1 hired an old Irishman with his mule team,
who had been teamster for Chris Gilson, to
ha\il my camp equipage and baggage the next
day down to HoUidaysburg. The next morn-
ing he hitched up his team and drove it up op-
posite Gilson's tent so that the tail end of
the wagon reached out over the sidewalk or
path in front of the buildings. I w'as helping
the old Irishman load the wagni from the rear
end when Long Jack and one armed Sam
Wright came along. Just as they were turn-
ing out to go aroinid the end of the wagon,
and where I stood, Chris Gilson popped out of
the frcnt of the tent with a double barrel shot
gun in his hand, and, directing his attention to

them, said, "Yo\i ; I'll fix you,"

and fired one load of buckshot info Sam
Wright's heart, and he fell dead within six
feet of me. Ixmg Jack started to run towards
the railroad train and he gave him the other
barrel through his arm. He got to the train,
which was starting, and got away with a shat-
tered arm. In but a few moments more Tom
McClelland came up half dazed with drink,
saying he guessed Chris would not hurt him,
but Chris did hurt him. for he had no sooner
come within range of the tent than out he
came again, and at the first shot shattered his
arm; when he started towards the railroad,
with Chris after him. He finally stopped, ex-
claiming. "Oh, for God's sake, don't," and re-
ceived the other barrel through his chest,
which killed him instantly.

The respectable business men of tin- town
at once came to the front and asserted them-
selves, a thing they had been afraid to do be-
fore. They at once assembled in Hob Wright's
store and then began Chris Gilson's trial l»y

a jury of his peers. Bob Wright was elected
chairman of the meeting and somebody else
secretary, and motion was made and carried
to the effect that Chris Gilson be tendered a
vote of thanks for the services he had just ren-
dered the town, and the motion carried unan-
imously. A motion was also made that the
rest of the gang of "wolves" be given five min-
utes in which to quit the town, never to re-
turn. The motion carried unanimously. No
other notification was necessary. During the
next five minutes you could look in almost any
direction and see a man going.

Then the hat was passed and thirty-five
dollars was contributed and passed into the
hands of the committee who were instructed
to purchase a new shot gun, the best that could
be purchased for the money, and present it to
Chris Gilson as a testimonial of the services
rendered by him. The meeting adjourned and
from that time forth there was not a more or-
derly tovsn in that country than Sargent. The
bad blood was all spilled or gone and men of
even doubtful conduct found their manners at
once.

I became very well acquainted with Chris
Gilson after that and found him to be a royal
good fellow of manly qualities and good, de-
cent intentions. He had been headquarters
teamster during the war, under Phil Sheridan.
He was a good musician and entertained me a
whole evening singing songs and playing the
guitar. He was as tender hearted and as gen-
tle as a woman, but he was driven to desi)era-
tion by this lawless gang, who were in the
wrong. He knew they were in the wrong and
he had the nerve to take uji his gun and shoot
them right. The business men recognized that
it was the only thing to do, and they justified
him in full for doing it. Ixjng Jack escaped on
the train and went back down to Florence,
Kansas, where he had grown up among decent
pe:i)le. 1 saw him years afterward attending
John Robinson's circus at Florence. He told
me that his experience "broke him of sucking
I'ggs." ami 1 dare say he became a resjiectable,
good citizen.

Mose ami Jim Gainsford took the old
Scotchman with them down to Great Bend to
the old Fort Zarah settlement, where the old
man took up his soldier's homestead and be-
came a permanent settler. He was a sturdy
old son of Scotia's soil, nearly eighty years
old, and had served four years and seven
months in the army of the I'liion during the
Civil war. He went on numerous hunting ex-
peditions from that point, and a young German,
who had just come to America and taken out
his first papers, taking advantage of his ab-
sence from his homestead, jumped his claim
and contested his right to hold it. I defended
the old man in his suit at the land office and
.Mose was his i)rincipal witness. The case was
fought through the land department to the sec-
retary of the interior, and I secured a decis-
ion in till' old uuui's favor, without hope of re-
ward, and the only compensation, in fact, I did

Of barton county, Kansas

285

not expect any compensation, but years after-
wards when the old man's failing strength and
years compelled him to secure quarters in the
Soldier's Home at Leavenworth, just before de-
parting, came into my office and with tears in
his eyes and in the most feeling words ac-
knowledged the friendly acts I had dene for
him and his inability to compensate me in
money, and. with a "God bless you. my brave
lad," presented me with a pint bottle of whis-
key. While I did not drink whiskey 1 never-
theless appreciated the spirit that bestowed
the gift just as much as if it had been a bottle
of gold dust.

Mose was a staunch character. He liad
been during the war a soldier in the Union
army in Misscuri. After tlie war he had been
with the fnited States marshal's forces as a
deputy marshal in helping to restore civil or-
der. He belonged to a good family of iieople.
who. through the war. had come into contact
with the most thrilling scenes in it. About '67
he had driven f ut from Missouri to Western
Colorado and had had gone through many wild
experiences, a miner in California Gulch, a
prospector and hunter in Taylor Park, Soutli
Park and all over New Mexico, and finally
drifted to old Fort Zarah, where I first be-
came acquainted with him in 1S71. He was

six feet high, straight as an Indian, good fea-
tures, steady steel blue eyes, strong as a giant,
a si)l(ndid shot, and, while I have seen him in
many tight places, I never saw him exhibit the
least excitement or feeling of fear. I'nder ex-
citement his features looked a little sterner
and his countenance perhaps a little paler.
He was a man of si)leiidid impulses of heart,
and while he had come thro\igh all phases of
excitement incident to frontier life and become
familiar with the hardest, yet when civilization
overto k him he naturally settled down and
assimilated with it and became one of the most
prospero\is citizens in his section of the coun-
I ry.

Jim had gone through much the same ex-
perience, was more sensational in tempera-
ment but with undaunted courage. He set-
tled down to the marshalship cf a Texas cattle
shipping town and was a terror to the lawless
element of the cowboy fraternity. In keeping
them regulated and submitting them to lawful
authority he had to kill a number of them,
but he did it in the full performance of his
duty. There were but few better shots with
a Xavey 44 than Jim. He never pulled his gun
until the last extremity, but when he did, he
rarely missed.

DUNCAN BOTTLING WORKS
T. E. Winstead, Proprietor

THKRE are very few people in this day
and age who do not enjoy a bottle of
soda pop as it has gained a place
among the summer beverages that nr.thing
else can fill, and the pleasure derived from
drinking a bottle of pop is greatly enhanced if
you get the product of the Duncan Bottling
Works of Great Bend. This is one of the man-
ufacturing interest of Great Bend that has
been built up on merit. It was established
in Hoisington where it was operated for some
time before it was moved to Great Bend iu
1909. It was operated by Mr. Duncan until
March. 19U. when he sold a half interest to Mr.
Winstead who bought the remainder ol" the
business in .November of the same year. Mr.
Winstead was born in the City of Great Bend in
ISSl and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Win-
stead, the former having been marshal of the
town and sheriff of the county and whose biog-
raphy will be found in another part of thi^s
book" Mr. Winstead was married June 5, 1907,
to Miss Carrie Collins of Great Bend and they

have one child, a boy. Kenneth, who was b. rn
on the 4th of July, 190S. Mr, Winstead has
given his personal attention to the manage-
ment of his business and shiiis the products to
all parts of this and surrounding counties
within a radius of 150 miles. The plant has a
capacity of 400 cases cf soda water per day
and it is found on sale at all drink emi)orium8
tliat appreciate the best in the beverage line
Mr. Winstead makes his own flavoring ex-
tracts which is a guarantee of their purity and
strength. All mixing and bottling Is done un-
der Mr. Winstead's personal 8Ui>crvlsion and
during the busy season the place gives em-
ployment to five people which number Is In-
creased as the demand grows greater. This Is
one of Great Bend's manufacturing enterprises
which has gained its high standing among the
people of this part of the state by turning out
only the best of goods at all times. Mr. Win-
stead was one of the first two mail carriers In
the City of Great Bend.

286

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Judge Dan A. Banta

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

287

JUDGE DAN A. BANTA

DAN A. BANTA was born near llnioii
City, Ohio, in tlie year 1S51, and it wus
in that state that he received his early
education. He went to the state of Indiana in
1866, where he remained until 1SS4 when ho
came to the state of Kansas. Before leaving
Indiana he studied law with the firm of
Steele & St. John and in 1S79 was admitted
to the bar in the town cf Marion, Indiana.
After his arrival in Kansas Judge Banta tool;
up the practice of law and has made a record
in the different courts of the state of which
he may well feel proud. Early in 1910 the
Republican party wanted a candidate for dis-
trict judge who had earned a place in the dis-
trict by his untiring efforts in fighting for
right and justice and when Dan A. Bantas
name was suggested the party wcrkers knew
that he was just the man they needed for this

important place on the ticket. That their
judgment was correct was proven at the elec-
tion in the fall of 1910 when Uan Banta was
elected judge of the Twentieth judicial district
of Kansas by a most flattering majority.
Since Judge Banta has been called upon the
bench he has been called upon to decide some
important cases and the record he has made
lias been most gratifying to his friends in all
political parties. Judge Banta is married and
lias throe boys: Dan Worth, George and Ar-
thur. Dan Worth is a musician of rare abil-
ity, George is an expert mechanic while Ar-
thur is engaged in the practice of law in
Great Bend. Judge Banta is of that type of
man that makes friends and retains them by
bis universal genial manner, and high sense of
right and justice.

Residence of Judge D. A. Banta

288

6lOGRAt»HICAL HISTORY

CHARLES L. GUNN

CHARLES L. GUNN was born at La Salle,
Illinois, August 24, 1859. He came to
Barton County with his parents in 1877 and
for some time worked for farmers in the
neighborhood of his father's homestead. Later
he acquired 160 acres of land and began farm-
ing fcr himself. He is one of five boys of
whom Ijovi Gunn is the father, his brothers
are Frank, William, Imu and Howard, all of
whom are mentioned in another part of this
book. Charles L. was married in 1SS2 to Miss
Fannie Lee of this county and they are the
parents of si.\ children as foU'ws: Walter,
I.ieonard, Grace, Ray, May and Kdward. Wal-
ter is vice-president of the Barton County
.Milling Co., Leonard is secretary and treas-
urer, while their father is president and man-
ager. The remainder of the children are at
home and are being educated along modern
lines. The Barton County Milling Co., of
which Mr. Gunn is the president, was organ-
ized in 1903, and since that time its pro-

duct has added greatly to Great Bend's fame
as a milling city. The mill owned by this
company was formerly the property of Moses
Brothers but seven years ago .Mr. Gunn pur-
chased a two-thirds interest and later ac-
fjuired possession r,f the one-third. Since Mr.
Gunn has had control of the mill he has added
to its efficiency by the addition of the latest
approved machinery and by using only the best
methods in flour making which has made for it
amost enviable reputation. Mr.Gunn gives per-
sonal supervision to the management of the
mill and in addition to the milling business
owns a thousand acres of land near Heizer and
other farms in dilTerent parts of the county.
.Most of this land is farmed under his direc-
tion. The Gunn family is one of the best
known cf the early comers and they are famil-
iar with the early history of this section of
Kansas.

Barton County Flour Mill

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

289

DR. SIMEON JESSIE SHAW

MANY there are who will read this biog-
raphy with sorrow as it is a brief ac-
count of the life of one who during the
'SOs in Great Bend gained for himself a warm
place in the hearts of the people who made up
the pcpulaticn ct the town and Barton County.
Dr. Simeon Jessie Shaw was born in Ohio and
came to Barton County in 1SS4. He was a
graduate of the Starling Medical College of
Columbus, Ohio, and immediately upon his ar-
rival here took up the practice of his pr:fes-
slon. It was but a short time until ht was
known and respected in all parts of Barton and
surrounding counties, not only as a careful,
painstaking physician but as a citizen whoso
counsul was eagerly sought and whose friend-
ship was highly prized. He was married to
Miss Orlinda G. Lewis of Ohio and they were
the parents of cne child, Vida, who is now the
wife of Dr. E. E. Morrison of this city. Dr.
Shaw died in December, 1901, and never in the
history of Great Bend had there been a fun-
eral previous to his where such genuine sor-
row was shown by so many people. The fun-
eral was one of the largest that ever was held
in this part of the state and was attended
not only by local people but by friends of the
dead physician from all over Kansas. Dr.
Shaw with all of his practice f:und time to
take an interest in public undertakings and

served the county as coroner several limes.
He ran for the office of representative but like
all the candidates on his ticket was defeated.
In the eighties Dr. Shaw opened a drug store
but later sold it and bought land and at the
time of his death owned about 720 acres of
land in Barton C-unty. He was a member of
the Masons, A. O. l'. W., Modern Woodmen
and in the Masonic fraternity was a member
cf the Shriners and belonged to Isis Temple
cf Saliua. He will always be remembered by
the old timers of Barton County and all who
know him as a good, conscientious doctor, and
a citizen of which any community could bo
!)roud.

The professional life of Dr. Shaw in this
community is well pictured in the slory of
Dr. \Vm. McClure. by Ian Mcljaren. He was
indeed a doctor of the old scho 1, through rain
and sleet, over rough roads and at all hours
of the night he drove on his errands of mercy.
No thought of financial returns gave him
strength for his labors and his cheery smile
brought hope and comfort wherever he went.
It is not too great a meed of praise to give to
his memory that he gave his life to the people
of Barton County as fully as a soldier on the
field of battle or the pioneer on the western
plains.

FRED NUTTLEMAN---(Xuttleman I^I anuf acUiring Co.

A.MO.N'G the nujnufacturing industries of
Great Bend the -Nuttleman Manufactur-
ing Company occupies a prominent
place as its products are shipped all over the
country and add to Great Bend's reputation as
a place where they do things. The .Xuttleman
Manufacturing Company's establishment is
owned and operated by Fred Nuttleman who
gives his personal attention to the manage-
ment of the plant. Mr. Nuttleman was born
in La Crosse, "Wisconsin, February 7, 1S7,^, and
remained there until he was twenty-two years
of age when he came to Great Bend and en-
tered the employment of the firm of Miller &
Hemker, hardware dealers. At the end of three
years Mr. Nuttleman purchased Mr. Miller's in-
terest in the business and the firm name wau
changed U Hemker & .Nuttleman. Four yeav.i
ago Mr. Nuttleman sold his interest to Mr
Hemker and established the Nuttleman Man-
ufacturing Co. The factory is contained in a
building two stories high and 5t) by 70 teet in
riimensions and is located on Williams street
between Forest and Lakin in Great Bend.
Here are made wheat bins, tanks and cul-
verts and it has become known all over this

part of the state that anything bearii;g the
name of the Nuttleman .Manufacturing Co..
represents all that is best in the line cf goods
made of sheet metal. This concern employs
seven people and adds in no small way to the
pay roll of the cily. Kverything in the sheet
metal line is manufactured and no Job is too
small or too large for this concern to success-
fully undertake. .Mr. Nultlenuin is the active
manager of tbe idant and all work is done un-
der his supervision. The material used In the
work at this plant are the best that van be ob-
tained and the prices charged are consistent
with the very best material and workmanship.
The business of this establishnifnl has grown
each year and is growing bigger all the time
as the merit of its products becomes generally
known. Mr. .Nuttleman was married Febru-
ary 6, 1903. to Miss Rosa Brandt and they oc-
cupy a nice residence at 2923 Forest. Mr.
.Nuttleman has always been Identified with
the business interests of Great Bend since hl»
arrival here and he has due much to add to
Greai Bend's reputation as a manufacturing
city.

290

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

GEORGE H. HULME

I\ business c-ircles in Barton County tlieio
is no man who is better Itnown than
George H. Hulme who was one of the
Ijioneer merchants of Great Bend. George H.
Hulme was born February 4, 1844, at Man-
chester, Kngland and came to America with
his mother in 1S49, two years after his father
had arrived in this country. The family first
located at Fall River, Massachuseiis, where
they remained two years. They went from
there to Magnolia. Illinois, and remained there
until 1S75, w-hen George came to Barton Coun-
ty, Kansas. He brought with him a $7,000
stock of general merchandise which he |)laced
on sale in a building located on lot 1, block
103, which is Ihe ground now occupied by the
First National Bank Ijuilding. I/ater the stocli
was moved to the opera house block at the
corner of Williams and Forest Avenue. This
was in ISSS after the completion of the opera
house building which was erected by Mr.
Hulme and C. F. Wilner. Later the merchan-
dise stock was moved from there to a building
on Forest Avenue next to the postoffice where
it remained under Mr. Hulme's management
until July, 1911, when he sold out the stock
to George 0. Hunt. The Great Bend Flour
Mill which Mr. Hulme still owns was built by
W. W. P. Clement in 1ST6 and at that time
had a capacity of 2.5 barrels per day. In 1SS6
Mr. Hulme and William Kelley purchased an
interest in the mill. This partnershii) contin-
ued until 1.S9S when Hnlme and Kelley bought
out Mr. Clement and in 19().t Mr. Hulme bought
out Mr. Kelley and became the sole owner of

the mill. It now has a capacity of 400 barrels
per day. The leading brands of flour made by
the Great Bend Mills are "Perfection," for the
export trade and "Sunbeam" both of which are
noted for their quality. Mr. Hulme was mar-
ried to Miss Anna M. Bosley at Magnolia. \\-
linois, November 11. 1875, and they are the
parents of seven children, five of whom are liv-
ing. The children are: Georgia, who is now
.Mrs. G. W. Green; James H., who aids his
father: Raymond, who is engaged in the farm-
ing business in Barton County; Charles looks
after his father's farming interests; and Viv-
ian, the baby cf the family, lives at home. In
additicn to the above Mr. and Mrs. Hulme are
the parents of two children, Clara, who died
when six years of age and Vivin who di;d
when he was four years of age. Since making
his heme in this county Mr. Hulme has always
been known as a substantial business man and
in addition to his business interests in Great
Bend he has accumulated considerable farm
land. He owns nineteen quarter sections in
Barton County, three (juarters in Cowley
County and six quarters in Stevens County,
nearly all cf which is being farmed by renters.
There are few if any of the old timers of Bar-
ton County who have not bought goods of Mr.
Hulme as his store was one of the first gen-
eral stores in the City of Great. Mr. Hulme
has held public offices on different occasions
and has always found time to take an inter-
est in the public affairs of the community in
which h<' lives.

DON A. WELTMER

DONALD A. WELTMER. Don Weltiuer as
everybody knows him. was born in Eu-
reka township. Barton County. February
24, 1.S79. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris-
tian A. Weltmer. who came to this section of
the state in 1S7S. The family moved to Great
Bend in lSsf>. In 1900 Don and his brother
Pete established the firm of Weltmer Brothers
and f,r five years they conducted the gro-
cery business now ownei^ by Turner & Son.
In 1905 Don bought out Ihe soda water bottling
business owned by H. E. Dean. It occupies
a building on Kansas Avenue thai housed the
first electric light i)lant in the City of Great
Bend. The business occui)ies a building on
Kansas Avenue 25 by 65 feel in dimensions

and during the busy seas:n employs eight
peoi)le. In addition to manufacturing all
kinds of pop and soft drinks Mr. Weltmer is
the exclusive bottler of Cocoa Cola and Jer-
sey Creame in this territory. The works arc
equipped with the most modern machinery
and ai)pliances for bcltling in a sanitary man-
ner. Mr. Weltmer was married in 1904 to
Miss Lelia A. Giddings who came to this part
of the state from Connecticut. They have on''
bright eyed baby boy two years old. His
name is Donald. Jr., and while Donald, Sr., is
manager of the bottling works, thejiinior mem-
ber : ( the firm is sole manager of the house-
hold.

\ .\\ !!

292

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

LOUIS P. AND KATE A. FREY

^ EP.TiiMBER 23 will always be celebrated
^S in some manner by the descendants of
IjOnis P. and Kate A. Frey. because it
was on September 23, 1871. that they arrivod
on the townsite of Great Bend, and were the
first party of emigrants to join those who had
located the town. Starting at Liberty,
Adams County, Illinois, on August 26. 1S71. and
accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Paul F. Schneck
and three children, and Thompson Frey, the
|)arty had covered the distance in three wagons
drawn by mules. They, of coourse. had been
preceded by the members of the townsite
company who had surveyed and plotted the
site, and who had been notified of their com-
ing; otherwise this little band would have
driven past the ground laid out had it not been

foot pieces of a scantling that remained after
making these pegs. There were no houses or
tents to house them, and the nearest lumber,
provisions, or jiostoffice was in either Ells-
worth or Russell, a distance of forty or fifty
miles. Texas cattle, wild buffalo, and other
wild animals had possession of the field, and
a fe.v days after their arrival the party were
regaled by cowboys who had roped some buf-
falo and tried to stampede these newcomers
by a rush through the townsite. In time such
happenirgs as this, the pilfering of friendly
Indians, and the reports of massacres in other
parts of the state became common and the
women folk less afraid and they screwed up
their courage and determined to conquer.
A little homo was first built on the town-

Residence of Loui.s and Kale Frey

that Wni. H . Odell discovered the passing
wagons and followed them a distance on
horseback and directed their return. The
mules driven were the first animals of their
kind to join the colony, and Mrs. Frey was
the first white woman to set foot within the
confines of what is now the corporate limits
of a great metropolis. She, of course, was
soon joined by Mrs. Schneck, who arrived in
the second wagon of the same party; and fol-
lowing was Thompson Frey. driving the rear
team. What they found was a waste plain
with stakes driven in a portirn of it marking
the outlines of lots and streets, and two six

site, and then Mr. Frey entered a homestead of
eighty acres, where the widow now resides
with her only son, Adam G. Frey and wife.
They call the place "Freyhurst," and it is
three miles northwest of the court house at
Great Bend; has a comfortable residence, barn
and other buildings, and the soil is very fer-
tile and grows corn, wheat, and four or five
cuttings of alfalfa yearly.

Louis P. Frey was born in 1S45 in Illi-
nois and died March 7, 1903, and rests in
the Great Bend cemeter.v, sadly missed by all
his associates fwho helped to tame this then
"farthest west" and make it inhabitable for
the present generation.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

293

GREAT BEND ICE, FUEL AND STORAGE CO.

ONE of the industrial enterprises of which
tile people of Great Bend and this part
of the state are justly proud is the
new, modern plant of the Great Bend Ice, Fuel
and Storage Co., located near the ilissouri Pa-
cific depot in Great Bend. It is safe to say that
but few people of this section realize the mag-
nitude of this establishment or have an under-
standing as to the amount of money it required,
to say nothing of the work and faith in the
future of the city that was manifested by the
promoters of the enterprise when they resolv-
ed to establish in Great Bend an ice cream and
ice factory along the lines of the most modern
plants in the world. The plant is housed in a
thoroughly modern building of sufficient size
to allow plenty of room for all the different
departments. The plant is owned by home peo-
ple and is under the management of George
L. Seeley, a gentleman who has had years of
experience in the manufacture of ice and ice
cream and knows the business in all its di-
tails.

The plant has been producing a high
grade of ice for the past year and at times
the demand for the product has been so great
that it was necessary to run the plant to ca-
pacity which was twenty-five tons per day.
Ordinarily the plant produced between twenty
and twenty-five tons per day. The plant is
equipped with two 100 H. P. high pressure
boillers, two 50 H. P. Murray-Corliss engines
and two powerful ammonia compressers.

To this equipment there was recently added
another big engine which brings the capacity
of the plant up to thirty tons of ice per day.
The steam after passing through the engines
and compressers is conveyed to the rear of the
building in pipes where it is condensed and
piped to the filters where it passes through two
charcoal filled tanks in the shape of distilled
water. From there it passes through another
tank filled with fine grain sponges and finally
it is filtered through a series of closely woven
cloths before it reaches the tanks where it is
frozen and come forth a cake of absolutely
pure ice. There are three hundred and twenty-
five of these tanks and after the water con-
tained therein is frozen the result is cakes of
ice weighing three hundred pounds each. The
water is frozen by ammonia evaporation sys-
tem. The ammonia is compressed until it has a
pressure in the pipes of 150 pounds to the
square inch and in this form it is conducted
to the brine tanks where it escapes as a gas
at a pressure of 15 pounds to the square inch,
and by the evaporation thus caused the heat
is taken from the tanks to such an extent that
the temperature is reduced sufficiently to
cause the water to freeze. It is possible to
produce ice at a much smaller expense but it
is the determination of this company to spare
neither work nor expense in producing the best
that can be obtained and it can readily be
seen after reading the foregoing that some of

the features of this plant's product is that it
is absolutely pure.

The ice cream department is in charge of
.Mrs. George L. Seeley who has had years of
experience in the manufacture of ice cream
and from the time the cream is delivered at
the factory until it comes from the freezer it is
under her careful supervision. First the cream
nuist be of the very best grade before it can
be used at this establishment. Its purity and
(luality being determined by treating it in ii
inod<rn tester which shows its purity and
wortli in butter fat. After having passed the
test successfully the milk and cream is placed
in a big tank from which it is piped into the
pasteurizing machine where it is heated to a
temperature of 160 degrees. It is then reduced
to a temperature of 40 degrees while passing
over a series of coils containing brine which
cools the pipes to any point desired. From
there it is run back into the cans and is ready
for the agitator where the other ingredients
and the milk and cream arc mixed and allowed
to ripen. After the mixtures have been in the
agitator a sufficient length of lime it is then
ready for the freezer from which it comes out
the finished product that is known wherevar
ice cream is eaten in this section of the state
as the acme of ice cream perfection. The
room in which the ice cream is made is a
model of neatness and is thoroughly sanitary
in every way and the different pieces of ma-
chinery are so arranged that a minimum of
work is required in handling the materials and
the finished products. The plant has been run-
ning over a year now. The machinery that is
used in this department is the very latest to be
had and the pasteurizing apparaliis while not
absolutely necessary is another evidence of
this company's policy to produce nothing that
is not absolutely pure in every way.

This company handles all grades of coal
and have bin room for a large quantity which
is obtained from the best Colorado mines. The
company will buy in large quantities, nothing
but the very best, and is equipped for delivery
in any size lots to all parts of the city on the
shortest possible notice.

George L. Seeley, the manager and a ma-
jority stock holder of this company, was born
in Scranton, Pa., in 1S74. He was married In
Topeka, Kansas, in 1902, to Miss Susan A.
Deyo and they are the iiarenis of three chil-
dren; George Lee, Fay Guernsey and Helen
Elizabeth, all of whom are livliiK at home.
I'nder Mr. Seeloy's management Ihi' buainoss
of this company has been extended until Its
products are now shipped to all points within
a radius of 100 miles of Great Hend. besides
having a large patronage at homo. This is due
to the fact that this company's out put is com-
posed of the very best of material, mixed and
made ready for use by the latest Improved
methods.

294

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

MARION F. SOWARDS

M.MtlOX F. SOWARDS of "Santa Fe Trail
Farm," three and one-half miles
southwest of Great Bend, was born June 20,
1847, on a farm in Columbia County, Wiscon-
sin. He assisted his father and attended the
public schools until September, 1S(J3. and then
enlisted as a private in the 4th Wisconsin
l^ight Horse Liattery and served in the Army
of the Potomac until July, 1SG5. He was in the
battles of the Wilderness; fought in front of
Petersburg and on James River, and was in a
continuous fight every day for six months.
In 1S64, at a skirmish at Signal Hill, eight or
t<'n miles out of Richmond, he was wounded
in the calf of his leg and laken prisoner and

Marion F. Sowards and family first came
to Harton County in October, 1S73, making the
journey in a wagon and was six weeks on the
road. He remained for a short period, and
going farther west into ICdwards county, en-
tered a homestead of one hundred and sixty
acres five miles southwest of Kinsley. He
sold out in 1881 and returned to his old home
in Wisconsin by wagon, where he remained
one year, and in the fall of 1882 returned to
Barton County to remain permanently. His
home farm covers three hundred and twenty
acres; he owns three small parcels amounting
to one hundred and Iwenty-six acres in the
neigliborhood ; a half section near Dundee, and

Residence of Marion F. Sowards

the confederate surgeons wanted to amputate
the limb, but at his earnest entreaty he was
spared this indignity and recovered. As a
I)risoner he was taken to Richmond and con-
fined for three or four weeks in Libby and
Castle Thunder, and then exchanged. I^ater
he returned to his command and was mustered
out at the conclusion of hostilities. He then
returned to the farm and remained until Oc-
tober 8, 1869, and was married to Miss .Mary
Klizabeth Rowell, of Columbia County, Wis-
consin, a near relatives of Geo. P. Rowel), the
head of the Geo. P. Rowell Advertising Agency
of Chicago and New York. They have one
ciild; Mrs. Violet Louise Holmes, of Barton
County.

a quarter section in Buffalo township — making
nine hundred and twenty-six acres in all.
This is all well improved and under cultiva-
tion, and is set in wheat, corn and alfalfa.
Stock breeding is a prominent feature of this
farm, and there is a herd of eighteen or
twenty registered Shorthorns, and some of the
better classes of draft horses, mules and hogs.
The residence is a two-story white frame, set-
ting well back from the highway, surrounded
by forest trees, plants and flowers, and is ap-
proached by a driveway through meadows of
alfalfa. It is modernly furnished and has
acetylene lights, bath and water connections.
The barn is 36x48, and there are sheds, gran-
aries, garage and other outbuildings, besides
some tenant cottages on the estate.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

295

THE LAKE IN CHEYENNE BOTTOMS

FOR a number of years during the early
nineties, Central Kansas was visited by
drouth, and the farmers began to des-
pair and gave their thought and attention to
the question of irrigation. Here in Barton
County, and especially at Great Bend a num-
ber of large land owners counciled with Mr.
F. B. Koen, who had made a success in the
construction of irrigation canals in Colorado
and Western Kansas, and was a practical irri-
gation canal builder. It is probable that at
first, at least so far as the Barton County men
were concerned, they did not have in mind the
construction of a great lake, but as the iilan
developed this became an essential part of tlie
scheme.

Seven miles north of Great Bend lay the
Cheyenne Bottoms, an immense area of land
which doubtless once formed the bed of a great
lake. For its entire length, some twelve or
fourteen miles, and varying in width from two
and a half to five miles, surrounded on three
sides by bluffs of about one hundred feet in
heighth, nature seemed to have provided a
reservoir such as was needed at that time to
supply water to the drouth stricken region in
Barton County. Among the local people who
were much interested in this plan were J. V.
Brinkman, G. N. Moses and others and a com-
pany was formed known as the Grand Lake
Reservoir Company. This company proceeded
to construct an irrigation canal from a point
on the Arkansas river as far west as Dundee
to the Cheyenne Bottoms. It was the idea of
the projectors that the lands in the Bottoms
could be secured at a price not to exceed a
dollar per acre, taken as a whole, but when
the owners realized the immensity of the pro-
ject values suddenly increased, and thousands
of acres that had been always considered
worthless were valued at a high figure. Of
course trouble had been expected along the
line of the canal but this was easily disposed
of and was only a small affair compared with
the other difficulties which now met the com-
pany. To add to this Mr. Koen, with a knowl-
edge of what the success of the enterprise real-
ly meant to this county had considerable per-
sonal trouble with the owners cf tracts of
land and this tended to abstract the success
of the operations. It became necessary to have
some special legislation, granting the right of
condemnation for the reservoir, and this being
procured the company proceeded to condemn
land and deposited with the county treasurer
the amounts allowed by the condemnation com-
missioners. Meanwhile work had proceeded
upon the canal, and at the next flood tide of
the Arkansas river a volume of water fifty
feet in width, was carried into the reservoir
for some three or four days.

To the casual observer it had tlie appear-
ance, for a portion of the distance of running
uphill, but there had been a first class engin-

eer over the Hue and his skill had solved the
problem successfully. It was indeed a great
sight, and many of the people interested con-
chuled that a way had now been found for pro-
viding moisture during the drouth periods. In
the meantime a number of Kansas City parties
had been interested in the proposition and Mr.
\V. ,1. Ilallack who had been active in enter-
prises at Detroit, Michigan, and had lately
moved to Kansas City, undertook to engineer
the financial part of the plan. The company
was reorganized under the name of the Ijake
Koen Navigation, Reservoir and Irrigation Co.,
and there was added to the irrigation purposes
the idea of having the lake of sufficient size to
accommodate boats of a considerable size. A
further condemnation was made along the line
of the canal so that the canal might be widen-
ed to one hundred feet. Most of the owners of
land in the Bottoms apiiealed from the award
of the commissioners and a flood of litigation
as well as water met the projectors of the en-
terprise. About this time A. E. Stillwell of
Kansas City, builder of the Kansas Southern
and Orient Railroads became interested and
through his efforts the project seemed des-
tined to be entirely successful, but the further
use of the canal was dela.ved, i)ending the set-
tlement of the litigation. There is no doubt
however that the plan was feasible and that an
immense lake could have again been made
where nature had once provided one. The
scheme however ))roved a failure and the main
reason for the failure was one which never
entered the minds of its projectors. A change
came over the natural conditions and bounti-
ful rains supplied the moisture needed for the
crops in the Arkansas Valley, and even those
interested in the project awoke to the fad that
irrigation was no longer needed. Today the
holder.s of the same lands which were to be
covered by the waters of the great lake are in-
terested in the formation of a company to drain
a large part of the land which was to have
been covered by the waters of this lake. Sub-
£e(|Uont events have also shown that the plan
would have failed for the reason that the raidd
growth of the irrigation systems In ciistern
Colorado and western Kansas have eliminated
from the central portion of Kansas practically
all of the flood waters of the Arkansas river.

Those who were closest in touch with this
lilan from its inception and who still live In
Barton County realize that aside from any
value for irrigation purposes the construction
of this lake would have brought Immense ben-
efits to the whole of the surrounding country.
At least for the present the lands in the old
lake bed still remain uncovered, yet the time
may come when this ninn so far as the con-
struction of the lake is concerned will reach a
successful realization.

296

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

WILLIAM R. BUNTING

WILLIAM K. lilXTING. or Hill, as he
was better known, had been a promi-
nent figure in the life and history of Barton
County since he arrived here in the seventies,
until the time of his death. At different times
he was engaged in business and in the public
life of the county he took a prominent part. It
was but a few days before he died that he
brought his photograph for a cut to the office
of the Tribune, where he was a trusted and
faithful employee, and it did not seem possible

and after the death of his father, the mother
and children came to Kansas overland in 1876,
when the subject of this sketch was 18 years
of age. They located on a claim in Stafford
county and later Will took a claim himself. On
July 4. 1S76, he was united in marriage to Miss
Retta Kinney, who survives him. and of the
union six children. Mrs. Ray Hrown of this
city, Mrs. Ix)me Sherwood of Linton, Ind., Mrs.
Kdith Johnson, of Indianapolis, and Tom,
Blaine and Vivian of this city survive.

William Bunting

that we would have to write his obituary for
this volume. However this proved to be true
and in losing "Bill" all the members of the
Tribune force from the proprietors to the
carrier boys lost a faithful friend and the
community a loyal citizen.

W. R. Bunting was born March 14. 1S.5S, in
Uniontown, Pennsylvania. At an early day the
family moved to Missouri locating in Sedalia

The following was written for the Tribune
by Elrick C. Cole and it pays Mr. Bunting a
deserving Tribute for his public service to the
people of Barton County:

"My first intimate acquaintance with Will
Bunting was formed in ISSS when he was
elected clerk of the court. Prior to that time
he bad been active in the political affairs of the
western part of the county and had proven

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

297

himself a tireless worker. After his election,
our offices adjoined and the duties of our re-
spective positions brought us into close con-
tact.

"No more active, painstaking official has
ever served this county and his popuhirily :it
the close of his first term, caused not only l>:s
n-nomination, but also his endorsement Viy the
Democratic party. In after years, he served
this city, both as councilman and member of
the board of education and he also ser>-ed a

short term as sheriff. In every positi->n of
l)ublic trust he exhibited splendid executive
ability and a constant effort to faithfully E^rve
the people who had chosen him.

"Honesty and strict integrity marked n s
every official act. His public service was
splendid but he was never able to serve him-
self. A man of great heart and great capabil-
ities, he lacked a balance wheel. In his going
from us as well as in his life with us, I am gla-l
1,) remember him as my friend."

AN INCIDENT IN 1865

By George W. Crane

WHILE the editors of this volume were
getting together the material for its
pages, we had occasion to write to
Geo. W. Crane & Co., publishers, of Topeka,
Kansas, to get permission to run the story jt
"Old Jim Gibson." We received the following
letter from Mr. Crane in regard to the story
and he adds a very interesting story of days
before Barton County had begun to be settled.
The story of Jim Gibson will be found on page
151.

Topeka, Kans., June 24, 1912.

Tribune Publishing Co, Great Bend, Kan-
sas. Dear Mr. Townsley: Responding to yours
of the 21st, we say, yes. Use the story of Old
Jim Gibson. It would te proper to add "From
the Tales of the Trail by permission of Crane
& Co."

An incident occurred while 1 was at Fort
Larned in 1865, which always comes to me as
illustrating the trait of the Anglo-Saxon to be
cool and collected in times cf great danger.

Dr. McNeal, the post surgecn at Fort Lar-
ned was, with a dozen soldiers, escorting a
train from Fort Zarah. About at the west lino
cf Barton County they were attacked by a band
of Indians. The train was corralled and it was
agreed that whoever saw an opening should
make the race through the Indian linos. The
doctor was well mounted; he saw an opening
and made the race.

Bullets and arrows blew thick around him
but he got through safely. He reached the
trail by a circuitous route and immediately
saw two couriers who had been killed,
stripped and scalped. He hurried on to the
Post, and returned with a company of cavalry.
.No more Indians were seen. They picked up
the dead couriers and conveyed them to Fort
Larned in an ambulance. The doctor dressed
them for burial and after all was attended to
came to the Sultler's store and asked me for
a glass of whisky. I handed him a bottle and
large goblet. He was trembling and very pale.
He t"ok care of two gobletsful quickly. I
asked what was the matter and if he was se-
riously hurt. "Xo, eorge, I am simply scared
to death." He soon recovered composure but
retained the opinion that he was scared to
death.

"And so it is, at times of extreme danger and
wlien action is necessary, we are cool and
nerved to perform the duty. When the trouble
is all over and the nerves subside, we are lia-
ble to go to pieces.

"This story I am writing. Townsley. is part-
ly to illustrate a trait of character but prin-
cipally as a reminiscense of the Old Trail in
1865.

"Very truly yours,

GKO. W. CRANK."

PLEASANTDALE— (Schoenthal)

PLEASANTDALE or Schoenthal, as it is
called in German, was the name of a vil-
lage established by the colony cf Ger-
man emigrants who arrived in Barton County
in the 70's and located on the Smoky river in
Rush County and near what is now the town
of Olmitz in Barton County. The following
story of the settlement is given as told by Pe-
ter Brack, one of the members of the colony
and now a prosperous merchant of Barton
County.

About 186 years ago by the provisions o£

an edict issued by the Czarwitch Katherlne of
Russia, thousands of GtTmaBS moved from
their native land into the domain of the
Czarwitch. They were induced to make the
change on account of the fact that Katherlne
had promised them exemption from military
duty, gave them tools with which to till the
land and by other provisions made what seem-
ed at that time an excellent opportunity. How-
ever, Alexander, the third ruler of Russia after
Katherinc took away those privileges, destroy-
ing the royal edict and the luckless Germans

298

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

were compelled to serve in the army and other
privileges were taken away. By this aoti n on
the part of Alexander, the liberty loving peo-
ple who were affected by the new order of
ihir.gs, at once rebelled and decided that they
would again seek freedom and opportunity in
another land. Accordingly they emigrated
to the United States. A colony was made up in
the village cf Popotchnaja which included a
large number of the members of the Brack
family — now well known in this county — and
forty-seven other families, making in all a to-
tal of 527 people. These hard working, perse-
cuted people left their adopted land Septem-
ber 8, 1S76. They w^ere compelled to pay $100
each f^r passports, when the price should have
been not more than $10. They went first to
Bremen, the trip requiring two weeks time
and there waited for the boats that were to
bring them to the new country. The leaders
of the party, after a great deal of effort suc-
ceeded in getting the steamship companies in-
terested to the extent that many of them
wanted the business and therefore the emi-
grants were enabled to get a rate of (32 ru-
bles) about $16.00 each for passage, but what
the company lost in making this comparative-
ly low rate they made up by charging big
prices for everything on the trip over. The
emigrants sailed on the ship "Salle" and ar-
rived in New York October 21, 1S76. They
spent but one day in the big American city
changing their Russian money fcr American
bills and coin, and then started for Kansas
City.

Long before the emmigrants arrived in this
country they had made up their minds to lo-
cate near Great Bend. Kansas, having heard
good news from friends who were already lo-
cated. The fare from New^ York to Kansas
City was sixteen d-llars. I'pon their arrival
they were besieged by agents of the Union Pa-
cific and Santa Fe railroads. These agents
were both German, one by the name of Smith,
representing the U. P. and the other being a
Mr. Reiglehcimer. Each wanted the big party
of emigrants on the line of their respective
roads. Finally an offer of the Santa Fe of free
transportati"n to Lawrence, Kansas, was ac-
cepted. After their arrival there they occupied
an old factory building, sleeping on the groumi
and cooking food as best they could. At Law-
rence a meeting was held which resulted in
the selection of eight men, known for their
ability in judging scil, to go to points on the
v. P. and select a location. This party was
taken all over Missouri. Nebraska and Kansas,
as far west as the Colorado line. The V. P.
company paid all the expenses of this trip
which required about ten days time after
which the party returned to Lawrence. Then
the Santa Fe company took the same repre-
sentatives out en the same kind of a trip. The
eight men on their return reported tliat the
best soil they could find ada|)ted to wheat rais-
ing was between Russell, in Russell county,
and Pawnee Rock, in Barton County. As all

the members of the party wanted to be on a
river the colony was divided, half g-ing to
Russell on the Smoky river and the other half
to Pawnee Rock on the Arkansas river. By
the time they had all secured homesteads be-
tween these two points they were practically
in one community. The members of the col-
ony who arrived at Pawnee Rock lived in a big
emigrant house, formerly used as a saw
mill were making trips to Larned and Hays
City where they had business at the land of-
fices. After about three weeks most of the col-
onists had obtained land, Mrs. Brack, Peter
Brack's mother, having bought seven quarters
for $7,000. At this time Charles Lindas was
running a big store at Pawnee Rock and he got
most of the trade from the colony. Many of
the emigrants paid the railroad company
$5.00 per acre for land which it was after-
wards learned could have been purchased for
$2.50 direct from the company, the increase in
tht price being the profit of the agents. During
the fust winter after their arrival the members
vf the colony held a meeting to decide on
building together in a village, as was the cus-
tom in the old country.

It was the intention to have a set of offi-
cers, schools, etc., as near like the custom in
the old country as possible. Therefore a site
was selected on section 11-17-16, just across
the line in Rush county. It was given the name
of Schoenthal, which in English means Pleas-
antdale, and for a year and a half the little
village prospered, but the residents finally
learned that to prove up on a homestead it was
necessary that thehomesteader live on his own
quarter, therefore Pleasantdale was abondon-
ed and the settlers t:ok up their residence on
their own land. After about four years, the
colony by hauling rock to Otis were enabled to
build a church, and even after the town of
Pleasantlade was abandoned the church was
and still is maintained. During the first few
years of work done by the colony the returns
were poor, crops did not grow as well as
could be expected and it was only those who
were possessed of cxen who could accomplish
much in the way of development work. Those
who owned beasts of burden helped their
neighbors. The Brack family in the years
1877-78 got fairly good returns, raising about
forty bushels cf wheat to an acre, for which
they received $1.15 per bushel.

During the first ten yeears many of the men
members of the colony went away and worked
on the railroad grades and in that way kept
their families alive. In this way they strug-
gled along until some of them were enabled to
prove up on their land, and they then began
to barrow money and buy horses and other
animals so that they could farm with better re-
sults. Many of the settlers thought they had
accomplished a great deal when after proving
up on their land they were enabled to borrow
$800; some of them taking the mortgage money
and left thinking they had done well. However,
most of them stayed, and a majority of those

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

299

who went away came back broke and began all
over again. There were incidents of people
trading their homestead for a cheap shotgun
or some such article cf about the same value.
There was one man who traded his quarter for
an $S watch and said it didn't cost him much
as it only cost him four dollars at that, mean-
ing that he had paid that much to prove up
after five years on the land. It was the cus-
tom of these people for the bride's parents to
take a newly married couple into the groom's
home, and as a result of this the Brack broth-
ers' mother had thirty-six in her family at one
time. The oldest of the Brack boys was a

leader in the ccmmunity, and after about ten
years residence in this country he had saved
a little money, sufficient to buy some quar-
ters adjoining his land near Olmitz. Then Mr.
Brack began to send back to the old country
for friends and relatives and when they ar-
rived here they would be given land with a
chance to pay for it on easy terms and since
that time the ccmmunity around Olmitz, Albert
and in that part of Barton County has grown
and iirospered but the little village of Pleas-
antdale has passed away and remains only as
a memory with those who made the trip on the
Salle in 1875.

The following were the members of the col-
ony from Russia that founded the village of
Schoenthal near Olmitz:

Elizabeth Brack and three married sons.

Henry W. Brack and wife, Marilies and
four children.

George Brack and wife, Marick and one
child.

Peter Brack and wife, Sophia.

Phillip Brack, single.

Johannas Brack and wife, Justine and two
married sons.

Phillip Brack and wife. Christine and two
children.

Heinrich Brack.

J. H. Brack and wife, Krethe.

J. C. Brack, single.

Peter J. Brack, single.

John Brack, single.

Kate Brack, single.

Phillip Hergert, wife and son-in-law.

Hy Schenerman. wife and several children.

Adam Hergert, wife and several children.

Philopp Peter Kleweno, wife and son.

Henry Kleweno, wife and son-in-law.

Henry Rapp, wife and several children.

Christian Kleweno, wife and children.

Johannes Schenerman, wife and chihlren.

George Schenerman, wife and children.

Heinrich Schenerman, wife and one child.

Conrad Schenerman, wife and children.

Adam Schenerman. wife and two children.

Karl Goetz and wife.

John Weigant, wife and two children.

Phillip Hardman, wife and children.

Andrew l^esser. wife and children.

David Lesser and wife.

Adam Ruhl, wife and one child.

Johannes Kleweno, wife and two children.

Johannes Stang, wife and one child.

Johannes Miller and wife.

Conrad Schenerman, wife and one child.

Heinrich Schenerman, wife and four chil-
dren.

Conrad Schenerman and wife.

Conrad Wilhelm, single.

Uomminick Burghart, wife and two chil-
dren.

Of the names mentioned in the above list
many have left this part of the country and
gone to other points. The last mentioned,
Domminick Burghart, was the village black-
smith and tinner in Schoenthal for several
years. Later he and his wife went back to
Austria but the children. Frank and Rachel are
bothel married and living in this state. Many
of the Schenermans, Klewenos and Millers.
Ochs and Schlegels have gone to the westorn
part of the country.

Those wh;) have remained in Barton Coun-
ty are still living are as a rule well (Ixed and
contented. Of course many of them have died
during the years since Schoenthal was estab-
lished, but their children are still here to no on
with the work of building a home under more
desirable conditions than those which caused
them to leave their fatherland for the new
wnrld.

300

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

C. F. DIFFENBACHER

AMONG the old t.mors of Barton County
who tcok an active part in ihe political
and general history of the county was
C. F. Diftenbacher. He was born April 5, 1835,
in Pennsylvania and came west in 1856. He
settled ill Illinois and for several years taught
school in that state. When the civil war be-
gan Mr. Diffenbacher enlisted and was dis-
charged at the end of the war as First Lieu-
tenant Company G. ISth Regiment, lUinoi.s
Volunteer Infantry. During his residence in
Illinois he held several positions of tru.^t
among them being assistant revenue assessor
lor the 9th Congressional District of the state,
having received this api)ointnient from Presi-
dent Andrew Johnston. He resigned this of-
fice in Septetnber, 1868 to run for the office
of clerk of the circuit court and ex-officio re-
corder of Cass County. He was elected and
served several years. Mr. Diffenbacher came
to Great Bend in 1873, his family following in
1S74. Before coming to Kansas he studied law
in the office of Pollard & Phillips of Beards-
town, Illinois anu was admitted to the bar af-
ter coming to Kansas. For a number of years
he practiced in the state and federal courts of
the state and for some time was associated
with G. W. Nimocks in the law business. In
1884 he formed a partnership with 1). A. Banta
which continued until the campaign of 189C.

.Mr. Diffenbacher was elected mayor of Great
Bend in 1876. (His administration is men-
tioned more fully in the article in this book
under the head of Political History of Great
Bend.) In 1889 he was elected a member of
the board of education and served two terms.
At different times he held the offices of county
attorney, 1882-84; w'as chosen delegate from
the 7th congressional district of Kansas to the
national Democratic convention at Chicago
and helped to nominate Grover Cleveland for
the presidency; he was the nominee of the
Democratic party for attorney general In
1886; a candidate for county ditorney in 1890;
was a delegate to the convention that nominat-
ed Wm. Jennings Bryan the first time for the
presidency. He was married to Harriet
Smith of Princeton, Illinois. September ],
1859, and they were the parents of seven chil-
dren: Mrs. E. C. Kent, of Clinton, -Mo., Mrs.
J. S. Ewalt of Springdale, Arkansas; Howard
Diffenbacher of Slater, Mo., and Harry Diffe.i-
bacher of Barton County, survived their father
while those who went before him were Mrs.
Lucy Brands, Dora and Frederick. Mr. Dif-
fenbacher was a man who made a great many
friends and his death which occurred in
March, 1907, was the cause of a great deal of
sorrow in the community.

GEORGE W. NIMOCKS

GIOORGE \V. -Nl.MOCKS was born iu Jef-
ferson County, Iowa, May 31, 1844. He
received his early education and grew
to manhood in his native state. He came to
Kansas in 1872 and immediately located at
Great Bend where he was known and respect-
ed as a good citizen, an able lawyer and a
mose estimable neighbor. He was appointed
county attorney of Barton County after its or-
ganization in 1872 and always thereafter took
a great interest in the politics and general life
of the county. He was married in 1872 to Miss
p;ivira Newell of Ollumwa, Iowa and to this
union there were born five children: Blanche,
Gertrude, Retia, George W. jr., and Dale.
Blanche is now the wife of Dr. B. A. Gardner
of Great Bend, C.ertr\ide is now Mrs. Charles
Walker, living in California; Relta is now
Mrs. Lynn Dana of Warren, O.; George, jr., is
a banker living in Scaudia, Kansas, and Dale is
the wife of J . H. Harlman of Hoisington. Mr.
Nimocks' early life was spent on a farm where
he attended the district school and before he
had attained his majority he joined the union
army and served faithfully until the close of
the war. After he had returned home from his
military service he attended the Iowa State
Vniversity in which institution he received the
degree of Bachelor of I.k1w, June 28, 1871. In
July 1872, he, with a team and wagon, a few

law books and some personal effects, landed in
Great Bend. The county had just been or-
ganized and soon after his arrival be was ap-
pointed to the office of county attorney, which
position he filled with fidelity and credit. He
also filled the same office by election a num-
ber of terms before his death. He was the
first judge of this judicial district. He filled
many other positions of trust with great credit
to himself and his friends. Great Bend was
his home from the time of his arrival in the
county until his death which occurred in Feb-
ruary, 1905. He practiced his profession all
of the time in Groat Bend. He was present
and participated in every term of ourt until
his death. The following is quoted from one of
the newsjiapers published in Great Bend at
the time of his death:

"In the death of Judge Nimocks this com-
•nunity and stale lost a worthy citizen. His
Tcighbors and friends a truly good friend, the
bar an able, upright and worthy member and
his clients an attorney and friend who never
forgot their interests or tL.i duty he owed
them. He among his associates and friends
was open and frank and was loyally loved by
them, and his enemies respected him for his
true and noble qualities. His honor was never
questioned and his loyalty to his friends never
.oubted."

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

ANDREW SEIBERT---" Dundee Valley Farm"

301

SOME of the most progressive cf Barton
County's citizens are Russia Ijorn, and,
coming to this county when land was
cheap now ride in their automobiles and take
life easy. Of this class is Andrew Scibert,
seven miles southwest of Great Bend. He was
born February 25, 1S70, on a farm in Russia,
and came to America with his parents, Andrew
and Luffintine Seibert, in the fall of 1S74. They
first settled east of Dundee, and later moved to
Rush County, but at this time they reside in
Barton County, Kansas. Andrew, jr., was edu-
cated in the public schools of this state and be-
came a successful farmer under the instruc
tion of his father, and in 1S90, when he began
farming on his own account w^as well qualified
to meet the obstacles in front of him. He at
first rented the one hundred and sixty acre
farm which he has cw-ned for years, and be-
gan life on his own account with little beside
a good team. The first two years were reas-
onably successful and he determined to buy

and get married and lliis ho did. Then fol-
lowed the bad years from 1S93 to 1896, and
failure seemed to stare him in the face. His
little all was invested and he could not leave;
and so he stayed on and by courage and deter-
mination won.

The farm is in a high state of cultivation
and the improve ments are good. The house is
a one and one-half story frame with eight
large rooms. There is a nice grass plot in
front enclcsed by a neat fence, and in it are
many plants, shrubs and flowers. At the back
is an acre of towering boxelder trees which
furnish shade. The barn is 14x32. and the cow
shed 12x32. Then come the automobile gar-
age, granary, chicken house and other out-
buildings, which form a comfortable picture.

Andrew Seibert and Miss Carie IJcese of
Barton C:unty, were married on October 23.
1S92, and they have been blessed by three in-
teresting children: Elvena May, 14; Grant
l./0uis, 11; and Victor Charles, 6.

LOUIS DAMM---" Fairfield Farm'

THOUGH he had no choice in the matter
of seeking a new home, Louis Damm
has never regreted the choice of his
parents which led them to emigrate from
Germany when he was only 1 year of age and
come to America. He was born October 16,
1S63, in the Rhine country of Germany and in
1S64 the family moved to the United States,
settling in Ohio where they lived tor 11 years.
The Santa Fe railroad wae built across Kan-
sas in 1872 and stories of the great fertile
plains here were the talk of the day in the
east. Two years later, in 1874, the family
moved to this country where the parents, Peter
A. and Elizabeth Damm, bought the Chas. Rose
homestead, west of town, for .fl,100. It was a
good price in those days and values fluctuated
for a number of years so that it was problemat-

ical whether too much had been paid i r not.
The value today has extended itself ten times,
it might be remarked in passing.

Louis and brother assisted the parents in
farming the place and in ISSS Louis was mar-
ried to Miss Caroline Windhorst, of Germany.
A year later both parents died and l^ouis and
wife assumed the management of this farm
which they still own and which is one of the
most prrductive pieces of land in the county.
To them have been born three children. Henry
Louis, age 20, Lillie. age 11 and Minnie Esther,
age 9. The parents have provided well for
their children. They knew the hardships of
the earlier years and profiting thereby have
lived carefully and frugally and have farmed
the place to good advantage. They live six
and one-half miles west of Great Bend.

MAX CRESTON SHAFER

MAX CRESTOX SHAFER was born March
1, 1861, at Ashland, Ohio. He came di-
rect to Kansas from his native stale
in 1S84 and located at Seni'ca where he re-
mained a short time after which he went to
Iowa. Like many others who have lived a
short time in the Sunflower state and left he
returned in about a year and located in Bar-
ton County where he has since resided. For
ten years he was engaged in the mercantile
business in Great Bend and Claflin but recent-
ly it has required most of his time to look af-

ter his farming interests. He owns a quarlcr
scclicn of good land in Union township and a
like amount in South Bend townshii). All of
this land is being culllvat«'d and worked by
renters. Mr. Shafcr has made a study of farm-
ing and is recognized as an aulh 'rlly on tblnsH
horticultural when they apply to this roiinty.
He came to this county at a time when It re-
quired knowledge and study lo get the best re-
sults from farming and Mr. Shafer has profiled
by this fact and made a study of farming
methods in all branches that aooly lo the soil

302

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and conditions in this country. He was mar-
ried July 8, 1892, to Mrs. Anna Bell and tliey
occupy a fine modern residence at 2915 Broad-
way in Great Bend. The residence contains
seven rooms, bath and all the necessary closets
and a room that is given over to Mr. Shafer as
a den. Mrs. Shafer is tlie mother of three chil-
dren, Kmma Bell, who is now Mrs. W. W.
Garry, 39 years of age, of Wichita, Kansas:
Ray. 30 years cf age, in the cattle business in
Mexico, and Lee, 28 years of age, is farming in
Stafford County. Mr. Shafer is an enterpris-
ing and progressive citizen and has had a

great deal to do with the upbuilding and devel-
opment of the county's resources since he
came to this section of the state.

Mrs. Shafer and her former husband, Mr.
Bell, ran the old Southern Hctel and for a time
Mrs. Shafer taught school in the city of
Great Bend and many of the best known men
and women in Great Bend today are former
pupils of Mrs. Shafer. Mr. Bell's death was
the cause of a grea deal of sorrow in this com-
munity as be was a popular and well known
citizen and always took a leading part in the
affairs of the town and county.

HUGH B. BYERS

OF the old timers who came to Barton
County in the TO's none is bettor known
than Hugh B. Byers whose homo place
is the southeast quarter of section 36 in Eu-
reka townshi]) and in addition to this land Mr.
Byers rents 160 acres more which ho also
farms. He was born in Jones County, Iowa,
August 24, TS59, and came to Barton County in
1876. He has been actively engaged in farm-
ing since that time and is one of those men
who made this county one of the best in the
State of Kansas. He was married October 1,
1884, to Miss Matilda Wilkins. who is a daugh-
ter cf John Wilkins. who located in this county
north of Ellinwood in 1S74. Mr. and Mrs.
Byers are the parents of eight children as fol-
lows: Grace. 26 years of age, is new Mrs. A.
A. Smith of Kingman County: Aletha, 24 years
of age; Earl, 21 years; Pearl, 19 years, Hal, 15
years; Marion, 12 years; Stella, 9 years and

Charles, 6 years cf age. All the children are
residing at heme with the e.xxception of the
first named. The residence which is beauti-
fully siti;ated, ccnsists cf eight rooms in addi-
tion to bath, closets, pantries, etc. The barn
is 32 feet square and the ether outbuildings,
inch'ding granary, sheds, etc., are well and
subEtantially built. With all Mr. Byers' pri-
vate business, fce has found time to take an
;:ctive part in the affairs cf his township and
has held the office cf trustee as well as being
a member cf the school board. He is an en-
terprising and progressive citizen and one of
the test k:iown old timers in the county who
are still actively engaged in farming in Eu-
reka t w'nship. It is to such men as .Mr. Byers
llial the County of Bartcn owes its high stand-
ing among the best in the State of Kansas as
well as being one of the most important agri-
cultural sections of the country.

TOBIAS B. UNRUH

TOBIAS B. rXRCH was born in West Rus-
sia, in 1862, and came to America with
his parents in 1874. They located east of Dun-
dee in this county and immediately began the
development of the land. Mr. Cnruli was mar-
ried in 1885 to Miss Eva Jontz. They are the
parents of seven children: Albert, 24 years:
Lydia, 22 years: Annie, 19 years; Gilbert, 17
years; Clara, 15 years: Edna, 13 years: Ira, 6
years. Mr. Unruh owns 1.200 acres of land, all
of which is under cultivation, being rented or
farmed by himself. The home place, which is
occupied by Mr. Cnruh, is owned by his father
who is now engaged in the farming business
in the State of Oregon. Mr. Turuh has always
been an active citizen and takes a great inter-
est in all matters that pertain to the better-

ment of the country. He is now serving his
second term as a trustee of Liberty township
He has twice been appointed deputy assessor
for his district and is counted one of the most
substantial citizens of that section of Barton
C:;unty. Mr. Unruh's home place is well
stocked with cattle and horses and the im-
provements are of the best to be found in the
county. Mr. Unruh's history in this county
began at a time when the future of the western
part of Kansas was anything but bright. How-
ever, he is made of the kind of material that it
required of the old timers to bring this county
to its present standing among the counties of
the state. Mr. I'nruh is an enterprising and
progressive citizen and is entitled to all the
success he has achieved.

OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS

803

JOHN WILSON DENBO

JOILX WILSON" DEXBO was born May 22,
1S47, in Crawford County, Indiana, where
lie remained until ISSO, when he came to
Kansas