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THE
Kansas Historical
Quarterly
KIRKE MECHEM, Editor
JAMES C. MALIN, Associate Editor
NYLE H. MILLER, Managing Editor
Volume XVII
1949
(Kansas Historical Collections)
VOL. xxxiv
Published by
The Kansas State Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
23-157
Contents of Volume XVII
Number 1 February, 1949
PAGE
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855- APRIL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part One,
APRIL-OCTOBER, 1855 1
THE ARMY ENGINEERS AS ROAD SURVEYORS AND BUILDERS IN KANSAS
AND NEBRASKA, 1854-1858 W. Turrentine Jackson, 37
With map showing "Routes Surveyed and Improved by the Army
Engineers in Kansas and Nebraska, 1854-1858," facing p. 48,
and reproduction of title page of the California "Memorial to
the Congress," 1856, "for the Construction ot a Wagon Road
across the Plains," etc., facing p. 49.
THE ANNUAL MEETING: Containing Reports of the Secretary, Treas-
urer, Executive and Nominating Committees; Annual Address of
the President, RICHARD HAKLUYT, BRITISH GEOGRAPHER OF THE SIX-
TEENTH CENTURY, R T. Aitchison; THE PROBLEM OF ARCHIVES,
Edgar Langsdorf; Election of Officers; List of Directors of the
Society Kirke Mechem, Secretary, 60
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 86
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 88
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 92
Number 2 May, 1949
PAGE
THE PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST : VII. Alfred E.
Mathews Robert Tajt, 97
With the following illustrations:
Portrait of A. E. Mathews
"Nebraska City [Nebraska] View on Main Street, Looking
West"
"Blake Street, Denver"
"Central City [Colorado], From the Side of Mammoth Hill
Looking Up Gregory and Eureka Gulches"
between pp. 104, 105
"Pike's Peak and Colorado City"
"Virginia City [Montana]" between pp. 112, 113
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855-ApRiL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part Two,
NOVEMBER, 1855- APRIL, 1857 122
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY,
Compiled by Helen M. McFarland, Librarian, 176
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 195
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 196
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 204
(iii)
Number 3 August, 1949
PAGE
THE PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST: VIII. Charles
Graham and Rufus F. Zogbaum Robert Tajt, 209
With the following illustrations:
Portraits of Rufus F. Zogbaum and Charles Graham;
Zogbaum's "The Modern Ship of the Plains" (1886), "Painting the Town
Red" (1886), "After the Blizzard" (1887), and "The Defeat of Roman
Nose by Colonel Forsyth on the Arickaree Fork of the Republican
River, September, 1868" (1901);
Graham's "A Herd of Antelope Delaying a Railway Train" (1884), "The
Opening of the Sioux Reservation [South Dakota]" (1890), and "In-
terior of the Church at Acoma, New Mexico, During the Harvest
Feast" (1890), between pp. 224, 225.
AN ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE BUFFALO ALIVE IN PRESENT OKLAHOMA IN
THE LATE 1880's Lee Howard, 233
With a sketch by Frederic Remington of C. J. "Buffalo" Jones roping a
buffalo calf (1890), facing p. 242.
THE INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE OF 1888 Ray H. Sandefur, 243
With a sketch of Sen. John James Ingalls as he appeared in 1888,
facing p. 243.
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855- APRIL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part Three, MAY,
1858-JuLY, 1859 254
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 296
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 303
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES . . 309
Number 4 November, 1949
PAGE
"HOME ON THE RANGE" Kirke Mechem, 313
With the following Illustrations:
Copy of song as recorded by John Lomax, between pp. 320, 321 ; portrait
of Dr. Brewster Higley, facing p. 328; reproduction of an 1876 print-
ing of the poem in the Kirwin Chief, between pp. 328, 829, and portrait
of Daniel E. Kelley, facing p. 329.
THE PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST: IX. Alfred R. Waud
and Theodore R. Davis Robert Tajt, 340
With the following illustrations :
Portraits of Alfred R. Waud, Theodore R. Davis and James Walker,
facing p. 344 ;
Waud's "A Drove of Texas Cattle Crossing a Stream," and "Building the
Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska" (1867), between pp. 344, 345 ;
Davis' "Departure From Atchison," "Fort Fletcher," "Here They Come,"
"Pond Creek" (1867), facing p. 345; "Shooting Buffalo From the
Trains of the Kansas Pacific Railroad" (1867), "Interior of the Adobe
Fortification at Smoky Hill Station" (1866), facing p. 352, and "In-
terior of Fort Dodge, Kansas" (1867), facing p. 353.
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART. PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855- APRIL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part Four,
AUGUST, 1859-NovEMBER, 1860 Concluded 360
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 398
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 399
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 405
ADDENDUM AND ERRATUM, VOLUME XVII 406
INDEX To VOLUME XVII. . . 407
THE
KANSAS HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
February 1949
Published by
Kansas State Historical Society
Topeka
KIRKE MECHEM JAMES C. MALIN NYLE H. MILLER
Editor Associate Editor Managing Editor
CONTENTS
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855-APRIL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part One,
April-October, 1855
THE ARMY ENGINEERS AS ROAD SURVEYORS AND BUILDERS IN KANSAS
AND NEBRASKA, 1854-1858 W. Turrentine Jackson, 37
With map showing "Routes Surveyed and Improved by the Army
Engineers in Kansas and Nebraska, 1854-1858," facing p. 48, and
reproduction of title page of the California "Memorial to the
Congress," 1856, "for the Construction of a Wagon Road across
the Plains," etc., facing p. 49.
THE ANNUAL MEETING: Containing Reports of the Secretary, Treas-
urer, Executive and Nominating Committees ; Annual Address of the
President, RICHARD HAKLUYT, BRITISH GEOGRAPHER OF THE SIX-
TEENTH CENTURY, R. T. Aitchison; THE PROBLEM OF ARCHIVES,
Edgar Langsdorf ; Election of Officers; List of Directors of the
Society Kirke Mechem, Secretary, 60
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 86
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 88
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 92
The Kansas Historical Quarterly is published in February, May, August and
November by the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kan., and is dis-
tributed free to members. Correspondence concerning contributions may be
sent to the editor. The Society assumes no responsibility for statements made
by contributors.
Entered as second-class matter October 22, 1931, at the post office at Topeka,
Kan., under the act of August 24, 1912.
THE COVER
Cyrus Kurtz Holliday (1826-1900), pioneer Kansas citizen and
one of the founders of Topeka, was the organizer of the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe railroad (see p. 95).
THE KANSAS
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Volume XVII February, 1949 Number 1
The Diary of James R. Stewart, Pioneer of
Osage County
APRIL, 1855-APRiL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860
I. INTRODUCTION
TAMES R. Stewart, a young bachelor from New Castle, Pa., came
J to Kansas territory in the fall of 1854 with his brother William
and a company of fellow-Pennsylvanians. The Stewarts had joined
an association called the Western Pennsylvania Kansas Company
which was organized at Conneautville, Pa., on September 16, 1854,
with the stated objective of settling Kansas with anti-slavery and
temperance people. An agent of a similar group, the American Set-
tlement Company of New York, was present at the Conneautville
meeting, and the Pennsylvania^ adopted a resolution to appoint a
delegate to confer with the New York company on selecting a site
in Kansas. 1
The pioneer colony from western Pennsylvania set out for Kansas
on October 27, 1854, under the direction of Charles Albright, one of
the secretaries of the company, and arrived at Kansas City, Mo., on
November 9. There were probably over 200 persons in this party,
but the group quickly broke up after reaching Kansas, the mem-
bers being disgruntled over lack of accommodations and apparent
mismanagement of their affairs, and discouraged by the rainy and
snowy weather which they encountered. When George W. Brown,
the company's president, arrived in Kansas City a few days later,
he found that the members were already scattered. Some had gone
to the new towns of Lawrence and Topeka, some had stayed at
Kansas City, Westport, Parkville and other points in Missouri, and
some had returned to Pennsylvania. 2
1. The Kansas Herald of Freedom, Wakarusa (Lawrence), October 21, 1854. George W.
Brown, editor and publisher oi the newspaper, was also president of the Western Pennsylvania
company.
2. Letters of C. K. Holliday, December 25, 1854, and G. W. Brown, February 27, 1855,
in ibid., March 3, 1855.
2 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Meanwhile, the locating committee of the two companies was trav-
eling over the Kansas prairies in search of a townsite. This group
consisted of George H. Stebbins and Lotan Smith of New York state
and Joseph W. Kerr and George W. Barnes of New York City, rep-
resenting the American Settlement Company, and Dr. William F.
Owen of Pennsylvania, representing the Western Pennsylvania Kan-
sas Company. They had traveled from St. Louis to Kansas City on
the steamer Polar Star. Other passengers on this trip were Andrew
H. Reeder, newly appointed governor of Kansas territory, and
James M. Winchell of New York, who settled in Osage county and
later was president of the Wyandotte constitutional convention.
Winchell accepted an invitation to accompany the exploratory party
in their search for a location for the new colony.
A townsite actually had been selected in advance, and believing
that it occupied the old Indian trading post of Council Grove, about
140 miles out on the Santa Fe trail, the locating committee had al-
ready christened their new town Council City. However, they were
not sure of the exact location, and when they learned that Council
Grove was situated on an Indian reservation and was not available
for settlement they transferred the name of Council City to a new
site.
The tour, which was made in the wagon of a Shawnee Indian
named Jackson, took them over the Santa Fe trail through West-
port, Shawnee Mission, and Black Jack, where they made their first
camp. On the afternoon of the third day they reached One Hundred
and Ten crossing, and pushed on the seven miles which separated
them from "our imaginary town of Council City." This, according
to Winchell, was supposed to be at the crossing of Switzler creek,
a few miles above its junction with the Dragoon. "When we
reached an eminence overlooking the region lying between the two
creeks, the sun was about setting; a light haze softened the picture,
and we ordered the wagon to stop, and burst into a cheer of spon-
taneous admiration. Never before nor since, in Kansas, have I seen
a landscape so calculated to excite pleasure as this. . . . Who
selected this spot as a site for a 'city'? I do not know: but, at that
moment we were unanimously agreed to ratify the choice. . . ." 3
On the other side of Switzler creek the party came in sight of an
Indian log house, abandoned by its original occupants and inhabited
by Isaac B. Titus and his family, emigrants from Iowa, who are
frequently mentioned by Stewart in his diary. There the explorers
3. J. M. Winchell, Experiences in Kansas Territory, 1854-1855 (untitled manuscript), pp.
9, 15, 19, 32, 85, 36, 48, in the Manuscript division, Kansas State Historical Society.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 3
spent the night, and next day they moved on downstream toward
the confluence with Dragoon creek, selecting homesteads as they
went. They did not make definite selection of a townsite, but trav-
eled on another day forty miles to Council Grove to assure
themselves that it was indeed unavailable. They then struck north
to Fort Riley, and after leaving there traveled east along the north
bank of the Kansas river to a point which they judged nearly oppo-
site Council City. There the party divided. Owen, Smith and
Barnes, with Jackson and the wagon, returned to Kansas City, while
Stebbins, Kerr and Winchell proceeded south on foot to lay out the
townsite. 4
During the autumn of 1854 and in the following spring, many
settlers arrived to take up claims in the vicinity of Council City.
In his diary Stewart, speaks often of friends and acquaintances in
the new settlement. Isaac Titus, his wife Minerva, and their chil-
dren Lorana, Idelda, and Isaac S., were among the earliest comers.
John W. Freel (or Frele), an Iowa farmer, was the first settler to
locate in Osage county after the organization of Kansas territory.
With his wife, Mary Ann, and their daughter Margaret, he stopped
at a point on the Santa Fe trail where Burlingame is now located.
Their son Thomas, born that winter, was the first white child born
in the county. Absalom W. Hoover, a farmer, was one of the Penn-
sylvania party which arrived at Council City on November 14. He
had a wife, Catherine, and four children. The Bratton family,
George and Sarah and their four children, also came from Pennsyl-
vania, as did Joseph McDonald, a tailor, who was one of the oldest
men among the settlers. Other Pennsylvanians included Joseph
and Johnston Mclntire, wagon maker and carpenter respectively;
Marcus H. Rose, a stonemason; Ithiel Streit, a carpenter, and his
wife and child, and David Condit, a farmer. From Ohio came the
Harveys, Henry and George, who were farmers, and Samuel, a cab-
inetmaker. Foster Harvey, a physician, was perhaps of the same
family, but is shown in the census of 1855 as emigrating from
Indiana.
Lotan Smith, the resident agent of the American Settlement Com-
pany until he was succeeded by James M. Winchell in the spring of
1855, was a farmer from New York. Winchell described him as "an
elderly man, of a great deal of energy, and self-esteem, with grey
hair and black, sharp eyes, which, in moments of excitement, snapped
like torpedoes. . . . [He] was illiterate, but made industry a
4. Ibid., p. 37 ff.
4 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
substitute for culture. He wore a pair of horn-rimmed spectacles,
through which the sparkles darted when his temper was excited.
. . ." In his capacity as agent, Smith built a large log-house on
the townsite which was called the council house, and was used for
all public purposes. Another of the town fathers, J. W. Kerr, al-
though commonly addressed as "doctor" and listed in the 1855 cen-
sus as a physician, was said by Winchell to have been a druggist in
New York. 5
Of James Stewart himself comparatively little is known. He was
born in or near New Castle on December 20, 1829, and is listed in
the territorial census of 1855 as a saddler by profession. He lived
at Council City, which was renamed Burlingame in 1857 (see diary
entry for March 24, 1857), from his arrival in 1854 until 1868. Dur-
ing those years he was active in community affairs, and was elected
justice of the peace in 1860. He served briefly in the Civil War as a
sergeant in Company D, Second regiment, Kansas Volunteer in-
fantry, from May 14 to October 31, 1861, the dates on which the
regiment was mustered into and out of service. 6 In 1862, while on a
visit to his old home in Pennsylvania, he married Mary A. Newell.
Later he was county attorney and representative from Osage county
in the state legislature. In 1868 he was suffering from "bronchitis
and general debility," and planned a trip across the plains to New
Mexico, hoping that the journey would improve his health. How-
ever, his illness had so weakened him that his doctors warned him
against the expedition, and he and his wife left for a visit to New
Castle early in May. In late May or early June he died there of
consumption. 7
The diary which follows was secured through the courtesy of Leon
R. Mitchell of Burlingame. It is in two volumes, the first covering
the period from April, 1855, to April, 1857, and the second from
May, 1858, to November, 1860. It will be published in four install-
ments in the Quarterly.
5. Ibid., pp. 40-42, 77.
6. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas, 1861-'65 (reprint edition of
1896), p. 70.
7. The Osage Chronicle, Burlingame, May 2, 9, June 20, 1868.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 5
II. THE DIARY
PART ONE: APRIL-OCTOBER, 1855
APRIL 1855
KANSAS TER.
THUR, 19.
Cool & windy all day but moderat in the evening. Read Great
Harmonia 8 during the forenoon, went down to Hoovers in af-
ternoon, thence to Titus', thence to Freels, back to Hoovers,
bought 21 Ibs bacon from him, and thence home, got back about
2 oC[l]ock and read Great Harmonia ballance the day.
FRIDAY 20.
Clear Calm warm & pleasant. Went over to Brother Wills 9
Cabin, worked with him at his chimney two or three hours, re-
turned home, read Great Harmonia untill towards evening, re-
ceived three letters by the hand of Mr. Johnston, read over my
letters, and wrote one to Mr & Mrs Walton.
SAT. 21.
Cloudy distant thunder and threatning rain in forenoon, clear
& pleasant in afternoon. Slept late in the morning Read Great
Harmonia short time, eat breakfast, went down to Hoovers,
paid Mrs. Hoover for baking my bread, went thence to Titus'.
Saw & got acquainted with Mr. Earl, thence to Freels, got ac-
quainted with the Basingger family. Went thence to Hunt our
Oxen, crossed Dragoon Creek, stopped at Henry Smiths, got
acquainted with Mrs. Howard, passed down the creek to the
mouth of Log Chain, thence up log-chain about one mile, found
Mr. Amy Smith & two others working at building a cabin, sat
and talked short time, went thence back across dragoon Creek to
Freels, walked up home with Mrs. Paine, 10 thence home, read
Great Harmonia.
8. The Great Harmonia; Being a Philosophical Revelation of the Natural, Spiritual, end
Celestial Universe . . . , by Andrew Jackson Davis. Davis was a young shoemaker's ap-
prentice in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., who claimed to have remarkable clairvoyant powers. In 1845,
when he was 19, he dictated, while in a "magnetic sleep," The Principles of Nature, Her Di-
vine Revelations, and a Voice of Mankind, which was published as a single bulky volume. It
attracted considerable attention and Davis subsequently produced several other works, all sup-
posedly written under the influence of spirits from the other world, including The Great Har-
monia. National Cyclopedia of American Biography (New York, 1898), v. 8, p. 442.
9. William A. Stewart, the diarist's brother, was a silversmith, according to the 1855 cen-
sus. He died of consumption in August. See diary entry for August 30, 1855.
10. Probably Phebe Payne, who is listed in the census of 1855, with her six minor chil-
dren, as emigrating from Illinois. Isaac D. Earll is not listed in the census, but was one of
the signers of a protest against the election of March 30 (see Footnote 15) and served as a
clerk at the election of May 22. Territorial election returns, Archives division, Kansas State
Historical Society. P. Baysinger, a farmer, had come from Iowa with his wife, one grown eon,
and seven minor children. Henry Smith, who may have been a son of Lotan, was a tinner.
Mrs. Howard probably was the wife of William Howard, a member of the original Pennsylva-
nia party. Armi Smith, who is consistently called "Amy" by Stewart, was an early settler on
Plum creek, south of present Burlingame.
6 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SUN. 22.
Clear & pleasant. Arose early, got breakfast, read Great Har-
monia short time, dressed a duck that Gilmore had shot, put
it to cooking in a pot of beans, shaved, took a universal bathe,
read over some old letters, commenced third vol, Great Har-
monia, continued reading some time, eat diner of duck & bean
soup, took a walk down to the garden, returned, resumed read-
ing, read short time when Mr. John Dick & another man call[ed]
in, directly from New Castle. Was glad to see them being the
first living thing, I saw, from New Castle since I left. They
brought me some letters & papers. I got them some diner &
sat down to read my letters and papers, had long talk with
Dick about New Castle In the evening I received some more
papers, looked over them and wrote a letter to 0. G. Hazen.
MON. 23.
Cloudy & a few drops of rain, in the morning, cleared up warm
about noon with pleasant breeze which increased to a high wind
and continued so all day. Got up by sun up, eat break-
fast took some flour down to Mrs Hoover to get some bread
baked went thence to Titus' got acquainted with Mr & Mrs
White, left a letter to be sent to the Post-office, went thence
to Freels, stopped & talked short time, thence to hunt the oxen,
rowd over to Dragoon Creek in Streits waggon. 11 Stopped at
Wards & inquired about the oxen, was directed to where they
were, found them & drove them home, yoked them up and
hauled a load of wood. Read newspapers, worked in my gar-
den, fidled, & wrote letters alternately remainder of the day.
TEUS. 24
A little Cloudy with a warm and high breeze all day. Worked
in the garden some time, came back to the house put some
beans on to cook, read newspapers a while. Went over to Wills,
got shovel and hatchet, returned eat diner, worked in garden
remainder the day. read Newspapers until bed-time bathed
and went to bed.
WED. 25
Cloudy & windy all day with few rain. Worked in the garden
some time in the morning, returned to the house, read a while,
worked & read alternately all day.
11. Ithiel and Laura R. Streit, with their son George, had come from Pennsylvania. Ithiel
was a carpenter.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 7
THUR. 26.
Cool north wind but not unpleasant. Worked in the garden &
read alternately all day.
FRI. 27.
Clear & pleasant. Worked in garden all day.
SAT 28
Pleasant but cloudy & a few drops of rain in the evening.
Worked in my garden in forenoon, went down in afternoon,
returned in evening read fidled bathed & went to bed.
SUN. 29.
Warm with scatered clouds & high wind. Wrote a letter & read
in forenoon, went down to Hoovers and read newspapers there
a while, received a letter from J. P. Woodruff by the hand of
Lotan Smith, returned home & read untill bed-time; took a
universal bathe.
MON 30.
Warm & sultry most of the day, cloudy distant thunder and
threatning of rain in evening. Worked in my garden all day,
read Great Harmonia in the evening.
MAY [1855]
TEUS. 1.
Cloudy, a light shower about noon, and a little rain through the
day. Worked all day in the garden, finished reading Great
Harmonia in the evening.
WED 2.
Cloudy & a few drops of rain in the forenoon, clear & pleasant
in the afternoon. Worked in garden as usual in forenoon, went
down town to attend settlers meeting in afternoon, got home
short time before sun down, commenced writing a constitution
for a literary society, worked at it for some time and then com-
menced reading Young Mans Counselor, read some time and
retired to bed. The settlers meeting was of no account, had no
object in view & did nothing. Brother & I seperated to day, he
removing to his own cabin. After the settlers meeting ajourned,
a few of us holding an informal meeting to consult about or-
ganizing a literry society, we appointed a commitee to make a
constitution, myself chairman.
THURS. 3.
Clear & pleasant. Worked in my garden all day untill about
five OClock, then went down town, Saw Lotan Smith, got a few
8 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
garden seeds from him, recieved a letter & peice of music from
Miss Clara E. Mcmillen. Stopped at Hoovers, got some
bread, returned home, arrived after dark, found Jim [James
J.] Miller & Jim [James H.] Young there, got them some sup-
per, talked, tolld stories &c during the evening.
FBI. 4
Scattered Clodes, the sun appearing occasionally. Worked
through the day, fidled read & wrote some, Saw, heard, nor
experienced nothing uncomon.
SAT. 5
Pleasant all day. Worked in garden in forenoon, dressed up and
went to Stock holders meeting at Titus' in afternoon, was ap-
pointed a committee to invite Lotan Smith to attend, found him
at the boarding house, fulfilled my commission and returned to
the meeting, remained untill it adjourned returned home,
wrote some at constitution for Lyceum.
SUN. 6.
Beautiful all day. Wrote two letters, one to Clara Mcmillen
and one to Mary Craven. Went over to Wills, returned, wrote
read &c ballance the day.
MON. 7.
Beautiful all day. Worked in garden, went over to Brothers,
stopped short time, returned, put some beans and pork to cook-
ing, worked some more in garden, took some flour down to
Hoovers to get bread baked, thence to Freels, Saw Mr Mc-
donald, talked with him about breaking prarie, came home in
the evening, eat supper, burnt some brush in my garden, wrote
ballance of the constitution for Lyceum, read some in the bible,
commenced reading Willards Universal history. 12
TEUS. 8.
A little cool but pleasant. Planted corn in forenoon, went to
town in the afternon Stopped at Hoover & got my bread.
Came home, went over to Wills, returned read & fiddled till
bed time.
WED. 9.
Pleasant, a little cool in evening. Planted Corn, Onions, rad-
ishes Beets, peas &c, read & fidled alternately through the eve-
12. Emma Hart Willard (1787-1870) was one of the great educators of her day. She b
credited with being the first woman publicly to advocate higher education for her sex, and the
first to prove in her own school that women were capable of mastering mathematics, philosophy
and other serious studies without harmful effects upon their brains and nervous systems.
Dictionary of American Biography (New York, 1936), y. 20, pp. 231-233. The volume which
Stewart mentions here was probably her System of Universal History in Perspective, first pub-
lished in 1835.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 9
ning. All alone for the last three days begining to feel lone-
some & homesick.
THUR. 10.
A little cool in the morning. Clear & rather pleasant through
the day. Went down town in the morning to get Mcdonalds
oxen and plough. The oxen were not home, so I went up to the
boarding house and got some garden seeds from Lotan Smith,
went thence to Titus', got him to fix Mcdonalds plough, thence
to Freels, thence home, planted my seeds, read, fidled &c till
towards evening, went back for the Oxen & plough, brought
them home, went over to Wills, back home read, fidled &c till
bed-time. Am not in very good spirits today
FRI. 11.
Clear warm & beautiful all day. Got up very early and spent
about an hour hunting the oxen found them and yoked them
up and went over to Wills to plough began it with two yoke
of oxen, worked till about 10 OClock and turned the oxen out
to rest, and pasture untill about 2 OClock Commenced again
and continued at it untill sun-down, came home fiddled and
read till bed-time.
SAT 12.
Cloudy all day and some rain in the evening. Worked a little
at ploughing, but, the ground being very dry and hard, con-
cluded to quit it. Came home, washed dressed and went down
town to attend Stockholders meeting, was chosen Sec. of meet-
ing, came home in evening, sold Young some salt, Mr Mcdonald
came about dark and stayed all night.
SUN. 13.
Beautiful in the extreme Read, but nothing else. Had a call
from Miller & Freel, and Mr. Mcdonald for company all day.
Good spirits & good nature.
MON. 14.
Beautiful in the morning. Scatered clouds in the evening
thunder lightning & rain after night. Took some flour down to
Hoovers to get bread baked, went thence to Titus', received four
letters, returned home, planted a little corn, sold a bed cord to
Jim Young, read some, wrote a letter to J A Addis, had a visit
from Amy Smith, walked down town with him, stoped at Freels,
thence to Titus' recieved two letters, went thence to Hoovers,
got my bread, thence home, read my letters, and read in Uni-
versal history till bed-time.
10 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TETJS. 15
Pleasant through the day, Cloudy, thunder, lightning & rain
in the evening. Went up to Youngs the first thing in the morn-
ing after some medicine for Mr Mcdonald, got it and returned
home, sat down to read and shortly after four men came in on
the hunt of Claims and wished me to go with them. I did so,
after showing where they could get them, I returned home and
wrote two letters, played cards with Mr Mcdonald in the eve-
ning.
WED 16
Cloudy but pleasant, thunder lightning & rain after dark. Wrote
a letter to Bill Pearson in forenoon, went to town in the after-
noon, attended a school meeting at the boarding house, was
chosen sec. after the school meeting attended a political meet-
ing at which Dr. Kerr was nominated as our candidate for
councilman. At the close of the meeting, made a bargain with
Mcdonald & Kerr to join teams and break prarie, came home
Read &c untill bed-time.
THUR 17
Pleasant all day. Went over to Wills & got him to take the
plough down to the Blacksmith shop to have it repaired, re-
turned home & worked in garden all day.
FRIDAY 18.
Pleasant in the morning. Cloudy, thunder, lightning, & a heavy
hail storm about four OClock. Worked in the garden a short
time, recieved a call from Dr Kerr & Mr Earle, who wished me
to go down & see Mr Baker, who was expected down from
Council Grove, and learn of him what had been done in his dis-
trict about nominating a candidate for Councilman. I accord-
ingly went down, and Baker not having arrived, I went over to
Printiss's and sold him the Oxen, Came home, took the oxen
down to him & took his note for the money $90.00, returned
home without seeing Baker. 13
SAT. 19
Beautiful. Read most all day, finished reading universal history
& commenced the American Manual, recieved a call from Dr.
Kerr & Mr Earle returning from Topeka.
13. Arthur I. Baker, a farmer from Iowa, was justice of the peace in the eighth election
district, in which Council Grove was located when the 1855 census was taken. "Printiss" was
Alfonso Prentice (or Prentis), also an Iowa farmer.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 11
SUN 20.
Pleasant but good breeze Slept untill very late. Made a line
to go fishing with. Went over to Wills & thence with Johnston
over to Dragoon Creek to fish, caught nothing, Started back for
home, stopped at Skidmores 14 and got some whiskey, came
home, went to bed & read some time, got sleepy & took a nap,
woke up about dark, tossed round on the bed a while, got up,
took a bathe, & read a short time in the bible, taking all things
into consideration this day has been about as good as Lost.
MON. 21.
Pleasant, most too warm. Went down to Prentiss' and helped
him all day, returned home in the evening, found a rattle-snake
in the house, Killed it, read letters, and of course went to bed.
TEUS 22.
Pleasant. Worked with Print. We had a special election to-
day for councilman the result of having contested the former
election, at which Strickler & Magee were said to have been
elected. We elected Dr Wood of Brownville in our district. 15
WED 23
Rained a little last night, pleasant through the day. Cloudy
in the evening, thunder Worked in the garden & read alter-
nately greater part of the day, took some flour down to Hoovers,
thence to Allison's. 16 recieved some mail matter, then home.
Low spirits to-day.
THUR. 24
Pleasant all day. Worked a little in my garden and read most
the day. had a call from Messrs Earle & [John E.] Gould,
went down in the evening to Hoovers, got my bread, payed for
baking it. and returned home. Had the blues to-day very
much.
14. J. D. Skidmore, an emigrant from Missouri, is listed as a merchant in the 1855 census.
15. Hiram J. Strickler was a surveyor from Virginia who subsequently played a prominent
part in Kansas affairs during the territorial period and the early years of statehood. At the
election of March 30, 1855, he was chosen to represent the 3d, 7th and 8th districts in the
council. Mobillon W. McGee was elected to the house of representatives from the 7th dis-
trict, which included Council City. Several residents of Council City, including Stewart, on
March 31 sent a written protest to Governor Reeder, stating that Strickler and McGee were
elected by nonresident Missourians in opposition to the wishes of the legal voters of the dis-
trict. Reeder ordered a new election, which was held on May 22. Jesse D. Wood was elected
to the council. Territorial election returns, Archives division, Kansas State Historical Society.
It was Wood who located, surveyed and platted the townsite of Brownville in 1856. The name
of the town was changed to Auburn by vote of the citizens in 1857 and by act of the legisla-
ture in 1859. D. W. Wilder, The Annals of Kansas (Topeka, 1886), pp. 60-62; A. T. An-
dreas, and W. G. Cutler, History of the State of Kansas (Chicago, 1883), pp. 595, 1530. An-
dreas states that Hollam Rice received all 28 votes for representative from the 7th district on
May 22 but that when the legislature met it excluded him and admitted McGee.
16. Samuel A. Allison was a member of the original party from Pennsylvania but is not
listed in the 1855 census. Andreas -Cutler, op. cit., p. 1530.
12 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FRIDAY 25.
Little Cloudy in the morn rained several small showers before
noon and the hardest one since I came to the Ter. in the after-
noon, also some hail. Went down to Prentiss' early in the
morning and helped him plough all day except while it rained.
Went over to Freels in the evening to attend meeting to or-
ganize a lyceum, got into a discussion on religion with Mr Amy
Smith, he being a Universalist, argued with him until dark,
the prospects for a meeting being rather slim I concluded to
go home, Started and when I arrived at Mcdonalds Branch the
water was so high could not get accross, after runing about five
miles to find a place to cross concluded to go back to Hoovers
and stay there, got there about twelve OClock at night, wet and
cold, got into bed with Squire Rose 1T and put the night over
rather comfortably.
SAT 26.
Pleasant, a few drops of rain about one OClock. Got up early
and left Hoovers for home, found Gilmore & Bill [William A.J
Smith there, got breakfast, and waited a short time on Prentiss
who came up with his team and broke prarie for me, myself
holding the plough. Brother Will planted after us, this is the
first of my Prarie farming, read in the evening. A heavy
shower occurred after dark.
SUN 27.
Pleasant all day. Read in the American Manual some time,
took a good bathe, eat dinner, & went down town. Loafed
round sometime. Came home, had Young onions and radishes
for supper, finished reading American Manual and commenced
Olneys family book of history, read a few Chapters in the
bible. 18
MON 28.
Beautiful all day. Planted a little corn in the morning and
worked at ploughing remainder of the day.
TEUS 29.
Cloudy in the morning, rained more or less all afternoon.
Ploughed all day. Spirits pretty good.
17. Marcus H. Rose was a stonemason who came from Pennsylvania with the original
party. He was justice of the peace for the Council City district.
18. The American Manual has not been definitely identified. Jesse Olney (1798-1872) was
a well-known Connecticut educator and author. In collaboration with John W. Barber he
wrote The Family Book of History; Comprising a Concise View of the Most Interesting and
Important Events in the History of All the Civilized Nations of the Earth . . . , which
was published at Philadelphia in 1839.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 13
WED 30.
Very beautiful all day. Planted corn all day.
THUR. 31.
Pleasant in the forenoon, a little rain in the afternoon. Planted
corn, received five letters & a bundle of papers, the letters were
respectively from Beck Law, Jim White Oliver, Lisle, & J F
Mcmillen, spent the evening in reading my letters & papers, of
course.
JUNE [1855]
FRIDAY 1.
A little showery. Planted corn in the forenoon at home, helped
Will in the afternoon. Went over to Mr Mcdonalds claim in
the evening and ploughed short time for him. Read News-
papers in evening.
SAT. 2.
A little Cool. Helped Brother Will plant corn in forenoon, took
a walk down town in the afternoon, home again in the evening,
had touch of the blues to-day.
SUN. 3
Pleasant all day, a few drops of rain about noon. Took a bathe
in the morning dressed up and went down to Sunday school.
After the Sunday school, I remained to hear the Reverend
Lowry 19 preach. Came home after sermon & wrote two letters.
Fiddled some, feel encouraged to-day.
MON 4.
Cloudy & a little chilly. Planted, no hoed corn in my garden
in the morning, went down town to attend meeting of Stock-
holder, was sec. of same, returned home, wrote & read till bed-
time.
TEUS. 5.
Cloudy all day, a little cool. Hoed corn and worked in garden,
slept, went down to Hoovers, got my bread, returned home,
hoed corn a while, read history after dark.
WED. 6.
Rained steady but lightly all day, cleared up in the evening.
Went down town to attend Stockholders meeting, was sec. of the
same, bought some meat in the evening, came home about dark.
19. The Rev. John Lowry was sent out by the American Missionary Society, and for three
months held meetings regularly at the cabins of various settlers. These were the first regular
religious services in the county. Andreas -Cutler, op. cit., p. 1531.
14 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
THUR. 7.
Clear & beautiful. Worked in the garden puling weeds &c, Mr
Bouser came and wanted me to go with him to find a claim, did
so and returned in about an hour. Worked in garden setting
out cabbage & tomato plants &c, wrote through the evening.
FBI 8.
Clear & pleasant. Warm with good breeze all day. Planted a
few rows of corn in morning, read & wrote some went down
to Prentiss and got my axe ground, came home read & wrote
ballance the evening.
SAT 9.
Warm with pleasant breeze, commenced making rails to-day for
my corn field, made fifty two read ballance the day. Had a
call from Mr [Thomas] Russell to-day, spirits tolerably good
to-day, no blues.
SUN 10.
Clear & beautiful, a good breeze. Killed a rattle-snake in the
house this morning, wrote a letter to G Hazen and read Uni-
versal history, had a call from two strangers to-day.
MON 11.
W T arm & pleasant. Made rails, read, fiddled, rested done
nothing, built air castles had big notions of getting a woman,
and played hell generally.
TEUS 12.
Rained more or less all day. Made a few rails, read history,
went down town, bought some flour, took it over to Hoovers,
thence to the boarding house, returned home, got as wet as pos-
sible going through the long grass.
WED. 13.
Pleasant all day. Made a few rails, read some worked in the
garden, pulled some radishes, took them down to Mrs Hoover,
got some bread, returned home with Barnes, gave him some to-
mato plants, settled with Gilmore, tolerably good spirits to-day.
THURS 14.
Clear but windy all day. Made rails, read, & built air castles,
saw no unusual sights, heard no unusual sounds, did no un-
usual feats.
FRID. 15
Warm with a good breeze. Made a few rails & spent the bal-
lance of the day reading writing &c, sent two dollars to the
New Castle Gazette to-day.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 15
SAT. 16.
Warm, a good breeze. Made a few rails in the forenoon, took
a bathe, dressed and went to attend a meeting to organize Ly-
ceum at the Boarding house, was appointed on committee to
prepare by Laws for society, had good meeting. Came home
past Hoovers, got some bread and some fish, came home, wrote
a letter, read some hold on Quaker, forgot somthing, after
meeting for Lyceum, attended stockholders meeting and a very
interesting one too, I believe that is all my head is rather
cloudy to-night.
SUN. 17
Warm & south breeze, Looks like rain this evening Read some
in the morning dressed up and went down town to attend
Church which was to be at Alissons, got there early and sang
musick a while with a few others, heard Rev. Lowry preach
a sermon, afterwards went up to the boarding house, recieved
a paper, returned home, read ballance the day, bought two
Quire paper. Winchels saw mill arrived at Council City, (the
model city) to-day. 20
MON. 18.
Rained some last Night, Cloudy & some rain this morning.
Cleared up warm in the afternoon with a few scattered clouds.
Threatening more rain, sprung up a high wind about dark and
blue like fury and rained hard after dark. Looking like rain
this morning. I did not go out to work as I intended, but sat
down and read a while, mended my boots, melted some tallow
and made some candles, went to the garden and weeded a while,
set out cabbage tomatoes &c. Considering all things did not
do bad to-day.
TEUS. 19
Warm but not oppressively so. Went over to Mcdonalds claim
in the morning, with the intention of planting corn for him,
finding no one there to direct thing, I went on down to Freels,
found Mcdonald there, Came back with him to his Corn field
& planted corn untill some time in the afternoon. Came home,
20. After selecting his homestead at the junction of Switzler and Dragoon creeks and as-
sisting in the laying-out of the Council City townsite in October, 1854, James M. Winchell
had returned to New York. There he found that he had been made a director of the Amer-
ican Settlement Company. He had no high opinion of some of the men connected with the
company, and resolved not to take any "responsible part" in its management. He did plan to
return to Kansas, settle on the farm he had chosen, and also operate a portable saw-mill and
sell lumber to the other settlers. The company encouraged him in this project, and advertised
that a mill would be in operation in the spring of 1855. It was shipped on February 3 from
New York, but was so long delayed on the way that it did not reach Council City until June.
It was never successful, because it was too small and light to handle the tough oak and walnut
of the vicinity. Winchell, loc. cit., pp. 72-77.
16 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
went over to Wills, found the door locked & could not get in.
Came back home, went to the garden, hoed corn a while Came
to the house and read untill bed-time.
WED 20.
Clear & warm, rained a little Last night, the sun set under a
cloud this evening, lightning and distant thunder after dark.
Planted corn for Mcdonald to-day, came home in the evening,
and went through the usual routine of opperations, fidling, read-
ing, bathing &c.
THUR. 21.
Clear & pleasant all day. rained last night. Planted corn for
devil take the musquitoes, Mcdonald Came home in after-
noon, worked in garden short time, read fiddled, & fought
Musquitoes which are most confounded hungry to night.
FRIDAY 22.
Cloudy all day, no rain but hard work to hold it up. Worked
at planting corn for Mcdonald till noon, went down to Freels, sat
& talked some time, thence to Hoovers, got some bread, came
home, eat very hearty supper, sat down and read a while, Lay
down and slept short time, got up went to the garden, set out
a few tomato plants, came back to the house, read some.
SAT 23.
Clear <fe pleasant. Went over to Wills in morning returned in
short time, put on a pot of beans & pork to cook, also some rice,
went to the garden, hoed corn a short time, back to the house,
eat diner, read short time, washed up and went down town to
attend meeting of Lyceum, was appointed on committee to pre-
pare for the fourth of July Celebration, came home, fiddled,
wrote, & fought musquitoes untill bed-time, dident advance
very far in worldly things to day.
SUN 24.
Beautiful all day. Read some in the morning, dressed and went
to church to the boarding house, had no sermon in forenoon but
sunday school instead. At two OClock Rev. Morell preached a
sermon, stayed and heard him, after which stayed and sang a
while with the choir practising with the view of singing at fourth
of July. Came home in evening, read & fiddled ballance the
day.
MON 25
Clear & pleasant with south breeze. Slept most of the forenoon,
hoed corn some, went over to Dragoon creek with committee of
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 17
arrangements for fourth of July Celebration, looked out the
ground on which to hold it, made some other arrangements &
returned home Stopping short time on the way at the boarding
house, at Freels, & at Hoovers, got some bread there, read
bathed and went to bed.
TEUS 26.
Warm with a high breeze. Hoed corn & read alternately all
day. tolerably good spirits to-day.
WED 27.
Warm & south breeze all day. Hoed corn in the morning, went
to town in afternoon, bought some butter, came home.
THUR 28.
Clear warm & good south breeze. Lay awake all last night
building air castles. Took a resolution to assume new vigor in
the prosecution of worldly schemes, and in obedience to this
resolution I got up very early and immediately proceeded to the
garden, and worked there till the sun was about half an hour
high, returned to the house, eat breakfast, and started out to
make one hundred rails, worked about two hours when getting
dry I went to the house & Frank Smith calling in about that
time, and after talking with him a short time the fever of doing
big days work left me.
FBI 29.
Warm & Clear in forenoon, scattered Clouds in afternoon, rain
in evening Made forty two rails in the morning, went down to
Freels, thence to the boarding house, recieved three paper[s],
one of the first No, of the weekly tribune, paid one years post-
age on it in advance, went thence to Hoovers, got a loaf of
bread, came home, sat down and read newspapers ballance of
the day.
SAT 30.
Pleasant all day. Made 92 rails and did sundry other work,
such as working in the garden, fighting musquitoes and bathing,
all things considered did not do bad to-day.
JULY [1855]
SUN. 1.
Clear & beautiful all day. Read faithfully, finished reading
Universal history, (Olneys.) & commenced reading Tom Paine,
in the spirit world by Rev C Hammond, 21 also read some in
21. The Rev. C. Hammond, medium, Light From the Spirit World. The Pilgrimage of
Thomas Paine, and Others to the Seventh Circle in the Spirit World (Rochester and New
York, 1852), 264p.
25797
18 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
bible, wrote a notice for a meeting of the citizens to inquire
into the affairs of the American Set. Co.
MON. 2.
Pleasant with good breeze. Went over to Dragoon in the morn-
ing and worked at making preperations for fourth of July cele-
brations. Came home past Hoovers & got some bread, the first
drawing for Council City Lots occured to-day, did not draw
mine.
TEUS 3.
Clear in the forenoon, scattered Clouds in the afternoon, a few
drops of rain in the evening. Went over to Dragoon Creek,
stopped short time at Rices, 22 worked at puting up a table for
fourth of July dinner, W[arren] N Haven was with me, I went
over with him to Mr. [William] Lords & took dinner there, re-
turned and worked untill towards evening came home, stop-
ping few minutes at Boarding house & at Titus', fiddled
bathed & fought musquitoes.
WED 4.
Scattered Clouds, a few drops of rain but temperature pleasant.
This is my first fourth of July in Kansas. Dressed up in the
morning, & went to the celebration ground. Being on commit-
tee of arrangement I went to work preparing for diner (a free
diner) provisions haveing been prepared and brought by the
Ladies in attendance, worked at this untill the exercises of the
day commenced, which consisted of music by the Choir, prayer
by the Rev. Lowery, breif address and reading .declaration of
independence by Edmund Fish Esq. An oration by Dr Kerr, a
Poem by M C Haven. Free collation & a multitude of toasts
and host of other entertainments, after the assembly dispersed
I came home by the boarding house and recieved two letters
and some papers, am much pleased with this days experience.
THUR 5.
Fine shower this morning, pleasant but Cloudy through the day.
Read newspapers in forenoon, went down town in the afternoon
went to the boarding house, settled with Lotan Smith, paid five
dollars for T P Woodruff and five for I N Beatie to A. M. Set
Co. recieved two letters and a pamphelet, one of the letters
containing power of Att from J A Addis & Tom Marshall to
22. Hollam Rice located on Dragoon creek in 1854. He was one of those who signed the
protest against the election of March 30. At the special election on May 22 he was elected to
the house of representatives from the 7th district but was refused a seat by the legislature in
favor of M. W. McGee.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 19
me, the other was from Jim White, came home & answered
Whites letter.
Fra 6
Pleasant all day. Made some stakes & forks, read and wrote
a letter to E S McLeary Fee[l] Lonesome, wish I was back in
Old Pennsylvania.
SAT 7.
Pleasant, a good breeze. Wrote letters all forenoon, went to the
Lyceum in afternoon; was sec. was appointed on committee
to prepare a report of fourth of July celebration for publication,
recieved some papers Came home past Titus' & bought a jug
of vinegar from Gilmore went from Titus' to Freels and
bought a peice of Liver & some flour, left the [flour?] at
Hoovers and came on home Read Tribune through the evening.
SUN 8.
Temperatuer 95 with good breeze. Went over to Wills in the
morning; returned, then down to Freels, thence to Tituss, thence
to Hoovers, got some bread, back home, read ballance the day.
MON 9
Rained Last night, a good breeze, warm to-day. Made some
stakes & forks, got done about 10 OClock, slept read & did
nothing ballance the day. Finished reading Paine in the spirit
world & commenced reading Pollocks Course of time. 23
TEUS 10.
Warm in the forenoon, a fine shower in the evening, heavy
thunder. Lightning & rain after dark. Made stakes & forkes
short time Went over to Wills in the forenoon carried his
bed over to my cabin, he coming a long to stay with me. Went
down town to meet Messrs Rose & Haven to prepare a report
of fourth of July celebration for publication, Haven not ap-
pearing I went to the Post-office recieved two letters. Started
for home but had to stop at Freels on account of the rain, read
my letters while there, came home about dark, eat super, re-
read my letters, bathed & went to bed.
WED 11.
Warm, scattered Clouds. Worked at my stake making short
time, wrote a letter, went down town, stoped at Freels, thence
to the boarding house, thence to Hoovers, got some fish & some
milk, had a call from Lotan Smith to day.
23. Robert Pollpk (1798-1827), a Scottish clergyman, was described by a biographer as
"the greatest Christian poet of the century." The Course of Time was a heroic poem in ten
books embracing the "whole history and final doom" of mankind. It went through at least fif-
teen American editions before 1850.
20 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
THTJRS 12.
Warm in the forenoon, cloudy and signs of rain in the evening.
Had a call from Mrs Young in the morning, went with her to
Allisons, returned home read, worked in garden &c
FRI. 13.
Clear & warm all day. Made a few stakes and cut forks, went
down to Hoovers, got some bread, thence to the post-office re-
cieved one letter, thence to Freels, then home, read course of
time.
SAT 14.
Warm, scattered clouds, thunder no rain. Went out in the
morning to make stakes, cut some stuff for them but split none,
came back to the house & trifled away the ballance of the day.
SUN 15.
Warm with good south breeze. Read all day, finished reading
Pollocks course of time, and commenced Tomsons seasons. 24
MON 16.
Warm with good south breeze. Killed a rattle snake this morn-
ing in the garden, made one hundred & six stakes & 26 forks
hoed some in the garden, read some, went over to Wills cabin
got some things there and returned.
TEUS 17.
Warm a good breeze. Made stakes & forks, wrote a letter,
read bathed fidled &c.
WED 18
Warm with good south breeze, Made a few stakes, went down
town, got some Flour, took it to Hoovers, thence to the board-
ing house, attended stockholders meeting thence home had
mush & milk for supper.
THUR 19.
Warm. A fine shower at Hoovers in the afternoon but none at
home, Clouds thunder & lightning in evening. Read some in
the morning, Went down town, stopped at Titus's, thence to
Brattons after a keg, dident get it, thence to Hoovers, remained
there while it rained, got some bread and some butter, came
home, finished reading Tomsons seasons & commenced Cowpers
task, 25 had call from N Schuyler. 26
24. The Seasons is the best known work of the Scottish poet James Thomson (1700-1748).
25. William Cowper (1731-1800), English poet.
26. N. S'chuyler was Nicholas P. B. Schuyler, one of the incorporators of the Burlin-
game Town Company in 1858. Andreas-Cutler, op. cit., p. 1533.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 21
FRI 20.
Cloudy all day but no rain, Went up to the boarding house to
attend the drawing of Council City Lots, remained there all
day and attended stockholders meetting in the evening, was
elected member of local board of trustees, bout sack flour in
evening came home, read.
SAT 21
Cloudy & rainy nearly all day, rained some last night. Lay
back & read most the day, finished reading Cowpers task and
commenced Gertrude of Wyoming, 27 went down to Hoovers in
the afternoon, thence to Freels & paid for some flour, came back
home past Hoovers and got a loaf of bread.
SUN 22.
Warm with broken clouds. Lay back and read, had a call
from Mr Mcdonald & Plumb. Mcdonald stayed all night fin-
ished reading Gertrude of Wyoming, had a great deal of talk
with Mr Mcdonald on religion and other things.
MON 23.
little cloudy in the forenoon, Clear & warm in the afternoon.
Mended my boots in the morning went over with Mr Mc-
donald to his claim, thence to Hoovers, thence to Freels, thence
back to Hoovers, got some bread, & home, cleared out a road
through the timber to haul my rails out on, read in the evening.
TEUS 24.
Warm in the forenoon, Clouds and thunder and threatning of
rain in the afternoon Worked in the garden in the morning,
hauled rails in the afternoon, read in the evening. Mr Mc-
donald is with me to-day & to-night.
WED 25.
Warm with scattered clouds. Hauled rails in the forenoon, at-
tended Lyceum at the boarding house, to-day the first debate
in the Pioneer Institute occured, the question was, should
Kansas in the formation of a state government exclude Free
negroes, I was on the negative, after the meeting ajourned,
came home, past Hoovers & got some bread.
THUR 26.
Clear & warm all day. Wrote a letter in the forenoon to J.
Ferris Mcmillen, went down to Hoovers and copied the record
of the temperature of the weather in July and enclosed it in
27. Thomas Campbell (1777-1844), a Scotch poet, wrote Gertrude of Wyoming; A Penn-
sylvania Tale in 1809. It is described as the story in verse of the "desolation of Wyoming,
in Pennsylvania, which took place in 1778, by an incursion of the Indians."
22 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Ferris's letter. Went thence to Freels and stayed there most
the afternoon. Came home, read & built air castles. 28
FBI 27.
Clear & very warm with a good breeze. Fought musquitoes
nearly all night last night and slept late this morning. Mr Mc-
donald came up and we hauled the ballance of my rails out,
after which we sat & talked on different subjects untill towards
evening, when he left & I took a walk over to Wills house, found
no one there, came home, fiddled built air castles bathed
& went to bed.
SAT 28
Wrote a letter in the morning to Miss M. J. Morrison, had a
call from Mr Stanley, went over to Dr Kerrs in the afternoon
to attend a meeting of the board of trustees, got home about
dark.
SUN 29.
Clear & pleasant all day. Went to Church, heard the Rev.
Lowry preach a sermon on war, stoped short time at Freels.
Dr Toothman came home with me, W en ^ ou * in the evening
to show him a claim. George Young called in about dark,
stoped short time, read some in the bible, wrote took general
bathe & went to bed.
MON 30.
Cloudy, thunder & lightning in the morning but no rain. Clear
& warm through the midle of the day, heavy wind thunder
lightning & strong appearance of rain in the evening. Washed
some clothes in the morning, studied and wrote on debate for
Lyceum, the question being, resolved that Women should exer-
cise the elective franchise. I wrote four pages of foulls-cap,
have a very sore foot, think its poisoned.
TEUS 31.
Terific thunder & lightning and a fine shower last night, Clear
& pleasant with a fine breeze. Went up to Youngs in the morn-
28. Stewart's "air castles" were shared by others. A "Member of Settlement Company,"
roused by the exaggerated stories told of Council City, wrote to The National Era of Wash-
ington, D. C., on August 15: "In the Era of August 2d, I notice a paragraph on the Amer-
ican Settlement in Kansas, named Council City, stating we have 1,500 inhabitants, a saw-mill,
post office, Sabbath -school, hundreds of acres in crops, &c. Such statements, I think, are
wrong; for, when people arrive, they find it different, and many of our best settlers leave in
disappointment. . . . The inhabitants, instead of being 1,500, as stated, I think, would
not be more than 500 within ten miles, and as yet not one building on the city proper. A
saw-mill we have, but it is not yet running, but hope it will be soon. A post office we have,
with a regular monthly mail, with an occasional one between. A Sabbath-school was organized
last spring, but is abandoned for the present, on account of sickness, which, I think, was
mostly brought on by exposure and change of diet. . . . The number of acres in crops,
(or corn,) perhaps, is correct; but the most of it was planted late, and on the prairie sod,
and of course we cannot expect a full crop. The most of the settlers are putting in a few
acres of wheat." The National Era, October 25, 1855.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 23
ing to draw the water out of his well in order to get my mattock
which was buried in the water, worked a while at it and quit
for a bad job. Came home went down to Freels, thence to
Brattons, thence to Hoovers, took super there, thence home,
sang, fiddled on three strings, read wrote & went to bed.
AUGUST [1855]
WED 1.
Clear & warm with a good breeze all day. Got up in the night
last night and commenced reading Youngs nights thoughts, 29
read and hour or two, slept late this morning, studied & wrote
on debate for Lyceum in forenoon, went to town in afternoon,
took Mrs Bratton some cucumbers, went from there to Freels,
stayed there most the afternoon, came to Hoovers, got my
bread, and home, read night thoughts.
THURS 2.
Clear & warm all day. Went out in the morning to build fence,
worked at it some time, quit and read a while, had call from
Toothman, also one from [John E.] Gould, he stayed all night.
FRIDAY 3.
Clear & very warm. Went out in the morning and put up a few
pannel of fence came back to the house, & read till towards
evening, worked some more at my fence, read through the eve-
ning.
SAT 4.
Warm, temperature 91, scattered clouds through the day, a
light shower at dark, thunder lightning & threatning for more
at night. Went down to the Post-office & waited all day ex-
pecting the Santa-fee stages with the Council City mail, it did
not come, so I went over to Hoovers, and eat the first Water-
melon in Kansas there, came home and read as usual, money
out of pocket to-day.
SUN 5.
Some rain last night, cloudy this morning, cleared off about 10
OClock, warm ballance the day. Had a call from Mr Roscoe
in the morning, went down to the Post-Office in forenoon, re-
mained at Freels remainder of the day, got no mail, came home
in the evening, Mr Mcdonald came with me, spent the evening
talking on religion &C.
29. Edward Young (1683-1765), English poet and clergyman. The Complaint, or Night
Thoughts on Life, Death and Immortality is his chief work.
24 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 6.
Pleasant all day. Went over with Mr Mcdonald in the morning
to his claim for the purpose of helping him to mark the lines
arround it. after lookink over it, and having no compass we
concluded to defer it to another time, went from there to
Hoovers taking them some cucumbers, & thence to Freels with
some green corn, thence to the Post-office and recieved 9 letters
and six newspapers the letters were respectively from Miss
Mary Craven, Miss R. L. Law, J W Johnston, De Cossit, J. S.
White, G Hazen, R C Leslie & J P Woodruff, also a piece of
music from Ebb Sanky, Mr Johnston letter contained a Check
for 20,00, one of G Hazen a receit from New Castle Gazette,
after recieving this glorious big mail I came home past Hoovers
& got a loaf of bread, read my letters all over & glanced at my
papers, eat diner and went to work at my fence, worked a while
& returned to the house, reread my letters & some more in my
papers, worked some more & read till all most mid night.
TEUS 7.
Pleasant, scattered clouds a few drops of rain in the after-
noon. Worked at my fence a while in the morning, went down
to Freels, thence to Post-office, recieved 4 papers, eat diner at
Freels, had new potatoes, came home, read & worked at fence
alternately till dark, read papers till late in the night.
WED 8.
Fine rain in the forenoon, Clear & pleasant in the afternoon.
Slept nearly all forenoon, read, some, went to attend Lyceum
at the Boarding house in the afternoon, debated on the Neg. of
the question resolved that weomen should exercise the elective
franchise. Came home & read through the evening.
THUR. 9.
A gentle but constant rain all day. Wrote three letters, read
newspapers ballance the day.
FRI 10.
Cloudy in morn. Clear in evening, Worked at my fence and
read alternately all day, wrote a letter in the evening, had a
call from Jim Miller, he stayed all night.
SAT 11.
Rained a little in the morning. Clear through the day, a fine
shower in the evening, heavy thunder Lightning & rain after
dark. Wrote a letter in the forenoon, went down town, stopped
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 25
some, time at Allisons, went thence to Hoovers, got some bread
and home read fidled &C as usual.
SUN 12.
Showery all day, heavy thunder & lightning, Wrote three let-
ters, this was about all I did. saw a wild-cat near the house in
the evening.
MON. 13
Clear & pleasant in the forenoon showery in the afternoon.
Worked at my fence in the morning, took 8 letters down to the
post office, stopped a while at Freels, came home in the eve.
TEUS 14.
Cloudy & a little rain, Worked short time at my fence, washed
dressed & went down town, stopped at boarding house, thence
home, read &C through the evening.
WED 15
Scattered clouds, a few drops of rain. Had a call from Mr.
Amy Smith in the morning, went down town with him, stayed
there untill towards evening, came home, Johnston Mclntyere
came with me & stayed all night.
THUR 16.
A fine rain in the forenoon, Clear & pleasant in the afternoon.
Lay back and read in forenoon, Helped Dr Toothman raise
cabin in afternoon.
FRI 17.
Clear & pleasant, cool in the morning. Finished reading night
thoughts and commenced reading Miltons Paridise Lost, fin-
ished fencing my corn in the afternoon, read through the eve-
ning.
SAT 18.
Pleasant all day. Cut some grass in the morning to fill my bed
with, went to the garden & got some corn for Todds, & some for
Mclntiere, went down to Dr Kerrs to attend meeting of the
board, Johnston Mcintire accompaning me as far as town,
stopped at Todds & took diner, came back to Freels, stoped and
stayed all night to set up with Geo. Young who was very low
with fever, he died between 9 & 10 Clock, helped to dress
him & sat up ballance of the night. 30
30. Of this period J. M. Winchell wrote that heavy midsummer rains were "followed by
the general prostration of all the people in my neighborhood by the ague. From the rolling
character of the country, we had vainly fancied ourselves free from this malarial scourge; but
the rains of August were very heavy, and the people drank the water of the creeks, and lived
largely on milk." Winchell Ms., loc. cit., pp. 81, 82.
26 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SUN 19.
Pleasant all day. Came home from Freels early in the morning,
got breakfast, read a short time, Lay down & slept till about
11 OClock, dressed and went down to attend the funeral, heard
the Rev. Lowry preach a funeral sermon, came home past
Hoovers & got a Loaf of bread, Youngs funeral was the first
I ever attended in Kansas.
MON 20.
Clear & pleasant, a good breeze. Went down town & Loafed
round all day, wrote a letter for Freel to the Mayor of Easton,
Pa, telling him about the death of Geo. Young who came from
that place, took diner at Freels, came home in the evening,
fidled & read balance the eve.
TEUS 21.
Cloudy & rainy nearly all day. Commenced diging for water
on the bank of the creek in the morning, worked but little it
commencing to rain, Lay up and read ballance the day.
WED 22.
Cloudy in the morning, cleared up about nine oClock, pleasant
the remainder of the day. Lay up and read in the fornoon,
went to attend Lyceum in the afternoon, had a good meeting,
went to the Post-office, recieved one paper, the 1st No of my
New-Castle Gazette, came home past Hoovers and got some
bread.
THUS. 23.
Clear & warm all day. Went over to Mr Lords to attend his
little daughters funeral, was one of the pall bearers, came home
in the evening, pulled my first ripe Water Melon weighed 21
Lbs & most Luscious, finished reading Miltons paridise Lost,
read some in the bible.
FRIDAY 24.
Clear & pleasant. Had a call from Rev Shaw & Mr Dalton of
New Mexico early in the morning, their object being to buy
Wells Claim, went with them to see it, came back & went down
to Freels, expecting to go to Kansas [City] with Mr Mcdonald,
did not, remained and went to church in the afternoon heard
Rev [Samuel S.] Snyder preach, attended a meeting of the cite-
zens to see about settling up the buissiness of Geo. Young
deceased, in the evening, was chosen administrator came
home & read through the evening as usual.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 27
SAT 25.
Scatered clouds, pleasant. Went down to Freels in the morning,
intending to go up to Harveys to attend to the appraisement of
Geo. Youngs property, found that Messrs Hoover & Freel who
were to go along were already gone, so I concluded not to go,
remained down town and attended a political meeting, thence to
Hoovers, eat some watermelons, got some bread & some butter,
thence home, fiddled, read, & fought musquitoes, the ballance
of the evening.
SUN 26.
Misty in the morning, scattered clouds, and clear in the evening.
Read & eat Water melons all day, wrot some verses to Mary
Newel in the evening expected a call from some Ladies.
MON 27.
Misty in the morning, clear & pleasant through the day. Went
down town & attended to George Youngs affairs, settling accts
&C. Came home in the evening, Charley Linkinager [C. N.
Linkenauger] came with me.
TEUS 28.
Heavy fog and distillations of dew in the morning, clear &
pleasant in the afternoon, Remained at home with Charley, a
while in the morning. Bill Smith called and told me that
Brother Will was worse, went up to see him, found him very
sick, sent Smith after the Dr, & remained with Will till the
Dr came, came back home riding Wills Pony, filled a [be-
tick?] in the evening read Popes works after dark.
WED. 29.
Clear & beautiful all day. Went down to Freels in the morning
and got his horses & Plumbs waggon and went up to Youngs
cabin with Charley Linkinager after Brother Will, brought him
down to my house and waited on him through the day, went
down to the store in the evening and got some wine & peruvian
bark, also some milk at Freels, came home, got Will Smith to
stay with me, am going to set up with Brother to-night, he is
very bad. The Dr thinks he will not live, he called to see him
to-day.
THUR 30.
Warm in the morning, a light shower about noon, clear in the
evening. Went to the Boarding house after my syringe in the
morning, got it and came to Freels, got a chicken for Will,
thence to Hoovers, got some bread, thence home, worked about
28 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the house waiting on William &C. Will died about half past
eleven OClock, sent Will Smith to get help to dress him. Mr
Hoover & Jim Bothel 31 came & attended to it. Smith went to
see about getting a coffin made, grave dug & shroud made, Mr
Hoover remained with [me] untill towards evening & then went
home, Smith came back soon after and also Jim Bothel about
dark, am setting up to-night with my last Brother for the last
time, what luck is to be meted out to me?
FBI 31.
Clear & warm all day. Dressed up in the morning and prepared
for Wills funeral, which was to occur at eleven OClock but on
account of detention in making the coffin, did not occur untill
about five in the evening, consequently did not get through till
after dark, went down to Mr Brattons after the funeral and
stayed there all night.
g AT j SEPTEMBER [1885]
Warm, scattered clouds. Came from Mr Brattons in the morn-
ing to Freels, remained there all day settling up George Youngs
accounts, bought a piece of fresh beef in the evening, came home
about dark, Bill Smith came with me.
SUN 2.
Clear & warm all day. Went down town in the morning and
remained there untill afternoon, went over to Lords to set up
with Cort. Haven 32 who is very low with Typhoid fever, ar-
rived there about sun-down, set up untill 12 oClock, left and
came over to Freels, got there about 1 oClock, remained there
all night.
MON 3.
Clear & warm. Got up early in the morning, and found my
Pony gone, Learned that Dr Bowin had taken it, waited untill
he returned, went home and done chores about the house, for
some time, returned to Freels to attend to selling George Youngs
effects, had an auction sale, sold a few things, came home in
t[h]e evening with Mr Mcdonald & Will Smith had a spree
on Water Mellon.
TEUS 4.
Clear, A good breeze. Washed clothes all day. Loaned fifteen
dollars to Mr Wright. 33
31. James Bothel was one of the original Pennsylvania party which arrived in November,
1854.
32. Cortez Haven is the M. C. Haven mentioned in the entry for July 4. He died some
time after this entry was written. Herald of Freedom, November 17, 1855.
33. Probably Devilla Wright, a young farmer originally from Iowa.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 29
WED 5.
Clear & pleasant. Dident feel very well this morning, Lay
down after breakfast & slept an hour or two, got up and started
out to hunt my Pony, could not find it, came back to the house,
went to the garden, gathered some tomatoes and took them
down to Mrs. Hoover, found the Pony down there, went over
to Freels, thence to the Post-office, recieved five letters & 9
papers, came home & read my letters & papers.
THUR 6.
Scattered clouds, warm. Washed clothes in the forenoon, went
up to Youngs cabin in the afternoon and got some things that
William had left there, came home and read ballance the day.
FBI. 7.
W T arm & sultry. Took some tomatoes down to Freels in the
morning, remained there some time, recieved a letter from Alf
Addis by the hand of P. 0. Conver, 34 Came home very sick
with fever & head-ache, went to bed.
SAT 8.
Warm & Sultry. Lay up and read in the forenoon, went down
to Freels in the afternoon, came home past Hoovers, took sup-
per there.
SUN 9.
Warm, scattered clouds, did Chores about the house some, got
sick & lay in bed nearly all day, terrible high fever, think I'm
going to be sick.
MON 10.
Pleasant all day. Felt better in the morning, got on my Pony
and rode down to Dr Kerrs and got some medicine went
thence to [John R.] Caziers, stopped an hour or two, thence to
the Boarding house to attend stockholders meeting Got very
sick while there & had to go to bed and stay there untill morn-
ing.
TEUS 11.
Felt some better, got my Pony and started for home, was sick
before I got there, tumbled into bed & lay there very sick, not
able to get up.
34. P. O. Conver had emigrated with the Western Pennsylvania Kansas party in 1854.
For several months he had been working as a compositor in the office of the Herald of Freedom
at Lawrence. An. announcement in that paper on July 14, 1855, stated that he was planning
to publish a weekly newspaper at Council City, to be called the Council City Banner, begin-
ning September 1. So far as is known, this journal never materialized.
30 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED 12.
Warm, scattered clouds. Tried to get up in the morning,
couldent do it. Lay in bed all day, desperate sick, no one near
me.
THUR. 13.
A little Cloudy. Had a call from Mr Dalton in the morning,
felt some better, got up and eat a little, got on the Pony and
went down to Alisons after some medicine, took sick about the
time I got there, and had to stop, went to bed and lay there all
night.
FRI 14.
Warm & Sultry. Felt some better in the morning, got my Pony
and rode home, had a call from Mr Dalton, went over to take
diner with him, and his wife, took sick while there and had to
hurry home, Lay in bed from then till next morning sick as
could get to be.
SAT 15.
Rained a little in the morning, pleasant through the day. Took
a bathe in the morning, went down to Alisons with the view of
stoping there a few days till get better, had chill & fever in the
evening.
SUN 16.
Heavy rain last night, occasional rain and clouds through the
day. Read a little in morning, had chills & fever in the after-
noon, took 20 Gr Quinine to-day.
MON 17.
Pleasant, south breeze. Came home in the morning and re-
mained there all day, had no fever, read newspapers, think the
quinine has done a good work for me.
TEUS 18.
Warm, with south breeze. Stephen Smith stayed with me last
night having called after I went to bed, felt better, wrote a let-
ter, had a call from Mrs Dalton, also from Mr Gould.
WED 19.
Rained in the morning, scattered clouds through the day. Lay
up and read all day. Had a call from Mr Dalton, & one from a
fellow by the name of Tom Hill.
THUR 20.
Warm & south breeze. Took a good bathe in the morning, went
to Hoovers, thence to Alisons, took diner there, thence to Brat-
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 31
tons, thence to Prentises, got half bushel corn meal, thence
home, read Paines age of reason. 35
FRI. 21
Warm but good south breeze. Chored about the house fixing
the beds &C. Went down to Alisons in the evening, got some
butter, thence to Hoovers, got some milk, thence horn had
firstrate super on mush & milk.
SAT 22.
Clear & pleasant. Went out in the morning to make rails for a
calf pen, worked short time, found it rather hard work, quit and
came to the house, read through the greater part of the day, had
a call from Hoge, 36 paid him for making Williams coffin, went
down to Alisons, got Mr Mcdonald on my Pony and started
him for my house, I went past Hoovers, and got some bread,
& punkin pies, got home about sun-down, Mr Mcdonald stayes
with me to-night.
SUN 23.
Warm, scattered Clouds, a few drops of rain. Lay back reading,
wrote 4 letters.
MON 24.
Clear & pleasant. Went at making some more rails for my calf
pen. Dave Condit 37 came in a short time, so I quit work and
set in the house & talked to him & Mr Mcdonald untill towards
evening. W T ent down to Hoovers, thence to Titus' after some
butter, got none, thence to Brattons, got none there, thence back
to Hoovers got some milk, then home, had mush & milk for
supper.
TEUS 25.
A fine rain last night, clear & pleasant to-day. Finished making
rails for calf pen, and built the pen, had a call from Mr
[Frederick C.] Upsom he had a shake while here, cut up
some corn in the evening.
WED 26.
Clear & Cool. Went out in the morning to cut corn, worked at
it a short time, had a call from Mr Joy, who came to notify me
of a meeting of the board of trustees, quit work and went to
attend the board meeting, remained there all day, paid Dr
35. Tom Paine (1737-1809), political pamphleteer of the American Revolution, wrote The
Age of Reason during 1794-1796 while he was living in France. It has been called the "athe-
ists' bible," though Paine was a deist and not an atheist, and most of the ideas expressed are
more or less commonplace today.
36. W. H. Hogue was a cabinetmaker, originally from Missouri.
37. David Condit was a member of the Pennsylvania party.
32 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Kerrs bill for attending William, got cloth for a pair of pants
from J Byers.
THUR 27.
Clear Cool & pleasant. Cut Corn a while in the morning, went
down to Prentiss' after Mcdonalds cow & calf, tried to drive
them home, could not do it. Left them at Prints, stopped there
till after diner, thence to Allisons, got some flour & took it over
to Hoovers, brought my rifle and Geo Youngs shot gun home
from freels, found Dalton there, made a bargain with him to
bring the cow & calf up from Prentiss's to-morrow morning.
FRIDAY 28.
Cloudy. Cool. Went down in the morning after the cow.
Dalton did not go as I expected, took a shake while at Prentiss'
and had to give up the idea of bringing home the contrary cow
& calf. Came home late in the evening feel rather slim.
SAT 29.
Rained last night, cloudy and cool through the day. Went
over to Daltons in the morning, took a shake while there, hus-
seled home. Lay up ballance of the day. Cousin William
Stewart from Illinoise came in about dark, havent seen him for
four years before to-night.
SUN 30.
Rained lightly last night also this forenoon. Took a shake
early in the morning and Lay up ballance the day. Cousin
Will rode around some alone, too sick to go with him, dam
this ague.
MON 1. OCTOBER [1855]
Cloudy & sunshin alternately Had more fever & ague to-day,
got Mr Mcdonald to go after some quinine and butter, took
some of bothe when he got back. Cousin Will Left this morn-
ing for Lawrence, the Ruffians held and election to-day to elect
delegate to Congress. 38
TEUS 2.
Clear with high west breeze. Had a very hard shake to-day,
felt better in the evening, a pair of some-bodys oxen broke into
my corn, took the shot gun out and shot them with beans.
38. At this election J. W. Whitfield received 2,721 of a total vote of 2,738 for territorial
delegate to the 34th congress. The Free-State men did not participate. On September 5-6,
at the Big Springs convention, they had organized the Free-State party, nominated ex-Gov-
ernor Reeder for delegate to congress, and named the second Tuesday in October as the date
for their own congressional election.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 33
WED 3.
Windy. Cool Fever and ageu as usual, was in bed nearly all
day.
THUR 4.
Some rain last night, cool to-day. Got the Ageu broke to-day
had no chill.
FRIDAY 5.
Cloudy & cool. Felt better, went out and cut some corn, went
down to the Post-office in the evening, recieved 8 letters and a
bundle of papers, Came home & read my letters & papers.
SAT 6.
A good breeze. Cut corn part of the day, took Mcdonalds
oxen, which have been up here for a few days, down town, got
some bread at Hoovers, came home thence to Daltons, back
home read newspapers.
SUN. 7.
Went out in the morning to cut corn. Mr Mcdonald was with
me, worked at it a short time when the two Mr Roses called,
quit work and entertained my visitors till eve. 89
MON 8
Warm & dry. Went over to Daltons in the morning, thence
down the Creek to hunt Mcdonalds oxen, could not find them,
came home, husked and carried in corn ballance of the day.
TEUS 9.
Warm very warm. Called over to see Daltons in the morning
who were both sick, cut them some wood, returned home, car-
ried up some corn. This is election day for delegate to Con-
gress, went to the polls & voted for A H Reeder, 40 went to Pren-
tiss' got some butter, came home and read & wrote.
WED 10.
Clear & high wind. Went over to Daltons, found them very
sick, thence to attend meeting of boad of trustees, had good
time, thence after Mcdonalds oxen, did not get them came
home & brought some bread & potatoes up to Daltons.
39. Marcus H. Rose (see Footnote 17) and his nephew, Marcus C., had come to Kansas
together. The latter was a young schoolteacher who taught a subscription school at the Sac
and Fox agency from December, 1854, to the end of March, 1855. He returned to Penn-
sylvania in October, 1856, because of ill health. Early Days in Kansas . . . , C. R
Green's Historical Series (Olathe, 1913), v. 2, pp. [40-45],
40. Reeder received 62 votes at Council City and a total of 2,849 in the territory. In
December both he and Whitfield claimed the seat as delegate from Kansas, but congress did
not admit either of them.
35797
34 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
THUR 11.
Clear & warm. Went over to Daltons, did some chores for
them, thence after Mcdonalds oxen, found them and brought
them home with the waggon, hauled up some rails & built a
corn crib, hauled up one load of corn.
FRI. 12.
Hauled up one load of corn, got sick, Lay in bed ballance the
day, went over to Daltons in the evening, found them still
sick.
SAT 13.
Warm. Hague & fever, Lay up all day.
SUN 14.
Warm, a light breeze. Felt some better this morning, yoked
up the oxen and hauled a load of wood. Lay up the remainder
of the day, had a call from Dalton, helped him take over his
cow.
MON 15.
Warm & pleasant. Still more ague. Lay up.
TEUS 16.
Pleasant. Some better to-day, went down town in the waggon,
got some quinine, and some bread, came home, took a chill.
Felt angry, cursed Mr Mcdonald and went to bed, mad.
WED 17.
Clear & pleasant. Went over to Daltons, sold him my corn,
engaged to board with him, returned home, took Quinine Lay
up rest of the day, Mr Mcdonald left for Kansas city to-day.
THUR 18.
Windy through the day, rain in the night. Not well yet, read
newspapers through the day, had a piece of fresh beef sent me
in the evening by Mrs Dalton, sent to Kansas [City] for some
apples some onions & pair of boots.
FRI 19.
Warm, scattered clouds. Shaved, bathed, put on a clean shirt,
took my gun and went after my Pony which I have missed for
several days, shot a snake, got very tired, came home, did not
find my Pony, rested ballance the day.
SAT 20.
Cloudy, a few drops of rain. Felt pretty well this morning,
tinkered a long time at my guns, arranged at the accounts of
Geo. Young some, read some, in the bible, rained considerable
in the evening.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 35
SUN. 21.
Cold & windy. Drove a lot of catle out of my corn, went over
to Daltons, stopped a few minutes, came home, spent the day
reading, Hill came over two or three times.
MON 22.
Rained considerable in the morning, pleasant in the evening.
Went down to Hoovers, remained there during the rain, got a
[loaf of] bread, came home. Went over to Daltons. Got
yoke of cattle and wagon, came back with Hill to get some corn
out of my field.
TEUS 23.
Very cold & windy. Sat by the fire all day & read.
WED 24.
Clear & cool pleasant in the afternoon. Went down, town to
attend meeting of board of trustees, a quorum not being pres-
ent no meeting was held, remained till afternoon for the Ly-
ceum, attended it, from thence came to Prentiss's, got some
butter, thence to Hoovers, ground some corn on his hand mill,
got a loaf of bread, and home.
THUR. 25.
A little cool, rather windy. Husked corn greater part the day,
read philosophy some.
FRi26.
Pleasant, a good breeze. Husked corn, read some philosophy,
gathered some beans.
SAT 27.
Pleasant, a little warm, some breeze, Washed clothes in the
forenoon, went down town in the afternoon, bought some coffee,
went over to Prentiss', settled with him, thence to Hoovers, got
some bread, came home through Cleavelands turnip patch and
got some turnips, eat a hearty supper on beans & pork re-
cieved a letter to-day.
SUN 28.
Clear, warm & pleasant. Had call from Mr Dalton in the
morning, went home with him, had glass of hot toddy, sat a
while, returned, wrote letters ballance the day.
MON 29.
Clear, rather windy in evening. Gathered & hulled hazelnuts
most the day, picked a few beans.
36 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 30.
Warm & pleasant imtill near evening, blew up windy and con-
tinued so all night. Went over to Daltons in the morn, to help
him yoke up his oxen, got it done with some trouble, had a glass
of hot toddy, brought the oxen over to my corn field, hitched
them to my waggon which had been left there, hauled the
waggon over to Daltons, came home, gathered some beans, had
chill & fever after dark.
WED 31.
Hallow eve. Rather windy all day. Made preperation to at-
tend meeting of the board of trustees, felt too sick to leave the
house, stayed at home, read a little, lay in bed most the day,
sent for some medicine, got not, Lord! how I wish I was out of
this.
[Part Two, November, 1855- April, 1857, Will Appear in the
May, 1949, Issue]
The Army Engineers as Road Surveyors and
Builders in Kansas and Nebraska, 1854-1858
W. TURRENTINE JACKSON
AT the close of the Mexican war the territory of the United States
was greatly increased by the addition of California and the
New Mexico and Utah territories. The population of California,
gradually becoming stabilized after the gold rush, began to demand
better mail facilities and more satisfactory roads for the travel of
emigrants from the Mississippi and Missouri valleys to the coast.
Delays brought about dissatisfaction and some talk of the establish-
ment of a separate Pacific republic. During the war years the Mor-
mons had also laid the foundations of their commonwealth in the
Great Basin. The intermediate country between the Missouri river
settlements and the Great Salt Lake and that beyond it to the Cali-
fornia communities was controlled by Indian tribes which were often
hostile and guilty of occasional depredations.
To facilitate the movement of troops destined for California, New
Mexico and Utah as well as to decrease the cost of transporting
supplies needed for military operations in the newly acquired do-
main, it was imperative that the federal government improve the
means of communication and travel across the Great Plains. Roads
which could -be used with reasonable speed would bind the nation
together, improve the mail service, aid the emigrant and insure the
safety of the frontier settlements. The congress of the United States
justified its appropriations for federal road building on the basis of
national defense, for the most part, and therefore assigned the super-
vision of many constructions to the Secretary of War.
The corps of topographical engineers, which since 1838 had been
responsible for all nonmilitary engineering projects of the army,
including road building, was engaged shortly after the termination of
the Mexican war in making surveys for possible military routes into
the newly acquired Mexican cession. 1 In 1849 Capt. R. B. Marcy's
expedition was ordered from Fort Smith, on the Arkansas, to Santa
Fe for the purpose of locating the best route to New Mexico, con-
ciliating the Indian tribes along the way and escorting a group of
California-bound emigrants westward. Lt. James H. Simpson, of
W. TURRENTINE JACKSON is an assistant professor of American history at the University of
Chicago.
1. W. Stull Holt, The Office of the Chief of Engineers of the Army, Its Non-Military
History, Activities, and Organization (Baltimore, 1923), pp. 8, 9.
(37)
38 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the topographical engineers, was sent along to survey and improve
a wagon route along the southern bank of the Canadian river. 2 Two
other officers of the corps, Capt. Howard Stansbury and Lt. J. W.
Gunnison, directed an exploring party from Fort Leavenworth to
Oregon during the same spring. Captain Stansbury was ordered to
make a survey from the northern shore of Salt Lake to Fort Hall to
determine the practicability of a wagon road between that fort and
the Mormon community. 3 A third expedition, sponsored by the top-
ographical engineers, under Capt. L. Sitgreaves, explored the route
from Santa Fe to the Bay of California by the way of the Zuni river,
a tributary of the Colorado, and down the. latter stream to its
mouth. 4
As a result of the recommendations of Jefferson Davis, Secretary
of War, the United States congress inaugurated in 1853 an extensive
road building program in the territories acquired during the 1840's.
Appropriations were first made for Oregon roads, 5 and during the
following two years the activity spread to the entire Pacific North-
west.
Appropriations were approved in 1854 and 1855 for five federal
roads in New Mexico territory, connecting the forts and more im-
portant towns in the vicinity of Santa Fe. 6 A survey was ordered
from Salt Lake City to the eastern boundary of California for the
construction of a military road. Lt. Col. E. J. Steptoe, Third ar-
tillery, was charged with making the necessary contracts. Twenty-
five thousand dollars had been allocated for this road from Salt
Lake, passing through Provo City, Fillmore City, Parovan and Ce-
dar City, in the direction of Cajon pass. 7 In 1855 additional roads
2. "Report of the Colonel of Topographical Engineers, 1849," in Report of the Secretary
of War, Senate Executive Document No. 1, 31 Cong., 1 Sess. (1849-1850), p. 295; "Report
on the Route From Fort Smith to Santa Fe," House Executive Document No. 45, 31 Cong.,
1 Sess. (1849-1850), v. 8.
The official report of Simpson has been used extensively by Grant Foreman in editing the
journal of Captain Marcy, Marcy and the Gold Seekers, the Journal of Captain R. B.
Marcy, With an Account of the Gold Rush Over the Southern Route (Norman, Okla., 1939).
Background material is also furnished by Ralph P. Bieber's scholarly Southern Trails to Cali-
fornia in 1849 (Glendale, Cal., 1937), and his article "The Southwestern Trails to California
in 1849," in The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Lincoln, Neb.,
v. 12, No. 3 (December, 1925), pp. 342-375.
3. "Report of the Colonel of Topographical Engineers, 1849," loc. cit., pp. 295, 296,
307-309; "Report of the Colonel of Topographical Engineers, 1851," in Report of the Secre-
tary of War, House Ex. Doc. No. 2, 32 Cong., 1 Sess. (1851-1852), p. 386; "Exploration and
Survey of the Valley of the Salt Lake of Utah," Sen. Ex. Doc. No. S, Special Sess. (1851).
This last document contains extensive material on the Mormon community in the Basin.
4. "Report of the Colonel of Topographical Engineers, 1851," loc. cit., pp. 386, 387;
"Report of an Expedition Down the Zuni and Colorado Rivers," Sen. Ex. Doc. No. 59, 32
Cong., 2 Sess. (1852-1853), v. 10.
5. United States Statutes at Large, v. 10, pp. 151, 303.
6. Ibid., pp. 303, 638. Several years elapsed before any construction was begun. "Report
of the Chief Topographical Engineer, 1858," in Report of the Secretary of War, House Ex.
Doc. No. 2, 35 Cong., 2 Sess. (1858-1859), v. 2, Part 2, pp. 1206-1211.
7. United States Statutes at Large, v. 10, p. 304 ; "Report of the Colonel of the Corps of
Topographical Engineers, 1855," in Report of the Secretary of War, Sen. Ex. Doc. No. 1, 34
Cong., 1 Sess., Part 2, pp. 504-507. The correspondence between Davis and Steptoe is printed
in this report.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 39
in Oregon and Washington were authorized and the principal forts
of the region, such as Columbia City Barracks (Fort Vancouver)
and Fort Steilacoom, were to be joined by military routes. 8
The area between the western boundary of the prairie states and
the Rocky Mountains was designated as the Kansas and Nebraska
territories in 1854. Across these plains the great tide of migra-
tion had swept to Oregon, California and the Great Basin. The
valley of the Platte had been the greatest route of all and since the
beginning of the Great Migration in 1841 the Oregon trail had been
fixed upon its southern bank. In 1847 the Mormons, leaving their
winter quarters at Omaha, chose a new western route along the north
bank of the stream. The War Department decided in 1854 to im-
prove this Mormon trail from Omaha as far as New Fort Kearny
at the southern bend of the Platte. Military supplies could be more
quickly and cheaply transported to the post by bringing them up
the Missouri along the western Iowa boundary to the Council Bluffs-
Omaha region and thence overland on a shorter land route than that
from Fort Leavenworth. On February 17, 1855, $50,000 was made
available by the federal government for this public work. 9
Fort Leavenworth, on the eastern boundary of Kansas, was at this
time the principal depot from which the military stations along the
routes to Utah, California and Oregon were supplied, and the con-
tracts for the transportation of these supplies amounted to three or
four hundred thousand dollars each year. One hundred thirty miles
west of Fort Leavenworth, at the forks of the Kansas (Kaw) river,
a new fort, known as Fort Riley, was under construction in 1854-
1855. This fort, 'built for the protection of the Kansas settlements
and as a subordinate depot and advanced rendezvous for troops, was
connected with Leavenworth by a water route on the Kansas and
by a military road on its north bank. 10
The President on March 3, 1855, approved a bill for $50,000 for
the construction of a road from Fort Riley to the Arkansas river at
any point which the Secretary of War deemed most desirable for
military purposes. An equal sum was approved for a road from
Fort Riley to Bridger's pass in the Rocky Mountains. 11 The army
planned that the route to the Arkansas would reach that river either
at the Cimarron crossing or at Bent's Fort, so troops and supplies
from the two Kansas forts, as well as emigrants, might then travel
8. United States Statutes at Large, v. 10, pp. 603, 604, 608.
9. Ibid., p. 608.
10. "Military Roads Kansas," House Report No. 36, 33 Cong., 2 Sess. (1854-1855), p. 3.
11. United States Statutes at Large, v. 10, p. 641.
40 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
to the New Mexico settlements by the long established Santa Fe
trails. The road to the Rockies would provide a more direct route
from the Missouri river towns and forts in Kansas to Utah and
California than the Oregon trail, diminishing the distance to Great
Salt Lake by one hundred miles. The route was declared to be
equally easy and Bridger's pass as accessible as the South pass far-
ther north. 12
FROM FORT RILEY TO THE ARKANSAS RIVER
Lt. Francis T. Bryan, chosen to direct the construction of these
three projects and supervise the expenditure of $150,000 of federal
funds, hastened to St. Louis where essential equipment for the sur-
veys was purchased. 13 At Fort Leavenworth he resolved first to
travel the route to the Arkansas and hired several Delaware Indians,
reported to be well acquainted with the country between Fort Riley
and the Arkansas, to serve as guides for his party. An outbreak of
cholera delayed his departure from Fort Riley until July 30, 1855.
Accompanied by a military escort, the Bryan survey expedition trav-
eled along the northern bank of the Kansas river for approximately
fifty miles, crossing Solomon's fork about 35 miles from Fort Riley
and the Saline ten miles farther west. At the Saline the party
crossed the plains in a southwesterly direction to avoid the bend in
the Smoky Hill. Immense herds of buffalo were observed here.
At their crossing of the Smoky Hill, the explorers reported the
river to be 220 feet between its banks, the crests of which were 22
feet above the bottom of the stream. Although the water was only
a few inches deep at the time of crossing, the party experienced some
difficulty in keeping the wagon wheels from cutting too deeply and
becoming stuck in the loose sand. In the opinion of Bryan, the
thinly scattered cottonwoods on the banks of the stream near this
crossing would be of little value in constructing a bridge.
Leaving the river, Bryan's men headed southwest, crossing open
country that they reported to be exceptionally level, covered with
buffalo grass and inhabited by prairie dogs, until they arrived at
Walnut creek, a tributary of the Arkansas. En route they had
crossed the Little Arkansas near its headwaters. Bryan realized
that this level country, exceptionally good for a wagon road in dry
12. "Military Roads Kansas," loc. cit., pp. 3, 4.
13. Letter from Bryan to John J. Abert, colonel and chief of the topographical engineers,
June 14, 1855. Bryan had been assigned the duty in Kansas and Nebraska on April 28, 1855.
Within two weeks he was on his way to St. Louis. "Letters Received, Bureau of Topographi-
cal Engineers, War Department Records," The National Archives. All correspondence and
manuscript reports used in the preparation of this study are in The National Archives. No
further reference relative to the location of sources will be necessary.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 41
weather, would be impassable in the wet seasons and resolved on
the return trip to seek a parallel route slightly to the north. From
Walnut creek, the surveyors crossed over to the Pawnee fork of the
Arkansas and ascended it to the headwaters. They noted that the
timber on the streams was more scattered and smaller, and the gen-
eral appearance of the country indicated that they were approach-
ing the dry region bordering the Rocky Mountains. In the march
from the Pawnee to the Arkansas the country was destitute of tim-
ber and the party resorted to buffalo chips for fuel. At the Ar-
kansas the party came upon the well-beaten road from Fort Atkinson
to Bent's Fort. 14
At Bent's Fort, Bryan, learning that a direct route could be made
from the Big Timbers at the fort to the head of Walnut creek, at-
tempted to employ competent guides who could direct his party
there. Thus, the timberless, desolate stretch between the Pawnee
fork and the Arkansas could be avoided. Bent, who knew the coun-
try well, was departing for St. Louis the morning following the ar-
rival of Bryan's group and could not assist personally but recom-
mended Cheyenne or Arapaho guides. However, these tribes strongly
objected to the road-building activities of the government and would
provide no aid. As a result the explorers returned to the camp where
they first struck the Arkansas, gathered supplies of wood, and
crossed directly to the head of the Pawnee.
Here the first norther of the season struck, bringing heavy rains
and bitter cold. Having exhausted their fuel at this encampment,
the men were forced to move quickly in search of firewood. The
return route took the party down the Pawnee until it was close
enough to cross over to the Walnut in a single day's march. The
engineer decided it was unnecessary to bridge these streams unless
a military post was established in the vicinity and the garrison
would be convenienced thereby. On the trip down the Walnut and
across to the Smoky Hill, bad weather continued to plague the
party ; it was now the third week in September. Once they struck the
Smoky Hill, that stream was followed to Fort Riley along the out-
ward track. 15 The total length of the road surveyed was 360
miles. 16
14. Fort Atkinson was located just west of present Dodge City and Bent's Fort was near
present Prowers, Colo. For a history of Bent's Fort, see "Bent's Old Fort and Its Builders,"
by George Bird Grinnell, in the Kansas Historical Collections, Topeka, v. 15, pp. 28-91.
15. Bryan to Abert, December 15, 1855. This annual report of Bryan contains many in-
teresting details of the survey that are too extensive to be included in this account.
All distances mentioned in this study are those recorded by the engineers in their official
reports. In many cases they do not correspond with accepted present-day estimates. This is
largely explained by the devious routes followed by the army men over unknown terrain, al-
though undoubtedly there were occasional mistakes in estimating distances.
16. "Report of the Chief Topographical Engineer, 1856," in Report of the Secretary of
War, House Ex. Doc. No. 1, 34 Cong., 3 Sess. (1856-1857), v. 2, p. 370.
42 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Bryan reported to his superiors that the road was for the most part
over open prairie and, since there was no timber to cut out and none
at sufficient intervals to provide stakes for the surveyors, there was
no means of marking it except by the track of the wagons. The
track which his few wagons had made was so dim that within six
months it would be obliterated, and he urged the immediate passage
of a large train over the road to mark it plainly. After the major
streams were bridged the only obstructions to wagon travel would
be the small drains of a few inches depth that each pioneer party
would be forced to make passable. Bryan recommended that a
working party of twenty men travel a day in advance of the next
freighters and emigrant trains to prepare the way.
Bridges would be necessary at the crossings of Solomon's fork,
the Saline and the Smoky Hill rivers. Oak could be found on the
banks of the first two streams that would provide lumber for the
120-foot structures which were needed, but as no suitable timber
could be found on the Smoky Hill and as the road crossing was 80
miles beyond Fort Riley's men and materials, the cost of the 200-
foot span would be greatly increased. Bryan requested the assign-
ment of one company of infantry as an escort for the contractors
and workmen while employed upon these bridges. 17
At Fort Leavenworth all camp and surveying equipment of the
expedition was left with the quartermaster, and the animals that
would be needed the next season were placed in the care of herders
on the post. Bryan then returned to St. Louis for winter quarters
where he opened an office and hired two draftsmen to assist in mak-
ing maps and charts to accompany his report on the season's activi-
ties. 18 In February the contract for the building of five bridges on
the Fort Riley-Big Timbers road was granted to J. 0. Sawyer, whose
bid of $38,400 was the lower of the two submitted. 19 The bureau of
topographical engineers refused Bryan's request for an escort for
Sawyer's workmen, and the contractor, in desperation, wrote directly
to Jefferson Davis:
We have information of hostilities and depredations being commenced by
the Cheyenne Indians, now in that region and as I have no protection . . .
I should be provided with an escort as was verbally guaranteed to me by
Lieut. Bryan and is really a part of the consideration of contract. ... I
am departing for the place of operation today. ... I hope you will see
the importance of granting me an escort, as any depredations, arising for want
17. Bryan to Abeit, December 15, 1855.
18. Ibid., October 30, 1855.
19. Ibid., February 8, 1856.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 43
of protection, might prove disastrous to the government as well as seriously
injurious to me. 20
A detachment from the Second dragoons at Fort Riley was finally
ordered by the local commandant to join the laborers after they had
been in the field for over a month.
When the army engineer left Leavenworth with his new explor-
ing party to go to Bridger's pass in May, 1856, he left a civilian
engineer, Coote Lombard, to superintend Sawyer's construction of
the bridges on the road to the Arkansas. Two small creeks, the
Sycamore and Armistead's, between Fort Riley and Solomon's fork,
were the first bridged. At Solomon's fork the contractor worked
from mid-June to mid-July hauling wood and building the false
work. As he was ready to start the actual bridge on July 24, the
stream began to rise as a result of freshets and in two days it was
six feet above its previous high water mark, carrying off all the false
work. The contractor began again, but heavy rains in late August
and September delayed the completion of the bridge, including the
construction of ice breakers, until October.
At the Saline fork the river was also at flood stage most of the time
and full of driftwood. The men continued to work, several suffered
from exposure, became ill, and the force was steadily reduced. One
laborer died at this encampment. From here they moved up to the
site of the Smoky Hill river bridge where the climate was drier;
most of the men recovered, but a second laborer, who had been ill
for several weeks, died shortly after they arrived in the new camp.
Lumber was hauled in from the two previous sites by ox teams,
which, on at least one occasion, lost the road and had to be located
and redirected by the mule wagons transporting rations for the
crew. 21
Sawyer had experienced a difficult season. Realizing that he was
losing money on the contract, he appealed to Lombard, and the en-
gineering agent permitted him to omit the construction of ice break-
ers on the Saline and Smoky Hill bridges since it had become neces-
sary to build the Solomon's fork bridge longer than the contract
specified. 22 On his return from Bridger's pass, Bryan proceeded to
examine the work on the road and accepted the bridges for the
United States government. At the beginning of 1857 Sawyer put in
claims for what he termed "extra work," not in his contract. The.
20. June 26, 1856.
21. Lombard to Bryan, November 22, 1856.
22. Ibid. The Secretary of War had agreed to modifications of the contract provided the
total payment was not in excess of the contract figure of $38,400. By omitting the ice break-
ers at the Saline the contractor had saved the tune necessary for the water to go down and on
the Smoky Hill it would have been necessary to haul piles for 52 miles.
44 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
army engineer forwarded the claims to the bureau with an evalua-
tion of each and a recommendation that all be disallowed. His de-
cision was sustained by the War Department. All concerned ad-
mitted that the contractor had little profit to show for his work. 23
Kansas settlers pushed westward as the road was built and the
bridges erected. During the season of 1856 the civilian engineer
observed:
The bridging of this road has induced settlers to move out at least forty
miles beyond the heretofore bounds of civilization, i. e. at and beyond Saline
Bridge. I expect that there will be settlers at the Kaw [Smoky Hill] River
Bridge eighty-five miles west of Fort Riley by next Spring the opening of
this road has pushed the settlements beyond where they would be if the road
had not been opened. 24
Bryan notified the War Department early in 1857 that the road
from Riley to Bent's Fort was "passable for trains of any kind."
His greatest concern was the section of road beyond the Smoky Hill
river bridge, which "would be very difficult to find except to persons
who had once traversed it and knew it by landmarks, as the prairie
grass of two summers has effaced the marks made by the surveying
party of 1855." 25
FROM FORT RILEY TO BRIDGER'S PASS
During the winter of 1856 in St. Louis, Lieutenant Bryan notified
the War Department that the survey to the Arkansas was his ac-
complishment of the previous season. He requested the appoint-
ment of a trained engineer as agent to supervise the Nebraska road
from Omaha to Fort Kearny in the spring while he would be en-
gaged in locating the route to Bridger's pass. An escort would be
necessary for the safe conduct of both parties. 26
Col. John J. Abert, chief of the topographical bureau, quickly
reprimanded him for the failure to survey all three roads in the Kan-
sas and Nebraska territories during 1855 and requested an expla-
nation that might be presented to the Secretary of War and possibly
to congress. Bryan reminded his chief of the delay at Fort Riley
23. Bryan to Abert, February 10, 1857. Bryan deducted $50 from Sawyer's payment to
complete the grading of the approach to one of the bridges. Sawyer produced the evidence re-
quired by law that he had paid his laborers with the exception of four men. In time, Bryan
discovered that each of these four had wages coming, one for as much as $143.75. The ad-
ministration of contracts was one of the greatest problems that confronted the topographical
engineers.
24. Lombard to Bryan, November 22, 1856.
25. Bryan to Abert, February 10, 1857. Bryan reported that trains traveling over the
route could be saved detention and much labor if the small streams and sloughs could be
bridged and their approaches graded. The remaining $910.95 of the appropriation on January
1, 1857, was not enough, however, to commence operations. The engineer also renewed his re-
quest that a large train be sent over the road to New Mexico so that its wagon wheels would
make a trace that could not be effaced before emigrants followed and permanently marked the
route. The road, as far as the Smoky Hill, was already thus marked.
26. Ibid., October 30, 1855.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 45
due to the cholera, the two months consumed in traveling to and
returning from the Arkansas, and explained that commerce over the
plains stopped during October and did not begin until spring. An
additional survey late in the season, he thought, would have meant
a great loss of material and men from frost and starvation. 27
With the coming of spring thaws, the breaking ice and resulting
flood waters on the Republican fork of the Kansas river destroyed
the bridge in the immediate vicinity of Fort Riley as well as those
on the Blue and Grasshopper rivers where the road to Fort Leav-
enworth crossed those streams. The commanding officer at Riley
appealed for assistance to Bryan who was in the midst of prepara-
tions for his trip to the Rocky Mountains. The engineer notified
the bureau that on the basis of his assignment he could perform no
work east of Fort Riley and recommended a $50,000 additional ap-
propriation by congress to improve the road between the Kansas
forts, which he now considered the worst section of his route between
the Missouri and Arkansas rivers. 28
Bryan wrote the bureau in April that his plans for the reconnais-
sance of the Fort Riley-Bridger's pass road were nearing comple-
tion. Guides had been employed and he intended to start out in
May as soon as the grass of the plains would support his animals.
Officers from the west reported the Indians hostile to any attempt
to make a road through their country and his guides likewise con-
sidered an escort necessary in the western part of the territories.
The Secretary of War had spoken to the engineer in Washington
during 1855 about detailing two companies of dragoons as an escort
for this survey and Bryan hoped the necessary orders could be ob-
tained by the bureau and dispatched to Fort Riley. Bryan also re-
stated his intention of placing the Omaha-Fort Kearny road under
a civilian agent of the army engineers since his own time would be
consumed in going and returning from the Rockies and therefore
solicited information relative to the procedure used in hiring agents. 29
On May 28 the bureau notified him that Lt. John H. Dickerson had
been assigned the responsibility of supervising the road in Nebraska
27. Ibid., November 12, 1855. In reading the correspondence between Bryan and Abert,
the historian will discover what appears to be a growing friction between the officers. Bryan
felt his chief was unsympathetic with his problems and overly critical; Abert seems to have
lacked confidence in the young officer and considered him at times disrespectful, if not border-
ing on insubordination.
28. Ibid., March 13, 1856.
29. Ibid., April 14, 1856. On April 29, Bryan wrote again: "The appointment of this
agent is necessary if these two roads are to be surveyed in the same summer as it is impossible
for one person to attend to both at the same time on account of the distance between them
and the difficulty of moving about from one point to another in such a wild and unsettled
country. . . . Early action is requested as the season is fast approaching when parties
destined for the plains should take the field."
46 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
territory and Bryan replied by telegram, "I am prepared and wait
only for Lt. Dickerson." 30
When Bryan left Fort Riley on June 21 he was accompanied by
several assistants: a topographer, John Lambert; a geologist,
Henry Engelmann; a barometer expert, and two trained rodmen.
They traveled along the east bank of the Republican fork for 100
miles to the northwest in the direction of Fort Kearny, and then
crossed over the prairie 35 miles to the Little Blue. After crossing
the Little Blue, the party struck the established military road be-
tween Forts Leavenworth and Kearny which they followed to a
point on the Platte about fifteen miles east of Fort Kearny, and
then up that stream to the fort. In the opinion of Lieutenant Bryan,
a great amount of labor would be necessary on this first division of
the route to the Rockies to make an acceptable wagon road. Many
of the creeks needed bridging and the approaches to practically all
entailed grading to avoid the capsizing of heavily loaded freight and
emigrant wagons.
Leaving Fort Kearny, the surveyors' route lay along the valley
of the Platte, the usual way traveled by Oregon-bound trains, to a
point sixteen miles beyond the much used Laramie crossing. 31 Here
was located a new ford where the river was reported to be 610 yards
wide, with a gravel bottom and water scarcely covering the axle
trees of the wagons. Like all previous explorers, Bryan realized
that bridging the Platte was out of the question and trains must
take their chances in locating a good ford. From the Platte crossing
the party ascended the south fork of that stream and its tributary,
Lodgepole creek, to the Pine Bluffs, just across the present western
Nebraska boundary in Wyoming. This area was known as a favor-
ite winter residence of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. The mem-
bers of the expedition gathered dwarf pine for several days' use
because fuel, even buffalo chips, was reportedly scarce at the head-
waters of Lodgepole creek.
The party crossed the hills between this creek and the Laramie
river in a single day and journeyed to the Little Laramie river on
the following. Here they struck an emigrant road along the foot
of the Medicine Bow range, which Captain Stansbury had used
during his explorations of 1849-1850, and followed it for a few miles
to an encampment on Cooper's creek. The expedition experienced
difficulty with the animals in this mountain country because of sore
30. Ibid., May 28, 1856. Bryan also notified the bureau of the equipment which he
might provide for Dickerson's work.
31. The "Laramie crossing" of the Platte was the established ford for emigrants on the
Oregon trail traveling to Fort Laramie.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 47
feet, resulting from the wearing out or loss of shoes. Bryan recom-
mended that trains traveling through the country should carry ad-
ditional horse and mule shoes, a supply of shoe nails, and a forge.
From Cooper's creek the men crossed rocky hills to the Medicine
Bow in the vicinity of Medicine Bow Butte, a favorite rendezvous
for beaver trappers in years past and still a council place used by
the Sioux, Snakes and Arapahoes.
From here their circuitous route toward the Continental divide
led to the headwaters of Pass creek where, on August 9, they ex-
perienced a mountain storm with the temperature dropping to freez-
ing and leaving ice on their tents. From Pass creek to the North
Platte the route was so steep that ropes were used to hold the
wagons in line and, in spite of precautions, two overturned. The ex-
pedition observed several unfinished and abandoned trading houses
on the North Platte and assumed that traders had left because of
the assaults of hostile Indians.
Leaving the North Platte the party traveled to Sage creek, a
tributary, which they assumed would lead to Bridgets pass. None
of the guides, who had spent years in the mountains, had been to
the pass, and the appearance of the country did not coincide with
Captain Stansbury's descriptions. The leaders agreed, however,
that they could not be a great distance from Bridger's pass, located
on the map between the head of Sage creek, flowing easterly to the
North Platte, and Muddy creek, flowing westerly into a branch of
the Green. A consultation was held and all concurred that the
mission of the expedition was to find a practicable pass to the west-
ern slope and that they should not be concerned over the exact lo-
cation. The party crossed the divide and descended Muddy creek to
make certain its waters flowed to the west. The reconnaissance was
complete, and the pass over the divide was named Bryan's pass. 32
The engineering party returned to the North Platte, across Pass
creek and the Medicine Bow on a route a few miles to the north of
the outward route and rejoined it before reaching Laramie river.
Seeking a new route which might prove better than the one traveled
on the outward journey, the explorers turned to the south, crossing
the hills to the Cache la Poudre river in the vicinity of the present
Wyoming-Colorado boundary. They descended this stream to its
junction with the South Platte, forded the latter stream and
descended it in an easterly direction, crossing the Kiowa, Bijou and
Beaver creeks flowing from the south.
32. Bryan to Abert, February 19, 1857, published in "Report of the Chief Topographical
Engineer, 1857," in Report of the Secretary of War, House Ex. Doc. No. 2^ 35 Cong., 1 Sess.
(1857), V. 2, pp. 455-464.
48 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Fourteen miles beyond the mouth of the Beaver, Bryan resolved
to leave the South Platte and cross the open country to the Repub-
lican fork of the Kansas. The party remained in camp, however,
the following day, September 14, because of the illness and sudden
death of Frederick Bortheaux, who was buried on a ridge near the
banks of the river. Resuming the march, the surveyors crossed the
flat, sandy prairie en route to Rock creek, a tributary of the Arick-
aree fork of the Republican. This proved the most desolate coun-
try of the entire trip and very fatiguing for the draft animals. A
large party of Cheyenne Indians met the explorers on Rock creek
and gave evidence of preparing to attack before they discovered the
strength of the party's escort. Bryan's men went into camp im-
mediately, and the commander of the escort stationed sentinels to
keep the Indians out. A cold rain set in, and the party was greatly
inconvenienced by lack of fuel, there being only buffalo chips which
could not be used in wet weather.
The final section of the return route w r as down the Arickaree and
the Republican fork to Fort Riley. Bryan noted that the river
bottoms furnished subsistence for large herds of buffalo and elk
which made this valley a favorite hunting ground of the Cheyennes,
Comanches and Kiowas. These Indians intended to prevent the
government from making a wagon road along the river. He felt this
valley was superior to the Platte both for the establishment of mili-
tary posts and for settlements.
Leaving the main party in charge of John Lambert with instruc-
tions to proceed to Fort Riley, the lieutenant took a detachment
across to Solomon's fork for a further reconnaissance. After in-
specting the new bridges on the Arkansas route constructed in his
absence, his party arrived at Fort Riley on October 24. Both
groups disbanded at Leavenworth on November 7, having been in
the field four and a half months.
Bryan reported to the War Department that in view of the
limited funds remaining of the congressional appropriation the route
followed on the outward journey was the most advantageous. Run-
ning water was available the entire distance and that portion of the
load along the Platte was already well established. The greatest
obstacle was the lack of fuel. From Fort Kearny to Pine Bluffs, a
distance of 300 miles, only buffalo chips were to be found. In
Bryan's opinion this absence of timber, and consequently fuel and
shelter, would always make traveling along the Platte during the
winter a hazardous and painful experience. However, the road be-
*c .,
* *' '
i'c, ';;
YOSTS.
^ : '^^fm ^''^ r ^ ^ : '
><t^jm*$S%^^
TITLE PAGE FROM CALIFORNIA MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS, 1856
The memorial, for the construction of a wagon road to California, was in two
leather-bound volumes and contained 75,000 signatures. It is now in The Na-
tional Archives, Washington. The lettering on the title page, which is 16" X 11",
was in red, blue and gold-leaf.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 49
tween Fort Riley and Bridger's pass could be considered "practica-
ble/' for 33 wagons had gone over it in the season of 1856. The en-
gineer's only concern was the fact that his road led into the heart
of the mountains with no definite terminus. To make it of some
practicable value the War Department was urged to connect it with
the posts or stations west of the divide, possibly in the Salt Lake
Basin. 33
During the winter in St. Louis, Bryan and his associates prepared
a comprehensive report of their season's work. The topographer,
with two draftsmen, made an elaborate map of the road, including
nearby topographical features. Lambert also reported on several
side-surveys made under instructions from the army engineer;
Engelmann, the geologist and mining engineer of the expedition,
summarized his observations in a technical paper. The fossils he
had collected on the government expedition were examined by B. F.
Shumard of St. Louis who submitted a report on the paleontology.
In time, these maps and reports were forwarded to the bureau in
Washington. 34
In the spring of 1857 Bryan organized a party of laborers to pass
over his road again to remove obstacles and to grade the banks of
streams at crossings. Only with the assurance that an armed escort
of cavalry would be provided, could the engineer find men willing to
leave the settlements for several months on the assignment. 35 The
distance between Forts Riley and Kearny, measured at 193 miles,
was traveled in fourteen days and left in a "passable" state so that
the farther portions of the road might be worked first. No improve-
ments were deemed necessary between Fort Kearny and the Lara-
mie crossing, a road distance of 168 miles. When the Bryan party
arrived at the ford used the previous season it was impassable due
to high water, but four miles upstream a satisfactory crossing was
located at a camping ground of the Cheyenne Indians.
Along the route from the Platte to the head of Lodgepole creek
the crossings of streams were graded and in the timbered country at
the headwaters of the creek, trees and stones were removed from
33. Ibid., pp. 464-481.
34. Bryan to Abert, December 1, 1856, January 1, February 25 and May 14, 1857. The
main reports were published by the Secretary of War in his annual report for 1857, loc. cit.,
pp. 455-520. Two maps were forwarded during the winter: "Military Road from Fort Leav-
enworth to Fort Riley, Kansas; profiles Rock, Vermilion, Grasshopper & Stranger creeks, &
Blue and Republican Rivers" and "Reconnaissance of a Road from Fort Riley, Kansas to
Bridger's Pass made in obedience to instructions from the War Department in June, July, Au-
gust, September, and October, 1856." On the latter map Bryan listed J. Lambert, C. T. Lar-
ned and S. M. Cooper as assistants. These maps may be seen in the division of cartographic
records, The National Archives.
35. Bryan to Abert, April 24, 1857.
45797
50 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the road. Crossings of the Laramie and Medicine Bow were im-
proved, but Bryan noticed that the Medicine Bow was not suscep-
tible to permanent improvement due to boulders and gravel brought
down by the mountain torrents each season when the snows melted.
At several crossings of Sage creek, small log bridges were con-
structed sufficient for the passage of a single wagon. Bryan justified
his cursory improvements by remarking: "In opening this road, I
have endeavored to carry into effect the instructions of the Secretary
of War, namely, not to expend an undue amount on any one section
but to equalize as much as possible the expenditure, so as to make
all parts practicable before any part was elaborated." 36
The laborers returned to Fort Kearny by September 1 and then
turned their attention to improving the eastern section of the road.
At the crossing of the Little Blue the banks were graded and the
road opened through the timbered bottom. No bridge was deemed
necessary because the stream was usually fordable, but many of the
smaller streams between the Little Blue and Fort Riley were deep
and narrow and so difficult to cross that bridges were required.
Bryan did not have the requisite tools and mechanics to do the job
so resolved to discharge the party and sell the animals and property
belonging to the project to secure additional funds for the construc-
tion. 37
By March, 1858, drawings and specifications for ten small bridges
on the road immediately north of Fort Riley had been prepared and
a construction contract given to Alfred Hebard for $12,500. 38 The
unexpended funds for the road only totaled $9,500, but Bryan as-
sumed the mules, wagons, harness and other equipment of the ex-
pedition would bring $3,000 at an auction. When this state of af-
fairs was reported to the Secretary of War, Bryan was relieved of
his command and the Nebraska and Kansas roads were assigned
to Capt. E. G. Beckwith.
On July 23 the public auction held at Fort Leavenworth was
stopped by Beckwith's order because no reasonable bids were being
made by which a sufficient sum could be realized to cover the con-
tract. Since the Secretary of War's approval of Hebard's contract
was contingent upon raising $3,000 at the auction, Beckwith rene-
gotiated the contract whereby Hebard would accept the balance of
the funds for the road plus income from property sales, even if under
36. Ibid., December 10, 1857.
37. Ibid.
38. Ibid., March 29, 1858. The bridges were located at the following creeks: Madison,
Miry, Middleton, Loup, Parson's, Uphill, Rocky Ford, Crooked, Goodale's branch and Bryan's
fork.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 51
$12,500, provided an extension of time from September 1 to De-
cember 1, 1858, was granted to complete the bridges. He was also
to be permitted to use government mules for hauling supplies and
for construction work. This arrangement was approved by the War
Department. 39
Hebard's laborers used the timber growing on the Kansas streams
to build several log bridges, but iron and flooring had to be hauled
in to construct a half dozen frame bridges over the larger creeks.
The first grading proved a simple problem, but the contractor noted
that it was not permanent, for once the sod was broken the dirt
washed out on the slightest grades. During September Beckwith
reported the road in good traveling condition fifty miles above Fort
Riley. The contractor was putting up the bridge at Parson's creek,
which he hoped to complete during the first week of October and,
should the season prove favorable for work during November, all
the bridges would be completed within contract time. 40
On November 20 the laborers arrived at Fort Kearny, having
completed all bridges except two small log structures. Returning
immediately over the route, the contractor supervised the improve-
ment of approaches to bridges and the final constructions prior to
the end of the month. Beckwith announced that the road was in
excellent condition for the travel of the heaviest trains across the
plains, and hastened to Fort Leavenworth to report the close of the
season's operations on the road. 41
FROM OMAHA TO NEW FORT KEARNY
While Lieutenant Bryan was engaged in locating the route west of
Fort Riley to the Rockies in 1856, Lieutenant Dickerson concen-
trated his efforts on improving the eastern Nebraska military road.
The fifteen months elapsing between the passage of the law author-
izing this road and the assignment of Dickerson had been ample
for Nebraska residents to evaluate the effects of the government
project on the frontier communities. Residents south of the Platte
were disappointed that federal funds were to be concentrated on a
road along the north bank and at least one, who described himself
39. Beckwith to Lt. Col. J. H. Long, February 12, 1859. This report includes extensive
specifications for each of ten bridges which are of interest primarily to the engineer.
40. Ibid., September 27, 1858. This report written at "Camp of the Wagon Road From
Fort Riley to Bridger's Pass of the Rocky Mountains on Parson's Creek of the Republican
Fork of the Kansas River," was published in "Report of the Chief Topographical Engineer,
1858," Report of the Secretary of War, House Ex. Doc. No. 2, 35 Cong., 2 Sess. (1858), v. 2,
Part 2, pp. 1097, 1098.
41. Beckwith to Long, February 12, 1859. Beckwith also prepared a map showing the
location of bridges constructed in the valley of the Republican fork which is available in the
division of cartographic records, The National Archives.
52 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
as "a resident of Nebraska interested in the development of the
country/' wrote the chief of topographical engineers urging the ap-
pointment of a surveyor to examine and report on the possibility
of bridging the Platte near its mouth and building on the south bank
to avoid the crossings of the Elkhorn, Loup fork and Wood rivers. 42
While the local debate continued, the Nebraska governor, Mark W.
Izard, complained to officials in Washington that nothing had been
done on the road in the season of 1855. 43 This communication in-
augurated the investigation of Bryan's activities that culminated
in the division of the Kansas-Nebraska road work with the ap-
pointment of Lieutenant Dickerson.
Jefferson Davis, intensely concerned over the pattern of the army
transportation system as well as emigrant travel to the West, per-
sonally prepared Dickerson 's instructions, the form and content of
which provided the basis for a general circular of instructions to
officers and engineering agents of the topographical bureau assigned
to road building projects:
The road will be located along the most direct line connecting the two
points [wrote the Secretary of War] with due regard to cost of construction,
the selection of good points for passing streams by bridges or otherwise, and a
supply of wood and water.
The guiding consideration in the construction will be so to apply the amount
as to make the road practicable for the passage of wagons throughout its en-
tire length; if this can be accomplished for a less sum than that appropriated
then the remainder will be applied to the improvement of those parts which
present the greatest natural difficulties and give the least assurance of remain-
ing in repair.
While the best style of road possible should be constructed, no standard
should be adopted that will require any expenditure beyond the amount of
the appropriation, $50,000.
It is supposed that the streams to be crossed will form the chief obstacle
to overcome; the crossings of these will be carefully selected, with a view to
their being readily bridged in the shortest practicable time. You are therefore
authorized, after completing the reconnaissance and making the estimates to
put the road under construction at once, either by contract for the whole work,
or by contract for such portions as may be thus more advantageously con-
structed, or by contract for the supply of tools, materials, laborers, etc. either
for the whole or each part of the work as it may be found more advisable to
have performed under your own immediate charge. If contracts are made
they will be submitted for approval to the Department, but . . . you will
proceed at once to their execution, and if disapproved, the work done, ma-
terials supplied will be paid for at the rate agreed upon up to the time such
disapproval is communicated to the contractors.
42. Bird B. Chapman to Abert, March 28, 1855.
43. Izard to Robert McClelland, September 18, 1855. McClelland was Secretary of the
Interior. The governor obviously did not know where the responsibility for delay should be
placed.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 53
Plans and estimates for the work to be contracted for will be sent with
the contracts.
As soon after the location of the road as practicable, without . . . inter-
fering with the progress of the construction, you will prepare and transmit a re-
port and map or sketch showing the line of reconnaissance and of location,
and also a profile of the route if one should be obtained.
The Quartermaster, Subsistence, and Medical Departments will furnish you
with such supplies as you may require for your party. . . . The Ordnance
Department will furnish you on your requisitions such arms, accoutrements,
and ammunition as may be necessary. . . .
You are authorized to employ two assistants and to purchase such minor
instruments as may be necessary to carry out these instructions. Such further
instructions as may be required for your guidance will be given by the Colonel
of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, to whom your report will be made. 44
Dickerson met Bryan in St. Louis on June 1. There he received
the funds and instruments available for the survey, and within a
week departed for Fort Leavenworth where five wagons and teams,
twelve riding animals, camp equipage and forty days' rations for his
party were provided by the commandant. Dickerson's command
included two engineering assistants, hired in St. Louis, a wagon
master and twenty teamsters and laborers. 45 From Leavenworth
they crossed the Missouri river at Weston and marched through
Missouri and Iowa to Council Bluffs where they recrossed the Mis-
souri to Omaha. The party remained in Omaha four days, employ-
ing a guide and collecting information about the route. Out of
Omaha the surveyors followed the "Winter Quarters' trail" of the
Mormons across the Big and Little Papillon and struck the Elkhorn
river 18 miles above its junction with the Platte and 24 miles from
Omaha. The broken country between the Missouri and the Elk-
horn had made the route circuitous and would necessitate extensive
grading on approaches to streams.
At the Elkhorn the party came into the valley of the Platte and
continued upstream to the Loup fork which was crossed at the Mor-
mon ferry established to facilitate the migration of the Saints. After
continuing up the Loup fork on its southern bank for 57 miles, Dick-
erson's men crossed the sand hills in a southwesterly direction to
Prairie creek, which they followed 20 miles before leaving its banks
to pass over to Wood river at a point 25 miles above its junction
44. Jefferson Davis to Dickerson, May 27, 1856. Colonel Abert, as customary, had pre-
pared a rough draft of instructions to be sent to Dickerson and forwarded it to the secre-
tary's office, but it was returned with a notation: "The Secretary desired the instructions to be
more full than these contained in the rough draft . . . and finding it necessary to give
his authority to other branches of the service to aid Lt. Dickerson in his work he concluded to
give the instructions directly to him." Abert was instructed to give further directions relative
to reports and accounts.
45. Dickerson to Abert, July 20, 1856.
54 KANSAS HISTORICAL QuAifrERLY
with the Platte. The group left the Wood after six miles of travel
upstream and struck south to the Platte near Grand Island, along
which they traveled to a camp opposite Fort Kearny. The Platte
valley had not been followed west of its junction with the Loup fork
because it was reported to be so miry that wagons could not travel
through.
Dickerson's detachment saw no Indians along the route, for the
Pawnees, who wintered in villages along the Platte, had gone out to
the summer hunting grounds for buffalo, but having met hostile
Sioux and Cheyennes, some 3,500 had returned to Fort Kearny for
protection. Upon Dickerson's arrival, he was invited to attend a
council of their chiefs at which the Pawnees complained bitterly
that the federal government was running a road through their coun-
try without their approval and without having purchased the right
to the land from them as had been the custom when building through
lands belonging to other tribes. However, the Pawnees assured
Dickerson that they would offer no resistance to his party locating
the road, but they wanted to protest now lest it later be said they
had consented to the construction. The older chiefs observed that
the roads always brought white men who chased away their game,
and that emigrant roads involved them in many difficulties because
other tribes molested the trains and stole animals for which the
Pawnees received the blame.
The army engineer's outward route had coincided with that re-
cently used by Mormon and California emigrant parties, but at the
fort he learned that the earliest travelers along the north bank of
the Platte had come directly up the valley along the stream without
diverging to the north and going up the Loup fork. He resolved to
return along the Platte valley. First surveying a line due north of
Fort Kearny for three miles, Dickerson turned east, striking the
Wood river and following that stream to its junction with the Platte.
Moving down the Platte, across two small creeks, the Prairie and
the Boovis, the party discovered excellent ground for a road with
sufficient wood, water and grass. By this new route the length of
the march between Omaha and Kearny could be shortened 26 miles.
In his reports, Dickerson expressed an interest in the development
of Nebraska along the route of his road. He observed:
Indian corn, small grains, and vegetables, are being cultivated successfully
as far west as Shell Creek [a short distance west of Omaha], and would un-
doubtedly succeed in other portions of the valley. A luxuriant growth of
nutritious grass prevails throughout the Platte country, which will afford good
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 55
grazing during the summer and allow the husbandman to provide a supply
of hay for winter uses, . . .
This portion of the Territory is fast settling up with an industrious and
enterprising class of pioneers. Pre-emption claims have already been located
on all the timbered lands along the water courses as far west as the Loup Fork,
above which the Indian title has not been extinguished. But the scarcity
of timber, stone, and coal, and the remoteness of the country from a market
other than home consumption will operate against its ever becoming thickly
settled. 46
On the return trip the engineer was particularly observant of
stream crossings to determine the nature and extent of bridge build-
ing required. The Platte, seldom confined to one channel, was too
shallow for a ferry at Fort Kearny and reportedly too difficult to
bridge. Opposite the fort the stream had several channels, varying
in width from 30 to 300 yards, and the shifting quicksand bottom
even prevented the permanent location of a ford. The Wood, near
its junction with the Platte, where the road next crossed a stream,
had a hard surface of gravel, and, in the opinion of Dickerson, some
slight grading would prepare an excellent ford during the season of
1857.
Prairie and Boovis creeks between the Wood and the Loup fork
might be bridged to advantage but the engineer was convinced the
Indians would not allow them to stand long. The grass and tall
weeds along the creeks were burnt annually and Dickerson feared a
prairie fire would consume the bridges once the timbers were allowed
to season. He recommended a less expensive project by building
corduroy flush with the beds of the streams and fastening the logs
down so they would not be washed away by freshets. The Loup
fork was 1,056 feet wide at the ferry and he proposed to confine the
channel by pilings to improve the ford, but bridging at any reason-
able cost was impracticable.
At the Elkhorn, a stream about 200 feet wide, a bridge would be
constructed and an embankment thrown up at its western approach
for three-quarters of a mile. This was the most extensive of the
six bridges to be built between the Elkhorn and the Missouri, vary-
ing in length from 50 to 200 feet. 47
Lieutenant Dickerson completed his season's survey on August 14,
stored his instruments and public property at Fort Leavenworth and
dismissed his party. In the winter months a contract for the bridges
was made with Matthew J. Ragan who went immediately to Omaha
46. Ibid.,, December 15, 1856, in "Report of the Chief Topographical Engineer, 1857,"
loc. cit., p. 530.
47. The streams bridged were the Omaha branch, the two Papillon creeks, Rawhide creek,
Shell creek and the Elkhorn.
56 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
intending to build some of the smaller structures before spring.
Dickerson recommended that the $4,500 remaining after the contract
payment be used to hire a laboring party to improve the western
sector of the road under an army engineer in the season of 1857.
The congressional appropriation had made what Dickerson termed,
"a good wagon road for the greater part of the year." To render it
passable at all seasons he urged the War Department to request
another $25,000 from congress. 48
Captain Beckwith, who replaced Dickerson during the spring
of 1857, supervised the actual bridge constructions at the eastern
end of the road and, with a party of laborers, built small bridges
over Monroe and Prairie creeks west of the Loup crossing. Deep
trenches were dug alongside each of these as a fire guard. Although
this road was again reported as satisfactory in the dry season, it
remained impassable along portions of the Platte after the freshets
of spring. In the months of April, May and June the majority of
emigrants using the north side of the Platte as a route to the west
coast were delayed at the outset of their journey.
The $25,000 request that Dickerson recommended had been con-
sidered by the congress but no appropriation was granted. 49 Beck-
with renewed the request for additional funds with the War De-
partment at the season's close, and suggested the bridging of the
Loup fork which he considered still the most difficult place on the
road:
. . . where it is most practicable to cross it with a ferry boat, one day the
boat grounds, the next, in the middle of the stream; compelling the discharge
of loads into wagons, brought there across channels from the opposite shore.
. . . And as it is impracticable for wagons or teams to stand still, even a
short time, anywhere in the river, without miring in the quicksands, the diffi-
culties and labors and losses by emigrants, are very great, . . . 50
Experience on the Elkhorn indicated that piles driven 25 or 30
feet into the ground would be necessary to form the foundation
work of any permanent bridge on the Loup. Cottonwood for the
piles could be found nearby, but hard timber for the superstructure
48. The information for this account of Dickerson's work as a road surveyor has been ob-
tained from his reports to the bureau dated July 20, August 13 and December 15, 1856. Only
the last of these has been published in the "Report of the Chief Topographical Engineer,
1857," loc. cit., pp. 525-532. Two maps were forwarded to the bureau with the following
titles : "Map showing survey made for a Territorial Road from a point on the Missouri River
opposite Council Bluffs, Iowa (Omaha, Nebraska) showing located road and line of reconnais-
sance" and "Map and Profile of a survey made for a Territorial Road from a point on the
Missouri River (Omaha), opposite Council Bluffs to New Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory."
Both are available in the division of cartographic records, The National Archives.
49. House Report No. 180, 34 Cong., 3 Sess. (1857). The Congressional Globe, Washing-
ton, D. C., 35 Cong., 1 Sess. (1857-1858), Part 3, pp. 2057, 2118.
50. Beckwith to Abert, October 1, 1857, in "Report of the Chief Topographical Engineer,
1857," loc. cit., p. 533.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 57
would have to be brought 80 miles overland from the Missouri.
The estimated cost was $85,000.
These combined requests, totaling $110,000, repeatedly were in-
cluded in the annual report of the Secretary of War to the congress
but funds were not appropriated. In 1858 Captain Beckwith noti-
fied the department that had the appropriation been made in time
to complete the contemplated improvements that season, the cost
of transporting supplies overland to the Army of Utah could have
been greatly reduced. 51 With a bridge across the Loup fork, the
fertile lands on that stream and the Platte would be taken up by
settlers who could soon furnish subsistence for Fort Kearny at re-
duced prices. Even these practical considerations failed to influence
the congress. 52
The extensive military road building program of the Thirty-third
congress, 1853-1855, during which the appropriations for these three
major roads in Kansas and Nebraska were approved, had received a
sharp setback when the Thirty-fourth congress convened. Sen.
John B. Weller of California presented an elaborate petition in two
folio volumes containing 75,000 signatures of residents of his state
demanding better transportation facilities. 53 "Our petition to Con-
gress," he read, "is for the immediate construction of a wagon-road
between the frontier of the States of Missouri and California, fol-
lowing the general route of the old emigrant road, passing through
the valley of the Great Salt Lake, and reaching California at a point
on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, where the Carson Valley
leaves the mountains. . . ." 54 This petition, with more signers
than any previously presented to congress, was accompanied by a
memorial from the legislature of California also urging the con-
struction.
Weller introduced a bill early in the session authorizing the Post-
master General to contract for a triweekly mail service from the
Mississippi river to California. Since one of his primary purposes
had been the construction of a good wagon road, he included a pro-
vision allocating $150,000 to the contractor for building and grading
51. Twenty-five hundred troops under Col. Albert S. Johnston engaged in the so-called
"Utah Wai'" to force Mormon recognition of the authority of the federal government were
stationed at Fort Bridger during the winter of 1857-1858 and the following summer were in
the Salt Lake Basin. A large percentage of the $15,000,000 spent on this military expedition
went for the transportation of supplies.
52. The information relative to Beckwith's work on the road is obtained from his reports
to the bureau on October 1, November 1, December 1, 1857, and September 27, 1858. The
first and last of these have been published in the "Report of the Chief Topographical Engi-
neer" for 1857 and 1858.
53. These two heavy volumes were handsomely bound with hand-tooled leather and the
title page (see cut facing p. 49) elaborately engraved with red, blue and gold-leaf lettering.
The volumes may be found in the legislative reference division of The National Archives.
64. Congressional Globe, 34 Cong., 1 Sess. (1856), Part 2, p. 1297.
58 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
a road over which to carry the mail. He complained bitterly against
the committee on post office and post roads which had struck from
the bill that provision he deemed vital:
I desired to place the construction of the road under mail contractors. They
are the best road-makers in the world. They do not go out, as do the topo-
graphical engineers, with barometers and other instruments, to determine the
altitude of mountains; nor do they care about the botany, mineralogy, or
geology of the country; they take no other instruments than the ax, the shovel,
the spade, and the pick-ax. Their only object is to locate a road. 55
The California senator stormed at the army engineers for their
delay :
At the last session of Congress we appropriated $50,000 to construct a road
from Fort Riley to Bridger's Pass. I inquired this morning, whether that road
had yet been finished? and, to my astonishment, I received the information,
that in a very few days, the parties were going out to commence the work!
More than fifteen months have elapsed since Congress made an appropriation
to open that road, and the first movement has not yet been made! . . .
Certainly the whole of the last season and this spring ought not to have been
lost.56
The Weller oration was the prelude to an extended debate in con-
gress over the government's road building program. All did not
agree with the senator when he said, "These memorialists do not
ask you to stretch the Constitution to accommodate them. They
ask you to make no works of internal improvements within the limits
of a State, but they simply ask you to construct a good wagon road
through your own Territories, . . . You have the absolute power
to expend every dollar of the national Treasury, if you choose, in
making roads through the Territories." 57 The southern bloc in the
senate urged a military justification for road appropriations and de-
manded consideration for a southern route to the Pacific.
The upshot of the controversy was the passage of three bills ap-
propriating $550,000 for wagon roads to California. Fifty thousand
dollars was allotted for a road from Fort Ridgely in Minnesota ter-
ritory to the South pass of the Rocky Mountains in Nebraska ter-
ritory. 58 The road was to be joined by another coming west from
Fort Kearny to the South pass and thence constructed to the eastern
boundary of California near Honey Lake. Three hundred thousand
dollars was approved for this project. 59 A southern route to Cali-
fornia from a point opposite El Paso on the Rio Grande to Fort
55. Ibid., p. 1298.
56. Ibid.
57. Ibid.
58. United States Statutes at Large, v. 11, p. 27.
59. Ibid., p. 162.
ARMY ENGINEERS As ROAD SURVEYORS 59
Yuma at the mouth of the Gila justified another $200,000 of federal
funds. 60 In each case the responsibility for construction was trans-
ferred to the Secretary of the Interior who was to place all work
under civilian contractors.
This congress, like those of the two preceding sessions, continued
appropriations for military roads in Minnesota, Oregon and New
Mexico. But the army engineers had proved themselves too thorough
and too slow, according to congress, in constructing the roads needed
for the mails and by the emigrants crossing the plains to the Pacific.
Although civilian contractors were to take over the road building
program of the federal government in Kansas and Nebraska, the
army engineers had been the pioneers.
60. Ibid.
The Annual Meeting
THE seventy -third annual meeting of the Kansas State Historical
Society and board of directors was held in the rooms of the
Society on October 19, 1948.
The meeting of the directors was called to order by President R.
T. Aitchison at 10 a. m. First business was the reading of the
annual report by the secretary.
SECRETARY'S REPORT, YEAR ENDING OCTOBER 19, 1948
At the conclusion of last year's meeting, the newly elected president, Robert
T. Aitchison, reappointed Robert C. Rankin, Charles M. Correll and Gen.
Milton R. McLean to the executive committee. The members holding over
were John S. Dawson and T. M. Lillard.
BUDGET REQUESTS
Appropriation requests for the next biennium were filed with the state
budget director in September. In addition to the usual requests for salaries
and maintenance, several increases and special appropriations were asked for.
Among these are three items for the archives department: $10,000 a year
additional for microfilming, $32,000 for steel stacks, and $2,400 a year addi-
tional in the calendar clerk's fund. As the archives department, this Society
is required to preserve all state records of historical value. In the past two
years a vast quantity of documents has been received. Many of these are
piled on the floor in the basement and in other parts of the building. Since the
modern way to handle many of these archives is to microfilm them and de-
stroy the originals, the increase asked for in the microfilm fund will enable us
to operate a night shift on these records. The request for steel stacks is
necessary to take care of the archives which must be kept in their original
form.
The 1947 legislature appropriated $38,000 for steel stacks in the library.
This sum was based on an estimate made in September, 1946. In the summer
of 1947, when we asked for bids, steel prices had increased so much that only
a little over half the stacks could have been built. It was felt that it would
not be economical to do a partial job, so none of the appropriation was used.
New estimates have been made, allowing a 10 percent increase in steel prices
over the present market. As nearly as can be estimated, the total cost will be
$60,000. We have requested that the $38,000 be reappropriated, together with
$22,000 additional.
These stacks will be erected above the library on the third floor, which was
left uncompleted when the Memorial building was built 34 years ago. Since
then the library has almost doubled in size. Our present shelves are so badly
overcrowded that it is impossible to classify or house the books properly, and
many of them have been stored in the basement.
An increase of $1,000 a year is requested for the "Continuation of Wilder's
(60)
THE ANNUAL MEETING 61
Annals." Part of this money will be used to increase the salaries of the two
annalists and part will be used for a part-time typist.
Since the Historical Society took over the management of the Memorial
building, the outside walls have been repointed, caulked and painted, the roof
has been repaired, and about four-fifths of all interior walls have been painted.
Last spring the Memorial hall and the museum were redecorated. In connec-
tion with the latter job, more than 600 pictures were taken down from the
walls, cleaned and replaced.
No requests for special improvements on the building were made. Greatly
increased costs, however, make larger maintenance appropriations necessary.
Our contract for elevator inspection and maintenance, for example, was in-
creased about 60 percent. Much of the plumbing and electric wiring in the
building needs replacement, and more money is being asked for this work.
LIBRARY
During the year, 3,421 persons did research in the library, an increase of
about 400 over the preceding year. Of these, 1,701 worked on Kansas subjects,
808 on genealogy and 912 on general subjects. Numerous inquiries were
answered by letter and 108 packages on Kansas subjects were sent out from the
loan file. A total of 4,464 newspaper clippings were mounted from papers
covering January through December, 1947.
Many gifts of Kansas books and genealogies were received from indi-
viduals. Typed and printed genealogical records were presented by the
Colonial Dames, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Daughters
of Founders and Patriots of America and the United States Daughters of 1812.
A microfilm copy of the New Hampshire census for 1850 was purchased.
PICTURE COLLECTION
During the year, 405 pictures were classified and catalogued and added to
the picture collection. Of these, 141 were presented by the Woman's Kansas
Day Club and 63 by Russell W. Walker of St. John.
ARCHIVES DIVISION
Since the last report the following public records have been transferred to
the archives:
Source Title Dates Quantity
Architect's Office Correspondence
Files 1937, 1939, 1940 151 mss.
Auditor's Office Blueprints of Railroad
Rights-of-Way 1887, 1888,
1893, 1900-1902 580 mss.
Surveyor General's Plates
Illustrating Boundary
Markers No date 56 mss.
(Probably
territorial
period)
62
KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Board of Agriculture . .
. Abstract of Assessors'
Rolls 1893-1904
Abstract of Statistical
Rolls (Counties).. 1905-1910, 1912-
1914, 1916-1930,
1932-1939
Statistical Rolls of
Cities 1940-1947
Statistical Rolls of
Counties 1940, 1941
36 vols.
3,541 vols.
11,063 vols.
3,388 vols.
[Ness county,
1941, missing]
Governor's Office Correspondence Files of
Governor Schoeppel 1946 18,600 mss.
Insurance Department... Annual Statements of
Insurance Companies
Operating in Kansas 1871-1942
Annual Statements:
Admission Statements. . .1915-1943
School Retirement
Board .
Firemen's Relief Association:
Financial Statements 1927-1942
Firemen's Relief Fund:
Annual Statements and
Declarations 1921-1942
Firemen's Relief Fund:
Distribution .. ..1935-1941
List of Teachers on
Retirement Lists as
of July 1, 1948
1.356 vols.
49 vols.
16 vols.
42 vols.
7 vols.
1948 1 reel (16
mm. micro-
film)
These total 19,387 manuscripts and 19,498 volumes.
The largest accession of the year, that received from the Insurance depart-
ment, has been piled on the floor in the map room and the third floor annex
because no shelf space is available. These volumes, if placed on shelves, would
occupy about 360 linear feet of stack area, or about a fourth of the present
total capacity.
There are still large quantities of records in the state house which will one
day be transferred to our archives. This should be done without unnecessary
delay, because storage facilities there are far from adequate. The volumes
received from the Insurance department, for instance, had been kept in a base-
ment room and some of them were damaged by water leaking from the newly-
installed sprinkler system. Others show signs of attacks by mice.
Every department in the state house holds similar collections. The In-
THE ANNUAL MEETING 63
surance department, for example, still retains three record series which are
valuable as archives. These are the permanent parts of the correspondence
files, the records of examinations of Kansas insurance companies, and the file
of policy forms, a total of nearly 800 feet of records. More, of course, are
added each year. The office of the Secretary of State, for another example,
has several series of important records. If only the three or four largest groups
were to be transferred to our archives the original charters and annual state-
ments of corporations, original bonds of notaries, legislative journals, house
and senate bills and resolutions the linear footage required would be almost
as much as our present total shelf capacity.
MANUSCRIPT DIVISION
During the year, 24 manuscript volumes and 421 individual manuscripts
were received by the manuscript division.
Two diaries kept by James Stewart, one of the founders of Council City,
now Burlingame, were secured through the courtesy of Leon R. Mitchell of
Burlingame. They cover the years 1855-1857 and 1858-1860, and give much
valuable data on- early-day life and events in Osage county.
In 1871 the Ohio Soldiers Colony sent a locating committee to Kansas,
Colorado and Indian territory to select lands for homes. A detailed journal
of the trip, written by George C. Anderson, one of the committee, is a valuable
acquisition of the year.
Histories of 21 rural cemeteries in Douglas county, with tombstone inscrip-
tions, 1854-1920, were contributed by the Douglas County Historical Society.
This is the second volume of the compilation, which was made by William L.
Hastie. The first volume was received in 1944.
Through the cooperation of the Indiana State Historical Society, film
prints of an interesting Quaker journal have been added to our collections.
The author, Eleazer Bales, set down a minute account of his journey to Kansas
territory in May and June, 1859, to visit Quaker settlements.
Some papers of James M. Harvey, governor of Kansas from 1869 to 1873,
were received through I. M. Platt of Junction City and members of the Har-
vey family. Private letters make up the bulk of the collection.
Journals kept by Wilson Purdy, an early settler in south central Kansas,
were lent for copying by his daughter, Mrs. Franklin Gilson of Emporia.
Purdy wrote of his experiences in that region in 1874 and described in detail
his overland journey with four companions from Hutchinson to Santa Fe, New
Mexico territory, in October, 1874.
Other donors were : Mrs. Ed Bemish, J. W. Blood, L. G. Bodine, Florence
Bond, Geo. H. Browne, Dr. Thomas P. Butcher, Alex H. Case, Mrs. Edith S.
(DeMoss) Caughron, Dr. Berlin B. Chapman, Chicago Historical Society, Mrs.
0. P. Dellinger, Dickinson County Historical Society, The Fortnightly Club of
Topeka, Mrs. Florence (Fox) Harrop, E. S. Hughes, Lois Fern Hull, Arch
Jarrell, P. J. Jennings, Mrs. W. H. Jordan, Mrs. William K. McAllister, Mrs.
Vernon McArthur, Lincoln Martin, M. R. McLean, Mrs. Eileen Miles, Mrs.
Agnes Anderson Murray, C. Broderick Rafter, E. C. Robbins, Irving C. Root,
Jacob C. Ruppenthal, Dr. Joseph C. Shaw, George H. Shier, Isabel Smith,
Mary Belle Tillotson. Topeka Women's Bowling Association, Oswald Garrison
Villard, Mrs. Elizabeth B. White, Mrs. Charles Grob, Woman's Kansas Day
Club. Rea Woodman, and Mrs. Sam Zurbuchen.
64 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MICROFILM DIVISION
Over 1,125,000 pages of Kansas newspapers have now been photographed. A
major job completed during the year was the filming of the Wichita Eagle.
There are 25 reels of the Weekly, 1872-1919, 472 reels of the Morning paper,
1884-1947, and 140 reels of the Evening paper, 1927-1947. The entire film of
the three Eagles to the end of 1947 made 637 100-foot reels, or 63,700 feet.
This film, covering about 445,900 pages which the Wichita Eagle has published
during its first 75 years, requires only ten filing cabinet drawers for storage.
Thanks are due Marsh Murdock and Dick Long of the Eagle for their coop-
eration.
Filming of the Leavenworth Times, from 1868 through 1944, is practically
finished. The early files of the Times, 1857-1867, were microfilmed several
years ago through a cooperative project arranged by the Society with the
publisher, Dan Anthony, and the Library of Congress.
Although we have an extensive collection- of Kansas newspaper files, there
are gaps that can still be filled. Early issues of three papers were lent by
their publishers during the past year to be collated with our files. Runs of
the following papers were included in this filming: Burlingame Chronicle,
1863-1872 (2 reels), Russell Record, 1874-1877 (1 reel), and the Saline County
Journal, Salina, 1871-1880 (3 reels).
Among other items microfilmed were E. W. Howe's Monthly, 1914-1933
(2 reels), a rare file unavailable elsewhere; Pearson's Magazine, New York,
1919-1924 (1 reel), lent by W. G. Clugston, Topeka, to complete a gap in the
Society's library file, and the Topeka Daily Capital, January, 1936, through
June, 1938.
A test run has been made on archives volumes. Kansas election returns,
1861-1874, from the office of the Secretary of State, all went into one 100-foot
reel.
Since nearly a dozen publishers are now on the Society's list to have their
newspapers filmed, it appears that the microfilm division, despite its record of
one and one-quarter million photographs, is actually just beginning.
Obviously the Society can best serve posterity by microfilming as many
as possible of the old files that are breaking up through use and age. Our
newspaper filming is therefore being confined almost wholly to the older
papers. These will not be photographed, however, until all available files
can be assembled so that only the best pages of each issue are recorded.
Although the work of commercial concerns on old newspapers is seldom
satisfactory, we urge publishers to make contracts for filming current issues.
One publisher, Angelo Scott of Tola, has already engaged Recordak to film cur-
rent issues of the lola Register. He is furnishing us with a positive print with-
out charge, and has arranged for all his negatives to be stored under the
Society's control. Mr. Scott also will buy a positive copy of the microfilm
which the Society will make of the Register's early files.
NEWSPAPER AND CENSUS DIVISIONS
Thirty-five hundred patrons were served by the newspaper and census divi-
sions during the year, an increase of four hundred over last year.
Fifteen thousand five hundred single issues of newspapers and 11,122 bound
volumes or microfilm reels were consulted; 4,571 census volumes were searched
THE ANNUAL MEETING 65
and from them 2,369 certified copies of family records were issued. These
census records are used in making claims for old-age assistance, social security,
railroad retirement, pensions and insurance endowments, and for delayed birth
certificates and passports.
The 1948 annual List of Kansas Newspapers and Periodicals was distributed
in September, 1948. This is the 53d newspaper List since the Society's organi-
zation, and it has become more or less routine. The many complimentary
editorial comments and letters testify to the value of the publication.
The 1948 List shows the issues of 680 newspapers and periodicals being
received regularly for filing. These include 57 dailies, one triweekly, 13 semi-
weeklies, 384 weeklies, one three times monthly, 20 fortnightlies, 23 semi-
monthlies, two once every three weeks, 117 monthlies, 11 bimonthlies, 28 quar-
terlies. 19 occasionals, two semiarmuals and two annuals, coming from all the
105 Kansas counties. Of these 680 publications, 247 are listed as independent,
122 Republican and 22 as Democratic in politics; 92 are school or college, 37
religious, 22 fraternal, seven labor, 10 industrial, 14 trade and 107 miscellaneous.
On January 1, 1948, the Society's collection contained 52,241 bound volumes
of Kansas newspapers, in addition to more than 10,000 bound volumes of out-
of-state newspapers dated from 1767 to 1948.
With the daily Leavenworth Times which Dan Anthony sent us for micro-
filming were the following weekly Times volumes not previously in the files of
the Historical Society: 1870-1873, 1881 and 1882. These volumes have been
added to our collections. Among other donors of miscellaneous newspapers
were: I. M. Platt, Junction City; Mrs. Jane C. Rupp, Lincoln ville ; Cecil
Kingery. Phillipsburg ; Frances Bearnes, Salina; Karl Menninger, J. Walter
Mills and Rod Runyan. Topeka, and Miss Ruby Boory, Winfield.
ANNALS OF KANSAS
The years 1900 to 1906, inclusive, of the Annals of Kansas have been com-
piled during the past year. This entailed the scanning of 112,000 newspaper
pages: mostly the Topeka Daily Capital, the Kansas City (Mo.) Times, the
Wichita Daily Eagle, the Kansas Farmer, and in addition, the Topeka Daily
Herald for 1905 and 1906, when it was the official state paper. Approximately
650 weeklies and 250 dailies were used for checking items, besides state reports,
charters, directories and other library reference books and magazines.
More than ninety percent of the entries for those years are taken from the
Topeka Daily Capital. The Kansas City Times affords an excellent check on
the Capital on state news. The Wichita Daily Eagle of the period is used only
for local items, as it carried Oklahoma rather than Kansas news. The Kansas
Farmer was the official farm organ. Special effort is made to get a fair news
coverage of the state, to avoid having the Annals top-heavy with Topeka and
eastern Kansas news.
Newspapers of the 1900's are more conservative, more authentic, and con-
sequently more easily checked than those of the 1880's and 1890's. They have
more pages, however, and it still takes two annalists about eight weeks to read,
check, and write an Annals year. More than half the time is spent in reading.
Manuscripts in the period reported average 90 typewritten pages. This does
not include reports.
55797
66 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The compilation is being made by Miss Jennie Owen and Miss Ruth Urn-
son.
MUSEUM
The attendance for the year in the museum was 38,635. The largest number
on any one day was 1,009, when- the Santa Fe railroad sponsored a special tour
by parties from out of town. The museum was closed for redecorating from
February 3 to March 8. Since last March it has been kept open on Sunday
afternoons from 1 to 4:30 o'clock.
There were 60 accessions. Among the most interesting was a clock with
wooden works made by Daniel Pratt, Jr., who was an early American clock
maker of Reading, Mass. It was owned in the family of Cecil Kingery of
Phillipsburg for five generations.
Mrs. Harry Stucker of Lawrence gave a large walnut bed which had been
made especially for Governor Robinson. The sunflower motive is carried out
in the carving.
Two medicine cases and a "Materia Medica" used by Franklin Home, a
homeopathic physician of Beloit from 1888 to 1914, was donated by his son,
A. E. Home, and daughters, Mrs. H. W. Harbaugh and Mrs. G. W. McClung.
Fifteen souvenir dishes with Kansas scenes have been added to the collec-
tion.
John S. Swenson of Jewell county gave a reaper which was manufactured
in the 1870's by the Walter A. Wood Mowing and Reaping Machine Company
of Hoosick Falls, N. Y. It was purchased in Concordia and was used for many
years in Jewell county. A distinctive feature is the self-rake mechanism, the
rake rotating around the platform, sweeping the grain onto the ground in
bunches.
SUBJECTS FOR RESEARCH
Extended research on the following subjects was done during the year:
Biography: Edgar Watson Howe; Cyrus K. Holliday; William Clark; George
Washington Carver. General: Methodism in Kansas; State Board of Educa-
tion; Anti-Saloon League in Kansas politics; history of oil and gas conserva-
tion in Kansas; foreign immigration in Kansas; linguistic survey of Kansas;
French in Osage county; Western Surgical Association; legislative career of
Victor Murdock, 1909-1911; medical education in Kansas; history of the
amendments to the Kansas constitution from 1861 to 1930; history of Harper
county; history of Hodgeman county; history of Ness county; Negro educa-
tion in Topeka; segregation of Negro and white children in Topeka grade
schools; floods in the Pottawatomie river basin; history of the Beatrice Foods
Company; circus history; Doniphan expedition; Santa Fe trail; background
of Irving, Kan.; history of athletics at Midland College; Populist oratory,
1890-1894; oratory of John James Ingalls; history of Gunnison county, Colo-
rado; cattle industry; municipal-owned electric utilities.
ACCESSIONS
October 1, 1947, to September 30, 1948
Library :
Books 868
Pamphlets 1,775
Magazines (bound volumes) 185
Withdrawn 127 volumes and 25 pamphlets
THE ANNUAL MEETING 67
Archives :
Separate manuscripts 19,387
Manuscript volumes 19,498
Manuscript maps None
1 reel 16 mm. microfilm
Private manuscripts:
Separate manuscripts 421
Volumes 24
Printed maps, atlases and charts 264
Withdrawn 2,620 maps
Newspapers (bound volumes) 693
Pictures 405
Museum objects 60
TOTAL ACCESSIONS, SEPTEMBER 30, 1948
Books, pamphlets, bound newspapers and magazines 434,243
Separate manuscripts (archives) 1 ,632,610
Manuscript volumes (archives) 48,374
Manuscript maps (archives) 583
Printed maps, atlases and charts 10,797
Pictures 23,718
Museum objects 33,351
THE QUARTERLY
The Kansas Historical Quarterly, now in its seventeenth year, continues to
be widely quoted in the Kansas press. The "Letters of Julia Louisa Love joy,
1856-1864," which were concluded in the May Quarterly, were popular as a
colorful account of the lives of a pioneer minister and his wife on the prairies
of Kansas.
An item of regional interest is "William Clark's Diary," edited by Louise
Barry, which will be concluded in the November issue. The "Diary" has been
in the Society's possession for years. It reports on the weather and much of
the comings and goings of steamboats and Indians on the waterfront at St.
Louis from 1826 to 1831.
A substantial increase in the printing budget will be necessary if the So-
ciety is to maintain its present standards in the face of increasing printing and
binding costs.
OLD SHAWNEE MISSION
Attendance at the Mission continues to increase. Sight-seers include many
club groups from the two Kansas Citys and classes of school children from
nearby counties and from Missouri. Often the pupils are asked to write essays
about the Mission and a number have been sent to the Society. Among the
most interesting were those from a class of Catholic youngsters, describing
their impressions of this early Methodist school.
In August the Mission was visited by Chaplain and Mrs. John W. Beard
of Portland, Ore. They had just completed a 2,020-mile horseback journey
along the Oregon trail. Mr. and Mrs. Beard are both past sixty, yet they
spent nearly every night of their four-months' ride in a small tent which they
carried on a pack horse. They were much impressed by the buildings and
relics at the Mission, which was the Western outpost of civilization on the
trail a hundred years ago.
68 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The Society is indebted to the state departments of the Colonial Dames,
the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Daughters of American
Colonists, the Daughters of 1812, and to the Shawnee Mission Indian Histori-
cal Society for their continued cooperation at the Mission.
FIRST CAPITOL
The number of visitors at the First Capitol building on the Fort Riley
reservation is beginning to equal that of prewar years. For three years the
highway was closed to through traffic and attendance was limited to soldiers.
Minor repairs were made on the buildings and grounds during the year.
Budget requests include $250 to bring electricity to the grounds, $200 for
painting the caretaker's cottage and $100 for repairing sidewalks and replacing
trees and shrubs.
THE STAFF OF THE SOCIETY
The various accomplishments noted in this report are due to the Society's
splendid staff of employees. I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to
them. Special mention, perhaps, should be made of the heads of departments:
Helen M. McFarland, librarian; Edith Smelser, custodian of the museum;
Mrs. Lela Barnes, treasurer; Nyle H. Miller, microfilm director and managing
editor of the Quarterly; and Edgar Langsdorf, archivist and manager of the
building. Attention should also be called to the work of Harry A. Hardy
and his wife Kate, custodians of the Old Shawnee Mission, and to that of
John Scott, custodian of the First Capitol.
Respectfully submitted,
KIRKE MECHEM, Secretary.
At the conclusion of the reading of the secretary's report, Robert
Taft moved that it be accepted. Motion was seconded by Robert
C. Rankin and the report was accepted.
President Aitchison then called for the report of the treasurer,
Mrs. Lela Barnes :
TREASURER'S REPORT
Based on the audit of the state accountant for the period
September 1, 1947, to August 16, 1948.
MEMBERSHIP FEE FUND
Balance, September 1, 1947:
Cash $3,700.47
Postage 2.00
U. S. savings bonds, Series G 8,700.00
$12,402.47
Receipts :
Memberships 484.00
Reimbursement for postage 640. 50
Bond interest 242.50
Sale of book 1.00
Gift 10.00
1,378.00
$13,780.47
THE ANNUAL MEETING 69
Disbursements 1,024.91
Balance, August 16, 1948:
Cash 4,055.56
U. S. savings bonds, Series G 8,700.00
12,755.56
$13,780.47
JONATHAN PECKER BEQUEST
Balance, September 1, 1947:
Cash $170.34
U. S. treasury bonds 950.00
$1,120.34
Receipts :
Bond interest 27.27
Savings account interest 1.39
28.66
$1,149.00
Disbursements :
Microfilm census records 27.72
Books 7.20
34.92
Balance, August 16, 1948:
Cash 164.08
U. S. treasury bonds 950.00
1,114.08
$1,149.00
JOHN BOOTH BEQUEST
Balance, September 1, 1947:
Cash $43.38
U. S. treasury bonds 500.00
$543.38
Receipts :
Bond interest 14.39
Savings account interest .71
15.10
$558.48
Disbursements
Balance, August 16, 1948:
Cash 58.48
U. S. treasury bonds 500.00
$558.48
$558.48
70 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
THOMAS H. BOWLUS DONATION
This donation is substantiated by a U. S. savings bond, Series G, in the
amount of $1,000. The interest is credited to the membership fee fund.
ELIZABETH READER BEQUEST
Balance, September 1, 1947:
Cash in membership fee fund $311 . 19
U. S. savings bonds (shown in total bonds, membership
fee fund) 5,200.00
$5,511.19
Receipts :
Interest .. 130.00
$5,641.19
Disbursements
Balance, August 16, 1948:
Cash 441.19
U. S. savings bonds, Series G 5,200.00
$5,641.19
STATE APPROPRIATIONS
This report covers only the membership fee fund and other custodial funds.
It is not a statement of the appropriations made by the legislature for the
maintenance of the Society. These disbursements are not made by the treas-
urer of the Society, but by the state auditor. For the year ending June 30,
1948, these appropriations were: Kansas State Historical Society, $92,811.00;
Memorial building, $14,157.60; Old Shawnee Mission, $6,481.20; First Capitol
of Kansas, $1,150.00.
On motion by Robert C. Rankin, seconded by R. F. Brock, the
report was accepted.
The report of the executive committee on the audit by the state
accountant of the funds of the Society was called for and read by
John S. Dawson:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
October 15. 1948.
To the Board of Directors, Kansas State Historical Society:
The executive committee being directed under the bylaws to check the
accounts of the treasurer, states that the state accountant has audited the
funds of the State Historical Society, the First Capitol of Kansas and the Old
Shawnee Mission from September 1, 1947, to August 16, 1948, and that they
are hereby approved.
JOHN S. DAWSON, Chairman.
On motion by John S. Dawson, seconded by Robert Taft, the re-
port was accepted.
THE ANNUAL MEETING 71
The report of the nominating committee for officers of the Society
was read by John S. Dawson:
NOMINATING COMMITTEE'S REPORT
October 15, 1948.
To the Board oj Directors, Kansas State Historical Society:
Your committee on nominations submits the following report for officers
of the Kansas State Historical Society:
For a one-year term: R. F. Brock, Goodland, president; Frank Haucke,
Council Grove, first vice-president; Charles M. Correll, Manhattan, second
vice-president.
For a two-year term: Kirke Mechem, Topeka, secretary; Mrs. Lela Barnes,
Topeka, treasurer. Respectfully submitted,
JOHN S. DAWSON, Chairman.
The report was referred to the afternoon meeting of the board.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY
The annual meeting of the Kansas State Historical Society con-
vened at 2:00 p. m. The members were called to order by the presi-
dent, R. T. Aitchison.
The address by Mr. Aitchison follows:
Address of the President
RICHARD HAKLUYT
R. T. AITCHISON
RALEIGH, Cecil, Shakespeare, Elizabeth, Bacon, Drake: Names
like these are apt to make one think of Tudor England as a
nation of brilliant personages. It was, but supporting them were
many able men and organizations of the middle class.
Groups of wealthy individuals backed the adventures of Raleigh
and Drake; businessmen furnished the capital for English factors
in the East and West; Shakespeare and Bacon had their enthusias-
tic "subscribers" as have today's authors their clientele. License
fees from the trades financed Queen Elizabeth's projects. In the
middle class were the publicity and public relations men who helped
make the great names popular and assisted in promoting England's
prestige.
One of these commoners is the subject of this talk, Richard Hak-
luyt a man perhaps more responsible for the English settling North
America than any other.
72 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The Hakluyts were landowning farmers and cattlemen in Here-
fordshire. They were of Welsh descent and had been gentlemen for
several generations. Richard Hakluyt's father had moved to Lon-
don to become a skinner, which would be called today a tanner or
one in the leather business.
England about 1550 was a rather isolated island of sheep raisers,
and exported wool, leather and coarse woolens to the continent.
These exports were carried mainly in Dutch vessels, for England
had few ships ; not more than eighty.
Hakluyt's father retained his land in Hereford and with his busi-
ness and some property was in comfortable circumstances. Richard
attended Westminster school, where he was a queen's scholar. At
about the age of 18 he entered Oxford and held his studentship for
at least seventeen years. At Oxford, he mastered Latin, Greek,
Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. He received his master's
and was ordained at Christ Church, Oxford. The King's endow-
ment paid for his tuition. Richard took full advantage of the Tudor
N. Y. A.
At Oxford, Hakluyt taught its first class in modern geography.
Columbus and Vespucci traveled new paths with the second century
Ptolemy as a guide. Hakluyt; Ortelius, the map maker of Amster-
dam; Mercator, the scientific cartographer of Germany, and Ra-
musio, historian of Italy, charted known courses and furnished ac-
curate data to the seafarer of the sixteenth century.
Hakluyt's cousin, of the same name, was a barrister in the Middle
Temple. He was also a consultant in geography and seafaring.
When Richard was sixteen, the cousin aroused young Hakluyt's in-
terest in these subjects by showing him the modern globe and maps
by contemporary cartographers. He was told how necessary were
these charts and trade information to traders sailing under the Eng-
lish flag.
This interest in geography and travel became a mania with Rich-
ard. He searched the book shelves of England and interviewed all
travelers he had the opportunity to meet. Drake, Gilbert, Fro-
bisher, Cabot and Raleigh were his intimates. Government admin-
istrators such as Walsingham, Sidney, Howard and Cecil consulted
him.
Hakluyt became the outstanding geographer and consultant on
seafaring in England. He compiled material on sea lanes. He knew
where spices, silks, carpets, dyes could be found in the East, and
timber, tobacco, fish and furs in the West. He knew the English
merchandise which could be bartered for these products.
THE ANNUAL MEETING 73
Richard's friend, Steven Bellinger, had sold in France for 440
crowns what he had purchased in Norumbega, now Maine, for 40.
Hakluyt spent five years in France searching, interviewing and
translating, while there as chaplain to the English ambassador, Sir
Edward Stafford. He gathered data to prove to England the profits
in foreign trade.
In an interview with Ortelius, publisher of the first atlas, while
that map maker was in England, Hakluyt suggested he make from
Espejo's and Coronado's travels as detailed a map of New Mexico
as he had made of New Spain, farther south.
Hakluyt corresponded with Mercator about the northeast passage.
He never overlooked an opportunity to procure information which
could help bring wealth to England.
Drake's voyage had been profitable ten thousand fold. It inter-
ested the queen, who gambled extensively in piracy. Hakluyt real-
ized that the time was opportune to have an audience with Elizabeth
and gain her influence, if not financial assistance, to send Raleigh
on a trip to the Americas.
His reputation as geographer and his family's prominence made
the interview possible. His sales appeals were the immediate profit,
and the formation of a policy of English expansion which would
gain trade in the West to balance the dwindling trade in the East
and block colonial acquisition by Spain.
Hakluyt presented a plan to the queen which recommended seek-
ing raw materials from both East and West to convert into finished
products in England for export to the continent, proposing an eco-
nomic policy which still supports England. W^orld trade and empire
motivated Hakluyt's thinking and labor to the end of his life, and
his voluminous printed texts gave impetus to their attainment.
At the time of the audience with the queen, Hakluyt's Divers
Voyages, touching the discovery of American parts, was published.
This was a small compilation of voyages and travels with a page
list of American products England needed timber, furs, tobacco,
minerals, fish and the information it contained checks accurately
with today's knowledge.
The publicity Drake's financial success received made Divers
Voyages a best seller. Its reception caused a flood of pamphlets
and translations to hit the market. These editions, and especially
the Voyages, gave strength to the colonial party working for West-
ern plantings.
74 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Public interest was turning from the excitement of piratic gam-
bling to trade and pride of empire. Raleigh shifted from his raids
on Spanish treasure to planting colonies. Cecil was Raleigh's friend
and backer. Hakluyt had promoted Raleigh's adventures, with the
crown and with prominent merchants and statesmen, including Cecil.
When Raleigh asked assistance for his Guiana planting from Cecil,
the queen's secretary turned to Hakluyt for verification of Raleigh's
description of Guiana and its products.
Hakluyt was hired as consultant by the East India Company to
check the reports of their representatives stationed in India and
Burma. He supplied maps, listed the products available and the
locations where they could be found, together with market data. He
performed the same service to the Levant Company and other trad-
ers. Foreign merchant organizations purchased his services. A
Dutch group procured his assistance in planning a northeast passage
to China.
Richard's great interest was America. He saw the Russia Com-
pany trade dwindle until it was necessary for them to move to the
Near East. He realized the competition of the Dutch, Spanish and
Portuguese and their advantageous position in Eastern trade.
During his life Hakluyt was always a preacher in the church
and in his geographical work. He spent most of his time dissemi-
nating geographical knowledge, but his main income came from
the church. The queen presented him with a prebend in the Bristol
cathedral in 1586. It gave Richard a residence and fifteen or twenty
pounds a year. He was made rector of Wetheringsett in Suffolk,
adding another ten or fifteen pounds. At Cecil's request the queen
granted Richard a prebend at Westminster Abbey. Cecil made him
his chaplain, and in 1604, chaplain of Savoy. Walsingham while
secretary of state used his influence to increase Hakluyt's income.
On his death Cecil became secretary and carried on in the same
manner, but more successfully.
By 1604 Hakluyt had a comfortable living, four residences and a
house in London, his inheritance of the estate in Hereford, and a
considerable income as consultant in geographical matters.
It was a natural step to go from consultant to director in colonial
enterprises. Raleigh had a patent on Virginia, an undefined terri-
tory, and on Gilbert's death received the patent on New Foundland.
Sir Thomas Smith managed the Virginia planting for Raleigh, and
Hakluyt was made a director. Smith had been the governor of the
East India Company when Hakluyt was consultant, and when
THE ANNUAL MEETING 75
Smith sat as a member of the Royal Council for Virginia, Richard
was one of its patentees. While Smith was treasurer of Virginia,
Hakluyt was a shareholder. In 1612 Smith became chief of the
Northwest Passage Company and Hakluyt one of its trustees.
Richard led in the development of the South Virginia Company.
When Raleigh gave up active work in the Virginia Company he
turned the bankrupt project over to eight of its charter members,
retaining one-fifth right to any gold discovered. Of the eight char-
ter members, four were soldiers of the Plymouth Company and three
were soldiers of London. Hakluyt was the eighth member. This
transaction developed the first successful planting of an English
colony in what was to become the United States.
Hakluyt's determination, energy and geographic knowledge per-
haps made him more than any other person responsible for the
English settling of our country. If that is true, we can credit him
for our conducting this meeting in the English language. Spain,
Portugal, France and the Dutch planted the rest of the Western
Hemisphere. Spain had moved into Florida and New Mexico, and
France into Canada when England blocked their expansion with her
New England plantings.
To accelerate this drive for empire, Hakluyt procured Drake's
endorsement and a gift of twenty pounds to establish a foreign trade
school where navigation and geopolitics were to be taught. The
school started, though it was not adequately financed. Hakluyt
solicited Walsingham, the queen, and others for aid but could not
get the necessary funds, and the school ceased functioning.
Richard kept at his publishing, always striving toward publishing
the compilation of the travels, translations and trade information
he had collected. He published the first consistent body of colonial
literature in England. His translations and notes covered travels
in the Americas from Cabot's St. John's Island down the Atlantic
coast, across the bay to Mexico, through the countries of Central
and South America, including Coronado's and Espejo's conquests
in New Mexico, to Drake's voyage up the coast of California. In
these writings he covered locations, climate, native customs, hard-
ships, products, flora and fauna complete information on the then
known parts of the Western Hemisphere. These compilations and
writings were always done from original documents or interviews
with participants in the expeditions.
DeBray called on Hakluyt to assist him in publishing Heroit's
Virginia with White's drawings. It was printed in Latin, German,
English and French. They also collaborated in producing a history
76 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
of Florida with de Morgue's drawings. Hakluyt introduced DeBray
to the artists who had made their sketches while in Florida and
Virginia.
Hakluyt's complete works, 27 publications, numerous manuscripts
and translations, and copious notes, were compiled into three vol-
umes in 1598 and 1600, titled The Principal Navigations, Voyages,
Traffics and Discoveries of the English Nation. It was a momentous
work of one million seven hundred thousand words. It is today the
source students use for research on travel and discovery up to 1600.
The small volume of Voyages published in 1589-1590 was de-
signed to promote the establishment of colonies. Destruction of the
Spanish Armada in 1588 and the growth of the English navy made
it possible for the 1598-1600 edition of the English Voyages to con-
tain additional material on England's naval exploits and gave impe-
tus to the building of an empire.
Being rich from Elizabeth's long, peaceful reign, England planned
for supremacy of the seas. Mary, Queen of Scots, lost her head in
1587, and the Holy Roman church lost its chance for reestablish -
ment with it. All was serene on the British Isles and the time ripe
for expansion. Richard Hakluyt shot his remaining arrow at the
target of world dominance for queen and country. How near he
came to a bull's-eye is for the student to evaluate.
Contemporary discoverers recognized his endeavors and honored
Hakluyt as a place name on their travels. In the year of Richard
Hakluyt's death, Baffin, skirting the west coast of Greenland at the
northern neck of Baffin's Bay, took shelter on an island he named
Hakluyt's Island. Henry Hudson in 1608 named the northern point
of Spitsbergen, Hakluyt's headland. The exploring ship, Amity,
trying to find a northeast passage beyond the White sea, harbored
in an island river mouth and called it Hakluyt's river. Robert
Fotherby, searching a northern passage for the Russia Company in
1615 between Spitsbergen and Greenland, used as a landmark a
mountain "of a wonderful height and bigness." He named it Mount
Hakluyt.
It is interesting to note that all the places named for Hakluyt
were used for shelter or guidance.
Following the address of the president, Edgar Langsdorf, the So-
ciety's archivist, talked on his recent study of archives in Washing-
ton, D. C., and discussed application of approved archival methods
to the archives of Kansas, administered by the Society. Mr. Langs-
dorf *s talk follows:
THE ANNUAL MEETING 77
THE PROBLEM OF ARCHIVES
People have varying and sometimes rather hazy ideas as to what is meant
by archives, and perhaps this talk should begin with an explanation. Archives
are the official records of an organization. It may be a public organization,
as a state university or a public library. The archives of Kansas, for example,
are the official public records of the state which are accumulated in the trans-
action of the state's business. Or it may be a private organization, as the
Santa Fe railroad or the Congregational church. In any case, the archives are
the official records of the organization, the by-product of its business transac-
tions, and as the evidence of what has been done, and how and by whom it
was done, archives have substantial legal and historical importance.
In these days of typewriters and mimeographs and various other machines
for manufacturing records, the output of any large organization is tremen-
dous. The Federal government, which is probably without rival as a producer
of large quantities of records, accumulated about twelve million cubic feet
during the war years alone, a documentary mass which would require a build-
ing a city block square and fifty feet taller than the Santa Fe building to house
it. State governments and business organizations also produce large quanti-
ties of records, though fortunately not on so astronomical a scale. The ex-
istence of such immense quantities of materials constitutes a perpetual prob-
lem for the archivist.
Obviously a large percentage of the records created by any organization are
of transitory value, but always there is a core of permanently valuable ma-
terial. The archivist, in cooperation with the office which creates the records,
must find this permanently valuable core, weed out the unnecessary bulk
which accompanies it, and transfer the core to the archives depository for
preservation. There it must be put in its proper place, and there if its con-
tinued preservation is to be justified it must be made readily available for
use by the office which created it, by other interested agencies, and by his-
torians and other scholars who wish to study it. It is hardly necessary to re-
mark that records which are stored without order in attics or basements, in
such confusion that it is impossible to find a needed document, might as well
be nonexistent. The principle of accessibility is basic in modern archival
practice.
Strange as it may seem, the idea of preserving valuable records and making
them available for use is relatively new in this country. Our magnificent
National Archives building in Washington was only completed in 1935, after
many years of planning and propaganda by such organizations as the American
Historical Association and the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Before
that time, according to the first Bulletin of the National Archives (1936), the
government's records were found in cellars and attics and corridors, or piled
on the floors wherever space could be found, and when there was no more
space in the office buildings they were farmed out and stored in abandoned
carbarns, warehouses, deserted theaters, in fact in any place that could be
borrowed or rented. In the course of time many valuable records were de-
stroyed by fire, damaged by dampness and heat, eaten by insects, and muti-
lated by stamp collectors and autograph dealers. The fire marshal of the
District of Columbia reported to congress in 1915 that 250 fires had occurred in
government buildings in the district since 1873, an average of about six each
78 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
year for 42 years. On one occasion a member of the cabinet sold 400 tons of
official records to a junk dealer because he needed space for his office force.
No one knows what quantities of irreplaceable government records were lost
before the establishment of the National Archives.
The school which I attended last summer was a practical training course
given by the American University in cooperation with the National Archives.
The lectures and practical work were given in the Archives building and mem-
bers of the class were permitted the privileges of internes, which allowed us to
become familiar with the physical structure and arrangement of the building
as well as the work which goes on there.
It is a truly remarkable building, without question the finest and best-
equipped structure of its kind in the world. It is a huge cube containing 21
levels, or floors, of stacks, divided by fire walls and concrete floors into numer-
ous sections. The stack space totals more than five and a half million cubic
feet, with air-conditioning and humidity controls which provide clean air of
the proper temperature and moisture for records preservation. There are no
windows in the stacks; all light is artificial. Burglar- and fire-alarm systems
guarantee, as far as is humanly possible, the safety of the records. In addition
to the stack area, which is completely separated from the rest of the building,
there is a beautiful exhibition hall on the Constitution avenue side where
documents of special public interest are displayed. The German and Japanese
surrender documents were among those on exhibit when I was there. The
administrative offices, the library and the public search rooms are on the op-
posite side of the building, facing Pennsylvania avenue.
When materials are brought into the National Archives they are first of
all fumigated in a special gas chamber to kill any vegetable or animal life
that may have taken up residence in them. This is necessary to prevent con-
tamination by mold and damage by insects or rodents. All records that need
it about 66 percent, according to the latest report of the archivist are also
cleaned with compressed air blowers to remove loose dust. Further, if they
are badly curled or folded they are put through a humidifying chamber and
then pressed flat. Not until these processes are completed are the records
sent up to the division which will preserve them. When they arrive in the
division they are accessioned and shelved, and as soon as possible finding aids
are made for them. These aids are of various types, but the first to be pro-
duced ordinarily, after the accession record, is a checklist which summarizes
the contents of the file and gives a brief history of the creating office. This
list serves as a guide for the staff members and also for researchers. When
time permits, if the importance of the record justifies it, more elaborate
guides are prepared.
Many records which come to the National Archives are in bad condition
physically, either because of the poor quality of the paper or because of the
adverse conditions under which they have been stored. In such cases they
are repaired as soon as possible. The method of repair used at the National
Archives is called lamination, and it has been adopted by a number of state
archives and historical societies. It is a comparatively new process in which
cellulose acetate foil, a thin, transparent material resembling cellophane, is
applied to fragile and damaged papers by means of heat and pressure. The
THE ANNUAL MEETING 79
foil melts into the paper, strengthens the fibers, and forms a completely air-
and water-tight seal around the document. In addition to strengthening the
document the acetate seal preserves it, something which the older method of
backing paper with silk does not do. The only drawback to this method, so
far as most institutions are concerned, is the high initial cost of the equipment.
Any archivist or curator of manuscripts can learn a great deal from a visit
to the National Archives, though its operations and equipment are of course
on a scale far out of proportion to the work of any other institution in the
country. The state archives of Maryland, called the Hall of Records, which
the class visited three times, more nearly approximates our situation in Kan-
sas. The building is newer and better designed for its purpose than ours here,
and consequently it is more efficient. Its stacks, for example, like those of
the National Archives, are isolated from the rest of the building, with air-
conditioning to maintain proper temperature, and no problems arise such as
we have because of dust and dirt entering the open stack areas from the public
rooms, or because of steam pipes which in some places run too close to our
shelves and gradually cook the life from some of our papers. Maryland also
has excellent equipment, which includes a laminator, two photostat machines,
one of which photographs both sides of the paper for book work, and a micro-
film camera similar to ours.
All archivists have one major problem which has little to do with the actual
administration of records. That is the problem of public relations. Because
archival work is still a little-known field, it is necessary to prove to people
that our collections are not mere rows of musty documents, as many seem to
think, but that they have real practical value. Many people, unfortunately,
still cling to the idea that archives departments and historical societies too,
for that matter are merely places in which old documents and books are
stored away when no one wants them any more, and where a few gray-beards
putter around among the dusty piles to no apparent purpose.
I do not refer here to the value of archives as a source of information for
the scholar. In this respect an archives serves the same purpose as a historical
society in preserving source materials for serious students of history and the
other social sciences. Without such materials their work would be impossible.
Our correspondence files of the governors of Kansas, dating from 1861, to cite
only one example, are a mine of information for any student of Kansas history'.
An archives, however, serves in addition as an extension of the active files
of the other departments of government. The records which are transferred
to the archives are in some cases still frequently used by the departments which
created them, and of course many other agencies of government as well as
private researchers have occasion to use them also. We receive many requests,
for instance, for information from the charter books. This series, which was
compiled in the office of the Secretary of State, contains the record of every
corporation which has ever done business in Kansas. Such information is not
only valuable historically but frequently has current legal importance, even
though many years may have elapsed since the record was made. The same
is true of our series of records of notary commissions. We had an inquiry
not long ago from a lawyer who was interested in a case involving title to land.
A legal question had come up concerning the validity of the commission of a
80 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
notary who had witnessed a transfer of title many years before. It was sus-
pected that his commission had expired before the date of the transfer. If
true, not only might this transaction be invalid, but all subsequent transfers of
the property likewise would be subject to question, and long and costly liti-
gation probably would result. In this case, by reference to our records of
notary commissions, we were able to establish the fact that the notary had
renewed his commission and that his authentication was legally correct. In
similar instances we have also been called upon to authenticate official sig-
natures by comparing them with known true signatures in our archives. Such
archival services are more or less common, and are accepted by the public
often without realization of the legal difficulties which might arise if our records
were not available.
These are illustrations of one of the most important reasons for preserving
records, that is, to document the rights and privileges of the people. An even
more striking illustration here at the Society is the 1 large number of requests
for census information that we receive. This is a case of the daily use of
official records, all 25 to 50 years old or more, which are needed to establish
the most fundamental fact about any individual: the date and place of his
birth. Because of the increasing demand for records which provide informa-
tion about the individual citizen his employment history, for example, so that
he may take advantage of social security, railroad retirement, and other forms
of retirement insurance the archives will play an even larger part in the
future.
The preservation of archives is valuable, of course, for other reasons than
to serve the needs of individuals. Governmental machinery and procedures
can be improved if we are willing to learn from experience. By studying the
records of the past we can avoid making the same mistake twice. During the
war years, when various emergency agencies were created in the government,
records of similar agencies of the first World War were studied carefully for
this very reason. These records "had been preserved and were available in the
National Archives. Agencies such as the War Production Board, the Office
of Price Administration, the War Industries Board, the Council of National
Defense, and many others, found much valuable information in records of the
first World War which was used in developing policies and drawing up opera-
tional plans. Permanent agencies such as the Weather Bureau and the Bureau
of Mines also made use of their own earlier records.
So far as the state of Kansas and the members of this Society are con-
cerned, there is one illustration of the value of archives which drives home tho
point better than any other. If certain state records had not been preserved
in this Society, we probably would not have this Memorial building today.
The two appropriations made by congress in 1908 and 1909 to reimburse the
state for expenses incurred in equipping its soldiers in the Civil War, and for
repelling invasions and suppressing Indian hostilities, were secured because
proof of the Kansas claims was available in our files. The state agent in
Washington who pushed the appropriations through congress is quoted as say-
ing that "without the records kept by the Historical Society, and nowhere else
to be found, the state never could have collected a dollar." The Memorial
building was constructed with the money thus received from the Federal gov-
ernment.
THE ANNUAL MEETING 81
There are many things which should be done to make our archives more
serviceable to the people of the state. First, however, we must convince the
legislature that we have a job to do which cannot be done satisfactorily with-
out essential equipment. Kansas got off to a flying start in archives, as you
know. Although the United States as a whole did not become archives-
conscious until the beginning of this century, when there was little knowledge
of archival functions and few precedents to follow, our legislature made this
Society the official archival agency of the state in 1905. The word archives was
not used in the act, but it was provided that state, county or other officials
might "turn over to the Kansas state historical society, for permanent preser-
vation therein, any books, records, documents, original papers, or manuscripts,
newspaper files and printed books not required by law to be kept in such
office as a part of the public records three years after the current use of the
same, or sooner in the discretion of the head of the department." Here we
had at least the legal beginnings of a state archives, and a year earlier at that
than Iowa, which is generally credited with being the pioneer state in the
Middle West.
Unhappily, and we may as well admit it, our progress since 1905 has not
fulfilled the promise of our early beginning. It was natural that our library
and our newspaper division, which were already well-known and widely used,
should tend to overwhelm the infant archives division, particularly since few
people knew what an archives was or should be, and even fewer cared. These
two divisions, of which the Society is so proud, have in the course of time been
well-equipped, their holdings have grown, and today they are well-organized,
their materials are easily available to researchers, and consequently they at-
tract visitors from all over the state and from other states as well. The ar-
chives, on the other hand, is an- orphan child, provided with a roof overhead
but with little else. In the 43 years of its existence the archives division has
been given not a single foot of permanent stack equipment. We now have
about two million documents manuscripts and bound volumes with no place
to put them except a few temporary wooden shelves which overflowed many
years ago. Now we have valuable official records piled all over the building,
and it is a real problem to find a record in response to a request.
Our plans for the future, then, include first of all a request to the legislature
for money to build stacks. If the 1949 legislature will grant an appropriation
for this purpose, one of our most immediate difficulties will be largely over-
come. I say one of our difficulties will be largely overcome, because we need
more than stacks. When it is realized that our largest accession of the past
year, the 1,470 volumes received from the Insurance department, amounts to
about 600 cubic feet enough to occupy nearly one-fourth of our present shelf
space and that many other state departments still have records equally bulky
which we must prepare to handle, it is obvious that more is needed than
shelves in one room. At the rate at which we may reasonably expect to receive
accessions to the archives in the next ten or fifteen years we will overflow this
building, even if we were able to build stacks in every room. There are two
possible means of solving this situation. Either we must have more room,
which means the construction or leasing of another building, or we must reduce
the bulk of our records. The latter seems at this time to be the most advisable
course. We can reduce the bulk of our archives by a large-scale program of
65797
82 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
microfilming, which, despite a number of disadvantages, is the best method
now known for keeping large groups of records in a small space. An ex-
panded microfilming program will require a substantial increase in funds, too,
for more people will be needed to prepare material for the camera and more
money will be needed for film and processing. These funds also will be re-
quested from the 1949 legislature.
Our situation as regards room to work in and equipment to work with grows
more difficult each year. Our state government has outgrown the state house
and is planning a new office building. The state's clerical force is expanding,
more and more records are being produced. Those of permanent value must
be kept. We hope that Kansas will not overlook the importance of preserving
her valuable public records, and that plans will be made soon for placing her
archives in the front rank of the states.
Following Mr. Langsdorf s talk, the report of the committee on
nominations was called for:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTORS
October 15, 1948.
To the Kansas State Historical Society:
Your committee on nominations submits the following report and recom-
mendations for directors of the Society for the term of three years ending
October, 1951:
Bailey, Roy F., Salina. McFarland, Helen M., Topeka.
Beezley, George F., Girard. Malone, James, Topeka.
Bowlus, Thomas H., lola. Mechem, Kirke, Topeka.
Brinkerhoff, Fred W., Pittsburg. Mueller, Harrie S., Wichita.
Browne, Charles H., Horton. Philip, Mrs. W. D., Hays.
Campbell, Mrs. Spurgeon B., Rankin, Robert C., Lawrence.
Kansas City. Ruppenthal, J. C., Russell.
Cron, F. H., El Dorado. Sayers, Wm. L., Hill City.
Ebright, Homer K, Baldwin. Simons, W. C., Lawrence.
Embree, Mrs. Mary, Topeka. Skinner, Alton H., Kansas City.
Gray, John M., Kirwin. Stanley, W. E., Wichita.
Hamilton, R. L., Beloit. Stone, John R., Topeka.
Harger, Charles M., Abilene. Stone, Robert, Topeka.
Harvey, Mrs. A. M., Topeka. Taft, Robert, Lawrence.
Haucke, Frank, Council Grove. Templar, George, Arkansas City.
Lingenfelser, Angelus, Atchison. Trembly, W. B., Kansas City.
Long, Richard M., Wichita. Woodring, Harry H., Topeka.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN S. DAWSON, Chairman.
Upon motion by John S. Dawson, seconded by Frank A. Hobble,
the report of the committee was accepted unanimously and the
members of the board were declared elected for the term ending in
October, 1951.
THE ANNUAL MEETING 83
Robert C. Rankin, representing the executive committee, pre-
sented the following resolution to the meeting:
WHEREAS, the management of the Kansas State Historical Society has been
for the past eighteen years under the supervision of Kirke Mechem, secretary,
so efficient as to earn for our Society very high rank as one of the best state
historical societies in the United States.
Some of the most outstanding accomplishments of the Society under Mr.
Mechem are:
(a) Rapid progress towards microfilming of the files of old newspapers a
process necessary for the preservation of our remarkably complete and ex-
tremely valuable collection of newspapers;
(b) Restoration and attractive furnishing and upkeep of Shawnee Mission,
one of the state's most valuable and interesting shrines of Kansas territorial
days;
(c) Organization and staffing of our various departments upon such an
efficient basis that the Society is in continuous use by nationally-known ex-
perts, as a source of historical data in the preparation of many valuable books
and other literary productions which require accurate research work, and
WHEREAS, The annual salary now fixed by law for secretary of the State His-
torical Society at $4,000 is substantially lower than salaries paid to officers of
similar societies in other states the usual range being from $5,000 to $6,500
and is too low to constitute reasonable compensation for the services rendered,
particularly under present financial conditions,
THEREFORE, be it resolved by the members of the State Historical Society in
annual meeting at Topeka, Kan., on October 19, 1948, that we hereby petition
the legislature of Kansas, at its 1949 session to raise the annual salary of the
secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society from $4,000 to $5,000.
On motion by Mr. Rankin, seconded by John S. Dawson, the
resolution was adopted.
An oil portrait of Peter McVicar, painted by the Topeka artist,
George Stone, was presented to the Society as a gift from Dr. Mc-
Vicar's nephew, A. J. Sutherland, of Eau Clair, Wis.
Reports of county and local societies were called for and were
given as follows: Gus Norton for the Finney County Historical
Society ; Clyde K. Rodkey for the Riley County Historical Society ;
Mrs. Franklin Gilson for the Lyon County Historical Society; the
Rev. Angelus Lingenfelser for the Kansas Catholic Historical So-
ciety, and Robert Stone for the Shawnee County Historical Society.
There being no further business, the annual meeting of the Society
adjourned.
84
KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The afternoon meeting of the board of directors was called to
order by Mr. Aitchison. He asked for a rereading of the report of
the nominating committee for officers of the Society. The report
was read by John S. Dawson, chairman, who moved that it be
accepted. Motion was seconded by Wilford Riegle and the follow-
ing were unanimously elected :
For a one-year term: R. F. Brock, Goodland, president; Frank
Haucke, Council Grove, first vice-president; Charles M. Correll,
Manhattan, second vice-president.
For a two-year term: Kirke Mechem, Topeka, secretary; Mrs.
Lela Barnes, Topeka, treasurer.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
DIRECTORS OF THE KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
AS OF OCTOBER, 1948
DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDING OCTOBER, 1949
Barr, Frank, Wichita.
Berryman, Jerome C., Ashland.
Brigham, Mrs. Lalla M., Council
Grove.
Brock, R. F., Goodland.
Bumgardner, Edward, Lawrence.
Correll, Charles M., Manhattan.
Davis, W. W., Lawrence.
Denious, Jess C., Dodge City.
Fay, Mrs. Mamie Axline, Pratt.
Frizell, E. E., Lamed.
Godsey, Mrs. Flora R., Emporia.
Hall, Mrs. Carrie A., Leavenworth.
Hall, S'tandish, Wichita.
Hegler, Ben F., Wichita.
Jones, Horace, Lyons.
Lillard, T. M., Topeka.
Lindsley, H. K, Wichita.
Means, Hugh, Lawrence.
Owen, Dr. Arthur K., Topeka.
Owen, Mrs. E. M., Lawrence.
Patrick, Mrs. Mae C., Satanta.
Payne, Mrs. L. F., Manhattan.
Reed, Clyde M., Parsons.
Riegle, Wilford, Emporia
Rupp, Mrs. Jane C., Lincolnville.
Schultz, Floyd B., Clay Center.
Sloan, E. R., Topeka.
Smelser, Maud, Lawrence.
Stewart, Mrs. James G., Topeka.
Van De Mark, M. V. B., Concordia.
Wark, George H., Caney.
Wheeler, Mrs. Bennett R., Topeka.
Wooster, Lorraine E., Salina.
DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDING OCTOBER, 1950
Aitchison, R. T., Wichita.
Anthony, D. R., Leavenworth.
Baugher, Charles A., Ellis.
Beck, Will T., Holton.
Capper, Arthur, Topeka.
Carson, F. L., Wichita.
Chambers, Lloyd, Wichita.
Cotton, Corlett J., Lawrence.
Dawson, John S., Hill City.
Euwer, Elmer E., Goodland.
Hobble, Frank A., Dodge City.
Hogin, John C., Belleville.
Howes, Cecil C., Topeka.
Hunt, Charles L., Concordia.
Knapp, Dallas W., Coffeyville.
Lilleston, W. F., Wichita.
McLean, Milton R., Topeka.
Malin, James C., Lawrence.
Mayhew, Mrs. Patricia Solander,
Topeka.
Miller, Karl, Dodge City.
Moore, Russell, Wichita.
Price, Ralph R., Manhattan.
Raynesford, H. C., Ellis.
Redmond, John, Burlington.
Rodkey, Clyde K., Manhattan.
Russell, W. J., Topeka.
Shaw, Joseph C., Topeka.
Somers, John G., Newton.
Stewart, Donald, Independence.
Thomas, E. A., Topeka.
Thompson, W. F., Topeka.
Van Tuyl, Mrs. Effie H., Leavenworth.
Walker, Mrs. Ida M., Norton.
THE ANNUAL MEETING
85
DIRECTORS FOR THE
Bailey, Roy F., Salina.
Beezley, George F., Girard.
Bowlus, Thomas H., lola.
Brinkerhoff, Fred W., Pittsburg.
Browne, Charles H., Horton.
Campbell, Mrs. Spurgeon B.,
Kansas City.
Cron, F. H., El Dorado.
Ebright, Homer K., Baldwin.
Embree, Mrs. Mary, Topeka.
Gray, John M., Kirwin.
Hamilton, R. L., Beloit.
Harger, Charles M., Abilene.
Harvey, Mrs. A. M., Topeka.
Haucke, Frank, Council Grove.
Lingenfelser, Ajigelus, Atchison.
Long, Richard M., Wichita.
YEAR ENDING OCTOBER, 1951
McFarland, Helen M., Topeka.
Malone, James, Topeka.
Mechem, Kirke, Topeka.
Mueller, Harrie S., Wichita.
Philip, Mrs. W. D., Hays.
Rankin, Robert C., Lawrence.
Ruppenthal, J. C., Russell.
Sayers, Wm. L., Hill City.
Simons, W. C., Lawrence.
Skinner, Alton H., Kansas City.
Stanley, W. E., Wichita.
Stone, John R., Topeka.
Stone, Robert, Topeka.
Taft, Robert, Lawrence.
Templar, George, Arkansas City.
Trembly, W. B., Kansas City.
Woodring, Harry H., Topeka.
Bypaths of Kansas History
GIRL Vs. BOY BEFORE THE ERA OF THE SHMOOS
The Kansas Daily Commonwealth, Topeka, August 23, 1872.
Ottawa boys wear shirts made from flour sacks. When a girl longs to know
what brand her lover is bagged in, she pursues him to the river bank, and when
he dives, she draws near, looks only at the mark of "XX" or "XXX" and hur-
ries away before John rises. She gets away, of course she does, and never looks
behind her.
APRIL FOOL IN EARLY-DAY DODGE
From the Ford County Globe, Dodge City, April 2, 1878.
At three o'clock yesterday morning, several parties rushed frantically
through our streets yelling "fire!" Immediately the different alarm bells of
the City began to "clang out" on the midnight air that weird terrible sound
which sends the cold blood rushing through the veins of the bravest. Pistol
shots joined in the general tumult. Howls! yells! shrieks! also took part.
Everybody ran to the engine house, grabbing the hook and ladder wagon the
crowd pushed madly towards the Lady Gay, round the corner, and down
Bridge St. for about a block, when the astonished firemen discovered that the
fire they were rushing so frantically to, consisted of a few barrels and boxes,
which had been placed upon a sand bar in the middle of the river, and pur-
posely ignited. The boys recognized the fact that they were all first-class
April fools, and yesterday, although we knew that everybody was out to see
the fire, you couldn't find a man, woman or child, over two years and a half
old who would acknowledge that he had heard the alarm or was waked at all.
EARLY DAYS ON THE A. T. & S. F.
From The Globe Live Stock Journal, Dodge City, July 7, 1885.
The Santa Fe railroad was built from Newton to the state line in 1872; it
had to be completed that far that year to secure their land grant. There was
no money in operating the road at that time, west of Newton, and for several
years afterwards. During the winter of 1874, one man had charge of the track
from Lamed to the state line; he used to go west on the five o'clock train in
the morning, and return on the eight o'clock train in the evening. He rode on
the platform of the rear car and watched the track, if anything wrong was
noticed, the train was stopped for him to make repairs. During the summer
of 1875, Lieut. Spencer, of the 17th Infantry, stationed at Fort Lamed with a
detail of five or six soldiers, went west every morning and returned in the
evening as a guard for the train. At that time from Larned west, there was but
one train a day each way, and that was freight and passenger combined.
Larned was the end of the freight division. Mills and Newhall were the pas-
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BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 87
senger conductors from Newton to this city. Mr. Newhall generally layed
over Sunday here and was the superintendent of a small Sunday school, we
think the first to be organized in Dodge City. No Pullman cars were run west
of Newton until the winter of 75-76, and then for some time the conductor of
the train was also conductor of the Pullman. The summer and winter of
seventy-four, Lamed was an eating station for breakfast and supper. In
seventy-five the trains stopped for meals at Kinsley. The company's eating
houses were at Lakin, Emporia and Topeka. In seventy-eight and nine,
Lamed and Florence were eating stations, now they are Coolidge, Kinsley,
Newton and Topeka, in this state. In 74-75, the cattle shipped over this road
were loaded at Great Bend, and that was the cattle town of the valley, and a
lively place, with all the good and bad that Dodge City has ever had the name
of having. There were no settlements south of the river, except an occasional
cattle ranch, and the great herds came over the trail straight to Great Bend
for shipment, or passed on north to the Kansas Pacific. The most of the herds
going north crossed the river this side of Great Bend, but it made but little
difference in those days as there was nothing to intrude on but the Indians and
buffalo.
There have been so many changes in the past ten years in the Arkansas
valley, that it is hard to recognize in the cities along the valley, the little
stations of those times. There was not a house at Nickerson. Sterling was
called Peace, and had but a small showing for a town; Great Bend was the
biggest town- in the upper valley; Larned was not a third as large as Speare-
ville is now; Garfield, then called Camp Criley, had perhaps ten houses, and
Kinsley not as many as Garfield. Speareville was known as the Dry Ridge
with a water tank. Dodge City was about all on Front street; but in those
days was really and truly a loud place. From here to the state line was next
to nothing in the way of stations. Pierceville made a start, but the Indians
filed a contest and ruined the town in the summer of seventy-four. Syracuse
was first started by a colony from New York, who were mostly railroad con-
ductors and others who knew nothing about skinning buffalo or hauling bones,
and that was the only show for making a living, so the first settlers mostly
returned to their old homes in the east, and Syracuse is now just taking the
first boom they have had in ten years. In the fall of eighty-one, the railroad
hotel was moved from Lakin to Coolidge, as was the end of the divisions,
which ruined Lakin until this year, when the town began to build and is now
going ahead as only a Kansas town can. There is a good deal of history con-
nected with the stations in the valley, commencing with and including Newton
to Granada, the first station in Colorado, about twelve miles from our line.
The town of Coolidge is less than a mile from the Colorado line, which will
give another town in that county a chance to make a good sized place, which
as a matter of course must be the county seat.
Kansas History as Published in the Press
Indian burial sites in Geary and Clay counties were discussed by
Floyd Schultz and Albert C. Spaulding in an illustrated article, "A
Hopewellian Burial Site in the Lower Republican Valley, Kansas,"
printed in the April, 1948, number of American Antiquity, official
publication of the Society for American Archaeology.
The first part of a series entitled, "The Geography of Kansas," by
Walter H. Schoewe, of the University of Kansas, was published in
the September, 1948, number of the Transactions of the Kansas
Academy of Science, Lawrence. This installment deals with the po-
litical geography of the state; subsequent installments will consider
other phases of Kansas geography.
The September, 1948, number of the Bulletin of the Shawnee
County Historical Society, Topeka, included the following articles:
"History of the Topeka Free Public Library," by William A. Biby,
president of the board of directors; "Topeka Founded on Wyandott
Float," by Russell K. Hickman; the fifth installment of William
W. Cone's "Shawnee County Townships," and a continuation of
George Root's "Chronology of Shawnee County." A review of the
life of Cyrus Kurtz Holliday, by Milton Tabor, was the feature of
the December issue of the Bulletin. Other articles were : "The First
Few Days," as gleaned from F. W. Giles' account of the founding of
Topeka in his book, Thirty Years in Topeka, and other installments
of Cone's "Shawnee County Townships," and Root's "Chronology."
A biographical sketch of the late Bert P. Walker appeared in the
Osborne Farmer- Journal, September 16, 1948. Mr. Walker was born
in Wisconsin in 1872 and came to Kansas with his parents when still
a boy, settling at Peabody. When a young man he began work on
the Osborne County Farmer which he bought in 1904 and owned for
38 years. Early in his journalistic career he began the use of the
title, "The Village Deacon," which was associated with his writing
as long as he wrote for publication. In 1921 Walker was appointed
state printer to fill a vacancy. He served in that capacity for 12
years, being reflected five times. Mr. Walker died September 11,
1948.
Sedan's newspaper history was sketched in the Sedan Times-Star,
September 23, 1948. Also featured were a story of the Boston-Elk
Falls county-seat fight and an article headed: "Do You Remember
(88)
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 89
When This And That Happened Thru the Years?" In the issue of
September 30 the history of Cedar Vale, established in 1870, was re-
viewed.
The Burrton Graphic, September 23, 1948, in celebration of the
75th anniversary of the founding of Burrton, published a 52-page,
magazine-type, diamond anniversary edition. Settlers first came to
the Burrton area in 1871, and the town was incorporated in Septem-
ber, 1878. The edition contains a brief history of Burrton by D. T.
Davis, Burrton's oldest resident. Other articles included: "History
of Harvey County," from the records of the Harvey County His-
torical Society; "Burrton's Newspapers," by Mrs. C. C. Houchin;
"Burrton's Early Businesses," by Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Grover as told
to Mrs. Bill Meschke; "Presbyterian Church," by Edith Jones;
"Methodist Church," by Mrs. W. E. Boyle; "Christian Church,"
by Mrs. F. E. Baughman; "Mennonite Church," by Mrs. Harold
Martens; "Early Social Life," by Mrs. W. W. Jerome; "Burrton
Schools," from the school records ; "Early Day Memories," by Mrs.
6. J. Fryar; "The Welsh," as told by Dan Rowlands; "Burrton
Library," by Ethel Brown; "Burrton's Oil and Wheat," as told by
Clarence Hoskinson, and "Early Day Burrton," as told by Mrs.
Myrtle B. Stanton.
A Meade county historical essay contest, sponsored by the County
Council of Women's Clubs, was won by Mrs. Rosetta Singley of
Plains. Mrs. Singley's essay, "My Pioneer Experience," was printed
in the Plains Journal, September 23, 30 and October 7, 1948; the
Meade County Press, of Meade, September 23 and 30, and the
Meade Globe-News, September 23. The announcement of the win-
ners was made at the Meade county old settlers' picnic at Meade,
September 19, where Mrs. Singley spoke briefly about her early
experiences. Second-place winner was Pauline Winkler Grey with
her essay, "The Black Sunday [April 14, 1935]," published in the
Meade Globe-News, September 26, and third place went to Lura
Smith for an essay on "The Old Sugar Mill," published in the Meade
Globe-News, September 30. The essay submitted by Mrs. E. May
Novinger of Plains, the subject of which was old pioneer trails, was
printed in the Plains Journal, October 7, and the Meade Globe-
News, October 3. The history of the Meade County State Park was
told by Frank Sullivan in the Meade Globe-News, October 10, and
the story of the settlement known as Irish Flats, by Mrs. O. E.
Davidson of Meade, was printed in the Globe-News, October 17.
90 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The story of Washington living's trip through present Crawford
county in 1832, as worked out in detail by Mrs. John Fink, was re-
viewed by Harold 0. Taylor in the Pittsburg Sun, September 25,
1948. Mrs. Fink gave a report on her research at a meeting of the
Crawford County Historical Society in Pittsburg, September 20.
Among Kansas historical articles in recent issues of the Kansas
City (Mo.) Star were: "All Thrills of the Chase as Dogs Catch
Coyotes in Kansas," the Southwestern Fox and Wolf Hunters' As-
sociation holds its annual hunt near Yates Center, by Howard Tur-
tle, and "K. U. Builds a 'Gun' to Fire Hydrogen Atoms," an article
on research projects at the University of Kansas, by Alvin S. Mc-
Coy, October 3, 1948 ; "U. S. Armies in Germany Commanded by a
Kansan [Lt. Gen. Clarence Ralph Huebner]," by Philip W. Whit-
comb, October 10; "Love Is Key to Healing in Work of the Men-
ningers," by Charles W. Graham, October 17; "Ghosts of Indian
Forays in Ruins of Ft. Wallace," and "Some Kansas Towns Have
Names of Strange Origin/' October 31; "No Doctor Will Live in
Your Town? Hear the Story of McLouth, Kas.," how a small Kan-
sas town got a doctor, by Charles W. Graham, November 7 ; "Larger
Revenues and More Efficient Administration Urged for the Schools,"
problems facing the public schools in Kansas and the nation analyzed
by Prof. John Jacobs, Emporia State Teachers College, November
12; "Santa Fe Trail Markers To Be Dedicated This Week," by E.
P. H. Gempel, and "Print Shop Sage [Claude M. "Judge" Older]
of Kansas Wins Laughs in Far Places," the story of a linotype op-
erator at Hays, by Helen D. Francis, November 14; "Cyrus Crane
Was Editor When W. A. White Was a Cub at K. U.," November
21; "Bagging Big Game for K. U. Is a Job for Entire Family," J.
R. Alcorn, field biologist, takes his family along on a hunting trip
to Alaska, by Charles W. Graham, November 28 ; "Schoeppel Going
to the Senate Will Keep the Kansas Viewpoint," by Dwight Pen-
nington, December 5, and "Pay of Kansas Prison Guards Higher
Than That in State Mental Asylums," by Charles W. Graham, De-
cember 8. Articles in the Kansas City (Mo.) Times were: "Fron-
tier Doctor [S. J. Crumbine] in Kansas Made Himself a Pioneer
in the Field of Public Health," by Cecil Howes, September 23;
"Kansas Never Has Paid All of Its Debt To Men Summoned to
Repel Price's Army," scrip issued to soldiers is still being offered in
futile hope of redemption, by Cecil Howes, October 4; "Strange
Characters on a Stone May Tell Story of Ancient Times on Kansas
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 91
Plain," experts unable to decipher markings on tablet unearthed 35
years ago near Beverly, by Paul Jones, October 8; "Kay Sum-
mers by Has Graphic Memories of General Ike in Informal Moods,"
a review of the book written by Eisenhower's British woman driver,
secretary and WAC aide, by Edward R. Schauffler, October 16, and
by the same writer, "Old Trails Carried a Burden of Cattle, Com-
merce and Adventurers Through West," some comments on a new
brochure entitled Some Southwestern Trails, October 26 ; "Redemp-
tion of Walt Mason Was Final Result of Three Great Friendships,"
talent of "prose poet" recognized and aided by Ed Howe, Carrie Em-
ily Young and William Allen White, by Charles Arthur Hawley, Oc-
tober 27; "Strange Regrets Mingle With Memories of Good Deals
for a Kansas Merchant [William H. Sikes]," the story and phil-
osophy of a Leonardville man at the age of 90, by Howard W. Tur-
tle, October 29; "Early Notoriety of 'Wild Bill' Hickok Was Earned
in Southwestern Missouri," by Louis 0. Honig, November 9 ; "Kansas
Has a New Plan to Train Doctors and Establish Them in Small
Communities," by Glen R. Shepherd, M. D., November 10; "At 87,
K. U. Professor Emeritus [William Chase Stevens] Gives Kansas
a New Look at its Wild Flowers," the story behind his new book,
Kansas Wild Flowers, by Theodore M. O'Leary, November 13; "Some
Kansas Thanksgivings," by Margaret Whittemore, November 25,
and "Adventure and a Career in the Arts Found by a German
[Heinrich Balduin Mollhausen] in the Early West," by Robert
Taft, November 27.
A Clara Barton postal stamp was recently issued and the Great
Bend Tribune, October 11, 1948, took advantage of the occasion to
recall that Barton county was named after Clara Barton. The
county was organized in 1872 and, after expanding considerably,
reverted to its present size in 1879.
Two articles of especial interest to Kansans published in the
December, 1948, number of The American Magazine were: "Eisen-
hower's Mission in America," an answer to why the general refused
the presidency of the United States and a picture of him in his new
position as president of Columbia University, by Boyden Sparkes,
and "Girl [Kyle MacDonnell] in a Hurry," the daughter of a Kan-
sas wheat farmer, after being confined to her bed for three years,
gains fame as a top model, singer and television star, by Roy Bar-
clay Hodges.
Kansas Historical Notes
The Beecher Bible and Rifle Church of Wabaunsee held its an-
nual homecoming on August 29, 1948. The church, built in 1861-
1862, has been restored and is now in regular use. Attending the
homecoming were about 150 persons, many of whom were descend-
ants of members of the original Beecher Bible and Rifle colony. An
address by Evan Griffith, Manhattan, and the history of the church
given by F. I. Burt, were features of the program.
A total of 344 persons, who were born in Johnson county or moved
there before 1910, registered at the fiftieth annual old settlers' re-
union at Olathe, September 10 and 11, 1948. One of the high lights
of the celebration was a talk by E. N. Hill, for many years super-
intendent of schools at Olathe. J. Fred Marvin was elected presi-
dent of the Johnson County Old Settlers' Association for the coming
year. Other officers are Hal K. Robinson, vice-president; H. E.
Julien, treasurer, and Annie Sutton, secretary. Howard McKee was
the retiring president.
Mrs. Frank D. Belinder was elected president of the Shawnee-
Mission Indian Historical Society at the annual meeting held Sep-
tember 27, 1948. Other officers elected were: Mrs. John Barkley,
first vice-president; Mrs. Bessie Cheatum, second vice-president;
Mrs. James Glenn Bell, recording secretary; Mrs. J. S. Caldwell,
treasurer; Mrs. Paul Green, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Homer
Bair, historian, and Mrs. Harry Meyers, curator. The new officers
were installed at a luncheon meeting October 25. Mrs. C. F. Terry
was the retiring president.
Seventy pioneers and sons and daughters of pioneers were regis-
tered at Pawnee county's annual pioneer reunion held in Lamed,
September 28, 1948. Mrs. W. K. Yeager of Larned and Mrs. John
Wagner of Ash Valley were crowned pioneer queens of the 1870's
and 1880's, respectively. The principal address was given by Dr.
0. E. Webb, of Johnstown, Colo., a pioneer of 1873.
An old settlers' reunion was sponsored by the Finney County
Historical Society at the Finney County Free Fair, September 30,
1948. More than 80 old settlers signed the guest book and many of
them joined the historical society. Gus Norton, the society's presi-
dent, was chief host. The Finney County Historical Society was or-
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KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 93
ganized in January, 1948 , and recently published its constitution
and bylaws in an attractive pocket-sized booklet.
Kirwin's homecoming for old settlers of Phillips county was held
October 5, 1948.
At a meeting on October 5, 1948, the mayor and commissioners
of Osawatomie agreed to transfer the old church building on Sixth
street to the Osawatomie Historical Society for restoration and
maintenance as a historical shrine. The church building was one of
the first erected in Kansas. The Rev. Samuel L. Adair, in whose
home John Brown lived for a time, was one of its early pastors.
The Kiowa County Historical Society had a record crowd of 281
at its Gold Ribbon party and old settlers' gathering in Greensburg,
October 7, 1948. Fifteen couples sat at the golden wedding table,
and 82 persons wore gold buttons, signifying that they had come
to Kiowa county 60 years or more ago. At the business session Mrs.
Bruno Meyer, Haviland, was reflected president. Other officers are
Will Sluder, Mullinville, first vice-president; Henry Schwann,
Greensburg, second vice-president; Mrs. Lou Keller, Greensburg,
treasurer, and Mrs. Benj. 0. Weaver, Mullinville, secretary.
Sam Charlson, Manhattan, was elected president of the Riley
County Historical Association at the annual business meeting at the
Congregational church in Manhattan, October 12, 1948. Other offi-
cers elected were: Walter E. McKeen, vice-president; Clyde K.
Rodkey, secretary; Mrs. C. B. Knox, treasurer, and F. I. Burt, cura-
tor and historian. Mrs. C. B. Knox, Mrs. F. F. Harrop, and George
Filinger were elected directors of the association. Clyde Rodkey was
the retiring president.
Mrs. Harry Vincent was elected president of the Protection His-
torical Society at the annual meeting November 6, 1948. Other offi-
cers chosen were: W. T. Maris, Claude Rowland, Pirl Baker and
Essie Keltner, vice-presidents; Mrs. Howard Shrauner, correspond-
ing secretary; Mrs. Robert Deck, recording secretary; Harry Large,
treasurer, and Ida Bare, historian. A committee for assisting the
historian consists of Claude Rowland, W. T. Maris and Mrs. T. W.
Riner.
On November 16, 1948, school children in about 240 schools in
Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico dedicated Santa Fe
trail markers on school grounds nearest the old trail. This was a
project of the Greater Kansas City council of the American Pioneer
94 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Trails Association. The markers, a gift of Blevins Davis of Inde-
pendence, Mo., are approximately two feet long and show a covered
wagon being drawn by six mules, with a man riding one of the
mules. Distribution of the markers to the schools was made by
Col. E. P. H. Gempel, United States army, retired, and Clyde H.
Porter, Kansas City, Mo.
Flying Farmers from nine Great Plains states flew the route of the
old cattle trail from Texas to Dodge City on November 17, 1948,
honoring one of its members, Starr Nelson, of Delta, Colo., who
drove cattle from Gainesville, Tex., to Dodge City in 1884. The 83-
year-old Nelson, piloting his own plane, led the 100-plane contingent
in high wind and dust to El Reno, Okla., for luncheon, and on to
Dodge City for a chuck-wagon dinner and program. On the ground
in 1884, Nelson spent four months on the route which was covered by
air in 1948 in four hours. Officers of the Kansas Flying Farmers, in-
cluding Ailiff Neel, Windom, president; William Janssen, McPher-
son, national delegate, and Charles Howes, of the Kansas Farmer,
Topeka, publicity director for the club, cooperated with U. G. Bal-
derson of the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce and city officials
in the planning and entertainment. Judge Karl Miller, of Dodge
City, a director of the Kansas State Historical Society, was master
of ceremonies at the dinner. Lt. Gov. Frank L. Hagaman officially
welcomed the visitors for Kansas, and Nyle Miller for the State His-
torical Society.
Sixty members were present at the annual meeting of the Lawrence
Historical Society, December 3, 1948. Principal feature of the pro-
gram was an illustrated lecture by Dr. Robert Taft of the Univer-
sity of Kansas on the development of Lawrence. Officers for the
coming year were elected as follows: Walter Varnum, president;
Dolph Simons, vice-president; Mrs. L. H. Menger, secretary, and
Tom Sweeney, treasurer. The directors are George L. Anderson,
J. L. Constant, Corlett J. Cotton, Agnes Emery, Mrs. Robert Hag-
gart, Justin D. Hill, Prof. H. H. Lane, Ida Lyons, Mrs. E. M. Owen,
M. N. Penny, 0. K. Petefish, Robert Rankin, Irma Spangler, R. B.
Stevens and A. B. Weaver. R. B. Stevens, the retiring president,
presided at the meeting.
Dr. H. M. Grandle, Pittsburg, was elected president of the Craw-
ford County Historical Society at a meeting in Pittsburg December
6, 1948. Other officers are Ralph Shideler, Girard, vice-president;
Mrs. C. M. Cooper, secretary, and Dr. Elizabeth Cochran, treasurer.
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 95
Newly-elected directors are George F. Beezley of Girard, Mrs. L. H.
Dunton of Arcadia, and Mrs. T. T. Gillihan of Cherokee. The
meeting was a "Christmas party/' and the program consisted prin-
cipally of reminiscences of past Christmases. Dr. 0. P. Bellinger
of Pittsburg was the retiring president.
The Cyrus K. Holliday Memorial Association of Topeka was
chartered on December 7, 1948, as a nonprofit corporation to spon-
sor a memorial honoring this outstanding pioneer citizen of Kansas.
The organization resulted after several meetings of representatives
of the Shawnee County Historical Society, the Junior Chamber of
Commerce of Topeka, and others.
Cyrus Kurtz Holliday (1826-1900) was one of the organizers and
the first president of the Topeka town association. He was instru-
mental in securing the state capitol for Topeka and was the chief
organizer of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad whose gen-
eral offices are located in Topeka. During 1864-1865 he was adju-
tant general of Kansas, and was several times a member of the
Kansas legislature.
Officers of the memorial association are Paul B. Sweet, president ;
Milt Tabor, vice-president; Harry Snyder, Jr., secretary, and Herb
Binger, treasurer. Members of the association, besides the officers,
are Gov. Frank Carlson, Mayor Frank J. Warren, W. Laird Dean,
Howard R. Hunter, E. P. Murphy, William J. Manspeaker, Sherrell
Watson, Kenneth L. Murrow, J. Glenn Logan, Carl C. Nordstrom,
Mrs. Inez Stouder, Nyle H. Miller, Charles L. Davis, Jr., Ray Mor-
gan, J. R. Hubbard, Robert Stone, Arthur J. Carruth, Jr., Max Bau-
com, Judge Walter A. Huxman, David Neiswanger, Sr., Kenneth
McFarland, Paul Adams, Robert M. Owthwaite, Henry A. Bubb,
Irwin Vincent, 0. L. Gray, Mrs. C. H. Martin, Dr. Karl A. Mennin-
ger, Mrs. William W. Barrett, Mrs. Erwin Keller and Cecil Howes.
Funds for the memorial are being solicited under the supervision
of the Topeka Junior Chamber of Commerce with the support of
state, county, city and railroad officials.
Santa Fe officials are making plans to dedicate their new railroad
station at Topeka on April 3, Holliday's birthday. The year 1949
also marks the eightieth anniversary of the operation of the first
regular trains over the Santa Fe system which in 1869 "stretched"
from Topeka to Carbondale!
An attractive 11-page illustrated booklet featuring the history of
the Iowa, Sac and Fox mission, located near present Highland in
1837, was recently issued by the Northeast Kansas Historical So-
96 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
ciety, custodians of the mission for the state of Kansas. The mis-
sion building, constructed in 1846, was partially restored early in
the 1940's. It has been furnished and is now maintained as a state
museum, with visiting days on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sun-
days, 2 to 6:30 p. m. Officers of the Northeast Kansas Historical
Society are Mrs. C. C. Webb, president; Fenn W T ard, vice-presi-
dent; Mrs. Fenn Ward, secretary-treasurer; C. C. Webb, chairman
of the building committee, and Harry Connell, caretaker.
Frank Hodges of Olathe remembers the annual migration of prairie
chickens which began "each morning just after daylight on Novem-
ber 11," during the 1870's and early 1880's. He writes:
The migration of the prairie' chicken was a very important event in the
lives of Kansas people, for they furnished food, and hunters would kill them
and sell them to dealers who shipped them to New York City. Mother would
come to the door at the foot of the stairway and call up to my brother,
George, and me, "Get up boys, the sky is full of prairie chickens. If you
want to go out and gather some of them up you will have to hurry so that
you will be back in time for school." We would scramble downstairs hastily and
run out to where the old L. L. and G. railroad crossed the Spring Hill highway a
half mile south of Olathe. Along this railroad line ran one and finally two
telegraph wires. The flocks of prairie chickens would come whizzing through
the sharp, frosty air in bunches ranging from 15 to 30, fly into the wires and
cut their heads off or maim themselves. We have frequently gathered up 12
along the railroad in the mile extending from the Spring Hill road westward
to what is now Highway 50.
If any of our readers have additional information on these migra-
tions which would help Mr. Hodges with a paper he plans to write,
please send it to the Kansas State Historical Society. The Society
will gladly forward the information to Mr. Hodges.
A biography of Damon Runyon, native Kansan who gained fame
in New York as a reporter, poet, short-story writer and columnist,
was published in September, 1948, by Longmans, Green and Co.,
New York. The 258-page book, by Ed Weiner, was entitled The
Damon Runyon Story, and traced the family through Kansas where
Damon was born (in Manhattan in 1880) to Colorado. From there
Damon struck out on his own. Other information on the Kansas
background of the Runyons is contained in an article, "A. L. Run-
yon's Letters From the Nineteenth Kansas Regiment," in The Kan-
sas Historical Quarterly, v. IX (1940), pp. 58-75, and in the Man-
hattan Mercury -Chronicle, September 12, 1948. The house in
Manhattan in which Damon Runyon was born, at Fourth and Osage
streets, is still standing.
D
THE
KANSAS HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
May 1949
Published by
Kansas State Historical Society
Topeka
KIRKE MECHEM JAMES C. MALIN NYLE H. MILLER
Editor Associate Editor Managing Editor
CONTENTS
THE PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST : VII. Alfred E.
Mathews Robert Tajt, 97
With the following illustrations:
Portrait of A. E. Mathews
"Nebraska City [Nebraska] View on Main Street, Looking
West"
"Blake Street, Denver"
"Central City [Colorado], From the Side of Mammoth Hill
Looking Up Gregory and Eureka Gulches"
between pp. 104, 105
"Pike's Peak and Colorado City"
"Virginia City [Montana]" 'between pp. 112, 113
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855-ApRiL, 1857 ; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860 : Part Two,
November, 1855-April, 1857 122
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY,
Compiled by Helen M. McFarland, Librarian, 176
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 195
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 196
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 204
The Kansas Historical Quarterly is published in February, May, August and
November by the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kan., and is dis-
tributed free to members. Correspondence concerning contributions may be
sent to the editor. The Society assumes no responsibility for statements made
by contributors.
Entered as second-class matter October 22, 1931, at the post office at Topeka,
Kan., under the act of August 24, 1912.
THE COVER
This sketch of Nebraska City, Neb., and landing as seen from
the Iowa side of the Missouri river was done by A. E. Mathews in
1865. Copies of this picture and one of his Nebraska City street
scenes (between pp. 104, 105) are reproduced through the courtesy
of the Nebraska State Historical Society of Lincoln.
THE KANSAS
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Volume XVII May, 1949 Number 2
The Pictorial Record of the Old West
VII. ALFRED E. MATHEWS
ROBERT TAFT
(Copyright, 1949, by ROBERT TAFT)
T^OLLOWING the close of the Civil War the tempo of westward
F migration was greatly accelerated. During the war the Far
West had increased rapidly in population, and even the immediate
Trans-Mississippi West had felt increasing growing pains. But bor-
der troubles, the threat of Indians and the lack of rapid methods of
transportation retarded large population shifts to the Great Plains
West. Cessation of hostilities, the impetus given by the homestead
act of 1862, accompanied by renewed interest and effort in build-
ing Western railroads beyond the Missouri river, 1 brought a flood
of immigrants to the plains. "The most astonishing migratory
movement which has characterized any age or nation," reported
the Kansas Weekly Tribune of Lawrence, at the threshold of the
Great Plains. 2 The Tribune account went on to state:
The disbandment of our immense armies is throwing back upon society
hundreds of thousands of young and middle aged men, whose business ties
have been broken and fortunes shattered by the war, who are now returning
to earnest, effective labor for the repair of the waste of the past four years.
Da. ROBERT TAFT, of Lawrence, is professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas
and editor of the Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. He is author of Photog-
raphy And the American Scene (New York, 1938), and Across the Years on Mount Oread
(Lawrence, 1941).
Previous articles in this pictorial series appeared in the issues of The Kansas Historical
Quarterly for February, May, August and November, 1946, and May and August, 1948. The
general introduction was in the February, 1946, number.
1. By May, 1865, the Union Pacific railroad had made no progress save that of organiza-
tion and planning, the first spike being driven at Omaha on July 10, 1865. The 100th
meridian, 247 miles west of Omaha, was not reached until October 5, 1866, and the celebrated
junction with the Central Pacific railroad at Promontory Point, Utah, was not effected until
May 10, 1869. See Paul Rigdon, The Union Pacific Railroad (Omaha, 1936), pp. 71-73.
The less well-known Union Pacific railroad, Eastern division, began westward construction at
Wyandotte, Kan., on April 14, 1864, and by December, 1865, had reached a point between
Lawrence and Topeka. Service to Denver, however, did not begin until August, 1870. See
John D. Cruise, "Early Days on the Union Pacific," Kansas Historical Collections, Topeka,
v. 11 (1909-1910), pp. 536, 540 (Footnote 28). For the growth of the Far West during the
1860's see Dan E. Clark, "The Movement to the Far West During the Decade of the Sixties, '
The Washington Historical Quarterly, Seattle, v. 17 (April, 1926), pp. 105-113.
2. Kansas Weekly Tribune, October 12, 1865.
(97)
98 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
They find, as a general thing, their places occupied, themselves, though per-
sonally held in grateful remembrance, pressed out of the commercial circles
in which they once moved, and compelled, often with nothing but their un-
daunted will, to begin anew the battle of life, which before the war had
been so well commenced. It is but natural that these men should cast about
them and seek new fields for their energy, new scenes and better auspices for
the recuperation of their crippled estates, or that the glowing West, the fame
of whose riches pervades and eclipses the far East, should become the goal
of their ambitions and hopes. . . .
These are the men to build up rich and prosperous communities upon the
great plains and in the pleasant valleys of the West. Let them come. No
other country can give them so good a home or so grand a welcome. Though
often poor in all else, they bring with them the inestimable riches of strong
arms to labor, clear heads and honest hearts, and above all, that unquench-
able love of liberty and national integrity which made them invincible as
soldiers in action, and will make them uncompromising as citizens in all that
pertains to the good of the State.
To be sure this eulogy was partly promotional, partly prophetic,
and partly descriptive of contemporary affairs. But there is
abundant evidence that a rising tide of immigration was moving
west at the close of the war. The population of Kansas, for ex-
ample, increased from 107,000 in 1860 to a figure nearly three and
one-half times as great ten years later and much of this gain came
in the last half of the decade. 3
The tide of immigration carried along with it interested and ob-
servant spectators, as well as future settlers, among whom were
reporters and illustrators of the expanding Western scene. One has
only to recall, among others, the well-known travel accounts of
Bayard Taylor, Henry M. Stanley, Samuel Bowles, and A. D. Rich-
3. A. T. Andreas and W. G. Cutler, History of the State of Kansas (Chicago, 1883), p.
306. The population increase in Nebraska during the same decade was from about 30,000 to a
figure something better than four times this number. A. T. Andreas, History of the State of
Nebraska (Chicago, 1882), p. 328. The contemporary newspapers of the period also record
the immigration at the close of the Civil War. See, particularly, accounts in the Leavenworth
Daily Conservative, March 25, 1865 ("The tide of immigration into our State this Spring is
immense; . . ."); Kansas Weekly Tribune, Lawrence, March 15, 1866 ("The ingress of
immigrants is becoming large, and increasing from day to day."); Weekly Leader, Topeka,
May 31, 1866 ("Immigration continues unabated. Hundreds of strange faces show themselves
daily in our streets. . . ."). Similar comment will be found in Nebraska papers. For
example, the Omaha Weekly Republican, July 6, 1866, reports: "Large numbers of pilgrim
wagons have been crossing the river and passing up our streets today. Their white covers
dot the river banks and green prairies in all directions. They move along into the interior.
There is yet no let up to the stream of emigration."
Even during the winter of 1865-1866, the flow of emigrants across the plains continued in
large numbers as was reported in a letter dated February 25, 1866, and written by Gen. John
Pope (39 Cong., 1 Sess., House Ex. Doc. No. 76 [Washington, 1866], p. 3): "People, in in-
credible numbers, continue to throng across the great plains to these rich mining territories,
undeterred by the seasons, by hardships and privation, or by the constant and relentless hos-
tility of the Indian tribes. . . . For several hundred miles along the routes to New
Mexico, Colorado, and Montana, the hospitals of the military posts are filled with frost-bitten
teamsters and emigrants, whose animals have been frozen to death, and whose trains, loaded
with supplies, stand buried in the snow on the great plains. Notwithstanding these bitter and
discouraging experiences, and the imminent danger of like if not worse results, trains of wagons
still continue to move out from the Missouri river, and to pursue the overland routes to the
mining regions."
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 99
ardson, stories based on personal observation in the years 1865-
1867, to emphasize the point. 4
The Western artists and illustrators, who recorded this period
(1865-1867) in pictures, are not so well known. Included among
the group, however, we can list the names of T. R. Davis, Alfred
E. Mathews, H. C. Ford, J. F. Gookins, H. A. Elkins, A. R. Waud,
W. H. Beard and Worthington Whittredge, all of whom, with one ex-
ception, crossed the plains to the Rocky Mountains in 1865 or
1866. Probably there were others, but this group is sufficiently
representative to consider in this series. Davis, Mathews, Ford,
Gookins and Waud were Civil War veterans and had recorded in
picture many scenes of that struggle. Davis and Waud we shall
consider in more detail later in this series. For the present it can
be said that Davis was the first of these artists to cross the plains
at the close of hostilities, and Waud undertook an extensive sketch-
ing trip for Harper's Weekly to the South and Southwest early in
1866. 5
Gookins, Ford and Elkins, all residents of Chicago in 1866, formed
a party early in the summer of that year and started out from the
Missouri river (probably from Omaha) where they joined an emi-
grant train on an overland trip by wagon to Denver and Colorado.
Gookins had eight sketches resulting from his trip published in
Harper's Weekly in the fall of 1866. They were titled:
"Storm on the Plains."
"Preparing Supper [on the plains]."
"Fort Wicked."
"Denver."
"Emigrants Attacked by Indians."
"Indian Massacre."
"Assay Room, U. S. Mint at Denver."
"Pike's Peak." 6
4. Bayard Taylor, Colorado: A Summer Trip (New York, 1867), based on a series of
letters to the New York Tribune, June- December, 1866; Henry M. Stanley, letters to
the Missouri Republican, St. Louis, re-published in My Early Travels and Adven-
tures . . . (London, 1895), v. 1; Samuel Bowles, Our New West (Hartford, 1869),
based on Western travels in 1865 and 1868; Albert D. Richardson, Our New States and
Territories (New York, 1866), based on a series 9f letters to the New York Tribune, 1865-1866.
The last letter in the series, No. 36, appears in the Tribune, May 16, 1866. This book of
Richardson's is not to be confused with his better-known Beyond the Mississippi (New York,
1867). Richardson was an old hand at Western travel. Descriptive letters in the New York
Tribune from Colorado territory appeared in 1860; see, for example, Tribune, September 8,
November 9 and 13, 1860.
5. The arrival of Theodore R. Davis (1840-1894) in Denver is reported in The Rocky
Mountain News, Denver, December 1, 1865. Alfred R. Waud (1828-1891) was one of the
best-known illustrators of the Civil War. Many of his original war sketches are now in the
Library of Congress. The beginning of his Southwestern trip is described in Harper's Weekly.
New York, v. 10 (1866), pp. 225, 228, 257, 286. He was in Cincinnati on his way west and
south on March 23, 1866.
6. Eight woodcut illustrations on one page. Ibid., p. 644.
The Daily Rocky Mountain News, October 19, 1866, not impressed with Gookins' view
100 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Some of the experiences of the party in crossing the plains and an
explanation of his sketches are given in an accompanying letter by
Gookins, who wrote:
Our party of eight (including three artists) had quite an adventurous trip
over the Plains. One of our mishaps I have sketched ; it is entitled "Storm on
the Plains." A hurricane took down our tents and blew over heavy loaded
wagons, on the night of the 9th June, near Cottonwood, Nebraska. For-
tunately no serious damage resulted to any one, though many in- the train were
badly frightened. Ford says that just as he was crawling out of the tent his
ears were saluted by a piercing wail and the pathetic cry of "Oh, have you
seen my baby!" He looked back and saw the tent down with his wife under
it, turned his head, and lo ! over went our wagon with the horses down under
it; and here was a woman before him wringing her hands and screaming for
her baby. "Les joyeuses" are our ladies who, doffing fashionable attire, have
enlivened the camp by their cheerful presence, and have made us, hungry, tired
souls, much happiness with appetizing cookery. Though you have published
one or two street scenes in Denver I send the one herewith, which gives a
good view of the mountains beyond. It is a different view from any hitherto
published, and I think from a better point.
"Fort Wicked," Colorado, is noted as the ranche where a brave man and
wife named Godfrey held over two hundred Indians at bay for two days dur-
ing the troubles last year killing many and wounding others, and finally driv-
ing them off.
The tide of emigration and enterprise is setting hitherward at an astonish-
ing rate, yet it is not to be wondered at when one sees the immense wealth of
this region. Denver, a city of seven thousand inhabitants, is well built, and
is the commercial centre of a mining region where already over twenty millions
of capital are invested in quartz mills and the like. It hardly needs the eye
of a prophet to discern that as the prospective terminus of the Eastern Branch
of the grandest national highway of the world the railroad to the Pacific
and as the great outfitting place for trains for Montana, Idaho, and Utah, its
growth must be rapid and its destiny that of a great city.
Messrs. Bayard Taylor, Wm. H. Beard, Whittridge, and Major-General
Pope, are traversing this region. I have only met Beard; but expect to meet
him and Mr. Taylor in the South Park, whither I am now journeying.
By courtesy of Fred Eckfeldt, Esq., Melter and Refiner, United States
Branch Mint, at Denver, I was shown through all the departments of that
establishment, and send a sketch of the Assay Room. 7
of Denver, commented: "Gookins, the artist, recently here from Chicago, has furnished
Harper's Weekly with some sketches of this country. Some of the smaller views are correct
enough, but his picture of Denver is a most miserable caricature, and were it not for the
name of the city printed at the bottom of the engraving, there is no one here who would ever
suppose the picture referred to this city. Either the artist or the engraver were sadly at fault
in their work." One always must take such criticism with a grain of salt. If city views
did not present a most pleasing aspect, the booster spirit was sure to find fault.
7. Harper's Weekly, v. 10 (October 13, 1866), p. 654. Bayard Taylor, Colorado: A
Summer Trip, p. 146, reports that he met "Mr. Ford, the artist of Chicago and his wife,
and Messrs. Gookins and Elkins also Chicago artists. They had made the entire trip from
the Missouri in their wagon and were on their way to the Parks for the summer." Mention
of the Ford, Gookins and Elkins party is also made in The Daily Rocky Mountain News,
September 3, 8, 22 and 27, 1866.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 101
Little record of other Western pictures by Gookins is available.
Several paintings were listed as on exhibit in the spring of 1867. 8
Of the Western work of Ford still less is known. He is best re-
membered today for a series of 24 etchings on the missions of Cali-
fornia which he published in 1883 with descriptive letter press. 9
Elkins became widely known in the Middle West for his paint-
ings of Colorado and California scenery. As his work was pri-
marily landscape, he is not of immediate concern in the plan of
work laid out at the beginning of this series. 10
Worthington Whittredge, the best-known artist of the group listed
on p. 99, was, like Elkins, primarily a landscape artist. Several of his
paintings which resulted from his Western trip of 1866 and subse-
quent trips, for Whittredge visited the West several times, were
"South Platte River Looking Toward Long's Peak," "On the Plains,
1866," "Cache la Poudre River," "Indian Encampment," "The Emi-
8. Ibid., April 8, 1867. This item also lists paintings by Ford and Elkins. James F.
Gookins was born in Terre Haute, Ind., in 1840 and died while on a visit to New York City
on May 23, 1904. He was a member of Gen. Lew Wallace's staff and is said to have studied
art in Italy and France. Most of his adult life was lived in Chicago. See Chicago Tribune,
May 24, 1904, and Chicago Daily News, May 24, 1904. I am indebted to the Chicago
Historical Society for these two obituaries. Three of his Civil War illustrations appeared in
Harper's Weekly \. 5 (1861), pp. 388, 423, and v. 6 (May 31, 1862), p. 348. A two-page
spread of Indiana scenes by Gookins will be found in ibid., v. 11 (November 2, 1867), pp. 696,
697.
9. Henry Chapman Ford, Etchings of the Franciscan Missions of California (New York,
1883). The Daily Rocky Mountain News, April 8, 1867, mentions a Western painting by
Ford, "The Garden of the Gods."
Ford was born at Livonia, N. Y., in 1828 and died at Santa Barbara, Cal., on February
27, 1894. He went abroad in 1857 to study and spent nearly three years in Paris and
Florence. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted and served for a year, receiving a
discharge for physical disability. He is said to have furnished war sketches for the illustrated
press. After his discharge from the army, he opened a studio in Chicago and was the first
professional landscape painter in that city. He took an active part in the inauguration of
the Chicago Academy of Design and was its president in 1873. He made several trips to
Colorado, the one recorded above in 1866 and another in 1869 (Daily Rocky Mountain News,
September 20, 1869), and possibly others. He moved to Santa Barbara in 1875 where he
spent the rest of his life. See Mrs. Yda (Addis) Storke, A Memorial and Biographical History
of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura (Chicago, 1891), pp. 485,
486; San Francisco Call, February 28, 1894, and Santa Barbara Weekly Independent, March
3, 1894. Thanks for aid in securing the above biographical information concerning Ford
is due the California State Library, The Southwest Museum (Los Angeles), the Chicago
Historical Society and The Newberry Library (Chicago).
10. Henry Arthur Elkins was a widely known artist of Chicago, Bloomington, 111., and
Kansas City. He was born in Vermont on May 30, 1847, and died in Georgetown, Colo.,
in July, 1884. He lived in Chicago from 1856 until 1873 when he moved to Bloomington
and later to Kansas City. Among his better-known paintings were "Elk Park, Colorado,"
"The Thirty-Eighth Star,'' "The New Eldorado," "The Crown of the Continent," "Mount
Shasta," and "The Storm on Mount Shasta." Obituaries of Elkins, provided through the
courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society, will be found in the Chicago Tribune for July 25,
26 and August 1, 1884. Mention of his work in Kansas City will be found in the Kansas
City (Mo.) Times, April 14, June 2 and July 1, 1884.
For some years the Denver papers remarked on Elkins' work, many times reprinting ac-
counts from Chicago papers. Among the more important of these comments are those found
in the Rocky Mountain News, September 4, 1869; May 18, 1870 (reprinted from the Chicago
Post); June 18, 1870 (also from the Chicago Post); December 29, 1872; September 2 and
28, 1873; December 19, 1874; March 16, 1875 (extended account of Elkins); January 4,
1877 (extended account of Elkins' painting, "The Thirty-Eighth Star," reprinted from the
Chicago Evening Journal); September 23 and October 2, 1883. These extensive bibliographies
on Elkins and on several other artists listed in notes in this article are given because there is
nowhere else available biographical data concerning them, for they are not listed in the usual
biographical directories and in encyclopedias of American artists.
102 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
grant Train," "Santa Fe" and "The Rocky Mountains." Probably
his best-known work of this period is the first of those listed above
and now owned by The Century Association of New York. The title
now is, "Crossing the Ford, Platte River, Colorado." n
William Holbrook Beard was the traveling companion of Bayard
Taylor and is mentioned a number of times in Colorado: A Summer
Trip. I have seen no sketches or paintings resulting from Beard's
trip across the plains to the Rockies in 1866, but The Rocky Moun-
tain News, Denver, December 11, 1866, refers to W. H. Beard who
"last summer . . . painted so vividly most of our exquisite
mountain scenery. . . ." 12
All eight artists listed on p. 99 have now been considered except
A. E. Mathews. From the standpoint of the criteria developed in
the original article of this series (February, 1946), Mathews has
made a more notable and authentic contribution to the pictorial
record of the development of the West than have any of the others
and we shall therefore consider his work in some detail.
ALFRED EDWARD MATHEWS
Alfred E. Mathews was a native of England, born at Bristol on
June 24, 1831. His father, Joseph Mathews, a book publisher,
11. A biographical sketch of Whittredge (1820-1910) will be found in the Dictionary
of American Biography (New York, 1936), v. 20, p. 177. Also there is an autobiographical
account of Whittredge's life in the Brooklyn Museum Journal, v. 1 (1942), pp. 1-66, edited
by John I. H. Baur. In this autobiographical account Whittredge states "We left Fort Leav-
enworth on the first of June, 1865." As the Pope expedition which Whittredge accompanied
was on the plains in 1866 and not 1865 (see report of Gen. John Pope cited below) a query
was sent Mr. Baur, editor of the Whittredge autobiography. Mr. Baur wrote me on April 6,
1949, that an examination of the original Whittredge manuscript showed that an error of
transcription had occurred in preparing the material for publication and the date should read
"June, 1866" and not "June, 1865."
Gookins, as we have already pointed out, mentions Whittredge in his 1866 account
(see p. 100) and Bayard Taylor, Colorado: A Summer Trip, p. 146, states: "Mr. Whit-
tredge, who crossed the Plains with General Pope, was at the time [June, 1866] in the
neighborhood of Pike's Peak." Henry T. Tuckerrnan, Book of the Artists (New York, 1867),
p. 517, also reports that Whittredge accompanied General Pope on his journey of inspection.
Gen. John Pope, in his official report for 1866 (House Ex. Doc. No. 1, 39 Cong., 2 Sess.
[1866], v. 3, pp. 23-30) makes no mention of Whittredge. The American Art Journal, New
York, v. 5 (1866), p. 244, states, however, "Whittredge we hear is at Denver City," and later
in the year (ibid., v. 6 [1866], p. 37), "Whittredge having spent the summer amid the Rocky
Mountains brings back many fine sketches." Somewhat later the same journal (v. 6 [1867],
p. 326) reports that Whittredge was at work on a "view of the Prairie near Denver," probably
the Platte river painting mentioned in the text. This painting was reproduced in Leslie's
Weekly, January 9, 1869, p. 268, under the title "Plains at the Base of Rocky Mountains."
The Dictionary of American iBiography states that Whittredge was accompanied on his
Western tour of 1866 by John F. Kensett and Sanford R. Gifford. This statement is in error
as the trip by these three artists was made in 1870 and not in 1866, see his autobiography
mentioned above and the list by John F. Weir, Catalogue of Paintings of Sanford R. Gifford
(New York, 1881), p. 8. Several of the Western sketches of Gifford in this list are also dated
"1870"; see, also, New York Tribune, August 30, 1880, p. 5. Kensett had had Western
experiences before he made the 1870 trip for he was on the headwaters of the upper Missouri
river in 1856. See, The Crayon, New York, v. 3 (1856), p. 30; v. 4 (1857), pp. 252, 377.
12. Beard (1824-1900) appears in the Dictionary of American Biography, v. 2 (1929), pp.
95, 96, but no mention of his Western experiences is made. Beard's later representation of
animals acting like human beings so overshadowed all his other work that the rest has been
lost sight of. Beard is mentioned several times in the local press during his stay in Denver:
Rocky Mountain News, June 6 and 20, 1866.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 103
brought his family to America when Alfred was two years old. 13
The family settled at Rochester, Ohio, upon their arrival from Eng-
land, and Alfred Mathews spent his boyhood in the Buckeye state.
A family letter, dated December 11, 1845, written to William
Mathews, one of the seven children and who was working in Cin-
cinnati, indicates that the Mathews family was musically and ar-
tistically inclined. Most of the members of the family added their
own notes to the letter, revealing that several of the children made
oil paintings and that most of them played musical instruments.
At the time the letter was written Alfred was a youngster of four-
teen, but he was already an individualist as is revealed by the note
he wrote as his contribution in the family letter to William:
Dear William
I was glad to hear that you are so comfortably situated with a prospect of
doing well. I should like if you could get me in a store in Cincinnatti next
year. I am going to learn Dutch this winter. I am learning my books at
home because I can't agree with my schoolmaster he sent me out to get
a switch to whip me with because I did not get my grammar good, and I
fot pa said I should stay at home and studdy my books. I remain yours
affectionately, ALFRED E. MATHEWS
Apparently he made considerable progress by "studdy" at home
for his grammar improved and in a few years he was learning the
trade of typesetting in the office of the New Philadelphia Ohio
Democrat, owned by his brother, Charles. Whether he received
any instruction in art during this early period of his life is uncer-
tain, but by the time he was 25 he was engaged in the combined
profession of itinerant book seller and artist as is shown by the
following letter written to an aunt:
RAVENNA, OHIO, MAY 6, 1856
Dear Aunt:
Some weeks ago I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you, sent to
my brother Wm. T. Mathews, artist. I should have written before, but
thought best to defer it until my brother, the Doctor, went to England. I
13. In 1905, Charles H. Mathews, a brother of Alfred E. Mathews, prepared a manu-
script biography, including letters, etc., of the latter for the Denver Public Library. In addi-
tion, Miss Ina T. Aulls of the Denver Public Library secured some biographical data, letters,
etc., from a niece of Mathews, Mrs. Priscilla Gibbs of Denver. All biographical data con-
cerning A. E. Mathews not otherwise credited in this article is to be attributed to this col-
lection now in the possession of the Denver Public Library. For example, in this material
is included a transcript from a family record giving the exact hour, place and date of birth
of each of the seven Mathews children.
Miss Isadora E. Mathews of New Philadelphia, Ohio, a grandniece of Alfred E. Mathews,
has also kindly furnished me biographical data concerning the Mathews family.
William T. Mathews, a brother of Alfred, also achieved considerable reputation, at least
locally, as an artist and became known as "the painter of presidents," for he portrayed
Lincoln, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison and McKinley. William T. Mathews was bom in Bristol,
England, May 7, 1821, and died in Washington, D. C., January 11, 1905. Harper's Weekly,
v. 8 (December 24, 1864), p. 829, has two illustrations credited to W. D. Matthews, who may
have been this W. T. Mathews.
104 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
am still at the same business, as when I last wrote you, traveling with books
and am at present in northern Ohio, among the Yankees.
Last year I was in the state of Maine. The scenery in that state is beauti-
ful; there is such a beautiful combination of lakes and mountain- scenes.
Before being in Maine, I was in Vermont and New Hampshire, and visited
the celebrated White Mountains. By the Doctor I sent you a daguerreotype of
what is called "The Old Man of the Mountain." It is from a sketch I took
myself and is considered an exact representation of it. It is certainly one of
the greatest curiosities in this country. Some part of the day is more favorable
than others for viewing it, according to the position of the sun. I took this in
the most favorable time, when it looked most like the human face. I also
send Miss Gillett two (2) pictures, a winter scene and a blue linnet (my own
work) which you will please give her, with my love. I hope to visit you
before many years. Indeed, I shall be traveling all the time for 2 or 3 years
yet; for my health will not admit of confinement.
I go to Kentucky on the first of July next, and in the fall further south.
It is much better in the south for my business than in the north, and the cli-
mate will agree with me, as I have weak lungs. In selling books I make from
$1.50 to $3.00 and even $5 per day; but expenses are high and I have been
subject to many delays, so I shall not think of settling in business yet. I stay
among the Yankees altogether, as they are a reading community, and I have
been with them so much that they consider me the very embodiment of a
Connecticut Yankee. I look forward with considerable pleasure to my con-
templated trip south and shall probably stay there some time. I leave here
the fore part of summer, because my business will not pay here in haying and
harvest time. So I shall go where they are through with such work. I send
you a drawing of the head of a Moose, which I took while in Maine. I had
the head of one of those animals hanging in the barn to look at. I spent a
week or 10 days very pleasantly at Moose Head Lake. They had plenty of
moose-beef, (the very best of meat) and lake trout.
Mt. Kinneo, situated in the centre of it, is 753 feet high, perpendicular.
The hotel there is quite a resort for travelers in summer. I took a drawing
of the Mountain which I sold to the landlord for $5.00. I fill up odd times
with such work and find it profitable. The other day I sold one the size of a
sheet of note paper for $3.00, a group of 3 birds, which took me four (4) hours
to make.
I will write you when I go south, and give you a full account of the work-
ings of slavery.
Yours Affectionate Nephew,
ALFRED E. MATHEWS
The letter is intensely interesting from several points of view but
primarily because it gives an insight into the life and character of
A. E. Mathews. Obviously he was an artist in feeling; he liked
to travel; he was not very robust (he died at the age of 43), and he
was observant and shrewd.
The projected Southern trip mentioned above was made, for he
was teaching a country school in Tuskaloosa county, Alabama, when
A. E. MATHEWS
(1831-1874)
This print and all others reproduced with this article except
the two views of Nebraska City are from the Denver Public
Library Western Collection.
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PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 105
the Civil War broke out. With considerable difficulty he worked
his way north to his father's home in Ohio where, in August, 1861,
he enlisted in "Capt. Cotter's battery." 14 Later he was transferred
to the 31st regiment of the Ohio Volunteer infantry with which he
served for three years. Mathews participated in the siege of
Corinth, the battles of Stone River, Lookout Mountain and Mission
Ridge.
His skill with the pencil was recognized, for his talents were used
in preparing topographic maps and drawings for army use. More
important at the present day, however, are a number of Civil War
scenes, drawn from direct observation by Mathews and later litho-
graphed. The Library of Congress has some 35 different lithographs
and the Denver Public Library 30. A comparison of the titles in
these two libraries shows that there are 38 different titles now
known. 15 The scenes reproduced by Mathews in these lithographs
are of events occurring in the period 1861-1864.
14. Capt. Charles S. Cotter, Battery A, 1st Ohio artillery. Francis B. Heitman, His-
torical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army. . . . (Washington, 1903),
v. 2, p. 166.
Mathews published an account of his arduous and difficult "escape'' from the South, B
journey fraught with considerable danger in the days when all sections of the country were
aflame. In a pamphlet of 28 pages of text, Interesting Narrative; Being a Journal of the
Flight of Alfred E. Mathews of Stark County, Ohio (July, 1861), Mathews describes his
circuitous route from northern Alabama to Chicago. He went from Alabama to Texas as he
thought Texas would not secede, but when it did, he began his northern trek through Lou-
isiana, Arkansas and Missouri. In the opening sentence, Mathews states that he had been
residing "for more than one year previous to the close of the year 1860" in northern Alabama.
15. Lithography was by Middleton, Strobridge and Company; by Ehrgott, Forbriger &
Company, and by Donaldson and Elmes, all of Cincinnati, Ohio. The lithographs are of
various sizes ranging from 11 by 7 inches to 24 by 16 inches.
The combined list of titles of the Mathews lithographs held by the Library of Congress
and by the Denver Public Library include:
Lithographs by Middleton, Strobridge & Company, Sketched by A. E. Mathews
"Battle of Jackson, Mississippi."
"The Battle of Logan's Cross Roads, Fought on the 19th of January, 1862."
"Battle of Perryville, the Extreme Left, Starkweather's Brigade."
"Battle of Shiloh, the Gunboats, Tylor and Lexington Supporting the National Troops."
"The Battle of Stone River or Murfreesboro."
'The Battle of Stone River or Murfreesboro [another view]."
'The Battle of Stone River or Murfreesboro [another view]."
"The Battle of Stone River or Murfreesboro, Charge of Gen. Negley's Division Across
Stone River."
"The Battle of Wild Cat, Oct. 21, 1861."
"The Battle of Wild Cat, Oct. 21, 1861 [smaller view with text]," dated 1861.
"Camp Ready, Hamburg, Tennessee, Composed of Companies C, I and E of the 80th
Reg't O. V. I."
"Charge of the First Brigade, Commanded by Col. M. B. Walker, on the Friday
Evening of the Battle of Stone River."
"Encampment of Gen. Pope's Army Before Corinth, May, 1862. View From the Camp
of the 43rd Ohio Reg't."
"Farmington, Mississippi, May, 1862."
"Female Seminary, Nashville, Tenn. Barracks of the 51st Reg't O. V."
"The First Union Dress Parade in Nashville."
"Fort Anderson, Paducah, Kentucky, and the Camp of the 6th Illinois Cavalry, April,
1862."
"Fort Mitchell."
"On the March From Hamburg to Camp Before Corinth."
"The 103rd Reg't O. V. in Line of Battle at Fort Mitchell."
"Pittsburg Landing."
"The 121st Reg't Ohio Volunteers, Crossing the Pontoon Bridge at Cincinnati, Friday,
Sept. 19, 1862," dated 1862.
"Rev. L. F. Drake, Chaplain 31st Ohio Volunteers, Preaching at Camp Dick Robinson,
Ky., November 10, 1861."
"Siege of Vicksburg."
"Siege of Vicksburg [another view]."
106 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
That some of these lithographic views, at least, were highly re-
garded is borne out by the following brief letter from no less a per-
son than Gen. U. S. Grant (included in the Charles H. Mathews
material) :
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE
VICKSBURG, Miss., AUG. 9, 1863
Private A. E. Mathews, 31st Ohio Vols.
Sir I have examined the Lithographs of views taken by you of the "Siege
of Vicksburg," and do not hesitate to pronounce them among the most accu-
rate and true to life I have ever seen.
They reflect great credit upon you as a delineator of landscape views.
U. S. GRANT,
Major Gen. Com'd'g Dept.
After his term of service expired, Mathews used his talents in
preparing for exhibition a panorama of the campaign in "the South-
west." That is, he depicted on canvas the capture of Vicksburg,
the battles of Stone River, Lookout Mountain and Missionary
Ridge and concluded by showing Sherman's march to the sea. How
extensively this panorama was exhibited we do not now know, but an
undated clipping from a Steubenville, Ohio, newspaper states that
"the audience, particularly the soldiers, who were in many of the
battles represented, were delighted and gave repeated evidence of
satisfaction" when the panorama was exhibited in that city.
The panorama was probably on exhibit in 1864 and early in 1865
but it is doubtful if it brought Mathews any great return. In any
event by the time the war was over in the spring of 1865, Mathews'
wanderlust had returned and he again commenced his travels. Evi-
"Siege of Vicksburg [another view]."
"The Siege of Vicksburg, the Fight in the Crater of Fort Hill After the Explosion,
June 25, 1863."
"The 10th Reg't Iowa Volunteers on the March From Hamburg to Camp Before
Corinth, Apr. 28th, 1862."
"The 31st Reg't Ohio Vol., (Col. M. B. Walker) Building Breastworks and Embrasures
Before Corinth, Miss., May, 1862."
"The 21st Reg't Wisconsin Vol., Crossing the Pontoon Bridge, at Cincinnati, Sept. 13,
1862."
"Union Forces Crossing Fishing Creek."
Lithographs by Ehrgott, Forbriger & Company, Sketched by A. E. Mathews
"The Battle of Shiloh."
"Hospital Varian, Hamburg, Tenn."
"Shiloh Church."
"Shiloh Spring."
Lithographs by Donaldson and Elmes
"Lookout Mountain, Near Chattanooga, Tenn." (This shows Field Hospital, Encamp-
ment Pioneer Brigade, Nashville & Chattanooga Rail Road. Dated 1864.)
"The Army of the Cumberland in Front of Chattanooga. Maj. Gen. W. S. Rosecrans,
Commanding. Representing the Position of Gen. Brannan's Division, Gen. Negley's
Division and Gen. Rousseau's Division, of Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas' Army
Corps."
"Chattanooga And the Battle Ground. Scene of the Brilliant Operations of Major
General Geo. H. Thomas' Army of Major General U. S. Grant's Military Com-
mand. (The Eagle's Nest.)"
Mathews also had two illustrations of this period published in Harper's Weekly, v. 5
(November 23, 1861), p. 743, illustrating "The War in Kentucky."
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 107
dently the westward migration caught his fancy, for the next defi-
nite record of his movements places him in Nebraska City, Ne-
braska territory, in the summer of 1865. Here Mathews made a
number of sketches, at least four of which were subsequently litho-
graphed. The Nebraska State Historical Society possesses Mathews
lithographs of Nebraska City, with the following imprints:
1. "Nebraska City. The Landing and City as Seen From the Iowa Side
of the Missouri River, in 1865. Sketched by A. E. Matthews." [Re-
produced on the cover of this magazine.]
2. "Nebraska City. View on Main Street Looking West." Sketched by
A. E. Mathews. [Reproduced between pp. 104, 105.]
3. "Nebraska City. View of Main Street North Side. Sketched by A. E.
Matthews."
4. "Nebraska City. As Seen From Kearney Heights in 1865. Sketched
by A. E. Matthews." 16
Nebraska City in 1865 was one of the important eastern termi-
nals of the overland freighting business. Located on the Missouri
river, enormous quantities . of supplies were carried by water from
St. Louis to this river port, where the slow westward trek by ox
train began. Here it was that the celebrated firm of Russell, Ma-
jors and Waddell established one of their bases for the transpor-
tation of supplies across the plains to Colorado, New Mexico and
Utah. The highway terminating at Nebraska City was one of the
most important in the period 1860-1869 between the Missouri and
Mississippi rivers and the Rocky Mountains. Known as the Oregon
Trail Short Line and the Steam Wagon Road, it was one of the
shortest and best roads from the Missouri to the Rockies. 17 Mathews
in 1865 must have seen Nebraska City at its height as a freighting
center his views of Main street show that it was indeed a busy
place. In one of the views (No. 3 above) some dozen prairie schoon-
ers hauled by the usual six-yoke ox teams are represented, as well
as a wealth of homely detail that makes his views of importance
to the social historian. How faithfully the sketches were copied
16. I am indebted to James C. Olson, superintendent of the Nebraska State Historical
Society, for photographic prints of each of the above lithographs and also for additional
information concerning them. No. 3 above was reproduced in Nebraska History, Lincoln,
for September, 1948, facing p. 212. The lithography of the first print above is not cred-
ited, although the original lithograph bears the initials "J. G." ; the remaining three were
lithographed by Donaldson and Elmes, Cincinnati.
It is a curious fact that the imprint of Mathews' name on these Nebraska views shows
the spelling "Matthews." In all his subsequent work, but one t appears. Further con-
firmation of the date of the Nebraska City sketches is furnished by the item from The
Rocky Mountain News for November 13, 1865, reprinted on p. 108.
The print size of the four Nebraska City lithographs is 16 by 10 inches; they were ap-
parently printed in two colors, brown and black.
17. Nebraska History Magazine, Lincoln, v. 13 (1932), pp. 137-159.
108 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
by the lithographer it is hard to tell, as no original sketches of
Mathews are known to exist. 18
It is obvious from the lithographs that Mathews' sense of per-
spective and proportion was none too good, that his buildings and
human figures are all too frequently stiff and formal, but the mass
of detail introduced and the portrayal of small incidents lend
genuine interest to his work. For example, in one view a dog
fight is portrayed, in another a flock of sheep and several cows can
be seen following an emigrant's covered wagon, from under
the rear canvas of which peers the small face of a traveler [re-
produced between pp. 104, 105]. Mathews seems to have been par-
ticularly successful in portraying the mood and habits of dogs, for
there is scarcely a view in which some lifelike attitude of the friend
of man cannot be distinguished. 19
In the fall of 1865, Mathews left Nebraska City for Denver,
either joining one of the freight trains or going by overland stage
across the plains. Doubtless sketches were made en route, but no
lithographic record of the trip is known as yet to the writer.
Mathews arrived in Denver on November 12, for The Rocky Moun-
tain News of the next day reports:
We received a call this morning from Mr. A. E. Mathews, an artist, typo
and soldier, who arrived here yesterday with the purpose of making sketches
of the scenery in town and country, to be lithographed and furnished to sub-
scribers. He showed us several of his pictures of scenes of interest in and
around Nebraska City and other places, which are as true to nature as it is
possible to make them, and bear the marks of an Artist's hand. He is
spoken of in the highest terms by the river papers, and has recommendations
from Gen. Grant and other eminent officers with whom he served as a sol-
dier, and also as an Artist for the New York illustrated papers. We bespeak
for him a liberal patronage from our business men, and the lovers of the
beautiful, upon whom he may call. He commences his labors in this city
this morning. 20
18. A number of the leading libraries of the country have been queried in the hope that
some original Mathews sketches could be located, but without success. Miss Isadora E.
Mathews of New Philadelphia, Ohio, grandniece of A. E. Mathews, reports that none of the
original Mathews sketches are in the possession of the family.
19. It is interesting to compare Mathews' views of Main street, Nebraska City, with the
reproduction of a photograph of Main street which must have been made at about the same
time as the sketches. It will be found in J. Sterling Morton's Illustrated History of Nebraska
(Lincoln, 1905), v. 1, facing p. 107. The photograph, too, shows that Main street was a busy
place in freighting days.
Of importance in the first of the Mathews lithographs listed above (the river view see
cover), is the fact that three large river boats can be seen: Post Boy, Sioux and one whose
name is not distinct. Post Boy was a real river craft, for it is included in Phil E. Chappell's
list of "Missouri River Steamboats," Kansas Historical Collections, Topeka, v. 9 (1905-1906),
p. 309. Chappell does not list a Sioux although he does list a Sioux City (No. 1) and Sioux
City (No. 2), p. 310, and still another Sioux City (No. 2) on p. 316. There evidently is
some confusion of names in Chappell's list and Mathews' Sioux may be the key to the solu-
tion of this confusion.
20. The Daily Rocky Mountain News, November 13, 1865.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 109
Mathews not only went to work in Denver but within a month
he was out in the mines and mills of the nearby mountains secur-
ing sketches of this important Colorado industry. 21 By early March
of 1866, lithographic reproductions of four of his sketches were
available. They included a bird's eye view of Denver and three
street views in the same city: one of Laramie street, one of Blake
street [reproduced between pp. 104, 105] and one of F street. The
local press reported on them very favorably and stated that all
views "are natural to the life. Among the familiar objects repre-
sented are Estabrook's splendid black-horse team, and the ubiq-
uitous old sorrel nag and chaise of the lamented Dr. McLain." 22
Several weeks later, Mathews had received from his lithographer,
Julius Bien of New York, another set of lithographs. These were
from his sketches of Blackhawk, Nevada, Central City [reproduced
facing p. 105] and the Snowy Range. 23 Both this set and the pre-
vious group of Denver lithographs were undoubtedly separates from
the views which were later collected and published as the cele-
brated Pencil Sketches of Colorado. Although this work was not
available in Denver until October, 1866, 24 the book itself is dated
"May, 1866." It is of generous dimensions, 19 by 13% inches, and
the sixteen full-page lithographs themselves are approximately 16
by 8 or 9 inches. Eight of the lithographs were printed two on a
page and twelve of them four to a page. The titles include (titles
bracketed together indicate that lithographs appear together on a
single page) :
1. "Snowy Range of the Rocky Mountains; From Bald Mountain, Near
Nevada" (full page, frontispiece).
2. "Denver, City of the Plains" (full page).
3. "F Street, Denver" (full page).
4. "Blake Street, Denver, Colorado" (full page). [Reproduced between
pp. 104, 105.]
5. "Laramie Street, Denver" (full page).
6. "Golden City" (full page).
7. "Black Hawk, Looking Up Gregory and Chase's Gulches" (full page).
8. "Central City ; From the Side of Mammoth Hill Looking Up Gregory
and Eureka Gulches" (full page). [Reproduced facing p. 105.]
9. "Central City; Looking Up Spring Gulch" (full page).
10. "Nevada, Colorado" (full page).
21. Daily Miners' Register, Central City, Colo., December 1, 2, 1865.
22. Rocky Mountain News, March 5, 1866. These well-known views of Denver were
originally sketched, as can be inferred from the above comment, some time between the date
of Mathews' arrival hi Denver in November, 1865, and early February, 1866, for mention of
"the lamented Dr. McLain" apparently limits the later date. Dr. L. B. McLain died Febru-
ary 2, 1866. Ibid., February 2, 1866.
23. Daily Rocky Mountain News, March 19, 1866.
24. Rocky Mountain News, October 19, 1866.
110 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
11. "Russell Gulch, Gilpin County" (half page).
12. "The Chief, Squaw and Papoose, as Seen- From Idaho" (half page) .
13. "Idaho, Clear Creek County" (half page).
14. "Fall River, Clear Creek County" (half page) .
15. "The Old Mountaineer, Fall River" (half page).
16. "Profile Rock, Fall River" (half page).
17. "Empire City, Clear Creek County. From Near the Foot of Silver
Mountain, Looking Towards Elizabethtown" (half page).
18. "Elizabethtown, Clear Creek County. From the Griffith Tunnel" (half
page) .
19. "South Park" (full page).
20. "Mount Lincoln. The Town Montgomery Is Seen at Its Base" (full
page).
21. "Twin Lakes" (full page).
22. "Pike's Peak and Colorado City" (full page). [Reproduced facing p.
112.]
23. "Garden of the Gods" (full page).
24. "Monuments, Near Monument Creek" (full page).
25. "Gulch Mining. Colorado Gulch" (fourth page).
26. "Spanish Arastra On Clear Creek" (fourth page).
27. "The Stamp Process. Mr. Sensenderfer's Mill" (fourth page).
28. "Shaft or Lode Mining. Interior of No. 1, On the Gregory, the Black
Hawk Co.'s Mine" (fourth page).
'29. "The Ore Breaking Room. Blake's Ore Breaker" (fourth page).
30. "The Furnace" (fourth page).
31. "The Ore Pit, or Drying Room" (fourth page).
32. "Amalgamating Room" (fourth page).
The four lithographs above appear above the general page title, "The Keith
Process. Hope Gold Company's Works."
[33. "Ore Dressing Room The Buddie and Jiggs" (fourth page) .
"Reverberatory Furnace" (fourth page).
"Cupel Furnace" (fourth page).
"Scotch Hearths" (fourth page).
four lithographs above appear above the general page title, "The
Smelting Process. James E. Lyon & Co.'s Smelting Works."
The lithographs are followed by twelve pages of text which de-
scribe briefly the subject of each of the 36 lithographs with some
additional background material. 25
This pictorial record of Colorado is an important historical docu-
ment. Although here again Mathews' sense of perspective is faulty
and the stiffness of his buildings is all too apparent (many look as
if they had been drawn with a ruler) , the wealth of detail in his city
25. Pencil Sketches of Colorado will be found in various bibliographic lists under place
and date: sometimes as "(Denver, 1866)" and sometimes as ''New York, 1866." These dif-
ferences arise from the fact that following the title page is the entry, "Entered according to
Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by A. E. Mathews, In the Clerk's Office of the District
Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York," whereas at the conclu-
sion of the single page "Preface" there is the entry, "Denver, May, 1866."
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 111
and street views is invaluable to the social historian. Dress, trans-
portation (in one of the lithographs, there can be counted seven or
eight types of wheeled vehicles), the miscellany of everyday street
life, and the methods, equipment and detail of Colorado mining, are
all faithfully recorded, or as faithfully as Mathews could for he
made a fetish of validity in his pictures. As far as the writer is
aware, there has never been any criticism (contemporary or recent)
on this score. Comparison of the Denver street scenes with photo-
graphs of the same period is interesting, for the photographs, as do
the lithographs, show that vehicular traffic was something of a prob-
lem even in 1866. To maneuver a six-yoke ox team through such
congestion must have been more of a problem than edging forward
in a car against the traffic lights of present-day Denver streets.
Probably the greatest difference to be noted in comparing Denver
photographs of 1865 with the Mathews lithographs is the fact that
in the lithographs all the buildings are in good repair and the general
appearance is far tidier.
It will be noted in Mathews' street views, however, both of Ne-
braska City and of Denver, that although some stores are very dis-
tinctly marked with the name of the proprietor, other buildings are
conspicuous by the blank space where the owner's name should
appear. Undoubtedly this omission was intentional on Mathews'
part. Some of his income must have come from the contribution of
store owners who were willing to pay for the privilege of having
their names show boldly in the completed lithographs a conclusion
supported by the comment of The Daily Rocky Mountain News
(see p. 108) : "We bespeak for him [Mathews] a liberal patronage
from our business men, . . ."
Pencil Sketches of Colorado sold originally for $30 a copy, but it
has become one of the scarcest items of Western Americana and a
good copy today will bring $350 to $400. 26
During the summer and fall of 1866, Mathews continued his
labors in Colorado. He spent over a month in the neighborhood of
Colorado Springs, sketching the well-known Pike's Peak region, the
Garden of the Gods and surrounding country, as well as making
visits to the mines of southern Colorado. 27 This trip was followed
26. The original price is given in Rocky Mountain News, October 19, 1866. The current
retail price was kindly furnished by Norman L. Dodge of Goodspeed's Book Shop, Boston.
Edward Eberstadt's Catalogue No. 106 (1937), p. 23, lists a copy of Pencil Sketches of Col-
orado at $275.
27. Daily Rocky Mountain News, March 19, 1866, reports that Mathews left "today"
for the Pike's Peak region; the same newspaper, May 7, 1866, states that he returned "Sat-
urday" from the south. Probably the views of Pike's Peak and Colorado City (facing p. 112)
and of the Garden of the Gods included in Pencil Sketches of Colorado were obtained on this
trip.
112 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
by sketching tours to the headwaters of Clear creek, to Long's Peak
and to South and Middle Parks. 28 Some of these sketches were re-
produced lithographically and do not appear in any of his better-
known bound works (i. e., in Pencil Sketches of Colorado and the
three books remaining to be described). Apparently Mathews was
none too well satisfied with the lithographic reproduction of his
sketches. Contemporary newspaper reports made such statements
and they are further supported by the fact that Mathews did much
of the actual lithographing of his later work. 29
The winter of 1866-1867, Mathews spent in the East, presum-
ably in visiting relatives in Ohio, and in a business trip to New
York City for the purpose of supervising the lithography of addi-
tional sketches. 30 He was back in Denver late in May, 1867, to
start another season's work. 31 The earlier part of the season saw
him sketching in Colorado but in the fall he spent a month or so
in Montana securing the material upon which his second well-known
book of lithographs was based, Pencil Sketches of Montana. 32 The
editor of The Montana Post saw the sketches resulting from Math-
ews' tour of Montana and was favorably impressed, for he wrote:
"Having looked over many familiar scenes we can say that his pen
has truthfully portrayed them and the work [that is, Mathews'
proposed book of lithographs] will be one eagerly sought for."
28. Daily Rocky Mountain News, May 7, August 10, 1866.
29. The Rocky Mountain News, October 30, 1866, advertises "Mathews Colorado views
bound and unbound for sale at the Denver Art Emporium." The Denver Public Library
possesses some of the unbound lithographs; one, in color, is of Long's Peak and measures
about 16% by 27 centimeters. It was lithographed by Major & Knapp Eng. Mfg. and Lith.
Co.
The Daily Miners' Register, Central City, July 20, 1867, reports that Mathews called on
the editor of the Register "yesterday" and then went on to say that the earlier Colorado lith-
ographs (presumably those in the Pencil Sketches of Colorado) "were sent on to a lithograph-
ing house in New York, which so botched the work as to leave little trace of the original de-
sign. The work was coarse, badly colored and altogether 'dutchy.' Notwithstanding these
serious defects, they were sold. Subsequently Mr. Mathews made pictures of the most prom-
inent points and went on himself to supervise their execution. We now have as pretty a series
as could be wished. There are two of Long's and Pike's Peak [possibly one of these was the
one referred to above in this note], one of each colored in 'chromo' style, the others plain, but
very skillfully engraved. The third is an elegant view of a point of rock at Fall River, known
as the 'Old Mountaineer,' which is the most picturesque and interesting of all. Specimens may
be seen at the bookstores and various other places in town. . . ." "The Old Mountain-
eer," located in Clear Creek county "near the mouth of Fall River," and mentioned above,
was a discovery of Mathews, according to The Rocky Mountain Neivs, December 24, 1866.
Doubtless Mathews' early experience with the Eastern "great Stone Face" (see p. 104) may
have sharpened his eye for such natural curiosities. Mention of the new style Mathews'
"chromos" was also made by the weekly News, May 29, July 5, 1867.
30. See Footnote 29; in addition, The Rocky Mountain News, December 24, 1866, stated
that Mathews was leaving "in a few days" for Europe to supervise the lithography of
sketches. There is no other evidence that he made the European trip and the fact that I
have found no lithographs of European origin would also tend to support the New York trip
rather than the European one.
31. Weekly Rocky Mountain News, May 29, 1867.
32. Daily Miners' Register, Central City, July 20, 1867, states that Mathews was sketch-
ing in Colorado and would soon start for the Great Salt Lake valley. The Daily Rocky
Mountain News, July 20, 1867, states that Mathews had just returned from a trip to the
Snake river country (possibly in Wyoming). The Montana Post, Virginia City, October 19,
1867, reports his presence in Virginia City after a tour of several weeks through Montana.
The Daily Rocky Mountain News, November 21, 1867, reports his return to Denver from
Montana by way of Salt Lake City.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 113
Among the sketches seen by the editor were views of "Beaver-Head
Rock," Stinking Water valley and ranges, "Virginia City [facing
p. 113]," "Union City," "Bald Mountain," Madison valley and
range, "Exit of the Yellowstone From the Mountains," the Yellow-
stone valley, "Three Forks," "Head Waters of the Missouri,"
"Helena," "The Hangman's Tree," "Prickley Pear Canyon," "Gate
o! the Mountains," "Bear Tooth Mountain," "Great Falls of the
Missouri," "Fort Benton," "The Palisades," "Citadel Rock," "The
Church, Castle and Fortress," the ruined castle, "Fort Cook," "Deer
Lodge Valley" and Gold Hill mountains. 33
Many of these titles appear in Pencil Sketches of Montana, which
Mathews, evidently not satisfied by his experiences in the pub-
lication of the companion Colorado volume, lithographed himself.
The lithography was done in New York City, where Mathews spent
the winter of 1867-1868, and where he maintained a studio at 470
Broadway. 34
During the winter, however, Mathews not only made the litho-
graphic plates for Pencil Sketches of Montana but he was also ac-
tively engaged in designing and preparing a panorama of Rocky
Mountain scenery for exhibition. It is quite probable that Mathews
himself did not make the giant paintings for the panorama but had
them made by professionals in the trade from his own drawings
and under his personal direction. 35
About June, 1868, both Pencil Sketches of Montana and the pano-
rama were ready for public view and Mathews started again for
the West. The first exhibition of the panorama of which I have
note was held in Omaha. 36 Two weeks later it was on exhibit in
Denver, and for much of the summer and fall of 1868 Mathews was
engaged in exhibiting the panorama in Colorado and Montana. 37
33. The Montana Post, Virginia City, October 19, 1867. I am indebted to Mrs. Anne
McDonnell of the Montana Historical Society for this item and others listed in Footnotes 40
and 43 (relating to Tofft).
34. Daily Rocky Mountain New*, November 21, 1867; The Montana Post, October 19,
1867.
35. In fact, the Central City Daily Miners' Register, July 25, 1868, states: "The sketches
[for the panorama] were all made by Mr. Mathews, but the painting is by artists in New
York."
36. The Weekly Republican, Omaha, Neb., June 24, 1868. According to the Republican,
the panorama was to be exhibited June 27 and 29, 1868, with Mathews giving an explanatory
lecture. The notice states that the panorama was endorsed by Gen. G. M. Dodge, "who says
they [the scenes depicted] are very accurate."
37. Notices of its appearance are given in The Rocky Mountain News, July 10, 14, 1868;
Daily Miners' Register, Central City, July 21, 22, 24-26, 1868; The Montana Post, Helena,
November 13, 1868. It had been exhibited "along the Missouri river" prior to its arrival in
Colorado according to The Daily Miners' Register, July 21, 1868; possibly this statement
means that other exhibitions than the one in Omaha had been made.
86533
114 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The panorama was well received wherever exhibited. Its exhi-
bition, according to The Rocky Mountain News,
gave the very greatest satisfaction. The scenes are well chosen, embracing
many of the finest in Colorado, Utah and Montana, they are true to life,
we thought we recognized the brands of our old camp fire by the big rock, left
front, Chicago lakes, they are well sketched and painted, and the arrange-
ment for exhibiting, showing one complete scene at once and no more, is
perfect. Mr. M. accompanied the succeeding scenes with a running descrip-
tive lecture, much of it couched in eloquent and beautiful language. 38
The Daily Miners' Register thought that "The best piece, per-
haps, is that sketched from Gold Lake, in Ward district, twenty-
eight miles north of here. Grey's peak and other scenes were good.
As a whole, the panorama is far superior to most such exhibitions.
It might be better said that few equal it. It gives an excellent in-
sight to Rocky mountain scenery. . . ." 39 The Montana Post
recommended the Mathews panorama "as one of the finest works
of art ever exhibited to the people of the Territory. The scenery
in the panorama is purely western, much of it is in Montana, and
all the beauty and grandeur of this American Switzerland is trans-
ferred to the canvass with a master's touch." 40
To be sure, many of these descriptions and comments are eulogy
of a home product, but it must also be remembered that the pano-
rama was then a form of art and amusement popular and well-
known even in the "uncultivated West" the forerunner of the
modern motion picture. One, too, must consider the fact that if
the paintings departed appreciably from the observer's belief in
reality one of the criteria of art in that day the home audiences
would have been one of the first to detect and criticize the work.
To stimulate attendance at his exhibitions, Mathews made it a
practice to distribute individual lithographs and occasionally com-
plete volumes of his bound lithographs to patrons of his lecture
and panorama. 41 It is therefore surprising to find that his litho-
graphs are so rare today.
That the exhibitions were successful is shown by the following
letter written by Mathews to his sister while the panorama was on
exhibit during the summer of 1868. It is interesting not only from
the light it sheds on the exhibition of the panorama but also on
other contemporary affairs.
38. Rocky Mountain News, July 14, 1868.
39. Daily Miners' Register, July 22, 1868.
40. The Montana Post, Helena, November 13, 1868.
41. Many of the reports cited in Footnotes 37 and 42 state this fact.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 115
IN CAMP ON THE NORTH FORK OF THE PLATTE
DACOTAH, AUG. 15, 1868.
Dear sister, Eliza:
Since arriving in the Territory I have been so busy as to neglect my cor-
respondents. I am now on my way to Montana. The panorama proved a
great success in Colorado; but I was sick most of the time, which prevented
my giving it the necessary attention; and that eat up the profits, by long
delays. Receipts were from $58. to $117. per night, and sometimes we had to
close the doors and refuse to admit more in consequence of the crowd. There
is no good chance to invest on the railroad this year; it has all been an-
ticipated. The only good chance I have yet seen was in Georgetown, Colorado,
in the silver-mining district. But there is as yet no title to be had to the
lots and will not be for some time, until sold by the government. This town
is bound to grow very rapidly, as the mountains are very rich in silver, and
it will be the terminus of a railroad. The best chance I can see here is
raising cattle or sheep, as it costs comparatively nothing to keep them they
feed on grass all winter. I shall likely go into it myself soon. The next
best investment would be in farm land near Omaha. Land can be had within
7 miles of Omaha for $8.00 to $10.00 per acre, that will in a few years be
very valuable. The trouble is that within the last few months the increase
in lots in promising towns has been anticipated; in some places the titles are
insecure, without living on the land. I learn that within the past year they
have anticipated a rise in San Francisco and property is very high. I will
write again soon and describe the country through which I have passed. Write
soon and direct to Virginia City, Montana.
In haste, your affectionate brother,
A. E. MATHEWS.
It seems probable that the panorama was an exhibit in the East
during the winter of 1868-1869 (in fact this purpose of Mathews is
stated in some of the references given in Footnote 37), but I have
seen no direct statement of such exhibit. At any rate, Mathews
exhibited it in Colorado again in the summer of 1869, but he finally
sold it late in the fall to Dr. J. E. Wharton of Denver. 42
42. Rocky Mountain News, July 15, October 20, 1869; Colorado Miner Georgetown
August 12, 13, 18, 1869; Colorado Transcript, Golden, November 10, 1869. The Rocky
Mountain News, August 24, 1869, states that Mathews was starting on a tour with his pan-
orama which would include exhibitions at Breckinridge, Fairplay, Canon City, Pueblo and Col-
orado City.
The sale of the panorama to Dr. J. E. Wharton was announced in the News, November
20, 1869. Wharton in turn exhibited it, for there is notice that he was in Junction City, Kan.,
with it in January, 1870; see Junction City Weekly Union, January 15, 1870. Apparently
Wharton re-sold the panorama by the start of 1871 to a Mr. Smart of Denver who exhibited
it with additions by Stobie, another Western artist ; see Daily Rocky Mountain News, January
4, 1871.
Charles S. Stobie, "Mountain Charlie," possibly should have been included in the list of
artists who crossed the plains to the Rocky Mountains at the close of the Civil War. In J.
W. Leonard's Book of Chicagoans (Chicago, 1905), p. 551, the statement is made that Stobie
"crossed the Plains to Denver in 1865." Stobie's earliest Western experiences seem to have
been that of a plainsman rather than as an artist. Many years later he described his experi-
ences on his first trip to Colorado but made no mention of artistic labors; see his reminis-
cences, "Crossing the Plains To Colorado in 1865," The Colorado Magazine, Denver, v. 10
(1933), pp. 201-212. He subsequently achieved considerable reputation locally as an artist
of the Western scene. Born in 1845, he died in 1931 ; see obituary in the Chicago Daily
Tribune, August 19, 1931, p. 8.
116 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
We must now return to Pencil Sketches of Montana, the other
production of Mathews during his winter's stay in New York in
1867-1868. This 95-page book includes 31 lithographs, four of
which are folding views (26y 2 x 47 centimeters) and 27 are full-
page ones (13% x 22 centimeters). Most of the lithographs are
black and white although some have a green tint added. Mathews
was his own lithographer, so that in this work we have direct exam-
ples of his draftsmanship. One of the sketches (see p. 83 of Pencil
Sketches of Montana) is attributed to P. Tufts. 43
The book bears the date 1868 and was known in Denver by July
of that year. 44 It sold for $17 a copy. 45 As is the case with Pencil
Sketches of Colorado, Pencil Sketches of Montana has now become
very scarce and is one of the most sought after items of Western
Americana. One copy was sold for a record price of $770 and good
copies will bring at present (at retail) $350 to $400 each. 46
The list of plates found in Pencil Sketches of Montana is:
Plate XXIV "Great Falls of the Missouri [frontis., large folding]."
Plate I "Beaver-Head Rock."
II "In the Stinking Water Valley."
III "Virginia City [large folding]." [Reproduced facing p.
113.]
IV "Union City."
V "Bald Mountain."
VI "In the Madison Valley."
VII "Exit of the Yellowstone From the Mountains."
VIII "In the Yellowstone Valley."
IX "Spring Canyon."
X "In the Gallatin Valley."
XI "The Three Forks. Head Waters of the Missouri [large
folding]."
XII "Head Waters of the Missouri."
XIII "Helena [large folding]."
XIV "The Hangmans Tree."
XV "Unionville."
XVI "New York Gulch."
XVII "The Gate of the Mountains."
XVIII "Gate of the Mountains."
43. Peter Tofft (also spelled Toft, Toffts, as well as Tufts) was born in 1825 and died in
1901 according to C. F. Bricka, Damk Biografisk Lexikon . . . , v. 17 (1903?), p. 428.
Tofft was a native of Denmark but traveled extensively. He became well known in the 1860 'e
and 1870's in the Far West, especially the Northwest. He is probably best known for the
illustrations accompanying the article by Col. Cornelius O'Keefe (Thomas Francis Meagher),
"Rides Through Montana," which appeared in Harper's Magazine, v. 35 (1867), pp. 568-
585. The incidents depicted by Tofft were made on a journey accompanying O'Keefe in 1866.
O'Keefe (Meagher) was drowned at Fort Benton on July 1, 1867.
44. Rocky Mountain News, July 10, 1868.
45. Daily Miners' Register, Central City, July 21, 1868.
46. Edward Eberstadt's Catalogue No. 106 (1937) reports the record price and lists a
copy at $225. For the current price I am again indebted to Norman L. Dodge of Good-
speed's Book Shop.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 117
XIX "Bear Tooth Mountain."
XX "Prickley Pear Canyon."
XXI "Prickley Pear Canyon."
"Bird-Tail Mountain [plate number not printed]."
XXIII "Falls of the Missouri."
XXV "Fort Benton."
XXVI "The Palisades."
XXVII "Citadel Rock."
XXVIII "The Church, Castle, and Fortress."
XXIX "Fort Pegan."
XXX "Fort Cook."
XXXI "Deer Lodge Valley." 47
The last of the pictorial books for which Mathews is best known
is Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery. He did, however, publish
toward the close of his life a fourth volume, Canyon City, Colorado,
and Its Surroundings. It is not well known and contains but five
views.
Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery was again solely the work of
Mathews. He was the artist, lithographer and publisher. Its pub-
lication date was almost coincident with the celebration of the join-
ing of the rails of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads.
It may be that Mathews had this fact in mind when he published
the book, for its title page states that it contained "views along and
near the Union Pacific Railroad." It is, however, the least interest-
ing of the Mathews books. Mathews was neither a skillful drafts-
man nor lithographer and his defects became all too apparent in his
purely landscape work. It was the only one of his works to receive
severe contemporary criticism. Putnam's Magazine reviewed the
work as follows:
It [Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery] is a large but thin quarto, contain-
ing twenty full page illustrations selected by Mr. Mathews from a series of
drawings made by him in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Utah, from the fall
of 1865 to the winter of 1868, and executed by himself on stone. Having
however imperfect an idea of the scenery of the Rocky Mountains, derived
from the glowing accounts of travellers, and the paintings of Bierstadt and
Whittredge, we had no idea that it could be so belittled as it is here. Either
Mr. Mathews is no artist, or he is no lithographer; or, being both, it is not
within the power of lithography to reproduce the larger forms of nature. As
a rule there is no distance in the back-grounds of Mr. Mathews, no minute-
ness in his foregrounds, and nowhere the slightest sign of magnitude. Even
in the mere matter of light and shade, his drawings are below mediocrity.
Mr. Mathews courageously publishes his own work. 48
47. The plate numbers and titles are those appearing in the Denver Public Library copy.
48. Putnam's Magazine, N. S., v. 4 (August, 1809), pp. 257, 258. The Rocky Mountain
News, June 29, 1869, in noting Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery, states that it was pub-
lished by Mathews from 1227 Broadway, New York City, which must have been Mathews'
studio address for the winter of 1868-18B9.
118 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Although The Rocky Mountain News defended Mathews against
this criticism on the ground that his views were faithful to nature
and that New Yorkers regarded all outsiders with no favor, 49 the
criticism of Putnam's, despite the mention of Bierstadt's mammoth
canvases as a possible criteria of other work, is well taken. Lack
of perspective, of proportion and of proper use of light and shade
were Mathews' defects. He is best in his street views with their
wealth of detail and it is unfortunate that he did not make more
of this type of sketch pictorial history of the West would have
been greatly enriched if he had.
Lack of such detail has reflected itself in the current price of
Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery as compared to his other two
well-known works. A good copy will bring, at present retail prices,
$75 to $100. It was listed when published in 1869 at $15 a copy
but sold in Denver the same year at $10 "owing to the present
hard times." 50
If the sketches in Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery are not as
good pictorial history as are some of the other records of Mathews,
the book does furnish in its introduction an excellent description of
Mathews' method of work and of the loving labor which he ex-
pended in collecting and making his sketches. Mathews wrote:
The lithographs embodied in this work are selections from a series of
sketches made by the artist while sojourning in Colorado, Idaho, Montana
and Utah, from the fall of 1865 to the winter of 1868. During this time he
made many excursions of more or less duration, from Denver in Colorado,
Helena and Virginia City in Montana, and Salt Lake City in Utah; the en-
tire distance accomplished being about 6,000 miles; remaining, however, but
one winter in the mountains. These expeditions were performed, excepting
during one summer, entirely alone, and principally with ponies; but on two
or three occasions on snow-shoes and in a small boat. One pony was used
for riding the other carried a small, light tent, bedding and provisions.
Equipped in this way the artist was prepared to camp wherever and when-
ever so inclined the tent being a perfect security against wild animals at
night.
The pictures represent actual localities; and as they have been drawn on
stone from the sketches by the artist himself, have lost none of their original
truthfulness.
It will be observed that quite a large number of the scenes represented
are located in Colorado; this is because a larger proportion of the sublime
and beautiful mountain scenery of the great Rocky Mountain belt cluster to-
49. Rocky Mountain News, July 26, 1869.
50. The current price was furnished by Norman L. Dodge, Goodspeed's Book Shop. The
Eberstadt Catalogue No. 106 of 1937, lists a copy at $85. The contemporary prices ($15 and
$10) are given in Putnam's Magazine, N. S., v. 4 (September, 1869), p. 391, and Rocky Moun-
tain News, July 5, 1869.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 119
gether in this incomparable State. The Territories represented are arranged in
alphabetical order.
It would require many, very many, volumes to represent the half of the
numerous, grand and awe-inspiring views that are scattered so profusely
throughout the entire length of this vast belt of mountains; so that an
apology for leaving out some justly celebrated and comparatively well known
localities is, perhaps, scarcely necessary . 51
In the fall of 1869, Mathews acquired an extensive tract of land
near Canon City, Colo., where he planned to go into stock raising
on a large scale, a project which, as his letter of 1868 (previously
quoted,) shows, had been under consideration for some time. 52 So
enthusiastic did he become over prospects around Canon City that
he traveled extensively in the East during the summer of 1870 at-
tempting to enlist an extensive colonization here. To this end Can-
yon City, Colorado, and Its Surroundings was published in 1870. Its
five lithographs, panorama of Pike's Peak (said to be one of his
finest lithographs), a view of Canon City and three scenes in Fre-
mont county, are supplemented with 24 pages of text that extoll the
virtues of Colorado, so that the volume is essentially an emigrant
brochure. "He has issued but a small edition for private distribu-
tion, and none for sale." 53 Doubtless Mathews took copies with him
on his travels, for not only was he in the East in the summer of 1870
in the interests of his colonization project, but the following year
saw him in England for the same purpose. 54
Despite Mathews' labors, his colonization scheme was not a suc-
cess. 55 However, he continued to make Canon City his headquarters
until the fall of 1872. He spent the winter of 1872-1873 in southern
51. The "Introductory" page of Gems of Rocky Mountain Scenery. The plates in the
order of their appearance in the book were: Colorado "The Eastern Slope, Near Denver,"
"Bear Canyon," "The Sierra Madre Range," "Clear Creek Canyon," "The Chief, Squaw and
Papoose" mountains, "Chicago Lakes," "The Old Mountaineer" cliff, "Gray's Peak," "Buffalo
Mountain," "Turkey Creek Canyon," "Exit of the South Platte From the Mountains," "Nat-
ural Monuments"; Idaho "A Mirage on the Plains," "The Three Tetons"; Montana "Exit
of the Yellowstone From the Mountains," "Citadel Rock"; Utah "Church Buttes [shows
Wells, Fargo & Co. coach]," "Echo Canyon," "Weber Canyon [looking down]," "Weber Can-
yon [looking up]."
52. Rocky Mountain News, October 14, December 23, 1869; May 23, 1870.
53. Ibid., May 23, 1870, Eberstadt's Catalogue No. 106 (1937), p. 23, lists a copy of
this work at $275 with the comment, "We have never seen nor heard of another copy of this
work, nor are we able to trace the existence of another in the records." Goodspeed's Book
Shop lists a current retail price of $250 with a question mark. The only copy I have seen is
in the Denver Public Library. The book bears the imprint, "New York: Published by au-
thority of the Citizens of Fremont County, Colorado, 1870."
54. Rocky Mountain News, August 16, 1870; March 14, December 9, 1871. The bio-
graphical material prepared by Charles H. Mathews for A. E. Mathews and described in
Footnote 13, includes copies of two letters, one of which was addressed to A. E. Mathews at
Bristol, England, and dated July 18, 1871. It was from R. K. Scott, governor of South Caro-
lina, and commended Mathews' zeal in furthering the colonization project. The second letter
dated "Cummenglen, Massachusetts, Aug. 4, 1871," was from William Cullen Bryant and ad-
dres^ed to Wm. T. Mathews. It also commends A. E. Mathews' zeal in "making arrange^-
ments for settling some part of the territory of Colorado with emigrants from the Old World."
55. One William Gibbs recalled Mathews' trip to England in 1871 and some of the sub-
sequent history of the colonization scheme and its lack of success in "Reminiscences of the
Early Days." According to the State Historical Society of Colorado this account was pub-
lished in a Canon City paper dated February 17, 1927.
120 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
California "in the neighborhood of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Ber-
nardino, and other prominent points, and brings back some admir-
able sketches of scenery and cities. They will be published soon." 56
Just how many of these California views were reproduced litho-
graphically is problematical. Harry T. Peters in his volume, Cali-
fornia on Stone (Garden City, N. Y., 1935), p. 162, lists two: "Cali-
fornia Golden City [looking east]" and "Oceanic Steamship
Company Steamers Mariposa and Alameda."
An inquiry about these Mathews views was sent to an even dozen
California institutions possessing picture collections of Californiana.
It brought replies that no copies of original Mathews lithographs
of California were owned. The Mariners Museum of Newport News,
Va., however, possesses a copy of the second lithograph listed in the
Peters' book. Other institutions, including the Library of Congress,
New York Public Library and the American Antiquarian Society
reported that none of these lithographs were among their holdings.
They are therefore to be regarded as extremely scarce. 57
The last pictorial work published by Mathews was a geological
map of the world, representing various geological epochs with suit-
able views depicting the animals and plants of each age. This work,
some three feet wide by four and a half feet long, was reproduced
lithographically in Cincinnati and was widely publicized in the press
as an easy way to learn geology. 58 Mathews had long been inter-
ested in geology and had spent a number of years on the preparation
of the map. After its publication he even began lecturing on geol-
ogy, using, in addition to his map, large paintings of the reptilian
mammoths of the past. 59
Mathews' Canon City venture had been given up by this time,
for he is referred to as a resident of Denver in the spring of 1874,
but he shortly became restless and looked for other activities. By
May of 1874, he had acquired a mountain home near Longmont
and with his usual enthusiasm in a new project, he was hard at work
in the beginnings of a trout industry. In midsummer he wrote his
sister:
56. Rocky Mountain News, May 7, 1873.
57. In a letter written to one of his brothers on May 28, 1874, Mathews makes the com-
ment: "I have been getting up pictures in charcoal, and having them photographed, but they
do not print them well; but I think it can be done, and a few pictures of some points in Cal-
ifornia will sell well there." Probably these views were never made, for Mathews died a few
months after the above letter was written.
I am indebted to Carey S. Bliss of the Huntington Library, San Marino, Cal., for calling
my attention to the two Mathews lithographs listed in the Peters' book.
58. Rocky Mountain News, October 15, 1872; September 7, 1873; January 24, 25, 1874.
The last item gives an extensive description of the map.
59. Ibid., March 5, 1874.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 121
ON THE BIG THOMPSON,
Dear Sister Eliza: AUGUST HTH, 1874.
The only place I can stay, without ill health, is in the mountains; and I
have here the most beautiful place I have ever seen ; and shall no doubt stay
here. Wild fruit is very abundant and of superior kinds, and the river is full
of trout. The water is cool and wholesome. My quarters are more comfort-
able than I have had, most of the time, for some years. I hope you have re-
covered your health, which Charley informed me was poor when he left. Re-
member me to his wife. If she could stay a short distance in the mountains,
it would be far better. There is a beautiful place just above this, which could
be bought for $50 or $150, where about 10 cows could be kept, and if Mr. Clark
thinks of going to the mountains, it would be a good location. We go or
send to the post office once in two weeks; and I write in a hurry, as I have
an opportunity to send. Your affectionate Brother,
A. E. MATHEWS
Although he may have found a close approach to an earthly para-
dise, Mathews was not destined long to enjoy it. In the fall of this
year (1874) he was taken violently ill probably it was an acute
case of appendicitis and far removed from any source of medical
care, he died before a doctor, sent for by friends and neighbors,
could arrive. His death occurred on October 30, 1874. 60
"The death of Mr. A. E. Mathews," reports a Denver paper, "re-
moves from active life a well-known Coloradan, and a gentleman who
was most widely respected. He was an artist of no ordinary merit,
and had sketched more of our Rocky Mountain scenery than any
of his contemporaries. Industrious and economical, he had by for-
tunate investments amassed considerable property. He was a man
of liberal culture and ideas; kind and genial in manner; a warm
friend and a man who had no enemies and many friends. His name
should be enrolled among the pioneers whom Colorado should re-
member with honor." 61
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I am again deeply indebted to Miss Ina T. Aulls of the Denver Public
Library. Through her wisdom there has been accumulated in the Western
History department of that library, by extensive examination of early Colorado
newspapers, an invaluable store of information for the use of the social his-
torian in general and for the student of early Western artists in particular.
Not only has Miss Aulls made this material available to me on several visits
to Denver but she has answered my many letters most cheerfully and provided
many transcripts of items which my notes did not fully cover. I acknowledge
her aid with my most sincere thanks.
60. Details of his death are reported in a letter of W. M. Large, an associate of
Mathews, to the family. The letter is dated, "Longmont, Col. Nov. 22d, 1874" and was
addressed to Wm. T. Mathews, a brother of A. E. Mathews. The Boulder County News,
Boulder, November 6, 1874, reports the death with a record of the date and also states that
Mathews' ranch was 22 miles northwest of Longmont on Big Thompson creek. According to
Large, Mathews was buried on his ranch, and Charles H. Mathews reports that his grave was
marked by the "authorities at Washington" about 20 years after his death, with a marble slab
"such as is placed over the grave of all soldiers."
61. Rocky Mountain News, November 4, 1874.
The Diary of James R. Stewart, Pioneer of
Osage County
APRIL, 1855-APRiL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860
PART Two: NOVEMBER, 1855-APRiL, 1857
COUNCIL CITY
NOVEMBER [1855]
UR 1. November A little windy, not unpleasant. Unwell
- all day, but able to be out of bed. shelled some corn, had a
call from Nick Schuyler, & Joe Drew, 41 had a present sent by
Mrs Dalton of some good puding & cakes.
FBI 2.
Cloudy, misty, disagreeable. Felt some better, walked over to
Dr Toothmans, spent two or three hours with him, came home,
shelled some corn, read some, was very sick in evening.
SATS.
Cloudy, dismal, Cheerless. Went over to Daltons, took diner
there, returned, had a hard shake, lay up very sick ballance of
the day.
SUN 4.
Rainy, windy, stormy all day. Set by the fire, read, mended
clothes, had Hill here most the day.
MON 5.
Windy all day. Went over to Daltons, took them some milk,
had glass of hot toddy. Came home, had a shake, Lay up sick
ballance the day.
TEUS 6.
Clear & pleasant. Read Philosophy most the day, went over to
Dr Toothmans in the evening. Mcdonald returned from Kan-
sas city this evening & brought me a pair of boots.
WED 7.
Pleasant all day. Went up to the boarding house with the view
of attending trustee meeting, passed Dr Toothman & rode up
with him on a drag sled, found there was no meeting, went
thence to Freels, stopped a few minutes, thence to Hoovers, took
a Shake, could not get home, stayed all night.
41. The Drews were among the early settlers of Council City, now Burlingame. John
Drew, with his sons William Y. and Josiah R., emigrated from New York in the spring of
1855 and took a claim adjoining the town. George, the oldest son, followed that autumn with
the rest of the family: Mrs. Drew, Elizabeth, Naomi, Charles and Joseph. "The John Drew
Family . ," in Early Days in Kansas . . . , C. R. Green's Historical Series
(Olathe, 1913), v. 2, p. [67].
(122)
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 123
THUR 8
Pleasant all day. Left Hovers, went to the Post-office, re-
cieved two letters and a number of papers, came home past
Dr Toothmans stopped short time there, went over to Daltons,
had some hot-toddy, came back, killed a rattlesnake on the
way, read newspapers ballance the day. Had a call from Pren-
tiss also from Bill & Joe Drew.
FRi9
Clear, suny, a little windy. Took to shaking in the morning,
went to bed & lay there most the day Had a call from Dr
Toothman also from Mr Upsom.
SAT 10.
Clear & pleasant, rather calm. Took a walk over to Daltons in
the morning, sat and talked a while, returned home read
papers ballance the day, had shake after dark.
SUN 11.
Cloudy, windy, a little cool. Had a shake early in the morning,
did nothing but set by the fire, and roast my shins, had hill
over two or three times.
MON 12.
Rather windy. Took a walk over to Daltons in the morning,
had some hot toddy, returned home, had shake, read some.
Had visit from Dr Toothman, got some medicine from him, sold
him some bed clothes, had call from sam Harvey. Mrs. Dai-
ton sent me some good cake.
TEUS 13.
Moderate but windy. Read a while in the morning, had a
shake. Lay in bed nearly all the remainder of the day. Had
call from Mrs Prentiss & Mrs Denison, the latter wishing the
privilege of coming to live in my cabin, granted, and Denison
moved the family up about dark, intending to live here through
the winter.
WED 14.
Cloudy all day, rained a little last night. Spent the day fixing
up a bout the house, had a call from Dr Toothman, sold him
some soap.
THUR 15.
Cloudy, rainy, windy. Went over to Daltons in the morning
sold him some corn and number of other articles, came home,
was very sick in the afternoon, Lay up ballance the day.
FRI 16.
Blustery & rainy and heavy sleet. Very sick all day.
124 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 17.
Clear, suny, thawing. Sick all day.
SUN 18.
Heavy frost in the morning. Clear and pleasant through the
day. Commenced boarding at Mr Daltons this morning, Mrs.
Prentiss and all her brood came to see Mrs Denison, ''great
times at our house" read some, slept some &C.
MON 19
Cold & windy. Read philosophy most all day.
TEUS 20.
Cold & windy. Read & did nothing alternately all day.
WED 21.
"Rather cool" Went up to the Boarding house to attend trus-
tee meeting, remained there all day, got sick & had to stay all
night.
THURS 22.
Cold, rain, sleet, & wind, remained at the Bofajrding house
nearly all day, went over to Hoovers in the evening, stayed
there all night.
FBI. 23
Clear & suny, Came home, found that Denisons child was
dead, went over to Daltons stayed there nearly all day.
SAT 24.
Rainy, Sleet, cold, & disagreeable. Not well to-day, was in bed
most the time.
SUN 25.
Rather cold. Read Philosophy.
MON 26.
More pleasant. Was sent for to appear before the squire 42 and
give affidavit concerning the election, went down to Brattons,
remained there till after diner, thence down to the squires
found that he had gone to Winchells saw mill, went there, gave
one deposition returned & stayed at B[rattons?]
TEUS 27.
Pleasant. Went to Prints [Prentiss'] in the morning, stopped
short time, thence to Alisons, took dinner there, had wild tur-
key, came home in the afternoon.
WED 28.
Pleasant. Went down in the morning with Dalton to Prentiss's
to help him bring home some goods he had there, got the goods
42. "Squire" Marcus H. Rose was justice of the peace.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 125
home & stayed at Daltons till after dinner, came home &
worked some at making myself a Lounge, to assist my Laziness.
THUR 29.
Pleasant with south breeze. Finished making my Lounge. Lay
up ballance the day.
FRI 30.
Beautiful all day. Lounged about all day, bathed & studied
some in arrithmatic.
DECEMBER [1855]
SAT!.
Clear, warm & pleasant, with south breeze. Went down town,
bought some peaches & sugar, thence to Hoovers, took dinner
there, thence home studied arrithmatic some.
SUN 2.
Clear, sunny & fine. Read some, wrote some, did nothing.
MoN3.
Quite Warm. Took some Leather down to Hoovers, sold it to
him, thence to Alisons, thence up to Dr. Toothmans, sat there
a while, home, read Sheakspear.
TEUS 4.
Warm & pleasant. W^ent over to Toothmans, sat & eat aples a
while. Came back home, read Shakespear.
WED 5.
Beautiful all day. Went to the Boarding house to attend trus-
tee meeting, remained there all day, stayed all night at
Hoovers.
THUR 6.
Beautiful. Got a pint of whiskey, six letters, nine papers, &
came home.
FRIDAY 7.
Cloudy but warm & pleasant, stayed at home and read papers.
SAT 8.
Very high wind, cold in the evening, a little snow. Went down
to Hoovers in the morning, stopped till afternoon, went over to
Alisons thence home.
SUN 9.
Clear & cold. Did nothing all day of any account.
MON 10
Fine pleasant day. Walked down to Hoovers in the morning,
with the intention of husking corn for him, finding that things
were not in readiness, did not commence, went over to Alissons,
126 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
sat by the stove & talked a while, thence home, got back
abo[u]t 12 OClock, commenced darning my stockings pres-
ently Denison came home who had been out hunting Daltons
cow & calf, said he had found them but could not get them
home, so I went over to Daltons & got his horse, & went out
with Denison to help him drive them home, after looking for
them some, (they having wandered off some where) we con-
cluded they were not comatible this evening, so I made a strait
coat tail for Daltons, got there a bout sundown, came home, &
Lounged about the fire ballance the evening.
TEUS 11.
A little cloudy in the morning. Clear, warm, & beautiful in the
afternoon. Started out to hunt Daltons cow & calf, strolled
arround two or three hours, dident find the quadrapeds, came
home, commenced mending my rags, recieved a message from
Dalton to go and help him tie up his calf, the cow & calf having
made their appearance voluntarily, so I went over and after
runing a long time, succeeded in geting the calf which, being
given to me to lead to the housfe] gave me a glorious sweat,
after doing all these great affairs, came home, rested a while,
then wrote some.
WED 12.
Cloudy, drizling rain in afternoon. Helped Dalton butcher his
calf. Loafed ballance the day.
THURS 13.
Rainy all day. Had a shake of ague, Lay in bed half the day,
sat by the fire the other half.
FRI 14.
Cold & frosty. Took an universal and protracted bathe, shaved
dressed up with stand up collar by-ging, nothing more.
SAT 15.
Clear sunny & pleasant. Had a shake, Lay up dog pretty sick.
SUN 16.
Pleasent through the day, high wind and a little snow in the
evening. Read some & shivered with ague.
MON 17.
Fine day. Went down town, stopped at Alissons, thence to Pren-
tiss', got some candles, thence home, had ague & fever as usual.
TEUS 18.
Clear, Cold, high wind, a little snow. Wrote a letter and had a
shake.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 127
WED 19.
Rather pleasant but cool air. Went to the Boarding house, got
some whisky, thence to the Allissons house, sat there two or
three hours, came home, had ague.
THUR 20.
Pleasant & warm. Went down to Hoovers in the morning,
stayed till after dinner, went to attend meeting of board of
trustees, took a hard shake of ague while there, returned in the
evening to Hoovers, stayed all night.
FRI 21.
Cold all day. Stayed at Hoovers all day, bought a carpet sack
of him.
SAT 22.
Pleasant in the morning, cold & very windy in the evening with
skift of snow. Came home in the morning, had ague, done
nothing.
SUN 23.
Cold & windy, 2 degrees below zero. Sat by the fire, shook
with ague.
MON 24.
Cold & snowy, the snow falling about four inches deep. Sat by
Mr. Daltons fire all day had a shake, got drunk to cure it.
TEUS 25.
Still very cold & frosty, eighteen degrees below zero. Stayed at
home through the day very sick, went over to Daltons in the
evening & remained there all night.
WED 26.
Sunny but frosty all day. Went down the creek in the morn-
ing with Dalton to get his cattel, stopped at Allisons to get
warm, thence to Hoovers to get him to help Dalton kill a beef,
while Dalton went to hunt it. Dalton having found and drove
it home, Hoover & I went up, the beef was killed. I sat by fire
ballance the day very sick.
THUR 27.
Still frosty, signs of moderation in eve. Stayed at home, read
some, shook.
[FBI.] 28.
Cold & windy. Remained by the fire sick with ague.
SAT 29.
Still very cold. Sick, had call from Dr Toothman, got some
medicine from him.
128 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SUN 30
Sunny but cold & frosty. Sat by Daltons fire untill evening.
Came home, read some.
MON 31.
Very Cold. Went down town in the morning. Got sick, could
not get home, Stayed at Schuylers all day and all night.
JANUARY [1856]
TEUS 1.
Clear & sunny but cool. Went to [John] Drews in the morn-
ing, received sixteen dollars which he owed me. Went back
to Nick Schuylers, took shake, remained there all day & all
night.
WED 2.
Clear but cool. Stayed at Schuylers untill towards evening,
went over to Titus', sat a short time and talked to the woman,
thence over to Prentiss', stayed there all night.
THUR 3.
Clear & cool. Came home in the morning, wrote some, settled
with Dalton.
FRi4
Clear & sunny but frosty. Took a general wash, had a call
from Nick Schuyler, traded him my fidle for a watch, had a call
from Dalton, traded him my watch for his revolver, went over
to Dr. Toothmans, found he was not at home, came back, noth-
ing more.
SAT 5.
Clear, Cool. Went over to Dr Toothmans, settled with him,
bought a case of Homopathic medicine.
SuN6.
Cool & raw. Stayed by the fire all day. The goverment sur-
veyors marked of [f] my claim to-day.
MON?.
Cold in morning, moderate in evening. Sat by daltons fire all
day.
TEUS 8.
Very Cold. Stayed at Daltons all day.
WED 9.
Sunny but Cold. Stayed at home, recieved a letter and number
of papers, had shake.
THUR 10.
Still Cold. Sat by the fire and read.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 129
FRI 11.
Pleasant in the morning, cold and windy at night. Was at
Daltons all day, very sick.
SAT 12.
Pleasant, warm. Read some & did nothing good deal.
SUN 13.
Cold & windy. Shook with ague, sat by the fire, nothing else.
MON 14.
Rather moderate. Packed my carpet sack preparatory to going
away and took it down to Schuylers. Stayed there all night.
TEUS 15
Pleasant all day. Started with Nick Schuyler for Missouri,
reached 110 [creek] about dark, took supper at Magees, 43
camped in the waggon.
WED 16.
Sunny but cool. Took breakfast at Magees & started traveling
all day, reached Willow Springs, camped there all night. 44
THUR 17
Pleasant cool. Traveled on all day, reached cedar creek 45 about
Nine OClock at night, camped there, in the snow, had shake
to-day.
FRIDAY 18.
Sunny but cool. Traveled on, reached Westport before sun-
down, put up at the Harris house, walked through town on hunt
of Joe Mclntyre, did not find him.
SAT 19.
Cold & threatning snow. Took the hack for Independence, had
shake on the way, reached there about noon, stopped at the
Noland house, took a walk after noon on hunt of Mr Beatie,
found him, called to see his wife, had invatation to board with
them, returned to the Noland house, stayed there all night
43. Fry P. McGee, with his brothers Mobillon and Moran, was one of the first home-
steaders in Osage county. Fry and Mobillon bought out claims on One Hundred and Ten creek
on August 2, 1854, and on the same date Moran and C. N. Linkenauger took claims near the
mouth of Switzler creek. A. T. Andreas and W. G. Cutler, History of the State of Kansas
(Chicago, 1883), p. 1530. All were pro-slavery in sentiment, "intemperate, quarrelsome and
abusive." Fry McGee was "the most drunken, profane and honest of the lot, having come
boldly into Kansas to live, and liberally cursing and feeding all Yankees who were unfortunate
enough to enter his presence. But, with the cursing, his abuse ended ; while cursing you,
and the whole race of Yankees, he would give you the best his house afforded, for a moderate
price, and ask you to drink with him in the bargain. With all his abuse of language, which
everybody seemed to expect and nobody to resent, he scorned a mean action, and was scrupu-
lously honorable and honest in his dealings. . . ." James M. Winchell, Experiences in
Kansas Territory, 1854-1855, pp. 33, 34, in Ms. division, Kansas State Historical Society.
44. Willow Springs, Douglas county, about seven miles west and north of Baldwin, was a
favorite resting place on the Santa Fe trail.
45. Cedar creek is in Johnson county.
96533
130 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
INDEPENDENCE [Mo.]
SUN 20.
Walked down to Beatles to commence boarding there, had
shake, stayed there all day, had oyster supper.
MON 21.
Cold but sunny. Remained in the house all day, had very hard
shake in the forenoon, read newspapers in the afternoon.
TEUS 22.
Still Cold. Remained by the fire all day, read some, had a
shake, very sick, Lay in bed, some.
WED 23.
Moderate in the forenoon cold in the evening. Stayed in the
house all day.
THUR 24.
Cloudy, snow in the evening. Went up town, got some medi-
cine, back home remained there ballance the day.
FRI 25.
Cold & raw. Wrote some, had chill, read some.
SAT 26.
Cold & Snowy. Remained in the house all day, had ague &
fever.
SUN 27.
Still cold & snowy. Read some, shook with ague.
MON 28.
Sharp frost in the morning, more moderate in the evening. Sat
by the fire, had chill.
TEUS 29.
Cold & raw. Went up town in the morning, walked round
some time, got some medicine, came home, ver[y] sick bal-
lance the day.
WED 30.
Rather cold. Stayed in the house, took medicine.
THUR 31.
Moderate, thawing. Sick in bed all day.
FEBRUARY [1856]
FRI!.
Cold in the morning, pleasant in the evening. Very sick all
day, in bed.
SAT. 2
Cold. Sick in bed.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 131
SUN 3
Cold. In bed, read a little.
MON 4.
Still cold. Sick salavated like fury.
TEXTS 5.
Snowy all day. Mouth dreadful sore.
WED 6.
Snowy, sick and very sore mouth.
THUR 7.
Pleasant, sunny, thawing. Lay in bed all day.
FBI 8.
Thawing. A little better.
SAT 9.
Soft. Nothing new.
SUN 10.
Still moderating.
MON 11.
Snowed last night, thawing to-day. Lay in bed as usual, very-
sick.
TBUS 12.
Snowing & thawing alternately, Still sick but some better.
WED 13
Sunny & thawing. As usual, still better.
THUR 14
Pleasant & soft.
FBI 15.
Pleasant, thawing. Felt much better this morning, took a
walk up town, back, wrote some, & read some.
SAT 16.
Sunny in the morning, cold in the evening. Still getting better.
SUN 17.
Pleasant Read considerable.
MON 18.
Hazy in the morning, pleasant in the evening. Read all day.
TUBS 19.
Thawing. Went up town, got my revolver fixed, bout some
medicine, cam[e] back.
WED 20.
Damp & mudy. At the house all day.
THUR 21.
Sunny, mudy. Went up town, walked round some, back
home, read.
132 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Fm22.
Rainy. In the house all day, wrote some, read, & played
polker with Mart. Guttler.
SAT. 23.
Pleasant, but mudy. Went up town, walked round some, came
home, read.
SUN. 24.
Beautiful over head, mudy. Dont feel well to day, read some.
MoN25
Fine day. Went up town, stayed short time, came home, read
some, went to attend a debate at the court house in the evening
on the question should the American platform be addopted. 46
TEUS 26.
Cloudy all day. In the house, read some.
WED 27.
Cloudy and snowy last night, thawing to-day, snowing this
evening. Sat in the house, played Eucher some.
THUR 28.
Snowed last night, thaws to-day. In the house, played Eucher
&C.
FRI 29.
Snowed all day. Lay by fire as usual, read some.
MARCH [1856]
SAT. 1.
Sunny. Sat by the fire.
SUN 2.
Pleasant, muddy. Did nothing.
MON 3.
Sunny, thawing, cold in the evening. Went up town in the
morning & [bought?] some clothing, came home, had chill.
TEUS 4.
Sunny & mudy. Re[a]d all day.
WED 5.
thawing Read all day.
46. The American party was organized on a national basis in 1854. Its nucleus was the
Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner, founded in 1849 in New York as a secret society
with passwords, grips and rituals. Since the members refused to answer questions about the
society they were commonly called the "Know Nothings." The organization was especially
popular in the East, where aliens were most numerous and least welcome, because the members
were sworn to oppose immigration and to support only American-born Protestants for public
office. In the elections of 1854 the party had great success, casting over one-fourth the total
vote in New York and over two-fifths in Pennsylvania, and in Massachusetts electing every state
officer and nearly the entire legislature. They planned to elect the President in 1856, but by
that time they had become officially committed to the doctrine of popular sovereignty, which
was also the platform of the Democrats. As a result their candidate, Fillmore, carried only
one state, Maryland, and the party disappeared.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 133
THUR 6.
Sunny, rather cool. Played Eucher some. Lay up good deal.
FRI 7.
Clear, strong wind. Had shake to-day.
SAT 8.
Clear & pleasant. Read some, shot at a mark &C.
SUN 9.
Clear & cool. Sat in the house & tolld yarns with Beatie and
Guttler.
MON 10.
Clear & pleasant during the greater part of the day, cloudy &
threatning of snow or rain in the evening. Rode up town in
the morning with Mart Cuttler, bought some little things, came
back to the house, read remainder of the day.
TEUS 11.
Two inches of snow on the ground this morning, still snowing,
stopped, before noon, moderated and thawed in the afternoon.
Read Pellham, nothing else.
WED 12.
Sunny in the morning, cloudy in the evening. Went up town
in the morning, bought some apples, Loafed round, came home,
read.
THUR 13.
Clear part the day, cloudy some. Read some, took a ride with
Cutter down to the mill, came back played some Eucher.
FRIDAY 14.
Cloudy, thawing. Went out into the country with Cutter after
some apples & corn, got them & returned, read in the evening.
SAT 15
Snowy nearly all day. Left Independence for Westport with
Cuttler, had miserable bad roads, took us nearly all day.
Stopped at Smiths hotel.
SUN 16.
Clear sunny & pleasant. Left Westport about ten OClock
for Council City, reached Cedar Creek, camped there for the
night.
MON 17.
Pleasant. Traveled on pleasantly, reached Bull creek about
noon, Cuttler Left the Santa-fee road for Lawrence, and I
stopped at Bull creek 47 over night.
47. Bull creek is a small stream in southwestern Johnson county. The crossing was near
present Edgerton.
134 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 18.
Pleasant. Left Bull Creek in company with Mr Barnes for
Council City, reached mud springs, stopped at Gleasons.
KANSAS
WED 19
High breeze. Left mud springs, traveled all day, reached rock
creek, 48 camped there.
THURS 20.
Sunny in the morning, a little rain in the evening. Left rock
creek, reached 110 [creek] about two OClock, stopped at
Magees all night.
FBI 21.
Cloudy. Moved on in the morning, reached Council City
about 11 OClock, eat dinner at Mr Prentiss, stopped at Mc-
donald & Bothe[l]s, 49 stayed over night.
SAT 22
High breeze. Did nothing but talk to old friends, stayed all
night with Nick Schuyler.
COUNCIL CITY
SUN 23.
Beautiful day. Went up to my own old cabin, thence to Dai-
tons, sat a while, took supper & returned home.
MON 24.
High breeze. Remained at home all day, writing reading &C.
TEUS 25.
Clear, sunny, & high breeze. Went over to Mr Rices's to get
some of Daltons cattle that were over there, got one of them
and drove him home, took dinner at Daltons, came home, read
newspapers ballance of the day.
WED 26.
Cool high wind. Went down to Titus in the morning to help
Dalton drive home some cattle, stopped a few minutes at Mc-
donalds, drove home the cattle read ballance the day.
THUR 27.
Clear & pleasant. Had a call from Dalton in the morning who
wanted me to go over to his house, did so after breakfast, had
a long talk with him, drank considerable beer, eat dinner,
came home, wrote and read ballance the day.
48. The trail crossed Rock creek in western Douglas county.
49. There were two Bothels, James (see Footnote 31) and his cousin A. Rowell Bothel,
usually called Rowe in the diary.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 135
Fm28.
High breeze. Went over to Daltons, remained there till after
dinner, went down to Titus's, got three letters, came home,
read letters and papers through the evening. 50
SAT 29.
High wind & cool. Drank beer & told yarns with Dalton nearly
all day.
SUN 30.
Snow, wind, & rain, snow falling about two inches. Did noth-
ing in particular.
MON 31.
Cool in the morning, sunny through the day, Snow all gone.
Took a walk with Dalton around our claim lines, stopped at
my cabin untill noon, went over to Daltons, for dinner, com-
menced boarding there, three dollars per week.
APRIL [1856]
TEUS 1.
High wind all day. After breakfast went down to the Post-
office, thence to Nick Schuylers, Stayed there all day & all
night.
WED 2.
Windy Left Schuylers, stopped with Mr Mcdonald, took din-
ner with him, Came home in the evening.
THUR 3.
Warm & pleasant. Went over [to] Halls on soldier Creek with
Dalton after some cattel, found them at Rices, put them in
corrall, tied them together & drove them home, felt sick, lay
down, slept some, got up, washed & dressed my-self, read &
wrote ballance the day.
FRI 4.
Windy. Did some chores for Dalton in the morning, went
down to the Post-office, got two papers & a letter. Came home,
read.
SAT 5.
High breeze. Went down town, got drunk, stayed there all
day & all night.
50. Mail service had improved over the original monthly deliveries. The Kansas Herald
of Freedom, Lawrence, February 16, 1856, said that mail was now carried once a week from
Westport, Mo., to Council Grove, via Council City. J. M. Winchell was the postmaster at
this time.
136 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SUN 6.
High breeze but warm & sunny. Came home in the morning,
read wrote &C through the day.
MON 7.
Warm, a high breeze. Went down town, got some apples cod
fish & tea, stopped at Prentiss's a short time, came home, had
long talk with Toothman, about our claim lines.
TEUS 8.
Warm with high breeze. Went over to Dragoon creek on hunt
of oxen, stopped at Howerds, found the cattle, drove them
home, wrote, read &C.
WED 9.
Warm, A little rain in the evening. Went over to Rices's
took a chill while there. Stopped till about three OClock, came
over to town, stopped at Nick Schuylers, all night.
THURS 10.
Warm, with high breeze, thund[er] and a little rain. Went
over to Hoovers in the morning, got my hair cut, came to Mr
Mcdonalds, stayed there pitching horse shoes all day, and slept
with him at night.
FRI. 11.
Warm with very high wind. Pitched horse shoes in the morn-
ing a while, came home, Lay in bed sick ballance the day.
SAT 12.
Warm, high breeze. Went down to Hoovers, borrowed his
clamps, took them over to Mcdonalds, made myself a pistol
belt, wrote & read, &C.
SUN 13.
Very windy. Loafed all day.
MON 14.
Windy, warm. Wrote a letter in forenoon, went over to Pren-
tiss' in afternoon, took supper there, came back to Mcdonalds.
TEUS 15.
Warm & windy. Took Hoovers clamps home, came back to
Mcdonalds, pitched quoits.
WED 16.
Windy. Went up home in the morning, prepared my lines and
hooks, & went fishing, caught nothing, came back wrote some,
then down to Mcdonalds.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 137
THURS 17.
Pleasant breeze. Loafed round all day, recieved two papers,
read them.
FRI 18.
Pleasant warm. Remained at Mcdonalds all day, did nothing
except help Me. unload his waggon.
SAT 19.
Warm & pleasant. Wrote a letter, read &C.
SUN 20
Pleasant breeze. Read & slept alternately.
MON 21.
Pleasant, with south breeze. Went home in the morning,
bathed & dressed up, took dinner with [John] Denisons, came
back to Mcdonalds in the evening.
TEUS 22.
Cloudy and clear alternately. Did nothing but loaf & play
Eucher.
WED 23.
Sunny, warm high breeze. Fixed up my fishing tools, and went
down to the junction of switzer & Dragoon Creeks, fished a
short time, went up to Winchells mill, stopped short time, then
home, recieved some papers, read ballance the day.
THUR 24.
Rain last night, Cloudy, thunder, lightning & rain to day.
Read, eat, & slept, talked nonsense &C.
FRI 25.
Rained last night, rain to-day. Read & played cards most
the day.
SAT 26.
Rainy all day, hard rain. Loafed round all day.
SUN 27.
Clear but windy. Got a summons in the morning to go to
Lawrence to attend the suit between Reeder & Whitfield before
the Congressional Committee, 51 went up home, shaved &
dressed, came back to Mcdonalds, read &C. ballance the day.
51. Both Whitfield and Reeder claimed the seat as congressional delegate for Kansas by
virtue of the elections of October 1 and 9, 1855. On February 4, 1856, Whitfield was Bworn
in by the house of representatives. Reeder's memorial to contest Whitfield's seat was read in
the house on February 14, and later a special committee, consisting of William A. Howard of
Michigan, John Sherman of Ohio and Mordecai Oliver of Missouri, was appointed to inquire
into the troubles in Kansas generally, and particularly into the possibility of any fraud or
force used or attempted in any of the territorial elections. The first meeting of the com-
mittee was at Lecompton on April 18; later meetings were held at various other places. Ulti-
mately, both candidates were disqualified.
138 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 28.
Pleasant all day. Started early in the morning, for Lawrence
in a two horse hack, had a fine ride, arrived there about six
oClock in the evening, 52 took Lodging at Mr Johnsons, got sup-
per, sauntered round town a while, went to bed & slept well.
TEUS 29.
Thunder, lightning & rain in the morning, pleasant through the
day. Sat before the committee about three hours to-day,
swore like a bugar[?], had a good time.
WED 30.
Pleasant in the forenoon, rain in the evening. Was called in
the morning to swear more, started for home about 9 oClock,
had a good ride, reached 110 [creek] at dark, stopped there all
night.
MAY [1856]
THUR 1.
Pleasant, rainy at night. Left 110 early in the morning,
reached home about 9 OClock, read & slept ballance of the day.
FRI 2.
Pleasant through the day, rainy at night. Recieved some
papers, went up to Mr Lords, sat & talked a while, came back,
read some, had fever & ague.
SAT. 3.
Showery. Read most the day.
SUN 4.
Rainy in the morning. Read & slept all day.
MON. 5.
Heavy rain, thunder & lightning last night, cloudy & sunshine
alternately through the day. Loafed round doing little or
nothing all day.
TEUS 6.
Pleasant, south breeze. Wrote a letter, came down to Mr
Hoovers, took tea there, made a bargain with him for boarding,
came over to Mcdonalds, stayed all night.
WED 7.
South breeze, a little cool. Commenced boarding at Hoovers,
did nothing but read.
52. The route from Council City to Lawrence at this time was between 35 and 40 miles
long, some 12 to 15 miles shorter than the earlier route which had led to Topeka and east
through Big Springs. From Lawrence, the route now lay across the Wakarusa, through Bloom -
ington, about eight miles southwest of Lawrence, and joined the Santa Fe road about six
miles east of One Hundred and Ten creek, which was eight or 10 miles from Council City.
Herald of Freedom, April 26, 1856.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 139
THURS 8.
Pleasant, south breeze. Wrote a letter, made a bargain with
Toothman to take charge of his team on a trip to Kansas City,
read some.
KANSAS [CITY]
Fm9.
Warm. Started with Toothmans team for Kansas City, got as
far as rock creek, camped there all night.
SAT 10.
Fine & warm. Traveled on, reached Palmyra, 53 camped.
SUN 11.
Pleasant, warm. Traveled on, reached cedar creek, camped
there.
MON 12.
Showery all day. Reached Shawnee mission, camped there.
TEUS 13.
Cloudy, mudy. Went on to Kansas city, did my bussiness, met
some old friends, had good time, started for home, got as far as
West port, camped there, in company with Lucian Fish 54 &
Jim Bothel.
WED 14
Pleasant, but mudy. Traveled on with Fish & Bothel, all day.
camped on the prarie, between Indian & cedar Creeks.
THURS 15.
Fine day. Traveled on, camped at Black Jack. 55
FRI 16.
Rainy more or less all day, mudy, moved on slowly, got fast
in the mud number of times, had to unload once, swore like
thunder camped at Bryants.
SAT 17.
Cloudy & sunny alternately. Traveled on, faithfully, stopped
at Magees and took dinner, reached Lucian Fish's house about
dark, stayed there all night.
53. Palmyra is now the northern part of Baldwin, Douglas county.
64. Lucian Fish was one of the two senators elected from the sixth senatorial district on
January 15, 1856, under the Topeka constitution. Herald of Freedom, March 1, 1856.
55. Black Jack, in southeastern Douglas county, was the scene of the Battle of Black Jack,
June 2, 1856, which was called by John Brown "the first regular battle fought between Free-
State and proslavery men in Kansas." F. B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown
. . . (Boston, 1885), p. 241.
140 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
COUNCIL CITY
SUN 18.
Clear & warm. Got home about 9 OClock, unloaded part of
my load at Jones's drove on to the Post-office, recieved some
papers, thence to Toothmans, thence over home, washed, shaved,
& dressed up. Went over to Daltons, no one at home, came
back, sold Joe Ramsey some books Went over to Toothmans,
read, eat supper back home again, slept well all night.
MON 19.
Warm. Stayed at home reading & sleeping.
TEUS 20.
Warm south breeze. Went over to Daltons, borrowed his bullet
moulds, thence to Toothmans, thence to Schuylers, stayed all
night. Settled with Toothman.
WED 21.
Clear, south breeze. Resumed boarding at Hoovers, recieved
some papers & letters.
THURS 22.
Warm with strong breeze. Went fishing with Hoover & Bothel
with a seine, caught a few fish, came back to Hoovers, read
ballance the day.
FRI 23.
Warm. Got the news that the darned Ruffians had destroyed
Lawrence, got a hores, rode round and notified the people to
meet at the Boarding [house] to consult as to what course to
persue to assist Lawrence, the meetting took place and con-
sultation was held, a saf [e]ty committee appointed and scouts
sent out to give warning &C. 56
SAT 24.
Warm hot sun south breeze. Planted corn for Titus all
day, attended meeting of safety committee in the evening.
SUN 25.
Warm & dry. Had fever & ague, very sick better in the eve-
ning.
MON 26.
Very warm, murcury up to 98. Went up home, wrote some,
thence to Daltons, helped him plough a few rounds, took dinner
there, back home, thence to Hoovers.
56. On May 21, 1856, an armed body of Proslavery men led by Samuel J. Jones, sheriff of
Douglas county, entered Lawrence and destroyed the Free-State hotel and the offices of the
Herald of Freedom and the Kansas Free State. The presses of the newspapers were broken
up, the type thrown into the Kansas river, and the hotel was bombarded by cannon and
burned. Jones supposedly was acting under orders of the first district court of the United
States, issued upon an indictment by the grand jury sitting at Lecompton which had declared
the hotel and the two newspapers nuisances. Sara T. D. Robinson, Kansas; Its Interior and
Exterior Life . . . (Boston, 1856), pp. 243-246.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 141
TEUS 27.
High South breeze. Sick in the forenoon, went over to Mcdon-
alds in the afternoon, played Eucher some, back to Hoovers.
WED 28.
Pleasant. A little Cloudy. Felt well to-day, went over to Mr.
Mcdonalds in the morning, played Eucher, a while, wrote some,
Came back to Hoovers, eat dinner, went up home, got some
lead, also some sheep-skins & hardware, took them over to Dr
Toothmans to have them taken down to Kansas city, thence
to the Post-office, recieved three letters & some papers, went
thence to Hoovers, read &C.
THURS 29.
Fine day, good breeze. Went over to Mcdonalds, played cards
a while, came back to Hoovers, read & wrote letters ballance
the day.
FRi30
Pleasant. Wrote a letter, went over to Mcdonalds, thence to
Hullsets, got Lithograph of council City sent it to J W John-
son
SAT 31.
Fine day. Run bullets in the forenoon to shoot ruffians with,
played Eucher in the afternoon.
JUNE [1856]
SUN 1.
Warm & sultry. Went up home in the morning with some
strangers to show them my claim with the view of selling it, did
not make a sale, came down to Mcdonalds, thence to Hoovers,
wrote a letter.
MoN2.
Warm & Sultry. Went up home, took a good bathe, back to
Hoovers.
TEUS 3.
Warm, threatning rain. Wrote a letter & Loafed ballance the
day.
WED 4.
Thunder lightning & rain. Went fishing, caught a few, re-
cieved some papers, read in the evening.
THUR 5.
Warm south breeze. Read newspapers, Loafed at Mcdonalds.
FRi6.
Warm in the forenoon, cloudy thunder lightning and a few
drops of rain in the afternoon. Hoed corn for Hoover all day.
142 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 7.
Pleasant. Hoed corn.
SUN 8.
High wind, warm. Went up home, took bathe, dressed, Lay
down & took a nap, went over to Daltons, got tight, took
supper there, came back home, stayed all night.
MON 9.
Warm south breeze. Started for Hoovers early, hoed corn.
TEUS 10.
Warm, high breeze. Wrote two letters, read some, Loafed at
Mcdonalds, went up to Keefs in the evening, back to Hoovers,
feel well to-day.
WED 11.
Warm 'with stiff south breeze. Attended meeting of Pioneer
Institute, was appointed on committee to prepare for fourth of
July celebration.
THUR 12.
Warm, murcury up to 86. Loafed round, played Eucher, wrote.
FBI 13.
Pleasant breeze. Played Eucher, read some.
SAT 14.
Cool in morning, pleasant in evening. Went after mulberries,
got a few, Loafed ballance the day.
SUN 15.
A little Cool, thunder lightning and rain in abundance. Read
Dr Nichols Esoteric Anthropology. 57
MON 16.
Tremendous rain thunder & lightning last night & this morn-
ing. Read, played Eucher &C all day.
[LEAVEN WORTH]
TEUS 17.
Warm through the day cloudy in the evening. Started for
Leavenworth with a party of 14 men & 6 wagons after pro-
visions, 58 when we arrived at 110 found the creek so high we
could not cross, turned and drove up to the head of the creek,
crossed there with considerable trouble, took our course for
57. Thomas Low Nichols (1815-1901), author and editor, was a pioneer dietician and hy-
drotherapist. His Esoteric Anthropology was published in 1853. Dictionary of American Bi-
ography, v. 13, p. 496.
58. Although this journey was made without incident, from June until December, 1856,
raiding and pillaging by Border Ruffians made it impossible to bring provisions from the Mis-
souri river towns unless an armed guard accompanied the wagons. Andreas-Cutler, op. cit., p.
1532.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 143
Topeka through Brownville, 59 traveled till twelve OClock at
night, camped near topeka, one of our men got shot accident-
ally by another of the party.
WED 18.
Warm, fine breeze. Stoped at Topeka some time, Called to
see Mrs. Brigden, crossed the Kansas river at smiths ferry, 60
took a good bathe in the river, traveled on, camped some where
on the Military road.
THUR 19.
Warm fine day. Traveled on all day, camped near Leaven-
worth, passed through some splendid country to-day the Dela-
ware trust Lands. 61
FBI 20.
Warm & fine. Took a walk in the morning with Dr Davis
from our Camping ground up on top of the high bluffs that
overlook all cr[e]ation, from which we saw Leavenworth city
& also the Fort, after sauntering round some time & feasting
on the beautiful scenery as viewed from the high mound on
which we stood we returned to camp, got breakfast & traveled
on to Leavenworth city, arrived there about 8 OClock, after
our party had attended to their buissiness, we took a ride up
to the Fort, after viewing things a short time, we returned to
the city and prepared for returning home, started about five
OClock in the evening, camped on the prarie about five miles
out of town.
SAT 21.
Cloudy but pleasant. Woke up early & went back foure miles
with Rambo 62 after some cows, returned in time to start with
the teams, stopped at big-stranger & took a bathe, camped for
night at Kansas river.
SUN 22.
Warm. Crossed the river in ferry boat in the morning, drove
through Lawrence, stopped on the suburbs, & lay up till monday
59. Brownville is present Auburn.
60. Sidney W. Smith's ferry, near Uniontown, was one of the oldest in the territory,
antedating the Kansas -Nebraska act. George A. Root, "Ferries in Kansas," in The Kansat
Historical Quarterly, v. 3, pp. 15-17.
61. Later in the year the Delaware trust lands were advertised for public sale. They
were appraised at $1.25 to $12 per acre, and included about 2,500 city lots in Leavenworth at
$2 to $10 each. The sale took place at Fort Leavenworth on November 17. Herald of Free-
dom, November 8, 15, 1856.
62. Marmaduke Rambo was a recent arrival in the community. He had come to Kansas
in May and pre-empted 160 acres in the Dragoon bottom, three miles south of Council City
(Burlingame). In 1856 he was elected probate judge and was captain of a military company
to protect the settlers and maintain communication with Lawrence. (See diary for August 26.)
Andreas -Cutler, op. cit., p. 1539.
144 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
morning, forded the river back and fourth on horse-back in
the evening, took a big swim in the River.
MON 23.
Warm, good breeze. Traveled on all day, camped on prarie
near santa fee road, got bit by a dog on camp creek shot the
darned rascal.
[COUNCIL CITY]
TEUS 24.
Clear, good breeze. Traveled on, took breakfast at Magees
on 110, reached home about nine OClock, Loafed round, played
Eucher, & read ballance the day.
WED 25.
Warm, with south breeze. Got tight in forenoon, cradled wheat
for Polly in afternoon. 63
THURS 26.
Very warm but good breeze. Cut wheat a while for Polly in
the forenoon, hands got sore, quit work and went up home,
shaved, washed, dressed up and went over to Daltons, took
supper there & returned home, stayed all night.
FRI 27.
Pleasant. Came down to Hoovers early in the morning, wrote
nearly all day.
SAT 28.
High breeze. Worked for Hoover, harvesting wheat all day.
The first good days work I have did for a year.
SUN 29.
Warm. Loafed at Mcdonalds in forenoon, wrote a letter in the
afternoon.
MON. 30.
Very warm. Harvested for Hoover.
JULY [1856].
TEUS 1.
Cloudy & a little rain in the morning, very warm in the after-
noon. Worked for Hoover, harvesting wheat.
WED 2.
Mercury up to 100. Loafed in forenoon, worked at Schuylers 64
in afternoon, settled with Hoover in evening.
63. Abel Policy had taken a claim on Dragoon creek in 1855. For several years he served
as justice of the peace. He was murdered in 1866 by a criminal whom he was guarding for
his son John, the deputy sheriff. Ibid., pp. 1530, 1534.
64. Phillip C. Schuyler and Samuel R. Caniff had settled in Osage county in the spring of
1855 and had bought claims which included a large portion of the site of present Burlingame.
In May, 1856, they brought in a large steam sawmill. Stewart helped to erect it during July
and August. Its location was near the center of the town. Ibid., pp. 1530, 1531.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 145
THURS 3.
Very warm, mercury 100. Worked at Schuylers all day.
FRi4.
Warm. Loafed around gathering goose berries &C all day.
Fourth of July, this, bejabers.
SAT5.
Cloudy all day, but pleasant. Worked at Schuylers all day,
went up home in the evening.
SUN 6.
Fine rain in morning, pleasant through the day. Slept late,
got up, shaved, washed and put on clean clothes, Lay
down & slept till two OClock, Came down to Hoovers, wrote
some, went over to Canniffs, stopped short time, thence to Mc-
donalds, thence back to Hoovers, read some, am about going to
bed & suppose I won't sleep a darned bit.
MON?.
Cloudy nearly all day. Worked for Schuyler & Canniff.
TEUS 8.
Calm & warm. Loafed round, wrote a letter &C.
WED 9.
Warm & Sultry. Wrote some in forenoon, went down to Todds
in evening.
THUR. 10.
Warm in forenoon, pleasant shower in evening. Worked for
Todd, cuting wheat.
FRI 11.
Clear, good breeze. Cut Wheat for Todd.
SAT 12.
Warm with high breeze. Worked at Todds, came home in the
evening, stopped at [Abraham] Leonards on the way & trained
short time in military company, 65 came on, stopped short time
at CannifTs, thence to Pollys thence to Hoovers.
SUN. 13.
Warm, good breeze. Went up home in morning, shaved,
washed & dressed up and came back to Hoovers, wrote a letter,
thence to Post-office, thence down to Todds, took walk over to
Lotan smiths, stayed all night.
65. Council City's first military company, known as Company J of the old Free-State
Guards, had been organized in 1855 with Henry Todd as captain, William H. Toothman first
lieutenant, and George J. Drew second lieutenant. Later Marmaduke Rambo replaced Todd
as captain. In June, 1856, after troubles with the Border Ruffians became serious, a second
company was formed with Ithiel Streit as captain. Ibid., p. 1531; George Drew's reminis-
cences, in Early Days in Kansas . . . , Green's Historical Series (Olathe, 1913), v. 2,
p. [12],
106533
146 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 14
Tremendous thunder lightning & copious showers of rain last
night. Clear Cool & Pleasant to-day. Went over to Todds in
the morning, worked at his wheat in forenoon, went after Smiths
oxen in afternoon, got them and waggon & hauled some wood,
went over to [Joseph] Kerrs after a well bucket, got it, came
back, worked at the wheat in evening.
TEUS 15.
Heavy thunder lightning wind & rain Last night and this
morning, warm & high breez through the day. Went over to
Smiths, got his oxen & waggon, & hauled some stone for Todds
well, took them home in the evening, thence to Winchells mill,
took supper at Howards, thence to Hoovers.
WED 16.
Clear & warm, good breeze. Went to the woods with Hoover,
sawed some shingle stuff, back to the house, thence over to Post-
office, received some papers, came back, read, fidled &C.
THURS 17.
Warm with good breeze. Wrote a letter in forenoon, worked
at Schuylers mill which is now in process of erection in after-
noon.
FRI 18.
Clear & fine south breeze. Worked at the Mill.
SAT 19.
Clear & warm, Worked at mill.
SUN 20.
Cloudy, warm. Went up home, shaved, washed & dressed,
went over to Daltons, took dinner, back to Hoovers, read &
wrote ballance the day.
MON 21.
Clear & warm, south breeze. Worked at Mill.
TEUS 22.
A little rain in the morning, Clear & warm through the day.
Worked at mill. Lotan Smith died to-day. 66
WED 23.
Sultry, a little rain in afternoon. Worked at mill in forenoon,
recieved some mail and read ballance the day.
66. "Nearly every one was sick this season, and the doctors were all quacks. Loton
Smith, and many others died from want of care and medical attendance. The people were
compelled to live on pumpkins, squashes, melons and green corn or starve; and as soon as corn
hardened sufficiently to be grated, holes were punched in the bottom of the pans, and meal
was grated from corn on the cob. . . ." James Rogers, "History of Osage County, Kan-
sas," in An Illustrated Historical Atlas of Osage County, Kansas (Philadelphia, 1879), p. 7;
Andreas-Cutler, op. cit., p. 1531.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 147
THUR 24.
Warm, south breeze. At the mill all day.
FRi25
Good breeze, warm. At the mill.
SAT 26.
Cloudy & sunny alternately. Helped Dave Hoover to clean
out his well in forenoon, took dinner there, had green corn,
the first this year, Loafed in afternoon, went up home in eve-
ning, stayed all night.
SUN 27.
Fine rainy day. Dressed up in morning, went to Church with
Mrs. Denison. Methodist quarterly meeting to-day, the first
ever held in Council City. After Church, went down to
Canniffs talked on religion a while with Sheldon, thence to
Hoovers.
MON 28.
High wind. Worked at the mill.
TEUS 29.
Warm, a little rain. Worked at the mill.
WED 30.
Fine rain in the morning, warm & sultry in the afternoon.
Loafed in forenoon, worked at the mill in the afternoon.
THUR 31.
Warm, good breeze. Worked at mill in forenoon, had tooth-
ache in afternoon.
AUGUST [1856]
FRI!.
Cloudy, threatning rain. Worked for Hoover, making hay.
SAT 2.
Rainy more or less all day.
SUN 3.
Beautiful. Went up home, in the morning, washed & dressed,
came back to Hoovers wrote, eat watermelons & [words
erased]
MON 4.
Pleasant, a little rain in the evening. Worked at Schuyler &
Canniffs.
TEUS 5.
Fine shower in the morning, pleasant through the day. Worked
at Schuyler & Canniffs.
148 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED 6.
Fine day. Worked at mill in forenoon, attended meeting of
citizens in afternoon to consult about the disposal of money
sent to Council City from Albany. 67
THUR 7.
Cloudy pleasant. Worked at mill.
FRI 8.
Clear & warm. Worked at mill.
SAT 9.
Warm. Loafed in forenoon, mowed for Mcdonald & Bothel in
afternoon, went up home in the evening.
SUN 10
Fine rain in morning, pleasant through the day, Came down
to Hoovers, wrote letters.
MON 11.
Fine rain in the morning, Clear through the day, rain in even-
ing. Went over to Canniffs in the morning, Loafed short
[time?] came back and helped Hoover thrash wheat in the
afternoon, read in the evening.
TEUS 12.
Rainy last night, pleasant through the day. Loafed a while in
morning, worked at Hoovers wheat, got tight at night, had big
spree.
WED 13.
A little rain but pleasant most of the day. Went in the morn-
ing to raise the Chimney of the mill, worked at it some time,
could not get it raised, went thence to Dave Hoovers & helped
him at threshing his wheat, recieved some letters & papers.
THURS 14.
A little rain in the forenoon, Clear & pleasant in the afternoon.
Helped Dave Hoover thrash in forenoon, wrote a letter in eve-
ning. Settled with Absalom Hoover after dark. 68
67. Fund-raising in the East was stimulated during the summer of 1856 by the reports
of Proslavery brutalities which were sent to Eastern newspapers by Kansas correspondents, and
many contributions to the Free-State cause were made at this time. In July, at a convention
of Kansas aid committees in Buffalo, N. Y., a collection was taken up and Gerrit Smith of
Boston pledged a personal donation of $1,500 a month "during the war." Boston was reported
to have raised $10,000, Worcester more than $7,000, Chicago $15,000 which was more than
doubled a few weeks later and Detroit about $25,000. New York City lagged behind with a
mere $4,000, and to encourage contributions the New York Tribune launched "The Tribune
Fund for Kansas," pledging itself to give $1,000 and asking its readers to give at least $1
each. On August 6 this fund amounted to slightly more than $2,500. New York Daily
Tribune, July 11, 17, August 6, 1856.
68. Dave and George Hoover, both frequently mentioned in the diary, were cousins of
Absalom.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 149
FRI 15.
Clear & pleasant. Loafed in forenoon, helped raise the Chim-
ney for the mill in the afternoon.
SAT 16.
Rainy in forenoon, clear & beautiful in the afternoon. Left
Hoovers and went up home intending to commence keeping
bach once more, went thence over to Daltons, eat some wild
plumbs and drank some whiskey, came back and went down
to Post-office, went thence to Hoover, took dinner, up home
again, to Daltons, whiskey, back home, wrote.
SUN 17.
Rainy in forenoon, Clear & fine breeze in afternoon. Stayed
at home with Denisons, all day, reading writing sleeping &
fidling alternately all day.
MON 18.
Clear and warm, small shower. Worked at Schuyler & Can-
niffs. The Mill Started to-day. (Cheers)
TEUS 19.
Clear. At the Mill in forenoon, Loafed in afternoon.
WED 20.
Very warm. Worked at the mill in forenoon. Case died to-
day up at Lords, went down to Hubberts in afternoon to get a
coffin made for him, thence up home, thence to Daltons, took
supper there, back home.
THURS 21.
Clear in forenoon, showery in the afternoon. Helped thresh at
Pollys wheat. Stayed there all night.
FRIDAY 22.
Very warm & sultry. Worked at Pollys threshing.
SAT 23.
Rainy in forenoon, clear in afternoon. Slept, read & fidled in
forenoon, went down town in afternoon, played cards, drank
brandy &C came home in the evening.
SUN 24.
Showery in morning, warm through the day. Wrote a letter,
read, fidled, went down town, Loafed round a while, came home.
MON 25.
Very warm. Went down town, made an engagement with Can-
niff for a month in the Mill, worked in the mill all day.
150 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 26.
Very warm & Sultry. Commenced work in the morning, got a
message to go to Lawrence to join the Free-state army, 69 a
meetting of the citezens was held at which it was determined
that a party should go from our place. I volunteered, as one,
got Leonards pony & rode up home, got my "traps" ready and
thence down to Leona[r]ds, Started from there with a company
of 15, Captain Rambo commanding. Traveled on unmolested,
reached Duns some time in the night. Camped there.
LAWRENCE
WED 27.
Pleasant. Started early, arrived at Lawrence about 8 OClock,
reported ourselves to the Commanding officers, got quarters
furnished us, trained in company & Loafed round ballance the
day.
THURS 28.
Very warm. Drilled a while in the morning, Loafed & read,
worked two hours on fortifications. Drilled in Batallion in
the evening, Stood on gaurd from ten to two oClock at night,
hard way to serve the Lord.
FRI 29.
Warm & pleasant, a few drops of rain. Our company was at-
tached to the first regiment this morning and called Company
"D." The regiment recieved orders to march to Topeka, we
made preparations accordingly but the order was counter-
manded on account that the government Troops were reported
as coming to town and we were required to remain and be
ready to defend our arms in case their object should be to dis-
arm us, that being the supposition, about three oClock in the
afternoon they arrived with the Bogus Marshall 70 at their
head, who demanded some prisinors whom we were charged
with detaining, he did not get them, and left town, flat as he
came.
SAT 30.
Warm & beautiful. Was ordered out early in the morning to
march to Topeka to escort a party from there down to Law-
69. This was the "army" of James H. Lane, John Brown and other Free-State military
leaders which was now preparing to defend Lawrence against an expected attack by the Pro-
slavery forces under David Atchison. On August 21 Governor Shannon had received notice of
his removal and of the appointment of John W. Geary to succeed him. Many Free-State men
were said to be leaving the territory because of the calling out of the Missouri militia. D. W.
Wilder called this "the darkest hour" in Kansas history. On August 25 Acting Governor
Woodson issued a proclamation declaring the territory in a state of open insurrection and re-
bellion. Wilder, Annals of Kansas, pp. 132, 133.
70. Israel B. Donalson, a strong Proslavery man, had been appointed U. S. marshal for
Kansas by President Pierce in 1854.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 151
rence, was met about half way there by a company of United
States troops who wanted to know our business &c. We did
not halt but went on to big springs where we stopped and took
dinner. After we had eaten and was about starting on, a com-
pany of Ruffians with Judge Elmore 71 at the head apeared on
horseback, our fellows gave them an almighty hard chase but
did not get them, we passed on marching through Tecumseh
in battle line, reached Topeka after dark, took supper, some
of us at Nichols house, slept on a saddle.
SUN 31.
Warm & fine. Left Topeka early in the morning to return to
Lawrence having met our party of recruits and also having
got a lot of aminition, our company at this [time?] amounts
to about two hundred. We traveled on all day without any
interruption and arrived at Lawrence about dark, tired and
very hungry, having eaten nothing but a few wild plumbs since
breakfast, pitched into supper, with fierce energy, slept sound
on the floor without covering, or anything but a wagon box to
Lie on.
SEPTEMBER [1856]
MON 1.
Very warm. Was ordered out early in the morning to march
to Bull creek to reinforce general Lane 72 who had with him two
hundred & fifty men and had come on six hundred ruffians
under Atchison, 73 we started and advanced to the Wakarusa
where we met scouts returning from Lane who tolled us that
the Ruffians had retreated and that Lane was comming back, so
we turned and went back to Lawrence, after diner our regi-
ment went up to Judge Wakefields 74 after some oats and wheat,
fifteen waggons were Loaded & returned, and imediately after
leaving the Judges the Ruffians came and burnt his house &
also a number of other houses, we arrived in town about dark,
went to sleep but was called out to march back to the Judges
to give the darned ruffians hell, they however fell back to Le-
71. Rush Elmore of Alabama had been appointed associate justice of the supreme court of
Kansas in 1854 and served about a year when he was removed at the same time as Governor
Reeder. He was reapppinted by President Buchanan in 1857 and held the office until the state
government was established in 1861.
72. James H. Lane, leader of the radical, "fighting" element of the Free-State party, and
later U. S. senator from Kansas.
73. David R. Atchison, U. S. senator from Missouri, a leader of the Border Ruffians in the
fight to make Kansas a slave state.
74. John A. Wakefield settled in Douglas county in 1854 and was active in Free-State
councils throughout the territorial period. He was the Free-State candidate for councilman at
the election of March 30, 1855, and was president of the Free-State convention which was
held at Lawrence on June 8, 1855.
152 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
compton, we returned and got into quarters about day light.
Tired to death & sick.
TEUS 2.
Pleasant. Sick all day, Lay up in quarters.
WED3.
A few drops of rain. Lay up all day in quarters, our company
was ordered out in the night, being sick I did not go.
THUR4.
Cloudy & hazy. Lay up in quarters, government Troops with
the darned old Marshall Donalson at their head were in town
to day to arrest Lane and some others.
[LECOMPTON]
FRIDAY 5.
Tremendous shower about day light this morning, Cloudy but
pleasant through the day, at times very hot. The order to march
in full force against Lecompton was given early this morning,
our regiment having gone out the night before with Col Har-
vey, 75 I volunteered to go up in the Third regiment, Captain
Walker 76 commanding, our force amounted to about 800 men,
about 300 of whom were mounted. After a tedious march we
arrived on the hill over Lecompton about 1 OClock, planted
our Cannon and drew up in line of battle. The ruffians hung
out the white flag, and imediately sent for the government
Troops to protect them from an unconditional surrender, upon
which a parley was held which resulted in the delivery of all
Free-state prisoners and a pledge on the part of the Ruffians to
Disband forth with. The troops pledged that it should be done,
so we took up our line of march for Lawrence, after a hard
tramp we arrived about ten OClock at night, feet sore, nearly
starved, mad as thunder, tired to death, what a hell of a thing
is war.
LAWRENCE
SAT 6.
Very warm & sultry. Our company Left town about two
OClock for home, traveled on till about midnight, Stopped at
Camp Creek, 77 slept in a stable untill morning.
75. In addition to leading the march on Lecompton, James A. Harvey also participated in
the Battle of Hickory Point on September 14. In October he was the first lieutenant of Cap-
tain Walker's Lawrence militia company. New York Daily Tribune, November 8, 1856.
76. Samuel Walker had led the attack on Fort Titus, near Lecompton, on August 16, 1856.
His Free-State infantry company was mustered into federal service at Lawrence on September
12 and served until December 1. In December, 1856, he was elected a brigadier general of
the Kansas militia and later he was sheriff of Douglas county and a deputy United States
marshal.
77. Camp creek, a small stream in the northeast corner of Osage county, tributary to
Stowbridge (or Strobridge) creek.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 153
SUN?.
Very warm. Traveled on, reached home about noon, wrote &
Loafed ballance of the day.
[COUNCIL CITY]
MoN8.
Wrote letters & read alternately.
TEUS 9.
High wind. Worked at Schuyler & Canniffs.
WED 10.
Good breeze. Cut lumber cross cut.
THUR 11.
Very warm, cool at night. Cut Lumber.
FRI 12.
Very warm. Worked in forenoon, sick in afternoon.
SAT 13.
Warm & sultry. Felt well, cut logs.
SUN 14.
Pleasant. Wrote and read all day.
MON 15.
High breeze & warm. Hauled cord wood.
TEUS 16.
Stiff breeze & warm. Hauled some wood and went up with team
to my cabin and moved Denisons family down to Canniffs in
forenoon, attended saw mill in the afternoon.
WED 17.
Windy in forenoon, heavy thunder Lightning & rain in the
afternoon. Lay up and read most the day.
THUR 18.
Clear & pleasant. Worked at the mill.
FRI 19.
Pleasant. Worked in the mill.
SAT 20.
Cloudy through the day, rainy at night. Worked in the mill,
recieved a number of letters and papers.
SUN 21.
Rainy in forenoon, clear in afternoon. Went up home, made a
fire, roasted some potatoes, read some, took a walk over to Dai-
tons, returned, had a call from Dalton, went back to his house
took dinner, returned down to Canniffs.
MON 22.
White frost this morning, Clear and cool through the day. ID
the mill.
154 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 23.
White frost, pleasant through the day. Worked at hauling
logs to mill.
WED 24.
Heavy white frost, Clear & warm through the day. Worked at
getting out timber, recieved a letter & several papers, read in
the evening.
THUR 25.
Clear & warm. Worked in the mill.
FRI 26.
Beautiful day, this. In the mill.
SAT 27.
High wind, a little rain, thunder. Worked at sundri[e]s, the
Lord knows what.
SUN 28.
Cloudy and sunny alternate, a little cool. Went up home in
the morning, got some grapes on the way, wrote a letter to
J S White, had a call from Dalton, got invitation to go over
with him and take dinner, did so, came back, wrote some more,
thence down to Canniffs.
MON 29.
Cool & windy all day. Hauled logs to the mill.
TEUS 30.
Clear & cool. Worked at Saw mill in the forenoon, wrote a
letter in the afternoon.
OCTOBER [1856]
WED 1.
High wind but warm. In the mill in the forenoon, wrote a let-
ter, Loafed, and played eucher in the afternoon.
THURS 2.
Clear and beautiful. In the mill.
FRI 3.
Windy but warm.
SAT 4.
Cloudy but rather warm. In the mill.
SUN 5.
Cloudy in the morning, beautiful in the evening, went up home,
took dinner with Howards who have moved into my cabin,
wrote thre[e] letters, came back to Canniffs, read in the eve-
ning.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 155
MON 6.
Beautiful. In the mill.
TEUS 7.
Rather windy but warm. Worked at the mill, the frame was
raised today over the mill.
WED 8.
High wind. Worked at various things.
THURS 9.
High wind. Imployed variously.
FRI 10.
Rainy. Made mill belt for grist mill.
SAT 11.
Cloudy but pleasant. Variously imployed.
SUN 12.
Clear & beautiful, attended church in morning, wrote &C.
MON 13.
Cold & rainy. In the mill in the forenoon, attend public meet-
ing at the Boarding house in the afternoon.
TEUS 14.
Fine day. Hauled logs to the mill.
WED 15.
Heavy white frost this morning, beautiful through the day.
Worked at sawing and hauling logs, recieved four letters &
number of papers.
THUR 16.
Frost in the morning, Beautiful day. Cut cord wood.
FRI 17.
Heavy white frost, pleasant through the day. Cut cord wood
in forenoon, wrote a letter in the afternoon.
SAT 18.
High wind. Cut wood in forenoon, wrote a letter in the after-
noon, went up to Dr Toothmans in the evening, stayed all
night.
SUN 19.
Windy and damp. Went over home, wrote a letter, fiddled
some, went over to Daltons, sat a while, came back, thence down
to Canniffs, got supper, went out after nuts in the evening, got
some, returned, read in evening.
MON 20.
Clear with high breeze. Worked in the mill, the grist mill
started today for the first [time] , played eucher in the evening.
156 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 21.
Clear & windy. In the mill.
WED 22.
Beautiful. In the mill, recieved some mail.
THURS 23.
Rain last night, this morning, all day. Went up to Toothmans,
thence to Daltons, eat dinner, had two or three horns of whis-
key, went home stayed all night.
FBI 24.
Rainy this morning, windy through the day. Worked at mill
in the forenoon. Hauld wood in the afternoon.
SAT 25.
A little cool in the morning, pleasant. In the mill.
SUN 26.
Beautiful. Went up with Rowe Bothel to establish the lines
between our Claims, did so, looked out some shingle trees,
stopped at house, back to Canniffs.
MON 27
A little Cool. In the mill.
TEUS 28.
Pleasant. In the mill.
WED 29.
A little Cool. Worked in the mill in the forenoon, wrote, Loafed,
bought some provisions preparatory to keeping bachelors hall
again, recieved some papers and letters.
THURS 30
Rather Cool. Cut shingle stuff in the forenoon, loafed in the
afternoon.
FRI 31.
Pleasant. Loafed & Chored about the house.
NOVEMBER [1856].
SAT!.
Most Beautiful. Went down town in the morning to make ar-
rangements about going out on a buffalo excursion, thence down
to Leonards where they intended to distribute a lot of Sharps
rifles, stayed there untill evening, got a rifle thence home, ar-
rived about 8 oClock, the praries burnt over my claim to
night.
MON [SuN.] 2.
Windy & rainy. Had a visit from Mr Mcdonald, Jim & Rowe
Bothel, & also Mr Dalton. we had a jug of whiskey and took
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 157
a spree on the occasion of Mr Mcdonald going to leave for
Pennsylvania. I got gloriously drunk. We all went over to
Daltons for supper, this morning I sent a Vallentine to Mary
Newel.
MoN3.
Windy snowy & Cold. Quite a skift of snow fell, the first this
fall. Lay by the fire and read life of Barnnum all day. 78
TEUS 4.
Sunny but Cool. Cut shingle stuff in forenoon, bought Tooth-
mans improvements on my claim, and went down town in the
afternoon. This is Election day for President & Vice Presi-
dent in the states, wish I was there to vote.
WEDS.
Windy. Read & wrote in forenoon, went over to Toothmans,
thence down to Canniffs got due bill for thirty dollars from
him, thence down to Leonards, trained in military Company,
back home.
THUR 6.
Very high wind. Went down town got my carpet sack and
returned, went over to Daltons, cut them some fire wood, thence
back, worked at daubing up my old cabin, read Life of Barnum
in the evening.
FRI?.
Fiercely cold & windy with sleet. Went over to Daltons, cut
them some wood & did some other chores, for the wife, (Dai-
ton having gone to the state.) back home, read balance
the day.
SATS.
Clear & thawing, but still cold. Had a call from Preston, 79 sold
him some timber, went over to Daltons, did some chores, thence
back, worked in the timber some, recieved some letter & papers,
read in evening.
SUN 9.
Clear & pleasant, thawing. Loafed round, read & wrote &C.
MON 10.
Clear & beautiful. Worked in the timber getting stuff to make
a log waggon of.
78. Phineas T. Barnum (1810-1891), the great American showman, published his Life of
P. T. Barnum Written by Himself in 1855.
79. Stewart never mentions Preston's first name. Hiram D. Preston, who came to Kansas
from New Hampshire, lived near Burlingame and was elected a delegate from Shawnee county
to the Wyandotte constitutional convention in 1859. Burlingame was in Shawnee county at
that time. Another Preston, Jeremiah, originally from Illinois, appears in the 1855 census and
is shown on the list of voters of March 30, 1855.
158 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 11.
Beautiful. Worked at log waggon in forenoon, went down town
to get some tools in the afternoon.
WED 12.
Beautiful. Worked at waggon in forenoon, had a call from
Preston who wanted me to go down town to wait on Bratton
and demand some boards which he had taken from the mill
that Preston claimed, did so and got the matter settled to sat-
isfaction of both parties, went thence to help Preston pull corn
in the afternoon. In the evening we got up a party to go to
Jones's and demand money & lot of books which he owed the
people of Council [City] and which he had refused to deliver,
he refused to recognize the committee that waited on him or to
do any thing in the matter. So we appointed a watch to gaurd
the house lest he should leave in the night instead of in the
morning, as he contemplated and sent messengers to gather up
hands to meet in the morning and make him fork over. 80 I went
up to Hoovers to notify them and stayed at Dave Hoovers all
night.
THUR 13.
Splendid day this. Got up early, went down to Jones's, met a
party of men already there to compel Jones to come to terms,
we appointed Judge Schuyler captain & surrounded the house
and demanded satisfaction Jones still refused, so we resolved
to detain him from leaving the place untill he would, we took
a box of books out of the house which were sent to the Pioneer
Institute, I went over to Abe Hoovers and got dinner, and
thence up home and worked at my waggon, went over to Dai-
ton in the evening, did some chores for the Lady.
FBI 14.
Frosty morning, fine through the day. Worked at my log wag-
gon.
SAT 15.
Fine day. Went down to the Post office, got some papers,
thence to Canniffs, got some sugar & oil for Howard, back
home, worked at wagon short time, thence over to Toothmans,
made a trade with him for cooking stove and sundrie other
80. Horace L. Jones, described by Andreas -Cutler as one of the leading men of the settle-
ment, had succeeded in getting $300 of the New York Tribune fund which was raised for the
benefit of the destitute of Kansas. He refused to give it up or spend it for the sick, but in-
stead sent a man and team to Leavenworth to buy flour and groceries with the idea of opening
a store. On the return trip the provisions were captured by the Border Ruffians. Andreas-
Cutler, op. cit., pp. 1531, 1532. The "Tribune Fund" (see Footnote 67) had increased steadily
from its beginning in July, and on November 12 totaled $16,061. New York Daily Tribune,
November 12, 1856.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 159
articles, Toothman agreeing to move off my claim on condition
that Preston and I should buy all his corn potatoes and cook-
ing utensils and furniture, we did so, and formed a partner-
ship arrangement for moving into the house I bought of
Toothman, which was on my claim, and of living together this
winter.
SUN 16.
Fair but windy. Wrote some, went down town, got some paper,
thence up to Toothmans, stayed all night there.
MON 17.
Pleasant. Went down to the mill, ground an axe, thence up to
Toothmans, thence home, worked at waggon some, went over
to Daltons to wait on the Lady, back home.
TEUS 18.
Heavy white frost, clear & pleasant in the afternoon. Worked
at waggon a while in the morning, went over to Toothmans
found Preston there, we closed up our bargain with Toothman,
paid him, to the amount of $137.00, went back home, worked
at sundries.
WED 19.
Windy, rainy in the evening & blustery. Went over to Tooth-
mans and made arrangements for moving over my traps, Pres-
ton came up with his, so I took his oxen & waggon and went
over to my old home after my things, got them on the waggon
& returned to my new home, when I got back Toothman had
got himself and wife and things of lesser value out of the house,
so Preston and I installed ourselves in our new home and re-
galed ourselves on a hasty repast of corn cakes & pork. Pres-
ton went to attend meeting of military company in the after-
noon. I stayed at home and nursed my face with toothache.
THUR 20.
Very windy. Went down to Hulberts 81 in the morning to get
some clothing, got a vest, came back, worked at various
things, went over to Daltons, got some candles, returned, read
and wrote through the evening.
FRI 21.
Rather Cool. Worked at log waggon in forenoon, got my foot
hurt and lay up in the afternoon, recieved some letters & papers,
News of Buchanans election reached us to-day.
81. Probably A. N. Hulburd, who had taken a claim on Dragoon creek southwest of pres-
ent Burlingame in the spring of 1855. He later kept a furniture store in Superior and was
elected register of deeds in November, 1859. Reminiscences of Lucien R. Adams, in Green,
op. cit., p. [87] ; Rogers, op. cit., p. 7.
160 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 22.
Cloudy but warm. Did nothing in forenoon, and but little in
afternoon.
SUN 23.
Cool & murky. Wrote letters read &C.
MON 24.
Rather cool. Went down town after a load of straw, got it,
came home, worked some at making corrall for oxen, had Dr
Hall to stop with us all night.
TEUS 25
Cool. Went down to Hulberts in the morning, got some cloth-
ing, thence to Titus's, brought home a load of Corn, worked
at sundries.
WED 26.
Cool. Worked at log waggon.
THUR 27.
Pleasant to-day. Finished log waggon, hauled a log down to
the mill, thence over to Post office, recieved some papers, thence
to Hoovers, got some potatoes for Howard, thence to Howards,
thence home, read &C.
FRI 28.
Cloudy & cool. Took a log down to the mill, thence over to
Hoovers, husked corn for him all day.
SAT 29.
Fine warm & beautiful. Husked corn for Hoover all day.
SUN 30.
Cool & windy. Stayed at home, read and wrote, had Howard
and Jim Bothel with us for dinner.
DECEMBER [1856]
SUN 7.
Sunny & thawing a little. Wrote a letter, went down to the
Post-office, back home and over to Howards in the evening.
MON 8.
Sunny & a little soft. Hauled four logs down to the mill,
wrote read studied grammar & arrithmetic in the evening,
dont feel well to-day bad cold head ache and sore
throat.
TEUS 9.
Soft, the snow which has been visible for the last eight or nine
days has nearly all disappeared. Worked at hauling logs to the
mill, got four in, had a call from George Drew in the evening,
bad cold head ache, and not well in a general way to day,
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 161
had thoughts of going back home, or speaking plain, a little
home-sick.
WED 10.
Rain and snow Last night Snow this morning, 2 or 3 inches
deep, soft through the day.
THURS 11.
Snow on the ground, rather soft to-day. Had time breaking
pair of steers, hauled a log to the mill, felt no unusual sensa-
tion, saw no unusual sights, heard no unusual sounds, smelt
no unusual scents (except Pole-cat.) tasted no unusual taste,
in fact nothing unusual occurred.
FRI 12.
Unpleasant, blustery. Sat by the fire most the day. got in-
vitation to attend a party at James Aiken's to night, read
letters papers &C, recieved to-day. Went to the party in
the evening, danced et cetera all night.
SUN 14.
Clear & cold. Came home early in the morning, eat breakfast
and went to bed, slept nearly all day, read wrote &C in the
evening, had call from Howard.
MON 15
Sunny but cool. Went down to see Dinsmore 82 in the morning
to get him to come and live with me in place of Preston who
is about going away, stopped at the store a few minutes on the
way, thence to Edmund Fish's, found there that Dinsmore had
passed that [place] on his way to [S. G.] Disbrows cabin, fol-
lowed him by traks in the snow until I reached the cabin,
lost all trace of him there, went thence to [Thomas] Russels
supposing he had gone there, stopped a minute at Walters,
thence home, calling at Todds, Leonards, the mill & Post-office
on the way.
TEUS 16.
Sunny but cool. Hauled logs to the mill, Preston concludes
not to go away as he intended.
WED 17.
Sunny and a little soft. Worked in the timber short time, went
in afternoon to attend meeting of military company, trained
some then home again.
82. Nathan Densmore came to Kansas from Pennsylvania in 1855. He married Elizabeth
Drew, daughter of John Drew, on April 15, 1860 (see diary for that date) and died in April
1861. C. R. Green, op. cit., p. [74].
116533
162 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TmiRlS.
Cloudy & misty, soft. Went over to Howards in the morning
after an auger, got it and returned, Preston and I put tounge in
log waggon, and hauled logs ballance of the day.
FBI 19.
Cold & windy. Lay up, reading writing sleeping & C.
SAT 20.
Sunny but cool. Hauled logs, the young mens mutual improve-
ment class met at our house tonight, this is my birth day,
twenty seven years of age, gosh.
SUN 21.
A little soft, snow still on the ground. Wrote a letter, read,
went over to Howards in the evening and took supper, then
home.
MON 22.
Cold & freezing hard. Hauled logs, read, wrote &C in the eve-
ning.
TEUS 23.
Sunny with south breeze, no thawing. Hauled logs, got invita-
tion to attend cotillion party at Mr [C. D.] Bushe's.
WED 24.
Beautiful, thawing. Hauled logs to mill as usual.
THURS 25
Christmas Pleasant soft. Chored about the house, went
over to Howards and took dinner, thence home and prepared to
go to Bushe's to attend party, started with Preston, started
about dark, arrived there in course of time, had a good party,
got home about day light next morning, went to bed.
FRI 26.
Rainy. Got up about nine oClock, read ballance of the day.
SAT 27.
Blustery and cold. Stayed in the house reading writing &C.
SUN 28.
Cool & frosty. Had Howard & wife & Mrs Dalton to visit and
take dinner with us, they stayed untill evening, we enter-
tained them as well as we could in our Bachelor condition,
wrote a letter and read Tuppers Proverbial Philosophy 83 in the
evening.
83. Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889), English author and poet, published his Pro-
verbial Philosophy in 1838. It became very popular, despite a cool reception from certain
critics, and "vast numbers of fairly educated middle-class people perused these singular rhyth-
mical effusions with genuine enthusiasm, and thought that Tupper had eclipsed Solomon."
S. A. Allibone, A Critical Dictionary of English Literature . . . (Philadelphia, 1871),
v. 3, p. 2473 ; Dictionary of National Biography (New York, 1899), v. 57, p. 319.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 163
MON 29.
Raw & unpleasant. Read and worked some in timber had a
visit from Denison.
TEUS 30.
Rather pleasant. Cut saw logs, had a call from Dalton, also
one from Howard.
WED 31.
Snowy this morning. Cloudy to-day. Preston caught wolf
this morning. I went down to mill, and got cross cut saw, came
back, cut saw logs.
JANUARY [1857]
THUR 1.
Rather cold for pleasure. Sat by the fire in the forenoon and
read, went over to Daltons, stayed there all day, had first-rate
dinner on turkey and good things of various kinds, Howard &
wife & Preston were there also, had good visit, came home about
eight oClock at night, found two letters and some papers on my
table for me, read them and went to bed.
FRi2.
Very cold & windy, snow blowing about furiously. Sat by
the fire and read, wrote &C, made some candles.
SATS.
Sunny but cold. Hauled some wood, went over to Daltons
after log sled, got it, returned Had call from [D.] Griswold,
sold him some timber, attended lecture on the subject of as-
tronomy in the evening.
SUN 4.
Cold & frosty. Read, wrote, and took things as easy as possi-
ble, had visit from Howard and his wife.
MON 5.
Very Cold. Went over to Howards, got some molasses and
some tools, then home, went down town, stopped at store, at
Canniffs, at mill, came home, read life of John Q Adams in the
evening.
TEUS 6.
Cold & frosty. Hauled up a little wood, mended my boots and
some other Chores, went down in the evening to Nick Schuylers
to attend meeting of the excelsior Club, got home about nine
oClock.
164 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED?.
Cold, very cold. Wrote some in the morning, went down with
Preston to attend military meeting, stopped at store on our
way, so cold there was no meeting, returned home, read.
THURS 8.
Moderating a little. Wrote letters all day, took them down
to the Post office in the evening, came home, read life of J Q
Adams.
FRi9.
Snowing nearly all day, snow four inches deep. Worked at
sawing shingle stuff with Rowe Bothel.
SAT 10.
Cold & windy. Hauled up some wood, went down to the mill,
in the evening, Came home, the excelsior Club meets at our
house to-night.
SUN 11.
Pleasant. Read & wrote all day, had a visit from Howard &
his wife.
MON 12.
Sunny but cold. Worked at sundries, went down to Titus's
after load of corn, had Rogers and Howard for dinner to-day.
TEUS 13.
Bright but cold. Hauled a load of corn down to Jones's house
for Preston, stopped a few minutes at Titus's, came back as far
as Pollys, got some Straw, thence home, shelled corn in the eve-
ning.
WED 14.
Sunny but cut [t] ing cold wind. Cut some saw logs & hauled
one down to the mill, had a touch of the blues to day, thoughts
of going home to-day.
THUR 15.
Cold & raw. Hauled logs to the mill, feel more encouraged to-
day, think I shall water myself and grow in Kansas for some
time yet.
FRil6
Moderate in the morning, very cold & blustery in the evening.
Went down town, traded my Cat Jerry to Polly for his slut
Jenny and a lot of pups to-boot. Came home, had a call from
Dinsmore, made bargain with him & Preston about going in
the lumber buissiness, settled with Schuyler & Canniff.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 165
SAT 17.
Very cold & stormy, the most severe day we have had this
winter. Sat by the fire turning from side to side, warming each
half alternately.
SUN 18.
Cold & frosty. Sat by the fire reading &C.
MON 19.
Still cold. Worked some in timber. Dinsmore came to live
with us to-day.
TEUS 20
Fine in morning cold in evening. Chored about the house.
WED 21.
Rather cold, a little snow this morning. Sick in forenoon,
took a log down to the mill in the afternoon. Dinsmore and I
had a big sing in the evening.
THUR 22.
Still very cold. Worked in timber, cutting wood, did good days
work.
FBI 23.
Rather moderate, a little snow last night. Worked in timber,
cutting wood &C. recieved two letters from Newcastle
good.
SAT 24.
Moderate, snowed a little last night. Worked in timber, took
a log down to mill. Titus's in the evening.
SUN 25.
Moderate, sleet in the morning. Wrote and read faithfully all
day.
MON 26.
Rather soft. Worked in the timber, had many thoughts about
going home, think I will do so some day.
TEUS 27.
Sunny & soft, cool in the evening. Worked some in the timber,
went down to Titus 'a in the evening with our corn mill, thence
to store, got some postage stamps, thence home, sang with
Dinsmore at night.
WED 28.
Very beautiful in the morning, cool & cloudy in the evening.
Went down town to help raise a bridge across switzer creek,
worked at [it] untill afternoon, came home, shelled corn &C.
166 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
THUR 29.
Beautiful over head, thawing. Went down in morning and
worked all day for Schuyler & Canniff thrashing wheat, recieved
some papers, came home, read &C in evening.
FBI 30.
Sunny in morning, cloudy in evening, threshing for Schuyler
& Canniff. Came home in the evening.
SAT 31.
Weather variable, sometimes sunny and pleasant, at others
cloudy & raw. Threshing, home in the evening.
FEBRUARY [1857].
SUNl
Warm & beautiful. Wrote, read &C all day.
MoN2
Warm & beautiful, thawing all day. Worked at Thrashing,
came home in the evening, settled with Preston and Dinsmore.
TEUS 3.
Cloudy in the morning, thawing very fast in the afternoon,
windy at night, Switzer Creek is runing. Occupied the forenoon
in settling and dissolving partnership with Preston, Chored
about the house had call from Russell Howard & Disbrow.
WED 4.
Cloudy and rather cool. Worked at Schuylers & Canniffs
thrashing, Preston & Dinsmore have left me to-day, I am
now all alone, wish I had a true and loving wife. This liv-
ing alone and foregoing the comforts and natural endearments
of life is a most serious misfortune and should be avoided.
And for one I am going to try and find a wife, I am be-
jabers.
THU 5.
Pleasant thawing. Went up to Rogers' in the morning, got a
book out of the Pioneer Library, thence to help raise the bridge
across Switzer Creek, worked at that untill noon, took dinner
at Titus's, threshing in the afternoon, came home in the eve-
ning, read &C.
FBI 6.
Thunder lightning & heavy rain last night, Switzer Creek
runing in torrents this morning, Cloudy and rainy more or
less all day. The creek is higher than I ever saw it, carried
off the bridge we raised yesterday, thundering to-night. In
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 167
the house all day, home-sick, wish I was back among my old
friends.
SAT 7.
Feeble sunshine but very cold north wind, freezing Went down
to the store, played polker a while, thence over to Canniffs,
made a bargain with him about some cord wood, came home,
Streit came up with me and stayed all night.
SUN 8
Pleasant. Wrote and read faithfully all day. Streit remained
with me untill towards evening. Dalton & Wife came over to
see me but could not cross the creek and returned without
stopping.
MON 9.
Pleasant, sunny, cold wind in evening, Cut cord wood. [Eli
C.] Maxwell called to see me in the evening and stayed all
night.
TEUS 10.
Pleasant. Went over to Howards in the morning, thence to
Daltons, back home, down to the store, played cards short
time, thence home, cut wood ballance of the day, read faith-
fully in the evening, feel good deal down spirited to-day.
WED 11.
Pleasant. Had Howard to see me in the morning, made bar-
gain with him to work for me, cut wood through the day,
went over to Howards in the evening, stayed all night.
THUR 12.
Splendid day this. Cut cord wood, had Howard helping me,
recieved some papers.
FRI 13.
Beautiful, the snow all gone, except where drifted. Cut
wood, had blues, thoughts of going back to Pennsylvania
and geting a woman to live with. Wish I had a good [wife?]
this living alone and foregoing the pleasures of good society is
a thing that I cant grow reconciled to.
SAT 14.
Very fine day. Cut some wood, went down to the store, bought
some postage stamps, thence over to the mill, home again. This
is Valentines day. wish I was in Newcastle to-day..
SUN 15.
Beautiful & warm. Washed my outer man all over this morn-
ing and sat down to write some letters. Denison & [R. A.]
168 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Wheat came in and I had to desist from my writing, after talk-
ing some time we all took a walk over to see Dennisons Claim,
stopped at Howards and talked a while, and I stayed for diner,
after diner went home, and wrote & read ballance of the day.
Took diner to-day by the side of a Kaw Indian.
MON 16.
Cloudy but warm & pleasant. Cut wood, read Lady of the Lake
in the evening.
TEUS 17.
Cloudy & a little cool. Cut wood, had call from Preston,
read Burns poems in the evening.
WED 18.
A little sprinkle of snow on the ground this morning, cold and
windy all day. Sat by the fire and read Burns poems all day.
Howard was with me good part of the day.
THURS 19.
Rather soft, mudy. Cut wood, went down to the Post
office received paper, read & wrote, thought much about going
home to old New Castle to-day, think I shall do so some
time this next summer.
FRIDAY 20.
Snow on the ground this morning about an inch deep, soft
through the day, mudy at night. Went down town,
talked a while to Mr Polly, thence over to the mill, back
home, read ballance of the day.
SAT 21.
Cloudy but not cold. Cut a little wood in the morning. Went
over to Howards, while there Mary Aikens & Agnes Barcomb
called, Went over to Daltons, returned to Howards and stopped
till after dinner, came home and presently Howard & his wife
and the two girls came over and stopped to see me at home,
after some time of good laughing they left, the girls for Drews &
Howards for home, read through the evening.
SUN 22.
Pleasant all day, dry wind. Washed some clothes in the morn-
ing, had call from Dalton and Maxwell who wanted me to go
home with them, did so. Bratton & his wife came in soon
after, we had a good dinner, returned home towards eve-
ning, Maxwell came with me, had call from Howard and
wife Wrote & read in the evening.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 169
MON 23.
Rather warm rainy in the evening. Cut wood in morning,
went up to Howards claim and helped him at his cabin in the
afternoon, came home in the evening and put in the night as
usual. Feel much encouraged to-day to press on and make
myself comfortable and happy if possible.
TEUS 24.
Fine day this. Went up to Rogers in the morning after a book,
got it, thence to the mill, was called on to set on an
arbitration between Disbro & Leonard Miller who were con-
tending about a claim ; Disbro gained it, when relieved I went
to Canniffs corn crib and husked half bushel of corn shelled
and took it to the mill, went thence and cut some meat off of
Daltons dead ox for my dogs, came home, had call from How-
ard, read some.
WED 25.
Fine day. Howard called early in the morning to see if I would
go and help him at his house, I did so and worked until noon
and then went to the mill to attend an arbitration between him
and Dave Hoover, the dispute being about a cow & calf I was
a witness for Howard, the arbitration came off and Howard
gained it, went thence to Post office recieved three letters
and a paper, thence to Dave Hoovers with Howard to help
drive home the cow & calf, about which they were disputing,
possesion having fallen to Howard, took them home, eat
supper at Howards, thence home, had good time reading my
letters in the evening, this seems like nectar to the thirsty
soul.
THUR 26.
One of the finest days this winter. Helped Howard at his house,
went down to the mill in the evening after some meal, got it,
thence home, feel kind of sentimental to-day, got the blues
I guess.
FRI 27.
Cloudy with north wind. Helped Howard at his cabin, was
down at store in morning, Polly took one of my pups to-day.
SAT 28.
Fine & warm. Went up to help Howard, waited long time for
him to come, got out of patience and left, went down town and
worked for Bratton at his new house, in afternoon, came home
in evening, a party of emigrants passed along to-day on their
170 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
way down to cotton-wood, the first we have seen this spring,
my hopes are very much awakened to day, think that Kan-
sas is the place for me, wish I had a good wife, I do be-
jaber.
MARCH [1857].
SuNl.
Sunny but cold north wind. Wrot[e] two letters, went over
to Howards, sat and read there a while, came home, read &C
ballance the day.
MoN2.
Pleasant in forenoon, snow storm in afternoon, cold & windy
at night. Went down to help Bratton, worked untill noon, got
dinner, Loafed in afternoon.
TEUS 3.
Pleasant. Went down town, thence over to Whittens to see
Preston, back to help Bratton, worked there untill afternoon,
went over to the store, had game of Eucher, stayed there untill
dark, went to Canniffs to attend citezens metting got home
about 10 OClock at night.
WED 4.
Very fine warm day. Went down and worked for Bratton, untill
noon, came up to my timber with him, sold him some trees
and helped hew them with him untill evening, had Howard
call to see me at night.
THURS 5.
Cold nort[h] wind. Went over to Howards and stopped there
untill afternoon, thence down to the Post-office, thence home.
FRIG.
Cuting north wind, sunny. Went over to Howards, thence to
Daltons, took dinner there, back to Howards, thence home, had
call from Howard in the evening.
SAT 7.
Cold snow storm, very windy to day. Went down town, worked
a while for Bratton, thence to Brattons, got in company with
number of strangers, some of them from Lecompton, had talk
with them on politics, went over to Hoovers to help him move
his shop 84 in the afternoon, home in the evening.
84. Possibly this is a reference to Absalom Hoover's mill, a hand-mill made of limestones
for grinding corn, which he had built previous to the summer of 1856 and which was patron-
ized by settlers for many miles around. Andreas -Cutler, op. cit. t p. 1531.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 171
SUN 8.
Cold & Stormy. Wrote and read, Had call from Howard &
wife, they wished me to go over & take tea with them, did so,
came home in the evening, read fiddled &C.
MON 9.
Sunny but rather cold. Went down and helped Bratton all day,
commenced boarding there to-day, took my dog over to Whit-
tens in the evening and gave her to him.
TEUS 10.
Pleasant. Worked for Bratton all day, slept with Nick Schuy-
ler at night.
WED 11.
Sunny but cold north wind. Went down to Brattons, got break-
fast, came up home with Rowe Bothel, cut shingle stuff all day,
stayed at home all day & all night, the promises for Kansas
are good, my spirits high, the future flatering.
THURS 12.
Cold north wind. Cut Shingle stuff all day, went down to
Brattons in the evening.
A little cool. Worked for Bratton, framing all day.
SAT 14.
Tremendous snow storm. Came up with Bratton to my timber
and cut shingle stuff untill after dinner, went down town and
thence to help raise bridge across Switzer creek, worked in mud
and water untill evening, went to Brattons wet dirty & cold,
sat and roasted by the fire untill bed time.
SUN 15.
Pleasant & thawing, the snow all gone. Went up home and
washed some Clothes and did some other chores, came back,
stopped short time at the store, thence to Brattons, got supper,
attended preaching at Canniffs at night.
MON 16.
Rather pleasant. Worked for Bratton all day, the new Coun-
cil City is being surveyed to-day. 85
85. The failure of Council City was accounted for by the refusal or inability of the Amer-
ican Settlement Company to spend the money received from sale of shares in improving the
townsite. Charges of misrepresentation also were made, and it was said that many emigrants
came and took claims only to leave in disappointment because of the company's inertia. Sev-
eral new towns were projected. The "new Council City" here referred to is present Burlin-
game. Fremont was another town laid out in the spring of 1856 by J. M. Winchell about a
mile south of present Burlingame. The name was changed in 1857 to Carbondale and in 1858
to bupenor. Burlingame itself was largely the creation of P. C. Schuyler. Green, op. cit., p.
[27] ; Andreas-Cutler, op. cit.., p. 1531.
172 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 17.
Fine day. Worked at Brattons in forenoon, helped raise bridge
in afternoon, attended meeting of Hotel Co at night.
WED 18.
Sunny and fine with cool air. Worked at Brattons house, had
much encouragement to look up to press on & go ahead
to-day, got acquainted with Mr. Ditzler, 86 had good hearty
laugh with Judge Schuyler in the evening over the verdancy of
Mr Allinson.
THUR 19.
Pleasant south breeze. Worked for Bratton, We raised the
new house to-day. Slept with Rowe Bothel to night.
FRI 20.
Windy. Went up home, thence to Howards, back home and
back to Brattons, accomplished nothing to-day.
SAT 21.
Pleasant. Worked for Bratton.
SUN 22
Warm south breeze. Read newspapers good part the day, went
up home and wrote some, back to Brattons.
MON 23
Cloudy and dull, a little rain. Loafed all day, slept with
Rowe Bothel at night.
[BURLINGAME]
TEUS 24.
Fine day. Helped Rowe Bothel fix up lumber, attended meet-
ing at Canniffs in the evening at which the name of our new
town was changed from Council City to Burlingame, 87 a reso-
lution to dig a public well was passed and arrangements made
to commence it on tomorrow.
WED 25
Fine day. Worked at public well in forenoon, went up to
Howards & helped him at his house in the afternoon, came
down town in the evening, recieved a letter & some papers,
thence to Brattons.
86. Possibly George W. Deitzler of Lawrence, prominent Free-State leader.
87. Burlingame was named in honor of Anson Burlingame, member of congress from Mas-
sachusetts and an active advocate of Free-Soil policies. During a visit to Kansas he "gave us
a rattling old Abolition speech" which greatly impressed the settlers. W. Y. Drew's reminis-
cences, in Green, op. cit., p. [68]. Subsequently Burlingame served as U. S. minister to China
and in 1868 concluded the Burlingame treaty with the government of that country.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 173
THUR 26.
Strong south wind. Went up home in the morning Wrote two
letters and read some, thence back to Post-office, read there a
while, thence to Brattons.
FBI 27.
Beautiful the praries are spotted with flowers. Helped survey
Burlingame in forenoon, helped Hoovers survey their Claims
in after [noon].
SAT 28.
Pleasant south breeze. Shaved shingles in forenoon for
Braton. Loafed in afternoon, slept at Pollys.
SUN 29.
Strong south breeze. Went up home in the morning, wrote
some, had call from Nick Schuyler Disbro & Allinson, went
with them to look at some Claims, back to Brattons for diner,
slept some, took walk in the evening, stopped at store
had drink whiskey slept at Pollys.
MON 30.
Cloudy & rainy. Worked some in the mill, got suit of clothes
from Judge Schuyler.
TEUS 31.
Cloudy Worked for Bratton in forenoon, went up with Alin-
son to sell him my claim, did not effect a sale, came back stop-
ping a few minutes at Drews, attended meeting of citezens
at Canniffs in the evening.
APRIL [1857].
WED!.
Rather cool. Worked at public well in forenoon, attended meet-
ing of military company in the afternoon, attended singing class
at Lords in the evening, had a debate at the close of the singing
exercises between Alinson & Nick Schuyler which aforded a
glorious budget of fun for Apriles fools day.
THUR 2.
Cold & raw. Worked for Bratton, recieved some letters and
papers in the evening.
FRi3.
Pleasant. Went up home in the morning to help Rowe Bothel
get his waggon out of the mire on my claim. After we got the
waggon out and a load of shingle stuff hauled out to Rowes
cabin we came down to store stopped there short time, went
174 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
down to Brattons got dinner, went in the afternoon to work
on the road between town and Dragoon crossing at Rices, had
good deal of sport training All[?] Bratton, went back to
Brattons for supper, went up to the store, slept at Pollys, feel
encouraged to-day.
SAT 4.
Cloudy & rainy, blew up cold in the evening, froze hard at night.
Worked for Braton in forenoon, Loafed in the afternoon, went
down after dark to Jim Aikens, James [?] is not expected to
live, sat up part of the night as watcher.
SUN 5.
Cold north wind. Came up to Brattons, thence up home, wrote
some, over to Howards, down to Brattons.
MoN6.
Rather pleasant. Worked at Jointing shingles, went up home
in the evening with some fellows belonging to a train who bought
my fiddle, came back, attended a lecture by Allison on temper-
ance slavery &C, had some good fun.
TEUS 7.
Cold north wind. Went over to Hoovers in the morning to see
some men who were talking of bying my claim, found the men
and went up with them to look at it, sold it to them, back to
Hoovers, thence to the mill, had some fun with some Kaw In-
dians, went up to claim in after [noon], wrote a letter went
thence to Howards, found Preston there. The two Miss Drews
[Elizabeth and Naomi], Called in while there, Preston & I
soon left and went over to my cabin. Howard came along,
sold him sund[r]ie articles of household stuff. Came down
town, stopped some time at Canniffs in the evening, slept at
Pollys, had thoughts of returning to Old New Castle to-day,
think I will build a house in town and then leave for East.
WEDS
Pleasant. Went up with Row Bothel to my Claim to haul
shingle stuff off it, to his cabin, came back in the evening.
THUR 9.
Fine warm day. Made bargain with Schuyler & Canniff to haul
some wood down from my old claim, got two yoke of oxen and
waggon and went up after a load, got one on, and started back,
got stalled and had to leave the waggon and bring back the
oxen, went down to Brattons for dinner and while there, Joe
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 175
Guilford called to see me was glad to meet him, after
dinner Joe & I went up to my cabin & talked over old times
while there the men who bought my claim returned paid me
for it and took possession, Joe & I then went down town,
stopped at the mill, sold some lumber eat supper at Brattons,
went down to Aiken's in the evening, stopped short time, re-
turned, bought pair mocasins wrote some, went to bed to
build air Castles, got my pocket full of money, feel un-
settled as to what cou[r]se to pursue to prosper well in the
future.
[END OF VOLUME 1]
[Part Three, May, 1858-July, 1859, Will Appear in the
August, 1949, Issue]
George Allen Root
1867-1949
The Historical Society regrets to announce the death of George
Allen Root on May 7, 1949, at his home in Topeka. Although
Mr. Root had been ill with a cold for several days his death was
unexpected, for he was up and around only a few hours before.
For fifty-five years Mr. Root was a faithful and valued member
of the Society's staff. Even after his retirement in 1947 he con-
tinued his interest in Kansas history, and often worked in his old
office, which was reserved for his use.
His widow, the former Minnie Jewett Van Cleave, and four
children survive.
Recent Additions to the Library
Compiled by HELEN M. MCFARLAND, Librarian
IN ORDER that members of the Kansas State Historical Society
and others interested in historical study may know the class of
books we are receiving, a list is printed annually of the books ac-
cessioned in our specialized fields.
These books come to us from three sources, purchase, gift and
exchange, and fall into the following classes: Books by Kansans
and about Kansas ; books on the West, including explorations, over-
land journeys and personal narratives; genealogy and local history;
and books on the Indians of North America, United States history,
biography and allied subjects which are classified as general. The
out-of-state city directories received by the Historical Society are
not included in this compilation.
We also receive regularly the publications of many historical so-
cieties by exchange, and subscribe to other historical and genea-
logical publications which are needed in reference work.
The following is a partial list of books which were added to the
library from October 1, 1947, to September 30, 1948. Federal
and state official publications and some books of a general nature
are not included. The total number of books accessioned appears
in the report of the secretary in the February issue of the Quarterly.
KANSAS
ALLEN, FORREST CLAIRE, Coach "Phog" Allen's Sports Stones for You and
Youth. Lawrence, Allen Press, 1947. 223p.
ARMITAGE, MERLE, Operations Santa Fe, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail-
way System. New York, Duell, Sloan and Pearce [cl948L 263p.
BEALS, CARLETON, Lands of the Dawning Morrow; the Awakening From Rio
Grande to Cape Horn. Indianapolis, The Bobbs-Merrill Company [cl948L
336p.
BEAZLEY, LILLIAN (STOLL), Bobbed Hair, a Comedy in Two Acts. Atchison, J.
R. Hellener and Company, 1926. 29p.
, The College Stick, a Comedy in Two Acts. Atchison, J. R. Hellener
and Company [c!924]. 30p.
, Thin and Forty, a Comedy in Three Acts. Atchison, J. R. Hellener
and Company, 1925. 35p.
, Trying Them Out, a Comedy in One Act. Philadelphia. The Penn Pub-
lishing Company [c!921]. 16p.
BECKER, EDNA M., and REBECCA WELTY DUNN, Sunny, a Children's Operetta in
Three Acts. Evanston, 111., Row, Peterson and Company [c!945]. 68p.
(176)
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 177
, Vitamins and Villains, an Operetta for Children of All Ages. Evanston,
111., Row, Peterson and Company, 1947. 90p.
BENKE, HERMANN CONRAD., Life Sketches, 1869-1946. [Chicago, 1946.] [26] p.
BILL, EDWARD ELIJAH, Poems of the Plains and the Prairies. New York, The
Exposition Press [c!948]. 91p.
BONDURANT, JOAN VALERIE, Sketches of India, With Forty-One Photographic Il-
lustrations. [Ann Arbor, Mich., The Craft Press, 1946.] 104p.
BRUCE, DALE, and WILLARD C. HETZEL, Kansas: Mental Health Laws in Brief.
Philadelphia, National Mental Health Foundation, 1946. Mimeographed.
48p.
BUTLER, THOMAS AMBROSE, The Irish on the Prairies, and Other Poems. New
York, D. and J. Sadlier and Company, 1874. 161p.
CARLILE, BESS HOWELL, Come Play With Us. Chicago, Rand McNally and
Company [c!947]. 62p.
CHEEVER, LAWRENCE OAKLEY, The House of Morrell. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, The
Torch Press, 1948. 303p.
COLE, IRA ALBERT, Ibe of Allan. Boulder, Colo., Johnson Publishing Company
Lcl947L [360]p.
COWGILL, CLINTON HARRIMAN, and BEN JOHN SMALL, Architectural Practice.
New York, Reinhold Publishing Corporation [c!947]. 396p.
CRUMBINE, SAMUEL JAY, Frontier Doctor. Philadelphia, Dorrance and Com-
pany [cl948L 284p.
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, KANSAS SOCIETY, Proceedings of the
Fiftieth Annual State Conference, March 18, 19 and 20, 1948, Wichita, Kan-
sas. No impr. 174p.
, Proceedings of the Forty-Ninth Annual State Conference, March 25,
26 and 27, 1947, Dodge City, Kansas. No impr. 155p.
DAVIS, KENNETH SYDNEY, The Years of the Pilgrimage. Garden City, N. Y.,
Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1948. 372p.
DICK, EVERETT NEWFON, Life in the West Before the Sod-House Frontier. Lin-
coln, Neb., Prairie Press, 1947. 216p.
, The Story of the Frontier, a Social History of the Northern Plains and
Rocky Mountains From the Earliest White Contacts to the Coming of the
Homemaker. New York, Tudor Publishing Company [c!941]. 574p.
Directory of Kansas Librarians, September, 1947. [Manhattan, Graham and
Graham, 1947.] 30p.
DREYER, ROBERT M., Magnetic Survey of Southeastern Crawford County, Kan-
sas. Lawrence, University of Kansas Publications, 1947. [10]p. (State Ge-
ological Survey of Kansas, Bulletin, No. 70, Pt. 5.)
DUDGEON, ESTHER J., and JOHN T. BURTON, Building Materials in Kansas. A
Project of the Research Foundation at the University of Kansas, Sponsored
by the Kansas Industrial Development Commission. N. p., 1947. 125p.
EISENHOWER, DWIGHT DAVID, Address Before the National Board of Fire Un-
derwriters, May 27, 1947, Hotel Commodore, New York. [New York, 1947.]
Up.
, Eisenhower Speaks; D wight D. Eisenhower in His Messages and
Speeches. Selected and Edited by Rudolph L. Treuenfels. New York, Far-
rar, Straus, 1948. 299p.
126533
178 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
[FORD, PIONEER STAFF COMMITTEE], [Our Pioneer Days; Early Ford History,
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary, 1937]. Mimeographed. 33p.
FRIEDMAN, IRVING I., ed., Meet General "Ike"; a Pictorial Profile of General
Dwight D. Eisenhower. New York, The Virson Publishing Company, Inc.
[c!948]. 96p.
GARVIN, ROY, Benjamin or "Pap" Singleton and His Followers. (Reprinted
from The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 33, No. 1, January, 1948.) [16] p.
GIBSON, WILLIAM, Winter Crook. New York, Oxford University Press, 1948.
46p.
GOEBEL, ANNE M., JOHN B. HEFFELFINGER, and DELORE GAMMON, Kansas
Geography. Topeka, State Printer, 1948. 136p.
GREGG, JOHN ANDREW, Of Men and of Arms, Chronological Travel Record of
Bishop John A. Gregg . . . Nashville, Tenn., The A. M. E. Sunday
School Union Press, 1945. 223p.
HILDRBTH, ARTHUR GRANT, The Lengthening Shadow of Dr. Andrew Taylor
Still. Macon, Mo., Mrs. A. G. Hildreth, 1942. 457p.
HINSHAW, DAVID, Take Up Thy Bed and Walk. New York, G. P. Putnam's
Sons [cl948]. 262p.
HOUGH, EMEESON, The Girl at Halfway House: a Story of the Plains. New
York, D. Appleton and Company, 1900. 371p.
Illustrated Miners' Hand-Book and Guide to Pike's Peak, With a New and
Reliable Map, Showing All the Routes, and the Gold Regions of Western
Kansas and Nebraska. St. Louis, Parker and Huyett, 1859. 75p. (Mumey
Reprint, 1948.)
JOHNSON, VANCE, Heaven's Tableland; the Dust Bowl Story. New York, Far-
rar, Straus and Company, 1947. 288p.
KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB, 1948 Yearbook. [Topeka, Service Print Shop] 1948.
114p.
Kansas Inferno; a Study of the Criminal Problem by a Life Prisoner [Carl
Arnold]. A Description of the Kansas Prison As It Is and As It Should Be.
Wichita, The Wonderland Publishing Company [c!906]. 164p.
Kansas Magazine, 1948. [Manhattan, The Kansas Magazine Publishing Asso-
ciation, c!948.] 96p.
LATHROP, AMY, comp., Tales of Western Kansas. [Kansas City, Mo., La Rue
Printing Company, c!948. ] 152p.
LINDQUIST, GUSTAVUS ELMER EMANUEL, Indians in Urban Centers . . .
Lawrence, Home Missions Council of North America, 1948. 23p.
, Report on the Chippewa Indian Field in Northern Minnesota. Mime-
ographed. [25] p.
, and BERTHA M. ECKERT, Bible Stories for Children. Mimeographed.
46p.
, and FLORA WARREN SEYMOUR, Indian Treaty Making. Mimeographed.
56p.
-, and NILES CARPENTER, John Red Hill Learns About Peyote. New York,
Home Missions Council of North America, n. d. Folder.
, and others, Suggested Religious Program for Haskell Institute. Mime-
ographed. 7p.
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 179
MACAULAY, MINNIE MAUDE, comp., The Kansas State Women's Athletic Asso-
ciation, 1924-1936; the Kansas Athletic Federation oj College Women, 1936-
1942, State Meetings, Minutes and Constitutions, 1924-1942. Mimeographed.
121p.
MCCLINTOCK, MARSHALL, ed., The Nobel Prize Treasury. Garden City, N. Y.,
Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1948. 612p.
McKiNLEY, LLOYD, Inorganic Chemical Nomenclature, an Elementary Manual
Emphasizing Rules for Naming Compounds and Writing Formulas. Wich-
ita, University of Wichita Bookstore, 1947. 37p.
MALIN, JAMES CLAUDE, The Grassland of North America: Prolegomena to Its
History. Lawrence, James C. Malin, 1947. 398p.
MATTES, MERRILL J., Project Report on Historical Aspects of Kanopolis Reser-
voir on Smoky Hill River, Kansas, August, 1947 . . . Mimeographed.
34p.
Men and Women in the Armed Forces From Shawnee County. Topeka
[Myers and Company, Inc., 1947]. 151p.
MENNINGER, WILLIAM CLAIRE, Psychiatry in a Troubled World; Yesterday's
War and Today's Challenge. New York, The Macmillan Company, 1948.
636p.
, and MUNRO LEAF, You and Psychiatry. New York, Charles Scribner's
Sons, 1948. 175p.
MILLER, ORMAL LEROY, 7s This What the World Needs? A Sermon, First
Methodist Church, Topeka, Kansas, November 9, 1947. No impr. 19p.
, This Is Christmas. A Series of Sermons, First Methodist Church, To-
peka, Kansas, Christmas, 1947. No impr. 43p.
MILTONBERGER, BUTLER B., and JAMES A. HUSTON, 134th Infantry Regiment;
Combat History of World War II. No impr. 171p.
Morrison Petroleum Directory of Kansas, 1947. N. p., 1947. 128p.
NELSON, GEORGE WILBUR, A History oj the First Presbyterian Church of New-
ton, Kansas, 1872-1947. No impr. 91p.
NELSON, MARGARET ARVILLA (DANNELS), Home on the Range. Boston, Chap-
man and Grimes [c!947]. 285p.
PAWNEE COUNTY IMMIGRATION BUREAU, Pawnee County, Kansas; a Statement
oj Facts Concerning Its Resources, Condition and Prospects . . .
Larned, Larned Printing Company, 1890. 32p.
Polk's Topeka (Shawnee County, Kans.) City Directory, 1948. Kansas City,
Mo., R. L. Polk and Company, c!948. 848p.
RAISH, MRS. MARJORIE GAMET, Victoria, the Story oj a Western Kansas Town.
Topeka, State Printer, 1947. 83p. (Fort Hays Kansas State College Studies,
Language and Literature Series, No. 3.)
RANDOLPH, VANCE, Ozark Superstitions. New York, Columbia University
Press, 1947. 367p.
, ed., Ozark Folksongs. Columbia, Mo., The State Historical Society of
Missouri, 1946. 4 Vols.
REEVE, JULIET, Friends University: the Growth of an Idea. [Wichita, Wichita
Eagle Press, c!948.] 326p.
RICHARDS, WALTER MARVIN, and BLISS ISELY, Kansas Civil Government. To-
peka, State Printer, 1947. 185p.
180 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
RUNYON, DAMON, Trials and Other Tribulations. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippin-
cott Company [c!947]. 285p.
SAGE, WILLIAM JEWELL, ed. and comp., Those Who Served in World War 11 in
the Armed Forces and on the Home Front From Harvey County, Kansas.
[Newton, The Kansan Printing Company, 1947.] [133]p.
SEAVER, MABEL, Kansas: Its Geography, History, and Government. Boston,
Allyn and Bacon, 1947. HOp.
SHOUP, EARL LEON, The Goverment of the American People. Boston, Ginn
and Company [c!946]. 1206p.
SMITH, J. D., Pocket City Directory of Hutchinson, Kansas. Wichita, 1900.
152p.
[SPENCER, MERRILL D.], A Pictorial Pageant in 50 Pictures; 75 Years in Great
Bend, 1872-1947. No impr. [48] p.
SUTTON, CLIFFORD E., Trails Through Alligator Land. Philadelphia, Dorrance
and Company [c!947]. 225p.
SWINEFORD, ADA, Cemented Sandstones of the Dakota and Kiowa Formations
in Kansas. Lawrence, University of Kansas Publications, 1947. [51]p.
(State Geological Survey of Kansas, Bulletin, No. 70, Pt. 4.)
THOMAS, M. EVANGELINE, SISTER, Footprints on the Frontier; a History of the
Sisters of Saint Joseph, Concordia, Kansas. Westminster, Md., The New-
man Press, 1948. 400p.
THOMAS, WILL, God Is for White Folks. New York, Creative Age Press
[c!947]. 305p.
Traveler's Guide to the New Gold Mines in Kansas and Nebraska . . .
New York, Polhemus and de Vries, 1859. 16p. (Mumey Reprint, 1948.)
TREAT, ROGER L., Walter Johnson, King of the Pitchers. New York, Julia-)
Messner, Inc. [c!948]. 192p.
U. S. ARMY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, MISSOURI RIVER DIVISION, OMAHA, NEB.,
The Development and Control of the Missouri River. Omaha, Office of the
Division Engineer, 1947. 23p.
VESTAL, STANLEY, Warpath and Council Fire; the Plains Indians' Struggle for
Survival in War and in Diplomacy, 1851-1891. New York, Random House
[c!948L 338p.
WAKEMAN, FREDERIC, The Saxon Cham*. New York, Rinehart and Company,
Inc. [c!947L 343p.
WELLMAN, MANLEY WADE, The Sleuth Patrol. New York, Thomas Nelson and
Sons [c!947L 192p.
WHITE, WILLIAM ALLEN, Letters of William Allen White and a Young Man.
Edited and arranged by Gil Wilson. New York, The John Day Company
[c!948L 116p.
WHITE, WILLIAM LINDSAY, Lost Boundaries. New York, Harcourt, Brace and
Company [c!947]. 91p.
WILSON, HAROLD W., Eighty Years of Editorial and Press Association Activities
in Kansas. Submitted to the William Allen White School of Journalism and
Public Information and the Faculty of the Graduate School of the Univer-
sity of Kansas in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for thp Degree
of Master of Arts. N. p., 1947. Typed. 177p.
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 181
THE WEST
BAKELESS, JOHN EDWIN, Lewis and Clark, Partners in Discovery. New York,
William Morrow and Company, 1947. 498p.
BOBBITT, GEORGE G., The Three Harvests and Supplement. Panhandle, Tex.,
Panhandle Herald [1948]. 142p.
BOYCE, MARTHA JEFFERSON, History in the Making, a Story of the Cherokee
Strip. Beatrice, Neb., Franklin Press, 1948. 32p.
CADILLAC, ANTOINE DE LA MOTHE, and PIERRE LIETTE, The Western Country in
the 17th Century; the Memoirs of Lamothe Cadillac and Pierre Liette.
Chicago, The Lakeside Press, 1947. 181p.
CAMP, CHARLES L., and others, Essays for Henry R. Wagner. San Francisco,
The Grabhorn Press, 1947. 106p.
CONKLING, ROSCOE PLATT, and MARGARET B. CoNKLiNG, The Butterfield Over-
land Mail, 1857-1869 . . . Glendale, Cal., The Arthur H. Clark Com-
pany, 1947. 3 Vols.
DELANO, ALONZO, Old Block's Sketch Book. Santa Ana, Cal., The Fine Arts
Press, 1947. 89p.
DEVOTO, BERNARD AUGUSTINE, Across the Wide Missouri. Boston, Houghton
Mifflin Company, 1947. 483p.
DRIQGS, HOWARD ROSCOE, Mormon Trail, Pathway of Pioneers Who Made the
Deserts Blossom. New York, American Pioneer Trails Association, Inc.
[c!947]. 95p.
FOREMAN, CAROLYN (THOMAS), The Cross Timbers. Muskogee, The Star
Printery, Inc., 1947. 123p.
JACKSON, WILLIAM HENRY, Picture Maker of the Old West, William H. Jack-
son; [Text] by Clarence S. Jackson. New York, Charles Scribner's Sons,
1947. 308p.
KINCAID, ROBERT LEE, The Wilderness Road. Indianapolis, The Bobbs-Merrill
Company [c!947]. 392p.
LAMBOURNE, ALFRED, The Pioneer Trail. Salt Lake City, The Deseret News,
1913. 78p.
LEARNED, MARY POPPLETON, The Story of the Missouri River; Written for the
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Ne-
braska. [Omaha, n. p., 1947.] 28p.
MCCRACKEN, HAROLD, Frederic Remington, Artist of the Cttd West, With a Bib-
liographical Check List of Remington Pictures and Books. Philadelphia,
J. B. Lippincott Company [c!947]. 157p. 48 Plates.
MONAGHAN, JAY, The Overland Trail. Indianapolis, The Bobbs-Merrill Com-
pany [c!947]. 431p.
PARKMAN, FRANCIS, The Journals of Francis Parkman. New York, Harper and
Brothers, 1947. 2 Vols.
PRATT, ORSON, and others, Exodus of Modern Israel, Being the Daily Diary of
Orson Pratt on the Exodus of the Latter-Day Saints From Nauvoo to the
Rocky Mountains . . . Salt Lake City, N. B. Lundwall, n. d. 94p.
RISTER, CARL COKE, No Man's Land. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press,
1948. 210p.
ROLLINSON, JOHN K., Wyoming Cattle Trails; History of the Migration of Ore-
gon-Raised Herds to Mid-Western Markets. Caldweil, Idaho, The Caxton
Printers, Ltd, 1948. 366p.
182 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
ROMSPERT, GEORGE W., The Western Echo; a Description of the Western States
and Territories of the United States, As Gathered in a Tour by Wagon.
Dayton, Ohio, United Brethren Publishing House, 1881. 4C6p.
SHINN, CHARLES HOWARD, Mining Camps; a Study in American Frontier Gov-
ernment. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1948. 291p.
TERRAL, RUFUS, The Missouri Valley, Land of Drouth, Flood, and Promise.
New Haven, Yale University Press, 1947. 274p.
WENTWORTH, EDWARD NORRIS, America's Sheep Trails; History, Personalities.
Ames, The Iowa State College Press, 1948. 667p.
WESTERNERS, DENVER, 1945 Brand Book, Containing Twelve Original Papers
Relating to Western and Rocky Mountain History. Denver [Bradford-
Robinson Printing Company], 1946. 251p.
, 1946 Brand Book, Twelve Original Papers Pertaining to the History
of the West. Denver [The Artcraft Press], 1947. 242p.
GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY
ABBE, CLEVELAND, and JOSEPHINE (GENUNG) NICHOLS, Abbe-Abbey Genealogy
in Memory of John Abbe and His Descendants. New Haven, The Tuttle,
Morehouse and Taylor Company, 1916. Slip.
ACKLEN, JEANNETTE (TILLOTSON), comp., Tennessee Records: Bible Records
and Marriage Bonds. Nashville, Cullom and Ghertner [c!933]. 521p.
, and others, comps., Tennessee Records: Tombstone Inscriptions and
Manuscripts, Historical and Biographical. Nashville, Cullom and Ghertner
Company, 1933. 517p.
ADDINGTON, HUGH M., History of the Addington Family in the United States
and England. Nickelsville, Va., Service Printery, 1931. 98p.
ALLEN, ORRIN PEER, The Allen Memorial. Second Series. Descendants of
Samuel Allen of Windsor, Conn., 1640-1907. Palmer, Mass., Author, 1907.
303p.
ALLEN, WILLIAM B., A History of Kentucky, Embracing Gleanings, Reminis-
cences, Antiquities, Natural Curiosities, Statistics, and Biographical Sketches
. . . Louisville, Bradley and Gilbert, 1872. 449p.
AMERICAN CLAN GREGOR SOCIETY, Proceedings of the Gathering October 17-18,
1947. [Richmond, Va., Cussons, May and Company, Inc. c!948.] 32p.
, Year Book Containing the Proceedings of the 1946 Annual Gathering.
[Richmond, Va., Cussons, May and Company, c!947.] lllp.
American Genealogical Index, Vols. 23-27. Middletown, Conn., Published by
a Committee Representing the Cooperating Subscribing Libraries . . .,
1947-1948. 5 Vols.
ANDREWS, ALFRED, Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews, Who
Settled in Farmington, Conn., 1640: Embracing Their Descendants to 1872
. . . Chicago, A. H. Andrews and Company, 1872. 652p.
ANTRIM, HARRIET STOCKTON, Records of the Antrim Family of America. Bur-
lington, N. J., Harriet Stockton Antrim, 1899. 232p.
AXTELL, CARSON A., comp., Axtell Genealogy. [New Bedford, Mass., The Dar-
win Press, c!945.] 303p.
AYRES, JAMES T., The Diary of James T. Ayres, Civil War Recruiter. Spring-
field, Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois, 1947. 138p. (Occasional
Publications of the Illinois State Historical Society.)
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 183
BACKUS, WILLIAM W., A Genealogical Memoir of the Backus Family . . .
[Norwich, Conn., Press of the Bulletin Company] 1889. [385]p.
BACON, HERBERT MARION, Bacon's Adventure. New York, The Bankers Press,
c!948. 197p.
BAKER, WESLEY L., A Genealogy of the Monell Family . . . Rutland, Vt.,
The Tuttle Publishing Company, Inc., 1946. 266p.
BALDWIN, CHARLES CANDEE, The Candee Genealogy: With Notices of Allied
Families of Allyn, Catlin, Cooke, Mattery, Newell, Norton, Pynchon, and
Wadsworth. Cleveland, Leader Printing Company, 1882. 240p.
BALL, TIMOTHY HORTON, Encyclopedia of Genealogy and Biography of Lake
County, Indiana, With a Compendium of History, 1834-1904- Chicago, The
Lewis Publishing Company, 1904. 674p.
BARE, IRA L., ed., Illustrated History of Lincoln County, Nebraska, and Her
People. Chicago, The American Historical Society, 1920. 2 Vols.
BARKER, ELIZABETH FRYE, Barker Genealogy . . . New York, Frye Pub-
lishing Company, 1927. 553p.
BATTEY, HERBERT VERNER, comp. and pub., Samson Battey of Rhode Island,
the Immigrant Ancestor and His Descendants. Council Bluffs, Iowa, H. V.
Battey, 1932. 400p.
BINGHAM, ROBERT WARWICK, ed., Niagara Frontier Miscellany. Buffalo, N. Y.,
The Buffalo Historical Society, 1947. I77p. (Publications Buffalo Historical
Society, Vol. 34.)
Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa.
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. 796p.
Biographical Review . . . Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of
Merrimack and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire. Boston, Biographical
Review Publishing Company, 1897. 594p.
BOSTONIAN SOCIETY, Proceedings Annual Meeting, January 20, 1948. Boston,
Society, 1948. 66p.
BOWEN, RICHARD LE BARON, Early Rehoboth, Documented Historical Studies
of Families and Events in This Plymouth Colony Township. Vol. 3. Re-
hoboth, Privately Printed, 1948. 186p.
BRENT, CHESTER HORTON, The Descendants of Collo Giles Brent, Capt George
Brent and Robert Brent, gent Immigrants to Maryland and Virginia.
[Rutland, Vt., The Tuttle Publishing Company, 1946.] 195p.
BREWER, EDWARD DENTON, The House of Brewer. Tulsa, n. p., c!947. 151p.
BROWNE, WILLIAM BRADFORD, The Babbitt Family History, 1643-1900. Taun-
ton, Mass. [C. A. Hack and Son], 1912. 760p.
BRUNER, MARY L., Binford Genealogy. Greenfield, Ind., Wm. Mitchell Print-
ing Company, n. d. 375p.
, Supplement to Binford Family Genealogy. Portland, Ore., Metropoli-
tan Printing Company, n. d. 126p.
CABLE, GEORGE WASHINGTON, The Creoles of Louisiana. New York, Charles
Scribner's Sons, 1884. 320p.
CHIPMAN, BERT LEE, The Chipman Family; a Genealogy of the Chipmans in
America, 1631-1920. Winston-Salem, N. C., Bert L. Chipman [c!920]. 321p.
CLEAVER, MARY LOUISE (CATLIN), The History of the Town of Catharine,
Schuyler County, N. Y. Rutland, Vt., The Tuttle Publishing Company, Inc.
[1945]. 686p.
184 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
CLELAND, JENNIE (AIKIN), The History of Some Aikin-Eakin Families. [De
Lancey, N. Y., 1929.] 102p.
CLEVELAND, EDMUND JAMES, and HORACE GILLETTE CLEVELAND, The Genealogy
of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families . . . Hartford, Conn., The
Case, Lockwood Brainard Company, 1899. 3 Vols.
Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties, Con-
necticut . . . Chicago, J. H. Beers and Company, 1903. 1358p.
CONNECTICUT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Collections, Vol. 25. Hartford, Society, 1948.
272p.
COOLEY, LA VERNE C., comp. and pub., Complete Name Index to Pioneer His-
tory of the Holland Purchase of Western New York by 0. Turner. Batavia,
N. Y., La Verne C. Cooley, 1946. 42p.
COPE, GILBERT, comp. and ed., Genealogy of the Darlington Family; a Record
of the Descendants of Abraham Darlington of Birmingham, Chester Co.,
Penna., and Some Other Families of the Name. West Chester, Pa., 1900.
DANENBERG, ELSIE (NICHOLAS), The Romance of Norwalk. New York, TLe
States History Company [cl929]. 514p.
DRANE, MRS. MAUDE JOHN .TON, History of Henry County, Kentucky. N. p.,
1948. 274p.
EAST TENNESSEE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Publications, No. 19. Knoxville, The
East Tennessee Historical Society, 1947. 140p.
FLEMING, WILLIAM ALLEN, and WALLACE BRUCE FLEMING, A Fleming Family
With Colonial Ancestors in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Charles-
ton, W. Va., Charleston Printing Company, 1947. 81p.
FOSTER, JOSEPH, The Descendants of John Backhouse, Yeoman, of Moss Side,
Near Yealand Redman, Lancashire. London, Privately Printed at the Chis-
wick Press, 1894. 2 Vols.
FRY, ROSE W., Recollections of the Rev. John McElhenney, D. D., by His
Granddaughter. Richmond, Va., Whittet and Shepperson, 1893. 291p.
GEIST, A. FRANK, [The Geist Relation; 200 Years in America']. [Valley View,
Pa., The Valley Citizen, 1940.] 925p.
GOVE, WILLIAM HENRY, The Gove Book; History and Genealogy of the Ameri-
can Family of Gove and Notes of European Goves. Salem, Mass., Sidney
Perley, 1922. 690p.
HALL, CLAUDE V., The Early History of Floyd County. Canyon, Tex., Pan-
handle-Plains Historical Society, 1947. 147p. (Panhandle-Plains Historical
Review, Vol. 20.)
HEMPHILL, WILLIAM EDWIN, ed., Gold Star Honor Roll of Virginians in the
Second World War. Charlottesville, Virginia World War II History Com-
mission, 1947. 373p.
HESTON, ALFRED MILLER, Record of the Family of Zebulon Heston and His
Wife Dorothy Heston, Who Settled in America About the Year 1684; Em-
bracing Also, the Lineage of the Children of I. Morris and Anna P. Heston
. . . Printed for Circulation Among Members of the Family. Bridgeton,
N. J., A. M. Heston, Printer, 1883. 34p. (Typed Copy of 58p. Printed
Pamphlet.)
Historical Sketch of Michael Keinadt and Margaret Diller His Wife . . .
Supplement, 1941. Koiner-Kyner-Coiner-Coyner. Staunton, Va., Stone-
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 185
burner and Prufer, 1893. Reprinted by Campfield Printing Company,
Staunton, Va., 1941. 204p.
History of Benton County, Iowa, Containing a History of the County, I/.s
Cities, Towns, Etc. Chicago, Western Historical Company, 1878. 641p.
History of Champaign County, Ohio . . . Chicago, W. H. Beers and Com-
pany, 1881. 921p.
History of Hardin County, Ohio . . . Chicago, Warner, Beers and Com-
pany, 1883. 1064p.
History of Jefferson County, New York. With Illustrations and Biographical
Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia, L. H.
Everts and Company, 1878. 593p.
History of Jones County, Iowa, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities,
Towns, Etc. Chicago, Western Historical Company, 1879. 705p.
History of La Salle County, Illinois . . . Chicago, Inter-State Publishing
Company, 1886. 2 Vols.
History of Logan County and Ohio . . . Chicago, O. L. Baskin and Com-
pany, 1880. 840p.
History of Medina County and Ohio. Chicago, Baskin and Battey, 1881. 922p.
History of Montgomery County, Iowa, Containing a History of the County,
Its Cities, Towns, Etc. Des Moines, Iowa, Historical and Biographical Com-
pany, 1881. 741p.
History of Niagara County, N. Y. With Illustrations Descriptive of Its Scenery,
Private Residences, Public Buildings . . . and Portraits of Old Pio-
neers and Prominent Residents. New York, Sanford and Company, 1878.
397p.
History of Oneida County, New York, With Illustrations and Biographical
Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia, Everts
and Fariss, 1878. 678p.
History of Pottawattomie County, Iowa . . . Chicago, O. L. Baskin and
Company, 1883. [641]p.
History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin . . . Chicago, West-
em Historical Company, 1879. 738p.
History of Wyoming County, N. Y. With Illustrations, Biographical Sketches
and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents. New York, F.
W. Beers and Company, 1880. 308p.
HOLTON, DAVID PARSONS, and FRANCES KETURAH (FORWARD) HOLTON, Far well
Ancestral Memorial . . . New York, D-P. Holton, 1879. 254p.
HORTON, GEORGE FIRMAN, comp., Horton Genealogy; or Chronicles of the
Descendants of Barnabas Horton of Southold, L. I., 1640. Philadelphia,
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HUGUENOT SOCIETY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Transactions, No. 52. Charleston, S.
C. [Baltimore, Waverly Press, Inc.], 1947. 61p.
INDIANA HISTORICAL BUREAU, Annual Report, 1946-1947 . Indianapolis, 1947. 15p.
IVEY, GEORGE FRANKS, The Ivey Family in the United States. Hickory, N. C.,
The Southern Publishing Company [c!941]. 113p.
JACOBUS, DONALD LINES, Index to Genealogical Periodicals, Vol. 2. New Haven,
D. L. Jacobus, 1948. 152p.
, ed., Ancestry of Thomas Chalmers Brainard. Montreal [Portland, Me.,
The Anthoensen Press], 1948. 352p.
186 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
JONES, EMMA C. BREWSTER, The Brewster Genealogy, 1566-1907. New York,
The Grafton Press, 1908. 2 Vols.
KETCHUM, WILLIAM, An Authentic and Comprehensive History of Buffalo,
With Some Account of Its Early Inhabitants . . . Buffalo, N. Y., Rock-
well, Baker and Hill, 1864-65. 2 Vols.
LAKE, DEVEBEUX, A Personal Narrative of Some Branches of the Lake Family
in America With Particular Reference to the Antecedents and Descendants
of Richard Lake, Georgia Pioneer. [Lorain, Ohio, The Lorain Printing
Company] 1937. 26p.
LEARNED, WILLIAM LAW, comp., The Learned Family (Learned, Lamed, Learn-
ard and Lerned) Being Descendants of William Learned Who Was of
Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1632. Albany, Joel Munsell's Sons, 1882.
346p.
LOMAX, QUINTTN WfiNTWORTH, The Lomax Family. Cherryvale, Kan., n. p.,
1947. 55p.
LOVERING, MARTIN, History of the Town of Holland, Massachusetts. Rutland,
Vt., The Tuttle Company, 1915. 749p.
LUCKEY, LEONARD WILSON ARNOLD, and ETHEL ZUICK LUCKEY, Arnold-Luckey
Family Ties; Authorized History and Genealogy Complete. New York,
Leonard W. A. Luckey, 1931. 168p.
MACKENZIE, ALEXANDER, History of the Mathesons With Genealogies of the
Various Families. 2d ed. Edited, Largely Re-Written and Added to by Al-
exander Macbain. Stirling, Scot., Eneas Mackay, 1900. 162p.
MARTINDALE, ELIJAH, Autobiography and Sermons of Elder Elijah Martindale,
Also Pioneer History of the Boyd Family, by Belle Stanford. Indianapolis,
Carlon and Hollenbeck, 1892. 173p.
MARVIN, FRANCIS M., Cruver Genealogy: Descendants of Daniel A. Cruver.
Mimeographed. 37p.
Memorial and Biographical Record and Illustrated Compendium of Biography
. . . of Butler, Polk, Seward, York and Fillmore Counties, Nebraska
. . . Chicago, George A. Ogle and Company, 1899. 1119p.
Memorial Record of the County of Cuyahoga and City of Cleveland, Ohio.
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1894. 924p.
MOMBERT, JACOB I., An Authentic History of Lancaster County, in the State of
Pennsylvania. Lancaster, J. E. Barr and Company, 1869. [792]p.
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NEW JERSEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revo-
lutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey; Cal-
endar of New Jersey Wills, Administrations, Etc., Vol. 11, 1806-1809. Tren-
ton, MacCrellish and Quigley Company, 1947. 497p. (Archives of the State
of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. 40.)
[NEWTON, CLAIR A. HEMENWAY], comp., Captain John Whipple, 1617-1685, and
His Descendants; Ralph Hemmenway, Roxbury, Mass., 1634. Supplemen-
tary Records. Naperville, 111., n. p., 1946. 69, 275-286p.
RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 187
NORTH CAROLINA, STATE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY, Twenty-First
Biennial Report, July 1, 1944, to June 30, 1946. Raleigh, North Carolina
State Department of Archives and History, 1946. 54p. (Bulletin, No. 45.)
NYBERG, LEO, A History of Laclede County, Missouri, From 1820 to 1926.
Lebanon, Mo., The Rustic Printers [cl926L 178p.
O'GoRMAN, MRS. ELLA FOY, Descendants of Virginia Calverts. N. p., 1947.
766p.
OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK, Town Records, Volume 1, 1653-1690. New York, To-
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PAINTER, ORRIN CHALFANT, Genealogy and Biographical Sketches of the Fam-
ily of Samuel Painter, Who Came From England and Settled in Chester
County, Pennsylvania, About the Year 1699. Baltimore, John S. Bridges and
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PARKER, DONALD DEAN, SR., The Graham-Patterson Family History; the Parker
Family History. Published by the Author, 1947. 174, 102p.
PECK, WILLIAM FARLEY, History of Rochester and Monroe County, New York,
From the Earliest Historic Times to the Beginning of 1907. New York, The
Pioneer Publishing Company, 1908. 2 Vols.
PENNSYLVANIA FEDERATION OF HISTORICAL SOCIETIES, Year Book, 1947. Harris-
burg, 1947. 99p.
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PLUMBE, JOHN, JR., Sketches of Iowa and Wisconsin, Taken During a Residence
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Portrait and Biographical Album of Gage County, Nebraska . . . Chicago,
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Portrait and Biographical Album of Peoria County, Illinois . . . Chicago,
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Portrait and Biographical Record of Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties,
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Portrait and Biographical Record of Stark County, Ohio . . . Chicago,
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RAY, WORTH S., The Lost Tribes of North Carolina. Austin, Tex., Author,
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RIDGELY, HELEN WEST, Historic Graves of Maryland and the District of Col-
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RIKER, JAMES, Revised History of Harlem (City of New York) ; Its Origin and
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and Additional Data Provided by Theodore Diller, Alfred Diller, Isaac
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vania . . . New York, T. S. Benham and Company and the Lewis Pub-
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188 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
ROLL, CHARLES, Colonel Dick Thompson, the Persistent Whig. Indianapolis,
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ROSE, ARTHUR P., An Illustrated History of Lyon County, Minnesota. Mar-
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Ross, PETER, A History of Long Island, From Its Earliest Settlement to the
Present Time. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1902. 3 Vols.
ROUSH, LESTER LE ROY, History of the Roush Family in America From Us
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ROWLAND, OLIVE (BARRICK), An Ancestral Chart and Handbook; Genealogical
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RUSLER, WILLIAM, ed., A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio . . .
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SHERRILL, WILLIAM LANDER, Annals of Lincoln County, North Carolina, Con-
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York County, Pennsylvania, and Fairfield County, Ohio. Indianapolis, E. S.
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SIMMS, JEPTHA ROOT, History of Schoharie County, and Border Wars of New
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SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS, NEW HAMPSHIRE, Register of Officers and Mem-
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SOCIETY OF INDIANA PIONEERS, Year Book, 1947. Printed by Order of the Board
of Governors, 1947. 114p.
SOCIETY OF THE WAR OF 1812, Proceedings of the Eleventh and Twelfth Biennial
Meetings Held at Boston, Massachusetts, September 16, 1916, and Washing-
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STACKPOLE, EVERETT SCHERMERHORN, History of Winthrop, Maine, With Genea-
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RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 189
STATES, JAMBS NOTES, comp., Genealogy of the Ayres Family of Fairfield
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STEVENS, SYLVESTER K., and DONALD H. KENT, Conserving Pennsylvania's Heri-
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SWEENY, WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, Wills of Rappahannock County, Virginia,
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TEDCASTLE, AGNES SEVILLE (VAUGHAN), The Seville Family of Virginia, Georgia,
and Florida, and Several Allied Families, North and South. Boston, Pri-
vately Printed, 1917. 212p.
TETRICK, WILLIAM GUY, ed., Census Returns of Barbour and Taylor Counties
(West) Virginia for 1850. Clarksburg, W. Va., n. p. [cl932L 391p.
TILLEY, NANNIE MAY, and NOMA LEE GOODWIN, Guide to the Manuscript Col-
lections in the Duke University Library. Durham, N. C., Duke University
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TOLBERT, AGNES (HODGINS), and others, The Genealogical History of Jacob
Shafer (Memorial Album). Belleville, Kan., The Telescope Publishing Com-
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TOLER, HENRY PENNINGTON, The New Harlem Register; a Genealogy of the
Descendants of the Twenty-Three Original Patentees of the Town of New
Harlem, Containing Proofs of Births, Baptisms, and Marriages From the
Year 1630 to Date. New York, New Harlem Publishing Company, 1903.
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UPTON, HARRIET (TAYLOR), A Twentieth Century History of Trumbutt County,
Ohio . . . Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909. 2 Vols.
Vital Records of Old Bristol and Nobleboro in the County of Lincoln, Maine,
Including the Present Towns of Bremen, Damariscotta, South Bristol and
the Plantation of Monhegan to the Year 1892. Vol. 2. Marriages. Published
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WADLEIGH, GEORGE, Notable Events in the History of Dover, New Hampshire,
From the First Settlement in 1623 to 1865. Dover, N. H. [The Tufts College
Press], 1913. 334p.
WATERS, MARGARET R., Indiana Land Entries. Vol. 1. Cincinnati District, 1801-
1840. Indianapolis, 1948. Mimeographed. 241p.
WELLS, JOSEPH WILLIAM, History of Cumberland County [Kentucky]. Louis-
ville, Ky., The Standard Printing Company, 1947. 480p.
WURTS, JOHN S., Magna Charta. Part V. A Collection of Colonial Pedigrees.
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WYMAN, MARY ELIZABETH (TISDEL), The Genealogy of the Descendants of
Lawrence and Mary Antisell of Norwich and Willington, Conn., Including
Some Records of Christopher Antisell of Sraduff, Birr, (Kings Co.) Ireland.
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190 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
GENERAL
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Bawden Brothers, Inc., 1948.] 143p.
AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY, Proceedings at the Semi-Annual Meeting Held
in Boston, April 16, 1947. Worcester, Mass., Society, 1948. 234p.
AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Publications, No. 37. [Philadelphia]
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ASHBY, GEORGE F., Major General Grenville M. Dodge (1831-1916), Maker of
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BARDOLPH, RICHARD, Agricultural Literature and the Early Illinois Farmer.
Urbana, The University of Illinois Press, 1948. 200p. (Illinois Studies in
the Social Sciences, Vol. 29, Nos. 1-2.)
BEEBE, Lucius MORRIS, Mixed Train Daily, a Book of Short-Line Railroads;
With Photographs by C. M. Clegg, Jr., and the Author, and Six Original Oil
Paintings by Howard Fogg. New York, E. P. Button and Company, 1947.
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BELTING, MATALIA MAREE, Kaskaskia Under the French Regime. Urbana, Uni-
versity of Illinois Press, 1948. 140p. (Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences,
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BOLTON, ETHEL (STANWOOD), and EVA (JOHNSTON) COE, American Samplers.
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BRISTED, JOHN, America and Her Resources; or a View of the Agricultural,
Commercial, Manufacturing, Financial, Political, Literary, Moral and Re-
ligious Capacity and Character of the American People. London, Printed
for Henry Colburn, 1818. 504p.
BROOKMAN, LESTER G., The 19th Century Postage Stamps of the United States.
New York, H. L. Lindquist, 1947. 2 Vols.
BUTTERFIELD, ROGER PLACE, The American Past ; a History of the United States
From Concord to Hiroshima, 1775-1945. New York, Simon and Schuster
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CARLSON, REYNOLD ERLAND, British Block Grants and Central-Local Finance.
Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins Press, 1947. 222p. (The Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity Studies in Historical 1 , and Political Science, Series 65, No. 1.)
CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE, Year Book, 1947. Washing-
ton, The Endowment, 1947. 142p.
CASE, VICTORIA, and ROBERT ORMOND CASE, We Called It Culture; the Story of
the Chautauqua. Garden City, N. Y., Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1948.
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CHAPMAN, MAYBELLE (KENNEDY), Great Britain and the Bagdad Railway,
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CLINARD, OUTTEN JONES, Japan's Influence on American Naval Power, 1897-
1917. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1947. 235p. (University of
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RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 191
COLEMAN, ROY V., The First Frontier. New York, Charles Scribner's Sons,
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COLLIER, JOHN, The Indians of the Americas. New York, W. W. Norton and
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COULTER, ELLIS MERTON, The South During Reconstruction, 1865-1877. Baton
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DENSMORE, FRANCES, A Collection of Specimens From the Teton Sioux. New
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DEYRUP, FELICIA JOHNSON, Arms Makers of the Connecticut Valley; a Regional
Study of the Economic Development of the Small Arms Industry, 1798-1870.
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DICK, EVERETT NEWFON, The Dixie Frontier, a Social History of the Southern
Frontier From the First Transmontane Beginnings to the Civil War. New
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DOBIE, JAMES FRANK, Do Rattlesnakes Swallow Their Young? (Reprinted
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, My Salute to Gene Rhodes; a Christmas Remembrance From Bertha
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DREPPERD, CARL WILLIAM, American Clocks and Clockmakers. Garden City,
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DRURY, JOHN, Historic Mid-West Houses. Minneapolis, The University of Min-
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Encyclopedia of American Biography. New Series, Vol. 20. New York, The
American Historical Company, Inc., 1948. 601p.
ERNST, MORRIS LEOPOLD, The First Freedom. New York, The Macmillan Com-
pany, 1946. 316p.
Family Cabinet Atlas. First American Edition, Revised, Corrected, and En-
larged. Philadelphia, Carey and Lea, 1832. 100 Plates.
FARRINGTON, SELWYN KIP, JR., Railroading From the Rear End. New York,
Coward, McCann, Inc. [c!946]. 430p.
GIBSON, CHARLES, The Inca Concept of Sovereignty and the Spanish Adminis-
tration in Peru. Austin, The University of Texas Press, 1948. 146p. (Latin-
American Studies, 4.)
HACKER, Louis MORTON, and HELENE SARA ZAHLER, The Shaping of American
Tradition. New York, Columbia University Press, 1947. 2 Vols.
HARGRAVE, LETITIA (MACTAVISH), The Letters of Letitia Hargrave. Toronto,
The Champlain Society, 1947. 310p. (Publications of the Champlain Society,
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HARGRETT, LESTER, A Bibliography of the Constitutions and Laws of the Amer-
ican Indians. Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1947. 124p.
192 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
HAURY, EMIL WALTER, and EDWIN BOOTH SAYLES, An Early Pit House Village
of the Mogollon Culture, Forestdale Valley, Arizona. Tucson, University
of Arizona, 1947. 93p. (Social Science Bulletin, No. 16.)
HIRSHBERG, HERBERT SIMON, and CARL HERMAN MELINAT, Subject Guide to
United States Government Publications. Chicago, American Library As-
sociation, 1947. 228p.
HOLBROOK, STEWART HALL, The Story of American Railroads. New York, Crown
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HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY, Minutes of 1679-1684. Second Part, 1682-84. Toronto,
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Information Please Almanac, 1948. [Garden City, N. Y.] Doubleday and
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ISELY, JETER ALLEN, Horace Greeley and the Republican Party, 1853-1861; a
Study of the New York Tribune. Princeton, Princeton University Press
[c!947]. 368p. (Princeton Studies in History, Vol. 3.)
JACOBS, JAMES RIPLEY, The Beginning of the U. S. Army, 1783-1812. Princeton,
Princeton University Press, 1947. 419p.
JAMES, MARQUIS, The Metropolitan Life, a Study in Business Growth. New
York, The Viking Press, 1947. 480p.
JOHL, MAX G., The United States Postage Stamps of the Twentieth Century.
Vol. 4. Commemoratives, 1933-37. New York, H. L. Lindquist, 1938. 309p.
JOHNSON, JOHN J., Pioneer Telegraphy in Chile, 1852-1876. Stanford, Cal.,
Stanford University Press, 1948. 159p. (Stanford University Publications,
University Series, History, Economics and Political Science, Vol. 6, No. 1.)
KING, ERNEST J., U. S. Navy at War, 1941-1945; Official Reports to the Secre-
tary of the Navy. Washington, United States Navy Department, 1946. 305p.
KINIETZ, VERNON, Delaware Culture Chronolgy. Indianapolis, Indiana His-
torical Society, 1946. 143p. (Prehistory Research Series, Vol. 3, No. 1.)
KURATH, WILLIAM, and EDWARD H. SPICER, A Brief Introduction to Yaqui, a
Native Language of Sonora. Tucson, University of Arizona, 1947. 46p.
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LA BARRE, WESTON, The Aymara Indians of the Lake Tilicaca Plateau, Bolivia.
[Menasha, Wis.] American Anthropological Association, 1948. 250p. (Mem-
oir, No. 68.)
LEHMER, DONALD J., The Jornada Branch of the Mogollon. Tucson, University
of Arizona, 1948. 99p. (Social Science Bulletin, No. 17.)
LINCOLN, ABRAHAM, Abraham Lincoln's Autobiography, With an Account of
Its Origin and History, and Additional Biographical Material, by Robert
Dale Richardson. Boston, The Beacon Press, 1948. 45p.
LOMAX, JOHN AVERY, and ALAN LOMAX, The 111 Best American Ballads; Folk
Song U. S. A. New York, Duell, Sloan and Pearce tcl947]. 407p.
Look, Look at America: the Central Northeast . . . Boston, Houghton
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, Look at America: the Central Northwest . . . Boston, Houghton
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, Look at America: the Midwest. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company
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MCGILLYCUDDY, JULIA E. (BLANCHARD), McGillycuddy, Agent; a Biography of
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RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY 193
MALONE, DUMAS, Jefferson and His Time. Volume One. Jefferson the Vir-
ginian. Boston, Little, Brown and Company, 1948. 484p.
MARTIN, PAUL SIDNEY, GEORGE IRVING QUIMBY, and DONALD CoLLiA, Indians
Before Columbus; Twenty Thousand Years of North American History Re-
vealed by Archeology. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press [c!947L
582p.
MENCKEN, HENRY Louis, The American Language. Supplement 2. An In-
quiry Into the Development of English in the United States. New York,
Alfred A. Knopf, 1948. [933]p.
MONAGHAN, FRANK, Heritage of Freedom; the History and Significance of the
Basic Documents of American Liberty. Princeton, Princeton University
Press, 1948. 150p.
National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Being the History of the United
States, Vol. 33. New York, James T. White and Company, 1947. 586p.
National Cyclopaedia of American Biography . . . Current Volume G,
1945-46. New York, James T. White and Company, 1946. 552p.
NEVINS, ALLAN, Ordeal of the Union. New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 19i7.
2 Vols.
New York Times Index for the Published News of 1946. New York, The New
York Times Company, c!947. 2769p.
NICHOLS, ROY FRANKLIN, The Disruption of American Democracy. New York,
The Macmillan Company, 1948. 612p.
Patterson's American Educational Directory, Vo\l. 44- Chicago, American Edu-
cational Company [c!947L 1024p.
PETERS, HARRY TWYFORD, Currier and Ives, Printmakers to the American Peo-
ple. Garden City, N. Y., Doubleday and Company, Inc. [c!942]. 41p. 192
Plates.
REICHARD, GLADYS A., An Analysis of Couer D'Alene Indian Myths. Philadel-
phia, American Folklore Society, 1947. 218p. (Memoirs of the American
Folklore Society, Vol. 41.)
REIS, CLAIRE (RAPHAEL), Composers in America: Biographical Sketches of C on-
temporary Composers With a Record of Their Works. New York, The
Macmillan Company, 1947. 399p.
RICE, CHARLES S., and JOHN B. SHENK, Meet the Amish; a Pictorial Study of
the Amish People. New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press [c!947].
RIDDLE, DONALD WAYNE, Lincoln Runs for Congress. A Publication of the
Abraham Lincoln Association, Springfield, Illinois. New Brunswick, Rutgers
University Press, 1948. 217p.
RITTENHOUSE, JACK D., American Horse-Drawn Vehicles. Los Angeles, Dillon
Lithograph Company, 1948. lOlp.
ROGERS, AGNES, and FREDERICK LEWIS ALLEN, I Remember Distinctly: a Fam-
ily Album of the American People, 1918-1941- New York, Harper and
Brothers, 1947. 251p.
RULE, WILLIAM GLENN, The Story of the Oldest Bank West of the Mississippi,
1847-1947. [St. Louis] The Boatmen's National Bank of Saint Louis
[cl947L 108p.
IS 6533
194 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
ST. GEORGE, ELEANOR, The Dolls of Yesterday. New York, Charles Scribner'g
Sons, 1948. 204p.
SANDBURG, CARL, Abraham Lincoln; the War Years. New York, Harcourt,
Brace and Company [c!939]. 4 Vols.
SCOTT, THOMAS JEFFERSON, Sing of America . . . [New York, Thomas Y.
Crowell Company, c!947.] [83] p.
SHARP, PAUL F., The Agrarian Revolt in Western Canada; a Survey Showing
American Parallels. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press [c!948],
204p.
SIMPSON, GEORGE, Part of Dispatch From George Simpson Esqr Governor of
Ruperts Land to the Governor and Committee of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany, London, March 1, 1829. Continued and Completed March 24 and
June 5, 1829. Toronto, The Champlain Society, 1946. 277p. (Hudson's Bay
Company Series, Vol. 10.)
SMITH, CHARLES HENRY, Metamora. Bluffton, Ohio, The College Book Store,
1947. 72p.
STEARNS, JOSEPHINE (BUNCH), The Role of Metternich in Undermining Na-
poleon. Urbana, The University of Illinois Press, 1948. 122p. (Illinois
Studies in the Social Sciences, Vol. 29, No. 4.)
SUTCLIFF, ROBERT, Travels in Some Parts of North America in the Years 180$,
1805, and 1806. York, Eng., C. Peacock, 1811. 293p.
SYDNOR, CHARLES SACKETT, The Development of Southern Sectionalism, 1819-
1848. Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press, 1948. 400p. (A His-
tory of the South, Vol. 5.)
THOMPSON, ROBERT LUTHER, Wiring a Continent; the History of the Tele-
graph Industry in the United States, 1832-1866. Princeton, Princeton Uni-
versity Press, 1947. 544p.
TOMES, ROBERT, Battles of America by Sea and Land. With Biographies of
Naval and Military Commanders. New York, James S. Virtue [c!878L 3
Vols.
TREMENHEERE, HUGH SEYMOUR, Notes on Public Subjects, Made During a
Tour in the United States and Canada. London, John Murray, 1852. 320p.
TUTHILL, CARE, The Tres Alamos Site on the San Pedro River, Southeastern
Arizona. Dragoon, Ariz., The Amerind Foundation, Inc., 1947. 88p. 36
Plates.
U. S. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, An Album of American Battle Art, 1755-1918.
Washington, The U. S. Government Printing Office, 1947. 319p.
UTAH HUMANITIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION, A Bibliography of the Archives of,
1944-1947. Salt Lake City, The Utah Humanities Research Foundation,
1947. 41p.
WHARTON, VERNON LANE, The Negro in Mississippi, 1865-1890. Chapel Hill,
The University of North Carolina Press, 1947. 298p. (The James Sprunt
Studies in History and Political Science, Vol. 28.)
Who's Who in America, Vol. 25, 1948-1949. Chicago, The A. N. Marquis Com-
pany, 1948. 2975p.
World Almanac and Book of Facts for 1948. New York, New York World-
Telegram, c!948. 912p.
WYLER, SEYMOUR B., The Book of Old Silver, English, American, Foreign.
New York, Crown Publishers [c!937]. 401p.
Bypaths of Kansas History
Music TO SOOTHE THE SAVAGE BREAST
From the Fort Scott Democrat, March 15, 1860.
A number of Osage Indians have been camping near town for a week back.
They have furs, buffalo robes, ponies, and one old red-skin had a squaw, he
was desirous of "swapping" for "wabusca," (flour). They have sticky fingers,
and are singularly oblivious to the rights of property when the owner's back
is turned. The other evening, while the String Band was playing on the
portico of the Western Hotel, several of the dusky sons of the plain, gathered
round them, and commenced a war dance, accompanying the same with a
series of the most discordant yells, that a white man ever listened to.
A POLITICAL CASUALTY
The following letter, written on the stationery of the sheriff of
Cowley county, is among Gov. L. U. Humphrey's papers in the
Archives division of the Kansas State Historical Society.
WINFIELD, KAS., OCT. 21 1892.
DEAR SIR Mr. humphrey i apeal to you because you have the power to
Do so i am a colord man and have Ben Doing all in my power to help thes
Republicans at there meatings Singing i am the Colord man peck miller
whom Mr Beakman intruced you to at Glad stone hotell now i will tell
you all about it the Democrats ar made at me and said thay would put me
wher i could not sing so thay Did it in this way on the 9 Day of September
i was standing in a joint or saloon and the Boss step out and tolld me to
watch it a momet so i did it for frendship while he was out a man cam in
and Bought a botel of Beer of me and i was convicted and Centence to jail
and i cant get out untill the 28 of november now i have got a good deal of
influince over a good meny colord voters and i would like to be out on
Elicton Day if its lyes in you power to Do So wich i think it Dos all so Mr
Humphry i have a wife sickely and a small babie 18 months old and no one
to look after them if you please sir do this one thing for a man that has
sang through the camppain ever since Haze and Whealer run in 76 that
was my first year for singing and i have neve mised one yet and i would like
to never miss one as long as i live i Have sang for goo men all my life
through Illinois Indina Kansas such menn as joe Cannon of Danville Dick
abesly govnor canel sellar as senater and lots i dont no i would like ver much
for you to pardon me if you please
A. Black Republican
of Arkansas City Leader of Quarttet
PECK MILLER
(195)
Kansas History as Published in the Press
Leslye Hardman Womer's column, "As It Was Told to Me,"
which was interrupted with the discontinuance of the Agra Sentinel
in September, 1947, has been continued beginning with the first
issue of the Agra Star, May 13, 1948. Family histories have been
featured chiefly, with an occasional column on the history of Agra.
Articles on local history, by C. D. Smith, appear from time to
time in the Blue Rapids Times. The discovery of gypsum near Blue
Rapids and its use in the plaster industry was the subject of Mr.
Smith's articles printed August 19 and 26, 1948. Gypsum was first
discovered in the Blue Rapids area about 1857, and since that time
six firms erected seven plaster mills in the vicinity, of which only
one is still in operation. In his article appearing November 4, Mr.
Smith gave brief biographical sketches of some of the founders of
Blue Rapide, many of whom moved to other parts of the country
when the town failed to grow as had been anticipated.
Names of Gove county men and women who served in World
War II appeared in The Gove County Advocate, Quinter, August
19, 26 and September 2, 1948, and in the Gove County Republican-
Gazette, Gove City, August 19. A plaque featuring these names is
to be hung in the Gove county courthouse.
Several articles of historical interest have been published recently
in the Larned Chronoscope and The Tiller and Toiler. A biographical
sketch of John Lindas, founder of the Lindas Lumber Co. of Paw-
nee Rock, by F. T. Brown, was printed in the Chronoscope, Septem-
ber 16, 1948. The lumber company was 70 years old on October
3. The Chronoscope, September 30, and The Tiller and Toiler for
the same date, published a history of the William P. Webb family,
as told to Lois Victor by Dr. 0. E. Webb. Appearing in the same
issues was a ''Tribute to Albert A. Doerr," by Harvey Eckert. Mr.
Doerr was a Pawnee county pioneer and a benefactor to many
during the "dust bowl" years. A brief history of Prairie Home
school, District 39, in Pawnee county, by W. F. Bruce, appeared in
The Tiller and Toiler, October 21. Names of former teachers and
pupils, and friends who attended a reunion on September 30, were
listed. The school building was erected under the direction of E.
P. Condreay and is now 70 years old. Experiences of 70 years in
(196)
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 197
Pawnee county were reviewed by Mrs. John Wagner for Miss Victor
and published in The Tiller and Toiler and Chronoscope of No-
vember 11. Mrs. Wagner and her husband arrived in Pawnee county
in the spring of 1878. Mrs. Mary Kulow Frick, 92 years old, related
to Miss Victor the early experiences of her family in Kansas which
appeared in both papers on November 18. Mrs. Frick came to
Pawnee county in 1876 with her father, mother and brother. Also
by Dr. Webb are his reminiscences of the years when Larned
was young, published in The Tiller and Toiler, December 16, and
in the Chronoscope, December 16 and 23.
The Horton Headlight, September 20, 1948, briefly noted that the
city of Horton had reached its 62nd birthday. It was incorporated
September 20, 1886.
A series of illustrated historical articles on places around Man-
hattan, by R. A. Dalton, Jr., has been appearing in the Manhattan
Mercury -Chronicle and the Manhattan Republic. Places discussed
during October, November and December, 1948, included: Leonard-
villc, Riley, Sunset park in Manhattan, Keats, Randolph, Maria-
dahl, Stockdale, Cleburne, Winkler, May Day, Zeandale and Ogden.
A pageant depicting the history of Bethel College of North New-
ton was presented October 12, 1948, in celebration of the 60th an-
niversary of the college. Also honoring the occasion, The Bethel
Collegian issued a 60th anniversary edition on October 8, featuring
sketches and pictures.
The Holton Recorder, October 11, 1948, explained the source of the
city's name. In May, 1856, John B. Coffin and wife, with about
40 others, started from Milwaukee, Wis., for Kansas. They had
been outfitted and greatly aided in their preparations for the jour-
ney by Edward D. Holton, wealthy merchant, lawyer and banker
of Milwaukee. Holton was also chairman of a committee which
was helping to send Free-State men to Kansas. Other articles of
general interest in the Recorder of October 11 were: "Historical
Sketches of the School Districts of County," by Corinne Richard,
county superintendent, and "John Shields Tells of Introduction of
the Peach and Crabapple Here."
The history of Galesburg was featured in W. W. Graves' column,
"History of Neosho County," in the St. Paul Journal, October 28,
November 4 and 25, 1948.
198 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
"Santa Fe: No. 1 Railroad" was published in the November,
1948, issue of Fortune. The article stated that although the Santa
Fe does not claim the distinction nor has it been publicly bestowed,
the road has climbed to an all-round eminence that can be chal-
lenged by no other. In all the attributes, taken together, that make
a railroad great size 7 location, finances, operations and history
the Santa Fe probably has no equal. Started in the late 1860's by
Cyrus Holliday of Topeka, the Santa Fe now has about 13,000
miles of track situated in the path of the nation's present industrial
expansion and in some of its most productive agricultural areas.
"Magic Circle Idea Is Growing," was the title of a brief article
by A. Q. Miller in the Belleville Telescope, November 4, 1948. The
article was based on a recent story in Fortune from which
Mr. Miller quotes extensively concerning the history of Roger Bab-
son's "Magic Circle" enterprise centering at Eureka, Kan.
Osage county history as compiled by the Kansas Historical Rec-
ords Survey, W. P. A., has continued to appear regularly in The
Peoples Herald, Lyndon. Information on various types of county
records, including description and location, has been featured in
recent articles.
Soil and water are two of our basic natural resources which must
be utilized rather than wasted, Maj. Gen. Lewis Pick, co-author of
the Pick-Sloan plan for the Missouri river basin and Missouri river
basin engineer for the U. S. corps of engineers, told delegates to the
annual meeting of the Kansas Reclamation Association in Belleville
recently. General Pick's remarks were published in the Belleville
Telescope, November 11, 18, 25 and December 2, 1948. The gen-
eral described the Missouri basin's comparatively rapid develop-
ment as the bread basket of the nation and emphasized that the
agricultural peak reached in the basin in recent years must be
maintained. A summary of what has been done in the way of
constructing dams, electric power plants and irrigation projects,
and a few words about what more can be expected from the recla-
mation program, concluded General Pick's talk.
A historical sketch of Neodesha by Mrs. C. 0. Pingrey was
printed in the Neodesha Register, November 25, 1948. The article
was written for the Consolidator, published by the Consolidated Gas
Utilities Corporation, where it appeared in the September issue.
Neodesha began in 1867 as a trading post owned by Dr. Allen Me-
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 199
Cartney and Alex Phelon. The most important event in the history
of the town, according to Mrs. Pingrey, was the bringing in of the
first commercial oil well in the mid-continent field in 1892. Mrs.
Pingrey touched briefly on the industries, civic organizations and
other institutions of Neodesha.
A list of 20 junior colleges and 22 senior colleges of Kansas, with
enrollment figures for the fall terms of 1947 and 1948, was published
in the December, 1948, number of the Transactions of the Kansas
Academy of Science, Lawrence. A total of 37,181 students were
enrolled in 1948, a decrease of 149 from the 1947 enrollment. Among
other articles of interest was, "The Petroleum Industry in Kansas,"
a 56-page review of the gas and oil industry and the vital part it
has played in Kansas economy, by Earl K. Nixon. Articles in the
March, 1949, number included: "Kansas Weather: 1948," by S. D.
Flora; "The Growth and Development of Black Walnut on Coal
Strip -Mined Land in Southeast Kansas," by Nelson F. Rogers;
"Kansas Meteorite Discoveries 1873-1948," and "Significance of the
Norton, Kansas, Meteorite," by H. H. Nininger.
John Redmond, editor and publisher of The Daily Republican,
Burlington, commented on his "first" half-century as a publisher on
December 1, 1948, the 50th anniversary of his purchase of the paper.
He bought the newspaper, then called The Jeffersonian, from Dan
Kellar Swearingen. The present Republican is said to have the
largest circulation of any daily paper in the nation in proportion
to the population of its town. The Chanute Tribune, December 6,
noted the Burlington editor's anniversary and devoted an editorial
to his hobby, flood control.
The Altamont Journal, December 2, 1948, mentioned briefly that
it was beginning its 46th year of publication. Frank E. George
founded the Journal in 1903 and published it until 1946. Victor L.
George is the present editor and publisher.
Harry H. Seckler's articles on early Leavenworth have continued
in recent issues of the Leavenworth Times. Among them were:
"Many Facts of City's Early Life in Danger of Being Lost Forever,"
December 5, 1948; "Recalling a Few Facts About Leavenworth in
the Old Days," December 12; "A Number of 'Firsts' in the Bygone
History of Leavenworth," including a review of the life of David J.
Brewer, prominent Kansas jurist, December 19; "The Old Morris
School Was the Pride of Every Leavenworthian," December 26;
200 KANSAS HISTOKICAL QUARTERLY
"Tom O'Leary a Patrolman in Leavenworth of 'Unholy City,' "
January 2, 1949; "Old German-English School Is Last Survivor of
Early Study Shrines," the history behind one of Leavenworth's old-
est buildings, February 6, and "Who Was Entitled to the Name
Buffalo Bill? 3 Candidates [William F. Cody, William Mathewson
and William Comstock]," February 13. On February 20 George
J. Remsburg's "Leavenworth 'Increasing With Fabulous Rapidity'
in 1859," was published.
Southwest Kansas history articles have continued in the Meade
county newspapers in recent months. An article, taken from a manu-
script by Mrs. Eunice P. Turner, giving brief histories of early
towns and newspapers of Meade county, was published in the Meade
Globe-News, December 9, 1948. A series of articles by Mrs. E. May
Novinger of Plains has been printed by the Plains Journal and the
Meade Globe-News. Mrs. Novinger recalled her first Christmas
(1884) in Meade county in the Journal, December 23, and in the
Globe-News, December 26. The "free land" boom in Meade county
in 1885 is the subject of Mrs. Novinger's article printed in the Jour-
nal, December 30, 1948, and February 10, 1949, and in the Globe-
News, December 23, 1948, and February 6 ; 1949. Mrs. Novinger's
story in the Journal, February 17, and in the Globe-News, February
13, was about the Crooked L ranch, the first big ranch in the Meade
county area.
Historical articles of interest to Kansans in recent issues of the
Kansas City (Mo.) Star included: "Factory in Lawrence, Kas.,
Makes Church Pipe Organs," by Pat James, December 12, 1948;
"Part of Kansas Was Ceded to Spain by United States in Deal for
Florida," a review of an article by Prof. Walter H. Schoewe of the
departments of geology and geography at the University of Kansas,
by Edward R. Schauffler, December 29; "Former Kansas Citian
[John S. Stamm] Is Head of 24 Million Protestants," a native of
Kansas chosen president of the Federal Council of Churches, Janu-
ary 8, 1949; "The Kansas 'Doctor of the Year' [Dr. Charles S. Huff-
man of Columbus] Still a Bedside Physician at 83," by Conwell
Carlson, and "A Kansas City [Kan.] Girl [Jean Budinger] Scores
in Film and Writing Fields," by Erma Young, January 9; "Frontier
Editors of Old West Often Backed Printed Word With Weapons,"
reprinted from an article in the American Mercury by Wayne Gard,
January 12; "His 38 Years on Court Bench Builds the Good Will
of All," a biographical sketch of Judge J. H. Wendorff of Leaven-
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 201
worth, by Harry Harmon, and "Hers [Elizabeth Blackwell] a Med-
ical Epic," a Topeka woman doctor, Margaret D. Craighill, one of
several to be honored at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary
of the awarding of a medical degree to Elizabeth Blackwell, the first
woman doctor, January 23; "Crumbling Headstones Near Ottawa,
Kas., a Link With Cultural Pioneers," the historic cemetery is the
final resting place of several early missionaries and many Indians,
among whom are Jotham Meeker and John Tecumseh (Tauy) Jones,
by Charles Arthur Hawley, January 27; "Visiting King Ranch, an
Empire of Cattle, Horses and Oil," a brief history and description
of the million-acre Texas ranch, by Roy A. Roberts, and "Through
the Snow to Jetmore After Kansas Blizzard of 1912," Edward R.
Schauffler recalls his own experiences in reaching the snowbound
village, January 30, and "Kansas Song Up Fast," the story behind
Mack David's new Kansas song, "Sunflower," March 6. Articles
appearing in the Kansas City (Mo.) Times were: "Dream of Kan-
sas Pioneer Bishop [Jesse Engle] Is Fulfilled in Central Africa," a
mission in Rhodesia, founded by the "River Brethren" of Abilene,
celebrates its 50th anniversary, by C. M. Harger, December 27,
1948 ; "Two Historic Brass Cannon Boomed When Kansas Reached
Statehood 88 Years Ago," Leavenworth and Lawrence each found
old cannon with which to celebrate the state's admission to the Union,
by Cecil Howes, January 29, 1949; "Captain Kipp, Renowned Fort
Builder and Trader, a Platte County [Mo.] Settler," a biographical
sketch of a pioneer who established and maintained numerous out-
posts on the upper Missouri river, by John Edward Hicks, February
21, and "Two Priests [the Rev. Francis Jerasa and the Rev. August
Heimann] Who Know Hardships of Different Kinds Join Hands in
Kansas," one suffered at the hands of the Nazis and Communists
and the other suffered the early-day hardships in Kansas, by Mary
M. Hobbs, February 28. A series of articles on the mentally ill in
Kansas and the state mental institutions by Charles W. Graham
has been published in the Star and Times in recent months. Mr.
Graham's articles in the Star included: "New Hope for Senile Aged
Is Offered by Program Under Way at Great Bend," December 17,
1948 ; "Woman Who Knows the Inside of State Hospitals Keeps Up
Fight for Reform," January 3, 1949; "Definite Limits on Mental
Ability of Wards of the State at Winfield School," January 6;
"Homicide Charge Implied in Deaths of Some Mental Hospital
Patients," January 29; "Kansas Has 180,000 Persons Each Year
Suffering Mental Ills, Survey Shows," February 4, and "Menninger
202 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Foundation Offers a Great Opportunity for Psychiatric Training,"
February 9. Articles by Mr. Graham in the Times were: " Treat
Them Like Human Beings' Is Guidepost of Lamed State Hospital,"
December 13, 1948; "Old Buildings and Brutality Produce Scenes
From Bedlam at Osawatomie," December 21; "Curative Medicine
Is Not Attempted for the 800 Epileptics at Parsons Hospital," De-
cember 30; "On 82 Cents a Day Each, the 1,380 'Children' at Win-
field Fare Well," January 8, 1949; "Death in a State Hospital
[Topeka] Is Due to Critical Shortage of Attendants," January 12;
"Mental Hospital Attendants Start Action on Broad Aide-Training
Plan," January 19, and "New Day in Psychiatric Training Was
Opened by the Menningers in Topeka," February 16.
In the Lawrence Daily Journal-World, December 14, 1948, W. C.
Simons commented in an editorial on his 57 years of newspaper
work in Lawrence. Mr. Simons and two associates began the opera-
tion of the Lawrence Record in December, 1891. In March, 1892,
the Lawrence World, published by Mr. Simons and his associates,
made its first appearance, and by July, 1921, the World had ab-
sorbed all its competitors. Editorial remarks on Mr. Simons' career
as a newspaper man appeared in the Pittsburg Headlight, December
20, 1948.
"Over Early Shawnee Trails With Olathe's Charley Hoge," was
the title of a brief article in The Johnson County Democrat, Olathe,
December 16, 1948. Mr. Hoge, born in 1871, recalled some of the
early history of the area around Shawnee. In the same issue was,
"There's No Profit in Kansas Gold," a brief report of an interview
with Dr. Walter H. Schoewe of the State Geological Survey at the
University of Kansas.
Mayors of Blue Rapids from 1872 to 1947 were named in a his-
torical sketch of the city published in the Blue Rapids Times, De-
cember 16, 1948.
"The Eisenhowers of Kansas," by Quentin Reynolds, was a fea-
ture article in the December 18, 1948, issue of Collier's. Accom-
panying the story were two pictures of the family, taken in 1902
and 1926, and a full-page picture of the five brothers as they vis-
ited together in Dwight's study just before he was made president
of Columbia University. Parts of the brothers' conversation, as
they talked of the days when they grew up in Abilene, were re-
ported. The article also included a brief biographical sketch of each
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 203
member of the family, a glance at the family ancestry and facts
about their home and neighbors in Abilene.
Historical articles in the 1949 issue of The Kansas Magazine,
Manhattan, were: "The Inadvisability of Being Earnest/' notes on
Oscar Wilde's visit to Kansas in 1882, by Charles G. Pearson; "Pet-
ticoat Politician [Annie Diggs]," by Harry Levinson; "I Visited the
City," the reactions of a Flint Hills farmer to city life, by John
Fisher; "Odyssey of an Intellectual Bum [Frank Harris] ," by Ernest
Dewey; "Bluestem," the story of the Kansas bluestem pastures, by
John McCormally; "Freedom Colony, a Kansas Brook Farm," a
communistic experiment in Bourbon county, by Wayne Delavan;
"Beefeater," an Englishman's visit to Manhattan, by F. D. Farrell;
"Kansas City [Mo.] and William Rockhill Nelson in 1880," about
the man who founded the Kansas City Star, by Charles E. Rogers ;
"Community Meeting," social life in a country schoolhouse, by Thad
Norton Marsh, and "The Woman History Missed," Mrs. W. E.
Meinke's story of the Quantrill raid on Lawrence as told to Eris
Goff. The cover print, "Into the Hills," was by Charles M. Capps,
Wichita.
Mrs. Anna Ward's recollections of the Quantrill raid on Lawrence
in 1863 and other early events appeared in the St. Joseph (Mo.)
News-Press, January 2, 1949, and in the Lawrence Daily Journal-
World, January 27. Mrs. Ward, now a resident of St. Joseph, Mo.,
was five years of age and living in Lawrence at the time of the raid,
in which her own home was destroyed. The article was written by
Ada Lyon.
With the issue of January 6, 1949, the Chetopa Advance began
the 80th year of its publication. Founded by Col. John W. Homer
and A. S. Corey, the Advance first made its appearance early in
January, 1869.
A history of the Lucas schools from 1872 to 1894, by J. C. Rup-
penthal, was printed in the Lucas Independent, January 19, 1949.
Hiram Colby Hibbard, elected county superintendent of public in-
struction in 1872, began the organization of school districts in Rus-
sell county in 1873. The meager early school records indicate that
Miss Elma Pratt taught one of the first schools near Lucas in a
dugout about 1876-1877. Lucas school history was also briefly
sketched in the Russell Daily News, January 17, 1949.
Kansas Historical Notes
The annual dinner meeting of the Shawnee County Historical
Society was held in Topeka, December 15, 1948. The program, the
theme of which was Col. Cyrus K. Holliday, included a review of
incidents in Holliday 's early life by Cecil Howes; a report by E. P.
Murphy, president of the Topeka Junior Chamber of Commerce,
that his organization was glad to participate in a movement to
memorialize Holliday; a talk by Gov. Frank Carlson on the duty
of present-day residents of Kansas to pay tribute to their forefathers
with suitable memorials, and a playlet, "In the Beginning," by Paul
Lovewell, staged by the Topeka Civic Theater. An amendment to
the society's constitution was adopted which increased the board of
directors from nine to 30 members. New directors are: George A.
Root, Arthur J. Carruth, Jr., Mrs. Erwin Keller, J. Glenn Logan,
T. M. Lillard, Hampton Shirer, Maude M. Bishop, Helen McFar-
land, Harry Colmery, Mrs. H. S. Blake, Dwight Ream, Marco Mor-
row, Holmes Meade, Mildred Quail, Frank Durein, Earl Ives, Rob-
ert Billard, Otis Allen, Margaret Whittemore, W. A. Biby, Frank
Gibbs, Frank Ripley, J. C. Mohler and Mrs. Alf. M. Landon. A
meeting of the board of directors was held January 6, 1949, when
Homer B. Fink was elected president and Earl Ives vice-president.
Other officers were reflected as follows: George A. Root, secretary;
Paul Adams, assistant secretary, and Paul Sweet, treasurer. Rob-
ert Stone was the retiring president.
Officers of the Ness County Historical Society for 1949 include:
Lea Maranville, president; Mrs. Reina Mellis, vice-president; Ada
L. Young, treasurer, and Audra M. Hays, secretary.
The thirty-first annual meeting of the Native Sons and Daugh-
ters of Kansas was held in Topeka on January 28, 1949. Dr. Mil-
ton S. Eisenhower, president of Kansas State College at Manhattan,
the principal speaker, referred to Kansas as "the Atlas of the free
world," in his address, "The Strength of Kansas." Miss Carol Bass,
student of Kansas Wesleyan College, Salina, winner of the after-
noon oratorical contest, repeated the winning oration at the dinner
meeting. She was presented with the annual Capper award by Sen.
Arthur Capper. Wayne David of Burden was the sweepstakes
winner of the 1949 essay contest for high school students. Mrs.
Kenneth W. McFarland, retiring president of the Native Daughters,
(204)
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 205
presided at the meeting. She was assisted by Sen. William T. Beck,
president of the Native Sons. New officers of the associated organi-
zations are: Native Sons William Ljungdahl, Menlo and Topeka,
president; Guy Josserand, Dodge City, vice-president; Edwin R.
Jones, Topeka, secretary, and C. W. Porterfield, Holton, treasurer;
Native Daughters Mrs. Ella Ruehmann, Wamego, president; Mrs.
P. A. Petitt, Paola, vice-president; Mrs. Thomas H. Norton, To-
peka, secretary, and Mrs. Ray Pierson, Burlington, treasurer. Mrs.
Frank W. Boyd, Mankato, continues as contest chairman.
One hundred and thirty residents of Finney county gathered at
Garden City on February 8, 1949, for the first annual meeting of
the Finney County Historical Society. Mayor A. M. Fleming was
the principal speaker. Reflected to the board of directors were:
Gus Norton, Frederick Finnup, Mrs. Ella Condra, Mrs. R. E. Stotts,
William Fant, Albert Drussel, J. E. Greathouse, William Easton
Hutchison, Jean Norris Kampschroeder, Kate Hatcher Smith and
Mabel Rowe Brown. Elected to fill unexpired terms were John Hen-
selman and Clay Weldon. Gus Norton is president of the society.
The organization's chief project is to write a complete history of
Finney county.
Robert Stone, retiring president of the Shawnee County Histori-
cal Society, discussed the early history of Topeka at a meeting of
the Riley County Historical Association in the Manhattan Congre-
gational church, February 11, 1949. Another feature of the program
was a group of Kansas folk songs, including the Kansas state song,
presented by Prof, and Mrs. William E. Koch. Sam C. Charlson,
president of the association, presided.
The Southwest section of the French "Merci" train arrived in
Kansas City, Mo., February 12, 1949, where it was given a formal
reception. The next day the train traveled on to Wichita via the
Santa Fe lines for further ceremonies, stopping at Lawrence, To-
peka, Emporia and Newton for brief programs. Columnist Drew
Pearson, secretary of the U. S. reception committee; Madame
Denise Davey, representing the French donors; Gov. Frank Carl-
son, representing Kansas and who formally accepted the Kansas
car, and Richard M. Long of the Wichita Eagle, representing the
Southwest, were among those participating in the ceremonies. The
''Merci" train was made up of forty-nine "40 and 8" French box-
cars full of gifts from the people of France to the people of each
of the United States and the District of Columbia in gratitude for
206 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the "Friendship" train which carried grain and other food to France
in 1947.
Members of the Crawford County Historical Society were given
a verbal picture of "Pittsburg Then and Now" at a meeting of the
society, February 25, 1949. Mrs. J. T. Moore gave a report on the
early history of Pittsburg, mentioning a number of "firsts." Mod-
ern Pittsburg, with its "new look," was described in a paper pre-
pared by Dottie Lou Thomas and read by Mrs. Robert Grain. A
quiz on Crawford county history was won by C. M. Cooper. Mrs.
George Elliott was elected treasurer of the society. Other officers
were elected in December, 1948, and were reported in this Quarterly
in the February, 1949, issue.
Dr. G. G. Anderson was elected president of the Wichita Histori-
cal Museum Association at the annual dinner meeting, March 17,
1949. R. W. Sutton was named first vice-president; Bertha Gard-
ner, second vice-president; Dr. H. C. Holmes, treasurer, and Carl
Bitting, secretary. Reflected to the board of trustees were: Dr.
Jesse Clyde Fisher, Mrs. Wallace E. Haines, Brace A. Helfrich and
Robert A. Israel, Sr. New trustees are: H. G. Overend, Emery H.
Cox, Lee H. Cornell, W. B. Salome, Jr., and M. C. Naftzger. Dr.
Mearle P. Culver, president of Southwestern College, of Winfield,
was the principal speaker of the evening. Dr. Jesse Clyde Fisher,
the retiring president, presided at the meeting. The museum, which
is located in rooms in the Wichita Forum, is open from 1:30 to 4:30
p. m., each week day except Monday.
Fred G. Gurley, president of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Railway Co., paid tribute to the founder of the railroad, Cyrus K.
Holliday, on the 123rd anniversary of Holliday's birth, in an address
formally dedicating the new Santa Fe station in Topeka, April 3,
1949. Also appearing on the program were: Gov. Frank Carlson;
Mayor Frank Warren, Topeka ; E. P. Murphy, president of the To-
peka Junior Chamber of Commerce, and W. Laird Dean, Topeka,
master of ceremonies. One of the high points of the program was
the unveiling of a Holliday memorial plaque by Kate Holliday and
Elizabeth Holliday Burpee, great-granddaughters. The plaque, by
Electra Waggoner, sculptress, showed a life-sized bust of Holliday,
with railroad tracks running through a wheat field and an outline of
the state capitol in the background. At the conclusion of the cere-
monies, copies of a 35-page booklet containing Mr. Gurley's ad-
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 207
dress, and a biography of Holliday entitled "The Man With the
White Hat," were distributed.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's own story of World War II has
been told in his new book, Crusade in Europe, 559 pages, recently
issued from the press of Doubleday & Company, Garden City, N. Y.
It is an extraordinary review of those momentous years which
changed a lieutenant colonel from Kansas into the supreme
commander of the allied forces in Europe. Eisenhower's discussion
of the conduct and problems of global war and his estimate of the
world leaders with whom he dealt make absorbing reading. The
general was the subject of another 302-page book, Eisenhower Was
My Boss (New York, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1948), by Kay Sum-
mersby, WAC captain, who was a secretary and part-time driver.
Two outstanding historians who have done extended research in
the Kansas State Historical Society's collections preliminary to pub-
lication of their current historical works are: Roy Franklin Nichols,
of the University of Pennsylvania, who wrote of the breakup of
the Democratic party, 1856-1861, in a book The Disruption of
American Democracy (New York, The Macmillan Company,
1948), and Allan Nevins, of Columbia University, who is covering
the nation's history from 1847 to 1861 in a series of books entitled
Ordeal of the Union (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons). Mr.
Nevins' first two volumes, "Fruits of Manifest Destiny," 1847-1852,
and "A House Dividing," 1852-1857, were published in 1947. The
third volume is under way.
About 500 species of Kansas wild flowers were pictured and de-
scribed in detail by William Chase Stevens in a 463-page book,
Kansas Wild Flowers, recently published by the University of Kan-
sas Press of Lawrence. Professor Stevens is professor emeritus of
botany at the University and for years has been photographing and
assembling information for this splendid work. Of the 774 illus-
trations, 761 were his own photographs.
The Bureau of Government Research at the University of Kansas
has recently issued a 76-page pamphlet, Kansas State Board of Agri-
culture, by Edwin 0. Stene. This is the bureau's fifth in a series on
Kansas administrative history. The pamphlet is divided into five
chapters as follows: "Evolution of the Board," "The Development
of Functions," "Organization," "Management and Finance," and
208 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
"External Relations." J. C. (Jake) Mohler has been secretary of
the Kansas State Board of Agriculture since 1914.
A 101-page booklet, Old Oregon Trail Roadway of American
Home Builders, by Walter E. Meacham, has recently been published
under the sponsorship of the American Pioneer Trails Association,
1775 Broadway, New York 19, N. Y., with the cooperation of the
Union Pacific railroad. After dealing briefly with the earlier pass-
ages over the Oregon trail, Mr. Meacham discussed the "Great Mi-
gration of 1843" in detail. Beginning at Independence, Mo., the
story followed the Oregon-bound pioneers, relating their adven-
tures and the histories of forts, towns and landmarks along the
trail which ended in the Willamette valley, Oregon territory. An
attractive 18"x25" pictographic map in colors accompanied the
booklet and both were commemorative of the admission of Oregon
as a territory in 1848.
Wichita history and many of the early experiences of Rea Wood-
man are recorded in Miss Woodman's new book, Wichitana 1877-
1897, published late in 1948. The sketches, which made up the
book, were first printed in The Democrat, Wichita, December 22,
1928, to May 2, 1931, under the title, "Yesteryears."
The history of the founding of Stillwater, Okla., establishment of
which was first, but unsuccessfully, attempted in 1884-1885 by
William L. Couch, is reviewed by Dr. Berlin Basil Chapman in his
new, 245-page book, The Founding of Stillwater, published in Okla-
homa City by the Times Journal Publishing Co. Couch's attempt
was stopped by U. S. troops, and it was not until 1889 that a town
government was organized.
A 96-page book, featuring the life and work of Dr. Charles M.
Sheldon, was recently published by the Sunshine Press, Litchfield,
111. Compiled and edited by Henry F. Henrichs, the book is in three
parts: "In His Steps Today," by Dr. Sheldon, a modern example of
the principle expressed in his famous book, In His Steps; "St.
Charles of Topeka," a brief sketch of the life and character of Dr.
Sheldon, by Dr. Charles W. Helsley, present pastor of the Central
Congregational Church of Topeka, and "Obsequies," by Dr. Helsley.
Dr. Sheldon was pastor of the Central Congregational Church of
Topeka for 31 years. Probably he is best known as the author of
In His Steps, the all-time best seller in fiction.
D
THE
KANSAS HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
August 1949
Published by
Kansas State Historical Society
Topeka
KIRKE MECHEM JAMES C. MALIN NYLE H. MILLER
Editor Associate Editor Managing Editor
CONTENTS
THE PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST: VIII. Charles
Graham and Rufus F. Zogbaum Robert Tajt, 209
With the following illustrations:
Portraits of Rufus F. Zogbaum and Charles Graham ;
Zogbaum's "The Modern Ship of the Plains" (1886), "Painting
the Town Red" (1886), "After the Blizzard" (1887), and
"The Defeat of Roman Nose by Colonel Forsyth on the
Arickaree Fork of the Republican River, September, 1868"
(1901);
Graham's "A Herd of Antelope Delaying a Railway Train"
(1884), "The Opening of the Sioux Reservation [South
Dakota]" (1890), and "Interior of the Church at Acoma,
New Mexico, During the Harvest Feast" (1890)
between pp. 224, 225
AN ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE BUFFALO ALIVE IN PRESENT OKLAHOMA IN
THE LATE 1880's Lee Howard, 233
With a sketch by Frederic Remington of C. J. "Buffalo" Jones Roping
a Buffalo Calf (1890), facing p. 242
THE INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE OF 1888 Ray H. Sandefur, 243
With a sketch of Sen. John James Ingalls as he appeared in 1888,
facing p. 243
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855-ApRiL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part Three, MAY,
1858-JuLY, 1859 254
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 296
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 303
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 309
The Kansas Historical Quarterly is published in February, May, August and
November by the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kan., and is dis-
tributed free to members. Correspondence concerning contributions may be
sent to the editor. The Society assumes no responsibility for statements made
by contributors.
Entered as second-class matter October 22, 1931, at the post office at Topeka,
Kan., under the act of August 24, 1912.
THE COVER
"The Old Bone Man of the Plains," by Rufus Fairchild Zog-
baum, published in Harper's Weekly, New York, January 15,
1887. The gatherer of buffalo bones followed in the wake of
vanishing herds which by 1887 had virtually disappeared from the
plains. Although the picture was illustrative of Zogbaum's Mon-
tana experiences, the occupation was also carried on in Kansas.
Col. Henry Inman estimated that the bones of 31 million buffalo
were shipped from Kansas alone (see p. 229).
THE KANSAS
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Volume XVII August, 1949 Number 3
The Pictorial Record of the Old West
VIII. CHARLES GRAHAM AND RUFUS F. ZOGBAUM
ROBERT TAFT
(Copyright, 1949, by ROBERT TAFT)
WE have already pointed out that during the 1880's there was a
rising tide of interest in the plains country and the Rocky
Mountains. 1 This was reflected in the illustrated press of the dec-
ade. Harper's Weekly, New York, for example, at that time the
best known of American illustrated papers, used an increasing num-
ber of Western illustrations, and it was in this decade that the first
of the Western illustrations by Frederic Remington and by Charles
M. Russell, the most celebrated of the artists of the West, appeared
in the pages of this "journal of civilization." 2
Remington's Western illustrations did not appear in any great
number in this periodical until after 1885 and only one of Russell's
appeared during the decade. But there were other Western illustra-
tors who had achieved a considerable reputation in this field before
Remington and Russell. Among these were W. A. Rogers, Charles
Graham, Henry Farny and Rufus F. Zogbaum.
Rogers and Farny will be considered later in this series. Graham
was the most prolific of Western illustrators during the 1880's and
Zogbaum's work probably influenced later Western illustrators and
we shall therefore consider their work here. 3
DR. ROBERT TAFT, of Lawrence, is professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas and
editor of the Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. He is author of Photography
and the American Scene (New York, 1938), and .Across the Years on Mount Oread (Lawrence,
1941).
Previous articles in this pictorial series appeared in the issues of The Kansas Historical
Quarterly for February, May, August and November, 1946, May and August, 1948, and May,
1949. The general introduction was in the February, 1946, number.
1. See the introductory paragraphs of No. V in this series, "Remington in Kansas," ibid.,
v. 16 (1948), May, pp. 113-120.
2. Remington's first illustration in Harper's Weekly, as already pointed out in this series,
appeared in v. 26 (1882), February 25, p. 120. It was redrawn by W. A. Rogers. Russell's
first illustration ("Caught in the Act") to appear in the Weekly will be found in v. 32 (1888),
May 12, p. 340.
In 1880 four out of the some 900 illustrations in Harper's Weekly were Westerns. This
number was undoubtedly low, for Western illustrations in considerable number had appeared
in the 1870's. Even for 1881, however, the Western illustrations in the Weekly numbered
only some eight out of nearly 1,300. By 1889, however, nearly 125 out of over 1,600 illus-
trations were Westerns.
3. In Harper's Weekly in the decade, 1880-1889, inclusive, Graham had some 120 West-
ern illustrations; Remington had a few over 100, practically all in the four years 1886, 1887,
147079 (209)
210 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
CHARLES GRAHAM
From 1880 until 1893 Graham was one of the most prolific of
Harper's Weekly illustrators. Nearly every issue contained a full
page or a double-page spread by him. Presidential inaugurations,
political conventions and other events of national interest were
covered by this pictorial recorder. His most favored subjects, how-
ever, were city views, and he made sketches of many of the cities of
the United States. As most of the illustrations were signed or
credited in print to "Charles Graham," his name was, in that period,
one of the best known in the country. Yet today his name is vir-
tually unknown. He is not listed in any of the biographical direc-
tories of artists nor in the usual sources of biographical information,
and none of the leading libraries of the country to which I wrote
was able to furnish the simplest and most fundamental facts con-
cerning him. Only by a circuitous correspondence extending over
several years was a daughter of Graham located, and even she could
not add much to my store of information. I therefore had to start
from zero and piece together the following facts of his life.
Graham was a Westerner himself, for he was born in Rock Island,
111., in 1852. He had a natural aptitude for drawing but never re-
ceived any formal art training. One of his most memorable ex-
periences as a young man was obtained as a topographer with a
surveying party for the Northern Pacific railroad in the early 1870's.
The Northern Pacific had reached Bismarck early in 1873, and sur-
veys for the westward extension of the road were pushed into Mon-
1888 and 1889; Zogbaum over 30; Farny nearly 30, and Rogers about a dozen. Rogers'
contribution to Western illustration was made chiefly in the late 187 O's and early 1880's.
There were other Western illustrators working in this decade, also. Paul Frenzeny, whose
work was described in the opening number of this series, continued to publish a few Westerns
during the 1880's, and some very excellent Western mining illustrations by Alfred Mitchell
appeared in the Weekly. Mitchell's illustrations, probably Colorado scenes, will be found in
v. 31 (1887), April 30, p. 317; v. 32 (1888), September 29, p. 737, December 15, p. 976 (a
note on p. 959 identifies the locality as "a certain Colorado town"); v. 33 (1889), July 13,
p. 561, and August 3, p. 621. Although I have made considerable search, so far I have un-
covered no information about Mitchell at all other than the record of the above illustrations.
A. F. Harmer had a number of sketches of the Indian war in the Southwest ; John Durkin of
lumbering operations; William Gilbert Gaul of California scenes and Thomas Moran of Rocky
Mountain scenery. Western illustrations from photographs also appeared more frequently as
the decade advanced. Of the illustrators listed above, A. F. Harmer and Gilbert Gaul were
probably the most important from the standpoint developed in this series of articles. A bio-
graphical sketch of Gaul (1855-1919) will be found in the Dictionary of American Biography,
v. 7, p. 193, which states that Gaul achieved his reputation as a battle and military painter
but spent much of his time in the Far West. "His illustrations of the life of the cowboy
and the Indian were popular." I have seen relatively few of the latter. However, some of
his Western illustrations will be found in Harper's Weekly, v. 32 (1888), October 27, pp. 812,
813 ; v. 33 (1889), March 23, p. 228 (illustration for Western fiction) ; in The Century Maga-
zine, New York, vols. 20, 21 (1891, 1892), which are chiefly redrawn from earlier sketches;
in The Cosmopolitan, v. 4 (1887-1888), pp. 86, 91, 92, 231, and most important of all, since
they were drawn from life, two illustrations in color, "Sioux Camp" and "Sitting Bull," in Re-
port on Indians Taxed and Indians Not Taxed . . . Eleventh Census: 1890 (Washington,
1894), between pp. 522 and 523 and facing p. 574. (Gaul's work will also be considered later
in this series.)
Harmer is not well known as his name does not appear in any of the lists, indices or
biographical sources of information on artists. Dr. Arthur Woodward of the Los Angeles
County Museum is collecting material for a biography of Harmer and has generously placed
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 211
tana and Idaho during the summer of that year. It seems probable
that Graham was a member of that survey. Extensive army pro-
tection was provided for the surveying parties as Indian troubles
culminating in the Custer tragedy of 1876 were of common occur-
ience. 4 Graham several times used his recollection of experiences on
this trip in his subsequent drawings. Whether he made any
sketches at the time is not now known.
Graham's professional career began as a scenic artist for Hooley's
Theatre in Chicago, followed by several years' work in a similar ca-
pacity in the principal theaters of New York City. About 1877 he
joined the art staff of Harper's Brothers and contributed for some
15 years solely to their publications, chiefly the Weekly. 5
After 1892 Graham became a free lance illustrator, contributing
some of his notes at my disposal. I am indebted to him for most of the information which
follows :
Alexander F. Harmer was born in Newark, N. J., on August 21, 1856, and died in Santa
Barbara, Cal., January 8, 1925. He enlisted in the U. S. army in 1872 and again in 1881,
and saw service in the West. Even as a youngster he was interested in sketching, an interest
which led eventually to a life profession. He had several years' training in the late 1870's
in the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. In 1881 he decided to become a painter of West-
ern scenes. Illustrations by Harmer of the Apache war appear in Harper's Weekly, v. 27
(1883), June 2, p. 340, July 7, p. 417, August 4, p. 484. Illustrations by Harmer also appear
in John G. Bourke's The Snake-Dance of the Moquis of Arizona . . . (New York, 1884),
and An Apache Campaign in the Sierra Madre (New York, 1886), many of which were made
"on the spot" as Harmer saw service in the army during these years. Sketches and notes of
his experiences during this period were later transcribed into oils and water colors. After 1890
he turned sympathetic eyes on the fast vanishing life of the old California families and of the
missions and Mission Indians of California and his later career was devoted almost entirely to
the reproduction in picture of these themes.
4. My information concerning Graham's part in the survey came originally from his
daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Graham Hurlbert of Hartsdale, N. Y. Mrs. Hurlbert stated that
Graham was a member of the Northern Pacific railroad survey under Gen. T. L. Rosser in
1874, but correspondence with Mr. J. H. Poore, vice-president of the Northern Pacific, seems
to establish conclusively that no surveys were made by the Northern Pacific in 1874 or 1875,
as no reports of these years are on file in the company records. The failure of Jay Cooke &
Co., the financial agents of the Northern Pacific, in 1873 resulted in the suspension of all
construction work on the railroad after 1873 and until 1876. Rosser, according to company
records, joined the Northern Pacific in 1871. (The Dictionary of American Biography, v. 16,
p. 181, gives the date as 1872.) Reference to army protection in the N. P. survey of 1873
will be found in "Report of Lieut. Gen. Sheridan," in Report of the Secretary of War . . .,
House Ex. Doc. No. 1, Pt. 2, 43 Cong., 1 Sess. (1873), pp. 40, 41. Some mention of the
survey will be found in the Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian In-
stitution, . . . for the Year 1873 (Washington, 1874). p. 41. For the part of Jay Cooke
& Co. in the history of the Northern Pacific, see Eugene V. Smalley, History of the Northern
Pacific Railroad (New York, 1883). Smalley's history is particularly inadequate, however, on
the survey and construction of the road.
Some information and confirmation of Graham's part in the N. P. survey will be found
in the Minneapolis (Minn.) Journal, January 11, 1906, "Builders of N. P. Meet After 30
Years." This account described a reunion of early workers on the N. P., but the date of
Graham's experience cannot be established from this account. Graham is referred to by name
and by the description, "A young man, very short of stature and inclined to corpnlenrv. who
waddled along with a surveying party in Montana and Idaho, making their topographical maps,
. . .' The title of this account would place the original date as 1876; but the text states
that the reunion was one of workers on the N. P. "prior to 1873." The survey in 1873, how-
ever, was made in Montana, from the accounts cited earlier in this note, and it therefore
seems more probable that Graham was with it that year.
5. A brief biographical note in Harper's Weekly, v. 31 (1887), September 10, p. 643,
states that Graham joined the Harper's Brothers staff "eleven years ago. . . ." Mrs.
Hurlbert writes me that he joined Harper's staff in 1878. Graham's name first appeared in
the Weekly, v. 21 (1877), June 2, pp. 428. 429.
W. A. Rogers was an intimate friend of Graham's in their early years on Harper's Weekly
and in Rogers' book, A World Worth While (New York, 1922), he several times makes men-
tion of 'little Charley Graham" (pp. 15 and 247). Rogers confirmed the fact that Graham
was a scenic artist before he joined Harper's staff. One of Graham's early illustrations
(Harper's Weekly, v. 22 [1878], November 30, p. 953) depicted scene painters at Work
preparing stage backgrounds and drops.
212 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
drawings to Harper's, Century, Collier's and the New York Herald,
and he did some work for the American Lithography Company. He
took up oil painting late in life, his previous work being either from
the pencil or by water colors. He died in New York City on August
9, 1911. 6
Although Graham published literally hundreds of sketches, we
are here interested primarily in those depicting the Western scene.
At the outset it should be stated that Graham was an illustrator
and not a historian. He made a number of Western tours in addi-
tion to his original trip of 1873 with the Northern Pacific survey,
and on such journeys his pencil recorded many views which later
became the bases for illustrations. In addition, photographs, the
rough sketches of other artists and previously published illustra-
tions were all, without doubt, used in the preparation of particular
illustrations.
Without doubt, too, imagination provided detail in the prepara-
tion of many of the illustrations which finally found their way into
print. All of which is to say that the event depicted in a given
illustration was many times not an eye-witnessed event although
from the title one could easily fall into the error of believing that
such was the case. To be specific, one of Graham's full-page illus-
trations was published on the cover of Harper's Weekly, v. 31
(1887), September 3, "In Pursuit of Colorow." Colorow, the Ute
chief, had left the reservation and was on the warpath and the
event was big domestic news. Graham, it is almost certain, was
not in Colorado at the time, but he had been there and his sketch
book undoubtedly contained Rocky Mountain scenes. The illus-
tration shows a band of horsemen riding up a steep and rocky
mountain road. The picture simply called attention to the news
event but was not factual pictorial reporting.
A few months later a second Graham illustration with a back-
ground not greatly different was entitled, "Packing Cord-Wood
Over the Rocky Mountains." Although the backgrounds in the two
illustrations are not identical, the chief differences in the two are
in the figures depicted on the mountain road. Further, the Weekly
6. Most of this information comes from Mrs. Hurlbert who also writes me that Graham
was an official artist for the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. It seems probable
that Graham was a resident of California in the middle 1890's. According to John F.
Connolly, secretary, Graham was a member of the Bohemian Club of San Francisco from
1893 to 1896. He was not listed in New York city directories from 1892 to 1897 although
he was for all other years from 1883 to 1906. The New York Public Library has informed
me that the illustrated catalogues of the American Water Color Society show that Graham
was entered in their annual exhibition in 1879, 1881, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1890 and 1891. Of
these water colors, two are apparently Westerns: "Indian Camp" and "Nomads of the Wild
West." The New York Public Library also stated that Graham contributed illustrations to
the Chicago Tribune, in addition to the publications stated above.
An obituary of Graham will be found in the New York Herald, August 10, 1911.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 213
stated in the text in connection with the second illustration, "taken
on the spot by one of our artists." 7
It seems necessary to explain this point at some length, for the
practices of the pictorial press in the days before high-speed pho-
tography and half-tone reproduction were far different from those
of today, since now the public insists on factual reporting, both pic-
torial and written. Indeed, in the early history of the pictorial
press one occasionally encountered the depiction of the event
before the event itself had transpired.
It should also be realized that Graham was not the only illustra-
tor who used these methods which are contrary to current practice.
For example, a Remington illustration in Harper's Weekly, v. 30
(1886), September 25, p. 617, was titled, "The Apache Campaign
Burial of Hatfield's Men," and depicted an event in the Apache war
of the Southwest. The Weekly further stated that it was a "sketch
. . . made on the spot." Yet, an examination of Remington's
own diary (in the Remington Art Memorial, Ogdensburg, N. Y.),
kept on this trip to the Southwest, shows that Remington did not
arrive on the scene until nearly a month after the event had tran-
spired. Under date of June 15, 1886, Remington recorded in his
diary the story of the Hatfield fight and the burial of several of
Hatfield's men who were killed, as told to him by one "Private
Kelly" of Fort Huachuca (in present southern Arizona) who had
been one of the participants. As Remington did not reach Arizona
until June 6 and the fight and burial depicted occurred on May 15
and 16, it is obvious that he was not an eyewitness of the event,
even though the sketch may have been "made on the spot."
It is only by careful study that any conclusion can be reached
about the authenticity of many scenes depicted in the illustrated
press of the period we have under consideration and many times the
information available is not sufficient to reach a decision. We have,
however, already pointed out in the opening article of this series
that illustrations made by artists who were familiar with the con-
temporary scene, but not eyewitnesses, possess value but must not
be regarded as true records of the events themselves.
7. Harper's Weekly, v. 32 (1888), January 7, pp. 4, 11.
An incident related by the illustrator Howard Pyle emphasizes with still greater clarity
both the point made above and the one which follows in the text. In a letter dated August
4, 1885, Pyle related (.Howard Pyle [Charles D. Abbott, New York, 1925], p. 100) that he
went to New York City to see Charles Parsons, the art editor of the Harper publications.
Parsons showed Pyle the engravings of illustrations of a Broadway procession that had not
yet occurred, drawn from important viewpoints. Pyle dryly commented that "It struck me
that this was a trifle previous and I asked Mr. Parsons what they would do if it rained."
Parsons pointed out that the sky in the engravings was not dead white so that the engravings
could readily and rapidly be made to show either a clear day or a driving rain.
214 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Possibly the greatest value of Graham's Western illustrations at
the time they were made was the emphasis which his town and city
views placed on the fact that the West was growing up; that not
all Western life was cowboy and Indian melodrama. The value of
these illustrations at present therefore is that they show the devel-
opment of the West.
In order to justify the importance attached to his illustrations,
let us consider what facts there are that show that Graham had
firsthand acquaintance with the West.
One of Graham's early Western illustrations in the Weekly de-
picted "Ree Indians Crossing the Missouri in 'Bull Boats/ " A
descriptive text accompanying the illustration reported that "our
artist states that he once saw a band of these Indians defeat almost
double their number of Sioux." 8 As the only Western experience
that Graham had undergone prior to this time was that with the
Northern Pacific survey in 1873, it seems plausible that this illus-
tration was based on his memory or possibly even a field sketch
made at that time. In either case, Graham may have been aided by
the illustrations of George Catlin and of Karl Bodmer, both of
whom had drawn somewhat similar scenes, and they were doubt-
lessly known and available to Graham.
Between the appearance of the above illustration in 1878 and
the fall of 1883, Graham had several additional Western illustra-
tions printed. 9 Whether these were based on direct observation, it
is difficult to tell. In the fall of 1883, however, Graham had a
number of illustrations depicting various places of the celebration
attendant upon the completion of the Northern Pacific railroad.
Here there is positive evidence that Graham was present and these
pictorial records we can reasonably believe are authentic. 10 Par-
ticularly notable, from a historical standpoint, is an illustration
8. Ibid., v. 22 (1878), May 4, pp. 352, 355.
9. Among these illustrations in Harper's Weekly were: "Winter Railroad Travel in the
Northwest [possibly Minnesota or Dakota]," v. 27 (1883), January 27, p. 57; "A Snow-
Slide in the Rocky Mountains," February 17, p. 105, and sketches in and around Santa Fe,
July 14, p. 445. Although not Western in the sense that we have denned the West, Graham
had sketches of the northern shore of Lake Superior in ibid., January 6, p. 8. The Wisconsin
and Lake Superior region must have been visited on several occasions by Graham as he illus-
trated this country in both its summer and winter aspects a number of times; see ibid., v.
29 (1885), January 17, pp. 41 and 45, March 28, p. 196, August 22, pp. 552, 553, September
5, p. 589; v. 30 (1886), February 6, p. 81, June 5, pp. 360, 361; v. 33 (1889), August 31, p.
700, and September 28, p. 780. Graham also had an illustration of an Indian village, which
may have been based on his experiences of 1873, in Harper's Magazine, New York, v. 60
(1880), March, p. 496. Probably in the same class is the excellent illustration, "Indian
Warfare The Village," Harper's Weekly, v. 29 (1885), October 3, p. 652.
10. Helena (Mont.) Daily Herald, September 7, 1883; Harper's Weekly, v. 27 (1883),
September 15, p. 589, September 22, pp. 596, 601, September 29, p. 617, November 17, p.
728, November 24, p. 749; v. 28 (1884), January 19, p. 40, February 9, p. 96, June 14, p.
384, and August 2, p. 496. The last two illustrations are dated on the print " '83." A note
in the Weekly for November 17, 1883, p. 731, also specifically states that Graham was in the
Pacific Northwest.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 215
showing the driving of the golden spike on September 8, 1883, con-
necting the eastern and western links in the Northern Pacific sys-
tem; an event of almost as great importance as was the joining of
the Union Pacific rails with those of the Central Pacific fourteen
years earlier.
Possibly the illustration " 'Banking Up' for Winter in Dakota"
belongs to this same group of sketches. 11 In any case the scene
depicted recalls an annual event of importance in the life of the
early settlers on the northern plains.
It seems possible that Graham may have returned east by way
of California and Colorado, over the Union Pacific, for there appear
in the course of the next several years illustrations that confirm such
a conjecture. 'Telling the Red-Wood Trees of California"; "The
Cliff House and Sutro Park, San Francisco, California"; "A Herd
of Antelopes Delaying a Railway Train," the locality of which is
identified as near Green River, Utah (reproduced in the picture
supplement to this article, between pp. 224 and 225) ; "A Snow-Slide
in the Rocky Mountains," which is identified as near Aspen, Colo. ;
" The Antlers,' Colorado Springs," and "Irrigation in Colorado,"
form a series which, although not appearing in chronological order,
might well have been the result of such a return trip. 12
In January of 1887 Graham made a winter trip to Yellowstone
Park in company with the well-known photographer of the park,
Frank J. Haynes. 13 The party made a tour of the park on snow-
shoes and had the memorable experience of being "holed up" in the
wilderness one night by a severe blizzard.
Following the Yellowstone Park trip, or possibly preceding it,
Graham again visited Colorado, for there appears a notable group
of illustrations of the city of Denver which are not only pleasantly
decorative but are also well engraved. The Denver views were fol-
lowed by a number of most interesting Colorado and Utah sketches,
including: "Manitou, Colorado"; "Sketches in Utah"; "Cimarron,
11. Ibid., v. 30 (1886), January 16, p. 37.
12. In the order listed above the illustrations appeared in Harper's Weekly as follows:
v. 30 (1886), October 30, pp. 700, 701; v. 31 (1887), April 30, p. 313; v. 28 (1884), Feb-
ruary 2, p. 72; v. 30 (1886), February 13, pp. 104, 105, November 20, pp. 741 and 753.
The return trip as suggested above is purely a conjecture. Graham may have made an in-
dependent trip to Colorado in the interval between the fall of 1883 and 1886, or the illus-
trations may have been drawn from photographs. Usually in the latter case, the Weekly
specifically made the statement "after photographs." The fact that "A Snow-Slide in the
Rocky Mountains" is identified as a real locality is fairly good evidence that Graham had
at least visited Colorado; see ibid., February 13, 1886, p. 110.
13. In Harper's Weekly, v. 31 (1887), April 9, p. 249 (cover page), is the illustration
credited to Graham, "The Yellowstorie in Winter A Surprise." On pp. 256, 257, are re-
productions of a number of the Haynes' photographs in Yellowstone, one of which is en-
titled, Our Artist." It shows an individual heavily dressed, on snowshoes, with a sketch
book in hand. On p. 259 is a description of this trip which in a number of places mentioned
"our artist."
216 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Colorado"; "A Burro Party, Pike's Peak"; "An Avalanche in the
Rocky Mountains," and "The Great Loop on the Denver and Rio
Grande Railroad." 14
Here we have a group of illustrations that certainly revealed a
new aspect of the West to interested residents of the East. The
Weekly remarked in connection with the Denver illustrations,
"There is nothing Western about Denver . . . [a] pushing city
of 60,000 . . .," and expressed amazement at a well-known citi-
zen of Philadelphia who had been heard to say, "Indians must
be pretty bad around Denver now." Then with the enthusiasm of
a modern press-agent, the editorial writer concluded :
The Denver man is content with this fine city, fresh and bright from his own
hands . . . away from her he is never quite at ease, for ... there
comes to him the inevitable longing to again walk down her wide shaded
streets, to hear the soft gurgle of running water, and to rest his eyes upon the
massive beauty of the mountains hanging like huge purple clouds athwart the
western sky. . . , 15
After these illustrations of 1887 and 1888, no Western illustrations
of Graham's appeared until 1890 when another group of South
Dakota, New Mexico, Colorado and Pacific Coast sketches was
published. 16 A number of these are particularly striking and some
were dated and the locality given by Graham an unusual practice,
but one which would make the work of the biographer far easier if
it had been universally followed by all illustrators and artists.
"The Opening of the Sioux Reservation Newly Arrived Settlers in
the Territory [reproduced in the picture section, between pp. 224,
225]," depicts the arrival of settlers on the eleven million acres of the
Sioux reservation in South Dakota opened to settlement February
10, 1890; "A Hunter's 'Shack' in the Rocky Mountains"; sketches
in and around Santa Fe and Las Vegas, "Harvey's Ranch The
Highest in America," and to my way of thinking one of the best of
14. In the order as listed above the illustrations appeared in Harper's Weekly as follows:
v. 31 (1887), April 23, pp. 296, 297 (the Denver views), July 23, p. 524, July 30, p. 540; v.
32 (1888), April 14, p. 272, October 27, p. 816, September 1, pp. 652, 653, and February 4,
p. 85. The Denver Public Library has an original wash drawing of Graham's dated 1887
which is called "Eastern Slope Marshall Pass The Great Loop on the D. & R. G. RR."
Miss Ina T. Aulls of the Western History department informs me that it is the same view
as shown in the last of the illustrations listed above and it is therefore probably the original
from which the wood engraving was made.
In the late fall of 1886 Graham and a party of Harper's correspondents made an extensive
tour of the South, and between December, 1886, and August, 1887, Graham had a large
number of illustrations of Southern cities. For comment on the tour see Harper's Weekly, v.
30 (1886), November 20, p. 743. J. Henry Harper (The House of Harper [New York and
London, 1912], pp. 550-552) described this trip of Harper correspondents in some detail.
In addition to Graham, Horace Bradley and John Durkin accompanied the Harper party as
artists. In the early fall of 1887 the Weekly announced that Graham was leaving on an
extended tour of "the great West and Northwest." Ibid., September 10, 1887, p. 643.
15. Ibid., April 23, 1887, p. 299.
16. Graham was abroad in 1889. There is a group of English scenes, one of which is
signed and dated by Graham, "Liverpool '89." Ibid., v. 33 (1889), December 28, p. 1041.
Mrs. Hurlbert wrote me that her father was abroad several times.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 217
all of Graham's illustrations, the "Interior of the Church at Acoma,
New Mexico, During the Harvest Feast [reproduced in the picture
section, facing p. 225] ," all record various and different aspects of life
in the West of many decades ago. 17
Graham was back in New York City by early 1891, when a fire
virtually destroyed "the Gilsey block on upper Broadway . . .,"
a building in which his studio was housed. Only by a miracle did
Graham's belongings escape unscathed. The Weekly in commenting
on Graham's narrow escape remarked:
The destruction of Mr. Graham's studio, with its fittings, would have been
a great and irreparable loss, containing as it does his large collection of
quaintly curious relics and models. Here he keeps the scraps and portfolios of
twenty years of artistic work in a wide and varied field, many of the drawings
depicting scenes of Western frontier life in an epoch now passed. With these
is a large amount of fresh material gathered in Western journeyings through
the past summer and autumn for Harper's Weekly. 18
One can only express regret that these portfolios and sketches
are now no longer available. Valuable pictorial records that would
add to our understanding of past life and to the enjoyment of our
present one are now as hopelessly lost as if they had been con-
sumed by fire 60 years ago.
With these illustrations, Graham's career as a Western illustra-
tor comes virtually to an end. During the next few years, 1891,
1892 and 1893, Graham's time was devoted almost exclusively to
depiction of the Columbian World's Fair in Chicago. During 1891
many illustrations by Graham of proposed plans for the fair were
published in Harper's Weekly ; in 1892 Graham's pen recorded volu-
minously the progress in the construction of fair grounds and
buildings, and in the year of the fair itself, as we have already
pointed out, he served as an official artist of the exposition. 19
17. The illustrations in the order given above appeared in Harper's Weekly, v. 34 (1890)
March 8, p. 173, April 19, p. 293, July 19, p. 561 (Santa Fe), June 28, p. 496 (Las Vegas
Hot Springs), July 5, p. 520 (Harvey's ranch), and August 2, p. 592. Some of the others in-
cluded: "Sketches in New Mexico, Near Las Vegas," v. 34 (1890), July 12, p. 544; "Sketches
at Santa Barbara, Southern California," August 23, p. 652 ; sketches at Spokane Falls and the
Northwestern Exposition, September 6, pp. 690, 691; "Salmon -Fishing on the Frazer River,
British Columbia," September 20, p. 729 ; "Golden Gate Park, San Francisco," September 20,
p. 732; "Pueblo Farmers Watching Their Crops," October 4, p. 765; "The City of Los
Angeles, California," October 18, pp. 808, 809, and probably belonging to the same group,
"Sketches in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Vicinity," v. 35 (1891), August 1, p. 576. This
last group is of additional value in that the sketches were reproduced in half-tone and not
by woodcut and therefore give a record of Graham's very real skill as a draftsman.
The illustrations dated included one of the Harvey ranch group, "N. M., June 1st, 1890";
one in the group near Las Vegas, "N. M., May 13, 90"; one in the Santa Fe group, "Santa
Fe, May 16, 90"; one of the Santa Barbara group, "Santa Barbara, June 4, 90," and one of
the Los Angeles group, "Los Angeles, June 1st." Evidently Graham had a slip of memory
in the first sketch which should probably be "May 1st." One of the San Francisco sketches
also bears the letters "S. F." with his signature.
18. Ibid., v. 35 (1891), January 17, p. 39.
19. Some of Graham's drawings and paintings of the fair were published by the Winters
Art Lithographing Company of Chicago; see Harper's Weekly, September 19, 1891, pp. 707,
218 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
A number of California sketches appeared in the years he lived
in California, probably 1893-1896, including the very celebrated
"Midsummer Jinks of the Bohemian Club of San Francisco in the
Redwoods." 20
The few scattered Western illustrations of Graham's that ap-
peared between 1891 and 1900 which are worthy of note in our
record include:
''Behind Time," probably an imaginary scene of a train delayed by snow or
rain or other difficulties in the Rockies or Sierras.
"Over the Rockies in an Observation Car."
"The Great Glacier of the Selkirks, Manitoba."
"Busk Tunnel, Colorado," on the Colorado Midland railroad about twenty
miles from Leadville.
"A Sand Storm of the American Desert," one of Graham's best, the reproduc-
tion of a water color. 21
After 1900 Graham appears to have devoted most of his time to
the study of oil painting and his artistic labors resulted in the pro-
duction of many Dutch and English scenes which are outside the
scope of the present study. Appraisal of Graham's work as artist
and illustrator is extremely meager. Pennell lists him as one of the
American illustrators whose work could be technically studied with
advantage, and his book, Pen Drawing and Pen Draughtsmen, in-
cluded one of Graham's drawings. W. A. Rogers, who knew
Graham well, stated that Graham had the finest sense of perspective
of any man he ever knew. Rogers, who was himself well acquainted
with the West, had the following interesting comment on Graham's
Western illustrations:
Graham never quite broke loose from the scenic foreground ; but if one will
pass over the inevitable tree and rock in the foreground of his pictures of the
20. Harper's Weekly, v. 38 (1894), September 22, p. 897. Other California illustrations
of this period by Graham in the Weekly included: "Santa Cruz, California," July 28, 1894,
p. 708; "A Model Lemon Ranch in California," August 4, p. 728; "The Great Soda Lake,
in Inyo County, California . . .," September 8, p. 849, and "The Sutro Baths, San Fran-
cisco, California," p. 856; "Around San Francisco Bay," September 15, p. 872; "Asphalt
Industry in Southern California," October 6, p. 945; "The Water-Supply of San Francisco,"
October 20, p. 992; "A Steam-Wagon Hauling Lumber in the Sierras," October 27, p. 1028;
"Mining for Gold in California," v. 39 (1895), January 19, p. 56; "Scenes In and About San
Jose," February 16, p. 153, and "Crater Lake and Cove, Cascade Mountains," v. 40 (1896),
September 19, p. 932.
21. The illustrations in the order listed above appeared in Harper's Weekly, v. 34 (1890),
August 30, pp. 680, 681; v. 35 (1891), July 18, p. 540, September 19, a double-page sup-
plement; v. 37 (1893), November 25, p. 1125, and v. 40 (1896), October 10, p. 996. The
last picture is almost the final illustration of Graham's to appear in Harper's Weekly, the last
ones being several Cuban illustrations which were published in the Weekly of 1898. Although
most of Graham's Western illustrations have been listed in text or notes, there have been
some omissions. Note, too, that there are probably Western illustrations of Graham's in
other periodicals or newspapers than the Weekly that have not been caught. A more com-
plete list of Graham's illustrations of all types than is given here for the decade 1890-1899
will be found in 19th Century Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature 1890-99 (New York,
1944), v. 1, pp. 1108, 1109.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 219
Sierras and the Rockies one must admit that no truer pictures were ever
made of the mountains in all their naked ruggedness. 22
RUFUS FAIRCHILD ZOGBAUM
Zogbaum was primarily a military and naval artist, but as a result
of his Western trips, made for the purpose of recording life in the
United States army, there resulted a number of important Western
pictures in addition to his military ones.
Zogbaum was born in Charleston, S. C., in 1849. An aptitude for
drawing, which became apparent early in life, created a desire for
an artistic career. His family was opposed to art as a profession,
but he persevered in his ambition and the years 1878 and 1879
found him enrolled in the Art Students' League in New York City.
He went to Paris in 1880 and entered the studio of Leon J. F. Bon-
nat, a celebrated French figure painter, best known for his small
pictures of Italian life. Zogbaum said some years later:
. . . That was rather a queer apprenticeship for a young man who was
to paint soldiers and sailors; but I was lonely in Paris and had friends at
Bonnat's, so I went there.
During my two years in Paris I saw the work of De Neuville and Detaille,
and that decided me to paint military scenes. ... In 1883 I went West
and brought back a number of magazine articles, for various publishers.
... I furnished both text and pictures. The illustrated newspapers also
took up a great deal of my time. . . . life in a New York studio seems
rather tame after years of outdoor existence upon the plains. 23
The Western experiences to which Zogbaum refers included a
trip possibly several trips to present Montana in the middle
1880's and a trip to present Oklahoma in 1888. As Zogbaum stated,
he not only made many sketches on these trips, but he wrote fre-
quently of his experiences so that we have a fuller record of his
life in the West than we do of many of the artists and illustrators
with whom we are concerned. Exasperatingly enough, Zogbaum
22. The information on Graham's work after 1900 comes from his daughter, Mrs. Eliza-
beth Graham Hurlbert. For the reference to Pennell, see Joseph Pennell, Pen Drawing and
Pen Draughtsmen, 3d ed. (London and New York, 1897), pp. 223, 270, 271. Pennell also
makes brief mention of Graham in his Modern Illustration (London and New York, 1895), p.
The source of the Rogers' quotation is cited in Footnote 5.
23. These biographical facts concerning Zogbaum came from Appletons' Cyclopaedia of
American Biography (New York, 1889), v. 6, p. 662, and an interview (the quoted material
above) by P. G. H., Jr., in an article "Rufus S. [sic] Zogbaum," The Book Buyer. New
York, v. 12 (1895), April, pp. 132-135. P. G. H M Jr., was probably Philip G. Hubert, Jr.,
a frequent contributor to The Book Buyer. It should be noted that Zogbaum had already
contributed a military illustration to the pictorial press before his Paris trip. "Artillery School
for Militiamen at Fort Hamilton" by Zogbaum had appeared in Harper's Weekly, v. 23
(1879), November 15, p. 904. The small item of information on Bonnat comes from Champ-
lin's Cyclopedia of Painters and Paintings, v. 1, p. 179.
220 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
could, with very little additional effort, have been more definite
about time and place, but it was the style of writing in those days
to refer coyly to a person by description rather than by name and
to adopt fictitious names for localities.
From the first of his Western trips to Montana, there resulted the
articles: "A Day's 'Drive' With Montana Cow-Boys," "A Night on
a Montana Stage-Coach," "Across Country With a Cavalry
Column," and "With the Blue Coats on the Border." 24
Despite the statement made by Zogbaum in the interview pre-
viously given that he first went to Montana in 1883, it seems more
probable, after a study of those articles and the illustrations which
accompany them, that he first visited Montana in the summer of
1884 and probably repeated these visits to the territory in several
subsequent years. 25
The first of the articles is, in effect, an idealized story of an
incident told from the standpoint of an artist; color, poses of cow-
boys and animals, scenes and views, impressions and odors are writ-
ten into the account. The incident upon which the account was
based was the transfer of a herd of cattle from one feeding ground
to another through a narrow mountain canyon. The locality other
than Montana is not given and Zogbaum makes no direct state-
ment that he was there, although it is obvious that he was an ob-
server. The illustrations, like the description, are idealized, al-
though it is obvious again that Zogbaum noted detail most carefully.
In fact, in all his Western illustrations, Zogbaum tended to idealize
characters and scenery. His horses are sleek, well-fed and well-
groomed animals, his foreground scenery conventional.
But Zogbaum, unlike Graham, was willing to get off the beaten
track and undergo the rigors of life on the trail, in camp and on
stagecoach and, as a result, secured material that is of more than
ordinary interest. He took the stage, possibly from Helena, for
example, for some unknown destination and chose to sit with the
stage driver. Their way led up a steep mountain road. It was
night and a violent rainstorm broke upon them before they crossed
the range. But Zogbaum stuck to his seat and even held the reins
24. In the order stated above these will be found in Harper's Magazine, v. 71 (1885),
July, pp. 188-193; Harper's Weekly, v. 29 (1885), August 29, p. 671; Harper's Magazine, v.
71 (1885), September, pp. 605-610; ibid., v. 72 (1886), May, pp. 849-860. The last two
articles, with additional illustrations and text, were later reprinted in Zogbaum's book,
Horse, Foot, and Dragoons (New York, 1888).
25. The first article appeared in July, 1885, and the illustrations are dated '84 (Zogbaum,
fortunately for the historian, dated nearly all his illustrations) and none of his Western
sketches bear any earlier date. An incident to which Zogbaum refers in the fourth article
listed above can definitely be dated as occurring in 1884; see Footnote 31.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 221
as the driver got out to make adjustments to harness and coach.
His conduct was approved by the driver who informed Zogbaum
that he had no tenderfoot ways about him "like some o' them Eastern
fellers that have been raised with lots of servants about them, and
think God Almighty's sun only shines for them. Dignity will do
very well in the East . . . but ther' ain't no room for it here.
A man's got to rustle here, youbetcherlife." 26
Having thus placed his stamp of approval on his passenger, the
driver needed no urging to spin yarn after yarn for Zogbaum, the
storm having abated, and wound up by telling a hair-raising story
of having been held up once in "Arizony." This yarn made so much
of an impression on Zogbaum that, taken with his ride in an actual
stagecoach, one of his most famous illustrations, "Hands Up/' re-
sulted. It appeared as a bold double-page illustration in Harper's
Weekly for August 29, 1885, pp. 568, 569, and depicts the robbery
of a stagecoach. It was not Zogbaum's first Western illustration
in the Weekly, however, for two earlier ones had appeared: "General
Grant's Death The News in the Far West," and "Sheridan on the
Plains." Both were imaginary scenes, but the background, no doubt,
was supplied by Zogbaum's observations in Montana. 27
The two articles, "Across Country With a Cavalry Column" and
"With the Blue Coats on the Border," show how much farther Zog-
baum left the beaten trail in Montana. The first related his experi-
ences "winding over the trackless prairie through the gray sage-
brush," after traversing tracts of cactus desert, fording streams,
climbing over mound-shaped buttes, crossing stretches of alkali dust
and sticky mud, and plodding by the shadow of giant mountains.
Days pass in this way [wrote Zogbaum]. We cross the great plains, almost
imperceptibly reaching a higher altitude day by day; we march over the di-
vides and move up through the foot-hills, higher and higher into the moun-
tains. Once, under the shadow of a huge mountain peak, we camp near a
small military post, the officers of which bring their families to visit us, and
it is a novel sight to our eyes to see delicate and refined ladies and pretty
little children seated around our camp-fire, and listening to the lively music
of a really excellent string-band, made up from among the enlisted men.
Sometimes the line of our march takes us through great canons, by the sides of
and through roaring streams, over steep and dangerous mountain trails, where
the wagons often experience delay and difficulty in passing.
26. "A Night on a Montana Stage-Coach," Harper's Weekly, v. 29 (1885), August 29, p.
571.
27. Ibid., August 8, 1885, pp. 520 and 528. The Sheridan picture was supposed to show
the general in Oklahoma but Zogbaum supplied him with a Montana background, for it is
almost the same as Zogbaum used in the illustration, "The Herd," for his article, "Across
Country With a Cavalry Column" (see Footnote 24).
222 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
It has been possible to identify this expedition with considerable
certainty, for a study of the Secretary of War's report for 1884
shows that an extensive movement of troops was under way in Mon-
tana in the summer of that year. The one accompanied by Zog-
baum was the cross-country journey of the Second cavalry under
Col. J. P. Hatch. These troops left Fort Ouster in southeastern
Montana on May 24 and traveled overland by way of Fort Ellis
(possibly the post referred to by Zogbaum in the quotation given
above) and Helena to Missoula, near the Montana and Idaho border,
which they reached on June 18. At Missoula they entrained for
duty in the Pacific Northwest. 28
Zogbaum used some fifteen sketches to illustrate his account of
this trip and some are very effective. 'Taps," "A Moment's Halt,"
and "The Ford," are all striking illustrations, although as usual his
horses are all beautiful animals and his men all well attired, al-
though in a variety of costumes. Zogbaum, however, called atten-
28. "Report of Brigadier-General Terry," in Report of the Secretary of War. House Ex
Doc. No. 1, 48 Cong., 2 Sess. (1884-1885), p. 112. The report of the Secretary of War for
1883 has also been examined and the above troop movement fits the facts as described by
Zogbaum the most closely of any for the two years. As Zogbaum 's account indicated, the
expedition was of considerable size. The official report stated that Hatch's troops consisted
of headquarters, field, staff, band, and Troops F, G, H, I, and L (joined by Troop E at
Billings and B at Helena). The description of the route as given by Zogbaum would coincide
with Hatch's movements. Further, since the second in command is referred to by Zogbaum
as "the senior major" would require an officer of still higher grade as the leader. Zogbaum
refers to "our chief" as an officer of great service, "the snows of forty years of active service
in field and garrison crowning his head. . . ." Hatch, according to the Dictionary of
American Biography, v. 8, pp. 392, 393, retired in 1886 as the commanding officer of the
Second cavalry. He was graduated from the military academy at West Point in 1845 and
had seen service in the Mexican war, the Civil War and had had 20 years of the life of a
professional soldier on the plains after the Civil War. Further, Zogbaum quoted the cook of
the officers' mess as addressing his commanding officer as "Sheneral." Hatch had been
breveted both as a brigadier general and major general for service in the Civil War.
The second in command of the Second cavalry would, of course, be the lieutenant colonel,
who in 1884 was Andrew J. Alexander. In fact the Official Army Register for January, 188}
(p. 53) gives the ranking officers of the Second cavalry as John P. Hatch, colonel; Andrew
J. Alexander, lieutenant colonel; James S. Brisbin, Eugene M. Baker and David S. Gordon,
majors ranked in the order given. An examination, however, of the Army & Navy Journal,
New York, for 1883 and 1884 shows that Colonel Alexander was almost continually on sick
leave and on December 31, 1883, was granted a six-months' sick leave (ibid., January 5, 1884,
p. 454) which in July, 1884, was extended for another six months (ibid., July 19, 1884, p.
1037). This absence of Colonel Alexander in 1884 would leave Major Brisbin as "the second in
command." Brisbin, however, was on detached duty at the time of the overland trip in 1884,
for he left Fort Ellis, Montana, for Pocatello, Idaho, with Troop D of the Second cavalry on
May 26, 1884 ("Report of Brigadier- General Terry," loc. cit.), which would leave Major
Baker as the second in command on the overland trip from Fort Custer to Missoula.
Further, and this point is the clincher, Zogbaum described the second in command as "a
brave and unassuming soldier, whose bloody encounters with the savage foe of the pioneer
form part of the history of the great Northwest. ... He will be long and kindly re-
membered by his comrades. He has made his report to the Great Captain since then, and has
joined the grand army of the dead." As Zogbaum 's article was published in September,
1885, the second in command had died between the summer of 1884 and September, 1885.
According to the Army & Navy Journal (December 27, 1884, p. 421), Maj. E. M. Baker,
Second cavalry, died at Fort Walla Walla on December 19, 1884. This account further stated
that Baker was breveted colonel on December 1, 1868, "for zeal and energy while in command
of troops operating against hostile Indians in 1866, 1867, and 1868, . . . since the
[Civil] War his record was one of arduous service on the frontier." I consider that the re-
view of the facts given here establishes the identity and date of the expedition that Zogbaum
accompanied with certainty.
In Zogbaum's book, op. cit. (p. 133), there is an added paragraph not present in the
original Harper's Magazine version which stated that Zogbaum took leave of the Second cav-
alry "on the edge of a forest in northern Idaho" and inferred that the locality was on the
line of the newly-finished Northern Pacific. Evidently Zogbaum entrained with the troops
at Missoula (some 40 miles from the Montana-Idaho border) and rode with them some dis-
tance westward.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 223
tion in his writing to both of these features for he commented on
the excellent mounts provided by the army. When abroad Zogbaum
had visited a number of European troops and as a result was greatly
concerned over the informality of dress affected by the frontier
troops. He noted slouch felt hats, forage caps, white sun helmets,
a cowboy hat and even a civilian straw hat among the headgear
worn by the cavalrymen with an almost equal latitude in many of
the other accessories of dress.
We cannot help smiling [he wrote] as we think of what the astonishment
of some of our European friends the natty English artilleryman, the dash-
ing French chasseur, or closely buttoned, precise German dragoon would be,
could they be dropped down here in front of this command, and how they
would inwardly comment in no very favorable terms on the appearance of
Uncle Sam's troopers in the field. And we cannot help but ask, and we do so
in all good feeling, would it not, without carrying the "pomp and circum-
stance" of military life to the extreme that our more warlike neighbors do,
be of equal practical benefit to the comfort and health of the soldier, and
more productive of a feeling of soldierly self-respect, if a little more uni-
formity, a little more attention to details, and greater regard for appearance,
even in the field, and on such rough service as our little army, unlike the Euro-
pean services, is so constantly engaged in, were insisted on. 29
It is doubtful if Zogbaum's advice had any effect in producing a
nattier appearance of the U. S. troops as they plodded across the
dry and dusty Western sagebrush plains, but at least the artist had
done his best to make neater and more attractive soldiers.
In "With the Blue Coats on the Border," Zogbaum continued the
account of his travels through Montana. He may have wanted a
more idyllic world but he was a glutton for punishment in seeing
what there was of the Montana world of 1884, for this account
described a horseback ride from an army post possibly Fort
Maginnis northward to the Missouri river, a 40-mile ride made in
a driving rain. Here, when the Missouri was reached, he caught a
river boat and descended the river to another army post. Here
again Zogbaum did not identify the locality but it seems certain
that the army post was Camp Poplar River, near the Fort Peck
reservation and agency for Sioux and Assiniboines. 30
29. Zogbaum, op. cit., p. 116. That Zogbaum's comment on "our little army" was cer-
tainly true is shown by the fact that on November 1, 1884, the U. S. army totaled 2,147
officers and 24,236 enlisted men. "Report of the Lieutenant -General of the Army," in Report
of the Secretary of War, House Ex. Doc. No. 1, Pt. 2, 48 Cong., 2 Sess. (1884-1885), p 45.
30. Many years later Zogbaum stated that he had visited Poplar River (Scribner's Maga-
zine, New York, v. 57 [1915], January, p. 16) but contemporary evidence is furnished by a
Zogbaum sketch belonging to his daughter, Mrs. Linzboth (see Footnote 33), which bears the
inscription, "The Captured Cayuse Camp Poplar River M. T. 1884." Mrs. Linzboth
writes, "The cayuse is anything but sleek or well groomed."
In the summer of 1884 some companies of the 15th U. S. infantry were stationed at Camp
Poplar River. Report of the Secretary of War, loc. cit., pp. 62, 113. The identification of
Fort Maginnis above is largely a guess ; Zogbaum mentioned Fort Maginnis in one of his
articles and it appears to be the only army post "forty miles back of us [from the Missouri]
over the prairie."
224 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
On the down-river trip, too, Zogbaum heard of the work of the
vigilantes, those roused ranchmen of Montana, who, infuriated by
the constant loss of cattle and horses, took the law into their own
hands and destroyed a number of the thieves. Zogbaum even saw
one of the bodies of the desperados as it hung from a tree beside
the river. 31
With these sights, Zogbaum's Western sketchbook must have
been bulging at the seams, but after several days spent at the
army post he resumed his down-river journey, past more Indian
villages and trading posts, until a railroad to the East was reached.
The most notable of the illustrations published with the article
included: "The Vigilantes" (showing a group of cattlemen with a
burning ranch house in the distance) ; "A Race With the Boat" (an
Indian camp and two Indian boys mounted on a horse), and "The
Captives" (rustlers captured by a squad of soldiers ; an event which
Zogbaum witnessed). 32
It seems probable that Zogbaum visited Montana again in sev-
eral subsequent years, as a steady stream of his Montana illustra-
tions appeared in the years 1885, 1886 and 1887, and on a number
of occasions he wrote of other Western experiences. He had, how-
ever, covered so much Montana territory in 1884 that his
accumulated notes and field sketches would have been sufficient to
supply the background material for all this published work. But he
had, as we have already pointed out, in his published interview
of 1895, spoken of "years of outdoor existence upon the plains,"
which, if he was correctly quoted, makes it certain that he spent
more than the one summer in Montana. His additional experiences,
as he described them, also lend support to this belief. 33
31. Zogbaum's comment on the vigilantes is additional evidence on the date of the trip
for, according to Granville Stuart in Forty Years on the Frontier (Cleveland, 1925), the vigi-
lantes were at work in July, 1884. Zogbaum mentioned the night before the river boat on
which he was a passenger reached a small camp, one "Billy D " had been taken by the
vigilantes and hanged. Stuart, v. 2, p. 206, stated that Billy Downs was hanged by the vigi-
lantes on the night of July 4, 1884. Zogbaum mentioned the still burning ruins of "the
Jones boys' ranch." Stuart (pp. 207-209) described the destruction of the James family
(father and two sons) and their allies. Zogbaum further mentioned the fact that the vigi-
lantes hailed the river boat which stopped for them and their leader, "a tall, handsome,
blond-bearded man, flannel-shirted, high-booted, with crimson silk kerchief tied loosely,
sailor fashion, around his sunburnt neck . . .," who asked for upriver news. "Many on
board recognize him," wrote Zogbaum, "for a man of wealth and education well known in
the Territory. . . ."
32. The second illustration does not appear in the original article in Harper's Magazine
but does in Horse, Foot, and Dragoons, p. 157.
33. I have been in correspondence with Mr. Harry St. Clair Zogbaum and Mrs. Kate
Zogbaum Linzboth, children of R. F. Zogbaum, who supplied me with personal recollections of
their father and of his Western experiences. Both have examples of their father's water-
color sketches of the period under discussion and I am indebted to both for their kindness
and courtesy in supplying such information as they possess. Neither Mr. Zogbaum or Mrs.
Linzboth, however, could supply me with information concerning the number of Montana
trips made by their father.
Mrs. Anne McDonnell of the Historical Society of Montana has spent considerable time
searching Montana newspapers of this period to see if contemporary mention of Zogbaum
"
S
w
II
GO
GO
w
CQ
-
H
J
ZOGBAUM'S CONCEPTION (1901) OF "THE DEFEAT OF ROMAN NOSE BY COLONEL
FORSYTH ON THE ARICKAREE FORK OF THE REPUBLICAN RlVER, SEPTEMBER, 1868"
A battle near the northwest corner of Kansas in which Kansas volunteers took part. Repro-
duced from the original drawing by courtesy of the Library of Congress.
i
GRAHAM'S "A HERD OF ANTELOPE DELAYING A RAILWAY TRAIN" (1884)
GRAHAM'S "THE OPENING OF THE Sioux RESERVATION NEWLY ARRIVED SET-
TLERS IN THE TERRITORY [SOUTH DAKOTA]" (1890)
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 225
Among these experiences related by Zogbaum are tales of trout
fishing, prairie chicken shooting, overland travel on the Northern
Pacific and campfire stories, all, of course, with appropriate illus-
trations. 34
Montana illustrations and others of the "Northwest" appearing
in the illustrated press of the period, some of which were not ac-
companied by articles written by Zogbaum, included:
1. "Indian Warfare Discovery of the Village."
2. "Shooting Prairie-Chickens in Montana."
3. "Trout-Fishing in Montana."
4. "Painting the Town Red." [Reproduced in the picture section.]
5. "The Modern Ship of the Plains." [Reproduced in the picture section.]
6. "The Old Bone Man of the Plains." [Reproduced on the cover of this
issue.]
7. "After the Blizzard." [Reproduced in the picture section.]
8. "The Prairie Letter-Box."
9. "Wheat-Harvesting in Dakota."
10. "A Horse Auction on the Frontier."
11. "Cavalry Caught in a Blizzard."
12. "The Scout."
13. "A Present to the Company Commander." 35
All these illustrations appeared in Harper's Weekly between 1885
and 1889. Three of them were huge double-page pictures ("Paint-
ing the Town Red," "After the Blizzard," and "Cavalry Caught in
a Blizzard") ; all the rest were large full-page ones, several occupy-
ing the cover page, with the exception of the small "Shooting Prai-
rie-Chickens in Montana." Outside the intrinsic interest of the
illustrations themselves, the ones listed above and those previously
discussed are important because they set a pattern for Western illus-
trations for a good many years to come. They called attention by
their sheer number to the activities of the army in the West and
to other aspects of Western life. Sporadic illustrations of Western
army activities had, of course, appeared before the Zogbaum sketches,
but his plan to combine both writing and illustration placed a greater
would throw more light on the number of his Montana trips, but so far she has met with
little success. Mrs. McDonnell has, however, contributed greatly to my knowledge of the
history and geography of Montana territory, a contribution which has been a very real aid
in my study of Zogbaum and other Montana artists. I acknowledge her aid with sincere
thanks.
34. To complete the bibliography of Zogbaum's Western writings up to 1890, we should
cite: "An Evening Among the 'Chickens' in Montana," Harper's Weekly, v. 29 (1885), Octo-
ber 10, p. 670; "A Day's Trout-Fishing in Montana" (the locality is identified as Fort
Missoula), ibid., v. 30 (1886), July 10, p. 443; "On the Modern 'Ship of the Plains'," ibid.,
November 13, p. 731 ; "How the Sergeant Shot the Bear," ibid., v. 33 (1889), January 5, p. 7.
35. In the order listed above these appeared in Harper's Weekly as follows: v. 29 (1885),
September 19, p. 613, October 10, p. 668; v. 30 (1886), July 10, p. 445, October 16, pp. 668,
669, November 13, p. 728; v. 31 (1887), January 15, p. 86, March 12, pp. 184, 185, April 23,
p. 289, July 30, p. 541, December 24, p. 944; v. 32 (1888), January 28, pp. 64, 65, August
11, p. 585; v. 33 (1889), January 5, p. 1.
157079
226 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
emphasis than ever before on this phase of American life. Then,
too, his cowboy sketches added to a mounting and intense interest
that was to develop into a grand American obsession. True again,
there had been earlier illustrators of the cowboy. We have already
called attention in this series to the illustrations of Frenzeny and
Tavernier and of Henry Worrall in the early 1870's who had de-
picted activities of cowboys. W. A. Rogers, who will be discussed
later, also had published cowboy illustrations as early as 1879 and
1880, but the great flood of cowboy illustrations did not come until
Zogbaum had set the pattern.
Probably the most important of the Zogbaum illustrations in this
respect was his large and vigorous, "Painting the Town Red." If
there had been earlier portrayers of the activities of cowboys than
Zogbaum, this illustration was one of the earliest, if not the earliest,
to show the cowboy at play. Four cowboys are depicted at full
gallop through the main street of a small frontier town. One cow-
boy is shown reaching for the flying queue of a hastily retreating
Chinaman, another is quirting his horse to still greater speed, a third
is yelling, and the fourth is blazing away into the air with his six-
shooter. Soldiers, Indians, prospectors and less picturesque citizens
line the street.
Such a view crystallized and confirmed the popular conception of
the cowboy. The appearance of this large and bold illustration in
the most widely read pictorial magazine of its day set the mold for
future writers and illustrators. Frederic Remington, for example,
the best known of the Western illustrators, "borrowed" Zogbaum's
theme a few years later for his "Cow-boys Coming to Town for
Christmas," which is almost a duplicate of Zogbaum's picture. 36
Remington, of course, early made the cowboy a subject of his
illustrations. His professional career really dates from 1886 and in
that year his first cowboy illustration appeared. 37 It was his well-
known "In From the Night Herd," and it was not long before other
of his illustrations in the same field followed. 38
Other artists and illustrators, too, could follow the path laid out
36. The Remington illustration, also a double-page feature, will be found in ibid., v. 33
(1889), December 21, pp. 1016, 1017. The original sketch, "Painting the Town Red," is now
in the possession of Mrs. Linzboth. It measures 15^4 x 13% inches.
37. His first, if we except the sporadic illustration published in 1882 in Harper's Weekly
(and previously mentioned) which was redrawn by W. A. Rogers. It is in style and manner
a Rogers illustration and not a typical Remington.
38. Harper's Weekly, v. 30 (1886), October 9, p. 645. Probably Remington's first illus-
tration of cowboys at "play" was his "A Quarrel Over Cards A Sketch From a New Mexi-
can Ranch," ibid., v. 31 (1887), April 23, p. 301.
It should, of course, be pointed out that the earlier cowboy illustrations mentioned above
in the text were the cowboys of Texas, Kansas and Colorado. Cowboys of Montana were
unknown in 1880, according to Granville Stuart (Forty Years on the Frontier, v. 2, p. 188),
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 227
by Zogbaum and then by Remington without the necessity of per-
sonal inspection, for art magazines were advertising: "Cowboy,
Round-up and Cattle Photographs Sixty Subjects. Splendid
Studies for Painting. Send for Circular. Harve and Breckans, Box
410, Cheyenne City, Wyoming." 39 Even one of the greatest of
American painters of the nineteenth century, Thomas Eakins,
became interested in painting the cowboy after some months spent
in the Bad Lands of Dakota territory in 1887. 40
In addition to 'Tainting the Town Red," several other Zogbaum
illustrations in the group listed on p. 225 deserve more than mere
listing. 'The Modern Ship of the Plains" and "The Old Bone Man
of the Plains," for example, again record a different and, at that
time, a changing aspect of life in the West (see picture section and
cover of this magazine).
The first of these two illustrations shows the interior of a west-
bound emigrant car. The emigrants Germans, Scandinavians,
Scotch, English, Irish were housed in a car of a Northern Pacific
train that had left St. Paul for the "Wild West" (Zogbaum's
words) at "four p.m. ... on a bright afternoon in May." 41
If we can accept the date of the illustration, the year was 1885.
Zogbaum, feeling at peace with the world, left his comfortable
Pullman and pushed his way through the cluttered vestibule of the
emigrant car. He noted that no attempt had been made at orna-
mentation or upholstering in the car, "but everything seems strong
and well made." He commented on the fact that overland emigrants
not many years earlier had been forced to undergo the trials and
rigors of ox-train travel across the plains and that by contrast the
"new" method was luxury. Well, probably it was. But only a very
who also gives a good word picture of cowboy life in Montana as he witnessed it in the
1880's (ibid., pp. 175-188).
The article that accompanied "Painting the Town Red," written by G. O. Shields, did
nothing to change the conception of the cowboy prevalent in the middle 1880's and which, of
course, is still prevalent in the movies and "slick" fiction. The cowboy, according to these
sources, was a rough and ready customer, the possessor of a crude wit and an individual who
was always ready to draw and shoot on the slightest provocation. Shields attempted to
defend and change the popular opinion and started out his defense by stating that cowboys
"as a class are brimful and running over with wit, merriment, good-humor," but he goes on
to recount that cowboys once boarded a train and forced Theodore Thomas and his orchestra,
who were passengers, to give an impromptu concert on the plains. With similar yarns Shields
actually built up the contemporary conception and even an account of a "gentlemanly"
cowboy, the celebrated Howard Eaton, did little to change this conception. There were
serious contemporary accounts of the changing character of the cowboy, however, as witness
the article by Joseph Nimmo, Jr., in Harper's Magazine, v. 73 (1886), November, pp. 880-
884,
39. Art Interchange, New York, v. 16 (1886), p. 212. Of similar significance, possibly,
was the publication of six of Hoffman's photographs of a Montana roundup in Harper's
Weekly, v. 30 (1886), May 15, p. 316.
40. Lloyd Goodrich, Thomas Eakins (New York, 1933), p. 102.
41. Harper's Weekly, v. 30 (1886), November 13, p. 731. The illustration was on p. 728
as already noted. It may be recalled that Frenzeny and Tavernier, some dozen years earlier,
had attempted the same theme. Their illustration, "In the Emigrant Train," 'ibid., v. 18
(1874), January 24, p. 76, is small and not as successful in treatment as is Zogbaum's.
228 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
few years before Zogbaum had made his observations, a Scotch
emigrant had written his experiences of actual travel in an over-
land emigrant train. If Zogbaum stressed the relative luxury of
the emigrant or if we think too highly of the importance and the
glamour of the Old West, let's listen to the counter statement of
the dour Scotchman:
All Sunday and Monday we travelled through these sad mountains, or
over the main ridge of the Rockies, which is a fair match to them for misery
of aspect. Hour after hour it was the same unhomely and unkindly world
about our onward path; tumbled boulders, cliffs that drearily imitate the
shape of monuments and fortifications how drearily, how tamely, none can
tell who has not seen them; not a tree, not a patch of sward, not one shapely
or commanding mountain form; sage-brush, eternal sage-brush; over all, the
same weariful and gloomy colouring, greys warming into brown, greys dark-
ening towards black; and for sole sign of life, here and there a few fleeing
antelopes; here and there, but at incredible intervals, a creek running in a
canon. The plains have a grandeur of their own; but here there is nothing
but a contorted smallness. Except for the air which was light and stimulating,
there was not one good circumstance in that God-forsaken land.
When night advanced, the weary travelers sought rest:
The lamps did not go out; each made a faint shining in its own neighbor-
hood, and the shadows were confounded together in the long, hollow box of
the car. The sleepers lay in uneasy attitudes; here two chums alongside, flat
upon their backs like dead folk; there a man sprawling on the floor, with his
face upon his arm; there another half seated with his head and shoulders on
the bench. The most passive were continually and roughly shaken by the
movement of the train; others stirred, turned, or stretched out their arms
like children; it was surprising how many groaned and murmured in their
sleep; and as I passed to and fro, stepping across the prostrate, and caught
now a snore, now a gasp, now a half-formed word, it gave me a measure of
the worthlessness of rest in that unresting vehicle. Although it was chill, I
was obliged to open my window, for the degradation of the air soon became,
intolerable to one who was awake and using the full supply of life. . . , 42
In "The Old Bone Man of the Plains," Zogbaum added another
invaluable aspect of changing conditions. The bone picker a gath-
erer of buffalo bones was following in the wake of the vanished
herds which by 1887 (the year the illustration was published)
had virtually disappeared from the face of the plains. The un-
counted millions which once roamed the Western world lay as whit-
ening bones among the sagebrush and the buffalo grass. 43
42. This was Robert Louis Stevenson, whose overland trip was made in the summer of
1879 on the Union Pacific rather than the Northern Pacific. See his essay, "Across the
Plains," in The Travels and Essays of Robert Louis Stevenson (New York, 1918), v. 15, pp.
99-148 (the essay first appeared in Longman's Magazine, London, July and August, 1883) and
v. 23, pp. 169, 170. It should, of course, be pointed put that Stevenson's account was in-
fluenced by the fact that he was ill and desperately fatigued by the overland journey.
43. In the note accompanying. this Zogbaum illustration (Harper's Weekly, v. 31 [1887],
January 15, p. 39) the statement is made that in the season 1883-1884 the Northern Pacific
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 229
Zogbaum's next Western experiences carried him to the Indian
territory and the Oklahoma country. The efforts of the Boomers
to open this section of the West to white settlement had been con-
tinued almost without letup during the 1880's, and the federal gov-
ernment had at last announced that on April 22, 1889, the country
would be thrown open to land-hungry emigrants. The great Ok-
lahoma rush followed. 44
Zogbaum visited this region late in 1888 and there appeared in
Harper's Weekly a group of Oklahoma illustrations which have the
appearance of field sketches including the titles:
1. "A Chase After Boomers."
2. "A Crossing on the Canadian."
3. "Relay House on the Mail Route Between Fort Reno & Oklahoma."
4. "An Oklahoma Well."
5. "Camp of the 5th U. S'. Cavalry at Taylor's Springs Near Guthrie."
6. "Near the Cimarron."
These were soon followed by a number of other illustrations de-
picting incidents in the same region, including:
1. "Cheyenne Scouts at Drill."
2. "Arrest of an Illicit Trader in the Indian Territory."
3. "A Picket Post in the Indian Country."
4. "A Beef Issue in the Indian Territory."
5. "On the Road to the Agency."
6. "Indian Freighters."
7. "A Policeman."
8. "A Farm-House."
9. "Running the Wild Turkey in the Indian Territory." 46
shipped nearly 8,000 tons or 800 cars of buffalo bones. The bones were converted to bone
black, used in sugar refineries and other industries. Col. Henry Inman in The Old Santa Fe
Trail (Topeka, 1899), p. 203, stated on the basis of freight reports of Kansas railroads, that
some 300,000 tons of buffalo bones, which he estimated represented 31,000,000 animals, were
shipped from Kansas alone in the decades when bone gathering formed a means of livelihood
or a welcome supplement to a livelihood on the plains.
44. For a review of these affairs, see R. N. Richardson and C. C. Rister, The Greater
Southwest (Glendale, Cal., 1934), ch. 23, "Oklahoma Boomers and Eighty-niners." A more
extended account of the "Boomer" movement is given in C. C. Rister's Land Hunger: David
L. Payne and the Oklahoma Boomers (Norman, Okla., 1942).
45. Six illustrations on one page, Harper's Weekly, v. 33 (1889), April 13, p. 280. These
sketches are not dated, as was the usual practice of Zogbaum. All the remaining Zogbaum
illustrations of the period described in the text are dated "89".
The date of Zogbaum's Indian territory trip is had from a letter in Mrs. Linzboth's pos-
session which Zogbaum addressed to his wife. It is headed, "In camp, 6th Cav. Ind. Terr.
Oct. 10, 1888."
46. In the order listed these appeared in Harper's Weekly as follows: v. 33 (1889), May
25, p. 405, July 6, p. 544, August 3, p. 613; v. 34 (1890), January 4, pp. 8-11 (Nos. 4-8);
v. 40 (1896), December 5, p. 1185. The last illustration listed above is dated "96" and may
represent the result of another trip to the Indian country but as there are no companion
pieces for 1896 I scarcely think there was an 1896 trip. Moreover, Zogbaum had an illustra-
tion in ibid., v. 33 (1889), April 6, p. 257, "Hunting Wild Turkey by Moonlight," which
was probably based on his trip to the Indian territory in 1888; his experiences on this trip
doubtlessly gave rise to the latter illustration (that of 1896).
It is interesting to note that Remington had an illustration, "Cheyenne Scouts Patrolling the
Big Timber of the North Canadian, Oklahoma," in ibid., April 6, pp. 264, 265, over a month
before Zogbaum's illustration, "Cheyenne Scouts at Drill," listed above. There is no simi-
larity, however, in the two illustrations. Remington also had an illustration somewhat similar
to Zogbaum's "A Beef Issue in the Indian Territory," in ibid., v. 36 (1892), May 14, p. 461,
"The Beef Issue at Anadarko." The locality of the two were not the same, however, as
Zogbaum's was made near Fort Reno. The beef issue a't an Indian agency, however, was
depicted by other artists in addition to these two.
230 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The first of these illustrations, according to Harper's Weekly, was
made by Zogbaum "with his customary fidelity to facts derived from
personal observation." Other similar comments on Zogbaum's work
can be found. Even if he tended to idealize his subjects, his de-
tails are in general correct. 47
Zogbaum described some of his experiences on this trip to Okla-
homa in an article, "Life at an Indian Agency," and five of the
illustrations listed above (Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive) accompany the
article. 48 The agency was located at Darlington, near Fort Reno,
Oklahoma. The Indians, Southern Cheyennes and Arapahoes, re-
ceived a beef distribution every Monday at Darlington at "an
isolated spot on the prairie, some distance from the agency," and
his written description continued:
Wagons sometimes of the newest and most approved patterns, at others
the veriest rattletraps to be found on four wheels, filled with squaws and
drawn by all kinds of teams, from the piebald, wall-eyed, pink-nosed ponies,
to the patient and more or less broken-down mules, occasionally both horses
and mules hitched to the same outfit are crowded around the rough "corral"
or fenced-in space on the prairie where the cattle are herded together, and
over which, far up in the clear air, ragged-winged buzzards are circling.
Mounted Indians gallop up, some armed with revolvers, others with carbines,
and perched high up on the backs of their horses, ready for the exciting sport
of pursuing and slaughtering the wild-eyed, long-horned Texas steers, that
move restlessly about the narrow limits of the corral, bellowing nervously as
if in dread anticipation of their doom. . . .
Rapidly following one another, the brutes are released one by one through
the gate opened at intervals by a nimble policeman, who frequently has to
exert all his agility to escape the angry sideward thrust of their horns as the
cattle rush through the narrow opening. Some of them dash frantically out
over the plain, bellowing furiously and throwing up the dirt and dust with
the sharp points of their cloven hoofs; others stop for a moment bewildered,
foaming at the mouth and snorting with fear and rage, and then gallop away.
Indians mount rapidly and start after, revolver or carbine in hand, and a
regular hunt in all directions over the rolling prairie in front of us begins,
as the maddened brutes vainly endeavor to escape from their ruthless pur-
suers. . . .
Zogbaum, who had been driven out from Fort Reno in an army
ambulance to witness the "Wild West" hunt, was well satisfied with
his transportation. It provided excellent accommodations for mak-
ing notes and sketches even though the Indians were none too ex-
pert marksmen and the Texas steers no respecters of "government
ambulances or 'special artists'."
47. The phrase quoted above is from ibid. t v. 33 (1889), May 25, p. 411.
48. Ibid., v. 34 (1890), January 4, pp. 8-11.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 231
The four illustrations included directly with this article (Nos. 5
through 8 in the list above) are particularly interesting as they have
the appearance of field sketches made on the spot and are therefore,
from our point of view, of primary historical importance.
In the late 1880's and early 1890's there appeared a considerable
number of Zogbaum ''Westerns." Most of these are of so general
a character that, although of interest, no definite locality other than
West can be given them. A few of the more striking ones, several
double-page, included:
1. "Cavalry on the March Danger Ahead."
2. "A Bad Crossing."
3. "Clearing the Way."
4. ''Meeting With the Old Regiment."
5. "The Corporal's Christmas Dinner." 49
Beginning about 1895, Zogbaum began illustrating Western fic-
tion, short stories for the most part, written by various authors.
Some of these illustrations are most interesting as Zogbaum was
utilizing his knowledge of Western travel, adventure and study as
the background for these imaginary situations. 50
In a somewhat similar group were illustrations made by Zog-
baum for factual articles written on the West, particularly the mili-
tary W T est. One of these is reproduced in this article (between pp.
224, 225, "The Defeat of Roman Nose by Colonel Forsyth on the
Arickaree Fork of the Republican River, September, 1868," which
was drawn to illustrate an article by Gen. F. V. Greene on "The
United States Army." 51 It is reproduced because it is one of the
few original Western drawings or paintings of Zogbaum's that I
have been able to locate, although it is known that Zogbaum held
at least one exhibition of his original work, several of the pictures
being Western scenes in water color. 52 The original of the Colonel
Forsyth battle picture is a wash drawing, measuring 15% x ll 1 /^
inches and is now in the prints division of the Library of Congress.
49. In the order listed these appeared in Harper's Weekly, v. S3 (1889), September 28,
pp. 776, 777, November 16, pp. 916, 917; v. 34 (1890), March 29, pp. 240, 241, June 7, p.
449; v. 36 (1892), December 17, p. 1216.
50. An extensive bibliography of Zogbaum's illustrations and his own writings in the
decade 1890-1899 will be found in the 19th Century Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature
1890-99, v. 2, pp. 1553, 1554.
51. The illustration and accompanying article will be found in Scribner's Magazine, v. 80
(1901), November, pp. 593-613.
52. Harper's Weekly, v. 36 (1892), April 23, p. 387. The New York Public Library
has also a Catalogue of Original Drawings and Water Colors by Rufus Fairchild Zogbaum,
being a list of his pictures on sale at the American Art Galleries, New York City, January 22,
1897. The Catalogue included some Westerns, three of which were scenes connected with the
Wounded Knee Indian "Campaign" of 1890. Whether these were drawn from direct obser/a-
tion I have not been able to determine.
232 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
As the 1890's advanced, Zogbaum devoted more and more of his
talent to purely military and naval scenes. With the coming of the
Spanish-American war his Western illustrations practically disap-
peared. As a military artist he won wide renown. In fact, so cele-
brated did he become that Kipling wrote a poem concerning his
work, after both he and Zogbaum visited Capt. Robley Evans, the
celebrated naval hero. The poem begins:
Zogbaum draws with a pencil,
And I do things with a pen,
But you sit up in a conning tower,
Bossing eight hundred men. 53
Despite the fact that Zogbaum was a well-known figure of his
day, there has appeared no adequate biography since his death in
New York City on October 22, 1925. 54
53. The Outlook, New York, v. 61 (1899), February 4, p. 284.
54. A biographical sketch of Zogbaum appears in the Dictionary of American Biography,
v. 20, pp. 658, 659. The sketch makes no mention of Zogbaum's contribution to Western
illustration.
An Attempt to Capture Buffalo Alive in
Present Oklahoma in the Late 1880's
LEE HOWARD
I. INTRODUCTION
THE following account of an attempt to capture adult buffalo
alive in the Panhandle country was written by Lee Howard
who operated a ranch in the 1880's in the southwestern part of what
is now Texas county, Oklahoma.
The experiences related in Howard's narrative probably occurred
while he was a member of one of C. J. "Buffalo" Jones' expeditions
to capture some of the few remaining buffalo in the plains area.
"Buffalo" Jones, who lived near Garden City, became widely known
for helping to save the buffalo from extinction and for his experi-
ments in crossbreeding cattle with buffalo, whose offspring he called
"catalo."
Col. Henry Inman, in his Buffalo Jones' Forty Years of Adventure,
recalled that Howard and Jones met in the Panhandle country on
May 6, 1888, when both were out to capture buffalo calves. Jones,
who had noticed the scarcity of buffalo, thought there wouldn't be
enough for both and promptly engaged Howard, an old acquaint-
ance, to work for him for the following two months for S500. 1 In
1889 Howard again was a member of a Jones expedition, and the
events related here possibly occurred while on this 1889 expedition,
instead of 1888 as stated by Howard. 2 E. Hough wrote that How-
ard was "half-hunter, half-freighter, and half-ranchman, . . ." s
Colonel Inman referred to him as "the typical cowboy of the Great
West." 4 According to Henry C. Hitch of Guymon, Okla., Howard
quit ranching in Texas county about the turn of the century and
spent some time on a hunting and prospecting trip in Alaska. Mr.
Hitch believes that when Howard returned to the states he con-
tinued to prospect for gold until his death several years ago in
Arizona.
Howard's story, written in a clear Spencerian hand, was found
1. Col. Henry Inman, Buffalo Jones' Forty Years of Adventure (Topeka, 1899), pp. 183,
2. Ibid., pp. 220-223. Howard stated in his letter which follows that he was writing of
his last buffalo hunt. Inasmuch as he accompanied Jones' 1889 expedition, and Inman's de-
scription of the 1889 hunt is similar in many respects to this story of Howard's, it seems
likely that Howard was mistaken about the year.
3. E. Hough, "A Buffalo Hunt Indeed," in Inman, op. cit., pp. 111-166.
4. Inman, p. 193.
(233)
234 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
by Dr. E. Raymond Hall, director of the Museum of Natural History
of the University of Kansas, in going over manuscript material
saved by his colleague, the late Charles Dean Bunker. 5 Through
Dr. Hall's courtesy it is here reproduced. The capitalization, punc-
tuation and spelling of the original longhand copy have been fol-
lowed in the printing.
II. LEE HOWARD'S STORY
OPTIMA OKLAHOMA TY
February 18th, 1892
MR L. L. DYCHE, 6 Friend Your letter received about two weeks
ago And I have been so very busy that I could not answer before
this time. In this letter you will find an outline of my last Hunt
after the Buffalo or the Hunt in which we tried to capture some of
the grown buffaloes alive. In this rambling Narrative I hope that
you will find some information that will be of some benefit to you
in writing you[r] Book. If there are any wayfs] that I can assist
you in the way of information let me Know
I think that I could furnish an interesting chapter on hunting
Buffalo and Antelope especially Horse back hunting which you
know is the most Exciting hunting there is. I tell you I have had
some big hunts, and lots of Fun and no one to see it but ourselves.
If you think that a chapter in the back part of your Book would
be of any Benefit to you I will try to get it up in readible style, if
not say so frankly No harm done and no offense
Yours truly LEE HOWARD
Well to begin with I suppose it would be the proper thing for me
to inform you what we Started with. In the first place we had
three mule teams, a 6 Spring platform wagon, to carry water and
provision for ourselves and horses also some blankets for bed, 9
head of good Saddle horses. We left Ranch 20th in may 1888 7
with Spring wagon one Span of mules and driver Mr. Kennedy 2
Saddle horses and 2 riders (Decordova and Howard) With enough
provision and horse feed to last 6 days also Enough water to last
2 days. Leaving our Extra teams and horses at the ranch with
Granville Thomas, to take care of until such time that we should
5. Charles Dean Bunker (1870-1948) joined the staff of the Museum of Natural History,
University of Kansas, in 1895 and was curator emeritus of modern vertebrates at the time of
his death.
6. L. L. Dyche (1857-1915) was professor of systematic zoology and taxidermy at the
University of Kansas from 1900 until his death. In addition to his duties as a teacher, Pro-
fessor Dyche made numerous scientific expeditions, and as a result the university acquired one
of the largest and finest collections of mammals in the world.
7. Probably this should read "1889." See Footnote 2.
CAPTURING WILD BUFFALO 235
need them We went west about 45 miles to a place called Aqua
Frieo (cold water) the wagon went the road and the 2 riders went
one on each side of the wagon, and about 6 miles from it so we could
see considerable country, all went in the same direction and came
together at night at the place spoken of, there is splendid water at
that place.
W r e saw Buffalo on a creek called cold water, (Now to better
understand things, I will explain about the water on cold water
creek and Beaver creek for a distance of about 45 mi west from
my place there is a dry strip on both creeks. I state this for in our
hunt we had to cross both creeks Several times, on this dry strip
there are water both above and below this dry strip) But had to
go on to camp to let the Boys Know and get the wagon. Camped
at aqua Frieo that night and the next morning bright and Early
we started for the place where we saw the Buffalo the day before,
arrived at that place about 10 o'clock The Buffalo were gone But
their tracks were there, so we began trailing. We trailed them
about 20 miles northeast camped on trail. Next morning took
trail again in a northerly direction, crossed Beaver (dry place)
followed trail north of Beaver about 10 miles where the .trail began
to turn in a north westerly direction, and here a big rain came upon
us and washed the tracks out, and as it was nearly night we camped.
Awoke next morning Early, after the rain we did not know
which way to turn I told the Boys that from the indications the
night before I thought the trail turned to the south. I told them
that I did not think that the rain had extended more than 5 mi south
from where we was. I told them to Spread out about 5 miles wide
and to gradually come together on a level flat about 8 miles south and
to look well for tracks and be sure and not cross them. We did
this and sure enough as I predicted it hadnt rained there and we
found the trail all right going south.
We followed the trail all that day and about Sundown we came
up with them 19 in number and fine ones 18 cows and one Bull one
of the Bulls that you got was one of the number as was also the
cows. 8 As it was late we thought it best not to start them until
morning, and we had come 50 miles that day. We camped on north
fork of the palladuro. We arose the next morning with the expec-
tation of finding the Buffalo in sight But in this we were mistaken.
They had turned north again so we had to trail them again, in
8. Refers to eleven specimens of buffalo which are preserved in the Museum of Natural
History at the University of Kansas. Two are mounted and are on display.
236 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
about 10 miles we came up with them they were running when we
saw them they evidently got wind of us. It was a great relief
to us to get a look at them for it saved us trailing them As I said
they were running when we saw them, so I tied my horse up beside
the mules, as I was all the rider along and got in the wagon at
that time the other one had gone back to camp directly after the
rain I did not think it of any use of but one at that time and
wanted to save men and horse flesh as much as possible)
We started in pursuit as fast as our mules could go and they
went pretty fast for the country was level as a floor for miles, But
the Buffalo Steadily gained on us finally they went over a small
elevation about 3 mi away We went as fast as we could I got
on my horse and rode ahead of the team but when I got to where
we last saw them, I could see nothing of them. So I got on the trail
again for fear that they might turn to oneside I could trail as fast
as the horse could lope, the Buffalo crossed (cold water creek dry
place) going back allmost the same way they had gone over. We
followed the trail 5 or 6 miles and came in sight of them again they
were on a level plain 5 miles away and by the aid of a field glass
we could see that they were walking so we thought it best to feed
the team and eat a little ourselves while we were Eating dinner the
Buffalo went out of sight. So when we got to the place where the
Buffalo went out of sight, we began trailing and in about 5 miles
we came in sight of them again they were walking, as night was
approaching we thought it best not to Excite them for fear that we
would have a days trailing on the morrow.
As our mules and saddle horse was getting weary and with the ex-
pectation of having some hard riding in the near future, W[e]
thought it best to go to camp 25 miles distant and get a change of
Horses. So leaving the Buffalo on the Breaks of Beaver we went
down Beaver Creek to Ranch arrived there about 9 o clock at
night. This is the end of the 4 day or 3% days actual trailing the
distance covered was about 150 mi. and we had only been in sight
of them but one day we got an early start in the morning and got
back to where we left them, the night before about 9 oclock, they
were gone so began trailing. In going back to where we left the
Buffalo, I sent the wagon upon the north side of Beaver and gave
directions where to meet me. I knew from the direction the Buffalo
were going the night before that they were going to cross Beaver,
But to make everything sure I went back and took trail followed
CAPTURING WILD BUFFALO 237
trail until about one oclock and came up with Buffalo in sand hills
north side of beaver.
Aus Decordova on his way with the wagon saw two Buffalo cows
and one calf He caught the calf and put it in the wagon When
the wagon came up, we ate dinner And I went back to camp with
the calf which was about 30 miles distant. I went to Ranch as
fast as I could, arrived there about 5 oclock got supper changed
team and went back to where I left the other two boys. I told them
to watch the Buffalo but not to disturb them, there was a small
hole of water near where they slept about one hundred yards dis-
tant, after the Boys made down there bed about 8 oclock at night,
the Buffalo came down and drank out of the hole they stayed
aroun[d] for some time finally they grazed off without getting
frightened. I got to where the Boys were about midnight.
Started the Buffalo Early next morning. W T e did not have to
trail much they run all day in the sand hills south of Beaver creek,
they having crossed beaver. Towards evening they were going in
the direction of a place called Company M 9 it is about 45 miles
from my Ranch on Beaver it is a place where the Beaver has
living water on it again. But when we got within about 5 mi of it
the Buffalo turned south east in the direction of Coldwater creek
We went to Company M, and camped for the night Took trail next
morning followed the trail all day (We went off of trail about 2
miles for water) Buffalo did not get any until Evening, that I
know of for we followed trail all day and followed it fast, and
when we found the place where they drank it was 60 miles from
where we took trail in the morning, it was allmost night when we
came to the water we went a few miles farther and camped for
the night on the south side of Cold water Creek, (this was two
days and two nights without water and the day that we were after
them in the sand hills they never went less than 50 miles and [on]
a very warm day if that is not Endurance I do not know what
you would call it, This was the only day that we did not get to see
them in the 60 days.
I told the boys that I did not think that we were far from the Buf-
9. According to Inman (p. 145) "Company M" was a "water-hole situated in a valley,
where years a^o, a Company M of U. S. troops were snowed in and spent the winter." The
place had natural caves and may have been located in the southeast part of present Cimarron
county, Oklahoma, or just over the line in Texas, for later there was a "Company M Ranch"
in that area. The ranch improvements are "a few miles South of the Beaver River. But
the Ranch land includes quite a little of the Beaver River valley." Letter of Henry C.
Hitch, Guymon, Okla., to F. R. Blackburn, Kansas State Historical Society, May 24, 1949.
238 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
falo from the sign we were expecting to run into them every mo-
ment we trailed very late this Evening in the hopes of seeing Before
we camped The night looked stormy and we were afraid that it
would rain and wash the trail out. Luckily we arrose and found the
sky clear and the Buffalo in sight. We saw them on the north side of
cold water they Evidently crossed during the night, they began
to run north as soon as they saw us they went north about 8 miles
and then made a quick turn to the south we were now about 12
miles from my ranch and as the Buffalo had turned south we were
afraid that it would be several days before we would get a change
of horses, we thought it best to send in and change so sent 2 of the
Boy[s] into the Ranch with spring wagon and Decordova (the
Buffalo generally went as far south as the Breaks of the Canadian
River about 60 miles from Ranch) and myself Kept on after the
Buffalo I told the Boys that I thought from the direction the
Buffalo started they would go by a lake of water about 20 mi
away And that we would follow the Buffalo and for them to meet
us at the lake.
We arrived at lake about 3 oclock the Buffalo passed within a
mile of the Lake, we kept so far behind them, that they were not
going very fast So we went to Lake and got water and ate, our
Lunch after our horses were rested a little I saddled my horse and
went upon a high hill about a mile from the Lake to see if the
Buffalo were in sight to my delight they were grazing about two
miles from the hill I went back to lake and awaited the r[e]turn
of the wagon, about sundown they came in sight with a fresh
team and saddle horses the horses we were riding we sent
back to the Ranch with one of the men and continued our chase
with 2 saddle Horses team and 2 riders and one driver.
I think this is Enough of this. I Believe that I could give you
Every days travel, But as the rest is a repetition of what I have
written, I will skip to when we (We had been after the Buffalo
about a month up to this time) Put the gentle Buffalo with them
We had to send back to Garden City Kansas for the gentle ones a
distance of 140 miles 10 two of the boys went after them and
myself and Kennedy kept after the Buffalo in 7 days after they
started they were back here with 22 head of gentle Buffalo. Ken-
nedy and I came into camp the next night after the Boys got Back
and as luck would have it the Buff[alo] crossed the Beaver creek
10. From "Buffalo" Jones' herd of domesticated buffalo. See Inman, op. cit., pp. 221-
223.
CAPTURING WILD BUFFALO 239
just below my Ranch that night And next morning We took the
gentle Buffalo and started in pursuit we had not gone more than
2 miles until we saw the wild ones.
We drove the gentle Buffalo up a draw out of sight of the wild
ones until we were within a half a mile of them then we kept back
out of sight and let the gentle ones go up to the wild ones them-
selves the wild ones seemed frightened at first and began to run.
they did not run far, then stopped and took a good look at them
in a short time they got together, the wild ones did not seem
to like the gentle ones they began to smell around one annother
finally the wild ones began to go a way the gentle ones began
to graze then we began to drive them slowly. But the wild ones
kept about a mile ahead of the Gentle ones until allmost noon
they then went into a Lake of water and drank as did the Gentle
ones, as it was noon we stopped for dinner while Eating, the
wild Buffalo began to Graze and the Gentle ones Traveled up to
where they were grazing, pretty soon the wild ones began to lay
down, as did the gentle ones a few yards from the wild ones, So
near that you might say that they laid down together.
We trailed the wild ones and the gentle ones together for over
a week, but did not seem to do any good they would leave the
gentle ones Every night sometimes 8 and 10 miles then we had
to trail them up and drive the gentle ones; the gentle ones got so
foot sore, that they were a hinderance to us and did not seem to do
the wild ones any good, they went just as far in a day and left
us just as far in the night so we abandoned the idea of gentling
them with the Gentle B. we would be just about 200 yards behind
them all day and would drive the Gentle ones right in to them and
keep them there for hours. We would begin to think that we could
drive them, but as soon as we would ride out to one side of them
or in the lead they would turn right in the opposite direction from
where you wanted them, to go. We sometimes made [a] turn on
them in this way when we wanted them to go to the right we
would go to the right as if we were going around them and the[y]
would be sure to turn in that direction, so you see they were turned
but did not know it. the most obstinate animal that lives.
So we concluded to take the Gentle Buffalo back to the ranch and
try it a while longer the way we began at first. We run them for
several days, until they began to leave the Bunch, they would
sometimes leave the Bunch in the day time or attempt to in cross-
ing draws and creeks [when] they would try to leave by running
240 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
up or down the draws we would be watching for this and head
them off and turn them back before they would get a great way
from the herd, in this we were always successful We soon saw
that they would all split up some go one way and some another
so we concluded to rope the first one that would leave the herd,
our opportunity came soon Enough We thought that we had some
pretty fast horses but we soon found out that Buffalo could run
some too There was a 3 year old cow in the bunch that had been
trying to leave the others for several days So we started the
Buffalo one morning Hadn't gone more than five miles until she
started to leave the Bunch We started in pursuit
I run the Buffalo first She was about 500 yards from us and
when she saw that I was after her She Began to run She had such
a long start of me that I had to run pretty fast and a long ways
before I could get near her when she saw that I was about to come
up with her she made back for the herd. I got almost near Enough
to her to rope her But my horse was almost winded the other two
Boys were Behind but had been cutting across so that their horses
were pretty fresh so I hollowed to them: to head her off from the
herd and rope her Aus Decordova took after her and had not run
her but a short distance until he threw his rope on her It caught
over one horn and one foot and threw her down But in falling she
got out of the rope, and turned over so her head was in the opposite
direction from what she was going when roped I was right be
hind Decordova and had my rope ready to throw her head was
toward me and she was just in the act of getting up. I was come-
ing pretty fast and as I passed her I threw my rope on her and
never slacked my speed and when my horse came to the End of
the rope he pulled her as much as 15 ft, (I suppose you know how
much a horse can drag by the horn of the saddle.) Before she had
time to get up Aus had a rope on her hind feet and we stretched
her out Put a large pair of hobbles on her and let her up. She
was strictly on the fight we left her as soon as we could for we
did not want to worry her any more than we had to, for fear she
would die
We Handled this one so Easy that we thought we could handle
any of them with Ease but in this we were mistaken for the 3d
one we roped took the conceit out of us This one was an old cow
and a large one We got pretty close to her before she started and
by riding fast we came up with her in about a mile I came up with
her first threw my rope over her head and having a long rope, I
CAPTURING WILD BUFFALO 241
car[e]lessly let to[o] much of my rope out at once and my horse
run over the rop There I was with one End of the rope on the
Buffalo and the other around the horn of my saddle, fortunately
for me the Buffalo run straight a head consequently the rope pulled
straight between his fore legs, and instead of throwing my horse it
threw the Buffalo, in an instant she was up again and came right
back again for fight as she came for me I spurred my horse for-
ward she hooked at me as I passed her and run straight back while
I run straight ahead she came to the End of the rope and broke
the rope she began to run away but Decordova was right behind
me, and she had not gone more than 100 yards before she had an-
other rope on her.
She got a side run on him and pulled his saddle over on the side
of the horse and he had to jump down on the ground, he ran out
of reach of the Buffalo pulling his Colts as he ran the rope was
just looped over the horn I ran up and took the rope off of his
saddle and put it on mine, (But before I had time to take his rope
off the cow made a pass at the horse she came at him at full speed
as soon as she got close Enough, the horse which was a strong one
Blazed away at her with both feet and gave her such a Kick that
she passed him without doing him any injury) And she run for
me, and I run to one side. She run across the rope and when she
came to the End of the rope She fell with her head under and we
soon put a pair of Hobbles on her and let her up She was on the
war path, She would start for us the same way she did before she
was hobbled and would fall down.
We roped 7 in all But do not think it nessary to tell the ad-
ventures we had with Each one for I think perhapse that you can
get the desired information you want by what I have written after
we had Hobbled them we got the Gentle ones and drove them to
where the Hobbled ones were but they were so stubborn that they
would not drive, they would fight the Gentle ones and fight us
to[o] if we attempted to drive them And as we had used all of
the means that Lay in our power to get the Buffalo and failed, We
thought Best to abandon the idea of trying to drive them in n we
felt pretty sore about having to leave them after having done so
11. "Buffalo" Jones' hopes to capture and domesticate grown buffalo had never met with
success. On one occasion he said: "They would not live in captivity. If they could not find
an embankment over which to break their necks, they would crush their skulls on stones
Failing any means like that, they would lie down, will themselves to die, and die.
Finally I found I could keep only calves under three months of age. ." Zane Grev
The Last of the Plainsmen (New York, 1908), p. 52.
167079
242 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
much hard work Had put in about 18 hours a day, had run the
Buffalo almost 3000 miles and it had seemed to us at times that we
were sure to get them We would be with in a 100 yards of them
for hours, they would turn around and look at us and then start
on again Sometimes they would start to run around us when we
would get to[o] close we would have to stop and let them quiet
down, for fear that they would turn and run Back. They would
generally take about 175 mile circuit . . . [line illegible from
wear]
In traveling Back and forth across the country they invariably
kept the same course allmost in the same tracks unless something
frightened them. Some of the Buffaloes feet were wore out the
bottom part was all gone and still they would go, and when they
got frightened they did not Know that their feet were sore. They
went north allmost to the Kansas line and possibly over the line.
Buffalo generally runs to the wind when any one frightens them
suddenly. They allways turn their head to the storm in winter,
when grazing generally graze to the wind, and keep Bunched up
close together. The calves are red when they first come and con-
tinue so until the latter part of the summer Then they begin to
grow darker. Buffalo shed their coat the same as cattle and about
the same time in (the spring) They are the homeliest looking you
eve[r] saw look ragged, pieces of wool or hair hanging down,
some places shed off and some not, But when they are entirely
shed off they have a handsome coat of hair, would be called a
darke blue appearantly.
Buffalo look clumsy they are the quickest Animals I ever had
anything to do with, Especially the calves I used to Haul calves
in the wagon to different places when I would go into the towns
everyone wanted to put their hands on them I told them not to
put their hands on them But some of them wanted to say that they
had had their hands on a Buffalo calf. But before they got their
hand out of the wagon they was sure to get it kicked. Buffalo
when they go to water in the summer when it is hot they jump in
all over and roll around like a hog in the mud, get as muddy as
can be Buffalo in this count [r]y allways graze upon the level and
on Buffalo Grass.
JL&Siii.
XV
JOHN JAMES INGALLS
(1833-1900)
United States senator from Kansas, 1873-1891, and president pro tern-
pore of the senate. This sketch, by Paul Renouard, was a full-page feature
in Harper's Weekly, July 7, 1888, several weeks after the Ingalls-Voorhees
debate.
The Ingalls-Voorhees Debate of 1888
RAY H. SANDEFUR
ONE of the bitterest personal debates in congressional history
occurred in the U. S. senate on April 25 and May 1, 1888, be-
tween Senators John J. Ingalls of Kansas and Daniel W. Voorhees
of Indiana. 1 The conflict had been brewing since March 6, at
which time Ingalls had spoken in favor of a bill to increase pensions
for Union soldiers. The Kansan was a friend of the G. A. R., and
he perhaps saw an opportunity to revive war memories in order to
strengthen the Republicans in a presidential election year. What-
ever his reasons, he leveled his attack at the opponents of the bill
Democrats for the most part and charged that members of the
Democratic party still retained traces of the Confederacy.
Although he did not name Voorhees at that time as having been
friendly to the Confederacy, he aroused the anger of the "Tall
Sycamore of the Wabash" by describing Union Generals W. S.
Hancock and George B. McClellan as sympathetic to the South.
VOORHEES' FIRST ATTACK
Voorhees waited until April 25 to attack the Kansan. As the
Indiana senator opened his speech, Ingalls was in the chair as
president pro tempore. At first Voorhees confined his remarks to
comments on the Republican party, high tariffs, and the pension bill.
In the course of the speech, Ingalls was called from the room on busi-
ness, and he turned the chair over to Sen. Isham Harris of Tennessee.
Ingalls, then, was not present when Voorhees made his charges
against him, nor did he learn of them until he read the newspapers
the following morning.
Voorhees was indignant at the Kansas senator for his slur at
Hancock and McClellan. He said, referring to Ingalls:
He stood in his place in the Senate, a recognized leader of his party, and
denounced two great Union generals as traitors to their country, allies of the
Confederacy, and no word of dissent or rebuke has been uttered by a single
one of his party associates here or in the other branch of Congress. We have
waited, and some have wondered, but the silent acquiescence in the horrible
charge remains unbroken.
Having implied that Ingalls had been neither truthful nor just,
Voorhees launched into a eulogy of the two generals and defended
RAY H. SANDEFUR is an instructor in the department of speech at the State University of
Iowa, Iowa City.
1. Congressional Record (v. 19, Pt. 4), April 25, 26, May 1, 1888, pp. 3321-3327 3383
3556-3575.
(243)
244 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the Democratic party as actually having helped to preserve the
Union.
INGALLS' FIRST REPLY
Ingalls was furious when he read the speech the next morning.
He arose in the senate that day and announced that he would an-
swer Voorhees. The Kansan pointed out that he had been absent
during most of the speech and that he had assumed that the Indiana
senator was going to confine himself to a discussion of the tariff and
finance. "I was, therefore, somewhat surprised this morning to be
advised by an item in the newspapers that I had been the object
of the Senator's animadversion. ... I therefore desire to give
notice that on Tuesday next, at 2 o'clock, if the Senate will indulge
me, I shall . . . submit some remarks. . . ."
Interest in the promised clash ran high, both in Kansas and in
Washington. The day before the reply, the Kansas Republicans,
in convention at lola, prepared a resolution complimenting in ad-
vance Mr. Ingalls' "scathing rejoinder" and passed it with "three
rousing cheers." 2 In Washington, visitors flocked to the senate
chamber on May 1, the day of the speech. Said the Washington
correspondent for the Kansas City (Mo.) Times:
At a comparatively early hour, notwithstanding the rainy and sultry
weather, the street cars were packed with people . . . moving toward the
capitol, drawn irresistibly by the announcement that Mr. Ingalls would irra-
diate the circumambient air of the senate chamber with his wild western
oratory. . . . 3
The New York Tribune reported: "The galleries contained at
least 3,000 people, and the floor of the Senate was jammed with
Representatives and others entitled to the floor. More people
sought to gain admission probably than on the day when Cleveland
was inaugurated President." 4
Attention focused on Ingalls. Shortly before two o'clock he en-
tered the senate chamber, said the Kansas City Times correspond-
ent, "very much after the fashion of a minister about to preach a
sermon." He walked over to his desk, which was decorated with
flowers for the occasion. The Times reporter said that when Ingalls
took his seat "a profound silence ensued, broken only by the rus-
tling of a thousand fans, blending their variegated colors, and
when the Kansas statesman arose to . . . ' take up ...
his speech the silence became absolutely painful."
2. "A Specimen From Kansas," Kansas City Times, May 1, 1888.
3. "Decidedly Hot," ibid., May 2, 1888.
4. "Mr. Ingalls Frees His Mind," New York Tribune, May 2, 1888.
SANDEFUR: INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE 245
At first the reply was a disappointment. Ingalls spoke for two
hours. He offered a mild, refined, almost restrained series of argu-
ments to prove that the civil and military leaders of the Democratic
party had been Southern sympathizers during and after the Civil
War. He began by saying that Voorhees had admitted in his
speech of April 25 that "there is such a crime as treason, and that
to be an ally of the Confederacy was to be a traitor." His implica-
tion was clear as he applied Voorhees' statement to a classification
of Hancock and McClellan. He capped his arguments by saying
that the Southern Confederacy still existed, that it was embodied
in the Democratic party in the South, and that the Democratic
party in that section was animated by all the ambitions, the pur-
poses, and the hopes of the Southern Confederacy itself. He said,
Now, Mr. President, we are upon the threshold of another election. We
have had McClellan and Seymour, Greeley and Tilden, Hancock and Cleve-
land for Democratic candidates, and Cleveland is practically renominated for
another term. It will be the most important contest of the century, a polit-
ical battle whose result will determine the destiny of the United States for
the next twenty-five years. . . . And again we are confronted with the
153 votes of the "solid South," as we have been at every election since 1876;
a "solid South" that is the essence and substance of the Southern Confed-
eracy; and the success of the Democratic party means the triumph of the
Confederacy, which is to-day as much an organized, active, aggressive force
in our politics as it was in 1860 or at any previous time. Slavery is dead and
secession is dead, but the ideas, the impulses, the purposes, the intentions
engendered by slavery and secession remain. Ideas are immortal. They
never die. Force can not annihilate them. No man was ever convinced by
being conquered, and no Confederate has ever confessed that the cause for
which he fought was wrong.
Although he admitted that not "all Democrats were disloyal,"
he was clear in his belief that all Southern sympathizers were Dem-
ocrats. Said Ingalls, referring guardedly to Voorhees,
There were no Republicans enrolled in the "Sons of Liberty" or as "Knights
of the Golden Circle." These were Democrats. Every member of Congress
who declared that he would not vote a man or a dollar or a gun to carry on
the war for the Union was a Democrat. Every man who described Union
soldiers as "Lincoln dogs and hirelings, who deserved to have collars welded
about their necks," was a Democrat.
He even went so far as to picture the Democratic party as con-
taining a gang of traitors, cutthroats, and outlaws. He declared,
All guerrillas and bushwhackers, the men from Union States who entered
the Confederate service for plunder in war cutthroats, in peace horse-
thieves were Democrats. . . . Quantrell, Bill Anderson, Dave Living-
stone, Hilldebrand, and the James boys belonged then, as they would were
they living now, to the Democratic organization.
246 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
At this point Ingalls sat down, apparently having concluded his
case.
VOORHEES' SECOND ATTACK
The "Tall Sycamore" thought that Ingalls had expended his
ammunition, for he began to taunt the Kansan. He recalled the
fable of the mountain which labored and brought forth a mouse.
He said, referring to Ingalls' widely publicized announcement of
his intention to speak that day, "The spectators had expected to
see volcanic action, power displayed, but when the end came they
saw nothing of the kind, and I have never been more reminded of
that fable than on this occasion."
He had, however, caught Ingalls' implication that he, Voorhees,
had belonged to the Knights of the Golden Circle, that he had voted
against support of the war effort, and that he had made reference
to the "Lincoln dogs." The Indiana senator flatly denied that he had
been guilty of any of those things.
Then Voorhees loosed a blistering attack at Ingalls, an attack full
of vicious personal abuse. He said that his opponent was politically
dead, but was "walking around to save funeral expenses." He said
that the Kansan represented the "old, decayed, hackneyed political
campaign liars of the last twenty-five years." He added sarcas-
tically, "I have admired his brilliancy, his scholastic habit, but he
was born with inaccuracy marked upon him. If he was my long-
lost brother, and I was looking for the stripling, I should look for
'Inaccuracy' marked on him somewhere."
The Indiana senator derided the Kansan's military service. In-
galls had served briefly on the side of the North during the Civil
War. In 1864 he was a member of the staff of Maj. Gen. George
W. Deitzler, Kansas state militia, with the rank of major, and later
lieutenant colonel, and served through the two weeks' campaign to
drive General Price out of Missouri and Kansas. He was assigned
the duties of judge-advocate during his brief period of active duty.
Voorhees, in his attack, ridiculed Ingalls unmercifully about his
military "career," facetiously naming every Ingalls who had served
in the Union army, but finding no John J. Ingalls listed.
INGALLS 7 SECOND REPLY
When Voorhees paused, Ingalls, smarting from the personal at-
tack, arose, cool and deliberate, to deliver one of the most dramatic
speeches the senate had heard for many years. He had planned his
strategy well. Although he had implied in his first reply that
SANDEFUR: INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE 247
Voorhees was friendly to the Knights of the Golden Circle and had
been sympathetic to the Southern cause, the Kansan had not re-
vealed that he held documentary evidence to support his claim. He
had withheld the damaging proof, waiting to trap Voorhees in an
unguarded moment.
His technique in his second reply was to employ cold logic
through personal and documentary testimony. At the same time,
as he recalled war memories and stirred sectional hatred, he gained
much emotional effect. He used an ethical approach by allying
himself with Lincoln, defending the latter against the remarks of
Voorhees. The Kansas speaker continually referred directly to
truth and to duty, and he appealed to his audience's sense of justice
as he drove home the point that he represented those who had de-
fended the Union, and that Voorhees represented those who had
fought against it.
He sounded a note of self-depreciation as he referred to his hum-
ble military service and his strong sense of patriotic duty:
I regret exceedingly that the Senator from Indiana has thought best to
refer to personal matters in connection with my history, to which I do not
propose now to advert. My military service -was inconspicuous and obscure,
and no one is more conscious than I am of the debt that I owe my country,
and of the unpaid obligation of gratitude which I am under to those who
did what I might under other circumstances have done.
Ingalls neatly turned the tables on Voorhees, for here was precisely
the opening for which he had been looking. Saying that since the
Indiana senator had commented on the Ingalls record, he then felt
called upon to show the Voorhees record in the war. "I feel it to
be my duty," he said, "in the defense of the truth of history, to put
on record the information in my possession, and I have it in a shape
I think that he will not deny." He displayed righteous indignation
at being attacked on April 25 by one he had considered a friend:
My relations with the Senator from Indiana for many years have been
those of cordiality and friendship, and never was I more surprised than when
my attention was called to the vindictive, unfounded, malevolent, and un-
justifiable aspersion with which he assailed me in manuscript. I could have
borne it if an enemy had done it, but it was, as the Psalmist said, "my own
familiar friend."
Ingalls made the statement that Voorhees had favored the Con-
federacy. Voorhees was on his feet instantly to deny it. Ingalls
replied,
MR. INGALLS. The Senator from Indiana has just said that he was in favor
of the destruction of slavery and that he was opposed to secession, and yet in
248 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the published volume of his own speeches there is a reprint of an address
delivered by him in Virginia shortly before the war in which he advocates
both. ... I will say further than that, that the Senator from Indiana at
the time when he delivered that speech had two editions of it prepared, one
of them for circulation in the North and one in the South.
MR. VOORHEES. That is not true.
MR. INGALLS. Not true! Why, they are accessible to-day, just as much so
MR. VOORHEES. Get them and show them.
MR. INGALLS. They are just as accessible as the Statutes of the United
States.
MR. VOORHEES. Get them and show them. I say it is not true. I have met
that on the stump. I have heard campaign falsifiers before.
MR. INGALLS. The Senator pleases to call these campaign rumors because
he has heard them for the last fifteen years, and therefore they are not true.
In 1860, after the Senators from South Carolina had withdrawn from this
Chamber, and when preparations for war were rife all over the South, and
everybody knew that secession was to be, so far as the South could make it,
an accomplished fact, the Senator from Indiana wrote a letter, which I shall
read. Perhaps he will deny that. It is a letter to Mr. Francis A. Shoup, that
he took South with him and filed in the Confederate war department in
support of his own application for appointment as a brigadier-general in the
Confederate army. The man who received it was appointed a brigadier-gen-
eral in the Confederate army, and he is now an ecclesiastic in Alabama or
somewhere in one of the Southern States. I will read what the Senator from
Indiana wrote. Anybody can see it, and anybody who knows his handwriting
can identify it. This is the letter:
"INDIANAPOLIS, IND., December 12, 1860.
"My friend, Capt. Francis A. Shoup, is about visiting the South with his
sister, on account of her health.
"I have known Captain Shoup since our boyhood; we were schoolmates.
He is a graduate of West Point, and was in the Army as a lieutenant four
years. No more honorable or upright gentleman exists. On the disturbing
questions of the day his sentiments are entirely with the South, and one of
his objects is a probable home in that section.
"I take this occasion to say that his sentiments and my own are in close
harmony.
"D. W. VOORHEES/'
I suppose the Senator will say that that is a campaign slander, the vile
calumny of the opposition press.
MR. VOORHEES. Mr. President, that is not a campaign slander, but it is
MR. INGALLS. He has trodden it under foot and spat on it.
MR. VOORHEES. Will the Senator pardon me for a moment?
MR. INGALLS. Certainly.
MR. VOORHEES. I say it is not a campaign slander, but it is one of those
things the people of Indiana have passed upon for now nearly thirty years.
MR. INGALLS. The Democratic party of Indiana have passed upon it, I
dare say. [Laughter.]
MR. VOORHEES. They have passed upon it by a very large majority
and no
SANDEFUR: INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE 249
MR. INGALLS. Oh, I know the Knights of the Golden Circle have passed
upon it.
MR. VOORHEES. No colporteur or missionary from Kansas can give it any
more respectability than the fellows in Indiana have heretofore. I have dis-
posed of them. There was no war when the letter was written; there was not
for nearly a year afterwards.
MR. INGALLS. Sumter fell ninety days afterwards.
MR. VOORHEES. No, it did not.
MR. INGALLS. Let me look at the date.
MR. VOORHEES. In December.
MR. INGALLS. December 12, 1860. When did Sumter fall?
MR. VOORHEES. In April.
MR. INGALLS. In April, 1861?
MR. VOORHEES. Yes.
MR. INGALLS. December, January, February, March four months after-
wards.
MR. VOORHEES. Yes; inaccuracy is written on your face.
MR. INGALLS. Within four months from the time the letter was written
Sumter had fallen, and yet the Senator from Indiana says: "I take this occa-
sion to say that his sentiments and my own are in close harmony."
The Kansan brought up the "Lincoln dog" remark again and
charged Voorhees with having made the statement, adding that he
had a witness to the fact:
MR. INGALLS. I will say to the Senator from Indiana that the averment
that he made that statement can be substantiated by as credible a witness
as there is in this city at this time.
MR. VOORHEES. It is false, and even if the Senator said it it would be ut-
terly false just as false coming from the Senator as from the greatest liar
ever in the country.
MR. INGALLS. If this were a police court the Senator from Indiana would
be sent to the rock-pile for being drunk and disorderly.
The senator from Kansas made a telling point when he produced
a document, signed by eighteen citizens of the state of Indiana,
who testified that they were present at a meeting in Sullivan, Ind.,
on August 5, 1862, at which time the Hon. D. W. Voorhees said,
speaking in reference to the Union soldiers, that "they should go to
the nearest blacksmith shop and have an iron collar made and
placed around their necks, inscribed thereon in large letters, 'My
dog. A. Lincoln/ and at the same time he referred to the Union
soldiers as Lincoln's dogs and hirelings."
Ingalls hammered home the point about the competence of the
witnesses: "I suppose those are reputable citizens of Indiana. They
are not ashamed of their names or their residence. They give their
home and their designation. The Senator from Indiana can settle
the question of the truth or falsehood with them and not with me."
250 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
From this point Ingalls pressed his advantage. He struck again
and again, giving quotation after quotation from witnesses and
authorities to support his claim that Voorhees' sympathies had been
with the Confederacy. He verified the authenticity of his documents
by stating that they had been discovered in a Washington office
which had once been occupied by Voorhees, but which documents
Voorhees had neglected to take with him or to destroy when he
moved to new quarters. He referred to 112 copies of the ritual and
rules of organization of the proslavery Knights of the Golden Cir-
cle, which had been found in Voorhees' office. He produced highly
incriminating letters from Senator Wall of New Jersey, endorsing a
proposition to furnish Voorhees with 20,000 stand of Garibaldi
rifles. He produced letters from several Southern sympathizers.
Every letter was quoted in part, and every part drove home the
point that Senator Voorhees had favored the Confederacy.
The Kansan quoted a speech in which Voorhees had displayed
his sympathies. Said Ingalls,
With regard to the question as to the side on which the sympathies of the
Senator from Indiana were I suppose the Senator from Indiana will deny
this also and say it was mere campaign calumny cast out and trodden under
the feet of men on the 5th day of March, 1864, he spoke of Vallandigham
as "that representative American patriot, who, with Hendricks and Seymour
and Richardson, had done so much to uphold the hands of the American
public and had preserved so far the guaranties of constitutional liberty," a
man who was tried and banished from the country for being a traitor. . . .
His opinion of Mr. Lincoln was contained in the same speech
"Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, preserved by the pen of the historian for
universal execration, found no pursuit so pleasant as calling for more men for
the harvest of death, and, like our present Executive, snuffing with jests and
ribaldry the warm taint of blood on every gale. . . ."
Ingalls turned to the congressional speeches of Voorhees, recall-
ing his address of April, 1861, in which he declared that he would
"never vote a single dollar or a single man for the prosecution of
the war, and he never did so long as he was in Congress." Contin-
ued the Kansan,
He consistently and persistently voted against every measure for uphold-
ing the Union cause and re-enforcing its armies, voted against all the consti-
tutional amendments, and finally declared by a nay vote that he would not
hold that the amendments were constitutional or binding upon the conscience
of the American people. And yet the Senator from Indiana, who I think
deserves charity more than any man that I know upon this floor, and who
has received it at the hands of his associates, and who can less afford than
any man of my acquaintance to invite a scrutiny of his war record with any-
SANDEFUR: INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE 251
body, with playfulness and hilariousness refers to the fact that I served during
the war as a judge-advocate with the rank of major and subsequently of
lieutenant-colonel.
Here Ingalls closed his speech on the same ethical tone of self-
depreciation with which he had begun: "I have this to say: That
however obscure or inefficient my services may have been, they
were always on the side of my country, and not as his has been,
always against it."
Voorhees at this juncture attempted to reply to the charges
which Ingalls had so effectively made. His arguments were ram-
bling and inconsistent as he resorted to denial, then made an
about-face to appeal to his audience to forget the "stale, putrid,
cast-off" past. At last Ingalls interrupted Voorhees with the ques-
tion that put the senate chamber into an uproar:
MR. INGALLS. Will the Senator from Indiana allow me to ask him whether
the soldiers of Indiana did not threaten to hang him with a bell-rope on a
train between New Castle and Terre Haute after he made that "Lincoln dog"
speech? [Laughter.]
MR. VOORHEES. Mr. President, the Senator is a great liar when he inti-
mates such a thing a great liar and a dirty dog. ["Order!" "Order!"] Such
a thing never occurred in the world. That is all the answer I have to make.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is hardly in order. Personal discus-
sion is not proper. The Chair hopes Senators will be in order.
MR. VOORHEES. I pass it back to the scoundrel behind him who is insti-
gating these lies. 5
MR. INGALLS. Mr. President, there is a very reputable gentleman in the
Chamber, a citizen of Indiana, who informs me that the signers of the cer-
tificate about the "Lincoln dog" speech are entirely reputable inhabitants,
male and female, of Sullivan County, and that he knows fifty people there
who heard the speech made and can swear to it.
MR. VOORHEES. I say he is an infamous liar and scoundrel who says I did.
I say so.
White and shaken, Voorhees was led from the senate chamber
muttering to himself, "The dirty dog, the dirty dog."
REACTIONS TO THE DEBATE
The reactions to Ingalls' speech were instantaneous. The St. Louis
Globe-Democrat, a Republican newspaper, said with obvious bias
that the shrewdness of Mr. Ingalls' plan of attack was universally
complimented. According to the report:
The opportunity which Ingalls had anticipated came, and he interrupted
Mr. Voorhees with a question which disturbed his equanimity, then annoyed
him, then angered him, then enraged him. He plunged about in his madness
5. A reference to Rep. James T. Johnston of Indiana, who was sitting immediately be-
hind Ingalls and who may have supplied Ingalls with much of his proof.
252 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
until he clumsily fell into the pit Ingalls had warily prepared for him, and
from that moment he was at the mercy of the Kansan. Mr. Voorhees lost
his temper, and Mr. Ingalls' remarkable coolness and smiling serenity only
exasperated him the more. 6
The immediate reaction of Voorhees may be judged by this com-
ment by William Connelley, an admirer of Ingalls:
At this point the friends of Senator Voorhees led him from the Senate
Chamber. He was pale and trembling. He tried to hold up his head and
look defiant an effort that was a miserable failure. Outside the door he burst
into tears and cursed his fate, saying that his career was run and his reputa-
tion for patriotism blasted. He was in despair. And he was desperate. His
friends kept him concealed for several days. 7
Messages of congratulations poured in upon Ingalls. Many of
the telegrams were from Indiana. Kansans were highly enthusiastic.
The Globe-Democrat said of the messages:
The Governors of no less than a dozen Republican states sent their con-
gratulations, and complimentary telegrams came even from Indiana. Kansas
was evidently overjoyed by the victory of her senior Senator, for there were
telegrams patriotic, enthusiastic, and full of all the eloquence the wires
could transmit from every portion of the Sunflower State .8
Some of the press, too, was delighted. Kansas newspapers gave
columns of front-page space to reports of the debate. Typical of
the Republican papers in Kansas was this comment by the Wash-
ington correspondent for the Topeka Capital:
The galleries were often in an uproar, and several times the president
threatened to clear them all out. No such hot debate has occurred in the
senate since the war period. This is the testimony of all the old employes of
the senate. Throughout this fiery discussion Ingalls gained ground all the
time. Voorhees floundered and finally lost his grip entirely. ... It was
evident to everybody that Ingalls had taken Voorhees' scalp. 9
The New York Tribune, also strongly Republican, eagerly re-
ported :
If "The Congressional Record" of to-morrow is a true and not a "revised"
transcript of the debate to which the Senate has listened to-day [apparently
it was a true version], that publication will for once contain some "mighty
interesting reading." Not within the recollections of its oldest members has
the Senate witnessed a contest in which so many personalities have been
bandied about, the lie has been passed so frequently, so much ill-temper has
been shown or the traditional dignity of the body been so set at defiance by
6. Quoted in the Atchison Daily Champion, May 4, 1888.
7. William Elsey Connelley, Ingalls of Kansas (Topeka, 1909), pp. 163, 191, 192.
8. Also in the Atchison Daily Champion, May 4, 1888.
9. "Voorhees Vanquished," Topeka Daily Capital, May 2, 1888.
SANDEFUR: INGALLS-VOORHEES DEBATE 253
the audience. ... It was a scene not easily forgotten by those who were
so fortunate as to be present. 10
Even the London Times had a comment, calling it the "bitterest
debate which has been heard in the Assembly for years."
Newspapers which opposed Ingalls politically were, of course,
sharp in their criticism. On May 2 the Kansas City Times, strongly
opposed to Ingalls, called the speech a "disappointment." A day
later, editor W. B. Hotchkiss of the Wichita Beacon was highly
critical of the Kansas orator, calling his replies a waste of time.
The South was incensed at the Kansan. In fact, a few days after
the delivery of the speech, Ingalls was burned in effigy in Nashville,
Tenn.
Republicans, however, hailed the speech as strong political am-
munition, and the next day in the house, up to 10 o'clock there were
over 70,000 copies of the speech taken by members at their own
individual expense.
Years later the Topeka State Journal declared of Ingalls, "one of
the traditions of the capital at Washington is his reply to Senator
Daniel Voorhees of Indiana." In 1900 the Kansas City (Mo.)
Journal summed up the senator's speech: His reply to Senator
Voorhees will be cited as an example of scathing and combative
oratory as long as there lives a man who heard it.
10. New York Tribune, May 2, 1888.
The Diary of James R. Stewart, Pioneer of
Osage County
APRIL, 1855-APRiL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860
PART THREE: MAY, 1858-JuLY, 1859
BURLINGAME
S[May, 1858]
AT 22
Windy but warm & clear. Went in the morning with Judge
[Phillip C.] Schuyler & [George] Bratton to run the line be-
tween the town site & [Isaac B.] Titus' claim. In the after-
noon went up with Mr. [Joseph] McDonald to his claim and
planted some melons cucumbers & radishes back to town
wrote a letter to A L Hazen, called at [Abel] Pollys in
the evening with Judge Schuyler & examined the Squatters
register, had pleasant sing at Brattons in the evening.
SUN 23
Cloudy but pleasant stiff south breeze. Dressed up this
morning and started with several others to Lecompton As
witness on trial between town Co & I B Titus. 88 Traveled
all day and stopped at Big spring and stayed there all night.
LECOMPTON
MON 24
Clouds & Sun alternate. sultry. Left big spring and reached
Lecompton about 9 oClock. Loafed round till noon.
Stopped at the Nelson house, 89 our trial commenced after-
noon, two witnesses were examined played Eucher in the
evening.
TEUS 25.
Rain with some hail in the morning, beautiful through the day.
Was examined this morning as witness on behalf of town
Co. occupied the stand 3 hours, Loafed round in the aft-
ernoon. Spalding & Rogers circus was in Lecompton to
the first I saw in Kansas. 90
88. P. C. Schuyler later informed the Herald of Freedom, probably with reference to
this case, that the Burlingame townsite had been preempted and that eighty acres was con-
tested. The land office ultimately decided the controversy in favor of the town company.
The Kansas Herald of Freedom, Lawrence, December 11, 1858.
89. The Nelson House, operated by R. B. Nelson, was located at the corner of Isaack
and Woodson avenues, south of the U. S. land office. Advertisement in the Kansas Na-
tional Democrat, Lecompton, May 20, 1858.
90. Spalding and Rogers' New Orleans Circus, advertised as "the largest traveling
show in the world," with 109 persons and 113 horses, three sets of performers, clowns
and ring horses, was a combination of the North American Circus, the Floating Palace
Circus, and the Railroad Circus. It had played in Lawrence on May 22, Topeka on the
24th, and moved on to Oskaloosa on the 26th and Leavenworth on the 27th. Ibid.
(254)
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 255
WED 26
Very hot & Sultry. Attended the trial all day.
THURS 27
Very warm through the day, rain, thunder & lightning at
night. Atended the trial all day, was witness for town Co.
again Left Lecompton in the evening for home traveled
all night, had Keg Lager beer with us & good time over it.
[BURLINGAME]
FRI 28.
Very fine all day. Reached home this morning about 6
oClock, eat breakfast went to bed & slept nearly all
day, had invitation to party at Mr. [William] Lords in
the evening, attended and had Good time, got to bed
about 1 oClock.
SAT 29.
Warm & pleasant, good breeze. Loafed round read wrote
a letter to Coz Will [Stewart]. Called at Mrs. Boyce's in the
evening with Martha Philips went thence with her to Titus'.
SUNDAY 30.
Warm in forenoon cool in afternoon. Attended Church in
forenoon went Straw berring in afternoon, got lots of
them, read and Loafed & talked in -the evening.
MON 31.
Beautiful all day cool at night. Read Medicine all day.
Played few games chess & made bargain with Dr [E. P.] Shel-
don to undertake an enterprise which the future may develope
and may not. at present we are resolved to make the attempt,
win or Lose, more anon.
JUNE [1858]
TEUS 1
Stiff breeze but warm. Read Medicine all day.
WED 3 [2]
Stiff breeze all day but very warm. Read in forepart the
day attended celebration of Sunday school in afternoon
good time played ball in the evening and Eucher after
dark.
THURS 4 [3].
Warm & windy in forenoon heavy rain in the afternoon. Read
all day played few games chess.
256 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FRi5 [4].
Cool moderately so all day. Read wrote letters went
straw herring recieved a long letter from Mrs Glendinen.
SAT 6 [5].
Warm & windy cool evening. Read principally all day.
SUN 7 [6].
Fine and warm, good breeze. Read and Loafed round all
day.
MON 8 [7].
Very fine most too warm good breeze. Read nearly all
day, had a trial in the evening of Brewster for trying to
kill Young Curtis. 91
TEUS 9 [8]
Warm strong breeze. Brewsters trial continued all day
sentenc[e]d to 39 Lashes & fine of $50,00 & to Leave the Ter-
ritory. Attended the trial and witnessed the punishment. Read
some played some Eucher fiddled.
WED 9.
Tremendous rain mudy. Re[a]d & Lay round all day.
THURS 10.
Cool little rain fire comfortable. Read played chess &
Eucher. Intended to start for Kansas [City] but did not.
SANTAFEE ROAD
FRI 11
Cool & disagreeable all day some rain. Started this morning
for Kansas City with Jim Bothel traveled all day
reached willow springs and camped there slept in waggon.
SAT 12.
Clouds rain & sun alternate. Traveled on all day, camped
at night on prarie two miles east of Olathe. 92
[KANSAS CITY]
91. In a letter of June 8 to Geo. W. Brown, editor of the Herald of Freedom, P. C.
Schuyler wrote that there was great excitement at Burlingame. One of the citizens had
been attacked on the Santa Fe road east of town, the object of his assailant being murder
and robbery, and a "People's Court" was examining the case. The prisoner, who had
proved to be one of a gang which had been committing depredations for some time, had
confessed, and a vigilance committee had been appointed to carry out the sentence of the
court. Herald of Freedom, June 12, 1858.
92. While Stewart was traveling on private business other citizens of Burlingame were
concerned with public affairs. On the evening of June 12, "suspecting that a whisky shop
had been opened in our midst . . . ," they held a public meeting which adopted a
resolution serving notice that intoxicating liquors were not to be sold there without writ-
ten order from a physician. P. C. Schuyler was chairman of the meeting and Ithiel Streit
was secretary. The committee to draw up the resolution consisted of S. A. Fairchild,
Daniel Griswold and Hiram D. Preston. Ibid., July 10, 1858. Preston was a delegate to
the Wyandotte constitutional convention in 1859, where he introduced a resolution to in-
clude prohibition of liquor in the constitution.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 257
SUN 13
Pleasant most the day some rain. Reached Kansas City in
the evening camped on shore of Missouri river.
[SANTA FE ROAD]
MON 14.
Very warm & fine. Run round over the town buying pill boxes
violes drugs &C. through the forenoon. Loaded up
and left for the Territory about three oClock in afternoon
stopped short time in Westport. Camped about 2 miles West
of Westport, on farm of Mrs Mcgee.
TEUS 15
Good breeze in the morning warm in the evening. Got good
early start this morning traveled on made good days travel.
Camped near the Mathers [?] house.
WED 16.
Very warm & sultry in forenoon Good south breeze in the
afternoon. Traveled on steadily camped on prarie 7 mile
West of Willow Springs.
[BURLINGAME]
THURS 17.
Warm but good breeze. Started early got home about
three OClock in the afternoon.
FRI 18
Heavy rain mudy. Read all day, recieved Magazine
from W D Clark.
SAT 19
Rainy & Mudy. Wrote letters one to G Hazen D G
Uhl[?], Mary Jack & W D Clark.
SUN 20
Very warm with good south breeze. Took a walk with Mr
Mcdonald to his farm thence to John Denisons and saw
the old cabin in which William died, and where I shook nearly
all to peices with the Ague. thence went over to Wrights
and saw the house & claim I used to own thence down town
got diner read slept & loafed in the afternoon.
MON 21
Very warm but good south breeze. Read most the day
went up to Howards with Row Bothel thence to Mcdonalds
claim got load of wood and home got some Mulberries
on the way, attended young mens critic association in the
177079
258 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
evening at the School house debated some on the question,
resolved that all men are created free and eaqual spoke on
negative got to bed about 11 oClock.
TEUS 22.
Very warm & sultry. Read wrote a letter to Sam Devlin.
WED 23.
Warm in forenoon heavy rain in afternoon. Read wrote
a letter to John Wood.
THEUS 24
Warm through the day, heavy rain after night. Read, wrote
a letter to Bob Gibson, went to the woods with Dr. Sheldon
and got good mess mulberries.
FRI 25
Rainy in forenoon, cloudy but pleasant in afternoon, very
mudy. Read wrote a letter to J. N Emery, played chess
some. also some Eucher.
SAT 26
Rainy some very warm. Read went over to Hoovers in
the evening back.
SUN 27
Small shower pleasant generally. Read some attended
Church.
MON 28
Good South breeze. Read all day attended Critic associa-
tion in the evening.
TEUS 29.
Very warm. Read all day, had singing Club at my house in
the evening.
WED 30
Very warm but good breeze. Read in forenoon hoed pota-
toes on Mcdonalds farm in the afternoon, played Eucher in
the evening.
JULY [1858]
THURS 1
Warm few drops of rain in the forenoon very warm in
afternoon. Read in the forenoon hoed few potatoes in the
afternoon, took firstrate bathe in Mcdonalds run, played Eucher
in the evening, played fiddle some, my thoughts have been
wandering back to Newcastle very much today, wish I could
only make it convenient to live there instead of this (to me)
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 259
unatractive place. I hope time will make me feel more com-
fortable.
FBI 2
Read Very warm some breeze.
SAT 3
Very warm. Dressed up and took a ride down to Dr Kerrs
where there was to be a picnic heard on the way that Naomi
Drew had been drowned in Dragoon Creek. Mr Canniff &
I were together so we hastened on down to the place and
found the party in much distress at the sad occurrence,
Naomi was indeed drowned. The party after vainly trying
to restore her organized in procession and returned with
the corps to town left it at her fathers and dispersed
much vexed and disapointed. The remainder of the day
I read some, and thought much on the uncertainty of life
the transition of all things. Naomi you no longer need our
sympathies but we feel that we have sustained a very great
loss in your misfortune. Torn from our midts in the bloom
of youth, when hopes are high affections developing and
every virtue that adorns your sex presented in its most at-
tractive form we feel your loss, and mourn your fate, we
pause and reflect in contemplating your unhappy end. farewell
Dear friend. 93
SUN 4
Very warm & Sultry. Went to Church in the forenoon heard
Rev Beach from Cincinnati preach. Attended the funeral of
Naomi Drew in the afternoon heard some good remarks
from Rev [G. W. or John?] Paddock on the occasion was
one of the Pall-bearers. The scene today has awakened many
strong sympathetic feelings in me unpleasent reminiscences
have crossed my mind, and a renewed sense of my lonely and
unhappy circumstances has been forced upon me. After the
funeral, we returned to our home to ponder over the unpleasent
scenes of the day.
93. The death of Naomi Drew, aged 16, was reported as follows: ". . . The citi-
zens of Burlinganie and Superior were assembling in a grove on the south side of Dragoon
Creek, to hold a celebration. An ox team, containing most of the family of Mr. John
Drew, was crossing the creek at the usual ford, when the oxen, without any apparent
cause, suddenly turned and ran into deep water. The wagon-body immediately floated off
and overturned, precipitating all in it into the water. Every possible assistance was
promptly rendered by the numerous bystanders, and with some difficulty all were rescued,
except Miss Drew. She sank immediately, and all efforts to find and rescue her seemed
baffled as if by fatality. Her body was recovered at the end of perhaps fifteen minutes,
but the most patient and persevering efforts failed to recall any signs of life. All further
thought of a celebration was at an end, and the multitude assembled sadly followed the
remains to the home of the bereaved family." Herald of Freedom, July 24, 1858.
260 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MONDAY 5
Very warm South breeze. Read Anatomy all day at-
tended critic association in the evening.
TEUS 6
Warm and dry. Read, fiddled &C.
WED 7
Warm good breeze. Recieved 4 letters this morning one
from Coz Molly Thorn and from Olive, was much pleased,
read my letters, and several newspapers, wrote two letters.
THURS 8
Shower of rain this morning. Read played Chess check-
eras, &C.
[LAWRENCE]
FBI 9
Cloudy in forenoon sunny & very hot in the afternoon. Got
up very early. washed dressed eat breakfast and
started, on horseback, for Lawrence, rode on at good speed
as far as Bloomington took dinner then on to Lawrence,
arrived there between three & four OClock. Went to the Re-
publican office made Contract for the printing of a lot of
Circulars Lables bills & blanks, for receits. then
to some of the stores, made some purchases then started for
home. Got out six miles, stopped at [William] Yates' on the
banks of the Wakarusa. stayed all night.
SAT 10.
Cloudy but pleasant. Terrible storm Last night of wind & rain.
Started on for home this morning, made good proggress,
reached one hundred & ten about one oClock, met Dr Kerr
& Hays there stopped and waited an hour on them, after
which we all started for home reached home about four
OClock. rested & played seven-up ballance of the evening,
feel very tired and sore this evening, but have some good
prospects ahead think that my trip to Lawrence will result
in profit to me after while.
BURLINGAME
SUN 11
Scattered Clouds warm. Read Anatomy for some time in
the morning took a walk up to Mcdonalds farm got some
black berries thence to Howards found them away from
home, then down to town, wrote a letter to Eb Sankey
read &C.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 261
MON 12
Very heavy shower this morning early, also one about 10
OClock. mudy. Made pills all day. attended critic associ-
ation in the evening was chose President, for the next term.
TEUS 13.
Fine day, with good breeze. Made Pills all day.
WED 14.
High breeze from the south. Worked at preparing Ague med-
icine all day, played Eucher some, read Anatomy some.
THUR 15
Fine day, good breeze. Read wrote a letter No 5
to G Hazen. recieved bundle of public documents by
santafee mail.
FBI 16
Fine heavy rain at night. Read & made three dozen
bottles Ague medicine, recieved, by the Lawrence mail the
printing I had bought a week ago.
SAT 17.
Heavy rain last night, mudy to-day. The water tremen-
dous high. Made medicine & put on Labels all day.
SUNDAY 18.
Beautiful good breeze. Finished reading Anatomy & com-
menced Physiology, Drapers. 94 wrote some.
MON 19.
Fine breeze but warm. Mixed Ague medicine & read.
TEUS 20.
Thermometer 102 no air, horrible. Read some worked
some at my Ague medicine and Lay round in pain with
sore mouth & jaw.
WED 21
Good breeze heavy shower of rain in eve. Read all day.
THURS 22.
Streams very high muddy, little rain in forenoon. Read
some attended political meeting in afternoon heard two
Mr. Thachers speak. 95 received four letters one from
94. John Willliam Draper, M. D. (1811-1882), published many treatises on chemistry,
physiology and mathematics. Stewart probably read his Human Physiology, Statical and
Dynamical; or The Conditions and Course of the Life of Man (New York, 1856).
95. The two Thachers, both prominent Free-State men and residents of Lawrence,
were distantly related. Timothy Dwight Thacher (1831-1894) came to Kansas in 1857
and became one of the editors and proprietors of the Lawrence Republican. He was a
delegate to the Leavenworth constitutional convention in 1857-1858, a member of the
state legislature and served three terms as state printer. Solon O. Thacher (1830-1895)
came to Kansas in 1858, joined Timothy Dwight in editing the Republican and was a
member of the Wyandotte constitutional convention in 1859. He was a successful lawyer
and for several years a member of the state senate.
262 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
G Hazen A L Hazen J H Bushnell & Man'
E Jack, also bundle of papers, spent the evening reading my
letters & papers.
FRI 23.
Fine day. good breeze. Read some wrote 5 letters.
SAT 24
Warm, raind hard Last night. Read faithfully all day.
SUN 25.
Good Cool breeze, rain in evening. Read all day.
MON 26
Warm Read made some Ague medicine, got pretty
well boozed on Lager, the saloon opened to-day.
TEUS 27
Pleasant rain in the evening. Read played chess &
Eucher.
WED 28
Rain this morning also in the eve. Read some wrote a
letter to G Hazen, recieved one from W D Clark, had
sulky ride to day.
THURS 29
Very warm & sultry. Fixed up and started in a sulky with Lot
of Ague medicine to retail & sell, got along very well untill
noon reached Wachers took diner Left some medi-
cine there & left for Kansas Center, 96 passed through some
fine Country, stopped at several houses talked few min-
utes, passed on to Watterloo, stopped at Mickles & Slept in hay
mow. 97
FRI 30
Beautiful all day, but very warm. Got up bright & early &
started towards Emporia drove two miles & stopped at
Duck Creek & took breakfast at Mr Phillips, 98 then on
reached the Neosho settlement and commenced offering
my medicine for sale traveled round from house to house all
day. found a great many sick, got upset & sulky broke
crossing Dow Creek, followed Dow Creek up to near its head
96. Kansas Center, in present northern Lyon county, was located at the junction of the
Santa Fe road and 142 creek, probably at or near the site of present Allen.
97. Waterloo, present Lyon county, sometimes called Quincy, was situated in sec. 7,
T. 17 S., R. 13 E., southeast of Kansas Center and about halfway between Burlingame
and Emporia. William H. Mickel, a trader, is listed in the 1860 census as a resident of
Waterloo township, Lyon county.
98. Oliver Phillips took a claim on 142 creek in 1855 and in 1857 moved to the loca-
tion on Duck creek. Jacob Stotler, "History of Lyon County, Kansas," in An Illustrated
Historical Atlas of Lyon County, Kansas, by Edwards Brothers (Philadelphia, 1878), p. 6.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 263
then turned down and came on north side of creek two
miles, stayed all night.
NEOSHO
SAT 31
Warm with good breeze. Got up early & started on made
two or three calls, stoped at side of house & eat breakfast on
bread & onion. Then on down Dow Creek to its Junction
with Neosho then up Allen Creek, sold $5,00 worth of
medicine, stopped at a house & took diner, After which
Crossed Allen Creek & wandered up the Neosho, Came to
Americus stoped few minutes then on out to Cros-
keys " introduced myself talked few minutes then on
to where I found an unocupied cabin went in took pos-
sesion & slept in it all night.
AUGUST [1858]
SUN 1
Showery all day very heavy rain in evening Left my
camping place early & drove on about three miles when it com-
menced raining stopped at a cabin, stayed till the rain
stoped got breakfast, then on, towards Duck Creek, made
several calls, Crossed rock Creek & went up the West side of
it. stoped at the house of a Kentuckian & got diner of corn
soup. Left that and on to Santafee road, Stoped at [Ingra-
ham] Baker & left some medicine there then on west to
Council Grove, got very wet on the way stopped at S[eth]
M Hays & stayed all night.
[COTTONWOOD]
MON 2
Showery sometimes very hot. Left the Grove & drove to
Diamond springs on Cotton wood. 100 Left some medicine at Mr
Harris, took diner of buffalo toungue & crackers, drove on down
the Cotton wood, several mile stopped all-night at a bach-
elors cabin.
TEUS 3
Fine but rather too warm. On down the Cottonwood stop-
ping at houses, stoped few minutes at Toledo. 101 took diner
99. Robert Croskey was a fanner living in Americus township, according to the 1860
census.
100. This was four miles north of present Diamond Springs, Morris county, which is
17 miles southwest of Council Grove. The branch of the Cottonwood referred to is now
called Diamond creek.
Fall 101 ' Toled was "* P resent northeastern Chase county, 11 miles east of Cottonwood
264 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
with a man named Beaver, reached Empori[a] about sun-
down, stopped at the Emporia house, stayed all night.
WED 4
Fine all day. Started for Burlingame, got to the Neosho
could not get accross. Lay up all day waiting for it to fall.
Slept on the ground at night & fought musquitoes.
THURS 5
Fine all day. Crossed the river this morning, and home, ar-
rived about 6 oClock.
FRI 6
Fine & warm, good breeze. Wrote a long account of my trip
to O G Hazen, mended up my harness.
SANTAFEE ROAD
SAT 7
Warm but good south breeze. Started this morning for Kansas
city drove all day got to black-jack Camped there
& fought Musquitoes all night.
SUN 8.
Very hot & sultry. Drove on broke my sulky. Camped
near the Baptist mission.
MON 9
Hot hot hot. all day. Drove on to Westport stoped
and got my sulky fixed then on to Kansas city bought
bill of drugs, & turned back homwards got out to Baptist
mision camped all night.
TEUSDAY 10
Very very Hot, Started very early and drove to Bry-
ants, Camped.
[BURLINGAME]
WED 11
Dry & hot sultr[y]. Drove home this morning, about 10
oClock, recieved a letter from A L Hazen.
THURS 12.
Warm & Sultry. Prepared medicine for starting out again.
Slept in Bothels store room. 102
FRI 13
Very warm & sultry. Prepared medicine some wrote two
letters one to G Hazen & one to Wm Stewart
102. In 1857 A. R. and James Bothel had erected a small building on Santa Fe ave-
nue, in Burlingame, where they operated a stoie. A. T. Andreas and W. G. Cutler, His-
tory of the State of Kansas (Chicago, 1883), p. 1533.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 265
read some medicine, fidled over at Brattons in evening.
SAT 14
Thunder Lightning & little rain. Read some, was sick in
forenoon.
SUN 15.
Good breeze pleasant. Wrote read & slept.
MON 16
Very warm. Sick Last night & this fornoon, Loafed & read
in afternoon.
TUSDAY 17
Very warm & sult[r]y. Prepared for starting away, read some.
WED 18
Very warm & sultry. Read wrote a letter to G Hazen
recieved two one from G Hazen & one from J. H.
Bushnell.
[NEOSHO]
THURS 19
Pleasant in the morning very warm through the day. Left
home this morning for the Neosho stopped at Mickles for
diner then on, reached Emporia about 6 oClock.
Stopped short time then on to Cottonwood crossed &
stopped all night at an unoccupied house, musquitoes very
bad.
FBI 20
Very fine good breeze all day. Recrossed the Cotton-wood
and went to junction of Neosho crossed and followed down
the Neosho on north side, took diner with a settler, made
number calls stopped at an unoccupied house, wrote some
to G. H[azen] Slept there all night.
SAT 21
Very fine day. Started out early this morning, traveled steady
all day, made several calls, passed through Ottumwa For-
est Hill & Florence. 103 Stopped at the house of a man
named [Henry] Fry stayed all night.
SUNDAY 22
Rainy all day. Stayed at Frys all day read & wrote.
103. Forest Hill and Florence were in present Lyon county, seven and 10 miles re-
spectively southeast of Emporia. Forest Hill was at the junction of the Neosho and Cot-
tonwood rivers. Florence is present Neosho Rapids. Ottumwa is in Coffey county about
six miles northwest of Burlington.
266 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
[COTTON WOOD]
MON 23
More or less rain. Left about 10 oClock for Burlington,
reached it about twelve attended to my bussiness and
turned back toward the cotton-wood, traveled all afternoon in
the rain. Stoped at a house in the evening and stayed all night,
set up through the night and gave medicine to a sick man,
wrote some read some
"Honi soit qui mali pense." 104
TEUS 24
Clouds & sun alternate. Drove on through Emporia, crossed
the Neosho at Florence and came up the South side. Stopped
at Mr Eckenberrys over night. 105
WED 25
Pleasant through the day, shower of rain & some hail in the
evening. Passed through Plymouth Toledo and Dia-
mond springs camped on prairie.
THURS 26
Fine through the day heavy wind storm and shower of
rain in evening. Traveled on passed Council Grove
stopped and took diner at Ingraham Bakers on Rock
Creek then on to Worthington [Withington] up [1]42
creek 106 stayed there all night.
[BURLINGAME]
FRI27
Cool north wind. Drove on home this morning, recieved three
letters & some papers, wrote to G H[azen] history of my
trip.
SAT 28
Cool all day. Wrote read Loafed round &C.
SUN 29
Fine all day. Rode up to Dr [Samuel] Shunks in the morn-
ing talked a while with the Dr. back home read &C.
balance of the day.
104. Honi soit qui mal y pense, ''Evil be to him who thinks evil," the motto of the Order
of the Garter, oldest and most illustrious of the British orders of knighthood.
105. William H. Eikenbery homesteaded on the Cottonwood, west of Emporia, in 1855.
Stotler, "History of Lyon County," loc. cit., p. 5.
106. Charles H. Withington was the oldest settler in Lyon county. He established him-
self at present Allen, on the Santa Fe road and 142 creek, in June, 1854, having first come to
Kansas in 1846, and his store was the headquarters for all immigrants in that part of the
Neosho valley. Ibid.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 267
MON 30
Cool breeze. Mixed medicine made pills read in Bed-
fords disease of weoman & children. 107
[LECOMPTON]
TEUS 31
A little rain but generally pleasant through the day. Started
this morning for Lecompton to attend Law suit, traveled all
day arrived at dark. Stopped at National hotel,
SEPTEMBER [1858]
WED 1
Fine and warm. Attended the Law suit between Mr Canniff &
Old Polly. Left National Hotel this morning and put up at
American house. Had good deal Lager to-day.
THUR 2
Cloudy & Cool. Lay round all day, attending trial.
FRi3
Cool morning warm afternoon. Read Loafed &C all day.
SAT 4
Cool morning warm day. Read & attended Law suit.
SUN 5
High wind Read CYClopedia of practical medicen 108
MON 6
High wind & dusty. Read principal part of the day. Had good
mess of green apples & peaches to-day. had thoughts of
going to the gold mines, 109 played Whist in the evening.
TEUS 7
Windy in forenoon, rainy in the afternoon and night. Left
Lecompton about noon for home, traveled on in the rain
untill dark stoped at a white house on the Prarie but
could not get Lodging part of our party stoped in the
wagon, I and two others went into the house and lay down on
the floor and put over the night uncomfortably.
107. Gunning S. Bedford, M. D. (1806-1870), professor of midwifery, etc., in the Univer-
sity of New York, was the author of Clinical Lectures on the Diseases of Women and Children
(New York, 1855).
108. The Cyclopaedia of Practical Medicine, edited by Drs. Robley Dunglison, Sir John
Forbes, John Conolly and Alexander Tweedie (revised edition, Philadelphia, 1845).
109. Hundreds of persons from Kansas and other states and territories were drawn to
Pike's Peak and the Rocky Mountains by the "gold rush." It had developed to such pro-
portions in 1858 that G. W. Brown, editor of the Herald of Freedom, commented on October
9: "Almost every border paper we take up, notices the departure of large companies for
Pike's Peak in search of gold. . . ." He later remarked that "not less than 1,000 persons
will winter in the vicinity of Pike's Peak the coming winter, and it is possible the number will
equal 1,500 or 2,000. . . ." The Herald of Freedom later had its own "Special Corre-
spondent From the Gold Mines," and its columns were filled with news from the sold fields
during the early months of 1859. Herald of Freedom, Lawrence, October 9, 23, 30, 1858;
January 22 et passim, 1859.
268 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
BURLINGAME
WED 8
Cloudy & Cool all day. Started off this morning, very
early, drove to Dr Woods stopped and took break-
fast then on reached home about noon, Read slept
eat melon &C. ballance of the day.
THURS 9
Fine day. cool morning & even. Read Loafed &C.
FRI 10
Pleasant Went up in the morning to Mcdonalds Claim with
Row Bothel. dug some potatoes got Load of wood re-
turned me[nde]d Dr Sheldons harness. Read wrote a
letter No 13 to 0. G. Hazen
SAT 11
Fine with good breeze. Read Meigs no all day.
SUN 12
Fine all day. Read and wrote letter to 0. G. Hazen.
MON 13
Fine & pleasant. Read Meigs all day played Eucher in the
evening.
TEUS 14
Pleasant through the day heavy rain & hail storm in eve-
ning. Read all day.
WED 15
Very fine day, mudy in morning. Read through the day
drove out to Bryants in the Sulky in the evening and got
some melons.
THURS 16
Cool morning & warm day. Read some received 4 letters,
wrote two one from G Hazen [wrote] Coz Mollie
Thorn [wrote] Mary E Jack & J T M'millen.
FRI 17
Fine & warm & dry. Read all day played whist in evening.
SAT 18
Very warm but good south breeze. Read in forenoon at-
tended trial at Squire Lords in afternoon between Bethels' &
Polly, attended meeting at school house in evening to nomi-
nate Delegates to county convention was nominated as one
myself.
110. Charles D. Meigs, M. D. (1792-1869), was the author of Obstetrics: the Science and
the Art (first published in 1849), and other medical works.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 269
SUN 19
Very fine Read went to the woods in the evening and got
Lot of Paw paws.
MON 20
Fine all day. Read Bedford all day.
TEUS 21
Fine all day Read all day.
BROWNVILLE
WED 22
Beautiful all day. Dressed up this morning in my Sunday
goods & started in the Sulkey for Brownsville, had fine ride.
Reacthe it before noon, was Delegate to Convention, the
Convention was Called to order before diner, Comittee on Cre-
dentials was appointed, I was Chairman, we met, received
Credentials & ajourned for diner reassembled in afternoon,
wrangled and quarled all afternoon, did not get through till
midnight, started home and after a fine moon light ride of
two hours arrived at home went to bed. Saw Mattie Boyce
at Brownville sparked her some.
BURLINGAME
THURS 23
Very fine all day. Read Bedford all day.
FBI 24
Fine. Read Bedford wrote a letter to G Hazen No
14. Also one to Sankey.
SAT 25
Fine Read in forenoon attended Caucus meeting at
school house in the evening had good time thence over to
Pollys called him out of bed & groaned for him, then to
Beer Saloon got on bender sernaded yelled fiddled
& played Eucher till two[?] oClock, hell of a time.
SUN 26
Stiff south breeze. Atended Church wrote a letter to G
Hazen.
MON 27
Fine day Read Druit on Surgery. 111
TEUS 28
Warm good south breeze. Read Druit wrote some.
111. The Principles and Practice of Modern Surgery, by Robert Druitt (1814-1883), was
first published in Philadelphia in 1842.
270 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED 29
Fine & warm good breeze. Read took walk up to Mc-
donalds back received 2 letters in evening, one from G
Hazen & one A L H[azen].
THUR 30
Very warm. Wrote a letter to G Hazen No 16. Read
Druit.
OCTOBER [1858]
FBI 1
Fine with south breeze. Read in forenoon sat on jury in
afternoon on case between Shirtfiff [Alonzo H. Shurtleff] &
[Frederick] Farley at squire Drews.
SAT 2
Very warm and high wind. Read all day.
SUN 3
High wind all day but warm Read nearly all day.
[LECOMPTON]
MON 4
Cloudy in forenoon clear in afternoon This is election
day Voted for Gfeorge] W Holmens for Representative
& Started for Lecompton to attend Law suit traveled all day
and arrived at Lecompton after dark Stopped at Am [erican]
hotel Dr Brooke. 112
TEUS 5
Windy but fine, Lay round all day reading.
WED 6
Very windy. Lay round reading Loafing &C.
THURS 7
A little frost on the bottoms this morn first this fall. Loafed
round was witness before Grand Jury. Ball at Dr. Brooks
this evening.
FBI 8.
Pleasant & warm. Left for home to-day without our trial hav-
ing come on, arrived at home about 8 oClock at night, got
letter from G Hazen. took supper at Brattons.
BURLINGAME
SAT 9
Pleasant but windy. Mixed up medicine & made pills
112. B. C. Brooke was proprietor of the American Hotel at Lecompton.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 271
SUN 10
Cold & rainy. Wrote a letter No 17 to G Hazen.
Read some.
MON 11
Cloudy in forenoon, clear and pleasant in afternoon. Made
pills and prepared for a trip down Neosho.
[COTTONWOOD]
TEUS 12
Cold in forenoon warm in afternoon Started this morning
for a trip down Cotton-wood & Neosho Stopped in the
evening and Stayed all night at Withingtons on 142 creek
santafee road.
WED 13
Cold in morning warm in afternoon. Traveled all day and
reached Middle Creek after dark and Stopped over night with
Mr Boggs an old Bachelor.
THUR 14
Clear with Strong breeze. Left Boggs & drove back as far as
Harris' stopped short time then on down the Cotton-
wood, Stopped at Toledo two or three hours then down to
Mr Eckinberries, stoped there short time, on tried to get
stopping over night at several places but failed to do so untill
10 oClock at night then stopped at a mans house by the
name of McFadden stayed all night.
NEOSHO
FRI15
Started on early reached and stopped few minutes at Em-
poria. Then on to Forrest hill, thence to Florence
thence to Ottumwa Stopped few minutes thence to
Mr Frys. Stopped all night.
SAT 16
Very windy. Went to Burlingington then turned back and
traveled hard all day reached Forrest-hill Stopped at hotel
all night.
SUN 17
Very Windy. Started for home this morn Stopped for diner
at Mickles of Waterloo thence to Kansas Center thence
home, arrived about five oClock in evening.
272 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
BURLINGAME
MON 18
Pleasant to-day, but mudy. Tremendous heavy rain Last night.
Worked at School house. Played Eucher in the evening.
TEUS 19
Pleasant all day. Worked all day for Row & Jim Bothel.
WED 20
Very fine day. Worked in forenoon for Bothels. Recieved three
letters one from Molly Jack & two from G Hazen.
wrote one No 18 to Hazen.
THURS 21
fine day. Worked for the Bothels. Read in the evening, fid-
dled some and had few glasses Lager beer.
FRI 22
Fine day. Worked some at School house in forenoon. Read &
slept in afternoon.
SAT 23
Cloudy and a little rain. Read settled with [Thomas'!
Playford went up to Dr Shunks and settled with him
back home.
SUN 24
Very heavy rain Last night, rained all day to-day. Read
wrote &C.
MON 25
Cloudy and misty. Started this morning for Lecompton trav-
eled till noon took diner at Dr Woods then on till
dark stoped and stayed over night at Judge Roberts.
LECOMPTON
TEUS 26
Rainy and mudy. Arrived at Lecompton this morning about 11
oClock stopped at American hotel, stayed there all day and
all night, read Anatomy some.
WED 27
Mudy and rain. Started for home about one oClock waded
through water and mud until dark arrived at Judge Rob-
erts' stayed there all night.
THURS 28
Cloudy but no rain. Started on homewards, reached the Waka-
rusa about 2 oClock had to camp and Lay there till the river
fell sufficient to let us ford it.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 273
BURLINGAME
FRI 29
Still Cloudy. Crossed the Wakarusa this morn took breakfast
at Dr Woods, then on home arrived about 11 oClock.
wrote a Letter No 19 to O G Hazen. recieved one from
same.
SAT 30
Very fine day. Cut wood in forenoon, read & loafed in after-
noon.
SUN 31
Rained hard Last night Rainy all day very high water
higher than ever known here. Read medicine up in Dr Shel-
dons new office.
NOVEMBER [1858]
MON 1
Cloudy and rany mudy. Read Neil & Smith. 113
TEUS 2
Cold & Cloudy. Read all day.
WED 3
Damp & cold. Read Neil & Smith.
THURS 4
Cold north wind. Read all day.
FRI 5
Cold and raw. Read all day.
SAT 6
Rather pleasant. Read all day.
SUN 7
Cold and snow storm first snow this fall, Read all day.
MON 8
Cold & raw. Read through the day, attended Lyceum at night.
TEUS 9
Cold and raw. Read call at Denisons in the evening and
had some fun fighting cats.
WED 10
Cold and raw. Read some wrote some.
THUR 11
Cold and disagreeable. Wrote some on debate, fidled read
113. Drs. John Neill (1819-1880) and Francis Gurney Smith (1818-1878) collaborated In
writing a series of handbooks on chemistry, materia medica and therapeutics, anatomy, sur-
gery, obstetrics, physiology, and the practice of medicine.
187079
274 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FRI 12
Cold north wind, heave [heavy] snow storm, read some
loafed by fire.
SAT13
Clear in forenoon cold in afternoon. Read all day. Anat-
omy.
SUN 14
Rather raw. Read all day Anatomy.
MON 15
Cold hard frost last night. Read as usual.
TEUS 16
Clear and sunny but cool. Read as usual.
WED 17
Real cold, but sunny. Read as usual.
THUR 18
The coldest day since last winter. Wrote a letter No 20 to
0. G. Hazen. Read &C.
FRI 19
Some sun but still cool. Read and wrote.
SAT 20
Rather pleasant, snowing. Went out hunting in forenoon, wrote
letter in afternoon. Read some.
SUN 21
Three inches snow on the ground, Soft and thawing some.
Wrote letter for Miss Bell Crawford. Read in afternoon.
MON 22
Soft snow still on ground. Read Drapers Physiology, at-
tended Lyceum in evening.
TEUS 23
Cold snow on the ground. Wrote some read Physiology.
WED 24
Still rather cold. Read wrote a letter to 0. G. Hfazen]
No 21.
THURS 25
Variable still cool, but changing Read Physiology.
FRI 26
Little rain south wind. Worked at laying down floor in
my house sold to Mcdonald some time ago.
SAT 27
More moderate. Read Draper's Physiology.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 275
SUN 28
Rather cold and raw. Went up to Wilmington with three
others in a wagon, stopped at Havana and got some brandy
got. pretty well set-up. Got the mail for Burlingame at
Wilmington, 114 came home in the evening.
MON 29
Little snow clear in afternoon. Sick in bed all day, at-
tended Lyceum at night.
TEUS 30
Sunny & pleasant, helped Row Bothel haul wood in fore part
the day. wrote & read in afternoon & evening.
DECEMBER [1858]
WED 1st
Little rain windy. Finished reading Physiology and Com-
menced Materia Medica.
THURS 2
Strong north wind growing cold. Read as usual, all day.
FRi3
Two or three inches snow on the ground. The coldest day this
fall. Read Materia Medica.
SAT 4
Very Cold & windy. Snowed some this afternoon. Read all
day.
SUN 5
Sunny 4 inches snow on ground. Read all day.
MON 6
Cloudy moderating some. Read wrote some.
TEUS 7
Very Cold & frosty. Read all day.
WED 8
Murcury 13 below zero. Read recieved a letter from 0. G.
Hazen answered it No 22.
THUR 9
Sunny but still cool. Read all day
FRilO
Sunny pleasant south breeze. Took sleigh ride with
Dr Sheldon this morning down to Superior, and back
Read had venison for dinner. Wrote some.
114. Wilmington was in the southeast corner of present Wabaunsee county. Havana was
on the Santa Fe trail, about half way between Burlingame and Wilmington.
276 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 11
Suny thawing. Read all day.
SUN 12
Rainy this morning, mudy. Read &C all day.
MON 13
Cold in morning more moderate in the afternoon. Went up
to Cemetary with Rowe Bothel to dig grave for [A.] fetherlys
child did so returned read.
TEUS 14
Moderate. Read all day Bedford.
WED 15
Very fine day soft. Read faithfully all day.
THURS 16
Very warm & fine. Read Bedford all day had meeting at
night in school house to organize night school.
FRI 17
Pleasant soft. Read finished Bedford.
SAT 18
Pleasant Read all day.
SUN 19
Cloudy, threatning change of weather. Read some, wrote
some, made few calls.
[LECOMPTON]
MON 20
Cloudy damp. Got up this morning at three oClock, eat
breakfast at Brattons. Started with Schuyler & Canniff to go
to Lecompton as witness on Law suit, traveled all day in
mud. arrived at destination after dark. Stoped at Dr. Brook's
Am[erican] hotel.
TEUS 21.
Threatned rain thawing. Lay around all day reading papers,
Love yarns &C.
WED 22
Pleasant, muddy. The trial was commenced to-day. I at-
tended it was held in the Receivers office.
THURS 23
Fine day. Loafed around reading list [en] ing to trial
&C. all day.
FRI 24
Fine. Attended trial.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 277
SAT 25
Christmas. Fine day. Read all day.
SUN 26
Threatned rain. dident do it tho. Read, maid of Monterey.
MON 27
Damp. Was examined as witness this forenoon, the trial was
ended to-day.
TEUS 28
Cloudy and damp Started for home early had a hard
trip, did not get home stoped at some strangers house on
Wakarusa.
BURLINGAME
WED 29
Foggy in morning. Clear and pleasant through the day. Started
on home arrived about 9 oClock. Read fiddled, wrote a
letter to O G Hazen No 23 received one from same.
THURS 30
Pleasant street dry. Read fiddled &C.
FRI 31
Fine very fine all day. Read some wrote some
raffled some fiddled some, slept some, attended Bachelors
festival at night, had good time, danced nearly alnight.
NEW YEARS DAY [1859]
SAT 1.
Beautiful all day. Read principal part of the day.
SUN 2
A most beautiful day. Read all day.
MON 3
A most beautiful day. Read Meigs all day attended Ly-
ceum at night.
TEUS 4
Beautiful south breeze. Helped haul wood for our family
in forenoon, attended Taffy party at Geo Hoovers in the eve-
ning, had good time.
WED 5
Pleasant through the day North wind in evening. Read
wrote a letter to 0. G. Haz[en]
THURS 6
Very cold blustery &c and some snow. Read some Lay
round the fire.
278 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FBI 7
Cold all day. Read Meigs obstetrics.
SAT 8
More moderate. Went out to Mcdonalds claim and helped sur-
vey a line from one corner to another of same, Stopped few
minutes at Howards. Read in afternoon.
SUN 9
Very pleasant, snow melting. Read wrote some.
MON 10
Fine day. Bought some lumber this morning and prepared to
fix my house, read some in Druit attended Lyceum.
TEUS 11
Pleasant but threatning rain. Worked some at house read
some.
WED 12
Stiff south breeze. Worked at house through the day
Wrote a letter No 25 to G Hazen.
THURS 13
Little rain south wind. Worked at house received letter
from Wm Scott.
FRI 14
Cold north wind little Snow some drops of rain. Read
Druit on Surgery.
SAT 15
Cool in morning more pleasant through the day cool in
evening. Worked at house, read Druit in the evening.
SUN 16
Beautiful. Read wrote &C. all day.
MON 17
Beautiful. Worked at my house, read some.
TEUS 18
Beautiful. Loafed round doing nothing most the day, attended
party at night at Dr Sheldons, had pleasant time.
WED 19
High south wind but clear Read wrote some Took
a ride down to Superior visited the school.
THURS 20
Strong south breeze. Read all day.
FRI 21
Somewhat cold but pleasant Read wrote some attended
a dance at Smiths in the evening.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 279
SAT 22
Cold as blazes. Read all day had a little dance at Brat-
tons in the evening.
SUN 23
More pleasant. Read nearly all day wrote some.
MON 24
Fine day. Sick in bed in foorenoon. Read in afternoon at-
tended Lyceum at night.
TEUS 25
A most lovely day. Read as usual Druit.
WED 26
Cloudy hard rain in the night. Helped to haul wood in
forenoon Read wrote letter in afternoon.
THURS 27
Mudy clearing off. Read all day attended party at
[J. L.] Dodges in evening.
FRI 28
Cold and windy. Read Thayer on Infidelity. 115
SAT 29
Pleasant. Cut fi[rew]ood for [W. P.?] Deming in forenoon
Read in afternoon, attended a very interesting meeting,
of the Temperance League in evening.
SUN 30
Rather cold. Read Druit finished it.
MON 31
Strong south wind. Worked all day, siding up my house, at-
tended Lyceum in the evening had good meeting.
FEBRU[A]RY [1859]
TEUS 1
Beautiful all day. Finished house today. Read some, in "Pro
& Con," or Universalism confirmed.
WED 2
Very Cold and windy. Read all day Pro & con of univer-
salism.
THURS 3
Pleasant all day, cold at night. Read wrote received two
letters on[e] from G Hazen one from M E Jack.,
sent one to G Hazen.
115. Thomas Baldwin Thayer (1812-1886) was a Universalist minister. His Christianity
vs. Infidelity was first published at Boston in 1836.
280 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FRI 4
Cold & Windy. Read Chemistry Drapers.
SAT 5
Cold & Windy. Read wrote some.
SUN 6
Cold & Windy. Read Drapers Chemistry.
MON 7
Rather cold, pleasant in eve. Read Chemistry, attended Ly-
ceum in the evening, was made President.
TEUS 8
Cold raw wind. Read all day.
WED 9
Little more moderate. Read wrote two letters, one to
0. G Hazen No. 27[?] & one to C F McKillip. re-
ceived one from McKillip. not well to-day.
THURS 10
Raw & Cold. Read & wrote.
FRI 11
Very cold windy & snow. Sat by fire & read all day.
SAT 12
Sunny & pleasant but rather cool. Helped haul wood in fore-
noon, Read in evening.
SUN 13
Pleasant stiff breeze. Read Woods Practice of Medicine. 116
MON 14
Very fine all day. Worked at piling up some Lumber in fore-
noon Read in afternoon.
TEUS 15
Beautiful day. Started off this morning on horse back for the
Neosho Country, Reacthed Waterloo at noon took diner
at Mickles then on to Forest hill attended to some
buisiness there then on down the Neosho to Florence
crossed the River and stoped at a farmers house all night.
WED 16
Beautiful Cloudy & little rain in the evening & after dark.
Started on early this morning reached Ottumwa about ten
oClock, remained there untill twelve then turned to-
wards home traveled eight miles stoped at a house and
got dinner & horse fed then on across the Sac & fox re-
116. George Bacon Wood. M. D. (1797-1879), was the author of A Treatise on the Prac-
tice of Medicine, first published in 1847.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 281
serve traveled on untill dark, got lost wandered round
an hour or two got on the road again reached home
about SOClock at night having rode about fifty miles, got
my Supper & went to bed.
THURS 17
Beautiful all day. Wrote four letters one to Uncle Stewart
[one to] O G Hazen No [28?] [one to] Lizzy
Harsh [one to] Molly Jack.
FRI 18
Cloudy in forenoon but fine in after Read some at-
tended Law suit between Dr Shunk & Henry Smith Shaved
my whiskers off Attended large party at Henry Smiths at
night danced "heap" had good time got home about
one OClock.
SAT 19
Cloudy & windy. Feel rather slim to-day Read some
wrote some slept some.
SUN 20
Beautiful day Read Woods Practice. Attended Church in the
evening.
MON21
Fine day. Read through the day. attended Church in the eve-
ning.
TEUS 22
Fine also. Read & Loafed round some.
WED 23
Fine but strong south wind. Sold some lumber & got some
filthy lucre Read medicine
THURS 24
Rainy slowly all day. Read all day played Eucher in even.
FRI 25
Clear with high wind, not bad. Read wrote some.
SAT 26
Very fine day. Read in forenoon went after a load of wood
in afternoon, attended a lecture on Astronomy in evening
took Carrie Paddock to & home again
SUN 27
Fine day little cool in evening. Read wrote some.
MON 28
Clear with high east wind. Attended to having my house
painted to-day.
282 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MARCH [1859]
TEUS 1
Warm with high south wind rained in the night. Read &c
through the day.
WED 2
Mudy some little rain. Read & loafed have notion of
going to Pikes Peak this spring, think I must do so. 117
THURS 3
Read some went up to Luciari Fishs to look at pair of
steers with a view of buying them for the Gold mines,
Back home played Eucher in evening.
FRi4
Beautiful day. Had my house painted second coat
Read in evening.
SAT 5
Pleasant through the day heavy rain at night. Read
through the day called to see Carrie Paddock at night.
SUN 6
Rainy nearly all day. In bed most the day
MON 7
Cloudy & muddy. Read medicine Played Eucher at night.
TEUS 8
Mudy but clear Read all day played Eucher in even
WED 9
Very fine & drying. Read all day.
THURS 10
Warm with high south wind. Read some Loafed round
some, wrote some fiddled some & thought good deal about
Pikes Peak.
FRI 11
Beautiful some wind. Loafed round good deal strong
notion of going to the Gold mines this spring, read some
attended public meeting at night, to hear report of dele-
gates to Topeka had heaps of fun & excitement. "Spotted"
[Dr.] S A Fairchild & A Polly.
SAT 12
Beautiful all day. Worked a little in morning at bridge on
Topeka street. Loafed round some read some attended
meeting of temperance League in the evening, had good enter-
tainment.
117. See Footnote 109.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 283
SUN 13
Clear & sunny with strong south wind. Read wrote
some had good deal of thinking about the Gold mines
took a walk in the afternoon up to Wrights back
home read.
MON 14
Tremendous wind from N. W. Calmed down in evening, beau-
tiful at night. Read all day. At night, attended meeting of
Lyceum & heard lecture on "Japan" by Rev. Cordly. 118
TEUS 15
Calm Clear & pleasant. Read & Loafed round
WED 16
Very pleasant, some south wind. Read some attended Post-
office, bought a Yoke of Cattle & waggon preparatory to going
to Pikes-Peak.
THURS 17
Cold north wind little rain. Read all day.
FRI 18
Strong breeze but clear & sunny. Cut wood in forenoon
Read in afternoon.
SAT 19
Very fine south breeze. Read some wrote some
Loafed round good deal.
SUN 20
Clear & sunny high wind in the evening. Read all day
MON 21
Beautiful all day. Read Loafed fiddled &C. took
"Crazy Kate over to Rice'[s] in the eve.
TEUS 22
Beautiful all day, flowers begin to dot the praries. Read
fiddled Loafed drank Lager played Eucher &C all
day. received a letter after night from Cousin Mollie Gailie.
WED 23
Beautiful all day. Read Went down to Superior in the
evening to church home about ten oClock.
THURS 24
Very fine some south wind. Read some Loafed some,
dressed up and went to Jim Bush's in the evening and saw Jim
Bothel & Julia Putnam get Married took tea there. Called
118. Dr. Richard Cordley (1829-1904), pastor of the Plymouth Congregational Church in
Lawrence, 1857-1875 and 1884-1904.
284 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
to see the Deming family after night. Wrote letter in forenoon
to Cousin Mollie Gailie bought medicine & Chest from S
A Fairchild. The boys gave Jim & Julia a great surnading
Several adventure [r]s to the gold mines passed through town
today. The Deer tounges are dotting the Praries already.
FRI 25
Very fine. Calm. Read Loafed round &C.
SAT 26
Very fine calm warm. Read Lofed &C. Wrote some
slept.
SUN 27
Rather cloudy pleasant. Read took a walk in the eve-
ning over to Rice's with [F. W.?] Mitchel[l], had good time
with Kate & Agnes [Barcomb?], swinging &C came back
home after dark, stoped at school house and stayed for
prayer meeting then down to the Saloon had a "fast"
time for an hour or two.
MON 28
Cold & snowey very windy quite a ski ft of snow. Read
most the day had a Lager Beer party at Denisons after
night got home about midnight.
TEUS 29
Clear but rather cool. Read some sold my watch to Judge
Schulyer.
WED 30
Pleasant sunny. Read wrote played Eucher, fiddled
&C.
THURS 31
Clear & pleasant. Read some Loafed round good deal,
made arrangements with Mr Wright to go to pikes peak to-
gether, determined to go. "Heap" people passing to day on
their way to the Gold mines.
APRIL [1859]
FRI 1
Pleasant rain after night Read finished reading Woods
Practice of Medicine. Loafed round played Eucher &C.
SAT 2
Little muddy pleasant. Read some Loafed &C.
SUN 3
Rather cold & cheerless. Wrote mended Clothes Read
&C.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 285
MON 4
Clear & pleasant cool in evening. Loafed round in idleness
all day, attended lecture of Mr Shurtleff at School house in
the evening.
TEUS 5
Cool wind. Loafed round all day, doing nothing. Read Pope
in the evening.
WED 6
Very fine & warm with good breeze. Took walk up to Wm
Curtiss', to buy some meat did not get any returned
stopped at Adaholts [F. W. Adenholt or W. F. Aderhold]
then on to [Moran] Beaches, stoped & took diner, sat &
talked awhile, then on home Loafed round ballance the day.
THURS 7.
Very fine, with high wind. Received letter from Uncle Stew-
art, traded my fine coat to Fred Schuyler Loafed played
Eucher &C.
FRi8
Warm & pleasant, cool in evening. Got possession of my team
today. Read some, loafed &C.
SAT 9
Very warm, good breeze. Hauled load of wood, drank heap of
Lager beer.
SUN 10
Warm, fine shower of rain. Read most the day, wrote some.
MON 11
Beautiful growing day. Worked a while mixing medicines in
morning Loafed, read called on some Ladies &C in aft-
ernoon attended Church at night.
TEUS 12
Beautiful all day. Made pills nearly all day, attended Church
in the evening.
W T ED 13
Cold & stormy, just the other extreme of what yesterday was,
little snow fell. Read good deal, mixed up some medicine, re-
cieved a letter from G Hazen, answered it at night,
made up the mail, for J. Bothel.
THURS 14
Clear but cold Read some Loafed round attended
store for Bothels Called to see Miss Julia Rogers & Mattie
286 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Boyce, talked Long time with them. Got out my old diary
& read long time at it. attended Church at school house at
night.
FRI 15
Cool & raw, hard frost at night. Loafed good deal, got tight,
like a fool. Called to see Johny Denison at night. Received a
letter from Mary E. Jack.
SAT 16
Still cool & frosty. Read some Loafed round some. The
Boys had a revival at night
SUN 17
More pleasant but still cool. Read slept &C attended
church at night.
MON 18
Most beautiful day. Loafed read played Eucher, drank
Lager &C was at Church in evening. Had some good music
to-day by a brass band on the way to Pikes Peak Judge
Schuylers family arrived to-day.
TEUS 19
Beautiful all day. Read Meigs Obstetrics. Loafed &C.
WED 20
Beautiful threatning rain. Loafed played Eucher &C
all day.
THURS 21
Rained last night Cold, & blustery this morning, heavy
shower or Snow, cold all day. Sat by the fire reading all day.
FRI 22
Clear & pleasant but a little cool. Read most the day.
SAT 23
Very fine all day. Read some helped Bothels shell some
corn, attended meeting of Citizens to consult about the Liquor
Traffic, was Chosen Chairman of same.
SUN 24
Beautiful all day. Read most all day took a walk over to
Dr Kerrs in evening got into a job of hunting up a team
to take Mrs Kerr down to Cedar Creek, run round and suc-
ceded after a number of trials. Wrote some after night
also read in Obstetrics, took a walk over to Kerrs, home
again & to bed.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWABT 287
MON 25
Very fine all day. Read principally all day. Streames of
people rolling through to the Pikes Peak Gold mines.
TEUS 26
Very high wind but warm. Read Loafed round had
call from Ike Reno Glad to see him talked long time
with him.
WED 27
fine all day. Read some Loafed round some
THURS 28
Pleasant through the day, rainy after night. Worked at mak-
ing a waggon sheet.
FRI 29
Fine all day. Worked at my Waggon, fixing up &C.
SAT 30
Fine, very fine, grass growing. Worked at wagon, tended
store some for Bothel.
MAY [1859]
SUN 1
Rainy in forenoon. Clear & fine in afternoon. Read some
Slept some, wrote some, no profits to-day.
MON 2
Very wet Large hailstone. Made some prepereation for
starting to Missouri river with team, bought pair of boots &
some other things, attended Lyceum at night.
TEUS 3
Very fine and warm. Worked all day, hauling wood and getting
ready to start to Kansas [City].
WED 4
Very fine all day. Started for Kansas [City] in company of
Geo. Rogers & By Fairchild, traveled on and camped over
night at Rock creek.
SANTAFEE ROAD
THURS 5
Very fine day. Traveled on had good time, reached Black
Jack, camped there.
FRI 6.
Pleasant little rain in even. Traveled on all day, camped
on the east side Cedar Creek.
288 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 7
Some rain, but still pleasant. Pushed on & reached Kansas
City about 4 oClock in evening, hastened and got Loaded up
& out as far as M'Gees addition camped there Left Fair-
child.
SUN 8
Exceedingly warm, today Traveled about 16 miles to-day.
Camped near Indian Creek.
MON 9
Still very warm. Moved on, got as far as mail station east of
Bull creek, sick to-day.
TEUS 10
Not so warm to-day. Sick all day, moved on and reached
[illegible] camped.
WED 11
Little rain, not unpleasant. Reached Rock Creek, Camped,
took supper at Walters'
[BURLINGAME]
THUR 12
Cool & damp. Got home about five oClock, unloaded, worked
around a little, slept with Uncle Joe Mc[donald].
FRI 13
Very wet & muddy. Made a good deal of preperation for
Pikes Peak.
SAT 14
Still wet & muddy. Worked at fixing up wagon cover &C
for trip to the Peak. Settled up with Mcdonald & Thomas.
SUN 15
Fine day this. Painted waggon cover, made Lot of car-
tridges for Sharps rifle wrote a letter to G Hazen, also
some in diary.
MON 16
Rainy heavy storm, high water. Loafed round doing
Choirs, in getting ready for Pikes Peak.
TEUS 17
Beautiful all day but mudy. Packed up for traveling, &C.
WED 18
Fine & warm. Loafed round writing reading &C.
THURS 19
Pleasant Loaded up my waggon in company with Wright
to go to Pikes Peak, slept in waggon
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 289
FRi20
Fine day. Got every thing in readiness for the trip to the
mines.
[SANTA FE ROAD]
SAT 21
Shower in morning fine through ballance of day. Rolled out
this morning for the Gold mines. made about fifteen
miles have heavy Load took diner at Wilmington
stoped over night at Washers [?]
SUN 22
Very fine all day. roads drying off very fast. Moved on
Leasurely all day, got set in mud twice had to unload
once traveled about fifteen miles Camped on prarie on
west side of Bluff Creek. 119
MON 23
Very high wind to-day. Got on as far as Council Grove
Came up with a Large company of Missourians on the
way to Pikes Peak joined there company and traveled
with them till night camped all together on west side of
Neosho.
TEUS 24
Rather warm Started out with the rest rolled on all
day camped one mile & half west of Diamond springs.
WED 25
Rainy roads bad. One of our waggons turned back this
morning bad news from the mines spirits Low trav-
eled hard all day through mud and rain camped on prarie
east of Cotton wood.
THUR 26
Cold north wind all day & very dark and gloomy in forenoon.
Pressed on this morning through mud & cold reached Cot-
ton wood about noon, stoped there and Lay in camp ballance
of the day.
FRi27
Beautiful all day. Started on this morning Leaving most of
our company in camp soon met a very Large train return-
ing which threw shades over us all. prostrating high hopes,
& determined us to turn back, pressed on however a few
miles further to see and kill some buffalo reached "runing
119. In extreme northwest of present Lyon county.
197079
290 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
turk., stopped and shot some buffalo turned round for home,
camped on runing turkey.
SAT 28
Beautiful all day. Pressed on towards home this morning very
much cast down, heard nothing all [day] but bad news, thou-
sands returning from the outrageous humbug, built plans all
day for the future, think I shall go to Missouri made
good days drive.
SUN 29
Wet disagreeable, & muddy. Drove on this morning
through rain and after a very uncomfortable time reached elm
creek 7 miles west of Council Grove. Camped there.
MON 30
Very clear warm & fine. Roads very mudy, but drying
fast Lay up at elm creek untill afternoon, started on and
reached Neosho camped one mile west of Council Grove.
TEUS 31
Clear & fine but roads bad & rivers very full the Neosho
to full to cross. Had good camping quarte[r]s, and thought
best to stop where we were untill the streams run down. Lay
in camp all day, had visit from party of Kaw Indians.
JUNE [1859]
WED!
Very windy. Rolled out this morning crossed the Neosho
& made a streit Line for Burlingame. Camped on East side of
[1]42 Creek.
THURS 2
Very warm & fine. Pressed on Stopped at Wilmington for
diner then on stoped at Wrights claim, took tea at
Loyds, stayed there all night.
FRI 3
Fine day cool in evening. Divided our outfit this morning.
Went down to Burlingam[e]. Stopped at Uncle Mc[donald]s.
BURLINGAME
SAT 4
Very fine & warm Lay round all day doing nothing.
SUN 5
Fine & warm. Read some, slept some &C
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 291
MON 6
Warm & pleasant. Prepared for starting out on an adventure
Left my flour & meat in Uncle Me care
TEUS 7
Sun hot dusty Started out this morning with my oxen
& waggon for some other place of abode had [D. B. ?]
Mcdougal, his wife, & sister-in-law Mrs. Sullivan [?] & John
Espy with me, traveled on to Rock creek camped.
WED 8
Very warm good breeze Rolled on reached Black
Jack.
[N. B. Pages 97-100 of the diary are lacking.]
[MISSOURI]
TEUS 21
Very warm & sultry. Rolled on all day.
WED 22
Rained Last night. Warm but muddy to-day. Crossed the
sharidan [Chariton] on ferry boat.
THUR 23
Warm Rolled on passed through Bloomington county
seat of Macon Co. and on to near Macon City camped % a
mile north of town, took a walk up to the town in after-
noon Looked round & surveyed things generally bought
a hat & some other things returned to my waggon read
fiddled &C.
Fni24
Very hot all day. Lost my oxen, hunted for them good while,
found them in the evening, think I will go north to-morrow.
SAT 25
Damp in morning clear & fine in eve. Took a north Course
this morn traveled about 22 miles Camped near La-
plata a little town on the Line of North Mo r-r in
north part of Macon Co took walk into town in evening
bought some Crackers & Lager & returned to camp I
feel at a loss to-day to know where to go or what to do.
SUN 26
Very fine south breeze. Lay in camp nearly all day.
Started on in evening, went about four miles came to where
some men from Wisconsin were camped, and stopped with them.
292 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 27
Threatened rain Clear in evening. Rolled on all day
passed through Kirksville county seat of Adair County.
TEUS 28
Very strong south breeze. Rolled on passed through green
top & Lancaster County seat of Schuyler County.
WED 29
Very warm Traveled on nearly all day crossed the Line
into Iowa passed through Savanna.
[!OWA]
THURS 30
Warm in forenoon Cloudy in afternoon. Moved on north
think I shall go to Ottumwa passed through Bloom-
field County seat of Davis Co. Camped in timber.
JULY [1859]
FRI 1
Very warm & sultry. Pressed on, and about 10 OClock reached
the Desmoine river, opposite Ottumwa, County seat of Wapello
Co. Camped under a tree on the bottom. Washed up and
went over the river in afternoon Found my old friend Doc-
tor Douglass had a long talk with him re-crossed the
river and to my waggon.
SAT 2
Cool morning warm in evening. Left my waggon & oxen
this morn and crossed the Desmoine went up to Doc
Douglass' spent the forenoon with him took a walk up
on the Bluffs back of the town, drank some good Lager over
the river again to my waggon.
SUN 3
Quite Cool. Lay back slept, read, & fiddled, had a call
from Doc Douglass his brother Milt & Uncle Sam, took
a walk with them also a call from some strangers shot
two very Large white Pelicans in eve.
MON 4
Very cool this morning but warm in afternoon. Went over to
town this morning & up to Douglass's took walk, drank Lots
of Lager Went back over the Bluffs to witness sunday
school celebration returned to town and in after-
noon crossed the river and hitched up my team and turned
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 293
towards the south west, think I shall return to Burlin-
game. traveled six or eight miles and camped.
TEUSS
Cool morning warm evening. Traveled on passed
through Blakesburg. Camped near Moravia made at
Least 20 miles to-day.
WED 6
Cool morn but very hot day. Rolled on passed through
Centerville County seat of Apianoose [Appanoose] Co. a
very prety town also Bellair.
[MISSOURI]
THUR 7
Very hot all day. Rolled on passed through Genoa
Crossed the Line into Missouri Camped near St Johns.
FRi8
Very warm & Sultry. Rolled on passed through St
Johns overtook a family from Illinoise moving to Kan-
sas traveled with them.
SAT 9
Very very hot. Moved on passed through Wyreka
SUN 10
Still very warm. Passed through Trenton County seat of
Grundy Co. Crossed Grand river on ferry.
MON 11
Three very good showers today. Passed through James-
Port forded the West fork of Grand river & passed through
Galliton County seat of Decatur [Daviess] Co.
TEUS 12
Fine weather, roads muddy in morn Moved on south &
reached Cameron on H[annibal] & St Jo R-R Camped on
south side of R-R. Left my company of movers to-day.
WED 13
A little rain in morning Very hot in afternoon. Rolled on
south to Plattsburg County seat of Clinton Co, took the road
to Weston, camped near Plattsburg.
THURS 14.
The hotest day this sumer Traveled on slowly all day,
forded Platte river at Union mills.
FBI 15
Hotter than ever. Rolled on passed through Weston
Crossed Mo river on Ferry Lay up through the heat
294 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
of the day traveled on down through Fort Leavenworth &
Leavenworth City and three or four miles out on to the
Prarie, Camped.
KANSAS TER
SAT 16
Very warm but some breeze. Traveled on towards Law-
rence stoped through the hottest part of the day trav-
eled after night.
SUN 17
Exceedingly warm Moved on early reached Kansas
river about noon opposite Lawrence Stopped untill eve-
ning crossed on ferry passed through Lawrence
Camped on the way to Burlingame three or four miles out
of Lawrence.
MoNlS
Still very hot. On towards Burlingame as fast as possible, had
to lay up through the day.
TEUS 19
Hot as ever. Hurried on got to Burlingame late in the eve-
ning, glad to get back.
BURLINGAME
WED 20
Very sultry. Made calls to-day took diner with Bo-
thels comenced boarding at [J. B] Hubbels.
THURS 21
Warm some breeze. Helped Uncle Me to move a house in
forenoon Loafed in afternoon.
FRi22
Warm & sultry. Wrote half the day called to see & spend
the evening with Carrie Paddock.
SAT 23
Pleasant fine rain in evening. Went up to Havana with
Row [Bothel] after hay rig got home in evening.
SUN 24
Rainy Read slept &C all day.
MON 25
Heavy rain mudy. Read papers. Lay round doing nothing.
TEUS 26
Some rain in forenoon. Did but little.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 295
WED 27
Fine clear day. Loafed in forenoon went out to Mcdonalds
Claim in afternoon & cut some forks & poles for Shed.
THURS 28
Fine & warm. Went up with oxen & waggon after my forks &
poles in morning, attended store in afternoon for Me & Rowe.
FRi29
W T arm & good south breeze. Loafed some read some
Kept Store went up to Featherlys with Carrie Paddock
in the evening.
SAT 30
Clouds & sun bored holes for shed in morning attended
Law suit of Braton & Morse Loafed read &C.
SUN 31
Warm Good breeze. Slept wrote read went up
to see Carrie.
[Part Four, August, 1859-Nov ember, I860, Will Appear in
the November, 1940, Issue]
Bypaths of Kansas History
WHEN AN EDITORIAL CUPBOARD WAS BARE
From the Topeka Tribune, December 31, 1859.
HARD UP. S. N. Wood, editor of the [Council Grove] Kansas Press, after
calling on his subscribers for corn, hogs, butter, eggs, wood, &c., and failing to
get either, now proposes to take wolf pelts, buffalo chips, and old cast-off
clothing.
INDIAN SOLDIERS
From the Fort Scott Bulletin, June 21, 1862.
PARADE REST. Not long since, one of the new Indian regiments was formed
for "Dress Parade," for the first time. The ceremonies progressed very well
until the command "Parade rest" was given, when, with a unanimous grunt of
satisfaction, the Indians seated themselves comfortably on the ground. They
understood the "rest" perfectly, but the "parade" evidently has no place in
their tactics.
From Soldier's Letter (publication of the Second Colorado cavalry
stationed at Fort Riley), August 19, 1865.
In the 9th Kansas cavalry there is one entire company of Indians. They
are mostly Kaws, and their head chief is one of the sergeants. Many amusing
incidents are related of their early career as soldiers. The greatest difficulty to
overcome was to make them dress as soldiers. In the heat of summer they
would insist upon walking through the streets of Leavenworth in their drawers
alone, and when forced to put on pants, cut out the seats for convenience.
THE PEDESTRIAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAIR GAME
From the Leavenworth Evening Bulletin, May 18, 1864.
FAST DRIVING. How often it happens in the course of a man's peregrinations
in the city that he barely escapes being knocked down by a team that comes
dashing down a side street at a rate of ten miles an hour the driver, as the
wheel of his vehicle grazes the pedestrian, launching a curse at him by way
of apology. Every man who drives thus fast in the streets violates an ordi-
nance, and could be arrested and fined for it if any citizen thought it worth
while to take up the matter. But no citizen wants to be bothered with petty
litigation of that sort. Besides, he is so accustomed to hair-breadth escapes
at the street corners, and the subsequent oaths and execrations of drivers, that
he looks upon it all as inseparable from city life as one of the nuisances which
are a part of the price that we pay for the delightful privilege of living in town.
(296)
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 297
From the Leavcnworth Daily Conservative, March 28, 1865.
FAST RIDING. The practice of fast riding and driving through our principal
streets, is a matter to which we would call the attention of the police, for it
is getting to be very dangerous. We are ashamed to own that this is allowed
to be practiced in our city on Sunday, more than any other day. It is a com-
mon sight to see three or four, and sometimes more horsemen dashing through
the streets, and frequently so drunk as to be totally regardless of the safety
of those who chance to be crossing.
We call the attention of the proper authorities to this disgraceful practice,
to take measures to stop it. Persons who have no respect, either for the Sab-
bath, themselves, or the good name of our city, ought to be brought to a
realizing sense of their degradation by the application of some severe legal
punishment. If their benighted minds can find no other amusement, and they
must still persist in this horse-racing, let them go out to some lonely spot
where nobody lives, and not insult and annoy citizens who have respect and
decency enough to pass the Sabbath day in a becoming manner.
We hope to see this unlawful practice attended to at once.
TRADING WITH THE INDIANS
From the Leavenworth Daily Conservative, May 17, 1867.
Within the last sixty days buffalo robes to the number of 10,000, worth
$30,000, have been shipped by E. H. Durfee, No. 48 Main street. The value
of furs and skins handled in the same house during the above time, reaches
the handsome figure of $100,000. Mr. Durfee has six posts in different parts
of the West, gathering up furs, robes, etc., whose united operations will amount
to half a million dollars this spring.
From ibid., May 8, 1868.
DURFEE & PECK
THE INDIAN TRADE.
HOW IT IS CONDUCTED.
INTERESTING DETAILS.
Probably there is no business carried on in this country of which so little
is known by the public generally as Indian trading. We yesterday had a very-
interesting chat with Mr. E. H. Durfee, one of the oldest and most widely
known Indian traders who have ever been in the West. We are indebted to
him for a great many interesting items about the business, which we have
decided to lay before our readers.
Mr. Durfee came to Leavenworth in 1861, from Marion, Wayne county,
New York, and has since then built up the immense and lucrative trade which
he now controls.
298 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
THE SOUTHERN TRADE.
He is the sole proprietor of the establishment here, which is the headquar-
ters for the traffic with the Southern Indians. The posts on the upper Mis-
souri are owned by Durfee & Peck. The Southern Indians, or those south of
the Arkansas, supplied, are the following, with their estimated numbers: Co-
manches, 23,600; Apaches and Cheyennes, 3,500; Osages and Kaws, 4,000. The
larger tribes, as nearly everybody knows, are divided into bands, under various
names, which we will not give here.
THE NORTHERN TRADE.
The Indians of the North with which they trade are all Sioux, numbering,
it is estimated, upwards of 70,000. They are located in Dacotah and Mon-
tana. The Sioux are divided into twelve or fifteen bands. Some of their trade
comes from the British Possessions, and the whole extent of it is from there
to Texas. The only rival of Durfee & Peck is the Northwestern Fur Com-
pany. The competition is sharp, and is carried on with all the energy which
characterizes the Yankee everywhere, whether in Wall street or in a log cabin
a thousand miles from civilization.
THE POSTS, AND MEN EMPLOYED.
Durfee & Peck have employed at their posts, in all, about one hundred
men. A large number of these are fitted out every season by them with arms
and traps with which they get their furs and turn them over to their em-
ployers, receiving therefor goods, which they in turn sell to the Indians.
They have on the upper Missouri seven posts, at which are stored and kept
for sale all kinds of goods which the Indians want to buy, and where they
come in with their skins. The houses used are all built of logs, with mud
roofs, saw mills being scarce up that way.
THE HUNTING AND TRAPPING SEASON.
The season in which furs and peltries are secured by the hunters and trap-
pers is from October to February. After that time the shedding of the coat
commences and the hair fades and becomes worthless.
The animals most sought for and which produce the most desirable skins
are the following, placed in the order of value:
Otter, beaver, buffalo, wolf, elk, bear, fox, deer, and coon. Mink is con-
sidered too small game, among the Indian trappers in particular.
How THEY ARE KILLED.
The buffalo are killed mostly by arrows, as they are not only less expensive,
but can be withdrawn and used again. These animals are generally hunted in
the following manner: A large herd is surrounded and gradually driven in
together. And here is exhibited a piece of strategy thoroughly Indian. The
stragglers on the outside of the main herd are shot in the liver and will bleed
to death internally in going four or five miles. The hunters still keep on
driving them in, and the carcasses at the close of the chase are not scattered
over so large an extent of ground as they would be if the stragglers were shot
dead. When the circle is well closed in, the hunters begin to shoot at the
heart. Their ponies are all trained and will not enter the herd, but keep
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 299
always around the outside, though the rider does not draw a rein on them
after the main herd is reached.
The wolves are all poisoned in the following manner: A quarter of buffalo
is either taken in a wagon or dragged over the prairie ; at the distance of about
40 rods apart, numerous stakes are stuck in the ground, on the top of which
is impaled a small piece of the meat, which has been poisoned with strych-
nine. The wolves strike the trail and follow it up, taking the pieces as they
go. Next morning the hunters go along the line and skin the dead animals.
They stretch the skins over stakes, with the inside up, and there let them dry.
No salt or anything else is put on them. Sometimes as many as seventy or
eighty wolves are killed with a single quarter of meat; of course an immense
amount of strychnine is used. Mr. Durfee says they have sold as many as
1,200 bottles to one man. Each bottle holds one-eighth of an ounce, which
is sufficient to kill five wolves.
The otter and beaver are trapped, various kinds of drugs being used for
bait.
A few silver-gray foxes have been found up there, but they are very scarce.
The skins of these animals are very valuable, bringing from $50 to $75 each.
When taken, they are invariably sent to Europe, where they are used only
by the wealthiest people.
DRESSING AND TANNING.
The Indians use the brains of the animal to tan it with. They first stretch
the skin over a frame. They then rub on the brains, mixed with juices ob-
tained from certain roots and plants. They are then scraped with various
implements, hoes being used. They say the brains draw out the grease. After
they are dry, they are painted and ornamented. The paint used is of the very
finest qualities of Chinese vermillion and chrome yellow and green. These
are imported by Durfee & Peck.
BRINGING IN THE SKINS.
As soon as the season is over the Indians put the hides and furs on poles,
which are dragged by ponies, sometimes a distance of 300 miles, to the near-
est trading post. The whole band generally comes in with them. At the posts
are opposition runners, in the employ of the Northwestern Company and
Durfee & Peck. They keep on the watch, and as soon as a band comes in
sight they mount their ponies and start off to secure the customers.
Those with whom they decide to trade are compelled by custom to give the
band a great feast, which lasts one day. Then business commences.
WHAT THE INDIANS BUY.
The articles most in demand by the red men are coffee and sugar, of which
they are very fond. In dry goods they want blankets, cloth, prints; a few of
them buy saddles and bridles. An ornament called an Iroquis shell, which is
picked up on the seashore somewhere in Europe, is in great demand. Mr.
Durfee says he has seen an Indian sell fifteen out of twenty buffalo robes for
these shells.
"Bio CANOES."
The Indians know the boats which are loaded with goods for them by the
tops of the smokestacks being painted red. They call them "big canoes," and
300 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
as soon as they get into the Indian country the news is carried ahead by run-
ners, and they all know when the boat will arrive. They never molest them,
and Durfee & Peck have never met with any loss at their hands.
"Two BEARS."
This noted Chief has been employed by the firm as a runner, and being
very widely known and popular among his people, is a valuable assistant.
"Two Bears" was with Col. Leavenworth, the man after whom our Fort and
city were named, when he died, and the Chief assisted to bury him many
years ago.
On the 4th inst. old Jesse Chisholm, probably the oldest trader in the West,
who came here from Tennessee sixty years ago, and who was fitted out last
summer with about $25,000 worth of goods by Mr. Durfee, died, away up
near the mountains. Old "Two Bears" thought so much of him that he took
from his own neck a gold medal which had been given him by President Har-
rison and placed it on Chisholm's neck, and had it buried with him.
The first time Mr. Durfee saw this old Chief, was during one of his trips
up the river. The old fellow was pointed out to him as a leading Chief, and
Mr. Durfee invited him on board, taking him directly to the ladies' cabin.
Now it chanced that our red friend was not just then clad in his Sunday-go-
to-meeting clothes, but on the other hand, looked rather dirty. As soon as
he saw the ladies, he wanted to leave, and appeared very bashful. He then
went away, and an interpreter told Mr. D. that "Two Bears" was ashamed of
his old clothes, and had gone to dress up. Sure enough, in about an hour he
made his appearance, decked off in all the gaudiness of a First Family Sioux,
stuck all over with gewgaws and feathers, and mounted on a pony, which
looked as gay as himself. Everybody on the boat went out to see him, and
his wounded pride was healed.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mr. Durfee has sent off one boat load of goods this season, per steamer
Benton, which will be back in June, loaded with furs and peltries. She took
up 250 tons. The Big Horn, which has gone up with Government freight, will
also bring down a cargo. The Benton will make another trip this season.
The farthest that boats go up is 2,700 miles, by the river.
The proceeds of the stock to be brought down by the Benton this year, will
be about $150,000.
They have sutler's stores at Forts Sully, Rice and Stevenson, which are
entirely separate from the Indian business.
Durfee & Peck handle yearly from 25,000 to 30,000 robes, which average
about $8.00 apiece. The furs are, of course, much higher, and the whole busi-
ness comprises an enormous trade.
There is a popular idea that some of the buffalo robes which we find in
market are tanned by white men. This is not so. The Indians do it all.
White men have tried it, but failed.
Mr. Durfee has, during his various trips to the mountains secured a large
number of pets; among them he has kept the following animals, which are
at his New York residence: one bear, one antelope, one deer, one badger, a
red fox and two American eagles. He had two buffalo but they died.
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 301
As a proof of how profitable the business is to the hunters and trappers,
we will state that two young men were fitted out by Durfee & Peck, only a
short time ago, who would realize about $5,000 for their winter's work. Nearly
all the goods traded to Indians by this firm are imported. Mr. Durfee went
to Europe two years ago, and invested largely.
He has established an extensive post at the mouth of the [Little?] Arkan-
sas, from which to supply the Southern Indians, and there are already upwards
of fifty families located there.
Mr. Durfee related many interesting incidents of his experience, with which
we could fill a page of this paper. We have endeavored, in this, however, to
give all the more interesting points in the business, which must necessarily
possess a great charm for men who like adventure mixed with profit.
THOSE MARCH WINDS
From The Southern Kansas Advance, Chetopa, March 13, 1872.
A gentle "Kansas Zephyr" was blowing yesterday. It turned over a stage
coach on Maple street. Charley Davis, the only passenger, coolly stuck out
his head and asked what station was called. The driver lay insensible for a
while, but his head was soon level again.
INTEMPERATE IN THE ANTIDOTE
From the Wichita Eagle, July 24, 1873.
A young man by the name of Wolf, living some eight miles from town, was
bitten by a rattlesnake on last Monday. Hurrying to town for relief, whisky
was recommended as an antidote. He drank about two and one-half pints.
That was in the forenoon. By night he was in an insensible condition, the
exertions of two or three physicians failing to arouse him. Still continuing in a
comatose or lethargic state, on Tuesday morning a galvanic battery, douching
and the injection of ammonia were resorted to, which after two or three hours
had the effect of arousing him, and yesterday morning hopes were entertained
for his recovery. It will not be forgotten that whisky was what the matter was,
and not the snake bite, although either are deadly enough.
A SHORT SHORT
From The Globe Live Stock Journal, Dodge City, November 18,
1884.
Our short hand reporter makes return of a case in police court last week
thusly : Cowboys and some girls take supper at a restaurant. Nobody puts up
for the supper. Restaurant man kicks. Row. Two of the c b knocked down.
One makes his escape. Furniture smashed up. Thunder to pay generally.
Cowboys go out doors and shoot in the windows. Cowboys on the range.
Restaurant man arrested. Fined. Appeals. Case not ended.
302 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
KANSAS CORN
From the Kiowa Herald, January 8, 1885.
We find the following going the rounds of the eastern press: "A Kansas
man climbed to the top of a corn stalk before retiring, to inspect the state of
the weather. His foot slipped, and he fell into a neighboring tree top, where
he was suspended all night trying to die, and couldn't breathe only thirty
cents on the dollar. After his rescue he kicked himself all the next day and
promised his wife and seventeen children that henceforth he would buy an
almanac, and keep himself posted without resorting to such dangerous meth-
ods of ascertaining the weather probabilities." If the above had been pub-
lished in the Wichita Eagle everyone would have accepted it as a fact. But
coming as it does from an eastern paper, we don't believe it. If he had fallen
out of the top of a corn stalk in a field of Barber county corn, the blades
would have been so thick and strong that they would have sustained his weight
and he could reach the ground as easily as walking down a step ladder, and
not been put to the painful necessity of hanging all night in a tree top with
only his suspender buttons between him and eternity.
Kansas History as Published in the Press
Heinle Schmidt's column, ''It's Worth Repeating," a series of his-
torical narratives about early-day life in the vicinity of Dodge
City, has continued to appear regularly in The High Plains Journal
of Dodge City.
Recent articles in the series, "This Month in Kansas History/'
by Cecil Howes, published in The Kansas Teacher, Topeka, in-
cluded: "General Forsyth at Beecher Island," September, 1948;
"Starting the Health Crusade," a review of the activities of Dr. S.
J. Crumbine when he was secretary of the Kansas Board of Health,
October; "Thanksgiving With Kansas Variations," November;
"How Transportation Has Improved," December; "Mineral Springs
in Kansas," January, 1949; "Kansas' Noted Divine and Author,"
a biographical sketch of Dr. Charles M. Sheldon, February; "Vio-
lence in Territorial Days," the experiences of the Rev. Pardee But-
ler in Kansas in the middle 1850's, March; "Herbs, Roots, Amulets
and Nostrums," early-day remedies for illnesses, April, and blue-
stem pastures, May.
A history of the pony express, entitled "The Pony Express Starts
From St. Joseph," by Olaf T. Hagen, appeared in the Missouri
Historical Review, Columbia, October, 1948. William H. Russell
was the chief promoter of the pony express project. He persuaded
his partners in the firm of Russell, Majors and Waddell to support
the idea, and a new company was incorporated the Central Over-
land California and Pike's Peak Express Company. The pony ex-
press went into operation on April 3, 1860, when the first pony and
rider departed from St. Joseph for California. However, the in-
come was not equal to the expense, and, beset by other misfortunes,
the company soon met with financial failure, ending the venture.
"Boom or Bust in Southwest Kansas," is the title of an article
by Oscar A. Kinchen published in the West Texas Historical Asso-
ciation Year Book, October, 1948. The boom settlement in the
latter 1880's of the so-called "Dust Bowl" area of Kansas is the
principal theme of Mr. Kinchen's article.
A report by Clarence Woodbury on the repeal of prohibition in
Kansas, entitled, "What Happened to Kansas," was printed in the
January, 1949, number of The American Magazine.
(303)
304 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The January, 1949, Etude magazine of Philadelphia, carried a
feature article, with a picture, of the late Oscar Lofgren, for many
years dean of fine arts and head of the piano department of Bethany
College of Lindsborg. The article stated that the story of Dean
Lofgren's life is one of the most significant in the development of
music in the Middle West. It related in detail many of his achieve-
ments and contributions to music during his years in Kansas.
Two articles by Arthur Conklin published recently in the To-
peka Daily Capital were: "[S. D.] Flora Finds Topeka Weather
Records Almost Old as City," January 23, 1949, and "State's
Weather Records Older Than Kansas Is Itself," February 21. The
oldest systematic weather records in Kansas were made at Fort
Leavenworth, beginning in July, 1827. In Topeka the weather rec-
ords date back to January, 1858.
"Kansas," by Roy Wall, was the title of an article on the game
birds and animals of Kansas and their protection, in the March,
1949, number of Sports Afield, Minneapolis, Minn. The article pre-
sented a review of the history of legislative protection for game in
Kansas, and a picture of the present game situation which has been
objected to by some of our other state wildlife authorities. The
first protective game legislation was enacted in 1861.
The editors of the Lawrence Outlook recalled in the issue of
March 3, 1949, that it was in March, 1926, when the first issue of
the Outlook, then titled the Douglas County Republican, made its
appearance. In a two-column editorial Edwin F. Abels, editor, and
Marie R. Abels, associate editor, reminisce about the paper's 23
years of existence.
Articles included in the March, 1949, number of the Bulletin of
the Shawnee County Historical Society, Topeka, were: "Part I" of
"First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869," by Russell
K. Hickman; "The Ward-Meade House," by Lois Johnson Cone;
"Col. Veale's Mansion: Social Center of Topeka," by Mrs. Wilber
Galloway; a continuation of William W. Cone's "Shawnee County
Townships"; "The Old Trail Through Topeka," by Paul Adams,
and another installment of George A. Root's "Chronology of Shaw-
nee County." On the outside of the back cover appeared the pic-
ture and a brief biographical sketch of the new president of the
Shawnee County Historical Society, Homer B. Fink.
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 305
Among historical articles of interest to Kansans in recent issues
of the Kansas City (Mo.) Star were: "Home Town Doctor Plan
Gains in Kansas/' by Ira B. McCarty, March 20, 1949; "A K. U.
Student's Dream Led to Empire of Coal and Chemicals," Kenneth
A. Spencer's life plan of 25 years ago now realized, by Kay Hilde-
brand McLeese, and "Old 'Gold Fields' of Kansas To Be Covered
by Reservoir," a lake to be created by the Cedar Bluff dam will
occupy the area in Ellis and Trego counties where prospectors
worked a half century ago, by Cecil Howes, March 27; "Big City
Restlessness Is Left Behind by a Couple [Ralph and Rosemary
Haffner] on a 1,600-Acre Kansas Farm," by Hughes Rudd, "Shoot-
ing Lions and an Elephant With a Former Kansan [Roy Weath-
erby] in Africa," by Clarence N. Cook, "Out Through Kansas on
the 'Tumbleweed Special'," a ride from Lamed to Jetmore on a
Santa Fe train that the troop train directors overlooked, by John
T. Alexander, and "His Cast-Iron Uncle Sam Drops Pennies in a
Satchel," about some of the coin banks in the collection of over
300 of Charles Holman of Topeka, April 17; "Girl Who Liked
Microscopes at K. U. To a High Post in Children's Bureau," Dr.
Leona Baumgartner has been made associate chief of the children's
bureau at Washington, by Conwell Carlson, April 23 ; "Army Lead-
ers of Western World Converge at Ft. Leavenworth," Command
and General Staff college attended by 51 foreign officers, by Robert
W. Reed, April 24; "A Housing Problem in [Hutchinson] Kansas
Solved by Community Action," by Alvin S. McCoy, May 1; "The
World's Champion Cowboy [Jerry Roberts] Was Born and Bred
in Kansas," by John Alexander, and "Many Obstacles Are Met to
Make Lake Elbo a Reality," Manhattan's first lake nears com-
pletion, May 8; "William Dean Howells Was an Exciting Dinner
Guest of William Allen White," by Everett Rich, May 16; "The
King's Horses From Vienna Now Cavort and Graze in Kansas,* 1
John Nolan of Garden City has purchased seven Lipizzaner horses
which the U. S. army "acquired" during the war from the Spanish
Riding Academy of Vienna, by Hughes Rudd, "His [E. C. Buehler]
Tips on the Gift of Gab Help K. U. Debaters Win," by Howard
Turtle, and "It Can Cost Your Life To Be the Law in Abilene, Kan.,"
recent deaths of Sheriff Davis and his brother recall that a similar
fate befell Tom Smith, marshal in 1870, by Bill Barger, May 22,
and "From Death Valley to the Far North, Fred Funston Always
Found Adventure," by Everett Rich, June 6. Articles in the Kan-
207079
306 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
sas City (Mo.) Times included: "K. U. Professor [George C. Hoodj
Who Made the First Dermatome Keeps Busy in Retirement," by
Fred Kiewit, April 5; ''Railroad Came to Kansas City Despite
Civil War and Sterling Price's Raids," on August 1, 1864, the first
train arrived in Kansas City, by Edward R. Schauffler, April 15;
"Library [in Holton] Founded by Women in 1896 Now Has 15,000
Books," April 20; "Hannibal Bridge, First Across Missouri, Won in
Sharp Contest With Leavenworth," recent difficulties with the
bridge recall the rivalry between Kansas City and Leavenworth for
the first bridge across the Missouri river, by Albert H. Hindman,
April 23; "Oratory and Civil War Passions Rose High in Murder
Trial of Frank James," by Edward R. SchaufHer, May 5; "Har-
vesters From Many States Prepare for the Rush to Harvest Kansas
Wheat," by Hugh Jencks, May 6 ; "William Reed Arthur Is Top'
to Judges and Others He Helped Through School," a biographical
sketch of a former professor of law at Washburn University and
the University of Colorado, now at the University of Kansas City,
by Thomas D. Leathers, May 14; " 'That Terrible Huebner/ Hard-
Bitten Kansan, Takes Over From Lucius Clay," Lt. Gen. Clarence
R. Huebner became U. S. military governor of Germany when Clay
resigned, by Robert K. Kelley, May 19, and "Frosty Flora Is Will-
ing to Leave Weather Forecasts to Kansas Farmers," an interview
with the Kansas meteorologist who recently retired after forecasting
the weather for 44 years, by Robert H. Clark, June 8.
Several stories of historical interest have been published in the
Meade county papers in recent months. In a brief article in the
Meade Globe-News, March 27, 1949, J. 0. Keith described the
Tuttle trail. According to Mr. Keith this trail followed the Jones
and Plummer trail from Dodge City for about ten miles to a point
on Mulberry creek; from there it went almost due south to Five
Mile creek where it turned southwest, cutting across the southeast
corner of Meade county and extending on through No Man's Land
into Texas. The Plains Journal, March 31, and the Meade Globe-
News, April 3, printed a story by Mrs. Essie May Novinger about
the first school in the southern part of the county. The school was
held in a sod house and taught by Mrs. Jake Kolb in 1885. Mrs.
Novinger was one of the pupils. In another article, appearing in the
Globe-News, April 24, and the Journal, April 28, Mrs. Novinger
tells of the arrival in Meade county in the 1880's of her family and
other settlers.
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 307
John E. King's "From Texas Longhorns to Thoroughbreds," a
brief history of cattle raising in Texas from the days of Coronado
through the period 1865-1880 when five million cattle were driven
to shipping points in Kansas, down to the present, was printed in
the April, 1949, number of Southwest Magazine, a supplement of
the Panhandle (Tex.) Herald, April 15.
A series of articles by Richard W. Lewis on the early history of
Home City began in the Marysville Advocate, April 14, 1949, and
continued through June 2. A post office was first established near
the present site of Home City in 1874, and the first postmaster was
Gottlieb Messell, according to Mr. Lewis. For several years the
post office was in the homes of the postmasters, and. as a result,
the town became known as Home. Although a plat of the town
was made and recorded in 1882, Home City was never incorporated.
Mr. Lewis traced the Home City history up to 1905, when the town
was almost totally destroyed by fire. Other Marshall county his-
torical articles were printed in the Marshall County News of
Marysville. On May 19, some historical information gathered by
the late Mrs. A. B. Martin was printed. Brief historical sketches of
Marysville, Blue Rapids, Axtell and Beattie appeared in the issue
of May 30. A brief history of the Alcove Springs region is included
in an article, published June 2, which enumerates reasons why the
area should be made into a state or national park.
The Pratt Daily Tribune, April 29, 1949, briefly noted that Pratt
had reached its 65th birthday. It was on April 29, 1884, that the
first lots on the townsite of Pratt Center, platted by the Pratt Cen-
ter Town Company, were put on sale. Eli P. Williams was presi-
dent of the town company. The town was incorporated on October
9, 1884.
A brief biographical sketch of William F. Cody, by George J.
Remsburg, appeared in the Leavenworth Times, May 8, 1949. Com-
ments on the new book, My Life With Buffalo Bill, by Dan Muller,
were also included in the article. Among recent articles by Harry
H. Seckler in the Times was "Leavenworth's 95th Birthday Will Be
on Sunday, June 12," which was printed June 5. On June 12, 1854,
George W. Gist, John C. Gist and Samuel Farnandis staked off the
townsite where Leavenworth now stands, and on the next day
the town association was formed. In the summer of 1855 the town
was incorporated and later that year the first city election was held,
Thomas Slocum being elected mayor.
308 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Special ceremonies in observance of the 91st anniversary of the
Marais des Cygnes massacre were held at the site, northeast of
Trading Post in Linn county, on May 15, 1949. John Pellegrino
was chairman of the commemoration, and Gov. Frank Carlson was
the principal speaker. A history of the massacre was published in
the Pleasanton Observer-Enterprise, April 28, 1949. On May 19,
1858, about 30 Missourians led by Capt. Charles A. Hamelton ar-
rested 11 Free-State men who were living in the vicinity of Trading
Post. The captives were taken into a ravine and were lined up and
shot. Five were killed, five wounded and one escaped injury. The
site was later marked by two concrete slabs; in 1939 it was pur-
chased for a park, and in 1941 the state officially accepted it as the
Marais des Cygnes Massacre Memorial Park.
A brief historical sketch of Pittsburg was printed in the Pittsburg
Sun and Headlight on the 73d anniversary of the city's founding,
May 20, 1949. The original town plat was recorded at the office of
the register of deeds on May 20, 1876. The sketch contrasts the
one or two original buildings with the industry, educational facili-
ties, railroads, churches and municipal improvements of the present
city of over 25,000 inhabitants. Tentative plans are now being
made for a diamond jubilee celebration two years hence.
The 75th anniversary of the organization of Rush county was
celebrated along with the annual home-coming with a three-day
program at La Crosse beginning May 26, 1949. The celebration
was opened by an address by Gov. Frank Carlson. Also in con-
nection with the anniversary, The Rush County News, La Crosse,
published a 184-page diamond jubilee edition on May 19, one of the
largest ever issued in Kansas. Besides the regular news, and greet-
ings from President Truman, Governor Carlson, and Senators Clyde
M. Reed and Andrew F. Schoeppel, over 75 articles, covering all
phases of Rush county history, appeared in the jubilee edition.
A brief article on James M. Harvey and his family, by Mrs.
Lucy Pottorf, was printed in the Manhattan Tribune-News, June 2,
1949. Mr. Harvey, governor of Kansas from 1869 to 1873, brought
his family to Kansas in 1861 and took a claim in Riley county.
The farm remained in the family until it was sold recently. Mrs.
Pottorf, a Riley county resident for 50 years, died May 31.
Kansas Historical Notes
The seventy- fourth annual meeting of the Kansas State His-
torical Society will be held in the rooms of the Society in the
Memorial building at Topeka on October 18, 1949.
The annual meeting of the Kansas Association of Teachers of
History and Related Fields was held in the Memorial building,
Topeka, April 29 and 30, 1949. Papers were presented as follows:
"The Way of Democracy in Central and Southeastern Europe," Dr.
Otakar Odlozilik, Prague (visiting professor of history at the Uni-
versity of Kansas, Lawrence) ; "The Effect of Populism on the
Personnel and Policies of the Republican Party in Kansas," Dr.
Karl A. Svenson, Washburn Municipal University, Topeka; "Lib-
eral Concepts of Democracy in the United States and Britain in
the Nineteenth Century," Dr. Alvin H. Proctor, Kansas State
Teachers College, Pittsburg; "The Reverend T. A. Butler and the
Irish Catholic Benevolent Union," the Rev. Peter Beckman, 0. S. B.,
St. Benedict's Abbey, Atchison; "State Regulation of Certain Pro-
fessions in Kansas," Deane Postlethwaite, Baker University, Bald-
win; "History From Monuments and Museums," Prof. V. L.
Damon, Sterling College, and "U. S. Loans to Peru, 1922 to 1930,"
Dr. James C. Carey, Kansas State College, Manhattan. The group
was addressed at a luncheon by Dr. Dale Zeller, Kansas State
Teachers College, Emporia, on "German Education." Newly-elected
officers are: C. Stewart Boertman, Kansas State Teachers College,
Emporia, president; George L. Anderson, University of Kansas,
vice-president, and Ruth Friedrich, Washburn Municipal Univer-
sity, secretary-treasurer. John W. Heaton, Baker University, was
the retiring president. Mr. Heaton, the Rev. Peter Beckman, Miss
Golda Crawford of Kansas State College and Charles Onion of
Fort Hays Kansas State College are directors of the association.
Several new historical markers have been erected by the Riley
County Historical Association in recent months. On June 3, 1949,
a plaque, to mark the birthplace of Damon Runyon, was officially
received by the association from Paramount Pictures. It has been
placed at the old Runyon home at 400 Osage, Manhattan. Other
markers have been set up at Tabor Valley school, Rocky Ford,
Deep Creek school, Pillsbury crossing, Wabaunsee and Ogden.
(309)
310 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Sen. 0. P. Bellinger was the featured speaker at a meeting of
the Crawford County Historical Society in Pittsburg, June 8, 1949.
He discussed the controversial issues before the 1949 session of the
Kansas legislature.
A stone marker has been erected in Osborne county on the site of
the old Kill Creek store and post office on the Russell-Bull City
trail. The Natoma Independent, June 9, 1949, printed a picture
of the marker and a brief history of the site, including the names
of those who served as postmasters at Kill Creek.
Volume 2 of Chase County Historical Sketches was recently pub-
lished by the Chase County Historical Society. The 454-page book
features biographies of Chase county pioneers and present-day citi-
zens, and gives detailed histories of the communities of Grandview,
Bazaar, Cedar Point, Matfield Green, Strong City and Cottonwood
Falls. The Chase county census of 1860 and a history of Camp
Wood were also published. Volume 1 of the Sketches was issued
in 1940-1941, and few counties now have as up-to-date historical
records as Chase. Officers of the Chase County Historical Society
are: George T. Dawson, president; Henry Rogler, vice-president;
T. R. Wells, treasurer; Mrs. Helen P. Austin, secretary, and Mrs.
Clara B. Hildebrand, chief historian. On the executive committee
are: Claude Hawkins, Howel Jones, Henry Rogler, D. M. Smith
and George Miller.
A study of Early Kansas Churches, by E. R. DeZurko, formerly
assistant professor of architecture at Kansas State College, Man-
hattan, was published as Kansas State College Bulletin No. 60,
issued April 1, 1949. The 71-page booklet reviews the history of
some of the early Kansas churches having architectural interest
which were built prior to 1876. Thirty-four pictures and drawings
make the study especially valuable. Mr. DeZurko was the author
of "A Report and Remarks on Cantonment Leavenworth," pub-
lished in The Kansas Historical Quarterly, v. XV (1947), pp.
353-359.
Writing Local History Articles, by Marvin Wilson Schlegel, is
the title of the May, 1949, number of Bulletins of the American
Association for State and Local History, distributed by the secre-
tary, Earle W. Newton, State House, Montpelier, Vt. Some of the
steps in writing local history discussed by Mr. Schlegel were: train-
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 311
ing needed by the writer, subjects about which to write, sources
of information (manuscripts, old-timers, archives, newspapers), tak-
ing notes, organizing the material and writing the article.
Kansas Rocks and Minerals, by Laura Lu Tolsted and Ada
Swineford, is the title of a 56-page booklet issued recently by the
State Geological Survey of Kansas at Lawrence. The publication
featured the geologic history of Kansas with descriptions and illus-
trations of various kinds of rocks and minerals found in the state.
Tales of Western Kansas (Kansas City, Mo., 1948) is the title of
a 152-page book, compiled by Amy Lathrop and containing a col-
lection of stories of western Kansas in the early days as told by
some of the early residents.
A second edition of Scenic Kansas, 16-page booklet by Kenneth
K. Landes of the State Geological Survey of Kansas, Lawrence,
first published in 1935, was reissued in February, 1949. All the
photographic plates of the first edition were used in the present edi-
tion. Another pamphlet by the State Geological Survey, Glimpsrs
From Resource-Full Kansas, first published in 1946, has recently
been reprinted. The publication contains stories about the scenery,
mineral fuels, deposits of industrial minerals, rocks, fossils and well
water supplies of Kansas, by various members of the Geological
Survey staff.
The story of William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William
Bradford Waddell has been told by Raymond W. Settle and Mary
Lund Settle in their new 153-page book, Empire on Wheels (Stan-
ford, Cal., 1949). The book describes the freighting, stagecoach,
express and mail business handled by the company organized by
Russell, Majors and Waddell. The partnership of the three men
began with the signing of an agreement which became effective Jan-
uary 1, 1855. It ended when the company ran into financial diffi-
culties and was sold in March, 1862.
"Yankee From Kansas" is the title of a chapter in A. Richard
Crabb's recent book, The Hybrid-Corn Makers: Prophets of Plenty
(New Brunswick, 1948). In the book, Mr. Crabb traced the devel-
opment of hybrid corn from its beginning at the University of
Illinois in 1896 down to the present day. The Yankee, Donald F.
Jones, of Sterling, was one of those who contributed most to make
hybrid corn possible. Jones, whose work was done at the Connecti-
312 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
cut Agricultural Experiment Station, was the first to produce a
double-cross hybrid.
The story of how Kansas has organized in support of UNESCO
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza-
tion is told in The Kansas Story on UNESCO, prepared at Kansas
State College, Manhattan, and issued by the U. S. Government
Printing Office in March, 1949. Kansas first came in contact with
the organization at the Mountain-Plains Regional Conference on
UNESCO in Denver, May, 1947, where the Kansas delegates voted
to constitute themselves a temporary committee to discuss plans for
a permanent Kansas UNESCO council. In July the committee met
at Manhattan and made plans for a Kansas conference, similar to
the regional conference in Denver, for the purposes of acquainting
Kansans with the work of UNESCO and establishing a permanent
organization. The conference met at Wichita December 12 and 13,
1947, and the Kansas commission was established, with the follow-
ing officers: Dr. Robert A. Walker, Kansas State College, chair-
man; Victor W. Haflich, Garden City, Mrs. P. A. Pettit, Paola,
Father Thomas Ryan, Wichita, and F. L. Schlagle, Kansas City,
vice-chairmen; Dorothy Luber, Topeka, secretary, and Bert A.
Hedges, Wichita, treasurer.
A summary of his experiences during the years he lived and
worked with William F. Cody has been given by Dan Muller in
his new book, My Life With Buffalo Bill (Chicago, 1948). When
he was nine years of age Muller went to live with the Cody family,
with whom he remained most of the time until Cody's death in 1917,
18 years later.
THE
KANSAS HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
November 1949
Published by
Kansas State Historical Society
Topeka
KIRKE MECHEM JAMES C. MALIN NYLE H. MILLER
Editor Associate Editor Managing Editor
CONTENTS
PAGE
"HOME ON THE RANGE" Kirke Mechem, 313
With the following illustrations:
Copy of song as recorded by John Lomax, between pp. 320,
321; portrait of Dr. Brewster Higley, facing p. 328; re-
production of an 1876 printing of the poem in the Kirwin
Chief, between pp. 328, 329, and portrait of Daniel E.
Kelley, facing p. 329.
THE PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST: IX. Alfred R. Waud
and Theodore R. Davis Robert Tajt, 340
With the following illustrations :
Portraits of Alfred R. Waud, Theodore R. Davis and James
Walker, facing p. 344;
Waud's "A Drove of Texas Cattle Crossing a Stream,"
and "Building the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska"
(1867), between pp. 344, 345;
Davis' "Departure From Atchison," "Fort Fletcher,"
"Here They Come," "Pond Creek" (1867), facing p. 345;
"Shooting Buffalo From the Trains of the Kansas Pacific
Railroad" (1867), "Interior of the Adobe Fortification at
Smoky Hill Station" (1866), facing p. 352, and "Inte-
rior of Fort Dodge, Kansas" (1867), facing p. 353.
THE DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART, PIONEER OF OSAGE COUNTY, APRIL,
1855- APRIL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860: Part Four,
AUGUST, 1859-NovEMBER, 1860 Concluded 360
BYPATHS OF KANSAS HISTORY 398
KANSAS HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS 399
KANSAS HISTORICAL NOTES 405
ADDENDUM AND ERRATUM, VOLUME XVII 406
INDEX To VOLUME XVII 407
The Kansas Historical Quarterly is published in February, May, August and
November by the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kan., and is dis-
tributed free to members. Correspondence concerning contributions may be
sent to the editor. The Society assumes no responsibility for statements made
by contributors.
Entered as second-class matter October 22, 1931, at the post office at Topeka,
Kan., under the act of August 24, 1912.
THE COVER
"Sutler's Store at Fort Dodge, Kansas," a T. R. Davis illustration
from Harper's Weekly, New York, May 25, 1867 (see p. 355).
THE KANSAS
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Volume XVII November, 1949 Number 4
"Home on the Range"
KIRKB MECHBM
THE night Franklin D. Roosevelt was first elected president a
group of reporters sang "Home on the Range" on his doorstep
in New York City. He asked them to repeat it, and made the
statement, so it was said, that it was his favorite song. Later he
often listened to the ballad at the White House, and it was reported
that at Warm Springs he frequently led his guests in singing it.
Stories of the President's approval soon made "Home on the
Range" one of the country's hit songs. By 1934 it had moved to the
top on the radio, where it stayed for six months. Everybody sang
it, from Lawrence Tibbett to the smallest entertainer. Radio chains,
motion picture companies, phonograph record concerns and music
publishers had a field day all free of royalties, for there was no
copyright and the author was unknown.
At its peak the song was literally sung around the world. Writing
from Bucharest, William L. White, son of William Allen White of
Kansas, said:
They all know American songs, which is pleasant if you are tired of wars
and little neutral capitals, and are just possibly homesick. And the nicest
thing of all is that every one of them knows Home on the Range and for the
equivalent of one United States quarter in the local money you can get them
to play it over and over during the evening while you sprawl back on the soft
leather cushions and drink beer and think about Chase County, Kansas, or
your lost youth or some of the girls you used to know. 1
Even in the Antarctic, the penguins heard how the deer and the
antelope play. When Admiral Richard E. Byrd was asked how he
had passed the time during the six months when he was alone at
the South Pole, he said:
1. John Lomax, "Half-Million Dollar Song," The Southwest Review, Dallas, Tex., v. 31
(1945), p. 3. Lomax is here quoting from the Dallas News of May 24, 1940.
(313)
314 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
For entertainment I took with me an old style Edison phonograph and a
few favorite records. After I had read my instruments and had written up my
records for each day during the early months of my stay, I gave myself daily
concerts, always playing the song that tells about the land of sunshine where
the sky is not cloudy all day. Later, when the cold grew more intense, my
phonograph, operated by a spring, froze up and wouldn't go. I couldn't even
play my favorite record, so I found myself breaking the loneliness by singing
"Home on the Range" against the cold, bleak darkness of the South Pole. 2
Such sudden and world-wide success was probably never equalled
by another song. Then even more suddenly every radio station in
the United States was warned to take "Home on the Range" off
the air. A suit for infringement of copyright had been filed in the
courts of New York for half a million dollars against 35 individuals
and corporations, including the National Broadcasting Company
and many large publishing houses. The suit was brought in 1934
in the name of William and Mary Goodwin of Tempe, Ariz. They
claimed that Goodwin had written the words of a song entitled "An
Arizona Home," and Mrs. Goodwin the melody, and that the copy-
right had been registered on February 27, 1905. This, they de-
clared, was the parent of "Home on the Range." 3
The song at once ceased to be published or recorded or sung by
professional singers. The defense of the suit was taken over by the
Music Publishers Protective Association. Samuel Moanfeldt, a
New York lawyer, was employed to investigate the claimants and
to discover if possible the origins of the words and music. This was
an assignment that started him on a three-months' tour of nearly
every state west of the Mississippi.
At the outset, Moanfeldt discovered that all popular versions of
the song could be traced to 1910 and the researches of one man.
This was John Lomax, whose experiences as a collector of folk music
are as fascinating as the songs he gathered.
Lomax grew up in Texas near the old Chisholm trail and as a boy
wrote down many of the cowboy songs. He attended the University
of Texas, where an English professor once told him the songs were
worthless. "Just another example of the crudity of America," the
professor said. But later, at Harvard, their value was recognized
and Lomax was given a three-year traveling fellowship. This con-
firmed him in his career. For 40 years he combed America for its
native music: Through the cypress swamps of the South, in the
Kentucky mountains, among sailors on the Great Lakes, in peni-
tentiaries, saloons and lonely bunkhouses. The result is now in
2. Ibid., p. 2.
3. Ibid., p. 3.
HOME ON THE RANGE 315
the Library of Congress: 10,000 of Lomax's own phonograph rec-
ords and another 10,000 which his example inspired, all available to
the public at cost.
The first by-product of Lomax's work was a book printed in 1910,
called Cowboy Songs. This, as Moanfeldt learned, was the pub-
lication which may have saved "Home on the Range" from
oblivion. Lomax's account of how he recorded it was among his
favorite stories. Writing in The Southwest Review, he said:
On a summer day in 1908 I walked into the Buckhorn Saloon in San An-
tonio lugging a heavy Edison recording machine. It was the earliest, crudest
type of a dictaphone, requiring for its operation earphones and a large five-
foot horn. The amazed German proprietor stared at my strange equipment
and hastily put his hand under the counter where he was supposed to keep
his arsenal of democracy. When I assured him I was looking for cowboy
songs his face relaxed. ... As I sipped a glass of beer, I noticed on the bar
a stack of broadsides titled "Hell in Texas." ... It turned out my friend
had two hobbies: He was interested in ballads and on the walls of his saloon
hung one of the world's largest collections of horns. I had come to the
right place.
Lomax commented on the "Hell in Texas" broadsides, whereupon
the proprietor told him an old Texas story, with a new twist. It
was about how Gen. Phil Sheridan, when a young lieutenant sta-
tioned in San Antonio, had said that if he owned both Texas and
Hell, he would rent out Texas and live in Hell. To which a Texan
retorted, "Well, damn a man that won't stand up for his own coun-
try." Continuing his story, Lomax wrote:
Then . . . [the proprietor] told me of a Negro singer who ran a beer
saloon out beyond the Southern Pacific depot in a scrubby mesquite grove.
This Negro had been a camp cook for years and had made the trip up the
Chisholm Trail half a dozen times. Moreover, he claimed to have cooked for
Sam Bass's outfit. "He can give you a lot of cowboy songs if you can get him
to sing," said my friend.
That same afternoon I found my man behind his saloon shack with his
hat pulled down over his eyes, his head tilted back against a mesquite tree.
When I shook him awake and told him what I wanted he muttered, as he
looked at me with bleary eyes, "I'se drunk. Come back tomorrow and I'll
sing for you."
I spent all the next day under the mesquite with this Negro. Among the
songs he sang for me was "Home on the Range," the first time I had heard
the melody.
From the record I made that day down in the Negro red-light district
(they used stolen switch lanterns to advertise the trade), Henry Leberman,
a blind teacher of music at the State School for the Blind in Austin, a few
weeks afterwards set down the music. Leberman used earphones and played
the record over and over again until he felt sure that he had captured the music
as the Negro saloonkeeper had rendered it. This music, printed in the 1910
316 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
edition of Cowboy Songs, makes up the core of the tune that has become
popular, . . .
For twenty years the song remained unnoticed among twenty-seven other
cowboy songs, the music of which Henry Leberman also wrote out for my
book. . . .
In 1925 Oscar J. Fox of San Antonio first put the song into sheet-music
form. Five years afterwards David Guion of Dallas followed with another
arrangement. During the next six years eight other publishers of music issued
the song in a slightly different musical dress. All followed closely the words
and tune and order of stanzas I first printed in 1910. 4
This story, though it indicated that the song was known long be-
fore the Goodwin copyright of 1905, was not evidence Moanfeldt
could take into court. News of the lawsuit, however, had brought
in many letters, and among them one from a Chicago woman who
stated that in 1880 the song had been sung regularly by the pupils
of the Stanberry Normal School in Missouri, which she had at-
tended. 5 Since this was the earliest date so far ascribed to the
song, Moanfeldt began interviewing the old graduates whose names
she gave him. Several made affidavits that before 1890 "Home on
the Range" had been sung at meetings of their Crescent society,
without printed words or music, like a folk song.
These interviews convinced Moanfeldt that the ballad had orig-
inated in the cowboy country. He went to Dodge City, where he
talked with ex-cowboys, ex-cooks of cowboy camps, ex-stagecoach
drivers and old-time buffalo hunters. They gave him signed state-
ments that it had been well-known in the cow camps prior to 1890,
and he reported:
The number of people who furnished such statements satisfied me that we
would have sufficient proof for the purpose of defense of this suit to defeat
the action even at this point, and my next step was directed to establishing
the author or authors of the verses and music of "Home on the Range." In
this connection, the story of "Colorado Home" . . . became of importance.
... I therefore went to Leadville, Colorado, which is three miles from Orro
City, named as the locale where the writing of "Colorado Home" took place.
This song is one of the earliest examples of the plagiarism which
"Home on the Range" has always inspired. It was published with
music long before any other version. As late as 1945, Sigmund
Spaeth, nationally known as the "tune detective," stated his belief
that it was the original. A Colorado senator once had it printed in
the Congressional Record as a product of the state. Spaeth's ac-
4. Ibid., pp. 1, 2.
5. Moanfeldt, "Report." Samuel Moanfeldt's report to the Music Publishers Protec-
tive Association, a copy of which he presented to the Kansas State Historical Society. As an
interesting example of the legal mind doing historical research, it is printed in full at the
end of this article.
HOME ON THE RANGE 317
count of the so-called composition of this song appeared in the
Rotarian. He wrote:
It was the late Kenneth S. Clark, Princeton's favorite musical son, who dug
up the story under Home on the Range. In the middle '80s a group of pros-
pectors, headed by C. 0. ("Bob") Swartz . . ., lived in a cabin which
they called the Junk Lane Hotel near Leadville, Colorado. All musical, they
filled their evenings with friendly and often improvised harmony. On a night
early in 1885 they worked out a melody and set words to it to create the song
which the world now sings as Home on the Range. They, however, called it
Colorado Home.
A letter from Bob Swartz to his "Dear Folks," dated February 15, 1885,
describes the event and gives the complete words and music, which are al-
most identical with those of Home on the Range as it is known today. There
are slight differences in the melodic line, and it was only later that the text
acquired a definite cowboy slant. But the song is all there in the faded yellow
letter which Bob's sister, Mrs. Laura M. Anderson, discovered among her be-
longings in 1930. . . .
Upon finding Bob's letter . . ., Mrs. Anderson sent him a copy of it.
In his reply, dated November 14, 1930, he said he could still see "the whole
gang setting around on soap boxes & on the bed, all trying to make the lines
rhime so they sounded like poetry. . . ."
Spaeth closed his article with this comment:
In its issue for July 30, 1945, Life magazine makes the rather astonishing
statement that Home on the Range was written by a "Dr. Brewster Higley"
in a Kansas cabin, in 1873; that Dan Kelley, of Gaylord, made up the tune on
his guitar. I have seen nothing yet that would cause me to desert the Swartz
story. 6
Moanfeldt's account of his researches on "Colorado Home' 7 take up
over two pages in his report. This was not because he thought it
the original but because it helped disprove the priority of "An
Arizona Home." Already he had received many letters which
pointed to Kansas. One of these was from a woman who owned a
scrapbook containing an article which indicated that "Home on the
Range" had appeared in the Smith County Pioneer in 1873. He
went to see her and discovered that her article was a reprint. He
then went to Smith Center, sure that he could locate one of the orig-
inal copies. But it turned out that this issue, which would have
settled all controversy, was missing from the Pioneer's files. Some-
time after 1914, when the reprint was made, it had been lost or
destroyed. A reward of $25 was offered for a copy, but none has
ever come to light.
To some, including Sigmund Spaeth, this 1914 reprint was suspect
and never acceptable as evidence that the song antedated "Colorado
6. Sigmund Spaeth, "Home on the Range," Rotarian, Chicago, v. 67 (November, 1945),
p. 27.
318 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Home." But to Moanfeldt, the comments of the 1914 editor made
it authentic, for he had written:
The writer well remembers when this song first came out and was well and
intimately acquainted with the author. ... Its cheering words helped
to dispel the gloom of the "Grasshopper Days" and the writer can remember
of humming the fascinating words while traveling over the desolate prairies
and at the same time wishing there was some way of getting back to the
pleasant Pennsylvania home we had so recently left, but the fates were all
against us and we are glad of it now. . . . After a lapse of more than
forty years we again offer to the readers of The Pioneer the good, old time
song it first published in 1873 . 7
Other old-timers soon convinced Moanfeldt that he had at last-
found the home of "The Home." The part of his report where he
describes the end of his search, is worth quoting:
A Mr. Reese who now resides at Smith Center and who is one of the oldest
pioneers in the section stated that he came to Smith Center in 1872, about
one month before the town of Smith Center was established, that he came in
contact with Dr. Bruce Higley, who had a homestead about twenty miles
away on the banks of the Beaver, near the Solomon River, in June 1872, and
that the occasion of their meeting was an indignation meeting against the
Indians, and that he met the Doctor frequently between 1872 and 1873. That
some time in 1873, his friend, John Champlin was accidentally shot in the
foot and that he called on Dr. Higley, who treated him and that thereafter
Dr. Higley called several times a week at their Doby or Dugout to treat the
patient, and that he remembers distinctly on one of these occasions Dr.
Higley, while treating the patient asked him to read a poem he had written.
'It was on a foolscap sheet of paper and the Doctor stated that he had written
it to while away his lonesome hours spent in his log cabin. That this was
"Home on the Range" as it is now known, and that they all insisted that the
Doctor get somebody to write the tune. That thereafter Dan Kelley sup-
plied the tune and the Harlan Bros. Orchestra played it. ... That
he recognized the tune immediately, when it started to become popular on the
radio.
A very interesting statement was furnished by one Clarence B. Harlan.
Mr. Harlan was born in 1849, is now 86 years old, and came to Smith Center in
1871. He is the brother-in-law of Dan Kelley. . . . About 1874 he
played the guitar and his brother Eugene Harlan, who was ten years younger,
played the violin. They composed the Harlan orchestra. . . . That
Dan Kelley, his brother-in-law, knew music and had a great voice and that
among the songs they played was a song known then as "Western Home"
which is now known as "Home on the Range." . . . That he remem-
bers the words perfectly and after being requested by me he brought out his
guitar and played and sang this song from memory, using the tune as he
knew it in 1874 and ever since, and as it was composed by his brother-in-law,
Dan Kelley. I procured a recording machine and made phonograph records
of this rendition of the song.
At this point, it is interesting to know that he followed the words as ap-
7. W. H. Nelson, Smith County Pioneer, Smith Center, February 19, 1914.
HOME ON THE RANGE 319
peared in the paper in 1914, and that although Mr. Harlan sang this from
memory he didn't miss a word. Mr. Harlan stated that the way the tune was
made by Dan Kelley was that Dan tried several tunes to fit the words and
after Mr. Harlan and his brother Eugene tried them on their instruments
several were rejected until Dan captured the tune that is now used in "Home
on the Range." That it was never written down but that he and his brother
learned to play it on their instruments and after playing it at all celebrations
and parties it began to spread all over and was the most popular tune and
generally called for at all parties and celebrations. . . . Mr. Harlan
is blind but I thought that it would be best to make phonograph records of
his playing and singing of this song which I did, and the same are now in the
possession of the MPPA [Music Publishers Protective Association].
During the years, Harlan no doubt had heard many versions of
"Home on the Range" and knew that other persons had claimed
authorship, though Moanfeldt does not mention it. The first
plagiarism there is any record of occurred shortly after the Harlan
"orchestra" was formed. This was in 1876 and fortunately it oc-
casioned the earliest publication we have of the poem. The editor
of the Chief of the neighboring town of Kirwin printed the verses
on the first page, heading his story with the single word, PLAGIARISM :
The editor of the Stockton News has allowed himself to become the victim
of an ambitious aspirant for poetical fame. In his issue of Feb. 3d., 1876, he
publishes under the head of "My home in the West" a poem, purporting to
have been written by Mrs. Emma Race, of Raceburgh, Rooks county, Kansas.
The poem in question, with the exception of two words, was written by Dr.
B. Higley, of Beaver creek, Smith county, Kansas, and first published in the
Kirwin CHIEF, March 21st, 1874. We re-publish the article as written by Dr.
Higley, and ask our readers to compare it with the stolen article from Race-
burgh. Bro. Newell must look to his laurels, as he will find plenty of people
who are willing to profit by the brain work of others. 8
One of the curious things about "Home on the Range" is the num-
ber of persons who claimed authorship, or had it claimed for them.
The most notorious attempt to profit by the song was of course the
Goodwins' half-million-dollar lawsuit, which never came to trial,
due to Moanfeldt's investigation. Other claimants apparently
merely wanted a little easy fame. The story of "Colorado Home"
is told in some detail in the Moanfeldt appendix to this article.
Two of the claims are of interest because they show how the song
was carried from Kansas to other parts of the frontier.
E. M. Baldridge of Kansas City, Mo., in a letter to the Kansas
City Star, said:
I read there is a controversy over the authorship of the song, "Home on the
Range." As a boy 10 years old I accompanied my father to the opening of the
8. The Kirwin Chief, February 26, 1876. It was not discovered till ten years after the
lawsuit that this paper, which had been in the Kansas State Historical Society's files since
it was published, contained the text of the song.
320 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Gunnison country in Colorado in the winter of 1882. We joined a caravan of
wagons at Gunnison City and went over the mountains to Grand Junction,
arriving there soon after the Ute Indians had been removed.
About half-way there we encountered a soldier of fortune named John
Teits, who had left some freighters when they turned off at that point. We
took him with his little batch of flapjack flour, bacon and a frying pan on
our wagon. This was miles from any homes. Through the day and in camp
at night he would sing that song, asserting he was the author of it.
He had us singing it. There were three or four sour notes when we came
to the line, "Where the deer and the antelope play." Otherwise the song
over the radio these days is the same.
Until I heard the song on the radio about two years ago, I had not heard
it since '82. 9
A few days after the above was printed, the St. John County
Capital carried a story about a Dr. W. D. Kirby who believed an
old-timer by the name of John Trott was the author. He said that
as a pupil of the "old Oak Creek school of Cheever township,"
north of Abilene, he used to sing "Home on the Range," though it
was known as "Home Where the Buffalo Roam." He continued:
I have heard all the 18 or 20 pupils of our school singing the chorus on the
playground. . . . Very few of us knew the entire song. I remember dis-
tinctly at one of our Literaries our teacher made this announcement : "We will
now have a song by Dave Knisely entitled 'Give Me a Home Where the
Buffalo Roam.' And I might add the writer of this song is John Trott. No
doubt many of you know him." The Kirby family didn't know him as we
were newcomers just arriving about a year before, but quite a number of our
neighbors did. One old settler said he was a crazy old bachelor. His wife said
all old bachelors were that way, if they weren't they wouldn't be old bachelors.
A more musical neighbor woman told us she had met him and heard him
play and she thought he was a natural musician, in fact she thought him quite
a musical genius and told us he had written several quite good songs besides
"Home Where the Buffalo Roam." Several of our neighbors said most any
pleasant evening you would find him seated in front of his dugout playing
some musical instrument. His claim was over in Mud Creek neighborhood.
During the years of the popularity of that song in our school, I know ten or
a dozen young men all of our school district who went every summer to
Arizona to work in the roundups. Several were somewhat musical. Dave
Knisely was one of them, the first person I heard to sing that song. . . .
[There is] no doubt in my mind that the author of that song is John Trott, at
least he got credit for it in the north end of Dickinson county, where I lived
from '82 to '91. How large the circle of its popularity I do not know. In all
my wanderings since '91 I had never heard it till recently over the radio. I
thought I was dreaming and back in old Oak Creek school house and Dave's
voice had changed, although I know he had "gone to his last round-up" 20
9. Kansas City (Mo.) Star, March 17, 1935.
10. The County Capital, St. John, April 4, 1935.
THE SONG AS RECORDED BY JOHN LOMAX
(From Cowboy Songs (The Macmillan Company, New York, 1925)
Home on the Range
Oh, give me a home where the buf - f a - lo roam
~ *
s :
^ Pv \ N-
N- 1 1
Ifetr [' v '
t/
Where the deer and
__^L_J__ Ji_ tf'-J ^ ^ 1
the an - te-lope play;
fltfH} _
i N
(S
-*-. r |v~
* i^ a
9 9 r\
'"
^
vf~ vf~ y*~
*^b-fr
5 ^
-T. i
m
Where sel - dom is heard a dis-cour- ag- ing word
-^ 1 PV ^ r\
K w__
1
^d2i
-^--
T^ 7
Home on the Range Continued
And the skies are not cloud - y all day.
ES^ '
-=k- 1
HH--! ,
-*-?
I
H 1
RKFBAIN
Home,home on the range, Where the deer and the antelope play;
1F=*=\
I>LV h~l
K TM K ; IT
F r ^ i. i
(&-k J-i
tJ
Where
r / J J ^ ^ I s ' p '
sel- dom is heard a dis-cour - ag - ing word
(3>^k K-
N f J J h
f> f r j i
i
^
And the skies are not cloud - y all day.
II
4-
HOME ON THE RANGE 321
As Dr. Kirby suggests, nothing in the history of the song is so
remarkable as the way it spread from one singer to another until it
was known everywhere on the Western frontier. One writer has
said, "With neither printed words nor music, far out on the unshel-
tered plain, 'Home on the Range' became a song hit 1,500 miles west
of Broadway!"
This was due to the special conditions existing on the frontier
in 1873. Already the buffalo hunters were turning south from Kan-
sas. The railroads, and the pioneers with them, were building west.
Above all, the great cattle trails were expanding, and shifting to
meet the railroads. Only the year before the song was written the
Santa Fe reached Dodge City. Almost overnight the town became
the largest cattle market in the world and the shipping center of
the Southwest. The hunters who exterminated the buffalo here
marketed several million dollars worth of hides and meat. Hun-
dreds of wagon trains carried supplies to Western towns and army
posts. By 1875, three years later, nearly all cattle trails led to
Dodge; in 1884 Texas drovers alone brought 106 herds numbering
300,000 head.
It is perhaps more than a coincidence that the life of Dodge City
as a great cattle market, from the early 1870's to the middle 1880's,
approximated that of the first life of "Home on the Range." Like
a broadcasting station, the town popularized the song through the
channels that converged there.
An old-time buffalo hunter, John R. Cook, in a book entitled,
The Border and the Buffalo (1907), claimed that the writer of the
song himself went to Texas on "the big hunt." Although there is
no evidence that either Higley or Kelley ever made such a trip, it
would have been in character for Kelley. He was well known as
a sportsman and had more than a local reputation as a crack shot.
In 1876, matched against a Colonel May of Kirwin in a quail hunt-
ing contest, he won by 52 birds to 51. Another time, in a three-
way shoot, he won by killing 51 birds with 52 shots. .
Dr. Higley, on the other hand, in his one-room dugout on the
banks of the Beaver, led a solitary life. Whether it was the life of
a solitary drinker, as some have said, or that of a man self-isolated
from his demon, is not known. More likely the latter, for he after-
wards married again (for the fifth time) and lived normally with
a family.
Whatever the private lives of the collaborators, critics who doubt
that they could have written the famous song do so in ignorance
322 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
of their talents. Higley had long been a "writing" doctor. A poem
still exists in manuscript, inscribed to "Dryden, Eng. Poet," nine
pages long and penned in old-fashioned heavily-shaded script. 11
He wrote at least three other songs, one of which became popular
at the close of the Civil War. And Dan Kelley, though not known
to have written other music, "could play any kind of horn" and had
a splendid voice and was extremely popular as an entertainer.
Of the two, Higley had the better education, and came from rather
a distinguished family. According to The Higleys and Their An-
cestry:
Brewster Higley, 6th, M.D., the third child of Brewster Higley, 5th, and
Achsah Everts, was born at Rutland, 0., November 30, 1823, three months
after the decease of his father. On the decease of his mother he resided with
his grandfather, Judge Brewster Higley, 4th, and afterward with his sister.
At the age of eighteen he began the study of medicine in the village of
New Plymouth, O. His first medical practice was in Pomeroy, O. In the
spring of 1848 he removed to La Porte, Ind., and formed a partnership with
his uncle, Dr. Everts. From the medical college located at La Porte, he
took his medical degree February 22, 1849. He also became a member of the
Northwestern Academy of Natural and Medical Science. He practiced his
profession in La Porte twenty-six years.
Dr. Brewster Higley married, October, 1850, Maria B. Winchell, who bore
one child, born September, 1851, a son, who died a few days old. His wife
fell a victim to a prevailing epidemic in May, 1852. August, 1853, Dr. Higley
married Eleanor Page, who bore one son, Brewster Higley, 7th. His second
wife died soon after the birth of this child. His third marriage was in 1857
to Catherine Livingston. From this marriage there were born two children
Estelle, born April 4, 1859, and Arthur Herman, born September 3, 1861, both
Jiving; but his wife met with an injury, of which she died, June 3, 1864.
In the spring of 1871 Dr. Higley removed to Smith County, Kans., where
he married, March 8, 1875, Sarah E. Clemans. To them four children were
bom, viz.:
Sandjord, who died in 1878; Achsah, bora 1877; Everett, born July 26, 18SO;
and Theo., a daughter, bom September 10, 1882.
While living in Smith Center, Kans., Dr. Brewster Higley, 6th, was elected
and served one term as clerk of the court of the fifteenth judicial district for
his county.
The climate of Kansas proving too severe for his health, he sold his farm
in 1886, and removed to Van Buren, Crawford County, Ark., where he now
resides. He has retired from professional life, and is engaged in farming and
fruit-growing. 12
Another Kansan, John Brown, whose name is also connected with
a famous song, has a chapter and a full-page steel engraving devoted
to him in this Higley genealogy. Brown's father and mother were
11. Homer Croy, Corn Country (New York, 1947). One of the best chapters in this book
is entitled, "The Amazing Story of 'Home on the Range'." Mr. Croy's research included
visits to Smith Center, Kan., and Shawnee, Okla.
12. The Higleys and Their Ancestry (New York, 1908), pp. 269, 270.
HOME ON THE RANGE 323
both great grandchildren of Brewster Higley, I. He and Doctor
Higley, therefore, were related to the extent that Brown was fifth
in line from Brewster Higley, I, and Higley was sixth.
There are several discrepancies in the above statement from the
genealogy. They were discovered by Russell Hickman, a former
member of the staff of the Kansas State Historical Society, who
now lives in La Porte, Ind. 13 Higley's first marriage was in 1849
and not 1850, and his third marriage was in 1858, not 1857. He did
not practice in La Porte as stated, but probably began at the
nearby town of Kingsbury, where he lived until 1852 when he
moved to Union Mills. It is known that he practiced at Union Mills,
which is a small town southwest of La Porte, and it appears from
statements secured by Mr. Hickman that he stayed in that vicinity
until he left for Kansas about 1871.
The principal discrepancy, however, is the omission of the fact
that Higley was married to a fourth wife before he left for Kansas.
She was Mrs. Mercy Ann McPherson, a widow, and their marriage
took place February 28, 1866. At this time Higley was still prac-
ticing medicine at Union Mills, although he later moved to nearby
Indian Point where the family lived in a log house. According to
statements made to Mr. Hickman in February, 1949, by persons
who remembered Doctor Higley, he and his wife were incompatible.
It was recalled that he finally sent his children to relatives in Illinois
and eventually left Indian Point for an unannounced destination.
How much Higley's addiction to liquor was responsible for the
separation cannot be known. It seems clear that at the time he was
a heavy drinker and a very poor man. One winter, according to a
signed statement obtained by Mr. Hickman, the family lived
chiefly on corn meal. "Dr. Higley was considered a very fine doctor,
and a brilliant man," Mr. Hickman's informant stated, "but he let
liquor get the better of him. After he left, his whereabouts were
entirely unknown."
Nine years after their marriage Mrs. Mercy Higley got a divorce
by default after three notices by publication in the Michigan City
(Ind.) Enterprise. The decree was effective February 9, 1875. A
month later Doctor Higley was married in Kansas for the fifth
time. Although he sometimes drank to excess in Kansas he was
apparently able to achieve a normal life after this last marriage.
Perhaps this was due to the absence of the "discouraging words"
which have been ascribed to his unfortunate fourth marriage. About
13. Russell Hickman, "Report." Mr. Hickman spent several weeks investigating Higley'a
life in Indiana before he came to Kansas. The report consists of letters, copies of records
and signed statements.
324 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the time of his Kansas marriage the dugout he was living in when
he wrote "Home on the Range" was replaced by a log cabin. (This
cabin still stands and is often erroneously referred to as the place
where the song was written, but the original dugout is gone.) And
a few years before he left Kansas Doctor Higley sent for his two
children by his third wife and moved into a house a short distance
north of Smith Center. Little is known about his subsequent life in
Arkansas and Oklahoma. It may be presumed that he had found
happiness with his fifth wife, for on the certificate of his death the
attending physician stated that the contributing cause was "grief
over the death of his wife."
W. H. Nelson, the editor who reprinted the poem in 1914, said
that Higley was "rough and uncouth in appearance, but with a
heart filled with . . . compassion for suffering humanity.
As a doctor ... no night was too dark or trail too dim to
deter him from answering a demand for service and there are no
doubt many yet living in Smith county who owe a debt of never
ending gratitude for his timely medical attention. . . ."
Homer Croy in his book has an interesting account about Higley's
immediate descendants. He quotes Harry Higley as saying that
Doctor Higley "was Brewster Higley VII. My father is Brewster
Higley VIII. I am Harry Brewster Higley IX and my son is
Brewster Higley X." 14 This is not in accordance with the Higley
genealogy, quoted above, which stated clearly that the Doctor
Higley who settled in Smith county, Kansas, was Brewster Higley
VI.
The composer of the melody, Daniel E. Kelley, was born Febru-
ary 6, 1843, at North Kingston, R. I., the son of Sylvester E.
Kelley, a carpenter, and Sarah (Cory) Kelley. At the age of 20
he enlisted in the 3rd regiment, Rhode Island cavalry. After a year
as bugler in Company B, he was transferred to regimental head-
quarters as chief bugler to the noncommissioned officers staff. On
September 1, 1865, he was made a sergeant major and on November
29 he was mustered out, having served a little over two years. 15
When Kelley came to Kansas in 1872 he was 29. He settled at
Gaylord and two years later married Lulu Harlan, of the neighbor-
ing village of Harlan, by whom he had four children, all boys. In
the censuses of 1880 and 1885 he gave his occupation as carpenter.
During his earlier years in the state, however, he was apparently
14. Croy, op. cit.
15. Waterloo (Iowa) Daily Courier, October 24, 1905; Annual Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Rhode Island ... /or 1865 (republished in Providence, 1895),
p. 265.
HOME ON THE RANGE 325
a man of many devices. With his wife, and her two brothers who
composed the Harlan orchestra, he was in demand for dances and
celebrations over a territory that extended as far as Hays, a hun-
dred miles southwest, a great distance in those machineless and
almost roadless days.
In addition to being an entertainer and sportsman, Kelley was
one of the leading businessmen of the community and something
of a promoter. Items about him in the local papers of the period
included the following: 16
... the contract for the building of the new hotel at Bradford has
been let to Mr. D. E. Kelley.
Mr. Dan Kelley is the Architect of the town and has four buildings con-
tracted for at present.
Dan came to this County . . . when the buffaloes and wolves held
undisputed sway. ... He now has one of the best farms on the Solomon
Valley. . . .
Daniel E. Kelley was busy building a big glass front for a temperance
billiard hall.
Mr. Daniel E. Kelley, of Gaylord, has built him a livery stable, size 28 x 50,
with a good well of water, and a force hose to clean buggies. Dan also has
one of the neatest cottages in town.
[D. E. Kelley was one of the petitioners for incorporation of Gaylord as
a city of the 3rd class in the state of Kansas.] 17
On last Monday morning the following persons took their departure for
. . . Wyoming Territory . . . H. D. Pratt, W. Henry Kelley; D. E.
Kelley; [and a dozen others]. . . . They organized a mining company
and intend to work what is now supposed a rich section of country.
[A Herald reporter found that the expedition had not succeeded and that
two of the men had already returned to Gaylord. Apparently very little gold
was to be found.]
[D. E. Kelley was delinquent on property tax in the amount of $14.74.]
Daniel Kelley has sold his farm to Captain L. D. Frogge, . . .
Our ingenious friend, Mr. D. E. Kelley, has invented an entirely new and
novel automatic car coupler which is intended to take the place of the old-
fashioned coupling now in general use and which has been the cause of so
many fatal accidents on our railroads. This coupler is entirely self-acting,
and works as well on cars of different heights as on those of the same heighth.
. . . Mr. Kelley has applied for a patent.
This car coupler and the melody of "Home on the Range" are
16. Smith County Pioneer, June 9, 1877, December 13, 27, 1878, March 21, and Septem-
ber 12, 1879; Gaylord Herald, February 26, April 8, and June 24, 1880: Smith County
Pioneer, July 22, 1881; Gaylord Herald, October 20, 1881, and May 11, 1882.
17. Gaylord is about 12 miles south of Smith Center which is the county seat of Smith
county. Higley's homestead in Pleasant township was about the same distance northwest
About ten miles east and three north of Smith Center is the geographic center of the United
States, established by the U. S. Geological survey. Forty miles south, in Osborne county is
the continental geodetic center, the "primary station" for all North American surveys, estab-
lished by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic survey.
326 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the only examples we have of Kelley's inventive talent. So far as
known, nothing ever came of the patent. As to the tune of the song
which has since given pleasure to millions, there is no reason to
believe Kelley ever wrote it down. When he composed it he was
30 years of age and Higley was 50. They never collaborated again
nor had any thought that their song would be more than a local suc-
cess. Both probably left Kansas without even being aware of the
popularity it had achieved throughout the frontier. Higley lived
in Kansas 13 years after the song was written and Kelley 16. Hig-
ley moved to Arkansas and then to Shawnee, Okla., where he died
May 10, 1911, at the age of 87. Kelley moved to Waterloo, Iowa,
in 1889, and died there October 23, 1905, at the age of 62.
The posthumous fame which "Home on the Range" has brought
to Higley and Kelley might have been lost to them if the Goodwins
had not claimed the song, for without Moanfeldt's research it is
doubtful if their authorship would ever have been established. And
without the lawsuit, the ballad probably would not have been made
the state song of Kansas. It was Moanfeldt's affidavits that con-
vinced critics the song belonged to the state. It required 12 years
to make it official, but in 1947 "Home on the Range" was officially
adopted by the Kansas legislature.
The verses which appear in the bill came from Mrs. Cal Harlan,
who had written them out for a friend some years before. They
differ only a little from the versions printed by the Kirwin Chief in
1876 and in the Smith County Pioneer in 1914 (reprinted from the
1873 issue) . The "official" stanzas, referred to hereafter as the Har-
lan version, are printed below. All variations from this version,
which may or may not have been what Higley wrote, are mentioned.
While this may seem a little pedantic, it is of interest for the reason
that from 1873, when the song was written, to 1910, "Home on the
Range" was in fact a folk song. The origins of folk music are sel-
dom known, but in this instance we have a song whose three earliest
versions may be compared not only with each other but with a
fourth version modified by 37 years of folk singing.
The Harlan version :
Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the sky is not clouded all day.
Chorus :
A home, a home where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the sky is not clouded all day.
HOME ON THE RANGE 327
Oh, give me the gale of the Solomon vale,
Where life streams with bouyancy flow,
On the banks of the Beaver, where seldom if ever
Any poisonous herbage doth grow.
Oh, give me the land where the bright diamond sand
Throws its light from the glittering stream
Where glideth along the graceful white swan,
Like a maid in a heavenly dream.
I love the wild flowers in this bright land of ours;
I love too the wild curlew's scream,
The bluffs and white rocks and antelope flocks
That graze on the hillsides so green.
How often at night, when the heavens are bright
With the light of the glittering stars,
Have I stood here amazed and asked as I gazed
If their glory exceeds this of ours.
The air is so pure, the breezes so free,
The zephyrs so balmy and light,
I would not exchange my home here to range
Forever in azure so bright.
The title as it appeared in the Chief was "Western Home." The
Pioneer called it "Oh, Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam."
The first stanza was the same in all three versions, except that in
the third line both newspapers printed "never" instead of "seldom."
The chorus was the same in all three, except that the Pioneer used
"never" instead of "seldom."
In the Harlan and Pioneer versions the second stanza mentioned
the Solomon vale, but in the Chief the second and third stanzas (as
given above) were transposed, as were the fourth and fifth. The
Chief gave "a gale" in the first line instead of "the gale." The sec-
ond line was different in all three. The Chief gave "where the life
streams with buoyancy flow," and the Pioneer gave "where light
streams," etc.
In my opinion, none of the three was the line Higley wrote, and if
this is true it indicates that neither newspaper printed the poem
from an author's copy. Mrs. Harlan's version of course was from
memory, after many years. The line as it stands in all three ver-
sions is a nonsense line, such as we find in many folk songs, the cor-
ruption resulting from learning the song by ear. In most folk songs
it is now impossible to know or even guess at the original meanings
of such lines. But in this case, I believe, it is clear that the line
Higley wrote was "where live streams with buoyancy flow." Any-
one familiar with the history of the prairies knows how often the
pioneers referred to "living" water, meaning running water, and in
328 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
the case of very small streams usually meaning they were spring fed.
To the homesteader on the plains where storms or spring rains fre-
quently filled low places with stagnant water and where summer
droughts often dried up creeks which at other times ran bank full, a
stream that could be depended on for fresh "live" water was a
necessity.
The living water Higley referred to in the last two lines of the
second stanza flowed in the West Beaver past his homestead dugout.
In all three versions these lines were the same. The last line, as
Homer Croy says, "is surely the worst bit of verse a well-intentioned
poet ever left behind. No wonder the old gentleman pulled for
Oklahoma. Thank goodness, the people who later tinkered with the
song threw out the poisonous herbage."
In the third stanza the Chief gave "land," not "the land," used
"streams" and "dreams" (plural), and gave "the maid in her heav-
enly dreams." The Pioneer used "Throws light" in the second line,
and in the last line, "her" heavenly. Some critics have objected to
this stanza, claiming that there were never any wild swans in Kan-
sas. A few, too, have stated that there were no buffalo, deer or
antelope in Smith county in 1873 when Higley wrote the song.
However, in 1876, three years later, the following items appeared in
the Pioneer: 18
Sportsmen will find in this county, in the way of feathered game, wild tur-
key, quail, grouse, prairie chickens; and in the fall and spring of the year
millions of prairie pigeons, or snipe, cover our prairies, and the lakes and
streams are alive with wild ducks, geese, brants and swan.
Antelope are plenty in the north part of the county. No buffalo have, as
yet made their appearance this spring.
A small herd of buffalo are reported to be grazing in northwest part of this
county, near the brakes of the Republican.
In the fourth stanza the first line was the same in all versions ex-
cept that the Pioneer gave "these" wild flowers instead of "the."
The second line was slightly different in all three. The Chief gave
"I love the wild curlew's shrill scream," while in the Pioneer the
line was, "I love, too, the curlew's wild scream."
The curlew Higley knew was probably the Long-billed Curlew
(Numenius americanus americanus) . According to Goodrich's Birds
in Kansas, this species which once inhabited "the muddy flats and
grassy plains of the slopes of the Rockies, ... is possibly
extinct over much of its former range. . . . This easily
identified bird is considered a rare summer resident in western
18. Smith County Pioneer, July 27, June 9 and July 13, 1876.
DR. BREWSTER HIGLEY
(1823-1911)
Pioneer Smith county doctor who wrote the words of "Home
on the Range." The picture was received through the courtesy
of Bernard P. Higley of Columbus, Ohio.
CHIEP
J06 Office,
Emt $ide PiMic Square,
First door south of the Post-
Ki rw IB, R:>n
Fk<dltrol the SuM
}.>wed hijBwse'no 1 boeaaw Ue victim of an
mbiiU.'tu avpirant tf poaiteat fame. In
Ms Uswe of Feb. 3<L, 18?*. be publishes
uu<if 'bo head of "M y in.mc in tlw W**t"
a jHK-m. purporting to bav beea TrrHlen
!,y Mm EMU* a *, ot BUf ebargh. Books
oay, Kansas Tb*poeia in queauor,,
wilk 05xeejV!5<Hef two w<H<U, was writ"
ta b^ Br. B. IIIglejT, <rf Be*tr ceek'
Smith c8tj*, Kansas, aad flr<*i jmWhbdl
is the Kirwjo C,*nmr, Jlarrh n*t, 18t4.
We **-|>aWi*& {fee article s* w*Utca ly
War, lUxtey, ltd a^k o i ' f fittcrs to com
JMM-* 'It . witfe i!ic ttoicM article from itf<?
barg &, Br Kwr!! mitt touk lo hw Uu
vels, 1 wilt 6d platy irf people wto
*re wHtiHf V j>rfi fey tli brain work of
utJitr*.
WeitaraHcme.
ivf or*, mot IT
Ob i &tw as* a twro* wbere lb Buffalo
Kirwin
W. . & C ?.
S, PrcprUtoit.
"Fearless
VOL. 3.
KIRWIN. KANSAS, SATUI
1 hcr
Of n
Sba } roil & tiinuan sea.
Behind the *rared sqaaw's Wrt-h"
The *imer swke n<J rar*
Afttl city lots are slaked f<r *le
ld ladijui grave*.
: of
t- r*
f ami
r-'ni t
r:.u
*n<l the Al*o|i* |>la3r ;
lieard * dmvuragiag
Wtecr lb
Wfeere se
worti.
Awl tb *kt t not cl>Jt-<! all d*y,
(C40m!Jk home' V bow!
Where the !>eer an4 t!* Antetop
,
*'* !* o cloulcd *U day
tir tfee brigbt
Where sH*i*th slou^ 'be graceful wbhe
S9t*3,
be&T<>alj dresaa*.
j Ko'jwrtton of
tbe west o-f<-fs
igrcatcr in 'u
j ments to the far-
mer, uiercbantor
to be JoD*i in
tbe Kiria !.aad
Di&trict, Gofd ,'
jt le secured
near all the fMt
towns, an.l th- -"
rapid joeir-a**? ifl* *5J
rahte, wiij insure grf
a four-fold return ^
of the expense of ^7
im|rotem c n t H. jf*"
To those who in- PJ
tend seeking 1<>- Ui
cations in t li
wc&t, who want .4
healthy climate,
gootl Mill, g<sod
atf, good
scitocls and
church* . and
good aoclcsr, we
H O M EST A D S C
Tiie Saasas Srisj: art's Ssr^.
VVhcff the life itresius *!tl tmovaacv
flaw;
Ot tfc banks of tbe Beaver, *be?x-
m sjJJO8 if ev<r,
i /,Vc ;'<. I A bOttWt
ll^w often t nigbt wben the
er lriglJ,
Witk tfec HgSt uf ti.t- twiyit| ars.
> i ,ive I siaod fet re aiail, amd asked *<*
If
*J A
tl itaU of <*
: A !!.
! '..: I'M: -wihlettrle
'i !. / t.luilU wi whU rock*,
* A t'h-!
M} the
The
om-v
Tlw
We ?!f!:int
< > t .t: ,UU - i
T Ji /,
i hit
> to ri
l W
*3 A
PHILLIPS COUNTY COHBEMS
antv roistah.s an ;:va of :;;:;- li-.
EB
FIRST PAGE OF THE KIRWIN CHIEF OF FEBRUARY 26, 1876,
CONTAINING THE WORDS OF "HOME ON THE RANGE." THIS
Is THE EARLIEST PUBLICATION YET FOUND OF THE POEM
WHICH BECAME THE OFFICIAL STATE SONG OF KANSAS.
Chief.
JUT** OF ADTMXri&tSG
tcltuaui-Mrer.... .. :*
* .. * . f*M
^ * M.4M
Swertra
of Snlwerfpttou.
o thrjr will t.t b
and Free." $1, SC per year, is Adv-c*
ID AY FEBRUARY >0. 1S70- \< M
tmtM**fti
' rht o-tt*
of
A ! WM
The X.
Hi- !H.J<
J ;:.. .
liny
i*J find
4 a Sfca!*,
l!!rej>eat
.jiiKTftrdaa*l
( s a!-. We have fifty ft'
I lion a< res if land. T-r*
<>ur ivalestau u:^'!.'
'and we belit'Te will, I*- i
~i.rbl hoitdred inilliuu d -
fome To Kansas.
in^ra renuirka'>!
ntiUl, anl cattl
E KIRWIN LAND DISTRICT.
>:
swsrf
sad r
. ;> v.c at
.'bere art more tliau usual jr.
he di^aiios^ of a heavy iintni^'iu
m fion next spring to tlbis i-iutfrt
: i I!arl times at tbe east srv! po'r
* n 'ps, have made the people uti
*^- ea^y.aml their eyea aiv turnel
ajraiu to the fertile and pr.Jo*
rwvtf ia Biar in- t ! vo * v * e - Kansas offers* an invi
-tar. t- wist<r ting fifld for immigrati-'tt. It is
i.'h witli ^'nm fall of prodace. Tb? *.-t
' '" ,-v r tier lives cheaply Until lie rai*
tb*a thaloUaia *s hi> own crops. Land is t heai>
ed by imizife !t-re. Our state ffoers to tJb*
TW prmirie jrnis. ?eeker of a good bttrn* ft!
H.nthi t^t K. : i-heap lands, the beat of climate*
tfitsoos T|Qafitr : the riehest of soils, cbureh/^
/ : i:!n>ads, and all th-:- rqir,
1 * ' r- a iv f .r il: ,. n t,,j aoi | adornments -f;!: i :i<''
*l csrilixatiofiabeady JM.
1. All Uutt adva,ui' v >.
western bound n:it:nim
otoreriooL Th, \ ihiKiM
]: * it-^tanily b'f- : !. ; ^
!' : ^-ration b r ' - J i:t
i f fiie common " call Is
-.^rri friends s>h*>!d lv
laniiy advised of sh- fnr*.
U'S roasid'!. i. Ka;.
the most deiimble of all
'.it-.-= in
<- ^tininer.
Mav !i. 1
K:u:-:s, -;iv
otfcf ft>e<l. 1'hv
few *feep b
{* ia tfe< t -njfitv.
* i'ue of >ilierfarra p
School System
and j*
> it; has alreadv
it b^orn. a | j *h*
f-e-men larger tlian
T. ,i,led withl- ! ' -
-n
field k f Mat:,
Sarta i
sl by a K^W***
ALTHOUGH THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN IN THE HISTORICAL SO-
CIETY'S COLLECTION FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS ONLY DIS-
COVERED RECENTLY THAT DR. HIGLEY'S VERSES HAD BEEN
PRINTED THERE.
DANIEL E. KELLEY
(1843-1905)
Pioneer of Smith county as he looked about the time he wrote
the music for "Home on the Range." Picture courtesy of Mrs.
Frank Kelley of Waterloo, Iowa.
HOME ON THE RANGE 329
Kansas, and may be seen in migration in April and in October in
other parts of the state." It is possible that Higley referred to
the Eskimo Curlew. Of this bird Goodrich says, "Once rivaling the
passenger pigeon in abundance, this species seems to have joined the
pigeon in extinction. It is reported that cartloads of eskimo curlew
were once shot daily during migration up the Mississippi Valley." 19
Evidence that the curlew was considered a game bird in Higley's
time appears in the following, taken from a story headed "Kansas
Field Sports" which appeared in the Smith County Pioneer, October
18, 1878 : "Curlew are quite common in season. As a whole, Kansas
is a capital country for field sports, and the many sporting associa-
tions formed, show that the advantages are appreciated."
The third line of the fourth stanza was the same in all versions,
except that the Pioneer gave "the bluffs of white rocks." In the
fourth line the Pioneer gave "our hillsides," while in the Chief the
line read "That graze on the mountains so green." How the moun-
tains got into this one version in a stanza so obviously descriptive of
Smith county in Higley's day, it is impossible to guess.
In the first line of the fifth stanza the Chief gave "the heavens
were bright," and in the next line the Pioneer used "By the light,"
etc. In the third line the Pioneer gave "stood there amazed," and
in the last line gave "beauty" instead of "glory."
The last stanza, except for the third line, was different in all three
versions. The Chief in the first line gave "and the breezes," while
in the Pioneer the line was "The air is so pure the breezes so light."
In the second line the Pioneer's version was "The zephyrs so balmy
at night." The only variation in the last two lines was in the Chief,
which gave "azures" instead of "azure."
The third line, "I would not exchange my home here to range,"
was the same in all three, and probably may be accepted as the
original. Sometime between 1873, when Higley wrote the poem in
Kansas, and 1910, when Lomax got the verses from the Negro saloon
keeper in San Antonio, this line was changed to the version which
gave the song its present title. There can be little doubt that the
improvement, "home on the range," was made by some obscure
cowhand, who in broadening the meaning of the line to include all
the range country, transformed it from a local ballad to one every
Westerner could identify himself with. This simple change un-
questionably had much to do with the song's acceptance as a typical
cowboy ballad and its subsequent popularity.
19. Arthur L. Goodrich, Birds in Kansas (Report of the Kansas State Board of Agricul-
ture, June, 1945), p. 197.
22157
330 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The meaning of the word "range" as now used in the song has
sometimes been misunderstood. Moanfeldt in his report (last para-
graph) says that the word "evidently refers to a division of land
running north and south through the County being about six miles
wide," etc. It seems clear that Higley simply used range, the verb,
as a synonym for rove. He was saying in poetical language that he
wouldn't even leave Kansas for Heaven not then being aware that
in a few years he would lower his sights somewhat and leave for
Arkansas. The noun, range, as used in the song today, has of course
the meaning described in Webster: "That which may be ranged
over; . . . esp., a sparsely populated and open region over
which . . . livestock may roam and feed."
During the 37 years of the life of "Home on the Range" as a folk
song there were remarkably few alterations either in the words or
music of the original. Dozens of different stanzas, of course, were
used from time to time, as in "Colorado Home," to describe special
localities. But the tendency was from the particular to the general.
In Lomax's version, which follows, all references to Beaver creek
and the Solomon river are gone. It is true that there is a new stanza
referring to the Red river but it is likely that this was a stray or a
maverick, favored by the Negro singer who had picked it up on
the Chisholm trail.
The only fundamental change was that the first line of the chorus
had become two lines
Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play
instead of
A home, a home where the deer and the antelope play.
Lomax's version, as printed in the 1925 edition of his Cowboy
Songs, is as follows:
Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free,
The breezes so balmy and light,
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright,
HOME ON THE RANGE 331
The red man was pressed from this part of the West,
He's likely no more to return
To the banks of Red River where seldom if ever
Their flickering camp-fires burn.
How often at night when the heavens are bright
With the light from the glittering stars,
Have I stood here amazed and asked as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours.
Oh, I love these wild flowers in this dear land of ours,
The curlew I love to hear scream,
And I love the white rocks and the antelope flocks
That graze on the mountain-tops green.
Oh, give me a land where the bright diamond sand
Flows leisurely down the stream;
Where the graceful white swan goes gliding along
Like a maid in a heavenly dream.
Then I would not exchange my home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
All modern versions, published with and without credit in dozens
of song collections, are based on the above original Lomax tran-
scription. The song as we sing it and hear it today, however, is apt
to be neither Higley's nor Lomax's. For some time a popular sheet
music version has been Guion's arrangement published by Schirmer.
The chorus is the same as the Lomax version, and the first, fourth,
sixth and seventh stanzas are alike. The melody is also the same,
except that Guion wrote a tune of his own for the stanza which
begins "Oh, give me a land." This added melody has not met with
any general acceptance.
Not all Kansans have approved the selection of "Home on the
Range" as the official state song. Some say it is too mournful and
others complain that it fails to "sell" the state and its products. In
1948 the Kansas Industrial Development Commission, apparently
with singing commercials in mind, offered prizes for more up-to-
date words. The following January, when Gov. Frank Carlson was
inaugurated, these "snappier" verses were sung. Likewise, the
music was jazzed to such a pitch that if the tune had been so played
when first written all the deer and antelope would have been scared
out of the country.
332 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Following this indignity, an effort was made to persuade the 1949
legislature to supplant it with another song. It was even argued
that Sigmund Spaeth was still right, that "Colorado Home" was
the original and that the 1914 reprint and Moanfeldt's affidavits
were not contemporaneous proof. This contention was disposed
of by the discovery, already mentioned, that the State Historical
Society possessed a copy of the Kirwin Chiej for February 26, 1876,
which contained a reprint of the original poem. When a photostat
was sent to Spaeth he acknowledged that it settled any question
of priority.
The public, however, needed no such proof. Letters to legislators
and newspapers quickly indicated that "Home on the Range" was
not a ballad to be tampered with. Although this protest may have
been only a natural reaction against singing commercials, it is more
likely that the song expresses emotions which go deeper than a
desire for bigger business. Somehow, out on the lonely prairie, an
obscure poet and an unknown singer created an artistic paradox:
A perfect blending of man's nostalgia for home with his dreams of
some far-away and fairer land. This ambivalent masterpiece has
turned out to be the ideal expression of the love which Kansans
feel for their unpredictable state.
REPORT OF SAMUEL MOANFELDT OF His INVESTIGATION
To Music Publishers Protective Association:
My investigation concerning "HOME ON THE RANGE" commenced on
or about the 15th day of February 1935. In the investigation, I concerned
myself with establishing the following:
1. That the song "Home on the Range" was in public domain by reason of
the fact that it had been known and sung generally throughout the country in
1885 or prior thereto.
2. To establish the author and composer of the words and tune of this song,
if possible.
3. To find, if possible, some printed record, whether same be an original
document, newspaper article or any book or song book, in which the song is
mentioned, or in which the words of the song or music thereof were contained.
Prior to the investigation by me, the MPPA had collected quite a lot of
general information concerning this song and among such information was
some correspondence from a Mrs. Giddeon of Chicago, who stated that while
she attended the Stanberry Normal School in 1880, this song was regularly sung
by the pupils of the school. In the same correspondence was mentioned names
of classmates of Mrs. Giddeon who might remember this song.
I therefore thought it best to start with this information and run it down.
One of the persons who attended the Stanberry Normal School was a Professor
Jordan of the University of Missouri, and my first stop was to see Professor
HOME ON THE RANGE 333
Jordan, at his home at Columbia, Missouri. While Professor Jordan was ab-
sent, his sister, who was also a student at Stanberry Normal School, advised
me to get in touch with Reverend Cleo M. Chilton, Minister of the First
Christian Church of St. Joseph, Missouri. My next stop was to see Reverend
Chilton, who after discussing this matter with me referred to Miss Mable
White, who attended the Normal School between 1889 and 1891, and who was
the principal of the Sherwood School at St. Joseph, and to a Mrs. Mattie C.
Long, also of St. Joseph, Missouri. I interviewed both of these ladies and
they advised me that while attending the Normal School prior to 1890, "Home
on the Range" was generally sung at all the student gatherings and particularly
every week when they had crescent society. That while they had no printed
music or words, it seems that everybody knew the song and everybody joined in
the singing of it. Both these ladies furnished written statements and stated that
they had both recognized this tune when it was first heard over the radio, and
that the words and tune were practically identical with the song that they
knew at the Stanberry Normal School.
In order to show that this song was generally known and sung in various
sections of the country and particularly in view of the fact that some people
thought that this was a cowboy ballad, I directed myself to the cowboy coun-
try, and I went to Dodge City, Kansas. This city is known as cowboy country
by reason of the fact that the Santa Fe and the Chisholm Trail meet there
and it was a central shipping point for cattle coming from the southwest.
There I interviewed a great number of people such as ex-cowboys, people who
were employed as cooks in cowboy camps, ex-stage coach drivers and Buffalo
hunters. A great number of written statements were procured by me from
these people and they all agreed that this song was well known to and gener-
ally sung by cowboys and other people traveling through that section of the
country in stage coaches prior to 1890, and that the lyrics and music were prac-
tically identical with those now generally used by radio singers and they all
stated that they recognized the tune as soon as the same became popular over
the radio.
The number of people who furnished such statements satisfied me that we
would have sufficient proof for the purpose of defense of this suit to defeat the
action even at this point, and my next step was directed to establishing the au-
thor or authors of the verses and music of "Home on the Range". In this
connection, the story of "Colorado Home" which was published by Paull-Pio-
neer became of importance and I thought it best to really establish the facts
contained in the purported letter containing the words of the song appearing
in the publication "Colorado Home". I therefore went to Leadville, Colo-
rado, which is three miles from Orro City, named as the locale where the
writing of "Colorado Home" took place.
In Leadville, Colorado, I called on the editor of the local paper which is
known as the Herald Democrat. After showing him the photographs appearing
on the frontispiece of "Colorado Home" I asked him whether he could recog-
nize Bob Swartz, who was supposed to be one of the writers of "Colorado
Home". I also asked him whether he recognized any of the names of the co-
authors who were mentioned as Bill McCabe and Bingham Graves and Jim.
Mr. Butler, the editor of the paper, told me that he personally knew Bill
McCabe and Bingham Graves and that several daughters of Bingham Graves
still lived in Leadville. He thereupon directed me to the home of Mrs.
334 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Florence Edgington, who is one of the daughters of Bingham Graves, and after
advising her of my purpose, she told me that her father had very often spoken
of Bob Swartz, with whom he had done some prospecting, and that her father
had sung "Home on the Range" as a lullaby to all of the children ever since
she could remember, and that the words and tune, as she heard it on the radio
are practically identical with the words and tune as sung by her father at or
about 1895-6. That Bingham Graves died in 1921, that Jim referred to in the
Colorado Home story was probably Jim Fouts, her uncle, and that this song
was sung and played by her father and her uncle since she could remember.
In going through her father's effects, a photograph was located on which ap-
peared her father and Bob Swartz as a young man, and there could be no mis-
take but the photograph of one of the men appearing there was Bob Swartz.
I also spoke to one of the other daughters, a Mrs. George Jacobs, and there-
after to a son of Bingham Graves, who lives at Long Beach, California. Both
of them confirmed the story as given by their sister and they all signed state-
ments stating that they will be ready to give whatever evidence they can and
in whatever form necessary, should this become necessary.
To further confirm and prove that some of the lyrics, as used today were
written in 1885, I endeavored to locate the mountain chain referred to in the
letter of 1885, as mentioned in the story of "Colorado Home", and after some
effort, a photograph was taken of the very mountains that appeared in the
photograph on the frontispiece of "Colorado Home". This again corroborated
the story of the writing of some of the verses now used in "Home on the
Range" and which are contained in "Arizona Home", as copyrighted by the
Goodwins in 1904 or 1905.
While at Leadville, I also interviewed a J. B. McDonald, who was at Lead-
ville, Colorado since 1887 and he confirmed the fact that he knew Bill McCabe
and Jim Fouts, and that these boys were mining partners and that Bill Mc-
Cabe sometimes wrote for the Herald Democrat and that they all prospected
in California Gulch, and that he often had heard the song then known as
"Oh Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam" as contained in "Colorado
Home", sung in the various vaudeville places and beer saloons in Leadville
on or about 1887. He particularly made mention of amusement places known
as Ben Loeb and Mike Goldsmith's and that he distinctly remembers the
song being sung by one Mike Whelan. He readily gave me a written state-
ment, as did Mr. Butler, the editor of the local paper, to the effect that Bill
McCabe was the sort of person who could write poetry and verse. A state-
ment to the effect that he heard Jim Fouts sing the version of the song as
contained in "Colorado Home" since 1895 was given by one Jim Morrison, a
personal friend of Jim Fouts, and to the effect that he also remembers dis-
tinctly that this was quite a favorite tune with him down to the time of the
death of Jim Fouts. Jim Fouts was a friend of the family and Mrs. Morrison also
stated in writing that she knew Jim Fouts since 1900 and that she heard him
sing this song and play it on the mouth organ since 1900.
I also procured the death notices that appeared in the local papers when
both Bingham Graves and Jim Fouts died, and Mr. Butler told me he at-
tended the funeral of Bill McCabe, who died and was buried in Red Cliff,
Colorado. That at the time of his death Bill McCabe was the editor of the
Red Cliff Times.
As further proof that at least some of the verses that the Goodwins claim
HOME ON THE RANGE 335
to have written could not have been written by them, but were probably
written as stated in the letter appearing in the story of "Colorado Home", I
tried to identify the places mentioned in some of the verses of the song. Of
course the references made to the hills and the ring of the drills and silver
ore in the ground, the gulches and the gold and the mountain streams, there
could be no doubt that this was a perfect description of Colorado and par-
ticularly the section in and around Orro City and Leadville. This particular
section produced the greatest amount of gold and silver and lead, at or about
1885, and the references to the gambling places and dance halls certainly refer
to Leadville, Colorado, where one found them in great numbers, at or about
the time when these verses were supposed to have been written.
In verse four of "Colorado Home" a reference is made to the Hot Springs
below where the sick people go and camp on the Banks of the Grand. A
great many people seem to have been under the impression that the Banks
of the Grand meant the banks of the Rio Grande. This, I have found to be
quite erroneous.
The Grand River referred to in the song is not the Rio Grande but the
upper part of the Colorado River, which was always known as the Grand
River and I procured an official map showing the name to be Grand River.
Information came to me to the effect that the name of the Grand River was
officially changed by Act of Congress in 1925 or thereabouts to Colorado River.
The Hot Springs referred to in the verses probably referred to Glenwood
Springs, located not many miles from Leadville, Colorado. The old timers
in and about Leadville also inform me that deer and antelope and buffalo
were plentiful in the section particularly in Park County, only ten or twelve
miles from Leadville, Colorado, and that the state of Colorado has a game
preserve at the present time in Park County.
The sister-in-law of Bingham Graves whom I visited at her home in Bis-
bee, Arizona, furnished a written statement that she came to Orro City in
1861 and she knew Bob Swartz, Bill McCabe and Bingham Graves, the latter
having married her sister, Mary Fouts. That these three were inseparable
companions and that they mined and prospected together. That Jim Fouts
played the mouth organ, Graves played the banjo, and McCabe made up
verses and once in a while worked as reporter on the Leadville paper. After
being shown the photographs of Bob Swartz and one of the mountain scene,
she stated that she absolutely recognizes Bob Swartz and also the cabin
marked No. 1, as one occupied by the boys in the 1880's, and that it stood
just outside of Leadville near Colorado Gulch, and that she remembers dis-
tinctly the boys singing and playing the lyrics, as appears in Paull-Pioneers
version of "Colorado Home". That when hearing "Home on the Range" on
the radio she often remarked that fact to her grandchildren.
While at Dodge City, several of the people I interviewed insisted that they
had heard this song or some of the verses of it much prior to 1885, and one
lady insisted that a great many more verses were known to her than what
appears in "Colorado Home". She wrote out from memory her recollections
of the verses she knew much prior to 1885. This definitely seemed to point
out that the song was much older than 1885, that what probably happened
was that the boys who wrote some of the verses that appeared in "Colorado
Home" took an earlier song and added the verses to particularly fit their
locality and condition.
336 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
I therefore began to search for the date of writing and the author of "Home
on the Range". While at Dodge City, I became acquainted with one of the
reporters of the Dodge City Globe and I thought it would be a great help
if some item in their paper would advise the public that we are seeking in-
formation on "Home on the Range", and accordingly, a front page item ap-
peared generally stating about the law suit and about the controversy. I ar-
ranged that any information received by the paper while I was away should be
forwarded to me. This item, after it appeared in the Dodge City paper was re-
printed in practically every paper in the country through the Associated Press,
and a great deal of information started to come to me about this song. There
is no use in going into detail concerning some of the information, but what-
ever seemed plausible was investigated by me, and many of them rejected,
but in comparing notes and the information received, things began to definitely
point to Kansas as the place where the song originated and an item appearing
in the Kansas City Star written by a lady by the name of Myrtle Hose, gave
the definite information that in her scrapbook she had a newspaper article
that appeared in 1914 referring to another article that appeared in 1873 in a
Kansas paper to the effect that "Home on the Range" appeared as a poem
in that paper in 1873. This information came to me the latter part of March
and I immediately procured the scrap book from Mrs. Hose and then pro-
ceeded to Smith Center and the office of the Smith County Pioneer, in which
paper this article appeared in 1914, and in which previously to that, the poem
appeared in 1873. I found that the poem had appeared in the issue of the
Pioneer on February 19, 1914 and that the poem was reprinted from an issue
of the same paper in 1873 and that the editor of the paper stated in this
editorial that he had known the author of this poem to be Dr. B. Higley,
who was an early settler in Smith County. A photostatic copy of the paper
was procured as well as a photostatic copy of the page of the scrap book of
Mrs. Hose, also a photostatic copy of the Kansas City Star of January 30,
1914, where this very same article also appeared. Both of these photostatic
copies were procured from the original papers on file in the Kansas Historical
Society at Topeka, Kansas, and were properly certified by the Society.
While at Smith Center, I interviewed a great many of the old pioneers
who personally knew Dr. Higley and they all furnished affidavits to the effect
that Dr. Higley wrote "Home on the Range" as a poem and that thereafter
one Dan Kelley supplied the tune.
A Mr. Reese who now resides at Smith Center and who is one of the oldest
pioneers in the section stated that he came to Smith Center in 1872, about one
month before the town of Smith Center was established, that he came in con-
tact with Dr. Bruce Higley, who had a homestead about twenty miles away on
the banks of the Beaver, near the Solomon River, in June 1872, and that the
occasion of their meeting was an indignation meeting against the Indians, and
that he met the Doctor frequently between 1872 and 1873. That some time in
1873, his friend, John Champlin was accidentally shot in the foot and that he
called on Dr. Higley, who treated him and that thereafter Dr. Higley called
several times a week at their Doby or Dugout to treat the patient, and that
he remembers distinctly on one of these occasions Dr. Higley, while treating
the patient asked him to read a poem he had written. It was on a foolscap
sheet of paper and the Doctor stated that he had written it to while away his
lonesome hours spent in his log cabin. That this was "Home on the Range" as
HOME ON THE RANGE 337
it is now known, and that they all insisted that the Doctor get somebody to
write the tune. That thereafter Dan Kelley supplied the tune and the Harlan
Bros. Orchestra played it on every occasion, settlers meetings, weddings, and
all other celebrations and that he has heard it played and sung ever since. That
he recognized the tune immediately, when it started to become popular on
the radio.
A very interesting statement was furnished by one Clarence B. Harlan. Mr.
Harlan was born in 1849, is now 86 years old, and came to Smith Center in
1871. He is the brotherinlaw of Dan Kelley, and his father was John C.
Harlan, who was the first elected probate Judge of Smith County, and that
the town of Harlan, Kansas, is named after him. About 1874 he played the
guitar and his brother Eugene Harlan, who was ten years younger, played
the violin. They composed the Harlan orchestra which played all over the
country at dances, reunions, parties and celebrations. That Dan Kelley, his
brother-in-law, knew music and had a great voice and that among the songs
they played was a song known then as "Western Home" which is now known
as "Home on the Range". That he and his brother sang and played the song
in 1874 and for many years thereafter. That he remembers the words per-
fectly and after being requested by me he brought out his guitar and played
and sang this song from memory, using the tune as he knew it in 1874 and
ever since, and as it was composed by his brother-in-law, Dan Kelley. I pro-
cured a recording machine and made phonograph records of this rendition of
the song.
At this point, it is interesting to know that he followed the words as ap-
peared in the paper in 1914, and that although Mr. Harlan sang this from
memory he didn't miss a word. Mr. Harlan stated that the way the tune was
made by Dan Kelley was that Dan tried several tunes to fit the words and
after Mr. Harlan and his brother Eugene tried them on their instruments
several were rejected until Dan captured the tune that is now used in "Home
on the Range". That it was never written down but that he and his brother
learned to play it on their instruments and after playing it at all celebrations
and parties it began to spread all over and was the most popular tune and
generally called for at all parties and celebrations. He stated that a great
many people even thought that he was the writer of the poem and the tune
and had written to him about it because of the fact that this song was so
closely associated with him. He stated to me that he always advised these
people that he was not the author of the song or tune and advised them who
really was the author of same. Mr. Harlan is blind but I thought that it would
be best to make phonograph records of his playing and singing of this song
which I did, and the same are now in the possession of MPPA.
A great many other affidavits of old pioneers of the section were procured,
all of which substantiate the story of the writing of the poem and the com-
position of the tune. Among those affidavits was one from the County Clerk
of Smith County and one from the probate Judge of Smith County.
Several affidavits were also procured from old residents at Osborne, a town
about twenty-eight miles distant from Smith Center and one of them from a
Mrs. Parker who knew Dr. Higley and who advised me that Dr. Higley was
the attending physician at the birth of her daughter, over sixty years ago, and
that she knows that Dr. Higley was the author of "Home on the Range".
An interesting bit of evidence was procured from an adopted sister of
338 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Clarence B. Harlan, when I called on her at North Kansas City, Missouri. She
found for me the very newspaper article which appeared in the scrapbook of
Mrs. Hose and also brought out an old faded foolscap paper on which ap-
peared the song which she called the "Western Home". She stated that she
had sung and played this song a great many times with Clarence B. Harlan
and that the song was very popular with them at their home since 1874. The
words were written by her on this sheet of paper on May 20, 1884, the date
when it was written having been placed on another sheet of paper dating back
some years before 1884 but that it had become torn and dilapidated and that
she had decided to re-write it on the sheet of paper handed to me when I
called upon her. Thia original piece of evidence together with the newspaper
clipping which was also saved by her are now in the possession of the MPPA.
I also visited Mrs. Anderson at Parkland, Pa. which is just outside of
Philadelphia, who is a sister of Bob Swartz, one of the composers of "Colorado
Home". I interviewed her husband and Mrs. Anderson and they stated to me
that the letter referred to in the version of "Colorado Home" as appears in
Paull-Pioneers publications was received by Mrs. Anderson in 1885 and she
exhibited to me the original letter. The appearance of the letter certainly
bears out the fact that it must have been written a very great many years ago.
She also exhibited to me the original photograph appearing in Paull-Pioneers
issue. In order to be able to get her deposition, it will be necessary to have
Mr. Mayer communicate with her and advise her to give such testimony. In
view of the fact that she is so near New York, it might be advisable to have
her deposition taken in New York City.
A great many letters have been received by me as a result of the newspaper
articles appearing all over the country and as a result of letters to the editors
which appeared in almost every paper in the United States, a great many letters
were also received by the defendants in the suit as well as MPPA. All these
letters are from people who know something about the song "Home on the
Range" or "Western Home" and generally are to the effect that they either
heard the song much prior to 1900 or they themselves knew and sang the song
much prior to that date. All generously offered to testify should same become
necessary.
I communicated with most of these people and on account of the fact that
the correspondence is so voluminous, I suggest that all the attorneys have
access to the original letters and affidavits taken by me in the course of my
investigation and that a conference be called by all the attorneys, and a deci-
sion should be made as to what depositions should be taken in this matter.
With respect to those people whom I interviewed all over the country, I am
in a position to give a lot of helpful suggestions at such a conference which
would help determine which of these people should be brought on should a
trial become necessary and the people whose depositions should be taken
immediately because of age or other circumstances.
I also have made a great many friends all over the country who helped me
locate the people from whom either statements or affidavits were received by
me and I can also offer helpful suggestions with respect to the taking of depo-
sitions should such procedure be decided upon.
Your investigator also deemed it of importance to investigate the general
history and background of the plaintiffs in this case and has gathered some
very interesting information which, for certain reasons, he does not desire to
HOME ON THE RANGE 339
include in this report but at a conference of attorneys, will be very glad to
impart such information, but I can at this time state that I visited Tempe,
Arizona, where the plaintiffs reside, and such information came from a reliable
source.
A Mrs. Emmett residing in New York City communicated with the under-
signed and she stated that she lived near Smith Center, Kansas in 1876 and
that she has some knowledge of this song and would be ready and willing to
testify should her testimony become necessary. She advised me that she will
be in New York City until June 1st and then will go to Valley Cottage, New
York, for the summer. If her testimony is desired I know where she can be
reached in New York City.
Another gentleman of very high standing residing in Connecticut also com-
municated with me and indicated that he does not desire to have his name
made public but would be very glad to have his deposition taken or testify
at a trial and indicated that he would be glad to come to New York City
to give such testimony.
I also communicated with Mrs. M. E. Harlan of Manhattan, Kansas, who
is a widow of Eugene Harlan, a brother of Cal Harlan, and a brother-in-law of
Dan Kelley, who is alleged to have composed the music for "Home on the
Range" then known as "Western Home".
A reply was received from Hal E. Harlan, a son, who is now a practicing
attorney in Manhattan, Kansas, and he states that his mother was one of the
group who sang the song at the dances and celebrations at which the Harlan
Orchestra played from 1878 to 1885, and that he personally was taught this
song by his father as early as 1900. He also offered on behalf of his mother
and himself to help in whatever way possible.
It is the opinion of your investigator that there is no basis whatever to the
claims made by the Goodwins and that the plaintiffs in this case contributed
nothing whatsoever either to the verse or tune of "Home on the Range" or
"Western Home" as it was sometimes known.
Enclosed with each one of these reports you will find a newspaper article
appearing in the Smith Center Pioneer on the occasion of my visit to that
town and after my investigation therein had been completed, which news-
paper incidentally, is the newspaper in which the original "Home on the
Range" appeared in 1873.
The term "Range" as used in the poem evidently refers to a division of
land running north and south through the County being about six miles wide,
all property descriptions of Smith County refer to the number of the range in
which the property is located. Dr. Higley who received a homestead Patent
from the United States Government to property in Smith County, received a
Deed referring to the range in which this property is located. Annexed to this
report is a copy of a blueprint of the engineer of Smith County showing that
the County is divided into ranges, such ranges being indicated by the letter
"R."
Respectfully submitted,
MAY, 1935
SAMUEL MOANFELDT
The Pictorial Record of the Old West
IX. ALFRED R. WAUD AND THEODORE R. DAVIS
ROBERT TAFT
(Copyright, 1949, by ROBERT TAFT)
A LFRED R. Waud and Theodore R. Davis were doubtless the
-tl. most prolific illustrators of Civil War scenes. Both began as
field artists for Harper's Weekly at the beginning of the war and
both covered the war for its entire duration. At the war's close in
1865, the Weekly in a brief article paid tribute to its staff artists,
naming Waud first and Davis second as the principal illustrators
of that tragic period in the nation's history. 1 Even today there
exist in the Library of Congress nearly 2,300 original Civil War
field sketches of A. R. Waud and his brother William, many of
which were redrawn on wood and published in Harper's Weekly
during the period of 1861-1865. 2
DR. ROBERT TAFT, of Lawrence, is professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas and
editor of the Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. He is author of Photography
and the American Scene (New York, 1938), and Across the Years on Mount Oread (Lawrence
1941).
Previous articles in this pictorial series appeared in the issues of The Kansas Historical
Quarterly for February, May, August and November, 1946, May and August, 1948, and May
and August, 1949. The general introduction was in the February, 1946, number.
1. "Our Artists During the War," Harper's Weekly, New York, v. 9 (1865), June 3, p.
339. This account listed a number of artists who had "gone through all the long and stir-
ring campaigns of this war." In the opening year of the war (1861) the Weekly did not credit
by name its staff artists, usually crediting them to "our staff artist," or "our special artist,"
so that it is not often possible to identify the illustrator. However, several accounts of T. R.
Davis were printed during the year which enable some of his illustrations to be attributed ;
see the Weekly, v. 5 (1861), June 1, p. 341, and June 22, p. 397. Harper's Weekly (see the
citations just listed) claimed that Davis accompanied W. H. Russell, the well-known English
war correspondent, on a tour of the South which started just before the beginning of hostili-
ties. According to Russell, however, there was no formal agreement with Davis about this
trip. In fact, Russell presented a story that is almost a direct contradiction to the Weekly's
claim; see William Howard Russell, My Diary North and South (London, 1863), v. 1, pp. 67,
90, 114, 115, 137, 286, 335, 336, 339. Russell in describing his experiences with Davis does
not even mention him by name; see, also, the counterclaim of Harper's Weekly in the issue of
July 20, 1861, p. 450.
Beginning in 1862, the Weekly credited the illustrator in most cases. Davis, it becomes
apparent from his illustrations, traveled more extensively than Waud, and was present in the
campaigns of the south and west (see, also, p. 358) ; Waud's illustrations, on the other hand,
were pretty largely restricted to the operations of the Army of the Potomac and to Washington
scenes.
2. The Library of Congress received these sketches by gift in 1919 from the late J. Pier-
pont Morgan. The Waud material also includes six letters and two photographs. With the
exception of J. G. Randall, in The Civil War and Reconstruction (New York, 1937), this
treasure trove of pictorial material has been scarcely used by historians. William Waud con-
tributed extensively to the war illustrations in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, New
York, in the first two years of the war but toward the end, his illustrations began appearing
in Harper's Weekly. In addition to William Waud, Edwin Forbes, F. H. Schell, Henri Lovie
and W. T. Crane were important Civil War illustrators for Leslie's.
Biographical data on William Waud is meager. There is a very brief sketch of his life in
Harper's Weekly, v. 22 (1878), November 30, p. 947, which noted his death in Jersey City on
November 10, 1878, and stated that Waud was not only an excellent artist but was a gifted
writer and architect as well. Inquiry directed to the Jersey City Public Library brought the
reply that no obituary of William Waud could be found in three Jersey City papers for the
period November 11-16, 1878.
(340)
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 341
ALFRED R. WAUD
Unfortunately, examination of these original sketches revealed
that none deals with Alfred Waud's later experiences which included
several Western trips. As a result of these trips, however, there
were published in the years after 1865 a very considerable number
of Western illustrations signed "A. R. Waud" or, more frequently,
"A. R. W." Many were probably imaginary, some were probably
based on photographs or on sketches of other artists, but several of
the illustrations are important, and as his name appeared so many
times in the field of Western illustration in the period 1865-1875,
he rightfully occupies a place in this series.
Of striking personal appearance, Waud attracted comment where-
ever he went. An English correspondent, G. A. Sala, who visited
the Army of the Potomac in January, 1864, saw Waud in action
and the picture he presented so impressed Sala that he described
Waud in some detail. He wrote:
There had galloped furiously by us, backwards and forwards during our
journey, a tall man, mounted on a taller horse. Blue-eyed, fair-bearded, strap-
ping and stalwart, full of loud, cheery laughs and comic songs, armed to the
teeth, jack-booted, gauntleted, slouch-hatted, yet clad in the shooting-jacket
of a civilian. I had puzzled myself many times during the afternoon and
evening to know what manner of man this might inwardly be. He didn't
look like an American; he was too well dressed to be a guerilla. I found him
out at last, and struck up an alliance with him. The fair-bearded man was
the "war artist" of Harper's Weekly. He had been with the Army of the
Potomac, sketching, since its first organization, and doing for the principal
pictorial journal of the United States that which Mr. Frank Vizetelly, in the
South, has done so admirably for the Illustrated London News. He had been
in every advance, in every retreat, in every battle, and almost in every re-
connoissance. He probably knew more about the several campaigns, the
rights and wrongs of the several fights, the merits and demerits of the com-
manders, than two out of three wearers of generals' shoulder-straps. But he
was a prudent man, who could keep his own counsel, and went on sketching.
Hence he had become a universal favorite. Commanding officers were glad
to welcome in their tents the genial companion who could sing and tell stories,
and imitate all the trumpet and bugle calls, who could transmit to posterity,
through woodcuts, their features and their exploits, but who was not charged
with the invidious mission of commenting in print on their performances.
He had been offered, time after time, a staff appointment in the Federal
service; and, indeed, as an aide-de-camp, or an assistant-quartermaster, his
minute knowledge of the theatre of war would have been invaluable. Often
he had ventured beyond the picket-lines, and been chased by the guerillas;
but the speed and mettle of his big brown steed had always enabled him to
show these gentry a clean pair of heels. He was continually vaulting on this
huge brown horse, and galloping off full split, like a Wild Horseman of the
Prairie. The honors of the staff appointment he had civilly declined. The
342 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
risk of being killed he did not seem to mind; but he had no relish for a
possible captivity in the Libby or Castle Thunder. He was, indeed, an Eng-
lishman, English to the backbone; and kept his Foreign Office passport in a
secure side-pocket, in case of urgent need. 3
In April, 1866, Harper's Weekly announced that it was sending
artists through the South to depict the results of war and to show
"the rising of a new world from chaos." 4
The artists sent, it soon became apparent, were none other than
A. R. Waud and T. R. Davis. They did not travel together, but
before they returned to the source of their pay checks both crossed
the Mississippi and made pictorial exploration of the West. Davis
went south through the Atlantic coastal states and then turned
west; Waud headed for the Mississippi by way of the Ohio river
and then went further south and west.
Both artists were allowed a freedom in reporting their travels
that makes their work, at this late date, of particular value to the
historian; for they were allowed to publish descriptive and signed
notes in addition to their illustrations. In these notes they fre-
quently identified the actual locality where sketches were made, or
contributed information that throws considerable light on their ac-
tivities and upon their illustrations. If such a practice had been
universally employed, it would have saved much research and guess
work for historians of the present day.
Waud's first group of illustrations on this Western trip were of
Cincinnati, Louisville and Nashville. Although not Western towns
according to present-day definition, they were "the West" of 1866.
Concerning Louisville, Waud had the interesting comment:
A stranger from the East naturally wonders at the extensive interest which
whisky holds in countries bordering on the Ohio. Here the people that distill
the liquor are not at all ashamed of their business. The denizens of the more
Eastern States have a sneaking consciousness that the distilling business is not
compatible with respectability, and evince a cowardly spirit in fabricating
excuses for their indulgence in the fiery juice. Now in the West a man takes
his whisky "like a man" without reference to his doctor, a stomach-ache, or a
cold. As churches are the prominent institutions in an Eastern town, so here
the still-house overshadows all its neighbors and proudly takes the first
rank. . . . 5
Waud also noted, and the comment has a most familiar ring, that
3. George Augustus Sala, My Diary in America in the Midst of War (London, 1865, 2d.
ed.), v. 1, pp. 302, 303. Sala does not mention Waud by name but the identity is proved
from the description. This description of Waud is also used in an account of Waud and his
work appearing in American Art and American Art Collections (Boston, 1889), Walter Mont-
gomery, editor, v. 2, p. 836.
4. Harper's Weekly, v. 10 (1866), April 28, p. 259.
5. Ibid., May 5, p. 286.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 343
as a result of the war, Nashville and Louisville were "troubled with
heavy rents and a scarcity of houses."
Waud continued down the Ohio to Cairo where the steamer Ruth,
"one of the finest river boats," was taken to Memphis and there,
after crossing the river, a journey was made to Little Rock, Ark.
The trip into Arkansas which was really in the trans-Mississippi
West, be it noted resulted in several interesting illustrations: a
view of Little Rock itself; another was made of a group of colored
volunteers of the Union army being mustered out and was sketched
"standing before the office of Colonel Page, Quartermaster" in Little
Rock (the volunteers created quite "a furor among the resident
colored females, . . ." Waud observantly noted) ; and, of course,
the series included an illustration of the famed "Arkansas Travel-
ers," who were shown, Waud noted with some regret, without their
fiddles. 6
It is possible that on this trip Waud traveled into Texas and cer-
tainly he was in central and western Louisiana, as is shown by his
notable illustration depicting the Acadians of Louisiana whom he
sketched from life. They were, of course, the descendants of French
Canadians immortalized by Longfellow in Evangeline. Other illus-
trations also are identified as western Louisiana. The illustration
which is most typically "Western," however, is his "A Drove of
Texas Cattle Crossing a Stream" 7 (reproduced with this article) .
Unfortunately, the illustration was not accompanied by the com-
ments of Waud himself as it was published some time after his
return to New York. 8 The note accompanying the illustration (the
author is not credited) identified the locality as western Louisiana
or Texas. Its importance lies in the fact that it is the first Western
cattle drive illustration which I have found. 9 The cattle drives
6. The illustrations noted above will be found in ibid., May 26, p. 328; May 19, p. 308;
November 10, p. 705. The notes by Waud on his illustrations of this trip appeared in ibid.,
for the following dates: May 12, p. 289; May 19, p. 318; May 26, p. 327; June 2, pp. 345,
346; June 23, p. 398; June 30, pp. 411, 412; July 14, p. 442; July 21, p. 449; August 4,
pp. 485, 486; August 11, pp. 508, 509; August 18, p. 526; September 8, p. 566; September
15, p. 581; October 13, p. 654; October 20, p. 670, and November 10, p. 706. There are, of
course, Waud illustrations in all of the issues listed.
7. Ibid., v. 11 (1867), October 19, p. 665. The Acadian illustration will be found in the
Weekly, October 20, 1866, p. 657; see, also, the issue of December 8, 1866, pp. 769, 781.
There is also an illustration specifically titled, "A Storm on the Prairies A Scene in Western
Louisiana," ibid., October 6, 1866, p. 636.
8. Waud was back in New York by October 25, 1866, at least, for there is an illustration
depicting an event of that date in Brooklyn in ibid., v. 10 (1866), November 10, p. 713.
Waud's Southern and Southwestern illustrations appeared, however, for several years after his
return.
9. This illustration of Waud's and one of James E. Taylor, "Branding Cattle on the Prai-
ries of Texas," in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, June 29, 1867, p. 232, which appeared
shortly before Waud's, are the first of the illustrations on the Western cattle industry to be
printed in the national illustrated press. Taylor doubtless deserves more than mention in a
footnote in this series and I hope that enough material will be accumulated about him to make
a more extended account possible. The chief source of information concerning him is an obit-
uary in the New York Tribune, June 23, 1901, p. 9, which stated that he was born in Cincin-
nati on December 12, 1839, graduated from the University of Notre Dame at 16, painted a
344 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
from Texas, as is well known, had been carried on for some years
but they did not begin to attract wide attention until after the Civil
War. The note which accompanied this illustration is also impor-
tant for the reason that the description, probably furnished by
Waud, reads:
Vast numbers of these cattle are driven on foot to the Mississippi River,
and, after crossing it, into the interior of the cotton States. ... A drove
of five hundred cattle is usually accompanied by a dozen men, drivers, cook,
etc., mounted upon mustang ponies, a wild set, who plunge in and out of
rivers, or rush in among stampeders in the most reckless way. . . . 10
Notice that no mention of cowboys is made, for that word, with
the connotation it now carries, was nearly a generation away from
popular use.
Another illustration, in somewhat the same class as that of the
cattle drive, is " 'Creasing' Mustangs in Texas." n Here the locality
is identified as an area east of the Sakatcho mountains. 12
The sketches described above in the text and notes included the
important contribution made by Waud to the field of Western illus-
tration in the several years following the close of the war. Most,
if not all, were the result of direct observation. 13 Waud continued
to publish, however, in the years following his return from the South
and West a considerable number of illustrations, based upon his
familiarity with the region he had visited and supplemented by his
imagination. One of the most interesting of this group was the
illustration, "Pilgrims of the Plains." 14 It depicted a large group of
emigrants with their ox-drawn wagons pulling up into the familiar
circle for the evening encampment. T. R. Davis, however, had an
Revolutionary War panorama by the age of 18, and enlisted in the Union army at the age of
21. He became a war correspondent and artist for Leslie's in 1863 and in 1867 went to the
plains with the Indian Peace Commission. Some of his illustrations of the Medicine Lodge
council (of the Peace Commission) appeared in Leslie's for November 16, 1867, p. 133, and
November 23, 1867, p. 153. He must have painted many Indian pictures, probably in water
color, for, according to the American Art Annual, v. 4 (1903), p. 145, he became known as
"the Indian artist." He severed his connection with Leslie's in 1883 and became a free-lance
illustrator. His death occurred in New York City on June 22, 1901.
10. Harper's Weekly, v. 11 (1867), October 19, p. 666.
11. Ibid., v. 12 (1868), November 21, p. 741. The note accompanying the illustration is
on p. 742.
12. Although I have examined several Texas maps that are nearly contemporary with this
Waud illustration, I have not found the Sakatcho mountains. A letter directed to the State
Geological Survey at Austin brought the reply that they were unfamiliar with Texas mountains
of this name. If we may judge from Waud's travels, the "mountains" would have to be lo-
cated in eastern Texas.
13. Waud made several illustrations of steamboating on the Mississippi which at least
should be mentioned. One of the best of these was "A Mississippi Steamboat Making a Land-
ing at Night," Harper's Weekly, v. 10 (1866), December 22, p. 801. Mention should also be
made of his Texas illustration depicting a view across the Rio Grande river from the American
side at Brownsville (ibid., November 17, p. 732). The note accompanying this illustration is
not by Waud and it seems doubtful if he ever got as far west as Brownsville. Not many is-
sues after this sketch appeared, another illustration of the same general character, credited to
a photograph, appeared in the Weekly and it may be that Waud used a similar photograph in
preparing his illustration; see ibid., v. 11 (1867), January 5, p. 12.
14. Ibid., v. 15 (1871), December 23, p. 1200.
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PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 345
illustration with the same title and theme and which on the whole
is more pleasing than is Waud's sketch and Waud may have used
the Davis illustration as the basis for his effort. 35 Waud did show a
colored teamster in his illustration which suggests that Waud may
have observed some such scene on his Southwestern tour.
In possibly somewhat the same category as "Pilgrims of the
Plains," is Waud's excellent sketch, "Building the Union Pacific
Railroad in Nebraska," which appeared in A. D. Richardson's well-
known book, Beyond the Mississippi.
It is probable that Waud did not sketch this view "on the spot"
but redrew it from photographs. The John Carbutt photographs,
made along the Union Pacific railroad in the fall of 1866, were
available to Waud and much of the detail in the illustration checks
with that shown in the photographs. Waud, however, has produced
a much more interesting and inclusive view than is shown in any of
the photographs and it is the best view of early Western railroad
construction that I have examined. 17 (Reproduced between pp. 344,
345.)
Waud used this same material apparently to prepare another il-
lustration that appeared in Harper's Weekly a few years later,
"Railroad Building on the Great Plains." 18
The note which accompanied the illustration discussed only the
building of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific but Waud has
the legend "Northern Pacific" drawn on one of the freight cars. In
many respects it is like the illustration in the Richardson book save
that the observer sees the work at a somewhat different angle in the
latter illustration.
It is possible that this last sketch was based in part upon direct
observation. Waud was one of a number of artists employed in the
15. The Davis illustration will be found in ibid., v. 13 (1869), June 12, p. 377.
16. Beyond the Mississippi (Hartford, Conn.) was published first in 1867; it was repub-
lished in many subsequent editions or printings. I have seen a printing as late as 1875 but
the one I have used is dated 1869, "New Edition Written Down to Summer of 1869." The
Waud illustration referred to above appears facing p. 567. The book is profusely illustrated
and strangely enough for that day, each illustration is credited in the index to both artist and
wood engraver. The list of illustrations reads like a roll call of the field artists of the Civil
War: A. R. Waud, Wm. Waud, Edwin Forbes, F. H. Schell, J. Becker, J. R. Chapin, Thomas
Nast and others. Forty of the 216 illustrations were by A. R. Waud. It is doubtful if any
of the illustrations in the book were original (in the sense that they were sketched by the
artist on the spot) but were redrawn from photographs or earlier illustrations appearing in
the illustrated press. The topics included in the illustrations (all, of course, Western) range
in time from 1857 to 1869 and from the Mississippi river to the Pacific coast.
The same illustration, "Building the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska," is reproduced in
a collection of A. D. Richardson's writings by his wife, Garnered Sheaves . . . (Hartford,
Conn., 1871), facing p. 393, under the incorrect title, "Building the Mississippi Valley Rail-
road in Kansas." It was "borrowed" by the publishers solely because Richardson was de-
scribing railroad construction of a line in eastern Kansas running south from Kansas City.
The background is obviously not that of eastern Kansas.
17. For discussion and reproduction of some of the Carbutt photographs of 1866, see
Robert Taft, Photography and the American Scene (New York, 1938), ch. 15.
18. Harper's Weekly, v. 19 (1875), July 17, p. 577. A note discussing the illustration will
be found on p. 579.
23157
346 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
preparation of the elaborate two-volume work, Picturesque Amer-
ica, edited by William Cullen Bryant and published in the early
1870's. 19
Waud had a number of illustrations in this publication of the
"Lower Mississippi" and also of the "Northwest" (Wisconsin, Min-
nesota and the Dakotas). One account of his work stated that the
material for these illustrations was obtained on a trip to the South
and to the West in 1872. 20
As the first volume of Picturesque America was published in 1872
it seems probable that the material for the "Lower Mississippi" il-
lustrations was obtained before this date. The "Northwest" illus-
trations might well have been secured at this time. Still another
trip to this region may have been made by Waud, for there ap-
peared in 1880 and 1881 a number of his illustrations of Dakota
territory, although here again he may have supplemented his first-
hand knowledge of this region with photographs. 21
After 1882, Waud's illustrations in Harper's Weekly and Harper's
Magazine virtually disappear. In fact, the last decade of his life
seems to have been spent in an effort to regain his health. He died
at Marietta, Ga., on April 6, 1891, where he had gone to recuperate
his failing strength. 22
THEODORE R. DAVIS
Davis had already acquired a considerable knowledge of the West
by the time he and Waud were sent on their Southern tour of 1866.
Not many months after the surrender of the last Confederate troops
in the spring of 1865, Harper's sent Davis to Denver to report on
the activities on the plains and in the mountains. The ambitious
19. Picturesque America; . . . (New York, v. 1, 1872, and v. 2, 1874). Among the
artists who contributed to this interesting work, in addition to Waud, were Harry Fenn, R.
Swain Gifford, James D. Smillie, Thomas Moran, F. O. C. Darley and Worthington Whit-
tredge. Smillie is the only one of the group whose written description of his work appeared in
this publication. He spent several weeks in Yosemite sometime between 1869 and 1872. Most
of the illustrations principally of scenery are reproduced as wood engravings ; a few are
steel engravings.
20. American Art and American Art Collections, Walter Montgomery, ed., v. 2, p. 836.
21. Harper's Magazine, v. 60 (1880), March, pp. 529-535, May, p. 805; E. V. Smalley,
History of the Northern Pacific Railroad (New York, 1883), and "Out on a Prairie in a Bliz-
zard," Harper's Weekly, v. 25 (1881), January 29, p. 77.
22. Obituaries and biographical notes at Waud's death will be found in ibid., v. 35
(1891), April 18, p. 279; Marietta (Ga.) Journal, April 9, 1891; Atlanta (Ga.) Constitution,
April 8, 1891, p. 7 ; Orange (N. J.) Chronicle, April 11, 1891, and others. The biographical
material given in these accounts varies considerably. One stated that he had no survivors ;
another that he had three daughters; several said that Waud was buried at South Orange,
N. J., others in Marietta. A headstone in the Episcopal cemetery in Marietta settles the
question, however, for it is marked, "Alfred R. Waud, Oct. 2, 1828-Apr. 6, 1891." The
Harper's Weekly account stated that Waud was born in London and came to this country
when 30 years of age. The first of his illustrations in the Weekly that I have been able to
identify with certainty is in the issue of July 3, 1858, p. 429. Frank Weitenkampf in his
American Graphic Arts (New York, 1912), mentioned Waud and his brother, William, and
stated that A. R. Waud also illustrated for Demorest's New York Illustrated News during its
life (1859-1864). A brief biographical account of Waud is also given in The Cyclopaedia of
American Biographies (Boston, 1903), v. 7, p. 520.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 347
attempt of D. A. Butterfield to establish rapid stage transportation
from the Missouri river (the end of the railroad) to the bustling
mining districts of Colorado territory, and the rumors of a rising
tide of Indian troubles as Western immigration mounted and rail-
roads advanced, were doubtless among the factors responsible for
Davis' assignment.
Davis arrived in Atchison, the eastern terminal of the Butterfield
Overland Despatch, in mid-November, 1865, and at 8 a. m., No-
vember 17, left Atchison in company with three other passengers
who, with himself, as Davis said, were "four persons entirely inno-
cent of any knowledge of the plains, . . ." 23 (See picture facing
p. 345.)
The members of this party included Gen. W. R. Brewster, vice-
president of the Butterfield company ; Lawrence Hasbrouk of Kings-
ton, N. Y., and apparently Davis' traveling companion, and Wil-
liam M. Calhoun, probably a resident of Atchison. 24
The greenhorns of the plains rapidly became initiated to its won-
ders. Davis, the cook of the party, discovered that buffalo chips
made a wonderful fuel ; in fact, he affirmed "that there is no better
broiling fuel than a perfectly dry 'buffalo chip'." Davis, too, al-
though inured to the hardships of campaign life during the Civil
War, found his ingenuity taxed in sleeping on top of the Concord
coach, but this method he preferred to the cramped quarters inside
the coach. He did not disclose, however, how he prevented him-
self from rolling off the top of the swaying coach as it lumbered
along across the plains at night. His real test, however, was yet
to come.
Two days before Davis and his party had started, a B. 0. D.
coach with L. K. Perrin, a correspondent of the New York Times,
and one Fred Merwin, the company messenger, had left Atchison. 25
The third day out from Atchison, the Davis party met Perrin who,
23. T. R. Davis, "A Stage Ride to Colorado," Harper's Magazine, v. 35 (1867), July,
pp. 137-150. Davis says that the party left at sunrise on November 17, 1865, and The Daily
Free Press, Atchison, November 18, 1865, recorded the fact that the B. O. D. coach "left
yesterday morning at 8 o'clock, for Central City [Colorado territory], with the following pas-
sengers: L. Hasbrouck, T. R. Davis, Gen. W. R. Brewster, Wm. M. Calhoun." The coach
with these passengers reached Junction City at four o'clock the next morning, thus making
about 120 miles in 20 hours, according to the Junction City Union, November 25, 1865, which
identified Brewster as the vice-president of the B. O. D. The Butterfield service to Denver
and Central City (in the heart of the mining district) had been under way scarcely two months
when Davis made his trip, for the first coach had left Atchison on September 11 and had
reached Denver September 22, being 12 days en route over approximately 600 miles; see
Atchison Daily Press, September 25, 1865.
24. The identification of Brewster is made in Footnote 23; of Hasbrouk in the Rocky
Mountain News, Denver, December 1, 1865, and the Central City (Colo.) Daily Miners' Reg-
ister, December 15, 1865; Calhoun was back in Atchison -by December 5, see Atchison Daily
Press, December 5, 1865.
25. Atchison Daily Press, November 15, 1865. The identification of Pen-in Calpo spelled
Ferine and Perrine) as the correspondent of the Times is made through Harper's Weekly, v. 10
(1866), January 27, p. 58, which quoted from Perrin's account of the fight (described later in
the text) in the Times.
348 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
with others, had escaped when the Indians attacked the coach at
Downer station still farther west. The messenger had been killed
and the stock driven off. 26
After finding that the Indians were on the warpath, the Davis
party returned to the nearest station, sent back to nearby Fort
Fletcher (southeast of present Hays see picture facing p. 345) for
a guard and then camped for the night. A detail of five cavalry-
men and a company of infantry joined them later that night. The
next day the party and their escort passed Downer station and saw
that the other coach and the station had been completely destroyed.
About a day later the infantry turned back but the party was
joined by a surgeon and four soldiers in an ambulance.
As the coach, ambulance and cavalrymen reached another of the
plains stations, Smoky Hill Spring, the quick eye of Davis detected
a band of Indians charging down upon them. (See sketch facing
p. 345.) But let Davis tell the story in his modest way:
The coach containing Gen. Brewster Mr. Hasbrouk, Mr. Perrin and Mr.
Davis, of Harper's, was within a few moments drive of the Station (Smoky
Hill Spring) when Mr. Davis saw a band of Indians charging on the coach,
less than sixty yards distant. . . .
Mr. D., the moment that he gave the alarm, picked up his rifle and sent
its contents at the most gaudily gotten up Indian, who not liking the dose ran
off. On the other side of the coach, Gen. Brewster was peppering away at a
white man, who seemed to be the leader of the party [possibly Bob Brent, a
half-breed]. . . .
This reception the Indians did not like, so ran off. We had by this time
reached the station with the coach, when we saw that another band of "red
skins" had gone for the stock. Seeing this, one of the stock herders, a brave
man, had made an effort to drive the stock toward the station. While doing
this, one of the Indians had charged on him, driving arrows at him meantime.
The Indian was within a few paces of the stock herder when Mr. Davis sent
the interior arrangements of his Ballard rifle into Mr. Indian's back, causing
a series of very curious gyrations on the part of the Indian who was tied to
his horse, so saved his scalp. By this time there was not an Indian within a
half mile of us, so we were at liberty to look about to discover what the
next move was to be. . . . 27
26. The locality of the fight was at Downer station, one of the 59 stations of the B. O. D.
between Atchison and Denver, which was in present Trego county, Kansas. A table of sta-
tions and distances west of Junction City on the B. O. D. will be found in the Leavenworth
Daily Conservative, September 22, 1865. The Atchison Daily Press, July 22, 1865, gave the
first six stations west of Junction City. Frank A. Root and William E. Connelley, The Over-
land Stage to California (Topeka, 1901), p. 398, also listed the B. O. D. stations west of
Junction City, varying somewhat from those given in the Leavenworth Conservative. In the
discussion which followed their table, Root and Connelley became inconsistent. As these
sources seem to be all that are available upon the subject, the exact distances and stations are
uncertain. The total distance from the Missouri river to Denver is given as 588 miles in one
account and 592 in the other. Accounts of Merwin's death will be found in the Atchison
Daily Press, November 30, 1865, and in Davis' own story in Harper's Magazine, July, 1867.
27. The Weekly Rocky Mountain News, December 6, 1865. This account, only a small
part of which is reprinted above, is dated "Denver Dec. 2, 1865," and is the continuation
of a description of the early part of the trip by the occupants of the coach which Davis had
described for the Daily Rocky Mountain News but is reprinted in the same issue of the
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 349
They soon discovered that the ambulance and four occupants,
which had become separated from the coach, was in need of aid
and the cavalrymen went to their rescue. The ambulance was
abandoned and the Indians soon had the mules and swiftly put fire
to the vehicle. The combined party retired to the adobe station
where they were besieged overnight by the redskins. The siege con-
tinued well into the next day but the travelers were finally re-
enforced the next noon by a large army detachment. The Indians
fled and under strong guard the coach eventually arrived in Denver
after 15 days on the plains. 28 "Cooper might have his Indians; we
did not care for their company," was Davis' dry comment on his
experience.
With such a wealth of experience, the sketchbook of Davis was
well filled upon arrival in Denver and a number of these experiences
found their way into pictures in Harper's Weekly and Harper's
Magazine. 29 Unfortunately, the originals of all of these sketches
save one have disappeared. In a small pocket notebook carried by
Davis on this trip of 1865, there is the faded outline sketch of the
"Interior of the Adobe Fortification at Smoky Hill Station." 30
Davis made Denver his headquarters for the next several months,
taking side trips during his stay to the mining districts of Colorado
in the neighborhood of Central City and to Santa Fe in New Mexico
territory. He met with a ready and hospitable reception from the
newspaper fraternity of the mountain West. Possessed of a buoyant
and sunny disposition, he made friends wherever he went. No
journey was too fatiguing to allay his interest in new sights and
Weekly as above. This earlier part is headed "HEADQUARTERS IN A T)OBE' (Indians on every
side), SMOKY HILL SPRINGS, Nov. 25, '65." Both accounts are signed "D." Davis also has
a story of the fight in Harper's Maqazine, July, 1867, and Perrin anparently wrote his o-,vn
account (which is in agreement with the Davis accounts) for the New York Times which
Harper's Weekly reprinted in part in its issue of January 27, 1866, p. 58.
The Smoky Hill station, the scene of this fight, was in present Logan county, Kansas.
28. The arrival of the party "this morning" is reported in the Rocky Mountain News.
December 1, 1865.
29. Fifteen illustrations resulting from this ride across the plains will be found in Harper's
Magazine, July, 1867, pp. 137-150, a few of which are duplicates of those which already ap-
peared in Harper's Weekly. (Four of these original fifteen illustrations are reproduced facing
p. 345.) The Weekly illustrations will be found in the issue of January 27, 1866, p. 56,
" 'Council of War' on the Plains" (duplicated in part one of the Harper's Magazine illustra-
tions) ; "Oil the Plains Indians Attacking Butterfield's Overland Dispatch Coach" (dupli-
cated one in the Harper's Magazine account although in the Weekly it was a full -page illus-
tration), April 21, 1866, p. 248; "Exterior of the Adobe Fortification at Smoky Hill Station
Fighting the Fire," ibid., p. 249, and "Interior of the Adobe Fortification at Smoky Hill Sta-
tion," ibid. (The last picture is reproduced facing p. 352.)
30. In 1940 I secured from Mrs. Cullen W. Parmelee of Urbana, 111., a daughter of Theo-
dore R. Davis, a collection of letters, notes, photographs, etc., bearing on the Western trips
of Davis. Reference to this material is hereafter made by the notation "Parmelee Collection.''
I am indebted to Mrs. Parmelee and her sister, Mrs. W. D. Pennypacker of Madison, Wis.,
not only for the privilege of examining this material but for personal recollections and other
information concerning their father.
The sketch noted above is the only original Western drawing of Davis that I have BO far
found. The sketch appeared on adjacent sides of a notebook carried by Davis on his first
Western trip ; the notebook measured approximately 2x4 inches.
350 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
new experiences, and any danger lent added zest to all his numerous
enterprises.
It was not long before the newspapers were referring to "our gay
and festive friend," "a gentleman of an extremely happy turn of
mind," and when he left Central City, a paper stated "he has made
hosts of friends, we are assured, and that his charming manners
entitle him to them, we will not gainsay. He goes, and with him a
full share of public esteem." 31
With such winning ways to aid him, Davis had only to ask and
the sights of the Western world were opened to him. The mines and
ranches and many of the novel sights were recorded in picture and
shortly these sketches were appearing in the weekly issues of Har-
per's.
Views of Denver, including one of Blake street (practically con-
temporary with the view of Mathews discussed in a previous num-
ber of this series) , of Central City, of Santa Fe, of Navahoes weav-
ing a blanket on the famous Maxwell ranch and others appeared
in print. 32 Probably there were many in Davis' sketchbooks that
were never published.
Davis left Denver for "the States" on February 18, 1866. The
return trip was again made over the Butterfield route but this time
without the wild excitement of the out-going trip and only "five
days and four hours" were necessary to make the crossing of the
plains. 33
The next major assignment that concerns us was the Southern
and Southwestern tour already mentioned in connection with Waud ;
a tour to determine the effects of war and the recovery from war.
As already pointed out, Davis started his assignment by visiting
Southern states along the Atlantic seaboard, but the part of the
journey that is of interest to us comes from the fact that he turned
31. Comments on Davis' character will be found in Harper's Weekly, v. 38 (1894), No-
vember 24, p. 1114; Rocky Mountain News, January 17, 1866, and December 1, 1865; Cen-
tral City Daily Miners' Register, December 19, 1865.
32. "Banking-House, Denver City, Colorado Miners Bringing in Gold Dust" and "The
Overland Coach Office, Denver City, Colorado [Blake Street]," in Harper's Weekly, v. 10
(1866), January 27, p. 57; "Central City, Colorado" and "A Gambling Scene in Denver City,
Colorado," February 17, p. 97 (cover page); "Street View in Santa Fe, New Mexico," April
21, p. 249; "Indian Squaws Weaving a Blanket," September 15, p. 580. Probably the
"Overland Mail-Coach," ibid., v. 12 (1868), February 8, p. 88, also belongs to this period as
a note on p. 87 of this issue identified the locality as Guy's gulch, "about thirty miles west
of Denver." Davis made but two other Western trips (those of 1866 and 1867) and on
neither of these is there any evidence that he reached Denver.
33. Davis' return to Atchison is noted in the Atchison Daily Champion, February 24,
1866, which reported that he arrived in Atchison on the 23d. He left Denver on the 18th
(Rocky Mountain News, February 19, 1866). Other mentions of Davis made in the Colorado
papers and not already cited will be found in the Rocky Mountain News, December 12, 1865;
January 18, 1866; February 3, 1866 (comment on the first Davis illustrations on the Smoky
Hill route to appear in Harper's Weekly) ; February 13, 1866 (notes Davis' return from Santa
Fe the evening before; he had left for Santa Fe on January 17); Davis, in an account signed
"Russell" his middle name described some of his New Mexico experiences in the Weekly
Rocky Mountain News, February 21, 1866; Central City Daily Miners' Register, December
13, 15, 16 and 19, 1865.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 351
west when he arrived in the deep South, stopped at New Orleans
and then went on into Texas. 34 The Western illustrations included
views of the cities of Houston and Galveston, and one particularly
interesting, "The Dry-Goods Drummer on His Travels. Scene on
the Galveston and Houston Railroad. 'Here's Jeff, Fellows!'" It
depicted a bar with an unreconstructed rebel lifting a drink to the
defunct Confederate president doubtless a sight particularly irri-
tating to Davis, who had undergone the vicissitudes of a four-year
campaign with the Union army. 35
Davis was given a breathing spell for a few months after return-
ing from his Southern trip. But one day April 2, 1867, according
to Davis he met Fletcher Harper on Broadway who, without
further ado, asked, "Why are you not with General Hancock's
Indian expedition?" Davis needed no other direction and inside
half an hour if we can believe Davis he had gathered his "sketch-
book, pet 'Ballard/ and a few minor necessaries" and was on his
way West. 36
Indian troubles on the plains of Kansas and Nebraska were
gradually becoming worse as the last half of the 1860's advanced.
The westward tide of migration was rapidly rising as the railroads
slowly but steadily forged their way into the hunting grounds of the
Indians. Depredations on settlers, on stage lines and on railroad
construction parties became more numerous as the Indian resisted
34. The first of these Southern illustrations to appear will be found in Harper's Weekly,
v. 10 (1866), May 5, p. 285, and June 2, p. 345, and dealt with Virginia. Succeeding issues
also contained other Southern illustrations. New Orleans sketches by Davis in considerable
number appeared in the issue for August 25, pp. 536, 537, and then in the issue of September
1, p. 556, was a note from Davis in New Orleans.
35. The views of Houston and of Galveston (four in number) appeared in ibid., October
27, p. 684. A descriptive note by Davis appeared on p. 686. The Galveston and Houston
railroad view will be found in the issue of October 6, p. 637, with descriptive comment on
p. 631.
36. The quotations are from Davis' article, "A Summer on the Plains," Harper's Maga-
zine, v. 36 (1868), February, pp. 292-307. Actually there must have been some previous dis-
cussion and correspondence on the subject for in the Parmelee collection is a letter of General
Hancock's dated: "Headquarters Department of the Missouri, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
March 10, 1867," to Davis advising him that he was "only waiting for a proper condition of
the roads to enable me to transport my supplies to the proper points, before starting on a
tour of a month or six weeks in the Indian Country.
"I propose going in the direction of the Arkansas and Smoky Hill, with 1200 men pos-
sibly a few hundred more. I had intended to redress some outrages but the late action of
Congress has been such that I shall now go for the purpose simply of displaying some suffi-
cient force. To show the Indians that we are now ready for peace or war. Leaving to the
Indian Bureau the duty of investigating the facts and indicating the course to be pursued in
reference to outrages of past date. Our visit may prevent an outbreak. If one is intended, it
may precipitate it. The Indians threaten to stop travel over the Overland and Pacific R. 11.
We will demand peaceful dispositions and also will punish aggressions or hostile acts coming
under our notice.
"I expect to be absent six weeks. You will best know whether it will afford you sufficient
interest to accompany us. You will have time to join me by rail and overland at Fort Harker
(Fort Ellsworth) after you see in the papers that I have started from here."
Davis' reference to Fletcher Harper is made as "the Commander-in-chief of Harper's" ; as
is well-known, Fletcher Harper was the directing officer of Harper's Weekly; see Dictionary of
American Biography, v. 8, p. 281 ; Harper's Weekly, v. 51 (1907), January 5, p. 11, Henry
Mills Alden, "Recollections of an Early Editor." Alden stated : "The man who originated
the Weekly [Fletcher Harper] really conducted it as long as he lived. Every Monday morn-
ing he brought me the scheme of the illustrated pages of the next number of the paper, leav-
ing to me the supply and adjustment of the text for all the other pages, except the portion
occupied by Mr. Curtis's [George William Curtis] editorials."
352 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
this encroachment. The newspapers of the West clamored for
greater and greater aid from the army and for the extermination of
every redskin. ". . . Lo, his squaws and papooses, and his rela-
tives and tribe, [will be found to be] a set of miserable, dirty,
lousy, blanketed, thieving, lying, sneaking, murdering, graceless,
faithless, gut-eating skunks as the Lord ever permitted to infect
the earth, and whose immediate and final extermination all men,
except Indian agents and traders, should pray for" was doubtlessly
the nearly universal, if not humanitarian, opinion of the frontier on
the Indian question. 37
Urged by the press and state officials, the army decided to send
Gen. W. S. Hancock, commander of the Department of the Missouri,
upon the plains early in 1867 with so large a force that it would
either awe the Indians or precipitate an immediate Indian war. It
was this expedition which Hancock invited Davis to accompany as
already described in Hancock's letter of March 10 (see Footnote
36 ). 38
Since the Davis trip of 1865 to Kansas, the railroad had advanced
to Junction City, about a third of the way across the state. In early
April, 1867, he was in this town but found that Hancock was al-
ready out on the plains and reported to be camped near Fort Lamed
(near the present town of Larned). The Santa Fe stage was about
to leave Junction City as Davis arrived and as it would take him
37. The quotation is from the Topeka Weekly Leader, June 27, 1867. A correspondent in
the Leader a few months earlier (September 20, 1866), however, had written, "The Smoky
Hill valleys [of central and western Kansas] were the Indians paradise, and to yield this great
and glorious hunting grounds up to the pale faces without a struggle would be asking too
much of the poor red men."
How lo, an interjection, came to be used as a proper noun, a synonym for Indian (as it is
in the text above) has always intrigued me. Dictionaries ascribe it to Pope's famous lines in
his Essay on Man with the sentence beginning
"Lo, the poor Indian! whose untutpr'd mind
Sees God in clouds, or hears him in the wind ! "
I have no fault to find with this ascription for it is undoubtedly correct, but who first
started using Pope's introductory Lo for Indian is entirely a different matter and for some
years I have been jotting down notes when I found Lo used in this manner. Horace Greeley
was apparently one of the first to suggest its use in this manner in the United States as far
as my researches on this molehill in the path of history go. In the New York Weekly Trib-
une, December 30, 1843, p. 2, is a column devoted to the discussion of Indian affairs headed,
"Lo! THE POOR INDIAN!"; and a number of times in the Tribune between this date and the
early 1860's I have found it thus used, including a heading for one of Greeley's own letters
(Daily Tribune, July 19, 1859, p. 6).
On the frontier itself it seems to have appeared in the press about 1865 in the shortened
form, Lo. Possibly the casual reference of Edwin C. Manning in his paper, "The Kansas
State Senate of 1865 and 1866" (Kansas Historical Collections, v. 9 [1905-1906], p. 363),
to D. W. Houston, a member of the senate in 1865, may explain it. Manning wrote of Hous-
ton's fame by stating, as if it were common knowledge, that Houston made a famous para-
phrase of Pope's lines in the state senate (presumably in 1865) which read
"Lo, the poor Indian, whose untutored mind
Clothes him before and leaves him bare behind."
Undoubtedly such a statement would tickle the risibilities of a generation well versed in the
ordinary dress of the Indian and this circumstance may well have given the impetus to the
very common usage of Lo for Indian in the frontier press. D. W. Wilder, however, in his
Annals of Kansas (Topeka, 1886), p. 628, under date of December 31, 1873, stated "The
word Lo, meaning an Indian, and in general use, Prof. Dunbar learns originated with Sol.
Miller [editor of the Kansas Chief, of White Cloud and Troy]."
38. For an extended account of frontier Indian troubles of 1864-1867 in Kansas, see
Marvin H. Garfield, The Kansas Historical Quarterly, v. 1 (1931-1932), pp. 140-152, 326-344.
DAVIS' "SHOOTING BUFFALO FROM THE TRAINS OF THE
KANSAS PACIFIC RAILROAD" (1867)
DAVIS' "INTERIOR OF THE ADOBE FORTIFICATION AT
SMOKY HILL STATION [KANSAS]" (1866)
mFfa
W%M? .
-'-'/'
,^'^-
in
life
*i
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 353
to his destination, he secured transportation as the only passenger.
The company messenger and the driver were the only other occu-
pants of the stage but many mail bags containing public documents
filled most of the available space. In fact so weighted was the
vehicle with "Pub. Docs.," as Davis called them, that it soon stuck
fast in fording the Smoky Hill river near Fort Harker. Help from
the fort got them out but they had scarcely started on their way
before a heavy late snow set in. By nightfall they were stuck in
a snowdrift with the thermometer rapidly falling. After a council
of war, it was decided that the driver should unhitch his mules and
attempt to make the next station, leaving Davis and the messenger
"to guard the treasure and the Pub. Docs." "On leaving us," re-
ported Davis, "the driver gave vent to the longest, most emphatic,
and unsurpassable bullwhacker oath that it has ever been my bad
fortune to listen to. Coming, as it did, from a man who had nine
chances out of ten of freezing to death before morning, it was simply
horrible." The oath must have been a gem of its kind if Davis,
after four years of war and several years of extended travel, could
classify it as the "most emphatic" he had ever heard.
The two Davis and the messenger passed a bleak night alone
in the coach with the only food "corn in two states: the liquid ex-
tract, bottled; and one single hermetically-sealed can of the corn
in a solid state, half -cooked." Aid did reach them in the morning,
however, and in due time Davis reached Hancock's command en-
camped near Fort Lamed. Here a fruitless Indian council led to
the decision to break camp and to march west some 25 or 30 miles
until they were near a large Indian village. At this locality General
Hancock with Generals A. J. Smith and G. A. Ouster, who, with
the Seventh cavalry, had joined Hancock's command, met Roman-
Nose, the celebrated war-chief of the Cheyennes and halted near
their village. Again the council with the Indians was unsatisfactory
and Ouster was ordered the next day to surround the village but
found that most of the Indians had fled during the night. Upon
receipt of news, however, that one of the stage stations had been
burned and station men killed by Indians, Hancock had Smith de-
stroy the village by fire.
Moving on, Hancock had further councils with the Kiowas and
Arapahoes but all proved elusive or made unsatisfactory promises.
The command was finally marched to Fort Hays (near present
Hays) where Hancock left the Seventh cavalry under Ouster to
protect the frontier and the stage stations in this neighborhood.
Davis had been with Hancock during all these marchings and
354 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
counter-marchings and when Hancock left, Davis remained with
Ouster, his pencil continually busy.
Ouster's command was called north early in June to stem further
Indian depredations, and marches to Fort McPherson (about 100
miles west of present Kearney, Neb.) and up the Platte river were
made.
On this trip Davis witnessed several Indian skirmishes with the
Sioux under their chief Pawnee Killer, and he was with the com-
mand when they found the remains of Lt. L. S. Kidder and ten men
who had been sent from Fort Sedgwick (in present northeastern
Colorado) with orders from General Sherman to Ouster. Kidder's
detachment had been surrounded by Indians (in present Sherman
county, Kansas) and destroyed. Ouster reached Fort Wallace (in
present Wallace county, Kansas) early in July where he decided to
allow his troops a few days' rest after their extended campaign on
the plains. He, himself, with a considerable detachment, left Fort
Wallace and pushed east to Fort Hays, Davis accompanying the
detachment. Any decisive Indian engagements seemed unlikely
and as cholera had made its appearance in frontier posts, Davis
decided to give up the Indian campaign and early in August left
Fort Barker by rail, which the Union Pacific, "Eastern division,"
had reached during his travels on the plains. 39
The campaign, as far as settling the Indian problem went, was a
failure and the frontier press was not reticent in calling attention to
this state of affairs. "Gameless, scalpless, and ... a stu-
pendous imposition" the Westernmost newspaper proclaimed it. 40
The frontier was obviously expecting too much of our small reg-
ular army which had its own problems in plenty. There is little
39. In this resume of the Indian campaign of 1867 I have followed Davis' own account
which, in general, is in agreement with the standard accounts (such as that given by Garfield,
cited in Footnote 38). It will be found as "A Summer on the Plains," Harper's Magazine
v. 36 (1868), February, pp. 292-307. Davis also had several earlier notes in Harper's Weekly
written from the field during the campaign. They will be found in the Weekly v. 11 (1867),
May 11, pp. 301, 302; May 25, pp. 328, 329; June 29, pp. 405, 406; July 6, p. 426; Sep-
tember 7, p. 564. In the last citation there is quoted in part a letter from Davis written at
Fort Marker, August 3 (1867). The Union Pacific Railway, Eastern division, was opened as
far as Ellsworth and Fort Barker by July 15, 1867, according to "Report of the Condition
and Progress of the Union Pacific Railway, E [astern]. D[ivision]., for the Year Ending Sep-
tember 30, 1867 . . .," in Speeches of Senators Yates . . ., on the Pacific Rail Road
Question, p. 72, and the Topeka Weekly Leader, November 7, 1867 (adv.).
For the location of army posts, I have used Garfield, "The Military Post as a Factor in
the Frontier Defense of Kansas, 1865-1869," in The Kansas Historical Quarterly, v, 1 (1931-
1932), pp. 50-62. A useful map of army posts in the West will be found in Harper's Weekly,
June 15, 1867, p. 372. The Pacific railroad lines on this map, however, mark only the pro-
posed routes. Additional light on the Hancock campaign is also furnished by the letters of
H. M. Stanley in the Missouri Democrat, St. Louis, and reprinted in his My Early Travels
and Adventures . . . (London, 1895), v. 1.
40. Junction City Weekly Union, August 17, 1867. Frontier towns and Western transpor-
tation companies, of course, were expecting far too much of the army as General Sherman
harassedly pointed out under date of July 1, 1867: "Were I or the department commanders
to send guards to every point where they are clamored for, we would need alone on the plains
a hundred thousand men, mostly of cavalry. Each spot of every road, and each little settle-
ment along our five thousand miles of frontier, wants its regiment of cavalry or infantry to
protect it against the combined power of all the Indians, . . ." Report of the Secretary
of War, House Ex. Doc. No. 1, 40 Cong., 2 Sess. (1867-1868), pp. 65-68.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 355
doubt, however, that their tactics might have been improved.
"H 1," a plainsman is reported to have said, "talk about regulars
hunting Indians ! They go out, and when night comes they blow the
bugle to let the Indians know that they are going to sleep. In the
morning they blow the bugle to let the Indians know they are going
to get up. Between their bugle and great trains, they manage to
keep the red-skins out of sight." 41
Whatever the military value of the campaign, Davis had secured
a first-hand knowledge of Western warfare as it was then practiced ;
an opportunity for observation that was almost unique in the an-
nals of American illustration. From his summer's experience on
the plains nearly four months in the saddle, extending over a dis-
tance which Davis estimated as some 3,000 miles there resulted
many, many illustrations which appeared both in Harper's Weekly
and in Harper's Magazine. Among the more notable of these illus-
trations we may list "The Coach in the Storm," "Lodges of the
Chiefs in the Indian Village Captured by General Hancock," near
Fort Lamed; "Sutler's Store at Fort Dodge, Kansas" (reproduced
on the cover of this issue), "The Indian War General Custer's
Scouts," "Buffalo-Hunting on the Plains by Officers of the United
States Army" (some of the sketches in this group, Mrs. Custer
related, were drawn in General Custer's tent at Fort Hays), "Camp
Pets of the Seventh United States Cavalry," and a sketch of Davis
himself in his buckskin uniform dated, "Fort Harker, August 3d
'67." 42
41. Junction City Weekly Union, July 13, 1867.
42. These illustrations and many others not listed will be found in Harper's Magazine,
February, 1868 (15 illustrations, although in general not as interesting as those which ap-
peared in the Weekly) ; Harper's Weekly, v. 11 (1867), May 11, p. 301 (three illustrations),
May 25, pp. 328, 329 (six illustrations; two of Fort Dodge reproduced in this issue), June 8,
p. 357 (four illustrations, two possibly are after photographs), June 29, p. 405 (two illustra-
tions), July 6, pp. 424, 425 (nine illustrations of buffalo hunting), August 3, p. 484 (four il-
lustrations), August 17, p. 513 (two illustrations) and p. 516 (three illustrations), September
7, p. 564 (four illustrations) ; oddly enough a number of these illustrations have already been
reproduced in the Kansas Historical Collections. Only two are credited to T. R. Davis, how-
ever, and no information at all is supplied concerning him; see Mrs. Frank C. Montgomery,
"Fort Wallace and Its Relation to the Frontier," Kansas Historical Collections, v. 17 (1926-
1928), pp. 189-283.
It should also be pointed out that illustrations by other artists than Davis were published
concerning the Indian war of 1867 in Harper's Weekly. Chief among these were several illus-
trations by Philip D. Fisher. They will be found in the Weekly, v. 11 (1867), April 27, p.
268 (shows the Hancock expedition encamped at Fort Harker on April 2, 1867, before Davis
reached it); July 27, p. 468 (two illustrations). Fisher also had four illustrations of scenes
along the newly-constructed Union Pacific, Eastern division (through Kansas), in the issue for
June 15, p. 373. Fisher was a civil engineer employed by the railroad and his name occurs
frequently in Kansas newspapers of the late 1860's. He was apparently a Civil War veteran
and a native of Ohio; see mention in Topeka Leader, April 25, 1867; Junction City Weekly
Union, July 27 and August 3, 1867.
The illustrations of J. D. Howland at the Indian peace treaty at Medicine Lodge in the
fall of 1867 should likewise be included in the pictorial record of Indian wars. I hope to
consider Howland later in this series.
Three illustrations after photographs and sketches of A. R. Calhoun and William A. Bell of
the Indian war appeared in Harper's Weekly, July 27, 1867, p. 468. Calhoun and Bell were
members of a surveying party of the Union Pacific. Calhoun was said to be an artist and
correspondent for the Philadelphia Press; for Bell, see his book, New Tracks in North Amer-
ica (London, 1869). Mrs. Custer's reference to the Davis sketches at Fort Hays will be
found in her book, Tenting on the Plains (New York, 1889), p. 610.
356 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Five other illustrations, not connected with the Indian war, were
undoubtedly made by Davis on his trip to the plains in the summer
of 1867. One of these was a picture of a beaver dam on the Pawnee
fork of the Arkansas river which Davis viewed on his travels of that
summer; another was a sketch of buffalo shooting from the trains of
the Union Pacific railroad (reproduced facing, p. 352) which Davis
may have seen near Fort Harker; still another was the full-page
illustration, "Prairie-Chicken Shooting in Kansas," also witnessed
after Davis' return to eastern Kansas, and lastly, two farming
scenes plowing on the plains of Kansas. 43
In the next few years after Davis' return to the East, however,
many Western illustrations continued to come from his pen. Not
only did illustrations appear but Davis contributed two more ar-
ticles on the West to Harper's Magazine: "The Buffalo Range" and
"Winter on the Plains." 44
There is no evidence that Davis made other trips west of the
Mississippi than those already described. Nevertheless, a number
of illustrations of Indian troubles on the plains in 1868 credited to
Davis appeared in Harper's Weekly. These must be regarded as
fictitious for Davis was simply using his imagination and his past
experience in producing them. These illustrations centered pri-
marily on Ouster's Indian campaign of late fall, 1868, and particu-
larly on the battle of the Washita, which occurred on November 27,
1868. It is quite certain that Davis was in the East during this
campaign and the notes which accompanied all of these illustrations
carefully refrained from mentioning that the scenes were drawn by
an eyewitness. 45
To my mind one of the most interesting of all of Davis' Western
illustrations is his full-page view, "Pilgrims on the Plains." Although
43. In the order listed above these will be found in Harper's Weekly, v. 11 (1867), Au-
gust 10, p. 500, December 14, p. 792, December 21, p. 805; v. 12 (1868), March 28, p. 196,
May 9, p. 292. Davis also had an extremely interesting plowing illustration (locality identi-
fied as Illinois, however) in the Weekly for September 23, 1871, pp. 900, 901. The illustra-
tion depicting the buffalo shooting from the trains was atrociously engraved, in fact, the en-
graving in general of all of Davis' illustrations was poor; as a result, this illustration (buffalo
shooting) does not possess the interest that is in a similar scene I have attributed to Henry
Worrall (see No. 3 of this series) and which appeared in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper,
June 3, 1871, p. 193.
44. The first will be found in Harper's Magazine, v. 38 (1869), January, pp. 147-163,
and the second, v. 39 (1869), June, pp. 22-34. The first contained 15 illustrations and the
second 11.
45. The illustrations referred to above will be found in Harper's Weekly, v. 12 (1868),
December 26, p. 825; v. 13 (1869), January 16, p. 41, and March 27, p. 204. In the
Weekly for December 12, 1868, p. 788, is an illustration of a Philadelphia locality which is
identified as the scene of a murder occurring on November 22, 1868. Davis made the illus-
tration and made it after November 22 and before (several days to a week before) December
12. As the battle of the Washita occurred on November 27, 1868, I believe that the Phila-
delphia illustration rules out any possibility that Davis was on the Custer campaign. Still
better evidence on this point is the lack of any positive statement that Davis was present.
If he had been, the Weekly would have stated it. I take some time to labor this point as
these illustrations have been used in "histories" of the Custer campaign as actual scenes in
the campaign.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 357
doubtless it depicts no actual event, Davis undoubtedly viewed
similar scenes on his Western trips of 1865 and 1867. In fact, in his
article, "A Stage Ride to Colorado/' he stated: "Long trains of
'prairie schooners' a name by which the plainsman designates the
huge canvas-covered wagons used for the transportation of freight
across this ocean of land were passed so frequently as to become
too familiar to occasion remark. The trains give a picturesqueness
to the plains that greatly enhances the journey across." 46
True, Davis was here discussing the freight trains but undoubt-
edly emigrants and emigrant trains which his illustration depicted
were seen many times. The illustration itself appeared shortly after
the ceremony of the joining of the rails of the Central and Union
Pacific railroads and supposedly called attention to a mode of
travel that would soon be a thing of the past, once the transcontinen-
tal railroad began its regular operation. It was many years, how-
ever, before horse, mule or ox-drawn emigrant trains were to dis-
appear from the plains.
One of the last of the Davis Western illustrations was his "Slaugh-
ter of Buffaloes on the Plains." 47 Here again, he was using his ob-
servations of earlier travels to draw the picture.
Davis continued to contribute to Harper's Weekly for some years
after the buffalo illustration mentioned above but few, if any, were
Westerns. His contributions to the Weekly ceased about 1884 and
from this date until his death in 1894 he was engaged in free-lance
work. About 1880 he moved to Asbury Park, N. J., and his studio
on the beach became well-known. His Western experiences con-
tinued to interest him during his remaining years and in the last
few years of his life he attempted to work up into two articles some
of his recollections of those years. 48
His early career had indeed been adventurous. It is unfortunate
that a complete biography of Davis has never been written. Even
46. Harper's Magazine, v. 35 (1867), July, p. 138. The illustration, "Pilgrims on the
Plains," will be found in Harper's Weekly, v. 13 (1869), June 12, p. 377.
47. Harper's Weekly, v. 16 (1872), February 24, p. 164. There were a few Davis West-
ern illustrations even after this date. For example, "Young Bucks on the War-Path" and
"Young Bucks Returning With Spoils" in ibid., v. 17 (1873), May 17, p. 413. Both of these
were redrawn by Sol Eytinge, Jr.
48. Manuscript material in the Parmelee collection included two unfinished and unre-
vised pieces by Davis. These have recently been published in The Westerners Brand Book
1945-1946 (Chicago, 1947), as "Henry M. Stanley's Indian Campaign in 1867," pp. 101-114,
and "With Generals in Their Camp Homes: General George A. Custer," pp. 115-130. As is
evident from their content both were written late in life; in the first he referred to the dis-
appearance of Editor S. S. Conant (of Harper's Weekly). Conant disappeared in 1885 (New
York Tribune, January 29, 1885, p. 1 ; February 9, 1885, p. 1) and therefore the article was
written probably in the late 1880's. In the second article he specifically dated it in the text
as "1890." It is well to remember therefore that both of these articles were recollections
colored by the lapse of time and by the happenings of the years intervening between their
writing and the occurrence of the events described by Davis.
358 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
in 1867 Harper's Weekly was able to give this brief resume of his
career:
Mr. Davis has been a traveling correspondent of the Weekly since March,
1861. His first trip in our service, through the South with Mr. W. H. Russell,
was made a short time before the commencement of the war, and is con-
sidered by Mr. Davis as the most dangerous journey he ever made. During
the war Mr. Davis witnessed the capture of Port Royal; the battle between
the Monitor and Merrimac; the conflict at Shiloh; the capture of Corinth;
the first bombardment of Vicksburg by Porter; the battle of Antietam; the
surrender of Vicksburg; the seizure of Morris Island; the battle of Chicka-
mauga; the siege and battle of Chattanooga; the Atlanta campaign and the
Grand March to the sea, and thence through the Carolinas. He was present
at the laying of the Atlantic Cable; rode 2600 miles in a stage-coach across
the plains; and for the last six [four] months has been roving over the plains
with General Custer after the Indians. 49
And this brief summary of six most active years of Davis' life
does not state that during the war he was twice wounded. On one
of these occasions he is reported to have held off surgeons at the
point of a pistol from amputating a leg!
Small wonder then that as the years advanced Davis cared to
travel less and less. The effort of intense living in these six years
may well have contributed to a relatively early death, for he died
in 1894.
About his skill as a draftsman and artist we do not know a great
deal as his original work is almost nonexistent. Many of the wood-
cut reproductions of his work are extremely crude but he, of course,
was not responsible for the final appearance of his illustrations.
He had some art training, according to one brief account of his life,
under Herrick, presumably of Boston or New York. The work of
American art historians, however, has been so meager and so poor
that we have no knowledge of Herrick. Possibly he was H. W.
Herrick, an illustrator whose work will be found occasionally in
the 1860's.
It is probable, too, that Davis received informal art instruction
from James Walker with whom he became well acquainted very
early in his career. Walker, Davis' senior by some 20 years and
familiarly called "Pop" by Davis, was achieving a considerable
reputation as a battle painter when Davis first met him. A veteran
of the Mexican war, Walker depicted on canvas the storming of
Chapultepec, a painting which received wide acclaim in its day.
Later he became still better known for two Civil War canvases,
49. Harper's Weekly, v. 11 (1867), September 7, p. 564.
PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE OLD WEST 359
'The Battle of Lookout Mountain" and "The Third Day of Gettys-
burg." It seems reasonable to suppose, considering the mutual in-
terests of the two men, together with Walker's more extensive
experience in the profession, that Walker would be an important
influence on the younger man's career. 50
Davis was connected with at least one Civil War panorama, "The
Battle of Missionary Ridge," either as designer or adviser. Late in
life he wrote an account of "How a Great Battle Panorama Is
Made." Born in Boston in 1840, he crowded into his 54 years ex-
periences that few other American artists and illustrators could
equal in number and variety. 51
50. James Walker's connection with Davis was called to my attention by Mrs. Penny-
packer, a daughter of Mr. Davis, now deceased. Information on Walker (1819-1889) has
been secured from obituaries following Walker's death on August 29, 1889, and which ap-
peared in the Watsonville (Cal.) Pajaronian, September 5, 1889, and the San Francisco Call,
August 30 and September 4, 3889. I am indebted to the Watsonville Public Library and the
California State Library for these accounts. A brief sketch of Walker will also be found in
Appleton's Annual Encyclopedia, 1889, p. 651.
51. Davis died in Asbury Park, N. J., on November 10, 1894. The biographical notes
given in the concluding paragraphs come from obituaries in the New York Tribune, November
of 1879.) Letters from Davis also' appeared in Harper's Weekly during the war and" extend
somewhat our knowledge of his life (see especially the Weekly, June 22, 1861, p 397- June
20, 1863, p. 395; September 26, 1863, pp. 621, 622). He is also mentioned early in his career
in the New York Tribune, July 21, 1861, p. 4.
The Civil war panorama Davis described in an article in the magazine St. Nicholas, New
York, v. 15 (1886), December, pp. 99-112.
The Diary of James R. Stewart, Pioneer of
Osage County
APRIL, 1855-APRIL, 1857; MAY, 1858-NovEMBER, 1860
PART FOUR: AUGUST, 1859-NovEMBER, 1860
BURLINGAME
M AUGUST [1859]
ON 1
Beautiful all day Read Obstetrics all day. A show The
Meyers family exhibited in Burlingame to-night. I attended
was not much took Mrs Denison to the show.
TEUS 2
Showery roads mudy. Read nearly all day.
WED 3
Fine all day few drops of rain. Read some made lot of
pills Called to see few sick folks took a ride over to
Ri ces bought some onions stoped to see Perrills, 120
home again bought a town Lot from Nick Schuyler for
fifty dollars Commenced Baching this evening, traded off
my shot gun wrote this days diary.
THUR 4
Fine & warm. Read wrote & Loafed.
Fm5
Fine all day. Worked short time in morning at cattle shed
Loafed read &C.
[SANTA FE ROAD]
SAT 6
Very warm good breeze. Fixed up this morning to start
down to Kansas city. Started after dinner traveled on till
nearly midnight had passenger with me.
SUN 7
Very warm. Rolled on all day reached Marian. 121
120. John Perrill and his three sons, John (or Joseph) Price, George W. and Nathan
Auvil, at this time lived on their claim on Dragoon creek. John and John Price Perrill had
come to Kansas in the spring of 1856, and the other two sons joined them in April, 1858.
Price, the oldest son, surveyed the original townsite of Burlingame for P. C. Schuyler and S.
R. Caniff. Reminiscences of George W. and Nathan A. Perrill, in Early Days in Kansas
. . ., C. R. Green's Historical Series (Olathe, 1913), v. 2, pp. [55, 56].
121. Marion was originally called Washington, and in the 1880's the name was changed to
Globe. It was located on the Santa Fe trail in southwest Douglas county, ten miles west of
Baldwin and 17 miles south of Lecompton.
(360)
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 361
MON 8
Still warm. Reached Union town 122 to-day.
TEUS 9
Warm warm, reached the old Quaker mission 123
[KANSAS CITY]
WED 10
Very hot & sultry. Reached Kansas City & Looked once more
upon the banks & waters of the old Missouri, got my Load &
turned homewards came out about 6 or 8 miles.
[SANTA FE ROAD]
THTJRS 11
Still very warm. Reached Cedar Creek camped on west
side of same.
FBI 12
Warm threatning rain, reached Black Jack to-day.
SAT13
Hard rain Last night, Cloudy this forenoon Clear &
very warm in the afternoon. Reached Marian to-day.
SUN 14
Clouds & Sun alternate. Reached Burlingame late in the eve-
ning.
BURLINGAME
MON 15
Very warm & sultry. Loafed round read &C.
TEUS 16
Still warm. Read Loafed &C.
WED 17
Still very warm. Read attended store for Me [Donald] &
Rowe [Bothel]. Bought a house & Lot from Antone Sutter
gave in payment my team & Lot.
THURS 18
Warm as usual. Lay round doing but Little.
FRil9
More pleasant, cool evening. Took a walk in morning up to
Wrights stopped to see Carri[e] Paddock on the way.
home again, read in afternoon.
122. The Uniontown referred to was in the southwest corner of Johnson county, about a
mile north and east of present Edgerton, where the Santa Fe trail crossed Bull creek.
123. The Quaker mission to the Shawnee Indians of Kansas was established near the
Methodist mission near present Kansas City. Buildings were erected in 1836 and a school was
opened in 1837.
24157
362 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 20
Clouds & sun alternate. Worked a little to-day making hay.
Read some made pills &C.
SUN 21
Very warm few drops of rain. Took a ride in morning up
to Mcdonalds Claim back again Read wrote slept
&C ballance the day.
MON 22
Stiff breeze. Worked for Me & Rowe helping get up hay.
TEUS 23
Good breeze from north. Worked at hay in forenoon. Loafed
during the afternoon.
WED 24
Fine day. Read all forenoon, went up to Howards in after-
noon with Bratton & [D.] Griswold to appraise some stray
Stock, received a letter from G Hazen, answered it.
THURS 25
Fine & warm. Took a notion this morning to turn my atten-
tion to the Study of Law. Consequently went up to Rogers 's
got Blackstone 124 came back & commenced reading.
FRI 26
Stiff breeze through the day some rain in evening &
heavy rain after night. Read Blackstone all day.
SAT 27
Very mudy cool. Read Law all day. attended meeting in
evening to organize Republican Club was appointed on com-
mittee to make constitution for same
SUN 28
Cloudy all day. Read Blackstone.
MON 29
A fine warm day. Read Blackstone all day.
TEUS 30
Fine all day. Read Blackstone all day.
WED 31
Rainy all day. Read Blackstone. Set up at night with Mil-
lissa Deming who Died about 4 OClock P M. "Tis a fearful
thing to see a human soul take flight in any shape." Another
Dear one is gone, one more memento that all are mortal.
124. Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780), Commentaries on the Laws of England, first
published in four volumes, 1765-1769.
DIAKY OF JAMES R. STEWART 363
SEPTEMBER [1859]
THURS 1
Fine all day. Slept in fournoon. Read in afternoon
FBI 2
Fine and warm. Read all day. The funeral of Millisa Deming
took place to-day.
SAT 3
Cool in morning, warm in day Read Blackstone.
SUN 4
Cold & raw all day raining Slowly in the evening.
MON 5
Cloudy & sun alternate, little cool. Read all day. Law,
went up to Featherly[s]
TEUS 6
Very pleasant. Read Blackstone. Played a big game of Eucher
at night with [D. B. ?] Mcdougal Fred [Schuyler] &
Mitch [ell]
WED 7
Fine pleasant weather to-day. Read Blackstone played
checkers & at night heard a speech from Judge Wakefield.
THURS 8
Stiff breeze pleasant. Read Law played stiff game of
Eucher in the evening with Mcdougal Mitchel & Fred
Schuyler
FRI 9
Stiff South Wind all day. Read Law heard an adress from
Jim Lane in afternoon, 125 and one from A L Winins [Al-
fred L. Winans] after night, bought some apples to day and
have eaten too many of them feel rather badly.
SAT 10
Fine and warm but high wind. Read Law all day. Heavy
Storm & rain after night, a little hail
SUN 11
Fine all day. cool in evening. Read some slept heap.
125. At this time Jim Lane and his law partner, James Christian, had offices in the Dun-
can building in Lawrence and were advertising their services. "The Kansas struggles being
over, Mr. Lane will devote himself exclusively to the practice, and trusts by strict attention to
business, to receive a portion of the business of the people of Kansas." The italics are his
own. However, the same editor who was paid for the advertising had this to say of Lane'g
legal career: "A short time since, Jim Lane retired from politics to private life. Since his
return from the East, he has taken up political agitation and is once more a target for edito-
rial criticism. We had no confidence that he was in earnest, then, and we are no less sure
that he defends the villainous apportionment of the Wyandotte Constitution, because he hopes
to reach the U. S. Senate. The Constitution must have been in a desperate condition to re-
quire Lane to bid good-by to private life." The Kansas Herald of Freedom, Lawrence, Au-
gust 20, 1859.
364 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 12
Fine all day. Read faithfully all day.
TEUS 13
Cloudy but warm. Read all day. attended Democratic at
night dident occur.
WED 14
Warm & fine. Read all day played big Game of Eucher at
night at Mcdougals.
THURS 15
Cloudy in fournoon clear & very fine in the afternoon. Read
faithfully all day.
FRI 16
Very warm but good breeze. Read Law through the day.
attended Republican club in evening.
SAT 17
Warm with stiff breeze. Was sick through the day. better
at night, went to primary of Republicans to appoint delegates
to County Convention, was chosen as one of them.
SUN 18
Cloudy & some rain at night. Not well. Lay in bed most
the day.
MON 19
Rather Cool. Did but little.
TEUS 20
Pleasant but cool. Read some, Loafed round some.
WED 21
Very fine all day. Delegate convention met to-day, attended
it as Delegate, a spirited meeting at school house in the eve-
ning, was chairman of same.
THUR 22
Fine all day. Loafed round read &C
FRI 23
Beautiful all day Read the Statutes of Kansas
SAT 24
Very fine all day. Read Statutes Laws of Kansas.
SUN 25
A fine shower. Very sick with fever all day.
MON 26
Warm clouds & sun alternate Better today read some.
TEUS 27
Fine all day with good breeze. Read mostly all day.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 365
WED 28
Fine with good breeze. Did but little of any thing. Wrote
some after night.
THUR 29
Fine through the day fine Shower at night. Read Law all
day.
FRI 30
A little mudy this morn, beautiful and drying all day. Read
some Loafed round some, played checkers and, after
night, had a big game of Eucher of one hundred points, with
Mcdougal Mitch & Fred Schuyler. received some mail
from New Castle.
OCTOBER [1859]
SAT 1
Fine and warm. Read Loafed played Checkeras, &C.
SUN 2
A most beautiful day. Read some wrote a letter to 0. G.
Hazen.
MON 3
Beautiful weather Read &C day.
TEUS 4
Beautiful all day. Sat as Inspector of election. 126 Received a
letter from 0. G. Hazen.
WED 5
Little cool this morning, north wind all day, pleasant in even-
ing. Had chill to-day, sick in bed.
THURS 6
Fine fall weather. Did but little of any thing.
FRI 7
Very fine weather. Read, played checkeras &C
SAT 8
Rather Cool. Read all day.
SUN 9
Pretty hard frost this morning. Cool through the day. Sat
by fire all day & read Wrote a letter to G Hazen.
MON 10
Pleasant all day. Worked at cleaning out my cellar, attended
school meeting at night.
126. The Wyandotte constitution was ratified on this date by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530.
A section safeguarding homesteads against alienation or forced sale, except for taxes and cer-
tain other obligations, was adopted by a separate vote, 8,788 to 4,772. Kansas Constitutional
Convention, A Reprint of the Proceedings and Debates of the Convention Which Framed the
Constitution of Kansas at Wyandotte in July, 1859 . . . (Topeka, 1920), pp. 645, 671 ;
'Proclamation" of Gov. Samuel Medary, November 1, 1859, in Herald of Freedom, November
5, 1859.
366 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 11
Fine smoky weather. Read newspapers Loafed round &C.
WED 12
Stiff south breeze threatning rain Read history "Wil-
lards" played Eucher at night.
THURS 13
A Very fine day. Read attended store Loafed &C.
FRI 14
Fine fall weather. Read history Willards.
SAT 15
South wind threatning a change Read all day, papers
history &C.
SUN 16
Quite Cool. Strong wind. Sat by fire all day, & read.
MON 17
Still very cool. Sick, sat by fire.
THURS [TUES.] 18
Pleasant but still little cool. Democratick convention met
here to day Judge Schuyler accepted the nomination for
Councilman horrible attended Convention as spectator. 127
WED 19
Cool wind but pleasant Moved s[t]ove et cetera into my
house, preparatory to living there. Commenced with Me [Don-
ald] & Rowe to keep house at home.
THURS 20
Pleasant. Fixed up about the house, and read some, was very
sick in afternoon, went after Load of wood with Rowe.
FRI 21
Fine & warm. Went over to Henry smiths after Load of wood,
got it and returned attend a most interesting meeting at
night to hear Anson Burlingame speak, was most delighted
with him. Lik[e] him fine. 128 Read some in testimony of
the rocks. 129
SAT 22
Beautiful all day. Sat in house nearly all day reading news-
papers &C. received a letter from Molly Jack.
127. Schuylcr was defeated by his Republican opponent, Chester Thomas, at the election
on November 8 by a vote of 909 to 238. D. W. Wilder, The Annals of Kansas (1886), p. 283.
128. "Hon. Anson Burlingame, of Mass., is in Kansas and will take the stump for Marcus
J. Parrott [Republican candidate for delegate in congress who was elected on November 8],
Even his aid will not save the bastard Republicanism of Kansas." Herald of Freedom, Octo-
ber 8, 1859.
129. The Testimony of the Rocks; or Geology in Its Bearings on the Two Theologies,
Natural and Revealed . . . (Edinburgh and Boston, 1857), by Hugh Miller (1802-1856),
Scottish geologist and author. The book dealt with the borderland between science and re-
gion. Dictionary of National Biography, v. 37, pp. 408-410.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 367
SUN 23
Beautiful day. Fixed up for buffalo hunt.
MON24
Beautiful all day. Lay round waiting for a start to the plains.
[SANTA FE ROAD]
TETJS 25
Beautiful all day. Started out this morning on a Buffalo hunt
with Antone Sutter. traveled on Santafee road west.
Camped for the night on elm Creek 13 overtook and trav-
eled with several others on a like excursion from our own
neighborhood.
WED 26
Cold & high north wind. Moved on reached big John
creek. 131 Camped there over night.
THURS 27
Very Cold & windy. Started on took chill, vomited severely
was very sick all day. reached Elm Creek 8 miles west of
Council Grove. Lay up balance of the day & night.
FRI 28
Still quite cool but moderating. Feel better to-day traveled
on passed Diamond Springs, & camped on prarie.
SAT 29
Quite pleasant. Rolled on all day reached Cotton wood.
Stopped here & camped over night, had some Buffalo meat for
supper.
SUN 30
Pleasant. Traveled on reached Runing turkey 132
MON 31
Fine with S[t]iff breeze. Rolled on west- ward all day.
reached a place called "big mudy" made a big fire of Buffalo
Chips. & camped over night.
"A little nonsense now & then, is relished by the best of men."
KANSAS PLAINS
NOVEMBER [1859]
TEUS 1
Beautiful day. Started out early reached the Little Arkan-
sas Stopped for breakfast then on to Jarvis Creek 133
Saw Buffalo to-day one of our party killed a Bull.
130. In Waterloo township, present northeastern Lyon county.
131. Big John creek is in Morris county, about a mile east of Council Grove.
132. Running Turkey creek, in McPherson county, flows southwest and joins Dry Turkey
creek about three miles southwest of Elyria. These two streams thus form the main body of
Turkey creek, which in turn is a tributary of the Little Arkansas river.
133. Jarvis creek, in Rice county, about four miles east of Lyons, flows south to join Cow
creek, which heads in northeast Barton county.
368 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED 2
Fine all day. Traveled north west from Santafee road to-
wards the head of Cow Creek Camped on prairie & hunted
Buffalo, saw numbers of them killed one.
THURS 3
Pleasant all day. Killed a Bull to-day left camp towards
evening and moved on till we reached the timber on Cow Creek.
Camped here over night not succeeding very well in our hunt
so far
FRi4
Beautiful day this Took a north west course this morning,
traveled 6 or 8 miles met some Kaw Indians got them to
kill us some Buffalo dressed & loaded up our meat, turned
in the direction of home went short distance Camped on
east side of Cow Creek.
SAT 5
Cold wind from the North. Traveled on reached Santafee
road about noon stoped at Jarvis creek and got dinner
then on to Little Arkansas camped here.
[SANTA FE ROAD]
SUN 6
Very high wind from south. Rolled on all day camped on
the Prarie bettween the two Turkey Creeks.
MON 7
High wind all day Rolled on as fast as we could. Crossed
Cottonwood and made about 8 miles on east side of it.
TEUS 8
Pleasant but a little cool. Moved on reached west elm
creek & camped there.
WED 9
Quite cool. Still on passed Council Grove reached [1] 42
Cre[e]k. camped.
THURS 10
A little cool. Struck out this morning on foot in advance of
the teams padled on to Wilmington Stoped and got dinner
rested Short time then home reached home about
sundown quite satisfied with Buffalo hunting
BURLINGAME
FRI 11
Pleasant day but stormy night. Sat by fire reading news-
papers.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 369
SAT 12
A Skift of snow on the ground this morning & still snowing.
The Coldest day we have had this fall. Sat by fire most all
day. did few Chores about the house.
SUN 13
Moderating, Little windy yet Read some wrote a petition
for Postmaster Hubbel, mended Pants &C
MON 14
Fine all day. Had a severe chill, very sick.
TEUS 15
A pleasant day. Not very well. Commenced to read Woods
practice of medicine.
WED 16
Stiff south breeze. Read some attended Store in the after-
noon for Mc[donald] & Rowe [Bothel].
THURS 17
Rather a fine day. Read medicine, attended a meeting after
night to listen to Col. Vaughn & M. F. Conway talking a while.
Liked Vaughn firstrate. 134
FBI 18
Still pleasant. Read & Cut wood alternately, received a letter
from G Hazen.
SAT 19
Moderate. Bought a winter Coat this morning & some socks
Read Wood through the day heard Gov Medary
make a speech at night & shake his old head.
SUN 20
Damp rained some Last night. Read & Sat by fire all day.
MON 21
Fine & rather warm. Read Started a petition for having
Judge Schuyler appointed Post-master received a letter
from G Hazen attended political meeting at night
heard John Martin & Mr Hawkens. 135
TEUS 22
Read all day took a walk up to Dodges in the evening.
134. Martin F. Conway was the Republican candidate for representative in congress under
the state organization established by the Wyandotte constitution. He defeated the Democratic
nominee, J. A. Halderman, at the election on December 6 by a vote of 7,674 to 5,567. Col.
John C. Vaughan, lawyer and newspaper editor, was a lifelong opponent of slavery, though a
native of South Carolina. With his son, Champion, he had come to Kansas in 1857, and
purchased the Leavenworth Times, which was supporting Conway's candidacy. Vaughan,
Conway, B. F. Simpson and J. P. Hatterscheidt were scheduled to speak at several poinis in
Breckenridge and Shawnee counties, and at Superior, Osage county, November 15-19. Leav-
enworth Daily Times, November 15, 1859.
135. John Martin, Topeka lawyer, was the Democratic candidate for representative from
Shawnee county. H. C. Hawkins, co-editor of the Topeka Tribune, was stumping the terri-
tory with him. Topeka Tribune^ November 26, 1859.
370 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED 23
Quite warm rained at night. Read all day.
THURS 24
South wind warm cloudy. Read attended political
meeting at night.
FBI 25
Windy but still pretty good. Went after a Load of Wood in
forenoon. Wrote a letter to Molly Jack & read in the after-
noon.
SAT 26
Fine all day. Went after a Load of Wood in morning at-
tended Demings Auction in the afternoon, wrote & read after
night.
SUN 27
Fine fall weather Read Some attended church hear
Rev. Brant talk also heard him at night.
MON 28
Beautiful day. Loafed round some read Law attended
Lyceum after night, received a note from Carrie Paddock.
TEUS 29
A very fine warm day. Read Law some Loafed round some
got posession of the Post-office, & settled up with Deming
attended to Post-office Went up to Dodges with Carrie
Paddock & back again
WED 30
Warm with strong South wind Some sign of rain. Spent
some time in the morning settling the Post-office affairs with
Deming and attending to the duties of the office then read
Law some and New York Tribune, was busy nearly all
day.
[DECEMBER, 1859]
THURS 1
Exceedingly Cold & windy. Sat by the fire & read Law all day.
FBI 2
Colder than ever the Coldest day this fall. Sat by fire and
read Law.
SAT 3
Cold & frosty but sunny and moderating a little. In the
Post-office most of the day read newspapers some At-
tended a Caucus in the evening and was nominated as candidate
for Squire also a meeting of Bachelors to take measures for
a festival on New Years was appointed on thier committees.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 371
SUN 4
Cold & frosty. In the house reading Law all day.
MON 5
Freezing very hard the coldest day and night we have had.
In the house all day.
TEUS 6
Very Cold & frosty This is election day to Elect a full
board of officers under the Wyandotte Constitution I was
elected Justice of the Peace.
WED 7
Moderating but still cool Read Law & Loafed all day.
THURS 8
Sunny & pleasant but cool wind. Went after a Load of wood
to-day Choped some read &C wrote in the evening
FRi9
A most beautiful day. Had a light chill to day.
SAT 10
A most beautiful day. Read newspapers & cut wood, attended
of course to my Post-office duties.
SUN 11
Fine clear & sunny Atended Price Perills funeral. 136
MON 12
A most beautiful day. Atended to Post-office & Read &c.
TEUS 13
Fine but growing cooler Read attended Post-office &
Store.
WED 14
A fine sunny day. Paid the school a visit Read Post Laws
Cut wood attended store &C
THURS 15
Fine warm weather. Read Post-offices Laws, & cut wood
FBI 16
Still very good weather Cook Copic Stephens &
others the Harpers ferry insurectioners are to be hung to-
day 137 Read cut wood attended Post-office &
also a meeting at the school house in the evening.
136. John (or Joseph) Price Perrill, eldest son of John Perrill, was killed while returning
from a buffalo hunt. He was looking for his strayed oxen when he was shot in the back, by
whom it was never known. He was 24 years old. Reminiscences by George W. and Nathan
A. Perrill, in Green, op. cit., p. [55] ; James Rogers, "History of Osage County, Kansas," in
An Illustrated Historical Atlas of Osage County, Kansas (Philadelphia, 1879), p. 10.
137. John E. Cook, Edwin Coppoc, Shields Green and John Copeland, Jr., were executed
on December 16, 1859, for their part in John Brown's raid on the U. S. arsenal at Harper's
Ferry. Two other members of the group, Aaron Dwight Stevens and Albert Hazlett, were
hanged March 16, 1860. Oswald Garrison Villard, John Brown, 1800-1859, A Biography
Fifty Years After (Boston and New York, 1910), pp. 570, 580. Cook had been a clerk in the
Herald of Freedom office at Lawrence in the winter of 1856-1857. Herald of Freedom, No-
vember 26, 1859.
372 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 17
Pleasant but growing cool Read papers & Post Laws
all day.
SUN 18
Cold & windy freezing. Read & sat by fire all day.
MON 19
Very Cold Read & attended to Post-office.
TEUS 20
Cold as ever. Read & attended Post-office.
WED 21
Cold Cold Read & loafed &C
THURS 22
Still cold but moderating. Commenced fixing up my house for
A Post-office had Nick Schuyler helping me
FRi23
Moderating Still working at Post-office
SAT 24
Pleasant sunny Received 2 letters worked at Post-
office Moved it to-day to my new room.
SUN 25
Christmass A Very fine day. Read & attended Post-office.
MON 26
Fine all day, getting a litt[l]e cool in even. Read and in Post-
office.
TEUS 27
A pleasant sunny day. Attended the Office & read newspapers
WED 28
Still pleasant Atended the office Read
THURS 29
Growing Cold In the Office all day.
FRI 30
Cold as blazes. In the office attended Bachelors festival at
night had big time.
SAT 31
Cold all day. Attended office all day.
JANUARY 1860
SUN 1
Cold & Windy. Sat by the fire reading newspapers.
MON 2
Moderating south wind. Worked at making out Quarterly
returns of Post office
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 373
TEus3
Rather pleasant Read some & made up the returns of
Post-Office.
WED 4
Still somewhat pleasant, hard frost at night. Read Life of
Sheakspear.
THURS 5
Growing colder very fast. Read Sheakespear The Tempest
& attended Post-office. Mrs C D Bush was buried to-day.
FRIG
Cold south wind & some rain in the forenoon Cleared off in
the evening very pleasant. Read Sheakspear through the day.
Received & gave out a very large mail in the evening re-
ceived several letters one from G Hazen wrote two
letters myself.
SAT?
Cool & Very pleasant. Read "Merry Wives of Winsor." Wrote
three or for letters to corespondents
SUN 8
Fine & warm. Read Laws of Kansas.
MON 9
Very fine indeed. Read cut some wood attended to
duties of Post-office, &C &C.
TEUS 10
A most confounded cold change Read & sat by fire all day.
WED 11
Very cold & stormy. Read Kansas Laws attended Church
at night.
THURS 12
Moderating much warmer. Read & attended the Office.
FRil3
Quite pleasant. Read Laws of Kansas, received a number of
letters & papers.
SAT 14
Very beautiful all day. Read newspapers all day. went up to
Geo Hoovers in the evening.
SUN 15
Fine & pleasant all day. Read & Wrote letters.
MON 16
South wind pleasant. Read Law. attended Post-office.
374 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS 17
Fine with south-west breeze Read Law, & in the Office.
Called at Geo Hoovers in the evening and courted Agnes
[Barcomb?].
WED 18
Beautiful weather. Read & chored about the house, not well
to-day.
THTJRS 19
A most beautiful day. Read & in the Office.
FRI20
Beautiful with south breeze. Read & in Office.
SAT 21
Beautiful South breeze. Read Newspapers all day in
the office Called at Geo Hoovers in the evening.
SUN 22
Lovely weather Read &C All day.
MON 23
Very fine weather Read Law all day, made up the mail in
the evening.
TEUS 24
Change of weather snow Read Law all day.
WED 25
Cloudy Sleet snow rain. Read all day.
THURS 26
About one inch of snow, thawing little. Read Laws of Kansas.
FRi27
Moderating quite pleasant. Read & attended Post-office.
SAT 28
Thawing roads mudy. Read Law Newspapers &C.
Called at Geo Hoovers in the evening to see Agnes.
SUN 29
Pleasant mudy. Read Laws of Kansas.
MON 30
Growing Colder Read & attended Office at Lyceum.
TEUS 31
Excessive Cold. By the fire all day.
FEBRUARY [I860].
WED!
Moderating but still cold. Read Laws of Kansas.
THUR 2
A very fine day. Read in Kansas statutes.
DIAKY OF JAMES R. STEWART 375
FRI 3
Beautiful a little snow yet. Read & attended Post-office.
SAT 4
Cloudy in forenoon rainy in evening. Read Newspapers
all day & in the office.
SUN 5
Muddy Read Statutes of Kansas.
MON 6
Fine day. Read and attended Post-office.
TEUS 7
Very fine day. Read & in office attended meeting at School
house in evening object condemn Thomas 138
WED 8
Pleasant Change after night. Read Laws of Kansas
attended Lyceum after night.
THURS 9
Cold north wind, freezing. Read all day.
FRI 10
Cold all day. Read all day.
SAT 11
Quite pleasant. Read News all day.
SUN 12
Pleasant. Read & wrote letters.
MON 13
Growing colder. Read Law.
TEUS 14
Valentine day. Cold North wind. Read & in office.
WED 15
Moderating Rode up to Wilmington in the morning & got
a lot of mail matter for Burlingame back home & read
&C balance the day.
THURS 16
Plea[sa]nt rained after night. Read in the office at-
tended a Dance at night at Geo Hoovers.
138. A plan had been formulated to create a new county from the southern portion of
Shawnee county and the northern part of Osage county. Also, the southern tier of townships
of Jackson county was to be annexed to Shawnee county. These changes would place Topeka
near the center of Shawnee county, while Burlingame would be the center and county seat of
the new county. Citizens of Topeka and Burlingame of course favored the idea, but Chester
Thomas of Auburn, councilman from the 7th district (Shawnee, Osage and Breckenridge coun-
ties), opposed it. Resolutions adopted at the Burlingame meeting stated that the people of
the township had given him their votes upon his pledge to support the proposed changes, and
called upon him to do so or resign. Topeka Tribune, February 11, 1860. See, also, Council
Journal of the Legislative Assembly of Kansas Territory (Special Session) . . ., I860,
pp. 553-555. The proposed new county never came into existence, but Burlingame subse-
quently became a part of Osage county when the Shawnee county boundaries were shifted to
the north by a bill approved by Governor Medary on February 23, 1860. General Laws
. . . of Kansas, Special Session, 1860, ch. 46, p. 88.
376 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FRil7
Muddy Went down to Superior in morning bought a lot
of Stamps from Hulbert back atten[d]ed Post-office.
SAT18
Pleasant over head mudy Attended Office
SUN 19
Fine day. Read all day wrote Some letters.
MON 20
Very fine Read made up mail. &C.
TEUS 21
Beautiful in forenoon wet in eve. Read attended Con-
gress at School house in the evening.
WED 22
Cold & Blustery. Read All day.
THURS 23
Cold but rather moderating. Read played some Eucher.
FRi24
Pleasant. Read Law. News of the new County of Osage, has
been received to-night. ! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Rowe
Bothel was married at 20 minutes before twelve OClock to-night
to Alvira Whitney at Brattons. only 6 persons witnessed the
weding.
SAT 25
Beautiful all day. Loafed round Drank Egg-Nog. at-
tended "Joyfid" meeting at School house at night heard
Judge Schuyler tell us all about the doings of our Legislature
Rejoiced exceedingly at the event of getting a new County.
SUN 26
Fine & warm Strong south breeze. Read &C all day.
MON 27
Beautiful. In the office, attended Meeting to take steps to-
wards building a Court house in Burlingame, was appointed
on committee to solicit subscriptions for that purpose.
TEUS 28
Little Coull. Went over to Dragoon Creek to get subscriptions
for Court house, back about noon,
WED 29
A beautiful day. Read some attended to getting more Sub-
scriptions for Court house. Had an accidental meeting in the
office at night, which resulted in a good deal of gas from Rambo
Playford & others No blood spilt.
DIAEY OF JAMES R. STEWART 377
MARCH [1860]
THURS 1
Beautiful day Read all day.
FBI 2
Strong South wind. Attended Law suit in forenoon. Read in
afternoon, received & distributed mail at night.
SAT 3
A beautiful day. Read Newspapers & Law, all day.
SUN 4
High South wind. Read & wrote all day.
MON 5
Very beautiful, frogs singing Read attended Law suit at
Justice Drews, made up mail at night.
TEUS 6
Very fine day. Read attended Congress at night.
WED 7
Fine all day. Read & talked with [Levi] Empie on Religious
subjects all day. Attended School meeting at night.
THUR 8
High Wind not Cold. Read Law &C all day.
FRi9
Fine & warm. Read Statutes of Kansas.
SAT 10
Fine & warm. Read News & Law, all day.
SUN 11
Fine day Good breeze. Read wrote a letter to G
Hazen.
MON 12
Cold North wind. Read & Studied Law. Made up the mail
at night.
TEUS 13
A Very fine day. Read & Loafed.
WED 14
Beautiful all day Went up to Pollys timber and cut some
wood in forenoon Read in the afternoon.
THURS 15
Very fine & warm, Doors open. Read attended Caucus at
Judge Schuylers after night.
FBI 16
Beautiful all day. Read some attended post-office. Re-
ceived letters from Ebb Sankey & Molly Jack.
25157
378 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SAT 17
Fine all day. Attended Town meeting at School house to put
in Nomination Town officers & Delegates to County Conven-
tions.
SUN 18
Very Windy. Read all day.
MON 19
Beautiful Attended Delegate Convention at School house
had a very exciting time. Also Town meeting at night to nom-
inate Candidate for Justice of peace. Got the nomination my-
self.
TEUS 20
Fine & pleasant, little Cool. Read all day.
WED 21
High wind but pleasant. Went up to Mr Pollys timber and Cut
some wood back to office read some Got team in
the afternoon & went up to the timber and Got a Load of Wood
back home read ballance the day.
THURS 22
North wind but pleasant. Read some Took a ride up to see
my wheat sold it for fifteen dollars &C.
FRi23
Fine day. Read received the Lawrence mail & distributed.
Received letter from Miss Carrie Paddock.
SAT 24
Growing Cold, still sunny. Wrote two letters. Read papers.
Attended citezens meeting at the School house in the evening.
SUND 25
A little Cool. Sunny. Read all day.
MON 26
Windy Sunny. Election day. was elected J P & C[ounty].
A [ ttorney ] , 139 attended Post office.
TEUS 27
Still Cool froze hard Last night. Read Newspapers & Law
all day.
139. At this election, held after the reorganization of the county, Stewart received 162
votes for county attorney, N. P. Case seven and O. H. Braun two. Stewart was also elected
justice of the peace of Burlingame township for one year, and D. H. Houston was elected for
two years. In leporting the results of the township election to Governor Medary, the town-
ship clerk, George J. Drew, wrote: "There is a doubt about the Justices. Justice Drew whose
commission is dated in 1857 was elected for five (5) years & he contends he is not out of office
Justice Streit was elected last March & he thinks he is not out of office till next spring not-
withstanding this township has been detached from Shawnee County & annexed to Osage."
Kansas State Historical Society, Archives division, "Territorial Election Returns, Osage
County, March 26, 1860."
Stewart's failure to file bond and take the oath of office as county attorney caused the
county commissioners to declare the office vacant on July 2, and to appoint W. H. Theirs to
fill the vacancy. "Osage County Commissioners' Journal, 1859-1862," pp. 36, 37.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 379
WED 28
Pleasant. Went up to John Dodges in morning, also to Drews
& got Some Law Books. Read ballance the day.
THTJRS 29
Fine Day. Read as usual.
FRI30
High South wind. Read moved my bed up from Mcs &
Rows store to my office. Went down to Superior in the after-
noon to see the Commissioners canvas the votes of Osage
County home again.
SAT 31
Windy Read Newspapers Made out my Post-office re-
turns.
APRIL [1860]
SUN 1
Moderating, quite pleasant in evening. Wrote a long letter to
0. G. Hazen. also one to Governor Medary. Read Newspapers
& statutes.
MON 2
Very Windy. Read & attended Post-office Made out my
Bond for Justice of Peace. Went up to Loyds in the Evening
and "Sleeved" old Carrie Paddock.
TEUS 3
Exceedingly windy. Clouds of Dust. Read handed my Bond
to the Commissioners for their approval.
WED 4
Windy in forenoon Calm in evening. Was Sworn in as Jus-
tice of Peace. Rec[eived] Streits Docket & papers. Read some.
Attended fine party at Mr Lords in the evening.
THURS 5
Beautiful day. Read made Bond for Absolem Hoover
bought Cook Stove of [E.] Timms.
FRi6
Very beautiful. Read Blackstone did some official buissi-
ness Attended Post office.
SAT?
Very Warm & fine. Read Isued my first Summons as Jus-
tice of the Peace.
SUN 8
Beautiful all day. Read & wrote Slept &C.
380 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 9
Fine Growing Colder in the evening. Wrote nearly all day,
Isued summons & order of Attachment for J. T. Williams
wrote Transcript of Docket for Winchell.
TEUS 10
Pretty cool all [day] , fire not uncomfortable Read & attended
to my Post-office & Justice Buissiness.
WED 11
Still Cool. In the office reading & Squiring
THURS 12
Very fine & warm. Not very well to-day. Read some.
FRI 13
Somewhat Colder. In my office all day.
SAT 14
Beautiful all day In the office had a Law suit Parties M
Parks vs J E Cowan.
SUN 15
Very fine Shaved and washed & Dressed up to-day, and
went to Church Densmore & Lizzy Drew were married in
Church.
MON 16
Clear & pleasant with high wind. Read Blackstone some, &
attended to my official buissiness, made up the mail after night.
TEUS 17
Still windy & dusty. Clear warm. Read &C all day. took
tea at Row Bothels, had some Brandy to day, enough to make
the Drunk come.
WED 18
Very Pleasant helped McDonald & Bothel move their store
to-day, Read &C.
THURS 19
A little rain last night windy to-day. Read Called to
see Miss Gillet at Titus 's engaged her to go with me to a
party, from which engagement she subsequently Squirmed out.
Went down to Barns's after night and had a firstrate dance.
Got home about one o-C at night.
FRI 20
Cool wind Read & attended to the Duties of my office.
SAT 21
Cool threatning rain, a few drops after night. Read News-
papers all day.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 381
SUN 22
Cold & rainy all day. Read &C all day.
MON 23
Pleasant but Cool. Read some attended a good party at
Mr Lords at night.
TEUS 24
Cool Clear sunny. This is election day. attended to
holding the election, for County seat.
WED 25
Cool Sunny. Read Blackstone all day.
THURS 26
Left Newcastle two years ago to-day. Clear and pleasant
but Cool. Read Loafed round &C all day.
FRI 27
Fine but windy. Read in forenoon Went down to Su-
perior in the afternoon and attended the meeting of The Board
of Commissioners, back home.
SAT 28
High Wind Read Newspapers.
SUN 29
Little Cool. Read &C all day.
MON 30
Pleasant Read had a trial before me between E D
Robison & J M Winchell.
MAY [1860]
Tusl
Very high south wind. Made a Lounge to-day. Read.
WED 2
High South winds, dusty Read wrote &C.
THURS 3
Very high south wind warm. Read Blackstone Called
to see the Miss Schuylers after night heard some good
Piano music.
FRI 4
Very high South Wind. Warm. Read &C. received let-
ter from G Hazen.
SAT 5
Very windy, threatning rain. Wrote two letters, one to 0. G.
Hazen, & one to C W Stewart. Read newspapers.
SUN 6
Cool & windy. Read Blackstone all day.
382 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON. 7
Quite Cool A little rain after night. In the office all day
reading
TEUS 8
Cool & very windy Dust flying. Had Some Law buissiness,
Read &C.
WED 9
Windy Growing warmer. In the office, reading &C.
Bought some Lumber, & pair of pants.
THURS 10
Very fine warm. Had Law suit to-day Robison vs Win-
chell. Read &C.
FRlll
Pleasant & warm. Read &C all day.
SAT 12
Terrible windy, dust flying. Had big Law suit to day between
Wm. Cable & H[ollam] Rice, occupied all day.
SUN 13
Very Windy Cool at night Little frost. Read &C [all]
day.
MON 14
Beautiful Calm Read Went down to Aikens
Made up Mail &C.
TEUS 15
Clear warm & beautiful. Read &C all day.
WED 16
Growing Cool, threatning rain. Had Law Suit between Bur-
dock [D. B. Burdick] & [Daniel] Rooks.
THUR 17.
Cool, a few drops of rain. Law Suit of Burdocks & Rooks Con-
tinued.
FRI 18
Very fine & warm. Law Suit of Burdocks vs Rooks continued all
day. Mail at night, got through with Law suit about [illegible]
SAT. 19
Very fine calm & warm. Read newspapers all day.
SUN 20
Beautiful all day. Read all day, wrote some.
MON 21
Beautiful all day Read & attended to my office duties.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 383
TEUS 22
Beautiful through the day, Threatning rain through the night.
Had Law case to-day. Ter. of Kansas vs Julius J Wright
asualt & Battery.
WED 23
Very warm some wind. Read and did some official buissi-
ness
THURS 24
Very warm, fine Shower after night. Some hail the dust
Laid. This is election day for County Seat Burlingame
is to be the place, was one of the Inspectors of the Election. 140
FRI 25
A ligh[t] shower of rain. Read all day.
SAT 26
Very warm, Clouds Read, Studied arithmetic.
SUN 27
Very windy. Dust flying. Read, attended Church in morn-
ing. Heard Rev. Holliday talk flat nonsense. 141
MON 28
Still very windy, threatning rain. Read, Loafed &C. attended
citezens meeting at the school house in the evening to take
steps to finish up our Court house.
TETJS 29
Windy quite cool. Read some, wrote some, Loafed some.
WED 30
Very fine and warm. Read, went down to Aikens to take
acknowledgement of Deed, bought Buffalo. Got Lot of Lum-
ber from J B Fry.
THURS 31
Cloudy all day, and a gentle distillation of rain, weting the
Ground sufficiently to Lay the dust. Glorious news this, we
have had no rain of Consequence for 8 or 9 Months, promising
more. Stayed in the office all day, reading, had company most
the time, talked, told yarns, sang, had some Brandy and sugar,
and a tollerably good time generally.
140. "At the late election for the permanent location of the county seat of Osage county,
the thriving town of Burlingame received a majority of over one hundred." Topeka Tribune,
June 9, 1860.
141. Rev. James F. Holliday, a Methodist clergyman of Auburn township Shawnee
county.
384 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
JUNE [1860]
FRI 1
Rainy in the morning, clear and pleasant in the Evening. Read
&C. did a little Legal buissiness.
SAT 2
Very fine, South breeze. Held Court in the School house,
Case, Rogers vs Rice.
SUNS
Very fine & warm. Went to Church in forenoon. Read &c
in the afternoon.
MON 4
Very fine south breeze Read some, Married John Polley to
Mary Flinn at Mrs Boyces at night.
TEUS 5
Very warm & fine. Read &C all day
WED 6
Fine threatning rain but dident. Had Some Law bussiness
to transact to-day. Read &C.
THUR?
Very fine & warm. Had big Law suit. Terr vs Tom Russell,
took all day.
FRI 8
Wind Storm & few Drops of rain last night. Read & wrote all
day.
SAT 9
A little rain Last night also some this morning Cloudy
through the day. the Dust well laid. Reed Some Letters last
night. Read to-day & attended to some Legal Buissiness.
SUN 10
A Most delightfull rain, the heaviest Shower this spring. Read
& wrote letters, two of them, one to G Hazen & one to Eb
Sankey.
MON 11
A Most Lovely day, things grow. Read wrote & C, all day.
TEUS 12
Fine and pleasant. Read Blackstone. had game Eucher.
WED 13
Threatning rain in morning, Fine & pleasant through the Day.
Went out with the sundy school down the Merais De ceyene
on a Pick nick excursion had pleasant time.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 385
THURS 14
A Very fine day. Finished reading 2d vol. of Blackstone In
the office all day.
FBI 15
Very fine, Delightful Read & attended office.
SAT 16 ^
Very Warm fine. Commenced reading Bouviers Insti-
tutes- 142
SUN 17
A Most beautiful day Read Bouviers Institutes all day.
MON 18
Very warm Read wrote three or four letters.
Tus 19
Very warm & sultry. Read Bouviers Institutes faithfully.
WED 20
Very warm & fine. Read faithfully in Bouviers Institutes.
THURS 21
Fine south breeze. Read Law all day, had game of Eucher
at night with [J. R. ?] Fairish, Canniff & J[udge] Schuyler
FRI 22
Very beautiful Good breeze. Went over to 110 to Baxters
to meet Committees to make arrangements for 4th of July cele-
bration. Got home about 2 oC in afternoon.
SAT 23
Very Warm. Some breeze. Read Newspapers all day & Law.
SUN 24
Very warm. Dry & sultry. Read all day.
MON 25
Very Dry. Good south breeze. Read made up mail at night.
TEUS 26
Still intolerably dry. Read Loafed took tea at Bothels-
WED 27
Exceedingly warm threatning rain Took Bob Baird in
with me to Bach. Read &C all day.
THURS 28
Very warm. Dry & dusty. Wrote all day making out my
qu[a]rterly returns for Post-office. Bought new pair of pants
$6,00
142. Institutes of American Law, by John Bouvier (1787-1851), recorder of the city of
Philadelphia and associate judge of the court of criminal sessions of that city, was published
in 1851.
386 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
FBI 29
A most Delightful shower. Read some Wrote nearly all day
making out my Post-office Transcripts. Distributed the mail
at night.
SAT 30
Very Warm Threatning rain. Finished making out my
Quarterly returns for Post-office Read some went over
to Mr Rices in the afternoon to meet the Fourth of July Com-
mittee to select grounds on which to celebrate the fourth. Made
the selection and returned home Read, fiddled &C through
the evening.
JULY [1860]
SUN 1
Very Warm with strong south wind. Read attended church
at school house.
MON 2
Very warm strong south breeze. Read, made up mail in
the evening.
TEUS 3
Strong south breeze few drops of rain in the evening. Read
some in forenoon, went over to Rices timber in the afternoon
and worked at fixing up grounds for the 4th of July celebration.
WED 4
Very fine all day. flying Clouds, but no rain, attend the Cele-
bration at Rices timber also had a Ball at night, took Supper
at Bratton house. Took Flora Lord to the Dance.
THUH 5
The hotest day this summer Mercury up to 102. Read Bo-
viers Institutes
FRI 6
Very Warm, nearly as warm as yesterday. Read all day.
SAT?
A Very hot south wind burning hot. Read in forenoon, at-
tended an auction sale at Titus' in afternoon & evening
bought a Lamp & some books.
SUN 8
Very warm & sultry. Read all Day. Boviers Institues.
MON 9
Strong hot south wind. Read all day.
TEUS 10
A fine & pleasant day. Dry & dusty. Read faithfully all day
at Bouviers.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 387
WED 11
Warm, promises rain. Read. Rode over to A Hoovers took
dinner there, home again, had some Law buissiness.
THURS 12
Cool & pleasant. No rain yet. Finished Reading Bouvier
& Commenced it second time. Took a ride in Buggy up to Mail
Station in the evening with Will Ryus.
FRI 13
Very Dry warm & sultry. Had a Law suit between Laura L
Rooks and D B Burdock. Reed Letter from 0. G. Hazen.
SAT 14
A few Drops of rain Last night. Read some had some Law
buissiness, &C. received Letter from Jim Bothel and order on
McDonald for some money due the post office.
SUN 15
Very warm & sultry. Rode down to Henry Morells in the morn-
ing with Bob Baird to Look at some Land, home again, read
& wrote two letters one to G Hazen & one to T A Parrish.
MON 16
Very hot threatning rain. Read Law had some Law buissi-
ness
TEUS 17
Still very warm Looks like rain. Read Bouvier.
WED 18
Good breeze but very dry & warm. Read all day faithfully.
THURS 19
Strong signs of rain and dod[?] it did rain a few drops.
Read all day. Got tight in the Evening up at Dock Sheldons.
damd fool
FRI 20
Intensely hot. A little shower of rain in the morning. Sick in
forenoon Read in afternoon.
SAT 21
Very Warm Good breeze. Had Law buissiness between
Dan. Rooks & Burdock.
SUN 22
Cloudy more or less all day, no rain. Read had tooth ache
some.
MON 23
Very Dry & warm. Read Bouvier all Day.
TEUS 24
Good south breeze. Read all day. Got some money.
388 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
WED 25
Fine Shower last night. Started out this morning on the hunt
of a pocket book Lost by Mr Moulton rode 60 miles, to
the Neosho crossing
THURS 26
Very fine pleasant day. Read & wrote took a ride down to
Victor McDonalds with Mr Harris in the evening back
home again.
FRi27
Thunder all round, and rain in other places but only a few
Drops here Read Bouviers All Day.
SAT 28
A fine south breeze appearance of rain but none Comes.
Read Boviers in forenoon, went fishing in the evening, with
Net. had Good Luck.
SUN 29
Very warm. Looking like rain. Read all day.
MON 30
Very warm & Sultry. Commenced working at fixing up my
house, had Elisha Robison helping me.
TEUS 31
Very warm through the day. flying Clouds, and Looking very
much Like rain. Came up terrible heavy wind & rain in the
evening, rained more than all put together that we have had
this season, Glorious Worked at my house all day.
AUGUST [1860]
WED!
Very beautiful day. Worked at fixing up my house.
THURS 2
Very Warm with Strong hot wind. Worked at my house.
Fni3
Threatning rain and a few drops fell, at my house faithfully
all day.
SAT 4
Few Drops rain. pleasant. Finished my house, got good
warm room for winter. Got fine Lot fish to-day.
SUN 5
Warm & Sultry. Attended Church in forenoon. Read in the
afternoon.
MON 6
Very Strong South wind, little rain in evening. Read all day.
received letter from Eb Sankey.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 389
TEUS 7.
A Very warm & sultry day. Read Bouvier all day.
WED 8
Warm and dry as usual Read Law all day.
THURS 9
Cool in Morning looks like rain in eve. Had Law Case
Davis vs Russell. Read &C.
FBI 10
Cool so as to be very pleasant all day. Read had a Little
Law buissiness
SAT 11
Cool in the Morning Warm in afternoon. Read had
some Law bussiness
SUN 12
Cool all day. Read all day.
MON 13
Cool morning warm in afternoon. Read, had some Law
bussines.
TEUS 14
Strong south wind. warm. Read Rode up to John
Dodges in forenoon to take acknowledgement of Mortgage
back home Read was summoned as appraiser to assess
the property of J. G. Morell taken in Execution, walked down
to his farm home read, wrote a letter to D. S. Mc-
Intosh.
WED 15
Very Warm Looks like rain this eve Read & in my
office all day.
THURS 16
Very Warm Little south breeze. Finished Reading Bou-
viers Institutes the seccond time.
FBI 17
Very Warm & sultry. A fine Shower after night. Good. Read
Commenced Reading Blackstone for the second time.
SAT 18
Pleasant through the day. a Shower of rain after night. Read
all day.
SUN 19
Cloudy in morning, warm in eve. A little rain after night. Read
took a walk up to Dubois in the evening slept at George
Hoovers at night.
390 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 20
Fine & warm Read in forenoon attended store for Mc-
Donald & Bothel in the afternoon.
TEUS 21
Very warm & sultry, attended Store all day.
WED 22
Warm & sultry. In the store. Read a little
THURS 23
Still warm & dry. In the Store.
FRi24
Very fine day. South breeze. In the Store. Me & Row came
home after night.
SAT 25
Pleasant but very dry. Read Blackstone all day in my office.
SUN 26
Very warm. Some breeze. Had visit from Joe. Guildford.
Read some.
MON 27
Good strong breeze but very warm. Read all day. Hall sued
Bratton to-day.
TEUS 28
Very warm & scorching dry. Read all day. some little law
buissiness
WED 29
Still very warm & dry. Read all day received two letters
one from 0. G. Hazen & one from Mary Jack. wrote
one in return for 0. G. Hazen. good news.
THURS 30
Stiff wind spring up from the East, threatning rain, a few
drops in the afternoon, A little Cool in the Evening. Read
faithfully all day.
FBI 31
No rain yet. Warm. Read all day. received N. Y. Tribune.
SEPTEMBER [1860]
SAT 1st
Cloudy with gentle distillation of Rain in forenoon scarcely
Laying the dust. Read all day.
SUN 2.
Cloudy & sun altternate, good shower in Eve. Went up to the
Wakarusa to attend Camp-meeting. Stayed till evening, then
home the Crowd was small, no great profit.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 391
MON 3
Fine warm day. Cloudy in the eve. Read Not well to day.
TEUS 4
Stiff south breeze, warm Read all day bought a fine
gold watch to-day from Fairchild for $100. y^
WED 5
Warm South wind very hot & dry. Read in forenoon, helped
raise bridge across Switzer Creek in afternoon.
THURS 6
Very hot and dry, hot wind from south helped at bridge in
morning. Read in the afternoon.
FBI 7
Still hot south wind. Read, rec[e]ived my first no. of N. Y.
Tribune.
SAT 8
North wind, growing cold. Read Blackstone, Newspapers, &
Tupper.
SUN 9
Cool in morning, warm in evening. Read all day.
MON 10
Warm South Wind. Read finished Blackstone. Received
a letter from Laura Sankey. bought fine watch chain. Called
to see Halls at night. Played Eucher with him. Saw Thad
Hyatt, Arny & Gen Pomroy. 143
TEUS 11
Cool. Kept up a little fire all day Cloudy & a very few drops
of rain. Read the Code of Kansas all day.
WED 12
Warmer. Strong south wind. Read Statutes all day.
THURS 13
Very warm & strong south wind. Had some Law buissiness.
Read &C all day.
FBI 14
Cloudy windy some light showers of rain a good
heavy shower after night. Read Laws & N. Y. Tribune.
SAT. 15
Fine day. a little muddy. Read statutes. Read Tupper some
in evening.
143. In I860 the territory suffered from a severe drought which led to the organization of
a relief committee to raise money and supplies in the East and ship them to Kansas. Thad-
deus Hyatt of New York and W. F. M. Arny of Anderson county, who had been active sup-
porters of the Free-State movement since 1854, took leading roles in the relief work. Hyatt
secured contributions. Arny, as general shipping agent of the relief committee, forwarded
them to Kansas, and Samuel C. Pomeroy, president of the committee, disbursed them from
his headquarters in Atchison. Topeka Tribune, August 18, September 8, 15, 29, 1860 ; Kan-
sas Historical Collections, Topeka, v. 7, p. 203.
392 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
SUN 16
Beautiful all day. wind N. W. moderate. Took a walk over
to Cabels in morning to see Jo. Gilliford, found him there,
stayed all day, drank Sherry wine, had good time, home in eve.
MON 17
A fine Day, with some breeze. Read statutes all day.
TEUS 18
Cold North wind, few drops of rain. Had some Law buissi-
ness, reed, three letters, wrote one to 0. G. Hazen. Read &C
&C ballance of the day.
WED 19
Cloudy & little cool. Went out to work out my Poll Tax this
morning, continued at [it] all day.
THURS. 20
Warmer. White frost this morning not heavy but
Plainly perceptible. The first we have had this fall. Read
some, worked out the ballance of my road tax to-day. Com-
menced reading Bouviers Institutes again, had a little law
buissiness.
FRI 21
Very fine fall day. Read all day. had fine Water-melon.
SAT 22
Very beautiful calm day. Read &C all day.
SUN 23
Strong south wind, dust flying hot. Went down to superior
to attend Church in forenoon came home in afternoon.
Read &C ballance the day.
MON 24
Very fine warm & calm. Went over to Dragoon Creek with
Row Bothel & wife to gather walnuts, got Lots of them,
came home. Read some.
TEUS 25
Very warm & dry. Took a walk up to Mr. [Peter] Kirbys in
morn and borrowed Some of his Law books. Chittys Plead-
ings. 144
Came home & commenced Reading. Read all day.
WED 26
Pleasant all day Warm at night. Read Chittys pleadings,
went down to [Victor] McDonalds in Company with Mitchell in
the Evening for the purpose of setting up with him being
144. Joseph Chitty (1776-1841), Treatise on Pleading and Parties to Actions (London,
1808). The eleventh American edition, in three volumes, was published in 1847.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 393
Low in Consumption, found sufficient Company there, and re-
turned home, promising to return on to-morrow night.
THURS 27
Very fine fall wether. Read Chittys pleadings. Went down to
Victor McDonalds with Mitchell in the evening to set up as
watcher. Stayed all night & returned home in morn
FRi28
A few drops rain in morning, pleasant through the day. Read
Some. Wrote some, had a little Law buissiness, &C.
SAT 29
Fine day some clouds, and at night a good rain. Read
Chitty, and New York Tribune, attended the anual school
meeting at night, and Elected a new board of officers.
SUN 30
Cloudy and a little distillation of rain at different times
through the day. Rainbow in the Evening. Read Chitty, had
Company talked, and so forth all day. some more rain after
night, not a moiety yet of what we ought to have in order to
wet the ground thoroughly and Raise the streams.
! OCTOBER [1860] !
MON 1
A most beautiful day. Read wrote a letter to Eb. Sankey.
TEUS 2
A most beautiful day. Read and in my office all day.
WED 3
Very fine and warm. Read some had some Law buissiness.
THURS 4
Lovely Weather. Read. Wrote a letter to Coon [or Coors?]
FBI 5
Still Delightful fall weather. Read all day. Victor McDonald
Died to-day.
SAT 6
Still fine weather. Rode over to 110 with Bill Harris to take
acknowledgement of Deed, got home about 2 oC had Law
suit in evening. Reed vs. Beer.
SUN 7
Fine wind Changed round to the north in the evening. Had
Joe Gilliford with me all day. Read in Eve.
MON 8
Still very fine weather. Cool nights Read some got a
tooth plugged Had heap talk with Empie about politics
26-157
394 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
TEUS9
Delightful fall weather. Read & done some office buissiness.
WED 10
Cool morning, fine day. Read a little, had some buissines.
THURS 11
Cool quite Cool Read a little had a crowd in the
office all day, in case of the Ter. against John Albach. put
prisoner to bail untill next Saturday, played few games of
Eucher at night.
FBI 12
Considerable frost this morning. Cool all day fire feels
good. Read faithfully all day.
SAT13
Frost in morning, cool day. Had a law suit between the Ter.
and John Albach, all day. some excitement.
SUN 14
Cool sat by the fire all day. Read Chittys Pleadings.
MON 15
Still Cool growing pleasant, Read &C. Married Geo.
W. Roe to Miss Nancy J. Roe on the Prarie by a camp fire
after dark.
TEUS 16
Pleasant smokey weather. Read & wrote all day, had game of
Eucher in the Evening.
WED 17
Fine pleasant day. Read &C. Reed a letter from J. R. Parrish.
Wrote an answer.
THURS 18
Fine all day. Caucus in the afternoon.
FRI 19
Very beautiful. Loafed round, went down to Superior in the
afternoon.
SAT 20
A most beautiful day. Count [y] Convention met at Burlin-
game to-day. Got Nomination for County Att. wont take it.
als[o] got appointed delegate to the district Convention to
meet at Ottumwa on the 24th Inst. had a meeting at School
house in the evening, did nothing but fun at Mr Playfords &
Canniff expense.
SUN 21
A most lovely day. Read some slept some, walked some.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 395
MON 22
Very beautiful all day. Read Some loafed round some, set-
tled with Bob. Baird and parted Baching with him. attended
meeting at school house in evening, had some excitement, got
mad at Schuyler, blowed him up.
TEUS 23
Fine and warm. Loafed round in forenoon, got ready and
started in Company with [G. H.] Kent & [Lewis D.] Joy for
Ottumwa to attend the Convention on the 24th as Delegates,
traveled untill evening, stopped at Onion Creek, took sup-
per, and Started on and traveled untill we reached the Marias
Des Cygnes, where we camped for the night.
WED 24
A little Cool in the morning, warm through the day. Started
on early, reached Ottumway about 10 o-C. attended the Con-
vention, put Candidates in nomination had Considerable ex-
citement. 145 Started for home in the evening, got as far as the
Marias-Des-Cygnes Camped there in Company with a
number of others.
THURS 25
Strong south wind. Suny and warm. Started on early, traveled
in smoke and dust all the way. reached home about 2 o-C
P. M. washed up and Loafed at the best ease, ballance the
evening.
FRI 26
Cloudy and a fine shower of rain. Some thunder and lightning.
Read, wrote & hulled Walnuts.
SAT 27
Cloudy all day little Cool. Hulled Walnuts all day, at-
tended a public meeting at school house in the evening, had
excitement.
SUN 28
Clear & Suny fine Read N. Y. Tribune, took a walk over
to see Preston.
145. Stewart was a member of the convention's committee on permanent organization.
J. M. Winchell of Osage and D. A. Hawkins of Coffey county were nominated as candidates
for representatives in the legislature, and both were elected on November 6. The "consider-
able excitement" mentioned by the diarist probably occurred after Stewart introduced a reso-
lution "that this convention support no candidate for the Territorial Legislature for the Bes-
sion of 1861 who will not pledge himself unequivocally to the maintenance of the northern
boundary of Osage county, and to the support of a bill for the change of lines in the south
part of said county, and in Coffey county, similar to the one passed by the House and de-
feated in the Council last winter." The motion was laid on the table, and Stewart and G. H.
Kent thereupon rose and left the convention. Lawrence Republican, November 1 and 15,
1860.
396 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MON 29
Cool very high south wind, dust flying. Went down to su-
perior to see Mr. Winchell in Company with H. D. Preston.
Spent nearly all day with him, in making political arrange-
ments. Came home in the evening, met number gentlemen in
Mr Canniffs office for consultation, got home about 10 o-C.
All things Considered, to-day has been one of unusual diplo-
matic experience.
TEUS 30
Cool. wind in the North. Hulled nuts &C. Mitchell came
to live with me to-day, did Some little Law buissiness.
WED 31
Hallow-een Cold North West Wind Sat by the fire all
day, read some, received a letter from G. Hazen, and an-
swered it. Cracked mitts heap, did Some Law buissiness be-
tween Old Rooks & Dan. had long visit and talk with Mr.
Empie. Political & Social.
! NOVEMBER [1860] !
THURS 1
Cold & Little fall of rain & Snow. Read Banner of Light 146 all
day, and Tuppers philosophy at night.
FRI 2
Snow on the ground this morning. Cool and muddy all day,
little rain. Reed number of papers and a letter from Dr.
Croughton. Read papers, all day.
SAT 3
Cool ra[in]y day. Sat by fire. Read Newspapers & wrote a
letter to Dr. Croughton. had meeting after night at Hughes
to make town ticket.
SUN 4
Pleasant. Read, Cracked nuts, talked &C. all day. heap ex-
citement about our Charter Election.
MON 5
Cool & Cloudy. Charter Election in Burlingame to-day Some
excitement over it.
146. Banner of Light; An Exponent of the Spiritual Philosophy of the 19th Century, a
spiritualistic periodical which was published in New York and later in Boston from 1857 to
1907. In the latter year it was advertised as "the oldest journal in the world devoted to the
Spiritual Philosophy, General Psychic and Metaphysical Subjects, New Thought and Spiritual
Healing." N. W. Ayer and Son's American Newspaper Annual . . . (Philadelphia, 1907),
p. 1256.
DIARY OF JAMES R. STEWART 397
TEUS 6
Clear & sunny but little cool. General fall Election to-day,
attended Polls all day as inspector. 147
WED 7
Wet and rainy all day. Read all day.
THUR. 8
Cloudy and mudy, not cold. Read in my office all day. at-
tended a meeting at school house in the eve to take measures
to get some Charity provisions from Atchison was appointed
on Committee for that purpose. 148
FRI 9
Pleasant drying up the roads. Read all day, Law &
newspapers.
SAT 10
Pleasant and fine. Read Some Loafed some.
SUN 11
Beautiful all day. Took a walk up to Wrights place took din-
ner at McDougals, thence on to Loyds stoped few minutes
thence up to Howards, met Rogers and family there and the
two Prestons, took tea there thence home.
MON 12
Beautiful all day. Loafed round some Read Some en-
gaged to teach the school at Burlingame for the comming
winter.
TETJS 13
Still beautiful, threatning a change. Loafed round some Read
some. Called to see Miss Willson at Titus', wrote a letter to
A. H. Snyder.
147. On November 6 Stewart was again elected to the office of county attorney (see Foot-
note 139). Kansas State Historical Society, Archives division, "Territorial Election Returns,
Osage County, November 6, 1860."
148. See Footnote 143.
[END OF VOLUME 2 AND END OF THE DIARY. FOR A BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH OF STEWART SEE PAGE 4.]
Bypaths of Kansas History
A FEW REMARKS ABOUT TECUMSEH
From a copy of a letter from D. N. M. (not identified but prob-
ably a former employee of the Holladay Overland Mail & Express
Co.) to Enoch Cummings, a division agent of the stageline, in the
Manuscripts division of the Kansas State Historical Society:
Tecumpseh Sep the 8 1867
Friend Cumons
Dr Sir yours of the 27 of Last month Came to hand and I amm glad to
Learn that you all are well my health is good I have Ben in the hay
Buisness for the Last to Weakes have got all of Our hay up and have a small
Contract for one of our Neighbors and that wil finish the hay Buisness But
that dont let me out of work the corn has to Be Cut up for the Calves and
then the potatoes has to Be Dug to fead the Babies on Not mine But my
good looken Nieces I have Not got aney land yet the Potawatime land
has Not come in to market and I am waiting for it or I would have Bought
long ago for I am Not Satisfied with this plase for it is no plase for Stock
and I am going to leave here in the Spring the Kfansas] Sttage] Co talked
of opening a Road South But they are not aney Nearer the matter than they
was this is a gay plase here there is 10 families in the plase and 7 of them is
widowes and they have from thre to ten Children Each and want more So
you Can se this is a good Stock Countrey Shawne County against the world
for Babies if you want to Raise a large familey for god Sake Come to
Shawne Co and if you dont dont come near But come down and se a fellow
we are poor folkes But we Can give you a little grub and a Blanket to sleap on
if you Can get me a pup a Rattarrier out of Jack I wil come up let me
[kjnow my Compliments to Miss Cumons
[Signed] D N M
From the Topeka Weekly Leader, May 14, 1868.
PROLIFIC. If you eastern folks don't believe that Kansas is a fast country,
you have but to visit our part of the state and become convinced. Even old
bachelors and old maids do well in Kansas.
The population of Tecumseh was increased by the addition of eight persons
on Sunday night last. Eight babies in one night and the families not farther
than eighty feet apart. And more than this, every happy mother produced
twins.
Four pairs of twins, in one town, in one night and the families residing
within a stone's throw of each other. Four families and eight babies, four of
the babies in the same house.
The town of Tecumseh lies six miles directly east of Topeka, in Shawnee
County, State of Kansas.
Seven girls and one boy. Mr. Aye, more fortunate than the rest, was
blessed with a boy and a girl. And as the gentleman remarked to us, "it
wasn't a very good night for babies, at that." . . .
(398)
Kansas History as Published in the Press
The story of Robidoux, a Missourian of French ancestry who was
the earliest trader in western Nebraska, operating trading posts and
blacksmith shops during the gold rush of 1849 era, is told in "Robi-
doux's Trading Post at 'Scott's Bluffs,' and the California Gold
Rush," by Merrill J. Mattes, printed in Nebraska History, Lincoln,
June, 1949. Mattes made an interesting discovery as a result of
one of Dr. Robert Taft's articles in The Kansas Historical Quar-
terly. Taft's story on Heinrich Balduin Mb'llhausen, appearing in
the August, 1948, number, featured a picture of one of Robidoux's
trading posts. It was the only known contemporary picture of
a post he had at Scotts Bluff, and with this picture in hand, Mattes
was able definitely to establish the site of the 1851 post in Carter
canyon.
Articles of historical interest in the June, 1949, number of the
Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Lawrence, in-
cluded: "Man's Disorder of Nature's Design in the Great Plains,"
by F. W. Albertson; "Research and Stripland Reclamation in Kan-
sas," by Fred P. Eshbaugh; "Crustacea in Eastern Kansas," by
A. B. Leonard and L. H. Ponder; "Lead-Silver Molds of the Osage
Indians," by George E. Fay, and "Kansas Botanical Notes, 1948,"
by Frank C. Gates.
The life of Carry Nation was the subject of a stage production,
"Cyclone in Petticoats," created and presented by Barbara Gene
Corey of Topeka as her senior project at Bennington College, Ben-
nington, Vt., where the play was staged in June, 1949. Miss Corey's
story of the play was told in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, August
7, 1949.
A history of Morton county was published in the Morton County
Record, Rolla, June 3, 10, 17 and 24, 1949. The Record reported
that the first permanent settlement in the county was made in 1879
by the Beatty brothers.
The Johnson County Democrat, Olathe, June 9, 1949, reprinted
from the Kansas City (Mo.) Star a brief historical sketch of Coun-
tryside addition in Johnson county. A stone and mortar wall, said
to be the foundation of a house built by John Prophet, a Shawnee
Indian who once held title to 2,000 acres in the area, still remains.
(399)
400 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
The addition was acquired about 20 years ago by Frank Hodges,
Olathe lumberman, and is now covered by homes. An article on the
Silverheels family, by Mrs. Tom Davis, appeared in the Johnson
County Herald, Overland Park, July 28. Moses Silverheels, a Shaw-
nee Indian, received land in present Johnson county under the treaty
between the U. S. government and the Shawnee Indians concluded
May 10, 1854. A packet of historical documents, including Olathe's
incorporation documents of 1859 and 1868, was recently discovered
in the Johnson county probate court.
Historical articles of interest to Kansans in recent issues of the
Kansas City (Mo.) Star included: "Chautauqua Brought Cultural
Life to the Middle West in the Last Century," Ottawa was the cen-
ter of the movement in the Middle West, by Charles Arthur Hawley,
June 14, 1949; "Hard Work Is Real Route to Success, Says a
Woman Who Has Achieved It," the success story of Mrs. Olive Ann
Beech of Wichita, by John Wheeler, June 20; "Amelia Earhart's
Fate Still Debated Twelve Years After Her Disappearance," July 2 ;
"Kansas City May See Its Own History in the Railroad Fair's
Pageant," a description of the historical pageant "Wheels A-Roll-
ing," by E. B. Garnett, and "The Once-Arid Plains of Kansas Now
Are Dotted With Shimmering Lakes," with photographs, by Hughes
Rudd, July 10; "Famous Points in Germany Visited by U. S. Chil-
dren," under the direction of Fred L. Miller of Topeka, American
children going to school in Germany are visiting famous places,
August 7; "Mother Bickerdyke Helped Kansas After Heroic Serv-
ice With the Union Army," by Louis 0. Honig, August 19; "Saga
of a Boilermaker Harry Darby," by Richard B. Fowler, and "A
Bottle-Throwing Bird Man [Ralph Ellis] Stirred Up Legal Row at
K. U.," the story behind the court fight between Ellis' widow and
the University of Kansas over 65,000 books on birds, by Alvin S.
McCoy, August 21, and "In a Booming Season of Mid-Western
Fairs, Abilene, Kas., Stages Its 80th Celebration," pictures of ex-
hibits with brief comments, August 28. Articles in the Kansas City
(Mo.) Times included: "Only Two Survivors of Quaint Dutch
Windmills Which Ground Kansas Grain," Wamego and Smith Cen-
ter have pioneer structures preserved as historical relics, by Mar-
garet Whittemore, July 22; "Wing of Memorial on Oregon Trail
Honors William H. Jackson, Pioneer," a wing of the Scottsbluff
(Neb.) National Monument museum dedicated to honor Jackson,
by Col. E. P. Gempel, July 27; "Little Remains of Town [Quindaro]
Which Was an Outpost of Free-Staters," July 29; "Landmarks
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 401
Recall the History of Kansas in the Days of the Indians and
Earlier/' by E. B. Dykes Beachy, August 1; "Relic [saddle] of
Sitting Bull Brings to Mind the Unsolved Mystery of Chief's
Youth," by John Edward Hicks, August 4; "Nature Has Left Her
Masterpieces Off the Main Highways of Kansas," unknown to many
people some geological wonders exist in Kansas, by E. B. Dykes
Beachy, August 23; "Radar Men Trained at Olathe Help to Make
Flying Safer Around the World," by Roger Swanson, August 25;
" 'Another [Milton] Eisenhower' in Strong Position For a Major
Political Office in Kansas," a condensation of a Collier's magazine
article, by Holmes Alexander, August 26, and " 'Empory in All Her
Glory' Acclaimed Success of William Allen White Book," an elab-
orate reception staged forty years ago for the author of A Certain
Rich Man when he returned from Europe to Emporia, by Everett
Rich, August 27.
Historical sketches of several towns near Emporia appeared re-
cently in the Emporia Times. Included were: Hartford, June 16,
1949; Miller, June 23; Dunlap, June 30; Saffordville, July 7; Ad-
mire, July 14; Neosho Rapids, July 21; Bushong, July 28; Americus,
August 11, and Olpe, September 1.
The Atchison Daily Globe noted on June 19, 1949, that the oldest
house in Atchison is now being restored by Mr. and Mrs. John M.
Price. It was built in 1855 by Dr. J. H. Stringfellow. The Prices
plan to furnish the restored building with antique furniture.
Early county-seat fights in Linn county were discussed by Doug-
las Gleason, Ottawa attorney, in the Mound City Republic, June
30, 1949. Mr. Gleason's information was from volumes 14 and 15
of the Kansas Reports.
The story of one of the first Russian Mennonite migrations to
Kansas, including facts about the origin of the Bruderthal Mennon-
ite Church, is related in "Bruderthal Seventy-Five Years Ago," by
Ray Funk, in Mennonite Life, North Newton, July, 1949. The set-
tlement of the Bruderthal community was begun in 1873 by Peter
and Jacob Funk. On December 26, 1874, the Bruderthal Mennonite
Church was organized, but the congregation met in schoolhouses and
homes until a schoolhouse was purchased in 1885 to be used as a
church building.
A history of the Fred Harvey hotels and restaurants is told in an
article, "The Fred Harvey System," by Charles W. Hurd, in The
402 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Colorado Magazine, Denver, July, 1949. The first Harvey house, a
part of the Santa Fe depot at Topeka, was opened in 1876.
Articles by Harry H. Seckler in recent issues of the Leavenworth
Times included: "There Was Bustling Activity Along the City's
River Levee Before the Turn of the Century," July 3, 1949; "The
City Market-Masters Were Rough on the Cheaters," July 10; "En-
acting City's First Laws Was Tough Job for Pioneers," July 17;
"Pioneer and Modern Traffic Ordinances Very Much Alike," July
24; "Early Day Poll Tax of $1.00 Per Head Made Voters Scream,"
July 31; "Vaccinated For Railroad Center But It Didn't Take,"
many of the railroads planned for Leavenworth failed to materialize,
August 7, and "City's Old Timers Enjoyed [Iron] Moulders Annual
Grand Ball," August 28.
The history of Augusta's historical museum on South State street
was sketched in the Augusta Daily Gazette, July 5, 1949. The log
building which houses the museum was built in 1868 by C. N.
James and Leonard Shamleffer and used for a school, a church and
a Masonic hall in the early days. The Augusta Historical Society
acquired the building in 1938, made necessary repairs, collected an-
tiques and relics representing Augusta's early history and officially
opened the building as a museum in 1941.
A historical sketch of the Barneston Presbyterian Church was
printed in the Marysville Advocate, July 7, 1949. The church re-
cently celebrated its 60th anniversary, the first church building
having been dedicated June 30, 1889, four years after the congre-
gation was formed. "A History of Beattie" is the title of a series of
articles by J. D. Stosz which began to appear in both the Advocate
and the Marshall County News, Marysville, on July 14.
Three special sections were published by The Phillips County Re-
view, Phillipsburg, July 7, 1949, on the occasion of the dedication
of a new general office building at Phillipsburg by the Kansas-
Nebraska Natural Gas Co. The special edition was devoted prin-
cipally to the history of the gas company which was founded in
1936 by L. E. Fischer.
"Early Day History of Vernon Telling of Its Early Industries
and Social Life," is the title of a four-column article by Elizabeth
E. Clawson in the Yates Center News, July 7, 1949. Vernon first
became a recognized townsite in 1888, and has become important as
a prairie hay market and shipping point.
KANSAS HISTORY IN THE PRESS 403
The life of Rex Stout was featured in "Profiles," by Alva John-
ston, in The New Yorker, July 16 and 23, 1949. Stout was born on
December 1, 1886, in Noblesville, Ind., and in 1888 his family moved
to a farm near Topeka. He remained in Kansas until 1906 when
he enlisted in the navy where he served two years. In 1916 he began
organizing a thrift system for the saving of money by school chil-
dren. By 1927 he had accumulated a substantial fortune, and he
retired from business, taking up writing again. Shortly before and
during the war years he engaged in propaganda work in favor of
preparedness, lend-lease, the draft and the war effort. Since the war
he has returned to his writing.
A historical series, "Neosho Valley Facts and Legends," by Audrey
Z. McGrew, has been appearing regularly in the Humboldt Union,
beginning July 21, 1949.
Included among articles by George Remsburg in the Atchison
Daily Globe recently were "Atchison County Pioneer Wooed Sister
of [Jesse] James," a biographical sketch of Thomas J. Payne, July
24, 1949, and "Looking Back on Atchison," August 25.
The history of Sedan was featured in the Sedan Times-Star, July
28, 1949. Included are sketches of the town's newspapers, churches
and clubs.
A history of Poheta school, District No. 16, Saline county, by
George H. Shier, was printed in the Gypsum Advocate, August 4,
1949. The district was organized on June 19, 1869, and now is being
disorganized and the area divided among adjoining districts.
"Oscar Wilde Still Popular Abroad, But Leavenworth Didn't
Like Him," was the title of an article by Charles G. Pearson in the
Leavenworth Times, August 7, 1949. Wilde lectured in Leavenworth
April 19, 1882.
"Last Indian Raid Here 81 Years Ago," is the title of a brief ar-
ticle which appeared in the Beloit Daily Call, August 12, and in the
weekly Call, August 18, 1949. The last serious -Indian raid in the
Beloit area occurred on August 12, 1868, and, according to the arti-
cle, three persons were massacred and two small girls taken captive
by the Indians.
The story of the Leoti Old Settlers' picnic, held this year on Sep-
tember 12 and 13, 1949, was featured in the Leoti Standard, August
404 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
25, 1949. The gathering was first held in 1890 at Burr schoolhouse
and was called the Harvest Home picnic. It was a Thanksgiving for
the bountiful crops harvested that year.
A history of Marquette by James Lindstrom was published in
the Marquette Tribune, September 1, 1949, in observance of the 75th
anniversary of the founding of the town. The first permanent set-
tlers were John Hughes and J. M. Claypool who walked from Junc-
tion City in the late 1860's. Mr. Lindstrom mentioned the names
of several of the early settlers in the area, related a number of their
experiences with the Indians and described the establishment of
schools and churches and the progress of industries, businesses and
agriculture in the community. The town, named for Marquette,
Mich., was founded in 1874.
The Kiowa News published an 88-page diamond jubilee edition,
September 1, 1949, in connection with the celebration, September
3-5, of the 75th anniversary of "the establishment of the first post
office called Kiowa," which was located about five miles northwest
of present Kiowa. The jubilee edition included historical sketches
of Kiowa clubs, churches, schools, businesses and other institutions.
Articles on some of the neighboring communities and ranches were
also included.
Kansas Historical Notes
The Fort Scott Historical Society was reactivated under the title
Fort Scott and Bourbon County Historical Society at a meeting on
August 30, 1949. G. W. Marble, editor of the Fort Scott Tribune,
was elected president of the society. Other officers named were:
Bill Henry, vice-president; Mrs. J. R. Prichard, secretary, and Mrs.
Goldie Cleland, treasurer. The board of directors includes the
officers, the mayors of Bronson, Uniontown, Fulton, Mapleton and
Redfield, and Orlando Cheney, Mrs. Glenn Maupin and Mrs. Emma
Connolly. Among its activities, the society will maintain the his-
torical museum.
Dr. Homer K. Ebright, on the faculty of Baker University, Bald-
win, and a director of the Kansas State Historical Society, was
the principal speaker at a dinner meeting of the Osawatomie His-
torical Society, at Osawatomie, June 13, 1949. Dr. Ebright's sub-
ject was "When the Great American Desert Blossomed." The
history of the Old Stone Church of Osawatomie was given by Mrs.
Pauline Gudger. The board of city commissioners has voted to
convey this church to the society to hold as long as it shall be used
as a place of public and historical interest. Alden 0. Weber is the
society's president.
W. W. Graves, editor of the St. Paul Journal, recently published
volume 1 of his two-volume history of Neosho county. It is a 544-
page book, printed in the author's own shop, and is devoted to early
Neosho county history. The material to comprise volume 2 is now
appearing serially in current issues of the Journal.
A 20-page pamphlet entitled, "History of Weather Records in
Kansas," by S. D. Flora, former senior meteorologist for Kansas,
was published in mimeographed form in June, 1949. According to
Mr. Flora, weather records were first kept in Kansas in July, 1827,
at the post hospital, Cantonment (now Fort) Leavenworth. The
first civilian weather observers began keeping records in 1857 at
Lawrence and Mapleton. Weather records have been kept at one
time or another at 432 points in Kansas. There are now 240 sta-
tions distributed over the state.
(405)
406 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Oil! Titan of the Southwest, published by the University of Ok-
lahoma Press, is a new 467-page book by Carl Coke Rister. Chap-
ter 3, "From Paola to Neodesha, Kansas," is devoted to the history
of the early oil discoveries in eastern and southeastern Kansas. A
company formed by G. W. Brown of Lawrence made one of the
earliest attempts to find oil in that region. Drilling was started on
the first well, near Paola, in June, 1860, but oil in paying quantities
was not found.
The Lost Pathfinder Zebulon Montgomery Pike, by W. Eugene
Hollon, is the title of a 240-page book published recently by the
University of Oklahoma. Pike, born in 1779 in New Jersey, is best
known for his two Western expeditions in the period 1805-1807, on
the second of which he discovered the mountain in present Colorado
which bears his name. He was killed in action in 1813, during the
War of 1812.
Addendum and Erratum, Volume XVII
The article, "Over Early Shawnee Trails With Olathe's Charley Hoge,"
mentioned on p. 202, line 22, was written by Frank Hodges.
Page 28, line 16, read "1855" instead of "1885."
Index To Volume XVII
Abbott, Charles D., book by, mentioned, 213
Abels, Edwin F. and Marie R.,
reminiscences of, noted 304
Abert, Col. John J., chief of
topographical engineers 40, 44, 53
Abilene, 80th anniversary celebration,
noted 400
Adair, Rev. Samuel L 93
Adams, Paul, Topeka 95, 204
article by, noted 304
Addis, Alf 29
Addis, J. A 9, 18
Aclenholt, F. W 285
Aderhold, W. F 285
Admire, article on, noted 401
Agra Sentinel 196
Agra Star 196
Aikens, James 161, 174, 175, 382, 383
Aikens, Mary 168
Aitchison, Robert T., Wichita 84
president Historical Society 60
"Richard Hakluyt," address by. . . 71- 76
Albach, John 394
Albertson, F. W., article by, noted 399
Albright, Charles 1
Alcorn, J. R., family, article on, noted.. 90
Alcove Springs, historical sketch, noted, 307
Alden, Henry Mills, quoted 351
Alexander, Andrew J., note on 222
Alexander, Holmes, article by, noted.... 401
Alexander, John T., article by, noted. . . . 305
Allen, Otis, Topeka 204
Allen creek, Lyon county 263
Allison, Samuel A 11, 15, 20, 25, 30- 32
124-127,172- 174
Altamont Journal 199
American Antiquity, article in, noted 88
American Association for State and Local
History, Bulletin, article in, noted, 310, 311
American Lithography Company 212
American Magazine, Kansas articles in,
noted 91, 303
American Mercury, article in, noted 200
American party, note on 132
American Pioneer Trails Association,
New York 208
Greater Kansas City council of... 93, 94
American Settlement Company 1-3, 15
17, 171
Americus, Lyon county 263
article on, noted 401
Anderson, Mrs. , Parkland, Pa. . . . 338
Anderson, Dr. G. G., Wichita 206
Anderson, George C 63
Anderson, Dr. George L., University of
Kansas 94, 309
Anderson, Mrs. Laura M 317
Anthony, D. R., Ill, Leavenworth . . 64, 84
Archaeology, articles on, noted. . . 88, 90, 91
Archives, microfilming of 64
problems of, discussed by
Edsrar Langsdorf 77- 82
Armistend's creek, bridged, 1856 43
"Army Engineers as Road Surveyors and
Builders in Kansas and Nebraska,
1854-1858," article by W. Turrentine
Jackson 37- 59
Arny, W. F. M 391
Art Students' League, New York 219
Arthur. William Reed, article on, noted, 306
Atchison, David R 150, 151
Atchison Daily Globe, articles in,
noted 401, 403
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad,
article 9n, noted 198
dedication of Topeka station,
note on 206, 207
early days on 86, 87
note on 95
Auburn 11
Augusta Daily Gazette, article in, noted, 402
Augusta Historical Society 402
museum, article on, noted 402
Aulls. Ina T., Denver Public
Library 103,. 121, 216
Austin, Mrs. Helen, Chase county 310
Axtell, historical sketch, noted 307
B
Babson, Roger, "Magic Circle" idea,
article on, noted 198
Bailey, Roy F., Salina 82, 85
Bair, Mrs. Homer 92
Baird, Bob 385, 387, 395
Baker, Arthur 1 10
Baker, Maj. Eugene M., note on 222
Baker, Ingraham 263, 266
Baker, Pirl 93
Balderson, U. G., Dodge City 94
Baldridge, E. M., Kansas City, Mo.,
quoted 319, 320
Baldwin 139
Bales, Eleazer, 1859 journal, copy given
Historical Society 63
Baptist mission, Johnson county 264
Barber, John W., author 12
Barcomb, Agnes 168, 284, 374
Bare, Ida, Protection 93
Barger, Bill, article by, noted 305
Barkley, Mrs. John 92
Barnes, 134, 380
Barnes, George W 2, 3, 14
Barnes, Mrs. Lela, treasurer, Historical
Society 68, 71, 84
Barneston Presbyterian Church,
article on, noted 402
Barnum, Phineas T 157
Barr, Frank, Wichita 84
Barrett, Mrs. William W., Topeka 95
Barry, Louise, editor of "William
Clark's Diary" 67
Barton, Clara, Kansas county named for, 91
Barton county, naming of, noted 91
Basingger family 5
Bass, Carol, orator 204
Baucom, Max, Topeka 95
Baugher, Charles A., Ellis 84
Baughman, Mrs. F. E., article by, noted, 89
Baumgartner, Dr. Leona, article on,
noted 305
Baur, John I. H 102
Baxter, 385
Baysinger, P 5
Bazaar, detailed history of, noted 310
Beach, Rev. 259
Beach, Moran 285
Beachy, E. B. Dykes, articles by, noted, 401
Beard, Chaplain John W., Portland, Ore., 67
Beard. Mrs. John W 67
Beard. William H., artist 99,100, 102
B^arnes, Frances, Salina, donor 65
Beatie, I. N 18, 129, 130, 133
Beattie, historical articles, noted... 307, 402
(407)
408
GENERAL INDEX
Beatty brothers 399
Beaver, 264
Beaver creek 235
Beck, Will T., Holton 84, 205
Becker, J., artist 345
Beckman, Rev. Peter, O. S. B., St.
Benedict's Abbey, Atchison 309
Beckwith, Capt. E. G., detailed to work
on military roads in Kansas and
Nebraska, 1858 50,51,56, 57
1857 letter of, quoted 56
1857-1858 reports of, noted 57
Beech, Mrs. Olive Ann, Wichita,
article on, noted 400
Beecher Bible and Rifle Church, Wa-
baunsee, 1948 annual homecoming,
noted 92
Beer, 393
Beezley, George F., Girard 82, 85, 95
Belinder, Mrs. Frank D 92
Bell, Mrs. James Glenn 92
Bellair, Iowa 293
Belleville Telescope 198
Beloit Call, article in, noted 403
Bemish, Mrs. Ed., donor 63
Bent, William 41
Bent's Fort 39, 41, 44
"Bent's Old Fort and Its Builders,"
article by George Bird Grinnell, noted, 41
Berryman, Jerome C., Ashland 84
Bethel College, North Newton, historical
pageant, noted 197
Bethel Collegian, 60th anniversary
edition, noted 197
Biby, William A., Topeka 204
article by, noted 88
Bickerdyke, Mary Ann, article on, noted, 400
Bieber, Ralph P., book and article by,
noted 88
Bien, Julius, New York lithographer 109
Big John creek, Morris county 367
Big Springs 138, 151, 254
Free -State convention at 32
Big Stranger creek 143
Billard, Robert, Topeka 204
Binger, Herb, Topeka 95
Bishop, Maude M., Topeka 204
Bitting, Carl, Wichita 206
Black Jack, Douglas county 2, 139, 287
291, 361
Blackburn, F. R., Topeka 237
Blackwell, Elizabeth, first woman doctor,
article on, noted 201
Blake, Mrs. H. S., Topeka 204
Blakesburg, Iowa 293
Bliss, Carey S., Huntington Library,
San Marino, Cal 120
Blizzard. 1912, article on, noted 201
Blood, J. W., donor 63
Bloomfield, Iowa 292
Bloomington, Douglas county 138, 260
Bloomington, Mo 291
Blue Rapids, historical articles on,
noted 196, 202, 307
Blue Rapids Times 196, 202
Blue river, bridge destroyed, 1856 45
Bluestem pastures, article on, noted.... 203
Bluff creek, Lyon county 289
Bodine, L. G., donor 63
Bodmer, Karl, artist 214
Boertman, C. Stewart. Kansas State
Teachers College, Emporia 309
Boggs, 271
Bond, Florence, donor 63
Bonnat, Leon J. F., French artist 219
Books, added to Kansas Historical
Society library, 1947-1948 176- 194
Boory, Ruby, Winfield, donor 65
Boovis creek 55
Border Ruffians 32
Bortheaux, Frederick, death of, 1856 48
Bothel, 134, 140, 148, 268, 286
287, 294
Bothel, A. Rowell (Rowe) 134,156, 164
171-174, 257, 264, 268, 272, 275, 276. 294
295, 361, 362, 366, 369, 379, 380
385, 390, 392
marriage of 376
Bothel, James 28, 134, 139, 156, 160, 256
264, 272, 285, 387
marriage of 283, 284
Bouser, 14
Bowin, Dr. 28
Bowles, Samuel, travel account of,
noted 98, 99
Bowlus, Thomas H., lola 82, 85
Boyce, Mrs. 255, 384
Boyce, Mattie 269, 285, 286
Boyd, Mrs. Frank W., Mankato 205
Boyle, Mrs. W. E., article by, noted 89
Bradley, Horace 216
Brant, Rev. 370
Bratton, George 3, 20, 23, 28, 30, 31, 124
158, 168-175, 254, 265, 270, 276, 279
295, 362, 376, 390
Bratton, Sarah (Mrs. George) 3, 23
Bratton House, Burlingame 386
Braun, O. H 378
Brewer, David J., biographical sketch,
noted 199
Brewster, , trial of 256
Brewster, Gen. W. R 347, 348
Bridger's pass 47
Brigden, Mrs. 143
Brigham, Mrs. Lalla M., Council Grove, 84
Brinkerhoff, Fred W., Pittsburg 82, 85
Brisbin, Maj. James S., note on 222
Brock, R. F., Goodland 70, 71, 84
elected president His 
