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The History of Smith Centre, Kansas
F SMITH
CITY OF
SEAL
-
CENTRE
KANSAS
1871
1971
AERIAL VIEW of Smith Center in recent years. Present school is at lower right, Chandler livestock building and pens at lower center with county highway commission to the left. Main street can be seen at upper center with Mini-Max at left.
Greetings
This historical booklet was compiled from material written in the Smith County Pioneer, the Smith County Journal, the Smith County Review and from the personal writings of Mrs. Ben Baker, A.L. Headley and other recorders of early day history.
Material for the booklet was collected and written by: Mrs. William Hawes, Mrs. Lawrence Matson, Mrs. Jim Robertson, Mrs. Myron McDonald, Mrs. Roy Bolton, Mrs. Vaughn McColey. Mrs. Roger Kirkland, Mrs. Roger Headley, Mr. Bill Lee, Mr. Art Relihan, Mr. Mack Werts, Mr. Vern Albrecht, Mr. Roy Lumpkin and Mr. Otto Haberly. These writers wish to thank all of those who so patiently helped with information and pictures.
Our special thanks to Mrs. Julius Tillman for preparing the design for the front cover of the booklet. Our special thanks to Mrs. Paul Manchester for loaning the writings of Mrs. Ben Baker. Our special thanks to Phyllis Creamer and Elmer Windscheffel for reviewing and helping assemble the material.
We dedicate this booklet to you, who will call Smith Center "Home" in the future, may you handle it with care and preserve it for the generations to come - this heritage of the past.
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The Pioneer Trail To Smith Center
This historical booklet of Smith Center was written with a mixed feeling of pride and gratitude- pride because it is the occasion to pay tribute to the pioneers for their bravery, in the unknown, toward the development of our part of the country and gratitude for their undaunted determination to make this land their home.
They came in covered wagons drawn by ox teams to take advantage of the liberal homestead laws and to establish homes for themselves and their families. Many of them came west fresh from service in the Civil War. The trek across the prairies was a journey of peace and hope. They had faith that at some future time the prairies would yield in abundance.
Only in memory do the wagon trails, dugouts and sod shanties exist. In compiling the history of a state, county or city there will always be minor conflicting accounts. There was little incentive, in the hardship of pioneering, to make permanent records. The readers of history must understand the apparent conflicting details are only incidental and should be woven in to the completed fabric. No two human beings see or relate an event in exactly the same way. Sometimes stories grow and expand with the telling but they provide the essence of history.
It is perhaps of interest to note that what is now Smith County became part of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803. In 1845 the present boundaries of Kansas were established as a Territory and it was admitted to the Union in 1861.
Settlers began moving to Smith County during 1869-1870. Early in 1871 there were 9 homestead entries on what was to become Smith County. By January 1872 there were enough settlers, 600, to meet the legal requirements to organize a county. On February 1, 1872 Smith County was born. The county was named for Major James Nelson Smith who is reported to have camped near Center Township on his way east to join the Union forces in the Civil War.
At the time of the settlement of Smith County there was a regular chain of "land boomers" along the Solomon River from Waterville 135 miles east of Cedar. The "land boomers" were steering emigrants to locations in the southern part of the county. The emigrants were told that the northern part of the county was too rough to get
into with teams and wagons and that the water supply was inadequate. The president of Smith Center townsite heard about this and appointed a committee to intercept the emigrants east of Waterville. Thereafter, the tide of settlers was routed north. Soon the land around Smith Center was dotted white with the tents and covered wagons of the first settlers.
The first indication of the location of Smith Center was a red bandana flying from a 7-foot tree limb on the site of the present school grounds. In September of 1871 Smith Center Townsite Company was formed with a capital stock of $12,000 - 120 shares at $100 each. The charter members were: J.W. Reynolds, R.A. Wilson, Dr. Bell, W.E. Stone and W.A. Garretson. J.W. Reynolds was the first president; W.A. Garretson, the first secretary and R.A. Wilson, the first treasurer. In 1873 it was discovered that the town company, as such, could not lawfully perfect titles to the land and the corporation was dissolved. The land, consisting of a whole section, was taken up by parties under the Homestead Law except for one quarter section which was reserved as a townsite.
The original survey of Smith Center was made on December 22, 1875. Waite George was the surveyor. The survey provided that the new city be built around a square. However, that plan was abandoned and a new survey and plat was filed in 1876. W.H. Nelson was the surveyor. This survey comprised 160 acres of land and is now known as the original townsite. The government deeded this townsite to John C. Harlan, as Probate Judge, in trust forever to the people of Smith Center. Having gained the required population Smith Center was incorporated in 1885 as a city of third class. At the first city election W.H. Nelson was chosen Mayor.
Smith Center is the only postoffice town in the United States with that name. The legal spelling, as it appears on the official city seal, is Smith Centre.
Early accounts show that the first birth in Center Town- ship was the son of Christopher Noggles on August 25, 1871. E.M. Burr was the first lawyer in Center Township and he also taught school in the fall of 1872. The first marriage in the county was T.J. Burrow and Miss R.I. Dunlap. The ceremony was performed in Center Township on October 16, 1872 by the Rev. F. Albright. The first doctor, Dr. Traverse, settled in Center Township in 1872. The first school house erected in Center Township, District 4, was in 1873.
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EARLY SETTLERS lived in homes similar to this home of the Holmes family southeast of Smith Center. Shown are the following members of the Holmes family: Nell, Ed, Mother Holmes, Frank, Fred, Forrest, Clarence, Charles, Bess.
The Homesteaders
There wasn't any architect. No banker made a loan. To solve their housing problem they were strictly on their own.
They did not sign a mortgage and they did not own a lot. Just stopped the covered wagon at a likely looking spot.
No lumber yards were running. No timber in the hills. Nothing to make beams and joists or window sills. They had to cut the buffalo sod and quarry every stone. But finally they got it done - A home to call their own.
No Mansion, but a sturdy house their own strong hands had made.
It stood on fertile acres that had never been surveyed. No warranty. No abstract fee. No red tape legal fuss. They just came out and built the West and left it all for us.
(Changed somewhat from a poem by Gene Lindberg.)
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Biographical Sketches
In this section we will attempt to tell our readers about some of our homestead families and the early settlers. These people came to Smith Center and Center Township and formed the foundation for our town to grow and progress. From these settlers we get the inspiration to look forward to the improvements we want for our town in the next century. We are proud of the heritage that they left for us to build on in the future.
We are telling the stories of the homesteaders as completely as space allows. In the early settler stories we are restricting them, to those who settled prior to 1900, and to the settlers who have descendants living in Smith Center and Center Township.
If we overlook anyone in this section we offer our apologies, it was unintentional, and we ask forgiveness.
Homesteaders
Waitus George
A. J. Watson
L. T. Reese L. C. Uhl, Sr. John C. Goodale Mitchell Hays Wesley Colby Albert R. Cleveland Steven M. Reese H. H. Springer Martha A. Davidson John M. Stevens Ed C. Stevens Eva Stevens Harlan William Stevens Milton Stevens H. A. Hester George W. White Ira B. Smith Calvin Owens
Morrison C. Burr Charles C. Burr Robert A. Chandler Andrew J. Shaffer Garrett Dedrick Charles S. Uhl Dwight D. Hackett Perry Hackett Newton M. Haddon Dave S. Haddon Adolph M. Corn Henry A. Clark John and Mary White Samuel L. Logan Robert C. Logan Frank L. Morgan Frank M. May Perry Stafford Tim M. Hardacre John Mollison J. W. Henderson
Waitus George
Wait George and his wife, MERANDA, were the first residents of Smith Center. Wait surveyed this area in 1871. He homesteaded land just west of the present home of Frank Linneman. In 1872 Mr. George had a small building erected at Main and West Kansas for a small hotel. A. J. Watson, L. T. Reese and John Goodale were the carpenters. The first mail into Smith Center was brought by team and buckboard and unloaded at the hotel. Before 1872 was over he was named postmaster. Mr. and Mrs. George had one son named Morris, called "Mora". Wait George died in 1878.
Albert Jasper Watson
Albert J. Watson, called A. J., came to Smith Center in the spring of 1871 and filed a homestead where Higley Field is located. In 1872 he went to Illinois for his wife, MARY BURROW WATSON, and his two children, Hattie and Jason. Mrs. Watson's brother Tom J. Burrow and her nephew J. H. Hill came back with them. Mr. Watson built a house on a lot where the Uhl Abstract office was later. Mr. Watson was a carpenter. There were five children in this family: Hattie, Jason, Albert J., Lillian and Clara.
L. T. Reese
Mr. Reese arrived in Smith Center in April 1872. He homesteaded north of present highway 36 and lived in Center Township for 78 years. In 1879 Trube (his nickname) and Miss Florence (Flora) Webb were married on June 12, 1879. The Reeses were the parents of seven children: Mabel, Stella, Milar, Florence, Mildred, Harry and James. Trube was postmaster for several years and then assumed the business of a stockbroker and real estate dealer. He served many years as Justice of the Peace. He was a member of the first Smith Center band, belonged to the Masonic Lodge for 70 years and was a charter member of the Commercial Club - later the Chamber of Commerce.
On June 12, 1929, Mr. and Mrs. Reese celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. On June 12, 1944, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary by again repeating their vows with the Rev. Ira Faurot reading the marriage ceremony. Mrs. Reese died in 1946. Mr. Reese lived to celebrate his 100th birthday.
L. C. Uhl, Sr.
Leonard C. Uhl arrived in Smith Center in 1872, when there were only two buildings in the town. He had read law in his brother's law office in Falls City, Nebraska. Mr. Uhl was admitted to the bar in Nebraska in 1872. He practiced law in Smith Center and also conducted a hardware store in a 2-story building which he built, his business was on the first floor and a public gathering hall was on the second floor. Mr. Uhl purchased an 80 acre homestead on the west edge of Smith Center which later became Uhl Addition. In November, 1875, he married Nancy Widick and two sons were born to them, L. C. Jr. and Fred H. L.C. Uhl, Jr. and his wife, Florence Sawyer Uhl, had three children who were raised in Smith Center. They are Eleanor, Dorothy and Robert.
John C. Goodale
John Goodale and Trube Reese came west to Smith Center together and homesteaded on adjoining land. In 1875 Mr. Goodale married Laura Ann Logan and they had two sons, Leonard Earl and John Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Goodale moved into Smith Center in 1895 and Leonard (Lennie) lived on the homestead all of his life. Mrs. Goodale was always known as "Aunt Laura" and started the Church of God in town. She came west with the F.M. Mays and her brothers R.C. Logan (Doc) and Sam Logan who were all homesteaders.
Mitchell Hays
Mitchell Hays came to Center Township in 1877 and lived on his homestead the rest of his life. His wife was Harriet Bowen Hays. To this marriage were born nine children: Mary, Jim, lda, Rachel, Johnnie, Elmer, Oscar, Belle and Rudy. Rachel married Charles Burr. Belle married Lawrence Weltmer and, after his death, Francis McElfresh. Descendants living in Smith Center now are Charles Weltmer, Chot Burr, Cleone Bur and Ralph (Staff) Hays.
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Wesley B. Colby
Wesley B. Colby and his wife, Betty, homesteaded in Center Township in 1882. They had three sons Emery, Merrill and Noel. Dr. Emery Colby married Mattie Williams in 1897 and he passed away in 1935. Merrill married Vergie Munsinger in 1907. Their children are Eldon and Cecil. Noel and his wife, Velma Helfinstine Colby, live in Smith Center. Their children are Judith Ann, Roger and Jane.
Albert R. Cleveland
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cleaveland homesteaded in Center Township in 1873. The family of seven children attended Smith Center schools. The children were Lottie, Chink, Mamie, Guy, Vivian, Lee and Noel. None of the family remain in this area.
Steven M. Reese
Steven Reese and his wife Isabel homesteaded in Center Township in 1879. Steve was a brother of L.T. Reese. The Reeses reared five children Blanche, lda, Pearl and twins, Ralph and Roy. Blanche married Jim Boyle and lived in Smith Center.
H. H. Springer
Herbert Springer came to Smith Center in 1875 and homesteaded on land which later became known as the two Springer Additions. His first home was just south of the railroad tracks and the grove of trees on his land became known as Springer's Grove, where many celebrations were held in the early days. Mr. Springer married Mary Fairchild in 1882. Their three children were Frank, Howard and Helen.
Martha A. Davidson
Martha Davidson came to Smith Center with the A.J. Watson family in 1872 and homesteaded on land south of the railroad tracks and west of Main Street, this later became the Burrow Addition. Miss Davidson was house- keeper for J. R. Burrow for several years. She was a half-sister of Adolph Corn, one of the first lawyers in this city.
John M. Stevens
John M. Stevens and his wife Jane, with their family of five children, settled on their Center Township home- stead in 1872. Their children were nearly grown when they moved to Kansas so nearly all of them were homesteaders also. The children were Helen, Ed C., Eva and Milton.
Helen Stevens married Will Zimmerman in 1875. Their homestead was in the southwest part of Center Township. He died in 1887. Later, she moved to Smith Center with her children Edna, Allie, Roy and Ethel. Allie was a crippled girl who had to get around in a wheel chair. Edna married George Marty who was a grain dealer in Smith Cehter.
Ed C. Stevens stayed on his parents homestead awhile and then became a clerk in a store in town. Ed and John Harwood later had a grocery store and meat market for many years. Ed and Miss Nora Dedrick were married in 1880. They had eight children Walter, Louis, Harold, Linnie, Audrey, Lucille, Marie and Esther.
Eva Stevens came to Smith Center, in 1872, with her parents. She married Cal Harlan in 1877. Their children were Ralph, Gertrude, Leone, Lottie, Milton, Grace and Harry. Lottie married Sam Wagner and lived in Smith Center. Their children were Geraldine, Mildred, Evelyn and Oral. Grace married Emmet Womer and retired to Smith Center. Their children are Hilda Jean and Sylvester. A great grandson Sam Wagner of Harlan, is the direct descendant living in Smith County.
William Stevens and his wife, Kate Mc.Nulty Stevens, homesteaded near J. M. Stevens but were only here a short time when they moved to Washington State.
Milton Stevens was the youngest of the J. M. Stevens family. He lived on the homestead a few years and then moved to Smith Center. He and Miss Clare Eddy were married and lived in the east part of town. They were the parents of five children Clyde, John, Nellie, Gertrude and Dale. Dale was the wife of the late Kelly Miller of the Kelly-Miller Circus.
H. A. Hester
H. A. Hester filed on a Center Township homestead in 1872. He moved into Smith Center and became postmaster in 1878. In 1881 he was elected sheriff. Later, he became an auctioneer and was in partnership with R.L. Brown. In 1881 Mr. Hester married Mrs. Wait George, who had been widowed in 1878.
George W. White
George W. White moved to Center Township in 1573 and homesteaded at the north edge of the township. He was ar. attorney-at-law and practiced in town. He joined J. R. Burrow in the establishment of the Peoples Bank but he sold his interests to Mr. Burrow and moved back east in the late 80s. The first Fair ever held in the county was on the White homestead. In 1883 he married Nina Newkirk.
J.M. STEVENS LIVERY BARN in ISSO's. J. M. Stevens, Morrison Burr and Hoag Williamson are the men. The "Cannonball", early day stage to Gaylord is at the left.
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Ira B. Smith
Ira B. Smith filed a homestead in Center Township in 1872. His father, Lyman Smith and a brother Myron, homesteaded at the same time but Myron sold his land to Ira and moved to Texas. Ira and Cora Belle Morgan were married in 1874. They had five children Emily, Herbert, Nettie, Mabel and Luther. The only descendant living in Smith Center at the present time is Nettie Smith Chubb. Mr. and Mrs. Chubb reside in the family home.
Calvin S. Owens
Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Owens and five small children moved to Smith Center in 1882. They homesteaded a mile and a half east of town on Spring Creek. Mr. Owens was elected Probate Judge and they moved into town in 1994. Mr. and Mrs. Owens had eleven children Missouri, Fannie, Alfred, Emma, Lina, Nan, Sadie, Sue, Crete, Calvin Jr. and Tillman. Two of this family, Alfred and Lina, resided in Smith Center all of their lives. Mrs. Effie Rice Owens still resided in town.
Morrison C. Burr
Morrison Burr and his wife, Hannah Miranda, and their children homestead in 1872 on Spring Creek in the southeast portion of Center Township. The Burrs had five children Charles, Nannie, Lydia, Lura and George. Two of these children lived in and raised their families in Smith Center, Charles Burr and Lydia Burr Arnold. Their daughter Lura married J. E. Rorabuagh and had one daughter, Esta, who married Clarence Burwell. One of the Burwell daughters lives in Smith Center today, llene Burwell Hannan.
Charles C. Burr
Charles Burr came to Center Township with his family. the Morrison Burrs, and lived here for 71 years. He married Rachel Hays in 1878. Twelve children were born to this union Dora, Mabel, Lena, Glenn, Alpha Hugh, Paul, Carl, Nellie, Mont, Charles J., Lennie and Cleone. Those living in Smith Center now are Charles J. (Chot) and Cleone.
Robert A. Chandler
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chandler came to Kansas in 1873 and filed on their homestead in Center Township. In 1880 Mr. Chandler was appointed postmaster. In 1885 he and A. C. Coolidge established a general store called the "Red Front". They were partners for two years when Mr. Coolidge bought Mr. Chandler's shares and then the latter became cashier at the State Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Chandler had four children John, Walter, Nellie and Grace. R. A. Chandler's brother, Milo J. Chandler, came with his family in 1876. They were here a short time and moved to Banner Township.
Andrew J. Shaffer
Andrew and Mary Shaffer homesteaded 3 1/2 miles southwest of the townsite. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer had twelve children. The eight who were living when Mr. Shaffer died in 1912 were Florence, Ella, Jennie, Bertha, Herbert, Homer, John and Earl. Mr. Shaffer's brother "Spang" Shaffer was called "Smith County Watermelon King".
Garrett Dedrick
Garrett Dedrick and his wife, Nancy, homesteaded one mile north of the townsite in 1872. One daughter, Hattie, taught in the Smith Center grade school in the early days. The other daughter, Nora, married Ed Stevens, a grocer in town. There was a son named Charles Dedrick.
Charles S. Uhl
Charles Uhl filed on a claim in Center Township in 1876. His brother, L.C. Uhl, had come to Smith Center in 1872. Charles married Anna Hofer in 1898. The Uhl family moved to California. Anna was an aunt of Eli Detwiler of this city.
Dwight D. Hackett
D. D. Hackett and his wife, Elizabeth, came to Smith Center in 1873. Their homestead was northeast of the townsite. They lived on the homestead a number of years, then moved to Smith Center and lived on West Third Street. Their daughters were Carrie, Ada and Agnes. Ada married Lester Sage, an early day barber in town.
Perry Hackett
Perry Hackett came to Center Township with his brother, Dwight, and each filed for homesteads. Perry married Miss Della Long. After Perry's death, Della married F. M. Carson in 1900 and the late Robert (Bob) Carson was their son.
Newton M. Haddon
Mr. and Mrs. Haddon and their daughter, Rose, came to Center Township in 1873. They homesteaded one mile north and one mile west of the townsite. Mr. Haddon owned this farm for 59 years. They were the parents of three daughters Rose, Lillie and Bessie. Rose was a school teacher and the City Librarian for many, many years.
Dave S. Haddon
Dave and Matilda Haddon filed a homestead in Center Township in 1878. Their two children were Laura Etta and Charles. Charles Haddon and Erma Mays (Mrs. Howard Mays) are all that are left of the Haddon family.
Adolph M. Corn
Adolph Corn and his wife came here in 1872. They took a homestead but gave it up shortly and moved into Smith Center. Mr. Corn was a lawyer and was elected county attorney in 1876 and again in 1880 then, in 1889, he was elected District Judge. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Corn. They were Bertha, Mabel, Otto, Andrew and Harry. Mabel, at age 13, drove the gold spike in the first rail as the Rock Island railroad was being laid at the east limits of the city in 1887. Bertha, the oldest daughter, was the first graduate of Smith Center High School in 1891 and was the only one in the class.
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Henry A. Clark
Henry Clark came here with his parents, Alfred and Martha Ann Clark, in 1874. The parents filed on their homestead just north of the townsite. Henry was a nephew of Adolph Corn. Henry and Miss Emma Jones were married in 1884 and lived several years on the homestead. The Clarks had seven children Warren, Alfred, Mabel, Zelda, Anna and Marion. The family moved to Smith Center in 1888 and Mr. Clark worked in the abstract office of E. E. Dugan. He also served as county clerk from 1903-1907. He sold his abstract business and continued with real estate and insurance business. The relatives living in the city now are Alfred Clark and Edna Clark.
John C. and Mary N. White
John and Mary White came to Center Township and filed a homestead claim one mile south of town in 1878 in the name of Mary N. White. Mr. White passed away in 1879. Mrs. White stayed on the homestead and raised her three sons, Wardie, Frank and Emery. Frank was the only son who stayed in Center Township. He farmed and had a meat market in the city for several years. He was one of Smith Center's famous baseball pitchers in the early days and earned the nickname of "Dad" White. He was married twice, once to Bessie Henderson and, after her death,he married Ruby Mankey Kingham. They adopted two children Lewis and Ruby.
Samuel L. Logan
Samuel Logan homesteaded in Center Township in 1874. He and Mary Isabel McNair were married in 1876. Seven children were born in this family, Arthur, Edith, Laura, Edna, Mac, Earl and Charles. Their daughter Edith married Keith Goble, who passed away several years ago, and she lives in her home on West Kansas.
Robert C. Logan
Robert Logan came to Center Township and settled on his homestead in 1873. In 1878 he married Mary J. Long. Mr. and Mrs. Logan raised eight children, Ralph, Nina, Bert, Frank, Boyd, Lulu, Lenora and Danreath (Denny). They lived on their homestead for 34 years and then moved into town. Mr. Logan, better known as "Doc", was appointed postmaster and served 9 years. Their daughter, Lulu, known as Lou, married Sherman Mathis.
Frank Lorenzo Morgan
Frank Morgan arrived in Smith Center in 1877. He bought a relinquishment from Mr. Campbell in July, 1877. He and Miss Frances Barnes were married in 1882. The Morgan land was a mile west of Smith Center where Mr. and Mrs. Clare Morgan now live. The Frank Morgans had seven children, Lewis, Bradford, Beatrice, Frank Earl, Clare B., Frances Louise and Bryant. Clare Morgan married Laura Hicks. They have one son, Marion and one daughter, Donna, living in Smith Center and a daughter, Gracie, in Michigan. Clare bought his father's homestead after the deaths of his parents.
Frank M. May
Francis Marion May and his wife, Mary J. Logan May, with their daughter Lena filed on a homestead in Center Township in 1873. The Mays had three children, Lena, Arthur and Belle. Mrs. Mary May died in 1875. Lena married Henry Peck in 1895 and their children were Roxie, Harold, Velma, Roscoe and Pearl. Lena Peck lived in Smith Center until her death in 1954. In 1876, Frank M. May married Amanda Logan. To them eight children were born, Walter, Neppie, Tressie, Fred, Harry, Hattie, Sevier and Ethel.
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