USA > Kansas > Crawford County > A Twentieth century history and biographical record of Crawford County, Kansas > Part 14
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was discharged from the Twentieth Kansas. He re-enlisted October 31, 1899, in the Fortieth United States volunteers and was again sent to the Philippines as captain of his company. He was again wounded in the left foot, which resulted in the loss of the leg, in battle of Cagayan de Mesimio, Mindinao, P. I., April 7, 1900. He returned to the United States and was discharged from the army July 1, 1901. On April I. 1902, he was appointed postmaster of Pittsburg, which position he now occupies.
The practice of his profession was interrupted by the Spanish war and his duties as postmaster prevent him from devoting any of his time to the practice of law.
He is a young man of good ability, and has a thorough knowledge of law. He contemplates resuming the practice at some future time and making a success of his profession.
He is held in the highest esteem by all who know him and especially by the soldiers who served in his command.
DAVID F. SCHOCK.
Is a young lawyer of ability and studious habits. He is moral, honest and upright, and is well liked by his associates and those who know him best. He applies himself to the study of his cases and comes into court prepared to try his cases well. His practice has been largely confined to justice practice, in which he has met with success. He is not so aggressive as some of the other young lawyers, but with experience he will probably gain more confidence in himself and be able to occupy a prominent position in the profession.
O. O. BOUDINOT.
Mr. Boudinot read law in the office of John Randolph at Pittsburg some years ago and was admitted to the bar of this county.
He is a man of more than average ability and possesses a fair
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knowledge of the law. He is aggressive and fearless in the trial of cases and is fairly successful in the practice.
SANDFORD PETTIBONE.
This attorney recently came to our county and commenced the practice of law in Pittsburg, and has gained some reputation as a good lawyer while with us. He is an old soldier and served his country with distinction and lost both feet in battle during the Civil war.
THE DISTRICT COURT.
Prior to 1867, the territory of which Crawford county is composed belonged to what was known as the "Cherokee Neutral Strip" and attached to Bourbon county for judicial purposes and was first in what was known as the fourth and afterward the sixth judicial district of Kansas, and was presided over by D. M. Valentine as judge, who was succeeded by D. P. Lowe until 1867. when Crawford county was made a separate corporation or county and attached to the sixth judicial district, which district was then composed of the counties of Linn, Bour- bon and Crawford, and presided over by the following judges succes- sively : Hon. D. P. Lowe, Mart V. Voss. March 1, 1870, Crawford county was attached to the eleventh judicial district, said district being composed of Crawford, Cherokee, Labette and Montgomery counties, and presided over by the following judges successively : Hon. W. C. Webb, H. G. Webb, B. W. Perkins and George Chandler. March I, 1889, by an act of the legislature, it was reattached to the sixth judicial district, composed of the counties of Linn, Bourbon and Crawford. and presided over by the following judges: C. O. French, J. S. West, S. H. Allen, J. S. West and Walter L. Simons. March, 1905. by an act of the legislature, Crawford county was made the thirty-eighth judicial district of the state of Kansas, and Arthur Fuller of Girard, Kansas, was appointed by Governor E. W. Hoch, its first judge and is now serving as such.
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HON. D. P. LOWE.
The second district judge was Hon. D. P. Lowe, who at the time wi his election lived at Mound City, Linn county, Kansas, and after his election he moved to Ft. Scott. In 1867 the legislature divided what theretofore constituted the fourth judicial district into three districts, viz., the fourth, fifth and sixth. Judge Lowe was first appointed judge of the 6th and was afterward elected and served until 1870, when he was elected to Congress. Judge Lowe was one of the ablest jurists in the state, was very popular with the members of the bar in his district and with the people generally, and his decisions were considered models of judicial wisdom.
He died at Ft. Scott soon after his term in Congress expired, and as a mark of esteem the members of the bar of Bourbon county caused his portrait to be framed and hung upon the wall of the court room in Ft. Scott, where it can be seen at all times.
MARTIN V. VOSS.
The third district judge was Martin V. Voss, who served but a short time and held but one term of court in Crawford county. He was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Judge Lowe, who resigned when elected to Congress. Judge Voss died before his term expired. He was perhaps the closest student and hardest worker of all the judges who have ever presided as district judge of this county. He was a very able lawyer and would have made an excellent judge had he lived. His death was mourned by the members of the bar of his district.
W. C. WEBB.
On the 2d of March, 1870, the legislature created the eleventh judicial district, consisting of the counties of Crawford, Cherokee, La- bette, Montgomery and Howard, and the Hon. William C. Webb was its first judge. . At that time he was about forty-six years old and was 12
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then recognized as a very able lawyer. Judge Webb held one term of court in each county of his district and then was appointed official reporter of the supreme court.
Judge Webb died in Topeka in 1878 at the age of seventy-four years.
H. G. WEBB.
At the general election in November. 1870, the Hon. Henry G. Webb was elected judge of the eleventh judicial district for the full term of four years. In 1873 he resigned his office. He was considered one of the ablest lawyers in the state of Kansas, and was a very success- ful practitioner. He was a fine orator and a man far above the average in ability.
HON. BISHOP W. PERKINS.
In 1873 Bishop W. Perkins, then a young man about thirty-one years of age, was appointed to serve out the unexpired term of Henry G. Webb, and in 1874 he was elected for the full term of four years and re-elected in 1878. In the fall of 1882 he was elected to Congress, where he remained until March. 1891. He was afterward appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. B. P. Plumb. Senator Perkins died June 20. 1894. While not possessing the legal learning and ability of some of his predecessors, he made an excellent judge and possessed great executive ability. He developed into a successful politician and would have made a statesman of unusual ability had he lived.
HON. GEORGE CHANDLER.
In the November, 1882, election George Chandler of Independence, Kansas, was elected judge of the eleventh judicial district to succeed Hon. B. W. Perkins, and was re-elected in 1886.
During his second term of district judge he was appointed by
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President Harrison first assistant secretary of interior and served until the close of President Harrison's administration.
Judge Chandler was a hard student and a good lawyer and pos- sessed fine natural ability. He was inclined to be irritable and at times extremely dictatorial, and for these reasons was not popular with mem- bers of the bar, and many of them were not sorry when he resigned to accept a position under the federal government.
He remained at Washington, D. C .. after his term expired and practiced law in the courts there until recently he located at Oklahoma City, where he is now engaged in the practice of law.
HON. C. O. FRENCH.
March 1, 1889. by an act of the legislature, Crawford county was made a part of the sixth judicial district, which then was composed of the counties of Bourbon, Linn and Crawford. Hon. C. O. French was serving as judge but soon thereafter resigned, leaving two years of his term unexpired.
Judge French was a very popular judge and had the faculty of disposing of business more rapidly than any one who ever presided as judge of the district court of the county. His decisions were very seldom reversed by the supreme court.
HON. J. S. WEST.
Upon the resignation of Judge French, J. S. West was appointed to fill the position of district judge for one year, and until the next regular election. At the election held in 1890 he was defeated by Hon. S. H. Allen of Linn county, who held the office for one year, and at the election held in November, 1891, Judge West was elected over his opponent, Judge Allen, for the term of four years and served until 1896.
Judge West was a young man when first elected but made a good
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judge and was well liked by the members and others interested in court proceedings.
He refused to be a candidate for renomination but preferred the practice of law. Since then he has served as assistant attorney general undler Attorney General Goddard and served as chief clerk in Governor Bailey's office. He was a candidate for the appointment of judge of supreme court to fill the vacancy made by the resignation of Judge Pollock, but did not receive the appointment. He is now a member of the firm of Rossington. Smith & West of Topeka, one of the strongest law firms in the state.
HON. S. H. ALLEN.
Was elected judge of the sixth judicial district in the fall of 1890 for one year to fill out the unexpired term of Judge French. He was defeated in the election of November, 1891, by Judge West.
Judge Allen was a careful and painstaking officer and was thor- oughly well versed in the law and made an excellent judge. In 1892 he was elected justice of the supreme court of the state of Kansas and served one term. He has written many able opinions to be found in the Kansas reports. He is now a member of the firm of Valentine, Goddard & Valentine of Topeka, Kansas, and enjoys a lucrative practice.
HON. WALTER L. SIMONS.
The next in order and the last judge elected in the sixth judicial dis- trict was Walter L. Simons of Ft. Scott, Kansas, who was first elected in November. 1899, at which election he was the only candidate, having received the nomination of the Republican, Democratic and Populist parties. Before the close of Judge Simons' second term a change in the election law made it necessary to appoint a judge of the sixth judicial district for one year and until the general election in 1904. Judge Simons received the appointment, and at the election in 1904 was again re-elected
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for the full term of four years. If he serves out his present term he will have served a period of thirteen years as judge of the sixth judicial district.
By a recent act of the legislature Crawford county has been taken out of the sixth judicial district and made a district by itself and num- bered thirty-eight ( as mentioned above ).
Judge Simons was well qualified tor the position when first elected. having practiced law in Kansas for twenty-five years, during which time he has been employed in some very important litigation, both civil and criminal.
He was always studious and painstaking and in his many years of active practice became thoroughly familiar with Kansas statistics and reports. He is a high-minded, conscientious gentleman, an able jurist and one of the very best judges in the state of Kansas. He is always courteous in his manner toward every one and honest in his decisions. He is very popular among the people generally and will probably hold his position as long as he desires.
DANIEL M. VALENTINE.
D. M. Valentine was born in Shelby county, Ohio, on June 18. 1830. When he was six years old his father moved to Indiana, taking Mr. Valentine with him, locating near Lafayette. In 1854 he moved to Adair county, Iowa, where he lived until 1859. when he moved to Kansas, arriving in Kansas on July 5 of that year. He located first in Leavenworth, but remained there only about one year, moving from that city to Franklin county, Kansas. In Franklin county he lived for a short time in the village of Peoria, and for a short time in the now defunct town of Ohio City, but lived in Ottawa during the greater part of his residence of fifteen years in that county. On April 1. 1875. he moved from Ottawa to Topeka, where he has continued to reside ever since.
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In Adair county, Iowa, he was county surveyor for about three years. During this time he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He served as county attorney of Adair county for a time, and also acted as ex-officio judge of the county. In 1861 he was elected a representative of the legislature from Franklin county, Kansas, and in 1862 was returned to the legislature as a senator. He was elected as judge of the district court of the fourth judicial district in 1864. This district was at that time the largest one in the state, and was composed of the following counties : Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Douglas, Frank- lin. Johnson, Linn, Miami, Crawford, Cherokee, Labette and Neosho. For judicial purposes the counties of Crawford and Cherokee were attached to Bourbon county and the counties of Labette and Neosho to Allen county.
At the general election heid in 1868 he was elected to the supreme bench of Kansas, taking his position in January, 1869. He remained on the supreme bench for twenty-four years, retiring therefrom in January, 1893. Since January 15, 1893, he has been in the practice of the law at Topeka, Kansas, being the senior member of the firm of Valentine. Goddard & Valentine.
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CHAPTER IN.
REMINISCENCES OF TEN YEARS IN SOUTHERN KANSAS.
The close of the Civil war was followed by a large emigration from the middle and western states to the then new state of Kansas. The great abundance of cheap land, and the great possibilities in the southeastern portion, including a large tract formerly owned by the Osage and Chero- kee Indians, became widely known, and soon attracted many thousand settlers. There were many choice and beautiful valleys, varying in width from a few rods to a mile or more, watered by running streams and skirted with a variety of growing timber.
Settlements were first made in these valleys because of their prox- imity to timber, and the prevailing opinion that the soil was superior to that of the uplands. Box houses, log cabins, and plain cottages marked the dwelling places of these early, hardy pioneers.
After the hoine came the school house filled with children of school age. Later on these rural temples of learning were constructed in every school district in the county, and in each one was opened a school for several months during the year. Often times, as the claims of the Gospel were being felt, church and Sabbath school services were conducted in these school houses by devout men and women.
But few regularly ordained ministers had come as yet to the country. Truly "the harvest was great but the laborers were few." The Method- ists had a working force in numerous places, and often conducted camp meetings in the groves along the streams. The Baptists, Christians, and other denominations had a limited following. The call for more
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ministers and more preaching was long and loud. Presbyterians were like the lost sheep of the House of Israel. They were very few and often very far apart. Our home was then in the central part of Kansas, over two hundred miles from the Cherokee lands. Letters written by ministers well acquainted with the destitute condition of this promising country, had a strong influence in bringing us at once in touch with the work.
Our first experience began at a meeting of the Presbytery of Neosho, held in April, 1868, at Fort Scott. Here every delegate was enthused with the magnitude and importance of the Master's work. The educa- tional interest as represented in the Presbyterian Academy, at Geneva, Allen county, consumed much time and attention. Petitions for the organization of new churches called for immediate action, and laid a weight of great responsibility on the Presbytery. The amount of busi- ness transacted and the spirit in which it was done showed the wisdom and zeal of these consecrated men.
Forty miles across a rolling prairie, and twenty miles north of the Indian Territory, was a rural settlement composed of a large number of families with many kinds of religious faith without a Presbyterian or- ganization. Here our first sermon was delivered in a log cabin, the home of David Calhoun and family, in the presence of a large and inter- ested audience. The text was taken from the sixth chapter of Hebrews, Saint Paul's searching question, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" The congregation filled the room to overflowing, and was intensely interested in all that was said and done. Our pulpit was a plain stand, placed near the center of the room, from which the speaker could best be seen and heard. This we were afterwards in- formed was the first Presbyterian sermon ever preached in Crawford county.
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A few weeks later Rev. E. K. Lynn and Elder Daniel Covert, by appointment of Presbytery, organized the first church of the Presbyterian denomination. The services were held in the cabin home of Thomas I. Coffland, two miles south of Monmouth. Mr. Coffland was a man of pronounced Christian virtues, and was extremely desirous that his own household and those of his neighbors should enjoy church privileges. Associated with him in the office of ruling elder was John Mclaughlin, a man of eminent piety and a great worker in the Master's eause.
Handicapped as we were in many ways, the church grew in spiritual interest and power. Baxter Springs, a thriving town in Cherokee county. was at this time calling for an organization of the Presbyterian church. Rev. I. L. Hawkins, an aged minister from southern Illinois, was eon- ducting services in a public hall. Our attention had been called pre- viously to the place, and to the necessity of loeating there as a home mis- sionary, but finding it already occupied, the plan was abandoned. Jack- sonville, a small village of Crawford county, having a small organiza- tion, was grouped with the Monmouth church, and placed under our care. Here on alternate Sabbaths, services were held in a schoolhouse, and sometimes in a neighboring grove and public hall. Shaking with a chill on one occasion, we attempted to preach a sermon in this village hall. The effect upon the audience remains to the present day a matter of serious conjecture. In the fall of the year often whole families were prostrated with chills and fever. At Monmouth, in addition to preach- ing the Gospel, we conducted for several months a district school, and were thus brought in contact with all of the children of school age in the entire neighborhood. Some of these, we are pleased to mention, after- wards became successful business men.
Girard had now become the county seat and was enjoying the luxury of a special boom. In the month of October, 1869. after a num-
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ber of preaching services had been conducted in the district court room, we organized the Third Presbyterian Church in Crawford county. Hugh Lee was chosen ruling elder, and Joseph Marsh, deacon. In all, the roll showed the names of seven members, nearly all of which were ladies. Using various places for holding public services during the following fall and winter, the time came in the spring when the con- gregation decided to build a church for its own use.
The matter of its financial ability to undertake a work of such magnitude was a grave question. The ladies, who are always ready and willing to lend a helping hand on such occasions, met with good success in their efforts to start a building fund. To supplement their labors, we decided to make an eastern trip, stopping at numerous places along the way. Calling at the home of Mr. Sherwood in Indianapolis, we were taken into a side room and asked how much we were expecting to raise in the city. To this we answered we did not know what we would raise. Again we were asked the question, "How much do you think I ought to give you?" Again we replied that we did not know. "Then," said Mr. Sherwood, "I'll tell you what I shall do. I will give you a reaper and mower combined. Come down in the morning at nine o'clock, and I will give you an order. They are now in Kansas City." The order was given and the reaper and mower were sold later to a Crawford county farmer for one hundred and seventy-five dollars. Through Mr. Joy, of Detroit, on personal application, we obtained a deed of a church lot valued at two hundred and fifty dollars. By a num- ber of lumber dealers in Chicago, handsome donations were made, and reduced prices freely given. Railroad companies, over whose lines our shipments were to be made, generously lowered their rates, and thus saved the church many needed dollars. A church dining hall, conducted on the State Fair grounds at Fort Scott, after all outstanding claims
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were met and canceled, netted the church the sum of three hundred dollars. A festival held at Girard by the ladies of the congregation con- tributed a large sum to the building fund.
Thus, after long and persistent effort, a church building costing over three thousand dollars was completed and dedicated. Rev. James B. McClure, of Chicago, a brother of the writer, delivered the dedicatory sermon, taking for his text the words of the Psalmist. "Thy righteous- ness is like the great mountains." Having now a home we could call our own, the congregation began to increase and the roll of membership to steadily advance. The original number seven has grown to thirty- six times that number, making it the seventh largest church on the roll of the presbytery. On the Sabbath following the dedication of the church at Girard, the new church at Monmouth was dedicated also by Rev. McClure of Chicago. The congregation here were profoundly grateful for the advanced step which they had steadily and successfully made. This was a rural congregation largely composed of industrious, thrifty farmers, who were willing to share their earnings in the support of the gospel. We would gladly place on record the names of many of these men and woman did time and space permit.
Cherokee, eight miles east of Monmouth, had developed into a thriving business town. A few faithful Presbyterians had settled in the community and were anxious to have a church organized in their midst. After looking over the field and conducting a few preliminary services, an organization was effected in the public school house. Henry Heimer and Milton Baird were chosen and ordained as ruling elders, and Harlan Emerson, deacon.
For several years we preached to this congregation in connection with Girard and Monmouth, involving an aggregate of many hundreds of miles of travel. For this laborious service we purchased an active.
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viry mustang pony and paid a good Methodist brother five dollars to train him to the use of bridle and saddle. It was, to say the least, a hazardous undertaking, for Jack, as he was called, was exceedingly treacherous. When turned over for future service after several weeks of training. we could see the demon of mischief flashing from his keen black eyes. We knew that eternal vigilance was the price of our security. On one occasion Jack "got the drop," and in an instant hurled us swiftly to the ground, made a semi-circle in the open prairie, turned the saddle half way on his side, and suddenly stopped, as if to see what had hap- pened to the little preacher. We cautiously approached him, adjusted the half-turned saddle, mounted him, and resumed our journey home- ward. Later on Jack was placed on the market, and for a sum quite satisfactory to our estimation of his value, passed forever out of our control and ownership.
Privations and hardships incident to living along the border line were nearly of every degree and order. At first provisions of every kind were very dear and scarce. Sugar, flour, tea and coffee were in many homes considered as luxuries. The dwellings of the poorer class were exceedingly plain in all lines of furniture. Many a time have we approached our garret bed room by means of a common ladder. The board Hoor was loose and dangerous, not a window light was anywhere to be seen-darkness and gloom reigned supreme. Stopping over night with some faithful elder, whose family comprised a goodly number, was sure to involve the use of the pallet, spread on the main floor after the junior members had retired.
As a solace to all these scenes of poverty and self-denial, we have the sure promise, "He that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ten years of home mission work in a new country is sure to abound in
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