USA > Kansas > Lincoln County > A souvenir history of Lincoln County, Kansas > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
19
History of Lincoln County
unknown party, who wrote the story for the "Salina Journal," started westward from their camp near where the Saline bridge. now stands, to start a settlement on Spillman Creek. They halted and pitched their camp between Beaver Creek and the Saline River, in the second bend below the mouth of the Beaver. This camp was blown up by the explosion of a keg of powder. The boys then built a log-house and stable. Charles Chase and John Moffit went to Salina for provisions. During their ab- sence the rest of the party "ad to live on parched corn. After three days of this exclusive cereal diet Hlave Moody and Marion Chase started to walk east and the other two stayed by the goods. When the provisions arrived they baked biscuits and bachelor-like forgot to put either soda or baking powder in them. The next move was to buy three cows. They had four horses and one yoke of oxen. Although they had not filed on land they fenced in and planted twenty acres of corn. About the last of May they were driven off by an Indian outbreak. They all ar- rived in safety at their former camp near the Saline bridge.
About July 1, against all protests, John Moffit and his brother Thomas, with a Mr. Hueston and Mr. Taylor, came back to the ranch. In August, while out on a buffalo hunt, they were sur- prised by the Indians. Settlers who lived about Salina fail to agree in regard to the particulars of this incident. The follow- ing is a part of an official report to the Government from the headquarters of the Eleventh Volunteer Cavalry at Salina by Capt. Henry Booth, of Company L:
"Saturday evening, August 6, 1864, four men, two men (broth- ers) Moffit, one Taylor, and one Heuston, started from their ranch to kill a buffalo for meat, taking a two-horse team with them. Upon reaching the top of the hill about three-quarters of a mile from the house, the Indians were discovered rushing down upon them. The horses were turned and run toward a ledge of rock where the men took position. They appear to have fought desperately and must have killed several Indians, but one of the scalps was left on a rock close by. The horses were both shot through the head. This was probably done by the ranchmen to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Indians. The wagon was burned. The Indians made a descent upon the house in which were an old man and a woman. The man shot one of the Indians through a hole in the wall where- upon they all fled. They judge the number of the Indians to be about one hundred. The Indians retreated up the Satine River.'
There is a letter written to Robert Nichol Moffit, of Illinois, by his brother John, dated May 13, 1864, which says: "We came here March 16. We are twenty-five to thirty miles from Salina
20
History of Lincoln County
up the Saline River. We are now thirteen miles from the near- est house. We put up a stable thirty-five feet in length and a house twenty-two feet of logs."
This ought to prove that the Mollit boys really had a house and not merely a dugout. The writer to whom we are indebted for the account of the trip in the early spring, says they built a log house and stable. He also says that the woman in the house was Mrs. Hueston, and that she had her two children with her at the time.
They stayed all night in the house, and all the next day watched for Indians. The second night they dug a hole under the back of the house and escaped without coming out at the door. They wandered all night on the Elkhorn and the next morning found their way to the settlements.
A party of twelve men went to look for the bodies and found them in the place described. There was sixteen arrows in Jonn Moffit and fourteen in Ton. The bodies were temporarily Daried on the scene of the battle.
Scene of the Battle Between the Moffit Boys and the Indians.
The place of the tragedy is described as being the rocky ledge upon the northeast quarter section nine, township twelve, range seven in Elkhorn township of what is now Lincoln County.
Robert Nichol Moffit came from Illinois to recover the re- mains of his two brothers. He is said to have left Salina Sep- tember 20, with an escort of soldiers and gone up the Saline to where his brothers were buried, to have disinterred the ro- mains and taken them to Wetherfield, Ill., where they were laid to rest.
21
History of Lincoln County
Settlements
The first permanent abode of white men was built in the bend of the river, not far from where Beverly now stands, by the Colorado boys. The "Colorado boys" belonged to the First Colorado Cavalry, and while stopping at Salina in 1865 came up the Saline and filed on nearly all the river lands from the mouth of the Beaver, east to where the county line now is. Six of them returned between Christmas and New Years the same year, with government cattle to occupy their claims. They were Richard B. Clark, of Indiana, who is now the only survivor, and still lives at Beverly; Jas. M. Adams, of the British Isles, Isaac De Graff, of New York, nicknamed Gen- eral De Graff on account of his good judgment, Edward E. Johnson, of Massachusetts, Wm. E. Thompson, of Maine, who had been educated for a Catholic priest, and who was killed by Indians in the Black Hills in 1876, and Darius C. Skinner, of Ohio, whose family is prominent in Lincoln County. These men had crossed the plains prior to the war, and had been in turn miners, and soldiers until they got tired and settled down. They lived in the one dugout for mutual protection until it was safe for each one to live on his claim.
The next spring a number of settlers were added to this nucleus. As many names as could be collected are here given without any attempt at giving the order of their coming.
Geo. Green and wife, of Massachusetts, whose daughter Liz- zie, born October 18, 1866, was the first white child born in this county. She married David Parker. W. T. Wild, of England, and John Dart. of Connecticut, with their families, J. J. Peate, W'm. Gaskill, the Haleys, M. D. Green, Michael Ziegler, John S. Strange, Washington Smith, Martin Hendrickson, David G. Bacon, Volney Ball, J. C. Parks, Thomas Moon, Chalmer Smith, Marseilles Smith, Caning Smith, Nicholas Whalen, Thomas E. Skinner and wife, Mary M. Skinner. These people all came in 1866. It has been impossible to find out all the people who came the next year, but Louis Farley Andrew, DeGraff, and Ferdinand Erhardt, M. S. Green were among the number.
The first year the settlers had to buy all their provisions at the following rates: Sugar, 18 to 20 cents per pound; coffee,
22
History of Lincoln County
50 cents per pound; bacon, 25 to 30 cents per pound: flour, $7.00 to $11.00 per hundredweight; corn, $1.00 to $2.00 per bushel.
They killed buffalo and other game for meat, and might have lived pretty high for pioneers if it had not been for the difficulty of getting these provisions to the settlements. One party would go cast after bread-stuffs and other necessities, while another would go west after meat. Sometimes these expedi- tions were delayed on account of the weather and the people ran out of bread. At such times they would supplement their diet of prairie chicken or fish with their precious seed corn. This corn was often ground in a coffee mill or prepared in an old fashioned hominy mortar. This was made of a log about
-7
A Pioneer Home.
three feet long stood on end, and a hole hewed in the top to hold the corn. A wedge was fastened in the end of a stick about the size of a pick handle. The corn was cracked with this wedge. The finest was used for bread and the coarse for hominy.
The old fashioned whip saw was used to saw the first lumber. A scaffold was built and the logs rolled on it. One man stood on top to pull the saw up and one stood under to pull it down.
But in spite of these things the lot of the pioneer in this se(- tion of the country was not so hard and his sufferings were not so severe as in many of the earlier communities of the State. It is true that they were in danger of Indian raids and
23
History of Lincoln County
were often driven from their homes, but they never faced actual starvation, and there are no records of anyone dying from want. They got their mail with comparative frequency and were obliged to haul provisions only forty miles instead of from a hundred to two hundred as some other communities did.
And above all this section offered its adopted children plenty of wholesome water, pure air and a healthful climate gener- ally.
Sometimes money was earned by hauling buffalo bones to market or by killing wolves and buffalo for their hides. F. A. Schemerhorn has the honor of being the first bone-picker. Sev- eral other honors are due this gentleman, which will be spoken of as occasion permits. The first postoffice was at his ranch.
The Medicine Man
Among the tribes of the plains the medicine man has always been next in importance to the chief. He is usually the best educated man in the tribe and his wisdom is consulted on all occasions, not only in things pertaining to his profession, but in affairs of war and diplomacy.
In our civilized life the medical man ( who is often a woman ). is even more important. He is a specialist and has his work down to a fine point. Hle plays such worthy role in the affair's of men that no history can leave him out of account. No story of the human race is complete without giving due credit to those who help us in and out of the world-these toll collectors who stand at both the front and the back doors of life.
It is all right for one who is not sick to joke about the doctor, for he that is well needeth not a physician; but anyone who is suffering wants a doctor at once, and there is no greater bless- ing to a community than a sufficient number of physicians, who understand their business. There is hardly a person who gives up more personal pleasure and works harder in his profession. The pioneer doctor in Lincoln Center was Dr. Vernon. Dr. Gilpin came soon afterwards.
Dr. Sarah Goff was the pioneer lady doctor. She began prac- ticing in Lincoln in 1885 and was successful from the start. Her medical instruction began under Dr. Holloway, of Lincoln, and in 1886 she graduated from Hanneman Medical College of Chicago.
24
History of Lincoln County
DR. H. M. HALL
*
Is the oldest practic- ioner in Lincoln at present. He was born near London, England, in 1835, and came with the family to illinois the next year and lived in Toulson.
His education was re- ceived in the schools of Illinois and the Knox Seminary in Galesburg. He graduated from the medical department of the lowa University, re ceiving his degree in
1858. After practicing medicine in Stark County, Illinois, for a number of years he en- tered the Chicago Medi- cal College, which is now the medical department of the Northwestern University, and graduated in 1881.
Hle came to Lincoln in 1885 and has practiced here ever since. Ten years ago he went into the drug business in connection with his practice.
Doctor Hall was made a Mason in 1862 and is now one of the oldest Masons in the State.
25
History of Lincoln County
DR. JAMES LOUGHRIDGE.
Dr. James Loughridge was born and raised in Appanoose County, Iowa. He received his common school educa- tion in a little school house with a red door. He went to Amity Col- lege, at College Springs, Iowa. His medical edu- cation was in the Uni- versity Medical College, at Kansas City, Mo .. where he took his de- gree in 1889. He has had a great deal of hos. pital and clinical work.
Ever since his gradu- ation Doctor Loughridge has practiced in Lin- coln, where he has a large and lucrative prac- tice. He has a large, well-equipped office, containing among other things an operating table and ex-ray room. He is especi- ally prepared for eye work.
26
History of Lincoln County
DR. ALFRED HULTNER.
This remarkable man was born in Sweden, in the Province of Oste- rysthland, city of Lind- koping. His early edu- cation was in the gov- ernment schools of his native city. He attend- ed college at the Uni- versity of Upsala, and studied medicine first al the Karolinska Medi- cuska institution in Stockholm, later at the University of Heidel- berg in Germany, spend- ing five years in the study of medicine in these two schools. Doc- tor Hultner practiced medicine first in Span- ish Honduros in the city of Puerto Cortez, in the year 1893. The next year ho was registered to practice medi- cine in Iowa. The next year he came to Kansas and practiced at Wellsford. In 1896 he attended the University Medical Col- lege at Kansas City and took his degree.
In 1897 there was a private hospital of considerable size at Lawrence owned by Bunn & Hultner, in which our friend was a full partner.
Doctor Hultner has been practicing in Lincoln since 1898. His specialties aro surgery and diseases of women and children. Among his other accomplishments he speaks five languages, Danish, Swedish, German, Spanish, and English.
.
History of Lincoln County
27
DR. PAUL NEWLON.
The youngest mem- ber of the medical fra- ternity in Lincoln, is a home product. He was born here and received his common and high school education in the home schools.
He attended the Uni- versity Medical College in Kansas City, Mo., and while in Kansas ('ity he had consider- able hospital work. Tle was eight months al the University Hos- pital, at the City Hos- pital two years, and has a diploma from that institution. He was an Inturn for several months. For four months he was on the police ambulance staff.
Last May he graduated and came to Lincoln to practice. He has been busy ever since.
28
History of Lincoln County
DR. SARAH A. COLE.
Dr. Sarah A. Cole is the second lady physi- cian to locate in Lin- coln County, and the only practitioner of the Homeopathic school in Lincoln.
She was born on the Atlantic Ocean, and ro- ceived her early educa- tion in the schools of West Virginia. She came to Lincoln County in 1882, and taught school here for a num- ber of years. Her med- ical education began under the preceptorship of Dr. Sarah A. Goff, with whom she studied two years. She gradit- ated from the Iowa Uni- versity in 1889, and lo- cated at Port Austin, Mich. During her eight years practice there, she was city health officer for three years, and medical examiner for the Ladies of the Macabees.
Dr. Cole's Sanitarium.
29
History of Lincoln County
In 1898 she went io the Hanneman Medical College in Chicago, took a full year's course and graduated. Having friends in Lincoln, she decided to locate here. Eight years ago Doctor Cole began building a sanitarium for the ac- commodation of emer- gency cases. At the present time it has a capacity of ten patients with hospital facilities and all modern İn)- provements. A new bath house annex is nearly completed. = will contain the appara- tus for all kinds of water, electric, vapor, and sun baths.
MISS HANNAH R. COLE.
Miss Hannah R. Cole is a sister of Doctor Cole. She is the trained nurse of the sanitarium, and also gives Osteopathic massage.
30
History of Lincoln County
Indian Troubles of 1868
The Saline and Solomon Valleys were often visited by marud- ing bands of Indians who killed or carried away the settlers, and destroyed property. The territory which is now Lincoln County was considered unsafe and the settlers lived in con- stant alertness for their red foes. While the primary object of these raids was to get food and plunder, the savage nature of the Indian would not let him stop merely with compelling settlers to cook for them and to give up their valuables.
During the raids of August, 1868, the neighbors were gathered at Wm. Hendrickson's place on account of the Indians. Word came that the Indians had hoisted a black flag on Bullfoot. They were badly in need of food. But the women that had charge of the citadel would not allow them to go out while the danger lasted.
Among the people were Martin Hendrickson, John arrange, Tom Alderidice, Fred Erhardt, Phil Lantz, and a Mr. Shaw. The married men had their families there. Finally Martin Hendrickson and Fred Erhardt managed to get away and they rode around to see what they could find. They went south, crossed the river at the Thieman place, went on till they crossed Bullfoot and found the black flag on the south side of the creek a mile from Erhardt's place. It proved to be a piece of calico put up by some white man for a joke. They then dismounted, and, leading their horses, began to look for Indian tracks. They came up the river to the mouth of the Spillman. crossed to the north side, and came toward home. They saw two people with handkerchiefs on their heads and thought at first they were Indians, but on coming nearer found them to be two little girls, aged six and eight. The elder said, "The Indians have had us." The younger said, "i wish I had a piece of bread and some water."
These children were captured on the Solomon in Beloit and carried away by the Indians who, when surprised by the sol- diers, dropped them on the heights northwest of Lincoln. They had spent the night in a deserted house and when found thought they were still on the Solomon. The circumstance was re- ported to Fort Harker. A rumor was out that two children had
31
History of Lincoln County
been taken from Beloit. A telegram was sent from Fort Harker and their father, Allen Bell, came and took them home. They remained a week at Wm. Hendrickson's.
A few days before this, about August 8, three women, Mrs. Shaw, Mrs. David G. Bacon, and Miss Foster, were captured in a raid on the Spillman. Mrs. Bacon had her baby with her. The wonien were abused terribly and bound with ropes. Mrs. Bacon became insensible by a blow on the head which cut to the bone, and was left on the prairie for dead. Later in the day she was picked up again by the Indians. At night they placed the women on ponies and told them to go to their wigwams. Mrs. Bacon was so nearly exhausted that she fell off her horse and the other women were obliged to go on with out her. She was found the next morning by Martin Hen drickson, who was the advance guard in the searching party. She still had her baby, but both were suffering intensely.
In connection with this raid Mr. F. A. Schemerhorn says: "Our first child was born August S, 1868. The Indians made a raid in there that day."
The timely arrival of Colonel Benteen with his troops of the Seventh Cavalry, which was Custer's regiment, no doubt saved a general massacre. It is the opinion of many of the old set- ilers that Colonel Benteen just happened to be coming through here. We quote from Mr. Schemerhorn on this point.
"About three p. M., August 8, 1868, Colonel Benteen with his troops, A and G of the Seventh Cavalry, came to my ranch. The Colonel, being an old acquaintance, came in to call on me. and asked if there were any Indians to shoot. I said I thought not, as they had made a raid a few days ago, and I believed had left the vicinity as usual. He said the Government scouts reported quite a large body of Indians in our vicinity and that he had made a forced march from Fort Zarah, seventy-three miles, since two p. M. the day before. The horses had not been unsaddled since starting. He mounted his horse and said he was going over to the river about a mile and a half to await supplies which were coming to him from the fort. In about a nalť hour I heard a lot of shooting and yelling and knew it was the soldiers.
"Pretty soon a young man, Insley, I think was his name, came running his horse, and yelling at every jump that the Indians and soldiers were fighting. 'Give me your revolvers,' he cried. He repeated the request several times but I told him under the circumstances 1 thought I had better keep them myself. I asked him where he was going and he said down the river after more men to fight the Indians. In about an hour a sergeant and
32
History of Lincoln County
four men came saying Colonel Benteen sent them to tell me that everything was O. K., that they had driven the Indians across the Saline and there was no further danger at present." .
It seems hardly possible that this engagement was on the John Hendrickson place. The Indians are known to nave at- tacked his house which was near Lincoln, and which was afterward occupied by soldiers, and now forms the corner of the Pioneer House.
The Pioneer House of Lincoln, which contains some historic logs.
It is known that during this attack some soldiers appeared on the scene and drove them away.
It is hard to reconcile dates given by different people. Mr. Schemerhorn says the raid on the outskirts of the settlement occurred on 2d and 3d, of August, and that the troops came on the 8th, but if the soldiers drove the Indians out on the Sth, how did they become bold enough to come back and raid again between the 1th and 13th, as we shall note later in E. E. Johnson's diary? We leave the question for a later historian.
It seems probable that some of Black Kettle's men were on the Spillman about this time and may have been the party 10 attack the Hendrickson place.
Black Kettle's territory was invaded by Custer a short time
33
History of Lincoln County
afterward, and his whole village was destroyed. One hundred thirty warriors were killed, and the squaws taken captive.
Mr. Schemerhorn says further: "General Sully came a few days after and established his headquarters and it was then that the blockhouse was built."
General Sheridan, who was in command of this department, came to the headquarters from Missouri. He met Mr. J. J. Peate (August. 1868) at Schemerhorn's store on the Elkhorn As Mr. Peate was a Government scout for Sheridan, and a good Indian fighter, the General selected him to help gaulier together and organize a company of volunteers from among the settlers and hunters to protect the frontier. Sixty men were enlisted, of which number twenty-three were from the Saline Valley. These were J. J. Peate, Chalmer Smith, E. E. Johnson, com- mander of the volunteers. D. (. Skinner, Fletcher Vilott, Louis Farley and his son Hutchison, Thomas Alderdice, Thomas Boyle, Eli Ziegler, Geo. Green, John Lyden, and John Haley, of the section which is now Lincoln County, and G. W. Culver, Frank Herington, Howard Morton, G. H. Tucker, G. B. Clark, A. J. Eutsler, E. E. Tozier, R. R. Tozier, Wm. Stubbs, and J. E. Green, from Ottawa and Saline Counties.
The operations of this body of scouts were not in Lincoln County, and it may seem far fetched to include an account of their campaign in this history, but the writer believes that it belongs here for various reasons.
The campaign ended with one of the greatest Indian. battles ever fought on American soil, and the most important part in this battle was taken by Saline Valley men. The battle ac- complished results important to Lincoln County, which was scarcely habitable and at least not attractive for settlement so long as the "dog soldiers" remained unchecked.
The battle of Beechers Island, on the Arickaree River, was the salvation of a large section of the country which Included Lincoln County, and it is only right to acknowledge the debt we owe to those who made the future development of our county possible and drove out the enemy that we might pos- sess the land.
E. E. Johnson had the fortunate habit in those days of keep- ing a diary. The following are some of the entries:
"Tuesday, August 11 .- Went on an Indian scout up to the head of Spillman Creek, rode about sixty miles. Got back at eleven o'clock at night, pretty well used up. The Indians had ravished two women and tried to burn one house."
"Thursday, August. 13th .- Had another Indian scare. The Indians came in eleven miles above here and commenced firing
34
History of Lincoln County
on the settlers, but luckily enough just then there was a party of soldiers coming over from Fort Harker and happened on the ground just as the Indians commenced firing, and gave chase."
Some authorities say this hiring was done at the home of John Hendrickson, the blacksmith, who lived near Lincoln, where the soldiers were quartered, if so, they did not attack the place on the 8th.
"Friday, August 14th .- Went up as far as Mr. Berry's last night and stayed till morning. The settlers kept coming in all night. Got breakfast and struck out on the trail and followed it about eight miles. Met some of the soldiers coming back; learned from them that they ran the Indians fifteen miles, and it came dark on them and they had to quit."
"Saturday, August 15th .- Went up the Spillman Creek to where the command was camped. The Colonel sent back to Fort Harker to know what he should do. Sent out scouts to find the Indians. They came back at night, having found noth- ing of note. Boys elected me captain to take command of the citizens."
The sconts were soon on their way west, but eight of them were delayed at Fort Hays, by a mistaken order until it was too late to meet General Forsyth at Fort Wallace, who, with fifty- one men besides himself, was soon pushing ahead into the heart of the enemy's country. Forsyth left Fort Wallace September 5, and followed the Indians trail till the afternoon of September 16, when he camped, expecting to meet the Indians the next day.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.