USA > Kansas > Lincoln County > A souvenir history of Lincoln County, Kansas > Part 7
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District 34 started a school in a shanty with nothing but four bare walls, an earth roof and floor and a sad apology for a door. The children were ragged but bright and industrious and many of them, now middle-aged and well to do people can point with pride to their rise in the world. Mrs. William Nash taught the school furinshing her own apparatus, a board painted with lamp-black, some bits of chalk (not crayon) and four or five odd books. Cornstalks and weeds gathered by teacher and pupils were burned in a cast-away stove. And yet this was only thirty years ago!
"Ad Astra per Aspera."
The Normal Institute provided by the legislature of 1877 has been one of the prime factors in upbuilding the educational fabric. The good results obtained are largely due to the happy
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selection of the Normal Faculty, many of the very best workers of the State having been employed.
E. F. Robinson, Salome Pierson and Anna C. Wait were the first Normal teachers. Robinson received $100.00 for his work, Miss Pierson $60.00, while Mrs. Wait gave equally good service free of charge.
C. T. Pickett, once principal of the Lincoln schools, con- ducted five of the earlier institutes and left the impress of his genial kindly nature, an all precious legacy. At present the institute has a core of instructors equal or superior to any in the state. They are Mr. C. E. St. John, Mr. C. M. Ware, Inex M. Chapman, and Carrie F. Bradley."
This is the end of Mr. Biggs' article, but the conclusion of the matter is that he himself is not represented as he deserves. In our educational universe he is one of the immortal gods. When he left the office at the close of his six years' continuous service, he could describe the location of every schoolhouse in the county and he knew the names and faces of all the pupils attending the schools at that time and their rank in their stud- ies. He played ball, ante-over, and pull-away with them, even to the second generation, covering the sixteen years between 1876-1892, ten of which he filled the office of county superintend- ent. From 1877 to the present (1908) the teachers of the county have been largely of those boys and girls.
Do they remember and appreciate him? No Normal institute is complete without him and he has missed but one since 1877. Ile is always drafted and compelled to come even from the ut- termost parts of Kansas. Last year the Normal institute sur- prised him with a gold watch in which was the inscription:
"With love, from your Lincoln County Girls and Boys."
Mr. Biggs organized most of the school districts and upon his leaving the office in 1882 it was found that Lincoln County stood above any in the State regards to the per cent of enumeration as to population, of enrollment as to enumeration, and average attendance as to enrollment. The wages of wo- men more nearly approximated that of men than in any other county.
About this time the county had seventy-eight districts with buildings valued at $19,250, and was spending about $11,000 a year. There was an enrollment of 2,267 out of 2,888 people of school age. At the time of Mr. Biggs' linal retirement from office there were eighty-five districts employing ninety-four teachers. The school population was 3,600.
As compared with the valuation of school property in 1882-3 the high school bullding as it stands now is worth $18,000.
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Lincoln High School.
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Kansas Christian College
In 1884 the Bible Christian Church of Kansas proposed to build a college. The State Conference voted a sum ranging between $6,000 and $10,000 to start the institution providing the city in which it should be located would furnish a like amount. There were some very enterprising citizens of Lin- coln who were members of this church, and they set about to secure the college for their locality. A meeting was held in the Baptist Church and a committee was appointed to present res- olutions to the city council. The result was that a sum of $7,500 was voted by Lincoln, and a committee appoitned to se- cure $2,500 by subscriptions. Those who deserve most of the credit for bringing the college to Lincoln are Rev. E. Cameron, at that time the resident minister of that church, and Rev. Geo. Tenny, who was president of the State Conference and Board of Trustees. The college had its origin in the Southern Kan- sas Christian Conference. Having decided the location and se- cured the pledge for money no time was lost in beginning. April 21, 1884, college was opened in the Baptist Church to pre- pare students for successful work the next year. The enroll- ment started at twenty-two and increased till it reached forty- nine. Geo. Tenny was principal of this preparatory school. It closed after several weeks of profitable work and plans were perfected for the beginning of autumn term.
Thomas Bartlett, A. M., was chosen president. He and Geo. Tenny taught the college classes. Courses were offered in Biblical literature, higher English, ancient and modern lan- guage, economics, ethies, mathematics, and the sciences. Rev. E. Cameron, principal of the preparatory school, was assistel by a full corps of teachers.
The cornerstone of the building was not laid until July 23, 1885. It was occupied in 1886. Ten acres had been donated for a building site.
The Lincoln College Banner was first published in 1885. At one time 1,800 copies of the paper were issued.
In a few years the kindergarten and primary departments were discarded and the institution gave its whole attention to strictly college work. The attendants came to be called students and not pupils as before. By 1890 the prepartory fit- ted the student for first grade certificates. The college at this
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A College Eduction
Is the corner stone on which the Twentieth Century man or woman must build success. The plea is no longer "I can not afford it," but "I can not afford to be without it."
A Rare Opportunity which comes to a compar- atively small per cent of young people is at your door
The Kansas Christian College
a home college, recognized abroad. Four full courses leading to degrees: Commercial, Normal, Scientific, Classical.
The Commercial Course equips the the young person for the business world.
The Normal Course gives special attention to subjects leading to state certificate.
The Scientific Course takes up the practical side of all the Sciences.
The Classical Course gives the student a broad and solid foundation for any work in life.
Two year's work in any of the above courses is accepted by the State University, allowing those desiring a diploma from there to take two year's work at home.
We also offer a Four Year's Course in Bible Study.
GEO. R. STONER, Pres.
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History of Lincoln County
time offered normal, scientific, classical, and commercial courses.
The work of the first president, Rev. Bartlett, extended over a period of eight years and through the early struggles he was a most efficient worker.
Rev. Cameron, who succeeded him, served as president three years. His work for the college did not close with his pres- idney as he is at present on the board of trustees.
President Whittaker, who served for thirteen years, prob- ably did more than any one man for the institution. He found it heavily in debt and the building yet unfinished. He was a man of excellent business qualities, and by push and persist- once cleared the college of indebtedness and finished the build- ing.
Rev. Geo. R. Stoner, A. M., who has been president for the last two years, is a young man, unusually capable and well edu- cated. During his administration many permanent improve- ments have been made. Many more contemplated for the com- ing year.
In looking over the courses offered and the splendid faculty secured we feel that Lincoln County ought to be proud of the Kansas Christian College. Yet in our rounds of the country we hardly heard it mentioned. Lincoln County has a great many advantages to boast of, yet there is one thing which it ought 10 take pride in above all else-its educational advantages-its public schools and its college. These may not add in any di. rect way a specified amount to its pile of dollars, but they stand near the goal toward which all material gain ought to aim- namely. intellectual and spiritual progress. Material progress is not an end in itself, but it gives an opportunity for higher progress. When made an end in itself it loses all its value, and is a curse instead of the blessing it might be, if used for the proper purposes. If there was a prospect of getting a new railroad through the county the citizens would put up $75,000 or $100,000, by private subscriptions, or by bonds. There are any number of men who would give a thousand dollars each out of their own pockets without expecting any direct returns, in or- der to see a new railroad come through their vicinity. Why not invest a like amount in a college? There is a financial as well as a moral and intellectual return in a good, flourishing col- lege and the citizens ought to realize this and act accordingly.
The college at the present time is doing most excellent work in a $30,000 building, but it ought to have $300,000 in buildings in order to do the work it is capable of doing for the commun- ity and for its students.
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History of Lincoln County
Women's Organizations
The Lincoln Suffrage Association is in some ways the most interesting of all the women's organizations in the county. It was organized in 1880, the first one in the State since the de- feat of suffrage in the Legislature of 1876. Four years after- wards (1884) the State Association was organized, and just seven years from the time that three Lincoln County women got their heads together and made up their minds they would vote, the women of Kansas had municipal suffrage. Mrs. Anna C. Wait was the first woman to vote in Lincoin. During the campaign when the amendment was voted on, Mrs. Wait and Miss Eva Corning of Topeka stumped the county in the in- terests of the amendment Their program was interesting and to the point, and gained a great many votes.
Equal to Mrs. Wait in ability and in works was Mrs. E. J. Biggs. For many years both with voice and pen she deait sturdy blows for equal rights for women. She had the taten: for making converts. She organized the Stanton Suffrage So- ciety near the present site of Barnard, lectured throughout the county, and wrote much. She contributed to the Lincoin Bea- con in the '80s, over the pen name of Nancy, and did much to silence opposition by her ready wit and keen sarcasm as well as her valld argument.
Mrs. Bertha H. Ellsworth, a writer of ability of both prose and verse, held aloft the banner of woman suffrage and prohibition during all those busy years of work and sacrifice for these twin reforms in Lincoln County.
In the early days of the Suffrage Association an amusing in- cident occurred between this organization and Geo. A. Ander- son, the famous "horsewhipped," who favored whisky and op- posed sulfrage. He was at that time editor of the Register and after printing the call for a meeting of the women gave vent to his feelings in a scurrilous article entitled "Woman vs. Man," displaying his ignorance both in thought and composi- tion. The ladies sent him a copy each of a standard English Spelling book and English Language Lessons, together with very appropriate resolutions.
The same group of ladies were much amused upon one occa-
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sion by a lawyer trying to explain the constitution to them, and the law governing presidential elections. £ Many of these as- pirants for political rights could have told him things about the law.
In 1884 a petition signed by 226 Lincoln County people was. sent to the Legislature. Representative R. T. Bryant from Lincoln made a speech against allowing Mrs. Gougar to speak in the House. His motion to lay the question on the table was. defeated 93 to 18. Eight members of the Lincoln Suffrage So- ciety and Helen M. Gougar of the Ellsworth Society went to Topeka, and on June 26, 1884, organized the State Equal Suff- rage Association. Two years later Kansas placed the munici- pal woman suffrage law among her statutes.
The Lincoln Beacon helped the good work along by devoting a full page each week to suffrage. Mrs. Wait organized asso- ciations all over the county. The Kansas W. C. T. U. joined hands with the suffrage society to aid in securing this law.
The W. C. T. U. in Lincoln was organized July 24, 1880, and is now, as it always has been, active and alert. From the start it assumed and has always maintained an aggressive attitude and the comparative freedom of Lincoln Center from the bane- ful liquor traffic is largely due to the efforts of the W. C. T. U. There has been but one licensed saloon in town and it only held its license a year. Sylvan Grove and Beverly also have active. W. C. T. U. locals. There have been when especially needed other temperance organizations in the county.
The Radical Reform Christian Association, a temperance, pur- ity, and equal rights association all in one, was organized in 1883 by Mrs. A. G. Lord and held a two-day annual picnic each year for twenty-five years in Christiansen's Grove.
The influence of this organization and its founder upon the young people in the northwestern part of the county has been a matter of note for years. The R. R. C. A. attracted atten- tion abroad.
Mrs. Lord was a tireless worker. She often preached four sermons a day, driving eighteen or twenty miles to do it. On one occasion she rode eighty miles to the Bunker Hill vicin- ity. She was the author of a petition to the State Legislature- to amend the school laws, so as to forbid issuing a teacher's certificate to any one using profanity, intoxicating liquors, or tobacco. It was signed by five hundred teachers at their State. meeting.
Mrs. Lord removed to Topeka to educate her son ,and while. there did prison work, and was instrumental in getting the- Crittenden home established in that city.
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History of Lincoln County
All the men's fraternal societies have large, active, and heip- ful woman's auxiliaries. The Woman's Relief Corps has a large membership and in its quiet "let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth" way does a large amount of char- itable work besides giving their brethren, the G. A. R., many .a lift.
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
'The Soldiers' Union was organized June 28, 1879. The first officers were: R. S. Wilmarth, post commander, W. S. Wait having declined to serve; A. T. Biggs, post adjutant; John Med- craft, chaplain; J. D. Gilpin, surgeon; G. W. Cruson, quarter- master: company officers, J. F. Smith, captain; W. F. Limpus, first lieutenant; '1. A. Wells, second lieutenant; sergeant, first, W. E. Marsh; second, E. Halcomb; third, Samuel Donley. This union was finally succeeded by the G. A. R.
Farmers' clubs of different sorts began very early in this county and by 1893 the county was a perfect network of them, each one a live wire. There was a central Farmers' Alliance with thirty-live thriving locals.
Back in the '80s there was a strong Prohibition Club, and in 1888, Rev. Geo. Tenney, Anna C. Wait, and W. S. Wait repre- sented Lincoln County in the State Prohibition Convention.
The old settlers are organized for the purpose of preserving county history, and have an annual reunion and barbecue where they feast, smoke the peace pipe, and "swap yarns." Native born citizens or those who have lived in the county twenty years are eligible to membership.
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History of Lincoln County
Newspaper History
The first newspaper was the Lincoln County News, published in Lincoln Center in 1873. The editor was F. H. Barnhart. April 3, of the first year of its publication, W. C. Buzick bought an interest in it. In December Barnhart sold his interest to Rev. P. Baker, who assumed editorial management and pub- lished it till December 22, 1874. Later it was passed on to J. W. Newell, who moved it to Stockton in Rooks County.
Barnhart began the publication of the Farmer, July 16, 1874, and the next January moved it to Osborne County, where it is now the famous Osborne County Farmer.
The Western Democrat was started late in 1874, and June 15, 1875, was sold to G. W. Wellman. The name was changed to the Saline Valley Register. It was the county paper till January, 1879, when it was sold to Watson and Kimes. In Sep- tember of the same year it was sold to Geo. W. Anderson, who was proprietor until 1883. Mr. Anderson sold his plant and in 1884 his successor published a paper called the Lincoln Banner. In 1886 it was changed to the Lincoln Republican.
Late in 1879 Ira Lutes began publishing the Argus. It was bought by Hon. Walter S. Wait and his wife, Anna C. Wait in 1880, who assisted by their son, A. H. Wait, published it un- til the death of W. S. Wait. A. H. Wait continued the publi- cation until the office was burned in 1901.
'The Beacon was in many ways the most remarkable paper ever published in Lincoln County, and in fact one of the most remarkable county papers it has ever been the writer's priv- ilege to peruse. The Waits all had a natural sympathy for the under dog, and provided said dog was in the right, always stayed with him to the end of the battle, no matter how many times they were bitten by opposition.
A great deal has already been said about Mr. and Mrs. Wait, so we will only mention in this connection their son, Alfred H. Wait.
He was (and still is) a practical printer, having learned the trade in the office of the Junction City Tribune in the early seventies. He was connected with the Beacon during the twenty-one years prior to its total destruction by fire (incen-
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History of Lincoln County
.
MR. W. S. WAIT.
MRS. ANNA C. WAIT.
MR. A. H. WAIT.
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History of Lincoln County
diary). He was always local editor, the last seven years edi- tor-in-chief, and the last five also owner and publisher.
The Beacon started as a Republican paper advocating prohi- bition, anti-monopoly, and woman suffrage. It supported the Republican party nationally until 1888, when it became con- vinced that the Republicans were beyond reform. That year it supported the Labor Party and the ticket of this party was elected in Lincoln County. In 1892 it became Populist and re- mained so as long as the paper was punblished. It never missed an issue.
BEACON OFFICE
This is the office which was built in 1885 and occupied by the Beacon until it was burned in 1901. it was 20 by 56 feet. and the only building ever erected in Lincoln as a printing otlice.
We have already mentioned that the Lincoln Republican was established in 1886. This gives it the dignity of the oldest pa- per in the county. It is consistently Republican and true to its name. E. A. McCullum is proprietor and editor.
The Sentinel, which is the Democratic paper of the county, was established in 1894 by Ira Troup. It is owned at present by C. C. Stoner.
Both the papers in Lincoln are alive and up-to-date, and are a great help to the town. In fact, they are an absolute ne- cessity.
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History of Lincoln County
SYLVAN GROVE NEWSPAPERS.
The Sylvan Grove Sentinel, a neutral paper, was founded in 1887.
The present Sylvan paper, the Sylvan Grove News, began in 1895 as the Alert. A man by the name of Hower was editor and publisher. May 4, 1900, the name was changed to what it is at present. Since then it has had various owners, St. Clair & Haffer, Smith & Cross, Harder & Poor. Harder bought out Poor and for a time A. J. Graves edited the paper for Harder. Tell Peterson recently became proprietor and editor.
BARNARD NEWSPAPERS.
The first paper in Barnard was the Barnard Times, published by S. M. Figge, date uncertain.
The Barnard Bee was started six years ago by Will DeVin- ney. This paper is certainly a live wire in every way. It is responsible for some of the unusual prosperity which has come to the town in the last few years. A good paper can help a town, and this editor knows it. It has a good circulation and the subscription list is constantly growing. In politics it is Re- publican or otherwise. It has convictions and sticks to them.
Resources
It is estimated by the elevator operators that the wheat yield in Lincoln County this year will run a million and a half bushels.
Wheat is eighty cents this year, and is turning out 20 to 30 bushels to the acre.
The crop next in importance is corn. We saw some in our rounds which was twelve to fourteen feet high with ears large accordingly. Whoever has a hundred acres of corn in Lincoln County is a rich man.
Alfalfa, the Kansas hay crop, is a moneymaker here. The fourth crop is now being harvested, and it is a big crop, too.
Vast quantities of cream and eggs are shipped daily from every station in the county. Vesper shipped out 55 cans of cream of 100 pounds each and 36,000 dozen eggs, and this was nothing unusual either.
Better probably than words or figures would be a look at the county. The farm houses are large and well kept. The sons
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History of Lincoln County
and daughters of these farm establishments are being educated in the Kansas colleges and abroad.
In making our rounds we found that if we happened to men- tion unemployed or poor people in the city the people would exelaim, "Why don't they come out here. We can give them a job any time."
The most up-to-date machinery is used for planting and har- vesting crops and to save household labor. The latest thing which we noticed in the way of farm machinery was a corn binder which will probably soon be in general use, solving to a great extent the problem of harvesting corn and making it pos- sible to raise a larger acreage.
A Lincoln County Wheat Field.
'The above is a picture of a Lincoln County wheat field show- ing the grain so thick as to make it difficult to harvest.
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History of Lincoln County
WILLARD E. LYON.
In this connection we
wish to mention Mr. Willard E. Lyon, who is familiar with the re- sources of Lincoln County, and the advan- tages it offers to home seekers, as well as in- terested in everything in the way of public improvements and pro- gress.
Mr. Lyon was born in Chilton, Wis., March 30, 1874. Two years later the family moved to Lincoln County, where they have since made their home. The subject of our sketch attended common and high schools here. He began teaching in 1894, and two years later served on the county examining board. 'The next year he went to the State Normal and graduated from this institution in 1900, as a valadictorian of a class of one hun- dred and eight members. The same year he was elected county superintendent of schools and served two terms.
In 1904 he edited the Sentinel and could always be counted on to support the right side of any public problem. The next year he became associated with his father in the land business, and since that time has sold property amounting to three-fourths of a million dollars.
This year Mr. Lyon bought out the Star Grocery and Meat . Market and is making a success of this business, as he does: everything.
Mr. Lyon has been a member of the State Text Book Com- mission since 1905. He is also a member of the Lincoln school board.
As a citizen Mr. Lyon is always willing to support in a sub- stantial way everything which will be of benefit to the com- munity. As a real estate dealer he can show you just what you want at the right price.
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History of Lincoln County
N. J. DAVIDSON.
Mr. N. J. Davidson, .one of the real estate and loan men of Lin- coln, has been in the county twenty one years. He was county clerk for four and one- half years, after which he went into real es- tate business. His long residence here has made him familiar with the lands all over the county and he can show his customers these lands to good ad- vantage.
Mr. Davidson is a member of the Nation- al Co-Operative Reality Company, and by this means can sell lands in :any part of the United States and Canada. He is also a member of the Central Real Estate Dealers' Association, by which he is in cooperation with the real estate dealers all through the West. It will be to the advantage of any one leaving Lincoln County to have a talk with Mr. Davidson, and let him know where they intend to locate, as he can be of assistance to them in buying property in any local- ity, which they may select. To any person desiring to locate in Lincoln County he can show the best farm and town properties in the market.
Mr. Davidson is making a specialty of the loan business. He ¿has an unusually good loan proposition by which he makes loans running from one to five years. These loans are made bearing annual interest and with the privilege of paying back all or part · of the loan at the end of any one year without regard to the 'length of time the loan was supposed to run.
In addition to loans and real estate Mr. Davidson has an ab- stract and an insurance business.
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History of Lincoln County
The Stock Business
Lincoln County used to be a great grazing section, but the land- is now too valuable for agricultural purposes to be used exten- sively for grazing. The limestone hills, however, are still used for this purpose, and the grass is said to be the best in the world for producing bone and beef. It grows in great abundance in May, June, July, and August. Instead of shipping cattle to pasture for other people for so much per head the Lincoln Coun- ty people buy stock on the Kansas City market, pasture it a season, and sell in the fall. The farthest point of pasturage is. not over ten miles from the nearest loading point.
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