USA > Kansas > Barton County > Biographical History of Barton County, Kansas > Part 4
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JUNCTION CITY.
I stopped at Junction City, where there was a land agent named Pierce, who was a wonder- ful man to advertise the broad acres of Kansas which could be had for little or nothing, and it would cost nothing to look. I thought he would be just the man to advise with, so I soon bowed myself into his office. I found the gen- tleman in, and after half an hour's conversa- tion with him, I made up my mind he was willing to help a stranger in more ways than one, as he very kindly offered to take me out in the country three or four miles the next morning, and show me some of the most beau- tiful land in Davis county all for the trifling sum of $20, assuring me that if I would get some one to go with me and get him to pay half of the amount he would let me off for $10, seeing it was me and I had come so far. Thank- ing him for the interest he had taken in me, I told him if I concluded to go I would be on hand early the next day.
STILL GO WEST.
That night I put up at the Hale House or 'Bedbug Corral," just across the street. Next morning I arose early, though not until some of the boarders (bedbugs) had been to break-
fast, of which I was a smarting witness. Thinking my old correspondent was more eager to get my $20 than he was to find me a good location; and not caring to ask him what his charges were for advice, I left on the morn- ing train for the west. and stopped at Ells- worth.
ELLSWORTH.
Ellsworth, having been the terminus of the K. P. road for some time, had become notori- ous for its rushing way of doing business, its cattle trade, and for being one of the roughest and most desperate cities in Kansas. 1 secured lodgings at one of the best hotels in the city, and next morning rambled about and witnessed the off-hand way in which all business was done.
MAN FOR BREAKFAST.
At the ringing of the bell I walked in to breakfast, and sat at the table alone. Pres- ยท ently another gentleman walked in and took a seat directly opposite me, placed a heavy revolver by his plate, and inquired of the wai- ter what kind of meat he had for breakfast. "Beef and pork," said the waiter. At this the boarded swore and said "That will not do for me; I will have a piece of a man!" and suiting his action to his words, he gave me a terrible demoniac look; but only for a moment. I met his gaze with a steady countenance, and he quailed. He got up, with revolver in hand, stepped to the door, and shot dead the milk- man, who was just then passing and whom this fiend had never seen before. In five minutes a crowd had gathered abont, placed a rope
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
around his neck, run him across the street, and stood him upon a barrel under a tree, with the rope thrown over a limb.
LAST SERVICE.
As the mob came up, "Rowdy Jo," a Ger- man who was keeping saloon near by, inquir- ed what they were going to do with that man, saying that their prisoner owed him $2 for whisky, and that they must make some ar- rangement to pay that before they fixed him. They frankly told Jo that their prisoner had killed a man without cause and they were going to hang him for it. Jo simply said, "Hold on then; I won't let anybody hang on my tree midout I say sometings," and at the same time ran into the house and brought out an English bible, and undertook to read a verse in English; but made a poor job of it, and, throwing the bible down on the ground. said it was "no use making so much fuss and trouble over such a little thing as dat," and immediately ran up and kicked the barrel from under the wretch and sent him swinging into eternity. And the executors of the law and justice adjourned to the nearest saloon (Row- dy Jo's) to congratulate each other on their prompt, willing and ready way to punish crime.
DIDN'T WANT A CLAIM.
After a little review of the morning's exer- cises I concluded 1 did not want a claim just around there, as I did not like the way they did business quite as well as I thought I should.
WESTWARD HO! AGAIN.
J
The next train bound west took me to Wil- son station where I stopped off a couple of days to look up land; then went to Fossil, at present Russell. This was the 16th day of May. At this time, aside from railroad build- ings, the county of Russell contained only three houses and not more than twenty-five in- habitants. Here I was convinced that I had gone far enough west if I wanted to make farming a profession in Kansas. The land was high and dry. I couldn't make up my mind that Russell County looked like a farming country.
MEET AN OLD SETTLER.
While looking about, a gentleman that af- terward proved to be Lo. Reynolds, came up to me and with a "how are ye? are you going to stop wih us?" waited for an answer. 1 told him I was, at least until the train went east. He very politely asked me if I would stop at his house. Not knowing his house from any other 1 said "Certainly, I would as soon stay with you as anybody." So saying he picked up my valise and walked to a small shanty mnade of rough lumber. I asked him if that was his house.
"It is. How do you like it?"
"First rate. How long have you been here?"
"Eight days. Sit down, sit down, sir; my wife has gone out on a buffalo hunt; she will be home in a couple of hours, and we will have some supper."
"Where did you say she had gone?"
"Out on a buffalo hunt, sir. We have lots of fun hunting buffalo in Kansas," saying which he walked out doors, leaving me alone to consider the consistency of Kansas fun.
LADY BUFFALO HUNTER.
I reasoned thus: "A lady out on a buffalo hunt! A new thing to me!" Having never seen my mother, sisters or neighbor women engaged in that kind of sport, it really seemed novel to me. This was my mental picture of her. "A large, masculine, red-headed, freckled woman; voice gruff and harsh; gray eyes; thin lips; and uneven tusky teeth." A good descrip- tion of a female buffalo hunter.
I had not much more than completed my fancy picture when in walked a lady of more than ordinary beauty; she was small and graceful; had a full black eye, which bespoke good language, modesty, and refinement; easy in her manners; and a very pleasant conver- sationalist. This was the woman I had so mis- judged in my idea of a female buffalo hunter.
I afterward learned it was the common custom of this country for ladies to join in the sports cf hunting buffalo, elk, and antelope, in which the western part of Kansas abounded.
IN SEARCH FOR A HOME.
On the 17th. I got a livery rig of a young man by the name of Flack and drove north- west from Russell, in company with a couple of gentlemen from Baltimore 23 miles and back the same day, found the country hilly, rough, and stony. Shot a buffalo and brought home the hams, out of which the whole city of Fossil had beefsteak the next morning. Every man would come and cut off a piece without a word.
TRY AGAIN.
Having a curiosity to visit the Valley of the Arkansas, I started, the morning of the 18th, in company with Rev. Mr. Annis, a Baptist minister from Omro, Wis., in a two-seated bug- gy. We started south at a rapid rate, making Smoky Hill river in less than two hours, a dis- tance of ten miles. At this time the river was quite low being only eleven feet wide and three inches deep. At 12 in. we found ourselves at the head of South Fossil, a brook skirted with elm, ash and cottonwood. In a few minutes our dinner was ready, This consisted of dried buffalo meat, crackers, coffee, and canned fruit. After resting about an hour we resumed our course, traveling over a beautiful country of rolling prairie a distance of about ten miles, to Blood creek, one of the pleasantest valleys in Kansas.
VIEW OF PROMISED LAND.
Keeping our course we soon came in sight of the valley of the Walnut creek. I can say
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
I fell in love with it at first sight. The broad extent of beautiful prairie it contains-level without being low, flat, or marshy; undulating without being hilly, rough, or stony; and about equally divided by one of the most beautiful streams of water that ever coursed its way over the green prairie-the Walnut creek. The banks are fringed with elm, hackberry, ash, cottonwood, and black walnut; the very sight of which made the traveler feel like pitching his tent and possessing himself with as many acres as Uncle Sam would allow him to own.
FIND AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
We reached Walnut creek at a point a few rods east of where the upper iron bridge now stands. Seeing a young man and a small house on the south side, we made direct for it; and I was not a little surprised to find G. F. Mecklem, an old Wisconsin neighbor its inmate and possessor. I felt comparatively happy that night. I felt as though I had found a paradise in the house of a friend, he being the first settler and built the first house in Barton County. May 19th, we took leave of this fron- tier hermitage and found our way down to Fort Zarah, a distance of about ten miles.
FALL IN WITH ROBBERS.
Fort Zarah was at this time occupied by outlaws. We came to the fort about noon, and found a man known as Jo Bowers dead drunk, lying on the dirt floor. Within thirty minutes there came in six other young men, well dress- ed, and fine looking. They seemed to be well supplied with whiskey, and the bottle passed around quite freely. They soon got quite lively and musical, and turning Jo over on his back commenced playing cards on his stomach, ask- ing us our business and if we had money to buy land. Elder Adams, not feeling at home in just such a meeting as that, remarked to me "I guess we had better go and run that herd of buffalo across the river." I consented and told Paddock to hitch up, and in five minutes we were ready.
"Where are you going?" said one of the gentlemen.
"To run that herd of buffalo over the river." "How long will you be gone?"
"It will not take us long."
"Will you be back here tonight?"
"Most certainly; where else should we stay ? You keep the only hotel in Barton County."
"Ha! ha! That is so! But don't forget to come back as we have something to say to you that will interest you more than anybody else." "What time will you have supper?"
"Early. Don't fear, you shall hear the sec- ond bell before you go to sleep."
"All right! Drive on, Paddock! How many miles can you drive before dark ?"
"Thirty, if necessary."
A herd of buffalo was feeding near where now stands the school house three miles west of Ellinwood. We soon came up to them, and a few shots stampeded them across the Arkan- sas river, after which we returned to the bug. gy.
SLIP AWAY.
"Well, Dodge, which way shall we go now? Are you anxious to go back to the Fort?"
"Not at all anxious, Elder; my advice is that we leave that range of bluffs to the left, and go north as fast as those two bronchos can take us."
"That is my mind, exactly."
In less than three minutes we were driving at the rate of ten miles an hour, toward the east side of Cheyenne Bottoms. Leaving the hills to the left, and running into a clump of timber now known as Dalziel's grove, we soon fed and watered our ponies and made coffee for ourselves. As soon as possible we were on our way again, expecting that every hill we passed over we would be able to see some of the Fort Zarah outlaws on our track.
SAFE AT LAST.
Evening came and we found ourselves camped on Coal creek in Russell County. We drove back to Fossil the next morning, it being the 20th day of May, thus making a running trip through Barton County. I saw enough of the broad and beautiful valley of the Arkansas and Walnut creek, blended together as they are, to make such an impression on my mind as prompted me to return.
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE
By Fred W. Warren
O N the night of December 24th, 1874, El- linwood had the first Christmas tree in Barton County. It occurred somewhat after this manner.
Our town, being so fortunate as to have five or ten of the most wide-awake, go-ahead ladies to be found in Kansas, thoroughly alive to every social interest of the town and coun-
try, determined to make one happy time for the children during these grasshopper timcs. Accordingly a committee consisting of Mrs. Hollinger, Mrs. Landis, and Mrs. Bay, went to work in good earnest thus showing their moth- erly aptitude in providing for the little ones of the community, made all necessary arrange- ments, and in due time had a very respectable
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
evergreen in position, in the school house, pro- fusely decorated and literally loaded down with beautiful cornucopias and large, neatly ornamented and embroidered stockings, well filled with candies, nuts, and goodies of all kinds. These, and the material of which the cornucopias and stockings were composed, were bountifully furnished by Messrs. Landis & Williamson, but very little help having been given by other parties. The expense of the tree was defrayed by Mr. Geo. W. Hollinger. Indeed the profuseness and generosity with which the tree was furnished is very credita- ble to the liberality of our citizens.
Reaching Ellinwood's handsome school house at an early hour we were astonished to find the house literally jammed from parquet to dome ;- not even a seat in the gallery could be obtained for love or money. We have at- tended many a similar gathering-have often seen the lamps shine "o'er fair women and brave men," but never such a crowd as this. Not our least surprise was the large number of handsome young and married ladies (the committee by no means excepted) who adorn this vicinity.
The exercises of the evening were conduct- ed by Mr. Chalfant with a masterly hand; and considering that the programme which had been previously arranged was "noncomeatable" on account of the failure or lack of prompt- ness on the part of those who had had parts assigned them, the impromptu programme was carried through very creditable and success- fully.
A melodeon was on hand, furnished by Miss Etta Avery, and played by J. H. Bross, who conducted the musical exercises of the evening.
The exercises were opened with music-"Let the Master In"-by the choir, consisting of Messrs. Chalfant, Shannon, Geo. Barngrover, J. H. Bross, A. R. Huffman, of Nickerson; Mrs. Royal Harkness, Mrs. John Shimmins, and Mrs. W. W. Shannon.
Opening Prayer by Mr. Shimmins.
Music by Choir.
Opening address-Our Sunday Schools- Mrs. Shimmins.
Solo and Duet-The Old Mountain Pine-by Messrs. Huffman and Bross.
Followed by a very amusing description of Santa Claus by Mr. B. B. Smyth, teacher of the school, during which the tinkling bells
and swift hoofs of reindeer were heard and suddenly in rushed Santa Claus, in the person of Mr. F. W. Warren, covered with fur and frost from head to foot, and loaded down with presents; and was introduced to the audience by Mrs. W. C. Bay, amid much commotion and merriment.
While Santa was behind the curtain plac- ing the presents on the tree a piece of music- Meet Me Darling Josie at the Gate-was sung by Messrs. Bross and Huffman by special re- quest.
Here a short and pithy address was made by Mr. A. Mckinney on Christmas Customs.
Music, by the choir.
Then came the unveiling of the Christmas Tree, by Mrs. Bay, who made a very neat and appropriate speech showing the enterprise of Ellinwood in getting up a Christmas Tree in such hard grasshopper times.
Here Rev. Mr. Reed was introduced, who made an address to the children on "Our First Christmas Present." In the meantime the lights were rapidly burning on the tree, and the children were anxiously awaiting.
The distribution of presents, by the com- mittee, assisted by the little Misses Lottie Tow- ers and Kittie Halsey, as pages, and assisted also by Messrs. Chalfant, Warren and McKin- ney. Old Santa remembered every one of the 150 children present, by giving each one some- thing remember him by. Among the amusing incidents of the distribution were the reception, by Misses Carrie Bacon and Ida Forsyth, of immense dolls, dressed in the height of fashion. Mr. Bross' loneliness, too, was remembered; and he was presented with a very neat and pretty young lady in the shape of a doll. A young gentleman from Cow creek was presented with a penny American flag with which to celebrate the centennial. Simy Avery was presented with a broom, not to show, like a schooner, that he was the fastest young man in town; but to assist him in his prospective house-keeping. Mr. Halsey re- ceived a candy marble, and several other im- portant personages received a stick of candy each.
The exercises closed with music-Waiting On, by the choir; and "Larboard Watch Ahoy," my Messrs. Bross and Huffman.
The evening's entertainment closed har- moniously, and everybody went home to enjoy a Merry Christmas.
EARLY REMINISCENCES
By Luther Frost of Liberty
I CAME to Kansas early during the spring of 1872. Great Bend was then in its infancy,
with only a part of what is now the Southern Hotel and two other small houses built.
During the month of August, 1872, some of my neighbors and myself concluded to try our
hand at killing buffalo, as the grasshoppers had destroyed our little crops of sod corn, gar- dens, etc.
August 13th, we fitted up and started for the present site of Dodge City. While eating dinner near the lone tree on the Arkansas river 25 miles below Fort Dodge, a flock of black-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
birds lit down near us and I made a proposi- tion to kill a dozen and have a stew for our suppers as we were out of fresh meat. Some of the boys laughed at the idea of killing a dozen at one shot. I fired one shot and we picked up sixty-two birds and many more were scattered over the prairie that we did not get. We had not finished picking up the birds when the cry of "Indians!" was heard. Everything was packed into the wagons and we started pel-mel for a rocky hill on which we intended to sell our lives as dearly as possible.
After getting in position, we discovered that the supposed Indians were a company of U. S. cavalry that had come down to the river to get water. We were very much relieved, palpitating hearts resumed their natural mo- tion, and trembling nerves were steady as iron.
Our greatest loss was that cf the birds which we had left in our haste to get to a place of safety.
16th. Arrived on the hunting ground south of the river and saw a sight new to most of us. As far as we could see, to the east, west and south, was a vast herd of buffalo. We es- timated that we could see over 500,000 at one sight. We pitched our camp and made prepar- ations for work; cleaned our rifles; sharpened our knives; and prepared to stretch hides by the wholesale.
17th. Imagine my feelings as I approached the first herd of old bulls. I could not possibly get nearer than three hundred yards. A nat- ural instinct of danger seemed to keep me at a safe distance. I had read of hair-breadth escapes and terrible encounters with these giants of the prairie and was not overly anx- jous to make a close acquaintance with them. The fact is they looked dangerous; and they would naturally impress a person that they meant business by shaking their heads at him and pawing up great clouds of dust. My first impression was that I had better try my hand at long-range shooting, so if they were inclined to be vicious I could take leg bail and have a good start. Shooting at long range did not pan out very well, as my nerves were a little unsettled, and every time I would fire some old fellow would look toward me, lick out his tongue, and shake his head, as if to say "Don't come any nearer; you might get into trouble." I tried several times to muster up courage and crawl nearer; but at last made up my mind to shoot at long range if it took all summer to get our wagons loaded with hides. The result was 1 fired about forty shots, killed seven buffalos, and crawled clear out of sight of the herd, leaving over one hundred buffalo standing looking at me as I crawled away. I suppose they imagined that I was a cowardly coyote.
We soon loaded our wagons with hides, recrossed the river, and camped on the site of Dodge City. "Now boys, we can take a good sound sleep tonight, no danger of Indians," was the general word.
I had an aching tooth that would not let me sleep. About midnight I heard a horse ap- prcaching. It was a dark night and I could
just see the outlines of a man on the horse. I did not think strange of this as there were sev- eral railroaders camped near us and several loose horses had come to our camp. I took my gun and crawled out to the horses, without awakening the boys. The fellow rode up within 20 paces, took hold of a picket rope, and com- menced drawing the horse toward him. I could not tell whether it was one of our boys or one of the strays. So to be on the safe side and not shoot an innocent man, I said "Look here, my friend!" He put spurs to his horse and was off like a shot. I sent a couple of caliber 50 after him but he made good his escape. All was confusion in camp, "Shoot him!" came from all sides. Several of our neighbor camps lost horses that night. The thieves made a general raid along the line of the road, and but for aching tooth we would have lost our horses.
We finally got home to Great Bend safe and sound. All but one of our party are still in Barton County.
A little incident happened to one of our Barton County boys which was laughable as well as serious. We were out killing buffalo about seventy miles south of Great Bend. I had purchased a new gun and expected to do wonders in the line of killing buffalo. It was a cold windy morning in November and I could not or did not do good execution. I do not blame the boys for finding fault with me. One of them said that he could do better him- self. I gave him the gun and told him to try his hand. He crawled up to a herd of old bulls and knocked three of them down at three successive shots. "That's well done!" the boys said. "He's a rattler! He's after their pelts?" The herd suddenly stampeded. They did not like to see the heels of their companions flying up so rapidly. Our hero followed in rapid pur- suit, passing the supposed dead bulls. He had passed them about one hundred paces when one of them rose to his feet and started straight toward our hero. Louy did not hear the approach of his pursuers until the bull was upon him. He turned his head just in time to find himself going one way and the gun the other. The bull paid no attention to him; but kept on his course, to the great relief of Louy and the rest of us. No damage done except a badly torn shirt and coat.
At another time we were camped on the headwaters of the Ninnescah. One morning I took my gun and started to a herd of buffalo that were grazing about a mile from camp. When about a quarter of a mile from camp the boys commenced hollowing at me and motion- ing for me to come back. Before I could get to camp they had the teams hitched up, and were going at a run down the creek to another camp. I finally came up to them, after a run of about half a mile, and wanted to know what was causing such a stir. The answer was we had better be making tracks if we did not want our hair lifted. The red devils were coming, and there was a host of them, with red blan- kets and banners flying. I just told my com-
27
OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
panions that I would go back and meet the whole host and see if they were on the war- path. So I marched boldly back to meet the enemy, which proved to be an innocent buffalo herd marching quietly down toward our camp. The joke was, I had seen the buffalo coming and had an idea that the boys had seen them
and taken them to be Indians, so I could afford to be brave while my companions ran away to reinforce another camp. We finally got things righted and had a good laugh over the affair. One of my companions declares to this day that he saw Indians and could plainly see their bows and arrows.
GEORGE NELSON MOSES
Life Story of One of the Bravest Men Who Ever Tramped Across the Santa Fe Trail; an Early Barton County Pioneer
G EO. N. MOSES was the tenth of a family of 14 children, seven boys and seven girls. The oldest member of the fam- ily died when but a few years of age. George was the youngest of the four brothers who went to the defense of their country when the civil war broke out. The two youngest broth- ers, Charles of Chicago and E. R. of this city were too young though Charlie, the oldest of the two ran off twice to join the army but was returned home each time. George Moses was born in Olean, New York State April 15, 1844.
After the war he saw service in the border war in Missouri, against the bushwhackers. As member of what was known as the Jim Turley gang under command of Capt. Montgomery, hardly a day passed but what they had excit- ing adventures. This company was composed of about thirty men all expert horsemen and dead shots and their duties consisted princi- pally of chasing down the guerillas of the rebel army who were raiding all parts of Mis- souri where northern sympathizers lived.
When the war was over he was still a
G. N. Moses
He died in Great Bend, September 10, 1911. When he was eleven years of age the family moved to Illinois and later moved again to the frontier state of Missouri, locating in Sedalia. The father was a mason and the older boys followed this trade in their younger days. George was just attaining manhood when the civil war broke out and he joined Company I, 15th Illinois Infantry though his older brothers tried to prevent this because of his youth and later with his brother, R. H, re-enlisted, both joining Company C. 146th Illinois Infantry.
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