USA > Kansas > Cloud County > Biographical history of Cloud County, Kansas: biographies of representative citizens. Illustrated with portraits of prominent people, cuts of homes, stock, etc > Part 6
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Mrs. Morgan's case was a peculiarly sad one. Mrs. Brooks seems happy with her husband and her several children; but Mrs. Morgan's life became a burden, she was dissatisfied, morose and unhappy. Three children came to bless their home after her return, but she left her husband and children, was very unhappy until finally her mind gave way under the great mental pres- sure and the poor unfortunate woman finally lost her reason and was taken to the asylum for the insane about two years ago, where she died on June 11. 1002, at the age of fifty-eight years. Thus ended the sad story of a woman whose life was marked by trials and sorrows as is seldom the lot of human beings.
Mrs. White retamed the homestead, reared her family there. and has made a comfortable home, now owning over a section of land. She. with her two sons, Lewis J. and William Elmer, operate the farm. Mrs. White says when she hears people complaining of hardships and hard times, she often thinks their knowledge along these lines is very limite.1.
INDIAN RAID ON THE REPUBLICAN VALLEY, JUNE 2. 1809.
From Wilder's annals we quote the following: "November 15, 1868. General Sheridan makes a report to General Sherman and demands that the war department 'have sole and entire charge of the Indians. It is to the interest of the nation and humanity to put an end to this inhuman farce. The peace commission, the Indian department. the military and the Indians make a "balky team." The public treasury is depleted and innocent people murdered in the quadrangular management, in which the public treasury and the unarmed settlers are the greatest suffers.'" He further says: "De- cember 24. 1868 the Indians make an entire surrender to General Phil. Sheridan." J. B. Me Afee, adjutant general, reports: "That as far as can be ascertained on the border and on the plains, within the limits of the state of Kansas, during the year 1868 the killed numbers from eighty to one hun- dred persons." Notwithstanding the "Indians made an entire surrender to General Phil. Sherman in 1868," another raid occurred on the Republican river in Cloud county, on June 2, 1869.
Through a graphic recital of the event as told by the late Nels Nelson, Ir .. the author is enabled to give an authentic account of the attack on that date, when Ezra, the twelve-year-old son of Homer Adkins, who settled on the east side and about six miles up the Republican river from the pres- cut site of Concordia, in 1868, was slain by the Indians within a short dis- tance of his home.
Nels Nelson Jr., and his two brothers, James and Christian, were breaking prairie in a fieldl on the opposite side of the river. Ezra Adkins had come to borrow some flour of the Nelson family. The boy was herding of the west side of the Republican and said before taking the four he would
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
ride down the river and round up his cattle driving them homeward across the river. In the meantime the Indians, to about thirty in number and that many more across the river watching the settlement from the east side in the vicinity of the Adkins and Dutton homes, came swooping down between the boy on horseback and the men in the field. There were about twenty of the yelping, howling savages mounted and about ten or a dozen more hanging on to the tails of the ponies. They were all armed with guns and weapons of warfare they had received from the government, seemingly to aid the blood-thirsty Cheyennes in their fatal attacks on the settlers.
.As they came across the country shooting and making the hills back from the beautiful valley resound their fierce war-whoops, the terror-stricken boy dismounted from his horse thinking his chances would be better for gaining the tall grass and bushes along the river where he might elude them by hiding, but one savage caught his horse while another, who had been hanging on the tail of the mounted Indian's pony, pursued their little vic- tim, cought and held him fast by the hand, the boy resisting with all his strength. Nels Nelson, Jr., who had hidden in a knoll of sand and wit- nessed this font deed, but was unable to render assistance. said the savage on horseback seemingly ordered the boy released and then shot him twice in the head. After piercing him with the bullets of their unerring rifles. they stooped over his lifeless body and Mr. Nelson supposed they were. scalping him but it proved that they were robbing the little fellow of some of his clothing.
While this part of the band was in course of action the main body of the redskins started for the breaking team which consisted of two mules and one horse driven by James, a lad of seventeen years. They caught the team. cut them loose from the plow and while this was proceeding, an Indian with his spear in position turned to pierce the body of his coveted victim, when James boldly drew a revolver. This sudden and unexpected action disconcerted the murderous savage and throwing himself on the side of his pony rode rapidly away, allowing the young man to make his escape and live to become a prominent farmer and stock man of Republic county. and is the father of Dr. Nelson. of Concordia.
After securing the breaking team and the murdered boy's horse. the Indians came together and held a short council. While this was in course . of progress. Nels Nelson. Jr., repaired to their frontier cabin and prevailed upon his father, the Reverend Nels Nelson, his wife, with their two-year- old child, and his two brothers, to run to the river with all possible haste. while he took his gun and returned to the sand knoll from which he could discover the movements of the Indians. When Mr. Nelson saw his family had reached the river he hastily joined them, helping his aged father across the stream while his trembling wife waded with her two-year-old child in her arms through the water full waist deep. Upon reaching the humble house of the Adkins' the anxious mother inquired for her boy. When told
4
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY. KANSAS.
of the tragedy. the ill-fated mother was almost frenzied with grief. re- fusing to be comforted for many months.
From the Adkins homestead they could look across the river and wit- ness the Indians as they stealthily crawled through the grass, surrounded the home and fired upon it: but finding the inmates had vacated, the mauraders entered and stripped the home of its contents, taking what they could. including a line full of clothes that had inst been laundered by Mrs. Nelson, and destroyed what they did not want. AA feather bed was carried to a nearby hill, where it was ripped open and emptied of its contents, but carried the tick away, while the feathers were left to swirl through the air. They appropriated most of the provisions ; some bacon left in the cabin gave evidence of having been speared, as it was seen from being pierced by their poisonous spear points.
Under cover of darkness, the night following the attack. Nels Nel- son. Jr .. with a son-in-law of Mr. Adkins, accompanied by a Newfoundland dog went in search of the body of the murdered boy. The canine readily found the remains of his little master, with whom the dog was a prime favorite, and manifested his discovery by barking. The scene was a ghastly one, with the brains oozing from the gunshot wound that had been inflicted about seven hours earlier. The grief of the family was terrible to behold and a scene never to be forgotten by the little group of settlers gathered there, where a few hours before the family had rejoiced in dreams of a future happy home. The remains were placed in a crude coffin made from boards secured from Captain Sander's mill.
While these events were taking place. Homer Adkins, father of the murdered boy, was in Junction City in behalf of the settlers of the frontier, trying to impress upon the authorities the need of sending a militia to pro tect the settlers.
The same day and not more than an hour prior to the raid, the home guards stationed at Fort Sibley reported they had scoured the country over and assured the people there were no savages in the community. They were hidden in the tall grasses, awaiting an opportune time to make an assault.
In the pockets of the Reverend Nels Nelson's pantaloons was an envelope containing $200 in greenbacks, which in their eagerness and excite- ment had fallen to the ground and was overlooked. The money thus left enabled the Reverend Nelson and his two sons to leave until the depre- (lations had ceased, but Nels Nelson, Jr .. with his wife and child refused to go, so he. with his brave companion, who had neither money nor clothes left them, remained to face the dangers of Indian warfare alone, and though they spent many sleepless nights and days of fear and uncertainty, the Indian troubles were practically ended, and peace and tranquility again sup- planted the dread of the Cheyennes on the war-path. The Nelsons put in a claim of $1.300, and received judgment for 1,000, but the claim was never paid. The government sent men to hear the testimony three different times, but owing to some technicality the ciaim was thrown out.
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
LAWLESSNESS ON THE FRONTIER.
Aside from the Indian dlepredations there were comparatively few irregularities during the early days in matters pertaining to lawlessness. The Conklin affair has been dwelt upon to some extent.
On August 25, 1867, Richard Bump and Vincent Davis were assaulted on Upton creek. the former was killed, shot down by parties from the opposite side of the creek discharging a load of shot into the body of the man, whom it was supposed the assailants had taken for other parties who were peddling goods through the country. Davis was also wounded but not fatally, and taking the lines from his dead companion drove to the Elk creek settlement. The murderers were pursued, captured and brought back to Elk creek, where they were given a preliminary trial before J. N. Hagaman, the father of J. M. Hagaman, and were held for murder. But they were not permitted to live for further justice, but were taken from the custody of the sheriff and ere the night had been spent were dangling from the limb of a tree, dead.
The consensus of opinion was that these two Jewish peddlers, Ed- ward Zachareas and Richard Kennup, had been lying in wait for two other parties who also had wares to sell, and mistook Bump and Davis, who were good citizens just returning from a buffalo hunt, for the men they had been lying in wait for, for two days. Money was their supposed object.
MURDER OF JOSEPHI NICHOLAS HAGAMAN, THE VENERABLE FATHER OF
J. M. IIAGAMAN.
On July 11. 1868. J. N. Hagaman was murdered by William Harman, After some litigation over a calf they had agreed to settle the matter of ownership by turning the cow into the herd on the principal that the calf would find its mother. J. N. Hagaman, who was herding the cattle on the Thorp place, had received orders to not let any of them go as the deputy sheriff. Bowen, had come to take them, and had deputized Harmon to go with him to attach the cattle in accordance with the decision of the court. An eye witness related to the author that after skirmishing a few moments while on their ponies, he saw Harmon ride up to a fence and pick up a club that almost seemed made for the occasion. His assailant struck Mr. Haga- man over the head with this weapon, killing him almost instantly. After a number of trials and the lapse of a number of years the case was dropped.
Harmon with his wife lived at Manhattan and while he was supposed to be incarcerated had his freedom. The result of his crime going unpunished was a laxness of the law in those days, when people seemed a law of them- selves.
SHOOTING AFFAIR AT GLASCO.
The Carmichael murder case occurred at Glasco, Marsh 7, 1872. Car-
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
michael was a cattle man who lived at Abilene, but had been wintering stock near Glasco. He with his herder, Lewis, became involved in a quarrel with David and Hamilton Dalrymple, over some feed, and met in Glasco to arbitrate the trouble, imbibed too freely and the result was a fight. with a deplorable sequel. David Dalrymple was shot through the heart and ex- pired instantly and Hamilton Dalrymple received a wound in the knee.
Carmichael received wounds from which he died a week later. Lewis was shot through the neck, but recovered. \ bystander by the name of Worden, received a gunshot wound in the shoulder.
There have been few other crimes committed, but it is not the intention of the writer to go into details of those of more recent date, for the space is more beneficial as well as pleasing devoted to other subjects.
FRONTIER HARDSHIPS.
The beautiful valleys of the Solomon and the Repubbean, that are now teeming with a wealthy and prosperous people, during the early set- tlement of the country were the scenes of many distressing situations, par- ticularly is this true in the event of accident, sickness and death. And that prosterity may know more of their suffering and the heroic courage and fortitude with which they endured these privations, the following incidents will be related: During the pioneer settlements the people were always on the alert for savages and devising plans of protection, and hence located claims in close proximity to each other. . In the spring of 1866 the Howards, from Missouri, and the Higgins, from Verraha county, Kansas, joined the new settlements on the Solomon river and to add strength to their forces built a dougout on the claim of M. D. Teasley, the other settlers all combin- ing to assist in building a good sized home abont 12x16 feet (large for that period) for the Howard family, the Higgins preferring their tent. Mr. Howard, a Canadian by birth, had lost an arm in the lumber mills of that country and remained where the excavating was in course of pro- ceeding, while the other men and boys were cutting poles and logs to cover the structure. They had taken especial pains to secure a strong log for the ridge pole, all unconscious as they labored for their new neighbor, they were preparing a death trap for the doomed tamily. The tree selected had every appearance of being sound and was from sixteen to eighteen inches in diameter The hearts of the new dwellers were swelled with pride and happiness as they were preparing their first evening meal in the new quar- ters and were seated around the spread made on the earth of their new abode, innecently exchanging pleasantries. Mr. Howard had just arose from etting his supper and was in the act of lighting his pipe-the other members of the family, the wife. seven children and one grand child, were seited around the table-when, without a note of warning, with a crash the roof fell in upon them Mr. Howard's neck was broken and he was badly crushed otherwise, never speaking a word. Joseph, the third son, who was
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
about sixteen years of age was mortally wounded, his chest and abdomen being crushed by the debris. Mrs. Howard was seriously but not fatally injured. A babe in her arms was badly stunned and for some time thought to be dead, but under the timely administrations of Mrs. Rhoda Teasley, the little one recovered from the shock. It seemed hours long drawn out to their terror-stricken neighbors before they could extricate the victims. but was probably the work of a few moments only.
When Mrs. Howard was released, going to her son she asked: "Are you hurt, Joseph?" Hle turned his eyes upon her face and replied : "Oh. mother. mother, mother." Those were the last words he spoke and died in a few minutes. The other inmates were unhurt.
This event carried the deepest gloom into the midst of this little colony The father and son were consigned to the cold earth without a coffin, their bodies wrapped in a sheet, placed in a comfort and laid to rest. It would be impossible to describe the scene of desolation the horrowing details of this catastrophe made doubly so by the conditions surrounding the frontier settlers. This was the first burial in the old cemetery which is located about a half-mile south of the new one at Glasco.
The accident occurred from a flaw in the tree caused by a limb that had decaved and fallen off, leaving an aperture where water collected and had caused decay inside the log, which proved to be nearly a shell, but to all outside appearance was sound. A new dugont was built with extraordinary precaution and the unfortunate family continued to live in the settlement. The Howards brought with them the first sheep introduced into the Solo- mon valley.
ANOTHER BURIAL ON THE FRONTIER.
In the autumn of 1867 the death of a little child occurred in the settlement, one of the first in the Solomon valley. The family lived on Chris creek. East of them lived Wilson Mitchell. After the body of the little five-year-old girl, the pride of her fond parents. was made ready for burial, the kind, sympathizing friends began to devise some means of obtaining a coffin. Mr. Mitchell proffered his services and said if lumber could be provided he would make one. Mrs. Phoebe Sny- der was one of the good neighbors who was endeavoring to soften the grief of the mother by laying her offspring to rest as tenderly as the means at hand would allow, asked Mr. Mitchell if the boards could not be planed. He replied alas, it was impossible for the lack of tools to work with. Mrs. Snyder, true to the instinct of a sympathizing mother, utilized her black silk apron along with some black silk handkerchiefs she gathered from the settlers, and neatly covered the home-made easket on the outside, and the inside with white muslin. Nails were driven in the lid, and after the body was removed to the wagon that was to convey the remains to. their last rest- ing place. that the mother might not hear the doleful sound of the hammer. the nails were driven down while the sorrowing parents were yet in doors.
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANS.IS.
This family were not so courageous as the Howards, but left the melan- choly scene soon afterward for their former eastern home.
AN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE COUNTY LINE.
Beginning with the northeast corner of Nemaha county, there is a line to the western boundary of the state making one continuous line for nearly all of what is called the northern tier of counties. Republican county being the only exception, the question naturally arises: Why this devi- ation ?
We give in substance Mr. Rupe's version of the matter. When the boundary lines of Saline county were established, it being the first one or- ganized west of the sixth principal meridian. Col. Phillips was in the leg- islatture and being interested in making Saline the county seat of this new county, conformed the northern and southern lines so as to bring his town in the center. This left twelve townships of twelve tiers of townships be- tween Saline county and Nebraska, which had to be divided between three other counties, afterward known as Ottawa, Shirley and Republic. The latter came in for an equal distribution which gave her only four tiers, which is one less than the other northern tier counties with the exception of Brown and Donovan.
The people of Republic county disliked the idea of being denied the territory. They demanded which justly belonged to them and consequently clamored for the extra tier. This could not be done without doing great injustice to Cloud county. (then Shirley, ) or destroying a well established order of things. Mr. Rupe knew the people of Shirley county were dis- satisfied with the relative position of the county lines, especially on Elk creek; so after his election he conceived the idea of dividing the county exactly in the middle, east and west, throwing the north half into Republic and the south half into Ottawa county, making two out of three counties.
Among the reasons he had for doing this was an imperfect idea of the future resources. He advanced the idea that the settlements would be mamly confined to the river bottom and creek valleys, the river running through but little over half the length of the county they were deprived of what he considered a great deal of the most valuable lands, and consequently thought they would always be a weak county. The plan of dividing the county would give about thirty miles more of the river bottom and do much in the way of addition to the taxable property.
While this would have made two rather large counties, he thought those townships situated on the divide would never amount to much. the land could never be utilized (and this opinion was shared by R. D. Mobley. of Ottawa ); in his opinion these lands were a mere waste and the few settlers that were likely to attain, would be confined to the heads of the creeks and consequently these two counties would subsequently have but the five tiers of townships, after all, and would give to them that which they stood
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
sorely in need of, more strength by way of taxable property, and their county would especially be one of the strongest in the west.
This one of the circumstances as existing then, will no doubt be amus- ing to the people of Colfax. Aurora. Nelson, Center, Arion and Summit townships, as well as the next tier south of them, as they reflect Mr. Rupe's ideas of their future growth. This bill failed for two reasons: first, the western delegation was strongly opposed to obliterating one of their coun- ties ; second, there was a petition from his own and Republic county against it, so he did not press it, but allowed it to die a natural death. The people of Republic county, however, admitted afterward they did not have a fair understanding of its nature.
FIRST SETTLERS OF CLOUD COUNTY.
The subject of the founder and first settler of Cloud county has oc- casioned much controversy and some discussion between these two old land- marks, J. B. Rupe and J. M. Hagaman, each of whom have contributed a series of history and early reminiscences through the columns of the Clyde Herald and Concordia Blade.
Mr. J. B. Rupe has kindly submitted these "early recollections." and we will quote from them largely. as his statements are followed up with proofs and logic that are indisputable. It is conceded by his friends and the old settlers that his notes have been carefully gathered and are reliable to the best of his knowledge and that to be obtained.
During the year 1880. Mr. Rupe had personal interviews with Lew Fowler and J. M. Thorp and in accordance with the statements of Mr. Fowler, he and his brother and John and Harlow Seymore, came to what is now Cloud county, in July 1858. They were joined shortly afterward by a man named G. W. Brown, who was married and had his family with him. The Fowlers at this time were both single men. Shortly afterward they built the fatal "Conklin house," erected on their town site, which they called Eaton city. Some sod was turned on this ground and a well was partly dug, which was filled by dirt thrown from the track during the build- ing of the Kansas Pacific railroad.
After looking up all the available history, the palm must be yielded to the Fowler brothers, as the first settlers. It leaves no room for doubt that to them the honor belongs. They built the first house in the county, turned the first sod and made the first attempt at digging a well. David Sheets located on Elm creek in April, 1860, and left in July of the came year. To him has been given the credit of being the first settler. The Fowler broth- ers were here before and remained after Sheets left, and later enlisted in the United States service, made valiant soldiers and immediately after the war returned. but located different claims and both were nominated for office in the autumn of 1866.
Aside from this, they were Kansans, being in the state in 1854. and
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
fought the border ruffians in the interest of the free state. Mr. Rupe after much research affirm. and we believe correctly, "The Fowlers were the first white settlers in what is now Cloud county, and from the time of their set tlement there has always been white settlers and that there never was a time when the three families spoken of by J. M. Hagaman, viz: Hagaman, Thorp and Fenski, were the only settlers in the county, as he has stated at various times."
Mr. Rupe kindly concludes by saying he does not wish to phuck from Mr. Hagaman a single laurel that belongs to him, but history is history and nothing shoukl go into it but facts
The following testimony of Peter Eslinger and his wife, Magdeline Eslinger, establishes a claim of the Fowler brothers as the first settlers be- yond a doubt :
"We settled on Parson's creek, in Washington county, July 17, 1859. Lew and John Fowler. C. W. Brown and Harley Seymore were the first white settlers west of Peach creek, and then settled on Elk creek and person. ally know of their raising what has since been termed the "Conklin" House, and that they were the originators of the town site called Eaton city, where said house was built."
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