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 95
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 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
903
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
refrain from asking him if it ever rained in Kansas? Whereupon the young man who was very pious and not given to profanity, sullenly retorted: "You go to the devil!" This was the last rain for some time, but in the autumn of that year a prairie fire did much damage, so by the time winter set in the settlers found by fire and water they had suffered much loss. Mr. Durkee's loss footed up something over two hundred dollars; more than one-half as much again as the season's profit on the crop, but our informant says they have lived through all those trying scenes and have grown fat.
J. B. Springsted was "baching" in his dugout when the freshet came, and upon feeling some water pour down upon his face, arose from his home- made couch and as he stepped ont upon the floor, found himself in several feet of water. He made an exit by mounting the roof from the front of his dugout and climbed the hill from the rear. When the flood had subsided he found a horse hanging head downward in an elm tree, lodged in a crotch about fifteen feet above the ground. By 1874 a goodly number of the first settlers had enough land broken to begin farming on quite a large scale, and although the grasshoppers came, had enough wheat for their own bread and to fatten their pork. Consequently, with a little aid for the more unfortunate everybody got along quite well.
In the summer of 1874 the second school house in the township was built in district No. 56 on section five. It was built of stone, costing the district one hundred and fifty dollars, much of the labor being volunteer. This is a joint district, part of it lying in Aurora township and a portion in Nelson. The district school board was composed of Henry Williams, J. E. Wood and F. A. Thompson. The latter was elected clerk and as a matter of liis- tory, it must be recorded Mr. Thompson has held the office of clerk continu- ously ever since. Jennie Catlin was the first teacher receiving twenty-five dollars per month.
The first resident minister was Robert Wilson, who came into the com- munity in 1873. He was a conscientious man but very poor and having a large family to support endured many hardships. In the spring of 1875 every man went to work with a will, and not only the men, but Mr. Durkee is chivalrous enough to concede that the women are equally as deserving of praise. They performed their duties with but little murmuring. A larger crop was put in than ever before, the season was a good one and everybody prospered.
In the spring of 1875 Stephen Travis, of Iowa, located on section twenty- eight, the homestead he had secured two years before. His advent in the neighborhood proved a Godsend, for he was financially well-to-do and the settlers were not slow in grasping the opportunity of securing some of the old gentleman's shekels by assisting in the building of a new stone house and the numerous other structures he erected ; digging wells, breaking ground, plant- ing sod corn. etc., the proceeds of which helped them pull through the sum- mer in fair shape.
In 1875 H. H. Frazer came into the settlement and bought the M. M.
904
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY. KANSAS.
Turner claim on section thirty five for fifty dollars. There was a stone but and ten acres of breaking on the homestead. The next spring there was a postoffice established and H. H. Turner was appointed postmaster. He gave it the name of Sulphur Springs because of the two springs that are highly impregnated with sulphur and thought by many to contain valuable medical qualities.
May 20. 1876, school district No. 21 was organized with Stephen Travis a- director, J. A. Travis and G. D. Wood treasurer. Mas Alice Petter was the first teacher employed. the consideration being ten dollars per month. The first term was held in the residence of Stephen Travis. It was also m tet that the first church was created in the township. It was built by the Catholics on section three. A few years later a little burgh was started at this point and called St. Peter. The supposition was that the railroad coming into this part of the county would intersect this point. In 1876 the Black smith and his family left Kansas for Michigan, where they had numerous relatives. Others of the old settlers dropped out and were replaced by new ones until m the the townamp was quite well settled.
In the spring of this year Joe Osborne purchased one -half section of 11 11. Frazer's farm of one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid one thousand dollars. bush a store and opened a small stock of general merchan dive: This was the first store in the township. The same season Doctor Melvin settled at Sulphur Springs and this was the first physician, but there was no cemetery and his practice was limited ; therefore Doctor Melvin did not tarry but a brief time. Things had been moving rather slowly in this local- ity. but the time had now arrived when the citizens realized the need of some- thing more than sorghum, corn bread, buffalo meat, jack rabbits. prairie chickens, etc. Wheat bread, ham, eggs, and other delicacies began to sub- stitute that common-place bill of fare. Then a desire came for new wagons. buggies, organs, better clothes and the enjoyments known to people of an older settled country and the longing for these luxuries occasioned many set- tlers to place mortgages on their farms to enable them to obtain the where- withal to indulge in them. Mr. Woodin, of Minneapolis, Kansas, a very ac- commodating individual. was in the habit of visiting this locality and loaned from three hundred to five hundred dollars, charging twenty-five dollars for each one hundred dollars. as a premium for his own trouble: and in addition to this the borrower paid ten per cent. on the amount specified. Many of his victims took the loan and skipped out. others hung on for a while and finally lost their farms: while some invested their money in young stock and came out all right. even at this exorbitant price for a loan. But it was bad management. as many learned to their sorrow later on.
Sulphur Springs School District No. 48 was organized in 1876. The first school was taught in a shanty owned by A. B. Pennock and the first teacher of the district was Miss Rosa Bean. The first board was composed of Thomas Clegg. A. J. Ming and F. C. Pearson. In 1878 a strip was taken off from the north side of No. 48 and a portion from No. 20. from which
905
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
a new district was formed and given the number of 18. They voted one hundred and forty-five dollars bonds out of which to buy the lumber, and by contributing volunteer labor, a school house was built 16x22 feet in dimensions. The first school board was composed of W. M. Durkee, J. B. Hoyt and S. Mover. The first school was taught by L. E. Townsend for the sum of fifteen dollars per month and board. District No. 48 voted sev- enty-four dollars bonds and built a small house the same year. About the same time E. H. Townsend came from Michigan and located on the Rock- well farm, where he started a store and sold about a year later to J. B. Dunn.
The township gained in population and wealth until they had, in 1878, 7,983 acres ripe for assessing, valued at $18.,07. Personal property valu- ation, $10,708; total. $29.415. The statement may seem strange to some that the personal valuation should not exceed that of 1873 more than two thousand dollars. Some had doubled the amount of property and the same assessor did duty both years. But in 1873 he tried to give the actual figures at their cash value, while in 1878 he was more given to pleasing the people than obeying the letter of the law ; had it been otherwise, the valuation would have doubled that of 1873.
In 1879 District No. 89 erected a school building. The first board was composed of .Antoine Betters, Joe Whitehead and E. R. Jones. The record shows that one Budreau. after teaching two months, gave up the school, which was finished by L. F. Townsend. In 1880 District No. 84 erected a stone school house. They voted eighty-five dollars bonds and accomplished the rest by taxation and volunteer labor. This made six school build- ings erected in the township since the advent of the first settler.
The year 1880 found the township populated with a happy and prosper- ous people and about one hundred and forty voters. Elections were held in the school house of District No. 20 until 1880, when the voters convened at the house of Joseph Chaput, near where the town of Aurora now stands. The community began taking on something of a metropolitan air and the hospitality so noticeable in the earlier days began to wane in the early 'eighties. It was not an uncommon occurrence for fifteen or twenty persons to occupy the same diminutive dugout or shanty over night or for several days, and not seem crowded. Mr. Durkee says he well remembers the event of No- vember 24. 1871. the first night he, with his family, spent in what is now Aurora township. It was one of those bitter cold nights when to be at home by a warm fireside is a luxury, that a household composed of seventeen per- sons spent the night in A. B. Pennock's bachelor quarters 24x14 feet in dimensions. Henry Demars relates how he entertained for three days and nights twenty-two people in his dugout, which was but 14x18 feet. Can the modern Kansan conceive of accommodating so many people in a one-room house of those dimensions ?
In 1885 another physician settled in the township and hung out his shingle at Aurora Center, which was located on about the same site as school house No. 18. About a year later he removed to St. Peter and when Aurora
51
906
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
sprang into existence he pinned his fate to that town and settled there. His name is F. A. McDonald. He still holds forth in AAurora, where he is pros- perous and happy. From an early date much anxiety was evinced over the location of a town that must spring up somewhere in their midst. The peo- ple in the vicinity of Sulphur Springs naturally enough contended that they had the best point for a town and on the strength of their convictions established a store, blacksmith shop and a school house. The citizens of Aurora Center also wanted the site and made about the same start. Shortly afterward the folks in the vicinity of St. Peter, who already had a church, conceived of building up a town in their midst and gained about the same footing. But, alas! all their efforts in this direction were bound to come to naught. for in 1887 a railroad was built through the township and the town of Aurora sprung into existence in 1888. 1. Gennette moved his hardware store from St. Peter, Z. Cyrier came with his dry goods and grocery store. The latter was the first postmaster of Aurora, bringing the postoffice with him from St. Peter. But his career was short in the new town, for in less than six months he sold out and moved onto his farm. Mr. Gennette operated a hardware store and a feed barn for nearly two years, retired from business and moved away.
Beginning with 1880. "Uncle" Philip Miller conducted a grocery store and boarding house for several years, when he retired from business and is still living in Aurora enjoying a hie of case. Henry Parvin moved his store of goods from Rice to Aurora in the spring of 1880. He erected his own buildings, which were quite an addition to the new village. He also bought and shipped hogs. After three or four years he sold and moved away.
In 1888 H. S. Breed moved his mercantile business from Rice to An- Tora. went to the wall a few months later and left the town. During this year two banks were established. One remained but a short time, the other several years. At present there is none, although a factor much needed. Eli Grandpre built and operated the first blacksmith shop in the town, but like some of the other inhabitants, tarried but a brief time. There were also two hotels, one conducted by Gravelin, the other by Mrs. Letourneau. The former withdrew several years ago, the latter is still there and cares for the traveling public in a very commendable way. Martin Brothers closed out after conducting a mercantile business for a short time. Within the space of one year Aurora made a wonderful growth: under the music of the hammer and the saw. business houses and residences sprang up until a fair- sized burg was the outgrowth.
In 1891 School District No. 104 was organized. Fifteen hundred dol- lars bonds were voted and an excellent school building erected. In 1893 the Catholic church. a large and substantial structure. 45×122 feet on the ground, was built, at a cost of something over seven thousand dollars. L. A. Bartlett erected a large implement house and filled it with farm machin- ery. but closed out a year later. Gus Beauchamp started the first drug store,
907
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
which he sold three or four years later to F. Longtin, who sold the store twelve months subsequently to its present proprietor, C. M. Troup.
Early in the 'nineties, C. H. Steenburg and son filled the Parvin store building with a stock of goods and did business there about four years; they also had the postoffice. From 1893 to 1898 Aurora experienced what might be termed a standstill, or perhaps retrograded. as real estate depreciated in value. Times were hard there, as elsewhere, but with the dawning of 1898 things assumed a brightier or more rosy hue. New business men came in, property changed hands and since that period has been increasing in value. New buildings have sprung up and some of the old timers who have ac- quired a competency on the farm have located there, and judging from their homes and the comforts of life surrounding them, their intentions are to take life easy the remainder of their lives. Mr. Durkee says he finds by counting noses the population of Aurora early in the year 1892 were even two hundred inhabitants, a large majority of whom are a healthy, hearty and happy people. Of the first fifty homestead settlers of Aurora township only about one dozen remain, namely: F. A. Thompson, J. B. Springsted, who was said to be one of the best prairie fire fighters of the day; Lewis Letourneau, the land Croesus of the township, owning twelve hundred acres; Joe Dugas, once a noted politician; Andy Ming, the second largest land owner; Thomas Clegg, one of the staunchest Democrats in the county ; J. H. Springsted. W. S. Frazer, W. M. Durkee, Charlie and Frank Letour- neau and Henry Demars.
Ill 1901 Aurora township contained one hundred and forty families and seven hundred inhabitants. The total valuation of the real estate and personal property, according to the assessors' returns, was close to $146,- 000; the actual would undoubtedly reach $500,000. There is now in 1903 two general stores, one flour and feed store, one drug store, a branch of the Continental creamery, a livery and feed barn, two blacksmith shops, one hotel, a lumber yard, a meat market, barber shop and two joints. The business of the town at this date is carried on by an entirely different set of people than at the beginning of the town, with the exception of the landlady of the Aurora Hotel, Mrs. Letourneau.
WILLIAM MARTIN DURKEE.
Prominent among the pioneers of Aurora township is W. M. Durkee, who added to the good citizenship of that community by casting his lot among them on November 24, 1871. He is a native of the state of New York, born May 26, 1836. Ilis parents were Lucius and Lucy ( Farwell ) Durkee. His paternal grandfather was the Scotch emigrant to America and died at an advanced age where he settled in Cataraugus county, where Lu- cius Durkee and also our subject were born. That part of the country was a deep wooded wilderness ; on these lands, remote from any settlement and in a very early day, this Scotch emigrant selected a site whereon to build
908
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
a home. He assisted in the organization and naming of Farmersville town- ship, where the village that bears that name later sprang up. Mr. Durkee's father visited Illinois in 1855 with the idea of locating in that state, but after looking over the situation, returned home, where he lived until his death in 1885 at the age of seventy-six years. The Furwells were of English origin. Mr. Durkee's mother was of New York birth, but removed to Vermont with her parents when an infant, where she grew to womanhood. They subse- quently returned to New York and settled in Rashford. Alleghany county, where she was married. She died in January, 1800. at the age of ninety -one years, in West Salamanca, where they had resided thirty-four years.
Of the twelve children born to Lucius and Lucy Durkee but four are living . Our subject, a son in Michigan and two daughters in New York. W. E. Durkee was married in Barry county, Michigan, where he had located when about eighteen years of age, to Miss Harriett Backus, who was also of New York birth. With his family, which consisted at that time of it wife and three little daughters-having buried one in Michigan. they started for Kansas. Mr. Durkee had no boys to secure land for, the common apology, but was prompted to try the virtues of a frontier life to recuperate his failing health, which proved beneficial umtil 1880, when for four years he was confined to his bed during the summer months; but since recovering from this physical collapse he has been able to transact the routine work of the farm, though now retired and living in Aurora. Mr. Durkee retains half of his original homestead and owns two other good farms. His worldy possessions consisted of a team and a few dollars in cash when he settled on the uncultivated prairie. To secure his homestead he traded his horse and wagon for the interest of another party who had filed on the claim. as it must either be purchased or contested. For three years he obtained the use of a neighbor's team by dividing the proceeds of the freighting profits, and when he broke his ground would turn an equal amount of sod for the man who furnished the team, thus making his means of livelihood doubly arduous; and between these drawbacks-prairie fire, drowning by overflows. or crops burnt by the drouth-there was meagre existence. Their first mode of conveyance was one horse he had secured by trading around. hitched by chains to a sort of sled he had manufactured with cottonwood poles turned up for runners. Neither did they wait to be favored with a fall of snow, but after a shower of rain or a heavy fall of dew. the Durkees could be seen perched on the box that did duty as a seat for this queerly devised vehicle, wending their way across the prairies to visit a settler. But the "bluest" day our subject ever saw dawn was in the summer of 1875. just after the grasshopper raid. The family had survived the winter in good condition, with enough wheat left over to seed a small field, and uncon- scious of the depleted flour supply. without consulting the housewife. Mr. Durkee, after sowing the last vestige of grain, said boastingly to his wife. as he entered the house. "We will have four enough next year." Where- upon she in dismay lifted the flour sack. revealing to him that there was only
909
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
about a gallon of flour in the house and not one cent of money wherewith to buy more. While brooding over the situation and casting about in his mind how to relieve their condition and replenish their larder, there came a loud knock at the door. In tones more forcible than eloquent Mr. Durkee bade him enter. The visitor was E. L. Prince, "an angel of mercy un- awares," for his mission was to engage the assistance of his distrait neigh- bor in building a new school house, and a deal was consummated whereby Mr. Durkee was to be paid one dollar per day and board. He was comparatively a millionaire in a minute ; the clouds that were hanging so heavily about him were lifted, revealing the silver lining. The bundle of groceries and dry goods purchased with the ten dollars for his ten days' work made him the richest man in Kansas. But the dawning of the 'eighties found Mr. Dur- kee gaining property, which he has continued to do until today he can live at ease and enjoy his hard earned fortune.
Mr. and Mrs. Durkee are the parents of eight children, six of whom are living, viz: Rosetta is the wife of J. B. Springsted; Mary, the wife of Henry Rich, and Minerva, the wife of C. B. Roach; all influential citizens and farmers of Aurora township. Arthur J. also lives in Aurora township and is a prominent farmer. He married Cornelia Wheeler. AAlson and Nile are both unmarried. The former is a resident of Sedgewick county and the latter of Aurora township.
Mr. Durkee is a stalwart Republican and takes an ardent interest in political issues. He has filled the offices of assessor and justice of the peace. For about twenty-five years he was a member of the school board. After a strenuous life of labor, marked by many hardships and reverses, Mr. and Mrs. Durkee are enjoying a serene existence in a comfortable cottage home in Aurora, while their children, except one, are settled in life and live near them.
.
INDEX.
HISTORICAL.
PAGE
A.
A City of the Third Class.
165
A New Era in Kansas-1866 75
A Pioneer Wedding. 80
A Poem to the History of Cloud Coun-
ty, by J. E. Burkhart of Miltonvale ...
27
A Tribute to the Women of Kansas .. 121
Advantages and Attractions
120
Alfalfa
17
Ames
880
An Attempt to Change the County Line 58
Another Burial on the Frontier. 57
Approving of Townsite and naming of County Seat 154
Area of the State of Kansas, Altitude.
Resources, etc
13
Arion Township
72
Aurora Township
899
Autumn Sunset
JI9
B.
Banking History of Miltonvale 843
Benefit to the State. 109
Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church. 686
Bones in a Strata of Rock 1.42
Bridge Over Elk Creek. .
402
Brief Record of the State of Kansas. 9
Buffalo Creek Valley 734
Buffalo Hunters from Grant Township 90
Buffalo Hunting on the Plains. 88
Buffalo Hunting Expedition as Related
by Geo. W. Teasley.
95
Buffalo Township.
71
PAGE
Building of Wagon Bridge Over the
Republican at Clyde.
40 I
Burning Corn
15
Business Blocks erected-Concordia. .. 161
1
C.
Catholic Church and Convent of Clyde 415
Catholic Church of Glasco.
531.
Center Township 74
Changing the Name of
Cloud
32
Chinch Bug
748
Church of Christ
199
Church of Christ of Jamestown. 744
Church of Christ of Miltonvale.
841
Churches of Concordia
192
Church Organization of the Frontier .. 83
Claim Jumping.
79
Cloud County Graduates. I34
Cloud County Pioneer Association 143
Clyde's City Waterworks
400
Clyde Early History
398
Clyde Military Band. 410
Clyde Postoffice. 400
Clyde and Vicinity 407
Clyde's Watermelon Carnivals.
405
Coal
18
Colfax Township
72
Concordia-Her Financial. Commercial and Industrial Interests 174
Concordia Town Company
156
County Fair Association. 146
County Organization
28
County Seat Agitation
152
Creamery at Clyde.
41I
Shirley to
912
INDEX.
PA .R
11.
Dark Days for Concordia
Description of the streets in Concordia ist
Disastrous Cyclone in Cloud and Clay Counties Dronth and Hot Wind-
Drouth m 1870. .
1 1
E
Educational
Eik Township
Elm Creek Settlement
Events of 1872
Events of 1874
Exit of the Settlers in 1804
Fatal Fire in Clyde
First Christian Church of Concordia
First Newspaper
First Settlers of Cloud County
First School Building.
First School in Concordia.
First United Presbyterian Church of Jamestown
First Woman'- Christian Temperance.
404
Floods in Buffalo Creek Valley. .. 735
From Clyde to Waterville. 37
Frontier Hardships 5€
G.
General Growth of Clyde.
Geographical Center (11
Gla-co Base Ball Team. 537
Glasco Newspapers 525 Good Roads
Graded Schools 133
Grant Township 72
Grasshopper Visitation 107
Graves Postoffice ,25
Growth of Concordia
173
H.
Half Way, Lyon Township. 697 History of the City of Concordia 150 History of the Cloud County Bank. 186
History of Concordia Parish of the
Catholic Church 200
PAGE Church of Clyde 413
History of the First Presbyterian
History of the First Presbyterian Church of Glasco 529
History of the Glasen Schools. 526 History of the Jamestown Banks 740
Historical Mention of Concordia News-
paper>
100
Horticulture 115
Hospital of the Sisters of St. Joseph. . 216 How Lewis Cassel. I M Hagaman and other- got even with a Marauding Band of Indians m 1805. 38
Hunting Narrative from Sibley Town- ship
Indian Raid on the Republican Valley. 52 Indian Raid on the Solomon River. ... 43 Irdian Trouble- on the Frontier. . 37
Introductory
5
Jamestown
736
Jamestown Postothee
737
Jamestown School
738
K.
Kansas an Agricultural State. 2.4
Kansas Cyclone-
123
Kansas in the Rebellion
20
Kan-as Wind as she is Blown.
123
L.
Lake Sibley
115
Lawlessness on the Frontier
.55
Lawrenceburg
888
Lawrence Township
73
Lincoln Township
74
List of Premium- Won by Sunflower State 16
Lutheran Church of Gla-co.
532
Lyon Township
73
M.
Macyville
708
Massacre of the Cassel Party
39
Methodist Episcopal Church of Con-
cordia
198
913
INDEX.
PAGE
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.