USA > Kansas > Wabaunsee County > Business directory and history of Wabaunsee County > Part 5
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In 1890 Eskridge had the misfortune of being visited by a destructive fire. All the west side between Trusler's and
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Mi:dge's were burned. E. L. Shumate & Son, W. H. Mills, J. W. Taylor, and Parmiter & Son were the principal sharers in a $25,000 loss.
It was about this time that a new era of prosperity began. The hardships of pioneer life disappeared and people began to have all comforts of life. By this time nearly every farmer had a nice orchard. Fine new homes replaced the small houses put up when "getting a start." Large barns were built to accom- modate the produce from improved farms. The effect was soon seen in the growth of the towns and in the volume of business transacted.
To-day Eskridge is the second largest town in the county, and is known far and wide as a "fine town for business." About the only drawback to the place is the poor railroad accommoda- tions. This condition promises to be remedied by the new rail- road, the Topeka and Southwestern, which promises to go through before the close of 1907.
Private and Company Money to Loan.
Farm Insurance a Specialty.
C. C. MORELAND, ESKRIDGE, KANS.
Lands, Loans,
and Insurance.
I have farms listed for sale, any size you desire; also ranches and town property. Eskridge is a clean, high-class town of about nine hundred population, and growing. It is the best business center for a place of its size in the State of Kansas.
We have a first-class High School, the educational center of the county; any churches, one railroad and another now build- ing. Rural delivery and telephone system complete. Land can be purchased from $10 to $60 per acre, owing to location and quality. Will drive to any part of the county.
Will buy, sell or trade land or personal property.
Collections made on reasonable terms. Phone No. 44.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
H. Hershberger
Eskridge, Kans.
-
- SELLS-
High Quality Merchandise
-AND BUYS-
Farm Produce.
When you buy what is best, you buy but seldom; When you buy what is cheap, you are buying all the time.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
W. H. EARL, Eskridge, Kans.
The oldest pioneer merchant in Wabaunsee County. For forty years we have been supplying the wants of the people in the southern half of Wabaunsee County in the general mer- chandise business. We carry everything the farmers want in a general way. Have been here all these years and have satisfied thousands upon thousands of customers in the line of Groceries, Dry Goods, Ladies' and Gents' Furnishings, the famous brand of Sunflower Shoes, Crockery, Queensware, Clothing, etc. We buy Flour, Feed, and Salt in car-load lots and sell the best of everything at the lowest possible price. Call and get prices. Highest prices paid for all kinds of produce.
·
USE BROWN'S HEALING FLUID
for all wire-cuts and other wounds. It can be used with the least trouble and leaves the smallest scar possible. Your neigh- bor has used it; ask him if he has ever found a better remedy for healing purposes. It is a strong antiseptic and germicide used extensively by farmers and stockmen. Price, 25 cents, 50 cents and $1 a bottle.
E. R. BROWN, Druggist, Eskridge, Kans.
STOVER MEG.CO
SAMSON
FREEPORT HI
S. M. HANDLEY Eskridge, Kans.
Dealer in Wind- mills, Pumps. Power Mills, and Gasoline Engines, Bathtubs and Kitchen - sinks, Steel Tanks and Wooden Tanks. Agent for the De Laval Separator, the best on earth; also oil for same.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Harveyville.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
Banks.
Harveyville State Bank.
Barbers.
Wm. Grigsby. Ed Teel.
Cream Stations.
Charles Droege. Burt Bonner.
Contractors of Brick, Stone and Plaster Work.
Wetzel & Duff.
Dry Goods.
J. R. Turner.
Drug Store.
Dr. L. A. Walker.
Elevators.
Garringer, Ferrel & Co.
Osage Grain and Elevator Co.
Furniture Stores.
M. P. Cook.
Groceries.
Earley & Root. Heinlein Bros. Jas. S. May.
Hardware.
A. E. Copp. Thompson Hardware Co ..
Harness.
J. T. Fields.
Hotels ..
Santa Fe House.
Livery Stable :-
J. A. Beauchamp.
Lumber Yards ..
Oetinger Lumber Co.
Meat Market ..
Ferrel & Goodkins.
Newspapers ..
Harveyville Monitor.
Physicians.
Dr. C. L. Youngman. Real Estate Dealers ..
A. A. Denney. S. B. Easter.
Restaurants ..
M. L. Ray. J. T. Bliss.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Harveyville is a town of about 450 people, in an excellent location. For miles around are the rich flats of the Dragoon, where the country population has become wealthy. The cattle and hog business is the principal money-making occupation, al- though large shipments of produce and cream are continually being made. There are two "cream days" each week, and on these days the trade is very heavy at Harveyville, and there isn't room on the streets to accommodate the teams of the pa- trons.
EARLY HISTORY.
Although the town of Harveyville was not founded until the coming of the Santa Fe Railroad, the history of Harvey settle- ment dates back to 1854, when Henry Harvey and his two sons took land on the Dragoon. The next year a claim was taken up by I. M. Harris not far from the present site of Harveyville. The Pitman and Gilbert families and Morris Walton also set- tled in the vicinity about this time. The Harveyville territory was settled along the rich bottoms where there was plenty of moisture and little danger of destructive high water.
In these days it was a custom to winter in Missouri, because there was nothing to eat in Kansas. The Indians were a great annoyance, not that they were dangerous, but they pestered the settlers continually with their begging. Even with the excel- lent natural conditions in this section it was hard getting a start. The outlook for good crops was often spoiled by drouth, grass- hoppers, or prairie-fires.
In 1857 the slavery question was warm and there was a general influx of settlers to Kansas. A number of people came to Harveyville settlement. Among them was Joseph Johnson, who took a claim on the Dragoon where he is still located. For many years he was the only carpenter, and he built all the first houses in Wimington and Harveyville. He manufactured all the window- and door-casings, flooring and finishing material from rough lumber by hand.
The first Fourth of July celebration in this vicinity was held in 1857.
There were no railroads west of the Mississippi. Goods were hauled to Kansas City and the settlers went there to buy. In
Wabaunsee County Directory and History
summer it was bad enough, but in winter these trips were per- ilous. Gradually the market become more convenient. First it. was moved to Leavenworth, where there was no longer neces -- sity of crossing the river, next to Atchison, then Lawrence and Topeka, and finally to Burlingame. Ox teams were used exclu- sively, as the ox is a better pioneer than the horse or mule .. Aside from the fire and floods, and the natural hardships attend- ing the settlement of a new country, the tenor of the Harvey- villits way has been tolerably even. The Undergound Rail- way ran through the Harvey settlement and the good house- wives were often called out at night to get supper for two men and ask no questions.
In 1858 a mail station was established on the Dragoon and was kept at Dodge and Saunders. The stage coach of 1858, such as traveled the Santa Fe Trail south of Harvey Settle- ment, is described as a massive affair with a large boot attached behind for baggage. It was generally drawn by mules.
Sod corn was the principal crop. It was planted by chop- ping a hole in the sod of fresh-broken prairie and dropping the seed in. Those who were fortunate enough to have cows, made money by selling butter in Kansas City.
What little progress was made by 1860 was given a serious set-back that year by the drouth. No rain fell for a year and six months. Many settlers were discouraged and returned home.
War broke out and took the strength of the country to the front. Those who remained at Harveyville joined Company A of the Osage Battalion. Company A drilled at Wilmington. This battalion was not ordered into service till 1865, when it was sent to Missouri. They marched to Kansas City and took part in the "Battle of the Blue," where the advance orders were not to shoot, whatever happened.
After the war came the grasshoppers, whose visit is de- scribed in another part of this book. When the pest arose the third day, leaving barren desolation behind, starvation stared the people in the face. Henry Harvey went to Ohio to solicit aid and was successful. Provisions and clothing were sent to Atchison and hauled from there to the settlers.
The next stirring event was the Pike's Peak gold fever. The Santa Fe Trail was alive with traffic. Men came in all manner
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
of conveyances, and even on foot, pushing wheel-barrows or carrying grips.
In 1874 there was another serious drouth. Ohio was again appealed to, and responded generously. Mr. Joseph Fields did the soliciting and managed the distribution of the goods.
This brings us down to the time when the Santa Fe Rail- road came to the place of the trail at Harveyville-in 1880. The day the bonds were voted in Harvey Settlement, a wagon- load of hop-tea was sent by the railroad company as a gentle persuader. Then the town was laid out. Some years before this a townsite had been located about a mile north of the pres- ent site, called Lexington, but no lots were sold.
The land where Harveyville stands was first taken under military law, as a bounty from the Government to Te Par Kee, minor child of Eme Eman Thluseca, Corporal of Captain Hopie Haarjus, Company A, Creek Volunteer of Seminole War. Sam- uel B. Harvey obtained the land from the child's guardian, and it was granted to him as a patent, which was signed by Presi- dent Buchanan in 1860. Later it was sold to Morris Walton and this deed is one of the earliest on record in the country.
The first man to start into business in the new town was Alpheus Glasscock. John Thompson soon followed Glasscock was a store building. George Woods and Eli Henderson oper- ated an elevator and hay-baling establishment. George Woods built a store and put in a fine stock of hardware. Walton Bros. kept a general store.
This was the beginning but it was ten years before Harvey- ville was able to hold her own trade which was going to Bur- lingame, and it is only within the last few years that people have ceased to consider an ocasional shopping trip to Bur lingame necessary.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Garinger-Farrell Elevator Co., deals in all kinds of grain and elevator stuff, and in Meat Meal. Located at Harveyville, Kansas.
The Thompson Hardward Co., of Harveyvil'e
started in their present business January 20th, 1905. In May of that year the business done amounted to $334.90. The busi- ness for May, 1906, was $1,072.42. The business for May, 1907, was $2,945.00. The growth should be noted. They are building a large stone store into which they will move this fall, and where they will continue to handle everything found in a first-class hardware store, including cutlery, silverware, ammunition, fish- ing tackles, baseball supplies and builder's hardware; also farm implements (of which they have sold three cars this spring), vehicles and up-to-date farm machinery of all kinds.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Keene.
One of the localities soon to be greatly benefited and devel- oped by the building of the railroad between Topeka and Coun- cil Grove, is the neighborhood about Keene. It is one of the oldest settled sections of the country. At the time the Beecher Bible and Rifle Company came to Wabaunsee, land was also be- ing taken in this part of Mission Township. Among the earliest was the Mossman family who came in 1856. Mr. S. L. Moss- man then a boy of seven, still occupies the original homestead. The Beach family came in 1857. Mr. W. K. and Mack Beach have fine homes in Keene at the present time. Other earlier settlers were, Captain Henry, Mr. Mason, John Doty, William B. Hill and William Collins. A store was opened in 1858, where tobacco, sugar, drygoods and wet goods (mostly the latter) were sold to the Indians. In 1861 a stage route was established between Topeka and Council Grove, on about the same route as the new railroad is to be built. A postoffice was opened at that time. A rural delivery now takes the place of the postoffice.
In 1874 the site was moved one-half mile farther west, and a permanent store established. Mr. G. A. Eberhardt the present proprietor of the store does a general mercantile business. He has been in the vicinity for forty years and is a substantial cit- izen and enterprising business man.
There is also a blacksmith shop, a public hall, and a large schoolhouse. The surrounding farms are fertile, their owners prosperous, and there are many fine homes in the vicinity.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Maple Hill.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
Banks.
Hotels.
The Stockgrowers State Bank. Maple Hill State Bank.
Windler Hotel.
Barber.
Frank Stephens.
Coal Dealer.
Lumber Yards.
H. R. Williams.
The Star Lumber Company. J. Thomas & Son.
Druggists.
Chas. F. Payne.
General Stores.
Mercantile Meat Market.
Davis Stewart.
Physicians and Surgeons.
Ormbee & Updegraff.
Grain Buyers and Feeders. Fowler & Tod.
Dr. J. M. Kemper. Dr. C. E. Yates.
Restaurant.
Hardware and Implements.
Chas. P. Banker.
Chas. E. Greaser.
Maple Hill is one of the newer towns of the county, yet it has an interesting eary history. It was a part of the Pottawatomie Reserve and the French who settled in the vicinity were, with the exception of a few adventurers, the first settlers in the coun- ty. This settlement was made in 1844 at the time of the ratifi- action of the treaty between the Government and Indians. Chief among these French people was a large family of Bourassas, of which Mr. Eugene Bourassa seems to have been the head. They built grist-mills and saw-mills and the old dams are still to be found on Mill Creek. Their principal business was grist and lumber work for the Government. They also supplied
Livery Stable.
R. A. King.
Meat Market.
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
the Indians and goods. There was another family came with the Bourassas in 1844, Shorey by name. One of the early land- marks is a stone set up by the explorer, Freemont, who stopped with the Bourassas in 1843, on his way west. Later others were added to the settlement. One of the first marriages on record is that of Isabella Bourassa and R. H. Watterman in 1859.
In 1864, Maple Hill was organized as a voting precinct and the polls were at Watterman's place. This place is known as Rocky Ford. The Santa Fe Trail crossed the Kaw River just above the rocks. The first postoffice was on the Watterman place; later it was moved to Eugene Bourassa's, then to Well- house's, and from there to George Mouer's .
In 1861 the treaty for breaking up the Pottawatomie Reserve was ratified, and in 1866 the allotments of land was made to the Indians, and the surplus lands opened for sale by the Santa Fe Railroad Company. This encouraged immigration, but set- tlement was slow. It was the habit of settlers to stop at Mill Creek for a sojourn of a few weeks or months, and go on west. In 1872 there were about eighteen families living in the settle- ment.
The early settlers of Maple Hill do not tell so many stories of hard times as do the settlers of other vicinities. They did their trading at St. Marys and sent their children there to school until a schoolhouse was built at home. They were on friendly terms with the Indians and liked them very much as neighbors. The French settlers intermarried with them. These Indians have the reputation of being industrious and fair in their dealings. They lived in small buildings, and were self- respecting enough not to beg.
There was no road at this time except the Fort Riley branch of the Santa Fe Trail.
The stone schoolhouse was built in the early days in a his- toric spot. It began with one pupil-Eugene Bourassa. The teacher's name was Loofe. This schoolhouse was a kind of pub- lic hall in the early days, and all meetings, religious and secular, were held in it. S. H. Fairfield used to collect taxes there, be- fore Maple Hill and Newbury townships were divided.
In 1873 there was a large influx of settlers from Massachu- setts. They were the children and relatives of Santa Fe officials,
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
and had plenty of money. Things began to hum. They built large stone houses and fitted themselves out regardless of sx- pense. From all accounts their occupation was farming, cattle- raising, and money-squandering.
In 1882 a man came who has ever since figured prominently in the affairs of Maple Hill. This was George Fowler, a son of the Fowler who owns the packing-house in Kansas City. He fenced in considerable land, and incidentally fenced up the Santa Fe Trail.
There was a leap in the value of lands as they began to be fenced and brought under culture. About this time the nucleus of a town was formed.
About 1884 a store was started by Brooks and Verits, on the Pine Ranch, about two miles south and west of the present site of Maple Hill. Soon after the third partner, J. N. Dolley, was taken in. They did business in this manner until about 1866, when Mr. Brooks retried and Verity and Dolley continued the business. The postoffice, which had for years before been established and had gone from one farmhouse to another, was moved into the store in about 1884, where it remained until moved to the railroad town in 1887.
Dr. Kemper was the pioneer doctor, having come here and established a practise near the old Maple Hill store in the early eighties, and moved into town.
The stone church was built and dedicated tbout 1885, and services were held there until 1902 or 1903. It being so far from town the Congregationalists moved into town and built a new church. Much credit in building both these churches was due to Rev. W. S. Crouch and his helpful wife.
During the fall and summer of 1886 several surveys were made up the Mill Creek Valley, crossing the large ranches and its prosperous farms. The survey made up the railway com- pany, called the Chicago, Kansas & Nebraska, was afterwards bought by the Rock Island interests. After passing the junction of Mill Creek and the Kaw River in Northeast Wabaunsee Coun- ty, the interests intended to form a junction between the Fort Worth and Colorado lines at a point about one mile east of the present site of Maple Hill, which was the most natural place. As there was a fight between the two large ranches, the Fowler
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
Ranch and the Pierce Ranch, as to where the town should be lo- cated, the Rock Island decided to go where they were given more encouragement (McFarland) and the two factions were left to fight out their own town battle. The Fowler site was finally, after a very warm fight, successful in capturing the town, and in August, 1887, after the depot and side-tracks had been build, Mr. Fowler advertised a free excursion to Maple Hill from Kan- sas City and Topeka. Three trains were needed to carry the crowd. A free dinner was also given, also a free dance at night in the Hereford barn on the Fowler Ranch. At the time of the sale of lots there had been only a few buildings erected. J. N. Dolley had a store and warehouse near the corner of Third and Maine Streets, which was the first store in the present townsite. J. H. Verity and the Pierce interest had a store just west and south of town, where the postoffice was kept, as J. H. Verity was the postmaster at the old store which was about a mile and one-half south and west. A few years later a stone store was built on Main Street, near the Fowler elevator and Pierce & Co. succeeded J. H. Verity and occupied the stone building, R. S. Smith occupying the former Verity store, which had then been moved to the south end of Main Street, as a hardware store. This store was soon transferred to Warner & Griggs, of Topeka, who conducted a paying business there until about 1901, when they sold to Taylor Bros. The Pierce store existed and did a thriv- ing business, but much of this was credit, until about 1893, when they were succeeded by Wm. Robinson. Shortly after this store had changed hands, J. N. Dolley purchased the stone store and rented Rhinearson his former stand and the two stocks were transferred to W. R. Bracken, who conducted it for about a year and moved the stock away. About 1893, J. N. Dolley took in a partner (David Stewart) and the firm was known as Dolley & Stewart and the stock increased. A furniture and clothing de- partment was added. From 1893 this firm carried a larger stock of goods than is usually found in a small town, being about a $20,000 stock, and had a good selection of anything that could be desired.
The first house built in Maple Hill was the Gilbert Stewart property, which was formerly the farmhouse on the Fowler Ranch. · Mr. Simms built on Third and Fowler Avenue which
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
was really the first house built after the starting of the town. Joseph Hetherington started a blacksmith and wagon-shop near Third and Fowler the same year. W. B. Small built the Wind- ler Hotel, lit it by gas and heated it by steam for several years. It was well kept and did a good business during the summer as a fishing resort and many people from Topeka and elsewhere made this their favorite outing place. Reed & Smith thinking there was prospect for a larger town during the boom days of the eighties and nineties bought forty acres of the Stone farm and plotted it into a suburb of the town. This is now nearly all taken several parties owning four to six tracts.
0
Maple Hill Public School Building.
About 1888 Thos. Brownlee was appointed postmaster, which position he filled until about 1892, when J. W. Clark, our pio- neer harnessmaker, was appointed his successor. Mr. Brownlee started a general merchandise store on a small scale while in the postoffice, which he afterward continued and increased until about 1902. J. W. Clark kept the postoffice about two years and resigned about 1893, and Geo. H. Smith, the pioneer drug- gist, was appointed. He held the position until the fall of 1897, when H. E. Beaubien was appointed. He held the place until October 1, 1889, when H. R. Williams was appointed and has held the position ever since. Soon after Mr. Smith was removed
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
as postmaster he sold his drug stock to Charles F. Payne ,of Topeka, and moved to Spokane, Washington.
In the early spring of 1900 when everything was dry, in the small hours of the night, Maple Hill receiver her first backset. Some one discovered a fire at the rear of the drug-store and gave the alarm. In a short time there were several men on hand with buckets and water, but not until the fire had made such head- way in the drug-store that no one could enter. This fire de- stroyed five buildings, the drug store, Dr. Menard's office, ad- joining it, the Axley store, and Stewart's meat market and ice- house. By heroic work the contents of all but the drug-store were saved. These buildings were soon replaced by better ones.
Maple Hill State Bank.
In November of the same year, in the night, fire was again discovered, this time on the outside of the building occupied by Dolley & Stewart's clothing and furniture store. This fire spread until it swept away the barber-shop next door and Dol- ley & Stewart's warehouse in the rear, but by heroic efforts the Fowler cribs and elevator, as well as a large quantity of the con- tents of Dolley & Stewart's warehouse, also the stone or main store of Dolley & Stewart, were saved. New warehouses and other buildings were at once built and business went on as usual, until early in the spring of 1901, the alarm of fire was again heard at an early hour in the morning, this time to find the stone store had been afire for several hours on the inside, caused
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Wabaunsee County Directory and History
by spontaneous combustion. After this fire Mr. Dolley withdrew from active business in the mercantile line and Mr. David Ste- wart, together with Robert Best, formed the firm of Stewart & Best, and bought out Thomas Brownlee, at the old original Dolley stand. This firm was soon succeeded by David Stewart, who again burned out in the fall of 1903, fire having caught from the adjoining building. He at once moved into other quar- ters and continued business. Mr. Dolley was then in the real estate and insurance business. In 1904 he entered politics.
Thomas Brownlee moved to Dover and died in 1905. W. B. Small closed the Windler Hotel in about 1899 and moved to Blackwell, Oklahoma. While proprietor of the hotel he served two terms as Register of Deeds of Wabaunsee County. Gilbert Stewart, the pioneer butcher, sold out about 1900, bought a farm and was not actively engaged in business until 1907, when he began to buy and ship hogs.
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