History of Butler County Kansas, Part 17

Author: Mooney, Vol. P
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan. : Standard Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 946


USA > Kansas > Butler County > History of Butler County Kansas > Part 17


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The first newspaper was the "Herald," and its first editor was Al M. Hendee. Before this it was known as the Brainerd "Sun," edited first by Brumback and McCann, and was moved later by Mr. Morrison to this city in 1889 and the business has grown from a small country office to one of the largest enterprises in the city, under its present man- agement. The first bank was moved here from Brainerd in 1889. Its officers were: A. H. McLain, president : A. H. McLain, Jr., vice presi- dent ; E. S. McLain, cashier. The first postmaster in Whitewater was I. H. Neiman in his own building, occupied by S. L. Motter as general store, who was assistant postmaster under him. Mrs. Nellie M. Godfrey, in the building now occupied by the "Independent," was second. The next was H. W. Bailey, editor of the "Tribune" at that time. Next was G. W. Penner, followed by C. H. Otte, the present incumbent. To date there have been two Democrats and three Republicans in the postal service as postmasters. The first mail route on the rural free delivery was established in 1902. In June, Isaac Neiman was the first carrier on the route, with his father as substitute. The route is north and east.


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The present carrier is T. J. Powell and J. T. Welsh as substitute. The first carrier on route No. 2 was George Corfman.


In early days Whitewater had a United States male carrier from the Rock Island depot while the postoffice was out of the limit. He was O. C. Shay. The Missouri Pacific never had one, other than its agent. The Rock Island is now within the limits. The first school directors of But- ler and Harvey county district No. 95 were: John Eilerts, Joseph Weatherby, and Chester Smith. Under their term of office the present school house was built. Wert and Froese were the contractors. The first grain buyers were: E. T. Burns on the Missouri Pacific and W. A. Sterling and brother on the Rock Island. The first meeting of the council was held in the school house. The incorporation of the city took place in 1889. The first mayor was G. H. Otte. Councilmen were J. Weatherby, G. G. Cooms. H. H. Weachman, Fred Breising and E. T.


BANK OF WHITEWATER, WHITEWATER, KANS.


Burns. The first city marshal was Wm. Newbury. The board of can- vassers for this first election were: S. L. Motter, W. F. Wakefield and E. L. Neal. The first brick yard was operated by L. Fessler of Newton with George Brazee as foreman. The first brick building was built by G. W. Penner and its first occupants were Penner and Motter with a stock of general merchandise. This building was built of Whitewater brick.


Whitewater has had only six fires of any importance in its nearly twenty years of existence. The first was the barn of G. H. Roach. The others were barns also and were but little loss.


The waterworks system was begun by McLains, the bankers. It was built by John E. Ford of Newton. The first location of the post- office was in the building now owned and occupied by the "Independ-


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ent." The first pastor of the Reformed Church was D. B. Shuey and of the Lutheran, H. Acker. The first church parsonage of which White- water has two, was purchased by the Lutherans. The other was built by the German Reformed. The first elevator was built by E. T. Burns in 1889 near the Missouri Pacific tracks on South Main. It was later moved and consolidated with the Whitewater Mill and Elevator Co., of which he is a member. Mr. Burns was also the first coal dealer in Whitewater. The first drug stores were owned by E. S. Raymond, from Brainerd, and G. H. Otte, from Annelly, in '89. The first resident car- penter was Joseph Weatherby of Annelly. The first secret order was the Independent Order Odd Fellows, in 1889. Its first meeting was in Eilert's, now Huguenin's Hall. The other orders represented here are the Masons, Ancient Order United Workmen, Modern Woodman and Grand Army of the Republic. The first ladies' order was the Re- bekahs, the other the Woman's Relief Corps. The first furniture dealer was Mr. Henry Heigerd, who occupied the north room of the Smith building which was the first store building moved from Annelly. The first retired farmer to move to town was C. Miller. Many have come since. The first butcher shop was started by Fred Breising. The first barber was O. E. McDowell. He was also the first painter here. The first lawyer was Peter E. Ashenfelter. Within the limits of Whitewater are few people who do not try to make it a better place to live in socially and morally. The morals of this community compare favorably with the best-none better while there are many worse.


MURDOCK TOWNSHIP.


By W. O. Moore.


Murdock township, comprising the territory known as township 25, range 3, east of the principal meridian. was organized in March, 1873, and an election was ordered for township officers at the general election in April. Voting place to be at school house in district 25. The following officers were elected: Wm. Spencer, trustee; W. Goodale, treasurer ; J. N. Shibles, clerk ; Reuben Moore and B. F. Hess, justices of the peace ; B. E. Doyle and A. G. Davis, constables.


The township was named for the late Thomas Benton Murdock. Anthony G. Davis, now a resident of Benton, was, I believe, the first settler in what is now Murdock township. Mr. Davis came to Butler county in 1857. In the year 1868 he had a little store in the southwest corner of Murdock township. Goods were hauled in those days with teams from as far as Topeka; and the county abounded in Indians and buffalo. In 1859 came Mr. Gillian, a widower, bringing one son and three daughters. The mother of the girls, his second wife, was part Cherokee Indian. All these have gone to their reward, except possibly one daughter. In 1862 came the Atkison brothers, Benjamin, now living


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in Chautauqua Springs, Samuel, lving now at Independence, and Stephen, dead. About the same time came the Kelly brothers. Jim, the oldest, is now in an old soldiers' home in California. Abe Kelly is de- ceased. Charley's whereabouts are unknown. John Kelly was drowned in 1867 while swimming the Whitewater river about four miles south of Whitewater City. In 1866 came John Folk. In the spring of 1868 Reuben Moore, father of the writer, came to the county, buying for one hundred dollars a quarter section of homestead land on the Whitewater and on which stood down by the creek a little log house. That summer and fall buffalo were hunted for winter meat out near the present loca- tion of Wichita. Sometimes a deer, or an antelope and often a wild tur- key, was killed. Failing these, a fat raccoon or opossum would answer for a roast and always there were prairie chickens, thousands of them, and I have counted nineteen antelope in one bunch on the divide be- tween the Whitewater and the West Branch.


In 1870 the Whitewater overflowed its banks. We left the little log cabin about ten o'clock one night and the next morning the water was half way to its roof. Then father decided it was time to build on higher ground. Lumber was brought from Emporia, and for the times, a very fine house was built, it being one and one-half stories high. The follow- ing summer the young people decided that a dance, then the popular amusement, must be given at the house. The time arrived, and most of the day it rained, but a large crowd gathered notwithstanding, again it rained. it rained until daylight and until daylight we danced. At day- break a trip was made to the creek. It was bank full. As nearly all the guests must cross the creek to get to their home, all returned to the house. The following night the dance was continued and all stayed another night. The girls occupied the upstairs and the boys the down- stairs. The next morning the creek was still nearly bank full. A little lumber having been left from the building a canoe was made with which the girls were to be taken across the creek. Reuben Moore and his brother, Carl, took their places in the boat and started off a high bank. When they had gone about two hundred yards, a swift current was en- countered, the boat capsized and the boys had a struggle to swim back to shore. In this catastrophe Reuben lost his pocket book and fifteen dollars. That night the tired crowd retired about midnight, but some of the boys wakening later, called the fiddler, the music began at "Bal- ance all," down came the girls and another round was had. This was always called the "protracted dance."


Other early settlers of Murdock township are: Edwin Hall, 1868, deceased ; William Paul, 1869, deceased, 1873; Leonard Shafer. 1868. Old Mr. Dorsey and family, Mr. Blankenship, son-in-law of Dorsey and Charles Mornhenwig, all came in 1869. John Miller, Henry Dohren, Thomas Ohlsen, Dave Kehl, Albert and Charley Diemart, Robert Tay- lor, Joseph Claypool, Henry Terbush and the Goodales all came in 1870. A. L. Drake, Isaac Curtin, Jim Shibles, 1871; Bill Spencer and Barney


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Doyle, 1871 ; William McCraner, who came in 1870, locating in Milton township. just outside of Murdock, was the first postmaster of the Cari- bou postoffice. Wm. McCraner, Jr. and myself made many a boast of how much prairie we could "break" with four or five yoke of oxen.


In the winter of 1869 a little school house was built by the people of the township. This was a little log house and like most of the other log houses, had a floor made of logs which had been split in the middle, and dressed a little with an ax. These were called puncheon floors. The seats were of the same material, having holes bored in with an auger and round pins or sticks driven in for legs. The writing desks were made in the same fashion, the pins being driven into the wall. O. W. Belt was the first teacher, a three months summer term. Charles Noe, now of Leon, was the teacher the next term. Some of us will always remember Charley as 'twas from him we received our schooling.


In the spring of 1868 an Indian scare took all of us to El Dorado. where we stayed two or three days and returned to our homes. Bill Avery said of this occasion, that when he had gotten back home every- thing seemed so peaceful and quiet he was ashamed to look his cows in the face.


Rev. Isaac Mooney, "Father Mooney," as we always called him, for he was certainly a gospel father to us all, was the first man to preach in the vicinity. He rode from Towanda on horseback. Each Sunday, without fail, he came. Very few to attend at the start, no one to help with the singing. Some would come to remain on the outside, these being especially the cowboys, their revolvers buckeled around them and seemingly more afraid of the preacher than of a herd of buffalo. But in time all finally went inside. Father Mooney continued coming until a larger and better school house was built, and finally a strong church was organized. He was a faithful servant of the Lord and his influence for good is still felt in this community today.


In my time here I have heard young men from the East say they would not stay if given the whole county. I have heard the early set- tlers say the land would be stock range forever, and time spent in try- ing to farm these prairies was wasted. But these mistaken opinions are evidenced by the prosperous farmers and fertile farms of this valley. Often my mind goes back to the '60's when everyone was a friend, when no selfishness was among us, and those seem the best days of my life.


PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.


By J. F. Glendenning.


Pleasant township was organized March II, 1873, out of the terri- tory known as township twenty-eight, range three. Election ordered held at the usual time of holding election and voting place to be at the residence of Thomas McKnight. The following town-


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ship officers were elected: A. H. Dunlap, trustee ; J. E. Milton, treas- urer ; E. J. Pyle, clerk; N. W. Runnells and II. G. Russell, justices of the peace ; James Stroup and Sam Allen, constables.


In July, 1871, the writer, with another young man by the name of Byron McKinney, conceived the idea of adventure; so we thought we would take Horace Greeley's advice, "Go west, young man, and grow up with the country." so we took the prairie schooner for Kansas.


Traveling at our leisure and enjoying life to its fullest extent (as we then thought) for we were having a picnic every day until we arrived at a little town by the name of Bazaar, in Chase county, Kansas. Bazaar was located on a creek called Rock Creek which was at flood tide when we arrived there, so we did not have a picnic but a regular, or irregular. camp meeting. The camp ground was about all occupied by fifteen or twenty other wagons, emigrants and freighters. So we located in the suburbs of Schooner City for about three days or till the water ran down so we could resume our journey, and as we wanted to be fully satisfied before locating we travelled over several counties, including Butler, Sedgwick, Sumner, Cowley, Willson, Howard and Greenwood : and not finding any place as enchanting as Butler county, so we again pulled for Butler and feeling sure we had found the promised land and as we were a little particular in our selection of a place for a home and wanting a garden spot of that most beautiful county we located in Pleasant town- ship. The name is significant of the township and also of the early set- tlers of the township as they were kindly, neighborly, energetic and un- sophisticated and as memory is a little treacherous after a lapse of forty- five years, I will perhaps not be able to give many of the things that transpired or the names of many of the people, which I regret very seriously.


The first man we met in Pleasant was Henry Freeman, and as we camped by a little creek for dinner and also joining Mr. Freeman's corn field, he perhaps thought we would want some corn to feed our horses, so he came down to our camp and sure we did buy a bushel of corn from him for one quarter of a dollar. Mr. Freeman was a Union soldier dur- ing the Civil war (if there is anything as civil war) and was also a man of Roosevelt type, as he reared a family of ten children who are all do- ing well. One of the boys, Prof. Harvey Freeman, is holding a good position in the Commercial College in Wichita, Kansas. And one of the girls, Miss Lizzy Freeman, was married to Byron Mckinney. She was a splendid wife to Mr. Mckinney and sure he was one of the best men I ever knew, as we lived on adjoining farms for twenty years. I knew him to be a true friend. He departed this life about ten years ago and his widow lives in Wichita, Kansas. Mr. Freeman has gone, as most of the old settlers have; he died a few years ago.


After looking over the country that afternoon we camped for the night at Mr. Lane's, father of George Lane, ex-clerk of the district Court of Butler county. George is now a resident of Los Angeles, California.


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One daughter, Mrs. Alice Baker, lives in Bruno township, Butler county. Mr. and Mrs. Lane are both dead and gone to try the realities of that happy home that awaits the just and upright in heart. The next man we met was Ephraim Yeager, who had located some six weeks earlier and had just built a nice frame house to shelter his wife and two baby girls from the storms that might come; but there was one storm came that nothing combustable has ever yet withstood. That was the prairie fire which burned his house with all its contents and about three hundred dollars in cash. That fire occurred about the time (October 7, 8, and 9,) of the great Chicago fire, but this fire started from other cause than the cow kicking the lamp over, but it surely devastated the country, burning houses, stables, cows, horses, wagons, hay, etc. It did not burn any barns, buggies, or fine carriages; as they were at that time immune to fire in that part of Kansas. Mr. Yeager was an old Indian fighter in Oregon and California and also a veteran of the Union army. Mr. and Mrs. Yeager are both dead, leaving a nice interesting family of six chil- dren, most of whom live on or near the old homestead. I think it was in this fire that a man by the name of Herod lost his life. He was on his way to his claim when overtaken by the fire. His clothes were almost burned off him but he managed to reach Eight Mile Creek, near where Mr. Jones, the father of Marion Jones, lived-they took care of him the best they could but he died four days later. He was a school teacher.


In order to show you the tenacity that possessed the early settlers, I will relate what came under our observation on our first trip over the township. As we approached the little creek of Eight Mile we discov- ered an open shd, and wishing to cross the creek and get over to the shed, were barred by the marshy ground, so one of us walked over and there found a young man (a bachelor, of course) lying there with a broken leg, and with not a murmur of complaint and in asking and in- sisting that we should do something for him, he said that Dr. Hill had been there and reduced the fracture and some of his near neighbors were caring for him ; I believe his name was Osborn.


It is impossible at this writing to give all the early settlers' names as only those that I was best acquainted with do I remember. I hope no one will feel slighted or offended if they fail to see their names here, for I would not wound the feelings of one of those brave hearts that en- dured the hardships and suffered the privations of frontier life.


There was the very interesting family of A. H. Dunlap, and as they were all musicians they organized an orchestra and gave us splendid music at our literary society at Old Harmony school house, which was destroyed by cyclone on the last day of March, 1892. L. S. Dunlap was trustee of the township for several years and surely made a splendid officer. Rey. A. H. and Mrs. Dunlaphave long since departed this life and we hope and trust they occupy mansions above. And there was John Dunlap and his very estimable wife, who took a prominent part in things to make a better community.


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There on the banks of the beautiful stream of Four Mile Creek resided the families of Nathan Hide and the Russells. The Russells girls were some of Butler county's best teachers. There also lived John Q. Chase who was trustee for several years and John Kibby, the great cattle king of the township.


I thought I had got so far from home that I would not see any one that I had known but I had just got located and passing a house or rather a hay shed I met a man that had freighted for us in Iowa and I said "Hello, Mr. Snook," and he looked at me in great surprise, and said, "It's Frank." I said "Yes, but I am surprised to see you here ;" he said that he could not make a living on those poor hills north, so he had to move and he said, "By golly, I've found the garden spot of earth," and he also believed in that command in the Scripture to Adam and Eve, "Multiply and replenish the earth." Mr. and Mrs. Snook are long since dead, and their ten children are scattered.


The name that will perhaps live longer in the minds and hearts of the good people of Pleasant township is Theodore McKnight, as he was always noted for his good words and works; and as he was left to travel the road toward the setting sun alone, he made his home with his daugh- er, Mrs. Nathan Chance of Augusta, one of the estimable ladies and strong characters for purity and uprightness of Augusta. One of his sons, Thomas McKnight, was one of the rustlers of Pleasant township and a veteran soldier of the Union army, with his energy and indomita- ble will, succeeded in building a fine home. W. A. McKnight, another son, was sure one of the strong men of the township and was as faithful a friend as it ever was my pleasure to meet. If any one had told me that W. A. McKnight had done a mean act, I would not have believed it. His daughter, Ola, was married to Will Cummings, Jr., who had made a success in life and by his uprightness of character has won the confidence and esteem of the entire community.


Another one of the substantial citizens was Joe Hall, and Mrs. Hall was his equal in stability of character, for they are sure as true as steel and as faithful in performing their life work as the Lord wanted them to be. Joe was a veteran in the Union army and was wounded in bat- tle. They are spending their declining years in a nice home in Rose Hill; and we hope and trust that their lives will be fraught with all the joy and happiness that is man's lot to receive here on earth. T. F. Hall was another of the substantial citizens and his wife, a very estimable lady, was the daughter of Captain Webb, and sister of U. S. Webb, now at- torney general of California.


There was the Webb Reynolds family who were always ready to help in every movement for the bettering of the community in which they lived and I believe they really enjoyed frontier life, as they seemed so cheerful and happy at all times. The Matt Skinner family was num- bered with our dearest friends who helped make Pleasant township and also Butler county, as Mrs. Skinner was one of Butler's best school


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teachers. The William Cummings family were our near neighbors and dear friends and as they believed in preparedness they raised a family of two girls and seven boys, two of whom are now in the front ranks fighting for King Emmanuel. And there was the William Simmons fam- ily who enjoyed in building a nice home of their own in the land of peace and quiet. And there was another man that was true to the prin- ciples of democracy and that was the dear old boy, Cale John, one of my substantial friends. There are many others, that I would like to tell you of their good qualities and true friendship, but I must bring this to a close by mentioning a few names of the early settlers. There were the Billows, Prays, Pyles, Dinnets and Johnstons, and a man by the name of Marion Franklin who located in what is now Pleasant township in 1869.


I haven't told any funny stores as I thought I would, for when my mind was carried back to those happy days and then down to the present time, it rather saddens my heart. I don't like to live too much in the past, as they say when a person begins to live in the past, he is getting old and as I expect to stay young for years I will try to live in the pres- ent and enjoy this life with a glad heart and look to the future for a happy home where there will be no more good-byes said, and we will never grow old. The names given here and many more are among the men and women that faced the trials of frontier life and made the desert bloom as the rose. The dark day of the grasshopper raid I shall leave for a more able writer to describe.


Wishing you all a happy life here and a happier future, I bid you good-bye. I am your friend.


PLUM GROVE TOWNSHIP. By C. V. Cain.


After the passing of forty-six years, that being the time I came to the township, it will be little wonder if many happenings of importance at that time have not gone from my memory, but to write up the sayings and doings of these pioneers, one must be in a reminiscent mood to make it of interest to any, but those that had part and parcel at that time, and also this little sketch must include the names of many who were resi- dents of other parts of the county outside of Plum Grove. These out- siders came into our social life, as well as the commercial or business life of the community.


The largest immigration to this part of Kansas was in 1870. The newcomers that year and 1871 had their time all taken up with preparing a place to live, without devoting their time to sociability. Consequently. it was in 1872 before they began to move around and get acquainted with their neighbors, which they did by attending literary societies at the different school houses and one in particular at the Eaton school in Milton township which was largely attended by George, Howard and


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Arthur Neiman, Ed Eaton, W. J. McFrancis, E. B. Brainard, John and Mrs. Ilorner, C. P. Strong, and so many others from eight to ten miles away their names I do not now recall. Their debates were certainly in- teresting and there was always an editor and a paper that was full of jokes at the expense of the attendants, but I recall but one such ; C. P. Strong had unusually large ears. One of the papers had this little squib : "If all flesh is grass, what a pile of hay Strong's ears ought to make." Of course it brought down the house. Not only the Eaton school house but the Wilcox school house in Clifford held their debates and spelling schools. Settlers in those days went a long distance to church and Sun- day school ; among the church and Sunday school workers were Daniel M. Elder, Jacob Holderman, Joseph B. Morton, Mrs. L. B. Cain, Mrs. I. Howe and many others.


Another line of amusement that was popular with the early settlers were the "surprise parties." They would gather at some neighbor's, and a neighbor was anyone living within fifteen miles. Everyone was expected to bring a basket of provisions, and sometimes in these baskets there would be some huge sell in the shape of sawdust pie, cake sea- soned with salt in place of sugar, coffee spiced up with pepper. One night there was a large, nice looking cake brought in which there was said to be a ring. When it was cut and divided around a young lady had the piece with a small harness ring. There were several good sing- ers in the country and they formed a singing class, and there were some very fine singers. M. S. Eddy and brother-in-law. Will Power, were as fine bass and tenor as you could find anywhere. The Ketchum brothers, Ed and Hoyt, were also good. Mrs. W. H. Randall was generally the musician that accompanied. Prof. F. C. Buck, of Augusta, often at- tended the meetings of the musical crowd in their vicinity.




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