USA > Kansas > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Kansas > Part 15
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
ural gas is supplied by the Kansas Natural Gas Company. The two cemeteries, Catholic and the one belonging to the Edgerton Cemetery Association, are well kept and present a neat appearance.
The following is a list of the firms doing business in Edgerton : W. H. Kelly, elevator and corn mill; Edgerton Lumber Company, D. R. Hale, manager; Edgerton State Bank, M. J. Kelly, cashier; Edgerton Hard- ware Company, J. R. Whitla, manager, hardware and implements ; Farmers' Store, C. E. Harbour, manager, general merchandise; Pearce & Cordell, general merchandise; Hale & Dwyer, general merchandise ; Ernest Crow, barber ; L. J. Roller, restaurant and bakery ; E. J. Runner, drugs; Edgerton Creamery Company, C. E. Todd, manager ; S. B. Ewart, painter and paper hanger; S. M. Lard, blacksmith; G. E. Leberman, blacksmith; P. E. Wolfley, real estate and loans; J. C. Crawford, pain- ter and paper hanger ; L. E. Walker, painter and paper hanger; F. O. Grahm, barber; J. M. Collins, dray and transfer ; J. S. Edenfield, horse and mule buyer; J. F. Hastings, postmaster ; The Edgerton "Journal," Charles W. Mays, publisher.
CEMETERY.
The people of Edgerton and vicinity are proud of their cemeteries, one of which lies one mile south and four miles west, while the other, the Catholic, is one mile south and an equal distance to the east.
A few years ago it was thought the present cemetery would shortly be too small for their needs, so the late C. M. Dickson sold to the board of trustees a number of acres adjoining the old cemetery on the east and south, so that the plot was more than double in size.
The cemetery board takes care of the ground and all the graves, 10 one being obliged to look after their own lots.
THE PRESS.
Mr. Charles Mayes publishes the Edgerton "Journal," a live newspa- per. Mr. Mayes is a Kansas product, born in Pleasanton, Kan., in 1873, and began learning the printing trade when eight years old. He worked in many newspaper offices before he embarked in business for himself. He established the "Journal" in December, 1906, bringing the old Wash- ington press formerly used by the "Greeley News," Mound City "Demo- crat" and LaCygne "Standard." which he purchased from Bruce Dennis of the La Cygne "Journal." Mr. Mayes is the father of eight children, a gain of seven since he came to Edgerton, and is not only educating his flock, but is making the financial end show up in a substantial way. He is a good town booster, and is appreciated by the good citizens of Edger- ton and surrounding country. His office is located in the historic Metho- dist Episcopal church that was removed from Lanesfield to Edgerton
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after the railroad established the town of Edgerton. The main part of the Hotel DeTar building at Edgerton was formerly the United Presby- terian church at Lanesfield, and was brought here at the same time. The studding in this building is 4x6 oak, and the building is still substan- tial, notwithstanding the fifty years or more of service. The old Ft. Scott and Leavenworth military road, as well as the Santa Fe Trail, passed through Edgerton.
David M. Evans located here in 1857, when he was six years old. On the way here, he with his uncle, later Judge David Martin, camped at Jonathan Millikan's, at Olathe. They erected a log house on his farm at first, and, shortly afterwards, a stone house. During the border trouble Mr. Evans remained here alone, Mr. Martin being called away to duties connected with the home guards.
CHAPTER X.
OVERLAND PARK.
Strang Line-Business Houses-Additions-Avation Park-Exposition Club-Bank.
The building of the Missouri-Kansas interurban railroad, known a s the "Strang Line" from Kansas City to Olathe, has joined the futures of the two cities. If one grows the other must as the busi- ness and social relations are so closely connected. The rise in land values along the line of the interurban from $100 to as high as $1,000 per acre has added millions of dollars to the wealth of the farmer resi- dents in Johnson county. The interurban lines are naturally the farm- er's lines as they bring a market to his very door and give him the
STRANG LINE DEPOT, OVERLAND PARK, KAN.
conveniences of the larger cities, while still living in the free and open country. The Strang line has not a bridge on its entire line. It fol- lows the high ridge along the historic Santa Fe Trail, now a rock road that parallels the Strang in the Overland district, and this drive is the delight of all motorists
Overland Park is situated on a ridge 136 feet higher than the highest point in Kansas City, which is plainly visible in the distance and is. nearer the postoffice in Kansas City, Mo., than Swope Park.
Overland has natural gas, electric lights, septic tank sewerage, twenty miles of graded streets, shade trees, and about 100 buildings. It has a. bank, lumber yard, and a number of important business institutions,
SCENE AT AVIATION FIELD, OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
as follows: Lon Cave, hardware, implements, garage; J. C. Conser & Son, general merchandise, coal and feed; J. E. Murphy, general store ; Miss Fern Jessup, drug store; George W. Weimer, restaurant; Phil. Walker, feed barn and livery; Howell & Wilson, blacksmiths; Over- land State Bank; Auto Restaurnt; A. M. Wood, real estate and insur- ance ; Miss Ella Moreland, postmistress; C. B. Halliday, attorney and real estate; Dr. Stough, physician; Home Telephone Company, J. D. Givens, manager; Overland Park Lumber Company, Charles Braun, manager; Overland Barber Shop.
ADDITIONS.
The entire town site of Overland comprises 500 acres, divided as fol- lows :
Overland Park is laid out in 233 choice building lots 50x140 feet, which lie just west of the depot at Overland on the Overland Park turnpike. The building restriction is $1,000.
Overland Hill, laid out in ninety bungalow sites, lies just north of the depot. Kansas City can be plainly scen from every lot, and no more beautiful land can be found anywhere. The building restriction is $1.500.
Overland Heights, which lies east of the depot, along the Santa Fe Trail Boulevard, is an ideal spot for a suburban home. It is laid out in 170 lots, and single acre tracts, fronting on winding roads to conform to the natural contour of the grounds. A fine view of Kansas City, as well as of the beautiful Indian creek valley, can be had from this subdivision. The building restriction is $2,500.
Overland View, which is laid out in single acre tracts, adjoins Over- land Heights on the south, and commands an excellent view of the Indian creek valley from every point. The convenient and sightly loca- tion of this land, together with the richness of its soil, makes it very attractive for suburban homes. The building restriction is $1,000.
Overland Place, which lies southeast of Overland Heights, is laid in two and one-half and five acre tracts. A fine view of Kansas City. as well as of the Indian creek valley, can be had from this subdivision, and it is especially attractive for those desiring a large country place for a home, or for truck gardening purposes.
AVIATION PARK.
Overland Park has an aviation school, a grand stand, and hanger or aeroplane garage, and all facilities provided for the housing of aero- planes. Some of the world's now famous aviators made their first small beginnings at Overland, and its flying field is widely known in the world of aeronautics.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
Mr. Strang believes in Overland, works for it, talks for it, spends his money for it, and knows form his thorough knowledge of the United States, in which he has built railroads in nearly every State, that Over- land, for a healthful place, a beautiful place, a moral place, and a good place for investment and home building, can not be excelled and proves his faith in the people and town by living here, himself, with them and being one of them.
EXPOSITION CLUB.
The Mid-Continent Exposition Club has been chartered under the laws of Kansas and 'is organized to build and operate an extensive expo- sition plant and club on ground to be purchased in Overland Park dis- trict. A large tract of land, excellently situated for the purpose of a club, has been acquired It is well served by macadam, automobile
THE VOIGHT BUILDING, OVERLAND PARK, KAN.
roads, the Strang line, the St. Louis and San Frisco railroad, and is' only eight miles from the union station in Kansas City.
BANK.
Overland Park State Bank was organized March, 1910, with a cap- ital stock of $10,000. It has a surplus at present of $2,000, and deposits of $55,000. Its officers are John L. Pettyjohn, president ; John Marty, vice-president ; C. A. Pincomb, cashier. The directors are John L. Pet- tyjohn, John Marty, John Hyde, J. D. New, E. D. Cross, E. E. Voights, Willard James, C. E. Pincomb, L. D. Breyfogle, C. F. Pettyjohn, Frank Hodges. This bank has a neat building 24x60 feet, with basement under the entire building.
CHAPTER XI.
DE SOTO.
Location and Business Firms-Organization of Town Company and First Building-Churches-DeSoto During the Civil War-A Pion- eer's Experience-Introduction to the Shawnee Indians ..
De Soto, Kan., is situated in the northern part of Lexington town- ship, on the Santa Fe railroad, sixteen miles east of Lawrence. It is a thriving little city, and is surrounded by a good farming territory. It has a city light plant, a grain elevator, and Hodge Brothers have a large lumber yard there of which J. E. Dewees is manager. The Kaw Val- ley Mercantile Company and the Taylor Mercantile Company have large establishments, carrying full lines of general merchandise. All lines of business are well represented. The city has a population of about 500.
The De Soto "Eagle Eye" is published by Wiard & Wiard, and is a newsy paper of genuine merit, and covers the surrounding territory thoroughly.
The De Soto State Bank has a capital and surplus of $18,000. B. S. Taylor is president and Andrew Smith, cashier. It is one of the solid financial institutions of the county.
Other business firms are : Ralph Jinks (successor to Coker Brothers), general merchandise ; Davis & Ore, implement store; J. M. Stuchberry, hardware; Nicholson & Chambers, hardware, furniture and undertak- ing; Baker & Company, furniture and undertaking; John Boen, livery ; B. C. Culp, Rexall drug store ; L. C. Blaylock, garage ; Charles Kaegie, blacksmith ; James Hidleston, second-hand store; George Wyland, bar- ber; Dr. Marks, physician ; Dr. Fortney, physician ; J. F. Mason, stock- man ; M. Rakestraw, postmaster.
ORGANIZATION OF TOWN COMPANY AND FIRST BUILDING.
De Soto was organized in the spring of 1857 by a town company, composed of B. W. Woodward, James F. Ligate, James Findley and G. W. Hutchinson. It was named after the great Spanish explorer, De Soto.
Zera Nichols occupied the first frame building in the town as a gen- eral store in 1857, and Stratton & Williams built a saw mill on the river bank. D. Rolfe was employed as engineer for a year and he liked the country so well that he sent for his family and they arrived here in April, 1858. Two or three buildings were erected in 1857. Percy
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
Teters built a double dwelling in 1858, and his family and that of John Van Rankin occupied it. The first hotel was built in 1858 and Mr. Rolfe moved into it that year. John Van Rankin started a general store in 1859. The postoffice was established in 1860 and James Smith was the first postmaster.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist church was organized in 1858 with Elder Buch as minister. Meetings were held in private houses and in the hotel until 1866 when a stone church, costing $2,500, was erected. The Presby- terian church also was organized in 1858. In 1879 they built a stone building costing $2,000. Rev. William H. Smith became pastor in 1860 and remained pastor for about thirty years.
The first birth in De Soto was a child of Mr. and Mrs. Gentry. It. died soon after birth and this was the first death in the town.
The first marriage was a double one, that of Trusdale Barclay to Mellisa Gentry and Robert Todd to Mary Gentry, the ceremony occur- ring in 1859.
A two-story flouring mill was erected in 1879, near the depot, by Skinner & Barrett.
DE SOTO DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
The excitement of the border war was as great at De Soto as in other border towns, and the people of that vicinity organized the home guards and picketed the roads. Robert Todd, of this place owned a horse named "Buckskin" that used to stroll across the Kill creek bridge, near his home, where pasture was greener than on his side of the creek. Sometimes he would go over in the evening and along about daylight the next morning return home. A Mr. Lewellyn. who did not know "Buckskin," nor his way, was placed near the bridge one night after "Buckskin" had crossed, with orders to halt everyone that attempted to cross the creek. Early next morning he heard the horse coming across the bridge. Mr. Lewellyn called "Halt" and "Buckskin" stopped. "Advance and give the countersign," yelled Mr. Lewellyn, and "Buckskin" started on and kept advancing. Mr. Lewellyn, thinking it was a bushwhacker, blazed away, putting a bullet in "Buckskin's" jaw. "Old Buckskin" was a tough animal though and a few days' doc- toring by Mr. Todd brought him back to his usual good health.
A PIONEER'S EXPERIENCE.
The following is given by J. L. Morgan, who is one of the prominent pioneers of De Soto:
"I landed at Kansas City about the twelfth day of April, 1858, and walked out to Westport where I stayed all night, and there I met a man
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
who said his name was Turpin, and he lived near Olathe, which was a very wealthy neighborhood, where claims were worth about $5,000.00 each. I was intending to go to Tecumseh the next morning, but took the wrong road at the mission, and asking no questions, I later found myself in Olathe. I saw some men at a house on the north side of the road from the Avenue Hotel, and asked one of them the way to Tecum- seh. He said that I was on the wrong road, and would have to go to Monticello, or Lexington, which latter was the nearer, but that there was no road further than Cedar creek. The house where these men were proved to be the justice court, and my informant was Wilkerson, a kind of attorney between the two cedars. I had business with him afterwards.
"Following his direction to Lexington, I started out, passing the Bronaugh claim, now the A. G. Carpenter farm, and the claim of Bill McGill.
"I saw rails hauled out on the prairie, but no wealth that my friend, Turpin, had spoken of. Outside of Olathe all was prairie grass, about two inches high, partially covered by the snow which had been falling all morning. The road stopped at Cedar creek. I forded the stream and climbed the bluff, just above where the red bridge now is, and found myself on a high prairie, and saw a high mound ahead, and made for that, until I saw, off to the northwest, some signs of life. The sun was getting low, so I made for that bunch of houses. After wading Kill creek, I came to a path which proved to be one made by stage horses, when driven to the creek for water. Following this path, the first house I reached was one standing where Lexington Grange Hall is now located. I went up to this house, and the man sitting in the door was Colonel Quarles, the father of William Quarles, of Stanley. He pointed out a place where I could stay all night, for the sun was down and I was very hungry, not having had anything to eat since I left Westport. Several men came in during the night, and some of them were from Kentucky. Colonel Quarles also was a Kentuckian, and I was just from there myself (not from the bluegrass district, but from the penny- royal).
"After looking around the next morning, I concluded to go no further. I found that this was the Shawnee Reservation, and that there was a township organization, and that the settlers had come in 1857, mostly. Samuel Mckinney had built a large hotel which had burned down, and Ralph Potter was undertaking to rebuild it at this time. There was a grocery store, which sold whiskey, on the side. There was a daily. four-horse stage, west and east, with an express messenger who carried the money chest. They changed horses and took dinner here, each way. This was a regularly organized stage company. I remember that L. G. Terr went over the line often, also Phil Elkins, the father of Stephen B. Elkins, United States senator from West Virginia. Some of the
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
drivers' names I recall Among them was our jolly, whole-souled "Bill" Julien. No matter how cold or hot, wet or how dry, he was always on time with jolly good humor.
"Among the town officers, I will name Mr. Slaughter, county sur- veyor, who lived here. Each township had three commissioners, and the chairman was a county commissioner. Ralph Potter was our chairman ; Jesse Roberts was justice of the peace. There was no constable serving when I came, so Justice Williams appointed me constable, and I was commissioned by Governor Denver.
"A few words in regard to the town of De Soto. It seemed to be a flourishing little town, with a steam saw mill, owned by Stratton & Williams. Cottonwood lumber seemed to be legal tender at that time, to the mill owners. A good dry goods and grocery store, by R. and M. L. Todd, and a ferry, put in and operated across the Kaw, by Warren Kimball, and John L. Taylor's blacksmith shop, together with H. A. Burgess' boarding house, used until the hotel was built, made up most of the business concerns. Daniel Rolf was proprietor of the new hotel.
There was another place which made an effort to be a village, and that was the town of Potosi, or better known as "Little Shab," just east of Pioneer Hall. It was preempted by O. F. Williams and a man by the name of Winthrow, for a town site, but, like Lexington, it is now a fine farm.
"To refer to an item mentioned in the beginning of this paper, of going to Tecumseh ; the name of my friend there was James Alverson. He came out here from Kentucky, in 1854, and his relatives, at Tecum- seh, were named Jordan. In March, 1863, I went up to see him, and we had a very fine visit, talking over old times. I never saw him any more, until the Price raid, in 1864. I was with our company, at Shawnee, when the Topeka regiment came through, and he was in the ranks. I · had a good long talk with him, and the first news I heard after the battle of Brush Creek, or Westport, was that he had been killed in that battle."
CHAPTER XII.
INTRODUCTION TO THE SHAWNEE INDIANS.
J. L. Morgan, of De Soto, was born in Hardin county, Ky., in 1833, and located on the Kar river, three miles west of DeSoto, in 1858. The town of De Soto is located on land then owned by John Possum, a Shawnee Indian. Mr. Possum's cabin is still standing in the barnyard of Mr. Anderson, who owns the farm now. Once, after the Shawnees had drawn their Government money, some of them decided to celebrate with a little firewater, and these met at Possum's cabin, and the usual drunk followed. When Mr. Morgan stopped at the place, the little cabin was full of drunken Indians, lying on the floor, much like hogs in their pen. One of them, Aaron Blackfish, was not so full, however, and he darted out at another door. There were three doors in the cabin. After Mr. Morgan left, Blackfish came back and in the drunken row that followed, killed Tom Big Knife, crippled another Indian by striking him with a gun, and then shot himself with the same gun.
OTHER TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
Shawnee-Quantrill Visits Shawnee-Lenexa-Aubry-Stilwell-Stan- ley-Merriam - Bonita-Morse-Ocheltree - Monticello-Wilder Kenneth - Choteau-Switzer-Lackman-Craig - Zarah-Holliday -Oxford.
SHAWNEE.
The lovers of Kansas history will always find in the pretty little town of Shawnee, situated one mile west of Merriam, Kan., some- thing of interest. It is a beautiful place, and a few business houses are built around the square in which are growing shade trees that invite you to a welcome rest. The history of Johnson county could not be written without Shawnee being prominently mentioned. It was at one time the county seat of Johnson county, and at two different times, 1862 and 1864, the town was sacked by guerillas under Quan- trill. James Campbell, of Merriam, lived there at the time and wit- nessed the destruction of the town. Thirteen houses were burned each time beside the loss by pillage, and destruction of lives. A street car line from Merriam, Kan., running through a beautiful grove, takes you to this quiet retreat so full of romance and history and as one wanders about the town, house after house built back in the '50's and '60's can be discovered. Many of the modern houses in the vicinity contain a part at least of some of the stone or brick residences of the earlier days.
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Shawnee contained a larger population before the war than at the pres- ent time. It is not now an incorporated city, and has no police force The residents of the town being so law-abiding and peaceful none is needed. What a contrast to the time when eight saloons sold liquor here to Indians and whites alike. And this little town, without an organiza- tion, too, has one of the strongest and best directed banks in the county. the Shawnee Savings Bank, incorporated in 1908 with a capital stock of $10,000 and a $5,000 surplus and deposits of $90,000, president, R. O. Larsen ; vice-president, L. L. McShane ; C. Nieman, cashier ; C. M. Wat- son, assistant. The town has three general merchandise stores and one exclusive dry goods store and one hardware store. It has a nice school building with three rooms and an enrollment of 115. The Metho- dists have a strong organization under the supervision of Rev. F. E. Mod- den and a membership of 105. Two years ago the Methodist Sunday school celebrated the fiftieth anniversary. Father T. P. Schwam is the head of the Catholic church here. He has a fine church with strong mem- bership. Up to two years ago a parochial school was maintained here, the school being the oldest one in the State.
The first settlement was made here August 10, 1857, by J. D. Allen. Other early settlers were Richard Williams, William Holmes, J. T. Rowland, W. B. Maupin and A. W. Wear.
Shawnee derived its name from the Shawnee. Indians, who lived here on the reservation at the time of the white settlements. The district court met here in 1857. All the county officers resided here at that time and the town was known as Gum Springs. J. D. Allen was appointed justice of the peace by the commissioners in 1857 and held the position for many years.
Timothy Keeser and Martha Patton were married September 9, 1857, the first marriage in the town. The first death, that of Mrs. W. B. Mau- pin, was in July, 1858. The same year the first school was organized here and was held in an old Indian meeting house. A school building was erected in 1866 near the southwest corner of the public square. In September, 1857, Rev. William Holmes preached the first sermon in the town. A church was built many years prior to the location of the town, called the Shawnee Indian Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
A postoffice was established here in 1858, and M. P. Randall was appointed postmaster. The present postmaster is Benjamin F. Hollen- back, who was first appointed to the place in 1867 by President Andrew Johnson, and with the exception of two terms when Grover Cleve- land was President, has held the office ever since. In Mr. Hollenback's own words, "I was removed then for being an offensive partisan." The postoffice is now located in the northeast corner of the square and Mr. Hollenback and wife have nicely furnished living quarters in the back part of the same building. Mr. Hollenback was born in Kendall county, Illinois, in 1836, was married to Catherine Brown in 1854 and has seven children. He first located in Olathe township about four miles
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
east of town and was there when Quantrill raided Olathe in 1864. IIe heard the gunshot that killed Frank Cook, a young man who enlisted a short time before in the Twelfth Kansas. It was about midnight when Quantrill's men passed by his place and Mr. Hollenback heard them coming. His house was almost one-fourth mile from the road and one of Quantrill's men began to tear the boards off the fence to go through when one of the men called, "Come on, G- d- it, there aint no one lives there: it's an old abandoned house." Mr. Hollenback's corn field was close by his house and he kept secreted until they had passed. Mrs. Hollenback and their children were there at the time.
Mr. Hollenback engaged in business with Thomas Archer, in 1865. at Shawnee. A year later they dissolved partnership and Mr. Hollen- back continued in business alone. He knew the Indians well and recalls Chief Bluejacket, Graham Rogers, Lazarus Flint and others. He sold the Indians a great deal of merchandise and they were good pay. He says they came, picked out what they wished and paid for it without dickering. Many of them were like their white brothers in spending their money as fast as they received it, and oftentimes, before. He says Chief Bluejacket and quite a number of other Indians belonged to Shawnee Lodge, No. 54, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and he remembers when Chief Bluejacket was initiated. At a certain part of the ceremony, he made a very long and fervent prayer, and tears rolled down his cheeks. These Indians wore their hair trimmed in the same style as the white men. In August, 1862, Mr. Hollenback enlisted in Company H. Twelfth Kansas infantry, and served until July, 1855. He was on the board of county commissioners for two years, being elected in 1867. He is well fixed in a financial way, and at the age of four score, he and his estimable wife are enjoying the well-earned competence which is theirs.
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