USA > Kansas > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Kansas > Part 18
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Yes, the voters of the town of Oxford, who, by the way, lived, mostly, in Little Santa Fe, Mo., just over the line, believed in turning out to elections. It wasn't necessary to haul 'em in either ; they voted to a man. According to the report there were about forty-two or forty-three voters who cast their votes according to law, but Henry Clay Pate, who was intrusted with the records, took the list over to Little Santa Fe that night, then to Westport the next day, and when the vote for October 5, 1857, showed up at the office of the secretary of State, Oxford had cast 1,628 votes. At a later date, December 21, 1857, an election was held on the Lecompton constitution, and the Oxford vote was about 1,250. Shawnee precinct also had worked up the "stay at home vote," and had cast over 700 more votes than they had voters. On January 4, 1858, an election was held for the election of officers under the Lecompton con- stitution. Oxford precinct showed up with only 696 illegal votes, a big slump. On the twenty-ninth day of the same month a census was taken ford township, and the precinct showed forty-two legal voters. It had been generally supposed that the officials in charge of the ballot boxes of Oxford township, and the precinct showed forty-two legal voters. It had been generally supposed that the officials in charge of the ballot boxes at Oxford were dead, but recent events in Terre Haute, Ind., and Kansas City, Mo., prove this to be an error.
W. T. Quarles, who lives on one of the fine farms of Oxford town- ship and whose farm adjoins the townsite of Stanley, on the north, is one of the most interesting characters of the county. The experiences of early-day life connected with a life of activity in political and business affairs give him a prominent place in Johnson county history. Mr. Quarles came to Johnson county in 1857. The county then extended north to the Kaw river. His father stuck the first stake in Lexington township on the Kansas City-Lawrence stage road. While living there the first summer an Indian murder occurred. Mr. Quarles happened
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along the road a short time after the killing and saw two dead Indians and another crippled one by the road side. "Who did this?" asked Mr. Quarles of the crippled Indian. "Black Fish velly bady man," was the answer. "He kill Tom Bigyknife, he breaky my back then kill himself." Black Fish was a bad Indian, and had shot Big Knife. The other In- dian interfering in some way was struck with the gun, and then putting the butt end of the double barrel shot gun against a tree, with his foot he discharged the other barrel, killing himself instantly. This saved the other Indians from hanging Black Fish as they followed the divine injunction, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
Mr. Quarles came to Oxford township, where he now lives, in 1868, and settled on the Black Bob lands. In the early days of '60 Mr. Quarles
RESIDENCE OF E. H. HASKIN, LENEXA, KAN.
hauled hay to Kansas City stacked loose on the hay rack, and, said Mr. Quarles : "I don't know what we would have done if it had not been for the prairie grass. The Kansas City market being only a day's drive gave us an opportunity to sell what we had at a living profit, and prairie hay was always in good demand there. We got 40 cts to $1.25 per hundred." Mr. Quarles bought his housekeeping outfit from Hadley & Phillips, of Olathe, and with a twinkle in his eye and a smile said : "I bought them on credit too."
Mr. Quarles knew the Turpin family quite well, that ran the Olathe House in 1861, when C. R. Jennison called at daybreak to rid the town of Southern sympathizers. Colonel Jennison, famous as a Jayhawker in the troubles of 1856, raised a company of men at Leavenworth, and took
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them to Wyandotte to have them enlisted, with himself as captain. For some reason they were not taken in and Mr. Jennison was very much disappointed. He had something he wanted to do at Olathe by author- ity of law, if possible, but if not legally, he intended to do it otherwise, and with his men he came to Olathe and arrested L. S. Cornwell, and his partner, Drake, his son-in-law, Judge Campbell and the Turpin family, all from the Southern states and with Southern sympathies. As Jennison was acting without authority of law, Mr. Cornwell protested against the arrest as an outrage, at which Jennison struck him in the face with a pistol. The prisoners were searched and their weapons taken away from them and confiscated. After being held under arrest for three or four hours they were sworn not to take up arms against the Govern- ment and released. An ex-stage driver by the name of Cleveland, who had the reputation of being a "horse-operator and confiscationist," and the afterwards famous James G. Blunt were acting as lieutenants under Jennison. Over in Oxford township a German doctor lived, by the nanie of Schaerff, and on the way to Olathe Jennison called on him to straigh- ten out his political views and made him take an oath of loyalty to the Government. The doctor claimed that Jennison robbed him of a gold watch and other valuables, but as his reputation for veracity was not of the best the neighbors generally doubted his word. This act of Jen- nison's at Olathe, no doubt had something to do with Quantrill's coming to Olathe, for the Turpins were strong Southerners, and were not afraid to say what they though in regard to the political questions of the day. Turpins ran the Olathe House, on the west side of the square, and oc- casionally the Red Legs visited them and stole stuff from them, at one time a pair of wool blankets that Mrs. Turpin thought a great deal of, as she had spun the wool and done the weaving.
(Gregg's History gives the following concerning the Turpin family.) "The Turpin family consisted of the old gentleman, his wife, three sons and a daughter. The daughter married Mack Smith, and Smith made a living by selling whisky, in 1857, and belonged to the middle class of the South. They were proud of their Southern origin and hated the Yankees with a genuine honest hatred and their espousal of the Southern cause was most decided and emphatic. Turpin, the nominal head of the family, was an easy going, mild old fellow, who looked upon the national conflict as a rather trivial affair when compared with the domestic conflicts of frequent occurrence in his own house. His spouse, the real head, was a character. A large muscular woman with a snap- ping black eye and tongue of a thousand horsepower, fond of a glass of whisky (and they sold it at the hotel too), a horse race, a game of 'draw' and occasionally a knock down, she was a woman that very few of the Yankee persuasion cared to contradict when national complications were discussed. Few people went away from that hotel without a pretty comprehensive knowledge of the political views entertained there. The
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boys were young men, and better than might have been expected, tak- ing the maternal training into consideration."
Soon after Jennison's visit the oldest son of the Turpins joined the Confederate army, in southwest Missouri. He never came back and it is supposed he died, or was killed, about the close of the war.
Cliff, the younger of the boys, was the "son of his mother," found the companionship of the Quantrill gang suited to his taste, and joined them. He was with Quantrill at the Olathe raid, and although the bal- ance of the town was looted, the Olathe Hotel ran by the Turpins was undisturbed. Quantrill and a part of his men dined at the hotel while the men of the town were corralled in the square. Mrs. Turpin, the day before the raid, went to Missouri on horseback, and returned the eve- ning of the raid, and it was supposed she had been instrumental in giv- ing Quantrill the necessary tips that made the surprise and plundering of the town so easy. How Cliff Turpin got his arms, necessary to join Quantrill, is told by Mr. Quarles. A drunken soldier was asleep in Westport one night, and Cliff quietly stole his gun from him, cocked it, and backed off ready to shoot if the soldier made a move. Fortu- nately for the soldier, however, he was too drunk to be awakened by a little thing like that and he only lost his gun.
Mr. Quarles was instrumental in organizing a company of thirty men to drill for gas at Stanley. Four wells were drilled and gas found in each one, and in one of these considerable oil was found. Gas was struck at a depth of 600 feet, and the residents of Stanley use gas now for both cooking and heating.
Mr. Quarles has always taken an active interest in politics and is a man of strong character, and rare executive ability. He is fearless in fighting for a principle that he believes is right, and is fair with those who may oppose him. He was chief of police in Kansas City, Kan., during both the Leedy and Lewelling administrations in Kansas, and proved himself thoroughly capable and worthy.
A GROUP OF CIVIL WAR VETERANS, MEMBERS OF FRANKLIN POST, No. 68, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC,
CHAPTER XIII.
CIVIL WAR AND BORDER WAR.
Free State and Pro-Slavery Conflict-Johnson County in the Civil War -Maj. J. T. Hadley Promoted-Lieutenant Pellett Recruits a Com- pany-Colonel Hayes Wounded-General Order No. II-Battle of Westport-Beginning of Quantrill's Band-When Quantrill Raided Olathe-Quantrill Passed through Johnson County on Way to Law- rence-Spring Hill Looted-The Red Legs-Battle of Bull Creek- Battle of "Blowhard"-War-time Clippings from the "Olathe Mir- ror"-Grand Army of the Republic.
CIVIL WAR AND BORDER WARFARE.
Owing to the close proximity of Johnson county to Missouri more than its share of disaster and distress arising from early political dif- ferences fell to the lot of the early settlers of this county. The fact is, the war began in this section in the fifties and ended sometime after the surrender of General Lee, and this country was blighted by about ten years of war, instead of four, which fell to the lot of the country, generally.
From the beginning Johnson county was the scene of many conflicts between the Free-State and pro-slavery parties. The first ones were slight and unimportant owing to the fact the land was not open to set- tlement and the few early residents were practically of one mind. As the controversy waxed more intense, the conflicts became more cruel and insolent. The elections held were farces and for the greater part were managed by pro-slavery men. The methods used are evidenced by the election of October 5, 1857, for the members of the legislature. The continuous interference of Missouri border ruffians in Kansas affairs on the eastern tier of counties aroused the greatest feeling of animosity among the Free-State men which resulted in the border wars of varying degrees of importance. A battle growing out of politics was that called by some "the first battle of Bull Run," because it was fought on Bull creek, in the year 1858, when General Lane, commander of the Free-State men, met the pro-slavery forces of General Reid. A few shots were exchanged and Reid retreated into Missouri. No blood was shed.
On September 6, 1862, Quantrill made his well known raid upon Olathe, which was in a defenseless condition. With a band of about J40 men he entered the town, invaded and plundered houses and stores, and corralled the citizens in the public square. Hiram Blanchard, of Spring Hill, Philip Wiggins and Josiah Skinner were killed in an effort to protect property.
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JOHNSON COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR.
In Johnson county 500 men were enrolled in the Thirteenth regiment, of which Thomas M. Bowen was commissioned colonel; J. B. Wheeler, lieutenant-colonel ; William Roy, adjutant, and during the four years of war Johnson county furnished its full share of soldiers. In about three weeks after the first call for troops, a company of fifty men enlisted and organized with S. F. Hill, captain. This company was assigned to the Second Kansas infantry as Company C. Upon the second call for vol- unteers a second company was organized with J. E. Hayes as captain. For some time this company belonged to the Fourth regiment. Nearly an entire company was raised in the county for the Eighth Kansas in- fantry, and was assigned as Company F of that regiment. with J. M. Hadley as second lieutenant. In the late summer of 1862, William Pellet, of Olathe, was commissioned to raise another company of infantry. As Company H of the Twelfth regiment it performed garrison duty at Forts Leavenworth, Riley and Larned. Also for the Twelfth regiment a company was raised in the vicinity of Gardner and Spring Hill, with John T. Gorden as captain. After the Lawrence massacre, the Fifteenth regiment of cavalry was raised. Johnson county furnished one entire company. The regiment distinguished itself in 1864, fighting General Price's army on its notorious raid.
The second regiment, which had served three months as infantry in 1861, was re-organized during the winter as cavalry. and enlisted for three years. Johnson county furnished part of one company and two officers. Pat. Cosgrove, ex-sheriff, was commissioned first lieutenant of Company G, and G. M. Waugh, ex-county attorney, second lieutenant. In the spring the "New Mexico Expedition" was fitted out, the Second Kansas regiment being one of the regiments designated to form it, but subsequent events caused a change of program.
After operating on the Kansas border for some time, the regiment was united with General Blunt in his western Arkansas campaign and took part in the series of terrific battles, including Prairie Grove, Cane Hill, Old Fort Wayne and Van Buren, which resulted in the permanent establishment of the Union cause in Arkansas. During the balance of their term of enlistment they were stationed generally at Springfield and Fort Smith, operating against the guerillas that infested that portion of the country.
In May, 1864, Pat. Cosgrove was promoted to the captaincy of Com- pany L, and Joseph Hutchinson, of Olathe, his former quarter master sergeant commissioned first lieutenant. Before the close of the war Lieutenant Waugh was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the Second regiment, Arkansas infantry, and served in that capacity till the disband- ing of the volunteer forces.
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The regiment gained great distinction during its term of service, and to this day the members are proud of the fact that they once belonged to the "Old Second."
Johnson county also furnished its quota to the Eighth regiment of Kansas infantry, which was organized in the fall of 1861. Nearly one entire company was raised at Monticello, Shawnee, Olathe and other parts of the county.
It was mustered in, we believe, as a part of Company L, but was afterwards assigned as Company F. Milton J. Hadley, of Monticello, who enlisted as a private, was commissioned second lieutenant October 5. During the winter, he was on duty the greater part of the time at Ft. Leavenworth, as adjutant of the post, the company remaining at Olathe and Gardner, acting as Home Guards. March 15, 1862, Lieuten- ant Hadley was promoted to first lieutenant of Company G, Ninth Kan- sas cavalry. He was soon after assigned as acting assistant adjutant gen- eral for General Ewing, in command of the district, and served in that capacity the greater part of the time while ranking as lieutenant. Decem- ber 15, 1863, he received another promotion as captain of the same com- pany, but still served as adjutant general. In March, 1864, he joined his company at Lawrence, and was soon after ordered to Ft. Smith, Ark. While there he filled the office of assistant adjutant general of the cav- alry brigade, Fourth division, Seventh army corps. After two months' service at Ft. Smith they were relieved from that division and ordered to Little Rock, Ark. Remaining there till November they were ordered to Duval's Bluff, where they remained till their term of service expired. Captain Hadley was promoted major May 15, 1865, and retained that rank during the balance of his term of service. While at Duval's Bluff he was the greater part of the time president of court martial.
MAJ. J. T. HADLEY PROMOTED.
J. T. Hadley, of Monticello, who enlisted as a private in Company F. Eighth Kansas regiment, was discharged May 3, 1863, to accept a com- mission as second lieutenant in Company L, Fifth Kansas cavalry.
Among those who enlisted in this latter company was Colonel Payne, of Monticello, who in early days had been a prominent and influential member of the pro-slavery party, and had represented Leavenworth county in the first Territorial legislature.
Major Hadley's merits and abilities were recognized in civil life as well as in the army, as since the close of the war he was elected suc- cessively as county sheriff, and clerk of the district court, filling one or the other of the offices almost without intermission. During this sum- mer the demand for troops became urgent. The Government had en- tirely recovered from its diffidence in regard to receiving volunteers from Kansas. In fact said volunteers were at a premium, and every
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inducement was held out for enlistment. The demand was nobly re- sponded to. With every call, the volunteers flocked in by the score, and companies were organized with a rapidity and dispatch unparalleled. Johnson county more than maintained its parts in this patriotic move- ment. In every regiment, Johnson county citizens could be found, and it rarely happened that any regiment was formed without an entire com- pany from this part of the State.
LIEUTENANT PELLETT RECRUITS A COMPANY.
In the latter part of the summer, General Carney commissioned Wil- liam Pellett, of Olathe, as recruiting officer, to raise a company for one of the three new regiments then being organized. The company was speedily enlisted and on the eleventh of August Captain J. W. Parmeter, an experienced officer, received a commission as captain, with Mr. Pellett as second lieutenant. Before the company was fairly organized for ac- tive service the Quantrill raid occurred and the majority of the mem- bers taken prisoners and parolled. The guerillas under Quantrill were not recognized by the authorities as a legitimate part of the Confederate army, nor this parole considered binding, but as a recapture by them would insure certain death it was thought advisable not to put our company in the field. Accordingly, after being assigned as Company H, Twelfth regiment, Kansas infantry, they were ordered to Fort Leav- enworth for garrison duty, remaining there till April 15, 1863. They were then ordered to Ft. Larned on the plains to relieve a company of regulars, and remained there till February, 1865, next to Fort Riley, and were mustered out at that post in August of the same year.
Lieutenant Pellett, in the meantime, had been ordered to Ft. Leaven- worth for duty as post adjutant, and remained in that capacity till De- cember, 1865. He was then relieved from duty and ordered south with the regiment to act as adjutant, filling this office till about the close of his term of enlistment.
In addition to this company, another company was raised in the vi- cinity of Gardner and Spring Hill for the same regiment and John T. Gordon, of Lanesfield, and James H. Berkshire, of Spring Hill, second lieutenant. This company was stationed at Olathe during the following winter, and finally ordered to Ft. Smith, where it formed a part of the brigade under General Steele.
COLONEL HAYES WOUNDED.
Josiah E. Hayes, previously a captain in the Tenth Kansas regiment, received the commission as lieutenant colonel of this regiment. The reg- iment formed a part of General Steele's command, who started to effect a junction and cooperate with General Banks at Shreveport, La. On April
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2, 1864, they met the enemy at Jenkins Ferry in Arkansas, and a heavy battle was fought. Early in the engagement a minnie ball struck Col- onel Hayes above the knee, inflicting a dangerous wound. He was placed under charge of the surgeon who amputated the leg on the field. The expedition was an ill-starred one, and the Union forces were com- pelled to retreat, leaving the wounded in the enemies' hands. It was Colonel Hayes' lot to become a prisoner with the rest. He was taken first to Camden, where he remained four months, lying in a precarious condition the greater part of the time from the effects of his wound, next to Shreveport, where he remained till exchanged, March II, 1865. (James H. Berkshire, of Spring Hill, was with Colonel Hayes when he was shot. He fixed him as comfortable as possible, put saddlebags under his head and left him lying in six inches of water.)
In this connection we have an instance of the courageous and heroic spirit that distinguished our soldiers' wives, during the dark days of the rebellion. When Mrs. Hayes heard that the colonel was wounded and a prisoner she expressed without hesitation an intention of going to him. Her friends remonstrated in the strongest terms and depicted the perils and trials of such an undertaking. Unshaken by their argu- ments and warnings, with a few hours' preparation she started alone, pro- ceeding first to Little Rock, at that time the advance Union post. From there she went to the rebel lines under a flag of truce, and receiving per- mission to go to her husband, traveled forty miles to Camden, in a wagon, with a rebel soldier for a driver. The journey was one that few ladies would undertake in times of peace, but she accomplished it safely, and remained with the colonel until he was exchanged.
The Twelfth Kansas regiment was composed of as good a body of men as could be found in the Union, but owing to unfortunate circum- stances, and through no fault of their own, never had the opportunity afforded other regiments, to exhibit their soldierly qualities.
GENERAL ORDER NO. II.
August 21, 1863, four days after the Lawrence raid General Ewing issued his famous general order No. II, ordering all citizens of Jack- son and Cass and Bates, and a part of Vernon counties. Missouri. living more than one mile away from the military posts of Harrison. Hickman's Mills, Little Santa Fe and Westport to remove to said posts, or out of the counties. Such a howl of indignation as went up from it was never before heard, and even some of the non- a picket guard, keen, watchful and ever ready to give information or warnings of danger. The rebels had inaugurated and faithfully carried out a similar policy themselves in regard to Union citizens early in the war, but could see only barbarous tyranny and oppression when applied to their side of the question. It was a severe remedy it is true, but Ewing
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had suddenly become impressed with the fact that it was particularly a severe disease. In regard to the justice or the expediency of the order, opinion will always differ. No very satisfactory results came from it. The country was given up to ruin and desolation, the rebel citizens were more bitter and determined than ever, thieves on both sides of the line had more favorable opportunities for plundering, and bushwhackers roamed and raided as before.
BATTLE OF WESTPORT.
On the night of the twenty-second day of October, 1864, the rebel army encamped on the west bank of the Big Blue, their line entending southwest from Byron's ford. General Curtis' army, comprising the First, Second and Fourth brigades, under General Blunt, was at Westport. The main body of the militia was in Kansas City, Mo., General Pleasanton, with three brigades of cavalry on the road from Independence to Byrom's ford, and General McNeil, with one brigade on the road to Hickman's mill. Early in the morning of the twenty-third the brigade of Colonel Blair, consisting of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Tenth and Nineteenth regiments, Kansas State Militia (cavalry) with the Ninth Wisconsin battery, a section belonging to the colored bat- tery under Lieutenant Minor, and McLain's battery, moved from Kansas City to Westport. About 5 o'clock in the morning the First, Second and Fourth brigades with McLain's battery moved out from Westport to meet the enemy. The line when formed consisted of the First brigade on the right, the second Colorado and Sixteenth Kansas on the left resting on the road, McLain's battery at the edge of the timber half a mile to the rear. The Second brigade was soon brought up on the right. Colonel Jennison described the progress of the battle in his offical report thus: "Our skirmish lines soon encountered the enemy, swarming through the cornfields, and in the timber, southwest of Warnell's, and the battle of Westport was speedily opened. Meanwhile the thunder of artillery to the left told us our lines were engaged in the entire front. After a contest of varying fortunes for some minutes on our right, the First bri- gade was withdrawn to the timber, in the rear of Bent's house, perhaps an eighth of a mile from its former position, while the second brigade took the road to the right, leading to Shawnee Mission and passed down through Kansas on the rebel flank. After this our entire line was pressed back to the north bank of Brush creek, while the available force was rallied for a general advance. Pushing rapidly through the valley, we soon regained our original positions, driving the rebels at all points until our entire line was fairly out of the timber, and occupied the open country. Our skirmishers following along the fences and stone walls, with which the position was so thickly intersected. In spite of the de- termined resistance of the enemy our forces moved steadily on, until
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