USA > Kansas > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Kansas > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
QUAKER MISSION.
The Quaker Mission, established in 1834, was located one-half mile east and one-fourth mile south of Merriam, is a building 30x60, three stories including a stone basement above ground built in 1837 to 1840.
The lumber was sawed at a mill on the Kaw river. The foundation sills are IOxIO of hewed oak, siding all walnut, the studding 2x4 oak, the rafter poles faced on one side and hewed out by hand and the roof has not sagged at this date, 1915. The doors are 3x6 feet, made of wal- nuit. The original flues are still in use. A Mr. Worthington lives in the mission now. The windows are of 8x10 glass, twelve lights to a win- dow, the floors of sawed oak are still in use. This building was the home of Dr. C. H. Loomis, four and one-half years, his father moving the present home of Dr. Loomis, facing the Merriam road, formerly formerly called the Beatty road.
(4)
50
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
The Friends Mission was established in the summer of 1834. A family was sent out by the society to superintend it, a teacher procured, and a school organized, which was kept in successful operation many years. In the spring of 1840, Henry Harvey took charge of the mission and remained two years, the school, when he left, numbering forty children. The mission was supported by the Society of Friends, in Indiana and Ohio. A large frame house with barn and out buildings constituted the mission property.
Mr. Mendenhall was the teacher at this mission six years. The Had- leys, Jeremiah and his two sons, and Mr. and Mrs. Thayer, with their two daughters, were also faithful and efficient workers, teachers and superintendents.
The school was discontinued about the time of the opening of the war. The mission received no aid from the Government.
MEMORIES OF MISSIONS.
(By J. W. Parker.)
"In 1825 a treaty was executed with the Missouri Shawnees, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, by which they were to remove west of the state of Missouri. There were 800 of this band. The treaty permitted the Shaw- nees from Ohio to join them, if they so desired. Of these, under the treaties of 1830, 700 came, making about 1,500 in all. They came in 1832.
"These Indians had already been under instruction at Waupauganetta, Ohio, with missionaries. Some of them were devout Christians and brought with them a desire for still better things.
"In 1830, the Rev. Joab Spencer says, was the first movement to establish a Methodist mission among the Western Shawnees. The Indian Agent, George Vashan, wrote Rev. Jesse Green, the Presid- ing Elder of the Missouri district, adjoining the then reservation on the west, urging him to establish a Methodist Mission among the Shawnees. At the session of the Missouri Conference, at St. Louis, in September 1830, this request was presented, a Missionary Society was established, and Rev. Thomas Johnson was appointed missionary to the Shawnees. This would appear to be before they came to this point.
"The first mission school was located about 7 miles west of Kansas City. E. F. Heisler, one of the best authorities we have on the early history of the Shawnees, and editor of the "Kansas City Sun," locates this in section 24, town II, range 24, in Wyandotte county, and calls it Rev. Thomas Johnson's first mission. But he does not give the exact date of its foundation. It must have been in the early thirties, however, as we find this mission removed to its permanent site, three miles south- of Westport, in 1839, where the substantial brick buildings still standing,
5I
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
were erected. They are said to have cost $70,000, of which the Govern- ment paid $10,000.
"The next missionary school to be established in this vicinity was the Baptist Shawnee Mission. This opened in 1832, and was situated on the Northeast quarter of section 5, township 12, range 24, in this county, near alaur, on the Strang Line.
"Two years after this, and in 1834, the Yearly Meeting of the Friends Church of Indiana, opened a school on what is known as the Loomis place, in section 7, township 12, range 24, in this county. The building was a large two story structure, still standng back in the field to the right, as one goes east from Merriam. The remnants of what is sup- posed to be an old Indian orchard is to be seen. One of the apple trees is said to measure more than II feet in circumference. Mr. Joseph Chick, who lived there in the 70's, stated that he once gathered 60 bush- els of apples from it. To the west of this old orchard is an old cemetery, overrun with briars and thorns. To look over the dilapidated tomb stones affords serious reflection to a thinking mind. What self-sacrifice, what devotion to the cause of God, are there epitomized in the few marble cut letters which record the names and a few of the data of the lives of these heroes, as much to be honored as those who died on the field of battle.
"Among the men in charge of this mission was Jeremiah Hadley, the father of that splendid citizen, Major J. M. Hadley, who lately closed a prominent and usful life at De Soto, Kan., and the grandfather of ex- Governor Hadley, of Missouri.
"In 1840, a log church was erected on the hill just at the entrance of Shawne village from the east. This stood until 1858, when it was torn away and a brick church erected in its place. Chief Joseph Parks, Thom- as Johnson and Charles Bluejacket were the building committee. The old church was sometimes used for a council house by the Shawnees, although their regular council house was at Chillicothe, three and one- half miles west of Shawnee, on what is known as the Adam Renner farm. In this old log church, according to the statement of J. H. Blake, then County Clerk, were opened the first County offices of this county, on September 7, 1857. The place was then called Gum Springs. The first pastor of that old log church was L. B. Stateler, a young Kentuckian, who had been a missionary before coming to this church in 1840. He re- mained here until 1844.
"It will be remembered that the question of slavery caused a split in the Methodist church in 1845. The Shawnee Mission fell to the Metho- dist church South. So that it follows that the Quarterly Conference Minutes held at the Delaware camp ground, July 1838, was the old united church. Thomas Johnson, E. T. Peery, J. C. Berryman, N. M. Talbot and William Johnson, missionaries, were present. D. G. Gregory and N. T. Shalor, local preachers; William Rogers and Henry Rogers and
52
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
other names of well known Shawnees, class leaders and stewards, were there. At this meeting is an entry relating to the building of the new fine buildings at Shawnee Mission.
"These minutes were examined by me some years ago, and the mem- oranda from them printed in our local papers. They were obtained from Samuel Cornatzer, then living in the territory, but formerly a resident of this vicinity. His home here was what is now a part of the magnifi- cent home of Remi Caenen, just west of town.
"From the same source many things of interest were gathered.
"The meeting of March 14, 1842, held at the Manual Labor School (Shawnee Mission) it is recorded that many unworthy persons came to partake of the communion, and the following resolution was adopted : That in the future no person shall be admitted to the communion of the Lord's Supper among us with out previous examination and a ticket." It was decided at that meeting to hold but one general camp-meting, and to build a shed at Shawnee for that purpose.
"In November of that year the above minutes show that the question of Indian marriage came up for discussion, and the members of the church were recommended to adopt the Christian method of marriage. Begin- ning in January, 1843, a long list of weddings is noted in the back part of the book. Among those married later are the names of Jonathan Gore and Sally Bluejacket, the former a white man and our first County Attorney, and the latter the beautiful daughter of Charles Bluejacket.
"The brick church above mentioned was built upon a lot purchased for the purpose and not upon the site of the old log church of 1840, but south of the old Peter Wertz store.
Nathan Scaritt is first mentioned in 1848 when he was the secretary of the quarterly conference. He was connected with this Shawnee work until 1860. Among other notable Christian work which he did, we find the building of what was known as Scaritts chapel, on the south bank of Indian creek in section 13, township 13, range 24, or in section 18, town- ship 13, range 25. The site of it is well known.
"Charles Bluejacket is named in 1849, as a class leader, and was licensed to preach in 1859.
"Another name many of us will recognize is that of Charles Boles, who came as a missionary in 1852, and died not many years since, in this county. His daughter still resides north of Stanley.
"Firewater was then, as always, an enemy of the church. One of her best men, Eli Blackhoof, was charged by the preacher in charge, Joab Spencer, with being drunk from the first of March until the first of August, with singing those songs that were not for the glory of God and with dancing. The delinquent did not appear at the con- ference for trial and the charges were probably dropped as nothing is shown later.
53
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
"Not all the Shawnees were victims of the drink habit, however. Eli's father, the elder Blackhoof, a prominent chief at the time of the immigration to this country, in 1832, was an ardent temperance man, the first Prohibitionist of Kansas. His wife, Na-nag-si, was a most excellent woman, educated in the schools of Ohio, a devout Christian and beloved by all. Her name is carried down in that of our neighboring city of Lenexa, easily the product of the name in the liquid pronunciation of the Shawnee language."
CHAPTER III.
THE SANTA FE TRAIL.
Its course-When First Traveled-Established By The Government- Santa Fe Trail Markers-Dedication of Monument at Olathe-Santa Fe Marker at Lone Elm-Pioneers' Experiences on the Old Trail- "The Santa Fe Trail"-Recollections of a "Bullwhacker."
SANTA FE TRAIL-ITS COURSE.
The old Santa Fe Trail is one of the cherished historic landmarks of Johnson county, and in recent years increased interest has been manifest in this great highway of the plains in the early days. In the early history of the Santa Fe Trail, the outfitting point was at Old Franklin, Mo., but a large part of that town was undermined by the river and the outfitting business was transferred to Independence. Mo. In 1856 the landing at Independence was obstructed by a sand bar. Westport then came into prominence as an outfitting point and became, as it were, the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail. The trail from Old Franklin entered Johnson county at the old town of Santa Fe in Oxford township, Johnson county, and followed a westward course about four miles south of Olathe, following the ridge. The trail from Westport ran in a southwesterly direction through Olathe and joined the trail from Franklin southwest of Olathe. Another road from Fort Leavenworth united with the main trail further west at a point in the southwestern part of Wabunsee county, where Wilming- ton is now located. It continued a southwesterly direction from Council Grove through the present counties of Morris, Marion, McPherson, Rice and Barton, striking the Arkansas river near the present city of Great Bend. From this point it followed the north bank of the Arkan- sas river to what is now the town of Cimmaron, Gray county, where it divided, one branch continuing up the Arkansas river to the Colorado line and the other running in a southwesterly direction through Gray, Haskell, Grant, Stevens and Morton counties, crossing the western boun- dary of Kansas near the southwest corner of the State and on to Santa Fe, N. M.
Prentis, in his history of Kansas says: "It was a great road, 775 miles long, 550 miles of which were in Kansas, a hard smooth thorough- fare, from 60 to 100 feet wide. It had not a bridge in its whole extent, and was the best natural road of its length ever known in the world. In token that it had come to stay, the broadfaced, yellow sunflower, since chosen by the Kansas people as an emblem of their State, sprang up on either side where the wheels had broken the soil along the highway."
55
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
WHEN FIRST TRAVELED.
There is much conflicting data as to the early history of the Santa Fe Trail. Some writers even attempt to set the claim that the famous old route had a prehistoric existence and that it was followed by the Coronado expedition in 1540. It is known that the Mallett Brothers reached Santa Fe, N. M., from the East in July, 1739, but there is no evidence of what route they took to reach their destination. Some of the early hunters and trappers in the employ of the Choteaus, followed this trail about, or prior to, the year 1800. James Pursley, a hunter, made the trip from Missouri to New Mexico, in 1802, but probably the first white man to follow approximately the route which later became the Santa Fe Trail was Baptiste La Lande, who went from Kaskaskia, Ill., in 1804. Soon after the beginning of the last century a few adventur- ous traders began to make expeditions to New Mexico over the course of the Santa Fe Trail. The first trip was made with pack mules, but the large profits in this trade soon encouraged heavier operations. As the trade became heavier, a movement was started to have the United States Government establish a highway from some point in Missouri to New Mexico. A bill to that effect was introduced in Congress and cham- pioned by Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri, and other Western members. President Monroe approved the measure, March 3, 1825, "to cause a road to be marked out from the western frontier of Missouri to New Mexico" and from this followed the official establishment of the Santa Fe Trail. Three commissioners were appointed to carry out the provi- sions of this act. They were Benjamin H. Reeves, Thomas Mather and George C. Sibley. They left St. Louis in June, 1825, with seven wagons and about thirty men, and their report states that on August 10, 1825, they "met the chiefs and head men of the Great and Little Osage Na- tions at a place called the Council Grove, on the river Neozo, 160 miles from Fort Osage, and here, after due deliberation and consultation, agreed to the following treaty, which is to be considered binding on the said Great and Little Osages from and after this day," The treaty provides that, in consideration of the sum of $500, to be paid to the chiefs and head men of the Osages in money or goods at their option, they give the United States the privilege of surveying or making the road through their territory. They further agreed to commit no hostile act against persons traveling along the road, and to permit them to go a reasonable distance on either side thereof to find suitable camping places and subsistence for their animals. In 1826, wagons had completely sup- planted pack animals, and the trade of that year amounted to $90.000. A steady increase followed until 1843, when the trade aggregated $450,- 000. Organized bands of guerrillas began to prey on the trading parties along the trail. The leading band, under Snively, was disarmed and dis- persed by a detachment of 200 United States dragoons under Captain
56
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
Coake, who was assigned to guard wagon trains over the trail. In Au- gust, 1843, the Mexican Government, by proclamation of its President, Santa Ana, closed all Mexican ports of entry. However, they were re-opened March 31, 1844. The next interruption of trade was caused by the Mexican war, but in 1850, after the close of that conflict, it was again resumed and continued until the railroads put the overland freighter out of business in 1872.
SANTA FE TRAIL MARKERS.
Soon after the beginning of the present century, the Daughters of the Revolution, in Kansas, began to agitate the subject of marking the line of the Santa Fe Trail through the State. By the act of March 1, 1905, the Kansas legislature appropriated $1,000, "for the purpose of procur- ing suitable monuments to mark the Santa Fe Trail through the follow- ing counties," etc. The act also designates that the work should be done under the supervision of the regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution of the State and the secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society. The marking was done in 1906 and 1907. There are ninety-five markers along the trail in Kansas, six of which were paid for by funds raised otherwise than the prescribed method. There are five monuments along the old trail in Johnson county, the most elaborate of which is located on the southeast corner of the public square in Olathe.
DEDICATION OF MONUMENT AT OLATHE.
This beautiful granite monument, a cut of which appears in this vol- ume, was erected by Johnson county, the old settlers and other contrib- utors. It was dedicated on Old Settlers' Day, September 7, 1907, which was also the semi-centennial anniversary of the opening of the county offices of Johnson county at Gum Springs, the then county seat. The following address was delivered on that occasion by Grace R. Meeker, Kansas secretary of the Daughters of the American Revolution : "It gives me great pleasure to represent the Kansas Daughters of the American Revolution at this celebration of the semi-centennial of Olathe (the beautiful). One of the reasons for the being of our society is the marking of historic places, the preservation of old land marks.
"Now, when this territory was a part of Virginia, no colonies were planted; Capt. John Smith did not penetrate so far into the wilder- ness to be saved by a Kansas Indian maiden. Later times brought no Revolutionary battlefields to commemorate. Yet our State has a his- tory quite as wonderful as any of the thirteen colonies, historic stories just as thrilling. Very many of these stories cluster about the old 'Santa Fe Trail.' As an old pioneer puts it. 'All the life there was in Kansas in the '20's and '30's moved along the Old Trail.'
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
57
"So the Daughters of the American Revolution found their historic places, stretching the whole length of the State. Like so many other things in Kansas it is a big thing. Women, however, are never daunted by a small number-we had fewer than 300 members when we begun this enterprise, nor entire lack of funds. Our State Regent, Mrs. Stan- ley, was enthusiastic in her advocacy of the undertaking; the wife of
ERECTED BY JOHNSON COUNTY AND THE OLO SETTLERS ASSOCIATION 1807
SANTA FE TRAIL MARKER, OLATHE, KAN. ERECTED BY JOHNSON COUNTY AND THE OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION. DESIGNED BY HARRY H. CASE, AND MADE BY THE OLATHE MONUMENT COMPANY.
the Vice-President of the United States, then our national president- general, visiting our State conference in Topeka, cheered us on with her hearty, 'I hope you'll mark your old Santa Fe Trail.'. We have the friendly co-operation of the State Historical Society, the pioneers every- where and the State of Kansas through its legislature.
"The beginning thing to do was to find exactly where ran the great highway we were to mark. Very vague ideas existed as to the path.
58
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
the pioneers traveled to 'catch up with the sky line,' any old road lead- ing west, was likely to be called the Santa Fe Trail. The State His- torical Society, with the help of Hon. Victor Murdock, was able to find, and have copied the Government map, together with the field notes of the Government survey. This we were kindly allowed to have copied' and applied to a map showing the present county divisions.
"Along that great pathway, beside which Olathe sits, there are monu- ments now, properly inscribed. Ninety-five granite markers are few enough to trace the almost 500 miles of Trail, but we feel the work well begun. We are glad that we did begin before the "Empire Builders" had passed on, while there were still those-as we see them here today- who can tell u's personal experiences of the traffic of the Trail which we do well to record.
"Communities have shown the greatest interest and helpfulness, farm- ers at the cross-roads have given their time and labor to set the granite boulders. Nowhere have they responded so splendidly as in Johnson county, where, besides the seven boulders furnished by the State fund, have been placed two fine special markers bearing the handsome bronze tablet, designed by Mrs. Miles, of Kansas City, which tells the story of the Trail so plainly that 'he who runs may read.'
"This monument standing in the heart of your beautiful city we dedi- cate today. It will speak to those who come after you so clearly that they will never forget."
SANTA FE MARKER AT LONE ELM.
Of the five Santa Fe Trail markers for Johnson county, provided by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the legislature of Kan- sas, the one unveiled at Lone Elm, November 9, 1906, was the second to be placed in position in this county, and it might be said here that New- ton Ainsworth, one of the original old settlers, and through whose farm the trail ran, together with George Black, were mainly instrumental in getting the marker located at Lone Elm. An appropriate program that had been arranged, and was carried out. Mr. Ainsworth delivered the following address :
"We are here today to erect a monument in memory of that which more than anything else, wiped out the great American desert.
"In the beginning, the Santa Fe Trail ran from Old Franklin, Mo., across the plains to New Mexico. The merchandise was shipped from St. Louis by steamboat to Franklin and from there was freighted west in ox and mule trains. Usually but one trip was made a year. After a time the outfitting point was moved from Franklin west to Independ- ence, Mo., and later to Westport, the steamboat landing being called Kansas, the nucleus of the present Kansas City. This trail of those days was like the railroads of today: it made and unmade towns. The
59
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
freighting business was immense. To give an idea of its magnitude, I will note the firm of Majors & Russell, who owned and worked on the trail, 1,200 ox teams, with six yoke of oxen to the team. This would make 14,400 head of cattle and 1,200 wagons, 1,200 drivers and 50 wagon bosses ; and that was only a drop in the bucket compared with the grand total on the trail. I saw wagon trains camped on this Lone Elm camping ground, until they covered more than this entire quarter section. In their desire not to be detained, and to be on the road first in the morning, they commenced at 12 o'clock at night to hitch up and pull for the trail, and the last teams did not pass where we are now standing until 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
"At one time, for three days in succession, the last teams going out of camp had not passed here before hundreds were going into camp. The rush to the Pike's Peak gold fields, in 1858, is what made the heavy emigration and the heavy loads of freight that year. All the roads north, east and south centered to the Lone Elm camp ground. The great Santa Fe Trail was the main artery to the Southwest, and the other roads from north of the river joined it here, going east.
"In 1860 I have seen the dust here over six inches deep on account of the great drouth and heavy travel. The freight trains to New Mexico consisted of twenty-six wagons, with six yoke of oxen or ten span of mules to each wagon, twenty-six drivers and two wagon bosses. Lone Elm was the first camping ground after leaving Little Santa Fe, on the Missouri line. This town is noted for the fact that more than 1600 votes were cast there at the territorial election of October 5-6, 1857, when not more than a half dozen families lived in the neighborhood.
"The Santa Fe Trail follows a dividing line or ridge from here to New Mexico, from which the waters run both ways, north and south. The bulk of the freight going west, consisted of provisions, merchandise, meats and breadstuffs, while the return loads consisted of gold and sil- ver in nail kegs, buffalo robes and furs; and, strange to say the gold and silver in the kegs did not leak any on the trip.
"During the height of this heavy freighting, the plains from here to Mexico, abounded in immense herds of buffalo, while antelope, deer and elk, were plentiful, though now almost extinct. The old system of trans- portation, slow and laborious, has given way to the new system of swiftness, ease and luxury, but we are sorry to say, with less honesty.
"Fifty years ago I was a boy living in Miami county, Ohio. My father owned a farm a few miles north of Piqua, and while living there we took a newspaper published in New York by Horace Greeley, called the New York 'Tribune.' Mr. Greeley not only published glowing ac- counts of the great West, but kept a standing notice in his paper to the effect, "Go West, young man, and grow up with the country." After reading Mr. Greeley's grand editorials and his advice to young men for ten or twelve years, I managed to get together a little mule team and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.