USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 12
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held in this township in April, 1868, and the following officers were appointed by the com- missioners : Anthony Amend, trustee; N. H. Hopkins, clerk; S. K. Robinson, treasurer ; J. B. Thurman and William Fish, justices of the peace ; John Summers and Noah Frye, consta- bles; John Radfield, road overseer.
BRIDGES.
The officers of this township were the first to take steps toward bridging the streams. The action of the trustees created a good deal of dissatisfaction. It was claimed that a "job was put up" by which a large amount of money was to be paid by the township and received by some one for inferior bridges. A tax of 114 mills was levied in 1868 for building bridges.
NORTH TOWNSHIP.
In the spring of 1866 a firm of millers at Iola sent some teams loaded with flour and meal down the Neosho, to sell to the settlers along the river. Two teams came into what is now Labette county, and on their return made such a favorable report of the county that sev- eral in that vicinity, and some connected with the mill, came down. Among these were Messrs. Carr, McBride, Wells, Ballentine, and Smith; the latter settled at the junction of the Big and Little Labette, and put up a small shan- ty. Mr. Ballentine paid Mr. Smith $60 for this claim, which took in most of the timber at this point. Just previous to this, Zack Fultz had laid a foundation on a claim adjoining this on the east, and when the survey was made, the improvements of the two claims were found to be on the same quarter. Mr. Fultz paid Mr. Ballentine $200 for his improvements, and got the claim. Mr. Ballentine then bought Mr.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
Hart's claim, on section. 36, where he settled and made his home. Mr. Hart then moved over to the Labette, in Liberty township, just below the mouth of Bachelor Creek. Fred Latham settled on section 27, and his father- in-law, Mr. Keys, upon a claim just west of the creek. About the same time William Tolen settled in the northern part of the township, and gave the name to a little stream, "Tolen Branch." In July, 1867, the following settle- ments were made: Albert Porter and W. H. Porter, on section 20; William Fultz, on sec- tion 17; Abraham Cary, on section 18; John Kendall, on section 19.
SAWMILL.
In the fall of 1868 Moses Steel and his brother Len Steel brought a saw mill and put it in the forks of the Little and Big Labette, and had it in operation early in 1869.
In June, 1869, Abraham Cary brought from Lawrence the first reaper and mower that was had in this part of the county.
ORGANIZATION.
Originally North township included its present territory and also the east half of what is Walton township, and on November 21, 1867, in reforming the townships the com- missioners ordered that "North township No. 7 shall include town 31, R. 19, 20," and it con- tinued with these bounds until Walton town- ship was detached. There seems to have been no election held in this township in April, 1867, at the time when the first county and township officers were elected. On October 4th an order was made by the commissioners for an election to be held for township officers in this township at the November election following. At this
time the following officers were elected: Sam- uel Ballentine, trustee; William Scott and David B. Stevens, justices of the peace ; James M. Clayton and D. W. Reed, constables; and John Steward, road supervisor. These were the first township officers. There is no rec- ord of either clerk or treasurer being elected at this time. On April 7, 1868, the following officers were elected : Samuel Ballentine, trus- tee; J. D. Keys, clerk; F.W. Latham, treasurer ; William Porter and A. Medkiff, justices of the peace; William Fultz and Oscar Knowles, con- stables; and Zack Fultz, road overseer. In April, 1869, H. Singleton was elected trustee, and Samuel Ballentine treasurer. By some ar- rangement made at the time, which does not appear of record, Mr. Ballentine, instead of taking the office of treasurer, was continued as trustee for another year.
WALTON TOWNSHIP.
The first settler in Walton township was Jefferson Davis, who came in June, 1866, and located on the southeast quarter of section 22. In August of that year the Weekly family, con- sisting of Luther, Perry, John, and Mary, lo- cated on section 17, and David Edwards on the northeast quarter of section 23. In the spring of 1867 Merrit Mason came, and bought the northeast quarter of section 17 from Mr. Weekly, and thereon made his home. In the fall of 1866 John Collins settled on the southeast quarter of section 36. Perhaps dur- ing these years there may have been a few other settlers along the Little Labette, but if so I have not learned the names of such. In 1869 the township received a large number of set- tlers. On May Ist Nelson Parker settled on the southwest quarter of section 27, and about the middle of May J. A. Jones settled on the
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northeast quarter of section 26; not far from the same time Alexander Ables and William Ables on the east half of section 29, George T. Walton on section 16, J. M. Gregory on section 26. W. A. Disch, E. P. Emery, S. R. Hill, John Parker, C. C. Kinnison and R. P. Clark were all there before the opening of 1870; and on February 5, 1870, S. B. Shafer settled on the southwest quarter of section 21.
CATHOLIC SETTLEMENT.
During the summer of 1869 quite a large number of Catholics settled in the northern part of the township, and have ever since been among the most thrifty and progressive settlers of that vicinity.
ORGANIZATION.
Walton township was a part of North township as originally constituted. An order of the commissioners was made on April 6, 1870, on the petition of G. T. Walton, M. S. Mason, T. O'Connor, and some 50 other elect- ors, for the organization of township 31, range 19, into a municipal township to be called Wal- ton, and the following officers were appointed : Merrit S. Mason, trustee ; A. C. Perkins, clerk; Timothy O'Connor, treasurer; Jason Luncin- ford, constable. On account of ill-health Mr. Mason was granted permission to appoint a deputy to assist in performing the duties of trustee.
OSAGE TOWNSHIP.
The settlement of what is now Osage township dates from the fall of 1866. The first person to locate within the present bounds of this township was Thomas May and family,
who settled upon the northwest quarter of sec- tion 5, township 32, range 18, in September. 1866, where he died the following year. There being no lumber in that locality, the neighbors sawed up a wagon-bed and made a coffin in which to bury him. The next settler was Milton A. Buckles, who came December 3, 1866, and settled on the northwest quarter of section 33. Isaac Vance located with his fam- ily on the southeast quarter of section 29, township 31, range 18, on which he died, in 1870. Harvey Beggs settled on the southeast quarter of section 7, township 32, range 18, and after living on it several years moved away in 1871. Solomon Adams and family resided on the northwest quarter of section 6, township 32, range 18, till 1870, when he moved away. On the southeast quarter of this same section Harvey Waymire made his home, and put up the first saw mill in the township in May, 1869. In the fall of 1869 the engine with which the saw mill was run exploded, and killed Mr. Waymire and Mr. Worley.
In 1867 many settlers came in, of whom I will mention a few : Felix Oliphant, John Oli- phant, Frank Larberdy, John Frost, Thomas J. Vance, George Vance, W. H. Carpenter, J. H. Dienst, Jacob D. Dick, Henry Griffith and Alexander W. King are among those who that year helped to develop the county. Of those who came in 1868, F. M. Webb, W. H. Webb, J. H. Beatty, J. A. Newman, W. M. Rogers and Leroy F. Dick may be mentioned as active pro- moters of the general spirit of enterprise.
William A. Starr, William Dick, J. L. Jaynes, John Carson, C. J. Darling, P. B. Darling, J. S. Masters, J. B. Swart, Jacob Warner, John Robinson, W. H. Thorne, G. W. Blake and W. W. Blake settled in 1869 and 1870, and each added a fair share to the pros- perity and development of the township. Did
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
I know all the settlers and were I acquainted with all the facts, others might probably be mentioned who are as worthy as any whom I have named; but these are named as a fair sample of those who first settled and devel- oped this northwest corner of the county.
FIRST SCHOOL.
Mrs. Elizabeth A. King, who with her hus- band, A. W. King, had settled on the south- west quarter of section 28, township 31, range 18, in June, 1867, taught the first school in the township, in the summer of 1868, as' I am told by Mr. King, in their cabin on his claim. It was a free school for the few children then in the neighborhood.
CELEBRATION.
The first celebration in the township was July 4, 1869, on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 29. Milton Buckles read the Declaration of Independence. The day was principally given up to a picnic and social enjoyment.
RELIGIOUS EXERCISES.
In the fall of 1867 the citizens met and put up a big house on Pleasant May's claim in the bottom on the west side of the creek, on sec- tion 5, in township 32, to be used for religious and other gatherings. In this the first Sunday- school was organized, in the spring of 1868, with Pleasant May as superintendent. A. W. King was the first preacher in the township. He, with David Stanfield, J. S. Harryman, and Sheldon Parker, of the Methodist church, and J. L. Masters, of the Christian church, dis- pensed the Gospel for several years over quite a portion of the new settlements in the western part of the county.
BUSINESS.
The first store in the township was started in 1868, on the southeast quarter of section 33, township 31, range 18, by Luther Weakly and Frank Larberdy. In the fall of 1869, G. W. and W. W. Blake put in a stock of general merchandise in a building erected on the town- site of Timber Hill, which they continued to deal in until 1871.
Dr. Lakins was the first in the township to offer his services as an aid to those desiring relief from physical ailments. He died a num- ber of years ago, but his faithful mule, "Joab," it is said, still survives him. In 1869 Dr. Boutillier opened a small drug store, which he ran in connection with his practice.
The following letter may be appropriately inserted here:
"COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS, Jan. 18, 1892.
"Judge Nelson Case, Oswego, Kansas- DEAR SIR: I settled in Osage township, La- bette county, in the autumn of 1866, in com- pany with Harry Waymire and Isaac Vance. There was but one man before us, a Mr. May, who had built his cabin just before our arri- val. Others followed fast. and when the spring of 1867 had opened we had quite a set- tlement on the Big Hill Creek. In July, 1857, I was appointed a committee to visit the com- missioners at Oswego and procure an order for the organization of a municipal township, which was effected at once. I remember well that when I found the commissioners' court, which I had some trouble in doing, the com- missioners were sitting astraddle of the sleep- ers in a hewed-log house in Oswego. There was neither door, floor nor windows, the house not being finished at the time.
"The first child born in the township was
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Rolla Wood, son of Zachariah and Matilda Wood.
"Our nearest postoffice was Roger's store, where Chanute now is. We did our milling at Humboldt, and hauled lumber from the Ne- osho. I believe I am the only survivor of the first settler of Osage township.
"Very respectfully yours, "MILTON A. BUCKLES."
ORGANIZATION.
I am not quite sure whether the first name by which this territory was known was Timber Creek or Big Hill township. The commis- sioners appointed to organize the county laid off the west part into two precincts, which Mr. Dickerman says were designated Timber Hill and Pumpkin Creek; but no voting-place was designated in either of them at that time, probably for the reason that there was not a sufficient number of residents to justify the holding an election therein. The first official record we have relating to this township is the order of the commissioners made June 5, 1867, declaring that "Timber Hill township shall include townships 31 and 32, range 18, and the west half of townships 31 and 32 of range 19, and as far west as the county line." In this order, as it appears in the original record, written on foolscap paper, the name of the township is first written Big Hill, and a line is drawn through "Big," and "Timber" is written above it. On July 1, 1867, it was "Ordered that a precinct be established at Tim- ber Hill at the residence of Mr. Frank Lar- berdy, in Timber Hill township, T. 31 and 32, R. 18 and 19." On October 21, 1867, it was "Ordered that Timber Hill township to be changed to Big Hill," and at the same time it was ordered that the voting precinct be
changed from Mr. Larberdy's to Mr. Eli Sparks. The first election in the township was held November 5, 1867, at which the fol- lowing officers were elected: J. S. Blair, trus- tee ; Isaac Van Sickle and Eli Sparks, justices of the peace; H. Waymire and J. Courtney, constables ; Z. C. Wood, road overseer. On No- vember 21, 1867, the commissioners made an order more definitely fixing and somewhat changing municipal townships, by the provis- ions of which it was declared that "Big Hill township No. 8, shall include town 31 and 32, R. 17 and 18." On April 6, 1868, a petition therefor having been made to the commission- ers, they ordered "That the township common- ly known as Big Hill shall hereafter be known in all official transactions as Osage township," and at the same time made an order establislı- ing the south line of Osage township so as to include the north half of township 32. in ranges 17 and 18.
AN ORDER NOT ACTED ON.
On November 12, 1870, on the petition of Albert Allison and 49 other citizens for a division of the west tier of townships into four instead of three, forming a new township out of parts of Osage and Mound Valley town hips, it was ordered that township 32, ranges 17 and 18, be detached from Osage and Mound Val- ley townships and organized into a municipal township under the name of Big Hill town- ship, for which the following officers were ap- pointed : William Johns, trustee; Albert Alli- son, clerk; S. C. Hockett, treasurer. I find no action of the commissioners changing or re- voking this order; nevertheless. the order was never acted upon, the officers appointed never qualified, and Osage and Mound Valley town- ships remained as though no such order had ever been made.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
STOCK.
On May 30, 1871, on the petition of Will- iam Dick and 69 others, the commissioners made an order restraining stock from running at large at night-time for a term of one year.
PIONEER ASSOCIATION.
On September 17, 1875, the Osage Pioneer Association was organized, with S. C. Hockett as president, Joel Bergess, vice-president, W. A. Starr and - Lindsey, secretaries, and William Dick, treasurer.
MOUND VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
I866.
There were two early settlers in this coun- ty who would be in Mound Valley township ex- cept for the fact that in 1870 more than two miles of our territory was given to Montgomery county. On June 3, 1866, Mr. Rutherford settled on the northeast quarter of section 4, in township 33, of range 17. and on December 10, 1866, R. M. Bennett, afterwards county treasurer, settled on the southeast quarter of section 5, in the same township.
The first white people to make settlement in Mound Valley township as now constituted were the families of Mr. McCormick and Mr. Courtney. If any one was there before them, he left no trace of his habitation. Joseph Mc- Cormick, with his wife Martha and his son Joseph C., and in company with them John M. Courtney and his wife Mary, came from Danville, Ill., and on July 24, 1866, took their respective claims in this township. Mr. Mc- Cormick settled on parts of sections 23 and 24, township 32, range 17, where he made his home until his death, on December 10, 1871,
his wife having died the March preceding. Mr. McCormick lived in his wagon until he could build a log house, which he completed in about two months. He soon brought on a few goods, with which he traded with the Indians for their buffalo meat and such other things as they had to dispose of that he could use. Mr. Courtney settled on a part of section 26, township 32, range 17, which he improved and on which he lived till he moved to Cherryvale, where he now resides. John McMichael came in September, 1866, and settled on the same section as Mr. Court- ney. In November, 1866, Eli Sparks settled on the southeast quarter of section 18, town- ship 32, range 18.
1867.
Green L. Canada settled on the northeast quarter of section 17, township 33, range 18, January 12, 1867. William Jones and John M. Stigenwalt came February 20, 1867. Mr. Jones settled on the section with Mr. Courtney and Mr. McMichael, and Mr. Stigenwalt set- tled on the section with Mr. Sparks, where he lived on a well-improved farm until August 25, 1892, when he died from the effects of a kick by a horse, received the day before. John WV. Claspell came in September, 1867. Samuel C. Hockett near that time settled on section 18, together with Mr. Sparks and Mr. Stigen- walt, while his daughter, Josie Hockett, took a claim north of him, on section 7, in Osage township.
1868.
J. G. Penix settled on the northwest quar- ter of section 25, township 32, range 17, on April 8, 1868, where he lived for fifteen years, made a good farm, and is now in Cherryvale,
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
enjoying the fruits of his industry. D. S. Muncie took the southwest quarter of section 25, township 33, range 18, on which he built, i11 1869, a one and one-half story frame house, 16 by 24 feet. The lumber for this he hauled from Chetopa. This was the first frame house in this part of the township. In 1870 Mr. Muncie sold his farm to J. H. Tibbits.
ORGANIZATION.
Mound Valley township was originally a part of what afterward became Osage and Canada townships. It was not until June 13, 1870, that, upon the petition of Henry Rohr and some 50 other residents of its territory, the commissioners made an order for the or- ganization of four tiers of sections lying north and the same number lying south of the line between townships 32 and 33 in ranges 17 and 18, into a municipal township with the name of Mound Valley. The following officers were appointed for the new township: Jo- sephus Moore, trustee; Alexander Honrath, clerk; J. M. Richardson, treasurer. At the same time, on the petition therefor, the order of the commissioners was made restraining stock from running at large in the night-time for the term of five years. On July 28, 1870, Jonas Parks was appointed constable, and S. C. Hockett was recommended for the appoint- ment of justice of the peace.
LABETTE TOWNSHIP.
The first settlement of this township as now constituted commenced in the fall of 1868, but there were only a few who came before the spring of 1869. The first settlers were scat- tered along Bachelor creek. Of these I may mention Leveret Wood, who came in the fall of 1868, and settled on the northeast quarter
of section 1; the next spring John Singleton settled on the northwest quarter of section I, and James H. Martin on the northeast quarter of section 2; Millard Sargent on the north- west quarter and his brother on the south- west quarter of the same section; Edward C. Sanford on the northwest quarter of section 3, Major Hope on the southeast quarter, and Calvin S. Tracy on the southwest quarter of section 36. All of these parties were located prior to the middle of July, 1869, at which time John J. Miles settled on the southwest quarter of section 34.
With the opening of 1870 many new parties came into the township, of whom I may men- tion Thomas Mahar and his sons, who settled on section 21. The settlement of this town- ship was nearly completed when James Beggs, on March 16, 1871, settled on the southwest quarter of section 19.
ORGANIZATION.
In the original division of the county into municipal townships, made by the commission- ers prior to the first election in the spring of 1867, the central portion of the county. em- bracing what is now Liberty, Labette, Mount Pleasant and Fairview townships, was made to constitute the township of Labette. The first official record we have of the formation of this township is an order of the board made November 21, 1867, in which Labette town- ship is numbered 6, and is declared to include· townships 32 and 33, in ranges 19 and 20. It is possible that there was an election held in the township in the spring of 1867, and' probably one was held in the fall of that year, but as to both of these the record is silent. The first election of which we have any rec- ord was held on April 7, 1868. At this elec- tion H. P. Reeding was elected trustee, M. H ..
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
Logan, clerk; J. F. Molesworth, treasurer; E. Reed and J. P. Peterson, justices of the peace ; G. W. Springer and T. M. Abbott, constables, and Sam Lewis, road overseer. At the elec- tion in April, 1870, the following officers were elected : Newton Connor, trustee ; J. L. Will- iams, clerk; Calvin Tracy, treasurer; G. P. Peters and G. J. Connor, justices of the peace ; William Hanson and W. F. Hamman, con- stables. Within the next two months all of the territory, excepting township 32, range 19, which had theretofore been embraced in La- bette township, was detached therefrom, and formed into other municipal townships. All the officers last elected resided within the ter- ritory thus detached, which left Labette town- ship without any officers or organization. The last of June or fore part of July, 1870, a meeting of the citizens was held on the prem- ises of John Alspaw, on the southwest quarter of section 15, and the following persons se- lected for township officers: Calvin Tracy, trustee; John Caldwell, clerk; William Col- lins, treasurer; William Hamman and Silas Rich, justices of the peace; John J. Miles and George Tracy, constables. It was decided to ask that the name of the township be changed from Labette to Mound. On July II, 1870, the action of this meeting was presented to the commissioners. The request for a change of name for the township was refused, as the board considered they had no authority to change the name of the township. The of- ficers selected at the citizens' meeting were ap- pointed in part, and some of the offices seem to have been left vacant.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
The settlement of this township com- menced early in the spring of 1866. The first person whom I have been able to trace to this
township is David C. Lowe, who settled on the southeast quarter of section 34, and about the same time James Springer on the northeast quarter of the same section, and William Springer, Jr., on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 27. After these the following settlements were made: James Shelledy, John V. and James Lewis, - - Latham, Enos Reed, James F. Molesworth, William Keiger, and Ed. Mercer. In June A. W. Richardson bought from William Springer, Jr., the claim on which he had settled, paying therefor $400. Mr. Springer had at the time some four or five acres broken out and planted to corn and garden truck. Rev. G. W. Richardson at the same time bought from Mr. Shelledy his claim to the northwest quarter of section 27, paying therefor $50. In December of this year G. P. Peters settled on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 36, and John Elliott on the southeast quar- ter of the same section. In the fall of 1867 Dr. W. J. Conner made his settlement in this township, and commenced the practice of his profession.
CELEBRATION.
On July 4, 1867, the first celebration in the township was held, on the claim of David C. Lowe. Wagon-boxes were turned upside down for tables; Samuel Cherry read the Declara- tion of Independence, and Elihu Greene de- livered the oration. The drinking water was cooled with ice which G. P. Peters procured at Oswego.
BUSINESS.
The first business in the township was a store conducted by William and John Conner. It was located on section 35, which had been selected for the site of Neola, and was opened in the spring of 1868. Early in 1867 G. P.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
Peters commenced running a blacksmith shop at his home, and in the spring of 1868 built a shop at Neola, on section 35. There was no other business aside from farming until La- bette was started, in 1870.
ORGANIZATION.
Township 32, range 20, originally formed a part of Labette township, and was detached therefrom and organized into a municipal township on May 20, 1870, on the petition of Enos Reed and 51 other citizens. The follow- ing officers were appointed: Samuel Lewis, treasurer : William R. Williams, clerk; R. W. Campbell, constable; Samuel T. Cherry was recommended for appointment as justice of the peace.
CARE OF STOCK.
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