USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 13
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The commissioners made an order on July 27th, on the petition of T. D. Bickham and 68 other residents of the township, restraining stock from running at large in the night-time for five years, excepting during the months of January and February.
RELIGIOUS EXERCISES.
In 1868 the Methodists commenced holding services at the house of James F. Molesworth, on section 8; the ministers in charge of the Oswego circuit preached here.
MONTANA TOWNSHIP.
There seems to be no dispute about Sam- uel J. Short being the first white settler in this township. It is said that he had located here before the war, and was driven off by the rebel Indians, and I am disposed to think that this
is correct ; but I shall only refer to his settle- ment in the summer of 1865. He came, prob- ably the latter part of July, or early in August, and located on the southeast quarter of section 22, on the east side of the Neosho. During that fall a number of parties made settlement in the township, and of these I have learned the following names: Granville Reeves and William White came there the fore part of October, and located on section 34. On Octo- ber 18th Charles E. Simons and his brother, Benjamin F. Simons, arrived, and located, the former on the southwest quarter of section 4 and the latter on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 9. Charles Simons at once went back and brought his family, arriving with them on his claim November 18th. John and William Olford and Andrew Hammond also arrived in October. In November Nathan D. Tower set- tled on the southwest quarter of section 27, but the next summer moved to the southeast quarter of section 30. Samuel Dunham lo- cated on section 29; Nelson Shipley on section 28; Charles Stewart on section 27; Samuel Coffield on section 27; Samuel and Jona- than Wilcox on section 16, the former on the east and the latter on the west side of the river ; John Modisett on section 4. In Decem- ber John Halford settled on the southwest quarter of section 16, and Mr. Lee on section 33. On December 24th Julius S. Waters ar- rived, and camped on Mr. Simon's claim, but soon thereafter located on section 33, in Neosho township; subsequently, however, he came back, and was for a long time a resi- dent of Montana township. It will thus be seen that at the close of 1865 the township had quite a body of settlers, most of whom became permanent residents, and several of whom are still residing there.
Of those who came in 1866 I shall only
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
attempt to mention a few. Dr. D. D. Mc- Grath settled on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 4; Nehemiah Sage on the northwest quar- ter of section 8; Uriah Davis on the southwest quarter of section 7 ; Frank and Albert Brockus on the northeast quarter of section 20; R. S. Cornish on the southwest quarter of section 21; Robert Haggard on section 30; Bergen Van Ness on the northeast quarter of section 16; Alfred W. Jones on the northeast quarter of section 17. In December John S. Ander- son located on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 8; Vincent Anderson on the southeast quarter of section 6; and Terry Anderson on the northeast quarter of section 7.
SAWMILL.
About the first of February, 1867, the An- derson brothers brought a sawmill and located it upon C. E. Simons' claim, on section 4, and by the middle of the month had it in opera- tion. From the lumber sawed here it is claimed the first frame house in the county was built.
SORGHUM MILL.
At quite an early day R. S. Cornish put up a sorghum mill on his place, and for a number of years has carried on quite an ex- tensive business in making sorghum for him- self and his neighbors. He also raises a great many melons.
ORGANIZATION.
Montana township was laid off as it now exists at the time of dividing the county into precincts prior to its first election. There is no record of the formation of this township prior to November 21, 1867, when in the di-
vision of the county into townships it was or- dered that "Montana township No. 2 shall in -. clude town 32, range 21." George Bennett, who resided in Montana township, was ap- pointed justice of the peace June 8, 1866, by- the Governor, and was the first civil officer in the county. I can find no record in any way. referring to its officers for 1867, but it is prob- able A. W. Jones was its first trustee. At the election held April 5. 1868, C. B. Wood- ford was elected trustee; T. M. Brockus, clerk; D. Shultz, treasurer; Henry M. Minor and James Livesay, justices of the peace; John Livesay and Jonathan Wilcox, constables; and A. Warlow, road overseer.
OSWEGO TOWNSHIP.
1865.
The first settlers in Oswego township were. Austin T. Dickerman and Samuel W. Col- lins, who located on section 31, Mr. Dickerman on the northwest quarter, and Mr. Collins on the southwest quarter, on July 15, 1865. In August Jabez Zink settled on the northwest quarter of section 30, and in September Norris Harrer on section 19. The next settlement in the township was on what is now the town- site of Oswego, and is spoken of in connection with the history of Oswego city.
In November, 1865, D. M. Clover and C. C. Clover rode ponies from Kansas City, cross- ing the Neosho at Trotter's ford, and arriving at Little Town about the middle of the month. There they found Clinton Rexford and N. P. Elsbree encamped, but no start yet made to- ward the erection of any building. They looked over the country for a few days, and on November 20, 1866, took four claims-one- for each of them, and one each for D. W. Clover and John Clover. D. M. Clover's.
FIRST COUNTY JAIL. ERE CTED 1869.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
claim was located on the southeast quarter of section 10; C. C. Clover the northeast quarter of section 15. In taking his claim C. C. Clover had in view the establishment of a mill, and selected this place as affording the best water power he was able to find along the river. About the first of December they started back for their families, provisions, and material. D. M. Clover went only as far as Fort Scott, where he bought oxen and wagons, with which he returned to their claims and commenced getting out logs for houses. C. C. Clover went back to Iowa, where he purchased material for a sawmill and laid in a supply of groceries and provisions.
In November or December, 1865, about the time the Clovers located, W. C. Watkins set- tled on section 4, and two of the Kingsbury boys located in the southwest part of the township.
1866.
In January 1866, C. C. Clover and his brother, John R. Clover, together with H. A. Victor and one or two others, started from Iowa for this county, having three wagons with two horses each. They left Oskaloosa, Iowa, about the middle of January, and got to Oswego about the Ioth of February. They found snow all the way down to Kansas City, but from there down to Oswego had pleasant weather and good roads. D. M. Clover had already commenced the construction of houses on each of the claims. That season Mr. Clover commenced the construction of a dam across the Neosho at a point some distance above the present dam, and about where the river makes the bend to the east. He did not succeed in getting his mill in operation until the fore part of 1868.
In the spring of 1866 John Clover went
back to Iowa, and in July of that year again arrived in Oswego, having with him his fa- ther and mother, D. W. Clover and wife, James Stice, Wiley Jackson, - --- Mason, John Burgess and David Stanfield. They lo- cated in the southeastern part of the township, some of them on the river and some on the prairie. On August 6th Cloyd G. Braught settled on the southwest quarter of section 34, and in September Simeon Holbrook on section 3 and Randal Bagby on section 5, and in Oce tober Lewis W. Crain on section 4. On No- vember 9th William Herbaugh and Moses B. Jacobs arrived; the former located north and the latter south of the town-site.
1867.
About November 1, 1867, C. Montague settled on the southwest quarter of section 5, and on November IIth F. Swanwick bought the claim of W. C. Watkins and located on. section 4.
CELEBRATION
On July 4, '1866, the settlers of this part of the county assembled at Oswego and held their first celebration.
MILL.
Capt. Clover had some of the machinery here for his mill in the spring of 1866, but it took so long to build the dam across the Neosho that he did not get it running till 1868. The first mill to be put in operation in the township was brought here November 9, 1866, by M. B. Jacobs, but he did not get it started till the spring of 1867. It was located on his claim, just south of town. It was thought better to haul the logs from the woods to the
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
mill on the prairie and thus have the lumber where it could be procured easily, than to lo- cate the mill in the woods and thus cause the lumber to be hauled out over the muddy bot- toms.
ORGANIZATION.
This township from the first has had the same territory as is now included within its limits. It was organized at the time of the division of the county into precincts for the first election. The first official record of its organization now to be found is the order of the commissioners made November 21, 1867, dividing the county into townships, in which they ordered that "Oswego township, No. 3, shall include town 33, R. 21." The first of- ficer in this township was C. H. Talbott, who was appointed justice of the peace by the Gov- ernor in the fall of 1866. He seems to have appointed Andy Kaho constable, to serve what- ever process was issued by him. These were probably the only civil officers of the township prior to its organization. I have not been able to learn the names of all the officers who were elected in April, 1867. D. W. Clover was one of the justices of the peace elected at that time, and probably J. F. Newlon was the other; Andy Kaho was elected constable. On April 5, 1868, the following officers were elected: R. W. Wright, trustee; S. Reardon, clerk; Norris Harrer, treasurer; R. J. Elliott and J. F. Newlon, justices of the peace; A. Kaho and F. D. Howe, constables; Ephriam Shanks, road overseer.
FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.
As far as I have been able to learn, but two parties had settled in this township prior to 1866. Francis Wall settled on the south-
west quarter of section 10, and Mr. Allen on the northwest quarter of section 13, in the fall of 1865.
During the year 1866 a number of parties came into the township. Early in the spring William Springer settled on the southwest quarter of section 2, M. V. B. Coffin on the northwest quarter of section 3, and William Cline on the northwest quarter of section 4. James Logan came in March, and located on the northwest quarter of section II, and James M. Logan on the southeast quarter of the same section. In May Charles Wadsack set- tled on the northwest quarter of section 12, and Frederick and Ernest Wadsack in the same vicinity. In June John Richardson bought Mr. Springer's claim for $200, to which he moved from the claim taken in Liberty town- ship, and where he has since made his home.
Among those who made settlement during 1867 were W. S. Park, James Dike, S. H. Spurr and Charles Kelso. Mr. Spurr bought J. M. Logan's claim, and the latter settled on the northeast quarter of section 16.
INDUSTRIES.
M. V. B. Coffin was the first blacksmith in the township; he opened a shop at his home soon after settling there in the spring of 1866. He had been a soldier with Kit Carson, was a good workman, and had a good run of busi- ness. He died in January, 1867; Mr. Peters bought his tools. In 1867 J. M. Logan con- structed a wooden mill for grinding cane, of which he and his neighbors raised quite large patches. He made a large amount of sorghum molasses.
ORGANIZATION.
In the original division of the county, what is known as Fairview township formed a part
III
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
of Labette. On the application of A. S. Spaulding, Frank Williams, J. R. Sweet and some 50 other electors, the commissioners, on April 26, 1870, made an order organizing town- ship 33, range 20, into a municipal township with the name of Fairview, and fixing the voting-place of the township at the office of Dr. A. S. Spaulding, on section 21. The following officers were appointed to serve until April, 1871: I. W. Patrick trustee; W. W. Babbitt, clerk; A. S. Spaulding, treasurer ; W. H. Umbarger and John Robinson, con- stables. A. S. Potter and James Paxon were recommended for appointment as justices of the peace.
STOCK.
On May 20, 1870, the commissioners, on a petition therefor, made an order that stock be not allowed to run at large in the night-time, for the term of three years.
MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
W. F. Hamman was the first settler in this township. He erected his house upon the northwest quarter of section 2 in April, 1869. Soon thereafter Mr. Moray located upon the northeast quarter of section II. In July E. A. Wait and his brother, A. H. Wait, settled on section 12, and Henry C. McClelland on the southwest quarter of section 14. A little later in the season the northwest part of the town- ship was settled. Benjamin H. Greer, George Greer, James Armstrong and Lewis C. Hill were the first settlers in this part of the town- ship.
RELIGIOUS EXERCISES.
In the fall of 1869 A. W. King, of Osage township, commenced preaching at the houses
of Benjamin Greer and Lewis Hill. Services were kept up at private houses with more or less regularity until the Pioneer schoolhouse was built, when they were held there. They were principally conducted by Methodist preachers in charge of the Timber Hill circiut.
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
When Mr. Moray and his wife were camped upon their claim above referred to, before they had their house erected, the first child in the township was born to them. On October I, 1869, W. F. Hamman lost his son Henry, which was the first death in the township. The first marriage in the township was that of George R. Greer and Mary A. Hill.
ORGANIZATION.
Mount Pleasant township was originally a part of Labette township. On May 20, 1870, G. W. Moray and 60 other electors pe- titioned for the organization of township 33, range 19, into a municipal township, which petition the board granted and named the township Mount Pleasant. Thereupon the board appointed the following officers: H. C. McClelland, trustee; Walter Downing, clerk; Henry Story; treasurer; Florence Hamman and C. E. Woodin, constables. Ezra A. Wait and John Hamblin were recommended for jus- tices of the peace, and they were afterward appointed.
CARE OF STOCK.
On June 23, 1870, on a petition of its citi- zens the board made an order restraining the running at large of stock in the night-time for a period of five years.
II2
HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
CANADA TOWNSHIP.
On January 23, 1867, Alexander and Mil- ton Duncan located on section 7, township 34, range 18, and were the first settlers in what is now Canada township. A little later in the season Jonathan Hill settled on section 28, Gresham Gokey on section 29, and some- time during the year John Nellis, J. Roberts, George Mays and Lewis Scott settled in the township. John McNeal came in October, 1868. I do not find the names of other set- tlers prior to those who came in the spring of 1869. During this year quite a large immi- gration came into the township, among whom may be mentioned H. Hedemann, D. M. Pitt, J. F. Walford, H. A. Linn, William Walters, David Ross, Howard Phenis and sons, John Phillips, Mrs. Mary Price, Ola Olson.
Mr. Phenis and his sons had a shingle- mill, in 1869, on section 32, from which they supplied the settlers in that neighborhood with shingles for their cabins.
The first child born in the township was Milton Duncan, son of Alexander Duncan, on February 12, 1868. The first death was that of an old man named Munk.
ORGANIZATION.
In the absence of any record I take the statement of Mr. Dickerman, who was then county clerk, that, of the nine precincts into which the county was divided, in March, 1867, by the commissioners appointed for its organ- ization, the southwest part was called Pump- kin Creek. No election was held therein at the first election for county officers. When the commissioners met and organized, on June 5, 1867, they made an order for the organiza- tion of the two west precincts, in which it was
provided that "Canada township shall include 33 and 34, range 18, and the west half of the 33 and 34, range 19, and as far west as the county line." This is the first official record we have relating to this township, or giving it a name. It was not until October 21, 1867, that a voting-precinct was designated for the township; at that time it was fixed at J. M. Duncan's. On November 21, 1867, the com- missioners made a new order dividing the county into townships, in which it was ordered that "Canada township, No. 9, shall include town 33 and 34,, R. 17 and 18." On April 6, 1868, the north half of township 33, in ranges 17 and 18, was attached to Osage township. The first election in the township was held No- vember 5, 1867, at which J. R. Shippey was elected trustee, J. M. Duncan and G. W. Mays, justices of the peace; John Nellis and John Scoville, constables. The record does not show who the opposing candidates were; but the vote was a tie on justices between Mr. Mays and some one else, and Mr. Mays was suc- cessful in the casting of lots for the office. By an order made April 14, 1869, township 35, ranges 17 and 18, was attached to this town- ship.
PROTECTING CROPS.
On May 27, 1871, on the petition of E. B. Baldwin and 42 others, the commissioners. made an order restraining stock from run- ning at large in the night-time for a term of two years.
HOWARD TOWNSHIP.
The first settler in what is now Howard township was John Kennedy, who located on the southwest quarter of section 12, township 35, range 17, in 1867.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
The settlement of this township fairly com- menced in 1869, and among those who located here that year are the following: W. H. Godwin, on the northeast quarter of section 3; Clinton Hawley, on section 2; Jesse Mc- Clintock, on the northeast quarter of section II; E. R. Lee, on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 33; Lee Loverage, on the southwest quar- ter of section 33; W. S. Getzendaner, on sec- tion 13, range 17; H. H. Lóng, on the north- east quarter of section 5.
In March, 1870, E. B. Baldwin located upon the northeast quarter of section 2, and during the same season settlements were made by Will- iam Blackford on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 4, - Scott on the southeast quarter of section 24, B. W. Harwood on the north- west quarter of section 10, George McKee on the southeast quarter of section 10, David Mc- Kee on the southwest quarter of section 14, J. M. Hart on the northwest quarter of section II, Dana H. Fuller and Aldin Fuller on section 4, Banks Hall and John W. Hall on section 13, D. Smallwood on section 1, Frank Pfiester on section 7.
On March 5, 1871, W. J. Millikin took the southeast quarter of section 22, and sometime during the season, some early in the spring and some not till fall, settlements were made by P. B. Clark on the northwest quarter of section 24, Samuel Smith on the northwest quarter of section 12, James Bennett on the northeast quarter of section 20, Walter Ben- nett on the northwest quarter of section 29, William Reasor on the southeast quarter, John Reasor on the northwest quarter, and George H. Goodwin on the northeast quarter of sec- tion 27. James Steel took the southwest quar- · ter, William Steel the northwest quarter, Boon Thompson the southeast quarter, and J. K.
Russell the northeast quarter of section 23; John Vance the southwest quarter and Chris- tian Lieb the northeast quarter of section 24; Lincoln Clark, and William and John High section I. W. M. Mabrey located on the southwest quarter of section II, in range 17.
ORGANIZATION.
The territory of which I am now speak- ing was a part of Canada township until after the spring election of 1872. At that election the opposing candidates for justice of the peace were J. M. Hart and H. H. Long, both residing in what is now Howard township. The vote between them being a tie, lots were cast resulting in the choice of Mr. Hart, who thereby became the first officer of the new township. On April 5, 1872, E. B. Baldwin presented the petition of himself and 81 other electors asking the commissioners for the for- mation of a new township, embracing all the territory in ranges 17 and 18 lying south of the line running east and west through the middle of township 34, leaving three tiers of sections in township 34 in the old township, and putting three tiers of section in town- ship 34 and all of fractional township 35 in the new township. This petition was granted, and the order of the commissioners made creat- ing said territory into a municipal township, which they named Howard in honor of the county clerk. Thereupon the following of- ficers were appointed for the township thus organized: E. B. Baldwin, trustee; William J. Millikin, clerk; Joseph Buckley, treasurer ; J. J. Breeding, constable. Mr. Buckley failed to qualify, and the commissioners soon there- after appointed William Blackford treasurer in his place.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
BUSINESS.
There have been several places in the town- ship at different times where small stores have been conducted. Capt. J. W. Hall started a store on his premises in the summer of 1870, which he conducted only a short time. W. H. Godwin and F. W. Noblett kept a small stock of groceries at the Dora postoffice. The town of Willeyville, afterward called Deerton, while it existed was in this township, and the busi- ness houses in operation there have been spoken of in connection with that name.
INCIDENTS.
John McClintock and Nettie Smallwood, on December 22, 1872, were joined in mar- riage, being the first couple married in the township, and the marriage of H. F. Jones and Mary McClintock followed some two or three weeks later. Among the first births in the township were sons in the families of W. J. McClintock and D. H. McKee, in the summer of 1870, and on August 15, 1870, a daughter, Julia A., to Colonel Baldwin and wife. A son of G. B. McKee was injured by falling into a well, from which he died; this was the first death in the township, and I understand that B. W. Harwood, who was murdered on Au- gust 15, 1872, was the second person who died in the township.
ELMI GROVE TOWNSHIP.
The first party to locate in Elm Grove township was William Bowen, who took his claim on sections 3 and 10 early in the spring of 1867, the old settlers say, although no one whom I have met is able to fix the date of his settlement. Probably the next settlers in the
township were R. P. and Amas Totten, who located on section 10, as it is thought, in the summer of 1867. A few parties made settle- ment here in 1868. Madison Sharp came in June and located on the northeast quarter of section 13, although he did not bring his fam- ily until the following February. At the same time Thomas Sharp located on the southeast quarter of the same section. In 1869 many more families came in. C. M. Keeler located on same section with William Bowen, Daniel McIntyre on the southwest quarter of section 12, Joseph Gray on the northeast quarter of section 3, A. J. Moler on the southwest quar- ter of section 13, James Woodville on section 12, in township 35. Wesley Faurot came July 29th this year, and settled in the extreme southeast corner of the township ; Harvey Jones also settled in the southern part of the town- ship. In July C. B. Pratt took the northwest quarter of section 3, in township 35, and opened thereon the first store in the township; he was appointed postmaster of the postoffice at that point, which was called Ripon. In October Dr. D. P. Lucas settled on the north- west quarter of section 12, in township 35; and during the season Thomas Summerfield settled in the same locality, on the southeast quarter of section 9. Probably still more fam- ilies whose names I have not mentioned came in this year. The settlement of the south- western part of the township did not com- mence until the spring of 1870. In June Peter Shufelt found a small house on the southwest quarter of section 20 which had been put there by some one who had left. He took possession of this and made claim to this quarter, afterward paying the man for his house. Harrison Sword settled on the south- west quarter of section 30, A. J. Lots on the southwest quarter of section 7, Peter Rhodes
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
on section 18, H. H. Lieb and R. W. Lieb also in that vicinity. During the season Owen Wimmer and sons located on section 29, but did not bring their families until the spring of 1871; Alfred Elliott located on the northwest quarter of section 30. In 1871, Junius, Peter and Lewis Goodwin settled on section 31.
ORGANIZATION.
By the division first made, what is now Elm Grove township was a part of Canada and Hackberry townships. After November 21, 1867, until its organization by itself, it formed a part of Hackberry township only. On July 27, 1870, W. H. Bowen and 55 others hav- ing petitioned therefor, the commissioners made an order for the organization of town- ships 34 and 35, in range 19, into a municipal township, with the name of Elm Grove; and on July 29th appointed the following officers : D. McIntyre, trustee; John Lane, clerk; John Freeman, treasurer; Charles Ballard and S. Bentley, constables; and recommended W. H. Bowen and T. H. Noslen for appointment as justices of the peace.
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