History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens, Part 22

Author: Case, Nelson, 1845-1921, ed
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 846

USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 22

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).

STOVER DISTRICT, NO. 29.

This district was formed April 29, 1869, on a petition of J. P. D. Mouriquand, J. M.

Logan, George Pfaff, and others, and embraced a tract in the north part of Fairview township extending west from Labette Creek. The first election was held at the house of J. S. Mc- Manis, on May II, 1869. September 8, 1869, M. H. Logan, clerk, reported 34 children in the district, but that no school had been taught. The first school-house was built in the fall of I 869.

HARMONY GROVE (OR CARPENTER, NOW MOR- TIMER) DISTRICT, NO. 30.

This district is located in the central part of Osage township. A log house was used for the first school-house in the district, and in it William Jeans taught the first school, in the summer of 1869. In the summer of 1871 a frame house was built, and in it the follow- ing winter the first school was taught, by John Stroud. The first school board consisted of Leroy F. Dick, director; William H. Carpen- ter, clerk; and Henry Reed, treasurer. Anoth- er reports the board to have been W. H. Car- penter, director; George N. Jeans, clerk; and J. H. Dienst, treasurer.

PRAIRIE VALLEY DISTRICT, NO. 31.

This district must have been organized in 1869, although the records concerning its or- ganization are not to be found. As originally constituted, it embraced the entire northwestern quarter of North township; subsequently its territory was much reduced, District No. 104 having been taken therefrom. There is no re- port or other official record whatever on file with reference to the district prior to 1871, when the board consisted of S. Hardman, di- rector ; James F. Harris, clerk; A. J. Ingra- ham, treasurer.

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HEACOCK (OR STONE PALACE) DISTRICT, NO. 32.

This district is situated in the northern part of North township. The record of its organi- zation, if one was made, is lost. The first we have is a report made August 31, 1870, by A. Fagan, clerk, showing they have 50 chil- dren in the district, 30 attending school, with an average attendance of 22. In 1871 the board was composed of George Miner, J. C. Merwin, and C. W. Rictor.

PARSONS DISTRICT, NO. 33.

A petition dated February 23, 1869, made by R. T. Caldwell, Anson Kellogg, A. Mid- kiff, S. N. Fultz, Maria Hussey, George Brock, and several others, was presented to the super- intendent, on which he soon thereafter made an order for the organization of District No. 33, embracing, in addition to the territory now composed in that district, several additional sections. The first meeting was held at the house of Aaron Midkiff, at which the follow- ing officers were elected: Anson Kellogg, di- rector ; George M. Wilson, clerk ; Joseph Simp- son, treasurer. September 10, 1869, George M. Wilson, clerk, reported 20 males and 14 females in the district on the 3Ist of August, 15 of whom - 10 males and 5 females, with an average attendance of 10 -- were in school, in progress at that time, taught by Maria Hussey, at a salary of $16.66 2-3 per month. This school was taught in an out-house belonging to A. Midkiff, on the southwest quarter of section 19, North town- ship. The next school was taught from Sep- tember to December, 1870, by Miss Sophronia Emery, in a vacant log house belonging to Samuel Eves, on the northeast quarter of sec-

tion 24, in Walton township. This was the first public school taught in the district. On March 31, 1870, the first annual meeting was held, at the house of Aaron Midkiff, and the following officers elected : Anson Kellogg, director; H. L. Partridge, clerk; George Brock, treasurer. The latter failing to qualify, W. K. Hayes was soon after appointed to fill the vacancy; and this same board was continued in office during two years. In March, 1872, they elected Dr. G. W. Gabriel director, T. C. Cory, clerk, and Dr. T. R. Warren, treasurer. At the meeting held March 31, 1870, the board were directed to take steps to build a school-house. On September 17th of that year, bonds in the sum of $1,000 were voted, and the board pur- chased lots 15 and 16 in block 72, and on this, during the winter of 1870 and the spring of 1871, a one-story frame building was erected as the first school-house in the district. It was not completed until June, and was accept- ed by the board August 1, 1871. On May 8. 1871, Miss Kate Squires and Miss Sophronia Emery began a subscription school in the new school building, which was then enclosed but not fully completed. On August 10th the board decided to enlarge the building by add- ing six feet on the west end, making two school- rooms. This house was afterward bought by the colored people, to be used as a church. The house thus completed was built with the proceeds of the $1 000 in bonds. In the fall of 1871 the school opened in the new school-house, with E. H. Taylor and Miss Sophronia Emery as teachers. On October 3, 1871, on a vote to issue $15,000 in bonds with which to erect a new school-house, there were 108 votes in favor of the proposition, and but 5 against it. The bonds were sold at 87 1-2 cents on the dollar. In January, 1872, the contract for the erection of this building was

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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY

let to T. B. Douglas, of Clinton, Missouri, for $II,993. On his failure to give bond satis- factory to the board, they attempted to take the contract from him and give it to Martin Mason, also of Clinton, Missouri, at the agreed price of $13,000; but the district assumed to overrule this action, and allowed Mr. Douglas to go on with the work. He failed to com- plete his contract, and the district had the loss to sustain. The building was completed and ready for the opening of school in the fall of 1872. In March, 1873, Parsons was incorpor- ated as a city of the second class, whereupon the board of education was elected at the city elec- tion, in April. Presidents of the board : 1873. George A. Reynolds; 1874, O. L. Hall. George WV. Briggs: 1875. G. C. West; 1876-79, A. Wilson; 1880-81, R. H. Patrick; 1882, Will- iam Moir; 1883, S. W. Kniffin; 1884, J. M. Gregory; 1885. W. J. Quick ; 1886, I. N. Mc- Creery ; 1887, J. M. Caldwell; 1888, R. D. Tal- bot ; 1889-90, J. T. Tinder ; 1891, A. H. Tyler; 1892, O. H. Stuart, G. H. L. Copeland; 1893, Ira F. Adams : 1894. R. M. Johnson ; 1895-96, W. H. Martin : 1897, George S. Anderson ; 1898, A. B. Manning ; 1899, F. O. Boyd; 1900, Josiah Richmond. Clerks : 1873, J. H. Metier and W. A. Gillam; 1874, P. M. Griffin ; 1875, M. Noyes; 1876, George Thornton; 1877-81, James Grimes ; 1882-86, A. H. Tyler ; 1887, C. WV. Duzan and A. G. Thurman; 1888, A. H. Tyler and A. G. Thurman; 1889, Mary S. Out- land and J. W. Iden; 1890-99, J. W. Iden; 1900, Arthur Cranston. Principals : 1872. J. H. Griffith : 1873. David Donavan ; 1874, Mrs. E. J. Collins; 1875. Mrs. Jennie Arthur. Up 10 1876 the schools were superintended by citi- zens who were not teachers, and who were expected to do little more than have a general oversight, to know what the schools were do- ing. J. G. Parkhurst and M. W. Reynolds

were two of the parties who filled this posi- tion. Commencing with 1876. the superin- tendents had charge of the school, and did more or less teaching. Superintendents: 1876, B. F. Hickey; 1877-79, M. Chidester ; 1880, O. M. McPherson: 1881-87. L. Tomlin; 1888- 90, C. H. Harris; 1891-94, H. C. Ford; 1894- 98, S. D. Frazier ; 1898-99, H. Winsor ; 1899- 1901, N. H. McDonald. The first graduate was Maude G. Keyser, who completed the course in 1881 ; there was no graduating class i11 1882. There have been 71 males and 156 females, total 227, graduated from the high school. There are four ward school buildings, all brick, as follows : the first, built in 1872, in the Second Ward, on the west half of block 3, costing $15 000 ; the second, erected in 1880, in the Third Ward, between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth streets and between Belmont and Corning avenues, costing $10,000; the third, erected in the First Ward, in 1881, on block III, cost $6,000; the fourth, erected in 1884, in the Fourth Ward, situated west of block 160, cost $12,000. A high school build- ing, situated in the west part of the city, cost- ing $30,000, was completed in 1893. A new ward building for the Fourth Ward, costing $10,000, was erected in 1899, in place of the original one, which was taken down.

WHEATLAND (OR HARD-PAN ) DISTRICT, NO. 34.

This district was formed July 8, 1869, and embraced a tract in Mound Valley township, west of Pumpkin Creek, and north of the line between townships 32 and 33. The first elec- tion was held at the house of C. Lyerly, July 2, 1869. J. M. Richardson was the principal one interested in the organization of this dis- trict. The first school taught in the district was in a house belonging to Mr. Richardson, by his

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son, J. M. Richardson, Jr. The school was taught for several years in this house. Bonds were thereafter issued, and a new school-house erected. In 1870 the officers were : J. M. Rich- ardson, director; William Reeder, clerk; John B. Campbell, treasurer.

SNOW HILL DISTRICT, NO. 35.

This district was formed July 9, 1869, and embraced a tract in the southwest part of Osage township. most of it lying in what is now Montgomery county. The first election was held at the house of A. W. Cook, July 20, 1869. When this territory was attached to Montgomery county this district became disor- ganized. In 1872 a new district was organized, in the extreme southwestern corner of the county, and was given this number. Its first officers were: Wm. Mabrey, director; W. S. Getsyendinger, clerk; W. B. Roberts, treas- urer. Mr. Mabrey was director for fourteen years. Some time thereafter a storehouse in Parker was purchased, and moved out to the district for its first school-house.

MOUNT ZION DISTRICT, NO. 36.

This district was formed July 10, 1869, and lay in the southwest part of Osage town- ship. The first meeting was held July 20, 1869. Miss Josie Hockett taught her first school in a log cabin on the southeast quarter of section 6, township 32, range 18. The first board now shown by records was that for 1870, and was composed of S. C. Hockett, director ; Charles Beggs, clerk; and William Johns, treasurer.

TIMBER HILL DISTRICT, NO. 37.

This district was formed July 10, 1869, and lay in the southern part of Osage township. The first election was held at the house of F. Labadie, July 20, 1869. In the fall of 1869,

E. D. Graybill induced the settlers to put up a log house on the southwest corner of Timber Hill town-site, in which that winter he taught the first school in the district. The following winter W. A. Starr taught in this building. A. W. King was clerk in 1870; he is the only offi- cer reported prior to 1871.

DENNIS DISTRICT, NO. 38,

Was formed July 10. 1869, and lay in the cen- tral part of Osage township, and embraced the present town-site of Dennis. A log house was put up in this district in the spring of 1870, in which Mrs. Lapham taught a three-months' school. After the location of Dennis in this district a new frame school-house was erected in town, in the summer of 1885. The district board in 1870 consisted of N. P. Lapham, di- rector ; George W. Major, clerk; Jacob Beaty, treasurer. The first frame school-house burned down and thereafter a two-room building was erected farther north than the site of the old house. Since employing two teachers, the prin- cipals, or teachers in the more advanced room, have been : 1889-90, E. H. Easterling; 1890- 91, S. L. Fogleman ; 1891-92, Rose Williams ; 1892-95, C. E. Boye; 1895-96, Olive Ten Broeck ; 1896-97, C. S. Neale; 1897-98, E. C. Mckinley; 1898-99, S. F. McClelland; 1899- 1900, E. C. Mckinley ; 1900-01, S. O. King.

BRADFORD DISTRICT, NO. 39.

On July 10, 1869, an order was made for the formation of this district, but probably it was not acted on, for another order was made on April 6, 1870, under which the district was formed, and lay in the northwest corner of Walton township. The first meeting was held at the house of M. S. Mason, on April 16, 1870, at which George T. Walton, M. S. Mason an.1

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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY

John Lunciford were elected the board for that year.

MOUND VALLEY DISTRICT, NO. 40,

Is situated in the central-eastern part of Mound Valley township, and includes the town of Mound Valley. This district was formed in the summer of 1869, although there is nothing now on file showing that fact. The first an- nual report was made August 31, 1870, by Alexander Honrath, clerk; it shows 33 chil- dren in the district, 22 in school, with an av- erage attendance of 11. In 1870 the board was composed of Josephus Moore, Alexander Hon- rath, and L. C. Wilmoth. A new two-story building was erected in the summer of 1882, and in 1885 an addition was made thereto. In 1885, the high school was organized, and since then there have been graduated 15 boys and 35 girls, total 50. Since the establish- ment of the high school, the principals have been: A. Moore, three years; J. T. McGee, two years; A. D. Martin, two years; A. J. Lovett, two years; C. H. Williams, two years ; S. L. Fogleman, two years; and again, A. J. Lovett, three years.

ENTERPRISE DISTRICT, NO. 4I.

While there is no record thereof, an attempt must have been made in the summer of 1869 to form the district, which probably failed. It was formed May 12, 1871, and lay in the south- eastern corner of Mound Valley township. The first meeting was held May 27, 1871, on peti- tion therefor, signed by Joseph Moore, Alex- ander Honrath, John Campbell, S. W. Slocum, E. Tanner and others. The first school in the district was taught in 1879, by Della Wilson. in a cabin on section 23, belonging to Rev. F. L. Walker. A school-house was not built until 1880.

SALEM DISTRICT, NO. 42.

On June 7, 1870, E. P. Emery, Wm. R. Ables, and others petitioned for a district in the southwestern part of Walton township. I find no record of its formation, but it seems to have been organized soon after the presen- tation of the petition. S. B. Shaffer, J. A. Jones and G. B. Hughes are reported as the board in 1870. A school-house was built near the southeast corner of section 20 in the spring of 1871. In 1890 this first building was re- placed by a new and much better one. The first school in the district was taught by Miss So- phronia Emery, in a log house on R. P. Clark's claim, in the fall of 1870.

ALTAMONT DISTRICT, NO. 43.

Was formed October 4, 1869, and embraced the southeast corner of Labette township and the northeastern corner of Mount Pleasant town- ship, and includes the city of Altamont. In 1870 the board were G. Conner, J. C. Mur- phy, and John Elston. The first school-house was built in 1872, and was used until the num- ber of scholars became so great that it would no longer accommodate them in any way,when it was sold to J. T. Waller, by whom it was moved across the street, where it still stands, and is used for a dwelling. In 1880 the dis- trict employed J. B. Jones to erect a new house upon the same site formerly occupied by the old one. The district again outgrew this house and in 1884 another room had to be added. The building thus improved accommodated the district until 1891, when $4.000 in bonds were voted, the old school-house was sold to the Christians for the purpose of being reconstruct- ed into a church building, and a new two-story brick school-house erected under a contract with J. B. Jones, occupying the same site as its

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predecessors. Since the erection of the sec- ond school-house in 1880, and the employment of more than one teacher, the principals of the school, so far as I have been able to learn, have been : Lizzie Sullivan, Alvah Shick, Mr. Cot- ton, T. J. Gobble, H. A. Mossman, J. M. Chans- ler, H. C. Long, W. H. Conner, Charles Bell, Dean Coleman, D. H. Martin, S. O. King, Charles Harrington, L. Lightfoot, J. F. John- son, S. F. McClelland.

SPRING VALLEY (OR CATALPA) DISTRICT, NO. 44.

In 1870 the petition of John Connor, John W. Logan and other citizens was pre- sented for the formation of a district in the southwest corner of Liberty township, which petition was granted, and on January 29, 1870, an order made under which District No. 44 was organized. William F. Gross, William J. Iliff and S. W. Collins were the first board, elected at the first meeting of the district, held at the house of W. J. Iliff, February II, 1870.

ELLIS DISTRICT, NO. 45,

Is situated in the northeastern part of Elm Grove township. I find no record whatever in reference to it prior to 1871, except the names of the board for 1870; they were Daniel Mc- Intyre, John Lane, and Madison Sharp. The district must have been formed early in 1870. The first school in the district was taught in the summer of 1870, by Sarah Ackerson, after- wards the wife of Henry G. Pore, in her own claim cabin on the northeast quarter of section 14. The school-house was built in 1872, and Lon Blanchard taught the first school in it.

LANEVILLE (OR HARD SCRABBLE) DISTRICT, NO. 46,

Is in the central part of Neosho township. west of the Neosho River. The record is entirely silent as to the date of its formation, and I find no report prior to 1871, but in 1870 the board consisted of E. H. Taylor, Samuel Frank, and E. H. Wells.

HIATT DISTRICT, NO. 47,

Was formed March 24, 1870, and em- braced a tract of land in the southwest of Lib- erty township and the southeast of Labette township. This district was formed on the pe- tition of Caleb Haskill, T. M. Gibson, and others, dated December 30, 1869. The first school meeting was held at the house of C. T. Haskill, April 4, 1870. P. M. Gibson, Edward Hiatt and C. F. Haskill are the officers reported for 1871.

PLEASANT VALLEY, MORNING, OR KNOT-HOLE DISTRICT, NO. 48,

Is situated in the northeast corner of Liberty and northwest corner of Montana township. In the spring of 1870 the first school was taught, in George Metcalf's old log house on the northeast quarter of section 13, by Miss Sidney Johnson ; this was a subscription school. In the spring of 1871 an old store building was moved from Labette and placed on the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 12. township 32, range 20; this was the first school-house. Two years later it was moved over onto the southeast quarter. The first school board, as now shown on the coun- ty records, was in 1870, and consisted of James

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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY

Morning, director; S. S. Saytor, clerk; George Morning, treasurer. I judge from all that ap- pears that the district was probably organized early in 1870.

RIPON DISTRICT, NO 49,

Is situated in the central-southern part of Elm Grove township, bordering on the State line. I have no means of telling from the public rec- ords when this district was formed. The first official paper relative to it which I have been able to find is the report made by Jonas Burris, on August 31, 1870, showing 48 children in the district, with an average attendance of 21 at school. I find among the records a letter signed by Ben M. Smith, dated September 8, 1870, in which he says that the district is com- posed mostly of single men; that their school has been kept but two weeks, the teacher hav- ing been paid off and quit; and that in reality the district has no organization. The officers reported for 1870 were: Colton B. Pratt, di- rector ; B. M. Smith, clerk; and W. D. Scog- gans, treasurer. It is therefore likely the re- port made by Mr. Burris should be credited to some other district

STAR DISTRICT, NO. 50.

This district was probably formed in 1870, lying in the southeastern part of Elm Grove township. The first school was taught by Miss Unthank, in the house of Harvey Jones. The first board were: Ira Peck, director ; D. D. P. Lucas, clerk; and George W. McGeyor, treas- urer. The first public school was taught in the winter of 1871 and 1872, by Miss Frank Hall.

DRESSER (NOW VALEDA) DISTRICT, NO. 51.

There is nothing of record showing any suc- cessful effort at organizing this district till De- cember 29, 1875, when an order for its forma-

tion was made, and the first election had on March 6, 1876. The first school-house in this district was an old store building bought and moved from Parker to near the center of sec- tion 20, township 34, range 18, in 1879. In 1886 this building was sold, changes were made in the boundary of the district, and the school-house site was changed and placed at Valeda, which had just been started. A new school-house was erected in 1886.

RAYBURN DISTRICT, NO. 52.

This district lies in the central-eastern part of Mount Pleasant township. It was organized under an order made June 8. 1870, and the first election was directed to be held at the house of John R. Eldridge on June 20, 1870. The following officers were elected : (William Skilling, director, but declined to serve) ; Hen- ry Story, director; G. A. W. Grant, clerk; John Eldridge, treasurer. In 1871 the board consisted of Henry Story, director; G. A. W. Grant, clerk; W. Jones, treasurer. In the fall of 1870 Susan Story taught a subscription school in the Morrison claim house, on the southeast quarter of section 14. In the spring of 1871 the school-house was built, in which, commencing that fall, John Hamblin taught the first public school in the district.

O'CONNER DISTRICT, NO. 53.

Was organized June 13, 1870, embracing the central-northern part of Walton township. The first school meeting was held at the residence of James Cahill, June 25. 1870. The first offi -. cers were William O'Brien, James Cahill, and Timothy O'Conner.

MAPLE GROVE DISTRICT, NO. 54.

On June 20, 1876, Ernest Wadsack, John Richardson, and some twenty more residents of

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that territory, petitioned for the formation of a district in the northeast corner of Fairview township, which on July 6th was granted and District No. 54 was organized. This district was,however, originally organized much earlier than this, although there is no record of the fact. In 1870 the board consisted of John Richardson, director; J. L. Williams, clerk; -, treasurer. These are the first officers now shown by the records. The first school in the district was taught by Mrs. W. S. Park, in a cabin on the Dike farm, in the winter of 1870.

FRANKLIN DISTRICT, NO. 55,

Is located in the northwestern corner of North township. There is no record showing the time of its formation, but I learn it was or- ganized in 1868 through the efforts of Mr. Ballentine; perhaps the organization was not till the next year; at least, there is no record of any officers reported in 1869. The neighbors built a small board shanty on the northwest quarter of section 36, in which Elvira Binga- man, daughter of A. W. Jones, taught the first school, in the fall of 1868. A year or two after that the district was enlarged, and a new school-house costing $700 was built on section 25, in 1872. This school-house was blown down in the storm that occurred on June 7, 1900. A new building was at once erected. In 1870 the district board was composed of George Skelton, director; Samuel Ballentine, clerk; Robert C. Livesay, treasurer. This is the first that appears on the county record re- specting this district.

ANGOLA DISTRICT, NO. 56.

Was organized in the central part of Canada township, July 13, 1878. The first meeting was held August 19, 1878, officers elected and

organization perfected. I find no account of any earlier organization, although it seems probable that one must at least have been at- tempted.

CAMPBELL DISTRICT, NO. 57,

Is located in the south-central part of Oswego township, and must have been organized early in 1870, although there is no record showing such fact. On August 31, 1870, T. Clark re- ported 47 children in the district, 41 attending school. The officers reported for 1870 are: John Overdeer, director; William Steel, clerk. Alice Spaulding was first teacher, her school commencing in the fall of 1871, in the new school-house which had just been built.

ROCK CREEK (OR ARNOLD) DISTRICT, NO. 58, Was organized in the eastern part of Canada township, July 23, 1878, and the first meeting held August 21, 1878. No record of any earlier organization exists, so far as I have discovered.

PIONEER DISTRICT, NO. 59,

As originally constituted, embraced the north- west quarter of Mount Pleasant township. I find nothing on record showing anything of the formation of the district, or anything in reference thereto prior to 1870. For that year the district board are reported to be B. F. Jones. S. M. Canady, and O. B. Clark. The school-house was built in the summer of 1871, and the first school was taught by Mrs. H. Pot- tinger, wife of Samuel Pottinger.

LAKE CREEK DISTRICT, NO. 60.

Is situated in the central-western part of Hack- berry township. There is nothing on record showing when it was formed or what it did

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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY

prior to 1871, when R. M. Roberts, John M. Morse and William Stevenson are recorded as the officers.

CLOSSAR (OR UNION ) DISTRICT, NO. 61.

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History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens, Part 22

Author: Case, Nelson, 1845-1921, ed Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 846

Author: Case, Nelson, 1845-1921, ed
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 846