USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, from the first settlement to the close of 1892 > Part 11
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CELEBRATION.
The first celebration in the township was July 4, 1869, on the north- west quarter of section 29. Milton Buckles read the Declaration of Inde- pendence. The day was principally given up to a picnic and social enjoyment.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
RELIGIOUS EXERCISES.
In the fall of 1867 the citizens met and put up a log house on Pleasant May's claim in the bottom on the west side of the creek, on section 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 town- ship. 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 settle- ments 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 Laberdy. 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 till 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 number 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, Labette county, in the autumn of 1866, in company with Harry Weymire and Isaac Vancil. There was but one man before us, a Mr. May, who had built his cabin just before our arrival. Others followed fast, and when the spring of 1867 had opened we had quite a settlement on the Big Hill creek. In July, 1867, I was appointed a committee to visit the Commissioners at Oswego and procure an order for the organi- zation 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 Commissioners were sitting astraddle of the sleepers 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 Rolla Wood, son of Zacha- riah and Matilda Wood.
"Our nearest postoffice was Rogers's store, where Chanute now is. We did our milling at Humboldt, and hauled lumber from the Neosho. I believe I am the only survivor of the first settler of Osage township.
Very respectfully yours, MILTON A. BUCKLES."
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MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS.
ORGANIZATION.
I am not quite sure whether the first name by which this territory was known was Timber Hill or Big Hill township. The Commissioners ap- pointed 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 resi- dents 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 town- ships 31 & 32, range 18, and the west half of townships 31 & 32 of range 19, and as far west as the county line." In this order, as it ap- pears 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 Timber Hill at the residence of Mr. Frank Larberdy, in Timber Hill township, T. 31 & 32, R. 18 & 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 vot- ing precinct be changed from Mr. Larberdy's to Mr. Eli Sparks's. The first election in the township was held November 5, 1867, at which the following officers were elected : J. S. Blair, trustee ; Isaac Van Sickle and Eli Sparks, justices of the peace; H. Waymire and J. Courtney, constables ; Z. C. Wood, road overseer. On November 21, 1867, the Commissioners made an order more definitely fixing and somewhat changing municipal townships, by the provisions of which it was de- clared that "Big Hill township No. 8 shall include town 31 & 32, R. 17 18." On April 6, 1868, a petition therefor having been made to the Commissioners, they ordered "That the township commonly known as Big Hill shall hereafter be known in all official transactions as Osage township," and at the same time made an order establishing 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 forty-nine 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 Val- ley townships, it was ordered that township 32, ranges 17 and 18, be de- tached from Osage and Mound Valley townships and organized into a municipal township under the name of Big Hill township, for which the following officers were appointed : William Johns, trustee ; Albert Alli-
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
son, clerk ; S. C. Hockett, treasurer. I find no action of the Commis- sioners changing or revoking this order; nevertheless, the order was never acted upon, the officers appointed never qualified, and Osage and Mound Valley townships remained as though no such order had ever been made.
STOCK.
On May 30, 1871, on the petition of William Dick and sixty-nine 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. 1866.
There were two early settlers in this county who would be in Mound Valley township except 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. Court- ney. If anyone was there before them, he left no trace of his habita- tion. Joseph McCormick, 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. McCormick settled on parts of sections '23 and 24, township 32, range 17, where he made his home until his death, on De- cember 10, 1871, his wife having died the March preceding. Mr. Mc- Cormick 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 sec- tion as Mr. Courtney. In November, 1866, Eli Sparks settled on the southeast quarter of section 18, township 32, range 18.
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MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS.
1867.
Green L. Canada settled on the northeast quarter of section 17, town- ship 33, range 18, January 12, 1867. William Jones and John M. Stigen- walt came February 20, 1867. Mr. Jones settled on the section with Mr. Courtney and Mr. McMichael, and Mr. Stigenwalt settled 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 W. Claspell came in September, 1867. Samuel C. Hockett near that time settled on section 18, together with Mr. Sparks and Mr. Stigenwalt, 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 quarter 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, enjoying the fruits of his industry. D. S. Muncie took the southwest quarter of section 25, township 33, range 18, on which he built, in 1869, a one and one-half story frame house, 16x24 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 this farm to J. H. Tibbits.
ORGANIZATION.
Mound Valley township was originally a part of what afterward be- came Osage and Canada townships. It was not until June 13, 1870, that, upon the petition of Henry Rohr and some fifty other residents of its territory, the Commissioners made an order for the organization 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 town- ship with the name of Mound Valley. The following officers were ap- pointed for the new township : Josephus 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 appointment 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 scattered along Bachelor creek. Of these I may mention Leveret Wood, who came in the fall of 1868, and -8
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
settled on the northeast quarter of section 1; the next spring John Singleton settled on the northwest quarter of section 1, and James H. Martin on the northeast quarter of section 2; Millard Sargent on the northwest quarter and his brother on the southwest 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 south- west quarter of section 34.
With the opening of 1870 many new parties came into the township, of whom I may mention Thomas Mahar and his sons, who settled on section 21. The settlement of this township 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 Commissioners prior to the first election in the spring of 1867, the central portion of the county, embracing 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 township is numbered 6, and is declared to include town- ships 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 record was held on April 7, 1868. At this election H. P. Reeding was elected trustee, M. H. Lo- gan 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 election in April, 1870, the following offi- cers were elected : Newton Connor, trustee; J. L. Williams, clerk ; Cal- vin Tracy, treasurer; G. P. Peters and G. J. Connor, justices of the peace ; William Hanson and W. F. Hamman, constables. Within the next two months all of the territory, excepting township 32, range 19, which had theretofore been embraced in Labette township, was detached therefrom, and formed into other municipal townships. All the officers last elected resided within the territory thus detached, which left Labette township without any officers or organization. The last of June or fore part of July, 1870, a meeting of the citizens was held on the premises of John Alspaw, on the southwest quarter of section 15, and the following persons selected for township officers : Calvin Tracy, trustee : John Cald-
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MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS.
well, clerk; William Collins, 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 11, 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 officers selected at the citi- zens' meeting were appointed in part, and some of the offices seem to have been left vacant.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
The settlement of this township commenced 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 section 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 Wm. Springer jr. the claim on which he had settled, paying there- for $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 section 36, and John Elliott on the southeast quarter 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 Declaration of Independence, and Elihu Greene delivered 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. Peters commenced running a blacksmith shop at his home, and in the spring of 1868 built a shop at Neola, on section 35. There
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
was no other business aside from farming until Labette 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 fifty-one other citizens. The following officers were appointed : Samuel Lewis, treasurer; Wil- liam R. Williams, clerk; R. W. Campbell, constable; Samuel T. Cherry was recommended for appointment as justice of the peace.
CARE OF STOCK.
The Commissioners made an order on July 27th, on the petition of T. D. Bickham and sixty-eight 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 Os- wego circuit preached here.
MONTANA TOWNSHIP.
There seems to be no dispute about Samuel 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 settlement in the summer of 1865. He came, probably 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 settle- ment 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 October 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 section 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 settled on the southwest corner of section 27, but the next summer moved to the southeast quarter of section 30. Samuel Dunham located 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
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MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS.
west side of the river; John Modisett on section 4. In December John Halford settled on the southwest quarter of section 16, and Mr. Lee on section 33. On December 24th Julius S. Waters arrived, and camped on Mr. Simons's claim, but soon thereafter located on section 33, in Neosho township; subsequently, however, he came back, and was for a long time a resident 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 attempt to mention a few. Dr. D. D. McGrath settled on the southwest quarter of section 4; Nehe- mniah Sage on the northwest quarter of section 8; Uriah Davis on the southwest quarter of section 7; Frank and Albert Brockus on the north- east 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 quar- ter of section 17. In December, John S. Anderson located on the south- west quarter of section 8; Vincent Anderson on the southeast quarter of section 6 ; and Terry Anderson on the northeast quarter of section 7.
SAW-MILL.
About the first of February, 1867, the Anderson brothers brought a saw-mill and located it upon C. E. Simons's claim, on section 4, and by the middle of the month had it in operation. 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 extensive busi- ness in making sorghum for himself 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 division of the county into townships it was ordered, that "Montana township No. 2 shall include town 32, range 21." George Bennett, who resided in Montana township, was appointed 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 probable A. W. Jones was its first trustee. At the election held April 5, 1868, C. B. Woodford was elected trustee; T. M. Brockus, clerk : D.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
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. Collins, 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, crossing the Neosho at Trotter's ford, and arriving at Little Town about the middle of the month. There they found Clinton Rex- ford and N. P. Elsbree encamped, but no start yet made toward the erec- tion 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 claim was lo- cated 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 De- cember 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 pur- chased material for a saw-mill and laid in a supply of groceries and pro- visions.
In November or December, 1865, about the time the Clovers located, W. C. Watkins settled on section 4, and two of the Kingsbury boys lo- cated 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 Oska- loosa, Iowa, about the middle of January, and got to Oswego about the 10th 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
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MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS.
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 suc- ceed 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 father and mother, D. W. Clover and wife, James Stice, Wiley Jackson, - Mason, John Burgess, and David Stanfield. They located 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 October Lewis W. Crain on section 4. On Novem- ber 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 quar- ter of section 5, and on November 11th 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 mill on the prairie and thus have the lumber where it could be procured easily, than to locate the mill in the woods and thus cause the lumber to be hauled out over the muddy bottoms.
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