USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 17
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266
HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
"The Leavenworth Times," Leavenworth's morning paper of today, ranks among the leading morning papers of the state. It is owned and controlled by Congressman D. R. Anthony, Jr., and is one of the oldest and most stable of local publications. It enjoys a very large circulation and in politics has always been found to be one hundred per cent Republi- can. James M. Mickey has for a number of years past been associated with the publication of "The Times" in the capacity of associate editor, while W. I. Biddle has acted as city editor of the publication.
A paper that should have been classified with the early day publica- tions of Leavenworth County, that while it was only published for a short length of time contributed materially to the keeping of all things pertain- ing to the slavery question in an uproar, was the "Kansas Pioneer."
The "Pioneer" was published at Kickapoo, Kansas, one of the bitterest rivals of the city of Leavenworth as well as Fort Leavenworth. The first edition of the paper came out during the month of November, 1854. A. B. Hazzard was for a while the sole owner, manager and editor of the publication, which was radically pro-slavery. For a while a party named Sexton associated himself with Sexton in the publication of the "Pioneer." When it became evident to the editors that the fight of Kickapoo for the county seat of Leavenworth was hopelessly lost and that Kickapoo City was destined to a certain death, the publication of the "Pioneer" was abandoned.
Among other papers now published in the county of Leavenworth is the "Easton Transcript" and the "Tonganoxie Mirror." Both are weeklies and enjoy a large circulation as well as remunerative patronage in the way of advertising. The "Easton Transcript" is published in the city of Easton, in Easton Township, Leavenworth County, Kansas. At the pres- ent time Robert Stafford is the owner and editor. The "Transcript" is practically the outgrowth of an early day Easton publication known as the "Light of Liberty" and later as the "Easton Light." The first publi- cation of the "Light" was dated July 26, 1895, and the original owners and editors were M. L. and K. Lockwood.
CHAPTER XVI
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MEDICAL PROFESSION
FIRST PHYSICIANS CAME WITH THE ARMY-FIRST ON THE TOWNSITE-EARLY PHYSICIANS-KICKAPOO-OTHER SMALL TOWNS-PROMINENT DOCTORS- SANITARY COMMISSION ESTABLISHED-U. S. MILITARY HOSPITAL-OTHER HOSPITALS-"MEDICAL HERALD"-PRESENT DAY PHYSICIANS.
The medical profession of Leavenworth County has a longer span of activity than any other of the learned professions. The physician came with the troops located at Cantonment Leavenworth, now Fort Leaven- worth, in 1827. The first medical officer there was Assistant Surgeon Clement A. Finlay, according to the information given by Maj. Howard McC. Snyder, Medical Corps, United States Army, now post surgeon of Fort Leavenworth. The physician has been active at the post in an un- broken line of succession from 1827 to the present day. In 1854, when Leavenworth City and Kickapoo were founded, Dr. G. Magruder and Dr. Samuel Phillips were on duty at Fort Leavenworth. The first physician of the new townsite of Leavenworth was Dr. Charles Leib, who had an office in the "Big Tent" north of the elm tree at Levee and Cherokee Street. Five physicians were included in the original Town Company. Among them were Drs. Magruder, Samuel Philips and S. F. Few. The latter was for a long time city physician in after years. Other early physicians in Leavenworth were Drs. Dyer, W. S. Catterson, Levi Houston, John Harvey Day, S. F. Norton, James Davis, J. M. Bodine and Tiffin Sinks.
Dr. H. B. Callahan located here in 1856, and after a temporary ab- sence in Platte City, relocated in 1866. He died in his office in 1896. The wonderful growth of Leavenworth spread afar and attracted the following physicians, who permanently settled here in the years men- tioned: Drs. M. S. Thomas, 1856; T. J. Weed, 1857; J. L. Weaver, 1859;
268
HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
S. W. Jones, 1859; Margaret Burdell, 1861; John McCormick, 1862; A. C. Van Duyn, 1865; J. W. Brock, 1865; W. B. Carpenter, 1866; J. J. Edic, 1869, and S. F. Neely, 1869.
The activity of these physicians is still remembered by many of the present adult population of Leavenworth. When they became older their work was continued by such men as Drs. D. W. Thomas, B. E. Fryer, L. K. Hunter, W. J. Van Eman, J. A. Lane, W. W. Walter, W. R. Van Tuyl, D. R. Phillips and R. F. Slaughter. From the foregoing, who have long since ceased their labors, the present medical profession of Leavenworth County has inherited a reputation of eminent skill and ability. They are grateful to them for their heritage. They hold them aloft in their own esteem, respect and veneration. In cherishing the memory of their success, sac- rifices and arduous work for humanity, the Medical Association of today is sensible of its duties to them and are resolved to uphold their high ideals in promoting the progress of medical and surgical science.
Kickapoo, while it was contending with Leavenworth for supremacy, numbered among its population Drs. D. A. Crane, H. B. C. Harris, Brown- field and Hathaway. Dr. T. H. Hathaway came in 1878. As the rural portion of the county was settled by the pioneers smaller towns also grew up. Dr. T. G. V. Boling located in High Prairie Township in 1865. He was a member of the Legislature for a number of years. He was joined later in 1876 by Dr. James Hutchison. Dr. William B. Wood came to the Springdale settlement in 1855 as a youth, and after graduation in 1875 practiced there. Dr. J. W. Warring has been in active practice at Lin- wood since 1873. Dr. W. J. Van Eman started his professional career at Tonganoxie in 1879 and moved to Leavenworth in 1881. He died an un- timely death from blood poison in 1901. Dr. R. F. Slaughter, of Tonga- noxie, who died in March, 1921, dated back to 1873. Dr. T. C. Craig has been at Easton since 1866 and is now retired. Lansing has had a number of physicians temporarily located at the Kansas Penitentiary, one of whom was Dr. George F. Neally, who became a permanent resident of Lansing in 1883.
The outstanding historical character of the Leavenworth medical profession is Dr. Samuel Phillips, who was a contract surgeon at Fort Leavenworth before coming to Leavenworth in 1857, where his first office was at the southeast corner of Fifth and Kickapoo streets. In 1855 he volunteered to go to Fort Riley, where cholera was raging and where Maj. E. O. Ogden was constructing new buildings. Dr. Phillips has the
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
credit of checking the ravages of cholera at that post. On August 3, 1855, fifteen people died, among them Maj. Ogden. Dr. Phillips died October 31, 1919, after serving three generations.
Dr. C. A. Logan was very prominent and successful in Leavenworth until he gave up his practice to become minister to Chili. Prior to that he was a member of the State Legislature. Dr. J. W. Brock succeeded him in Leavenworth, and was active until he died, on November 26, 1900.
Dr. B. E. Fryer was an eminent specialist on the eye and ear. After his retirement from army service he practiced in Kansas City, Missouri, where he recently died, beloved and honored by all.
Col. C. F. Craig, of the Medical Corps at Fort Leavenworth, is an accepted authority of international reputation on serology and malaria. He is a prolific writer and has published several volumes on serology and malaria. He is now on duty at the Army Medical Museum at Washing- ton, District of Columbia.
The United States Sanitary Commission established in Leaven- worth in 1861 a general supply depot of sanitary stores for hospitals and armies west of Missouri. From here supplies were forwarded to the far West and all points in Kansas as far south as Fort Scott. Material aid was given to the needy at Westport after Price's raid in October, 1864.
In 1863 the United States Military Hospital was a frame structure on the northeast corner of Third and Seneca streets. Dr. S. B. Davis was the medical officer on duty.
St. John's Hospital was opened in 1864 as a general hospital by the Sisters of Charity. It was enlarged in 1911 to its present capacity of seventy beds.
The City and County Hospital, on Shawnee Street west of Broadway, was in charge of Dr. H. Buckmaster in 1866. The old poor farm was abandoned in 1914, and its inmates transferred to the new County Hos- pital, which was formerly the Kansas Orphan Asylum, and later the Leavenworth Hospital.
The Homeopathic Free Dispensary was organized January 26, 1866, and was located at 29 Shawnee Street. It was supported by a society of citizens, and furnishes free medical advice and medicines to the poor. It was attended by Dr. Martin Mayer. Office hour: 9 to 10 A. M.
In the early days Leavenworth was the medical center, as well as the commercial metropolis of the West. The Leavenworth Medical and Surgical Association was active from 1862 to 1865, with a membership
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
including Drs. Levi Houston, C. A. Logan, Tiffin Sinks, J. P. Earickson, George E. Budington, A. Bowlby, O. P. Barbour and others. The Leaven- worth Medico-Chirurgical Society was organized April 14, 1865, with Dr. O. P. Barbour president and Dr. W. B. Carpenter, secretary.
Four meetings of the Kansas State Medical Society have been held in Leavenworth. Three Leavenworth physicians have held the office of president of the society. A meeting of the state society will be held whenever the hotel accommodations are adequate.
The Homeopathic Society of Kansas met in Leavenworth on April 14, 1869, with Dr. J. J. Edic as secretary.
"The Medical Herald," a quarterly, appeared June 1, 1867, and was edited by Drs. C. A. Logan and Tiffin Sinks, later by Dr. J. W. Brock.
In 1859 there were in Leavenworth ten drug stores, four midwives and thirty-five physicians; in 1868, ten drug stores, fifteen nurses and forty-one physicians ; in 1921 there are thirteen drug stores, thirty nurses and twenty-three physicians.
The county of Leavenworth is more hospitalized than any other in Kansas, and is unique in the entire country in the variety of its hospitals. The capacity of the hospitals is given as follows:
Cushing Hospital 30 beds
Elmwood Hospital
30 beds
Evergreen Hospital
50 beds
St. John's Hospital 70 beds
County Hospital 70 beds
Kansas Prison Hospital 16 beds
Kansas Industrial Farm 10 beds I
National Military Home Hospital
525 beds
United States Disciplinary Barracks Hospital 150 beds
United States Prison Hospital 122 beds
United States Post Hospital 150 beds
The names of physicians of Leavenworth County, who are in active practice, together with address and year of graduation, are as follows:
1907
Basehor : James McCully
1896
Jarbalo : Edwin S. Wood
Lansing : S. L. Axford
1902
J T. Faulkner
1903
Leo J. Swann
1908
Easton : Clint A. Laffoon
1915
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
Leavenworth: Alonzo R. Adams
1904
Wilbur A. Baker
1916
Charles E. Brown 1904
G. Ralph Combs 1902
P. W. Darrah 1898 I 1 I
J. L. Everhardy 1897
C. C. Goddard
1873
Frederic J. Haas
1907
S. N. Jackson I
1894
Cyrus D. Lloyd 1898 1 I I I
J. H. Langworthy 1907
Charles J. McGee 1902
S. B. Langworthy 1887
1895
J. D. Miller
1898
C. M. Moates 1888
Frank M. Morrow 1905
James W. Risdon 1905
1915
Andrew J. Smith
1894
H. J. Stacey I
1896
D. R. Sterrett
1907
A. L. Suwalsky
1901
C. K. Vaughn
1898
A. F. Yohe
1888
Linwood: H. E. Vannoy
1907
J. W. Warring
1873
Tonganoxie: Walter B. Coe 1896
National Military Home: Surgeon, A. W. Bartel; assistant surgeons, A. S. Stayer, O. A. Menges, F. C. Fuller, E. Raike, F. S. Yates and A. S. McClain.
At Fort Leavenworth: Maj. Howard McC. Snyder is post surgeon; Maj. Edgar King, of the Medical Corps, is in charge of the United States Disciplinary Barracks Hospital; Lieut. Col. M. A. W. Shockley is on duty at the Service Schools.
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CHAPTER XVII
THE LEAVENWORTH COUNTY BAR
TERRITORIAL CODE OF PROCEDURE-JUDGES APPOINTED-JUDICIAL DISTRICTS- FIRST TERRITORIAL COURT AT LEAVENWORTH-ATTORNEYS ADMITTED
It is no more than fitting that in a history of Leavenworth City and County mention should be made of the various members of the county bar. The major portion of these members once famed for their handling of early day legal matters have long since died or removed to other cities. When the Territory of Kansas was established and the Territorial Legisla- ture had met and passed a code of procedure a system of courts was estab- lished. Three judges were appointed and each had a certain district over which they presided. The first judge to preside over the district of which Leavenworth County was a part was Samuel D. LeCompte.
The clerk of the court was furnished with an attorney's roll book which each practicing attorney having business before the court was re- quired to sign. Not all of the attorneys who signed the roll were neces- sarily residents of the city of Leavenworth, as there were some who from time to time came before the local court to transact business who conse- quently signed.
The first territorial court ever organized in the Territory of Kansas, as well as in the county of Leavenworth, was organized in Leavenworth City, April 16, 1855, and this court met in a room on the south side of Delaware Street between Second and Third streets. S. D. LeCompte pre- sided as judge. His district at that time comprised all of the territory north of the Kansas River and east of the Blue River in the Territory of Kansas.
273
HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
The names of the attorneys as they appear on the attorney roll in the office of the clerk of the District Court, together with data relative-to their enrollment as well as a short sketch of each is as follows:
John A. Halderman, April 19, 1855. One of the first county com- missioners of the county of Leavenworth, having been appointed probate judge by the territorial governor of Kansas and ex-officio county commis- sioner. Mr. Halderman was for a number of years associated in the prac- tice of law with W. S. Stanley under the firm name of Halderman & Stanley. Volunteered his services during the Civil War and was commissioned major. Afterward promoted to rank of brigadier-general. Subsequent to war was appointed United States minister to Siam.
Richard R. Rees is the second name found on the attorney's roll. Mr. Rees came to Leavenworth during the early '50s. He was a member of one of the oldest and most highly respected families of the city. He was elected in 1855 as one of the members of the territorial council. Judge Rees was associated in early days quite strongly with the pro-slavery ele- ment of the city and county. After serving in the Legislature he was elected probate judge of Leavenworth County and later as justice of the peace, which offices he held for a number of years successively. Subse- quent to this Judge Rees practiced his profession in the city successfully for a number of years.
The name of D. J. Johnson is third found upon the attorney roll. Col. Johnson, as he was sometimes referred to, was a native Georgian. He came to the city of Leavenworth in the fall of the year 1854 and estab- lished himself in the practice of law, building up a very lucrative practice. For a time he was associated with James M. Lysle in his practice.
Aulay McCauley, the fourth attorney to be entered on the roll, is re- ported not to have engaged in the practice of law so much as that of specu- lating in real estate in those early days. He laid out and had platted sev- eral additions to the city and took an active interest in the civic develop- ment in every way.
James M. Lysle, the fifth attorney registered, was a southerner and took an active interest in early day politics, always aligning himself with the pro-slavery interests. His feelings ran very bitter against all Free- State men and his utterances and demeanor generally kept him in trouble. He was killed, being stabbed to death, in an election fight in 1855, by Wil- liam Haller, an election clerk, after Lysle and a number of others had tried to break up the polling place in the Second Ward. Haller was never tried for the crime, it being evident that he acted in self-defense.
(14)
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
D. A. N. Grover appears to have been the sixth to register as an at- torney in the county. Grover resided with his father near the city of Kickapoo, where his father was an Indian missionary. When the squatters of the territory held their meeting at Rively's store in Salt Creek Valley, June 10, 1854, Grover was selected as recorder of claims on the Kickapoo and Delaware lands.
David Dodge is registered as the seventh attorney.
The eighth lawyer registered on the local attorney roll was B. H. Twombly, who resided on a farm near the city of Old Delaware.
The ninth name to appear on the attorney roll is that of Cole McCrea. In his valued work, "Early History of Leavenworth City and County," H. Miles Moore intimates that there was no real reason ever became apparent for the name being placed there. On April 30, 1855, McCrea and Malcolm Clark, then marshal of the county, engaged in an altercation at a squatter's meeting. which resulted in the killing of Clark at the hands of McCrea.
The name of Charles H. Grover appears tenth on the attorney roll. Mr. Grover was a brother of D. A. N. Grover heretofore mentioned. Mr. Grover, too, lived in Salt Creek Valley. Among other distinctions Mr. Grover had the honor of being elected the first county attorney.
Amos Rees was for a number of years an attorney in Platte City, Missouri. He was a member of the Leavenworth Town Company and took an active part in politics in the city's early days. For a number of years Mr. Rees was one of the city's and county's foremost attorneys.
Peter J. Abell, the twelfth name to appear on the roll of attorneys, was a resident of Weston, Missouri.
John Doniphan, the thirteenth attorney, also practiced law in Weston, Missouri, before coming here. Later he moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was for years one of the most successful and prosperous attor- neys. He was a nephew of Col. Doniphan.
C. F. Burns, the fourteenth attorney, practiced law in Weston, Mis- souri, before coming here.
W. B. Almond was the fifteenth attorney to register for practice. Be- fore coming here he had served as district judge of Platte district in Mis- souri. He practiced here but a short time and later removed to San Francisco, California.
William G. Mathias came here from Maryland in 1854. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives from Leavenworth County to the first Territorial Legislature in 1855.
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
Marens J. Parrot came from Ohio. In later years he removed back to Dayton, Ohio, where he died.
J. Marion Alexander came to Leavenworth in 1854 from Pennsylvania. After the Civil War he went to Florida.
William Wier, Jr., practiced successfully for several years. He raised a regiment of volunteers during the Civil War and was commissioned colonel.
William Phillips, the twenty-first name on the list, came to Leaven- worth in 1854 from Ohio. He was a very active Free State man and was soon classified as a bitter enemy of the pro-slavery classes. The pro- slavery element several times ordered him to leave the city. On Septem- ber 1, 1856, he was shot and killed by a mob of pro-slavery fanatics.
C. F. Barnard, the twenty-second attorney to appear on the roll, never practiced much before the local courts.
Benjamin F. Simmons, the twenty-third attorney, came here from Virginia. He was an ardent pro-slavery man and shortly after it became apparent that the territory was distined to be Free State he moved away
Samuel Formly appears to have been the twenty-fourth to sign the roll.
M. L. Truesdell came from Ohio and was an ardent Free State man. Jeremiah Clark was the twenty-sixth party to register. He had been appointed deputy marshal of the court by Judge Samuel D. LeCompte.
H. P. Johnson came from Ohio. He was an ardent pro-slavery advo- cate and he with others, interested parties of pro-slavery inclination in the building of the old Planters' Hotel. When the Civil War broke out John- son joined the Union Army and was commissioned a colonel by Gov. Kob- inson. He was killed in the battle of Morristown.
M. W. Delahay came in 1854 from Illinois. He was an ardent Free State man and very early began the publication of a Free State paper known as the "Kansas Territorial Register," which came into much dis- favor in the sight of the pro-slavery element. During Delahay's absence from the city on one occasion a number of Kickapoo Rangers came to the city and raided the "Register's" place of business, confiscating all type and printing machines which they threw into the Missouri River. After this the paper was never re-established or published. Upon Lincoln's taking his office of President he appointed Delahay to the office of judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.
Thomas Shanklin came to Leavenworth in 1855.
276
HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
H. Miles Moore, next to register as a practicing attorney, came to Leavenworth from Weston, Missouri, in 1854. Mr. Moore was a Free State man and took an active part in early day politics in the territory. He was admitted to the bar in New York and later removed to Weston. He took an active part in the organization of the Leavenworth Town Company and was a member and officer in the same. The first squatter trial ever held in the territory of Kansas was held at Salt Creek Valley and Judge Moore was one of the attorneys in the same. During the latter years of his life he wrote a very authentic work in the way of a history of the early days of Leavenworth City and County.
G. W. Gardner came to the city in 1854. He later moved from here to Colorado.
Solomon P. McCurdy was never a resident of the city or county.
William H. Miller came to Leavenworth County from Virginia in 1855. He returned to Virginia and enlisted in the Confederate Army.
H. T. Green was a native of Missouri and came to Leavenworth County in 1855. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in an or- ganization to suppress the threatened Price raid.
Thomas C. Shoemaker came from Illinois in 1854. His first work here was as an appointee of President Pierce as register of the first land office in the territory. He was an ardent Free State man. He was subse- quently murdered by a mob of pro-slavery fanatics.
John I. Moore, a practicing attorney from St. Joseph, Missouri, came to the county in the year 1855 and remained here until the Civil War, when he removed to Salt Lake, Utah.
G. W. Purkins came in 1855 from Virginia. He ranked as one of the ablest attorneys at the bar in these days and while a man of pro- slavery tendencies and belief he was broad minded enough to take no offense with those who differed with him in his political belief. He after several years' successful practice in this city removed to Denver, Colorado.
George W. McLane appears to have been the next to enroll as an attorney.
B. F. Stringfellow practiced in Weston, removing from there to Atchison, Kansas. It was he and other radical pro-slavery leaders who organized the various "Blue Lodges" and "Defense Associations" which came over from Missouri in early days and tried to control elections.
Edward Young, a young Kentuckian, stayed here and practiced but a very short time.
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
James Hadley was a practicing attorney of Atchison, Kansas.
Henry Tutt is the next name found registered.
James Christian, a law partner of James H. Lane at Lawrence, Kan- sas, practiced successfully before the local courts for a number of years. W. M. Patterson is the next name.
A. G. Otis, a member of the firm of Otis & Glack, of Atchison, Kan- sas, was never a resident here.
J. P. Richardson practiced law but very little.
Lorenzo Bird came to Leavenworth in 1854. He was a member of the Leavenworth Town Company.
H. H. Hutchison was the next to enroll.
L. F. Hollingsworth resided in the county south of town.
Joseph P. Carr was a resident of Atchison, Kansas.
John Wilson came from Platte City, Missouri, in 1856. He occupied a high place in the rank of local attorneys from the first.
Josiah Kellog came to Leavenworth in 1855.
Marshall P. Taylor never practiced much.
Burrell B. Taylor, of Kentucky, came here in 1855. For a time he was editor of the "Leavenworth Herald."
Robert P. Clark resided at Platte City, Missouri, before coming to this city.
William Perry practiced successfully here for a number of years.
S. S. Goode was an ardent pro-slavery man. For several years edited "The Journal."
Reece Paynter came here from Missouri in 1856.
D. S. Boling practiced but little here.
Daniel L. Henry was a resident of Missouri and a strong pro-slavery man.
B. M. Hughes resided at St. Joseph, Missouri. He was later elected governor of Colorado.
R. C. Foster, Jr., came from Platte County, Missouri, and formed a partnership with H. T. Green. Foster practiced in the city for several years very successfully and later moved to Texas, where he was counsel for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway.
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