USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 8
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The first white male child born in the city of Leavenworth was George C. Richardson, a son of Jason Richardson, who then lived in a one-story frame house on Main Street, between Main and Cherokee streets. This child was born November 14, 1858.
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The first marriage ceremony performed in the city was that per- formed by Squire Alexander Russell on January 13, 1856, when he united in marriage John Grund and Miss Eliza A. Tennell. Mr. Grund was later connected with the brewing industry in the city.
The first boarding house conducted in the city was opened in the year 1854 by an elderly lady named Gano. It was located on Main Street near the present site of the Union Depot.
The first flour mill operated in the city was erected at the northwest corner of Main and Short streets by Earle & Bumbing. It was a two story brick structure.
The first brewery in the city was built in the fall of 1855. It was. a two story stone structure and was located along the river bank about the middle of and under the bank of what is now the South Esplanade. It was owned and operated by a partnership known as Fritzen & Mundee.
The first school conducted in the city was located at the southeast corner of Fifth and Delaware streets on the present location of the Axa building. It was a private school and was conducted by Rev. J. B. McAfee.
The first public hall was erected in the fall of 1855 and was located on the north side of Delaware Street about the middle of the block. It was used for many diversified purposes, among which were religious meetings, political meetings, public speakings and was often used as a dancing hall.
The first bank to open for business in the city was located on the north side of Delaware Street between Main and Second streets in the early part of the year 1855. It was in the nature of a private banking institution and was conducted by a party named Bailey.
The first election of members to the territorial legislature of the territory of Kansas to take place in the city occurred March 30, 1855. The polls for this election were to have been in the old Leavenworth Hotel, but the proprietor, George Keller, objected to the elections being held there. The polling place was then selected at the saddlery shop of Ben Woods, near Third and Cherokee streets. A large crowd came down by steamboat from Weston, Missouri, the day of the election and cast their votes.
The first convention held in Leavenworth for the purpose of nomi- nating a candidate for delegate to Congress was held November 15, 1854.
The first "Squatter's Trial" ever held in the territory of Kansas was held in Salt Creek Valley at the store conducted by Major R. P. Rively on
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
September 20, 1854. The question involved was over which one of two parties had the legal right to the possession of a certain claim. The late E. Miles Moore, who for years was a practicing attorney in the city of Leavenworth afterward acted as attorney for a party named Martin, who claimed that his claim had been "squatted" upon during his absence. The case was tried by a board of three arbitrators, each party choosing one and the two chosen choosing a third. Malcolm Clark, who was after- ward murdered in the city of Leavenworth, was acting as marshall of the "Squatter's Court."
The first fire company of the city of Leavenworth was organized September 17, 1855. by consent of the city council.
The incorporation of the city of Leavenworth as a city took place in the summer of 1855. A special charter was issued by the First Territorial Legislature which was then in session at the territorial capital at Shaw- nee Mission.
The election of the first city officers of the city of Leavenworth occurred September 3, 1855. This election was held pursuant to an act passed by the territorial legislature of 1855 authorizing the holding of an election in the city of Leavenworth for the purpose of electing city officers. J. H. Day, W. H. Adams and Lewis N. Rees, of the city of Leavenworth, were the judges of this election.
The first city officers of the city of Leavenworth were as follows: Mayor, Thomas F. Slocum; President of Council, J. H. Day; Councilmen, Fred Emery, Thomas H. Doyle, George W. Russell, M. L. Truesdell, Adam Fisher, Dr. G. J. Park and William T. Marvin. The Council, after being duly organized, appointed the following officers of the city: City Clerk, Scott J. Anthony; City Assessor, H. G. Weibling; City Marshal, William McDowell; City Treasurer, William H. Bailey; City Attorney, John I. Moore; City Engineer, E. L. Berthoud, and Comptroller, M. L. Truesdell.
What is believed to have been the first death of a settler of the territory occurred December 6, 1854, a short distance north of the present site of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, at the old Platte City River landing when Stephen A. Noble was drowned while crossing from Weston, Mis- souri, to this side. Joseph O'Neil, who was with him in the boat at the time it capsized, was also drowned.
The first "grist mill" owned and operated by local settlers was not built on this side of the river but was built in what is commonly known
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as "Slabtown," a short distance east of the former site of Drydale. It was owned and operated by Panton & Yohe.
The first hardware store to open for business in the city was situated on Main Street and was operated by George Russell.
The first barber shop ever conducted in the city was owned and operated by Julius Trummel. It was opened for business during the month of February, 1855, and was located on Cherokee Street near Water Street, or Levee.
Dr. Charles Leib is believed to have been the first physician to estab- lish an office and practice in the city of Leavenworth. For a time his office was located in a tent that stood near the "big elm tree" that stood near Cherokee and Water Street. Dr. John H. Day was also an early day physician, both he and Dr. Leib practicing here during the latter part of 1854.
The first person to engage in the carpenter business in the city of Leavenworth was Samuel M. Lyon. He came here and established him- self as a carpenter in September, 1854.
The first wholesale grocery store established in the city was located on Water or Levee Street in October, 1854. It was owned and operated by Joseph J. Bentz.
What is believed to have been the first drug store to begin business in Leavenworth was that operated by M. France & Co. This store began business here when there was no building in which its products might be housed and for quite a length of time at first used the office of the "Herald" as a dispensing room.
What is believed to have been the first bridge to have been con- structed in the city of Leavenworth was constructed across a creek which ran south crossing Delaware between Seventh Street and Broadway. It was erected by Majors, Russell and Waddell. It was a temporary struc- ture and erected for the purpose of enabling this great freighting firm to cross this particular stream with their freighting wagons. The first frame bridge to be erected in the city was built over Three Mile Creek on Main Street. The first stone bridge was built over Three Mile Creek on Main Street.
James W. Skinner was the first official steamboat agent to have an office in the city of Leavenworth. This office was opened in 1855.
The first express company to do business was known as Richard- son's Missouri River Express. It operated between St. Joseph, Missouri, and St. Louis.
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The first city ordinance to be drafted by the Leavenworth City Coun- cil was entitled: "An Ordinance Relating to Games of Skill and Chance."
The first meeting of the regular council of the city of Leavenworth was held Tuesday, September 11, 1855, and the meeting was held on the second floor of a building located on the south side of Delaware about half way between Second and Third streets.
The first surveyor general of Kansas Territory was Gen. John Cal- houn. His first office in Kansas was located in Leavenworth City and was in an old frame building on the south side of Delaware Street about midway between Second and Third streets.
What is believed to have been the first court ever organized in the territory of Kansas as well as the county of Leavenworth was that pro- vided for by the Squatter's Meeting which was held at Rively's store in Salt Creek Valley June 10, 1854. Following this several squatter's meet- ings were held in Leavenworth with the result that a committee appointed for the purpose of arriving at some solution of the question of claims reported a preamble and resolutions which provided for a court to try all matters of contested claims. The officers of the court were H. R. Rees, Chief Justice ; A. Payne, Associate Justice, from Stranger District; Alex. Russell, Associate Justice, from Salt Creek Valley District; Miles Shan- non, Marshal; Green D. Todd, Deputy Marshal, and S. D. Pitcher, Chief Clerk of the Court and Recorder of Claims.
CHAPTER VII
EARLY DAY TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS
STEAMBOATING ON THE MISSOURI-LANDING-EARLY HIGHWAYS AND TRAILS- OTHER ROADS- STAGE ROUTES-SALT LAKE TRAIL-SANTA FE TRAIL-OXEN USED-METHOD OF TRAVEL.
Advanced transportation and good highways are indices of a people, certain evidence of their culture, progressiveness and prosperity. As are these so are the people. Good transportation, advanced civilization; or advanced civilization, good transportation; either way one follows the other as certainly as night the day, or the day the night.
Transportation has been, is, and will be a process of evolution. Could we turn back the scroll of time and witness the primitive methods of the pioneer, great would be our astonishment; could we project ourselves into the future one hundred years, and observe the methods of transporta- tion then, doubtless it would be beyond anything then that we today comprehend or anticipate.
When the first settlers of Leavenworth County arrived at the Mis- souri River, the routes of commerce and travel were largely the water courses. For this reason all early day settlements were made on the banks of that river or in close proximity thereto. Steamboats were then in use. Could we people of today behold one of the typical early day steamboats it would indeed prove an awe-inspiring sight. They had as a rule but one engine. They were small and most of them were constructed along the lines of a flat boat and were stern wheelers. The cabin was a primitive affair. It was on the lower deck, as a rule in the back part of the boat. At first there were no staterooms. They were arranged with curtains in front of the berths. They were very small as a rule and were slow. Weston, Missouri, was a great stopping place for early
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day boating in those days, the river then swinging in close to the present site of the city and there being a good landing place. With the advent of the late '40s and early '50s steamboating had undergone a considerable change. The boats had been improved. They were larger and faster. Some were of the side wheel variety. Regular schedules were estab- lished. When the city of Leavenworth was founded a landing place was established immediately east of the present site of the Union Depot. It was not an uncommon sight to see four or five river steamboats anchored there during the late '50s. It is said that during the year 1856 there were forty-one steamboats operating on the Missouri River that made regular stops at the city of Leavenworth and that in all 328 trips had been made by them during the year. J. W. Skinner was the general agent for the steamboating industry on the river in those days and had his office located for several years in the old "Leavenworth Hotel" at the corner of Main and Delaware streets.
The new born city of Leavenworth in the middle and late '50s was most fortunate in that it had at its disposal numerous highways and trails that had been previously established. When Fort Leavenworth was es- tablished in 1827 the government immediately set out to connect it with prominent trading centers to the east and west by roads or trails. These up to the establishment of the city of Leavenworth were used principally for military purposes. With the coming of the pioneer home builders other roads were quickly established such as necessity demanded. At this time the second largest city in the territory of Kansas was Lawrence, consequently a road was opened through from Leavenworth to there. Le- compton was the capital of the territory which led to the establishment of a road leading there. Other roads led up and down the river to the towns of Atchison, Kickapoo and Wyandotte. A hack line carried pas- sengers three times a week to Westport Landing, Westport, Missouri. It was owned and operated by Kimball, Moore & Company. A tri-weekly line of hacks and stages operated between the city of Lawrence and here. Mail stages were run daily between heer and Weston. Daily stages were operated between here and the capital at Lecompton and mail stages oper- ated between the two latter named places three times a week. Fred Emery operated a line of passenger and mail coaches between here and Fort Riley, using the old Fort Riley Road and passing through Salt Creek, Easton, Manhattan and other towns along the way. A weekly mail and passenger stage service was in operation between Leavenworth and Atchi-
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son. This service passed through by way of Kickapoo following a branch of the old Salt Lake Trail which led off from the original trail at the Salt Creek bridge to the northward and again connected with the main trail northwest of the present site of the little city of Lowemont.
One of the most famous of the great early day trails had its eastern terminus in the city of Leavenworth. It was known to this county as the Salt Lake Trail. North of Atchison it connected with the St. Joe Emigrant Trail and led on to the northwestward, being there known as the Oregon Trail. Its route out of the city led to the northwestward along what is now known as the Fort Riley Road to a point known in early days as the "Eight Mile House," a famous early day inn and tavern conducted and owned by David Herley, which stood a short distance to the southeast of the present city of Lowemont, Kansas, Leavenworth County. Here it branched off, leading sharply to the northwest, while the Fort Riley Road led slightly to the southwest toward the city of Easton. It entered Atchison County about four miles east of the present site of the city of Potter, Atchison County, Kansas. Among the noted and famous early day stopping places along the trail in Leavenworth County in those days were the taverns and hotels operated by Merrill Smith in Salt Creek Valley; Isaac Cody, father of "Buffalo Bill," in Salt Creek Valley, and H. P. Rively in Salt Creek Valley. Also that famous early day tavern and inn operated by David Herley known as the "Eight Mile House." This famous early day trail and road was pressed into constant use during the middle '50s by the great government Overland Freighting Company, operated by Majors Russell and Waddell, which had established its eastern terminus in the city of Leavenworth.
The Great Santa Fe Trail, the eastern terminus of which was at Westport Landing, Westport, Missouri, was also a famous and much used trail by the early day emigrants of the city and county of Leaven- worth. The establishment of this great highway across the southwestern part of the United States was necessitated through the growth of trade between the western trading establishments of the American frontier and the Spanish provinces in Mexico. Baptiste La Lande was the first white man to traverse the country and deserts through which this trail extended. In 1804 he made the trip from the western trading posts in Missouri to Santa Fe, carrying with him a small amount of articles which he traded to the Spanish traders at the latter post. The trail was prac- tically established in 1812 when Capt. Becknell with a party set out from
Santa Fe Tra
EARLY DAY TRANSPORTATION
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
Franklin, Missouri, for the purpose of trading with western Indian tribes. After they had traded with the various Indian tribes they proceeded on to Santa Fe, where they sold the articles which they had obtained from te Indians at an enormous profit. When they returned to the American settlements in Missouri with the story of their great success it served to stimulate such trading excursions on a larger and still larger scale. These great trading excursions led to the permanent establishment of the Santa Fe Trail and it remained in constant use until superseded by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. At first these trading excursions met with many hardships at the hands of hostile Indian tribes, who held up and plundered the moving parties. This led to the sending out of larger and larger trains. The first wagon train that ever passed over this great trail made the trip in 1821. Up to this time pack mules had been used as a means of carrying the various goods and provisions carried. This great highway deserves mention particularly in this history of Leaven- worth County because of the fact that a branch of the trail led out of this city to the southwest and connected with the main trail.
Experience very early demonstrated that the use of oxen was best in the handling of the heavy freight wagons over these various trails and roads, although mules came into very popular use at a later date.
When oxen were used, the day was usually divided into two drives. As soon as early dawn approached, the first drive was started and its termination was in a measure decided by the most favorable camping place where grass and water were to be found in plenty. About midday . the wagons were corralled and the oxen were given food. In very hot weather the afternoon drive was not ordered until about three or four o'clock. On such days the drive often continued until nine or ten o'clock in the night. When the oxen were unyoked they were turned over to the night herder, who kept watch over them as they went about seeking the best grass. As it was only necessary for the herder to keep track of the leader of the herd, one man could easily watch over as many as three or four hundred head of oxen at night. In the herd on the trail there developed, very soon after the start, one animal which all the others recognized as a leader. Wherever the leader of the herd went the rest usually followed. The night herder always kept track of the leader, and frequently got off his mule, drove a peg in the ground to which he attached a long rope that allowed the mule some grazing range, rolled himself up in his blanket and went to sleep. Sometimes when the grass
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was poor the leader would wander about a great deal in search of food, the rest following and it would be necessary for the herder to be on the alert all of the night. If the grass was plentiful the herd would usually obtain a sufficient supply in the course of three or four hours and would then lie down until morning. At the first appearance of morning the night herder would round up the herd and start them for the corral. After yoking up the oxen and eating their breakfast the train would move away slowly to repeat the operations above mentioned until they had reached their destination.
After the ox teams mule teams were pressed into service. The method of handling them was much the same as that of the ox teams.
CHAPTER VIII
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FORT LEAVENWORTH
SELECTED BY COL. LEAVENWORTH-BOUNDARIES DESCRIPTION-BUILDINGS- WATER WORKS-SCHOOL-CHAPEL AND OTHER BUILDINGS-DURING WORLD WAR-A BASE OF SUPPLIES DURING WARS COMMANDANTS-ARMY SERVICE SCHOOL-DISCIPLINARY BARRACKS.
Leavenworth County and City derive their names from Fort Leaven- worth. On March 7, 1827, Col. Henry Leavenworth of the Third United States Infantry received orders to take four companies of his regiment and ascend the Missouri River. At the time the order was given Col. Leavenworth was on duty at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis. A portion of the order in substance was as follows: "And when he reaches a point on the left bank near the mouth of the Little Platte River, and within a range of eighty miles above its confluence, he will select such a position as in his judgment is best calculated for the site of a permanent canton- ment. The spot being chosen, he will construct, with the troops of his command, comfortable though temporary quarters sufficient for the ac- commodation of four companies."
He proceeded as instructed, carefully explored the region and finding no desirable site on the left bank of the river wrote to the department, stating that there was a suitable location on the right bank of the river within the distance designated and that he had concluded there was no other place that would answer the purpose. Early in June before the official approval reached him Col. Leavenworth began the erection of barracks and named the post Cantonment Leavenworth. On September 19, 1827, Major General Gains, commanding the Western Department, approved the site selected by Col. Leavenworth, which is the present site of Fort Leavenworth, and it grew to be the most important military post
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established by the government in the West. The name was changed to Fort Leavenworth February 8, 1832, as all army posts after this date were designated as forts.
The boundaries of the fort were given as follows in the office of the adjutant general :
"It extends from six to seven miles along the Missouri River and varies from one to two miles wide, containing about 6,840 acres, on the right bank of the river."
The land was claimed by the Delaware Indians. Later on some 939 acres of land were added to the reservation on the Missouri side of the river. There still exists the old stone wall with its port holes erected for a defense against the Indians. Extensive improvements have been made at Fort Leavenworth and on the reservation. A paved road con- nects the city of Leavenworth with the fort as also does an electric railway.
The fort is a magnificent natural park. To the east lies the Missouri River and to the west lies a long ridge of wooded hills. The grounds are dotted here and there with fine shade trees. To the southwest of the new barracks are golf links and drilling grounds. North of the new barracks and south of the old barracks are the west end parade grounds used for drilling purposes and athletic events. The National Cemetery lies at the foot of the hills on the west. It is a beautiful place covered with blue grass and shade trees. Here many illustrious dead lie. The graves are orderly arranged and many have monuments . showing who are buried there. The body of Gen. Henry Leavenworth was removed from Delhi, New York, to the cemetery on Memorial Day, 1902. A road leads northwest toward Kickapoo at the western terminus of which is found a hog ranch, cattle barns and chicken houses owned and operated by the government. A fine herd of purebred cattle is kept by the government.
Besides the west end parade grounds there is a tract east of head- quarters and south of the disciplinary barracks used for drill purposes. The fort is laid off in the same manner as a city. Along the streets are located officers' residences. They are. fine structures generally built for two apartments so that two officers and their families can occupy the same building. There is a large hospital facing the west end parade grounds on the east. The old barracks are on the north and the one to the south, consisting of a double row all built of brick. Just northwest
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of the electric depot is a magnificent Y. M. C. A. Building, the gift of Helen Gould. Standing far out on the golf links is a radio station.
The first water works consisted of a six mule team and wagon driven to the edge of the river and there barrels were filled and distributed to the fort. In 1865 a pumping station was erected on the bank of the river about a quarter of a mile north of the bridge. Water was pumped from there to a large tank situated on Scott Avenue south of Pope Hall holding 21,000 gallons. From this water was hauled to the various places in wagons. Cisterns and wells were also used. In 1883 mains were laid from Leavenworth City and Ft. Leavenworth Water Co. and since then the water supply has been obtained from this source.
Metropolitan Avenue is 100 feet wide along the entire length of the southern boundary of the reservation. Grant Avenue, commonly known as the Fort Road connects the fort with Leavenworth City at Seventh Street and Metropolitan Avenue. It formerly connected at Fifth and Met- ropolitan Avenue. Sheridan's Drive is along the summit of the bluffs forming the western boundary of the post and is used exclusively for pleasure. It was named after General Sheridan.
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