USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 12
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Henry Schulte is one of the best known men in and around Marysville. A loyal citizen and generous friend and kind neighbor he is esteemed for his sterling qualities.
In a brief history it is impossible to mention all the names deserving some token of regard at the hands of the historian. Many men and women have helped to make the county and its cities the fine business centers and pleasant homes of today. Among others are the Farrar and Cone families, the old-time family of Tarvins, the Mosers, Knonis and Obermeyers. the Russells and the Vanamburgs, Jacob Rutti, the Travelutes and Bensons, the Mohrbachers. Hohns. Dargatz. the Hutchinsons and the Hawkinses and scores of others who have always been an inspiration to the growth and upbuilding of the county. As long as Marshall county remains these and other names will have a foremost place in the memory of its people.
PRESENT BUSINESS CONCERNS.
The largest garage in the city is that of C. F. Travelute and Son, which is an up-to-date structure with a capacity for parking seventy-five cars. This garage has twenty-one thousand feet of floor space.
G. L. Fenwick owns the second largest garage and is well equipped for handling cars.
John Cooper and Roy Robinett each have garages and attract a fair share of business, as do Thompson Brothers.
Several repair shops are operated in the city: notably. George Hoffman, C. W. Baker and Kersten & Sons do repairing in connection with a wagon- making shop. Roy Robinett and F. W. Heinke also repair cars.
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W. D. Godsey, Peterson and Nork, and Leon Ruggles are decorators and painters.
J. M. Goodnight. superintendent telephone system.
Frank Graham, restaurant.
R. C. Guthrie, undertaker.
Hartwich Lumber Company.
James Henry, Hotel Lorraine.
Campbell House Hotel.
L. D. Leroy, Pacific Hotel. 1
F. W. Hutchinson, grocery.
Seth Barrett, artificial ice plant.
Mrs. Agnes Joerg, boarding house.
A. C. King, livery.
R. N. King & Son, harness shop.
C. Langlitz, tailoring establishment.
Laundry, H. A. Thompson.
Millinery, Matilda Lorke. General store, George Love & Co.
E. O. Weber, lumber yard.
Thompson Brothers, Coal, Produce and Poultry Company.
E. J. McKee. hardware.
Moore Brothers, meat market. Broihier & Moser, meat market.
O. J. Morse & Company, real estate.
Marshall County News, George T. Smith.
Advocate-Democrat. H. M. & L. R. Broderick.
F. N. Newton, plumbing and heating.
Otoe Club, an exclusive men's club.
J. W. T. & Clyde Potter, barber shop. B. Price, hardware.
Anton Smith, shoe repair shop.
\V. S. Staley. standard oil agent. Temple & Son, city bakery.
Cafe, Jolın Grauer. White Brothers, groceries.
H. F. Whitten, planing mill. Con Welton, jewelry store. Luedders & Company, men's clothing.
A. I .. Goodman, candy kitchen.
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MARSHALL COUNTY, K.L.N.S.A.S.
THE MARYSVILLE MAENNERCHOR.
For many years Marysville was a musical center. When railroad trans- portation was so limited that good musical companies did not book the city, the music-loving people gave home-talent concerts and operas very success- fully.
The original members of the Maennerchor were August Hohn. G. Pfitzenmeyer, Martin Piel, Jacob Kuoni, Emil and Sam Forter, Jacob Ryser and some others whose names are not recalled. William Becker was the conductor.
Two permanent musical societies have always existed in the city. The Maennerchor, which was organized in 1876 and the Helvetia Chorus, organ- ized in 1883. Although the members do not meet as regularly as of old. these organizations are still active.
Many of the original members have answered the final summons and others have taken their places. August Hohn, Sam and Emil Forter are still living.
Many instructors have come and gone in Marysville during those years, but the music-loving Germans and Swiss have kept alive the desire for good music and now the curriculum of the public school carries musical instruction.
MARYSVILLE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The membership of this club includes every business man of the city and the club motto is, "I will do my part." W. W. Redmond is president and Hugo A. Hohn is the secretary.
Since the first of January, 1917, the club has raised fifteen thousand dollars with which to purchase a new depot site and this building will be erected in the course of the coming year.
The good roads committee of the Club is active in promoting this work in the county and the Civic Improvement Committee takes care that the streets and alleys are kept in perfect order and also that undesirable citizens are prevented from having a permanent abode except in the county jail.
WOMEN'S CLUBS.
In the spring of 1900 the Round Table Reading Circle of Marysville was organized by Mrs. E. E. Forter, at her residence. There were ten mem- bers. The first officers of the club were: Mrs. E. E. Forter, president :
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MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
Miss Ida Bates, secretary. Members, Mrs. Emily A. Scott, Mrs. Teresa Sampson, Mrs. Carolyn Elliott, Mrs. Stella R. Miller, Miss Ella Kahoa, Mrs. Allie Boyd Rogers and Mrs. Eusebia Thompson.
The club is for literary study and during the seventeen years of its existence has numbered about two hundred members. A year book with program of study is published each year and meetings are held fortnightly. The club owns a fine library of seven hundred volumes, which is kept in the Community House. The membership is limited to thirty-five. Mrs. Forter is the acting president and a member of the library board.
THE GRANDMOTHERS CLUB.
The name of this club indicates its membership. The club originated with Mrs. Adam Mohr, many years ago, and is composed of German ladies. Meetings are held every two weeks on Thursday afternoon and quite con- trary to what might be supposed, they are very entertaining and up-to-date, serving refreshments and discussing current events as well as the latest thing in fancy work in which these ladies excel.
NEEDLE CRAFT CLUB.
A club in which fine needle work is done and taught. Mrs. Ora Smith is the president.
THE MARY JANES CLUB.
The membership of this club is composed entirely of young ladies. The meetings are spent in doing needle work, and partaking of light refreshments served by the hostess. Mrs. William Temple is president.
THE IDLERS.
A purely social club, of which Mrs. C. F. Pusch is the president. Meet- ings are held semi-monthly and a three-course luncheon is served. The membership is limited to ten.
THE PRISCILLA CLUB.
This is a needle work and fancy work club among the young matrons of the city. Fine needlework is done, books are discussed and also the work of the parent, teachers' association and current events. Membership is lim- ited to twenty. Matilda Kraemer is president.
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ERIKA CLUB.
This club is an organization confined to the young ladies of the German church. Church work is discussed and light refreshments served. Miss Emma Kersten is the president.
THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARS.
Henry Wiedemeyer came to Marysville in 1878 and, deciding to locate here permanently, established a business in 1882. He was successful from the first and in a few years opened a second factory. Mr. Wiedemeyer employed a number of people and has amassed a competence. His son, Joseph, is the traveling representative of the house and the son, Charles, is the business manager.
Ernest Wiedrich came to Marysville in June, 1884, and for three years was in the employ of Mr. Pusch. He then became a manufacturer, and in :892 established the factory which he conducted successfully until 1916, when he sold out to Specht & Ranksch. Mr. Wiedrich after a short interval has again opened a factory and may continue to make Marysville his home.
Others who are manufacturers of cigars are Fred Kahlke, Charley Woellner, Charles Bohner, William Ranksch and Joseph Kysela.
There are at present writing seven cigar factories in the city.
PUSCHI'S CIGAR FACTORY.
Charles F. Pusch was born in Marienburg, West Prussia, October 16, 1851. In that city his father was the owner of a large cigar and tobacco factory. Mr. Pusch came to America on October 20, 1868, and lived in New York City until June 1, 1872, when he came to Marysville and estab- lished his business. He first started the manufacture of cigars in the build- ing now occupied by J. Allen, which stood on the corner of Eighth street and Broadway, where M. Barlow's store is located.
In 1876 he erected a new frame cigar store and factory on the present site of Temple's bakery. This building was destroyed by fire in 1885 and Mr. Pusch built a new shop on the corner of Tenth street and Broadway. This buikling was moved one lot east to make room for the three-story brick building erected in 1892, which, for many years was the largest cigar factory in Kansas. Mr. Pusch has carried as many as one hundred and five employees on his pay-roll at one time.
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INTERIOR MASONIC HALL, MARYSVILLE.
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MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
The maximum number of cigars made in one year was four and one- half millions. The average number is three million per year. The aggregate amount paid for labor in round figures is one million one hundred and ninety thousand dollars. At times as high as thirty-seven thousand dollars has been paid in a single year.
The Pusch factory has for a number of years been the largest industry in the city of Marysville and has furnished employment to hundreds of people and contributed to the maintenance of thousands. It has always been an "open shop" and its doors have never been closed since it opened for business. The present number of employees is thirty-five.
Pusch & Sons have recently opened a branch factory in Kansas City, Missouri, directly opposite the Savoy Hotel.
Charles F. Pusch has been honored by the citizens of Marysville, having been elected four consecutive terms as mayor of the city. As a director on the St. Joseph & Grand Island railroad, he has been able to further the inter- ests of the city and to bring about the splendid business prospects that are at this date opening up for the coming years in the establishment of freight and passenger divisions at this point by the Union Pacific railroad system.
During his years of service as mayor, Mr. Pusch has brought Marys- ville to the front rank as the prettiest county seat in Kansas. Broadway is a wide, well-macadamized street, with a white way of eighteen lights to a block, for a distance of nine blocks. An electric light is placed on each street corner of the city. The city has a complete sewage system, both storm and sanitary.
Streets have been graded, cement walks laid, unsightly trees removed, many "crooked paths made straight," and the city given a neat, up-to-date appearance.
During Mayor Pusch's administration the splendid new high school building was completed and the city park purchased and improved. Mr. Pusch gave to the city the same efficient management which proved success- ful in his own business, and the result of his attention is manifest along all lines of civic improvement.
RAILROAD ITEM.
During the fiscal year 1915-16, 504 cars of freight were shipped fron Marysville on the St. Joseph & Grand Island railroad and 441 cars were shipped into the city. The tonnage carried was 35,381,993 pounds. Dur- ing the same period 19,123 passengers left Marysville and 19,506 arrived here. The sum of $40,517.68 was paid for tickets.
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MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
The Union Pacific roads carry a very similar amount of freight and an equal number of passengers, so that Marysville is a railroad center of no small proportions.
Marysville has ten passenger trains daily and eight freight trains, which also carry passengers. Sixteen freight trains carry no passengers. Twelve men are required to handle the business at the depot.
DANCE PROGRAM USED IN MARYSVILLE IN 1863.
"Cotillion Party .- The pleasure of yourself & lady are respectfully so- licited to attend a cotillion party to be given at the Court House in the Town of Marysville on Friday eve the 12 inst commencing at 8 o clock P. M.
"Managers .- J. S. Magill. John Hughes, Isaac Davis, William Linn, L. M. Parmeter. J. D. Brumbaugh, Perry Hutchinson, Charles F. Koester, Robert Shibley and A. G. Edwards.
"Floor managers .- Peter Peters & A. F. Parks."
Of those who gave this party fifty-four years ago, only two are living- Isaac B. Davis and R. Y. Shibley.
CHAPTER VII.
CITY OF BLUE RAPIDS.
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT.
As a result of correspondence between W. W. Jerome, of Irving, Kan- sas, and Rev. C. F. Mussey, then pastor of the largest Presbyterian church of Batavia, New York, and Solomon H. Parmelee, of Leroy, New York, the idea of a Genesee colony was first suggested by Mr. Jerome. A meeting to consider a plan for the colony was held in Star Hall, Leroy, New York, in the spring of 1869. attended by about twenty-five people. An agreement to go to Kansas together, was signed by four men, Rev. Charles F. Mussey, Solomon H. Parmelee, C. J. Brown and Taylor Holbrook. Charles F. Mussey was chosen president ; S. H. Parmelee, treasurer, and C. J. Brown, secretary.
These gentlemen held the offices of the Genesee colony until the location in Kansas was made, and the organization became the Blue Rapids Town Company. Many meetings were held during the summer of 1869 until the number of signers reached fifty.
S. H. Parmelee was sent to Kansas to select a site. After three weeks he returned with the report that the selection was too important to be left to one person. A commission of three was sent, consisting of C. F. Mussey, John B. Brown and H. J. Bovee. This commission made choice of the present site of the city of Blue Rapids. The location was made on January 1, 1870.
LAND TAKEN RAPIDLY. .
In less than sixty days many thousand acres of land had been purchased. the titles gathered, the Blue Rapids Town Company organized and a town- site surveyed. Members of the colony began to arrive by March 1, 1870. "Colonial Hall" was built as a temporary home for the colonists and was so used for nearly a year. The dining room was used for a church, school and general meeting place. The hall was located west of where Coulter's drug store and Brown Brother's hardware store now stand. It
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MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
was used for school purposes for district No. 3 for two years and later was moved to the river and was there used in turn by the woolen-mill store of Cook & Chandler, the Buell Manufacturing Company, and later by the Swan- son Brothers as an implement factory.
During the days of its use as a colony home. Taylor Holbrook was the manager. John McPherson succeeded him as manager. The first death in the hall was Nellie E. McPherson, the manager's only daughter, on Sep- tember 21, 1870. After forty-two years of service the old building was dis- mantled, and lives only in the memory of those who were sheltered beneath its roof.
The Genesee colony embodied in its charter and in every transfer of property. a clause prohibiting the sale of spirituous liquors as a beverage. In case of a violation of this clause, the property would revert to the school district. The supreme court of Kansas, in an action, sustained the clause. No open saloon has ever existed in Blue Rapids.
Blue Rapids was platted after the fashion of many eastern cities, with a public square or park in the center of the business portion, the principal business houses being built on the four sides. The park is four hundred icet square, and has a large number of shade trees. During the summer many cultivated plants add to its attractiveness.
FIRST BUSINESS HOUSE.
The first business house erected on the public square was a general store by S. H. Parmelee, and the second by Yates Douglass on the south side, and followed by Guy R. Brown and McBride on the north side.
The first residence was built by J. B. Waynant : the second by Rev. Charles Mussey. In the erection of this home every available man in town took a hand, as the family of Reverend Mussey were at Atchison, awaiting a home. S. H. Parmelee was the first postmaster and John McPherson made the first section of letter boxes which were used, until Thomas Marcy was appointed postmaster ; he put in an entire new set of fixtures.
.Among the farmers who settled in the vicinity of Blue Rapids before the town was incorporated, were Andy Scott and family; Judge William Thompson and family; Peter Stout and family; Frederick Hamilton and family (said to be descendants of Alexander Hamilton) ; Jackson Taylor, the town oracle. Near Irving were W. W. Jerome. S. H. Warren, St. Clair Guthrie and M. Conley. Conley was at one time associated with Thomas A. Edison.
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MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
Blue Rapids grew and improved rapidly. The present State Bank was erected by D. Fairbanks, completed in the fall of 1870, opened as a private bank in 1871 by Olmstead, Freeland & Company, and later purchased by G. B. Stocks & Son. The Town Company offered five lots to any party who would erect a hotel. John R. McPherson, C. Y. Reed and H. S. Hal- Lurt accepted the offer and built a hotel, three stories, containing twenty- one rooms, and named it "The LaBelle House," after a lake in Wisconsin. At the opening of the hotel a large number of invited guests were present, among others C. F. Koester, Frank Schmidt and James Smith, of Marysville.
INDUSTRIES.
One reason for selecting the location of Blue Rapids, was the fact of there being a power site in the Big Blue river at that point, on which C. E. Olmstead constructed a dam which was to furnish one thousand five hundred horse power, and which cost thirty thousand dollars. After the completion of the dam, a stone flour-mill, fifty-four by ninety-five feet, three stories high, with a capacity of three hundred barrels daily, was erected at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars, by C. E. Olmstead. Later, the mill was sold to Upham & Sons and remodeled into a roller process, at an expense of fifty thousand dollars. The Olmstead mill was completed and ground the first grist for a customer from Clay Center. Kansas, October 26, 1871.
G. and J. Green, of Bentonport, Iowa, put in operation a paper mill in 1874. Print and wrapping paper were manufactured. The mill was closed on account of financial difficulties on February 20, 1877, and John McPher- son was appointed assignee to adjust the estate of G. and J. Green.
In 1871 Samuel Craft operated a steam saw-mill near Blue River, manu- facturing hardwood and cottonwood lumber.
The foundry and machine shops of Price Brothers were built west of the river in 1877.
The season of 1870 was very dry. No vegetables were raised and water was hauled from springs, daily. A well was sunk on the west side of the square to a depth of two hundred and twenty-five feet without finding water. This discouraged the colonists at the time, but later water was found at from thirty to seventy feet below the surface. Because of the failure to find water, C. E. Olmstead put in the Holly system of waterworks from the river to the public square, for fire protection and general purposes. Four-inch mains were laid and a Holly pump installed in the flour-mill, attached to a special wheel.
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
In the early spring of 1872 the citizens subscribed for a cut-stone basin in the park, in which C. E. Olmstead furnished, and put in place, a fine fountain, which is still in use.
RESIDENTS IN BLUE RAPIDS, 1870.
Rev. C. F. Mussey and family.
Samuel Hill and family.
J. H. Brown and family.
J. H. Fowler and family. Jackson Taylor and family.
C. J. Brown.
HI. S. Halburt and family.
S. H. Parmelee and family.
Howard Parmelee and family.
C. Y. Reed and family. J. S. Fisher and family.
Flagler Passage.
Dr. R. S. Craft and family.
Samuel Craft and family.
Yates Douglass.
Thomas Oakley. James Allerdice.
Augustus Borck. N. Zell.
W. D. McPherson.
Joseph Grimm.
J. C. Harland.
.A. W. Stevens.
D. B. Taylor and family.
Capt. A. D. Gaston.
11. Van Dusen and family.
C. B. Mathews.
D). Minium and family.
II. V. Mathews.
E. D. Wheeler.
J. W. Davis and family.
Fred J. Jacob.
11. Armstrong and family.
W. E. Brown and family.
Charles E. Tibbetts and family.
George S. Smythe and family.
N. Halsted and family.
Dr. R. A. Wells and family.
L. W. Darling and family.
J. S. Stanley.
C. E. Olmsted
J. 1 .. Herrick. William Burr.
J. L. Freeland and family.
Guy R. Brown and family.
Doctor Ream.
11. W. Jackson and family.
George Kempton and family.
J. E. Ball and family.
J. T. Smith and family. William Ekins and family. William Brown.
James Hunt and family.
J. C. Frissell and family.
On December 31, 1870, there were about two hundred and fifty people in Blue Rapids.
A. W. Kimball and family. John McPherson and family.
Taylor Holbrook.
D. Fairbanks and family. .1. J. Bovee and family. Charles True and family.
C. B. Stone.
J. B. Waynant and family.
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MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
FURTIIER DEVELOPMENT.
On September 21, 1871, Judge John V. Coon arrived from Elyria, Ohio, with recruits for the colony.
In April, 1872, Taylor Holbrook built a twenty-foot raceway for power purposes of manufacture, especially of gypsum cement.
J. V. Coon & Son began the erection of a three-story stone building, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars.
These gentlemen were the pioneer manufacturers of gypsum into cement and land plaster at Blue Rapids. Their mill, on the west side of Blue river, was run night and day to fill orders.
The Baptist church and school house at Blue Rapids were the first build- ings finished with the plaster made by Coon & Son.
The mill was run with a capacity of eighty barrels of plaster of Paris a day, until 1887, when the interior was destroyed by fire. The mill was rebuilt and put in operation again.
In May, 1887, work began on Fowler Brothers gypsum mill, twenty- four by sixty feet. The business was known as the Blue Rapids Plaster Company. On August 20, that year, the first kettle of plaster was taken off and on the 21st plaster was shipped from the mill. The business was prosperous and grew steadily, but litigation over a patent finally caused the sale of the mill to the United States Gypsum Company of Chicago.
In March, 1892, the Blue Valley Plaster Company was organized and built a mill on the Stocks farm. A. E. Winter was president and Arthur English, secretary, of the new company.
This mill is still in operation under other ownership and is named the United States Gypsum Company.
BLUE RAPIDS, 1872.
On January 25, 1872, WV. D. Cook and I. S. Chandler, of the Wathena woolen mills, agreed with the Blue Rapids Town Company to bring their machinery to Blue Rapids. The woolen mill was completed in October and work begun in all departments. In the fall of 1877 the mill was purchased by the Buell Manufacturing Company of St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1879 it was totally destroyed by fire. It was immediately rebuilt and remodeled and filled with the latest improvements.
On March 28, 1882, Willard N. Buell committed suicide at Plattsmouth,
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Nebraska. This was a great blow to the mill at Blue Rapids. The business was diverted to the mill at St. Joseph and in the same year the woolen mill was closed.
LADIES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
Fortunate, indeed, is the city that has for one of its first institutions a public library. The women of the colony coming to Blue Rapids from che East decided to have a library as one of the needs of the new city (and from that day to this, for more than forty years) the women have maintained the library, and have kept it up to the same high standard with which it began many years ago.
They are proud of their organization for many reasons herein given. The association has a life membership in the state temperance union and a portrait of Frances Willard adorns the walls of the building ; also a portrait of Andrew Carnegie and many other friends of the library. The building is named Olmstead Hall, in memory of Carlos E. Olmstead, one of its first benefactors. It is a substantial two-story stone structure, completed in 1877.
The ladies of Blue Rapids who were interested in the establishment of a library met in the parlors of the LaBelle House on April 30, 1874. The association formed then, met again on May 27, and a permanent organiza- tion was created, and on June 27, the library was opened to the public, in the store of 1). W. Hinman. The officers were: President. Mrs. E. C. Ball: vice-president, Mrs. S. Wright ; recording secretary, Mrs. P. J. Sweet- land : corresponding secretary, Mrs. M. E. Reed : treasurer, Mrs. C. F. Roedel ; directors, Mesdames H. Armstrong. J. S. Dawes, J. D. Davis, C. B. Hall, W. H. Goodwin, C. F. Mussey, John McPherson, G. B. Stocks and A. W. Stephens. .
In the following December the Town Company presented to the library association one of the few remaining three hundred dollar lots on the public square. On February 4. 1875. C. E. Olmstead offered to give two hundred and fifty dollars toward the erection of a library building, if the ladies would raise a like amount. The result was that work was begun on the buikling on the 18th day of that month and in 1877 the ladies were holding meetings on the ground floor room of their own building, while the second floor was rented to St. Mark's church for church purposes.
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