USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 37
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419
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
THE BLUE RAPIDS TIMES.
Many men and women have helped to make Blue Rapids the splendid town it is. Among those who deserve mention is Mr. C. E. Tibbitts: An event of more than passing interest in colony affairs was the publication of the Blue Rapids Times, by W. P. Campbell, of Waterville, Kansas, and C. E. Tibbitts, late principal of the Wetmore Institute at Irving. The first num- ber was published on July 9, 1871. The same date the interest of W. P. Campbell was purchased by Frank Hall, son of Theo. Hall, a member of the Blue Rapids Town Company.
The following August, Tibbitts purchased the interest of Frank Hall, and associated with him as editor, B. W. Curtis, of Atchison. The paper was ably edited and was Republican in politics. After forty-five years the paper continues to be one of the strong country newspapers of the state, and still adheres to the same political faith.
In 1875 E. M. Brice, of Oberlin, Ohio, became a partner of Mr. Tibbitts. Mr. Brice was a fine man and endeared himself to the citizens of Blue Rapids. In 1878 he became sole proprietor of the paper. In 1879 Mr. Tibbitts, who was engaged in the real estate business, issued the first number of the Kansas Pilot in the interest of his business. In 1881 Mr. Tibbitts purchased the Marshall County News, which he sold the following year to George T. Smith, the present editor.
Charles E. Tibbitts served his country as first lieutenant in the Thir- teenth Regiment, Connecticut Infantry, three years in the War of the Rebel- lion. He graduated from Oberlin College after the war. He came to Kansas, located at Irving, coming to Blue Rapids in the early years of its settlement, where he continued to reside until his death. He was a member of Robert Hale Post, Grand Army of the Republic. In 1875 he was appointed postmaster of Blue Rapids. He took an important part in all public affairs, was widely known and respected. He sleeps in Fairmont cemetery, over- looking the home he loved so well.
The Blue Rapids Times is now ably edited by his son, C. C. Tibbitts.
TIIE BEATTIE EAGLE.
The Beattic Eagle is a continuation of the North Star, founded in 1884 by A. J. Tucker ; the name was changed in 1885 to The Star, with W. W. Brooks as editor. In 1891 the name was again changed to Williamson's Beattie Eagle, which was shortened in 1894 to Beattie Eagle; in 1902 it
420
MARSHALL, COUNTY, KANSAS.
absorbed the Beattie Palladium, founded in 1898 by J. M. Kendall. The Beattie Eagle is a Republican paper; Mr. F. W. Reed is its present editor.
The Frankfort Inder was founded by Warren and Hartman in 1905. It is now owned by F. H. Hartman. Miss June J. Bliss is the editor in charge. The Index is issued daily and weekly and is independent in politics.
The Home City Journal was established in 1908 by L. E. Busenbark, and was published weekly. Busenbark was succeeded by Harley R. Row, who was succeeded by the present editor, Richard Lewis. The paper is still a weekly and is non-partisan in politics.
The Irving Leader was founded in 1836 by J. R. Leonard. It is pub- lished weekly and is independent in politics; the present owner and editor is Mr. Bert Forbes.
The Okcto Eagle was founded in 1908 by J. A. Church. The manage- ment and politics of the paper have changed many times and the paper has suspended publication at intervals. It is at present under the ownership of R. F. Montgomery, is issued weekly and independent in politics.
The Summerfield Sun was established in 1889 by Fabrick and Felt. This has always been a live paper under excellent management. Mr. G. W. Willis and H. P. Wadham, of Marysville, once owned and published the paper. This firm purchased the paper from Fred Fleming in April 1903, and published it until 1904, when the firm became Willis & Son. In 1911 W. R. Brown purchased the paper and was succeeded by Jones, the present pub- lisher. The paper is independent in politics.
WATERVILLE TELEGRAPH.
The Waterville Telegraph deserves more than passing notice because of the character of the men who were associated in its publication. The paper was established by Frank A. Root and the first number was issued in 1870. Prior to this, Root had been an overland stage driver for Ben Holliday, and after that career became a well-known newspaper man in Kansas. In later years he published the "Overland Stage to California," a most valuable addition to Kansas literature.
In 1871 West Wilkinson, of Seneca, became a partner with Root. Wilkinson afterward published the Sencca Courier and later Root went to Seneca and for a time became a business partner in that paper. On January 1, 1871, F. G. Adams and W. P. Campbell bought the Telegraph. Adams afterward moved to Topeka and became state librarian and held that posi- tion until his death.
421
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
RAPID CHANGES IN OWNERSHIP.
The Telegraph changed hands so rapidly that its readers scarcely had learned the name of the new owner before another had taken his place. In 1872 Thomas Hughes bought the paper. It was then Adams & Hughes. Hughes then bought the Marshall County News, later sold out his interests in both papers and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he became a prominent newspaper man and served as mayor of that city. W. P. Camp- bell bought the paper from Hughes & Adams, and later the paper was sold to J. E. Reece & Company.
Campbell moved to Oklahoma in 1878, published a paper and later was made state librarian which position he now holds. Reece & Company changed the name of the paper to the Blue Valley Telegraph and its politics to Demo- cratic. In September, 1879, C. F. Stanley bought the paper and restored the former name and politics.
In 1880 H. C. Willson bought the paper and is its present publisher. It is Republican in politics and Mr. Willson has made it a strong paper in this part of the state; and for the first time in its career, although always ably edited, it is now a success financially.
NEWSPAPERS OF VERMILLION.
But little is known about the early papers of Vermillion, as no files were kept. From what can be learned the first printing plant in the town was brought by G. W. Keely, one of the earliest settlers.
The first paper of which any record is found was Kind Words, a little religious monthly published by Rev. I. B. Smith, and printed at Frankfort. There were several newspaper ventures after that, but none of them lasted very long, until in May, 1891, The Record was launched by F. W. Arnold, continued it until 1896, when it was sold to Roy Wilson, of Beattie. The name was changed to The Owl and was continued for a few months, when it ceased and the plant was moved to Beattie.
The Monitor was the next paper. It was published by J. W. Mahaffey and others in 1896 and continued for about three years.
The Harris Brothers began the publication of The Times in April, 1900, and it ran about two years.
Forrest Warren then published The Enterprise, which continued for a period of two years. In December, 1904, H. L. Huff moved a plant from Netawaka to Vermillion and started the present paper, The Times, which
422
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
he edited until November, 1913, when he transferred the paper to Forrest Warren, who continued the paper for nearly a year, when F. W. Arnold became the owner and proprietor, in October, 1914. Mr. Arnold is now the editor, and the politics of the newsy little Times is Republican.
In 1903 Rev. M. L. Laybourne, a Presbyterian minister, living in Ver- million, published the Little Presbyterian, a religious monthly.
The Marshall County School Journal is a monthly publication, issued in the interest of the schools by the county superintendents.
Marshall's Manhood is a religious quarterly, published by Hervey F. Smith, county secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association.
Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON A "HIKE" AT TWIN MOUNDS, NEAR BIGELOW.
-
SCENE AT MARSHALL COUNTY Y. M. C. A. CAMP.
CHAPTER XXI.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST.
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
In November, 1910, a group of men familiar with the work of the Young Men's Christian Association, decided that they would have the influ- ence of that organization in Marshall county. They knew that they could not erect a big building in every town, but they also knew that it is not buildings and paraphernalia that make men, but leadership of the right sort. A committee of fifteen prominent men of the county was elected to super- vise the work, a county secretary was employed, boys' clubs were organized with a competent leader over each group, and for six years the principles of association work-development of mind, body and spirit-have been applied to the boy life of the county.
C. J. Brown was elected the first chairman of the county committee, a position which he has held ever since. A. D. Holloway was elected county secretary and for four years directed the work of the association, being succeeded in November. 1914, by Hervey F. Smith, the present secre- tary.
The county work, as the rural work of the Young Men's Christian Association is called, is organized in five counties in Kansas. It is the newest phase of Christian association work, but is growing rapidly. It is the one organization that binds together men and boys of all churches and beliefs in a definite, concerted effort. The maximum of results is secured with the minimum of expense, because the basis of the work is volunteer leadership. One employed officer-the county secretary-gives his entire time to the work. All his assistants are volunteer laborers. The business of the secretary is to "find, enlist and train leaders," who will assume respon- sibility in the work with boys.
42.4
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE WORK.
The activities of the county work are many and varied. There are county conferences, when social and religious problems are discussed and decisions are made for Christian living, one or more college gospel teams are brought into the county for a week's stay during the winter; there are "Father and Son" banquets, and among the prominent men who have been brought into the county to address these meetings are Gov. Arthur Capper. ex-Governor George H. Hodges, President Henry J. Waters, A. E. Roberts and Dr. John Brown, of New York. There are athletic contests, hikes and camps. Clubs are organized in the high schools with the motto, "clean speech, clean sport, clean habits." All these and many other things find their way, naturally, into the program of the association.
Marshall county is a rural county ; of the twenty-three towns of the county, none have a population over two thousand five hundred, and any program which did not place emphasis upon a better rural life and better agricultural conditions, would be incomplete. Farm institutes for boys, stock- judging contest, coru-growing contests and farm trips have centered the attention of the boys upon the farm and because of this work during the past six years upwards of a hundred young people are attending the State Agricultural College. During the past summer, forty Marshall county lads, under the direction of the Young Men's Christian Association, have been enrolled in an acre contest-each boy planting, tending and harvesting an acre of corn. Accurate records are kept of every transaction so that a boy knows at the end of the season just what profit he has from his acre. As a part of the contest each boy is to select and exhibit a sample of ten ears at the fair or institute, and it is not uncommon for the boys to win over the men in this competition.
CRITICAL TIME IN A YOUNG MAN'S LIFE.
Every year many young men leave the country to attend school or to "seek their fortune" in the city. It is one of the critical times in a young man's life, this leaving of home for the first time, and the Young Men's Christian Association has a system of following these young men and help- ing them in this time of crisis. In Marshall county are sixteen "correspond- ing members," who report to the office of the state Young Men's Christian Association the names of these who are leaving home, word is sent on ahead.
425
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
and when the young man arrives in a strange city, he is welcomed by the association and helped to find the right kind of friends.
Every normal boy has an intense desire to "camp out." To meet this need the association holds each summer a week's camp where boys can have an outing at a minimum expense and under Christian leadership. Eighty- two boys and leaders last summer attended Camp Edwards, near Irving, which was held under the joint direction of the associations of Marshall and Washington counties.
The most important work of the association is done through boys' groups, or clubs, as they are called. These meet regularly during the winter months. The activities include Bible study, practical. talks-by . business and professional men, athletics, debates, first aid instruction, etc. It is in these groups, meeting week after week, under competent leadership, that character is wrought into the lives of boys and ideals are found, which make for future manhood of the highest type.
To maintain the Young Men's Christian Association in the county requires a budget of two thousand dollars a year. This is raised by sub- scription in a short-term canvass once a year. During the past year seven hundred men and women contributed to this fund in amounts varying from one dollar to one hundred dollars. Thus, a wide territory is covered and a large number of boys and men are reached with character-building activities. at a very small cost.
SCOPE OF SECRETARY'S DUTIES.
No minister in the county has such a fruitful parish as has the county secretary ; no superintendent of schools is responsible for so many boys ; no business man needs to be a shrewder student of human nature than this secretary, who meets daily from five to fifty men and boys. His task is to find, enlist and train leaders, who will assume responsibility for boys' clubs. He has no wages to offer them, except hard work; no influence to hold them to the task, except the power of his own personality and the satisfaction which comes from seeing timid, uncouth boys grow into stalwart men.
The plan is to have in each community a supervisory board of inter- ested men, a high school Young Men's Christian Association, and one or more groups of younger boys. Eventually, the association will reach out into the open country and every boy in the county will have an opportunity to join a group of his own age.
The secretary has recently purchased an automobile, the upkeep of
426
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
wirich is taken care of by the county committee, and with this he is able to cover the entire county quickly and economically, and can keep in close touch with each group and with every phase of the work.
The committee which supervises the work consists of the following men : Dr. E. A. Gaston, George W. Reed, W. T. Lackland, Axtell: Dr. E. H. Gist. Beattie: C. J. Brown, E. H. Kennedy, J. E. Ryan, C. C. Tibbetts, Blue Rapids; J. W. Lobley, George B. Heleker, J. Sidney Johnson, Frankfort ; M. M. Schmidt, W. H. Dexter, Home City; A. J. Carlson, B. K. Durland, Irving: Arthur Hohn, A. Goodman, W. W. Potter, Marysville: O. E. Hardesty, Oketo; J. T. Briggs, W. F. Orr. Summerfield; W. E. Stewart, Vermillion : John Seaton, Waterville.
INDEPENDENCE CROSSING.
This crossing or ford was for many. years a -well-known point-on the overland trail from Independence, Missouri, to various points West and Northwest. This old crossing on the Big Blue river was located on what is now section 31, Elm Creek township, just a short distance from the month of the little creek that flows from Alcove Springs into the river. There is a "riffle" in the river and with a small amount of work on the approaches of the banks, a crossing could still be made. It can be forded by cattle or horses at the present time in ordinary stage of water.
Marshall's ferry was about half a mile up stream from this crossing. This was an old trail and crossing used by the Indians and fur traders. As early as the year 1839 James McClosky came out from St. Louis with seven wagons loaded with Indian goods and escorted by twelve mounted men. passed over this trail. These goods had been purchased of Bernard Pratt in St. Louis and were the trading property of Bibile & Adams. McClosky was a clerk in the employ of Pratt, to look after his interests and make returns. McClosky made several trips across the country and finally came to this county to live.
ALCOVE SPRINGS.
These springs are situated east of the old Independence Crossing in a small steep canyon. The bed of the canyon is of hard limestone and afforded an excellent place for a camp fire. The grassy plateau sloping towards the river was a favorite camping spot.
Here, for many years extending from 1839 to 1860, travelers camped. The cool spring was known from New York to San Francisco. John
OX YOKE USED IN FREIGHTING BETWEEN MARSHALL COUNTY AND MISSOURI RIVER POINTS. PROPERTY OF FRED COTTRELL, OF IRVING.
X
INDEPENDENCE CROSSING, LOOKING DOWN STREAM. (Crosses mark ford.)
427
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
Denton, a young man accompanying the Donner party, gave the spring its name from the overhanging rock, which is at least twelve feet higher than the spring, and which presents the appearance of an alcove. Denton carved the name on the rock and the letters are still distinct. It is a favorite camp- ing place and full of historic interest. Many visitors to the Worlds Fair in Chicago in 1893, were attracted by the beautiful oil painting of Alcove Springs, the work of Miss Mamie Schroyer, of Marysville, which was exhib- ited in the Kansas building.
POSTOFFICES IN MARSHALL COUNTY.
Name.
Rural Routes.
Class.
Salary.
Axtell
3
3
$1,500
I.M.O.
P.S.
Barrett
4
M.O.
. . .
Beattie
2.
4
M.O.
.. .
Bigelow
I
4
M.O.
...
Blue Rapids
3
3
1,600
I.M.O.
P.S.
Bremen
2
4
1,600
I.M.O.
P.S.
Herkimer
I
4
M.O.
. .
Home
2
7
M.O.
...
Hull
4
...
Irving
3
7
M.O.
. ..
Lillis
4
.
M.O.
...
Marietta
7
M.O.
·
Marysville
6
2
2,100
I.M.O.
P.S.
Mina
I
4
M.O.
. . .
Schroyer
4
...
M.O.
. ..
Summerfield
3
3
1,100
I.M.O.
...
Vermillion
4
4
...
.
. .
. . .
Waterville
3
3
1,400
I.M.O.
P.S.
Winifred
4
M.O.
. . .
Total
41
I.M.O .- International money order office.
M.O .- Money order office.
P.S .- Postal savings office.
·
M.O.
...
Carden
Frankfort
6
3
4
M.O.
. .
Oketo
Vliets
I
4
I.M.O.
...
I.M.O.
428
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
ORIGIN OF PLACE NAMES IN MARSHALL COUNTY.
Axtell-Named for Dr. Jesse Axtell, an official of the St. Jo & Grand Island Railroad.
Beattie-Named for A. Beattie, mayor of St. Jo, Missouri, in 1870.
Blue Rapids-Named for rapids in Big Blue river, at that point.
Barrett-Named for A. G. Barrett, a pioneer.
Bigelow-Named for General Bigelow, an official of the Missouri Pa- cific Railway, who selected the townsite.
Bremen-Named for a seaport in Germany.
Carden-Named for Mrs. Carden, on whose land the townsite was platted.
Frankfort-Named for Frank Schmidt, of Marysville, owner of the townsite.
Herkimer-Named by O. Keller, who laid out the town.
Hull-Named for a city in England.
Home-Named by G. W. Van Camp, who platted the townsite.
Irving-Named for Washington Irving.
Lillis-Named for Bishop Thomas Lillis, of Kansas City.
Marysville-Named for Mary, wife of F. J. Marshall, for whom the county was named.
Marietta-Named for Mrs. Marietta Mann.
Oketo-Named for an Indian chief. Arkatetah. the name being shortened by the settlers to Oketo.
Schroyer-Named for a well-known pioneer family.
Summerfield-Named for Elias Summerfield, an official of the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
Vermillion-No record.
Vliets-Named for the Van Vleit family, on whose farm the town is located.
Waterville-Named by R. Osborne, superintendent of the Central Branch,
Union Pacific Railroad, in honor of his home town, Waterville, Maine.
Winifred-Named for the wife of Isaac Walker, a pioneer.
GREAT PRAIRIE FIRE.
The historian is indebted to Mr. Grant Ewing for an account of a great prairie fire that swept across Marshall county on November 17. 1873. 1 terrific wind came up from the northwest on the morning of the 17th, and drove before it a terrible fire, which was supposed to have started on the
429
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
Otoe reservation near Oketo. It extended across Marshall county in a strip eight to ten miles wide and burned as far south as the Kaw. The wind being from the northwest, kept the fire out of the Blue Valley, but it raged madly on the divide in Wells township and swept across the' Vermillion and onward to the Kaw. The back fire in places came as far as the east side of the Blue river.
Among the prairie settlers who lost heavily were the Sabins, the Ewings and William Walls. A young boy, Wooter by name, lost his life in this fire. He had accompanied some neighbors to Marysville and they were returning home with flour and provisions for themselves and neighboring families, when the fire came raging towards them. They hastily searched their pockets for matches with which to start a back fire but did not succeed in getting a fire started and exhausted the supply of matches. Finally, one man found just a half of a match and with this he burned off a small patch and drove the teams on it. The boy, about eleven years old, they put in the center of a wagon-load of flour and covered him with blankets. They unhitched the ox teams and then the men made a dash through the flames, which by this time were close upon them. The boy, frightened by the mad roar of the flames, threw off the blankets and was enveloped in the fire. The men on returning, carried him to the house of John D. Wells, where he died in a few hours. The oxen were so badly burned that they had to be killed. They were the property of Wells.
Mr. Ewing says he remembers the fire well, as his mother carried her children out to the middle of a four-acre field of green wheat and threw blankets over them for protection. The heat of the flames drove rabbits, coyotes and deer on to the same green field, all too badly frightened to harm one another or to fear human beings.
TERRIFIC CYCLONE.
Friday, May 30, 1879, is a day and date that will be remembered as long as a living witness of the tragedy which took place remains to recall the terrible events about to be narrated.
The morning, in the southern portion of the county, was bright and clear, but during the afternoon clouds appeared and a lowering temperature was noticeable. There were lightning flashes and peals of thunder, and between five and six o'clock the storm broke in terrific fury. The first indi- cation of danger was from an approaching funnel-shaped cloud to the south- west. At Blue Rapids, the gypsum mill of J. V. Coon & Son had the roof
430
MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS.
torn off, and the roof of the big Wright flouring mill was raised, but left in position. The west portion of the roof of the woolen mill was carried away and the flood beat in on the machinery. Fortunately, no lives were lost and Blue __ Rapids suffered slightly in comparison with the beautiful little city of Irving.
C. E. Tibbetts, who was then publishing the Blue Rapids Times, issued an extra giving the following details :
"The situation at Irving beggars description. The storm first passed over the townsite west of the railroad, destroying the residences of John Gallup, Mr. Armstrong and John Thompson. It laid in ruins, more or less complete, Charles Preston's place. the Parker house, Wetmore Institute, John Freeland's stone house, and one formerly owned by him : Buckout's new stone residence. J. S. Walker's fine residence. . Leddy's, Sabin's, Jeffer's and Guthrie's homes ; then swung back over the track, struck into a branch current of the cyclone, and swept through the main part of the town towards the river. Some twenty minutes after the rain had commenced falling, a brisk shower of hail set in, driven by a northerly wind. There was a short cessation of the storm and then commenced falling hailstones of monstrous size weighing several ounces and measuring six to eight inches in circumference.
KILLED AND INJURED.
"The number of those instantly killed in Irving, including four from Gante fork neighborhood southwest of town, is thirteen. They are as fol- low: Mr. Keeny, sewing machine agent and his wife, and his father, who was visiting Mr. Keeny. A Swede girl in the employ of the Jacob Sabin family : Miss Emma Sheldon, Mrs. W. J. Williams, Mrs. Noark, Mrs. George Martin, Mrs. Buckmaster and four children.
"The injured were: Mrs. William Bates and five children : Mrs. Snider and daughter, Jacob Sabin, wife and son. Eber Sheldon and wife, the Keeney boys. Foster, son of a Randolph lumberman. Wright Helleker, Mr. Seaton. a railroad man, both arms broken : Mr. Johnson, James McCoy and wife, Mrs. John Gallup and four children. Mr. Buckmaster and child: George Martin's two children, John Case's two children. Haney Wilson and two children, Mrs. John Thompson and two children. Lee Hunt, wife and three children, Samuel Clark, W. J. Williams and Mrs. Rickel. Scarcely a house was left standing in Irving and few families escaped without some injured one.
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