USA > Kansas > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Kansas > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
Sycamore
Sycamore is another raidroad town located when the Missouri Pa- cific. or Verdigris Valley, Independence & Western railroad, as it was then named. was built through the county. It is just seven miles directly north of Independence, and is a growing place with good stores. Two vitrified brick plants located in its immediate vicinity afford a founda- tion on which to build hopes of future greatness. Gas is abundant in the township, and it is claimed that veins of coal from three to eleven feet deep have been found wherever the drill has gone down in the surround- ing township of the same name. Oil wells have also been found in the vicinity, though no oil is yet shipped. Indeed it is claimed that one such well is a forty barrel producer.
Wayside, Dearing and Crane
Wayside is a station and postoffice between Bolton and Havana on the Southwestern. Dearing is a station and hamlet five miles west of Coffeyville on the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic division of the Missouri Pacitic, and the point of junction with the main line running north. It has a postoffice and store. Crane is a station on the Southern Kansas division of the Santa Fe, five miles northwest of Independence. It has a postoffice and country store.
Havana
Havana was founded in the summer of 1870, when Lines & Cauffman established a general store there. They were preceded by Callow & Myers who went into business in the fall of 1869. in the same neighborhood. on what afterward became the David Dalby farm. Lines & Cauffman con- timmed in business until the spring of 1874 when they sold to W. T. Bishop. He disposed of the business in 1875 to J. T. Share. Havana con- tinned to thrive as a country trading post, withont a railroad until 1886, when the Southwestern extension of the Southern Kansas line of the San- ta Fe was built through there. It now has a population of 180 and is the shipping point for a large amount of grain and live stock from the surrounding country. The fertile valley of Bee creek adjoins the town, and forms one of the best wheat sections of the county.
Hlavana has three church organizations, the Methodist and United
83
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
Brethren with a hundred members each, and the Primitive Baptists with abont twenty members. There is a graded school, with two departments. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has a strong organization with 83 members. This order built and owns a substantial brick store building, with lodge rooms and hall on the second floor. The Rebekah lodge has 80 members; the Modern Woodmen of America, sixty; and the Home Builders, thirty; the Royal Neighbors, forty-three; and the Anti-Horse Thief Association, fifty.
The oldest merchant is T. R. Pittman, the postmaster, who conducts a hardware and implement and boot and shoe store. He has been in bus- iness here for eighteen years. Other business men are : P. H. Lindley, drug store; J. A. Nollsch, barber and harness shop; S. A. Evans, restaurant ; C. E. Campbell, hotel; C. N. Harrison, lumber; M. H. Ross, livery stable ; P. H. Dalby and D. W. Howell, physicians ; and J. S. Reyburn and John Sharpless, blacksmith shops.
Independence and Its History
In all southeastern Kansas there is no other city whose location pos- sesses so many advantages as does that of Independence. Built at a point where the bluff's come close to the Verdigris, and have a solid fonn- dation in the "Independence limestone," which outerops forty feet thick at the river bridge just east of the city, the site selected for the future metropolis is high and well drained, and sufficiently rolling to render the scenery picturesque, while furnishing fine natural drainage. Possess- ing so many advantages, and lying so near the geographical center of
Montgomery county, it was almost inevitable that the city should be- come the county seat of the new county. And this was of course what the company of Oswego men who came here on the 21st of August. 1869. under the lead of R. W. Wright, intended from the start it should become, Indeed, they made no secret of this intention but boldly proclaimed it ou the first night they spent here when camping ont at Bunker's cabin which was located on what is now the Pugh family home on North Ninth street. This is one of the highest points in the city and was then, and for some time afterward, known as "Bunker Hill."
Speaking about this cabin of Frank Bunker's, in a Historical Sketch of Montgomery county delivered as a Fourth of July address in 1876, the late E. E. Wilson, who was the leading historian of the pioneer days of the county and from whose writings we shall have occasion to draw very liberally in the preparation of this chapter, says, that at that time Bunker complained that the cabin, "instead of being treasured up in canes, base ball clubs, ear rings and pulpits, like other land marks, has been prosti- tuted to the vile instincts of domestic fowls and beasts that perish." In other words it had been converted into a hen roost and cow stable.
Besides Frank Banker, the other early settlers in the vicinity of In-
84
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
CAMION MENOS'E. ICC
MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURT HOUSE, LOCATED AT INDEPENDENCE
85.
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
dependence were his brother, Fred Bunker, W. O. Sylvester, Paddy Gil- Ila and George Reed, all of whom are said to have come in June 1869. The first claimants to any part of the original townsite of Independence were Frank Bunker. Shell Reed and W. O. Sylvester. Bunker was in- duced afterward to move the lines of his claim so as to make room to plat the city, and "Bunker's Addition" to the northwest of the city was one of the first, and probably the first addition to the city.
While the United States government did not comelude a treaty with the Osage Indians for a cession of their lands in this county until July 1870, individual settlers had been making treaties with the red skins for larger or smaller tracts of land for a couple of years previous, and, in September 1869. George A. Brown, after a protracted council, concluded and solemnized an agreement for the cession to him. of a tract of land Iving between Rock Creek on the south and Elk river on the north, the Verdigris river on the east and Walker and Table Monnds on the west. Probably, at that time, Brown had no idea that the whole of the traet to which he thus acquired an irregular and not exactly legal title would be- come the site of the Greater Independence of the future-and there are plenty of people today who do not yet see that this entire territory is bound to be covered by the city and its suburbs during the first half of the twentieth century. The region embraced is an irregular one, about five miles long by as many wide, and embraces very nearly twenty-five square miles of land. For this tract, a single acre of which now has a land value of over $25,000. Brown paid the muniticent sum of $50. The stipu- lations of the treaty were few and plain. Each party bound itself to pro- mote peace between the two races. Brown was to build all the houses ho wanted, and Chefopa, the Indian chief who took the part of grantor, was to have free pastorage for his ponies. Finally, Chetopa began to count the honses that were going up on this traet and to estimate what his rev- enue would have been at the customary tax of $5.00 each. He came to the conclusion that he had been swindled, and asked Brown for a new conneil to rescind the treaty. Brown was equal to the occasion and pic- fured in glowing terms what the immaculate word and unstained honor of a great Indian warrior required in the observance of such sacred and binding obligations, demanding, if it were possible, that he would for- over disgrace himself and his tribe by going back on his plighted word ?. Still, Chetopa insisted that there were too many houses, and that his people were being imposed upon. The upshot of the matter was a further stipulation ; that the $50 already paid should exempt the town, and that the settlers outside might pay him $3.00 per claim in addition.
While the Oswego people brought the name " Independence" with them all ready to apply to their county seat that was to be, they found a competitor in the town of "Colfax," which Geo. A. Brown had already laid out, a mile or more to the northwest, where the first city cemetery
86
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
was afterward located by Mayor DeLong. At the age of three weeks this town was already provided with a full equipment of streets and alleys and beginning to take rank among the towns of the county. After looking the ground over on the day following their arrival, Brown was persuaded to abandon Colfax and cast his fortunes with the Independence party. With a pocket compas, a survey of the town site was made by Captain Hammer, E. R. Trask, Frank Bunker and one or two others, which approximately determined the boundaries of the city that was to be.
For a time we can do no better than to follow Mr. Wilson's narra- tives as closely as may be. He says: "Returning to Oswego they organ- ized the Independence Town Company, contracted for the publication of the "Independence Pioneer." for the location of a saw-mill and for the carrying of a weekly mail from Oswego. A week later L. T. Stephenson returned to manage the business of the company and began the erection of a double log hotel, known as the "Judson House." In September a cele- bration was held, the main feature of which was abarbecue. Speeches were made by E. R. Trask, R. W. Wright and L. T. Stephenson. All the settlers in the vicinity, perhaps one hundred in number, were congre- gated. The refreshments consisted of the ox, four kegs of beer and two barrels of bread. They were brought from Oswego by J. N. DeBruler's ox team. In crossing the Verdigris the team became unmanageable and dumped the whole outfit into the river. No time was lost in fishing it out, and of course especial care was taken to save the beer, which came out undamaged.
About October 1st. 1869, E. E. Wilson and F. D. Irwin opened a store, having received their first invoice of goods, by wagon. from Fon- tana. Miami county, which was as near as the railroad then ran. Custom- ers were infrequent in those early days and the proprietors employed their leisure in making hay, where is now the intersection of Main street and Penn. avenue. Lumber was scarce before the saw-mills got to running, and none was to be got nearer than Oswego. But the crop of hay was immense, and the pioneers busied themselves in the erection of hay houses in which they found very comfortable shelter during the winter, and which gave the city its first nickname "Haytown."
In October 1869, too. R. S. Parkhurst, better known as "Uncle Sam- my," arrived from Indiana with a colony of eighteen families thereby doubling the population of the town. These provided themselves with hay houses also. And it is worthy of note that of all the sixty-niners who laid the foundations of this growing city, Mr. Parkhurst and O. P. Gamble are the only ones still living here. Although at an advanced age Mr. Parkhurst is still hale and hearty and is taking a most active interest in every movement for the upbuilding of the city and its indus- tries. Since the beginning of the present year he made a talk in a public meeting at the Auditorium, telling something about those early days, in
87
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
which he stated that he never then expected to see Independence become what she is today, but at the same time unhesitatingly affirmed that he now expected to live to see her with a hundred thousand population.
On the 16th of November 1869, Alexander Waldschmidt reached In- dependence with his saw mill. Immediately Carpenter & Crawford locat- ed east of town on the Allison farm. and A. L. Ross at the mouth of Elk river. All were running in December, but Carpenter & Crawford sawed the first lumber. Their enterprise may be inferred from the fact that for the first week they carried water in pails from the river to run their engine. Mr. Waldschmidt was very enterprising and proved one of the most important factors in the building of the town. le erected the first grist- mill in the county, on the river just above the site of the present ice far- tory, and began grinding grain there in the fall or winter of 1871. He also made the first shipment of flour from the county. While all the other north and south streets of the city bear numbers, the one next the river is named "Waldschmidt Avenue," in his honor.
The story of the struggle for the location of the county seat is re. ferred to elsewhere in this history. and need not be detailed again here From the first a majority of the people of the county favored Indepen- denco. and it was only a question of time when their will should be obeyed. At the election in November 1869, the first vote was taken, and it was only by throwing out the northern precinct. known as Drum Creek, on a technicality. that a majority was secured for Liberty, by the east side board of commissioners then in office. This was the first backset In- dependence received, and, though she has had them in plenty since, she has always done as she did then-buckled on her armor and fought it out on that line. And in almost every instance, she has won in the end. as she did the following May in the courts, and the following November at the polls, in the county seat fight.
Unfortunately our State Historical Society did not begin business until 1875. and prior to that date newspaper files are not accessible, and only occasional copies of Independence newspapers of earlier dates have been preserved. Indeed, the burning of the office of the "Independence Tribune," with its files, in February 1883. and of the "Independence Star," with the files of the earlier issues of the "Independence Kansan," in December 1884, resulted in a loss of material for early history that is not only irreparable but well nigh incalculable. The first newspaper published in Independence was the " Independence Pioneer," of which one of the first. if not the first, copy issued, bearing date November 27th, 1869, and another dated Jaunary 1st. 1870, are to be found in the collection at Topeka. but no others. In the former issue most of the business cards are of Oswego firms, but among the Independence advertisers are Wilson & Irwin's grocery and Ralstin & Stephenson's real estate, insurance and gen- eral conveyancing office. In the latter we note that Ralstin & Coventry are
88
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
in the hardware business at Independence; Allison & Bell, general mer- chandise : Dr. Swallow, dry goods, provisions and groceries ; Chas. Wise, furniture; Chas. Coventry, drugs and groceries; Brown & Risburg and Knokle & DeBruler, meat markets. At Westralia, Crawford & MrCne an- nounce themselves as attorneys at law and land agents.
The "Pioneer" was printed at Oswego until some time in Jannary 1870, when it became, in fact as well as in name, an Independence insti- tution, and was furnished with an outfit of type and a press here. In one of its earlier issues it tells an interesting story about a pioneer settler in the neighborhood of Independence who was living in a log house and whose wife woke him one night to startle him with the information that the baby was gone. Lighting a candle and making a search, no trace of it could be found in the cabin, but on going out doors it was discovered ly- ing on the ground unhurt and fast alseep, having rolled out of bed be- tween the logs that formed one side of the cabin.
In its editorial column, the "Pioneer" had begun the work, in which we are still engaged, of booming Independence and Montgomery county ; and from the issue of January 1st, 1870, the following forecast is worth quoting :
"The valley of the Verdigris river, which but a few months ago was only visited by Indian traders occasionally, is now teeming with intelli- gent, enterprising immigrants from the eastern and northern states; and settlements and towns have sprung up as if by magic. Supplied, as the valley is, with abundance of timber for fencing, its vast quarries of white and brown sandstone for building purposes, and its inexhaustible beds of excellent coal -- it does not require a very vivid imagination to picture a future exceeding in brillianey the past history of western improvement.
Independence is growing. Forty frame buildings have been erected in as many days since our saw mills have been turning ont lumber. The work of building has went (sic) on right merrily, and substantial frame build. ings have taken the place of booths, hints and hay houses that a few weeks ago were scattered promisenonsly over our townsite. Four months ago the tall prairie grass waved where today are scores of buildings and the scenes of busy life. To one unused to the rapid growth of the west it would seem the work of magic."
Nothing here, it will be observed. about natural gas, vitrified brick, cement plants, rolling mills, window glass factories, paper mills, electrie railways, four story Masonic Temples, or $60,000 hotels. So, ever does the reality surpass the most enthusiastic dreams in a developing civi- lization.
The first school house in Independence was built in the winter of 1869-70, and was dedicated April 16th, 1870, with literary exercises which are said to have been of unusual merit. The school was opened April 21st, with Miss Mary Walker, the first female teacher in the county,
89
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
in charge. The building was afterward remodeled and occupied by the United Brethren church. The first teachers' institute in the county was held at Vandiver's Hall in the summer of 1879, and was conducted by Prof. Boles.
In the fall of 1869 the first Sunday school was organized in the hay house of Mrs. Medlung. The first sermon was preached by T. H. Canfield in the same house. Rov. J. J. Brown organized the First Presbyterian church of Independence April 3, 1870, and the Methodist and Baptist churches were organized the same month. The Baptists erected the first church building, which was dedicated March 12th. 1871. Rev. Mr. Atkin- son, of Oswego, officiating.
About February 1870, R. W. Wright addressed a meeting at Wilsou & Irwin's store in advocacy of an east and west railroad. On the first day of June 1870, the people greeted the arrival of the stage coach from Oswego. The story of the voting of $200,000 in bonds to enable the county to make a subscription of stock to the same amount to the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad company, which was the second among the many adverse events in the history of our city, is elsewhere told.
Until along in 1870. says W. H. Watkins, in his sketch of the city's history published in the "Independence Kansan" on January 2. 1878, the principal part of the business was transacted on Peun. Avenne, between Laurel and Myrtle streets, or north of the present location of Baden's store. The road, as travelled, did not follow the avenue south of that point but shot across lots from Myrtle to Main, reaching the latter at the corner of Sixth, where Zutz' grocery now stands. The merchants then in business on the north side of Main street found it necessary to have their signs over their back doors. To the north of the crossing of Main street and Peun. Avenne was a quagmire, and loaded teams frequently stalled there.
Mail facilities were meager during the first winter in "Haytown." and the government did not act as promptly in establishing a postoffice as it has since, in the Indian Territory on similar occasions. While the county seat was at Verdigris City, it is said that the postage on letters brought in varied from ten to twenty-five cents, according to the state of the weather: but at Independence a service was arranged from Oswego, L. T. Stephenson being the first carrier, and the charge being uniformly ten cents straight. He was succeeded by M. L. Hickey, and he by J. C. Woodrow, who carried the mail until the advent of the stage coach. At first letters in and out were charged for alike, but later the only charge was for those brought in. One poor fellow thoughtlessly wrote a line to a Boston paper telling about the new ElDorado here in southern Kansas. and his next mail cost him two dollars. When the mail arrived. there was a roll-call of the letters and each man stood ready with his fractional currency to pay postage on his letters.
190
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
On the 1st day of July. 1870. the people greeted the arrival of the first stage coach from Oswego, and on the first of July F. D. Irwin was appointed postmaster at a salary of $12.00 per year. At the present time the salary of the postmaster is $2.300, and the payroll of the office, in- (Inding the salaries of four city and five rural delivery carriers, amounts to $12.250 per annum.
The Fourth of July 1870, was appropriately celebrated in a grove south of town on Rock creek. Nearly 200 people were present, and C'ap- tain M. S. Bell was the orator of the day.
On the 25th of July 1870. J. D. Emerson, as probate judge. in accord- ance with the petition of a majority of the voters, incorporated the place under the style of "the inhabitants of the town of Independence." and appointed the following board of trustees : E. E. Wilson. J. 11. Pugh J. E. Donlavy. R. T. Hall and O. P. Smart. Of this first governing body of the city. O. P. Smart, alone, is still a resident here. They met the next day and organized by electing R. T. Hall, chairman ; and on the 15th of Sep- tember they appointed J. B. Craig as clerk. Their first ordinance pro- vided that the board should meet on the second Tuesday of each month. They next decreed that all sidewalks on Main street and Penn. Avenue should be twelve feet wide. The third made it unlawful to drive any ani- mal of the horse or mule kind through the streets faster than a trot, or more than seven miles an hour. The fourth prohibited gaming- tables and all devices for playing games of chance. also bawdy houses and brothels.
On the 16th of November 1871, the trustees voted to accept the pro- visions of the act governing cities of the third class. Immigrants had come in rapidly during the spring and summer, and on November 29th, a little more than fifteen months from the time the town was laid out, a count was made of 800 people. On the date named an election for city officers was held. J. B. Craig was elected the first mayor, receiving 93 votes to 89 cast for E. E. Wilson. The councilmen elected at the same time were: A. Waldschmidt, Thomas Stevenson, W. T. Bishop, F. D. Ir- win and G. IL. Brodie. Irwin failed to quality and on December 8th, Goodell Foster was appointed to serve in his place. On the same date William Hendrix was appointed the first marshal of the young city, and Councilmen Waldschmidt and Bishop were made a committee to draw up plans for a city prison, while the task of drawing up a set of ordinances was confided to Mr. Foster.
On the 5th of Jannary 1871. Prentis & Warner were authorized to erect hay scales in the street north of Pugh's drug store. This is, per- haps, the only business house then in existence, which, in all the thirty- two years that have since elapsed. has changed neither its name, its busi- ness nor its location, "Pugh's Drug Store" being still located at the sonth- east corner of Penn. Avenue and Laurel streets. At this meeting the first
91
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
dram shop license recorded was granted to Henry Kaiser, who was to pay a fee of $50 for a period of six months.
On the 23d of Jannary, the city printing was awarded to the "Kansas Democrat," which was published by Martin VanBuren Bennett, at the rate of three cents a line. On February 2. Mr. Bishop was appointed a committee to see abont deepening the two public wells. The work was done by Lewis & Mossman, who were paid $52.08 for going down 29 feet in one of them. On the 20th of February, it was ordered that a well be sunk at the corner of Lanrel street and Penn. Avenue.
March 30th, 1871. C. M. Ralstin as city clerk reported a population of 1,382 souls. On the same day John J. Jack was licensed to keep a gro- very and sell beer, on payment of $25.00 and the giving of a $2.000.00 bond. On the same date H. A. Jimmerson was granted a dram shop li- rense. By this time the wants of the thirsty must have been pretty well provided for, with three publie wells and as many saloons.
The city election held April 5th. 1871, resulted in the choice of E. E. Wilson as mayor and . E. Donlavy as police judge, and on the following day 1. D. Emerson was appointed city clerk and T. P. Trouvelle, city marshal. The first record of a prohibition sentiment appears on Septem- ber 15th, when Judson & Saylor and IN. Vanderslice applied for permis- sion to sell liquor, presenting petitions signed by 130 people, and a remon- strance signed by another 130 people was presented at the same time. Notwithstanding the remonstrance, the licenses were granted, Councilmen Waldschmidt and Gray voting ave and Bishop no. December 7th, Good- ell Foster resigned as city attorney and Colonel Daniel Grass was ap- pointed to succeed him. Three weeks later, on the 29th, Grass resigned and J. D. MeChe was appointed. Among other citizens who afterward became prominent here and elsewhere, who were honored with appoint- ments to this office, were William Dunkin, George Chandler and George R. Peck.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.