USA > Kansas > Nemaha County > History of Nemaha County, Kansas > Part 31
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pay, making their livelihoods as farmers and serving their Lord as ordained ministers for love of Him and of their people. Rev. John Platt- ner has been at the head of the Amish community here for many, many years, a gentle, lovable man, admired and loved and respected by all the community as sincerely as by his own people.
In connection with the churches of Sabetha, Alfred Stokes, the town sexton, believed to be the oldest sexton in point of continuous service in Kansas, should be mentioned. Alfred Stokes has served as sexton of the Sabetha cemetery continuously for forty-two years, and is still serving. The cemetery is one of the most perfectly kept burying grounds in Kansas. There are about 400 graves in the free burying ground, which are kept in perfect order. The cemetery has no potter's field and no nook or corner which is neglected. The ground is owned by the city of Sabetha. Alfred Stokes began his hervices as sexton of Sabetha in 1872. Sadly enough, the first grave he dug was for a son. The Sabetha cemetery then consisted of but two acres. The two acres were donated to the city by a man named Goodpasture in 1856. The donor, Goodpasture, does not figure further in the history of Sabetha.
In the pioneer class on Sunday, April 3, 1910, the question was asked by T. K. Masheter, "How many were at church and Sunday school in Sabetha forty years ago this morning?" (Sunday, forty years ago, was April 3.) Henry Riffer, C. Fulton and T. K. Masheter re- sponded. Mrs. Conrad could say that forty years ago she lived a mile west of Capioma. O. O. Marbourg came to Sabetha July 8, 1870, and attended church at Albany the following day. Other members of the class have been here from seven to thirty years. The late J. E. Black came here June 10, 1870, and Mrs. Black, June 22, 1870. Among other recollections of forty years ago I recall that Mr., or rather Comrade, John Palmer has lived all this time in the same house. Daniel Stone- barger lived on his farm adjoining Sabetha on the south in 1870, and was called an old citizen then. John Beamer, east of the city, came for his second trial of the West from Ohio in the spring of 1870, and has lived in the same place since.
CENTRALIA CHURCHES.
Centralia has come nearer keeping her number of churches down to the needs of a town of 1,000 inhabitants than the average small town or even city. Centralia has but three churches, all fairly well patron- ized. The Methodist people organized a church as early as 1867, wor- shipping in private houses for four years, when a church building was erected and Rev. T. B. Gray put in charge.
In 1868, the Congregational Church was started with a membership of twelve. A church building was erected in 1871, with a capacious auditorium. Centralia was the home of Rev. Levi C. Preston, whose children are among the Nemahans who have made names in the world.
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Mr. Preston came to Centralia for his health and conducted a farm that was the model for many miles surrounding. He planted orchards and gardens. He frequently supplied the Congregational pulpit. His daugh- ter, Flora, became the wife of Rev. A. C. Hogbin, mentioned in another part of this history, while May is the wife of the celebrated Edwin E. Slosson, associate editor of the New York "Independent Magazine." Rev. Preston has been dead many years. Mrs. Preston makes her home with Mr. and Mrs Slosson in New York City.
Rev. J. E. Everett is now pastor of the Congregational Church ; Rev. E. O. Raymond, of the Methodist Church. The Holiness sect has a church in Centralia, and Christian Science meetings are held at the home of Mrs. Catharine Meyers.
In a district where the business is purely agricultural, as in Nemaha county, the entertainment for the communities devolved almost entirely on the churches.
The masquerade Halloween social at the Congregational Church was a jolly or a spooky affair, which ever way you see it. You were met at the door by ushers, who took you through winding dimly lighted hallways, in which stood ghosts and goblins, up the stairs and through the main church, in which were no lights, but many scarecrows, and down the back stairs into the Sunday school room, where the festivities were on. There were over 180 attended and many of them were masked. The judges gave little Helen Wilson the prize, a Bible. She was cos- tumed as a fairy. It was great fun guessing who the different maskers were. One "family" kept nearly everyone guessing for a long time. There were a number of beautiful costumes as well as many grotesque. Miss Margaret Everett wore a beautiful old-fashioned dress that Mr. Everett's mother wore them when they came to Kansas in 1850.
WETMORE CHURCHES.
Wetmore is the one Nemaha county community to consistently support an Episcopal church. The Wetmore churchmen have not a resident pastor, but are served fortnightly by the resident pastor of Atchison, and their faithfulness is a matter of remark in many neigh- . boring communities. Their church is regularly supported and has been supported since the early days. Through combining with the Atchison church they have had the advantage of eminent divines which so small a congregation or village could not have otherwise secured. The Atchi- son rectors have been rigidly regular in their Wetmore charge. Wet- more has had more than one prominent bishop serving at her fort- nightly church services in this way. The late Rt. Rev. Bishop Leonard was one who made regular visits to the Wetmore church. He became bis- hop of Utah. The Rt. Rev. Francis E. Brooke, bishop of Oklahoma, was another. Rev. John Henry Hopkins, one of the brilliant men of
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the Episcopal church, was a third. The Wetmore church is now in charge of the Rev. Otis E. Gray, and has, within the past week, in- stalled an $800 pipe organ in its little church edifice.
The Methodists were the first people to open church services in Wetmore. In 1872 the organization was effected and the church build- ing erected, unusually prompt preparation. The priest of the Wetmore St. James' Catholic Church is Father Alphonse, O. S. B., Atchison ; Grace Church, Episcopal, Rev. Otis Gray, Atchison; Baptist, Rev. Jos- eph James, Wetmore; Methodist Episcopal, Rev. Lewis Weary, Wet- more.
It was in Wetmore and Sabetha that the Rev. Edward Gill served when his foster son, called Willie Gill, was a Nemaha county boy who has become one of whom the county is justly proud. Willie Gill was so called during his boyhood. When he attained young manhood, he took the name of his father Quayle, and is now known to the world as the Rt. Rev. William A. Quayle, prominent bishop of the Methodist church, than whom none is more prominently in the public eye for the good works he has done and for his brain and literary talent as well. William A. Quayle was an orphan from earliest childhood, and was brought up by his uncle, Rev. E. Gill, by whose name he was generally known. Rev. Gill had no other children during his residence in this section, and Willie was his constant companion. When Rev. Gill lived in Sabetha, his home was on Roosevelt avenue which did not bear the name it does now, and was not noted as the children's street. He rode around a considerable circuit as did most country Methodist ministers in those days, according to the instruction and example of their great disciple, John Wesley. Rev. Gill preached at Wetmore, Capioma, Maple Ridge and Harmony as well as in Sabetha. The roads were in many places little more than bridle paths, but on all these, weekly, and sometimes, tri-weekly expeditions for carrying the gospel to the iso- lated, Willie accompanied his uncle. Thus he was early imbued with religious teachings.
Willie Gill or Quayle, it is recalled by Mrs. M. H. Keeler, was a timid, little boy with red hair and freckles. Many a time had Mr. Gill and the boy stayed all night at the Hochstetter place, which was the name and home of Mrs. Keeler before her marriage. And by the way, Mr. Gill married Mr. and Mrs. Keeler. At one time, Mrs. Keeler re- calls there was "a big doings" in Sabetha, and her family had come up to it. A storm arose. They reached home shortly after midnight, but Rev. Gill and Willie were there before them, and they were found comfortably asleep in bed upon the arrival of the family.
Dr. Isaac Magill of Corning recalls Willie Gill as one of his inti- mate boy friends. Isaac looked anxiously forward to the preaching days which brought a visit from his friend, and great was the mutual rejoicing when the weather was so bad that Willie was permitted to remain at the Magill home while Rev. Gill continued his rounds, alone.
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Several years ago, after Dr. Magill was a practicing physician at Corning, and when Rev. William A. Quayle was president of Baker university, the latter visited Corning as a lecturer and was entertained at Dr. Magill's home. Dr. Magill did not connect the name of Quayle with any one he knew, but in the course of conversation, Rev. Quayle mentioned Mr. Gill. Dr. Magill made inquiries as to what became of Willie Gill. Mr. Quayle looked amused and quizzed Dr. Magill for sometime as to his acquaintance with Willie Gill. Dr. Magill recalled their oldtime friendship and fun; and finally there was mutual amuse- ment and pleasure when Mr. Quayle announced that he and the little, shy, redheaded Willie Gill were the same.
Rev. Gill was at that time preaching at Junction City or Salina or one of those middle Kansas towns. He was later presiding elder of the district west of here, and also of the Kansas City district.
The Wetmore Baptists organized a class in 1872, the Methodists sharing their church with them on occasion and, at times, the meetings were held in the homes of the church members. The first Baptist min- ister who officiated for a considerable period was Rev. Thomas Rolfe. At other times the society sent different men in spasmodic periods. Rev. Father Bagley was the first Catholic priest to conduct service at Wetmore while the Rev. E. H. Bailiff was the first Methodist preacher, followed shortly by Rev. E. Gill, foster father of Rev. W. A. Quayle, as told. The Methodist church is the most successful in the commu- nity. and is under the charge of Rev. Louis Weary. Mr. Weary preaches also at Bethany and several country churches between Sa- betha and Wetmore.
ONEIDA CHURCHES.
Oneida has four churches. The first one organized was the Chris- tian church, about the only one in the county and a thriving church. A building was erected immediately for its occupancy, the pulpit being successfully filled, fortnightly, by Chancellor Oeschger, of Lincoln, Neb. -
Oneida was as different in her church organizations as in her gen- eral foundation. The Presbyterians built a church, and later the Methi- odists organized, using the Presbyterian building for services. Today the Methodist Church is built, and the pulpit is occupied by Rev. N. J. Adams. The Methodist and Christian Churches are the only ones now in use.
The Baptists held their first religious services in Corning under Rev. J. S. Henry, who gave Corning the only religious services in her early days. The Baptists, however, did not erect any edifice nor effect a permanent organization.
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CORNING CHURCHES.
Corning churches now are: Presbyterian Church, Baptist Church, United Brethren Church and Methodist Church.
In 1878, the Methodists organized in the school house with twenty- six members and Rev. Biddison in charge. ' Rev. Biddison served in many pulpits throughout the county, notably in Sabetha, where a story is related of his incumbency there, in previous pages. Mr. Biddison and Rev. Gill were so long pastors in Nemaha county, in various loca- tions that they are regarded quite as Nemaha county men. The Meth- odists built a frame church in Corning in 1879 at an expense of about $700.
The Presbyterians did not have much foothold generally in Ne- maha county, but in Corning, they managed to get together to the num- ber of about twenty, and organized a society, of which Rev. E. Todd was pastor. Rev. F. O. Hesse is the Methodist minister of Corning, the year of 1916.
CHURCHES OF OTHER TOWNS.
During the past winter, the town of Goff had been without a min- ister for several weeks, for one reason or another. After the spring con- ference of 1916, Rev. J. W. Jones was appointed pastor of the church at Goff. Goff has also a Christian Church. Bern is notably Presby- terian leaning. In the smaller towns, the Methodists or Catholics have the largest following, while the still smaller communities and country churches are served by ministers from the largest town nearby. It is a rare thing that a preacher does not supply, more or less regularly, at least two pulpits in his community.
The Holiness sect has a small following in some vicinities, nota- bly in Woodlawn and Centralia. But there is not a community in the county, however small, that is not faithfully attended by either the Pro- testant or Catholic pastors of nearby towns.
The following is from a traveling preacher in Kansas, written in 1866 and 1868:
"You will find when you come that the land you want is just about double the price you expected it to be. This year wheat and oats are good; corn good in some places, in others burnt up with drought. When no drought, no chintz-bug, no grasshopper, wheat will average twenty-five bushels to the acre, and corn, sixty; but you can put in and attend two acres here as easily as one at home. Water-melons- nobody steals them (the only thing they don't steal out here), for every- body has them by the wagon load. Peaches do well, selling now at fifty cents to $1.00 per bushel. Not sure whether apples will do well here or not. Grapes do well; have seen some very fine specimens.
"Climate .- In July the hottest I ever experienced ; frequently 110 in the shade; but even then nights cool and pleasant
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Water .- In July wells nearly all went dry; no running streams; from stinking pools water (they called it water) was hauled miles. Very little good water anywhere, at any time; all hard limestone. In July everything seemed to be almost burnt up. Lately been great rains ; country flooded; day before yesterday swam my horse over streams that three weeks ago were as dry as powder-horns ; won't need any more rain here till next summer.
"Sickness .- Very little except ague, and there are enough castor- oil-beans in this county to physic all the ague and all other malaria out of all the stagnant pools in the State ; many fields of five, ten or fifteen acres of these beans.
"Coal is pretty good and plenty of it at Fort Scott and south of that ; none fit to use any place in the State.
"Wood is very poor, very dear, and very little of it anywhere.
"Society, in some places, is as good as it is East ; in others, as bad as thieves, cut-throats, Indians, old rebels and land sharks can make it.
"Wages, for all kinds of work, lower than in the East; the "hired hand" has to work harder, earlier, later, live poorer, and get less for it, than any place in the East.
"My Advice .- If you have no more money than will bring you here, stay at home. If you have $1,000 or $2,000, and are willing to work hard and live like a beggar, you can come here and soon be rich.
"In the summer of 1866, after the close of the war, the brigade to which we belonged, on its march to Ft. Kearney, Neb., and back, passed through the village of Seneca, Kans., then having a population of less than 300 persons.
"We preached three sermons, setting forth as distinctly as possible our religious views, and the reasons of the hope that is in us. The re- sult was, that before leaving the place on Monday morning, enough was subscribed by our friends to purchase three lots for a church.
"The work thus commenced finally culminated in the erection of a beautiful stone church, costing sone $9,000, Brother J. H. Ballou, now of Lawrence, in the meantime, having been associated with the society as pastor a year and a half, and assisting greatly in securing the result.
"It was to assist in the dedication of this church, the first erected by the denomination in the Prairie State, and to render what aid we could in paying off a heavy debt, that we accepted an invitation from the good people there to spend our vacation with them.
"We reached Seneca, August 3, and were very kindly received by our former acquaintances. We found the place very much improved since we were there, the population having more than tribled. New business blocks had gone up, fine dwellings been erected, a school house costing $15,000 completed, and business generally very lively. Next to Atchison it is the largest and most stirring town in northern Kansas. Its location is charming and delightful, being situated on the Nemala river, which, together with one of its branches, nearly encircles the
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town. It is the county seat of Nemaha county, and is seventy miles west of St. Joseph, Mo., and the present terminus of the St. Joe & Den- ver railroad.
"The Universalist Church is the first church built in the place, which, of course, indicates a large, liberal element there. The Catholics have a small place of worship, the Congregationalists have just com- menced the erection of a small church, and the Methodists own a par- sonage.
"Our church is 39x56, is built of a fine quality of stone-found in great abundance near the town-and cost not far from $9,000. The style is very neat and tasty, it is well finished and furnished, and very pleasantly located.
"Brother Ballon has been the only settled pastor, and while there, did an excellent work for our cause-not only in Seneca, but the coun- try around. He has many warm friends in that part of the State who appreciate his labors among them.
"The time set for the dedication of the church was Sunday, Au- gust 28. Invitations were sent to several of our preachers in Kansas, and other States to be present and assist in the dedication exercises, but, strange to say, not one invited came. Each had some excuse to offer, though none of them, we believe, had to bury their fathers or marry them wives. But the Lord did not leave us alone to do the work. He put it into the hearts of Brothers Eaton and Bishop, of Iowa, to make their timely appearance at this feast, even though they had not been bidden. Five sermons were preached during the meeting-Broth- ers Eaton and Bishop two each, and one by the writer.
"The debt on the church was $4,800, a very large sum for a small parish to raise and which had been very generous in its previous sub- scriptions. But it had been decided to pay off the debt, as large as it was, at this meeting. So an appeal was made to the people present to give generously of their means for this cause. The following were the largest subscriptions :
"C. G. Scrafford, $1,250; D. B. McKay, $600; A. Wells, $500; J. P. Taylor, $500; J. H. Peckham, $300; J. N. Cline, $150; J. Van Leon, $100.
"Several gave $50 and $25 each. Others gave according to their means, until the amount reached $4,000. And before we left our friends, on Tuesday, we had the satisfaction of knowing that the full amount of the debt had been raised, and the church was free from encumbrance. We have never known of such a generous outpouring of funds before, on such an occasion. There seemed to be a determination to settle up the account to the last cent, and every one strained every nerve to secure this end, and they were victorious, and happy, because victor- ious.
"We visited several other places in the vicinity of Seneca, and preached the doctrines of the great salvation. Among these we mention
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Hiawatha, Centralia, Wetmore, America, and Frankfort. We found warm friends in all of these and other places. At Hiawatha, Brother Hibbard is preaching a portion of the time. We occupied the Metli- odist Church, and had a good audience. Here they are talking strongly of building a church. Our excellent brother, Morrill, who gave $50 toward paying the debt on the Seneca Church, and who lives here, offers to head the subscription with $1,000.
"We stopped over night with Messrs. Collins and Brady, formerly of Cass county, Illinois, who live near Albany, Nemaha county. They have 1,200 acres of land fenced, 300 of which are planted to corn, the balance is pasture. They have 700 head of cattle, and upwards of 500 hogs. They think Kansas far preferable to Illinois for stock-raising. Their farm is the best we saw, and by the business manner in which they conduct their matters, they cannot help prospering. We enjoyed their kind hospitality very much. In fact, we enjoyed our visits wher- ever we went, so much so that we shall be tempted to spend another vacation in Kansas sometime. We found generous, warm hearts and welcome homes, and our visit will be long remembered as one of the most pleasant we ever experienced.
"To those of our faith who think of immigrating West, let us say, go to Nemaha or Brown county, Kansas. You can get the choicest land there for from $5 to $12 per acre, and then you will be where you can attend your church, and make the acquaintance of those of 'like precious faith.' No better country or people can be found."
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Chijalo Welle
CHAPTER XXXIII.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Hon. Abijah Wells .- History in the aggregate is but the composite results of the doings of men in the mass; whatever is accomplished by the citizenship of a city and county as a whole composes the historical annals of the body politic-all that can be told has been accomplished by men as individuals and making a co-operative effort along their re- spective lines. The humblest citizen has no doubt had a part in the mak- ing of the State-while a few men of prominence stand out as more striking figures, whose deeds are worth recording for the benefit and inspiration of the rising and future generations of the State. In the making of Kansas and Nemaha county and its evolution from a trackless prairie to a land of homes and plenty, some striking leaders are worthy of mention in this volume of Nemaha county historical annals. Judge Abijah Wells, who but a little over a year ago passed to his reward, was a product of the pioneer era of the State, who advanced himself from an humble situation in life to become a leader of his State and the foremost citizen of a great county, of which he was one of the builders. As a jurist, he had few superiors or equals; learned in the law, he founded a widely known legal firm ; as a financier, he achieved a com- petence, which is an indication of shrewd financial ability of a high order; deeply religious, he devoted much of his time to the cause of Christianity ; as a kind husband and father, he reared a family which have become famed for their individual accomplishments of its members in the nation. It is meet, therefore, that a reveiw of the life of Abijah Wells be inscribed in this volume.
The late Abijah Wells was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsyl- vania, June 12, 1840. He was a son of William R. and Betsy (Skinner) Wells, both of whom were natives of Orange county, New York, and descended from old American families of English descent. The parents of Judge Wells were married in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, whither their respective parents had removed from New York, and they resided there from the date of their marriage, June 2, 1832, until 1845, when William R. Wells decided that the great West afforded better opportunities for amassing a competence than could be found in his home community. Accordingly, he migrated to La Salle county, Illinois, in 1845, and was one of the pioneers of this county. He remained in La Salle county, Illinois, until the spring of 1857, when he removed with
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his family to Nemaha county, Kansas. The year previous he had visited Kansas, and the new territory so impressed him that he decided that the vast prairies, as yet unpeopled, was the place for him to make his fortune and would give his children an opportunity to grow up with a great State in the years to come. He returned to Illinois in the fall of 1856 in time to vote for John C. Fremont for President, and was thus one of the original voters of the Republican party. In the spring of 1857, he crossed the intervening country and made a settlement on a tract of unbroken prairie land three miles south of Seneca. Here he built his first plain home in Kansas. Not long after his arrival in Ne- maha county, William R. Wells conceived the idea of founding a city in what was the exact geographical center of Nemaha county. With others who were interested he purchased a large tract of land and laid out the town of Wheatland, with the idea of making it the county seat. His dreams came to naught, however, and the plan of building a city miscarried, principally because of the diversion of the overland trade route through Seneca and its subsequent selection as the county seat.
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