USA > Kansas > Shawnee County > History of Shawnee County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 3
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JUDICIAL OFFICERS.
Shawnee County's judicial system had its beginning in 1855, when the Territory of Kansas was divided into three judicial districts. Shawnee was in the southwestern district, and Rush Elmore was appointed judge. There were two justices of the peace appointed,-John Horner at Tecumseh, and C. K. Holliday at Topeka. Daniel H. Horne was one of the constables. The other district judges, in the order of their service have been: Jacob Safford, 1859-63; C. K. Gilchrist, 1864-68; John T. Morton, 1868-83; John Martin, 1883-86; John Guthrie, 1887-92; Z. T. Hazen, 1893-1904; A. W. Dana, 1905 -.
The Superior Court of Shawnee County was created in 1885 and ex- pired by limitation in 1887. W. C. Webb was judge of this court during its existence.
In 1891 the Legislature created the Circuit Court of Shawnee county. J. B. Johnson was judge of this tribunal until it was abolished in 1895.
The Court of Topeka was established in 1899. Arthur J. McCabe was appointed judge of this court in March, 1899, and was elected for three successive terms to succeed himself. He is still filling the position. The clerks of this court have been: E. L. Good, 1899; M. F. Laycock, 1895; E. L. O'Neil, 1895, present incumbent.
34
HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The first Board of County Commissioners was elected in 1855 by the Territorial Legislature and consisted of W. O. Yeager, chairman; Edward Hoagland and William Yocum. The second board was composed of Harvey WV. Curtis and Hiram Shields, with Probate Judge Edward Hoagland as c.r-officio chairman. The third board consisted of John Martin and C. B. Clements. They served until 1858, when the Legislature provided for one commissioner from each township. The first board under this plan con- sisted of: Jeremiah Murphy, Topeka township; Eli Hopkins, Tecumseh; P. T. Hupp, Wakarusa; A. H. Hale, Brownsville; George Bratton, Bur- lingame. In 1860 the county was given three commissioners, those elected being William E. Bowker, George W. Spencer and J. M. Haywood. The commissioners thereafter were Hiram C. Coville, chairman, George W. Spen- cer and Francis Grasmund, 1861; Hiram C. Coville, chairman, Samuel Kozier and Henry K. Winans, 1862; B. F. Kistler, chairman, Samuel Benham and Jacob Haskell, 1865; B. F. Kistler, chairman, Samuel Kozier and H. L. Shumway, 1865 (Shumway resigned in 1867 and was succeeded by Reuben Struse) ; A. G. Miller, chairman, George W. Spencer and E. Car- riger, 1867; William Wellhouse, chairman, Golden Silvers and Harvey D. Rice, 1869; E. Carriger, chairman, Golden Silvers and B. J. Ricker, 1871; Golden Silvers, chairman, Harvey D. Rice and Bradford Miller, 1873; Brad- ford Miller, chairman, E. T. James and John Grice, 1875; David Brockway, chairman, M. M. Hale and Avery Washburn, 1877.
After 1877 one commissioner was elected annually for a term of three years, and those who served in this position were: A. C. Sherman, 1878; John S. Branner, 1879; Avery Washburn, 1880; J. Q. A. Peyton, 1881 ; H. C. Lindsey, 1882; Thomas Buckman, 1883; John M. Wilkerson, 1884; H. C. Lindsey, 1885; Bradford Miller, 1886; John M. Wilkerson, 1887; J. Lee Knight, 1888; Samuel Kerr and J. L. Campbell, 1889; Samuel Kerr, 1890; J. Lee Knight, 1891; J. L. Campbell, 1892; D. A. Williams, 1893; T. P. Rodgers, 1894; Scott Kelsey, 1895; D. A. Williams, 1896; T. P. Rodgers, 1897; Scott Kelsey, 1898; S. H. Haynes, 1899; Silas Rain, 1900; Frank W. Harrison, 1901 ; S. H. Haynes, 1902; W. E. Sterne, 1903; Frank WV. Harrison, 1904.
ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
Sheriffs .- The first sheriff was George W. Berry, elected by the Legis- lature in 1855. but he declined to serve, and John Horner was appointed in his stead. The other sheriffs in succession have been: Benjamin D. Castle-
1214164
ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE RAILWAY SHOPS
MELAN ARCH BRIDGE, LOOKING SOUTH
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
man, 1856; Jehial Tyler, 1857; Thomas W. Maires, 1858; Alonzo H. Hale, 1859; Charles C. Whiting, 1863; Sherman Bodwell, 1867; Chester Thomas, Jr., 1869; Spencer P. Wade, 1873; W. D. Disbrow, 1877; H. E. Bush, 1881 ; Chester Thomas, Jr., 1883; A. M. Fuller, 1885; J. M. Wilkerson, 1889; D. N. Burdge, 1893; R. B. Kepley, 1895; Porter S. Cook, 1897; A. T. Lucas, 1903 -.
Probate Judges .- William O. Yeager, 1855; Philip C. Schuyler, 1857; Edward Hoagland, 1858; S. A. Fairchild, 1860; Alfred L. Winans, 1863; John T. Morton, 1867; Louis Hanback, 1869; D. C. Metsker, 1872; G. W. Carey, 1876; D. A. Harvey, 1880; A. B. Quinton, 1886; G. N. Elliott, 1890; J. G. Wood, 1894; L. S. Dolman, 1896; Walter E. Fagan, 1900; R. F. Hay- den, 1903 -.
Treasurers .- Thomas N. Stinson, 1855; A. Polley, 1857; Loring W. Farnsworth, 1859: L. G. Cleveland, 1860; Jacob Smith, 1861; William E. Bowker, 1863; Hiram T. Beman, 1867; W. E. Bowker, 1868; Hiram T. Beman, 1869; Thomas M. James, 1871; Avery Washburn, 1876; Chester Thomas, Jr., 1876; Bradford Miller, 1879; A. J. Huntoon, 1883; Byron Roberts, 1887; A. K. Rodgers, 1889; Francis M. Stahl, 1893; H. M. Philips, 1897; F. C. Bowen, 1903 -.
Clerks .- John Martin, 1855; Fry W. Giles, 1858; G. W. Sapp, 1860; Hiram McArthur, 1862; P. I. Bonebrake, 1865; J. Lee Knight, 1875; George T. Gilmore, 1881; Charles F. Spencer, 1883; D. N. Burdge, 1885; John M. Brown, 1889; Charles T. McCabe, 1893; Jolin M. Wright, 1897; A. Newman, 1903 -.
Recorders and Registers of Deeds .- John Martin, 1855; Fry W. Giles, 1857: Loring W. Farnsworth, 1860-62; George B. Holmes, 1863; William P. Thompson, 1865; James M. Harr, 1873; S. M. Wood, 1879; Albert Parker, 1883; James Burgess, 1885: S. J. Bear, 1889; Frank Brooks, 1893; Frank L. Stevens, 1897; John B. Marshall, 1902 -.
County Attorneys .- John Martin, 1857: John P. Greer, 1858; Justus Brockway, 1859: E. E. Chesney, 1864; John G. Otis, 1865; A. L. Williams, 1866; Thomas Ryan, 1867; A. H. Vance, 1875: Charles Curtis, 1885; R. B. Welch, 1887: B. M. Curtis, 1892; H. C. Safford, 1893; A. P. Jetmore, 1897; Galen Nichols, 1901 ; Otis E. Hungate, 1903 -.
Superintendents of Public Instruction .- R. M. Fish, 1859; Peter Mac- Vicar, 1861; J. S. Griffing. 1862; Peter MacVicar, 1864: John D. Knox, 1866; W. H. Butterfield, 1868; D. G. Evans, 1869; Eunice Hebron, 1875; John MacDonald, 1876; L. T. Gage. 1880; John MacDonald, 1882; Josiah Jordan, 1888; W. H. Wright, 1892; J. W. Stout. 1895 : S. F. Wright, 1901 ; John C. Carter, 1905 -.
Coroners .- G. W. Spencer, 1860; E. Tefft, 1862; Americus Ashbaugh,
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HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY
1866; Silas E. Sheldon, 1869; A. M. Eidson, 1872; Silas E. Sheldon, 1873; W. B. Gibson, 1879; J. B. Hibben, 1883; F. W. Bailey, 1889; J. M. Wester- field, 1895; H. B. Hogeboom, 1899; H. H. Keith, 1905 -.
Clerks of the District Court .- E. B. Smith, 1859; L. McArthur, 1860; James Fletcher, 1861; Hiram McArthur, 1863; Arthur B. McCabe, 1874; R. E. Heller, 1878; B. M. Curtis, 1883; W. E. Sterne, 1887; S. M. Garden- hire, 1891 ; E. M. Cockrell, 1895; A. M. Callahan, 1899; I. S. Curtis, 1902 -.
Surveyors .- Joel Huntoon, 1858; J. B. Whitaker, 1861; W. Tweed- dale, 1870; D. A. Harvey, 1871 ; Jacob Welchans, 1875; C. H. Barton, 1879; Frank J. Baker, 1883; Robert Giles, 1885; A. H. Wetherbee, 1886; B. A. Bailey, 1889; John P. Rogers, 1897 -.
Auditors .- Howel Jones, 1881 ; J. G. Wood, 1885; Walter E. Fagan, 1895; Clad Hamilton, 1900; C. D. Welch, 1901 ; R. H. Gaw, 1904 -.
THE FIRST REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
According to the public records the first transfer of real estate in the county of Shawnee was for "one seventh of 320 acres of land situated in the forks of the Tecumseh and California roads, including the Big Springs." This deed was recorded February 9, 1856, the consideration being $100. The California road referred to was the main highway west from Lawrence. "The forks" was the junction of the California and Tecumseh roads, the former continuing west to the Kansas River, and the latter leading to Te- cumseh, thence west to Topeka, connecting with the Kansas River ferry and the military road from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Riley. "Big Springs" became a small town in Douglas County, near Lecompton. It was so named because of the ever-flowing springs in the locality. The deed to this prop- erty was recorded by John Martin, first county clerk and recorder of deeds. The parties to the transaction were R. W. Custard and William Carter, the former conveying to the latter.
While this was the first transfer to be regularly recorded, there were other real estate transactions in the county which antedated it. Fry W. Giles of Topeka had provided a set of records at his own expense, and carried on the business for nearly a year before the regular record books were opened, his acts being legalized by the Legislature at a later date. The first transfer appearing in the Giles record was the conveyance, April 7, 1855, by W. C. Linaker to J. T. Jones, of lot No. 8, block 54, O. S., city of Topeka. The consideration was $30, and the transaction was witnessed by Thomas G. Thornton. The lot described is now the northeast corner of Harrison street and Sixth avenue, Topeka, for many years the home of the Topeka Club. It was recently sold to B. M. Davies for $9,500.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
OLD AND NEW BRIDGES.
Shawnee County had the first bridge that spanned the Kansas River. It was constructed by a company organized in Topeka, under a charter issued in 1857 to F. L. Crane, Thomas G. Thornton, Milton C. Dickey, S. F. Walkley and Loring G. Cleveland. F. L. Crane was president, Fry W. Giles, treasurer, and J. Fin Hill, secretary. Jones, Kidney & Company were the contractors, the contract price being $10,000. The location was from near the foot of Kansas avenue, in the city of Topeka, to the north bank of the river, 925 feet in distance. The bridge was completed May 1, 1858. It was built on oak piling braced with cottonwood planks, with heavy oak caps spiked to the piles, then cottonwood stringers running from pier to pier, and floored with loose cottonwood boards. A draw, 100 feet in length, was provided, in the event of the use of the stream by boats. The structure was 16 feet wide, and would accommodate 20 emigrant teams, or 250 head of cattle, at one time. It was a very busy and popular crossing while it stood, but the entire structure was washed away July 17, 1858, by the heavy rains of that year.
Seven years later, at the same point, a pontoon bridge was constructed. This rested upon 13 flat-boats, each 15 by 25 feet, placed 50 feet apart, and held in position by a wire cable. It cost $15,000, and was completed Oc- tober 12, 1865. The pontoon crossing lasted until 1870, when a toll bridge of iron was built by Mortimer Cook. This was purchased jointly by the city and county in 1871, and made a free bridge, the purchase price being $100,000.
In 1895 the county voted bonds to the amount of $150,000 for the con- struction of a larger and more substantial bridge, made necessary by the increase of population and the great growth of business and travel between Topeka and the northern part of the county. The plans adopted by the com- missioners provided for a Melan arch bridge, of Portland concrete and steel, consisting of five spans varying in length from 97 to 125 feet each, and of a total length of 540 feet. The extreme length of the bridge, including embankment approaches, is 900 feet; width of roadway, 40 feet, with walks on either side six feet in width. No handsomer or better bridge can be found in the whole country, and at the time of its construction it was the largest Melan arch bridge in the world. The bridge stood the severest test in the great flood of 1903, and while numerous other bridges up and down the river were swept away, the Melan structure defied the storm and drift, sus- taining no other damage than the washing out of the approaches. These were promptly restored, and, to avoid future damage, another span was
2
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HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY
added to the bridge in 1905, making it a complete, harmonious, enduring and magnificent highway.
COURT HOUSES AND JAILS.
Following the settlement of the county-seat controversy, the records of the county were removed to Topeka. Sessions of the District and Probate courts were held in the Ritchie Block, the Gale Block, and a business building at No. 104 Sixth avenue east. The county offices were scattered about town, wherever suitable accommodations could be obtained. A Court House was built in 1868, the county having voted bonds for that purpose to the amount of $65,000. The bonds drew 10 per cent. interest and were sold for 821/2 cents on the dollar of their par value. The proceeds, with $15,000 added from other funds of the county, were sufficient to erect the largest and best building to be found in the State of Kansas at that date. It was built of stone and brick, two stories in height, with a basement jail. The court room occupied most of the second floor, and the various county offices the main floor. In addition to providing amply for the county business, the building for many years accommodated the United States District Court, and the jail was utilized for United States prisoners from Kansas and Indian Territory. In 1886 a separate jail building and sheriff's residence was erected at the northeast corner of VanBuren and Fifth streets, at a total cost of $40,000. On the opposite side of Van Buren street, directly west of the jail, the county commissioners in 1884 purchased six lots as a site for a new Court House, which was completed in 1895, the cost of the site and building being $180,000. It is a fine stone edifice, three stories in height, with basement, all splendidly fitted up, and spacious enough to accommodate the business of the county for many years to come.
TABLES OF POPULATION.
Nothing can better illustrate the growth of Shawnee County than the following table of population, covering the years 1855 to 1904:
Year.
Population.
Year.
Population.
1855
252
1885
40,579
1860
3.513
1890
49,018
1865
3,458
1895
47,968
1870
13,121
1900
55,372
1875
15.417
1904
57,036
1880
29,092
It will be observed that each five years' period shows a substantial in- crease with the exception of that between the years 1890 and 1895, when there was a small decrease, caused by the opening of Indian lands to settle-
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
ment in Oklahoma, a movement which drew heavily upon the citizenship of the whole State of Kansas.
The population of the county by townships for the year 1904, according to the latest available report, was as follows :
Township.
Population.
Auburn
1,028
Dover
1,148
Menoken
824
Mission
1,092
Monmouth
1,300
Rossville city
. 502
Rossville township
.911
1,443
Silver Lake city
267
Silver Lake township
716
983
Soldier
2,710,
Tecumseh
1,04I
Topeka township
5,465
Williamsport
853
Topeka City-
Ist ward
7,525
2d ward
10,193
3d ward
7.278
4th ward
6.987
5th ward
4.194
6th ward
2,972
39,149
Total
57,036
PROPERTY VALUATIONS.
The assessed valuation for the several townships and the city of Topeka, for the year 1904, is given in the following table :
Townships. Land.
Personal.
City Lots.
Railroad.
Total.
Auburn
$252,770
$65,540
$9.065
$327,375
Dover
255,820
73.940
6,530
$85,421
401,7II
Menoken
315,550
69,325
49,720
434,595
Mission
299,285
84,990
27,205
58,300
469,780
Monmouth
295.480
78,540
7,875
30,32I
412,216
Rossville
357,335
76,715
58,675
81,367
574,092
Silver Lake
351,365
76,750
27,350
56,027
511,492
Soldier
643,085
94,920
56,322
231,873
1,026,200
Tecumseh
291,350
46,820
830
115.602
454,602
Topeka twp ..
622,955
154.580
467,945
167,875
1,413,355
Williamsport .
227,285
66,000
4,920
88,233
386,438
Topeka City
2.309.390
8.413,688
501,834
II,224,912
Totals .$3,912,280 $3.197.510
$9,080,405
$1,446,573
$17,636,768
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HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY
Of live stock, the county had in 1904 the following : Horses, 10,379, valued at $778,425; mules and asses, 1,292, value $113,050; milch cows, 10,100, value $252,500; other cattle, 23,728, value $467,442; sheep, 816, value, $2,448; swine, 26,130, value $195,975; total value, $1,809,840.
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.
The value of the farm products of the county for the year 1904 was $4,002,982.45; value of live stock for the same period, $1,809,840. The principal field crops are winter wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, hay and sorghum. The garden products marketed in 1903 amounted to $66,883; and the horti- cultural products, $79,748.
Shawnee is one of the heaviest fruit producing counties in Kansas. The number of fruit trees in bearing in 1904 was 318,279, of which 214,628 were apple; 5,345 pear; 91,565 peach; 6.741 plum; and 16,058 cherry; number of fruit trees not in bearing, 92,604. More than 1,000 acres are devoted to the raising of nursery stock, much of which is shipped to the older States of the Union, where it is considered superior to the native stock. The princi- pal nurseries are conducted by L. R. Taylor & Sons, F. W. Watson, Oliver Brothers and D. F. Wickman.
One of the greatest industries of the county is the manufacture of butter, many farmers having gone into dairying within the last ten years. The Continental Creamery Company, which controls the dairy products of the State to a considerable extent, has its headquarters in Topeka, and the bulk of the business is transacted from this point. Its product is shipped to all parts of the State, the United States and many foreign countries. It has also filled many large government contracts, especially in supplying the American Army in the Philippines. In the year 1904 the dairy products of Shawnee County were: Cheese, 1,014,556 pounds, valued at $101,455.60; butter, 8.541,560 pounds, valued at $1,683,018.40; value of milk sold, $98.914; total value, $1,883.388. The creamery butter manufactured in Shawnee County by the Continental Creamery Company received the gold inedal award at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis in 1904.
POST OFFICES AND RURAL ROUTES.
The present post offices of Shawnee County are: Auburn, Berryton, Dover, Elmont, Kingsville, Menoken, Oakland, Pauline, Richland, Ross- ville, Shorey, Silver Lake, Tecumseh, Tevis, Topeka, Valencia, Wakarusa, Wanamaker and Willard. No county in the State is better served in the matter of rural free delivery. There are 25 routes, averaging 24 miles each,
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
so located that every section of the county is reached with a daily mail. Routes I to 8, inclusive, start from Topeka and Stations A, B and C; routes 9 and IO start from Elmont; routes 11 and 12 from Silver Lake; routes 13 and 14 from Rossville; routes 15 and 16 from Tecumseh; routes 17, 18 and 19 from Richland; route 20 from Berryton; routes 21 and 22 from Wakarusa; routes 23 and 24 from Auburn and route 25 from Valencia.
One of the interesting as well as the most conspicuous landmarks of the county is known as Burnett's mound, a conical peak two miles southwest from Topeka, which took its name from Governor Abraham Burnett, a cele- brated chief of the Pottawatomie Indians, and the last to rule over his scat- tered tribe. In early territorial days he made his home at the base of the peak, and continued to live in the county for many years after the land had been wrested from the Indians. The peak was at one time called Webster mound, in honor of Daniel Webster, but custom finally settled upon the Indian name given to it by early travelers. It is the highest point of land in. Eastern Kansas.
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE CITY OF TOPEKA, 1876.
CHAPTER III.
History of the County by Townships-The Pioneer Settlers-Organisation and Names of Townships-Hardships of Frontier Life-Historic Towns and Villages-Dispossessing the Indians-Missionary Labors- Incidents of Home-Making and Agricultural Development.
In the year 1876, the occasion of the Centennial celebration, a short historical sketch of Shawnee County was prepared by Fry W. Giles; and in 1877 William W. Cone wrote a history of the several townships in the county. From these publications, and others in the files of the Kansas State Library and the Kansas State Historical Society, the following facts and incidents bearing upon the early history of the different townships, and the work of the pioneer settlers, have been condensed.
AUBURN TOWNSHIP-Located in the southwestern corner of the county. It was originally known as Brownsville township, so called in honor of John W. Brown, the first white settler, but the name was changed in 1860 to Auburn. The Wakarusa River flows through the township, and at a point where the three branches of the river come together the Catholics estab- lished an Indian mission in 1847, for the benefit of the Pottawatomie tribe. The land was subsequently relinquished to the Shawnees, who occupied the 20 log cabins built for their Indian brothers, remaining there about six years. Some of the cabins and a portion of the land were bought from the Shawnees August 10, 1854, by John W. Brown. On the following day a party of seven men, from Jackson County, Missouri, took up claims in the same locality. The new-comers were: E. Carriger, W. F. Johnston, M. A. Reed, J. J. Webb, B. B. Jones, Eli Snyder and L. T. Cook. Other settlers, and the dates of their arrival, were: James Moran, October 20, 1854; James Turner, December 2, 1854; Rev. James Gilpatrick, George Holt, Henry Fox, Milton C. Dickey, Loring Farnsworth, C. Gilpatrick and Samuel Cavender, in 1855; John Price, W. S. Hibbard, Daniel Haney and A. H. Hale, 1856; L. J. Atwood, B. Ingrund, P. S. Spangler, Barney Williams, W. A. Simmer- well and John E. Moore, 1857.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
THE VILLAGE OF AUBURN.
One of the oldest towns in the State was established here in 1856, under the name of Brownsville, which was changed to Auburn in 1857, for the reason that a Brownsville post office already existed in another part of the Territory. At one time there were 400 people living in Auburn. Many good buildings were erectel, including a three-story hotel, a brick church and numerous brick residences of the old Dutch pattern, with walls rising above the gables, and roofs sloping to the street. A weekly newspaper called the Auburn Docket was started in 1860 by David B. Emmert, later of Fort Scott. The paper existed nearly a year. It was the ambition of Auburn to become the county-seat, but a change of county lines, and the projection of a railroad seven miles east of town, frustrated this plan. John W. Brown, the original settler, continued to occupy his farm until 1896, when he disposed of, the land and moved to Topeka, where he still resides. He was born in Bel- mont County, Ohio, May 9, 1829.
DOVER TOWNSHIP-Established in 1867, located immediately north of Auburn township, on the Wabaunsee County line, and extending north to the Kansas River. The first actual settlers were Alfred and John Sage, who opened farms within the boundaries of the township July 18, 1856. In the fall of the same year they were joined by Thomas and Albert Haskell, and John Rust. In the early part of 1859 the colony was augmented by the arrival of John and Noah Gibbs, William Collins and Jacob Orcutt; and in the fall of the same year by T. D. Parks, Daniel Sayres and Jacob Haskell. From 1857 to 1867 Dover was a part of Auburn township.
TRADING POSTS AND TRADERS.
The history of the township really dates from the year 1848, when a trading post was established on its northern boundary. A small settlement gathered there, to which the name of Uniontown was given. It became well known throughout the country, as the old California trail of 1849 crossed the river at this point-said to be the only rocky ford on the river. The first settlers, most of them Indian traders, were: P. E. Sarple, R. A. Kissey, O. H. P. Polk, T. D. S. McDonald, Thomas N. Stinson and W. W. Cleg- horn, in 1848; and J. R. Whitehead, J. D. Leslie and William Dyer in 1849. John W. Brown and Anthony A. Ward lived in Uniontown in 1851, the former going to Auburn, and the latter to Topeka in a later year. Large sums of money were disbursed at the trading post, which was abandoned
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HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY
in 1855. The 50 or more buildings comprising the town of Uniontown passed away with the post, and the site reverted to farm land.
In the year 1870 the village of Dover was established, in the south- western corner of the township. The name Dover came from Dover, New Hampshire, the former residence of the Haskell family above referred to. The first officers of Dover township, elected in 1868, were: E. M. Hewins, trustee ; James Bassett, treasurer ; Henry A. Kellam, clerk; Jacob Haskell and George Harden, justices; M. M. St. John and W. O. Harris, constables. Albert Sage was the first postmaster at Dover, appointed in 1862. Valencia and Willard are two other small towns in the township, with populations of 100 and 120 respectively. They are located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, running west from Topeka.
MENOKEN TOWNSHIP-This is the youngest township in the county, having been established July 18, 1879. It is located in the center of the northern half of the county, and was formerly a part of Silver Lake town- ship. Robert Forbes lived on one of the Menoken farms in 1868, and the new settlers in 1869 were B. T. Payne, W. K. Elliott and H. E. Close. E. T. Matthews bought the Payne farm in 1870, and in the same year property was bought and improvements made by S. M. Allen, Frank Workman, E. B. Robinson, F. A. Diffenbacher, R. Wells, M. Kiernan, Priddy brothers and P. Madden. Later in the same year homes were established by W. D. McCormick, G. P. Mitchell, H. Sharper, J. Blackler, J. P. Bowser, J. P. Cole, J. R. Insley, H. Ausherman, and G. W. R. Ward. In 1871 other farms were opened and homes built by W. T. Pence, W. T. Prewitt, W. Can- field and D. B. Groshong. The first settlers endured many hardships, as the only crop they could raise the first year was corn on newly-broken sod. Many additional farms were occupied in 1872 and 1873, and considerable trouble resulted from contests with squatters.
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