USA > Kansas > Kansas; a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence, Volume II > Part 21
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Logan County, in the western part of the state, is the second from the Colorado line and the third south from Nebraska. It is bounded on the north by the counties of Sherman and Thomas; on the east by Gove; on the south by Scott and Wichita, and on the west by Wallace. It was first created in 1881 out of that part of Wallace county lying east of range 38, and was named St. John (q. v.). The description of the boundaries in the creative act was as follows: "Commencing at a point where the east boundary line of range 32 west crosses the 2nd standard parallel south; thence west on said 2nd standard parallel to a point where the east boundary line of range 38 west crosses the said 2nd standard parallel south; thence south on said range line to a point where the said range line crosses the 3d standard parallel south; thence east on said standard parallel to a point where said standard parallel crosses the east boundary of range 32; thence north on said range line to the place of beginning."
"In 1885 the legislature changed the name from St. John to Logan in honor of Gen. John A. Logan. In July, 1887, J. H. Downing was appointed census taker and made his report to Gov. John A. Martin in September, showing 3,112 inhabitants, of whom 358 were house- holders. The value of taxable property, aside from railroads, was $447,534, of which $123,505 was real estate. In his proclamation of Sept. 17, 1887, the governor declared Russell Springs (which was the choice of the majority of voters) the temporary county seat and appointed the following officers: Sheriff, N. G. Perryman ; county clerk, Joseph Jones; county commissioners, J. W. Kerns, N. C. Phinney and R. P. McKnight. The first county election was held the following December, and about all the towns in the county were candidates for the county seat. They were: Russell Springs, Logansport, McAllaster,
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Elkader, Oakley, Monument and Winona. The Russell Springs town company deeded a site for the court-house to the county and even built a court-house, the ground and building together being valued at $20.000. That town won by 18 votes. The full Republican ticket was elected, except treasurer, and the officers were as follows: Representative, Col. J. J. Sears ; commissioners, J. H. Morgan, A. C. Sims and James Der- mott ; treasurer, C. A. Black; clerk of the district court, G. A. Fleming ; county clerk, J. W. Kerns; sheriff, N. G. Perryman ; probate judge, J. E. Dodge; superintendent of public instruction, J. W. D. Foote ; county attorney, K. E. Willcockson; coroner, Dr. F. M. Burdick ; sur- veyor, A. J. Meier ; register of deeds, R. P. McKnight. The new county started out with an indebtedness of less than $3,000, not a dollar of which was bonded indebtedness.
Considerable excitement was occasioned in the summer of 1888 by the discovery a few miles southwest of Russell Springs of a vein of nickel. Inside of a few weeks more than sixty mining claims had been taken in the rocky portions of the county. There is plenty of native limestone for building purposes, and a coarse quality of sandstone Chalk formations lie along the waterways. Charles H. Sternberg, who explored the chalk beds of Hackberry creek to its source, says: "The chalk beds once composed the floor of the old Cretaceous ocean, and con- sist almost entirely of the remains of microscopic organisms which must have fairly swarmed in the water." (See Chalk Beds.)
The general surface is undulating, some portions being nearly level, a very small portion rough and bluffy. Native timber is scarce, but there are a few artificial plantings. The north fork of the Smoky Hill river enters in the northwest and flows southeast for some distance, where it unites with the south fork, which enters in the west, the main stream then flowing southeast into Gove county. Twin Butte, Turkey and Hackberry creeks are important tributaries, and there are a num- ber of other creeks.
Logan is divided into II townships-Augustine, Elkader, Lees, Logansport, McAllaster, Monument, Oakley, Paxton, Russell Springs, Western and Winona. The postoffices are: Russell Springs, Edith, Elkader, Gill, McAllaster, Monument, Oakley, Page, Poe and Winona. There are 40 .organized school districts.
The Union Pacific R. R. enters in the northeast corner and crosses west and southwest into Wallace county. A branch diverges northwest from Oakley in the northeast to Colby in Thomas county. There is a daily stage coach from Russell Springs to Winona.
Less than half of the area of the county is under cultivation, and the farm products are worth over $1,000,000 per year. Corn and sorghum are the leading crops, the former being worth $204,000 in 1910, and the latter $224,000. Wheat brought $125,000 and animals sold for slaughter $135,000. The total value of all products was $1,033,310. The assessed valuation of property was $8,312,854, and the population was 4,240, the average wealth per capita being nearly $2,000, which
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is above the average for the state. The gain in population during the last ten years was 2,278 or nearly 200 per cent.
Logan Grove, a beautiful natural grove near Junction City, is of historic interest because in 1902 a monument was unveiled there to commemorate the expedition of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. (See Quivira.)
Loisel, Regis .- Among the early French fur traders that operated along the Missouri river was Regis Loisel, whose history is of peculiar interest to Kansans on account of the extensive land grants made to him by the Spanish authorities before Louisiana was ceded to the United States. Loisel, whom Ingalls calls a soldier of fortune, was born near Montreal, Canada. In 1798 he landed in St. Louis, and soon afterward conceived the idea of extending the fur trade to the head- quarters of the Missouri. Interesting Pierre Chouteau and Jacques Clamorgan in his scheme the three formed the firm of Clamorgan, Loisel & Co., and the following year Loisel established a trading post on an island in the Missouri near the site of the present city of Bismarck, N. Dak. The partnership did not last long, but Loisel con- tinued in the business until the spring of 1800, when he made appli- cation to De Lassus, lieutenant-governor of Upper Louisiana, for a grant of land. In his application he explained at some length the sacrifices he had made to form friendly relations with the Indians "in the interest of future commerce," and continued :
"The petitioner, intending to continue on his own account the com- merce his partners have abandoned in that quarter, hopes that you will be pleased to grant to him, for the convenience of his trade, per- mission to form an establishment in Upper Missouri, distant about 400 leagues from this town. And it being indispensable to secure to himself the timber in an indisputable manner, he is obliged to have recourse to your goodness, praying that you will be pleased to grant to him a concession in full property for him, his heirs or assigns, for the extent of land situated along the banks of the said Missouri, and comprised between the river called the Old English- man's and the one called Medicine Bluff, hereabove mentioned, by the depth of one league in the interior on each side of the Missouri, and including the island known by the name of Cedar island," etc.
This petition was filed with De Lassus on March 20, 1800, and on the 25th Loisel's request was granted, the official order to that effect stating that "the said land being very far from this post, he is not obliged to have it surveyed at present; but, however, he must apply to the intendant-governor in order to obtain title."
The tract granted to Loisel at, that time was 5 by 15 miles in extent, and was located in the northeastern part of the present State of Nebraska. Loisel continued in the fur trade until the fall of 1804. when he became ill while on his way to New Orleans. While he was in that city he made his will and started back north, but died near the mouth of the Arkansas river on Oct. 2, 1804. In his will Loisel named
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Auguste Chouteau and Jacques Clamorgan as executors, who in July, 1805, by order of the court at St. Louis, offered the Cedar island con- cession for sale to the highest bidder. It was sold to Jacques Clamor- gan for $10 worth of dressed deer skins, but for many years the author- ities refused to recognize the validity of the title thus established, although in the treaty of cession the United States agreed to recognize the land grants made by the French and Spanish governments while Louisiana was under the domination of those powers. By the acts of Congress, approved May 24 and June 2, 1858, the grant made to Regis Loisel was confirmed to his legal representatives, and provision made for the relocation of the claim "upon any vacant lands of the United States."
Pursuant to these acts John Loughborough, surveyor-general of Illinois and Missouri, on Aug. 8, 1859, issued his certificate of location for 38,111.16 acres in the counties of Jackson, Pottawatomie, Marshall, Nemaha and Marion, in the State of Kansas, and on Sept. 6, 1866, a patent was issued by the United States for these lands "to Regis Loisel, or his legal representatives." By a decision of the district court within and for the county of Nemaha, and State of Kansas, rendered on May 23, 1872, the title to these lands was perfected and vested in certain parties at interest-heirs and legal representatives of the original grantee, Regis Loisel. The lands were also divided by the decree of the court among the claimants, so that they could sell and convey them by deed to actual settlers. The Seneca Courier of May 24, 1872, in commenting upon this case, said: "This decree was rendered in an action wherein every person in any way connected with this hereto- fore complicated title was made a party, and this, as before stated, effects a complete settlement of the question at issue. This conclusion will be further cemented and secured by full deeds of mutual release between the parties, which will be immediately placed upon the record."
Lomando, a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. in Woodson county, is located about 6 miles northeast of Yates Center, the county seat, whence it receives daily mail by rural route.
Lomax, a station at the junction of two lines of the Missouri Pacific R. R. in Osage county, is located 2 miles north of Quenemo, from which place it receives mail by rural delivery, and 10 miles east of Lyndon, the county seat. The population in 1910 was 25.
Lone Elm, a historic camping ground on the Santa Fe trail, was situated about 4 miles south of Olathe, the county seat of Johnson county. The place took its name from the fact that a single elm tree stood there, like a sentinel of the prairie, serving as a landmark to travelers and indicating a resting place. Several roads centered at Lone Elm and frequently trains were made up there for the long jour- ney to Santa Fe. On Nov. 9, 1906, one of the trail markers was unveiled at Lone Elm with appropriate ceremonies. It bears the customary inscription : "Marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the State of Kansas, 1906. Lone Elm camp ground-1822-1872."
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Lone Elm, one of the villages of Anderson county, is located in Lone Elm township on the Missouri Pacific R. R., 14 miles south of Garnett, the county seat. It has a bank, a dozen or more retail establishments, express office and a money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 175.
Lone Jack, a camping place on the old Santa Fe trail, was some 15 or 20 miles from the Friends' Shawnee mission, and 15 miles from Council Grove. It was also called Black Point. The place is men- tioned by Dr. Wilson Hobbs in an article in Vol. VIII, Kansas His- torical Collections, p. 257.
Lone Star, a village of Douglas county, is located in the central portion 8 miles southwest of Lawrence, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, some local trade, and in 1910 had a population of 75.
Lone Star Order .- This was one of the organizations of the pro- slavery men in the territorial days. It was a secret, oath-bound society, similar in its plans and purposes to the "Blue Lodges" (q. v.) and had for its ultimate object the making of Kansas a slave state. But little can be learned of its work, further than that David R. Atchison was one of the moving spirits, as he was in practically every pro-slavery movement at that period.
Long, Chester I., lawyer and United States senator, was born in Perry county, Pa., Oct. 12, 1860, a son of Abraham G. and Mary L. Long. In 1865 the family removed to Daviess county, Mo., and in 1879 to Paola, Kan. Chester received an academic education, after which he studied law, and in 1885 was admitted to the bar. He at once located at Medicine Lodge, the county seat of Barber county, where he built up a good clientage and became an active factor in politics as a Republican. In 1889 he was elected state senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of F. C. Price, who had been elected district judge, and in 1894 was elected to represent the Seventh district in Congress. Two years later he was defeated for reelection by Jerry Simpson, but was elected to the 56th, 57th and 58th Con- gresses. Before taking his seat for the last term he was elected United States senator for the term beginning on March 4, 1903. After serving one term in the senate he resumed his law practice at Medicine Lodge. On Feb. 14, 1895, Mr. Long married Miss Anna Bache of Paola, Kan.
Long, Stephen H., engineer and explorer, was born at Hopkinton, N. H., Dec. 30, 1784, a son of Moses and Lucy (Harriman) Long. He graduated at Dartmouth College, receiving the degree of A. B. in 1809 and the degree of A. M. in 1812. Two years later he was commissioned lieutenant of engineers in the United States army, and from 1815 to 1818 was professor of mathematics in the military academy at West Point. In April, 1819, he was brevetted major and appointed to lead an expedition to explore the territory between the Mississippi river and the Rocky mountains. (See Long's Expedition.) Only a month before receiving this appointment-March 3, 1819- Lieut. Long married Miss
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Martha Hodgkins of Philadelphia, Pa. After returning from the expe- dition he spent several years in surveying and building the Baltimore & Ohio and other railroads, and when the United States topographical engineers' corps was organized in 1838 Maj. Long was given an impor- tant position in connection with it. After several years of service in this corps he retired from the army and died at Alton, Ill., Sept. 4, 1864.
Long's Expedition .- An important expedition was sent up the Mis- souri river in 1819 under Maj. Stephen H. Long of the topographical engineers by order of the war department for the purpose of thoroughly examining the country, conciliating the Indians and otherwise bene- fiting the government. A steamboat built near Pittsburgh, called the Western Engineer, was well loaded with supplies of provisions and presents for the Indians and despatched down the Ohio, reaching the Mississippi about June I. After a few days at St. Louis the expedition started up the Missouri. On July 5 the village of Cote Sans Dessieu was reached, on the 13th Franklin, on the 22nd Chariton, and on Aug. I Fort Osage, where a detachment under Thomas Say left the boat, and entering what is now the State of Kansas about 3 miles south of the Kansas river, marched across the country to the Kansas villages. On Aug. 16 they camped where Topeka now stands, and on the 19th arrived at the Kansas village at the mouth of the Big Blue at Man- hattan. Say's intention was to visit the Pawnee villages, but being robbed of his horses and camp equipage he was forced to return to the Kansas village, from which point he struck across the country, northeast, and caught the boat near the mouth of Wolf river.
On the "Western Engineer" was Maj. Benjamin O'Fallon, the In- dian agent for the government, on his way up the river to hold peace treaties with the various Indian tribes and punish them for their many misdemeanors of the recent past. On the Missouri, a short distance above the mouth of the Kansas, was an encampment of white hunters, a number of whom had fled from the vengeance of the law farther to the east. They were little less wild than the savages themselves, and were shunned by the honest trappers. Near Diamond island, about 5 miles above the mouth of the Little Platte, was noticed the ruin of an old French fortification or stockade. Below Independence creek were the old Kansas villages on the west side of the Missouri. At this place they found Capt. Martin with three companies of riflemen, who had left St. Louis in Sept., 1818, and arrived in October at Isle au Vache, where he had since remained, nearly all the time without pro- visions, his men subsisting almost wholly on the game which they killed. They were given a plentiful supply of provisions from the boat.
It was decided to hold a council here with the various Indian tribes, and accordingly messengers were sent to their villages inviting them to send delegates to the meeting to be held at Isle au Vache on Aug. 24. There came 161 members of the Kansas tribe and 13 of the Osage. They were sharply taken to task for their many offenses against the
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whites by Maj. O'Fallon, but they promised in the most abject man- ner possible to be "good Indians" ever afterward, and thereupon were given valuable presents of cloth, tools, trinkets, weapons and ammuni- tion. As the steamboat was short of men Lieut. Fields and 15 men were taken on here to assist in going up the stream. On Sept. I they were near the mouth of Wolf river, and here they were overtaken by the party under Say, which had been driven back by the Pawnees, as before related. On Oct. 3 a council was held with the Otoes and Iowas, all of whom promised submission to the government and were given valuable presents.
Then in succession came councils with the Osages, Kansas, Pawnee Loups, Republican Pawnees, Grand Pawnees, Poncas, Omahas, Sioux, Padoucas, Bald Heads, Ietans or Comanches, Sauks, Foxes and Iowas. The ceremony was usually introduced by the "beggar's dance," where all the Indians gathered around a post and in turn advanced and struck it, at the same time recounting their most notable achievements as warriors. Maj. Long had returned to Washington in October and the proceedings were conducted by Maj. O'Fallon.
The party wintered near Council Bluffs, and on June 6 of the follow- ing year Maj. Long, having returned from Washington, sent the boat back to St. Louis and started at the head of a party to explore the valleys of the Platte, Arkansas and Red rivers. Following the course of the south fork of the Platte to near its source in the Rocky moun- tains, and having pursued his discoveries there as far as his instructions warranted, Maj. Long separated his command into two divisions, one of 15 men under Capt. Bell to descend the Arkansas, and the other of about 10 men under Long himself, to go south to the Red river and descend that stream. Both parties started July 24, 1820, from near Wharf creek, one of the upper branches of the Arkansas. That under Long struck nearly due south, expecting to reach the upper branches of the Red before turning to the east, but struck the Canadian fork of the Arkansas on the 28th, and, mistaking it for a branch of the Red, descended it until on Sept. 10 the party reached the mouth of the Arkansas, where for the first time Long learned of his mistake.
After various stirring experiences with Indians, and after suffering severely for want of food, the party under Capt. Bell arrived in due time at Fort Smith, where it was joined by that under Maj. Long a few days later. An expedition to the village of the Osages was then projected. At that time the Osage tribe was divided into three branches, one on the Verdigris, another on the Osage and a third on the Neosho. The expedition left on Sept. 21, and, visiting these bands, arrived in due season at their predetermined destination-St. Genevieve, Mo. Capt. Kearney and two other persons passed by way of Hot Springs, Ark.
Longford, a little town in Clay county, is located in Chapman town- ship on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., about 20 miles south- west of Clay Center, the county seat. It has a bank, a cement and plaster mill, an elevator, a town band, telegraph and express offices,
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and a money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population in 1910 was 250.
Long Island, an incorporated city in Phillips county, is located on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. and Prairie Dog creek, a water- power stream, 22 miles northwest of Phillipsburg, the county seat. It has 2 banks, a weekly newspaper (the New Leaf), churches, schools, express and telegraph offices, and a money order postoffice with three rural routes. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 291. It is the principal trading and shipping point in the northwestern part of the county.
Longton, an incorporated city, the third largest in Elk county, is located about 12 miles southeast of Howard, the county seat, at the junction of two lines of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. It has 2 banks, 2 weekly newspapers, good schools and churches, telegraphı and express offices and an international money order postoffice with three rural routes. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 61I.
The town was founded in 1870 by a company consisting of J. W. Kerr, J. C. Pinney, J. Hoffman, J. B. Roberts, James Reynolds and a Mr. Gardner, under the name of Elk Rapids. Wright & Kirby of Ottawa set up a steam sawmill immediately, Kirby built a storehouse, Hitch- ing a hardware store and C. P. Alvey erected a two-story house, the upper floor of which was used by the town company. A two-story hotel was erected by George Hansbrough of Garnett. The postoffice was established in 1870 with Dr. J. W. Kerr as postmaster. The first school was taught by Miss Eleanor Smith in the same year. The first newspaper was the Howard County Ledger, issued by Adrian Reynolds in 1871. At first the new town grew very fast and at one time was the largest in the county, with prospects of becoming the county seat. It was incorporated and a list of officials elected, but the city govern- ment later went down, and was not revived for a number of years.
Lorena, a discontinued postoffice in Butler county, is located on the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R. 16 miles southwest of Eldorado, the county seat, and 7 miles west of Augusta, the postoffice from which its mail is distributed.
Loring, a village in the extreme southwestern part of Wyandotte county, is situated on the north bank of the Kansas river and the Union Pacific R. R. 20 miles southwest of Kansas City. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express facilities, and in 1910 had a population of about 50 inhabitants.
Lorraine, a little town in Ellsworth county, is located in Green Garden township on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the St. Louis & San Francisco railroads, 15 miles south of Ellsworth, the comunity seat. It has a bank, flour mill, 2 grain elevators, a number of retail establishments, telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 250.
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Lost Springs, one of the historic points in Marion county, is an incor- porated town located in Lost Springs township, on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads 18 miles north of Marion, the county seat. It has a bank, telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice with two rural routes. All the regular lines of business activity are represented, and one of the largest mills in this section of Kansas is located here. There is a hotel and livery stable for the accommodation of travelers. Accord- ing to the census of 1910 there were 276 inhabitants.
The springs for which the town was named, a noted camping place on the Santa Fe trail, are about 2 miles west of the depot. Many explanations have been given as to why they were called Lost Springs, none of which are authentic enough to bear repetition. These springs were known to the earliest travelers on the trail, and this was a camp- ing point. The first historical mention of this place was by Josiah Gregg in his work, "Commerce of the Prairies," written in 1845. In his table of distances he places it 175 miles west of Independence, and 15 miles west of Diamond Springs, the previous stopping place. A trading post was established there in 1859 by J. H. Costello and a part- ner, Joshua Smith, who six months afterward sold out to Costello. Some time during the Civil war a detachment of soldiers was ordered up from Mississippi to guard the Santa Fe trail, and Corporal Fred Sucksdorf, with a few men, was stationed at Lost Springs. In 1908 a large granite boulder was set up to mark the trail at Lost Springs. The usual inscription was cut on the stone and a fitting ceremony attended the occasion. In 1904 the town of Lost Springs was incor- porated as a city of the third class.
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