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 29
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junction of the Union Pacific and the St. Joseph & Grand Island rail- loads. It is one of the most important towns of northeastern Kansas both historically and commercially. It has paved streets, city water- works, electric lights, a sewer system, an efficient fire department, 3 weekly newspapers (the Courier, the Advocate-Democrat and the News), 7 cigar factories, a broom factory, flour mill, brick and tile works, planing mill, grain elevators and banking facilities. The popu- lation in 1910 was 2,260.
Marysville was laid out by Francis J. Marshall in 1855 and the same year it was named as the county seat. Marshall operated a ferry at that point on the Big Blue river and had already built a log cabin 14x16 feet with a counter in one end of it where he sold a poor line of groceries and whiskey. The Marysville Town company was incor- porated by an act of the territorial legislature on Aug. 27, 1855, the following being the incorporators: A. G. Woodward, David Galispie, John Doniphan, R. T. Galispie, Francis J. Marshall, James Doniphan, Robert C. Bishop and M. G. Shrewsbury. They bought up 100 shares of the stock of the Palmetto Town company and laid off an addition of 320 acres on the north half of section 33, township 2, range 7.
A sawmill was erected in 1857 by Shibley & Quarles. The roster of early business men includes the names of Dr. John P. Miller; J. S. Magill, attorney; Francis J. Marshall, general store; A. G. Barrett, hotel ; Ballard & Morrall, drugs. In 1863 a company was organized to build a bridge across the Big Blue river and $8,000 worth of stock was soon sold. The officers of the company were: J. Samuels, president ; A. E. Lowell, treasurer; J. D. Brumbaugh, secretary ; T. W. Waterson and J. S. Magill, directors. The bridge was of the Howe truss pattern.
Marysville was incorporated as a city by the territorial legislature in 1861. Ten years later it was incorporated as a city of the third class and is now a city of the second class. In 1861 a, small frame school building was erected at the cost of $700, which was replaced five years later by a fine $8,000 limestone building. The first newspaper at Marys- ville was the "Palmetto Kansan," a pro-slavery organ established in 1857 and the next was the Democratic Platform in 1859. The first ser- mon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Millice in 1857 in a saloon. A church was organized which was supplied with "circuit riders" until the war broke out, when it disbanded. Marysville is now supplied with all denominations of churches and with good graded and high schools accredited at the state college and other leading institutions of learn- ing. In 1891 Marysville built a $40,000 court-house which it donated to the county.
Mason, Walt, poet and humorist, was born at Columbus, Ontario, May 4, 1862, a son of John and Lydia S. (Campbell) Mason. He is self- educated, and in 1880 came to the United States to engage in news- paper work. From 1885 to 1887 he was employed on the Atchison Globe, and later was connected with the Nebraska State Journal published at Lincoln. In 1893 he became a paragrapher on the Washington Evening
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News, and since 1907 has been associated with William Allen White in the publication of the Emporia Gazette. Mr. Mason is the author of "Rhymes of the Range," "Uncle Walt," and a Calendar. His "Poetic Philosophy" has been published in a number of newspapers throughout the country. On Feb. 15, 1893, he was united in marriage with Miss Ella Foss of Wooster, Ohio.
Masterson, William Barclay, better known as "Bat" Masterson, was born in Iroquois county, Ill., in 1854. His father was a native of the State of New York and by occupation was a farmer. In 1870 the family removed to Kansas and settled in Sedgwick county. During his boy- hood days he became an expert in the use of firearms, and accompanied expeditions that went out after buffaloes. The nickname "Bat" was conferred on him by his companions one day while out on one of these trips, the name descending "to him as it were from Baptiste Brown, or 'Old Bat,' whose fame as a mighty Nimrod ... filled with admiration that generation of plainsmen which immediately preceded Mr. Master- son upon the western stage." In 1874 he was employed as a scout in the vicinity of Fort Elliott in the Pan Handle country. While at Adobé Walls he seems to have incurred the displeasure of a jealous sergeant from Fort Elliott, who came over on purpose to settle scores. Locating Masterson in a dance hall, the sergeant forced an entrance and opened fire on him. The woman operating the hall, in an effort to protect Masterson from the onslaught, thrust herself between the belligerents only to receive a shot that killed her instantly, the ball passing through her body and severely wounding Masterson, who fell to the floor. While in this position he raised himself, drew his gun, and took one shot at the sergeant, killing him before he could make another move. This was his first man and the killing was done in self-defense. Some months later he was one of the besieged hunters at Adobé Walls (q. v.) in a several days' fight with infuriated Indians who were out on a war of extermination against the buffalo hunters.
He served two terms as sheriff of Ford county, and his brother, Ed Masterson, was marshal of Dodge City while Bat was sheriff. One day a squad of Texas cowboys came into town, took possession of one of the dance halls and started a row. Bat and Ed went over to straighten out matters, the former going inside while the latter kept guard in front. Another cowboy appeared on the scence whom Ed asked to sur- render his gun. He replied by placing his gun against Ed's body and firing, giving him a mortal wound and setting his clothes on fire at the same time. Bat, hearing the shot, came out to see what was the matter, told his brother to go for help, and turned his attention to the assailants. A few minutes later two of the cowboys were dead and the disturbance in the dance hall was quieted.
About 1881 he removed to Tombstone, Ariz., and while there received word from a Dodge City friend that his brother James had been injured in a quarrel with the proprietor of the Lady Gay dance hall- a resort operated by a man named Peacock and his barkeeper named
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Updegraff. He took the first train for Dodge City, reached there at II a. m., and soon met Peacock and Updegraff, whom he invited to come shooting. During the fracas, which was participated in by friends on both sides, only one man was hurt, Mr. Updegraff, and he subsequently recovered. After the battle was over the mayor arrived on the scene with his Winchester rifle, and ordered Masterson to throw down his gun, which he did at the solicitation of his friends. He was then arrested, fined $5 and costs which he cheerfully paid at 12 o'clock, and at 3 p. m. took the train for Tombstone.
Some years later he removed to Trinidad, Colo., where he filled the office of deputy marshal. He also saw military service as a ranger under Gen. Nelson A. Miles, and in 1893 he went to New York City at the request of a former superintendent of police, Thomas Byrnes. At that time George Gould had received a number of threatening let- ters, in one of which the writer threatened to shoot Gould on sight. Byrnes suggested to the multi-millionaire that he needed the services of some man who wouldn't be afraid to "shoot up" Broadway during the busy hours if necessary, who would hit the man he shot at instead of some other individual, and suggested Masterson. For eight months he shadowed Mr. Gould, finally apprehending the letter writer at the home of Miss Helen Gould, whom he insisted had promised to marry him. Since then he has lived in New York. In 1905, at the request of President Roosevelt, he was appointed deputy United States marshal for New York.
Mastin, a hamlet in the extreme eastern part of Johnson county, is a station on the Kansas City, Clinton & Springfield R. R. II miles east of Olathe, the county seat. It has express and telegraph facilities and receives mail at Kenneth. In 1910 the population was 25.
Matfield Green, a little village in Chase county, is located on the south fork of the Cottonwood river in Matfield township, near the south line of the county, 17 miles south of Cottonwood Falls, the county seat, and 9 miles south of Bazaar, the nearest railroad station and shipping point. It has a bank and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population according to the census of 1910 was 275.
Mathewson, a post hamlet of Labette county, is located on the Ne- osho river and on the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R., in Neosho town- ship, 12 miles north of Oswego, the county seat. It had a population of 25 in 1910. The plat for the town was made in 1879. William Downs erected a building, in which he lived and kept a store and the post- office. The railroad name is Strauss.
Maxson, a discontinued postoffice in Agency township, Osage county, is located on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 10 miles south- east of Lyndon, the county seat, and about 6 miles northeast of Mel- vern, whence it receives mail by rural route. The population accord- ing to the census of 1910 was 40.
May Day, a hamlet of Riley county, is located in Center township, 35 miles from Manhattan, the county seat, and 10 miles from Green,
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Clay county, the nearest railroad station. It has a money order post- office. The population in 1910 was 59.
Mayetta, a village of Jackson county, is located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. in Cedar township, about 8 miles south of Hol- ton, the county seat. All the general lines of business are represented, including a bank, telegraph and express offices. Three rural mail routes emanate from the Mayetta postoffice. The population in 1910 was 350. The town was founded by Mrs. E. E. Lunger, who laid off the lots on Dec. 1, 1886, and sold 16 of them immediately. She gave the railroad company some'10 acres of land on condition that she be allowed to name the town. The name is a combination of Mary and Henrietta, which was the name of Mrs. Lunger's little daughter who died some time before.
Mayfield, one of the villages of Sumner county, is located in Osborne township, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 8 miles west of Wellington, the county seat. It has a number of well stocked mercan- tile establishments, 2 flour mills, good schools and churches, express and telegraph offices, and a money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population according to the census of 1910 was 225.
Mayview, a hamlet of Jewell county, is located in Brown's Creek township on Brown's creek, 12 miles south of Mankato, the county seat. It had 35 inhabitants according to the census of 1910 and receives daily mail from Jewell.
Maywood, a hamlet in the western part of Wyandotte county, is on the Missouri Pacific R. R. 14 miles west of Kansas City. It has rural delivery from Bethel. The population in 1910 was 16.
Meade, the county seat of Meade county, is located north of the cen- tral portion on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. It has 2 banks, 2 newspapers (the News and the Globe), all lines of mercantile enterprise, telegraph and express offices and an international money order postoffice. The population according to the census of 1910 was 664. Meade was founded in 1885. The buildings were all of native stone which existed in abundance. During the first few months the growth was very rapid on account of prospects of county organization. A bank was established and two newspapers were started. It was de- clared the temporary county seat on Nov. 4, 1885. A few days later the town was organized as a city of the third class and the following officers elected: Mayor, Peter E. Hart; police judge, William C. O. Osgood; councilmen, Nelson Button, Evan A. Furst, George M. Rob- erts, David Truax and William H. Stewart. In Jan., 1886, Meade was chosen permanent county seat. It was originally called Meade Center, but the name was changed to Meade by the act of Feb. 26, 1889.
Meade County, one of the southern tier, is the fourth east from the Colorado line. It is bounded on the north by Gray and Ford counties ; on the east by Clark; on the south by the State of Oklahoma, and on the west by Seward and Haskell counties. It was created in 1873 and named in honor of Gen. George G. Meade. The boundaries were de-
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fined as follows: "Commencing at the intersection of the east line of range 27 west, with the north line of township 29 south; thence south along range line to its intersection with the south boundary line of the State of Kansas; thence west along said boundary line of the State of Kansas to a point where it is intersected by the east line of range 31 west; thence north along range line to where it intersects the north boundary line of town 29 south ; thence east to the place of beginning."
The county was dissolved in 1883, but was reestablished in 1885 with slightly different boundaries. The northern boundary was made the north line of township 30 south, and the east boundary was extended to the east line of range 27 west, adding another tier of townships on the east. The county was organized in 1885, when a petition signed by 250 householders attesting that the county had more than 1,500 in- habitants and that more than 250 of these were householders, was sent to the governor, John A. Martin. He appointed I. N. Graves census taker. . The returns showed a population of 3,507, of whom 1, 165 were householders. The governor made the proclamation of organization on Nov. 4. Meade Center was declared the temporary county seat and the following temporary county officers named: County clerk, A. D. McDavid; commissioners, L. S. Sears of Meade Center, H. L Mullen of Fowler, and E. M. Mears of West Plains. The election for the location of the county seat and the choosing of permanent officers was held on Jan. 5, 1886. The candidates for county seat were Fow- Icr, Pearlette and Meade Center, the last named being the winner. The officers elected were as follows: County clerk, M. B. Peed; clerk of the district court, W. H. Willis; treasurer, W. F. Foster; probate judge. N. K. McCall; sheriff, Mr. Mckibben; register of deeds, C. W. Adams; superintendent of public instruction, M. B. Clark; county attorney, Samuel Lawrence; surveyor, Price Moody ; coroner, E. E. Buchecher ; commissioners, John D. Wick, Chris Schmoker and H. L. Muller; rep- resentative, R. M. Painter.
The first settlements in Meade county were made in 1878. In 1879 a colony from Zanesville, Ohio, settled at Pearlette. Daniel Dillon and John Joblin were prominent in the organization of the colony. A little newspaper, the Pearlette Call, was issued, the first number ap- pearing in April, 1879. In February of the same year a salt sink was discovered about 3 miles south of Meade Center. This hole, which was said by scientists to be one of the remarkable natural curiosities of the state, made its appearance suddenly on the site of a favorite camping ground. A traveler having camped on the spot returned after 3 days and found the salt sink, which was a hole 200 feet wide and over 100 feet deep, and about half full of water. Salt was manufactured by evaporation for four or five years, but the enterprise was abandoned for lack of a market. Peat was discovered in the fall of 1878. About the middle of the '8os artesian water was discovered and by 1887 a large number of wells had been sunk on farms in Crooked Creek town- ship. At present there are 1,000 artesian wells in the northeastern part
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of the county, within an area of 6 miles wide by 30 long, known as Artesian Valley. The water is found at a depth of 150 feet. A good grade of pumice limestone, sandstone and gypsum is also found.
The county is divided into nine townships, viz: Cimarron, Crooked Creek, Fowler, Logan, Meade Center, Mertilla, Odee, Sand Creek and West Plains. The postoffices are Atwater, Carmen, Fowler, Jasper, Lakeland, Meade, Mertilla, Miles, Plains and Uneda. The general sur- face is a rolling prairie with some rough lands and bluffs in the south- east. Bottom lands average a mile in width and comprise 10 per cent. of the area. Timber is scarce. Crooked creek enters in the northeast, flows east about 10 miles, thence by a devious course to the southeast corner of the county. It has several tributary creeks. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. enters in the northeast and crosses south- west through Meade into Seward county.
The leading crop is wheat, which in 1910 brought an income to the farmers of $618,938; Kafir corn the same year was worth $170,340; alfalfa and other tame grasses, $128,097; barley, $75,644. Corn, oats, buckwheat, millet, milo, maize, sorghum, Irish potatoes and wild grasses are other important crops. The raising of live stock is profitable. The animals sold for slaughter in 1910 brought $264,644, and the total value of farm products for that year was $1,642,089. The assessed valuation of property in 1910 was $9,192,283, and the population was 5,055, show- ing an average wealth per capita above the average for the state. The . population in 1900 was 1,581, the gain in the last ten years being over 200 per cent. In common with other western counties Meade ex- perienced a depression during the latter 'Sos and the 'gos from which it has now fully recovered.
Medal of Honor Legion .- On April 24, 1890, a meeting was held in Topeka, having for its object the uniting in an organization of all sol- diers and sailors who received medals of honor while in the service of the United States. Every one who received such a mark of distinction was eligible for membership on payment of one dollar. A temporary organization was effected with M. A. Dillon as commander-in-chief, and Thomas M. Reed as adjutant. A circular was sent out on July 23, 1890, requesting all persons holding medals to become members, but the records do not show that the legion ever became a permanent institution.
Medary, Samuel, the last regularly appointed territorial governor of Kansas, was born in Montgomery county, Pa., Feb. 25, 1801. The name was originally spelled "Madeira." On the maternal side he was of Quaker extraction, his mother's ancestry having come to America with William Penn. He was educated at the Norristown Academy, and at the age of sixteen years was a contributor to the Norristown Herald. The encouragement he received from the editor of that paper doubtless influenced him to select journalism for a profession. He learned the printer's trade and in 1825 went to Batavia, Ohio, where three years later he started the Ohio Sun, in the interest of Gen. Andrew Jackson's
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candidacy for presidency. In 1834 he was elected as a Democrat to the lower house of the Ohio legislature, and at the expiration of his term was chosen to represent his district in the state senate. He then pur- chased the newspaper known as the Western Hemisphere, at Columbus, and changed the name to the Ohio Statesman, which he continued to edit until 1857. His paper became a power in Ohio politics, and even wielded a national influence with the Democratic party. When the Ore- gon boundary became a subject of dispute, Mr. Medary is credited with being the author of the slogan: "Fifty-four Forty or Fight." In 1844 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention at Baltimore, where he produced a letter from Gen. Jackson requesting him, in case of discord, to present the name of James K. Polk for the presidency. This was done, and Polk was nominated. In 1856 Mr. Medary was temporary chairman of the national convention that nominated James Buchanan and did all in his power to secure the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas. In March, 1857, he was appointed governor of the Territory of Minne- sota. When it was admitted as a state in May, 1858, he was made post- master at Columbus, Ohio, and held that position until appointed gover- nor of Kansas the following November. He resigned the governorship in Dec., 1860, returned to Columbus and established the Crisis, which he continued to publish until his death on Nov. 7, 1864. Gov. Medary was endearingly called the "Old wheel-horse of Democracy," and in 1869 the party in Ohio erected a monument at Columbus "In commemoration of his public services, private virtues, distinguished ability, and devotion to principle."
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Medary's Administration .- Samuel Medary was appointed governor of Kansas Territory on Nov. 19, 1858. He took the oath of office before Roger B. Taney, chief justice of the United States supreme court, on Dec. I, and assumed the duties of the office on the 18th of the same month. At that time there was considerable excitement in the south- eastern part of the territory over the operations of Capt. Montgomery's company of free-state men. (See Montgomery, James.) The day after Gov. Medary entered upon his executive functions he received a com- munication from Fort Scott, signed by Charles Bull, the sheriff of Bour- bon county ; William T. Campbell, a deputy United States marshal; and J. E. Jones, editor of the Fort Scott Democrat, notifying him of an attack on that place "by 100 armed men," and asking him to take such action as would protect the people of that section from these raids.
Judging from the reports, the governor proceeded in a somewhat leis- urely fashion to grant the request of the petitioners. On the 20th he sent his private secretary, Samuel A. Medary, to Fort Leavenworth, "to ascertain the number and character of the troops at the disposal of the commandant." On the 24th a mass meeting at Paola appointed H. M. Hughes, J. M. Breeding and G. W. Miller a committee to appeal to the governor for aid, as Montgomery, John Brown and others, with from 100 to 200 armed men were moving toward that town. Appar- ently, the governor was still unwilling to resort to extreme measures, but
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on the 25th he wrote Capt. Arnold Elzey, commanding at Fort Leaven- worth, that he had received confirmatory information concerning the outrages in Linn and Bourbon counties, and suggesting that "If it be possible for you to call upon me without delay, you will confer a favor, and assist me materially in the confirmation and execution of such plans as must be adopted. If it is impossible for you to leave your post, I would request the presence of Lieut. Jones with such powers to speak for you as you may be able to confer."
A week had elapsed since the call for help from Fort Scott, but the . governor had not yet perfected his plans. On the 28th he telegraphed to President Buchanan, requesting the secretary of war "to order the issuing of 600 rifled muskets, with the necessary accouterments, from the St. Louis arsenal; also that the officer commanding at the arsenal be instructed to issue ammunition (ball and cartridge) upon the requisition of Capt. A. J. Weaver, of Linn county, the quantity not to exceed 10,000 rounds."
Another communication of the same date was addressed to Maj. John Sedgwick, commanding at Fort Riley, and requested four companies of cavalry to assist in the execution of writs held by the sheriffs of Linn, Lykins and Bourbon counties. Maj. Sedgwick replied on the 31st that he had only two companies of cavalry available, and these, under com- mand of Capt. W. S. Walker, had been ordered to report to the governor for instructions. While all these preparations were under way, the situ- ation in southeastern Kansas had become more quiet and the troops were not used at that time.
On Jan. 3, 1859, the legislature met at Lecompton and organized by the election of C. W. Babcock as president of the council, and A. Larza- lere as speaker of the house. At the evening session of that date Gov. Medary submitted his· message, in which he said: "As the subject of forming a state constitution, and asking admission into the Union has been extensively agitated, it might be expected that I should allude to it in this place. In doing so, I shall speak of it only in a practical sense- it has no political connection. The territorial condition is certainly not desirable for a large and wealthy community-it is a transition from youth to manhood- from weakness to strength. It is a question with the people of Kansas, whether they are prepared to assume the weighty responsibilities of a state government. Personal ambition should not be permitted to step in between them and their true interests. The ques- tion should be discussed in all its bearings, and brought to a decision favorable to the interests of the whole people. Population has much to do with the question, it is true; but to the people of Kansas, who have the expense of government to pay out of their own pockets, their ability to do so is of deep interest to them, and should not be over- looked."
The governor then announced that he had "received by mail, from the secretary of the interior, authority to offer a reward of $250 each for the apprehension of Capts. Montgomery and Brown." He next dis-
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