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 68
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Hutchinson was finally selected, the people of that city agreeing to donate a section of land, and preparations for the erection of build- ings were commenced. In 1887 the board presented estimates to the legislature for $250,000, and asked for an appropriation for that amount. The appropriation was reduced to $100,000, as it was intended to trans- fer 200 prisoners from the state penitentiary and utilize their labor in the erection of reformatory buildings. The board subsequently decided that the employment of convict labor was not practicable, and again there was delay. On March 23, 1889, the legislature appropriated another $100,000 to "complete the cell-blocks now partially completed, and such other portions of said reformatory in connection with said cell-blocks, as may be necessary for the occupancy thereof."
By the act of March 1, 1895, much of the former legislation relating to the reformatory was repealed and the governor was authorized to appoint a new board. Gov. Morrill appointed John Armstrong, Tully Scott and J. M. Humphrey, and this board held its first meeting March II, 1895, at Hutchinson. John Armstrong was elected president and J. M. Humphrey secretary. On the 12th H. F. Hatch of Arkansas City was appointed superintendent. He resigned on July 9. The members of the board also tendered their resignations, and on the 25th the governor appointed S. R. Peters, T. J. O'Neil and M. B. Nicholson as a new board, which met on July 27, 1895, and organized by electing Mr. Peters president, Mr. O'Neil treasurer, and Mr. Nicholson secre- tary. The board appointed J. C. O. Morse superintendent and N. L. Hallowell assistant superintendent. Work was started at once to pre- pare the cell-blocks for occupancy, requisition was made upon the board of managers of the state penitentiary for convicts who could carry on the necessary work, and 30 prisoners were transferred from the penitentiary to the reformatory on Aug. 29. Two days later Dr. A. M. Hutchinson was appointed physician, and Rev. Alfred Brown chaplain.
As an encouragement to and reward for good conduct the con- victs were divided on Jan. 1, 1896, into three grades. Good behavior for 60 days entitled any one to admission to the first grade and allowed him certain privileges. In 1898 a system of credit marks was adopted, giving inmates of the reformatory a reward for good conduct and inflicting a penalty for bad behavior by causing him to be reduced to a lower grade in case he should fail to earn the required number of credits.
The school work is arranged in grades upon the general plan of the public schools of the state. Each inmate is examined upon entrance and assigned to classes accordingly. During the winter season lec- tures are delivered to the inmates by eminent men of the state and this plan has been found to be a potent agency in awakening new desires and ambitions among them. The parole system is used by the reforma- tory but no convict is eligible to parole until he has reached the eighth grade in school work, except when physically disqualified to learn. By the act of 1901 it was provided that not more than two of the managers
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should belong to the same political party, thus placing the control of the institution in the hands of a bi-partisan board, and no citizen of Reno county should be eligible for appointment.
The inmates of the institution make all their clothes, except hats, shoes and suspenders. Among the occupations followed by them are stone cutting, cabinet-making, blacksmithing and farming, and the income of the laundry is about $1,200 per month. A brass band has been organized, a printing outfit has been installed, and a monthly publication called the Herald is issued by the convicts. Saturday after- noons are holidays, when the inmates are relieved from their labors and permitted to indulge in athletic sports, such as base ball, foot races, etc. A library is maintained in connection with the institution, which compares favorably with similar institutions in other states.
Reform School .- (See Industrial Schools.)
Reformed Church .- This religious organization arose as the result of the Protestant reformation. Of the bodies that trace their origin to this movement, the Swiss, Dutch and some German came to be known as Reformed; the Scotch and English as Presbyterians; the French as Huguenots and some of the minor sections of Bohemia and Hungary preserved their national names. This faith was brought to the American colonies by the early settlers and as a result four Reformed churches became established; two trace their origin to Hol- land; one to the German Palatinate, and one to Hungary. The first church established by the Dutch was at New Amsterdam in 1628, where the greatest number of Hollanders lived. Later, a German colony, driven from the Palatinate by persecutions, settled in Penn- sylvania and New York, and in time spread westward. The New York church was first known as the Reformed Dutch church but later adopted the name of the Reformed Church of America. As the immigration of Dutch increased congregations were formed on Long Island and on the Hudson, where some of the churches are still in existence. The church established by the Germans in Pennsylvania and New York was first called the German Reformed church, then the name was changed to the Reformed Church in the United States. The third body is known as the Christian Reformed church and the fourth is called the Hungarian (Magyar) Reformed church. When first estab- lished each of these churches clung to its ancestral language, but as conditions changed English became used and is generally accepted at the present day.
The Reformed church was established in Kansas in the '8os by set- tlers who came from the eastern states and who had there belonged to these denominations. In 1890 there were 29 church organizations with a total membership of 1,139. During the next fifteen years the number of organizations decreased, while the membership increased. Only 16 organizations were reported in 1906, but the membership was 1,415.
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Reinert, a country postoffice in Ford county, is located 15 miles southwest of Dodge City, the county seat, and 12 miles from Min- neola, Clark county, the nearest railroad station.
Remsburg, George J., archæologist and journalist, was born in Atchi- son county, Kan., Sept. 22, 1871, where he has since made his home. He was a reporter on the Atchison papers, city editor of the Daily Champion, assistant editor of the Missouri Valley Farmer, manager of the Atchison department of the Leavenworth Times. While thus employed his spare time was devoted to the study of archæology and natural history. He became a correspondent for the Smithsonian Institute and for several historical societies ; was admitted to member- ship in the Western Historical Society and the American Society of Curio Collectors; has made extensive and minute explorations of the bluffs of Missouri river, and has one of the finest private archæologic collections in the West.
Remsburg, John E., author and lecturer, was born in Fremont, Ohio, Jan. 7, 1848, a son of George J. and Sarah A. (Willey) Remsburg. He enlisted in the Union army at the age of sixteen; married Miss Nora M. Eiler of Atchison, Kan., Oct. 9, 1870; was a teacher for 15 years, then a writer and lecturer in support of free thought, his lectures being translated into German, French, Bohemian, Dutch, Swedish, Nor- wegian, Bengali and Singalese. He was superintendent of public instruction in Atchison county, Kan., for four years; is a life member of the American Secular Union, of which he was president for three years; a member of the Kansas State Horticultural Society; author of a "Life of Thomas Paine," 1880; "The Image Breaker," 1882; "False Claims," 1883; "Bible Morals," 1884; "Sabbath Breakers," 1885; "The Fathers of Our Republic," 1886; "Was Lincoln a Christian," 1893; "Was Washington a Christian," 1899; "The Bible," 1903; "Six Historic Americans," 1906; "The Christ," 1909.
Reno, a village in the southwestern part of Leavenworth county, is located on the Union Pacific R. R. 8 miles northeast of Lawrence. It has a general store and money order postoffice, and is the shipping point for a considerable district. Its population in 1910 was 112.
Reno County, in the central part of the state, is bounded on the north by Rice and McPherson counties; on the east by Harvey and Sedgwick ; on the south by Sedgwick and Kingman, and on the west by Pratt and Stafford. Its boundary lines were fixed by the legislature of 1868, and it was named in honor of Gen. Reno, who was killed at the battle of Gettysburg. It was not settled until three years later. The first settlers were not at that time within the confines of Reno county, as the lines have been changed, but all those which shall be mentioned were settlers in Reno county as it now exists. The last change was made in 1872 when range 4 on the east and a tier of townships from Rice county on the north were added, while a large tract on the south was detached and given to the new county of Kingman. The first settler was Lewis M. Thomas, who located a claim in Little
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River township in Nov., 1870. The next month he went to Lawrence to purchase provisions and on his return was accompanied by John Hunt, who located in the valley of the Little Arkansas. About the same time J. H. D. Rosan came to the county, and early the next year he located a ranch. He and his brother, Charles W. Rosan, and a man by the name of Charles Street, drove in a large herd of Texas cattle. They procured a surveyor from Salina and had their lands surveyed- the first in either Rice or Reno counties. George W. Watson located in the valley of Cow creek in March, 1871. Others who located in this year were : A. S. Demock, Luther A. Dodge, John Swenson and a party of Swedes in Clay township; Charles Collins, D. B. Miller, A. Smith, L. S. Shields and his two sons, Samuel and George, Peter Shafer, George Mills, E. Shafer, B. F. Evarts, George Laferty, Dr. A. S. Crane, William Lockhart and John Curley. Another party was composed of John Sha- han, William and Robert Bell, William Caldwell, a Mr. Haverlin, John Butcher, P. Welch, William Kacy, F. Foley, Isaac Ijams and wife, James Freese, William Shoop and wife, Wesley Ijams, Hannah and Mary Freese. All these settlements were made in the northern and eastern parts of the county along the rivers.
In June, 1872, a bridge was constructed across the Arkansas river at Hutchinson, which opened the lands beyond to settlement. During the remaining months of 1872 and the year 1873, that part of the county was settled very rapidly. The sand hills in the northeastern part of the county were covered with a heavy growth of timber, which was rare in that part of Kansas. The trees were cottonwood, some of them were 6 feet in diameter with their lowest limbs 50 feet from the ground. The belt was 4 miles wide and was a great boon to the early settlers, who used it up so rapidly that the supply was nearly exhausted by 1873. This was one county in which there was no real damage suffered from the Indians, except on a few occasions when they drove away live stock. Reno was not, however, exempt from Indian scares, the worst one hap- pening in April, 1871, on the occasion of a threatened attack by the Cheyennes.
The first crops were planted in the spring of 1871. The buffalo, which were still plentiful, took most of the sod corn. It was in this year that W. H. Caldwell built the first traveler's inn-near the mouth of Cow creek. The first postoffice in the county was established there and the place was called Queen Valley. It was expected at the time that the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. would strike the Arkansas river at that point. The first business establishment in the county was at Queen Valley. The first birth was that of a son in a family named Johnson at Hutchinson. The first death was that of a character known as "Mountain Jack," who was shot by accident while preparing for a buffalo hunt. The first threshing machine was brought into the county in 1873 by John N. Shahan. The first political convention was held in 1872. The ticket nominated was afterward elected. The Hutchinson news was established in 1871 and is still published.
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County organization was effected in 1872, the census showing the requisite 600 inhabitants. A provisional organization was formed the first day of the year. A. C. Kies was chosen temporary county clerk and the following were appointed special commissioners: C. Bemis, W. H. Bell and Thomas Allen. A special election was held on Jan. 6 and C. C. Hutchinson (founder of the town of that name) was elected to the legislature. The election was irregular, but he was given his seat. On Feb. 3 a county seat election was held and the vote was almost unanimous for Hutchinson. An election of officers was held on March 12 and the following were chosen: Commissioners, C. C. Bemis, W. H. Bell and W. J. VanSickle; county clerk, A. C. Kies; sheriff, Charles Collins; clerk of the district court, Harry Hodson; superin- tendent of public instruction, W. E. Hutchinson; register of deeds, S. H. Hammond; probate judge, W. W. Updegraff; county surveyor, Luther Dodge; county attorney, L. Houk ; coroner, C. S. Martin. About 150 votes were cast.
No subdivision of the county into municipal townships had been made at this time, and in April an election was held at which were elected township officers who should have jurisdiction over the whole county under the name of Reno township. These officers were: Peter Shafer, trustee; D. B. Miller, treasurer; S. N. Parker, clerk; J. Rhoades and D. D. Olmstead, justices of the peace; John McMurray and J. Brown, constables. The first bond election was held in April, when three propositions were submitted and carried, the first for $15,000 to build a court-house, the second for $35,000 to bridge the Arkansas river, Cow creek and Little river, and $10,000 for current expenses pending the collection of taxes. The first term of the district court was held in Aug., 1872, in a temporary court-house, W. R. Brown presiding. In the fall the first regular election was held and a non-partisan ticket was elected. The first school district was organized early in this year. It included Hutchinson and vicinity.
The first division of the county into townships took place on April 12, 1873, when the following were organized: Nickerson, Valley, Little River, Haven, Castleton and Clay. In September Lincoln and Center were organized, and the next March Salt Creek, Melford, Westminster, Troy and Langdon were organized. The following were organized out of the ones already mentioned: Grove, 1876; Grant, Reno, Loda, Sum- ner and Hayes, 1877; Albion and Bell, 1878; Enterprise, Roscoe and Plevna, 1879; and Arlington in 1881. At present there are 30 town- ships, the following having been organized since 1881: Huntsville, Medora, Miami, Ninnescah and Sylvia. The postoffices in the county in 1910 were Abbyville, Arlington, Bernal, Buhler, Castleton, Darlow, Haven, Hutchinson, Langdon, Medora, Nickerson. Ost, Partridge, Plevna, Pretty Prairie, Sylvia, Turon and Yoder.
The first railroad built through the county was the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, which extended its main line west from Newton in 1872, striking the Arkansas river at Hutchinson and following the course of
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the river northwest, leaving Reno county aboutt mid-way on the north line. All lines of railroad operating in the county center at Hutchinson, except a branch of the St. Louis & San Francisco northwest from Wichita, which crosses the northeast corner, and a line of the Missouri Pacific which crosses the southwest corner into Stafford county. Be- sides the main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, mentioned above, there are two other lines of the same system, a "cut off," which diverges west at Hutchinson and meets the main line at Kinsley, and another south from Hutchinson through Kingman and Harper counties. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific enters in the northeast and crosses southwest through Hutchinson into Pratt county. A line of the Mis- souri Pacific railroad enters in the southeast and crosses northwest along the Arkansas river into Rice county. There are nearly 200 miles of railroad in the county.
The surface of the county is undulating prairie, in some places nearly level. There is abundant drainage, the water system including the Arkansas river, the Little Arkansas, the north fork of the Ninnescah, Cow creek and their tributaries. The valley of the Arkansas river has an average width of 5 miles, in some places spreading out to 10 miles. On the smaller streams the bottoms average about one-half mile in width, the bottom lands being 15 per cent. of the total area. Growths of natural timber, mostly cottonwood and box-elder, flourish along the streams, and artificial plantings dot the county in every direction. Limestone is found in the northeast and southwest; red sandstone in the northeast and on the forks of the Ninnescah river ; mineral paint is also found along this stream. The salt which places Kansas third in the production of this commodity, is mostly taken from the great beds underlying Reno county. The industry has been developed on a large scale and the source is seemingly inexhaustible. One of the largest salt plants in the world is in operation here.
Reno county is at the outlet of the great wheat and corn growing district, handling most of the grain grown in the surrounding counties and of those southwest as far as the state line. Aside from this the wheat and corn grown within the county places Reno in the front rank among the counties of the state in this respect. The value of the farm products runs from $6,500,000 to $8,500,000 annually. In 1910 the wheat and corn crops were each worth over $1,600,000; hay, $240,000; oats, nearly $600,000; the live stock sold for slaughter brought $1,316,000; dairy products, over $500,000, and poultry and eggs nearly $200,000. The year before the crops were somewhat better, the corn alone in 1909 bringing nearly $3,500,000. When this wealth is added to the immense income from salt, and the commerce which passes this way is taken into account, this locality appears to be an unusually favored spot.
The population of the county in 1910 was 37,853, and the assessed valuation of property $77,877,210, which shows the per capita wealth to be about $2,100.
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Republic, an incorporated town of Republic county, is located in Big Bend township on the Republican river and the Missouri Pacific R. R., 16 miles northwest of Belleville, the county seat. It was founded in March, 1878, by a town company composed of A. B. Young, H. S. Stone, Milton Grim, J. B. Pollard, Fred and William Elliott, and T. F. Mar- lett. The first building erected in the town was a blacksmith shop, which was put up in Oct., 1878, by E. B. Duncan. About the same time the Gomeria postoffice was removed to Republic, and in May, 1879, a man named Capers erected a business building, the town company donating him two lots for a site. In June, 1879, the town was surveyed and the first lots offered for sale. The following spring the railroad was completed and Republic began to assume a position of some importance. In 1910 it had 2 banks, a money order postoffice with three rural routes, a weekly newspaper (the News), express and telegraph offices, several good mercantile establishments, good schools and churches and a popu- lation of 450.
Republic County, located in the northern tier of counties with the 6th principal meridian forming the eastern boundary, has 20 civil town- ships, viz: Albion, Beaver, Belleville, Big Bend, Courtland, Elk Creek, Fairview, Farmington, Freedom, Grant, Jefferson, Liberty, Lincoln, Norway, Richland, Rose Creek, Scandia, Union, Washington and White Rock. The towns are Agenda, Belleville, Courtland, Cuba Haworth, Kackley, Munden, Narka, Norway, Republic, Rydal, Scandia, Sherdahl, Talmo, Warwick, Wayne and White Rock.
There are five railroads with an aggregate of 140 miles-the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy, the Missouri Pacific, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Union Pacific.
The surface is rolling prairie with 10 per cent. bottom and 90 per cent. upland. The Republican river enters the county in the north- western corner and traverses its entire width in a southerly direction; Mill and Rose creeks flow east into the Little Blue; White Rock creek flows northeast, and Beaver creek southeast into the Republican; West and Elk creeks flow south. The county is watered by numerous natural springs. The mineral products are coal, limestone and salt, and the principal farm products are corn, wheat and oats.
The early history of Republic county is interesting through the fact that it contained the site of the famous Pawnee Republic (q. v.), and that Capt. Pike raised the first American flag within its borders. (See Pike's Expedition.) In 1857 the government opened a military road through this county, anticipating the building of which the wagon trains bound for California began to take this route before the bridges were built. One train with 8 wagons, 25 people and 400 head of stock came to grief in that year near Republic City. Their trail was dogged by the Indians from the settlements, and when 90 miles from the western outpost they were attacked early in the morning, the train destroyed, 4 men killed and the remnant, including several wounded persons and some women and children, made their way to the settlements, reaching help half dead and crazed from suffering.
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Some time before the first settlement in the county a company of twenty Mormons bound for Salt Lake City was attacked near the site of the present town of Scandia and all but one were murdered. The dead were buried on a high bluff by the soldiers and triangular flag- stones put up to mark the spot.
The legislature of 1860 defined the boundaries of the county and gave it its name, taken from the Republican river, which was named from Pawnee Republic. The first settlement was made on Feb. 28, 1861. by Daniel and Conrad Myers, in Lincoln township. It is said that Daniel Myers often left his claim during times of Indian alarms but that Conrad stayed on his claim, making the first settlement permanent. The first dwelling house was that of Daniel Myers, built in Sept., 1861.
The next settlement was made by James E. Van Natta and David and John Cory early in 1862. No more permanent settlements were made until 1866, when James G. Tuthill settled near the present town of Seapo. In the same year J. C. Riley and family settled near Belle- ville; D. N. Davis near Republic City, and Thomas Lovewell crossed the Republican and settled on White Rock creek, The settlers who had come into the county during the intervening years had been driven out by Indians. The first organized resistance was made in 1864, when the settlers of Clay, Cloud and Republic counties formed a com- pany under the captaincy of Isaac M. Schooly, who was commissioned by the government. The first militia, composed entirely of Republic county men, was the "Independent Company of Salt Creek Militia," organized in 1868 with W. P. Peake as first lieutenant. He was subse- quently made captain and W. H. H. Riley was commissioned first lieu- tenant. There were 50 men in the company. Arms and ammunition were furnished by the state, but the men furnished their own horses, saddles and bridles. In the summer of 1868 another company of 65 men was recruited in the northern part of the county under Capt. R. T. Stan- field, with Peter Johnson as first lieutenant. A log fort was built by this company in Belleville township, in which were stationed the fol- lowing men from July to Oct. 18: Noah Thompson, corporal in com- mand, George Mathews, William Little, Oliver Gross, Samuel Darling and Ephraim H. Wilcox. The company made several expeditions into the Indian country. In August Gordon Winbigler, who was harvesting with several other men, was killed by the Indians not far from the fort.
The next year there was a great influx of settlers, principally Scanda- navians, a colony of 300 settling on White Rock creek. The Arapahoes and Cheyennes came that year as usual into the Republican valley The settlers fortified their dugouts and kept guards on the bluffs until they supposed the Indians gone. As soon as the guards were removed the Indians came over the bluff, drove away 7 horses and killed a young son of F. E. Granstadt who was watching them. That year Capt. Stan- field, A. Davis, W. P. Phillips and Clarke Tenike were besieged in the blockhouse by over 100 Indians. A message was sent out tied to a cow's tail. The cow reached Scandia the next day, but the Scanda.
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navians were afraid to go to the rescue. In May a party of 7 hunters with J. McChesney as guide was attacked on White Rock creek and all but McChesney were killed. This was the last of the fatalities from Indian attacks. In the next two years immigration was heavy.
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