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 95
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Sun City, one of the villages of Barber county, is located on the Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., 20 miles northwest of Medicine Lodge, the county seat. It is on the Medicine Lodge river and in Sun township. There are express and telegraph offices and a money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 150.
Sunflower .- (See State Flower.)
Sunflower, one of the inland hamlets of Mitchell county, is located about II miles south of Beloit, the county seat, from which place it receives mail. The population in 1910 was 25.
Sunnydale, a hamlet in Sedgwick county, is located 12 miles north of Wichita, the county seat, and 6 miles east of Valley Center on the Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., the nearest railroad station and the post- office from which it receives mail. The population in 1910 was 50.
Sunnyside, a country hamlet in Wichita county, is located 18 miles north of Leoti, the county seat. It has a telephone exchange, general stores and a money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 30.
Supreme Court .- The constitution, as adopted in 1859. created a stt- preme court of three judges-a chief justice and two associates. The power to elect these judges and all others was given to the people. The term of the supreme judges, after the first, was to be six years, but to begin with and to secure individual alternation, the terms were respect- ively, six years for the chief justice, four years for one of the associate justices and two years for the other. The terms of the supreme court were to be held at the seat of government once each year, "and such other terms at such places as may be provided by law." Those chosen at the first election were Thomas Swing, Jr., chief justice ; Samuel A. Kingman and Lawrence D. Bailey, associate justices. The justices were installed in office at the organization of the state government in 1861. Thomas Ewing, Jr., held the office of chief justice until his resignation, in Oct., 1862. In the following December Nelson Cobb was appointed to fill the
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vacancy and served out the term, which expired in Jan., 1864, when he was succeeded by Robert Crozier. Judge Crozier was succeeded, in Jan., 1867, by Samuel A. Kingman, who served until Dec. 31, 1876, being then succeeded by Albert H. Horton. Judge Horton resigned, in April, 1895, and was succeeded by David Martin, who was appointed April 30. Frank Doster succeeded Judge Martin, Jan. 11, 1897, and William A. Johnston succeeded Judge Doster, Jan 12, 1903. By the terms of the constitutional amendment, adopted at the general election of 1900, it was provided that, after the expiration of the term of office of the then chief justice, the justice senior in continuous term of service should be chief justice. Samuel A. Kingman was succeeded as associate justice, in 1865, by Jacob Safford, and Lawrence D. Bailey was succeeded, in Jan., 1869, by D. M. Valentine. D. J. Brewer succeeded Judge Safford, in Jan., 1871, and served until April 9, 1884, when he resigned, being succeeded by Theodore A. Hurd, appointed by the governor, April 12, 1884. William A. Johnston was elected, Nov. 4, 1884, to succeed Judge Hurd, and quali- fied Dec. 1, 1884. Judge Valentine was succeeded by Stephen H. Allen, who was elected Nov. 8, 1892. Judge Allen was succeeded by William R. Smith, Jan. 10, 1899.
The legislature of 1899 submitted an amendment to the constitution and the same was adopted by the voters at the general election held in Nov., 1900. By this amendment the supreme court was made to consist of seven justices. "They may sit separately in two divisions, with full power in each division to determine the cases assigned to be heard by such division." It was further provided that the term of officers of the. justices should be six years, "except as hereinafter provided." The jus- tices in office at the time this amendment took effect were to hold their offices for the terms for which they were severally elected, and until their successors were elected and qualified. As soon as practicable after the second Monday in Jan., 1901, the governor was to appoint four jus- tices, to hold their offices until the second Monday in Jan., 1903. At the general election in 1902 there should be elected five justices, one of whom was to hold office for two years, one for four years, and three for six years. At the general election in 1904, and every six years thereafter, two justices were to be elected. At the general election in 1906, and every six years thereafter, two justices were to be elected; and at the general election in 1908, and every six years thereafter, three justices were to be elected. (See Stanley's Administration.)
At the close of the year 1911 the supreme court was made up as fol- lows: William A. Johnston, chief justice; Rousseau A. Burch, Silas Porter. Clark A. Smith, Henry F. Mason, Alfred W. Benson and Judson S. West, associate justices.
Sutton, a country hamlet in Lane county, is located 12 miles south- west of Dighton, the county seat and nearest shipping point, and about 8 miles northeast of Lobdell, the postoffice from which it receives mail.
Swedenborgians .- The church of the New Jerusalem, popularly called "Swendenborgians," derives its name from the Apocalypse or Revelation
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of St. John. The doctrines of the church were first set forth by Emanuel Swedenborg, who was born at Stockholm, Sweden, Jan. 29, 1688, and died in London, England, March 29, 1772. Between 1748 and 1756 he wrote several works, the most important of which was the "Arcana Coelestia," which was published at London in eight volumes. It was followed by "Heaven and Hell," and "The New Jerusalem and its Heav- enly Doctrine," the last named becoming the foundation of the church which bears his name. . The books were originally printed in Latin, but translations were subsequently published. They did not attract much attention at first, but in 1783 a printer named Robert Hindmarsh gath- ered together a few persons in London to read and consider the doctrines. Four years later the first church was organized with 16 members.
In America there are two general organizations of those who believe in the dogma as laid down by Swedenborg, and who recognize his writ- ings in the light of divine revelation. They are "The General Conven- tion of the New Jerusalem," dating from 1817, and the "General Church of the New Jerusalem," which had its beginning in 1876 and held its first general assembly in 1897. These two bodies are distributed over 32 states, in which there are about 150 congregations. The church was established in Kansas sometime in the '8os by Swedenborgian emigrants from the East. In 1890 there were three organizations in the state-I in Barton county, I in Reno, and I in Shawnee, with a total member- ship of 63. Although no new congregations were formed during the next 15 years, the number of members in the three established churches in- creased to 144 in 1906.
Swedish Evangelical Bodies .- A great proportion of the Swedes who have come to the United States belonged in their native country to the state church of Sweden and upon settling in this country identified them- selves with the Swedish Augustana synod in connection with the Lu- theran general council. About the middle of the 19th century a great religious awakening swept over Sweden. The established church seemed unable to satisfy the spiritual needs of many communities and services were held by laymen. This caused such gatherings to be persecuted by the state church. Many of the people belonging to the new movement came to the United States, and two synods were formed-the Ansgarius and the Mission. Subsequently these were dissolved and in their place the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America was formed in 1855. A number of organizations did not unite with the Covenant, but formed an organization known as the Swedish Evangelical Free Mission. hence the church is represented by two bodies. The local congregations are self-governing. An annual conference is held to which the local con- gregations send delegates, where regulations are made, but such regula- tions are advisory only, and the congregations may accept or reject them as they see fit. There is also a society of ministers and mission- aries which has for its mission the supervision of doctrine and conduct and the reception or rejection of candidates.
The Swedish Evangelical churches were established in Kansas by the
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Swedes who first settled in the state in the '8os, and have had a steady growth. Up to and including the report of 1890, the Swedish Luther- ans were included in the general council of the Evangelical Lutheran church, so that no accurate estimate can be made of their strength in Kansas. In 1906 there were 12 organizations of the Mission Covenant in the state, with a total membership of 1,073, and 3 organizations of the Free Mission, with a membership of 41.
Swedish Settlements .- The settlement of Swedes in Kansas dates from 1855, when John A. Johnson arrived from Galesburg, Ill., to make his home in the new territory. His brother, N. P. Johnson, arrived the following year. In 1857 C. J. Dahlberg and Peter Carlson and families arrived. Andrew Palm, of Lund, Sweden, took up his abode in Lawrence in 1858, bringing machinery with him from Sweden and building the windmill so long a familiar landmark in that section. Peter From of Ockelbo, Sweden, settled in Marshall county in 1858, and was instrumental in inducing others to locate there. John P. Swenson settled in the Smoky Hill valley in 1864, being the first Swede in that section. A hollow log first served him for a home, then a dugout, and later a log cabin. In April, 1866, a small colony of Swedes settled along the Smoky Hill river where Lindsborg now stands. They were joined in 1867 by others, but the formation of the first Swedish agricultural society in Chicago in 1868 brought the greatest influx of settlers into western Kansas.
Many of these early settlers were without means and during the first season labored in and around the military posts, on the railroads, or at anything to obtain a living while their crops were growing. The cheap lands of the railroads and the low rate of railroad fare from Chicago and other eastern points were also potent factors in inducing immigration. The Galesburg Colonization Society was organized in 1868, the prime mover of the enterprise being Rev. A. W. Dahlsten, pastor of the Galesburg (Ill.) Lutheran church. At a meeting in his place of worship, attended by over 300 persons, it was decided to send a committee to Kansas to investigate conditions for settlement. This committee visited the valley of the Smoky Hill and was delighted with the location. A quantity of land was purchased in Saline and McPher- son counties, and the report of the committee resulted in the bringing of hundreds of Swedes to the state.
On Feb. 28, 1870, the first Swedish agricultural company of McPher- son county adopted a charter in pursuance of an act passed by the legislature of 1868. Briefly the charter provided that the company should be named as above; that its purposes were the promotion of immigration ; encouragement of agriculture ; the purchase, location and laying out of town sites, and the sale and conveyance of the same; that the business should be transacted at Lindsborg, Kan., and Chicago, Ill. : that the corporation should exist for 20 years; that the number of directors should be II, and for the next ensuing year should be the following named persons: John Ferm and John Henry Johnson of
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McPherson county, Kan .; Andrew M. Olson of Saline county, Kan .; Peter Colseth, Andrew P. Monten, John O. Lind, Swen Samuelson, John G. Bergsten, Nils Johnson, Carl A. Johnson and August P. Brandt of Chicago. The corporation had no capital stock, but owned certain parcels of land in Saline and McPherson counties, which had been contracted for from the Union Pacific Railway company, on which payments of principal and interest had been made, together with cer- tain improvements on the property.
Lindsborg (q. v.) is the central city of the Swedish settlements in the state and is a city of over 2,000 population, nearly all of whom are of Swedish descent. Salina, Fremont, Salemsburg, Assaria, Falun, Mar- quette and Smolan are situated within the territory controlled by the old Galesburg company, Salina being the distributing point on account of its superior railroad facilities. Smaller colonies of these people are to be found at Enterprise, McPherson, New Gottland, New Andover, Marion Hill, Burdick, Hutchinson, Garfield, Page, Sharon Springs and Stockholm, the Swedish Colonization company, organzied at Linds- borg, June II, 1887, being responsible for the last three. Healy, Gove county, has a colony which settled in that section about 1885. Another colony of about the same number is located in Trego county. Larger settlements of these people are to be found along the Solomon, Blue and Republican rivers, as well as in the cities of Topeka, Kansas City, Iola, Chanute, Ottawa, St. Marys, Osage City, Savonburg and Vilas.
In politics the influence of these people has been considerable, one serving the state as superintendent of public instruction, many having been elected to the legislature and to various county offices, and others being prominently identified in newspaper work and in educational and business circles. It is estimated that there were at least 50,000 people of Swedish descent in the state in 1910. About 20,000 of this nun- ber are located in central Kansas and about 10,000 in the western part of the state.
Swinburn, a country hamlet in Shawnee county, is located 15 miles northwest of Topeka, the county seat, and 6 miles north of Silver Lake, the town from which it receives mail.
Swissvale, a settlement of Swiss people in the northeastern part of Osage county, is located on the Missouri Pacific R. R. 17 miles from Lyndon, the county seat, and about 5 miles north of Overbrook, from which place it receives mail by rural route.
Sycamore, one of the villages of Montgomery county, is a station on the Missouri Pacific R. R. in Sycamore township 7 miles north of Inde- pendence, the county seat. It has telegraph and express offices, a money order postoffice with one rural route, a good local trade, and does some shipping. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 175.
Sycamore Springs, a rural hamlet in Butler county, is located 20 miles northeast of Eldorado, the county seat, and 3 miles west of Cassody, the postoffice from which it receives mail.
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Sylvan Grove, an incorporated city of the third class in Lincoln county, is located on the Saline river and the Union Pacific R. R. 12 miles west of Lincoln, the county seat. It has a bank, 2 grain ele- vators, a weekly newspaper (the News), a hotel, a number of retail establishments, telegraph and express offices, an international money order postoffice with two rural routes, and the professions are well represented. The population in 1910 was 464. The town was platted in 1877 upon land belonging to William Bender and H. S. Merriam. The first store was erected by E. B. Cross and W. F. Morgan. Pre- vious to that time a mill had been built in 1875 by Merriam & Mas- terson. A postoffice called Sylvan Grove had been established 2 miles south of town at the home of C. M. Heaton, the postmaster. The next year after the town was founded a stone store was built by H. S. Merriam, which still remains as an old landmark. The first settlers in the vicinity were Louis Farley and his son, Hutchinson, who were in the Beecher's Island battle, in which Louis Farley lost his life.
Sylvia, the third largest town in Reno county, is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., and is located on the north branch of the Ninnescah river in Sylvia township, 30 miles southwest of Hutch- inson, the county seat. It is in the midst of a locality famous for wheat and corn crops and is a town frequently heard from in connec- tion with those products, being an important buying and shipping point for live stock and grain. The town has a bank, a mill, an elevator, a weekly newspaper (the Sun), telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with three rural routes. The popu- lation, according to the census of 1910, was 634. Sylvia was founded in 1886 and organized as a city of the third class the next year. T. J. Talbott was its first mayor.
Syracuse, one of the important cities of western Kansas and the judicial seat of Hamilton county, is an incorporated city of the third class, located on the Arkansas river and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 15 miles from the Colorado line. It is a division point for the railroad and is the principal town in the state west of Garden City. It has 2 banks, a flour mill, machine shops, 2 weekly newspapers (the News and the Republican), 4 churches, a county high school in which IO teachers are employed, telegraph and express offices, and an inter- national money. order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 1, 126. A new steel bridge was built over the Arkansas river in 1909 and a fine rock road runs through the city, leading to the country on either side. Many of the residents own automobiles. Prior to 1873 the town was called Holliday in honor of Cyrus K. Holliday of Topeka. In that year a colony from Syracuse, N. Y., settled here and changed the name. In 1886 Syracuse was victorious in the county seat fight, in which Kendall was the opposing candidate. Although it suffered from the drought and hard times for the next fifteen years Syracuse did not fare as badly as the majority of western towns. The population in 1890 was 324. During the next decade, which was the worst in the history
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of that section of the state, it increased to 460. Between the years of 1907 and 1909 the town is said to have doubled in population and there is a steady growth in progress at present. A number of immense pumping plants have been installed in the vicinity in recent years and much of the prosperity now enjoyed is due to irrigation of the farm lands. A fine $75,000 hotel belonging to the Harvey system is one of the features of Syracuse.
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Tablemound, a village in Montgomery county, is a station of the Independence postoffice. According to the census of 1910 it has 50 inhabitants.
Table Rock .- This natural formation, situated on Table Rock creek, Lincoln county, originally consisted of two columns of stone sur- mounted by a cap. Originally the stone was about 5 feet high and overlooked the surrounding country. The late B. F. Mudge of Manhat- tan brought the curiosity to the attention of the public in an article on the geology of Kansas, which was published in the report of the state board of agriculture for 1877-78, in which a photograph of the rock was reproduced. It is said that the rock was inscribed with the names of the members of one of Fremont's parties which camped here during one of his expeditions. The rock was partially, if not wholly, destroyed a few years since by parties who failed to appreciate its value.
Taggart, Joseph, teacher, lawyer and member of Congress, was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, June 15, 1870. His early education was received in a log school house. He came to Kansas in 1885 and worked on a farm for three years, during which time he earned enough money to take the normal course at Salina, where he graduated. He studied law with Capt. J. G. Mohler at Salina; was admitted to the bar in 1894; taught school for a number of years, beginning the practice of law in Kansas City, Kan., in 1898. In 1904 the Democrats nominated him for county attorney and he was defeated by 419 votes in a county which Roosevelt carried by a majority of 5,300. In 1906 he was elected county attorney ; was reëlected in 1908 and again in 1910, and while filling this office won 95 per cent. of the cases prosecuted. Upon the death of Congressman Mitchell, Mr. Taggart was elected by a majority of 1,472 at a special election held in the fall of 1911 to fill the vacancy, being the first Democrat to represent the 2nd district of Kansas in Con- gress since 1870.
Talmage, a little town in Dickinson county, is located in Willow Dale township on Mud creek and on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 7 miles northwest of Abilene, the county seat. It has a bank, a number of stores, telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population in 1910 was 200.
Talmo, a station on the Union Pacific railroad, is 9 miles south of Belleville, Republic county. It has about a dozen business establish-
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ments, a postoffice, telegraph, telephone and express offices, etc. Belle- ville, the county seat, is the nearest banking point. The number of inhabitants in 1910 was 150.
Tampa, a thriving little town in Marion county, is located in Blaine township on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. 20 miles north- west of Marion, the county seat. It has a bank, telegraph and express offices, a money order postoffice with two rural routes, and all lines of mercantile enterprises are represented. The town was incorporated in 1908. The population in 1910, according to the government report, was 256.
Tappan, Samuel F., one of the men who took an active part in the early history of Douglas county and the state, was a native of Massa- chusetts. He was one of a party of 30 settlers who came to Kansas in 1854, located in Lawrence in August of that year, and soon became the correspondent for the New York Tribune and the Boston Atlas, telling of the first difficulties with the border ruffians. In 1855, accom- panied by Martin F. Conway, he made a canvass of southern and west- ern Kansas in favor of the free-state movement. He was clerk of the Topeka constitutional convention; took part in the rescue of Branson ; was assistant clerk of the house of representatives in 1856; went east in July of that year and brought back a quantity of arms and ammuni- tion by way of Iowa and Nebraska, and the following year performed the duties of speaker of the Topeka house of representatives. He was secretary of the Leavenworth constitutional convention in 1858, clerk of the Wyandotte convention in 1859, and in 1860 left Kansas for Den- ver, Col., where he took an active part in the public life of the city and state. Subsequently he removed his residence to New York city.
Tauromee, a chief of the Wyandotte nation, was a noted hunter in his early life. In 1868 he was chosen to the council board of his nation, and a number of years afterward became head chief. His administra- tion was a wise and just one, always in the best interests of his peo- ple. He opposed the proposition of the government to divide the lands among the members of the tribe and let them come into full citizenship on the ground that many of them would squander their inheritance and soon be without homes. The proposition was put to a vote of the tribe and carried by a large majority with the result foreseen by the chief. Tauromee then set to work to get them new homes and after surmounting great obstacles succeeded in obtaining 20,000 acres of land from the Senecas, to which tract he was moving his tribe at the time of his death in Jan., 1870. Gov. Walker pronounced the eulogy at the funeral.
Taw, a country postoffice in Haskell county, is located in Lockport township, 12 miles southeast of Santa Fe, the county seat and nearest shipping point. The population in 1910 was 26, all the men being farmers or live stock breeders.
Taxation .- (See Finances, State.)
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Tax Commission .- In Kansas the problems connected with assess- ment and taxation are similar to those in other states which have a general property tax. The constitution of the state requires the legis- lature to "provide for a uniform and equal rate of assessment and taxation, but all property used exclusively for state, county, municipal, literary, educational, scientific, religious, benevolent and charitable pur- poses, and personal property to the amount of at least $200, for each family, shall be exempt from taxation."
In 1876 the legislature revised the law of taxation, and the code enacted at that time remained unchanged, except as amended in minor matters, until 1907. The law of 1876 was framed to conform to the requirements of the constitution, and contained the usual provisions to insure the assessment of all taxable property, of whatever kind or character, at its actual value. It is well known that the assessment of property at its real value was rarely observed, and the loose methods of assessment became so flagrant that for several years prior to 1907 a reform of the system was advocated. The legislature of 1907 responded to this demand and enacted a law supplementary to the one then existing. It also provided for the creation of a tax commission to "succeed and take the place of the board of railroad assessors, and the state board of equalization." The commission is composed of three members appointed by the governor, by and with the consent of the senate, for a term of four years. While serving in this capacity they cannot hold other office under the Federal or state government. The commissioners are expected to devote their whole time to the duties of the office and receive a salary of $2,500 each. They appoint a secre- tary, who receives a salary of not more than $2,000, a clerk, who receives a salary of $1,200, and such other expert assistants are employed as are necessary to perform the work of the commission.
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