USA > Kansas > Phillips County > Kirwin > Saga of old fort Kirwin 1869, and history of the Kirwin Kansas community, 1869-1969 > Part 4
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"Sometime since Mr. and Mrs. John Abrams received information from Mrs. Warren, formerly of this place, and then liv- ing at Atwood, Rawlins county, that the sta- tion agent at Monument had some clothing that had been found near the body of a mur- dered man and gave such a description of them as left little doubt that the dead man was none other than George T. Lord. Mr.
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Abrams, John B. Lord and G. M. Davis start- ed for Monument some three weeks ago -- where they identified the clothing, and gather- ed facts concerning the matter. They then took the trail of the woman with the wagon and team, to Hays, gathering a train of cir- cumstances proved the terrible truth, that George T. Lord was murdered for his money and property. At Hays they found one of the horses and a ring that the woman had sold. Fully satisfied that Mrs. Cisley was guilty, they filed a complaint, charging the crime against her, and returned to Kirwin.
" According to a pre-arranged plan, John Abrams, John B. Lord (son of deceased) A.G. McBride, county attorney, James Scott, Sr., and G. M. Davis, all of this place, met Sher- iff Allen of Trego county, at Logan yester- day morning and they all proceeded to the place where Mrs. Cisley, (now Mrs. Mc- Hurin) lives. Starting early in the morn- ing they reached the place about noon. Mrs. McHurin was taken by surprise, though when told she must consider herself under arrest she made an effort as though to get a revolver from a bureau drawer, but was de- feated and secured. Search of the premises was made and many things that had former-
ly belonged to the deceased were found and identified. The silver watch, the mittens and otter skin muffler were among the things found.
"Mrs. Cisley (now Mrs. McHurin) was taken to Logan, where she was taken to Lenora on the night train. From Lenora she was taken to WaKeeney, where she will be held to answer for the crime of which it now seems certain she is guilty. The parties that made the arrest are reticent about giv- ing details as to her actions after arrest, but it has leaked out that she broke down en- tirely and made a full confession of her guilt. From the report we learn that Mr. Lord had with him at the time he was mur- dered about $1000.00 in cash, and other pro- perty worth some five hundred dollars, all of which was taken by the woman. That he was shot in the back of the head while sleeping in the wagon, the bullet fracturing the skull in front but coming through and causing in- stant death, is certain. The case against Mrs. Cisley is wholly upon her confession, (if she has made one) and upon purely cir- cumstantial evidence, but so strong are the circumstances, so plainly marked is the trail she has left that there can be no doubt that this woman, Cisley, is the cold-blooded murderess of George T. Lord. No man had more friends than the deceased. Bluff, honest, generous, he was, not withstanding his rough manner, respected by all who knew him. He had faults -- but who has not? And now the mystery of his long-continued silence is solved. It was the silence of the grave."
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FIRST FRAME BUILDING THE BOGARTS OCCUPIED
M. L. Bogart rode a horse from Clinton County, Missouri to Phillips County in 1877 and picked out a place to homestead five and a half miles south of Kirwin. The man, who lived on the place he selected, didn't keep up his homestead agreement so Mr. Bogart took it over. Mr. Bogart fixed up the place as much as he could and then went back to Missouri. In the spring of 1878 he returned to Phillips county by covered wagon with his wife, Lean and their baby son, Leroy L. Bogart, who was about six months old. This was before Valley township was organized. This land had been continously owned and farmed by the Bogarts since it was home- steaded. The first few years he hauled his wheat to Hastings, Neb., and then would re- turn with a load of lumber for the lumber yard. Mr. Bogart was one of the first to plant Turkey Wheat (hard wheat) in Valley township.
Their first home was a dugout and in this dwelling three children, Eugene Elmer, Jesteen William and Pearl were born. Mr. Bogart and his brother William Bogart bought the John Mercen place, and they all moved into the little house in the spring of 1883. The following children were born in this house: Alta, Mary, Daisy, Bess, Ruth and Grace.
Mr. Bogart was very active in civic af- fairs. He, with others, organized the Farm ers' Store, Farmers' Band, Farmers' Ele- vator and helped get the telephone and mail route. The first school in District No. 90 was started on his land. He was elected county commissioner Nov. 4, 1890 and again Nov. 4, 1907.
A tribute to M. L. Bogart by his descen- dants.
LEE BOGART - MY GRANDFATHER
Ninty-one years ago my great-grand- parents and my grandfather, Lee Bogart, came by covered wagon from Clinton County, Missouri to Phillips county, Kansas. At that time grandfather was six months old. Their first home was in a dugout, five and one half miles south of Kirwin. He was the first of ten children, with brothers, Gene, Will and sister Pearl born while the family lived in the dugout. He recalls that the home was sixteen feet long and twelve feet wide, with a single pole in the middle. The children would cling to the pole and swing on it until it became as polished as glass. The floor was earthen and the home had a few windows. Through these windows he recalls seeing the glow of the prairie fires in the summer nights and in winter the frost and swirling snow.
During the family's stay in the dugout, from 1878 to 1883 many interesting things happened. One time grandfather stayed with a neighboring family while the father was away. It seemed the mother was afraid of a man she claimed was trying to harm her child. He had thrown a rock through their window barely missing the child. The man had earned the name of "The Wild Man of Valley Township." When grandfather arrived at the house the lady was well prepared to protect the home as she had five or six guns laid out to use if necessary. The "Wild Man" never bothered then and I guess it was a good thing because grandfather was only five years old.
(Con't. on P. 46)
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HOUSE ON THE
LAND OF WILLIAM
KNOWLES WHICH WAS HOMESTEADED IN
1873. HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1875 AND 1877.
KNOWLES FAMILY
In the spring of 1871 Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Knowles boarded a vessel at South Hampton, England and set sail for America. At this time their family consisted of four small sons. During the voyage which took seven weeks they were caught in a terrific storm which nearly took their lives.
After reaching New York City, they board- ed a train for Kansas and stopped in Junction City, where they lived for two years. Anoth- er son, John William, was born in January of 1873 and in April they moved further west. This trip was made in a prairie schooner drawn by a team of oxen.
They arrived on Bow Creek ahead of the 1873 Easter blizzard. Here they filed on a hundred and sixty acres of land, where they lived in a dugout until they built a stone house in 1875. Since William had been a stone mason in England his services were in demand to build the limestone houses in the area.
There were hard years for the pioneers but the farm finally prospered and some of the many improvements were, a water system for the house, a large orchard and a root cellar and many trees planted in wood lots and to mark boundary lines.
In 1875 a daughter was born, (Eliza Jane) in the new dugout. In the fall of this year three hundred Shawnee Indians camped in the pasture a short distance below the house for three weeks. They were friendly Indians traveling through hunting for food.
The first school house in a community
was a dugout and the school was open for three months. The teacher would board around with the patrons of the district. This dugout was also used for Sunday School and church. William Knowles was superinten- dent of the Sunday School for over thirty years and was on the school board in 1874.
In 1877 another son Charles was born and another daughter, Emma Celia, was born in 1885 to complete the family.
The original homestead is still on the banks of Bow Creek and is still owned by the family. The homestead was never mort- gaged or transferred in any way. The signa- ture of Chester A. Arthur is on the original deed.
William Knowles, his wife, Caroline Coo- per Knowles, five sons, John, Henry, Cooper, Thomas and Arthur and one daughter, Eliza Wyley are buried in Greenwood cemetery, Delmar community. One son, Charles is bur- ied in Penrose, Colo., and a baby son, Wil- liam was buried in England.
The farming tradition held up in this fam- ily and today some of the land by William Knowles in the 1880's is still owned by Wil- liam D. Knowles, his great grandson.
The dates and picture for this page of family history were supplied by a daughter of the first William Knowles, Emma who lives in Kirwin where she has made her home since the death of her husband Oliver James. She still owns the land her father homesteaded and though the house is gone, the trees still stand to mark the land he crossed an ocean for.
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BOOT
STUCKMANN
William Frederick Stuckmann was born in Bielefeld, Germany on Nov. 20, 1856. He came to America when he' was 21 years old after receiving his education in Germany and becoming a member of the German Lutheran Church.
He worked in a foundry in St. Louis, Mo., for a short time and later went to Keokuk, Ia., where he worked in a shoe store and at his cobbler trade. Here he met Anna Maree Mittermeyer, who at that time was working in a meat processing plant in Keokuk. Anna Maree was born in Vienna, Austria, Mar. 4, 1856 and came to America with her parents in a sail boat when she was six weeks old. The family migrated to Quincy, Ill., where she was educated and became a member of the Lutheran Church.
In 1884, Mr. Stuckmann came to Kirwin, Kans., where he again worked at his cobbler trade and with a small stock of shoes. After his business was established he sent for An- na Maree and in a short time they were mar- ried in the house which was their home for many years.
Ten children were born in that home --
six sons and four daughters. Today two sons and two daughters are still living. The oldest daughter, Bertha, lives in the old home.
Mr. Stuckmann was engaged in the shoe business for many years. His first shop was on the west side of the square and after that block burned he located on the east side, in the Landes building and continued there un- til his health failed and he retired. Mr. Stuckmann passed away in Kirwin, Nov. 19, 1933, lacking one day of being 77 years old. Mrs. Stuckmann passed away in Kirwin, Mar. 4, 1956 at the age of 100. With all their for- eign background they were truly American in every way.
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ELI FARLEY
Eli and Mary Jane Farley moved from Noble County, Ohio in 1885. The three older children, Lovina, May and Johnny remem- bered the ride on a boat down the Ohio river to a big city. Baby Edward learned later how the family took the train for Kir- win, Kans., where they were met by rela- tives. Wm. Farley, a single man, had plan- ned for them to live in his home until the stone house was finished on the land of their own. The two young girls attended the Del- mar school.
That winter five-year-old Johnny was a victim in the dreaded diphtheria epidemic which struck a number of homes. On request a physician in Ohio sent a prescription for treatment to John Farley. Copies of it were given to neighbors.
When spring came the family moved into the new house over a mile south of the Del- mar school house. The drawheld a clear pool of water suitable for use. Bushes grew along sloping · hills. Lovina (Mrs. Harry Steele) and May (Mrs. Albert Price) helped their mother pick wild currants, wild plums and wild grapes. Mrs. Farley directed them in the housework, the garden and poultry rais- ing. The girls helped take care ofEdward,Cora, (Mrs. John Froman) and Clifton. The father and all of the family were real pioneers in knowing hard work. In the photograph of the Delmar Sunday School are the pictures of Mrs. Farley and her three daughters.
When Cora became the homemaker for her father and brothers, Mr. Farley took his three young people to a farm near Ken- sington. His youngest granddaughter, Ura Price (Mrs. Floyd Cottrill) came to live
with them. Eunice Price lived with the grand- parents, Mr. and Mrs. (Nancy Koons) Sam- uel Price, and Clint with Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Farley.
Clifton, in the Navy in World War I, died with the flu in 1918.
Mr. Farley made his home in later years with his son Edward and his granddaughter, Eunice Price at Akron, Colo.
Churches
"The attention of the people was turned to the danger of the near by buildings and men climbed upon the Farmers Store roof, L.L. Bogart's house, J. J. Landes house, Baron's building and the Masonic Hall and wet them down. At last the whole church building had fallen in and danger was removed to a great extent. Quite a stiff wind blew from the north and that fanned the flames but also lessened the danger to the buildings standing beside the church.
"The church and furniture was insured for $2100.00, only and the church was valued at from $7000 to $8000. It means a great fi- nancial loss to the Methodist people and also a big loss to the town.
"It is not known exactly how the fire start- ed but it is supposed from the furnace but the fact that the attic was so soon ablaze gives a little credence to the defective flue idea.
"We understand the Methodist people will hold their services in the Christian Church for the time being."
KIRWIN STREET SCENE 1879
My G- Mother smut DoofBell Ringer Smelt worked in amilliman Hat store while going to normalcolleges at Partie 15 min East and South of Rinow she went by buchboard,
BOW CREEK PIONEERS HONORED
Off Highway 183 near the Bow Creek bridge a valley road winds eastward. Com- ing into view suddenly is an imposing monu- ment. The donors, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Muir, Sr., dedicated it to the Pioneers of Rooks and Phillips counties. There the stream entering Bow Creek township bends and turns through the Saylor community in the same country background with trees and rolling hills as it did a century ago. It rules the winding road to the picturesque rocky cliff where both are compelled north and easterly through the Delmar neighbor- hood and into the inundated valley area. To- day a guided auto tour from the monument to the Bow Creek bridge on the lake drive is a way to backtrack on the Indian and Pio- neer trail. The sportsmen's road catches stretches of it down the valley to Kirwin where the trickling or sometimes tumul- tuous waters of Bow Creek are captured and controlled.
The donors of the monument had known many of the pioneers in the valley and on the uplands. Despite the long hours of hard labor, various hardships and keen disap-
pointments, the daily life of the settlers held interests and activities. Sunday School began in the first homes until school houses were built. Shady grounds along the creek somewhere allowed all day picnics or a camp meeting. Sometimes baptismal services were held at the creck. Recreations were varied. Boys knew Bow Creek swimming holes and in winter skated to Kirwin. There were foot races, wrestling, horse races and baseball games. For all there were parties, dances, debates and programs of en- tertainment provided by themselves.
Some early pioneers lived to see the coming of the automobile. In 1910 at the dedication of the Delmar Chapel, Mr. Kemp from Kirwin, gave the young boys their first ride in an auto. A few years later a pioneer related an incident which prevented his at- tending the dedication. The day before he had bought a new pair of shoes. On that Sunday morning he was dressing to go and on open- ing the shoe box discovered one black and one brown shoe. He told it with laughter that had overcome frustration.
Descendents of pioneers are grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Muir, Sr., for their gift of the monument.
Those Who Survived The Early Days Near Kirwin
0 were rugged; but the modern farmer also has his problems. We're here to help him solve them. Con- gratulations on your Cent- tennial !
PIONEER WOMAN
she lent a graciousness and charm
To the cabin made of sod,
And all the while, through hardship and alarm Kept firm faith in God"
M. F. Converse
Congratulations, Kirwin!
on your 100th year !
"You Bend 'Em .. We'll Fix 'Em"
DEAN GRAIN CO.
Phillipsburg And Agra
JACK'S BODY SHOP
Jack Fix - Phillipsburg
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THEODORE STEELE
In September 1872 Theodore and Isabelle Steele, with two-year-old Gertrude and baby son Harry, arrived in Kansas from Lone Tree, Ia. They came in a covered wagon drawn by a team of oxen. Leaving the moth- er and children with friends in Smith county, Mr. Steele went to Kirwin where he was directed up Bow Creek in his successful search for a location with a spring on it. Near by a dugout had been made previously on the relinquished place so it was possible for the Steele family to move into their new home on reaching it.
The spring, later curbed with large white rocks and with an iron pipe, served the house- hold over forty years, and the horse spring by the barn did as well. In early days in warm seasons they carried the laundry down the path where a woodfire heated the water in the large iron kettle for the wash-board tub. Articles were spread on the thick willows to dry
The Indian and early settlers' trail angling up the valley closely by the yard made a con- venient stop for settlers passing along and occasionally an Indian came. Down the val- ley (now the Floyd Wyley farm) the Indians with their women and children set up a camp along Bow Creek for a short time so Mr. and Mrs. Steele took the two little ones in the wagon to call on the Indians to exchange friendly greetings. An Indian woman asked if the Steele baby was a boy or a girl. Con- versation, no doubt, was quite limited.
Men took teams of horses and wagons to haul freight to the stores in Kirwin from Hays and from Kearney, Neb. During her husband's absence, Mrs. Steele had gone with the children to a neighbor's home as word had reached the community that some In- dians were coming. She remembered she had left her butter in the spring. So she hastened back home to get it. Going down the path she met one Indian, greeted him with a friendly "How-do-you-do" and heard him say "How"! She continued on her way, picked up the butter and returned to the neigh- bor's home safely.
A few years later young Harry never for- got a winter's day his mother cooked pigs feet for dinner. An Indian came, staying a long time, until the meal was served and he ate with the family before going on his way. Finally Indians went to distant territories and were gone.
Among his experiences of pioneer life, Mr. Steele one night foiled the attempt of a horse thief stealing a mare staked out in the meadow. He gave chase afoot, calling out to neighbors as he ran, and found the mare eager to return to her young colts.
Neighbor helped neighbor in times of need. After drouth and hardships, better years came. The new stone house could be built. The men, guided by the North Star, staked out the foundation at night. The stone- work was supervised by C. R. Robbins and the pointing done by John Gaumer. Cedars grew in the front yard. Other shade trees and orchards had been planted through the years.
Besides the happy parents members mov- ing into the new house were Gertrude (Mrs. R. L. Farley), Harry, Murray, Myrtle (Mrs. William Ross) and Edith (Mrs. James Lam- bert).
The community selected the name "Del- mar" proposed by Mr. Abbott, Sr. A few pioneers saw the old stone school building replaced by a frame one and later it en- larged into a two-room structure. Mr. Steele served on the school board a number of years.
He opened his home to his elderly brother as he previously had also welcomed his two grandchildren, Myrtle Claribel (Mrs. Geo. E. Guthrie) and Lyle T. Ross. For twenty years Gertrude was the homemaker. Con- tinuously for 45 years Mr. Steele lived on the homestead now owned by Lyle T. Ross, whose granddaughter (Diane Wyley) and hus- band Kenneth Stockman are tenants.
At the end of the century the spring waters still run in good years to the creek which has cut a deeper bed making higher banks.
The Kirwin Community Deserves A "Pat On The Back" . for its excellent progress during the past hundred years!
KANSAS
Farm Bureau Insurance
Leon Durnil, Agency Manager - - - Louis Pumphrey, Special Agent PHILLIPSBURG, KANSAS
THE LALA FAMILY
Millie Oliva's parents came to America from Lytomysle, Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1866. They settled in Iowa for nine years. The oldest child was born in Europe and then the five others in Iowa. Millie was born in Taylor County, Iowa. She was the youngest.
When she was two and one half years old, they came to Osborne County, Kansas, in 1875 in two covered wagons which took three weeks to complete. They lived in a sod house for about nine years.
For sweetening, they raised cane, took the stalks to George Simon, who had a press and made sorghum. He lived on Medicine Creek. Some of the wheat they raised they took to Jackson's Mill at Kirwin, to get their supply of flour. She knew all the pioneer hard- ships and good times of those days.
She was married to Albert Lala Aug. 21, 1900. He, also was born in Iowa. He had three brothers and one sister. Their birth- place was Marian in Lynn County, Iowa. The parents came from Czechoslovakia in 1871. When Albert was four years his family came to Republic County, Kansas. Three years later they moved to Jewell county. Because of his father's death he was forced to make his own way when he was fourteen. Joseph, his oldest brother went back to Europe to live in the home they left when he was six-
teen. He never saw his family again. Millie met Albert at a dance that the Kallash band was playing for. Three of her brothers played in this band. It was love at first sight.
To this union five children grew to wo- manhood and manhood. They moved 1/2 mile north of Kirwin in 1915. All graduated from ·Kirwin high school. They are Erma (Mrs. Alfred Willis); Ted, deceased; Agnes Town- ley, Tri Sig house mother at Hays; Wilbur lives and farms east of Kirwin and Wilma (Mrs. Egon Ehrlich) of Hays.
Congratulations, Kirwin
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WILLIAM AND SARAH WYRILL
William Wyrill was born Nov. 30, 1837, near Farlington, a village in Yorkshire, England. He was the eighth child in a family of eleven children. He died at Kirwin, Kans., Aug. 14, 1930. His people were upper middle- class, and included farmers, businessmen, school teachers and music teachers. One son was, for years, a member of the editor- ial staff of the "London Times."
At the age of twenty-one, he and two cou- sins set sail for Canada, for action and ad- venture. At his mother's request, he went first to Batesville, in Noble County, Ohio, to visit her relatives.
This orchard growing region pleased him so much that he decided to stay. The cou- sins went on to Canada.
He was happy there, planting, cultivating and grafting fruit trees, until he enlisted in the Army at the beginning of the Civil War. He was in the Siege of Vicksburg, and he marched with Sherman to the sea. He told of President Lincoln coming to their camp
Then, after an almost fatal attack of small-pox made him immune, he drove a "Black Maria," and worked in hospitals, helping in the care of smallpox patients. He was strong and sympathetic, and his ser- vices were in demand during the terrible smallpox epidemic that ravaged the South in wartime.
After the war was over, he returned to Ohio, and then, again adventuring, he came to Kansas in 1872 and homesteaded on Deer Creek near Kirwin. This homestead is still part of the old homeplace. He wanted to have a dependable water supply for the cattle he hoped to raise. Deer Creek was a much
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