USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > Kansas City > Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Historical and biographical. Comprising a condensed history of the state, a careful history of Wyandotte County, and a comprehensive history of the growth of the cities, towns and villages > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
John A. Martin March 13, 1865. Colonel Eighth Kansas Volunteer Infantry.
James Ketner March 13, 1865. Major Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry; mustered ont December 6, 1865.
George H. Hoyt.
March 13, 1865. Lieutenant-Colonel Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cav- atry.
William R. Judson .. March 13, 1865. Colonel Sixth Kaosas Volunteer Cavalry.
Edw'd F. Schneider. March 13, 1865, Lieutenant-Colonel Eighth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
Samuel Walker .. March 13, 1865. Lieutenant-Colonel Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cav.
Charles Mundee.
April 2. 1865. .. Major and Assistant Adjutant-General U. S. Volunteers.
GOVERNOR'S MILITARY STAFF, 1865.
HIS EXCELLENCY SAMUEL J. CRAWFORD, GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, INAU- GURATED JANUARY 9, 1865.
Office.
Name.
Rank.
Appointment.
Remarks.
Adjutant-General .. T. J. Anderson
Colonel ...
April 11, 1865
App'd under act Feb. 13, '65
Q. M. General ....
D. E. Ballard
Colonel ... Feb'y 18. 1865 .. App'd under act Feb. 13, '65
Paymaster-Gen .... John K. Rankin .. .
Colonel ... Feb'y 18, 1865 .. App'i under act Feb. 13, '65
Surgeon-General .. N. T. Winans.
Colonel ... Feb'y 18, 1863 .. App'l under act Feb. 13, 65
( Charles Dimond. Lieut. ('ol April 10, 1865 ... |App'd under act Feb. 13, '65
Aides-de-Camp ... Cyrus Leland, Jr. Lieut. Col April 10, 1865 ... App'd under act Feb. 13, '65
/ E. G. Ross ...
Lient. Col April 10, 1865 ... App'd under act Feb. 13, 65
Asst. Adjt .- Gen .... H. T. Beman .....
Maior .. . April 10. 1865. .. App'd under aet Feb. 13, '65
P
1
94
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
The Price raid and Curtis expedition cost the citizens of Kansas, besides the labor, loss of life, and such incidental losses as could not be computed, not less than half a million dollars. The Government was, of course, bound to reimburse them, so far as the losses could be established as valid claims growing out of the war in which the coun- try was then engaged. The Legislature of 1865 made provision for the assumption and payment of the claims by the State, looking to the general Government for reimbursement. Several successive com- missions have been appointed to settle all of these claims, but their adjustment has been attended with much difficulty, and it is probable that many of them will never be settled to the satisfaction of all con- cerned.
The war was followed by Indian troubles in Kansas, from 1864 to 1874, which were not terminated without much savage atrocity and the loss of many innocent lives. Men and children and women had been slain-many of the latter had suffered a fate worse than death. Even after all difficulties had apparently been adjusted by treaty in 1868, the red men kept up desultory warfare in different localities, which did not cease until about ten years after the Civil War.
*
.
95
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
CHAPTER V.
THE GROWTH OF CITIES IN THE STATE-AN ADVOCATE OF KICKAPOO- "CITIES" OF THE PAST-PAWNEE-QUINDARO - DELAWARE-SUM- NER-DONIPHAN-ELWOOD-OTHER "CITIES ON PAPER"-THEIR IN- FLUENTIAL PROJECTORS AND PROMOTERS-LECOMPTON AND MIN- NEOLA -THE CITIES OF THE PRESENT-KANSAS CITY -TOPEKA- LEAVENWORTH - FORT SCOTT-LAWRENCE- OTHER MUNICIPALI- TIES-THE CENTERS OF TRADE AND FINANCE AND THE RESULTS OF ENERGY AND WELL-DIRECTED EFFORT.
Our fathers next, ip architecture skill'd, Cities for use, and forts for safety buil Then palaces and lofty domes arose; These for devotion, and for pleasure those .- Blackmore.
BOUT the middle of October, 1854, there were many passengers aboard the old-time steamer "F. X. Aubrey," on her trip from St. Louis to Leavenworth. Among them was Col. C. K. Hol- liday, the most prominent among the founders and builders of the capital city of Kansas, who made the acquaintance of an elderly gentle- man from Weston, Mo., who took a lively in- terest in Kansas, having already invested in the new Terri- tory, and determined to make it his future home. Upon learning that Mr. Holliday was going to Kansas with a view to making a permanent settlement, this gentleman was kind enough to give him numerous, more or less valua- ble, hints and suggestions. "Don't make a mistake, young man," he said, "don't make a mistake. Near the great el- bow of the Missouri, there is bound to be built the greatest city of the continent, and that city, sir, is Kickapoo." Mr. Holliday suggested that he had heard much of Atchison, Leavenworth and Wyandotte, but he was quickly given to understand that if he wished
G
K
G
96
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
to grow up with and become part of a great city, he must locate at Kickapoo. If, however, he could not reconcile himself to living in a large commercial emporium like Kickapoo, he was advised to "stick his stakes" at Douglas or Tecumseh, both of which would surely be large interior cities, and one of which would doubtless be the capital.
Strange as it may seem to-day, it is true that Kickapoo, situated on the Missouri River, some six or eight miles above Leavenworth, then aspired to be one of the great cities of the Territory, and hoped to be- come the greatest. And it is equally true that Tecumseh had similar aspirations of becoming the largest interior city, and not without reason, for Tecumseh came within one vote of being made the capital by the first Legislative Assembly, and would doubtless have secured the location, had not the personal interests of a majority of the mem- bers influenced them to make the location at Lecompton. The import- ance of these cities was fully recognized by the Legislative Assembly, however, in that it established the county seat of Leavenworth County at Kickapoo, of Douglas County at Douglas, and of Shawnee County at Tecumseh. Nor would the friends of these respective cities for a moment concede that Leavenworth could ever successfully compete with Kickapoo, nor Lawrence with Douglas, nor Topeka, not even founded in the initial period of this history, with Tecumseh.
Pawnee should not be overlooked in an account of these early Ter- ritorial cities. It was situated upon a beautiful plateau on the north bank of the Kansas River, about a mile east of Fort Riley, and was planted there by a number of prominent gentlemen, most of them from Pennsylvania, who were supposed to be quite near to, and have much influence with, the administrative authority of the Territory. Their hopes for Pawnee soared high above the hopes of the friends of Kicka- poo, Douglas or Tecumseh. At this place the first Legislative As- sembly was convened, and it was hoped that an act would speedily be passed making Pawnee the permanent capital. But the political fires which swept and devastated the Territory for the next three years had already been kindled. The Assembly, therefore, did not only not make Pawnee the capital, but refused to do any business whatever there other than to organize, and then adjourn to the Shawnee Mis- sion, where the remainder of its session was held. A large and sub- stantial stone building was erected, by private means, in which the two houses of the assembly might hold their sessions, and other buildings were brought into existence for the accommodation of the officers and members. Upon investigation, however, it was ascertained that Paw-
97
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
nee was located upon the Fort Riley military reservation. This was construed as an invasion of the reserved territory of the United States; and upon the facts being made known at Washington, the President ordered the army to expel the citizens, and, if need be, to bombard and destroy the city. The city was ever afterward known, until it passed from the recollections of the people, as "Pawnee-on-the- Reserve."
In these modern days, when one wishes to express in the superlative degree any great movement in trade, in manufacture, in real estate, in the rapid growth of cities, it is called a "boom." The biggest boom that Kansas ever had in the city line took place in 1857 and 1858. The causes of this movement were too numerous to be enumerated in detail. Principally, however, a great panic was prevailing in the Eastern States, and the many persons failing there strove to place the remnants saved from the wrecks of their fortunes where they would best escape the vigilance of creditors and at the same time be most remunerative. Kansas having been extensively advertised through its "Border Ruffian " troubles, and by the Buchanan-Fremont campaign of 1856, peace being at last assured, and large bodies of valuable pub- lic lands being offered for sale, the rush of people to the Territory was most extraordinary. Unlike those who came in the three pre- ceding years, those who came in 1857 were possessed of considerable means. The result was that both lands and city lots, especially the latter, were in the greatest demand. All sales were made for cash. The older and really more substantial cities and towns having been sold and resold, and the demand being still unsupplied, new towns or cities-everything was a city then-were being daily organized, sur- veyed, platted and sold. Lots, or groups of lots, were seldom sold. The plan was almost universal to issue certificates of shares in the new city and sell the certificates. The city would be divided into from 100 to 400 or 500 shares-according to its size and the sanguine temper of its founders-and each share would represent from two to twenty lots. The avidity with which these shares were bought was something startling. The standard average price for city shares was $500 each, some favorites, of course, commanding more, others, perhaps, less.
It was not merely the new comers who were so enthusiastic and so completely lost self-control in this city's movements, but the old set- tlers were equally affected and as easily carried along by the tide of speculation. Many who had valuable properties in the old and well established towns, such as Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Lawrence, Tope-
98
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
ka and others, sold the same and with the proceeds bought certificates, of shares in the new cities. In Shawnee County, alone, were the cities of Avoca, Canema, Essex, Dayton and Kansopolis, whose lots to-day are doubtless parts of cornfield or orchard, and whose sites the oldest inhabitants would try in vain to determine. Quindaro, Dela- ware, Sumner, Doniphan, Palermo and Elwood were six of the most prominent of these cities, and they were organized almost simultane- ously, and their early progress was most extraordinary. Large hotels and fine business blocks and valuable stocks of goods could be found at each, and the population of each increased with astonishing rapidity, especially when the sparseness with which the Territory was then set- tled is taken into consideration. Perhaps their great prosperity is not to be marveled at when we consider who were the founders or early champions of these cities. The most distinguished citizen of the Territory at that time, and afterward governor of the common- wealth, a man foremost in Kansas throughout nearly all its history, was among the leading spirits at Quindaro. A lieutenant-governor and many others of distinction championed the prosperity of Dela- ware. A gentleman of wide literary fame, who has since honored both his State and nation upon the floor of the United States Senate, was the special friend of Sumner. A great military chieftain of the Territorial days, and afterward a distinguished senator in Congress, was the leader in the enterprise at Doniphan. Gentlemen of almost equal prominence and ability were directing affairs at Palermo. But it was reserved for Elwood to be especially blessed with a list of names as its founders and friends, of which any city might be proud; one, afterward often honored by his friends with a seat in the State Legislature and other civil offices; another, afterward a high literary authority and an accomplished State officer; another, afterward a dis- tinguished general in the Union army, and subsequently holding high positions in the civil service at New Orleans; another, afterward the leading citizen of a neighboring State, a millionaire and a member of the United States Senate; and still another, greater than all, who af- terward held many civil offices, then was governor of the State, and more recently envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to a powerful but friendly empire. Yet, notwithstanding all this great array of talent and eminence, the fates seemed to be against these cities. Their boom continued only a year or two, and it would now be difficult to determine even the sites of some of them. Quindaro was located three miles above Wyandotte; Delaware about half way
99
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
between Wyandotte and Leavenworth; Sumner four or five miles be- low Atchison; Doniphan as many miles above Atchison; Elwood im- mediately opposite St. Joseph, Mo .; and Palermo about midway be- tween Elwood and Doniphan.
Two great causes contributed to bring about the collapse of these cities. First, being located but a few miles apart, along the Missouri River, which already had upon its banks the prosperous cities of At- chison, Leavenworth and Wyandotte, they necessarily became rivals and greatly antagonized each other's interests; second, they were un- questionably far in advance of the times. The business of the Terri- tory, with its small population, could not sustain so many important places crowded into such close proximity. Viewed from the standpoint of to-day, and with all the disastrous results presented, it is a matter of supreme regret that the great talents employed and the large means expended in the attempt to plant so many antagonistic cities on the eastern border of the State were not combined to build one really great, magnificent city within the State limits, a city capable of evok- ing the largest State pride, at which the commercial and financial busi- ness of the State might be transacted, and whose wealth would aug- ment and aggrandize the wealth of all Kansas.
Two other cities of the Territorial period claim the attention of the historian-Lecompton and Minneola. Both of these cities had the loftiest aspirations, each striving to be the greatest political center- the capital of Kansas. Nor were these aspirations by any means groundless, for Lecompton was chosen as the capital by the first Leg- islative Assembly, or what was known as the "Border Ruffian Assem- bly," while Minneola was chosen as the capital by the Free-State Legislative Assembly, at its first regular session. Soon after the first of these locations, Congress made an appropriation of $50,000, with which to erect a capitol building at Lecompton, which sum was duly expended for that purpose. After Kansas became a State one of the first acts of Gov. Robinson was to sell that capitol building at public auction, and so little were capitol buildings in demand at that time, the net proceeds of the sale is stated to have been only $216. At Minneola a large building was erected for capitol purposes by private enterprise, and good hotels for the accommodation of members of As- sembly, Territorial officers, and others, but they were doomed never to be occupied for such purposes. The Legislative Assembly which located the capital at Minneola also provided for a constitutional convention to assemble at the same place. It met, but refused to entertain any
100
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
motion or transact any business other than to organize and adjourn to Leavenworth, where the constitution designated by that name was framed. The fortunes of both Lecompton and Minneola as capitals were plainly discerned from the beginning. The political revolution thus taking place sealed the fate of the former. Minneola was largely owned by the members of the Assembly which located the capital there. This savored too much of jobbery to be tolerated by the peo- ple. Besides, it was forestalling the judgment of the people upon a subject very near the popular heart, and the people became indignant. The intensity of the feeling aroused upon this subject is indicated by a circumstance which occurred in the council during the consideration of the bill locating the capital at Minneola. One of the members opposed to the location said: "I have to say to the friends of this measure that, appropriating the language of Mr. Webster, 'The light- ning has its power, the tempest has its power, the earthquake has its power, but there is something more powerful than the lightning and the tempest and the earthquake combined, and that is public opinion; ' and public opinion will brand this outrage as a swindle and its perpe- trators as swindlers! You are flattering yourselves that you are locat- ing a capital. It is a mistake; it will prove to be simply a graveyard, in which every member who votes for this bill will be politically buried!" The prediction was almost literally fulfilled, for but few of those that voted for the "Minneola Swindle," as it was afterward called, were ever again entrusted by the people with public confidence or public places.
This much for the cities of 1854 and the cities of 1857-the cities that never materialized. The cities of the present are all known throughout the commonwealth, many of them throughout the Union, some of them throughout the world. Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita, Fort Scott, Leavenworth, Lawrence, Atchison, Ottawa, Arkansas City, Emporia, Winfield, Wellington, Newton, Manhattan, Junction City, Salina, Great Bend, Hutchinson, Dodge City, Garden City and numer- ous other municipalities would exhaust both the painter and the poet to portray them in their substantial glory. What the jewels are to the crown, what the stars are to the firmament, so are the cities of Kansas to its broad and splendid domain. These cities are the result of energy, forethought and well-directed enterprise. They represent what is manly and strong in the character of Kansans-what is in- vincible by the dragons in the way of progress. They show, more unmistakably than any other thing-so plainly that "he who runs may
101
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
read "-the material prosperity of the sunflower seats. Among the cities of the State, large and small, not mentioned above, are Par- sons, Pittsburg, El Dorado, Clay Centre, Abilene, McPherson, Con- cordia, Osage City, Kingman, Olathe, Chanute, Independence, Ar- gentine, Horton, Minneapolis, Larned, Paola, Girard, Marysville, Beloit, Lyons, Holton, Oswego, Council Grove, Marion, Chetopa, Hia- watha, Cherryvale, Seneca, Ellsworth, Nickerson, Burlington, Weir City, Rosedale, Columbus, Harper, Coffeyville, Burlingame, Galena, Washington, Eureka, Anthony, Sterling, Caldwell, Garnett, Yates Cen- ter, Wamego, Greensburg, Florence, Norton, Iola, Scranton, Fre- donia, Augusta, Baxter Springs, Humboldt, Peabody, Belleville, Her- ington, Stockton, Erie, Lindsborg, Clyde, Osage Mission, Osborne, Oberlin, Lincoln, Howard, Coldwater, Valley Falls, Phillipsburg, Downs, Kirwin, Baldwin City, Labetha, Pleasanton, Cawker City, Halstead, Neodesha, Mankato, Cherokee, Russell, La Cygne, Strong City, Kinsley, Elk City and Blue Rapids.
In 1860 there were only ten towns and cities in Kansas having a population in excess of 500 each, only three having over 1,000 each, and only one having 5,000 inhabitants. In 1880 ninety-nine towns each had a population in excess of 500, fifty-five towns and cities had each over 1,000, six had each over 5,000, and three had over 15,000 each. In 1885 each of 154 towns had over 500 population, ninety. one towns and cities had each over 1,000, twelve had each over 5,000, six had each over 10,000, four had each over 15,000, and two had more than 20,000 each. March 1, 1889, there were in the State eight cities, containing a population of from 10,000 to 36,000 each, and twenty-eight cities, each containing a population of 2,500 or upward, and sixty five cities, each containing a population of 1,000 or up- ward. The incorporated cities, as well as the villages and hamlets, throughout the State are growing rapidly, and during the past few years, they have nearly all gained steadily in population and commer- cial importance. In very few instances did the census enumeration of 1890 show a smaller population than was claimed by the residents of the different towns. There are 625 post-offices in the State.
*=
102
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
CHAPTER VI.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF KANSAS-UNDER THE TERRITORIAL GOVERN- MENT-UNDER THE STATE GOVERNMENT-THE SUPREME COURT- DISTRICT COURTS-COMPOSITION OF DISTRICTS-THE JUDICIARY- Two DISTINGUISHED CHIEF JUSTICES-HIGH STANDING OF THE BAR OF THE STATE.
Pity is the virtue of the law, And none but tyrants use it cruelly. * * * *
We must not make a scare-crow of the law .- Shakspeare.
RESIDENT PIERCE, as early as June, 1854, made judicial appointments for the Territory of Kansas. During the Territorial period, Samuel D. Lecompte, of Maryland, and John Pettit, of Indiana, held the position of chief justice of the Territorial courts: Saunders W. Johnston, of Ohio, Rush Elmore, of Alabama, Jeremiah M. Burrill, of Pennsylvania, Sterling G. Cato, of Alabama, Thomas Cunningham, of Pennsyl- vania, and Joseph Williams, of Iowa, were associate jus- tices. When Kansas became a State, the court consisted of Judges Pettit, Elmore and Williams. Israel B. Don- alson, of Illinois, was the first United States marshal; Andrew Jackson Isacks, of Louisiana, was the first United States district attorney, and James Findlay, of Pennsyl- vania, was appointed clerk. February 26, 1855, Gov. Reeder divided the Territory into three judicial districts; the first was assigned to Chief Justice Lecompte, the courts to be held at Leavenworth; the second to Judge Elmore, with courts at Tecumseh; the third to Judge Johnston, with courts at Pawnee. August 31, 1855, Charles H. Grover, H. A. Hutchinson and John T. Brady were commissioned as district attorneys, respectively, for the
G
103
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
First, Second and Third Districts. In 1858 Alson C. Davis became United States district attorney; E. S. Denuis, Isaac Winston, Philip T. Colby and William P. Fain were United States marshals. Andrew J. Rodigue, E. Noel Eccleston, James R. Whitehead and Laomi Mc- Arthur, were among the last of the clerks of the Territorial courts.
Marcus J. Parrott, Thomas B. Sykes and John Martin held the position of reporters of the court. The first attorneys admitted to practice in the Territorial court were Edmund Byerly, James Chris- tian, Marcus J. Parrott and Richard R. Rees.
P. Sidney Post, of Wyandotte, and Richard Henry Weightman, of Atchison, were appointed United States commissioners under the pro- visions of the fugitive slave act of 1850.
By an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 27, 1860, there were three judicial districts defined, with the times and places for holding therein the several courts. The division of the Territory into districts and the judges for the courts are presented in the following: The counties of Doniphan, Atchison, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte and Arapahoe constituted the First District, to which Chief Justice John Pettit was assigned. Section 10 of said act reads as follows: "The whole of the Delaware Indian reservation is hereby attached to the First Judicial District for judicial purposes, as well as all the Indian Territory lying and being within the boundary of Arapahoe County." The county of Arapahoe was attached to the county of Leavenworth for judicial purposes, except that in the county of Arapahoe the process of subpoena issuing from Leavenworth County shall have no force or effect if served in said Arapahoe County. (This county embraced the Pike's Peak region, which bec ime the prominent portion of Colorado, with Denver as an objective point. )
Excepting nine counties in the eastern tiers, the remaining portion of the Territory was in the Second District, to which Rush Elmore, associate justice of the Supreme Court, was assigned. Provisions were made for holding courts at Burlington, Emporia, Council Grove, Junc- tion City, Marysville, Hiawatha, Holton, Topeka and Lawrence. The counties of Osage, Woodson, Wilson, Greenwood, Godfrey (now Elk and Chautauqua), Butler, Hunter (now Cowley), Chase, Marion, Sa- line, Dickinson, Clay, Washington, Riley, Wabaunsee, Pottawatomie and Nemaha were attached to their adjoining most contiguous counties for judicial purposes. The Pottawatomie, Kaw, Otoe, Chippewa and Ottawa, and Sac and Fox and Kickapoo Indian reservations were at- tached to this judicial district.
104
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
The counties of Johnson, Miami, Linn, Bourbon, Cherokee, Neosho, Allen, Anderson and Franklin constituted the Third District, and As- sociate Justice Joseph Williams was assigned to it. For judicial pur- poses Cherokee County was attached to Bourbon; Dorn to Allen, and the New York Indian reservation was attached to this district for judicial purposes. In Section 9 of this act, it was provided "Where a county is attached to another for judicial purposes, the jurisdiction of the county to which it is attached shall be as if it formed a part thereof, unless the county attached has its own organization and officers."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.