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 17
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"He owns large interests in the western part of Missouri, near the Indian Territory. He has laid out and platted a town there called Splitlog. He has built a railroad from Neosho, Mo., south about fifty
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miles. He is now seeking a connection with Kansas City either by building a new road or by joining one already built. It is said that he is worth already $1,000,000, and his real estate is still advancing in value. He is known as the millionaire Indian, and is the only In- dian ever rated at $1,000,000. In religion he is a Catholic. His first sales of land on Splitlog Hill were made to Catholics, one of them being to a pioneer bishop for a church, school and home for the sisters.
"He appears to be about one-half white blood. He stands about five feet eight inches, is at least seventy years old, and has a dark, swarthy countenance, but not the usual high cheek bones. Many a foreigner from Italy and France is as dark as he. In a crowd, among strangers, if he kept silent, few would take him for an Indian. He is a born machinist. He had a mill near his house soon after he came here from Ohio, where he ground grists of corn by horse-power, built by himself. It had no covering, but the frame was made of large square timbers. It stood there as late as 1860, but had been out of use several years. He built a saw-mill during the war near Arm- strong, and the motive power was a steam engine put in by himself. After he arrived in the Indian Territory he built a saw-mill and a grist mill for both wheat and corn. Both mills were run by steam put in by himself. He is a very quiet man, of very few words, and most strictly honest. The writer of this has heard many years ago what episode it was that gave him the name Splitlog; but as near as he now remembers the legend, it is about like this: At the time of his birth his mother was at work with other Indian women out in the field near a log that had been split open, and as she gave birth to him near that split log, she named him after it. Certain it is he has always borne that name ever since he was adopted into the Wyandotte Nation. He has ever been regarded as an honorable and reliable man.
" He has already lived beyond the average age of the leading Wyan- dottes-Silas Armstrong was not much over fifty when he died, in 1866. Matthew Walker must have been only about fifty when he died. Will- iam Walker, his brother, known as "Governor" Walker, was not over sixty-five years old at his death. Very few ever reached seventy. John Sacabass and Mathew Mudeater were not over seventy at their deaths. Tauroomee (or John Hat, as he was anglicized) was as old and perhaps older than any Wyandotte who has died in the last quarter of a century. He was between seventy and eighty. "But Splitlog bids fair to reach a greater age than any of them. He is still robust and
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active. He has no education, not being able to read or write, but he employs a clerk who is educated."
On June 4, 1890, James Clark, of Amhurstburg, Canada, a Wyan- dotte Indian, eighty-five years of age, visited Kansas City, Kas. He is a half-brother of George I. Clark, the Wyandotte, who is buried in the Huron Place Cemetery. In company with Mr. H. M. Northrup, Mr. Clark visited the cemetery and saw his brother's grave-perhaps for the last time. The next day he proceeded on his way to the Indian Territory to visit Matthias Splitlog and others.
The leading chiefs of the Wyandottes, from the time they settled in 1843, until they became citizens in 1855, were Francis A. Hicks, Tau-roo-mee, James Bigtree, James Washington, Sarahass, George Armstrong, John Gibson, John W. Gray-Eyes, Henry Jaques, Will- iam Walker, Silas Armstrong, George I. Clark, Mathew Mudeater, and George G. Clarke. The first United States agent to the Wyan- dottes, in Kansas, was Maj. Phillips, of Columbus, Ohio; interpreters, John M. Armstrong and George I. Clark. The second United States agent was Dr. Richard M. Hewitt: the third and last, exclusively for the Wyandottes, Maj. Moseley. William Walker and Silas Armstrong were interpreters from 1849 to the close of the agency.
The following, furnished by D. B. Hadley, now the oldest resident lawyer in Wyandotte County, will be read with interest:
"The Wyandottes were much more advanced in civilization than either the Delawares or Shawnees. They cultivated farms. built houses and barns, planted orchards and opened roads. They owned and worked a ferry over the Kansas River, near its mouth. Several of the more advanced in civilization and learning engaged in mercantile business, in Kansas City and Wyandotte. Among these were Joel Walker, Isaiah Walker and Henry Garrett. One of their number, John M. Armstrong, was a lawyer, having studied and practiced in Ohio, before coming here. Silas Armstrong, his brother, was more than half white, well educated, intelligent and wealthy. William Walker, among strangers, would be taken for a full white man. He was educated, had been postmaster in Ohio, and wrote interestingly for newspapers, and frequently delivered lectures of much interest. He was provisional governor, and a member of the Territorial Legis- lature after it was organized. Besides the Indian language, he spoke English and French. A perfect gentlemen in bearing, he lived here until 1875, when he died at the home of a friend in Kansas City. Matthew Walker, his brother, lived on his farm in the northern part
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of Wyandotte City. His brick residence stood upon an eminence north of Jersey Creek, corresponding to Splitlog's Hill, south of Jer- sey Creek. He died in 1860. Joel Walker, another brother, died in the fall of 1857. George I. Clark lived in Quindaro Township, and died in 1857. Francis Hicks lived about a mile northwest of the mouth of the Kaw, and died in 1855. His father, John Hicks, lived one mile farther west, and died in 1852. Half a mile west of John Hicks was Jacob Whitecrow, who lived there until he emigrated to the Indian Territory, in 1871. A little southeast of Whitecrow lived Rob- ert Robitaille, who went to the Indian Territory, with the tribe. He
was at one time county treasurer. Noah E. Zane lived about seven miles west of the mouth of the Kaw, and was chiefly noted for the ex- cellent fruit which he raised. He died in 1867. Charles B. Garrett lived just north of Jersey Creek, and a half mile west of the Missouri River. He died in 1868. Esquire Gray-Eyes, the unschooled but learned and eloquent exhorter of the Wyandottes, lived between George I. Clark's and Francis Hicks'. His son, John, was well educated, and often acted as interpreter, going to the Indian Territory with his tribe. Abelard Guthrie, the delegate to the XXXIId Congress, was a white man, but married Quindaro Brown, was adopted into the tribe, and lived with her until 1868, when he went to Washington, where he died about the year 1873. Mathew Mudeater lived two miles west of the mouth of the Kaw, and had an excellent orchard. Of the Delaware Indians, who still live in the county, may be mentioned Lewis Ketch- um, about ten miles west of Wyandotte; Isaac Johnnycake lived ten miles west of Wyandotte till he moved to the Indian Territory, with his tribe, in 1867. He was employed by Gen. Fremont, with twelve others, to pilot the party of explorers over the Rocky Mountains. Be- ing a very warm friend of the 'Pathfinder,' when the war began, he raised a company of thirty Delaware braves, and joined Gen. Fremont. But when his friend was removed, Johnnycake refused to follow his successor, disbanded his troops and went home. From that time he took no part in the war. He was assassinated in the Indian Territory, in 1875. Charles Johnnycake, his brother, lived at the edge of the timber, where the prairie begins, fifteen miles west of Wyandotte. His place was a stage station on the route between Wyandotte and Leaven- worth in 1858."
The first permanent white settler in the territory now composing Wyandotte County was Moses Grinter, who, in 1831, located on the north side of Kansas River, in Section 21, Town 11 sonth, Range 23
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east, and lived there until his death, June 14, 1878. He was sent to this point by the Government to establish and maintain a ferry across the river on the old Fort Scott and Leavenworth military road. He was for many years a lonely white resident among the Indians-the Delawares on the north and the Shawnees on the south side of the river. The general settlement by the whites, however, did not begin until the Wyandotte reservation became subject to settlement under the treaty of 1855. Among the leading white settlers of that year, in ad lition to those already mentioned with the Wyandottes, were the following: Thomas J. Barker, who came from Virginia, and was the first postmaster of Wyandotte, and who is still living in the city, and Maj. W. P. Overton, from Missouri. John H. Ladd, the father-in- law of Joel Walker, came from Connecticut with his wife and daugh- ters, and lived with Mr. Walker. The latter owned a negro man and woman as slaves. They were the only colored people then on the town site. They lived in a log cabin. In the winter of 1855-56, John McCalpin, Daniel Killen and Gov. W. Y. Roberts became set- tlers. Hon. Mark Delahay came in 1857, and was afterward ap- pointed by President Lincoln as judge of the United States District Court. The same year William L. McMath came from Ohio. About this time A. C. Davis, attorney general of the Territory, came from New York, and P. Sidney Post came from Illinois. (He was after- ward minister to Vienna.) Also E. R. Smith, a special mail agent, came from Mississippi, Dr. J. E. Bennett from Maryland, John M. Funk and J. W. H. Watson from Pennsylvania, and E. L. Busche from Prussia. J. R. Parr, the first mayor of Wyandotte, George Russell, Dr. J. P. Root, from New England, T. B. Eldridge, F. A. Hunt, O. B. Gunn (an engineer), Dr. George B. Wood and John H. Millar all settled here about the year 1857.
J. W. Johnson came in 1855, and was subsequently a probate judge. S. A. Cobb and his brother-in-law, Ivan D. Heath, came in 1858. Mr. Cobb subsequently became a member of Congress. J. S. Stockton and Isaac B. Sharp came from Ohio in 1858. Gov. James McGrew, who now lives in a fine residence in the city, surrounded with a magnificent natural lawn, came from Iowa in 1857. Gen. William Weer, from Illinois, settled here in 1856. About the same time the following named persons also settled at Wyandotte City: Dr. F. Speck, John E. Zeitz, Hester A. Halford, Mrs. J. W. Huskins, L. H. Wood, N. A. Rheinecker, C. S. Glick, George D. B. Bowling, Joseph Halford, and others.
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Early in 1857 the following individuals settled at Quindaro: George W. Veale. V. J. Lane, now of the Wyandotte Herald; S. N. Simp- son, Charles Robinson, Albert D. Richardson, author of "Field, Dungeon and Escape," and "Beyond the Mississippi;" John W. Wal- den, since agent of the Methodist Book Concern, at Cincinnati; S. C. Smith, who was private secretary of Gov. Robinson; P. T. Colby, appointed United States marshal by President Buchanan; Fielding Johnson, agent of the Delawares; Alfred Gray, who was the first mayor of Quindaro; M. B. Newman, Perley Pike, Charles Chadwick, Morris Sherman and Owen C. Russell.
As Kansas is a free State, it does not often occur to the minds of people, especially to young people not posted in history, that slavery once existed here. Many of the early settlers who came from the slave States brought their human chattels along and subjected them to slav- ery here, the same as they had done at their former homes. This cus- tom was not sanctioned by law, but on the contrary was actually pro- hibited by the famous law known as the Missouri Compromise. On March 25, 1854, William Walker, the half breed Wyandotte chief, wrote: "Slavery exists here among the Indians and whites in defiance of the compromise of 1820."
In 1844, the first year after the Wyandotte Indians occupied their lands here, they selected a beautiful spot of ground on a high ridge, in a shady grove, as a burial place for their dead. Nearly half a cen- tury has since rolled away, and this burial ground is now in the heart of Kansas City, Kas. This cemetery was established when there was much sickness and many deaths in the Wyandotte Nation, in conse- quence of the long protracted rains and great floods in May and June, 1844, and there were many burials there in both 1844 and 1845, and the graves made then can not now be identified, nor the subsequent graves made for the victims of the cholera in 1850. Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong, who came with the Wyandottes in 1843, and has lived here ever since, and who is acknowledged by all to be the best author- ity on the early history of this county, especially as pertaining to her tribe, says in an article published in the Gazette of June 4, 1890: "To the best of my recollection and belief, I think that between the years of 1844 and 1855 there were at least four hundred interments there, and the most of those graves are not perceptible and can not be identified or even found. There were no tombstones placed there in all those years."
Article 2, of the " Treaty between the United States and the Wy-
1
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andott* Indians," made January 31, 1855, contains matter pertaining to this cemetery, as referred to on a former page.
On behalf of the Wyandottes, Silas Armstrong, Sr., George I. Clark, Joel Walker, John Hicks, Tau-roo-mee and Mathew Mudeater signed that treaty, believing that the question of the permanency of the burying ground was settled for all time, and the four first named died with that belief, and were buried there. Afterward, two of these men, Silas Armstrong and Joel Walker, became members of the Wy- andotte City Company-Mr. Armstrong being its president.
The square or block containing the burial ground originally con- tained a small tract west of the latter belonging to H. M. Northrup. From this tract he donated to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, a lot which became the northwest corner of the square, as marked on the original plat of the city. The city company donated the other three corners to other religious denominations, as sites for church buildings, and placed in the deeds of conveyance, as a condition of ownership, a clause providing that the property should ever be held for church purposes. The balance of the square-being the larger portion thereof, and lying east of the burial ground-was donated to the city for a public park, and was named "Huron Place."
The donations to the churches were made to prevent encroachments upon the burial ground and park. It was evidently the intention of the donors- the original City Company-to place such safeguards around the burial ground as to forever protect the remains of their dead from disturbance. How far their wishes have been observed may be seen from the fact that the ground given to the First Pres- byterian Church, and that donated by Mr. Northrup to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, has been sold and the proceeds have been used to purchase other sites and erect other edifices; and Huron Place, instead of being nsed as a park, is now the site of the Central school-house. The stand-pipe of the city water works stands on the same square, directly west of the cemetery, and south of the old site of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The square or block con- taining these several grounds lies between Minnesota Avenue on the north and Ann Avenue on the south and Sixth Street on the east and Seventh Street on the west. The burial ground comprises about two acres, and averages some twelve feet higher than the streets around the square. It is pleasantly shaded with natural forest trees, such as black walnut, elm and oak. Some of the smaller trees are
*So spelled in the treaty.
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covered with wild grape vines, and the place, in its neglected condi- tion, aside from the headstones and monuments, has the appearance of a primeval forest. It is picturesque, and on account of its eleva- tion, it commands a good view of the surrounding city. There sleep many of the dead of that civilized, enlightened and now almost ex- tinct tribe of Wyandotte Indians, so mixed with the whites that many of them had more white than Indian blood in their veins. Over the graves of Silas Armstrong and wife a costly and handsome monument has recently been erected. On one face of the monument is this in- scription :
Silas Armstrong, Died Dec. 14, 1865, Aged 55 Yrs. 11 Mo's, 11 D's.
The pioneer of the Wyandott Indians to the Kansas Valley in 1842. The leading man and constant friend of the Indians. A devout Christian and a good Mason. He leaves the craft on earth and goes with joy to the Great Architect.
On another face of the monument are the following words: Zelinda Armstrong, Born Dec. 3, 1820. Died Feb. 10, 1883.
Over another grave is a tombstone with this inscription:
Geo. I. Clark, Head Chief of the Wyandott Nation. Born June 10, 1802. Died January 25, 1858. Catharine, Wife of Geo. I. Clark, died January, 1858 ..
Among others of the tribe and of the pioneer settlers buried here were M. R. Walker, Joel Walker, Charles B. Garrett, James Rankin, George Armstrong, Francis A. and John Hicks, John W. Ladd, wife and daughter, Swan Peacock, James Washington, an old time ruler, and his wife and others.
The question now is, "Shall the rest of these long buried aborig- ines of America be broken? Shall their bones be taken from their now beautiful resting place and be transplanted in another spot?" The matter admits of practical thought, and were it not for the dividing sentiment existing in reference thereto, little doubt is felt but that the city anthorities would recommend a change of location, as the final burial place for the members of the historic tribe.
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On May 14, 1890, Senator Plumb introduced a joint resolution looking forward to the sale of the graveyard. In the resolution is framed the statement that the old burying ground has become a nuisance, and that a majority of the Wyandotte tribes are in favor of moving the remains of their ancestors, friends and other relatives to a more secluded spot, where they may rest undisturbed forever.
The proposition is to effect a sale of their present graveyard, re- move dead therefrom to Quindaro and with the proceeds of sale render the new place more beautiful than the old, and perpetuate the same by endowment. The amount calculated upon from the sale is $100,000, which amount would amply provide for the future of the new burial spot. There is no doubt but ready purchasers are to be found for the ground as soon as a clear title can be given. Although it is asserted in the resolution that a majority of the survivors of the tribe are in favor of moving the remains of their ancestors, those remaining at Kansas City are believed to be opposed to it. As the Indians have nearly all moved away, leaving only a few of their representatives here, Huron Place Cemetery has not been extensively used for many years for burial purposes, and in regard to health, it certainly can not be said to be a nuisance. Its continuance can only be objected to on the ground that it is wanted for other purposes. To the practical citizen occurs the thought that necessity demands the change, but in the minds of those whose lives have been linked in that which goes to make up the his- tory of this tribe of Indians, there is a different view. Of those in- terested in this question, none are more prominent than H. M. North- rup, president of the Northrup Banking Company, who has been an adopted member of the tribe ever since 1845, and Mrs. Lucy B. Arm- strong, who was adopted by the tribe in April, 1838, when she was married to J. M. Armstrong, a member of the tribe, at the reservation in Ohio.
Mr. Northrup is personally opposed to the sale of the cemetery, and thinks that a majority of the surviving Wyandottes are also averse to it. Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong, residing at Wyandotte place, in Kansas City, Kas., near the Northwestern railroad depot, is now about seventy-two years old. In regard to the sale of Huron Place Cemetery, she speaks for herself as follows: "To remove the 'burying-ground' now would be to scatter the dust of the dead to the winds. What a sacrilege! I remember with reverence many of the good Wyandots buried there, and my heart protests against such a desecration of that sacred ground. Such a sale is repugnant to every
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sentiment we cherish for our dead, as well also as being offensive to the highest impulses of a Christian civilization."
The first marriage in the territory now composing Wyandotte County was that of Hiram M. Northrup to Miss Margaret Clark, a member of the Wyandotte Nation. This marriage was celebrated at the Methodist Episcopal parsonage, November 27, 1845, by Rev. James Wheeler, missionary for the Wyandottes. The records of the marriages occurring here before the county was organized, were, of course, kept in Leavenworth, the original county. The first marriage certificate recorded in Wyandotte County reads as follows:
I hereby certify that on the eleventh day of July, A. D., 1859, I solemnized the marriage of Mr. John Trasher with Miss Annie Bever- ing, both of Wyandotte City, in the county of aforesaid.
BYRON JUDD,
Justice of the Peace.
It is generally amusing to read the marriage certificates of the ministers and justices of the peace among the pioneer settlers of any portion of the country. The queer expressions, the extreme brevity of some, and the long and specific language of others, give interesting variety. The second certificate recorded was written by a minister who seems to have been fond of capital letters, and not particular about their proper use. It reads as follows:
This certifies that on the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-nine, Charles H. Suydam and Eliza M. Kinney, Both of Wyandotte City, Kansas Territory, appeared before me at the residence of the Bride's Mother, in said Town, and were duly united in marriage.
S. D. STORRS, Pastor of 1st Cong. C. H. Wyandotte.
The following certificates are noticeable for brevity:
I joined in marriage on the 31st July, 1859, Johanna McMahon and John Kineary.
JOHN J. MAGEE, R. C. Pastor, Wyandotte.
This was evidently the Roman Catholic priest who did not believe in many words. W. Fish, who was also a Roman Catholic priest, though his official title is not shown by the record, was also a man of few words, as will appear by the following:
On the 15th day of June, 1859, Thomas Doody and Mary Nary were married by me. W. FISH.
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That equals Magee for brevity, and is very specific so far as it goes, but on a trial requiring proof of relationship, a court might en- quire where these persons were married, and what right W. Fish had to perform the ceremony. In the next certificate Mr. Fish changes his phraseology, and says:
On the 3d day of July, A. D. 1859, were married by me at Wyan- dotte, Henry Frank and Mary McCann. W. FISH.
It appears from the record that the pioneer settlers of the county were rapidly fulfilling the Scriptural injunction to get married, but they took Greeley's advice and went west first, and then got married, and grew up with the country. From the following it seems that the Roman Catholic priest did a good business in "joining together:"
I certify that I married on 22d March, 1860, John P. Faher and Catharine Reser. JOHN J. MAGEE. Also on February 21st, Honora Walsh and Anthony McGrath.
JOHN J. MAGEE.
Also on 8th April, Helen Bradish and Daniel Flemming.
JOHN J. MAGEE.
Next appears one that is full in its details:
THE TERRITORY OF KANSAS
WYANDOTTE COUNTY. SS.
I hereby certify that on the 19th day of February, A. D. 1860, at the house of Mrs. C. I. H. Nichols, in Quindaro, in said county, James Hicks and Louisa Smith, of said county, were with their mutual con- sent, lawfully joined together in matrimony, which was solemnized by me in the presence of Bertia C. Carpenter and Bessie Mahony. That I ascertained previous to the solemnization of the said marriage that the said parties were of sufficient age to contract the same, and that there appeared no lawful impediments to such marriage.
CHARLES CHADWICK, Justice of the Peace for Quindaro Township, Wyandotte County.
Evidently this man had studied common law forms, and was par- ticular to have all the facts mentioned.
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HISTORY OF KANSAS.
CHAPTER XII.
COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD-ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE CREATING AND ORGANIZING THE COUNTY OF WYANDOTTE-ELECTION OF TEMPORARY COUNTY OFFI- CERS-OLD LEAVENWORTH COUNTY RECORDS-FIRST POLL BOOKS- THE JAIL-EARLY TAXES-SETTLEMENT BETWEEN WYANDOTTE AND LEAVENWORTH COUNTIES-THE QUINDARO AND WYANDOTTE ROAD -FERRY LICENSES-EARLY ELECTION PRECINCTS-LOCATION OF THIE COUNTY SEAT-SEAL-EARLY JURORS-PROCEEDINGS IN 1860- DIVISION OF THE COUNTY INTO COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS-PURCHASE OF TIJE OLD COURT-HOUSE PROPERTY ON NEBRASKA AVENUE, WYAN- DOTTE-THE PLAT OF WYANDOTTE LANDS RECORDED-GRAND AND PETIT JURORS FOR 1861-62-ELECTION FIGURES, 1861-ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS.
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