USA > Missouri > Jackson County > The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county > Part 93
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The large increase in the valuation of the county in the past year, is evidence of solid growth and prosperity. This increase is over $600,000, about 26 per cent, with an estimated increase the present year of $50,000, giving assurance that with a wise and judicious expenditure of the revenues of the county, the burdens of taxation will be lightened each year.
The item of building and repairing bridges during the past year has aggre- gated the large sum of $3,700.00, over 17 per cent of the entire expenditure for general purposes These have seemed to be much needed public improvements, and much economy and decision have been exercised by the Board to keep the expenditure on bridges and repairs within the limit.
The item for costs in criminal cases, with the attendant expenses, as board of prisoners, guards, etc., is a large and constantly increasing one, lying, as our county does, on the line of Missouri, and affording criminals easy means of escape from one side to the other.
With these exceptions, and considering the large increase in wealth and popu- lation of the county, thus increasing the cost of government, the year 1880 will bear favorable comparison with any since the organization of the county.
By order of the Board, D. R. EMMONS, Co. Clerk.
VALUATION OF TAXABLE PROPERTY IN WYANDOTT TOWNSHIP FOR 1875.
The total valuation of taxable property in Wyandott county as returned by the assessors of the different townships amounts to $2, 242, 772.94.
Value of realty . $1, 067,464.00
Value of personal 204, 424. 24
Value of railroads 455,409.70
The value of property by townships is as follows :
Wyandott City
$596,605.84
Shawnee township
483,548.00
Wyandott
400,013.00
Quindaro
307,612.00
Delaware
252,781.00
Prairie
202,213.94
Total . $2,242,772.94
This result shows a shrinkage of less than $50,000 over the returns of 1874. Valuation of railroads in Wyandott county in 1877 :
Kansas Pacific . $213,800
Missouri Pacific 150,040
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 84,738
Mo. Riv. Ft. Scott & Gulf 41,852
684
HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.
On the Ioth day of September, 1855, General Calhoun landed in Wyandott with the surveyor general's office. Robert Ream, father of Vinnie Ream, the sculptress, was chief clerk, Sam. Parsons was chief clerk in the Indian depart- ment, Edwin T. Vedder, Robert Ream, Jr., and Pennymaker were clerks in the office. The land office was opened in a double log house that stood in front of where ex-Mayor Stockton now lives; across the road and where Dunning Hall now stands, was a double log house where Isaac W. Brown kept an Indian hotel, which was subsequently dubbed the Catfish Hotel, by its patrons, on account of the liberal manner in which its bills of fare were garnished with this species of the finny tribe. Just in the rear of the surveyor general's office stood a log pen 10x12 feet in which a Wyandott Indian, named Peacock, was confined for murder. Peacock had a reed flute of Indian manufacture, with which he kept up a con- stant strain of terrible music. In time the boys in the land office took compassion on him and, not having the fear of the Indian Nation's law in their mind, broke down the prison door and told the prisoner to "scoot," which he lost no time in doing. Peacock was subsequently pardoned by the Wyandott Nation and returned. Silas Armstrong lived in a two story brick which stood about on the ground now occupied by E. L. Buesche's store, on the corner of Minnesota avenue and Fifth street. Joel Walker resided in a double log house on the west side of Third street, on the high ground south of Jersey Creek. H. M. Northrup resided in the log house on the corner of Wyandott avenue and Armstrong street. Mathew R. Walker, one of the largest hearted men in the Wyandott Nation, resided in the brick cottage, now occupied by his widow, Mrs. Lydia B. Walker, on the high ground north of the city. John Armstrong a talented, educated Christian gentleman, resided in a log house about 200 yards northeast of where his widow, Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong, now resides. Matthias Splitlog resided in a log house a short distance southeast of Peter Connelly's residence, and had a grist and saw mill which stood near where St. Alois Academy now stands. Gov. William Walker lived in the log house now standing on the north side of Jersey Creek and west of Fifth street. Charles Graham, blacksmith for the Wyandott Nation, lived in a log house on the site now occupied by Jerome C. Ives's resi- dence, on Third street, and the blacksmith shop now stands on the alley in the rear of Odd Fellows' Hall, Nebraska avenue. The old ferry house stood on the
east side of what is now known as Ferry street, and a little east of Barnett street. " Irish Molly" lived in a cabin just back of and a little to the east of August Walter's meat shop on Minnesota avenue. The first school house erected in Wyandott then stood on the alley on Fifth between Kansas and Nebraska avenues, and was used for a Council House by the Wyandott Nation. Uncle Charley Garrett lived north of Jersey Creek on what is known as the Garrett farm. At this time Isaiah Walker, without whom no history of the early days of Wyandott would be complete, lived in the old Moravian Mission house, built for the Stockbridge Indians, at Muncie town. Mr. Walker married a Miss Mary Williams who was educated in Cincinnati, by Hon. Nicholas Longworthy, of that city, and at the time of which we write was one of the most handsome and accomplished ladies of the Wyandott Nation.
The above, we believe, were all the houses at that time on what is now Wy- andott City, except the old Mission House on the Governor Walker farm, and the Southern Methodist Church, a brick structure which was burnt during the Kansas war. It stood where G. K. Grindrod now resides. The greater portion of the town site at that time was covered by a heavy growth of timber. In the winter of 1856 and '57, John McAlpine, Isaiah Walker, Joel Walker, Silas Arm- strong, Gaius Jenkins, W. Y. Roberts and Thomas H. Swope organized the Wyandott Town Company, and proceeded to lay off the town; John H. Miller, of Girard, Pennsylvania, making the survey. The future metropolis was adver- tised extensively, and shares rose in a few weeks from $500 to $1,000. The
685
HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.
original town company are all dead except Isaiah Walker, who at present resides in the Indian Territory and Swope, who lives in Kansas City. Joel Walker died suddenly at Leavenworth in the summer of 1857. Gaius Jenkins was murdered by General Lane in Lawrence in the summer of '58. Silas Armstrong died in December '65. John McAlpine fell between the cars in passing from one coach to another and was killed while on a visit to Pittsburg. W. Y. Roberts died in Lawrence a few years ago from the effects of exposure while in the army. The war raging in Kansas at that time affected this portion of the Territory, and on the night of April 8, 1856, the Methodist church at what is now the Quindaro cemetery, and the one at Grindrod's place, were burned. Early in the spring of 1857 John McAlpine built a large warehouse on the levee between Washington and Nebraska avennes, and carried on an extensive forwarding and commission business. The upper story of this warehouse served as a town hall up to the time Dunning erected the one on Fourth street. The levee at that time extended fully as far out as the sand bar in front of the city. The frame building on the corner of Third and Nebraska, Hains's shoe store, the old court-house, McAlpine's cottages, since torn down, were built in the rear of Fred Kramer's bakery, the old Mansion House on Nebraska avenue, and four other buildings consumed by fire early in'66. Capt. I. N. White's tin shop, on the corner of Third and Nebraska avenue, the Garno House, and a host of other buildings, sprang into existence during the summer. In order to accommodate the immigration during the spring and summer of 1857, the Eldridges opened a hotel in Silas Armstrong's residence, which has been before referred to in this article, and Col. F. A. Hunt purchased the "St. Paul," an old Missouri River steamboat, anchored it at the foot of Washington avenue, and fitted it up for a hotel and warehouse. During the spring of '57, Thomas J. Barker was appointed postmaster, and opened the office in the old court-house building on Nebraska avenne, in which he and Isaiah Walker were engaged keeping store. Barker held the office until 1863, when he came out in favor of George B. McClellan for President of the United States ; this cost him his official head; he was succeeded by R. B. Taylor, who held the office until 1866, when Andrew Johnson appointed Edwin T. Vedder, who was succeeded in a few months by A. D. Downs. Barker built the building now oc- cupied by the Gazette and moved the post-office into it, where it remained until the appointment of Vedder in '66, who removed it to the building now occupied as a bakery by P. Kaiser. When Downs was appointed he removed it to what is now the Herald office, where it remained until '72, when it was moved to its present quarters.
In 1857, and indeed up to 1866, the business of the city was principally done on Third street, in the vicinity of the Gazette office.
A. C. Davis and P. Sidney Post opened a bank on Kansas avenue, just west of Commercial alley, and Byron Judd and William McKay opened a bank and real estate office in the building adjoining the Augusta House.
The population of Wyandotte at that time was represented by nearly every State in the Union, and by almost every nationality on the face of the earth. The result was a geat laxity in morals; and we have frequently seen a half dozen men in the street shooting at the white knob on Henry Burgard's door, for the drinks. Henry at that time run a bakery and saloon where Fred Kramer now lives.
In May, 1857, Judge Delahay began the publication of the Wyandotte City Register. The first number was issued in a tent on the corner of Nebraska avenue and Third street. Delahay sold to Eddy & Patton. It finally passed into the hands of Abbott, who changed its name to The Citizen.
About the same time the Register was started, Edmund Babb and John M. Walden commenced the publication of the Quindaro Chindowan. In June, 1858, Mr. Walden retired from the paper, and it suspended. In January, 1859, a com- pany was organized, consisting of George W. Veale, Alfred Gray, George E.
686
HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.
Budington, James A. White, M. W. Bottum, and V. J. Lane, who revived it, and continued its publication for six months, when an arrangement was made with John Francis, whereby he was to publish it for twelve months for the type and presses. Francis changed the name to Tribune, and after carrying out his contract, removed the office to Olathe, and established the Olathe Mirror. The Argus was issued on the 25th of March, 1858, by A. C. Davis and P. Sidney Post, and run until April, 1861. In 1858, S. D. McDonald purchased the Citi- zen, and changed the name to Commercial Gazette. McDonald run it until 1860, and sold to R. B. Taylor. In January, 1861. the office was burned, and in April following, Taylor bought the Argus office. In 1867 two new ventures were inau- gurated-the Die Fackel, a German paper, which run a few months, and was re- moved to Atchison. J. A. Berry started the Wyandotte Democrat. The Demo- crat " bilked " the people for thirteen months, when it "pegged ont " because the people refused to be robbed further.
The election for Delegates to Congress and for county officers in '57 was held under the "bogus laws," and the voting was done viva voce. There was but one precinct north of the Kaw River, in what is now Wyandott county. The election was held in the McAlpine cottages, on Third street, on the 5th day of October. A squad of soldiers were stationed at the polls, to protect the voters and preserve the peace and dignity of the Territory of Kansas. Each voter walked up to the window at the west end of the building, climbed in, announced his vote to the judges, passed through the room, and jumped off a high porch at the rear of the cottage.
About the same time the Wyandott Company was organized, Gov. Robinson, Abelard Guthrie, Joel Walker and Samuel N. Simpson formed the Quindaro Town Company. It was surveyed by Judge Bassett, now of Lawrence, and was probably better advertised than any other town in the Territory. Shares sold very rapidly, commencing at $100 and running up as high as $1,500 for a single lot. At that time Leavenworth, Quindaro, Wyandotte and Kansas City were rivals. The Town Company built a large and magnificent hotel which was opened early in March by Colby & Parker; its register frequently showed the arri- val of 150 guests in twenty-four hours. Alfred Robinson built a livery stable and put on a daily line of Concord coaches between there and Lawrence. Quindaro prospered up to the breaking out of the war, when the Kansas Second Cavalry under Col. Davis was quartered in the city. The "boys in blue" literally gutted it before they left.
The spring and summer of 1857 the people of Quindaro built a road to Law- rence, and laid one out to Osawatomie, and established a free ferry over the Kansas River at what is now .John H. Matton's place, with a view to competing for the wholesale trade of the Territory. The mail this summer was carried by steamboats ; there were sixty-five first class steamers in the Missouri River trade that season, all of which did a good paying business. In the fall after the election, hundreds of men who had come to Kansas under the auspices of the New England Emigrant Aid Society returned to the States, many of them taking the first boat that came along after they voted.
The Quindaro Company went to Cincinnati and had the Lightfoot, a light draft sreamer built and established a steamboat line to Lawrence; Wyandotte followed suit, and Kansas City not to be outdone also embarked in navigating the raging Kaw.
As an instance of the straits to which early settlers were reduced in order to make ends meet, we will give one incident which will serve as an illustration : One of the leading business men of to-day found himself a stranger in a strange land, without money and with a small family on his hands. How to manage to "keep the wolf from his door" was the problem that vexed his soul. Happening out at Lewis M. Cox's place, who at that time lived on what is now known as the
687
HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.
Riley Judd farm, he saw a very fine cow, the milk of which he concluded would relieve him from the embarrassment of hunger in the household. How to get possession of that cow was soon the uppermost thought in his mind. He finally remembered that down in the bottom of his wife's trunk at home was an elegant dress pattern of silk, which had been purchased east of the Alleghanies. He at once offered to exchange it for the cow; Cox assented on condition that the quality of the silk should prove as represented ; our friend went home to get it. On the way he came to the conclusion that it would be a greater sacrifice on the part of his wife than she would be willing to make, so he determined to get hold of it surrep- titiously, with the hope that fortune would favor him, when he would replace it and his wife be none the wiser for the transaction. There was joy in that family on the arrival of "bossy," and the head of it had the proud satisfaction of know- ing he had a sure thing on keeping the "wolf" away, even if it was at a sacrifice of the silk that formerly reposed at the bottom of his wife's trunk. Before he was able to replace it the wife made the discovery of its loss and there was music in the air. He was reluctantly compelled to own up, when harmony was once more restored.
During the summer and winter months of '57, S. C. Smith, Charles Chad- wick, Owen A. Bassett, A. D. Richardson, J. M. Walden, P. T. Colby, G. W. Veale, C. L. Gorton, Dr. Budington, Alfred Gray, A. J. Rowell, J. G. Fisk and others, organized a Shanghai Court and made it a rule to arrest some person or other every night and try them for some alleged misdemeanor. When court opened the sheriff brought in the prisoner (intended victim) empaneled a jury, called the prosecuting attorney, and the court appointed counsel for the prisoner. A regular trial was had, the jury invariably found the prisoner guilty and assess- ed a fine of a box of cigars or bushel of apples.
In 1858 Quindaro township was organized and a voting precinct established at that point.
Up to January 29th, 1859, Quindaro and Wyandott were. both in Leaven- worth county. C. S. Parker was appointed postmaster in May and had the posi- tion until in the fall, when he resigned and V. J. Lane appointed to succeed him, and held the position until June 1861, although having repeatedly tendered his resignation it was not accepted until the postmaster general was informed that if a successor was not appointed, the office would be shipped to Washington. In February of last year V. J. Lane succeeded in getting a settlement and receive $75.00 the balance due him from the Government.
In 1859 the County of Wyandott was erected out of a portion of Leaven- worth and Johnson counties. The first election was held on the 22nd of Febru- ary of that year, it resulted in a complete and sweeping Democratic victory.
The commissioners rented a building for county officers that stood on the corner of Nebraska avenue and Third street, since burned down ; from there the offices were removed to Constitution Hall on the levee, from there to Judd's build- ing, on Minnesota avenne, and from there to their present quarters.
The first term of court held in Wyandott county convened in Constitution Hall on the 6th day of June 1859, at 10 o'clock a. m. His Honor Jos. Williams, associate justice of the Territory of Kansas presiding, James A. Cruise, clerk, W. L. McMath, prosecuting attorney and S. E. Forsythe, sheriff. A grand jury was empaneled, consisting of Gov. William Walker, foreman, R. M. Gray, Christopher Schneider, John Collins, B. L. Vedder, G. W. Veale, J. H. Cole, Valorius Rice, James McGrew, Frank H. Betton, Charles E. Sawyer, S. S. Bradey, Alfred Robinson, George Parker, J. W. H. Watson, Chester Coburn, David H. Toomb, Darius Crouch and James W. Craft.
The first petit jury empaneled in the county was composed as follows: V. J. Lane, foreman, Mathew Mudeater, Hugh Gibbons, Perley Pike, Elisha Sorter, Elias S. Busick, Leonard Lake, David Pearson, W. D. Ferguson, Daniel Croyle, Thomas Sherman and C. H. Carpenter.
688
HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.
The first civil suit on the docket was the case of Gotleib Kneipfer vs. George Sehman.
Among other proceedings had at this term of court David E. James, Nat. C. Clairborn, E. N. O. Clough, S. A. Cobb, Jacob S. Boreman and M. D. Trefner applied to the court for admission to the bar as practicing attorneys, and having produced to the court satisfactory evidence of qualification as such they were ad- mitted.
Court was held on the second floor of the building, which was divided into two rooms, the east room was occupied by the probate court and the west room by the district court. On the third day of the term a little episode occurred which afforded considerable merriment to the bar as well as to the spectators. At that time there was no statutory provision prohibiting county officers from indulg- ing in intoxicating beverages, and it was nothing unusual for His Honor, Jaques W. Johnson, then judge of probate, to open court while under the influence of alcoholic liquors: On the morning in question D. B. Hadley and " Billy" Mc- Dowell were earnestly engaged in arguing an important case in the district court when Judge Johnson called the case of Lewis M. Cox as administrator vs. Mar- garet Getsler, in the probate court. This case elicited great interest as two women appeared in court each claiming to be the lawful wife of the deceased, Andrew Getsler. The assets of the estate consisted of one small house, several barrels of Monongahela whisky, besides numerous jugs, bottles and demi-johns of liquor. The little house just west of the old Brevator building was the one owned by the deceased, but possession of that portion of the estate had but little attraction in comparison with the desire to secure control of the liquid portion of it. The attorneys were Gen. A. C. Davis, now a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and Col. G. W. Glick, of Atchison. These gentlemen entered into the contest with spirit, and the case was conducted in such a manner as to create a feeling of bitterness in the minds of counsel toward each other ; the result was the trial partook more of the nature of a personal quarrel between attorneys, than of a trial in a court of justice. General Davis was probably one of the finest orators that ever addressed a court in Kansas, and as he warmed up with his case he be- (ame very eloquent. Glick fearing the impression Davis would make on the court, if permitted to proceed with his argument, attempted to badger him. As counsel grew excited it was impossible to proceed with business in the district court, on account of the noise. Judge Williams ordered the sheriff to notify the probate judge if he did not keep better order he would arrest him for contempt. Judge Johnson on being so informed by the sheriff, sent back word to Judge Wil- liams that he did not recognize his authority to interfere in affairs of his court, and that he had better not, if he did not want to be sent to jail for 30 days. Just at this juncture of affairs Vol Rheinecher and John Moody, at that time boys about 17 years of age, passed by the hall playing Yankee Doodle, on a drum and fife ; Judge Williams being passionately fond on music sang out, " Mr. Sheriff adjourn court until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning," making a dive for his hat, at the same time disappeared down the stairs and followed the boys around in the hot sun until he was literally exhausted, thus happily preventing a conflict of authority between the federal and probate courts.
The Legislature of 1859 and '60 remodeled the Judicial Districts, and Wyan- dotte county was transferred from the Fort Scott to the Leavenworth District. The Spring term of court was held in May, His Honor John Petit, Chief Justice of the Territory presiding, James A. Cruise clerk, S M. Emmerson attorney, and Luther H. Wood, sheriff. Petit was ill-natured, petulant, high-tempered, profane, tyrannical and abusive, but withal was as clear headed and able a jurist as ever donned the judicial ermine in Kansas. It was nothing unusual for him to go to Kansas City and play poker and drink whisky all night. The bar generally had to suffer for it the next day. In this connection we cannot refrain from giving an
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689
HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.
incident that occurred at the Garno House, during one of his terms of court. S. L. Norris, a young man from Vermont, who lived by his wits, brought out a car- pet sack of bank notes on the St. Alban's bank, which had bursted in the crash of 1857. Judge James, Col. Weer, Norris and one or two other parties set up a job on Petit and got him to playing poker. The old man was permitted to win nearly every game, and every time he won, the boys shoved out a $20 bill on the broken bank of St. Albans, Petit paying change in good money. At the close of the term the old Judge was in high glee as his capacious wallet was filled with $20 bills. But when he came to pay Mrs. Halford his hotel bill and shoved out one of his $20 notes, he learned the bank was broken; a second and third tender meeting a refusal on the same grounds, he saw that he had been sold. He re- turned to Leavenworth minus about $300 in cash; with about $1, 000 in worthless money, a sadder but wiser man.
One of those delightful zephyrs peculiar to Kansas, was making everything "hum" the morning Judge Petit first opened court in Wyandott, and after climbing up to the court room, which was on the fourth floor, he was nearly out of breath, being a much fatter man than Philip Hescher, though not so tall. Just as he began to call the docket, an unusually stiff breeze sprang up, which made the building tremble from foundation to turret. When the building began to vi- brate he said, " Mr. Sheriff, can't you get some room on the ground in which to hold court?" The Sheriff replied that there was no room large enough, unless he took one of the churches. Just then a little stiffer breeze came, and the Judge fairly roared, " Mr. Sheriff, adjourn court till two o'clock, and get a church, g- d- it, take a church !" and started for the street, but had scarcely got half way down when some one cried out, "The building is falling !" The crowd made a rush for the stairway, and soon the old Judge found himself crowded and pushed to the door, where he barely escaped injury from the brick and debris of the fall- ing building.
On the 5th day of July, 1859, the delegates to the constitutional convention assembled in Constitutional Hall, in this city, and on the 29th of the same month the present constitution of the State was completed.
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