Kansas Historical Quarterly

Kansas History
as Published in the State Press

     "A History of Coffey County," by Judge Burton L. Kingsburg, one of the pioneer jurists of the county, appeared in the May 29, June 5 and 12 issues of the Le Roy Reporter. Articles written by John P. Hamilton, Sr., during the middle eighties on "Pioneers of Coffey County," "Early Modes, Manners and Customs," "Some Border War Experiences," "Indian Refugees in Coffey County," and "Stories of Old Wagon Trails," were republished in the Reporter from June 19 through August 28. An account of the organization of two Indian regiments at LeRoy was appended in the issue of September 4, by the editor.

     "Reminiscences of Early Days in Coffey County" is a regular feature of the Burlington Daily Republican. In this column a series of historical sketches by old settlers is run, telling of events in the early days and incidents of pioneer life.

     How Oakley and Colby were named, and the reason for Oakley avenue in Colby, was explained by David D. Hoag, town founder, in a letter published in the Oakley Graphic, September 18. The article was later reprinted in an eight-page pamphlet.

     A "Historical Sketch of the Immaculate Conception Parish," by Rev. W. T. Doran, S. J., of St. Mary's College, and Rev. Gilbert Gallaghan, 8. J., of St. Louis University, was published in the St. Marys Star June 25, July 2, 9 and 16.

     An old mill, built by Edgar Nichols in 1874 on the Smoky Hill river, southeast of Russell, was the subject of an article by Oswald Dryden, writing for the Hoisington Dispatch, July 23. It was reprinted in the Russell Record of July 30, and supplementary information appeared in the latter newspaper on August 6.

     W. K. Myers, of Cottonwood Falls, last survivor of the Indian raid on Adobe Walls, retold the story of the attack in the Dodge City Journal, July 30.

     "Trail Days in Kansas," dealing with aspects of the history of the cattle business in the state, was written by Alice Hockley for the July 31 and August 7 issues of the Cedar Vale Messenger.

* All dates are in 1931.

Pioneer reminiscences of William Wayman and George Knouse were published in the August 6 issue of the Emporia Times. Herbert Miller, pioneer cattleman, recounted some of his experiences in the Times of August 13.

     Early life in Alexander was reviewed in the La Crosse Republican, August 13.

Mrs. John Hennes, of Beloit, recalled the last Indian raid in Mitchell county, on its sixty-third anniversary, in the Beloit Daily Call, August 13.

     A "History of the Beef Cattle Industry from Frontier Days to the Present Time," by Dorothy Woodbury, ran in the Cawker City Ledger, August 13, 20 and 27.

     "Turning Back the Pages of History" was the title of a column conducted in the Kansas Optimist, Jamestown, from August 13 to September 10. Information for this series of articles was gleaned from old records of Grant township.

     On August 21 and 22 Oskaloosa celebrated the passing of the three-quarter-century mark. John Arnold was among the pioneers who wrote of early-day scenes in the August 14 issue of the Independent. He came to Jefferson county in July, 1859.

      The Santa Fe trail picnic August 27 at Baldwin prompted the Baldwin Ledger to publish accounts of pioneer events in its issues of August 21, 28 and September 4.

     A letter from E. T. Wickersham, of Fall River, published in the Eureka Herald, August 27, related some of the early-day incidents in Greenwood county.

     Historical notes of Elk community, Marion county, compiled by William Knode, appeared in the Marion Review, September 1 and 8.

J. F. Randolph, writing for the Clyde Republican, September 10, reviewed many incidents relative to pioneer days at. Clyde, Cloud county.

     The Humboldt Union, of September 24, in advocating a new bridge for the Neosho river at Humboldt, traced the evolution of the river crossing from 1867 to 1931.

     Jack Ebbutt, veteran cattleman of Geary county, recalled his part

in driving 6,000 head of Texas cattle to Abilene, in an interview appearing in the Dwight Advance, September 24.

     A sketch of the life of Jacob Achenbach, builder of the Beaver, Meade and Englewood railroad, and organizer of the town company of Hardtner, was contributed by John Hudson to the September 27 issue of the Wichita Eagle.

     "A Brief History of Fort Riley and the Cavalry School" appeared in the Junction City Union, September 28.

     Announcing an old settlers' picnic held at Schnack park, Larned, the News of October 1 carried letters and interviews from early settlers and historical authorities of Pawnee county. Among them were S. E. Huston, Mrs. C. E. Grove, Kelso Clark, J. F. Upson, J. M. Pruett and Isaac Ulsh.

     The monument erected in Library park, Baxter Springs, by the Daughters of the American Revolution in honor of Gen. James G. Blunt and the 135 soldiers killed in the Quantrill massacre, October 6, 1863, was dedicated October 2. Frank Arnold, a survivor, was in attendance. A special edition of the Baxter Springs News, October 1, contained historical articles apropos of the anniversary. "Baxter Springs as a Military Post, 1862-1863," written by Hugh L. Thompson in 1895 ; "Account of Baxter Springs Massacre, Including Quantrill's Report.," from F. D. W. Arnold's history of the Arnold family; and "The Baxter Springs Massacre," as dictated in 1929 by Lewis G. Coon, Co. I, Third Wisconsin cavalry, a survivor, were features of the edition.

     The fiftieth anniversary of McCune as a city of the third class was observed Friday, October 9, according to the McCune Herald. Many oldtimers participated in a pageant which depicted early scenes.

     A brief history of the Jewell City Catholic church, by Mary Hurley Fay, appeared in the Abbey News, Atchison, October 10.

      Out West," was the title of a series of articles commencing in the Ellis Review, October 15, by Jesse C. Martin.

     "History of Beef Cattle Industry from Pioneer Days Until the Present Time," by Geraldine Hammond, appeared in the October 22 issue of the St. John County Capital.

     A short history of St. Mary's College, incidental to its change from a college to a school for priests, appeared in the October 22 issue of the St. Marys Star. It was reprinted from the Jesuit Bulletin, a St. Mary's College publication.

     The dedication of the reconstructed monument over the grave claimed to be that of Juan de Padilla, Franciscan priest who was slain by Indians in 1542, was held October 25 at Council Grove. The site, as originally marked with a heap of stones by friendly Indians, has been restored by the Emporia Knights of Columbus organizations, and was presented to the Council Grove Historical Society by George Bordenkircher, president of the Kansas Catholic Historical Society. Father Padilla accompanied Coronado in his search for the cities of Quivira and remained on the plains with the Indians after Coronado's return. It has been recited that the priest suffered martyrdom on December 25, 1542, while he was kneeling in prayer. The Emporia Gazette and the Topeka Daily Capital of October 26 printed the dedicatory program.

     The battle of Mine creek, October 25, 1864, was described by Milton Tabor in the Topeka Daily Capital, October 29. Company A, Eleventh Kansas regiment, was among the Union troops engaging the Confederate forces under General Sterling Price.

     The stirring days of Carrie Nation's saloon-smashing activities were recalled by Jimmy Woods in the November 1 issue of the Wichita Beacon.

     A copy of Topeka's first city directory, published in 1868-1869, inspired Arthur L. Conklin to an article entitled a "History of Topeka," appearing in the Topeka Daily Capital, November 1.

     The Eleventh Kansas regiment's expedition to the Platte river country in Wyoming in 1865 was described by Paul I. Wellman in the Wichita Eagle, November 1. In the issue of December 20 the massacre of the Bogardus family near Beloit by raiding Indians was featured. These stories appeared in Mr. Wellman's series of Sunday magazine articles on Indian battles of the West.

     The history of the Pawnee Capitol, where the first territorial legislature met, was sketched by Rufus Babb in the Junction City Union, November 2, and the Junction City Republic, November 5.

     Kansas pioneer women were the subject of a special edition of the Osborne County Farmer, Osborne, November 5. The editor expressed hope that the edition would create greater interest in the proposed Kansas women's pioneer memorial to be erected on the statehouse grounds in Topeka. The number was replete with pioneer reminiscences.

     Russell county was first permanently settled on April 19, 1871, by a colony of seventy persons, organized at Ripon, Wis. The names of the first child born in the county, first teacher, first school board, first persons married, and old settlers before 1880, were listed in the Russell County News, Russell, November 5.

     Nearly 100 old settlers answered the roll call of the Phillips County Old Settlers Association at its third annual meeting held in Phillipsburg, November 11. Marion Scott, Will Churchill, E. G. Lee and K. W. Rutherford recalled pioneer experiences. Early songs, "Little Old Sod Shanty on the Claim," and "Kansas Land," were sung. A detailed program with the list of registered old settlers was published in the Phillipsburg Review, November 19.

     Comanche county celebrated its seventh annual home-coming of old settlers at Antioch church, in Avilla township, November 5. The Western Star, Coldwater, published the register of those attending, in its issue of November 13.

     C. W. Sprouse, of Sublette, an Indian relic collector, has made arrowhead and scraper "finds" near the Cimarron river in Haskell county. An account of his activities appeared in the November 12 issue of the Satanta Chief.

     Stolzenbach post office and mission house, fifteen miles northeast of Marysville, one of the oldest landmarks in Marshall county, was described in the Topeka Daily Capital, November 15. A sketch of an old English colony in Harrison township, five miles northwest of Wetmore, Nemaha county, was another feature of this issue. The site was selected and colonized in 1870 by the Cooperative Colonization Company, of London.

     "Kansas Memorials" was the subject of a newspaper sketch by Paul Schmidt and Corwin Schawe, appearing in the Spearville News, November 19.

     Construction of a miniature mountain in a rock garden along the west side of Boot Hill block is being considered by Dodge City business men and historians, according to the Dodge City Daily Globe, November 25. Historic spots such as Adobe Walls, El Quartelejo, Fort Atkinson, Wagonbed Springs, site of the Lone Tree massacre, Fort Larned, Fort Zarah, and various other places will be scaled geographically with two streamlets, representing the Arkansas and Cimarron rivers.

     "The Wichita Eagle is the real `Father of Oklahoma,"' Major Gordon W. Lillie (Pawnee Bill) is quoted as saying to John Hudson, Eagle reporter, in a story appearing November 29. Under Col. Marsh M. Murdock the Eagle aggressively demanded that Oklahoma be opened for settlement. It assisted in Boomer organization along the border and helped induce Pawnee Bill to accept the leadership of a Wichita contingent to the territory.

     Old Fairmount College, the forerunner of Wichita University, was the subject of a historical sketch by Rea Woodman in the Wichita Democrat commencing in the November 28 issue.

     A biographical sketch of John W. Niles, of Nicodemus, was published in the Oakley Graphic, December 4. The account was written in 1925 by W. L. Chambers, former editor of the Stockton Record, at the request of the late Judge C. W. Smith, of Topeka. Mr. Niles was one of the leaders of Nicodemus, a Negro colony in eastern Graham county, inhabited by over 500 persons in 1880.

     The days of buffalo hunting in the late sixties and early seventies were recalled by Byron E. Guise in an interview with John Brandenburger, Sr., in the Marshall County News, Marysville, December 4.

     Mrs. Robert Laughlin, of Girard, described the battle of Mine Creek, in Linn county, in 1864, in a news article printed in the Wichita Eagle, December 8. She witnessed the battle from a hill near Mound City.

     Christmas advertising as it appeared in the first Kansas newspapers, seventy-seven years ago, was reviewed in the Topeka Merchants Journal, December 19, by Paul A. Lovewell, editor.

     David D. Leahy, pioneer Kansas editor, told of early-day Wichita newspapermen in the Wichita Eagle, December 21.