Kansas Historical Quarterly

Kansas History
as Published in the State Press

     A series of historical articles on Americus and vicinity has been conducted in the Americus Greeting, starting with the issue of November 4, 1931. The items have been taken from the diary of D. C. Grinell.

     The snowstorm of April 13, 1873, was recalled by old-timers in the Clyde Republican, January 21 and 28, 1932. Fred French was one of the pioneers interviewed.

     "The Black Pioneer," a history of the founding of Nicodemus by the Negroes in 1877-'78, by W. L. Sayers, was published in the Bogue Messenger, February 18, 25, and March 3, 1932. The seventy-fifth anniversary edition of the Leavenworth Times, issued March 6, 1932, contained much early-day information. The Times was first published March 7, 1857. On May 5, 1871, the newspaper was purchased by Col. D. R. Anthony and has remained in the control of the Anthony family since that date.

     "In Osborne Forty-eight Years Ago" the Osborne County Farmer, March 10, 1932, recalled the last effort to operate a saloon in that city. Since Kansas was already under a liquor prohibitory law the adventure was able to survive only three days.

     Historical sketches of Bucklin's clubs and churches were featured in the Banner March 10, 1932. The edition was sponsored by the city's Business and Professional Women's Club.

     A historical and pictorial edition of the Garden City News, published March 10, 1932, contained biographies and pictures of prominent Garden City women.

     Early days in Kansas were recalled by W. S. Rees in the March 10, 1932, issue of the Lincoln Sentinel-Republican. Mr. Rees arrived in Lincoln in November, 1872.

     The Leon News, in its issue of March 11, 1932, published a short letter from the late Thomas Dixon , pioneer of Butler county, which had been sent to his parents, then residents of England. Mr. Dixon homesteaded in Little Walnut township, Butler county, in 1874.

     The Beloit Gazette on March 16, 1932, issued its sixty-first anniversary edition. A short biographical sketch of the city's first mayor,

Timothy F. Hersey, was published. Other features included. the history of the Gazette and excerpts from several issues of the Mitchell County Mirror, founded on April 5, 1871, as the county's first newspaper. Pioneer names prominent in the edition were: J. E. Laff, J. B. Hyde, C. R. Herrick, Chas. W. Cooke, Herman Kendall, John Mahaffa and G. W. Port.

     An article entitled "The Story of Abilene High School," by Phyllis Dentzer, was published in the Abilene Weekly Reflector in the issues of March 17, 31 and April 21, 1932. The complete history was illustrated and republished in the Abilene High School Booster, May 13.

     Summerfield history was briefly reviewed by Helen Smith in the Sun of March 18, 1932.

     A brief historical and industrial sketch of Topeka was published in The Merchants Journal, Topeka, March 19, 1932.

     Reminiscences of early Rooks county, by Edward T. Taylor, United States representative from Colorado, were featured in The Rooks County Record, Stockton, March 24 and 31, 1932. Mr. Taylor settled on Elm creek in Rooks county, March 17, 1872.

     Edmund B. Tarvin, a Civil War veteran, was interviewed by Byron E. Guise for the Marshall County News, Marysville, March 25, 1932. Mr. Tarvin recalled his war experiences, the grasshopper invasion of 1874 and many other incidents of pioneer life.

     The killing of Jack Ledford, early Wichita hotel proprietor, was described by Manly Wade Wellman in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, March 27, 1932. A column historical sketch of Conway Springs, by Helen Akin, appeared in the same issue.

     Dave D. Leahy, in his regular Wichita Sunday Eagle feature entitled "Random Recollections of Other Days" recalls many stories of interest in the Southwest's history. Subjects treated during the past three months were: Early Caldwell lynchings, March 27. 1932; Batt Carr and other Caldwell figures, April 3; Judge William P. Campbell, southern Kansas jurist, May 1; a Lisbon, Okla., election in the town's infancy, May 22; incidents of forty years ago in Wellington during one of southern Kansas' worst storms, May 29; scattering events during the opening of Oklahoma territory, June 5; and the growth of Enid, Okla., to a population of 5,000 within ten minutes, shortly after the opening of the Cherokee strip, June 12.

     Biographical sketches of Dickinson county pioneers featured recently in the Chapman Advertiser include: Mr. and Mrs. George Russell Barnes, March 31, 1932; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Scherer, April 7; Martin J. Schuler, April 14; George Tyler Winters, April 21; Michael Nicholson, April 28; James Nash, May 5; the family of Simeon Levi Graham, May 12; Robert Kenney, May 19, and addenda to biographies published previously, June 2.

     Special Coffeyville and Pittsburg historical sections were featured by The Kansas Knight, St. Paul, in its issue for April, 1932.

      A biographical sketch of David L. Payne was contributed by John C. Nicholson to the Hutchinson Herald, April 3, 1932.

     Hard times in the middle seventies were recalled by J. M. Satterthwaite in the Douglass Tribune, April 8, 1932.

     A brief history of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Paola was published in The Western Spirit, Paola, April 8, 1932. The church was organized in 1858.

     Pony express days of the West were described by Milton Tabor in the Topeka Daily Capital, April 10, 1932. The express was started April 3, 1860.

     The sixtieth anniversary edition of the Baxter Springs Citizen, issued April 14, 1932, republished many articles of historical interest from old newspaper files.

     John W. Suggett, early-day mail carrier, was interviewed by Byron E. Guise for the Marshall County News, Marysville, April 15, 1932. Mr. Suggett came to Marysville in 1859, and carried mail for two years from Guittard station over the Oketo cut-off to Big Sandy, Neb.

     A brief historical and industrial sketch of Hillsboro, by Helen Akin, was published in the Wichita Eagle, April 16, 1932.

     Incidents in the life of William Mathewson, compiled by J. G. Masters, was published in a Sunday edition of the Omaha World-Herald and republished in the Lyons Daily News, April 19, 1932.

     Names of leading Butler county citizens were featured by Helen Akin in a historical sketch of the county published in the Wichita Eagle, April 19, 1932.

     The sixty-seventh anniversary of the granting of a charter to Ottawa University was celebrated April 20, 1932. The original charter was granted in 1860 to an association known as Roger

Williams University. A new state charter was issued in 1865, to Ottawa University. Historical articles were published in the Ottawa Campus and the Ottawa Herald.

     "Reminiscences of a Home Missionary's Daughter," by Mrs. R. R. Hays, was published by the Osborne County Farmer, Osborne, April 21, 1932. Mrs. Hays was a speaker at the Woman's Home Missionary Society's thirtieth anniversary celebration, April 7.

     The razing of Salina's "Upper Mill," built some time before 1870, inspired the Salina Journal to a review of the city's early milling activities in its issue of April 21, 1932.

     Reminiscences of John Fisher, a Neosho county resident in 1869, were published in the St. Paul Journal, April 21, 1932.

     Wellington history was featured in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, April 24, 1932. Paul V. Jefferies and Helen Akin contributed the article.

     A column-length historical article on Mound Valley township, as written by B. P. Oakleaf for the Mound Valley Herald, April 27, 1882, was republished in the Mound Valley Times-Journal, April 21, 1932.

     Life in Summer county in the seventies was described by J. A. Seitz for the Wellington Daily News, April 27, 1932. The Seitz family settled two miles southeast of present-day Anson on the old cattle trail from Texas.

     On the occasion of the fifty-sixth annual meeting of the Order of the Eastern Star, of Kansas, the Pittsburg Sun and Headlight of April 27, 1932, published brief histories of the organization.

     Stafford county's first destructive tornado in the memory of the white settlers occurred fifty years ago last April, and was the subject of an article by A1 McMillan in the Macksville Enterprise, April 28, 1932. The story was republished in the Stafford Courier, May 5.

     "The Oakley House," Oakley's first hotel, was the subject of an illustrated historical sketch by Laura Dell Zeigler in the Oakley Graphic, April 29, 1932.

     A biographical sketch of O. M. Dannevik, president of the Port Landis Town Company, was published in the Norton Daily Telegram, April 29, 1932. Port Landis, an extinct town, once was located

about one-half mile west of what is now Edmond, to which place the post office was moved about 1880.

     The building of the Soule irrigation canal and a railroad from Dodge City to Montezuma were described by Dorothy Dallin for the Topeka Daily Capital, May 1, 1932.

     Some of the troubles of an early-day liquor prohibition crusader were recalled by Frank M. Stahl, of Burlingame, in an interview with Margaret Whittemore for the Topeka Daily Capital, May 1, 1932.

     Wichita's first schools were discussed by Victor Murdock in an interview with J. L. Mead for the Evening Eagle, May 3, 1932.

     Doniphan county history from 1837 to 1932 was published in the eighteen-page illustrated seventy-fifth anniversary edition of The Kansas Chief, Troy, May 5, 1932. The Chief was first issued by Sol Miller at White Cloud under date of June 4, 1857, and was moved to Troy July 4, 1872.

     "Interesting Spots Around Shawnee" was the title of a newspaper article appearing in the Northeast Johnson County Herald, Overland Park, May 5, 1932. A brief description of the Dutch cemetery located at First street and Fisher road was a feature.

     The fiftieth anniversary of the Tonganoxie Mirror was observed, May 5, 1932. Special illustrated historical articles were printed.

     Humorous incidents in fifty years of Ottawa history were recounted by Phil Gover in the Ottawa Herald, May 6, 1932.

     Life in Mankato during the late eighties was reviewed by Jay Gould Keyes, of West Gowanda, N. Y., for The Jewell County Monitor, Mankato, May 6, 1932.

     A brief history of the Mariadahl community as read by F. S. Gustafson before the Kiwanis club community meeting at Mariadahl, May 3, was published in the Manhattan Morning Chronicle, May 8, 1932.

     In the opinion of Billy Peacock, frontiersman, Gen. George Armstrong Custer was only a "grandstander." To substantiate his belief Mr. Peacock reviewed the events leading up to the tragedy of the Little Big Horn for Paul I. Wellman, who recorded the interview in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, May 8, 1932, as a highlight in his series of weekly stories on Indian battles of the West. Mr. Peacock was

made a member of the Cheyenne tribe years ago and had personal contact with many of the foremost scouts on the western plains.

     District school number 20, located two miles east of Falun, celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of its organization, May 7, 1932. A brief history was published in the May 10 issue of the Salina Journal.

     "Thayer in 1876" was the title of an article written for the Neosho County Historical Society in November, 1931, by Mrs. Abby Howe Forest, and was published in the St. Paul Journal, May 12, 1932.

     A series of new tales of pioneer life, relating the experiences of Rea Woodman in five early schools of Wichita, were commenced in the Wichita Democrat, May 14, 1932.

     Incidents in early-day Kansas were recalled by C. W. Horr for the Lawrence Daily Journal-World, May 19, 1932. Mr. Horr came to Kansas in 1854 and has been a resident of the state since that time.

     "Memories of Days Gone By," from the souvenir edition of 1898, is a historical feature in the Overbrook Citizen. The series commenced with the issue of May 19, 1932.

     The oldest house still standing in Gove county is located ten miles east and one mile south of Gove City, according to John Norton, in a statement to the Gove City Republican-Gazette, May 19, 1932. The house was cut and framed in Chicago by the Kansas Pacific Railway Company and was shipped to Collyer in 1869. It was moved into Gove county in 1898. Another house, the property of Mrs. Anna Van Marter, situated about eleven miles northwest of Gove City, was mentioned. Part of the original building, constructed in 1879, still remains.

     Reminiscences of the days when the Indians roamed over Washington county were briefly related by W. C. Hallowell, of Fort Morgan, Colo., in the Washington County Register, Washington, May 20, 1932.

     David L. Payne, pioneer of Harvey county, was the subject of a biographical sketch in the Topeka Daily Capital, May 23, 1932, by John C. Nicholson.

     The Sterling Kansas Bulletin of May 26, 1932, issued an illustrated historical edition commemorating the forty-fifth anniversary of Sterling College. The college was opened November 1, 1887, un-

der the acting presidency of A. N. Porter. Thirteen students were enrolled for the first term.

     Fury of the cyclone which demolished Wellington, May 27, 1892, was described and illustrated in the Monitor-Press, May 26, 1932.

     In observance of the fiftieth anniversary program of the Morrill Free Public Library of Hiawatha the Daily World for May 27, 1932, published a historical sketch of the institution. Rebecca D. Kiner, a former librarian, contributed the article.

     The sixtieth anniversary edition of the Wichita Eagle observed May 29, 1932, with a special historical section. The issue featured a story of the city by Manly Wade Wellman, and a resume of the Eagle's activity since April 12, 72, when the first issue appeared.

     Topeka Typographical Union No. 121 observed its golden jubilee in May, 1932, with the issuance of an eighty-eight page illustrated booklet entitled Fifty Years of History. The union was first organized in Topeka in 1869, but in 1874 the charter was permitted to lapse. The present organization was effected on May 19, 1882. A year-by-year history of the local union, biographical sketches of well-known state and local printers, histories of the city's leading newspapers and the state printing plant were features of the edition. Dwight Thacher Harris and Clifford V. Souders were the compilers.

     Letters from C. Q. Chandler, of Wichita, and Tom McNeal, of Topeka, recalling early Barber county history were features of the sixth annual home-coming edition of the Hazelton Herald, June 3, 1932.

     Early historical notes of McPherson county, when "buffalos drank the Smoky Hill river dry," were published by the McPherson Republican, June 3, 1932. The information was obtained from an 1883 atlas of the county, compiled and written by H. B. Kelly.

     A selection of the late Tom Tilma's editorials and articles was republished in the thirteenth anniversary edition of the Wichita Plaindealer, June 3, 1932, the labor newspaper formerly edited by Mr. Tilma.

     The descendants of the pioneers composing the Beecher Bible and Rifle Company, who founded Wabaunsee in 1856 and settled the surrounding farm land, organized May 30, 1932. A brief history of the

original colony was printed in the Kansas City (Mo.) Times, June 4, and was republished in the Wamego Reporter, June 9.

     Sixty years of McPherson history were reviewed briefly in the McPherson Republican, June 6, 1932. The city was organized in 1872 and was named in honor of Gen. James B. McPherson.

     A revised publication of J. C. Ruppenthal's translation from the German, of Russian-German Settlements in the United States, by Dr. Richard Sallett, was begun in The Ellis County News, Hays, June 9, 1932. Mr. Ruppenthal's translation was published in part in The Russell County News, Russell, in February and March.    The proposed reunion of former students of Central Normal College at Great Bend prompted Kent Eubank, Wichita Eagle reporter, to publish a history of the now defunct institution in the Sunday Eagle, June 12, 1932. The college was first opened in 1888 and passed out of existence in 1902.

     A brief history of Burchfiel community church, Harper county, was published in the Anthony Republican, June 16, 1932.

     A short history of Mountain Slope Masonic Lodge, No. 186, and A. C. Furman's reminiscences of the McKague family, were features of the fifty-third anniversary edition of the Oberlin Herald, June 16, 1932, announcing the dedication of the new McKague Memorial Masonic Temple.

     The golden jubilee of Immanuel Lutheran Church, situated west of Linn, was observed June 12, 1932. A special illustrated history of the organization was published in the Linn-Palmer Record, June 17, 1932.