Kansas Historical Quarterly

Kansas History
as Published in the Press

     Lyons history has been featured in a series of articles by Frank Hoyt, Rice county pioneer, which have appeared almost weekly in the Lyons Daily News, for many months.

     "Charley Reynolds-Hunter and Scout," by E. A. Brininstool, was the title of an article printed in the North Dakota Historical Quarterly in its January-April, 1933, issue. Mr. Reynolds was a member of the Tenth Kansas Volunteers.

     Special historical articles appeared in the Miltonvale Record preceding the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the city's naming, held October 6 and 7, 1933. Miltonvale was first called Zahnsville. Titles of a few of the stories included in this series are: "A Pioneer Story-Incidents of Sixty-Five Years Ago," by G. W. Gray, September 7; "The Founding of Miltonvale," September 14; "The Rain Makers," and "The Passing of the Old Town Well," September 21; "The First Settler in Starr Township," and histories of the Miltonvale schools, September 28, and "Thoughts in Keeping with the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration," October 5.

     The Lyons Presbyterian church celebrated its sixtieth anniversary September 17, 1933. A short account of the organization was published in the Lyons Daily News, September 18.

     A brief history of the Palco News appeared in its issue of September 27, 1933. The Palco News, formerly the Palco Enterprise, was established in March, 1905.

     Names of Smith county old settlers registering at their annual meeting in Smith Center, September 27, 1933, were published in the Smith County Pioneer, Smith Center, September 28.

     "Walter F. McGinnis Tells of Early Days," "An Interesting Letter From California," by Frank L. Randolph, and "M. A. Harper Tells of Moving to Kansas," were special features of the Pioneer edition of the Potwin Ledger issued September 28, 1933.

     Names of old settlers registering at the Southwest Free Fair at Dodge City, September 27, 1933, and the dates they came to Kansas, were published in the Dodge City Daily Globe, September 28.

     "Reminiscences of An Old Timer," was the title of an article reviewing the highlights of Weir history which appeared in the Weir Spectator in its issues of September 28 and October 5, 1933.

     The ninetieth anniversary of the First Presbyterian church of Highland was observed with a week of special services from October 15 to 22, 1933. Excerpts from the diary of Father Irvin, 1841-1844, as presented to the church meeting by Mrs. Margaret Hubbard Morton, were a part of the historical articles printed in the Highland Vidette during October and November, commemorating the event.

     A history of Vance Post, No. 2, of the Grand Army of the Republic, Hays, was published in the Hays Daily News, October 6, 1933. The post was organized at Hays City by a. special order from the department commander dated February 1, 1878.

     Headlines of stories by W. F. McGinnis, Sr., appearing in The Butler County News, El Dorado, in recent months were: "The Elephants and Ox Teams Recall Many Old Time Incidents," October 6, 1933; "Memories of the Past Revived in the Life of an Old Timer," October 13 and 20, and "Dean of Rail Engineers [Merton Stewart,] to Retire at Seventy," November 17.

     An article describing the struggles in early-day the preservation of a chair brought by the Eldridge family from Massachusetts Lawrence, and through the Jones and Quantrill raids, was published in the Lawrence Daily Journal-World, October 7, 1933.

     The fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Clyde Christian church was observed October 8, 1933. Special historical articles were printed in the Clyde Republican, preceding the event.

     Historical notes on the organization of the Olathe Methodist Episcopal church were published by the Olathe Mirror and The Johnson County Democrat preceding the seventy-fifth anniversary week of services October 22 to 29, 1933. S. T. Seaton reviewed the history of the church in the Mirror for October 12.

     Toronto history, as printed in a pamphlet entitled Woodson County Hand Book (1888), was reprinted in the Toronto Republican in the issues of October 12 to November 16, 1933, inclusive.

     Dickinson county history was reviewed at a meeting of the Dickinson County Historical Society held at Abilene, October 16, 1933. A two-column summary of the speeches presented at the meeting was reported in the Abilene Daily Chronicle, October 17, 1933.

     The reminiscences of E. T. Wickersham, of Fall River vicinity, were published in the Fredonia Daily Herald, October 17, 1933, and The Western Star, Coldwater, November 3. Mr. Wickersham settled in Elk county in 1862.

     "Some Wolf Creek History," by John W. Manners, Sr., appeared in the Lucas Independent, October 18, 1933.

     A history of the Sylvan Grove Presbyterian church was published in the Sylvan Grove News, October 19, 1933. H. C. Bradbury held the first preaching service.

     Winona newspaper history was reviewed by J. G. Felts in the Logan County News, October 19, 1933.

     Lecompton history was recalled by J. Frank Kerns in an article printed in the Lawrence Daily Journal-World, October 19, 1933. The article, as published, was read at the annual meeting of the Douglas County Old Settlers' Society, September 14.

     The fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Cheney was officially observed October 20, 1933. Special historical notes were printed in the Cheney Sentinel in its issue of October 19 and 26, commemorating the event.

     A history of the Hiawatha Methodist Episcopal church was briefly sketched in the Hiawatha Daily World, October 20, 1933. The seventy-fifth anniversary was observed with a special program at the church on November 26.

     Oswego historical notes, pictures of pioneers, first buildings and early-day scenes were published in issues of the Oswego Democrat and the Independent of October 20, 1933, preceding the old settlers' meeting held in the city October 21. Both newspapers on October 27 printed a list of the old settlers registering for the event who had been in the vicinity forty years or more.

     A historical sketch of the Paola Methodist Episcopal church was printed in The Miami Republican, Paola, October 20, 1933, preceding the seventy-fifth anniversary program held October 27 to 29. A review of the pageant presented at this meeting was printed in The Western Spirit, Paola, November 3.

     Stories relating the history of floods along the Kansas river and the part the proposed Kilo dam would play in the nation's flood-control program have frequently appeared in newspapers of the state in the past few months. Three were: "The Story of the Kilo

Dam," by Charles H. Sessions, in the Topeka Daily Capital, October 22, 1933; "Kiro Dam and Lake," by W. H. Fernald, in the Florence Bulletin, October 26, and a page article, "How Kiro Dam Would Benefit Kansas, Midwest and Nation," by William Wallace, in the Topeka Daily Capital, December 17.

     Lincoln county teachers and district school officials for 1933-1934 were named in the Sylvan Grove News, October 26, 1933.

     The histories of Sublette and Satanta were reviewed in the Sublette Monitor and the Satanta Chief in their issues of October 26, 1933. The first buildings in the two cities were moved in from Santa Fe twenty-one years ago.

     "Memories of Early Claflin," as written by Mrs. R. L. Hamilton and read at a club meeting in October, 1933, was published in the Claflin Clarion, October 26. Claflin was founded in the spring of 1887.

     The history of the Salem Evangelical Church was briefly reviewed in the Leavenworth Times October 26, 1933. The church celebrated its forty-fifth anniversary October 29.

     St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Glasco celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the completion of its church building October 29, 1933. The history of the organization was briefly noted in The Sun, Glasco, October 26.

     "About Getting Grub Stakes," was the title of the October 27, 1933, installment of the "Just A Thinking" stories by W. V. Jackson which are printed from time to time in The Western Star, Coldwater. In this article Mr. Jackson recalled the exchange of cedar posts from southwestern Barber county and southeastern Comanche county, for food.

     The history of the Women's Relief Corps, Department of Kansas, was published in the Baxter Springs Citizen, October 30, 1933. The Kansas corps was organized at Topeka, February 6, 1884.

     An article describing the late Mary Elizabeth Lease as James M. Mickey knew her, was featured in the Leavenworth Times of October 31, 1933. Mr. Mickey was the editor of the Osage City Free Press during the campaign of 1896, and recalled several anecdotes of her life. Sketches of other incidents in the life of this famous Populist orator were written by B. J. Sheridan for The Western Spirit, Paola, November 3, and by D. D. Leahy for the Wichita Sunday Eagle, November 5.

     The fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Abilene Grace Reformed church was observed November 5, 1933. The history of the organization was published in the Abilene Daily Chronicle, in its issues of November 1 and 5, and in the Abilene Daily Reflector, November 3.

     Coal mining in Russell county was discussed by L. C. Brown in the Lucas Independent, November 2, 1933. Mr. Brown reports that a Mr. Matthews mined the first coal in the county in 1871. The article was reprinted November 9 in the Bunkerhill Advertiser.

     A list of the old settlers attending the Paola celebration held in their honor, October 25 to 31, 1933, was published in The Western Spirit, Paola, November 3.

     "When Finn Founded Wichita's School System," an article by Bliss Isely relating the experiences of William Finn, Wichita's first school teacher, was printed in the Wichita Sunday Eagle, November 5, 1933.

     Life in Lincoln county from the years 1871 to 1877 is revealed in the diary of J. Z. Springer, which was published in the Lincoln Sentinel-Republican in its issues of November 9, 16 and 23, 1933. Mr. Springer came to Lincoln county from California in May, 1871.

     Sabetha's Methodist and Congregational churches celebrated their seventy-fifth anniversaries recently. The Methodist Church held its services November 5, and the Congregational Church, the week starting November 19. A brief historical sketch of the Methodist Church appeared in the Sabetha Star, November 9. Stories of the founding of the Congregational Church were printed in the Sabetha Herald, November 22, and in the Star, November 23.

     Names of pupils and teachers in a Lawrence school during the month of May, 1863, as written by William Duncan on the margins and fly leaves of a copy of Ray's Arithmetic, were published in the Lawrence Daily Journal-World, November 15, 1933. The names are of especial interest since the Quantrill raid on Lawrence occurred only three months later.

     "Who Was First in Business in Cheney," an article naming the pioneer business men, was printed in the Cheney Sentinel, November 16, 1933.

     The early history of the First Methodist Church in Wichita and the dedication of its church bell was reviewed by Victor Murdock in the Wichita (Evening) Eagle in its issue of November 16, 1933.

     A prairie fire scare in 1887 in Comanche county was recalled by Mrs. S. A. DeLair, writing in The Western Star, Coldwater, November 17, 1933.

     The seventy-fifth anniversary of the Cottonwood Falls First Methodist Church was observed with special services during the week starting December 3, 1933. A brief history of the organization was published in the Chase County Leader, Cottonwood Falls, November 22.

     A "Review of an Inheritance-With Reference to Kansas Autumn Sundays, Scenery, Pioneer Motives and 'Way of Life,"' by T. W. Morse, was printed in the Emporia Times, November 23, 1933. Augustus Wattles, who settled in Linn county in 1857, was the writer's grandfather.

     A story of the establishment of the first rural mail delivery route out of Wichita was written by Victor Murdock for the Wichita (Evening) Eagle, November 23, 1933.

     Brief histories of Eminence, former county seat of Garfield county, were printed in the Garden City News, November 23, 1933, and the Sublette Monitor, November 30. The Monitor story was republished in the Topeka Daily Capital, December 3.

     Notaries of Russell county are being named by Judge J. C. Ruppenthal in his "Russell Rustlings" column published in the Paradise Farmer, starting with its issue of November 27, 1933. Judge Ruppenthal also listed some of the early settlers of the county, and the date they arrived, in this column during November and December. Several other Kansas newspapers are publishing this series. Among them are the Waldo Advocate, Luray Herald, Natoma Independent, and the Wilson World.

     The fiftieth anniversary of the Baldwin Ledger was commemorated November 30, 1933, with the issuance of a twenty-page historical edition. A detailed history of Baldwin's newspapers was prepared by J. A. McFarland, Jr., present editor of the Ledger. Letters from former editors still living and their photographs were published. The founding of Baker University, as described by J. C. Hall, first graduate; the early history of Baker, by H. W. Johnson; a list of prominent graduates of the college, and the biography of Dr. A. T. Still, founder of osteopathy, were other features of the edition.