WILBUR EMERY CAMPBELL was born on a
farm near Brownsville, Pa., January 26, 1847. While still a
small child, his parents moved to a farm in Iowa.
On
December 12, 1863, at the age of sixteen, he joined the
Third Iowa cavalry with which he served until mustered out
at Atlanta, Ga., August 9, 1865. While serving in the army
he received three minor wounds and was captured twice, but
escaped each time and was soon back with his regiment. One
of the officers of the third Iowa cavalry at the time Mr.
Campbell enlisted was the brilliant and highly educated Maj.
John w. Noble, then 32 years of age, who joined the Union
army in 1861, served through the war, and retired in 1865
with the brevet rank of brigadier general. Despite the
difference in age and rank of the two men, a close
friendship developed which remained steadfast the remainder
of their lives. Several years after the end of the Civil
War, General Noble, then a leading lawyer of St. Louis, and
Mr. Campbell, a leading livestockman of the Southwest,
formed a partnership and developed a lead and zinc mining
project in southwest Missouri, but the panic during the
second Cleveland administration spelled finis to this
venture. General Noble served as secretary of the interior
under Pres. Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893).
[1]
Mr.
Campbell came out of the army only a boy in years, but a
mature man in poise and self reliance. His first love was
farming and livestock production, but being without capital
he sought and found employment on the Union Pacific building
westward from Omaha. [2] It was his crew that laid
the rails into Cheyenne, Wyo., November 18, 1867, and it was
here that he heard a new market was being developed at
Abilene, which would provide an outlet for hundreds of
thousands of Texas cattle. It was also here that he heard
glowing accounts of the possibilities that southern and
south-western Kansas offered as cattle-producing areas.
These reports interested him greatly, and early in 1868 he
and a young friend arrived in the then railroadless trading
post of Wichita. They found lodging with Henry Vigus, an
early hotel proprietor in Wichita. [3]
Later
in 1868, Mr. Campbell settled on the SW1/4 sec. 24, T. 28
S., R. 1 W., on Cowskin creek nine miles south of Wichita
and two miles southeast of the present village of Oatville.
This was still a part of the Osage Indian trust lands and
Mr. Campbell did not get legal possession until after it was
ceded to the federal government in 1870, but he retained
possession from the first. [4]
While
crossing Indian Territory, trail drivers frequently turned
aside from the trail to rest and graze their cattle for a
few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. Mr. Campbell
followed this practice and became impressed with the value
of certain portions of the Indian Territory as cattle
grazing and producing areas, and established camps (ranch
headquarters) near the present site of Chickasha, Okla., and
on Campbell creek in what is now Kingfisher county,
Oklahoma. In a few years he was handling several thousand
cattle on these ranches. The exact dates these ranches were
started have not been determined, but other authenticated
events indicate that Mr. Campbell was ranching in that area
as early as 1872. These events also indicate that in a few
years all his ranching activities in the Indian territory
were concentrated at the Campbell creek ranch. Campbell
creek, located in the southeast portion of Kingfisher
county, was named for Mr. Campbell.
These
ranches were located on Indian lands, and Mr. Campbell saw
that sooner or later difficulties would arise over their use
by ranchmen. Not long after he started ranching in the
Indian Territory he also began the development of a ranch in
the southern portions of Barber and Harper counties in
Kansas. In the beginning this ranch was on a free range
basis, but as time went on it was operated on a leased and
finally on an actual ownership basis. Reports indicate that
at its peak, the Campbell ranch consisted of 48,000
acres.
The
largest single purchase made in developing the Kiowa ranch
was a portion of the so-called "Three-Mile-Strip." The land
included in this purchase extended some 15 miles east from
the west boundary of the present town of Kiowa.
This
"three-mile-strip" resulted from the overlapping of surveys,
and the story, in brief, is this:
The
area commonly known as the Cherokee strip became the
property of the Cherokee Indians by provisions of treaties
relocating the Cherokees on land included in what is now
Kansas and Oklahoma. This new Cherokee land was surveyed in
1837. Since the area was immediately south of the previously
surveyed Osage Indian lands in what is now Kansas, the
surveyor naturally started at the southeast corner of the
Osage lands and ran his line straight west to the 100th
meridian. That line was designated the north boundary of the
Cherokee nation.
The
Kansas-Nebraska bill of 1854 fixed the south boundary of
Kansas as the 37th parallel north latitude. Lt. Col. Joseph
E. Johnston, later a Confederate general, headed the
surveying party which established this boundary in 1857. The
new line ran about 2.46 miles south of the north boundary of
the Cherokee land previously established.
Both
Kansas and the Cherokees claimed this strip, which extended
approximately from where the Neosho river crosses the south
line of Kansas to the present town of Englewood, a distance
of about 276 miles. It contained approximately 435,096.59
acres.
The
controversy was finally settled in 1866 when a treaty paved
the way for the sale of the strip for the benefit of the
Cherokees. [5] An act of congress may 11, 1872 ,
provided for the sale -- the portion east of the Arkansas
river to sell at $2 per acre, and that west of the river at
1.50 per acre. A later act provided for the sale of unsold
portions of the strip at not less than $1 per
acre.
Dr.
John Hardtner of Illinois purchased a considerable portion
of this strip centering along the southern border of the
present Barber county. The Campbell purchase just mentioned
was made from the Doctor Hardtner in 1884, but Mr. Campbell
had been ranching on this land several years before he
purchased it. [6] While developing his holdings in
Kansas he maintained ranch headquarters on Little Sandy
creek in Harper county just a short distance north of the
Kansas-Oklahoma line and about 40 miles west of Caldwell.
When the Cherokee Strip Livestock Association decided in
1883 to fence their respective holdings in the Indian
territory, Mr. Campbell discontinued his ranching activities
in that area and concentrated all his efforts on the
management of his Kansas ranch.
A
notice indicating that Mr. Campbell was well established in
this area previous to 1883 appeared in the February 23,
1882, issue of the Caldwell Commercial:
Correspondence,
records of business transactions and newspaper references
indicate definitely that Wichita was Mr. Campbell's
post-office address from 1868 to 1879, but just where the
Campbells made their home from October 28, 1871, when the
farm south of Wichita was sold, to 1879 when he moved his
family to the farm near Caldwell has not been determined.
But, in view of the fact that he was away from home much of
the time during this period operating ranches in the Indian
territory, developing a ranch in the southern part of Barber
and Harper counties, and trailing cattle from Texas, it is
possible that Mrs. Campbell and the children spent the
winters with her father or brothers who lived in or near
Wichita, and the summers at one of he ranch headquarters,
until the Campbells established the home near Caldwell in
1879.
As
soon as the town of New Kiowa became a reality, Mr. Campbell
began the development of a ranch headquarters a mile east of
this new town. This headquarters when fully developed
included a fine residence, beautifully landscaped lawns, a
large acreage of trees both fruit and forest, and probably
the largest and most up-to-date barn in Kansas. R. B.
Campbell, a son of W. E. Campbell, now (1947) retired and
living in Colorado Springs, describes these improvements as
follows:
A
letter written by Mr. Campbell to his mother in Iowa under
the date of Febuary 10, 1885, states that
Mr.
Campbell had planted a border of hardy roses along the
driveways, and when the headquarters was completed he named
it "Rosewood Park," the name under which it became well
known throughout the Southwest. [8]
The
development of the headquarters had progressed sufficiently
to enable Mr. Campbell to move his family temporarily to the
new home in 1885 [9] and the home near Caldwell,
established in 1879, was sold in 1887.
[10]
A
formal dedication took place Thanksgiving Day, November 29,
1888. An announcement of this dedication stated that "Good
speakers from abroad will be present, and a grand musical,
intellectual and social event will be the order of eh day.
At night a grand ball will be given. ...The social, ball and
banquet will be given in Mr. Campbell's elegant new barn
which is fit for a queen's entertainment." [11] This
proved to be one of the grandest early-day social affairs of
the Southwest.
There
were several speeches, but space will permit only one
excerpt from the last one on the program made by J. Y.
Leming, as follows:
In
most instances, children would not be given much
consideration in planning an occasion of this nature, but
not so in the case of Mr. Campbell. In order that all the
children of that area might realize fully that they were
invited, a notice appeared in the local paper that
read:
In
welcoming his visitors on this occasion, Mr. Campbell
referred to his youthful guests in these words: "Especially
do I most sincerely welcome all these little children. My
heart o'erflows with a double welcome to all these young
people and [I] earnestly hope [they] will
all thoroughly enjoy this beautiful Thanksgiving day."
[14]
Much
of the Campbell ranch was splendid agricultural land, and
the demand had been so great for this land for farming
purposes that by the time the ranch headquarters was
dedicated in 1888, a considerable portion of the original
acreage had been sold. A description of the ranch in 1888
appeared in the Kiowa Herald and read in part as
follows:
The
article also stated that there were 2,000 cattle on the
ranch at the time (1888). [16] A news item of 1882,
six years previous, states that at that time there were
6,000 head of stock on the Campbell ranch.
[17]
By
1898, the ranch had been reduced to 1,600 acres, but Mr.
Campbell had come into possession of another ranch of
several thousand acres just across the Kansas border near
present Winchester, Okla. He continued his residence and
main headquarters at Rosewood Park, however. The same demand
developed for the ranch land near Winchester, Okla., for
farming purposes that had developed for the land of Rosewood
Park, and Mr. Campbell disposed of what remained of the
Oklahoma ranch in 1903, retired from ranching, and
established the Campbell land and Oil Company at Tulsa,
Okla. He played an important part in the early development
of the oil industry in that area and his untimely death,
October 29, 1907, [18] is probably all that
prevented him from achieving in the oil industry the same
outstanding success he had achieved in the livestock
industry.
In
his earliest days as a ranchman, Mr. Campbell was known as
"Shorthorn" Campbell to distinguish him from several other
Campbells in that area. Later, he became known as
"White-face" Campbell. He explained the change in an address
given before a livestock convention and published in the
Kiowa Review, February 23, 1898. [19]
Such marvelous results are
especially gratifying to me, and vividly [do I]
recall many an article that I wrote for the agricultural
press, urging the benefits to be gained by the use of
pure bred bulls upon our southern herds almost a third of
[a] century ago. At that time, our cruel war with
all its devastation was barely over and our southern
friends were slow to take hold of new methods. Finding it
better to demonstrate that to advocate, and that none of
my neighbors cared to join in the so-called experiment, I
procured some of the best Short Horn bulls then
attainable and proceeded to demonstrate that the backs of
our southern cattle could be broadened and their horns
shortened by the use of Short Horn bulls. While I was as
busy as a nailer in this missionary work, the boys of the
old guard put their heads together and proceeded to
re-christen me in a unique and chivalrous manner and form
that day ... I was known as "Short Horn Campbell"
Having
been identified with Short Horn cattle from my early
childhood, it was but natural that I should believe them
to be superior to all others for beef-making purposes.
But this belief did not prevent me from seeking for and
reading everything obtainable regarding the merits of
other beef breeds, and although up to that time I had
never seen a Hereford, I determined to procure some of
the best specimens of hat breed and to thoroughly test
them, not only on the range but in the feed lot as well
... Prior to this I had made annual purchases of Short
Horns from prominent breeders in Kentucky, Missouri and
Iowa ... On one occasion after buying a car load of Short
Horn cattle from that veteran breeder, Hon., Plinny
Nichols of West Liberty, Iowa, I learned that Mr. G. S.
Burleigh of Mechanicsville [Iowa] some 30 or 40
miles distant, was breeding some high class Herefords. I
went over and bought two excellent bulls [Prince
Royal 1794 and Battle Ax 2801] from this gentleman
and he assisted me in picking up enough grade Hereford
cows and heifers to make out another car load. Both these
car loads of cattle were shipped to Wichita, Kan., which
was then [1879] the terminus of the Santa Fe
railroad and the great Texas cattle shipping point of the
southwest.
The
arrival of such a shipment of blooded cattle in those
days was something extra ordinary and drew a crowd of
cattlemen about them almost equal to a circus. The Short
Horns were almost universally admired by my Texas
friends, but the Herefords were a new departure and ...
they were not only closely scrutinized but severely
criticized on all sides...
With
such criticisms from my friends and a deep seated
prejudice of my own in favor of the Short Horns, ... it
was not without grave doubts and misgivings, that I
proceeded to test the merits of Hereford bulls, as a
cross on my range cattle, side by side with their
aristocratic Short Horn rivals in the great battle for
supremacy. For this, my second offense against the old
methods prevailing throughout the southwest, I was more
severely criticized than ever, and while I joined in many
a laugh at my own expense, I considered it no laughing
matter when the boys again re-christened me, dropping the
"Short Horn" and substituting "White Face" as the first
half of my autograph...
Under
range conditions of that day cattle, including the bulls,
were compelled to live on the more or less succulent grass
of summer and the dry cured grass of winter. Before the
arrival of Herefords in the range-cattle country, ranchmen
expected a goodly percentage of their purebred bulls to
succumb to the rigors of winter and the type of feed
available, and those surviving to come through the winter in
a more or less emaciated condition. Mr. Campbell's
experience had been the same as that of the other ranchmen.
He was therefore much surprised when the two Hereford bulls
purchased in 1879 came through the winter of 1879-1880 in a
strong thrifty condition, whereas the Shorthorn bulls that
survived came through the winter emaciated and weak. This
contrast was more than a surprise; it was something of a
shock to Mr. Campbell's faith in the superiority of
shorthorns over all other breeds of cattle. He, always alert
and progressive, wondered if Herefords as a breed were
really as hardy and as well adapted to range conditions as
his experience with the two Hereford bulls purchased in 1879
seemed to indicate. Being a man of action, he immediately
decided to make a practical large-scale comparison of
Hereford bulls and Shorthorn bulls under range conditions,
and early in 1880 went East where he purchased a carload (26
head) of good Shorthorn bulls and a carload (25 head) of
equally good Hereford bulls, brought them home, and turned
them loose on the range together. Mr. Campbell later
commented as follows on this comparison:
When the heat of summer
came, the Shorthorns could be seen standing along the
streams or in the shade, while the Herefords were busy
grazing. ... Both breeds were allowed to remain on the
open range the entire winter, without any artificial food
or shelter of any kind, and were compelled to rustle for
a living or die. The winter proved to be one of unusual
severity, and before spring came almost fifty per cent of
my beloved Shorthorns had died, and the remainder were
but reeling skeletons. With the Herefords, the test was
perfectly satisfactory, and every one of the twenty-five
showed up in good shape... [20]
Mr.
Campbell's experience with his first two Hereford bulls
during the winter of 1879-1880 and with the carload of
Hereford bulls during the winter of 1880-1881, together with
the quality of the calves dropped in 1880 sired by the two
Hereford bulls purchased in 1879, so completely convinced
him of the superiority of Herefords as range cattle that he
decided to establish a herd of purebred Herefords at once,
primarily for the purpose of producing purebred Hereford
bulls for use in his own commercial herd. However, his
purebred herd eventually became so large that he was able to
offer for sale each year a considerable number of both bulls
and females. It might be mentioned at this point that for
several years there was also a heavy demand for
Campbell-raised grade Hereford bulls for use on the range
farther south and west. Mr. Campbell's first purchase of
purebred Hereford cows was made in 1881. This purchase
consisted of Duchess of Somerset 2nd 2954, Young Baroness
5872, Empress 5873, Ella 3rd 2107, Lady Maud 2nd 2110, Lady
Maud 3rd 2111, Mermaid 2204, and Jessamine 2209. The first
three were bred by D. K. and J. W. Wentworth of Maine, the
next three by J. S. Hawes of Maine (later of Kansas), and
the last two by T. E. Miller of Illinois. These were leading
breeders of their day. Available records do not show from
whom Mr. Campbell actually purchased these first eight
Hereford females, but it is quite probable that he purchased
the first six listed above from F. H. Jackson of Maple Hill
because they were in calf by a bull (Emperor 2076) that Mr.
Jackson was using at that time. Service records indicate
that the remaining two were purchased directly from T. E.
Miller who bred them.
In
1881, Mr. Campbell also came into possession of the Hereford
bull The Equinox 2758 calved September 23, 1879. This bull
was bred by J. Merryman, Cockeysville, Md., but purchased
from T. E. Miller, Beecher, Ill. [21] The Equinox
developed into one of the great show bulls of his day and
proved to be and excellent sire.
For
the next few years the herd was enlarged rapidly, but all
purchases were made on the basis of quality. A story in the
November 15, 1883, issue of the Kansas City (Mo.)
Live-Stock Indicator reports the kind of females
Mr. Campbell purchased. It states that:
Mr. Campbell is an
energetic and enterprising breeder, and at Mr. Adams
Earl's sale on Thursday he purchased imported Empress E.
[7540], 4 years old, a prize winner in England,
and said to be one of the best breeding young cows on the
American continent. He also bought [imported]
Blush [6970], a 4-year old, by [imported]
De Cote [2563], the sire of the celebrated cow,
Leonora. ... Both of these cows are in calf to
[imported] sir Bartle Frere [6419], the
highest-priced Hereford ever sold and a Royal
[England] winner. Another of his purchases is
[imported] Myrtle 5th [7537], a
2-year-old by the renowned [imported] Prince
Horace [7413], and bred to [imported]
Garfield [7015], a Royal [England] prize
winner, and said to be the best Hereford bull in America.
...
Sanders'
book, The Story of the Herefords, states that Mr. Campbell
purchased the imported cow, Miss Archibald 11119, for $1,230
at a public sale in Kansas City in September, 1884.
[22] This was one of the highest prices ever paid
for a Hereford female in the United States up to that date,
but she proved to be a splendid producer and an excellent
investment. The records of the American Hereford Association
show that Mr. Campbell imported seven head of Herefords
previous to 1884.
Mr.
Campbell selected herd sires for his purebred Hereford herd
with the same care and discrimination that he selected
females.
That
the quality of the Campbell herd of purebred Herefords was
appreciated is indicated by a reference to Campbell
Herefords in The Story of the Herefords (p. 698), which
states: "W. E. Campbell ... and J. S. Hawes ... established
large and excellent herds ... which were drawn upon heavily,
not only by those founding new purebred herds in the
Missouri River region, but also by ranchmen further
west."
He
showed purebred Hereford cattle for the first time in the
fall of 1881, and this first show herd consisted of a group
of purebred Herefords selected form those purchased early
that year. He showed these cattle at both the district fair
at Wichita, and the state fair at Topeka.
The
Wichita Eagle of October 6, 1881, refers to Mr.
Campbell's Hereford winnings of 1881 as follows:
The thoroughbred herd of
Hereford cattle exhibited by W. E. Campbell of Caldwell,
Kansas, was one of the principal attractions. This herd
was headed by the magnificent young bull, "Equinox"
[2758]. He does credit to his noted ancestors and
will be the "Prince of Bovines" wherever he goes. At the
State Fair he took the first premium in his class and
then carried off the special sweepstake offered for the
best Hereford of any age or sex on exhibition. Two of the
heifers belonging to this herd were also shown at the
State Fair and carried off the prizes. At our Fair this
herd carried off twelve prizes including the three
highest sweepstakes prizes and diplomas: "The Equinox"
2758 being adjudged the best bull of any age or breed,
"Ella 3d" 2107 being adjudged the best cow of any age or
breed, and Mr. Campbell's Hereford herd being adjudged
the best thoroughbred herd on exhibition. These awards
certainly speak well for the Herefords as there was
strong competition and a number of excellent Short-horn
herds on the ground. Mr. Campbell is also an extensive
breeder of Short-horn cattle, but is now breeding all his
Short-horn cows to Hereford bulls. He uses about 100 ...
bulls on his ranches south west of Caldwell...
Mr.
Campbell again showed Herefords at the district fair at
Wichita in 1882 and won all the first prizes in the Hereford
classes; but when the sweepstakes classes, which included
all breeds, were judged, Mr. Campbell's Herefords were
deliberately ignored. When asked for an explanation, the
chairman of the judging committee replied that Herefords had
no business showing against Shorthorns. The protests of the
spectators were so emphatic that the judging committee was
dismissed, a new committee selected, and the sweepstakes
classes ordered rejudged. The first committee consisted of
men who had been, or were, Shorthorn breeders. The second
committee consisted of a city butcher, and Englishman who
had had extended experience in England, New Zealand and this
country and a feeder and shipper. Under the second
committee, Campbell Herefords won all three of the
sweepstakes classes -- The Equinox winning the bull class;
Ella 3rd, the cow class; and the herd headed by the Equinox,
the herd class. [23] This incident is more or less
typical of the resentment of Shorthorn breeders toward
Hereford breeders during those early years of the Hereford
"invasion".
The
Campbell herd was also shown at Topeka in 1882, but detailed
winnings seem not to have been published. However, in a
letter written by Mr. Campbell in the fall of 1882, he
states that, "My herd of Herefords, headed by the young bull
The Equinox 2758, have proved themselves invincible at the
fairs this fall, and have carried of the lion's share of
sweepstake prizes against some noted adversaries in the
Short-horn ranks." [24]
Mr.
Campbell showed his cattle more extensively in 1883 and more
successfully than previously. In those days, two of the
leading fairs and livestock shows of the Middlewest were
held in Kansas -- one known as the National Western Fair,
sponsored by the Union Pacific railroad, was held at
Bismarck Grove near Lawrence; the other, known as the state
fair, sponsored by the Santa Fe railroad, was held at
Topeka. Mr. Campbell showed at both these fairs. The
Kansas Farmer, Topeka, of September 12, 1883,
commenting on the Campbell showing at the National Western
Fair stated: "...W. E. Campbell, Caldwell, Kas., ... made a
remarkably fine showing. ..." His winnings in competition
with herds from Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois included second
on three-year-old bull; first on bull under one year; second
on cow three years and over; second on cow under two years,
and second on bull and five of his calves. The next week
practically the same herds met at the state fair at Topeka.
T. L. Miller in his History of Hereford Cattle refers to the
Campbell show herd at this fair in these words:
Mr.
W. E. Campbell, an extensive ranchman and cattle raiser of
Caldwell, Kans., exhibited at the Kansas State Fair a fine
herd of Hereford cattle. ... The Equinox 2758 standing at
the head of this herd had proven an excellent stock getter
as well as invincible show bull. He won first prize in the
grand sweepstakes ring open to bulls of any age or breed, in
a strong field of eighteen show bulls, representing the best
Shorthorn, Hereford, Polled Angus and Galloway herds of
Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. He also carried off the
first prize in his class, and his bull calf Jumbo and his
heifer calf Lady Maud 4th each won first honors in their
respective classes. In the sweepstakes ring for the best
bull and five of his calves, open to all breeds, The Equinox
again came to the front and won second honors, though his
calves were very young and showed to bad advantage on that
account. Queen of the Lillies [4367], out of
Jessamine by Winter de Cote, that was first at Bismarck, was
assigned a second place here after much hesitation. The
winnings of this herd are unprecedented.
The
merits of any thoroughbred race are best demonstrated by the
quality of their progeny, and to practically demonstrate the
superiority and potency of the Herefords over other breeds,
Mr. Campbell exhibited the yearling heifer Texas Jane. This
heifer was sired by a thoroughbred Hereford, and was out of
a little scrub Texas cow. She [Texas Jane] weighed
about 900 pounds [off grass], and had all the
character and markings of a thoroughbred Hereford. She was
universally admired and attracted much attention and comment
from the public, to whom she gave the following account of
her birth and breeding, through a placard conspicuously
posted over her stall:
I was born on W. E. Campbell's
ranch, Aug. 19, 1882, and
was at once christened Texas Jane.
My father was a Hereford throughbred,
My mother a wild "Texas Scrub."
The cross makes me easily fed,
And I am able to rustle for grub.
Don't stare at the meat on my back,
Or be surprised at my snow-white face;
For it was all the work of papa,
That gave me this Hereford grace.
[25]
Mr.
Campbell had been one of the principal boosters for a
fat-stock show to be held at Kansas City, and the first of
such shows was held in November, 1883. It was here that Mr.
Campbell's cattle received their most favorable publicity
and it was also at this show that Mr. Campbell gave
Herefords the most effective advertising as range cattle
that they have ever received. In 1881, six little south
Texas cows that had cost Mr. Campbell eighteen dollars a
head including calves at foot, got away from the common herd
and joined the good grade herd some ten miles away where
Hereford bulls were being used. The next year (1882) these
six cows produced one heifer and five bull
calves.
The
bull calves were steered and from the six the heifer and
three steers were selected to feed for exhibition at the
fairs the following season. One of the steers was killed
when about a year old. The heifer and two remaining steers
were named Texas Jane, Texas Bill and Texas Jack. These
three Hereford-South Texas yearlings and three of the same
breeding but a year younger constituted Mr. Campbell's
"demonstration" exhibit at the Fat-Stock Show at Kansas City
in 1883. One writer stated that there were more "Cattle
Kings" of the West present at this show than at any other
time or place, and that Mr. Campbell's "demonstration"
exhibit made a profound impression upon them. Another writer
stated with great emphasis that this exhibit really sold
Hereford cattle to range men. The Breeder's Gazette
of November 15, 1883, commenting on this exhibit stated
that:
W. E.
Campbell's exhibit of calves, the get of Hereford bulls, out
of Texas cows, was one of the most interesting sights of the
show. The remarkable animal known as Texas Jane is, to all
appearances, a model Hereford heifer, finely marked; a
slight show of black on one of her hind legs being the only
apparent trace of alien blood. Mr. Van Natta has taken one
of the best heifers to Indiana, we believe, for the purpose
of trying the effect of another Hereford cross.
This
"demonstration" exhibit won the $100 special prize offered
by F. W. Smith for the best six half-blood Hereford and
Texas steers or heifers bred on the range by the exhibitor
and not to exceed eighteen months of age. It also won the
$200 special prize offered by Underwood, Clark and Company
for the most valuable display of stock in the
show.
The
Kansas City (Mo.) Live-Stock Indicator of November 15, 1883,
states that Mr. Campbell showed 90 head of cattle at this
first Kansas City Fat-Stock Show. His winnings other than
those already mentioned included second on carload (15 head)
of three-year-old range cattle (Shorthorn); first and second
on carload (18 head) of two-year-old range cattle
(Herefords); first and second on carload (20 head) of
yearling cattle (Herefords); special premium for the best
grass-fed steer or cow, and second on thoroughbred yearling
steer.
At
the close of this show Mr. Campbell sold to A. A. Crane
& Son of Osco, Ill., the Hereford bull calf, Jumbo, by
the Equinox 2758, that had won first at the state fair two
months previously. The price was $500 and a report of this
sale stated that he was seven months old and weighed 770
pounds. [26] Texas Jane weighed 1,260 pounds and
after the Chicago Fat-Stock Show was sold for $150 to Crane
& Son, who kept her on exhibition at the Kansas City
stock yards for the next three years.
[27]
One
of the two Hereford-Texas cross steers mentioned above --
Texas Bill -- weighed 1,682 pounds as a two-year-old in 1884
and was sold on a special order at eight cents a pound to be
served on the banquet table during the ice carnival of the
Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. [28] The
other of these two steers, Texas Jack, was carried over
until 1885 and shown in the carcass contest of the Kansas
City Fat-Stock Show of that year. He weighed 1,720 pounds
and won first in the class for three-year-old steers in
competition with a group of phenomenal steers that had been
winners on foot at several shows. A large percentage were
Shorthorns and most of them came from Kentucky, Illinois,
and Missouri. One came from Scotland.
[29]
The
demand for Campbell Herefords became so great that he did
not deem it necessary to show breeding cattle after 1883,
and his only appearance in the show ring after that date was
when he featured Texas Jack in the carcass contest sponsored
by the Kansas City Fat-Stock Show of 1885.
Several
articles implying that Shorthorn cattle were superior to all
other breeds appeared in The Breeder's Gazette in
1883 and 1884. These articles were written by George W.
Rust, a member of the Gazette staff and an ardent Shorthorn
admirer. Rust's claims made for the Shorthorns did not seem
to Mr. Campbell to be justified, and Campbell's comments,
published in the September 4, 1884, issue of the Gazette,
end with this prophetic statement: "The Hereford bull is
'king of the range,' and Mr. Rust will live to hear him
bellow triumphantly over every grazing region from the
snow-capped peaks of Mexico on the south to the British
Possessions on the north."
This
led to a debate over the relative merits of Shorthorns and
Herefords in the columns of the Gazette by Mr. Rust, the
theorist, and Mr. Campbell, the man of experience. Mr.
Rust's next letter appeared on October 2, and was answered
by Mr. Campbell on October 23. Again on November 6, Mr. Rust
defended the Shorthorns and in the issue of November 20 Mr.
Campbell tells more of his experiences with the two
breeds.
By
this time Mr. Campbell had left Mr. Rust little or no ground
upon which to stand in this debate, and in his article which
appeared in the December 4 issue, Mr. Rust resorted to an
attempt to belittle Mr. Campbell's style of writing and
experience as a cattleman. Mr. Campbell's reply appeared on
December 18. He summarized from the beginning his
experiences with both Shorthorns and Herefords as range
cattle; gave concise reasons for his conclusions and
convictions; and ended with these words:
Mr. Rust ... evades the
principal question at issue, and ... pitches into me
personally, and virtually says my literary attainments
are inferior to his, ... which is certainly very strong
argument in favor of Short-horns as range cattle. ... He
is not even satisfied with this, but accuses me of
studying the cattle business by lamplight. A grave charge
indeed, but nevertheless true. I confess even more. I
have studied it by the glimmering light of tallow candles
in lonely and isolated dugouts far beyond the reach of
civilization; by silvery starlight while making my
tedious nightly rounds guarding slumbering herds, when
the country was infested by hostile savages; by brilliant
sunlight, when my herds were slowly wending their way
northward through the burning sands of a southern
clime.
Yes,
I have studied the cattle business by the light of as
fierce and vivid, death-dealing lightning as ever flashed
from an angry sky, and at a time too, when comrades were
laid low in death by the fury of the storm. When the
artillery of heaven made the very earth tremble by the
force of her cannonading and peals of thunder, that
scattered my herds in the wildest and most terrific
stampedes. Yes, my lessons in the cattle business were
all learned in the stern school of experience, and of
course cannot be compared with Mr. Rust's theories or
"book larnen."
The
final article by Mr. Rust appeared in the issue of January
1, 1885, and Mr. Campbell's last argument was published on
January 22. Thus ended the Rust-Campbell debate, which
consisted of five articles by each that appeared in The
Breeder's Gazette from August, 1884, to January,
1885.
Mr.
Campbell's experience with Hereford cattle resulted in his
becoming an ardent crusader for this breed as an improver of
range cattle. As has been indicated, he conducted his
crusade on the range, in the feed lot, in the show ring, and
in the press. He, probably more than any other one
individual, is responsible for the present popularity of
Hereford cattle on the ranges of America.
Mr.
Campbell loved horses, handled them with consummate skill,
and made a notable contribution to the improvement of the
horses, as well as the cattle, of his day. About 1880 he
decided to attempt the production of better cow horses than
were then generally available. His first move was to
purchase several hundred Indian ponies, from which 50 of the
best mares were selected for use as a basis in this
improvement program. His next move was a trip to Kentucky
where he purchased the Thoroughbred stallion Legal Tender to
mate with these mares.
Some
high-class cow horses were secured from this mating but most
of them were a bit too high-strung to meet Mr. Campbell's
exacting standard for a good cow-horse. Some of the latter
developed into very fast short distance running horses;
others into horses that possessed great endurance coupled
with considerable speed, and still others proved later to
have been and excellent foundation for the production of
good driving horses when mated with Standard-bred
stallions.
In
those days, buggies, carriages, buck-boards and spring
wagons provided the major means of human transportation
locally and to a considerable extent over some distance.
Experience had proved that the Standard-bred (trotter or
pacer) was the best adapted of all breeds for driving
purposes. It was also being used to a considerable extent
for farm and other work. The demand for this breed for
utility purposes was greater than the supply. Furthermore,
there was a strong demand for fancy driving horses, and many
men of wealth had turned to harness horse racing as a sport
and were willing to pay very high prices for racing
prospects as ell as for horses of proved racing
ability.
This
opportunity for profit and pleasure greatly appealed to Mr.
Campbell, and in the middle 1880's he decided to engage in
the production of high class driving horses. The plan he had
in mind called for the purchase of registered Standard-bred
sires of the best quality and breeding obtainable and a
select group of well bred registered Standard-bred mares.
These mares and the Indian pony-Thoroughbred cross mares on
hand were to serve as the foundation upon which a large
scale breeding program would be built. This program got
underway in 1887 when he went to Kentucky and purchased
three young stallions and several young mares. The stallions
were Acolyte 7849, a yearling by Onward 1411 for which he
paid $1,500; Lorenzo 7844, a three-year-old by Onward; and
Redmore 8243, a yearling by Red Wilkes by George Wilkes.
Three of the fillies -- Symbol, Lady Onward, and Gaity --
were also by Onward. [30] The filly, Symbol, later
became famous as the dam of the sensational Symboleer 19869
that made a world's two-year-old pacing race record of 2:11
in 1894.
Mr.
Campbell's next problem was the selection of a sire to which
daughters and granddaughters of Onward could be bred. After
giving the situation thoughtful consideration he decided to
secure a son of Electioneer 125 owned by Leland Stanford of
Palo Alto, Cal., so in the late summer of 1888 he went to
California and finally was able to purchase a two-year-old
son of Electioneer which was later registered as Campbell's
Electioneer 11671. This colt cost $9,500.
[31]
Mr.
Campbell put Campbell's Electioneer into training soon after
his arrival at Kiowa in September, 1888, and in less than 60
days he lowered the then existing Kansas 2-year-old record
21 seconds by trotting a mile in 2:34 over a poor track and
in the rain. He won every heat in which he started as a
two-year-old. [32]
In
1889 as a three-year-old Campbell's Electioneer was
campaigned from Kansas to Kentucky after a light breeding
season and won every race in which he started except one.
This race, trotted at Lexington, Ky., October 14, 1889, was
won by Nancy Hanks who later became the world's champion
trotter. Campbell's Electioneer ended his three-year-old
campaign with a record of 2:22-1/2. [33] In 1890 as
a four-year-old he made a heavy stud season at Kansas City
at a service fee of $200. A bad case of distemper following
the breeding season made a racing campaign impossible that
year. In 1891 as a five-year-old he again made a heavy stud
season at Kansas City standing at $200 and earned $11,000 in
service fees. At the end of the breeding season he was put
into training and made another extensive and successful
racing campaign. On September 18 he lowered his record to
2:221/4, on September 23, to 2:19 [34] and on
October 28 to 2:173/4. [35]
The
breeding and speed shown by Campbell's Electioneer as a
three-year-old attracted wide-spread attention and resulted
in many offers for him, including one of $33,000 from an
Austrian syndicate. All were declined, but in 1892 Mr.
Campbell sold Campbell's Electioneer at public auction in
Lexington, Ky. The depression of the 1890's was already
being felt and he brought only $15,100.
[36]
Symboleer
19869 foaled in 1892 was the best of the many good
Standard-bred horses bred by Mr. Campbell, and the fastest
horse sired by Campbell's Electioneer. Carmine by Symboleer,
a gelding foaled in 1896, was the fastest horse bred by Mr.
Campbell. Carmine made a race record of 2:071/4 at Columbus,
Ohio, July 31, 1901. [37]
On
November 3, 1894, Symboleer made a new world's pacing race
record for two-year-olds of 2:11 at Dallas, Tex.
[38] This sensational performance was considered of
sufficient importance as a news item to find its way into
the daily press throughout the country. An enthusiastic
homecoming reception was tendered this remarkable colt upon
his return to Kiowa. [39]
Mr.
Campbell sold Symboleer at public auction in New York in
1895 for $1,310. He also sold Symboleer's dam, Symbol, for
$1,500 in the same auction. Symboleer lowered his race
record to 2:091/2 at Readville, Mass., September 5, 1898.
Although he did not reach the heights as a racehorse that
his two-year-old form promised, it has been established that
this failure was not the fault of Symboleer. He did prove to
be one of the three greatest Standard-bred sires ever
produced in Kansas and he climbed to these heights the hard
way, having been mated with very few high class
Standard-bred mares, until the last years of his
life.
When
Campbell's Electioneer passed to another owner in 1892,
Alcolyte 7849 by Onward, purchased in Kentucky as a yearling
and then six years of age, was promoted to the position of
head sire. He proved to be a very successful sire, perhaps a
greater sire than Campbell's Electioneer. There was,
however, this difference in the get of these two stallions.
The get of Alcolyte did not develop as much speed at an
early age as did the get of Campbell's Electioneer; however,
statistics show that the final records of all the standard
performers sired by Alcolyte average five seconds faster
than the final records of all the standard performers sired
by Campbell's Electioneer.
A
worthy contemporary of Campbell's Electioneer and Alcolyte
at the Campbell ranch was Breastplate 11392, foaled in 1884,
and purchased from L. U. Shippel of Stockton, Cal., in 1888
at the time Campbell's Electioneer was purchased.
Alcolyte
was followed as head herd sire by the splendidly bred Huro
37351 foaled in 1898. He in turn was followed by Marvin Bell
36229 foaled in 1900, a grandson of Electioneer out of a
granddaughter of George Wilkes.
W. E.
Campbell bred many fast and courageous race horses, a large
portion of which were sold as prospects and made their
records for their new owners. The success of Campbell-bred
race horses proved to be excellent advertising for all
Campbell-bred horses and helped materially to secure good
prices for the horses sold at home as well as those sold
annually at auction in St. Louis, Chicago, or New York. One
shipment to New York averaged $720 a head. Mules were also
produced on the Campbell ranch in considerable numbers and
usually found a ready market at profitable
prices.
When
the Campbell horse-breeding activities reached their peak
the horse inventory showed some 400 mares, eight
Standard-bred stallions, one Thoroughbred stallion, two
draft stallions and three jacks in service. This was the
most extensive horse-breeding establishment in Kansas
devoted to the production of well bred horses.
When
portions of Oklahoma were opened for settlement in 1889 and
in 1893, W. E. Campbell outfitted groups of friends and
relatives and acted as their guide in making both runs for
claims. These groups had a better chance for success than
most other participants because Mr. Campbell owned the best
horses in that section of the country and was thoroughly
familiar with both areas. All members of both groups secured
good claims -- those making the run in 1889 on land over
which Mr. Campbell ranched in the early 1870's.
A
considerable portion of the Kiowa ranch was devoted to crop
production, and while the acreage and activities of this
ranch were at their peak 33,000 bushels of wheat and 15,000
bushels of oats besides a considerable amount of corn were
produced in a single year.
When
Mr. Campbell started ranching in the Indian territory it was
the rendezvous of outlaws from every section of the United
States. Many lived by rustling cattle and horses, robbing
individuals, banks and trains, and gambling. A goodly number
were ruthless cold-blooded killers. Someone has said that
"These outlaws were even more savage than the red man in
their dealings with ranchmen and other white persons." Mr.
Campbell had his share of experiences with outlaws, but only
a couple will be related.
On
one occasion he found, upon arrival at his Indian territory
ranch with a trail herd from Texas, that outlaws had stolen
all the horses at the ranch. He immediately started on the
trail of the thieves and followed them into Mexico where
their trail was lost and he had to return empty handed. He,
however, had the satisfaction of knowing that he had done
his best to meet the requirements of the unwritten law of
the range in dealing with such cases.
A few
years later he had an experience in dealing with outlaws
that has been reported in several books and other
publications under the title of "The Jim Talbot Raid" at
Caldwell. Jim Talbot, an outlaw who had formerly operated in
western Texas and eastern New Mexico, drifted into Caldwell
in the fall of 1881. On the morning of December 17 of that
year he and his pals started "shooting up" the town.
Apparently the motive behind this action was to get Mike
Meagher, a former chief of police at Wichita, into the fight
and kill him. When the shooting started, the city marshal of
Caldwell called upon Meagher for help and the latter was
soon in the thick of the fight. Talbot outmaneuvered
Meagher, got the drop on him and killed him. The outlaws
then hurriedly left town and upon reaching "Bovine Park" --
the Campbell headquarters a short distance from Caldwell --
they rode into the yard and at the point of a Winchester
commandeered a saddle horse from a group of men who were
digging a well near the Campbell house. Mr. Campbell saw the
incident from a window of his home, but was persuaded by
Mrs. Campbell not to become involved. When the outlaws left,
Mr. Campbell, well-armed, started for Caldwell to mail some
letters and papers. On the way he met a posse starting on
the trail of the outlaws. He joined the posse an apparently
by common consent became its leader.
The
many stories of the Talbot raid written in recent years all
differ considerably as to details. T. W. Walton, editor of
the Caldwell Post at that time, who had been threatened with
death by Jim Talbot the previous evening, was a member of
the posse that pursued the outlaws and engaged them in a
running fight for several miles. It is quite probable that
the story he wrote and published in his paper five days
later -- December 22, 1881 -- is more nearly accurate than
any other that has been printed or relayed to the present
time by word of mouth. Excerpts that relate to Mr.
Campbell's part in the pursuit and fight follow:
The outlaws headed for
Deutcher Bros.' Horse ranch on Deer creek [and]
... passed on to the bluff and creek about six hundred
feet south of the ranch [headquarters],
dismounted and took to the brush and rocks, firing all
the time at the citizens. The citizens finally drove them
over the bluff and into a canyon, where there had been a
stone dugout. Into this three of the outlaws went, threw
up breast-works of stone, got behind them and would bang
away at any one who showed an inch of his person to their
view.
The
citizens surrounded the gulch and kept up a constant
firing at the fort, but without effect. One of the
outlaws took refuge up in a small gulch leading to the
west, and was not seen until he fired at W. E. Campbell,
who was sliding down the hill on his face to get a
commanding point above the fort. The outlaw's ball took
effect in Campbell's wrist. ... Had the fourth man been
anywhere else in the gulch the citizens could have taken
them in; but his position covered every point that the
others were exposed from. ... Thirty minutes more
daylight would have told the tale for the outlaws; or had
Campbell escaped the fire of the villain that shot him,
he could have killed the other three in as many minutes,
as his position commanded the fort in every
corner.
The
outlaws escaped in the dark and Mr. Campbell was taken to
his home. The shot in the wrist proved to be quite
serious and he nearly died from loss of blood. Mr.
Campbell also received two other less serious
wounds.
In
the same issue of the Caldwell Post -- December 22, 1881 --
the editor commented that:
W. E. Campbell is doing
splendidly under the care of Dr. Noble, and will in a few
days be able to be up and around. Campbell showed himself
to be up to the business of hunting outlaws while on that
chase, and at the round up his brand would have appeared
on three persons ... if they had not shot him just when
they did. Twenty-seven [bullet] holes appeared in
his clothing. ...
A
post card written by Mrs. Campbell to Mr. Campbell's mother
under date of December 21, 1881, states:
I find by examining his
clothes closely there are 27 bullet holes instead of 16.
We had no idea there were so many at first. ... This is a
card that was in his right vest pocket enclosed in a
small day book. You can see where the bullet passed
through the end. There were quite a bunch of cards in the
book. The bullet passed through the book then through a
large roll of newspapers he had hoped to mail. I have no
doubt this saved his life.
This
book and bullet are treasured reminders of other days, now
in the possession of a son.
Ridings,
discussing "The Talbot raid" in his book, The Chisholm
Trail, identifies the Campbell involved as "Barbeque"
Campbell, the name under which B. H. Campbell, another
prominent cattleman of that area, was known. He was locally
known as "Barbeque" Campbell because of the brand his cattle
carried which was -BQ (bar B-Q). [40] W. E.
Campbell, as Editor Walton indicated, was the Campbell
involved.
Indians
frequently went on the warpath, dealing death and
destruction until quelled by the army. At other times groups
of renegade Indians plundered and killed wantonly, and
always Indians were attempting to exact tribute from
ranchmen as well as trail drivers of beef or money or both.
An incident typifying this constant hazard was reported in
the Medicine Lodge Cresset, December 22, 1881. It
reads:
The report reaches us that
Big Horse's band of Cheyennes rounded up a couple of
Billie Quinlin's men a short time ago and made them give
up their six-shooters while they (the Indians) helped
themselves to a beef. As Big Horse has about sixty young
warriors with him, he has his own way in these matters to
a considerable extent.
The
Breeder's Gazette of November 8, 1883, quoting the
Medicine Lodge Cresset, states even at that late
date that "We understand that the Indians are giving some
trouble to parties holding cattle in the Oklahoma country,
and a short time since undertook to burn the range. The
heavy rains balked their plans at that time, but it is
feared they may cause trouble in the future." The
possibility of Indians carrying out their vengeful practice
of starting prairie fires was a most serious hazard because
grass was the only winter feed available, and if one's
winter range was destroyed he had to move or
liquidate.
The
Campbells had their share of trouble with Indians, but only
a few of their many unpleasant experience which have been
preserved in the memory of members of the Campbell family
can be included in the brief sketch.
In
1874 while Mr. Campbell was following the horse thieves
mentioned above, word reached the Campbell headquarters in
the Indian territory that a group of Indians had gone on the
warpath and would probably pass through the Campbell range.
Mrs. Campbell's brother, John Duncan, foreman on the
Campbell ranch, hastily improvised a two-wheeled cart by
inserting a wagon tongue into the rear portion of the
running gears of a wagon upon which he built a box large
enough to accommodate Mrs. Campbell with a babe in arms, a
two-year-old son, and Mr. Duncan. Since all the horses had
been stolen, oxen were hitched to the cart and the trip to
Wichita was begun. Fortunately they reached their
destination in safety.
On
another occasion five young bucks demanded a beef of Mr.
Campbell. He pointed to one they could have, but they were
not satisfied. They wanted the best. An altercation ensued
and the Indians retreated without a beef, but not without
hope of revenge. A few days later they found Mr. Campbell
alone on the range and sought to get even. Mr. Campbell
dropped from his horse into a buffalo wallow with his
Winchester and signaled them to stop. This they did but
began maneuvering to surround him. However, when one would
leave the others Mr. Campbell would motion him back, and if
the Indian did not respond promptly the Winchester would
come to the shoulder ready for action. After several
attempts to surround him failed they rode away, and the
incident was closed.
At
another time, after a long day hunting horses that had
strayed away, Mr. Campbell and John Duncan were attacked by
a band of 23 Indians. They were first seen some distance to
the rear following at full speed. The white men knew their
horses were to tire from the long day's ride to enable them
to escape by flight, so they figured their only chance was
to out-maneuver and confuse the Indians and hope for a lucky
break. The white men turned in their saddles and waved with
their hats to the Indians to come on and continued at a slow
trot. Two young bucks rode much faster horses than the
others and soon were well ahead of the main group. At the
opportune time Mr. Campbell and Mr. Duncan reversed their
course, spurred their horses to full speed up the slope, and
with their Winchesters in action met the two leaders near
the top of a hill. Thee leaders were so surprised by this
action they wheeled their horses and ran into their
companions that were following. This threw all the Indians
into confusion and allowed the white men to leave the trail
and pass down a draw at right angles. This draw led to a
creek running parallel to the trail. The white men followed
the creek under cover of a high bank on the tail side, going
in the direction from which the Indians came. They escaped
detection and reached some small timber on higher ground
from which they could see the Indians in the valley below
searching for them in all directions. The white men made
good their escape but did not reach camp until the next
day.
Not
long after the above experience a couple of Indians stopped
at the Campbell camp when Mrs. Campbell was alone and asked
for food. She fed them, but they became troublesome before
leaving. However, when Mrs. Campbell reached for the
Winchester they beat a hasty retreat. This incident
emphasizes the fact that under conditions existing in those
days women as well as men had to be courageous and
resourceful.
When
Mr. Campbell first saw typical longhorn Texas cattle he was
greatly impressed with their lack of the type and quality
necessary for the production of good beef, and soon after he
started ranching it became one of his major ambitions to
help improve these cattle. He appreciated their ability to
survive hardships and to travel far, but he also realized
that sooner or later conditions would demand cattle of
better quality. So he went East, purchased several purebred
Shorthorn bulls, and turned them loose on his range. This
experiment proved to be disastrous in one important respect
-- all of these bulls succumbed to Texas fever -- but not
until they had sired a crop of calves. This cross made a
most favorable impression upon ranchmen who saw them, and
after selecting the best bull calves from this crop for his
own use he sold the remainder to Drumm and Snyder, large
cattle operators in the Cherokee Strip, for $50 a head at
weaning time. This was when Longhorn cows with calf at side
sired by Longhorn bulls were selling at $20 a head. This
experience convinced Mr. Campbell of two things in
particular: The possibility of greatly improving longhorn
cattle, and the need of eradicating Texas fever from the
herds of the West. From that day on he did yeoman service in
both causes.
Trail
herds were usually infested with Texas fever ticks -- the
carriers of the Texas fever germ -- and the utmost in
precautions had to be exercised to keep tick-infested cattle
off the ranges of native cattle, which were highly
susceptible to this disease. Protecting his improved cattle
from ticks proved to be one of Mr. Campbell's most difficult
problems. On more than one occasion tick-infested cattle got
onto his range despite constant vigilance on his part and
caused death losses amounting to thousands of dollars. On at
least one occasion tick-infested cattle, en route to Dodge
City across Mr. Campbell's range, then carrying mostly
improved cattle highly susceptible to Texas fever, were
stopped despite threats and attempted intimidation. This
incident happened soon after he had concentrated most of his
ranching activities in the vicinity of Kiowa.
Mr.
Campbell learned about this herd and the plan to pass
through his range while in Caldwell. He immediately started
west on horseback and overtook the herd some ten miles east
of his range. He told the men in charge about the deaths it
would cause in his native cattle and tried to reason with
them, but the sum total of the results of his efforts was a
statement that the owners "would go through if they had to
wade blood up to their chins." Mr. Campbell hurried on,
reaching his headquarters on Little Sand creek at dusk. He
immediately sent for C. W. Clifford, a neighboring ranchman.
After a conference they sent all riders from both ranches to
neighboring ranchmen with the news of the approaching herd
and the request that they and their ranch hands meet in
front of the herd at sunrise. Mr. Campbell and Mr. Clifford
met the herd at daybreak and were received with abuse and
threats, but, as the light grew stronger, riders were seen
coming from the distant hills and ridges. The herdsmen
continued obstinate and abusive but by sunrise there were so
many determined ranchmen, cowboys, and "forty-fours"
blocking their path they left the bed ground in reverse and
later shipped their cattle from Caldwell by train. That was
the last "ticky" herd to attempt a drive through that
section of the range country.
It
seems fitting to present in this sketch more about the part
Mr. Campbell played in the founding of the present town of
Kiowa. In 1884 he purchased a stretch of the so-called
"three-mile-strip" extending eastward some 15 miles from
what is now the west boundary of Kiowa. Soon thereafter he
heard rumors to the effect that plans were on foot to build
a railroad through the town of "Old" Kiowa, which was
located approximately five miles northwest of his ranch. He
went up to "Old" Kiowa, spent the night there and learned a
great deal about the plans to bring in a railroad. The next
morning he saddled his horse, rode to Harper, and boarded a
train for Topeka. There he saw the right people and made a
deal for the Southern Kansas railroad to pass through a town
to be located on the west end of his ranch. [41] The
information he had gained while working for the Union
Pacific some years previously relative to the methods
employed by railroads in selecting routes and in dealing
with townsite companies aided greatly in handling this deal.
Upon his return from Topeka several substantial citizens of
that area met with him at Harper, August 2, 1884, and
organized the Kiowa Town Company. The directors elected were
Andrew Drumm, A. W. Rumsey, F. H. Shelley, O. P. Y. Ewell,
and W. E. Campbell. The incorporation papers for the town of
New Kiowa were filed with the secretary of state on August
4, 1884. [42]
The
Kiowa Town Company purchased approximately 5,000 acres off
the west end of Mr. Campbell's portion of the
"Three-Mile-Strip" at 48 per acre and located the town at
the extreme west edge of this purchase, but Mr. Campbell
retained 320 acres approximately one mile from town for a
new home and headquarters.
The
men behind this project were capable, fast workers and
within a year had developed an active thriving frontier town
of 1,000 inhabitants. The first train came in over the new
track on August 6, 1885, and the first trainload of cattle
was shipped from Kiowa on August 9. [43]
The
town company felt the need of a newspaper to promote the new
town. A brilliant young man had recently started a newspaper
at "Old" Kiowa. Mr. Campbell visited the new editor and
publisher and finally persuaded him to move his equipment to
"New" Kiowa. The deciding inducement was a nice townsite
advertising contract and about 300 subscriptions.
[44] This young man was Dennis T. Flynn, editor of
the Kiowa Herald, who later became a political
leader in Oklahoma and served as delegate in congress from
the territory of Oklahoma for most of the periods from 1893
to 1903. Mr. Campbell and Mr. Flynn remained lifelong
friends. Mr. Campbell's only venture in politics was
stumping Oklahoma for Flynn in one of his campaigns for
congress.
A few
years later Mr. Campbell had a hand in bringing another
newspaper man to Kiowa -- a man who later became one of the
well-known newsmen of Kansas -- David D. Leahy. In an
article written in 1935 Mr. Leahy said, "Forty-eight years
ago at the solicitation of two old ... friends -- W. E.
Campbell and James W. Dobson -- I went to Kiowa to edit the
Herald." [45] This incident occurred in
1887. Mr. Campbell and Mr. Leahy had become close friends
while the Campbell headquarters was located only a short
distance out of Caldwell (1879-1886) and these two men also
remained close lifelong friends.
Mr.
Campbell's formal education was limited to that offered by a
pioneer Iowa country school but he became a well-educated
man -- a self-educated person. He wrote well and was a
frequent contributor to the leading agricultural
publications of his day. He was a forceful and convincing
speaker, and his name appeared on the programs of many
early-day livestock meetings and conventions throughout the
Southwest.
Mr.
Campbell was plain-spoken and aggressive, but at heart he
was generous, kind and sympathetic. He could not tolerate
incompetence or dishonesty, and abhorred liquor and
gambling, neither of which was ever permitted on any of his
properties. He was a leader in the betterment of economic
and social conditions of the communities in which he
lived.
The
many local improvements and developments in which he
participated include: Petitioning for the incorporation of
Wichita as a town; the organization of the New Kiowa Town
Company and the founding of the town of Kiowa; establishing
the first bank, the first newspaper, the first school
(private), the first hotel and the cemetery at Kiowa, and
bringing both railroads to that town. He also built the
first brick store building and opera house in
Kiowa.
W. E.
Campbell married Emily Duncan of Wichita, January 21, 1871.
They reared six children: Wilbur Denton Campbell, Robert
Boyers Campbell, Charles Duncan Campbell, Roy Hamilton
Campbell, Frank Lee Campbell and Gladys E. Campbell. All are
living at this time -- 1947 -- and all are useful and highly
respected citizens of the communities in which they
reside.
Through
the years one finds many published statements attesting the
fine character and ability of W. E. Campbell. A few,
published at rather wide intervals of time, follow. In 1888
the Medicine Lodge Cresset carried an exchange
item, which read:
Mr. Campbell is a born
stockman and clearly one of the most honorable,
painstaking and successful breeders in the country. He
... came to southern Kansas in '68 without a dollar. He
came before a furrow was turned south of the Arkansas
river, and with many another brave, self-helpful boy,
contested with the red-handed savages for the mastery of
this beautiful region. His trusty Winchester, steady
nerve and ready tact have more than once been called into
service for the protection of his home, his friends and
herds, from the scarcely less savage white marauders of
the early day. He has seen the dissipation of countless
herds of buffalo; turned the green sward on many a virgin
prairie; shared in the trials and triumphs of pioneer
life, never forgetting his own fight with poverty, he has
been from first to last the friend of the poor.
[46]
In
1898 T. L. Miller stated in his History of Hereford Cattle
that, "Few men have had the long and varied experience of
Mr. Campbell, and at this writing he is still ranching and
breeding Herefords in the vicinity of his early range
experience. ... He was and is a master of the range
business." [47]
In
1935 David D. Leahy in a story in the Wichita Eagle
referred to Mr. Campbell as "... my old friend W. E.
Campbell, ... a brave and enterprising citizen,"
[48] and the same year in a story published in the
50th anniversary edition of the Kiowa News-Review,
Mr. Leahy headed a list of Kiowa citizens noted for their
solidarity with the name of W. E. Campbell.
[49]
Early
in October, 1907, Mr. Campbell spent a few days in Wichita
with Mrs. Campbell who was ill in a hospital. The editor of
the Wichita Eagle, learning of his presence in the
city which he helped to incorporate nearly 40 years
previously, sent a member of the Eagle staff to
interview him. The result of this interview was an
interesting resume of the high lights of Mr. Campbell's
eventful life, and it seems fitting to close this sketch
with a few lines from that story:
William E. Campbell has
left deep footprints in Kansas. ... Mr. Campbell was a
town builder, a country builder, ... a public spirited
man, a public benefactor, a fighter and always a good
citizen. ... He improved the horses and cattle and the
grains and grasses and the fruit and vegetables of his
country. He ... was never afraid of risking either his
life or his right for progress or upbuilding.
[50]
Notes
Dr. Charles Wilbur
McCampbell, a native of Marshall county, is professor of
animal husbandry at Kansas State College,
Manhattan.
1.
Dictionary of American Biography (New York, 1934), v.
13, pp.539, 540.
2.
Wichita Eagle, October 6, 1907, p. 19.
3.
Ibid..
4.
Congress on July 15, 1870 provided for the removal of the
Osages from Kansas, leaving the lands open for white
settlement. -- U.S. Statutes at Large, v. 16, ch.
296, sec. 12, p. 362.
5.
When congress designated the 37º parallel as the
southern boundary of Kansas, it was believed by the
committee on territories that the boundary was being made to
coincide with the northern boundary of the territory of the
Cherokees. A survey was made in 1857 of the southern
boundary of Kansas, and the Cherokees complained that the
boundary established by the survey was not the true northern
boundary of their territory. Their lands extended about two
and one-half miles over into Kansas. By law (U. S.
Statutes at Large, v. 10, p. 284). Indian territory
could not be included within the territory of Kansas without
the consent of the tribes concerned. In 1861, the act
admitting Kansas to the Union (U.S. Statutes at
Large, v. 12, p. 126) set the southern boundary at the
37º parallel of north latitude but expressly excepted
from the state the lands of the Indian tribes that were
within the borders, until the tribes should signify their
consent. By the treaty of July 19, 1866, the Cherokees ceded
their Kansas land in trust to the United States and gave
their consent for the land to be included within the state
of Kansas. -- "The Northern Boundary of Oklahoma," by J.
Stanley Clark, in Chronicles of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
City, v. 15, pp. 271-290; "The Boundary Lines of Kansas," by
George W. Martin, in Kansas Historical Collections,
v.11, pp. 55, 56; Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties
(Washington, 1904), v. 2, p. 947; George Rainey, The
Cherokee Strip (Guthrie, Okla., 1933), pp.
30-42.
6.
Wichita Sunday Eagle, April 14,
1935.
7.
Other descriptions can be found in the Kiowa
Herald, June 4, 1885, December 30, 1886, and in the
Kiowa Review, July 17, 1895.
8.
The ranch was first referred to as "Palo Alto." -- Kiowa
Herald, September 4, 1884.
9.
Ibid., June 4, 1885.
10.
Kiowa Herald-Ear, March 3, 1887.
11.
Kiowa Herald, November 15, 1888.
12.
Ibid., December 6, 1888.
13.
Ibid., November 22, 1888.
14.
Ibid., December 6, 1888.
15.
This description was reprinted in the Kiowa Herald,
June 14, 1888, from the Medicine Lodge Cresset,
April 5, 1888.
16.
Ibid.
17.
Kansas City (Mo.) Live-Stock Indicator, September 21,
1882.
18.
Kiowa Journal, October 31, November 7,
1907.
19.
Apparently a special edition was issued, for the address
does not appear in the regular file copy for that date in
the newspaper collections of the Kansas Historical Society.
20.
The Breeder's Gazette, Chicago, v. 6 (September 4,
1884), pp. 333, 334.
21.
Caldwell Post, July 7, 1881.
22.
Alvin H. Sanders, The Story of the Herefords
(Chicago, 1914), p. 531.
23.
Wichita Eagle, September 14, 1882; T. L. Miller,
History of Hereford Cattle (Chillicothe, Mo., 1902),
pp. 476-480.
24.
The Breeder's Gazette, Chicago, v. 2 (September 28,
1882), p. 416.
25.
Miller, op. cit., pp. 437, 438.
26.
Kansas Farmer, Topeka, November 14, 1883; Kansas
City (Mo.) Live-Stock Indicator, November 15,
1883.
27.
Kiowa Review, February 23, 1898. The sale price was
reported at $100 in the Caldwell Journal, December
13, 1883, and the Kansas City Live-Stock Indicator,
December 6, 1883.
28.
Kiowa Review, February 23, 1898.
29.
Ibid.; Kansas City Live-Stock Indicator,
November 12, 1885.
30.
Kiowa Herald, December 29, 1887.
31.
Kiowa Journal, August 16, 1888. The
Journal of September 6, 1888, quoting the Wichita
Eagle, reported the purchase price as
$12,000.
32. A
comment in The Breeder's Gazette, v. 14 (November 7,
1888), p. 476, said that Campbell's Electioneer was the
fastest two-year-old stallion in America except one; Kiowa
Herald, November 15, 1888.
33.
Ibid., November 14, 1889.
34.
Kiowa Journal, October 1, 1891.
35.
Ibid., November 12, 1891.
36.
The Breeder's Gazette, v. 21 (March 23, 1892), p.
232.
37.
The Horse Review, Chicago, August 6, 1901, pp. 861,
862.
38.
Kiowa Review, November 7, December 12,
1894.
39.
Ibid., December 12, 1894.
40.
Sam P. Ridings, The Chisholm Trail (Guthrie, Okla.,
1936), pp. 478, 479.
41.
Wichita Eagle, October 6, 1907
42.
Kiowa Herald, August 14, 1884; "Corporations
(official charter copybooks from the office of the secretary
of state, in archives division of Kansas Historical Society)," v. 17, pp. 507-509.
43.
Kiowa Herald, August 6, 13, 1885.
44.
Wichita Eagle, October 6, 1907.
45.
Kiowa News-Review, April 8, 1935.
46.
April 5, 1888, in the Medicine Lodge Cresset;
reprinted in the Kiowa Herald, June 14.
47.
Miller, op. cit., p. 524.
48.
Wichita Sunday Eagle, April 14, 1935.
49.
Kiowa News-Review, April 8, 1935.
50.
Wichita Eagle, October 6, 1907.
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