CHAPTER XXVIII. cont'd
REMINISCENCES, CONTINUED.
| 332 cont'd | HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY |
BACK IN THE SIXTIES.
By the late Samuel C. Fulton.Sam Carter, John Lawton and his mother, myself and family arrived in Butler county June 1, 1860. We camped at Sycamore Springs over night. Next day we went as far as Chelsea. There the people being religiously inclined were holding a meeting in Capt. George T. Donaldson's house, when some one happened to see our "prairie schooner" coming, and the meeting was adjourned to see what it meant. While there I got acquainted with George T. Donaldson, Martin Vaught, Judge J. C. Lambdin, Dr. Lewellyn and others, who tried to persuade us to locate there, but we had started for the Whitewater and would not stop. The evening of the second, we went into camp on the old town site of El Dorado, two miles below the present site. While there I met Mr. Rodman, Dick Pratt and William Thurman. Next day we arrived at our journey's end in the Whitewater valley, at the present town of Towanda. There we found the families of William Chandler, J. R. Mead, William Vann, Sam Huller and Wedon Kelley already located. I took a homestead northwest of Towanda. I put up a cabin and made some hay.
In August I sighted my first buffalo, where Towanda now stands. I followed them and killed two, on what is now known as the Holton farm, just north of Towanda. I was as proud of this exploit as I was of my first pair of red top boots. In January, I accompanied J. R. Mead on his famous wolf hunt, securing 303 wolf pelts by poisoning, in ten nights. In January, sixty-five, Hager, Huller and I went to the same place in the Indian Nation, now Oklahoma, just below the Great Salt Plain. in hope of having as good success as Mead. We arrived at our destination about noon and were just eating our dinner of buffalo meat and flapjacks, when up rode eight or ten Indians, who dismounted, stacked their arms and came toward us with their usual salutation of "How, How," to which we responded by inviting them to eat with us,
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which they did. Their head man made a speech of which the only words we could understand was: "If you no shoot, we no shoot," to which we instantly agreed as they made signs that there were more Indians coming. Sure enough they did come that same evening—about 200 of them, headed by "Buffalo Good," who had been sent out by Colonel Leavenworth to bring in the wild Indians. They demanded something to eat and flour, sugar and coffee for their chiefs. There was nothing for us to do but to hand it over. In the morning it was the same thing over again, and when those Indians left we were completely cleaned out and I had to drive back to the first trading post and get flour. Leaving Hager and Huller to make their way back to the hunting ground, I came on to Emporia to get horse feed and provisions. I sent an Indian back home with instructions for neighbor Chandler to bring me a team, which he did four days later. From Cowskin grove going back to the Arkansas I had to wade the big Arkansas which was up to my neck. All this time Hager and Huller were having good success with their hunting, having secured about 200 wolf pelts and some buffalo when I got back to them. We loaded our pelts, first piling buffalo robes on top, and started, when misfortune again overtook us. A hind wheel of our wagon smashed down, breaking off every spoke close to the hub. In a timberless country, excepting an occasional cottonwood, and our only tools being butcher knives, an ax and a jack plane, by incredible labor we made spokes of willow and finally constructed a wheel which answered, and we arrived home without further trouble; and so ended my last wolf hunt. That same year Lawton was killed by a renegade, and in 1866, Sam Carter died with cholera in Towanda. Huller is also dead.
My recollection of El Dorado dates back to fifty-seven when the old town was near Conner's, consisting of a small store, blacksmith shop, a sawmill and a few shanties. The drouth of 1860 and the breaking out of the Civil war broke up the settlement and killed the town. The El Dorado postoffice was established the summer of 1861, with Henry H. Martin as postmaster. The office was kept at his farm (now the Teter farm) and moved afterward on the present town site of El Dorado, when he and Col. C. O. Carr and Frank Gordy organized a town company and laid out the town site, south of Central avenue. The E. L. Lower addition was then vacant, only a few settlers lived near the town. Ben King opened a small store in a cabin not far from the Oldham block. Martin located his general store on the corner now occupied by the Haberlein clothing store. Soon after George Haver brought in a stock of goods for Dr. Allen White and opened it in a cabin near where Dodwell's harness shop now is. The cabin was afterward used for a court house. The next busi-
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ness was Sam Landgdon's[sic] store. Its principal stock was log cabin bitters and there were lively times pulled off there. A quarter mile track was made running south from the store and there was horse racing nearly every day. Then came the Moorehead Bros., who opened a store; Dr. Kellogg, and D. M. Bronson also opened about the same time.
The first term of court was held in the cabin referred to above: S. N. Wood, judge. I am unable to give the date. Then the location for the county seat came up. How well I remember the struggle between El Dorado and Augusta as it was my fortune to then be in a position where I had to take an active part. Mr. Ellis was county treasurer; M. A. Palmer S. C. Fulton and myself were county commissioners. John Blevins was county clerk. How we schemed and planned to get a court house and finally when the treasury had between $4,000 and $5,000 in cash, we decided to put up the first building, Henry Martin donating the lots. Then didn't some people howl! One Augusta man came to see me, and forbade any further action, accompanied by terrible threats, if we attempted to use public money for that purpose. But we did it, erecting a two-story building, the east one-third of the old court house. El Dorado business men contributed liberally. The town then began to improve rapidly. The "Times" had been established, (1870) a bank, Betts & Frazier, Gardner & Gilmore's store, Fraker & Foulk's hardware, and the old stone hotel built by Sam Langdon and kept by Henry Falls.
Then again came more county seat wars. I can't recall all of the county seat elections in their regular order. Neither can I fix dates correctly, but for several years the location of the county seat was an unsolved question and the elections were not held according to the decalogue. Everybody voted who could be induced to go to the polls and no questions asked regarding citizenship. In some cases horses and dogs were voted. I know this was the case at Chelsea, El Dorado and Augusta. I recall one election held at El Dorado, where the first two hundred names were taken from a city directory in alphabetical order, just as they appeared in the directory. One of the clerks, I think, Ottenott, was sent to the penitentiary for six months, as all names on both poll books were written by him.
But the great fight came in 1871, I think, when at a meeting of the county commissioners, the Augusta people presented a petition praying for an election for the removal of the county seat from El Dorado to Augusta. Neil Wilkie, B. T. Rice and myself constituted the board in this contest. Douglass had joined forces with Augusta, and Mr. Wilkie and B. T. Rice were in full sympathy with the Augustans. During the consideration of the petition a legal question was raised as to who were legal petitioners. Augusta's contention was that a signer did not have to be a legal voter at the time of signing the petitions. El Dorado attorneys demanded that only legal electors be permitted to sign. Augusta was reperesented[sic] by Eugene Aiken and another whose name I
| HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY | 335 |
cannot recall. H. T. Sumner and others appeared for El Dorado. A. L. Redden was county attorney. The board decided to defer action until it could consult with him. Augusta kicked and demanded that the question be referred to the attorney general, which we agreed to do.
Right there is where Augusta blundered. They should have withdrawn their petition until the attorney general's decision had been made, for the election must be held within fifty days from the time of its presentation, also requiring thirty days' notice. I think it was about six weeks before his decision was returned. I was chairman of the board and at once called a meeting. The matter was taken up and an election called. As we were not lawyers and the Augusta lawyers did not think of that little irregularity, this election was held, and if either Augusta or Douglass complied with this law. I have never heard of it. Illegal voting was done at all of those places; also at Chelsea. When we met to canvass the vote, we found that Augusta had apparently won by a small majority, but before the vote was canvassed the board was served with a temporary injunction issued at the instance of El Dorado by Judge Campbell. Of course, that stopped proceedings until the case came up for hearing, at which time Senator P. B. Plumb represented El Dorado. Judge Campbell dissolved the injunction. Plumb had a bond all made and signed and moved an appeal to the supreme court. Augusta demanded that the board at once proceed with the canvass, but as the attorneys informed us that we would be in contempt if we did so, Rice and myself refused and we at once adjourned.
Excitement ran high. Augusta demanded an immediate removal of the county seat, and threats were made of force to remove it. N. A. McKittrick was at the time sheriff, with I. N. Phillips, undersheriff. One morning, as I was getting ready to go to plowing on my farm in Chelsea township, Constable Sam Rodgers rode up, his horse white with foam. He informed me that the sheriff had the night before moved the county arms to Augusta, locked the court house in such a manner that the officers could not get into their offices. I asked him why they did not break in the doors, and he said they were afraid to do it, and that they wanted me to come at once.
Well, I went. Everybody was excited and anxious. All kinds of rumors were afloat and it was believed that an attempt at forcible removal would be made that night. With a fifteen-foot elm joist we unlocked a door in a hurry. Gen. A. W. Ellet advised barricading the court house. I did not want to take all the responsibility, so I got a team and went to Benton for Rice, but his wife was all alone, so he could not come, but assured me that he would stand by me in any action, which he did. Under General Ellet's supervision we barricaded the court house with native lumber from a saw mill until the General said a regiment could not take it without artillery. Some dozen or so of us stayed up on top of the building all night, while others kept watch in the roads leading to town. But the Augustans did not come. Later
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they came, a great crowd, with ox teams, all prepared to load safes and move the records to Augusta. Men were stationed in the court house and on its top, in Ben Kings store, all armed ready for action, while Bob Holt, Joe Bowers and about fifty others were in the hall over Gardner & Gilmore's store. But few people lived in the streets. (All this was at the time of a regular meeting of the county commissioners.)
In the meantime, Mr. Rice had disappeared. Wilkie was anxious that the vote of the election be canvassed and, with dire threats, Augusta demanded it. I was standing at the court house door with Dr. J. P. Gordon when Phillips came up with a few followers and asked if I was going to convene the board and count that vote. I said "No!" Then he turned to Doctor Gordon and insulted him. Just then some one came and told me that I was wanted at Lambdin's store. When I stepped in the door I was caught by each arm with some pushers behind and was rushed upstairs and locked in, with a double barreled shot gun and a lot of powder and shot. Phillips and T. H. Baker were the leaders and neither of them knew how much peril they were in; that they were shadowed by men who, if any trouble had started, would have shot them instantly. Later in the afternoon they gathered back of the court house, where Baker made a speech, and all Augustans went back home without the records.
This was the last county seat election. The supreme court handed down a decision upholding El Dorado's contention that the election was illegally held. In the early eighties Representative J. H. Fullinwider passed a law providing that county seat elections should not be held oftener than once in five years, and then only on petition of two-fifths of the legal electors. This practically put an end to the contests, though ill feeling continued in some degree.
The tornado which struck the town has been described by others, but El Dorado surely had a dilapidated appearance the next day.
I remember well how we worked to get a railroad down the Walnut valley. Where El Dorado made her great blunder was when Sam Wood came trying to get the people interested in a branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe from Cottonwood Falls down the valley. He came two or three times, but the leading men of El Dorado would not listen to him, but sent to Emporia and Judge Payton came and got possession of one of the meetings and talked of a track from somewhere by way of Emporia. "No, El Dorado did not want a bob-tailed road." Woods' last appeal was that if they rejected his proposition, the road would be built from Newton to Wichita. His prediction came true and El Dorado lost her opportunity to become the metropolis of the southern part of the State. Then again when "Cottonwood" Davis came from the Frisco, he was jeered and insulted by some leading citizens. Augusta got the road. El Dorado was glad to get a "bob-tail" from Florence. "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, it might have been," applies to El Dorado.
| HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY | 337 |
"VAGRANT MEMORIES."
By Mrs. J. E. Buchanan.What follows are reminiscences, or, quoting from David Leahy, "Vagrant Memories" of the old days, beginning with 1868. Prior to that time the place is said to have had some interesting history, but of that others must write who came earlier.
Settled on farms about here and living in log cabins were Archibald Ellis, James McWhorter, George T. Donaldson, Martin Vaught, Elias Bishop, Mr. Jefferson, Doc Lewellyn, all with their families; and five miles south, on Harison Creek, Judge William Harrison and family, excellent people, all exceedingly kind and hospitable. These were the real pioneers, who had braved the dangers and endured the hardships of a new country, making it easier for, and receiving with friendly welcome, those who came later. Mr. and Mrs. N. B. Coggeshall were also here, and were newly-weds. Doc Lewellyn was a rare type of the pioneer. He could tell us of encounters with Indians and "bad men" in the old days when he freighted supplies from Kansas City to the little settlement here. Those were the days when the early settlers had to be shrewd, as well as brave, combining the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove.
The year 1868 brought many new comers. The Parson brothers, J. K. Nelson, J. C. Becker, Otis Saddler, William Hoy, Jake Skinner, and family, Henry Bell and family, George Sain and wife, H. O. Chittenden and wife and Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Buchanan. Messrs. Bell and Skinner were proprietors of a saw mill, which had recently been brought here. As the fall and winter advanced, we sought sociability and entertainment in "get-together" meeting one evening each week in the cabin which had been used for a school room. This cabin stood a little ways east of the Stone house, now owned by Mr. Holderman, and is long since a thing unknown. About that time came also Mrs. Louise Shelden and family, from Illinois. She brought her aged father with her, John Vaught, father of Martin Vaught. He died not long afterward, and was one of te[sic} first to be buried in the near-by cemetery. How vivid in the mind of the writer is the memory of those pleasant evenings! So novel the surroundings—so interesting the people! Our little circle was made up of representatives from different States—Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and New England. The weather, however stormy, never scared us from going out. Though the "Kansas zephyrs" held high carnival out on the prairies and the coyotes howled in the distance, what cared we, for within was "the feast of reason and
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the flow of soul," so to speak. These "debates," for such was the appellative given our meetings, never lagged for want of interest. We were not afraid of one another and almost everyone participated. One prominent member was George T. Donaldson, eloquent, logical, and even then, when it was unpopular, an advocate of equal suffrage for women. He had been one of the old "fifty-seveners," a soldier in the Civil War, and had figured in the troublesome times which had made the early history of Kansas so tragic and heroic. A brave and capable man was Donaldson, now in the prime of life, but on whose brow, alas! death was so soon to set his seal. He was killed accidentally, suddenly, in the fall of 1869, while preparing to build a new residence (the stone house).
Our debates were alternated by "sings," or rather singing sociables, for they were interspersed with a good deal of conversation and witty repartee. They were conducted by Mr. Becker (Calvin). He was at that time quite a young man, but had seen service in the army, had a fine taste for music and had been well drilled in the same. He was a younger brother of Howard Becker, now of Chelsea. There were no cast-iron rules, but we had to remember the correct time was the most essential factor in music and governed ourselves accordingly. He was strenuous also along the line of expression. There was one piece which had in it, "This is My commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you." It was an anthem. We were not always in a mood to sing it to suit him, but sometimes we did and somehow he loved to linger over that piece. Those songs developed into the "Chelsea Glee Club," and in the absence of Mr. Becker we were led by Mr. Shelden (the late editor), then a young man of bright promise. They both sleep their last sleep in Belle Vista cemetery.
Miss Lizzie Shriver taught the school that winter. At the close of the term she married George Ellis, and is now a resident of El Dorado. Edward Donaldson, banker, and Marion Shelden, real estate dealer in Topeka, were then gentlemanly lads in their early teens. J. G. Shelden was "Johnnie," man and cattle inspector, was a little tad in his first trousers. Lizzie and Permilia Bishop, bright little girls, are now of Sycamore. Dollie Donaldson, a veritable prairie flower, her father's favorite, is Mrs. Corwing Reed, in the northern part of the State. At that time a Dr. Kellog was superintendent of public instruction. He resigned and moved to Caldwell, leaving his unexpired term to be filled by J. E. Buchanan, of Chelsea. Mr. Buchanan was elected to the next term. While in office he did a good deal of work in the formation of new districts over the county. He made his journeys on horseback to his hearings, starting out across the prairies, apparently regardless of roads. Twenty new districts were formed while he was superintendent.
In 1870, there came quite an influx of people. The Rayburns, three families of them from Bloomington, Illinois, and with them George W. Stinson, present mayor of El Dorado. J. B. Shough, also from Bloomington, began immediately the erection of a hotel. About that time
| HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY | 339 |
John Houser, a skillful young blacksmith from Michigan, appeared on the scene, bringing with him his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Farnham. Dwelling houses began to go up rapidly. Two stores of general merchandise, blacksmith shop, drug store, the proprietor being Mr. Zimmerman, of Cincinnati.
I have omitted to say that all this while we had Sunday school, generally well attended. Judge Harrison and family used to come over, and now a church was organized, a Presbyterian, with quite a good membership. Rev. James Gordon, brother of the late Doctor Gordon, was the first pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. William Stryker. The ladies now formed a project for getting a bell for the new school building. They took turns in getting up "suppers," each lady doing her very best, the proceeds to go for purchasing the bell. These suppers were the occasions of much hilarity and fun. (Weren't they, George?) At any rate, the bell was bought. Miss Alma Henderson, from an Eastern State, was the first teacher of the new building. Not long afterwards she married Neil Wilkie, of Douglass, where they have since resided.
It seems that at an early period Chelsea had been the county seat of Butler, but the old timers, being mostly interested in stock raising and having, so they said, "no proper place to keep the records," had, in an unguarded hour, allowed the same to be transferred to El Dorado. Later, some years having elapsed, the people got ambitious and an effort was made in connection with Augusta, to regain the county seat. The argument was that Butler was large enough for two counties, with Augusta the county seat of one, and Chelsea the other. But the scheme proved futle.[sic] The El Dorado voters stood "shoulder to shoulder" in the matter. The other side had too many "Barkis is willing." So that is where Chelsea as a town lost prestige. A change came over the spirit of her dream. Slowly but surely began the process of disintegration. J. B. Shough, proprietor of the hotel, sold out and moved to Kansas City. Dr. Zimmerman, druggist, went back to Cincinnati. J. M. and M. C. Rayburn, with their families, also went to Kansas City, all but Jennie, who had married George W. Stinson. The saw mill vanished. Dwelling houses were moved out onto surrounding farms. The church, denuded of most of its members, languished, and the town site gradually lapsed into a corn field. But did Chelsea put on sack cloth and sit down in the ashes, By no means! Divested of all county seat illusions, she girded herself and put on new strength, but along different lines. New people came and were stayers. The Bensons, Osborns, Jushua Carter, Daily brothers, Joseph McDaniel, John Houser and others. These were solid citizens, developing the country. Mr. and Mrs. N. B. Coggeshall are still with us. The Methodist Episcopal brethren took up the church work. We have always had preaching and Sunday school. The postoffice, of course, went out of business. Then the rural route was established. "Chelsea," once remarked the late Editor Sheldon, "whatever she may have become since, was once the Athens of Butler county."
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Pages 332-339,
Transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Butler County, Kansas by Vol. P. Mooney. Standard Publishing Company, Lawrence, Kan.: 1916. ill.; 894 pgs.
Locations:
A-H | I-Il | In-Iz | Kansas(A-D) | Kansas(E-J) | Kansas(K-R) | Kansas(S-Z)-Kz | L-M | N | O | P-Z |
A | B-Bn | Bo-Bz | C-Cn | Co-Cz | D | E | F | G | H-Har | Has-Hn | Ho-Hz | I | J | K | L |
M-Md | Me-Mz | N | O | P | Q | R | S-She | Shi-Sn | So-Sz | T | U | V | W-Whe | Whi-Wz | Y | Z
