Daniel H. Cupp is one of the very earliest pioneers of Butler county, and has been identified with Towanda township for over half a century. He has seen Butler county develop from a limitless plain to a land of homes and plenty. Mr. Cupp is a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1836. His parents were Joseph and Mary Ann (Hager) Cupp. They were the parents of six children, all of whom are now deceased except Daniel H., the subject of this sketch.

Daniel H. Cupp first came to Butler county, Kansas, in 1860, and on July 10th of that year crossed the Whitewater river. He took a claim, one and one-half miles north of where Towanda now stands, which he later sold. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted in Jim Lane's cavalry. He first went to Leavenworth, and was later transferred to Fort Lincoln and then to Fort Riley, where, by a reorganizations of his commands, he became a member of the Seventeenth Kansas regiment. He was honorably discharged at Fort Leavenworth in December, 1864. He was sergeant of his company when Rogers and

Stanton were captured in the southeastern part of Butler county. This capture consisted of $30,000 of arms and cattle and thirty men. The troops took the outifit[sic] to Fort Lincoln, where it was turned over to the government.

After being discharged from the army, Mr. Cupp went to Junction City, Kans., and worked at the blacksmith trade until May, 1866, when he returned to Butler county and homesteaded a claim in Towanda township, one-half mile north and one-half mile west of the present town of Towanda, which is his home today. It consists of 130 acres of good land, and Mr. Cupp has successfully carried on farming and stock raising there all these years. Upon settling on his claim he built a cabin 16x24 after the average style of the pioneer home of those days, and ten years later this building was succeeded bya[sic] more commodious farm residence, which is still the Cupp home.

Mr. Cupp was married in September, 1861, to Miss Sarah C. Malan, of Anderson county, Kansas. She came to this State with her parents in the fifties and they settled near Neosha Falls, where they lived for several years. To Mr. and Mrs. Cupp have been born the following children: U. S., a railroad man, Webber, Kans.; Herschel was killed in a cyclone which devastated Towanda in 1891; M. B. resides in Towanda, Kans.; Roy L., farmer, Benton township; Mrs. Carry Vern Smith, Towanda, Kans., and T. B., residing on the home farm.

Mr. Cupp was appointed postmaster of Towanda when the office was on section 5, township 26, range 4, two miles north and about a mile west of its present location. He has always taken a commendable interest in public affairs and been willing to do his part toward the upbuilding and betterment of the community. He has always aimed to conscientiously do his duty in peace or in war, and not only Butler county, but Kansas, owes to the men of his type a debt of gratitude for which the present and future generations should at least endeavor to perpetuate the memories of this noble band of pioneers who laid the foundation for our present civilization.

When Mr. Cupp and his pioneer wife came here, this county was in a wild and unbroken state, almost as it had been left by the hand of the creator. The buffalo, antelope, deer and wild turkey were in abundance, and Mr. Cupp has frequently killed buffalo as well as other game, and even Mrs. Cupp, on one occasion, shot a wild turkey herself, which proved to be a twenty-one pound gobbler. She has also fought off wildcats that were carrying away her chickens. Roaming bands of Osages, Kaws and Shawnees frequented the neighborhood of the Cupp home for a number of years after they located here. Sometimes the Indians begged and at other times they stole, and on rare occasions, threatened for food, but neither Mr. Cupp nor his wife were easily scared, and while they treated the Indians kindly, and frequently fed them, they were never afraid of them, or seriously molested. Some of the settlers, however, had more serious trouble with the "noble red man."

Mr. and Mrs. Cupp still have in their possession many interesting heirlooms of pioneer days, the most conspicuous of which might be mentioned, the old Seth Thomas clock which has ticked away the time for over half a century and still ticks on. The venerable pioneer couple are now in the sunset of their lives, are enjoying the fullness of the reward of years well spent, and Mr. Cupp, at the age of seventy-nine, and his wife in her seventy-third year, are hale and hearty, and in their physical and mental vigor, are equal to persons much younger than they.

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