A HISTORY

OF

REPUBLIC COUNTY,

KANSAS,

EMBRACING A FULL AND COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF ALL
THE LEADING EVENTS IN ITS HISTORY, FROM ITS

FIRST SETTLEMENT DOWN TO JUNE 1, '01.

INCLUDING INDIAN DEPREDATIONS AND THE HARDSHIPS
ENDURED BY THE PIONEER SETTLERS.

ALSO THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY,

INCLUDING SOIL, CLIMATE, TIMBER, STREAMS, WATER POWER, COAL, SALT, ETC., ETC.

STATISTICS,

SHOWING INCREASE IN WEALTH AND POPULATION,
RAILROADS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, NEWS
PAPERS, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.

AND OTHER VALUABLE INFORMATION NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

BY I. O. SAVAGE.

BELOIT, KANSAS.
JONES & CHUBBIC, ART PRINTERS.
1901.

PREFACE.

A single county in the great state of Kansas occupies but an insignificant place on the map of the world, and its people and its story are comparatively unknown. Yet the grand river of national history is formed by the union of many rills of traditions and record, flowing from a thousand counties and states all over the land. The tracing of one of these rills to its source is the province of the present little volume. It is the aim of this work to collect and preserve some of the facts of the early settlement, subsequent growth and development of one of the leading counties of a young, yet great and glorious state. The families who were early on the ground, and whose members have contributed to make the county what it is, are worthy of remembrance; and their difficulties and sorrows, labors and patriotism, should not be allowed to fall into oblivion. By a knowledge of these, the present generation will be instructed, and the future will be guided. All history, if properly written, is profitable; and there is not a country, or a city, or a hamlet, on the globe, whose history might not be more or less valuable to posterity. We trust this little volume will be the means of preserving from the empire of decay a host of incidents, of recollections and of anecdotes relating to the land of pioneers and first settlers of the county, which, in the estimation of the historian and student of history, are of priceless value, but which otherwise would soon fade from the memories of the living.

Still, a perfect and complete history of any county is one of the impossibilities, and this work may be incomplete in many particulars. Nor, indeed, is it possible for it to be otherwise, as it is not permitted any man to attain perfection. Its regions lie beyond our reach.

And now, after several months of laborious research and persistent toil, the History of Republic County, so far as I have to do with it, is completed, and it is my hope and belief that no subject of importance or general interest has been overlooked or omitted, and even minor facts, when of sufficient note to be worthy of record, have been faithfully chronicled. I have endeavored to be fair and impartial, aiming in all cases to give credit where credit is due, and to criticise as little as possible consistent with the facts. I also claim to have prepared a work fully up to the standard of my engagements, and to have fulfilled all the promises contained in my prospectus.

In collecting the facts here presented I have drawn largely from my own observations extending over a period of thirty years' residence in the county, but am much indebted and hereby acknowledge my obligations to many of the hardy pioneers and first settlers of the county for early incidents, recollections and other valuable information which could be obtained in no other manner, and especially to D. Y. Wilson, County Clerk, for his uniform kindness and courtesy in allowing me access at all times to the records of his office; also to J. C. Humphrey, late editor and proprietor of the Telescope, for valuable information of historic interest obtained from the old files of the paper, which I have at all times been privileged to consult.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.