History of Barton County, Kansas

(Editor's Note - The following article was furnished us by D. N. Heizer, who perhaps more than any other man, is capable of telling about the stirring incidents that took place in the early days of Barton County. He was among the first to arrive and took a leading part in the laying out of the townsite of Great Bend and in the organization of Barton County.)

Upon request of the editors of the History of Barton County to contribute some account of myself and my experiences in the early settlement of the county which I became a citizen of nearly forty-two years ago and lived in for twenty-two years, I know of no better way than by contributing extracts from letters written in those days now in my possession, and extracts from a Diary, kept somewhat irregularly, giving an idea of the early life on what was then considered and called, "The Plains of Kansas," a somewhat modified term of the "Great American Desert," as explored and named by Major Long in 1819. I was born November 11, 1846, in Ross County, Ohio. I belonged to a race of pioneers; my great-grandfather, Samuel Heizer, was a pioneer in Virginia when the Blue Ridge Mountains marked the line of the frontier, and lived there at the time of the Revolution. My grand-father, Samuel Heizer, was a pioneer in Ohio and moved from Virginia to Ross County in 1816. My father, Edward Heizer, and his brothers all moved to Iowa on the admission of Iowa as a state into the Union, and a part of them before. I was raised on an Iowa farm fifteen miles north of Burlington until I was seventeen years of age, when I enlisted in the latter part of the civil war in Company "M" Second Iowa Cavalry, and served eighteen months of active service and was mustered out at the close of the war at Selma, Alabama. On returning home, I spent a year on the old home farm and during the next five years, spent the greater part of the time taking a course in the Iowa State University and in teaching school.

In May, 1871, within two days after our arrival at Ft. Zarah, Dr. John Prescott, W. W. Weymouth, Wm. Finn, Captain Griffin and myself, organized the Zarah Town Company. Dr. John Prescott was elected president, D. N. Heizer secretary and W. W. Weymouth treasurer. We were all directors. We at once proceeded to select a location for our town and decided on the west fractional half of section 26, township 19, range 13. William Finn, who had a transit and surveyor's chain with him, directed the survey and we staked out a street running north and south, as I remember, for about two blocks, a row of blocks on either side of the street. This was not intended to be a complete survey, but only such a survey as would enable us to make filing on this land under the Townsite-Preemption Act, as in force at that time. Mr. W. W. Weymouth and Dr. John Prescott were supposed to be the heavy capitalists in this enterprise and the next day after the survey were taken by me to Ellsworth where they took train for their respective homes. Mr. Weymouth to Springfield, Ohio, and Dr. Prescott to Meridan, Miss., both with the avowed determination of arranging their business as speedily as possible, to return with their families for settlement and to develop the new town.

As mentioned before, they were to furnish the capital and Finn and I, especially, were expected to do the heavy hustling. Dr. Prescott was a man of culture and of wonderful energy and had had much experience in frontier life in Northern Iowa in the Ockebogee Lake county, when the Sioux were making their last stand in that portion of Iowa. Mr. Weymouth was a cattle dealer of Springfield, Ohio. He was a man of means; Protestant Irish blood; of fine appearance; a good talker, good natured and jolly; thoroughly companionable and always ready with his Irish wit and blarney. Wm. Finn was a young man of about 28; lived at the then starting town of Sedgwick, where he joined us to make the trip to Ft. Zarah. He was a quiet young man of good education, thoroughly good principle and a good all-round reliable young man. Captain Griffin was also a young man less than 30, had been in the war and lost a leg; was a small man, but he possessed enough spirit and energy to fully make up for his size. He could cover as much territory with his one good and wooden leg, as many men with two good ones. He was full of dash and afraid of nothing, and when later in that season, the Indians brought him to bay in a buffalo wallow in the Medicine Lodge country, seventy empty needle gun shells were found with his body, showing he had made a game defense.

These gentlemen, with myself, laid off the first town in Barton County - the town which was destined never to be a town - but no matter, we had done what seemed to be a new Kansan's first and highest duty, i. e., to lay off a town. No man ever amounted to much in Kansas, unless somewhere at some time in his experience in the state, he laid out a town, or at least, helped to do so or got laid out by some town. Many prominent Kansans can point with pride to the latter experience.

The representatives of the Great Bend Town Company appeared on the scene about the 1st of July, headed by Judge Mitchell of Quincy, Ill., who was a brother of Mrs. W. H. Odell. I returned from a trip on the 4th of July, 1871, the day they had taken their departure. They were apparently on a buffalo hunt, from what Finn related to me, and seemed to be having a good time. In charging a buffalo on the north aide of the Bottoms from Ft. Zarah, Judge Mitchell had a horse killed, but escaped unhurt himself. Later, I believe in August, came Thomas Luther Morris, as agent of the Great Bend Town Company and at about this time came Geo. N. Moses, "Mose," as he was familiarly called among the plainsmen. "Mose" impressed me, and I shall never forget the time he came to my camp, then on the northwest quarter of section 22, township 19, range 13, on the Walnut. He rode up on a fourteen hand white Texas pony; he dismounted from a big high backed cowboy saddle with two cinches and wooden stirrups a foot wide. "Mose" and the saddle were larger than the broncho. He stood before me six feet high and straight as an Indian arrow; he had on a weather worn cowboy hat with a rattlesnake band, a navy blue woolen shirt, a pair of much worn buckskin pants with fringe down the seams, cowboy boots, a heavy belt of cartridges with two Navy 44's in its holsters, a five day growth of beard and about a three-ply coat of tan on his face. He reached out his hand and said, "How," like an Injun. As I took it and glanced him over, I made up my mind at once that this was a man I would rather have with me than against me.

Lute Morris, on the other hand, had just come out of the band-box of civilization; he was a gentleman of the Drawing room type and had never had any experience roughing it and being a man rather of a delicate type physically, with more effeminate tastes, it was perfectly natural that he should make up with "Mose" at Salina and interest him in coming with him into the great and wild Arkansas Valley. It was just as natural for Lute to lean on such a nature as "Mose's" as is for "Mose," in his strength, to permit himself to be leaned upon; they became fast friends. It was through council with George Moses that I afterwards agreed to assure Lute Morris and the Great Bend Town Company, that If they meant business and were ready to proceed at once to improve their town site, (Sec. 28, Township 19, Range 13,) we would not be in the way with ours. We all then went in together to push the Great Bend enterprise along.

Lute Morris began at once to draw lumber from Ellsworth to build the Great Bend Hotel, which I think was started early in September. Henry Shaffer was brought from Quincy to superintend the carpenter work and I think Henry Shridde came in this connection. E. L. Morphy also came at this time. The Town Company, or the main men of it, made a trip in the early fall; Dr. Curtis, Judge Mitchell, Archie Williams, then attorney general of Kansas, and others. Morphy was a very interesting, bright little Frenchman; a good observer; had a keen sense of the ludicrous; fond of fun at anyone's expense, but never cruel; was a fine singer, a natural born actor and mimic; a general all round campanionable fellow and cultured gentleman. "Morf," as we called him, never missed anything and always entertained us with the little funny things he observed of any of us. It was rumored that the Great Bend Town Company had brought a goodly supply of whisky along with them as they had learned that a colony of Prairie Dogs had long been squatters on their townsite and as rattlesnakes were reported to live with the dogs, the whisky was brought lest the town company might, in an unguarded moment, be bitten on its Charter or By-Laws, or most anywhere, at any rate, they had the whiskey. It seems that everyone bragged to the different members of the Town Company of the integrity of wild life in the wooly west. Nobody ever thought of looking anything up, never had anything stolen and left everything right out in the open. The next morning the Great Bend Town Company had its Charter, By-Laws, Plats, Specifications, boots and shoes, wearing apparel, bags and baggage all right, but they didn't have any whiskey. No one was drunk, faces not even red, but Morphy always said that the next morning when any member of the Town Company would undertake to engage Henry Shaffer in conversation, Henry would smack his lips, turn his liquid blue eyes toward heaven and exclaim that the "Kavincy down Gompany vos yust all right and would make a bigger down as anybody."

Henry Shridde was as nice a little gentleman as ever came to the settlement, but with that fine tender feeling In his heart for old associations, which the Germans possess above all other people, Henry used to get homesick once in a while. Henry would say, "Dawn at Kavincy on a Sunday morning, we used to go down by the Mississippi river, und de boat would take us by de river out, and we vould land by de grass out mit de drees, und der sun a shining, und der boids a singing n de drees, und we'd ave some music und some beers. Oh, dat Kavincy was a burty blace," and the tears would fill Henry's blue eyes.

Dr. Curtis was a very lofty, dignified man. He had brought with him a new dangerous looking butcher knife; he asked Morphy to conduct him to the Arkansas river; every now and then he would make a lofty sweeping stab into the soil with his butcher knife and getting some of the said soil on the knife, he would pose with lofty demeanor as be gazed at it. After a long surgical stare at the sample of soil, he would cast a deliberate sweeping glance around over miles of the beautiful valley and with unction, exclaim, "Morphy, the resources of this country are vast, vast." They came to the river bank; the river was dry. Morphy proposed they should cross. "Dr." said Morphy, "Can this river be crossed?" (Yes.) "Are there any quicksands in this river?" (No) "Can it be safely crossed on horseback?" "Yes) "On foot?"

Yes) "Is there no danger?" (No) "All right, go ahead." and all the way across he would follow Morphy, carefully stepping in his tracks.

Morphy used to entertain us by the hour after the Town Company had gone, mimicking the peculiarities of different members.

The Great Bend Hotel was completed in the early winter and Col. Tom Stone came from Missouri and took possession as landlord, also brought with him a stock of goods. Col. Tom was a genial, hospitable landlord and all the settlers liked him.

The Great Bend Hotel began to be the center of interest for the settlers up the Walnut Valley but a decisive event occurred about the first of March, 1872, when the officials of the Great Bend Town Company came out from Quincy and made a deal with the Arkansas Valley Town Company (The A. T. & S. F. R. R.,) to combine their interests and push the town of Great Bend, and it was agreed to put in section 28, township 19, range 13, which the Great Bend Town Company had secured, and section 33, town 19, range 13 which the railroad company owned as the townsite. This began to look like business and gave the settlers west of the Walnut, an additional interest in the town nearest to them.

About the same time, in the summer of 1871, July 1st, when the Great Bend Town Company began to act, a town company was formed at Ellsworth. Kansas, by Titus J. Buckby. John Light & Bros., Perry Hodgden, Judge Miller and others, called the Zarah Town Company, and located on the fractional part of section 30, town 19, range 12, lying just outside of the southeastern part of Ft. Zarah Reservation. Tite Buckby built a store and had it stocked and in operation in the early fall of 1871. Dave Greaver built a saloon and restaurant, and Dick Strew and his wife moved down from Plum Creek and built a hotel in the early winter of 1871. TIte Buckby was a bright, business-like young man and he and his wife, Mrs. Nettie Buckby (nee Light), were very amiable and popular among the settlers, and really carried with their personal popularity, a very kindly feeling for the town of Zarah. In the early spring, each side began to show jealously and watch each other.
Captain Ellinwood, the chief engineer of the Santa Fe R. R., made his camp during the spring while at work on the survey near Zarah and it was said, Tite was entertaining the captain just as though he were the whole railroad company. It was even hinted that Tite had imported a two gallon keg of the best rye whisky in the State of Kentucky, and was every day putting a little of it in the captain's canteen to kill the alkali, and up to the first week in March all feared that it was doing its deadly work as we could see plainly that Captain Ellinwood was very friendly to Zarah and its proprietor. We did not know any more about town building than Tite did and supposed the chief engineer might be the whole "push." There was Tite's mistake; he depended upon his hospitable entertainment of the engineer corps too much, instead of going to headquarters, Archie Williams, who was interested in the Great Bend Town Company, knew a thing or two and I have always g1vn him the credit for bringing about the deal between the Quincy people and the railroad company.

The first week in March, 1872, the officials of the Great Bend Town Company came on the ground and started a complete survey of section 28, town 19, range 13, with the announcement that they had formed a combination with the railroad company. They employed E. B. Cowgill as surveyor and proceeded at once to business, and this fact coupled with the foregoing announcement, gave to the settlers new confidence in the town of Great Bend.

On the evening of March 14th, I was invited to spend the evening with Col. Stone's family at the Great Bend Hotel, for a social sing. Late in the evening, Lute Morris and W. H. Odell called me out into the bar room and showed be a petition they had drawn up for the organization of the county and the appointment of county commissioners and county clerk. It had my name on for commissioner and I tried in vain to have them change it for another but they asked me how I liked the remainder of the ticket. After changing one, we laid our plans for organization and then being warned that it was very late in the night, we all went to bed, I staying at the hotel. On March 15th and 16th we circulated the petition, got it signed and the papers all made out. We had the people with us and not a man refused to sign the petition. Of course, as it was intended to be a quiet move, we did not present it to anyone for signature we had any doubt about being in full sympathy with Great Bend for the county seat.

On March 18th, Lute Morris went to Topeka to present the papers in person to Gov. James Harvey, who was the governor of Kansas and whose duty it was to act upon the petition. In about two days he returned posthaste, having found on his arrival at Topeka, that a new law had been made by the legislature during the winter, providing that a census taker should be appointed in organizing a new county and that it should be his duty to find six hundred inhabitants therein before the governor could name temporary county officers and county seat. This new law had just been published and gone into effect, and he at once returned to make a new start before the Zarahites should get ahead of us. He came after me in the evening at my dugout on Walnut creek; we went over to the Great Bend Hotel and got the petition ready and concluded that we would have the papers ready for him to take the train at Ellsworth the next evening at six o'clock, as we learned the Zarah people were making a move. I rode all that night to get the requisite number of signatures and by noon of the next day, the petition was ready to go. Lute took it and drove to Ellsworth, a distance of fifty miles, in six hours and caught the train. This was on March 21, 1872, for I was appointed census taker in and for Barton county, on the foll3wing day. On March 29th, 1 went over to Great Bend and here learned our petition had reached the governor first and E. L. Morphy and I secured a buggy and drove to Zarah and found my commission from James M. Harvey, as census taker, with instructions to proceed at once to enumerate the inhabitants of Barton County. We now had victory in our grasp if we could but find the six hundred inhabitants. Fortunately, we had a hotel register and grading camps were being established every day to do grading work on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and the prairie schooners of the homesteaders were all coming to our assistance, six hundred strong.

On Saturday, March 30, I began taking the census. In the evening I came home to my dugout about ten o'clock and found a light n the window. I peeped in very cautiously and somebody was in my bed, and it looked like a rosy cheeked, curly headed girl, who was sleeping very peacefully in the only bed on the plantation; here was a fine kettle of fish - what right could this intruding young lady have for absolutely taking possession of the only home I had on earth? There were dying embers in the fireplace and egg shells scattered over the hearth. She had made herself comfortable with fire from my Sunday wood and appeased her prairie appetite with a three dollar setting of Black Cochin eggs and then deliberately gone to sleep right in the middle of my sole and only bed. After surveying this sublimity of nerve, I noticed on my buffalo settee, a pair of trousers, then I was aroused to self again and with the point of a Navy 44, I punched this intruder and to my great surprise, it proved to be Tom McCaughan, my future brother-in-law, who afterward went with me and helped in my census work and who also became a great favorite with the buffalo bunters as he was afraid of nothing; always genial and pleasant, a good cook, good story teller and all round good fellow. The Indians always called him "Man-Squaw" because of his clean, rosy face and long curly hair. Had Tom staid on the plains, he would have made a character for a book of adventures as he was always falling into the most thrilling experiences.

Monday morning, April 1st, Tom and I started out on census business, went to Great Bend and found some men who wanted to go six miles west to find their land and locate building places. We went and showed them their lines and then went to Pawnee Rock and enumerated the Kentucky colony. This was a colony of young men, brought out under the leadership of Geo. M. Jackson, Hon. E. W. Hoch and brother, of Marion, Kansas, who were members of this colony. They had already put up a frame house on the townsite of Pawnee Rock and Geo. Jackson, in his earnest, assuring manner, announced that Pawnee Rock was going to make a great place, for "Don't you see," he said, "it is geographically situated and historically known." They were a bright, enterprising lot of young men and it would be interesting to know where they all are now. After partaking of a camp meal with them, we went north to Walnut creek to section 10, northwest quarter townshIp 18, range 14, where we stayed all night with Levi H. Lusk, who had built a nice little frame house. Next morning, April 2nd, we went up the creek to the county line, enumerating all as we went; where we took dinner with another tribe of bachelors. We came back down the creek a few miles to section 26, township 18, range 15, where we staid all night at Bill Atchison's camp with another tribe of Bachelors. Bill had located there with forty Texas cow boys whom he was trying to domesticate. He had laid aside his religion, temporarily, during the domesticating process. Bill was an exception of a cattle man. You could get milk at his camp; he would have it and he would lasso a Texas cow and get it.

Milk was a part of his hospitality and that made Bill's camp famous in the valley. The rule in cattle camps was, the more cattie they had the scarcer were milk and butter. Bill made no pretentions to either, but you could always get a good drink of milk. In this camp were Chas. Worden, Henry Kellar, Mr. Brining, Mr. Albright and Charlie Roudebush. Lower down in the edge of section 18-14, were Nate Field and Geo. Berry. Still farther down were some German families. On section 3 was Mr. Mecklin and his son and Antone Wilke, who is now a prosperous business man in Denver, Colorado. On section 10, Henry Schultz and his family; John Reinecke and family and Bill Bahler. On section 14, Robert Gibson.

Most all of the early settlers, were young, married men and old bachelors. When a new caravan would come in, these single-blessed creatures would almost ask in chorus, "Have they any gals?" Fortunate was the homesteader who had a "gal" in the family. He could command the best we all had of everything.

The following offices were held by D. N. Heizer while he was a resident of Barton County:

First notary public commissioned in the county. Commission dates January 9, 1872, issued to D. N. Heizer and signed by James M. Harvey, governor and W. N. Smallwood, secretary of state.

Appointed as census-taker of Barton County to take census far organization of county, March 22, 1872, by Gov. James M. Harvey.

Elected July 5th, 1872 to office of probate judge of Barton County.

Elected November 5th, 1872 to office of register of deeds of Barton County.

Rail road assessor of 4th Judicial district, composed of the counties of Barton, Ellsworth, Ellis, Lincoln, McPherson, Russell, Saline and Wallace. Commission signed by W. N. Smallwood, secretary of state.

Appointed deputy county surveyor, July 13th, 1872, by John Favrow, county surveyor.

Appointed city treasurer of Great Bend, Kansas, July 14th, 1874, by Samuel Maher, mayor.

Elected November 2nd, 1880, to office of representative of the 120th district, Barton County.

Appointed April 2nd, 1881, Member republican state central committee of Kansas, J. B. Johnson, chairman.

Appointed 27th of June, 1883, appraiser of Ft. Larned Reservation by secretary of interior. U. S.

Elected 1886 to office of mayor of Great Bend, Kansas.

Oct. 2, 1871-Went out to see the Pawnee Indians and traveled all day on the trail with them. Bought one pony and had a merry time with the Indians. Stayed all night at Landon's Ranch on the Smoky River.

Nov. 14, 1871-Up in the morning early, traps together, we set sail with three yokes of bulls to a bull wagon, Henry Huffines principal "whacker." Company consisted of Charlie Prescott, George N. Moses, (commonly called Mose,) Henry Huffines, Albert B. Robinson (Bob) and D. N. Heizer. After a drive of a few miles with no excitement, we pitched our camp at what is known as the "12-Mile Timber" on the Arkansas. Here Charles, an unerring rifleman, shed the first blood for the company by slaying a swan, a beautiful bird and we ate it. I committed the next murder, which, need not be told, it could be smelled.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 1871-Rev. D. J. Glenn, a Presbyterian minister, preached at J. H. Hubbard's. He came last week with a large family and they are occupying my dugout temporarily. He was robbed of what little money he had on his way out. He lived at Meridian, Miss., several years, but being a Pennsylvanian, the Ku Klux made it too uncomfortable for him in the south.

Was on my way to Ellsworth when in hills three miles out of Ellsworth I met a muley ox team. A short, fair haired man was Lording it over them, who, from the brogue on his tongue and the limburger expression on his countenance was evidently of Teutonic origin. His wagon was freighted with flour, bacon, some farming and cooking utensils, a pig in a box, - these making his sole earthly possessions. Behind, with slow and measured pace, in keeping with the gait of the oxen, came his loving frau, bareheaded and barefooted. They halted and after a few inquiries of me concerning the land of their destination, they kept on their way toward the Star of the Empire. This was the last I saw of the Teutonic Tinker and his gentle Frou for more than a week when I was again returning to Ellsworth. Away out on the wild prairie, out of sight of house, friends or anything, save buffalo or antelope, stood the tinker's muley team, and there too, stood the tinker. They had started across the Cheyenne Bottoms, the oxen had given out, and growing discouraged, had given a long look homeward and were now trying to urge the oxen in that direction. He told me his sorrowful story. There sat his frou, weeping and bitterly reproaching her lord for having brought her into that wild country and meekly he sat on his wagon tongue like longour on an hour glass, timing the duration of woe. I condoled and encouraged them and to some purpose, as I put them on a plan to get back on the road and they finally landed safely in the valley and took up a homestead on section 20-18-13. Soon after their arrival, a son was born to them, the first white child born in the county. Nick was a bugler and the next morning after the arrival of the boy, there rang out through the valley, every bugle call known to the bugle and then some. He was the wildest Dutchman in American.

Nov. 15, 1871 - Broke camp in the morning and jogged along on our way. Weather clear with cool breeze from southwest. Passed Pawnee Rock about noon. (Said Rock named from a fight the Pawnees had at that place.) Arkansas Valley very flat and low on the left. Came to Boyd & Beal's Ranch and stayed over night.

Nov. 16, 1871 - Went to Ft. Larned and laid in more supplies and in the afternoon went on to the river and camped on the old Sully Trail. Day bright and clear until late that night.

Nov. 17, 1871 - Awakened before daybreak and heard the gentle patter of rain, first from the southwest, but while getting breakfast, it wheeled around to the north. Rained all forenoon, then began a sleet which finally ended in a snow. During this cold, bleak rain, we sat around, stood around and stamped around. Getting colder, we took off our boots, packed our pedestals in a heap and packed a blanket about them-Sang songs, told stories and made merry. After noon it began to sleet and Chas. Henry and I took the cattle and drove them back to the Boyd Ranch, where we stayed all night in a hard crowd of bull whackers and buffalo hunters.

Saturday, Nov. 18, 1871 - Still housed in the ranch and still a fearful storm is raging. Around some are smoking, some playing cards and others reading newspapers, such as you find at Western ranches being "The Day's Doings," "Sporting Times," etc. One thing favorable, no whiskey.

Sunday, Nov. 19. 1871 - Spent the day on the ranch. In the morning, "Mose" and "Bob" came in from the camp after a lay-a-bed of forty-eight hours. Henry and Charles then went down, the storm being over. The boys at the ranch spent the day in playing cards and vulgar jesting. Three of them gambled all night. \

Monday, November 20, 1871 - In the morning "Mose" and I set out for the camp and on our way, saw three buffalo lying on the river bank. We went to camp, found Henry and Charles all right, took some cartridges, crawled down along the river bank and killed three bulls. Skinned and cut them up. Took some meat to camp, cooked it in skunk oil and ate our fill. At night we came back to the ranch.

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 1871 - Went out again from ranch and "Mose" killed two more buffalo. We then went to camp, got dinner, skinned the two buffalo that "Mose" had killed Sunday morning, got supper and started back to ranch. Came by and skinned the two he had killed in the morning and came on in. For the last few days weather moderately warm, some clouds but thawing.

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 1871 - Started home on old "Satanta" but it was very cold and he could not travel, so I turned back, took the team out and we gathered up the load to start home the next day.

Thursday, Nov. 23, 1871 - Started home and got as far as the old "12-Mile Timber" on the Arkansas and camped at Boyd & Beal's hay train camp. Came in late at night, cold and the wolves made music with their howling.

Friday, Nov. 24, 1871 - Kept camp. Took breakfast at 12 M, and started on a hunt. "Mose and I" killed one buffalo and put out wolf bait. "Ike" (one of the hay train men) killed a mess of grouse and quail.

Saturday, Nov. 25, 1871 - Came home by night time and lay our booty down, tired and weary, glad the trip was over.

Sunday, Nov. 26, 1871 - Henry, Charles and I spent the day at Capt. Rugers. Enjoyed a wild turkey with him. Bitter cold and stormy.

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1871 - Bill showing prices:

1 gallon molasses $1.25
6 2-3 lbs. sugar $1.00
5 bushels corn at $1.25 $6.25
1 pair gloves $3.25
4 lbs. lard $1.00
12 lbs. butter at 35¢ $4.20
1-4 bushel apples $.60
Buffalo meat 3 cents per lb

Monday, Dec. 25, 1871 - First dance in Barton County. During the day nothing of interest occurred, excepting that a party and dance which had been intended by the settlers, was given up on account of bad weather. Mr. Buckby invited a few of us to come down to Zarah and eat oysters and dance. Capt. Ruger and wife, Logan Reynolds and wife and daughter, Ed Reynolds, wife and daughter, E. J. Dodge, wife, son and two daughters, Ed Dewey and wife, John Light and Miss Josie Cunningham were of those attending a good supper and dance all night and Christmas was duly celebrated.

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 1872 - First "candy pulling" in Barton County. 12 M. tonight I am all alone in front of my own fire place for the first time as an actual resident of my own house. Have been spending the evening at Mr. Hubbard's to a "candy pulling."

Sunday, Feb. 4, 1872 - Cold and stormy. Alone in the dugout all morning. Dressed up to stay at home. People are concerned about what the Indians will do in the spring. Jack Jamison has just been down among the Osages and Kiowas and thinks they will be hostile in the spring.

Wednesday, Feb. 7th, 1872 - Exploits of the "Great Buffalo Trio," Chas. Prescott, E. W. Morphy and I started for a hunt. Camped in the evening at 12-Mile Timber. Fair weather and we sat around our bright, blazing campfire and gazed on the starry heavens. We poetized, moralized, sang songs, and our gallant Morphy was unmindful of the saying "Laugh and grow fat," excited our risibles by all sorts of comical scenes from his stock of theatricals. We lay down after smoking the pipe of peace and slept. But lo, in the dead hours of the night, Morphy, feeling the heat at his toes, raised the cry of fire. Our bed was ablaze and we presented a weird spectacle as we had to hustle and put it out, it would have done for the witch scene in Richard III.

Up in the morning early, had breakfast and went south. What a country we saw. Range after range of sand hills, barren and desolate. No tree in sight. A long, weary drive had we reached Rattlesnake creek, where our spirits were revived by the sight of a herd of buffalo. Charles and Morphy tried to steal up to them but the flatness of the country was against them. It being night, we pitched our camp on the wild, desolate prairie and here we sat, our horses tied to the back of the wagon, our bed made beside it on the ground. Alongside is our camp fire of buffalo chips. Charles has retired and Morphy, with the ease and comfort of a King in his Palace, site on a stick and smokes his pipe, while "Dick Turpin," my dog, races back and forth after the wolves prowling around our camp. We have formed our plan of attack and with the rising sun, the ball will open.

Friday, Feb. 9, 1872 - While eating our breakfast, the impudent wolves came in numbers within two hundred yards of the camp. "Dick Turpin" ran out at them and at one time, formed an interesting tableau. Three stood in a row, stone still, while he stood a few paces from them, intently eying them, each afraid of the other. How they dared each other. After breakfast, we sat out after buffalo and Morphy and I chased them on foot all day long with ill luck. They were very wild and we only succeeded in wounding a few. Late in the evening, he and Charles killed an old bull; we took his pelt, cut his liver out, cut it in chunks an inch square, seasoned each with strychnine and distributed them about his remains for wolf bait. Camped near by for the night, and such wailing and howling was never heard before.
Found eleven dead wolves within fifty feet of His Majesty's carcass and there would have been more had there been more bait. Again we renewed the chase; Charles took a horse and killed a cow that had been wounded the day before; rain set in and we, with our meat, started on our hunt for timber. Drove about ten miles, facing a bleak, cold rain and getting colder, down came the snow; no tree appeared and our team being tired, we halted and fixed for the storm. Tried to cook in the wagon box by building a fire in the Dutch oven. No go! Sheltered it and cooked a meal outside, after which we went to bed in order to keep warm. A cold north wind howled all night-so did the wolves-although we did get some sleep.

Sunday, Feb. 11, 1872 - After breakfast, three men came to our camp with them, we drove back to the hunting ground and killed three fine buffalo that evening. We sold our coyote pelts for 65 cents each.

Thursday, Feb. 15, 1872 - Reached the Arkansas river by noon, fed our teams and started across with half our load. The last two days thawing had started the ice in the river and today it again turned cold with a gale from the northwest. Great chunks of ice were floating and the river seemed to be rising. Got in the main current and horses mired in the quicksand. I had to plunge out into the icy water up to my arm pits, loose the horses from the wagon, turn them over to get their feet loose from the quicksand and then go to Great Bend, where I got Louis Frey with his team of mules, to come and help pull us out. All this time, I left Charles and Morphy sitting in the wagon in the middle of the river. I was mad at them because they would not get out in the water and help me. My clothes froze stiff on me but after we got the load over, I trotted all the way home, five miles, behind the wagon to keep warm. Got home late in the evening.

"Labor omnia vincent improbus."

Went to Sunday school. It was a pleasant day and everybody was out and glad to see me back to lead the music. Mr. A. C. Moses, who came with his family from New York and built the first frame house in the county, and who was the Sunday school superintendent, asked some questions on the lesson-the subject being, "The Brazen Serpent and the Healing of Children of Israel." He asked in what respect we were like the children of Israel and his wife, who was not partial to frontier life answered, "In that we are in a wilderness and dissatisfied with our lot." It created a great deal of merriment. She is a cultured woman and has never before seen any frontier life. Went to Great Bend Hotel where a new family had taken possession, by the name of Stone and who had also started a store.

Monday, Feb. 19 1872 - I hunted my cattle and started to plow for Uncle Dick Demis at $5.00 per acre. Plowing by myself with two yoke of Texas cattle I found not calculated to cultivate the most elegant manner or style of expression. The leaders would turn and look at me and the furrows were very crooked.

Thursday, Feb. 22, 1872 - Went to a ball given by Tom Stone at the Great Bend Hotel, a party of pleasant people and a good time. After plowing prairie all day with two yoke of Texas cattle, just the thing to go to a ball and ease my mind. I danced like a good fellow. I shined my boots and wore a standup collar. I danced with every lady there and some of them, two or three times. We danced quadrilles and the Virginia Reel. Got home very late.

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1872 - Bad day. Got Hubbard interested in going to Topeka to find out what the railroad was going to do in regard to building the town. Whether it was going to favor Zarah or Great Bend. Also to try to secure the agency for selling their lands for him and me. I secured the first notary commission in the county.
First Notary Commission D. N. Heizer, January, 1872.

Tonight we had a school meeting and next week our school house will be built, after the school meeting closed we had a meeting to determine what we should do for Christmas. Concluded to have a general meeting of the settlers. Have one grand supper, social and dance. The supper to represent all the different kinds of game the country afforded. We will have it at the New Hotel, which is about completed at Great Bend. A committee on arrangements was appointed, consisting of six ladies and five gentlemen, myself being one of the number.

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 1872 - I am somewhat anxious about the Indians in the spring. We are on the extreme frontier and if there is any trouble, we must suffer first, being the most exposed. If they are disposed to be ugly, there is nothing to prevent them from attacking us. Within the last few days we have had reports that they have driven some of the settlers out of the country south of us. As soon as grass comes so that ponies can live, they may try us. We now get mail at Zarah most every week. It is a new office and there was no regular mail carrier.

Tuesday, April 23, 1872 - We have had a lively day in town today. A great many new men came in and thirteen business sites were chosen since noon. I have been busy as a bee with the lumber trade and directing men where to find claims. At the rate the town is going now, we will have quite a place by next fall. It already makes quite a showing and every day records a new house.

Friday, May 3, 1872 - How this week has gone. Have been as busy as a bee all the time. We have sold a great deal of lumber this week to put into houses at Great Bend. There are now some very good ones being built in town. Monday I went two miles to survey and did not get back until late at night. Tuesday I went eight miles and located four men and was late in getting home again. That evening, April 31st, there was a horrible murder committed at Zarah. Zake Light, a clerk and brother-in-law of Mr. Buckby, who was about eighteen years of age, shot a young man who had been here two weeks looking for land. He went into the store in the evening and asked for some crackers and cheese. Zake gave him the crackers but said they had no cheese. The young man made a joking remark about such a store keeping nothing to eat. Zake was insulted and ordered him out of the store. He refused to go and Zake shot him through the head. It was unprovoked and Zake ought to be hung if it was right for any man to be hung.

Monday, May 6, 1872 - Today I have been out on the range surveying. When I got back to town in the evening, Capt. Heath of the Santa Fe engineer corps, told me of having seen three hundred Arapahoe's and Cheyenne's within about thirty miles of here, he was in their camp and talked to them and says they are disposed to be sulky and mad. Have no squaws, lodges or dogs with them and are well armed and well mounted, and he thinks we are going to have trouble. He is acquainted with a great many of them and says they mean no good. This valley is beginning to look like a little Paradise, with its green waving grass and blooming flowers.
Friday, May 16, 1872 - Went up to the west line of the county to where an old German couple live. His wife cannot talk English, but they both thing a good deal of me and when I go there she always wants to talk with me and has to talk in German to her husband and he interprets it in English to me, she never knew until today that I had no Frou and when I told her she said I ought to be ashamed of myself. The old gentleman said, "You brings de Frou mit de dugout first, and yen you makes more money you makes un better house, und makes tin better Frou." It is worth riding eighteen miles just to hear others old people talk and see how happy and contentedly they live in a dug-out.

Monday, May 20, 1872 - We moved today to the town of Great Bend to live. Tom and I shall continue to dwell here henceforth.

Wednesday, May 22, 1872 - All week we have been kept busy with settlers and locating land and have put several men on the lookout. Would have taken some men out today, but that Walnut is on a bender and cannot be crossed except by swimming. We had some sport today. Just before noon two buffalo came just in sight of town, and in less than ten minutes every horse in the livery barn was out in pursuit or rather, to meet them. After they had chased them out of sight seven more buffalo came into the Walnut north of town. Everybody, including women and children, came out in a stampede to see the fun. A skirmish line of men with guns started out on foot. I seized an Indian pony, belonging to Mr. Hubbard which was hitched outside the store, and after giving Mr. Hubbard by pocket book to take care of, off I went with a needle gun on the pony. I soon got beyond the footmen and away I went for the burly old fellows across the Bottoms. When about one-fourth of a mile from them, they turned and ran northeast toward the bend of the creek. I was lucky enough to shoot one just as he was going down into the creek. Hubbard, the trustee of my pocket book, lost $5.00 of my money on my success. There was a big crowd standing in the northern part of town watching me, and Jack Conkie pulled out a bill and wanted to bet I would get one and Hubbard took him up.

Sunday, May 26, 1872 - This is a hot, sultry day. My first Sunday as a resident of the town of Great Bend, a city now of over forty houses. Most all having been built during the last six weeks. My census report was received and accepted by the governor and we have just had our county clerk and commissioner appointed and now in about thirty days, we will hold an election. Several of the leading citizens have been at me to run for probate judge. Have not yet made up my mind whether I will or not.

Sunday, June 2, 1872 - Dr. Truesdale just came rushing up stairs and wanted to get the keys to Dr. Baker's desk as he wanted his case of instruments. A man at the hotel had shot himself and he must help him. Dr. Baker had gone to Quincy and taken his keys with him and the only thing to do was to break open his desk, which we did and have since performed the operation by way of extracting the ball. He was intoxicated and was fooling with a six-shooter when it went off, shooting him through the left side, the ball lodging in his back. Poor fellow, he should have learned when he was a little boy that it was very naughty to play with fire arms and get drunk on Sunday.

This morning I drove over to Hubbard's to Sunday school with Jake Miller, our new photographer. We had some new recruits at Sunday school. Last week I went from ten to forty miles per day; we have been having competition now in another land firm. One of their firm is agent for a town company and last Wednesday we had some little excitement over their movements. It became known they had formed another company to start another town fourteen miles west of this place and men who had invested money here could not see how they could run two towns in the same locality and be true to the interests of both. The citizens got up a petition for their removal from the agency for this town. Said petition was being carried around and everybody was signing it when the gentlemen got sight of it. They tried to tear it up but did not succeed. A crowd collected and very exciting was the talk. Hubbard made some rather sarcastic remarks, as was his custom, and Morris struck him. Hubbard kicked Morris out of doors and there the matter ended. A meeting was called and said gents tried to explain their connection with the Pawnee Town Company but did not do so to their satisfaction. First the citizens voted to send me to Quincy, Ill., to see the Town Company of this place and have them come out here to look after the interests of this town. After talking the matter over more fully, concluded as Dr. Baker was going back on the next day, a letter should be written to the company, stating the facts and send it by Dr. Baker.

Saturday, June 8th, 1872 - I have had a busy week and the prospect of a day's rest so near at hand, is refreshing. I am always away all day long; get home late in the evening and am generally tired and hungry and have a whole raft of papers to make out, or letters to write, to some one wanting to come west, or inquiring about homesteads, etc. The people here seem to be very much dissatisfied with the way the affairs are conducted by the town company and there is so much bickering that I am almost disgusted. "I am somewhat in doubt about these mushroom towns, as some call them. I do think this (Great Bend) will some day make a fine town; it has the country to support it but it is now stepping far in advance of the country and men are investing widely, expecting to make their fortunes out of the cattle trade this summer. I really think from present prospects that it will not amount to anything great for this point. Some days here, everybody seems to be excited and carried away by some influence almost unaccountable, and other days everything will be dull and everybody discouraged and despondent.

Friday, June 13, 1872.

Our county convention came off today and we made our nominations. I was honored with the nomination for clerk of the district court, which was afterward changed to the office of probate judge. I was secretary of the convention. I am feeling very much flattered by the people telling me that I could have any office I desired. We had a great time. A clique of the more adventurous class tried to run the meeting by tricks and fraudulent voting but we managed to out number them sufficiently and fought them clear back into their seats. Being un-experienced in politics, I was very much displeased at the methods attempted.
I have begun the erection of a house on block 95, which is 16x24 in size and one story high.

Wednesday, June 24, 1872 - Am a little discouraged about this country here of late. It has been very hot and dry now for some time and there is so little farming being done in proportion to the number of settlers that it does not look right. People do not seem to have the faith in the country that they should have. Perhaps I am giving way to temporary influences and something may occur to banish all my fears. Another thing, we have a very tough class of people coming in here along with the good; a class that have no respect for virtue, morality, decency or anything else. It is true, there are many refined and cultivated people coming with the idea of permanently making their homes and it almost looks now as though they might be out numbered by the other class.

Sunday, June 30, 1872 - During the past three days, I have ridden over one hundred and fifty miles canvassing the county in the interest of our county election, and particularly in the interest of Great Bend as our county seat. All has been rush and hurry with us for the last few days.

Monday, July 1, 1872 - Our county election came off today and it has been a lively day and a day of anxiety as to the contest over the county seat. I acted as one of the clerks of the election from 8 o'clock in the morning until after 2 o'clock at night. All passed off quietly and in good order and the results were very satisfactory. Our town, Great Bend, has nearly 100 majority for county seat. I received about 150 majority for probate judge. We had a great deal of sport over the election and some of those in the habit of imbibing, tonight made merry music on the street in exaltation over our great success.

Wednesday, July 3, 1872 - According to instructions, Miss Ida Mitchell and I, as a committee to select picnic grounds for the 4th of July, went on a trip up the Walnut Valley seven or eight miles. We finally selected suitable grounds for our first 4th of July celebration at a bend of the creek on the southeast quarter of section 10-19-14, the claim of Henry Shultz. On the way up the creek we had a chase after a bunch of buffalo.

Thursday, July 4th, 1872 - Most everybody went up the creek to our 4th of July celebration grounds in buggies, wagons and on horseback. There was quite a respectable crowd of us. We hung swings in the trees for the children and young folks and had plenty of ice cream and lemonade, and a bountiful dinner. After dinner I read the Declaration of Independence and E. W. Cowgill made a speech. We then had singing and a general good time, after which we all went home. The day was ideal and was very pleasantly spent. We had a delightful place for the celebration, which was the first one ever held in the county, unless by the Indians.
Saturday, July 6th, 1872 - In the evening a gentleman called at the store and asked for me. I went down and found there a law student from Iowa City, who was there the last year I was. That was the first appearance of George W. Nimocks, who was touring the state in a wagon with a camping outfit and who had established his camp near the southeast corner of the public square.

Sunday, July 7, 1872 - I am considering a trip to Iowa very soon on very important business. The railroad will be completed to that place by the last of next week and I will be able to make the trip from my own town on the frontier by rail. I feel very much elated over this fact. Just to think how a person must feel, having came here only one year ago when the country was almost as wild as the day it was made, inhabited solely by the wild game of the plains and now the iron horse is about to come dashing in, bringing all the changes of civilization. Bringing stout hearts and sturdy hands to subdue these wild prairies and make them contribute to the advancement and welfare of mankind. "'Tis strange! 'Tis strange, how quickly all this has come about."

Friday, July 12, 1872 - I have concluded to go to Iowa as soon as possible and if nothing prevents, will be there during the week, probably about Thursday.

NAME	DATE
A. A. Hurd	1872 and 1873
Samuel Maher	1874
Richard Taylor	1875
C. F. Diffenbacher	1876
A. C. Fair	1877
G. N. Moses	1878
A. W. Gray	1879
E. L. Chapman	1880
Henry Kline	1881
J. v. Brinkman	1882
G. W. Nimocke	1883
E. W. Moses	1884 and 1885
D. N. Heizer	1886

NAME	DATE
A. J. Buckland	1887
O. B. Wilson	1889
A. Laidlaw	1891
G. N. Moses	1896
G. N. Moses	1897
G. H. Hulme	1899
L. P. Abner	1901
Martin Weirauch	1903
E. W. Moses	1905
E. W. Moses	1907
E. W. Moses	1909
O. W. Dawson	1911