History of Butler County Kansas Genealogy Trails

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

By Vol. P. Mooney

1916

CHAPTER XIII
TOWNSHIPS, CITIES AND TOWNS. (Continued.)

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP - TOWANDA TOWNSHIP - TOWANDA - UNION TOWNSHIP - WALNUT TOWNSHIP

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP

By Mrs. Lizzie Bishop Harsh.

I esteem it quite an honor to be asked to add a little to the history of the great county of Butler. It was some time in February, i860, that my father and mother, Elias and Nancy Jane Bishop, with my two sisters, Permelia and Emma, and myself landed in Butler county on the west branch of the Walnut river at the home of Uncle John Bishop, who, with his family, had moved there the year before. It was only a few days before we bought our farm north of Chelsea, moved and lived in a sheet shed belonging to G. T. Donaldson.

The doctors in our old home in Iowa advised my father to move and settle somewhere in the West on account of mother's health, which was very bad at that time. The following summer my father and cousin, Will Bishop, built our new home out of logs out of our own timber, puncheon floor, clapboard roof, and it was here that one more was added to the family, a baby brother, J. E. Bishop. Our house was one room and a shed kitchen. It was to us a mansion. My father was a carpenter; soon the country began to settle up and father had plenty of work. He helped to build the school building at Chelsea. Mother was a mid-wife and so had work out of the home, as the nearest doctor to be had was at Emporia. Just think of going to Emporia for all groceries, lumber and everything that we used. We brought one load of supplies with us, so did not have to go to town soon. We were homesick many times, but there were two classes of people, "goers and stayers," and we belonged to the latter class, as we were not able to go. We never wanted for meat, as my father was a hunter and brought in great many deer, chickens and a few turkeys. I remember we had fine

Page 216

wild plums, raised sorghum and good gardens, but we had some things that were far from pleasant, grasshoppers, drought, prairie fires, hot and cold winds; Indians were plenty. I will always remember the first Indians that called at our home. We yet lived in the shed. Three very large fellows, real blanket and painted Indians came in. without being asked, warmed by the fire, talked and then went out and looked at cousin's ponies, came in and warmed more, talked and looked around. Well, we girls stayed close to mother, who was so frightened that she was pale. The Indians said, "Squaw 'fraid, big 'fraid." They did not ask for anything. We learned afterwards that they were looking for stolen ponies.

Chelsea had the first school in the county, a little log hut on the bank of the Walnut, just east of the Donaldson home. Sister Permelia and I were pupils under three teachers (Mrs. Bates, Lizzie Shriver, now Mrs. Lizzie Ellis, and Mrs. J. E. Buchanan) in the little old cabin. By that time we had our new school house, No. 10, and it got that number by dividing the district and giving No. I to the northern district. By this time we had many neighbors and a saw mill on the Donaldson farm, very near our old log school house, and here I must say that my father made many, if not all, of the caskets to bury our dead, and one was our dear neighbor, G. T. Donaldson, who met his death by a saw log rolling off the wagon and onto him, crushing him. If people who complain of hard times and think they have so little could go back and go through one month of the early days they would be thankful and would not complain. Well, we lived through it all and enjoyed life, too. The whole neighborhood was one family. When the Ellises or Donaldsons killed a sheep, calf or pig, the Bishops had some, too; no strife or selfishness then. Soon people wanted some kind of amusement. The first was dancing, then parties: I think it was the second or third summer before we ever heard a sermon, and that was at a camp meeting at El Dorado under a big tree. Don't remember the preacher's name or denomination; only remember that El Dorado had a prisoner there with a big ball of iron chained to his feet and he was converted and the minister helped carry the ball into the river and immersed him. We had a little Sunday school in the log school house.. We had no Sunday school literature, just the Bible, learned verses and received cards; sometimes we committed whole chapters to memory. Miss Maggie Vaught conducted the Sunday school and later Mrs. Lizzie Shriver.

It must have been about 1879 that father sold the home, and we moved to El Dorado for a short time; bought and moved to Turkey Creek in 1881; sold and moved to Sycamore Springs, and now will tell a little about Sycamore. I taught the first school in Sycamore. Before we moved here I taught in a room in J. B. Parson's house. Before the term was out the new school house was finished, and that was almost in Mr. Parson's yard. The first postoffice was at Mr. Hubbard's, two

Page 217

miles south of us. J. B. Parson built the house at the springs in 1870. Frank Donaldson at the same time built a little store just across from the Parsons house and sold it soon to William Shriver, of El Dorado, who sold eats and drinks to the travel. This was the old stage route. Mr. Slover, an old bachelor, built the first log hut on our farm, the first that was built in the township, and before this he built a stone stable on the farm now owned by Mrs. William Hoy. In 1870, George Snively and family, Sylvester Myers and family, came from Ohio, and Mrs. Snively told me that they left one load of household goods at Emporia and brought one load of lumber instead. They came to this stone stable, which had a manger, and it served both families until they came down to the springs and bought. Mr. Myers took eighty acres of school land and Mr. Snively bought one hundred and sixty acres of Mr. Stover. He began to build and sent teams back to Emporia after lumber and goods. In 1871, Philip Harsh and sons came from Ohio and bought out Parsons and Snively. Mr. Snively went west three miles and bought land, and now owns a dry oil well and 800 acres of land.

The old historic sycamore tree which gave name to the township, the first postoffice and church and school, has been blown down. The old house, which has had in time new roof, siding, floor and kitchen addition, is still standing, filled with grain, plows, etc. The old shop or store, whose foundation was not on a rock, has fallen. The Harshes were here only a short time when the postoffice was moved to their house and remained for years, and it was in this house that so many weary travelers were housed and .fed. Father Harsh sat and slept in his chair many night to let the stranger have his bed and many times the doors would have to be closed so that the beds made from door to door. The upper story was already full. The man without means to pay was cared for as well as the one with money. It was in this house that the first sermon was preached. Preachers of all denominations were invited to preach. When a preacher came the boys on horses went and told the neighbors and all came. It was hard for Father Harsh to to come out here and do without his church, the German Reform.

As I write this and try to think of old times passed, the hard things we had to endure, the awful prairie fires and one terror to all was the chills and fever. We could stand the fever better than we could the chills, because often we were unconscious and did not realize the suffering, but oh the chill! How we did shake, and everybody had them the first, second or sometimes the third year, and now people come and go and we have forgotten the awful ordeal that we used to have to pass through, but we lived through and now in our old age, we are trying to enjoy our homes, telephones, automobiles and just waiting for the old ship to take us on.
Sycamore township was organized July 7, 1871. Its first officers were: J. K. Skinner, trustee; C. H. Hegwine, treasurer; J. Canfield, clerk. There are no railroads in the township, but we have one graded

Page 218

and are patiently waiting and watching for the arrival of the "Orient." There are many thousands of acres of grazing land and thousands of cattle are pastured thereon during each pasture season. Cattle are shipped from Texas to the Eastern markets in the spring, unloaded here and pastured during the summer, when they are re-loaded and sent on to market.

Cassoday is the capital of this township and consists of all the accessories that are needed to make up a good, thriving country village, including a bank, blacksmith shop, stores of various kinds, hotel, churches and schools. The township is in the northeast corner of the county, and is eight miles north and south and fourteen miles east and west.

TOWANDA TOWNSHIP
By A. W. Stearns

On August 23, 1867, Butler county was divided into four townships. Towanda township was bounded as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of section 12, township 27, range 4, west to county line; north to northwest corner of county; east to range line, between ranges 4 and 5; south to place of beginning. The first township officers were appointed on April 14, 1868. They were as follows: Henry Comstock, trustee; John Wentworth, treasurer, and James N. Jones, clerk. The first election in the township was held April 6, 1869, and the following were elected: W. H. Avery, trustee; Henry Comstock, clerk; Milton Snorf, treasurer; Stark Spencer, justice of the peace; Amos Adams, constable.

The first white settler in Towanda township was C. L. Chandler, a native of Ohio, who had been stricken with the gold fever and had joined the forty-niners and crossed the plains to California in quest of the yellow metal. Here he remained until 1857, when, not having acquired the wealth he hoped for, he started on his return home, following part of the way the old Santa Fe Trail. On reaching a point north of what is now Butler county, he chanced to meet a party of Indians, traders, who were returning from a trip through the southern part of their territory of Kansas. Their description of its beauty and apparent adaptability for settlement so interested him that in company with two others leaving the train of returning gold miners, they proceeded south, reaching the head of the Whitewater in September, 1858.

ollowing the stream down to a point near the large spring flowing from the hill on which Towanda is now located, Mr. Chandler was so pleased with the country in general and the Whitewater valley particularly that he decided to settle here. A small log cabin was soon built on the bank of the little creek near the spring, in which he spent the winter of 1858 and 1859. This was the first house build in Towanda township. In the spring of 1859, Mr. Chandler returned to his old home in Ohio after

Page 219

his wife and two children, coming back to his claim with them after a few months' absence. The family remained here until 1862, when their claim was purchased by J. R. Mead, and they left the country, destination not known.

During the year 1858, and soon after Mr. Chandler's location at the Towanda spring, William Van, from Missouri, with his family, consisting of a wife, three sons and four daughters, arrived on the Whitewater and settled near another large spring a short distance below the Chandler home. Here a log cabin and other buildings were built. The family remained here until 1872, when they sold out and left. One other pioneer of Towanda township, Jay Que Hager, a single man, from Barry county, Michigan, came to the Whitewater the latter part of 1858 and located on what is now the southeast quarter of section 6, in Towanda township, and near the junction of the main Whitewater. A small log cabin was built, in which Mr. Hager lived two or three years, when he left, going to New Mexico, where he died soon after. This comprises all of the 1858 or first settlers of Towanda township. A Mr. Jackson, wife and one child came into the township in 1859. They remained until 1862, when they left, going back East. But. little seems to be known concerning them. At this time Kansas was yet a territory. The country was not surveyed and none of the settlers know the numbers of land on which they had located. There were still roving bands of Indians passing through and camping on the river, sometimes remaining there for weeks. While not really hostile, they were not desirable neighbors and caused considerable uneasiness to some of the whites because of their isolated location.

In 1868, a little party of immigrants from Fulton and McDonough counties, Illinois, consisting mostly of relatives and neighbors of the settlers, reached the Whitewater country. They had been preceded the previous year by two pioneer families from Hancock county, Illinois, Harrison Steams, wife and three children, and Daniel Mosier, wife and six children, who had settled on the Whitewater near Towanda. The party of immigrants consisted of Gilbert Green, wife and eight children; Richmond Jones, wife and two children; J. G. Steams, wife and four children; John Heath, wife and seven children, and C. Watrous, wife and four children. All of these settled in Towanda township and helped materially to found and build up the present thriving and progressive community. Their descendants are still living here, some of them on the original homesteads taken by their parents.

Probably the great spring which has gushed its torrents of cool water for ages was the cause of the founding of Towanda. Old plainsmen and hunters knew of it fifteen years before there was thought of settling the country. In those years, now known to only legend, its volumes of water was greater than now. The Indians knew of it and told the whites of it long before it was seen by them. Here in the wide bottoms of the Whitewater, covered by abundant grass for their ponies,

Page 220

the Indians pitched their teepees. While the squaws stayed in camp looking after the domestic affairs, the braves were chasing the lordly buffalo that roamed the' prairie in countless herds. The Whitewater valley must have enchanted the first white men who beheld it. Its broad and fertile valleys and gentle undulating uplands that let the eye scan miles of its surface, had beauty and attraction irresistible. It is a stream abounding in crystal waters that never fail and fed by many tributaries like itself.

Daniel Cupp seems to have been the earliest comer in the Whitewater valley, at least, the first who came and stayed. That was in i860, when he and his young wife braved the perils of the frontier and settled upon the farm they still possess and is their home. William Vann in the same year built his cabin further up the Whitewater. Mrs. A. G. Davis; now of Benton, is a child of this early comer. Cupp and a few others who came about 1860, have killed buffalo without number in western Butler. S. C. Fulton "struck the country" in 1863, and found them roaming in unnumbered thousands in what is now known as Sedgwick and Sumner counties, and west to the Rocky Mountains. The close of the Civil war left thousands of soldier boys with home ties broken. The government began giving away homesteads. The boys married the girls they left behind them when going to the war and came to Kansas. With each year after 1866 the tide of immigration grew higher until the climax was reached in 1870. Who does not recall the claim hunter, the home hunter, the land agent, the speculator, the scout, the cowboy, and the horseman, "the prairie schooner" that cut across the

Page 221

country without road, paying no attention, to aught save direction? Somebody has remarked that all there was to Kansas at that time was prairie grass, sunshine and wind-an abundance of all.

Early settlers in Towanda township were: i860-Daniel Cupp and Wright Goodale; 1865-Andy J. and James W. Ralston (still there and prosperous), Dr. J. O. Bugher, who felt cramped at the encroachments of civilization and went to Wyoming a few years ago and died there; 1868-Gilbert Green (who ran the stage and mail route between El -Dorado and Wichita), Harrison Steams, John Heath, S. S. McFarlane, Richard Jones, Dan. Mosier, Robert McGuin, J. W. Tucker, Isaac Mooney, Osburn Mooney, Horace Maynard, Simon Brair and Clark Waite, Willis Priest, William McDowell, Dr. William Snider, David Barnett, Dr. R. S. Miller, John and Joshua Shriver, James and Dr. J. D. Godfrey and their sister, Miss Nancy; Robert McClure, Lewis Hart, Duncan McLaughlin and Julius Straw, now all deceased except Joshua Shriver, who came in 1869, 1870 or 1871. There were many who came a year or two. later. All these met the usual trials, difficulties and hardships incident to frontier life. All were poor. The rich did not care to face the discomforts of new lands. There was many a homesick heart, many sighs for the old homes amid the comforts and conveniences of the civilization they had left. Pioneering is especially hard and distressing on women. They had little to do with. Their duties were cir-cumscribed by unhappy circumstances and conditions and their enforced idleness often led to repining. Many women who left homes where the comforts and even luxuries were plentiful and entered with their husbands into home building upon a raw sod and with limited means have testified that it was a most disheartening effort.

Page 222

In the seventies and prior, long tedious trips were made to mill, forty, fifty, seventy-five and even one hundred miles. Household necessities and pine lumber were hauled by teams an equal distance. Money was scarce. Interest was high. Labor at first brought good wages, especially that of the carpenter. Log cabins at first were the rule and they were built solid and comfortable. Settlements were along streams almost exclusively prior to 1870. Saw mills were freighted in and worked up native lumber into studding and rough boards. The fare was of the plainest, often consisting of "samp," a hard corn, hulled and cracked, and buffalo "jerked" (dried) meat boiled in milk. This was a standard dish, and with corn bread and the sweetness that accompanies a good digestion and hunger, sustained and grew robust men and women. Of the early "kids" yon don't see any that are stunted from such fare. Clothes were of the plainest and would have condemned many a settler in polite society who is now well-to-do or Wealthy. Buggies and other road vehicles were rare. The big lumber wagons carried the family or a horse carried man and wife or lover and sweetheart.

TOWANDA

Situated nine miles west and south of El Dorado, on a slightly elevated tract overlooking the Whitewater river, is Towanda, an incorporated town. It can be truthfully said that it is one of the best trading points, one of the nicest little towns, and has some of the most enterprising citizens to be found in Butler county or in Kansas.
In 1870 Rev. Isaac Mooney had surveyed and laid out in town lots, ten acres of what is now the southwest corner of Towanda and thereby became the father of the present bustling little village. Before this date J. R. Mead had established a trading post in the Whitewater valley about a quarter of a mile west of the present town site. At that time Towanda was what might be called ..the trade center for the country within twenty miles, and stirring indeed were the doings of the old trading post of long ago. It was at that time the division point for two stage lines running over the western plain with headquarters at Em-poria and Humboldt. It was also the camping ground for government trains and immigrant wagons on account of the beautiful spring bubbling out of the hill on the west side of town.

The first store building erected on the present town site of Towanda was built by G. W. Baker, in 1871, upon a lot south of the present M. E. church. The lot was given Baker by Isaac Mooney, who was engaged in the same business, as Baker expected to enter in the log house shown elsewhere in this work. The only instance on record where one man furnished another with means of entering into competition with the donor.

The next building was by L. Viets, father of C. L. Viets, of Wichita, and Allie Viets, of Augusta. He afterward sold his stock of goods to William McDowell and moved the building to Augusta. Then came

Page 223

R. S. Miller and J. H. Dickey, handling hardware and drugs, followed by H. Taylor & Son, general merchandise; J. M. Reed, A. Aikman, G. W. Stewart, blacksmiths and woodworkers, and many others.

Good business buildings have been erected in the past few years. In the residence section wonderful improvement has been made, new houses erected and a general prosperity seems to have taken the town. There is a full two-story building built by the Masons of Towanda. They occupy the upper story for a lodge room, which is nicely furnished for the purpose. The lower story is occupied by Shriver & Glass with a large stock of hardware and implmenets, buggies and wagons, etc. G. W. Moore is the owner and editor of The Towanda News, a newsy home paper. The Knights of Pythias hall is a good brick building, the first floor of which is used for a storeroom and the second for a lodge room. It is owned by the order. The State Bank of Towanda, F. W. Robinson, cashier, and J. C. Kullrnan, president, is one of the solid institutions of the counts and is doing a thriving business. J. C. Kullrnan, C. B. Sewart and L. C. Hill, general merchandise, and many ether lines of business are represented, and all are prosperous.

Towanda township has about ten miles of the Missouri Pacific railway system, a good depot and shipping facilities. More fine draft horses, Holstein cows and other live stock are loaded and unloaded at this station for the Robinsons, Bishops, Girards and others than any other point in the county. Wichita, a town of some note, lies about twenty-five miles south of Towanda. Towanda has always been a good

Page 224

trading point. It grew slowly. Once it received votes for the county seat. Its early social life was of that limited sort peculiar to people coming together from almost every point of the compass. The first school, the first church organization and other firsts are like unto the beginnings of all new countries. Rev. Isaac Mooney began preaching on his arrival at his new home and kept it up steadily until his death. He bought the splendid valley west of the village from Mead, filed on the one hundred and sixty acres east of it as his homestead, donated the cemetery, platted the town, and gave away lots in encouragement of new comers. He has been fruitful in good works and faithful in every relation.

From the camping place of the Indian and from a trading post, Towanda has grown to a tidy little village. In 1892 it was largely razed by a cyclone, but its people built it a new and better than before. It has two substantial churches; some fine and several substantial residences and many comfortable cottages. It is surrounded by a neat, beautiful and most fertile country. It has a fine brick school building with four departments, is one of the high schools in the county. The Masonic lodge, No. 30, shows it to be one of the very oldest in the State; the G. A. R. and its auxiliary, the W. R. C, are, represented. Towanda citizens have been active and prominent in county affairs. Hon. Isaac Mooney and his son, V. P. Mooney, Andy Swigett, M. D. Ellis and S. C. Fulton and R. B. Ralston and M. A. Wait have been called to official positions and performed their duties with fidelity and zeal.

UNION TOWNSHIP

This township is in the extreme southeast corner of the county. It is six miles north and south and ten miles east and west, extending into Flint Hills, and contains some of the finest pasture land in the world, as well as some of the best farming lands. Its soil is adapted to and produces abundantly crops of all kinds, including alfalfa and other tame grasses, as well as an abundant supply of the wild or prairie grass.

The records of the county fail to show the date or organization of Union township. They do show, however, that the citizens of Union township voted at the general election held in November 1871, and that the following township officers were elected at the election held in April, 1872: George Sherar, trustee; J. A. McGinnis, treasurer; H. M Lemon, clerk; Benjamin, justice of the peace;. George Messick, constable. Among the earliest settlers of the township, in addition to the above, were J. S. McKee, Alvin Proisen, William and D. L. Sherar, T. F. Ferguson, William Van Meter, Milo Nance and many others

The township is noted for its live stock and hay industries. Many cattle are pastured, fed and marketed from this place with an immense amount of prairie hay shipped out each year. Latham is a vigorous

Page 225 little town laid out in 1885. It is on a branch of the Frisco railway. There is about ten miles of the railway in the township. Atlanta is a small station in the southern part of t!he county. Latham has a population of 350 with practically all line of business represented: Bank, J. P. Garnett, president, and Ed Rankin, cashier; grocery, L. R. Masters & Co.; lumber, E. A. Riley; hotel, James Gibson; garage, livery, creamery, churches, schools, newspaper, "The Mirror," by H. W. Hen-drick, and all other lines necessary to make a good, pleasant place in which to live or engage in business.

WALNUT TOWNSHIP
By W. C. Snodgrass

I purpose to write a short history of Walnut township from the time of the red man and buffalo to the present time. This will cover a period of half a century, from 1866 to 1916. The facts narrated will be those gleaned from the storehouse of memories, personal experiences and observations of those still living who helped to make that history.

And we feel sure that our short record of our little garden spot of thirty-six square miles of God's footstool, with its thorns, thistles and. flowers will show that our people have a right to be proud of their achievements. They have developed to a rich fruition in this part of the Master's vineyard. We have made the "two blades of grass grow where only one grew before." We have done this in spite of drought, hot winds, storms, floods, grasshoppers, chintz bugs, elephant bugs, the "rain maker" and his fuse, and the politician.

The chintz bug eats the farmer's grain, The bee moth spoils his honey, The bed bug fills him full of pain, And the humbug gets his money.
Walnut township was formed out of that part of the public domain known as the "Twenty Mile Strip." It was ceded to the general government by the Osage Indians on September 19, 1865. This land was known legally as the Osage Trust Lands. It was surveyed and opened up to settlement by the government a year or two later at $1.25 per acre. Each settler could take not to exceed 160 acres. He had to live ,on his land at least six months and make certain improvements, in the way of breaking of the prairie and buildings.

At first, August 23, 1867, Walnut township, by act of the board of county commissioners, comprised a strip across the south part of the county sixteen miles wide. At the election, November 5, 1867, Peter Harpool was elected justice of the peace. He received seven votes. Benton Kramer was elected constable with seven votes. Harpool was

Page 226

club-footed, but much of a man physically. It was currently reported that when he fought he got on his knees. He had for his homestead the northeast 3-29-4. It is now owned by Elroy Warner, who has a fine residence where Peter had his cabin.

This cabin was unusually far from the timber. It was out on the prairie nearly a half mile from the river-Little Walnut. Dave Kramer, a brother of Bent, owned the quarter west of Harpool's and "put on style" by building a two-story box house. The house fell" down about five years ago and was moved off by the present owner of the land, M. T. Minor. The yard fence (hedge) was grubbed up last winter (1915) by M. J. Philips and Vance Glaze. Thus disappeared one of the ancient landmarks. Charlie Durham (deceased), of Douglass, narrated that it was at this house they held, on Saturday night of each week, one of a series of dances, commencing at Bill Groves', below Rock, Cowley county. He said the "gents" were always fully booted, spurred and armed with the regulation "six-shooters." The ladies were very beautiful and buxom, but not too timid or shy. Many of them afterward became the wives of the pioneers. Some of their offspring live in Walnut township today. Benton Kramer "proved up'r on a claim at the mouth of Hickory creek and sold it to N. M. A. Withrow, whose widow, Mary A. Withrow,. still owns it.

The first township election was held in April, 1868. The township elections were held then in the spring instead of as now at the time of the general elections in November. At this election William H. Edsell was elected trustee; John Fetterman, clerk; J. W. Crawford, treasurer. Edsell owned the southeast 26-28-4, now owned by Schoeb.

On March 11, 1873, a petition to organize Walnut City township, comprising the territory known as town 28, range 4, east, was granted. The election to be held in Walnut City. At this election, April, 1873, William Potter was elected trustee; M. C. Robbins, treasurer; Thomas Purcell, clerk; W. S. Waters and John C. Riley, justices of the peace, and A. J. Hughes and J. P. Bare, constables. On July 8, 1873, a petition to change the name of Walnut City township to Walnut, striking out the word city, was granted by the board of county commissioners.

Thus the civil, or municipal, township of Walnut as now known and remembered by the oldest residents, became identical with the congressional township legally described as township 28 south, range 4 east. It is of this six miles square of territory I write. From the time of the organization of the township in March, 1873. We have a fairly complete book record of the official business of the township. Part of the old first set of township record books are still in use and show many names of old residents who "did the township business" for Walnut. It is not as big a territory as Europe and its story possibly not as big a theme. But its people have had their trials and tribulations, too. A Kansas township is probably the most striking miniature example of a representative democracy.

Page 227

The township is an undulating prairie with a general slope to the south. In the spring, when it is covered with its carpet of green, it is a beautiful sight. Sunshine and shadow flitting over the prairie, before the coming of the unkept and unsightly hedge and barbed wire fences, was a sight to fill one with delight and emotion. It resembled the waves of the ocean. There are three streams crossing the township. The Big Walnut crosses it from north to south, on an average of about a mile west of the center. The valley is probably a mile wide and is very fertile. Little Walnut crosses the southeast corner of the township from northeast to southwest. The valley land will average a half mile in width. Four Mile Creek flows into the Big Walnut. The valley is rich and productive. The streams are all fringed with timber, which was much used by the early settlers for building purposes; but now only for fire wood and fence posts. Walnut logs are still shipped out to Eastern markets. Between the valleys of these streams and the upland there is generally an outcropping, or ledge, of limestone. It is good building material and good railroad ballast. There has been a large railroad rock crusher operated in the township for several years. There are very few good springs in the township. Probably one should be mentioned. It is on the southeast 35-28-4. The place is now owned by G. W. Brooks, who takes great interest in his spring and his fine garden he raises every year along the spring branch. This garden is becoming almost a neighborhood affair, owing to the great generosity of Mr. Brooks. Mr. Brooks has installed a hydraulic ram for water power for his house.

It is very probable that the buffalo and the Indian left Walnut township about the same time. The buffalo very likely went in 1864 and 1865. The Indian followed in a year or two, 1865 and 1866. Observations made in 1869 and 1870 warrant these conclusions. There were numerous buffalo horns and bones in a good state of preservation to be picked up on the "buffalo wallers," alkali spots where the buffalo would go to salt themselves. There were forks, poles, bark and some cooking utensils to be found where the Indian's wigwam was on the south side of the northeast quarter of section 35-28-4. The large.elm trees had the bark peeled as high as a man could reach from one side of the tree, but never clear around. The Indian must have loved trees. The line of cutting was regular and V-shaped. So it must have been* cut by cross licks with a tomahawk. Where this wigwam stood was a patch of ground of three or four acres which was cultivated and enclosed by a log fence, something on the style of the old "staked and ridered" fence. The river helped to enclose the patch of low ground, which was entirely surrounded by timber. This little patch of rich low ground is still known as the "Indian field." Straggling Indian trappers were frequently met with in 1868, 1869 and 1870. The pioneers relate many incidents of their experiences in meeting these roving hunters and trappers. Sometimes both Indian and pioneer were surprised.

Page 228

The pioneer, "One who goes before to remove obstructions or prepare the way for another," came in 1866, 1867, 1868 and 1869, to bid the Indian goodbye. He came from the East North and South. He cut the trees, not the bark, and replaced the wigwam with the log cabin. Like the Indian, he built his hut in or near the timber along the river, often near the little."Indian field." He was not yet ready or prepared to turn the prairie sod. He planted his Indian field to corn and looked after his game. Game, such as deer, antelope, turkey, prairie chicken, quail and other varieties common today, were very plentiful. Fish were fine and plentiful and could be seen in the streams much plainer than now. The streams were clearer because the rains did not carry the soil hen, as now, into them. There are a few, very few, of these pioneers still living in Butler county and still owning their homesteads. But most of them, like the buffalo and Indians, have wandered away to other fields. Those who are left can tell many rich and interesting experiences. I hope many of them will contribute their experiences to the Butler County History.

Probably the two oldest pioneers, in point of settlement, who still own their old homes in Walnut township are George W. Long and Mrs. Lou Kirkpatrick. They both now live in Augusta. Mr. Long settled on the Big Walnut in 1867 and doubtless knew all the pioneers of Walnut township. He helped Louis Booth to build his cabin, just southwest of where Gordon now is, in 1867. Mrs. Kirkpatrick is a daughter of "Lancie" Billy Black, who settled with his family of boys and girls on what is now known as the Blood land. It is just west of Gordon on the Big Walnut. "Uncle Billy" (William Craft Black) came to Walnut township with his family in the spring of 1868. Some of his sons and daughters were then married and had families. His children were Tom, Dave, Mrs. Andy Crawford, Sarah J., Lou, Abe, Willie and Crit. He and two sons and one daughter took four quarters of land on the Big Walnut, just west of Gordon. It was then, and is now, the finest body of land in Walnut township. It is now the most valuable section of land in Butler county, maybe, cities not counted, in Kansas. This "big hearted pioneer" and good man, who was striving for his children, lost his worldly inheritance-land-by that noble virtue of goodness. His friends played him false. They became rich. He became poor. He lost all, except his energy and determination to labor and strive on honorably to the end. Surely history does repeat itself; but I am not allowed the space here to repeat the old, old story of Lazarus and Dives. Louis Booth and George Booth built their cabin on the west, southeast and southwest of 28-28-4. This land is still known as the Booth place by the old settlers. It is also spoken of as the Cox farm. In November, 1870, "Judge Lynch" decided that the Booths, Jim Smith (Gil-pin) and Jack Corbin were undesirable citizens. So they were convicted and executed. Smith was shot at a ford in the middle of Little Walnut, just northeast of Douglass, called the "Slayton ford." Corbin and the

Page 229

Booths were taken from the Booth cabin, and a little way from the cabin Corbin was hung and the Booths were shot. Some say the four (Smith, Corbin, George Booth and Louis Booth) were all buried on what is now the Hayes farm, about a quarter of a mile southwest of the Gordon depot. Mrs. L. Kirkpatrick, who attended the burial, gives a very interesting narrative of the affair. She says the four bodies were buried in four home-made coffins in two graves-the two Booth brothers in one and Corbin and Smith in the other. Another report is that Louis Booth's wife took his remains to Emporia for interment. There was great excitement and much bitter feeling over this lynching for several years.

George B. Green was one of the pioneers who settled on the northeast quarter 35-28-4 on the Little Walnut. Green settled here in 1867 or 1868. He bought out a Dutchman who had lost three children here and became dissatisfied. The children were buried a little distance east of the cabin under a spreading oak tree, near the center of what is now called the "Cabin Field." The graves were enclosed by a rail pen. Afterward the tree fell down. In the clear up the brush and rail pen were burned, and all traces of the graves were lost. Green was an ex-Confederate soldier, but he never told it in the "John Brown State" until he met some Southern "sympathizers." He considered discretion the better part of valor. He sold his place to W. J. Snodgrass in October, 1869, giving a warranty deed November 17th, acknowledged before C. H. Lamb, justice of the peace. It was recorded by W. A. Sallee, register of deeds. The patent was issued November 1, 1870, by the United States government. U. S. Grant signed the patent as President of the United States. The number of the patent is 189; probably it was the first quarter of land deeded in the township. It has very likely paid more taxes than any other one hundred and sixty acres in the township. Green went to Thirty Mile Strip and got a nicer place than the one he sold. From the appearance of the Broke land and the improvements, the Dutchman must have settled this quarter in 1866 or 1867. W. J. Snodgrass was both pioneer and early settler. In the fall of 1869 he with two companions, James Yowell and Dr. Beauford Averitt, landed at Abilene, Kansas, from Marion county, Kentucky. They bought three ponies, saddles and bridles and struck out to the southeast. The first place they stopped at in Walnut was at Dave Black's, with whom they stayed all night. They met Green the same day they stopped at Black's, who told them he wanted to sell his place. So the next day they went over to see him and stayed all night with him. On account of the fertility of the soil and abundance of timber, one hundred acres, they all liked the place very much, and Snodgrass bought the place for $1,250. Future events proved the wisdom of the purchase. During the hard times of the early seventies, when U. S. Grant was President, Snodgrass at one time sold the saw timber for $1,500 and had the tops or laps left, which were cut into cord wood and

Page 230

sold to school districts and prairie settlers for fire wood. And wood posts, fire wood and walnut lbs have been sold off this quarter of land from 1870 to 1916. Snodgrass went back to Kentucky, sold out and moved his family here in the summer of 1870. He came by way of boat from Louisville to Kansas City. From Kansas City he came by teams and wagons. The first man he got acquainted with in Butler county on this move was Uncle John Teeters. Teeters was much attracted by a fine horse, and when he learned that Snodgrass was a Kentuckian he would have him go by and camp at his place. Teeters was a Virginian. And the gratitude of the Kentuckian has never forgotten the unbounded hospitality of the Virginian.

Snodgrass found it hard picking in the early days. With a wife, six small children, two nieces and a nephew, it kept a fellow stirring and thinking. Bacon at thirty-six cents per pound and money at thirty-six per cent, were two hard propositions to face. Shakespeare wrote of Shylock. Snodgrass once, in moments of desperation, after giving up thirty-six per cent., wrote the following epitaph for the early banker:

"Here lies thirty-six per cent., The more he got the more he lent, The more he got the more he craved, Great God! can such a man be saved?

Soon after, in 1872 and 1873, under the hero Grant, he was selling fat cows at $12.00 and $14.00. Of course, he quit eating bacon and shortened the biscuits with tallow. He moved into the cabin on June 27, 1870. He went to work and got out saw logs, hauled them to the mill and sawed lumber for a frame house, which he erected on north 2, south 2, northwest 35-28-4. This eighty acres and the one north, south 2, southwest 26-28-4, was his homestead. The carpenters induced him to sell his native finishing lumber and go to Emporia and buy pine. So this house was built of native frame and pine finishing lumber. The oak sills were hewn by hand. This was the first frame residence built in Walnut township. The Snodgrass family moved into it on November 27, 1870. The family here grew from six to eleven children. Mr. Snodgrass has always taken great pride in fine stock. He brought some good horses here with him. He soon brought in thoroughbred Berkshire hogs. He has handled fine sheep quite extensively. For many years he owned and exhibited at the State and Oklahoma fairs one of the finest Shorthorn herds of the State. He sold them at Wichita in February, 1907. Old age and poor health compelled him to quit the live stock business. There is not much question but what he has paid more taxes than any man, living or dead, in Walnut township. He has never asked for nor held a public salaried office in Kansas. The township records show that he has never drawn a cent of the public money, although he paid much of it into the till. He has always been a taxpayer,

Page 231

never a tax eater. He still lives on the place he homesteaded. It is one of the very few homesteads of Walnut that the mortgage, grasshoppers or taxes didn't get.
While the early settler was striving to build his home and to feed, clothe and shelter his children, he did not neglect to provide for their education. He realized that a trained mind was a necessary corollary of a robust physical manhood. So he began to organize districts and to build school houses. Probably the first school taught in the township was taught by Miss Jennie Blakey, and the second by Miss Alice Yowell, in 1872. These two terms were taught in a "claim house." This was the house built by James Yowell across the line to hold two claims-the northwest quarter of 35 and the northeast of 34. The house was long enough for two rooms, but the partition was never put in. It was used for a school house and church. The first preliminary meetings for organizing District 64 and building the school house were held in this house and at the residence of W. J. Snodgrass. Some wanted to build by subscription, some by voting bonds. The bond idea carried. So our District 64 school house was built of native frame lumber and pine finishing lumber, in 1873. There was a preacher on the school board and he planned to dedicate the new school house with one of his masterful sermons and a big meeting. The young worldly patrons planned very differently. They wanted a jolly good dance. The carpenter, J. C. Mitchell, who was an Englishman and a bachelor, held the keys to the house. He lived in a dug-out a quarter of a mile from the school house. So the young worldly minded patrons, or rather a few young men, representatives of theirs, went to Mitchell's dug-out and boosted James D. Yowell, a small boy, through the window and had him to get the keys out of the bachelor's pockets. "With these they proceeded to the school house, to open up and let the throng, assembled from ten miles around, in. The crowd, gents and ladies, fiddler and callers, were all ready. The only necessary preliminaries-opening the door-being over, the dance commenced at once. And it was hilarious from start to finish. At one time they thought they heard the deacon and board coming; but some brave Apollo shouted:
On with the dance! let joy be unconfined, It is not the cannon's opening roar, It is but our gay light hearted Guyot, Shouting and tripping the light fantastic toe.
Salute your partner, first to the right, next to the left, and then to the one which you like best. All swing and promenade and rest. Some wanted to "schottische," some to "waltz," some to "heal and toe," some to "Virginia reel" and some the "square," but the church member girls said Dan Tucker or Weevily Wheat. So some guy, who was sweet on one of the church girls, started up:

Page 232

"Come down this way with your "Weevily Wheat," Gome down this way with your barley, Come down this way with your "Weevily Wheat" And bake a cake for Charlie. Oh! Charlie he's a lovely lad, Oh! Charlie he's a dandy, Oh! Charlie he's a lovely lad Who feeds those girls on candy. We won't have none of your "Weevily Wheat," -We won't have none of your barley To bake a cake for Charlie.

Apollo broke forth with:

Old Dan Tucker, he came from town, Saluting the ladies all around; First to the right, then to the left, Then to the one which he likes best. Get out of the way for "Old Dan Tucker," Get out of the way for "Old Dan Tucker."

Then some laggard chimed in: "Shoot the buffalo," but he was quickly squelched in the general shout of, "Let us have the square and the good old swing." And so the "die was cast," and the Rubicon was crossed and the landing made at early daybreak. The revelers all went home singing:

"We danced all night and a hole in the stocking; We danced all night and the heel kept a rocking."

There was much talk of prosecutions for desecrating the school house. The preacher never preached in it. He said, "The devil got in before the Lord." But the deacon felt different about his wife. He was perfectly willing and, in fact, helped to hire her, at an exhorbitant price, to teach in this habitation of "Satan." No wonder this school house was named "Tempest." It is too early in time to speak of the tragedies which have happened at "Tempest." It might cause the Innocents to suffer. It might cause even the "Rocks of Rome to arise and mutiny." I will not speak of some of the teachers of bad character who were imposed on the children of this school, through spite. The old school house still stands, but now a half mile northeast of where it was built in the northwest corner of the southeast 26-28-4.
There was much talk of railroads in the seventies; but it did not seem to take much tangible form until the early eighties. On April 24, C. H. Kurtz was paid for printing railroad proposition and election proclamation of February 21, 1880, $15.00. W. H. H. Adams, G. W.

Page 233

Long and John Van Arsdell, judges; W. H. Curry and J. L. Van Arsdell were clerks at this election. This was for the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Company. On March 8, this railroad company paid into the township treasury, $30.00 for expenses of said election. They acted very "white."

The story of the present Santa Fe is entirely different. The township has "had it" with them from start to finish. It is too much to tell in detail. I will mention a few things. On February 1, 1880, there was an election held to vote $10,000 in bonds for $10,000 worth of stock in the F. E. W. V. railroad. The proposition lost. It was either a tie or defeat. On April 12, 1881, they tried it again. And the old settlers say that with some bribed votes the proposition carried by three or four votes. The township talked of contesting, but did not. In August of the same year the "wise ones" came down to the township and told-them how likely the township was to get in bad by holding stock in a railroad that would go into the hands of a receiver. But the railroad would be good to them and take the stock off of their hands. So the township board had the township treasurer to make the following entry: "Aug. 9, 1881; Rec'd of the F. E. W. V. R. R. Co. for Ten Thousand Dollars' worth of Stock in said R. R. the sum of $1.00. July 30th, 1881; C. H. Kutrz for printing R. R. Prop, of Apr. 12, 1881, $25.00. W. H. H. Adams, Trustee, J. K. Carr, Treas, and Jas L. VanArsdell, clerk, were the township board at this time. In the latter part of 1883, or the early part of 1884, the railroad moved away the depot. The township instituted suit. The township record of January 26, 1884, shows the following entries: Paid $15.00 to T. O. Shinn to deposit in court, $15.00; paid to T. O. Shinn and Leland, $50.00; paid to W. H. H. Adams for attending to railroad suit, $15.00; paid to T. O. Shinn, $200. The township won. The railroad paid the cost of the suit and put up another depot. Afterwards, about 1888, the railroad started to close the depot. The township was ready for another suit, so they did not close it.

Our railroad bonds were "twenty thirties." That is, they could be paid in twenty years, but could not run longer than thirty years. They drew seven per cent. So the yearly interest for our township was $700.00. This, for many years, was about twice all our other expenses. It is a problem what these bonds did cost us. If they had all been paid (which they were not) at the end of twenty years, the interest would have amounted to $14,000. The principal and interest would have been $24,000. On June 30, 1900, some bond refunding attorneys from Topeka rounded up our township board into a "special meeting" and got them to "refund" our "outstanding bonds." They "showed" the board what a "good deal" it would be to give up the old seven per cent bonds and issue new four and a half per cent bonds. They never mentioned it to the board that the township had the right to pay off all these bonds the next year-1901. So the board took the "bait" and agreed to pay $1,800 for the deal.

Page 234

The succeeding township board, E. B. Alexander trustee, W. H. Dare clerk, and. W. C. Snodgrass treasurer, employed a lawyer and busted the deal, to the great chagrin of the bond attorneys. There was one bond holder who tried to hold on to his good seven per cent. He contended that our county treasurer did not get the money to the fiscal agency in New York in time. This contention ran on for several years. I think it was just $500 bond. The board employed an attorney who got it settled without a law suit. I think it was a wise suggestion that township boards should be leery of special meetings. The machinations and assiduous cries of these public-spirited, patriotic promoters will often hypnotize the most sagacious board.

The progress and prosperity of the township has been marked, steady and incessant. Some of our land has risen in value from $1.25 "to $1000 per acre. The slow patient ox, who turned the first sod and hauled the first house and first food, has been replaced with the draft horse, the standard bred, the motor car and the automobile. The few little fields of corn, wheat and potatoes have been multiplied into many large ones of these cereals, and kafir, alfalfa,' cane, milo maize, sweet clover, etc. The Longhorn has given way to the Shorthorn; the broncho to the thoroughbred; the razorback to the pure bred. The hen has made her respectful bow to the incubator and gone off to scratch for more worms and to lay more eggs. The farmer does not pick dollars off of trees. He gathers them up after the hens. The little honey bee has been helped, too, with foundation comb. The weekly mail, carried by your neighbors when they thought of it, now comes every day to your door. The telephone is in every house. It connects you with the telegraph and all parts of the habitable world. The phonograph gives you in your own homes, music, orations, operas, band concerts, and sings the baby to sleep. Where E. A. Cease could count, from his house to the center of Walnut township, his hundred head of cattle grazing on the prairie, his grandson, H. E. Cease, can now, from the same spot, see the first oil well brought in Butler county and count one hundred oil and gas wells.

And mother earth has just begun to give us from her bowels her hidden wealth. This new Eureka has made some farmers rich over night. It is like the story of Aladdin and his lamp. These farmers have rented their farms and moved to town, where they can rest on the shady side and give their children better educational advantages. Space forbids a detailed oil and gas history of Walnut township. Oil and gas men claim that it is the richest pool in the State. Every farmer in the township feels that he has plenty of oil and gas on his farm.

The boom has filled our township with strangers. It seems to have opened new springs of energy and action. Instead of talking weather, crops, live stock, etc., they talk oil, gas, wells, deep tests, Mississippi lime, tanks, pipe lines., etc. And the speculators, promoters and townsite men are here. Our town Gordon is to have an

Page 235

addition-"Gordon Heights"-and is destined to become a city. Even the railroad no longer wants to move out. It is taking on new life and bustle. It is changing and improving the station and putting in more trackage. It has also put on an extra passenger train each way.

I hope the readers of this brief history of Walnut township will find some pleasure and satisfaction in its perusal. If they do I will feel amply rewarded for my effort, then, both reader and writer will be happy. Where two souls beat in sympathy and unison, there is a feast of reason and flow of soul that makes the whole world akin. So, without apology, vain regrets are useless repining, I submit this to your lenient and charitable consideration.