The Holton Weekly Signal, Wednesday,
February 5, 1890
District Court Jurors
W. Shoup, Douglas, J. E. Hoagland,
St. Creek; Thos. Congleton, Jefferson; A. Plumb, Jefferson; R. R. Chrisman, Jr., Holton; A. M. Owens, Soldier;
E. T. Ellis, Grant; A. Allard, Holton; Jas. Ewing, Soldier; I. D. Poling, Franklin; P. Johnson, Whiting; Sam Davis,
Holton; P. K. Stauffer, Holton; Leonard Arnold, St. Creek; A. Monroe, Whiting; B. B. McCart, Jefferson; and Ed
McNieve, Holy Cross.
The Holton Weekly Journal, Wednesday,
February 26, 1890
Mrs. Linn Baxter, during a fit of
temporary insanity, set fire to her clothing last Sunday morning, and was so badly burned that her recovery is
considered almost impossible. The rumor that she died was false, but her death is expected at any time. She is
an old and highly respected resident, and great sorrow is felt toward here and sympathy for her friends by the
community.
The Holton Weekly Signal, Wednesday,
March 12, 1890
The body of the Valley Falls bank
robber, who was shot in Meriden Saturday night, has been identified as that of Chas. Robinson, a farmer living
near Ottawa.
The Holton Weekly Signal, Wednesday,
May 21, 1890
Census Enumerators
The following census enumerators
have been appointed for Jackson County:
J. C. Archer, Whiting; James Rawlins,
Straight Creek; Andrew Graham, Netawaka; Miss Thamar Richey, Liberty; C. S. Brown, Jefferson; Rufus Johnson, Soldier;
H. B. Bair, Grant; D. W. Slimmer, Adrain; Miss Ada Adair, Douglass; J. A. Hunter, Cedar; B. O. Cooley, Garfield;
John Franz, Washington; H. J. Snyder, Franklin; A. H. Williams and E. B. Jones, Holton.
The Holton Weekly Signal, Wednesday,
June 25, 1890
Two Horton men undressed and went
in swimming in the presence of a man and his wife. The woman gathered up stones and struck them both. One of the
men had his skull severely injured.
The Holton Weekly Signal, Wednesday,
August 6, 1890
Miss Zeppe Wilson, formerly of this
place, now of Oklahoma, was married recently to a gentleman from Texas. Miss Wilson is a sister of Lafe Wilson
of Holton.
The Holton Weekly Signal, Wednesday,
August 13, 1890
Mike McNeive was arrested last week
and was taken before the U.S. commissioner in Topeka, charged with selling beer to the Pottawatomie Indians. The
money derived from the sales was turned over to the church and Mr. McNeive received no benefit of it. He ws bound
over to the next term of the U.S. District Court and gave bond.
The Atchison Daily Globe, Atchison,
KS, Friday June 16, 1899 page 4
A funny situation exists at Whiting
that may be found in almost every country town. The people of Whiting will hold a Fourth of July celebration, when
all the people will assemble in the park and talk of Griggsville, Ill. Every one in Whiting came from Griggsville
and they think that no one is of any consequence who is not formerly of Griggsville. Muscotah makes fun of it,
but how came about the Muscotah people? They came originally from Wisconsin, and look with contempt upon those
hailing from any other state. (Submitted by Christine Walters)
WM. T. ALLEN ASSULTS HIS DIVORCED
WIFE
Wm. T. Allen is in jail in this
city awaiting his preliminary hearing on the charge of assault with intent to kill. Allen lives on Bills Creek,
in the southeastern part of the county, and on the first of July violently attacked his divorced wife, who is a
daughter of the late Allen T. Young. She was roughly handled by her ex-husband, and received some serious injuries
about the head. Allen made his escape, but subsequently came back to the neighborhood, when constable F. M. White
arrested him. His hearing comes before Justice Geo. H. Barker next Monday. (The Holton Recorder, Thursday, August
10, 1889, transcribed by Jim Laird)
STRAY DOGS KILL JOHN MUSGROVE'S
CALVES
Last Sunday a couple of dogs, one
a St. Bernard and the other just a plain dog, raided John Musgrove's place northwest of town and killed and partly
devoured two valuable calves, one belonging to Musgrove and the other to J.W. Hurst. The dogs which were said to
belong to McBroom were caught in the act and killed. Mr. McBroom promptly paid for the calves. (The Holton Recorder,
Thursday, August 17, 1899, transcribed by Jim Laird)
MRS. TABER & MISS THOMAS
HOSTESSES
Mrs. Otis G. Taber and Miss Frances
Thomas were the hostesses at a delightful party Friday afternoon. The ladies were divided, part of them giving
their time to their favorite game of whist, while the remainder played krokinole.
After the games had been completed
it was found that Mrs. I.O. Armel held the highest score of the krokinole players, and Miss Dawson that of whist.
In drawing for the prize the latter was successful and was awarded a pretty vase. Delicious refreshments were served
as a finale to the afternoon's enjoyment. (The Holton Recorder, Thursday, August 24, 1899, transcribed by Jim Laird)
BILL MILLER IN JAIL
Bill Miller, the notorious Mayetta
jointist, who went to Oklahoma a few weeks ago under the promise of staying away a year, returned last week and
was promptly arrested and put in jail, where he will probably remain until he has served out his sentence of imprisonment
of 150 days, and sufficient additional time to wipe out his $500 fine, unless he pays it.
Same Newspaper: March 29, 1900
Miller Escapes.
Wm. Miller, the Mayetta jointist,
made his escape from jail last Thursday. When the attendant took him his supper he managed to slip out and get
away. Sheriff Perkins wa sin the country at the time and did not get home until late, when Miller had gotten such
a start that there was not much chance of overhauling him and it appears that he is gone for good. (The Holton
Recorder, Thursday, March 22, 1900, transcribed by Jim Laird)
MRS. C. A. WALKER HAS BEEN UNJUSTLY
CENSURED
Mrs. C.A. Walker, city clerk, has
been unjustly censured by some for issuing a license to the fakir referred to in last week's Recorder. Mrs. Walker
simply did her duty when the man called for a permit to sell pens, in issuing the permt. He claimed to be an old
soldier, and in compliance with an ordinance of the city she did not charge him anything for his permit. When he
showed his real character as a swindling gambler he deserved to be arrested and put in the lock-up. (The Holton
Recorder, Thursday, June 7, 1900, transcribed by Jim Laird)
R. J. ORR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION
Mr. R.J. Orr, one of the five gentlemen
asking for the Republican nomination for district clerk was born in Iowa 34 years ago and was brought to Kansas
by his parents in 1867. He lived in Jefferson county until 1889, since when he has been a citizen of Jackson. He
was raised on a farm and has lived in Grant, Jefferson and Garfield townships. He taught school in Straight Creek
township for two winters. Some three or four years ago he was thrown from a horse and his shoulder injured. After
his apparent recovery from the result of this accident, rheumatism enused and rendered him incapacitated for farm
work and he commenced the study of law with Hon J.S. Hopkins, and was last January admitted to the bar. Mr. Orr
has alway been a zealous Republican but has never before been a candidate for political office. If nominated and
elected The Recorder believes that he will conscientiously labor to perform his duties to the very best of his
ability. (The Holton Recorder, Thursday, June 21, 1900, transcribed by Jim Laird)
FRANK REED HAS ATTACK OF VARIOLOID
Frank Reed was taken down Sunday
with an attack of the varioloid. The house is quarantined and every precuation taken against the spread of the
disease. (The Holton Recorder, Thursday, June 21, 1900, transcribed by Jim Laird)
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS: STRAIGHT CREEK
NOVMEBER 1900
Trusttee, O. A. Priest, P.; Treasurer,
W. R. Lentz, R.; Clerk, J. S. Stone, R.; Justices of the Peace, C. S. Spencer, R.; Lee Miller, P.; Constables,
Wm. Spiker, R.: Jack Grannel, P. (The Holton recorder, Thursday, November 15, 1900, transcribed by Jim Laird)
TED NORTH PLAYERS AT THE MULRYAN
OPERA HOUSE
The Ted North Players will be at
the Mulryan Opera House, Mayetta, one night only, Tuesday, May. Will play a 3 act comedy, "Love and Horse
Radish." Lots of vaudeville between acts. Prices 25 and 50 cents plus tax. (The Holton Signal, Thursday, April
26, 1923, transcribed by Jim Laird)
MURDERED BY A KANSAS INDIAN
An Aged Woman and Her Daughter Found
Dead on the Pottawatomie Reservation
Holton, Kas., Jan. 24---An old Indian
woman and an Indian girl, the latter the wife of Jackson Speers, a Pottawatomie Indian, were found in a cabin on
the reservation late yesterday. The old woman was dead and the younger one unconscious with a fatal wound in her
head. Speers has fled.
(Kansas City Star ~ January 24, 1901)
HISTORY
OF NETAWAKA
By: E. J. Woodman
(Date and newspaper name unknown)
Netawaka was platted and founded
January 1, 1868, and was located on Section 22, Brown county, Kansas, which was government Kickapoo Indian land,
and was five miles south-east of the Powhattan Stage Station. The first record of the land is so incomplete that
it is not possible to give a complete record here. A patent on part of the land was issued to William Cole, part
to James Long and part to the Central Branch Railroad.
The Indians were so greatly interested in the surveying of the town and the actions of the white man, that many
of them went daily to watch the work, and when a name was to be chosen for the town, Keokuk, the Indian Chief,
suggested that as the location was on land that was higher than the surrounding territory, it be given the name
Neta Waka, stating these were the Indian words for High Prairie. The name was adopted but was spelled with but
one capital letter, Netawaka. Some years later quite a controversy arose over the meaning of these words when John
Alden, an Indian who had married a white woman and was the interpreter for the Indians, stated that they were correctly
interpreted.
Netawaka and the Netawaka post office has the distinction of being the only town and post office of that name,
not only in the United States, but in the entire world. In 1869 six miles were taken from the south side of Brown
county and added to the north side of Jackson county, making Netawaka and the Netawaka post office in Jackson county.
Netawaka School: The Netawaka school district, No. 34, was organized Sept 6, 1869, with C. C. Tobie, director;
A. M. Crockett, clerk; S. Sprague, treasurer. Lots 10 and 11, in block 20 were secured and a school house erected,
and school held. With the growth of the town the number of pupils attending the school increased until it was found
necessary to employ three teachers. In 1899 a high school was added to the grades and the number of teachers was
increased to five, and W. A. Cooney, W. A. Strain Colla Nelson, Agness Cowell and Irvin Longenecker were employed.
Netawaka Post Office: The Netawaka post office was established January 20, 1868, and located in Netawaka, Brown
county, Kansas. Edward W. Kenyon was appointed postmaster. The following are the names of the postmasters and terms
of their office:
Edward W. Kenyon, appointed January
20, 1868. (Established).
Changed into Jackson county, 1869.
Miss Josephine A. Paddock, June 21, 1875.
David M. Younkman, January 18, 1876.
Edward W. Kenyon, September 6, 1877.
Mervin A. Funchess, October 27, 1885.
George W. Todd, November 16, 1887.
Henry B. Cox, April 19, 1889.
John Blair, April 28, 1893.
Charles D. Lueck, June 1, 1897.
William A. Wallace, May 21, 1903.
Otto K. Grove, December 21, 1905.
William J. Granger, December 4, 1908.
Esmer C. Granger, August 4, 1913.
George G. Hennon, September 24, 1918.
Frank W. Bottenberg, (Acting) May 26, 1934.
Frank W. Bottenberg, January 11, 1935.
Central Branch Railroad: The first fifty miles of the Central Branch Railroad was built in 1866, and extended west
from Atchison to three miles west of where Netawaka now stands, where a "Y" was built. A train was run
out from Atchison to the "Y" each day, turned and ran back to Atchison, making a daily train each way.
In 1867, the road was extended west to Waterville. (Submitted By: Millie Mowry)
HER HUSBAND
ARRESTED
Charged With Having Beaten in Mrs.
Klensmire's Skull With a Club and Buried Her Body
KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 2---W. H.
Klensmire, whose wife was yesterday found murdered near their home at Holton, Ks., buried in a trench, was arrested
in Kansas City, Ks., today. Marks on the body, which is believed to have been buried since May 19, indicated that
her skull had been crushed with a club and suspicion was directed against the husband, who disappeared on that
date.
When arrested today, Klensmire was
at the station waiting to take a train, as he said, for Holton. When told that he was wanted on suspicion of murdering
his wife, he refused for a time to talk. Then he declared that his wife had committed suicide on May 12. On the
following morning, he said, when he found the body hanging from the rafters in their house, he took it to the trench
and buried it. Klensmire denied that he ahd murdered his wife and after making this brief admission refused to
talk further. He was taken to Topeka tonight.
Klensmire was supposed to have gone
to Texas, but it appears that detectives, who have been working on the case, traced him to Kansas City yesterday.
Friday last one of the Klensmire children in Holton received a telegram from Texas, apparently from the father,
stating that Mrs. Klensmire had died there of yellow fever. Following the finding of the body, the mysterious
murder in 1892 of Paul Swetlick, Mrs. Klensmire's brother, who carried $80,000 life insurance in favor of the Kelnsmires,
was brought forth as a suspicious circumstance and this led to coupling Klensmire's mysterious disappearance with
the killing of his wife.
(Plain Dealer ~ June 1, 1901 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)
