General History of Meade County, Kansas

Soon after the settlement of the county commenced, and prior to its organization, cities and towns sprang up as if by magic, although many of them existed only on paper and in the promoter's vision. Various town-site companies were organized and incorporated. The first of these was The Meade Center Townsite Company, incorporated May 25th, 1885, with E. M. Mears, C. G. Allen, Henry H. Rogers, Alex. Bailey, I. N. Graves, James A. Morris, and A. D. McDaniel, directors.

The Belle Meade Town Company followed, incorporating June 6th, 1885, with J. M. Brannon, Robt. P. Cooper, John Schmoker, James H. Elmore, and H. Chaney, directors.
The next to incorporate was the Spring Lake Town Company, receiving its charter July 6th, 1885. The directors of this company were D. G. Stratton, L. K. Melntyre, J. C. Marts, J. F. Shore, O. Norman, J. W. Hotz, Frank Sourbeer, Geo. W. Winder, Al Wirt, Geo. B. Allen, and N. B. Clark.

Then followed the Meade Center Town Association, incorporating July 10th, 1885, with W. P. Hackney, W. S. Mendenhall, R. L. Walker, F. E. Gillett and Ledru Guthrie as directors, none of whom were residents of Meade County.

The Meade County Town Company incorporated next, and on Aug. 22nd, 1885, with John Werth, L. B. Ostrander, Thomas H. Campbell, John Schmoker, and John B. Innis, directors.
After this came the Atwater Townsite Company, incorporated Oct. 18th, 1887, with James E. McCall, John J. Mohler, John I. Jones, Wm. B. Long, H. L. Markley, John E. Maxwell, and Lewis Maston, directors.

The Denver, New Orleans and Rock Island Town Company, incorporated Dec. 7th, 1887, with John Werth, John W. Taylor, N. B. Potter, A. McNulty, and T. McNulty, directors.
The Massachusetts Town Site Company, incorporated Jan. 6th, 1888, with Frank R. Gammon, B. B. Brown, Willis G. Emerson, Geo. L. Stevens, and Hugo Lundborg, directors.
The Title Land and Town Lot Company, f incorporated Jan. 30th, 1888, with A. H. Heber, Willis G. Emerson, Geo. L. Stevens, Edward Doll, B. B. Brown, D. W. Higbee, and Selah A. Hull, directors.

First Oklahoma Town Company was incorporated April 13th, 1889, with A. H. Heber, W. F. Schell, M. W. Sutton, Willis G. Emerson, G. W. McMillen, L. E. Steele, Geo. Theis, Jr., H. B. Stone, and E. M. Mears, directors.

The West Plains Townsite Company was incorporated Dec. 2nd, 1884, with Charles W. Mosher, Edward M. Mears, William Leighton, William Randall, and Morris T. Roberts, directors.

Besides these incorporated companies there were several copartnerships and numerous individuals interested in promoting towns and townsites.

On July 9th, 1885, the Meade Center Townsite Company purchased from the United States Government the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 2, the south half of the northeast quarter of Section 10, the west half and the northwest quarter of Section 11, all in Township 32, Range 28, containing 520 acres, for $650, and surveyed and platted a portion of the same. On Oct. 21st, 1885, an order for the incorporation of the city of Meade Center was issued by Hon. James A. Ray, Judge of the District Court of Comanche County, to which Meade County was at that time attached for judicial purposes. The organization was completed on Nov. 3rd, 1885, and at the same time the following officers were elected: Mayor, Peter E. Hart; Police Judge, William C. Osgood; Councilmen, Nelson Button, E. A. Twist, George M. Roberts, David Truax, and Wni: H. Stewart. The organization of Meade Center, and the election of the first officers, were legalized by act of the Legislature of 1886, and the name was changed to Meade by act of Legislature of 1889.

On March 24th, 1886, the Townsite Company quitclaimed the land theretofore purchased to the United States, and it was conveyed by the Government to Peter E. Hart, Mayor, in trust for occupants, on April 2nd, 1886. On March 31st, 1886, the official plat of the original survey, Block "A," First and Second Additions, and out-lots Nos. 1 and 2, was filed. Several additions were afterwards surveyed and platted.

Meade has always been the county seat, and has always grown apace with the country in general. At the present time it has two banks, two newspapers, three elevators, good telephone and electric-light service, one of the best systems of waterworks in the State, and all lines of general business, as well as the professions, are ably represented.

The 1916 census gave Meade a population of 886.

The town of Touzalin was promoted by the Meade Center Town Association. It was located on the northwest quarter of Section 36, Township 32, Range 28, and was surveyed in August and September of 1884. The first building was erected in March, 1885. It enjoyed a slight boom for a time, supported, or " sported," three stores, a hotel, livery barn, blacksmith shop, etc.; but within three years after the first building was erected there remained nothing to mark the spot where the hoped-for city once stood. One handicap under which the promoters worked was the difficulty in securing water on the townsite. The buildings were moved away, and one of them was the building occupied by The First National Bank of Meade until it was torn down to make room for the present bank building.

The Mertilla Town Company, Joseph E. Sherrill, President, Henry C. Shuey, Secretary, was a copartnership. They filed the original plat of Mertilla Nov. 6, 1886, which included about fifty acres, described as follows: "Beginning at a point 730 feet east of the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 30, Township 30, Range 29; thence north 730 feet; thence west 1460 feet; thence south 1460 feet; thence east 1460 feet; thence north 730 feet, to place of beginning." Two additions were platted later.

Mertilla early became a town of considerable promise. "Red" Jim High was proprietor of the first store. In addition to this there were two other stores, a hotel, livery barn, blacksmith shop, drug store, etc. Dr. Ostrander originally owned a drug store in Carthage. After Meade Center had been selected as the county seat the evacuation of Carthage commenced, and Dr. Ostrander moved his drug store, building and all, to Mertilla.

In the latter part of 1887 Mertilla commenced to go the way of Carthage and other defunct towns; most of the buildings were moved away, and in another year or two there was practically nothing remaining to mark the townsite, save the schoolhouse, which afterwards burned down. The drug-store building was moved to the farm of J. N. Stamper, and at the present time the schoolhouse in the Boyer district is the old drug store of Carthage and Mertilla, somewhat remodeled. The barn now on the Rexford farm, in Mertilla township, was built of lumber from the old Mertilla hotel. The townsite of Mertilla was vacated by act of the Legislature of 1893.
On May 17th, 1888, the Kansas Town and Land Company, owner of 51 per cent, and George W. Ragon, owner of 49 per cent, filed the plat of Jasper, which included all that part of the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 26, Township 31, Range 29, that lies north of the right-of-way of the C. K. & N. Railway (now the right-of-way of the C. R. I. & P.).

This town, being on the railroad, was never absolutely deserted, but has never attained any great proportions. In 1909 Fullington & Marrs, a real-estate firm of Meade, made some slight attempt to promote this town. A new site was surveyed, near the old site, but was a part of the southwest quarter of Section 25, and the town was called Jasper, the name being afterwards changed to Collingwood, and still later to Missler.

Greensward was surveyed, and the plat filed Aug. 21st, 1886, by Basil O'Donald and W. H. Rubottom. This townsite consisted of sixteen blocks, covering an area 1460 feet by 1470 feet, partly on the southeast quarter and partly on the southwest quarter of Section 12, Township 34, Range 27. A few lots were sold, but that is as far along as the promoters ever got with this town. In 1899 the Legislature vacated the town-site.

Nirwana City was dedicated by N. K. McCall, Probate Judge, under an act of Congress, it being located on Government land, occupying a part of Sections 2 and 3, Township 35, Range 29. Plat was filed Nov. 22nd, 1886, and showed twelve blocks, each 300 feet square, Block No. 12 being set aside for a public park. This site was afterwards re-surveyed and some slight changes made. Nirwana never made any substantial growth, but had at one time two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a feed barn.

Just prior to the beginning of Nirwana City, J. M. Byers started a store and blacksmith shop on his farm near Nirwana, calling the embryo town in honor of himself, Byers. Another little store followed, but after Nirwana was laid out Byers moved his store, shop and town over to the "City," and the town of Byers was no more. The first Democratic primary held in Odee Township met in the blacksmith shop at Byers, and elected delegates to the county convention.

Odee, while never surveyed or platted, was the name given a store down in Odee township by the sole proprietor, "Little" Pratt. Pratt sold out and his successor died, which destroyed any chance Odee may have had of becoming a metropolis. A postoffice by that name was conducted in that neighborhood until a few years ago. Odee was named in honor of O. D. Lemert, who was credited with securing the establishment of the postoffice.

Fowler City was surveyed, platted and dedicated by George Fowler, owner of the land, which was a part of the northwest quarter of Section 6, Township 31, Range 26; plat filed May 1st, 1886. Various additions have since been made to this town. Fowler City was duly organized and incorporated, and flourished for a time, but finally, as the country gradually depopulated, it became dormant, and so remained for many years without city government, but it was never abandoned, and was always a good trading point. In April 1908, it was reorganized and municipal government again established under act of the Legislature of 1907. At that time Fowler had a population of 345. The reorganization provided a good thing for the town and community, and Fowler had grown and prospered ever since. At present it has two banks, three elevators, a newspaper, a modern hotel, municipally owned light and water plant, and all general lines of business are well represented. The 1916 census gave Fowler a peopulation of 503.

The West Plains Townsite Company purchased Section 16, Township 32, Range 30, from the State, and proceeded to lay out the city of West Plains. The original plat was filed Jan. 17th, 1885, but an amended plat was filed May 18th, 1886. This was the original survey and included an area of 2250 feet square, taken out of the center of the section. Later a plat of the first addition was filed, which included all the remainder of Section 16.

West Plains was originally incorporated on April 26th, 1888, and, like Fowler City, prospered and languished, then became dormant for many years, resuming municipal government.
Again, like Fowler, West Plains was never entirely depopulated, and while for years the number of families residing within its limits could be counted upon one's fingers, it always remained a good trading point, its one store, Parsons, supplying the wants of farmers and ranchmen for as great a distance as forty miles.

In 1902 Plains, as it is commonly called, commenced to grow, and has enjoyed a steady development ever since. Quite recently an election was called for the purpose of voting bonds for a municipal light and water plant, which proposition carried without one dissenting vote.

Besides a large number of smaller business enterprises, Plains has three large general stores, a bank, two hotels, an efficient telephone system, good schools, Methodist, Baptist and Roman Catholic Church, three elevators, one of which is the largest in the county, and claims the distinction of shipping more wheat than any other town in Kansas. The 1916 census gave Plains a population of 477.

Atwater comprised the southeast forty acres of Section 34, Township 33, Range 29. The plat was filed Nov. 9th, 1887. It had a general store, blacksmith shop, public hall, etc. It was quite a social center, the principal social activity of those days being confined to dances at the hall, at which dances Bill Long usually furnished the music and Fred Judd did the calling; the proceeds, after paying the rent, being divided between Long and Judd in the ratio of 2 to 1. A post-office bearing the original name was maintained in the neighborhood of the old town until a few years ago. The townsite was vacated by the Legislature of 1899.

Rainbelt, unplatted, was located about two miles northwest of the present site of Missler, and was quite a little trading point for a time.

Artesian comprised about forty acres in the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of Section 6, Township 31, Range 27. The plat was filed by F. M. Davis Dec. 27th, 1887. Artesian acquired two stores, a hotel, real-estate office of the promoter, and a postoffice, although the postoffice was acquired by the absorption of another town. In 1885 the town of Springlake was commenced in the vicinity of where Artesian was laid out two years later. A postoffice was established at Springlake which was afterwards moved to Artesian, but the name of the postoffice was unchanged. The Missouri Pacific Railway Company had proposed to build a railroad across the northern part of Meade County, and the town of Artesian was on the proposed route. However, the railroad failed to come, and the town went. This townsite was vacated by the Legislature in 1893.

Pearlette occupied an area 1460 feet square in the northeast quarter of Section 27, Township 30, Range 27. Plat was filed June 1st, 1886, by John Jobling, Jr., and Robert Wright. The. original Pearlette came into existence and a postoffice was established in 1879, but it was not surveyed or platted until 1886, and the site as platted was nearly a mile from the original location. Originally the Joblings conducted a store, and the postoffice; Addison Bennett published a newspaper, The Pearlette Call, for a time, commencing in 1879, but as the newspaper business was not then a profitable one in Meade County the Call was shortlived. The town showed some evidence of prosperity, but finally disappeared, some of the buildings being moved to other towns.

Carthage was established by the Carthage Town Company on the east half of Section 31, Township 31, Range 28, about the time that Meade Center came into existence. It exhibited great signs of prosperity for a while, attaining a population of something like three hundred or four hundred, and was a very aggressive candidate for the location of the county seat. As soon as this question was settled adversely to the interest of this town, it disintegrated with great rapidity ; many of the buildings were moved to Meade, some to other towns, some to farms, and soon there was nothing left of Carthage but a regretful memory.

Helvetia was the name given an embryo town located on Section 2, Township 30, Range 30. " This town was the creation of Abe Sorter, who conducted a little store in conjunction with the postoffice. A blacksmith shop was also established there, but the town failed to "boom," and ceased to exist in 1888.

Belle Meade originated in the fertile brain of John Werth, and its original location was on his timber claim, the northwest quarter of Section 8, Township 31, postoffice was secured, with one, Milli-gan, as postmaster, who also conducted a little store in connection. Afterwards Chris Schmoker secured the postoffice and moved Belle Meade to his farm, and still later the city was moved to the farm of John Schmoker, on the southwest quarter of Section 20, Township 31, Range 27. Here it grew some, acquiring two stores and a hotel. The building used as a hotel is now the dwelling on the farm of J. M. Wood, near Meade. Belle Meade was originated late in 1879, or possibly early in 1880.

?Skidmore was the name given to a little store established on the homestead of Miss Skidmore, in Section 8, Township 31, Range 28. However, the town found "poor skidding," and failed to prosper.

Roanoke was the name of another brain-storm, located on land now owned by John Wehrle, in the Valley. It made no further progress than to secure a name.

Another vision in the vicinity of the Eliason farm was called Artois, but, like Roanoke, it existed only in the imagination of its promoter.

The first town with which Meade County was threatened was located on Section 16, Township 31, Range 28. "Cap." French was a surveyor and locator; in the summer of 1878 he located two parties on this section, and in conjunction with them he formed the plan of establishing a city at that place, to be called Meade City. A little store was put up, a few other buildings were erected from time to time, a postoffice was secured, but the town failed to grow to any appreciable extent, and was abandoned about 1884.

A well-authenticated story is told concerning an adventure of Cap. French during the Indian raid in the fall of 1878. A band of Indians came to Meade City, and, noticing a grindstone, they compelled French to turn it while they sharpened their knives. It was an unpleasant task for him, as he fully expected that when the knives were all sharpened some Indian would test the edge of his instrument on his scalp. However, he was agreeably surprised when they departed without molesting him further. A short distance away, however, they killed a freighter and took possession of his outfit.

Another story in connection with this Indian raid is, that at a ranch house, either in Meade or Clark County, a large quantity of dried apples was secured, of which the Indians ate greedily without subjecting the fruit to the process of cooking. They proceeded on their way toward Meade City, but before reaching that point one of the squaws, having drunk profusely, discovered that dried apples and artesian water do not constitute a proper combination, and died in great agony. She was buried in a small ravine, the body being placed in a ditch washed out by drainage- water and covered loosely with earth. The body was soon exposed, and about a year afterwards it was found by Oliver Norman. The bones were not intact, and Mr. Norman secured the skull, desiring it as a specimen of Indian anatomy. As portions of the skin still adhered to the bones he hung the skull in a tree for further "curing." While it yet remained in this tree some eastern tourists observed it, and reported to the eastern press the discovery of a strange tribe of savages who disposed of their dead by depositing the bodies in the branches of trees.

Meade City was succeeded by Jo-Ash, located about a half-mile to the west. Jo-Ash acquired two stores, a postoffice, and was a regular mail route on a regular stage line. After two or three years it passed into memory.

?Red Bluff and ?Carmen were once postoffices. Miles was a little store and postoffice conducted for many years by Captain and Mrs. Busing, on the south side of the Cimarron. The postoffice of Lakeland was in the Painter family through several administrations, and is now on the Hulburt ranch, Zada-Black Hulburt, P. M., while S. E. Matthews, the founder, still conducts the store and handles the mail at Uneda.