RENO COUNTY, KANSAS EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF G. S. BISHOP Surname Index: Astle, R. Ballinger, Harry Bishop, George E. Campbell, Lizzie Campbell, Spencer Capel, Tony Capel, William Challacombe, H. Challacombe, Willis F. Cupps, Caleb Davis, Charles Day, Mary Day, Oliver Day, U. Grant Day, Ulysses G. Durham, George Durham, Mary Failes, Margaret E. Failes, Mary Jane Failes, Robert J. Gray, I. M. Herlarcher, Sheriden G. Hess, David Hess, John Hess, Laughlin Hess, Martha Hess, Nelson Loshbaugh, Adelle Loshbaugh, Henry Loshbaugh, Lewis Loshbaugh, Louis Loshbaugh, Thomas Loshbaugh, Warren Marks, M. McArthur, Belle McArthur, Dougal Miller, Mr. (old) Mount, Hattie L. Munger, Frank H. Palmer, Eddie Peckham, J. D. Rising, Geary Ross, Miss Scheele, Freidrick Weyer, Younger, Arthur Younger, E. Younger, Gertrude Younger, Mary G. Younger, Willy C. G. S. Bishop arrived in what is now Haven township, October 19, 1871, homestead the south half of the N. E. quarter of Section 2, Twp. 25, S. of R. 4 W, October 23, 1871, where he still lives. He attended the first school meeting in District No. 21, on June 21, 1873, and taught the first term of school in the district, commencing October 15, 1873. "Saturday, March 16, 1872. I stayed at Mr. Durham's last night. Today I wrote and read a little and went over and found my homestead and looked around a little. I never was on it till today. I did my first cooking by buffalo chips today." "Monday, March 18, 1872. I went over to my place and commenced to dig me a dugout. I made it about 10 by 14 feet and got it about three feet deep." "Saturday, May 11, 1872. We saw three antelopes today on Section 1, near the creek." Galley - 5 "Tuesday, May 14m, 1872. I got on Kit and road to Wichita via Sedgwick and Valley Center … got to Wichita about 4 p.m., and went out where they were laying tracks." "Wednesday, May 15, 1872. I saw the men lay the last rail in front of the depot tonight." (in Wichita). "Saturday, June 15, 1872. I saw some animals today that Rising says were buffalo." (We were working for the A.T. & S.F. Laying ties into Hutchinson). "Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1872. I went to Sedgwick and got my mail and came back by the voting precinct of Eagle township and tried to vote, but found out that I belonged in Union township and when I got back this side of the river it was too late to vote." "Tuesday, February 4, 1873. Signed a petition to the County Commissioners for the organization of a township to consist of T. 25 of R. 4 West and that portion of T. 24 of R. 4 that is south of the Arkansas river, all of which is in Reno county. Also a petition to the Postoffice Department for a Post Office at Caleb Cupps house on the NE1/4 of sec. 10, T. 25 of R. 4 W. with C. Cupps as postmaster." "Monday, April 28, 1873. I put a little hay on my shanty roof when J. D. Peckham came over and wanted me to go and harrow for Charley today. It took 'till noon to get the cattle and harrow ready. I got the harrow at Youngers. Cupps told me he had the P. O. in running order and that the name is HAVEN." "Tuesday, April 29, 1873. I stayed at Peckham's last night and I harrowed today 'till 4 or 5 o'clock, when it rained and I quit. J. D. Peckham was down to Day's a little while today and he said he heard that this township; was organized and named HAVEN, and that the first election would be held May 14th. The township is bounded as follows: Commencing at the point where the east line of Reno county - being the east line of Range 4 West - crosses the Arkansas River, running south to the south line of Twp. 26 - the line of Reno County - thence west to the middle of Range 5 West, thence north to the Arkansas River, thence down said river to the place of beginning." "Wednesday, May 14, 1873. In the P. M. I went over to Dougal McArthurs to the election which is the first election ever held in this (HAVEN) township. There were 26 men voted there. The officers elected are as follows: Trustee, C. W. Peckham; clerk, David Hess; Treasurer, D. McArthur; road overseer, E. Younger; Justices of the Peace, R. Astle and M. Marks; constables, I. M. Gray and H. Challacombe, all of which ran on the "Opposition Ticket." The so-called "Nomination Ticket" was not elected, but all the difference between the two is that on the latter, Astle ran as Trustee as well as Justice of the Peace, and Charles Davis ran for Constable instead of I. M. Gray. I read some today in a paper over there printed in Glasgow, Scotland." "Saturday, June 21, 1873. I mended a shirt and hoed a little in the A. M., and in the P. M. I went over to Hess to school meeting, which is the first one ever held in this district (no. 21) . There were but four legal voters there, viz: Laughlin, Gray, Hess and I." "Monday, Oct. 13, 1873. I dug some potatoes today and toward night Laughlin and Nelson and John Hess came down here and said Miss Ross did not come to teach the school as she promised, and D. Hess had sent the boys to get Laughlin to come and see if I would take the school. I told him I would take it if I could see the County Superintendent and if he said there would be any chance for me to get a certificate, and Laughlin said he would let me take his team to go with." "Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1873. I went over to Hess' this morning and let him know I would take the school and came back to the school house and commenced the school with 6 scholars, viz: Nelson, John and Martha Hess, Margaret E. and Mary J. Failes, and Oliver Day, and at noon Geary Rising came." The Daily Register for the term of school beginning October 15, 1873, and ending January 14, 1874, in District 21, Reno County, shows the following pupils enrolled: Margaret E. Failes, Mary J. Failes, John Hess, Oliver Day, Martha Hess, Nelson Hess, Mary Day, Geary Rising, Ulysses G. Day, Hattie L. Mount, Mary Durham, Geo. Durham, William Capel, Willy C. Younger, Gertrude Younger, Frank H. Munger, Tony Capel, Robert J. Failes. "Monday, Nov. 10, 1873. Fought fire all night last night. Taught school 'till noon, when George Durham came after me to go and help fight fire. I went and worked at the fire 'till nearly dark." Monday, May 4, 1874. I went over to Haven school house (District 4, Reno Co.) and commenced school. There were seven pupils present today, viz: Martha Hess, Mary G., Willy C., and Arthur Younger, and Henry, Warren and Louis Loshbaugh. Old Mr. Miller was there to open the school house in the morning. Galley - 6 The Daily Register for the team of school beginning May 4, 1874, and ending July 29, 1874, in District 4, Reno Co., shows the following pupils enrolled: Martha Hess, Mary G. Younger, Arthur Younger, Willy C. Younger, Henry Loshbaugh, Warren Loshbaugh, Lewis Loshbaugh, Sheriden G. Herlarcher, U. Grant Day, Wm. Caple, Tony Caple, Byron Loshbaugh, Willis F. Challacombe, Freidrich Scheele, Thomas Loshbaugh, Adelle Loshbaugh, Albert M. Caple, Margaret E. Failes, Mary Jane Failes. "Saturday, August 1, 1874. I read and wrote most of the day. I had my first mess of green corn for this year, today. It is getting to be very dry here now and the grasshoppers have nearly ruined very many fields of corn and are still at work at them and the air is full of them passing over, but they have not hurt my corn any yet." "Thursday, Aug. 6, 1874. Weyer came over this morning and said the grasshoppers had got into our corn, so we went and looked at it and concluded to try smoking them out, so after breakfast Weyer drew over some old hay and we built some smudges and smoked them nearly all out. The air was full of grasshoppers passing over today and toward night they settled to the ground and almost literally covered it and the crops." "Monday, Sept. 20, 1875. Commenced school in Dist. 35 today. There were but six scholars present, viz: Belle McArthur, Lizzie Campbell, Buy and Harry Ballinger, Spencer Campbell and Eddie Palmer." "Friday, Dec. 24, 1875. We danced all night last night. I danced 13 times." (there is a photo of George S. Bishop in column 1) SOURCE: Haven Journal - Haven's 50th Birthday edition - Haven, Reno County, Kansas -May 27, 1936 - page - 4 *** columns - 1, 2 & 3 - submitted by Rose Stout   back to Index Page    Copyright © 2011 to Kansas Genealogy Trails' Reno County host & all Contributors   All rights reserved