Stockton, Rooks County, Kansas

ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS

STOCKTON

The city of Stockton, county seat of Rooks County, now containing a population of seven hundred was first settled in June, 1872. Several of the earliest settlers were cattle dealers and they named their new home Stocktown, or as it soon became Stockton. The first settler in the town was George W. Beebe, who also erected the first house and opened the first stock of goods. He came on the town site in June, 1872. Other early settlers were S. C. Smith, who built the first frame house, brining his lumber by team from a distance of 150 miles; Joseph McNulty, Marvin and Lyman Randall - the Randalls built in 1872, the large stone business house on Main street. W. O'Brien, Joseph and Jackson Dickson, Joseph Randall, Thomas McNulty. The first town officers, elected in 1873 were Charles Stuart, trustee; D. K. Dibble, clerk; John Park, treasurer; G. W. Patterson and P. G. Green, justice; G. W. Norcutt, and W. Dickson, constables. The first school was taught in 1872 by W. H. Barnes in the north part of town and soon after the first school house was built in the same section. The first sermon was delivered by Elder Joy Bishop in the public hall at the close of 1872, and James Finnegan was appointed Postmaster. The first mail was brought on horseback from Cawker City, via Bulls City. The grist mill was built by Bulis and French, east of and near town line. Stockton is located on the second bottom on level prairie. A child of Geo. W. Norcutt, born in the spring of 1874, was the first birth in Stockton. The first burial in the grave yard, was a man named Foster, who death is noted elsewhere.

Stockton has just cause to be proud of her educational advantages, having a successful graded school in a substantial and elegant three-roomed two-story building. The house was built in 1881, at an expense of $4,000. Three teachers are employed with an enrollment of 150 scholars. Her earliest teacher, W. H. Barnes still takes a warm interest in the subject of education.

Stockton was organized as a city in the spring of 1879. The first officers were: C. E. Maynard, mayor; C. E. McDaniel, Jewell Elliott, M. M. Stewart, James Moore, and John Sarver, councilman; D. Washburn, marshal; W. A. Ecker, police judge, T. C. McBreen, clerk. Present officers: M. M. Stewart, mayor, John Newton, M. Schrulen, M. E. Prickett, Hiram Lee, J. Guthrie, council: John R. Hicks, marshall; Frank McNulty, police judge, T. C. McBreen, clerk. The council meets regularly every month. (History of the State of Kansas, Chicago, A. T. Andreas, 1883, Page 1610)

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