Anderson County KS Archives History - Books .....Chapter XII 1877
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com August 4, 2005, 11:43 pm

Book Title: THE HISTORY OF ANDERSON COUNTY, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1876.

CHAPTER XII.

  Severity of the Winters of 1855-6 and 1856-7, and Mildness of those of 1857-8
and 1858-9—Prairie Fires—Sac and Fox Indians.

  THE winters of 1855-6 and 1856-7 were seasons of almost unparalleled severity,
which caused many to suppose that it was a characteristic of this country;
which, however, was a mistaken idea, as shown by the winters of 1857-8 and
1858-9, which were mild and pleasant. The "Leavenworth Journal" of January 15,
1858, says:

  "Passing through the country a few days since, we were pleased to see the
roads filled with summer birds, whose gay plumage and sweet notes indicated
anything but winter."

  No country could exceed the beauty and mildness of the winters of 1858 and
1859; the brilliancy by day, bright moonlight nights, and prairie fires had the
appearance of September in Illinois or Wisconsin. The streams were not frozen
over during either of the latter winters, nor was the ground covered with snow.
Reference is made to these four winters, to show the great difference of seasons
in this climate. Since that time the seasons have been more uniform, none being
so extreme as those referred to.

  In the early days of Kansas there were some terrible prairie fires, caused by
burning the heavy coats of dry grass, and high winds, carrying the fire with
great rapidity, often blowing the fire across any stream in its way. When the
wind was blowing heavily the rapidity was frightful, outstripping the fleetest
horse, doing great damage. Yet the appearance of these fires on a calm night was
most gorgeous, as they lighted up the country for miles around. No grander and
more beautiful scene could be presented. A painter that could transfer to canvas
the enchanting panorama of a prairie on fire would be entitled to have his name
registered in the roll of fame for above our most gifted mortals.

  When the white settlers came to this county the Sac and Fox tribes of Indians
were located on a reservation in Franklin and Osage counties, where they
remained for about ten or twelve years. Roving bands of these Indians often
wandered into different parts of this county, hunting and fishing; and some
times two to three hundred of them, with their squaws and ponies, would winter
in this county, along the streams, and often became very annoying in setting
fire to prairies to drive game out, and in that way often burning the fences and
crops of the settlers. And at times they would engage in stealing and driving
away the stock of the settlers, and keep it hidden until a reward was offered
for its return. They would go begging from house to house, and if one was fed by
the settler the whole party must be fed or there would be trouble. These Indians
obtained whisky when they could find it.

  Rezin Porter, on North Pottowatomie, kept whisky to sell in 1857 and 1858, and
the Indians, in passing through, made it a point to camp near his house. In the
fall of 1857 a party of them went into camp near Porter's, went to his house and
demanded whisky, which Mrs. Porter, in the absence of her husband, refused. So
they attempted to break into the house, and, failing at the door, which she had
fastened, one attempted to enter through a window, when she filled his face and
bosom with a shovel full of live coals from the fire place, which caused him to
retreat, yelling, with his shirt on fire, and the others followed him.

  In the winter of 1860 these Indians gave a "war dance" in Garnett, which was
novel to our people, who came in large numbers from the country to witness it.
It took place at the crossing of Pine street and Sixth avenue. Four of the
braves had each nail kegs, covered with opossum skins. Seated on the ground,
with sticks they commenced beating their nail kegs, and sung their songs, which
furnished the music for the occasion.* The squaws seated themselves in a circle,
and the braves entered the circle and proceeded to perform the most amusing
evolutions, interspersed by short speeches in their dialect, and, with sticks,
bludgeons and tomahawks, they showed how they killed and scalped their victims,
and drank their blood. It was a fair illustration of their savage cruelty. They
also danced the "green corn" dance, and the "snake" dance.


Additional Comments:
THE HISTORY OF ANDERSON COUNTY,
FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1876.
BY
W. A. JOHNSON,
CHAIRMAN OF HISTORICAL COMMITTEE.

PUBLISHED BY KAUFFMAN & ILER, GARNETT PLAINDEALER,
1877.

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1877, by
KAUFFMAN & ILER, In the office of the Librarian of Congress,Washington, D. C.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/anderson/history/1877/anderson/chapterx65ms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/

File size: 5.2 Kb