Anderson County KS Archives History - Books .....Chapter XXVIII 1877
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Book Title: THE HISTORY OF ANDERSON COUNTY, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1876.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

  Reeder Township—Its Early Settlement—Boundaries—Organization—Township
Officers, etc.

  AT an adjourned meeting of the board of county commissioners of Anderson
county on the yth day of October, 1857, the county was divided into municipal
townships, and that portion of the county commencing at the northeast corner of
section 24, township 19, range 18; running thence west on the county line eight
miles to the northwest corner of the county; thence south on the county line
sixteen mile's; thence east eight miles; thence north on the range line between
ranges 18 and 19, sixteen miles, to the place of beginning, constituted the
townships of Reeder and Geary, being each eight miles square, and at a meeting
of the board of county commissioners in March, 1858, the township of Geary was
added to that of Reeder. Reeder township was named in honor of Andrew H. Reeder,
the first Governor of the Territory; contains an area of 128 square miles, and
is watered by North Pottowatomie creek and its numerous branches, the largest of
which are Sac, Ianthe, Kenoma, Elm, Cherry and Thomas creeks.

  The first white settlers in Reeder township were John H. Wolken and family,
who came to the county in July, 1855, and settled on a claim near where Central
City was afterwards located. He built a cabin and made some other improvements,
but there being no settlement nearer than ten miles, and the Indians passing,
and frequently stopping at their cabin, his family became alarmed, and in
September following he removed with his family some twelve miles farther down
the creek, and took a claim where he still resides.

  About the first of April, 1856, James Carl, William Dukes and George Hamilton
located in the township, on one of the central branches of Pottowatomie creek,
and soon thereafter were followed by Allen Dukes, Casey Dukes, John Bobier and
Otis Dagget and their families. Mr. Carl and family were formerly from the State
of New York. They settled and improved the farm now owned by Samuel Earnest.
They sold their claim in the spring of 1857 to James R. Means, and moved to
Middle creek, in Franklin county, where they still reside. The Dukes and
Hamilton came from Missouri, and were Pro-Slavery men in sentiment. Mr. Bobier
and his son-in-law, Mr. Dagget, came from Canada; were first-class citizens, and
possessed of considerable property and means. Mr. Bobier settled and improved
the farm since owned by Jackson Means, while Mr. Dagget made some improvements
on the farm afterwards owned by Robert S. Perry. About this time Thomas J.
Owens, with his family, took possession of the cabin built and abandoned the
previous summer by John H. Wolken, where he resided until the spring of 1857,
when he sold his claim for $800 to Messrs. Marsh and Hoskins, and took a claim
near where Garnett is now located.

  On the last day of April, 1856, a few days after Col. Buford landed at Kansas
City, Missouri, with 300 men, to make Kansas a slave State, Solomon Kauffman and
Joseph J. Ingliss, formerly of Pennsylvania, landed at the same place, and on
the day following passed through Buford's camp at Westport, Missouri, and on the
3d day of May arrived at Lawrence, Kansas. After spending two weeks in looking
over the Territory, they arrived at Mineral Point, on the I7th day of May, where
they had a fair view of the western half of the county. Here they determined to
stop, and, after visiting some of the settlers, they on the 19th of the same
month selected their claims and commenced improving them, under very unfavorable
circumstances, having nothing but their axes and hoes to work with. After
getting the logs ready for their cabins, Kauffman drove Allen Dukes' breaking
team during the working days of the week, for the use of his team to draw the
logs to the place for his cabin on Sunday, that being the only day that he could
get the use of the team.

  This little settlement was isolated on the Pottowatomie, being fifteen miles
from it to the nearest house, and the nearest postoffice or store was at the Sac
and Fox Indian agency, a distance of eighteen miles, where either Kauffman or
Ingliss would make an occasional trip for their mail, and to learn what was
going on in the outside world. The news of the sacking of Lawrence, on the
2istof May, 1856, was not received in this settlement until the week following.
It was brought by a Pro-Slavery man named Ivey, and was very much exaggerated.
He stated that all of the houses in Lawrence except three were in ashes, when in
fact but three houses were burned. The killing of Sherman, Doyle and sons at
Dutch Henry crossing of the Pottowatomie was not known for many days, and as
soon as received the Dukes and their connections, all being Pro-Slavery, sold
their claims and left for Missouri.

  In August following Otis Dagget and family left the Territory, and Kauffman
and Ingliss went to Lawrence and enlisted in the Free State cause, leaving but
two families, Bobier's and Carl's, in the neighborhood, with Thomas J. Owens and
family residing some eight miles to the southeast, on the main Pottowatomie
creek, isolated and alone, except when visited by the Indians, with whom he
trafficked, exchanging "firewater" for ponies and pelts.

  About the 15th of December, 1856, Kauffman returned to his claim, and with him
came John S. Robinson, Charles W. Peckham and William G. Hill, who took claims
in the same neighborhood, and were followed soon after by Robert D. Chase, _____
Cavenesa and their families.

  In the spring of 1857 there Was a large immigration into this neighborhood,
prominent among which were David Buffon, Cyrus H. James, James R. Means, Jackson
Means, William C. Howard, David L. Duff, Rev. Isaac Eaton, John Eaton, Dr. Jacob
Messic, Dr. D. B. Swallow, S. S. Tipton, James Donaldson and their families.

  On the Fourth of July, 1857, the people in the western part of the township
celebrated the nation's birth at Mineral Point, which was the first celebration
in the township, and on that day those present gave the name "Mineral Point" to
the mound where S. S. Tipton had located.

  A military company was organized for mutual protection, the same day. The
following is a complete roll of the company:

  Captain, J. Aliff; first lieutenant, Levi L. Hayden; second lieutenant, James
H. Hadley; first sergeant, S. S. Patton; second sergeant, David P. Bethurem;
first corporal, Edward Drum; second corporal, W. W. Whitaker; commissary, Q. A.
Jordon; quartermaster, S. S. Tipton; privates, Nelson F. Tipton, George Hinde,
Isaac Bethurem, David Sheener, James Caffrey, John Hayes, .E. F. Boughton,
Ezekiel Bull, Benj. Folk, John Folk, Isaac Van Camp, John Owen, H. H. Stone,
George Linken, Francis Keeny, David F. Tabler, Chas. Boggus, E. W. Parmley,
Thomas Runvan, John Groves, Peter Catner, James Hood.

  Among the prominent settlers of this year, south and west of Mineral Point,
were Levi L. Hayden, David P. Bethurem, D. F. Tabler, A. V. Poindexter, Daniel
Lankard, Tobias Lankard, James H. Hadley, Samuel S. Patton, Samuel W. Arrant, T.
W. Painter, Christopher Fox, Christian Bowman, Ezekiel Bull, John Groves, John
T. Martin, Asa J. Yoder, John C. Kelso and Thomas McElroy.

  In the summer the settlement was thrown into great excitement over the
disappearance of a noted ox. After considerable search the head and hide were
found in a hollow in the neighborhood, and the flesh in a well. The settlers met
and organized a people's court—A. V. Poindexter, judge; Asa J. Yoder, clerk; and
John Eaton, prosecuting attorney; and the parties suspicioned were placed on
trial for stealing the ox. The farce of a trial was continued several days,
nearly all the settlers in the immediate neighborhood being present. The court
decided that the accused should pay for the ox and leave the Territory. The
finding of the court was followed by forcibly compelling the accused and their
families to leave the neighborhood, leaving good timbered claims. The parties
who were clamorous for them to leave soon commenced cutting and hauling away the
timber, to improve their own claims. In after years the accused returned and
commenced suits against the trespassers; also a number of criminal prosecutions,
which kept the settlement in confusion for several years, until many of the
participants left the township, and their places were filled with industrious
farmers.

  The first death that occurred in the township was the wife of John Bobier, who
died of consumption, contracted before she came to the Territory. She was buried
July 19, 1857, south of the creek, on the farm afterwards owned by Robt. S. Perry.

  The first marriage in the township was that of S. S. Patton and Rebecca
Tipton, in the winter of 1857. They still reside in the township.

  The first child born in the township was George Means, son of Jackson Means,
in 1858.

  In the spring of 1857 James B. Lowry, D. H. Shields, James S. Duncan and their
families located in the eastern part of the township. Lowry was a lawyer, had
been practicing his profession prior to leaving Ohio, and continued to practice
in this State for three or four years. He was a man of sound judgment, a fine
lawyer, and was elected to the House of Representatives of the State in 1861.

  In June, Stephen Marsh, Mrs. Hoskins, C. C. Hoskins, Simpson Lake and others
from Iowa settled near Central City, in this township. In the following winter
John B. Lambdin and his sons put up a good saw mill near Central City, and about
the same time the Cresco town company set up a steam saw mill on a branch of the
Pottowatomie, near the farm now owned by Joel T. Walker, which did good service.

  On the 16th day of May, 1857, the Cresco town company was formed, with John S.
Robinson, president; Wm. C. Howard, treasurer; and Solomon Kauffman, secretary;
and was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of February u, 1858. The
company claimed, under the pre-emption act, the southwest quarter of section 21,
and the northwest quarter of section 28, township 20, range 18, as a townsite.
The company filed a plat of the same in the district land office.

  Several buildings were erected the following summer. A blacksmith shop was
established by Wm. C. Howard, and a wagon shop by James C. Kelso; also a
postoffice, with Wm. C. Howard as postmaster, which was the second postoffice
established in the county. Not being on a regular mail route it was supplied by
mail from Hyatt, by private conveyance. James C. Kelso succeeded Mr. Howard as
postmaster in the spring of 1859, and resigned in the autumn following. James R.
Means was then appointed, and the office was moved to his house, some three
miles north of Cresco.

  The voting precinct for this part of the county was at Cresco, it being
centrally located. In the spring of 1859 the inhabitants of the town, and many
of the settlers in the neighborhood, caught the "Pike's Peak" gold fever, and
the town was abandoned. The voting precinct was moved to Central City the same
fall, where it still remains.

  The first store in Central City was established by W. S. Eastwood and H. N. F.
Reed, in the summer of 1858. Stephen Marsh and his son Oliver erected a large
two-story frame building at Central City, the same year, and established a good
store, consisting of dry goods, groceries, hardware, boots and shoes, etc., and
it was for several years the best mercantile establishment in the county. The
Marshes opened a store in Humboldt in 1860, and J. S. Johnson succeeded them in
Central City.

  The first school district in the township was organized in 1859, with James R-
Eaton, director; James R. Means, treasurer, and Solomon Kauffman, clerk. A
school was taught the same year, with Jackson Means as teacher, using an
abandoned log cabin, near where Samuel Earnest now resides, for a school house.
This was the first school taught in the township, and was well attended. A
school was taught in the same cabin the following winter by the same teacher,
and in the spring of 1861 a permanent school house site for this district (No.
16) was selected one mile farther west, and a better building erected, which was
soon after followed by a good substantial stone building, since known as the
Moler school house, and, besides being used for school purposes, it has been
used for religious services, Sabbath school and public meetings. The Reeder
township fair, in the fall of 1871, was held at this place, and was equal to our
county fairs in former years.

  Among the prominent men who settled in this township during 1859 were John L.
Hill, Mathew Porter, H. Facklam, A. O. Cooper, H. R. Hall, Robert Burk, James R.
Wood, John S. Wood and A. L. Osborn, who took claims and made valuable
improvements. A. L. Osborn established a blacksmith shop on the Humboldt road,
south of where Cyrus H. Lowry now resides, and afterwards moved to Garnett,
where he still carries on the same business.

  John L. Hill took a claim on Cherry creek, and commenced improving it, with
little or no means. Being a shoemaker by trade, he worked at the bench evenings,
on wet days, and when he could spare the time from his plow. He now owns one of
the best improved farms in the county, and has located several members of his
family on good farms near him. Mathew Porter has improved a fine farm near
Central City, and has been a very successful farmer. A. O. Cooper and his sons,
William H. and Charles T. Cooper, improved fine farms in the same neighborhood.

  Prominent among the settlers in 1860 were John Moler, Peter S. Patton, A. S.
Blackstone, Michael Williams, Terance McGrath and A. V. Saunders. John Moler
purchased the claim of 160 acres taken and improved by Dr. Messic, and has since
purchased other land, and added to it, and has now one of the largest and best
improved farms in the county, which he has stocked with a fine lot of
thoroughbred and graded Durham cattle.

  In 1857 a settlement was commenced on Ianthe creek, in the northwest part of
the township. Prominent among the early settlers were Dr. D. B. Swallow, Joseph
Benedum, Daniel Doolin, William Fitzgerald and Michael Glennen.

  This is known as the Emerald (or Irish) settlement; it has a postoffice, and a
fine church building, erected on an elevated point, where it can be seen for
many miles. The congregation is Catholic, of good membership.

  In 1865 C. H. Lowry established a steam saw mill on Pottowatomie creek, where
he now resides, and continued to operate it for several years. S. W. Arrant
built a small mill, run by water power, on his farm, west of Central City, but
it never proved successful. A good steam saw mill was established in the spring
of 1871, on the farm owned by Michael Williams; was afterwards sold to Smith P.
Cornell, who subsequently moved it to Cherry creek, where it is still operated.

TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS.

  1858, Solomon Kauffman, chairman; T. W. Painter and Joseph Benedum; 1859, J.
R. Eaton, chairman.

TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.

  1860, H. N. F. Reed; 1861, Jackson Means; 1862-3-4, S. W. Arrant; 1865-6-7,
John S. Johnson; 1868, John Moler; 1869, Jackson Means; 1870, Robert Burk; 1871,
Jackson Means; 1872-3, James Legg; 1874, H. C. Reppert; 1875, Henry Facklam.

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1858, Asa J. Yoder; 1859, _____; 1868-9-70, Daniel Hitchcock; 1871-2-3, John
Aldridge; 1874, S. A. Baird; 1875, James McGahey.

TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.

From 1868 to 1875, inclusive, M. Porter.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

  1858, S. W. Arrant, J. R. Eaton, Milan Grout and Stephen Marsh; 1860, S. W.
Arrant and J. R. Eaton; 1861, J. R. Eaton and M. Porter; 1863, H. R. Hall and A.
V. Saun-ders; 1865, M. Porter and Daniel Doolin; 1867, M. Porter and Jas.
McGahey; 1869, M. Porter and Robert Burk; 1871, M. Porter and JohnH. Reiser;
1873, J. H. Reiser and Benj. Bacon; 1874, John Aldridge, to fill a vacancy;
1875, Thomas McGrath and S. A. Baird.




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.


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