Barton County KS Archives History - Books .....First Settlers In Great Bend 1912
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 9, 2007, 2:08 pm

Book Title: Biographical History Of Barton County

FIRST SETTLERS IN GREAT BEND

EDWIN TYLER tells about his arrival here with the first people to locate on what
is now the townsite of Great Bend. In speaking of those times Mr. Tyler said:
"On October 16, 1871, there camped upon the present site of Great Bend Mr. and
Mrs. Louis Frey, Thompson Frey, James Pond, Lute Morris, Paul Morphy, Henry
Schaeffer, Chris Zeizer, G. N. Moses, John Tilton, W. H. Odell, James and Hi
Bickerdyke and those who arrived on that date were Mr. and Mrs. E. Tyler, with
their three children; Mr. and Mrs. Gromans and two children and Mr. and Mrs. W.
H. Hartshorn. Those who were here gave us a warm welcome. The people began to
establish their new homes and everything went well until the blizzards of
November 16 and 17. They caused a great deal of discomfort. After the blizzard
the Gromans left us. The first buildings consisted of the old Southern Hotel at
first called the Drovers' Cottage, and one shack made of stock boards. There
were no carpets on any of the floors excepting Mrs. Kate Frey's parlor, which
was covered with a layer of grass.

   One house consisted of four poles sunk into the ground with three buffalo
hides, tacked to them. There were several of the old timers who spent most of
their time scouting and making things as comfortable as possible for the women
folks, some of whom were quite timid.

  There never was a bunch of men who looked more carefully after the welfare of
the women than did Barton County's early settlers. On the first evening after
our arrival here the Pawnee Indians made the camp a visit while on their return
from an expedition down to Medicine Lodge. Some of us tenderfeet were alarmed
but G. N. Moses assured us that there was no danger but to keep near our guns.
At that time there was nothing to hinder us seeing in all directions for many
miles. In fact, we could see what was then known as Five Mile Timber and Twelve
Mile Timber. A few days later while we were looking down the trail, G. N. Moses
and myself were somewhat excited at seeing a black object coming towards us. We
watched and patiently waited until it came near enough for us to recognise Judge
Morten, dressed in a fine suit of black clothes, black hat, kid gloves and
umbrella. The old timers eyed him as an antelope would a red flag. The judge was
highly respected by our community. He was a good man for the times, and he
helped many of the old timers over rough periods of frontier life. The first
milch cow on the townsite was brought by W. H. Hartshorn, who led her behind his
wagon more than 500 miles across the prairies. Louis Frey brought the first mule
team. There was but one building between here and Atlanta at that time and that
was T. Buckby's at Fort Zarah. The places of note were called ranches in those
days.


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Biographical History Of Barton County


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