Shawnee County KS Archives History - Books .....Chapter III 1905
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Book Title: History Of Shawnee County, Kansas

CHAPTER III.

History of the County by Townships-The Pioneer Settlers-Organization and Names
of Townships-Hardships of Frontier Life-Historic Towns and
Villages-Dispossessing the Indians-Missionary Labors- Incidents of Home-Making
and Agricultural Development.

    In the year 1876, the occasion of the Centennial celebration, a short
historical sketch of Shawnee County was prepared by Fry W. Giles; and in 1877
William W. Cone wrote a history of the several townships in the county. From
these publications, and others in the files of the Kansas State Library and the
Kansas State Historical Society, the following facts and incidents bearing upon
the early history of the different townships, and the work of the pioneer
settlers, have been condensed.

    AUBURN TOWNSHIP-Located in the southwestern corner of the county, It was
originally known as Brownsville township, so called in honor of John W. Brown,
the first white settler, but the name was changed in 1860 to Auburn. The
Wakarusa River flows through the township, and at a point where the three
branches of the river come together the Catholics established an Indian mission
in 1847, for the benefit of the Pottawatomie tribe, The land was subsequently
relinquished to the Shawnees, who occupied the 20 log cabins built for their
Indian brothers, remaining there about six years. Some of the cabins and a
portion of the land were bought from the Shawnees August 10, 1854, by John W.
Brown. On the following day a party of seven men, from Jackson County, Missouri,
took up claims in the same locality. The new-comers were: E. Carriger, W. F.
Johnston, M. A. Reed, J. J. Webb, B. B. Jones, Eli Snyder and L. T. Cook. Other
settlers, and the dates of their arrival, were: James Moran, October 20, 1854;
James Turner, December 2, 1854; Rev. James Gilpatrick, George Holt, Henry Fox,
Milton C. Dickey, Loring Farnsworth, C. Gilpatrick and Samuel Cavender, in 1855;
John Price, W. S. Hibbard, Daniel Haney and A. H. Hale, 1856; L. J. Atwood, B.
Ingrund, P. S. Spangler, Barney Williams, W. A. Simmerwell and John E. Moore, 1857.

THE VILLAGE OF AUBURN.

    One of the oldest towns in the State was established here in 1856, under the
name of Brownsville, which was changed to Auburn in 1857, for the reason that a
Brownsville post office already existed in another part of the Territory. At one
time there were 400 people living in Auburn. Many good buildings were
erectel,[sic] including a three-story hotel, a brick church and numerous brick
residences of the old Dutch pattern, with walls rising above the gables, and
roofs sloping to the street. A weekly newspaper called the Auburn Docket was
started in i860 by David B. Emmert, later of Fort Scott. The paper existed
nearly a year. It was the ambition of Auburn to become the county-seat, but a
change of county lines, and the projection of a railroad seven miles east of
town, frustrated this plan. John W. Brown, the original settler, continued to
occupy his farm until 1896, when he disposed of the land and moved to Topeka,
where he still resides. He was born in Belmont County, Ohio, May 9, 1829.

    DOVER TOWNSHIP-Established in 1867, located immediately north of Auburn
township, on the Wabaunsee County line, and extending north to the Kansas River.
The first actual settlers were Alfred and John Sage, who opened farms within the
boundaries of the township July 18, 1856. In the fall of the same year they were
joined by Thomas and Albert Haskell, and John Rust. In the early part of 1859
the colony was augmented by the arrival of John and Noah Gibbs, William Collins
and Jacob Orcutt; and in the fall of the same year by T. D. Parks, Daniel Sayres
and Jacob Haskell. From 1857 to 1867 Dover was a part of Auburn township.

TRADING POSTS AND TRADERS.

    The history of the township really dates from the year 1848, when a trading
post was established on its northern boundary. A small settlement gathered
there, to which the name of Uniontown was given. It became well known throughout
the country, as the old California trail of 1849 crossed the river at this
point-said to be the only rocky ford on the river. The first settlers, most of
them Indian traders, were: P. E. Sarple, R. A. Kissey, O. H. P. Polk, T. D. S.
McDonald, Thomas N. Stinson and W. W. Cleg-horn, in 1848; and J. R. Whitehead,
J. D. Leslie and William Dyer in 1849. John W. Brown and Anthony A. Ward lived
in Uniontown in 1851, the former going to Auburn, and the latter to Topeka in a
later year. Large sums of money were disbursed at the trading post, which was
abandoned in 1855. The 50 or more buildings comprising the town of Uniontown
passed away with the post, and the site reverted to farm land.

    In the year 1870 the village of Dover was established, in the southwestern
corner of the township. The name Dover came from Dover, New Hampshire, the
former residence of the Haskell family above referred to. The first officers of
Dover township, elected in 1868, were: E. M. Hewins, trustee; James Bassett,
treasurer; Henry A. Kellam, clerk; Jacob Haskell and George Harden, justices; M.
M. St. John and W. O. Harris, constables. Albert Sage was the first postmaster
at Dover, appointed in 1862. Valencia and Willard are two other small towns in
the township, with populations of 100 and 120 respectively. They are located on
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, running west from Topeka.

    MENOKEN TOWNSHIP-This is the youngest township in the county, having been
established July 18, 1879. I* is located in the center of the northern half of
the county, and was formerly a part of Silver Lake township. Robert Forbes lived
on one of the Menoken farms in 1868, and the new settlers in 1869 were B. T.
Payne, W. K. Elliott and H. E. Close. E. T. Matthews bought the Payne farm in
1870, and in the same year property was bought and improvements made by S. M.
Allen, Frank Workman, E. B. Robinson, F. A. Diffenbacher, R. Wells, M. Kiernan,
Priddy brothers and P. Madden. Later in the same year homes were established by
W. D. McCormick, G. P. Mitchell, H. Sharper, J. Blackler, J. P. Bowser, J. P.
Cole, J. R. Insley, H. Ausherman, and G. W. R. Ward. In 1871 other farms were
opened and homes built by W. T. Pence, W. T. Prewitt, W. Can-field and D. B.
Groshong. The first settlers endured many hardships, as the only crop they could
raise the first year was corn on newly-broken sod. Many additional farms were
occupied in 1872 and 1873, and considerable trouble resulted from contests with
squatters.

A CATTLE GROWING DISTRICT.

    The increased population and development of the district in the next five
years induced the formation of the separate township. The two branches of
Soldier Creek, called Big and Little Soldier, supply the township with water.
There are several large cattle ranches, and the farming and stock operations are
extensive. Good schools and church buildings are to be found in all parts of the
township. On the Union Pacific Railroad, five miles northwest from Topeka, the
station of Menoken is located. It is a small village, with a few of the
customary stores and shops, and affords a central point for trading and shipping.

    MISSION TOWNSHIP-Located in the center of the county, and extending north of
the Kansas River, with Topeka township on the east, Dover on the west, and
Auburn and Williamsport on the south. It was until 1871 a part of Dover and
Topeka townships, and belonged originally to the Pottawatomie Indian
reservation. Jonas Lykins was the first white settler, coming from Osawatomie in
1847. He built the first Baptist mission in the county, a double log structure
which is still standing on what is known as the (Robert I. Lee farm, a few miles
west from Topeka. The Catholics established a mission in 1848, north of the
Baptists, in charge of Father J. B. Hoeken. At that time Chief Burnett of the
Pottawatomies lived in the same locality. Of the later residents, Sidney W.
Smith came in March, 1852; Dr. D. L. Croysdale in 1853; Hiram C. Coville in
1854; John Doty and J. C. Young in 1855; Amos Trott, Guilford G. Gage, W. D.
Paul, J. C French, W. W. Lewis and Thomas Scudder in 1856; James Brewer and
James Swan in 1857-Mr. Brewer is still a citizen of the county, having made his
home in Topeka for nearly half a century; John McComb and Rev. J. G. Miller
arrived in 1859.

PIONEER CITIZENS.

    Most of these men played important parts in the history and upbuilding' of
Shawnee County, and all are well remembered. Dr. Croysdale was a government
physician in the Indian service. Hiram C. Coville was killed in the Price raid
of 1864. Guilford G. Gage became a prosperous and substantial citizen of Topeka.
In later years the township had such well-known citizens as Thomas Buckman,
William Sims, Peter Heil, Jr., Thomas White, D. R. Youngs and A. M. Coville, the
last named a son of Hiram C. Coville.

    Mission is wholly an agricultural township. There are no towns within its
borders, and the only neighborhood settlement of any pretension to population is
Mission Center, a rural post office. The town of Wanamaker, five miles west of
Topeka, was started in 1888, but accumulated only a few houses and a post office.

    MONMOUTH TOWNSHIP-Originally this township belonged to the territory forming
Tecumseh township, from which it was set off in 1860. It lies directly south of
Tecumseh, in the southwestern corner of the county. Charles Matney was the first
settler. He came from Tazewell County, Virginia, and settled at Westport,
Missouri, where he carried on the business of a freighter. On one of his trips
across the plains he decided to change his occupation to that of a farmer and
selected a quarter section of land in what is now Monmouth township, to which he
moved August 17, 1854, bringing with him 66 head of oxen, which were used in
breaking the virgin prairie. His brother, Harry Matney, soon joined him, and in
the same year other settlers arrived, including G. W. Berry, C. H. Buzzard,
James Linn, Samuel E. Thompson, Dr. N. W. Moore and L. Wentworth.

EARLY MONMOUTH SETTLERS.

    The township enjoyed a good growth in 1855, some of the new settlers being
W. M. Jordan, William McCutcheon, John Morris, Hiram Shields, William and
Richard Disney, J. S. Freeland, Frank Helton, R. O. Johnson, Aaron Coberly,
Charles Allen, Harris Lyons, Silas Lyons, Isaiah Cox, N. L. Williams, William
Linn, John Helton, J. W. Riggs, T. D. Kemp and Joseph Coberly. Most-of the
settlers were from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. In later years some of the best
known citizens of the township were Maj. L. J. Beam, C. A. Thresher, Jacob
Coblentz, Alfred A. Disney, Emmor England, Joseph P. Heil, Dr. H. M. Howard,
Horace G. Lyons, Alexander McQuiston, Dr. Isaiah M. Tevis, H. M. Zirkle and
William A. Zirkle.

    The Missouri Pacific Railroad crosses the southwestern part of the township.
Richland, the principal station, was established as a post office in 1856, with
W. C. Murray as postmaster. The town has a population of 250. Albert Neese
conducts a bank and general store. E. L. Truesdale publishes the Richland
Observer. Another station is Tevis, a small farm settlement. In 1857 the town of
Carthage was born in the township, but it never reached maturity.

    ROSSVILLE TOWNSHIP-This township lies in the extreme northwest corner of the
county, and was carved out of Silver Lake township in 1871. The Kansas River
forms the southern boundary of the township, and Cross Creek runs through the
township north and south. The creek was first known .as "Metsepa," the Indian
name for Cross, the idea being suggested to the Indians by the cross formation
where the creek makes a junction with the river. Rossville township was named
for W. W. Ross, a Pottawatomie Indian agent in 1862.

    There were white people in the boundaries of the present township in
1847-48, the records showing the names of John Barsho, Stephen McPherson,
William Martell, Alexander Rodd, Francis Bargeron, Anthony Tacier, Joseph Lawton
and William Nassecau. James Baklan came in 1855, and George James, George
Stackhouse and Cyrus Higginbotham in 1858. Dr. R. S. Gabbey was also one of the
early settlers. A river ferry was operated in 1849 by Charles Beaubien and Louis
Ogee.   There were hundreds of Indians (Pottawatomies) in the vicinity of Cross
Creek from 1847 to 1870. Some of the principal chiefs were Half-Day,
La-Fromboise, Mazha and Wee-wee-sa.

GROWTH OF ROSSVILLE.

    The Union Pacific Railroad runs across the southwestern corner of the
township, and the town of Rossville is located thereon. The town was established
in 1871, originally known as Edna, but early changed to correspond with the name
of the township. The town company was composed of A. C. Sherman, George W.
Veale, H. H. Wilcox and Fielding Johnson, all residents of Topeka. The
town-site, 100 acres, was purchased of Anthony Navarre, a Mormon preacher, and
his Indian wife, So-na-ne-qua. A. C. Sherman moved to the new town in 1871,
built the first hotel, engaged in the hardware and grain business, became
postmaster, and was closely identified with the business of the town for many
years.. He subsequently removed to Topeka, where he still resides. Other
prominent business men of Rossville were: W. C. Sherman, Thomas L. Ross, S. J.
Oliver, O. Leroy Sedgwick, George E. Allen, Samuel Kerr, Samuel B. Maxwell, Dr.
Henry H. Miller and Dr. E. R. McIntire. Rossville was made a city of the third
class in June, 1881.

    SILVER LAKE TOWNSHIP—Located north of the Kansas River, directly east of
Rossville township, and .extending north to the Jackson County line. Soldier
Creek runs through the township from the northwest to the southeast corner. The
Union Pacific Railroad and the Kansas River are along its southern boundary. The
township was detached from Soldier township March 16, 1868. The first white
settlers were men employed as instructors for the Kaw Indians. Maj. Robert W.
Cummings and Thomas Huffaker were on the ground as early as 1835, but there was
no settlement of consequence until 1847, when the following names appeared upon
the records: E. B. Kennedy, Charles Rodd, Joseph G. Kennedy, Lucius Darling,
Stephen McPherson, J. Frap, William Martell, William Johnson, John Harden, Allen
Harden, W. H. Wells, William Alley, John D. Scroggins, George Mullen, P. Malosh,
Fred H. Counterman, John and Joseph Ogee and F. Trombley. The following came in
1848; James A. Gray, Wesley Hopkins, C. B. Randall, H. McDowell, J. C.
Vanderpool, and Messrs. VanHorne and Browne. Charles Dean and E. M. Sloan came
in 1849; Samuel Cummings, L. B. M. Kennedy, Joseph Wellfelt and Joseph La Frame
in 1850; Hiram Wells, J. C. Freeman, Enoch Stevens and Joseph Layton in 1852.
The Pottawatomie Indians owned much of the land, and descendants of the tribe
still reside in the township.

TOWN OF SILVER LAKE.

    Silver Lake, the principal town in the township, was platted in February,
1868, the proprietors being M. B. Beaubien and A. S. Thomas. It is located on
the railroad at a point where a bend in the river forms a beautiful sheet of
water, from which the name is derived. Beaubien was one of the head-men of the
Pottawatomies. A. S. Thomas is still living on his Silver Lake farm. He was for
many years clerk of the United States courts in Topeka. J. B. Oliver was the
first postmaster in 1868. Cyrus Corning published the Silver Lake Neivs in 1882,
but the paper had a short life. H. D. McMeekin had a store in this locality in
1853, and afterwards became a well-known hotel man in Kansas. Some of the names
familiarly connected with Silver Lake are Samuel Beal, C. D. Ward, Dr. A. G.
McGill, Thomas Neiswender, C. W. Edson, B. F. Vanorsdal, Dr. H. D. Tuttle,
George W. Vanorsdal, J. E. Guild, L. H. Neiswender, J. S. Kelly and O. N. Wilson.

    Kingsville is another railroad station in the township, the site of the H.
M. Holden stock ranch, formerly operated by Andrew Wilson. Kingsville is 13
miles northwest from Topeka and does a considerable amount of shipping,
principally of cattle.

    WILLIAMSPORT TOWNSHIP—This township lies in the southern part of the county,
with Monmouth on the east and Auburn on the west, the southern limit extending
to the Osage County line. It is watered by the Wakarusa River and Six Mile
Creek. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway runs through the township, north
and south, and the Missouri Pacific cuts across the northeastern corner.
Williamsport became a separate township April 20, i860, being detached from
Auburn. Rev. Robert Simmerville, a missionary in charge of the Baptist mission,
was the first known settler. For the benefit of the Pottawatomie Indians he made
a translation of the New Testament •into their language. He built a cabin and a
blacksmith shop in the township in 1854. His arrival was on the 13th of August
of that year, and the second settler, Joseph Drenan, arrived August 14th.

WILLIAMSPORT ACCESSIONS.

    On the 26th of the same month and year, two cousins of the name of William
Matney arrived. William Coker, Dr. Jesse D. Woods, Joseph Herald and Dr. C.
Lykins came in the same year. In 1855 tne accessions were: William Yocum, J.
Babcock, J. Carroll, H. M. Sharp, Isaac Baxter, Samuel Allen, Joseph Lykins,
Rol>ert Gault, Robert Todd, William Armstrong and J. G. Zimmerman. James Young
and H. K. Winans arrived in 1856, and in the following year came Seth Todd,
Edgar Winans, R. Buttles, D. Kilby, Chester Thomas, Sr., Daniel, Fred, and Cyrus
Fultz, Rev. Monfort, Dr. A. J. Huntoon, Joel Huntoon, J. Nelson, L. Buttles, J.
M. Waugh, T. U. Thompson, John Cunningham, T. H. Lescher, Simon Hawk and Mr.
Curtis.

    Wakarusa and Pauline are the only towns, both on the railroad, the former
having 90 and the latter 50 inhabitants. Wakarusa was platted in 1868 by Mills &
Smith, of Topeka. It was first called Kingston, in honor of Zenas King of
Topeka, who was one of the original promoters. His associates were I. T.
Lockhard, J. P. Ennis, A. J. Huntoon, Joel Huntoon and T. U. Thompson. Some of
the settlers around Wakarusa, and in other parts of the township, were: W. H.
Mills, A. F. Barker, S. D. Conwell, R. U. Farnsworth, William S. Hibbard, John
MacDonald, Rev. John McQuiston, Walter Matney, W. H. Mofiitt, J. E. Pratt, Perry
Tice, James Robb, J. D. Vawter, John H. Young and John N. Young. Williamsport
township derived its name from Williamsport in Pennsylvania.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS
AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

EDITED AND COMPILED BY
JAMES L. KING
TOPEKA, KANSAS 

"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples"

PUBLISHED BY
RICHMOND & ARNOLD,
GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,
1905.


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