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

CHAPTER V.

A Glance at the History of Kansas—Early Expeditions Across the Plains— The
Slavery Contest—The Struggle for Statehood—Roster of Governors and United States
Senators—Population, Resources and Institutions of the State—Business and
Educational Statistics.

    The preceding chapters have been mainly devoted to the early settlement of
Shawnee County. Before attempting a record of the subsequent events relative to
the upbuilding of the county, and of the city of Topeka, a brief reference to
the contemporary history of the Territory and State of Kansas will serve as a
useful link in the local chronicle. Kansas has been making history for 50 years.
Many volumes might be written about this comparatively young commonwealth, but
the limits of this work permit only a cursory glance at the more important facts
connected with the birth and evolution of a State, which George Bancroft
characterized as "the miracle of the age."

VARIOUS NAMES FOR THE STATE.

    The name Kansas is derived from the Indian word Kanza, having the dual
significance of "wind" and "swift." Its popular title is "the Sunflower State,"
its heroic title "Bleeding Kansas," and its opprobrious title "the Jayhawker
State." Its State motto is: "Ad Astra per Aspera—"through difficulties to the
stars." Exclusive of Alaska and the islands acquired in 1898, it is the
geographical center of the United States, being situated in latitude 37 degrees
to 40 degrees north, longitude 94 degrees, 40 minutes to 102 degrees west;
bounded on the north by Nebraska, on the northeast and east by Missouri, on the
south by Oklahoma and Indian Territories, and on the west by Colorado. It was
the 34th State to be admitted into the Union.

EARLY HISTORY.

    The territory forming the present State of Kansas was a part of the
Louisiana Purchase of 1803, except a fraction in the southwest corner acquired
from Texas in 1850. It is claimed that Coronado visited the country as early as
1541, and there are evidences of French and Spanish expeditions to this terra
incognita in later years. The Lewis and Clark expedition, planned by President
Jefferson, reached Kansas in June, 1804, and, two years later, in 1806, the
expedition commanded by Zebulon Montgomery Pike, who gave his name to "Pike's
Peak," crossed the territory from the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains. The
expedition of Maj. Stephen H. Long was made in 1819, and in 1824 was established
the "Santa Fe Trail," the famous highway of Kansas, extending 400 miles directly
across the territory, and from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico,
a total distance of 780 miles. Col. John C. Freemont made his first expedition
across the plains in the summer of 1842, blazing the way for a heavy overland
travel to Oregon, California and Mexico.

DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.

    This was the beginning of the development and growth of Kansas. The outposts
of civilization were being extended Westward from the Mississippi River. The
Indians of Missouri and other Mississippi Valley States were concentrated with
the tribes already occupying the country west of the Missouri River. These
included the Osage, Shawnee, Pawnee, Delaware, Kickapoo, and Kansas tribes, to
which were added the Cherokee and other tribes from the States of the South, and
the Ottawas, Pottawatomies, Wyandottes and others from Ohio, Michigan and
Indiana. Kansas became Indian Territory, and remained such from 1830 to 1854.
Occupation of the country by white settlers was fraught with peril and hardship,
and only accomplished by marvelous heroism, perseverance and endurance. To aid
in the work of civilization, missions were established on the frontier, and
military posts located at Fort Leavenworth, Fort Scott and Fort Riley.

TERRITORIAL DAYS.

    The admission of Kansas as an organized Territory dates from May 30, 1854,
when President Pierce signed the "Kansas-Nebraska Act." This brought on what may
be termed the political troubles of Kansas, and later, a result of the slavery
agitation, precipitated the great armed conflict between the North and the South
in 1861-65.

HOSTILE FACTIONS.
    It was on Kansas soil that the first battle was fought for the freedom of
the negro. It was Kansas that developed the commanding figure of John Brown.
From the time Congress took the first step for the admission of Kansas, with or
without slavery, the Territory became the scene of contention, pillage and
bloodshed. The Pro-Slavery men of Missouri endeavored to gain control of the
Territory in 1854, and established the first city, Leavenworth. Soon afterwards
an Anti-Slavery colony from Massachusetts settled at Lawrence. No more hostile
factions ever struggled for supremacy in any part of the continent.

    Andrew H. Reeder, of Pennsylvania was appointed to be the first Governor of
the Territory. At the first contest for Territorial delegate to Congress, the
slavery men of Missouri crossed the river and participated in the election, the
candidate of the Pro-Slavery party being successful by reason of these illegal
votes. The Free-Soilers protested and held indignation meetings at Lawrence and
other points. The Missourians repeated the same tactics at the election in the
spring of 1855 for Representatives to the Legislature. When the Legislature met
at Pawnee, the Pro-Slavery members were in the majority, and controlled the
proceedings, even to the extent of driving out the Free-Soil members and
changing the seat of government.

CHANGE OF OFFICERS.

    The Free-Soil party repudiated the acts of the Legislature, and refused to
abide by them. Governor Reeder was removed from office, being succeeded by
Wilson Shannon, of Ohio. John W. Whitfield was elected delegate to Congress by
the Pro-Slavery party, and ex-Governor Reeder chosen to the same position by the
opposition, but Congress refused to give either delegate a seat. A Free-Soil
constitution was adopted in December, 1855, under which Charles Robinson was
elected Governor, but the election was repudiated by President Pierce, who had
recognized the "bogus" Legislature. The Free-Soil Legislature ignored the action
of President Pierce, and, to meet this and other menacing circumstances, the
military forces of the United States government were placed in command of
Governor Shannon. Governor-elect Robinson and Congressman-elect Reeder were
indicted for high treason. The Pro-Slavery party received large accessions from
Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina in the troubles resulting from this conflict
of authority, the Emigrant Aid Society Hotel and the Herald of Freedom and
Kansas Free State printing offices at Lawrence were destroyed, and the town of
Osawatomie—the home of John Brown—was sacked and burned.

THE STRUGGLE FOR STATEHOOD.

    A bill for the admission of Kansas as a State was passed by the lower house
of Congress in June, 185^, but was defeated in the Senate on account of the
recognition it gave to the Free-Soil constitution. A meeting of the Free-Soil
Legislature in Topeka was dispersed by United States troops acting under orders
from President Pierce. By this time the interest in the Kansas struggle became
general throughout the United States. The suppression of slavery became a
national instead of a State issue. While Congress debated and legislated, the
Pro-Slavery and Free-State factions continued to war against each other for
possession of the Territory and control of the law-making machinery. Conflicting
constitutions were adopted, rival Legislatures elected, and civil government
overthrown. Public meetings were held in all parts of the North to lend
encouragement to the movement for making Kansas a Free State. Similar sympathy
and help came to the Pro-Slavery party from the States of the South. Horace
Greeley and Abraham Lincoln visited the Territory, and made speeches in
opposition to the further extension of slavery on American soil. Governor
Shannon was removed from office, and the several Governors appointed to succeed
him found the duties of the position so onerous that they resigned in rapid
succession.

STATE CONSTITUTION ADOPTED.

    After numerous battles, elections and vicissitudes, a constitutional
convention was called to meet at Wyandotte, July 5, 1859. It was composed of 35
Free-State and 17 Pro-Slavery delegates, who were now known as Republicans and
Democrats, respectively. Under the constitution adopted by this convention,
slavery was prohibited and Kansas admitted as a State, January 29, 1861. The
seat of government was located at Topeka. At the election held in December,
1859, under the Wyandotte constitution, Charles Robinson was chosen to be the
first Governor of the State, and Martin F. Conway the first Representative in
Congress. When the first State Legislature assembled at Topeka in March, 1861,
James H. Lane and Samuel C. Pomeroy were elected the first two United States
Senators from the new State.

    In the Civil War which followed the inauguration of President Lincoln in
1861, Kansas showed its loyalty to the Union by furnishing 20,000 trained
soldiers out of a total population of but little more than 100,000—a number
greatly in excess of her quota, none of them drafted, and in proportion
exceeding the enlistments from any other State. A large part of this force was
employed in defending the borders of the State from invasion by Southern troops,
Indians and guerillas. During one of these border raids a force of 400 men,
under the command of the notorious Quantrell, invaded Lawrence, burning and
pillaging the town and killing 150 defenseless citizens. The war and the
troubles with the Indians, together with a visitation of drought in i860,
greatly retarded the growth of Kansas, but when these obstacles were passed an
era of progress and development set in which has never since abated. The
splendid soil and auspicious climate and the general adaptability of the State
to farming and stock-raising purposes have attracted thousands of settlers to
Kansas, and the advancement in all lines has been rapid, substantial and permanent.

ROSTER OF GOVERNORS AND UNITED STATES SENATORS.

    Governors (Territorial)—Andrew H. Reeder, 1854 to 1855; Wilson Shannon, 1855
to 1856; John W. Geary, 1856 to 1857; Robert J. Walker, 1857; James W. Denver,
1858; Samuel Medary, 1858, to 1860. (State) Charles Robinson, 1861-63; Thomas
Carney, 1863-65; Samuel J. Crawford, 1865-68; Nehemiah Green, 1868, to fill the
unexpired term of Samuel J. Crawford, resigned; James M. Harvey, 1869-73; Thomas
A. Osborn, 1873-77; George T. Anthony, 1877-79; John P. St. John, 1879-83;
George W. Glick, 1883-85; John A. Martin, 1885-89; Lyman U. Humphrey, 1889-93;
Lorenzo D. Lewelling, 1893-95; Edmund N. Morrill, 1895-97; John W. Leedy,
1897-99; William R. Stanley, 1899-03; Willis J. Bailey, 1903-05; Edward W. Hoch,
1905—. During the official interruptions incident to the Territorial period, the
following persons served brief terms as acting Governor; Daniel Woodson,
Frederick P. Stanton, James W. Denver, Hugh S. Walsh and George M. Beebe.

    United States Senators—James H. Lane, 1861-66; Samuel C. Pomeroy, 1861-73;
Edmund G. Ross, 1866-71; Alexander Caldwell, 1871-73; Robert Crozier, 1873-74:
James M. Harvey, 1874-77; John J. Ingalls, 1873-91; Preston B. Plumb, 1877-91;
William A. Pefler, 1891-97; Bishop W. Perkins, 1892-93; John Martin, 1893-95;
Lucien Baker, 1895-01; William A. Harris, 1897-03; Joseph R. Burton, 1901, term
expires 1907; Chester I. Long, 1903, term expires 1909.

GOVERNMENT.

    The Legislature consists of 40 Senators and 125 Representatives. Sessions
are held biennially, in odd-numbered years. The Legislature of 1905 was divided
politically as follows: Senate, 2>7 Republicans and 3 Democrats; House, 109
Republicans, 14 Democrats and 2 Independent; Republican majority on joint
ballot, 127. The elective State officers include Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Attorney General, State Superintendent
of Public Instruction, State Printer, Commissioner of Insurance, seven justices
of the Supreme Court, and three members of the State Board of Railroad
Commissioners. Kansas has eight Representatives in the lower house of Congress.
Women have the right of suffrage at municipal, bond and school elections. In
numerous instances women have been elected to municipal and school offices, and
in some cases to county offices.

STATISTICS.

    Population—The local census of 1855 gave Kansas a population of 8,501; this
increased in 1860 to 107,206; in 1870 to 364,399; in 1880 to 396,096; in 1890 to
1,427,096; in 1900 to 1,470,495. The present population of the State, according
to the local census of 1904, is 1,535,160.

    There are 119 cities and towns having a population of 1,000 or more. The 14
largest cities and their population are: Kansas City, 57,710; Topeka, 39,149;
Wichita, 31,857; Leavenworth, 22,791; Atchison, 16,925; Pittsburg, 14,368; Fort
Scott, 14,081; Coffeyville, 12,306; Lawrence, 11,544; Independence, 11,456;
Hutchinson, 11,189; Iola, 11,069; Parsons, 10,789; Chanute, 10,116.

    Topography—Although a part of the great plains which form the eastern slope
of the Rocky Mountains, the physical character of the Kansas country is best
described as rolling prairie. There are no mountains, and no marshes. The
altitude varies from 750 feet in the eastern to 4,000 feet in the western part
of the State. The bulk of the land is tillable, but crops are uncertain in the
western third of the State on account of deficient rainfall. In this deficient
area the vast stretches of prairie are largely used for grazing purposes.

    The rivers of Kansas are the Kansas, Arkansas, Republican, Smoky Hill,
Solomon, Saline, Neosho and Verdigris—none of them navigable. There are numerous
smaller streams, giving abundant water and drainage in the eastern two-thirds of
the State. The land area comprises 82,144 square miles (52,572,160 acres),
extending 408 miles from east to west, and 208 miles from north to south.

    Climate—The climate is mild, the great proportion of the days being fair and
sunny. In summer the temperature ranges from 80 to 100 degrees with cool nights,
and dry, pure air. In winter it rarely falls below zero. The violent winds of
winter and spring, known to the early settlers, have been greatly mitigated by
the cultivation of the soil and the planting of trees.

    Agriculture and Stock-Raising—Fully 30 per cent. (25,000,000 acres) of the
farm land of Kansas is in a high state of cultivation. The cultivated farms have
an aggregate value of $600,000,000. The acreage in field crops in the year 1904
was exceeded by only one State in the Union—Iowa. The total value of the farm
products of the State for the year 1904 was $208,406,365.61, the leading items
being wheat ($51,000,000), corn ($50,000,000), and animals sold for slaughter
($52,000,000).

    The numbers and values of live stock for the same year were: Horses,
835,580—$62,668,500; mules and asses, 103,436—$9,050,650; milch cows,
792,712—$19,817,800; other cattle, 2,757,542—$51,014,527; sheep, 167,721
—503,163; swine, 2,127,482—$15,956,115. Total value of live stock, $159,010,755;
total value of farm products and live stock, $367,417,120.61.

    Horticulture—Kansas ranks well in the production of fruit and is surpassed
by but few States in the growth of nursery stock. The number of apple trees in
bearing in 1904 was 7,307,253; peach trees, 4,548,642; cherry trees, 814,114;
plum trees, 641,977; pear trees, 245,515; numbers of acres in nurseries, small
fruits and vineyards, 17,269.

    Manufactures—The natural material for manufacturing is limited. There are no
timber lands of consequence, and no deposits of iron. Manufacturing, therefore,
is confined to the conversion of farm products into marketable commodities, such
as flour and meat, and these industries are important and extensive. Including
the large plants at Kansas City, Kansas, the slaughtering and meat-packing
business of the State for the year 1900 amounted in value to $77,411,883. The
flouring and grist mill products for the same year aggregated a value of
$21,926,768. Other manufacturing interests for the same year amouted to the
following sums: Car construction and railroad-shop work, $6,816,816; zinc
smelting and refining, $5,790,144; foundry and machine-shop products,
$3,652,530. The total value of the products enumerated was $118,402,409,
covering the work of 860 establishments and 18,288 employees.

    Mineral Resources—These consist principally of coal, zinc, lead, natural
gas, petroleum, cement and gypsum. With the exception of the three last-named
products, the mining industry is chiefly located in the southeast corner of the
State, embracing the counties of Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Bourbon,
Montgomery, Chautaugua, Neosho and Allen. Cherokee leads in coal, lead and zinc;
Crawford is second in coal; Allen is first in natural gas; and Neosha first in
petroleum. Extensive mines of coal are also found in Osage and Leavenworth
counties. Reno and Kingman counties have the principal salt mines. Building
stone of excellent quality is found in various parts of the State. Underlying
the surface of Kansas are the three common formations known as the
Carboniferous, Triassic and Cretaceous systems, running from north to south, and
dividing the State into three belts of nearly equal extent. In the year 1900 the
values of the mineral products of Kansas were: Coal, $5,516,534; zinc,
$3,000,000; salt, $1,675,000; clay, $975,500; stone $714,750; natural gas,
$695,000; cement, $669,685; oil, $355,118; lead, $324,859; gypsum, $267,500;
total, $14,193,946.

    Railroads—The total mileage of railway tracks operated in Kansas is 10,483.
The prominent lines and systems are: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific; Union Pacific; Missouri Pacific; Missouri, Kansas & Texas; St.
Louis & San Francisco. The gross earnings of all Kansas railroads for the year
1902 were $28,000,000.

    Banking—There are 502 State and private banks in Kansas, with a total paid
capital of $8,156,500, and deposits of $47,690,056.14. The 146 national banks
have a paid capital of $9,936,400, and deposits of $50,973,729; making a total
capital of $18,092,900, and total deposits of $98,663,785.14, these figures
being for the year 1903. Of the total deposits it is estimated that 68 per cent,
is owned by farmers and stockmen.

    Education—Kansas spends more than $5,000,000 annually in the support of
public schools. The school population is 500,000, the enrollment, 390,000, and
the average attendance, 265,000; number of teachers employed, 11,698. The
percentage of illiteracy in the State is very low, being less than 3 per cent.

    Colleges—Baker University, Baldwin; Bethany, Lindsborg; Campbell University,
Holton; Highland University, Highland; Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina;
McPherson, McPherson; Midland, Atchison; Ottawa University, Ottawa; Southwest
Kansas, Winfield; St. Benedict's, Atchison; St. John's, Salina; St. Mary's, St.
Mary's; State Agricultural, Manhattan; State Normal, Emporia; State University,
Lawrence; Sisters of Bethany, Topeka; Washburn, Topeka.

    Religion—All of the religious denominations are represented, the Methodist
being the largest numerically, followed in order by the Roman Catholic, Baptist,
Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian, United Brethren, Congregational, Lutheran,
Friends, African M. E., and Evangelical Association. The moral standard of the
population is very high, Kansas being- one of the few States that has adopted an
amendment to its constitution prohibiting the manufacture and sale of liquor.

    Newspapers and Libraries—Kansas has 837 newspapers, including 51 dailies,
634 weeklies, 4 semi-weeklies, 116 monthlies, 14 semi-monthlies, 2 bi-monthlies,
11 quarterlies, and 5 occasionals. Of public, college and high school libraries,
there are 112, with a total of 525,519 volumes.

    Charitable and Penal Institutions—The institutions of this class, and the
number of inmates of each, are: Insane Asylum, Oswatomie (990); Insane Asylum,
Topeka (780); Insane Asylum, Parsons (430) ; Blind Asylum, Kansas City (93);
Imbecile School, Winfield (210); Deaf and Dumb School, Olathe (263); Soldiers'
Orphans' Home, Atchison (150); Soldiers' Home, Dodge City (146); State
Penitentiary, Lansing (1,020); Industrial Reformatory, Hutchinson (260);
Industrial School, girls, Beloit (125); Reform School, boys, Topeka (209). The
Federal government maintains a military prison and a branch of the National
Soldiers' Home at Leavenworth.


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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