New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and Historical Calendar for Wellington, Kansas
Collection: Dorothy Dey Historic Collection
Title
New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and Historical Calendar for Wellington, Kansas
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Subject
Kansas History--Wellington, Kansas
Kansas History--Sumner County History
Kansas History--Wellington, Kansas Timeline
Description
This manuscript is Dorothy Dey's New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and includes the Historical Timeline and dates for events for the founding and history of Wellington, Kansas
Creator
Dey, Dorothy
Source
Wellington Public Library, Wellington, Kansas
Publisher
Wellington Public Library, Wellington, Kansas
Date
ca. 1930-1945
Rights
Relation
Dorothy Dey History Collection, Wellington Public Library, Wellington, Kansas
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Manuscripts
Coverage
1871 - 1940
Citation
Dey, Dorothy, “New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and Historical Calendar for Wellington, Kansas,” Wellington Digital Collections, accessed April 20, 2024, https://wellington.digitalsckls.info/item/19.
Text
New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography.
HISTORICAL CALENDAR OF WELLINGTON
Monitor Press Wellington, Kansas April 4, 1935.
Prepared, on Occasion of City's Birthday by Wellington Chapter of D. A. R.
1871 -- April 2, Eight men selected site for city.
April 4, Townsite surveyed by Capt. Meyers.
April 9, First church services held.
June Town Company organized
June 26, Tri-weekly hack line between Wellington and Winfield established. July 4, First Fourth of July celebration held.
Sept. 26, First County seat election.
1872 -- April 9, Wellington chosen county seat.
April 10, First session of court, 13th. Judicial dist.
Nov. first public school organized - 9th and B Sts.
Dec. First Newspaper, "Wellington Banner."
1873 -- Oct. 4, Special election to issue $5,000 in bonds to erect a township hall
and court house.
Nov. 13, Wellington incorporated as 3rd. class city,
Nov. 30, First city election. D. N. Caldwell elected mayor.
Methodist and Presbyterian churches organized.
1874 -- July, Indian scare.
July 25, Grasshopper raid.
Aug. 29, Old Stone Courthouse and Township Hall, Washington and 7th Sts. completed.
1878 — Methodists built first church*
Hunter Mill built.
1879 Santa Fe Railroad came into Wellington.
Baptist church organized.
1880 -- Southern Kansas Railroad came
Aetna Mill built•
Fire company organized.
Feb. 20, Wellington became a city of the second class.
1881 -- Nov. Big fire gutted part of business district.
1884 — 1884 Christians built their first church.
Complete water works put in Gas installed.
1885 May 5, Completion of new court house on 10th St. 25 public lamps erected on
principal streets of city.
Street cars put in operation.
1886 -- Jan. 4, terrible blizzard.
1887 — Rock Island railroad came into Wellington.
1888 — Lutheran and Congregational churches organized.
1892 — May 27, Wellington cyclone.
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A FURROW CHANGED COURSE OF EARLY TOWN HISTORY
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 2, 1936
A furrow, plowed from a point on the Chisholm Trail well south of Wellington, east and north and finally joining the Trail again near the present site of Clearwater is said, according to one story, to be the reason Wellington is today the county seat of Sumner County rather than Sumner City, one a flourishing town located where the Trail crossed Slate Creek.
The story is told by Victor Murdock, editor of the Wichita Eagle, who got it from James V. Wright of Ponca City.
When Wellington was founded in 1871 its greatest rival in the central portion of the county was Sumner City, an important stopping point for the great wagontrains, often twenty-five teams long, which poured down to Reno and Sill out of Wichita, then the end of the railroad. The great cattle herds from Texas following the Trail north-through Sumner City,
In order to draw trade and population to the strubbling new village of Wellington and so win the county seat contest which impended, the enterprising founders of Wellington went to a point well south of the town site and plowed a great curving furrow across the prairies, which swung away from Sumner City and took in Wellington, back to the Trail far north of Sumner City at Clearwater.
Guides were then posted at the state line and when the herders asked about the way to Wichita were told to "follow the furrow”. As a result Sumner City was left high and dry and Wellington got the cattle trade and the county seat.
Some of Sumner City moved to another embryo city, Austin, but most of the citizen, loaded the shacks and frame business houses on wagons and moved to Wellington.
Among those who moved from Sumner City to Wellington was J. R. Smith, pioneer merchant. Others prominent in Sumner City were Conwas and Fee, who ran the hotel; Clark, the blacksmith shop; Baseley, the livery stable, and Charles Thompson the general store. Wright, the author of this story was one who moved to Wellington from its neighboring rival.
FURROW ACROSS PRAIRIES WHICH CHANGED TRAIL AND THUS BUILT CITY
By Victor Murdock In The Wichita Eagle Wichita, Kansas 5-11-33
Story of the Disappearance of a Thriving Metropolis to the South of Wichita and
the Winning of Wellington.
I heard a new Chisholm Trail story today and I want to add it to the archives, for it is one of the drollest stories of this section I have encountered. I got it from James V. (Virgil) Wright of Ponca City.
The story starts with Sumner City and ends at Wellington. Sumner City is a farm today. But in 1872 it was a flourishing town. Conwas and Fee ran the hotel; Clark the blacksmith shop; Baseley (afterward Baseley and Leveridge, Wichita) the livery stable; Charles Thompson the general store. Here was the making of a metropolis.
Wellington was not in it, for Wellington was not on the Chisholm Trail and Sumner City, three miles north and five miles west of Wellington was on the mighty highway. The great wagon-trains, often twenty-five teams long, which poured down to Reno and Sill out of Wichita, the railhead, thrust through Sumner City, not Wellington. The great bellowing herds from Texas, following the Trail, lumbered through Sumner City, not through Wellington.
This current of commerce was very important because a county seat contest impended. Mr. Wright told me that the enterprising crowd at Wellington went to a point well south of Wellington and plowed a great curving furrow across the prairies, which curve swung away from Sumner City and took in Wellington, coming back to the trail far north of Sumner City (at Clearwater). Then Wellington posted guildes at the state line and when the herders asked about the way to Wichita answered "Follow the furrow". The herders did follow the furrow. Sumner City was left high and dry. Wellington got the cattle trade and the county seat.
Some of Sumner City moved to another embryo city, Austin, but most of the citizens of Sumner City went to Wellington, among them James V. Wright. Things were moving in those days. And Wright found Wellington no exception. For he was soon in an Indian campaign.
The United States of America tried to locate a band of Sioux in the Indian territory. The Sioux wouldn’t stay. They started home and General Miles brought them back. But the Sioux broke for home again and in the general excitement the Osages got stirred up and went on the warpath. This was in 1874.
Governor Osborn of Kansas issued the call to arms. Three military companies were organized, one at Arkansas City, one at Wellington, one at Medicine Lodge.
Wright was in the Wellington company, Tom Riley, captain. The companies were armed with Sharp’s rifles, Spencer carbines and Colt revolvers. They were mounted.
Because Wright had the best horse in the Company he was sent under orders as a guard with Jim Lefflin’s train (twenty-five oxteams) out of Wichita for Reno and Sill, laden with food and blankets for the Indians. While the train halted at Buffalo Springs, Bill Brooks rode up from the South with the first news of the attack on Pat Hennessey twelve miles below. Hennessey’s train, laden with bacon, had been attacked by the Indians. Brooks got away. Hennessey and the others made one of the most valiant stands in the history of this country. When the Lefflin train reached the battle ground it was over. Wright told me that Hennessey had been burned to ashes at the end-gate. The others were in a hollow nearby scalped.
MRS. H. W. ANDREWS HAS LIVED HERE SINCE TOWN STARTED
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 2, 1936
To be the only person now living in Wellington who has lived here continuously since the townsite was laid out is a distinctive honor belonging to Mrs. H. W.
Andrews, 323 South G Street who reached Sumner County with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John P. McCullough and her brother,William, now residing in Caldwell, Kansas, in February, 1871,and settled on a claim taken by her father where the County Infirmary now stands. Together with a caravan of other pioneers, the McCulloughs had left Texas, where Mrs. Andrews was born, and started for California, hoping to "strike it rich there" but were stopped in Denver by the severe winter. The crowd separated, some coming back east and landing in Wichita. The McCulloughs stayed there for a short time and then came on south along the Chisholm Trail to prairie lands of Sumner County.
1 -
The Indian tepees dotted this part of the county, Mrs. Andrews remembers and she says that first a small log house just south of the Infirmary, was their residence. It was not long, however, until a frame home was built, and on April 2, her father, together with seven other men, name elsewhere in this issue, laid out the lots for the town of Wellington. Her mother cooked the dinner for the men on that day, sixty-five years ago today.
One of the most interesting reminiscences related is that of the first service with a minister in charge, which was held in the Bates Hotel located where the First National Bank is now, and which all the settlers near at hand attended, dressed in their best bib and tucker. A Rev. Shafer, who had stayed for some time with the McCulloughs, was the minister, and his daughter played a small melodeon as the group sang many of the old time songs.
Mrs. Andrews has lived here continuously since that early date and when asked what factor seemed to her to be one of the most significant in making Wellington a pleasant town in which to live, she replied, ”I really cannot say for you see I have scarcely known any other home. But it has been interesting to have been privileged to watch the growth of a community now so alive as ours, from the very beginning.”
FIRST MAYOR OF WELLINGTON STILL A RESIDENT OF CITY
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas 4/2/36
Among the many "Firsts” being mentioned in today’s issue of the Daily News commemorating Wellington’s sixty-fifth anniversary, none stands out more prominently
in the eyes of the citizenry than that concerning the veteran attorney, D. N. Caldwell who has reached the advanced age of 88 years.
Three items of special significance are noted; one, the fact that Mr. Caldwell was Wellington’s first practicing attorney, setting up his office here in the Fall of 1871; another, his election to be the town’s first mayor in 1872; and the third, the fact that he has resided continuously on the site where he first lived when he brought his bride to Wellington from Illinois in 1872.
Until last Fall, Mr. Caldwell has been active in his profession during the sixty-four years, an honor not attained by any other Kansan, it is believed. Judge Elrick C. Cole, of Great Bend, is thought to be the next in line, having practiced for fifty-six years. Mr. Caldwell on account of illness for the past few months.
His family includes the wife, who has also been ill, his daughter, Mrs. L. L. Swan, who makes her home with them; and his son, Dr. J. C. Caldwell, Wellington Physician.
A picture of Mr. Caldwell, as Wellington’s first may, and of W. N. Cooley, the present mayor, appear on page fourteen of this issue.
Mr. Caldwell came here on September 11, 1871, to be Wellington’s first practicing lawyer and some time later participated in two bitter Kansas county seat controversies and otherwise has had much to do with the development of Southern Kansas. The urge to come west brought the attorney to Wellington while the buffaloes were still grazing near the townsite and before the county was organized. Fifteen days after his arrival, or September 25, Sumner County was holding its first election.
5
The town was officially organized as a city of the third class in November.
1872 and the first election the latter part of the same month gave Mr. Caldwell the honor of being the pioneer city's first mayor, an office which he held the full term of two years.
In 1885, he participated in the county seat fight in Meade County on behalf of the town of Carthage, then 4 1/2 miles northwest of the present site of Meade. He was in Meade County on this mission when the never-to-be-forgotten blizzard struck Southern Kansas in early January of 1886.
A year later, he was employed by the town company of Springfield, Kansas,in Seward County, which adjoins Meade County on the west. Fargo, which participated for the county seat fight against Springfield, won by fraud but Springfield by taking the case to the Supreme Court, later won. Liberal later became and is today, the seat of Seward County.
In 1877, Mr. Caldwell was nominated and elected county attorney of Sumner County. He held the office the full term, upon expiration of which he resumed his old practice. Subsequently, he held for intervals, local offices of city attorney and police judge.
There was little business for an attorney when Mr. Caldwell first arrived in Wellington, But when the settlers started pouring in, his business grew rapidly.
He is on intimate terms with many exciting episodes of the early history of the county and has in his possession today a pair of shackles used on a man who was hanged when the county was still a raw prairie.
TRAGEDY — FIFTY YEARS AGO
Wellington, Kansas Wellington Daily News Sept. 16, 1933
In these times of kidnaping, murdering, bank robbing and other vicious crimes,
E. B. Roser, pioneer of Wellington, calls to mind an early day "bad man" of Wellington his mad escapades and his death which came at the end of a rope when ired citizens took the law in their own hands.
Incidents related by Mr. Roser in this article are facts, and will be recognized as such by many of the old time residents of Wellington. They will be of interest to every citizen,
(Note: Let it be understood that E. B. Roser, the author of these lines, does not sanction in any degree the acts of the participants. Readers are given this narrative first hand by one who was an eye witness to the storming of the jail.)
On a dark night in the early part of September 1884, nearly a half century ago, a great tragedy found a climax within the unfinished walls of the Sumner County court house, in course of construction at that time. I will attempt to describe a series of events which led up to the unfortunate incident.
In order that the reader may have a clear understanding of what transpired immediately preceding the main part of the story, it is fitting that reference be given of certain people connected and their standing in the community.
In the summer of 1884, there were numerous clashes between the law and one Frank Jones. Now, Jones was a character about town, a former cowboy who wore a broad brim cowboy hat, rode a dashing Indian pony and flourished a wicked Winchester rifle on the streets occasionally. In fact, he posed as a bad man from the range.
He also possessed a very violent temper and was always ready for a fight "at the drop of the hat", as the saying goes.
Jones had nursed a strong hatred for all persons connected with law enforcement.
Our city marshal at that time was P. H. D. Cleveland, with Billy Gainer as assistant. Joe Thralls held the office of sheriff, with his brother Elsie Thralls, as jailor and deputy. John Murphy had been elected mayor that year, succeeding Jim Hamilton, and J. M. McKee fulfilled the job of street commissioner. Jones had sworn vengeance on all these men.
One night after the town folk, other than the gambling and night life population, had settled down for a night’s repose, things began to buzz.
It was my custom in the early days to spend the night sleeping on a counter in the jewelry store near the big safe; not that it was feared anyone would carry it off, for I had never heard of such a crime in those days. I had a bedfellow by the name of "Colt". He was a husky one of his kind, with a calibre of 45'.
About midnight I was awakened from my peaceful slumbers by a rifle shot and the crashing of glass in the front door of the store, I rolled off my improved couch and grabbed Mr. Colt. But in my excitement, I gripped him too tight and the thing exploded, the ball striking the face of a mantel clock on a nearby shelf, disfiguring it pretty badly all around. Not to be daunted, I stalked bravely, revolver in hand, to the front part of the store to ascertain what damage had been done to the window by the gunman, and to learn his identity if possible.
A survey of the street disclosed that the attacking parties had dispersed, so I walked down Washington Avenue a block or two to inquire about the shooting. A group of men informed me that Frank Jones had gone on a rampage and had been firing into the home of people who had aroused his ire. The shot fired through the store window had been aimed at three men standing on the sidewalk who were lucky enough not to stop the ball.
Excitement was running high and three persons were reported wounded. These included Mayor Murphy, Billy Gainer, assistant marshal, and a little son of Street Commissioner McKee.
A posse was quickly organized, with Marshal Cleveland at the head, and Jones was captured before morning in Jake Allen’s bard, about a mile southeast of town.
He was somewhat battle-scarred, having been wounded by the gun fire of officers who pursued him.
While his wounds were being dressed, he swore that he had killed Charlie Shawver and Billy Gainer, and was going back the next night to get Judge Herrick and Tom George, prosecuting attorneys. who had been instrumental in bringing him to justice a time or two. However, neither of these men were put on the shelf and
Charlie Shawver, veteran peace officer, is still here after nearly fifty years and is able to tell how one of Jones’s rifle balls played hippity-hop around his bed room on South C Street without doing any serious damage on that eventful night.
After smoke of the battle cleared away, Jones was confined in a little brick jail that stood a few feet northwest of the present court house and which had previously been the abiding place of some of the most desperate outlaws in the southwest, including Jim Talbot, Commanche Bill and others.
The town then settled down to pretty much every-day routine, except that gossip was rife and little knots of citizens about town discoursed among themselves as to what should be done to tame down such chaotic conditions. Murmurings were being heard throughout the next day or two, and some predicted that the end was not yet.
The third night, however, the situation began to warm up. I was sitting at my bench in the front part of the store about seven o’ clock in the evening repairing
a watch, when on glancing out of the front window I observed a man step this way and
that, and appeared to be scanning the neighborhood to see if anyone was watching his movements. In a few minutes he walked to the center of the street, dramatically drew a revolver and fired into the air.
I felt sure that this was intended to serve as a signal and in order to observe
the outcome more closely, I sprang over the railing in front of my bench and darted
outside. By this time the individual had started to walk steadily, but not rapidly, straight north in the middle of the street. He had not gone far before he was joined by several other men, coming from different directions, which indicated to me that the thing was all planned in advance.
I made up my mind to follow, but kept a good safe distance in the rear. As the march northward was continued, there were more reinforcements. There was no disorder and there seemed to be no conversation whatever.
Finally the court house and jail yard were reached and greater activities began. Voices were heard calling for a box, and three or four men ran down the street toward town and returned in a few minutes with a large dry goods box.
The leader jumped upon the box and amid cheers of the crowd, began a fiery speed exhorting his hearers to exterminate undesirables from the town and to protect their homes and families from such attacks as had been launched against the citizens of recently. At the close of his inflammatory address, the leader jumped down off the box and with a portion of his followers, rushed down the street, yelling loudly, and procured what seemed to be an undersized telephone pole.
Back they came and the men lined up on either side of the pole, awaiting orders from their leader. The large end was pointed directly toward the jail door and the men backed off about fifteen feet.
”Yo Heave, Yo Heave, Yo Heave!!! was the signal.
The battering ram was hurled with terrific force against the door, creating a tremendous report that I think was heard all over town. The engine of destruction was withdrawn and the impact was repeated with similar results. Then the third time the heavy pole struck the door and the door crashed in.
The invaders took charge of the victim, who begged piteously for his life, but the so-called vigilantes were unrelenting as the few remaining spectators began to disperse rather than see the finals.
And then, lo! and behold! in the dim light of early morn, long before the sun was to make an appearance in the eastern sky, the figure of a man was discovered dangling at the end of a rope, attached to a large derrick within the walls of the partially completed court house. The derrick had been used by workmen to raise the huge stones in construction of the edifice, and was situated about where the county treasurer’s office is now located.
8
After a few weeks a brother of the victim, Ves Jones, brought suit against the city for $10,000.00 damages for the death of Frank Jones, and when the case came up for trial, the plaintiff was awarded one dollar.
Ves Jones died several years later in the insane asylum at Osawatomie, and his son committed suicide by blowing out his brain with a six-shooter. Thus endeth a chapter in the history of early events in our town, which caused much regret among our more conservative people a half century ago. Let it be hoped that we shall never again be called upon to chronicle a like tragedy.
PIONEERS OF WELLINGTON 9
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas
March 29, 1927
The article below on "Pioneers of Wellington" is the one written by Mrs. Edith Martin, formerly of this city, now of Lawrence, and read at the meeting of the Cary Circle last Tuesday:
With the thought of the pioneer, in memory I recall a little picture, treasured in my parental home. It was a photo about the size of a post card of Wellington, taken in 1871. It consisted of a small, one story frame building, with a square front typical of the country store. On the front was printed, "A. W. Shearman," dealer in groceries, dry goods, boots, shoes and notions. The building stood on the corner of Lincoln and Washington Avenue where Cox's pool hall now stands. In front of the store stood eight men, each wearing high top boots, and holding at his side a gun. Whether they had just, come in from a buffalo hunt, or wanted to send a
picture of the wild and wooly west back home, or whether it was a real necessity--a preparedness against Indians as with the Pilgrims of old, I know not. These men were among the first pioneers of Wellington. As their families had not yet arrived, they all lived together in the store building.
The men were A. W. Shearman, Dr. P. A. Wood, C. R. Godfrey,
D. W. Cooley, John and Tom McMahan, and L. K. Myers. The eighth man, I do not recall.
A. W. Shearman had come from New York. The remaining member of his family, a little girl of five years, he soon brought to Wellington and she made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Cooley from that time until her father married Miss Allie De Armond, one of Wellington's very early school teachers, Mr. Shearman was a public spirited citizen, ever ready to lend a helping hand. When the early settlers met for an evening's pleasure and indulged in the old fashioned square dance, he was always on hand to call off. Not only did he help in merry making but in time of trouble was every one’s friend. He acted as community nurse, and many a night spent beside the sick man’s cot, and in case of death it was he who prepared them for the last sleep and conducted all funerals before the town had an undertaker. Mr. Shearman spent the remainder of his days in Wellington and Mrs, Shearman and daughter Grace are still well known to Wellington people, and lived here until a few years ago when they went to Roswell, New Mexico to reside.
Dr. P. A. Wood was our first physician, Having practiced in eastern Kansas for a while he had well learned to battle with malaria, chills and fever of the plains, and was welcome as a visitor in the homes of the sick. His good wife often went with him and helped to care for the sick mothers and children. . Dr. Wood took a claim joining the town on the west, later it became P. A. Wood’s addition to Wellington.
C. R. Godfrey was pioneer druggist. His drug store stood on the corner, where Candyland now is, and was a long building. His claim joined Wellington on the east, and later became a part of the town, also. . -
D. W. Cooley's claim cornered with the townsite on the southeast. It is known today as Rosedale. Mrs. Cooley taught the first school in Wellington in the fall of 1871. They lived here for several years then moved to Missouri and later back to Oxford, where he was a prominent banker for many years.
Tom and John McMahan, the McMahan boys as they were called, were young men from Pennsylvania. They owned a claim on Slate Creek which cornered with Wellington on the Southwest. It was their intention to put in a water mill for grinding but later aban-doned the plan. Both married and reared their families here, well liked and highly respected by all who knew them.
L. K. Myers was a young surveyor in Iowa before the Civil War® After coming to Kansas he followed surveying for some time surveying also the town site. He built a log house near where Gadeke's Bakery now is, and his was the first family to keep house in the little new town. After a few months they moved onto a claim south of town# It now comprises Fifth Ward#
Even before the town started, settlers had staked their claims in the county. One of these was Mr. Foraker. His family still lives on the farm south of town and has resided there continuously from that early date. John P. McCullough, father of Mrs. H. W. Andrews, v/ith his family had settled on a claim near the site of our present county infirmary. It was Mrs, McCullough who cooked dinner for the little group of eight men, the day they met and organized the town company. They were J. P. McCullough, A. A# Jordan, Dr. P. A. Woods, Dr. C. R. Godfrey, Captain L. K. Myers, Major A. N. Randall, John S. McMahan, and the eighth man I cannot name. 0. J. Hackney and Polk Wimer were early settlers in the county, and later became prominent citizens of Wellington. D. N. Caldwell, Wade McDonald and J. T. Herrick were early lawyers. Z. Miexsell, father of our own Fannie Burks, and his family were very early settlers, and Mr.
Miexsell opened the first furniture store in town. Jo Thralls,
Geo. M. Miller, and John T. Showalter were others. Mr. Showalter married one of the county's pioneer girls and Mrs. Showalter is still a resident here. Mrs. Bates came in '71 and started the first hotel. Her son Frank engaged in the hardware business.
John G. Woods was a pioneer banker and built an opera house which stood on the corner where the Jett Mercantile Company now is.
L. Kellogg was the first county treasurer; A. A. Jordan, first sheriff; C. S. Brodbent, first clerk of the court, and D. N. Caldwell, first mayor. Capt. John H. Folks came over from Oxford with his newspaper, the Sumner County News, though the Wellington Banner was the pioneer paper, issued In Dec., 1872. H. W. Andrews came to Wellington in the spring of '72 and started in the grocery business# He is still with the business and with Wellington. At the time of his arrival, the new town was about a year old and had a population of about 150. D. M. Caldwell arrived very near the beginning. With the exception of the first two months, he and Mrs. Caldwell have resided continuously on the corner where they still live, having witnessed both the adversity and progress of the town for more than half a century. In this same block the Caldwells, Geo. Stipp and wife and the Miexsell family were all pioneer neighbors together.
A little frame building moved from Meridian and placed on North Washington Avenue, did duty as Wellington's first court house. The first term of court, however, was opened by Judge Campbeil of Wichita in the frame building still standing on Lincoln Avenue just west of the Baptist Church and parsonage. In 1874 a two story stone building was erected on the present site of the City Hall and this was used, until our present one was built.
These various court buildings housed the different religious organizations until such a time as they could afford churches. The first sermon preached in Wellington was in a dugout of Tom McMahan by a cattleman who had been a Congregational minister, A union Sunday School was the first step in religious organization. The first church was the M. E. in 1873, with Rev. E. A. Graham, minister, and the following charter members: J. T. Herrick, Dr. Cory and wife, Henry Bowers, wife and child, Mesdames Miexsell, Bates, Cleveland,
Cooley and Miss Lizzie Campbell. The Presbyterians organized also in 1873, with a supply minister for Wellington, Oxford, and other towns, I do not know the charter members, but Tom and John McMahan,
Mrs. P. A. Wood, Mrs. Geo. Stipp, Mr. Showalter and the Millers were pioneer workers in that church.
During the days of the union Sunday School, wo had a union Christmas tree each year. All of the community brought presents' for family and friends to deck the tree, and after the Sunday School program, the presents were distributed. This custom was later abandoned for the Sunday School children’s treat.
The Barnard Hotel was as early land mark in Wellington. It was a two story frame building, standing midway between Harvey and Lincoln Avenues, on the south-west side of Washington Avenue,
Another pioneer business to remain throughout the passing years was Smith’s Clothing Store.
The first school house was the customary little white, one roomed building. Its location was at the present corner of B and Ninth Streets. Our playground had no limit. We were not confined within the block, nor feared to cross the street lest a passing auto run us down. In fact neither blocks nor streets nor autos were visible. All around was prairie, marked only by foot paths worn by the children coming to and fro. Over the prairies we roamed at recess and gathered daisies, sheep sorrell, wild onion blossoms and other wild flowers, and engaged in the old fashioned games of prison base, blackman, and baseball, happy and care free, unmindful of the absence of a physical director,
For a few moments, let us forget the present Wellington, with its present beautiful shade trees, parks, miles of paving, commodious public buildings, and comfortable houses, with modern conveniences, and in our imagination picture the little town of the past in the first few years of its infancy. On the south and west was Slate Creek, with the trees along the banks; on the east, Hargis Creek then called the Branch, and before the Santa Fe Railroad and other forms of civilization encroached upon its natural trendway, it was quite a little stream, its entire length to whore it joined Slate Creek on the south. It afforded water enough for both swimming and fishing. Small trees, grape vines, elderberry bushes and other shrubs along the banks. With the exception of the timber along
these streams, not a tree, for several years adorned, the site of Wellington. The homes were little one, two or three roomed frame buildings, with now and then a log house, a sod shanty or dugout, the latter affording the most comfort, being warmer in winter, and cooler in summer. Imagine the intense heat, with no shade of any kind, no ice, not a bath tub in which to cool off.
The nearest railroad was at Cottonwood Fails, with a stage line to Wichita. A little later the stage line was extended to Wellington and the railroad to Wichita, which place remained the terminus for several years. All goods had to be freighted by means of the covered wagon, drawn by horses or oxen, and streams forded as there were no bridges. These same covered wagons, with the lighter spring wagons, and horse back riding on Indian ponies were means of conveyance for the settlers, also. The homes were lighted with coal oil lamps and heated with wood fires.
A blue stem grass covered the prairies, so tall and dense as to make it difficult to find one's way. Mr. McCullough plowed a furrow from his home to town, that his children might follow it to school and not become lost# In the spring the farmers burned off the dry grass in order to plow. These prairie fires often got beyond control and threatened the settlers' homes. At one time, it was only the united efforts of both men and women that saved Wellington from the flames and the volunteer fire company had only sacks and buckets of water with which to fight the fire.
Some years, little rain fell, and the burning sun dried up every form of vegetation the hopeful farmer planted. In 1874 the grasshoppers appeared in swarms and devoured every growing thing in sight. Again, there was a rainy season and the floods came#
Mr, Miller lived with his family, near the bank of SIate Creek at a point near the place Botkin Street joins the highway. During one of those rainy seasons, the creek became so high, Mrs. Miller was afraid to remain in the house and took her little girl to a neighbor’s house for the night. Mr, Miller, who remained at home, awoke about daylight to find his house surrounded by water. He swam to the barn, turned loose a span of mules and then swam to safety himself. A little later the house floated down stream, where it remained, until dry enough to recover it and their water soaked belongings. After this they moved to high ground.
Notwithstanding the many inconveniences of early time, the settlers made the best of their surroundings and enjoyed themselves together. No formal calls were made in those days, but friends often went to spend the day. While the children played, the women sowed and visited and the men came in at noon for dinner, and even though the homes were small there was always room for an extra guest overnight.
In the absence of any other fruit, the housewives used the wild plum and grape, to put up for winter use. Wild game was plentiful, buffalo, antelope, deer, wild turkey and smaller game, and the streams teemed with fish.
After a few years civilization drove the buffalo westward, and men used to form hunting parties and go to the unsettled counties of Harper and Barbour for buffalo. It was on one such hunting expedition in early winter that a party of men were overtaken one night by one of these sudden and severe Kansas blizzards.
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The next morning, with no protection and unable to get a fire and cook food on the open prairie, on account of the strong wind, they made their way as best they could to the canyons, of Barbour County, walking beside their wagon to keep from freezing. Hero they found shelter and were able to make a fire and thus survive for a few days until the storm passed, when they returned home. The most of the men being young and healthy escaped with only frozen ears, fingers and toes, but Teruben Higgs, a man getting along in years, could not withstand the exposure and died a few days after returning home. Mr. Riggs had always been a frontiersman, leaving each state as it settled up to go on farther west. He had never remained in one state Iong enough to see an apple grow on a tree.
With the progress of years, the board sidewalk appeared, and the lamp post, with its dim gas light along the streets, the picket fence and phaetons, and so on up until came and went, the top buggies the late improvements of the present day.
Our pioneer fathers and mothers had come to stay. They bravely met the privations and hardships of the past. Some of them are with us even today, while others have long since passed to the Great Beyond leaving their families to enjoy the present Wellington, the fruit of that early beginning.
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CHURCHES PLAY PROMINENT PART IN MAKING WELLINGTON
HISTORY
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 2, 1936
The earliest beginning of the Restoration movement in Sumner County dates back to the pioneer preachers, who came this way on horseback, tarried to preach the Old Jerusaleum gospel in the court house or in private homes where they were being entertained. In 1879, eight years after the founding of the present town-site, of Wellington was a small village without railroads, Wichita being the rail terminal .
Small congregations involving the various denominations had been established in others of the county, but the closest place of worship for the Wellington residents was several miles away. The result of little group meetings hold wherever men and women could find ample space for them, was the temporary organization of several churches.
The charter members were few, but they were men and women strong in faith, and believed in the simple gospel's faith and they followed the example of the early Church by continuing steadfastly in fellowship, in prayer and in breaking of bread.
Soon after the temporary organizations were effected, buildings began to be erected above the business houses, in halls, or at the back of stores, wherever there was an empty space Wellington began to grow, the membership of the churches increased, and the little banks commenced to think of permanent church organizations and the building of regular church houses.
The First Presbyterian Church of Wellington was organized June 23, 1872, by the Rev. W. W. Boggs of Oxford and seven charter members enrolled. At first the group met in the school every other Sabbath with Rev. Boggs coming to preach, and as the congregation grew they met in various places until the membership decided to build their own house of worship, which was completed and dedicated June 13, 1880.
On May 27, 1892, this building was completely destroyed by the cyclone, but plans were soon begun for the erection of another building, and the Gothic stone structure, which is the present main building was built. It was dedicated on October 31, 1897, several years after it was in use. A small addition was made to the church structure at the time of the installation of the pipe organ, for educational purposes and was dedicated as the "Presbyterian Educational Building" on Dec. 12, 1926. Since the beginning of Presbyterianism in Wellington in 1872 the little group of seven charter members has grown to a membership of more than 600 active members at this time.
The first meeting of the little band of Lutheran Church people was held in the hall of the State National Bank building in Nov. 1887, and was conducted by the late Rev. J. G. M. Hursch. During that same winter interest grew and the membership increased, and a Ladies' Aid Society and Sunday School were organized. Later the meetings were held in an empty store building on Washington Avenue. On July 14, 1888 the group organized and thirty-one members signed the constitution for St. John' s Lutheran Church of Wellington, and the same year a small frame structure was erected for use as a church house. In May 1892, the building was destroyed by a cyclone, and on Jan, 15, 1893,
15
the present building which, stands at the corner of Ninth and Jefferson Streets, was dedicated.
Rev. Watson, a circuit rider, accompanied by Harry Epperson from the Home Valley Church, eleven miles northeast of Wellington, held the first public meeting in the court room of the old stone Court House which stood on the present site of the City Building for the purpose of chartering a Christian Church. The result of that meeting was the temporary organization of a New Testament church and Reverend Watson was called to preach every fourth Sunday. On intervening Sundays the meetings were held by the little band of disciples and the services were held in the afternoon as the Presbyterians used the room at the morning hours. Later J. T. Hickman erected a building for a clothing store about one block north of the old court house and added a second story to be used as a hall and there the little church made its home with crude benches for seats facing a raised platform on which stood a table for a pulpit. While yet meeting Hickman Hall, Rev. W.S.Rehorn was called as the first regular minister in 1884.
A large brick auditorium replaced the first meeting place and was dedicated, and Rev. L. F. Sargent, the present minister is the nineteenth pastor.
It was in the year 1873 that Methodism first came to Wellington as an organized body and a Methodist preacher held services in the school house out on the flats, and following this meeting a class was organized as an appointment on the Oxford Circuit. Under the guidance of its first pastor, Rev. E. A. Graham, the little class grew so rapidly that at the annual conference in 1874, Wellington became the head of a mission, whose territory extended from the Ninnescah River on the cast to a line several miles west of Wellington. In 1878 the corner stone of the first M. E. Church at the intersection of Jefferson and Harvey Avenues was laid and Rev. I. N. Boicourt was the pastor.
In 1886 a new site was purchased for a building at the corner of Fourth and G. Streets and Rev. L. M. Hartley was the pastor.
On Oct. 21, 1913, the corner stone was laid for the present church, and on June 28, 1914, this new church, the present home of Methodism in the city, located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Jefferson and Harvey avenues, was dedicated, and Rev. D. H. Switzer was the pastor.
On May 21, 1879 the first meeting was held to organize a Baptist Church in Wellington, and on July 10, 1879, the church was fully organized and recognized by proper council. The first regular meeting of the organization in their first building was dedicated Easter Sunday, 1882, and in July 1917, plans were adopted for a new building estimated to cost $23,000. The old building was razed in August, 1917, and the congregation worshipped in the City Building from August 1917 to September 1918, and the present structure was dedicated for use Sunday, November 20, 1921, when Rev. M. G. Barlow was pastor.
Rev. Krause v/as priest of the first Catholic Church v/hich was established in Wellington in 1879 and the meetings were held in a frame structure located on East Lincoln Street. The present building which is called St. Anthony's Church, is located at the corner of Seventh and C. Streets and was dedicated in 1902 with Father Hayes of Augusta in charge. At the present time Father Francis Maguire is in charge of the Parish.
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The exact date of the Church of Christ of Wellington is not known, but the group has been functioning here for a number of years and the meeting were held in a little frame structure on North Blaine St., with no regular minister in charge. On June 1934, Rev. H. R. Atchison was called here to be the minister and on October 13, 1935, a beautiful now church was dedicated for use. The now structure is located on East Ninth Street at the corner of C.
The first Congregational Church of Wellington was incorporated in 1888 and Rev. F. D. Stevens served as the first pastor. The meetings were held in the old Methodist Church building which was located at the Corner of Jefferson and Harvey Avenues until the present building was erected in 1891.
The Church of Christ, Scientist, was organized and incorporated under the laws of the state of Kansas, on August 3, 1899 and named the First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Wellington, Kansas Plans were soon under way for a church building but until they could be completed and the lot acquired, the little band of members hold their meetings in a small house on the corner of the lot where the church stands today. The lot was purchased by the church in 1903 and in 1912 the present church house was built.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church was organized in Wellington on March 3, 1901, by Rev. and Mrs. Kettring and soon plans were under way for the erection of a regular church house. Until the present building was erected, a year or so later, the little group which consisted of twelve charter members mot in the private homes of the group and later they rented a hall over one of the store buildings.
Mrs. A. A. Ragan of this city is one of the few surviving charter members of the organization.
SIXTY YEARS
Wellington Daily Nows Wellington, Kansas Nov. 27, 1930
I came to Wellington on November 27, 1873. It was Thanksgiving Day. On the day before we came by train from Kansas City to the end of the rail line at Wichita, stopping for the night at the Tremont Hotel on East Doughlas Avenue, Taking the stage Thanksgiving morning, with Al Terrill, famous frontiersman, driving, we came through Derby (then named El Paso) to a crossing of the Arkansas River on a pontoon bridge at about the site of Mulvane, though Mulvane was not yet thought of, and on to Belle Plaine for dinner and change of horses. From Belle Plaine the road came straight across country, crossing Hargis Crock about two blocks above Community Park, and we arrived in Wellington about 3 o'clock. We stopped at the Moreland house, (about where Henry Keuneke's drug store now is), which was our home for the first three months. In the party were my father, John G. Woods, my mother, Louisa M. Woods, my brother, Albert aged 12, my sister Winnie, aged six weeks, and myself, aged 7. My elder sister, Henrietta (afterwards Mrs, Charles E. Flandro) was left at Emporia to enter the state normal school. My father had come to Wellington earlier in the year v/ith John D. Share and opened the banking house
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of Woods and Share, the first bank southwest of the Arkansas River.
Ho also formed a partnership with James T. Herrick in the practice for law under the firm name of Woods & Herrick.
After a few months at the Moreland House we moved to the farm and built the first brick house in Sumner county, the house just across the street north of the present high school. It was built two stories but the upper story was torn off by the cyclone of 1892 and was not rebuilt. There were hardly any buildings in what is now the first ward, but one of these was the school house on the corner of Ninth and B, where Winnie Fossett now lives. That part which is now the first ward was covered with buffalo wallows, and the water left standing in these after the rains made them fine places for wading. Many Indians were camped along Slate Creek most of the time, and quite often long Indian wagon trains went thru to or returning from Wichita, where supplies were furnished by the national government. There were herds of buffalo in the county, some deer, and prairie chickens and quail in great numbers.
In 1874 came the grass-hoppers, in such clouds frequently as to almost obscure the sun. My brother and I were cutting and shocking corn on Hargis Creek one morning when the hoppers came down. They hit the corn with a noise like machine-gun bullets, and hurt so much when they struck us that we ran to the house crying piteously. They destroyed everything green except the buffalo grass, even to leaves on the trees.
In 1879 the Santa Fe came to twon, locating the first depot about where Charlie Martin's house stands on North Washington Ave.
The next year the Southern Kansas came In from Oxford and was later absorbed by the Santa Fe. In 1887 the Rock Island came, and at about the same time the great boom in real estate which all but wreched many Kansas towns, leaving a depression locally as bad as the present disturbance.
Sixty years is a long time, but I believe it is the most interesting sixty years of history. During that time has come the telephone, the electric light, the phonograph, wireless, the X-ray, the moving picture, the talking picture, the airplane, artificial refrigeration, the radio, the automobile, the tractor, the combine.
Also gangsters, machine-guns and spinach.
Just what of interest the next sixty years holds for human kind of course is unknown, but I intend to stay as long as I can and find out.
h. l. W.
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IN THE SEVENTIES
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
April 2, 1836
My father, Captain John G. Woods, came to Wellington in the spring of 1873 and in partnership with John D. Share established the banking house of Woods & Share, the first bank southwest of the Arkansas River. On Thanksgiving Day of that year, he brought the rest of the family by stage coach from Wichita. From Wichita the stage went to El Paso (now Derby), then to a crossing of the Arkansas River on pontoons at about where Mulvane now is located, then to Belle Plaine, the lunch station, where horses were changed, and we drove up in front of the Commercial Hotel, about the present location of Keuneke's Drug Store. Four horses whisked the stage along, the road being as the crow flies from river crossing to river crossing, and from the Ninnescah crossing at Belle Plaine there was hardly a bend in the road until within a block or two of the Wellington Hotel, The crossing of Hargis Creek was at a point not far from directly east of the present residence of Mrs. W. W. Schwinn. The bank was at the corner now occupied by the J. C. Penney Company.
After three months at the hotel we moved into our own home, a one-room house with the side boards straight up and down, the cracks so well developed by warp and shrink that snowfalls sifted liberally over the beds. There were two rooms in the house— after father had hung a curtain across the middle. This house was replaced in the summer of 1874 by the first brick house ever built in the county. It was two stories, a roof being built on the lower story after the upper story was blown off in the cyclone of 1892. It has been stuccoed in recent years and is the first house on the east side of Ninth street north of the high school building.
The town was very small, so few houses in fact that when mother hung a white towel on the front porch father could see it from the bank window and learn that dinner was ready. The small frame schoolhouse was at the northwest corner of Ninth and B streets. The flat part of first ward had hundreds of buffalo wallows, great for us kids to wade in when filled by spring rains. Oklahoma was then "The Indian Territory" and Indian scares were frequent. At such times most of the folks went to the old court house, the women and children taking to the court room on the second floor, while the men manned every window of the lower to repel the attacks—which never came. Nearly every fall the citizenry were called out to fight the great prairie fires which swept in and threatened the town. Stock thievery was rampant until three men, Brooks, Hasbrook, and Smith were taken from the wooden calaboose and hanged near Slate Creek bridge by the vigilantes, who pinned on the breast of each a piece of green paper bearing the word "Horse Thief." It was very effective in discouraging similar activities. Many of the men residents were ex-Union soldiers and were still wearing the uniforms and caps they had worn at the front a few years before, my best horse in
IN THE SEVENTIES
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
April 2, 1836
My father, Captain John G. Woods, came to Wellington in the spring of 1873 and in partnership with John D. Share established, the banking house of Woods & Share, the first bank southwest of the Arkansas River. On Thanksgiving Day of that year, he brought the rest of the family by stage coach from Wichita. From Wichita the stage went to El Paso (now Derby), then to a crossing of the Arkansas River on pontoons at about where Mulvane now is located, then to Belle Plaine, the lunch station, where horses were changed, and we drove up in front of the Commercial Hotel, 'about the present location of Keuneke's Drug Store. Four horses whisked the stage along, the road being as the crow flies from river crossing to river crossing, and from the Ninnescah crossing at Belle Plaine there was hardly a bend in the road until within a block or two of the Wellington Hotel. The crossing of Hargis Creek was at a point not far from directly east of the present residence of Mrs. W. W. Schwinn. The bank was at the corner now •occupied by the J. C. Penney Company.
After three months at the hotel we moved into our own home, a one-room house with the side boards straight up and down, the cracks so well developed by warp and shrink that snowfalls sifted liberally over the beds. There were two rooms in the house— after father had hung a curtain across the middle. This house was replaced in the summer of 1874 by the first brick house ever built in the county. It was two stories, a roof being built on the lower story after the upper story was blown off in the cyclone of 1892. It has been stuccoed in recent years and is the first house on the east side of Ninth street north of the high school building.
The town was very small, so few houses in fact that when mother hung a white towel on the front porch father could see it from the bank window and learn that dinner was ready. The small frame schoolhouse was at the northwest corner of Ninth and B streets. The flat part of first ward had hundreds of buffalo wallows, great for us kids to wade in when filled by spring rains. Oklahoma was then "The Indian Territory” and Indian scares were frequent. At such times most of the folks went to the old court house, the women and children taking to the court room on the second floor, while the men manned every window of the lower to repel the attacks—which never came. Nearly every fall the citizenry were called out to fight the great prairie fires which swept in and threatened the town. Stock thievery was rampant until three men, Brooks, Hasbrook, and Smith were taken from the wooden calaboose and hanged near Slate Creek bridge by the vigilantes, who pinned on the breast of each a piece of green paper bearing the word "Horse Thief.” It was very effective in discouraging similar activities. Many of the men residents were ex-Union soldiers and were still wearing the uniforms and caps they had worn at the front a few years before, my best horse in
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charging about the back yard when playing "war" was father's sword, and in building forts and corrals mother's discarded hoop-skirt metal, and wire bustles came handy. There was ho church building as yet, but the Methodists had arrived and Rev. Henry J. Walker was holding church and Sunday School in an empty store building about where the Southern Kansas Mutual Insurance building now stands. Every few days a long string of Indian wagons came through, going to or coming from Wichita, where the government had a supply depot. Now and then soldiers went through to the Indian Territory forts, and once I had a peek at a short, dumpy, red-faced man as he sat in the office of the hotel— General Phil Sheridan, In 1874 came the grasshoppers, dropping down in great clouds, the visitation leaving nothing green in sight, not even the leaves on the trees. In the country many lived in sod houses and dugouts, the latter generally meaning a place dug in a bluff beside a stream and covered with grass or straw roofing. The people lived hard and there was much malaria; poverty was common and riches unknown. Crops were short, but game was plentiful and every husbandman could shoot. The first winter father and three other men went out where Argonia stands and brought in four buffalo, the meat being passed around. There were wild turkeys, antelope, prairie chickens, quail, and other game in great abundance. And so they got along, those men and women of sturdy character and stubborn will, building a dream which others should see come true, in the days of the pioneers,
H. L. W.
CITY'S BIRTHDAY RECALLS THE COMING OF FIRST STORE
HERE
Established by Shearman Bros. on April 15, 1871, a Few Days After Capt. Myers Started Building The First House
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 4, 1935
The first building to be enclosed and occupied on the townsite of Wellington was that in which the Shearman Brothers, Ab and John, opened on April 15th, the first merchantile establish-ment in the infant metropolis. Capt. L. K. Myers had started a few days before this to build a house out of logs which had originally formed a part of a house which he hod started in Meridian, but did not get it enclosed and in actual use until some days after the Shearman's had opened the doors of their new store for the trade of the settlers inhabitants of the region,
The store stood about on the site of the south room o f the
South Cox Billiard Parlors, The lumber was sent down from Emporia, then the terminus of the Santa Fe Rail road, by John Shearman,
who had recently opened a store in Wichita, It was rushed up in
crude pioneer fashion, the goods were p piled in promiscously as fast as the freighters wagons brought them in from distant whole-sale points, and the energetic proprietors commenced them out to their waiting patrons while work on the building was still in progress.
When J. M. Thralls cane in about a month later the doors and windows were not yet in place, w agon sheets being stretched over the openings to protect the goods and occupants from the weather. This store of Shearmans and Cl ark R# Godfrey's log drug store, which went only a short time after this on the opposite corner, now covered by the Stew art Building, formed the center of Wellington business district and w ere the gathering points for the home-steaders for miles around. At this time only a partial survey of the townsite had been made, a few blocks on what was to be the Main street, having been staked off to answer the purposes on immediate occupancy. Paralled furrows plowed through the tall prairie grass marked out the limits of Washington Avenue and two or three main intersecting streets. The rest was left for the more leisurely work of a less hurried day.
The picture appearing in connection with this article was not taken in April '71, as the inscription seems to indicate#
Mr. Thrall s says the building shown at the side and rear, the old Rosenkrants Hotel, was not put up until the following spring and the signs were not in evidence until pretty well along in the following year. The date probably refers to that of the buildings erection rather than to the time the photograph was taken.
Ab Shearman was with the first group of settlers—-the Paola crowd—-which laid out the town of Wellington, but for some reason he did not become a member of the town company, though his name is often associated with it. He took as a homestead claim the quarter on which St. Luke's Hospital now stands and his brother John took and proved up the one next to it. John was the business man and money-maker of the firm, while Ab was the best-mixer and politician. He served a couple years and also county commissioner. He married Miss Alwilda DeArmond, daughter of one of the early homesteaders and herself one of the first school teachers in the Wellington school s . They had three children, a son John Shearman , now living in Colorado, and two daughters, Mrs. Phil Ivers of Kansas City, and Miss Grace who is with her mother in Calif nia. John also died a number of years ago and is buried at the early home of the family in Elmira, New York.
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kans.
Aug. 22,1935
Editor, Daily News,
The report of the real property survey of Wellington as published in the Daily News of August 9 was interesting reading and gave facts never before known to many of your readers and forgotten by many others.
I confess that I had forgotten just when the newest house was built as it was too recent a date for me to remember.
Quoting the report of the survey "The oldest dwelling" is located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Sixteenth Street. It was built in Oct. 1871 and belongs to the Gruber estate." This statement is incorrect, except that the house belongs to the Gruber estate.
The land upon which the Gruber house stands was taken as a claim (preempted) by Abram Murlin (commonly called Doc) in April 1871, wupon which he built a small one-story, two-room house where he and his wife lived.
In June, 1872, I prepared his proof of "settlement and residence" upon the land and ho took it to the United States Land Office, then located at Augusta, Kansas, and on June 18,1872, he filed his proof and entered his land, paying $1.25 per acre for it.
On December 17, 1875, Murlin sold the land to Henry Bowers who built the house now owned by the Gruber estate. Some time before the Santa Fe railroad was built into Wellington, Bowers sold twenty acres of his land in the southeast corner to the railroad company and when the road was finished in the fall of 1879, the depot was located on the east side of Washington Avenue and about two blocks east of the Bowers house which became known as the Bowers hotel.
When I repaired my house a few years ago the oldest house then standing in Wellington lost its identity.
The oldest known house now standing in the city is on the same fine location in the block south of where I have lived 63 years and was built in the summer and fall of 1872 by the Bates family, and 1871 pioneer family from Pen Yan, New York.
The house is in fine condition and is owned and occupied by L.P.Jeter and family at 212 North F Street.
D. N. Caldwell REMINISCENCE 0F THE 70's
Monitor Press Wellington, Kansas 5/30/35
The year before the Rock Island railroad came into Wellington, if I remember rightly, saw the worst blizzard in the west up to that date. This was 1886, the year following the completion of the Court House. It was a
sunny and warm day. We were at the Thompson school. The eaves dripped musically. A pleasant crash sounded throughout the school building as icicles fell from the eaves.
The snow gently slushed. The room was uncomfort ably warn. Uncle Jake Justus, our teacher, opened the door for fresh air. It was the 4th day of January. As we played in our shirt sleeves, brother said "It is going to storm." It always does when the wind is in the south and a cloud like that in the west.
When we set out for home the sun was still shining but as the clouds advanced, soon covered the sun completely. It grew colder and as the sun paled continued cooler.
In no time the south wind ceased and streaming clouds of soft large flakes of soft cotton snow drove in a level line over the heads of us home bound scholars. The growing darkness bothered us most of all. By the time we reached home the wind was a gale.
It filled the air hiding the road, and darkness settled down immediately I froze my hands and ears and had to thaw them by snow and cold water applications that night. Such pain until then I never knew.
When we went to bed I had a strange premunition of a dread disturbance of Mother Nature we had never seen before. The wind howled like ten thousand tigers, the cold grew more and intense as the night advanced. The wind seemed to drive thru our frame shack, water and food began to freeze within six feet of the stove. We thought as we ascended the loft ladder to bed, the wind had attained its fury to the utmost, but when we awoke the next morning we saw how mistaken we had been. Appalled by the continued storm, we crept to the fire the next morning to dress. Its steady solemn fury kept up. It fairly benumbed our thinking, it seemed so like a wilderness of fury turned loose.It appalled our hearts beyond anything we had ever heard.
The house shook and snapped as the snow beat with rythmatic pulsations against the sides of the small building. The cabins seemed helpless, at the fury it underwent. There was nothing to be seen but the lashing of the wind and snow. There was a drift west of our house ten feet high where an old rooster was buried for two weeks and came forth as soon as the thaw turned him loose. We named him Tanner as at this Dr. Tanner was undergoing his memorial fast in New York.
Our neighbor, John Perkins, who was fattening a pen of hogs for market in an exposed place had the misfortune to have then freeze their backs until slabs of hair and hide came off. They would stand around and squeal pitifully.
Uncle Rufus Norris, living north of us, had a bunch of calves that the north wind drove down our way and three were found after the storm, stiff and dead. Bert Arnspiger, who had built a bank shed for his fattening hogs, found them underneath the snow suffocated a week later.
Ranson Baker, who was riding range at the tine in Indian Territory, had to have both feet amputated as a result of being frozen while herding.
He stayed with then all one night and knew by the rock like clicking of his
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feet in his boots they were frozen. He walked ever after with the assistance of a cane.
The spring west of our place froze over and spread out until it resembled an artesian well so great was the frozen overflow.
Chickens roosting in trees were chocked to death by frozen snow forced into their mouths by the storm.
The cows hock joints were frozen until they bled. A covey- of quail became so tame that they ate with the domestic fowls during this seige of winter.
The third day when the blizzard broke, a world of crystals was revealed such as happens to greet mortal eye seldom in life. Ice 18 inches thick was cut by workmen near where the Gueda Springs river bridge now stands.
He burned corn in the cook stove to keep from freezing. It makes a good fuel but does not last.
Taylor Poteet who had a slow well about 12 feet deep had to throw a heavy rock into it to break the ice before he could sink the well bucket.
For quite a while soda and syrup were at a premiiia. Folks borrowed from each other and thought nothing of making gain out of others misfortunes.
How glad we were when the ice melted on the window panes. We peered out on the unfamiliar landscape of peaceful dazzling snow, sunshine, and blue sky.
He watched the familiar columns of smoke ascending from near by cottages telling us that the neighbor was well. So long and continuous had the wind blew that its voice sounded in my ears continually for days.
Since it is all past we acknowledge the protecting hand of an overruling power in delivering us safely to the present hour.
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REMINISCENCE OF THE 70's
Monitor Press
Wellington, Kansas
Oct. 17, 1935
It is not so much how long we live as how intense the living that counts in the end.
Probably the most exciting experience of over half a century of the peaceful pursuit of happiness, cane to us as we entered the second richest county in the good old U.S.A. on the high noon tide September 16, 1893. This will be well remembered by those who participated in the run for a claim in the Cherokee Strip on that date.
As we boys were helping Rile Shuster threshing that fall, we took time out of an evening after the days work was done to wind then up and down the highway. This was done by standing a guard at say one end of a mile and another at the opposite and putting each horse to a dead run, making him take it as fast as he would go thinking this would enable better power of endurance,
When it is recalled that conservatively 15,000 people started from Caldwell alone and 10,000 from Hunnewell, as well as 30,000 who registered and started from below Arkansas City, you can partially at least visualize the immencity of this race. The parched prairie was no misnomer for the day before the run guards had set fire to the grass so as to enable the settlers to better locate the corner stones. To this might be added the fact that the weather was hot and dry. The 100 feet reserved for registration space was soon trampled to fine dust, a hot wind from the south west continued scarcity of water, made it an inferno on opening day.
The Santa Fe had traines ready for the race, at north Arkansas City for the race, and at Kiowa. The Rick Island had a train of 42 cattle cars stationed south of Caldwell, standing with pilots within a foot of the line, ready for the gun. These were jammed with people. Outside as well as in they held on as they scanned this treeless expanse, dreaming of a home and seasons of prosperity ahead.
Besides the saddle horses there were many covered wagons, spring wagons were to be seen on every hand for the first few miles. Buckboards and even surries, light as they were, vied for a place in this wild, mad race for the land of promise.
Talk about your thoroughbred saddle horses, trained for days along the border. Our native sires did them after the first mile until we never saw any more that day. A common cow pony reared on these western prairies became a gold mine to its owner the the press of time.
The day ushered in with a strong breeze from the southwest, a blazing sun overhead at high noon, the dust rose in clouds mingling with the ashes of the previous burning. At the crack of the gun to the east of us we were off. The big breath taking race, long look for, was on.
We swept down the broad Chikaskia valley, ever narrowing to a V shape, to the south. A lady to the left was having trouble with her cart and horse as the latter was becoming: unmanageable. Finally someone hit her, caving in the left wheel of her cart, throwing her head first over on one side, where she lay as we passed. Another man further down had broken a tongue out of his wagon and was frantically trying to fix it when we passed. We could see fellows fall out and drive their stakes every now and then as we passed. The
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cloud of dust swept up by the strong wind in our faces made it all but unbearable at times as we passed on. We pulled up late afternoon near where the city of Blackwell now stands to rest and refresh our weary horses as well as ourselves. A few tents adorned the place. We entered one to find a game in progress. It was some kind of card game and we were solicited. Going out by an adjoining tent we were asked if we won. We answered we did not, the fellow said he knew the game well. He wanted us to put up the price so as to have him try his luck with our money for us. We found out the next day he was a capper and the two were working together. One fellow came to camp late that night tired and sore at the country and everybody in particular and offered any one his claim for forty dollars. Said it was a bottom claim, too.
Next day a fellow showed us where he had taken a show from his horse’s foot and placed it in the crotch of a tree, claiming it as his staked quarter and offered it for thirty. There were no wells, no water, no feed, no anything but black burnt prairie, bare as the road.
Many were living in their wagons and a few were cutting sod to build a soddy to live in. Little did they think then that this Eden was underlaid with BLACK GOLD, as it afterwards developed.
CHARLES SHAWVER WAS BRAVE OFFICER DURING EARLY DAY
Welling Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
April 2, 1836
Chas. Shawver, 211 East 10th Street, one of the early settlers of Sumner County, gained much admiration in the early days because of his absolute fearlessness in going after and arresting offenders. Although he did not serve Sumner County as sheriff until in 1900, he served as under-sheriff back in the late ’70’s and as city marshall in the '70’s.
A. A. Richards, who edited a newspaper here many years ago, printed a story about Shawver making an arrest of a member of a tough gang, going in unarmed. The story which appeared in Mr. Richards’ newspaper in 1897 is as follows:
Onethe night of that day in March, 1880 upon which the Southern Kansas railroad track reached Wellington the tracklayers came into the city to "take the town.” There were thirteen saloons in Wellington then; there were more than a hundred of these "Irish Paddies,” as tough a gang as ever struck any town; they all got howling drunk and started out to take the town in great shape.
C. C. Shawver was city marshal at that time. He had occasion to handle some of this gang rather roughly on former occasions. They openly stated that they were "after the meat house” and did anything and everything to bring on a conflict. The climax soon came. One fellow, after finishing a schooner of beer in "Little Doc’s” salloon hurled the beer mug into the mirror on the wall behind the bar smashing it into smithereens. He ran. There was a crowd of a hundred or more of those drunken tracklayers in the street in front of the Shearman block. This fellow darted into their midst.
Shawver went after that man alone. He carried neither gun, pistol nor club. As Shawver reached the outer edge of that crowd of drunken, wildly yelling toughs, not less than two-score of revolvers were drawn and leveled on him. Those nearest him were literally stuck into his face and shoved against every part of his body. With absolute coolness and deliberation Shawver shoved those revolvers aside with open hands, as he did others at every step, until he forced his way into the very midst of the crowd.
He arrested his man, brought him out of the mob absolutely alone and locked him up in jail, with more than twenty of his fellows who were arrested that night.
COUNTY SEAT BATTLES TOLD IN OLD CLIPPING
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
July 4, 1936
A story of the battles—legal and otherwise—by which Wellington gained the county government of Sumner County is told in a clipping from an old newspaper, probably printed in the 90’s has been brought into the News office by Mrs. 0. P. Riner, 1224 South Washington Avenue.
The story, headed "How We Founded A town, The Story of the First Days of of Wellington, Kas., Told by One of the Town-Siters--How It got the County Seat," is signed by the initials H.S.F.
County government had been started the year previous to the arrival of the party of 1871, according to this account, when Governor Harvey appointed county commissioners.
The author says, "The only thing that had been done by them toward organizing the county was to -pitch a tent on the banks of Slate Creek, some two miles from us. Here they spent their time in loafing and playing cards, living principally by hunting and fishing. They were a pretty rough looking lot, although they were intelligent enough for all that and were men of some education."
At the first election held Wellington received the most votes but Oxford was a close second and a second election was held the following week to decide the contest between the two towns.
The article continues, "While waiting for the second election we decided to take time by the forelock and move the commissioners with the county books no records yet having been made. We believed in the old saying that 'possession is nine points in law’."
Selecting a dozen of our best men to act as persuaders, we loaded them into a two-horse wagon and started for the commissioner camp. Just as we arrived we spied a strong party from Oxford coming over a rise in the prairie bent on exactly the same errand. When they saw us they gave a yell, whipped up their horses and came up just ms w had thrown the books into our wagon. Then there was a lively time.
"Our men threw one commissioner into the wagon bodily on top of the books and three or four men sat on him while the rest went after the other two.
Hot words were exchanged at a furious rate, but fortunately neither party had weapons upon them.
"The second commissioner, Major Uhler, was pulled to and fro. Part of the time it looked as if we would not get him. As last he was tumbled into the rear end of our wagon, but with the Oxford delegates hanging on manfully to his long coat tails. With a sny the tails parted company with the major commissioner and his coat, leaving the valiant Oxfordites sitting in the dust.
The other commissioner was so well surrounded that we decided to take our two
7f
and get out. This we did ata lively gait, leaving the other commissioner and the Major’s coattails as their share of the day’s proceedings.
"The second election resulted in an easy victory for us. But on the day set for the official canvass of the vote, our wily Oxford friends sent a rising young lawyer with the necessary papers, secured from the probate judge to enjoin the commissioners from canvassing the vote. This young man cane the evening before the meeting was to be held. He stopped at the hotel and had his injunction papers carefully stowedaway inside of his coat. During the night some one removed them, substituting other papers less valuable.
When the board met at 9 o’clock the next morning the young gentleman appeared, and with much confidence stepped forward and said: "If Your Honor’s please, I hold in my hand an order of court enjoining this hoard from further proceeding in the canvass of this vote."
''Read the injunction,’ said one of the commissioners. Great was the chagrin of the young attorney when, on unrolling his papers, he found them blank. He fumed and threatened, declaring he had been tricked. The board gave him a short time to produce his papers, but as they were not forthcoming the vote was counted and Wellington, having received the majority, was officially declared to be the county seat.
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CHRONOLOGICAL
Record of events connected with the early settlement of Sumner County.
1869
Summer-John Neigolia settled on Slate Creek in what is now Sumner township and built a stockade ranch.
1870
April 25-J. M. Buffington crossed the Arkansas river, settled and built where he now lives, sec. 36, town 32, range 2 east.
May 16—Lafayette Binkley and John Horton crossed at "Big Cottonwood Ford," now Oxford, built the log house now occupied Mr. John Hardman and opened a trading store.
June 15-Edwin Wiggins, Chas. Russell and Frank Holcroft arrived and took
claims where the cattle trail crossed Slate creek, eight miles above where Wellington now stands.
July 5—The first settlers of the Ninnescah in what is now Belle Plaine
township were A. D. Clewell, G.C.Walton, J.B.W. and S. Leforce,
J. L. Ferguson and L. Cambridge. Mrs. C. E. Clewell was the first white woman in the settlement.
July 15-Treaty with Osage Indians, by which this territory was added to the United States.
July 15—W. G. Foraker and Nelson Holmes settled on Slate creek, just south of the present site of Wellington, made the first settlement and completed the first houses in this section.
July 15—Thomas A. Woodward, Thomas Fuller and James Sullivan arrived on Slate Creek, south of Wellington and selected claims.
July 25—The McMahan brothers built a house in the grove a mile southwest of Wellington.
July 26—Captain A. B. Barnes, Chas. Russell, Harry Holcroft and Ed. Wiggins settled on Slate creek in Sumner township.
July 29—Thomas V. McMahan, John S. McMahan and Robert Symington located on Slate creek, south of Wellington.
August 15-Charles Forbes arrived at the Slate Creek settlement.
August 20 - R.A.Davis arrived and settled on Slate Creek.
Sept 1-—Albert Brown, George Brown, John Botkin and Simon Botkin took claims on Slate creek south, of Wellington.
Sept 15--John P. McCulloch arrived at the settlement on Slate creek.
Oct. 14—-John E, Reid, the first settler, located his claim near Caldwell.
Sept 27—John Burnett and family, and Mrs. Millie Wallace, then 86 years old and who was 75 before one of the first settlers in W.Va arrived and began building.
Oct. 15 — Ike Bishop landed and took his claim.
Nov. 8---Victor Bussard, James Bussard, Augustus Taton and Dasire Taton located
on the claim they now occupy.
Dec. 31—Messrs. A. Morrill and Perry Binkley crossed at Big Cottonwood and located claims.
1871
Jan. 5---The townsite of Belle Plaine was located by Geo. A. Hamilton, James
L. Hamilton, Jap. L. Kellogg, W. P. Hackney, E.M.Miller and J.C.
Thurman.
Feb. 1---Rev.W. Perkins preached the first sermon in the county in Binkley's
dugout at Big Cottonwood Ford.
Feb. 7---Sumner county organized by proclamation of Gov. Harvey and the
county seat established at Meridian, and the following officers appointed: Commissioners, W. J. Uhler, J.J.Abeel and Jno. S. McMahan; Clerk, Chas. A. Phillips.
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Feb. 15--David Richards established the first ferry across the Arkansas River east of Belle Plaine.
Feb. 21—Capt. L. K. Myers arrived in the county—the townsite of Meridian was
staked out under the supervision of a company consisting of J. J. Angell,
Maj Uhler, Nugent, B. F. Parsons and J. J. Abeel.
Feb. 25—Drs. P. A. Wood, and C. R. Godfrey arrived at Meridian, came over to the Slate Creek settlements and settled. Dr. Wood was the first phy-sician to settle in the county.
Feb. 25—The first business house in Belle Plaine opened by James L. Hamilton The town of Nep-ta-wah was founded at Big Cottonwood ford by a company composed of A. Morrill, President;C.P. Binkley, secretary;
L. and J. Binkley, J. A. and J. M. Corbin.
March 1—The town of Caldwell was located and named in honor of U. S. Senator
Caldwell, of Leavenworth, by a company consisting of Charles Gilbert, president; G. A. Smith, secretary; C. H. Stone, treasurer; and J. H. Dagner— Charles Brodbent and N. Loofborrow settled on Slate creek.
March 6—The Oxford Town and Emigration company was organized at Oswego, Kas.
March 14-Edmond Sleigh Sr. and Jr. Jos. Sleigh and Jos Harrop arrived and located claims.
March 15-First building in Caldwell, erected by E. C. Stone and used as a dwelling and store room.
March 20 - A. W. Sherman landed on Slate Creek and adopted it as his future abode.
March 24-An exploring expedition consisting of R. W. Stevenson, J. H. Folks,
0. E. Kimball, Dr. J. W. Weir, Jno. G. Davis, N. A. Stevenson. T. E. Clark,
A. L. Austin and A. M. Bowyer, arrived in the town of Nep-ta-wah, now Oxford,then containing one dugout.
March 26-Th.e Oxford Town company, consisting of T. E. Clark, President; J. H. Folks, Secretary; 0. E. Kimball, Dr. J. W. Weir, L. J. Goddard, Dr. F. Wixon, Chas. Tilton, R. W. Stevenson, A. Graft, A. J. Bower, A. L. Austin and Hon. D. P.
Lowe, bought Nep-ta-wah and laid out Oxford.
March 30-A. N. Randall arrived and selected his claim.
March 31 - The Oxford Town Company ordered a printing press.
April 2—Wellington town site selected.
April 2--Willard Binkley, son of George and Mary Binkley, was born in Oxford township. This is the earliest authenticated birth in the county.
April 4-Survey of Wellington townsite commenced—Capt. L. K. Myer’S began the erection of the log house now occupied by Mr. G. W. Winn, from logs hewn for use in an intended home in Meridian. This was the first house on the present town site of Wellington.
April 5—The first building in Oxford, Capt. J. H. Folks’ office was erected.
April 9—First preaching in Wellington, by Rev. Shaeffer in the unfinished house of A. W. Sherman.
April 10-The Oxford Town and Emigration company chartered under the laws of the state. Wm. Sherburn arrived in Oxford with two wagon loads of bacon—the first.
April 12-Survey of Oxford completed.
April 15-A.W. Sherman opened the first business house in Wellington.
April 15-Rev. E.C. Ferguson preached the first sermon in Sumner City. As
Buildings were few, the people assembled in a saloon; the minister used the counter as a pulpit, and preached from John III:3.
April 20-Hack and mail line established between Wellington and Wichita.
April 20-Capt. A. B. Barnes of Sumner broke the first prairie in the county,
April 30-S. S. Williams, John Parker and P. Williams located at Oxford,
May 10----A. Graff opened the first business house in Oxford.
May 1—-—C.R.Godfrey opened the first drug store in the county.
May 8-----Capt. Myers family arrived in Wellington, and were the first to keep
house in this section.
May 7-----The first Sunday School in the county organized in Oxford by J. H. Folks
J. M. Buffington, W. H. Pearce, A. Morrill, and others, in T. E. Clark’s unfinished store room.
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July 15—A meeting of the settlers of the Ninnescah Valley was held at the house of Mr. S. Perkins.
July 16—There was a meeting at Meridian to further the remanent organization of the county. A committee consisting of commissioners Uhler and McMahan, G. N. Godfrey, of Oxford; W. N. Carpenter, of Sumner City;
C. R. Godfrey of Wellington, and John Baldwin of Chickaskia were appointed to correspond with the Governor.
July 20--0xford Duffit was born, the first child in Oxford.
August 6-The Sumner County Herald established at Belle Plaine by Wm. Nixon.
Aug. 8---A company was chartered to build a bridge across the Arkansas River
at Oxford.
Aug. 9---J. L. Goddard at Oxford received his commission as Justice of the Peace.
Aug. 10—The "Oxford House” was formally opened with a ball largely attended by the "beautiful fair and manly brave” of Wellington, Sumner City, and Belle Plaine. The Sumner City String Band furnishing the music.
Aug. 10—The first transfer of Wellington property. J. P. McCulloch sold his one-eighth interest to R. A. Davis for $440.
Aug 21---Mr. 0.E. Kimball’s brick chimney and yard fence completed—the first
in the county.
Aug. 23—The County Commissioners ordered a special election of county and town Officers to be held Sept. 26.
Aug. 24—The foundation of a school house laid in Oxford.
Aug. 31—Bennett, a carpenter, died in Oxford. He was the first one to die in Oxford, or to be buried in the cemetry.
Sept. 7—The newspaper quarrels of the countv began between the Oxford Times and the Belle Plaine Herald.
Sept. 23-EM S. Hughes withdrew leaving W. H. Mugford sole proprietor and editor of the Oxford Times, The Sumner City Gazette was established at Sumner City by W. D. Carpenter.
Sept. 26-Election of county Officers.
Sept. 27-The first deed recorded, Mary E. and David Chestnut deeded to C.J.
Barlow the northwest quarter of section 8, township 32, S. R. 1 W.,
for the sum of $800.
Sept. 29-The County Commissioners met at Wellington to canvas the vote for
county officers. The result was as follows: Commissioners—Daird Richards, A. D. Rosencrans and Reuben Riggs; Clerk—C.S. Brodbent; Treasurer -- R. Freeman; Probate Judge, Geo. M. Miller; Register, J.
Romine, Sheriff, J. J. Ferguson; Coroner, Chas. D. Brande; Surveyor,
M. A. Ramsey; Supt. Public Instruction, A. M. Colson; County Attorney,
G. N. Godfrey.
Oct. 1—The Methodist Church at Oxford was organized.
Oct. 6—The house of Chauncey Lewis, with its contents destroyed by Prairie fire.
Oct. 7—The Oxford Times was bought by the Town Company.
The Oxford school house was completed and ready for occupancy. This was the first house of its kind south and west of the Arkansas river and was built principally through the generosity and energy of Mr.
Chas. Tilton. It has since been moved six miles south and is known as the Jenkins school house.
Oct. 8---The Oxford Union Sunday School was reorganized with Mr. Chas. Tilton
as superintendent.
Oct. 11—Oxford Township formed.
Oct. 18—Belle Plaine, London, Sumner, Caldwell, New Haven, afterwards South Haven, Chikaskia and Slate Creek townships were formed.
Oct. 19—A county convention was held at Meridian and nominated the following ticket: Representative D.C. Burson; Commissioners, D.L. Spencer, R. W. Stevenson, Reuben Riggs; County Clerk, Chas C. Brodbent; Treasurer,
G. H. Winsor; Probate Judge, S. L. Still; Register, W.S. Handley;
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July 15—A meeting of the settlers of the Ninnescah Valley was held at the house of Mr. S, Perkins.
July 16—There was a meeting at Meridian to further the permanent organization of the county. A committee consisting of commissioners Uhler and McMahan, G. N. Godfrey, of Oxford; W. N. Carpenter, of Sumner City;
C. R. Godfrey of Wellington, and John Baldwin of Chickaskia were appointed to correspond with the Governor.
July 20—Oxford Duffit was born, the first child in Oxford.
August 6-The Sumner County Herald established at Belle Plaine by Wm. Nixon.
Aug. 8---A company was chartered to build a bridge across the Arkansas River
at Oxford.
Aug. 9---J. L. Goddard at Oxford received his commission as Justice of the Peace.
Aug. 10—The "Oxford House” was formally opened with a ball largely attended by the "beautiful fair and manly brave” of Wellington, Sumner City, and Belle Plaine. The Sumner City String Band furnishing the music.
Aug. 10—The first transfer of Wellington property. J.P. McCulloch sold his one-eighth interest to R.A. Davis for $440.
Aug 21---Mr. O. E. Kimball's brick chimney and yard. fence completed—the first
in the county.
Aug. 23—The County Commissioners ordered a special election of county and town officers to be held Sept. 26.
Aug. 24—The foundation of a school house laid in Oxford.
Aug. 31—Bennett, a carpenter, died in Oxford. He was the first one to die in Oxford, or to be buried in the cemetry.
Sept. 7—The newspaper quarrels of the county began between the Oxford Times and the Belle Plaine Herald.
Sept. 23-Em S. Hughes withdrew leaving W.H. Mugford sole proprietor and editor of the Oxford Times, The Sumner City Gazette was established at Sumner City by W. D. Carpenter.
Sept. 26-Election of county Officers.
Sept. 27-The first deed recorded, Mary E. and David Chestnut deeded to C. J.
Barlow the northwest quarter of section 8, township 32, S. R. 1 W.,
for the sum of $800.
Sept. 29-The County Commissioners met at Wellington to canvas the vote for
county officers. The result was as follows: Commissioners—Daird
Richards, A. D. Rosencrans and Reuben Riggs; Clerk—C.S. Brodbent; Treasurer--R. Freeman; Probate Judge, Geo. M. Miller; Register, J.
Romine; Sheriff, J .J .Ferguson; Coroner, Chas. D. Brande; Surveyor,
M.A. Ramsey; Supt. Public Instruction, A.M. Colson; County Attorney,
G.N. Godfrey.
Oct. 1—The Methodist Church at Oxford was organized.
Oct. 6—The house of Chauncey Lewis, with its contents destroyed by Prairie fire.
Oct. 7—The Oxford Times was bought by the Town Company.
The Oxford school house was completed and ready for occupancy. This was the first house of its kind south and west of the Arkansas river and was built principally through the generosity and energy of Mr.
Chas. Tilton. It has since been moved six miles south and is known as the Jenkins school house.
Oct. 8---The Oxford Union Sunday School was reorganized with Mr. Chas. Tilton
as superintendent.
Oct. 11—Oxford Township formed.
Oct. 18—Belle Plaine, London, Sumner, Caldwell, New Haven, afterwards South Haven, Chikaskia and Slate Creek townships were formed.
Oct. 19—A county convention was held at Meridian and nominated the following ticket: Representative D.C. Burson; Commissioners, D.L. Spencer, R.W, Stevenson, Reuben Riggs; County Clerk, Chas C. Brodbent; Treasurer,
G. H. Winsor; Probate Judge, S.L. Still; Register, W.S.Handley;
Sheriff, Edwin Cole; Coroner, P.A. Wood; County Attorney, J. L. Abbott; Dist. Clerk, W. A. Thompson; Surveyor, E. H. Doyle; Supt. Public Instruction, S. H. Kimball.
Oct. 23--Miss Mary- Pearce opened a select school in Oxford. This was the first school taught in the county.
Nov. 7----The general election of state and county officers. The following
county- officers were elected; Commissioners, S.W. Stevenson,
E.A. White and John C. Snow; Sheriff, Geo. A. Hamilton; Register,
Wm. Nixon; Clerk, C .S. Brodbent; Surveyor, M. A. Ramsey; Treasurer,
J.L. Kellogg; Probate Judge, Geo. W. Miller; County Attorney, Reuben Riggs; Supt. of Pub. Inst. T.H. Mason.
Nov. 8—Rev. W. H. Knapp preached the first funeral sermon in the county at the burial of Mrs. E. T.Felt.
Nov. 16—A stage and mail line established between Oxford and Wichita.
Nov. 17—The first marriage license was issued to Geo. W. Clark and Mary Catharine Wright of Sumner City.
Nov. 18—Geo. W. Clark and Miss M. C. Wright were married by Rev. E. C. Ferguson.
Nov. 23—John Murphy and A. Carroll arrived in Oxford and engaged in business immediately.
Nov. 25--Uncle Dick Stevenson took the census of Oxford and found two hundred and twenty souls.
Dec. 16—The government survey of the county completed.
Dec. 20--The County Commissioners ordered an election to be held on the 29th of January 1872, to select a permanent county seat.
Dec. 31—During the year, 1871 there were 500,000 head of cattle driven across the town site of Caldwell.
1872
Jan. 6----G.T. Walton's family arrived at Oxford.
Jan. 21—School district No. L, the Oxford, district was organized. The first examination of teachers was held at Oxford. The board of examiners consisted of Thomas H. Mason, county superintendent, Geo. T. Walton,
S. R. Kimball. The following persons received certificates in the order named: Olive North, G.T. Mason, Lilly Walton and Jennie Whealy,
Jan. 23—Avon township organized.
Jan. 29—County seat election held.
Feb. 3----The County Commissioners met at Meridian, in obedience to a mandamers
issued by Hon. H. E. Webb, as a board of canvassers to canvas the vote for county seat. Objections were filed against Commissioner D.W. Stevenson acting as a member of the board. During the insuing argument, A.D. Rosencrans resigned his office as commissioner; the board adjourned and the vote was never canvassed.
Feb. 14—Leap year party at Father Sleigh's on Mt. Chetopa; there were twenty-two couples present.
Feb. 22—Dedication Ball at the Oxford House, which everybody attended.
Mar. 26—An election was held under a then recent act of the Legislature to select a permanent county seat.
Mar. 29—The County Commissi oners met to canvass the whole vote for county-seat, which was: Wellington, 398; Oxford, 297; Belle Plaine, 282;
and Caldwell, 2. In accordance with law the commissioners ordered an election of county-seat between Wellington and Oxford, to be held April 9.
April 1—The County Commissioners made an order enforcing the "Herd Law".
April 9--The final election of county-seat was held and resulted in the choice of Wellington by a vote of 571 to 426.
April 24-The Presbyterian Church at Caldwell was organized by Rev. J.P. Harsen.
May 6—Leave was granted to T.R. Davis and Geo. M. Forbes, respectively to keep a dram shop in Wellington.
May 14—Mail route established from Winfield via Oxford to Wellington and Sumner City.
June 1---License granted to John Dunn and A. B. Mayhew for a ferry boat over
the Ninneschah near Belle Plaine.
June 22—The Republican party in the county organized at Wellington and Judge Geo. M. Miller was chosen chairman of the central committee,
June 27—The Oxford Weekly Press was established at Oxford by J. H. Folks and Harry Ludlow.
June 25—Chauncy Lewis killed by the caving in of a well on Peter Hedrick’s farm two and one half miles southwest of Oxford.
June 30—The Baptist Church at Oxford, organized, with D. E. Bent and D. D. Kellogg as deacons and Chas. Tilton, treasurer.
July 4---V. Bussard and son finished harvesting the first crop of wheat,
250 bushels, raised in the county.
July 21—Inquest on the body of an unknown man found dead east of the Oxford school house.
July 26—Rev. W.H. Boggs died. The summer session of the Oxford school taught by Mr. G.T. Mason closed, and Mr Mason was employed to teach the next term.
Aug. 13--Rev. W.J. Finney read the first sermon in Caldwell.
Aug. 28—Caldwell’s first wedding. Mr. George Graul and Miss Christena Reid were married by B. W. Fox, Esq.
Sept. 19--Wellington's first school house completed.
Sept. 27-Wellington Banner, Republican in politics, established by G. P. Garland.
Sept.28-First primary election of delegates to Republican convention.
Oct. 3---Public lecture in Oxford by G. T. Mason, on "Education”. Sumner County
Herald of Belle Plaine suspended.
Oct. 6---James M. Wright purchased the first land in Sumner County from
R. M. Carrington.
Oct. 12—Republican county convention.
Oct. 17—Democrat and Liberal county convention.
Oct 24---Masons and Odd Fellows’ supper and ball at the Southwestern Hotel
in Wellington.
Oct. 26—Mr. Elliott Beck bought a quarter section near Oxford from J. L. Goddard for $750.
Nov.5----At the Presidential election 1,130 votes were cast—728 for Grant
and 402 for Greeley.
Nov. 10—David S. McIntosh, chief engineer of the S. K., A&P R.R. with a surveying party entered Oxford and continued to preliminary survey westward.
Nov. 12—First railroad meeting held in Oxford.
Nov. 13—Upon petition of D. N. Caldwell and seventy-eight others, Wellington was incorporated as a city of the third class.
Nov. 30—Wellington’s first city election was held and resulted in the selection of the following officers: Mayor, D. N. Caldwell;
Police Judge J.A. Dillar; Councilmen, A.W. Sherman, W. P. Hackney A. N. Randall, John G. Tucker and T. J. Riley; Treasurer, S. Mann;
Marshal, W. H. McClelland.
Nov. 30—The bridge across the Arkansas at Oxford opened to the public.
Dec. 6---The Oxford Literary Society organized.
1873
Jan. 7---Judge Reuben Riggs died.
Feb. 1---The Belle Plaine Democrat established by J. Wade McDonald and
E. F. Widner. This was the first Democratic paper published south and
west of the Arkansas River.
Feb. 24--Exhibition given at the Fielding House the pupils of the Oxford school, under the direction of G. T. Mason.
Mar. 13—Oxford Cemetry Company was organized. W. B. Caldwell, Secretary;
Apr. 8--First cession of court held in Wellington. Judge W. P. Campbell
presiding. There were twelve cases on the docket.
Apr. 18—Wellington Dramatic Society organized.
May 9---Population of county 4,568.
May 20--The bridge across the Ninneschah at Belle Plaine completed.
July 17--The Press removed from Oxford to Wellington, and issued as the Sumner County Press by Folks and Ludlow.
July 29—Wm. McDowell, of Wellington, murdered near a cattle camp, five miles south of Austin. First County Sunday School Convention held at Oxford.
Aug. 1--Work on the Oxford Presbyterian Church commenced.
Aug. 21—Governor Osborn offered a reward of $1,500 for the arrest and conviction of the murderers of McDowell.
Aug. 31—Site of Court House established by vote.
Sept. 5—The Oxford Enterprise established by T. J. Hadley. Mrs. Bailey
Pilcher died from the effects of strychnin© mistaken for quinine.
Sept. 18-Oxford Silver Cornet Band organized.
Oct. 4--Five thousand dollars in bonds voted by Wellington township towards
the erection of a court house.
Oct. ll--Committee appointed at the school officers meeting, at Belle Plaine reported their selections of books for use in the common schools for the coming five years.
Nov. 13—On petition of D. N. Caldwell and 78 others Judge Campbell made an order incorporating Wellington as a city of the third class.
Nov. 17—Wellington seriously endangered by prairie fires.
Nov. 22—William Clark arrested charged with poisoning Mrs. Pilcher.
Nov. 30—Wellington held her first city election, casting total of 66 votes and elected the following officers: Mayor, D. N. Caldwell; Police Judge, J. A. Dillar; Councilman, A. W. Sherman, W. P. Hackney,
A. N. Randall, John G. Tucker and T. J. Riley.
Dec 4---Wellington City Council had its first meeting, and appointed T. C.
Gatliff, Jr, Clerk; S. Mann, Treasurer, and W. H. McClelland, Marshall.
Dec. 18—Harry Ludlow sold his interest in the Press to L. W. Bishop. Wellington Coal and Mining Company organized.
Dec. 24—County Council of the Patrons of Husbandry organized, with James Kirby as master.
Dec. 26—Convention of Cotton Growers held at Belle Plaine,
1874
Feb. 5--Reed arrested for robbery of the Wellington Post Office.
Apr. 6--City election held in Wellington; resulting in the choice of the
following officers: Mayor, C. R. Godfrey; Councilmen, D. N. Caldwell,
Z. Miexsell, P. Moreland, H. J. Atchison and J. P. McCulloch; Police Judge, E. Evans.
Apr. 25—First Teachers Association held in Wellington.
June 13—The Presbytery of Emporia met at Oxford.
July 4--The largest crowd ever assembled in the county celebrated the Fourth
at Wellington.
July 8--The great Indian scare.
July 13—The Sumner County Press office removed to second floor of Wood's & Share's new brick block.
July 15—Sheriff John G. David left Wellington with a posse consisting of
T. C. Gatliff, Jr; John Botkin and J. M. Thralls, of that place; W. B. King, C. M. Barrington, John Williams, Hiram Force, A. M. Colson, and Alexander Williamson of the Chikaskia river country in pursuit of a party of desperadoes who had stolen a number of mules from Vail &Co’s Stage Line at the station below Caldwell, the thieves had twenty-four hours start; but as the sheriff hoped to cut them off the party left without supplies, and as the chase lasted several days, the pursuers suffered intensely from hunger and thirst. On the sixth day the thieves were overtaken at a point on the Arkansas river near Garfield. Sheriff Davis with King and Williams surprised and attacked their camp, and captured one of the robbers. Two others attempted to escape with a baggage wagone, which they were after-wards forced to abandon to flee for their lives. All the mules, five in number, were recovered besides other stolen stock; baggage wagon, supplies and camp equipage captured. The party returned on the 26th without the prisoner.
July 20—Organization of the Wellington Militia Company effected.
July 29—Hasbrouck, Smith and Brooks taken from the Wellington calaboose by the Vicilantes and all hung to the same tree near the Slate Creek bridge.
Aug. 5---Beginning of the Grasshopper Plague.
Aug. 19—Frederick Ricer shot by L. L. Oliver at Caldwell and Oliver lynched.
Aug. 20—Wellington Court House completed.
Aug. 24—Capt. O. F. Short and his son T. D. Short, former residents of Sumner county murdered by Cheyenne Indians at Crooked Creek, south of Dodge City.
Sept. 1—Rain.
Sept. 9--First Teachers Institute convened at Wellington under the supervision of John P. Jones Esq, Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Sept 17 — Belle Plaine Democrat suspended.
Oct, Victor Bussard gathered the first apples raised in the county.
Oct. 19--Mr. Bayley Pilcher killed by the accidental discharged revolver.
Oct. 22—The Oxford Enterprise suspended operation.
Dec. 24—The Oxford stone school house completed, at a cost of $5,000.
1875
Jan. 12—Capt. J. H. Folks was elected secretary of the State Senate.
Jan. 22—T.W. & N. R.R. meeting at Caldwell.
Mar. 5---Rev. S. B. Fleming resigned his position as Superintendent of Public
Instruction and Prof. Jones was appointed to his stead.
Apr. 24—Capt. Rafferty with 125 men returned to Caldwell from the unsuccessful pursuit of escaping Cheyenne Indians.
May 3----The stone school house in Oxford was completed ready for use.
May 5----Sumner County’s first spelling match in Caldwell.
July 12—The Teachers’ Normal Institute opened in Wellington under the management of J. P. Jones.
Sept. 6—Sumner County’s Centennial Central Committee appointed.
Oct. 2---Willis Jackson, one of the murderers of Wm. McDowell July 10, 1873
was arrested at Sequin, Texas, by Joseph M. Thralls, present Sheriff Elect of the county.
Nov. 2---J. H. Turner was shot and killed by R. M. Neal in self-defense, near
Porter’s school house in London township.
Dec. 17—The Emporia Presbytery met at Wellington,
1876
Jan. 2—-The M. E. Sunday School of Wellington organized.
Feb. 10—The Christian Church of Belle Plaine, was organized with a membership of twelve; Thomas H. Mason and Wm. A. Homer were chosen elders.
Apr. 15—A party composed of Messrs. McGee, Lewallen, Bowyer, Banks, Dorland,
36
and Walton returned from a successful pursuit of horse thieves who made a raid on the settlement a few miles southwest of Wellington and ran off several teams of horses. This party followed the thieves 300 miles, captured them and recovered the horses; but returned without the thieves.
May 2-----R. M. Neal was acquitted on the charge of murdering J. H. Turner.
May 6-----Great flood.
May 13----The Teachers’ Association of the county organized.
June 1----Edgar Sleigh was drowned in the Ninneschah.
June 2----The Chikaskia Milling Company was organized.
July 4----Frank Jones accidently shot Joseph Lheureux, at Salt City, from the
effects of which he died July 9th. The Fourth was celebrated at Wellington, Oxford, and Caldwell.
July 8----Judge John M. Forsyth celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary at
Mr. J. S. Epperson’s.
July 17---200F of Oxford was organized.
Aug. 15—The Sumner County Democrat was established at Wellington by Crawford and Edmiston.
Sept. 18--Judge J. M. Forsyth died.
Sumner County Press
Wellington, Kansas.
Jan. 1, 1880
Original Format
Typed manuscript for new Fourth Grade Geography Unit, 37 pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, it appears that it was in a stapled binding, but the front cover is missing.
Title
New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and Historical Calendar for Wellington, Kansas
Scroll down to view and search inside this booklet.
Subject
Kansas History--Wellington, Kansas
Kansas History--Sumner County History
Kansas History--Wellington, Kansas Timeline
Description
This manuscript is Dorothy Dey's New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and includes the Historical Timeline and dates for events for the founding and history of Wellington, Kansas
Creator
Dey, Dorothy
Source
Wellington Public Library, Wellington, Kansas
Publisher
Wellington Public Library, Wellington, Kansas
Date
ca. 1930-1945
Rights
Relation
Dorothy Dey History Collection, Wellington Public Library, Wellington, Kansas
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Manuscripts
Coverage
1871 - 1940
Citation
Dey, Dorothy, “New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography and Historical Calendar for Wellington, Kansas,” Wellington Digital Collections, accessed April 20, 2024, https://wellington.digitalsckls.info/item/19.Text
New Unit in Fourth Grade Geography.
HISTORICAL CALENDAR OF WELLINGTON
Monitor Press Wellington, Kansas April 4, 1935.
Prepared, on Occasion of City's Birthday by Wellington Chapter of D. A. R.
1871 -- April 2, Eight men selected site for city.
April 4, Townsite surveyed by Capt. Meyers.
April 9, First church services held.
June Town Company organized
June 26, Tri-weekly hack line between Wellington and Winfield established. July 4, First Fourth of July celebration held.
Sept. 26, First County seat election.
1872 -- April 9, Wellington chosen county seat.
April 10, First session of court, 13th. Judicial dist.
Nov. first public school organized - 9th and B Sts.
Dec. First Newspaper, "Wellington Banner."
1873 -- Oct. 4, Special election to issue $5,000 in bonds to erect a township hall
and court house.
Nov. 13, Wellington incorporated as 3rd. class city,
Nov. 30, First city election. D. N. Caldwell elected mayor.
Methodist and Presbyterian churches organized.
1874 -- July, Indian scare.
July 25, Grasshopper raid.
Aug. 29, Old Stone Courthouse and Township Hall, Washington and 7th Sts. completed.
1878 — Methodists built first church*
Hunter Mill built.
1879 Santa Fe Railroad came into Wellington.
Baptist church organized.
1880 -- Southern Kansas Railroad came
Aetna Mill built•
Fire company organized.
Feb. 20, Wellington became a city of the second class.
1881 -- Nov. Big fire gutted part of business district.
1884 — 1884 Christians built their first church.
Complete water works put in Gas installed.
1885 May 5, Completion of new court house on 10th St. 25 public lamps erected on
principal streets of city.
Street cars put in operation.
1886 -- Jan. 4, terrible blizzard.
1887 — Rock Island railroad came into Wellington.
1888 — Lutheran and Congregational churches organized.
1892 — May 27, Wellington cyclone.
2
A FURROW CHANGED COURSE OF EARLY TOWN HISTORY
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 2, 1936
A furrow, plowed from a point on the Chisholm Trail well south of Wellington, east and north and finally joining the Trail again near the present site of Clearwater is said, according to one story, to be the reason Wellington is today the county seat of Sumner County rather than Sumner City, one a flourishing town located where the Trail crossed Slate Creek.
The story is told by Victor Murdock, editor of the Wichita Eagle, who got it from James V. Wright of Ponca City.
When Wellington was founded in 1871 its greatest rival in the central portion of the county was Sumner City, an important stopping point for the great wagontrains, often twenty-five teams long, which poured down to Reno and Sill out of Wichita, then the end of the railroad. The great cattle herds from Texas following the Trail north-through Sumner City,
In order to draw trade and population to the strubbling new village of Wellington and so win the county seat contest which impended, the enterprising founders of Wellington went to a point well south of the town site and plowed a great curving furrow across the prairies, which swung away from Sumner City and took in Wellington, back to the Trail far north of Sumner City at Clearwater.
Guides were then posted at the state line and when the herders asked about the way to Wichita were told to "follow the furrow”. As a result Sumner City was left high and dry and Wellington got the cattle trade and the county seat.
Some of Sumner City moved to another embryo city, Austin, but most of the citizen, loaded the shacks and frame business houses on wagons and moved to Wellington.
Among those who moved from Sumner City to Wellington was J. R. Smith, pioneer merchant. Others prominent in Sumner City were Conwas and Fee, who ran the hotel; Clark, the blacksmith shop; Baseley, the livery stable, and Charles Thompson the general store. Wright, the author of this story was one who moved to Wellington from its neighboring rival.
FURROW ACROSS PRAIRIES WHICH CHANGED TRAIL AND THUS BUILT CITY
By Victor Murdock In The Wichita Eagle Wichita, Kansas 5-11-33
Story of the Disappearance of a Thriving Metropolis to the South of Wichita and
the Winning of Wellington.
I heard a new Chisholm Trail story today and I want to add it to the archives, for it is one of the drollest stories of this section I have encountered. I got it from James V. (Virgil) Wright of Ponca City.
The story starts with Sumner City and ends at Wellington. Sumner City is a farm today. But in 1872 it was a flourishing town. Conwas and Fee ran the hotel; Clark the blacksmith shop; Baseley (afterward Baseley and Leveridge, Wichita) the livery stable; Charles Thompson the general store. Here was the making of a metropolis.
Wellington was not in it, for Wellington was not on the Chisholm Trail and Sumner City, three miles north and five miles west of Wellington was on the mighty highway. The great wagon-trains, often twenty-five teams long, which poured down to Reno and Sill out of Wichita, the railhead, thrust through Sumner City, not Wellington. The great bellowing herds from Texas, following the Trail, lumbered through Sumner City, not through Wellington.
This current of commerce was very important because a county seat contest impended. Mr. Wright told me that the enterprising crowd at Wellington went to a point well south of Wellington and plowed a great curving furrow across the prairies, which curve swung away from Sumner City and took in Wellington, coming back to the trail far north of Sumner City (at Clearwater). Then Wellington posted guildes at the state line and when the herders asked about the way to Wichita answered "Follow the furrow". The herders did follow the furrow. Sumner City was left high and dry. Wellington got the cattle trade and the county seat.
Some of Sumner City moved to another embryo city, Austin, but most of the citizens of Sumner City went to Wellington, among them James V. Wright. Things were moving in those days. And Wright found Wellington no exception. For he was soon in an Indian campaign.
The United States of America tried to locate a band of Sioux in the Indian territory. The Sioux wouldn’t stay. They started home and General Miles brought them back. But the Sioux broke for home again and in the general excitement the Osages got stirred up and went on the warpath. This was in 1874.
Governor Osborn of Kansas issued the call to arms. Three military companies were organized, one at Arkansas City, one at Wellington, one at Medicine Lodge.
Wright was in the Wellington company, Tom Riley, captain. The companies were armed with Sharp’s rifles, Spencer carbines and Colt revolvers. They were mounted.
Because Wright had the best horse in the Company he was sent under orders as a guard with Jim Lefflin’s train (twenty-five oxteams) out of Wichita for Reno and Sill, laden with food and blankets for the Indians. While the train halted at Buffalo Springs, Bill Brooks rode up from the South with the first news of the attack on Pat Hennessey twelve miles below. Hennessey’s train, laden with bacon, had been attacked by the Indians. Brooks got away. Hennessey and the others made one of the most valiant stands in the history of this country. When the Lefflin train reached the battle ground it was over. Wright told me that Hennessey had been burned to ashes at the end-gate. The others were in a hollow nearby scalped.
MRS. H. W. ANDREWS HAS LIVED HERE SINCE TOWN STARTED
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 2, 1936
To be the only person now living in Wellington who has lived here continuously since the townsite was laid out is a distinctive honor belonging to Mrs. H. W.
Andrews, 323 South G Street who reached Sumner County with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John P. McCullough and her brother,William, now residing in Caldwell, Kansas, in February, 1871,and settled on a claim taken by her father where the County Infirmary now stands. Together with a caravan of other pioneers, the McCulloughs had left Texas, where Mrs. Andrews was born, and started for California, hoping to "strike it rich there" but were stopped in Denver by the severe winter. The crowd separated, some coming back east and landing in Wichita. The McCulloughs stayed there for a short time and then came on south along the Chisholm Trail to prairie lands of Sumner County.
1 -
The Indian tepees dotted this part of the county, Mrs. Andrews remembers and she says that first a small log house just south of the Infirmary, was their residence. It was not long, however, until a frame home was built, and on April 2, her father, together with seven other men, name elsewhere in this issue, laid out the lots for the town of Wellington. Her mother cooked the dinner for the men on that day, sixty-five years ago today.
One of the most interesting reminiscences related is that of the first service with a minister in charge, which was held in the Bates Hotel located where the First National Bank is now, and which all the settlers near at hand attended, dressed in their best bib and tucker. A Rev. Shafer, who had stayed for some time with the McCulloughs, was the minister, and his daughter played a small melodeon as the group sang many of the old time songs.
Mrs. Andrews has lived here continuously since that early date and when asked what factor seemed to her to be one of the most significant in making Wellington a pleasant town in which to live, she replied, ”I really cannot say for you see I have scarcely known any other home. But it has been interesting to have been privileged to watch the growth of a community now so alive as ours, from the very beginning.”
FIRST MAYOR OF WELLINGTON STILL A RESIDENT OF CITY
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas 4/2/36
Among the many "Firsts” being mentioned in today’s issue of the Daily News commemorating Wellington’s sixty-fifth anniversary, none stands out more prominently
in the eyes of the citizenry than that concerning the veteran attorney, D. N. Caldwell who has reached the advanced age of 88 years.
Three items of special significance are noted; one, the fact that Mr. Caldwell was Wellington’s first practicing attorney, setting up his office here in the Fall of 1871; another, his election to be the town’s first mayor in 1872; and the third, the fact that he has resided continuously on the site where he first lived when he brought his bride to Wellington from Illinois in 1872.
Until last Fall, Mr. Caldwell has been active in his profession during the sixty-four years, an honor not attained by any other Kansan, it is believed. Judge Elrick C. Cole, of Great Bend, is thought to be the next in line, having practiced for fifty-six years. Mr. Caldwell on account of illness for the past few months.
His family includes the wife, who has also been ill, his daughter, Mrs. L. L. Swan, who makes her home with them; and his son, Dr. J. C. Caldwell, Wellington Physician.
A picture of Mr. Caldwell, as Wellington’s first may, and of W. N. Cooley, the present mayor, appear on page fourteen of this issue.
Mr. Caldwell came here on September 11, 1871, to be Wellington’s first practicing lawyer and some time later participated in two bitter Kansas county seat controversies and otherwise has had much to do with the development of Southern Kansas. The urge to come west brought the attorney to Wellington while the buffaloes were still grazing near the townsite and before the county was organized. Fifteen days after his arrival, or September 25, Sumner County was holding its first election.
5
The town was officially organized as a city of the third class in November.
1872 and the first election the latter part of the same month gave Mr. Caldwell the honor of being the pioneer city's first mayor, an office which he held the full term of two years.
In 1885, he participated in the county seat fight in Meade County on behalf of the town of Carthage, then 4 1/2 miles northwest of the present site of Meade. He was in Meade County on this mission when the never-to-be-forgotten blizzard struck Southern Kansas in early January of 1886.
A year later, he was employed by the town company of Springfield, Kansas,in Seward County, which adjoins Meade County on the west. Fargo, which participated for the county seat fight against Springfield, won by fraud but Springfield by taking the case to the Supreme Court, later won. Liberal later became and is today, the seat of Seward County.
In 1877, Mr. Caldwell was nominated and elected county attorney of Sumner County. He held the office the full term, upon expiration of which he resumed his old practice. Subsequently, he held for intervals, local offices of city attorney and police judge.
There was little business for an attorney when Mr. Caldwell first arrived in Wellington, But when the settlers started pouring in, his business grew rapidly.
He is on intimate terms with many exciting episodes of the early history of the county and has in his possession today a pair of shackles used on a man who was hanged when the county was still a raw prairie.
TRAGEDY — FIFTY YEARS AGO
Wellington, Kansas Wellington Daily News Sept. 16, 1933
In these times of kidnaping, murdering, bank robbing and other vicious crimes,
E. B. Roser, pioneer of Wellington, calls to mind an early day "bad man" of Wellington his mad escapades and his death which came at the end of a rope when ired citizens took the law in their own hands.
Incidents related by Mr. Roser in this article are facts, and will be recognized as such by many of the old time residents of Wellington. They will be of interest to every citizen,
(Note: Let it be understood that E. B. Roser, the author of these lines, does not sanction in any degree the acts of the participants. Readers are given this narrative first hand by one who was an eye witness to the storming of the jail.)
On a dark night in the early part of September 1884, nearly a half century ago, a great tragedy found a climax within the unfinished walls of the Sumner County court house, in course of construction at that time. I will attempt to describe a series of events which led up to the unfortunate incident.
In order that the reader may have a clear understanding of what transpired immediately preceding the main part of the story, it is fitting that reference be given of certain people connected and their standing in the community.
In the summer of 1884, there were numerous clashes between the law and one Frank Jones. Now, Jones was a character about town, a former cowboy who wore a broad brim cowboy hat, rode a dashing Indian pony and flourished a wicked Winchester rifle on the streets occasionally. In fact, he posed as a bad man from the range.
He also possessed a very violent temper and was always ready for a fight "at the drop of the hat", as the saying goes.
Jones had nursed a strong hatred for all persons connected with law enforcement.
Our city marshal at that time was P. H. D. Cleveland, with Billy Gainer as assistant. Joe Thralls held the office of sheriff, with his brother Elsie Thralls, as jailor and deputy. John Murphy had been elected mayor that year, succeeding Jim Hamilton, and J. M. McKee fulfilled the job of street commissioner. Jones had sworn vengeance on all these men.
One night after the town folk, other than the gambling and night life population, had settled down for a night’s repose, things began to buzz.
It was my custom in the early days to spend the night sleeping on a counter in the jewelry store near the big safe; not that it was feared anyone would carry it off, for I had never heard of such a crime in those days. I had a bedfellow by the name of "Colt". He was a husky one of his kind, with a calibre of 45'.
About midnight I was awakened from my peaceful slumbers by a rifle shot and the crashing of glass in the front door of the store, I rolled off my improved couch and grabbed Mr. Colt. But in my excitement, I gripped him too tight and the thing exploded, the ball striking the face of a mantel clock on a nearby shelf, disfiguring it pretty badly all around. Not to be daunted, I stalked bravely, revolver in hand, to the front part of the store to ascertain what damage had been done to the window by the gunman, and to learn his identity if possible.
A survey of the street disclosed that the attacking parties had dispersed, so I walked down Washington Avenue a block or two to inquire about the shooting. A group of men informed me that Frank Jones had gone on a rampage and had been firing into the home of people who had aroused his ire. The shot fired through the store window had been aimed at three men standing on the sidewalk who were lucky enough not to stop the ball.
Excitement was running high and three persons were reported wounded. These included Mayor Murphy, Billy Gainer, assistant marshal, and a little son of Street Commissioner McKee.
A posse was quickly organized, with Marshal Cleveland at the head, and Jones was captured before morning in Jake Allen’s bard, about a mile southeast of town.
He was somewhat battle-scarred, having been wounded by the gun fire of officers who pursued him.
While his wounds were being dressed, he swore that he had killed Charlie Shawver and Billy Gainer, and was going back the next night to get Judge Herrick and Tom George, prosecuting attorneys. who had been instrumental in bringing him to justice a time or two. However, neither of these men were put on the shelf and
Charlie Shawver, veteran peace officer, is still here after nearly fifty years and is able to tell how one of Jones’s rifle balls played hippity-hop around his bed room on South C Street without doing any serious damage on that eventful night.
After smoke of the battle cleared away, Jones was confined in a little brick jail that stood a few feet northwest of the present court house and which had previously been the abiding place of some of the most desperate outlaws in the southwest, including Jim Talbot, Commanche Bill and others.
The town then settled down to pretty much every-day routine, except that gossip was rife and little knots of citizens about town discoursed among themselves as to what should be done to tame down such chaotic conditions. Murmurings were being heard throughout the next day or two, and some predicted that the end was not yet.
The third night, however, the situation began to warm up. I was sitting at my bench in the front part of the store about seven o’ clock in the evening repairing
a watch, when on glancing out of the front window I observed a man step this way and
that, and appeared to be scanning the neighborhood to see if anyone was watching his movements. In a few minutes he walked to the center of the street, dramatically drew a revolver and fired into the air.
I felt sure that this was intended to serve as a signal and in order to observe
the outcome more closely, I sprang over the railing in front of my bench and darted
outside. By this time the individual had started to walk steadily, but not rapidly, straight north in the middle of the street. He had not gone far before he was joined by several other men, coming from different directions, which indicated to me that the thing was all planned in advance.
I made up my mind to follow, but kept a good safe distance in the rear. As the march northward was continued, there were more reinforcements. There was no disorder and there seemed to be no conversation whatever.
Finally the court house and jail yard were reached and greater activities began. Voices were heard calling for a box, and three or four men ran down the street toward town and returned in a few minutes with a large dry goods box.
The leader jumped upon the box and amid cheers of the crowd, began a fiery speed exhorting his hearers to exterminate undesirables from the town and to protect their homes and families from such attacks as had been launched against the citizens of recently. At the close of his inflammatory address, the leader jumped down off the box and with a portion of his followers, rushed down the street, yelling loudly, and procured what seemed to be an undersized telephone pole.
Back they came and the men lined up on either side of the pole, awaiting orders from their leader. The large end was pointed directly toward the jail door and the men backed off about fifteen feet.
”Yo Heave, Yo Heave, Yo Heave!!! was the signal.
The battering ram was hurled with terrific force against the door, creating a tremendous report that I think was heard all over town. The engine of destruction was withdrawn and the impact was repeated with similar results. Then the third time the heavy pole struck the door and the door crashed in.
The invaders took charge of the victim, who begged piteously for his life, but the so-called vigilantes were unrelenting as the few remaining spectators began to disperse rather than see the finals.
And then, lo! and behold! in the dim light of early morn, long before the sun was to make an appearance in the eastern sky, the figure of a man was discovered dangling at the end of a rope, attached to a large derrick within the walls of the partially completed court house. The derrick had been used by workmen to raise the huge stones in construction of the edifice, and was situated about where the county treasurer’s office is now located.
8
After a few weeks a brother of the victim, Ves Jones, brought suit against the city for $10,000.00 damages for the death of Frank Jones, and when the case came up for trial, the plaintiff was awarded one dollar.
Ves Jones died several years later in the insane asylum at Osawatomie, and his son committed suicide by blowing out his brain with a six-shooter. Thus endeth a chapter in the history of early events in our town, which caused much regret among our more conservative people a half century ago. Let it be hoped that we shall never again be called upon to chronicle a like tragedy.
PIONEERS OF WELLINGTON 9
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas
March 29, 1927
The article below on "Pioneers of Wellington" is the one written by Mrs. Edith Martin, formerly of this city, now of Lawrence, and read at the meeting of the Cary Circle last Tuesday:
With the thought of the pioneer, in memory I recall a little picture, treasured in my parental home. It was a photo about the size of a post card of Wellington, taken in 1871. It consisted of a small, one story frame building, with a square front typical of the country store. On the front was printed, "A. W. Shearman," dealer in groceries, dry goods, boots, shoes and notions. The building stood on the corner of Lincoln and Washington Avenue where Cox's pool hall now stands. In front of the store stood eight men, each wearing high top boots, and holding at his side a gun. Whether they had just, come in from a buffalo hunt, or wanted to send a
picture of the wild and wooly west back home, or whether it was a real necessity--a preparedness against Indians as with the Pilgrims of old, I know not. These men were among the first pioneers of Wellington. As their families had not yet arrived, they all lived together in the store building.
The men were A. W. Shearman, Dr. P. A. Wood, C. R. Godfrey,
D. W. Cooley, John and Tom McMahan, and L. K. Myers. The eighth man, I do not recall.
A. W. Shearman had come from New York. The remaining member of his family, a little girl of five years, he soon brought to Wellington and she made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Cooley from that time until her father married Miss Allie De Armond, one of Wellington's very early school teachers, Mr. Shearman was a public spirited citizen, ever ready to lend a helping hand. When the early settlers met for an evening's pleasure and indulged in the old fashioned square dance, he was always on hand to call off. Not only did he help in merry making but in time of trouble was every one’s friend. He acted as community nurse, and many a night spent beside the sick man’s cot, and in case of death it was he who prepared them for the last sleep and conducted all funerals before the town had an undertaker. Mr. Shearman spent the remainder of his days in Wellington and Mrs, Shearman and daughter Grace are still well known to Wellington people, and lived here until a few years ago when they went to Roswell, New Mexico to reside.
Dr. P. A. Wood was our first physician, Having practiced in eastern Kansas for a while he had well learned to battle with malaria, chills and fever of the plains, and was welcome as a visitor in the homes of the sick. His good wife often went with him and helped to care for the sick mothers and children. . Dr. Wood took a claim joining the town on the west, later it became P. A. Wood’s addition to Wellington.
C. R. Godfrey was pioneer druggist. His drug store stood on the corner, where Candyland now is, and was a long building. His claim joined Wellington on the east, and later became a part of the town, also. . -
D. W. Cooley's claim cornered with the townsite on the southeast. It is known today as Rosedale. Mrs. Cooley taught the first school in Wellington in the fall of 1871. They lived here for several years then moved to Missouri and later back to Oxford, where he was a prominent banker for many years.
Tom and John McMahan, the McMahan boys as they were called, were young men from Pennsylvania. They owned a claim on Slate Creek which cornered with Wellington on the Southwest. It was their intention to put in a water mill for grinding but later aban-doned the plan. Both married and reared their families here, well liked and highly respected by all who knew them.
L. K. Myers was a young surveyor in Iowa before the Civil War® After coming to Kansas he followed surveying for some time surveying also the town site. He built a log house near where Gadeke's Bakery now is, and his was the first family to keep house in the little new town. After a few months they moved onto a claim south of town# It now comprises Fifth Ward#
Even before the town started, settlers had staked their claims in the county. One of these was Mr. Foraker. His family still lives on the farm south of town and has resided there continuously from that early date. John P. McCullough, father of Mrs. H. W. Andrews, v/ith his family had settled on a claim near the site of our present county infirmary. It was Mrs, McCullough who cooked dinner for the little group of eight men, the day they met and organized the town company. They were J. P. McCullough, A. A# Jordan, Dr. P. A. Woods, Dr. C. R. Godfrey, Captain L. K. Myers, Major A. N. Randall, John S. McMahan, and the eighth man I cannot name. 0. J. Hackney and Polk Wimer were early settlers in the county, and later became prominent citizens of Wellington. D. N. Caldwell, Wade McDonald and J. T. Herrick were early lawyers. Z. Miexsell, father of our own Fannie Burks, and his family were very early settlers, and Mr.
Miexsell opened the first furniture store in town. Jo Thralls,
Geo. M. Miller, and John T. Showalter were others. Mr. Showalter married one of the county's pioneer girls and Mrs. Showalter is still a resident here. Mrs. Bates came in '71 and started the first hotel. Her son Frank engaged in the hardware business.
John G. Woods was a pioneer banker and built an opera house which stood on the corner where the Jett Mercantile Company now is.
L. Kellogg was the first county treasurer; A. A. Jordan, first sheriff; C. S. Brodbent, first clerk of the court, and D. N. Caldwell, first mayor. Capt. John H. Folks came over from Oxford with his newspaper, the Sumner County News, though the Wellington Banner was the pioneer paper, issued In Dec., 1872. H. W. Andrews came to Wellington in the spring of '72 and started in the grocery business# He is still with the business and with Wellington. At the time of his arrival, the new town was about a year old and had a population of about 150. D. M. Caldwell arrived very near the beginning. With the exception of the first two months, he and Mrs. Caldwell have resided continuously on the corner where they still live, having witnessed both the adversity and progress of the town for more than half a century. In this same block the Caldwells, Geo. Stipp and wife and the Miexsell family were all pioneer neighbors together.
A little frame building moved from Meridian and placed on North Washington Avenue, did duty as Wellington's first court house. The first term of court, however, was opened by Judge Campbeil of Wichita in the frame building still standing on Lincoln Avenue just west of the Baptist Church and parsonage. In 1874 a two story stone building was erected on the present site of the City Hall and this was used, until our present one was built.
These various court buildings housed the different religious organizations until such a time as they could afford churches. The first sermon preached in Wellington was in a dugout of Tom McMahan by a cattleman who had been a Congregational minister, A union Sunday School was the first step in religious organization. The first church was the M. E. in 1873, with Rev. E. A. Graham, minister, and the following charter members: J. T. Herrick, Dr. Cory and wife, Henry Bowers, wife and child, Mesdames Miexsell, Bates, Cleveland,
Cooley and Miss Lizzie Campbell. The Presbyterians organized also in 1873, with a supply minister for Wellington, Oxford, and other towns, I do not know the charter members, but Tom and John McMahan,
Mrs. P. A. Wood, Mrs. Geo. Stipp, Mr. Showalter and the Millers were pioneer workers in that church.
During the days of the union Sunday School, wo had a union Christmas tree each year. All of the community brought presents' for family and friends to deck the tree, and after the Sunday School program, the presents were distributed. This custom was later abandoned for the Sunday School children’s treat.
The Barnard Hotel was as early land mark in Wellington. It was a two story frame building, standing midway between Harvey and Lincoln Avenues, on the south-west side of Washington Avenue,
Another pioneer business to remain throughout the passing years was Smith’s Clothing Store.
The first school house was the customary little white, one roomed building. Its location was at the present corner of B and Ninth Streets. Our playground had no limit. We were not confined within the block, nor feared to cross the street lest a passing auto run us down. In fact neither blocks nor streets nor autos were visible. All around was prairie, marked only by foot paths worn by the children coming to and fro. Over the prairies we roamed at recess and gathered daisies, sheep sorrell, wild onion blossoms and other wild flowers, and engaged in the old fashioned games of prison base, blackman, and baseball, happy and care free, unmindful of the absence of a physical director,
For a few moments, let us forget the present Wellington, with its present beautiful shade trees, parks, miles of paving, commodious public buildings, and comfortable houses, with modern conveniences, and in our imagination picture the little town of the past in the first few years of its infancy. On the south and west was Slate Creek, with the trees along the banks; on the east, Hargis Creek then called the Branch, and before the Santa Fe Railroad and other forms of civilization encroached upon its natural trendway, it was quite a little stream, its entire length to whore it joined Slate Creek on the south. It afforded water enough for both swimming and fishing. Small trees, grape vines, elderberry bushes and other shrubs along the banks. With the exception of the timber along
these streams, not a tree, for several years adorned, the site of Wellington. The homes were little one, two or three roomed frame buildings, with now and then a log house, a sod shanty or dugout, the latter affording the most comfort, being warmer in winter, and cooler in summer. Imagine the intense heat, with no shade of any kind, no ice, not a bath tub in which to cool off.
The nearest railroad was at Cottonwood Fails, with a stage line to Wichita. A little later the stage line was extended to Wellington and the railroad to Wichita, which place remained the terminus for several years. All goods had to be freighted by means of the covered wagon, drawn by horses or oxen, and streams forded as there were no bridges. These same covered wagons, with the lighter spring wagons, and horse back riding on Indian ponies were means of conveyance for the settlers, also. The homes were lighted with coal oil lamps and heated with wood fires.
A blue stem grass covered the prairies, so tall and dense as to make it difficult to find one's way. Mr. McCullough plowed a furrow from his home to town, that his children might follow it to school and not become lost# In the spring the farmers burned off the dry grass in order to plow. These prairie fires often got beyond control and threatened the settlers' homes. At one time, it was only the united efforts of both men and women that saved Wellington from the flames and the volunteer fire company had only sacks and buckets of water with which to fight the fire.
Some years, little rain fell, and the burning sun dried up every form of vegetation the hopeful farmer planted. In 1874 the grasshoppers appeared in swarms and devoured every growing thing in sight. Again, there was a rainy season and the floods came#
Mr, Miller lived with his family, near the bank of SIate Creek at a point near the place Botkin Street joins the highway. During one of those rainy seasons, the creek became so high, Mrs. Miller was afraid to remain in the house and took her little girl to a neighbor’s house for the night. Mr, Miller, who remained at home, awoke about daylight to find his house surrounded by water. He swam to the barn, turned loose a span of mules and then swam to safety himself. A little later the house floated down stream, where it remained, until dry enough to recover it and their water soaked belongings. After this they moved to high ground.
Notwithstanding the many inconveniences of early time, the settlers made the best of their surroundings and enjoyed themselves together. No formal calls were made in those days, but friends often went to spend the day. While the children played, the women sowed and visited and the men came in at noon for dinner, and even though the homes were small there was always room for an extra guest overnight.
In the absence of any other fruit, the housewives used the wild plum and grape, to put up for winter use. Wild game was plentiful, buffalo, antelope, deer, wild turkey and smaller game, and the streams teemed with fish.
After a few years civilization drove the buffalo westward, and men used to form hunting parties and go to the unsettled counties of Harper and Barbour for buffalo. It was on one such hunting expedition in early winter that a party of men were overtaken one night by one of these sudden and severe Kansas blizzards.
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The next morning, with no protection and unable to get a fire and cook food on the open prairie, on account of the strong wind, they made their way as best they could to the canyons, of Barbour County, walking beside their wagon to keep from freezing. Hero they found shelter and were able to make a fire and thus survive for a few days until the storm passed, when they returned home. The most of the men being young and healthy escaped with only frozen ears, fingers and toes, but Teruben Higgs, a man getting along in years, could not withstand the exposure and died a few days after returning home. Mr. Riggs had always been a frontiersman, leaving each state as it settled up to go on farther west. He had never remained in one state Iong enough to see an apple grow on a tree.
With the progress of years, the board sidewalk appeared, and the lamp post, with its dim gas light along the streets, the picket fence and phaetons, and so on up until came and went, the top buggies the late improvements of the present day.
Our pioneer fathers and mothers had come to stay. They bravely met the privations and hardships of the past. Some of them are with us even today, while others have long since passed to the Great Beyond leaving their families to enjoy the present Wellington, the fruit of that early beginning.
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CHURCHES PLAY PROMINENT PART IN MAKING WELLINGTON
HISTORY
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 2, 1936
The earliest beginning of the Restoration movement in Sumner County dates back to the pioneer preachers, who came this way on horseback, tarried to preach the Old Jerusaleum gospel in the court house or in private homes where they were being entertained. In 1879, eight years after the founding of the present town-site, of Wellington was a small village without railroads, Wichita being the rail terminal .
Small congregations involving the various denominations had been established in others of the county, but the closest place of worship for the Wellington residents was several miles away. The result of little group meetings hold wherever men and women could find ample space for them, was the temporary organization of several churches.
The charter members were few, but they were men and women strong in faith, and believed in the simple gospel's faith and they followed the example of the early Church by continuing steadfastly in fellowship, in prayer and in breaking of bread.
Soon after the temporary organizations were effected, buildings began to be erected above the business houses, in halls, or at the back of stores, wherever there was an empty space Wellington began to grow, the membership of the churches increased, and the little banks commenced to think of permanent church organizations and the building of regular church houses.
The First Presbyterian Church of Wellington was organized June 23, 1872, by the Rev. W. W. Boggs of Oxford and seven charter members enrolled. At first the group met in the school every other Sabbath with Rev. Boggs coming to preach, and as the congregation grew they met in various places until the membership decided to build their own house of worship, which was completed and dedicated June 13, 1880.
On May 27, 1892, this building was completely destroyed by the cyclone, but plans were soon begun for the erection of another building, and the Gothic stone structure, which is the present main building was built. It was dedicated on October 31, 1897, several years after it was in use. A small addition was made to the church structure at the time of the installation of the pipe organ, for educational purposes and was dedicated as the "Presbyterian Educational Building" on Dec. 12, 1926. Since the beginning of Presbyterianism in Wellington in 1872 the little group of seven charter members has grown to a membership of more than 600 active members at this time.
The first meeting of the little band of Lutheran Church people was held in the hall of the State National Bank building in Nov. 1887, and was conducted by the late Rev. J. G. M. Hursch. During that same winter interest grew and the membership increased, and a Ladies' Aid Society and Sunday School were organized. Later the meetings were held in an empty store building on Washington Avenue. On July 14, 1888 the group organized and thirty-one members signed the constitution for St. John' s Lutheran Church of Wellington, and the same year a small frame structure was erected for use as a church house. In May 1892, the building was destroyed by a cyclone, and on Jan, 15, 1893,
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the present building which, stands at the corner of Ninth and Jefferson Streets, was dedicated.
Rev. Watson, a circuit rider, accompanied by Harry Epperson from the Home Valley Church, eleven miles northeast of Wellington, held the first public meeting in the court room of the old stone Court House which stood on the present site of the City Building for the purpose of chartering a Christian Church. The result of that meeting was the temporary organization of a New Testament church and Reverend Watson was called to preach every fourth Sunday. On intervening Sundays the meetings were held by the little band of disciples and the services were held in the afternoon as the Presbyterians used the room at the morning hours. Later J. T. Hickman erected a building for a clothing store about one block north of the old court house and added a second story to be used as a hall and there the little church made its home with crude benches for seats facing a raised platform on which stood a table for a pulpit. While yet meeting Hickman Hall, Rev. W.S.Rehorn was called as the first regular minister in 1884.
A large brick auditorium replaced the first meeting place and was dedicated, and Rev. L. F. Sargent, the present minister is the nineteenth pastor.
It was in the year 1873 that Methodism first came to Wellington as an organized body and a Methodist preacher held services in the school house out on the flats, and following this meeting a class was organized as an appointment on the Oxford Circuit. Under the guidance of its first pastor, Rev. E. A. Graham, the little class grew so rapidly that at the annual conference in 1874, Wellington became the head of a mission, whose territory extended from the Ninnescah River on the cast to a line several miles west of Wellington. In 1878 the corner stone of the first M. E. Church at the intersection of Jefferson and Harvey Avenues was laid and Rev. I. N. Boicourt was the pastor.
In 1886 a new site was purchased for a building at the corner of Fourth and G. Streets and Rev. L. M. Hartley was the pastor.
On Oct. 21, 1913, the corner stone was laid for the present church, and on June 28, 1914, this new church, the present home of Methodism in the city, located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Jefferson and Harvey avenues, was dedicated, and Rev. D. H. Switzer was the pastor.
On May 21, 1879 the first meeting was held to organize a Baptist Church in Wellington, and on July 10, 1879, the church was fully organized and recognized by proper council. The first regular meeting of the organization in their first building was dedicated Easter Sunday, 1882, and in July 1917, plans were adopted for a new building estimated to cost $23,000. The old building was razed in August, 1917, and the congregation worshipped in the City Building from August 1917 to September 1918, and the present structure was dedicated for use Sunday, November 20, 1921, when Rev. M. G. Barlow was pastor.
Rev. Krause v/as priest of the first Catholic Church v/hich was established in Wellington in 1879 and the meetings were held in a frame structure located on East Lincoln Street. The present building which is called St. Anthony's Church, is located at the corner of Seventh and C. Streets and was dedicated in 1902 with Father Hayes of Augusta in charge. At the present time Father Francis Maguire is in charge of the Parish.
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The exact date of the Church of Christ of Wellington is not known, but the group has been functioning here for a number of years and the meeting were held in a little frame structure on North Blaine St., with no regular minister in charge. On June 1934, Rev. H. R. Atchison was called here to be the minister and on October 13, 1935, a beautiful now church was dedicated for use. The now structure is located on East Ninth Street at the corner of C.
The first Congregational Church of Wellington was incorporated in 1888 and Rev. F. D. Stevens served as the first pastor. The meetings were held in the old Methodist Church building which was located at the Corner of Jefferson and Harvey Avenues until the present building was erected in 1891.
The Church of Christ, Scientist, was organized and incorporated under the laws of the state of Kansas, on August 3, 1899 and named the First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Wellington, Kansas Plans were soon under way for a church building but until they could be completed and the lot acquired, the little band of members hold their meetings in a small house on the corner of the lot where the church stands today. The lot was purchased by the church in 1903 and in 1912 the present church house was built.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church was organized in Wellington on March 3, 1901, by Rev. and Mrs. Kettring and soon plans were under way for the erection of a regular church house. Until the present building was erected, a year or so later, the little group which consisted of twelve charter members mot in the private homes of the group and later they rented a hall over one of the store buildings.
Mrs. A. A. Ragan of this city is one of the few surviving charter members of the organization.
SIXTY YEARS
Wellington Daily Nows Wellington, Kansas Nov. 27, 1930
I came to Wellington on November 27, 1873. It was Thanksgiving Day. On the day before we came by train from Kansas City to the end of the rail line at Wichita, stopping for the night at the Tremont Hotel on East Doughlas Avenue, Taking the stage Thanksgiving morning, with Al Terrill, famous frontiersman, driving, we came through Derby (then named El Paso) to a crossing of the Arkansas River on a pontoon bridge at about the site of Mulvane, though Mulvane was not yet thought of, and on to Belle Plaine for dinner and change of horses. From Belle Plaine the road came straight across country, crossing Hargis Crock about two blocks above Community Park, and we arrived in Wellington about 3 o'clock. We stopped at the Moreland house, (about where Henry Keuneke's drug store now is), which was our home for the first three months. In the party were my father, John G. Woods, my mother, Louisa M. Woods, my brother, Albert aged 12, my sister Winnie, aged six weeks, and myself, aged 7. My elder sister, Henrietta (afterwards Mrs, Charles E. Flandro) was left at Emporia to enter the state normal school. My father had come to Wellington earlier in the year v/ith John D. Share and opened the banking house
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of Woods and Share, the first bank southwest of the Arkansas River.
Ho also formed a partnership with James T. Herrick in the practice for law under the firm name of Woods & Herrick.
After a few months at the Moreland House we moved to the farm and built the first brick house in Sumner county, the house just across the street north of the present high school. It was built two stories but the upper story was torn off by the cyclone of 1892 and was not rebuilt. There were hardly any buildings in what is now the first ward, but one of these was the school house on the corner of Ninth and B, where Winnie Fossett now lives. That part which is now the first ward was covered with buffalo wallows, and the water left standing in these after the rains made them fine places for wading. Many Indians were camped along Slate Creek most of the time, and quite often long Indian wagon trains went thru to or returning from Wichita, where supplies were furnished by the national government. There were herds of buffalo in the county, some deer, and prairie chickens and quail in great numbers.
In 1874 came the grass-hoppers, in such clouds frequently as to almost obscure the sun. My brother and I were cutting and shocking corn on Hargis Creek one morning when the hoppers came down. They hit the corn with a noise like machine-gun bullets, and hurt so much when they struck us that we ran to the house crying piteously. They destroyed everything green except the buffalo grass, even to leaves on the trees.
In 1879 the Santa Fe came to twon, locating the first depot about where Charlie Martin's house stands on North Washington Ave.
The next year the Southern Kansas came In from Oxford and was later absorbed by the Santa Fe. In 1887 the Rock Island came, and at about the same time the great boom in real estate which all but wreched many Kansas towns, leaving a depression locally as bad as the present disturbance.
Sixty years is a long time, but I believe it is the most interesting sixty years of history. During that time has come the telephone, the electric light, the phonograph, wireless, the X-ray, the moving picture, the talking picture, the airplane, artificial refrigeration, the radio, the automobile, the tractor, the combine.
Also gangsters, machine-guns and spinach.
Just what of interest the next sixty years holds for human kind of course is unknown, but I intend to stay as long as I can and find out.
h. l. W.
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IN THE SEVENTIES
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
April 2, 1836
My father, Captain John G. Woods, came to Wellington in the spring of 1873 and in partnership with John D. Share established the banking house of Woods & Share, the first bank southwest of the Arkansas River. On Thanksgiving Day of that year, he brought the rest of the family by stage coach from Wichita. From Wichita the stage went to El Paso (now Derby), then to a crossing of the Arkansas River on pontoons at about where Mulvane now is located, then to Belle Plaine, the lunch station, where horses were changed, and we drove up in front of the Commercial Hotel, about the present location of Keuneke's Drug Store. Four horses whisked the stage along, the road being as the crow flies from river crossing to river crossing, and from the Ninnescah crossing at Belle Plaine there was hardly a bend in the road until within a block or two of the Wellington Hotel, The crossing of Hargis Creek was at a point not far from directly east of the present residence of Mrs. W. W. Schwinn. The bank was at the corner now occupied by the J. C. Penney Company.
After three months at the hotel we moved into our own home, a one-room house with the side boards straight up and down, the cracks so well developed by warp and shrink that snowfalls sifted liberally over the beds. There were two rooms in the house— after father had hung a curtain across the middle. This house was replaced in the summer of 1874 by the first brick house ever built in the county. It was two stories, a roof being built on the lower story after the upper story was blown off in the cyclone of 1892. It has been stuccoed in recent years and is the first house on the east side of Ninth street north of the high school building.
The town was very small, so few houses in fact that when mother hung a white towel on the front porch father could see it from the bank window and learn that dinner was ready. The small frame schoolhouse was at the northwest corner of Ninth and B streets. The flat part of first ward had hundreds of buffalo wallows, great for us kids to wade in when filled by spring rains. Oklahoma was then "The Indian Territory" and Indian scares were frequent. At such times most of the folks went to the old court house, the women and children taking to the court room on the second floor, while the men manned every window of the lower to repel the attacks—which never came. Nearly every fall the citizenry were called out to fight the great prairie fires which swept in and threatened the town. Stock thievery was rampant until three men, Brooks, Hasbrook, and Smith were taken from the wooden calaboose and hanged near Slate Creek bridge by the vigilantes, who pinned on the breast of each a piece of green paper bearing the word "Horse Thief." It was very effective in discouraging similar activities. Many of the men residents were ex-Union soldiers and were still wearing the uniforms and caps they had worn at the front a few years before, my best horse in
IN THE SEVENTIES
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
April 2, 1836
My father, Captain John G. Woods, came to Wellington in the spring of 1873 and in partnership with John D. Share established, the banking house of Woods & Share, the first bank southwest of the Arkansas River. On Thanksgiving Day of that year, he brought the rest of the family by stage coach from Wichita. From Wichita the stage went to El Paso (now Derby), then to a crossing of the Arkansas River on pontoons at about where Mulvane now is located, then to Belle Plaine, the lunch station, where horses were changed, and we drove up in front of the Commercial Hotel, 'about the present location of Keuneke's Drug Store. Four horses whisked the stage along, the road being as the crow flies from river crossing to river crossing, and from the Ninnescah crossing at Belle Plaine there was hardly a bend in the road until within a block or two of the Wellington Hotel. The crossing of Hargis Creek was at a point not far from directly east of the present residence of Mrs. W. W. Schwinn. The bank was at the corner now •occupied by the J. C. Penney Company.
After three months at the hotel we moved into our own home, a one-room house with the side boards straight up and down, the cracks so well developed by warp and shrink that snowfalls sifted liberally over the beds. There were two rooms in the house— after father had hung a curtain across the middle. This house was replaced in the summer of 1874 by the first brick house ever built in the county. It was two stories, a roof being built on the lower story after the upper story was blown off in the cyclone of 1892. It has been stuccoed in recent years and is the first house on the east side of Ninth street north of the high school building.
The town was very small, so few houses in fact that when mother hung a white towel on the front porch father could see it from the bank window and learn that dinner was ready. The small frame schoolhouse was at the northwest corner of Ninth and B streets. The flat part of first ward had hundreds of buffalo wallows, great for us kids to wade in when filled by spring rains. Oklahoma was then "The Indian Territory” and Indian scares were frequent. At such times most of the folks went to the old court house, the women and children taking to the court room on the second floor, while the men manned every window of the lower to repel the attacks—which never came. Nearly every fall the citizenry were called out to fight the great prairie fires which swept in and threatened the town. Stock thievery was rampant until three men, Brooks, Hasbrook, and Smith were taken from the wooden calaboose and hanged near Slate Creek bridge by the vigilantes, who pinned on the breast of each a piece of green paper bearing the word "Horse Thief.” It was very effective in discouraging similar activities. Many of the men residents were ex-Union soldiers and were still wearing the uniforms and caps they had worn at the front a few years before, my best horse in
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charging about the back yard when playing "war" was father's sword, and in building forts and corrals mother's discarded hoop-skirt metal, and wire bustles came handy. There was ho church building as yet, but the Methodists had arrived and Rev. Henry J. Walker was holding church and Sunday School in an empty store building about where the Southern Kansas Mutual Insurance building now stands. Every few days a long string of Indian wagons came through, going to or coming from Wichita, where the government had a supply depot. Now and then soldiers went through to the Indian Territory forts, and once I had a peek at a short, dumpy, red-faced man as he sat in the office of the hotel— General Phil Sheridan, In 1874 came the grasshoppers, dropping down in great clouds, the visitation leaving nothing green in sight, not even the leaves on the trees. In the country many lived in sod houses and dugouts, the latter generally meaning a place dug in a bluff beside a stream and covered with grass or straw roofing. The people lived hard and there was much malaria; poverty was common and riches unknown. Crops were short, but game was plentiful and every husbandman could shoot. The first winter father and three other men went out where Argonia stands and brought in four buffalo, the meat being passed around. There were wild turkeys, antelope, prairie chickens, quail, and other game in great abundance. And so they got along, those men and women of sturdy character and stubborn will, building a dream which others should see come true, in the days of the pioneers,
H. L. W.
CITY'S BIRTHDAY RECALLS THE COMING OF FIRST STORE
HERE
Established by Shearman Bros. on April 15, 1871, a Few Days After Capt. Myers Started Building The First House
Wellington Daily News Wellington, Kansas April 4, 1935
The first building to be enclosed and occupied on the townsite of Wellington was that in which the Shearman Brothers, Ab and John, opened on April 15th, the first merchantile establish-ment in the infant metropolis. Capt. L. K. Myers had started a few days before this to build a house out of logs which had originally formed a part of a house which he hod started in Meridian, but did not get it enclosed and in actual use until some days after the Shearman's had opened the doors of their new store for the trade of the settlers inhabitants of the region,
The store stood about on the site of the south room o f the
South Cox Billiard Parlors, The lumber was sent down from Emporia, then the terminus of the Santa Fe Rail road, by John Shearman,
who had recently opened a store in Wichita, It was rushed up in
crude pioneer fashion, the goods were p piled in promiscously as fast as the freighters wagons brought them in from distant whole-sale points, and the energetic proprietors commenced them out to their waiting patrons while work on the building was still in progress.
When J. M. Thralls cane in about a month later the doors and windows were not yet in place, w agon sheets being stretched over the openings to protect the goods and occupants from the weather. This store of Shearmans and Cl ark R# Godfrey's log drug store, which went only a short time after this on the opposite corner, now covered by the Stew art Building, formed the center of Wellington business district and w ere the gathering points for the home-steaders for miles around. At this time only a partial survey of the townsite had been made, a few blocks on what was to be the Main street, having been staked off to answer the purposes on immediate occupancy. Paralled furrows plowed through the tall prairie grass marked out the limits of Washington Avenue and two or three main intersecting streets. The rest was left for the more leisurely work of a less hurried day.
The picture appearing in connection with this article was not taken in April '71, as the inscription seems to indicate#
Mr. Thrall s says the building shown at the side and rear, the old Rosenkrants Hotel, was not put up until the following spring and the signs were not in evidence until pretty well along in the following year. The date probably refers to that of the buildings erection rather than to the time the photograph was taken.
Ab Shearman was with the first group of settlers—-the Paola crowd—-which laid out the town of Wellington, but for some reason he did not become a member of the town company, though his name is often associated with it. He took as a homestead claim the quarter on which St. Luke's Hospital now stands and his brother John took and proved up the one next to it. John was the business man and money-maker of the firm, while Ab was the best-mixer and politician. He served a couple years and also county commissioner. He married Miss Alwilda DeArmond, daughter of one of the early homesteaders and herself one of the first school teachers in the Wellington school s . They had three children, a son John Shearman , now living in Colorado, and two daughters, Mrs. Phil Ivers of Kansas City, and Miss Grace who is with her mother in Calif nia. John also died a number of years ago and is buried at the early home of the family in Elmira, New York.
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kans.
Aug. 22,1935
Editor, Daily News,
The report of the real property survey of Wellington as published in the Daily News of August 9 was interesting reading and gave facts never before known to many of your readers and forgotten by many others.
I confess that I had forgotten just when the newest house was built as it was too recent a date for me to remember.
Quoting the report of the survey "The oldest dwelling" is located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Sixteenth Street. It was built in Oct. 1871 and belongs to the Gruber estate." This statement is incorrect, except that the house belongs to the Gruber estate.
The land upon which the Gruber house stands was taken as a claim (preempted) by Abram Murlin (commonly called Doc) in April 1871, wupon which he built a small one-story, two-room house where he and his wife lived.
In June, 1872, I prepared his proof of "settlement and residence" upon the land and ho took it to the United States Land Office, then located at Augusta, Kansas, and on June 18,1872, he filed his proof and entered his land, paying $1.25 per acre for it.
On December 17, 1875, Murlin sold the land to Henry Bowers who built the house now owned by the Gruber estate. Some time before the Santa Fe railroad was built into Wellington, Bowers sold twenty acres of his land in the southeast corner to the railroad company and when the road was finished in the fall of 1879, the depot was located on the east side of Washington Avenue and about two blocks east of the Bowers house which became known as the Bowers hotel.
When I repaired my house a few years ago the oldest house then standing in Wellington lost its identity.
The oldest known house now standing in the city is on the same fine location in the block south of where I have lived 63 years and was built in the summer and fall of 1872 by the Bates family, and 1871 pioneer family from Pen Yan, New York.
The house is in fine condition and is owned and occupied by L.P.Jeter and family at 212 North F Street.
D. N. Caldwell REMINISCENCE 0F THE 70's
Monitor Press Wellington, Kansas 5/30/35
The year before the Rock Island railroad came into Wellington, if I remember rightly, saw the worst blizzard in the west up to that date. This was 1886, the year following the completion of the Court House. It was a
sunny and warm day. We were at the Thompson school. The eaves dripped musically. A pleasant crash sounded throughout the school building as icicles fell from the eaves.
The snow gently slushed. The room was uncomfort ably warn. Uncle Jake Justus, our teacher, opened the door for fresh air. It was the 4th day of January. As we played in our shirt sleeves, brother said "It is going to storm." It always does when the wind is in the south and a cloud like that in the west.
When we set out for home the sun was still shining but as the clouds advanced, soon covered the sun completely. It grew colder and as the sun paled continued cooler.
In no time the south wind ceased and streaming clouds of soft large flakes of soft cotton snow drove in a level line over the heads of us home bound scholars. The growing darkness bothered us most of all. By the time we reached home the wind was a gale.
It filled the air hiding the road, and darkness settled down immediately I froze my hands and ears and had to thaw them by snow and cold water applications that night. Such pain until then I never knew.
When we went to bed I had a strange premunition of a dread disturbance of Mother Nature we had never seen before. The wind howled like ten thousand tigers, the cold grew more and intense as the night advanced. The wind seemed to drive thru our frame shack, water and food began to freeze within six feet of the stove. We thought as we ascended the loft ladder to bed, the wind had attained its fury to the utmost, but when we awoke the next morning we saw how mistaken we had been. Appalled by the continued storm, we crept to the fire the next morning to dress. Its steady solemn fury kept up. It fairly benumbed our thinking, it seemed so like a wilderness of fury turned loose.It appalled our hearts beyond anything we had ever heard.
The house shook and snapped as the snow beat with rythmatic pulsations against the sides of the small building. The cabins seemed helpless, at the fury it underwent. There was nothing to be seen but the lashing of the wind and snow. There was a drift west of our house ten feet high where an old rooster was buried for two weeks and came forth as soon as the thaw turned him loose. We named him Tanner as at this Dr. Tanner was undergoing his memorial fast in New York.
Our neighbor, John Perkins, who was fattening a pen of hogs for market in an exposed place had the misfortune to have then freeze their backs until slabs of hair and hide came off. They would stand around and squeal pitifully.
Uncle Rufus Norris, living north of us, had a bunch of calves that the north wind drove down our way and three were found after the storm, stiff and dead. Bert Arnspiger, who had built a bank shed for his fattening hogs, found them underneath the snow suffocated a week later.
Ranson Baker, who was riding range at the tine in Indian Territory, had to have both feet amputated as a result of being frozen while herding.
He stayed with then all one night and knew by the rock like clicking of his
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feet in his boots they were frozen. He walked ever after with the assistance of a cane.
The spring west of our place froze over and spread out until it resembled an artesian well so great was the frozen overflow.
Chickens roosting in trees were chocked to death by frozen snow forced into their mouths by the storm.
The cows hock joints were frozen until they bled. A covey- of quail became so tame that they ate with the domestic fowls during this seige of winter.
The third day when the blizzard broke, a world of crystals was revealed such as happens to greet mortal eye seldom in life. Ice 18 inches thick was cut by workmen near where the Gueda Springs river bridge now stands.
He burned corn in the cook stove to keep from freezing. It makes a good fuel but does not last.
Taylor Poteet who had a slow well about 12 feet deep had to throw a heavy rock into it to break the ice before he could sink the well bucket.
For quite a while soda and syrup were at a premiiia. Folks borrowed from each other and thought nothing of making gain out of others misfortunes.
How glad we were when the ice melted on the window panes. We peered out on the unfamiliar landscape of peaceful dazzling snow, sunshine, and blue sky.
He watched the familiar columns of smoke ascending from near by cottages telling us that the neighbor was well. So long and continuous had the wind blew that its voice sounded in my ears continually for days.
Since it is all past we acknowledge the protecting hand of an overruling power in delivering us safely to the present hour.
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REMINISCENCE OF THE 70's
Monitor Press
Wellington, Kansas
Oct. 17, 1935
It is not so much how long we live as how intense the living that counts in the end.
Probably the most exciting experience of over half a century of the peaceful pursuit of happiness, cane to us as we entered the second richest county in the good old U.S.A. on the high noon tide September 16, 1893. This will be well remembered by those who participated in the run for a claim in the Cherokee Strip on that date.
As we boys were helping Rile Shuster threshing that fall, we took time out of an evening after the days work was done to wind then up and down the highway. This was done by standing a guard at say one end of a mile and another at the opposite and putting each horse to a dead run, making him take it as fast as he would go thinking this would enable better power of endurance,
When it is recalled that conservatively 15,000 people started from Caldwell alone and 10,000 from Hunnewell, as well as 30,000 who registered and started from below Arkansas City, you can partially at least visualize the immencity of this race. The parched prairie was no misnomer for the day before the run guards had set fire to the grass so as to enable the settlers to better locate the corner stones. To this might be added the fact that the weather was hot and dry. The 100 feet reserved for registration space was soon trampled to fine dust, a hot wind from the south west continued scarcity of water, made it an inferno on opening day.
The Santa Fe had traines ready for the race, at north Arkansas City for the race, and at Kiowa. The Rick Island had a train of 42 cattle cars stationed south of Caldwell, standing with pilots within a foot of the line, ready for the gun. These were jammed with people. Outside as well as in they held on as they scanned this treeless expanse, dreaming of a home and seasons of prosperity ahead.
Besides the saddle horses there were many covered wagons, spring wagons were to be seen on every hand for the first few miles. Buckboards and even surries, light as they were, vied for a place in this wild, mad race for the land of promise.
Talk about your thoroughbred saddle horses, trained for days along the border. Our native sires did them after the first mile until we never saw any more that day. A common cow pony reared on these western prairies became a gold mine to its owner the the press of time.
The day ushered in with a strong breeze from the southwest, a blazing sun overhead at high noon, the dust rose in clouds mingling with the ashes of the previous burning. At the crack of the gun to the east of us we were off. The big breath taking race, long look for, was on.
We swept down the broad Chikaskia valley, ever narrowing to a V shape, to the south. A lady to the left was having trouble with her cart and horse as the latter was becoming: unmanageable. Finally someone hit her, caving in the left wheel of her cart, throwing her head first over on one side, where she lay as we passed. Another man further down had broken a tongue out of his wagon and was frantically trying to fix it when we passed. We could see fellows fall out and drive their stakes every now and then as we passed. The
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cloud of dust swept up by the strong wind in our faces made it all but unbearable at times as we passed on. We pulled up late afternoon near where the city of Blackwell now stands to rest and refresh our weary horses as well as ourselves. A few tents adorned the place. We entered one to find a game in progress. It was some kind of card game and we were solicited. Going out by an adjoining tent we were asked if we won. We answered we did not, the fellow said he knew the game well. He wanted us to put up the price so as to have him try his luck with our money for us. We found out the next day he was a capper and the two were working together. One fellow came to camp late that night tired and sore at the country and everybody in particular and offered any one his claim for forty dollars. Said it was a bottom claim, too.
Next day a fellow showed us where he had taken a show from his horse’s foot and placed it in the crotch of a tree, claiming it as his staked quarter and offered it for thirty. There were no wells, no water, no feed, no anything but black burnt prairie, bare as the road.
Many were living in their wagons and a few were cutting sod to build a soddy to live in. Little did they think then that this Eden was underlaid with BLACK GOLD, as it afterwards developed.
CHARLES SHAWVER WAS BRAVE OFFICER DURING EARLY DAY
Welling Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
April 2, 1836
Chas. Shawver, 211 East 10th Street, one of the early settlers of Sumner County, gained much admiration in the early days because of his absolute fearlessness in going after and arresting offenders. Although he did not serve Sumner County as sheriff until in 1900, he served as under-sheriff back in the late ’70’s and as city marshall in the '70’s.
A. A. Richards, who edited a newspaper here many years ago, printed a story about Shawver making an arrest of a member of a tough gang, going in unarmed. The story which appeared in Mr. Richards’ newspaper in 1897 is as follows:
Onethe night of that day in March, 1880 upon which the Southern Kansas railroad track reached Wellington the tracklayers came into the city to "take the town.” There were thirteen saloons in Wellington then; there were more than a hundred of these "Irish Paddies,” as tough a gang as ever struck any town; they all got howling drunk and started out to take the town in great shape.
C. C. Shawver was city marshal at that time. He had occasion to handle some of this gang rather roughly on former occasions. They openly stated that they were "after the meat house” and did anything and everything to bring on a conflict. The climax soon came. One fellow, after finishing a schooner of beer in "Little Doc’s” salloon hurled the beer mug into the mirror on the wall behind the bar smashing it into smithereens. He ran. There was a crowd of a hundred or more of those drunken tracklayers in the street in front of the Shearman block. This fellow darted into their midst.
Shawver went after that man alone. He carried neither gun, pistol nor club. As Shawver reached the outer edge of that crowd of drunken, wildly yelling toughs, not less than two-score of revolvers were drawn and leveled on him. Those nearest him were literally stuck into his face and shoved against every part of his body. With absolute coolness and deliberation Shawver shoved those revolvers aside with open hands, as he did others at every step, until he forced his way into the very midst of the crowd.
He arrested his man, brought him out of the mob absolutely alone and locked him up in jail, with more than twenty of his fellows who were arrested that night.
COUNTY SEAT BATTLES TOLD IN OLD CLIPPING
Wellington Daily News
Wellington, Kansas
July 4, 1936
A story of the battles—legal and otherwise—by which Wellington gained the county government of Sumner County is told in a clipping from an old newspaper, probably printed in the 90’s has been brought into the News office by Mrs. 0. P. Riner, 1224 South Washington Avenue.
The story, headed "How We Founded A town, The Story of the First Days of of Wellington, Kas., Told by One of the Town-Siters--How It got the County Seat," is signed by the initials H.S.F.
County government had been started the year previous to the arrival of the party of 1871, according to this account, when Governor Harvey appointed county commissioners.
The author says, "The only thing that had been done by them toward organizing the county was to -pitch a tent on the banks of Slate Creek, some two miles from us. Here they spent their time in loafing and playing cards, living principally by hunting and fishing. They were a pretty rough looking lot, although they were intelligent enough for all that and were men of some education."
At the first election held Wellington received the most votes but Oxford was a close second and a second election was held the following week to decide the contest between the two towns.
The article continues, "While waiting for the second election we decided to take time by the forelock and move the commissioners with the county books no records yet having been made. We believed in the old saying that 'possession is nine points in law’."
Selecting a dozen of our best men to act as persuaders, we loaded them into a two-horse wagon and started for the commissioner camp. Just as we arrived we spied a strong party from Oxford coming over a rise in the prairie bent on exactly the same errand. When they saw us they gave a yell, whipped up their horses and came up just ms w had thrown the books into our wagon. Then there was a lively time.
"Our men threw one commissioner into the wagon bodily on top of the books and three or four men sat on him while the rest went after the other two.
Hot words were exchanged at a furious rate, but fortunately neither party had weapons upon them.
"The second commissioner, Major Uhler, was pulled to and fro. Part of the time it looked as if we would not get him. As last he was tumbled into the rear end of our wagon, but with the Oxford delegates hanging on manfully to his long coat tails. With a sny the tails parted company with the major commissioner and his coat, leaving the valiant Oxfordites sitting in the dust.
The other commissioner was so well surrounded that we decided to take our two
7f
and get out. This we did ata lively gait, leaving the other commissioner and the Major’s coattails as their share of the day’s proceedings.
"The second election resulted in an easy victory for us. But on the day set for the official canvass of the vote, our wily Oxford friends sent a rising young lawyer with the necessary papers, secured from the probate judge to enjoin the commissioners from canvassing the vote. This young man cane the evening before the meeting was to be held. He stopped at the hotel and had his injunction papers carefully stowedaway inside of his coat. During the night some one removed them, substituting other papers less valuable.
When the board met at 9 o’clock the next morning the young gentleman appeared, and with much confidence stepped forward and said: "If Your Honor’s please, I hold in my hand an order of court enjoining this hoard from further proceeding in the canvass of this vote."
''Read the injunction,’ said one of the commissioners. Great was the chagrin of the young attorney when, on unrolling his papers, he found them blank. He fumed and threatened, declaring he had been tricked. The board gave him a short time to produce his papers, but as they were not forthcoming the vote was counted and Wellington, having received the majority, was officially declared to be the county seat.
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CHRONOLOGICAL
Record of events connected with the early settlement of Sumner County.
1869
Summer-John Neigolia settled on Slate Creek in what is now Sumner township and built a stockade ranch.
1870
April 25-J. M. Buffington crossed the Arkansas river, settled and built where he now lives, sec. 36, town 32, range 2 east.
May 16—Lafayette Binkley and John Horton crossed at "Big Cottonwood Ford," now Oxford, built the log house now occupied Mr. John Hardman and opened a trading store.
June 15-Edwin Wiggins, Chas. Russell and Frank Holcroft arrived and took
claims where the cattle trail crossed Slate creek, eight miles above where Wellington now stands.
July 5—The first settlers of the Ninnescah in what is now Belle Plaine
township were A. D. Clewell, G.C.Walton, J.B.W. and S. Leforce,
J. L. Ferguson and L. Cambridge. Mrs. C. E. Clewell was the first white woman in the settlement.
July 15-Treaty with Osage Indians, by which this territory was added to the United States.
July 15—W. G. Foraker and Nelson Holmes settled on Slate creek, just south of the present site of Wellington, made the first settlement and completed the first houses in this section.
July 15—Thomas A. Woodward, Thomas Fuller and James Sullivan arrived on Slate Creek, south of Wellington and selected claims.
July 25—The McMahan brothers built a house in the grove a mile southwest of Wellington.
July 26—Captain A. B. Barnes, Chas. Russell, Harry Holcroft and Ed. Wiggins settled on Slate creek in Sumner township.
July 29—Thomas V. McMahan, John S. McMahan and Robert Symington located on Slate creek, south of Wellington.
August 15-Charles Forbes arrived at the Slate Creek settlement.
August 20 - R.A.Davis arrived and settled on Slate Creek.
Sept 1-—Albert Brown, George Brown, John Botkin and Simon Botkin took claims on Slate creek south, of Wellington.
Sept 15--John P. McCulloch arrived at the settlement on Slate creek.
Oct. 14—-John E, Reid, the first settler, located his claim near Caldwell.
Sept 27—John Burnett and family, and Mrs. Millie Wallace, then 86 years old and who was 75 before one of the first settlers in W.Va arrived and began building.
Oct. 15 — Ike Bishop landed and took his claim.
Nov. 8---Victor Bussard, James Bussard, Augustus Taton and Dasire Taton located
on the claim they now occupy.
Dec. 31—Messrs. A. Morrill and Perry Binkley crossed at Big Cottonwood and located claims.
1871
Jan. 5---The townsite of Belle Plaine was located by Geo. A. Hamilton, James
L. Hamilton, Jap. L. Kellogg, W. P. Hackney, E.M.Miller and J.C.
Thurman.
Feb. 1---Rev.W. Perkins preached the first sermon in the county in Binkley's
dugout at Big Cottonwood Ford.
Feb. 7---Sumner county organized by proclamation of Gov. Harvey and the
county seat established at Meridian, and the following officers appointed: Commissioners, W. J. Uhler, J.J.Abeel and Jno. S. McMahan; Clerk, Chas. A. Phillips.
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Feb. 15--David Richards established the first ferry across the Arkansas River east of Belle Plaine.
Feb. 21—Capt. L. K. Myers arrived in the county—the townsite of Meridian was
staked out under the supervision of a company consisting of J. J. Angell,
Maj Uhler, Nugent, B. F. Parsons and J. J. Abeel.
Feb. 25—Drs. P. A. Wood, and C. R. Godfrey arrived at Meridian, came over to the Slate Creek settlements and settled. Dr. Wood was the first phy-sician to settle in the county.
Feb. 25—The first business house in Belle Plaine opened by James L. Hamilton The town of Nep-ta-wah was founded at Big Cottonwood ford by a company composed of A. Morrill, President;C.P. Binkley, secretary;
L. and J. Binkley, J. A. and J. M. Corbin.
March 1—The town of Caldwell was located and named in honor of U. S. Senator
Caldwell, of Leavenworth, by a company consisting of Charles Gilbert, president; G. A. Smith, secretary; C. H. Stone, treasurer; and J. H. Dagner— Charles Brodbent and N. Loofborrow settled on Slate creek.
March 6—The Oxford Town and Emigration company was organized at Oswego, Kas.
March 14-Edmond Sleigh Sr. and Jr. Jos. Sleigh and Jos Harrop arrived and located claims.
March 15-First building in Caldwell, erected by E. C. Stone and used as a dwelling and store room.
March 20 - A. W. Sherman landed on Slate Creek and adopted it as his future abode.
March 24-An exploring expedition consisting of R. W. Stevenson, J. H. Folks,
0. E. Kimball, Dr. J. W. Weir, Jno. G. Davis, N. A. Stevenson. T. E. Clark,
A. L. Austin and A. M. Bowyer, arrived in the town of Nep-ta-wah, now Oxford,then containing one dugout.
March 26-Th.e Oxford Town company, consisting of T. E. Clark, President; J. H. Folks, Secretary; 0. E. Kimball, Dr. J. W. Weir, L. J. Goddard, Dr. F. Wixon, Chas. Tilton, R. W. Stevenson, A. Graft, A. J. Bower, A. L. Austin and Hon. D. P.
Lowe, bought Nep-ta-wah and laid out Oxford.
March 30-A. N. Randall arrived and selected his claim.
March 31 - The Oxford Town Company ordered a printing press.
April 2—Wellington town site selected.
April 2--Willard Binkley, son of George and Mary Binkley, was born in Oxford township. This is the earliest authenticated birth in the county.
April 4-Survey of Wellington townsite commenced—Capt. L. K. Myer’S began the erection of the log house now occupied by Mr. G. W. Winn, from logs hewn for use in an intended home in Meridian. This was the first house on the present town site of Wellington.
April 5—The first building in Oxford, Capt. J. H. Folks’ office was erected.
April 9—First preaching in Wellington, by Rev. Shaeffer in the unfinished house of A. W. Sherman.
April 10-The Oxford Town and Emigration company chartered under the laws of the state. Wm. Sherburn arrived in Oxford with two wagon loads of bacon—the first.
April 12-Survey of Oxford completed.
April 15-A.W. Sherman opened the first business house in Wellington.
April 15-Rev. E.C. Ferguson preached the first sermon in Sumner City. As
Buildings were few, the people assembled in a saloon; the minister used the counter as a pulpit, and preached from John III:3.
April 20-Hack and mail line established between Wellington and Wichita.
April 20-Capt. A. B. Barnes of Sumner broke the first prairie in the county,
April 30-S. S. Williams, John Parker and P. Williams located at Oxford,
May 10----A. Graff opened the first business house in Oxford.
May 1—-—C.R.Godfrey opened the first drug store in the county.
May 8-----Capt. Myers family arrived in Wellington, and were the first to keep
house in this section.
May 7-----The first Sunday School in the county organized in Oxford by J. H. Folks
J. M. Buffington, W. H. Pearce, A. Morrill, and others, in T. E. Clark’s unfinished store room.
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July 15—A meeting of the settlers of the Ninnescah Valley was held at the house of Mr. S. Perkins.
July 16—There was a meeting at Meridian to further the remanent organization of the county. A committee consisting of commissioners Uhler and McMahan, G. N. Godfrey, of Oxford; W. N. Carpenter, of Sumner City;
C. R. Godfrey of Wellington, and John Baldwin of Chickaskia were appointed to correspond with the Governor.
July 20--0xford Duffit was born, the first child in Oxford.
August 6-The Sumner County Herald established at Belle Plaine by Wm. Nixon.
Aug. 8---A company was chartered to build a bridge across the Arkansas River
at Oxford.
Aug. 9---J. L. Goddard at Oxford received his commission as Justice of the Peace.
Aug. 10—The "Oxford House” was formally opened with a ball largely attended by the "beautiful fair and manly brave” of Wellington, Sumner City, and Belle Plaine. The Sumner City String Band furnishing the music.
Aug. 10—The first transfer of Wellington property. J. P. McCulloch sold his one-eighth interest to R. A. Davis for $440.
Aug 21---Mr. 0.E. Kimball’s brick chimney and yard fence completed—the first
in the county.
Aug. 23—The County Commissioners ordered a special election of county and town Officers to be held Sept. 26.
Aug. 24—The foundation of a school house laid in Oxford.
Aug. 31—Bennett, a carpenter, died in Oxford. He was the first one to die in Oxford, or to be buried in the cemetry.
Sept. 7—The newspaper quarrels of the countv began between the Oxford Times and the Belle Plaine Herald.
Sept. 23-EM S. Hughes withdrew leaving W. H. Mugford sole proprietor and editor of the Oxford Times, The Sumner City Gazette was established at Sumner City by W. D. Carpenter.
Sept. 26-Election of county Officers.
Sept. 27-The first deed recorded, Mary E. and David Chestnut deeded to C.J.
Barlow the northwest quarter of section 8, township 32, S. R. 1 W.,
for the sum of $800.
Sept. 29-The County Commissioners met at Wellington to canvas the vote for
county officers. The result was as follows: Commissioners—Daird Richards, A. D. Rosencrans and Reuben Riggs; Clerk—C.S. Brodbent; Treasurer -- R. Freeman; Probate Judge, Geo. M. Miller; Register, J.
Romine, Sheriff, J. J. Ferguson; Coroner, Chas. D. Brande; Surveyor,
M. A. Ramsey; Supt. Public Instruction, A. M. Colson; County Attorney,
G. N. Godfrey.
Oct. 1—The Methodist Church at Oxford was organized.
Oct. 6—The house of Chauncey Lewis, with its contents destroyed by Prairie fire.
Oct. 7—The Oxford Times was bought by the Town Company.
The Oxford school house was completed and ready for occupancy. This was the first house of its kind south and west of the Arkansas river and was built principally through the generosity and energy of Mr.
Chas. Tilton. It has since been moved six miles south and is known as the Jenkins school house.
Oct. 8---The Oxford Union Sunday School was reorganized with Mr. Chas. Tilton
as superintendent.
Oct. 11—Oxford Township formed.
Oct. 18—Belle Plaine, London, Sumner, Caldwell, New Haven, afterwards South Haven, Chikaskia and Slate Creek townships were formed.
Oct. 19—A county convention was held at Meridian and nominated the following ticket: Representative D.C. Burson; Commissioners, D.L. Spencer, R. W. Stevenson, Reuben Riggs; County Clerk, Chas C. Brodbent; Treasurer,
G. H. Winsor; Probate Judge, S. L. Still; Register, W.S. Handley;
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July 15—A meeting of the settlers of the Ninnescah Valley was held at the house of Mr. S, Perkins.
July 16—There was a meeting at Meridian to further the permanent organization of the county. A committee consisting of commissioners Uhler and McMahan, G. N. Godfrey, of Oxford; W. N. Carpenter, of Sumner City;
C. R. Godfrey of Wellington, and John Baldwin of Chickaskia were appointed to correspond with the Governor.
July 20—Oxford Duffit was born, the first child in Oxford.
August 6-The Sumner County Herald established at Belle Plaine by Wm. Nixon.
Aug. 8---A company was chartered to build a bridge across the Arkansas River
at Oxford.
Aug. 9---J. L. Goddard at Oxford received his commission as Justice of the Peace.
Aug. 10—The "Oxford House” was formally opened with a ball largely attended by the "beautiful fair and manly brave” of Wellington, Sumner City, and Belle Plaine. The Sumner City String Band furnishing the music.
Aug. 10—The first transfer of Wellington property. J.P. McCulloch sold his one-eighth interest to R.A. Davis for $440.
Aug 21---Mr. O. E. Kimball's brick chimney and yard. fence completed—the first
in the county.
Aug. 23—The County Commissioners ordered a special election of county and town officers to be held Sept. 26.
Aug. 24—The foundation of a school house laid in Oxford.
Aug. 31—Bennett, a carpenter, died in Oxford. He was the first one to die in Oxford, or to be buried in the cemetry.
Sept. 7—The newspaper quarrels of the county began between the Oxford Times and the Belle Plaine Herald.
Sept. 23-Em S. Hughes withdrew leaving W.H. Mugford sole proprietor and editor of the Oxford Times, The Sumner City Gazette was established at Sumner City by W. D. Carpenter.
Sept. 26-Election of county Officers.
Sept. 27-The first deed recorded, Mary E. and David Chestnut deeded to C. J.
Barlow the northwest quarter of section 8, township 32, S. R. 1 W.,
for the sum of $800.
Sept. 29-The County Commissioners met at Wellington to canvas the vote for
county officers. The result was as follows: Commissioners—Daird
Richards, A. D. Rosencrans and Reuben Riggs; Clerk—C.S. Brodbent; Treasurer--R. Freeman; Probate Judge, Geo. M. Miller; Register, J.
Romine; Sheriff, J .J .Ferguson; Coroner, Chas. D. Brande; Surveyor,
M.A. Ramsey; Supt. Public Instruction, A.M. Colson; County Attorney,
G.N. Godfrey.
Oct. 1—The Methodist Church at Oxford was organized.
Oct. 6—The house of Chauncey Lewis, with its contents destroyed by Prairie fire.
Oct. 7—The Oxford Times was bought by the Town Company.
The Oxford school house was completed and ready for occupancy. This was the first house of its kind south and west of the Arkansas river and was built principally through the generosity and energy of Mr.
Chas. Tilton. It has since been moved six miles south and is known as the Jenkins school house.
Oct. 8---The Oxford Union Sunday School was reorganized with Mr. Chas. Tilton
as superintendent.
Oct. 11—Oxford Township formed.
Oct. 18—Belle Plaine, London, Sumner, Caldwell, New Haven, afterwards South Haven, Chikaskia and Slate Creek townships were formed.
Oct. 19—A county convention was held at Meridian and nominated the following ticket: Representative D.C. Burson; Commissioners, D.L. Spencer, R.W, Stevenson, Reuben Riggs; County Clerk, Chas C. Brodbent; Treasurer,
G. H. Winsor; Probate Judge, S.L. Still; Register, W.S.Handley;
Sheriff, Edwin Cole; Coroner, P.A. Wood; County Attorney, J. L. Abbott; Dist. Clerk, W. A. Thompson; Surveyor, E. H. Doyle; Supt. Public Instruction, S. H. Kimball.
Oct. 23--Miss Mary- Pearce opened a select school in Oxford. This was the first school taught in the county.
Nov. 7----The general election of state and county officers. The following
county- officers were elected; Commissioners, S.W. Stevenson,
E.A. White and John C. Snow; Sheriff, Geo. A. Hamilton; Register,
Wm. Nixon; Clerk, C .S. Brodbent; Surveyor, M. A. Ramsey; Treasurer,
J.L. Kellogg; Probate Judge, Geo. W. Miller; County Attorney, Reuben Riggs; Supt. of Pub. Inst. T.H. Mason.
Nov. 8—Rev. W. H. Knapp preached the first funeral sermon in the county at the burial of Mrs. E. T.Felt.
Nov. 16—A stage and mail line established between Oxford and Wichita.
Nov. 17—The first marriage license was issued to Geo. W. Clark and Mary Catharine Wright of Sumner City.
Nov. 18—Geo. W. Clark and Miss M. C. Wright were married by Rev. E. C. Ferguson.
Nov. 23—John Murphy and A. Carroll arrived in Oxford and engaged in business immediately.
Nov. 25--Uncle Dick Stevenson took the census of Oxford and found two hundred and twenty souls.
Dec. 16—The government survey of the county completed.
Dec. 20--The County Commissioners ordered an election to be held on the 29th of January 1872, to select a permanent county seat.
Dec. 31—During the year, 1871 there were 500,000 head of cattle driven across the town site of Caldwell.
1872
Jan. 6----G.T. Walton's family arrived at Oxford.
Jan. 21—School district No. L, the Oxford, district was organized. The first examination of teachers was held at Oxford. The board of examiners consisted of Thomas H. Mason, county superintendent, Geo. T. Walton,
S. R. Kimball. The following persons received certificates in the order named: Olive North, G.T. Mason, Lilly Walton and Jennie Whealy,
Jan. 23—Avon township organized.
Jan. 29—County seat election held.
Feb. 3----The County Commissioners met at Meridian, in obedience to a mandamers
issued by Hon. H. E. Webb, as a board of canvassers to canvas the vote for county seat. Objections were filed against Commissioner D.W. Stevenson acting as a member of the board. During the insuing argument, A.D. Rosencrans resigned his office as commissioner; the board adjourned and the vote was never canvassed.
Feb. 14—Leap year party at Father Sleigh's on Mt. Chetopa; there were twenty-two couples present.
Feb. 22—Dedication Ball at the Oxford House, which everybody attended.
Mar. 26—An election was held under a then recent act of the Legislature to select a permanent county seat.
Mar. 29—The County Commissi oners met to canvass the whole vote for county-seat, which was: Wellington, 398; Oxford, 297; Belle Plaine, 282;
and Caldwell, 2. In accordance with law the commissioners ordered an election of county-seat between Wellington and Oxford, to be held April 9.
April 1—The County Commissioners made an order enforcing the "Herd Law".
April 9--The final election of county-seat was held and resulted in the choice of Wellington by a vote of 571 to 426.
April 24-The Presbyterian Church at Caldwell was organized by Rev. J.P. Harsen.
May 6—Leave was granted to T.R. Davis and Geo. M. Forbes, respectively to keep a dram shop in Wellington.
May 14—Mail route established from Winfield via Oxford to Wellington and Sumner City.
June 1---License granted to John Dunn and A. B. Mayhew for a ferry boat over
the Ninneschah near Belle Plaine.
June 22—The Republican party in the county organized at Wellington and Judge Geo. M. Miller was chosen chairman of the central committee,
June 27—The Oxford Weekly Press was established at Oxford by J. H. Folks and Harry Ludlow.
June 25—Chauncy Lewis killed by the caving in of a well on Peter Hedrick’s farm two and one half miles southwest of Oxford.
June 30—The Baptist Church at Oxford, organized, with D. E. Bent and D. D. Kellogg as deacons and Chas. Tilton, treasurer.
July 4---V. Bussard and son finished harvesting the first crop of wheat,
250 bushels, raised in the county.
July 21—Inquest on the body of an unknown man found dead east of the Oxford school house.
July 26—Rev. W.H. Boggs died. The summer session of the Oxford school taught by Mr. G.T. Mason closed, and Mr Mason was employed to teach the next term.
Aug. 13--Rev. W.J. Finney read the first sermon in Caldwell.
Aug. 28—Caldwell’s first wedding. Mr. George Graul and Miss Christena Reid were married by B. W. Fox, Esq.
Sept. 19--Wellington's first school house completed.
Sept. 27-Wellington Banner, Republican in politics, established by G. P. Garland.
Sept.28-First primary election of delegates to Republican convention.
Oct. 3---Public lecture in Oxford by G. T. Mason, on "Education”. Sumner County
Herald of Belle Plaine suspended.
Oct. 6---James M. Wright purchased the first land in Sumner County from
R. M. Carrington.
Oct. 12—Republican county convention.
Oct. 17—Democrat and Liberal county convention.
Oct 24---Masons and Odd Fellows’ supper and ball at the Southwestern Hotel
in Wellington.
Oct. 26—Mr. Elliott Beck bought a quarter section near Oxford from J. L. Goddard for $750.
Nov.5----At the Presidential election 1,130 votes were cast—728 for Grant
and 402 for Greeley.
Nov. 10—David S. McIntosh, chief engineer of the S. K., A&P R.R. with a surveying party entered Oxford and continued to preliminary survey westward.
Nov. 12—First railroad meeting held in Oxford.
Nov. 13—Upon petition of D. N. Caldwell and seventy-eight others, Wellington was incorporated as a city of the third class.
Nov. 30—Wellington’s first city election was held and resulted in the selection of the following officers: Mayor, D. N. Caldwell;
Police Judge J.A. Dillar; Councilmen, A.W. Sherman, W. P. Hackney A. N. Randall, John G. Tucker and T. J. Riley; Treasurer, S. Mann;
Marshal, W. H. McClelland.
Nov. 30—The bridge across the Arkansas at Oxford opened to the public.
Dec. 6---The Oxford Literary Society organized.
1873
Jan. 7---Judge Reuben Riggs died.
Feb. 1---The Belle Plaine Democrat established by J. Wade McDonald and
E. F. Widner. This was the first Democratic paper published south and
west of the Arkansas River.
Feb. 24--Exhibition given at the Fielding House the pupils of the Oxford school, under the direction of G. T. Mason.
Mar. 13—Oxford Cemetry Company was organized. W. B. Caldwell, Secretary;
Apr. 8--First cession of court held in Wellington. Judge W. P. Campbell
presiding. There were twelve cases on the docket.
Apr. 18—Wellington Dramatic Society organized.
May 9---Population of county 4,568.
May 20--The bridge across the Ninneschah at Belle Plaine completed.
July 17--The Press removed from Oxford to Wellington, and issued as the Sumner County Press by Folks and Ludlow.
July 29—Wm. McDowell, of Wellington, murdered near a cattle camp, five miles south of Austin. First County Sunday School Convention held at Oxford.
Aug. 1--Work on the Oxford Presbyterian Church commenced.
Aug. 21—Governor Osborn offered a reward of $1,500 for the arrest and conviction of the murderers of McDowell.
Aug. 31—Site of Court House established by vote.
Sept. 5—The Oxford Enterprise established by T. J. Hadley. Mrs. Bailey
Pilcher died from the effects of strychnin© mistaken for quinine.
Sept. 18-Oxford Silver Cornet Band organized.
Oct. 4--Five thousand dollars in bonds voted by Wellington township towards
the erection of a court house.
Oct. ll--Committee appointed at the school officers meeting, at Belle Plaine reported their selections of books for use in the common schools for the coming five years.
Nov. 13—On petition of D. N. Caldwell and 78 others Judge Campbell made an order incorporating Wellington as a city of the third class.
Nov. 17—Wellington seriously endangered by prairie fires.
Nov. 22—William Clark arrested charged with poisoning Mrs. Pilcher.
Nov. 30—Wellington held her first city election, casting total of 66 votes and elected the following officers: Mayor, D. N. Caldwell; Police Judge, J. A. Dillar; Councilman, A. W. Sherman, W. P. Hackney,
A. N. Randall, John G. Tucker and T. J. Riley.
Dec 4---Wellington City Council had its first meeting, and appointed T. C.
Gatliff, Jr, Clerk; S. Mann, Treasurer, and W. H. McClelland, Marshall.
Dec. 18—Harry Ludlow sold his interest in the Press to L. W. Bishop. Wellington Coal and Mining Company organized.
Dec. 24—County Council of the Patrons of Husbandry organized, with James Kirby as master.
Dec. 26—Convention of Cotton Growers held at Belle Plaine,
1874
Feb. 5--Reed arrested for robbery of the Wellington Post Office.
Apr. 6--City election held in Wellington; resulting in the choice of the
following officers: Mayor, C. R. Godfrey; Councilmen, D. N. Caldwell,
Z. Miexsell, P. Moreland, H. J. Atchison and J. P. McCulloch; Police Judge, E. Evans.
Apr. 25—First Teachers Association held in Wellington.
June 13—The Presbytery of Emporia met at Oxford.
July 4--The largest crowd ever assembled in the county celebrated the Fourth
at Wellington.
July 8--The great Indian scare.
July 13—The Sumner County Press office removed to second floor of Wood's & Share's new brick block.
July 15—Sheriff John G. David left Wellington with a posse consisting of
T. C. Gatliff, Jr; John Botkin and J. M. Thralls, of that place; W. B. King, C. M. Barrington, John Williams, Hiram Force, A. M. Colson, and Alexander Williamson of the Chikaskia river country in pursuit of a party of desperadoes who had stolen a number of mules from Vail &Co’s Stage Line at the station below Caldwell, the thieves had twenty-four hours start; but as the sheriff hoped to cut them off the party left without supplies, and as the chase lasted several days, the pursuers suffered intensely from hunger and thirst. On the sixth day the thieves were overtaken at a point on the Arkansas river near Garfield. Sheriff Davis with King and Williams surprised and attacked their camp, and captured one of the robbers. Two others attempted to escape with a baggage wagone, which they were after-wards forced to abandon to flee for their lives. All the mules, five in number, were recovered besides other stolen stock; baggage wagon, supplies and camp equipage captured. The party returned on the 26th without the prisoner.
July 20—Organization of the Wellington Militia Company effected.
July 29—Hasbrouck, Smith and Brooks taken from the Wellington calaboose by the Vicilantes and all hung to the same tree near the Slate Creek bridge.
Aug. 5---Beginning of the Grasshopper Plague.
Aug. 19—Frederick Ricer shot by L. L. Oliver at Caldwell and Oliver lynched.
Aug. 20—Wellington Court House completed.
Aug. 24—Capt. O. F. Short and his son T. D. Short, former residents of Sumner county murdered by Cheyenne Indians at Crooked Creek, south of Dodge City.
Sept. 1—Rain.
Sept. 9--First Teachers Institute convened at Wellington under the supervision of John P. Jones Esq, Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Sept 17 — Belle Plaine Democrat suspended.
Oct, Victor Bussard gathered the first apples raised in the county.
Oct. 19--Mr. Bayley Pilcher killed by the accidental discharged revolver.
Oct. 22—The Oxford Enterprise suspended operation.
Dec. 24—The Oxford stone school house completed, at a cost of $5,000.
1875
Jan. 12—Capt. J. H. Folks was elected secretary of the State Senate.
Jan. 22—T.W. & N. R.R. meeting at Caldwell.
Mar. 5---Rev. S. B. Fleming resigned his position as Superintendent of Public
Instruction and Prof. Jones was appointed to his stead.
Apr. 24—Capt. Rafferty with 125 men returned to Caldwell from the unsuccessful pursuit of escaping Cheyenne Indians.
May 3----The stone school house in Oxford was completed ready for use.
May 5----Sumner County’s first spelling match in Caldwell.
July 12—The Teachers’ Normal Institute opened in Wellington under the management of J. P. Jones.
Sept. 6—Sumner County’s Centennial Central Committee appointed.
Oct. 2---Willis Jackson, one of the murderers of Wm. McDowell July 10, 1873
was arrested at Sequin, Texas, by Joseph M. Thralls, present Sheriff Elect of the county.
Nov. 2---J. H. Turner was shot and killed by R. M. Neal in self-defense, near
Porter’s school house in London township.
Dec. 17—The Emporia Presbytery met at Wellington,
1876
Jan. 2—-The M. E. Sunday School of Wellington organized.
Feb. 10—The Christian Church of Belle Plaine, was organized with a membership of twelve; Thomas H. Mason and Wm. A. Homer were chosen elders.
Apr. 15—A party composed of Messrs. McGee, Lewallen, Bowyer, Banks, Dorland,
36
and Walton returned from a successful pursuit of horse thieves who made a raid on the settlement a few miles southwest of Wellington and ran off several teams of horses. This party followed the thieves 300 miles, captured them and recovered the horses; but returned without the thieves.
May 2-----R. M. Neal was acquitted on the charge of murdering J. H. Turner.
May 6-----Great flood.
May 13----The Teachers’ Association of the county organized.
June 1----Edgar Sleigh was drowned in the Ninneschah.
June 2----The Chikaskia Milling Company was organized.
July 4----Frank Jones accidently shot Joseph Lheureux, at Salt City, from the
effects of which he died July 9th. The Fourth was celebrated at Wellington, Oxford, and Caldwell.
July 8----Judge John M. Forsyth celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary at
Mr. J. S. Epperson’s.
July 17---200F of Oxford was organized.
Aug. 15—The Sumner County Democrat was established at Wellington by Crawford and Edmiston.
Sept. 18--Judge J. M. Forsyth died.
Sumner County Press
Wellington, Kansas.
Jan. 1, 1880
Original Format
Typed manuscript for new Fourth Grade Geography Unit, 37 pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, it appears that it was in a stapled binding, but the front cover is missing.