This series of articles was printed in 1921.
The individual pieces are from the indicated issue dates.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, May 27, 1921

REMINISENCE OF HALL'S SUMMIT. A few weeks ago we promised to give a few reminisences of or from this place. In the beginning will mention some facts that may be of interest to the readers of our little paper, "The Halls Summit News." This writer cannot remember the year that Ezra Hall first arrived here, but we think about the year 1876 or 1877. He owned the part of the townsite west of the railroad south of the main wagon road coming in from the west and was at that time in Ottumwa township. The house or the back part of the house on the Davidson farm, now occupied by Harlan Davidson and family, was the old home of the aforesaid Ezra Hall and family, consisting of wife and four sons, William, Monroe, Oscar and Elmer and one daughter, Mary. There was a Post Office in the country about a mile and a half west and north of this place, it was called Dixon. Thomas Adair was Postmaster. But about the time the railroad came to this place in the year 1878 it was brought to this place and the Post Office was called Halls Summit P. O., as the Station was called Halls Summit station, and as there was no depot the passengers had to alight on a large platform built for that purpose by the railroad. Mr. Hall was a preacher of the United Brethren Persuasion and preached around in different school houses as he was called.

When the railroad came in a man named Shrieves who came from Ottumwa or near there put up the first store building and put in the first stock of goods, but after a time he decided it did not pay so left and the place had no store for a long time. This writer and family came into the neighborhood from Burlington in 1879 and purchased the farm joining the Hall farm on the west which was homesteaded by Thomas Brown and patent granted to Mr. Brown and signed by President R. B. Hayes in the year 1877 is still in existence and held by the writer. In these years that have gone by we have seen a great many changes in the town and country around about. But to proceed in the year of 1880 the store building with W. S. Shrieves in large letters on the west side stood about where the Hamilton store now is but was empty and a blacksmith shop that was built by a Jonathan Smith also of Ottumwa were the only buildings in the town. This store was several years later burned down, and the old shop now stands on the Watkins place one-half mile west of town that was Hall's Summit's first blacksmith shop and lack of business drove that man away. But in the year 1880 Elias Roberts moved his family here and put in a small stock of groceries and after a time he succeeded Mr. Hall as Postmaster. After the country got better settled changes came in the way of buildings and the town began to grow.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, June 10, 1921

REMINISENCE OF HALLS SUMMIT. (Continued from last issue.) We spoke in the last issue of Elias Roberds, the man who succeeded Mr. Hall as Postmaster at this place. He also was a minister of the New Light Church and often preached here after the new school house was built in 1884. Mr. Roberds was a good Christian man and had a worthy wife and children. He taught a term of school in the old stone school house one mile north and three-fourths-mile west of town across the road from where Harry Warner's home now stands. In the year of 1885, Mr. Roberds sold out to H. C. McCloud and brother-in-law W. C. Warner, who was manager of the store as Mr. McCloud was conductor on this branch of the railway. A short time after these people came the name of the Postoffice was changed to Warnerton by petition but that was not found

satisfactory as the station was Halls Summit, so by petition it was changed back to Halls Summit and will probably remain so. The house now occupied by H. W. McFadden was built by Mr. McCloud in the year 1885 and his family came from Ottawa, Kan., consisting of himself, wife, her brother, W. C. Warner, and a Mr. Jones. Mrs. McCloud was a lively, energetic woman and quite a town booster. Through her efforts the Ladies' Aid Society was organized September 11, 1886, and is still one of the live wires in the community. There was a Union Sunday School in existence at that time held in the school house and very soon after a Methodist minister, Rev. Longton, came down from Waverly and preached for us occasionally.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, July 8, 1921

In our last writing we spoke of our having M. E. services occasionally, but during the next year a minister by the name of Smith came here for regular service. This was in the year 1885 or '86, and shortly after organized a Methodist class of five members, namely, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Carmean, Mr. and Mrs. Keys, and Edward Bennett. Mr. Carmean was the first steward to be elected in the M. E. Church at this place. The class soon became a permanent organization with a goodly number of members. The Union Sunday School was dissolved by mutual consent of the people and a Methodist sunday school was organized and remained so until less than two years ago when it again became Union Sunday school. (I will later tell more about the L. A. S.) We will now take up some of the business affairs of the place. If we remember right it was in the spring of 1888 that the firm of McCloud sold out to a Mr. A. L. Hart, who came from Illinois and was a cousin of the McFaddens. He and a young wife were very pleasant people who endeared themselves to the entire community. He did a good business as a merchant. A brother of his wife, Charlie Banford, helped in the store for some time, was a fine young Christian man and was a great help to the young folks. In the summer of 1892 went of a visit and while gone Mr. Hart was taken with typhoid fever, of which there was an epidemic at this place. She was called home and Mr. Hart and her brother, and an elder brother, Mellie,

who was here to help care for the sick, all died within a couple of weeks of each other, and Mrs. Hart went back to her parents. The store was closed for ninety days and was then sold to George Marsh of Ottawa, who moved his family into the Hart house, after being renovated, and in about a month his wife was stricken and died with the same disease, typhoid fever, but Mr. Marsh stayed here with his children and housekeeper and did a good business in the store and, for this place, did a lot of business in the way of shipping cattle, hogs and grain. Mr. Marsh afterwards married a Miss Ela of Burlington and later left Kansas and located in Oklahoma, where he is at present. He was a good church worker and was a great help in building up the town. He built the hose now owned by S. S. Dickey, who was lately made many changes which has greatly improved the place. Now to go back to the McCloud people--will just say, Mr. McCloud died some years ago near Wellington, Kas., by Mrs. McCloud still lives near there, within a half mile of her brother, W. C. Warner, who is now a man of 73, has a fine looking wife and two splendid young sons. Mrs. Hutchings (Aunt Susie) received a letter a week ago with a picture including a Mrs. McCloud and a brother who lives with her. She asked about all her old friends and sends her regards to all inquiring friends. She is still a good looking woman; looks like time had dealt lightly with her, and we hope for her many days of happiness.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, July 15, 1921

We will go back to the "Long Ago Days" in the year 1879 and mention some of the old settlers. The place now owned by G. W. Aultman was then the Adam Dixon farm. Mr. Dixon homesteaded the place and built a stone house which stood on the east side of the road running north and south, running one mile from town. There was originally 160 acres. Mr. Aultman has the west part and the east part belongs to the Watkins property. Mr. Dixons were English folks, were very nice people and had a family of five children, namely, Adam, Jr., Mary, Maggie, Tom and Aggie. They sold out to Semi Robinson and moved to Greenwood County, near Eureka. The old folks died and the young folks left there. The place now owned by Lee Chatelain was the Thomas Adair farm. They had quite a large family. He was the father of Mrs. Wm. Guptill of Lebo and Mrs. Eva Blue of Hutchinson and several other children. On the north was the home of William Barnett, just north of the Harry Warner place. There was a good sized house and quite a nice place. Also off his land was the old stone school house where the children for two or three miles

around attended, as there was no other school house for miles. Mr. Barnett had a large family of boys and two daughters. We do not remember or know anything about them now. The place now owned by Billy Bouse was the Dodd farm. The house stood on the south side of the road going east and west by Harry Warner's place. It was burned down later on. They had quite a family, Charles, Mary, Carrie, Guy and Ida. None live here now. That takes in the section north and west of the Summit. On the south of town the place now owned by Fred Ormsby was the old Hagan farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hagan now rest in the cemetery across from the place. The step-children are not here now. There were John, Jim and Mollie Sheppard, who lived at the home place for several years. There was no other house on that section except the Bisham house which stands on the east side of the road going north and south one mile west of town. Then comes the John Rippey place now owned by A. Robinson. It was at that time the Sam Martin farm. Mr. Martin lived there for a number of years and was a fine young man. Later he went to Chicago and died there about 1894.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, August 12, 1921

After George Marsh sold out we had a number of different merchants. We can remember Ragan and Lake from Illinois, Art McKinstry, now in Chanute, Schermerhorn who is now dead, Minehouse & Bennett (Lew Minehouse) now in Wiley, Colo., in the mercantile business, and Frank Bennet in Kansas City with the Meriden Creamery Co.; W. H. Moore, now of Quenemo; Titus & Nesbitt of Farmers National Bank in Burlington; N. I. Waterbury, now in Lamar, Colo.; Gene Warmer, now conected with the Warner Fence Factory in Ottawa. Then there were others we do not know where they are now: W. D. Hindsley, Bill Hoover, a Mr. McCurdy. Bruce Haffner and Amos Bazil built the store on the west side of the street which was town down and moved away a year ago. They had a general store there for some time. For a goodly numbers of years there has been two general stores and a hardware store here. George Marsh put in the first hardware store here. He sold it to R. J. Waller who was here several years and finally died. The store was sold to H. T. Crawford & Sons. After a few years he sold to the Star Grain who have run it ever since. Halls Summit has always had good schools. Our first school was taught by W. L. Warriner, now Dr. W. L. Warriner, a practicing physician in Topeka. He was a man with a fine Christian character. S. C. Sondles, now of Center, Colo., we believe was the next teacher. He was a good church worker also. Miss Saueressig, N. N. McCormick and Misses Kate Miles Baker, Ida Hanna, Carrie Dodd, Anna Walters,

Edna Hutchings (Leebold), Mattie Hutchings, Helen Seaman, Libbie Jones, Nina Martin, Katie and Anna McDonnald, Messrs. Alfred George, W. W. Wiley, E. C. Pocock, Paul Swazey, Geo. Riley, Will Bell, Allen Martindale, Bert Smith, N. B. Mahurin, Clement Reed, John Gorman are some we remember of until those of recent years. The ones named are not in successive order, however. Among the many good church members and workers we can count the Horr family, which consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Horr and sons, Rudden, Warren and Bert. There were other children in the family who did not live here. These were always ready to do their part. There was also the Metheney and Dudley families who were prominent church workers. Also the Carmeans, Warners, Watkins, Marsh, Sondles, Barnard, Dickeys, McDowells, Corwins, Dodds, Guptills, Hills and many others whose names we do not call to mind just now who with their children were among the many who kept the Sunday School alive in the earlier years and there were many who were here for only a short time who did good Christian work while yere. We will soon come to the church today. (We notice there was quite a mix-up in the last Reminiscence where we spoke of the John Rippy place. The printer evidently mixed one line for it reads that is the place now occupied by A. Robinson. The facts are L. V. Watkins owns the place and it is occupied by Dave Fudge. A. Robinson owns the farm west and across the road from the Rippy farm and was the Sam Martin farm. Mistakes will often happen though.)

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, September 2, 1921

REMINISCENCE CONTINUED FROM AUGUST 12-21. In looking over the last issue we noticed we missed the name of Miss Emily Keys (West) who taught in 1895. A. C. Lane was another we failed to get and in the later years we overlooked the following: Edna Hitchens, Carrie Pollock, Frieda Newcomb, Dot George, Irving Brown, Aileen Sanders, Ruth Gibson, Edna Bartlett, Frank Calkins, Ethel Barnhart, Nannie Fulton, Emma Dolloff, Nina Martin, Ida Stiner, Elsie Mitchell, Tom Sullivant, Lucile and Lois George and Chancie Jones. These are not in the order they taught. Perhaps there are others we do not now recall. Now in the business part of town besides the Merchants, we have had grain and hay buyers, besides those who shipped livestock. Those who come to mind just now are "Son" Hill, H. C. Jackson and Court Condit, who bought and shipped about all the stock in this part of the country, although Foster and Sullivant shipped a great many cattle from this point at one time. We do not know the whereabouts of Mr. Jackson, but "Son" Hill is now living in Texas and has a family. "Son's" name we find on the pages of the old Epworth League book at this place and was a contributor when the church was built. C. L. Foster is living in Waverly and S. L. Sullivant recently died. H. F. Bell began buying grain about this time and continued for a number of years. We at one time had a skimming station run by Luckey Jobe of Ottawa.

The building stood north of S. S. Dickey's house near the old pond across from the old Cheese Factory building. J. Burton put up this later mentioned building and run a cheese factory in it for a year or two and made splendid cheese. A Marcus Talley had charge of it. Mrs. Ellis Valentine had a Millinery Store in the building now occupied by T. W. Collinsworth's Community Mill. This building was erected by Mr. Valentine. Later Mrs. Rolla Atchison had a millinery store and dressmaking shop where Bruce Haffner now has his repair shop. The first drug store was put in by a young doctor. We forget his name. He practiced here only a short time. It was located where A. D. Mills' creamery now is. Then came Dr. J. F. Davis from Wellsville, Kan., who was a bright young man just from Medical School. He built up a fine practice and had the confidence of the people, but he had only been here about two years when he was murdered by Fred Denhart in the house where Grover Nutt now lives. Denhart was under the influence of whiskey, crazy and on the verge of delerium tremens. Dr. Davis was his friend and had been treating him, but the whiskey in him caused Fred to shoot and kill his best friend. We could give the story but feel it would do no good. It is one of the things we would like to forget.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, September 16, 1921

REMINISCENCE OF HALLS SUMMIT (Continued from Sept. 2.) After the dath of Dr. Davis, Dr. O. P. Wood came to Halls Summit. He had his office in the same rooms Dr. Davis had until he built the store and put in a stock of drugs on the site where Dr. Kesner's Drug Store now stands. The first one was destroyed in the big fire. About the time Dr. Wood came a Dr. Cloughly came and was here a short time. Then a Dr. Huff came from Princeton with his mother and two sisters. He was here a year or more, built the house where the Central Office now is. Dr. Wood had a fine practice in all the surrounding country, even Ottumwa and miles around, but he left several years ago and Dr. Kesner came from New Mexico and bought Dr. Wood's practice and has been with us until this summer, and like Dr. Wood had a very large practice, and also made many friends. Both of those men are Coffey County products, and of course we were very partial to them, on that account, as well as their other good qualities. About a year before

Dr. Wood left, Dr. L. S. S. Ott, a young doctor from north of Topeka, came for a short time. He was a very pleasant man and a good doctor, but there was not sufficient practice for two so he did not stay long. The last we heard of him he was in South America. Dr. Wood is now located at Oketa, Kans., near the Nebraska line. Dr. Kesner is in Burlington on account of school advantages for his children. He still is our practicing physician and has his old patrons coming from Burlington on very quick notice. We were reminded a few days ago we had omitted a very prominent man in this community who was one of our shippers of livestock. This was John Painter of Waverly, who did a lot of shipping from this point. He had the respect of the people here. Also the first Doctor's name was Hammond. He went out west and located. (To be continued)

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, September 30, 1921

Reminiscences of Halls Summit In the long ago days this people had to go over north to the old stone school house for preaching services, literaries, etc. There was no other place for miles around and such enjoyable times as we used to have there at the literaries in the way of debates, recitations, singing, etc. Everybody both old and young took part, and there was considerable talen among the people, too. We distinctly remember a man (but not his name) who was quite a debater, always beginning his argument with "fust and fo'must" them make a very interesting talk when warmed up. Also a man named Ike Sharpe, who use to take an active part. He lived two miles east of where Joe Mallon now lives. He had two sons, George and Alex, they also helped and the women and girls would recite. It was "recitations" then instead of "readings" as it is now. We remember one young girl who gave a recitation title "She Couldn't Tell Chicken from Turkey." We wonder if she remembers. And one Mrs. George Summer Bennet recited "She Wanted to be a Lady," and did well too.

Those days have passed and many of the people have passed to their reward, several of them now rest in the little cemetery south of town, a few remain here, others have moved to other parts of the country in their search for worldy goods. We will mention the Hanna family. There were the father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. George Hanna Sr., and three sons, George, John and Dr. J. H. Hanna, and their families, who came from Philadelphia, made their homes and raised their families here. There was one daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bennet, who lived at the home place with her father and mother. Now, father and mother Hanna, the son, George, and wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet sleep in the silent little city, called the Halls Summit cemetery. The Misses Ida and Lizzie live near Waverly, Mrs. Vince Hamilton, nee Flora Hanna; lives near this place and the brother, George, lives in Idaho. Later on the Hanna family will be mentioned in these articles.

Halls Summit News Halls Summit Coffey County Kansas, November 11, 1921

Reminiscences of Halls Summit The bank was organized February 25, 1903. The directors were: Wasington Baker, John A. Watkins, Charles Cochran, A. G. Tuller, E. L. Traylor; stockholders, E. L. Traylor, A. G. Tuller, B. F. Johnson, Richard Pretheroe, D. P. Jones, Chas. Pickens, W. S. Jones, C. M. Welk, A. H. Edmonds, W. N. Jones, F. L. Wheldon, Washington Baker, C. F. Traylor, Chas. Cochran, John A. Watkins, G. H. Shermerhorn, T. F. Doherty, J. B. Haffner, Geo. S. Bennett, S. W. Bennett, James Mehan, Henry Brewer, W. O. McKinstrey, Wm. Williams, H. Smith, C. E. Conditt, P. H. Atchison, J. M. Carmean, R. A. Atchison, B. F. Bazil. Our first cashier was B. F. Johnson and his assistant was Frank Blue, both men from Lebo Kansas. The first bank was in the building where the barber shop has been for a few years.

Mr. Johnson lived in the rooms now occupied by Hill's restaurant. Mr. Johnson's wife was in Colorado for her health when he first came here, but not getting any better she came home and a few months, died. She was a very pleasant woman and made many friends while here. Mr. Johnson remained here several years after her death. He married Miss Carrie Ellis, daughter of Lem Ellis and wife, now of Lebo. Mr. Johnson later moved to Lebo, where he remained until his death. Mr. Blue died in Lebo a few years ago. Mr. Nesbitt of Lebo was our next cashier. He and his worthy wife were a great help in our church work and Sabbath School work also. Mrs. Nesbitt was our Sunday school superintendent for some time and made a good one. We were very sorry to lose these people to Burlington, where Mr. Nesbitt is assistant cashier in a bank. (To be Continued)

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