Jackson County
KSGenWeb
Jackson County, one of the counties formed by the first territorial legislature
in 1855, is located in the second tier south from Nebraska, and the second west
from Missouri. It is bounded on the west by Pottawatomie county, on the south by
Wabaunsee and Shawnee, on the east by Jefferson and Atchison, and on the north
by Nemaha and Brown. It is 1,172 feet above the level of the sea.
The
first exploration in the regions that afterward became Jackson county was by M.
De Bourgmont and his company of Frenchmen who made a journey in 1724 through the
lands of the Kansas to the Padouca Indians. He passed through Jackson county in
going from a point above Atchison to the Kansas river just west of Shawnee
county. The next exploring party was conducted in 1819 by Dr. Thomas Say, who,
with four other scientists, went west as far as the Kansas village where
Manhattan now stands, and returning, passed through Jackson county on their way
to Cow island near Atchison. Fremont "the Pathfinder," passed through in 1843 on
his trip to the Rocky mountains.
The boundaries defined by the
legislature of 1855 contained 1,140 square miles. The county was first called
Calhoun (q. v.) in honor of John C. Calhoun. The county was surveyed in the same
year and a place 7 miles from Topeka near the old Calhoun Bluffs was made the
first county seat. New boundary lines were defined in 1857, when the actual
organization of the county took place, and the present boundary lines were
established by the legislature in 1858, when the county seat was located
permanently at Holton.
The settlements within the borders of the county
as first described date back to the '30s, when Capt. Alley of Kentucky
established a trading post on the Kansas river. But settlement within the
present borders did not begin until 1855, when the county was divided into three
townships, Douglas, Atchison and Haliday. Franklin township was formed in 1856,
Jefferson in 1858, Grant in 1870, Netawaka in 1871, Whiting, Liberty and Soldier
in 1872; Cedar and Washington in 1873 and Straight Creek, Adrian and Garfield
since then. The townships of Atchison and Haliday no longer exist. The first
settlers in Douglas township, who came in 1855, were John Rippetoe, William
Cunningham, David Rice, Josiah Seal, Byron Stewart, J. W. Willard, A. W.
Bainbridge, Hugh Piper and Rufus Rice. The land was not surveyed and the
settlers established their lines by stakes or blazes on trees. They got their
mail from Indianola, Ozawkie or Grasshopper Falls.
Cedar township was
settled in 1855 by S. J. Elliott; Jefferson township in 1854 by Francis Smith;
Franklin township in 1854 by N. D. Lewis; Grant township in the late '50s by
Peter Dickson, R. P. Hamm, William Cruzan, J. P. Fraidley, John James, S.
Stephenson and T. Keir; Liberty township was settled at a date not given, by
Missourians, and is said to be the oldest settlement in the county. Some of the
early settlers were: Charles Bateman, J. B. Parrot, Alfred Fuller, James Piper,
W. R. Hodges and J. W. Taylor; Straight Creek township in 1855 by J. H.
Thompson; Soldier township in 1857 by William Kline, Henry Rancier, William
Knipe, W. Branham and the Fairbanks; and Washington, Netawaka and Whiting
townships were not settled until in the '60s.
The first election for
county officers was held on Oct. 1, 1855. The first officers were: James
Kuykendall, probate judge; J. T. Wilson, sheriff; Anthony Wilson, treasurer; and
James Kuykendall, William Alley and P. P. Beeler, commissioners. James
Kuykendall was at different times probate judge, register of deeds, county clerk
and prosecuting attorney. He was one of the early business men of the county.
District court was held for the first time by Judge S. D. Lecompte Sept. 24,
1855.
The name of the county was changed from Calhoun to Jackson by
Golden Silvers, who was the representative in the legislature in 1858. The
county officials did not recognize the new name until a year later. In 1858 a
vote was taken to choose a new county seat and Holton received 79 votes over all
other contestants. The county voted 51 to 12 for a free-state constitution.
The famous Lane road, (q. v.) ran through Jackson county and the "Battle of
the Spurs" occurred at Fuller's ford on Straight creek, near one of the stations
of the "underground railway." During the civil war Jackson county furnished 175
volunteers, most of whom joined the Eleventh cavalry, the Fifth cavalry and the
Eighth infantry.
Prior to 1859 the schools in the county were carried on
chiefly by private subscription. The first school was taught by Miss Harriet
Warfield in 1857 in Douglas township. A log school house was built the following
year and in 1859 district No. 12 was organized. The first school in Jefferson
township was taught by Mrs. H. S. Hart; in Grant township by E. S. Hulan; in
Liberty township by Sophia Lattimer; in Straight creek township by James B.
Hastings; and the first real school house was built south of Holton in 1858 out
of logs. In 1910 there were in the county 90 school districts, with over 5,000
persons of school age, and 60 libraries.
The first marriage for which any
definite date is given was between John Coleman and Phoebe Hastings on Jan. 1,
1857; the first birth in the county was probably that of O. F. Cunningham. Some
of the early ministers were: Rev. R. P. Hamm, Rev. Byron Stewart, who settled in
Douglas township in 1855, Rev. Eli H. Robinson, Rev. William Knipe, who held
services in a sawmill in Jefferson township in 1858; Rev. J. W. Williams and
Rev. Pardee Butler, who was mobbed in Atchison for his anti-slavery opinions.
In 1871 the voters adopted a proposition to issue bonds amounting to
$160,000 to get the Kansas Central railroad, and the next year donated the
county's stock to the railroad company. A delay in building the road from Holton
to the limits of the county caused the company to forfeit all but $60,000 of the
money. This line is now a part of the Union Pacific system. The Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific runs from Topeka to Holton, thence northeast to Whiting,
leaving the county near the northeast corner. The Kansas City Northwestern, a
branch of the Missouri Pacific, runs from Valley Falls through Holton and
Circleville and north into Nemaha county. Another branch of the Missouri Pacific
enters the county from Nemaha and runs through the northeastern part through
Netawaka and Whiting. The Topeka & Marysville, a branch of the Union Pacific, is
a new road crossing the southwest corner of the county.
The surface of
the county is undulating plains. The largest stream is the Big Soldier, which
flows from north to south through the western part of the county and empties
into the Kansas river. Other streams are Cross creek, Little Soldier, North and
South Cedar creeks, Straight, Elk, Spring, Bills and Muddy creeks.
The
county contains 421,120 acres, of which 316,163 are under cultivation (the
Indian lands, comprising at present 74,400 acres, are not cultivated to any
extent). The field crops in 1910 totaled $2,013,064.78, of which corn amounted
to $1,328,664; oats, $210,974, and wheat $24,351.68. The value of all farm
products for that year was $3,322,371.63. Hay crops and Irish potatoes were also
extensively raised. There are more than a quarter of a million fruit trees.
Jackson has a high rank as a fruit growing locality, also for the breeding of
thoroughbred stock. One source of wealth is the quarries of white, gray
limestone. Brick clay and gypsum are found along the creeks. The population in
1910 was 16,861.
Contributed 2002 by Carolyn Ward, transcribed from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago: 1912. 3 v. in 4.: front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar, Volume II, Pages 17-19.
While I was sitting by the fireside thinking of the by gone days, these lines of the beautiful poem came to me:
Backward, turn backward, O time in thy flight.
Make me a child again just for tonight.
Mother, come back from the echo less shore;
Take me again to your heart as of yore;
Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care,
Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair;
Over my slumbers your loving watch keep,
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.
Then we can see the Adrian community as it was sixty years ago, just a vast prairie
with a few scattered houses, as Adrian was not in existence; it was known as Little
Cross Creek.
The first white man's home on the way to Holton was the
Shields home known far and near as the Shield's Grove. Neighbors were few and
far between and most of them lived in log cabins.
Any history of the
early pioneers would be incomplete without mentioning their remarkable faith and
courage to build homes in a new country. It is impossible for us to realize the
hardships and loneliness that they endured, especially of the women, who were
left at home while husbands and sons made long trips for supplies, which often
took days, weeks, and months to make.
The following are the names of families who were here sixty years ago and their descendants who are still living:
The J. R. MARTIN family: Mrs. Martin of Topeka, KS is the only
one living of the early pioneers. She is being tenderly cared for by her
daughter, Mrs. Fannie Stillson. Jesse Martin of Topeka, KS; Clara Martin of Palm
Beach, CA; Charley Martin of Scandia, KS.
The Edward McNEIVE family was
the first white family to settle on Cross Creek, coming here in 1868. The land
was bought from Frank Kessis, an Indian. They cut the trees, hewed the logs and
built their cabin. Mr. McNeive hauled corn to Denver, CO with an ox team, which
he sold for five cents a pound. It took three months to make the trip. His
descendants tell of the many narrow escapes he encountered with the Indians. His
children still living are Joseph McNeive, Mrs. Margaret McNeive Vaughn of Delia.
Joseph lives on the home place. The Mrs. Bridget McNeive house was built in 1875
and is now occupied by the John McNeive family, grandson of Mrs. Bridget
McNeive.
The Pat KENNEDY family came in 1970, and his children, Mary Ann,
Rose Kate, Ella, Peter and John are living on the old home place.
The Dan
PLACE family came in 1874. The living children are Michael and Peter of Topeka,
KS, William, Mrs. Margaret Grace McNeive, Mary and Thomas of Delia, KS.
The Henry TREZISE family came in 1871. Those living are William Raymond, WA;
Mrs. Hanna Moore, Delia, KS; Mrs. Anna Sophia Hoffman, Topeka, KS; and Mrs. Lena
Brown, Delia, KS. The first Trezise house was burned in 1874 and a new house was
erected soon after which is still standing and is occupied by the Fred Rezac
family.
The John AYERS family: Andrew Ayers of Holton, KS; Ernest Ayers
of Minneapolis, KS.
The Pat HOLLIGAN family: John Holligan of Topeka, KS;
Mrs. Mary Holligan Riley, Montana, the William Holligan family.
The
Mitchell ROARK family: Will Roark and Erve Roark of McFarland, KS; Mrs. Martha
Roark Fair of Manhattan, KS; Mary Roark of near Topeka, KS.
A school
house was built on the Tim VAUGHN land about 1871. This school house was torn
down and rebuilt and is now known as the Browne District No. 46.
The John
CALLERY family: Martin Callery of Texas.
The John SONGS family: Mrs. Mary
Songs Jackson of Elmont, KS.
The Timothy VAUGHN family: James Vaughn,
Delia, KS; Mrs. Molly Vaughn Callery of Delia, KS.
The Michael McNEIVE
family: Mrs. Alice McNeive Fennell and James McNeive of Delia, KS.
The
Thomas McNEIVE family: Mrs. Mary McNeive Vaughn of Topeka, KS and Mrs. Nellie
McNeive Moore of Delia, KS.
The Samuel COPELAND family: Charles Copeland
of St. Marys, KS; James Copeland of Burley, ID; Mrs. Kate Copeland Brumel,
Council Bluffs, IO.
The E. L. STALKER family: Marion Stalker of Topeka,
KS; Mrs. Anna Stalker Houck of Delia, KS; Will Stalker, Caldwell, ID; Mrs.
Hattie Stalker Shaklee of Oklahoma; Mrs. Emma Stalker Kirkpatrick of Manhattan,
KS.
The A. P. REDMON family came here in 1873 from Jefferson county:
Paris Redmon of Topeka, KS; Edward Redmon of Delia, KS.
The Little Cross
Creek school had its beginning in a log cabin one-half mile south of where the
present modern school house stands. At this time there was not a bridge on
Little Cross Creek.
There was a census taken in the fall of 1874 after
grasshoppers had eaten everything, to determine the amount of supplies that were
needed. At this time there were five hundred pounds of flour in the district
which consisted of what is now Adrian township and part of Washington. Of the
five hundred pounds of flour, one man owned three hundred pounds of it. A. P.
Redmon and Henry Stalker went to Topeka to bring home supplies for the needy.
The John LUTHER family came in 1874. Mr. Luther lived to be over one hundred
years old. His son, Gus, lives at Gooding, ID.
The John FEIGHNEY family:
John, Jr., of Topeka, died December, 1934.
The Martin BURKE family: James
Burke and Mrs. Alice Burke Charles.
The Holligan school district was
organized in April, 1874. The school house was built in the summer and after two
weeks of school in the fall it was burned. Then the school was held in a log
house on the Dan COFFEY place, now owned by the Peter THOLL family. Proceeding
the organization of this district, school was held in the upstairs of the Pat
Kennedy house, taught by Jerry Sullivan. A few surviving pupils are Mary Ann
Rose, Kate Kennedy, Johnnie and Michael Kennedy. The south part of what is known
as the ENGLEBRECT house was built by Henry HAMMER in 1870. When the Henry
Trezise family came in 1871, they stayed with the Hammer family while building
their house. Hay was brought in at night and spread on the floor of the two-room
house for a bed and carried out the next morning and fed to the horses, and the
next night more hay was carried in for beds.
One of the first ministers
who preached at Little Cross Creek school house was Rev. J. M. WADE. His living
children are Will Wade of Ontario, KS; Hattie and Anna, of Topeka, KS. Rev Wade
worked as blacksmith during the week and on Saturday evening would drive to his
appointments and preach Saturday evening and Sunday. For one year's services at
Little Cross Creek, he received a rocking chair. We wonder what the ministers of
today would think of that for a salary.
The Thomas McMANUS family:
Thomas, Jr., of Topeka, KS; Mrs. Ida McManus Kennedy. The Pat MCMANUS family:
Hugh McManus.
The Mrs. Bridget McNEIVE family: Patrick McNeive, who died
in 1931.
The Patrick CHARLES family: John Charles of Topeka, KS; Mike
Charles of Emmett, KS.
Abstracted by Carol K. Songs-Hansing from the Holton Recorder, Holton, KS, March 14, 1935, originally written by Gladys L. Brown
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