Lincoln County

Builders: Zacariah Theodore Heminger

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By Thelma J. McMullen
Lincoln Sentinel-Republican, January 18, 1940

Zacariah Theodore Heminger, one of the first of Lincoln county's present residents to settle in Lincoln county, Kansas, was born February 15, 1849, in Union County, Ohio. The third oldest child in his family he had six brothers and one sister, all of who are now dead with the exception of his youngest brother who lives in Riverside, California. All except the two oldest children in the Heminger family came to Kansas. Z.T.'s brother just older than himself died early in life leaving several orphan children who eventually went to Africa as Presbyterian missionaries, one of whom was accidently killed by a trick-trap he had set for wild animals that prowled near his home in the African jungles. The young missionary's widow returned to Ohio for awhile but later went back to Africa where she married another young missionary who had been a close friend of her deceased husband.

Mr. Heminger, while reminiscing in our presence recently, expressed dismay and regret concerning the situation which faces the people of Cleveland, Ohio, today. He recalls that when he lived near Cleveland many years ago, it was considered the wealthiest part of the United States.

Z.T. accompanied his father to Kansas at the age of 16 in a covered wagon drawn by horses in July, 1866. Enroute to Salina, they visited two days in the home of friends formerly of Indiana who had homesteaded on a farm east of Abilene. Having continued to Salina, Hemingers met some friends by the name of Blunt. Through them, Z.T. became acquainted with Jake Jarret for whom he worked the ensuing year. Sade Jarret became Mrs. Harry Trask, another of the pioneers who was a bosom friend of the Hemingers. The elder Mr. Heminger, a robust man, homesteaded just north of the Hammer cemetery, but died a few years afterwards of rheumatism contracted during active service in the Civil War. Only ex-soldiers were allowed to file claims on 160 acres in Kansas whereas other early settlers had to content themselves with 80 acres on which to found a homestead. Heminger filed and preempted on two quarters near Harry Trask's farm and later sold to Rube Morrical, a relative of Sade (Jarret) Trask. The Blunts, Morricals, Stonebrakers, Teach's, Kindlespargers and others of the pioneer families of Lincoln county, Kansas, had been close friends of the Heminger family in Blackford county, Indiana.

Having lived in Ohio until he was 12 years of age, Z.T. did not have the good fortune to receive much formal education, but he attended county schools whenever possible in both Ohio and Indiana. He was seldom privileged to attend school for more than one month at a time. Because he was ambitious, he learned to read and write and spell to the extent that he eventually became a habitual reader. Except for the fact that his eyesight has become impaired during the past two years, time would not now seem "heavy on his hands"; to keep up with current events, Mr. Heminger has to depend on the courtesy of friends who read aloud from the newspapers for him. His keen interest in state, national and international affairs proves that he is an attentive listener.

Z.T. Heminger returned to Indiana in 1872 and married the girl of his choice. In July 1875 he returned to Kansas, accompanied by his wife and two oldest children. Six children, Wilson, George, Fred, Lucy, Florence, Luther, Henry and Benjamin, some of whom are now deceased, blessed this pioneer home.

Mr. Heminger was on the verge of sending his wife and children back to Indiana during the height of the Indian scare; but before he had accumulated enough money with which to pay for their passage, the alarm proved to be false and word spread that the Indians had gone northwest of the immediate vicinity in which he had created a home for his loved ones. Much to his relief, he was not obliged to part with them as he had expected to do in the event of imminent danger to them.

At one time, Z.T. Heminger filed on land one mile east of the Schemmerhorn ranch for a period of six years. Weseloh now farms the aforementioned tract of ground. Mr. Heminger has also owned an eighty adjoining an eighty belonging to Frank Shaffer south of Rocky Hill. Bellview was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Heminger before they moved to Salina which was their home for a period of 35 years. Mr. Heminger was employed by the H.D. Lee wholesale company for three years, after which he worked 15 years or more for the street department of Salina.

Mrs. Z.T. Heminger (Emily E.), born in September 1849, because ill on Memorial Day in 1916, and died in her 67^th year on July 26, 1916, while visiting in Colorado. Following his wife's death, Mr. Heminger divided his time among his children, living in Lincoln, Salina, Kansas City, and Colorado. While residing in Colorado, Mr. Heminger kept busy cultivating many acres of beets and doing a great deal of cement and brick work during the erection of numerous business sections in urban districts.

Mr. Heminger became a close friend of the late Henry Leaf when the latter lived on his homestead in the Pottersburg neighborhood. Mr. Heminger's home at that time was a short distance east of the John Putney store which was once situated just east of Pottersburg. After Mr. Leaf moved to Salina, he and Mr. Heminger saw one another frequently. Another pioneer family, who lived neighbors to Hemingers were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Anderson. Mr. Heminger recalls having helped build the house on the Charlie Anderson farm near the Hammer Cemetery.

Mr. Heminger remembers hearing the grumblings of settlers who were dissatisfied because the government had enabled to railroad to control every other section of land for 20 miles on each side of the trailroad track as encouragement to the respective companies to build through the frontier country. It is not surpsing that the pioneers should have resorted to agencies in an effort to gain possession of much of the best farm land in this territory.

Due to a recent illness which has dimmed many recent happenings in Mr. Heminger's memory, he lives over many of the things which impressed themselves on his mind in his youth. For instance, he remembers as clearly as if it had happened this year how his grandmother McElroy looked after her death in 1852 when he was only three years old. He remembers, also, having been present when her body was disinterred, viewed and buried in a different cemetery some years later.

Many incidents pertaining to the organization of Lincoln county are memories to Mr. Heminger which flash like vivid pictures focused on the curtain of his mind as people visit with him and recall the happenings of frontier days. Mr. Heminger remembers well the election which resulted in the removal of the county seat near Abram to the present site of Lincoln Center. Because he was one of the occupants of Hez Graham's store the night of Hubbard's murder, Mr. Heminger recognized the voices of many of the men in the mob which hastened Hubbaard's death; rather than to become involved personally in the situation in any manner, Mr Heminger never divulged the identity of those whose voices he heard on that fateful night. We suspect that Mr. Heminger's conservative policy which induced him to mind only personal affairs is one of the foremost factors relaitve to the fact that he is fast approaching his 91^st milestone in life. Congratulations to you, Old-Timer!

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