Part I, Napoleon Bonaparte Rees Remembrances
Lincoln Sentinel, Oct. 28, 1915
From the time the Abram Mill was located at Lincoln, Kan., August 1871, Elias Rees and L.J. Rees commenced to work on the dam the first of September and built the dam to about six feet. There were lots of fish came down the river and they caught many on the dam and sold them to Dave Pontious, this was the fall of 1871, before Christmas Elias Rees and L.J. Rees started back to Crawford County, Ill., at their old home. They left a team and man by the name of Bill Miers to haul rock on the dam that winter, 1871. This was a hard winter and Mr. Fisher had several head of cattle to winter and lots of them froze to death and they pressed Mr. Miers into service to use E. Rees� team to skin or rather to pull the hides off them. The spring of 1872 E. Rees returned from Illinois and on the way out purchased a saw mill in St. Louis and shipped it to Ellsworth, Kan., and hauled it across to Lincoln, the saw mill was built and completed for sawing about August 1872.
March 1872 Walter S. Wait, one of the early settlers of Lincoln, was an old soldier and a man that was Captain in the army, also a lawyer. A man that had a good many ups and downs in order to make himself, he done to others as he would have them to do to him. Mr. Wait was one of about the first men that had dealings with the mill. He had about $25 [worth of] lumber sawed at the mill.
1872 Norman Beanett owned and operated the Rocky Hill Mill had lumber sawed $49.45, 1873 $3.96, $11.85, $2.00, $6.00, Total $67.30
This bill goes to show the first settlers had to make use of the cottonwood lumber the native of Kansas. The U.P. Railroad at Ellsworth was the nearest to Lincoln County at the time.
1872 A. Stights [Stites] came here from Missouri and bought out Mr. Whanks on Bullfoot, had lumber slabs to the amount of $17.84 to improve his farm with. He had a fine orchard and plenty of fruit of all kinds. He was a good citizen and a man that you could always depend on, he lost his beloved wife, then in later years he married Mrs. Thompson and moved to Lincoln, where he lived for a few years and then passed to the better world.
1873 John Wimer was another settler that came to the mill for lumber and slabs in order to improve his home. If someone reads this they may know something of his whereabouts. He may be in the Better Land now.
1872 D. Houston had 230 feet of lumber sawed, $2.30, no doubt to put a roof on his dugout and he forgot to come back any more. No doubt he is in the Happy Land of Canaan.
1873 J.B. Walls lived on Bullfoot over near where John Heiser lived, a man by the name of Clark jumped his claim and held it, had trouble in order to get started [sorted?] out. Tom Walls was elected sheriff of Lincoln County and served the people and gave good satisfaction.
James C. Walls lived on Bullfoot, done business at the mill to the amount of $33.25. Many of the ancestors of the Walls are still living in Lincoln County. [The transcriber is a Walls descendant.]
1873 Dr. Gilpin homesteaded 40 acres out south of the graveyard and lived there for years and was one of our doctors for years in times when the children died in the county with membranous croup and diphtheria. The ancestors of Dr. Gilpin are still living in Lincoln County.
1874 William Achterberg southeast of Lincoln done business several years with the mill, bought lumber and flour for years. He improved his farm and lived there until he died. His son Adolph Achterberg now owns the farm and is a prosperous farmer and there is Albert, who lives in Lincoln and owns his farm and is doing prosperous business and lives at his ease. A.E. Achterberg is running the Implement business and is doing a wholesale business.
This history will be a true list of the old settlers of Lincoln County, Kan., from 1871 up until 1915! Be continued until complete.
-- N.B. Rees
Nov. 5, 1915
M.C. Paindexter had homesteaded a claim on Lost Creek just north of the Lost Creek school house and lived there until the fall of 1874, when I, N.B. Rees, traded him a farm of 63 acres in Illinois for his homestead here. That fall the grasshoppers came by the millions, and sat down upon us, and eat up everything, so that there was not a blade left on the land. There was a good crop of wheat sowed that fall and the grasshoppers stayed and laid their eggs in the ground and when the springtime came they commenced to hatch out and went for everything that commenced to grow out of the earth. I remember well the spring of 1875, by the time the young hoppers hatched out the people then commenced planning how they could subdue them; they commenced to dig ditches along the wheat fields and drive the little hoppers into the ditches, and then cover them up. Some places down the river they had large pans made and drug them over the wheat fields, and had coal oil in the pan to kill the little hoppers. I remember the merchants of Lincoln furnished me the material to make a grasshopper machine and I made it 20 feet long; made on two wheels; had a real [??] run in front. A pan on the real with coal oil in it. Two men could run it over the field. I remember Captain Henderson had 40 acres of rye down on the southeast part of townsite, called the McFarland addition. By the time the rye was ready to head-out, I had caught, no doubt, 30 or 40 bushels of hoppers and piled them up near where the Cooper ice plant stands. By this time the hoppers commenced to get their wings and could fly away -- about this time I had orders for a hundred grasshopper machines. The time was too short for to build them. In order to close my grasshopper story, I will say that a man by the name of Jim Barnhardt furnished a fife and drum and then dug a grave, and had a regular funeral. About this time of the year the grasshoppers had gotten their wings to full size, and took their everlasting flight and landed in the Atlantic ocean.
In 1873 Ezra Wheeler lived west of Lincoln on the Saline river, and did some business with the mill. He purchased slabs at the mill for his dugout. In 1871 Mr. Wheeler came here from New York to this country, and settled up on the Saline River. W.S. Rees bought a fine set of harness that Mr. Wheeler brought from New York to drive with the buggy he shipped from Illinois. Mr. Wheeler was a Christian man and a hard worker -- in the fall of 1878 Mr. Wheeler killed a hog and brought it to Lincoln and sold it and paid some little debts that he was owing, and after he settled his accounts he had $10 left, then started home; he met a man whose name was Sullivan, which his right name was Washington. This man drove in town and had followed Wheeler and after Wheeler had started home, got in the wagon to ride out. When he got out on the road near the Healy crossing, he shot Wheeler in the back and killed him, and the team went on toward home. John Whalen heard the shooting, and early the next morning went to see what had happened, and found Mr. Wheeler lying in the wagon, dead. Sullivan had returned to town and took his covered wagon and started north on his road to Beloit. There was a party with the sheriff, Harry Trask, who followed him; when they got to Beloit they found that there had been a hardware store robbed, and several guns taken. The party was reinforced and followed Sullivan out beyond Beloit some little distance, and surrounded Sullivan after some shooting, captured Sullivan and brought him back to Lincoln and landed him in jail. He was held for court, and broke jail, and got out. He went up the river above Lincoln, and his handcuff or shackles loosened, where they were found afterwards and he made his escape and was never found.
Nov. 11, 1915
In 1873 Tom Kline lived down on the Saline river near No. 15 school house. Tom had lumber sawed at the Rees mill to the amount of $92.98. Tom was a farmer in those days and had splendid success. Later he sold out and is now residing in Los Angeles, Calif.
In 1873 Malcomb Roberson purchased lumber at the E. Rees mill to the amount of $439.15. Mr. Roberson was a marble and stone cutter. He was the best workman in this country in those days. He built Elias Rees� monument in 1885 which stands to his memory to this day. The monument cost $359, it was made out of concord marble. Mr. Robertson left here.
In 1873 John Erison [sic] lived southwest of Lincoln some three miles. He had a good claim which he improved and is a valuable farm. Mr. Erison did considerable business with the Abram mill in the lumber, flour and merchandise.
1873 R.G. Foster purchased 100 feet of slabs at $100.
In 1873 John Cfok [sic] also purchased mill stuff $3.64.
In 1873 John Barman did business with the mill sawing to the amount [of] $14.10
In 1873 Mike Healy was one that was very active to help hunt for John Lyden after he had been shot in his bed at his home over on Elkhorn, and thrown in the millsite over seven miles south of Lincoln on the old Dr. Sober place, the house was built about the time that Lyden was murdered.
1873 George Wilson lived upon the Spillman and did considerable business with the mill amounting to $43.68.
In 1873 Jacob Hammick did quite an extensive business at the mill in flour and lumber.
In 1875 Thomas Anderson was an old settler in this county.
In 1873 A. Crough did business at the mill.
In 1873 Robert Parker did business at the mill, amount of his bill was $49.98. Mr. Parker is still living in Lincoln. He is one of the early settlers and has had the ups and downs hunting and killing buffalo on the plains. He is now clerking in the Farmers Union Store.
In 1872 Dr. H. Virnan [Vernon?], a noted doctor who practiced all over the country. He did business with the mill at Abram to the amount of $79. The doctor practiced law and was a prominent man in the early days of Lincoln county.
In 1875 H.C. Crouch also did business with the mill. 1883 G. W. Finch live southeast from Lincoln across the river, he did some business at the mill.
In 1874 John Snyder did business with the mill till 1878. He bought flour.
Mr. Finch was a great man to hunt for gold. He thought this prairie of iron was gold and brought many specimens to me to test for him.
In 1873 Benjamin Pontious did business with the mill. Bought lumber and flour.
Thomas Strange did business at the mill from 1872 to 1874 to the amount of $22.30. Mr. Strange had a claim upon Lost Creek. He was one of the early settlers killing hundreds of buffaloes out on the plains and had many adventures with the buffalo herds to pass over him when he would be concealed in a gully running up from some creek. Everybody knew Tom and had a good word for him. He raised a large family all [of] whom grew up and became men and women and are all living in Kansas. Mr. Strange and his wife became ministers of the Gospel and are still keeping up the good work. Now and forever is my best wishes for Tom and his wife.
Nov. 18, 1915
Now comes Jacob Weidman -- had lumber sawed at the mill in 1873 and 1875 to the amount of $46.20. Mr. Weidman lived over on the Bullfoot. He had the best apples and the best grapes and the best wine. Mr. Weidman was a good citizen and loved his home -- his ancestors still live in Lincoln County.
R.A. Stewart lived down about the No. 15 schoolhouse, did some business in 1873 and 1875. J.M. Stewart lived on the Spillman -- did business with the mill from 1873 to 1875.
John Heiser did some business with the mill from 1873 to 1875; purchased lumber. John Heiser lived on Bullfoot, near the schoolhouse. Mr. Heiser came here in an early day and had one of the best improved farms in the county -- he was a good citizen, raised a nice family. Uncle John died several years ago. His ancestors still live and operate the old farm and are respected farmers.
John Russell, brother to Ira Russell, did business with the mill from 1873 to 1878; bought lumber, flour and butter. Uncle Benjamin Henderson did business at the mill. In 1873 Billy Henderson had a sawmill down near the old creamery. Uncle Benj. was one of the best preachers around here. He was a kind friend to all and loved all the people as well.
W.F. Davis did business with the mill to the amount of $95.61. Mr. Davis was the man who built the Lincoln hotel. It was first called the Davis house. He left this country later and went to the Black Hills, when the gold fever run high. He left Lincoln with one of the best four miles of land ever produced. Mr. Joseph Cheney went to the Black Hills the same time and finding the gold products very poor, returned to Lincoln and took his old trade of shoemaker.
Dave Pontious lived in Lincoln -- had his homestead east of Lincoln, which joined the townsite. Mr. Pontious kept about the first store in Lincoln; it stood on the corner where the Saline Valley Bank now stands. Uncle Dave done business with the Abram mill from 1872 up to 1914 -- hauled all the flour to the railroad from 1872 to 1874 -- done business with the mill to amount of $31.41 in 1872. Mr. Pontious was a good citizen; raised his family here in 1875 -- the grasshopper year, and took his family and went back to Ohio and then came back to Lincoln and remained here until 1914, the year he died at the sanitarium.
R.G. Burkoff bought lumber in 1872 to the amount of $42.10. Mr. Burkoff was a carpenter; lived in Lincoln; left here and went to California.
Ira Russell was a carpenter and done business with the mill to the amount of $74.20 from 1872 to 1874. Mr. Russell was an inventor of a windmill -- he left this part of the country and moved back to Iowa, and manufactured his windmill, and sent some of his mills out to this part of the country to sell. I, N.B. Rees, was his agent for Lincoln. I sold Dan Day one of his mills and it pumped his water for several years -- I also sold one to Thomas Hedrick, down on Red Rock -- the mill was a vainless mill and run with the tail to the wind.
John Ryan owned a farm east of town, 2 1/2 miles. Uncle John Ryan bought slab lumber and traded at the mill in 1873 to the amount of $32.70. Uncle John is one of the Old Settlers -- raised his family and has been a prosperous farmer -- he now resides in Lincoln and lives a retired life. Mr. Ryan has many friends today and one of the oldest settlers and enjoys life with the rest of the old people.
I will make mention later on of all the Ryan Bros.
Dec. 9, 1915
T.L. Webster moved to Lincoln from Salina, the year 1871, and started to build the first stone building on Main street of Lincoln. It stood on part of the lot where the Opera house now stands -- this was the building where Ober & Bond started their store in Lincoln. This was a branch store from Salina. Mr. H.C. Angel came here and took charge of it, and run the business for years and also made a success of the business. ... Mr. Angel done business in Lincoln for many years, and was well-liked by all who knew him. He now resides at Plainville, Kan., where he has been clerking in a large store for several years.
T.L. Webster moved up near the Russell County line and owned a fine ranch, and operated it and raised a fine stock of horses -- Elias Rees bought a span of his horses in 1873 and when they caught them out of the herd, one of them broke its neck, and then they had to catch another horse to make out the team.
In 1885, Dr. Bryant started to build the Opera House on the lot west of the Webster building. After digging out the cellar on his own lot -- digging close to the Webster building, and there was no cellar under the building -- one side of the building fell into the cellar -- there was a billiard hall in the lower rooms and a shoe shop upstairs, and in a short time the whole contents was carried out into the streets. At this juncture Mr. Bryant informed Mr. Webster what had happened -- then Mr. Bryant bought the building and took it out and then planned to build the Opera House in 1886. The Opera House is one of the best buildings built in those days.
Dr. Bryant came to Lincoln in an early day -- owned and operated the first drug store in Lincoln, on the corner where the Saline Valley Bank stands today. Dr. Bryant came from Ohio to Lincoln. His child died here in 1873, and was the first one to be buried in the Lincoln Cemetery, and his wife, the second one -- the writer had the first death in the fall of 1873 -- a daughter of five years of age and she was buried on the outside of the cemetery, along the road, before the cemetery was laid out -- she was then taken up two years afterward, and placed in the cemetery. Really she was the first one to have been buried in the Lincoln Cemetery.
Charles Price came here from Crawford County, Ill., in 1874 -- he was given charge of the Aid Goods that was sent here from the people back east. The year of 1875 Mr. Price was appointed to distribute the goods out to the people that needed them. Many received the goods that was not entitled to them, and the poor people stood back and never got any of them. There was a lot of the aid goods stolen, and was found over the river at the Bogey and Garner place. Bogey and Garner were sent to the penitentiary for stealing flour out of the Abram mill, also for stealing goods that were found in their possessions. This all happened in the year of 1875, when some people in those days who had to be shown for their misconduct to the people, as well as today.
Dec. 16, 1915
Thomas Noon came to Kansas in 1866 -- settled on his claim 4 1/2 miles west of Lincoln. In 1869, the Indians made a raid on the Spillman creek -- Mr. Noon went with the soldiers till he came to where the shooting was done. He then stopped, and the soldiers here found the Willie Alderdice boy and packed him up and carried him a mile and half to Phil Lances [Lantz�s], where he was cared for during the night. They broke the arrow off first, then Mr. Lance [Lantz] pulled it out with the bullet molds. The boy was taken to Ellsworth the next day and cared for in time. He recovered and is living today. [His name was actually Willis Daily; his mother was Susanna Ziegler Daily Alderdice.]
This story is furnished by William Noon, the son of Thomas Noon, who now lives east of Lincoln -- has one sister living; she is married to Henry Smith, who now lives on the Charley Jackson farm, northwest of town, 2 1/2 miles from Lincoln.
J.C. Baker and A.P. Davis, W.H. Wacker, E. Perry, John Serben, all were early settlers of Lincoln County. All these men done business at the Abram mill and lived around close in the neighborhood of Lincoln. These are some of the men who went through many hardships of this country, and owning to the hot winds and the droughts they had to pull out and taken their families and go back to their wife�s folks, in order to make another stake -- some came back and others went to some part of the globe to make their stake. The sun shone on the just and the unjust -- how well do I remember the wind did blow; the prairie fires swept over this land from the hilltops to the valleys -- there were some people burned to death. Such hardships as this were more than the most tenderfoot could stand. The people that stood the storms and stayed with the country and stemmed the storm, are the men who are carrying the bank book of today. It seems strange that the people who live in Kansas today, and enjoy the pleasures of the good roads, and the man bridges that span the vast rivers and tributaries -- riding in their thousand dollar automobiles at the speed of 50 miles an hour. It seems a good thing that Kansas had come to the front before the automobile came into use.
W.H. Bishop lived on the East Elkhorn, northeast of Lincoln -- done business with the Abram mills in 1872 -- Mr. Bishop was county surveyor several years and found several of the corner stones which the government had established -- when they went through and run the lines and used the hind wheel of their wagon for to measure the ground. There were many points of view on top the high hills where built of rock, in order to guide the passersby -- there are some of the observations standing to this day. Mr. Bishop and his brother lived on the claim over on the East Elkhorn and helped to settle that part of the country. They lived by themselves and kept bachelor�s hall and improved their land. They are now both gone to the better land.
Mical Grout was an old settler and done business at the Abram mills in 1875. Mr. Grout was an old settler and lived in Lincoln County. It is hard for the writer to just give the locality of some of the people where they lived -- I merely make mention, as I knew they were here.
E.B. Bishop done a large business with the Abram mill from 1873 -- bought flour, feed and sold it out. He had a little store just east on the street of the courthouse, where he done business for several years. Mr. Bishop came to Lincoln from Salina in 1872. Mr. Bishop was a friend to all who knew him, and loved his home, and was a good Christian man. Mrs. Bishop, his companion, survives him, and lives at her home on the hill where they spent many happy hours together -- May the good wishes forever be with Mrs. Bishop -- one that has been faithful to this end, as one of the old settlers.
Dec. 23, 1915
Red Rock is located six miles east of Lincoln. This is a small stream that empties into the Saline river.
Miram Green came to Lincoln County, April 1886 [sic; should be 1866] -- came from New York in [can�t read], settled near Ft. Riley, Kan., and came to Lincoln County in the year of 1886 [again, 1866] and settled on Red Rock. His only neighbor was two miles east and no one west of him at that time. Mr. Green was elected County Attorney in the fall of 1870, and served four months, then resigned. Capt. Wait was then appointed to fill the office for vacancy. Mr. Green owned 400 acres of land on Red Rock.
Mr. Kingsley lived on Red Rock -- came there in 1870 and settled. He had 240 acres of land. Mr. Kingsley was an old soldier -- belonged to 110 New York Regiment. His wife died while living there. Sometime after that, he sold out and moved to Lincoln and owned a livery stable. He also married after he came to town -- he then sold out, and then he moved to southwest Missouri.
Morgan Green came from New York in 1867 -- settled one mile east of Red Rock and lived there until he died in 1908.
Dick Clark had his homestead and it was east of Twelve Mile -- homesteaded January 1866 -- lived there until his death.
Isaac DeGraff came in 1866, in January. His claim was two miles below old Twelve Mile creek on the opposite side of the river. Mr. DeGraff was an old soldier, and lived many years on the farm on the river before his death came.
Calvin Skinner homesteaded two miles below Twelve Mile in 1866.
James Adams homesteaded in 1866 on Twelve Mile.
Thomas Thompson homesteaded on Twelve Mile creek. He went to the Black Hills when the gold fever was the highest and was killed by the Indians.
Ed Johnson homesteaded in 1866, two miles before Twelve Mile creek.
Sam Berry took a claim in 1866 and moved on it in 1867, east of Red Rock -- lived there many years. He lost his wife and was married again, and in later years sold out and moved to Manhattan, and lived there until his death.
Mike Sollner bought 160 acres of Miram Green in 1870 -- a quarter west of Red Rock and paid $10 per acre. Mr. Sollner had the bad luck to get killed by a team, running away with a wagon which had a hay-rack on. Mr. Sollner undertook to stop them, by getting in the way too close -- the rack struck him, and broke his neck.
Mr. Urbanks owned the place and sold it to Mr. Stites on Bullfoot. Mr. Urbanks had a brother-in-law, Charley Ware -- at one time in 1874, he had made Ellsworth his headquarters a good deal of the time. Mr. Ware, at one time rode into a saloon in Ellsworth, and met with the marshal -- both had guns -- they both fired at the same time -- both shots took effect, hitting one another about the same place, near each others� eye -- both fell dead in the saloon and the horse run out of the saloon and made its escape.
W.E. Marsh lived on the Bullfoot -- five miles southwest of Lincoln. Mr. Marsh was the father-in-law of Mr. J.W. Grubb -- the Grubb firm, who owns the Pennsylvania store, and operates it on its merits. Mr. Marsh was an old soldier -- served his country in the war of 1865. He lived on the Bullfoot many years, where he took his homestead, and stemmed the tide through the hot winds, prairie fires and the floods. That happened some years on the Bullfoot, and washed out many places, and they had to move to higher ground. Mr. Marsh was a kind friend to all that knew him and had many kind friends to greet him away to that better world. A few years ago, while setting in a chair at his home, was found dead -- he had many friends to mourn his death.
Dec. 30, 1915
The stone house, west of town on the John Strange place, is now owned by the Col. Dunham estate, and was the first place where the county commissioners held their first session.
This history is the beginning of its organization into a county in the year of 1870. In four years after the first claim was taken there were five-hundred people here. The legislature defined the boundaries of Lincoln County in 1871. It was first a township of Ottawa, and later of Saline County -- a petition, headed by Uncle Tom Boyle, Uncle Mart Hendrickson, George Green, J.H. Wisner and Isaac DeGraff, asking for a separate county organization was sent to Topeka. Gov. Jessie Harvey proclaimed separate county organizations and established a temporary county seat -- on the northwest quarter of Section 36, Township 11, Range 8 -- where Lincoln now stands. He appointed temporary officers, who were as follows: Isaac DeGraff, Washington Smith and John S. Strange as county Commissioners; F.A. Schermerhorn, County Clerk on Oct. 4, 1870 -- and in October, the commissioners met at the John Strange house - they named the county "Lincoln" in honor of Abraham Lincoln, and divided it into four townships, viz: Colorado, Elkhorn, Salt Creek and Indiana. They also turned down a petition to have the county seat moved three miles east and one half-mile south of where it was -- this was near the place which afterwards became the so-called Abram townsite. The petition was headed by M.D. Green, Dick Clark, Jacob Harshbarger and Hiram Kingsley.
Few counties have managed to get along without a county seat contest, and this was the beginning of the one in Lincoln -- the election in November, resulted as follows: Representative, I.C. Buzick, Commissioners, Cornelious Dietz, James Wild, John S. Strange; County Clerk, A.S. Potter; Treasurer, Volany Ball; Probate Judge, D.C. Skinner, Register of Deeds, A.T. Walls [sic; actually T.A. Walls]; Sheriff, R.B. Clark; Coroner, Francis Seiber; County Attorney, Myron Green; District Clerk, J.A. Cook; Surveyor, unknown to writer. This was a victory for those in favor of changing the county seat -- so it was picked up rapidly, and taken over the hill, where, in order to make business legal-- the county officers met and organized court, on the bare and bleak townsite of Abram on a cold winter day in January 1871.
The commissioners then adjourned to the house of Ezra Hubbard, where the new county commissioners met on Feb. 17 -- a license to sell was granted -- Mr. Strange casting his veto against it -- three petitions for county roads were accepted -- the first one was to run from Section 12, on the east line of the county, to the county seat -- the second, from Pottersburg to the county seat, and the third one, was to begin between Section 24 and 25 on the east line of the county, and go to Elkhorn Creek, and then to a point about one half mile of Twin Grove -- corner of Section 28 -- the clerk was instructed to procure seals for the Probate Judge and Register of Deeds, and advertised for proposals to build a courthouse -- the bids were to be filed in the clerk�s office up to 12 midnight on Saturday, April [can�t read], and the courthouse was to be completed by July 1, of March 1871 [sic]. The legislature provided for court in Lincoln County -- James H. Canfield of Junction City -- judge of the Eighth district, [presided] over court on Nov. 6 of the same year. The building was put up the next summer. The county effects were housed in the upstairs of Myron Green�s store. A frame building, 25x60 feet. County Clerk A.S. Potter had to issue the license to sell liquor, which had been granted to Fred Buckner and John Cleary, and is mad yet because he had to. Two petitions were filed with the commissioners that year to hold another election on the County seat proposition. Both were rejected in June. There was considerable agitation at this time about this question and a tragic affair occurred, which really settled the County seat fight.
Part II
Part III