Gleanings from Lincoln County Kansas newspapers

Gleanings

from
1897-99
Lincoln County Kansas
Newspapers(Harvested by Bill and Diana Sowers, Tracee Hamilton and others)

SPECIAL NOTE

..... The gleanings below come from microfilmed newspapers available on interlibrary loan from the Kansas State Historical Society. Click HERE for more information on borrowing film from the Society.
Local newspaper offer a wealth of information and insight into the lives of our ancestors. What follows are gleanings from Lincoln County newspapers for your perusal. Included here are marriages, births, divorces, departures, arrivals, special celebrations, tragic accidents, etc. from 1890's newspapers If you are looking for death notices or obituaries please go to our Lincoln County Obituaries page.
An important note... the places, Colorado and Indiana, sometimes refer to locations (i.e. townships) within Lincoln County, not the states... We have tried to indicate this when those names show up.

1897

Lincoln Sentinel, Feb. 4, 1897
---Dr. Newlon, on Friday, replaced a finger for Wm. Dillon which had been amputated by becoming mixed up in the cogs of a cornsheller. The wound is healing nicely and will soon be whole again.

Lincoln Sentinel, Feb. 11, 1897
---Probate Judge KING seems to young and innocent to be trusted with marrying folks, but he goes right ahead and issues marriage licenses with the calm assurance of an old timer at the business. In the last 10 days he has issued licenses to Ralph MORRICAL and Nora Ella TWIBLE, of Beverly; J.W. HOLMAN of Denmark, and Lizzie SKILES of Pottersburg; C.S. HALE, of Eagleville, Mo., and Stella MANNEN, of this county.
---John CLARK of Vesper has not been able to be up and around since Christmas. He was taken with the gout on Christmas night from eating only about four gallons of candy and nuts.
---The snow last week was the cause of quite a number of jackrabbits handing in their scalps. Lincoln Sentinel, Feb. 18, 1897
---Happily mated: The marriage of Elias REES and Miss Clara MILLS was consumated at 7 o'clock Monday evening at the residence of the groom's parents, a short distance south of this city.
---Since her return from Topeka a few weeks ago, the condition of Mrs. Timothy KYNE has been of such a nature as to be the source of considerable satisfaction to the members of her family and other friends.

Lincoln Sentinel, March 4, 1897
---Rosette: Esrom VONADA's buried their infant babe at this place Friday. It was their only child.
---P. BROUKE has opened a coal shaft on his place again and is now ready to supply all in need of coal.
---It is remarkable to see how lacking the young people of today are, in respect to their parents and manners in general. The father is styled: The old man, the boss, old gentleman, etc. The mother receives names of similarity. In answering affirmatively, they are likely to say: "That's right, you know it, that's no lie" and etc. � In a few years at this rate, manners will be a thing of the past and rowdyism will reign supreme.

Lincoln Sentinel, March 11, 1897
---East Side: On Elkhnor the measles seem to be somewhat abnormal in severity. S.H. DUREE has measles accompanied at the outset by lung congestion. Harry PAGAN has had a series round of the mumps. John PAGAN is now seriously ill with the same complaint, and other complications. A JACKSON has been under the care of the physicians for a bad case of neuralgia of the stomach. To the eastward in Ottawa county the mortality from various causes has been phenomenal. One funeral establishment in Minneapolis is said to have furnished the coffins for more than 50 funerals in the past month.

Lincoln Sentinel, March 18, 1897
---Bacon: That eye of Ambrose VONADA which was clothed in a dark colored suit and swelled, and appropriately set off with a peeled nose, was not the result of an altercation with a neighbor. A little over a week since he was riding along on a header box full of hay, conversing with Thad KRESSLEY about the sudden rise in wheat, when the wind out of sheer sympathy gave a puff and, well, we won't continue.
---The brand new baby at Jack BEVERLY's is not of the sex that it will naturally inherit the craft of master mason.
---Born, Monday, to Henry CHAPMAN and wife of Scott township, a young democrat. Henry was able to come into town on Tuesday, O.K.

Lincoln Sentinel, March 25, 1897
---Beverly: SKINNER Bros. have commenced shelling their immense pile of corn layingout on the commons. The cobs will make splendid fuel for summer. Geo. SCOTT of Tescott has the job of shelling.
---Bacon: It is reported that Joseph BROWN's baby died last Tuesday of lung fever, aged 1 year. A.T. MITCHELL conducted services at Delhi cemetery. It is reported that John FRANCIS has lost two of his small children from whooping cough.
---Joseph C. BLOYD and Bertha Elizabeth HENDRICKSON were married Sunday, March 21st, by O.B. WHITAKER.

Lincoln Sentinel, April 1, 1897
---Somebody stole, or otherwise appropriated, a walking plow belonging to David SHAVER last night. He is a mighty mean man who will steal a walking plow.
---Charles POSTEN and family who live ten miles northwest of Lincoln were given a surprise party last Friday evening. Besides three of Lincoln's colored society people, about 35 of the colored population of Delhi were in attendance. Ice cream, cake, oranges, etc., were the refreshments. The amusement of the evening was the traditional "cakewalk."

Lincoln Republican, April 8, 1897
---At Four Score

On Monday last, April 5, Uncle Joseph Cheney passed the 80th milepost in his life. Time has left his mark in the almost snow-white hair and beard, but he seems as strong and vigorous as many men at 60, or even younger. He spent the day as usual at his shop mending boots and shoes. While he was thus engaged his son, Chas. B. Cheney, and niece, Cora Wales, were busily engaged getting up a surprise for him. A considerable number of neighbors and friends, including many of the early settlers, were invited to spend a short time in the evening at the house. So at about 7:30 as he was enjoying his daily paper and a big arm chair which Charlie had given him in the morning, his neighbors began dropping in to congratulate him on his 80th birthday. As they kept coming Mr. Cheney began to realize what was up. He was completely surprised, but none could have enjoyed it more. After the greetings a splendid lunch of cake and coffee was served. A short time was spent in social intercourse and the guests took their leave wishing Mr. Cheney still many happy returns.
It had been so arranged that some would come and go before others arrived, for even in a large and comfortable home like Mr Cheney's, there is scarcely room for such a gathering. Those present during the evening were: M.M. George, Chan Ingham, Thomas Boyle, E.B. Bishop, Dr. Bryant, A.H. Wait, J.I. Toliver, A. Marshall, Dr. Sherrick, G. Herzberg, J.R. Logan, H.H. Gilpin, W.G. Hoffer, W.D. Morgan, E.A. McFarland, Day Day, N.B. Rees, James A. Smith, John Whalen, O.U. Hull and W.E. Menoher.
It lacks but about 30 days of 27 years since Mr. Cheney located here. He came from Massachusetts, and was one of 11 children, but two of which, besides himself, are alive - one about two years younger and one 10 years his senior. His life has been one of virtue, honor, temperance and godliness. Surely the hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
A few of those invited were unable to be present, and many more would have been asked to attend had the accommodations been sufficient.
"Uncle Joe," as so many call him, has the respect and esteem of all who know him. May he live many years yet to enjoy these pleasant associations.
Lincoln Republican, April 15, 1897
---The strangest thing to come under our observation recently was the picture and writeup of the Strange family of Lincoln, contained in last Sunday's Kansas City Star. [That would be April 11 or more likely April 4.]
Lincoln Republican, April 15, 1897
---Yesterday, April 14, was a memorial day for Uncle Tom Boyle, it being the 40th anniversary of his settlement in Kansas, and the 63rd anniversary of his wife's birth. Mr. Boyle was born in Allegheny County, Pa., 70 years ago next month, but spent a few years of his early life in Ohio, coming here from there in '57. He has lived since '62 in Saline and Lincoln counties, and his home has been in this county continuously since '70. Buffalo and antelope were very numerous in those days and Indians were almost the only human inhabitants of the country. Uncle Tom had many encounters with the savages, and was twice surrounded by them within the limits of this county, and had very narrow escapes. Mr. Boyle is strong and active for his age, and his wife is able to celebrate her 63rd birthday at the home of her daughter, Mrs.Hunter. We wonder if any other county in the sixth district can show up a citizen who has been for 40 years a resident of the state. Lincoln Republican, May 6, 1897
---Mrs. C.L. Stevenson, whose obituary appears elsewhere in this paper, was a daughter of County Treasurer J.W. McReynolds. Her death occurred very suddenly last Saturday morning, her relatives here not being aware that she was dangerously sick. The sad news was brought to them by Will Howell, a near neighbor to the family in Madison Township, and was, of course, a great shock. Mr. Stevenson and all the bereaved ones have the sympathy of all who know them.
Lincoln Sentinel, Dec. 16, 1987
---J.W. WILD and Miss Rosa JACKSON, both Barnard young people and highly respected, were married in this city Thursday eve, Dec. 9th, Elder J.A. WOODY officiating.
---The town of Lincoln, Kansas, is at last connected with the outside world by telegraph, the Western Union telegraph office being in the uptown express office. This, after 12 years of dissatisfied waiting, caused largely by the impudence of the Union Pacific railroad people, the citizens of Lincoln and contiguous terrioty will enjoy in particular the conveniences afforded by the development of electrical appliances.

Lincoln Sentinel, December 23, 1897
---W.S. McNITT is home from Topeka where he served as juror in the Federal court. Bill says that just as silly cases are tried in the U.S. court as in the justice and district courts.

---Geo. A. YEAGER and Ida M. SHOWMAN, both of Colbert, were married by Probate Judge KING Monday morning.

Lincoln Sentinel --- December 28, 1897
---The marriage of Myron D. WEBBER and Miss Dorinda STRANGE was solemnized at the residence of the bride s parents, John S. STRANGE and wife, Saturday evening. Prof. O.B. WHITAKER performed the ceremony.

1898

Lincoln Beacon, March 3, 1898
---Miss Belle Walls came from Cleveland, Ohio, in response to a telegram informing her of her grandmother's dangerous illness. This was at Mrs. Walls' request, as her granddaughter was always a great favorite with her.
---Ethel M. Jones vs. James D. Jones; divorce. Granted and plaintiff restored to her maiden name of Edith M. Walls.

Lincoln Beacon, March 10, 1898
---A week ago last Sunday night was the 36th anniversary of a very disagreeable experience of Uncle Tom Boyle's. On the night of Feb. 27, 1862, he was lost in a blizzard and camped under a huge old lone cottonwood tree standing about a mile due west of the northwestern corner of the present town site of Lincoln. Its huge trunk afforded him a windbreak and its broken off branches and chunks of thick bark gave him material with which to build a fire. He did not want to exercise that night as he had to hump himself to keep the fire alive in the switching, whirling, snowladen gale. Not a splinter of the old lone cottonwood now remains. Quite a good many years ago its top was cut out and since then the trunk and stump have disappeared before the fuel hunters. Now there is not even a jagged remnant of a stump left, and when Mr. Boyle visited the spot a week ago last Monday he was unable to exactly locate the site of the friendly tree which undoubtedly saved his life when he ran against it in the blinding blizzard 36 years before. It stood just outside the Marion township line on land now belonging to Col. Dunham.
---Wm Patterson Jr., son-in-law of Thos. Boyle, will soon move to a point about 25 miles west of Hill City, onto a farm he lately purchased, which lies two or three miles out from the railroad.
---J.D. Woody and family started from Lincoln Tuesday last for Colton, southern California, where they will stay for a short time or perhaps longer, while prospecting for a permanent home. The Woodys are excellent citizens and deserve a full measure of prosperity wherever they go. We would like to have had them abide with us, but 27 years in this county satisfied them that they will like it better somewhere else and we ought not to question their judgment. Mr. Woody is a son of Rev. J.A. Woody, who came to this county from Georgia in 1871 with a large family.

Lincoln Beacon, April 7, 1898
---James McCrystal and Miss Minnie Johnston, both of Lucas, were married March 30, at Lincoln, Judge King officiating.
---Elmer D. Teach, of Beverly and Miss Daisy G. Atkinson of Milo, were married March 28, by Squire W.R. Cossell at the home of G.W. Hill, in Colorado township.
---Alfred E. Skinner and Miss Jennie A. Weese, both of Beverly, were married March 27, by Rev. S.A. Greene, in Colorado township.

Lincoln Beacon, June 21, 1898
---Work has begun on A. Marshall's new dwelling at the corner of Second and South streets. H. Sahlmann began laying the foundation today. The house will be a full two stories in height, with a basement and full attic and will be furnace-heated from end to end. One dimension will be 56 feet - we do not know the complementary dimension. It will be when finished by all odds the finest dwelling property in the Saline valley. An Atchison firm has the contract.
---Hiram Deeds has promised us excerpts for his son Frank's letters home, for publication. Frank is a gunner on the flag-ship Iowa, now lying in front of Santiago de Cuba harbor.

Lincoln Beacon, Sept. 15, 1898
---John Rich, commonly called "Jack" Rich, and Miss Belle Walls were married in Salina Monday evening last, Rev. Cleveland officiating. Mr. and Mrs. Rich at once started for Omaha on their wedding trip. We understand that they will return to Lincoln for only a short time, their intention being to make their home in the east.

Lincoln Beacon, Oct. 27 , 1898
---Frank Deeds at latest advices was following the fortunes of his ship, the Iowa, around Cape Horn, en route for some destination unknown to himself or to anyone else probably except the war department and the commanders of the fleet.

Lincoln Beacon, Sept. 8, 1898
---Last Tuesday evening an incident occurred at Charles Walls' home on Brush creek that has a tendency to make a nervous person feel creepy. During the evening, as it grew late, but before retiring, , the sitting room was occupied by Mr. Walls, his sister Jodie and Mrs. B.A. Farnsworth. They were in darkness. Miss Walls was lying upon the floor, her head upon a pillow, and all the doors and windows were open. The sill of the outside door is slightly below the level of the ground outside, a very slight noise as of something falling was heard, and Mrs. Farnsworth remembers seeing a flicker of a shadow at the door. (Outside was bright moonlight, inside darkness.) Suddenly a faint hissing was heard and someone arose and started across the room, when to the hissing, which grew louder, was added a burr-r-z-zz. Miss Walls got to her feet instantly, and a rattlesnake, angry and alarmed at its unusual surroundings, was found coiled upon the floor less than three feet from her pillow. Mr. Walls immediately killed it, and it was wearing seven rattles and a button.

Lincoln Sentinel --- November 10, 1898
---Frank DEPPEN Jr., of Logan Township, one of the hottest kind of Republicans, an old soldier and a successful farmer, was in town Saturday to view the shattered remains of the GOP. (The Democrats had swept elections that week.)

Lincoln Sentinel --- December 1, 1898
---Sylvan Alert (editor s column): Sidney LAWSON thinks he is the only man in town who has filled all possible positions in relation to the public schools. He has been pupil, teacher, taxpayer, patron and is now a member of the school board. That is pretty good, but we can go him one better. We married the school ma am.
---The six-year-old son, Jimmie, of James DENGATE, of Bacon, died of bronchial trouble last Friday. Also the three-year-old child of Samuel SKILES died of the same trouble; we think on the same day.

Lincoln Sentinel --- December 8, 1898
---George FELDKAMP, a farmer living near Lincoln, came near being the victim of a Lightning Rod Fakir, who gave the name of Dahl, last Saturday. If it had not been for the timely interference of Bill BRUMBAUGH and George D. ABEL, Mr. Feldkamp would have contributed over $200 in cold cash to the coffers of a bum, well dressed highway robber. Let farmers and others throughout the county beware of these counterfeit solicitors: They are worthy only of a coat of tar and feathers.
---(From Editor William HOFFER S column) Mrs. Henry HINKSON of Rosette was a Lincoln visitor on Tuesday and took dinner at our home. She regaled us with incidents of our boyhood days that make us feel mighty old.
---John DUEWELL thinks his stone block would make an ideal court house, with a little fixin . Henry ZINK says that with a little more fixin , the college, south of town, would make a better one. The commissioners will have a hard time submitting a proposition to the voters that will meet the approval of everybody.

1899

Lincoln County Sentinel --- January 5, 1899
---A large number of business and professional men of the city met with the board of county commissioners at 4 o clock today and urged upon them the necessity of beginning right NOW to devise ways and means for building a court house . Various plans are suggested, and Mr. SWANK favored securing a legislative act, which will enable the county commissioners to lay a direct tax not exceeding 5 mills, for three years, or less, with a provision granting the commissioners power to use any available funds in the treasury as needed and to be replaced by the proceeds of the proposed direct tax. The concensus of opinion of the board and citizens present seemed to be favorable to the building of a $20,000 court house, the same to be furnished and quipped with the $3,500 insurance money now available.
---The burning of the court house has stirred up Pete MOSS into making a complete and up to date set of abstract books, and he has been furnished a temporary office in the jail for that purpose. Mr. G.M. WEEKS is the only man in the county having a set of complete abstracts, and had the county records been destroyed Mr. Weeks would have had a fortune within his grasp. Mr. MOSS intends to do away with the possibility of one man having a cinch on such luck in the future.
---Geo. D. ABEL, attorney at law and county attorney-elect, has a new No. 7 Remmington type writer. It cost him $102 almost enough money to buy a farm.
---The German Lutheran church at Sylvan Grove has purchased a fine new bell, and its clarion tones can be heard all over the West End.
---The Rink barn, Middlekauff & Soden, came near going up in smoke New Year s night, and had it not been for the timely arrival of Deputy Sheriff BRUMBAUGH the stable and all the buildings in that block would have been destroyed. Bill nearly always happens around on time.

Lincoln Sentinel --- January 12, 1899
---W. H. CECIL took a new Singer out to John NEAL's new home in Madison township yesterday. Mr. Neal was just married on Monday. There is nothing like beginning married life right.
---Nels SWENSON and A. ABOTT, two wide-awake farmers from the east end, were pleasant callers at this office last Friday. Mr. ABOTT never seems to grow a day older, though Swanson manages to keep up his beard in imitation of Santa Claus, adding a little more frost with each recurring year.

Lincoln Sentinel --- December 22, 1899
---This is official: Beginning with the first issue in January 1900, The Sentinel will not publish free advertising of an enterprise, entertainment, social, church or lodge where the object is to raise funds by charging admission or taking up a collection. Complimentary tickets will not be accepted in lieu of cash. It takes cash to buy clothing, flour and grocers, it takes cash to pray printers; and one and after January 1st, 1900, it will take cash to advertise all kinds of money-making ventures in The Sentinel.
---A number of town nimrods were out at Vesper last Thursday to participate in Phil NOON s turkey shoot.

All of the above articles come from newspapers available on interlibrary loan from the Kansas State Historical Society. You can view a listing of Lincoln County newspapers on microfilm available from the Society by clicking HERE. (Note: The numbers off to right of the list are the reel numbers at the Society). For more information on borrowing these newspapers go to the Society's Interlibrary Loan page.

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