Morton County
KSGenWeb

Places

1887 Morton County

1895 Rand McNally Atlas

As seen by the map above, Morton County is in the very southwest corner of Kansas

Populated Places

BLUE STEM VALLEY
BRADLEY
CUNDIFF
DERMOT
ELKHART
FRISCO
KILBORN
MAUDE
MORTON CENTER
PLEASANT PLAINS
RICHFIELD
ROLLA
SUNSET CITY
TALOGA
TICE
VERMILYE
WESTOLA
WILBURTON (or Tice)

Blue Stem Valley: In existence between 1890-95, in the vicinity of Rolla. John and Frank Stout families, Hargroves, Millers and Morgans lived in this area
Bradley: Built on the NE1/4 and SE1/4 of Sec 36-32-41, in the very center, was recorded in the State of Kansas, County of Seward on September 7, 1885 by Sunset City Townsite Company, Arnold Bradley, President; Henry c. Woe, Secretary.
Cundiff: Located on the SE1/4 NE1/4 Section 24-32s-40w, recorded on August 8, 1887 by E.W. Wester, Surveyor. It had only a few buildings, one of which was a hotel that burned in the early 1890s
Dermot(Written by Joyce McDonald): The Dermot community is located in the very northeast corner of Morton County, on the north side of the river. Many of the families living in this area are descendants of the first families to live here.

One of the earliest familes to homestead in this area was teh Hosea Milburn family. They filed their claim in 1885. Hosea brought his family here in teh spring of 1887, from Chautauqua County.

The Dermot, Morton County Post Office was established January 20, 1886 in Stevens County with Nathan P. Allen as the first postmaster. It was moved to the Hosea Milburn home in 1912 and Mrs. Milburn was postmistress until it was discontinued in 1929.

There has been some of our pioneers who were active in politics. C. H. Drew served the county as state representiative for seven tersm. J. Floyd Breeding served the county as state representative and also as a U.S. Congressman. Howard Drew, Son of C.H. Drew, served as a state representative from Stevens County, after moving to Hugoton on retirement. Howard's grandfather, A.H. Drew was alos a representative while living in Stevesn County. C>H> Drew also was county treasure for awhile when he lived in Richfield.

The Dermot community is best known for having the only one-room school left in the state of Kansas. Along with many other districts the Antelope Valley Dristric 24, was an early day school. Although Distrit 24 was fromed in 1888, a subscription school was hel n 1887 in a school that was built in the north bank of the North Fork, south of Albert Daniels place. That year the pupils naed this school Antelope Valley and of all the schools startin east Morton County this is the only one to run school continually. The name came from the fact, that at this time there were many antelpe that roamed the plains.

In 1895 a small builing from Cundiff was moved into this district. After a few years this district consolidated with the Stoner district and had school in a building south of Otis Daniels place. This building was originally a bank in Richfield.

In 1919, a building was built on the present site. In dust bowl days the enrollment was less and money was scarce so Districts 16 and 11 had school together. After a few years, in order to keep their districts, they were combined.

A bill for a building fund passed legislature in 1949 which gave District 23 (which Antelpe Valley was known as by then) the right to start laying up funds for building purposes. In 1952, it was voted to levy bonds of $45,000 for building this school. Work was started in September of 1953 and school was started in September of 1954 in the new builidng.

When the new brick building was buiolt the name of Antelpe Valley was hanged to Dermot School. Sally Lewis has been the teacher for the past 31 years and has seen many faes pass thourgh her classroom. She is four years away from teaching her 3rd generations.

In 1966, District 23 was unified with Rolla district, and they are now known as U.S.D. 217. This year, 1985, they have 18 students in school and can keep their school open as long as they don't drop below 10 students.

Antelope Valley (Dermot) Teachers
1887-1888 - L.R. Clark
1888-1889 - Mrs. J.W. Vermillion
1889-1890 - Mattie Harper, Maggie Harper
1890-1891 - Myrtle Estill
1891-1892 - Myrtle Estill, Mrs. Susie Trask (last 2 months)
1892-1893 - Virginia Weitzel
1893-1894 - Ada Weitzel
1894-1895 - Ada Weitzel
1895-1896 - Thomas Miller
1896-1897 - Virginia Weitzel
1897-1898 - George G. Julian
1898-1899 - George G. Julian
1899-1900 - William Morgan
1900-1901 - William Morgan (Stopped because of smallpox)
1901-1902 - Sarah Kreigh
1902-1903 - Emma Berry
1903-1904 Emma Berry
1904-1905 - Millie Hoff
1906-1907 - L. Faye Gillum
1907-1908 - Amos Youngren
1908-1909 - Amos Youngren
1909-1910 - Ethel Hargrove
1910-1911 - Clarence Thompson
1911-1912 - Maude Milburn
1912-1913 - Lena Johns and Viola Hubbard (for two months)
1913-1914 - Frank Craddock
1914-1915 - Martha Doll
1915-1916 - Lena Milburn
1916-1917 - Clifford Clark
1917-1918 - Ina Butts
1918-1919 - Vernon Hodges (No school part of year because of flue
1919-1920 - Violet Fischer
1920-1921 - May Maxwell, Lena Milburn
1921-1922 - Marion Garvey
1922-1923 - Sebie Wolf
1923-1924 - Minta Lane, Jim Streeter
1924-1925 - Clare Hoover
1925-1926 - Tom Jackson
1926-1927 - Tom Jackson
1927-1928 - Paul Allen
1928-1929 - Elma Wolfe
1929-1930 - Martha Brown
1930-1931 - Milo Weaver 1931-1932 - Milo Weaver
1932-1933 - Eva Johnson
1933-1934 - Tiny Jones
1934-1935 - Esther Snyder
1935-1936 - Clay Spear
1936-1937 - Clay Spear
1937-1938 - Estelene Ford
1938-1939 - Estelene Ford
1939-1940 - Hazel Flowers
1940-1941 - Dorothy Coultice
1941-1942 - Goldie Hays
1942-1943 - Smith, Delphine Sloan, Estelene Milburn
1943-1944 - Dorothy Collins
1944-1945 - Marjorie Davenport
1945-1946 - Marjorie Davenport, Estelene Milburn
1946-1947 - J.D. Eastepp
1947-1948 - Mary Spears
1948-1949 - Louise Lowry
1949-1950 - Katherine Smith
1950-1951 - Kathering Smith, Evah Sundgren, Estelene Milburn and Juanita Beesley
1951-1952 - Irma Lee Ross
1952-1953 - Irma Lee Ross
1953-1985 - Selola (Sally) Lewis

Some of the familes that have been in the ommunity for several generations are; Milburns, Drews, Simmons, Daniels, Williams, Hubbards, Myers, Renshaws, Breedings and Sullivans.
Elkhart
Frisco: Frisco was one of the first townsites laid out in Morton County. It was located on the section line between Sec 28 and 23, Township 32, Range 41, and was recorded by the Frisco Town Company, John K. Hastie, President on February 3, 1886, six month prior to the recording of Richfield.

On February 3, 1887 Frisco contested Richfield for the honor of county seat. Richfield had only been appointed as temperary county seat. The case was carried to the Supreme Court and the decision in favor of Richfield was handed down.

There were 2 active newspapers; Morton County Democrat, published from December 25, 1886 to 1888; Frisco Pioneer, published from January 6, 1886 to 1887.

Records show that it was a very political and involved town, but only a few business establishments are known, several of these are Fulkerson Harness Shop, Frisco Livery & feed Sales and the Frisco Hotel.
Kilborn: Located on the NW1/4 and SW1/4 Sec 3-35s-40w, was reported by Frank T. Berkey, surveyor, on June 14, 1888
Maude: Located 4-1/2 miles east of Westola
Morton Center: Established on the NE1/4 17 and NW1/4 16-33s-41w (6 miles south of Richfield, on May 28, 1888 by the Westola Town Company, R.E. Wallis, President; George A. Henry, surveyor.

Firs residents were the Darroughs from Sunset; Mrs. Withman and her sons, George and Harry; Lizzie Warner who married Frank Van Gundy (He and brother, Sam, were editors of the Monitor Republican at Richfield) Joe Reed was postmaster. School Teachers at Morton were a Mr. Anderson, J.E. Carpenter, May Duncan, Ernest Wilson, Stella Cox Wilson and Mrs. Whitman.
Pleasant Plains
(Written by Glenn and Luvella Sipes): Located in the northwest corner of Morton County is the district of Pleasant Plains. In the late 1880's, its population was made up of homesteaders and the rich, sandy loam soul was covered by buffalo grass. Many people lived in dugouts, gathered buffalo and cow chips for fuel. The first wells were hand dug along the creek and much of the water was hauled in a wagon to outlying homesteads. Supplies of food, clothing and coal were freighted in by wagon.

The earliest school of record was an abandoned homestead shack, known as "The Old Mudge House". About 197, Hiram Sipes gave the district an acre of land for a new school house, and a Stanton County Homesteader, Mr. Wendt, built the firs official school house. It was competed in 1918, during the war and because he was a German, the children were afraid of him, but everyone was very proud of the new site structure with it's cloakroom. During the "Dirty 30's" many of the old homesteaders became discouraged and moved out leaving the hardier ones behind. Of the original homestead families, the Harts, Bitners, Starrs, Herrons, Sipeses and Humes have descendants in or near Pleasant Plains. In the 1920's, the Potter, ox, Delay, Vandervort, Kilogre, Rutledge, Hetrick, Frownfelter, McKinely, Trahern, Crew and White families made up a new generation. Part of this time there were not enough pupils to hold school, and they were transported to Richfield.

Most of the grassland was plowed up during the 1920's,; which was followed by "The Great Depression", and several years of drought. During this time many suffered from sever dust storms and blizzards. Banks closed and everyone had a hart time economically. A few died of dust pneumonia, and others moved away if the could afford it.

Eventually the rains came and with bigger machinery and better farming methods our people prospered. About 1948, electric lines reached us and telephones in 1954, which created great change. Irrigation was developed, better roads and grain elevators were built.

"Our Rosy Outlook" was blurred on February 18, 1934, when a terrible black blizzard struck which lasted 3 days and nights. The dust was so thick that people hung sheets over their doors and windows to aid breathing. Cattle died by the hundreds. Avery promising wheat crop was destroyed and erosion was the worst vever. Once again people had to start over.

About 1960, a new brick school house was built, containing a gymnasium, kitchen and restrooms.. It served until state laws forced consolation with Elkhart. Since that time it has been used as community recreation center, where 4-H and other activities take place.

Even though the people were firmly against liquor, the biggest "Still" was located by Federal Officers in our midst. It was a well-planned enterprise, with the team being siphoned out of the building to a large hog pen, and the mash from the cooking grain was fed to the hogs. Sugar was covered by alfalfa hay and brought in by the truck load. The liquor was marketed in large cities in the east and the nearest neighbors had no suspicion. The "Still" was said to be the biggest and best planned ever found west of the Mississippi River.
Richfield
Rolla
Sunset City: Sunset was the first town in Morton County and was located southeast of the present location of Richfield. In approximately 1885, the town disbanded and the buildings were moved to Richfield and Morton Center.

Recorded residents were Edwin C. Hobby and sons, Frank and Theodore: his grandson, Frank Stevens, who later married Grace Fletcher: (Mr. Stevens was the first postmaster of Rihfield); John and Emma Pack; Levi Morgan, Louis Darrough and nephew, Ed.
Taloga: Named by T. G. Shillinglaw, means in Indian, "a place where men go (or live0 ... Happy Hunting Ground." Located in the center of se 16-33s-43w, it was called "The Gem:, in the early days by Henry Worthington in his newspaper, The Taolga Star. The town was recorded by Topeka & Southwestern Land & Town Company by F.F. Besky, surveyor, on February 26, 1886.

Mrs. Estella Cox Wilson, in writing about her memories of Taloga, stated, "When I first saw Taloga, the winter of 1888, it consisted of a sto4re owned by Henry Wiley, a bank, newspaper, hotel and a building built for the Taloga Fair, but later used for a dance hall. It was blown down by a terrific wind in March, 1892.

The first postmaster was Frank Ream. Daily mail was carried from Richfield via Morton Center by Jack Simpson and Elmus "Shorty" Brain, in a two wheeled cart. Three times they had mail from Cundiff. Later, the post office was moved to Point Rocks and mail was carried on horse back through Taloga to Colorado.

Shorty Brain was also a violinist for the county dances, which include Richfield, Morton Center, Westola and Taloga.

Ed Dean was quite a story teller and his favorite yarns were about cowboys who came into Taloga for a dance, from Point Rocks, and one night a cowboy became angry because a girl refused to dance with him and started shooting,. The kerosene lamps were shot out and on bullet hit a girl's heel. That ended the dance. And, once when Billie the Kid was roaming the southwest a cowboy from Point of Rocks came to town.

Mrs. Wilson goes on to state, "Soon after the town of Taloga was started a 2 story school house was built. It consisted of 4 rooms, 2 on the first floor and 2 unfinished rooms above. Only one room was ever used for classes." The school report in February, 1889 states that District No. 1, had 16 pupils in attendance. Teachers remembered were Mrs. T.J. Whitan, (1890-91; Mrs. Estella Cox Wilson (1891-93); Cora Brain (1893)94 and F.N. Hindman in 1894-95 Mrs. Wilson then went back in 1895-96, the firs nine month school term. The previous terms were six and seven months terms.

Statistics show that in 1890, Taloga was the second largest town in Morton County, boasting of an elegant $3,000 school house; a $1,500 town hall; a $4,000 hotel. There were 4 daily stages to Morton, Richfield and Liberal, and the population was 200. Other businesses were:

Blacksmith, D.A. Applegate; Wellborers, Atkinson Brothers; Stanton House Hotel & Restaurant, Elmus Brain; Physician, JB.B Brown; Hackman, O.S. Dick; Carpenter, Florye Brothers; Citizens Bank of Taloga, with capitol stock of $50,000; Taloga Building & investment Company, capitol stock of $50,000; General Store, B.J. Lamport; Livestock, J.W. McLain; Shoemaker, T.J. Pearson; Real Estate, John F. Scott; Livery, Loan Agent & County Surveyor, George W. Steeper; Topeka and Southwestern Town and Land Copmpany; Grain. R.e. Wallace; Draymen, Charles Wiley; Genereal Store, Justice & Notary, H.B. Wiley. H.W. Worthingotn, was Editor and Publisher of the The Taloga Star and John Beaty was County Commissioner.

The failure of the "Iron Horse' to roll into Taloga, soon caused Taloga teh "Gem of teh Border", to sadly disappear.
Vermilye: Consited of ony 4 sod housed built where the corners of teh 4 quarter sections came together, on mile southeast of Westola
Westola: There are conflicting stories converning the establishment of Westola. One report states that it was established by the Westola Town Company, R.E. Wallis, President; Georege A. Henry, County Surveyor; another states that it was established by the Aurora Town Company. This small town was 12 west of Richfield and 6 miles north of Taloga, on the NE1/2 SE1/4 and S1/2 NE1/4 Sec 16-32s-43 and was recorded March 3, 1887.

In 1888, it consited of a hotel, livery stable, a small one-room school house, 4 store buildings, housing, a grocery store, post office run by W.L. Harris; a local newspaper, Westola Wave", was published by W.C. Calhoun; the third building was a broom factory, and teh fourth served as a temporary home for the Jmes L. ox family (Estella Cox Wilson) until a house could be built 1-1/2 miles west on their claim. The hotel was run by C.E. Gurnesey. There was alos a shoemaker and blacksmith.

The firs school was taught by Minta Coolet in 1887. mrs Clay Jessup taught in 1888-89, and had 10 pupils. They were May, Everett, Stella and Herman Guernsey; Edna Jessup; Ethel and Olive Arright; Minnie Tabler; Mina and Frak Adams. In the spring of 1889, Estella Cox Wilson, (at the age of 15) taught one month and had 5 pupils.

Guernseys moved to their claim and William Eddy ran the hotel in the fall of 1889. The townsite was vacated by an act of legislature and James L. Box bouth the 160 acre townsite and buildings. The was the beginning of the ranch owned by the Ccox family.

W.L. Harris was elected County Clerk and moved to Richfield. Mrs. Cox was Westola Postmistress until the office was discontinued. Bonds were voted and a nice stone schoolhouse was built but no school was ever taught there. The new building was sometimes used for church or dances. Like the courthouse at Richfield, bonds werw voted by peopple who hped to get work on them to earne money to leave the county.
Wilburton (or Tice) (Written by Ethel Coen): The townsite was laid out and officially named Tice. This was the name of a high offial of the Santa Fe Railroad at that time. The townsite ompany was formed in late 1912 and consisted of George Bohn, Sam Yeagy, M.R. Stewart, H.S. Haggard and A.R. Tucker. The site consisted of 20 acres, whih were diveded into lots and sold. All lots wer enot sold, and still remain the the name of the townsite.

Tice is located about halfway between Elkhart and Rolla and is known acording to postoffie records as Wilburton.

The postoffie was started when the Santa Fe railroad was built in the early spring of 1913, by Mrs. Nellie D. Wilbur. The postoffice and town has arried her name since. It has been operatd by Lee Wilbur, who took over in 1914 for a short time, then by Alice Jones, Lee Wagaman, Glenn Shutt, Marie Grasz, Mrs Ethel Harmon and Mrs. Mae Priest. Mrs. Priest was the last postmaster and retired May 31, 1957. Mrs Pries ad operated the postoffice since 1939. The office was closed permanently after that date.

A rural route was started from the postoffice on November 16, 1915, by Jim McCarter who delivered mail to customers of the ommunity. Sam Yeagy carried the mail for a short time following McCarters' resignation and Jesse Turner took over the route in 1916 and continued the service until it was discontinued from the Wilburton office and run from the Elkhart office in the 30's.

The contractor who built the railroad grade through that part of the countyr was El Parker. At the time the grade was being constructed the company camped at the Gordon Ranch, which was located 1/2 mile north and 1/2 mile west of town.

The town of Wilburton one boasted of two grocery store,s a church, a garage, a grain elevator, a feed yard, a bank, lumberyard,, a florist shop, grande and high schools, with over 100 students attending. The population of the town for many years was in the hundreds.

By April 6, 1916 the town has an elevator, The Cooperative Equity Exchange that handled a big crop of grain for the farmers last fall, and also supplied them with the winter supply of oal. A store building is just completed and occupied by M.R. Stewart of Liberal, and is well stocke dwith a general stock of merhandise. Mr. Stewart will also handle cram and buy their produce, butter and eggs the farmers have to sell.

The lumber-yard, T.M. Deal, was run by Hub Foster for a while. Then Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Liming and children:June, Georgena and Robert. Beside the lumber yard Mr. Liming had a shoe repari shop and Robert was known as the "Shoe Shine Boy". Mrs. Liming had a florish shop in her home.

The Elevator was run by Jesse Turner in the 20's. Later Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ely, they had one sone, Eugene. Then by Mr. and Mrs. Pope, they had three children: Arline, Betty and Buddy.

The Garage was owned by Glenn Shutt, which also had the posoffice for a whil, later by Earl Turner.

The Bank was known as: The Kansas State Bank, with George Hayward as president and Lynn Russell as cashier.

Wilburton also baosted of a rooming and boarding house, run by Mrs. Victoria McClain, and a short order restaurant, run by Earl Ellis and family. Also a telephone exhange in the Jesse Turner home, operated by Mrs. Ida Turner.

The Wilburton Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1913 in a little school house known as Praire Flower, 1/2 mile nort of Wilburton, just across the road from Lee Wilbur's homestead.

The organization was made by Rev. J.L. Wells, pastor of Elkhart, with a class of only nine members: Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Turner; Lee, Jackie and Bessie Wagaman; Eva Welch; Jennie Smallwood; Mrs. Frank Green; and Miss Stella Shutt.

Rev. Wells served the charge one year and was followed by Rev. Roscoe Jarrell in 1914, who also served on year. In 1915 Wilburton was chaged from the Elkhart Circuit and put on with Rolla, Rev. Claude McClune, Pastor.

After completion of the new grade shool in Wilburton aruond 1917, the class was moved from the old school house into the new building, which was the place of worship until the new church was built and dedicated on June 1, 1930 at 2:00 pm with Rev. H.T. Harper as Pastor.

Our first school was known as Prairie Flower, District #7, 1/2 mile north. First records I could find were in years 1911-1912, teacher - Loene Wagaman, with pupils: Inez Hill, Stella Shutt, Pearl Lumbert, Gleenn Shutt, Leora Green, Sarah Lumbert, Wallace Hill, Sylvia Shutt, Hattie Laudner, Harold Lumbert, Over Welch, Marcia Canfield, Lellia Shutt, Walter (Ted) Leake, Oscar Lumbert, Alice Canfield , Henry Canfield, William Canfield, Harry Webb, Lulu Minun, Lyle anfiedld, Edith Welch and irene Lumbert. Then in 1914-1915, teacher - Anna Moonan.

Funeral Homes

Harrell Funeral Home (620) 697-2191
514 Kansas Ave / Elkhart, KS 67950

Churches

Assembly of God Church (620) 697-4446
411 Kansas / Elkhart, KS 67950
Bible Baptist Church (620) 697-4680
120 Grant / Elkhart, KS 67950
Christ Lutheran Church(620) 697-2284
813 S. Baca / Elkhart, KS 67950
Church of Christ (620) 697-4489
S. Stanton & Kansas/ Elkhart, KS 67950
Church of God (620) 697-4455
306 Morton / Elkhart, KS 67950
First Baptist Church (620) 697-4712
500 Hwy 27 N / Elkhart, KS 67950
First Christian Church (620) 697-2553
714 S. Cosmos / Elkhart, KS 67950
Hillcrest Southern Baptist Church (620) 697-2289
1102 Morton / Elkhart, KS 67950
Nazarene Church (620) 697-4832
355 E Colorado / Elkhart, KS 67950
St. Joan Of Arc Rectory(620) 697-4622
723 S. Baca / Elkhart, KS 67950
The United Methodist Church (620) 697-4422
444 Stillman / Elkhart, KS 67950
Emmanuel Baptist Church (620) 593-4693
202 Monroe / Rolla, KS 67954
First Baptist Church (620) 593-4733
5th & Taylor / Rolla, KS 67954
Pentecostal Holiness Church (620) 593-4626
300 Adams / Rolla, KS 67954
The United Methodist Church / Rolla-Richfield Parish (620) 593-4596
600 Monroe / Elkhart, KS 67950

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This page was last updated 07/10/2024