Courier-Democrat Representative
Visits Clear Creek
Seneca Courier-Democrat
15 June 1900
On
Monday morning bright and early as the
sun was peeping through the gray tinted
clouds, we made our way to Clear Creek
township. A little over half a century
ago this part of the country was the
home of the red man. Here, it was that
the American bison, that had never heard
the hunter's horn roamed unmolested and
unharmed, but civilization stalked
boldly forth and mutation is the result.
Where once the Indian drowsily lay in
his wigwam, now stand the palatial
residences of the white man; where once
the buffalo pastured or sought rest
during the heat of the day along the
banks of some beautiful wooded stream,
now are waving fields of corn and wheat,
and here and there, dotting the hill
sides, stands the school house, that
beacon light of civilization, where the
farmers' sons and daughters are trained
to become the leaders in American
thought and action.
The
first white men to tread the soil of
Nemaha County and Clear Creek township,
were, as the records in the Smithsonian
Institute show, Francisco Vasquez de
CORONADO and his thirty five followers.
This was in August 1541. However, the
next inhabitants of Clear Creek township
were and in fact the first were the
Pottawatomie Indians. The next white men
to visit Clear Creek were those under
the command of FREMONT in 1842. The
first permanent white settlement in
Clear Creek was made by John O'LAUGHLIN
in 1854. In that year, he built a log
cabin on what is now Albert C.
EIGENMANN's farm at the junction of
Turkey and Clear Creeks. The old house
is still standing and within a stone's
throw of Mr. EIGENMANN's fine residence.
Mr. O'LAUGHLIN was the founder and owner
of the site of Ash Point, which was on
the old trail from Ft. Leavenworth to
the gold fields in California. This was
the route traveled by thousands of
eastern gold hunters from 1848 to 1860.
Ash Point was a state station until
1872.
The
first person we met was our old friend
Robert LADWIG. Bob was hauling a binder
to town, and when we met him had just
broken down and was repairing his
machine without the use of profanity.
After this Mr. LADWIG will read the
Courier-Democrat.
We
then visited Antone WEBBER and found him
plowing corn. Mrs. and Mrs. WEBBER are
both natives of Germany. They have a
nice little home and are laying in their
share of this world's goods. The
Courier-Democrat will keep them posted
on current events in Nemaha County.
That
good natured Bohemian, John ECKEL, who
came to America thirty years ago will
study the English language by reading
the Courier-Democrat
The
elegant home of Uncle James WEEKS was
visited next. Mr. WEEKS settled in Clear
Creek township in 1872. He didn't have
much money then, but by hard work and
shrewd management has acquired 320 acres
of good land. Mr. WEEKS' home place is a
fine home indeed. Mr. and Mrs. WEEKS
were both born in England. Uncle James
is a might good democrat, and the only
democrat paper in Nemaha county makes
its regular visit to his house.
The
Courier-Democrat representative then
drove from Mr. WEEKS' to the fine farm
of that rock-ribbed democrat, Albert C.
EIGENMAN. Down here behind the hills
admidst a fine natural grove, Mr.
EIGENMAN has built himself a beautiful
home.
We
passed on to the home of J. W. LYNN.
Here we stopped for rest and dinner. Mr.
LYNN was in Seneca when we arrived as
his place, but Mrs. LYNN and John
entertained us and invited us to partake
of some dinner. Mrs. LYNN is a very
intelligent woman, a good
conversationalist and a strong
republican; however, she is no stranger
to the art of good cooking. Mr. LYNN
came home just as we were ready to
leave. He is a narrow minded man. We had
a very pleasant chat with him, and of
course, hereafter he will read the
Courier-Democrat and keep thoroughly
posted on county news.
South
from LYNN's we met August POPPE, the
postmaster at Clear Creek. Mr. POPPE
enjoys the distinction of being one of
the few Democrats who hold a position
under the McKINLEY administration.
Hereafter, when he distributes the mail,
he will put a Courier-Democrat in August
POPPE's box. With him we met our friend
of boyhood days, L. L. NOTT. Mr. NOTT is
a hale fellow well met, and a good
industrious young man. He will leave
shortly for the home of his parents near
Council Grove, Morris county and being a
judge of good literature he will have
the Courier-Democrat visit his home
every week.
The
next point of interest was the home of
L. H. MCINTYRE, who is a much better
looking man than the Courier-Democrat
MCINTYRE. He is a thoroughbred democrat
and of course reads democratic
literature, via the Courier-Democrat.
We
drove down to William F. WEEKS and took
a glass of -- water with him. He also
joined his neighbors in the
Courier-Democrat club. Mr. WEEKS is a
tip top man and a good farmer.
We
whipped up our horses and drive to the
Widow SUDBECK's. She is the only woman
in Clear Creek township who runs a farm
without the aid of men. She with her
three industrious daughters own and farm
160 acres, and it will bear comparison
as to the manner of farming with any
quarter section in that locality. She
will also read our paper.
We
passed Herman BUELTEL on the run. He
gave us the sign that he reads the
Courier-Democrat every week, which is
evidence enough to us that he is a good
farmer and citizen.
Tuesday morning found us entering Clear
Creek township at the farm of Frank
FANGMAN, Sr. Mr. FANGMAN is an old
settler of this township and has read
the Courier-Democrat for many years.
Forty-five years ago John DICK, Sr. came
to Kansas from Germany. As we passed his
comfortable home, we admired Kansas more
than ever. For many years Mr. DICK has
read the Courier-Democrat.
We
opened two gates and drove back a cranky
canine before we reached the house of
John DICK, Jr. Mr. DICK took us for a
patent medicine fakir, but when we told
him we represented the Courier-Democrat
he came down off his perch and became
quite pleasant. Mr. DICK is a native of
Kansas and is a pleasant gentleman to
talk with.
We
next ushered ourselves into the
neighborhood of the BERGMAN brothers.
Barney, Frank and Joseph have been in
Kansas 15 years and during that time
each one has acquired a large farm and
has it stocked with thoroughbred horses,
cattle and hogs, and are numbered among
the best farmers and stockmen of Nemaha
County. The boys all read the
Courier-Democrat. We stopped at Barney
BERGMAN's on account of the rain, and
found Chet MURPHY and Frank LOEFLER, in
Filipino garb, adorning the walls of Mr.
BERGMAN's fine residence with a net coat
of paint, and W. B. CAVE arrived soon
afterwards to chase the rain-water into
the cistern. We were invited to take
dinner and of course accepted. We found
Miss Lena to be as good a cook as her
brother is a farmer. We all enjoyed the
dinner immensely, especially Chet MURPHY
who had an appetite like a bear that had
been in a dormant state all winter and
had just waked up in time for dinner.
After
dinner, the first place we passed by was
that of H. H. OLBERDING. Mr. OLBERDING
has a fine farm and to all appearances
is making money.
Farther up the hill we passed the
elegant farm residence of August
RONNEBAUM. From here we could get a
splendid view of the surrounding
country. Both of the proceeding read the
Courier-Democrat every week.
We
drove in to see our old friend, Frank
SKOCH, Sr. Mr SKOCH is a native of
Bohemia. He came to Kansas twenty-one
years ago. He now owns a fine farm and
has enough laid up to keep him
comfortably in his declining years. He
now gets all the news through the
Courier-Democrat.
The
Courier-Democrat now visits the home of
Barney KUHLMAN every week. Mr. KUHLMAN
has been in Kansas six years and thinks
there is no place like Nemaha county.
Our
next visit was to J. W. MEEK's, whose
politics are of the democratic order and
who reads our paper.
Barney
ENNEKING will hereafter study the
English language through the columns of
the Courier-Democrat.
Frank
FIENHAGE came to Kansas twenty-two years
ago from Germany. Mr. FIENHAGE is a
well-educated farmer and enjoys reading
good literature like the
Courier-Democrat.
When
H. M. MEYER saw us coming through the
field, he began to fold up his sleeves
and prepare to defend himself against
signing a contract that would turn out
to be a bankable note. He thought we
were the notorious osteopath doctor that
has been doing Seneca and vicinity, but
as soon as our subject was mentioned to
him he became quite peaceable and
subscribed.
John
GUCKEL was the next man we interviewed.
Mr. GUCKEL was born in Germany and came
to Kansas thirty years ago and located
in Seneca where he followed his trade,
that of carpenter, for many years. He
now lives on his well-improved farm of
240 acres.
