This article transcribed from the Norton County News, 1870-1916,
Historical Number published mid-October 1916, pages 15-16

Densmore

Densmore is located in the Solomon Valley in one of the prettiest locations in western Kansas.  The town has had its boom and now has settled down to a steady growth.  Some of the most exciting incidents in the history of the county have happened in and around Densmore.

John T. Densmore came in 1874 and took the Sorghum Smith land on the Solomon, he laid out the town of Densmore and gave it his name.  Mr. Densmore died in 1891.  He was the first postmaster.  B. B. Glass was town site agent.  John Voss, Sr. was an early settler of the community.  Albert Manville owned and conducted the first general store.  He is now at Los Angeles, Calif.  Jim Reins opened the first blacksmith shop.  He died in 1901. Sam Baxter built and conducted the hotel in 1886 which is still standing and being used as a hotel.  O. B. Cackley built the first hardware store and later sold out to John Taylor and Geo. Harris and went to Hays City where he now is.
With the coming of the railroad in 1881 the town started to boom and lots increased in value nearly double.  Five new buildings were built that year.  The first school was build in 1885, and Miss Williams was the first teacher.  In 1909 a two-story school was build of cement blocks but it was condemned in 1915 and a frame building has been built to take its place.  Seadbrook* and Miller built the double building in 1886, and the same year the livery barn was built by A. C. Berch.  Mr. Taylor built the store where the Farmers Union now stands, and Mr. Baker built the first elevator in 1905.

L. L. Archer was born in Nobel* county, Ohio.  Came to Norton county in 1915 where he entered into the garage business.  He is the father of six children.
 
A. A. Short was born in Indiana.  He came to Norton county in 1883.He is the father of six children.

W. M. Lunicicoma was born in Nobel* county, Ohio.  He came to Densmore in 1916 and started a general store.  He is married and has one child, Francis William, born in 1916.

R. D. Bougess* was born at Trap Hill, North Carolina.  He came to Norton county and homesteaded three miles northeast of Densmore and still lives near there.  He owns 240 acres of farm land, and is the father of twelve children.

R. A. Wilson has been in the General Mercantile business, both as a traveling salesman and owner of a store for 23 years and at the present time is manager of the Farmers Union Store at Densmore.  He was born in 1876 in Raymore, Missouri.  He was united in marriage to Genevieve Staley, a Miami county, Kansas girl.  They have three children.  Mr. Wilson is a member of the M. W. A. and the Odd Fellows.

G. J. Archer, manager of the Home Lumber company, was born in Norton county in 1880.  In 1902 he was married to Miss Ada Burrop*, a Norton county girl.  They are members of the Free Methodist Church.  There are three children in the family: Glen, born in 1906; Vern, born in 1909 and Ruth, born in 1914.

R. G. Archer came to Norton county in 1916 from East Union, Ohio where he was born.  He was united in marriage in 1915 to Miss Bessie Handcock.  To this union has been born one child, Usetta, born in 1916.  Mr. Archer runs a general store at Densmore.

C. T. Nicholas, postmaster at Densmore, was born in Muskegan*, Michigan in 1870.  He came to Norton county in 1899.  In 1913 he was appointed postmaster to succeed E. W. Mann.  Mr. Nicholas was married to Miss Cora Bell Sandlin, of Krete*, Nebraska.  They have six children.  S. D., born in 1892; Susie, born in 1895; Flora, born in 1899; Glenn, born in 1900; Nellie, born in 1903; and Lena, born in 1904.  Mr. Nicholas is a member of the M. W. A. and owns 80 acres of rich farm land besides city property.

Alva Archer, cashier of the Farmers State Bank, of Densmore, was born in 1887 at Densmore where his father homesteaded.  He went through the public schools of the county and took a business course at the Lawrence Business College.  He is a member of the M. W. A.

The Farmers State Bank was organized in 1909 by the following men: Robert Boys, R. C. Davis, Thomas Millen*, John Voss, Jr., John Voss, Sr., Joseph Archer, G. J. Archer, Alva Archer, E. W. Mann, M. H. Sinclair and A. Newman.  The present officers are: John Voss, Jr., president; G. J. Archer, vice president; Alva Archer, cashier; Carrie M. Archer, Assistant cashier.  The directors are: John Voss, Jr., John Voss, Sr., Louis Voss, Alva Archer, Carrie M. Archer and G. J. Archer.  The capital has been raised from $10,000 to $15,000 and the surplus and profits are $17,000.  The bank is in the same building that it was started in and has a modern vault and today stands high among the financial institutions of the county.

John Voss, Jr., one of the prominent men of the county, was born in Holland in 1863.  He came to this country with his parents when but a year old.  He moved to Norton county in 1886.  He was united in marriage in 1884 with Miss Etta Bruine an Iowa girl.  Nine children came to bless the union.  Mr. Voss is an active worker in anything which pertains to the betterment of the county and is president of the Farmers State Bank at Densmore.

    ___________________________

 The Farmers Union Co-Operative Association own and operate a general store and creamery at Densmore.  It was organized March 1, 1913 with a capital of $5,000 which has been increased until it is well over $10,000.  The Union started with a  membership of 35 and now has 72 members.  The following men, who now serve as officers and directors, were instrumental in organizing the Union, and Densmore owes much to them for promoting an industry which will eventually benefit the town and surrounding country: Henry Reiman*, president; Martin Jacobson, vice president; Alva Archer, treasurer; John Kitzki*, secretary.  The following men compose the board of directors: Walter Trisler, Lee Mathes, Edgar Thompson and Henry Glenemier*.  The association last year did a $38,000 business, and through the able management of R. A. Wilson, it will far exceed that this coming year.
 
Geo Stepper was born in Phillips county in 1877.  Came to Norton county in 1911, and started in the hardware business at Densmore.  He was married in 1906 and he is the father of one child.
 
S. B. Martindale was born in Iowa, in 1862 and moved to Norton county in 1879.  His father, Wm. Martindale homesteaded in this county and died in 1905.
 
Cyrus Archer has done much for the betterment of Densmore and helped organize the Free Methodist church and was its first pastor.  He was born in Nobel* county, Ohio in 1857, coming to Norton county in 1879.  He was married in 1877 and is the father of eleven children, seven of whom are living at this time.
 
C. E. Campbell was born in Wisconsin in 1862.  Came to Norton county in 1883.  He was married in 1884 and is the father of two children.

A. J. Archer was born in Nobel* county, Ohio in 1850 and came to Norton county in 1880.  He was married to Emma Archer in 1875.  They have six children, four of whom are living.  He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1881, and served as school trustee for 20 years.

     ________________________

transcribed as printed, including errors
*designates likely spelling errors

Seadbrook - may be Sedbrook
Nobel - Noble
Bougess - Bauguess
Burrop - Burnap
Muskegan - Muskegon
Krete - Crete
Millen - Mullen
Reiman - Riemann
Kitzki - Kitzke
Glenemier - Glennemeier

---