1894 Robley's History of Bourbon County, Kansas
INTRODUCTION.
N preparing
this book I have departed in many particulars from the ordinary course and
established custom of compilers of county histories. I have endeavored to give
the causes which led up to our early troubles, and to delineate, to some extent,
the public sentiment and feeling of given periods. I have kept in touch with the
various Territorial Governments, Administrations, Legislatures and prominent
public men, in order that the reader may have an intelligent understanding of
the situation. I have intended this book to be of refreshing interest to the old
settler, and to be especially interesting and instructive to the young men and
women of Bourbon County.
T. F. ROBLEY.
FORT SCOTT, KANSAS, December, 1894.
SYNOPTICAL INDEX.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I.—Louisiana Purchase—Missouri Territory—Missouri Compromise—Platte Purchase—Santa Fe Trail—Cherokee Neutral Lands—New York Indian Lands | 8 |
| CHAPTER II.—Fort Scott Located—Colonel H. T. Wilson—Sergeant John Hamilton—Military Road Completed—Barracks Erected—Relics of a Past Era | 17 |
| CHAPTER III.—Annexation of Texas—Mexican War—Wilmot Proviso-Compromise of 1850 | 21 |
| CHAPTER IV.—1853—Post of Fort Scott Abandoned—Some of the Early Settlers of Bourbon County—Time from 1854 to 1855—Description of Frontier Life—Climate—Indian Summer | 29 |
| CHAPTER V.—1854—Mill of the Gods—Kansas-Nebraska Bill—Kansas Territory Organized | 33 |
| CHAPTER VI.—1854—First Governor—First Elections—First Fraud—First Legislature—Bogus Statutes—Samples of Legislation—Government Buildings Sold | 42 |
| CHAPTER VII.—1855—Bourbon County Organized—First County Officers—Neutral Lands in Bourbon County—Fort Scott Incorporated as a Town—More Elections—Second Governor—Political Atmosphere of Bourbon County | 53 |
| CHAPTER VIII.—1856—Tone of Pro-slavery Papers—Topeka Constitution—Trouble Commences—Texas Rangers—Expedition to Middle Creek—Topeka Legislature—Governor Shannon Resigns—Governor Geary Appointed—Territorial Legislators for Bourbon County—Close of 1856 | 60 |
| CHAPTER IX.—1857.—Bourbon County Officials—New Towns —Sprattsville—Mapleton—Rayville —Means of Communication | 64 |
SYNOPTICAL INDEX.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER X.—1857—Some More Politics—Dred Scott Decision—Slaves in Bourbon County—Governor Geary Resigns—Governor Walker Appointed—More Immigrants—Fort Scott Town Company—U. S. Officers—Tenderfeet—Free State Hotel | 77 |
| CHAPTER XI.—1857—Public Sentiment—Lecompton Constitution—Election of October 5, 1857—More Trouble—Squatter's Court—Protective Society | 86 |
| CHAPTER XII.—1857—The Conservatives—U. S. Troops at Fort Scott—First Election on Lecompton Constitution—Close of 1857 | 90 |
| CHAPTER XIII.—1858—The Second Election on Lecompton Constitution—First Newspaper Established —First Grand Ball—Trouble Begins Again—Object Lesson in Surgery—Origin of Jayhawker | 96 |
| CHAPTER XIV.—1858—First Manufactory in Fort Scott—Marmaton Town Company—Uniontown Leavenworth Constitution—English Bill—Jayhawking Reduced to Plain Stealing—Fight with U. S. Troops | 104 |
| CHAPTER XV.—1858—Some Old Settlers of 1858—Improvements Begin—Border Ruffians have an Inning—Marais des Cygnes Murder—Efforts at Capture—Effects on the Border—Feeling Against Fort Scott | 114 |
| CHAPTER XVI.—1858—Public Meeting—Election by "Tailment"—Meeting at Rayville—Protocol of Peace—Montgomery Sized Up | 119 |
| CHAPTER XVII.—1858—Some More Arrivals—After the Amnesty—Improvements Continue—Exit Lecompton Constitution—Kansas is Free | 125 |
| CHAPTER XVIII.—1858—Territorial Election—Governor Denver Resigns—Samuel Medary Appointed—Amnesty Broken—Ben Rice Arrested—Meeting at Rayville—Release of Rice—Death of John H. Little | 133 |
| CHAPTER XIX.—1859—Militia Organized—Jayhawkers Captured—Lawrence and Fort Scott get Acquainted—Amnesty Law—County Seat Moved—Preparing for Another Constitution—An All Around Good Year | 141 |
SYNOPTICAL INDEX.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER XX.—1859—Delegates to Wyandotte Convention—Big 4th of July—Grand Ball—Fort Scott Democrat Revived—Vote on the Wyandotte Constitution—Other Election Items | 146 |
| CHAPTER XXI.—1860—Legislature Meets—Dayton Incorporated—Fort Scott Town Company Incorporated—Fort Scott Incorporated as a City—First City Election—County Election—Last Border Difficulties—Law Inaugurated | 151 |
| CHAPTER XXII.—1860—Arts of Peace—Population—First Fair Association—N. Y. Indian Lands—Neutral Lands—Troops Arrive—Land Sales—The Great Drouth | 160 |
| CHAPTER XXIII.—1861—Kansas Admitted—State Government—City Affairs—Impending Crisis—Public Meetings—War—War Feeling in Bourbon County—First Troops Organized | 168 |
| CHAPTER XXIV.—1862—Fort Lincoln Fortified—Troops Concentrated—Battle of Drywood—6th Kansas—Fort Scott a Military Post—More Politics | 174 |
| CHAPTER XXV.—1862—Movement of Troops—Various Items—Fall Elections | 178 |
| CHAPTER XXVI.—1863 —County Seat Returned to Fort Scott —City Hall—Elections—County Officers | 182 |
| CHAPTER XXVII.—1864—Political Feeling—Fortifications—Raids on Drywood—Railroads—Politics—Price Raid—Raids by Guerillas—Marmaton Massacre—Fort Scott in Suspense—Public Meeting—General Election | 198 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII.—1865—Lincoln—City Election—Muster Out—The Schools—Business and Improvements—Fall Election—Statistics—Population—The Close | 210 |
Relics of a Past Era
Transcribed from History of Bourbon County, Kansas : to the close of 1865 by T. F. Robley. Fort Scott, Kan.: Press of the Monitor Book & Print. Co., 1894.
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