FAIRMOUNT TOWNSHIP — FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP — GLENCOE TOWNSHIP — HICKORY TOWNSHIP — LINCOLN TOWNSHIP — LITTLE WALNUT TOWNSHIP — LEON — LOGAN TOWNSHIP.

Fairmount township was organized January 6, 1873. The first election was held in April following. The first township officers elected were: M. Guinty, trustee: A. J. Nation, treasurer; I. J. Davis, clerk; J. Cutler and F. S. Wallace, justices of the peace; D. M. Daffron and G. A. Watson, constables.

In 1870, H. D. Olinger and family, J. C. Olinger, George M. Daffron and James W. Ferguson came from LeClare county, Minnesota, and located in what is now Fairmount township. John W. Williams came in May, 1871, and Asa White in the fall of 1870, but later moved to Story county, Iowa. Mace Nickeson, John Fullerton and Samuel Fullerton moved from Illinois in the fall of 1870. Albert Worline, Marion Worline, Jerome Worline, Monroe Worline, John Burns and Alexander Kennedy came from Pleasant Hill, Cass county, Missouri, in May, 1871. Evan Jones and Dick Jones came in May 1871 also. J. K. Nellans came from Rochester, Fulton county, Indiana, March 22, 1876. In 1878 he bought and settled on the northwest quarter of section 3, which he made his home until February 27, 1916, when he met death by being run down by a Rock Island passenger train at Elbing, Kan. Peter Dyck, Abraham Regier, J. W. Regier and Bernhardt Regier came from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in 1885. These people were the nucleus of the Mennonite German settlement which has extended at this time to almost one-third of the present township. They are among our best citizens and have some of the finest farms and best improvements there are in the county. They are good citizens, thrifty, honest and hard-working men and women and attend to their own business strictly, apparently enjoying life to its fullest extent.

In May, 1871, the following families came from Woodbine, Harrison county, Iowa: I. J. Davis, John A. Baskins, A. Davenport, M. Guinty,

William Robinson and Henry Robinson. Singleton Shepherd came from Missouri in 1870 and resided here until 1890, when he left and moved to Chautauqua county, Kansas. Mathew Stipe came from Indiana in October, 1873, and is still residing in the township. A. J. Nation came in March, 1871, and died on the home place in March, 1905. J. J. Lyon and James Clark came from Missouri in 1871. J. B. Spangler came from Pleasant Hill, Mo., and settled on the south half of the northeast quarter of section 14. He is one of the few that still owns and resides on the land which he homesteaded. Alexander Hewitt came from Keokuk, Iowa, with his family in May, 1871, and still owns and resides on his original homestead. Milton Embry came from Missouri in 1872. A. G. Moore, J. P. Moore, Aaron Branson and A. Brubaker and families came from Iowa in 1871. Hiram Brown located in the township in 1871. In addition to those above named, quite a number of others settled in the township in early days and have since moved away and their whereabouts are unknown.

Fairmount township did not have as many homestead settlers as some of the other townships in the county for the reason that the odd numbered sections in the township were the property of the Sante Fe Railroad Company, having been donated to it by the government to assist it in constructing the railroad, and these sections were not subject to homestead entry, and hence there was not as many homesteaders in our township as in other townships. The township has seven miles of railroad, being a branch of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company. The town of Elbing is an enterprising little place, consisting of a bank, of which Herman Jackson is president, and D. C. Crosby is cashier; two general stores, a hardware and implement store, lumber yard, together with a postoffice, blacksmith shop and other lines of business and all seem prosperous. More live stock is shipped from this point than any other point within 100 miles of it on the Rock Island railroad. For a number of years, the citizens of this town were compelled to go to Peabody in Marion county to get their mail, that being the nearest postoffice.

Fairview township is described as follows: Township 25, range 4, east. The first officers were elected April 5, 1873, as follows: For justice, J. M. Randall received 31 votes and Lewis Maxwell received 31 votes. They cast lots and Maxwell won. For clerk, H. H. Hulburt, 31 votes (elected), and G. S. Nye, 31 votes; for treasurer, J. A. Godfrey, 31 votes (elected), and H. G. Whitcomb, 31 votes; justices of the peace, Milton Braley and Isaac Varner were elected; constables, E. A. McAnally and Benjamin Atkison were elected.

It is pleasant to look over the past and to note the events of long ago. In my boyhood days I used to take great delight listening to my father and an uncle whose name I bear, talking over their early history, incidents of their boyhood days, and of scenes and neighbors of their old home in old Connecticut. There is a fellow feeling the old settlers of any community have for each other, and to recount the scenes and events of which each one is a part and personally interested is pleasant and helps to bind the ties of friendship and the bonds that make its neighbors and friends.

The first settlement made in my township, Fairview, was by a Swede named John Hink, in 1857, near the mouth of Rock creek. The same year, but a little later in the season, a man by the name of Burge Atwood settled in the northwest corner of the township. Atwood went to the war and died in the service of his country. In 1866 John Fulk bought the place of his widow. Fulk lived on the place ten or twelve years and moved to Elk County. Wesley Hager settled in the southwest part of the township in 1858. He did not own the place and left it, and a man by the name of McKee sold it to Martin Green, who in turn sold it to J. R. Appleman. In 1858 Peter Johnson settled in the northwest part of the township. He went to California. Isaac Gillian, Daniel Mosier, Anthony Davis, Ben Atkinson and Kirk and Perkins lived on section 19 at different times between 1860 and 1870. The first really permanent settlement on this section was made by Lewis Maxwell in the spring of 1872. Christian Jacobs settled in the northwest part of the township in 1866. His time of residence dates back farther than anyone now residing in the township. S. S. McFarlane settled in 1868 and is the second oldest resident. J. P. Blankenship settled on the townsite in 1867. He left years ago and when last heard from was in Arizona. Twenty-four years ago, during the summer and fall of 1870, the following persons made permanent settlement in the township: J. A. Godfrey, Hezekiah Hayman and son Robert. W. H. Fountain, Levi Thompson, E. B. Cook, J. F. Wheaton, F. M. McNally. A. J. Boyles, E. O., G. S. and J. T. Nue, Martin Pierce, A. S. Cory, G. D. McDonald, H. B. Hulburt, L. V. Olin, Silas Welch, Joseph Sharp and Frank Tipton, and of these twenty-nine are still residents of the township. Hezekiah Hayman and wife are both dead and are buried in the West El Dorado cemetery. His youngest son, H. C. Hayman, now lives on the old place; Robert Hayman lives in Middleport, Ohio; Levi Thompson lives in Michigan; J. T. Wheaton, when last heard from, lived near Charlotte, Mich. G. S. Nye left here twenty years ago, married and lives at Galesburg, Mich. His oldest daughter came to Kansas last summer and is teaching the school in the Coppins district in Plum Grove. G. D. McDonald, when last heard from,

was in Chicago; Martin Pierce died some fifteen years ago and is buried in the West El Dorado cemetery; his widow still lives on the old farm. Joeph[sic] Sharp lives in El Dorado and is an extensive fruit grower; Frank Tipton died in Colorado and was brought back and buried in the Towanda cemetery.

During the spring, summer and fall of 1871, the following persons settled in the township I. D. Varner, George Byers, Thomas Andrews, William Paul, Levi Varner, H. H. Hulburt, J. A. Haymaker, Bert Olin, William Snyder, J. F. White, D. D. Winkler, William Painter, A. L. Wheaton, Richard Childers, Richard Taylor, J. M. Randall, H. G. Whitcomb, F. Flagg, Jacob DeCou, Mrs. S. J. Foskett, George Foulk, F. Meyers, Martin Reynolds, J. R. Appleman, William Grey, John Edmiston, E. G. Richards, John Hayes, John Stunkard, D. W. Weidman, Milton Braley, Charles Torrey, D. M. Baker, J. S. Dick, Mr. Potter and Charles Girod. Of these thirty-six only nine are still here in the township. Three, Milton Braley, William Paul, William Grey, are dead. Four are living in El Dorado, Richard Childers, Jacob DeCou, Martin Reynolds and D. W. Weidman. Thomas Andrews and L. M. Varner are in Oklahoma, Bert Olin is in Ohio, J. F. White is in Iowa, H. G. Whitcomb is in New Mexico, J. A. Haymaker is in Colorado and D. M. Baker is in Iowa. The whereabouts of the rest are unknown.

As this is not designed as a complete history, but to recall the early scenes of the county, I will not follow the settlement farther than the year 1871.

The first township election was held in April, 1873, nearly twenty-two years ago. I. D. Varner was elected one of the justices at that election. He is still a resident of the township and was elected to the same office last November. E. B. Cook and H. B. Hulburt killed a deer near where the Springdale school house now stands, during the winter of 1870 and 1871.

There are a few persons who deserve mention as early comers who are not usually spoken of in that connection. They were boys and girls when they came with their parents, but have grown to be men and women and the heads of families. Miss Rosette Childers is Mrs. E. B. Cook and has six daughters to help wash the dishes and make things lively. H. T. Foskett is married and has two pretty little girls and lives within a few rods of where he held the plow while his mother drove the ox team to break the first sod. Henry Hayman lives on the place his father homesteaded a quarter century ago; his wife was Miss Maud Heath, of Towanda. Then there are the Baker boys, Warren, Jake and Milton. Warren went to Iowa and got a wife and Jacob married Miss Minnie Varner, whose parents were among the first settlers here. Milt has rented a farm with a house on it and married Miss Dona Cameron. I. D. Varner has so many girls scattered around here and there that he can hardly keep track of them. Susie, however, is still a resident of the township, the wife of A. N. Torrey, and is prosperous

and happy, Emery Varner was a small kid when he came here. He is married now and lives near his old home. Most of the young people who came here at an early day and have married have, like their fathers, gone west or to Oklahoma.

In these early times it used to be a pleasant pastime in the fall of the year for two, three or more neighbors to drive to the Medicine Lodge country and hunt buffalo and lay in a supply of meat for the winter. "Jerked" buffalo is good, but the bison of the prairie, like the noble Red Man, is a thing of the past.

We look back with many pleasant reminiscences, contemplate with pleasure and meditate upon the scenes and incidents of the past. Most of these recollections are pleasing, but there are some that cast a gloom and a sadness over us.

A tragedy occurred during the fall of 1872. On the afternoon of October 20, a prairie fire started in the west part of the township, and the "head" fire spread in a northeast direction. Al Wheaton, his wife and two children, a girl and boy, were on the prairie with an Ox team near Four-Mile creek. When they saw the fire approaching, Mrs. Wheaton became frightened and took her little boy and jumped from the wagon. There were no improvements near and at that time no hedge rows broken, nothing to stop a prairie fire when once started. There were but few roads in the township at that time except the old California trail, but that would have no effect in stopping such a prairie fire. A prairie fire in those days was a fearful thing. Mr. Wheaton saw the danger they were in and tried to save his wife and boy. The little girl was left in the wagon, the team ran away, and this was the means of saving the little girl's life. The roaring, panting, awful flames came rolling on. They were all badly burned, and in a few hours death relieved Mrs. Wheaton and the little boy of their sufferings. Mr. Wheaton was so badly burned that he barely escaped with his life and was helpless all winter. One of their nearest neighbors saw the sad affair and caught the team and took the family home. The tragic death of Ainsworth Baker, son of D. M. Baker, was another sad event in early history. He was herding cattle for James F. White and went out in the morning as usual and was never seen alive. He rode a mule and it was seen late in the afternoon without a rider. Search was made, but young Baker was not found until the next day and was so mangled as not to be recognizable. Three Indians were seen in the vicinity that day, but whether they had anything to do with the death is not known.

Edwin Corey is one of the boys who grew up here, married and is still a resident of the township.

The early pioneer did not have the easiest time by any means. There were difficulties to overcome and trials and privations to endure. In 1871 Emporia was the nearest railroad point and freighting was a business that gave employment to many, and to be caught out on the prairie with a load of freight in a blizzard placed a fellow in a trying situation;

and yet that was the way many of the well-to-do farmers of the present day paid for their sugar and coffee, their flour and bacon, while they were getting a start.

The grasshopper year of 1874 was peculiarly distressing and fraught with trials and difficulties that tried the pluck and energies and stick-to-itiveness of the average Kansan. Butler county was in an undeveloped condition. Her resources were dormant and what at that time made her grateful for the kindness and help of friends and the charity of the world would at this time be thought to be trifling and insignificant. The summer of 1874 was a dry one; the amount of cultivated land was small, the experience in farming in Kansas was limited and the teams almost invariably small. Added to the drouth was the inevitable chinch bug, and when the first of August came there was little left to encourage the farmer and nothing left to appease the appetite of man or beast. On Saturday, August 7, a little before noon, grasshoppers came in countless millions. They literally obscured the sun, and what little of corn and potatoes and "garden truck" there was was licked up immediately. Something had to be done to relieve the wants of the people and make it possible for the settlers to live through the winter. And let me say right here that a wrong impression prevails in the East to this day in regard to this time and trial. It is still thrown at our State that we had to depend on the charity of friends. The older States seem to think we are not a producing people, and this, too, right in the face of the fact that Butler county has sent train loads of corn and provisions to relieve the flooded districts of Ohio, and the destitute of other places. Dr. Allen White and others went East and solicited aid for the people here. Donations came in generously, for which the people were very grateful. A county committee, J. C. Riley, Sr., C. C. Currier, J. D. Connor and Dr. Allen White were appointed to receive and distribute the provisions and clothing donated. Augusta also had a committee and made appeals for help. Lewis Maxwell, of Fairview, went to his old home in McLean county, Illinois, and secured a carload of corn. When it came it was divided up into ten-bushel lots and given to the farmers. That ten bushels of corn to each was all that many a man had to feed his team while he put in his next crop.

Those days are of the past, and Butler county and Kansas are able to take care of themselves and are ready and willing to help others of new and stricken lands if need be.

Added by Rollo Hulburt, 1916.

S. S. McFarlane died several years ago and his widow lives in El Dorado. J. A. Godfrey moved to Arkansas eighteen or twenty years ago, where he died. E. B. Cook and wife live at Elcelsior Springs, Mo. F. M. McAnally died and his widow lives on the old place. J. Boyles lives on the old place, his wife having died in 1916. S. A. Cory and wife

live in Towanda. H. B. Hulburt and wife are one of the few couples that live on the old homestead. I. D. Varner lives with his son Emery in Southwest Fairview and is in very poor health. H. H. Hulburt's widow lives on the old homestead. Richard Childers lives in El Dorado. J. M. Randall lives on the old home place with his daughter; his wife died some years ago. Mrs. L. J. Foskett lives on her old homestead with her son, Herman. He has bought the place. John Edmiston and wife live in Towanda. Charley Torrey moved to Colorado years ago. Charles Girod and wife live in the township. J. T. Nye died a few years ago. His son, Roy, lives on the old place. Mrs. Martin Pierce is deceased, and her youngest son Will lives on their old place. Chris Jacobs is dead and his youngest son Charley lives on the old homestead. Warren Baker, wife and family live in Fairview. Jacob Baker and family moved to Sumner county three years ago. Milton Baker and family moved to California years ago.

What! Shall I write the history of a township? I, a beardless youth with matted hair? Wait! Hold on, old boy, look in the glass. Well, no wonder, when I stop to think, it was more than thirty years ago since I first cast my eyes on the beautiful prairie that constitutes Glencoe township. My first night was spent in the little village of Keighley. On inquiry I found that this town had been platted and deeded by Moses Turpen and Josephine, his wife, August 16, 1880, the same year the Frisco railroad was built, who, by the way, were at this time living in a dug-out or sod house just south of town. These were pious people of Mormon Faith—some of their descendants still live in Butler county. Perhaps the most striking character in the village was Uncle Stephen Thurman, who, for many years, kept hotel; but time has moved him and his good wife on and out. Of the older people living near Keighley, we might mention Allen Brown and wife, both deceased now. A number of their descendants are now figuring in the game of life in and near the town; also John Brown, Alex Husk, H. M. Taylor, the Paynes, G. W. Miller, John McRitchie, — Blankenbaker, Benjamin Fillmore and many others who served their time well, but now deceased. I believe the oldest settler of Glencoe township now living is Joel Parker, who still resides where he did thirty or more years ago. John Hoover, who drove his covered wagon into grass as high as the wagon itself and drove the stake on his claim, which was his home for many years afterward, is living in Oklahoma. F. J. B. King, now of El Dorado, was close to the first settler in the township. W. B. Keith was an old soldier and prominent town politician, will be remembered by many. Keith church was due to his energy.

Glencoe also has another town, Beaumont, located on the edge of the Flint Hills country. It was platted and deeded by Edwin Russell and Emma, his wife, March 28, 1881. Several additions have been platted, such as Cooper's, Hightower's, Summit and Rogers' additions. This thriving little vallage[sic] not only has the Frisco railroad, but a branch road built in 1885 leading off to the south and connecting Beaumount with many towns of importance. This town has a railroad turn-table and furnishes work for a number of men. The Beaumount State bank was organized in 19—, and F. T. Hopp is now cashier. This village is quite a healthy place in which to live and contains a number of happy people, and all lines of business are represented and in a prosperous condition.

Glencoe township was formerly a part of Little Walnut township. On May 11, 1877, a petition was presented to the board of county commissioners asking that that portion of Little Walnut described as all of township 27, range 7, and all of township 27, range 8 in Butler county be organized as Glencoe township. The petition was granted and the first officers elected were: John J. Brown, trustee; G. W. Miller, treasurer; John McRitchie, clerk; Charles Taliaferro and W. B. Keith, justices of the peace; F. J. B. King and Peter Johnson, constables.

Probably the first settler that lived in Hickory township was a man by the name of Myers, who, with his two wifes, lived in what is now the David Brittian farm, but, like the element to which he belonged, he was compelled to keep in advance of civilization and so moved on about the year 1870. A child of his was probably the first white child born in the township, also a boy of his was probably the first white child buried in the township.

Dr. J. A. McGinnis, a widower, together with his brother, A. F. McGinnis, and his two sons, S. A. and W. F., came from Lyons county in the year 1868 and settled on a claim in the forks of Hickory on the southwest quarter of 14-28-7, and a part of which is now owned by Samuel Ramp and the remainder by James Brewer. His brother, A. F. McGinnis, pre-empted the land now owned by Clarence Dillon, the southeast quarter of 15-28-7. Among the next arrivals were J. A. Armstrong, who bought out Mr. Myers, and established a general store at Old Brownlow. Mr. Bartholomew and J. F. Comstock arrived about the year 1871 and settled on the south fork of Hickory. About this time J. M. Hampton and family came from Kentucky. Before they had settled on their claim and while yet living in their wagon, they had the misfortune to lose their only daughter, and, there being no graveyard, she was buried on what afterward became their home, now the farm

owned by Frank Comstock. About this time Wesley Cornell settled on what is now a part of the Evertson farm. H. L. Lemon pre-empted what is now the Will Hurt farm. Settlers began to arrive thick and fast. Aaron Surber, John Wing, John Hearne, Will Drury, N. Blunt, A. D. Stone, for whom Stone Branch was named, some of whom settled, and others drifted on away. Jerry Campbell, who now resides at Morrison, Okla., and H. M. Shannon, now of Attica, Kan., were typical happy-go-lucky, carefree bachelors of the frontier. When Hickory township was settled, Emporia was the nearest railroad town, from where most of the provisions were freighted. The first store was operated by Dr. J. A. McGinnis at his residence, where he dispensed green coffee, salt pork, sorghum molasses and corn meal. Few luxuries found their way into these frontier stores. With him from his home in Coffey county, he brought the first seed corn, which he sold at $5 per bushel.

The first regular mail was carried from El Dorado by a son of Wesley Cornell. The trip was made weekly, most of the time upon a bare-backed pony, for which service he reecived[sic] the princely sum of $3 per trip. The first school for Hickory township was conducted by a Mrs. Whittlesy, the wife of Fie Whittlesy, on the Hayes farm, now owned by Marvel Kelly. The first church service, which consisted chiefly of exhorting and hymn singing, was conducted at the home of J. A. McGinnis. The audience consisted chiefly of the local bachelors and recruits from the neighboring settlement on Rock creek, near the present site of Latham. Among these visitors were Prosser brothers, Will, James and Alvah, and the VanMeters. The first Sunday school was organized in 1881 by Dr. J. B. Carlisle, who was then just a school teacher, teaching in what is known as the Lost school house. Here the school was organized. When his term of school was out, Mrs. Martin Reecher took up the Sunday school work and continued it intermittently until her death a few years ago. The first court of justice for Hickory township was conducted by a justice of the peace named Lamont, who resided over the line in Logan township. His court was very popular because it was an established rule that all cases in his court were decided in favor of the party bringing the suit.

June 16, 1871, the settlement was visited by a cyclone which, having destroyed the city of El Dorado, lifted and did little or no damage until it reached Hickory township, where it committed havoc in the timber. The Semishes, who had recently arrived from Holton and were yet camping, were all, six in number, in their covered wagon. This wagon was blown over and fortunately no one was hurt. Jerry Campbell and Billy Brown were camped in a shack on their claim on Honey creek; the shack was blown away and the occupants were blown into the creek. The two-story frame house of Dr. J. A. McGinnis, which was at that time the only frame house in the township and probably the only two-story house in the county, was totally destroyed. In this connection might be mentioned the destructive fire which visited the township in

the fall of 1873. It originated somewhere near El Dorado and, driven by a northwest wind, swept rapidly across the country, driving the coyotes, deer and other wild inhabitants of the prairie scurrying before it, leaping streams as it came to them and leaving desolation in its wake, surging on toward the Indian Territory. Lumber which Michael Semist had hauled all the way from Humboldt, which he had to build his house, was burned while he looked on helplessly.

A history of the township's early development would not be complete without mentioning the vigilantes; which were organized by Dr. J. A. McGinnis and whose duty it was to dispense practical justice, unhampered by the frills and red tape of court proceedings. To illustrate: A certain Jack Armstrong, of unsavory reputation, was known to import and harbor lawless characters for the purpose of jumping claims of legitimate settlers. The vigilantes waited upon him at night and delivered their ultimatum to the effect that he leave the country within a stated time; a fight or rather a rackett ensued. Some shots were fired, some of which passed through the house of the host. It was never known whether the shots were fired by the visitors or by the host himself, after the party was over, in an attempt to create incriminating evidence against the vigilantes to be used when they should be summoned before the federal grand jury, as they were the following winter at his instigation, claiming to recognize the members of the committee by their voices. However, nothing came of it.

The township was organized, as it now exists, February 24, 1875. The petition for organization was headed by J. L. Moore and signed by fifty-three others. It was granted and an election ordered, and it was held at the residence of J. A. McGinnis, April 6, 1875, at which election the following officers were elected: W. S. Dubois, trustee; J. F. Comstock, treasurer; A. F. McGinnis, clerk; Thomas Campbell and W. H. Baxter, justices of the peace; R. Joiner and J. W. Hearne, constables; Z. T. Huston, road overseer whose duties were purely imaginary.

From this meager beginning, Hickory township has advanced to an enviable position among the family of townships in Butler county. It now boasts a population of 500, has under fence 23,820 acres, and in 1915 produced animals for slaughter valued at $26,725. It had 2,700 acres of kafir corn, 869 acres of alfalfa, 577 tons of hay, produced 3,830 pounds of butter, and marketed milk and cream amounting to $6,642; poultry valued at $4,495, and has in cultivation a total of 15,495 acres. Hickory has also produced its full total of country school teachers, preachers and missionaries, and the following county officers: W. S. Buskirk, county surveyor; C. W. Buskirk, county surveyor; H. I. French, county superintendent; J. O. Evertson, county treasurer.

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