CHAPTER I.

HISTORY OF WYANDOTT, KANSAS.

The City-The Organization of Kansas Territory-Constitution of the State-The First Settlements in Wyandott-Great Flood of 1844-Election in 1852-First Churches and Schools—Organization of Wyandott County in 1859-First Railroad in Kansas-Early Election at Wyandott-Complete Roster of County Officials-Statistical—Financial Report-Early History of Wyandott and Quindaro-Incorporation of the City-Complete Roster of City Officials— Church History-History of Secret Societies-Wyandott the Metropolis of Kansas-Newspapers.

Wyandott is one of the prettiest cities in Kansas, situated on high, rolling ground, at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers.

It contains a population of 7,000 inhabitants, and, from a height of from 200 to 300 feet above the Missouri, commands a view of the most beautiful scenery to be found in this country.

The majestic Missouri coming from the north makes a bold turn to the east at the very base of the city. The Kansas River coming down from the west unites its waters with the larger stream exactly in the curve. Kansas City, with its spires and domes, its depots and manufactories, its churches and mansions sitting upon a hundred hills, are each objects of beauty and grandeur in plain view from the city of Wyandott. The streets are wide and macadamized in the most approved manner. The business houses and many of the dwellings are of brick and adorned with the most tasteful surroundings. Churches, schools, newspapers, depots, offices, and all kinds of business usually carried on in cities of this size are found here well conducted. A double-track street horse railroad connects Wyandott with Kansas City, on which cars are run every fifteen minutes during the day.

The railroads place it in easy communication with all points east and west, north and south. It being the county seat of Wyandott county brings business of importance here, making it the business center of a large section of country.

The treaty between the United States and the French Republic, by which the land now included within the limits of the State of Kansas, was ceded to the Federal Government was made April 30, 1803. The act of Congress establishing the boundaries of the Territory of Kansas, was approved May 30 1854, and defned its limits as follows: "Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of Missouri where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same, thence west on said parallel to the eastern boundary of New Mexico, thence north on said boundary to latitude thirty-eight, thence following said boundary of the Territory of Utah, on the summit of the Rocky Mountains, thence northward on said summit to the fortieth parallel of latitude, thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri, thence south with the western boundary of said State, to the place of beginning."

The Constitution of the State of Kansas was adopted at Wyandott July 29, 1859. The preamble of that instrument together with the boundaries of the State, being defined as follows:

"We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges, in order to insure the full enjoyment of our rights as American citizens, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the State of Kansas, with the following boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same, thence running west on said parallel to the twenty-fifth meridian of longitude west from Washington, thence north on said meridian to the fortieth par

allel of north latitude, thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri, thence south with the western boundary of said State to place of beginning."

In April, 1832, the Wyandott Indians sold their lands in Ohio to the Government, and removed to the junction of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers in Kansas. These numbered 687 persons. The Wyandotts were of the Iroquois family, called Hurons by the French, but by themselves called "Wendats" or "Yendats." When the French settled Canada they were on the island of Mon. treal and numbered 40,000. A part went to Quebec and a part south of the great lakes. In 1829 a small band lived on the river Huron in Michigan, but the principal portion was collected on the headwaters of the Sandusky River. In 1855, January 31, by treaty this tribe acquired the right to become citizens, and the Kansas lands of the tribe were divided among them, giving to each person about forty acres. On December 14, 1843, the Wyandotts purchased of the Delawares 23,040 acres of land, including the present site of Wyandott. This contract was ratified by the United States July 25, 1848; and on April 1st, 1850, they agreed to pay the Wyandotts $185,000 for lands promised them. On January 31, 1855, the Wyandotts ceded to the United States the country purchased by them of the Delawares December 14, 1843, with a few special exceptions.

That portion of Wyandott county north of the river formerly belonged to the Delaware Indians; that portion south, to the Shawnees, except a tract in the bottom reserved by the Government for a fort.

The first house built on the present site of Wyandott was erected by John M. Armstrong and occupied by him and his family on the 10th day of December, 1843. It stood a little northeast of Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong's present residence. Doctor Richard Hewitt, now of Shawnee Township, was agent of the Wyandotts from 1845 to 1849, and lived in a log house where Dunning's Hall now stands, and which we will have occasion to refer to hereafter. In the winter of 1843 and '44 Wm. Walker camped on Jersey Creek, and gave it its present name. During that winter he built the log house west of Fifth street, now owned by Charles Wyeth. Just west of this and across the ravine was the Methodist Episcopal parsonage. The Rev. James Wheeler was missionary from July, 1844, to May, 1846. The first school house was erected by the Wyandott Nation in 1844, and John M. Armstrong opened a school in it in July of that year.

The spring of 1844 was warm and very dry until in May, when it began to rain and continued for six weeks-rain falling every day. The result was the Kaw River rose so high that what is now Kansas City, Kansas, and West Kansas City, Missouri, was covered with fourteen feet of water; the Missouri backed up to the mouth of Line Creek; Jersey Creek was backed up to the crossing on the Parallel Road. The long continued rains were succeeded by dry and hot weather, and the overflowed vegetable matter decomposing, caused much sickness among the Wyandotts, and by the first of November one hundred of them were dead-being one seventh of the whole number who had come to the country only fifteen months before.

During the fall of this year the present site of Wyandott was laid off by the Wyandott Chiefs into acre lots and called Wyandott City.

In the summer of 1852 the organization of a Territory claimed the attention of the leading men of the Wyandott Nation, which resulted in issuing a call for an election for delegates to Congress. The election was held on the 12th day of October, 1852. George I. Clark, Samuel Priestly and Mathew R. Walker acted as judges, and William Walker and Benjamin C. Anderson as clerks.

Thirty-five votes were polled, and the following is the order in which they were received: Charles B. Garrett, Isaac Baker, Jose Antonio Pieto, Henry C. Norton, Abelard Guthrie, Henry C. Long, Cyrus Garrett, Francis Cotter, Edward B. Hand, Francis A. Hicks, Russell Garrett, Samuel Rankin, Nicholas

Cotter, Joel W. Garrett, Isaac Long, Thomas Coon Hawk, James Garlow, Wm. Walker, George I. Clark, Benjamin N. C. Anderson, Matthew R. Walker, Samuel Priestley, Henry Garrett, Wm. Gibson, Presley Muir, Joel Walker, Isaac Brown, Jas. Long, Jno. Lynch, William Trowbridge, John W. Ladd, Daniel McNeal, Edward Fifer, Peter D. Clark and Henry W. Porter.

Mr. Guthrie received every vote cast, and went to Washington as the duly accredited delegate of the Territory to the Thirty-Second Congress; but, we believe, he never received any compensation for his services.

The first white settler within the boundary of what is now Wyandott county was Moses Gritter. He located near where the station of Secundine now stands, in 1831, and lived there till his death in the fall of 1878. In May, 1832 a mission school was established among the Delaware Indians by Rev. Thomas Johnson, a Methodist minister, near the white church. In 1837, John G. Pratt located on section 10, Tp. 30, R. 23, about sixteen miles west of Wyandott City, where he still resides. He established a Baptist mission among the Delawares. Mrs. Pratt is still living at the old place and has never visited either Wyandott or Leavenworth. Mr. Pratt has published several hymn books in the Delaware language, one of which was printed at the Wyandott Herald office. Mr. Pratt was appointed agent for the Delawares, by President Lincoln. One of his sons married a daughter of Charles Journeycake, a well known Delaware chief. His eldest daughter is the wife of Col. Sam. Black, of Leavenworth. In May, 1843, Silas Armstrong and George Clark, with their families, and Miss Jane Tilles, now Mrs. William Cook, came to this section to select a reservation for the Wyandotts, who were to be removed from Ohio. Mr. Armstrong was also to build a trading store for the Nation which he did. The town of Armstrong was named after this man. On the 31st of July, 1843, the first party of the Wyandotts came to this section and with them a number of whites; of these there are still living, Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong, Miss Anna H. Ladd and Mrs. Lydia B. Walker. Mrs. Wm. Cook, who came in the May previous, is also still living.

Hiram N. Northrup, now a leading banker and prominent citizen of Wyandott, located here in 1844. He married Miss Margaret Clark. This marriage was the first in the county, and was celebrated at the Methodist Episcopal parsonage by Rev. James Wheeler. Miss Clark was a member of the Wyandott Nation, and by this marriage Mr. Northrup was adopted by that Nation, and was one of the most prominent and trusted men in this section. On the 2d of September, 1854, a convention was held at Wyandott, on the spot where Dunnings Hall now stands, at which a provisional government was formed for the Territory. At this convention William Walker, a Wyandott chief, was appointed Provisional Governor, Matthew R. Walker, Probate Judge, and George I. Clark, Secretary. Col. Russell Garrett and Isaiah Walker are the only delegates to that convention now known to be living.

In 1855 the Wyandotts made a treaty with the Government by which their lands were divided in severalty and most of them became citizens, the heads of families being allowed to sell their lands; as soon as this was done, white settlers came in rapidly

On the 8th of April, 1856, two churches which had been built under the auspices of the Methodist church at Wyandotte were burned down. Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong was teaching a school in one of these churches at the time. The first school opened in the county was taught by John B. Armstrong in a building standing on the east side of Fourth street, between Kansas and Nebraska ave

nues.

The first frame building in the county was the Methodist parsonage erected in 1844, in the northern portion of Wyandott City, and its first occupant was Rev. James Wheeler.

The first jail in the county was erected by the Wyandotts near the council

In those days

house in 1848. Its first occupant was locked up for being drunk. when a woman got drunk her head was shaved, while a man was imprisoned. The following located at Quindaro, early in the spring of 1857: George W. Veale, now of Topeka, V. J. Lane, now editor of the Wyandott Herald; S. N. Simpson, now residing at Riverview; Charles Robinson, now of Lawrence; A. D. Richardson, author of "Beyond the Mississippi;" John M. Walden, now agent of the Methodist book concern of Cincinnati; S. C. Smith, who was private secretary of Gov. Robinson; P. T. Colby, appointed United States Marshal by President Buchanan; Fielding Johnson, agent of the Delawares; Alfred Gray, who was the first mayor of Quindaro; M. B. Newman, Perley Pike, Charles Chadwick, Morris Sherman and Owen C. Russell. About the same time the following persons located at Wyandott: Col. Daniel Killen, now of Miami county; Dr. F. Speck, E. L. Busche, John E. Zeitz, Hester A. Halford, Mrs. J. W. Huskins, Nicholas, McAlpine, Dr. J. P. Root, Col. S. W. Eldridge, L. H. Wood, Thos. J. Barker, John M. Funk, M. W. Delahay, William Y. Roberts, N. A. Rheinecker, Col. J. R. Parr, C. S. Glick, Geo. D. B. Bowling, Joseph Halford, Dr. G. B. Wood and others. The first postmaster at Wyandott was Thomas J. Barker, he used to bring the mail on horseback from Kansas City to his office. There have been only four postmasters in the city altogether, T. J. Barker, R. B. Taylor, E. G. Vedder, A. D. Downs.

A steam ferry was established at Quindaro in 1857, and one at Wyandott in 1858, but at present neither is in existence. The first steam flouring mill was built in 1858 by McAlpine and Washington.

Silas Armstrong and Matthew R. Walker, erected the first brick buildings in Wyandott, the first at the corner of Minnesota and Fifth streets, afterward the Eldridge House, which was burned in 1865; the other is still standing on Third street. The first bridge across the Kaw River was erected in 1858 by private subscription, it was located about three miles above Wyandott, and cost $15,000. In 1860 a tornado passed over this section and tore out one span of this bridge and the remainder soon disappeared.

The Territorial Legislature that provided for a constitutional convention at Wyandott city also organized Wyandott county. The act providing for the constitutional convention passed the Legislature first, and the number of delegates for each county having been fixed, when in a few days thereafter the act organizing the County of Wyandott, the matter of delegates to the convention from the new county was overlooked, and resulted in no representation in the constitutional convention from this county; though delegates were elected from Wyandott county and were refused admission to the convention. The delegates, Dr. J. E. Bennett and Dr. J. B. Welborn, were elected by a small majority, being DemoThe candidates on the Republican ticket, Gov. W. Y. Roberts and Col. Fielding Johnson.

crats.

act:

The organization of Wyandott county was in 1859, and the following is the

"An act creating and organizing the County of Wyandott. by the Governor and Legislature of the Territory of Kansas.

Be it enacted

"Section 1. That a county to be called Wyandott be hereby erected, including that portion of Leavenworth and Johnson counties, within the following limits: Commencing at a point in the middle of the channel of the Missouri River where the north line of the Delaware reserve intersects the same, running thence west on said reserve line to the line between ranges twenty-two and twenty-three, south on said range line to the south boundary of Leavenworth county, thence easterly on said boundary to the main channel of the Missouri, thence northwesterly with said main channel to place of beginning. Also that portion of Johnson county lying north of the township line between townships eleven and twelve east of range twenty-three.

"Section 2. That an election shall be held in the various precincts of said County of Wyandott on the fourth Tuesday of February, 1859, for the election of county officers, who shall hold their offices until the next general election of county officers as prescribed by law.

"Section 3. That it shall be the duty of the present supervisors of each township in said County of Wyandott to appoint two clerks and provide places to hold said election and to act as judges of the same, observing the general election laws, except as herein otherwise provided, and on the first Friday of the election the chairman of all the boards of judges shall meet in Wyandott city at the Eldridge House and canvass the votes and issue certificates to the persons duly elected, and transmit to the secretary of the Territory a true copy of the canvass, showing who was elected to the various offices in said county. That the tenure of all other than county offices within said county be affected by the provisions of this act.

"Section 4. shall, in no way, "Section 5. That it shall be the duty of the clerk of Leavenworth county, as soon as practicable, after the organization of Wyandott county, to transmit to the clerk of said county the papers in all suits which may be pending in the probate court of Leavenworth county, wherein both parties reside in Wyandott county, together with a certified transcript of all the entries on record in each case which causes, when so certified, shall be tried and disposed of in the same manner as though they had been commenced in the County of Wyandott. It shall further be the duty of the clerk of Leavenworth county in like manner to transmit to the clerk of Wyandott county the papers and documents, together with a certified transcript of all entries in said cause pertaining to probate business in all cases wherein the defendant's last place of residence was, within the limits of said County of Wyandott therein to be disposed of according to law.

Section 6. That it shall be the duty of the clerk of the District Court of the United States in and for Leavenworth county, as soon as practicable after the organization of the County of Wyandott, to transmit to the Clerk of the District Court, in and for said County of Wyandott, a certified transcript of the record and all the papers in each and every case pending in said court wherein the parties thereto reside in said County of Wyandott, to be disposed of in the same manner as though the same had originally been commenced in the County of Wyandott.

Section 7. That it is hereby made the duty of recorders in the Counties of Leavenworth and Johnson to make out and transmit to the recorder of Wyandott county, as soon as practicable, a true copy of the records of all deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, bonds and other writings in relation to real estate of any interest therein, being within the limits of Wyandott county as above described; and the said recorders are authorized to purchase suitable books for that purpose and such clerks and recorders shall be entitled to compensation for said services from the County of Wyandott at the usual legal rates.

Section 8. The City of Wyandott shall be the temporary county seat until a permanent county seat is established.

Section 9.

That at the next election for members to the Territorial Legislature, the people of said county shall vote for a permanent county seat, and the place receiving the highest number of all votes cast shall be the permanent county seat of Wyandott county.

Section 10. That portions of any precincts divided by the county lines and being within Wyandott county shall be attached to the precinct adjoining in said County of Wyandott for election and other purposes until otherwise ordered.

Section II. That the County of Wyandott shall be liable for all the money appropriated by the county of Leavenworth to be expended within the limits of said county of Wyandott and that all taxes assessed with said County of Wyandott shall be paid into the County Treasurer of said county.