The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-07-08

settlers. The first corners of course 10
Gated in or adjoining the timber, and
while protesting to hold a quarter sec
ton often claimed mile square. The
Territorial Legislature enacted thai
each individual might hold two
quarter sections, one of timber and
one of prairie. This was contrary to the
: laws of Congress and gave rise to much
!. trouble. To remedy these evils the set
tiers in this county as elsewhere organ
lied among themselves associations whose
business it was to settle disputed claims,
and protect each others rights. Their
decisions were prompt, almost always
lust and equitable, and were very gener'
ally acquiesced in, SO that actual vic.
lence was seldom resorted to in those
cases.
After the township lines were estab'
lished private parties were employed to
survey the section lines, and when the
government surveys were completed in
1859, they were in most cases found to
vary but little from the lines run by
those inpromptu surveyors, and the
metes and bounds of each mans posses
sions agreed substantially with his ex-
pectations.
1t must be added however, while on
this subject, that the county did not en-
tirely escape the sanguinary results so
often following difficulty about claims.
A young man named Winn owned a
claim a few miles west of Humboldt,
and in 1860, without filing on it, went
to Missouri to work. During his absence
a man named Harris went to the land
office at Fort Scott and bought the land
at private entry. When VIM returned
and ascertained the facts he Immediately
procured revolver and proceeded direct
to Harris house who then resided on
Elm Creek and demanded a conveyance of
the land. Some alteration ensued and
the two men started off together. Harris
was found next day with bullet hole
through his head. VIM had prelim-
mary hearing before Squire Nation.
He admitted the killing but pleaded self
defense. He was held to bail but the
popular sympathies were with him, and
the war soon after breaking out, he join
ed the army and no trial ever took place.
This is anticipating dates two or three
years but the incident is introduced to
illustrate the fiercencss with which men
were won't to defend their claim rights
in early days, and also to furnish the
opportunity of saying that, so tar as is
known, this was the first homicide COM
mitted in the county.
A similar tragedy came near being
enacted between Anderson c. Smith and
Anderson Wray, and for a similar rea-
son. Wray bid off Smiths claim at the
land sales ut Fl, Scott. Smith, who was
at his place on Martins Creek, heard of
it late in the evening, AMI Immediately
mounted horse and struck out in the
direction of Fl. Scntt swearing ven
geance He met Wray and his party
oncamped on Turkey Creek about three
or foar o'clock in the morning and with
out word of warning or moments
notice he commenced firing at Wray
one or two shots taking effect before he
was got out of the way. Fortunately
the wounds were not mortal and the
matter was afterward amicably settled.
At the general election Oct. 3, 1857,
heretofore mentioned, q new set of coun
ty officers we've elected consisting of J.
d. Passmore, Probate Judge; Elias
Copelin and T. J. Day County Com
missioners; Jessie E. Morris was also
elected Sheriff. The new board met
Jan. 5, 1858, and appointed Jas. II. Sig
nor Clerk, H. J. Wisner Assessor, Geo.
A. Miller Coroner, and Cyrus Dennis,
Cornelius O'Brien, and Dan Brown,
Constahlcs. The only other meeting of
this board which is anywhere recorded
was March 1858 at Layton jays black
smith shop in Cofachiquc. At this
meeting they recognized the precincts
calling them finally townships, of which.
they made four,-Deer Creek, Cofa-
Clique, Humboldt and Cottage Grove,
and then adjourned to meet at Thurs,
toms office in Humboldt, the legislature
having removed the county seat to that
place. There is now a hiatus of nearly a
year in the record, the next entry being
dated Feb. s, 1859, when the board again
returned to Cofachique. The probabil-
ity is that that portion of the record
made at Humboldt was destroyed in
some of the raids that took place during
the war.
The population of the county increas-
ed very rapidly in 1858, and, indeed, at
the close of the year was very little
short of what it has been at any time
since. And the increase during the
year was by healthy and natural lulmi-
grafton. The era of colonization and
town building for speculation was about
over, only one or two enterprises of the
kind being inaugurated this year, and
those of modest and unpretending char
acter. A small colony from Johnson
and Park counties, Indiana, had selected
the preceding fall the town site of Car
lyle, and lett two young men, P. NJ. Car