The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-08-30
Letter from Kansas.
Correspondence of the Democratic Advocate.

Horror, JACKSON COUNTY,
August Doth, 1884.
! MEssRs. EDITORS Thinking a number OF
| the readers of the ADVOCATE would be inter
ested to learn something from this part of the
country, shall endeavor to give brief de-
scription of it, and also of the origin and his
| tory of the city.
! Holton, the county seat of jackson county,
with about 1000 inhabitants, is situated in
the northern part of Franklin township on the
Kansas Central division of the U. P. r. K.
The inducement which led to the settlement
of Holton was the passage of the Kansas Ne
braska bill by Congress in the summer of
! 1855, opening the new territory to settlement.
! The people of Milwaukee, Wis.,, not wishing
to be behind her sister cities, determined to
build a town in virgin Kansas In May,
| 1856, with a train consisting of SIX wagons,
with two yoke of oxen to each, and Il. G.
Ross as captain, they started for Kansas A
number of them were city ''sprigs, and their
| skill in yoking and driving cattle was most
ludicrous. Their route was by way of James
vile, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa, where they
crossed the Mississippi river; Iowa City,
Iowa, where they saw the last train of cars,
and watched it until out of sight, for they did
not know they would ever see another. The
/ next place of any Importance was 0skaloosa,
| Iowa, where they met party that had started
| for Kansas and had been robbed of every
thing and turned back, who informed them
that they would not cross Missouri. They
then went southwest until striking the Mis-
souri, boundary, which they followed west
until after crossing the Missouri river at
Nebraska City, Nebraska. After going south
from there Y miles, they came in contact
with three other companies, who joined them
in the trip. Two days later and they were
upon the boundary line of Kansas and Ne
braska, where they stopped long enough to
give three cheers for virgin Kansas.
Shortly after leaving here they were met by
old John Brown, who advised them to go
back, saying Kansas was lost to the freemen
A few days later they crossed Grasshopper
creek and encamped. Next morning, favor
ably impressed with the location, they deter
mined to build town. They had civil engi-
neers with them, and went to work, laid out
a town, and called it Holton, in honor of the
Hon. L. ID. Holton, of Milwaukee, one of the
company. There is also a little incident in
connection with the naming of the town.
Just after they had started from Milwaukee
man halted one of the teams. Mr.. Holton,
coming up, asked what was wrong, when
some one said, 1.-The wagon is not paid for,
and am not going to let it go out of the city
until it isl After hearing the story from
both sides, Mr.. Hoton filled blank check
and handed it to the man, asking if that would
do. He replied in the affirmative. Then
word was given and the train moved on.
This is claimed to be partly the reason this
city was named Holton.
Shortly after they encamped they received
information that it was not safe for them to
stay here, SO they withdrew and went to
Topeka, where they remained until February,
1857 at which time, with but few of the orig
inal party, they returned and again COM
menced the building of the town. 1t has
progressed ever since, and now numbers the
aforesaid population. There are great many
minor incidents connected with their journey
and the growth of the town that l have
omitted. 1t was just before the war, and they
had considerable trouble. This has been OBJ
tanned directly from one of the company.
This portion of the county may also be re-
ferred to as rolling prairie, bnt somewhat
more diversified than that of Adrian. The |
soil is very sandy, and is not as well adapted |
to the cereals as the bottom land, but is well |
adapted to fruit, of which there is an alum
dant yield. Owing to the good season, the
growing crops are looking extremely well. |
This part of the county is about all settled.
J. F. E.