The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1897-02-25
WHEN, HOW, AND WHY.
i NOMENCLATURE OF KANSAS RlY.
Frs AND COUNTIES.
Interesting Facts About Some Prom
inent Names.
BY J. C. JENNINGS. Cimarron, Kas.
Continued from last zyeek.)


Eleven counties bear names given in
honor or in memory of Indian tribes. In
1860 Cherokee succeeded the name of
MCGEE, which name had been applied to
the county in honor of A. NJ. Niece, of
Kansas City, noted pro-slavery leader
Of the early days.
Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa and
Pawnee occupy portions of territory
over which the tribes of those names
roamed while yet wild Indians.
Miami, Ottawa, PottawotOmie, Shaw
nee and Wyandotte counties take their
titles from tribes who were removed to
Kansas from eastern states and assigned
to reservations which once constituted
part of the counties bearing their re-
spective names.
Wichita county, like Cherokee, was
Intended to commemorate in its name
the fidelity of those Indians to the Union
cause during the war of the rebellion,
many of the southern Indians having
!JOluCO TIC OOulcUcTdCy.
Wabaunsee county was named after
distinguished PottawatOmie chief of that
name, who died before the removal of
the tribe to Kansas.
Early settlers were hOnOred in the
naming of Barber, Edwards and Mar
shall counties. Thomas w. Barber was
free state settler in Douglas county,
who was killed near Lawrence on Decenl-
Der s, 1855. Hon. w. C. Edwards, the
late secretary of state of Kansas, and
his brother r. E. Edwards were among
the very earliest settlers of Edwards
county. Frank j. Marshall of Weston,
Mo-. established the first ferry on the
Big Blue at the Independence crossing,
and was the representative of his county
in the first Kansas legislature. He also
started the county seat, which he named
Maryville in honor of his wife Mary.
Elk, Nemaha, Neosho, Usage and Sa-
line are named for the rivers thus desig-
mated which run through them.
Bourbon county was named after Bour-
bon county, KY, by the legislature Of
1855. "This latter county, says his
tOrian of Kansas, twas organized with
eight others in 1855 by the Virginia leg
islature, before Kentucky became state,
aud named in honor of the Bourbon fam
lily of France, prince of which family
was at that time on the throne, and who
had rendered valuable aid in men and
money to the American colonies in their
struggle for independence
Chautauqua county was created in
1875. Hon. E. c. Jaquins. who intro
duced the bill creating the county, caus-
ed it to be named for Chautauqua county,
n. Y, Of which he was native.
The origin of the name of Labette is
thus accounted for in the History Of the
State of Kansas, by A. Il. Andreas:
1.-The county was named after Labette
creek, the largest stream, except NeOsho
river, within its limits. According to
tradition the creek obtained its name
from the following incident: In the
year 1915, some French trappers pitched
heir camp near crossing of this creek
4 few miles above its confluence with
the Ne0shO river. A meal was prepared
and the Frenchmen had sat down to
Dartake of it. when deer came in sight.
A general chase ensued, and the deer
was killed. During the absence Of the
rappers from camp in pursuit of the
leer, pole cat came along and made
tself so disagreeable that they returned
,nly to depart at once. One of them
Who knew the cause of the difficulty, ex-
claimed as he turned away, -, la bette!
a bete!' 1.-THE beast! the beastD After
wards the name took the form La Bette,
md it is frequently so written in the
county records. Generally, however, it
8 written Labette."
Thirty five counties have received des- ,
gnations commemorative the name Of
tatesmen and other public officials in a
ivil capacity. as follows:
Hon. William Allen, Governor of Ohio.
Joseph G. Anderson, Speaker pro tenn.
f the House, 1855, and member Of the ,
Kansas legislature from the Fort Scott ,
istrict, though he was a resident of Lex ,
ngton, Missouri.
David K. Atchison, United States Sem
tor from Missouri. and president of the 9
enate. He selected the site for the city i
f Atchison in 1854. q
Albert G.. Brown, United States Ssna-
Or from Mississippi, is generally credit
d with the honor of having county
AIMED for him; but as the first legisla-
nre of Kansas assigned the names of its
nembers to many counties; and as o. H. q
|rowne was prominent member Of that q
ody, and as the name of the county was
rst spelled as he spelled his with final
it seems probable that the county was
AIMED for the Kansan.
n - fntI g l.,