Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-07-16
SKETCH BOOK OF BAXTER.

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NO. IL.
J.R. Commons was born IN MIS-
souri, Ia 1844,-that year witnessed
the civil war in Illinois, the people
against the Mormons; the year that
saw Polk elected president. which
election was an endorsement OF the
Mexican war, If not a primary cause
of that war; 1874 was the year that
recorded the success of one OF the
most important inventions OF the
century--the electric telegraph.
Hence since that year we have wit
messed all of the marvellous prac-
teal improvements in the applica.
ton of that subtitle force which we
call electricity.
In the great state of Missouri he
passed his boyhood-a state marked
by two distinct civilizations, one
having it's birth on Plymouth Rock,
the other in Jamestown, Virginia.
His childhood was nourished by
the first-the blood of his grand.
father who was a neighbor of the
great war governor of Indiana,
hence the loyal blood of father and
sons. When he was sixteen years
Of age his father moved to Kansas
and settled on the east side OF
Spring river, that was in 1850. Per
haps there is no date in the Ameri.
can history more pregnant with
suggestive thoughts than the above
date. For FIVE years civil war
reigued along the borders OF Kan
sas and Missouri and for ten years
our American congress had been
the arena of a war of words from
the lips of intellectual giants.
Eighteen.sixty marked the eve OF
that hour when the strife that had
been raging along this border was
to deepen and widen from ocean to
ocean, and army after army from
North to South and was to be swal-
lowed up in this terrible vortex.
II was In such a period that the
father of our subject purchased
lands near where now his two sons
live. This southeast corner of Kan
sas was boiling cauldron of what
was then called secession. For a
time they were compelled to leave
their homestead and move north.
II was during that period that our
subject proved his loyalty to the
Union by giving three years TO the
government. After the war they re.
turned to their first home in Kan.
sas and soon our soldier boy, who
had during those few years changed
from youth to manhood, found the
fit companion for life and married.
Her name was Sarah Lee, born aleo
in Missouri. In 1858 or 1857 they
preempted the lands where since
they have made their home. Their
farm ia very choice tract of land
on the second bottoms of Spring
river-lands which never fail. No
one could ask for a more desirab
location. They are midway between
Lowell aud Baxter Springs, the for.
sner place now distinguished for its
excellent educational privileges
and the latter for what II az been
and what II hopes to be when the
electric railroad from Carthage to
Galena shall extend it's privileges
10 the most desirable lands for flu
ture homes.
Mr.. Commons home at present
consists of father, mother and three
sons and two daughters.
His brother, H. c. Commons, lives
on an adjoining farm of whom we
shall have something to cay in the
future.
This is our FIRST adventure beyond
the limits of Baxter Springs, but in
the future we shall hope to make
discoveries ia many parts of Cher.
okee county.
The following is our list of the
first settlers of Baxter Syringe who
belong to the eos. If we have omit
ted any we would be thankful to
our readers for information. Mr.
and MIRA. Willard, Mrs. Bowers, Mr.
and Mrs. Stein, Mr.. and Mrs. Hor.
nor, Mr.. and Mrs. Nayior, John Coo
per, Louis Beck, L. d. Brewster
Chas. Mann aud mother, Mr.. Hodg
kins, Mrs. Gregg, Mr.. Bischofsber
ger and wife and jos. Schmidt.
Z. o. N.
fncklea'o Arnicn Salve.