The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-12
BOOKS ARE MISSING
Valuable County Records
Cannot be Found.
HAD PIONEERS NAMES
Old Settlers are Now Looking
for Them.

Tho books and records Of one-time
fourishing organization. the Wichita and
sedgwiek County Old Settlers associa-
ton. have been lost and an effort is being
made by some Of the members to locate
them.
The Old Settlers association was organ
lied way back in 1872, and the first meet
ing was held during the week of the sec
ond fair ever held in this city. at the old
Carey Park fair grounds. At this time
N a. English was president and DR.. Al
/ phabet Greenlee was secretary. As the
years went by the association prospered
and the members used to have a yearly
Jollihcation or annual reunion at which
all members who were able were general
ly present and interesting programs Of
recitations, songs and speeches, biogra-
phies and "reminiscences were given dur
ing the day session, and at night gener-
ally a grand ball followed.
A secretary's record was kept Of all
the meetings. and it contains practically
all the early history Of this city and
county. 1t contains the names Of the
members and their families and dates of
settlement ana a record of the survivors
and their children, and data about every
important event that occurred in the
early history Of what viii soon be known
as the great metropolis, Wichita
AS has ben said, at one time the Old
Settlers association was a very import
ant institution and the annual reunions
were looked forward to and considered
one Of the social events of each year.
The last one was held about four years
ago and at that time II. W. Kendall was
secretary When he moved TO Kansas
City he turned the books Of the associa-
ton over to some one, and 1t is not
known who that person was.
Recently while jim Williams of Ar
kansas, who was member Of the Old
Settlers association, was in the city, he
expressed himself as very much disap-
pointed that the members here had al
lowed the association to die down, and
he also stated that he was going to move
back to Wichita, if for nothing else than
to renew the Old Settlers association.
While Mr.. Williams was in the city he
called on Fred Sewers, the official his
torian Of the association. and ribbed him
up the front and down the back about
the association. and then he ASKED Fred
where the books and records of the asso-
ciation were. Mr.. Sewers said that he
did not know; that they were lost; some
member had them, but he dl- not know
who that member was Mr.. Williams
and Mr.. Sewers went out that day and
saw several Of the members of the asso-
citation, but were unable to find any one
who knew anything about the records.
hoe
a little life and interest in some of the
members, and now they want to know
who has these books and records. They
think that the proper custodian Of them
should be the officer of the association
whose tenure Of office extends over his
natural life. and that is the historian,
Fred Sewers.
There is a movement on foot TO revive
the association and to reorganize again
and hold a reunion next spring on Wash
ington's birthday which was formerly
the regular date for holding reunions.
The custodian requests that whoever has
these books and records bring them to
the Eagle Office and leave them, that he
may get them.
The Old Settlers association also had
a full outfit of dishes and cooking uten-
sis that were the property OF the aSsO-
citation, and these are somewhere in the
city and an effort Wll be made to locate
them.
The association owned a lot on South
Main street somewhere IN the fourth or
fifth block, and it was at one time the
intention to build a hall on this ground,
but IL is said tnat during the late un-
pleasantness OF financial depression this
property got pretty badly chewed up for
back taxes, and it is not known just how
1t does stand. 1t is understood that Hon
J. R. Mead has been keeping up the taxes
for the last few years. but there are
some claims prior to his that are feared
by the old settlers. The matter Of mo-
ment now IS the location OF the records
and II any one has them he VIII confer a
favor on the historian by leaving them
at the Eagle Office.