The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-04-12


Well sing upon the Kansas plains
A song OF Liberty!'
So sang Lucy Carcom forty and
six years ago and the enthusiastic
settlers made the prairie ring with
their united voices while marching
to the happy Canaan in southern
Kansas.
1t may be well to state here that
the area of the Usage lands in Kan
sas far exceeded that of any other
Indian land in the state. 1t extend
ed so miles north and south, to the
south line of the state, and what is
now the west lines of Crawford and
Cherokee counties, 200 miles west,
embracing 1900 square miles or o.
32o, 900 acres. The fairest and most
productive portion of the Sunhower
State.
On April 10, 1860, congress pass
ed a joint resolution of the natur1
of law opening these lands to set
tiers and Immediately the great rush
was on for claims. Wilson county
was organized about four and Neo-
sho about five years prior to the op-
ening of these lands. On the 10th of
May, just one month after the lands
we're opened, the writer drove Il set
tiers stake in Cedar Valley, near
the head of Cedar Creek and from
a high mound on the claim a good
view could be had of the country
for miles around, but the only sign
of human habitation or settlement
outside of some Indian camps on the
creek, was a dreadfully lonesome
looking tent standing on the prairie
about mile south and when we went
over to make the acquaintance of
our neighbor we found the tent a
small wall tent; horse was staked
near by on the grass but no men
were seen about. Going up to the
tent and throwing flap back in or
der to look in, a man who had been
asleep sprang to his feet drawing a
revolver from his belt as he arose.
Seeing the face of white man he
dropped his gun with an apology for
being caught mapping and for his
rudeness. He introduced himself
as Frank Bacon, who with his part
ner, a MIR. Livingston, had arrived
the summer before from off the U. P.
railroad and said they intended to
bring in a lot of Texas and Indian
cattle and run them on the grass in
the Valley till fall. His partner, he
said, was then gone after the cattle.
When it was suggested that the set
tiers might object to cattle ranging
over the Valley, he laughed at the
idea of there being more settlers in
the Valley in so few months as to in
terfere with his cattle. Frank did
not know that the lands were open
ed to settlers and that thousands
were pressing their way there and In
less than 60 days every claim was
taken around him. The partner
didn't get as many cattle as was ex-
pected and those they managed to
keep on their two quarters.
AS soon as they could enter their
land they did SO and shortly after
Mr.. Livingston went east. Frank
remained year or two longer and
then moved to Chanute when he
was shortly after married to Mrs.
Tate. Frank went into politics, was
sent to the legislature and was prom
inent in business for many years
until his health failed and he died
soon after.
Mrs. Bacon was one of the first
settlers of Neosho county and with
her husband, Mr.. Tate, had lived
on the river bottoms many years be-
fore the county was organized.
The u. S. land Office at Hum
boldt, Capt B. w. Waters and D. B.
Emmett in charge, soon became the
center of an eager throng of claim
hunters filing on their lands and seek
ing information about them. Nov
ers were camped around town, max
it look like it was besieged by an
army and everything in the shape of
food and feed in the town was soon
consumed. Humboldt then could
hardly manage to feed a few hun
dred people, but when they came
like an army it swamped them and
in some casas there was a great deal
of suffering from hunger.
Besides Frank Bacon and his part
ner, a man by the name of Alex Doll
lived in little log or pole shanty
about three miles down the creek
and this was all the settlers there
were in the Valley at that time.