The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-28
AN OLD PIONEERHE
Man Who Settled in This
County in 1865.
VISITS WICHITA AGAIN
Was a COMPANION of Griffen-
stein and Steele.

Wichita had visitor yesterday in the
person of man II years Of age. who says
that he is the third father of Wichita.
This man is E. A Peck, who came to this
county in 1865 He was all through this
county in the early days and yesterday
told interesting things to a reporter for
the Eagle regarding the time that Wichi-
ia was a frontier place. Where the city
now stands, according to the statements
of Mr. Peck, there were only few cab
ms and huts. Up the river, probably
where the sand Hill Davis farm now is,
was the trading post, and it was there
that the Indians were. Buffalo were
numerous and Mr.. Peck stated that the
first day that he was in the county he
killed a number and sailed away a bar
rel Of choice meat.
Z. A Peck is probably well-known to
q number Of the old-timers who still re-
side in this county. He settled on farm
near the E. P. Thompson place north Of
the city when he first came here. Yes
terday he called it by its former name,
Thompson ford In the early days the
Thompson place was designated by the
name of Thompsons ford and it was
there that the man now well along in
years stated that he settled for the first
time in the new country. He was an
active worker in his community at that
timee. etween Wichita and Valley Cen
ter there is a school house which bears
the name Of Peck The school children
do not know who was influential in hav-
ing an institution Of learning in that part
of the county.
Those were the days that William Grit
fenstein and "BiIl' Steele were in Wichi-
ia, and Mr.. Peck is classed among them.
He tells interesting things of those men,
now dead, and stated that Steel married
one Of his daughters in Indiana II can
remember that wedding day we'll" said
Mr.. Peck "It was under an old elm
tree on the banks of the river at Port
land that the ceremony was performed.
Steele was a magis trate and when he said
the words that made the two man
and wife the birds were cooling in the
trees and everything was pleasant.
Steele is dead now, but he was one of the
best men that I knew. The boys in
Indiana joked him when he was a mag
istrate, telling him that he went out into
the woods to say the ceremony over
which married people. He did not care,
though"
Mr.. Peck has very white hair and beard
and IS slightly bent under the weight of
his many years. HIS mind is bright yet,
and when enthused, tells things in a char
acteristic manner. In the early days he
was well-known as being very religious.
He has that reputa ton now, and wherev-
er he went in the early days he was in
strumental in holding religious meetings.
There are those in this county who can
remember the services held by the man
and, while not a minister, yet his infiu-
ence was always toward the religious.
byterian church in this city and yester-
day called on a number of the people who
were here at that time
For anumber of years the ex-Wichitan (
has been in the Indian country in the
territory. lie says that he likes st down
there, and in some respects it reminds !
him of the early days In this country. !
His son and relatives rented large tract |
of land from the Indians and it has been /
there that he has made his home.
The man who say so much of the early /
days Of this country is now on his way
east to visit his old home and birth place /
before his life goes out. He likes to talk /
Of the early days of his youth and yes
terday recalled a number Of the hwmns
used in the early days in this country
The old-timer recalled the names of
some of the men who have been instru-
mental in establishing Wichita and while /
many of them have gone from here or
have died, yet there was a feeling OF ten /
derness as the aged man lived over the I
years which have passed into history.
TRIED FIVE DOCTORS.
Mrs. Frances L. Sales Of Missouri Val I
ley, Ia. writes: Il had severe kidney I
trouble for years. had tried i've doctors /
without benefit. but three bottles OF /
FOLEY'S KIDNEY CURE cured me-" /
G. Gehring. 400 E. Douglas: Geo Van
werden. 32s n. Main; Wichita Drug Co. /
10 E Douglas; Gus saur. 524 E. Douglas. +