The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-09
PIONEER PREACHERS Story
Sold a Five Dollar Horse For Land Nora
~ worth $50, 900.

7 p n
- worth $50, 900. s;
The Rev. A. johnson, Of Richmond
Ind, is now visiting in Wichita; and hts
recites many interesting incidents OF
life on the Western border. Mr.. Johllls1
son came to Shawnee Mission, Kanr
in 1S45, as a Quaker missionary. On
the 26th day of November in that yeai
he was invited to dinner by Rev. Me
Barker, also a missionary among the
Indians. "You .see,'' said Mr.. Barker,
in rendering the Invitation, I'VE New
Englanders have "a Thanksgiving Day..
and, it's observance being q good Gus.
tom, have started it in Kansas This
was the first time Mr.. johnson hat.
heard of the custom, and beyond doubt
it was the first Thanksgiving feast Ia
Kansas. 4S ~ Is
when I first came West" said Mr.
Johnson, "there were Indians living on
the outskirts Of the present Kansas
City, and it was not an uncommon,
sight to see great herds Of buffalo
roaming over what is now the princis
pal portion Of that big town"
In the course of a few years Mt
Johnson located In Kansas City. IT
was small town then. Kersey Coates
was running, q store. and upon the
present site Of the Coates House h5
laid the foundations for hotel. Mr..
Johnson tells an amusing incident re-
garding real estate values In the down
town district Of. Kansas City In the
early days. I6 sSt.:
I'm 1861" said he, "there was be1
lief general among Northern people
that the war movement was only
bubble and that it would soon die out
Not thinking that the war would last
long moved to 'Olathe, after storing
my household goods, intending to re-.
turn in a few months. When the war
became certainty. and after 1t was
shown that it would last three or four
years, I was anxious to get back tn
Indiana. my old home. I started to
Kansas City and offered everything 4
possessed at great sacrifice. I man
aged to sen everything but sorrel
horse. Money was scarce. so I tried
to get trade, but failed. I met man
finally who said he wanted horse.
offered the animal to him for So. He
couldn't spare the money, but he told
me he had a twenty-five foot lot In
McGee's addition to Kansas City.
"T'n give you a good title to the
property for the horse, said the man.
I accepted his proposition and took the
deed in exchange for the horse. 4
went East, and about Ave years later.
I was riding on a train, going from
Kokomo to Richmond. I happened to-
sit down beside man, and In the
course of the journey asked him
where he hailed from. Kansas City,
was the reply. Then I thought OF my
real estate. told him my name, the
size of the lot, and the location OF u
as best could. He looked interested
why. I bought that property for
taxes he said, and have since built
a two-story brick bakery upon it. 81
( "Of course, I was surprised, and j
told him I still had claim, upon the
property. Before we reached Rich
mond I had made deal with him;
whereby he gave me $500 for q quits
claim deed. That lot was " the downs'
town district on what lis now Grand
avenue, I think. I'm most sire s5o,oCa
wouldn't buy it, and still I got it fora
horse that I would rather have sold
for fve-dollar bill."-Kansas City
Cdo.) Journal.