The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-01

hunting buffalo for their winters meat
They loaded their wagons at Cow creek,
a lew miles west of Sa1ina- A two
story store building was erected in Hol-
ton, the county seat of Calhoun county,
and the town grew rapidly The mail
was increased to twice a week Some
young people got married "A lodge of
Masons was instituted at Grasshopper
rams John Brown with a cargo OF
slaves from Missouri was corralled by
the United States marshal and posse at
rulers cabin on Straight creek, and
the battle of the spur was fought on
december 20, 1858. L was on Browns
side of the skirmish. 1t was called the
battle of the spur because the spur
was the only weapon used. The mar
snafs posse was dispersed or captured,
and Brown went his way. That was the
last ever saw of John Brown. All
TINS time political meetings Were of fire.
quent occurrence, and the free state
ana pro-SIavery forces often claShed.
On March IL, 1852 the first Repub-
ican convention in the territory of
Kansas was called at Holton. Father
was chairman and / acted as secre-
tary. The pro-slavery forces filed up
on sod corn whisky at Ashmore's drug
store, and as the convention broke up
we were mohbed. Father was wound
ed and lay unconscious for eight days.
Inc drug store cut some figure in Kan
Sas politics then as it does now Father
hnally recovered and was elected pro-
bate judge. A governor was appointed
every new moon. Constitutional con-
NentlonS We're paStime. The free
state fellows held on like a dog to a
bone In migrants poured in from the
north, and in addition to the northern
TER and the border tier and the great
Neosho valley they crowded West as far
as Sal1na. 1860 was known as the year
of the great drouth. 1t did not rain
during the entire growing season. The
acres of corn, and did not raise enough
to fill a mules ear. We had some stock
hogs, and sold them to St. Joe dealer
Tor 112 cents per pound. They were so
thin II took two hogs to balance the
scales. No x rays were required to see
through them. We got through alive,
but had no flour in the house for six
which convened at Law
renee. The pro-slavery forces were
gradually crowded to the wall. Lin
coin was elected president, and at an
extra session of congress on January
2S, 1861, admitted Kansas to the union
as free state. Praises We're sung in
all the churches, and I lit out for Ohio
for something for the neighborhood to
eat.
The state had Just begun. The first
state legislature convened at Topeka. |
MY rather was a member of the senate, |
which included many men of prominence
In the work of making a state The /
Civil war was on, Lincoln called for 75,- |
600 volunteers for 80 days. Kansas men |
shook their heads and enlisted for three |
years Ihey had had some experience |
with the southerner and knew a thing |
or two as to his fighting proclivities
Kansas did not progress rapidly as a |
state during the war. Her able bodied |
men were in the Union arnly The wo- |
men staid at home and ran the farms |
and shops while the husband or father |
was behind the gun. The history OF |
Kansas Will never be complete until the |
sacrifice made by the women have been |
written. Their burdens before and dur !
ing the war were heavy and hard tn |
bear, but they never murInured kings /
are but the gifts of women and if the |
children born in Kansas during the per- |
od of state making had their proper |
titles, there would be an army of Crown /
ed heads in Kansas for every mother
was a queen
The close of the war found Kansas |
With all the machinery of a state in ac-
tive operation, but 1.-THE population had |
increased but little and four fifths of the
area was still devoid of Inhabitants and
but a fraction of her broad prairies shae
ever been touched with a Dlow And
then the man who stood on the western
banks of the Missouri river. witnessed
a sight equalled only in the imagination
Of governor who slept under a blanket
With John Brown, years after the old
nero was dead. The discharged soldiers
IF the Union army came with a
tramp, tramp, tramp, from every
direction and as they had forced
Lee back from the wilderness to Five
Forks; Hood from Chattanooga to At
anita, and Early from the Potomac to
The good Lord only knows where, so
hey rolled back, mile by mile to the
eastern border of the great American
1esert, until not vestige of the dread
I'd imaginary line remains. They went |
light along cultivating the soil, building
school houses, churches and railroads.
raising hogs cattle, horses, sheep and
never stopping or looking back
only occasionally slowing up for a
storm of grasshoppers from the western
Desert a few months of hot wind |
rom Missouri and Texas. A dry spell |
IF a few months duration only in
ereaSes the bank deposits and the per
eapiter. Even the banks of poor old
are loaded down with Kansas
money, and farmers are riding to town
n rubber tired buggies and automo-
oiles."