The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-23
SHE CAME IN
SIXTY-EIGHT
Mrs. Hanna Ward Tells of the
Trials of the Early Days.
LONG RIDE FOR MEDICINE
Her Brother the First White
Man Buried in Wichita.
SHE MARRIED A SOLDIER
Then Stationed in This Out
post of Civilization.
SHE MARRIED A SOLDIER

Il was stated in last Sundays Eagle that
Mrs. J. P. Allen IL the oldest woman set
tier Of wichita, now living. but this honor
is claimed by AIrs. Hannah Ward. who re-
sides at $40 North Wichita street. Mrs.
Ward IS the daughter OF the late Doctor
Lewellen, and she states that she came to
Wichita on March s, 1865
A reporter for the Eagle called at the
home Of Mrs. Ward yesterday afternoon
and she talked freely Of the old times
when Wichita was nothing but an Indian
trading post.
Mrs. Ward Is nearly so years OLD, but IN
spite OF the privations inseparabls from
the life of a pioneer she has kept her age
remarkably well and does not appear TO
be more than 40. Her hair is a jet black,
with not silver thread in il. Her eyes
are clear blue, and her complexion is
still that OF youth.
The house which Mrs. Ward occupies is
neat seven-room cottage situated IN the
center Of large yard in which is a small
orchard as well as a few evergreens.
Many sacred memories cling about the
house. for here Mrs. Ward lived for
twenty years, and here some OF her child
ren were born and some Of them died.
Mrs. Ward does not claim to be the
only woman now living in Wichita who
came here at 80 early a date. for her sis
ter. Mrs. Emily Slyter. came hers at ths
same time, and is now living on South
Mead avenue.
AS Mrs. Ward sat In a we'll furnished
room at her home yesterday afternoon,
she said:
MY father, Doctor LewelIen. came 10
Wichita in 1861, ana or and on fer eight
years he maintained a trading post here.
His family, however. were in FL Dorado.
where they came from Virginia in 1858,
when I was six years old On March 8,
1863, my father moved his family to this
city. or rather what is now the site OF
Wichita. and we occupied a house on
Chisholm creek near the site Of the pack
ing houses. My father then had a trading
post but a short distance from my house
and he sold his wares 10 the Indians and
the cowboys who came through here with
great herds of cattle on the way from
Texas TO Salina and Abilene.
The only other white abode around here
at that time was the Derfe ranch, which
was about where Jackson avenue is now.
No, did not want to come 70 the lone
trading post on the prairie. 1 was then Is
years old and enjoyed the life at FL
Dorado, which was a settled community
compared with what we found when we
came here. In those days the valley be-
tween the Arkansas river and Chisholm
creek was dotted with Indian tepees
There were no trees IN sight with the ex-
ception Of those along the banks Of the
streams. The prairie was the stamping
ground OF buffalo and the home of the
coyote. The children of my fathers fam
lily were afraid OF the Indians, though
they never did anything put steal. Soon
after We came here the Indians stole a
fine team from father. He traced the
thief TO Pawnee Creek, Neb., but while he
was gone the children and my mother
were very much frightened lest we should