The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-12
AN OLD TIMER o
John C. Reisner of Atchison and His
Experiences.

John Conrad Reisner, a brother Of
Henry Reisner of Topeka, died at his
home at Atchison Friday night. The
Reisners were among the Kansas pio-
neers and the Atchison Globe says:
John Conrad Reisner was one of the
earliest settlers in Atchison, and he par
ticipated in many the events which
make up AtchisOn's history. He was a
native of Pennsylvania, coming to Leav-
enWOrth from that place in 1851. Short
~ afterward he pre-empted a farm
near Parnel1 in Atchison county. He
sold the farm later and moved to Atchi-
son. Here he decided to start a hotel.
He went up the Missouri river and cut
an immense raft of logs. He towed the
logs down the river, and, having them
sawed I'D into oards at the town saw
mill, built the Sid fremont house (Orig-
inally known as the MayhoWer). The
hotel, which was On the present site of
the 3. & M. freight house, was a rival
of the Massaoit house across h street.
Mr.. ReiSner was a carpenter, and he
built his hotel himself, and also made
practically all the furniture which went
into it. The hotel was built in 1858. For
a short time he had a partner, Jake
Smith, whom old timers will remember.
Smith later returned to his old home in
Baltimore h fremont hotel was d
famous resort for Methodist ministers
who came and stayed as long as they
liked as complimentary guests of the
I proprietor who was a noted Methodist.
The Methodist ministers were, of course,
free state men. as was Mr.. Reisner, and
a good deal of free state work was
planned at the fremont house.
Among the requent guests at the
fremont House was Bishop Matthew
Simpson, well known as the friend and
adviser of Abraham Lincoln. Jim Lane
stopped at the fremont House fire.
quently. Mr.. Reisner was a member of
the Home Guards during the war. Dur
ing the war his hotel became so well
known for its anti-slavery influence
that Mr.. Reisner was marked for
death. Watching their opportunity.
b-ushwhackers crossed the river and
entered the hotel, and, capturing Mr..
ReiSner, put a rope around his neck
They were about to take him away,
when his wife appeared with a baby
only a few weeks old, and her pleading
for her husband seemed to touch them
for they went away Mr.. ReiSner was
q member of the first volunteer fire de-
partment, and was among the first
councilmen. IN the early days he and
his brother, Henry Reisner, who had
followed him from Pennsylvania, went
into the freighting business across the
plains. They operated a train of wag-
ons between Atchison and Denver. They
had begun to be successful when a band
of dia captured the train neal Sa-
lima and destroyed it. Later, Henry
Reisner went to Topeka. and still lives
there, where he is in the candy bust
ness. The stage coach for Denver
started from the fremont House. J. G.
Reisner had been a church member 81
years.
HE was a member of the official
board of the Kansas Avenue Methodist
church in Atchison thirty-ffve years,
and he and D. c. Newcomb helped the
church through many a difficulty. He
assisted in the building of the present
church and Fifth and Kansas venue.
Twenty-Five years J. c. Reisner de-
cided to retire, and built a home at AIS
r street for that Instead of
retiring, he went OF a farm which he
had bought near Parnell and worked
harder than ever. A few years ago h.
carried out his desire to retire, and
moved into the house on R street. where
he died. His son, Harry Reisner, now
operates the Parnell farm which con-
sists of 240 acres of the finest land in
the county. Mr.. Reisner is survived by
a wife and the following children:
Harry Reisner, Of Parnel; Mrs. J. c.
Thayer, of Atchison; Charles R. REFS
ner, of Springfield, Ill; and h Rev
Chris. r. Reisner. of Denver, pastor of
Grace church. Mr.. and Mrs. J. c.. REFS
ner were married in Philadelphia in
1853, and had been married 50 years.
The deceased was a brother Of Henry
Reisner. of Topeka; Daniel Reisner, of
Canon City, Colorado; Mrs. l.. B.. Duff.
Of Horton. and Mrs. Mary Shook of
I Lebanon, Pa"