The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-11-30
MEhNON|TES MOVE
YOUNGER GENERATION SEEK
NEW HOMES IN WESTERN
KANSAS.
Their Fathers Came to Kansas in the
Early Days, Conquered the VIII
derness and Became WeIi-to-
Do--Sons VIII Go and Do
Likewise.

Syracuse, Kansas, November 49,
Fifty or more Mennonite families
from Marion County, lately have come
to Hamilton County, on the Santa Fee
and preempted homesteads. They are
established in all parts Of the county
but the most of them have their farms
on the upland, adjacent to Bear Greek
valley. in the Southeastern part.
They are we'll established, as Men
nonites always begin, with comfort,
able. although not pretentious, habita-
tions. and their stock is equally we'll
sheltered.
They are young married people just
beginning life, and they have come to
this region, because the Government,
by its homestead law, invited them
to take free homes in the public do
main.
They are of the second generation,
some of them perhaps the third, OF
race of German Russians, who were
brought to this country by the Atchi-
son. Topeka G. Santa Fe Railway
Company in 1874 and 1875. About
that time there was a great exodus
of the Cars German subjects out of
Observation-Disclosures, Lutherans and
Catholics-and the tide was set to-
ward Western America. The United
States public domain and the railroad
land grants especially were inviting.
Kansas received vast army of these
i'm mi 20 onA fyn fhnU
were on the move across the Missouri
river. They temporarily camped at
Topeka and other land offices and land
grant towns. For many months these
towns, until the newcomers were To-
Gated on homesteads, abounded with
sheepskin coats, roomy trousers, flow
ing petticoats and cooking utensils Pc
culiarly Russian.
Finally they chose their homes, and
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,
with its usual good luck, got the most
of them. The Lutherans and the Cath
oiics chose adjoining counties in the
upper valleys of the Smoky, and the
Mennonites, who outnumbered the
Others about four to one, followed the
old Santa Fe Trail, and took lands in
the valleys of the Cottonwood and the
Arkansas, in the counties of Marion
Mcpherson, Harvey, Reno and Bar
ton. They began with sod houses, but
soon they substituted wood, brick, or
stone, and now by thrift and good
farming, they have become among the
first citizens of the communities in
which they live, and, besides farming.
do much of the banking, merchandiz-
Ing and milling.
These people brought with them
seed for gardens and field. especially
wheat seed, and by it they wrought
A complete change in the wheat crop
They also brought the mulberry
tree and the silk worm. expecting to
Introduce here silk culture, as they |
had learned it in Russia. But the
silk worm in Kansas has been fail
ire. and for the present at least has
been abandoned. The mulberry tree,
however, has come to stay, and from
he original Mennonite settlements it
las spread all over the Southwest,
making shelter and food for birds,
shade for children, and firewood for
he family.
In addition they brought from Rus
ia their religion, and in the genera
ion or more that has elapsed, they
AVE not departed from it one jot or
title. they. nor their children, nor
heir chi1dren's Children Never has |
more God-fearing and industrious
'eople come to Kansas to make duti-
ul and thrifty citizens.
And now, younger generation of !
hese excellent people have departed
rom the homes of their immediate ia {
hers and moved westward to a new {