The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-04
RELIC OF OLD DAYS
Newspaper Published in Tecum-
sch in 1858.
Village Was Then County Seat
Of Shawnee.
ABOUT JOHN MARTIN.
His Services as the Postmaster
Commended.
Movement to Build Bridge
Across Kansas River.
ABOUT JOHN MARTIN.

The residents of Tecumseh back in
1858 looked on the ambition of To-
peka to become the metropolis of
Shawnee county with an amused air
of interest intermingIed with a feeling
Of contempt, for Tecumseh al the time
was the county seat and had nearly
double the population Of the lusty
youngster growing up on the west
Of it.
The man who bought lots right in
the heart Of Tecumseh had small
thought that his investment would
dwindle down along with the impor-
lance Of the town and the man who
had faith IN the future success of the
rival town would be the man who
would make the winning.
Such. however. was the case when
the strings pulling for the location of
the county seat at Topeka. instead of
Tecumseh proved the strongest. With
the actual location Of the county seat
here those who were making their
fortunes In the golden west picked up
their belongings and followed, leaving
Teoumseh simply as a remembrance.
With the exception of the hoarse
thrOatsd whistle of a fast speeding
through bound train over the Santa Fe
the stiffness which hangs over the lit
tie village now is unbroken except by
those noises which belong to country
life.
But the Kansas Settler. published at
Tecumseh during 1853 shows an en-
firely different Tecumseh. It speaks
OF e virile. busting little town which
had prophetic visions. Its prominence
as a trade center was recognized by
other towns of Kansas and Missouri
whose merchants eagerly advertised in
the columns Of theKansas Settler.
Advertisements from Lecompton
which was an influential center, Leav-
enWorth. W6StpOrt, Kansas City and
ST. Louis. Local business houses were
also prospecting and were evidently
getting considerable local business not
Eithstanding the heavy advertising in
dulged In by their competitors from
other cities Tecumseh even bOasted
Of several wholesale houses. Lawyers
cards are also plentiful In the issue of
the Kansas Settler Of March. 1883, and
81 Is easy to suppose that there was
g good representation Of this profess
sion One advertiser. who in a burst
Of civic pride says. "Tecumseh against
candy that he manufactures and claims
that it is unexcelled in the Union c.
w Bowen, A M, also announces the
organization of the Tecumseh high
school FOR which the patronage of the
public is requested" The course of
study was quite extensive. 1t contained
languages. higher mathematics. piano
music and other branches. the tuition
being S. for the common English
branches.
The paper published in Tecumseh
would put to shame q great many of
the country weekIies now published IN
Kansas. The typograp hical work
shows up considerably better than the
average country weekly. Letters from
Washington. New York and New Or
leans. together with notices of meet
ings Of a political nature and consid-
cradle miscellany comprise the news
features.
A few Of the names which appear are
Htin well known to the people of To-
peka today Judge John Martin was