The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-23
NORTH SIDE NEWS
Mrs. DeIphfa Lukens ofiPeru,
Ind, Is Visiting Here.
Widow of +. g. Lukens, Old To-
peka Settler.
SAD FAMILY TRAGEDY.
Ancestor Lost Life Looking
After Old Estate.
Reception at Kuehne Plant for
Merchants Tonight.
SAD FAMILY TRAGEDY.

Mrs. Delphia Lukens of Peru. Ind,
widow of the late Guerney Lukens, an
old settler of Topeka, is visiting at
the home Of her nephew, Charles
Luxens of 1903 Central avenue. Her
husband came to the North side some
forty years ago when this vicinity was
known as Eugene. He went into the
hardware business with Rev. Joshua
Barrat- The store was in the frame
building across from the Adams house.
The building is still standing, but old
and dilapidated.
Mr.. Lukens was one of the founders
of the North Side Baptist church,
built about forty years ago, and was
also one of the largest contributors to
the church fund.
Shortly after going into the hard
ware business he returned to his old
home in Indiana and married Miss
Delphia o. Lou. the daughter of Cor
nelius Lou. of Gilead, Ind, and
brought his wife to Topeka. The
couple returned to Indiana about TWEEN
ty-eight years ago. Mrs. Lukens has
not been here since that time. Her
husband died about seven years ago.
The visit of his aunt recalls to
Charles Lukens a tragical episode in
the history Of the family. Records
show that the LukenS came over in
the Mayfower and it seems that nearly
all of the Lukens in the country are
distant relatives. The Christian name
of Guerney is characteristic of the
family A branch of the Lukenses set
tied near Philadelphia and became ad-
herents to the Quaker faith.
A generation or so later the grand
father of the North Topeka Lukens
moved to Indiana The state Vas
wild and woolly at that time. Settlers
lived principally on wild game. In
diana was then literally, as its name
means. Indians country" Log cap-
ms with primitive furniture were the
rule. Tables were formed by boring
auger holes into slabs of wood and fit
ting rude legs into the holes.
And when young couple we're mar
ried the people of the neighborhood
held a house raising bee," worked
together and helped erect a log cabin
for the neWlyweds. Hence, the origin
of the Modern Woodmen log-rolling.
In such environment were reared
Guerney F. Lukens and his older broth
er, Solomon.
When the latter grew to be a young
man, by the slow process of mails in
those times, word reached the family
that some money and properly was
due them from an estate near Penn
sylvania, but affairs were in such
shape that some one must go to the
city to look after the matter.
Solomon, being one of the oldest,
was chosen to go, and the young man
set out For many days and weeks
no word was received from him. Fin
ally one day it was learned that he
had persisted and all of the records
pertaining to the estate were on his
person and had been lost. the young
man had been shipWrecked as he was
crossing Lake Erie on his return
home. The vessel burned and the
young man, with nearly all of the 9TH
er passengers, lost his life. The papers
on his person had been either burned
or scattered over the bottom of the
This was about 1850. The matter
of the share of the estate was never
learned. In those days letters were
far and few between, When the fam
ilv recovered from the shock of the
news of the death of the boy, they
wrote to those in charge Of the Phila-
delphia property, but never received
satisfaction.
Otto Kuehne will hold a reception
for Topeka merchants at the Otto
Kuehne Preserving works tonight in
honor of the completion of the new
fireproof plant Music will be fur
nished by Ray Halls orchestra ana lll
Marshall's band. The plant viii be
in operation between $3.50 and $3.50
o'clock tonight so that visitors may
see 1.-The wheels 90 round"
The factory has been rebuilt fire
proof, with automatic closing fire
doors since it was burned down two
years ago in September.
A large window light, valued at over
800 in the Firth garage, was shattered
about o'clock Thursday afternoon
when c. A. Limbaugh, a North slice
real estate man. ran into it with his
auto. He was attempting to come into
the door, but on account of loose
steering gear his machine swerved to
the north The auto struck the casing
under the window and showed it in
ward The glass fell with a crash It
was insured for part of it's value.
A North side woman this morning
asked her small son to go to ask for
lady-fingers at the grocery store. The
boy refused at first. He thought his