The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-01
Proposed New Building Recalls
Incidents.
B. T. PAYNE ONCE IN CHARGE
Assisted by Daughter, Mrs. W.
r. Faulkner (Mattie Payne.)
Clay Bowen and CaSs Mathews
First Carriers.

calls to old residents its interesting
history Men who afterward became
prominent were among the early post /
masters, including Colonel James Bur
CESS and Jake V. Admire. after whom
the town of Admire Okla was
named, also 'Uncle Ben" T. Payne, /
father of B. T. Payne. jr., general
bonus inspector of the Santa Fe, and d
prominent member of the Elks, anu
Mrs. w r. Faulkner Mrs. Faulknel
was Miss Matte Payne at the time
and assisted her father in the post
office work. "Uncle Ben" died sixteen
years ago. He had come here from
Kentucky to run a government store; !
The postoffice was originally locateu
at East Indianola, which was pro
slavery town. Rochester, nearby, was
a free state settlement. However
the close of the civil war both towns
went defunct. The pOstofhce was
moved to a frame building near ne
| Kaw on North Kansas avenue ds .llS
! business was centered in that sectloH
! of the North Topeka which was tnen
/ known as Eugene" The pullolIs
| into which the postoffice was moVeu
had been occupied by sam Dol ma
and Ben Holzie. then farm mer-
chants. Mr.. Dolman later became "a d
/ contractor and a few years ago puilt
the four mile dixie which protects the
North side from high water
| frank Sawyer First Postmaster
The first postmaster was Frank saw
yer, the father of Mrs. O. W hlssll-
bottom of ROssville. DR.. klnsey' VIZ
c.
! the first clerk. At the time very Few
business houses or residences We're
north of what is now Railroad street.
Mr. Sawyer was succeeded by 1. ,,
Robinson. The postoffice was moved
in his administration to Rahroao anu
West curtis streets 1t was opposlte
the freight car in which was grocery
firm known as f. w. Baker q Co., Io[
whom William Davis, later mayor OF
Topeka and president of the Davis
Mercantile Wholesale Grocery com
pany cIerked. -
n1ire. once "a prominent politician he
later moved to Oklahoma and was one
of the founders of the town OF "a
mire, Okla, which IS naifieo ai'eA
NH The postofice was moved for the
third time to the Gregg building. now
occupied by the North Topeka. furlil-
: 90 fndge CAREY. now in Los Angeles.
was the next postmaster. He was Iol-
lowed by Frank Root, VINO later pc
came editor of the old North topeka
NIL Colonel James Burgess follow
ed Mr.. Root. .4o,
s.Uncle Ben" T Payne toiiowe "a II
t the first Cleveland administration from
l 1884 to 1888. Under him the nrst
cftv carriers were installed. Iney
l were H. c. (Clay) Bowen ana Cass
. | Mathews Mr.. Mathews IS now on
the city police force Mr.. Payne was
: assisted by his daughter, then Miss
!. Matte Payne, now Mrs w K T au . = !
t ner. Her never falling courtesy anq
efficiency is still remembered by North
. | side Deople Mr.. Payne, jr-, IS wei
) known as the general bonus inspector
: of the Santa Fe. He will have been
= with the railroad sel+ o co n1ernS '"ei''
Under Mr.. Payne's administrator
l. the postoffice was moved TO S5O NorIn
! | Kansas avenue ..7
When Harrison became presiden1
+ Cgay Bowen became postmaster. dls
), term was from 1888 to 1892. he was
:. succeeded by. D. G. Fewett. Mr., he fe,.
: Agnes, now Mrs. f. n. Gum. living II
sonthern Kansas, and Miss Bertha
> Stewart. ,5
0 In 1898 the postofce was calico
Station "a" and about this time was
: moved again to the Moody building a.
:. S26 North Kansas avenue
After Mr. Hewett the first term came
70. Robinson the present man II
charea He was succeeded by Geo. w
C,rouch of Maple Hin and followed pS
. Mr.. Robinson, who has held the Office
q IN TO the present time, and is one u
2, the most popular North sue men Ilr4,s a.
d well as quite a pillar in the Centra
a Avenue Christian church and member
8. Of the Lyman school board
/ The postoffice was changed for th'
= last time to the present pulldllls apou
y 1g03 The owner is Tom James, once
/ member of the Kansas legislature ant
Il ;e known az 1.-The James Building
vas erected of stone and brick IN 1870
bvMichaeI White, a mason, ana Geors'
/ Ryther. a carpenter The lower SLOT.
! vas occIrpied by the Balm wagon GO
for a number Of years, later py TN
/ Parkhllrst Davis Co. now the DAVIS
/ Mercantile Co, and by the American
1 hank for seventeen years, Wnen thl'
hank sold out to the Shawnee Stat
1 bank. which moved to the pank puma Z,
ing at East Norris street ana Nor1i
4 Kansas avenue. The upper rooIns llss W y
1 beer occupied by the Golden Rule iodgf
/ of the Masons and by other orders. A
] the time of the flood in 1903 the I. "
H. A had branch headquarters IN the
The building is sox25 feet. The bust
ness has outgrown the present qu l t3
and a new building to be built by th'
Il government is hoped for.
III Notes and Personals.
The teachers and officers OF the Cen
4 trial Avenue Christian church Sunday
school will meet tonight at the nome
4 IF the pastor Rev. David Lyon
III List your property with J. j. King
/ the man who sells real estate
ii A large number of people ATTENDED
I the twentieth annual banquet given o.
j Arnitv lodge K of p at the kansas
4 Avenue Methodist church last night
I'll r F Mcpherson acted as toastmast9r
/ Speeches were made by Rev John w
/ Waldron, pastor of the church, ant
/ prominent lodge men, and w A
Bird, past supreme representative
the lodge.
Forbes Bros have bought the Kfr'
4 grain elevator
III J. J. King spent Wednesday IN Grant
4 vile on business
Charles Firth who has been visiting
in Wamego has returned home
Buy a home on the payment plal