The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-28
MEET in SMITH co,
Old Settlers Enjoy Seeing Ear
Iy Day Friends.
First Old Settlers Picnic Proves
Success.

| Smith Center, haI.s sept
was g big crowd that attended the
first picnic held by the pioneer asso-
citation here. The Homecoming brought
MANY early settlers lack to the scene
| of their struggles years ago and they
had a great time swapping stories and
relating their experiences.
And the early settlers brought their
eating with them. Baskets filled with
chicken, other meat, pies. cookies
peaches, pears, and apples, all Smith
| county products, were brought py
every one of the early day women VINO
picnoked here YEARS az agf their An STAY the'
The president of the association IS
r. c. Logan. With Charles S. Uhl he
deserves a lot of credit for the sue
cess of the event. There's a lot of
hard work to such a celebration and
these men had most of it to do.
Joseph Cox was the only nome
steader present who came to Smlth
county in 1869. He is living on the
farm where he first made his home on
coming here.
smith County Men Famous.
Smith county was organized in
February, 1872. James III. Johnston,
now of Topeka was merchant in
Cedar as early as 1870. He was one
of those present at the reunion. W.
H. Haskell of Kansas City was an
other who made trip to the Ole
home county 10 see the COLII du0S VI
T. r. Burrow of Topeka came to
Smith county in 1878. For several
wears he was the operator and owner
of most of the star routes out of
Smith Center. Both Haskell and Bur
row have held important political Of
fees since they settled in Smith coun-
ty, the former state senator and later
warden of the penitentiary, While the
latter served as secretary of state
for two terms. They made excellent
addresses of their pioneer life in this
county.
steader talk. He has lived in the
county as long as any of them. He is
one Of the foremost members of the
bar in this part of the state.
Went West to Spend Money.
John Mollison came to Smith coun-
ty in 1887 and homesteaded. He
made so much money farming in the
county that he moved to Denver some
years ago to spend the money he
made in Kansas.
w n. Nelson came all the way from
Pennsylvania, in 1873. and located in
Smith Center. He was the first mayor
of the town. He is also owner and
editor of the Pioneer, one of the old
est journals in this part of Kansas.
He has filed several offices of trust
during his residence here. Both Mol
lison and Nelson made entertaining
talks on pioneer life in Smith county.
{ q. King came from Skidmore Mo-,
in 1876. In the early homestead times
he carried on business in Cedarville,
the first county seat in the county;
Wilbur Post came from Harding, Kan,
were he is engaged in business. He
first came to Smith Center in 1872.
The '.Hoppers'' Didn't Freeze.
A. Shurtleff came to Smith Center in
1871, in December. He believes he was
the first pioneer on the present town
ship.
N. J. White came to the Solomon
valley from Indiana in 1871, and loca-
ted on or near Gaylord. He says that
times were hard in those homestead
days. He returned to Indiana in 1874
to spend the winter on account of the
devastation of the grasshoppers. The
winter was cold one in the Solomon
valley, and the few settlers believed the
'hoppers had been frozen. To make
sure of it some of the homesteaders
sent a cake of ice to Mr.. White, and
when it thawed the hoppers COM
menced to hop and jump about as lively
as kittens
Captain Mcdowell POSTMASTER.
Capt ]. S. Mcdowell was the right
man in the right place. He acted
POSTMASTER. He came in 1874 From
that day to the present he has been
one of the solid business men of
Smith Center and Smith county
The first home coming picnic was a
success. Several hundred homesteaders
were present. Lane township won the
nag for the largest attendance of old
settlers, there being 1873 in line.