The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-17
LOOKING Them UP
S. w. Bertram Finds Many
KanSanS on the Coast.
He Writes of the Result of His
LabOrS.

S. Webb Bertram of $50 Harrison
street, who is visiting in San Fran
cisco, Calf, spent one day looking
up Kansans who have settled near
the Golden Gate, and wrote the State
Journal about it. The sight of a
Purple Royal Broom manufactured
at Wichita, for sale in a Frisco shop,
wildly recalled the Sunflower state.
Mr.. Bertram, who is a veteran Kan
san, remembered when Salina was
vast broom-corn mart. Sight of the
Purple Royal made him homesick
and he began his quest of Kansas folk
discovered Charles w. Bittman from
Louisville on Rock Creek; Carroll N.
Beal from Pottawatomie county; Mar
tin Swanson of Oberlin and Edwin D.
Wagar, former postmaster at Norca-
tur.
1T was Noble Prentis who said,
Once a Kansan, always Kansan,
wrote Mr.. Bertram, recently we con-
cluded to take a day off and hunt up
former Kansans. We first visited
Charles w. Bittman, now residing at
1891 Sacramento street, San Francisco.
Charlie was once the merchant prince
of Louisville, that city nesting in
bend of Rock creek. Here resided
Maggie and Carrie Wilson, pronounced
by Albert D. Richardson to be two of
the loVeliest women he had ever met
From here went James S. Merritt to
state wide fame; here in the courts
were heard the pleadings before the
bar of John Martin, Hib Case the
Brockways, Gi1crist, Doughitt.
I'VE next called upon Carroll W.
ern residence at No. IL West Clay
Park, from whose window one can
look upon the famous Golden Gate.
Way back in old Pottawatomie county
J. L. Higgins settled on a farm south
of Louisville and after time became
| the probate judge of the county. Lat
| ter came the elder Beal and settled
upon an adjoining farm and he in his
i1Jd0
Beal married Della Higgins, thus
uniting two of the judicial families of
| that county. Mr.. Beal is superinten-
dent of the Bay cities water company
and both he and his good Vile feel
as young as they ever did.
I'VE next hunted up Mr.. and Mrs
Martin Swanson, residing at 124 k
Carl street. Mrs. Swanson was for
merIy Mrs. E. D. Stil1son of Oberlin,
| coming there as a bride in 1889
Here we fingered and recounted
events that had transpired in old De-
! catur county, the building of ODER
| lin, its tragedies and comedies. In
the fall of 1873 Oberlin was without
| farm and arid. Following the fearo
| full Indian raid of September 80
came the influx of the homesteaders
| to the vacant lands. In consequence,
Ober1in became, as enthusiastic trav-
elers declared, the Wichita of north
| western Kansas.
u o.
a young Frenchman from Massachu-
sets, who was looking for a location
| for a general merchandise store. We
| recommended LenOra, where he built
up an extensive business. His one fault
was looking too long upon the wine
when it was red. One day [ met
him in this condition. Taking me by
the hand he said, Mr.. Bertraim, why
you not tell me to come to Oberlain,
instead of Lanoria; 1 would rather die
in Oberlain than live in Lanoria.' On
the towns account that was the
proudest moment of our life, as we
had heard that a man in his condi-
ton usually told the truth.
I'VE next sought Edwin D. Wagar,
also engaged in the furniture bust
ness, at 1891 Mission street, residing
at 257B. Tenth street. Mr.. Wagar
was postmaster at Norcatur, Kan,
| during Cleveland's second term, and
one of the early settlers of Decatur
county. He has still a warm place in
his heart for the Sunflower state"