Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1920-09-23
HISTORY OF TREGo COUNTY
By Joshua Croft.

- Z.
In 1867 work was commenced on
the Kansas Pacific Railway, now the
Union Pacific, in this county The
track was laid as far as Coyote, now
Collyer, in December 1867, when work
was suspended for the winter. That
being the terminus of the road for a
few months quit a town sprung up
there numbering perhaps 500 inhabi-
tants. 1t was the starting point for
daily stages to Denver and vast
quantity of freight was shipped in
prairie schooners to Denver and the
mining camps in Colorado and New
Mexico. But the town of Coyote was
composed of only frai1 buildings and
day or two was sufficient t o move
every building on the completion of
the railroad, to Monument.
The Indians then were numerous
and hostile and every one had to be
the alert Quite number lost
their lives in this county by the hands
of the Indians. Captain King, of the
United States army, threw up ex-
tensive Notifications of earth east
of WaKeeney which was known as
Park Fort
Earl Spaulding, of Ogallah, was the
first one to farm in Trego County.
John c. Henry was the first one to
build a substantial stone house in the
county and was the first man to OBJ
tain a patent for a quarter section
of land from the government. The
first white child born was that of
Fred and Mary Best, near Ellis, Sep
TENDER rs, 1874 The first marriage
that is recorded that was performed
in the county was George W House
M
Der 10, 1879.
1t was very profitable business up
to 1874 for shipping buffalo hide and
meat. The hunting of buffalos was
carried on very extensively. Tt was
not an unknown occurrence for a
hunter to shoot fifty buffalos a day
and on One occasion that George Pink
ham relates that in 1868 during a
ride on the cars from Sheridan to
Hays City the prairie was covered
black with buffalos and as far as the
eye could reach there was ont vast
herd. They presented an easy target
and merciful fire was poured into
them from the car windows by q
company of fifty government scouts,
who were on the train. The baggage
car was filed with the hams of the
buffalos killed close to the track for
the train stopped several times to
gather up the harvest of meat and
several times the train was obliged
to stop or slacken its speed to al
low the buffa1os to get across the
track. The last herd of buffalos seen
IN Trego County was in 1871.
The first permanent settlement was
made in Trego County in 1877. In
this year the firm of John F. Keeney
and Albert Warren, of Chicago. Ill,
purchased a large track of land in the
county from the Kansas Pacific Rail
way company. March 1878 the town
OF WaKeeney was surveyed and
plotted by T. K. Peck and Frank Ellis
worth The name comes from Wa
IN Warren and prefxed to the word
heeney, Wa-Keeney, and it grew
steadily until the fall of 1879 when
1T contained about 500 inhabitants
The people of Trego County in the
fan OF 1878 were thoroughly aroused
to the insecurity of life on the Dor
der In SEPTEMBER 1879 a tribe of
Cheyenne Indians broke away from
the guards in the Indian Territory
and moved northwest killing men and
women and stealing many horses and
destroying much property on the
route The people from the county
hooked to WaKeeney and all was ex-
c1tement and confusion Governor
anthony, on receipt of a telegram
from John A. Henry and John F.
keeney, sent Adjustant General Noble
20 Wakeeney with arms and an11,ni
ton and 100 short caribons and 5000
rounds OF amunitioEs Were shipped to
Wakeeney- A company of 80 men
were organized at WaKeeney, called
Irego County Home Guards of which
John Keeney was elected eantain
Willis F. Fuson, a veteran of the
Civil war, LIST lieutenant and G. w.
MuHord, End lieutenant
Found-Locket, bracelet and RING
wrapped IN handkerchief Owner can
nave same by proving property and
paying for ad. Henry Fabrizius. sr. 2p
Mrs F. A. Hiezer arrived home
rather unexpectedly Wednesday morn