The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-03
BY HARRY ROOT.

Jewell City was the first seat of gov
eminent of Jewell county. holding the
honor some years before Jewell Center,
(now Mankato) was started. Among
the early pioneers to Jewell City was
&c. C. Vandeventer, who settled on his
homestead in 1870. At that time there
was only three buildings on the town
site, one of which was occupied by
Street & Scarborough, who carried a
small stock of goods. Mr.. Vandeventer
left the county in 1902 and located in
Oakland, a suburb of Topeka, where
several former Jewell county families
reside. He remembers the first state
senator of the county, Col. Eden
Banker, and aslo the first member of
the legislature, F. T. Candy, both now
dead. He remembers several of the
first county officers, A. B. Smith,
sheriff, and his deputy, J. w. Fogle.
and VIM. Allen, county clerk. and w.
P. Early, county attorney; ]. T. Pat
terson, scnool superintendent, and a
man named Kelley, treasurer. The
Clarion was the first paper printed in
the county, in Jewell City. In the last
election for county seat John D. Rob
ertson, 1t is claimed, betrayed the
election expenses. He was the most
prominent business man in town. He
died several years ago in Kansas City,
where he was engaged in banking.
Antelope and buffalo were plentiful in
pioneer days, and numbers of them
were killed on the homestead of Mr..
Vandeventer. His wife has seen as
many as eight wolves in a pack close
to the house. Neighbors were few and
they turned out to the dances. as her
husband was the only violinist. The
year 1874 drouth, hot winds and grass
hoppers destroyed the greater part of
the crops. as was the case in 10000.
He had planted IT'S acres of corn and
only raised enough to fatten a carload
of hogs. Your correspondent remem-
bers many of the old time business
men, the names being J. D. Robert
son, A. L. Marks. r. W. Hill, G. 3.
Crandan, NJ. w. Whitney, D. L. Pal
mer NJ. F. Knappenburger, ]. C.
Postlethwaite, ]. NJ. Hutchinson, Rob-
ert Cleland, David Matten, S. R.
Worick, Ezra Main, B. F. Wallace, ].
w. George. Doctor Christ, o. N. Grey,
Pat Fay, William Cameron, E. r.
Smith and others. The big majority
of the above named passed on several
years ago. In the year of drouth your
itemizer noted painted on two prairie
schooners as they passed thru town
headed east these inscriptions: I'm God
we trusted; in Kansas we busted On
the other wagon canvas was, kansas
or bust; busted by thunder" In the
forty-fivH years your item visitor has
known Jewell City he has witnessed
the town grow from a few hundred to
& population close to 1000 1t is
town that never tolerated an open sa--
loon. 1t has fine schools and churches.
It has one of the neatest, cIeanest
newspapers Kansas can boast of. 1t
has the Missouri Pacific road running
from jamestown to Burr Oak.
In March, 1887. one of the prom
Using towns in Graham county was
NicodenTus. A large colony OF colored
people located there. and many of the
heads of families filed on HON esteads.
The town grew fast One of the early
visits of your correspondent, he found
the following firms in business: H. S.
Henrie, Young & Craven and j. A
Weaver doing general merchandise
trade. Foster Williams. grocer; c. H.
NewtA and ]. H. Rinehart, drugs; A.
l. Mcpherson. banker; H. K. Light
foot, publisher of the Cyclone; Fletcher
Bros, and Mrs. E. Smith. hotels; H.
Hawkins, boots and shoes; two livery
+ stables; VIM. Scott. blacksmith; w.
| H Cotton, lawyer. also real estate;
Mrs. z. T. Fletcher, millinery; A. N.
| Harper was postmaster; school was
taught by Nettie ]. Craig; DR.. c. W.
1 Newth was attending the sick: besides
there were three land offices. Many
/ of the business men were colored peo-
pie. They owe their settlement in
Graham county and the building up
of Nicodemus to W. r. Hill. after
l-whonn Hill City was named He died
a few years ago. The rapid growth
/ of the town was due to the belief that
| the Missouri Pacific and the Union
Pacific were both headed TO their
town. The former road remains IN
Stockton, 20 miles east, and the latter