The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-26
Sixth District Metus Notes
Items and "reminiscences by An Old Timer With His
Ear to the Grass Roots.

ton of county in which he settled be-
came one of the most interesting
social centerS in the county. 1t was
his contention that churches and
schools made a community worth Nv
ing in and to this end he donated time
and money. 1t is a great satisfaction
to the writer of these notes to know
Jude Matteson for many years. He
and his wife can look back now with
pleasure to their pioneer life in getting
their start in Phillips county, and
while they remember the many dis
couraging trials and tribulations of
those early times. the "soddy'' was
their home until better times dawned
upon them. Today a good church
building and a fine schoolhouse and
a social community center round about
where the people gather to spend
many pleasant hours. are among the
results of the efforts of these pleasant
people. AS old age has crept on they
retired from active farm life, and are
now living with their children in Phil
lipsburg.
DR.. J. E. Hawley, of Burr Oak, who
made a fine record in the last 1egiS-
1ature from Jewell county, has been a
resident of his towr since 1877, where
he has been engaged in the practice
of medicine. He has been active in
local affairs. serving as mayor, coun-
Gilman and several years on the school
board. He has taken pride in the
success of the local school, was a fac
tor in the starting of a high school,
and is proud of the fact that a dozen
graduates of his school are now in the
state university. He has words of
praise for his town and county. He
likes to talk of the early timers, one
of whom was A. w. Mann, who was
inc a Nd 14I %,
help quell riot between circus men
and citizens he was wounded by a
bullet which paralyZed him from waist
down for six years. He was active in
mercantile pursuits, banking and
served Jewell county in one of the
early legislatures. He also mentions
A. j. Godfrey, one Of the early home
steaders, who operated the first hotel
in Burr Oak 1t was a one-story log
house, with three rooms. His tables
were supplied with wild game, as
antelope, buffalo and wild turkeys
were plentiful in the early days.
Harry K. Houghton, of the Beloit
Call, has visited parts of Mitchell
county and noticing many fine i'm
provements on the roads and farms, ne
says of the wheat prospects: "A ride
out into the country in Mitchell county
these days cannot help but Impress
one with the thought that the wheat
is enjoying this fine weather as mt1eh
as the people. Wheat prospects ara
great"
One of the early settlers to Phillips
county, who located there in 1871. was
}. N. McElvain. He went there from
Nebraska with several others to hunt
buffaloes, which were plentiful in the
early days. They pitched their tents
IN the Bow creek valley. Being favor
ably impressed with that section of
Phill1ps county he "squatted" on a
homestead, his only worldly posses
sions being his gun and pony. The
first work he did was to build a dug
out, and for several years he had to
labor hard for a livelihood, buffalo
meat being his principal subsistence.
He met with more or less success until
1877. when he borrowed 5000 on his
homestead and married, and with his
wife's help and his nerve to stay there
thru grasshopper invasions. hot winds
and drouth, he has succeeded, and to-
day he is classed among the prosper
Gus farmers of Phillips county. Your
correspondent has known him for
nearly half century, and the true
stories he relates of the pioneer times
are intensely. thrilling and Interesting.
He is a friend of the writer of these
notes, and it is a pleasure to visit
him and talk over pioneer times. He
has told your correspondent how he
''hoofed" it from Fort Kearney, Neb.,
ninety miles from his homestead, lead
ing his pony burdened with flour,
bacon and other provisions, and then
work for his neighbors for so cents a
day in order that he might keep him
from starvation. He stayed thru it all.
until today he has retired from the
farm and and is comfortably living in