The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-24
Sixth District Ne1Us Notes
Items and "reminiscences by An Old Timer With His
Ear to the Grass Roots.
BY HARRY ROOT.
BY HARRY ROOT.

The story in the Sixth district de-
partment a few weeks ago regarding
the Buffalo Blues" of Cove county,
an early day baseball club in north
western Kansas, set Leslie ]. Peterson,
school land clerk in the state audi
tors office to talking and he told
of real game which came off in
Mitchell county in the days when he
was about knee high and barefoot 1t
was between a club of Green Mound
ers and the Courson Grove team. The
pins had been set whereby the latter
club was to defeat the former 3 to /,
and ball and bat were the stakes. A
big crowd of spectators was present,
and as money was very plentiful many
dollars changed hands For hours
the battle ragged, and just as the sun
was retiring from it's labors for the
day the game ended. with a score of
70 to %. Some game all right, AID
probably as full of interest for the
spectators as the latter day variety,
but just think of making more than
100 scores in a single day. Many
members of the clubs are now dead,
while E. NJ. Funk lives in Abilene,
Jacob Funk, and three of the Prewett's,
w. A. L. v and H. T. resides OF
farms in Mitchell county; Eugene
Childs lives in Thomas county, ana
S. G. Caughey is in Idaho.
The journals in the big Sixth dis
trict are generally saying good things
for D. o. McCray, head assistant in
the office of secretary of state, about
his candidacy for the office in 1922.
He has a wide acquaintance in that
section, hence the friendly feeling the
district has for him. Your correspon-
dent was acquainted with him years
before he and Webb McNall, of Smith
county, were about all that was LETT
of the Free Silver politicaF party in
this state. In those troublous times
neither of them left the Republican
party. McCray is one of the kind VINO
has always been helping pull his
friends to office. Now he and his
army of followers believe it is his
turn to have something, and the big
Sixth will stand for him. His work in
the office will keep him from making
an active campaign. and his loyal
friends will see that it isn't necessary
for him to visit the big Sixth district.
One of the early timers to Kansas
is A. S. Peacock, of Wakeeney. He
came to Cherokee county in 1878, and
taught school for a livelihood. IN
1886 he dr;fted with the flood of pen
pie to western Kansas. and settled in
Trego county, on a homestead After
going thru numerous hardships which
many of the pioneers did, he was
elected county superintendent in 1893,
and the held the office six years. In
Ny
Judge, and has held the office con-
tinuously ever since. Judge Peacock
has made a fine record in handling the
affairs of the office settling estates,
juvenile court cases, and all other
duties pertaining to the office. He is
a public spirited citizen, and is Al
ways one of the leaders in all public
| enterprises for the best interests of
| the community.
changed to Mankato April %, 1880.
The Monitors was first issued April
%, 1880. Few of the old pioneer land
marks remain, which date back to
the early seventies. The first resi-
lsIence built of native lumber was that
of d. J. Vance. in 1872, which still
stands unoccupied. It should be pre-
served. The county seat contest be
tween Jeweh City and Mankato was
a stirring one. 1t was settled by vote
in favor of Mankato after a heated
campaign.
A large number of settlers from
near Fairfield, Iowa, settled in and
around Mankato or Jewell Center as
it was then called from 20 to rs.
Among the earliest of these was Capt.
d. ]. Vance who was the first post
master; later L. P Vance both vet
Grams of the Civil war. L. P. Vance
engaged in banking for several years,
but finally returned to Iowa. Three
brothers named Metz came in '72,
two of them Civil war veterans The
sons of the elder brother, Silas Metz
are now conducting q large business,
the Metz Packing company, one of
the largest poultry egg and cream in
dustries in the state. Their business
runs into millions of dollars annually.
Three brothers, Perry Olin and Duane
Green, came from rs to TT. The
oldest, Perry, has most unique and
as the writer believes, unprecedented
record, being elected forty-two years
consecutively to the office of township
treasurer for Center township. 1t is
doubtful If this record is exceeded for
consecutive service in the state, if in
deed in the entire country. Others
from Fairfield were N. G.. Chilcott and
wife, both yet living on their first
homestead west of town. Four other
men all from Fairfield represented
Jewell county in the state legislature
at different periods. The first. David
Heron elected in '7S one term was
afterwards candidate for congress
but failed of the nomination. George H.
Case was in the senate eight years,
and was warden of the state peniten-
tiary four years. Senator Case still re-
sides in Mankato and enjoys good
health. Hon. Alva Swope, always a
Democrat, was elected to the 1egisla-
ture one term and was nominated by
his party for senator but failed of
el6CL1Ou. w ulL6 was 0leCIo1
representative in 1888, elected state
senator in 1900 and elected to CON
gress in 1913 and again in 1920. Geo.
S. Bishop and his brother Robert
came from Oxford, Ohio. in 1870. He
represented Jewell county in the leg
islature from 1874 until 1873. He
finally moved back to Ohio spending
the last years of his life in Cincinnati.
Robert lived in Mankato so years,
moving to Los Angeles in 1920. One
of the early visitors to Mankato was
J. A. Scarborough. who represented the
Topeka Commonwealth. It was said
he only mentioned in his writing for
that paper the men of note and dis
tinction and colonies and judges in
his day were common. The last time
your correspondent saw him he rode
on the same train and in the same car
from Gaylord to Atchison, where he
had gone for the benefit of his health.
The writer went With him to the hotel.