The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-25

There is always something of interest
to say about the early settlement of
Sherman county. 1t was organized in
1886, and this was before your cor
respondent made his initial visit there.
Before organization the first town was
born in the geographical center, and
named IneZ- which died soon after
The rapid influx of people arriving
this same year increased the popula-
ton to such an extent that county or
ganization was the uppermost talk.
Eustis, Itasca, Voltaire and Sherman
Center were the first contestants for
county seat in the organization. Vol
taire was laid out in 1885, and her
people made a vigorous contest for
the honor, her opponent being Eustis.
Voltaire was named after the famous
infidel of the same name, and Eustis
was named in honor of p. s. Eustis,
then general manager and passenger
agent of the B. & NJ. railroad in Ne
braska. now a part of the c. B. & Q.
system. In the organization of the
county Eustis was designated the tenn
porary county seat. The towns of
Leonard and Eustia were both organ
lied in 1886. The Voltaire people made
a great fight. They fought for or
ganization of the county before the
newer settlers had been in the county
long enough to entitle them to a legal
vote, hoping in this way to have their
own town made the county seat. The
first paper printed in the county was
the Voltaire Advertiser. The town was
located in December, 1885, but didn't
plated. On the organization of the
county in 1886, another town sprang
up and was named Candy, after a man
of that name. and who was the prin-
cipal boomer for the town named
after him. He was a Spectator, and
did a business of hiring men to hold
their homesteads and deed them to
him. This led to innumerable con-
tests. In 1887 Sherman Center was
organized, and the town of Candy,
which only lad one building, Joined
forces with The new town. This same
year Goodland was founded, and Sher-
man Center Joined in the exodus and
moved to GoodIand. EuStis never got
her B. & NJ. railroad. and the Rock
Island put Goodland on the map. The
first ticket voted in the county was
headed: Homesteaders Union Ticket
and the following officials were chos-
en-: Representative, j. n. McDaniels;
county clerk. o. II. Smith; clerk of
district court, ]. c. Cebbey; probate
judge. H. S. Rulon; treasurer, JOE.
Rule; register of deeds, W. J. Smith;
county attorney, F. A. Albee; super
lntendent of public instruction A B.
d. A Long; coroner, w. B. Swisher;
commissioners. ]. B. Jacobs. z. S.
Teagarden. a. Swan. Long is said to
be the only one of the first officials
eral of the others are known to have
died some years ago. 1t is good to
visit Goodland ard meet those who
took part n the pioneer times. The
visitor will find people there who were
identified with all the towns men,
toned. Now all is harmony. They
have built up the largest and liveliest
town in northwest Kansas. Leonard
was named after T. p. Leonard. It
didn't get far as a town or county
seat Rival, and the site went back to
the farm as did Candy. Sherman Cen
ter. Itaska and Voltaire. Many of
the buildings in these towns moved to
Goodland. Leonard, whom the town |
was named after, is one of the most |
prominent citizens and business men |
in Goodland. Your correspondent first |
visited Sherman county when Eustis |
was the county seat, and before Good |
land started. The town was sure of |
the Burlington road, for it was named :
In honor of p S. Eustis, who was one |
Of the big moguls of that system /
With the building of the Rock Island !
from the Missouri river to Denver, !
another town was staked off about
three miles from Eustis, and named |
ioodland. The promoters wanted and |
lid settle the county seat forever, and
n the first permanent election won