The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-28
A LONE SURVIVOR
Luke Parsons of SaIina Was 50
Years Old This Week.
He Is Last of the Famous Army
of John Brown.
HELPED MAKE KANSAS FREE
Kansans Know Veteran of the
Civil War Days Well.
His Speeches for Freedom Big
Factor in States Life.

Salina, Kan. June 28.-Luke F.
Parsons, whose activities to make Kan
sas a free state, and who is now the
only surviving member of the famous
John Brown army. was yesterday cele-
brating his eighty-ninth birthday AL
tho he has rounded out almost four
score years and ten he is still vigor-
Gus and healthy and more active than
many men at IS or 20.
Luke Parsons came west and landed
in Kansas May /. 1856. to assist in the
building up OF the commonwealth OF
Kansas, and when he left his old home
at Byron, Ill, he declared he would re-
main in Kansas until it became free
state and the troubles of the western
border were thorOly settled When
that time came he was 50 IN love with
the state he remained
Joined John Browns Army.
Mr.. Parsons landed at Lawrence
where he bought piece OF land tor
a small sum Of money He went TO
town for some provisions and when
he returned he found a note on the
door Of his small home which read;
NO Yankees wanted here; did not
Macy tell YOU ," Macy was the man
from whom Parsons had bought the
farm. and he left it because he was
a Yankee and had received the same
notice Parsons did not live on the
farm, but went to Lawrence, and ms
activities began at once HIS Irst 9oD
was the day clerk OF the Oh Eldrluge
house which was the headquarters
OF the free state men He had been
acting as clerk but a few days When
the Ouantrin raid occurred, and Par
sons was in the thickest of the tight
ing. altho he took no part except that
OF saving the women and children OF
the town.
shortly afterwards Parsons Joined
John Browns army and took an ac-
five part in the fighting at the battle
Of Osawatomie. in which he was
wounded He remained with Brown
until the latter left for the east,
which was the beginning of the end OF
Browns activities
parsons later enlisted in the eth
Kansas cavalry and served three years
and nine months in the army OF the
frontier. fighting Arkansas ousn-
vsackers Louisiana Tigers. Texas
rangers and the terrible Quantril and
his black flag He came to Saline
county in 1850 at the solicitation of
William H. Phillips. who had laid out
the town of Salina and afterwards
represented this district in congress
SaIlne's First Sheriff.
Parsons was not in this county long
when he was appointed sheriff, the
first sheriff of Saline county He aft
EDWARDS resigned the office. From
that day until a few years ago he was
actively engaged IN Du4lulIls up the
town. county and state.
He built the first residence in Sa-
lima at the corner of Santa Fe and
Iron avenues. now the principal bust
ness corner in the city, and he also
built the first saw mill here and blew
the first steam whistle ever heard in
Salina.
Mr.. Parsons had considerable sport
in buffalo hunting. but never hunted
for commercial purposes.
Parsons's activities in Kansas have
given him a national reputation and
frequently he has been invited to ad-
dress reunions of former military
bodies, and until a few years ago he
was a regular attendant at the re
unions of the Battle of Osawatomie.
and a few years ago made an address
Al a reunion there on the same day
that Col Theodore Roosevelt deliv-
cred an address