Joshua Wheeler was one of the best known, as well as one of the most

successful, farmers Atchison county ever had. His papers on questions

pertaining to agriculture and the farm, read before the various

societies, attracted wide-spread attention. In State affairs, he served

the public long and honorably, and for over twenty years was a member of

the State board of agriculture, serving three years as its president.

His long connection with the State Agriculture College gave him an

extended acquaintance over the State, and he was appointed regent for

that institution by Governor Harvey in 1871, and re-appointed by

Governor Martin in 1888, serving until April, 1894. During several years

of that time he was treasurer of the board, and gained an extensive

knowledge of the college and its history. He served in the State senate

during 1863 and 1864 and in the fall of 1885 was elected for another

term.

Joshua Wheeler was born in Buckingham, England, February 12, 1827, and

came to America in 1844, locating in New Jersey, where he resided four

years before removing to Illinois. In 1857 a colony of seven or eight

families of Fulton county, Illinois, farmers, Seventh-Day Baptists, came

to Kansas, and located in the southwest portion of Atchison county,

covering the entire distance overland. S. P. Griffin and Dennis Sounders

preceded the colony in the spring of the same year to look up a

location. They went as far to the southwest as Emporia, but found no

land equal to that of Atchison county. After locating the land for the

colony they went back to Illinois, but did not accompany the colony to

Kansas, but came a year or two later. Griffin farmed for nearly twenty

years, but afterwards became a Nortonville merchant. He was the father

of Charles T. Griffin, at one time an attorney in Atchison.

When the colony of Seventh-Day people arrived at the end of their

destination they found the land in possession of colonists, but they

bought them out, preëmpted claims and laid out the now famous Seventh-

Day Lane. The land was then an open prairie, occupied only by an

occasional hut. It is at this time the admiration of every visitor

abounding in well cultivated fields, pastures, groves, orchards,

comfortable homes, to which paint is no stranger, large barns, uniformly

trimmed hedges, and peopled by as thrifty a class as can be found in the

western country. Later on Seventh-Day people came from Iowa, Wisconsin

and New York, and joined the Illinois colony on Seventh-Day Lane, which

is two miles in length. The Seventh-Day Baptists observe their Sabbath

from sundown Friday evening to sundown Saturday evening. Their church

has a seating capacity of 400, which is always comfortably filled, and

was built in 1884, prior to which time the Seventh-Day Baptists

worshiped in their school house.

A. A. Randolph was the first pastor of the church on Seventh-Day Lane.

He came here from Pennsylvania in 1863, and died in 1868. S. R. Wheeler,

a brother of Joshua Wheeler, was pastor of the church for twelve years.

When the Seventh-Day Baptists built their homes on the Lane smooth wire

cost eleven and one-half cents per pound in Atchison, and ordinary

flooring, $100.00 per thousand feet. Money was loaned at four per cent.

per month. They did all of their trading in Atchison until Nortonville

was built.

Joshua Wheeler was not only a successful farmer, but a good business

man. He kept a regular set of books, and could always tell exactly what

it cost him to produce a bushel of wheat in any of the different years

of his farm experience. He could tell also what a bushel of corn, fed to

cattle, would produce. In 1877 he sold his wheat for $1.75 per bushel.

He owned a farm of over 300 acres, just at the west end of the Lane,

where he died on the fourteenth day of May, 1896.

WILLIAM HETHERINGTON.

William Hetherington, founder of the Exchange National Bank, came to

Atchison in 1859, from Pottsville, Penn., where he operated a flouring

mill. His three oldest children, Mrs. B. P. Waggener, W. W. Hetherington

and C. S. Hetherington, were born in Pottsville. Mrs. W. A. Otis, the

youngest daughter, was born in Atchison. William Hetherington himself

was born in Milton, Penn., May 10, 1821. He was also married there. When

he first came west he stopped in St. Louis, then went to Kansas City,

and later to Leavenworth, where he bought a bankrupt stock of goods and

hauled them to Atchison in wagons. This was in 1859. The same year he

established the Exchange Bank of William Hetherington, absorbing the

Kansas Valley Bank, owned by Robert L. Pease, which had been established

several years before.

Mr. Hetherington’s influence in Atchison was very marked. He was a

cultured gentleman of the old school, and was so generally respected,

although always a Democrat, he stood very high in the sixties when the

sectional bitterness was at its height, and did much to maintain peace

between the contending factions. He was a very able public speaker. He

was never a bitter partisan, and enjoyed the respect of the people to an

unusual degree. He was one of the early mayors of Atchison, and had a

successful career. He died on the twenty-first day of January, 1890.

WILLIAM C. SMITH.

William C. Smith, one of the early mayors of Atchison, came to Kansas in

1858 from Illinois, settling near Valley Falls. Two years later he

traded his farm to Sam Dickson for a stock of goods in Atchison and

removed to this city. The firm of William C. Smith & Son continued

sixteen years. The son was Henry T. Smith, who still resides in Atchison

(1915). Another son is William R. Smith, who is at present the attorney

for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, at Topeka, for a

number of years was a justice of the supreme court of Kansas. His oldest

daughter married P. L. Hubbard, who afterwards became district judge of

Atchison county, and another daughter married H. C. Solomon, for many

years a leading attorney of Atchison. Mr. Smith died in 1884. He was

mayor two terms; member of the legislature, council and the board of

education. Although Mr. Smith came to Kansas from Illinois, he was born

at Columbus, Ohio, in 1817.

JOHN M. PRICE.

John M. Price arrived in Atchison with his wife on the first of

September, 1858, the day the Massasoit House was formally opened for the

public. They came here from Platte City, Mo., to visit some old friends

from Kentucky, who had moved to Kansas, and after they arrived concluded

to remain. The Prices originally came from Irvine, Ky. Mr. Price studied

law in Irvine; was admitted and elected county attorney before coming to

Atchison. He was a Union man, in spite of the fact that he came from

Kentucky, and was very active in a business and professional way during

the early days of his residence in this county, and for many years

thereafter. He constructed more large and substantial buildings in

Atchison than any other individual who ever lived here. He built the

house for a residence, now occupied by Mt. St. Scholastica Academy, an

opera house and many blocks of business buildings and residences. He was

a member of the legislature several times; was prominently mentioned as

a candidate for United States senator. Mr. Price died on the twentieth

day of October, 1898.

SAMUEL C. KING.

Samuel C. King came to Atchison March 27, 1857. His brothers, Ed. and

John, together with a sister and his widowed mother, arrived here the

year before, coming here with Dr. W. L. Challiss, in the steam ferry,

“Ida,” from Brownsville, Penn., where that boat was built. The King

family came originally from England, within thirty-five miles of

Liverpool, where the children were born, and where the father died. Ed.

King was the first pilot of the ferry boat, “Ida,” when it began making

trips to Atchison. The three sons and the mother took up claims in Mt.

Pleasant township. While living there three old neighbors came out and

Samuel C. King went out with them to look for claims. They were told

that there was plenty of vacant land near Monrovia, but Mr. King advised

them that it was too far out in the wilderness, and they went elsewhere.

(Monrovia is fourteen miles from Atchison). While the other members of

the family were getting their start Samuel C. King clerked in George T.

Challiss’ store, receiving $25.00 per month, and boarded himself. He

afterwards went to work for Mike Finney, steamboat wharf master, and was

practically the first express agent in Atchison. Later he went out to

his farm and split rails to fence it, and afterwards clerked for Bowman

& Blair for $25.00 per month and board. He enlisted in the navy in June,

1861, enlisting as a landsman on the man of war, “Augusta.” He served on

this ship through all the exciting scenes of the navy during the war,

and was at the battle of Point Royal. He assisted in capturing eight

British ships, which tried to run the blockade, and his part of the

prize money amounted to over $7,000.00. He was at the bombardment of Ft.

Sumpter, and at the taking of Tyble Island, off Savannah, Ga. He spent

eleven months at sea, working for the “Alabama,” and rounded Cape

Hatteras. He saw the burning of Charleston, and finally learning that

his mother was fatally ill, he came home. He was elected county

treasurer of Atchison county. Mr. King remained a prosperous capitalist

and real estate operator, until his death on the twenty-third day of

January, 1910.

CLEM ROHR.

Clem Rohr came originally from Buffalo, N. Y., where he was born in

1835. He learned the trade of harness maker there, and afterwards worked

at his trade at Chicago, Detroit and Moline, Ill. In Davenport, Iowa, he

heard Jim Lane make a speech about Kansas. This speech caused Rohr to go

to Leavenworth in 1856, and while living in that town and employed as

mail carrier he ran into the famous battle of Hickory Point. He slept in

Hickory Point the night after the fight and helped fix up the wounded.

He walked to Atchison in 1857 from Leavenworth, with Nick Greiner, for

many years a prosperous German farmer, south of Atchison, and started a

harness shop, which he conducted in the same place on the south side of

Commercial street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, for over forty

years.

The first telegram that came to Atchison announcing that Kansas had been

admitted was sent to Clem Rohr, and was signed by S. C. Pomeroy. He

served as mayor of Atchison. Early in the sixties when the home guard

was organized in Atchison Clem Rohr was made captain. His father was one

of Napoleon Bonaparte’s body-guard, and was with that great soldier at

Austerlitz in the Russian campaign, and at the battle of Waterloo. Mr.

Rohr always claimed that Julius Newman, who had a farm near the

Soldiers’ Home, made the first filing in the Lecompton land office.

Mr. Rohr died in Atchison on the twenty-third day of May, 1910.

R. H. WEIGHTMAN.

One of the most interesting and romantic early-day characters in

Atchison county was Maj. R. H. Weightman, an ex-major of the United

States army, who was associated with a famous frontier tragedy. Major

Weightman was a violent pro-slavery man and had been reared in the

South. Before coming to Kickapoo, where he was connected with the land

office, and subsequently to Atchison, he was the editor of the _Herald_

at Santa Fe, N. M., and also a delegate to Congress from that Territory.

F. X. Aubrey, the other party to the quarrel, was a French Canadian, of

great pluck and energy, and had made a reputation on a wager in 1852,

riding from Santa Fe to Independence, Mo., in a few hours over eight

days. The next year he wagered $1,000 he could go the same distance in

less than eight days. His bet was accepted and Aubrey covered the

distance in less than five days. Following these rides he engaged in the

freighting business over the plains and he and Major Weightman became

warm personal friends. Aubrey later made a trip to California, taking a

herd of sheep, which he sold at a fine profit. It was upon his return

from this trip that he and Weightman had their famous quarrel. The

fairest account of this incident appeared in the _Missouri Republican_,

September 28, 1854, which was in the form of a communication from a

correspondent of that paper, and was as follows:

“THE CASE OF MAJOR WEIGHTMAN.

“Mr. Editor: The deplorable event by which F. X. Aubrey lost his

life and which deprived the West of one of its most energetic and

able pioneers, will not be passed lightly over. The name of Mr.

Aubrey had become too closely identified with all that is gallant,

preserving, and—in a western sense, at least—brave and chivalrous,

that his memory and his sudden death should not awaken painful

emotions among all those to whom his name had become a household

word; emotions too painful to expect that, under his influence, full

justice would be done to both parties concerned. When, therefore, an

opportunity is afforded by which the facts, as nearly as we can

approach them, may be investigated, it would seem injustice to

withhold these facts from the public.

“Though, perhaps, less historically known (if the expression be

permitted) than Mr. Aubrey, Major Weightman has peculiar claims upon

the citizens of Missouri, and especially of St. Louis, for demanding

full and impartial justice in this behalf. Without wishing to

anticipate the judgment of your readers, or at all commenting upon

the evidence which will be found below, your correspondent, in view

of the grave charge in which Major Weightman is involved, and the

melancholy importance of the event, deems it his duty,

notwithstanding, here to state what may be known to most of your

readers, that Major Weightman, for years, formerly, was a resident

of St. Louis, beloved and respected, almost without any exception,

by all with whom he came in contact.

“Amongst the many of Missouri’s citizens who participated in the

late Mexican war, Major, then Captain Weightman, at the head of his

Light Artillery Company, won laurels which placed his name foremost

among the bravest and most gallant in that war. His fellow soldiers

still in our midst will cheerfully bear your correspondent

testimony, that Captain Weightman’s gallantry as a soldier and

officer was only surpassed by his urbanity and true kindliness of

feeling as a gentleman; and if the evidence adduced upon his

preliminary examination before the examining magistrate should

sustain Weightman’s plan of self-defense in the premises, his former

friends here and abroad, and his fellow soldiers, will be glad to

learn that the qualities of heart, for which they used most to prize

Captain Weightman, in former years, remain untainted even now, when

his name has become unfortunately coupled with a most grave and

serious charge. May the public judge, and may not the unquestioned

enviable renown of Captain Aubrey’s name tend to warp calm judgment

in pronouncing upon the guilt or innocence of the accused.

“The following evidence, being a synopsis of the process verbatim at

the preliminary examination before Judge Davenport, at Santa Fe,

have been transmitted to your correspondent from New Mexico by a

third person, and, as your correspondent has every reason to

believe, may be fully relied on. It is in the main supported by your

former notices published in the _Republican_ concerning this same

transaction.

“The circumstances are these: Major Weightman, hearing of the

arrival of Aubrey, and that he was at the store of the Messrs.

Mercure, merchants at Santa Fe, crossed the plaza to see him, and

was one of the first to take him by the hand and greet him as a

friend. When Major Weightman arrived at the store of the Messrs.

Mercure, several persons had already arrived to pay their respects

to Mr. Aubrey.

“Aubrey and Weightman met kindly, shook hands, and conversed

pleasantly for a short time, when something having been said by a

third person about the route by which Aubrey had arrived from

California, Aubrey asked the major if he had yet published his paper

in Albuquerque. The major said, no; that it was dead—had died a

natural death from want of subscribers. Aubrey then said it should

have died, because of the lies with which it was filled. This was

said without excitement. When Weightman asked ‘What lies?’ Aubrey

remarked: ‘When I returned from California last year you asked me

for information in respect to my route, and afterwards you abused

me.’ This Weightman denied, saying, ‘No, Aubrey, I did not abuse

you.’ Aubrey then said, more or less excited, ‘I say you did, and I

now repeat, it is a lie,’ at the same time bringing his hand down

with force upon the counter.

“At this Weightman, who was sitting on the counter, five or six feet

from Aubrey, sprang down and approached Aubrey, who had been

standing near the counter, and taking a glass from which Aubrey had

been drinking (a toddy), threw the contents in his face. Weightman

immediately stepped back, when Aubrey drew a pistol (Colt’s belt

pistol), the first shot from which took effect in the ceiling

(supposed to have gone off while cocking). Weightman then drew a

knife, and before another shot could be fired, closed with Aubrey

and stabbed him in the abdomen, and soon after seized Aubrey’s

pistol.

“The Messrs. Mercure rushed on and seized the parties. Aubrey

rapidly sank, and as soon as he relinquished his pistol Weightman

said: ‘I did it in my own defense, and I will go and surrender

myself to the authorities,’ which he did, accompanied by his friend,

Major Cunningham. Aubrey died in a few minutes. He received but the

one blow. Major Weightman has carried a bowie knife for his own

protection for a year past, believing it to be necessary for him to

do so. This was stated as the cause of his being armed. Aubrey was

of the number of those who were inimical to him. The relations

between Aubrey and Weightman had been heretofore of the most

agreeable character.”

Major Weightman was a resident of Atchison only a few years. At the

outbreak of the war he joined the southern army, and lost his life in

the battle of Wilson’s Creek.

CHAPTER XIII.

AGRICULTURE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT.

AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY—SCIENTIFIC FARMING—FARMERS, THE ARISTOCRACY

OF THE WEST—MODERN IMPROVEMENT—TOPOGRAPHY—SOIL—STATISTICS.

Atchison county is distinctively an agricultural community. There have

been some earnest efforts made in the past to develop its mineral

resources, and it is not beyond the realm of possibility that future

efforts in that direction will unlock hidden resources of fabulous

value. But in the future, as in the past, agriculture will be the big

important dividend producer in this county. Up to this time it is not

unfair to say that only the surface of the soil has been scratched.

Farming has been the occupation of a very large portion of our people

from the days when the first settlers took up their claims and with

crude implements, broke the sod, down to this enlightened age, of the

riding plow and the traction engine, but scientific husbandry has not

been followed on a large scale in this county. Crops have been so easy

to produce, on account of rich soil and a favorable climate, that the

methods employed in countries not so blessed and of a greater

population, have not been followed in the past. This is not an

arraignment of the former, for Atchison county has been peculiarly

blessed in its possession of an intelligent lot of thrifty farmers. They

have toiled and labored early and late; they have built comfortable

homes, accumulated fortunes, and are the sturdy, dependable citizens of

the county, but for over sixty years they have lacked organization and

the prosperous farmers have succeeded because of their own personal

initiative, judgment and hard work. As a class they have not made the

progress to which they are justly entitled. Those that came early and

remained, have in most instances met with rare success, but they worked

out their own salvation, unaided by scientific organization.

One hundred and sixty of them have banded together for mutual help and

have secured a county agricultural agent to assist them in this

direction, as the rich country in the States east of us have been forced

to do. The soil also has an abundance of potash and a creditable amount

of phosphorus, so with the proper use of legumes and manure, with the

addition of some phosphorus, the fertility of the soil may be increased

and maintained indefinitely. If soil washing is stopped and the organic

matter in the soil maintained, this county has a soil, that

agriculturally speaking, is second to none.

The real aristocracy in the West, will, in future generations, trace its

ancestry back to the pioneers, who settled on the land and tilled it.

Those who went into trade and the professions when they came to Atchison

county prior to 1860, and in subsequent years, have prospered, in part,

by their wits, but in the main, on the farmer. The farmers were then, as

now, the real wealth producers and so it has come to pass, after these

many years, that the farmer “has arrived,” and with the increase in

population and the general trend of advancement and improvement in all

human activities, farming now stands near the top of the big human

enterprises. The desire for organization and coöperation among the

farmers is growing everywhere, and it has taken hold of Atchison county

in recent years.

The farmer’s life in this county, in the late fifties and early sixties,

was a hard and lonely one. During those years many homesteads were

preëmpted, fifteen to twenty-one miles southwest, west and northwest of

Atchison, and onto these the young pioneers took their wives and

families. There they built their log houses, “broke out” their land, and

put it to corn and wheat. There were few neighbors, fewer creature

comforts, and no conveniences. It was a solitary life.

This history contains biographical sketches of many of these pioneers,

and in them will be found the intimate stories of hardships, privations

and discomforts. They came to conquer the resources of nature, and they

accomplished what they came after. There were no highways over which to

convey their crops when harvested, and the ways to the nearest market

were long and dreary ones. It was a two days’ trip over the prairies to

Atchison with a load of grain, and there were few ways to economize

time, although, fortunately, time was not an object then, as it is in

these restless days.

And yet within the short span of the lives of farmers who are still

here, there has been a marvelous development. Log houses have given way

to fine commodious homes, steam heated and electric lighted; great barns

shelter the stock, and house the grain; the telephone, the rural

delivery and the automobile have revolutionized the farmer’s life and

the farmer’s wife. Better roads are the order of the day, and it will be

along this line that great progress will be made in the immediate

future. Meanwhile, land values are on the increase, and the quarter

sections that sold from $500 to $800 each, fifty years ago, are now

bringing $16,000 to $24,000 each. Within the year 1915 there has been a

general trend of sentiment among the more enterprising farmers to put

farming upon a more scientific basis. The services of a farm adviser

have been secured, whose duty it is to assist in this direction. They

are learning more of food values, crop rotation and diversification,

soil culture and plant life. As the value of these things become more

apparent, the farming industry will thrive more, and in another

generation the problem of keeping the young men and young women on the

farm will have been solved.

The richest and most valuable farming land in Atchison county is very

generally distributed. There are parts of each township that are rough

and broken, but as the population increases land not now regarded as

choice will be made to produce abundant crops. The river bluffs, which

have stood so long in timber, are gradually being cleared and the bare

hills which are left, are admirably adapted to fruit, wheat and alfalfa.

Much of this land is as well adapted to fruit raising as is the already

famous Wathena district, some of it being exactly the same type of soil.

All that is needed is that the fruit growers give their plantations

care. The orchard that is properly cared for produces fruit of a quality

far superior to that of the famous Northwest. Incidentally, this land

returns the grower a greater net profit.

Atchison county lies within the glaciated portion of the plains region.

The underlying rocks are buried by the glacial till, but in turn is

covered by a deposit of fine silty material, known as loess. Practically

all the soil throughout this country is derived from the loess covering.

The principal soil is a brown, almost black, silty loam, well adapted to

the production of general farm crops. The rainfall is sufficient for the

maturing of all crops, the normal annual precipitation ranging from

fifteen to twenty-five inches. Atchison county has a population ranging

from 28,000 to 30,000 people. There was a slight decrease in the

population between the years of 1900 and 1910, yet, in spite of this

apparent unfavorable showing, the value of farm land and farm products

have increased. About ninety-five per cent. of the land in this county

is in farms, of an average value of $69.26 per acre. The proportionate

land area is 263,680 acres, of which 249,339 acres are in farms, with an

aggregate land value of $17,270,130, which is more than double what it

was in 1900, and over two million dollars more than the whole of the

Louisiana Purchase cost us in 1803. Figures and statistics are

proverbially dry and uninteresting, but there is no place in which they

can be more appropriately used than in history, and no language that can

be employed could tell a better story of the agricultural progress of

Atchison county, than the statistics taken from the thirteenth census of

the United States. From this source we find that the total value of

improvements on the farms in this county in 1910 was $2,692,755, and

that the value of the implements and machinery used by the farmers, not

including automobiles, was $499,129. While the value of domestic animals

and live stock was $2,149,863, and in these figures poultry is not

included. The chicken, duck, goose and turkey census reached 150,127,

and these were valued at $77,926. The total value of all crops shown by

the census of 1910 was as follows:

Cereals $1,928,065.00

Other grain and seeds 3,577.00

Hay and forage 281,793.00

Vegetables 94,232.00

Fruits and nuts 32,297.00

All other crops 30,883.00

—————————————

Grand Total $2,370,847.00

Making a grand total of $2,370,847.00.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PRESS.

INFLUENCE OF NEWSPAPERS—PART PLAYED BY THE EARLY PRESS—“SQUATTER

SOVEREIGN”—“FREEDOM’S CHAMPION”—“CHAMPION AND PRESS”—PIONEER

EDITORS—LATER NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPER MEN.

Of all the mighty powers for good and evil, none can excel the

newspaper. Take all the newspapers out of the world today and there

would be chaos. Mankind would lie groping in the dark, and life itself

would be a vain and empty thing. Newspapers are the arteries through

which the lifeblood of the world runs. They carry to our firesides the

continued story of civilization.

Early in the history of Atchison county, before the schools and the

churches, the newspaper appeared. It received a bounty of the original

town company when that association, September 21, 1854, by a resolution,

donated $400 to Robert Kelley and Dr. J. H. Stringfellow, to start a

printing office, and it was then that the _Squatter Sovereign_ was

conceived, and after a brief period of gestation, was born February 3,

1855. By a strange stroke of misfortune this first newspaper in the

county stood for a wrong principle and preached bad doctrine, for it

advocated human slavery. Yet it was a creature of environment, and

reflected the prevailing sentiment of its constituency. It was fearless

in its attitude and rabid in its utterances. It was a violent organ of

hate and bitterness toward all Free State men, and in it appeared a

constant flood of inflammatory comment directed against those who

opposed slavery, and were determined that Kansas should be the land of

the brave and the home of the free. But as the pro-slavery cause waned,

the _Squatter Sovereign_ waned with it, and in the fall of 1857, when

saner counsel and the feeling of brotherhood grew, the town company

disposed of its interest in the _Squatter Sovereign_ to the New England

Aid Society, of which S. C. Pomeroy was agent, and the paper then passed

into the hands of Robert McBratney and Franklin G. Adams. Mr. Adams and

Mr. McBratney were both Free Soilers, but they did not run the paper

long. It was shortly sold to O. F. Short, who ran it until the following

February, and on the twentieth day of that month, 1858. John A. Martin

purchased the plant and changed the name of the paper to _Freedom’s

Champion_. Under that name Colonel Martin made of his paper one of the

leading Free State organs of the Territory. Always a brilliant editor,

of courage and deep convictions, Colonel Martin during his whole career

never performed a greater service than during the time he shouted the

battle-cry of freedom through the columns of _Freedom’s Champion_, from

1858 to 1861. In September of the latter year, he laid aside his pen and

took up his sword in defense of the principles he so stoutly advocated,

and thus translated his words into deeds. When he went to the front he

left the _Champion_ in charge of George J. Stebbins, who continued in

charge until the fall of 1863, when it was leased to John J. Ingalls and

Robert H. Horton. These two men afterwards became political rivals. Both

were lawyers and both residents of Atchison for many years. Horton was a

typical lawyer, smooth and tactful, who enjoyed a successful career in

the practice of his profession and on the bench. Ingalls was of a

different temperament, being more intellectual, caring little for the

law, less tactful, but ambitious. They both met in the arena of

politics, and Horton was the vanquished. Following the senatorial

election of 1879, at which they were both candidates, they became bitter

enemies, and did not speak until they met, by chance, in London, in

1891. While these two men were editors of the _Champion_. Ingalls did

most of the writing and kept things warm until the return of Colonel

Martin from the war in January, 1865, one of the Nation’s heroes. Three

months after his return, on the twenty-second day of March, 1865.

Colonel Martin became the publisher of a daily paper, and on August 11,

1868, the _Freedom’s Champion_ was consolidated with the _Atchison Free

Press_, under the name of _Champion and Press_. The _Free Press_ was a

Republican daily paper, and first appeared May 5, 1864, with Franklin G.

Adams as its editor and proprietor. In April, 1865, Frank A. Root became

a partner, and subsequently, L. R. Elliott, who had been an assistant

editor, became a proprietor, with Mr. Root retiring later, when the

paper was consolidated with the _Champion_.

The office of the _Champion and Press_ was destroyed by fire May 20,

1869, but three weeks later the paper was in running order, with John A.

Martin as sole editor and proprietor, and from that date until the death

of Mr. Martin October 2, 1889, it remained one of the most influential

and prosperous papers in the State of Kansas.

Upon the death of Mr. Martin, the newspaper property was turned over to

his father-in-law, W. L. Challiss, as executor of Mr. Martin’s estate,

and on the day of Mr. Martin’s death the name of Phillip Krohn appears

as managing editor. Krohn occupied that important place until March 29,

1890, when his name appeared for the last time as editor. Dr. Phillip

Krohn was a man of brilliant attainments, a fluent writer, and a

pleasing public speaker. He was a Methodist minister by profession, but,

although he occupied the pulpit upon occasions, his name was seldom

taken seriously in connection with religious work. From the date of

Governor Martin’s death the paper gradually waned in influence. The

paper remained the property of the estate of Governor Martin, and Luther

C. Challiss was editor and manager, until October 11, 1804, when A. J.

Felt, an ex-lieutenant governor of Kansas, became its editor and

proprietor. The paper did not prosper under the management of Mr. Felt,

and four years later a company was organized by Charles M. Sheldon, a

promoter, and Mr. Sheldon became its editor May 2, 1898. Mr. Sheldon was

an enthusiastic and aggressive individual, who had very little respect

for the value of money, which he spent so lavishly that two months

later, July 1, 1898, his name appeared for the last time as editor of

the _Champion_. On the twentieth of that month the paper was sold to

satisfy a mortgage and the property was re-purchased by A. J. Felt, who

immediately transferred it to the Champion Linotype Printing Company, a

partnership, composed of Edward Skinner, George T. Housen, Charles O.

Hovatter, James McNamara and A. J. Felt. Mr. Felt again resumed the

editorial management of the paper, and remained in charge until January

1, 1899.

February 3, 1899, Henry Kuhn, who surveyed the townsite of Atchison,

returned to the city with his son, James G. Kuhn. They made a heroic

effort to restore the lost prestige of the _Champion_, but soon became

discouraged, and in the latter part of May or early in the June

following, they gave up the ghost and silently disappeared. The

mortgagees continued the publication of the paper, and July 31, 1899,

the name of John A. Reynolds appears as business manager. It had no

editor until August 23, 1899, when James G. Day, Jr., a young lawyer,

occupying a desk in the office of Waggener, Horton & Orr, became editor

and manager. Mr. Day ran a daily until January 9, 1900, when it was

discontinued. The following March he published a daily for one week, “as

the devil would run it,” a piece of cynicism in reply to an effort the

_Topeka Capital_ made a short time before, when that paper was turned

over to Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, the eminent Congregational preacher,

who ran that paper one week, “As Jesus would run it.”

Meanwhile, the _Champion_ had its ups and downs, but did not die. A

daily again appeared April 22, 1901, with Ewing Herbert, one of the

celebrated newspaper men of Kansas, as its editor and owner. Mr. Herbert

was at that time the owner of the _Brown County World_, at Hiawatha. He

conceived the idea that Atchison offered an attractive field for a

newspaper venture, and he succeeded in interesting some local capital in

his enterprise. Capt. John Seaton was a stockholder, among others, and

Jay House, the present mayor of Topeka (1915) and a brilliant newspaper

paragrapher, was city editor. Mr. Herbert spent only part of his time in

Atchison, and turned over the management of the _Champion_ to Mr. House.

It looked for a time as if Mr. Herbert was going to make a success of

his venture, but just at the height of his prosperity he was guilty of

an editorial indiscretion, which turned some powerful influences against

the paper, and on August 17, 1901, Mr. Herbert gave up his effort as a

bad job and turned the plant over to one W. A. Robinson, formerly of St.

Louis, Mo. Mr. Robinson was a follower of Henry George, the great single

taxer, and conceived it to be his duty to spread the single tax

propaganda through the editorial columns of the _Champion_. His efforts

in this direction did not prove profitable, and becoming disheartened

and discouraged he fled from the city shortly thereafter, a much poorer

but wiser man.

The _Champion_ next fell into the hands of Corman H. Young, for many

years a successful music merchant, of Atchison, who incidentally

acquired a small job printing plant, which he operated on North Fifth

street, and which he subsequently merged with the _Champion_ plant,

having acquired that by paying off the mortgage which Mr. Robinson gave

Ewing Herbert at the lime he undertook to acquire the property. Mr.

Young ran a weekly paper for a number of years, until May, 1907, when he

employed Walt Mason, the famous prose poet of the United States, to

assume the editorial management of a daily. Mr. Mason many years before

had been a resident of Atchison, and ran the Globe during the absence of

Mr. Howe in Europe. He was not so famous in 1907 as he is in 1915, but

he was just as brilliant. He published the daily _Champion_ on pink

paper and filled it with columns of editorial matter and humorous

running comment on current affairs. Mr. Mason had a wonderful capacity

for work and could prepare more “copy” in one day than all the other

writers on the paper could prepare in a week. During the summer of 1907,

Sheffield Ingalls, having returned from the legislature, where he was a

member of the house of representatives, became an editorial writer on

the _Champion_. November 20, 1907, Mr. Young prevailed upon Mr. Ingalls

to give up his other work and become editor of the paper. As Mr. Ingalls

walked into the office, Mr. Mason walked out, never to return. Mr.

Ingalls remained editor and manager of the _Champion_ until October 6,

1909, having been frustrated in plans he had made to acquire the

property as his own. Mr. Young continued to run the paper until July 1,

1911, when Mr. Ingalls, with the assistance of J. C. Killarney,

succeeded in organizing a company, which purchased the paper and turned

it over to Eugene C. Pulliam, as editor. Mr. Pulliam was a young man,

who had served his apprenticeship on the _Kansas City Star_ as a

reporter. He was a good writer, but lacked experience and business

judgment, and while he made a vigorous effort to run the paper, and had

the benefit of strong financial connections, he did not succeed, and

September 1, 1914, he turned the paper over to Sheffield Ingalls as

trustee, and it was subsequently sold to A. S. Andereck and his brother,

A. P. Andereck, of Kankakee, Ill. A few months later a company was

organized, composed of the Andereck brothers, O. A. Simmons, vice-

president of the First National Bank, Wilbur C. Hawk and Sheffield

Ingalls, who in 1915 are conducting the paper, and it is enjoying its

most prosperous days since the death of its brilliant editor, John A.

Martin.

In 1877 there came to Atchison a young man who subsequently became one

of the famous editors of the United States, Edgar Watson Howe. Mr. Howe

was born in Wabash county, Indiana, May 3, 1854, a son of Henry and

Elizabeth Howe. When he was about three years of age his family removed

to Bethany, Harrison county, Missouri, where the father, a Methodist

preacher, published a newspaper of strong abolition sentiments. The

younger Mr. Howe served an apprenticeship at the printer’s trade in his

father’s office, and in 1868 started out for himself. He visited various

cities, working at the case to earn money to pay his way from one place

to another, and at the age of eighteen became the publisher of the

weekly _Globe_, at Golden, Colo. From there he went to Falls City, Neb.,

where he published a newspaper, subsequently coming to Atchison, and

established the _Daily Globe_. When Mr. Howe reached Atchison, the

_Champion_, under the management of John A. Martin, was the most

powerful newspaper organ in the northern half of Kansas, and the field

here was none too promising on this account. However, Mr. Howe proceeded

to publish a paper of an entirely different type than that published by

Mr. Martin. It was a small sheet, and was devoted to “_gab, gossip and

paid locals_,” and for over thirty years this policy was successfully

maintained by Mr. Howe. It was unique in the journalistic world, and

under the management of Mr. Howe it acquired a National reputation,

chiefly because of the quaint, homely philosophy it contained and the

unusual treatment he gave the ordinary incidents of human life. As a

reporter of this class of news, Mr. Howe was perhaps without a peer in

the country. For over thirty years he tramped the streets of Atchison

with note-book and pencil, and to practically every item he turned in he

gave a peculiar twist, which reflected a remarkable insight of human

nature. With Mr. Howe were associated Miss Frances L. Garside, Ralph

(“Doc”) Tennal, Miss Nellie Webb and J. E. Rank. To each of them Mr.

Howe was indebted for much of the success the _Globe_ attained. The

death of Col. John A. Martin and the collapse of the _Champion_, that

followed, gave Mr. Howe his opportunity, and for the greater part of his

active newspaper career in Atchison he had the field to himself. The

_Globe_ was a great financial success and in one year it has been said

that Mr. Howe cleared close to $24,000 on his property. “Doc” Tennal was

the first one of Mr. Howe’s faithful associates to break up the _Globe_

family. Mr. Tennal was a remarkable reporter of local news, but being

ambitious and realizing the limitations by which he was surrounded, he

concluded to acquire a newspaper property of his own, and in pursuance

of that plan, he bought the _Sabetha Herald_ in 1905, subsequently

relinquishing it to become editor of the _Kansas City Weekly Star_. He

returned some years later to Sabetha, and re-purchased the _Herald_

plant, and is now the editor of that prosperous and progressive paper

(1915).

J. E. Rank left the _Globe_ a few years later, and went to Bartlesville,

Okla., where he ran a paper a short time, and then returned to Atchison,

and his first newspaper love.

Miss Garside, who was one of the most brilliant newspaper women in the

country, went from the _Globe_ to the _New York Journal_, and in 1909

Mr. Howe turned the _Globe_ over to his son, Eugene Howe, who is now

(1915) its editor and principal owner. Associated with him are Mr. Rank

and Miss Nellie Webb, together with other old _Globe_ employes.

Miss Webb is the society reporter, and in this capacity she has acquired

a brilliant reputation among the newspaper women of Kansas. The “policy”

of the _Globe_ remains unchanged, and, while it may not enjoy the same

prestige it had during the days of the elder Howe, it is still one of

the moneymaking newspaper plants of Kansas. Eugene Howe is a young man

of much promise. He is still young and has spent his life in newspaper

work. He has carried the new responsibilities thrust upon him by his

father both gracefully and tactfully, and there is every reason to

predict a successful future for him.

Among the early newspaper enterprises of Atchison was _The Patriot_,

established by Nelson Abbott October 25, 1867. In September, 1868,

Messrs. H. Clay Park, B. P. Waggener and Mr. Abbott formed a

partnership, under the name of H. Clay Park & Company, and purchased the

establishment, and in October of the same year, the paper passed into

the hands of C. F. and C. P. Cochrane, but shortly thereafter reverted

to Nelson Abbott, who remained in control until December, 1875. Dr. H.

B. Horn, for many years a respected and honored citizen of Atchison, was

connected with the paper as bookkeeper and business manager, and

performed much of the editorial work, and when Mr. Abbott finally

relinquished control of the paper, it fell again into the hands of H.

Clay Park, who together with F. L. Vandergrift and P. H. Peters, assumed

control. Mr. Peters did not remain long in the partnership, and in 1877

he sold his interest to E. W. Beall. The paper was Democratic, and Mr.

Park, who was very actively identified with the affairs of Atchison in

the early days, was an able editor. He left Atchison twenty-five years

later, to become an editorial writer on the _St. Joseph News_ and

_Press_. F. L. Vandergrift is one of the famous newspaper men of Kansas,

and for many years was the representative in Kansas of the _Kansas City

Star_. He is one of the best loved and best known newspaper writers of

the West, and is now (1915) editor of the _Earth_, a publication devoted

to the interests of the Santa Fe railroad.

One of the well known newspaper men of the West connected with _The

Patriot_ was Tom Stivers, who was connected with the _Champion_ for

eight years, and in January, 1879, became a partner with Mr. Park and

Mr. Vandergrift.

_The Patriot_ was an afternoon daily paper, and always stanchly

Democratic in politics, and for many years was a successful journalistic

enterprise. This paper continued to be published either as a weekly or a

daily until about October 12, 1895. It was in a precarious condition

many years before that date, and had a number of different editors,

among them F. M. Stambaugh and W. J. Montgomery. _The Atchison Morning

Star_ and _Daily Patriot_ was built upon the wreck of the original

_Patriot_, its first issue being dated October 13, 1895, and running

until February 23, 1896.

_The Atchison Union_ was a Democratic paper, established by Gideon O.

Chase, about 1858. It had an office in a frame building at the southwest

corner of Fifth and Commercial streets, subsequently occupied by the

_Champion_. Mr. Chase came from Waverly. N. V., and his paper, while

Democratic, was for the Union and against slavery. Mr. Chase did not

remain in charge of the paper very long, and turned it over to W. H.

Addoms and G. I. Stebbins. Shortly thereafter Stebbins retired, and

Addoms went to Leavenworth, where he started a paper, turning his

interest over to A. P. Cochrane, who was an employe in the office.

Cochrane did not run the paper but a short time, when a Mr. Leland,

Francis J. Marion and Franklin G. Adams assumed control and ran it a

short time, when Marion took the plant of Plattsburg, Mo., and junked

it, and for many years what was left of the paper was piled up in the

court house at that place.

_The Atchison Church Visitor_ was established in 1906, and was published

by the pastors of the following churches: English Lutheran, Methodist,

Christian, Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist.

On January 14, 1911, Paul Tonsing became its editor and publisher. The

paper is printed by Mr. Tonsing in the office over 500 Commercial

street, so long occupied as the editorial room of John A. Martin, of

whom Mr. Tonsing is a son-in-law. Mr. Tonsing is a Lutheran minister by

profession, and for a number of years after his graduation from Midland

College, he did pastoral work in a number of Lutheran churches in

Nebraska and Kansas. Mr. Tonsing is a reformer, and a man not without

courage and ability. His views are looked upon as too extreme by the

conservative liberal element of Atchison, but all give him credit for

being conscientious and honest. He is a hard-working, industrious

citizen, and, while he has made inane active enemies in his reform work,

he enjoys the personal satisfaction of seeing many of the reforms he has

advocated come to pass. He is an avowed foe of the liquor traffic, and

has perhaps done more than any other individual in the community to make

his views on that question effective. In connection with the publication

of the _Church Visitor_, Mr. Tonsing also prints and edits the _Western

Chief_, a monthly publication devoted to the Improved Order of Redmen.

_E. W. Howe’s Monthly_ was started by Mr. Howe in March, 1911. It is

published monthly and contains practically all of the present literary

efforts of its editor. Mr. Howe has adopted the use of pink paper for

this publication, which is composed of four pages. It contains no

advertising matter, but has a large circulation among friends and

admirers of Mr. Howe’s peculiar literary type. Mr. Howe has popularized

this monthly by making the price so low that no subscriber can afford

not to take it, and when he has reached a circulation large enough, he

plans to put it on a profitable basis as an advertising medium.

_The Effingham New Leaf_ was started about April 12, 1894, with M. C.

Klingman, editor, and his wife, Mrs. Ima L. Klingman, as associate

editor. The _New Leaf_ was the successor of the _Effingham Times_,

founded in 1887, and the _Effingham Graphic_, founded in 1891, and the

_Effingham World_, founded in 1893. After the death of M. C. Klingman,

at the Missouri Baptist sanitarium, at St. Louis, Mo., May 5, 1899, Mrs.

Klingman took charge as editor and publisher, and employed W. W. Cahoon,

associate editor. January 4, 1901, J. W. Coleman became the editor and

publisher, and W. W. Cahoon, associate editor. In December, 1903, W. W.

Cahoon purchased a one-half interest and the firm became Coleman &

Cahoon. Mr. Coleman re-purchased the paper October 16, 1903, and

continued its publication until September 8, 1903, when Mr. Cahoon and

C. E. Sells became the editors and publishers. May 4 of the following

year Mr. Cahoon sold his interest to W. H. Sells, and August 31, 1906,

C. E. and A. J. Sells took charge of the paper, and in 1915 were still

its publishers.

_The Effingham New Leaf_ is a successful country newspaper, serving its

readers faithfully and satisfactorily.

_The Muscotah Record_ was founded about October 1, 1884, by F. M.

Bonham, who ran the paper until about 1886, when on August 18 of that

year the Miller brothers became its editors and publishers. They sold it

to Claud Martin and Coleman Martin December 4, 1889, who subsequently

sold the plan to M. C. Klingman, editor of the _Effingham New Leaf_,

May, 1890. Mr. Klingman turned the property over to Fred W. Badger July

18, 1890, who continued the paper until December 8, 1893, when he

disposed of it to John Ford. Ford published the paper until November 1,

1894, when he sold it to James S. Martin and Guy L. Stotter, the latter

assuming entire control March 6, 1896. Mr. Stotter sold the _Record_ to

J. W. Campbell August 17, 1905, but assumed control of it again November

23, 1905, and remained in control until June 6, 1907, when J. A.

Shoemaker, who afterwards became county superintendent of Atchison

county, appeared as its editor and publisher. When Mr. Shoemaker was

elected county superintendent, he turned the property over to A. W.

Huntis, who on February 3, 1910, sold it to P. J. Cortelyon, and March

7, 1912, the property was purchased by R. M. Dunlap, who is now (1915)

its editor and publisher.

_The Huron Herald_ started January 7, 1892, with Frank I. White as

editor and publisher. On May 16, 1895, Messrs. Priest & Priest took

charge and were in control October 18, 1896, when the office was

destroyed by fire. The paper was suspended for a few weeks and the next

issue was dated November 6, 1896, with W. E. Johnson, editor and

publisher. _The Herald_ suspended publication in February, 1897, and was

again resurrected by W. A. Huff by the issue of April 9, 1897. Mr. Huff

discontinued the paper in 1900, and went to Brown county, where he was

active in newspaper work in that county. _The Huron Herald_ was revived

again April 12, 1907, by J. E. Smith, who published it until March 12,

1914, and March 19 of that year. J. M. Delaney announced that through no

fault of his, he was forced to take control of the paper, and had

employed Herman Van. On August 19, 1915, T. A. Cur became editor, and on

November 11, 1915, Orvil L. Pancake was in charge.

_The Potter Kansan_ was originally known as the _Potter Leaf_, which

started November 22, 1900, by Eppie L. Barber and Norene Barber, his

wife. Mr. Barber surrendered control of the paper September 17, 1903,

turning it over to his wife, who became its publisher. Shortly

thereafter, Charles B. Remsburg, who for many years was a well known

newspaper reporter in northeastern Kansas, appeared as its editor and

publisher, and remained in charge until May 11, 1905, when he turned it

over to J. W. Thompson and his wife, Mrs. J. W. Thompson. On August 17,

1905, the Thompsons leased the paper to R. J. Wilson, but in the

following December Mr. Thompson resumed control again and placed Howard

C. King in charge as local editor and business manager. On March 22,

1906, W. A. Remsburg became proprietor and in the following September,

J. E. Remsburg purchased the plant, and is now its editor.

_The Potter Kansan_ is one of the best known country weekly papers in

Kansas and the contributions from the pen of George J. Remsburg, the

noted archaeologist and newspaper paragrapher and poet, are frequently

quoted by the newspapers of the State.

Atchison county, perhaps, has been the graveyard for as many newspapers

as any other county in the State. The State Historical Society has

reserved the record, and in many instances, the files, of newspapers,

which have been born, and after a brief existence, have died in this

county.

The first rival newspaper of the _Champion_, then the _Squatter

Sovereign_, was the _Sumner Gazette_, published at Sumner in 1857. It

survived only a short time, as also did the _Western Spy_, which lived a

few months in 1860.

In 1857 _The Kansas Zeitung_ was started by Kab & Sussman, but was moved

to Leavenworth in 1859.

Half a dozen papers sprung up in 1862 and 1863, among which were: _The

Pleifer_, _The Bulletin_, _The Union-Banner_, _The Anti-Jayhawker_, _The

Standard_, and _Die Tackle_.

In 1873 the anti John A. Martin crowd, headed by John M. Price, started

a Republican daily and weekly, called the _Globe_, with A. W. Wagnhals,

J. B. Dutton, Rev. E. Cooper, T. F. Smith and Franklin G. Adams as the

principal writers. It lasted but a few months. Wagnhals subsequently

changed his name to Wagnalls, and moved to New York City, where he

became a great publisher as a member of the firm of Funk & Wagnalls,

which published the Standard Dictionary and a number of other well known

publications.

The following list shows the different publications received by the

Historical Society from Atchison county at the end of the year 1915:

_Atchison Champion_, daily and weekly.

_Atchison Globe_, daily and weekly.

_The Midland_, Atchison.

_The Abbey Student_, Atchison.

_Midland College Bulletin_, Atchison.

_St. Benedict’s Calendar_, Atchison.

_The Western Chief_, Atchison.

_Atchison Church Visitor._

_E. W. Howe’s Monthly_, Atchison.

_Kansas Synod Lutheran_, Atchison.

_The Optimist_, Atchison.

_Effingham New Leaf._

_Atchison County High School News_, Effingham.

_Muscotah Record._

_Potter Kansan._

_Huron Herald._

Among the numerous publications that have enjoyed a brief existence in

this county, are the following:

_Kansas Churchman_, published at Atchison from November, 1891, to

December, 1892. Rev. E. K. Brooke was editor. This publication had been

published at Salina, Kan., previously, and from Atchison was removed to

Lawrence.

_Arrington Argus_, started by T. W. Gardner, and was suspended after the

tenth number.

_The American Journal of Education_ was published at Atchison and St.

Louis, Mo., by Messrs. J. B. Merwin and I. C. Scott, in 1870.

_The Atchisonian_, established March 24, 1877, by the Atchison

Publishing Company. This paper was a six column, eight page affair, with

a patent inside. The last issue appeared May 26, 1877.

_Atchison Daily Times_ was started February 3, 1887, by John N.

Reynolds, but after the seventh issue the paper was changed to a weekly,

and called the _Atchison Weekly Times_, from March 19 to July 2, 1887.

The next issue was dated July 11, 1887, and was again called _The

Atchison Daily Times_, and ran as such until August 6, 1887, when it

suspended. John N. Reynolds was in many ways, a unique character. He

came to Atchison as the organizer and manager of a live stock insurance

company. He was at one time a preacher, and his career in Atchison was

remarkable for its violence and his disregard for both the proprieties

and the ethics of the newspaper profession, he was looked upon by many

as an irresponsible demagogue, and it was supposed that he ran his paper

for blackmailing purposes. The story goes that during his management of

the live stock insurance company, he incurred an advertising bill with

one of the local papers, and failing to pay the bill, the editor of the

local paper, instead of having recourse to the courts, began to heap

abuse upon Reynolds, and using this as a pretext, Reynolds established

the _Times_, for the purpose of retaliation. As the result of this

episode, Reynolds became very violent in his denunciation of many men of

established reputations in the community, and during the time that he

published his paper there was much excitement of an undesirable

character in the city. Reynolds finally landed in the Kansas State

penitentiary, having served a term previously in the Missouri State

penitentiary. He wrote a book subsequently, relating largely to his

treatment in these two institutions, which he entitled “The Twin Hells.”

For a short period he edited his paper from the county jail in Atchison,

but in 1888 J. A. Sunderland took hold of the _Times_, and it was

published up to January 31, 1891.

_The Sunday Morning Call_ was started by the Call Printing Company, with

Frank Pearce as editor and publisher, and was first issued in magazine

form February 8, 1880. March 28, 1880, Barton Lowe & Company became

editors and publishers, enlarging the paper to a five column folio.

January 3, 1881, Luther L. Higby appears as a member of the firm, but

with the issue of October 9, 1881, Luther L. Higby became sole owner.

November 6, 1881, C. F. Cochrane became one of the editors, and January

18, 1882, Chris Rutt became a partner of Mr. Higby, and this firm sold

the plant to Herman J. Rodman October 22, 1882, who continued it until

November 18, 1883, when the name was changed to _The Western Mercury_,

with E. J. Van Deventer and H. J. Rodman as publishers, and it was

continued until about 1886.

_The Missouri Valley Farmer_ was published by A. J. Felt during the time

that Mr. Felt was editor of the _Champion_. The first issue of the

_Farmer_ was dated January 5, 1893, and it continued until August 18,

1898, at which time it was sold to C. M. Sheldon, who also became owner

of the _Champion_, and the _Missouri Valley Farmer_ was moved to Kansas

City.

_The New West_ was a monthly journal of immigration, published by the

Immigrant Union, that was established in Atchison in August, 1878. It

was issued in magazine form and contained about sixteen pages of reading

matter. The earlier numbers of the publication were printed at Hannibal,

Mo., and in 1878 H. H. Allen, who was for many years a real estate

operator in Atchison, became the editor of this paper. Mr. Allen

subsequently sold the property to J. G. P. Hilderbrand, who later turned

the property over to two men by the names of Berry and Henry. The last

issue appeared about July, 1880.

_Atchison Baptist_ was a monthly magazine, printed by the City Mission

Publication Company, of Pittsburgh, Pa., in the interests of the First

Baptist church, of Atchison. It lasted about three years, and W. H. Park

was the local editor.

_Kansas Agriculturist_ was a weekly publication, which was established

July 18, 1898, and probably died about March 20, 1899.

The _Atchison Blade_ was established July 16, 1892, and published by the

Blade Publishing Company, composed of Dr. Grant Brown, Natt G. Langston,

and Will Harris, three prominent negroes of Atchison. It was a four

page, six column paper, and was operated, after several changes in the

management, until about January 20, 1894. It again resumed publication

November 5, 1897, and was run until September 19, 1898, by H. Lewis

Dorsey.

_The Kansas Statesman_, Atchison, was established February 15, 1901, by

G. W. Myers & Sons, office, 315 Commercial street. This paper was

absorbed by the _Atchison Champion_, after the issue of October 11,

1901.

_The Trades Union_, Atchison, was founded September 5, 1885, by Frank

Hall, R. Tompkins, and James W. Reilly. This paper was the official

paper of the Kansas State Assembly of the Knights of Labor, office, 521

Commercial street. The last issue on file is dated November 6, 1886, and

the paper moved to Topeka after this date.

_The Atchison Banner_ was a German paper, and C. F. Ruth was editor and

publisher. This was a seven column, four page paper, and was founded

March 1, 1878. It was enlarged to an eight column paper the same year.

It supported the Republican State ticket in 1878. The paper was

suspended after the issue of July 12, 1879.

_The Bible Investigator_ was a monthly publication, started about July,

1881, by William Kirby and A. D. Stevens. It was printed by W. H.

Haskell & Son, who for many years conducted a prosperous printing

business in Atchison. The editor was William Kirby, and a Mr. Stevens

was the manager, both of whom were residents of Doniphan, and a notice

in the paper asked that communications for either one should be

addressed to that place. It was in operation about five months.

_Atchison’s Monthly_ was published by W. H. Haskell & Son, and the

managing editor was Herman J. Rodman. It did not last long.

_Sentinel of the Northwest_ was a monthly publication, of which Dr. A.

H. Lamphear was editor. The only issue of which there is any record was

Volume 1, No. 1, date January 1, 1883.

_Sunday Morning Facts_ was published by E. W. Beal from September 2,

1883, until about February 3, 1884.

_Der Humorist_, was as the title indicates, a German publication, with

L. Willstaedt as its publisher. This paper, or magazine, was also short

lived, lasting less than a year.

_Atchison Sunday Morning Sermon_, published by J. W. and J. M. Tanner.

First issue was June 1, 1884, and the last issue about July 27, 1884.

_Atchison Advance_, published by Frank Hall and Dr. H. B. Horn. The

first issue of the paper was November 5, 1884, and the last issue was

January 3, 1885.

_The Messachorean_ was started in 1887, and issued about every two

months. It was devoted to the interest of Midland College, and edited by

the faculty. It died about June, 1888.

_The Atchison Daily Bee_ was one of John N. Reynolds’ enterprises, which

started March 25, 1889, and suspended April 4, 1889.

_The Tradesman_ was a monthly publication, devoted to the trade

unionism, and was edited by Robert Tompkins, the veteran editor and

publisher.

_Stebbins & Talbot’s Real Estate Record_, established in 1869, by C. I.

Stebbins, W. R. Stebbins and J. H. Talbot. This was, as its name

implies, a publication devoted to booming real estate in Atchison county

and vicinity.

_Kansas Monthly Souvenir_ was published by Fitch Rice & Company from

February, 1873, to sometime in June of the same year.

_Gardner’s Real Estate Bulletin_ was another real estate journal,

published monthly, by C. V. Gardner in 1873.

_The Short Line Advocate_ was issued by the Atchison & Denver Railroad

Company in 1879.

_Der Courier_ was another German publication, published at Atchison and

Topeka, by Edward F. Fleischer in 1879.

_The Public Ledger_ was started August 19, 1880, by W. J. Granger. It

supported the National Greenback ticket of that year, and October 30,

1888, Granger turned the paper over to E. A. Davis & Son, who ran it a

short time. Mr. Granger returned to Atchison eighteen years later, and

became a reporter on the _Atchison Champion_, and during the interval

published papers in Effingham and other places. In 1915 he was the

publisher and owner of the _Nettawaka Talk_.

_The Western Farm Home_ was a continuation of the _New West Monthly_.

Its first issue was in January, 1881, with James P. Henry and George H.

Pardee as editors and publishers. It suspended publication in October,

1881.

_High School Quarterly_ was published at Effingham for the first time

January, 1895, with S. J. Hunter, editor, and John W. Wilson, business

manager. This magazine was published in the interests of the Atchison

high school. It was subsequently changed to _The High School Bulletin_,

after which it was issued regularly once a month during the school year.

It suspended publication about September, 1902.

_The Oracle_ was another Effingham publication, started December, 1901,

which was conducted by Guy Hendrickson and the students of the Atchison

high school, in the interests of that institution. It suspended

publication about May, 1902.

_The A. C. H. S. Newsletter_ was a monthly publication, started in

February, 1901, by John W. Wilson, principal of the Atchison county high

school. There were only three numbers of this paper, which was a

monthly.

_The Atchison County Visitor_ was still another Effingham publication,

started by W. J. Granger March 10, 1905. Guy C. Hendrickson became

business manager June 8, 1906, and the paper suspended during the year

1907.

_The Potter Press_, started April 8, 1898, with E. Campbell as editor,

and Jewell & Campbell as publishers. It lasted until September 30, 1898,

when it was consolidated with the _Easton_ (Leavenworth county) _Light_.

January 27, 1899, it resumed publication, with M. L. and K. Lockwood as

editors, and E. E. Campbell as local editor, but again consolidated with

the _Easton Light_ September 1, 1899.

_The Atchison County Recorder_ was started June 1, 1900, and published

by the Lockwood Printing Company, of Atchison. Its last issue was dated

October 26, 1900.

_The Muscotah News_ was filed April 5, 1880, by Nash & Walkup, and

lasted about three months.

_The Weekly Journal_ was started by G. W. Messigh in Effingham September

2, 1892, who ran it until February 23, 1893, when it died.

_The Arrington Times_ was started May 28, 1896, by W. A. Huff. In

September of the same year its name was changed to _The Atchison County

Times_, and it suspended sometime in 1897.

_The Prairie Press_ was started in Lancaster May 12, 1888, with W. C.

Adkins as editor and publisher, and it was run until March 7, 1890, when

it was succeeded by the _Huron Graphic_.

_The Huron Headlight_, started March 13, 1884, and died on the same

date.

_The Huron Messenger_ was started July 2, 1884, by J. M. Warton, and

also died on the same day it was born.

_The Weekly Graphic_, which succeeded to all the rights and privileges

of the _Prairie Press_, of Lancaster, was started by W. C. Adkins April

5, 1890. Mr. Adkins ran this paper until March 28, 1891, at which time

he sold it to J. A. Sunderland, of Atchison, who ran it until May 2,

1891, when Mr. Adkins again took control of the paper and ran it until

the following fall.

_The Huron Times_ was a kind of continuation of the _Atchison Times_,

and Volume 4, No. 1, of this paper, was dated April 4, 1891. There were

but four issues of the _Times_, after the plant was moved from Atchison

to Huron, the last issue being dated April 25, 1891. J. A. Sunderland

was also editor and publisher of this paper, after he moved it from

Atchison to Huron. _The Huron Times_ was a weekly publication, by G. E.

Nichols, and was started February 22, 1901, and published seventeen

times, when it died.

_The Effingham Enterprise_ was founded about July 1, 1895, by W. H.

Bright. It was short lived, and little is known of its history after the

date just mentioned.

_The Peoples’ Press_ was a party organ, started in August, 1883, by the

Peoples’ Press Association, and suspended September 15 of the same year.

_The New Kansas Magazine_ was started by Dr. W. H. Wynn, for many years

a much beloved and greatly respected professor of English literature at

Midland College. Dr. Wynn conceived the idea that there was a place for

a monthly magazine in Atchison, to be conducted along the lines of the

original _Kansas Magazine_, published in 1873, which contained some of

the best literature that had ever been produced in Kansas. Associated

with Dr. Wynn were Dr. W. W. Campbell, R. M. Manley, B. P. Waggener, H.

M. Jackson, H. H. Allen, and A. J. Harwi. The first issue appeared

February 18, 1892, and the last issue appeared September 30, 1893.

_Midwest Moose Review_ was the official organ of the local lodge of the

Loyal Order of Moose, published monthly by Frank L. Danforth, editor. It

was founded in 1912, and ran only a few months.

_The Atchison Tribune_ was started in 1896, but the name of the editor

and publisher are unknown.

_The Western Chief_ is a monthly publication, devoted to the Order of

Redmen, and was founded about April, 1909. Paul Tonsing is editor and

publisher.

_Benedictine Parish Monthly_, started in Atchison, in March, 1907, and

published by St. Benedict’s College, until January, 1910.

_The College Review_ was published monthly in Lawrence and Atchison, by

A. G. Coonrod and G. T. Smith, from 1891 to 1900. Coonrod & Smith were

the owners of business colleges at Atchison and Lawrence.

_Kansas Telegraph_ was a German paper, started by H. Von Langen December

23, 1880, and was published in Atchison until 1881, when it was removed

to Topeka, where it was published for many years.

_Atchison Journal_ was another German publication, started by John

Hoenscheidt in 1880, but was short lived.

_The Kansas Staats-Anzeiger_ was started in Topeka in 1879, and

published until 1881, when it was moved to Atchison. It was also short

lived.

_Plain Facts_ was a weekly publication, started in Atchison October 4,

1897, and published by authority of twenty-five Atchison Populists, who

were opposed to the election of George W. Glick, the so-called Populist

candidates for State senator. It lasted three issues.

_The Atchison Journal_ was the official publication of the Trades and

Labor Council of Atchison. It started early in the year 1903, by W. J.

Granger, and discontinued the last of November of the same year.

_The Atchison Morning Star_ was a daily paper, published by J. A.

Roulston, and started June 14, 1905, lasting until August 30, 1905.

_The Atchison Tribune_ was a weekly publication, started March 27, 1896,

by W. H. Higgins, and suspended publication July 16, 1896.

CHAPTER XV.

BANKS AND BANKING.

EARLY DAY BANKING—PIONEER FINANCIERS—THE OLDEST BANK—PRIVATE, STATE,

AND NATIONAL BANKS—ATCHISON COUNTY BANKERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF

BANKING INSTITUTIONS.

Banking was a precarious business during the Territorial days in Kansas.

There were no banks, as we know them, until January 29, 1857, when the

Territorial legislature passed an act providing that every company or

association of persons formed for banking purposes within the Territory,

and without an act of legislature authorizing the same, should be deemed

unlawful. Upon the passage of this act, the first bank authorized to do

business under it was The Kansas Valley Bank, of Leavenworth, with an

authorized capital stock of $800,000.00, with five branches, at

Atchison, LeCompton, Doniphan, Ft. Scott and Shawnee. The authorized

capital stock of each one of the branches was $300,000.00, and under the

terms of the act, each branch was independent of the Leavenworth

institution. The great Government Overland Transportation Company of

Majors Smoot-Russell & Company was the big financial power behind this

organization. The Leavenworth bank was never formed, and the Atchison

branch was the first to start out under this act of the legislature,

being authorized to begin business February 19, 1857, with securities

amounting to $100,000. Dr. John H. Stringfellow, Joseph Plean and Samuel

Dickson were authorized to open subscription books. The board of

directors included Samuel C. Pomeroy, who was president: W. H. Russell,

L. R. Smoot, W. B. Waddell, Franklin G. Adams, Samuel Dickson and W. E.

Gaylord. Shortly after the bank began business there were rumors

emanating from the rival towns of Sumner and Doniphan that the Atchison

institution was about to suspend, and for the purpose of allaying any

suspicion on the part of the public, created by these rumors, the

directors published a statement of its condition, showing that the

assets were $36,638.00, with liabilities of $20,118.00. In July or

August, 1857, L. S. Boling, of LeCompton, was appointed to examine and

report on the financial condition of the Atchison branch of the Kansas

Valley Bank, and this is the first record in Kansas of a proceeding of

this kind.

Samuel C. Pomeroy resigned as president of the bank in 1858, and was

succeeded by William H. Russell, of the contracting firm of Majors-

Smoot-Russell & Company. G. H. Fairchild was made vice-president, and R.

L. Pease, cashier.

In 1861, this bank, then called the Kansas Valley Bank, had its name

changed by act of the legislature, to the Bank of the State of Kansas,

and it was conducted under that name until 1866, when the stockholders

wound up its affairs.

The legitimate successor of the Bank of the State of Kansas was

Hetherington’s Exchange Bank, which was founded in 1859 by William

Hetherington.

The Exchange National Bank, of Atchison, Kan., is the oldest banking

institution in the city of Atchison, having been established in 1859,

while Kansas was a Territory. The bank was then named the Hetherington

Exchange Bank. That bank became the successor of the Bank of the State

of Kansas, which was organized in 1857. The founder of the Hetherington

Exchange Bank was William Hetherington, and, except for one year during

the Civil war, it has been in successful operation since it was

established. It passed through the period of its existence during

Territorial days, and the depressing financial conditions as a result of

the war, and business reversals incident to the reconstruction period,

and its management was at all times conducted upon the theory of its

motto adopted by William Hetherington in an early day that “Safety

First” in all of its business transactions was the secret of success.

The bank’s first business home was in the Otis & Glick building,

opposite the Byram Hotel. In 1869 it was moved to the Hetherington

building, at the northwest corner of Fourth and Commercial streets.

Later on, and in 1885, the bank was moved to the southwest corner of

Sixth and Commercial streets, into the building erected by its

president, William Hetherington, where it has since been located.

In 1876, William Hetherington admitted into the firm, as a partner,

Webster W. Hetherington, his eldest son, and in 1881, Clifford S.

Hetherington, his youngest son, became associated with him. In the year

1882 the Hetherington Exchange Bank was incorporated under the laws of

Congress, as a National bank, under the name of The Exchange National

Bank of Atchison, with a paid-up capital of $100,000, and surplus of

$20,000, and at once took high rank as one of the strongest and most

conservative banks in northeastern Kansas, and has ever since maintained

that reputation.

The Exchange National Bank was organized with William Hetherington as

president, August Byram, vice-president, Webster W. Hetherington,

cashier, and C. S. Hetherington, assistant cashier. In 1890, upon the

death of its president, William Hetherington, Webster W. Hetherington

was elected president, B. P. Waggener, vice-president, and C. S.

Hetherington, cashier. In 1892, upon the death of its then president,

Webster W. Hetherington, B. P. Waggener was elected president, A. J.

Harwi, vice-president, W. P. Waggener, vice-president, C. S.

Hetherington, cashier, C. W. Ferguson, assistant cashier, and Webster

Wirt Hetherington, teller. In October, 1906, C. S. Hetherington, the

cashier, died, and C. W. Ferguson was elected cashier, and Webster Wirt

Hetherington, assistant cashier, and Edgar Mattocks, teller. In April

1907, the capital stock of the bank was increased to $200,000.00 with a

surplus of $50,000, and ex-Governor W. J. Bailey was elected vice-

president and managing officer of the bank, which position he has since

held. Upon the death of A. J. Harwi, his son, Frank E. Harwi, was

elected director, and succeeded his father, A. J. Harwi, as vice-

president, which position he now holds.

In 1892 the bank adopted a by-law, which prohibited any officer or

director of the bank from borrowing any money from it, or becoming an

endorser or surety on any obligation or note to the bank, since which

time no officer or director of the bank has been permitted to borrow any

of its funds on deposit. The wisdom of this by-law adopted in 1892 has

repeatedly been approved by the comptroller of the currency. The

management of the Exchange National Bank has adopted and adhered to this

policy, because it believes that a bank officer or director should not

be permitted, under any circumstances or in any emergency, to use any of

its deposits in any of his own personal speculations or ventures.

In February, 1914, Webster Wirt Hetherington was appointed cashier, and

Edgar Mattocks was elected assistant cashier, and George L. Wolfe,

teller.

While the bank is known far and wide throughout the State of Kansas for

its conservatism, yet it makes an effort to accommodate all business

institutions in the city of Atchison entitled to assistance and credit.

It aims to be a distinctive Atchison institution.

Luther C. Challiss appeared as a banker in the city directory of 1859

and 1861, operating his bank at the corner of Second and Commercial

streets, but not much is known of this institution.

First National Bank was organized on the first day of October, 1866, by

David Auld, with the following as the first board of directors: David

Auld, Henry Kuhn, H. H. Moulton, George Scarborough, C. G. Foster, D. C.

Newcomb, and J. M. Linley. David Auld was elected president, George

Scarborough, vice-president, and W. R. Stebbins as cashier. For thirty-

eight years this bank was under the careful and conservative management

of David Auld, who died in October, 1904, and was succeeded by his son,

David Auld, Jr. The bank began business in July, 1867, and since that

time has been one of the strongest financial institutions in the West.

It has always had the benefit of the services of experienced men in the

banking business, and has followed a conservative policy during the

whole of its existence. In 1910 the controlling interest in the First

National Bank was purchased by the Commercial State Bank, which was

organized in Atchison in 1906 by Sheffield Ingalls and O. A. Simmons. In

the merger that took place the Commercial State Bank was absorbed by the

First National Bank, and has continued under the latter name to maintain

its high standard of conservatism, and with the introduction of new

blood and new methods, it embarked upon a policy of service which has

redounded to the lasting benefit of the community. The present officials

of this institution are as follows: Edward Perdue, president; J. H.

Barry, chairman of the board; O. A. Simmons, first vice-president and

manager; J. M. Schott, second vice-president; Charles Linley, cashier;

George H. Edwards, assistant cashier; F. J. Ledoux, assistant cashier.

The directors represent varied business interests of this city and

county, and are as follows: Edward Perdue, J. H. Barry, O. A. Simmons,

Charles Linley, J. M. Schott, C. C. McCarthy, August Manglesdorf, Leo

Nusbaum, Sheffield Ingalls, A. E. Mize, M. Noll and W. T. Hutson.

The Atchison Savings Bank claims the distinction of being “The Oldest

State Bank in Kansas,” having enjoyed a continuous corporate existence

of over forty-six years.

R. A. Park was its organizer and first cashier, and in June, 1869, it

opened its doors for business in a brick one-story building at the

northwest corner of Fifth and Commercial streets. At that time most of

the business was centered close to the river, and this was considered

quite an “up town” location, but time has vindicated the judgment of its

early director in anticipating the westward growth of the town. With the

expectation of building thereon the bank early acquired title to the lot

at the southwest corner of Fifth and Commercial streets, but

subsequently disposed of it to the late Ex-Governor John A. Martin, who

built the _Champion_ building thereon, and the bank moved to its present

quarters, which it had acquired, and still owns, at the southeast corner

of Fifth and Commercial.

William C. Smith (father of Henry T. Smith) was the first president but

the late Judge A. G. Otis soon thereafter succeeded him and remained

president until 1891.

Thomas Murphy (father of John Murphy and one of the builders of the

present Cain Mill Company mill), W. W. Guthrie, Julius Kuhn, C. J.

Drury, Col. Wm. Osborn, J. W. Parker, and other men prominent in the

business and social life of that period were among its early

stockholders and directors, while for seventeen years the late T. C.

Platt served as teller, and by his affability and faculty of remembering

people, made many friends for the institution. A baseball bat, kept

under the counter, was his weapon for defending the funds in his care.

Courtney Challiss, George H. Lawton, “Vode” Kathrens, Lowenholt, O.

Orlopp and Will H. Bryning and others also served varying terms as early

employees and will be remembered for their distinctive personalities. An

apothecary’s scale for weighing gold dust was part of the early

equipment, but one trial was sufficient to prove the presence of too

much dust and too little gold in the commodity offered. For almost

twenty years the bank ran with but few restrictions from the State, the

law simply requiring it to file an annual statement of its capital,

surplus, etc., with list of stockholders and officers, and publish a

statement of its financial condition as of some one day in the year.

Needless to say the day selected was usually one on which the deposits,

loans and resources would make a satisfactory showing, but about 1890

the legislature enacted a banking law, which has since been several

times perfected by amendments, which brought this and all other State

banks under its provisions, and the supervision of a State bank

commissioner, with cast iron restrictions as to the relative amounts of

loans, cash reserves, etc., and although some of the requirements seemed

unduly severe to those accustomed to the former unrestrained exercise of

their own individual judgment, few would now deny that it was wise and

much needed legislation.

Following the retirement from the bank in 1891 of Judge Otis, Col.

William Osborn became president, serving until his death, when R. A.

Park succeeded to the office and served until his death in 1902. C. J.

Drury being elected his successor and giving the institution his

services for about a year, seconded by J. T. Hersey as vice-president,

but both these gentlemen then retired upon the acquisition of a majority

of the stock by Messrs. T. M. Walker, J. C. Fox and F. M. Baker. Of

later years the growth of the bank has been marked, the capital and

surplus having repeatedly been enlarged, and deposits and loans having

shown a corresponding increase. The late Theodore Bartholow added his

ripe experience as a successful banker to the board of directors, while

F. G. Crowell, Joseph W. Allen, William Carlisle, with Messrs. Walker,

Baker and Fox and others as stockholders and directors gave the

institution a State-wide prominence.

R. A. Park, the second, who resigned as vice-president in 1911 to engage

in business elsewhere, entered the bank in 1881; became cashier in 1892;

elected vice-president in 1910, being succeeded as cashier by F. M.

Woodford, who entered the bank’s employ in 1900 as bookkeeper.

C. W. Ferguson, formerly cashier of the Exchange National Bank, has

recently been elected a vice-president of the Savings Bank, and the

present officers and directors are as follows: T. M. Walker, president;

Joseph W. Allen, vice-president; C. W. Ferguson, vice-president; F. M.

Woodford, cashier; W. T. Fox, assistant cashier.

The German-American State Bank of Atchison was chartered May 15, 1912,

and began doing business June 21, 1912. Its original board of directors

was composed of Louis W. Voigt, Henry Klostermeier, William

Klostermeier, F. A. Manglesdorf, L. A. Libel, G. T. Bolman, and F. A.

Manglesdorf. Three months later the charter was amended and Charles

Haase and W. A. Dilgert were added to the board of directors. This bank

was organized with a capital stock of $50,000, and a surplus account of

$10,000. At the first meeting of the board of directors, the following

officers were elected: Louis W. Voigt, president; Henry Klostermeier,

vice-president; William Klostermeier, vice-president; F. A. Manglesdorf,

cashier.

At the time the membership of the board was increased, Guy Elwell was

elected assistant cashier. This bank occupies handsome quarters at the

southeast corner of Eighth and Commercial streets, and has shown a

remarkable growth since its organization. The only change in the board

of directors that has been made since its organization was the

substitution of E. F. Manglesdorf for his brother, A. F. Manglesdorf. At

the close of the first business day of the bank it had deposits

aggregating $25,000, and at the end of one year the deposits had

increased to $248,000, and at the end of the second year it was

$323,000, and at the end of the third year it was $425,000, and in 1915

it boasted of total deposits amounting to $525,000, with a surplus and

undivided account of $21,000. This bank has had an able set of officers,

and its directors are among the most influential and substantial

citizens of the community. It started in by making an aggressive

campaign for business, and it accomplished what it went after. The

institution is conducted along broad and conservative lines, and renders

not only good service to its many patrons, but to the community as well.

German Savings Bank.—This institution was organized in 1873, with the

following officers: George Storch, president; Robert Forbriger, vice-

president; John Belz, cashier.

The capital stock of the bank was $10,000 and its deposits were about

$100,000. It conducted a general banking business, together with a

regular savings department in connection therewith. This bank was

located at 406 Commercial street, and wound up its affairs in 1886, when

it was merged with the United States National Bank and the Dime Savings

Bank, both of which failed.

The Atchison National Bank.—This bank was organized April 1, 1873, by

John M. Price as president; M. Barratt as cashier. G. D. Harrison

succeeded Mr. Price as president, in which capacity he served until

1878, at which time he was succeeded by C. J. Drury, with R. H.

Ballentine as vice-president. When this bank commenced business it had a

capital of $100,000, but in 1877 it was reduced to $50,000. It was

located for many years at 503 Commercial street, afterwards moving to

what is now the Simpson building, in the corner occupied by the Barth

Clothing Company, where it failed in 19—.

The Atchison State Bank.—This bank was organized prior to 1891, and went

into voluntary liquidation March 24, 1898, at which time John M. Cain

was president and cashier, and John H. Murray was secretary. It was

located on West Main street, near the corner of Thirteenth street.

The Commercial State bank was chartered September 8, 1906, and began

business October 31 of the same year, and subsequently merged with the

First National Bank March 24, 1910.

The Union Trust Company was chartered February 28, 1907, and was

organized by B. P. Waggener, with a paid-up capital stock of $100,000.

March 24, 1909, his charter was amended and it became the Exchange State

Bank of Atchison, the officers of which are: F. E. Harwi, president, and

Edward Iverson, cashier. This bank has a paid-up capital of $50,000,

with surplus and undivided profits of $34,776.91, with average deposits

of $350,000. It is one of the strong State banking institutions of

Kansas, and is doing a prosperous business.

Atchison county has a number of strong, flourishing banks, located at

Effingham, Muscotah, Potter, Huron, Lancaster and Cummings.

The Farmers and Merchants State Bank, at Effingham, was organized in

1905, with a capital of $12,000 by A. J. Smith, U. B. Sharpless, Fred

Sutter, R. M. Thomas and J. W. Davis. Since its organization there have

been a few changes among the officers and the board of directors, and in

1915 the officers were: Fred Sutter, president; L. T. Hawk, vice-

president; E. J. Kelley, cashier; D. R. Gerety, assistant cashier. The

present board of directors is as follows: Fred Sutter, L. T. Hawk, Alex.

McKay, U. B. Sharpless, E. J. Kelley.

The capital stock and surplus in 1915 exceeds $15,000, and the bank’s

average deposits are about $120,000. In 1910 a handsome and commodious

brick building was erected at the corner of Main and Howard streets for

its new home, and it was fitted with attractive new fixtures and a

burglar-proof vault of modern structures, at a cost of $4,000. This

institution is purely a local concern, financed by local capital; all of

the stockholders reside in Effingham and vicinity, and comprise leading

merchants and farmers of the Effingham district.

The State Bank of Effingham was organized in 1889, and occupies its own

quarters in a substantial and commodious brick building on the Main

street of Effingham, which was erected in 1897. In 1912 handsome new

fixtures and a burglar-proof vault were purchased at large cost. The

first president of this bank was Wesley Cummings, and the first cashier

was Gilbert Campbell, with Harvey Sharp as assistant cashier and

bookkeeper. Mr. Cummings continued as president until his death in 1899,

and was succeeded by L. A. Murphy, who in turn was succeeded by T. J.

Bohannon, who served until his death, August 29, 1915. A. M. Ellsworth

became cashier in 1892, and was succeeded by W. M. Walker, who served in

that capacity until 1905, when he is turn was succeeded by Clarence L.

Cummings, the present cashier of this substantial and growing

institution. The president officers of the bank are as follows: R. G.

Bohannon, president; A. E. Mayhew, vice-president; C. L. Cummings,

cashier; Carl B. Searls, bookkeeper. The directors are: H. A. McLenon,

A. E. Mayhew, R. G. Bohannon and C. L. Cummings. The capital stock is

$20,000, with surplus of $13,500 and deposits average $100,000. This

institution is one of the most flourishing banks in the county, and its

officers and directors are substantial business men and farmers, who are

not only highly regarded in Effingham and vicinity, but throughout all

of northeastern Kansas.

The State Bank of Lancaster was organized March, 1896, by W. W. Stepp,

Mark S. Cloyes, C. L. Cummings, T. J. Bohannon, and Dr. A. L. Charles.

T. J. Bohannon was elected its first president, and C. L. Cummings its

first cashier. It had a capital stock of $5,000, which subsequently was

increased to $10,000, and in 1915 it had a surplus of $5,000, with

deposits aggregating $80,000. The present directors of this bank are as

follows (1915): M. J. Hines, C. E. Smith, A. J. Smith, J. F. Shell and

M. E. Smith, and its present officers are: M. J. Hines, president; C. E.

Smith, vice-president; A. J. Smith, cashier, and C. G. Stickler,

assistant cashier.

The State Bank of Cummings was organized by H. J. Barber and E. W.

Kaufman in 1908, with a capital stock of $10,000. E. W. Kaufman was

elected president; B. F. Cline, vice-president, and H. J. Barber,

cashier. The capital stock in 1915 was $10,000, with a surplus of $5,000

and deposits aggregating $60,000. A neat and substantial brick building

was erected for banking quarters and equipped with handsome fixtures and

burglar-proof vault, at a cost of $3,500. The officers of the bank in

1916 were as follows: President, John Ferris; cashier, H. J. Barber, and

the directors were John Ferris, H. J. Barber, C. A. Lewis, William

Hegarty and F. W. Kaufman. The bank is in a thrifty condition, and has

shown a steady increase in growth from the date of its organization.

The Farmers’ State Bank of Potter, Kan., was organized in 1905 by B. C.

Daum, C. K. Hawley, P. C. Grenier, Arthur Davis, James Grapengieszer,

Fred Potter, John Niemann, C. L. Cline, J. H. Glancy, who subsequently

became directors of this enterprising institution. The capital stock was

fixed at $12,000 and the first president of the bank was B. C. Daum, and

the first cashier was C. K. Hawley. There are thirty-two stockholders in

this institution, who are practically all farmers, residing in the

immediate neighborhood of Potter. In 1916 the officers were as follows:

President, P. C. Grenier; cashier, A. H. Manglesdorf; vice-president, C.

E. Hudson, and the capital stock was $12,000, with a surplus of $5,500

and deposits aggregating $80,000.

It is unusual to find two substantial banking institutions in a town the

size of Potter, as it is supposed that one bank in such a community

would meet all the requirements of its citizens.

The Potter State Bank preceded the organization of the Farmers’ State

Bank five years. It was organized in 1900 by O. A. Simmons, L. M. Jewell

and Fred Ode, with a capital stock of $5,000. O. A. Simmons remained the

active cashier and manager of the bank for two years, being succeeded by

L. M. Jewell in 1902, who served until 1906. Mr. Jewell was succeeded by

H. A. Ode. A new brick building was erected for this very enterprising

financial institution in 1909, and equipped with new modern fixtures and

a fine burglar-proof vault. The capital stock of this bank in 1916 was

$10,000, with a surplus of $10,000 and deposits aggregating $125,000.

The officers for that year were as follows: President, L. M. Jewell;

vice-president, Fred Ode; cashier, H. A. Ode, and in addition to the

officers, the following prominent farmers of Walnut and Mount Pleasant

townships are directors: C. N. Faulcomer, C. W. Carson, E. H. Blodgett

and Adam Ehart. There are over seventeen stockholders, all of whom are

prosperous and well to do farmers, living in the vicinity of Potter.

This bank has grown rapidly, both in prestige and strength since its

organization, and its average net annual profits since its organization

have been about $2,000.

The Muscotah State Bank was organized by George Storch in 1870, as a

private bank, who remained in charge until about 1890, when Mr. Storch

sold his interest to Harvey and Calvert. This firm conducted the bank as

a private institution until about January 1, 1902, when it was organized

into a State bank, with A. B. Harvey, president, and J. H. Calvert,

cashier. Mr. Harvey remained president until about 1910, and in that

year C. C. Hart became its cashier. The officers of this institution in

1916 were as follows: A. D. Wilcox, president; C. C. Hart, vice-

president; R. A. Allison, cashier. The directors are: A. D. Wilcox, C.

C. Hart, A. H. Calvert, M. E. Bevens, R. A. Allison and Thomas Ryan. The

capital stock is $10,000.00, with a surplus of $10,000.00, and deposits

aggregating $100,000.00. This institution is the oldest bank outside of

the city of Atchison, and remains today one of the most substantial

financial institutions in this part of the State.

The Huron State Bank was organized in 1891, with a capital stock of

$10,000. The first directors were Edward Perdue, John Swartz, John

Drohan, John English, David Rouse, David Rouse, Jr., and T. B. Marshall.

Its first officers were Edward Perdue, president; John Swartz, vice-

president, and W. C. McLain, cashier. This is one of the substantial

banks of the county, and showed by one of its last statements a capital

stock of $10,000, with surplus fund of $5,000.00 and deposits

aggregating $80,000.00. Its officers in 1916 are as follows: Edward

Perdue, president; David Rouse, Jr., vice-president, C. E. Smith,

cashier, and Cloyd Smith, assistant cashier. In addition to the

officers, T. B. Smith, Jr., is the fifth director.

Mr. Perdue, who is the president of this bank, is one of the leading

citizens of Atchison county, and in addition to being president of the

Huron bank, is also president of the First National Bank of Atchison.

C. E. Smith, the cashier, is also one of the well known and most

conservative bankers of the State, and the officers and directors of

this institution have reason to be proud of the splendid growth and

standing of their institution.

The Farmers State Bank of Muscotah was organized and opened for business

February 21, 1910, with a capital stock of $10,000. It now has a surplus

and undivided account of approximately $5,000, and its deposits average

$70,000. The first directors were L. Cortelyou, A. T. Cortelyou, L.

Cortelyou, Jr., and H. M. Turner, who came from Moberly, Mo. W. M.

Walker, of Atchison, was one of the organizers of this institution, but

he sold his interest a few weeks after organization and was succeeded by

William Buckles on the board of directors. L. Cortelyou was elected

president, and H. M. Turner, cashier, and they have continued as the

active officers of the bank. The present board of directors consists of

L. Cortelyou, William Buckles, M. C. Vansell, John Sullivan, J. W. A.

Miller and H. M. Turner. As this history is written it is said that

there has been a consolidation of the two Muscotah banks, under the name

of the Farmers State Bank. A charter has been granted and the new

institution will have a capital of $15,000. L. Cortelyou is to be the

president, H. M. Turner, cashier, and Ralph Allison, assistant cashier.

The bank will continue to occupy the present quarters of the Farmers

State Bank, and the merger, when effected, will give Muscotah one of the

best banks in the county.

The Commerce Trust Company of Atchison, with a paid-up capital stock of

$100,000, received its charter from the State February 11, 1916. The

first meeting of the board of directors was held in the office of the

Commerce Investment Company on the evening of February 19, 1916, at

which time the following officers were elected: President, Sheffield

Ingalls; vice-presidents, Henry Diegel, A. J. Schoenecker, M. J. Horan;

treasurer, Ellsworth Ingalls; secretary, Frank H. Manglesdorf; trust

officer, H. A. Schoenecker; general counsel, J. M. Challiss. The

following named citizens were the first directors of the company: H. A.

Schoenecker, Henry Diegel, J. C. Killarney, O. A. Simmons, A. J.

Schoenecker, Ellsworth Ingalls, T. E. Snowden, Clive Hastings, M. J.

Horan, F. H. Manglesdorf, H. E. Muchnic and Sheffield Ingalls. The

company is a development of the Commerce Investment Company, established

in 1910, and does a general trust business, as provided by the laws of

Kansas. It began business March 2, 1916.

CHAPTER XVI.

CHURCHES.

METHODIST—CHRISTIAN—PRESBYTERIAN—BAPTIST—SALEM CHURCH—GERMAN

EVANGELICAL ZION CHURCH—FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST—ST.

PATRICK’S, MT. PLEASANT—TRINITY CHURCH, EPISCOPAL—ST. MARK’S,

ENGLISH LUTHERAN—ST. BENEDICT’S ABBEY—FIRST GERMAN EVANGELICAL

LUTHERAN CHURCH.

Methodism was introduced into Atchison by the Rev. James Shaw, who had

been a prominent member of the Detroit conference, both as pastor and

missionary among the Indians along the Lake Superior district, and also

as presiding elder. Being in poor health and desiring a new location, he

came to Leavenworth in March, 1856, and finding that Leavenworth was

already provided with a pastor, he proceeded to Atchison. He did not

find Atchison very friendly toward preachers when he arrived, and the

Pardee Butler incident was fresh in the minds of the people at that

time. So the Rev. Mr. Shaw went farther north, to Doniphan and Geary

City, which were Free State towns. He soon thereafter went to Detroit

for his family, and soon after his return to Geary City, he was

appointed as pastor at Atchison and Monrovia. He preached his first

sermon in May, 1857, in the office of S. C. Pomeroy, which was located

on the corner of Third and Commercial streets, and this was the first

sermon from the lips of a preacher of any denomination that was

delivered in Atchison. He organized the Methodist Episcopal church in

January, 1858, with members from various denominations. The first

services were held in a room in the building on the southeast corner of

Second and Commercial streets. He later raised $2,000 for a new church

building, S. C. Pomeroy, O. F. Short and Robert McBratney each pledging

$500, on condition that the new building should be located on the north

side of Parallel street, near Fifth street.

Rev. I. F. Collins succeeded Mr. Shaw, and Rev. C. H. Lovejoy, who had

been preaching at Lawrence for two years, was sent to Sumner. Upon the

arrival of Mr. Collins, he at once began the erection of the new church

building on Parallel street, the two lots on which the building was

subsequently erected being donated by the Atchison Town Company. The

trustees of the church at that time were: John T. Dougherty, Edwin O.

Collins, Archie C. Master, David F. Beagle, William A. Butler, Joseph H.

Gilbert, Robert Hancock, Cyrus A. Comstock and Calvin W. Phelps. The

church building was completed in April, 1859, and was fifty-eight feet

long and thirty-two feet wide. It had a seating capacity of 350 people,

and cost $3,075. The structure was dedicated May 8, 1859, and Rev. Hugh

D. Fisher, the famous Free State Methodist preacher, came up from

Leavenworth and assisted in the dedication. During the first year in the

new church, two young men came to Atchison, who afterwards became

successful and honored citizens of the town, Samuel Gard and D. C.

Newcomb. They subsequently formed a partnership and conducted a drygoods

store under the name of Gard & Newcomb, which for many years remained

one of the leading firms of the city. Mr. Gard died many years ago, and

in 1915 Mr. Newcomb still lives. The Methodist church, perhaps, owes

more to D. C. Newcomb than any other man who was ever identified with

it. His money, business sagacity and consecration have made possible the

success of Methodism in Atchison. His motto has always been, “It is safe

to do right, and unsafe to do wrong.”

Butcher, Auld & Dean, famous contractors of an early day, who built the

first railroad between Atchison and St. Joseph, with their families,

united with the Methodist church and became stanch supporters of it. J.

C. Reisner, who came to Atchison in 1858, and his wife, Rebecca, were

also prominent early members of the church. They built the Tremont

House, which for a great many years was the leading hotel, located where

the Burlington freight house now stands. Rev. Dr. Christian F. Reisner,

pastor of Grace Church, New York City, was the youngest son of Mr. and

Mrs. Reisner. The fourth session of the Kansas-Nebraska conference,

which met in Omaha in May, 1859, returned Rev. Collins to Atchison, and

during that year Mr. and Mrs. John M. Crowell and the McCulley brothers

united with the church. In December, 1859, Abraham Lincoln, on his visit

to Kansas, spoke in the little church edifice on Parallel street,

reference to which has already been made in this history. In the fifth

session of the Kansas-Nebraska conference, Rev. Milton Mahen was

appointed to Atchison. It was a critical period in the history of the

town, and the Rev. Mahen was admonished to be very cautious on the

question of slavery, but he had courage and patriotism enough to order

the Stars and Stripes hoisted on his church. That year T. B. Davis and

his wife, Kathryn, came to Atchison and became useful members. “Grandma”

Davis is living in 1916, and on February 21, 1915, celebrated her

ninetieth birthday. Owing to the great drought that visited Atchison in

1860, the church did not prosper greatly during the period of Mr.

Mahen’s pastorate, but in the succeeding session of the Kansas

conference, which met March 21, 1861, Mr. Mahen was returned to

Atchison, and it was during this year that a severe storm, which

destroyed Sumner, wrecked the church building so that extensive repairs

were necessary. In the seventh session of the Kansas conference, March,

1862, the Rev. Mr. James Shaw was returned to Atchison.

W. M. Davies was the superintendent of the Sunday school, having been

elected in 1859. In 1863 Rev. W. Marlatt was appointed for Atchison, and

March 10, 1864, Mr. Marlatt was succeeded by Dr. W. R. Davis, who had

been president of Baker University. Rev. Mr. Davis was retained in

March, 1865, by the tenth session of the conference, and was succeeded

by Rev. W. K. Marshall. Mr. Marshall was returned to Atchison in 1867,

and in March, 1868, Rev. Hugh D. Fisher, who was known during the war as

the “fighting chaplain,” was made pastor at Atchison. He found

conditions rather discouraging, but went to work to pay off the debts on

the church property and repair the building. He created a great deal of

interest in the town in religious matters, and the little church

building on Parallel street having become too small, two lots on the

corner of Fifth and Kansas avenue were purchased in 1870, and the

basement of the present building was erected and dedicated by Dr.

Fisher, who remained pastor of the church for three years. Dr. Fisher

was one of the strong preachers of Kansas in that day, and a strong

anti-slavery sympathizer. He built the church at Leavenworth in 1859,

which was one of the famous churches of the State, and popularly known

as the cradle of prohibition. He was in Lawrence when Quantrell sacked

the town, and after an eventful life as pastor, chaplain and missionary,

Dr. Fisher died at Baldwin, Kan., October 23, 1905.

Rev. T. J. Leak succeeded Mr. Fisher, and it was during Mr. Leak’s

pastorate that the new church was dedicated, October 26, 1873. Three

years later the Rev. Mr. Leak was succeeded by Dr. George S. Dearborn.

Rev. William Friend succeeded Dr. Dearborn in March, 1876, who was

succeeded by E. W. Van Deventer. Dr. Philipp Krohn became pastor in

1882. He was succeeded by Rev. A. H. Tevis. Dr. J. W. Alderman came to

Atchison in 1887 and remained until March, 1893, and was succeeded by

Dr. E. H. Brumbaugh, who became pastor in March, 1893. Rev. S. V. Leach

followed Dr. Brumbaugh in 1897, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. G. W.

Grines, and since that time Dr. H. E. Wolf, Rev. W. T. Stott, Dr. I. B.

Pulliam and Dr. John W. Scott filled the pulpit of the church down to

the year 1914, when Rev. Thomas E. Chandler, who for five years previous

had been superintendent of the Ottawa district, became pastor of the

church. Dr. Chandler is one of the best informed, most eloquent and

beloved pastors the church has ever had. He is not only popular among

his own church people, but has made numerous friends outside his fold.

In September, 1915, through the efforts of Dr. Chandler, assisted by Dr.

C. F. Reisner, pastor of Grace Church, New York City, together with C.

D. Walker and others, $42,000 was raised for the erection of a new

church. When it is completed it will be one of the finest church

edifices in Kansas.

CHRISTIAN.

The Christian church was organized in Pioneer Hall, corner of Kansas

avenue and Fourth street, May 20, 1882, with twenty-four charter

members. At the end of the first year there were fifty-five members, and

in April, 1884, the church was incorporated under the laws of Kansas.

The first church edifice was located at the corner of Tenth street and

Kansas avenue, and was dedicated May 24, 1885, at a cost of $2,604. The

building was much enlarged during the ministry of W. H. White. In 1912,

the congregation having outgrown its old building, agitation for a new

building was started, and a new site was selected at Seventh and Santa

Fe streets, and on August 19, 1914, a beautiful new church was

dedicated, which cost $47,000. The church also owns a lot adjoining the

church, upon which a parsonage will be erected. The present membership

is 1,400, and the Bible school is next to the largest in the State. The

Sunday school is thoroughly graded, with eight departments, sixty-five

officers and teachers, with H. P. Armstrong, superintendent. The church

has thirty deacons and elders.

The records show that as early as 1869 the Christian church had

followers in this community, and among the pastors who served in the

early days were William C. Rodgers, James E. Gaston and C. C. Band. The

early congregation went so far as to purchase a lot at the corner of

Seventh and Santa Fe streets, opposite the present new edifice, and a

foundation was laid for a building, but the plan had to be abandoned

because of lack of funds.

Miss Etta Beason, of Atchison, and T. D. McCleery, of Effingham, are the

two surviving charter members.

The names of the pastors who have served the church since 1882 are as

follows: M. P. Hayden, W. S. Priest, J. S. Myers, Rev. Cox, W. H. White,

Lowell McPherson, Rev. Ingram, M. E. Harlan, E. L. Ely, W. T. Hilton, Z.

E. Bates. The present pastor of the church is Rev. Jesse M Bader, one of

the most popular, aggressive and conscientious ministers in Atchison.

[Illustration:

White Temple Christian Church, Atchison, Kan.

]

PRESBYTERIAN.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized October 21, 1858, by a

committee from the Presbytery of Highland, Rev. Alexander W. Pitzer, of

Leavenworth, chairman. The number of persons entering into the

organization on that day was eight. Their names were as follows: William

M. Davies, Mary Davies, George B. Irwin, Rebecca Irwin, Annie Love,

Andrew Hamilton, Maximilla Ireland and Edward Hair. The following

persons have served the church as ministers: Rev. Julius Spencer, from

April, 1858, for about eighteen months; Rev. H. H. Dobbins, for seven

months, from September, 1863; Rev. T. P. Lemis commenced his labors in

April, 1865, and continued with the church until February, 1868; Rev.

Edward Cooper had charge of the church from December, 1868, until

December, 1875; Rev. J. H. Clark officiated as pastor from March, 1876,

until June, 1878; Rev. M. L. Howie began his labors in November, 1878,

and continued with the church until November, 1882: he died in Chicago

in August, 1913; Rev. D. C. Milner began his work in December, 1882, and

continued with the church until September 23, 1887: Rev. M. L. Howie

(second term), November 11, 1887, to 1897: Rev. J. D. Countermine, from

1897 to 1899; Rev. B. F. Boyle came February 25, 1900, and continued as

pastor until in the fall of 1911. Rev. W. I. Alexander came in November,

1911, and continued his labors until September, 1914. Rev. W. C. Isett

was called in September, 1915.

[Illustration:

Presbyterian Church at Atchison, Kan.

]

For some months after its organization the church had no regular

minister and services were held in a store room, hall and private

residences. For a time the church held meetings in Bang’s Hall on

Commercial street, and in Price’s Hall, on the corner of Fourth and Main

streets. During the pastorate of Rev. Lewis, the building on Fourth

street, between Commercial and Main streets, known as “the Presbyterian

hall,” was erected, and the congregation commenced using it as a place

of worship in 1865. The congregation began the erection of the present

church building in 1880. The corner stone was laid on September 15 of

that year. About the time of beginning the building, Mrs. S. Donald,

Mrs. Judge Berry, Mrs. C. A. Stuart and Mrs. A. J. North canvassed the

city and secured large subscriptions to the building fund. The building

committee consisted of A. W. Simpson, A. F. Martin and J. M. Covert. The

elders in 1880 were as follows: A. B. McQueen, A. J. North, J. M.

Covert, J. W. Allen, J. S. Trimble, and Harry Harkness. The deacons in

the same year were as follows: B. F. Hudson, J. Edward Lewis, S. D. D.

Smith and D. M. Wynkoop. The trustees were as follows: B. F. Hudson,

president; A. F. Martin, secretary; David Lukens, treasurer; E. K.

Blair, R. B. Drury, A. W. Simpson, S. D. D. Smith. Officers of the

Sunday school were as follows: A. F. Martin, superintendent; J. M.

Covert, assistant superintendent, and J. E. Lewis, secretary and

treasurer. Officers of the Ladies’ Aid Society were as follows: Mrs. A.

J. North, president; Mrs. W. C. North, secretary; Mrs. E. K. Blair,

treasurer. Young Ladies’ Society: Miss May Seaton, president; Miss Tola

Thomas, secretary; Miss Nellie George, treasurer. In the year 1858 the

persons active in the church at that time were: Mrs. Thomas Seip, Mr.

and Mrs. William Davis, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. McQueen. The first

deaconesses were: Mrs. C. J. Parmenter and Miss Anna J. North, ordained

in 1888.

BAPTIST.

The First Baptist Church of Atchison was organized in 1858, in Allen’s

Hall, on the northwest corner of Second and Commercial streets. At the

time of the organization there were but nine members, of whom three are

still living and members of the church, though non-resident: Mrs. L. A.

Alderson, Mrs. Aaron Stephenson and Mrs. Mary A. Challiss. Dr. W. L.

Challiss was soon added to the membership. The lots on the corner of

Ninth street and Kansas avenue were donated by Luther C. Challiss, and a

house of worship was erected upon it, and this location has been the

home of the church ever since.

Rev. L. A. Alderson was the first pastor of the church, and he served

faithfully three years without salary. Then followed Rev. Dr. Perkins

from New Jersey, and Rev. Frank Remington.

Just at this time the troubles of the war came on and very little could

be accomplished. Rev. J. W. Warder became pastor in 1866 and the church

grew strong under his ministry. Rev. H. A. Guild successfully served the

church for a time in 1868. Rev. J. Sawyer accepted the pastorate, and

then Rev. E. Gunn.

Rev. J. W. Luke was pastor directly before Rev. Mulford. He baptized

some of our best workers and did excellent and permanent work for the

church.

The twenty-fifth anniversary was fittingly celebrated at the home of

Mrs. John M. Price, and a silver offering was received toward a new

building which came soon after, under the pastorate of Rev. J. B.

Mulford, who was called to his reward from here.

Rev. D. D. Proper followed and Rev. E. P. Brand and Rev. G. W. Rogers,

all of whom served the church under great difficulties. There was a

heavy debt left upon the new building, which was drawing a high rate of

interest, and the constant calls for money which was paid with

apparently no returns, discouraged the membership. Still, the pastors

resolutely worked at the great task. Rev. G. W. Rogers undertook to

raise $5,000 of the mortgage, and B. P. Waggener, who had always been a

generous contributor, gave $2,000, and made a liberal loan besides. Not

long after Rev. Rogers was called to another field, and again the church

had a pastorless period, but greatly enjoyed the ministrations of the

late Dr. Murphy. Rev. J. R. Comer was called to the pastorate June 1,

1895, and faithfully served the church twelve years. Much of the money

pledged during Dr. Rogers’ pastorate was paid in or collected while Rev.

J. R. Comer was pastor. Then the remaining $1,500 mortgage and all other

debts were bravely taken up and paid, and the church celebrated its

victory in burning the mortgage and a general rejoicing, and also a firm

determination never to go deeply in debt again.

During the present pastorate of more than eight years the church has

strictly followed this rule, but this has not prevented some large

purchases. In 1909 the church purchased and placed a new pipe organ at a

cost of $4,500, and two years later purchased the property adjoining the

church on the west for the accommodation of the growing Sunday school.

This was done at a cost of $5,500 for property and furniture, and the

money was raised at a Sunday morning service. It is in the minds of many

of the members of the church that in the near future there must be a new

church building, and to that end over $6,000 has been accumulated and is

being held for the time when the membership of the church shall be ready

to erect a structure that shall be worthy of the city and an honor to

God.

The work of the church has grown and developed and every department has

accepted a larger share in work, local and world-wide. Last year the

church contributed over $1,200 for missionary and benevolent work,

besides some gifts which did not pass through the church treasury.

The church stands for a strong and helpful and constructive religious

work, and a faithful adherence to the teachings of the Bible, and a

loyalty to the Lordship of Christ. The present pastor is Rev. A. J.

Haggett, who has served his congregation long and well.

SALEM CHURCH.

The Evangelical Association located a mission in Atchison in 1882, with

Rev. C. Brandt as the first missionary. A number of German families were

gathered and signified their willingness to effect a church

organization. Accordingly, a hall was rented at 614 Commercial street

and services held. In 1884 the organization numbered forty-seven

members, and the Kansas conference of the Evangelical Association at its

annual session in 1884 decided to build a church at this time. Rev.

Daniel R. Zellner was appointed pastor, and Rev. John Wuerth, presiding

elder of the Holton district. During the pastorate of Rev. D. R. Zellner

in 1884 the church was built at 522 Atchison street, and dedicated by

Rev. John Wuerth, presiding elder, as the Salem church of the

Evangelical Association, and service has continued uninterruptedly ever

since. Following are the ministers who served consecutively as pastors:

Rev. C. Brandt, D. R. Zellner, C. Brant, second pastorate; C. F.

Erffmeyer, Samuel Mueller, Jacob Schmidle, John Wuerth, C. F. Iwig,

Peter Scheumann, D. R. Zellner, third pastorate; Charles Linge, F. F.

Erffmeyer, D. R. Zellner, fourth pastorate. L. M. Nanninga, J. M.

Fricker, Samuel Breithaupt, present pastor (1916).

The following served as presiding elders during the past thirty-four

years: John Wuerth, Henry Mattill, J. F. Schreiber, Albert Brunner, C.

F. Erffmeyer, W. F. Wothensen and C. F. Iwig. The Evangelical

Association was organized as a denomination in 1800, with Jacob

Allbright as its founder.

Originally, the language used was German, but in the past half century

the German language was rapidly superseded by the English language. At

this time there are very few congregations in the denomination that

worship in the German language exclusively. The services in the

Evangelical church in this city for the past few years are conducted in

English.

This society maintains a well organized Sunday school, with weekly

sessions every Sunday at 10 o’clock a. m. G. W. Bradley is

superintendent; a Young People’s Alliance, E. B. Breithaupt, president,

and a Woman’s Missionary Society, Mrs. Samuel Breithaupt, president.

This organization maintains free pews and extends an invitation to

strangers when in the city to worship with them.

GERMAN EVANGELICAL ZION CHURCH.

In the summer of 1893 a number of men, among them Rev. Nestel, of St.

Joseph, Mo., who had received a special invitation, met at the home of

August Manglesdorf, Sr., and organized a German Evangelical

congregation. It was decided to have services in Odd Fellows hall. Rev.

Nestel came over from St. Joe from time to time and conducted the

services. In January, 1894, Rev. C. Stork, of Concordia, Mo., took

charge of the congregation as their first own pastor. In 1894 two lots

of land, at the northwest corner of Ninth and Santa Fe streets, were

bought, upon which the church was built. In 1895 the congregation became

a member of the German Evangelical Synod of North America. In the same

year the parsonage was erected, and in 1908 a school building was added

to the church. Besides Rev. Stork, the following ministers served the

congregation: H. Limper, 1897 to 1901; C. Bechtold, 1901 to 1905; P.

Stoerker, from 1905 to 1909, and Emil Vogt, the present pastor. Besides

the annual donations for their own church, the members have spent $2,000

for home and foreign missions. The church has a Sunday school, a

teachers’ training course, a choir, a Young People’s Society, and a

Ladies’ Aid Society.

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST.

[Illustration:

First Church of Christ Scientist, Atchison, Kan.

]