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The History of Johnson County as here set forth is not an attempt at metaphysical disquisition, nor a profusion of legendary lore; neither is it an effort to analyze the unknown motives of man or to seek the hidden causes for certain human events. The constant object before the writer has been to present the story of Johnson County as told by the men and women whose faith, courage, foresight and industry have made the county what it is today. The story of the adventures, struggles and achievements of these pioneers form an indispensable and most interesting part of this work. They possess the value of authenticity, and are the plain, unvarnished tales of those who bore the burden of the days of trying endeavor and who endured almost incredible hardships. Confronted by drouths, pests, plagues and repeated failures, and rent by political dissention of the border war period, these brave pioneers never lost faith in the future greatness of Johnson county, and many of this noble band of self-sacrificing men and women still live to exult in its beauty and progress, and to prophesy that the astounding development of today is but the fore runner of still greater things to come. The data for this work has been gathered with painstaking exactness and it is hoped that its accuracy is commensurate with the efforts that have been put forth to make it so, and that it may be a valuable work of reference for present and future generations. The editor desires to acknowledge the cordial and valuable assistance accorded him by the many citizens of the county in compiling this work. Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made to the many contributors whose articles embellish these pages, and the cooperation of the press of the counts has been a help deeply appreciated and deserves due recognition. I wish to express my sincere thanks to the good people of Johnson county, one and all. ED BLAIR. Olathe, Kan., December 1, 1915. |
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CHAPTER I--PRIMITIVE PERIOD 17 Indian Tribes -- Early Explorers -- Indian Treaties -- Black Bob Reservation -- Shawnee Tradition -- Bread Dance -- Corn Dance -- Journey of The Soul -- Chief Bluejacket -- Early Trappers and Traders. CHAPTER II--INDIAN MISSIONS 25 Establishment of Methodist Mission -- Founding of Manuel Training School -- Location and Opening of School -- Influence of School -- Rev. Thomas Johnson and Other Missionaries -- Charles Bluejacket -- Capt. Joseph Park -- Mission Abandoned -- Murder of Thomas Johnson -- Col. Alexander Soule Johnson -- William Johnson and His Recollections -- Baptist Mission -- Quaker Mission -- Memories of Missions. CHAPTER III--THE SANTA FE TRAIL 54 Its Course -- When First Traveled -- Established By The Government -- Santa Fe Trail Markers -- Dedication of Monument at Olathe -- Santa Fe Marker at Lone Elm -- Pioneers' Experiences on the Old Trail -- "The Santa Fe Trail" -- Recollections of a "Bullwhacker." CHAPTER IV--DESCRIPTIVE AND POLITICAL 71 Topography -- Organization of County -- First Election -- County Officers -- Members of the First Territorial Legislature -- Border Trouble -- Members of the Legislature -- County Statistics. CHAPTER V--EARLY EVENTS AND INSTITUTIONS 81 First Business Concerns -- First Marriage -- Horace Greeley Visits Johnson County -- Old Settlers -- The Mehaffie House -- The First Twenty Years. HISTORICAL INDEX CHAPTER VI--OLATHE 102 Olathe and Its Institutions -- Merchants' Association -- First Hotel -- Voters in 1859 -- Old Landmarks and Border Day Experiences -- Churches -- State Institute for the Deaf -- Banks -- Fifty Years of Olathe -- A "County Seat Town." CHAPTER VII--SPRING HILL 121 Location and Enterprises -- Banks -- Churches -- Reminiscences at Spring Hill -- The Old Hotel -- The Pioneer Store -- Early Days at Spring Hill -- Stage Line and Early Business Ventures -- Locating the Town and Organization of Town Company -- Spring Hill Beginnings -- War Times. CHAPTER VIII--GARDNER 139 Settlement and Townsite Company -- Business Firms -- Gardner Raided Three Times -- The Last Raid -- Churches -- Gardner of Today -- Gardner's Early Days. CHAPTER IX--EDGERTON 149 Location -- Churches -- Commercial Enterprises -- Cemetery -- The Press. CHAPTER X--OVERLAND PARK 152 Strang Line -- Business Houses -- Additions -- Aviation Park -- Exposition Club -- Bank. CHAPTER XI--DE SOTO 155 Location and Business Firms -- Organization of Town Company and First Building -- Churches -- De Soto During the Civil War -- A Pioneer's Experience -- Introduction to the Shawnee Indians. CHAPTER XII--OTHER TOWNS AND VILLAGES 159 Shawnee -- Quantrill Visits Shawnee -- Lenexa -- Aubry -- Stilwell -- Stanley -- Merriam -- Bonita -- Morse -- Ocheltree -- Monticello -- Wilder -- Kenneth -- Choteau -- Switzer -- Lackman -- Craig -- Zarah -- Holliday -- Oxford. CHAPTER XIII--CIVIL WAR AND BORDER WAR 185 In Progress Free State and Pro-Slavery Conflict -- Johnson County in the Civil War -- Maj. J T. Hadley Promoted -- Lieutenant Pellett Recruits |
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a Company -- Colonel Hayes Wounded -- General Order No. 11 -- Battle of Westport -- Beginning of Quantrill's Band -- When Quantrill Raided Olathe -- Quantrill Passed through Johnson County on Way to Lawrence -- Spring Hill Looted -- The Red Legs -- Battle of Bull Creek -- Battle of "Blowhard" -- War-time Clippings from the Olathe "Mirror" -- Grand Army of the Republic. CHAPTER XIV--PUBLIC SCHOOLS 210 In Progress Organization -- Growth and Development of the Schools. CHAPTER XV--RAILROADS 212 In Progress Promoting Early Railroads and Voting Bonds -- Pioneer Railroad Builders. CHAPTER XVI--THE GRANGE 219 In Progress The Organization and Progress of the Grange in Johnson County -- The Grange Insurance Company. CHAPTER XVII--WHAT THE FIRST WOMAN SAW HERE 222 In Progress What The First Woman Saw Here -- An Interview with Jonathan
Millikan -- Henry Wedd -- Some Early Day Events in Johnson County
and Kansas -- A Pioneer's Recollections -- A Story of Early Days
-- Fifty Years After -- Reminiscences -- A Retrospective View
-- Yeager Raid Incidents.
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Adair, B. F. 273 Allison, S. H. 294
Anderson, W. W. 408 Ainsworth, H. C. 369 Azendorf, Henry 283 Bell, I. N. 441 Berkshire, J. H. 438 Black, George 434 Blair, Ed. 309 Bradley, William 365 Braun, C. J. 421 Branick, Elias 266 Bradshaw, Harry 255 Breyfogle, L. D. 445 Breyfogle Family 444 Breyfogle, H. L. 444 Brown, W. C. 409 Brown, G. W. 280 Buckley, Jerry 421 Bruner, Maj. J. B. 311 Busch, Casper 293 Busch, Deitrich 256 Busch, Herman 272 Burgess, H. L. 415 Burke, W. R. 358 Caenen, Remi 334 Calvert, A. J. 461 Carroll, E. G. 338 Carpenter, A. G. 352 Case, H. H. 285 Cave, L. L. 425 Champion, Frank 385 Chamberlin, J. H. 332 Chamberlin, W. H. H. 343 Clark, Capt. Emanuel 382 Coker, L. H. 467 |
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Cook, G. W. 462 Cosgrove, J. H. 349 Crawford, Frank 386 Day, Dudley 419 Dare, T. W. 388 Delahunt, Charles, Sr. 337 De Tar, Miss Mary E. 287 De Vault, Lafayette 398 Deweese, J. E. 267 Donham, R. M. 457 Dowell, J.N. 391 Dwyer, D. C. 329 Edgington, A. N. 302 Ellis, G. T. 447 Elliott, G. W. 264 England, W. C. 282 Fagan, W. W. 378 Ferguson, S. E. 432 Folmer, G. .W. 396 Foster, A. J. 316 Foster, J.R. 335 Fraser, William 372 Graham, W. W. 442 Gray, W. L. 455 Graves, Col. W. C. 363 Greer, Dr. T. S. 289 Hale, D. R. 288 Hancock, J. H. 387 Haney, F. C. 394 Hannon, J. F. 351 Haskin, W. P. 360 Harrison, W. H. 350 Haskin, E. H. 275 Hatfield, Dr. F. J. 284 Harbaur, C. E. 326 Hayden, G. C. 322 Hedrick, F. D. 341 Heider, Martin 420 Hendrix, P. K. 428 Henry, H. L. 324 Hershey, I. H. 342 Hedges, Frank 412 Hedges, G. H. 410 Hogue, S. R. 375 Hollenback, B. F. 308 |
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Hollenback, F. P. 466 Holmes, Joseph 377 Howell, G. H. 345 Huff, George 299 Huff, John 406 Hundley, R. C. 294 Huggins, J. O. 291 Hunt, A. J. 292 Hunt, A. L. 313 Irvin, James 450 James, T. W. 354 James, Col. Andy 402 Jessup, Miss Fern 352 Kellogg, Sherman 404 Kelly, W. H. 323 Kelly, W. J. 252 King, Harry 402 Klusman, H. H. 454 Knabe, G. C. 374 Knox, E. V. 258 Krumm, A. H. 456 Kuhlman, J. J. 400 Lansdown, Harrison 325 Lanter, F. R. 274 Legler, E. A. 257 Lemen, J. R. 427 Lesueur, J. P. 260 Linn, W. T. 346 Lorimer, F. M. 298 Little, John T. 247 Lott, Miss Alice S. 401 Marty, John 290 Mathews, H. A. 440 McAnany, Patrick 330 McCann, Michael 372 McKaig, J. F. 433 McCarthy, Florence 404 McClintock, W. J. 314 McFeatters, Rev. M. 289 McKoin, W. H. 371 Meredith, M. T. 272 Miller, E. L. 335 Miller, M. G. 463 Millikan, A. R. 380 |
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Millikan, Jonathan 276 Mize, Johnson 419 Moll, A. E. 278 Moon, A. O. 296 Moore, G. W. 278 Moore, R. R. 266 Mossman, C. H. 364 Mossman, F. E. 423 Mower, George 362 Murdock, D. E. 453 Murphy, P. H. 363 Murray, Roy 295 Nance, W. A. 344 Nall, John 346 Noland, T. W. 393 Newton, E. D. 399 Ording, Rev. J. A. 270 Pack, W. M. 418 Parks, Horace 328 Pearce, J. A. 317 Pellett, J. S. 269 Pettyjohn, J. L. 413 Phillips, H. L. 370 Post, Smith 422 Rankin, J. F. 320 Rea, J. W. 467 Reeder, Benjamin 436 Rebsamen, A. J. 365 Riley, Thomas 339 Rudy, Scott 340 Rose, Miss Jennie 360 Rutter, W. R. 449 Ruttinger, Frank 253 Ryan, D. H. 428 Secrest, J. R. 460 Sharpe, W. F. 392 Shellhammer, C. H. 424 Sitterman, W. M. 355 Sheridan, Patrick 468 Simpson, Joseph 452 Sloan, Dr. J. R. 458 Smallwood, C. N. 259 Smith, Andrew 265 Smith, C. B. 252 Smith, E. L. 336 Smith, G. P. 361 |
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Sowers, G. S. 451 Speer, W. S. 327 Steed, J. S. 395 Stephenson, Jewett 315 Strang, W. B. 249 Strongman, John 319 Swank, J. T. 437 Taggart, David 304 Taylor, B. S. 268 Thorne, J. R. 381 Tibbetts, W. M. 390 Tillotson, B. H. 254 Todd, J. B. 400 Todd, C. E. 287 Toynbee, J. W. 459 Turner, W. T. 366 Uhls, Dr. L. L. 347 Wallace, J. K. 458 Walker, A. J. 410 Walker, Ralston 306 Walmer, Edwin 464 Warner, E. D 300 Wedd, George 431 Wedd, Henry 356 Weeks, Fred 397 Wickens, W. W. 391 Widner, Albert 446 Williams, A. P. 329 Williams, Irwia 332 Wilkinson, S. E. 259 Wilkerson, W. F. 386 Wilson, W. J. 320 Young, O. H. 425 Zehring, C. E. 430 Zimmerman, Capt. W. H. 251 |
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Page Ed. Blair................................................................................................ Frontispiece Johnson County Court House.............................................................................. 16 Old Mission Building .......................................................................................... 25 Santa Fe Trail Marker, Olathe............................................................................ 57 Santa Fe Trail Marker, Lone Elm....................................................................... 63 Johnson County Hospital ................................................................................. 102 Hotel Olathe, Olathe........................................................................................ 109 Old Fire Wagon, Olathe.................................................................................. 117 Hedges Brothers Office, Olathe....................................................................... 119 Cooperative Store, Spring Hill ........................................................................ 127 Old Hotel, Spring Hill ..................................................................................... 132 Spring Hill Banking Company ......................................................................... 136 Farmers' Bank, Gardner.................................................................................. 141 Kelly's Elevator, Edgerton............................................................................... 146 Strang Line Depot, Overland Park.................................................................. 152 Scene at Aviation Field, Overland Park........................................................... 153 Voight Brothers' Building, Overland Park ....................................................... 154 Street Scene, Lenexa...................................................................................... 162 School Building, Lenexa.................................................................................. 165 Trail Inn, Lenexa............................................................................................. 167 Bradshaw Brothers' Store, Lenexa.................................................................. 171 Judging Colts, Stanley..................................................................................... 176 Residence of E. H. Haskin, Lenexa................................................................. 182 Group of Civil War Veterans.......................................................................... 184 Strang Gas-Electric Cars................................................................................ 212 John T. Little.................................................................................................. 246 Jonathan Millikan........................................................................................... 277 Benjamin F. Hollenback................................................................................. 309 Andrew Rudy and Mrs. Elvira Rudy............................................................... 341 Florence McCarthy and Family ..................................................................... 405 Home of W. W Anderson and Family............................................................ 409 Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Reeder...................................................................... 437 J. R. Secrest and Family ................................................................................ 461 |
