EARLY EXPLORATIONS.
The early travelers and gold hunters found this country in the possession of
the Kaw Indians, a tribe not so treacherous and bloodthirsty as the Sioux and
Pawnee. The first white men to venture into this Indian haunted frontier to
commence the noble work of winning the country from its thralldom of barbarism
were William Still, George Darling, and a Frenchman named La Pere. In May,
1855 they built a cabin near the mouth of Coal Creek (then Myer's) and
cultivated a garden that year. They were a part of the Reader colony, the
larger portion of which settled at Solomon City, at the junction of the
Solomon and Smoky Hill rivers. At this time they were almost beyond the
frontier, and within the Indians' hunting grounds. The settlements of safety
were many miles east. In June, 1855, a party from Ohio explored the Solomon
Valley, with the design of selecting a location for a large colony from that
State, but the Sioux war on the Smoky Hill River, and the fact of the Kansas
River not being navigable, caused them to abandon their design and seek a
location less liable to invasion from the Indians. Of the first three
settlers in the county, La Pere was probably killed by the savages. The Sioux
were in camp on the Saline River, and to them he went on a friendly visit, but
never returned. In 1855-'56 the Sioux war and border ruffian troubles had the
effect of checking the great immigration in prospect for the valley west of
the Kansas River. In the fall of 1857 Mr. Myers, who gave the name to the
creek, came into Ottawa County, but settled on Turkey Creek, Dickinson
County. In the fall of 1858 Wm. Frost located near the mouth of Coal Creek.
During this same season a number of settlers took claims, but did not
permanently locate until in the spring of 1859, when the following came into
Ottawa County: S. M. Wright, one and a half miles north of Minneapolis; E. W.
Branch, just adjoining the town site; Jacob Humburger, four miles northeast,
on Pipe Creek; H. R. Little and Josiah Hocker, adjacent to Wm. Frost's old
claim, near the mouth of Coal Creek and the eastern boundary line of Ottawa
County. Messrs. Wright and Branch build the first cabins occupied by
families in the county, and their wives were the first white women who entered
its limits for the purpose of making homes there. In 1857-'58 the hunters and
trappers who visited Solomon Valley gave names to many of its creeks. For
some unexplained reason these wayfarers left a wagon-load of plunder behind
them, just above Minneapolis, for the ownership of which a lawsuit was
subsequently tried in the District Court, at Junction City. Judging from the
evidence there produced, the "gentlemen" who gave Fisher, Lindsey, Brown and
Chriss creeks their names, were not the most savory morsels of humanity in the
world. Most of the names of these Solomon Valley creeks have since been
changed - in respect to the living. The great drought of 1860 checked
immigration. In the fall of 1861 came the Indian scare. Mr. Still moved down
into Dickinson County with his family; Messrs. Humberger and Darling into
Saline, and the Branches went East to live. Mr. Wright, who had also fled,
returned in the fall of 1863, as did Mr. Still. During the early part of 1864
the Indians became again very troublesome. Their raids were frequent in
adjoining counties, and some of the settlers in Ottawa County lost their
lives. In the spring of 1864 six settlers in Saline, Ottawa and Mitchell
counties lost their lives. This induces a number of them to band themselves
together for protection. Israel Markley, S. M. Wright, J. C. Boblett, J. C.
Stull, A. and S. Z. Boss, Thomas Dalrymple, Chapman, H. S. Wooden, J. M. Jones,
Al and Ed Schellenbrand and others built Fort Solomon, which stood on the river
near the present residence of Hon. E. Holingsworth. Log houses were also
built in the form of a square, and enclosed with palisades. Inside of the
enclosure was a good well, and every precaution was taken to be prepared for a
long siege, which, fortunately, the settlers were not obliged to endure. The
majority of the people in the county at this time lived in these houses from
the summer of 1864 to the spring of 1865. Major-General Custis gave the
unpretentious garrison a noted little gun, known as "Jim Lane's Pocket
Piece." It is still in the county, a souvenir of those days.
In the year 1865 the county received an influx of discharged soldiers, coming
to take advantage of their soliders' claims. This rapid increase in
population induced Israel Markley and J. C. Boblett to build the Elkhorn saw
and flour mill, the first of the kind in the county, in 1864-'65. With the
exception of horse-stealing, comparative quiet and peace prevailed in this
county from 1865 until 1868. Up to this time only one man was known to have
been killed by the Indians. His name was Peter Miller. A band of Pawnees
came to his place, the farm now owned by Levi Yonkey, in July, 1862, and
killed him and plundred (sic) his cabin. The Cheyennes, Kiawas, Arapahoes,
and Sioux used to congregate at the "Great Spirit" spring, "Waconda," and from
there make raids on the Republican, Solomon and Saline Valleys. The town
Wauconda, on the Solomon River, in Mitchell County, is situated near, and
named after, this spring. Early in the morning of August 12, 1868, the
Indians came pouring into the valley of the Solomon, and during the three
succeeding days laid waste the fair settlements as far down as Yonkey's farm,
which was in the northwestern part of the county. There were none killed,
however, in Ottawa, but in Mitchell and Cloud counties their victims were
many. C. C. Clark was attacked just below Delphos, as he was retreating down
the valley, with his family in his wagon, but by fast driving, with his reins
in one hand and his revolver in the other, he kept the cowards at bay and
reached Minneapolis in safety. On the fourteenth of the following October
another raid was made through Ottawa County, which was far more disastrous
than the one of August. A large amount of stock was driven off, all the
household plunder they could carry stolen, four lives taken, and one woman
carried away captive. The victims were Peter Karns, old Mr. Smith, John
Andrews and Alexander Smith. A Mr. Morgan was severely wounded, and his wife
carried away into captivity , from which she was not released for eight long
months. Mr. Morgan had gone to gather corn on D. Mortimer's farm, which is
close to the river in the northern part of the county, and was in the field
when attacked. The attack was so sudden that he did not have time to unhitch
his team, which he was in the act of doing when the savages approached him.
He left the horses partly unhitched and ran for the river, pursued by one of
the Indians, who wounded his victim just as he reached the bank. Morgan fell,
rolled over the bank, and was left as dead. In the meantime one of the horses
freed himself and started for home, followed by the Indians with the other
horse, and what they needed of the harness. Mrs. Morgan, seeing the lone
horse and supposing the team had run away and perhaps killed her husband, was
returning to the field with the animal when she met the Indians and was taken
captive. It was a grand reunion when she returned, for she found her husband
alive whom she had believed to be dead, and he found the noble wife he had
begun to believe was not among the living. As the Indians were pursuing Mr.
Smith, who they killed, they came upon Mr. Virtue, whom they felled with a
spear and left for dead, but he was only slightly injured. On the 9th of
June, 1869, they made a raid on Sumnerville. They surrounded Captain Pierce's
house, but his son and Ben Makley succeeded in keeping them out of the
building. About the same time they burned the Smithville postoffice and
killed two young men - Messrs. Dyer and John Wier. These last raids were made
principally for plunder. The Indians in the last raid were pursued by a band
of settlers. The same day John Lyon, Hendershot, Sticklet and other pursued
some thieving Indians ten miles and killed one of their number, but failed to
secure the stolen property.
On the 14th of August, 1868, Governor Crawford was telegraphed the situation
at midnight, and in four hours he was in Salina, and on the night of the 15th
stopped at Asher Creek. His influence caused the General Government to send
out, under Generals Sheridan and Custer, the expedition that recaptured Mrs.
Morgan and Miss White. The latter was taken from Cloud County one month
before Mrs. Morgan was captured. Her father was killed at the same time.
There were no more raids into the county, but it was two or three years before
the fear of incursions really passed away.
The first settlers in Ottawa Coutny were William Still, George Darling and La
Pere, a Frenchman. They build a cabin in May, 1855, near the mouth of Coal
Creek, and cultivated a garden, but the Sioux war induced them to leave in the
fall.
The first permanent settlers came in 1859. They were S. M. Wright,
E. W. Branch, Jacob Humburger, H. R. Little and Josiah Hocker.
The first while women in the county were Mrs. S. M. Wright and Mrs.
E. W. Branch, who located with their husbands in 1859.
The first birth in the county occurred in 1859. The parents were
Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Wright, to whom a son was born.
The first death was that of Mrs. E. W. Branch. Her demise occurred on the 13
of August, 1859, soon after occupying her new home, and by her request she was
buried on the present site of the Minneapolis Cemetery.
Matilda Jones and W. D. Bruce were the first couple married in Ottawa County,
this event occurring in 1865. They were married in old Fort Solomon.
The first school was taught at Concord, in 1864, by Miss Charlotte Ingersoll.
The first sermon was preached by Rev. J. H. Hawley, of the Methodist
denomination, in 1865. Most of the citizens were present at this first
religious gathering. It was held at Mrs. Boss's log cabin at Fort Solomon.
Seymour Ayers and John Knight, appointed in 1864, were the first Justices of
the Peace in the county.
The first Postmasters were S. Z. Boss and J. C. Boblett, appointed
in 1864, the former for Bennington and the latter for Ayersburg.
The first physician, Dr. McHenry, came in 1867.
The first mill, at Elkhorn, was built by Israel Markley and J. C. Boblett,
in 1865.
Colonel John Kerwin started the first store at Fort Solomon in 1866.
Jerome Ingersoll was the first lawyer, locating at Bennington in 1865.
The Legislature of 1860 bounded the county and named it after the Ottawa tribe
of Indians. From that time up to 1865 Ottawa, with Clay, Dickinson, Saline
and all the unorganized territory west of these counties, was attached to
Davis County for judicial purposes. R. H Little, of Ottawa, was a member of
the first grand jury that sat at Junction City, and Isaac Markley was
defendant to the first suit docketed in the District Court, under State laws,
when Ottawa was a part of Davis County. Mr. Markley gained his suit. The
Legislature of 1865 attached Ottawa to Saline County for judicial purposes.
Dickson and Saline counties had been organized, and the change was made for
the convenience of the people. S. Z. Boss was appointed Justice for Ottawa.
In July, 1866, Seymour Ayers prepared the papers for the organization of the
county, it having, supposedly, the required population of 500. Governor
Samuel J. Crawford completed the work by appointing Amassa May, Henry Dresher
and A. J. Willis, County Commissioners; J. H. Ingersoll, County Clerk; and
designating Ayersburg as the county seat until the people should choose for
themselves. The first election took place in the following November; result
as follows: Commissioners, G. R. Ingersoll, A. H. Boss and Silas Seaman;
County Clerk, H. S. Wooden; Treasurer, Geo. Culver; Sheriff, D. Pierce; and J.
H. Ingersoll, County Attorney.
Minneapolis and Lindsey were candidates for county seat honors. They are
equally distant from the exact center of the county. As stated, the Governor
designated Ayersburg as the county seat until the people should select a
place. This was done in the fall of 1866, the vote resulting in favor of
Minneapolis. The votes of 1870 and 1872 resulted also in giving the county
seat to that city, and the question is, probably, permanently settled.
The county rents building in Minneapolis for the county offices; a square has
been set apart whereon to erect a substantial court-house as soon as the
county becomes sufficiently settled and wealthy. The poor farm is well
supplied with buildings.
The Solomon Valley Railroad, a branch of the Kansas Pacific, runs along the
Solomon River, from Solomon City to Beloit, where it connects with the Central
Branch R. R. It was built to Minneapolis in 1877 and extended to Beloit in
1879 and 1880. The county issued $100,000 worth of bonds in aid of the
Solomon Valley Railroad.
With the exception of the year 1874, the insects have not very materially
injured the crops of the county, not having proved so detrimental to its
financial prosperity as an insufficient amount of rainfall. For some time the
question of a sufficient supply of moisture to produce good crops was a serious
one, and many have come and gone on account of not being able to stay and try
the experiment. With the exception of 1860, the drought has never destroyed
both the early and late crops. This section, however, is more subject to
droughts than that further east, being nearer the dry plains of the West.
Ottawa County has been visited by three cyclones since 1878. The first
occurred the 30th of May, 1879, and passed in a northeasterly direction,
entering the county from the southwest. It did no damage until it reached the
valley of Salt Creek, from which point it was very destructive, until it
passed the northern line of this county, beyond which point it seems to have
done no material damage. Within this short distance of about twelve miles the
fields were laid waste, twenty dwellings blown to pieces or badly wrecked, and
six lives lost, besides considerable damage being occasioned to stock and
fowls. The loss of property, not including crops, was estimated at over
$15,000. The names of those killed are Katie Krone and her sisters, Mrs. Vosh
and Mrs. Anna Vosh; Mr. McCalmot, and a traveler by the name of Jacob Garber
from Center County, Pa., who had taken shelter from the storm under one of Mr.
Krone's sheds. There were a number of other persons seriously injured. On
the night of the 10th of June, just ten days after the cyclone above
mentioned, the flourishing village of Delphos, twelve miles northwest of
Minneapolis, was partially destroyed by a huricane (sic). It commenced at
Cawker City and continued down the course of the Solomon River, greatly
devastating the center of Ottawa County. At the time it struck Delphos -
about 10 o'clock- the citizens of Minneapolis were gathered at an ice-cream
festival for the benefit of the suffers of the former cyclone. The charitable
entertainment was not disturbed, as the hurricane passed to the north.
Thirty-three houses were totally destroyed at Delphos, which was fully one half
of the town and included almost its entire business portion. It is remarkable
that no lives were lost, but this is due to the fact that the lesson of the
cyclone was fresh in the minds of the citizens, as they were within two miles
of its path, and when they saw the threatening cloud and heard the fearful
rumble and roar of the maddened elements, they sought safety in cellars. The
damage to property was about $26,000. The path of the hurricane, which was
here much wider than that of the cyclone, crossed the latter at right angles
about two miles southeast of Delphos, and destroyed two new dwellings that
were rising from the ruins of the cyclone.
On the 9th of June, 1881, two years after the storm last mentioned, the
southern part of the county was visited by a cyclone. The course of the storm
was toward the east, and just after crossing the Saline, one mile north of the
county line, it took the form of a cyclone, continuing thus for about four
miles. Within that distance, in the order given, the houses of Messrs.
Powell, Phillips, Frothingham, Peters and Davis were all destroyed. Mr.
Parker's, only a part of which stood within the path of the cyclone, partially
escaped. There were three occupants of Mr. L. F. Frothingham's house; himself
and wife, Mary T., and Mr. George Combs, her cousin, all of whom were killed
outright; the timbers of the house were scattered for miles. The body of Mr.
Frothingham was found 450 feet from the site of the house, terribly mutilated
and disfigured, the end of a board having been driven half way through his
head. Mrs. Frothingham was thrown about seventy-five yards, her face and head
badly bruised, and her cousin was still nearer the house - not so disfigured,
but dead. They must have been killed at once. Some of the other families were
severely injured, but all recovered. The cyclone lost its rotary motion and
force within three miles of Bennington. It was accompanied by very heavy hail.
SCHOOLS AND COUNTY ROSTER.
The first school in the county was taught at Concord, in 1864, by Miss
Charlotte Ingersoll. It was very small, as the school population was not more
than twenty at that time. It is now about 4,000. The schools are numerous,
and generally in an advanced and flourishing condition. The buildings are
good and the latest and most approved text books and school apparatus are
used. There are over eighty organized districts, with nearly as many good
school-houses. The total valuation of all school property is about $50,000.
County Commissioners - 1866, appointed, Amassa Mav, Henry Dresher and
A. J. Willis; 1866, elected, G. R. Ingersoll, A. H. Boss, Silas Seaman; 1867,
A. H. Boss, C. H. Bellis, Levi Yockey; 1868, G. R. Ingersoll, T. Waddell,, H.
H. Tucker; 1869, J. C. Boblett, Howard, Morton; 1871, G. T. Root, J. S. Morgan,
G. R. Ingersoll; 1873, W. W. Frost, D. W. Fasig, M. Kelley; * * * 1882,
George Mackenzie, H. Z. Towner and H. C. Bilderback.
Clerks - 1866, J. H. Ingersoll, appointed; 1866, H. S.
Wooten; 1866, A. J. Willis; 1867, Chas. Boyle; 1869, A. C. Stull; 1871,
F. M. Sexton; 1875, D. D. Hoag; 1879, Wm. Van Meter; 1881, W. W. Walker.
Treasurers - 1866, Geo. Culver; 1866, A. J. Simpson; 1867, W.
J. Simpson; 1869, I. E. Carson; 1873, T. E. Scott; 1875, G. E. Burnham;
1879, J. W. Smith; 1880. J. S. Felt.
Probate Judges - 1866, Elijah Smith; 1870, Wm. Bell; 1872, D.
D. Hoag; 1874, J. H. Hannah; 1878, Chas. S. Wyeth.
Sheriffs - 1866, D. Pierce; 1866, H. H. Lyon; 1868, Geo. Mackenzie;
1869, A. J. Smith; 1870, E. D. Loing; 1871, W. Tripp; 1873, D. D. Hoag; 1875,
A. L. Carson; 1877, J. D. More and D. D. Hoag; 1879, D. D. Hoag.
Registers - 1866, H. C. Mason; 1869, F. M. Ivy; 1871, F. H.
Holton; 1873, W. L. Harvey; 1877, W. H. Chappal; 1881, J. W. Thompson.
Superintendents of Schools - 1866, H. H. Tucker; 1870, W. A.
Roberts; 1872, A. B. Crosby; 1874, J. H. Elder; 1876-'82, R. L. Hillman.
County Attorneys - 1866, J. H. Ingersoll; 1868, S. Y. Woodhul; 1869, J.
F. Walker; 1870, A. J. Ingersoll; 1872, Bishop Perkins; 1874, R. F. Thompson;
1878, C. L. Bosworth.
Surveyors - 1866, Wm. Bell; 1869, More Spears; 1871, D. R. Crosby; 1873,
W. L. Harvey; 1875, G. P. Crosby; 1877, H. F. Richards; 1879, W. E. Richards.
Coroners - 1870, David Cleave; 1872, Wm. Harvey; 1874, D. D. Slocum.
State Senators from Ottawa County - 1866, W. S. Blakely and W. A.
Johnson.
State Representatives - 1866, R. D. Mobley; 1868, W. W. Lambert; 1870,
Jacob Campbell; 1871, E. Hollingsworth; 1872, W. B. Davis; 1874, R. F. Thompson;
1874, R. D. Mobley; 1875, W. A. Johnson; 1877, H. H. Blair; 1879, Thos. Ellison;
1881, R. P. Blaine.
W. A. Johnston, of Ottawa, has been States Attorney.
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