MARSHALL COUNTY, Part 3

WAR HISTORY.

Of all the troops that enlisted in the war of the Great Rebellion, from Marshall County, the larger proportion was from Marysville and Vermillion Townships. By an order from the War Department, Marysville was made the recruiting station for Washington and Marshall Counties. When the call for volunteers came, Marshall County proved itself toe the Union almost to a man, and of the 450 voters in the county at that time, is credited with having sent nearly 400 men. Notwithstanding their good record they were called upon March, 1865 to fill the quota of thirty-one men. After the quota was complete it was found that the draft was illegal, and a portion of the men returned.

Company K, Ninth Kansas Cavalry -- Was organized at Marysville in the summer of 1862 by Capt. Thomas M. Bowen present U. S. Senator from Colorado. Under his command as captain and J. D Wells as first lieutenant, the company, consisting of about eighty men, were ordered to join the regiment at Fort Leavenworth. From Fort Leavenworth the regiment was ordered to the seat of war in Missouri and Arkansas, and participated in all the important engagements that took place on the Arkansas River. After serving with distinction the company was mustered out of service at Duval's Bluff, Ark., and received their discharge at Fort Leavenworth in July, 1865. The company suffered severely during its service, only about one-third returning.

Company G, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry -- Under command of W. S. Blackborn, Captian, Thomas Hensel, First Lieutenant. Company G was recruited at Marysville in August 1862. Vermillion Township furnished most of the recruits for this company. At Atchison, the company joined their regiment and were immediately ordered to Maysville, Mo., but arrived too late to participate in an engagement. Their first battle took place at Cane Hill, Ark. and was followed by an engagement at Van Buren, Ark. Their operations throughout the war were confined to Missouri and Arkansas. The company was mustered out of service at Little Rock, Ark., in June, 1865, and was discharged at Fort Leavenworth, July 9, 1865. About one-half of the company returned to Marysville.

Company E, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry -- Capt. Perry Hutchinson in command, was recruited at Marysville during the summer and fall of 1862. Marysville furnished about twenty-seven men to this company, the rest of the company being filled with recruits from different points in the county.

These companies were stationed at Marysville until September 8, 1862, when they were all ordered to Fort Scott via Atchison and Fort Leavenworth. They left Marysville on the date mentioned in company with a number of Otoe Indians who were under the command of Capt. D. W. Williams. Some three hundred men were in the ranks at the time.

Company H, Second Kansas Cavalry -- was mustered into service at Kickapoo in the spring of 1862, under command of Capt. A. Gunther and was composed entirely of recruits from Marshall and Washington Countries. After serving with distinction throughout the war it was mustered out of service March 18, 1865, at Little Rock, Ark.

Large numbers of recruits from Marshall County enlisted in other Kansas regiments and into regiments raised in other states. The Second, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Kansas regiments were represented by volunteers from Marshall County. By reference elsewhere it will be seen that Marshall, a frontier county at that time, gave a full share of troops to the Union army. The regiments in which Marshall County troops were chiefly enlisted were among those distinguished for active and effective service during the war.

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

By the autumn of 1855 quite a settlement had been made in different parts of Marshall County, especially in the vicinity of Marysville, Barrett and Vermillion. It soon became apparent that a municipal organization was needed, and the county was duly organized in 1855. The voting strength of the entire county at that time was not over sixty.

The duties of the county officials were not very arduous at that time -- the County Sheriff excepted. Alexander Clarke, the first Sheriff, was commissioned in October 1855, but his career ended very suddenly by his being shot by a desperado whom he was endeavoring to arrest.

A county warrant was issued on December 15, 1856, by James McCloskey in favor of Henry Adams and H. L. Kirk, of Atchison, for services rendered in laying out a Territorial road from Atchison to Marysville. This is the first county warrant issued in the county of Marshall. John D. Wells, M. L. Duncan and W. N. Glynn were the County Commissioners at that time. J. S. Magill was appointed Justice of the Peace during the same year.

The first District Court convened in Marshall County at Marysville in March, 1857, Judge Burrel, of the United States District Court presided and James McCloskey acted as Clerk. As no cases appeared on the docket, and no Grand Jury called, it looked as if the Court would have to adjourn without transacting any business, when a "case of conscience" came up, and the law was adapted to suit the case. It appears that D. C. Old, an abolitionist, had obtained from the County Commissioners the appointment to Justice of the Peace for the Vermillion district. The Territorial laws, as passed by a Pro-slavery Legislature, required that officers, before assuming the duties of their offices, should take an "iron-clad oath," which provided that the officer should support the United States Fugitive Slave Law. As this law was antagonistic to the principles of Auld he could not take it, and asked his friend McCloskey to intercede with Judge Burrel to qualify him, without having to take the oath. The Judge, being a Pennsylvanian, wrote out a Penn-sylvania oath and administered it to Auld, who served out his term and retained his freedom to assist any fugitive slaves who, in their flight, happened to pass his way.

At the meeting of the County Commissioners at Palmetto, K. T., in June, 1856, it was decided "that the county of Marshall, for the convenience of transacting county business, and the execution of legal processes, be divided into two principal townships: "by a line beginning at the mouth of Elm Creek, where it empties into the Big Blue River, and running thence north to the base or meridian line. The section or country east of said line, in Marshall County, will henceforth be known as Vermillion Township, and that portion of the country lying west of the line, in Marshall County known as Marysville Township."

At the same meeting an assessment was made at "fifty cents per head as poll tax," and one-sixth of one per cent, upon all property subject to taxation according to Territorial laws.

November 6, 1858, the County Commissioners divided the county proper into four townships, according to the following description:

Marysville Township. -- Townships 1, 2, and north half of Township 3, Range 6; Townships 1, 2, and north half of Township 3, Range 7; west halves of Townships 1, 2, and north west quarter of Township 3, Range 8.

Guittard Township. -- East half of Townships 1, 2, and northeast quarter of Township 3, Range 8; Townships 1, 2, and north half of Township 3, Range 9; Townships 1, 2, and north half of Township 3, Range 10.

Blue Rapids Township. -- South half of Township 3, Range 6; all of Townships 4 and 5, Range 6; south half of Township 3, Range 7; all of Townships 4 and 5, Range 7; southwest quarter of Township 3, and west half of Townships 4 and 5, Range 8.

Vermillion Township. -- Southwest quarter of Township 3, east half of Townships 4 and 5, Range 8; south half of Township 3 and all of Townships 4 and 5, Range 9; south half of Township 3, and all of Townships 4 and 5, Range 10.

The voting places in the several Townships were designated as follows: Marysville Township, Marysville, or Palmetto; Guittard Township, Guittardville: Blue Rapids Township, at the house of William Thompson; Vermillion, at the house of Joseph Langdon.

What is now known as Washington County was at that time under the jurisdiction of Marshall County officials, and was termed Washington Township. A voting place was established at the house of M. L. Latt, on the mouth of Cottonwood Creek.

From 1869 up to 1880, the county has been sub-divided into municipal townships as follows; Waterville Township, created February 15, 1869; Centre Township, created January 15, 1873; Elm Creek Township, created March 1, 1873; Rock Township, created April 9, 1873, Franklin Township, created April 19, 1873; Blue Rapids City Township, created August 24, 1870, Wells' Township, created April 17, 1874; Noble Township, created June 5, 1878; Murray Township, created January 9, 1880; Clear Fork Township, created July 13, 1880.

Following is a transcript of the county roster from 1855 to 1883:

Clerk. -- 1855-8, J. McCloskey; 1859, B. F. Barber; 1860, E. C. Manning; 1861, C. R. Denning; 1862-5, R. S. Newell; 1866-7, C. A. Imbert; 1868-9, F. R. Jacobs; 1870-3, James Smith; 1874-7, J. G. McIntire; 1878-9, G. M. Lewis; 1880-'83, W. H. Armstrong.

Treasurer. -- 1857-8, J. S. Magill; 1860-1, G. D. Swearingen; 1862-5, A. E. Lovell; 1866-9, J. S. Magill; 1870-3, C. F. Koester; 1874-7, Jas. Smith; 1878-82, A. G. Barrett; 1883-4, Wm. Lofinck.

Recorder. -- 1855-60, J. P. Miller (ex-officio). 1862-3, J. H. McDougall; 1864-9, C. F. Koester; 1870-1, J. M. Watson; 1872-3, J. G. McIntire; 1874-9, J. B. Winkler; 1880-3, J. D. Farwell.

District Clerk. -- 1855-9, J. R. Whitehead; 1860-1, L. McArthur; 1863-72, A. Campbell; 1873-4, L. W. Chesley; 1875-8, S. M. Balgue; 1879-'82, J. M. Patterson.

Probate Judge -- 1855, J. Doniphan; 1856, C. B. Buist; 1857-8, J. E. Clardy; 1859-'60, William Thompson; 1863-4, J. D. Brumbaugh; 1865-'70, A. Cottrell; 1871-6, W. C. McCurdy; 1877-'82, H. P. Wells; 1883-4, John Brown.

Sheriff. -- 1855, J. M. Clark; 1856, G. F. Hubbard; 1857, J. P. Miller; 1858, H. Fraizer; 1859, James Foster; 1860-5, G. D. Swearingen; 1866-7, J. S. Grey; 1868-9, J. McCoy; 1870-3, Frank Garaty; 1874-7, J. R. Voorhees; 1878-'81, J. B. Logan; 1882-3, J. R. Voorhees.

Superintendent of Schools. -- 1859, J. D. Wells; 1860, W. S. Blackburn; 1861-2, W. W. Jerome; 1863-4, T. H. Baker; 1865-6, M. T. Bennett; 1867-8, J. L. Chapman; 1869-'72, C. S. Balton; 1873-6, A. Jeffers; 1877-8, G. W. Winans; 1879-'82, W. F. Boyakin; 1883-4, ______ Renoc.

Attorney. -- 1861-4, J. W. Bollinger; 1865-8, W. W. Jerome; 1869-'72, M. C. White; 1873-4, E. Hutchinson; 1875-78, F. Love; 1879-82, J. A. Broughten; 1883-4, G. F. Scoffield.

Surveyor. -- 1857, W. S. Brewster; 1858, J. W. Swift; 1859, J. O'Neil; 1860-1, E. C. Manning; 1862-3, J. Thomas; 1864-5, W. W. McCloskey; 1866-7, A. O. Waggoner; 1868-'71, S. W. Hazen; 1872-3, W. Millikan, 1874-9, H. A. Parmalee; 1880-3, H. K. Sharpe.

Coroner. -- 1857, W. A. Hill; 1858, J. H. Meyer; 1859, M. Life; 1860-5, T. McCoy; 1866-7, F. Pierce; 1868-9, J. Fraizer; 1870-1, J. Jewell; 1872-3, J. Fitzgerald; 1874-5, J. Bates; 1876-'81, W. F. Boyakin; 1882-3, William Siders.

Commissioners. -- 1855-6, M. L. Duncan, J. D. Wells, W. N. Glenn; 1857, C. B. Buist, M. L. Duncan, J. D. Wells; 1858, J. D. Brumbaugh, G. D. Pierce, J. Kelley; 1859, A. G. Barrett, W. H. Pearsall, A. Ostrander; 1860, M. L. Duncan, G. H. Stoner, J. Kelley; 1861, P. Gift, J. Lane, H. Foster; 1862-3, P. Gift, S. B. Varney, J. Lane; 1864-5, F. Schmidt, A. J. Palmer, J. Kelley; 1866-7, F. Schmidt, E. Lewis, J. L. Freeland; 1868-9, P. Gift, J. Weisbach, O. E. Allen; 1870-1, J. Mohrbacker, S. Abbey, R. Osborn; 1872, J. S. Pierce, T. C. Hendricks, J. Mohrbacker; 1873, J. Mohrbacker, D. Q, Millett, J. C. Dickey; 1874-5, J. C. Dickey, D. Q. Millet, J. Whitley; 1876-7, D. Q. Millet, R. S. Newell, M. L. Duncan; 1878-9, A. Hohn, B. McElroy, M. L. Duncan; 1880, A. Hohn, J. R. Vorhees, J. W. Means; 1881-2, C. E. Tibbetts, J. W. Means, J. R. Vorhees; 1882, C. E. Tibbetts, I. C. Legere, L. W. Libbey; 1883, S. M. Willhite, I. C. Legere, L. W. Libbey.

Senators. -- 1861-2, S. L. Lappin; 1863-4, T. H. Baker; 1865-6, E. C. Manning; 1867-8, J. M. Harvey; 1869-'70, A. A. Carnahan; 1871-2, P. Rockfeller; 1873-6, F. Schmidt; 1877-'80, C. J. Brown; 1881-4, Perry Hutchinson.

Representatives. -- 1855, F. J. Marshall; 1856, J. P. Miller; 1857, W. B. Jenkins; 1858, J. P. Miller; 1859, T. S. Vaile; 1860, G. D. Pierce; 1861, D. C. Auld; 1862, H. Foster; 1863, J. Weisbach; 1864, J. D. Brumbaugh; 1865, J. D. Wells; 1866, James Smith; 1867, J. D. Wells; 1868, A. G. Patrick; 1869, W. H. Smith; 1870, J. D. Wells; 1871, W. H. Smith; 1872, A. Jeffers; 1873, I. C. Legere; 1874, A. Reed; 1875, C. J. Brown; 1876, J. D. Brumbaugh; 1877-8, J. Lockwood, W. W. Smith; 1879-'80, L. P. Hamilton, W. W. Smith; 1881-2, G. W. Kelley, S. W. Hazen; 1883-4, J. D. Wells, W. S. Glass.

As early as 1859, efforts were made to move the county seat from Marysville to Sylvan, a new town, the location of which was selected on Section 25, Township 3, Range 8. The prime mover in this affair was T. S. Vaile, a member of the Free-state Territorial Legislature, from Marshall County. Marysville, at that time, was reputed as a Pro-slavery town, and Vaile had an act passed removing the county-seat to Sylvan. The only official business transacted at the new county-seat, was the canvassing of the vote of 1859. There being no house in Sylvan, the Commissioners, G. D. Swearingen, J. D. Brumbaugh, George G. Pierce and S. Ostrander, held their session in the house of G. D. Swearingen, a mile distant. By a vote of the people, Marysville was again made the county-seat.

Marysville enjoyed her supremacy until late in the fall of 1871, when the question again came before the people of the county. At that time there were in the county a number of good points for the location of the county-seat, and as each place claimed to possess better advantages than its neighbor, and had its ardent supporters, a bitter county-seat war broke out. Waterville, Blue Rapids and Frankfort, on the line of the C. B. Mo. Pacific Railroad that extends from east to west through the southern portion of the county, each offered special inducements; Centre Township had one strong point in its favor, it being the geographical centre of the county; Marysville, located on the St. Joe & Western Railroad in the northern part of the county, had its advantages.

In accordance with an order from the County Commissioners, an election was held November 14, 1874, and votes cast at the various voting precincts in the county, for the purpose of deciding the county-seat issue. The election resulted in Waterville receiving 345 votes; Blue Rapids 485 votes; Frankfort, 586 votes; Centre, 95 voted; Marysville, 807 votes. Another election was ordered to be held, November 28, 1871, in which the contest was between Marysville and Frankfort; Waterville, Blue Rapids and Centre, withdrawing their claims. The result of the election showed that Frankfort received 1,078 votes, and Marysville 1,637 votes, which made Marysville the county seat of Marshall County.

COUNTY BUILDINGS, RAILROADS AND SOCIETIES.

Court House. -- Early in the spring of 1860, the Southern Methodists built a frame church edifice, 24x36 feet, on lots 7 and 8, Block 43, on the corner of Fifth and Laramie streets. These lots were given to them by the Palmetto Town Company. Not being able to pay for the building, R. Y. Shibley and J. D. Brumbaugh, who had claims against the association, took possession, and without any process of law, moved it on Broadway. In July, 1862, they sold the building to the county to be used as a court house. Previous to this time, the county offices were located in different parts of town. This building was used as a court house until 1870, when the District Court was held in Watterson's Hall.

In February, 1873, a contract was let to George F. Hamilton, by the township of Marysville, to build a new county court house, to be located in Marysville. The cost of the building was not to exceed $15,000, and it was to be completed in November, 1873, but owing to the usual delay, it was not finished until July 1874. The building is a two story brick structure, 50x65 feet. The interior of the building contains on the first floor, a hall and six offices, occupied by county officials. The second floor is occupied by the court room and four offices. The court house is situated on a commanding elevation in the eastern part of the city, and presents to the observer a neat appearance.

County Jail. -- A few rods northeast of the court house, may still be seen standing, the "Old County Jail". Built in 1860, 20x24 feet, the first story being built of stone, the second a frame, it stands as a relic of the early days of Marysville. The lower story, consisting of one room, was occupied by the prisoners, and the upper by the jailer and family. The unlucky wretches who were confined within its dreary walls, were chained to the floor, but frequently managed to make their escape. This building was occupied until the new one was completed in 1877. The new jail is a stone structure, 28x50 feet, two stories, and was erected at a cost of $5,000. The building was commenced in June, 1877, and completed in December of the same year, by Messrs. McPherson & Fitzgerald.

Central Branch, Missouri Pacific Railway -- This railroad, the first to enter the county, was completed through the southern part, in the winter of 1867, to a point one hundred miles west of Atchison, now known as Waterville, within three miles of the eastern boundary line of Washington County. The road enters the county from the east, ten miles north of its southern boundary line, and passes through the townships of Noble, Vermillion, Blue Rapids City and Waterville. On reaching Waterville, all railroad building stopped, nothing more being done until 1876, when the road was extended under the name of the Atchison, Colorado & Pacific Railway, to points farther west. Including this extension, there are thirty-five miles of road under the Central Branch management in the county.

The principal stations on the line of road, are Vermillion, Frankfort, Barrett, Bigelow, Irving, Blue Rapids and Waterville.

St. Joseph & Western Railway. -- After innumerable delays and disappointments, the people in the northern part of the country succeeded in obtaining a railroad, under the name of St. Joe & Denver City. In 1870, this road reached the eastern limits of the county, and in January 1871, passed through Marysville, and was extended northwest until it made a connection with the Union Pacific, at Grand Island, Neb.

The St. Joseph & Western enters the county from the east, nine miles south of the Kansas and Nebraska State Line, and passes through the townships of Guittard, Franklin, Centre and Marysville. The principle stations are: Axtell, Beattie, Marysville and Herkimer.

Marysville & Blue Valley Railway was built from Beatrice, Gage Co., Neb. to Marysville, following the valley of the Big Blue River, in 1879. Number of miles in Marshall County, ten and one-half. Oketo, a small trading point, is the principal station on this line of road in the county.

The Vermillion Valley Agricultural and Mechanical Society was incorporated by the people of the "south half" of the county, with a capital stock of $5,000, at Frankfort, September 20, 1878.

The first Board of Directors elected under the charter, consisted of R. Osborne, J. Wilson, E. Schriner, W. H. Sabin, C. A. Barber, T. Wadick, I. C. Legere, A. Shearer, F. B. Taylor, S. W. Hazen, Maj. Beattie, H. G. Trosper. First officers: R. S. Newell, President; A. J. McKee, Vice-president; R. Osborne, Treasurer; H. H. Lonery, General Superintendent; E. L. Begun, Secretary.

A tract consisting of forty acres of desirable ground was purchased, located in the northeast part of the city of Frankfort. An amphitheater, seating 1,500 people, floral hall, judges' stand, stalls etc., were built. A half-mile race course, pronounced to be one of the best in northern Kansas, is one of the chief features. The society, under its present management, is in a flourishing condition.

Present officers: R. Osborne, President; I. C. Legere, Vice-president; F. M. Rhodes, Treasurer; J. M. Lane, Assistant; H. H. Louery, General Superintendent; H. G. Trosper, Assistant; J. M. Watson, Secretary.

The Marshall County Medical Association, composed of the principal disciples of Esculapius, was formed in 1879, with ten members. Their first officers were: W. H. Clutter, Frankfort, President; A. Fuller, Vermillion, Vice-president; A. J. Patterson, Beattie, Secretary; A. G. Edwards, Marysville, Treasurer. Censors; A. G. Edwards, H. W. Barrett, P. C. Garvin.

Present Officers: A. G. Edwards, Marysville, President; H. W. Barrett, Waterville, Vice-president; A. J. Patterson, Beattie, Secretary; D. W. Humfreville, Waterville, Treasurer. Present membership, twenty-three. Meetings are held semi-annually; first Monday in May, and on the first Wednesday after the second Tuesday in November.

The Marshall County Old Settlers and Pioneers' Association was organized in 1879, and its object being to "re-unite the old settlers of this part of Kansas; to cement and perpetuate old friendships, and for the advancement of the moral, social and material interests of the members, and the society in general."

The society was organized at a meeting held in Blue Rapids, September 12, 1879, and the following officers were elected: A. G. Barrett, Barrett Station, President; William Thompson, Blue Rapids, D. C. Auld, Frankfort, Vice-presidents; J. S. Magill, Marysville, Secretary; F. Hamilton, Blue Rapids, Treasurer.

At the last annual election -- 1882-- the following officers were elected: T. McCoy, Marysville, President; A. G. Barrett, Barrett's Station, X. Guittard, Guittardville, Vice-presidents; J. S. Magill, Marysville, Secretary; G. D. Swearingen, Marysville, Treasurer. Meetings are held annually at different points in the county.