Amanuensis Monday - Flashbacks from the Caldwell (Kansas) Messenger

Here are a few tidbits - reprinted with permission from the September 19, 2012, Caldwell Messenger, Caldwell, Kansas.

September 6, 1882

G. W. Miller had five or six teams hauling wire and posts from Caldwell to his pasture south of Deer Creek.

Sixty of the old soldiers at Caldwell were planning on attending the state fair in Topeka.  A special fare of $4.80 was offered.

The east roundup at Pond Creek was a decided success. The strays being brought in at a cost of 5 cents on the dollar of their values. Cattle were recovered that had been out for over two years.

September 13, 1922

Capture two stills in Arkansas City.  Two fully equipped stills, capable, they say, of turning out enough "corn" to supply all thirsty dwellers in this part of the state.

Si Sprague was down the first part of the week wiring his mother's house for electric lights.

September 15, 1922

Sunday - fried chicken 35 cents - Iles Cafe. 

September 18, 1922

Pity the bootlegger. Prohibitory violators will get stuck with $1,000 extra taxes.

Amanuensis Monday - Flashbacks - Caldwell (Kansas) Messenger - September 5, 2012

Here are a few tidbits - reprinted with permission from the Caldwell, Messenger, Caldwell, Kansas.

August 31, 1882

A whole gang of pretty school marms passed through Caldwell en route for the agencies for positions.

August 31, 1892

Chas. H. Fay & Co. advertised that there was no sand in their sugar and no impurities in their tea.

John Blair had a shoulder broken when a riding horse fell with him on a slippery road.

H. A. Ross and Co. took a large advertisement telling people that they were too busy to write an ad but not too busy to sell merchandise.

The campaign was waxing hot - The Populist Party at that time being in their hey day.

September 4, 1892

Elton Scribner died of typhoid fever.

There were 16 road shows scheduled to appear at the Caldwell Opera House during the fall months.

September 5, 1912

Much space was being used to "lambast" Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party.

September 4, 1922

All Drury cottages are full for this week end.  There are many tents being put up for those wanting to stay from Saturday until Monday. 

The SCHGS Calendar is Done! Get 12 Months of History with the Historic Look at Sumner County!

Twelve Months of History from the 

Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society

When Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society President Jane Moore saw a calendar at a genealogy meeting, one filled with fascinating historic old photos and interesting historic tidbits, she knew she wanted to do that for Sumner County.

I had seen another one from another county,” Moore said, “I just thought it was a cool idea.”
So for the past several months, Moore, Elaine Clark, and Photoshop expert, Jerry Sayre gathered and tweaked photos, researched newspapers, double-checked facts, and put together the SCHGS Calendar “A Look at Historic Sumner County.”

Getting it back from the printers, Wheatland Services, this week had everyone excited.

“The calendar itself has historic information on every page and with every photo,” Moore said, adding that facts and photos representing Oxford, Belle Plaine, Wellington, Caldwell, Geuda Springs, South Haven, Hunnewell, Perth, Mayfield, Argonia, Milan, Millerton, Corbin, and Conway Springs cover each month of the calendar, and include such interesting tidbits as location of the first lynching in the county, where the first post office in the county was located, and when the Baptist Church was organized in Wellington.

Moore said that the calendars can be purchased at the SCHGS Research Center (north door Memorial Auditorium, 208 N. Washington, Wellington) on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and sell for $10.00 per calendar, with discounts for orders of five or more.  Mail orders are welcome.  Address orders to SCHGS, Box 402, Wellington, KS 67152, and add $5 shipping and handling for one calendar.  Contact the society for shipping rates on orders of multiple calendars at schgs@sutv.com, or contact President Jane Moore directly at bjmoore@kanokla.net.

Moore said that the proceeds will be used to support SCHGS’ family history preservation activities and equipment needs at the SCHGS Research Center.

“If you are interested in Sumner County History,” Moore said, “you will really enjoy them and they will make a nice gift for folks who no longer live here, too.”

Amanuensis Monday - Conway Springs Star - December 1901

December 8, 2011 

From the Conway Springs Star Files of One Hundred Ten Years Ago, 

December 1901

Businesses advertising in December 1901: W.H. Hubbard; W. A. threw Drug Store; Asa Barnett Clothing and Furnishings; White House Hotel; N. W. Frantz Jewelry; R. A. McIlhenny Physician and Surgeon; Evans and Farris Physicians and Surgeions; J. C. Gillis Dentis; S. T. Beal Dentist; Monnet and Kirby Drug Store; Arnold’s Dry Goods; The Continental Creamery Co; Krebs Bros; clark’s Livery Barn;Model Barber Shop; W. A. Goble Clock Repairing; A. Graff; Rock Island Lumber Co; Clum’s Café; H. T. Bentley Flour and feed; J. H. Chenoweth, Furniture Dealer and Undertaker; Bon-Ton Bakery; Dudley and Myers; The Racket, Mrs. Campbell; Star Meat Market, J. N. Hunt, Prop; Badger Lumber and Hardware Co.

The Santa Fe gives all of its men not in the operating department a holiday on Thanksgiving day.

Oscar Hill, a Logan constable, had his skull broken by Joe Tibbs, who was being charged with bootlegging.

The growth receipts of Kansas post offices for the year was $1,756,400, or $1.20 per capita.

Drunks are of two kinds – plain and ornamental. In a general way we thought we understood the meaning of “a plain drunk.” But we didn’t quite. According to a man from Anson, who was real drunk in this town last night, a plain drunk is not “drunk and dressed up” but drunk and undressed.  Someone came to the tabernacle last night and called for Marshal Seymour.  He hurried downtown and found the man full of booze and walking around the street with nothing in the world covering his hide but a short undershirt.

The Kansas hen is not living up to her reputation this winter. Eggs are classed as luxuries and all kinds of coaxing won’t make the hens get down to business.

The annual rabbit hunt was held with captains being chosen as Dr. R. A. McIlhenny and H. T. Shobe. 395 rabbits were brought in which was not as many as in past years as more fences have been built since the last hunt. 

Amanuensis Monday - Obituary - Bona "Bonnie" Ethel Anderson

Excerpted from the book "Mayfield: Then & Now" by Elaine Evans Clark and Sherry Stocking Kline, published in 2003.

Bona Ethel Anderson of Mayfield died Thursday, January 2, 1986, at St. Luke's Hospital.  She was 86. Miss Anderson was a retired telephone operator.  She was a resident of Mayfield all of her life.  

She was born Nov. 10, 1899, in Mayfield. She was a member of the Mayfield Federated Church. 

Survivors include two nieces, Janice Bothwell, Garden City, and Joan Grim, Wichita; and one nephew, Neel Anderson, Harlingen, Texas.  

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother.  

Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m. today, at the Mayfield Federated Church.  The Reverend Harold Borhauer officiated. 

Interment was in the Osborne Cemetery, Mayfield.  Donna Yearout, Wanda Stayton, Jane Stayton and Ida Borhauer sang "In the Garden," and "Ivory Palaces."  The organist was Berniece Myers. 

Casket bearers were Larry Ford, GEne Heasty, Robert Yearout, Dean Miller, Roy Stayton and Gene Metzen.  Honorary casket bearer was John Duvall.  

A memorial has been established with the Mayfield Federated Church or the Mayfield Friendship Meals. 

Frank Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Amanuensis Monday - from the February 18, 2010 Conway Springs Star-Argonia Argosy

Reprinted on February 18, 2010
Conway Springs (Kansas) Star Files from February 1900

Educational
The spelling match and box supper was well attended last Tuesday night and everybody reported a pleasant and profitable time.  Miss Maude Wycoff spelled down the school.

The boys have their football at last and now they will keep the "grid iron hot."

Alva Dautrich is getting to be quite a performer on the flute.  Ed Lange is studying on the mandolin and A. O. Harvey is taking voice lessons.  Among them all we have a variety.

Charley Skiles lingered a little too long in the parlor last Sunday night and his horse went home with the buggy, leaving Charley to walk.

Invitations for the masquerade ball at the opera house the evening of Valentine's Day, are being sent out.  This weill be the last of the season and great preparations are being made for the event.

The post office department will have ready for issue within three months books of postage stamps.  The book will be of convenient size, that it may be carried in the vest pocket, and will be issued in three classes, namely books of twelve, twenty-four and forty-eight.  The books will sell at 1 cent advance on the face value of the stamps.

Miss Ida Frantz returned Wednesday from McPherson where she had been attending Bible Normal at the Dunkard school.

Uncle Thomas Graham is a general favorite on the school grounds.  About two hundred and fifty know that he has a sharp knife when they have a dull pencil.

Amanuensis Monday - Henry & Victoria Busch - Pt 2

Excerpted from the book "Mayfield: Then & Now" by Elaine Evans Clark and Sherry Stocking Kline, published in 2003.

Henry had a motorcycle for several years, and he and Charles Rerick traveled together frequently.  The Mormon young traveled through this part of the state.  They were going on mission tours, and several of them stayed with the Hembrow Brothers and worked summers on their threshing crew.  After a couple of years, Henry decided to stay over the wintertime on this farm.

Henry fell in love with Victoria, "Babe," and on October 1, 1917, Henry L. Busch and Victoria F. "Babe" Hembrow went to get married in Wichita, and came home to live with William and Ollie Hembrow.

Henry and Victoria stated farming, and the story that was told was that Henry would not let "Babe" drive the hose team; she only drove the mules.  Henry also protested that Victoria farmed in crooked rows, and Victoria's answer to that was that "you could plant more corn in crooked rows than in straight ones."

There were four children born to this family, (Eldest son still living), Robert Adel Busch, Betty Jo Busch, and Anita Mae Busch.  Before Anita Mae was born, there was another house built, one-half mile from the earlier house.

During the war, the Busch family made a lot of changes in their homes.  Eldest son went to the service, Robert A. "Bob" married June Maxine Force, Betty Jo was in Nurse's training at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, and Anita Mae was still in high school in wellington.  After high school, Anita Mae attended college at Southwestern College, Winfield, and received her Master's Degree at Pittsburg, Kansas.

Betty Jo married George E. Weber. and they had one son, Henry Leroy, named after her two grandfathers; she now has seven grandchildren.

Anita Mae did not marry but enjoyed helping raise "all the little kiddies in her care," some of her nieces and nephews.  Anita Mae died of cancer on September 18, 1999.

Bob and June continued farming until he retired and they had four children, 11 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Amanuensis Monday - Henry & Victoria - Mayfield: Then & Now

Pt. 1 - Henry and Victoria Busch, submitted by Betty Jo Busch Weber

In Bavaria, Germany, there was a young man, Johann George Busch, who had just lost his young wife, and he was trying hard to keep his small daughter, Louisa, alive.  After much searching he found Catherine Cyrch, also of Bavaria, and he proposed marriage to Catherine if she would help him feed his little daughter.  This plan worked out to everyone's satisfaction.

Later, when Germany was struggling to keep the poor from starving, Johann decided to go to America with some of his friends who were also ready to try their luck in America.  As soon as he made his plans, he shared the money with his wife, packed his duffel, and took off for America. 

Soon the ship sailed into New York; he climbed off the ship, and before long he was standing in Cincinnati. Johann had been a shoemaker in Germany, so he applied for a job and got it.  After a time, Johann finally felt he had enough money for the passage for his family to join him in Cincinnati.  Catherine  packed her belongings, and with the two little girls, Louisa from Johann's first marriage and Catherine, the first born of her own marriage, she was on her way.

Later, Johann and Catherine increased their family to eight children, and little Elizabeth was the only child they lost. 

As the family grew up, the parents decided to separate.  They decided to let the older children go with their father, and the younger ones were to go with their mother.  If their plan had been carried out, Henry L. Busch would have been with his father.  He was already crying and homesick, and they hadn't even separated.

Finally, the parents decided to put Henry on the train and send him to Kansas.  The younger uncle, William Busch, and his wife Mary Borden were traveling by covered wagon and they would meet in Eastern Kansas.  Henry used to comment that he kept the fee for the return trip in the sock in his valise in case he had to return to Ohio.

For the first few years, Henry farmed for a farmer east of Milan, and later he signed on with the Hembrow Brothers. (See Hembrow family history)

Read Pt. 2 - coming next Amanuensis Monday.

Excerpted from "Mayfield: Then & Now".  To order a book, stop by the Sumner County History & Genealogy Center, 208 N. Washington, Wellington on Tuesdays, or click here for a mailing order.

Genealogy & Evernote Classes Offered This Spring!

This spring, the Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society will be offering classes taught by professional genealogist and former Information Technology professional, Gene Davies, Caldwell.

Starting with “Beginning Genealogy” Davies will instruct classes in Beginning Genealogy, how to use family tree software, and using Evernote for genealogy and to store photographs, organize files and back up your hard drive.

It’s not necessary to have your own laptop, but if you do, bring it and enjoy the hands-on Beginning Genealogy class.  Davies will show you how to find and use primary and secondary sources, research on-line at free and subscription websites, share with you how to use DNA to break down brick walls and learn your ancestral origins, as well as give you valuable tips on organizing the information you locate and entering the information into a family tree program.

Times, dates, and Wellington location to be announced after determining time constraints of participants, but there may be both day and night sessions offered. 

Cost for each four hour training session will be $10 for SCHGS members and $20 for non-members. (Joining the society saves $$$ on future classes!)  

For more information, stop by the Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society History Center at 208 N. Washington in Wellington, Kansas on Tuesday from 10 am to 4 pm (closed through the lunch hour) or contact Gene Davies at 316-371-3157, or online at www.daviesonline.me.  

Cool Civil War Valentines at the Kansas State Historical Society Website!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Check out the following link http://www.kshs.org/p/cool-things-civil-war-valentines/10346 at the Kansas State Historical Society to see three Civil War Valentine's, and read the stories behind them!  Pretty cool!

Amanuensis Monday - Wealthy Newton Beebe Obituary

This was taken from the Beebe Family file located in the Pioneer Settler's/Family Files in the
Sumner County History and Genealogy Research Center  
(north door of the Memorial Auditorium)
P. O. Box 402; 208 N. Washington
Wellington, KS 67152


Notice that her date of death is now just a few days short of 100 years ago!


Wealthy S. Newton Beebe Obituary
February 12, 1912
Fulton County Tribune


Another pioneer of Fulton county gone in the going home of Mrs. Wealthy S. Newton Beebe, daughter of Newell and Lucinda Newton, born May 24th 1822 in Cannandagua, Ontario County, New York, who passed away January 18th at the home of her son in Crawford, Okla., aged 89 years, 8 months and 18 days.  She was the third of a family of eleven children, the only survivor is one brother, Charles W. Newton of Missouri City, Mo.  She was the mother of eleven children, surviving are Byron L. Beebe, Belle Plaine, Kansas; Elmore J. Beebe, Wauseon, Ojo; Oliver T. Beebe, Crawford,; Fred A. Beebe, Modoc, Kansas; Mrs. I. McConkey, Waseon; Mrs. R. R. Cook, Chesaning, Mich., and Mrs. L. J. Loveland, Wauseon.


She was baptized in Killbuck, Ohio and raised her head and came out of the water singing praises to God and for 77 years has lived a pure Christian life under all circumstances. She has spent the last twenty four years in the Western states and had but few times she could meet to worship, but hers was a good life so kind and loving.  In the morning January 6th she wrote a nice letter to her daughter Meda and in the evening seemingly well as usual, she prepared to retire and fell with a stroke of paralysis and never regained consciousness only for a short time and bid them farewell.  She was a great sufferer for the last twelve days she lived and death came as the only relief.


The funeral was conducted by a Christian preacher.  In her letters to her children, she always said something to help us on to god, and we sadly miss her words of admonition.  In her conversation her talk would often drift to something good for it was her delight to talk of heavenly things.  In her early days the Indians would come and see her spin wool and flax to make our cloths and other things for the home.  But when the cares of home keeping was passed she spent much of her time in reading her Bible.  The promises of God were a great comfort to her and a guide to her pathway.

13 Free Things That Your Library May Offer!

 This great article at ilovelibraries.org, "13 Things You Pay For That Your Library Has For Free" by Linda McMaken shares just how many great things that you may be able to do and check out at your local library, for free, besides books!  


Many libraries have DVD's, Music, Language Learning courses, and more that you can check out and enjoy at home, as well as using the free Internet and Wi-Fi access at the library.


Want to get started doing genealogy?  Many libraries have a family history and local history section, some have volunteers available to help you fill in the blanks in your family tree, and most libraries have someone who can point you in the right direction to do more local and county research.  


The Wellington Public Library, located in Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas has a local history room, quite a few local newspaper microfilms, and a few surrounding city newspaper microfilms available, as well as some census records on microfilm.


Surrounding towns, Argonia, Belle Plaine, Caldwell, Conway Springs, Mulvane, & Oxford all have libraries, though many in the smaller towns are open just for short times each week.


Need to do Research in Sumner County, Kansas libraries? 


Call the numbers or write the addresses below to learn the hours they are open, (many are small and hours around holidays may vary) and and find out what research materials are available.


Argonia Public Library
120 West Walnut; P.O. Box 95
Argonia, KS  67004
PH: 1-620-435-6979 
Website: http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=18330


Belle Plaine Public Library
222 W. 5th Ave;  P.O. Box 700  
Belle Plaine, KS  67013
e-mail: bplib@sktc.net
Website:  http://belleplainelibrary.com/ 

Caldwell Public Library
120 S. Main StreetCaldwell, KS  67022PH: 1-620-845-6879
Website: http://caldwell.mykansaslibrary.org/
City Website: http://www.caldwellkansas.com/node/202


Conway Springs Public Library
210 W. Spring Ave.
Conway Springs, Kansas  67031
PH: 1-620-456-2859
Website: http://conwaysprings.mykansaslibrary.org/


Mulvane Public Library
101 E. Main St.
Mulvane, KS  67110
PH: 316-777-1211
e-mail: mulvanelib@gmail.com
Website: http://mulvane.mykansaslibrary.org/


Oxford Public Library115 S. Sumner
Oxford, KS  67119
PH: 1-620-455-2221
e-mail: oxfordlibrary@sutv.com
Website: http://www.oxfordks.org/oxford-public-library.htm


Wellington Public Library 
121 W. 7th
Wellington, KS  67152
PH: 1-620-326-2011
e-mail: wpl@sutv.com
Website: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Wellington/library.html