The LHS Newsletter Archive

Volume Thirteen, Issue Number 3

Originally Published in Lecompton, Kansas : Fall 1987 Digitally Archived August 2006

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13a£1) ~ae£~VOL. 13 No.3 Fall 1987LECOMPTON, KANSAS

1910Elmore Street

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The above is a reproducti on of amural in the Lecompton Post Office,that is housed in an attractive, modernbuilding which was built in 1969. Thepost office has had many locationssince its 1855 s tarti ng date. I t hadbeen housed in several differentbuildings on the east side of Elmoresteet, as well as two different si tesin the Old Rowena Hotel building on thewest side.

When the present postmaster,Jani ce Rake, took offi ce, she was

intrigued by the large blank white wallon the west si de of the entry. As shewas a mural fan, she consulted withEllen Duncan, a local artist, about it.They decided that if it were painted,the topic must be of historicals i gnifi cance, as Lecompton is so ri chin that area. The idea of recreatingthe town as it looked before thebusi ness bui 1di ngs burned in 1916 wassuggested, and decided upon as asuitab 1e theme. Ell en then consultedwith Herman Banks and Faye Glenn

concerning the various Lecomptonmerchants of the 1900 era and theirlocations. Lane Museumhad a number ofphotos of the street and a drawing wasmade from them. The size of the muralwas to be 6t feet by 9 feet.

Next came fi nanci ng the project.It was a sizable challenge. Many localpeop1e offered vari ous donati ons to acommittee set up for that purpose, asdid Hamm's Quarry and the LecomptonHistori ca 1 Soci ety. Enough money wassoon raised. Acrylic paint was used onthe mural and it was completed in 1985.The mural is a delight to all who enterthe post offi ce each day. There havealso been numerous groups who havetoured the town, and as they knew ofthe mural, included it in their tours.

The mural depicts the west side ofElmore Street, the Rowena Hotel and thebank were 1oca ted there in early1900's. On the east side of the streetfrom north to south are: Spangler'sDrugs, Bri sbi ne Watch Shop, GeorgeConnell home (Lecompton Sun edi tor) ,Ike Hartup Shoe Shop, LecomptonMercantile Company (J. H. Kimmel,Mgr. ) , Leamer Dry Goods, 11iffMercantile, Todhunter Meats, MikesellBarber Shop, U.S. Post Office,Lecompton Sun, Dr. Chanber's office,Thos. Lee Hardware, and M.E. McCoyDentist.

Perhaps the part of the mural thatseems to create the most interest isthe large Saint Bernard dog carrying abasket. Mrs. Iliff, a local storeproprietor, owned the dog. She went tothe store daily, and her big dogescorted her. She took a basket withher to bri ng home the daily groceri esand mail after work. The dog soon1earned to carry the basket for herwhen it was empty 0]1 the way to thestore, and then full on the return.Mrs. Iliff became ill and was unable togo to the store. Each day at the timeshe and the dog normally left thehouse, the dog would procure the basketand go to the door, scratch to be 1etout, and bark accusingly at Mrs. Iliff

because she did not make ready to leavethe house. Finally, one day she openedthe door for him, the dog picked up thebasket, stepped out and after waiting afew moments for her, went on alone,down the street to the store. Hescratched on the door there, and waslet in. He waited for awhile, and thentook the basket to a clerk forgroceries. Mrs. Iliff's son, who wasin charge of the store at that time,suggested an item be put in the basket,and the dog be let out to go home. Thedog took the basket, went out the door,trotted home, and scratched on the doorupon arri vi ng there. The door wasopened for him, so he entered thehouse, and deposited the basket. Eachsucceedi ng day he made the same tri pwith the basket, and as Mrs. Iliffbecame aware of how trustworthy he was,she started putting a grocery list andmoney in it. The dog also 1earned topick up the mail at the post office, soMrs. Iliff had her own private deliveryservi ce. The dog was so 1arge and soprotective of its charge that no dog orperson would have challenged him.

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This service continued until aftersome weeks Mrs. 11i ff coul d return towork at the store. One individual ofthe parish said that the dog's name was"Scotty." That is the story of the dogin the mural as told by people who knewhim.

The stores all burned in June 1916and a copy of an article from theThursday June 22, 1916 "Lecompton Sun"describes it:

DISASTEROUS FIRE

About one-thi rty 0 Iclock, Tuesdaymorning as Dwight Goddard, third-trickoperator, was on his way to the depothe di scovered a fi re in Jake French'smeat market. He aroused Mr. French andthen went for Ross Iliff. An alarm wasturned in and in a few moments the firedepartment was on the ground.

Before the fire was under control,

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v-a little before four o'clock, eightframe buil di ngs had burned, bei ngeverything between Thos. Lee's Hardwarestore and Hartup I s shoe shop, with aloss estimated at $20,000 to $30,000partly covered by insurance. The causeof the fire is not known.

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The wind was from the east and ina few moments the Mikese 11 barbershopand post office were ablaze. On norththe Iliff's store was burning fiercely.Dr. C.C. Kerr's office being coveredwith iron withstood the flames, untilmost of the contents were removed. Abucket brigade was formed and everyeffort was put forth to save the Leestore; for if it had caught fi re thewho1e south and west porti ons of thetown would have been threatened.Coupled with the efforts of the bucketbrigade was the chemical engine, which,at the ri ght moment, was effecti velyturned on the fl ames. The heat setfire to A. Hildenbrand's warehouse andcream room which carried the flames tohis store, which was the last buildingto catch fire, and there it burneditse If out. The fi re fi ghters keptlook i ng at the storm and sayi ng "if itwould only rain." But the rain did notcome until the danger was passed. Whenit di d come it came in torrents andwith it a strong breeze.

LOSSES

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The bulding occupied by the FrenchMeat Market, in which the fire started,was, with its contents, a total loss.It was a relic of territorial days, andwas owned by Topeka parti es. It wasval ued at $1500. A1 Mikese 11' s barbershop and contents were a complete loss.This building and post office buildingwere owned by Mrs. M.M. Iliff, and wereinsured, for $500. The Dr. Kerr officebuilding was owned by Dr. H.L. Chambersof Lawrence. It was insured for $500,and held at $1500. Dr. Kerr estimateshis loss at $150. Thos. Lee sustaineda loss of $1000 to the stock by movingthe stock out, which exposed it to therain which fell almost immediatelyafter it had been removed. The 11i ff

Mercantile Co. was the largest loser.Thei r stock and fi xtures amounted toabout $10,000 and the building wasworth $2,500. A. Hildenbrand's stockwas largely saved,yet the loss willlikely exceed the insurance of $1000.The building was built in the days whenLecompton was to be the westernmetropolis, and is probably the oldestbui 1di ng used for mercanti 1e purposesin the state. For fifty years Wm.Leamer conducted a store in it. It wasowned by the Leamer estate. Thepostoffice loss was not great, as. mostof the stamped paper is kept in theBank. There was a loss of postalcards, and some of the fi xtures wereburned. A postoffi ce inspector wi11come and check up affairs.

By dayl i ght the majori ty of themen, whose business' had been injuredby the fi re were arrangi ng to resume.The post offi ce i mprovi sed quarters onthe fi r s t floor of the old dormi tory.Hildenbrand arranged for a part of theremai ni ng space and Ross 11iff for therest. They began getti ng the parts oftheir stocks saved on the floor,awai ti ng the insurance adjusters. The11iff Merc. Co. ordered a new stock.J. A. French had a shipment of bread onthe "plug." Dr. Kerr has fitted uprooms on the second floor of thedormitory. Al Mikesell went to Topeka,Tuesday morning to purchase a newequipment for his barber shop. He willset up hi s shop in the room above theThos. Lee Hardware Store.

NOW FOR A BIGGER LECOMPTON

While the fire was a big blow toLecompton it was in no sense aknock-out and is nothing from which thetown cannot recover. Many other townshave suffered greater disasters only toarise to be better towns than they hadever been. Lecompton can do this. TheSun feels sorry for who have lost theirbuildings, but it has long felt thatthese bui 1di ngs were a handi cap to thegrowth of the town. Nowthat they aregone, they should be replaced bysubstantial ones meeting the

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requirements of the city ordinancesthat will be a credit to the town. Itis a time of testing and if we all meetthe condition in a big way and pulltogether then a more prosperousLecompton than we have ever known willresult and what seemed a calamity willprove a blessing.

PresidentPleased

Territorial Day was a fantasticsuccess due to the dedicated volunteersof this organization. This great eventwould not have been possible withoutyour efforts. Lecompton was featuredin the Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas Citynewspapers, radio, and televisionstations. It was great publicity.

The Missouri Civil War Re-enactorsAssociation's knowledge and expertiseof the Battle of Fort Titus wasdepicted in the professional standardsset forth by the organi zati on. Thestyl e show was well recei ved before astanding room only crowd in the chapel.They did a terrific job.

Thanks goes to Jason Dexter forbeing chairman of the battlere-enactment; David and Darlene Paslyfor bei ng in charge of a mostsuccessful ice cream soci a1; ConnieRobertson and Li 1a Barte 1 who were incharge of Territori a1 Day and to thefollowing businesses and people whohel ped in some way to make thi s eventpossible: Frito Lay, Kroger CountryStore, Neil Sorensen, Teets Egg andPoultry, Watkins Products, Dillons,Oshe Meats, Carol and Les McCune, Clydeand Helen Kampschroeder, Dick Hubert,Wi1ma Tibbs, Darre 1 and Joyce Colton,Iona Spencer, Marguerite Bowman, DorisMatney, Vickie Roberts, Janice Rake,Rich and Karen McConnell, OpalGoodrick, Bill and Marcella Anderson,Margaret and Ross Wulfkuhle, Sally andChuck Wright, Mae and Wally Holderman,George and Arloene Simmons, KateJohnson, Linda and Van Eisenhut,Stephenie Steenman, Joyce and Bruce

Beresford, Sherri Neill, Dick and AltaWalter, A.K. and Charlene Winters, Patand Eurelda Istas, LaVerne Wilson,Oliver and Daisy Wingfield, Ron andDiane Meir, Shirley Funk, David Boose,Lavina Hanna, Matt Bird, Nicole Dexter,Erin Dexter, Margie Hildenbrand,Dorothy Shaner, Margaret and HaroldJasperson, Jean and Frank Cozad, Avisand Don Miller, Ceceil Roberts, Charlesand Donna Vausbi nder , Laura and JohnMcAlexander, Christine Kraft, Betty andBob Woods, Dan and Minnie McAfee, Dickand Winnee Wingfield, Jeannie Markly,Rick Paslay, Ralph and Jean Davis,Edith Schellhorn, Wilbur and HelenHildenbrand, Jessie McConnell, DeannaShi rar, Fay Tally, Berni e Bower, loneand Charley Paslay, Audrey Maust, JeriSkinner, Elizabeth Johnson, SaraWalter, Lydia Long, Ruth Harshberger,Edith LaDuke, Opal Hohberg, Ruth Ice,Allie Banks, Helen Crady, and Howard &Ellen Duncan.

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Conti nued interest in preservi ngour heri tage is shown by the fo 11owi ngitems that have been placed in the LaneUni versi ty Museum: (1) Handkerchi evesby Mary Mathews, (2) Book and picturesby Conni e Robertson, (3) MargaretWhittimore paintings by Mr. & Mrs.Frank Carlson, (4) Picture by MaeHolderman, (5) Horseshoes by RuthHarshberger, (6) Lecompton History byFay Glenn and typed by MargureiteBowman, (7) Letter written by LauraMcClanahan gi ven by her son FredMcClanahan, (8) Two Collectors books byDuane Robison, (9) Old Newspapers byBob Weeks, (10) I.O.O.F. Lodge 413 Sealby George Davis, and (11) Dinner bellby George Bevins.

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Paul Bahnmaier

~~Isaac M. Day was the fi rst missi onaryto live in what became Kansas in 1828.He was of the Baptist persuasion.

Thomas Kemp in 1857 assisted inthreshing the first bushel of wheatgrown in Jefferson county.

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w~ 1895 CITY LAWS

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If A.J. May, D. Baughman, Dr. J.H. Bonebrake, or the other members ofthe 1895 Lecompton Ci ty Counci 1 coul dhave seen ninety years into the future,there is 1i ttl e doubt that they woul dhave been repulsed by what they viewedas a 1985 lack of morals.Paradoxically what is interesting isthat the morals of 1895 Lecomptonexpressed by acti ons of the CityCouncil have some shocki ng aspects forthose of us who follow 90 years later.Of particular interest is CityOrdi nance No. 50 whi ch was adopted bythe Council May 13, 1895. Itsdescriptive title was "An Ordinance forthe suppression of bawdy houses andstreet walkers and for the puni shmentof vagrancy and defining the duties andpowers of the City Officers in relationthereto."

Section 4 stated: "It shall beunlawful for any prostitute orunattended or suspicious female toparade the public streets or alleys ofthis city after night, or to congregatewi th others on the streets or pub 1i cplaces, or to wander abroad in theni ght time, or to be found about thestreets or public places in the city,or to be found about stores, or otherplaces at late hours without lawfulbusiness, and without giving a goodaccount of hersel f; and any person sooffending shall be guilty of ami sdemeanor and fi ned in any sum notexceed; ng fi fty doll ars. " (Note: Ei ghthours of manual labor was valued at $1total. )

What is striking about thatsection of the ordinance is the blatantdi scri mi nati on against essenti ally allwomen of the communi ty who were notengaged in prosti tuti on. Can you wi thyour appreciation of today's valuesimagine what it would be like to be awoman then and not have freedom beyondyour home when the sun had set? Aslaws are unfortunately often noted fordoing, no doubt Ordinance No. 50 was

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tar more stri ct than its enforcementpattern. It was likely intended to beavailable when needed, in the judgementof the City Fathers of course, and nottypically applied. Even so, it musthave been a repression to know that youcould not legally go downtown to thestores for evening shopping unless youhad a specific immediate need in mind.And you might be inclined to ask whythe men were exempt from such municipalwi sdom? Whi1e I don I t know about you,I will take the present times.

Howard Duncan

LANE DEDICATION

Lecompton is rich in national fameand the history of events whichtransformed the Civil War from apolitical power struggle into ashooti ng battl e. It was on thi s verysoil that free-staters and southernerssought control of Kansas Territorialpolitics and with that each side hopedto sway the balance of nati ona1 powerin Congress. The Presi dent andexecutive wing of federal governmentintended a southern vi ctorY . Hundredsof federal calvary troops andartillerymen were stationed inLecompton from 1856 thru 1858 toprotect the Territorial governmentagainst a rising tide of free-staters.The population of Lecompton approached5000 people, many of them connnectedwith .or benefitting from thegovernmental activities necessarY todevelop a new territory which extendedwestward to Utah and the conti nenta 1divide. The City of Denver, located inthe goldfields of western Kansas wasnamed for Territorial Governor JamesDenver.

This dream of extending the Southcame to a practi ca1 end in 1859 whenthe Territorial Legislature adjournedto Lawrence and a formal end in 1861with the establishment of Topeka as theCapitol when Kansas achieved statehood.

The bi tterness of thi s pre-ci vi 1 warstruggle is difficult for us to relateto 125 years later. Friend became foeand brothers denied relationship. Oneaspect of thi s bi tterness is that thetrue history of Lecompton was to a1arge degree suppressed. Thevictorious free-staters had struggledso long and with such personalintensity> that grudges were stillbeing carried to graves beyond the turnof thi s century. History books werethe stories as told by the victors.Only scant remnants of the losers'tales survived.

Today there are no axes togrind. We all value the world'sgreatest democracy and unequivocallysubscri be to the tenet of equal ri ghtsfor all persons.

As we dedicate Lane UniversityMuseum today> we intend to enjoy thepast of Kansas Terri tory and thepresent of a pastoral 1i festyl e in abeautiful setting where we each know byname and care for many dozens of ourneighbors. The American dream hasflourished in soil which failed tosprout extension of southern slavery.

(Presentation made 26 June 1982 at thededication of Lane University MuseumbyJ. Howard Duncan> Mayor of Lecompton.)

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Charles Robison was the first governorof the State of Kansas. He was elected6 December 1859> but did not take theoath of offi ce until 9, February 1861.

~X#OLD LECOMPTON

We regret that we have not thepictures of all the old historicalbuil di ngs and spots here to reproducein this issue, but we will briefly name

a few of them.The old penitentiary building

still stands. It is quite a commodiousold stone structure on North HoldermanStreet and is now used for a skimmingstation. If inanimate objects couldspeak this old building would have athrilling story to relate.

On the south bank of the ri vernear the depot is another stonebuilding which has a history connectedwith it. Within its walls have beenperpetra ted hei nous cri mes of thebl ackest hue. It is at preserit thehome of Rev. W.T. Snyder and family.

Southeast of town is situated thecommodious stone structure built on theSouthern Pal ati a1 styl e and known farand wide as the Governor Stantonresidence. It is the largest dwellinghouse in this part of the state if notin the enti re commonwealth of Kansas.Within this somber old palace dwellsMrs. Rogers and her son and family.

On Col. Nace's farm south of townis the site of an old fort> where, sowe are informed, quite an importantbattle was fought. The old fort isconverted into some use which is betteradapted to peaceful and usefulpursuits.

West of South Whitfield Street,south of Rev. O.A. Chapman's farm, isan old cemetery which has thedistinction of having decayed withinits domain the bodies of men who livedduring the forepart of the century justcome to a close> one soldier beingburied there about 1820.

On the western slope of thenorthern end of the hi 11 east of townis another cemetery which has gravescontaining the dust of citizens longsince forgotten.

Farther south on this sameeminence is the spot where General Lanecovered the town with hi s cannons andthreatened to mow the streets ofLecompton if his requests were notgranted. One of the cannons 1s todayin the possessi on of parti es in ourcommunity.

The old ferry across the riverhere was for many years the pri nci p1ehi qhway over the Kaw between

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v Leavenworth and the Southwest. As aresult streams of prairie schoonerswere transported across the ri verdai 1y .(Taken from the COLLEGE ORACLE,published weekly at Lane University,Lecompton, Kansas, Thursday, June 6,1901.)

Deaths

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Mrs. Wilma A. Fleming, 84, ofLenexa passed away July 26, 1987 inOver1and Park, Kansas. She was bornJanuary 6, 1903 at Lyndon, the daughterof William A. and Millie CarpenterBair. She and her husband were in thegrocery busi ness in Topeka andLecompton more than 50 years. She wasa member and former officer of theRebekah Lodge in Lecompton, a membe~ofthe United Methodist Church at Lenexa,and a charter and 1i fe member of theLecompton Historical Society. Wilmawas very i nvo1ved in communityactivities when she lived in Lecomptonand was a strong supporter of Lecomptonwherever she 1i ved. She marri ed FredA. Fleming May 9, 1923. He died July30, 1972. Survivors include a sonRobert, two daughters Mrs. Corri neChilds and Mrs. Doris Belden, threebrothers Orlan, Leland, and Maurice, asister Lucile, 11 grandchildren and 6great grandchil dren. Memoria1s to theLecompton Histori ca 1 Soci ety. Buri a1was at Mount Hope Cemetery in Topeka.

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Mrs. Helen M. Hoots, 74, Ozawkie,formerly of Topeka, died May 12, 1987.She was born November. 23, 1912 atLecompton, the daughter of A. Frank andVirginia E. McCall McClanahan. Mrs.Hoots was a member of Fi rst SouthernBapti st Church in Topeka and theLecompton Histori ca1 Soci ety . She wasmarried to Melvin A. Hoots August 19,1956 in Topeka. He died August 31,1983. Survivors include a daughterBecky A. Hoots, four sisters, Mrs. MaryCree, Mrs. Betty Bradfield, Mrs.Roberta French and Mrs. Madalyn Scott,and a brother. Frank McClanahan. Burialwas in Maple Grove Cemetery atLecompton.

Mrs. Ruby Grammer, 78, of Lawrencedied May 22, 1987 at Lawrence. She wasborn August 17, 1908 in Lecompton thedaughter of Charles Delbert and BessieBri zban Rist. She attended Lecomptonand Lawrence schools. She was a memberof the Lecompton Histori ca 1 Soci ety.She married Walter Grammer June 1,1926. He died April 9th 1983.Survivors include four daughters, Mrs.Beulah Anderson, Mrs. Wilma Stone, Mrs.Phyllis Wood and Mrs. Shirley Har.ris,five sons, Wesley, Gerald, Alfred,Wilford and Darrell, two sisters Mrs.Ethel Newson and Mrs. Nettie Curtis, 32grandchildren and 41 greatgrandchi 1dren. Buri a1 was in Memoria1Park Cemetery in Lawrence.

William Chester Lewellen, 75, diedMarch 18, 1987 at Encinitas,California. He was a native ofLawrence and worked for the J. WalterThompson Adverti si ng Agency in LosAngeles and was head of advertising andpromotion for California Raisins inEurope. He is survi ved by hi s wifeAgnes of DelMar. He was the son ofSally McCarty Lewellen. He was a longtime supporter of the LecomptonHistori ca1 Soci ety. Cremati on andinurnment was in Evergreen Cemetery,Colorado Springs, Colorado.

MembershipReport

Our membership is still growingand we want to take thi s ti me to thankall our members for supporting oursociety and making it such a success.As to date, our Life membership totals327, our Memorial membership is 67 andour annual dues paying memberships are418, making a total of 812.

NewLife MembersJames H. Lane --- CaliforniaHarry Buchheim and wife Malverna

(Senior) Buccheim --- Stull, KSNaoni (Wilson) Chiles by husband Duane

--- Lawrence, KansasPaul Boerger --- Sedgwick, Kansas

MemorialsReverend Horace D. Herr --- One of theearly circuit rider preachers sent tothe Kansas Territory. He joined inwith the United Brethren preacher tohe1p raise money to buil d the UnitedBrethren college, which is now LaneUniversi ty Museum. He preached in theLecompton, Big Springs, Richland,Cli nton and Tecumseh communiti es. Hepublished a book on his life andministery while in Lecompton. The book'is called "Harvey Vanore".Isaac L. Hartup and his wife, Li11i an

"LilT1e" (Haines) Hartup --- "lke" wasa shoe repairman in Lecompton manyyears, having his shop, where CarlBahnmai er now 1i ves. He was a veryactive United Brethren church memberand he also served as town marshal.Cl arence Henry Smith --- born inLecompton, took a teachers course inHigh School and started teaching in1917. He went into World War I andafter serving his time, returned toLecompton and taught 4th-5th, 6th, 7th,and 8th grades. He was pri nci pa1 ofthe grade school many years.Eldred Gaskill Day --- Donated byElizabeth Day Jefferson.

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lone Spencer

THE LECOMPTON HISTORICAL SOCIETYI Lecompton, Kansas 66050 is a non-profitcorporation for the preservation of Historical Sites. We are eager for continued

. membership and new members!

Indi vidual membership is $2.50 per year I from December to December I while ahousehold membership is $5. Life membership is $50 per individual.Contributions are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to the LecomptonHistorical Society I and mailed to Mrs. Iona Spencer I R.R. #1, Lecomptonl Kansas66050.

* * * * * * * * Please Clip And Mail With Your Check * * * * * * * *'-../

$2.50 Annual Individual Membership

$5 Annual Household Membership- .

$50 Individual Life or Memorial Membership

Other Contribution $

Name Address

City State Zip Code#######################################################################~~###*"#####

President -- PAUL BAHNMAIERHistorical Writer -- SARA WALTER

Typesetter -- HOWARD DUNCAN

Editor -- ELLEN DUNCAN

Genealogical Writer -- IONA SPENCERIllustrator -- ELLEN DUNCAN

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Published by

The Lecompton Historical SocietyLECOMPTON, KANSAS 66050

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. POSTAGE PAID

Lecompton, KansasPermit No. 1

Address Change Requested !." ,., -

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