1894 Robley's History of Bourbon County, Kansas

INTRODUCTION.

N preparing this book I have departed in many particulars from the ordinary course and established custom of compilers of county histories. I have endeavored to give the causes which led up to our early troubles, and to delineate, to some extent, the public sentiment and feeling of given periods. I have kept in touch with the various Territorial Governments, Administrations, Legislatures and prominent public men, in order that the reader may have an intelligent understanding of the situation. I have intended this book to be of refreshing interest to the old settler, and to be especially interesting and instructive to the young men and women of Bourbon County.

T. F. ROBLEY.

FORT SCOTT, KANSAS, December, 1894.

SYNOPTICAL INDEX.

	PAGE
CHAPTER I.—Louisiana Purchase—Missouri Territory—Missouri Compromise—Platte Purchase—Santa Fe Trail—Cherokee Neutral Lands—New York Indian Lands	8
CHAPTER II.—Fort Scott Located—Colonel H. T. Wilson—Sergeant John Hamilton—Military Road Completed—Barracks Erected—Relics of a Past Era	17
CHAPTER III.—Annexation of Texas—Mexican War—Wilmot Proviso-Compromise of 1850	21
CHAPTER IV.—1853—Post of Fort Scott Abandoned—Some of the Early Settlers of Bourbon County—Time from 1854 to 1855—Description of Frontier Life—Climate—Indian Summer	29
CHAPTER V.—1854—Mill of the Gods—Kansas-Nebraska Bill—Kansas Territory Organized	33
CHAPTER VI.—1854—First Governor—First Elections—First Fraud—First Legislature—Bogus Statutes—Samples of Legislation—Government Buildings Sold	42
CHAPTER VII.—1855—Bourbon County Organized—First County Officers—Neutral Lands in Bourbon County—Fort Scott Incorporated as a Town—More Elections—Second Governor—Political Atmosphere of Bourbon County	53
CHAPTER VIII.—1856—Tone of Pro-slavery Papers—Topeka Constitution—Trouble Commences—Texas Rangers—Expedition to Middle Creek—Topeka Legislature—Governor Shannon Resigns—Governor Geary Appointed—Territorial Legislators for Bourbon County—Close of 1856	60
CHAPTER IX.—1857.—Bourbon County Officials—New Towns —Sprattsville—Mapleton—Rayville —Means of Communication	64

SYNOPTICAL INDEX.

	PAGE
CHAPTER X.—1857—Some More Politics—Dred Scott Decision—Slaves in Bourbon County—Governor Geary Resigns—Governor Walker Appointed—More Immigrants—Fort Scott Town Company—U. S. Officers—Tenderfeet—Free State Hotel	77
CHAPTER XI.—1857—Public Sentiment—Lecompton Constitution—Election of October 5, 1857—More Trouble—Squatter's Court—Protective Society	86
CHAPTER XII.—1857—The Conservatives—U. S. Troops at Fort Scott—First Election on Lecompton Constitution—Close of 1857	90
CHAPTER XIII.—1858—The Second Election on Lecompton Constitution—First Newspaper Established —First Grand Ball—Trouble Begins Again—Object Lesson in Surgery—Origin of Jayhawker	96
CHAPTER XIV.—1858—First Manufactory in Fort Scott—Marmaton Town Company—Uniontown Leavenworth Constitution—English Bill—Jayhawking Reduced to Plain Stealing—Fight with U. S. Troops	104
CHAPTER XV.—1858—Some Old Settlers of 1858—Improvements Begin—Border Ruffians have an Inning—Marais des Cygnes Murder—Efforts at Capture—Effects on the Border—Feeling Against Fort Scott	114
CHAPTER XVI.—1858—Public Meeting—Election by "Tailment"—Meeting at Rayville—Protocol of Peace—Montgomery Sized Up	119
CHAPTER XVII.—1858—Some More Arrivals—After the Amnesty—Improvements Continue—Exit Lecompton Constitution—Kansas is Free	125
CHAPTER XVIII.—1858—Territorial Election—Governor Denver Resigns—Samuel Medary Appointed—Amnesty Broken—Ben Rice Arrested—Meeting at Rayville—Release of Rice—Death of John H. Little	133
CHAPTER XIX.—1859—Militia Organized—Jayhawkers Captured—Lawrence and Fort Scott get Acquainted—Amnesty Law—County Seat Moved—Preparing for Another Constitution—An All Around Good Year	141

SYNOPTICAL INDEX.

	PAGE
CHAPTER XX.—1859—Delegates to Wyandotte Convention—Big 4th of July—Grand Ball—Fort Scott Democrat Revived—Vote on the Wyandotte Constitution—Other Election Items	146
CHAPTER XXI.—1860—Legislature Meets—Dayton Incorporated—Fort Scott Town Company Incorporated—Fort Scott Incorporated as a City—First City Election—County Election—Last Border Difficulties—Law Inaugurated	151
CHAPTER XXII.—1860—Arts of Peace—Population—First Fair Association—N. Y. Indian Lands—Neutral Lands—Troops Arrive—Land Sales—The Great Drouth	160
CHAPTER XXIII.—1861—Kansas Admitted—State Government—City Affairs—Impending Crisis—Public Meetings—War—War Feeling in Bourbon County—First Troops Organized	168
CHAPTER XXIV.—1862—Fort Lincoln Fortified—Troops Concentrated—Battle of Drywood—6th Kansas—Fort Scott a Military Post—More Politics	174
CHAPTER XXV.—1862—Movement of Troops—Various Items—Fall Elections	178
CHAPTER XXVI.—1863 —County Seat Returned to Fort Scott —City Hall—Elections—County Officers	182
CHAPTER XXVII.—1864—Political Feeling—Fortifications—Raids on Drywood—Railroads—Politics—Price Raid—Raids by Guerillas—Marmaton Massacre—Fort Scott in Suspense—Public Meeting—General Election	198
CHAPTER XXVIII.—1865—Lincoln—City Election—Muster Out—The Schools—Business and Improvements—Fall Election—Statistics—Population—The Close	210

Relics of a Past Era

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Transcribed from History of Bourbon County, Kansas : to the close of 1865 by T. F. Robley. Fort Scott, Kan.: Press of the Monitor Book & Print. Co., 1894.

Tom & Carolyn Ward
Columbus, KS
tcward@columbus-ks.com

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