History of Winchester

(Its 150^th year in 2007) 

Raymond Riley

In Memory of Raymond Riley (1932-2020)

From the Winchester Star, Dec. 29, 1950

The following article was sent to us by Mrs. Cora Charles, Berkeley, Calif., which she had received from the Kansas State Historical Soc. She wonders why not a centennial celebration in 1957? This is the only town in Jefferson Township, and is situated on the line of the Kansas Central Railroad. It is one of the oldest towns of the county, pleasantly located and is a thriving business point, with a population numbering about six hundred. Scattered over a large area, with large residence and business lots, ornamented with shade and fruit trees, and with a staid and moral population this is one of the neatest, quietest and most attractive villages of the county.

The history of the town begins with the date of June 19, 1854, when William M. Gardiner made a land claim there. He drove his stake near the present Winchester Hotel, then returned East. He returned with his family in March 1855, and built a cabin on his claim on Walnut Creek. He, on his prairie claim fenced a one-quarter section of land, about where the Academy addition to the town now is, and planted a few acres of corn, of which he received an abundant crop yield. After the government land survey he sold his claim to Joseph Best, who continued opening out the claim. He soon built a cabin, and not long after another was built and they were joined together and occupied as a hotel. It will be remembered that the location was on the line of the old military freight road. For this reason the hotel did a thriving business. Best’s first cabin was built of rough logs, and except for a few nails, it cost nothing but his own labor.

Central Hotel (Forsyth)

Though quite a large settlement has been formed in the vicinity, no move was made to lay off a town until early in the year 1857. About this time the project was taken under serious consideration. There was a question as to where the site should be located. The place first chosen was at the big spring, about one and one half miles further west, and it was to be named Savannah. But Alvin Best, who had formerly lived at Winchester, Va., chose the present location, and gave it the name of Winchester. He being the oldest man in the settlement, his wishes were cheerfully acceded to by the others.

A town site was at once surveyed, which was the northeast quarter of Section 26, Town 8, Range 19 east. Since that time several additions have been made to the original town. They are, Trower’s, Dodd’s, Marlett’s, Academy and Hinchman’s. As soon as the town was laid out, William Reboe located there, built a small frame building not far from what is now known as the “Old Stone Store,” and opened a store with a stock of dry goods and groceries.

During the summer of 1857, Reboe built the “Stone Store,” which is a small building, still standing, near the Winchester Hotel. For several years this was the big store of the village, though it changed owners several times. About the time the town was surveyed, Best sold his claim to Jess Yokum, and built a frame building a short distance east of where the hotel now is.

In 1857, Joseph Head opened a grocery and whisky shop, near the same store. He soon sold out and built a larger house. After a few months he sold to William M. Gardiner, who continued the grocery business until 1858, when he sold to D.H. Wright, who died the following year.

3rd Street, looking north

The village increased in population and business but slowly until the advent of the Kansas Central Railroad, in 1872. But during that and the succeeding year it grew rapidly, since which time it has grown steadily but slowly until the present time. It is a quiet and home-like village, with little transpiring out of the usual order of events. The first physician who located there was Dr. A.R. Cantwell in 1858; first child, Ella Simmons (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alpha Simmons) born June 19, 1855; first minister to the gospel, Stephens Stiers; first school teacher, D.H. Wright; Christian Church, 1869, Jefferson Lodge No. 84, A.F.&A.M organized in 1869; The Winchester Argus was established in 1877 by Thomas W. Gardiner.

Other churches established here in the early days were the Methodist in 1863 and the Reformed Presbyterian in 1868.

Reformed Presbyterian Church (Forsyth)

By Prof. Blackman:

From the Statutes of the Territory of Kansas, 1855, Chapter 30, Sec. 29.

That the county of Jefferson shall be bounded as follows: Beginning at the north-west corner of the county of Leavenworth; thence west to the south-west corner of Atchison county, thence north to the south-east corner of Browne county; thence west along the said county of Browne, opposite a point twenty-two (22) miles west from the western boundary line of the county of Leavenworth; thence south to the main channel of the Kaw or Kansas river; thence down said channel to the south-west corner of the county of Leavenworth; thence north to the place of beginning.

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 2007.