Santa Claus in Jefferson County

  From the Nortonville News, Dec. 18, 1891

Dropped from the Clouds.

                        The Moon, Dec. 17, 1891.

To: A.J. Perry & Co.,

Nortonville,

            Earth.

Gentlemen:—Please notify the public that I shall take pleasure in holding “High Carnival” at your establishment during the coming week. If my stock of goods holds out it will be quite necessary for all Good Boys and Girls to have very large and long stockings hung up on Christmas Eve.

            Yours as Ever,

                        Santa Claus.

 

From the McLouth Times,
Dec. 11, 1891

From the Oskaloosa Independent, Dec. 17, 1892

Headquarters, 1892.

Dear Children:—Having spent several days in Oskaloosa this week, examining the different stocks of Christmas goods, I have decided to make my headquarters at Johnston’s Drug-store. I do this on account of the better railroad facilities they enjoy, having a direct line of railway running right into their store, and an unlimited line of everything to please everybody, both old and young, and I desire everybody to go there for their Christmas presents. Yours truly,

                        Santa Claus.

 

From the Valley Falls New Era, Dec. 24, 1892

Santa Claus (the spirit of good cheer and giving) will make his appearance at the Christian church Saturday evening (Christmas Eve). Elaborate preparations are made to receive him. A snow house and crystal grotto are being prepared for him and for the delight of the eyes of all who come.

 

From the Valley Falls New Era, Dec. 14, 1895

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will be at the Congregational Church Dec. 20^th with a beautiful line of dressed boy and girl dolls also other articles useful and ornamental. Admission 15 cents including supper and entertainment.

 

From the Advocate, Meriden, Kansas,
Dec. 17, 1890

From the Oskaloosa Independent, Dec. 31, 1887

Christmas at Leaverton

Mr. Editor, will you allow me a little space in your columns to say a word or two with reference to the Christmas entertainment at the Leaverton school house on last Saturday evening?

A beautiful tree was planted in one corner of the room, loaded with gifts and making a grand display, while in the opposite corner was a platform for the children.

The exercises consisted in singing, prayer, and addresses by the two ministers present, and addresses, recitations and declamations by the children and young people, all interspersed with song. To say that the song service and the exercises of the children was all good, would not be saying enough; they were simply grand. The Kindergarten exercises were new, and faultlessly rendered by the children.

At the proper time Santa Claus made his appearance, and the gifts were distributed. Great credit is due the teacher who drilled the children, the officers and teachers in the Sunday school, and all the people in the neighborhood, for planning and executing such an entertainment.

            L.D. Price

At the Leaverton school-house they had a fine time on Christmas eve, as will be seen by the report elsewhere. A purse of nine dollars and a fine cake was presented Elder Price, and a cake was also given Rev. Mr. Lawless. The cakes were made by Mrs. Morrow, the material being contributed in small lots by the Sabbath school children—a novel idea.

 

The Threshing Crew, 1881

By Clara Agnes Luse Koenig, from the Luse Family History

The following is an excerpt from the Luse Family History and journal kept by Clara Agnes Luse Koenig, daughter of Allen Timothy Luse and Maria Allen Luse. Allen and Maria Luse came to Kansas in 1859, settling near Mound City, Linn County. They then moved several times in and around Jefferson County.They moved to a farm near Winchester in 1863, then to Nortonville in 1891. This was submitted by Linda Lloyd Kaiser, granddaughter of Clara Luse Koenig, Great Bend.

1881: This is the year my father and brother Charlie bought a threshing outfit which consisted of a separator and a ten horse power unit. This meant that the ten horses turned the power unit that turned the separator that threshed the grain. The power unit consisted of a circular middle section of machinery, cog wheels, etc., from which extended five removable levers to which the five teams were hitched. A platform was placed over the center machinery on which the driver stood with his long whip keeping the teams moving steadily around in a circle. A long rod was attached to this cogwheel machinery, near the ground, and was extended to other cogwheels on the separator. This was called the tumbling rod and was in sections. Driving the teams was a dizzy job as the platform on which the driver stood kept turning as the machinery turned and after hours of steady work relief was necessary.

Drawing of a horse-powered thresher from a French dictionary
(published in 1881) from WikiMedia Commons.

Bundle wagons brought the grain to the separator and tossed them onto the band shelf at the front end where a man with a band cutter, a large sharp knife, cut the bands on the bundles and shoved them over to the feeder. The man feeding the machine had to pull the bundle apart and feed it evenly into the feed cylinder for if too large a bunch was fed in, it might clog the cylinder and cause delay or even a break in the machinery. As the grain passed through the machine, the kernels were threshed out, the straw was carried on through and into the straw carrier at the back end. This carrier was an endless belt of canvas the full width of the machine, operated by a belt that moved it up and out. The grain flowed into a covered box and downspout on the side of the separator into receptacles. Father spread a canvas on the ground and then set his half-bushel measure under the spout to catch the grain. Father kept tally of the number of measures of grain on a tally sheet. When they threshed at home, I stood near Father and held a grain sack open so he could pour the grain in. All our grain was sacked, as grain-tight wagons were few and we had none. The straw carrier was stationary so there had to be pitchers there to pitch the straw away and build a stack. It was a very dusty job with chaff getting all through their clothes and the men all fought shy of being on the straw stack. It usually took three to handle it. It was a slow process all the way through and took thirty or more men to do the work. Father, Charlie, Will, Frank (brothers of Clara) and Jim McClure, a neighbor, was the crew that went along with the machine. Frank was band-cutter, Will was feeder, Father tallied and Jim was driver on the horsepower. Charlie was relief man to keep the machinery running or on errands.

There were not many threshing outfits around as they were quite expensive so they traveled all around over the country from early July until October. Separators were huge clumsy affairs and required two teams to move them, especially over rough roads that were common at that time. Moving from one job to another was quite a process, special care being taken in crossing bridges or fording small creeks. They had many funny experiences as they traveled from place to place threshing. The farmers’ wives had varied reputations as to feeding threshers and it sometimes took considerable ingenuity to make a job terminate or last long enough to get to a certain place for the next meal. The crew stayed with the machine all week, coming home for Sunday if there wasn’t repairs to make on the rig. 

The Rumely company was known for steam-powered threshers.
Photo from Jefferson County Genealogical Society Library.

One family was noted for being slack and dirty about the house, so they had a hard time getting threshers to come there. Finally Father couldn’t get out of it any longer and had to go there. They had quite a lot of grain and they had to stay for two nights. The boys insisted on sleeping out on the straw stack, but Father was the big boss and must have the courtesy of sleeping in the house. Well about ten minutes after he went to bed he found he was not alone, in fact a whole regiment of company had moved in to dine on him. He fought and killed relentlessly for a couple of hours then gave up, put on his clothes, stole out of the house and joined the boys on the straw stack. There was considerable activity around the house the next day and that night when Father was refusing to sleep indoors, they insisted strongly that he sleep inside so he finally went in to bed. He found the room had been thoroughly cleaned and not a bed bug showed up that night. It rained that night and the boys had to forsake the straw stack and sleep under the separator.

Horses thresh wheat in Denton, North Carolina.

The wife of the wealthiest farmer in the community was the stingiest provider and they hated to eat there. Threshing is hard work and the men always have enormous appetites, but one time she gave them mush and milk for dinner. Another time when they were eating, she came in with a pie and said, “Pie, pie, anyone want pie, if you don’t, I won’t cut it,” and never giving anyone a chance to say anything took it back to the kitchen.

It was always hot at threshing time and with a wood stove going in the kitchen they often set the table out in the yard where there might be some breeze. Then it took a couple of little girls with peach tree switches to shoo the flies off of the table during dinner. It took a mountain of food to appease their hunger and pies were stacked three deep on a plate and cut in quarters for a serving.

 

Horse-powered threshing on YouTube

Get updates about the 2020 McLouthThreshing Bee, September 18-20.

The McLouth Threshing Bee website has event information and updates.

This article appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1985.

Leavenworth, Topeka and Southwestern Railroad (Part 1)

Originally written by John Bower, as a two-part article on the L.T. & SW Railroad, this article was published in the Jefferson County Historical Society Newsletters of August and September 1982.

- - - - - - -

It is not my purpose to write a complete history of the Leavenworth, Topeka and Southwestern Railway (in my time [Mr. Bower’s time] it was called the Leavenworth and Topeka, the L&T, the Southwestern or “Old Jerky”). This is the story from a Jefferson County perspective – its construction, its struggle to survive, and its part in opening up a rich rural region.

Principal source for the early history is The Oskaloosa Independent, published for 100 years in Oskaloosa by the Roberts family (to be cited as IND, or simply by the date of issue where the source is indicated by the text). [John Wesley Roberts was the Independent editor at the time of the L.T. & SW Railroad bond issues and construction. His son F.H. Roberts took over as editor in July 1882.]

Jefferson County had railroad fever in 1881. Nine years after the Kansas Central built through Winchester and Valley Falls, Oskaloosa was still without a railroad. Dependence on horse transportation meant isolation and business stagnation.

“Two railroad companies are preparing to build roads to this place as soon as wind and weather permit... “ (IND 1/8/1881) “Parties in the interest of the Kansas City, Oskaloosa and Northern Railroad were here yesterday, and left for Valley Falls in the evening... our Topeka and Leavenworth neighbors will have to hurry up or they will get left.”

With federal grants for railroad building no longer available in the 1870s and ’80s, promoters turned to local areas for funds to build the roads to serve them. The key to getting a railroad was the approval of bonds by the cities and townships benefitted.

Petitions for bonds for the Leavenworth, Topeka and Southwestern were being circulated in Jefferson County in January 1881 (IND 1/22/1881). Election notices appeared February 12; Oskaloosa Township proposed $29,000. Osawkee Township $25,000, and Rock Creek Township $16,000. These were 30 year bonds, bearing six per cent interest. They were to be exchanged dollar for dollar for stock in the railroad. Each proposition gave an approximate location for a depot within the township. The line must be operating within the township within one year to qualify.

The Independent had opposed Jefferson County bonds for the Kansas Central (6/16/1871). But Roberts threw his full support behind the proposal to build a railroad from Leavenworth through Oskaloosa to Topeka and beyond. Announcing a meeting for the purpose of “consulting in reference to the best railroad interests of the county at this time,” the Independent urged, “Go to the railroad meeting at the court house this Saturday.” (1/22/1881)

“As a mere matter of speculation,” said the Independent on March 5, “it will be paying investment to the townships, and will render a rich return for the outlay... If the citizens of Rock Creek and Osawkee Townships fail to carry the propositions submitted to them to vote aid in the cost of the proposed railroad through their territory, they will throw away the only probable opportunity they will ever have to advance their interests in this direction.”

Editorials on March 5 and 19 laid out the main arguments. To objections of some that they didn’t like the method of financing, or didn’t want it on their farm, Roberts argued that it would enhance the value of real estate, bringing in new people and businesses. He saw cheaper prices at the stores, higher prices for farm produce, good wages, more demand for labor.

Since the new railroad would pay taxes, it would pay a considerable part of the debt incurred in its favor. Roberts calculated potential tax benefits at Oskaloosa to show the bonds were a bargain. This benefit would continue after the bonds were paid off. If the line made money, townships would profit from the stock they held.

Roberts did not stop with logical arguments. “The probabilities are that this is the last call, the acceptable time, the day of salvation,” he intoned with Old Testament fervor. “Then do not remain straddle of the fence longer... but act promptly, do your duty by voting for the railroad and look forward for and expect a better day.”

“Next Monday is the day set for voting aid to the railroad in this township.” (IND Mar. 19) “We learn there are some citizens so far behind the times they propose to vote against it. They are to be pitied for their lack of enterprise and sagacity. Deal with them gently. If they never grow wiser they will die so far behind the times it will take them a hundred years on the other side to see the first glimmer of progressive daylight.”

Oskaloosa approved the bonds 335 to 18 (Mar. 26). Rock Creek Township carried by 104. Osawkee by 113. “Hurrah for the railroad!” said the Independent.

Petition for a vote on $15,000 in bonds in Union Township, signed by O. Hosford, J.F. Willits and 83 others, was reported March 5. The election would be Tuesday, April 19.

With the vote approaching, the Independent observed (Apr. 9), “we take it the people of Union Township are too intelligent and progressive to require any words from us to vote for the bonds.”

When the election carried by only 16 votes, Roberts commented (Apr. 23), “There are more men behind the times in Union than there ought to be...” One can surmise the proposal to locate the railroad depot more than two miles from Dimon, largest settlement in the township, [actually on the Leavenworth County border] may have had some influence on the vote.

The same issue reported that Topeka had approved bonds for the railroad by over 500 votes. Bonds for a railroad, apparently the L.T. &. SW, passed in three of four townships in Morris County. Alexandria Township in Leavenworth County was to take a vote. Leavenworth voted $50,000 for the railroad by a margin of 796 votes. (Aug. 20)

Surveyors were reported “between here and Topeka” on May 14. A May 28 editorial belittled the ignorance of The Kansas City Journal for saying the new railroad would have no local traffic, asserting that is on the same level as the fear of being scalped by Indians in Kansas City.

Engineers were reported locating the actual line of the road on August 6. They were expected to reach the west line of Leavenworth County “this week.” (Aug. 20)

Signing of the construction contract was reported August 27. This conflicts with a 1925 report of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which says the contract was let September 3. (Docket 601, Interstate commerce Commission, Sept. 24, 1925)

September 3 the Independent was reassuring people of Osawkee and Rock Creek that nobody at Oskaloosa was trying to change the route of the railroad. The following week arrangements were reported complete for building the entire line from Leavenworth “into Lincoln County.”

Iron for 240 miles was said to have been purchased, and the contractors expected to have the first 40 miles completed by November. (Sept. 17) Some people around Thompsonville wanted part of the new road, and there was talk of dividing Kentucky Township.

The proposed route across the middle of Leavenworth and Jefferson Counties was not an easy place to build a railroad. When the farthest reach of Kansan glacier dumped its accumulated load, it left a high prairie whose highest point at McLouth is nearly 400 feet above the Kansas and Missouri rivers which skirt it on the south and east. This prairie is deeply etched by streams flowing to the Kansas River, forming a series of valleys and highlands across the path of the new railroad.

In 46.5 miles from Leavenworth to Meriden, the line crossed four major streams and many lesser ones. Construction required a rather heavy 33,000 cubic yards of excavation per mile. There were four iron bridges from 57 to 120 feet long, and 49 pile and frame trestles. Construction cost was more than $20,000 per mile. (Docket 601, ICC op. cit.)

Some older towns suffered from their high location. The line entered Jefferson County following the divide between Fall and Tonganoxie Creeks, more than a mile north of the pioneer village of Dimon. Residents there blamed Amos McLouth, probably not without reason, for diverting the railroad to cross McLouth’s farm, where he promptly started a new town. But the valley of Tonganoxie Creek would have been a serious obstacle to reaching Dimon from the northeast.

Continuing toward Oskaloosa, the line crossed present K-16 highway a mile west of McLouth and followed the divide between Buck and Slough creeks. This ridge led into Oskaloosa from the southeast, but beyond was Slough Creek, 150 feet lower than the courthouse and little more than a mile away. Engineers made the descent by bypassing Oskaloosa on the south and west, going down the draw where the city lakes now are [in 1982].

Oskaloosa depot was in the valley west of town, inside the sharp curve where K-92 highway turns northwest to follow the old railroad line. The steep, rocky road running up the hill northeast from that spot was for more than 40 years the road from Oskaloosa to the depot. The Independent bitterly protested this location of the depot. Farmers complained it was the most inaccessible spot around Oskaloosa, requiring useless travel over a bad road, and threatened to go to Winchester or Perry instead. They blamed Oskaloosa citizens for not making more protest against it. (Nov. 26)

It was reported the man who made the first survey was in the employ of the Santa Fe, and deliberately “ran a most ridiculously crooked route, apparently for the purpose of showing that a straight line could not be secured... Why the line should be run over the highest ground in this region when a route 50 to 60 feet lower can be found and requiring nearly a mile less to make the ascent or descent is a conundrum which people of common sense cannot answer.” (Dec. 10)

The route selected required a cut 1,000 feet long and 30 feet deep east of present U.S. 59 highway south of Oskaloosa (the Independent dubbed it “the engineer’s folly”), while the depot was located “out-of-sight of the world where it would be the least possible value to the city and the township.”

Roberts favored a route down “Newell Creek” on the east side of town, with the depot perhaps near the present site of the county shops. “It is all non-sense,” he said, “to talk of this place being inaccessible.”

December 17: “We say once more to the managers of the railroad that they are standing in their own light and working against their own interests in not seeking a more satisfactory location of the road and depot at this place... If the company should faithfully try to secure a route for their road through the corporate limit of the town and fail, the citizens will pay the expense of the survey.”

But, when the engineers stuck to their decision, leaving Oskaloosa one of the few Kansas county seats without a railroad through town, the Independent never wavered in its support. December 31, 1881: “Col. Snow informs us that they have commenced laying track on the railroad at Leavenworth, and have two engines there for service. They will have the cars running to Oskaloosa by the first of March. Whoop it up, Colonel.”

January 7, 1882: the Independent featured a long letter, signed by “I” (probably John N. Insley, civil war veteran and leading citizen of Oskaloosa, according to Bill Leech), counseling the community to stop quarreling with the location of the railroad depot and build a first class road from the square down to it. A survey for such a road was reported February 18, and again June 24. Why they waited 40 years to build it is not clear.

February 4, 1882: “Mr. McLouth has laid out a townsite of 135 lots where the Leavenworth, Topeka and Southwestern Railway crosses the county road on the west line of his farm, and will have George Davis sell the lots at auction this Saturday.”

February 11: “Track is being laid on the L.T. and SW Railroad at the rate of a mile and a half a day. The county line will be reached before the first of March, we are told.” Completion of the line into the county was reported March 4.

March 25: The cars will be running to McLouth in a few days. “This is the first use we have seen of the name ‘McLouth’ to designate the new town.”

Many of the workers were reported leaving the railroad construction crews because of the shameful manner in which they were paid. (Apr. 8) Roberts thought contractors who cheated their men ought to be in the penitentiary, “along with other thieves.”

Two adjacent sections of road-bed east of McLouth were said to have been laid out with jump-off of three feet in elevation, requiring regrading before track could be laid. “No wonder such scientific and skilled engineers could not find a route through this city!” Roberts snorted. (Apr. 22)

Meanwhile, work was progressing west of Oskaloosa, between Slough Creek and Osawkee, the most rugged part of the route. Slough Creek Times, March 11, reported, “There is one cut one fourth mile in length and ranging from six to 21 feet deep. Half the depth is hard limestone rock, which has to be blasted out with powder. West of this cut is a small mountain sloping up from Little Slough Creek to a height of 300 feet. The road passes halfway down the slope. There are two fills ranging from 30 to 34 feet in depth and 300 feet long... ”

“One of the Rice Brothers” was preparing to make a blast in this cut when blasting caps exploded in his pocket, injuring him severely. He was recovering at St. John’s hotel. Rice Brothers had a construction contract on the railroad. (Aug. 5)

Freight was coming to Oskaloosa by the new railroad line by May 6. “Our people all go (to Leavenworth) by the new railroad now. “A hack from Lohman and Sprague’s met the train at the end of track three miles east of town.”

Roberts took his first ride on the new railroad the week of May 20, and was surprised how smooth it was. He said the new depot building at McLouth “is in good style and taste, and creditable to the railroad where it is located.” The river bridge at Osawkee was finished. The first “excursion” on the new line was reported, and the first timetable appeared in the paper. Fare to Leavenworth was $1.15; from McLouth, $1.00.

 

The Oskaloosa Independent, June 3, 1882

The first train wreck was reported June 3. An engine and tender jumped the track east of McLouth, blocking the line for a day.

There was a big celebration in Oskaloosa June 2. (June 10) Between 500 and 600 people came from Leavenworth. Farmers and townspeople helped bring people from the end of track south of town. The Barry Cadets drill team “drilled in a masterly manner.” Oskaloosa Glee Club sang and the band played. About 2,500 people were there from over the county. Completion of the line through Oskaloosa Township was reported June 24. Mail was going to Leavenworth by train, with much better service. (July 8) There was a new post office at McLouth, and the Independent had a growing club of subscribers there getting the paper by train.

Oskaloosa depot was built with a second story, with rooms upstairs for the agent’s family (July 22). E.T. Albert was the first agent. (Aug. 19)

Grading and bridges had been completed to Meriden by July 22, but work was still being done on “expensive trestlework this side of Osawkee.” One trestle was 700 feet long. Another, 400 feet long, was being filled-in with earth. (Aug. 26)

Apparently difficult areas were bridged by trestle, then filled in, with fill material probably hauled in railroad cars. One of these trestles was still in existence in 1981, hidden by brush and trees on a hillside above Little Slough Creek about four miles east of Osawkee, according to Roger Coleman, Jefferson County Soil Conservationist.

While they were building through this rough country time ran out on the bonds voted by Osawkee and Rock Creek Townships, and the original bonds and matching railroad stock were destroyed by the county commissioners. (July 15) A spirited campaign was waged at Osawkee to renew their $25,000 commitment, but it lost by a narrow vote. (Aug. 19)

The Independent deplored this unfairness to the railroad which had kept its promise to give them a road, but many people probably felt no need to pay for something they were going to get anyway. There was no mention of any second vote in Rock Creek Township. Delay had cost the promoters $41,000.

Announcement the following week that the L.T. & SW had been purchased by the Santa Fe railway brought a dramatic change in the situation. It was to be completed to Meriden and operated as other branches of the Santa Fe system. The Independent approved, for this guaranteed the line would be completed.

Shortly thereafter, the construction camp was moved to Meriden (Sept. 23). The line was to be finished from that end.

While grading had been largely completed to Topeka (traces of the old grade can still be seen along Meriden Road in Shawnee County), rails were never laid beyond Meriden. L.T. & SW trains went on into Topeka on the Santa Fe tracks. (ICC Docket 601, op cit.)

The first train from Leavenworth to Topeka via Oskaloosa — a locomotive and one car — went through Tuesday, October 10. (Oct. 14) “There was not much noise about it,” the Independent said, “but it was an important event anyhow, marking the opening and completion of a line of road through the center of one of the oldest and last counties of this state, and giving the county seat direct connection with Topeka and Leavenworth — something she has waited for lo! these many years.”

Another important event was recorded in the same issue; the telegraph line was completed as far as Oskaloosa. The first message was sent Wednesday afternoon. Now news of the outside world was only minutes away. The line was built through McLouth October 6. (Oct. 7)

The first section gang at Oskaloosa was established, with Thomas Coffey foreman. (Oct. 21) N. Glenn bought the first ticket from Oskaloosa to Meriden. (Meriden Items, Oct. 28). Construction of the new railroad opened up a rich agricultural area in Leavenworth and Jefferson Counties. It became one of the best “feeder” lines in the state (Topeka State Journal, Jan. 12, 1918), bringing livestock and farm produce to the then considerable food processing industry in Topeka.

Economic growth was stimulated. Oskaloosa had a sawmill (IND Aug. 19) and a new brick plant. (Aug. 12) Coal from Leavenworth was only $4.30 per ton by the carload. (Aug. 28) Oskaloosa schools would save $45 over previous year on the winter’s fuel supply.

“Since the beginning of the railroad agitation,” the Independent reported July 22, “some 43 new business houses and residences have been built in Oskaloosa.” That is a remarkable growth for an already established small town.

New towns and shipping facilities were springing up. McLouth grew rapidly, establishing itself as an important trade center. Others, like McIntosh (two and one half miles southeast of Oskaloosa — half a mile south of Robbins Auto Salvage), and Ackerland in Leavenworth County, disappeared with the railroad. A few houses still remain of Spring Valley, laid out near Oskaloosa depot in the fall of 1882 by N. Macomber. (Oct. 14)

Thus the hope of local citizens who bonded themselves to secure the benefits of railroad transportation, probably were realized. But the hope of promoters to reach far away places and reap big profits were not. The L.T. & SW did not make money.

Possibly foreseeing this, the Independent editorialized August 23, “It is a good deal better for Oskaloosa that the Santa Fe has the road than that an independent company should run it.” Topeka interest did not agree. They thought it would stifle competition. (Sept. 2)

It soon became known (Sept. 16) that the Union Pacific had become joint owner with the Santa Fe. They did not integrate the line into either of the parent roads, operating it as a subsidiary, with its own officers and headquarters in Topeka. For 35 years the parent lines absorbed its losses. (ICC Docket 601, op. cit.)

Thus history would confirm both viewpoints, but that is another story.

 

John D. Bower

TO BE CONTINUED

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 2014.

For a Yearling, McLouth Takes the Cake.

From the Valley Falls Register, May 30, 1884

The fact has become more or less general that Kansas, especially the eastern part of the state had got over mushroom growth, a growing up in the night, as it were. But here we find in McLouth a fine well-built and enterprising little city of five hundred souls with its hotel, business blocks, elevators, etc., that but one year ago contained less than twenty-five inhabitants. Such is life and such are Kansas business men; this thing will never cease until Kansas becomes one of the greatest and most powerful states in the union.

The Register is booming and it heard McLouth was having a boom of its own so the Register man who takes delight in being around where the booming business is going on, concluded that McLouth was a pretty good place to strike, so he went down there last week and took a hand in the game.

There are no churches or schools there at present but a good graded school building will soon be built and two churches are, or are about to be contracted for and during the year places of worship will be completed.

The McLouth house M. McMaster proprietor is a new house pleasantly situated with the best sample room in the county, the tables are supplied with the best and Mr. McMaster will be found to be an agreeable and accommodating landlord.

The large and extensive farm implement house of Messrs Scott and Cresse is the principal trade feature of the town. These gentlemen deal largely in their line of goods and are known to be men of integrity and of first class business qualifications.

G.M. Woodhull [Woodhead] deals in furniture trunks pictures, he also is prepared to do undertaking. The people in this part of the county will find Mr. W. a fair square dealer and all goods in his line to be as represented; go and see him.

Delaware Grange cooperative store carries a fine line of general merchandise, their stock is new and clean and operated by gentlemen of experience and ability. This system of merchandising is doing a very successful business at this point.

Mr. A. Burt the popular and agreeable druggist located near the depot is having a nice run of trade. He carries a large stock of all the best medicines, drugs and toilet goods to be found in the town.

C. Moser carriage, blacksmithing. This gentleman is turning out some fine work. Mr. M. is a first-class workman, and the public may rely on his work both in style and finish.

—On The Wing

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 2007.

"A little history:

McLouth was founded in the 1880s. It was named for Amos McLouth, the original owner of the town site. The first post office in McLouth was established in May 1882.
We had a railroad that ran right through the middle of town. The tracks are the dividing point for the north side and south side of town. Look for the Historical sign showing where the split is at."

First Football Game at McLouth

From the McLouth Times, November 4, 1905

In the first game of Foot Ball ever played in McLouth, Tonganoxie was beaten by a score of 10 to 0. Tonganoxie came in on the morning train, about twenty five strong, and from the way they talked and acted they were very sure of winning the game in the afternoon, and there were not very many in town who believed the McLouth boys stood very much show against a team that had played together so long. But the Tonga boys were out played from the first kick off.

The game was played in two 20 minute halves, McLouth making a touchdown in each half. Ed Casebier and Lusk did most of the gaining for McLouth, Lusk making all the scores on runs around the Right End. It was a hard game but none of the boys on either side were seriously hurt.

The Line Up

Tonganoxie

Creed – R.E.

Myers – R.T.

Richenson – R.G.

Turner – C.

Heisner – L.G.

E. Myers – L.T.

Rathbone – L.E.

Brockett – Q.

Seufert – R.H.

Wilkenson – L.H.

Zellner – F.B.

McLouth

J. Casebier – R.E.

A. Casebier – R.T.

W. Edmonds – R.G.

J. Edmonds – C.

Gephart – L.G.

Elliott – L.T.

G. Casebier – L.E.

Reynolds – Q.

Dolph – R.H.

Lusk – L.H.

Ed Casebier – F.B.

Halves — 20 minutes

Touchdowns — Lusk 2

Referee — F.W. Dickerson

Umpire — Roy Mains

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1988

Amos McLouth

Founder of McLouth Dies at Ninety-Two

“Uncle Amos” Sleeps near Scene of Early Labor — Entire Community Does Honor to Memory of This Pioneer Builder, Soldier and Engineer.

From the Oskaloosa Independent, November 27, 1931

The entire community of McLouth, including its business houses and schools, did formal honor Wednesday afternoon to the memory of the man who laid out the town-site fifty years ago. “Uncle Amos” McLouth was laid to rest in Wildhorse cemetery, following services at the United Brethren church, where old friends paid tribute to his personality and his career.

Death came peacefully at the National Military Home, on Monday morning, Nov. 23. He was in his usual health, though feeble when his nephew, County Commissioner Amos H. Leech, called on him, Nov, 15^th, as he was accustomed to do twice a month. Attendants report that they observed nothing wrong until an hour or two before his passing.

Born in Lambertville, Mich., November 30, 1838, he was reared in that state, followed surveying as a youth, until the Civil War, when he enlisted in the 8^th Michigan cavalry. He was wounded at the Battle of Lookout Mountain.

His coming to Kansas, in 1868, was timed with the needs of this young empire for pioneer builders. Amos McLouth had the instincts of a builder and the capacity for executing constructive tasks. He purchased a quarter section of upland in eastern Jefferson county, buying from the Union Pacific railway for $3 an acre, and engaged in farming. He became county treasurer in 1873 and again in 1877. In 1880 he was elected state senator from Jefferson County.

"Tin bridge," Jefferson County, Kansas

About this time came the Leavenworth, Topeka andSouthwestern railroad project; McLouth took a lead in furthering it, and when it became assured that the road would pass through his farm, he proceeded to plat a town-site thereon, and named it McLouth. The old McLouth homestead is at the eastern border of the town, the residence being directly at the end of the leading east-and-west street. McLouth took an active interest in affairs of the community which developed around the shipping point, helped organize the bank which is now the Bank of McLouth, and was an early member of the Masonic Lodge.

In the 1880s he became associated with the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron company as an engineer and salesman. He sold bridges all over the West and South, including a long span across Galveston Bay, and by reason of this occupation he formed an acquaintance perhaps wider than that of any other of our early citizenry. “Tin bridges,” they are called in these days of concrete spans, but they represented the best thought and engineering skill of their time and their construction was one of the major factors in the taming of the wild and boundless West. In bridging the streams they bridged distance and knit communities together into the fabric of our social structure; they bridged isolation and fear and changed the quality of our civilization; they bridged time and speeded the forward march of our conquest over material forces. In this constructive work, Uncle Amos was proud to have had a part. Given but seven more years and he would have completed the long span of bridging a century with his lifetime.

He later years were spent quietly at the soldier’s home, with frequent journeys back to the old home community of McLouth and to Oskaloosa.

He is survived by several nephews and nieces: Amos H. Leech, Ray E. Leech and Alma Mayer, all of Oskaloosa, Kans.; Lawrence and Lewis McLouth, of New York City; Ora Leech, Mrs. Alta Frye; Mrs. Mary Greene, Mrs. Annie Dennis, Mrs. Ella Thistle, Lambertville, Mich.; Dr. Geo. W. Davis, of Ottawa, Kans.; and Tulla H. Davis of Longview, Wash., are second cousins.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Frank Bennett, pastor of the McLouth United Brethren church. Tributes to the memory of the deceased were made by Judge Horace T. Phinney of Oskaloosa and Dr. Geo. W. Davis of Ottawa.

Honorary pallbearers were H.T. Phinney, W.E. Huddleston, R.W. Reynolds, H.H. Kimmel, T.J. Minney, M.L. Stigleman, J.W. Malloy, David Edmonds. Active Pallbearers, D.K. Dick, A.C. Chapman, J.J. Groshong, Jas. Graham, G.M. Casebier, H.W. Steeper, J.E. Bond, O.H. Harding.

This article appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 2008.