• Introduction/Preface
• Lincoln Township
• Vienna Township
• Vienna Township - West
• America City
• Mill Creek Township
• OST - Under Construction
• Neuchatel
• Neuchatel (part 2) BONJOUR families

The following is concerning America City, in Nemaha county, Kansas:

Among the verty earliest settlements made near here was that at America City. The 25th of May, 1856, there arrived at that place eight families, who drove through from Iowa with oxen. These families were as follows:

Sandford H. Eddy and his wife, Caroline, who were natives of New York, and who had gone to Iowa in 1855 with their children, Theodore I., Eugenia, and Julius.

Hiram Dean, his wife and three sons, John, Frank, and Oscar, and a daughter, Margaret.

Daniel Arnold, his wife and child, Willie.

Daniel Benthusen Benson, his wife and son, George, and daughter, Susan. Hezekiah Scrutchfield, his wife and three daughters, Mary, Alice, and Martha and Mary.

Garrett Randall, his wife, Sarah, and two sons, James and Robert. George Randall, son of Garrett, and his wife, who was a daughter of James Armstrong.

Harve Randall, his wife and son, Kimball, and daughter, Mary. These all located in or near to America City. We now follow the fortunes of the eight families near as we can learn them:

Hiram Dean died near America City about 1876. His wife, who was a midwife and attended the few births that occurred there then, one of which was that of Mary Ann Day, of Vienna, has gone to Missouri. Of their sons, Frank is in Washington, Oscar in Oregon, and John in Missouri. Daniel Arnold moved back to Iowa, with his family, after he had been here two or three years.

Daniel Benthusen's wife died on the Eph McKee farm, and he went to Missouri. His son, George, entered the Union Army, and is now living at Rich Hill, Mo. The daughter, Susan, went to Missouri and died. Hezekiah Scrutchfield died and was buried on his farm, now Samuel Zimmerman's. His daughter, Mary, is Sam Zimmerman's wife, Alice is at Rocky Ford, Colo., and Martha is in Wabaunsee county. His son, Isaac, died quite suddenly in 1876.

James Armstrong is now dead, but his widow is still living in Havensville. She is the only member of that colony, a head of a family, who is still living in the vicinity of her early Kansas home. The others all moved away or have passed to the great beyond. Her daughter, Martha, is Mrs. Abe McKee. Mary married John McComas, a brother of Dave, of Westmoreland, and is living in Pennsylvania. Her son, Harve, is still a resident of this locality. Mrs. Armstrong had three daughters born to her after she came to America City�Ellen, Olive, and Sarah. One of these married Frank Dean, now of Seattle, Wash., while the youngest, Sarah, married a Mr. Davis, and is now in Topeka.

Garrett Randall and his wife, Sarah, both died near America City. Of their sons, Robert is living on the old home place, while James is living in the vicinity of his father's farm. George Randall's wife died the same summer she moved here. Harve Randall and his wife are now living at Osage City, this state. His son, Kimball, is foreman of a bridge gang at Atchison. Harve Randall had a son, Henry, born in 1857, who is claimed to be the first male child born of white parents in the state. In connection with this statement we offer the following clipping, taken from the Topeka Mail and Breeze of June 22, 1901:

To harmonize the two claims, we wish to suggest that perhaps Mr. Randall's son was the first male white child born on Kansas soil after the state was organized as a territory in 1850.

Sanford Eddy, his wife and three children, moved from America City to Savannah in 1866, where he bought out John Wilson. His daughter, Eugenia, was married the same year he moved to Savannah to (sic) (sic) Harve Armstrong, and died in 1876. His son, Julius, died here in May, 1873, aged 18 or 19 years. Mr. Eddy died in Havensville, in 1897. His wife had preceded him, having died in 1879, His son, T. I. married Martha Jacoby, of America City, in the Spring of 1866, and located on his father's farm and lived a number of years in a log house, as did his parents. He built the stone house which stands on his farm in 1874. Some Swedes by the name of Tureen did the mason work. His father built a frame house in 1877. T. I. Eddy is the father of twelve children, all living. We make room to mention the six oldest, who are: Ira, Delia (Mrs. Mel J. Thompson), Ernest, Hattie, Josie (Mrs. Lem Talbott), Julius, and Dora (Mrs. Ad Harris).

For several years after the pioneers located at America City they had to go to Missouri for provisions, as they had not yet raised any, and they also got their hogs there, for there was no one here of whom they could get any. Commencing with 1861, T. I. Eddy and others did freighting for a living from Atchison to Salt Lake City, and to a place 150 miles this side of the city. The trail they followed went by Marysville, Fort Kearney, and along the Platte river, and was known as the Mormon or Fremont trail. Two trips would be made a year, and it took them three weeks to make the trip one way. Oxen were used to do the hauling. Indians were thick in the country traversed by the freighters, and reports of murders and massacres were frequent, but the train that Mr. Eddy was in seemed to be a lucky one, as they were never molested, though rumors of killings either ahead of them or after they had passed were plentiful. The graves of those dying along the way, or who were killed, were marked by pieces of board, and these had the same effect on our freighters that the barrel of a revolver or a gun has on those into whose face it is thrust, when they seem to look as large as a stovepipe, for they appeared to be as numerous as the palings in a fence. On their first trip there would be stretches of country along the road traveled of 200 miles where not a house or ranch was seen. The boys, while freighting, made two trips to Denver. In 1866, in which year Mr. Eddy says we had the first grasshoppers, he made a trip in company with Harve Armstrong, William McKee (a brother of Eph), Pat Riley, and two others, one by the name of Cheatham and the other Runyan. In May, 1868, Mr. Eddy was out plowing when he saw the woman folks coming out of the house, which they stood and looked up at. He wondered what fancy they could have taken, and on making inquiries he was informed that the house had been shaking, which was so, as there had been a slight shock of earthquake, which made the dishes rattle and things generally move around. As Mr. Eddy was walking in loose dirt, he did not notice it as did those who stood on solid ground.

Charles Knox and wife, Jane, and children, John (who died soon after coming here), Robert, Matt S., and Margaret (who died in 1865), came from New York in 1856 and settled on the farm occupied by M. S. Knox. He died in 1866. Matt married Lovina Davis, in 1872. Robert married Charity Norris, in 1876. He died last year, in Nebraska. Charles Knox jr., was born here after his parents, Charles sr., and Jane, made Kansas their home.

Aaron McKee, who was a native of Virginia, came here from Indiana in 1857. His wife, Elizabeth, was a native of Ohio. He brought with him the following children: Nancy, who married Thomas Mercer about 1859 and died in 1862; Sarah Elizabeth, Mrs. Ben White; Massy, who married William White in 1866, and is living on Cedar creek, in the west part of the county; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Bart. He pre-empted the farm now owned by his son, Isaac. Abe married Miss Martha Armstrong, in 1863. His children are: Nancy, Della, Henry (who died in infancy< in 1867 or 1868), and Ada. He lived north of America City until after Havensville was built, when he moved to that town. Mr. McKee's daughter, Nancy, married John Dennis. Della became Mrs. Mack Tucker, now of Clifton, Kan. Ada is Mrs. Marion Parsons. Isaac married Olive Howe, in 1865. His children are: Charles; Elizabeth, who died at the age of 3 months, in 1867; Romine; Nellie, Mrs. Orin Martin, of Olsburg; and William Henry, who lives on the old place (his grandfather's). Isaac went to Washington county in 1866, where all of his children were born. He returned to this locality in 1878. Jacob married Eliza Russell, in 1866. He went to Washington county, where he settled, returning here in 1870 and buying the place he is now living on. His children, born in Washington county, are: Carrie, Mrs. Lee Dennis; Nettie, Mrs. William Rinebarger, of Marion county, this state; Mary, Mrs. Harry McDowell; and Willard. Charles was born after he returned. Bart was ,married to Matilda Dost, in 1872. He made his home for a year after he was married on the Andrew Tureen place, then bought 80 acres of his father�s farm, on which he has since lived. His children are: Perry; Ada, Mrs. William Massey; and Maggie, Mrs. Jesse Jones, who lives north of America City. Grandpa Aaron McKee built a frame house in 1864.

One afternoon, in the fall of 1876, Bart McKee was outdoors, cutting corn from the cob with which was outdoors, cutting corn from the cob with which to feed ducks. The house and outbuildings are near a ford in the Vermillion, known as the McKee crossing. It happened that the stream was running high from a heavy rain. Bart heard an outcry towards the ford. He quickly ran to see what was the matter, when he met a boy running along the road towards him, who said, "The horses are drowning." Mr. McKee hurried to the ford, while the boy, whose name was Flood, continued running up the road. Arriving at the ford, he saw a team and buggy in the water, and also a woman floundering about in the current. He at once jumped in, as he is a good swimmer, and made for the drowning person. When he reached her a sunbonnet was floating on the water, held to the person by the strings. The first grab he made was for the sunbonnet, but the strings broke, so he had to make another grab, and this time got his hand in her dress collar at the back of the neck. As he was rescuing this woman, who proved to be Mrs. Tom O'Meara, he saw further down the stream, what looked to him like a person's hair floating in the water. When he got Mrs. O'Meara to the bank he asked her if she could hold to some bushes that were at the water's edge, as he said he thought he saw another person in the water. Mrs. O'Meara said: "Yes; Mrs. Swift (Mrs. William Swift) is in the water, too." As Mrs. O'Meara seemed to be safe, Mr. McKee started to swim down the stream after Mrs. Swift, but soon saw he would have trouble to catch up with her that way, so he made for the bank and ran down until he had passed her, when, on looking for her, he saw her among a pile of drift which was coming towards him. He waited until it got near, when he jumped into the water again and made for the pile of drift. When he reached the drift she had sunk out of sight, so he made a number of grabs among the debris in an effort to get hold of her. At last his fingers caught in her dress, but at the same time she got hold of his left arm above the elbow, which she held in a vise-like grip, while with her person she interfered with him using one of his legs, so that he could use but one arm and one leg to swim out again. He saw he would have a desperate struggle to make his way out again, especially as the creek was going down and drawing everything towards the middle of the stream. All this time they were floating down the stream, and as Mr. McKee was about played out, he looked for some way to save himself as well as Mrs. Swift. They were approaching an overhanging willow tree, whose limbs nearly touched the water. He made for the tree, and in passing succeeded in getting hold of a small limb, to which he held while he was catching his breath. He saw while holding on that he could not do so very long, especially as Mrs. Swift was weighing him down, so he looked again to see if he could make his escape. He saw to one side a place the water made an eddy, as it was not in full current, and by a desperate effort he succeeded in getting there, where by letting down he barely touched bottom. But the water was continually ebbing and flowing, and would throw him rather towards the middle than towards the bank, so he had all he could do to hold his footing. As his strength returned, he made a number of lunges towards the bank, each lunge bringing him into a little more shallow water, where his footing became more and more secure, until he got into water that came about to his knees. Here he stopped, and, putting his lose hand under Mrs. Swift's back, raised up her head. He thought she was dead, and to all appearances she was; great quantities of water ran out of her mouth and nose, a quantity so great that Mr. McKee thought it was impossible for a human being to hold. After a while she gave sort of a shudder and a weak, little-gasp. This was repeated after an interval, and in a short time the gasps became more frequent. In due time she regained consciousness, when she relaxed her grip on his leg and arm, and opened her eyes. Such a look she gave!�a wild, frightened, desperate looking glare, which, even at this late day, overcome Mr. McKee with emotion as he was recounting the affair. But she recognized her rescuer at once, and said: "Is that you, Bart?" When both recovered sufficiently to get out of the water, he helped her to dry land. He was now wondering what had become of Mrs. O'Meara, and if she were still in the water. He left Mrs. Swift to follow leisurely, while he hurried to find Mrs. O'Meara. Arriving where he had left her, he found her being taken care of by his mother, who, also, had heard the cry at the commencement of this affair, and had come down to see what was the matter. Seeing that Mrs. O'Meara was safe, he next turned his attention to the horses, which were swimming or floating in a circle, one of them apparently dead, while the other was valiantly battling with the water. He jumped into the water a third time, and easily got the team to shallow water. They were no harder to manage, in spite of their size, than if they had been human beings, so he said. He cut them apart and soon had them safe. The one that seemed dead, when brought to where his head could be lifted out of the water, very soon came to himself. While the horses were being rescued, and everyone was looking on rather excited, Mrs. O'Meara disappeared. Then a hurried hunt for her was instituted, but she was nowhere to be seen. Mr. McKee had a hound, which he called to his aid, and the dog started up the road, followed by his master. Upon arriving at the open, and after leaving the creek for some distance, Mrs. O'Meara was seen about a mile distant. She had started to go home, but had got disoriented and was going in the opposite direction. When she got on top of a hill that the road she was following led over, she discovered her mistake, and, facing about, she started in the other direction, but took across the prairie to save distance. Mr. McKee also turned about and tried to head her off, but she was going so fast that he could not overtake her. Mr. McKee has the lasting gratitude of these two woman, as it was a very narrow escape from what would have been certain death should Mr. McKee have been indoors, where he would not have heard the cry for help. Thomas Giles came to Grant township from the state of Indiana, with his wife, Mary, and son, Frank, in 1856 or 1857. His daughter, Elizabeth, was born here. He settled on a farm just east of where John Davis lives. He and his family are now in California.

Alexander Davis, with his wife, Melinda, and children, Sarah Lovina (Mrs. Mat Knox, Julia (Mrs. Oscar Coledren), John, Ellen (Mrs. O. W. Grover), Dora (Mrs. John Pogue), and James, came from Black Hawk county, Iowa, in 1857, and settled on the farm now occupied by his son, John. During the hard-times year of 1860 he drove back to Indiana with his family, where he had lived before he went to Iowa. He stayed there two years, when he returned to his Kansas home. Mr. Davis died about 1866. His widow went to Oregon with her son, James, several years ago, where she died. She was Mrs. Vance when she left here. Mrs. Jane White, an aunt of Ben and John White, came to America City, from Iowa, with her children, William, James, Andrew, and George, in 1858. She settled on a farm north of America City. Elizabeth (Mrs. Eph McKee), another daughter, joined her mother, brothers and sisters, from Iowa, in the spring of 1860. That fall Mrs. White, with her family, went back to Iowa to spend the winter. The next spring James enlisted in the army, and the rest of the family came back to Kansas. After they returned, William and John (another son) enlisted here, in 1862. After the war, James returned to Iowa, where he married Catherine Kepler, coming back to Kansas about 1866. He is now in Iowa. John was married when he first came to Kansas. William married Massey, a daughter of Aaron McKee, about 1868. He is now living near Manhattan. Andrew married a Miss Bogle, and lived near Laclede, where he died about 1874. George was married to a Miss Vance, of Myers Valley, this county. He is now in Oklahoma. Eliza was married to Ed Whistler, of Wetmore. She is now Mrs. James Logan, of Manhattan. About 1867, Mrs. White sold her farm near America City and bought one on Rock creek, near Myers Valley. She died there in 1891.

Thomas Cross and his wife, Rebecca J. , who was a daughter of Mrs. Jane White. came to America City, from Iowa, in the fall of 1858. He pre-empted a farm cornering on the northeast corner of town site. About 1867 he traded for some property in that city. That year he again traded his property, consisting of his farm and city possessions, for the present Cross farm, on French creek (Pleasant Valley). About this time he became interested in a sawmill, which he and Eph McKee leased of John Wilson, and which he run for a while at Savannah.

Then he moved, with his family and mill, to St. Marys, then to Laclede. Mr. Cross had two children when he came to Iowa, Helen and Henry. Helen is Mrs. William Franklin, of St. Clere, while Henry is in Idaho. While living near America City two daughters were born to him�Alta J. (Mrs. Sam Jones, of Topeka), and Belle (Mrs. Zehner, of Onaga). Hattie (Mrs. Sage, of Topeka,) was born while he was living at Laclede. Mr. Cross died in Oklahoma, Sept. 2, 1884.

Ephraim McKee came to America City, from Iowa, in 1858, with his two brothers, William and Thomas. Thomas died at that place the next year. Eph had brought a large sawmill with him to Atchison, which he next moved to America City. He sold his mill to T. J. Roosa, in 1865. The mill had a burr attachment, with which cornmeal was ground. This was undoubtedly the first grist and sawmill brought to this neighborhood. Mr. Roosa sold the mill afterwards to �� Jackson, who run a grist mill at Cedar Bluffs, near W. D. Robbins� place. Eph married Elizabeth White, in 1862. His children are Rosa (Mrs. Ralph Colwell) and Thomas. Mr. McKee bought his farm of Daniel Benthusen. William McKee pre-empted a quarter section of land, which is now owned by Harry Whistler. He went back to Stark county, Ohio, in 1866.

George Grover and his wife, Martha, who were natives of New York, came here from Michigan, in June, 1859. He was accompanied by several married children and their families, who will be mentioned in their proper places, and two unmarried daughters, Amanda (who married Charles Pearson) and Hattie (Mrs. Steele, of Waterville, Kan.) He settled on the farm on Coal creek now owned by his son, Charles. He sent to St. Louis in 1862 or 1863 for a two-seated carriage, which was the first one brought to this locality. When he received it he was rather disappointed in his purchase, as he had been sent a wide-track vehicle instead of a narrow one. Mr. Grover died in 1877, and was buried in Regar cemetery. His remains have since been removed to the Onaga cemetery. His widow died a few years ago, and his daughter, Mrs. Pearson, is also dead.

CORRIGENDA Page 44�Charles Grover came here a widower and married Maria Organ in October, 1876.

Mrs. Marium Gillette , a daughter of George Grover, came with her husband and four sons, George, Albert, Eugene, and Charles, from Michigan, in October, 1859, and settled east of the Charles Grover farm, where they lived a while, then moved to Irving, in 1861 or 1862, and from there came and bought the Freeman farm, near Onaga, about 1870. Mrs. Gillette died in Onaga a couple of years ago. Her son, Ed, married Mary Cockerel about 1872 or 1873. George married Corinne Perrive, of Waterville, about the same time. Eugene married Gaurilla DeGraw about 1875. George is in Boise City, Idaho. Charles is in Lincoln county, Oregon. Eugene is in Jewell county this state.

Joseph Colwell and his wife, Merelda, who is another daughter of George Grover, came to Kansas in October, 1859, from Indiana, bringing his oldest son, William, now of Marshall county, with him. He settled on the Parallel, east of Charles Grover's place, and stayed there some time. He was a blacksmith by trade, and brought a forge and tools with him. One of the duties of his profession was to shoe oxen used in freighting across the plains. The animals were thrown on their backs, and the shoes were applied to them a half shoe for each toe. He afterwards bought the James Points place (the McBride farm), to which he moved and where he carried on his trade. Here he died in 1880. His other children, born here, are: Frank, of California; Ralph, of Havensville; Florence (Mrs. Johnston), of Soldier, Kan. Charles Grover, son of George, his wife, Mary, and son, C. M., came with his father, in June, 1859, and made his home with his parents. John and William Sands, two bachelor brothers, came here from Maryland, in 1859 or 1860, and settled just north of the Stockwell farm. They went to Washington state in 1870.

CORRIGENDA Page 45�William Colwell, Joe�s son, was born while the latter was living on what is now the Garner place. Joseph Colwell did not shoe oxen, as we have it.

John Shawver, a German, came here with his wife and four sons about 1860, and located the Charles Allen place. He was a blacksmith and set up a shop, where he worked at his trade all the time he lived here. When Savannah was a village he moved his shop there, where he kept it two years, moving back to his farm when the town died. He finally went to Montana, where he may still be living. One day Mr. Shawver had the occasion to do something about a reaper�a dropper�and in some manner the sickle bar fell, catching his hand and holding him fast. Charles Pitcher was working for him at the time, and happened to be not far off. Mr. Shawver cried at the top of his voice for Charlie to hurry and come and help him, and he was soon released. But for Charlie's timely help he would have been badly hurt.

John Wilson came to Savannah, from Indiana, in 1861 or 1862, and settled on what is now the T. I. Eddy farm. The house where he lived stood west of the present Eddy house, near the creek. He was accompanied by his wife and several children, two of whom were boys (Marion, who is now dead, and Lafayette, at present living in Soldier). He also had a daughter, Savannah, after whom the postoffice (sic) at that place was named, and two other children, who died while he was living here and who were buried where Mr. Eddy's garden now is. A Peter Prow brought a sawmill to that place, and had Mr. Eddy secure a payment on it. The mill eventually became Mr. Wilson's property, and he leased it one year to Eph McKee and Thomas Cross. He afterwards sold the mill to Heath & McComas, who moved it to Missouri. Mr. Wilson went from here to Circleville, Jackson County, in 1866, where he died.

Henry Pitcher, who was from Saxe Weimar, and his wife, Louisa, from Hesse Darnestadt, Germany, came to the United States in 1843, and settled in New York. They came to Kansas in 1865, with four sons. Charles, Adam, John, and William. Mr. Pitcher came on the cars as far as Atchison, driving through from there in a wagon. He bought the farm on which he lived of William Sillix. His other children, born here, are: Fred, Carrie (Mrs. Frank E, Heath), Matilda (Mrs. B. F. Thompson), Rosetta (Mrs. C. R. Patch), and Henry, jr. Mr. Pitcher died on his farm, in 1888.

Henry Regar, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and his wife, Isilla, who was born in New Jersey, came to Kansas, from Indiana, in the spring of 1865. He bought out James Points and lived about a year in the old Points house, near where the Savannah school house stands. His wife died while living there, when he built another house on the site of the house where Mrs. S. A. Regar is living, and moved to it with his children, Carrie (Mrs. John Nelson), Henry, jr. Amos, George, and Henrietta (Mrs. D. F. Ingalsbe). Henry, jr., and Carrie were the children of Mr. Regar's first wife, who died in Indiana, while the others are children of the Mrs. Regar who came here with him from Indiana. Henry, jr. had been in the service, and came here with his father when the war was over. He went away about 1871, and has never been heard of since. It is supposed he met with foul play. Carrie was married to Mr. Nelson in 1871. Her oldest child is Hattie (Mrs. C. B. Ingalsbe). Amos married Mary Ellen Sutherland in 1876, and died a year ago. After Mr. Regar moved from the Points house to his new home, the grasshoppers arrived and devoured nearly everything. It was not long after when the earthquake occurred which was mentioned in connection with the sketch about Mr. Eddy. Carrie was setting on the doorstep, when she heard the dishes in the house rattle, and jumped to her feet to see what was the matter, when she felt the earth under her move. Her first thought was that the ground would open up and swallow her; as it did not, her next thought what had become of Amos and Henrietta, who were playing near the hen house, and running to see, she felt quite relieved to find that they were uninjured. Mr. Regar passed away a number of years ago.

Samuel Stockwell came to Grant township, from Indiana, in 1865, with his sons, Alva, Allen, and Samuel H., and daughter, Lucinda E. He drove through with a team of horses. He settled on the farm now occupied by his son, Samuel H., on which he built a frame house of native lumber. Lucinda returned to Indiana the next year after coming here, where she got married and died the same year. Alva is now in Kansas City, while Allen is in Valley Falls.

Mrs. Elizabeth Proctor, who was a native of Kentucky, came to this locality, from Indiana, in 1868. She settled on the farm now owned by her son, Milton, buying the land of Nels Spears. Her children, who came with her and lived with her a while, are: John H., of Fort Scott; Howard O., of St. Clere; W. Milton. Howard married Miss Lida Farley, in 1877. Mrs. Proctor died at the home of one of her daughters, Mrs. Sarah Farley, in Jackson county, in 1898.

Amos Vance, a widower, came here, from Iowa, in 1870, with Martha (Mrs. John Hamar, of Oregon), Belle (Mrs. Lafayette, of Nebraska). Will (of Washington), George, and Rhoda ( Mrs. Jesse Shove). Mr. Vance married Mrs. A. Davis, in 1871, and made his home on the Davis farm. He is now living in Oregon.

Richard Bateman was a native of Ireland. When he came to America he settled in Canada. He was married to Maria Morehead, and was the owner of a fine farm there, which he traded sight-unseen for an Iowa farm; but he did not move to his farm, as his wife stood in dread of Indians, who lived not far from his new possessions. The farm he had traded for had been sold for taxes, but of this he was not informed by the party of whom he got it. He had moved to though, and in 1862 moved back to Canada. He stayed there but a short while, when he returned to Iowa, and from there moved with horse teams to near Centralia, in Nemaha county, in 1866. Soon after he moved to Grant township, where he located some school land, now occupied his son, Charles. About 1868 he homesteaded the farm now owned by Ben White, but as he failed to fulfill the requirements of the law he lost it. About this time he located three eighties on the Blue river, near Marysville, and lost those, also. Because of fear of Indians, he did not live on the land as the law requires. About 1872 he built another log house on his farm, which was a better one than he first put up. Of his children, Thomas, Robert, Rachel (Mrs. Walace Groves, who died in Denver, Colo., in 1880), William, Richard, and John were born in Canada. Charles was born in Iowa. Wesley was born near Centralia, on the Doc Ewing farm. Bessie was born in Grant township, and died there in 1873, at the age of 2 years. Letitia, who died in 1898, was also born in Grant township. Mr. Bateman died on his farm, in 1874. His son, Thomas, died at the home place, in January, 1897. Robert died in Denver, Sept. 18,1884. William, also, died in Denver, in February, 1881. Richard died at Fairplay, Colo., the winter of 1879. Rachel was married to Mr. Groves in 1877.

Thomas O'Meara came to southern Kansas, from Minnesota, in November, 1858. He was simply looking around at the country at that time, but was favorably impressed with the looks of the new territory. He returned to Indiana, in which state he was raised, where he married in 1863, but could not succeed in inducing his wife to come to Kansas until 1866, when he came to Atchison. He went into the mercantile business at that place, and in 1868 moved to Effingham, where he carried on a mercantile business with his brother, P. J. O'Meara, who was the first business house opened at that place. In 1870 he came with his wife, E. S. O'Meara, who was a native of New York, and children, Carrie (Mrs. Frank Walker, of Moline, Ill.), and Charles A., to America City, where he settled on the Henderson farm a mile west of that place. He farmed a couple of years, when he moved to America City, where he went into the mercantile business again in 1872, having bought out George Gillett, and continued in business at that place until Onaga was started, when he moved to the latter town, where he put up the second building erected in the town, J. B. Hubbell having put up the first one. His daughter, Nellie (Mrs. Lynd), was born on the farm near America City, while Leon was born after they moved into that town. Mrs. O'Meara died in Onaga, in 1894. When he was living on the farm near America City he had a hired hand, who lived near Netawaka. He was to do some plowing for his hand, as the hand had no team; so one morning, early, they loaded the plow in the wagon and started for Netawaka. It happened Mr. O'Meara was not ready to start quite so soon as his hand, so it was agreed the man was to go ahead afoot, and Mr. O'Meara should catch up with him. After Mr. O'Meara had started and traveled quite a distance, he met a man on horseback, who from description he recognized as Harve Randall. He asked Mr. Randall if he had met anyone afoot. Thinking to have a little fun, he said the man was about his (Mr. O'Meara's) height, and, if possible, a meaner looking man than himself. Mr. Randall, seeing the point (which was hinting at his own looks), looked at Mr. O'Meara a while, and finally answered: No, and I hope to God I never shall."

Michael Gordon, who is a German by birth, came to the United States in 1852. He came to Leavenworth, where he engaged in Government service. His wife, Kate, is a native of Ireland, and came to this country in 1864, with her son, Thomas Roberts, whose father was a Welshman, born in England. Mr. Gordon met her at Leavenworth, where he married, and they came to Coal creek in 1870, where Mr. Gordon homesteaded his present home.

Thomas Roberts recounts an affair which it would be difficult to duplicate at the present time. When he was still a boy (in the early 70's), he, in company with a young friend by the name of Flood, had made a sort of seine of old gunny sacks, and as the creek was low at the time, in August, it was an easy matter to catch all the fish they wanted. When they had enough to make a good meal they repaired to a nearby corn field, got some roasting ears, and, setting fire to a pile of brush, they soon had their corn and fish cooking to a finish. The ears of corn were thrown on the hot coals with their husks on and they cooked with all their juices and flavor retained. Such a dinner, he says, he has not eaten since, and many nimrods doubtless will envy our boys their repast when they read these lines.

Ellison Fields and his wife, Mary Ann, came to Kansas, from Wisconsin, in the fall of the year, driving through, and stopped at Holton for a while. He then went to Topeka, where he stayed about a year. He then moved to his homestead, in Grant township, lately occupied by Louis Jontra, about 1872. Mr. Fields was a native of Tennessee, and his wife is from Ohio. His children, who came here with him, were: Charles, who preceded the family by a couple of years and wrote for the rest to come; Eli, Ephraim, Hiram, John, Elizabeth, who married Archie Adams and moved to near Rossville, where she died; Leander (Lank), and Harriet, who married Taylor Bassinger and lived in the neighborhood for ten or twelve years, when she moved to Osage City, where she died. Lewis, another son, was married when he came, which was in 1872. He hailed from Indiana, with his wife, Martha Jane, and children, Frank, George (of Blaine), and Lizzie, who died when 13 years old. Erman and Charles were born here. After he came here he lived a year with his parents, then moved to the east end of the homestead, where he lived in a house built by Lewis Jontra, staying there a year. From there he moved to the Pecheur property, at Cedar Bluffs. Soon after the railroad and town were built he moved to the city. When he first came here he had an abscess on one of his legs, which came near killing him and which accounts for his living with his parents for a year, as he was unable to do anything. Mattie (Mrs. Charles Bateman) was born here. Charles married about 1870, at Blue Rapids, then came back and lived on the Henry Jontra place. He is now in Oklahoma, at Stillwater. He had several children born to him here�Walter, Fred, and Stella. Eli married May Weireck, near Topeka. He had two children�Eva and Anna�one of whom died in infancy. He is now in Texas. Ephraim married Rebecca Clark, and lived a while east of Havensville. He is now near Guthrie, Okla. Hiram married Sarah Furman, and has since lived where he now resides.

Lewis Jontra, whose name, a German one, was originally spelled Tschantra, but which through a process of evolution was Americanized to its present form, came here with Ellison Fields. His wife, Minerva, is a daughter of Mr. Fields. His children, who came with him, are: Mollie (Mrs. Tiff Wright), Rose (Mrs. Abe Godlove), Ellen (Mrs. Fred Stevens), Charles, and Henry. He homesteaded the place now owned by Fred Stevens.

Alonzo Waters moved to Coal Creek, from near America City, in 1871. His family consisted of his wife and the following children: Charles, Mary Jane (Mrs. Anderson Reed), Ida (Mrs. Harve Lackey), Lute (Mrs. Reuben Tolliver), Josie (Mrs. John Norris), Hud (Mrs. Thomas Frederick), and Winnie (Mrs. Elmer Strosnider). A son, John, was born near America City. Charles married a Miss Metcalf, and lived in 1876 on the Frank Dean farm (Wes Bateman�s place). Ida was married, in 1871, to John Parsons. Josie was married in 1875. Lute married in 1877. Mr. Waters moved to Oklahoma in the early 80�s, where his children are all living. He died there a year ago. His wife died the year before he died. His daughter, Hud, is also dead.

Alexander White, who was a native of Ohio, and his wife, Eliza A., who was from Michigan, came to Kansas from Linn county, Iowa, in 1857. He settled about eight miles east of America City, Elk Creek. His children, who came with him are: Lydia, who married George Randall, in 1858; William, who died in the civil war; Isabell, who married Henry Renbarger, about 1875, now of St. Marys; Leroy Carson, of near Westmoreland; Benjamin A.; Ellen (Mrs. Nyman, of Bancroft); and John. Mr. White died in 1860, and his Widow and unmarried children moved to the farm on Coal Creek, where John is now living, in 1874. Here Mrs. White died, in 1895. Ben A. married Mrs. Sarah Ellen McKee, in 1873, and late in that year moved to the Hall farm, on Mound creek, in Mill Creek township, where he lived over a year. His oldest daughter, Anna (Mrs. Ed Grindell, of north of Neuchatel), was born here. He moved to his present farm, on the Vermillion, in 1875, living for several years just over the hill east of where his home now is.

The Indians often camped on the high hill east of Ben�s house when they were going or returning from their visiting excursions to one or the other tribe. They had created a stone monument, or tower, on Mr. White�s farm, which was to guide them in finding their camping place. Each visit they made they would add a few rocks to the pile, making it a little higher. There is still such a tower, or monument, on a high hill southeast of Laclede, which it is supposed was built by Indians. Soon after Mr. White moved to his present farm it happened that a number of Indians came to his farm to camp while he happened to be gone, which gave his wife a severe scare.

Ben relates a joke on himself and a chum of his, George Curranby name, which illustrates a phase of the Indian character different from those already given in this paper. He and George were on their way to St. Marys from his home on Elk creek, when, as it was getting noon time, George suggested that they stop at an Indian�s for dinner, to which Ben objected that he didn�t think dinner could be got of them. George said he knew an old Indian, John Thomama, on Soldier creek, with whom he was on good terms, and where dinner could be procured without it costing them a cent. Ben thought, from what he knew of Indiana, that his friend must be mistaken, but as George insisted, he finally consented to try it. So they called at the house, but found the head of the house was gone. When they stated what they wanted to his squaw, she said, "All right," and got them some dinner. After dinner, as a matter of courtesy, George asked how much they owed for their dinner, to which she replied, "Two dollars." Ben thought she was just running a bluff on them, and he would meet her at her own game, so, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill, he presented it to her in payment. She took it, and, turning to a little boy of hers, she spoke a few words in Indian, when the lad, taking the bill, jumped on a horse and was soon gone. There was nothing to do but await developments. In a couple of hours the boy returned, having changed the bill, and handed the money to his mother, who counted out the change and handed Ben the $18. When they left the house Ben scolded his chum for making a fool of himself in trusting an Indian, but George said when he should see the old man he would get his money back. In St. Marys the boys each got a pint of whiskey, and in returning they met the old Indian, who had been to St. Marys, also, and who was somewhat the worse for the effect of firewater. So George, pulling out his bottle, says to the Indian: "John, will you take a drink?" To which the old Indian replied; "How, how; yes, of course." He tipped the bottle to his mouth and didn�t withdraw it until all its contents had gone down his throat. George, thinking he had propitiated him sufficiently, then proceeded to broach the subject of the dinner. "John," said he, "we stopped at your house and had dinner, and your wife charged us $2 for it." "How, how," said the Indian; "that�s all right; she should have charged you $4." That was all the satisfaction they could get out of him, and a pint of whisky was added to the loss of the $2.

E. D. Robinson came here, from Missouri, with his wife and children, Ella (Mrs. Sam House), Horace, Georgiana (Mrs. George Strange), William, Charles, Ralph, and Elmer, in 1872 or thereabouts. He homesteaded the Henry Krouse farm, and then returned to Missouri, alone, to work at his trade, that of shoemaker. He stayed there a couple of years, when he returned to his farm and family. His three when he returned to his farm and family. His three youngest children, Hart, Fee, and Ida, were born here. He died in Havensville a few years ago. His family are mostly in Nebraska. Mr. Robinson�s knee was so hardened from following his avocation that it was no trick for him to place a walnut upon it and crack it with his shoe hammer.

�Chambers, who was an old soldier, came to the Piper farm, about 1873, with his wife and children, Amanda, Wesley, John, and Thorton. He then moved to the Jacques place. He had three children born here�Jack, Bruce, and Josie. George and Susan Case came to Grant township, from JoDavis county, Illinois, in 1876. He settled on the farm opposite Hugh Rawlings, in March, 1877. where he lived a number of years. His children, who were brought here, are: Julia (Mrs. Carson White, of near Westmorland), and Nellie (Mrs. Charles Rollins). A little girl was born on the farm, who died in infancy. Mr. Case was a member of Company E, 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company E, 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

William Fitzpatrick and his wife, Mary, are natives of Ireland. They came to the United States about the year 1859, and stopped in Chicago until the spring of 1870, when they came to Kansas, bringing their three oldest children, Michael, Edward, and Mary Ann, with them. Mr. Fitzpatrick homesteaded his present home, and moved into a shanty which had been built by some predecessor. He went back to Chicago in the fall of 1874, to work, as drouth, grass-hoppers, and hard times struck him the same as the rest of the early settlers. He did not return to Kansas until the spring of 1876, when fire swept down from the north, said to have been started by Indians. The grass was very tall, a high wind was blowing, and it was next to impossible to save anything that stood in its path. When it reached Mr. Fitzpatrick it burned up a lot of hay and corn, a wagon, plow, and other implements, and some hogs and ducks. Even the dog did not escape, as he had his eyes burned so that he did not return to the house for a week or so afterward.

John McDevitt and his wife, Lucy, were natives of Ireland. They settled in New York after coming to o this country, and moved to Illinois in 1863. Mr. McDevitt was a sailor by profession. He and his wife and son, Thomas, and daughter, Lizzie (Mrs. Henry Eytchison, of Idaho), came to Kansas in the fall of 1871, and homesteaded the place now owned by his oldest son, James. He built a log house upon his farm. James came out with his parents, leaving his family in Illinois, and gave his father $100 to help him along, when he returned to Illinois to his family. Thomas was married in 1877 to Laura Hoover.

In 1865 the Coal creek school house was built, just across the creek west of Charles Grover�s farm. Charles Grover and Joseph Colwell did the carpenter work, as the building was a frame one. Mrs. Tillman Meyers, of America City, was the first teacher, so far as we could learn. Other teachers who taught in this school at an early day were: William Moulton, T. G. Bates, Mrs. Henry Smith, Nina Buckles, who taught several terms, and Ellen Davis.

The following, concerning Thomas R. Points, was overlooked where it should have appeared in this paper, so is now given here:

CORRIGENDA Page 54� John Points married Allie Stewart, of Manhattan.

He came from Indiana, in 1856, with his wife, Talitha, and children, John, Charles, Maggie, and Adeline. Caroline Josephine (Finie, who died about twelve years ago), May (who died about 1880), and Juliet (Etta, who is now Mrs. John Pohl, of near Netawaka), were born here. John married a lady from Manhattan, in 1876, and is now an attorney in Omaha, Neb. Charles, who served in the legislature some ten or twelve years ago, married Josie Solomon, of Omaha, in 1877. He is now manager of a railroad in Oklahoma. Maggie married John Matthews, in 1872 or 1873, and is living near Seneca. Caroline is Mrs. Robert Fulton, of near Havensville. Feb. 21, 1858, Mr. Points was appointed county commissioner of this county. From the Havensville Torchlight of June 21, 1900, we extract the following: "Mr. Points was an admirer of John Brown, who used to stop at his place for rest and recreation, his last visit being as he was passing through from the north on his memorable mission to Harper�s Ferry." Mr. Points� house was the first brick structure erected in the county. It is said that Poyntz avenue, in Manhattan, was named in honor of Mr. Points. He died , at Havensville, in 1896.

Jacob Sillix and his wife, Mary, came here from Iowa with their children, William and Ellen, about 1860, and settled on the Pitcher farm, near Havensville, where a daughter, Lucy, was born. In 1865, when he sold out to Mr. Pitcher, he moved to Atchison; then he came back and moved to the Moses Day farm, and occupied the old house that Mr. Day built when he first came here. Here he lived two years, when he moved to the Dick Guffy place. Another daughter, Emma, was born on the Day farm. In the early 70�s he moved to the Jennison farm. He had three boys born to him in this county, Robert, Edward, and Frank. Mr. Sillix is living in Topeka. He is a wagon maker by trade. His wife and daughter, Ellen, are living near Wichita, Emma lives near Topeka, while Lucy and Frank are in Topeka, and Robert in Kansas City.

In 1866 Savannah was enjoying quite a boom. There were two stores, then, at that place, one owned by George Kane and the other by George Freeman, the latter also having a photograph gallery. Nels McCoy kept one of these stores for a while. A blacksmith shop was run by John Shawver. The sawmill, run by Cross & McKee, was established here at the time. When this was removed custom was drawn to other places, and as the stores couldn�t continue in business without patronage, they were gradually closed out and removed. The blacksmith shop was continued a year or two longer. Savannah finally became a memory to those who knew it during its flush times.

Newcomb Ireland and Samuel Dickson laid out the site of America City early in 1856, and falling in with the eight families who later located there, who were coming into the state with rather indefinite ideas of where they would settle, they induced them to come to their new townsite, as an inducement they gave the timber to Ephraim McKee to get him to bring the sawmill there, so as to develop the natural advantages of the place. George Randall, one of the first comers there, opened a store the same year the colony came, in which he kept a line of general merchandise. Dave Dickson, a brother of Samuel, put in a stock of goods in the fall of 1858. That year Ireland and Dickson secured the establishment of a postoffice, which was held by George Randall. Silas Vail carried the mail, his route reaching from Atchison to Irving.

About 1857 a log schoolhouse was built. In 1864 or 1865 bonds were voted to the amount of $1,100 for building a new school building. Eph McKee took the contract for putting it up, but Charles Grover and Orrin Foote did the work. It was built of native lumber, except the doors and windows, which were procured in Leavenworth. The siding was made of walnut. The bonds, which were turned over to Mr. McKee, were sold by him to John ?ilson

The first religious services were held at this place in the school house, in 1858 or 1859, by members of the United Brethren church. About 1860 a Presbyterian minister, Parker by name, agreed to furnish the funds for the erection of a church building if the people of the community would donate the work required. Rock was hauled and the foundation started, but as Rev. Parker did not fulfill his share of the agreement, the edifice never was put up. Rev. Parker left here in the late 60�s.

The first physician to locate at this place was Dr. Purcell, who is supposed to have come from Iowa, in 1858. As he was a poor man and drugs were high (especially quinine, which sold for seven or eight dollars an ounce), he was unable to do much towards alleviating sickness among the pioneers. This is why Tom McKee, who had an attack of ague, died of the disease for the very lack of medicine.

Dr. McKay came from New York, in 1859, to the co-operative colony that settled south of Centralia in that year. As the plans of the colonists failed, he moved to America City the next year. He came there with his wife and children�Chippy (a daughter, who died in 1866 or 1867), May (Mrs. Ed Keppler), Frank and Carley (who are now living in Phillipsburg, this state, where the doctor also removed and is now running a newspaper). Mrs. McKay died at America City three years ago.

The following, concerning the Points school, was partly collected by the writer and partly taken from the Havensville Torchlight of June 21, 1900: The district was organized as No. 2, in 1861, with David Donahue as chairman, John Shawver as treasurer, and Thomas R. Points as clerk. The first school was held in the district in 1863, and the teacher received $13 per month. A frame building was put up this year, made of native lumber, Henry Shove securing the contract for erecting it. It was located on the northwest corner of the John Shawver farm, and when it was discarded, in the early 80�s, to make place for the new school house it was purchased by Charles Allen, the present owner of the farm on which it stood, and he built it in with the rest of his house, where it is used as a dining room. The first teachers who taught in the district were: Mr. Roidion, Henry Regar, jr., Minnie Lyons, Sarah Kimble, John Points, William Coldren, Mr. Worley, Addie Points, Maggie Huffman, John Toler, Dr. Telfer, Mrs. Henry Smith, and Ellen Davis.

Mr. Freeman went to Butler county about 1867, while John Shawver is now in Boise, Idaho. In 1867 S. H. Eddy had a postoffice established at that place, which was continued, with Mr. Eddy as postmaster, for ten years. As has already been stated, it was named after a daughter of John Wilson, Savannah. In 1877 Lorenzo Beach opened up a store there, and became postmaster, which office he held until the railroad went through, when the postoffice was discontinued. Mr. Beach is now at Hennessy, Ok., keeping store. In 1868 P. Zimmerman moved his sawmill to near Savannah, to the Points place. Robert Wooley ran a sawmill to near at this place for several years. Harve Lines, of Louisville, also helped to run a sawmill here.

Fred Bonjour

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