185 10 1892 http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/d5f455e6f0d0a9b7cdfe1cacab1bd8d6.jpeg 3d19224b46bbcf221aa3c71eabea62fe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rossville Transportation and Accidents History Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Death Ends It, Honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith Is Over, Rossville, Kansas Description An account of the resource DEATH ENDS IT Honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith is Over. He With Two Others Killed at Crossing. STOPS A MARRIAGE. Other Two Victims to Have Been United Sunday. Maggie Marney and Edward Smith Find Union in Death. ONLY ONE IS ALIVE. Mrs. Fred Smith Tells How Accident Happened. Young People Returning From Dance at St. Marys. Three persons were instantly killed and another perhaps fatally injured shortly after 1 o’clock this morning at bond’s crossing, about two miles west of Rossville, by the Union Pacific passenger train No. 3, west-bound. The killed are: FRED SMITH, EDWARD D. SMITH AND MISS MAGGIE MARNEY. Mrs. Fred Smith may recover, although at noon today she was still unconscious and was in a delirious condition. Mrs. Smith was a bride of less than a week, having been married on Sunday, and Miss Maggie Marney was to have been married next Sunday to Edward Smith, one of the unfortunate men. Edward and Fred Smith were brothers, both prosperous young farmers who parents also live near Rossville. They had been to St. Marys to attend a Woodman dance and were returning home when the accident occurred. They were driving a team of horses attached to a double-seated carriage, when they crossed the Union Pacific at Bond’s crossing, and the engine of the Union Pacific passenger train crashed into them. The bodies of the killed were terribly mangled, and Miss Marney’s head was completely severed from her body. Both the horses were instantly killed, and the carriage was smashed. The engineer did not see the carriage until after the engine had struck it. He immediately brought his train to a standstill and the bodies of the dead and Mrs. Smith, who was unconscious, were taken on board and were carried to St. Marys. They were taken to Rossville early this morning, accompanied by Dr. Miller and a Catholic priest, Father DeSmedt, and an inquest was held at 9 o’clock. Mrs. Fred Smith is receiving the best of medical care and attention. She talks in a rambling manner and knows nothing of what has occurred. She is aware that her husband was killed. She suffered a severe shock and one arm and an ankle were broken. The doctors hold out hopes of her ultimate recovery. Miss Maggie Marney was the daughter of William Marney, a well known farmer of that vicinity. She was to have been married to Edward Smith next Sunday. Mrs. Fred Smith, the bride of two days, whose husband met a horrible death at the Bond crossing, gave the first coherent account of the accident to a State Journal reporter this afternoon. “We were married in Topeka at the home of my sister, Mrs. H.E. VanVleck, at 220 East Fifth street,” said she. “We went down to Topeka on Saturday and were married Saturday evening. We were at the home of my sister until Monday afternoon when we went to Rossville. Ed met us at the train. He asked his father for a team and got a double seated carriage in Rossville and we went to the Mulvane ranch where we got Maggie Marney and we then went to the dance at St. Marys. “When we were coming home Fred and I were on the front seat and Fred was driving. We had the side curtains on. We got on the wrong road and we had to turn north and were compelled to cross the tracks again. We had already crossed them once. As we drove onto the tracks the train hit us and I don’t remember anything more. The engineer did not whistle.” Mrs. Smith was Miss Vina Vieu. She is a young woman of prepossessing appearance. She appears to scarcely realize the terrible fate of her husband, brother-in-law and friend. It was at first thought that her ankle had been broken but it now appears that this is a mistake. She is not seriously injured and will be able to be out in a few days. Engineer Emmett Lewis of the Union Pacific train that caused the death of the three young people was prostrated. He went with the train as far as Junction City where he turned the engine over to a substitute, being unable to go farther. The conductor of the train was F.S. Fields and both the engineer and conductor are attending the inquest this afternoon. The parents of Fred and Ed Smith, the two young men who were killed, live two miles from Rossville. They were worried over the non-appearance of their sons but did not know of the accident until this forenoon when Floyd McPherson drove out and informed them. Mrs. Smith fainted and was in a serious condition but is better this afternoon. Neither the father nor mother knew that the young people had been married. The bodies of the dead were all frightfully crushed. Fred Smith’s legs and one arm were broken, his neck was also broken and one side was crushed. Ed Smith’s side was crushed and his legs were broken. The car wheels had passed directly over Maggie Marney’s head and face and the top of her skull was found lying beside the track. Claim Agent Peterson, of the Union Pacific is on the ground and with him is Photographer John Strickrott who took photographs of the scene of the accident to be used in the event of a suit for damages. Coroner Hogeboom went to Rossville on an early morning train and is holding an inquest this afternoon. The people of Rossville are greatly excited over the frightful accident. (published, April 1, 1902 ?) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Probably in the Rossville newspaper Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 1902 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource newspaper clipping Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0400 http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/a3a3f382c56f6b4aa44a4791919cbae9.jpg 9d16965f3283f73b4ba20fb1771906be Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Profiles of Local Persons, Rossville, Kansas Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lola Marie Boyles, Rossville, Kansas Description An account of the resource Miss Lola Marie Boyles is eight months old in this portrait. She was born March 7, 1908. It is from the collection of Mabel Boyles, who was from Rossville, Kansas. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1908 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource original photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0001 Kansas Memory Project http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/53956197bd2eb953944e252b2c3eaf04.jpg 6eb73648e16c8c9622f7eb2f8b4bf0cf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Profiles of Local Persons, Rossville, Kansas Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Laverne and Velma Zlatnik, Kansas Day Celebration, Delia, Kansas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Laverne Zlatnik Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2001 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This work is copyrighted; the copyright holder has granted permission for this item to be used by the Rossville Community Library. This permission does not extend to third parties. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0367 Description An account of the resource <p>This photo of J. Laverne Zlatnik and his wife, Velma F. Zlatnik, was taken at the Kansas Day Celebration at the Delia Grade School in 2001.</p> http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/a5a9e181ee00cb3932937ba0f49ebd99.jpeg be0c07480a7f7f2773391394cb3905f3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Profiles of Local Persons, Rossville, Kansas Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Howerton, Rossville, Kansas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource reprint of photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0280 Description An account of the resource John Howerton was elected as a Republican to represent the 37th district in the State Legislature in 1905. He served one term. Mr. Howerton was born in Morgan County, Kentucky in 1838 and was reared on a Kentucky farm. He had a powerful physical physique which he retained throughout his life. During the Civil War he was a Northern sympathizer. At the opening of the war he was appointed U.S. Marshall and while leading a posse against a band of organized guerillas and bushwhackers in Elliott County, was ambushed and during the fighting that ensued, he and two of his men were shot. Mr. Howerton received a severe saber wound in his left cheek, which left a scar that remained throughout his life. In 1858, he married Mary Watson, a daughter of a prominent Kentucky farmer. John Howerton was the first person from the West Liberty, Kentucky area to migrate to Rossville, followed by many others whose descendants still reside here. He first settled in Tecumseh in 1868 and later moved to Rossville where he purchased a farm north of town. For years he was a successfully farmer and stock raiser. Of the five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Howerton, four grew to maturity, and three survived their mother, who passed away in June of 1910. The children were: William and Charles, who lived in Rossville, a daughter, Etta, who married Dr. J.M. Amis, and a son, James, who died a young man. Mr. Howerton always contributed his share toward the growth and development of Shawnee County and up to his death took a keen interest in civic and national affairs. He was associated with the Rossville State Bank, Silver Lake State Bank and the Delia State Bank. He remarried in 1914 to Elizabeth Van Anken. He passed away on January 9, 1925, at his home. http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/88fa691b4d0300aa0f316292e6d9a1ea.jpeg 07b2e3c8edabd0b121df2c5bb57f5dc0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Profiles of Local Persons, Rossville, Kansas Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Millington Howard, Rossville, Kansas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1890-1913 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource reprint of photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0279 Description An account of the resource David Millington Howard was elected to the State Legislature as Representative of the 37th District in 1890 and served two additional terms. He was a member of the Progressive Democrat Party. Mr. Howard, a prominent citizen and successful farmer and stockraiser, was born on a farm, Oct. 15, 1841, in Shaftsbury, Vermont. He completed his education in Vermont and taught school for two years before beginning his farming career. He married Chettie Stanley, of Shaftsbury, Vermont, on Sept. 1, 1869. Three years later, in April of 1872, the Howards, accompanied by his parents and his wife's parents, came to Rossville, Kansas. They settled on a farm South of town, on a tract of 67 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Rogers presently reside on this original farm site. Until 1876, Mr. Howard engaged in general farming and then became interested in stock raising, adding large tracts of land and introducing a fine herd of shorthorn cattle. He was affiliated with a number of fraternal orders in Rossville, being a member of the Masonic Order, IOOF, AOUW, Grange and the Knights and Ladies of Security. He was one of the organizers of the Rossville State Bank and served as President. Mr. Howard had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. The 3 sisters and 1 brother came to Rossville to live. Mary married Cyrus Higginbotham, Lurana to J.K. Conley, Rachel to L.E. Moseley, and Otis was the father of Mrs. E.G. Griswold. Mr. Howard contracted pneumonia from exposure while engaged in the work of caring for his livestock and was ill several months before passing away on Feb. 11, 1913. http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/9eb6eb1263b6a1fbd6cb92f70504dd15.jpeg 249ff3160260d8bc0355458793eb403c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Profiles of Local Persons, Rossville, Kansas Photo A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adrian (A.C.) Sherman, Rossville, Kansas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1892-1910 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource reprint of photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0278 Description An account of the resource Adrian Cyrus (A.C.) Sherman was elected State Representative from the 37th district in 1892 and 1894 as a Republican. He was born in 1847 at Mount Pleasant, Indiana. At the age of 15, he enlisted in Company E, 18th Indiana Infantry, and participated in 23 battles. He was a cousin of General W.T. Sherman and was with him on his march though the South. He became a veteran before his 18th birthday. In 1870, Sherman came to Kansas and speculated in real estate. He purchased from Fielding Johnson and Harvey H. Wilcox their share in the townsite of Rossville. The next year he constructed the first hotel in Rossville, his first store building on Main Street, and his residence south of town. He was a dealer in grain, hardware and implements, real estate and stock business, and operated a grocery store. He was considered one of the wealthiest men in the county. A.C. Sherman was appointed postmaster in Rossville in 1880 and served three years as County Commissioner. >He was married to Lou Fisher in 1866 and had three children: Alice M., Adrian F. and Daisy. http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/c3c34ffbac11d322ec07cfc18b5bd688.jpeg 9d96850307986e4861486dcecddf4cb9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Profiles of Local Persons, Rossville, Kansas Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource William W. Ross, Rossville, Kansas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1871-1900 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource reprint of photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0274 Description An account of the resource W.W. Ross was born in 1828 in Huron, Ohio. His parents, Sylvester and Cynthia Ross, were youthful pioneers on the Western Reserve of Ohio and were originally from the New England States. Ross was deprived of formal schooling as he grew up in the Ohio territory where educational advantages were limited. He learned much concerning history and government affairs from daily conversations with his father, who was a man of intelligence. In 1846 he went with his parents to the new territory of Wisconsin and saw history in the making as it grew into a state. By this time, Ross was 18 years of age and had become dissatisfied with farming. He took an interest in the printer's trade and learned the business at Janesville, Wisconsin. Proving himself an apt student, he soon became foreman of the FREE DEMOCRAT, a newspaper in Milwaukee. He married Mary Elizabeth Berry in the spring of 1855, and he and his bride started out in a wagon drawn by a team of oxen, pioneering into Kansas territory. Ross had with him as teamster a free Negro whose papers he had secured before leaving Wisconsin. He encountered serious difficulties in passing through Missouri when the Missourians at different times tried to take the Negro away from him, under the pretense that he was an escaped slave. Even after reaching Lawrence several unsuccessful attempts were made to take the man by force. This circumstance identified Ross prominently with the free-state men. He located on a claim near Lawrence and very shortly after a mob made a third attempt to capture the colored man. About 50 men, armed with rifles, rallied to the protection of Mr. Ross, his family, and the colored man, after threats of violence had been made against him. This is said to be the first rally against pro-slavery aggression. In 1855, Ross came to Topeka to assist John Speer in printing material for the constitutional convention. In December of 1856 he became associated with Speer in the editorial management and publication of the Kansas Tribune. This was one of the first newspaper publications in Kansas. Early in 1857, his brother, Edmund G. Ross (later appointed United States Senator to fill the unexpired term of James Lane) purchased Speer's interest and it was published by the Ross Brothers until the summer of 1858. In 1858, W.W. Ross was elected public printer and in 1859 the Ross Brothers established the Kansas State Record in Topeka. They conducted this publication until 1861, making it one of the finest, ablest Republican papers of Kansas, according to the words of a fellow newspaperman. In his participation in the free-state struggles, Ross engaged in conflicts between the free state and pro-slavery forces. He was a member of the Leavenworth constitutional convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln for President. In May 1861, he was appointed by Lincoln as government agent to the Pottawatomi Indians, and served until 1865. It cannot be denied, however, that Ross helped negotiate for the purchase of Indian land for real estate speculators and other white men who wanted the land. In January, 1862, James Dahoney applied for a post office in the name of "Rossville" honoring William. W. Ross, Indian Agent. The government approved his request but there was no formal Rossville government. Because of the treaty of 1861, four townsite promoters were able to purchase the 100 acre townsite in 1870 from Anthony Navarre, a Mormon preacher, and his Indian wife So-na-ne-qua. The January 16, 1871, Journal of the Board of County Commissioners lists the official adoption of the new Rossville Township. http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/025364a3fdf58032cf9ec779884f3aaf.jpeg 51d62e36bdfba91f6b094e8f3ea0998a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rossville Agricultural History Subject The topic of the resource Farming/Ranching Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rossville Community Library Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Rossville Centennial Booklet, 1971 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public Domain due to copyright expiration. Original narrative content by RCL is available for use by public. Description An account of the resource Rossville is fortunately situated in many ways—we are near a large city, Topeka, but far enough away to retain our own identity; we can be considered a bedroom community to Topeka since so many residents commute to work to the larger city; we are just north of the Kansas River and enjoy the fertile “Kaw River Valley,” which has benefited agriculture in our community since its very beginnings. From the early days, Rossville Township was blessed with fertile creek and river-bottom land, combined with the upland, which consisted of bluestem grass. The early settlers broke and cleared the bottom lands and part of the upland prairie. The settlers of the 1860-70s began farming and found the soil fertile and productive. However, the task of clearing the timberland and breaking prairie sod must have seemed insurmountable. Corn and wheat, the main crops, and cattle, hogs and other livestock-raising, became the basic agriculture of Rossville township. Many of these early farmers came to Kansas seeking land. They traveled by ox cart and wagon before the railroad went through, following the Oregon and other trails. Settlers bought land from the Santa Fe Railroad or from members of the Citizen Potawatomi Band, who were selling their allotment land. The first mention of early agriculture in Rossville comes from Dr. Gabbey’s account, written in 1886: “The Pottawatomi as a tribe never took kindly to agriculture, four or five acres in corn was a large field. Their fields were usually cleared up from the edge of the timber along the streams, as the Indian had little use for the Prairie kind.” One account gives the cost of prairie in the early days from $2.50 to $4.00 per acre. Lumber was worth from $25.00 to $39.00 dollars per thousand feet. Oxen cost $100.00 a yoke, mules from $100.00 to $200.00, horses $75.00 to $150.00, sheep $2.00 a head and chickens 25¢ each. Masons and carpenters received $2.00 to $3.00 per day in wages. Wheat was worth $1.50 per bushel and flour $4.50 per hundred pounds. From newspapers of 1877: “New corn brought in for shipment is getting 18¢ to 20¢ and corn huskers have been in demand at $1.00 per day and board; 2.5¢ per bushel thrown on the ground or 3.5¢ in the crib.” “Mr. Lambert James, a farmer living a few miles west of town has this season manufactured 1,500 gallon of sorghum molasses, which he readily disposed of at 50¢ per gallon.” But challenges persisted for early settlers. Although this was an extremely desirable area for agriculture and the raising of livestock, it was not possible for the early settlers to procure manufactured goods from the East without paying an extremely high freight bill. It was also impossible to ship their grain and produce economically. River freight was tried but the Kaw River often times did not have enough water to make shipping dependable so the answer to this problem was the railroad. Rossville’s answer came May 18, 1866, when the first train passed through the town. Corn was the main crop and early editors gave much space extolling its excellence. Corn cribs were numerous along the south side of the railroad tracks and on the east side of north Main. A water powered grist mill was located on Cross Creek north of town. Mulvane Bros. built a steam powered mill south of the railroad tracks. One of the earliest farmers was Henry Ford, who acquired 80 acres southwest of Rossville in 1864. His wife was the former Mary Nadeau, who came to Rossville from Indiana in 1862. Henry Ford came to Kansas in 1863 and was a stage coach driver for the Overland Stage Company between Topeka and Manhattan. He met his wife at “Buttermilk Station” where she worked for her brother, Big Alex Nadeau. While working to clear their land of timber and build a log house, they lived in one room of a three room house, west of Cross Creek, north of the old Oregon and California trails. The other two rooms were occupied by Dr. and Mrs. R.S. Gabbey and Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Higginbotham. After the Fords moved into their log cabin, Mrs. Ford often rode horseback nine miles with her baby to the mission in St. Marys. The first flowers she had to plant by the cabin were given to her by the nuns at the Mission. Another early farmer, John DeGraff settled south of Rossville in 1865. He and his wife, the former Frances Navarre, lived in a small dugout until their house was built. The following is a list of early farmers: Name | Year to Rossville | Origin Archibald Abbott 1870 Kingston, Canada West Joseph Andrews Westmoreland County, Pa. W. Thomas Andrews 1879 McKay, Ohio Joseph Beseau 1875 Monroe County, Michigan John A. Bond 1872 Tyler County, W. Virginia William Bond 1873 Tyler County, W. Virginia John DeGraff 1865 James DeVinney 1880 Ross County, Ohio Benjamin Franklin 1869 Ross County, Ohio John Fritz 1877 Somerset County, Pa. Martin Hass 1877 Richland County, Ohio Henry Kassabaum 1877 Brookmell, Prussia T.J. Kiernan 1868 Elzey E. Kinsey 1877 Ohio Henry Lipp 1868 South Germany Isaac McCollough 1873 Holmes County, Ohio R. McCollough 1878 Holmes County, Ohio Michael O’halaron 1880 Samuel Oldfield 1878 Derbyshire, England S.J. Oliver 1876 Edward Partelow 1868 Newport, Kentucky Thomas L. Ross 1882 Cincinnati, Ohio M.M. Standley 1874 Carroll County, Indiana Bennett Swearingen 1868 Meigs County, Ohio Isaac B. Trostel 1877 Perry County, Pa. Frank Van Vleck 1878 William Wax 1878 Juniata County, Pa. Daniel Wilt 1876 York County, Pa. Henry York 1869 Zurich, Switzerland Peter H. Zickefoose 1874 Highland County, W. Virginia Samuel Beals 1867 E.S. Doud 1869 W.L. James Wm. Kirkpatrick 1871 Frank L. Sanders John Heslet Noel Graves W.W. Janes J.K. Conley 1870 Yates County, New York Startup, Ab Thomas Attebury 1877 George Hejtmanek 1880 Wisowitz, Moravia, Austria D. Hartzell 1872 Francis E. Williams 1876 New York Captain John Gutshall Col. A.S. Stanley 1880 Meigs Co., Ohio Martin Nason 1872 Jos. Van Vleck 1878 M.L. Cless 1876 B.W. Higginbotham 1861 Thomas Moss 1877 J.M. Parr Clay Co. Indiana J.A. Parr Clay Co. Indiana H.W. Lipp 1878 Illinois Samuel B. Zickefoose 1869 West Virginia Mrs. Jane Jackson 1875 Scotland Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Samuel Oldfield Farm, Rossville, Kansas Description An account of the resource During the last day of June, Samuel Oldfield, Rossville, planted 18 acres of corn on land from which he had already taken a crop of wheat. He said the land was well-fertilized for the first crop, and the second took to growing lustily. A good stand of fodder corn is already assured, and indications are that many good ears will be on hand before Jack Frost gets in his work. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Reprinted in the St. Marys Star, St. Marys, Kansas (date unknown) This was originally published around August 1895, probably in a local Rossville newspaper. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. original content August 1895 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource newspaper clipping Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0310 http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/d1ebf32166086c00f1e109b05d39e2b0.jpg 12df6eb858ae050d51b88dcd24963d7d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rossville Agricultural History Subject The topic of the resource Farming/Ranching Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rossville Community Library Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Rossville Centennial Booklet, 1971 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public Domain due to copyright expiration. Original narrative content by RCL is available for use by public. Description An account of the resource Rossville is fortunately situated in many ways—we are near a large city, Topeka, but far enough away to retain our own identity; we can be considered a bedroom community to Topeka since so many residents commute to work to the larger city; we are just north of the Kansas River and enjoy the fertile “Kaw River Valley,” which has benefited agriculture in our community since its very beginnings. From the early days, Rossville Township was blessed with fertile creek and river-bottom land, combined with the upland, which consisted of bluestem grass. The early settlers broke and cleared the bottom lands and part of the upland prairie. The settlers of the 1860-70s began farming and found the soil fertile and productive. However, the task of clearing the timberland and breaking prairie sod must have seemed insurmountable. Corn and wheat, the main crops, and cattle, hogs and other livestock-raising, became the basic agriculture of Rossville township. Many of these early farmers came to Kansas seeking land. They traveled by ox cart and wagon before the railroad went through, following the Oregon and other trails. Settlers bought land from the Santa Fe Railroad or from members of the Citizen Potawatomi Band, who were selling their allotment land. The first mention of early agriculture in Rossville comes from Dr. Gabbey’s account, written in 1886: “The Pottawatomi as a tribe never took kindly to agriculture, four or five acres in corn was a large field. Their fields were usually cleared up from the edge of the timber along the streams, as the Indian had little use for the Prairie kind.” One account gives the cost of prairie in the early days from $2.50 to $4.00 per acre. Lumber was worth from $25.00 to $39.00 dollars per thousand feet. Oxen cost $100.00 a yoke, mules from $100.00 to $200.00, horses $75.00 to $150.00, sheep $2.00 a head and chickens 25¢ each. Masons and carpenters received $2.00 to $3.00 per day in wages. Wheat was worth $1.50 per bushel and flour $4.50 per hundred pounds. From newspapers of 1877: “New corn brought in for shipment is getting 18¢ to 20¢ and corn huskers have been in demand at $1.00 per day and board; 2.5¢ per bushel thrown on the ground or 3.5¢ in the crib.” “Mr. Lambert James, a farmer living a few miles west of town has this season manufactured 1,500 gallon of sorghum molasses, which he readily disposed of at 50¢ per gallon.” But challenges persisted for early settlers. Although this was an extremely desirable area for agriculture and the raising of livestock, it was not possible for the early settlers to procure manufactured goods from the East without paying an extremely high freight bill. It was also impossible to ship their grain and produce economically. River freight was tried but the Kaw River often times did not have enough water to make shipping dependable so the answer to this problem was the railroad. Rossville’s answer came May 18, 1866, when the first train passed through the town. Corn was the main crop and early editors gave much space extolling its excellence. Corn cribs were numerous along the south side of the railroad tracks and on the east side of north Main. A water powered grist mill was located on Cross Creek north of town. Mulvane Bros. built a steam powered mill south of the railroad tracks. One of the earliest farmers was Henry Ford, who acquired 80 acres southwest of Rossville in 1864. His wife was the former Mary Nadeau, who came to Rossville from Indiana in 1862. Henry Ford came to Kansas in 1863 and was a stage coach driver for the Overland Stage Company between Topeka and Manhattan. He met his wife at “Buttermilk Station” where she worked for her brother, Big Alex Nadeau. While working to clear their land of timber and build a log house, they lived in one room of a three room house, west of Cross Creek, north of the old Oregon and California trails. The other two rooms were occupied by Dr. and Mrs. R.S. Gabbey and Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Higginbotham. After the Fords moved into their log cabin, Mrs. Ford often rode horseback nine miles with her baby to the mission in St. Marys. The first flowers she had to plant by the cabin were given to her by the nuns at the Mission. Another early farmer, John DeGraff settled south of Rossville in 1865. He and his wife, the former Frances Navarre, lived in a small dugout until their house was built. The following is a list of early farmers: Name | Year to Rossville | Origin Archibald Abbott 1870 Kingston, Canada West Joseph Andrews Westmoreland County, Pa. W. Thomas Andrews 1879 McKay, Ohio Joseph Beseau 1875 Monroe County, Michigan John A. Bond 1872 Tyler County, W. Virginia William Bond 1873 Tyler County, W. Virginia John DeGraff 1865 James DeVinney 1880 Ross County, Ohio Benjamin Franklin 1869 Ross County, Ohio John Fritz 1877 Somerset County, Pa. Martin Hass 1877 Richland County, Ohio Henry Kassabaum 1877 Brookmell, Prussia T.J. Kiernan 1868 Elzey E. Kinsey 1877 Ohio Henry Lipp 1868 South Germany Isaac McCollough 1873 Holmes County, Ohio R. McCollough 1878 Holmes County, Ohio Michael O’halaron 1880 Samuel Oldfield 1878 Derbyshire, England S.J. Oliver 1876 Edward Partelow 1868 Newport, Kentucky Thomas L. Ross 1882 Cincinnati, Ohio M.M. Standley 1874 Carroll County, Indiana Bennett Swearingen 1868 Meigs County, Ohio Isaac B. Trostel 1877 Perry County, Pa. Frank Van Vleck 1878 William Wax 1878 Juniata County, Pa. Daniel Wilt 1876 York County, Pa. Henry York 1869 Zurich, Switzerland Peter H. Zickefoose 1874 Highland County, W. Virginia Samuel Beals 1867 E.S. Doud 1869 W.L. James Wm. Kirkpatrick 1871 Frank L. Sanders John Heslet Noel Graves W.W. Janes J.K. Conley 1870 Yates County, New York Startup, Ab Thomas Attebury 1877 George Hejtmanek 1880 Wisowitz, Moravia, Austria D. Hartzell 1872 Francis E. Williams 1876 New York Captain John Gutshall Col. A.S. Stanley 1880 Meigs Co., Ohio Martin Nason 1872 Jos. Van Vleck 1878 M.L. Cless 1876 B.W. Higginbotham 1861 Thomas Moss 1877 J.M. Parr Clay Co. Indiana J.A. Parr Clay Co. Indiana H.W. Lipp 1878 Illinois Samuel B. Zickefoose 1869 West Virginia Mrs. Jane Jackson 1875 Scotland Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Kesler Horse Advertisement, 1922, Rossville, Kansas Description An account of the resource Pure Bred License 120 Oliver A purebred stallion, black in color, with a fine record on past performances, will make the season of 1922 at any place west of Cross Creek in Rossville. Terms-$10 to insure colt to stand and suck Big Tom Is a Mammoth jack with a record as a sure foalgetter. Terms-$10 to insure colt to stand and suck. Usual terms and precautions will govern each service John Kesler, Owner Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rossville Reporter, Rossville, Kansas Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1922 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource newspaper advertisement Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0507 http://www.recollectionsks.org/files/original/4cc30bec5a88098b6eb1bf128cfdddef.png 1cf946bea7555fe96ca0c18cbd5de65d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rossville Agricultural History Subject The topic of the resource Farming/Ranching Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rossville Community Library Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Rossville Centennial Booklet, 1971 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public Domain due to copyright expiration. Original narrative content by RCL is available for use by public. Description An account of the resource Rossville is fortunately situated in many ways—we are near a large city, Topeka, but far enough away to retain our own identity; we can be considered a bedroom community to Topeka since so many residents commute to work to the larger city; we are just north of the Kansas River and enjoy the fertile “Kaw River Valley,” which has benefited agriculture in our community since its very beginnings. From the early days, Rossville Township was blessed with fertile creek and river-bottom land, combined with the upland, which consisted of bluestem grass. The early settlers broke and cleared the bottom lands and part of the upland prairie. The settlers of the 1860-70s began farming and found the soil fertile and productive. However, the task of clearing the timberland and breaking prairie sod must have seemed insurmountable. Corn and wheat, the main crops, and cattle, hogs and other livestock-raising, became the basic agriculture of Rossville township. Many of these early farmers came to Kansas seeking land. They traveled by ox cart and wagon before the railroad went through, following the Oregon and other trails. Settlers bought land from the Santa Fe Railroad or from members of the Citizen Potawatomi Band, who were selling their allotment land. The first mention of early agriculture in Rossville comes from Dr. Gabbey’s account, written in 1886: “The Pottawatomi as a tribe never took kindly to agriculture, four or five acres in corn was a large field. Their fields were usually cleared up from the edge of the timber along the streams, as the Indian had little use for the Prairie kind.” One account gives the cost of prairie in the early days from $2.50 to $4.00 per acre. Lumber was worth from $25.00 to $39.00 dollars per thousand feet. Oxen cost $100.00 a yoke, mules from $100.00 to $200.00, horses $75.00 to $150.00, sheep $2.00 a head and chickens 25¢ each. Masons and carpenters received $2.00 to $3.00 per day in wages. Wheat was worth $1.50 per bushel and flour $4.50 per hundred pounds. From newspapers of 1877: “New corn brought in for shipment is getting 18¢ to 20¢ and corn huskers have been in demand at $1.00 per day and board; 2.5¢ per bushel thrown on the ground or 3.5¢ in the crib.” “Mr. Lambert James, a farmer living a few miles west of town has this season manufactured 1,500 gallon of sorghum molasses, which he readily disposed of at 50¢ per gallon.” But challenges persisted for early settlers. Although this was an extremely desirable area for agriculture and the raising of livestock, it was not possible for the early settlers to procure manufactured goods from the East without paying an extremely high freight bill. It was also impossible to ship their grain and produce economically. River freight was tried but the Kaw River often times did not have enough water to make shipping dependable so the answer to this problem was the railroad. Rossville’s answer came May 18, 1866, when the first train passed through the town. Corn was the main crop and early editors gave much space extolling its excellence. Corn cribs were numerous along the south side of the railroad tracks and on the east side of north Main. A water powered grist mill was located on Cross Creek north of town. Mulvane Bros. built a steam powered mill south of the railroad tracks. One of the earliest farmers was Henry Ford, who acquired 80 acres southwest of Rossville in 1864. His wife was the former Mary Nadeau, who came to Rossville from Indiana in 1862. Henry Ford came to Kansas in 1863 and was a stage coach driver for the Overland Stage Company between Topeka and Manhattan. He met his wife at “Buttermilk Station” where she worked for her brother, Big Alex Nadeau. While working to clear their land of timber and build a log house, they lived in one room of a three room house, west of Cross Creek, north of the old Oregon and California trails. The other two rooms were occupied by Dr. and Mrs. R.S. Gabbey and Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Higginbotham. After the Fords moved into their log cabin, Mrs. Ford often rode horseback nine miles with her baby to the mission in St. Marys. The first flowers she had to plant by the cabin were given to her by the nuns at the Mission. Another early farmer, John DeGraff settled south of Rossville in 1865. He and his wife, the former Frances Navarre, lived in a small dugout until their house was built. The following is a list of early farmers: Name | Year to Rossville | Origin Archibald Abbott 1870 Kingston, Canada West Joseph Andrews Westmoreland County, Pa. W. Thomas Andrews 1879 McKay, Ohio Joseph Beseau 1875 Monroe County, Michigan John A. Bond 1872 Tyler County, W. Virginia William Bond 1873 Tyler County, W. Virginia John DeGraff 1865 James DeVinney 1880 Ross County, Ohio Benjamin Franklin 1869 Ross County, Ohio John Fritz 1877 Somerset County, Pa. Martin Hass 1877 Richland County, Ohio Henry Kassabaum 1877 Brookmell, Prussia T.J. Kiernan 1868 Elzey E. Kinsey 1877 Ohio Henry Lipp 1868 South Germany Isaac McCollough 1873 Holmes County, Ohio R. McCollough 1878 Holmes County, Ohio Michael O’halaron 1880 Samuel Oldfield 1878 Derbyshire, England S.J. Oliver 1876 Edward Partelow 1868 Newport, Kentucky Thomas L. Ross 1882 Cincinnati, Ohio M.M. Standley 1874 Carroll County, Indiana Bennett Swearingen 1868 Meigs County, Ohio Isaac B. Trostel 1877 Perry County, Pa. Frank Van Vleck 1878 William Wax 1878 Juniata County, Pa. Daniel Wilt 1876 York County, Pa. Henry York 1869 Zurich, Switzerland Peter H. Zickefoose 1874 Highland County, W. Virginia Samuel Beals 1867 E.S. Doud 1869 W.L. James Wm. Kirkpatrick 1871 Frank L. Sanders John Heslet Noel Graves W.W. Janes J.K. Conley 1870 Yates County, New York Startup, Ab Thomas Attebury 1877 George Hejtmanek 1880 Wisowitz, Moravia, Austria D. Hartzell 1872 Francis E. Williams 1876 New York Captain John Gutshall Col. A.S. Stanley 1880 Meigs Co., Ohio Martin Nason 1872 Jos. Van Vleck 1878 M.L. Cless 1876 B.W. Higginbotham 1861 Thomas Moss 1877 J.M. Parr Clay Co. Indiana J.A. Parr Clay Co. Indiana H.W. Lipp 1878 Illinois Samuel B. Zickefoose 1869 West Virginia Mrs. Jane Jackson 1875 Scotland Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mulvane Ranch Transferred to Mrs. Hughes, Rossville, Kansas Description An account of the resource MRS. M. M. Hughes, Los Angeles, June 26, 1944, became sole owner of the Mulvane Ranch west of Rossville. This resulted when turned over to her in a transfer filed in the office of Homer Wright, reg-ister of deeds. “The purpose is to keep it in the Mulvane family and I hope it will remain there for many years to come,” Mr. Morgan said. Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Morgan were sisters of the late Dave Mulvane, former Republican national committeeman for Kansas and they became owners of the land after his death. There are approximately 3,000 acres, one half of which is pasture land near the river. The late Jaob Mulvane, their father and a wealthy Topeka banker and philanthropist, purchased the land more than 75 years ago and for years operated a big cattle ranch. A part of the pasture land was on an island in the river. In 1884 he changed the course of the river to connect the island with the mainland. Altho [sic] all the land now is on the north side of the river, the part that used to be on the island is in Wabaunsee County. over The balance is in Shawnee County. After Jaob Mulvane's death, his son Dave inherited the ranch, and it was carried in his name until his death. It then was taken over by his two sisters. Mrs. Morgan died July 6, 1942. Now Mrs. Hughes, the only surviving member of the family, has purchased her sister’s half of the ranch to become sole owner. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Rossville Community Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 26, 1944 (date referenced in item) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain due to copyright expiration. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource typewritten original Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RCL0393 Mulvane Ranch