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Kansas Historical Notes - November 1947

(Vol. 14 No. 4), pages 413 to 414.

Transcribed by lhn;
digitized with permission of the Kansas Historical Society.


A decision to arrange for the early publication of the second volume of Chase County Historical Sketches was made at the annual meeting of the Chase County Historical Society held September 6, 1947, at Cottonwood Falls. The first volume of the sketches was published by the society in 1940. F. W. Schneider was appointed to direct efforts to obtain a suitable place to keep Chase county relics of early days. Officers of the society were reelected. They are: George T. Dawson, Elmdale, president; Henry Rogler, Matfield Green, vice-president; Mrs. Helen Austin, Cottonwood Falls, secretary; Tom R. Wells, Elmdale, treasurer, and Mrs. Clara B. Hildebrand, Cottonwood Falls, historian.

The early history of Herington was featured at the annual meeting of the Dickinson County Historical Society held August 28, 1947, at Lake Herington. The Herington townsite was originally known as the Aelioth ranch and was owned by a Swedish nobleman before it was acquired by M. D. Herington, from whom the city derived its name, according to Mrs. Ray Tripp. Miss Drusilla Herington told of the Herington family moving to the ranch in 1881. Other speakers and their subjects included: W. H. Alward, history of railroads at Herington; Paul Knuth, Herington schools; Mrs. Henry Kandt, ladies, band organized in 1913; Mrs. F. C. Laine, history of Presbyterian church; Ray Tripp, early businesses in Herington; Bruce Crary, early newspapers; Dave J. Ballantyne, history of the post office; Mrs. Bruce Crary, history of library; W. H. Mott, beginnings of good roads movement, and Frank Davis, Kansas City, establishment of National Old Trails Road Association. President Truman has been president of the National Old Trails Road Association since his association with the Auto club at Kansas City earlier in his career. The 1948 meeting of the Dickinson County Historical Society will be held at Lyonia church, located in eastern Dickinson county between Junction City and Herington. The Rev. C. E. Zeigler is the pastor. Officers of the association are: Mrs. Carl Peterson of Enterprise, president; Mrs. Elsie Rohrer of Elmo, first vice-president; Fred Ramsey, Solomon, second vice-president; Mrs. H. M. Howard of Abilene, secretary, and Walter Wilkins of Chapman, treasurer.

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414 KANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

Sen. B. F. Bowers was elected president of the Franklin County Historical Society at the annual meeting held in Ottawa, September 20, 1947. Officers reelected were: F. H. McCune, vice-president; Mrs. Charles Averill, secretary, and Miss Clara Kaiser, corresponding secretary and treasurer. Three directors were chosen for threeyear terms. They were C. A. Smith, Wellsville; Mrs. Ada McCracken, Ottawa, and Hiram Allen, Williamsburg. Other directors are Mrs. Dorothy Belt Needham, Lane; B. M. Ottaway, Pomona; A. P. Elder, J. M. Conard, Mrs. W T. A. Penny and E. Lister, all of Ottawa. Prof. B. Smith Haworth of Ottawa University was the principal speaker. Mrs. C. E. Reed, daughter of one of the founders of the Greenwood Baptist church in the Pomona area, presented to the society a history of the church. Manuscripts presented included the early-day experiences of the late Joshua Baker and of Mrs. Fanny Crain. A stereoscope and stereoscopic pictures made by Underwood and Underwood, famous photographers, whose early careers began at Ottawa, were exhibited. A. P. Elder, age 93, was the oldest person present at the meeting. The oldest native of Franklin county in attendance was Mrs. Mary Keene, 90, of Ottawa.

More than 100 persons attended the second annual homecoming of the Kennebec association held on Landon creek, eight miles south of Russell, on August 3, 1947. Arrangements were made for the appointment of a committee to work out plans for a permanent memorial in memory of the pioneers of the county. The purpose of the association is to preserve the history of the community at the junction of Landon creek and Smoky Hill river. Charter membership in the association, which is still open, is near the 300 mark.

Thousands of persons from Sumner, Sedgwick, Cowley and Butler counties attended the 74th annual reunion and picnic of QuadCounty old settlers held August 28, 1947, at Mulvane. Dr. Carl S. Mundinger, president of St. John's College, Winfield, who recently returned from a trip to Germany, was the principal speaker.

The third issue of the Bulletin of The Shawnee County Historical Society, Topeka, appeared in June, 1947. Articles included: "92 Years of Newspapers in Shawnee," by Arthur J. Carruth, Jr.; "Topeka's Year I," by Dr. John D. Bright; "Chronology of Shawnee County," by George A. Root, concluding the year 1855, and "Olive Packard Owen," by Robert Stone.