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Kansas Historical Notes - November 1941

November 1941 (Vol. 10, No. 4), pages 427 to 429.
Transcribed by lhn;
digitized with permission of the Kansas Historical Society.

The annual convention of the American Pioneer Trails Association and the Oregon Trail Memorial Association opened in historic Marysville, August 11, 1941. Members of the group spent two days Visiting places of historical interest in northeast Kansas. Oregon trail markers were dedicated near Bremen and near Bigelow. On August 12 the party was shown the collections of the Kansas Historical Society at Topeka. Among the guests calling at the Society were: Dr. Howard R. Driggs, president of the National Oregon Trail Association, Maj. Arthur W. Procter, secretary of the association, Martin S. Garretson, Secretary of the American Bison Society, Lester C. Jennings, H. Wayne Driggs, and Florence W. Carroll, all of New York City; Madeline Schoenhof, Helen Young and Helen Voss, Harrison, N. Y.; Dorothy Denz, East Norwalk, Conn.; Walter Meacham, Portland, Ore.; Mrs. Clyde Porter, Jean Porter and Louisa P. Johnston, Kansas City, Mo.; W. R. Honnell, Kansas City, Kan.; John G. Ellenbecker, Irene Ellenbecker and Joseph Ellenbecker, Marysville; William E. Smith, Wamego; Otto J. Wullschleger and Mrs. Lawrence Griffee, Frankfort, and Fred A. Prell, Bremen. On August 13 the party began a commemorative trek over the Overland Stage route from Marysville through Nebraska to Denver, Colo., where the convention's business meetings were held. Stops were made at Hastings, old Fort Kearny, Gothenberg, and North Platte, Neb. ; Julesburg, Sterling and Latham, Colo. John G. Ellenbecker, of Marysville, arranged the Kansas tour for the association. George A. Root, who has been a member of the staff of the Kansas Historical Society for over fifty years, accompanied the caravan. Mr. Root's father, the late Frank A. Root, became an express messenger on the Overland Stage Line between Atchison and Denver in January, 1863. From December, 1863, to October, 1864, he served as mail agent at Latham.

The early history of the Baptist church in Kansas was briefly reviewed in the "Program of Dedication" issued for the opening of the new chapel of the Missionhill Baptist Church at Mission, Johnson county, on January 5, 1941. The present-day church is not far from the site of the first Baptist mission in present Kansas, established for the Shawnee Indians in the early 1830's.

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A plaque dedicated to Helen Miller Gould, "The Angel of the Spanish-American War," was presented to the Kansas Historical Society by the United Spanish War Veterans, Department of Kansas, and the Ladies of the Auxiliary, at their annual meeting in Emporia, May 19, 1941. Phil Zimmerman, of Topeka, made the presentation speech, and William Allen White, of Emporia, accepted for the Society. The plaque has been placed in the Memorial building, Topeka, near the entrance to the state headquarters of the United Spanish War Veterans.

Fifteen charter members were enrolled in an organization formed at Kansas City, July 14, 1941, to promote a national park on State Line between Eighty-first and Eighty-fifth streets, at the old home of Alexander W. Majors. The organization, sponsored by the American Pioneer Trails Association, will be known as the Russell, Majors and Waddell Memorial Association. Officers are: Mrs. Clyde Porter, 821 W. Fifty-sixth street, president; W. R. Honnell, vice-president for Kansas; N. D. Jackson, Vice-president for Missouri; Mrs. J. W. Quarrier, recording secretary; Louisa P. Johnston, great granddaughter of Majors, corresponding secretary, and Alexander W. Graham, treasurer.

A Coronado pageant, sponsored by the Shawnee Mission Indian Historical Society, was presented at the stadium of the ShawneeMission High School in Johnson county, July 17, 1941. The pageant, in which 100 persons participated, was a feature of the Northeast Johnson County Summer Musical Festival. Included among the members of the historical society who served on the pageant committee were: Mrs. C. A. Brooks, chairman, Mrs. A. V. Fuller, Mrs. G. A. Stobaugh, Mrs. O. W. Shepard, and Mrs. Ross B. Smith.

The Clark County Historical Society met August 16, 1941, at Ashland. W. H. Shattuck was elected president of the society to succeed Lois McCasland Martin. Other officers are: Ruth Clark

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Mull, first vice-president; Lois McCasland Martin and William R. Nunemacher, honorary vice-presidents; Melville Campbell Harper, recording secretary; Villa Harvey Ihde, assistant recording secretary; Lena Smith, corresponding secretary; Sidney E. Grimes, treasurer; Sherman G. Ihde, auditor; Mrs. Barth Gabbert, curator; Dorothy Berryman Shrewder, historian.

Frank H. Roberts, ninety-year-old editor of the Oskaloosa Independent, was honored by the Topeka Press Club with a buffet luncheon at the Jayhawk Hotel August 26, 1941. Following the luncheon Mr. Roberts spoke on "Major J. K. Hudson, the Fighting Editor, Noblest Roman of Them All." J. W. Roberts, father of Frank, founded the Oskaloosa Independent in July, 1860, and for more than eighty-one years the family has continued to publish the paper.

Members of the Douglas County Old Settlers Association met at the First Methodist Church in Lawrence September 15, 1941. Dr. A. R. (Bert) Kennedy was elected president to succeed Mrs. Nellie Colman Bigsby who was named treasurer. Other officers are: Mrs. May Hoyt Seetin, Vice-president; Elmer Brown, secretary; Dr. Edward J. Bumgardner, necrologist. Dr. James C. Malin spoke on "The History of Agriculture in Douglas County." Doctor Bumgardner gave the necrologist's report, the Rev. L. H. Griffith told of early days in the Lone Star neighborhood, and Sen. Robert C. Rankin discussed the raising of funds for a museum building. A memorial stone in Swensson park, Lindsborg, marking the place of organization of the Woman's Missionary Society of the Lutheran Augustana Synod in June, 1892, was dedicated August 13, 1941. The stone, bearing a bronze plaque, was erected last January on the site of the old parsonage of the Bethany church in which the society was organized. Mrs. Daniel Martin, national president of the organization, was in charge of the short dedicatory service in the park, following a program at the Bethany church.