Volume 28, Number 4

April 2004

SHERMAN COUNTY KANSAS TOWNSHIPS

     Sherman County was named in honor of General William Tecumseh Sherman, Civil War soldier, in 1873 by the Kansas State Legislature. For the region of the last 25 Kansas counties which came into existence between 1881 and 1888, some of the names supplied by this earlier legislature disappeared when the county was eventually settled and organized, however the name Sherman was kept when it was organized and settled in 1885 and 1886.
     The Government had surveyed and made county boundaries in 1869. Sherman and Thomas counties were first attached to Sheridan county as townships on June 5, 1880 until their organization at later dates.
     The New Tecumseh, published at Gandy, Sherman County Kansas had this to say in the November 25, 1885 issue: “Should there be an extra session of the legislature in February as is now contemplated, an effort should be made to have our county detached from Sheridan and attached to Thomas county for judicial purposes, as a great amount of travel and inconvenience will thereby be saved.”
     “A petition is now being circulated asking for a special election in Sherman County for the purpose of electing a full set of township officers; Sherman County being organized as a township of Sheridan County. In a community of our numbers and daily increasing an emergency may arise at any time and it is well to be prepared.”
     The Adviser, published at Voltaire, Sherman County Kansas announced in its February 18, 1886 issue that “The bills detaching Thomas and Sherman Counties from Sheridan County and attaching Sherman to Thomas, have passed, and only lacks the Governor’s signature to become a law.”
     The New Tecumseh, which had moved from Gandy to Leonard, published an election notice in April 23, 1886: “An election has been called by the commissioners of Thomas County, for Sherman County, it being a township of Thomas County; for the election of officers as follows: one trustee; one treasurer; one clerk; two justice of the peace; two constable; said election to be held at the residence of L. R. Thornton on section 8 town 8 range 39, to be held on May 15th, 1886.”
     The Sherman County Republican, published at Itasca (formerly Leonard), advocated on September 3, 1886: “Let’s Organize. The class of settlers that will want to come here to live will not like to go to Colby to attend to all their county business. Our taxes could be paid here, our deeds would be registered here and all the work would be at home. The county would be divided into townships so that voting precincts would be more convenient.
     The petitions have all gone in for organization and county seat location and the census report is about made out. The population is thought to be sufficient, so is the valuation. If this proves to be the fact we will soon be an organized county and can settle down to business.”
     On September 24, 1886 the Sherman County Republican announced: “The county seat question has been passed upon regarding Sherman County, it is now organized with Eustis as the temporary county seat, with a commissioner at each of the other towns and the clerk at Eustis. The commissioners will proceed to district the county into townships and fix voting precincts and appoint trustees for these townships.”
     A proclamation issued by Governor Martin was published in the October 1, 1886 issue of the Sherman County Republican, stating that Sherman County was organized and gave his reasons. He noted that while all the petitions were verified by certificates and affidavits, the number of signers was “largely in excess of the number of bona fide voters of the county”; and that the census returns showed that the population and taxable property met the requirements to be organized. Also he noted that he concluded “it would be better to avoid the long, tedious and expensive work of a more exhaustive investigation of the memorials (petitions) presented.” The governor appointed L. J. Gandy, O. D. Dickey and R. R. Edwards county commissioners, and J. H. Tate county clerk for said county of Sherman. John A. Martin, Governor.
     The New Tecumseh, Itasca, Friday, October 1, 1886 also announced the names of the commissioners, and also said: “The commissioners are deverting (sic) the county into precincts today, preparatory to calling of elections, which will be in the next forty days.”
     The Sherman County Republican, Itasca, Friday, October 8, 1886 noted: “Sherman County is divided into civil townships as follows: Towns 6 and 7, ranges 37 and 38, to be called Shermanville Township; towns 6 and 7, ranges 39 and 40, to be called Voltaire Township; towns 6 and 7, ranges 41 and 42, to be Grant Township; towns 8, 9 and 10, ranges 41 and 42, to be McPherson Township; towns 8, 9 and 10, ranges 39 and 40, to be Itasca Township; towns 8, 9 and 10, ranges 37 and 38, to be Washington Township. R. R. Edwards, L. J. Gandy and O. D. Dickey, with Mr. Edwards as chairman, J. H. Tait county clerk.”

During the years 1888 through 1891 population increased in the townships and further divisions of the original six townships were made as follows:

Iowa Township was formed July 2, 1888 by division of Washington Township by action of the Sherman County Commissioners. J. B. Jacobs, Chairman, A. Swan and J. H. Marts, Commissioners; and O. H. Smith was clerk. A petition of electors of the south half of Washington Township asked for organization of a new township to be called “Iowa Township” embracing the following territory: All of Town Ten and south half of Town Nine (9) in range thirty seven (37) and all of Town Ten (10) and south half of Town Nine in Range Thirty Eight (38). The board examined the petition signed by over fifty of the legal electors who were residents of the described territory, and were satisfied that the territory contained a population of 200 or more as required by law. Notice was given according to law of presentation of the petition in a weekly newspaper of general circulation. The board was satisfied that the requirements of the law had been carried out and they granted the prayer of the petition to set off the territory to be known as Iowa Township. The board appointed the 18th day of July 1888 for the holding of an election in the new township at the usual voting place for the purpose of electing the necessary township officers: Two Justices of Peace, One Township Trustee, One Township Treasurer, One Township Clerk, Two Constables and a Road Overseer. Officers of the election appointed were: David Poling, J. M. Rice, & A. S. H. Bigly, Judges of Election; D. C. King & Scott Alden, Clerks of Election.
     Similar petitions were presented to the county commissioners by the electors of the townships when the other new townships were formed by division of the original township between 1888 and 1891. The petition of electors, which would have listed the names of residents, for this first division was not found.

Logan Township was formed October 1, 1888, by division of Itasca Twp. (In September and October of 1887 a petition for a new precinct to be called Logan was rejected.)

Smoky Township was formed October 16, 1888 by division of Itasca Twp. (Clerk recorded it as “Smoking” and Smokey)

Union Township was formed October 16, 1888 by division of Washington Twp.

State Line Township was formed October 7, 1889 by division of McPherson Twp.

Llanos Township was formed April 7, 1890 by division of Shermanville Twp. (Newspaper reported it named Lanes)

Lincoln Township was formed April 27, 1891 by division of McPherson Twp.

Possible derivation of township names, no record is in the Commissioner’s minutes nor newspapers of the time.

Shermanville—William Tecumseh Sherman, Civil War General.

Voltaire—French philosopher and author. Sherman County Dark Horse, June 1892: “S. T. Lloyd gave it its name chiefly because he imagined it to be the right thing to honor the French infidel, while such Christians as C. P. Russell, L. H. Cronwall and Dick Bradshaw wanted to call it ‘Big Indian Springs’ although the existence of springs anywhere in the vicinity was very remote.” (item referring to the naming of town, Voltaire, Kansas)

Grant—Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War General and U. S. President.

McPherson—James Birdseye McPherson, Union General killed in action, Atlanta GA, July 22, 1864.

Itasca—Lake in northern Minnesota, head waters of the Mississippi River. (As noted by Marion Parker, the namers had a sense of humor—in dry western Kansas.) The town of Leonard, named after founder Thomas Leonard, took the name Itasca when it was found that Leonard was too close to the name Leonardville by the post office. The town of Itasca would have been first named, before the township.

Washington—George Washington, General and first U. S. President.

Iowa—State of Iowa; from Dakota Indian word, Ayuhwa (“sleepy ones”).

Logan—General John Alexander Logan of Illinois, Civil War veteran, and U. S. Senator 1871-1877, and 1879 to 1886.

Smoky—From North Fork of the Smoky Hill River, which goes through this township.

Union—Union Civil War veterans; or combining, uniting.

State Line—Township adjacent to Colorado State border.

Sherman County Dark Horse, October 10, 1889 “A petition was presented to the commissioners this week, signed by a large number of the citizens of the west portion of McPherson Township, asking that they be set off from the old township. The petition was granted and towns 8 and nine range 42 were formed into a new township called State Line with the voting place at Lamborn.”

Llanos—Unknown; Spanish word for a grassy plain with few trees. (ya-nos)

Goodland News, April 10, 1890 “Shermanville Township has been cut in two to form two townships. 6 and 7 in 37 is the old township and 6 and 7 in 38 is the new one being called Lanes. (sic)”

Lincoln—Abraham Lincoln, U. S. President.

Goodland News, Nov. 13, 1890 “A petition has been circulated by T. M. Simmons and enough signers secured to divide McPherson township. The township as it is now is in the shape of a letter L, and composed of 8-41, 9-41, 10-41 and 10-42. The division would leave 8-41 and 9-41 in the new township and give McPherson 10-41 and 10-42 and give each the same amount of territory. By the division there would be no more voting places as the township has two now, one at Ruleton and one at Houston’s School House, and are known as McPherson No. 1 and No.2. The petition will be presented to the board of commissioners at their January meeting and if the prayer is granted and the new township formed it will be called Lincoln.”

Goodland News, Nov. 13, 1890
“There is a funny side to almost everything and there was to the election in McPherson Township. As the township is 18 miles long one way the north end people do not always know what the south end people are doing and visa versa. This was the case a week before the election when the south end people put in the field a township ticket unbeknown to the north end and the north end did the same thing unbeknown to the south end. The Republicans also put in a ticket but did not know that the Alliance had two tickets out. The consequence was that the Alliance pounded their two tickets over the back all day, and the Republicans supposed they were defeated but still voted for their ticket. No one thought anything about the result. The Alliance smiled and the Republicans looked glum. A week after the election it was found that the Republicans had elected their ticket, and now there is lots of people wondering how it all come about, but it did and such is the case.”

SPRING CLEANING?

Are you removing clutter, cleaning out, or just wanting more space? The Historical Society would welcome donations of things which have a connection to people, places, and events in Sherman County, to be used for study and research; such as photographs (identified if possible), maps, directories, old abstracts, deeds, school yearbooks, scrapbooks, souvenirs, surveys, grants, patents, military records; merchants account books, licenses and permits, minute books for organizations no longer active, rosters, letters and cards. Items such as these would help the Sherman County Historical Society fulfill their mission of collecting materials to establish or illustrate the history of the area, its settlers, settlement, development and activities through the years.

THANK YOU!

The following people have recently given items or resources to benefit the historical society and the furnishing of the Ennis-Handy House:

  • Pat Perrey—1920s dress, belonged to her mother, Mrs. Myrtle Shaw.

  • Anita Coleman—“Blue Whisper” cups & saucers.

  • Curtis Hurd—two vases made from French Artillery shells by Carl Hurd.

  • Royce Horsky—Rock Island line call phone.

  • Mike & Jodi Miller—Christmas tree.

  • Charlene Cole—Christmas decorations.

  • John Schiefen—cleaning two girl’s dresses, now exhibited at the Ennis-Handy House.

  • Cindy Bowman—1926 “The Whirlwind” school annual.

  • Bob & Billie Parker—Ladies clothing of Betty Parker.

  • Curtis & Roselda McKenrick—WWII nurse uniforms, satchels, gas mask, and tokens.

  • Millie Wright—Obituary notebooks.

  • High Plains Office Supply—Repair of copy machine.

  • Jack & Joyce Sanderson—Newspapers.

  • Lloyd Holbrook—Legal file cabinet.

  • Pat Perrey & Carol Baum—Framed fabric prints.

Thanks very much for your support!

The Historical Society received a thank you from Kansas Wesleyan University at Salina, Kansas for some textbooks presented to them which had been used in early days at that school. “Thanks so much for the books from Kansas Wesleyan University. It is so interesting to get a glimpse into the past. The KWU Alumni Association is trying to secure a room on campus that would allow us to display items of our past, and also to have a safe storage space, so these books are most valuable to us. Jane Anderson, Director of Alumni Relations.” These few texts will now provide a link between Sherman County and early day higher education in perpetuity.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO HOST SPEAKER
LLOYD L. SPONHOLTZ, DEPT. OF HISTORY, KANSAS UNIVERSITY
SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2004, 3 P.M. AT ENNIS-HANDY HOUSE

In conjunction with the Smithsonian World War II The Home Front poster exhibit at the Carnegie Arts Center, the Historical Society is hosting a speaker from the Kansas University History Department, Lloyd L. Sponholtz, who will present the topic: “Dear Diary: A Mother’s World War II Reflections”. For eighteen months, beginning December 7, 1941, a mother kept a war diary for her young son. Rationing, scrap and rubber drives, and victory gardens are discussed in this remarkable firsthand account of our nation’s history. Selections from the diary will give voice to everyday Americans reacting to World War II.

A temporary exhibit of World War II items is also on display at the Ennis-Handy House from March 27 until May 7. Included are uniforms, and many items of interesting militaria from the World War II era. Thanks are extended to John McDermott, Carol & Ken Baum, Eugene Woolverton, Curtis McKenrick, and Marge Rogers for the items they have loaned to make this an interesting temporary exhibit.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

The Sherman County Historical Society has received notification from the state that the Ennis-Handy House will be considered by the Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places and Register of Historic Kansas Places at their next meeting on May 8, 2004. The property and documentation appears to meet the National Register criteria and appears to be eligible for the National Register. Listing of the Ennis-Handy House would provide recognition of the property to the community’s historic importance and also make it eligible for matching grants, and certain Federal investment tax credits for rehabilitation.

MORTGAGE BURNING CAMPAIGN
REACHES 75% OF GOAL

We have raised $15,059.72 within the first seven weeks of our mortgage burning campaign. That leaves us with $4, 940.28 to raise before June 15. Donations have ranged from $10.00 to $3,000.00. We thank everyone who has supported us in this leap of faith. Feedback from our membership has been quite positive and reassuring. We have every reason to believe that we will meet or exceed our goal and have a celebration on July 4th. After all, if one family is willing to donate $10,000.00, then surely all of us together can raise $20,000.00. We thank the following for their most generous support:

Virgiline Amos
Kenneth D. Austin
Jasmin Bair
Wade & Juanita Barnett
Warren & Carol Baum
Margaret M. Bauman
Inez A. Bennett
Stephen Bennett
Bergsma Farms
Evelyn Berry
Frank & Virginia Blain
David Branda
Bill Bunten
Dale & Barbara Clauson		 Marilyn Cooper
Duell Farms
Marguerite Dupsky
Fiechter Farms Inc
Dave & Denise Floyd
Les & June Frazier
Bill & Geraldine Gannon & Families
Garvey Texas Foundation, Inc.
Don Glasco
Edna Golemboski
Blanche Hallagin
Duane & Peggy Hanke
Richard Heiny
Roger Helvey		 Andrew E. Hertneky
Wayne & Ann Hilton
Lloyd Holbrook
Richard Hoover
Harlan & Cora House
Curtis & Beverly Hurd
Terry & Marilyn Imel
Doug & Jeanne Irvin
Vernon & Iris Irvin
Dillworth A. Johns
Leo F. Johnson
C. L. (Mickey) McDaniel
Jim & Marilyn McNeill
Lester & Phyllis Meisenheimer
Cesar & Starla Miller		 Larry & Isabel Morgan
Cindy Musil
Lawrence Musil
Carl & Elmarie Nelson
LaVern & Loranell Nelson
Emery & Elaine Pankratz
Kevin & Christine Rasure
Maxine Rauscher
John & Elizabeth Scheopner
Mark Scheopner
Francesca G. Scott
Goodland Thetis Club
Ron & Judy Vignery
Floriene Whisnant
Bill & Millie Wright
Emogene & Lindsay Yates

FUND RAISING, “DO IT THE E-BAY WAY”

The Sherman County Historical Society is listing some items on e-bay as a fund raising project to raise money for the Parker Mortgage Burning Campaign. The items can be found under the seller, shcohistoricalsociety, and thanks are due Marcia Golden and Gennifer House for their most generous help with this endeavor. More items will be listed throughout the duration of the campaign, so check them out and place your bids! Members who have donated items for this project thus far are: Ann Zuspann, David Branda, Curtis Hurd, and Lloyd Holbrook. More items are welcome!

GARAGE-BAKE SALE APRIL 24, 2004

A garage and bake sale will be held at the Ennis-Handy House garage on Saturday, April 24, from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This will be a fund raising project for the Parker Mortgage Burning Campaign. Please bring any items *(No Clothing Please) you wish to donate for the garage sale to the house during the week of April 19, or call 899-6773 on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., to schedule a time for leaving items.

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING
January 31, 2004

Chairman of the Historical Board, David Branda, opened the Annual Meeting held at the Goodland Public Library 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2004 with a welcome to a total of 26 people present. He then introduced our program speakers, Lois Sieck and Arbutus Topliff of Goodland, who spoke about their adventures in researching the listings of all school children and faculty who attended and worked at the Ruleton, Kansas School from 1928 to 1969, and they would like to know what schools from the areas consolidated into the Ruleton School. They are planning to make a book to record what they find.

Lois and Arbutus gave some history about the town named after a man living there, John Rule, and that in 1888 when the post office was approved for the town, the name was developed as Ruleton. They explained that the Ruleton School was consolidated in 1926 and built by Jens Jensen for $30,000.00. The last high school class attending in Ruleton was in 1943, then all students attended Goodland High School.

Business Meeting Followed:

Secretary Carol Baum read the last January 25, 2003 Annual Meeting Minutes, and a motion was made by Millie Wright to approve them as read, seconded by Curtis Hurd, all approved.

Treasurer Mark Scheopner passed out copies of a 2003 Financial Report to everyone, showing the break downs of income and expenses for the year. Pat Juhl made a motion to accept the report, Lloyd Holbrook seconded, and the motion was passed by all attending.

David Branda spoke about and showed the large new wooden plaque made by and donated by Gary Gregory of Goodland to the Historical Society. This plaque holds engraved plates with the names of anyone who donated $250.00 or more to the Historical Society, and it is displayed at the Ennis-Handy House.

David thanked those doing research, spoke of all the High Tea Events, donated items for fundraising, fairbooth, tablescape award, and donations of many types of articles for our house and research use. He spoke about the entrance changes made at the Old School House, hours open now without need of volunteer or help expense, and talked about the Ennis-Handy House repairs and changes done by Curtis Hurd, plus the tree removals and trimming, and gardening changes done by Christie Rasure. David reported on where we held some of our monthly board meetings, like the Old Opera House, Hodgkinson’s Building, which is now owned by Justin Bentzinger, the upstairs floor of the old Thompson building, where the old cars were hoisted up the ramp years ago, and this building is owned by Curtis Hurd. He spoke of Penny Nemechek working to help us with getting some grants, and of the application to get the Ennis-Handy House on the State and National Historical Register.

David and Carol spoke about tours at the house, hopes for other uses of the house, and of advertising.

Millie Wright spoke about a new Obituary book ready for printing from 1916-1930, and about business owners getting brochures on the history of their building when buying their plaques for their buildings.

David Branda presented Curtis Hurd with an honorary life time membership certificate for all the time and talent he has provided the Historical Society over the past and present years.

David Branda welcomed the person to speak who traveled the farthest, Bob Parker, and he expressed to Bob that the Historical Board voted to rename the Research Center on Caldwell Ave. It will now be known as “The Marion and Betty Parker Research Center”. Bob Parker spoke about how his parents developed the interest to collect, research, catalogue, etc. and share the history of Sherman County back in the early 1960’s when Marion’s friend John Reed started the interest, but all his collection was disposed of upon his death. Marion didn’t want to see any more articles, etc. get lost, so started his own collection, and he gained photos with the help of wife Betty who had gone into the photography business. In September 2003 Betty Parker presented all their research gatherings to the Historical Society, and following her death in January 2004 the Parker family wished to help financially with proper storage. However, it was soon decided that the financial help would be best suited to pay off the mortgage on the Ennis-Handy House, thus a drive to raise funds to have a mortgage burning July 4, 2004 will be underway. The Parker family will provide us financially with $1.00 for every $2.00 we raise.

David Branda stated that we will have a special plaque honoring those who donate $100, $300, $500, and $1,000, and anyone donating $250 or more will be remembered on the campaign plaque as well as the plaque for $250 plus.

David Branda spoke of the book created on Sherman County Education developed by Bill Pittman, and recognized Evelyn Ward on the work she does with monthly meetings and compiling items for the newspaper.

Lloyd Holbrook gave the names of four for nomination to our board of trustees recommended by the nomination committee, those being David Branda and Pat Juhl, continuing term, Curtis Hurd and Evelyn Berry for new terms. A motion was made by Millie Wright to cease nominations, seconded by Marilyn Wenger, all approved and accepted. Lloyd Holbrook made a motion that an unanimous ballot be cast, and Kevin Rasure seconded, all approved.

David Branda thanked Diana Spinney for providing all the cookies, and drinks again this year. He had her select a number to provide the winner, Marge Rogers with some Historical note cards. Afterward, at 3:20 p.m. a motion was made by Curtis Hurd to adjourn this meeting, seconded by Gerry Osterman, all approved.

Submitted by Carol M. Baum, Secretary