WABAUNSEE   COUNTY.
 

991
 

judicial dignity for a moment or two, but observing that his fierce scowl
was disregarded, he cried out in stentorian tones, " Take off your hat, sir."
The countryman straightened himself up a little and glanced around the
room, then turned towards the judge and said, " Me, sir." "Yes, you, sir,"
said the judge, adding, " this is a land of laAV and order and both shall be
respected." "All right, sir," said the rustic, standing up and taking off his
hat, and looking around the room and seeing no place where he could hang
it, he turned again to the judge and asked, "Where will I put it?'' The
■audience could not restrain themselves, but broke out into roars of laughter.
" Sheriff," said the judge, " take that man into custody." and the order was
instantly obeyed. I'he man was well thought of by his neighbors, and dur¬
ing the noon adjournment they interceded for him with the judge, and
pleaiSod that he might let him go unpunished. Now, if the judge was partial
to anything in the world, it was to a nice, ripe watermelon, and on re-open¬
ing court the judge had the culprit brought in. He gave him a sound lecture,
and told him if it had not been for the intercession of his neighbors he should
have meted him out the full penalty of the law, but now he was disposed to
be lenient, and he should sentence him to furnish watermelons for the crowd
as quickly as possible. The man went off highly delighted, and in a short
time a Avagon-load of watermelons was drawn up in front ol the court house,
and the biggest one in the pile was carried up and laid upon the judge's
stand. Then they commenced to roll in over thc floor by the dozen,
when the judge ordered court to be adjourned to the following raorning,
and that afternoon a melon-feast was held in the court room.

It was late in the fall of 1860, when a party started frora Wabaunsee to
go buffalo hunting, in order to lay in a supply of meat. The hunting
ground was about forty miles west from Salina, or nearly one hundred railes
from the starting point. It was Saturday evening when they pitched their
camp on the edge of the hunting ground. Next day being Sunday, the
question was debated whether they should hunt on that day or not. Some
favored hunting, but more opposed it, and it was decided not to hunt.
However, a man of the party namedWilliams, a little more skeptical than
the rest, concluded he would bunt anyhow, and started out. He had gone
but a short way when he shot a buffalo and dropped it. Thinking the beast Avas
dead, he went up to dissect it, but he had not quite reached the spot, when
up rose the buffalo and made for him furiously. He now began to realize
that there was not quite so much fun in being hunted by the elephant as in
hunting him. He ran and he shouted, and the faster he ran the faster the
buffalo ran, and was rapidly gaining on him. To hasten his speed he threw
away his rifle; but it was useless, on came the " King of the prairie " until his
horns almost touched Williaras' coat tail. At this juncture W"illianis
turned sudddenly and took hold of the infuriated animal by the mane and
got up straddle of his back. The lookers on dare not fire for fear of hitting
Williams. It was a life or death struggle with him, but the brute danced,
and bucked, and kicked, until it threw him off, and the next instant Wil¬
liams was pitched into the air and came down full length upon the sod.
Just as the buffalo was about staraping the life out of him, a crack from a
rifle was heard, and his majesty dropped; but Williams was saved. The
horns of the animal did not enter his body, but he was stripped of his clothes,
even tohis under-garment. He came back to camp pale as death, and said
that it all occurred from his disregarding the Sabbath, and made solemn
promises to never do anything on Sunday again.

An incident is told of love and jealousy among the pioneers. In 1857,
a very estimable young lady, named Miss S., who found her way from
New England to Wabaunsee, where an uncle of hers had preceded her.
She was a bright, well-educated lady, and to the eyes of the young men
In Wabaunsee, seemed as fair as tbe Jersey Lily. That^some of them
lost their balance on her account was no fault of hers. She was modest
and well behaved, and had been raised under the strictest New England
training. The first who was smitten by her charms was a young doctor,
who soon began to flutter around her like a knat round a candle. He
was stricken by a disease that all the compounds and nostrums known
to the science of medicine could not cure. He seemed to be prospering Avell
in courtship, but just about this time a second suitor came along who
thought he had as good right to try win the affections ol the girl as the com¬
pounder of pills. The young lady was civil to both suitors, and sometimes
would be seen strolling along the "banks of the river with one and sometimes
with the other. The second suitor Avas the owner of a cow, and while the
courtship was going on this cow gave birth to a calf. Here was his oppor¬
tunity to get ahead of the doctor. Those little attentions generally paid to
girls, by way of presents, was out ot the question in Wabaunsee, and the
idea entered the head of number two, that he would show his devotion to
his lady-love by presenting her with this calf, which, he concluded, would
be a settler on the doctor. In due time the calf was led forth and pre¬
sented, and the young lady, having an eye to business, accepted the quad¬
ruped with a very gracious smile, which greatly pleased the donor, and he
thinking he had laid out the doctor by this little strategera, went away de¬
lighted. While all this Avas going on, there was a third gentleman who had
been taking observations of how things were moving, ami about this tirae he
raade his appearance upon the scene and carried away the prize. In a short
time they were married in due form, and having previously had a home all
prepared for the reception of his bride, thither they repaired after the mar¬
riage ceremony was over, with a number of their friends, where they found
the wedding supper already prepared to which the company sat down.
This over, the guests in due time departed, and the ueAvly married couple
were left to enjoy the commencement of then- honeymoon. Suitor number
two, had taken his discomflture quite philosophically, and consoled him¬
self by the old adage about as good fish being in the sea, etc.; but the doctor s
mind took a very different turn. The green-eyed monster had taken pos¬
session of hira, and that night wben the settlement was all still and quiet,
he stole forth and applied the torch to the house of the new-made bride and
 

gi'oom.    Soon the house was in flames, and  instantly the cry ..I  "Fin-
ringing through the settlement disturbed tin- ncAyly-married couple in thi-ir
dreams of future pleasure and happin(-ss. und rushhig from the house, they
left the bridal couch to become fo.id lor thc flamesi    In the morning the
doctor was missing, and n.-ver after returned to the s.-tiL-nient.

FlIisT  THI.Nlls,

Firsl Settlers.—Alma Township—Henry Terrass, Fred Polenski, G.
Zwanziger, 18-j(i: Washingtim ToAvnship—Henry Grimm, A. I'.rusche, Jlr.
Jlaxbrink, Adolph Putting, Jlr. Durfee. l-s."i7: "l-'armcr ToAvnship—T. P.
Gleieh, l«."i:i; and I'eter Thors. Fniiik Schmidt. B. Shrauder, John Copp.
C. Schwankee, is.'ii: and Ed. Krapp, A. llankimraer. Joseph Thoes, and
John Spcicker, in lS."ili: Wabaunsee ToAvnship—I'eter Sliaiai, h's-"!!; and J.
H. Nesliit. B. Sharai, Rev. Ilarvey Jones, J. JI. Bisby, D. B. Hyatt. Clark
Lapham, .Joshua Smith, Robert Hanks, and Rev. Jlr. Leonard, in 1-"<-j5: and
the "Beecher Rifle Companv," or "Xew llaven Colony." in l-'^.")!!; Jla|ilc
llill Township—llenry Fauefbach, John Winkler and John Durham, 1868:
Jlill Creek Township—Henry Schmidt, William Drebing. B. CUne, J. Jlctz-
gar, 18."i6, and Joseph Treu, IM.iT; Wilmington Township—Henry Harvey.
1854, and Isaiah Harris and Samuel Woods in l-'^56: Kaw Township—Peter
RenoAv and Henry Keedmg. 1868: Newbury Townshiii—.J. W. Phillips and
P. Muchendahler, I86II; Rock Creek Township—Ed. liuki-r. JV. Cooper, Jlr.
Zink and J. R. Wolfe in 18.j<», and William Exon m 1860.

Fir.'it Biisiiie.is Established. — Wabaunsee Township—country store. •!.
H. Nesbit, IH-i.j; Alma Toyvnship—saAv and grist-mill, by G. Zwanziger,
ia58; Wilmington Township—country store, by H. D. Shejiard, 1-S")ll: far¬
mer Township—country store, by Thors Bros., Ic8-'i7; NeAvbury Township-
dry goods and groceries, by Goldstandt e'v: Cohn, 187(1; Jlission Creek Towu¬
sliip—country store, by Co-operative Comiuiny; Rock Creek Township—
country store, by Wm. BreAver, 1874; Jluple llill Township^country store,
by Bro'oks e^: Vai'etv, 1880; .\lmaCity—dry goods and groceries, hy Schmitz
& Jleyer, 18117; toAvn ol Eskridgi—grocery ston-, hy Wm. Karl, l-'SSl); Alma
ToAvnship—country store, "W". 1'. Jlahan, 1857.

First Schoolhouses. — Wabaunsee Township. If^.'i7. leuehcr, D. B.
Hiatt; Alma Township, ISIi'i, teacher, A. Rusch; Fanner ToAvnship, \»l't'2.
teacher, Anna Kees; Wiisliin,uton Townshiji, i'aiis, leaclier, S. Thackcry; Jlill
Creek ToAvnship, 1862, teacher, Jlr. Woestraw; JIapIc Hill Township, 187',',
teacher. John lioole; Newbury Township, 1870, teai-hei-, JIiss Jessie Iliighes;
"Wilmington Township, IS.'iS, "teaelier, Susan Andrews: Jlission Creek Town¬
ship, 18.50, teacher, Jlary Garrison; Rock Cn-ek Township, 1871!, teacher,
Jliss Armina Walderman.

Fir.it JIarriai/es.—Alma Township—T. Boydston aud Jlarguret C.
Johnston, April 111, 1868; Wabaunsee Township—K. C. li. Lines and Graee
A. Thomas, Jtme, 18.57; Washington ToAvnship—August I'lrasche and Wil¬
helmina Schultz, June 14, 1866; Mill Creek Township—Jo.seph Tn-u and
('atherine Cline, April, IS-'i!!: Rock Creek Township—Robert Ilaslell and
Catherine Consalus, 1872; Wilmmgton ToAvnship—E. B. Jlurrell and JIai->
J. Harris, February, 1860: Farmer Township—J. P. Gleieh and Catherine
Terrass, April 16, "1857: Jlaple Hill Township—S, S. Walkby and Ellen
Taylor, December 21, 1S71; Newbury ToAvnship—Dean Carr and .Anna
Griffin, 1872; Mission Creek ToAvnship—(ieo. W. Duly and Eliza Doty, 1858.

First Justices of the Peace.—F. H. Hebrank, E. L. Lower, C. F. Hotch¬
kiss, W. P. Cotton, S. F. Ross and J. W. jrossinan.

First Con.itables.-.John Scliwaiike, W. S. Williams, J. T. Genn, A.
Shepard, Daniel Spear and H. S. Pounce.

First Postmasters.—Alma. Township, A. Jleyer; Xewliury Township,
P. H. Mosier; Jlaple Hill Township, R. H. Waterraan; Washington Town¬
ship, H. Grimm; Farmer Township. John Speicher; Jlission Creek ToAvn¬
ship, H. J. Loomis; Wilmington Township, 0. H. Sheldon; Rock Creek
ToAviiship, Wm. Exon; Jlill Creek ToAvnship, John Hess.

Hon. Jacob Safford was the first District Judge that held court in tlu-
county; and the first ease tried in court Avas "Patrick JI. Henry cs. Parker,
JlcGregor et al.," which was an action of foreclosure.

C. B. Lines was the flrst man elected to represent tlie county in Terri¬
torial Legislature, and E. J. Lines the first to n-present the county in the
State Legislature. The first—and only—State Senator ever elected fnnn
the county was J. JI. Hubbard.

The first Avhite person that died in the county Avas Henry Terrass. who

died in the spring of 1857; and the flrst births were, ------ Sharrai, in 1H5(;:

Wm. Krapp, October 1, lSo7; and Caroline Gleieh, April 111, ls.-)8.

Fii'st Suit in Justice's Court.—The fiviit lawsuit tried in thecounty
was tried before F. H. Hebrank, a Justice of the Peace in and for Alma
ToAvnship. The case was brought to recover damag.-s, and the foUoAving i>
a copy of the docket entries:

Peter Thoes, Plaintiff,        \

vs.                        - S8.

Edward Krapp, Defendant. )

This 26th day of Jnne, Peter Thoes sued Edward Krapp f.n tn-i-a-s. In .-urryiu^' ofl
oravelofE his lands without his consent, and treble damagi>s fi.r the ,sum.if r. i.l^t ■ entr
and costs of suit.    [Here follows a list of the witnessea.]                                     tk.. .hnv,

Alma Township, Wabaunsee Ounty, the Tth day of July. A. D. Isu). Ihc abov.
named persons are present, but Peter Times demanded a jury therefore, I iidj..urned the
cause from the Tth to the inth ot July. On the irith day of July, th.- < u-e via- heard and
tbe following testimony was introduced. Peter Tl'""'=-1'"."""'■,'«'"'■ "''^'",;'""'"^^ ^I,
had not seen that Ed. Krapp has taken the gravel, but that he (td  Krapp) ..H.-re.! him «.

'" Joseph Thoes testified that he went to the pliiec h lu-re the- L'ravel has l~-.-ii taken, im.l
that he fmiiul. to his judj^nent, about two hundred luishels of it ir.ine: he sa« ihe »a^.i i
tracks going out into the mad toward the hi.ii-.- ..f .l.-f.-ii.lant. The testimony of Jo.-.pi.
Weiss fikewise, of Fred St.-iiiiuayer, also.

The testimony of Ells Metziriir and Peler M.-t/.-iir i- unimi.urtant
The jurors went back and retarned in a slu.rt lime; tli.-> ajjr.-.-.l in the lerUat and ar.
discharged.