Republican daily paper, and first appeared May 5, 1864, with Franklin G.
Adams as its editor and proprietor. In April, 1865, Frank A. Root became
a partner, and subsequently, L. R. Elliott, who had been an assistant
editor, became a proprietor, with Mr. Root retiring later, when the
paper was consolidated with the _Champion_.

The office of the _Champion and Press_ was destroyed by fire May 20,
1869, but three weeks later the paper was in running order, with John A.
Martin as sole editor and proprietor, and from that date until the death
of Mr. Martin October 2, 1889, it remained one of the most influential
and prosperous papers in the State of Kansas.

Upon the death of Mr. Martin, the newspaper property was turned over to
his father-in-law, W. L. Challiss, as executor of Mr. Martin’s estate,
and on the day of Mr. Martin’s death the name of Phillip Krohn appears
as managing editor. Krohn occupied that important place until March 29,
1890, when his name appeared for the last time as editor. Dr. Phillip
Krohn was a man of brilliant attainments, a fluent writer, and a
pleasing public speaker. He was a Methodist minister by profession, but,
although he occupied the pulpit upon occasions, his name was seldom
taken seriously in connection with religious work. From the date of
Governor Martin’s death the paper gradually waned in influence. The
paper remained the property of the estate of Governor Martin, and Luther
C. Challiss was editor and manager, until October 11, 1804, when A. J.
Felt, an ex-lieutenant governor of Kansas, became its editor and
proprietor. The paper did not prosper under the management of Mr. Felt,
and four years later a company was organized by Charles M. Sheldon, a
promoter, and Mr. Sheldon became its editor May 2, 1898. Mr. Sheldon was
an enthusiastic and aggressive individual, who had very little respect
for the value of money, which he spent so lavishly that two months
later, July 1, 1898, his name appeared for the last time as editor of
the _Champion_. On the twentieth of that month the paper was sold to
satisfy a mortgage and the property was re-purchased by A. J. Felt, who
immediately transferred it to the Champion Linotype Printing Company, a
partnership, composed of Edward Skinner, George T. Housen, Charles O.
Hovatter, James McNamara and A. J. Felt. Mr. Felt again resumed the
editorial management of the paper, and remained in charge until January
1, 1899.

February 3, 1899, Henry Kuhn, who surveyed the townsite of Atchison,
returned to the city with his son, James G. Kuhn. They made a heroic
effort to restore the lost prestige of the _Champion_, but soon became
discouraged, and in the latter part of May or early in the June
following, they gave up the ghost and silently disappeared. The
mortgagees continued the publication of the paper, and July 31, 1899,
the name of John A. Reynolds appears as business manager. It had no
editor until August 23, 1899, when James G. Day, Jr., a young lawyer,
occupying a desk in the office of Waggener, Horton & Orr, became editor
and manager. Mr. Day ran a daily until January 9, 1900, when it was
discontinued. The following March he published a daily for one week, “as
the devil would run it,” a piece of cynicism in reply to an effort the
_Topeka Capital_ made a short time before, when that paper was turned
over to Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, the eminent Congregational preacher,
who ran that paper one week, “As Jesus would run it.”

Meanwhile, the _Champion_ had its ups and downs, but did not die. A
daily again appeared April 22, 1901, with Ewing Herbert, one of the
celebrated newspaper men of Kansas, as its editor and owner. Mr. Herbert
was at that time the owner of the _Brown County World_, at Hiawatha. He
conceived the idea that Atchison offered an attractive field for a
newspaper venture, and he succeeded in interesting some local capital in
his enterprise. Capt. John Seaton was a stockholder, among others, and
Jay House, the present mayor of Topeka (1915) and a brilliant newspaper
paragrapher, was city editor. Mr. Herbert spent only part of his time in
Atchison, and turned over the management of the _Champion_ to Mr. House.
It looked for a time as if Mr. Herbert was going to make a success of
his venture, but just at the height of his prosperity he was guilty of
an editorial indiscretion, which turned some powerful influences against
the paper, and on August 17, 1901, Mr. Herbert gave up his effort as a
bad job and turned the plant over to one W. A. Robinson, formerly of St.
Louis, Mo. Mr. Robinson was a follower of Henry George, the great single
taxer, and conceived it to be his duty to spread the single tax
propaganda through the editorial columns of the _Champion_. His efforts
in this direction did not prove profitable, and becoming disheartened
and discouraged he fled from the city shortly thereafter, a much poorer
but wiser man.

The _Champion_ next fell into the hands of Corman H. Young, for many
years a successful music merchant, of Atchison, who incidentally
acquired a small job printing plant, which he operated on North Fifth
street, and which he subsequently merged with the _Champion_ plant,
having acquired that by paying off the mortgage which Mr. Robinson gave
Ewing Herbert at the lime he undertook to acquire the property. Mr.
Young ran a weekly paper for a number of years, until May, 1907, when he
employed Walt Mason, the famous prose poet of the United States, to
assume the editorial management of a daily. Mr. Mason many years before
had been a resident of Atchison, and ran the Globe during the absence of
Mr. Howe in Europe. He was not so famous in 1907 as he is in 1915, but
he was just as brilliant. He published the daily _Champion_ on pink
paper and filled it with columns of editorial matter and humorous
running comment on current affairs. Mr. Mason had a wonderful capacity
for work and could prepare more “copy” in one day than all the other
writers on the paper could prepare in a week. During the summer of 1907,
Sheffield Ingalls, having returned from the legislature, where he was a
member of the house of representatives, became an editorial writer on
the _Champion_. November 20, 1907, Mr. Young prevailed upon Mr. Ingalls
to give up his other work and become editor of the paper. As Mr. Ingalls
walked into the office, Mr. Mason walked out, never to return. Mr.
Ingalls remained editor and manager of the _Champion_ until October 6,
1909, having been frustrated in plans he had made to acquire the
property as his own. Mr. Young continued to run the paper until July 1,
1911, when Mr. Ingalls, with the assistance of J. C. Killarney,
succeeded in organizing a company, which purchased the paper and turned
it over to Eugene C. Pulliam, as editor. Mr. Pulliam was a young man,
who had served his apprenticeship on the _Kansas City Star_ as a
reporter. He was a good writer, but lacked experience and business
judgment, and while he made a vigorous effort to run the paper, and had
the benefit of strong financial connections, he did not succeed, and
September 1, 1914, he turned the paper over to Sheffield Ingalls as
trustee, and it was subsequently sold to A. S. Andereck and his brother,
A. P. Andereck, of Kankakee, Ill. A few months later a company was
organized, composed of the Andereck brothers, O. A. Simmons, vice-
president of the First National Bank, Wilbur C. Hawk and Sheffield
Ingalls, who in 1915 are conducting the paper, and it is enjoying its
most prosperous days since the death of its brilliant editor, John A.
Martin.

In 1877 there came to Atchison a young man who subsequently became one
of the famous editors of the United States, Edgar Watson Howe. Mr. Howe
was born in Wabash county, Indiana, May 3, 1854, a son of Henry and
Elizabeth Howe. When he was about three years of age his family removed
to Bethany, Harrison county, Missouri, where the father, a Methodist
preacher, published a newspaper of strong abolition sentiments. The
younger Mr. Howe served an apprenticeship at the printer’s trade in his
father’s office, and in 1868 started out for himself. He visited various
cities, working at the case to earn money to pay his way from one place
to another, and at the age of eighteen became the publisher of the
weekly _Globe_, at Golden, Colo. From there he went to Falls City, Neb.,
where he published a newspaper, subsequently coming to Atchison, and
established the _Daily Globe_. When Mr. Howe reached Atchison, the
_Champion_, under the management of John A. Martin, was the most
powerful newspaper organ in the northern half of Kansas, and the field
here was none too promising on this account. However, Mr. Howe proceeded
to publish a paper of an entirely different type than that published by
Mr. Martin. It was a small sheet, and was devoted to “_gab, gossip and
paid locals_,” and for over thirty years this policy was successfully
maintained by Mr. Howe. It was unique in the journalistic world, and
under the management of Mr. Howe it acquired a National reputation,
chiefly because of the quaint, homely philosophy it contained and the
unusual treatment he gave the ordinary incidents of human life. As a
reporter of this class of news, Mr. Howe was perhaps without a peer in
the country. For over thirty years he tramped the streets of Atchison
with note-book and pencil, and to practically every item he turned in he
gave a peculiar twist, which reflected a remarkable insight of human
nature. With Mr. Howe were associated Miss Frances L. Garside, Ralph
(“Doc”) Tennal, Miss Nellie Webb and J. E. Rank. To each of them Mr.
Howe was indebted for much of the success the _Globe_ attained. The
death of Col. John A. Martin and the collapse of the _Champion_, that
followed, gave Mr. Howe his opportunity, and for the greater part of his
active newspaper career in Atchison he had the field to himself. The
_Globe_ was a great financial success and in one year it has been said
that Mr. Howe cleared close to $24,000 on his property. “Doc” Tennal was
the first one of Mr. Howe’s faithful associates to break up the _Globe_
family. Mr. Tennal was a remarkable reporter of local news, but being
ambitious and realizing the limitations by which he was surrounded, he
concluded to acquire a newspaper property of his own, and in pursuance
of that plan, he bought the _Sabetha Herald_ in 1905, subsequently
relinquishing it to become editor of the _Kansas City Weekly Star_. He
returned some years later to Sabetha, and re-purchased the _Herald_
plant, and is now the editor of that prosperous and progressive paper
(1915).

J. E. Rank left the _Globe_ a few years later, and went to Bartlesville,
Okla., where he ran a paper a short time, and then returned to Atchison,
and his first newspaper love.

Miss Garside, who was one of the most brilliant newspaper women in the
country, went from the _Globe_ to the _New York Journal_, and in 1909
Mr. Howe turned the _Globe_ over to his son, Eugene Howe, who is now
(1915) its editor and principal owner. Associated with him are Mr. Rank
and Miss Nellie Webb, together with other old _Globe_ employes.

Miss Webb is the society reporter, and in this capacity she has acquired
a brilliant reputation among the newspaper women of Kansas. The “policy”
of the _Globe_ remains unchanged, and, while it may not enjoy the same
prestige it had during the days of the elder Howe, it is still one of
the moneymaking newspaper plants of Kansas. Eugene Howe is a young man
of much promise. He is still young and has spent his life in newspaper
work. He has carried the new responsibilities thrust upon him by his
father both gracefully and tactfully, and there is every reason to
predict a successful future for him.

Among the early newspaper enterprises of Atchison was _The Patriot_,
established by Nelson Abbott October 25, 1867. In September, 1868,
Messrs. H. Clay Park, B. P. Waggener and Mr. Abbott formed a
partnership, under the name of H. Clay Park & Company, and purchased the
establishment, and in October of the same year, the paper passed into
the hands of C. F. and C. P. Cochrane, but shortly thereafter reverted
to Nelson Abbott, who remained in control until December, 1875. Dr. H.
B. Horn, for many years a respected and honored citizen of Atchison, was
connected with the paper as bookkeeper and business manager, and
performed much of the editorial work, and when Mr. Abbott finally
relinquished control of the paper, it fell again into the hands of H.
Clay Park, who together with F. L. Vandergrift and P. H. Peters, assumed
control. Mr. Peters did not remain long in the partnership, and in 1877
he sold his interest to E. W. Beall. The paper was Democratic, and Mr.
Park, who was very actively identified with the affairs of Atchison in
the early days, was an able editor. He left Atchison twenty-five years
later, to become an editorial writer on the _St. Joseph News_ and
_Press_. F. L. Vandergrift is one of the famous newspaper men of Kansas,
and for many years was the representative in Kansas of the _Kansas City
Star_. He is one of the best loved and best known newspaper writers of
the West, and is now (1915) editor of the _Earth_, a publication devoted
to the interests of the Santa Fe railroad.

One of the well known newspaper men of the West connected with _The
Patriot_ was Tom Stivers, who was connected with the _Champion_ for
eight years, and in January, 1879, became a partner with Mr. Park and
Mr. Vandergrift.

_The Patriot_ was an afternoon daily paper, and always stanchly
Democratic in politics, and for many years was a successful journalistic
enterprise. This paper continued to be published either as a weekly or a
daily until about October 12, 1895. It was in a precarious condition
many years before that date, and had a number of different editors,
among them F. M. Stambaugh and W. J. Montgomery. _The Atchison Morning
Star_ and _Daily Patriot_ was built upon the wreck of the original
_Patriot_, its first issue being dated October 13, 1895, and running
until February 23, 1896.

_The Atchison Union_ was a Democratic paper, established by Gideon O.
Chase, about 1858. It had an office in a frame building at the southwest
corner of Fifth and Commercial streets, subsequently occupied by the
_Champion_. Mr. Chase came from Waverly. N. V., and his paper, while
Democratic, was for the Union and against slavery. Mr. Chase did not
remain in charge of the paper very long, and turned it over to W. H.
Addoms and G. I. Stebbins. Shortly thereafter Stebbins retired, and
Addoms went to Leavenworth, where he started a paper, turning his
interest over to A. P. Cochrane, who was an employe in the office.
Cochrane did not run the paper but a short time, when a Mr. Leland,
Francis J. Marion and Franklin G. Adams assumed control and ran it a
short time, when Marion took the plant of Plattsburg, Mo., and junked
it, and for many years what was left of the paper was piled up in the
court house at that place.

_The Atchison Church Visitor_ was established in 1906, and was published
by the pastors of the following churches: English Lutheran, Methodist,
Christian, Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist.

On January 14, 1911, Paul Tonsing became its editor and publisher. The
paper is printed by Mr. Tonsing in the office over 500 Commercial
street, so long occupied as the editorial room of John A. Martin, of
whom Mr. Tonsing is a son-in-law. Mr. Tonsing is a Lutheran minister by
profession, and for a number of years after his graduation from Midland
College, he did pastoral work in a number of Lutheran churches in
Nebraska and Kansas. Mr. Tonsing is a reformer, and a man not without
courage and ability. His views are looked upon as too extreme by the
conservative liberal element of Atchison, but all give him credit for
being conscientious and honest. He is a hard-working, industrious
citizen, and, while he has made inane active enemies in his reform work,
he enjoys the personal satisfaction of seeing many of the reforms he has
advocated come to pass. He is an avowed foe of the liquor traffic, and
has perhaps done more than any other individual in the community to make
his views on that question effective. In connection with the publication
of the _Church Visitor_, Mr. Tonsing also prints and edits the _Western
Chief_, a monthly publication devoted to the Improved Order of Redmen.

_E. W. Howe’s Monthly_ was started by Mr. Howe in March, 1911. It is
published monthly and contains practically all of the present literary
efforts of its editor. Mr. Howe has adopted the use of pink paper for
this publication, which is composed of four pages. It contains no
advertising matter, but has a large circulation among friends and
admirers of Mr. Howe’s peculiar literary type. Mr. Howe has popularized
this monthly by making the price so low that no subscriber can afford
not to take it, and when he has reached a circulation large enough, he
plans to put it on a profitable basis as an advertising medium.

_The Effingham New Leaf_ was started about April 12, 1894, with M. C.
Klingman, editor, and his wife, Mrs. Ima L. Klingman, as associate
editor. The _New Leaf_ was the successor of the _Effingham Times_,
founded in 1887, and the _Effingham Graphic_, founded in 1891, and the
_Effingham World_, founded in 1893. After the death of M. C. Klingman,
at the Missouri Baptist sanitarium, at St. Louis, Mo., May 5, 1899, Mrs.
Klingman took charge as editor and publisher, and employed W. W. Cahoon,
associate editor. January 4, 1901, J. W. Coleman became the editor and
publisher, and W. W. Cahoon, associate editor. In December, 1903, W. W.
Cahoon purchased a one-half interest and the firm became Coleman &
Cahoon. Mr. Coleman re-purchased the paper October 16, 1903, and
continued its publication until September 8, 1903, when Mr. Cahoon and
C. E. Sells became the editors and publishers. May 4 of the following
year Mr. Cahoon sold his interest to W. H. Sells, and August 31, 1906,
C. E. and A. J. Sells took charge of the paper, and in 1915 were still
its publishers.

_The Effingham New Leaf_ is a successful country newspaper, serving its
readers faithfully and satisfactorily.

_The Muscotah Record_ was founded about October 1, 1884, by F. M.
Bonham, who ran the paper until about 1886, when on August 18 of that
year the Miller brothers became its editors and publishers. They sold it
to Claud Martin and Coleman Martin December 4, 1889, who subsequently
sold the plan to M. C. Klingman, editor of the _Effingham New Leaf_,
May, 1890. Mr. Klingman turned the property over to Fred W. Badger July
18, 1890, who continued the paper until December 8, 1893, when he
disposed of it to John Ford. Ford published the paper until November 1,
1894, when he sold it to James S. Martin and Guy L. Stotter, the latter
assuming entire control March 6, 1896. Mr. Stotter sold the _Record_ to
J. W. Campbell August 17, 1905, but assumed control of it again November
23, 1905, and remained in control until June 6, 1907, when J. A.
Shoemaker, who afterwards became county superintendent of Atchison
county, appeared as its editor and publisher. When Mr. Shoemaker was
elected county superintendent, he turned the property over to A. W.
Huntis, who on February 3, 1910, sold it to P. J. Cortelyon, and March
7, 1912, the property was purchased by R. M. Dunlap, who is now (1915)
its editor and publisher.

_The Huron Herald_ started January 7, 1892, with Frank I. White as
editor and publisher. On May 16, 1895, Messrs. Priest & Priest took
charge and were in control October 18, 1896, when the office was
destroyed by fire. The paper was suspended for a few weeks and the next
issue was dated November 6, 1896, with W. E. Johnson, editor and
publisher. _The Herald_ suspended publication in February, 1897, and was
again resurrected by W. A. Huff by the issue of April 9, 1897. Mr. Huff
discontinued the paper in 1900, and went to Brown county, where he was
active in newspaper work in that county. _The Huron Herald_ was revived
again April 12, 1907, by J. E. Smith, who published it until March 12,
1914, and March 19 of that year. J. M. Delaney announced that through no
fault of his, he was forced to take control of the paper, and had
employed Herman Van. On August 19, 1915, T. A. Cur became editor, and on
November 11, 1915, Orvil L. Pancake was in charge.

_The Potter Kansan_ was originally known as the _Potter Leaf_, which
started November 22, 1900, by Eppie L. Barber and Norene Barber, his
wife. Mr. Barber surrendered control of the paper September 17, 1903,
turning it over to his wife, who became its publisher. Shortly
thereafter, Charles B. Remsburg, who for many years was a well known
newspaper reporter in northeastern Kansas, appeared as its editor and
publisher, and remained in charge until May 11, 1905, when he turned it
over to J. W. Thompson and his wife, Mrs. J. W. Thompson. On August 17,
1905, the Thompsons leased the paper to R. J. Wilson, but in the
following December Mr. Thompson resumed control again and placed Howard
C. King in charge as local editor and business manager. On March 22,
1906, W. A. Remsburg became proprietor and in the following September,
J. E. Remsburg purchased the plant, and is now its editor.

_The Potter Kansan_ is one of the best known country weekly papers in
Kansas and the contributions from the pen of George J. Remsburg, the
noted archaeologist and newspaper paragrapher and poet, are frequently
quoted by the newspapers of the State.

Atchison county, perhaps, has been the graveyard for as many newspapers
as any other county in the State. The State Historical Society has
reserved the record, and in many instances, the files, of newspapers,
which have been born, and after a brief existence, have died in this
county.

The first rival newspaper of the _Champion_, then the _Squatter
Sovereign_, was the _Sumner Gazette_, published at Sumner in 1857. It
survived only a short time, as also did the _Western Spy_, which lived a
few months in 1860.

In 1857 _The Kansas Zeitung_ was started by Kab & Sussman, but was moved
to Leavenworth in 1859.

Half a dozen papers sprung up in 1862 and 1863, among which were: _The
Pleifer_, _The Bulletin_, _The Union-Banner_, _The Anti-Jayhawker_, _The
Standard_, and _Die Tackle_.

In 1873 the anti John A. Martin crowd, headed by John M. Price, started
a Republican daily and weekly, called the _Globe_, with A. W. Wagnhals,
J. B. Dutton, Rev. E. Cooper, T. F. Smith and Franklin G. Adams as the
principal writers. It lasted but a few months. Wagnhals subsequently
changed his name to Wagnalls, and moved to New York City, where he
became a great publisher as a member of the firm of Funk & Wagnalls,
which published the Standard Dictionary and a number of other well known
publications.

The following list shows the different publications received by the
Historical Society from Atchison county at the end of the year 1915:

 _Atchison Champion_, daily and weekly.
 _Atchison Globe_, daily and weekly.
 _The Midland_, Atchison.
 _The Abbey Student_, Atchison.
 _Midland College Bulletin_, Atchison.
 _St. Benedict’s Calendar_, Atchison.
 _The Western Chief_, Atchison.
 _Atchison Church Visitor._
 _E. W. Howe’s Monthly_, Atchison.
 _Kansas Synod Lutheran_, Atchison.
 _The Optimist_, Atchison.
 _Effingham New Leaf._
 _Atchison County High School News_, Effingham.
 _Muscotah Record._
 _Potter Kansan._
 _Huron Herald._

Among the numerous publications that have enjoyed a brief existence in
this county, are the following:

_Kansas Churchman_, published at Atchison from November, 1891, to
December, 1892. Rev. E. K. Brooke was editor. This publication had been
published at Salina, Kan., previously, and from Atchison was removed to
Lawrence.

_Arrington Argus_, started by T. W. Gardner, and was suspended after the
tenth number.

_The American Journal of Education_ was published at Atchison and St.
Louis, Mo., by Messrs. J. B. Merwin and I. C. Scott, in 1870.

_The Atchisonian_, established March 24, 1877, by the Atchison
Publishing Company. This paper was a six column, eight page affair, with
a patent inside. The last issue appeared May 26, 1877.

_Atchison Daily Times_ was started February 3, 1887, by John N.
Reynolds, but after the seventh issue the paper was changed to a weekly,
and called the _Atchison Weekly Times_, from March 19 to July 2, 1887.
The next issue was dated July 11, 1887, and was again called _The
Atchison Daily Times_, and ran as such until August 6, 1887, when it
suspended. John N. Reynolds was in many ways, a unique character. He
came to Atchison as the organizer and manager of a live stock insurance
company. He was at one time a preacher, and his career in Atchison was
remarkable for its violence and his disregard for both the proprieties
and the ethics of the newspaper profession, he was looked upon by many
as an irresponsible demagogue, and it was supposed that he ran his paper
for blackmailing purposes. The story goes that during his management of
the live stock insurance company, he incurred an advertising bill with
one of the local papers, and failing to pay the bill, the editor of the
local paper, instead of having recourse to the courts, began to heap
abuse upon Reynolds, and using this as a pretext, Reynolds established
the _Times_, for the purpose of retaliation. As the result of this
episode, Reynolds became very violent in his denunciation of many men of
established reputations in the community, and during the time that he
published his paper there was much excitement of an undesirable
character in the city. Reynolds finally landed in the Kansas State
penitentiary, having served a term previously in the Missouri State
penitentiary. He wrote a book subsequently, relating largely to his
treatment in these two institutions, which he entitled “The Twin Hells.”
For a short period he edited his paper from the county jail in Atchison,
but in 1888 J. A. Sunderland took hold of the _Times_, and it was
published up to January 31, 1891.

_The Sunday Morning Call_ was started by the Call Printing Company, with
Frank Pearce as editor and publisher, and was first issued in magazine
form February 8, 1880. March 28, 1880, Barton Lowe & Company became
editors and publishers, enlarging the paper to a five column folio.
January 3, 1881, Luther L. Higby appears as a member of the firm, but
with the issue of October 9, 1881, Luther L. Higby became sole owner.
November 6, 1881, C. F. Cochrane became one of the editors, and January
18, 1882, Chris Rutt became a partner of Mr. Higby, and this firm sold
the plant to Herman J. Rodman October 22, 1882, who continued it until
November 18, 1883, when the name was changed to _The Western Mercury_,
with E. J. Van Deventer and H. J. Rodman as publishers, and it was
continued until about 1886.

_The Missouri Valley Farmer_ was published by A. J. Felt during the time
that Mr. Felt was editor of the _Champion_. The first issue of the
_Farmer_ was dated January 5, 1893, and it continued until August 18,
1898, at which time it was sold to C. M. Sheldon, who also became owner
of the _Champion_, and the _Missouri Valley Farmer_ was moved to Kansas
City.

_The New West_ was a monthly journal of immigration, published by the
Immigrant Union, that was established in Atchison in August, 1878. It
was issued in magazine form and contained about sixteen pages of reading
matter. The earlier numbers of the publication were printed at Hannibal,
Mo., and in 1878 H. H. Allen, who was for many years a real estate
operator in Atchison, became the editor of this paper. Mr. Allen
subsequently sold the property to J. G. P. Hilderbrand, who later turned
the property over to two men by the names of Berry and Henry. The last
issue appeared about July, 1880.

_Atchison Baptist_ was a monthly magazine, printed by the City Mission
Publication Company, of Pittsburgh, Pa., in the interests of the First
Baptist church, of Atchison. It lasted about three years, and W. H. Park
was the local editor.

_Kansas Agriculturist_ was a weekly publication, which was established
July 18, 1898, and probably died about March 20, 1899.

The _Atchison Blade_ was established July 16, 1892, and published by the
Blade Publishing Company, composed of Dr. Grant Brown, Natt G. Langston,
and Will Harris, three prominent negroes of Atchison. It was a four
page, six column paper, and was operated, after several changes in the
management, until about January 20, 1894. It again resumed publication
November 5, 1897, and was run until September 19, 1898, by H. Lewis
Dorsey.

_The Kansas Statesman_, Atchison, was established February 15, 1901, by
G. W. Myers & Sons, office, 315 Commercial street. This paper was
absorbed by the _Atchison Champion_, after the issue of October 11,
1901.

_The Trades Union_, Atchison, was founded September 5, 1885, by Frank
Hall, R. Tompkins, and James W. Reilly. This paper was the official
paper of the Kansas State Assembly of the Knights of Labor, office, 521
Commercial street. The last issue on file is dated November 6, 1886, and
the paper moved to Topeka after this date.

_The Atchison Banner_ was a German paper, and C. F. Ruth was editor and
publisher. This was a seven column, four page paper, and was founded
March 1, 1878. It was enlarged to an eight column paper the same year.
It supported the Republican State ticket in 1878. The paper was
suspended after the issue of July 12, 1879.

_The Bible Investigator_ was a monthly publication, started about July,
1881, by William Kirby and A. D. Stevens. It was printed by W. H.
Haskell & Son, who for many years conducted a prosperous printing
business in Atchison. The editor was William Kirby, and a Mr. Stevens
was the manager, both of whom were residents of Doniphan, and a notice
in the paper asked that communications for either one should be
addressed to that place. It was in operation about five months.

_Atchison’s Monthly_ was published by W. H. Haskell & Son, and the
managing editor was Herman J. Rodman. It did not last long.

_Sentinel of the Northwest_ was a monthly publication, of which Dr. A.
H. Lamphear was editor. The only issue of which there is any record was
Volume 1, No. 1, date January 1, 1883.

_Sunday Morning Facts_ was published by E. W. Beal from September 2,
1883, until about February 3, 1884.

_Der Humorist_, was as the title indicates, a German publication, with
L. Willstaedt as its publisher. This paper, or magazine, was also short
lived, lasting less than a year.

_Atchison Sunday Morning Sermon_, published by J. W. and J. M. Tanner.
First issue was June 1, 1884, and the last issue about July 27, 1884.

_Atchison Advance_, published by Frank Hall and Dr. H. B. Horn. The
first issue of the paper was November 5, 1884, and the last issue was
January 3, 1885.

_The Messachorean_ was started in 1887, and issued about every two
months. It was devoted to the interest of Midland College, and edited by
the faculty. It died about June, 1888.

_The Atchison Daily Bee_ was one of John N. Reynolds’ enterprises, which
started March 25, 1889, and suspended April 4, 1889.

_The Tradesman_ was a monthly publication, devoted to the trade
unionism, and was edited by Robert Tompkins, the veteran editor and
publisher.

_Stebbins & Talbot’s Real Estate Record_, established in 1869, by C. I.
Stebbins, W. R. Stebbins and J. H. Talbot. This was, as its name
implies, a publication devoted to booming real estate in Atchison county
and vicinity.

_Kansas Monthly Souvenir_ was published by Fitch Rice & Company from
February, 1873, to sometime in June of the same year.

_Gardner’s Real Estate Bulletin_ was another real estate journal,
published monthly, by C. V. Gardner in 1873.

_The Short Line Advocate_ was issued by the Atchison & Denver Railroad
Company in 1879.

_Der Courier_ was another German publication, published at Atchison and
Topeka, by Edward F. Fleischer in 1879.

_The Public Ledger_ was started August 19, 1880, by W. J. Granger. It
supported the National Greenback ticket of that year, and October 30,
1888, Granger turned the paper over to E. A. Davis & Son, who ran it a
short time. Mr. Granger returned to Atchison eighteen years later, and
became a reporter on the _Atchison Champion_, and during the interval
published papers in Effingham and other places. In 1915 he was the
publisher and owner of the _Nettawaka Talk_.

_The Western Farm Home_ was a continuation of the _New West Monthly_.
Its first issue was in January, 1881, with James P. Henry and George H.
Pardee as editors and publishers. It suspended publication in October,
1881.

_High School Quarterly_ was published at Effingham for the first time
January, 1895, with S. J. Hunter, editor, and John W. Wilson, business
manager. This magazine was published in the interests of the Atchison
high school. It was subsequently changed to _The High School Bulletin_,
after which it was issued regularly once a month during the school year.
It suspended publication about September, 1902.

_The Oracle_ was another Effingham publication, started December, 1901,
which was conducted by Guy Hendrickson and the students of the Atchison
high school, in the interests of that institution. It suspended
publication about May, 1902.

_The A. C. H. S. Newsletter_ was a monthly publication, started in
February, 1901, by John W. Wilson, principal of the Atchison county high
school. There were only three numbers of this paper, which was a
monthly.

_The Atchison County Visitor_ was still another Effingham publication,
started by W. J. Granger March 10, 1905. Guy C. Hendrickson became
business manager June 8, 1906, and the paper suspended during the year
1907.

_The Potter Press_, started April 8, 1898, with E. Campbell as editor,
and Jewell & Campbell as publishers. It lasted until September 30, 1898,
when it was consolidated with the _Easton_ (Leavenworth county) _Light_.
January 27, 1899, it resumed publication, with M. L. and K. Lockwood as
editors, and E. E. Campbell as local editor, but again consolidated with
the _Easton Light_ September 1, 1899.

_The Atchison County Recorder_ was started June 1, 1900, and published
by the Lockwood Printing Company, of Atchison. Its last issue was dated
October 26, 1900.

_The Muscotah News_ was filed April 5, 1880, by Nash & Walkup, and
lasted about three months.

_The Weekly Journal_ was started by G. W. Messigh in Effingham September
2, 1892, who ran it until February 23, 1893, when it died.

_The Arrington Times_ was started May 28, 1896, by W. A. Huff. In
September of the same year its name was changed to _The Atchison County
Times_, and it suspended sometime in 1897.

_The Prairie Press_ was started in Lancaster May 12, 1888, with W. C.
Adkins as editor and publisher, and it was run until March 7, 1890, when
it was succeeded by the _Huron Graphic_.

_The Huron Headlight_, started March 13, 1884, and died on the same
date.

_The Huron Messenger_ was started July 2, 1884, by J. M. Warton, and
also died on the same day it was born.

_The Weekly Graphic_, which succeeded to all the rights and privileges
of the _Prairie Press_, of Lancaster, was started by W. C. Adkins April
5, 1890. Mr. Adkins ran this paper until March 28, 1891, at which time
he sold it to J. A. Sunderland, of Atchison, who ran it until May 2,
1891, when Mr. Adkins again took control of the paper and ran it until
the following fall.

_The Huron Times_ was a kind of continuation of the _Atchison Times_,
and Volume 4, No. 1, of this paper, was dated April 4, 1891. There were
but four issues of the _Times_, after the plant was moved from Atchison
to Huron, the last issue being dated April 25, 1891. J. A. Sunderland
was also editor and publisher of this paper, after he moved it from
Atchison to Huron. _The Huron Times_ was a weekly publication, by G. E.
Nichols, and was started February 22, 1901, and published seventeen
times, when it died.

_The Effingham Enterprise_ was founded about July 1, 1895, by W. H.
Bright. It was short lived, and little is known of its history after the
date just mentioned.

_The Peoples’ Press_ was a party organ, started in August, 1883, by the
Peoples’ Press Association, and suspended September 15 of the same year.

_The New Kansas Magazine_ was started by Dr. W. H. Wynn, for many years
a much beloved and greatly respected professor of English literature at
Midland College. Dr. Wynn conceived the idea that there was a place for
a monthly magazine in Atchison, to be conducted along the lines of the
original _Kansas Magazine_, published in 1873, which contained some of
the best literature that had ever been produced in Kansas. Associated
with Dr. Wynn were Dr. W. W. Campbell, R. M. Manley, B. P. Waggener, H.
M. Jackson, H. H. Allen, and A. J. Harwi. The first issue appeared
February 18, 1892, and the last issue appeared September 30, 1893.

_Midwest Moose Review_ was the official organ of the local lodge of the
Loyal Order of Moose, published monthly by Frank L. Danforth, editor. It
was founded in 1912, and ran only a few months.

_The Atchison Tribune_ was started in 1896, but the name of the editor
and publisher are unknown.

_The Western Chief_ is a monthly publication, devoted to the Order of
Redmen, and was founded about April, 1909. Paul Tonsing is editor and
publisher.

_Benedictine Parish Monthly_, started in Atchison, in March, 1907, and
published by St. Benedict’s College, until January, 1910.

_The College Review_ was published monthly in Lawrence and Atchison, by
A. G. Coonrod and G. T. Smith, from 1891 to 1900. Coonrod & Smith were
the owners of business colleges at Atchison and Lawrence.

_Kansas Telegraph_ was a German paper, started by H. Von Langen December
23, 1880, and was published in Atchison until 1881, when it was removed
to Topeka, where it was published for many years.

_Atchison Journal_ was another German publication, started by John
Hoenscheidt in 1880, but was short lived.

_The Kansas Staats-Anzeiger_ was started in Topeka in 1879, and
published until 1881, when it was moved to Atchison. It was also short
lived.

_Plain Facts_ was a weekly publication, started in Atchison October 4,
1897, and published by authority of twenty-five Atchison Populists, who
were opposed to the election of George W. Glick, the so-called Populist
candidates for State senator. It lasted three issues.

_The Atchison Journal_ was the official publication of the Trades and
Labor Council of Atchison. It started early in the year 1903, by W. J.
Granger, and discontinued the last of November of the same year.

_The Atchison Morning Star_ was a daily paper, published by J. A.
Roulston, and started June 14, 1905, lasting until August 30, 1905.

_The Atchison Tribune_ was a weekly publication, started March 27, 1896,
by W. H. Higgins, and suspended publication July 16, 1896.

                              CHAPTER XV.
                           BANKS AND BANKING.

  EARLY DAY BANKING—PIONEER FINANCIERS—THE OLDEST BANK—PRIVATE, STATE,
      AND NATIONAL BANKS—ATCHISON COUNTY BANKERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF
      BANKING INSTITUTIONS.

Banking was a precarious business during the Territorial days in Kansas.
There were no banks, as we know them, until January 29, 1857, when the
Territorial legislature passed an act providing that every company or
association of persons formed for banking purposes within the Territory,
and without an act of legislature authorizing the same, should be deemed
unlawful. Upon the passage of this act, the first bank authorized to do
business under it was The Kansas Valley Bank, of Leavenworth, with an
authorized capital stock of $800,000.00, with five branches, at
Atchison, LeCompton, Doniphan, Ft. Scott and Shawnee. The authorized
capital stock of each one of the branches was $300,000.00, and under the
terms of the act, each branch was independent of the Leavenworth
institution. The great Government Overland Transportation Company of
Majors Smoot-Russell & Company was the big financial power behind this
organization. The Leavenworth bank was never formed, and the Atchison
branch was the first to start out under this act of the legislature,
being authorized to begin business February 19, 1857, with securities
amounting to $100,000. Dr. John H. Stringfellow, Joseph Plean and Samuel
Dickson were authorized to open subscription books. The board of
directors included Samuel C. Pomeroy, who was president: W. H. Russell,
L. R. Smoot, W. B. Waddell, Franklin G. Adams, Samuel Dickson and W. E.
Gaylord. Shortly after the bank began business there were rumors
emanating from the rival towns of Sumner and Doniphan that the Atchison
institution was about to suspend, and for the purpose of allaying any
suspicion on the part of the public, created by these rumors, the
directors published a statement of its condition, showing that the
assets were $36,638.00, with liabilities of $20,118.00. In July or
August, 1857, L. S. Boling, of LeCompton, was appointed to examine and
report on the financial condition of the Atchison branch of the Kansas
Valley Bank, and this is the first record in Kansas of a proceeding of
this kind.

Samuel C. Pomeroy resigned as president of the bank in 1858, and was
succeeded by William H. Russell, of the contracting firm of Majors-
Smoot-Russell & Company. G. H. Fairchild was made vice-president, and R.
L. Pease, cashier.

In 1861, this bank, then called the Kansas Valley Bank, had its name
changed by act of the legislature, to the Bank of the State of Kansas,
and it was conducted under that name until 1866, when the stockholders
wound up its affairs.

The legitimate successor of the Bank of the State of Kansas was
Hetherington’s Exchange Bank, which was founded in 1859 by William
Hetherington.

The Exchange National Bank, of Atchison, Kan., is the oldest banking
institution in the city of Atchison, having been established in 1859,
while Kansas was a Territory. The bank was then named the Hetherington
Exchange Bank. That bank became the successor of the Bank of the State
of Kansas, which was organized in 1857. The founder of the Hetherington
Exchange Bank was William Hetherington, and, except for one year during
the Civil war, it has been in successful operation since it was
established. It passed through the period of its existence during
Territorial days, and the depressing financial conditions as a result of
the war, and business reversals incident to the reconstruction period,
and its management was at all times conducted upon the theory of its
motto adopted by William Hetherington in an early day that “Safety
First” in all of its business transactions was the secret of success.

The bank’s first business home was in the Otis & Glick building,
opposite the Byram Hotel. In 1869 it was moved to the Hetherington
building, at the northwest corner of Fourth and Commercial streets.
Later on, and in 1885, the bank was moved to the southwest corner of
Sixth and Commercial streets, into the building erected by its
president, William Hetherington, where it has since been located.

In 1876, William Hetherington admitted into the firm, as a partner,
Webster W. Hetherington, his eldest son, and in 1881, Clifford S.
Hetherington, his youngest son, became associated with him. In the year
1882 the Hetherington Exchange Bank was incorporated under the laws of
Congress, as a National bank, under the name of The Exchange National
Bank of Atchison, with a paid-up capital of $100,000, and surplus of
$20,000, and at once took high rank as one of the strongest and most
conservative banks in northeastern Kansas, and has ever since maintained
that reputation.

The Exchange National Bank was organized with William Hetherington as
president, August Byram, vice-president, Webster W. Hetherington,
cashier, and C. S. Hetherington, assistant cashier. In 1890, upon the
death of its president, William Hetherington, Webster W. Hetherington
was elected president, B. P. Waggener, vice-president, and C. S.
Hetherington, cashier. In 1892, upon the death of its then president,
Webster W. Hetherington, B. P. Waggener was elected president, A. J.
Harwi, vice-president, W. P. Waggener, vice-president, C. S.
Hetherington, cashier, C. W. Ferguson, assistant cashier, and Webster
Wirt Hetherington, teller. In October, 1906, C. S. Hetherington, the
cashier, died, and C. W. Ferguson was elected cashier, and Webster Wirt
Hetherington, assistant cashier, and Edgar Mattocks, teller. In April
1907, the capital stock of the bank was increased to $200,000.00 with a
surplus of $50,000, and ex-Governor W. J. Bailey was elected vice-
president and managing officer of the bank, which position he has since
held. Upon the death of A. J. Harwi, his son, Frank E. Harwi, was
elected director, and succeeded his father, A. J. Harwi, as vice-
president, which position he now holds.

In 1892 the bank adopted a by-law, which prohibited any officer or
director of the bank from borrowing any money from it, or becoming an
endorser or surety on any obligation or note to the bank, since which
time no officer or director of the bank has been permitted to borrow any
of its funds on deposit. The wisdom of this by-law adopted in 1892 has
repeatedly been approved by the comptroller of the currency. The
management of the Exchange National Bank has adopted and adhered to this
policy, because it believes that a bank officer or director should not
be permitted, under any circumstances or in any emergency, to use any of
its deposits in any of his own personal speculations or ventures.

In February, 1914, Webster Wirt Hetherington was appointed cashier, and
Edgar Mattocks was elected assistant cashier, and George L. Wolfe,
teller.

While the bank is known far and wide throughout the State of Kansas for
its conservatism, yet it makes an effort to accommodate all business
institutions in the city of Atchison entitled to assistance and credit.
It aims to be a distinctive Atchison institution.

Luther C. Challiss appeared as a banker in the city directory of 1859
and 1861, operating his bank at the corner of Second and Commercial
streets, but not much is known of this institution.

First National Bank was organized on the first day of October, 1866, by
David Auld, with the following as the first board of directors: David
Auld, Henry Kuhn, H. H. Moulton, George Scarborough, C. G. Foster, D. C.
Newcomb, and J. M. Linley. David Auld was elected president, George
Scarborough, vice-president, and W. R. Stebbins as cashier. For thirty-
eight years this bank was under the careful and conservative management
of David Auld, who died in October, 1904, and was succeeded by his son,
David Auld, Jr. The bank began business in July, 1867, and since that
time has been one of the strongest financial institutions in the West.
It has always had the benefit of the services of experienced men in the
banking business, and has followed a conservative policy during the
whole of its existence. In 1910 the controlling interest in the First
National Bank was purchased by the Commercial State Bank, which was
organized in Atchison in 1906 by Sheffield Ingalls and O. A. Simmons. In
the merger that took place the Commercial State Bank was absorbed by the
First National Bank, and has continued under the latter name to maintain
its high standard of conservatism, and with the introduction of new
blood and new methods, it embarked upon a policy of service which has
redounded to the lasting benefit of the community. The present officials
of this institution are as follows: Edward Perdue, president; J. H.
Barry, chairman of the board; O. A. Simmons, first vice-president and
manager; J. M. Schott, second vice-president; Charles Linley, cashier;
George H. Edwards, assistant cashier; F. J. Ledoux, assistant cashier.

The directors represent varied business interests of this city and
county, and are as follows: Edward Perdue, J. H. Barry, O. A. Simmons,
Charles Linley, J. M. Schott, C. C. McCarthy, August Manglesdorf, Leo
Nusbaum, Sheffield Ingalls, A. E. Mize, M. Noll and W. T. Hutson.

The Atchison Savings Bank claims the distinction of being “The Oldest
State Bank in Kansas,” having enjoyed a continuous corporate existence
of over forty-six years.

R. A. Park was its organizer and first cashier, and in June, 1869, it
opened its doors for business in a brick one-story building at the
northwest corner of Fifth and Commercial streets. At that time most of
the business was centered close to the river, and this was considered
quite an “up town” location, but time has vindicated the judgment of its
early director in anticipating the westward growth of the town. With the
expectation of building thereon the bank early acquired title to the lot
at the southwest corner of Fifth and Commercial streets, but
subsequently disposed of it to the late Ex-Governor John A. Martin, who
built the _Champion_ building thereon, and the bank moved to its present
quarters, which it had acquired, and still owns, at the southeast corner
of Fifth and Commercial.

William C. Smith (father of Henry T. Smith) was the first president but
the late Judge A. G. Otis soon thereafter succeeded him and remained
president until 1891.

Thomas Murphy (father of John Murphy and one of the builders of the
present Cain Mill Company mill), W. W. Guthrie, Julius Kuhn, C. J.
Drury, Col. Wm. Osborn, J. W. Parker, and other men prominent in the
business and social life of that period were among its early
stockholders and directors, while for seventeen years the late T. C.
Platt served as teller, and by his affability and faculty of remembering
people, made many friends for the institution. A baseball bat, kept
under the counter, was his weapon for defending the funds in his care.
Courtney Challiss, George H. Lawton, “Vode” Kathrens, Lowenholt, O.
Orlopp and Will H. Bryning and others also served varying terms as early
employees and will be remembered for their distinctive personalities. An
apothecary’s scale for weighing gold dust was part of the early
equipment, but one trial was sufficient to prove the presence of too
much dust and too little gold in the commodity offered. For almost
twenty years the bank ran with but few restrictions from the State, the
law simply requiring it to file an annual statement of its capital,
surplus, etc., with list of stockholders and officers, and publish a
statement of its financial condition as of some one day in the year.
Needless to say the day selected was usually one on which the deposits,
loans and resources would make a satisfactory showing, but about 1890
the legislature enacted a banking law, which has since been several
times perfected by amendments, which brought this and all other State
banks under its provisions, and the supervision of a State bank
commissioner, with cast iron restrictions as to the relative amounts of
loans, cash reserves, etc., and although some of the requirements seemed
unduly severe to those accustomed to the former unrestrained exercise of
their own individual judgment, few would now deny that it was wise and
much needed legislation.

Following the retirement from the bank in 1891 of Judge Otis, Col.
William Osborn became president, serving until his death, when R. A.
Park succeeded to the office and served until his death in 1902. C. J.
Drury being elected his successor and giving the institution his
services for about a year, seconded by J. T. Hersey as vice-president,
but both these gentlemen then retired upon the acquisition of a majority
of the stock by Messrs. T. M. Walker, J. C. Fox and F. M. Baker. Of
later years the growth of the bank has been marked, the capital and
surplus having repeatedly been enlarged, and deposits and loans having
shown a corresponding increase. The late Theodore Bartholow added his
ripe experience as a successful banker to the board of directors, while
F. G. Crowell, Joseph W. Allen, William Carlisle, with Messrs. Walker,
Baker and Fox and others as stockholders and directors gave the
institution a State-wide prominence.

R. A. Park, the second, who resigned as vice-president in 1911 to engage
in business elsewhere, entered the bank in 1881; became cashier in 1892;
elected vice-president in 1910, being succeeded as cashier by F. M.
Woodford, who entered the bank’s employ in 1900 as bookkeeper.

C. W. Ferguson, formerly cashier of the Exchange National Bank, has
recently been elected a vice-president of the Savings Bank, and the
present officers and directors are as follows: T. M. Walker, president;
Joseph W. Allen, vice-president; C. W. Ferguson, vice-president; F. M.
Woodford, cashier; W. T. Fox, assistant cashier.

The German-American State Bank of Atchison was chartered May 15, 1912,
and began doing business June 21, 1912. Its original board of directors
was composed of Louis W. Voigt, Henry Klostermeier, William
Klostermeier, F. A. Manglesdorf, L. A. Libel, G. T. Bolman, and F. A.
Manglesdorf. Three months later the charter was amended and Charles
Haase and W. A. Dilgert were added to the board of directors. This bank
was organized with a capital stock of $50,000, and a surplus account of
$10,000. At the first meeting of the board of directors, the following
officers were elected: Louis W. Voigt, president; Henry Klostermeier,
vice-president; William Klostermeier, vice-president; F. A. Manglesdorf,
cashier.

At the time the membership of the board was increased, Guy Elwell was
elected assistant cashier. This bank occupies handsome quarters at the
southeast corner of Eighth and Commercial streets, and has shown a
remarkable growth since its organization. The only change in the board
of directors that has been made since its organization was the
substitution of E. F. Manglesdorf for his brother, A. F. Manglesdorf. At
the close of the first business day of the bank it had deposits
aggregating $25,000, and at the end of one year the deposits had
increased to $248,000, and at the end of the second year it was
$323,000, and at the end of the third year it was $425,000, and in 1915
it boasted of total deposits amounting to $525,000, with a surplus and
undivided account of $21,000. This bank has had an able set of officers,
and its directors are among the most influential and substantial
citizens of the community. It started in by making an aggressive
campaign for business, and it accomplished what it went after. The
institution is conducted along broad and conservative lines, and renders
not only good service to its many patrons, but to the community as well.

German Savings Bank.—This institution was organized in 1873, with the
following officers: George Storch, president; Robert Forbriger, vice-
president; John Belz, cashier.

The capital stock of the bank was $10,000 and its deposits were about
$100,000. It conducted a general banking business, together with a
regular savings department in connection therewith. This bank was
located at 406 Commercial street, and wound up its affairs in 1886, when
it was merged with the United States National Bank and the Dime Savings
Bank, both of which failed.

The Atchison National Bank.—This bank was organized April 1, 1873, by
John M. Price as president; M. Barratt as cashier. G. D. Harrison
succeeded Mr. Price as president, in which capacity he served until
1878, at which time he was succeeded by C. J. Drury, with R. H.
Ballentine as vice-president. When this bank commenced business it had a
capital of $100,000, but in 1877 it was reduced to $50,000. It was
located for many years at 503 Commercial street, afterwards moving to
what is now the Simpson building, in the corner occupied by the Barth
Clothing Company, where it failed in 19—.

The Atchison State Bank.—This bank was organized prior to 1891, and went
into voluntary liquidation March 24, 1898, at which time John M. Cain
was president and cashier, and John H. Murray was secretary. It was
located on West Main street, near the corner of Thirteenth street.

The Commercial State bank was chartered September 8, 1906, and began
business October 31 of the same year, and subsequently merged with the
First National Bank March 24, 1910.

The Union Trust Company was chartered February 28, 1907, and was
organized by B. P. Waggener, with a paid-up capital stock of $100,000.
March 24, 1909, his charter was amended and it became the Exchange State
Bank of Atchison, the officers of which are: F. E. Harwi, president, and
Edward Iverson, cashier. This bank has a paid-up capital of $50,000,
with surplus and undivided profits of $34,776.91, with average deposits
of $350,000. It is one of the strong State banking institutions of
Kansas, and is doing a prosperous business.

Atchison county has a number of strong, flourishing banks, located at
Effingham, Muscotah, Potter, Huron, Lancaster and Cummings.

The Farmers and Merchants State Bank, at Effingham, was organized in
1905, with a capital of $12,000 by A. J. Smith, U. B. Sharpless, Fred
Sutter, R. M. Thomas and J. W. Davis. Since its organization there have
been a few changes among the officers and the board of directors, and in
1915 the officers were: Fred Sutter, president; L. T. Hawk, vice-
president; E. J. Kelley, cashier; D. R. Gerety, assistant cashier. The
present board of directors is as follows: Fred Sutter, L. T. Hawk, Alex.
McKay, U. B. Sharpless, E. J. Kelley.

The capital stock and surplus in 1915 exceeds $15,000, and the bank’s
average deposits are about $120,000. In 1910 a handsome and commodious
brick building was erected at the corner of Main and Howard streets for
its new home, and it was fitted with attractive new fixtures and a
burglar-proof vault of modern structures, at a cost of $4,000. This
institution is purely a local concern, financed by local capital; all of
the stockholders reside in Effingham and vicinity, and comprise leading
merchants and farmers of the Effingham district.

The State Bank of Effingham was organized in 1889, and occupies its own
quarters in a substantial and commodious brick building on the Main
street of Effingham, which was erected in 1897. In 1912 handsome new
fixtures and a burglar-proof vault were purchased at large cost. The
first president of this bank was Wesley Cummings, and the first cashier
was Gilbert Campbell, with Harvey Sharp as assistant cashier and
bookkeeper. Mr. Cummings continued as president until his death in 1899,
and was succeeded by L. A. Murphy, who in turn was succeeded by T. J.
Bohannon, who served until his death, August 29, 1915. A. M. Ellsworth
became cashier in 1892, and was succeeded by W. M. Walker, who served in
that capacity until 1905, when he is turn was succeeded by Clarence L.
Cummings, the present cashier of this substantial and growing
institution. The president officers of the bank are as follows: R. G.
Bohannon, president; A. E. Mayhew, vice-president; C. L. Cummings,
cashier; Carl B. Searls, bookkeeper. The directors are: H. A. McLenon,
A. E. Mayhew, R. G. Bohannon and C. L. Cummings. The capital stock is
$20,000, with surplus of $13,500 and deposits average $100,000. This
institution is one of the most flourishing banks in the county, and its
officers and directors are substantial business men and farmers, who are
not only highly regarded in Effingham and vicinity, but throughout all
of northeastern Kansas.

The State Bank of Lancaster was organized March, 1896, by W. W. Stepp,
Mark S. Cloyes, C. L. Cummings, T. J. Bohannon, and Dr. A. L. Charles.
T. J. Bohannon was elected its first president, and C. L. Cummings its
first cashier. It had a capital stock of $5,000, which subsequently was
increased to $10,000, and in 1915 it had a surplus of $5,000, with
deposits aggregating $80,000. The present directors of this bank are as
follows (1915): M. J. Hines, C. E. Smith, A. J. Smith, J. F. Shell and
M. E. Smith, and its present officers are: M. J. Hines, president; C. E.
Smith, vice-president; A. J. Smith, cashier, and C. G. Stickler,
assistant cashier.

The State Bank of Cummings was organized by H. J. Barber and E. W.
Kaufman in 1908, with a capital stock of $10,000. E. W. Kaufman was
elected president; B. F. Cline, vice-president, and H. J. Barber,
cashier. The capital stock in 1915 was $10,000, with a surplus of $5,000
and deposits aggregating $60,000. A neat and substantial brick building
was erected for banking quarters and equipped with handsome fixtures and
burglar-proof vault, at a cost of $3,500. The officers of the bank in
1916 were as follows: President, John Ferris; cashier, H. J. Barber, and
the directors were John Ferris, H. J. Barber, C. A. Lewis, William
Hegarty and F. W. Kaufman. The bank is in a thrifty condition, and has
shown a steady increase in growth from the date of its organization.

The Farmers’ State Bank of Potter, Kan., was organized in 1905 by B. C.
Daum, C. K. Hawley, P. C. Grenier, Arthur Davis, James Grapengieszer,
Fred Potter, John Niemann, C. L. Cline, J. H. Glancy, who subsequently
became directors of this enterprising institution. The capital stock was
fixed at $12,000 and the first president of the bank was B. C. Daum, and
the first cashier was C. K. Hawley. There are thirty-two stockholders in
this institution, who are practically all farmers, residing in the
immediate neighborhood of Potter. In 1916 the officers were as follows:
President, P. C. Grenier; cashier, A. H. Manglesdorf; vice-president, C.
E. Hudson, and the capital stock was $12,000, with a surplus of $5,500
and deposits aggregating $80,000.

It is unusual to find two substantial banking institutions in a town the
size of Potter, as it is supposed that one bank in such a community
would meet all the requirements of its citizens.

The Potter State Bank preceded the organization of the Farmers’ State
Bank five years. It was organized in 1900 by O. A. Simmons, L. M. Jewell
and Fred Ode, with a capital stock of $5,000. O. A. Simmons remained the
active cashier and manager of the bank for two years, being succeeded by
L. M. Jewell in 1902, who served until 1906. Mr. Jewell was succeeded by
H. A. Ode. A new brick building was erected for this very enterprising
financial institution in 1909, and equipped with new modern fixtures and
a fine burglar-proof vault. The capital stock of this bank in 1916 was
$10,000, with a surplus of $10,000 and deposits aggregating $125,000.
The officers for that year were as follows: President, L. M. Jewell;
vice-president, Fred Ode; cashier, H. A. Ode, and in addition to the
officers, the following prominent farmers of Walnut and Mount Pleasant
townships are directors: C. N. Faulcomer, C. W. Carson, E. H. Blodgett
and Adam Ehart. There are over seventeen stockholders, all of whom are
prosperous and well to do farmers, living in the vicinity of Potter.
This bank has grown rapidly, both in prestige and strength since its
organization, and its average net annual profits since its organization
have been about $2,000.

The Muscotah State Bank was organized by George Storch in 1870, as a
private bank, who remained in charge until about 1890, when Mr. Storch
sold his interest to Harvey and Calvert. This firm conducted the bank as
a private institution until about January 1, 1902, when it was organized
into a State bank, with A. B. Harvey, president, and J. H. Calvert,
cashier. Mr. Harvey remained president until about 1910, and in that
year C. C. Hart became its cashier. The officers of this institution in
1916 were as follows: A. D. Wilcox, president; C. C. Hart, vice-
president; R. A. Allison, cashier. The directors are: A. D. Wilcox, C.
C. Hart, A. H. Calvert, M. E. Bevens, R. A. Allison and Thomas Ryan. The
capital stock is $10,000.00, with a surplus of $10,000.00, and deposits
aggregating $100,000.00. This institution is the oldest bank outside of
the city of Atchison, and remains today one of the most substantial
financial institutions in this part of the State.

The Huron State Bank was organized in 1891, with a capital stock of
$10,000. The first directors were Edward Perdue, John Swartz, John
Drohan, John English, David Rouse, David Rouse, Jr., and T. B. Marshall.
Its first officers were Edward Perdue, president; John Swartz, vice-
president, and W. C. McLain, cashier. This is one of the substantial
banks of the county, and showed by one of its last statements a capital
stock of $10,000, with surplus fund of $5,000.00 and deposits
aggregating $80,000.00. Its officers in 1916 are as follows: Edward
Perdue, president; David Rouse, Jr., vice-president, C. E. Smith,
cashier, and Cloyd Smith, assistant cashier. In addition to the
officers, T. B. Smith, Jr., is the fifth director.

Mr. Perdue, who is the president of this bank, is one of the leading
citizens of Atchison county, and in addition to being president of the
Huron bank, is also president of the First National Bank of Atchison.

C. E. Smith, the cashier, is also one of the well known and most
conservative bankers of the State, and the officers and directors of
this institution have reason to be proud of the splendid growth and
standing of their institution.

The Farmers State Bank of Muscotah was organized and opened for business
February 21, 1910, with a capital stock of $10,000. It now has a surplus
and undivided account of approximately $5,000, and its deposits average
$70,000. The first directors were L. Cortelyou, A. T. Cortelyou, L.
Cortelyou, Jr., and H. M. Turner, who came from Moberly, Mo. W. M.
Walker, of Atchison, was one of the organizers of this institution, but
he sold his interest a few weeks after organization and was succeeded by
William Buckles on the board of directors. L. Cortelyou was elected
president, and H. M. Turner, cashier, and they have continued as the
active officers of the bank. The present board of directors consists of
L. Cortelyou, William Buckles, M. C. Vansell, John Sullivan, J. W. A.
Miller and H. M. Turner. As this history is written it is said that
there has been a consolidation of the two Muscotah banks, under the name
of the Farmers State Bank. A charter has been granted and the new
institution will have a capital of $15,000. L. Cortelyou is to be the
president, H. M. Turner, cashier, and Ralph Allison, assistant cashier.
The bank will continue to occupy the present quarters of the Farmers
State Bank, and the merger, when effected, will give Muscotah one of the
best banks in the county.

The Commerce Trust Company of Atchison, with a paid-up capital stock of
$100,000, received its charter from the State February 11, 1916. The
first meeting of the board of directors was held in the office of the
Commerce Investment Company on the evening of February 19, 1916, at
which time the following officers were elected: President, Sheffield
Ingalls; vice-presidents, Henry Diegel, A. J. Schoenecker, M. J. Horan;
treasurer, Ellsworth Ingalls; secretary, Frank H. Manglesdorf; trust
officer, H. A. Schoenecker; general counsel, J. M. Challiss. The
following named citizens were the first directors of the company: H. A.
Schoenecker, Henry Diegel, J. C. Killarney, O. A. Simmons, A. J.
Schoenecker, Ellsworth Ingalls, T. E. Snowden, Clive Hastings, M. J.
Horan, F. H. Manglesdorf, H. E. Muchnic and Sheffield Ingalls. The
company is a development of the Commerce Investment Company, established
in 1910, and does a general trust business, as provided by the laws of
Kansas. It began business March 2, 1916.

                              CHAPTER XVI.
                               CHURCHES.

  METHODIST—CHRISTIAN—PRESBYTERIAN—BAPTIST—SALEM CHURCH—GERMAN
      EVANGELICAL ZION CHURCH—FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST—ST.
      PATRICK’S, MT. PLEASANT—TRINITY CHURCH, EPISCOPAL—ST. MARK’S,
      ENGLISH LUTHERAN—ST. BENEDICT’S ABBEY—FIRST GERMAN EVANGELICAL
      LUTHERAN CHURCH.

Methodism was introduced into Atchison by the Rev. James Shaw, who had
been a prominent member of the Detroit conference, both as pastor and
missionary among the Indians along the Lake Superior district, and also
as presiding elder. Being in poor health and desiring a new location, he
came to Leavenworth in March, 1856, and finding that Leavenworth was
already provided with a pastor, he proceeded to Atchison. He did not
find Atchison very friendly toward preachers when he arrived, and the
Pardee Butler incident was fresh in the minds of the people at that
time. So the Rev. Mr. Shaw went farther north, to Doniphan and Geary
City, which were Free State towns. He soon thereafter went to Detroit
for his family, and soon after his return to Geary City, he was
appointed as pastor at Atchison and Monrovia. He preached his first
sermon in May, 1857, in the office of S. C. Pomeroy, which was located
on the corner of Third and Commercial streets, and this was the first
sermon from the lips of a preacher of any denomination that was
delivered in Atchison. He organized the Methodist Episcopal church in
January, 1858, with members from various denominations. The first
services were held in a room in the building on the southeast corner of
Second and Commercial streets. He later raised $2,000 for a new church
building, S. C. Pomeroy, O. F. Short and Robert McBratney each pledging
$500, on condition that the new building should be located on the north
side of Parallel street, near Fifth street.

Rev. I. F. Collins succeeded Mr. Shaw, and Rev. C. H. Lovejoy, who had
been preaching at Lawrence for two years, was sent to Sumner. Upon the
arrival of Mr. Collins, he at once began the erection of the new church
building on Parallel street, the two lots on which the building was
subsequently erected being donated by the Atchison Town Company. The
trustees of the church at that time were: John T. Dougherty, Edwin O.
Collins, Archie C. Master, David F. Beagle, William A. Butler, Joseph H.
Gilbert, Robert Hancock, Cyrus A. Comstock and Calvin W. Phelps. The
church building was completed in April, 1859, and was fifty-eight feet
long and thirty-two feet wide. It had a seating capacity of 350 people,
and cost $3,075. The structure was dedicated May 8, 1859, and Rev. Hugh
D. Fisher, the famous Free State Methodist preacher, came up from
Leavenworth and assisted in the dedication. During the first year in the
new church, two young men came to Atchison, who afterwards became
successful and honored citizens of the town, Samuel Gard and D. C.
Newcomb. They subsequently formed a partnership and conducted a drygoods
store under the name of Gard & Newcomb, which for many years remained
one of the leading firms of the city. Mr. Gard died many years ago, and
in 1915 Mr. Newcomb still lives. The Methodist church, perhaps, owes
more to D. C. Newcomb than any other man who was ever identified with
it. His money, business sagacity and consecration have made possible the
success of Methodism in Atchison. His motto has always been, “It is safe
to do right, and unsafe to do wrong.”

Butcher, Auld & Dean, famous contractors of an early day, who built the
first railroad between Atchison and St. Joseph, with their families,
united with the Methodist church and became stanch supporters of it. J.
C. Reisner, who came to Atchison in 1858, and his wife, Rebecca, were
also prominent early members of the church. They built the Tremont
House, which for a great many years was the leading hotel, located where
the Burlington freight house now stands. Rev. Dr. Christian F. Reisner,
pastor of Grace Church, New York City, was the youngest son of Mr. and
Mrs. Reisner. The fourth session of the Kansas-Nebraska conference,
which met in Omaha in May, 1859, returned Rev. Collins to Atchison, and
during that year Mr. and Mrs. John M. Crowell and the McCulley brothers
united with the church. In December, 1859, Abraham Lincoln, on his visit
to Kansas, spoke in the little church edifice on Parallel street,
reference to which has already been made in this history. In the fifth
session of the Kansas-Nebraska conference, Rev. Milton Mahen was
appointed to Atchison. It was a critical period in the history of the
town, and the Rev. Mahen was admonished to be very cautious on the
question of slavery, but he had courage and patriotism enough to order
the Stars and Stripes hoisted on his church. That year T. B. Davis and
his wife, Kathryn, came to Atchison and became useful members. “Grandma”
Davis is living in 1916, and on February 21, 1915, celebrated her
ninetieth birthday. Owing to the great drought that visited Atchison in
1860, the church did not prosper greatly during the period of Mr.
Mahen’s pastorate, but in the succeeding session of the Kansas
conference, which met March 21, 1861, Mr. Mahen was returned to
Atchison, and it was during this year that a severe storm, which
destroyed Sumner, wrecked the church building so that extensive repairs
were necessary. In the seventh session of the Kansas conference, March,
1862, the Rev. Mr. James Shaw was returned to Atchison.

W. M. Davies was the superintendent of the Sunday school, having been
elected in 1859. In 1863 Rev. W. Marlatt was appointed for Atchison, and
March 10, 1864, Mr. Marlatt was succeeded by Dr. W. R. Davis, who had
been president of Baker University. Rev. Mr. Davis was retained in
March, 1865, by the tenth session of the conference, and was succeeded
by Rev. W. K. Marshall. Mr. Marshall was returned to Atchison in 1867,
and in March, 1868, Rev. Hugh D. Fisher, who was known during the war as
the “fighting chaplain,” was made pastor at Atchison. He found
conditions rather discouraging, but went to work to pay off the debts on
the church property and repair the building. He created a great deal of
interest in the town in religious matters, and the little church
building on Parallel street having become too small, two lots on the
corner of Fifth and Kansas avenue were purchased in 1870, and the
basement of the present building was erected and dedicated by Dr.
Fisher, who remained pastor of the church for three years. Dr. Fisher
was one of the strong preachers of Kansas in that day, and a strong
anti-slavery sympathizer. He built the church at Leavenworth in 1859,
which was one of the famous churches of the State, and popularly known
as the cradle of prohibition. He was in Lawrence when Quantrell sacked
the town, and after an eventful life as pastor, chaplain and missionary,
Dr. Fisher died at Baldwin, Kan., October 23, 1905.

Rev. T. J. Leak succeeded Mr. Fisher, and it was during Mr. Leak’s
pastorate that the new church was dedicated, October 26, 1873. Three
years later the Rev. Mr. Leak was succeeded by Dr. George S. Dearborn.
Rev. William Friend succeeded Dr. Dearborn in March, 1876, who was
succeeded by E. W. Van Deventer. Dr. Philipp Krohn became pastor in
1882. He was succeeded by Rev. A. H. Tevis. Dr. J. W. Alderman came to
Atchison in 1887 and remained until March, 1893, and was succeeded by
Dr. E. H. Brumbaugh, who became pastor in March, 1893. Rev. S. V. Leach
followed Dr. Brumbaugh in 1897, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. G. W.
Grines, and since that time Dr. H. E. Wolf, Rev. W. T. Stott, Dr. I. B.
Pulliam and Dr. John W. Scott filled the pulpit of the church down to
the year 1914, when Rev. Thomas E. Chandler, who for five years previous
had been superintendent of the Ottawa district, became pastor of the
church. Dr. Chandler is one of the best informed, most eloquent and
beloved pastors the church has ever had. He is not only popular among
his own church people, but has made numerous friends outside his fold.
In September, 1915, through the efforts of Dr. Chandler, assisted by Dr.
C. F. Reisner, pastor of Grace Church, New York City, together with C.
D. Walker and others, $42,000 was raised for the erection of a new
church. When it is completed it will be one of the finest church
edifices in Kansas.

                               CHRISTIAN.

The Christian church was organized in Pioneer Hall, corner of Kansas
avenue and Fourth street, May 20, 1882, with twenty-four charter
members. At the end of the first year there were fifty-five members, and
in April, 1884, the church was incorporated under the laws of Kansas.
The first church edifice was located at the corner of Tenth street and
Kansas avenue, and was dedicated May 24, 1885, at a cost of $2,604. The
building was much enlarged during the ministry of W. H. White. In 1912,
the congregation having outgrown its old building, agitation for a new
building was started, and a new site was selected at Seventh and Santa
Fe streets, and on August 19, 1914, a beautiful new church was
dedicated, which cost $47,000. The church also owns a lot adjoining the
church, upon which a parsonage will be erected. The present membership
is 1,400, and the Bible school is next to the largest in the State. The
Sunday school is thoroughly graded, with eight departments, sixty-five
officers and teachers, with H. P. Armstrong, superintendent. The church
has thirty deacons and elders.

The records show that as early as 1869 the Christian church had
followers in this community, and among the pastors who served in the
early days were William C. Rodgers, James E. Gaston and C. C. Band. The
early congregation went so far as to purchase a lot at the corner of
Seventh and Santa Fe streets, opposite the present new edifice, and a
foundation was laid for a building, but the plan had to be abandoned
because of lack of funds.

Miss Etta Beason, of Atchison, and T. D. McCleery, of Effingham, are the
two surviving charter members.

The names of the pastors who have served the church since 1882 are as
follows: M. P. Hayden, W. S. Priest, J. S. Myers, Rev. Cox, W. H. White,
Lowell McPherson, Rev. Ingram, M. E. Harlan, E. L. Ely, W. T. Hilton, Z.
E. Bates. The present pastor of the church is Rev. Jesse M Bader, one of
the most popular, aggressive and conscientious ministers in Atchison.

  White Temple Christian Church, Atchison, Kan.
]

                             PRESBYTERIAN.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized October 21, 1858, by a
committee from the Presbytery of Highland, Rev. Alexander W. Pitzer, of
Leavenworth, chairman. The number of persons entering into the
organization on that day was eight. Their names were as follows: William
M. Davies, Mary Davies, George B. Irwin, Rebecca Irwin, Annie Love,
Andrew Hamilton, Maximilla Ireland and Edward Hair. The following
persons have served the church as ministers: Rev. Julius Spencer, from
April, 1858, for about eighteen months; Rev. H. H. Dobbins, for seven
months, from September, 1863; Rev. T. P. Lemis commenced his labors in
April, 1865, and continued with the church until February, 1868; Rev.
Edward Cooper had charge of the church from December, 1868, until
December, 1875; Rev. J. H. Clark officiated as pastor from March, 1876,
until June, 1878; Rev. M. L. Howie began his labors in November, 1878,
and continued with the church until November, 1882: he died in Chicago
in August, 1913; Rev. D. C. Milner began his work in December, 1882, and
continued with the church until September 23, 1887: Rev. M. L. Howie
(second term), November 11, 1887, to 1897: Rev. J. D. Countermine, from
1897 to 1899; Rev. B. F. Boyle came February 25, 1900, and continued as
pastor until in the fall of 1911. Rev. W. I. Alexander came in November,
1911, and continued his labors until September, 1914. Rev. W. C. Isett
was called in September, 1915.

  Presbyterian Church at Atchison, Kan.
]

For some months after its organization the church had no regular
minister and services were held in a store room, hall and private
residences. For a time the church held meetings in Bang’s Hall on
Commercial street, and in Price’s Hall, on the corner of Fourth and Main
streets. During the pastorate of Rev. Lewis, the building on Fourth
street, between Commercial and Main streets, known as “the Presbyterian
hall,” was erected, and the congregation commenced using it as a place
of worship in 1865. The congregation began the erection of the present
church building in 1880. The corner stone was laid on September 15 of
that year. About the time of beginning the building, Mrs. S. Donald,
Mrs. Judge Berry, Mrs. C. A. Stuart and Mrs. A. J. North canvassed the
city and secured large subscriptions to the building fund. The building
committee consisted of A. W. Simpson, A. F. Martin and J. M. Covert. The
elders in 1880 were as follows: A. B. McQueen, A. J. North, J. M.
Covert, J. W. Allen, J. S. Trimble, and Harry Harkness. The deacons in
the same year were as follows: B. F. Hudson, J. Edward Lewis, S. D. D.
Smith and D. M. Wynkoop. The trustees were as follows: B. F. Hudson,
president; A. F. Martin, secretary; David Lukens, treasurer; E. K.
Blair, R. B. Drury, A. W. Simpson, S. D. D. Smith. Officers of the
Sunday school were as follows: A. F. Martin, superintendent; J. M.
Covert, assistant superintendent, and J. E. Lewis, secretary and
treasurer. Officers of the Ladies’ Aid Society were as follows: Mrs. A.
J. North, president; Mrs. W. C. North, secretary; Mrs. E. K. Blair,
treasurer. Young Ladies’ Society: Miss May Seaton, president; Miss Tola
Thomas, secretary; Miss Nellie George, treasurer. In the year 1858 the
persons active in the church at that time were: Mrs. Thomas Seip, Mr.
and Mrs. William Davis, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. McQueen. The first
deaconesses were: Mrs. C. J. Parmenter and Miss Anna J. North, ordained
in 1888.

                                BAPTIST.

The First Baptist Church of Atchison was organized in 1858, in Allen’s
Hall, on the northwest corner of Second and Commercial streets. At the
time of the organization there were but nine members, of whom three are
still living and members of the church, though non-resident: Mrs. L. A.
Alderson, Mrs. Aaron Stephenson and Mrs. Mary A. Challiss. Dr. W. L.
Challiss was soon added to the membership. The lots on the corner of
Ninth street and Kansas avenue were donated by Luther C. Challiss, and a
house of worship was erected upon it, and this location has been the
home of the church ever since.

Rev. L. A. Alderson was the first pastor of the church, and he served
faithfully three years without salary. Then followed Rev. Dr. Perkins
from New Jersey, and Rev. Frank Remington.

Just at this time the troubles of the war came on and very little could
be accomplished. Rev. J. W. Warder became pastor in 1866 and the church
grew strong under his ministry. Rev. H. A. Guild successfully served the
church for a time in 1868. Rev. J. Sawyer accepted the pastorate, and
then Rev. E. Gunn.

Rev. J. W. Luke was pastor directly before Rev. Mulford. He baptized
some of our best workers and did excellent and permanent work for the
church.

The twenty-fifth anniversary was fittingly celebrated at the home of
Mrs. John M. Price, and a silver offering was received toward a new
building which came soon after, under the pastorate of Rev. J. B.
Mulford, who was called to his reward from here.

Rev. D. D. Proper followed and Rev. E. P. Brand and Rev. G. W. Rogers,
all of whom served the church under great difficulties. There was a
heavy debt left upon the new building, which was drawing a high rate of
interest, and the constant calls for money which was paid with
apparently no returns, discouraged the membership. Still, the pastors
resolutely worked at the great task. Rev. G. W. Rogers undertook to
raise $5,000 of the mortgage, and B. P. Waggener, who had always been a
generous contributor, gave $2,000, and made a liberal loan besides. Not
long after Rev. Rogers was called to another field, and again the church
had a pastorless period, but greatly enjoyed the ministrations of the
late Dr. Murphy. Rev. J. R. Comer was called to the pastorate June 1,
1895, and faithfully served the church twelve years. Much of the money
pledged during Dr. Rogers’ pastorate was paid in or collected while Rev.
J. R. Comer was pastor. Then the remaining $1,500 mortgage and all other
debts were bravely taken up and paid, and the church celebrated its
victory in burning the mortgage and a general rejoicing, and also a firm
determination never to go deeply in debt again.

During the present pastorate of more than eight years the church has
strictly followed this rule, but this has not prevented some large
purchases. In 1909 the church purchased and placed a new pipe organ at a
cost of $4,500, and two years later purchased the property adjoining the
church on the west for the accommodation of the growing Sunday school.
This was done at a cost of $5,500 for property and furniture, and the
money was raised at a Sunday morning service. It is in the minds of many
of the members of the church that in the near future there must be a new
church building, and to that end over $6,000 has been accumulated and is
being held for the time when the membership of the church shall be ready
to erect a structure that shall be worthy of the city and an honor to
God.

The work of the church has grown and developed and every department has
accepted a larger share in work, local and world-wide. Last year the
church contributed over $1,200 for missionary and benevolent work,
besides some gifts which did not pass through the church treasury.

The church stands for a strong and helpful and constructive religious
work, and a faithful adherence to the teachings of the Bible, and a
loyalty to the Lordship of Christ. The present pastor is Rev. A. J.
Haggett, who has served his congregation long and well.

                             SALEM CHURCH.

The Evangelical Association located a mission in Atchison in 1882, with
Rev. C. Brandt as the first missionary. A number of German families were
gathered and signified their willingness to effect a church
organization. Accordingly, a hall was rented at 614 Commercial street
and services held. In 1884 the organization numbered forty-seven
members, and the Kansas conference of the Evangelical Association at its
annual session in 1884 decided to build a church at this time. Rev.
Daniel R. Zellner was appointed pastor, and Rev. John Wuerth, presiding
elder of the Holton district. During the pastorate of Rev. D. R. Zellner
in 1884 the church was built at 522 Atchison street, and dedicated by
Rev. John Wuerth, presiding elder, as the Salem church of the
Evangelical Association, and service has continued uninterruptedly ever
since. Following are the ministers who served consecutively as pastors:
Rev. C. Brandt, D. R. Zellner, C. Brant, second pastorate; C. F.
Erffmeyer, Samuel Mueller, Jacob Schmidle, John Wuerth, C. F. Iwig,
Peter Scheumann, D. R. Zellner, third pastorate; Charles Linge, F. F.
Erffmeyer, D. R. Zellner, fourth pastorate. L. M. Nanninga, J. M.
Fricker, Samuel Breithaupt, present pastor (1916).

The following served as presiding elders during the past thirty-four
years: John Wuerth, Henry Mattill, J. F. Schreiber, Albert Brunner, C.
F. Erffmeyer, W. F. Wothensen and C. F. Iwig. The Evangelical
Association was organized as a denomination in 1800, with Jacob
Allbright as its founder.

Originally, the language used was German, but in the past half century
the German language was rapidly superseded by the English language. At
this time there are very few congregations in the denomination that
worship in the German language exclusively. The services in the
Evangelical church in this city for the past few years are conducted in
English.

This society maintains a well organized Sunday school, with weekly
sessions every Sunday at 10 o’clock a. m. G. W. Bradley is
superintendent; a Young People’s Alliance, E. B. Breithaupt, president,
and a Woman’s Missionary Society, Mrs. Samuel Breithaupt, president.
This organization maintains free pews and extends an invitation to
strangers when in the city to worship with them.

                    GERMAN EVANGELICAL ZION CHURCH.

In the summer of 1893 a number of men, among them Rev. Nestel, of St.
Joseph, Mo., who had received a special invitation, met at the home of
August Manglesdorf, Sr., and organized a German Evangelical
congregation. It was decided to have services in Odd Fellows hall. Rev.
Nestel came over from St. Joe from time to time and conducted the
services. In January, 1894, Rev. C. Stork, of Concordia, Mo., took
charge of the congregation as their first own pastor. In 1894 two lots
of land, at the northwest corner of Ninth and Santa Fe streets, were
bought, upon which the church was built. In 1895 the congregation became
a member of the German Evangelical Synod of North America. In the same
year the parsonage was erected, and in 1908 a school building was added
to the church. Besides Rev. Stork, the following ministers served the
congregation: H. Limper, 1897 to 1901; C. Bechtold, 1901 to 1905; P.
Stoerker, from 1905 to 1909, and Emil Vogt, the present pastor. Besides
the annual donations for their own church, the members have spent $2,000
for home and foreign missions. The church has a Sunday school, a
teachers’ training course, a choir, a Young People’s Society, and a
Ladies’ Aid Society.

                   FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST.

  First Church of Christ Scientist, Atchison, Kan.
]

Mrs. Henrietta E. Graybill, of Milwaukee, might properly be called the
founder of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Atchison. She was
the original first reader when she came to Atchison from Kansas City in
1894. In March, 1895, she began a class in instruction at the Byram
Hotel. This was the beginning of the local church. On September 7, 1895,
the followers met in temporary quarters in the Ingalls’ building, at
Seventh and Commercial streets, seven being present. The church was
organized April 9, 1895, with seven charter members. The first
testimonial meeting was held January 3, 1896, and January 15, 1896, the
first Sunday school was organized, with seven children in attendance.
Before the end of 1896 the church was moved to more commodious quarters,
at the southeast corner of Fourth and Commercial streets. These quarters
were soon outgrown, and in March, 1897, the German Methodist church at
Ninth and Santa Fe streets was purchased and the first services held
there were on July 4, 1897. This church was dedicated in April, 1900, by
Mrs. G. W. Pennell, who had become first reader, and from the start had
been a constant and enthusiastic worker. Ten years later, March 28,
1910, lots at the northwest corner of Fourth and Santa Fe streets were
purchased, as a site for the permanent church. Land was secured and the
foundation started September 11, 1911; corner stone was laid July 7,
1912, and first services held in the Sunday school room May 25, 1913.
First services were held in the auditorium September 7, 1913, and the
church dedicated October 19, 1913. Among the permanent members of the
church are Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Pennell, Mr. and Mrs. James W. Orr, L. H.
Munson, Miss N. S. Donald and Miss Emma Maage, the first reader, and D.
W. Rowe.

The present church edifice was erected largely through the liberality of
Mr. Pennell, at a cost of $50,000, and is pronounced an architectural
gem.

                      ST. PATRICK’S, MT. PLEASANT.

St. Patrick’s congregation, near Mt. Pleasant, was founded in the early
fall of 1857, by the Rev. Father Augustine Wirth, O. S. B. He came from
Doniphan, Kan., over the prairies and through dense timber on foot, not
having the means to buy a horse or secure any kind of a conveyance, in
the summer of 1857. The Benedictine Fathers had been sent west by an
American founder, Rt. Rev. Boniface Wimmer, O. S. B., to establish a
priory in the eastern part of Kansas. They settled in the hills of
Doniphan, and from this county they founded and attended missions in
Atchison, Brown, Nemaha and Jefferson counties. Among the first parishes
established by these priests was one near Mt. Pleasant. Mt. Pleasant at
that time was quite a commercial center, owing largely to the overland
freighting outfits that passed through there on their way to Denver and
the Pacific coast. Patrick Durkin, who is a resident of Walnut township
in 1916, and the late John Delaney were teamsters on this route, and had
many interesting experiences and struggles with Indians and Jayhawkers.
Following the first visit of Father Augustine, after he had told the few
Catholic settlers how he had traveled on foot from Doniphan, a small
congregation collected enough money to pay for a horse, saddle and
bridle, and presented it to him.

Father Augustine attended to the spiritual demands of the early Catholic
settlers in the Mt. Pleasant district about once a month during the
period of his services there. There was no church edifice during that
period, and divine services were held in the humble log cabins of the
Catholic settlers, usually at the homes of John Knowles, Owen Grady, Ned
Cotter, Bernard Fee and James McArdle. Mary Honorah Clare was the first
child baptized at St. Patrick’s parish, September 28, 1857. The first
marriage was that of James Barry to Catherine Hennesy, May 9, 1857, at
the home of Edward Cotter. The ceremony was conducted by Rev. Augustine
Wirth. In the fall of 1857 the first church was built, which was a small
affair, constructed out of native timber. It was poorly constructed and
was of short duration, as it was blown down by a strong wind one cold
winter day, and wrecked beyond repair. Following the destruction of the
first church, the members concluded to build a more substantial edifice
of stone, and in the spring of 1866 the walls were built. The stone work
was done by the late Nicholas Greiner, a German stone mason, who came to
Sumner in the late fifties, and subsequently died, one of the wealthiest
farmers of Walnut township. The church was dedicated December 8, 1866.

In addition to the church proper, the Catholic settlers of Walnut
township, near Mt. Pleasant, have also erected a commodious parish house
for their priest, and a hall for public meetings.

The following is a list of the priests in charge of St. Patrick’s Church
since it was established:

Irregular pastors.—Rev. Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., September, 1857, to
November, 1859; died, December 20, 1901. Rev. Edmund Langenfelder, O. S.
B., November, 1857, to December, 1860; died, April 18, 1885. Rev. Philip
Vogt, O. S. B., February, 1860, to January, 1861; date of death not
known. Rev. Emanuel Hartig, O. S. B., December, 1860, to June, 1861;
died, September 1, 1910. Rev. Thomas Bartel, O. S. B., April, 1862, to
August, 1867; died, November 30, 1885.

Regular pastors.—Rev. Timothy Luber, O. S. B., January, 1864, to March,
1871. Rev. Placidus McKeever, O. S. B., March, 1871, to August, 1873;
died, September 22, 1896. Rev. Maurice Lynch, O. S. B., August, 1873, to
August, 1875; died, December 13, 1887. Rev. Eugene Bode, O. S. B.,
August, 1875, to April, 1880. Rev. Raymond Danial, O. S. B., April,
1880, to September, 1880; died, September 25, 1910. Rev. Peter Kassens,
O. S. B., September, 1880, to April, 1881. Rev. Adolph Wesseling, O. S.
B., April, 1881, to April, 1883; died, September 24, 1891. Rev. Urban
Tracy, O. S. B., April, 1883, to April, 1885; died, May 13, 1915. Rev.
Timothy Luber, O. S. B., April, 1885, to April, 1890; died, March 29,
1901. Rev. Augustine Baker, O. S. B., April, 1890, to December, 1893;
died, June 23, 1909. Rev. Thomas Burk. O. S. B., December, 1893, to
December, 1897. Rev. Columban Meaney, O. S. B., December, 1897, to
December, 1910; died, January 8, 1911. Rev. Ignatius Stein, O. S. B.,
January, 1911, to September, 1912. Rev. Lawrence Theis. O. S. B.,
September, 1912, to September, 1913. Rev. Robert Salmon, O. S. B.,
September, 1913, to September, 1914. Rev Lawrence Theis, O. S. B.,
September, 1914; still in charge (1916).

                       TRINITY CHURCH, EPISCOPAL.

This church was organized November 3, 1857, as St. Mary Magdalene’s
Church, by Rev. Lewis R. Staudenmayer, John H. Stringfellow, Joseph P.
Carr, G. W. Bowman, William O. Gould, John M. Maury, James W.
Stringfellow and Daniel Adams. The Rev. L. R. Staudenmayer, a German, of
middle age, was the first pastor, and the first property owned by the
parish was at the northeast corner of Kansas avenue and Ninth street,
where a small rectory was built in 1859. The first vestry was as
follows: Richard C. Mackall, A. Hanson Weightman, James L. McClure,
Philipp Link, John M. Maury and Joseph P. Carr, and in October, 1859, a
committee from the vestry was authorized to procure estimates for
building a church on its property upon Kansas avenue at a cost of
$1,500. The foundation for this edifice was laid and some money
expended, but the resignation of Mr. Staudenmayer in January, 1860, and
his removal from the city, brought to a standstill the construction of
the edifice. The court house and Price’s Hall were used as places of
worship for ten years. The Rev. Faber Byllsby succeeded Mr.
Staudenmayer, and in 1863 the Rev. John E. Ryan succeeded Mr. Byllsby.
After Mr. Ryan’s resignation, in September, 1864, Bishop Thomas H. Vail
was made rector of the church, and notwithstanding the manifold duties
which pressed upon him as bishop of the diocese, he gave much of his
time to his work here, with the assistance of his son-in-law, Rev. John
Bakewell, who proved to be a very successful rector. It was during his
rectorship that agitation for a new church building was started, and due
to the efforts of Mr. Bakewell, Col. William Osborne, Richard A. Park,
Judge Otis and E. S. Wills, the present church edifice at the corner of
Utah avenue and Fifth street was erected, at a cost of $20,000. It is
built of stone, in the early English style of Gothic architecture, slate
roof and interior finished in black walnut and pine, and stands today
one of the ornaments of Atchison. In 1871 Mr. Bakewell resigned and was
succeeded by Rev. F. Nelson Meade in January, 1872, and continued in
charge until April, 1874, when he was succeeded by the Rev Thomas G.
Garver, who resigned in September, 1875. Rev. Frank O. Osborne became
rector in February, 1876, and was succeeded by Rev. Abiel Leonard. Rev.
M. Leonard found a congregation of 150 communicants, who in May, 1882,
erected a two-story brick rectory on T street for him. It was during the
Rev. Mr. Leonard’s rectorship that St. Andrew’s Mission, on west
Commercial street, was built. Mr. Leonard was succeeded by the Rev.
Francis K. Brooke, who in turn was succeeded by the Rev. John Henry
Hopkins, who built a parish house adjoining the church, which was opened
for use in 1905. Upon the resignation of Mr. Hopkins, Rev. John E.
Sulger became rector, but he remained only a short time, and was
succeeded by the Rev. John Henry Molineux. Rev. William R. Cross
succeeded Mr. Molineux, and then came the Rev. Francis S. White, who
remained in the parish until 1911, and was succeeded by the Rev. Otis E.
Gray.

The present vestry of the church is composed as follows: E. A. Mize,
senior warden; Dr. W. G. Beitzel, junior warden and clerk, and W. W.
Hetherington, T. L. Lawrence, Clyde Hastings, J. W. Barlow, W. J.
Brownson, Henry Diegel and Sheffield Ingalls.

                      ST. MARK’S ENGLISH LUTHERAN.

The history of English Lutheranism in Atchison is interesting. The work
of establishing St. Mark’s was fraught with hardship and discouragement.
Several of the early efforts failed. But the battle was renewed and
success at last achieved. Early in 1867 J. H. Talbott, through the
_Lutheran Observer_, called attention to Atchison as a point for a
Lutheran mission. By correspondence he secured the interest of Rev.
Morris Officer, then secretary of the general synod’s home mission
board. At the convention of the general synod at Harrisburg, Pa., in
1868, the Rev. Officer persuaded the Rev. M. G. Boyer, then pastor at
Marklesburg, Pa., to become a missionary to Atchison. Rev. Boyer and his
young wife arrived here June 30, that year. Price’s Hall, South Fourth
street, between Main and Commercial, was rented and fitted up as a
meeting place. Services were begun and a Sunday school organized. On
September 20, 1868, the congregation was organized with twenty-five
members. The first church council consisted of C. Weber and H. Gehrett,
elders; J. H. Talbott, J. Beamer, H. Snyder and F. Brendt, deacons.

In the spring of 1869 the board of church extension granted the
congregation a loan of $500, which amount was invested in the purchase
of an excellent lot on Kansas avenue. There were bright hopes of having
a chapel soon, but these hopes were scattered when an aged minister
advised delay on account of the financial stringency of the times, and
the numerical weakness of the church. Among the members at this time was
the Rev. A. W. Wagnalls, afterward one of the founders of the publishing
house of Funk & Wagnalls, New York City. While here he was in the real
estate business. At his suggestion the congregation purchased a fifteen
acre tract adjoining the city of Atchison on the northwest, which
section was platted and offered for sale with the hope of making enough
profit to erect a church building. “In this the Lutherans were
disappointed,” says the historian, “for they sold only enough lots to
pay for the land.”

After that venture the congregation used the Congregational church
building. About that time many English Lutherans left the city. Rev.
Boyer resigned at the end of the year 1869, and for ten years the church
was without a pastor. The Rev. Wagnalls supplied the pulpit now and then
until his removal in 1876, but finally the congregation disbanded. The
lots belonging to the church were sold for taxes, but were redeemed at
the eleventh hour through Mr. Talbott’s efforts, and deeded to the board
of church extension.

In 1880 the Rev. W. I. Cutter, a returned missionary to India, with the
assistance of Rev. David Earhart and his daughter, Mrs. H. E. Monroe,
gathered the English Lutherans together again. Mrs. Monroe was then
conducting a private school known as the “Atchison Institute,” and she
offered her school room as a place of worship. On the eighth of August
the congregation was reorganized and the following officers elected:
Elders, J. H. Berlin, W. H. Kuhns and N. D. Kistler; deacons, J. L.
Heisey, E. D. Kistler, and John Fusselman; trustees, J. H. Talbott, W.
H. Smith and S. J. Clark. Rev. Cutter served as pastor two years. During
part of this time aid was received from the Home Mission Board. In 1882
this aid was withdrawn and Rev. Cutter resigned.

Not until 1884 did the second organization flourish. In November of that
year the Rev. George S. Diven was commissioned to come to Atchison and
revive the mission. New interest was taken and the rejuvenated
congregation held its first service in the home of Henry Snell at 921
South Seventh street. The Odd Fellows’ hall was then secured as a place
of worship and a Sunday school was organized. Under the leadership of
Pastor Diven this school is said to have quickly become the largest in
the city. That year the pastor reported sixty members.

Atchison’s boom season occurred during Rev. Diven’s pastorate, and
everything was rushed along at a tremendous pace. The movement for a
Lutheran college for Atchison started at this time. The location of
Midland College here was largely due to the efforts of Rev. Diven and
his congregation, supported by the public spirited citizens of the city.
In February, 1885, the church was incorporated as St. Mark’s English
Lutheran Church. Rev. Diven resigned in 1887 and was succeeded by the
Rev. W. F. Rentz, in April, 1888. Rev. Rentz set to work at once to
secure a lot and erect a church building. The present location, corner
of Sixth and Park streets, was purchased for $5,000. The southern end of
the lot with the dwelling on it (now the Keith home), was sold to the
pastor for $1,750. The chapel (now the Sunday school room) was erected
in 1888, the cornerstone being laid August 19, and the church dedicated
December 16. The building and equipment cost $4,010. Pastor Rentz served
nine years, resigning in May, 1897.

The Rev. L. S. Keyser, now professor of dogmatics in Hamma Divinity
School, Wittenberg College, became pastor November 7, 1897, and served
most acceptably until April 7, 1903. During his pastorate the church
became self-supporting, after receiving aid for fifteen years from the
Home Mission Board. The Rev. R. W. Hufford, D. D., served as pastor from
January 9, 1904, to November 27, 1904. After a vacancy of nine months
the Rev. A. E. Renn became pastor August 18, 1905.

The outstanding achievement of Rev. Renn’s pastorate was the erection of
the present church building. The movement began October 21, 1907. Plans
were adopted March 17, 1908, and the building committee ordered to
proceed. The cornerstone was laid during the summer following. The
building was erected under the supervision of A. B. Zimmerman,
contractor, and cost, including organ and furnishings, about $14,000, a
marvel of church financing. The opening service was held May 23, 1909,
and marked an epoch in Kansas Lutheranism. During this pastorate the
congregation adopted the historic Lutheran vestments for pastor and
choir, and advanced in churchly worship. Rev. Renn resigned September 1,
1911.

The Rev. Howard C. Garvic was installed pastor the first Sunday in
March, 1912. No pastor of St. Marks surpassed him in zeal and energy for
the upbuilding of the Lord’s kingdom. Day and night he labored in
personal appeal and in teaching classes of adults and children. In a
little more than two years 175 names were added to the church roll,
constituting the largest growth of any pastorate. The death of the
pastor in the prime of manhood in March, 1915, produced a profound
impression upon St. Mark’s and the city of Atchison. The Rev. Robert L.
Patterson. D. D., became pastor October 17, 1915.

                         ST. BENEDICT’S ABBEY.

St. Benedict’s Abbey, church and college, are conducted by the
Benedictine Fathers. The first Benedictine father that came to Kansas
was Henry Lemke, O. S. B., who arrived in Doniphan in 1855, where he
laid the foundation of a monastery. He was shortly followed to Kansas by
a number of brother workers, who were sent here by Father Boniface
Wimmer, O. S. B., who founded the monastery of St. Vincent’s, in
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. They immediately opened a Latin
school with a few pupils, but Very Rev. Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., soon
discovered that Atchison would surpass Doniphan, and on this account the
Catholic brothers transferred their home to Atchison in about 1859. The
Rev. Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., came to Atchison from Doniphan once a
month to hold religious services, which were conducted in the home of
Charles Burnes, located on the southwest corner of Second and L streets.
The following year Father Augustine built a frame parish church in which
services were held for the first time on Christmas day. In this rude
structure the faithful worshipped until about 1865, when the parish,
having increased to such number, it became necessary to build a larger
church. Under the aggressive leadership of Father Augustine, the
parishioners concluded to invest in this structure $25,000. Francis
George Himpler, now living in New York, and for many years a partner of
the late J. P. Brown, was employed as architect. The work was pushed
forward and instead of the proposed church, a magnificent Basilica was
conceived, and the construction of it was carried forward with great
earnestness. The foundation was completed in 1866, and the cornerstone
was laid in October. The Rev. John Hennessy, O. S. B., who later was
archbishop of Dubuque, and one of the most eloquent orators of the
church, delivered the dedication sermon. To obtain brick for the church
walls, Father Augustine bought expensive machinery, and, under the
supervision of the late Peter Bless, started a brickyard in East
Atchison, but the undertaking proved a failure, as the bricks were not
serviceable for the church. Instead of using them in the construction of
the church they were used to build several cottages and store buildings
in the immediate neighborhood and, later on, when suitable bricks were
obtained, the work on the church was continued, and by the summer of
1868 the walls were finished to the window sills.

Father Augustine resigned June 18, 1868, and went to Minnesota, and
subsequently died while pastor at Melrose in that State, December 19,
1901, at the age of seventy-three years. He was succeeded by the Very
Rev. Louis Mary Fink, O. S. B., July, 1868, and it was during his
pastorate that the church was solemnly dedicated Trinity Sunday, 1869,
but it was not completed at that time, and, in fact was not completed
for many years thereafter. The church is built in Roman style and is 152
feet long and fifty-six feet wide. Father Louis was succeeded by the
Very Rev. Giles Christoph, O. S. B., who was appointed prior in July,
1871. In January, 1875, Very Rev. Ouswald Moosemueller, O. S. B., became
prior. Under his direction the church flourished and he is particularly
remembered for his exertions in founding and building up a good library
for the church and school. The members of the church had grown
sufficiently large, so that the priory was promoted to an abbey April 7,
1877, and on September 29 of that year Rev. Innocent Wolf, O. S. B., was
elected abbot, and still retains his place (1916), loved by all. Rev.
Innocent Wolf’s election as abbot was celebrated with appropriate
ceremonies, and the Very Rev. Boniface Verheyen, O. S. B., was appointed
pastor, and at that time the status of the house was as follows: Rt.
Rev. Innocent Wolf, O. S. B., abbot; Very Rev. Boniface Verheyen, O. S.
B., prior; Very Rev. Pirmin Kaumly, O. S. B., prior of St. Benedict’s;
Rev. Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., Emanuel Horlig, O. S. B., Rev. Timothy
Luber, O. S. B., Rev. Peter Kassens, O. S. B., Rev. Eugene Bode, O. S.
B., Rev. Adolph Wesseling, O. S. B., Rev. Ferdinand Wolf, O S. B., Rev.
Winfried Schmidt, O. S. B., Rev. John Steoder, O. S. B.; and Rev.
Matthew Bradley, O. S. B. Besides these there were four priests from St.
Vincent’s, Pa., who acted as assistants, whose names were Rev. Ambrose
Huebner, O. S. B., Rev. Casimir Elsesser, O. S. B., Rev. Theodore
Schmitt, O. S. B., and Rev. Anslem Soehuler, O. S. B. There were seven
clerics, ten lay brothers, five candidates and ten scholastics. Rev.
Charles Stoekle, O. S. B., succeeded Father Adolph as pastor of St.
Benedict’s Church in 1890, and remained pastor until 1898, when he was
succeeded by Rev. Longinus New, O. S. B., who was one of the most
beloved and active pastors of the church. He was a priest burning with
zeal and he delighted in preaching. He was a powerful speaker, and his
sermons were always well prepared and written out. He had a strong
voice; used plain and simple language, and spoke with such zeal and
sincerity that he left a lasting impression on all of his hearers. His
health failed him, however, and he was compelled to seek a southern
climate, and died in a hospital at Birmingham, Ala., March 2, 1899, aged
fifty-three years, and in the twenty-eighth year of his priesthood. He
was succeeded by Rev. Girard Heinz, O. S. B., who was appointed to take
his place January 1, 1899, and Father Girard remains the pastor of the
church in 1916.

  St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, Kan.
]

  Rt. Rev. Innocent Wolf, O. S. B.,
  President St. Benedict’s College, Atchison, Kan.
]

               FIRST GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.

This church was organized in 1866 by Rev. C. F. Liebe, home missionary
of the Evangelical Lutheran synod of Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, and other
states. The first regular minister was Rev. Mr. Menge, who was installed
in 1867. Rev. G. Landgraf succeeded Mr. Menge in December and was
installed the first day of that month. The church building at the corner
of Tenth and Commercial streets was dedicated at the same time. In 1869
a parsonage, adjoining the church, was erected, and the following year
C. Janzow, of Weston, Mo., succeeded Mr. Landgraf, who in turn was
followed by Rev. C. Hartman, who died in the fall of 1872, and after
which the call was extended to Rev. W. Zschoche, of Miami county,
Kansas. Under the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Zschoche the congregation
increased to a membership of 130, and a day school was conducted in
connection with the church by Mr. Zschoche until 1881.

Rev. C. Vedder succeeded Rev. Zschoche, who in turn was succeeded by
Rev. Theodore Bundenthal, whose untimely death in the latter part of
1915 deprived the church and its congregation of one of the best
ministers it ever had. Mr. Bundenthal was succeeded by Rev. Frederic
Niedner, who is in charge of the church in 1916. The present church
building at the corner of Eighth and Laramie streets was built in 1889.
There are 500 communicants and the church is affiliated with the
Missouri synod.

In addition to the churches already enumerated, there are several negro
churches, of which the Ebenezer Baptist Church, organized in 1867, and
the African Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in the summer of 1868,
are the most prominent. There are also several other denominations
represented in Atchison, including the Latter Day Saints, and the Holy
Rollers.

                             CHAPTER XVII.
                       EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

  FIRST SCHOOLS, PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS—ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS—
      EARLY SCHOOLS AND PIONEER TEACHERS—DISTRICT SCHOOLS—STATISTICS—
      MANUAL TRAINING—ATCHISON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL—COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS
      OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION—ATCHISON CITY SCHOOLS—PRIVATE SCHOOLS—MT.
      ST. SCHOLASTICA’s ACADEMY—PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS—MIDLAND COLLEGE AND
      WESTERN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY—ST. BENEDICT’S COLLEGE.

During the turmoil and confusion that accompanied the movement of
population into Atchison when the town and county were organized, the
question of schools appeared to be a secondary one. It was not until the
bitter days of 1854, 1855 and 1856 had passed that the attention of the
people was directed to this important question. The first schools in
Atchison were private institutions, and a number of them flourished
until after the beginning of the Civil war. Among those which were first
in the educational field here was the Baptist Seminary, at the northeast
corner of Eleventh and Santa Fe streets. It was a school for young women
and was conducted by Mr. Stork. Later Mrs. Lizzie Abbott, who afterwards
became the wife of Judge Cassius C. Foster, conducted a young ladies’
school at the northeast corner of Sixth and Laramie streets, and in the
eighties Miss Mary Teasdale conducted a private school at the same
place. Miss Lizzie Bay, the daughter of Hugh Bay, a prosperous farmer
living southwest of Atchison, was also active in early day educational
affairs, and so was Mrs. Amanda Blair, at that time Miss Amanda Meeker,
who is a resident of Atchison in 1916. Mrs. Blair was the first teacher
in Atchison county. While there was no activity in educational affairs
during the period just mentioned, the first Territorial legislature did,
in fact, pass a law in the summer of 1855 providing for the
establishment of common schools, but the history of the Atchison county
school system did not begin until 1858. The city of Atchison, District
Number 1, was organized August 5, 1858. On September 13th of that year a
meeting was held in the law office of Franklin B. Adams, and the
following school officers were elected: James A. Coulter, director; Dr.
William Grimes, treasurer, and Franklin G. Adams, clerk. O. F. Short was
the other member. Phillip D. Plattenburg, who had previously served as
county superintendent of Fulton county, Illinois, was elected principal
of the schools and Mrs. Blair his assistant. School was opened the first
week in November, in two rooms over Bury’s Grocery Store, on the corner
of Fourth and Commercial streets, where the Y. M. C. A. building now
stands. The next year the corps of teachers had increased to four, and
Miss Lizzie Bay and Miss Melissa Kipp, who subsequently became the wife
of Chief Justice Martin, became the other two teachers. The school was
moved to the old Masonic building further west on Commercial street,
where it was conducted for two years. Mr. Plattenburg was also appointed
county superintendent, and the first teacher’s certificate issued by him
in Atchison county was to D. W. Rippy, who died in Severance, Kan., in
1914, the richest man in Doniphan county. Mr. Rippy taught the first
school in the Second district, organized near the Waggener farm,
southwest of Atchison. Mrs. Blair had her teaching certificate when she
arrived in Atchison, as one was issued to her by Dr. Plattenburg in
Fulton county, Illinois, before she came to Atchison. Her school opened
in Atchison the first Monday in November, 1858, and she had charge of
the primary and intermediate departments. Dr. Plattenburg received a
salary of $100.00 a month and Mrs. Blair a salary of $45.00, which was
increased to $50.00 by Dr. Plattenburg giving her $5.00 of his own
salary. Mrs. Blair had sixty-five pupils. Mrs. Blair says that the first
spelling match in Atchison county took place in W. D. Rippy’s school.
She participated in the spelling match, and was spelled down on the word
“Poisonous.”

Mr. Plattenburg served in the capacity of principal and superintendent
of schools until May, 1861, when the schools were closed for lack of
funds. Because of the Civil war very little progress in education was
made, and the records of the county superintendent’s office for that
period are not available. The earliest record in the office of the
county superintendent concerning the schools of Atchison county is found
in an old record book of July 7, 1863, as follows:

“Through the kindness of the present board of County Commissioners, E.
Leighton, B. Wallack and C. G. Foster, this book was furnished for the
records of the public schools of Atchison county. It is hoped that every
superintendent, into whose possession this book may fall, will perform
every duty devolving upon him officially, and make every effort to
advance the cause of education.

                                            “ORLANDO SAWYER,
                                  “Superintendent of Public Instruction,
                                  “Atchison County.”

  Old High School Building, Atchison, Kan.
]

In spite of the fact that the records of County Superintendent Sawyer,
who held his office from 1863 to 1867, are somewhat incomplete, they
contain much interesting information.

The average length of the school term for the first year was three and
one-half months, and in some districts, owing to the distance and the
rigors of the winter climate, school was held only during the summer
months. Among the early teachers in this county were Miss Lizzie Keith,
who taught in District No. 29 in 1863; Miss Mary A. Shields, who taught
in District No. 16 in the same year; Miss Helen L. Bishop, of District
No. 26, and Miss Stewart, of District No. 31. Miss Bishop was a pioneer
in advocating the teaching of vocational subjects in the public schools,
including domestic science, manual training, agriculture and sewing, and
for her zeal in this respect she was derided and laughed at. Women
teachers in those days, as now, outnumbered the men. The following are
the names of those who received teacher’s certificates in 1863: July 8,
Michael Roach; July 27, Mrs. Esther Thayer; July 30, W. D. Barnett;
August 15, Mary A. Shields; August 15, Solomon K. McCrary; August 27,
Richard Dunn; September 14, Martha Stewart; September 25, Allen Abbott;
September 27, Adelia Guest; October 11, Carlos E. Pease; October 14,
John C. Butman; November 23, I. J. Adams; December 1, R. S. Cook;
December 4, L. A. Messenger; December 4, Harriet Hollister, and December
4, W. R. DeWitt.

There were thirty-one districts in the county in that year, and the
amount of State funds apportioned to Atchison county was $295.30. The
school population was 1941, with an enrollment of 1,072, and an average
daily attendance of 500. Twenty-nine teachers were employed, twenty-two
women and seven men, with an average monthly salary for the men of
$25.20 and $16.75 for the women. The total valuation of school houses
was $1,050, and the amount of money received from the county was
$827.05. The following is a list of the Atchison county school officers
in the year 1863:

District No. 1: P. H. Woodard, director; M. S. Gaylord, clerk; F. Bier,
treasurer; District No. 3: Peter Boyer, L. A. Messenger and A. Wheeler;
District No. 5: Nathan McClintic, Hosea Norris and James Cravins;
District No. 6. W. H. Bowen, J. W. Cain and Jonathan Hartman; District
No. 8: S. Cummings, Milo Carleton and Lewis Brockman; District No. 9:
George Scarborough, Joseph Scarborough and Jacob Pochler; District No.
10: Jacob Beck, Frederick Neerman and James A. Smith; District No. 11:
John Graves, Henry Shell and Henry Widner; District No. 15: John W.
Best, George Lamberson and Boaz W. Williamson; District No. 17: Hiram
Quiett, Chas. Williamson and Wm. Cummings; District No. 18: W. J. Young,
F. L. Fortune and A. J. Reed; District No. 19: Henry Cline, F. Leighton
and W. J. Mayfield; District No. 20: W. J. Oliphant, D. H. Sprong and
Dandridge Holladay; District No. 21: Dwight Williams, Jacob Reese and
John J. Halligan; District No. 22: F. Roach, C. B. Keith and Joseph
Speer; District No. 23: W. A. Adams, W. H. Seever and W. M. Hamm;
District No. 24: James R. May, E. S. Evington and Jefferson Gragg;
District No. 26: R. Breedlone, C. May and James Fletcher; District No.
27: James F. Butcher, C. G. Means and W. L. Davis; District No. 28:
Andrew C. Pittman, David Earhart and George H. McPherson; District No.
29: Anderson Pate, James M. Wylie and H. T. Gill; District No. 30: P. B.
Chadwick, J. W. Roberson and R. A. Van Winkle; District No. 31: Samuel
Vanatta, William Hamon and Hamilton Bailey; District No. 33: Benj.
Rivers, Silas A. Hooey and J. Plotner; District No. 34: D. Kottle, John
S. Van Winkle and A. King; District No. 35: A. A. F. Randolph, D. M.
Stillman and Joshua Wheeler; Union District No. 1: J. A. Anderson, M. C.
Willis and George Storch; Union District No. 2: James Cooley, L. H.
Masterson and Wm. H. Cook; Union District No. 3: W. J. Brown, Thos. A.
Snoddy and J. Lasswell, and Union District No. 4: Richmon Dalton, Albert
Henson and Frederick Eleman.

The next record that can be found of the progress of schools in this
county is of 1868, when Norman Dunshee was county superintendent. In
that year there were forty-six organized school districts, and a school
population of 3,878, with a total enrollment of 2,247, and an average
daily attendance of 1281. The term for white children was increased to
five and one-half months and for colored children to ten months. There
was a total of sixty-four teachers, of whom thirty-seven were women and
twenty-seven men. The wages of the men were $42.92 a month, and for the
women, $28.76 a month, and there was a total of $15,117.87 paid out for
wages. The amount received from the State was $2,627.09, and an
additional source of revenue was from the pounding of stray livestock,
which brought into the school fund of the county that year $589.58. The
amount raised by district school tax was $24,373.21, and there were
forty-three school houses in the county, of which twelve were built of
logs, twenty-six of frame construction, and five of stone, with a total
valuation of $16,750.00. During the interim between 1863 and 1868, the
Third Kansas Teachers’ Association met in Atchison. The meeting was held
July, 1865, and there were fifty-nine teachers present in Price’s Hall.
John A. Martin, John J. Ingalls and Geo. W. Glick attended the meeting
and made addresses.

In comparison with the figures of those days, the figures of 1915 are
interesting, and they are here given as follows:

 School population, June 30, 1915                                  3,530
 Total enrollment, 1914–1915                                       2,477
 Average daily attendance, 1914–1915                               1,915
 Teachers employed, 1915–1916, including county
   high school, males 23, females 81                                 104
 Teachers employed 1915–1916, including county
   high school, holding State certificates                            19
 Normal training 33, first grade 22, second grade
   27
 Teachers without previous experience                                 21
 Teachers serving first year in present positions                     56
 Teachers more than two years in  present position                    16
 Average experience of teachers:
      One-teacher schools                                        5 years
      Graded schools                                             6 years
 Average length of term in weeks:                     1914–15    1915–16
      One-teacher schools                                30.4      30.65
      Graded schools                                     35.3      35.33
 Average salary of male teachers:                     1914–15    1915–16
      One-teacher schools                               63.75      67.25
      Graded schools                                    84.77      85.81
 Average salary of female teachers:                   1914–15    1915–16
      One-teacher schools                               58.16      57.45
      Graded schools                                    59.64      60.00
 Average attendance per teacher:                      1914–15
      One-teacher schools                                  21
      Graded schools                                       26
 Average cost per pupil per month in attendance:                 1914–15
      One-teacher schools                                       $   3.69
      Graded schools                                                4.38
 Amount expended for school purposes:                            1914–15
      One-teacher schools                                     $39,756.47
      Graded schools                                           19,212.88
      County high school                                       17,719.71
                                                                   —————
 Total                                                        $76,689.06

 Common school graduates, 1915:
      Boys 57, girls 71, total 128.
 High school graduates, 1915:
      Boys 17, girls 19, total 36.
 Total number of libraries in rural schools                           63
 Number of volumes in rural libraries                              4,314
 Number of schools having room or basement
   furnaces                                                           66
 Number of county certificates issued during year:
      First grade                                           9
      Second grade                                         24
      Third grade                                           7  Total  40
 Number of first grade renewed                                         5
 Number of State certificates registered                               7
 Number teachers normal training certificates
   registered                                                         13
 Number of first grades indorsed                                       3
 Number of second grades indorsed                                      1

The city of Atchison is not included in any of the above statistics.

It is interesting to note that the vision of Miss Helen E. Bishop of
1863 has been realized, for in every school in Atchison county, not only
agriculture is taught, but in about one-third of the schools, plain
sewing and various kinds of fancy needlework are taught also, and while
no rural school as yet is equipped to teach cooking, a number of the
teachers are directing some work along this line and it is done in
accordance with the teacher’s directions in the homes, with the
assistance of the mothers. More attention than ever is also being given
to drawing and music. Earnest efforts are being made by superintendents
and teachers to secure the coöperation of parents by means of community
gatherings. In many districts teachers’ associations, literary societies
and debating clubs have been organized, in which parents as well as
children are taking a great interest. Many of the districts have availed