(related documents, including his complete autobiography at http://www.seltzerbooks.com/familyandfriends.html
)
I will
endeavor to give an interesting and graphic description of a trip
to the Indian Nation on which my memory often dwells with the
sweetest reflections. The
object of the journey was simply sight seeing and enjoyment and of
both we had our fill to the heart’s content.
The party
consisted of two men, whom, by the way, we will call Tom Brown and
Sam Jones, and myself. The
locality: the counties of Neosho, Labette, Montgomery, Wilson and
the Indian Territory. The
counties before mentioned being in the S. E. part of the state of
Kansas.
Our outfit
consisted of a “ship of the Prairie”, a covered wagon, and two
horses. Provisions
consisting of bread, biscuits, rolls, pies, cakes, ham, and our
stock being constantly replenished, by purchases and our own
productions. We also
had cooking utensils, teapots, etc., tableware. Bedding, lights, and
last but not least a six shot revolver and double barreled shotgun
to defend us against attacks of the roaming bands of Indians, and
wild beasts.
Many times
Had I been longing to enjoy a journey on the prairies of our
western frontier, to breathe the pure air and inhale the scent of
the beautiful flowers. As
an opportunity now seemed open I was completely enraptured in the
momentous event.
On Friday
morning May 16th, 1879, we stated equipped as above,
from the town of Thayer, Neosho Co.
It was a beautiful morning, clear and cool, exhilarating us
to the highest degree. We
had agreed that Tom should be driver and look to the care of the
horses. Sam and
myself were to prepare and obtain the “Grub”.
We were
now fairly out of town, proceeding in a Southeasterly direction,
the horses moving on a slow trot and walk by turns. We had a clear view of
everything---the horizon, being one smooth green circle as there
were no mountains or hills to give a break. Noon came and we drew up
about one mile East of the Little Labette
Creek. Here we spread our board
on the top of the grub box, and partook of a nearby dinner,, we
took a cold bite and it did taste delicious. After closing and
clearing up our provisions, I espied what I took to be a large
hawk. Taking our gun,
which we always kept ready charged, I aimed slowly over the newly
broken prairie till I came within reach, as I thought, taking a
careful bead I let drive---up flew a vicious looking turkey
buzzard---well I never heard the last of my hawk shouting,
“mistakes will happen in the best of societies. Resting our steeds a
short time, we resumed our journey.
The country here was somewhat stony, called limestone by
the Kansans, but having no more resemblance to limestone than the
cinders of our furnaces have,,---in fact they represent that
exactly to the view. We
occasionally
meet with a settler’s home here.
Let me try and portray one.
A small patch of prairie, say forty acres, broken up. A hedge planted on two
sides. Some of this
cultivated land is in wheat, but by far the greater part in corn. In one corner of the
quarter section, in the west all land is laid out in sections of
six hundred and forty acres each.
One hundred and sixty acres constitutes a quarter section,
which is the size of nearly all the farms, homesteads, pre-emption
and timber claims. This
quarter is always square and the squatter’s first work is planting
a hedge around it, this accounts for the hedge on two sides only
of the forty-acre batch, mentioned above. A wooden weather boarded
building ten by twelve feat large one story high, containing the
kitchen, sitting room, parlor, bed chambers, gamet and cellar, all
in one room. This
they call their big house. It
takes a common carpenter from two to four days to make one. After the mansion house
is built the carpenter’s work is dispensed with and he is
discharged, the settler erecting his barns, stables, wagon shed,
pigsty, granaries by himself.
This is the barn, four posts having forks on top, are dug
in the ground. Two
grass pieces are put on, a few lathes then covered with straw and
fenced in on three sides with sails and this stately and colossal
structure is completed. The
pigsty is a four cornered and rectangular patch fenced in, with
clear blue sky for a roof. The
granary and corncribs consist of a square of a sail’s length on
each side blocked shed is about as large, well as the wagon, corn
reaper, and corn planter covers having the sky for a roof the
solid earth for a floor and the pure air for sides. This is the handiest
building on the farm, you are not eternally bothered in opening or
shutting down gates . If
the building should happen to be in your way, it can be moved with
the greatest ease and satisfaction.
I presume you now have a faint idea of the settler’s home
and plantation. Past
such homes we passed, but they were not crowded either, People in
this country preferring elbow room to city luxury. How contented and
unconcerned they appeared and also very hospitable. Do you imagine these
people are not refined or cultured?
Let me assure you, you are sadly mistaken. Men of more liberal
views and polite manners I never came across. They have a pure and big
heart if it is encased in a rough exterior.
We passed
on gradually nearing the northern boundary of Labette County at
four o’clock in the afternoon we arrived at the beautiful and
enterprising city of Persons.
This town is finely built of brick and stone houses, the
streets crossing at right angles.
The car and machine shops of M. K. and L. R. R. are located
here. There are also
large and excellent dry goods houses, packing houses etc. It is the metropolis of
S. E. Kansas. We took
a good look about the city, then we went about half a mile east of
the town crossing the Big Labette creek and camped on the east
bank for the night. The
Labette is a fine stream and abounds in many kinds of fins. We tried our luck at
angling and succeeded in catching a mess of catfish, which we
intended to have for breakfast, etc.
An unfortunate accident happened to our fish. We had them in a string
and suspended in the water, when I having caught one was on the
point of stringing him, as twirling and agitation of the water
convinced me that all was not right.
Taking out our string, I was shocked and chagrinned to see
that only the heads of the finest of our fish were left, the
bodies being eaten clean away by muskrats. This cut our breakfast
rather short of fried catties, as it was getting dusk and we had
to prepare for the night.
It
happened to fall to my lot to prepare supper, and without being
egotistical, I’m happy to say I got out an excellent supper,
having started a fire and boiled coffee, by suspending a kettle
from a rack made of wood.
As a rule
we always selected a site near water for camping, on account of
wood and water. Our
supper being over, we “lariated” our horses to pasture for the
night. After which we prepared our sleeping apartments. This was the wagon box
and a narrow one at that too.
We then lit our lantern, hung it at one of the wagon bows,
and had a social chat on our first day’s journey. Sam and myself took our
note books and recounted the principal events of the day. This, our first day, we
traveled about 20 miles. Now
it was time to retire and sleep.
…but nature’s sweet restorer seemed banished from my
thoughts, while the others were snoring like engines my mind was
occupied with meditations, and I must own it a slight taint of
fear. Here we were
all alone on the wooden banks of a wild steam. Could not some desperate
train robber despoil us? Well
I was awake a long time, at last I fell asleep and such a sound
sweet sleep with no unpleasant dreams was indeed a rich treat,
suffice it to say the sun was up before I awoke! In the morning after our
ablutions were over we partook of the breakfast of fish that
remained after the muskrat adventure of the previous evening. Ah! But they were
delicious!! At l7
o’clock we resumed our journey, starting in the cool of the day. After some time we came
to the M. and C. Narrow Gauge R.R. and a train happening to be in
sight we waited until it passed.
It was a wee bit of a thing and shook fearful from speed. I judge I’d not enjoy a
ride in a narrow gauge car very much. At 10 am we arrived at
Labette City, a mere hamlet but having an excellent well in the
middle of the public square.
Here we allayed our as well as the horses thirst. Our next point of
destination was Oswego, which we struck at 12:15 pm. This is a fine and
prosperous town, the county seat of Labette County, we camped for
dinner in the public square under the shade of a large oak tree. Our repast over, we took
a short stroll around town. All
the towns through which we passed we had the finest opportunities
for seeing, and nothing of interest escaped our notice. After leaving Oswego we
moved due south. Before
coming to Oswego we had the company of a native Jayhawker, whom we
kept busy with our questioning.
He patiently and very fully gave us all the information we
wanted and was a gentleman in every respect. He thanked us very much
for the ride and we earnestly assured him that he was thrice
welcome and that we were under the greatest obligation to him for
his genial company.
At 4 pm we
forded the Big Labette and pulled up for the night in the south
side of the creek in a wild timber region. This was by far the
roughest place for camping we had,…and our drinking water we had
to get across the creek. Sam fetched a bucket full on a horse
while I started the fire. Our
good grub was beginning to diminish rather too rapidly and we had
to lessen the number of cookies and increase the demand for snitz
pie. But we had
appetites keen enough to relish anything. This was Saturday
evening the second day of our trip.
After receiving our horses for the night and closing up our
wagon we were ready for our evening chat and note takings. It was somewhat later
when we settled down permanently for the night and we heard the
wolves and wild cats howling in the distance but for tonight all fear of
the previous evening had vanished and I could lay down to sleep as
peacefully as in the safest and most luxurious be to be found. Strange it seems how
soon the feelings become accustomed to anything, when not worked
up by fancy. We made
29 miles today.
On
awakening next morning we beheld a beautiful Sabbath day and felt
duty bound to do little on the Lord’s Day. However, we were obliged
to move a little and we soon passed to the town of Chetopa, whose
school house we could see when a great way off yet. It reminded me of an
Opera house, so grand and stately it was. The town is on decline
though. It owed its
rapid growth to being the terminus for a time of the M. K. and
L.R.R. But that
county received permission to extend their line through the Nation
down to Texas, and the glory of Chetopa fell as rapidly as it
rose…..however it contained about a thousand inhabitants yet, as
it has some splendid buildings. Two miles south of here we crossed
the Nation line and I was then for the first time out of the
jurisdiction of the U.S. The
Territory is indeed a beautiful country, not flat but gently
rolling. Every now
and then we came across an Indian’s farm, which could easily be
recognized by the stake fence around it. A good many white men
live in the Nation, but they all have squaws for wives, for no
white man alone dares live in the country. We might almost have had
an adventure here with the Indians.
At one place we asked an intelligent looking young squaw
for water. She
pointed the way to the well.
I seized the rope to draw when there was a tin kettle at
the one end, thinking it might contain a valve below. I gave it several dups
but it would not fill, so Sam suggested it might be something
else. I
therefore hoisted it up when it turned out to be just a common
kettle nearly full of excellent looking golden yellow butter. Of course, I tied our
bucket to the rope and soon had it filled, and replacing the
kettle suspended the butter again in the well. What would have happened
had I dumped that butter in the well I don’t know, but have an
idea, they’ll have wanted my scalp as pay. We had luck here.
The
Indians I saw were finely, cleanly dressed in fact, more so than
many of the whites.
We moved
on about 8 miles into the Territory and then set up for noon. It was terribly hot here
night at noon the sun seemed to the entirely vertical and the rays
had an almost scorching power…and no wonder for we were in the
latitude of North Carolina.
We had
rather poor water and the partly wanted tea. It fell to my part to
prepare dinner. No
wood. I was a a loss
to start a fire. On
looking around I espied something k dry stalks of weeds perhaps 6
feet high. These I
gathered and soon had a roaring blaze. We had our table fully
prepared in due time. This meal we took as a memento of the
Nation. All being
cleared away and packed up….we lay down in our covered wagon and
took a nap of perhaps an hour’s length. All being refreshed
again, we retraced our route back to Chetopa. For we had now reached
the furthest jaunt of
our journey. We
arrived at Chetopa at 2:30pm.
Here we encamped on the banks of the Neosho River near a
large stream grist mill. It
being an unusually warm day we took a bath in the clear water of
the Neosho. Having
satisfied our selves in the water Sam and I took a stroll around
town. What struck me
most was that nearly all the business places were open and buying
and selling going on all the time.
In the evening the colored people assembled in a small
frame building for public worship and to say the least they were
very outspoken, for our camp was about 200 yds. Away and we heard
their voices distinctly, especially when the meeting had been
closed and they returned to their homes. Such a jabbering,
chattering, Guffawing and yelling I never heard before near a
House of God. But
negroes are negroes, and Chetopa would be rather to full
of them for our appreciation.
The Sunday
eve I had my first experience of a Kansas shower, they called it,
but it was a storm and nothing else.
The S.W. sky became black; the sun was obscured; a flash
and then the roll of thunder heralded the coming rain. I proceeded leisurely to
close up our wagon to shelter us from the rain, when to my dismay
it commenced to drop and soon to pour down such torrents, that it
was with difficulty we kept dry.
We got a Little wet for the wind was so strong as to almost
upset our wagon, in
fact weighted it soaked and it shook it right smart still. Some of my old timidity
appeared again much to the amusement of Tom and Sam, who called
this a gentle breeze. I
had, however, later on in the
northern part of the state some chance of seeing a Kansas
storm which at the least was terrific indeed.
The shower
abated almost as suddenly as it cam, having rained not more that
15 minutes and the sun shone again.
It was however late in the eve and light fell over the town
of Chetopa. Our
lantern lighted we went on with our usual evening ????(words
omitted from original).
The shower
of rain having cooled the air so we all sleep soundly. On awakening next
morning????? thing appeared and
enlivened?????
This
Monday morning we change from a southerly to a westerly direction. We took the direct road
to Coffeyville, Montgomery County.
Towards noon we came to a small village called Kingston
where we made a short stay and mailed letters home. About 2 miles N. of
Kingston we pulled up for noon.
Having procured some lemons and sugar at Chetopa we made
excellent lemonade, but we had rather poor shade as not a tree was
in view for miles around, however it was rather cool this day it
being windy. Believing
ourselves secure from Indian attacks Sam and I indulged in some
waste of powder and shot in target shooting. I will not relate the
scores we made. Our
little shooting affair I had in the Nation. I will relate though. While jogging leisurely
on, one of us discovered some prairie chickens, or we rather came
upon them, for one was not more than ten feet away, sitting in a
tuff of grass. In my
excitement I seized my revolver being sure of my mark at so short
a distance. Sam,
begged and entreated me to desist with the revolver and take the
shotgun, I finally yielded and had hardly leveled the piece when I
let fly, no movement in the grass.
I gave her the other barrel, and awaited the effect, and
what do you think it was? Well
I never was so beat in my life, why not less that six feet from
the place I intended to hit, at prairie hen flew up. I confess the jeiss
(guys) were rather
hard on me some time but eventually I regained my spirits
resolving never to shoot at a prairie chicken anymore.
After
regaling ourselves, we again proceeded on toward the setting sun. At 3 P.M. we crossed
Pumpkins Creek and at 4 we forded the Vesdigrit River. This river has high
banks and these are sometimes full. We had lost ourselves after
crossing Pumpkin Creek, when driving in to an old settler he set
us night again. The
country between these two streams is well wooded and fertile. Coffeyville was now in
sight and this was hailed by us all with delight. Our trip from Chetopa to
the place had been so straight and seemed so long that we were
weary for the first time. The
distance was 30 miles, and we came to Coffeyville at the 4.15 P.M. This is a large town and
has an active trade with the Indian farmers, as it is the terminus
of L.L. and G.R.R. Where
we saw many Indians, some trading others loafing about town.
We struck
our camp a little south of town and had the pleasure of a camp of
Indians about a hundred yards away, to the north and to the south
a company of U>S> Troops were stationed to prevent settlers
from entering the Nation, for locating on the fertile plains of
Oklahoma. No wonder if the poor re man seeks
the hatchet sometimes for redress.
It’s about the only redress he even gets. Tract after tract and
acre after acre are absorbed by the greedy whites, who claim to be
civilized. These poor
Indians will even remain as a black page on the History of Free
America.
Here we
tried our hand at the culinary art in the shape of frying some
tender beefsteak for supper and it was a grand success, only we
got the dressing rather too thick, but we devoured it with more of
a relish than was consistent with etiquette. Our utensils and
tableware commenced to show the rather too hasty cleaning by
getting somewhat encumbered with too much detrimus. A happy thought struck
me for scouring the knives and forks. The ground here is a
sandy loam, and by forcing them down in the sod they became as
bright as any Bridget could make them. I had some thought of
getting this process patented, but concluded it would be better to
give it free to the world.
Our sleep
was rather shortened by another rain coming on about 3 in the
morning. We were all
awakened by the thunder and lighting and after the rain was over,
it was daylight. We
took an early breakfast and started at 6.15 due north for
Independence. On our
way we crossed Clear and Rock Creeks. The last named having a
bed of one solid rock at the fording. The country is very
sparsely settled along here.
We arrived at Independence, at 11.30 A.M. Stopped for dinner about
one half mile north of town.
Independence is the rival of Parsons and can almost come up
to it. It is the
County Seat of Montgomery Co. and has an active and lively trade.
Our noon
repast being over we started on our journey. Crossed the Vesdigrit on
a rickety old bridge not safe for passing over at 1.15 P.M. The country was well
timbered along here. We
again had the company of a fine young Kansan who engrossed our
attention with relating the resources of the country in general. At 4.30 P.M. we forded
the Fall River being now in Wilson Co. and in half an hour more
arrived at Neodesha, a fine little town. This was our camping
place for the night and we pulled up on the banks of the Vesdigrit
River, in heavy timber. Just
before coming to Neodesha we came past one of the finest wheat
field, 200 acres in extent, that I ever saw. It was just as smooth
and even as could be. Those
people who denounce droutay Kansas should see it once in its
fruitful state.
Here at
our camp we had another shooting affair, but I wasn’t the actor,
“You bet”, as they say here, I kept my hands clear of that gun. Sam was the lucky man
this time. Well he
shot a large gray squirrel and we cut him up for bait and tried
fishing again, but it was no go.
Not the sign of a fish could we catch since our adventure
with the muskrat.
We treated
ourselves to some eggs here.
I went to town and bought a dozen for five cents. One of the party putting
a soft boiled egg into this hip pocket unluckily sat down and
smashed it all up. He
had a mess in his pocket anyhow if his stomach had not. This day we had traveled
34 miles.
This was
the last night we were to pass in the wagon, for tomorrow will end
our journey.
In the
morning I was awakened by the singing of the birds. Oh, I thought they’d
burst their little throats by their loud sweet notes. So beautifully I had
never before nor since heard the music of the birds. We were in no hurry to
start this morning as we could easily reach home by noon. We lingered about our
camp longingly casting a glance at the place of our last lodging. At 7.30 we resumed our
trip, crossing the Vesdigrit and going directly East. We jogged along slowly,
wondering what the folks at home would say on seeing us back
again. We gradually
reached Thayer and came through the coal fields now, 2 and a half
miles S.W. of town. Our
house was now in sight, and we pulled up in the yard, meeting all
the anxious looking ones in the best of spirits and our trip was
over.
We had
passed six days and five nights in the wagon and traveled 143
miles in a nearly circuitous route.
Many
incidents of minor importance I have not described, but they are
indelibly fixed in my memory.
In
conclusion I would say, shoulde any of you my friends, ever
undertake a wagon trip, on the western plains you’ll never
be sorry for the time and trouble spent therein.
H. H. Seltzer,
Belleview, Pa.
(Born Aug. 28, 1856))
(Died Aug. 7, 1925)
Characters,
Tom Brown ---J.H. Blouch – Thayer, Kansas
Sam Jones ---A.H.
Kreider – Thayer, Kansas