The LHS Newsletter Archive

Volume Twenty-five, Issue Number 3

Originally Published in Lecompton, Kansas : Fall 1999 Digitally Archived August 2006

UA£1'VOL. 25, NO.3

~ae£~LECOMPTON, KANSAS FALL, 1999

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SURVEYOR GENERAL~S OFFICECALHOUN CANDLEBOX

"Taken from the Kansas City Journal-Sept. 23, 1908"Souvenir Of An Important Event In Kansas HistoryMostExciting EJection Ever Held in the Sunflower State-When the Issue Was, "ShallKansas be Freeor Slave"

Olathe, Kas., Sept. 22--The first authentic story ofthe Oxford election frauds, by which Kansas was tobe made a slave state and the important capture ofthe "Calhoun Candlebox" by the free state men,was told at the Johnson county old setters' reunionhere to-day by George W. Martin, secretary of theKansas Historical Society. The most exciting elect-ions ever held in Kansas perhaps were in Octoberand December, 1857 and January, 1858. On theirresult depended the fate of Kansas. The greatissue was: KShallKansas be free or slave?" The

pro-slavery men were determined to carry theelectionby meansfair or foul. Theyhadto resorttofoul, and the way they padded the ballot boxeswould make Pinky Blitz and his gang, of electioncrooks in Kansas City green with "envy.

The "Calhoun Candlebox" played an importantpart in these frauds, as the story told by SecretaryMartin will reveal. It was an old-fashioned woodenbox just large enough to hold a gross of candles.But it was made big enough to hold enoughfraudulent ballots, which. if the returns had beenallowed to stand, would have made Kansas a slavestate. Mr. Martin brought the candlebox along withhim today and exhibited it during his address. Manyold settlers remembered the stirring incident of theearly days in which the box was a central figure.

Candlebox as Souvenir."This candleboxis a souvenirof an important

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am fr. our tecrtforiaI'history, illustratingthe~ of :hose whosoughtthe extensionof~- ever. ~ the dissolutionof the Union,"saidSeaeIary \!a1in. in beginning his address. "Fromror:-ii-.~ . doubt if there has never been a~ ~ ofthe connectionof this box1riIh~ -."Otingin October and November,1857,and Jcr'..ay. 1858. Itis understoodto be the ballotbox ~ ?tdch were cast or rather stuffed the~~ ballotsof the townof Oxford,inJohnson~~. There are no records by whichit can bei:!en1ffied.' But it is the box in which L. A.~~.fclean) chief clerk in the surveyorgenera's office at Lecompton, deposited the"'ek..'"1Sfor the elections of December 21, 1857,and January 4. 1858, and which he buried in the1rOO

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constitutional convention. although, one statementis that he lived in Westport. It is said the people ofOxford were astounded at the magnitude of thereturns.

"Going Behind the Returns.""I was an apprentice in the office of the National

Democrat at Lecompton during this time, andSecretary Stanton furnished pretty near all theeditorial. It was my duty to go after this copy, and Idid not have to knock to get on the inside. TheOxford and McGee frauds caused greatcommotions. Reeder and Geary had balked, eachleaving the territory in the night, and Walker andStanton were against it. A violent di scussion aroseabout going behind the returns, which greatlymuddle me. But when Walker and Stanton, aboutthe 12th of October, hitched four mules to anambulance, and with a squad of soldiers starteddo~n to see Oxford, I understood the term goingbehind the re~urns." Upon their return toLecompton on the 19th of October they issued aproclamation throwing out the returns from Oxford.The election was held for two days, and over 1,500of the votes were reported to be cast on thesecond day. The governor and secretary found afew trifling irregularities. It was a viva voce vote,there were twenty-one candidates, and it wasconcluded that it was a physical impossibility for1,500 to vote such a ballot in one day. Walker andStanton said: "The disposition to be made of thesupposed vote is rendered all important by the factthat the political character of the legislativeassembly will be controlled by the addition of threecouncilmen and eight representatives to thestrength of one party or the other according to theadoption or rejection of the returns in question.'On the 23rd Judge Cato issued a mandamusordering certificates of election to be issued to thepro-slavery candidates, but the governor andsecretary still refused. Stanton said he would sufferhis right arm cut off first. Walker asked leave ofabsence, and interviewed the administration atWashington, but finding no support would be givenhim in his work of reform resigned. For calling anextra session of the legislature a month or so later,Stanton was summarily dismissed.

Illegal Votes Were Cast."But Oxford was not to be snuffed out. At the

election, December 21, 1857, on the adoptionorrejection of the Lecompten constitution, 1,214illegal votes were cast. At the election held January4, 1858, 696 illegal votes were cast. These returnsbeing subject to the constitutional convention, aredoubtless the ones connected with the Calhoun

candlebox."But how did the candlebox secure its fame? On

the 12th January, 1858, the legislature appointed acommittee to investigate the election of December21, 1857 and January 4, 1858. In their report theysay they were unable to obtain the original pollbooks of either election at Oxford or Shawnee.One statement is that the returns from Johnsoncounty were sent by mail, and another is that theywere last seen in the surveyor general's office inlarge envelopes. Nearly all the pro-slaveryprecincts were characterized by the same style ofvoting. T. Dwight Thacher, in an address on "TheRejected Constitution" said that they practically hadno voters, and that the stuffing was for thepurposes of making a showing at Washington. L.A. McLean swore before the legislativeinvestigating committee that he sent the returns bymessenger to General Calhoun in Platte county,Mo., about the 19th, or 20th of January. So farthere is no trace of a candlebox connected withOxford, but the candlebox before you proved to bethe petard with which the conspiracy to stealKansas was blown up."

"When McLean returned from Lawrencesomething had to be done to protect his perjuredtestimony. He waited until all had gone to bed, andthen with a comrade quietly in the night, theydisplaced a pile of stovewood, dug a hole, buriedthe returns in this heroic candlebox, smoothing itover with about eight inches of dirt and chips, andreplacing on top of it the pile of wood, and twoUnited States senatorships were supposed to besafe.

"Burial of the Returns.""But there was in and about Lecompton a large

Pennsylvania settlement, composed principally ofvery strong men, who imagined that they were freestate Democrats, and the Southern men hatedthem with intense bitterness. They befriendedJohn W. Geary and Robert J. Walker, the formergiving peace, and the latter honest elections, to theterri1ory,and what was still more heinous, they alsobefriended Sheriff Sam Walker. In the surveyorgeneral's office there was a man of all work namedCharles Torrey, a Berks county Dutchman, whowas known as Dutch Charlie. Torrey was a spy forthe Pennsylvanians, and he saw this burial of thereturns through a crack in the window blind. Assoon as the job was over and all had settled downTorrey slipped out and notified William Brindle, thenreceiver of the land office. Mr. Brindle, E. W.Winkoop, Hardman, and Harry Petriken, andGeorge A. Crawford were aroused, and a plan of

r 30action was devised. A diagram of the woodpile wasmade and furnished Sheriff Walker, four milesaway, who at daylight was in Lawrence to obtain asearch warrant and organized a posse, and by noonhe surprised McLean by going direct to the spotand unearthing the returns. McLean forbid thesearch and threatened resistance, but at Walkers'ssuggestion Dutch Charlie had removed the capsfrom forty muskets there were in the building.Mclean sought advice from a Southern lawyer,who suggested that he go hang himself, butinstead .in two hours' time he was astride a mulemaking for Weston, Mo., where General Calhounhid himself during the entire time of theinvestigation by the legislative committee.

"The 'Calhoun candlebox' was sent to Dr.Thomas H Webb, of Boston, Mass.. and aftertwenty years absence, presented by him to thehistorical society.

"The voters of Johnson county did nobly atShawnee also. At that time there were about 500legitimate votes in the county. Shawnee cast 753votes, from 650 to 700 being fraudulent. Yourcounty had but one distinguished voter, Salmon P.Chase, as against such a list as James Buchanan,John C. Fremont, Thomas H. Benton, HoraceGreeley, William H. Seward, John P. Hale and AdamBible, each of whom- voted at Kickapoo:-Tn-Leavenworth county. Your neighbors in Jacksoncounty were not in it with the citizens of Plattecounty."(This article appeared in the Kansas City Journal-Sept. 22, 1908-written by George W. Martin. Mr.Martin came to Lecompton when a boy of fourteen.He learned the printer's trade in the old LecomptonUnion office.)*********************************************************

AN OBSCURE KANSAS CLERKMAY HAVE HASTENED OUTBREAKOF CIVIL WAR."The Great Frauds in Connection With theAdoption of the Lecompton ConstitutionCame to Light Through the Revelations ofCharlie Torry-Were it not for him, LincolnMight Never Have Gained the Presidency"(Takenfrom the KansasCity Times, Friday,Feb. 21,1936)

In celebrating the diamond jubilee of statehoodthis year, Kansas school children, teachers, editorsand orators have had no trouble in rememberingthe famous deeds of John Brown, Jim Lane,Charles Robinson and other early Kansas heroes;but they are practically unanimous in forgetting

Charlie Torrey. And who was Charlie "Dutch"Torrey? He was the most obscure of theseventeen clerks in the office of the surveyorgeneral at Lecompton, the Kansas territorial capital.But despite his obscurity, or , because of it, he wasable to thwart the plan of President Buchanan andcongress to fasten stavery on Kansas; by hisuncovering of election frauds in Kansas, he splitthe Democratic party in two in 1860, which resultedin the defeat of Stephen A. Douglas for thepresidency; by splitting the Democracy, he broughtabout the election of Abraham Lincoln, which inturn brought on the Civil War and ended stavery.

To understand the great part Charlie Torreyplayed, we must go back to February 2, 1858,when President Buchanan sent his famous Kansasstatehood message to congress in which he urgedthe admission of Kansas as a slave state. Congresswas all set to do his bidding and the machinery wasoiled in both the house and senate to rush theadmission bill through. But at the very momentwhile Buchanan's message was being read, theelection frauds in Kansas were being uncovered byTorrey, and congress dared not follow thePresident.

Torrey had been a sheriff and schoolmasterback in Berks County, Pennsylvania, before beingappointed, because of his lOyalty to the Democraticparty, as clerk, messenger and janitor in the officeof the surveyor general. Torrey had fallen on evildays back in Pennsylvania and was glad to acceptany sort of a job, and so he came to Kansas andwent to work. He never had anything to say, andhis superior officers supposed him to be a dumbclerk, who knew only how to sweep out well andwho wrote a fair hand and who did everything hewas told to do.

A Benefactor of LincolnThe chief in the surveyor general's office was

John Calhoun, who is known to readers of thebiographies of Abraham Lincoln from the fact thathe gave Lincoln his boost up the ladder of fame byappointing him assistant surveyor of SangamonCounty, Illinois, when Calhoun was countysurveyor. Calhoun was a Jackson Democrat andLincoln a Henry Clay Whig, but Calhoun recognizedthat the long, lean grocery clerk was quick atfigures. He taught Abe surveying and gave him thejob by which he earned money to buy law booksand study law. Later Calhoun became ambitious.He ran for the governorship and for congress andwas defeated. Then he accepted the surveyorgeneralship of Kansas and laid his plans to be comea political leader in the territory with the thought in

mind that when Kansas should become a state hewould be one of the senators. He picked theproslavery party as the one most likely to succeed,or perhaps he picked the proslavery party becausehe thought that Kansas should be a slave state.

The proslavery party was running things inKansas in those days, and when, in 1857, it wasdecided to write a constitution for Kansas and applyfor admission as a state, the managers of theterritory made no provision for registering voters inseveral of the counties where the free-state partywas in the majority. Districts in the other countieswere so' gerrymandered that the proslaverydelegates were bound to be elected. For thatreason the proslavery party won the elections andpacked the convention, which met at Lecompton,with proslavery delegates. John Calhoun waselected president of the convention.

While the constitution was being written anotherelection was held to choose territorial legislators.This election, which was fairly conducted, resultedin the election of a free-state legislature. TheLecompton delegates, therefore, resolved to useother means to secure the adoption of theirconstitution than by submitting it to a fair election.

The convention voted not to submit theconstitution as a whole, but only the slaveryquestion. The ballots were made to read:

1. For the constitution with slavery2. For the constitution with no slavery.

If proposition NO.1 carried, Kansas would beadmitted to the union as an unrestricted slave state.If NO.2 carried, then the right to import slaves fromother states was denied, but all slaves within thestate at the time of its admission, "and theirincrease," should remain slaves. Since the votershad to vote for slavery no matter which propositionthey chose, the free-state voters remained awayfrom the polls a second time.

Elections of Little ValueThe result was that the constitution with

slavery won, the announced vote being 6,143 forthe constitution with slavery and 569 for theconstitution with no slavery. Of the votes recorded2,912 were fraudulent, as Charlie Torrey was touncover at the right time.

Following the adoption of the constitution,Calhoun called a second election, January 4, 1858,to choose provisional state officers, who wouldserve in case congress admitted Kansas under theLecompton constitution. In this election bothproslavery and free-state candidates werenominated. According to unofficial returns, thefree-state candidates won by about 300 majority,

but Calhoun returned to announce the returns, andit was feared that if he was allowed to keep them foran indefinite period he could falsify the returns.

The territorial legislature took two steps toprevent congress from accepting the L~comptonconstitution as the voice of the people of Kansas.First they called an election on the constitutionitself, at which it was defeated by a vote of 10,226to 161. In that election the proslavery voters didnot participate, contending that it was illegal. Thesecond thing the territorial legislature did was toappoint a special committee to investigate theelections and to make official report of the returnswhich Calhoun had refused to divulge.

Before he could be subpoenaed by thelegislative committee, Calhoun announced ht-would make public the official returns aft.:.ucongress had acted on the Lecomp~:-iconstitution. He then departed for Washingtc:-', tolobby for Kansas statehood. This removed himfrom the jurisdiction of the Kansas Legislativecommittee.

Many Protest to BuchananPresident Buchanan apparently agreed with

everything that Calhoun told him and prepared hismessage. Governor Robert J. Walker, aMississippian, who had been secretary of thetreasury in Polk's cabinet when Buchanan wassecretary of state, hurried from Lecompton toWashington to warn the President that theLecompton constitution has been adopted byfraud and to have nothing to do with it. Buchanan,however, declined to heed Walker's advice, andthe Kansas governor resigned.

Buchanan next appointed James Denver, aCalifornian and a former Virginian, as territorialgovernor. Denver soon sensed that theLecompton Constitution did not represent the willof the Kansas people and protested to Buchananagainst his endorsing it. He sent Rush Elmore, awidely known Kansas slave holder, to Washingtonto warn the President that the constitution was fullof dynamite. J. H. Stringfellow, editor of anAtchison newspaper, and a leader of the proslaveryfaction, also protested against it as a fraudulentdocument.

Buchanan, however, foresaw that the proslaveryleaders of the South wanted Kansas to be a slavestate and that unless it was admitted as a slave statethey would probably withdraw their states from theunion. In the interest of harmony, or because hewas playing politics, Buchanan sent his messagesaying that slavery already existed in Kansas andthat "Kansas is therefore as much a slave state as

Georgia or South Caroline." Warning the congress percussion caps. But as each of the clerks pickedagainst doing anything that would disrupt the up his weapon to fight, he noticed, upon cockingunion, the President ended his message with the piece, that the percussion cap had beenthese words. removed. Torrey had removed the caps in the

"The dark and ominous clouds which now appear night and the guns were worthless. The sheriff'sto be impending over the union, I conscientiously posse exhumed the candlebox and galloped tobelieve may be dissipated with honor to every Lawrence, where the legislative committee wff~ inportion of it by admission of Kansas during the session. McLean and Sherrard, frightened at wh8tpresent session of congress, whereas, if she might happen to them especially to McLean, whoshould be rejected, I greatly fear those clouds will had perjured himself, fled across the Kansas Riyer,become darker and more ominous than any which seized a pair of mules belonging to a farmer, threwhave ever yet threatened the Constitution and the off the harness and rode bareback to Missour)~ I;>eunion." . outside the jurisdiction of the Kansas authorities.'

Kansas, in those days, had no telegraph wires When the election returns were examined it wa~and Washington listened to the President's discovered they had been padded outrageousi).message and after hearing it members of both At Oxford, in Johnson County, a precinct with sixhouses of congress began writing the Kansas houses, the returns showed that 1,266 votes hadstatehood bill. But at Lecompton events were been cast. At Shawnee Mission, the returns hadhappening with dramatic suddenness. The been padded to show 729 votes, although thelegislature committee, foiled in the attempt to bring number of voters there were less than a hundred.Calhoun before it, summoned his chief clerk, L. A. At Kickapoo, in Leavenworth County, which hadMcLean. He testified before the committee on only a few houses at a point where the trail crossedJanuary 30 that Calhoun had taken the election a creek, the returns showed 1,017 ballots hadreturns to Washington with him to show them to the been cast.President. The Effect on the Nation

Charlie Torrey's work When the news arrived in the eastern states, theBut this selfsame McLean went at midnight with newspapers were filled with the account of the

-another of- his-clerl

his office to Nebraska City, Neb. and Torreyfollowed him there. He needed the job. Not untilafter McLean, Calhoun and Torrey were dead, didthe truth come to light that Charlie Torrey had giventhe tip that revealed the candlebox under thewoodpile. Kansas Historical Society, including aletter from Charlie Torrey, which reveal the truefacts of the disclosure.NOTE: The Surveyors general's office building (aprefabricated frame building hauled by wagon toLecompton in 1856) was situated west of theDemocratic Headquarters. Presently, this area,located in Block 8, lots 3 & 4, is an undevelopedtract of woodlands on east Second Street.Approximately fifty yards to the north of here stoodthe Governor's Mansion, completed and firstinhabited in 1856 by Sheriff Samuel Jones andthen later by Governor John Geary.

References: Kansas City Journal, Sept. 23, 1908Kansas City Times, Feb. 21, 1936Kansas Historical Collections-Vol. X 1907-08

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BRIDGE A CONCERN

The following is a letter the Lecompton CityCouncil has mailed to nearly 50 elected officialsconcerning a proposal by some Jefferson Countyofficials to construct a new bridge between two andthree miles east of Lecompton. The cost financiallyand environmentally is a major concern. The entireDouglas County commission as well as Rep. TomSloan, Troy Findley, Ralph Tanner and Senators,Sandy Praeger and Anthony Hensfey haveopposed the Jefferson County proposal.April 4, 1999Governor BillGravesKansas State Capitol BuildingTopeka, Kansas

The Lecompton City Council is seeking yourassistance regarding a (proposed) highway that ispresently on the Major Corridor Study map of theKansas Department Transportation.

Representatives of the City Council and someindividual Lecompton citizens attended almost all ofthe KDOT advisory sessions and have continuallyvoiced our concerns regarding the consultant'smost favored route to extend K-10 from the KansasTurnpike north across the Kansas River to U. S. 24.The citizens of Lecompton and their electedofficials believe that the State, Douglas andJefferson Counties, the towns of Lecompton andPerry, the vast majority of area residents, and the

environment will benefit if the K-10 connectionbetween U. S. 24 and U. S. 40IKansas Turnpikeutilizes the existing right-of-way and bridge knownas County Road 1029. The Consultant's alternativewill involve environmental damages to thecountrysicte and likely invoke pubfic outcryregarding the river crossing.

The Jefferson and Douglas CountyCommissioners met on August 2, 1999, to discussthe need to address the increased number ofvehicles using the county road as a shortcutbetween the four statelfederal roads. More than 45Lecompton, Williamstown, and Perry residentsattended, many spoke to the issue. Rep. TomSloan also spoke about Lecompton's cooperativeefforts with the Kansas Historical Society,Department of Commerce and Housing's Traveland Tourism Division, Department of Wildlife andParks, and KDOT to promote the town's historicbuildings. As you know,Lecompton was the firstCapitol of Kansas, Eisenhower's parents weremarried here. At a time when many Kansas townsare dying, Rep. Sloan noted that "Lecomptonresidents work harder than any other community topreserve its history and become a destination fortravelers." Building a State highway three mileseast of the current county road and river crossingwill effectively end that effort. In addition, it willincrease travel time, costs for whomever forbuilding a road to connect the City of Lecompton tothe new State road, and associated risks for schoolchifdren in District 343 (Grantviiie, Perry,Williamstown, and Lecompton).

The president of.the BanKof Perry te:>tifiedthatone third to one haff of their accounts areLecompton residents. Making the existing twomile trip between the towns into an eight or ninemile trip will mean those accounts go to Lawrencebanks which will now be closer, thereby doomingthe Perry facility. Similarly, the locally ownedLecompton convenience store could not survive,the Perry grocery store would be threatened andmost of the other small businesses in both ourtowns would suffer, if not fail. This is not hysteria, itis a recognition that our two communities survive asone economic unit.

The Jefferson and Douglas CountyCommissioners unanimously agreed that CountyRoad 1029 should be the K-10 connectionbetween U. S. 24 and U. S. 401KTA.We, the CityCouncil of Lecompton, strongly urge you toconsider the opinions of our residents and electedofficials and encourage KDOT to adopt the locallypreferred route. At your convenience, the County

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Commissioners, Rep. Sloan, and residents ofLecompton and Perry publically stated they willmeet with you or your designee to further discussthis issue. As the Chairman of the Douglas CountyCommission noted, "the Commission and Reps.Sloan and Tanner have endorsed using theexisting right-of-way for the improvement of Hwy59 between Lawrence and Ottawa. It would beunreasonable to believe that a different positionwould be taken regarding the construction of K-10north.,o,o,o ,o,o * * ,o,o,o ,o,o,o,o,o * * * ,o,o ,o,o * * * ,o,o ,o,o,o ,o,o * * ,o,o,o,o,o ,o,o,o,o,o * * ,o,o,o,o,o,o * ,o,o * *

THANKSThanks to the following people who have loaned

or donated items to the Territorial Capital-LaneMuseum. Paul Bahnmaierand curators.

1. Friendship quilt made by Minnie Belle DuncanPainter and friends at the Big Springs UnitedBrethren church. George Washington Painterlived in Big Springs before and after the CherokeeStrip 1893: by Virginia Painter Buch.2. Red felt hat by Paul Bahnmaier3. Paper money bills from foreign countries: Onepound from Australia, one Ten Peso from Japanand one Peso from Phillipines. They were broughthome by Asa Richardsonfrom WW II and a Jewelrybox. by Susie B~Richardson4. Senior class play book 1934. "The Mummy andthe Mumps" & "Arrested for Speeding" by GraceKellogg Melton.5. 2 report cards of George Shaw: 1916-17 &1920-21. 5 1951 Flood Pictures. George Shaw'sfirst grade school picture 1912-1913. by FredericShaw.6. Picture of Homer McClanahan, members of B24 crew in Europe during WWII, 1944 by HomerMcClanahan7. 5 books: "The Story of America in Pictures""Pictorial History of American Presidents" "WhenKansas was Young" "Around the World in 2,000Pictures" "Civil War in Pictures" by EvelynHerschell.8. HallTree-David Paslaymemorial9. Lamp Table & Bookstand-MarieTraxler memorial10. Office Lights-Mary Nelle Lasswell memorial

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

Life Member:8ton E. SpenaFrancis'Sonny'FoleyPaulOTrimble

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MCRAE FAMILY"Recollections of His Family by Albert E. McRae,Newton, Kansas (1983)"

I always thought my folks came to Lecompton,Kansas from Ctay Center, Kansas...Looking backand trying to account for the rough times I see a 23year old farm boy with his 29 year otd wifecominginto a strange community with nothing but a team ofhorses and a lumber wagon. Someone let him takesome land they probably couldn't make pay, and hestruggled there for six years, during which time hesold his horeses, etc. and went to Kansas Citylooking for work. The flood really wiped him out.From that time on he had to depend on what workhe could get. He dug a few wells, shucked cornand any odd job he could get. All this time having anew baby before they were able to take care of theones already there. .

Lecompton is a town of maybe 300. By the time Iwas 11 and Ralph 13, we bought a place on theedge of town with maybe three acres, we built abarn for three cows, a chicken house, planted a lotof fruit tre65r had a big garden and began to get byfairly good shape. Ralph and I worked in a nurseryfor 75 cents a day, pulling weeds out of apple treeseedlings. Next summer Ralph and I and our dadworked on the Tailroad for $1.75 a day, $5.25 forthe three of us. We were rich. We paid off thehouse and all our debts. Ralph quit schoolafter theeight grade and went to work for the Hanlan SupplyCo. He was away from home most of the time fromthen on but sent his money home because I andfour girls still had to be put through high school.We all worked someplace every summer, and assoon as we finished high school each one of ushad to get out of town to get a job, mostly inTopeka, which was about twenty miles away.Lawrence was 12 miles the other way. I guess youcould say we were home free when we all finishedschool. I worked 48 years on the Santa Fe Railroad,afraid to change jobs--had seen too many yearswhen jobs were very hard to find. Our folks gotalong fine on their place on the edge of town andwe were close enough to drop in on them prettyoften.Note: The McRae family owned the land where theDemocratic Headquarters stands. They rented thestone house to a nice old couple for a few years,then to the Delge family, just starting their family.They lived there until the land was sold to Pat Istas,now owned by the Lecompton Historical Societyand is being renovated.

LECOMPTON ALUMNIThe Lecompton High School

Alumni Banquet was held June19 at the United MethodistChurch Fellowshiip Hall. Therewere 141 graduates and guestpresent. The group voted toreturn to the Lecompton HighSchool Fieldhouse next year.They also voted to add $1.50 toeach reservation ($10.00) tocover the cost of renting andmoving the tables and chairs.This will be a tremendous help tothose on the committee. AliceChilcott Bates will be in charge ofinvitations and changes ofaddress may be sent to P. O. Box63, Lecompton, Ks. 66050.Robert Goodrick will beresponsible for chairs and tables.Honored classes will be 1930,40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 2000.Now is the time for someone ineach class to help oraanize yourten year reunion. Alumni will beSaturday June 17, 2000.Those who attended theAlumni June 19, 1999

1930:-Helen Norwood1931-Edythe Leslie Stevenson

& Leslie1932- Helen Frye Hildenbrand1933- Willis Horton & Helen

(1938)1934- Grace Kellogg Melton &

Harold1936- Dorothy Sanford Daniels &

AlvinRobertWalter& Edna

1937- Elmer Goodrich1938- Ruth Bertschinger

SchrimerHelenConnoleHorton

1939-Florence Connole Kreipe& Gene

George Simmons &1940-Arloene DeKat Simmons

VictorineBarlandVetterDelmarBarlandBillHodson& Jean

Tony IceJoe Stauffer& Ruth

1941-Harold Crady & Helen-1942Maxine Glenn Dark & MyronBetty Hodson RogersOpal Lasswell GoodrickLura Holloway McAlexander

1942- Helen Banks CradyMae Everett Holderman &

WallyCorrine Fleming Childs & JoeRichard Walter &

1943-Alta Kampschroeder Walter

Lester Stauffer & Betty (44)Dorothy Sulzen Casto &

Marvin

Evelyn Houk Jensen & Don1944-Betty Crady Stauffer

Bob Fleming & Marthalona Herschell Spencer

Bill Leslie &

Betty Webber LeslieMarjorie Sanford Daniels &

Qarence

Mary Walter Powell &Marge Powell Morris

Charles Worley &Erma Wulfkuhle Worley

1945-R uth Selch Corzette &Robert

1946-Beverly Bahnmaier VanDyke & Bill

James Banks & Rosalie (1955)Vernon Chiles & Edna

Wesley Norwood & Doris1948-Marshall Rainbolt &

Virginia Richards Rainbolt1949-BifI Wingfield & Georgia

Frances Robertson Sanford1950-Carol Morris Kibbee &

Kenneth (1951)Marge Schmitt came in place

of Jerry Schmitt1951 Kenneth Kibbee

Ruth RothwellVervynck1952-Margie Hildenbrand1953-George Mathew & Rita

NancyMorrisHoward &Len

BillyJoe Smith & Dorothy1955-John Bahnmaier & Lanna

Roy Harding-deceased-repre-sented by hiswife Donna

RosalieRogersBanksVl/illieTurner

Virginia Smith Allen & Robert1956-Elsie Bahnmaier Wizer

Earle Kasson & Karen (1959)Karen Sanford WertsRichard Werts

Larry Mathews & Brenda1957-Betty Allen Newell1958-Donald Hoffsommer

Robert Morris &Mary Lou Salisbury Morris

1959-Gail Kasson & Judy- YatesEd TurnerKaren Fish Kasson

Robert Glenn & CarolynJeanie Kent Vestal &

Jay H. VestalFrancis Foley & Reta

1960 Paul BahnmaierRichard Hildenbrand &

Rhonda

Nancy Hudson Foster1961- Mary Sue Morris Christman1962-Robert Christman

Dennis Gowing1963-Linda Van Riper1964-Dennis Stauffer &

Mary (1966)

1965-Joyce Bahnmaier Behlke1965 Donna Andes Wright1966 Mary Skinner Stauffer1967 -Larry Bates &1969-Alice Chilcott Bates

Bonny Leslie Fugett &Steve

Karen Allen PotterMichael Walter & ConnieBob Goodrick & Marian

David GowingDale Smith & Janet

1970 -Terry Hope & Dawn1977 -Howard SanfordVisitors: Wanda Chiles Manis-

Mildred Chiles LesterJim ChilesNorma Svoboda Hemrick

Juanita StraitPaid, but didn't get to attend:Jack Collins & Wife GladysLarry Hughes & guest

Notice: Change of address mailto Lecompton Alumni Assoc.P. O. Box 63,

Lecom,pton Ks. 66050

'I:

LECOMPTON HIGH SCHOOL 50TH REUNIONOF THE CLASS OF 1940 in 1990 by Clare J.Colman.

What do I remember about my years at Lecomp-ton High School? While the lapse of 50 years hasclouded my memory of many events and activitie::>,a few stand out as though they happenedyesterday.

For instance, I can never forget the first day ofschool when one did not know exactly what to ex-pect. For me it was. the belt lina. Justbetareclasses opened, the upper classmen made allfreshmen line up in front of the school and runbetween two rows to get slapped with a belt. It hurt!About that time I was ready to go home and forgethigh school.

Next I remember riding my pony 5 miles to school.It was nice in the spring and fall but miserable in thewinter. Joe Stauffer also rode a pony and we kept.them in a shed built for that purpose just east of thefootball field. Today, in the age of schoolbuses andcars, my children and grandchildren think I'mexaggerating when I tell them how I got to school.

Most of all, I remember some of the teachers. Inmath Mrs. Summers made us memorize geometrytheorems and made mathematics fun. Later I wasglad she did as I found this foundation served mewell. -

Who could forget Loda Newcomb and her typingclass? She was a perfectionist and all her studentswere the better for it. I'll never forget the day Ipassed the 60-words-per-minute test. (Loda nowlives in Presbyterian Manor at Lawrence)

When you were in one of Mr. Pastay'sctassesyouhad to really work hard, since he was the principal.He didn't accept many excuses for not doing yourhomework. In looking back, he was a good teacher.

If you were in Jennie Doane's biology class, youcertainly couldn't forget it. Not only did she haveyou dissect grasshoppe rs, frogs and fish to teamabout biology, she also made you draw what youlearned. I guess you could say she also taught art.

Let me tell you what r remember about music.Daisy Bair - now Wingfield--wanted me to play thetuba in the orchestra. I was game and, after aneternity, was able to mechanically play" America"and maybe one or two notes when the orchestraplayed. I have great admiration for her good humorand tenacity. It was obvious I would never be amusician.

I was never very good in football or basketball,butdid get to play to make "away games." I rememberthe football coach being very tolerant of mebecause I couldn't afford regular football shoes, but

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he did agree to let me play with some cleats tackedonto my work shoes. Also, who could forget thatafter the "away games" we always stopped inTopeka at his father-in-Iaw'spharmacy for soda andice cream.

Our shop classes were held in the old LaneUniversity building. Joe Stauffer and I worked at atable in the southwest cornerotthe auditortum. Onwarm days we were upstairs. In cold weather Vri'ewere down in what is now the main hall of theHistorical..Society. There we had a big potbellystove to keep us warm. I was very proud of the oaksewing cabinet I made for my mother.

What else? Oh yes, Senior Sneak Day. I onlyremember two things: we went to the Lake of theOzarks, and I had a toothache the entire trip. Iwonder what else we did ?At graduation I remember we got diplomas and itrained--and tmean it rained! Because of the iTluddyroads, it was a challenge to get home that night.

What did high school mean to me? It meant that Ireceived a good education in the basics with nofrills. It served me well as I went onto KU andbecame a civil eng.in~,. It also $erved me well in acareer with Mobil for 37 years, mostly pioneeringthe development of offshore platforms and facilitiesaround the world.

OBITUARIESRogers, Mary McRae, died April 2°, 1999 in ChulaVista, Calif. She was born Lecompton, Nov. 11,1909 the daughter of Albert S. and Jennie RitchieMcRae. She was a court reporter in the MarineCorps.

Survivors include a brother Albert 'Bert' McRae,Newton, Ks.

Private Inurnment in Greenwood MemorialPark.

Hartman, Cliffom R. 79, died Apm 29, 1999 inVancouver, Wash.

He was born March 28, 1920 in Lecomptcm,theson of Gus and EthelWilson Hartman

He marriedShirley Lewis, his wife of 25 years. Hisfirst wife Jane preceded tn death in 1!}73

Survivors include two sons from his first marriage,Richard Hartman of Santa Barbara, Calif. and DavidHartman of Anchorage, adopted son, MichaelDeVoe of Columbus, Ohio, and grandchildren,Heather, Chad and Derek Hartman of Anchorage,and Grant and Hannah DeVoe of Columbus, Oh.

He was cremated and his asheswere scattered inthe Chugach Mountains at a spot overlookingAnchorage, Alaska.

Butler, James Glenn Sr., 82, died Monday, May17, 1999 in Overland Park, Ks.

He was born May 3, 1917, in Topeka, the son ofWilliam and Ethel Moore Butler. He was a memberof the Holy Cross Catholic Church.

He was lead navigator in the 493rd Bomb Group inEngland during World War I!and was decorated withthe Distinguished Flying Cross.

He married Rubye L. Shutter, April 12, 1941.Topeka, Ks. She survives of the home.

Survivors include a son, James G. Butler,Jr.,Overland Park; two daughters, Lucinda White,Lenexa, and Rosemary Garrett, Olathe; 11grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

He is relatedto the Glenn's in Lecompton.

Brodhag, John Wm., 90, died Wed. May 26,1999 in Topeka.

He was born March 16, 1909, in Topeka, theson of Sarah B. Marshal! and John Wm. Brodhag,Sr. He was a member of the First United M-ethodistChurch.

He married Gertrude I. Hoad on Nov. 4, 1961 inTopeka. She survives.

Mr. Brodhagwas cremated, and burialof remainsin Topeka Cemetery.

The Hoad family was also one of the early settlersof Lecompton.

He served in the Army during World War II. andwas a member of the Christian Church in Kingmanand attended Town and Country Christian Churchin Topeka.

He was born Aug. 15, 1922, in Topeka the son ofFred A. and Rosella Michael Fisher.

He married Virginia L. Perkins on Aug. 18, 1946,in Topeka. She survives. A granddaughter KayfaPinkston, died in March, 1994. A grandson Kenda~Krueger, died in June, 1996.

Other survivors include sons, Randy E. and CraigL. Fisher, both in Topeka; daughters, Julie A.Rothenberg and Lynn H. Roach, both in S1.Louis;13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Burial in Mount Hope Cemetery in Topeka.He was in the High class of 1944 for 2 years.

Jones, Byron L., 77, died June 7, 1999, atWeslaco, Tex.

He was born Feb. 26, 1922, in Lawrence, thesonof 'vVilliamMillerand 'v'efaiVfarieGleriilJvil~3.He served in the Air Forceduring World War II.He married Atha F. Hunter Jan. 2, 1943, inLawrence. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two daughters, Linda M.Ratliff and Kathy J. Guth, both of Lawrence, abrother, Kenneth Jones, Eugene, Or.; two sisters,Cleo Marie Gillaspie,Topeka, and Irma Jean Kemp,Wichita. and four grandchildren.

Burialwas in MemorialParkCemetery,Lawrence.FISHER, Robert E., 76, Topeka, died Sunday,May 30, 1999.**************************************Please Clip and Mail With YourCheck**************************************

THE LECOMPTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lecompton, Kansas 66050, is a non-profit corporation for thepreservation of historical sites. We are eager for continued membership and new members.

Dues are $5.00 per year for individual membership and $7.00 for a couple's membership. The duesare from December to December. Life membership is $50 per individual, contributions are tax deductible.Checks should be made payable to the Lecompton Historical Society, and mailed to GeorgiaTrammel,11 N 2064 Rd, Lecompton, KS 66050

$5.00 Annual Individual Membership

$7.00 Annual Couple's Membership

Other Contribution

$50.00 Individual Ute or Memorial Membership

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City State Zip---------PLEASE NOTIFY US OF ANY CHANGE OF ADDRESS

It cost the Lecompton Historical Society .50 cents for a returned change of address

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Babbitt, Dale E., 77, of Overbrook, died Wed...~~e 16. 1999.

'::.e was born Nov. 26, 1921, in Lawrence, the~ Gf Bert Jo.~ and Gladys Olive Reusch Babbitt.I-ie was a member of Fairview MethodTst ChurchSYXF.hif :..aM"ence.

;..;emanied Norma Lynchon Jan. 15, 1942, inu-.~- She survWes.

Other SLrVM:xsinclude a son, Alan D. Babbitt,o-wertJrook,two daughters, Helen O'Trimble,Perry,and Pf1yilisAnderson, Clinton; nine -grandchildrenard eigtrtgreat-grandchildren.

Etlia: was in ClintonCemetery

Sale, Betty Jean, 77, Lawrence, died Mon. July19, 1999.

She was born Aug. 29, 1921, in Lawrence thedaughter of Everett Ernest and Mary Elizabeth8cD