The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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organize the county, thus putting a political bee in his bonnet. He was a candidate for the legislature in 1872 but was defeated by Billings; the same year, however, he was elected county surveyor in honor of which political distinction his father, who lived in Rochester, New York, sent him a $300 surveyor's outfit among which was a very valuable transit. Reed was a college graduate and a young man of promise full appreciated by his father whose two or three thousand dollars young Reed blew in here like a lord.

He sold his claim to Lewis Pendleton in 1873. Late in the fall of 1874 he located at Tye Siding, Wyoming where he still resides.

Charles S. Stowell took the land now owned by Hymen Morrison west of this city but abandoned it in 1873; he afterward joined the regular army and was killed with Custer in the battle of the Little Big Horn which occurred June 25, 1876.

John Green came here from Missouri in July 1872 and settled on the land now owned by Joseph Saum. Uncle Johnny as he was familiarly called was a man of giant proportions, tall and lank; he had an amiable disposition but when he was aroused he was an enemy no one cared to meet. It was one of his characteristics that he never forgot a friend or forgave an enemy. He spent most of his time in town; he gave the development of his farm and the support of his family very little attention. He believed that women were specially created for that purpose; he studiously avoided interfering with any of their prerogatives and usually had but one busy day in the year, and that was election day. It generally took from two to five dollars to get him to leave his work long enough to vote. On the day of the second county seat election he failed to put in an appearance in town; his absence from the corner grocery was so unusual that it was soon discovered. Wm. Simpson was sent to bring him in; upon Simpson's arrival at the house he found Uncle Johnny very busy making sorghum. Simpson begged and pleaded but in vain; Uncle Johnny said the sorghum would burn sure if he left, which meant the loss of several dollars. Simpson then asked Mrs. Green if she could not take care of that sorghum for 30 minutes while Uncle John drove to the polls and back. She "allowed she could" as she had done that kind of work for several years, in fact she said that was the first time in her recollection when John had offered to help her. Simpson was determined not to pay him anything for his vote as he was to be benefited as much as anyone by the location of the county seat, but told Mrs. Green he would get her a new dress if John would go, intending to get her a calico dress. Uncle Johnny drove up to the polls and voted, then joined the crowd and remained the balance of the day in town without a thought as to the fate of the sorghum. But the next time he came to town he presented a bill of $5.20 for the burned sorghum which Simpson after considerable grumbling paid according to contract; later his wife went to Bruner's store and bought the best dress in stock, costing $9.60 and had it charged to Simpson, the vote thus costing him $14.80.

Uncle Johnny lived in his dugout until 1878 when he built a stone house which Joseph Saum tore down a short time ago. A partition wall that Uncle Johnny had lathed with sunflower stalks, was in a good state of preservation although standing fourteen years. His eldest daughter, N. Ellen Green was the first bride in Norton county; she was married to James Kinyon July 25, 1873. Another daughter, Lenna L. W. Green, died March 19, 1877, and was the first person buried in the Norton cemetery. Green sold out in 1833, and moved to

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