The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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or windows nearer than WaKeeney, sixty miles distant, and started with wife and baby (and load of potatoes for Noah Weaver) for that place in September. At Lenora heard of the Cheyenne Indian raid and was told it was dangerous to proceed. Did not believe the reports and started the next morning. Midway between Lost Creek and Sand Creek we met Billy Case, Jim Maggard and Storey Briggs, who confirmed the reports and advised returning, to which my wife would not consent, and we proceeded to Gettysburg, which was then being started by Joe Gettys, where we stopped over night under some boards which leaned against the bank of Sand Creek, that being the only structure there. Here reports were still bad, but we proceeded to WaKeeney to find it was only a scare. As showing the changes since that time it is only necessary to state that now the B. & M. railroad runs through the spot where stood my stable, while the Rock Island runs half a mile south, and the country which was then in a wild state is now thickly settled and well cultivated."

In May, 1880, he proved up on his claim, brought a printing press and outfit to Norton, and in July issued the first number of the Norton County People, a stalwart republican paper, which he published till November, 1882, when he bought the interest of Joel H. Simmons in the Norton county Advance, and consolidated the two papers, the name of the People being retained, and a partnership being formed with Hugh McCredie, under the firm name of Carlisle & McCredie. The following February, 1883, the People was sold to J. H. Simmons and Prof. J A. Littel, who changed the name to the Courier, which it still retains.

During the time he was in Norton county he was actively engaged in every political movement. Only once was he a delegate to a county convention, when he acted as proxy to prevent a dead lock during the third Sr. John campaign. He was a delegate to the celebrated judicial convention at Millbrook, where the delegation voted 985 times for John R. Hamilton. Mr. Carlisle was a bitter opponent to St. John, and was elected a delegate to the convention which nominated him for governor the third time, being one of the seventy-two who entered a protest against his nomination, stating that he could not be elected, which was verified at the election. While on his claim he was a candidate for the republican nomination for county clerk against FitzPatrick, but was defeated by the cry of being a Leota man. After Fitz embezzled and decamped the position was offered to him, but he declined, when the same parties said they would not be satisfied unless he named the man, which he did, selecting W. T. Shoemaker. He was also at another time a candidate for representative, but that was only to beat L. K. Pratt.

He say: "No man living knows more of the secret political history of Norton county at the time of my residence than I do, but as many of the actors are still living it would not be proper to disclose it." He always regretted leaving Norton county. After leaving here he drove through by team to Topeka, where he worked at his trade till October, then went to New Orleans and worked at his trade for seven years. His wife died on June 26, 1885, and he was obliged to send his children to their grandparents in Henry county, Indiana. He left New Orleans in March, 1890, in search of a location, wishing to locate in Kansas, but coming to Norton on a visit, and "viewing with alarm" the probable disastrous consequences of the populist craze, he did not at that time wish to invest in the Sunflower state, to which

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