The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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nominee for sheriff in 1893, but was defeated by George Betterton. He is a prosperous farmer and owns two fine farms northwest of this city.

Ira Burnham came in the spring of 1879 from Iowa. He remained on his farm, six miles northwest of Norton, until 1883. He lives in Stanton county, Nebraska, at this time.

W. T. O'Banion came in 1875 and took land six miles northwest of Norton. He remained here until 1887 when he, accompained (sic) by Mrs. Leroy Howell, left the country together; they live some where in Nebraska. It is rumored that she is successfully raising another family since she left here.

Theophilus Snyder came from Pennsylvania in the year 1878. He was born in Germany and came to America in 1847, when he was 10 years of age, and lived in New Jersey and Pennslyvania (sic) until he came to Kansas, where he operated a blacksmith and wagon shop for twelve years. He has raised a family of four boys and two girls. George, the eldest, is one of our popular teachers, but is now in Chicago with a prominent law firm as stenographer and typewriter. Fred C., the second son, is 24 years of age; Ralph W. is 18, Katie R. is 14, Clarence is 12 and Amelia is 8 years of age. Mr. Snyder is at work for a smelter in Leadville, a position he has held for two years. His family still resides on the farm one mile south of Norton.

Dr. William Rockwell on account of failing heath came to Norton county with his wife and two little girls in the winter of 1884. The Dr. located on what was known as the Plougher farm and laid out a town which by the unanimous vote of the people was named Rockwell City; Rockwell township later was named for him also. He built a store and was doing a good business. He only lived six months after taking posession (sic) of his new home. The Dr. died September 18, 1884; aged 54 years. His wife and two little girls were left to fight life's battles alone. Mrs. Rockwell moved her store to Norcatur when that town was laid out. She owns the Pioneer store being the first one to open up business there. Edith, the oldest daughter, was married January 13, 1893 to W. T. Graham of Bartlett, Ohio, traveling salesman for Symns Grocery Co, Atchison. Ethel, the youngest daughter, was married June 21, 1893, to Jay Olney, the pioneer banker of Norcatur.

James M. Campbell left Bartlett, Iowa, for Norton county on a buffalo hunt July 6, 1872. The first buffalo he saw after arriving here was near James Atkins' place, and the first one he shot at was near Mr. Ward's house, and he killed the first one on the head of Long Branch. They got fourteen buffalo. Newt Cope made them believe that they ought to locate here and he proposed as they had plenty of time and a good hunt that they lay over a day or so and he would show them the country. A brother in-law of Mr. Campbell, W. E. Pack, accompanied the party and he decided that he wanted to locate. Accordingly they took the southeast quarter of section 19 and the southwest quarter of section 20, township 3, range 23. Pack only remained one year and then went back to Iowa, so Jim got both claims and owns them yet. On October 3, 1873, he landed on his claims with his family. In the spring of 1874, after breaking sixty acres Jim Campbell, John Humphrey and Jim Maloney started on a buffalo hunt. On the 1st of July they were in Wallace when Jim suddenly remembered that he had promised I. N. Cope that he would be at home for the Fourth of July dance; so he started for Leota, a distance of 200 miles. A brief discription (sic) of his trip is here given as he writes it:

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