Historical Society Gazette

Special guest-speaker will be Sr. Mary Lenore Martin, SCL, who will present, "The History of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth". Sr. Mary Lenore is the current Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Society, and is the retired Chairperson of the Department of I-Estory at Saint Mary College. She holds the office of College Historian, and recently was appointed Curator of Collections for the College.

Reservations are required for this event, and should be sent to the museum office by March 12th. The cost is $15 per person, which includes the wine and cheese reception, as well as dinner and dessert. For more information or questions, please contact the Society at (913) 682-7759. Come show your support for the Society as well as for our Secretary and good friend, Sr. Mary Lenore.

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1997 MEMBERSHIP INVESTMENT - NOW DUE!!!
The board of directors and staff send their appreciation for the strong response to our recent membership drive. As of February 15th, we have received more than 300 membership donations. In 1995 our membership count was close to 420 members. In 1996 the number had dropped to just over 380 members. The funds realized from membership investments represents nearly 10% of our yearly budget. If you haven't sent in your investment for the support of the Leavenworth County Historical Society, please take a few moments and do so today.

With your donation, a membership card will be forwarded to you from the Society. On the back of your membership card, the many benefits of membership are listed. We hope you will invite all your friends and neighbors to join this worthy organization. If you have any questions about your membership, or any of the benefits, call the office at (913) 682-7759. One benefit, is the reduced subscription rate for KANSAS! Magazine. Normally the cost is $15 per year, for current LCHS Members only $11.

Membership categories are Single-$ 10, Family-$20, Contributor-$25, Patron-$50, and Corporate-$100. Life Membership is a one-time gift of $1,000. Send your membership to LCHS-1997 Membership Drive, 1128 Fifth Avenue, Leavenworth, KS 66048-3212.

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PRESIDENT & MRS. LINCOLN TO VISIT LEAVENWORTH (AGAIN)
Our Historical Society together with the Civil War Round Table of Western Missouri, are bringing Max and Donna Daniels of Wheaton, Illinois to the Leavenworth area on March 11th, 1997. The Daniels are probably the best known Abraham & Mary Lincoln impersonators of our time. In the recent A&E; television series on the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, it was Max Daniels who served as historical advisor and portrayed Lincoln in the presentation.

Most significant of their appearances will be a visit to the Lincoln Steps on the Grounds of the Leavenworth County Museum, 1128 Fifth Avenue, at 3:45 PM. It was from the Lincoln Steps that Lincoln gave his speech, reportedly to the largest assembly of its kind in the Kansas Territory, on December 6th, 1859. After a picture opportunity on the steps, the Lincolns (Daniels) will visit Saint Mary College and the Lincoln Collection, one of the largest collections of Lincoln memorabilia outside of Springfield, Illinois. A dinner, hosted by the Board of the Leavenworth County Historical Society, is scheduled for 5:30 PM in the Lincoln Room at Leavenworth National Bank. Call the Museum for price information and to RSVP.

Other site which the Daniels will visit (as Lincoln) is the Frontier Army Museum at Fort Leavenworth, home of the Lincoln Carriage, used on his ride to Leavenworth in December, 1859. The Daniels will present "An Evening with President & Mrs. Lincoln" on Tuesday, March 11th, at 7:00 PM, at Bell Hall, Ft. Leavenworth. For more information contact Sonny Wells at (816) 781-7322, or Robert Holt at (913) 682-7759.

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1997 SPRING LUNCH & LEARN
"When Victoria Ruled the Plains" is the topic for this year's Spring Lunch and Learn program scheduled for Thursday, April 24th, at the Leavenworth County Museum. Sara W. Tucker, who holds a Ph.D. in History from Indiana University, will present this interesting commentary showing how families on the Kansas Prairies followed Victorian fashions just as faithfully as their urban counterparts. These Victorian styles tell us much about our grandparents' attitudes toward courtship, work, recreation, and the roles of "proper" men and women.

Plan to attend this special presentation. Lunch will be at noon, and costs $7 for LCHS members, $8 for non-members. The lecture is scheduled for 1:00 PM, and is free to Society members, and only $1 for non-Society members. Call (913) 682-7759 by April 18th to reserve. This program is brought to the Leavenworth area by the Historical Society and by the Kansas Humanities Councfl, a non-profit organization which champions the philosophy that learning is a lifetime activity.

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1997 SPRING HERB MARKET 1997 - THIRD ANNUAL
With the daylight hours getting progressively longer and the seed catalogs arriving in increasing numbers, the urge to once again get out in the garden will soon be here. To help you get an early start, Herb Market 97, will be held at the Leavenworth County Museum, on Saturday, May 3rd, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon. As in the past, the Herb Market will be held in the south gardens of the Carroll Mansion at 1128 Fifth Avenue.

Each year the attendance has increased, as well as the number of plants sold. To meet this demand the number of varieties and the quantities of plants have been increased. Whether you are an old pro at herb gardening or a novice, we will be able to meet your needs. For the novice who doesn't know basil from thyme, annuals from perennials, or culinary from medicinal don't worry, there will be knowledgeable volunteers present to answer your questions and help you with your selections. For the herb pro, we promise a wide selection of strong and healthy plants. Both the novice and pro can be sure that the price will be right.

Not to be forgotten are the fanciers of scented geraniums who will find a wide selection, as well as several varieties of herb tomatoes, and everlasting plants for drying. This year, whether browsing or shopping, be sure to pick up that delicious homemade herb bread and herb tea cookies prepared by members of the Herb Market 97 Committee. The Herb Bake Sale is a new feature for this year's Herb Market.

To beautify your herb garden, you will find a wide selection of terra cotta identification markers, including the ever popular one marked "Weeds". There wiff be a limited number of our unique Flower Presses, a work of art in themselves. Also new this year, will be the Commemorative Herb Market 97 T- Shirt, great for showing off your love of herb gardening.

Several area vendors will be available to supply that needed herb book, vintage basket, terra cotta pots and statuary or even a bird or butterfly house for your garden. Also available from Doolittle Farms are herbal oils and vinegars, salad dressings, and trellises. Artist Steve Hess, will have his unique garden stones available for that special landscaping project.

There will be door prizes, including a chance to win a Victorian Repast! This prize includes a luncheon or dinner for 6-8 people featuring award winning recipes, served in Victorian Elegance at one of Leavenworth's Vintage Homes. Opportunities are $2 each or 3 for $5.

The proceeds from this annual event will benefit the museum and its many programs including its annual Living Museum Presentations which are given free of charge to over 1,000 area school children each year. For more information, please call the museum at (913) 682-7759, or visit our Web Page at http://Ieavenworth-net.com/lchs/.

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NEW HOME PAGE
The Leavenworth County Historical Society has another new address for our home page on the Internet (World Wide Web). Due to recent changes and events beyond our control we had to move our home page after just a few months on-line. Our new address is much shorter, and includes the key word LEAVENWORTH. With our new location we have only been on-line for two months, and have already received several letters, and comments about our site. We have contracted with WEB CREATIONS here in Leavenworth to be our Internet provider.

We currently have general information about the Society and Museum on our Web Page. In the near future, we hope to include a copy of the latest Histofical Society Gazette, a list of our Plaque Program Recipients, as well as local history resource indices. Among ideas for inclusion is a virtual exhibit on famous Leavenworth characters. With the help of Board Member Pam Kontowicz, we will be updating and improving our site in the near future.

Recently, the Kansas City Star has indicated that they will be sponsoring a large WWW Site, to share the unique history and heritage of the Greater Kansas City Area. We hope to participate in this effort by supplying information on Leavenworth County. If you are suring the Net, please take a look at our Home Page. Your suggestions on how to improve our page would be helpful. If you are into computers, how about donating some time to add and improve our presence on the Internet? Call Robert at the museum if you can donate some time. Our new address is: http://leavenworth-net.com/lchs/

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STAFF SCHEDULE VACATIONS-- Extra Volunteers are Needed:
The Administrative Staff has scheduled vacations for 1997. Robert A. Holt, Administrator, will be gone most of April and June, on trips to Montana, Chicago, New Orleans, and the Caribbean. He has scheduled several museum visits, as well as some fun time. While he is gone, the Museum will be open every day, and the society needs your help in greeting our many visitors during this major travel season. We are in need of volunteers who can give a few hours each month working in the gift shop, or giving Museum tours. Remember, the Society is only as active as its membership.

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AMELIA EARHART - BIRTHDAY CENTENNIAL
Recently, the museum received a call from Marilyn Copeland, trustee of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, Atchison, Kansas. Ms. Copeland is searching for information about the furniture and furnishings of the original Earhart Home in Atchison. Ms. Copeland, remembers that several years ago, one of our members told her that they were aware of some Earhart artifacts in private hands in Leavenworth. Since 1997 marks the birth centennial of Amelia, the trustees of the Earhart Birthplace Museum are interested in having such artifacts on display. If any of our members are aware of such items, please contact Ms. Copeland, at 117 SW Winterpark Lane, Lee's Summit, MO 64081.

Also scheduled for March 15th, at 2:00 PM at the American Legion Hall, 705 Commercial Street, Atchison, the trustees of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum will sponsor a live and silent auction to benefit the extensive renovations currently underway at the Earhart Museum If you have any questions, or would consider donating items for the auction, contact Louise Foudray at (913) 367-1902 or (913) 367-4217.

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GRANT REQUEST
The Leavenworth County Historical Society will submit the final draft of an application for a Heritage Trust Grant to the Kansas State Historical Society this week. A big thanks goes to the many wonderful members who supplied letters of support, words of encouragement, and help in preparing this request for $75,000. We hope to use the fimds from this grant to repair and renovate the exterior porches, soffits, and cornices of the Carroll Mansion.

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EVERHARD PHOTO COLLECTION
In 1968 Mary Everhard sold her entire collection of glass, nitrate, and safety print negatives to David R. Phillips of Chicago, Illinois. This collection comprised over 30,000 images of Leavenworth City and early Leavenworth residents. The negatives are from the studios of Ebenezer Elijah Henry, his successor Harron Putney (1864-1950), Mary E. Everhard (1887-1971), and include photographs taken by Richard Stevenson (1824-1891) and his son Horace. Most all of the individuals in the photograph negatives are identified.

In 1991 the collection was purchased by the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles, California. On December 12th 1996 the Leavenworth County Historical Society received an invitation to purchase this priceless collection of early Leavenworth history. The price is over $8,000. Our Board feels that we must not lose this piece of local history again and are currently negotiating with the Autry Museum for the return of this collection to Leavenworth. With over 30,000 glass negatives, we are challenged to find a suitable storage facility with adequate climate control and accessability. If any of our members are aware of such a facility, please contact Robert A. Holt, Administrator, as soon as possible.

Since the collection left Leavenworth it has been split into three major parts. The city scenes are retained by Mr. Phillips who published The West and The Taming of the West. These books can be viewed at the museum if you are interested. The second part of the collection includes negatives depicting black citizens and soldiers. It is housed at the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas. The third part is the collection being offered to the Historical Society.

We are currently planning a fimd-raising campaign for the purchase and maintenance of this collection. Your contribution is welcome. If you would like to serve on the committee to organize our efforts on this project call (913) 682-7759 to offer your time and talents.

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BRIDE DESPERATELY NEEDED
The Living Museum program is searching for a bride. Each Wednesday during the school year we present a Living History scenario to area fourth grade students. The scenario includes a Victorian family preparing for their daughter's wedding. This Spring we do not have a volunteer to portray the bride. If anyone is interested or can suggest someone please call (913) 682-7759. The bride's part is essential and without it an important part of our history cannot be told.

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SCRAPS OF LOCAL HISTORY
First White School:
In looking through my effects recently I came across an old clipping pertaining to what was claimed to be the first school for white children in Kansas. The name of the paper in which it appeared and the date are not given, but evidently, from other material with which it was associated in my files, it dates back to the 90's or early 1900s. It read as follows:

"A painting of the oldest country school house in Kansas was on exhibition at the recent State Teachers' association. It represented a log structure, appearing to be about 2Ox3O feet in size, situated near where Fort Leavenworth now stands. The school was taught by.V. K Stanley in the spring of 1856. There was a building in Wyandotte county in 1847, but it was for Indian children; but this is the first building for white children in the state. Mr. Stanley is now a member of the school board and a real estate dealer in Wichita. The picture was painted by his wife."

This school house was located near Springdale and in reality was an abandoned settler's cabin. It was a regularly organized school and was opened with Vierling K Stanley as teacher, in May, 1856. While it may have been the first country school for white children in Leavenworth county it was not the first white school in Kmsas. Lawrence has such a school in January, 1855, taught by Edward P. Fitch, in the back office of Dr. Charles Robinson, in the Emigrant Aid building. Fitch was afterwards killed in the Quantrill raid.

Recalls Rabies Case: Some time ago the Times made a poll of 16 Leavenworth physicians and surgeons regarding cases of rabies or hydrophobia in the city, and published an article on the subject. It showed that from the experience and observation of these doctors the majority of them had no record of an actual case of the dreaded malady here. That was before the passing of the late Elmer E. "Chick" Jordon from the affliction. I have a record of the case of Green Todd, the first sheriff of Leavenworth county, who died in this city from rabies. Todd was appointed to the office of sheriff in 1855. He was a Kentuckian, born in 1820, came to Platte county with the noted Todd family, at the opening of the Platte Purchase and to Kansas with the opening of the Territory in 1854. He resigned as sheriff after about a year because of his inability to collect taxes on account of disturbed conditions.

San Pasqual Massacre:
December 6 was the 98th anniversary of the battle of San Pasqual Calif., during the Mexican War. In some respects, this engagement was similar to Custer's "last stand," except not on so large a scale. A troop of the First United States Dragoons, commanded by Capt. Benjamin D. Moore and his Lieutenant, Thomas C. Hammond, was surprised by the Mexicans and massacred almost to a man. Prior to the Mexican War, Capt. Moore and Lt. Hammond who were stationed with the First Dragoons at Fort Leavenworth, and both of them married daughters of Judge Matthew M. Hughes, of Platte county, Mo. Their bodies were never recovered by their Platte county relatives, but a monument to their memory stands in the Platte City cemetery. A monument also marks Capt. Moore and Lt. Hammond died heroically. Capt. Moore fought a hand-to-hand duel with Gen. Pico, commander of the MeNican troops, but his sword snapped at the hilt, and as he was about to draw his revolver, a near-by Mexican plunged a lance into his heart. The historic Fort Moore, now known as Fort Moore Hill in Los Angeles was named for him.

These articles were part of a series called "Scraps of Local History" by George Remsburg, while he was a reporter for the Leavenworth Times. They are believed to have been printed in the 1920-1930 time frame.

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MEMORIALS
The Leavenworth County Historical Society has received the following memorials since the last edition of the Historical Society Gazette. All fimds were deposited into the General Memorial Fund. Members and non-members alike are welcome to send memorials to the Historical Society. The funds from the memorial account help cover the costs of the Historic Plaque Program, and provide extra support in the preservation of special artifacts. This summer, the parquet hardwood floors in the main hall and office area will be refinished with funds from the memorial account.