Friday, November 25, 2011

Shirley Cemetery


Since it's Thanksgiving weekend, I've decided to do some reruns of a couple posts. Yesterday was a Thursday Comics featuring an old review of The Underfold's Best Apocalypse Ever. Today is the Issac Shirley family entry from the first and only post under 16th & Massachusetts. See you Sunday with an all-new Sunday Comics.

Issac Shirley was born in 1805 and came to Kansas in the 1850s and settled about two miles west of Lecompton. Issac, along with his wife Elizabeth, had seven children however two, John M. and George W. would not survive and are buried in a small cemetery near the remains of the house. Issac died in 1858 and only Mary Elizabeth and Franklin Pierce stayed on the farm to help their mother, who became ill, until she died in 1876. Franklin Pierce Shirley married Laura Nelson Pate in 1877 and they had four sons, William Leonard, John Franklin, Russell and Elmer. William Leonard died at age 16 while Russell and John Franklin (Frank) stayed on the farm as Elmer moved to Texas. Frank graduated from Lecompton High School in 1916. Russell served in World War I and continued living on the family when he got back until his death in 1957. Frank, who was diabetic, died in 1930 while their mother, Laura, died in 1929 and Franklin Pierce died in 1938.

The oldest of Issac and Elizabeth's sons, Wilburn, left to prospect for gold until returning to the Lecompton area in the 1850s where he bought a farm near his father's land. Soon, Wilburn moved across the river into Jefferson County where he would remain until his death. After Russell died, the Shirley house remained vacant. Nearby are the graves of Issac Shirley, John M., George W. and Martha Prather, wife of E. Prather. The ruins of the house remain on a hill overlooking the United Pacific Railroad and the Kansas River.

 As well he should. If stores and people in general would just being jerks about Black Friday, then it would go smoothly but no people have to be animals while standing in front of Best Buy at three in the morning and stores have to only order two of the 70'' LCD TVs that are on sale for $200. Jerks.

I have copied all of the Liberty post over to the new Liberty site. They will remain here as well but you can now find them, easier to read over at liberty.tauycreek.com. Also, things on LAMNB should be back to normal next week and for most of December until the 20th when we go on hiatus until January 2nd.