Eva Brooks

EVA BROOKS
BORN          DIED
APR.12       DEC.24
1891.           1903.

12-year-old Eva Brooks died on Christmas Eve 1903. Very little of her and her family are mentioned in the Baldwin City newspapers. Her father, Lewis Brooks, was born a slave in Kentucky and came to Kansas in 1883, settling in Baldwin City--specifically Media (West Baldwin). There is no mention of a wife/mother or siblings and even the one mention of Eva isn't clear if they are the same person.

In October 1903, it was reported that the little child of Lewis Brooks was severely scalded. In January 1904, Lewis Brooks buried his infant daughter. I am just assuming they are the same child and lax reporting contributed to the confusion.

Eva is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. On August 29, 1920, Lewis died. His obituary doesn't mention where he was buried.

Whatever Happened to the Heber Institute

The only photograph of the Heber Institute

As early as 1856, a group of Episcopal churchmen settled in Prairie City, Kansas and established a congregation under Rev. Charles Reynolds. At the urging of Bishop Thomas Vail, a college was established and construction of a two-story stone structure had begun.

The building was constructed by George Miller and H.E. Dodge, but due to a lack of funds, the school was scrapped for the time being. The school building, which had one room on each floor, was used as a meeting house. One of the more famous uses was a visit from Horace Greeley who spoke in front of 400 people. The building was complete enough to open the Episcopal Church's State School for Boys, now named the Heber Institute. The Institute was named for Rev. Heber of New York. I could find no record of who Rev. Heber was. Despite a push to get some kind of upper-level school in Prairie City, it's close proximity to Baldwin City and Baker University doomed any endeavor.

Dr. Henry J. Caniff finally got a school in the Heber Institute building in 1858 and called it District 1, it being the first organized school district in Douglas County. The old Heber Institute was used as a school and community meeting place for numerous years until 1903. At some point between 1858 and 1871, the district number was changed to 78 and in 1903, it was decided to consolidate Prairie City Number 78 and Peach Grove Number 45 into Prairie City Number 87. With this, a new school was built with brand new furniture on land donated by Robert Miller, which burned down in 1919 and was replaced later that year. This building still stands at the corner of North 150 and East 1550 roads.

As for the Heber Institute building, it was sold to Timothy Keohane and Capt. Nathaniel Cradit who dismantled the building in 1905 to construct a story and livery on High Street. It later served as a Ford dealership, a recreation club, and barbershop. Today, the building is used as a fitness center and apartments.

South and southwest elevation view of Keohane & Cradit Building, 2023.
📷Megan Bruey and Stan Hernly

Trail Park

Trail Park is a triangular parcel at the intersection of North 400 and East 1700 roads on the north edge of Baldwin City, Douglas County, Kansas. It features a granite marker that is situated along a portion of North 400 Road that has been in use since its creation as part of the Santa Fe Trail. Remnants of the trail are visible in the fields to the northwest of the park.

In 1907, Civil War veteran Isaiah Stickel and his wife, Jennie, donated to Baker University this small half-acre parcel along the trail route to commemmorate the Santa Fe Trail. The Baldwin Republican described this parcel as "a tongue of land having a connection to the original trail itself...because no where else is the old Trail used as a public highway." At least nowhere in the vicinity had the trail path itself been converted to a public roadway.

The four foot tall red granite marker was installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The students of Baldwin City also raised money to help with the installation. The unveiling was October 11, 1907. The original bronze plaque, designed by Maude Miles, was stolen in 1967 and replaced with a marble replica. The original bronze face served as a pattern for the marble replacement now adorning the face. The local Santa Fe Trail Historical Society of South Douglas County installed the new marble plaque in 1968 or 1969.

The small park included the signs/markers and no other features. There is the 1907 DAR marker, a metal commemorative sign erected in 1983 by two Baker University alumni, and a late 20th Century wood sign erected by the local Santa Fe Trail Historical Society that identifies the park. The DAR erected seven markers in Douglas County.¹ Of the seven, this was the only one erected with a bronze face.

The DAR marker and Trail Park was added to the Kansas State and National Register of Historic Places in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The other two signs are non-contributing to the property.

Lieutenant Isaiah Stickel was born in April 1830 in Illinois. At 20, Stickel enrolled in McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois. He graduated in 1855, but deferred graduation until the next year as he was the only senior in that class. Stickel became a schoolteacher for a few years until enlisting in the Illinois Cavalry on June 30, 1861 to fight in the Civil War. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in August 1862. He was discharged on April 6, 1866.

After the war, he relocated to Kansas settling in, at first, Padonia, near Hiawatha, and then Centralia, near Seneca, where he farmed and worked a mercantile business. In 1895, he moved to Baldwin City where he became very active in Baker University and the United Methodist Church, serving on the Board of Trustees, who authorized the construction of the old Methodist Church.² He then claimed a soldier's plot in western Kansas and moved out there for a bit, but returned to Baldwin where he died in 1911.

Jennie (Spaulding) Stickel was born in New York on December 3, 1840. She married a Mr. Gaylord in 1861, who died during the Civil War. Jennie then became an army nurse for the remainder of the war. She moved with her uncle to Centralia, Kansas where she met and married Isaiah in the winter of 1871. She was also a very active member in the Methodist Church, the Women's Relief Corps, and the Women Christian's Temperance Union. She passed away April 12, 1916. Isaiah and Jennie had three children with only one surviving into adulthood. Their house, built around 1910, still stands about a quarter mile northwest of Trail Park.

1. The seven, from east to west, are at Black Jack, Palmyra, Trail Park, Brooklyn, Willow Springs, Globe, and Flag Springs (Simmons Station).

2. The original Methodist services were held in a small cabin north of Palmyra from 1854 until 1858 when the Old Castle was completed. Services were next held in the Old Stone Church (1868), now Pulliam Hall, on Baker University campus. Services were then held in Centenary Hall (1884). The old Methodist Church was a beautiful stone and brick building completed in 1904, that sadly burned down in 1930. The fourth and and final church was completed in 1932.

They Haven't Said Anything to Wilberforce In Almost Two Hours?

On July 9, 1854, the Reverend William H. Goode preached the very first Methodist Episcopal sermon at Kibbee cabin just north of what would become Baldwin City. Three years later, at what would then become the Barricklow cabin, on April 17, a convention of ministers voted to establish Baker University in the town of Palmyra which would later be absorbed into Baldwin City.

Methodist sermons were originally conducted at the cabin north of town until the college building was completed in 1858. For the next ten or so years, church services were held on the third floor of what would become the Old Castle. By 1868, however, the need for a new church would be needed thus the building of Baker University's second building commenced. The Old Stone Church was constructed in 1868 and dedicated in 1870.

The Old Stone Church was built by George Miller and members of the community. It was replaced in 1884 with Centenary Hall. The Stone Church would later become Stone Hall and then Pulliam Hall and house Baker's School of Journalism and Broadcasting.


Centenary Hall was built in 1884, also by George Miller, to house classrooms, an auditorium, and church for Baker University since the Science Building (Parmenter Hall) was at capacity. Centenary Hall was built right next to Parmenter and served the University until it fell out of disuse and repair was razed in 1965. Centenary Hall stopped being the Methodist Church in 1904 when an actual church building was built.

The beautiful stone and brick church building was dedicated on February 14, 1904 and was built to serve Baldwin City for decades to come. The bricks were from Coffeyville, the giant circular stained glass window was a gift from the Southeastern Conference and the woodwork was all done in fine white oak. The dedication ceremony was heralded by Reverend Don S. Colt. Sadly, the church was struck by lightning in 1930 and burned to the ground. Services returned to Centenary Hall until the present church building was completed in 1932.

Over Maple Leaf this year, I was able to go inside and wander to get pictures of this subtely beautiful church.

A couple observations: First, Erie (I'm assuming Pennsylvania) is only an hour and 40 minutes from Cleveland. In the grand scheme of road tripping, that's not bad at all. Second, this is pretty good. An hour and a half or so is just long enough that you are tired of sitting and driving so having to turn around and drive all the way would put anyone in a murderous rage. Third, that's a good looking barn in the background--clearly a well-maintained farm on the Stoltzfus Family Farm (founded 1817) in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country--I don't know what it's doing here in Erie County but whatever. Fourth, I hope this isn't the start of a week long storyline where they are celebrating Thanksgiving with Mother Gargle. I don't know if I can handle that.

If you would like to support my writing or my research, you can buy me a cup of coffee on Ko-Fi.

Hip-ster

I've talked about the murder of Charles Dow by Franklin Coleman that happened in Hickory Point a few miles north of Baldwin City. Dow's death was never avenged. Coleman implicated a friend of Dow's in his murder and Coleman would later go on to fight against John Brown in the Battle of Black Jack. Dow's murder happened on November 22, 1855 but nearly a year before, on November 29, 1854, Lucius Kibbee was imprisoned for the murder of Henry Davis.

an illustration of Lucius Kibbee, courtesy FindAGrave

November 29 was the day of the Territorial Election. Lucius Kibbee and N.D. Johnson were returning to Hickory Point from Lawrence along Blanton's Crossing (present-day Louisiana Street) when they passed a wagon carrying Henry Davis (not to be confused with Henry T. Davis, another settler whose family cemetery and namesake bar are located near 6th and Kasold in Lawrence). Davis and the men he was with were witnessed by Kibbee and Johnson burning down a house which angered Kibbee. When confronted, Davis asked what business it was of his. When Kibbee continued to press, Davis drew a knife and within seconds Kibbee had unloaded into Davis' stomach.

Kibbee turned himself in to Judge Elmore and was sent to stand trial in front of Chief Justice Samuel LeCompte. His trial took place on December 27, 1854 and was the second trial held in the territory. A dozen or so witnesses testified about Kibbee and Davis' confrontation. According to Johnson's testimony, after learning about the burnt property, Kibbee threatened to report Davis to the authorities. Davis threatened "I'll report you to Hell", brandished a knife and struck at Kibbee, missing him.

Kibbee passively turned away citing that he had no quarrel with Davis. Davis then swore he'd cut Kibbee's heart out and made two more lunges with the knife before Kibbee shot him right before Davis made a third lunge. The arguments were submitted and Kibbee was released on $1,000 bail until a trial could be held.

Lucius Kibbee was born in Iowa in 1815 and came to Kansas with his wife and children settling on land near Hickory Point about a mile from the Santa Fe Trail. Since preemption laws required improving the land, Kibbee built a small cabin. In July of 1854, Reverend William Goode preached the first sermon under the authority of the United Methodist Church. For months it was rumored that Missourians were going to come in from Missouri and hang Kibbee and in March 1855, Rev. Goode found the Kibbee cabin surrounded. The group was dispersed but Kibbee was charged with assault. Knowing he wouldn't get a fair trial, Kibbee gave up and returned his family to Iowa. He would later move to Nebraska where he died in 1880.

Kibbee Cabin replica at Baker University. Photo courtesy Baker University.

Kibbee's abandoned claim became property of David Jones who reportedly had slaves. When the tides turned and Kansas became a free territory, Jones left and asked Henry Barricklow to watch his land. Barricklow moved his family to the land and eventually bought the land. In 1857, at the Barricklow, formerly Kibbee, cabin, it was decided by the preachers at the Methodist convention that Baker University be established. A replica of Kibbee's cabin sits just north of the Old Castle Museum. A plaque commemorating the Kibbee/Barricklow Cabin is on private property just east of Signal Oak north of Baldwin City.

If you would like to support my writing or research, you can buy me a cup of coffee on Ko-Fi.

You know, I've seen Brutus golf with unnamed stangers, Veeblefester, Arnie, and even Wilberforce but I have never seen him play golf with Uncle Ted. Uncle Ted must not want to waste time playing golf with someone who is as terrible at it as Brutus. Veeblefester and Arnie can justify it because it's good for a few bucks or a laugh.

Here's your new hip, Uncle Ted. Whoops. Heh, heh. You'll have to go easy on it.

Kansas School for the Deaf

In 1860, Philip A. Emery arrived in Kansas, in the Wakarusa River valley, to start a new life. He had previously lived in Indiana and worked for their state school for the deaf as a teacher. Thrilled that there was an educator who could teach deaf children, Jonathan Kennedy, who had three deaf children, persuaded Emery to start a school for the deaf. When Emery agreed, Kennedy borrowed $200 and went with Emery to find a suitable location for the school. They found a modest two-room house with an attic in Baldwin City. The rooms could be rented for $5 a month.

The school officially opened October 1861 but didn't receive its first student until December when Elizabeth Studebaker arrived from Clinton. In March 1862, the state legislature voted to assist the school by appropriating $500 per year to help with operational costs and twenty-five cents a day for each student. In 1864, it was decided that all state institutions should be located in Topeka so for a short period, the school was moved to Topeka but returned to Baldwin City the following year. The decision on the location was still up in the air as there became a bidding between Baldwin, Olathe and Topeka over the location for a new school for the deaf.

The first School for the Deaf near 10th & Indiana in Baldwin City. Note the wooden
sign typical of historical markers in Baldwin at this time. Via ksdeaf.org

On November 15, 1866, the Kansas State School for the Deaf and its 18 students left Baldwin City for Olathe and into a new stone building. The stone building was torn down in 1886 and replaced with a new administration and dormitory building and by 1893, enrollment at the school was over 200. The current administration and dormitory building was built in 1934.

The current Roth Administration Building. Via kansastravel.com

One of the more prominent pupils, and later teachers, at the school, was Luther Haden "Dummy" Taylor. Taylor was born in Oskaloosa in 1875. While most accounts say that he was born deaf, his family did not list him as such on the 1880 U.S. Census. He was listed, in the 1885 Kansas Census, as being a pupil at the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe. He remained at the school through his high school years pitching for the baseball team and boxing. After leaving the school, Taylor played for semi-pro and minor league baseball teams in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. As of 1900, he was playing for team in Albany, New York.

He was called to play with the New York Giants in 1900 and in 1902, went to play for the Cleveland Broncos (later to be the Cleveland Indians) for more money but he was persuading to return to the Giants the next season. In 1903, new manager John McGraw turned the Giants into a formidable team being National League champions in 1904 and 1905. Taylor was sold to the Buffalo Bisons in 1909. Taylor would remain in the minor leagues until his retirement from baseball in 1915.

1903 image of Taylor on the New York Giants. Via Library of Congress.

Taylor would return to the Kansas School for the Deaf in 1915 where he would become the physical director and baseball coach. Taylor then moved to the Iowa School for the Deaf in and then the Illinois School for the Deaf. He continued to be very involved with baseball. In August 1958, Luther Taylor passed away at Our Savior's Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois. He is interred with his first wife, Della, in Prairie City Cemetery in Baldwin City.

Gravestones for Luther and Della Taylor in Prairie City Cemetery. Photo by author.

The Kansas School for the Deaf continues a tradition started by Philip Emery back in 1861 of educating children despite the absence of hearing. Students are encouraged to live up to their full potential and are judged by contributions and character. For more information, please visit ksdeaf.org or the Kansas Deaf Cultural Center located on the Olathe campus.

The site of the original school in Baldwin City is currently a more modern home. The wooden marker, as seen in the above picture, no longer stands. A small stone sits near 10th Street and reads:

School for Deaf 1861-1867

Photo by the author.

As you may have noticed, I have started posted over here again. Everything was originally supposed to start on September 15th but I decided to start posted LAMNB and gravestone pictures earlier than planned. Everything else will begin on or shortly after the 15th.

It's been ten years since my Grandma passed away. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri, married during her senior year of high school. My Grandma and Grandpa moved to Lawrence, Kansas in 1967 when All-Star Dairy opened a new factory there and lived there until 1970 when they moved to Baldwin City where they spent the rest of their lives. My Grandma worked in the food service department of Baker University for over twenty years before retiring in 1992. My Grandpa worked for All-Star for 35 years before retiring and then working for Allen Press for ten years.

Mom                 Dad

HALL

JOYCE A.                 MANFORD L.

OCT. 18, 1939          OCT. 22, 1935

AUG. 18, 2003          DEC. 25, 2006

Missed By Their Children

Linda, Karen, Becky, Donald

Oakwood Cemetery, Baldwin City, Douglas County, Kansas