THOMAS R. CARSON.

                                          NORTH RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.

                                                 [Handled Hogs and Cattle.]

 

Kansas 1875 Census Richland Township, Cowley County, March 1, 1875.

Name                           age sex color    Place/birth Where from

Thomas R. Carson  21  m     w      Illinois               Illinois

Lavina J. Carson           21    f      w      New York              Illinois

Alice Carson                11    f      w      Illinois               Illinois

Nelson Carson         2  m     w      Illinois               Illinois

Richland Township 1881: Thomas R. Carson, 27; spouse, L. J., 27.

                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.

Winfield Courier, March 2, 1876.

T. R. Carson, of Richland Township, is erecting a wind-mill on his farm, with sufficient power to run a corn sheller, fanning mill, and stock water pump, and on such a windy day as there was last Saturday it would run a small gang plow.

[RICHLAND TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “T. D. G.”]

Winfield Courier, April 27, 1876. Editorial Page.

Our enterprising citizen, T. R. Carson, has a windmill in operation for pumping water. It is a fine improvement. Our township is setting up very fast with a good substantial class of citizens. There is now a settler on almost every quarter section. There are yet a few pieces of good upland to enter by good families. Three years ago in this immediate neighborhood you could hardly see a man once a week; now our roads are well worn and teams passing every day.

Winfield Courier, May 18, 1876.

The Richland Township boys now attribute the recent flood on Dutch Creek to the bursting of an escape valve on Tom Carson’s double-back-action-wind-power stock pump.

Winfield Courier, June 1, 1876.

T. R. CARSON, of Richland, called last Tuesday to let us know that Richland had not seceded from the union of Cowley. His windmill is still in successful motion. He will put in two hundred acres of wheat this fall. No rust on the wheat in that locality.

[RICHLAND TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “A FARMER.”]

Winfield Courier, July 5, 1877.

RICHLAND TOWNSHIP., June 21, 1877. In my last it was too wet and still wetting’ and all the small streams have been on a high, and it seems as if they enjoyed it as they almost daily got higher. Can it be that people have cried drouthy Kansas so often that we should need another deluge to stop their fault finding? Has it come to this, that we must have our dooryards nightly and daily turned into a duck pond and ourselves continually ducked in order that we may lose the name or wash out the word “drouth” from our history? The floods last spring were laid to T. Carson’s windmill; but that’s too thin. He’s a granger now, and he wouldn’t dare serve his brethren that way.

Floral grange has added fifteen new members, since my last, to their rolls, and still they come; and I’ll tell you how we do it. We get up a good supper and get our farmer neighbors in, then we have plenty of ice cream and we just freeze them fast. We had a good ice-cream supper last Friday night, and several members of other granges were present. When we confer the fourth degree on the present candidates, we expect to have a regular stuff-down. Then, Oh, ye editors, come out and partake of the harvest feast.

The directors of the Floral Co-operative Association meet June 30th, 1877, for the purpose of squaring books and issuing dividends to all who hold trade checks.

We commenced harvesting June 18th in this vicinity, and will finish about the 1st of July.

Wheat is generally fair. Grain is injured some by the wet weather and some by the dry—too sudden a change from wet to dry. Corn is looking well and growing very fast. Oats never looked better. Peaches fine. Health good. The people in good spirits; what more could we wish? Why, that Elk County would carry the railroad bonds next time, of course.

A FARMER.

Winfield Courier, October 18, 1877.

T. R. Carson, of Richland Township, made us a call on Tuesday. He says the wheat in his section is very fine, completely covering the ground with a green carpet. He is a young farmer who uses brains as well as muscle in his farm operations. His windmill is one of his machines, and is used principally in pumping water for his stock and saves a great deal of labor, but can be put to a variety of uses. He is agent for the sale of such mills.

[RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.]

Winfield Courier, November 1, 1877.

The republicans of Richland Township met in convention Oct. 27th, with D. C. Stevens, chairman, and S. W. Phoenix, secretary, when the following nominations were made.

Trustee, M. C. Headrick; Treasurer, T. R. Carson; Clerk, James Groom; Constables, J. Holloway, T. D. Givler.

Road supervisors: District 1, F. Dickens; District 2, C. Stevens; District 3, J. H. Edwards; District 4, David Roberts.

The following named gentlemen were elected as township republican committee: D. C. Stevens, L. B. Stone, and J. R. Thompson.

[TOWNSHIP OFFICERS ELECTED.]

Winfield Courier, November 15, 1877.

Richland—M. C. Headrick, Trustee; T. R. Carson, Treasurer; J. P. Groom, Clerk; No Justice; T. D. Givler, J. Holloway, Constables.

[POLO, RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “L.”]

Winfield Courier, January 10, 1878.

POLO ITEMS. MR. EDITOR: Thinking you would like to hear from Richland, I send you some items. On Christmas eve, at the Summit schoolhouse, we had a Christmas tree with over two hundred presents on it, addressed to intended recipients. The house was packed full of the best natured people you ever saw. The exercises opened with singing, followed by declamation and more music, all good, when the real fun commenced. Some of the presents were very beautiful, some comical. T. R. Carson got a pair of striped calico pants; our much esteemed and jolly neighbor, S. D. Groom, got a tin trumpet and a tin horse and buggy; Charley Groom got the champion stick of candy, and everything passed off very pleasantly. S. D. Groom is proud of his presents, and makes much merriment with his trumpet music.

T. R. Carson is up at the head of Dutch hunting antelope.

A protracted meeting, conducted by Elders Thomas and Daniels, has been in progress at the Richland schoolhouse since December 26th.

The herd law was discussed at Floral Grange on Friday evening, December 28th. L.

Winfield Courier, May 2, 1878.

RICHLAND SUNDAY SCHOOL. DEAR COURIER: The secretary’s report of the Richland Sunday school was on motion of S. W. Phoenix, ordered to be sent to the COURIER for publication. It is as follows.

Organized May 14, 1876, with 52 scholars in six classes, T. R. Carson, Superintendent.      Enrolled during first quarter: 71.

Average attendance: 38. Teachers: 6. Average attendance: 4.

Outlay, $1.50 for Berean lesson; $1.00 for banner; total $2.50.

It is demonstrated that it is not cash but earnest work which makes a good Sunday school.

Second term commenced Oct. 29, 1876. 23 Sundays, less 3 missed on account of the weather. Enrollment: 76. Average attendance: 35. Teachers: 4. Expenses $2.60.

Third term commenced April 1, 1877. J. R. Thompson, superintendent; T. R. Carson, Asst. Supt.; N. J. Larkin, Sec.; T. D. Givler, Treas.; Mrs. A. L. Phoenix, Chor.

Average attendance scholars: 34. Teachers: 5. Expenses $7.80, including express charges on song books and on library $2.65. Had a picnic in the grove which was a success. Rev. J. L. Rushbridge, speaker; refreshment stand by J. W. Groom and assistants of which the net proceeds were $20.80, and devoted to the purchase of a library.

Fourth term commenced Sept. 30, 1877. J. R. Thompson, superintendent; T. D. Givler, assistant; C. Sturm, librarian; T. R. Carson, treasurer; N. J. Larkin, secretary; T. R. Carson, Chor.

Average attendance: 80. Average enrollment for the two years: 66. Average attendance for the two years: 34½. Expenses, $5.11. Total expenses, $18.01.

School kept up with as much interest in winter as in summer. N. J. LARKIN, Sec.

R. F. Burden, John Clover, T. R. Carson mentioned in next article...

Winfield Courier, May 9, 1878.

On the Wing. EDITOR COURIER: In a trip lately made through the eastern and northern part of Cowley, I was pleasantly struck with the vim and enterprise displayed by the farmers in that section. In Harvey, Omnia, and Rock Townships, the plow is busy turning the prairies into farms. Orchards are growing, promising abundant fruit, forest trees are showing their green tops, and stone and hedge fences, and new dwellings are beautifying the lovely country in which they are seen.

R. F. Burden and John Clover have started their fat cattle and hogs to Kansas City for market. Cattle buyers are numerous through this county, but don’t offer prices which suit the feeders.

The windmill at Mr. Carson’s is a landmark known far and wide, and is kept at work pumping water. Why cannot windmills be erected on every farm in Kansas?

Winfield Courier, June 27, 1878.

Real Estate Transfers. State to Thos. R. Carson, n. ½ nw. 23, 32, 5; 80 acres; se. and e., ½ sw. 16, 30, 5; 240 acres, $910.

[RICHLAND TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “L.”]

Winfield Courier, September 5, 1878.

T. R. Carson has gone to Illinois on a visit. He expects to stay four weeks.

[RICHLAND TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “L.”]

Winfield Courier, September 26, 1878.

RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, Sept. 21, 1878. EDITOR COURIER: T. R. Carson is sowing 30 acres of clover, some of which is up, and looks well.

Winfield Courier, March 27, 1879.

The Farms of Cowley County are the pride of her people. In every township may be found men who came here poor, but who by industry, perseverance, and economy have built for themselves homes which neither money nor mortgages can take from them.

T. R. Carson, of Richland, owns one of the best farms in the west. Good stone fences, good houses, good corrals, hedges, orchards, and a tip-top wind mill for pumping water are the improvements he has thrown around over his farm of several hundred acres.

[VISIT TO RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.]

Winfield Courier, March 11, 1880.

We had occasion to visit the north part of Richland town­ship, last week, in company with Mr. Lemmon, and saw many things on our way which are encouraging for the future of Cowley, and which add to our pride in our county.

We particularly noticed the large farm of T. R. Carson, of 640 acres, well fenced with miles of wire, stone, and hedge, with a large windmill that can be seen in the distance for miles, with large reservoirs for water and conductors carrying the water to several stockyards, with a stone viaduct through which his cattle pass under the roads to the stockyards and water tanks, with plenty of large barns, sheds, stables, and everything convenient for large operations. The farm is well stocked with hogs and cattle of best grades, and his large mule teams were busy plowing for spring crops.

[NORTH RICHLAND CORRESPONDENT: “L. J. N.”]

Winfield Courier, June 10, 1880.

We, the farmers in this immediate neighborhood, are happy. Our wheat looks well. No frost or drought to hurt much; but it is only a little strip about three miles wide and five miles long, on which we had three good rains that missed the county all around us. The reason must have been that we left the old grass without burning, which kept the ground cool and moist. We had no hot winds as they did only three miles west of here, and it was noticed by persons coming out from Winfield, that as soon as they came on this strip of unburnt grass, the air was cool and pleasant.

T. R. Carson sold on the 19th to Mr. Hodges of Winfield, sixty-six fat hogs, and hauled them down in eleven wagons. He got $3.40.

P. D. Givler took down five pigs the same day. They were eight months old, and their aggregate weight was 1356 lbs., or an average of 270 pounds, making one and one-eighth pounds for every day of their age. Who can beat that!

We have been testing a new harrow this summer. I do not know the manufacturer. It is sold by S. W. Phoenix—a spring-tooth harrow—just the thing for all work that a harrow can be used for. Can’t be beat.

On Decoration Day our soldiers were not forgotten in North Richland. After the Sunday-schools were over, the citizens gathered to the number of one hundred and fifty or seventy-five at the graveyard near Polo, and under the arrangement of H. H. Hooker and T. R. Shannon and other ex-soldiers, a procession was formed and marched until they formed a circle with the singers in the center. Then an appropriate song was sung, followed by prayer by Mr. David Roberts, another song, and then a short address by William C. McCormick to the soldiers and citizens on the objects of this day being set apart and called Decoration Day. Then the procession, headed by the ex-soldiers, marched past all the soldiers’ graves; and the graves of the soldiers’ widows that have died since the war, were not neglected. All were strewn with flowers, and wreaths of evergreens and flowers covered the tombstones of all. These Decoration days are good. They bright­en our memories of the great sacrifice the soldiers made to save our country from mad rebellion.

After the ceremonies were over, Mr. T. A. Venable took up a contribution to buy a cow for Mrs. Edwards, the widow of Mr. Edwards who was killed by lightning a few weeks since, and raised enough to buy one in a few minutes. L. J. N.

Winfield Courier, June 2, 1881.

Thomas R. Carson, of North Richland, called. He is one of the most extensive farmers in the county and always has plenty of water for his stock because he runs a windmill pump.

Cowley County Courant, January 19, 1882.

PRAIRIE GROVE, KANSAS, JANUARY 12, 1882. Owing to bad weather the grand wolf hunt was postponed until Thursday, January 26, 1882, commanded as follows:

1st division, Captain Frank Limbocker, meets on the hill at Curfman’s.

2nd division, Captain R. B. Pratt, meets at his house.

3rd division, Captain Jimmie Hanlen, Valley Center schoolhouse.

4th division, Captain E. Rogers, meets at Darien.

5th division, Captain John Stalter, Green Valley schoolhouse.

6th division, Captain L. Hardy, at his house.

7th division, Captain T. R. Carson, Richland schoolhouse.

8th division, Captain R. Stevens, at Dicken’s cross roads.

9th division, Captain Conrad, meets at S. Stevens.

10th division, Captain Henry Curns, at his house.

11th division, Captain P. McIntire, at his house.

All commands will meet as above designated at 9 o’clock, and march at 10 o’clock, sharp. The ring will be formed at Prairie Grove, and a color line, designated by eleven stand of colors, will also be formed. All captains will halt when they arrive at the colors, and advance at a signal given by the Major command­ing, said signal being two shots, one following the other. At the signal, all will advance in good order to the center, which will be designated by a large flag. No shooting will be allowed in the ring, and everybody is expected to be at the center by noon. All officers should see that the above orders are carried out. By order of JAMES O. VAN ORSDAL, Commanding.

Winfield Courier, April 27, 1882.

An additional venire of eighteen jurymen was ordered by Judge Torrance Tuesday morning. The following gentlemen were drawn: H. M. Branson, Windsor; Alfred Hightower, Dexter; W. W. McDonough, Otter; Wm. Rouzee, Beaver; G. M. Moore, Walnut; J. R. Scott, Tisdale; Wm. Shreves, Spring Creek; A. H. Miller, Liberty; Thos R. Carson, Richland; Geo. Homer, Otter; Thos. Baird, Bolton; Frank Weakley, Walnut; C. W. Frith, Liberty; J. H. Titus, Bolton; J. S. Mohler, Windsor; J. R. Tobin, Spring Creek; Pearson Coe, Richland; Thos. Cooley, Maple.

Winfield Courier, October 26, 1882.

Mr. T. R. Carson, of Richland, made us a pleasant call Monday.

Winfield Courier, February 1, 1883.

At a meeting of the temperance people of Richland Township at Summit schoolhouse on January 27th, for the purpose of organizing The Temperance League, D. C. Stevens was elected chairman and J. M. Bair secretary. The following committee was elected for organization: A. D. Stuber, chairman; Dan Maher, N. J. Larkin, D. C. Stevens, Thomas Carson, Willis Wilson. Resolved to meet at the call of the chairman.

D. C. STEVENS, Chairman. J. M. BAIR, Secretary.

[SUMMIT, RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “WILLIAM FLINT.”]

Winfield Courier, February 28, 1884.

Mr. Carson sold 43 hogs the other day at 6 cents, so you see when you have a fat hog or steer, you can get a good price for it any time. But I can’t tell how long that will last. It won’t last very long for those who have big herds, for the range in this country is getting scarce, and the time is coming when men will have to tie their stock up by the head or not have any, unless they have plenty of land of their own to herd them on. It is getting so now that when you herd on a quarter section, you have to pay one-third of what you make for rent; and I don’t see where a man makes anything at such licks. But if he raises hogs, he can keep them up in a den and raise corn to feed them on, if the land is not too poor. WILLIAM FLINT.

[NORTH RICHLAND CORRESPONDENT: “DICK RELVIG.”]

Winfield Courier, March 13, 1884.

Our Sunday school is in good running order and has been the past seven years. We do not stop for cold nor hot weather. We have an organ in our school, which helps much in our singing. Mr. T. R. Carson is our Superintendent.

Winfield Courier, May 22, 1884.

Dan Maher, Capt. Stuber, and Tom Carson, of Richland, were driving home from town the other evening with three joints of pump pipe in the wagon. Dan was holding onto the end of the pipe to keep it from sliding out. The railroad problem soon enveloped their minds. It grew hotter and hotter and the pipe slipped and slipped. They soon came to a joint conclusion and located the station of the K. C. & S. W. railroad, but when they looked around the pump pipe couldn’t be located—two joints had gone to mother earth several miles back along the road. Dan takes hold of railroad questions with a vim; but the pipe—well, it was only a slip anyway.

[RICHLAND PRIMARY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier, July 3, 1884.

Richland Republican Primary convention met pursuant to call of township central committee. Meeting called to order by J. R. Cottingham, chairman of committee. After stating the object of the meeting to be to elect four delegates to the convention at Winfield on July 12, 1884. Capt. A. Stuber was then elected chairman and N. J. Larkin Secretary of the convention. Then the following delegates were elected: S. W. Phoenix, T. R. Carson, J. R. Cottingham, and T. D. Givler. It was then voted that the delegates select their own alternates, and the following were selected: D. C. Stevens, H. H. Hooker, J. P. Groom, and Capt. A. Stuber. No further business to be done, the convention adjourned.

A. STUBER, Chairman. N. J. LARKIN, Secretary.

Winfield Courier, August 21, 1884.

Wilmot Primary Convention. The primary convention to select three delegates to the District Convention to be held at Burden on the 20th, met at Summit schoolhouse Friday, August 15, at 2 o’clock p.m. T. R. Carson was elected chairman; N. J. Larkin, secretary.

The following named delegates were selected: D. C. Stephens, J. P. Groom, and Marion Daniel. And alternates, to-wit: J. S. Hamilton, J. R. Thompson, and Phillip Stuber.

The convention instructed to vote for Maurer for candidate for Representative.

The following resolution offered by N. J. Larkin was unanimously adopted.

Resolved, That we are in favor of a law prohibiting the railroad and express companies transporting or delivering any and all intoxicating drinks to be used as a beverage over their roads or lines to any point or place within the state of Kansas. And we hereby request our representative to use his best efforts to procure the passage of such a law.

Winfield Courier, August 21, 1884.

Richland Primary. The primary convention in Richland township met at Summit schoolhouse on August 15th at 2 o’clock p.m., to elect delegates to the County Convention to be held at Winfield on August 23rd. T. R. Carson was elected chairman; N. J. Larkin, secretary. Delegates elected were J. R. Cottingham, Willis Wilson, H. H. Hooker, and T. R. Carson. Alternates, J. S. Hamilton, J. A. Irwin, Capt. Stuber, and G. W. Barstow.

The township central committee was then selected. D. C. Stephens, chairman, and member of county central committee, N. J. Larkin and T. R. Carson. Convention adjourned.

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier, August 28, 1884.

The report of the committee on credentials was then submitted, and the following parties reported as entitled to seats in the convention.

RICHLAND. J. R. Cottingham, W. Wilson, H. H. Hooker, T. R. Carson.

[NORTH RICHLAND CORRESPONDENT: “BOB.”]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 15, 1885.

Mr. T. R. Carson has one of the finest stock farms in Cowley! It contains 1120 acres. Mr. Carson is a great help to our neighborhood in many respects. He buys the extra corn the farmers have to spare; also cattle and hogs. His farm is watered by two large wells, each having a windmill pump. He is also building some good cattle sheds. May his labors be crowned with success.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 26, 1885.

Gale & Wilber shipped two carloads of fine three and four year old steers from their Rock township farm to Kansas City last week. The lot averaged 1,370 pounds and brought close onto five dollars per cwt. Tom Carson, of Richland, also shipped a carload.

[NORTH RICHLAND CORRESPONDENT: “BOB.”]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 23, 1885.

Mr. T. R. Carson is building a nice hog pen and cow stable combined, which will add much to the looks of his already fine farm.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 7, 1885.

Capt. Stevens, Messrs. Carson, Phoenix, and Thompson were down from Richland Friday, looking after the interests of their township in the new railroad proposition.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 7, 1885.

Mr. Willis Wilson, Trustee of Richland township, was down today. He is not through assessing yet, but has got far enough along to count on about fourteen hundred inhabitants.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 30, 1885.

The following charters were filed in the Secretary of State’s office yesterday.

The Forest Chapel M. E. church, place of business, Richland township, Cowley County; trustees, A. H. Smith, T. T. Stevenson, John Clintwood, J. E. White, and R. Tweedle, of Cowley County, and Lewis Thomas and David Kinsey, of Butler County.

The Wilmot Town Company, place of business, Winfield; trustees, Samuel Phoenix, Adam Stuber, Thos. R. Carson, Edwin P. Greer, and Henry E. Asp. Capital stock, $25,000.

The Floral Improvement Company, place of business, Winfield; directors, Lewis Stevens, Joel R. Cole, and Wm. H. Hornady, of Floral, and James N. Young and Henry E. Asp, of Winfield. Capital stock, $30,000.

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, September 24, 1885.

RICHLAND.

Delegates: J. R. Cottingham, Adam Stuber, S. J. Holloway, J. S. Bowker, J. P. Groom, D. C. Stephens. Alternates: J. Cooper, N. J. Larkin, J. O. Van Orsdal, J. A. Childs, T. R. Carson, J. R. Cole.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 8, 1885.

The educational enterprise of Richland township is showing itself substantially. A stock company, composed of Messrs. T. R. Carson, N. J. Larkin, S. W. Phenix, J. R. Thompson, D. C. Stevens, H. J. Sandfort, H. F. Hornady, and others, has been formed to erect a township high school at Wilmot. The building will be 24 x 40, two stories, and cost to start on between fifteen hundred and two thousand dollars. It will be erected at once. The intention is to have a regular graded school, to commence in November. They expect to employ the best talent, and have a school in every way a credit to the public spirit, wealth, and intelligence of Richland township. This is a move most commendable, and will succeed finely. It will be run as a subscription school until the township is able to take it off the stockholders’ hands. Richland is always foremost in every move for the general upbuilding of her citizens.