S. S. LYNN.

WINFIELD 1880:

S. S. Lynn, 45; spouse, Lynn, C. D., 48.

[KNIGHTS OF HONOR LODGE.]

Winfield Courier, December 30, 1880.

The Knights of Honor lodge met and elected officers Monday evening. The officers elected were:

Dictator: A. P. Johnson.

Vice Dictator: W. J. Hodges.

Assistant Dictator: S. S. Lynn.

Chaplain: H. D. Gans.

Reporter: W. C. Root.

Financial Reporter: A. Howland.

Treasurer: E. F. Kinne.

Guide: J. W. Batchelder.

Guard: W. C. Robinson.

Medical Examiner: Dr. G. W. Graham.

Dr. Graham was also elected as delegate to the state lodge, which meets soon.

Winfield Courier, February 9, 1882.

In another column will be found a letter from Mr. S. S. Lynn, endorsing our suggestion of a District wool-growers’ association. Mr. Lynn is one of the most practical sheep men in the county, and what he says on the subject is the result of years of experience. We should like to hear from other sheep men on the subject.

[THE WOOL GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION.]

Winfield Courier, January 13, 1881.

At an adjourned meeting of the Cowley Co. Wool Growers’ Association, held at Winfield January 8th, 1881, the following business was transacted.

Mr. Service being temporary chairman, secretary’s report of last meeting was read and adopted.

Names of members read and fourteen others added.

The following officers were elected by ballot for the ensuing year.

President: N. L. Rigby.

First Vice President: S. P. Strong.

Second Vice President: John Stalter.

Recording Secretary: A. D. Crowell.

Corresponding Secretary: S. C. Smith.

Treasurer: A. H. Doane.

Messrs. Smith, Silliman, and Chafey were appointed by the chair to act as a committee to select one from each township in the county to act as an executive committee.

Messrs. Stalter and Eastman were appointed by the chair to act as a committee to select and assign subjects to be discussed at the next regular meeting.

Motion was made and carried that Mr. Ezra Meech be appointed as a delegate to the State Wool Growers’ Association that is to be held at Topeka on the 18th inst., and Mr. Rigby as alternate.

Motion was made and carried that three and not more than five be appointed by the chair as a committee to visit the various flocks of sheep throughout the county and report regarding their condition, management, etc.

Messrs. Chafey, Meech, Smith, Eastman, and Crowell were so appointed.

After remarks by Mr. Lynn regarding the Eaton Tariff Bill now before Congress, a motion was made and carried that the corresponding secretary be instructed to request our representatives to Congress to favor said bill.

Motion was made and carried that the first clause of the constitution be so amended as to read, “Cowley County Wool Growers and Sheep Breeders’ Association.”

Motion was made and carried that the corresponding secretary be instructed to collect the petitions already distributed and present them through our Senator to the State Legislature.

Adjourned to meet at 10 o’clock, m., March 5th, 1881. A. D. CROWELL, Sec’y.

Winfield Courier, February 9, 1882.

Sheep Association.

MR. EDITOR: In the COURIER of week before last, you suggested that the wool growers of Cowley, Sedgwick, Sumner, and Butler counties organize a district wool growers association. The writer, for one, most heartily endorses that suggestion. The sheep interests of Cowley and adjoining counties is rapidly assuming giant proportions. We think we are safe in predicting that in less than three years Cowley County alone will contain 300,000 head of sheep representing a capital of near a million dollars. This being the fact, the most obtuse can see the necessity of some organization, not only for mutual improvement to stimulate us by a friendly competition to improve our herds, but to bring united influence to bear upon our “solons” at Topeka when next they meet, and thus secure some needed legislation to protect us from the ravages of worthless dogs. The writer of this has had all the experience he wants in the way of feeding ten cent dogs on a five dollar sheep and no way to secure any remuneration.

In order to give your readers some idea of the loss to wool growers from this cause, I will state that I have before me the reports of the secretary of state for the state of Ohio, with the statistics for the last twenty years, wherein I find that the average annual destruction of sheep by dogs in that state is over 40,000, valued at over $100,000, but the fund raised there by a tax on dogs is ample to compensate owners of sheep for all losses.

What say you, “sheep men,” shall we organize?

So soon as a sufficient number manifest a desire for such an organization, either through the press or by communicating with the writer, we will make arrangements for a meeting at some convenient point. S. S. LYNN.

Winfield Courier, March 23, 1882.

TO SHEEP MEN. EDS. COURIER: I have been expecting to see some response to the good suggestion of Mr. S. S. Lynn, published in the COURIER a few weeks ago, urging to the sheep men the importance of forming a district association embracing Cowley and the adjoining counties.

I would now suggest that a meeting be called of the sheep breeders and wool growers’ association of Cowley County, already organized, at which meeting we can either re-organize upon the old basis or enlarge, in accordance with Mr. Lynn’s plan. Any association which will bring the sheep men together that they may discuss their different modes of breeding and handling their flocks, giving their experience and observations, would, if properly improved, be of much benefit to those engaged in the business, also to those contemplating engaging in it.

While this part of Kansas is particularly adapted to sheep husbandry, and a well managed flocks show as much net profit, if not much more, than any other branch of business connected with farming, it is a lamentable fact that at least one-half of those who engage in the business fail to make it a success and abandon it. The cause of these failures is apparent in many cases from the first start, to the eye of those who have had experience in sheep raising. Many make a serious mistake in selecting their sheep, getting a poor, low grade of Mexican sheep, which at best yields very light fleece and the wool of a grade that does not command a price within several cents per pound of the best wool. Some go to the extreme and select their sheep from some high fed flock, paying generally high prices; one lot of 500 (two or three crosses from the Missouri) selling in the fall of 1880 at $6 per head or $3,000 for the 500. Many other lots that have come under my observation during the past two years have sold from $5 to $8 per head and those common grade sheep. The price is the only difficulty with this class of sheep, provided they are kept up to their accustomed feed and care. Some that I know of have failed to give this class of sheep their accustomed care and feed and the result has been disastrous.

While sheep men differ about which class of sheep it is best to buy, all I think who have owned the first named class will agree with me that they are not the sheep for Cowley County, while the selection of the sheep at the start, fixes the end in some cases. There is another cause of failure that is quite as common and as sure in its results: that is lack of feed. As a rule the sheep of this county do not get to exceed one-half the food their needs require to keep them in a thriving condition or a profitable one. It is not because sheep require less feed in Kansas than elsewhere, that renders sheep breeding and wool growing profitable, but because of the general cheapness of the feed. Many flocks of sheep are comfortably fed in the stock fields in the early part of the winter, but when they are approaching the lambing season, and they require the best care and feed of the year, they are in many cases fed on short allowance, ranging on prairie grass, with perhaps a half feed of corn. A flock of sheep that comes through poor, with numbers lessened by heavy losses, will raise but few lambs and give but little milk; consequently, the lambs are small, and if they survive the first winter (which is doubtful), they will be dwarfed for life.

Some think the scab is the greatest drawback to the sheep business, but it ought not to be as it is easily and surely cured. A bad start, short feed, scab or poor care, either if persisted in, will work ruin, and when all combined the end is near.

When I commenced, my object was to second Mr. Lynn’s suggestion in regard to organizing a Sheep Breeders & Wool Growers’ Association, but have run off the track, which you will please excuse, and tell the sheep men that the motto is, “Feed, or Fail.”

EZRA MEECH.

[FAIR.]

Winfield Courier, May 10, 1883.

Fair Meeting. A mass meeting of farmers was held in the Opera House Saturday afternoon to consider the Fair question. A goodly number of farmers from every part of the county were present. W. J. Millspaugh, of Vernon, was elected chairman and S. P. Strong, of Rock, secretary. The report of the committee on soliciting subscriptions to the stock reported four thousand eight hundred dollars taken. Short speeches were then made by Senator Hackney, Jas. F. Martin, S. P. Strong, S. S. Lynn, Henry Harbaugh, F. W. Schwantes, John C. Roberts, D. L. Kretsinger, and others. After the meeting many new names were added and the list now foots up over five thousand dollars.

Excerpts...

[FAIR.]

Winfield Courier, May 24, 1883.

We publish in full below the Charter and By-laws of the Fair Association. The organization is now complete and at work. Every farmer should read this carefully and be ready to suggest any changes necessary at the next regular meeting.

The undersigned do hereby voluntarily associate ourselves together for the purpose of forming a private corporation under the laws of the state of Kansas, and do hereby certify:

That the name of this corporation shall be “The Cowley County Fair and Driving Park Association.”

That the number of directors or trustees of this corporation shall be seventeen (17), and the names and residences of those who are appointed for the first year are:

A. H. Doane, Winfield.

A. T. Spotswood, Winfield.

D. L. Kretsinger, Winfield.

J. B. Schofield, Winfield.

C. C. Black, Winfield.

W. J. Hodges, Winfield.

E. P. Greer, Winfield.

W. S. Mendenhall, Winfield.

Sam Phoenix, Richland Township.

S. S. Lynn, Vernon Township.

G. L. Gale, Rock Township.

Henry Harbaugh, Pleasant Valley Township.

R. F. Burden, Windsor Township.

E. B. Nicholson, Dexter Township.

J. W. Millspaugh, Vernon Township.

J. B. Nipp, Creswell Township.

J. F. Martin, Vernon Township.

On motion of Mr. Kretsinger, Messrs. Harbaugh, Martin, Millspaugh, Lynn, Spotswood, Doane, and Greer were appointed a committee on premium list, to report at the next meeting of the directors. On motion of Mr. Lynn, the superintendent was instructed to commence work on the speed ring and cleaning up the ground. On motion of Mr. Doane, the meeting adjourned until Saturday, May 26, at 1 p.m. D. L. KRETSINGER, Secretary.

Winfield Courier, May 24, 1883.

OPERA HOUSE, May 19, 1883.

The stockholders of the Cowley County Fair and Driving Park Association met pursuant to adjournment. Mr. Millspaugh called S. P. Strong to the chair and D. L. Kretsinger was chosen secretary. Minutes of last meeting read and approved. The committee on subscription of stock reported progress and were on motion continued. On motion of Mr. Martin, the meeting proceeded to a permanent organization, without change of officers. The charter was then read and approved. A form of constitution and by-laws was then submitted by the secretary. Mr. Short moved they be adopted as read. Mr. Lynn amended to read and adopt by sections. Motion prevailed as amended.

Sec. 1 to 13 read and adopted. Sec. 14 amended to read “four-fifth consent or vote,” instead of unanimous.

Section 1 to 10 of the by-laws made and approved. On motion of Mr. Gale, the constitution and bylaws were then adopted as whole. After quite an interesting talk on the part of secretary and stockholders, a sense of the meeting was had instructing the Directors to push the work of improvement of grounds as fast as possible. On motion the meeting adjourned. D. L. KRETSINGER, Secretary, S. P. STRONG, Chairman.

[COMMISSIONER’S PROCEEDINGS.]

Winfield Courier, February 21, 1884.

TALESMEN. J. F. Miller, M. Zimmerman, J. N. Tidd, J. P. Samott, C. E. Metzger, H. F. Parris, H. J. Roderick, E. P. Harlan, George Ordway, G. Vanway, S. B. Case, C. H. Kingsberry, F. M. Berger, D. R. Gates, C. H. Woodin, S. S. Lynn, H. H. Johnson, J. Sheffield, J. H. John.

Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, July 30, 1884.

THE COWLEY COUNTY FAIR -AND- DRIVING PARK ASSOCIATION WILL HOLD ITS SECOND ANNUAL EXHIBITION, Winfield, Kansas, September 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, 1884.

OFFICERS 1884.

JAS. F. MARTIN, PRESIDENT.

J. L. HORNING, VICE-PRESIDENT.

ED. P. GREER, SECRETARY.

A. H. DOANE, TREASURER.

D. L. KRETSINGER, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. JAS. F. MARTIN, J. L. HORNING, ED. P. GREER, A. H. DOANE, D. L. KRETSINGER.

FINANCE COMMITTEE. CHAS. C. BLACK, P. B. LEE, A. T. SPOTSWOOD.

DIRECTORS. A. H. DOANE, A. T. SPOTSWOOD, C. C. BLACK, J. B. SCHOFIELD, S. S. LYNN, ED. P. GREER, D. L. KRETSINGER, H. HARBAUGH, J. F. MARTIN, J. B. NIPP, J. L. HORNING, HARVEY SMITH, S. P. STRONG, P. B. LEE, K. J. WRIGHT, J. O. TAYLOR, H. C. McDORMAN.

The following is a list of the stockholders of the Cowley County Fair and Driving Park Association. Included on list: S. S. Lynn.

[DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 8, 1886.