The Mail-Journal, Volume 13, Number 27, Milford, Kosciusko County, 28 July 1976 — Page 10

’ft ft JPt. ■Hsv* fc s|L - Hln' wl mi i ■—t VJfflri?■ MbtfjMy|p> ♦■ ? •£ 4“ i ■ z _k>J MP' &£</'■ - A‘‘ ■ BWfl |< x k*f<L- -3f 3 k HK?InHK s 9MH HEAD MEN — This group of Osage head men was active while they occupied their Kansas reservation.

10th of a series — Oswego, Kan., rich in history

“A proud heritage . . . a promising future” was the theme of the Oswego, Kan . centennial which was observed in 1967 After being called Keetowa and Mant-Zee-Acke's tonwa by the Osages in the first records whitemen made of the tow-nship. and also having been called Little Osage town. Little White Hair’s town and Little Town by the early traders, the settlers finally honored the city of Oswego. N Y., by adopting its name Historians have reason to believe that the landscape which now marks the location of Oswego became the site erf the first permanent, white settlement in southern Kansas Fort Scott was established m the spring of 1842 and later became the second post office in Kansas Bill William* William Shirley <Old Bill) Williams was probably the first white man to ever lay eyes on the present townsite of Oswego He lived between 1787 and 1849 and Missouri historians say he is the first protestant missionary to work with the Osages He was a tall, lanky man. standing over six feet tall with firey red hair and a long, flowing red beard He married A-Ci’n-Ga. an Indian girl from the Big Hill band about 1813. Their first daughter was named Mary, she was born in 1814 and a second daughter.* Sarah, was bom about 1816 A Ci’n-Ga died in 1819. These daughters became the first

. y al •* **^mmA^SJ~-~ : T T I Mk o'°' S SMOKER-CRAFT FISHING BOATS 1 I ANO CANOES J s 1 1 Sf 4 McKEE CRAFT BOATS ' ****»» *^x?'' i ' rtcu” * okls «.<*** °*'°°* t TAPERFIEX SKIS * ANO Outboard Motor Service Bishop’s Boat Hoose Dole Butt. Manager Mbam:B34-7)87 Seat* Os North Webster

women with white blood to live at the townsite. Williams is mentioned frequently in the histories I of Colorado. New Mexico and Arizona The Williams River, Williams Mountain and the city of Williams in western Arizona were all named for him. The centennial book continues by telling of the Indians who lived in the area By the treaty erf 1825 the Missouri Osages were a flour mill, school, livestock ind/ farm tools, an interpreter miller, teachers, a blacksmith and substantial cash annuities when they moved and settled on their new Kansas Reservation Some of the benefits were delayed for years, but finally were fulfilled A blacksfruth became the irst permanent white settler, the book continues, about 1841. His name was John Mathews. He had moved from Kentucky to Southwest Missouri several years earlier and had married Mary Williams He moved his family to what was to become Oswego and constructed a borne. stables, a race track, a large corral and a blacksmithing establishment When Mary died sometime in the middle 1840’s he married her younger sister. Each wife bore a family In 1847 the Osage Caholic mission was opened. The family was not Catholic, however, five of

■ .. ■ . ■■■ '■*«' IN 1875 — This early picture of Oswego was taken about 1875 at what is now the intersection of Commercial and Fifth streets. Notice the stage coach in the distance which operated between Oswego and Coffeyville.

their seven children attended the school Soon after the Catholic Mission was established. Father John Schoenmaker and John Mathews joined their efforts to nelp better the conditions for the Osages In 1857 they were joined by Dr.

111 18l !■! three flags drive-in SPECIAL THIS WEEK Banana Ice Cream "Soft Serve" SOn ICE CREAM — Vanilla — Sandwiches - Chocolate - Chicken — VomUa-Chocolate _ Shrimp — Lemon ~ Salads Sundoes — Shakes — Cones — Use Our Convenient Drive-Thru Window —

George Lisle. The first decade after the white settlement began to take shape was a prosperous one for the Little Town Indian village below the bluff and even more prosperous and eventful for the Mathews's Little Town set-

tlement on the summit of the bluff. Little Town reached its peak during the late 1850’s. For a trader to do business with the Indians on a fair and ethical basis was almost unheard of during the early days of the west, but John Mathews had the reputation of being fair. He gained wealth and the respect of all white men as well as Indians for the treatment he gave his customers. The early 1860 s brought a serious drought. The Indians suffered terribly and Mathews spent a sizeable segment of his fortune to furnish them with food and medicine. The spring of 1861 brought other extremes as the lowlands of the Neosho filled in like an ocean and the flood continued for several months. The Civil War began. Marauders came to plunder and destroy. During this time Mathews was killed. From__September 1861 until midsdmmehof 1865, no one lived on thetownsite; and few even visitecFthLlocation The town was destroyed by fire in 1861 so those who had been living in the area before the war and had managed to survive, had nothing to which they could return. In ’ September 1865 the government made a rather onesided treaty with the Osages at Canville, north of Erie, whereby the Indians ceded all the land that now comprises Neosho and Labette counties and the new territory was sold or given to veterans of the Civil War as part of their compensation for their military service. Many who arrived were just out of their teens. Theirs was the un-

dertaking to reshape the whole structure of the things they found. The new country, says the centennial book, was raw as nature could make it. A store was completed by July 5. 1866. and houses were started, the town began to take shape. People worked together A town association was formed. The first contracts made called the place Little Town.

Those symbol* Mve been approved »or use on advertumo for film* bv me ref.no code board of me Motion Picture Association Os America G UMtM * uMNas R Y No One Under it Admitted 4 - MOVIE TIMES - — LAKE THEATRE — Cuckoo*" 7:00 AI IS Start* Friday - -Odo" Evening* -7 00 A* 00 Sunday 5:00. 7 00 A 1:00 Discount Till 5:45 — GOSHEN THEATRE — "Dvst**-7:ISA*:N Start* Friday "Oda" Evenin**. 7:M*O:M Sunday-S:a«.7:N A 0:00 Discount Till S:4s — WAWA DRIVE-IN— Open At 0:00 - Show At Dusk Adults Only - You Must Be 101 — PICKWICK THEATRE — Hawmp*"-0:MA0:00 Start* Friday • "Ou*r’ Evoniny* - 7:IS A 0:00 Sunday $:». 7:15 At oo Discount Till 0:15

NEOSHO RIVER — Shown here is the Neosho River bridge from bluff at Riverside park as it appears now. A mill was located near the bridge on the left bank of the river.

Name Changed According to Andrew Kaho, the name was changed by the town company about July 15 of 1866 at a meeting where two names were submitted — Vernon for Vernon. Ind., and Oswego for Oswego, N. Y. Austin T. Dickerman presented a little different story, which is a lot more romantic. The organizers could not arrive at a conclusion on the choice of a name, so everyone placed a choice in a box at the town store. At the designated time. D. W. Clover drew from the box a slip of paper on which the name Oswego was written. Other merchants arrived, a wagon maker and a hotel operator erected buildings. The land was rich and would produce bumper yields. Everyone wanted a railroad. In the winter of 1867 it became an almost certainty that the railroad would ultimately reach Oswego. The citizens had reason « to believe that the road, when it arrived, would lead into Oswego from the north and continue south on a line about where Ohio street and College road are today. To be closer to the railroad, the merchants began to move down to the location where

■ More Cinema | ■ FRIDAY! ■ I. A * U I Both Theatres! I Tbnightl Tonight! ■ iXu- i .1 “L I I ,__J±gg±! <•» - Robby Benson I & Glynnis What the song I didn't tell you ■ I <• niov ’ e W A loue story that s joyous, funny and Foo] I so touching you mill never forget it. ■ THE ALL-AMERICAN A I PLAYOKMIND GIRL Tonight! gWij Hohooii ■ I (uMßdonj Tonight! Ar ■ "STcST’ . - rrsfflhk KAT. totheewtav JMhJI ■ — G ts PG B

the current business district now stands. By the close of 1869, the Congregationalists, the Methodists, Baptists and the Presbyterians had completed churches to house their services. On May 13.1869, the first issue of The Oswego Daily Register was published. This paper was the forerunner of today’s Oswego Independent. The first passenger train

— Mercury Outboard — Mer Cruiser Stern Drives — Correct Craft Inboards Yk — Cobalt Stern Drives — Sylvan Pontoons — Gator Trailers y | — Sun Deck — Maharajah Skis '• COMPLETE MARINE SALES. SERVICE j AND STORAGE j GRIFFITHS WAWASEE MARINA, INC. fcS Lake Wawasee Just OH 13-A, % Milo North Os Fish Hatchery On Morrison Island Road. Number 1050 North Indiana's Oldest Mercury Dealer — 30 Years! I. C. ("Lorry") GriHith — Owner

reached Oswego on June 6. 1870. TodayToday Oswego is a thriving community with many business and professional persons making their home there. The town has a public library, hospital and Chamber of Commerce. Its service organizations include the VFW, American Legion. Rotary, Lions and Jaycees.