Eudora Becomes a City

Pages 19-28

In 1856, three members of a German Immigrant Settlement Company (or Society) from Chicago (called Deutsche-Neusiedlungsverein) or New Settler's Association, sent out a location committee to choose a town site in the new Indian Territory, which was not yet a state, but was opened up to settlement by the Kansas-Nebraska Bill passed in May 1854.

Immigrants were flocking in by groups in favor of or against slavery so they could vote to decide which the new state would be, free or slave.

The three Germans sent here were H. Heimann, F. Barteldes and C. Scheifer. They favored the Eudora area and started contracts with Chief Paschal Fish for 774 1/2 acres, from the Kansas River to the south about a mile (over 200 blocks total), with two public squares and a park.

The following year, Feb. 1857, Chief Fish entered into contracts with the Trustees of the Chicago Verein, Louis Pfeif and Charles Durr, for purchase of the land "to secure a more perfect title" at a price of $10,000. Fish bought back on the same day the odd numbered lots of at least three blocks between the Kaw and Wakarusa rivers. Charles Durr, grandson, has the deeds to these lots.

A map of Douglas County in early 1857, before Eudora was a town, shows only four townships in the county with Eudora included in Wakarusa township. Apparently it was changed after Eudora was founded.

The formal title, signed by Indian Agent, Newsom was passed Feb. 4, 1860. A group of 16 men, 4 women and some children came in the spring of 1857 to start the town and were the original "Townsiters" arriving at the "Fish House," April 17, 1857. Peter Hartig, age 34, was leader of this Chicago group. Others who came were his wife, J. Fischer, J. Schirmer, A. Veroh, Mr. and Mrs. C. Epple, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Basemann (they had a son), M. Marthey, Fred Deichmann, Mr. and Mrs. J. Herz, C. Marfelius, Anton Getker and the children of the four married couples (no record of how many).

The Society paid expenses for these people, then eight more men, who paid their own way, came later. They were Anton Gufler, Charles Lothholz, Fred Pilla, F. Barteldes, August Ziesenis, Dr. C. Neuman, Dan Kraus and M. Summerfield. Barteldes was one of the location committee, and the others were not mentioned again so may have stayed here or came later. Neither were Durr and Pfeif mentioned again, so they may have stayed, and not returned to Chicago. Among these two groups were stone cutters, carpenters, cabinet makers, a doctor and businessmen. They could build and furnish their homes, which they did, and tend the health and care of each other.

Eudora, Kansas Territory, was put on the map the summer of 1857. The name Eudora was the name of Paschal Fish's 13-year old daughter and was said to mean 'beautiful'. The German immigrants must have thought highly of Chief Fish to name the town for his daughter.

About a month after arrival, word was sent to Chicago and the "Verein" instructed Charles Durr to go to St. Louis, Mo. to purchase a circular saw and a corn cracker with $2,200 for the new town. These items arrived before the end of May and were put into use.

The first house built by the settlers was a one story log cabin, 18' x 20', which was shared by all the first summer. The first saw mill was set up that first summer and by fall the first post office was operating and was made into a money order office the next year. The first hotel was probably The America House on Main Street or near the 5th and 6th Street area.

The first baby born in the new town was a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Chris Epple, soon after their arrival, and she was named Eudora. The first marriage was Mrs. George Harboldt to Fred Deichmann in the spring of 1858. The first death was in the fall of 1857 when J. Loederlie passed away. The captain of the band, Hartig lived until 1902 when he was killed by a Santa Fe train; his wife died the previous year.

The first public building was a frame town hall and school house built in 1860 and used as a polling place, dance hall and community room. It was at Fifth and Main and later moved to Sixth and Main Street. There was a jail under it in the mid-1860's.

Providing Food for Growth

The planting of grain and vegetable seeds was started immediately and by the end of the year the town was self sustaining. There were wild fruit, nuts and berries in the area. There were fish in the rivers, wild turkey and deer. H. Basemann Sr. snared and 80 lb. spoonbill catfish which he shared with the company and he shot a buck in 1857 that added to the fall meat supply. He and his son, Junior,. and 4 other men, Lother Hartig (probably a son of Peter Hartig's), Ernest Ziesenis and Julius Fischer drove to the new settlement of Salina, Kansas in the fall of 1858 to hunt buffalo for the company. They drove an ox wagon and two-horse prairie schooners. They cut out the hams, tenderloins and tongues of the wagon load of buffalo they killed and saved the hides; and the meat was jerked and dried to keep all winter.

Under Other Flags / Indian Lands / Oregon Trail / Mission / Becomes a City / Council Business Grows / Sad Years / Railroads / Farming / Business / Education / Eudora Schools / Area Schools / Religion / Ethnic Groups / Clearfield / Fall Leaf / Hesper / Prairie Center / Weaver / Index

Published by West Junior High, "Community Connections" NEH project, with permission; Eudora Community Heritage, History Committee, Eudora Bicentennial Commission, 1977.