ETHNIC
GROUPS 
Eudora Community
Heritage of Our USA Bicentennial, 1776-1976
History Committee, Eudora
Becentennial Committee, 1977
ETHNIC
GROUPS Pages 45-46
There was a diversity of religion, races and culture in Eudora
from the start. In addition to the original native Americans, the Indian people,
and the German group settling the town, there were natives from their German
homeland later, English families migrating from Missouri, Ohio, Tenn., Illinois,
Carolinas, freed Negroes by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862-63 from Mo.,
Ark. And Tenn., many coming in the 1880's and 1940's too.
The Black people settled through the town with a large group settling in Weaver
area and southwest of town. The government gave the freed slaves five acres
of land.
In 1865-66 a school was held for the Negro people with Miss P. Hill as teacher;
a school was held for adults too. Mary Mosher tells of seeing a white haired
black man in the school. There is no record of where this school was held. Rev.
Paddock, a Methodist Minister, Circuit Preacher arranged for Bible classes for
the Black people, many of whom had been brought here by Jim Lane, (Abolitionist)
in 1860-65. Edith and Mary Mosher taught some of these classes.
Many Black people came with only the clothes on their backs, according to Mrs.
Lee Crump, and they were tired, hungry, poor, but free. Many went to larger
towns where they could find employment. In Eudora area they worked for farmers,
at rock quarries (several were near), and for businessmen. There were about
40 families here at the peak.
Mrs. Crump's parents, Anthony and Maria Ewing came from Edwardsville in 1889
to Fall Leaf, where she was born. There were 7 children and they first lived
in the old Weixeldorfer house in Eudora, then moved to the Fingebaum farm in
Kaw Valley until the 1931 flood. Mrs. Crump's home in Eudora is made from a
former carriage house of Charles Pilla and is of rare white pine lumber. She
scraped the grease and dirt from the floor to live in it. Mr. Crump worked for
the Herb Lawson family and his father for Pilla Dept. store.She remembers a
large walnut and red oak grove southwest area of town and a ball field back
of the present Southern Baptist Church.
Otho Lewis, one of 5 children of Mr. and Mrs. William Lewis, recalls a 300 population
in his childhood in Eudora. Some of the Black people did masonry and plumbing.
Miss Matilda (Auntie) Ray was godmother or midwife, as was Maria Crump to most
of the Black babies born in this area.
Many families moved away in World War II. Only three original Eudoran Black
people are left: Mrs. Crump, Naomi Kidd (Russell) and Mr. Lewis. Other families
came later. Some who made good use of their schooling were Tracey and Thomas
Harvey, Bud Fortner, Homer Brown, Francis Harris, Elbert Anderson, Naomi Kidd
and Herman and other Harris children. Cecil Estell and Nolan Johnson worked
in law enforcement. Many boys were in service of this country.
Early day families were Monroes, Fortners, Tom Johnson (driller of nearly every
well in this area), Perrys, Harrises, Hacklers, Wm., and Andrew Lees, Kings,
Davises, Harveys, Lewises, Johnsons, Russells, Fwens, Gatewoods, Parms, Jeffreys,
Todds, Estelles, Rev. Ross. Only about seven families remain in 1976 but Eudora
is richer for having some of the fine Black people living here, over the years.
There were Jewish people among the first settlers, John and George Andreas had
a store on Main St. and the first Eudora Catholic worship services were held
in the Andrea's Store. The City Council also agreed to give the Jewish people
a lot for a cemetery so there was respect of races here.
Townspeople of all races and religions donated funds to purchase the bell for
the Holy Family Catholic Church so it could tell the hours the sawmill whistle
had blown before moving to Lawrence.
Another group of people were the fine Quaker settlers at Hestper and Prairie
Center. Many denominations held worship services in early day school houses.
There were also several Spanish speaking people who lived here and were centered
along the railroad tracks because Santa Fe was instrumental in getting the laborers
from old Mexico. Few of these people remain and the oldest resident is probably
Porfiro Estrada, who came here in 1927, but never gave up his Mexican citizenship.
Several of his children graduated from college. Mrs. Irene Alvarez is the only
one living here of his family and himself. His daughter, Jessie Vargas became
loved by all Eudora church women after her struggle with a crippling disease.
The women helped her exercise and learned to love her and daughter, Ana Marie.
In 1859, a German Methodist Church was started along the Johnson County line,
southeast of Eudora and was called Captain's Creek. August Mecke served the
church, but due to shortage of ministers, no preacher filled the pastorate there
or at Eudora.
In 1861-64, John P. Miller and J.A. Muller preached. Fr. Jansen and Chas. Strickemann
were next.
During the Civil War Eudora and Captain's Creek were with Lawrence several times.
The site of Captain's Creek Church had belonged to an Indian named, Adams, who
sold the land to Ed. Knabe's father and Ed's widow later married Joe Miller
and they gave an acre of land to the church and it was dedicated in 1882.
Captain's Creek and Eudora were served by the same minister until 1955, when
Eudora secured a full time minister. Some of Captain's Creek people came to
Eudora, some to Clearfield, Edgerton, and Gardner. The building is still standing
and used for storage on the Wesley Brecheisen farm.
A group of German Methodists bought a stone house at 6th and Main Street for
$600.00 in 1870, in Eudora, which was built by Charles A. Hill. The church was
held upstairs and the minister lived downstairs.
One of the Circuit Preachers was Karl Stuckeman, grandfather of Mrs. Evelyn
Miller, former Eudoran.
Eleven years later and with increasing membership, a 26' x 44' building was
erected in 1881 on Church Street while Rev. John Ehrsman was pastor. The frame
church cost $2500.00 and was on the west side of the street between 8th and
9th Streets. A parsonage was built in 1884, sound of the church by Frank render,
but burned in 1926. Membership In 1881 was 50.
German and English United
In 1916, most people were speaking English, so the two Methodist churches united
when Rev. Oscar Zeildler was minister.
Kaw Valley Methodist
Apparently some of the people of the Kaw Valley Methodist Church, northwest
of Eudora, came to Eudora English Church. The Trustees were Mrs. Charles A.
Hill, W.A. Fuller, J.F. Weaver, Mr. Speaks, and Mrs. S. Gilmore. They sold the
old Kaw Valley Church building in 1888. The German women had a Missionary Society
and records are in German from 1887-1914.
The Salem Church, organized in 1869, was a German-speaking congregation until
1917. It was first called Salem Evangelical Church but after joining with the
United Brethren in 1956 was known as E.U.B.
The building was erected in 1870 and cost $1,050 and was 26' x 40' bring, probably
made in Eudora. Salem was started by Jacob, Sr. and Christine Strobel. He and
his daughters, Caroline and Pauline, carried water from Wakarusa creek for the
mortar for the bricks, the closest water supply then.
Rev. John Wereth of Lawrence Circuit organized a class here in 1871 that included:
Peter Neis, Sr, Fred Neis, Sr., Jake Meyers, Jacob Otts, Ernsts and Yosts. Once
a circuit included Clearfield, Worden, Stull and Eudora and was served by a
Eudora pastor. In early 1990's only Eudora and Clearfield were on the circuit.
The belfry and south lecture room was added in 1905 and the rear annex in 1956.
This Church is at 716 Church Street.
The Women's Missionary Society was organized Dec. 6, 1911, by Rev. J. Fricker
(Pres.), Dan Reber, (Vice-Pres.) Peter Neis, (Secretary), Geo. Schneider, Roy
Combest, Edward Mistele (Treasurer). The name was changed to Women's Society
of World Service and later merged into United Methodist Women, 1968.
The Salem Church building is owned by the United Methodist Church but is loaned
to the Eudora Youth Service Organization, who remodeled it and pay for its repair
and upkeep for Youth activities, Boy and Girl Scouts chiefly, plus other organizations.
Salem Chapel was chosen by the Eudora Bicentennial Commission as a Bicentennial
Project 1976.
Early Methodist Membership Rolls list Miss Lilly Fuller as the member with the
most years of membership, joining in 1900 and her sister, Mary Moody and Mrs.
Lillie (Smith) Bond, joined in 1907. Sarah Abels is a long time member of the
Salem Church and the Amos Westerhouses of the Captain's Creek Church, all retain
their membership, in Eudora United Methodist Church.
From the Methodist Church have gone out into Christian Service three ordained
ministers: Herbert Cies, William (Bill) Eisele, and Nickolas Woods (Chaplain),
three Deaconesses; Miss Beulah Raisin, Miss Rosa Smith and Miss Audrey Osborne
and of course the Rev. Patterson, who was Missionary to India. One member, Bob
Burns was a missionary to Hong Kong through the Free Methodist Church.
For the Salem Church, Robert Morley was ordained a minister and is now a Music
Ministry. Mrs. Delbert (May) Adams led the choir for many years at the Methodist
Church. There has always been active youth groups, the Epworth League in early
years and Youth Fellowships in later years.
In early days the church was the hub of social fellowship, and members were
faithful attenders, even under extreme hardship and poverty. Early day churches
flourished even when transportation was horseback, horse and buggy or lumber
wagon, and on mud and dirt roads.
On Sept. 26, 1859, Eudora City Council records state that "since there
is a Jewish community here and since this community does not have Cemetery of
their own, and since, furthermore, the Jewish religion does not allow to bury
Jewish People within the fence in which Christians are interred, it is moved
that the City give the Jewish Community one of the ten lots destined to be used
as a cemetery." Apparently the Jewish people did not accept one of these
lots within the City or it became too small or impractical, as we find ten years
later, the City purchased two acres of land in 1869for use as a Jewish cemetery.
This plot is fence and located on the northwest corner, one mile south of the
Wakarusa bridge over highway No. 10 at the west city limits.
There are nineteen grave there but some were from Lawrence, since it had no
Jewish Cemetery. This cemetery has been named Beni-Israel. Native prairie grass
still grows here.
DEUTSCHE TURN VEREIN
The Deutsche Turn Verein was organized in 1864 as the first organization (or
society) in Eudora, to fill a need for men to meet and socialize. There were
games, athletics events and sometimes entertainment for the ladies.
The society was abandoned for a while then reorganized in 1867 with twelve members.
The officers were; J.A. Seybold-President, H. Basemann Sr.-Vice President, Henry
Basemann Jr.-Secretary and C. Marfilius-Tresurer.
In 1882 the members built Turner Hall a 24'x46' frame building on the west side
of Church street between 6th and 7th Streets.
After Prohibition the Society again Disbanded.
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.