Eudora Community Heritage of
Our USA Bicentennial, 1776-1976
History Committee, Eudora
Becentennial Committee, 1977
EUDORA'S FIRST WHITE FAMILY
Dr. Abraham Still was born in North Carolina Aug. 25, 1976,
and was a tall spare man who looked similar to Abraham Lincoln. He was 55
years old when he came to Eudora. His wife, Martha P. (Moore) came later.
Her grandfather had been killed by the Shawnee Indians.
Dr. Still was a pioneer minister and medical doctor who had nine children,
six of whom later became associated with medicine, especially the Osteopathy
branch. Their children were Edward C., James M., Andrew T., Barbara J., Thomas
C., John W., Mary M., Marovia M., and Cassandra. The latter three probably
were in the Eudora Mission School which Dr. Still operated from 1951-57. Edward
did not come to Eudora but took over his father's medical practice at Bloomington,
N.C. and lived on the Still farm. James was associated with his father at
the Mission as a Doctor and preached and apparently he remained and practiced
here. He owned four blocks in southwest Eudora. His office was in the 800
block on Main Street. He later went to Osteopathy school and moved to Clinton.
He had three daughters born at Eudora. One died in infancy, one at 15, and
Mary Jane went to Baker and married a Senator. A son married Jennie Allen
at Eudora in 1885. Andrew T. did not come to Eudora until 1853 where he farmed
and practiced medicine at Eudora Mission School, Palmyra and Baldwin. He also
had a sawmill and was member of the Kansas Legislature in 1857 on the Free
State Party Ticket. He was a Scout Surgeon for General J.C. Fremont and in
1861-62 was a hospital steward in the 9th Kansas Cavalry, then was Capt. Maj.
Of the 21st, Kansas Volunteer Troop.
Dr. A.T. Still had 12 children; three died in a spinal meningitis epidemic
in 1864. This resulted in his intense search of medicine, that caused him
to found the School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, MO. He wrote an autobiography
of himself in 1877 and also wrote several books about osteopathy. His second
wife Mary Elvira was one of the first women school teachers in Kansas, teaching
at the Mission school in Eudora.
Dr. Still was one of 12 members of the Palmyra Town Co. and gave a quarter
section of land on the Santa Fe Trail for a University in 1855. (Baker) Dr.
Abraham Still's daughter, Barbara Jane, was 21 when the family moved to Eudora.
She was married to Frederick Vaughn and moved to Palmyra, near Baldwin in
1850, where they had a general store, buying most of the town and farmed.
They also lived at Prairie Center for awhile. Her daughter married Dr. Kennedy
and she was a teacher in Douglas and Franklin County schools. Thomas C. Still
was 18 when the family moved to Eudora. He went to medical school and later
studied Osteopathy under his brother, Dr. A. T. Still, but went to California
in 1863 with an ox team. Two sons were born in Kansas. He started a post office
at La Panza, Calif. 1879-35, then went to San Luis Obispo and practiced Osteopathy
there. John and Cassandra Still went with him. John Wesley at age 15 rode
a horse the 342 miles from Missouri to the Eudora Mission with his sister,
Mary, age 13 riding by him to herd the 20 head of cattle. Their parents and
two younger sisters rode in a carry-all. John became a Union soldier while
in California., and a lawyer, and was killed by a falling tree.
Mary M. Still at age 13 helped in teaching school at the Wakarusa
Indian Mission at Eudora. She and John and two younger sisters went to school
in Lawrence taught by C. L. Edwards. They brought their dog, Nero with them
from Missouri. Mary married Rev. T. M. Adams in 1863, but she also felt called
to preach at age 18. She became assistant principal at Baker University in
1858 and taught for her father at Clinton, as well as teaching some at Blue
Mound. She often preached with a baby in her arms. She lived in Lawrence when
her husband sold medicine to make a living, and she organized a Sunday School
for negro people. A son was born at Lawrence and then they lost everything
in the grasshopper plague of 1874 and moved to Topeka with 7 sick children,
penniless, finally joining the others in Calif. Their 3 children died of consumption,
3 in early 20's and two as babies, only 2 lived past 50. Mary wrote an autobiography
of her sad life with privation, hardship, sickness, disease, disappointment,
and heartbreak, but her Christian faith gave her courage as one of the pioneer
women preachers.
Marovia M. Still came to Eudora at age 8 and married Eze. C. Clark at Baldwin,
where she lived 45 years. Her husband farmed the Still property there. Her
mother died at her home in 1808, leaving a legacy to the future generations
of her family. Her mother, Martha Poage Moore was a godly and energetic pioneer
woman. Marovia had two sons who also became doctors.
Cassandra E. Still was only 5 years old when the family arrived in Eudora.
Her father's brother, Rev. James Still of southern U.S., visited them in Kansas,
and Dr. James McCollum came with him in the 1860's. the doctor fell in love
with Cassandra, and they were married in 1862, but went to California the
next year with Dr. Thomas and John Still. They lived, practiced, and died
and are buried in California.
Dr. and Minister James M. Still had a son, Summerfield S. who went to Eudora,
Baker University and Kansas University Medical School and studied law at Drake
University. He was a teacher, merchant, doctor and minister and practiced
until 1898, when he moved to Des Moines, Iowa and with his wife, Ella Daugherty,
(the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Daugherty of Eudora), founded the S.
S. Still College of Osteopathy. Their son George was born at Eudora in 1882,
and became a doctor.
Dr. Abraham Still of the little Eudora Indian Mission school and wife, Martha made a great impact on the field of religion, education and medicine in the Eudora area, Baldwin, Lawrence and throughout the world. Some of the family lived in the area many years. There were 59 grandchildren, 91 great-grandchildren and 79 great great grandchildren, 18 great great, great grandchildren, a total of 372 persons, living mainly in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and California.
Item of Interest:
Few people remember the old Indian Fort built back of the Market Basket Grocery,
about 712 Main St., in the alley area. Mary Moody says it was built like a
corn crib with slots for long guns.
Carolita Burhams, who died July 25, 1868. One other grave that was removed
from Bluejacket Crossing area was Bessie Maud Saunders, 21 months, died Sept.
10, 1869 and moved to Eudora cemetry 1870, July 5.
Bluejacket Ford crossings are clearly visible and can still be used by trail
bikes. There are cactus at one of the crossings. The two trails joined again
west of the crossings, proceeding west to Franklin where there was a hotel,
school and several stores.
There are trail ruts visible on the old W.K. Eisele farm, southeast of the
CFCA plant, near Lawrence. The trail went to Lawrence and upon Mt. Oread (hill
in Lawrence on which the University of Kansas is located.)
According to many historians, Quantrill came this way to Lawrence Aug., 1863
when he made his raid.
The Oregon Trail had almost served a generation, being quite busy until the
1870's when the railroads started and ended much trail traffic. After 1849,
the gold discoveries caused the Oregon Tail to be called the California Trail
by California bound travelers, but the California Trail really started from
St. Joseph, Mo. And joined the Oregon Trail west of Marysville, Kansas.
Can you imagine the creaking of the wooden wagons with squeaking wheels needing
axle greese, the crack of bull whips, Gee's and Haw's, wagonmaster shouts,
gloomy rainy days, wagons miring in mud of dust storms when lips cracked and
little water to drink, oxen stirring up new dust storms and pesky flies following
the herd. Then sometimes sickness and death slowed the train, but it slowly
wound across Kansas prairies, and Eudora, not yet born, was a part of this
history of the United States of America!
Under
Other Flags / Indian Lands / Oregon
Trail / Mission / Becomes a City / Sad Years /
Railroads / Business / Education
Published by West Junior High,
NEH project, with permission; Eudora Community Heritage, History Committee,
Eudora Bicentennial Commission, 1977.