THE HISTORIC TOWN OF MINNEOLA.



Excerpted from "Collections of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1911-1912", Edited by Geo.

W. Martin, Secretary. 

Vol XII., State Printing Office, Topeka, Kansas 1912, pages 433-437.



submitted by Teresa Lindquist (merope@radix.net); (copyright) 2001 by Teresa Lindquist

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THE HISTORIC TOWN OF MINNEOLA.



In reading of the very early days in Kansas frequent mention is found of a town called

Minneola.(12) Minneola was one of the most remarkable of all of the projected towns in Kansas

territory, and by only a hair's breadth did it miss becoming the capital and perhaps the metropolis

of the state. The capital was at Lecompton, but the free-state legislature had a fashion of

adjourning its sessions from that town to Lawrence on account of the proslavery reputation of

Lecompton. This sort of a movable capital was not satisfactory, however, and under the

leadership of Perry Fuller, of Lawrence, a scheme was evolved to go to Franklin county and start

a capital in the midst of the virgin prairie. At the suggestion of E. N. Morrill the new town was

called Minneola, and the list of stockholders in the town company included almost every

prominent leader in the free-state cause, including a majority of the members of the legislature.

At once nine quarter sections of land were purchased, at a cost of $3131. Money was raised by

assessment and by mortgage. Inside of six weeks a hotel costing $8000 had been completed, as

well as a large hall to be used for legislative purposes.(13) On February 10, 1858, the legislature,

sitting at Lawrence, passed a bill making Minneola the territorial capital, but this bill was vetoed

by Acting Governor Denver. Then an appeal was taken to the attorney general of the United

States, who decided that the bill was in violation of the organic act, and therefore void.(14)



The same legislature which adopted the capital bill made provision for a number of railroads

centering at Minneola. Maps and bird's-eye views issued by the company are still in exestence

[sic], and made the town appear as a great railroad center. Before the decision of the attorney

general town lots in choice localities sold at phenominal figures. Many buildings went up, and

the town had several hundred population. Although afterward it became the county seat for a

brief period, its downfall dated from the constitutional convention which had been called by the

legislature to meet there. This was in March, 1858. The convention met in the big new hall, and

James H. Lane was elected chairman. At this point a motion was made to adjourn to

Leavenworth. It was supported by a11 the delegates from localities which had amibitions to

secure the state capital, and after a debate lasting a11 one day and a11 one night the motion

carried. This convention was the one that drew up the "Leavenworth constitution." It sealed the

fate of Minneola, and to-day the former town site is the place of half a dozen farms, and there is

nothing to show its former glory.



NOTE 12.--Old Minneola was located one mile east of Centropolis, on section 29, town-ship 15,

range 19 east. Only one section of land was entered as a town site; the balance was kept for

speculative purposes. Footnote 8 in "First Capital of Kansas," this volume, contains an amusing

account of Col. John Conover's hunt for Minneola. The present town of Minneola is in the

northwest corner of Clark county, twenty-five miles from Ashland, and is a station on the

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway.



NOTE 13.--A governor's mansion was built at Minneola. It was a large house of fourteen rooms,

and was afterward owned and occupied by william Pennock and family. The house stands on the

Pennock farm, a quarter section of the old town site of Minneola.



NOTE 14.--This opinion of Jeremiah S. Black, attorney-general of the United states, Dated

November 20, 1858, may be found as a footnote in Kansas Historical Collections, vol. 8, p. 342.