Daniel's Cabin Contributed and transcribed by Woodson County Commissioner Bill Linde. ------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. -------------------------------------------------------------- WOODSON COUNTY HISTORY Of KANSAS A Story of the Big Sandy Area J. E. Daniel, Webster Township Assessor for 19 years. Relates thrilling Stories of Early Days in Wilson Co. (By Belle C. Lyon) In a picturesque little valley, peacefully tucked away in the hills in the extreme north end of Wilson Co., live J. E. Daniel and his wife whose home is a quaint and commodious old log cabin, built by his father in 1866, one year after the close of the Civil War. Weaving in and out, up one hill and down another along the curved road that leads to this early day landmark, the traveler not acquainted with this road is not prepared for the surprise that awaits him when suddenly he comes upon this pleasing scene of rustic beauty: for there before your eyes, is the little old log house nestled among cedar trees as ancient as the structure itself. The whole atmosphere about the place is pervaded with friendliness from the old-fashioned pulley well at the road to the crisp fresh curtains at the windows that fairly bid their welcome to the wayfarer. One just must stop. Within this old house reside two of the most interesting of the early settlers in Wilson County, Mr. Daniel, quiet and unassuming, esteemed by all who know him, and the lovely little old lady with snow white hair and sweet face, who is his wife. They have spent fifty-six years together, successfully facing hardships of pioneer days, sharing the joys and sorrows that have come to them and emerging from it all, the same companions as in youth. There are few of our pioneer settlers left who are able to give as complete and thorough information about early day happenings and events as John Daniel, now in his seventy-fifth year. His memory is delightfully clear, and his reminiscences are never devoid of thrills and excitement for his eager listeners. Mr. Daniel"s parents were among a group of five families from the vicinity of Decatur, Ill., who in 1856 formed a wagon train, consisting of eight wagons, and struck out for the Kansas grasslands. Arriving in this state, the caravan began to disband, its members scattering to various points, each choosing the site that was most pleasing to them. The Daniels stopped in Linn Co. on the present site of Pleasanton, Kansas, and there J. E. Daniel was born on July 15, 1858. The family remained in that location until 1860, then removing in the summer of that year to what is now the north end of Webster Township in Wilson County, which in those days was still open territory, inhabited only by Indians and legally a part of Woodson County. Here the family came each spring and summer for the next six years and engaged in farming, returning each fall to Linn County after the harvest, for according to the old settler, there were so many Indians her then, that a person couldn’t keep anything during the winter months. There were 10,000 Osage and Creek Indians located in the bottoms of Big Sandy at that time, according to the old veteran, who drew provisions from the town of Belmont, Kansas, now extinct, and though the Red men were harmless and gave no trouble, Mr. Daniel stated that they helped themselves, without hesitation or embarrassment, to anything their White Brothers possessed. Father Member Guard of Home After the opening of the Civil War, the homes of the Kansas frontiersmen were in a precarious situation, endangered at any time by invasion of rebel leaders and subjected to possible attacks of Indians, whose friendship could not be depended upon to certainly. Because of these threatening circumstances, Mr. Daniel’s father, as well as other of the settlement, joined the Home Guards, an organization similar to the present-day state militia. The men received their training at the old town of Belmont and the government issued uniforms, guns and necessary ammunition for their organization. Belmont in those days was a thriving, bustling little town with a population estimated as between five and six hundred inhabitants. It boasted a post office and was the main stop between Humboldt and Eureka on the old stage line. The town, however, was not destined to exist long, becoming the prey of Quantrel and his men who sacked and burned it and so completely destroyed it that it was never rebuilt. Foundations of some of the buildings and ruins of the old town destroyed during Civil War days are said to be yet standing. The Daniel home, which was also in the path of this raider and his guerrillas, was unmolested, however. Indians Die By The Hundreds of Smallpox in 1864 In the summer of 1864, while the Daniel family was farming in the valley of Big Sandy, smallpox broke out in the Indian encampment and the Red men perished by the hundreds from the terrible disease. John Daniel, as a boy, remembers seeing the crude burial–scaffolds of the victims scattered over the bottoms and so deeply was it impressed in his memory that one knows he yet sees the gruesome sight as he describes it today, nearly 70 years later. According to him, the pens were made to fit the body, out of wooden poles and then keeping with the with the savage custom, the corpse, together with the late owner’s bow and arrow and all personal belongings, was wrapped in a blanket and placed in the enclosure, after which a covering, also of poles, was then fitted over the top. He recalls also a huge scaffold that was built from poles and used by the Indians as a burial place, the blanket-clad dead having the appearance of being tossed upon the structure and left in whatever position the bodies chanced to fall. He likewise remembers that any of the Indian survivors, who showed the slightest symptom of grief for a departed one, suffered split heads evidence that this cruel practice was actually carried on, is certain from the fact that a number of skulls bearing such marks, have been found in the locality. Another event of that year which fixed an indelible imprint of Mr. Daniel’s mind, was the fact that he, with other members of the family, contracted the disease from their Indian neighbors. However, all of the early settler’s memories of the Red men are not ill ones for the Indians conducted themselves peacefully and gave little trouble to the white people. The Indian "stomp dances" put on at various seasons of the year were of never ending interest to John as a boy and those standing out in his memory from his boyhood days are three: The "Green Corn Dance" given by the Red men in thankfulness for this food when it reached the roasting ear stage. The "scalp dance" which dated back to their savage days of battle when they indulged in scalping, and which called for the display of the horrible trophies and lastly, the "hunting dance" which was given in September with the opening of the hunting season. The government agency for these Indians of the Osage and Creek tribes was located at Belmont and with the destruction of the town, the government removed them to Indian territory in what is now the state of Oklahoma. In the spring of 1866, J. E. Daniel and his parents moved permanently to the present home on Big Sandy and in the fall of that year, the log house in which Mr. and Mrs. Daniel now dwell, was built. The house remains the same as the father built it sixty-seven years ago with the exception of an additional room later added to the rear. (Note: This story was related and recorded in 1933. Since that time the log cabin has long been abandoned and removed to its present site in Yates C enter to serve as a reminder of the pioneer days and the hardships they faced. In addition to the Daniels Indian stories, it has also been learned from the historians that the great leader of the Creek Indian Nation, Opothleyoholo, with his daughter, perished during these trying times. Both are buried in unmarked graves, with that of the chiefs trusty mount, west of Fort Belmont. Thomas Yahola and numerous other grandchildren, have joined the ancestors of these pioneers, to pay homage to those who endeared so much to establish our county and the freedoms we enjoy.") Daniel Log Schoolhouse Noted Landmark in Wilson County The first schoolhouse in Big Sandy locality, which was constructed of logs, was built on the Daniel land and forever fixed itself as a memorable landmark in Wilson Co. history because of the fact that three men were tried in it by the old Vigilantes, an early day organization which spread terror up and down the Verdigris river with its horrible lynching and arbitrary judgements and punishments of offenders found guilty by the tribunals. The trial of the three men, who were charged with cattle stealing, lasted three weeks and terminated with the conviction of the men, two of whom were brought to the Daniel home for their dinner on the fatal day of their hanging. The third man was taken to a neighboring farm house for his last meal and the three prisoners were then immediately conducted to their places of execution by the Vigilante committee. Two of the men were hanged just a mile north of the Daniel homestead on two large oak trees beside the road, one on either side. The stump of one of the trees is yet standing on the Wallace Williamson place in Woodson County. The third man was hanged on a black jack, thirty yards from the other two men. Mr. Daniel states that it was the belief of many of the early day settlers who were acquainted with the facts of the case, that the three young men who were hanged were innocent men and that they were put to death by members of the Vigilante committee because the victims knew too much concerning their executors, and their own illicit activities. In the autumn after the triple hanging, the log schoolhouse was moved to a location two and a half miles north of its first site and there it was that Mr. Daniel, his brothers, and other children of that locality, received their schooling. Mr. Daniel, smiles as he adds that the seats in those days were split logs. With great enthusiasm, the old pioneer tells of the big game that abounded here in the early days and laments the fact that present day sportsmen could not have participated in the hunts and chases that were just every day occurrence then with constant access to the wide choice of game He states that he has often seen from ten to twelve head of deer on a cliff of rocks on what was later the Neff ranch; that wild hogs existed by the thousands and declares that a farmer in those days never thought of buying hogs, as they were simply his for the taking. Wild turkeys were plentiful and occasionally a fisherman pulled in a bass of unbelievable size out of the stream of Big Sandy. He states, however, there were no buffalo here at the time, possibly due to the fact that the Indians who first inhabited this region made the bison, their chief big game. Prairie fires constituted quite a menace to the early home makers, according to Mr. Daniel and that danger can be readily appreciated when one learns that the grass often grew shoulder high in places over the prairies and low lands. Although many of the first people to settle here lost their stock and homes and in some cases their lives in attempting to save their possessions from prairie fires, the Daniel home was endangered only once, the instance occurring when flames leaped across the creek and caught on the other side. The blaze was finally brought under control by backfiring and no loss was sustained. On October 22, 1876, John Daniel was married to Rebecca Clemens who was born in Missouri but who came with her parents to make her home in Wilson County, at the age of 15 years. After their marriage, Mr. And Mrs. Daniel went to Humboldt to purchase their furniture and it is interesting to know that the furniture was made in that town. A visitor at the Daniel home today may see several of the antique walnut pieces bought by the couple fifty-six years ago when that started house-keeping. Several very interesting pictures, in old-fashioned walnut frames, of members of the family are noted on the walls, a fine large portrait of Mr. Daniel’s father being outstanding in the collection. A very old grandfather clock is also a treasured antique. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel, five of whom are now living. They are Mrs. Ollie Grider, of Barsdall, Okla.; Arthur Daniel, of Toronto; O. R. Daniel, of Yates Center; Mrs. Alice Darlan, of Madison, and Mrs. Ortha Swilley, of Toronto. Three of Mr. Daniel’s brothers are also living and are M. R. Daniel, of Woodson Co.; George Daniel of El Dorado, and Jasper Daniel, who lives on a portion of the home place. By Rosalie Swilley