The Throwback Thursday post on February 20th featuring a picture of Baileyville Main Street sparked an engaging discussion on Facebook. Several comments referenced an article from the May 22, 1952, issue of the Courier Tribune, in which Mrs. Bert Hay detailed the history of Baileyville.
Below is the text of that article:
EARLY DAYS OF BAILEYVILLE
TRIBUTE TO PIONEERS
Mrs. Bert Hay of Holton Tells Some of the History of Community
Mrs. Bert Hay, now of Holton, once a resident of the Baileyville community, is doing a work of love—writing of days that are gone, of people, many of whom are gone, of the Baileyville community of years ago. She says there will no doubt be mistakes and some things may be omitted that should be included, and that she will appreciate any corrections or additions.
That goes too, for the editor of this paper. We cannot do too good a job of editing because the names and happenings are before our time. We turn now to Mrs. Hay’s copy:
Tribute to the Pioneers
It is with deep emotion, love, and reverence that I have written about the early days and the men and women who braved separation from their old homes and families and came to this prairie country with its dangers and trials. They had scant protection from the bitter cold winters when icy winds swept uncontrolled by windbreaks, there was not too much fuel, houses lacked much heating; nor from the hot winds that swept with blistering heat in summer, withering crops and often causing lack of water. But they endured it all and survived to improve the prairie lands, rear their families, provide churches and schools, and to make deep and enduring friendships. These articles are meant as a tribute to their contribution to this favored locality.
The Early History of Baileyville and Vicinity
The earliest settlers of whom I have records came to the area that is now the Baileyville community in 1857.
A letter to me dated April 2, 1952, from W. O. Home, Kansas City, Mo., superintendent of the U.P. Railroad Co., stated the railroad from Elwood, Kansas, reached the area in 1872 and the first train went through that year. There was no town.
But the community began to be called “Haytown” because of the enormous quantities of prairie hay that were being shipped out. Bert Rice of St. Joseph seems to have been at the head of all this hay-making, and he built the first house in town as a hotel for his men working during the hay season. It is the east part of the old hotel where R. M. Morrison lives now, better known through the early years as the Hickey Hotel.
The second house was built by Fritz Hann. He worked as a blacksmith for Bert Rice. This is the east part of the house on Mrs. Clem Weber’s property across from Marion Hall. This was also the home of Alva Curtis and Bill Funk, and later Crawford Grier.
The first Fourth of July celebration in Baileyville was held in Bert Rice’s immense hay barn, which was just north of where the depot now stands.
I am indebted to Henry Weyer, who has his home with his daughter, Mrs. John Bigalow and family, for much of this information. Henry’s father came to south of Baileyville from Manitowac, Wisconsin, in 1857.
Isaac Richmond built a home on the west part of the Larkin home (the lots are now to be used for the new school building) in 1881. Henry Weyer married Ike Richmond’s daughter, Annie.
Bill Funk had the first livery…
Early Days of Baileyville (Continued)
The barn, just across south of the Baileyville Bank.
Records of the register of deeds, Seneca, show the first real estate bought by the Bailey family in July, 1879. On March 20, 1880, there is another transfer. These transfers cover most of section 28, part of 27.
A town was laid out at once and named Baileyville. Lots were given away if houses would be built, and lots were also sold. Vacant lots were set to cherry trees, which bore abundantly. Cherries sold for 5 cents a quart, and the buyer picked them.
The First Post Office
George Rasp bought the southwest quarter of 27-2-11 from his brother, Henry Rasp. George Rasp was the first postmaster. They kept the mail in a bureau drawer.
The Rasp house was near the present location of a windmill east of town on the Hammes farm. This was once the Newcomer farm and later the C. G. Newland farm.
The “Haytown” post office, 1872-80, at any rate, was kept by the Rasps. From 1880-84, W. J. Bailey was postmaster and Jas. Ewing assistant, with the office in P. M. Crow’s store. Ben Anderson was postmaster the next four years, then followed Tom McGee, Will Graham, with the office in Graham’s store; Clophas Bush, with the office in the Bush hotel; then the John Clency store. Vernie Witmer was the first postmaster in the “new post office building,” followed by W. T. Weir, Emma McBratney, Mrs. E. G. Moore, Mrs. Minkler, Mrs. Ed Perrine, Miss Rita Wiegman, Mrs. Dena Broxterman, and in 1944 by Mrs. Anna Schulte.
“More early history to follow. — Mrs. Bert Hay”
A link to the digital copies of the Seneca and Sabetha newspapers can be found on the GENEALOGY page of our website.