Union Civil War veteran
Company B 71st Pennsylvania Volunteers Infantry

son of Peter L & Eliza L Alrich

Married Emma B. Eldridge - 13 Feb 1866
Parents of Rachel Canby Alrich
Alaric Grandy Alrich
Eliza Lockard Alrich &
Mercy Alrich

The following article was submitted by contributor NJBrewer. It is a transcribed copy of a two part article written in the Carthage Evening Press newspaper in Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri on April 13th and 14th, 1916. It is reflections in form of a letter by Levi Alrich about his life as he lived in Carthage, MO.

It read:
EARLY DAYS IN CARTHAGE
RECALLED AT WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF KANSAS COUPLE

L. L. Alrich Lived Here in 1859 and Tells of Experiences - What Carthage Was in Those Days

Old times in Carthage figured in the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Alrich, recently held at Cawker City, Kansas where Mr. Alrich has long been the editor of the Public Record.
A formal program in connection with the even was printed and carried out, and one of these found its way to the PRESS office. The feature which attracted attention here was this: "Border scenes from 1858 to 1861 at Linn's Mills and Carthage, MO." and the PRESS at once dropped Mr. Alrich a letter, asking for a statement of what he had to say in his remarks on old times here, to which he replied as follows:
"Your letter received in which you request some reminiscences of early days in Carthage. I left the little village (at that time) in 1861, of about 400 population, and my only visit since then was at the time of the dedication of the present handsome courthouse, October 9, 1895, of which services I have the official program. Also have the program of the laying of the corner stone August 21, 1894 which has on the back page of the cover a picture of the old courthouse engraved by your PRESS artist from my drawing made in 1859, my viewpoint being from the store of J. M. Linn, the present site of the Carthage Bank at the northwest corner of the west side of the square. This is the only sketch of the old courthouse ever made, and I still have the original drawing.

Wrote Article 30 Years Ago
"If you have your old files of the Carthage Press of January 21, 1886 you will find my reminiscences in a five column issue (daily) with this picture of the courthouse, also of J. M. Linn's store made rather black by the PRESS engraver of that time. These reminiscences were also published in the weekly PRESS, January 28, 1886. In that article you will find that names of the businessmen and some other residents. The PRESS compositor made an error in George Brown's name, making it Brown. If Lucy Cunningham or her sister Esther Dinsmore are living there yet they will remember me. In the PRESS of August 30, 1894 you will find my picture of the old court house a better engraving than the one above mentioned.
"I have a dilapidated copy of "The Southwest News" published at Carthage, dated March 29, 1861 when secession was rampant. It was published by C. C. Dawson [Christopher Columbus], at the southwest corner (west side) of the square previously in a rear room of Dr. A. M. Dawson, and was my most intimate chum.
[Alrich's copy found its way to Carthage, was enclosed in glass and once hung on the wall at the public library]
I left Carthage on May 8, 1861 and at that time Judge Chenault was making a secession speech in the courthouse, Maloy and myself stepped out of the south door and walked over to the northeast corner of the square when an ox team wagon was loaded with furs and buffalo robes, by J. M. Linn and started for Tipton, the nearest railroad point. Maloy joined the Confederate army, and I returned to Philadelphia and enlisted in the Union army. John H Maloy died at Council Grove, Kansas two or three years ago; he was a prominent citizen of that place.

Tells of Old Forgotten Mill
"Mr. Linn, the Indian trader, whose Indian name was Mahatongastachie (the long American) in 1859 bought Duncan's Mills, six miles down Spring River, and renamed it Linn's Mills; he also had a store there and the Osage Indians came from Osage Mission to trade with us because Linn could speak their language. He died at Nevada, Missouri about two years ago, age 93 years. I visited the old mill site at the time of the dedication of your courthouse and no one knew of such a mill. (It was burned out during the war.) I walked out on some stones in the bed of the river and found one of the sills just under the surface.
"I want to visit Carthage some time if I can become care free. I am 75½ years old, and often wonder if any of my old friends of 1858 to 1861 are still living there.
"This is not written in reminiscent order for publication but you can use what you see fit, and the columns of your files of dates given will supply what you may want."

Carthage 58 Years Ago
The following are some extracts from the article which Mr. Alrich wrote for the PRESS in January, 1886, more than thirty years ago:
"At the time of our entry into Carthage, in 1858, the population numbered about four hundred, with but little change during our nearly three years' residence.
"The town then, as now, surrounded the public square, in the center which stood the courthouse, a good sized two-story brick building, with east and west doors opening immediately into the court room, which was in the north end of the building; the main entrance was from the south door, on either side of which were rooms for the accommodation of county officers.
"On the north side of the square and about the center, stood the Carthage Hotel," a story and a half country inn and in which, in earlier times, court was held. This hotel was owned and managed by John Shirley, who also owned several slaves, whose quarters were in the lean-to on the west side of the hotel.
On the east side, and extending to the corner was a board fence enclosing the stable yard, the stables being about one hundred feet in the rear. Two sons of Shirley were names Press and Bud;" the latter was killed in the war. To complete the north side, and at the west end, was W. Kelly Franklin's harness shop, and adjoining was his residence: this corner now being occupied by R. H. Rose. On the extreme northwest corner, now occupied by A. H. Caffee & Co., druggists, stood a residence owned by Mr. Kilgore, enclosed with a paling fence. Immediately south, on the west side of the square, on the site of the present Bank of Carthage, stood a two story frame stone house, herewith represented from a pencil sketch made at the time.

A Night With the Indians"The building was owned and occupied by J. M. Linn, dealer in general merchandise and Indian goods, he having also, at that time, a trading post at Osage Mission, in the then territory of Kansas. The Osage village was then at the mouth of Flat Rock Creek, near the Mission.
Mr. Linn had been for a number of years a trader among the Osages who named him Ma-ha-tonga-stachie (the long American) and after his opening a store in Carthage, the Indians would occasionally visit him to dispose of their ponies, robes and furs.
On one of these visits, a cold wintry day, about a dozen bucks pleaded piteously to be allowed shelter in the storeroom overnight. The writer, who was clerking with Linn, as was his custom spread his cot in the storeroom overnight. The writer, who was clerking with Linn, as was his custom, spread his cot in the storeroom, in front of the glowing grate of coals, leaving room for the red men, who arranged themselves on the floor with feet toward the fire.
If ever we slept with one eye open, we did that night; but the bucks disturbed nothing and departed the next day with their purchases of red calico, paint and tobacco.
"The 'bull-whacker' in those days was the conductor of transportation trains, and the long line of 'prairie schooners,' loaded with hides, furs and robes, would trail northward to Tipton - the nearest railroad station - and come back loaded with store goods. In the second story of Linn's building, the Masons held their meetings. In the rear to the westward was the 'brush,' with numerous footpaths leading through it."

______________________

The second part of the article, published the next day in the Carthage Evening Press on Friday, April 14, 1916 reads as follows:

CARTHAGE SQUARE IN 1858
OLD RESIDENT DESCRIBES IT AND RELATES EXPERIENCES

How Things Were Done in Those Primitive Days - Slavery and Secession Activities

The following is a continuation of the article in yesterday's PRESS from the pen of L. L. Alrich, who lived in Carthage from 1858 to 1861, but is now editor of the Public Record at Cawker City, Kansas where he and his wife have just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, at which a feature of the program was the recounting of early day experiences in and around Carthage. The portion of the article given herewith was written by Mr. Alrich in 1886, thirty years ago, and is reproduced from the columns of the Press of that date:
"Immediately south of Linn's building, on the west side of the square, a new frame building was put up in 1860, by a man named Canton, who occupied it as a 'grocery' and ? - now the site of the Carthage Cigar Factory. The next building southward was a long one, partly of logs and well shaded with trees; this was owned by Sheriff Hood and occupied by himself and family, there being several sons and daughters, one of the latter being Mrs. L. Cunningham and another, a baby at that time, now Mrs. Esther Dinsmore, very recently a teacher in the public school. The site of the Hood building is now occupied by the Regan building.
"On the site of the present ice depot, next to the corner, stood the printing office of the Southwest News, edited by C. C. Dawson; of which more hereafter, Lee Crissman kept a 'grocery' in the next building south and on the corner where is now A. H. Goldstein.
"On the south side, next building east of Casey's bakery, stood the blacksmith shop. the remainder of this side of the square being nearly vacant. Jesse L. Craven kept a general store on the corner now occupied by McCrillis Bros. Chenault's store formerly stood on the southwest corner, now occupied by the bakery. Allen & Co., are now on the site of M. M. James & Co.'s store, the latter firm about the beginning of 1861 sold to Burden & Hulsell. Oliver & Johnson's store stood about the center of the east side, about the site now occupied by Aaron A. Myers. Next to the north corner of the east side and on the site of the present First National Bank stood a frame building owned and operated by A. M. Dawson as a drug store and post office. In the rear of this building, in 1859 was the office of the SOUTHWEST NEWS, edited by C. C. Dawson - "Lum" Dawson for short - the doctor's son. The printing office was moved the following year to southwest corner previously mentioned. The site of Dawson's drug store is now occupied by Hick & Bartlett. On the present site of the W. H. Hatch store stood the dwelling of Ben F. Johnson.

Refining Influences of Early Days
"This comprises about all the building that we can remember that then faced on the public square. Outside of this limit were the residences which were few and scattering, principally to the southwest, and on the eastern slope. On the north was thick brush, as also on the west side of town. Sunday school and church services were semi-occasionally held in the court house, also in the Academy, then a new two story brick building, not plastered and which stood on or just north of the site of the present school building in the south part of town, and on the north slope of the hill. In the upper room of this building the young men held their debating society, each bringing a tallow candle, and driving a stick in the soft mortar stuck the candle thereon. This served to throw light on some of the intricate questions we attempted to solve; one of which we remember, was "Which is the most destructive, fire or water?" This was ably 'discussed' by the young orators, who cited such proofs to sustain their sides as the Noachian flood and the final consuming fire. It was not long before the Academy was destroyed by fire, which swept the Carthage of that day out of existence. Your present governor, Marmaduke, had the honor (?) of leading in this act of destruction.
"In those days came the Howell family, instructors in music. They hailed from Cotton Plant, Arkansas and upon planting themselves in Carthage, proceeded to form a class for lessons on the violin, of which instrument they had a stock, and which they sold to the scholars, which comprised about a dozen young bucks, among whom were John Malvy, two Hayward brothers, Joe Hood, Lum Dawson, M. James, W. G. Bulgin, the writer and several others. This class met for instructions in the new brick jail, which was then just being completed, the debris of which can more be seen near the present old court house. Many were the long drawn bows in that jail as they murdered "Ortonville," the first tune to start with. We know what prominence our fellow pupils have attained in musical circles since, but the writer's violin was shortly afterward traded for a shot gun, that in turn for a pistol, and that for a hatchet, which for aught we know, served some Indian bushwacker as a weapon.

Spring a Popular Resort
"Just north of town on a hill stood the old brick farm house of the Hewsted-Scruggs. Hewsted having married the widow Scruggs, whose two sons, then young men, were want to playfully shoot at their step-father, and manged to keep the public interested in their family matters. "Hade" Scruggs became a source of solicitation for Sheriff Hood, who wish to make a more intimate acquaintance with him. A part of the brick farm house of this family is now standing, the remains of the fire of '61. At the foot of the hill on which this stood and to the northwest, poured forth an ice cold stream of water which formed a large pond, on the west side of which was a stone spring house. This was surrounded with trees, and was an inviting retreat on the warm summer Sunday afternoons. There the young men with their girls resorted and popped bottles of lemon syrups and set 'em up to each others health.
"The only other building which we recognize as of old Carthage is the John Turner frame dwelling, standing at the then west edge of town.
"It was the custom then for the young men to turn out with pick and shovel, when a death occurred, and dig the grave. The graveyard then was where the city park now is located, and was in the brush. The bodies have since been removed, excepting a few in the present street in the south part of the grounds. A new cemetery was about being laid out then on the eastern hill. A well was dug on the western slope of this hill sometime in 1860, and at the depth of about sixty feet a cavity was struck, and it was found that a stream of water was flowing through it northwesterly. It was then though, and is probably a correct theory, that this stream found an outlet at the Hewsted Spring, which certainly furnished a large amount of water.

Slaves Sold on Square
"In antebellum times numbers of slaves were owned in and around Carthage, and public sales of this human chattel were frequently made at the south door of the courthouse. Here, in winter time, a pile of wood was laid for the use of the county officers, and upon this pile the "chattel" would be mounted, one at a time, and knocked off to the highest bidder. Before beginning the sale and while it was in progress the prospective bidders would examine the "chattel" as to the soundness of limbs, teeth, etc.
"With one sweep of the pen, the Immortal Lincoln put a stop to that kind of business and made four million free people out of as many "cattle." The specimen books from manufacturers of printers' materials at that time contained cuts of fleeing Negroes with sticks over their shoulders, on which hung their bundle of clothing. A tracing of one of these we still have. I believe the present band stand in the square occupies about the spot on which in those times slaves were sold.
"The remains of the court house foundation are still plainly visible, and the south door was in the center of that side.
"George Brown, a Georgian, owned a number of slaves. His farm was fifteen miles down Spring River; he was killed during the war, as was also Dr. Griffith. The latter was an excellent physician but his own worst enemy being too fond of drink. He was an inveterate checker player, as was also Judge Chenault, and the two were often pitted against each other. When one was absent the other could be seen with a checkerboard under his arm, going from store to store in search of a 'champion.'
"Wm. M. Scott and his estimable lady resided on the first street south of the square on the rise of the hill and near the Academy. The young folks of that day will remember the social gatherings with this family. Hester M. Ferguson, a sister of Mr. Scott, who then lived on Center Creek, was recently met by the writer in Carthage. Mr. Scott is now dead.
"J. M. Linn moved from Carthage to Duncan's Mills, six miles down the river; it was afterwards known as Linn's Mills. Here he had a country store and post office, and did a large business. He was burned out early in the war and lost everything. He is now living in Nevada, MO.
Thos. Ennis, who managed the sawmill for Linn, is now living in Carthage. The store occupied by Linn, in Carthage, on the site of the Bank of Carthage, was the first to burn at the general destruction of the town. It was then occupied as a jewelry store. The courthouse was used as a hospital for wounded Union soldiers, and the Hood family were active in relieving their sufferings. Joel Hood was afterwards killed in mistake, by a friend.

Extracts From Old Carthage Paper
"From the SOUTHWEST NEWS, a copy of which we have, the following items are rewritten:
"The citizens of Greenfield held a meeting on March 9th, at which after reading the president's inaugural, they declared it an 'infamous doctrine,' and on 'open declaration of war upon the citizens of the south.' They resolved to instruct their delegates favor secession and 'immediately link the destiny of Missouri wit her sister states of the south.'
"An item represents Lincoln to be 'six feet four in physical stature and four feet six in mental stature.'
"Only one vote was polled in Carthage for Lincoln in 1860, and that was by Wm. G. Bulgin, a Jerseyman.
"The writer, a Pennsylvanian, was not of age at the time.
"Things were getting rather warm about Carthage early in '61. Meetings were held from that on, the speaker [illegible] expressing themselves favorably to linking their destinies with the south.
"On the 8th of May, 1861, the writer left Linn's Mill and arrived in Carthage, for the purpose of leaving for the east. The rebel flag was then flying on the pole we helped to raise the year before for the "Stars and Stripes. The pole stood a little east of the [illegible] of the courthouse, and south of the steps where the present [illegible] is. Judge Chenault was then delivering a speech in the courthouse favoring secession. We listened to this a few minutes and went outdoors with a friend with which I was about cross the square in the direction of the flag. He laughingly turned aside, and shortly afterward we took passage on a load of hides for Tipton and bade good bye to Carthage"
A copy of the obituary & additional family information is available at the North Central Kansas Genealogical Society, Cawker City, KS , [email protected]
Contributor: Toni Schlaefli (47109146)

Obituary in Cawker City Public Record, Cawker City, KS - 25 Oct 1917 page 1
Contributor: Toni Schlaefli (47109146)