Richland Kansas.

This black and white photograph shows a group of people standing in front of businesses in Richland, Kansas. Founded in 1854, the town was located in Monmouth Township in the southeast corner of Shawnee County along the Wakarusa River. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Richland was abandoned when the Corps of Engineers acquired land in the area for the flood plain of Clinton Lake in nearby Douglas County. Today, the broken pavement is the only remnant of the former town.

Date: Between 1880 and 1890.

Richland postoffice was established in the fall of 1856. W. C. Murray was the first Postmaster. R. O. Johnson was the first Justice of the Peace, and also first Trustee. The first schoolhouse was built on the northeast corner of Charles Matney's land. It was built of hewn logs, in the fall of 1857. 

Here is a list of some of the people around Richland.

MAJOR L. J. BEAM, farmer, Section 27, P. O. Richmond, owns 320 acres, about 200 acres enclosed, ninety acres under cultivation, one hundred in timber; raises general crops; has a fine place, good stone dwelling and fine orchard; has eight horses, twenty head of cattle, and twenty hogs. Was born in Ohio, March 8, 1839, and when eight years of age emigrated with his parents to Clinton, Ill., and came from there to Kansas in 1856, locating in Douglas County, and came to this farm in the spring of 1866. He was married August 13, 1866, to Miss Sarah F. Ray, a native of New York, whose father, Luke E. Ray, was a citizen of Missouri, in 1861, and barely escaped with his life to Kansas, bringing his family, but losing all his property, for his known Union sentiments. They have five children - Dolfo R., Bonnie M., Cora Lee, Florence M. and Rose. Major B. was one of the Free-state men in the early history of Kansas and in all the engagements of those early battles; was in the Cavalry under old John Brown, when they made the attack on Col. Treadwell's camp of Georgia; was under Captain Sam Walker, when he took Titus' Fort and was well acquainted with all the Free-state leaders; entered the service as Second Lieutenant of Company D, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, and was recruiting his company at Lawrence at the time of the Quantrell raid, but the day before had gone with a wagon to Leavenworth after arms for his men, and saw the smoke from the burning town, but thought it a prairie fire; had seventeen out of twenty-two of his men massacred; served with his company in all their campaigns, being promoted to First Lieutenant and Captain of his company and Major of the regiment. He was mustered out in October, 1865. Participated in Price's raid, where he acted as Adjutant General to General Blair. Resigned after four and one-half years service as Justice of the Peace, and has been on the School Board for fourteen years.

ALFRED A. DISNEY, farmer, Section 18, P. O. Richland, owns 200 acres; about 100 acres under cultivation and the rest in pasture and meadow; raises corn, wheat and oats; sod broken; spring of 1882 yielded forty-two bushel oats per acre; has seven head of horses, twenty-five head of cattle, twenty-five hogs. Mr. D. was born in Illinois, January 26, 1851, and came to Kansas with his parents when a child in 1855, locating on this farm; was married to Miss Clara Zircle, October 30, 1870. They have three children - Loran, Eli and Bertha. Mr. Disney is a member of the School Board, and has held that position for the past ten years; also held position of Township Clerk for four years, and is at this time Township Assessor, which he has been for four years; was in the State Militia during the Price raid on the border in a company commanded by his father, and participated in the Locust Grove Fight, when the company lost three killed, three taken prisoners and three wounded out of a total of twenty-three, the strength of the company.

DR. M. H. HOWARD, farmer and practicing physician, Section 33, P. O. Richland. Owns 200 acres, all enclosed, 100 under cultivation, four in timber, and the rest in pasture and meadow. Has a fine young orchard, and raises general crops; wheat averages thirty bushels and oats sixty; has six horses, thirty head of cattle and sixty hogs. He was born in Ohio, October 16, 1818; was educated as a physician in the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, taking his diploma in 1841. In 1843 he commenced the practice of medicine in Franklin County, Ind., and came from there to Kansas in 1857, and located in this township, and came to his present farm in April, 1880. He was married April 23, 1843, to Miss Isabel O'Harro; they have five children - Helen M., Marion, Flora Z., Hiram M. and Nelson C. He was in the Kansas State Militia during the Price raid, in Capt. Disney's company, and participated in the fight at Locust Grove, when they were overpowered. He tried to make his escape, but was ordered to surrender, which he did, and when he had surrendered one of the rebels rode up to him and said, "I will shoot you," which he did. The doctor threw up his arm and the ball struck it, going in below the elbow and passing out near the body, passed into the body, where it still resides. After night crawled to a house, and the next day came pretty near being killed by Union soldiers, who took him for a bushwacker, he being dressed as a citizen.

N. W. MINARD, carpenter, resides in Monmouth Township, Richland P. O. Came to Kansas in the spring of 1879, from Caldwell County, Mo., where he resided nine years engaged in farming and carpenter work. He was born August 24, 1836, in Harrison County, Ohio; resided there until he was of age, and learned his trade of his father. He was married January 7, 1858, at Mount Vernon, Knox Co., Ohio, to Miss Sarah J. Woodruff, of that place. They have eight children - Ida, now Mrs. Cole, of Loup City, Neb.; Emma F., now Mrs. Du Mars of Illinois; Osie C., Royal D., Naoma, Georgie, Effa and Edward. He enlisted, in the spring of 1862, at Mount Vernon, Ohio, in Company B, Ninety sixth Regiment; was with his command at the battles of Chickasaw Bluffs, Vicksburg, Arkansas Post, and Young's Point. He was captured at Bayou Lafouchla, in the fall of 1863, and held fifty-two days, and was paroled at New Orleans. He was mustered out at Mobile, Ala., June 1, 1865, and received his final discharge in July, 1865. He returned home, and moved to Cedar County, Iowa, remaining five years and then moved to Missouri. He is a member of the Lincoln Post, No. 1, G. A. R., and is a member of the United Brethren Church.

JOHN MOELLER, farmer, Section 24, P. O. Richland; owns 135 acres, about seventy acres cultivated, and the rest in timber, pasture and meadow; has six horses, thirty head of cattle and twenty hogs. He was born in Germany, November 13, 1842; came to the United States in October, 1864, locating in Illinois; moved to Atchison County, Mo. in 1867, and came from there to Kansas in January, 1869, renting a farm for one year in this township and located on this place in 1870. He was married August 31, 1868, to Miss Elizabeth Rupie. They have five children - Lena, Henry, Ida, William and Minnie; they are members of the Lutheran Church.

A. M. RIGGS, farmer, Section 27, P. O. Richland, owns 160 acres; about forty acres enclosed, and in cultivation and the rest in timber; has a fine orchard of choice fruit; has six horses, twelve head of cattle and ten hogs. Born in Rockcastle County, Ky., December 17, 1837, and when four years of age his parents emigrated to Missouri, locating in Andrew County, and to Jackson County, Mo., in 1852, and from there to Kansas in 1856, locating on this farm, which was pre-empted by his father who died January 10, 1866. In 1860 was engaged in freighting across the plains to Fort Union. Enlisted in March, 1864 in Company B, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, and was with his command at Little Rock and Duvall's Bluffs, and mustered out in August, 1865 at Leavenworth on general orders. Is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

H. M. ZIRKLE, farmer, Section 20, P. O. Richland; owns 125 acres, all enclosed; forty acres in cultivation, five acres in timber and the rest in pasture and meadow; his wheat averages twenty-eight bushels to the acre and oats fifty-two; has six horses, twenty-five head of cattle and six hogs. Was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, May 3, 1843, and when a child his parents emigrate to Ohio and he came from there to Kansas in 1869, locating on present farm. Was married in November, 1863, to Miss Margaret Hullinger. They have six children - Elmer W., Ida E., Hattie B., Harvey E., Howard B., and baby not named. Has been on the School Board four terms, and has in his son, Harvey E., the limberest boy in Kansas.

WM. A. ZIRKLE, farmer, Section 29, P. O. Richland; owns 260 acres, all enclosed and 150 in cultivation, twenty in timber and the rest in pasture and meadow. Raises general crops, his wheat average per acre in 1882 is thirty bushels and oats forty-seven bushels; has comfortable frame dwelling, barn and out buildings; has seven horses, forty head of cattle and forty hogs. Was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, in 1837, and when eight years of age emigrated with his parents to Ohio, where he remained until 1869, when he came to Kansas and located on his present farm. Was married in 1862 to Miss Susanna, Zirkle, a native of Ohio. They have eight boys and have never had sickness in their family and never paid a doctor bill.