Paxico Kansas.

Paxico is a interesting town and is only about three miles west of Topeka my home town.  Being so close I still haven't been by there in over 40, years.  For a town so rich in history there is very little written about Paxico. However there is a lot of information on the people and a few old pictures, which I will put some here and I think you will find them interesting.

Note. To enlarge pictures push on them.
-------------------------------

Paxico, a little town in Wabaunsee county, is located on Mill creek in Newbury township and on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., 8 miles east of Alma, the county seat. It has a hotel, a bank, a flour mill, telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population in 1910 was 400. The town was started at the Strong Mill, one mile east, in 1879. A postoffice was established and named Paxico in honor of the Indian medicine man, Pashqua, who had owned the land. When the railroad came through in 1886 the store and postoffice at Paxico were moved to the present site, and a little town by the name of Newbury was also moved to this place.

Post Office opened September 5, 1881-?.

MR. JOHN COPP. 

Was born at Steinheim, Province of Wurtemburg, Germany, December 31, 1832. Came to America with his uncle, John Copp, when but 16 years old, locating at Reading, Pennsylvania. Came to Kansas in 1856, and in the following year was married to Miss Mary Mauzenbrinck, whose parents preempted the land afterwards sold to Christian Wertzberger. Mr. Copp lived first on the Finney ranch, near Halifax, then at Copp's station, near Eskridge, on the Topeka and Council Grove mail route, but later at Paxico. In his day but few men in the county wielded greater influence. Was county commissioner from 1870 to 1872— a stormy period in our county's history. He was a man of firm convictions, warmly espoused the cause of his friends, and his few enemies always knew where to find him always striking out from the shoulder, irrespective of consequences to himself as well as those arrayed against him in a cause he considered just and right. Mr. Copp died March 10, 1888, at San Diego, California, highly esteemed by all.

FRANK RICKERSHAUSER

Was born at Neustadt, Hesse Cassel, Germany, March 9, 1833. Came to America in 1852, locating at Connersville, Indiana. Came to Kansas in the fall of 1856, locating a claim on the head of the Wakarusa, removing to Wabaunsee county, near Halifax, in 1868, but in 1875 bought the farm near Paxico, on which he has since resided. Owns 4,000 acres of fine farming and grazing land stocked with nearly seven hundred head of cattle. Has always farmed on a large scale, as is indicated by our illustration, which presents to view one of the finest stock and grain ranches in Wabaunsee county — the result of hard labor and good management on the part of one of our leading citizens one who has always been foremost in the advancement of any public enterprise, and ever just as ready to lend a helping hand to those, who, in the battle of life, have been less fortunate. A single example of Mr. Rickershauser's generous and sympathetic nature will emphasize the statement. In 1873, when the news came to Mr. Rickershauser that Judge Hall's fine residence and nearly all his personal property had been destroyed by a prairie fire, Mr. Rickershauser loaded up his big farm wagon, with double sideboards, with corn, hauled it to Wabaunsee, and dumped the contents into Mr. Hall's crib. No solicitation was needed. It was but the spontaneous act of one of Nature's noblemen. When the Alma Salt Works needed a man to push business to the front, Mr. Rickershauser took charge in person and with crude appliances made fifty barrels of the finest salt per day. Acres of cord wood were piled about the works, giving a large number of men employment. Mr. Rickershauser has led an active life. Hard work has been the rule of his life and though at this writing his health is impaired it is hoped that for many years he may yet enjoy the fruits of industry and well directed effort. He has not only seen the wilderness blossom as the rose but he has rendered valued assistance in bringing about the miraculous changes that have been wrought.

ROBERT STROWIG

Was born July 13, 1853, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Came to Kansas with his parents when five years of age. Received a good education at the Banner school, one of the best in Jackson county. On January 1, 1879, was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Riederer, to which union four children were born: Otto, Mabel, Milton, and Homer.  Was six years county commissioner from January, 1896, to January, 1902. Besides being a popular official, Mr. Strowig is one of the best millers in the state, the mill being located on Mill creek, near Paxico. The mill was built in 1879 and has a capacity of 75 barrels of flour and 50 barrels of meal per day. Has five double stands of 9x15 rolls on wheat, one, three high on corn. Has one sifter, two purifiers, two centrifugal rolls, smutter and separators. Is one of the best mills in Kansas and is operated and owned by Strowig & Son. Mr. Strowig bought his land of an Indian, and for several years after the mill was built the last remnant of the Prairie band of Pottawatomies in Wabaunsee county lived in two wigwams within two hundred yards of Mr. Strowig's fine residence near the mill.

Business Men of Paxico

1885.

John Copp, Farmer, Stock Raiser and General merchant, from Wurtemberg, Germany, came to county December, 1855.

S. O. Goodrich, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Madison county, New York, came to county March, 1867.

G. B. Haubold, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Saxony, Germany, came to county May, 1877.

W. S. Plummer, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Ohio, came to county November, 1871.

Fred. Pinger, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Germany, came to county August, 1862.

A. A. Phillips, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Iowa, came to county March 1869.

Frank Rickershauser, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Hessian, Germany, came to county October, 1856.

Gilbert Stewart, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Scotland, came to county April, 1878.

Alois Stech, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Germany, came to county March, 1879.

Note. In 1886, his house burned.

B. Smith, Physician, Druggist and Postmaster, from Germany, came to county May, 1878.

W. & Robert Strowig, Millers and Stock Feeders, from Sheboygan county, Wis., came to county 1858.

C. Troemper, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Pennsylvania, came to county, January, 1875.