Cresco Kansas.

You may have noticed  I have been doing a lot on Kansas towns.  There are two reasons, one I fine them very interesting and I'm learning a lot on Kansas history.  One should learn more about ones own state.  The second reason is this site is built on surnames and what better place to find them then in the towns they lived in.  Many of thses towns are long forgotten as it was with Cresco Kanssas.
--------------------

Cresco, Anderson County, Reeder Township.

On the i6th day of May, 1857, the Cresco town company was formed, with John S. Robinson, president ; Wm. C. Howard, treasurer ; and Solomon Kauffman, secretary ; and was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of February 11, 1858. The
company claimed, under the pre-emption act, the southwest quarter of section 21, and the northwest quarter of section 28, township 20, range 18, as a townsite. The compan}^ filed a plat of the same in the district land office.

Several buildings were erected the following summer. A blacksmith shop was established by Wm. C. Howard, and a wagon shop by James C. Kelso ; also a postoffice, with Wm. C. Howard as postmaster, which was the second postoffice established in the county. Not being on a regular mail route it was supplied by mail from Hyatt, by private conveyance. James C. Kelso succeeded Mr. Howard as postmaster in the spring of 1859, he resigned in the autumn following. James R. Means was then appointed, and the office was moved to his house, some three miles north of Cresco.

The voting precinct for this part of the county was at Cresco, it being centrally located. In the spring of 1859, the inhabitants of the town, and many of the settlers in the neighborhood, caught the " Pike's Peak" gold fever, and the town was abandoned.

Authors note.   Cresco was not completely abondoned as the following information will show.

Post Office History.

Cresco, Post office opened July 13, 1858 and ran to October 14, 1868. Closed then Reopened February 7, 1891 and closed on July 31, 1891.

Cresco of 1867.

The directory of 1867-8, for North Missouri and Eastern Kansas, descrired Cresco as a village situted in the west part of Anderson County, 12 miles west of Garnett, the County Seat, and 52 miles south of the Kansas river.  The county is not very well watered, being on a high ridge of prairie, which divides the Osage from the Neosh river. 

Business Men of Cresco of 1867.

W. Baxla, Flour Mill.

E. Bolson, Blacksmith.

J. Hill, Shoemaker.

J. Lingo, Physician.

J. Means, General Store.

J. R. Means, Hotel.

J. Money, Blacksmith.

 

James R. Means.

 

In every town there are men who stand out from the rest of the citizens and James R. Means was one of them.  James R. Means came to Reeder Township in the Spring of 1857 and bought the farm of James Carl.  James R. Means was born in 1813, N. C., was 47 years in 1860.  He was the Director and Treasurer of the Townships first school District, was part of a Hotel and was once the Postmaster.