Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Keene Kansas

Wabaunsee County
Mission Creek Township, Map 1885.
 
On the county map keene can be found in Township 12-south and range 12-east.  on the township map keene can be found in section 36.
 
Keene Post office.
 
Keene post office open August 15, 1877 and ran to May 15, 1901.  First postmaster was Tomas A. Rutledge.
 
People of Mission Creek Township who used Keene as their P. O., as of 1885.
 
Thomas Baker, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Yorkshire England, came to county, May, 1860.
 
John T. Baker, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Yorkshire, England, came to county, May, 1860.
 
G. W. Gillis, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Trumbull, County, Ohio, came to county, June, 1868
.
J. W. McComb, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Philadelphia, came to county, June, 1859.
 
Charles Oehms, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Prussia, came to county, August, 1860.
 
Thomas A. Rutledge, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Mereer, county, Pennsylvania, came to county, December, 1866.
 
A. F. Wade, Farmer and Stock Raiser and Dairyman, from Trumbull, county, Ohio, came to county, March, 1860.
 
Keene History Given in 1907.
 
One of the localities soon to be greatly benefited and developed by the building of the railroad between Topeka and Council Grove, is the neighborhood about Keene. It is one of the oldest settled sections of the country. At the time the Beecher Bible and Rifle Company came to Wabaunsee, land was also being taken in this part of Mission Township. Among the earliest was the Mossman family who came in 1856. Mr. S. L. Mossman then a boy of seven, still occupies the original homestead.   The Beach family came in 1857. Mr. W. K. and Mack Beach have fine homes in Keene at the present time. Other earlier settlers were, Captain Henry, Mr. Mason, John Doty, William B. Hill and William Collins. A store was opened in 1858, where tobacco, sugar, drygoods and wet goods (mostly the latter) were sold to the Indians. In 1861 a stage route was established between Topeka and Council Grove, on about the same route as the new railroad is to be built. A postofl^ice was opened at that time. A rural delivery now takes the place of the postoffice.

In 1874 the site was moved one-half mile farther west, and a permanent store established. Mr. G. A. Eberhardt the present proprietor of the store does a general mercantile business. He has been in the vicinity for forty years and is a substantial citizen and enterprising business man. There is also a blacksmith shop, a public hall, and a large schoolhouse. The surrounding farms are fertile, their owners prosperous, and there are many fine homes in the vicinity.


Keene Kansas, 1912.
 
Keene, a small hamlet in Wabaunsee county, is located 16 miles east of Alma, the county seat, and 8 miles south of Maplehill, the postoffice from which its mail is distributed. It has one general store.
 
Ambrose F. Wade.
 
Was born October 29, 1843, at Kinsman, Trumbull county. Ohio. Received the benefits of an excellent educational training at Jamestown, Pennsylvania. On October 13, 1866, was united in marriage to Miss Orra C. Cole, two children berng born to this union: Harmon C. and Dolson N. Wade. On March 26, 1868, came to Kansas, locating on the farm near Keene postoffice, where he has since resided. Taught school in Pennsylvania and for a number of years after coming to Kansas, taking a front place in the work of the school room. Was for several years a member of the board of examiners and from 1886 to 1889 was a member of the board of county commissioners, and in 1889, represented Wabaunsee county in the state legislature. Served all through the war in the 2nd Ohio and the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Owns 2,900 acres of land and for several years has been largely interested in the cattle business. On July 4, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. Wade made the first cheese in the Keene factory. They own one of the prettiest homes in Mission Creek township and enjoy it for the hest of reasons— they know how they earned it by tireless industry and hard knocks on the farm.
 
 
 

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