Alton Kansas.

History of Bull, Alton, Kansas.

Alton, Kansas, date unknown.
Push to enlarge.

In the fall of 1870 two men met at Cawker City and headed west together.  At this time, the Bullock's Ranch at Bloomington was the furthest west settlement.  General Hiram C. Bull and Lyman T. Earl came to a wide valley, at a big bend in the river, with bluffs to the south, and thought this would make a beautiful setting for a town.

On September 12, 1870, they staked out the townsite and General Bull built a 12 x 24-foot general store.  A flip of a coin to decide the city's name resulted in the name of Bull City.  The first post office was established May 31, 1871.  General Bull was the first postmaster.  His pay was $12 a month.

At the close of 1872 there were five log buildings, a stone hotel, one frame building and the Bush Sawmill south of Alton.  The first term of school was held in the upstairs of the Austin Hotel.  In 1873 $1500 in bonds were voted for a stone school house.  The town of Bull City was growing and developing.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck.  On October 12, 1879, General Bull and two of his friends were killed by a pet elk.  After his death, there was talk of changing the name of the town.  A Mrs. Clark from Alton, Ill., allowed no one would consider coming to a town having such a vulgar name.  Much publicity followed.  At some point names from a road petition were cut off and pasted on the change-of-name petition and mailed to Washington.  Alton was incorporated October 1, 1885.
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I have researched many Kansas counties and I always find the names of the farms interesting.  I have not done a list on farm names before, but after seeing so many interesting name while researching Osborne county I decided to make one up.  These farms are in Sumner Township and they all have the post office address of Alton, Kansas.

The date after the name is the year they came to the county, although they may have been in Kansas a lot longer.  There maybe some additional information on these names, you may request a look up, I'll be glad to help.

C. R. Bales, Golden Crop, Farm, 1877.

E. O. Binder, Walnut Lane, Farm, 1909.

Allen Grimes, Fair View, Homestead, 1881.

J. E. Hahn, Spring Brook Stock Farm, 1972.

Tom. W. Hale, Walnut Grove Stock Farm, 1909.

Emma D. Hart, Pioneer Poultry  Farm, unknown.

William A. Holloway, Elmdale Stock Farm, 1906.

William H. Holtslander, Pleasant Hill, Farm, 1901.

Leo W. Kissell, Plum Grove, Farm, 1877.

H. E. Kuatz, Sunshine Wheat Farm, 1879.

Jas. McEwen, Sunny Bank Farm, 1879.

W. T. Moran, Maple Lawn Farm, 1906.

James Nicker, Shady Grove Farm, 1878.

S. A. Norris, Lone Tree Farm, 1878.

N. E. Osborn, Longview Farm, 1872.

F. N. Shaw, The Four Cedars, Farm, 1888.

S. O. Smith, Silver Leaf, Farm, 1890.

William E. Smith, Ideal Stock Farm, 1878.

Edgar Stanfield, Cottonwood Grove, Farm, 1879.

William H. Stanfield, The House By The Side Of The Road, 1876.

W. I. Storer, South Slope, Farm, 1871.

F. C. Strebel, Prairie Dale Stock Farm, 1885.

Charles H. Stull, Alfalfa Valley, Farm, 1873.

O. K. Thompson, Lone Cedar Stock Farm, 1909.

Alonzo U. Thornburg, Bur Oak Stock Farm, 1887.

C. E. Williams, The Cedars, Farm, 1878.

L. C. Worden, White Leghorn, Farm, 1878.