CHAPTER 6Welcome To Kansas: “Her Light Shall Shine”

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND Barbed wire Bigotry Chain migration Class system Communal Depression Draft

Dug out Emancipation Famine Irrigation Pacifist Sections Sod house Tenant

PEOPLE TO KNOW Ernest de Boissiere Abbie Bright Philip Bright George Grant Flora Moorman Heston Benjamin “Pap” Singleton

WELCOME TO KANSAS Post Civil War

Many wanted to come to Kansas American Indians not welcomed Droughts ended

LET OUR LIGHT SHINE Most settlers were from other states Immigration to Kansas was encouraged U.S. government sold land cheap Railroads industry resulted in increased

population.

THE HOMESTEAD ACT Horace Greeley- “Go West, young man, go West!

West was a symbol of new opportunities Homestead Act encouraged land ownership

Homestead requirements If over 21 you could claim up to 160 acres of public land. U.S. citizen or intend to become one $10 fee, had to live and cultivate the land After 5 years if the land showed improvement then the

settler would be given a clear title. If a settler wanted to buy the land before the 5 years it

was $1.25 per acre

TENANT FARMING Land was free, but farming was not

Successful homesteaders needed $500-1,000 to start.

Many had less and failed Went back home Or became tenant farmers

Cultivated someone else’s land as a renter 1890 almost 1/3 of Kansas farms were run by tenant

farmers

OTHER WAYS TO GET LAND The Preemption Act

Squatter could take up residence on public land

After 14 months they could buy it up to 160 acres for $1.25/acre

Advantages squatter could buy the land before it went up

for public sale. Protected improvements squatters already

made.

OTHER WAYS TO GET LAND CONT. The Timber Culture Act

Allowed settlers to enlarge their land holdings 160 acres of land could be claimed

Add a large amount of trees to a portion of the land They did not have to live on the land If requirement are met settlers could purchase land for

$1.25/acre Auction

Land was sold at auctions If land was not purchased at auction it could be

bought for $1.25/acre

ADAPTING TO THE PLAINS

Hardships Economy cycles were harsh in KS Drought Blizzards and other harsh weather Grasshoppers

ADAPTING TO THE PLAINS CONT.

PROBLEMS SOLUTIONS

Lack of wood for housing

Lack of wood for fuel

Lack of wood for fences

Lack of surface water

Build earth houses, dug outs and sod houses

Bundled hay, corn cobs, and dried manure (buffalo/cow chips)

Barbed wire and limestone fences

Dug deep wells Water pulled up by windmills Put in to ponds for drinking

water and irrigation canals.

AFRICAN AMERICAN MIGRATON TO KANSAS

Life in the south was difficult Many were tenant farmers Violence and resentment

Kansas was an attractive option for many African Americans Symbolism of the Promised land Struggle against slavery in the state Symbolism of John Brown Land ownership

AFRICAN AMERICAN MIGRATION TO KANSAS CONT.

Settlements (counties) Cherokee Graham Hodgeman Morris Most famous settlement community was

Nicodemus in western Kansas

AFRICAN AMERICAN MIGRATION TO KANSAS CONT.

Nicodemus Developed through land speculation (land

purchased and town planned before anyone lived there)

Freed slaves from Kentucky settled there Named for a slave who purchased his own

freedom

AFRICAN AMERICAN MIGRATION TO KANSAS CONT.

Problems in Nicodemus Settlers arrived to late to farm Far away from the more populated areas in

the state Physical environment (Kentucky has lots of

forests)

AFRICAN AMERICAN MIGRATION TO KANSAS CONT.

Exodusters Name comes for Exodus in the bible Traveled from the deep south Generally poor Came in the thousands usually by

steamboat Many became sick and died on the journey Many exited at Wyandotte Wyandotte paid some to move away to

Atchinson because they could not take in any more of the poor.

AFRICAN AMERICAN MIGRATION TO KANSAS CONT.

Exodusters Because of the huge numbers of poor

along the Missouri river in Kansas jobs were very sparse.

Governor John St. John formed the Freemen’s Relief Organization which moved exodusters to cities around the state with jobs.

FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS COME TO KANSAS All immigrants experience a “push/pull”

factor Something is pushing them away from

home Something is pulling them toward KS

Railroads actively recruited immigrants to come to KS

KS State Bureau of Immigration published pamphlets to promote settlement opportunities

FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS COME TO KANSAS CONT.

German Settlers Largest European group to settle in KS Settled in all counties but particularly in central

KS More than 60 newspapers printed in German. Most came for economic opportunities

Farming Railroad

Chain Migration News from immigrants already in KS inspired others to

follow and come to KS

FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS COME TO KANSAS CONT.

Settlers from the British Isles The British class system mixed with the tradition of

taking over in a fathers given trade meant there were few opportunities for advancements.

Wakefield was a British settlement Runnymede

British settlement for 5 years F.J.S. Trunly offered to teach the sons of British upper

class how to farm for $500 Instead the sons staged horse races and hunted foxes. The parents got sick of it and brought the kids back

home

FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS COME TO KANSAS CONT.

The French Settlement of Silkville Ernest de Boissiere

Upper class Frenchman Believed in the equality of all men Arrived after Napoleon came to power

Started in New Orleans Gained wealth operating merchant ships Donated a substantial sum of money to an orphanage

for African American children

FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS COME TO KANSAS CONT.

Ernest de Boissiere Moved to KS (1869) because he felt it would be

a more tolerant area Organized the Prairie Home Association establishing a

communal settlement $200 a person could buy a membership to the Prairie

Home Association All members would live together and share the work

The business became producing silk Became know as Silkville cause de Boissiere imported

mulberry trees, silk worms, and workers from France immigrated to KS

Produced 300 yards of silk a day

FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS COME TO KANSAS CONT.

Swedish Immigrants Reasons for coming

A famine hit Sweden Sweden was over populated Potato crops went bad Religious Freedom

3rd largest immigrant group in KS 1st Swedish Agricultural Company brought many

Swedes over. Nearly 100 settled in Lindsborg (wanted a pure

Lutheran faith)