Page:Kansas A Cyclopedia of State History vol 1.djvu/55

 resigned before the expiration of his term, and on Oct. 1, 1881, F. D. Coburn was elected to fill the vacancy. William Sims was then secretary from 1882 to 1887. He was followed by Martin Mohler, who served until 1894, since which time the office has been held by Foster D. Coburn.

 Air, a small hamlet of Lyon county, is located on Elm creek in Waterloo township, about 20 miles northeast of Emporia, the county seat, and 5 miles from Admire, which is the most convenient railroad station, and from which it receives mail by rural free delivery.

Akron, a village of Cowley county, is situated in Fairview township. 8 miles north of Winfield, the county seat. It is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., has some local trade, and in 1910 reported a population of 52.

Alabama Colony.—In 1856, in several Southern states, movements were made to encourage and promote emigration to Kansas, hoping thereby to advance the cause of slavery in Kansas. A Kansas executive committee was formed in Alabama, and considerable money raised for the purpose of giving free transportation to all southerners who would go for the purpose of settling. In Aug., 1856, Capt. Henry D. Clayton left Eufaula, Ala., with 29 emigrants for Kansas, being joined by others at different places along the route, until 90 persons were added by the time the colony reached Atlanta, Ga. The colonists were taken to Nashville by rail, and from there by steamboat down the Cumberland river, up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, reaching Kansas City on Sept. 2. Among the colonists were four families who came with the view of joining the “Georgia Colony” which had recently been driven out of Kansas into Missouri. On account of the disturbed conditions in the territory the emigrants, soon after landing, organized a military company, with Mr. Clayton as captain; J. H. Danforth, first lieutenant; W. W. Mosely, second lieutenant; J. C. Gorman, C. W. Snow, S. G. Reid and B. B. Simons, as first to fourth sergeants respectively; W. H. Baldwin, W. S. Reynolds, W. L. Stewart and W. R. Kaen, as first to fourth corporals; and P. M. Blue, W. T. G. Cobb, James Coxwell, A. Haygood, J. L. Hailey, R. P. Hamilton, J. J. Kitchen, A. P. McLeod, J. W. Guinn, Charles O'Hara, W. A. Pinkston, T. H. Rich, T. F. Rogers, T. Semple, D. R. Thomas and M. Westmoreland, as privates.

This company was in active service in the territory for a short time, but at the solicitation of Gov. Geary disbanded. Peace being established in the territory the next step was to locate the settlers, which was done in Shawnee county, about 4 miles south of Tecumseh, upon the California road from Westport, and about 14 miles from Lecompton, then the capital of the territory.

The executive committee which raised the money to send the settlers to the territory estimated the cost to be about $50 a head, but by taking deck passage on the steamboats it was found that the cost per capita did not exceed $30. The money saved on this item was distributed to the colonists most in need of help, while $500 was paid over to the Missouri executive committee, A. G. Boone, secretary, to be used “not only 